...For The Ride Home: Harper calls it quits, Ashton and Demi don't, and the world loses an R&B icon

We get the whole group together for the second-to-last photo of the season (and yes, I know this is an old image). First and foremost, Roger earned back all the cool points he lost last week. A couple great lines can do that for a dude with awesome white hair. Instead of offering a stream of conscious, all encompassing take, I am going to say this: Something about everything that's going on doesn't seem right. It doesn't seem interesting. What we are boiling down to is almost exactly the way last season ended, and if we end up seeing that they need to start over - AGAIN - when next season starts, I may jump the shark. When is Matthew Wiener going to write around a different plot line than "Oh goodness, what are we going to do as a company?!" Seeing everybody get fired was admittedly sad. But watching Bert leave felt so anti-climactic, you felt as though it was just another day. And that shouldn't happen. His last name is Cooper, for God's sake. Besides, do you really think he's gone for good? Really? Come on, now. Watching Don give away money - or be charitable in any fashion, for that matter - is becoming grating. So what? We get it. You have a ton of money and you don't mind parting with it for people who may need it (though there was no reason to buy that painting, if you ask me). His idea? It was fine. Of course it's going to result in something wonderful for the company, and of course it's going to make sure this season doesn't end on an apocalyptic note. But, blah. Give us something earth-shattering next week, Matt. Please. I'm begging you. Nice to meet you, Week 29.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Jason Whitlock think the Brett Favre story is made up. Really? (Deadspin)

Solomon Burke died over the weekend, and if you fancy yourself a rhythm & blues fan, you should care about this. Rest in peace, big fella. (Rolling Stone)

Goodness. The Huffington Post is going to spend a quarter of a million dollars on shuttle buses for Jon Stewart’s rally. Wow. (The Wrap)

So, has anyone watched “Parker Spitzer” yet? I caught a few minutes and it was…not good. Kathleen Parker needs to really, really hone her television skills. (Wall Street Journal)

Ashton and Demi: Still going strong. (New York Post)

Dame Dash and Jay-Z back together? (All Hip-Hop)

Laura Dern and Ben Harper are getting a divorce. Wait. Laura Dern and Ben Harper were married? (The Daily Mail)

Your weekly “Mad Men” link. (Entertainment Weekly)

...For The Ride Home: Randy Moss is going back to Minnesota, non-fiction writers you need to know about and our hearts go out to Mr. Levitt

This is the best movie of 2010. So far, at least. This puts "The Kids Are All Right" at No. 2. Forget your Inceptions. Forget your The Towns. This is it, right here. I still think it's a down year for movies, though. If this ends up lasting another three months in its position, and I'm forced to consider this the best movie of 2010 in my tiny, little brain, then yes, this is a slow movie year. It's still really, really good, though. Eisenberg should get an Oscar nod for this. Honestly, though. In much the same way Clooney was born to play the lead in "Up In the Air," Eisenberg was definitely born to play the lead in this particular flick. It's smart, and sitting right next to romantic comedies, those are my favorite kinds of movies. I don't - and still don't, for that matter - know anything about Facebook, including how to use it. But that doesn't really matter when considering "The Social Network." Dialogue-driven movies: They're the best. And the opening sequence? Goodness, gracious. Fantastic. I feel as though I've been sitting on his end of the table way too many times in my life, acting the exact same way: Scatter-brained, unsure, skeptical, obsessive, quick-speaking, subject-changing, smarmy. Wow, I'm awful, aren't I? I could go on for another 6,000,000 words, but I'll digress for now. Instead, I'll offer the following links, and remind you that the more you are nice to others, others will be nice to you. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Randy Moss is going back to the Minnesota Vikings. Hmm. (NESN)

The five best new artists for October, as determined by Spin. (Spin)

There are only three plausible scenarios for the future of newspapers. And this guy talked about them. (The Herald Times)

Ohhhhh. And. Ahhhhhh. Twenty non-fiction writers under the age of 40 that you should pay attention to. (New Haven Review)

As we said yesterday, Howie Kurtz is out at the Washington Post. And here is what some people think The Post should go after when trying to replace him. (Columbia Journalism Review)

Sooooo, the naked cowboy is going to run for president? Really? (TMZ)

