...For The Ride Home: The hockey season begins tonight, a new couple definitely worth rooting for and Roy Halladay is good

I've already babbled endlessly about NPR's "Fresh Air." Another program I am always sure to keep my iPod filled with is "Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me." It's been that way for years and years and years, actually. And on Jimmy Fallon's show last night, both of these men appeared, and such an action thrilled me to death. I've seen Peter on Craig Ferguson's show a couple times before, but never Carl. And knowing the show will be in Philly in only a matter of weeks now - while knowing there is no possible way for me to attend - breaks my heart beyond belief. If you've never listened to the show, log into your iTunes, search NPR's page, do yourself a favor, and download the most recent episode. And if you don't enjoy listening to things that are podcasted, listen to your local NPR station anytime this weekend, really. It should be there. So hello, Thursday. You know what you mean? You mean that there is only one more day left in the week! Yay! What are you going to do with your weekend? I hope it's something fun. Weekends are always reserved for fun, right? Here's hoping you and your object of affection have a fun-like weekend, and here's hoping you enjoy a link or six below. Have a fantastic Thursday!

Roy Halladay pitched the second no-hitter in postseason history last night. The Phillies beat the Reds to go up 1-0. More impressive? Dude also drove in a run. (Philly Inquirer)

Seventeen cheap dates that women will like. Hey. They said it. (Esquire)

No. No. No. Half the reason why we do what we do is so we can get free food! (Star Tribune)

Newsweek was sold for one dollar. I told you we could have done this had we put our money together. (New York Times)

Lou Dobbs: Hypocrite. (The Nation)

The basketball season begins in less than a month and all the GMs believe the Lakers will win the title and Kevin Durant will win the league MVP. Here's hoping. (Yahoo)

…And hockey season begins tonight. Three of the eight people who read this blog are excited about that. And for you, we offer this. (Sporting News)

Rachael McAdams and Michael Sheen is definitely a couple I could get behind. (Showbiz Spy)

...For The Ride Home: Somebody says something mean about Katy Perry, 10 acts to check out at the ACL music fest and America is winning the Ryder Cup!

So, Jay kills it here. He really does. If you happen to be around speakers, and you fancy yourself a hip-hop fan, you really ought to consider giving this a listen. But none of that is the story, actually. The reason you should take note of this song is because...wait...for...it...OK: This is the track that MC Hammer is so upset about. Mr. Carter doesn't even really diss him here, but the "You Can't Touch This" mastermind is trying to promote a new album. So alas, if you've read about the controversy, or happen to be a super duper MC Hammer fan, and haven't heard what all the fuss is about, now you know. It's not like we didn't love you, Week 27, it's just that we must move on for ourselves. Please don't take it personal. It was a good week, you know. It's not you, really. It's us. Hopefully we can leave the door open for future get-togethers. Is that OK, Week 27? All right. Good. Welcome to October, and welcome to a 31 day month. It always seems so daunting when you say it like that, doesn't it? Who's going to see "The Social Network" this weekend? I may have to wait until early next week to see it, so no spoilers, please. Whether or not you venture to the theater this weekend, though, we here at The Unusual Suspects would like to offer our best wishes your way and we sincerely hope, from the bottom of our hearts, that you are able to enjoy the first weekend of October to its fullest. Until Monday, read a few of the links below, cuddle up with someone you love if it happens to get cold, and don't forget that just like the previous 26 weeks, we love you, miss you.

LeBron James blames race for the backlash against his decision to play for Miami. This was what we in the trade like to say something you can “put on a tee” for Mr. Jason Whitlock. Read this. (Fox Sports)

“I heard she put out a song about me, or about some old habits or whatever. I look at it like this: I’m just stoked that she finally has a song with some substance on her record. Good job.” (MTV)

The lesson learned here? Don’t look at porn or gambling sites while at work. (Stars And Stripes)

Someone from Kansas State took home the Rolling Stone College Journalism Award. Our hats go off to you, sir. (The Collegian)

I’m going to keep linking stories about The Boston Globe’s latest idea only because I am utterly fascinated with it. Will it work? If it works, what will the implications be for the future of journalism? This should be taught in college courses. Professors out there, take note. (Media Nation)

Hey, hey. The United States is winning after the first day of the Ryder Cup! Remember to tune in this weekend after you stumble home from the bar to watch live coverage! (BBC)

A list of acts you should check out if you are lucky enough to make it to the Austin City Limits festival next weekend. May we humbly add Norah Jones to the list. She’s such a doll. (Spin)

Larry David talks about the NFL. That’s all you really need to know. (NFL)

“Titanic” in 3D. Now that’s an idea. (ABC News)

...For The Ride Home: Rita's new show debuts tonight, the top 10 love triangles and the Boston Celtics are funny

Landed a phone interview with the particular gentleman you see to the left. For those of you who do not know, this is Brandon Flowers, the lead singer of a band called The Killers. He recently put out a solo record and because one of the 52 jobs I have allows me to speak with big stars on occasion, I will be dialing his number within the next few weeks (something you may not know: These things takes for-ev-er to finally come to fruition). I bring this up why, you ask? Well, I need questions. Because I am certain whatever interaction we have, I will probably write about on this here blog, I figured it would be nice to extend the invitation to see if anyone out there has ever wanted to ask Mr. Flowers a question. And please, friends: No Killers questions. He's promoting his solo album. The band will be back in 2011. He's not going to want to talk about it. You know where to leave them, and as always, any words are incredibly appreciated. Anyways, welcome to Tuesday. I can't stop sleeping. It's odd, actually. I'm certain it has to do with the season and the rain, but it's still unsettling. Back to the gym next month and then that shall change. This week? Well, this week means more sleep and bad food than one could ever dream of. Oh, well, sleep, bad food, and blogging, of course. Here's hoping you have a wonderful rest of the day as you check out a couple links below, and until tomorrow, do not forgot to keep your bathrooms clean. Because when they get messy, boy do they get messy.

