As all of America now knows — Miami and Cleveland especially — superstar basketball player LeBron James is joining the Heat, effectively ending his longtime relationship with the Cavaliers. Needless to say, the people of Cleveland did not take the news well. Like a jaded ex, Cavaliers majority owner Dan Gilbert publicly denounced James' decision and called his former player's choice “selfish,” “heartless” and “callous.” Ouch.

As heated reactions from Cavaliers fans continue to flow in, we here on the Movies Blog team can't help ourselves from viewing LeBron and Cleveland's breakup through a cinematic lens. After the jump, check out five on-screen breakups that LeBron's brutal Cleveland departure brings to mind!

Forgetting Sarah Marshall
It's hard to say which party fits into which character in this breakup. On one hand, LeBron certainly left the Cavaliers naked and vulnerable like the titular Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell) did to Peter Bretter (Jason Segal). But on the other hand, Gilbert's promise to win an NBA title before the “self-declared former King” reminds us of the infamous scene where the two character try to one up each other through sex. Either way, something tells us the LeBron-Cleveland breakup won't resolve itself with a Dracula puppet musical.

(500) Days of Summer
This movie surprisingly fits really, really well into this analogy. In the film, Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) dates Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel) for hundreds of days before Summer breaks up with Tom seemingly out of nowhere. The movie goes on to explore Tom's heartbreak, anger and depression over the next several hundred days before he moves on and finds someone else perfect for him. In other words, while “Summer” may have walked out on Cleveland, in the end, maybe the city will find their “Autumn” — just as long as “she” can shoot three-pointers blindfolded while spinning in circles.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Okay, so maybe things will never get better between LeBron and the Cavaliers. The Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet-starring “Eternal Sunshine” offers an interesting solution to the problem: simply erase their entire memory of their time together. While such a solution worked out in the end for Joel and Clementine, I think it would get a bit awkward when fans keep asking LeBron about his time with the Cavaliers and he realizes he can't remember the last seven years of his life.

War of the Roses
Here's the worst case scenario in the LeBron-Cleveland breakup: after a terrible divorce, Oliver (Michael Douglas) and Barbara (Kathleen Turner) spend the majority of “War of the Roses” attempting to destroy the other's life. It starts with simple humiliation before completely derailing into violence that eventually leads to both characters' deaths. So, yeah, let's hope that LeBron and the Cavaliers manage to avoid a similarly gruesome fate. That would be bad.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith
After John (Brad Pitt) and Jane Smith (Angelina Jolie) discover that they're both secretly spies working for competing agencies, the married couple proceed to kick the ever-loving tar out of each other. After nearly destroying the house with bullets, knives and fists, the two end up having hardcore makeup sex, which further damages the house but serves to repair their relationship. So, hey, maybe things will turn out alright for LeBron and Cleveland after all — they just need to kick each other around for a while then meet up in the future for a passionate one-night stand. Boom, problem solved!

Which breakup outcome are you hoping for regarding LeBron's split from Cleveland? You tell us in the comments section and on Twitter!

LeBron has decided but questions remain.

by Adam Sweeney

The inmates have officially taken over the asylum and we handed them the keys.

Thursday night, LeBron James, a player whose talent level and hype seems to know no limits, took the term heartbreaker to a new level by making the announcement that he was leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers to head to South Beach with the Miami Heat in a television special. With that decision comes hyperbole to no end, as ESPN has already stated the trio of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh is one of the great trios of all time before they even played as a team in an NBA game together. But if James has become an addict of celebrity, and it certainly appears that way, then we are the ultimate enablers. This isn’t a LeBron James hate article. If anything, we put the needle in his hand.

Anyone who needs proof that America can’t get enough of the summer LeBron-athon needs to look at the SLAMonline website. The top four features all involved LeBron James. No, the irony of this article in itself is not lost on me. I feed the beast just as much as the next fan. It’s a matter of supply and demand when it comes to sports coverage. We recognize what you want to see and then slam it down your throat until you pick another flavor. Now swallow your poison.

There is nothing wrong with LeBron James choosing to go for a ring. It’s common knowledge that you can’t win a title without two to three exceptional players. Jordan had Pippen. Kareem had Magic. Kobe had Shaq and Gasol. Now LeBron has his co-pilots. The black eye to James comes in how he conducted the entire process, right up to the ultimate “Decision.”

If LeBron wants to add another sponsor in his quest for world domination, maybe Gold Bond Medicated Powder would be happy to throw themselves at his feet. It is really the only practical choice, seeing as the poor guy must be chafing from how many teams and fans rode his jock so hard, as if James needs more money. The “selflessness” of James when it comes to taking less money is laughable. He still stands to make over $80-100 million in this contract if he wants. The big money comes from endorsements. Don’t forget that James, Bosh and Wade are all Nike guys. The real winners in this choice may be Phil Knight, CEO of Nike, and the Swoosh symbol. Let’s also not forget about the Don, Pat Riley, who pulled a great sell job to make this happen.