Christina Hendricks: Women hit on her just as much as men do. Side: I love her – don’t get me wrong – but outside of “Mad Men,” it’s hard to find pictures of her in which she looks nearly as good. Side No. 2: I love her voice. (CNN)

This is sad. Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s brother dies. He was 36. Saw the movie star on Carson Daly’s show last night, promoting the fabulous hitRECord Web site, and he’s just someone to root for. Once came across a tweet from a dude I went to college with who was totally trashing him because he saw Levitt perform his music somewhere. No need for that. Joe seems like a nice kid. (People)

...For The Ride Home: Fox News is your new source for all Tea Party information, Zuckerberg could sue movie makers and the U.S. goes down hard

Whoa, whoa, whoa, Roger. What the hell do you think you are doing? Lies, lies and more lies, and we see how far this gets you. With only two episodes left, "Mad Men" has left nothing but doom and gloom talk to be had as this fourth season winds down. For really the first time this season (or at least, that's how it feels), we finally get to see Don Draper work as the boat his company resides in keeps sinking further and further into the sea. I was shocked (shocked!) to see Peggy end up with that creep she dismissed a couple weeks ago. That was...disappointing. We saw the beginnings of a youth movement, though, as Ms. Olson went into a meeting and got a deal done in quintessential Don Draper fashion. And speaking of Mr. Draper: Oh the humanity! What are you thinking, my man? You see what sleeping with secretaries does to your life, so why turn down that road again? That said, I still don't support his relationship with Faye. Don't know why, either. Just can't get behind that. In some odd, inexplicable way, I root for things to actually progress with this new secretary. But man, does she have some messed up teeth, or what? And that answer isn't what. Bold prediction: Pete leaves by the end of the season, Roger finds some way out of the company, and everything becomes all blown up. They have to do that, right? After last year's dog and pony show of a season finale. Good day, Week 28. Let's see what you can offer.

The Europeans won the Ryder Cup this morning. It was the first time in almost 20 years the competition came down to the final match. So, so sad. (ESPN)

Did anyone catch “Saturday Night Live” this weekend? Kanye West thanks any and everyone around for the success of his performance. Bigger story: “What Up With That” returned. (MTV)

Terry Gross, who, if you remember correctly, I love and ran into at a record store in Philly last May, sits down with Jon Stewart. (NPR)

People StyleWatch is the magazine of the year. Or so says these guys. (Ad Age)

Fox News: The official television network of the Tea Party. (New York Times)

First movies. Then television. And now music is going to have a stab at 3-D. (Pollstar)

Zuckerberg and the thought of suing the producers of “The Social Network.” T-minus 18 hours until I finally sit down with what Rolling Stone says is the best movie of the year. (The Hollywood Reporter)

A “Mad Men” recap. Only two episodes left! Frown face. (Entertainment Weekly)

...For The Ride Home: Vincent Chase makes a movie about celebrities, Fox News controls the world and is 'Family Guy' in trouble?

Who could have ever thunk this guy would ever be lauded as heroic for his actions? Not this particular blogger. Episode 10 brought it last night, and it was met with a gigantic "It's about time," from, well, me, and those who I speak with about such things. We finally saw the "Mad Men" crew pick up the action on last night's episode as Don lets yet another individual in on his deepest, darkest secret. Dude was shook. He clearly couldn't take the thought of losing everything, which must lead us to ask the following question: Exactly how confident and how sure is the real Don Draper (or, well, Dick Whitman)? He exudes such emotions on a consistent basis so much that it's simply weird to see him act the way he did last night (the acting, though, was utterly incredible. Who says Jon Hamm isn't one of the best in the game?). Betty, on the other hand, came across in the same light as Mr. Campbell - nice. They both went to bat for Don when both of them clearly had the chance to bring everything he's worked for down. Oddly enough (and because the "Mad Men" writers are smarter and better at what they do for a living than most of us), they were also the two people who could have benefited the most from Don going away for good. Or could they? Joanie and Roger's saga continues, and to be completely honest, I was hoping Joan would have kept it. Something within me still longs for those two to be together permanently. And Lane! Oh, Lane, you poor, poor thing. He just needs to catch a break. Any break. As always, comments, thoughts, arguments are encouraged in the section so designed to display such a thing, and as always, I'll be checking back throughout the day to partake in such an activity. For now, though, hello Week 27, and hello links.