The Boston Celtics are becoming lovable. They really are. (The Big Lead)

Phil Collins has another No. 1 record. And on the day when the exclusive club his band was let in a mere year ago announces finalists for its next class (more on that tomorrow). (BBC)

Congratulations are in order to CBS for winning seven news Emmys. (Broadcasting & Cable)

David Simon, who used to work at the Baltimore Sun and, more importantly, created “The Wire,” wins “Genius” award. Yay! (Baltimore Sun)

Finally got around to catching up on this season’s first episode of “30 Rock” last night. Brilliant. In related news, Jenna touches on the live “30 Rock” that’s set to take place in a couple weeks. Should be interesting. (Popeater)

The Tampa Bay Rays are one of the best teams in baseball and nobody in Tampa cares. It’s sad. (ESPN)

The top 10 love triangles. When “Casablanca” is mentioned, I’m listening. (Time)

This show starts tonight. We root because Rita is in it. Can’t think it lasts more than four episodes. (New York Daily News)

...For The Ride Home: Weezer announces tour dates, ESPN ombudsman reacts to things and how to talk like a vampire

For as long as Michael Cera continues to make movies, I will continue to go out of my way to make sure I see them. It may have taken nine months to get to it, but alas, I finally was able to take in an evening with the accompanying flick last night. It was pretty Michael Cera-ish. Had no idea it had such an interesting cast, though, which was a pleasant surprise. If you don't like Michael Cera, don't see this movie. But if you like him, well, hey. Why not? Welcome to Thursday. We here at The Unusual Suspects sincerely hope you are having a wonderful day-before-the-final-day-of-the-work-week. This is your reminder that we will indeed offer our next installment of Blogspot Banter tomorrow, so be sure to check back for that (in addition to the always-wonderful post about movies we haven't seen yet, of course). "30 Rock" flies its way back onto your television sets this evening, so this is your friendly reminder that yes, it is the best show on television today, and yes, you ought to check it out at 8:30 (new time!). And finally, well, "Outsourced" looks awful. If you think it's mildly interesting, rent the movie and then shun the television show. OK. Now that we've done all that, we encourage you to click a few links and have a fabulous rest of your Thursday.

ESPN ombudsman finally speaks about all the madness that’s been happening. And it appears as though no one is happy about the things he said. (Deadspin)

If you pass along links, we will use them, friends. “…off in the open field, no bricks in sight, stands Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger with 37 million readers online wondering whether he could soon run the largest newspaper site in the world.” (Buzz Machine)

David Gregory speaks. News junkies listen. (Washington News Council)

Hey! Hey! Tomorrow is National Punctuation Day! (St. Petersburg Times)

Never, ever got into them. But I know there are gabillions of you who did. Weezer announce the first batch of dates for the tour in which they will play their albums from front to back. (Pitchfork)

How to talk like a vampire. That’s pretty much all you need to know. (CNN)

I was happy I got to see it last night as it happened. Letterman made it awkward, I thought, after harping on what he harped on for as long as he did. It was still worth seeing, though. (Hollywood Reporter)

NBA players want to know how much money commissioner David Stern is getting paid. So, this means we don’t already know? Hmmm. (TMZ)

Woody Paige. Suicide. And depression. Read this. (Denver Post)

...For The Ride Home: Why the Celtics signed Shaq, Letterman talks Twitter and you should pay more attention to Bill Withers

So, I thought episode eight was great. In fact, both seven and eight are easily my two favorite episodes of "Man Men" thus far this season. But the more people I talk to about it (and people, who, I may add, have opinions I fully respect and seek), the more I find that episode eight wasn't an episode that people entirely loved. I find myself disagreeing more and more with the "smart" "Mad Men" fans - the ones who claim to love the show for all the "hip" reasons (if that makes any sense). And that bothers me. Makes me feel like a "stupid" "Mad Men" fan. Now, with all of that said, I didn't much care for episode nine. Naturally, this leads me to believe most of the fans of the show will think it was brilliant, or it was one of their favorite episodes. It's like I'm on the outside looking in to the inside in which I already reside. Sally Draper. Sally Draper. Sally Draper. We love you, sweetheart, but enough it enough. By the end of the hour, I was begging for the show to end simply because I couldn't stand her brat-like demeanor. She's got to go live with Don eventually, right? I mean, come on now. That writing is on the wall. Even the doc was annoying, complaining about children and "failing tests." Goodness, people. How much whining can one "Mad Men" episode hold? The most redeeming factor? Roger Sterling was a big part of this go-around. And if you noticed, he didn't make any appearance last week. Also, I sort of root for him and Joan to work things out (which is why you see the above picture). Side: How many of you also thought he would take that gun from the hooligan and fight for his and Joan's stuff? I was on the edge of my seat. No way that dude got away, I thought. And just when I was beginning to warm up to Miss Blankenship...Boom. The final 20 seconds were fabulous as you saw Peggy get into the elevator with Joanie and the doc and you just have to smile at all the metaphors being thrown into your eyes. Goodness, I babble, don't I? In any case, welcome to Week 26, all your comments regarding "Mad Men" are welcome and encouraged (I'll be checking!), and we hope you have a fantastic rest of the day.

Half of this blog is a Pittsburgh Steelers fan. And this play was pretty neat. (The Big Lead)

A writer talks with the directors of “Still Bill,” a movie catching up with the man who wrote the greatest song ever written, Bill Withers. Months ago, I had the idea for this exact story, pitched it to a friend, who responded with a “well, I don’t really think you’ll be able to pull that off” kind of statement. Three months later, not only has someone else thought of it, but it’s someone who writes for the same Web site that I do! This is equal parts saddening, infuriating, disappointing and heart-breaking. (Popmatters)

The New York Times profiles Jason Whitlock. I can’t understand why Le Batard’s quote is getting so much traction. The same thing was said about Keith Olbermann nearly a decade ago. (The New York Times)

David Letterman talks about Twitter. We know he’s not perfect, but you have to love Letterman. You just have to. (The Star Press)

English is dead. Read this. Now. (Washington Post)