The Cleveland Cavaliers shouldn’t blame themselves. They did everything they could to help James get a championship. The sad truth is that you are who you are. Cleveland just isn’t a top-tier city or franchise. James was not selfless or naïve enough to think he could win a championship on his own. Had Chris Bosh wanted to play in C-Town there is no doubt James would have stayed. That wasn’t happening and so James was left with little choice but to leave. Cleveland lost their high school sweetheart and now gets to look at the love letters and highlight videos of the “LeBron years” in the aftermath. You can always break out the Mark Price and Shawn Kemp jerseys, Ohio. Cough. And please don’t feel bad for the New York Knicks or any team besides Cleveland that lost in the LeBron sweepstakes. They cut off their nose to spite their face. The results are to be expected. They are now a bloody and ugly mess.

Still, there is contradiction in The Chosen One’s pick. James stated that a team isn’t built around just three guys but his decision screams otherwise. Yes, Wade and Bosh are two of the 20 best players in the game but what else does Miami have? The best choice in terms of depth was Chicago, especially once they grabbed Carlos Boozer. Somebody strike while the iron is hot and print a picture of the aforementioned trio that says “Friends first” or “Miami Thrice.” (Props to my friend Nick for the latter nickname.) This is what James is saying with his pick. Going to Miami says that he thinks superstar egos can co-exist and winning matters but don’t say that he chose the best team scenario. It simply isn’t true.

It would be foolish to crown James a champion, though haven’t we all been doing that since he was a high school phenom? Expectations don’t always equate to reality. The Heat still have to fill their roster out around the new “Big Three.” Don’t forget about the Steve Kerrs, Michael Coopers and Robert Horrys of the world. Mike Miller, who now looks ready to come along, gives them a much needed shooter. Can Pat Riley lure other veterans in to the fray? The kneejerk answer is a definitive yes. But don’t underestimate the egos of NBA players. How many true impact players want to sit on the bench and play ten minutes at best a night? We will see.

What made James’ situation novel was the polarity involved. The most unique physical specimen in basketball came from the trenches of Ohio to carry the hopes and hearts of the most jaded sports city in America. We haven’t seen a hometown boy more hyped up since Anakin Skywalker rolled out of Tatooine in Star Wars. Now it’s James who has seemingly turned to the dark side.

The made-for-TV special could not have been any more audacious if they had carried James in to the room on a throne. Was it really necessary to title a press conference concerning an athlete’s deliberation over free agency “The Decision?” Harry S. Truman deliberating over dropping the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima is a decision. This circus show should have been called “Just tell us already!”

James had to be aware of what he was doing to Cleveland by making his decision in to a spectacle. Offering up the show’s profits to the Boys & Girls Club smelled both of desperation and self-preservation. I kept waiting for LeBron to kiss a baby and say, “Don’t forget that I’m a good person, Cleveland.” The bleachers filled with children served as a false backdrop to a stage where James has now changed from hero to villain In the eyes of many. The Miami Heat have now become the Empire, an odd juxtaposition to the superpowers of teams with tradition like the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. Any rebellious team who takes down King James and his roundball table will be respected.

The never-ending conversation of who is the greatest of all time also has turned itself on its head. James has shown that rings overcome loyalty, which shows that he is aware of his place in history. Kobe Bryant’s last two titles have seemed to erase the memories of hoop fans everywhere. Anyone who says Bryant wouldn’t have dragged this situation out forget his temper tantrums thrown on sports radio and his infamous statement about Andrew Bynum in a mall. It’s funny how winning changes history.

In King James’ quest to grasp the Holy Grail of public opinion, he has also lowered his respective ceiling in the G.O.A.T. conversation. James can’t win in this situation. Critics will say LeBron can’t win it by himself without superstars around him if he wins in Miami. “He had to acquiesce to Dwyane Wade to do it,” they will say. If he fails to get a title with the Heat, which is a real possibility, he will move ahead of players like Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley and Karl Malone in terms of great players who couldn’t earn a ring. Is it an unfair paradox? Maybe, but LeBron has made his own bed by dragging teams along on a two-year courtship.

The true greats of the NBA stayed at home. Michael Jordan stuck in Chicago during the prime of his career. Magic Johnson did it. Paul Pierce is now a Boston hero because he held down the fort in the wake of despair. The consensus philosophy also lies in the fact that to be the best you beat the best. You don’t join them. James could have been a legend by staying in Cleveland or winning a title in New York because he would have done it alone. What this says about James’ legacy remains to be seen. Titles seem probable to come but the Association’s greatest? That’s a title that seems to be getting away from James.

LeBron James made the most fitting choice for who he has become now. He has brought a hurricane of controversy, urban legend and expectations to South Beach. Get ready, Miami. Change is coming. We have to wait and see if it will end with championship parties on the beach or a hangover even Mike Tyson couldn’t knock out. You know that we will be watching every overexposed step of the way.