A 25 year old and a 26 year old land jobs at The New Yorker. I will now proceed to drink until Thursday. (Splitsider)

Vinnie Chase made a movie! Vinnie Chase made a movie! (Popmatters)

This writer left The Huffington post because she wasn’t getting paid. That seems fair, right? (Mayhill Flower)

Fox News holds all the clout in political media. In related, “Oh my goodness, I can’t believe this is true” news, seasonal change can bring upon seasonal sicknesses such as colds, sore throats or ear infections. (Politico)

A little late on this, but it’s still sad: Max Weinberg will not be back with Conan when he starts his new show. (Rolling Stone)

Mindy Kaling: Still one of the funniest women on television (Twitter)

My God, Peyton Manning is good. (Yahoo)

Is this the beginning of the end for “Family Guy?” (Hollywood Reporter)

Your “Mad Men” recap, friends. (Entertainment Weekly)

...For The Ride Home: Reggie Bush is out for six weeks, Kanye is going to be on SNL and Wyclef says goodbye to presidential hopes

I love me some romantic comedies. And per recommendation from the people who read this particular blog, I threw this in my Netflix que, and had the opportunity to cuddle up with it Sunday evening. It was...just OK. Not great by any means, and may have wandered into "good" territory from time to time. The way things came to ahead near the end (when she has the four dudes in front of her) was touching, I suppose. It's all about love, you know. Next up? I'm not quite sure, actually. I've had the first "Wall Street" in the position, but nobody wants to send it to me yet. So we shall see. Hello, friends. Welcome to Tuesday, and welcome to an abnormally warm day for late September. That's a good thing, though. Right? I stumbled upon La La's new show in VH1 last night and yes, I am officially hooked. I'm fairly certain I was a middle-aged house wife in all my other lives. What I'm doing in a morose mid-20s dude-body kind of baffles me. Hope to see "The Town" tonight, though that, as always, is up in the air. But people say it's good. People say it's super good, actually. Can't wait for DVD on that one. In the meantime and in-between-time, follow a few links, enjoy a nice glass of Kool Aid, and try to think positive. Because positive things happen to positive people, right?

Wow. Beginning to wonder about Reggie Bush. He’s got a ring. But he isn’t nearly as good as everyone planned. And now he’s out for six weeks with a broken leg. (Fox Sports)

Elisabeth Moss officially files for divorce from Fred Armisen. Damn. I was so rooting for them. (People)

People spend more than half their day consuming media. My, how times have changed. (The Wrap)

Muck Rack Daily: Your source for all journalist tweets. (Media Memo)

Kanye West will be on SNL in a few weeks. So, here is what we have so far: This Saturday, Amy Poehler and Katy Perry. The following week, Kanye West and Bryan Cranston. After that, we see Jane Lynch and Bruno Mars. And then following all of that is Jon Hamm. What ever happened to being excited to find out who is going to be on “Saturday Night Live?” (MTV)

13 bands who became legends in four years or less. (Alternative Press)

I told you The Presidents of the United States of America have the best attitude ever. (Twitter)

Wyclef Jean officially ends his bid to become president of Haiti. Does this mean a new Fugees album is near? (New York Daily News)

...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: Chuck Norris finds himself on a hockey mask, Conan's old studio gets a makeover and 'I'm Still Here' is fake

For those who wonder why we offer this video to end out Week 25, simply follow the final link below. Hello, Friday, and hello to you, the wonderfully loyal and attractive reader. How was your week? Typical September, it's-almost-fall kind of week? Well, those don't always have to be awful, you know. I mean, after all, it did feature a pretty neat recap of this year's VMAs. Oh. That still wasn't enough to bring your week around to goodness? How about knowing this Sunday will feature the premier of that new HBO show everybody wants to see? Ahh, that's right. I knew that would work. Side: Did anyone out there see last night's episode of "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia?" I missed it, and I'm wondering if the gang got this season started off correctly. Those who may know are oh so welcome to leave an opinion or six in the comments section. Before you do that, though, we would like to offer the following links to send you into the weekend with. From the deepest of our most sincerest emotions, we hope you and yours have a lovely September weekend by doing whatever it is you do (and that may include seeing one of the hopefully-great movies). We hope to see you back here excited and rejuvenated Monday morning. Until then, though, and much like the previous 24 weeks, you must remember: Love you, miss you.