Eddie Vedder got married Saturday. Though I can admit I’m not the biggest Pearl Jam fan you could find, he looks happy here, and I’m happy for him. Tim Robbins was the best man. (Rolling Stone)

This may be a post someday: I kind of find myself rooting for Michael Vick to do well. Come on, now. We all love a redemption story. And as long as he keeps saying he knows he’s the back-up (which he admittedly didn’t always say), you ought to root for him. (ESPN)

Kobe said he had one more ring than Shaq. And that’s why the Boston Celtics signed him. (Yahoo)

Your weekly “Mad Men” recap. RIP Ms. Blankenship. (Entertainment Weekly)

...For The Ride Home: Sarah Palin needs to shut up, Joaquin Phoenix is going back to see Dave and goodness, 'Mad Men' is great

"People tell you who they are, but we ignore it because we want them to be who we want them to be." Had a "Mad Men" crunch over the last two hours. Why? Because I love you, silly. Caught up on the last two episodes (as you know, I missed last week, and last night was the VMAs. More on that later, though), and I know I end up saying these kinds of statements week after week, but the most recent two episodes may be some of the best the show has seen. The inner monologues with Don add an element of reflection and tone to the show that frankly somehow hasn't been there before. We saw last night that he wants to start living his life in a better manner, and while we all know one of the biggest attractions the show has is Don's struggle with alcoholism and, well, his life in general, there is something within me that actually wants to see him get better. You really have to wonder if people will turn against the show because of this (assuming this particular story line continues to progress, of course). Hell, even Betty earned a few points when she picked the baby up, gave it Don, and walked away (though, if I may interject for one moment, the look on her face as she saw how Don was with the kid reminded me - for whatever reason - of the end of "The Graduate." Was that regret on her face? Did she really mean it when she told Henry that "they have everything?"). The other fabulous quote from this episode? Again, a line coming from Don's disembodied voice: "We're flawed because we get those things and wish for what we had." This comes after he spends a couple minutes looking back upon what people want from their lives and how ungrateful we all can be once we get those things. And finally (from the episode before the most recent), the more Peggy and Don interact the way they did the night of her birthday, the more I will fall haplessly in love with the show even more. And then he grabs her hand! Yes, that exclamation point was used to show enthusiasm. Whew. This has been a lot. You know where to share the comments. All are welcome. Hello Week 25, and hello links.

Expect a full post (and it will be long) regarding the VMAs Wednesday. That is, if the better half of this operation isn’t planning on tackling it first tomorrow. In the meantime, here is all you need to know in 60 seconds. (MTV)

So, Deadspin hates Tony Dungy. That’s kind of mean. (Deadspin)

The New York Football Jets kick off their season this evening. One of the few nights I regret getting into newspapers in the first place. Oh, and just in case if you were wondering, they apologized to that female reporter. Silly Jets. (USA Today)

Advertising spending is up nearly six percent. If only those ads could be used on print media. Come on, now. Just some of them. (Market Watch)

Oh, Sarah Palin. Will you please just stop. (Missoula Editor)

Floyd Mayweather wants to kill an NBA player. Fifty bucks to anyone who could tell me what team he plays on without looking. (TMZ)

Joaquin Phoenix is going back on David Letterman. This should be interesting. (Popeater)

J-Lo is going to “American Idol.” And those crazy demands reported? These guys say they really weren’t all that crazy. (New York Magazine)

And of course. Your normal "Mad Men" recap. (Entertainment Weekly)

...For The Ride Home: Burger King is up for sale, CBS News to lay off tons of more workers and Eminem finally falls from the top

So, this sits on my DVD player in a Netflix envelope, waiting to be placed into the movie-playing device. Opened it to find it runs nearly two-and-a-half hours. That kind of got in the way. One billion doubts about this movie, but we will see how it turns out, I suppose. Matt Damon. Morgan Freeman. Have to trust them, right? Anyways, welcome to Wednesday, and, more importantly, welcome to September. That's correct, friends. School is back in session for most every high school and, I think (though it seems like it's been decades since I've been there) some colleges even. The leaves will begin to turn. The weather will get colder. The days become shorter. The fall depresses me. No, honestly. That can be a post someday. But it does. It's going to be hard to get through the next few months. Still frantically trying to catch myself up on 437 things that need to be caught up on before this weekend, so for the second straight day in a row, I must cut this paragraph short. But that doesn't mean I don't love you. Besides, it should give you some extra time to reflect back on the "Dancing With The Stars" cast, and the decision to keep Bob Bradley as coach of the United States Men's Soccer Team. And we all know how much you'd like to put that time to use. So go, friends, go!

First and foremost (and because it’s always good to keep this in the family): A collection of art for you to check out. And it’s even on Blogspot to boot! (Portfolio)

So, about that new show on FX based around Louis CK… Here’s a commentary. (Popmatters)

The Washington Post is going to put out an iPad app. And people seem to really care. (Yahoo)

If you work at CBS News, update your resume. (The Daily Beast)

This is long, but it’s a fantastic read. Yes, TMZ has changed everything. Everything. And, as something I’ve been saying now for quite a while, they get it first. Yes, they may pay for the news, and yes, they brake hundreds of ethics codes, but they get it first, and they get it right. There’s something to be said for that. (Village Voice)

Mo Williams and LeBron kiss. Make up. (Deadspin)

So, who wants to buy Burger King and shut every single one down in the world with me? (Forbes)

Conan names his new show after himself. How egotistical! (ABC News)

Katy Perry ends Eminem’s run at the top. Dude had a good run. Actually, a great run during these days. Irony: Finally received my copy of Recovery in the mail today, too. (Billboard)

...For The Ride Home: Doc's kid makes John Wall look silly, Emmys fashion and movies you may want to check out this month

