Jim Fletcher’s blog

and it's been troubling me deeply of late.   My apathy only further compounds my anxiety.  Everywhere i look are signs of impending global melt down but doing anything about it would mean i'd almost certainly miss Gossip Girl or Heroes.   At least Moonlight has finished now which has freed up Tuesdays a little.

More worrying, and almost certainly another sign of doom (i'm sure its in the Book of Revelations), is the amount of slugs and the damaged they have wrecked in my vegetable patch.  Broccoli, red cabbages and radish have all been decimated.  The fate of the squashes keeps me awake at night almost as much as the spectre of global warming (though the irony that global warming means i can actually grow butternut squash in suburban London isn't lost on me).

On the plus side, The Vampire Weekend record is a real winner.  Having been totally supercilious about it but a couple of months ago i'm increasingly overwhelmed by a desire to spend the summer dressed like an Ivy League student.

The BBC better not be lying about this.  It looks like Kevin Keegan is going back to Newcastle to get over excited and not bother doing any training with defenders.  That's what they like doing in Newcastle.  That and not wearing coats out in the evenings.

The fine line between genius and madness walked with considerable aplomb. 

Two posts in two days, a veritable blog frenzy.  Perhaps popular culture has taken a turn for the better.  Flight of the Conchords is on the telly.  I have enjoyed it there.  Not as much as Heroes but that would've been a very tall order indeed.

The rugby world cup in on at the moment.  By and large it's been excellent so far not only for the quality of the games but the exemplary use of facial hair among those taking part.  In honour here's the top 5 beards of France 2007:

5. I was wrong, initially Alisana Tuilagi was included for his the 'tache/ goatee combo (similarly it could've been Serge Betsen were it not difficult to tell whether it's that combo or just heavy scars caused by having your face trod on once a week for 10 years) but actually Craig Smith of Scotland's mighty blonde/ ginger whole face job is top hole.

4. Carl Hayman - one of the trend setters having sported the defining male fashion of the noughties before others, but you have to stay ahead of the curve and evolve. Carl has stood still

3. Martin Castrogiovanni - the Italian prop was once bold enough to sport dreadlocks.  He has since wisely realised facial furniture is a much stronger choice

2. George Chuter - has clearly been growing his beard for the event. It's a beaut, like someone out of sadly missed indie genius' Grandaddy

1. Sebastian Chabal - he looks like Jesus' harder brother.  That's a look.  Here he is being surly and French.  Which is also a look:

And without Chris Moyles.  Or live shows that were recorded in the past.  Or competitions for my mates.

In fact, just all the predictable indie shit choking my iPod and ears in one handy place.  When/ if the widget works

Broken Social Scene are totally back.  I love Broken Social Scene.  I'm not even sure how good this new record is (judged either by their high standards or everyone elses mediocre standards) just gripped by Broken Social Scene fever enough to post here straight away. J Mascis is in it too, which pretty much guarantees a laconic guitar solo at some point.

Some good things:

1. The Studio record is out in the UK now.  One of my homeboys was going to sign them, then didn't. But the record is ace, like the Cure remixes from the 1980's and New Order and the Happy Mondays if they'd grown up more obsessed with clean Scandanavian design than bad narcotics.

2. 'Over the Ice' by The Field which came out last year, which was ages ago, but it cropped up on shuffle the other day and sounded stark and cold and beautiful which reminded me that it's great.

a bad thing

1. Robert Buras from the band Madrugada died 2 weeks ago.  They were a wonderful band and he was a magnificent bastard.

Test Cricket this summer has yet to really set the world aflame, largely one suspects because of the county standard of opposition the once great Windies have provided.

Nonetheless, the 3rd test starts this Thursday at Old Trafford and it's a reason to be excited and tuned into TMS all day.  Harmy is due is due a massive haul, especially now his head is filled with good thoughts by Alan "White Lightning" Donald (a nick name surely picked up in pub car parks of his youth) and we get another chance to see Roger Daltry deputise for the mighty Hoggster.  Most of the England batting line up will improve their averages also.

This is the only good song in the world about cricket.  10CCs Dreadlock Holiday and the Men At Work one they used to play every time the Aussies came over and gave a comprehensive schooling don't count.

04 Heavy Clouds Building

This is in tribute to when the West Indies were good.  And it's Australia on the receiving end which makes it double plus good