So, that Joaquin Phoenix movie? Yeah, it was staged. Now a Web site asks: Is he the new Andy Kaufman? (Popeater)

Penn State receives $88 million gift. Promptly begins hockey program. (ESPN)

Harry Shearer is mad at NPR. NPR sticks up for itself. All this really does is plant the seed back in my head that I need to watch “This Is Spinal Tap” again. (NPR)

The Daily Beast and Newsweek together? (New York Post)

Have you ever stopped to wonder what NBC is going to do with Conan’s old studio? Well, in case you have, they are going to…turn it into a newsroom. Sorry, Carson. I know you had your eyes set on that new “Last Call” set. (Los Angeles Times)

Dallas Stars goalie puts Chuck Norris on his mask. This is your opportunity to make one of those fabulous Chuck Norris jokes in the comments section. Related: I actually saw a few minutes of “Walker, Texas Ranger” this morning for the first time in my life. (Yahoo)

Sacha Baron Cohen is going to play Freddy Mercury in a biopic. What does Borat think of this? (Rolling Stone)

Watched this last night, so I must mention it today now that it has been parlayed into actual news. Jon Hamm is going to host Saturday Night Live again this year. (Entertainment Weekly)

Who else is going to party with me at this thing all weekend? (WHFS)

...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: Letterman visits 'The View,' The Anvil gets arrested and more from the Mike Wise situation

Saw this last night. Watched it with two other people, and without any doubt, I was the one who enjoyed it the most (one of the others had already seen it, though). It was...better than I thought it would be. Actually moderately-to-a-lot better than I thought it was going to be. And it's hard to be funny. But there were moments that I thought were genuinely funny. If I thought only three of those moments were going to occur going in, it turned out that somewhere around five actually happened. That's a good ratio. Anyways, hello Week 24. How do you do? First and foremost, we here at The Unusual Suspects headquarters would like to offer sincere apologizes for not offering up a "Mad Men" recap this week, but 1) I wasn't able to watch it yet, 2) It's Tuesday, so it's too old to speak of now and 3) There will indeed be a link below that leads you to our usual "Mad Men" recap piece penned by Entertainment Weekly. To make it up to you, though, we would like to point out that there may or may not be something brand new that is brewing for tomorrow. Could it be a new feature? Could it be a huge announcement? Could it be wonderful? Could it make you love us that much more? Goodness, so many questions to be answered. You'll have to check back to see what all the fuss is about. Before that gets here, though, check out a few links, enjoy this September afternoon and think back to all the fantastic memories you made over Labor Day weekend.

The Anvil gets arrested for drug possession. I defy you to come up with five names of former professional wrestlers who adjusted to normal life easily. (Tampa Tribune)

Boise State clinched a national title berth last night. Today, they gain seven first-place votes in the AP poll. (ESPN)

Nobody buys newspaper advertisements anymore. Oh, this is bad. (Editor & Publisher)

Editor is charged by coroner for two interviews. Funny. (Twitter)

More from the Mike Wise fallout. Now, the Post’s ombudsman takes his shots. (Washington Post)

ABC News loses its leader. Get those resumes ready. (CNN)

Barbara Walters comes back to “The View.” David Letterman visits. (USA Today)

And here is your weekly “Mad Men” wrap-up. Need to catch up before this Sunday. (Entertainment Weekly)

...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: 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: Much to say about the Mariotti fallout, Conan's single, "Dexter" and goodness, 'Mad Men' was uncomfortable

