The Week in Review: Sep. 2 thru Sep. 9

The New iPod
Apple introduced their new 5th generation iPod line this week and their jewel in this season's crown is the iPod Nano. Now smaller than ever, it's supposed to be about as big as a credit card, thinner than a thin mint and the ability to hold 1,000 tunes. I say big deal - my 4^th generation 40GB holds more than 20,000 songs and anyone who're really into music is going to scoff at a mere 1,000-song limit. All this proves to me is that Apple is that much closer to planting microchips in our brains.

Goodnight, Funnyman
Bob Denver died earlier this week. The world will remember his as Gilligan of the S.S. Minnow, but personally, I'll always remember him as the hipster beatnik, Dobie Gillis.

World Cup Fever
The World Cup prelims are quickly funneling down to 32 teams for the big showdown in Germany in 2006. This past week was full of football excitation and my local newspaper - the Los Angeles Times didn't even dedicate one column to the tourney. Here's what they missed: England got royally thwacked by Northern Ireland - one of the wealthiest and overrated soccer nations in the world, hobbled by minnows and they're already clinging onto their Cup bid for dear life. They definitely won't win their division, but they have a slight chance at getting a wild card into a single playoff match where the winner gets to go to the big show. Pathetic - what would George Best have said? (He is, after all, Northern Ireland's favorite son and we'd love to hear his comments on this famous victory for his country).

Gay Marriage in California: Terminated
After years of trying to get the same sex marriage law pasted in California, Arnold Schwarzenegger puts the kibosh on the bill that would allow the gays to get married and in turn, would allow them to share life's little conveniences like shared health insurance. He claims it's "out of respect for the will of the people." What the hell does that mean? Looks like it's back to the old drawing board for the homosexuals.

Celebrities Love PR Boons
Kayne West, Elton John, Julia Roberts, Dr. Phil, Oprah, and many other celebrities shifted into high gear and began shucking for the New Orleans cause. Some opted to stay in the nice air-conditioned confines of the studio and pled for monetary donations on telethons like Kayne West who went "off the book" and stated that "George Bush does not care about black people." Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't - I don't know - all I know is that Mike Myers "Get me the fuck away from this lunatic" look was priceless. Of course, the celeb that gets the outsideLeft vote for best effort was Sean Penn who allegedly brought a personal photographer out on his dinghy to save New Orleans - one refugee at a time. Unfortunately, he brought along so many people on his rescue mission, the little dinghy began sinking.

My Daughter Goes Back to School
It's back to school week this week and my daughter goes back to her Montessori academy - five days a week which means I get my life back again. In theory, this means I have more time to dedicate to the 'Left - in theory.