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LeBron James is about to announce where he'll be playing on ESPN. Well, at least we hope he spills the beans immediately. The intro for the ESPN special, “The Decision,” is ridiculous, calling him the “most coveted” free agent of all time. ESPN's sources still claim he's going to Miami, but Chris Broussard said there are “so many twists and turns” that he could head to NY, Chicago or stay in Cleveland. Sorry, NJ!

9:05 p.m.: It's still ESPN packages about how great LeBron is. Time to check LeBron James' Ego on Twitter: “GETTIN READY TO DO THE DAMN THING BUT SO MANY THINGS ARE ON MY MIND LIKE WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH LINDSAY LOHAN? GIRL IS LUNCHIN.”

9:07 p.m.: Blah blah blah more ESPN stuff. We get a shot of LeBron in the Boys and Girls Club gymnasium with Jim Gray; LeBron is wearing a gingham shirt. Jon Barry still thinks LeBron should go to Chicago. Broussard agrees that Chicago is a better fit with Derrick Rose, Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah, but says “you can't argue with Miami” given that Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.

9:18 p.m.: ESPN claims that LeBron will be talking after the next commercial pod. We'll see.

9:22 p.m.: Jim Gray asks LeBron what's been going on this summer. To note — there's a huge Vitamin Water cooler in the back of the audience (VM is a sponsor). King James says the process has been everything he's expected and more. He claims not many know his decision.

9:25 p.m.: Blah blah blah, Gray is asking how knows, when James has made up his mind, does the team know. James: The last time he changed his mind was in his dreams; the team apparently just found out.

James says the major factor was for him to “win now…Winning is a huge thing to me, Jim, you know that.”

9:27 p.m.: “I'm taking my talents to South Beach and joining the Miami Heat,” because it's the best opportunity to win championships. “I never wanted to leave Cleveland. My heart will always be around that area. But I also felt this is the greatest challenge for me, to move on… It's not like leaving Cleveland…it's about joining forces with the other guys…and winning for multiple years. If this was a perfect world, I would stay. I've done so many great things for the team, they've done so many great things for me…. This is a very emotional time for me.”

So rumors have surfaced that Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James are going to Miami and forming a dynasty. This situation looks so perfect to everyone and the folks in Miami can't wait.It was reported that they even had a meeting in Miami to discuss this.

I made this happened in NBA 2K10 and boy was it fun, first play of the game Wade to Bosh in the post, to a cutting LeBron for a tomahawk alley-oop. It's nice in the virtual world but to tell you the truth in reality this move is not going to work out at all.

What is Pat Riley thinking? What are the people that are getting excited about this move thinking?

It will not work. Dwyane Wade is in the prime of his career, Chris Bosh is in his prime and LeBron James is still entering his prime(scary). This team would be exciting to watch, but it would not be a winning team. These guys will tell the media they are ready to sacrifice but that is because they are told to say the right things and if they don't give the truth is these guys really won't want to sacrifice at all.

It may look like they are all in for sacrificing for the first month of playing together but when LeBron's averaging 22 ppg, 6 rpg, 6 apg and the casual basketball fans are reading the stats saying that LeBron is not good anymore and saying things like ” I told you Kobe is better” James will want to shoot more, he will want to dominate the ball more, he will want the control he had in Cleveland and sadly if they want to win he won't have that control.

When Dwyane Wade is playing in LeBron's shadow, playing off the ball and putting up stats like 21 ppg and 5.0 apg he will get frustrated because he will have gone from being in the debate for best player in the league to being in the debate for best player on his team.

When Chris Bosh is putting up stats he had in his sophomore season and is playing in both LeBron and Wade's shadow he too will get frustrated, he will want more touches, more minutes and more attention, he may not even be an all-star because his stats maybe too low and other power forwards in the East will be out playing him on paper.

These three have egos, Bosh wants to be a Hall Of Famer, Wade wants to be one of the greatest and LeBron wants to be the greatest.

First of all you can't be the greatest if you are averaging 23 ppg and 7.0 apg. Now you say what if he wins seven titles? He won't win championships and even if he did, it won't be more then Kobe or Michael.

So, if James signs with Miami and they win championships(unlikely), he will just be known as the guy that averaged 22.0 ppg in the playoffs on the most talented team ever, while winning less titles then Michael,Magic,Larry,Russell and Kobe did. 

As competitive as LeBron, is he won't like that. James wants to be the greatest and if he signs with Miami, he won't be able to accomplish that. On some nights he won't even be the best player on his team. His stats will take a hit, he won't win MVP's and in the eyes of a casual basketball player that judges off of statistics, either they will ignorantly say he is slowing down when his stats take a hit or they will say he can't dominate with good teammates.

Wade, who has been the king of Miami for seven seasons, would have to take a back seat to LeBron. Even if Wade outplays LeBron, the media would make James the better player by hyping him up. Its a fact the media likes LeBron more then D-Wade.

