Either More--Or Maybe Less?--Than Meets The Eye

I'm reading Samuel Beckett's novel Molloy.  It's the first novel in a trilogy that continues on with Malone Dies and The Unnamable.  I've read the first two books in the trilogy before; the third I couldn't finish.  Here's how it's described in the inside jacket of the Everyman's Library edition:

The third novel consists of the fragmented monologue--delivered, like the monologues of the previous novels, in a mournful rhetoric that possesses the utmost of splendor and beauty--of what might or might not be an armless and legless creature living in an urn outside an eating house.

Enticing, isn't it?  (My favorite part: "might or might not be.") Also, is it just me, or is that almost an exact, word-for-word description of the plot of  Police Academy V?  Just saying...

World Cup So Far

I've watched about ten of the games in the World Cup so far; I've seen all the major teams play at least once and am therefore more than qualified to competently assess the entire tournament, and, in fact, all of World Football.

Some random thoughts:

- The Team To Beat for me, is Argentina.  They made a fairly solid South Korean team look like amateurs. The score finished 4-1, but it could have been much higher.  Their defense is average, at best, but oh my God can they score.  Exciting; electric--if you watch any games from now on out, try and watch theirs.  Even if they lose, it won't be a 0-0 draw.

- I read an article last week comparing Ronaldo to ARod; at the time I thought it was unfair to Ronaldo.  Now I think it's unfair to ARod.  Whiny, pouty, and given to flopping on the ground in "pain" whenever an opposing player even breathes on him, he is by far my least favorite player in the game today.  Luckily, I think the Portuguese are probably not getting out of group play.  At least, I hope.

-The US were obviously robbed of a victory today against Slovenia.  All the articles I've read about it thus far have said something along the lines of "Well, it was a bad call, but these things happen."  To which I say: YEAH WELL THEY#)@$* SHOULDN'T.  Taking away that victory from us is very likely to cost advancing beyond the first round.  Can't there be replays on goal kicks?  Can't it be reviewed after the match?  And why oh why was such a terrible ref allowed to work our game?

Yes, I know: we shouldn't have let the Slovenes get two goals in the first place.  Well, we did.  And then--we scored three more.  THREE MORE.  Three is more than two.  Therefore, we should have won.  Check that: we did win.  Okay?  We won.  WE WON.  So why are we only getting credit for a draw?  Why?   Somebody tell me??

GOD I HATE SPORTS.

-Except Argentine football.  That, I do not hate.  Maradona (who, by the way, my wife and I once saw in person, in the Lima airport) gives a press conference like no one else.  It's like...if Rasheed Wallace were made a coach, and given the freedom to say anything he liked, whenever he liked, that's what Maradona is.  The man is totally out of his mind.  But in the best possible way.  And, he's got his team playing well.  That must mean something.  Right?  

"...to get some printer toner or to take the cat to the vet..."

The best sitcom on TV right now is called Peep Show.  It's on BBC America and is, as you would assume, Albanian.

Wait, no.  It's British.  There's no Albanian TV network broadcast in America.  Although if there were, I'd watch it.  (Assuming it were shown in English.  Which seems unlikely.  More unlikely than the existence of an all-Albanian TV network broadcast in America, even.)

Peep Show has two stars.  David Mitchell is one of them.  The clip above is written and performed by David Mitchell.  It is, I think, hi-larious.  Also smart.  Much like the show.  And, while we're making lists, the British themselves.

"I Want To Be You When I Grow Up"

I've watched this three times today.  It's made me cry every single time.  If you're not watching So You Think You Can Dance....you should be. You really should be.