To begin Week 23, we offer a picture of both Jan Jones and Christina Hendricks at last year's Emmy Awards ceremony. And that, naturally, segues us into Monday's official "Mad Men" recap (as always, any and all suggestions/comments are welcome in the forum below). Before I begin - and because this was brought to my attention by the better half of this blog - keep in mind these recaps will contain spoilers. If you don't want to know what's going on with the show, kindly scroll to the links. You there yet? OK. Good. So last night, we got to relive when Don and Roger first met, and this, to me, provided some of the greatest moments of the entire series. To see how eager and wide-eyed Don was initially, and to see how dismissive Sterling was to him, was simply fantastic. Now to the award. Oddly enough, I felt this was the first real time we got to see Don's drinking (kind of) get in the way of his professional life. When he rushes back from the awards ceremony to pitch ideas to LIFE, all you can do is cringe as he mindlessly throws ideas against the wall to have nothing turn out well. And yes, the writers are way too smart for you to even begin to think that showing that kind of episode on the same night as the Emmys wasn't done on purpose. Peggy continues her "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore" moments, but - and I honestly hate to say this - there are times when she simply becomes more annoying than confident or empowering. For as bad as she treated Don's former secretary when she "needed to get over" the fact that Don slept with her and she wasn't happy with the fallout from that, Peggy needs to consider getting over a few things herself instead of pouting all the time. Still love her, though. And finally, Pete stood up for himself and laid a little bit of the law down. "He always looks like he's over-acting," my roommate said. He's right, but at this point, you have to think it's done on purpose. Have to. Whew. That was a lot. As you digest that, take some time to click on a few links and enjoy the second to last day of August. Be happy, friends.

John Wall gets crossed the eff up by Doc’s kid. Remember when I talked about ooking a kid a bunch of months ago? Yeah, watch this video. (The Big Lead)

A look at the best movies September will offer. Mildly excited for the new Clooney movie. (Popmatters)

Ooohhhh. ESPN travels to high school and treats everyone and the town like poo. You HAVE to read this. (Sacramento Bee)

So, exactly how many people turned out to that rally in D.C. over the weekend again? Depends on who you talk to, really. (Yahoo)

Emmys fashion. The young girl from “Modern Family” looked fab. Absolutely. (NBC)

It’s a Monday tradition. Your “Mad Men” recap. (Entertainment Weekly)

And speaking of both of those above things, Ms. Christina Hendricks talks about how hard it is for her to find dresses these days. (New York Daily News)

Tiger stumbled back to assure himself another week on the tour Sunday afternoon. Here’s a recap of the People article that his ex-wife granted. (Bleacher Report)

...For The Ride Home: The Emmys are Sunday, older people love social media and 20 years ago today, Stevie Ray Vaughan died

I usually try to send you off into the weekend with a nice, "kick off your shoes, put on your dancing hat and let's have some fun because it's Friday and the weekend!" offering. Not that Mr. Rob Thomas can't do such a thing, but I had the weirdest dream last night about how I was informed he had died. It was super odd. Because it has stuck with me all day, I now offer this, a live version of a song I had no idea was, at one point, a single, "Mockingbird." Huge place in my heart for Mr. Thomas. Today, we say goodbye to Week 22 and to let you in behind the curtains for a few seconds (and only because we are all best friends around here, you know), this was tossed around as being the very final day of this blog's existence. If you haven't noticed, today, we celebrate our five month anniversary, and, it should be noted for those who are counting, that this is our 201st post. Over 200 posts, five months and thousands of page views (can't thank you guys enough for that), and because of other obligations, we contemplated the notion of giving it up. But alas, love prevailed in the end, and we shall push through until...well, until you guys stop reading. So, this is good news, right? You don't want us to do away, right? Come on, now. We need a little bit of our ego fed (more so than words can say), so any words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated. All of that said, here's to another five months, eh? Now with the curtain swiftly being pulled in front of us again, we'd like to offer the following links to kick off the last weekend of August. Did you remember to check out today's Blogspot Banter? It's a goodie, you know. Give that a read, follow Ms. Indy Grrrl to her site to see what she has to offer, and as we wait to find you back here, ready to go Monday morning, I must remind you, the people who truly keep this operation going, love you, miss you.

So, Melo is gone, we know that. But he wants his extension, too? And Denver is honestly willing to blow the entire operation up once he leaves? Don’t really know if that’s necessary. (Yahoo)

Oh, college newspapers. You crazy. (Independent Florida Alligator)

Remember the Fox News guy we linked earlier in the week? You know, the one who was leaving to go to print? Yep. There’s a pay cut involved. (Media Matters)

People 50 and over love Facebook, too! Actually, they do, though. There are numbers to prove it. (Pew Research Center)

Good. Question. (Salon)

What would you give for lower concert ticket prices? (Pollstar)

Twenty years ago today, Stevie Ray Vaughan died. Way too young. (Contact Music)

The Emmys are Sunday. Don’t forget. We root for “Dexter,” “30 Rock,” “Mad Men” and “House.” And “Modern Family” got robbed. (NPR)

OH! Levi’s mad at Bristol! Levi’s mad at Bristol! (CNN)

Mike Lupica’s take on Tiger. I find myself feeling more bad for him each day. I shouldn’t. But I do. Weird. (New York Daily News)

...For The Ride Home: Tiger and Elin talk, Christina Hendricks named spokesperson of London Fog and Brownie goes back to New Orleans

"Last night. She said." And then I have no idea what is sung after that. It's weird how the older you grow, the more you find yourself liking music you dismissed when you were at the age in which you should have liked the said dismissed music. The Strokes are slowly gaining ground on my conscious and I'm not quite sure what to do about it. The same kind of thing happened with Hanson, but, as you read earlier, we already scratched that itch. Anyways, welcome to Wednesday, a hump day for the ages. Why? It's the last of such a day August offers. Can you believe it? Summer is gone, friends. Its last breath will be uttered next weekend, and, only if the plans I happened to make last night are followed through will the summer truly go out in style. How about you? Oh, nevermind. I'm sure a "how was your summer?" post will be lurking somewhere around the corner by either one of us. Or, wait. Maybe even both of us (gasp!). Before we get around to any reflection, though, we must deal with the current, and we currently offer you wonderful readers the following links to enjoy on this, the last Wednesday of August 2010. Remember - eating healthy may assure your life to be longer. Just sayin.'