That was one of the most disturbing things I've ever seen on cable television. In a "oh, no. Wait. She's not really going to... Wait...Really? Oh my God. That's what she was doing?!" moment, Sally Draper finds herself in trouble after being caught masturbating in public. She's 10. Couldn't believe it. Felt like I needed to take a shower after the episode was done. In a rare moment that forced me to dislike Roger Sterling, the white-haired man became insufferable last night, and, ironically enough, allowed me to kind of like Pete Campbell (again, a rare, first-ever moment). The Honda tactic was smart, and it's a moment such as that particular instance that reminds you of why you find yourself rooting for Don, even though he walks that "should I root for him or not" line so often. He's savvy. And the stunt he pulled last night was nothing short of fantastic. Naturally, after I scream about Jan Jones not being on the show last week, last night's episode was pretty Betty-centric (goodness, she is the worst mother ever). And finally, Don's new secretary has now officially lasted one more show than I had anticipated she would. But that's OK. I'm beginning to warm up to her comic relief. Thoughts? Comments? You know where to leave them. Speaking of which, have you stumbled across our romantic comedy thread yet? Again, all suggestions welcome/needed. Hello Week 22, and hello Hanson. Why hello Hanson? We'll get to that in tomorrow's Ride. Mondays are reserved for "Mad Men," silly. Besides, I've already run way too long for an opening paragraph, and we wouldn't want to bore you, you know. Alas, follow some of the below links and have a wonderful Monday.

Anybody out there hear about this Jay Mariotti situation? Here’s Dan LeBarard’s take on it. A must-read for sports-heads. A must. (The Big Lead)

And now a list of other ESPN personalities that have found themselves in trouble. (Midwest Sports Fan)

Sort of funny in an MTV cheesy kind of way: Movies folks would like to see based around Web sites. (MTV)

Courtland Milloy, one of the most explosive columnists in America, tackles the n-word and how it should be relayed in print. (Washington Post)

“Good God.” Those were the words uttered after seeing the financial statements at Newsweek. (Wall Street Journal)

Lithgow praises Michael C. Hall and “Dexter.” Almost to season four. No spoilers, please. (People)

Conan’s first single. (Pitchfork)

As always, a better, more detailed recap of last night’s “Mad Men.” (Entertainment Weekly)

Because you probably never check our Twitter account, and I know you love Nickelodeon game shows. (Twitter)

...For The Ride Home: How 'This American Life' finds stories, Clooney's new project and the juggalos strike again

How does January Jones still collect a pay check from "Mad Men?" Can someone please explain that to me. She's been in 18 minutes of this entire season so far. So, last night, we see Alison walk out on Don, a move we knew had to come eventually. The odd part, though, was the fallout and Don's apparent desire to want her back. Best part of the episode (aside from watching Peggy spy on Don over the wall, as you can read more about if you follow the link below)? Don sitting down to write a letter to his former secretary and watching him type the sentence, "My life has been very..." before stopping and throwing the paper away. Pete's going to have a baby now, and the final scene that shows him and Peggy staring each other down was just fantastic. And speaking of Peggy, it's about time she ventured out away from that loser of a boyfriend she has. Clearly the girl has already reserved her seats at Woodstock in four years after seeing her begin to hang out with all of those forward-thinking folks. And as if this particular review hasn't been Peggy-heavy enough already, it must be noted that she had the line of the show when told that her boyfriend doesn't "own her vagina." "He may not own it," she says, "but he does rent it." Crude yet tasteful. In any case, what shall happen next week? Anybody think Alison will come back? It doesn't appear to be all that likely. Will Peggy leave the agency to become a bit of a beatnik? Will Don find a new secretary (there's no way he stays with that old lady)? Oh, so much to ponder. Before we find those answers, though, we must offer the following links to kick off Week 21. Be good, now, you hear.

Whitney Cummings killed at The Hoff’s roast last night. Though this isn’t the funniest thing she said, it’s certainly the one that’s getting the most headlines. (Deadspin)

“This American Life” and finding stories. If you like NPR, you’ll love this. (Washington Post)

Rupert Murdoch has never succeeded in any digital adventure. Interesting. (Newser)

How the hell did this girl land this role over Carey Mulligan, Ellen Page and Mia Wasikowska? There’s no way I’m going to see this movie now! (MTV)

The obligatory Tila Tequila incident over the weekend link. Some would say her getting out of there alive would be a “Miracle.” (Dimewars)

As mentioned up top: A vote for Peggy spying on Don as the best part of last night’s “Mad Men.” (Entertainment Weekly)

Some people seem to have a problem with Ms. Linney’s new show. I’m still looking for a way to find an episode online (Help, anyone?). Yes, it’s about cancer, and yes, it’s aimed at making people laugh. But it’s Laura Linney. How could it possibly be bad? (CBS News)

George Clooney as Frank Sinatra. Angelina Jolie as Marilyn Monroe. That’s all. (Hollywood)

...For The Ride Home: Esstential movie performances, is Tiger Woods someone you'd root for, and "Mad Men" Monday!