Dwyane's stats would probably take a bigger hit then LeBron's because he will be the one that can't dominate the ball anymore. He will have to play off the ball and he is not that great at it. Wade will be the Scottie Pippen and there is no way he will be in the best player in the league conversation because he will be averaging 20.0 ppg and 7.0 apg a night.

Even if the team is winning, I have never seen a player that averaged less then 24.0 ppg referred to as the best player in the league. Wade wouldn't even be selling the most jerseys on the team it would be LeBron. If LeBron joins Wade, the Heat are LeBron's team and Wade does not want to lose that power.

Bosh will almost seem like a role player at times. He will be in the post watching Wade and LeBron dribble around. Bosh will get less touches and LeBron would take away his rebounds. Bosh will not be able to go one on one as much and there is no way he is getting the last shot. If Bosh sacrifices, it will hurt him the most because even if the Heat win multiple titles, Bosh won't be remembered for any of them it would be Wade and LeBron.

This situation would frustrate Bosh the most, he will go from the leagues elite players to the third best player on his own team and not being mentioned as one of the best power forwards because his stats are too low. If someone is saving up to buy a Miami Heat jersey you can bet that it is going to say James or Wade on the back of the jersey not Bosh.

Bosh will go from having all the attention in T-Dot to having no attention in Miami and he already said he wants to be the main man or at least apart of a 1-2 punch.

Now I know people out there are saying if they win championships it won't matter if their stats take a hit. LeBron James was hyped up to be the best player ever and there is no way he is going to be considered the best ever if his individual awards stop coming now. If he signs with Miami, they will stop coming. James will not win MVP on a team loaded with this many stars because his stats will be too low.

When the argument is that he deserves it because he is winning a lot people will say it is because he has Wade and Bosh. He will not win scoring titles like the greats did, no more triple 40-point games, no more 50-point games, no more game winner.

James will not be viewed as the dominant star he was in Cleveland because he will have to sacrifice so much. LeBron may seem unselfish to some but that is because he has everything going for him at this point he hasn't had to make a sacrifice and he is too young to sacrifice.

This team would have a hard time playing together, that is why I don't see them winning championships. Who does the ball go to in certain situations?, Who sets the tone? Who takes the last shot?

Wade and LeBron both need the ball to be effective and they can't dominate the ball when they are on the court at the same time. Wade would have to be the one playing off the ball because LeBron is better with the ball. Wade wouldn't be able to excel in that role.

It is too late in their careers to ask these three to change, they will have trust issues and they will be frustrated when one guy is getting more shine then the other. Their egos are too big to play in someones shadows, they would eventually clash and instead of fighting for a title they would be fighting each other for shots and touches.

Wade doesn't want this to turn into LeBron's team, Bosh won't get any shine at all and their selfishness and ego will destroy them. If these guys want to win they would have to sacrifice a lot! and at this stage of their careers they won't. 

James, Wade and Bosh still want to accomplish more individually and they won't be able to do that playing together. They wouldn't win games because their styles of play wouldn't let them mesh. These guys would do much better in a 1-2 punch situation because they will maintain their amazing averages, win their individual awards and be in a position to win titles.

Bosh and Wade in Miami would be an amazing 1-2 punch that could contend every season if they have the right players around them. The perfect situations for LeBron would be teaming up with Carlos Boozer in New Jersey or taking his talents to New York and joining Amare Stoudemire and Joe Johnson. He would be able to mesh with those guys in New York in Mike D'Antoni's up and down game, plus Johnson doesn't demand the things Wade does.

Stoudemire has already played with Johnson in Phoenix. LeBron would become the Steve Nash except instead of 16.0 points, he will give you 30 every night along with the eight boards and possibly 10 assists in this system.

LeBron and Bosh going to Chicago would be a better situation then joining Wade in Miami but even that would be hard to work out because Derrick Rose like Wade needs to dominate the ball to be effective just like LeBron does and Rose wouldn't be able to play the two-spot. 

LeBron, Wade and Bosh joining together would be a great idea if they were 32-years old because they would be on the downside of their career. Having done it all individually they would want championships so late in their career, they would have no problem sacrificing.

Just ask Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett they sacrificed a lot! to win that title in 08 and had they not won that year it probably wouldn't be worth it and ask those guys if they would be willing to sacrifice that much in their prime they will probably tell you no. For now this Wade, Bosh and LeBron are a great video game team but in reality its a disaster. 

They should sign 5-7 year deals with one other big name free agent and when their contracts are up they will be on the downside of their careers so they can pair up in Miami or New York or wherever and they would be more willing to sacrifice. As weird as it sounds LeBron, Bosh and Wade have a better chance of winning a championship together when they are in their 30's then now.

I would love to see these three on one team in 2016 but in 2010 these three on one team just doesn't seem right and it won't work.