Elin talks. The world listens. (People)

Tiger talks. The world listens. (TMZ)

Michael Brown returns to New Orleans five years after that incredibly big storm made its way through the city. Naturally, he loves his life. (Westword)

Fox News talking head leaves Fox News to delve back into print journalism. Score one for the good guys! (Mediaite)

Lifehouse is going to tour in the fall. In shocking news, Kris Allen will open the shows. No Name Face is one of my favorite “nobody can ever know this is one of my favorite CDs” CDs. (Pollstar)

Elisabeth Hasselbeck supports gay marriage. And she wants you to know she’s not nearly as conservative as you think. This is certainly going to lose her Republican votes when she tries to run for president in six years. (New York Daily News)

I like Chris Broussard. But why write such things as this? Especially about Baron Davis? (Sports By Brooks)

When there is ever a link involving her, rest assured we’ll link it. Christina Hendricks is the new spokesperson for London Fog. She’s fabulous. (Fox News)

...For The Ride Home: Carson Daly's show is renewed, Brian Williams hates Facebook, Demi Lovato buys a house and is Jack leaving '30 Rock?'

It took until the middle of August, but I do believe I finally found a summer jam. And this is it, granted a remixed version with Jay-Z. Either way, this is it. Love her new record and I owe it all to the same person who provided me a copy of LCD Soundsystem's latest record before it hit stores. I love friends. Welcome to the end of Week 21. Woke up to an interesting surprise that I still haven't figured out how to feel about. As some of you may or may not have picked up by now, I may or may not review CDs, among other things, for another, much bigger Web site. In my e-mail's inbox, I found I had been mailed David Gray's new album by my editor to review. Having originally thought it was a simple re-release of some of his earlier material (since "Babylon," he has been re-releasing stuff for years on a monthly basis, it seems), I shrugged. A little research and a few clicks later, and I find it's an actual brand new CD. And it's a double disc, to boot! This made me equal parts happy, excited and disappointed in myself for not knowing this already. Love that dude. Anyways, and more importantly, I finally got to see "Leap Year" last night. I never thought I would ever get to a point where I could say this, but, it was BETTER than I thought it would be. Did it inspire a Monday post? You shall see (hint: I wouldn't ask if it inspired a Monday post if it didn't inspire a Monday post. Or something). But before we get there, we must provide you, the well-rounded and always attractive reader, with a few links to ponder for the weekend. And yes, even though I was unable to stop by one day this week (for the first time, mind you), that doesn't mean my feelings have changed. Remember: Absence makes the heart grow fonder. That said, friends, love you, miss you.

Six pop groups from the ‘90s that MTV thinks should get back together. Who is LMNT? (MTV)

Saw this item this morning and immediately conducted news searches for “30 Rock.” Why? Well, if you read this entire interview (Beadle comes off very, very cool, by the way), she mentions at the end at Alec Baldwin’s character is leaving the show. Is that true? Has anyone heard this? Awful way to wake up. (Manofest)

This man is angry at Google. But his argument is interesting, and I’m positive you can relate. (Slate)

Rule No. 1 for aspiring journalists: Don’t believe that journalism school will help prepare you for a career. Honestly, though. If you have any ambition to do this kind of stuff, this is a must-read. (Online Journalism Review)

Brian Williams does not like Facebook. Reason No. 40 why he’s awesomeradical. Reason No. 29? He’s been known to slow-jam the news. (Market Watch)

Michael J. Fox is coming back to television. No snarky remark here. Good for him. (New York Post)

Wow. Carson Daly’s show got renewed on NBC. Now, I know none of you will ever give it a chance, but with this new format, you can tell that he’s really, at the very least, trying to put out a good show. Hate him all you want, but it’s the only program where you could ever, ever see someone like The XX perform in the States. (Showbiz Spy)

Cheryl Miller is going to be inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame along with other people you may know. Really like her. Seems like she’s done a lot for the game without even knowing it. (Los Angeles Times)

Demi Lovato turns 18. Buys a house. For her family. (People)

...For The Ride Home: Spencer is now a director, Pippen enters the Hall this weekend and Snooki wants to own Snooki

We send off the nice, round number of Week 20 with a cool, calm and collected Jack Johnson and a performance of the fabulous "Flake." And it's even on the now-obscurely-old-and-longtime-canceled talk show hosted by now-annoyingly-famous Zack Galifianakis, to boot! I watched "The Kite Runner" last night, and after a midnight run and rewrites on stories I'm working on, it was a nice way to wind down my evening, or, well, my late-night. I cried twice. Again, much like my reaction to "Outsourced," it delights me tremendously to find that I bought a movie I actually enjoy. That's two for two now in the "buying movies I've never known anything about that turn out not bad" category. Word is this was a book. Can anyone out there either confirm or deny such an allegation? If so, is the book any good? Tonight seems to be a "Crazy Heart" kind of night, though we shall see how that works out. As for the rest of the weekend, well there a few things bolstered down, though it seems as though it may rain through the days. Rain, something I love. What are your plans? Going to see a movie? Maybe be by a beach? Date nights? Come on, now. There ought to be something wonderful in your sights. If not, I suggest sitting in front of a television that won't be consumed with football for one of the last times the next six months will allow. Still don't like that? OK. How about you check out the Premier League's kickoff weekend. That's sure to not disappoint, though you admittedly would have to wake in the early hours of the morning on a Saturday. Promise it would be worth it, though. Honestly. Before you find yourself encompassed in any of that, we offer the below links for you to ponder before diving into a middle-of-August weekend. Treat others well, and please don't forget my dear, dear friends, love you, miss you.