Week 20, week 20. Hello. Welcome back. How do you do? On a scale of 1 to 100, how much did you miss us (anything under 500 is unacceptable)? What have you been up to? Do you enjoy bagel sandwiches? All of these are pertinent questions, and though tradition expects me to return from vacation beginning with Monday's Ride, I thought of penning a "let's catch up" post, but alas, such things have not happened. I justified that by telling myself I would toss out a few things in this particular space, but then I remembered, "NO! This space is reserved for 'Mad Men' talk!" So here we go. We find out Joanie has had two abortions last night, which in an odd way is acceptable and predictable at the same time, while inexplicably not taking anything away from her character. And that's hard to do. More evidence of Don's life crumbling comes when he gets news out west that Anna is probably going to die. This, in turn, led to a few lines that were noteworthy uttered by Don, though they escape me now, a day later (maybe I should start taking notes when I watch). The Brit's life is crumbling as well, leaving the door open for a "what's going to end up happening with this character" discussion that deserves far more than a mere Ride paragraph. Though, all of that said, the scenes from next week finally suggest that after the last two episodes' worth of build-up, "when will this come to ahead" material, we are going to see a few things explode, which excites me beyond belief. The writers made it a clear point to suggest that even before next week's previews began when Joanie sits down at the table to announce to everyone that it is now 1965. Oh, and, as you will see if you follow the link below, any thoughts on Anna having a messed-up leg and the correlation it may have with the journalist Don ran into at the beginning of the season? Just food for thought. Whew! As always, all suggestions/comments are welcome as I will check back through the day and evening to see if we can't share some valuable "Mad Men" chatter. Oh, and I saw "The Kids Are All Right." Anyways, check out the links, check back tomorrow, and try not to write too many checks. It's always good to save money in a recession, you know.

The Premier League kicks its season off Saturday. I’d give you a full post about it, but something tells me you may never come back if I do. Instead, I’ll note that Manchester United beat Chelsea for the Community Shield, and whoever wins the Community Shield typically has a pretty good shot at winning the Premiership. I’m not sayin’ but I’m just sayin.’ (Soccer Blog)

An updated list of essential film performances. Leo in “The Departed” and Boogey make an appearance. (Popmatters)

Wolf Blitzer has been at CNN for 20 years. Here’s a profile on the guy. (The Baltimore Sun)

Magazine circulation is down. This is bad. Really bad. (Paid Content)

Any magazine that labels itself as the “Anti-Maxim Magazine” is a magazine I want to check out. (Boston Globe)

That long-awaited Jay-Z memoir is finally going to see the light of day. Good. Now you know what to get me for Christmas. Just send it to The Unusual Suspects headquarters. (Rolling Stone)

John Goodman wants you to know how to lose weight. Love, love, love him on “Treme.” (Showbiz Spy)

Tiger shot 602 over-par this weekend. Question that may just be made into a post: Do his recent struggles incline you to begin rooting for him to do well this weekend at the year’s final major? (Los Angeles Times)

Man Men. Expect these every Monday. (Vanity Fair)

...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: M.I.A. is the best, yet another no-hitter is thrown, U.S. media is the devil and fall fashion is here!

Found myself up unusually early Sunday morning. It finally, after a week's worth of stalling my Netflix que, gave me the opportunity to sit down and watch this movie. Remind me again why I like Jake Gyllenhaal? Oh, yes. It was "Zodiac," wasn't it? I don't know. It's hard for me to not like movies, but this one came up a bit short. Mr. Spiderman was pretty good here (especially toward the end), but as a whole, there was something inherently uninteresting about it. And Natalie Portman isn't all that attractive. Anybody out there who agrees with me? Didn't think so. Anyways, welcome to Tuesday, or, as July-lovers may call it, the final Tuesday of July. Beautiful day today, and even found the time to play a little tennis. Always good to get out and feel as though you weren't a particularly pathetic slob for all of the day by spending time in the sun and moving semi-quickly around a tennis court. Need to get some work done tonight, and if I manage to achieve such a goal, you can rest assured that a happy man I will be, if even for a few minutes. Before tonight comes around, though, I must offer up these links, remind you all to be nice to those you enjoy being around, and consider having pizza for dinner. Why? Because it just seems right. Be good, now.