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If you've ever participated in a little league game, coached a little league game, or even watched a little league game then I'm sure you've seen the over exuberant parents that take the game a little too seriously.  

Every team has them and no matter the rules or regulations that are set in place to try and deter the constant pressure these parents put on their kids, the fact of the matter is that it's part of the little league game and it isn't going to change anytime soon.

Most of the parents that act in this immature manner are viewed as living vicariously through their kids.  Each swing of the bat, each throw of the football, or each soccer kick that comes off of their child's foot is in essence actually coming off the parent's foot in their own mind.  

If the kid fails, then the parents fail, and usually that's a recipe for emotional distress amongst both parties.

There are a whole lot of other parents that have the same emotion and the same desire for their kids to excel except these adults actually act like adults. They may also feel like every single play that their child is a part of that they are also there, but they respect the game and don't let their emotions go awry.  

These are the types of parents that go to every game and enjoy every single moment, while still feeling disappointed when things don't go as they wished.  They just understand it's part of the game and they know how to handle it.

Cleveland Cavalier fans are these type of parents and LeBron James is their child they are vicariously living through.

Cav fans wear their emotions on their sleeve when it comes to LeBron James.  When he has a great game their spirits are up and they feel the same invigorated feeling that LeBron does during these times.  When he plays poorly and the team falters like they did in this year’s playoffs then the spirit of Cleveland is gone in an instant.

Many fans feel the same way about their city, but not too many cities feel this way about a single player.  It's really a special situation that could change if LeBron decides to leave.

We've seen the, “Please Stay LeBron” video, the automobiles with The Witness poster plastered across the body, the LeBron James day in Akron, the baseball team willing to rename the stadium to LeBron James field, and many other spectacles to try and convince Ohio's homegrown child to stay in the state he was born.  While others city neglect to provide their star players the same star treatment, Cleveland continues to keep trying as hard as they can in hopes that they can continue to live their lives through LeBron James.

You don't see people in Toronto going crazy trying to keep Chris Bosh above the border or Miami Heat fans doing much to try and convince Dwyane Wade to stay other then wearing t-shirts with his name on them.  Instead you see fans in every single city that has a viable chance to get LeBron James' services make pushes to capture LeBron.

I want to see Mavs fans have a Dallas Dirk Day or Suns fan make an accelerated effort to try and keep Amare around.  Unfortunately, we just don't see.  

Maybe it's because LeBron James is the king of the class of free agents, that he grew up in nearby Akron, or the fact that Cleveland has been without a championship in nearly half a decade, but these fans absolutely adore LeBron and not only want him to stay, but need him to stay.

The best part about Cavalier fans living vicariously through LeBron is that they understand the situation.  They know they aren't the big market that could attract hundreds of millions of dollars in marketing money or their not a team that has that second supporting perennial all star that may guarantee LeBron a trip to the finals year in and year out.  

This understanding by the fans is what makes this off season such a difficult situation to deal with.

Should LeBron stay?  I don't know.  Will LeBron stay?  I don't know that either.  

All I know is that these fans look at LeBron James as the son they always wanted and the player they always dreamed to be. These are fans that are the parents who show up to every game and yearn for greatness from their child, but don't go crazy and lash out at him or the refs when it doesn't.

If LeBron leaves it’s going to be a tough time for all, but just like understanding parents, the fans won't be mad, they're just going to be very disappointed.

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Reader Neil McCarthy responded to my recent interview with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards about the expanded reissue of the Rolling Stones’ 1972 album “Exile on Main St.” with an intriguing theory that’s been voiced by others over the years.

In short, McCarthy thinks the Stones’ music started on a downhill slide around 1970, when the Beatles broke up — and he suggests that was no coincidence.

“I've never felt ‘Exile’ was anything but a sloppy attempt to match the Beatles’ White Album. Understand, I love the Stones and loved them — I was born in 1950 and early on (1965) 'knew' this is my group….Anyway their best albums, for me, were ‘Aftermath,’ ‘Between The Buttons’ (truly truly so underrated and, so, not listened to, but ohhh what a masterpiece) and ‘Beggars Banquet.’

“With the passing of the Beatles,” McCarthy wrote, “the Stones truly seemed to lose their footing in 'manning up' to produce truly great tunes.”

I don’t agree, because I think there were plenty of great tunes on the albums that came on the heels of the Fab Four’s breakup in 1970: “Sticky Fingers” (1971) and “Exile,” to say nothing of some top-drawer material on “Some Girls” (1978), “Tattoo You” (1981) and “Steel Wheels” (1989). And “A Bigger Bang” from 2005 ranks among my half-dozen favorite Stones albums ever.

But I bounced McCarthy’s theory off a couple of people close to both camps for their reaction.

First, “Breakfast With the Beatles” host Chris Carter, who said, “Actually, I think that the Stones got better as the Beatles broke up.