Woke up to find Bob Bradley out as the U.S. men’s soccer coach (I believe I had that one). Only to find that he’s not out and talks are on-going. The saga continues. (Washington Post)

Spencer from “The Hills” is directing a movie. Insert “reality television isn’t real” comment here. (Twitter)

How great is this? PBS ombudsman wants to “grab a beer and hit the escape chute” after seeing some PBS programming. (PBS)

“Warning: Medical claims in this article have not been confirmed by peer-review research.” You NEED to check these out. Funny with a capital "Unny." (Tom Scott)

Thirty-five percent less was spent on press travel for White House coverage this year. That just seems like so much, doesn’t it? What were they doing before? Bringing entire families on the road with them? (Media Matters)

Ellen is going to be on “So You Think You Can Dance.” Well, that’s good. (Dimewars)

In the wake of Scottie Pippen entering the basketball Hall of Fame this weekend, here are 10 current day players who would most likely be Mike’s sidekick these days. (Bleacher Report)

Ut oh. The “Twilight” kids are at it again. (People)

Snooki wants “Snooki” trademarked. In it’s response, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office said no. And your show sucks. (USA Today)

...For The Ride Home: LeBron has a list, college degrees you shouldn't go after and Ms. Mavis Staples

Finally getting back to my Netflix, I watched this the other night. Only put it in the que because it has a young Joseph Gordon-Levitt as its star. It was...not all that good. You know what it reminded me of, though, in a completely odd way, of course? "Synecdoche, New York." The film itself is simply being different for the sake of being different. I understand the art aspect, and I also understand how cool it can be to be pretentious. But sometimes, it's just a bit much, as was the case in these two movies. Next up? "Crazy Heart." Hello, Thursday, how do you do? One more day until the weekend, and we won't stop until we get there (even if the gas gets low). Bought two tickets to see Hanson yesterday. Yes. Hanson. Judge me now, not later. Feel a bit squirmy about being surrounded by thousands of teenage girls screaming for the boys while singing every word of that new album, but hey, nothing a few beers can't cure, right? Wait. Do they sell beer at Hanson concerts? Ut oh. Anyways, we offer the following links in nothing but good spirits, and from all of us here at The Unusual Suspects headquarters, we sincerely hope that you, the wonderful reader, have a fantastic rest of your day.

From the “we have way too much time on our hands department,” we offer you 200 beer bottles opened in 80 seconds. (Deadspin)

There will now be coupon inserts in your copy of the Wall Street Journal. Honestly. (Ad Age)

Hey about that guy who wants to buy Newsweek? Yeah, he’s not a billionaire. (Forbes)

The worst paying college degrees of the year. Super interesting read. I’m assuming Journalism was too low to make the list because a starting salary in that particular field doesn’t even sniff this list’s No. 1. (Yahoo)

A Tiny Desk Concert with Ms. Mavis Staples. Who else is excited-times-a-gazillion about this new record? Come on, now. It has Wilco attached to it. (NPR)

Saw this yesterday but didn’t link it. Thought about it a bit more, and thought why not. LeBron has made a list and he’s checking it twice. (Fox Sports Ohio)

Halle Berry is single and ready to mingle. (People)

Kanye West is going to perform at this year’s Video Music Awards. There are talks of a duet with Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus. OK. That second part isn't true. (MTV)

...For The Ride Home: Pennywise gets in a fight, Britney Spears on 'Glee' and possible future 'SNL' hosts

Just can't get this song out of my head. Damn, that CD is infectious. Hello, hello. Welcome to Tuesday. Did you get your early-day dose of sun burn yet? You really ought to, you know. Big night tonight. Why, you ask? Well, that's because the United States meets Brazil on at the Meadowlands for the team's first match since the World Cup. It shall be interesting to see who Bob Bradley plays. Will he continue his predictable formation from the World Cup with the same, predictable players? Or will he experiment a little with some of the younger stars because it's a friendly? Come on, Bob. Landon Donovan can't stay young forever. Also tonight, we see the first double-digit day of August. Where did all the time go, we ask. Soon enough, it will be Autumn, the leaves will change, the nights will get longer, the weather colder and depression sets in. Whoa. That was a dark sentence. Anyways, before we can sink into the seasonal sadness, we must celebrate the summer evenings we have now, and to do that, you really ought to start it off right with a peak at a link or two below. Besides, summertime = happytime. Damnit.

Ten questions regarding the upcoming Premier League season. Don’t forget: U.S.-Brazil tonight at 7. (The Big Lead)

Britney Spears is going to appear on “Glee.” I sort of root for her now, don’t you? (MTV)

Ten brand new projects move forward within the world of journalism. An initiative to provide journalists with micro-finance training for those who want to launch new media ventures? Hmm. (Washington News Council)

Carl Bernstein thinks no one wants to read in depth journalism anymore. And he’s right. And it’s troubling. (Big Think)

Tracy McGrady to the Pistons? Really? Didn’t see that coming. (ESPN)

A list of people others hope will host “Saturday Night Live” this season. Never even considered Carey Mulligan, but if that goes down, I will hold a party for such an event. (Entertainment Weekly)

Wow. Pennywise storms on to bus to beat the poop out of another band. Silly punk rock kids. (Alternative Press)

The “Spider-Man” musical will actually open. Good for them. Really thought that project was dead. (ABC News)

...For The Ride Home: More on this LeBron story, Ellen and Kara out on "Idol" and we'll see y'all in a week!

A hell of an afternoon. Such is the life we live in. We send Week 18 off into the twilight with a picture of a beach. Why? That's because, yes, though we love you, the two of us will both be somewhere far, far away on vacation all of next week. This will be a bit of a departure from the vacation I recently took, in which the other half of this operation stayed with you by offering his usual two posts a week. This time around, we will both be gone, thus leaving you with a blank space in your heart for a week. I know, I know. How many vacations could I possibly need? Answer: Whatever the amount, it's not enough. This doesn't mean we both don't still love you, and, for that matter, we pray we see you back here in a week, ready and excited as ever. We promise there will be no more vacations for a very long time after this. Pinky swear, in fact. So alas, we leave you lovely, attractive readers with the following links to hold you over until a week from Monday, a date I believe is August 9th. Until then, please, please keep in mind that no matter how many breaks we may take, or how far away we may be, as always, love you, miss you.

