Beating a dead horse

Lately it seems that people can't stop talking about how hot it is. Even when I worked outside all last summer, people didn't talk about the heat this much. Is this a product of the recent global warming media hype? Maybe it does play a role, but I haven't heard anyone actually talking about theory. Could the real reason be that the heat is the only thing we have in common these days? Chris Anderson's book, The Long Tail, might support this argument. The internet has allowed us all to follow our own passions and interests, and since these interests are so diverse, there is less that unites us all. Could group talk be dying? I'm not sure if I'd go to this extreme, but Anderson definitely has some interesting thoughts in his book and on his blog. What do you think? And if you think it's just because it's so damn hot, then let me know.