“From 1968 on to …what, “Tattoo You,” they were top shelf,” Carter said. ” ‘Beggars ’ to ‘Exile’ is the most perfect five-LP run of any band ever (including [Get Yer] Ya Ya’s … and including the Beatles!”

Then I ran it by Don Was, who has produced several Stones albums in recent years, including “A Bigger Bang” and the bonus tracks on the “Exile” reissue. Was, who started following both bands from the first time their music reached U.S. shores in the 1960s, said, “I've heard the 'loss of Beatles competition' effect theory bandied about in reference to Brian Wilson as well … not sure that I buy in.

“There is a limited window of time in which one can go into the studio and engage in an intense daily pursuit of fickle radio play and the latest fad,” Was said. “It becomes a pointless bore and a grind; eventually, it becomes indistinguishable from the job you joined a band to avoid in the first place! Not to mention that there's an endless supply of bread, girls, bad drugs and yes men that accompany success and conspire to dull the competitive edge.’

“Great as they were, the Beatles (and just about everyone else, as well) imploded under the circumstances,” Was noted. “It's testimony to the awesome strength, toughness and talent of the Stones — and Bob Dylan, for that matter — that they've not only endured but maintained a very high level of consistent quality for an additional 40 years. For what it's worth, after bearing firsthand witness, I see it as a herculean feat.”

Any dissenters out there in Stones — or Beatles — land?

– Randy Lewis

Top photo: Mick Jagger and Keith Richards at Nellcote, France, circa 1972. Credit: Dominique Tarle / Universal Music Group

Bottom photo: John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr in 1969. Credit: Apple Corps Ltd.

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Reader Neil McCarthy responded to my recent interview with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards about the expanded reissue of the Rolling Stones’ 1972 album “Exile on Main St.” with an intriguing theory that’s been voiced by others over the years.

In short, McCarthy thinks the Stones’ music started on a downhill slide around 1970, when the Beatles broke up — and he suggests that was no coincidence.

“I've never felt ‘Exile’ was anything but a sloppy attempt to match the Beatles’ White Album. Understand, I love the Stones and loved them — I was born in 1950 and early on (1965) 'knew' this is my group….Anyway their best albums, for me, were ‘Aftermath,’ ‘Between The Buttons’ (truly truly so underrated and, so, not listened to, but ohhh what a masterpiece) and ‘Beggars Banquet.’

“With the passing of the Beatles,” McCarthy wrote, “the Stones truly seemed to lose their footing in 'manning up' to produce truly great tunes.”

I don’t agree, because I think there were plenty of great tunes on the albums that came on the heels of the Fab Four’s breakup in 1970: “Sticky Fingers” (1971) and “Exile,” to say nothing of some top-drawer material on “Some Girls” (1978), “Tattoo You” (1981) and “Steel Wheels” (1989). And “A Bigger Bang” from 2005 ranks among my half-dozen favorite Stones albums ever.

But I bounced McCarthy’s theory off a couple of people close to both camps for their reaction.

First, “Breakfast With the Beatles” host Chris Carter, who said, “Actually, I think that the Stones got better as the Beatles broke up.

“From 1968 on to …what, “Tattoo You,” they were top shelf,” Carter said. ” ‘Beggars ’ to ‘Exile’ is the most perfect five-LP run of any band ever (including [Get Yer] Ya Ya’s … and including the Beatles!”

Then I ran it by Don Was, who has produced several Stones albums in recent years, including “A Bigger Bang” and the bonus tracks on the “Exile” reissue. Was, who started following both bands from the first time their music reached U.S. shores in the 1960s, said, “I've heard the 'loss of Beatles competition' effect theory bandied about in reference to Brian Wilson as well … not sure that I buy in.

“There is a limited window of time in which one can go into the studio and engage in an intense daily pursuit of fickle radio play and the latest fad,” Was said. “It becomes a pointless bore and a grind; eventually, it becomes indistinguishable from the job you joined a band to avoid in the first place! Not to mention that there's an endless supply of bread, girls, bad drugs and yes men that accompany success and conspire to dull the competitive edge.’

“Great as they were, the Beatles (and just about everyone else, as well) imploded under the circumstances,” Was noted. “It's testimony to the awesome strength, toughness and talent of the Stones — and Bob Dylan, for that matter — that they've not only endured but maintained a very high level of consistent quality for an additional 40 years. For what it's worth, after bearing firsthand witness, I see it as a herculean feat.”

Any dissenters out there in Stones — or Beatles — land?

– Randy Lewis

Top photo: Mick Jagger and Keith Richards at Nellcote, France, circa 1972. Credit: Dominique Tarle / Universal Music Group

Bottom photo: John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr in 1969. Credit: Apple Corps Ltd.

Clicking on Green Links will take you to a third-party e-commerce site. These sites are not operated by the Los Angeles Times. The Times Editorial staff is not involved in any way with Green Links or with these third-party sites.