This makes me laugh every time I read it. (Twitter)

More on this LeBron James story that I find fascinating. Also, this is exactly why The Big Lead is my favorite blog on the planet: A real in depth look at how things probably happened for those who don’t know about how these things happen. (The Big Lead)

Five things you should know before dating a journalist. “Yes, we think we’re smarter than you.” So, so great and so, so true. (Rock My Car)

As I’m certain you all heard: Ellen is out. Kara’s probably out. Looks like J-Lo and Steven Tyler are in at “Idol.” (Rolling Stone)

Very good idea. Taking the WikiLeaks stories and making them your own. (Columbia Journalism Review)

Wacky news agency hangs it up after three decades. Where are we going to get our “A bear walks into a bar…” stories? (AOL)

Sandy’s pissed. She needs to catch a break. Just one. (E! Online)

Ten cities perfect for young adults. Just can’t agree with Lansing, Michigan. (Yahoo)

“I Gotta Feeling” is nearing the six million mark in downloads. What is wrong with you people! (Pollstar)

Turns out Matt LeBlanc has gray hair, and has had gray hair. I don’t see anything wrong with this. Why did he dye it before? Gray is such a nice look. (USA Today)

...For The Ride Home: Taking a look at "Palinese," Jessica Simpson could be the next "Idol" judge and RIP Lorenzen Wright

It may be a week later, but I finally had the opportunity to look up Ms. Jan Jones' recent time on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon." I only do this because I have never, ever seen her in an interview setting that made her look good. She simply just seems detestable on every single level. And I love "Mad Men." This time? Well, she referred to people in the audience who like to get autographs as "you guys," and it was in a context that seemed awkward and insulting, as though she's better than those who watch the show. Then, she was utterly dismissive of earning an Emmy nod. So, yeah, this sounds as though she didn't earn any nice points this time around, either. But she seemed happy, at least. Every other interview she's done has felt annoyed. Why root for her now, though? Because she recently started dating Jason Sudeikis, the coolest dude SNL has these days. She best not break his heart. Anyways, say hello to the final Thursday of July. You know what this means, right? A brand new Blogspot Banter for you tomorrow! Be excited. It also means the weekend is almost here! Be even more excited for that. Unfortunately (or fortunately), before any of those things come to fruition, we must offer some links to help the time pass by more quickly. You see. We love you. Really. We do.

Former NBA star Lorenzen Wright was found dead. This is probably the best column you could read on it. (The Commercial Appeal)

An ombudsman attacks PBS for developing something called “Palinese.” I’m sure you can figure it out. (PBS)

The classic should they or shouldn’t they when it comes to magazine cover designing. In this case, it’s Time magazine. (Time)

Well, this is interesting. A group of reporters cover and write the same story. Now, readers can choose which of those stories will actually run. Seems like a cheesy tactic. (Washington Post)

Why the hell would they give Jessica Simpson the “American Idol” seat? Still love “With You,” though. (Reality TV World)

Been meaning to post something about this, but I just keep forgetting. Argentina ousted Diego Maradona as manager from the country’s national team. Here’s a piece concerning what the eclectic star is going to do now. (CNN)

Yesterday Facebook. Today, Twitter. Tomorrow, Tumblr? The real reason we link this: His new album will now longer be called Good Ass Job. (New York Magazine)

CBS will introduce more gay characters on its shows. Wait. What was “Two And A Half Men” about, then? (The Celebrity Café)

...For The Ride Home: Kanye West has new songs, Kate Winsley has a new boyfriend and classic stories have a new home (kind of)

The best celebration in the history of sports. That's a bold statement, I know. But can you think of anything better? Especially in soccer, a sport that showcases celebrations more than any other sport, really. So funny. Welcome to Wednesday, the official half-way point of the week. I can't explain how much it angers me when people who I feel don't have good reason to say bad things about me, say bad things about me. Does this annoy you, too? This is a hard, hard life, you know. No matter how much you try, no matter the things you do, and no matter the steps you take in the right direction, some people can't get up from the low road. I know I'm not the best. But for the first time in a very long time, I'm fairly certain I'm not the worst either. Anyways, I now have a decision that I turn to you, my wonderful friends, about. I finished the second season of "Dexter" last night (crazy good), and, because I timed it perfectly, the third season arrived today. Do I begin watching that, or do I sit down with what Netflix has offered, "Whip It?" All suggestions would be much appreciated. It could be like an interactive game we play. Though before I'll be able to sit down with said television show or movie, I must offer the following links for your viewing pleasure. I sincerely hope you have a wonderful hump day. Be good, now.

Eminem is still at No. 1 after five weeks. This, friends, is awfully impressive in today’s fickle music world. Dude’s almost at two million. (MTV)

ESPN posts story about a night with LeBron. ESPN takes down said story about night with LeBron. Deadspin got to it before that happened, though, and you can read it here. (Deadspin)

It’s a new age for writing, that’s for sure. Here’s a look at classic magazine stories that recently popped up on Twitter. (The Pitch)

Chuck Todd on both Journolist and the WikiLeaks. It’s on the second page, but it’s worth it. (Politico)

Kate Winslet has a new boyfriend. “The Reader” was good, but “Revolutionary Road” was better. (Showbiz Spy)

Kanye West went to Facebook and didn’t poke anyone. Hehe. Get it? (All Hip-Hop)

Brad and Angie. Who’s the bread winner? (Fox News)

The best ballparks, logos, mascots, uniforms and team names in baseball. (Bleacher Report)

...For The Ride Home: Super mega tour is announced, LeBron needs to shut up, and welcome to your official "Mad Men" thread

Put serious thought into a "Mad Men" Monday post to generate conversation about the show the day after a new one premiers. Wasn't quite sure how it would go over, so I'm going to use this valuable space to discuss all things "Mad Men" come Mondays. Please feel free to offer any opinions. I'll be sure to check back regularly throughout the day to get a word in with anyone who would like to speak about such things. But, wow. How great was the first episode? Betty reaffirms that she is the worst mother since Hitler. Don's date went absolutely fabulous, and count me in the minority if you have to, but I hope we see more of those two together. Oh, and the lines of the season may have already been uttered - one, when Don explains to Betty how "temporary" certain things are, the other, when he tells Peggy there's no room for a girl in the meeting. And the way the season opens, with the journalist asking the one question that the entire show has been centered around for four years now, "Who is Don Draper?" you know we may be in for quite possibly the best season the show has seen. Yeah, yeah. I know I jump to conclusions. Buy my God, I missed that show. OK. That's just me. Now it's on you (if you so choose, that is). As you do that, take a look at a few of these links, and begin your week in style by checking out the wonderful Hanson tonight on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon." You see. It all comes full circle.