A power ranking for “Mad Men” characters. A bit obnoxious at times, but interesting nonetheless. (Lisanti Quarterly)

Reason No. 361 to love M.I.A.: She blasts Lady Gaga in this interview. Fabulous. (Time Out)

Please, please don’t do this, beloved New York Jets. (ESPN)

Matt Garza threw the 250th no-hitter in Major League Baseball this season last night. A pie was thrown. (St. Petersburg Times)

Whoa. A new way to track newspaper circulation. One step? Counting one subscriber multiple times. This seems like one step forward, five steps backward. (Editor & Publisher)

And speaking of newspapers. According to this brand new, Earth shattering WikiLeaks device, the United States pays Afghan media to write nice stories. Something tells me this WikiLeaks thing is going to end up being much more important than people predict. (Yahoo)

Aretha Franklin and Condi Rice: Making lovely music together. (Christian Science Monitor)

$15,000 for porta-potties? Honestly? (TMZ)

Ten things you’ll need to consider when getting your fall wardrobe together. Hey, it’s never too soon to consider seasonal fashion. Besides, it’s almost August already. (Esquire)

...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: A funny writer says funny things, Mike weighs in on LeBron and Soul Week kicks off!

Good news! Week 17 is going to be our second themed week! Two exclamation points means business. For those of you who may remember, we first did such a thing here at The Ride back in April, when the showcased a video featuring the lovely Norah Jones each day. This time, and because no, I will not share the gamillions of stories I came by during my week away from you, the always-loved reader, we offer Soul Week, a week dedicated to soul music. Each day's Ride will contain a video that features various artists rooted in what everyone who knows me knows is my favorite kind of music: Soul music. This begins to today with (by my calculations) the fifth greatest song to ever be written and recorded in all of music (rock, pop, country, hip-hop, polka, etc.), Johnnie Taylor's "Who's Makin' Love." If only more videos of these artists existed, I would post live versions of these songs much like we did with Ms. Jones. But alas, such things are few and far between. Soooooo, with that behind us, how are you? How have you been? Did you miss me? Yeah, I didn't quite think you did. My friends always tell me how I should take vacations and how much I deserve/need them, but I don't think I've ever invested in that notion until now. It was so nice to press the reset button, make 5,000 memories, remove myself from the entire world (and this, I learned, also provided me with the time I most enjoyed not having a cellular phone), and stumble upon some of those rare slices of life you can only be so lucky to encounter every now and then. Goodness. Listen to me. I sound like a Christmas card. In any case, it's good to be back, and as July continues to fly by on this muggy Monday, take some time to check out a few links, enjoy the first installment of Soul Week and watch the season premiere of "Mad Men" again. Be nice.

Yes, sir. Michael Jordan says LeBron is stupid for playing in Miami with the overrated Chris Bosh, the bound-to-be-underutilized Dwayne Wade and Mr. James’ personal butler, Big Z. Have to love Mike. (New York Post)

Twenty questions with Gene Weingarten. If you care at all about newspapers or feature/humor writing in general, you really ought to check this out. Funny: “Q: You feel best in Armani or Levis or? A: Natalie Portman.” (Popmatters)

Geeky, but I have to offer it up. A list of winners for this year’s Alt Weekly awards. (Alt Weeklies)

Wasn’t able to get back in time last night to check out the first episode of this season so no spoilers please. That said, this guy talks about revealing too much when writing about the best show AMC will ever see. (Variety)

There was only one thing news story that leaked into my peripheral while I was gone and it was completely by accident. Here’s a discussion concerning the idea of George Steinbrenner being in baseball’s Hall of Fame. Think what you want about him, but I came across a priceless quote he once offered: “If you do something nice for someone, and more than two individuals know about it, then it wasn’t worth it.” (The Big Lead)

Tiger’s former mistress is going to be on the next installment of “Celebrity Rehab.” So, what’s the definition of celebrity again? (ABC News)

Glenn Beck is going blind. This one’s too easy. (Kansas City.com)

Comic Con begins this week. I only know what Comic Con is because of “Entourage.” Victory! (Washington Post)

Because I was gone and couldn’t link it then. Jason Whitlock’s take on LeBenedict. Dude got booed at the ESPYs? (Fox Sports)