Thanks

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Amazon has the Toshiba Satellite L505-GS5037 TruBrite 15.6-Inch Laptop for $713.99 – $114 instant savings + free shipping = $599.99!  This laptop rocks a 2.13GHz Intel Core i3-330M Processor, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, 500GB hard drive, DVD burner with Labelflash, 15.6-inch LCD at 1366×768 resolution, Intel GMA HD, Window 7 Home Premium 64-bit, WiFi b/g/n, 1.3mp webcam, 5 in 1 memory card reader, 3x USB inputs, eSATA input, VGA input, 6lb weight and more.

Tags: 15.6-inch, Laptops, Toshiba

Gadget and Gear Deals of the Day

Discounted laptops, HDTVs with iPod docks, camcorders, and more await you in today's Dealhacker roundup. Not in the buying mood? How about some drink samples and free tunes?

Computer Gear!

• Dell PowerEdge T100 Server Desktop for $259 plus $25 shipping (Regular Price: $568 – use coupon code BCBP2VBL0HXHWD).
• 17″ Dell Studio 17 Laptop for $449 + $12.95 shipping (Regular Price: $599).
• 15.6″ HP Pavilion DV6-2190US Laptop for $949.98 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $1000).
• 10.1″ Dell Inspiron Mini 10 Obsidian Black Netbook with Integrated TV Tuner for $348.62 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $400).
• 15.6″ Lenovo IdeaPad Y550P Core i3 Laptop for $799 + free shipping (Regular Price: $1,049 – use coupon code USP3241651).
• 15.5″ Sony VAIO VPCEB1JFX Laptop for $799.99 + free shipping (Regular Price: $900).
• 15.6″ Lenovo Ideapad U550 Laptop for $529 + free shipping (Regular Price: $799 – use coupon code USP37495E2).
• 14″ Lenovo G450 Laptop for $469 + free shipping (Regular Price: $669 – use coupon code USP2949DX2).
• 17″ Dell Studio 17 2.1GHz Dual-Core Laptop with webcam & 9-cell battery for $399 with $12.95 shipping (Regular Price: $599)
• 17.3″ Toshiba Satellite L550-ST2743 2.2GHz Dual-Core Laptop for $509 with free shipping (Regular Price: $679)
• 15.6″ Acer Aspire AS5517-5689 Athlon 64 1.6GHz Laptop for $369.99 with free shipping (Regular Price: $435)
• Dell Studio 17 Laptop: Intel Pen Dual Core T4300 2.1GHz, 17″ Glossy (1440×900), 2GB DDR2, 160GB HDD, 9-Cell, GMA 4500HD, DVDRW, WiFi, Webcam, Win 7 Prem $399 + $13 shipping
• (Regular price: $600).
• 15.6″ Lenovo IdeaPad Y550P NoteBook for $899.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $1049.98 – use coupon code EMCYPYN22).
• 13.3-Inch Toshiba Satellite T135-S1307 TruBrite Ultrathin Black Laptop for $585 with free shipping (Regular Price: $700).
• 10″ ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1005HA Netbook for $284.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $320).
• 10.1″ Toshiba Mini NB205-N325BN Intel Atom N280 LED Netbook for $299.97 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $349).
• 1.5 TB Seagate Barracuda 3.5″ Desktop HDD for $86.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $133).
• 1TB Samsung 7200RPM 3.5″ Desktop HDD for $89.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $121).
• HP 16GB Class 4 SDHC Memory Card for $27 (Regular Price: $40).
• A-DATA 8GB SDHC class-10 Flash Memory Card for $19 (Regular Price: $32)

Home Entertainment Gear!

• 55″ Samsung UN55B7000 1080p 120Hz LED TV for $1,799.00 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $1999).
• 52″ Samsung LN52B750 1080p LCD HDTV for $1549.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $1797 – use coupon code MQC1135).
• 26″ Panasonic VIERA TC-L26X1 720p LCD HDTV w/ iPod dock for $289.99 + free shipping (Regular Price: $336).
• 55″ Samsung UN55B7000 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV for $1799 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $2048).
• 40″ Proscan 40LD45Q 1080p LCD HDTV for $529.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $599).
• Sony BDP-S360 1080p Blu-ray Player for $99 + free shipping (Regular Price: $124).
• 47″ LG 47LH85 1080p 120Hz Wireless HDMI LCD TV for $999.99 (Regular Price: $1400).
• 50″ Samsung PN50B860 Plasma 1080p HDTV for $1449.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $1597 – use coupon code CPO1189).
• 46″ Toshiba 46RV525R 1080p LCD HDTV for $699.99 with $20 shipping (Regular Price: $839 – use coupon code 24HRSALE33C)
• Vizio VA370M 37″ 1080p LCD HDTV for $459 (Regular Price: $630).
• Panasonic DMP-BD70V Blu-ray & 1080p Upconverting DVD VHS Player for $149.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $180).
• Polk Audio CS1 Black Center Channel Single Loudspeaker for $70 (Regular Price: $95)

Portable Gear!