So now LeBron James has a hand in Chris Paul’s whereabouts? Come on, now. (The Big Lead)

I really, really like Rufus Wainwright. I do. (Popmatters)

Writer is ma-a-ad about being listed as a member of the now-defunct Journolist. Calls conservatives conspiracy hounds. (Village Voice)

So, everyone loves this “Top Secret America” series, right? (Politico)

The Huffington Post makes one dollar per year per reader. Didn’t know that. (Newsweek)

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Saves The Day, Motion City Soundtrack and Say Anything are touring together? This makes me feel equal parts young, old, excited, sad and happy. Goodness gracious. (Alternative Press)

I want one of these. In a total non-creepy way, of course. No, but seriously. I do. (Fox News)

This seems to be the story of the weekend: Pigeons poop on the Kings of Leon. Insert your own hipster “Kings of Leon now suck because they sell records” joke here. (CNN)

...For The Ride Home: Atmosphere is going to tour, Bieber to star on CSI, Matt Barnes goes to L.A. and don't forget "Mad Men"

Week 17 comes to an end today. More importantly, we bid farewell to our second-ever themed week here at The Ride, Soul Week. Which do you believe is better? Soul Week or Norah Jones Week? That's tough, we know. Sending us off is Booker T & The MG'S with the classic "Green Onions." We saved these guys for last simply because they were the glue that held nearly every soul record together in the 1960s. The impact they had on the music is unmeasurable. So sad to see it go, though. So sad. Alas, we welcome Friday with open arms, ready to dive into the last week of July. Goodness, gracious, where did this summer go, friends? Hopefully for you, you have a bunch of crazy good plans for the weekend, much like we do. If you don't, though, do not forget about Sunday's "Mad Men" return, a return we stupidly proclaimed happened last weekend. We know it's true this week, though. Jan Jones will be on television tonight and Ms. Hendricks looked stunning last night. Before we get to any weekend shenanigans, we must offer a few links for you to mull over as your Friday night takes shape. We sincerely hope you enjoy what's left of July and you make this sultry summer night a night you may never forget. Be good, friends, and of course, as always, love you, miss you.

Atmosphere is touring. Anyone else know/like them? Takes me back. (Pitchfork)

Matt Barnes signed with the Lakers last night. Have to wonder how Kobe’s going to respond to that after the two provided us with one of the best moments of last season. (Los Angeles Times)

Only because we linked Whitlock’s attack on Mitch Albom earlier this week: The columnist now compares Reggie Bush to a slave. (Fox Sports)

Haven’t been this excited for a sports book in a long, long time. Jim Miller talks about what people can expect in his book – with the fabulous Tom Shales, I may add – regarding the ins and outs of ESPN. Fireworks will be had. (Sports Illustrated)

One of the greats, Daniel Schorr, died. He was 93. (NPR)

Remember that damning Rolling Stone piece about the general? Yeah, that was supposed to go to GQ, but the magazine turned it down. (The New York Observer)

Again, don't forget that “Mad Men” kicks off Sunday. Here are 10 questions with Don Draper. (Time)

Justin Beiber is going to be on CSI. No way he lives up to Taylor Swift’s guest spot. (People)

Oh, we love you, Tracy Morgan. (TMZ)

...For The Ride Home: The Beach Boys are going to reunite, host of 'Nightline' is on his way out and an interview with Taylor Hawkins

Oh, it's going to be so sad to see Soul Week come to an end tomorrow. Today, we offer up one of the most important songs by one of the most important artists in the history of the music, Rufus Thomas' "Walk The Dog." This is a neat video, too. I wanted to get a performance of it that would stay true to the original recording, and lo and behold, I stumbled upon this. And it's even in black and white! So what's up? Not too much here, either. I felt sick yesterday in an awfully weird way. I was super hot. Then I was super cold. My body ached. I didn't really want to eat anything, but that didn't mean I wasn't hungry. And it wasn't as though I needed to hoark. I just didn't want to eat. It was awful. I'm still a bit hazy, even. Don't really understand what's going on with my body. Maybe it's the non-stop fun of Soul Week. That may be it. In any case, here's hoping that you, the fabulously pretty reader, don't feel as physically awful as I do, allowing you to take a gander at a few links below. One more day and then the weekend. You ought to be excited, you know.

The Beach Boys are going to reunite. No, honestly. They are. (Rolling Stone)

I know I’m five seasons behind, but I still love “House.” Hope this stuff doesn’t end up being too damning. (TMZ)

“Do I like a lot of what I hear on rock music radio? No, not for the most part. I’m not a fan of the regurgitated Pearl Jam and Nickelback crap.” An interview with Taylor Hawkins. (Popmatters)

Martin Bashir, the host of the greatest show I never have time to watch, “Nightline,” is leaving the program for MSNBC. (The Huffington Post)

ESPN’s ombudsman tackles the mess that was the LeBron James special. It’s like putting a golf ball on a tee and being promised you could smash it 350 straight down the fairway. Come on, now. Who isn’t going to kill that? (ESPN)

Rapper Lloyd Banks wins an assault charge case. Anybody remember “On Fire?” That was the jam for around six minutes. (All Hip-Hop)

The guy who won the British Open told his caddy that he would be fired after the tournament. Guess how that turned out. (Sports By Brooks)

Bristol and Levi: Poster children for the dumbing down of America. (Washington Post)