• Magellan Maestro 4700 4.7-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator for $159.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $180).
• Nokia N97 Mini Smartphone (Unlocked) for $379.99 with free shipping (Regular Price: $470).
• Nokia E71 Smart Phone (Unlocked, Quad-Band GSM) + Nokia BH-606 Bluetooth Headset for $239.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $399 – use coupon code: B51B65786NX61Z).
• Apple iPod nano 16 GB (5th Generation) Newest Model for $159.95 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $170).
• FINIS SwiMP3.1G Waterproof MP3 Player for $120 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $135).
• Flip UltraHD Camcorder 120 Minutes for $148.49 + free shipping (Regular Price: $169).
• Flip UltraHD Camcorder + FlipShare TV bundle for $232.70 + free shipping (Regular Price: $328).
• Plantronics Explorer Bluetooth Headset $19 Shipped (Regular Price: $30).
• Sony Webbie MHS-PM1 1080p HD Camcorder for $87.02 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $125)

Free Stuff!

• Twins Snakes (iPhone/iPod Touch) for $0 (Regular Price: $1.99).
• Hold The Line Feat. Mr. Lex & Santigold by Major Lazer (MP3) for $0 (download here).
• Let The Riverrun by Carly Simon (MP3) for $0 (download here).
• Emergen-C Vitamin Drink Mix samples for $0 (use this form).
• Nescafe Taster's Choice Instant Coffee for $0 (use this form).</li
• Gibson Learn & Master Guitar App (iPhone/iPod Touch) for $0.
• Flashcard Touch App for $0.
• Purina Beneful IncrediBites Dog Food sample for $0 (use this form).
• Blake Shelton – Delilah (Live) (use code DELILAH).
• Ground Effect (iPhone) for $0 (Regular Price: $4.99)

Thanks Dealzon, TechDealDigger, Slickdeals, Fatwallet, TechBargains, CheapStingyBargains, CheapCollegeGamers, and GamerHotline!

Send an email to Jason Fitzpatrick, the author of this post, at jason@lifehacker.com.

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the Small Journal

Things are getting thinner. It’s looking like “thin” may be the new “small,” when it comes to the tech industry. It’s been a long time coming, truth be told, and as long as all our gadgets don’t start snapping in half like a thin stick, we’re happy with where this could all lead to. Companies like Acer want to help us get there, by offering up some pretty intuitive ideas, even if it does scare us that our screen may not be encased by anything at all.

What we mean is, to save the laptop’s thinness, Acer wants to create a laptop that uses a frameless screen. Acer wants to use Corning’s reinforced class substrate, and therefore you won’t be seeing the traditional encasement over your screen. Acer would just like to color the back of the substrate to match their needs, and go from there. This design methodology works on two fronts: one, it will allow for the laptop to be incredibly thin on the “top-half,” and also reduce material costs for the company. Again, as long as our gadgets are safe in normal every day use, we’re fine with this.

On the “bottom-half,”, we’ve got the keyboard. Traditionally, this is where the majority of the weight, size, and everything else goes, so Acer has a plan for this as well. They want a touch-based keyboard. No “physical” keys, but more akin to what you’d see on your touchscreen phone. We understand that there is a pretty thick line out there, dividing those who like touchscreen keyboards and those who want a more traditional one, so this would probably be chalked up to personal taste more than anything else. There isn’t any word on pricing yet, but Acer does plan to have this laptop out some time in the second half of this year. So, start counting down the months.

[via CrunchGear]

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Deluxe Ergonomic Multifunction Computer Cubical: This chocolate-colored wood-and-steel table could perhaps be the ultimate in modern layout and ergonomic advancements. In addition to a slide-out keyboard tray and a CPU storage area, this merchandise functions a CD/DVD rack, a telephone shelf for the spacious desktop, plus a side shelf for your printer, scanner, or fax machine. A separate filing cabinet can match under the part shelf and support a modem, even though the other part inside the table is recessed to keep books and comparable supplies.

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Wood DVD Storage Racks

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Wood DVD Storage units

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Boss Bow-front Workstation: It fills all of your organizational requires and tells everyone else that you’re the person in charge. The handsome wood workplace, credenza, and pedestal make up a three-sided workstation with surfaces that are created of stain, burn, and scratch-resistant thermally-fused melamine. 3 large drawers as properly as a series of sliding file drawers allows you to shop a substantial amount of books or documents.

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DVD Storage

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Five Drawer Safe-keeping Cabinet: When three or four drawers are simply not ample, this four-foot tall contemporary cabinet will select up the slack. The best two drawers have frosted glass fronts for a dash of transparency and design. Crafted with tough wood and veneers too as advanced metal pulls, this cabinet is at home in an enterprise office or waiting area setting.

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DVD Storage

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