Random ten

1. Brianstorm- Arctic Monkeys
2. I'm Scared- Duffy
3. Going Nowhere- Oasis
4. Bang Bang You're Dead- Dirty Pretty Things
5. Albion- Babyshambles
6. Glitter and Trauma- Biffy Clyro
7. No Distance Left To Run- Blur
8. LDN- Lily Allen
9. When The Sun Goes Down- Arctic Monkeys
10. Koko- Goldfrapp

Bonus-
11. Elephant Stone- The Stone Roses
12. Tumbling Dice- Linda Ronstadt

WANT.

This McQueen scarf. Divine.

I'm so happy

So very happy.

Oasis will release their next studio album, 'Dig Out Your Soul', on October 6 on their Big Brother label. The album will be preceded by a single, 'The Shock Of The Lightning', on September 29.

I see the long line of rubbish song titles continues...

And J- Gem is looking FIT. And frankly, so is Andy. This disturbs me. Our Kid looks good- love the jacket. My Beloved Noel just looks, er, shorter than everyone else. His hair wasn't floofed enough in this picture.

Cool

There's always been something about train journeys that has fascinated me...

For the first day and a half, the Rossiya made rapid progress, speeding past thin ranks of birch trees that hung like silver curtains in front of barely undulating, featureless green fields. Trackside clumps of pale yellow primroses and newly raked vegetable patches next to congregations of wooden houses testified that spring had arrived west of the Ural mountain range.

Abilities to speak or breathe...

I seem to have lost them.

Wee Kyle covering 'Don't Look Back In Anger.' With adorable somewhat-bad-dancing accompaniment.

I've listened to this song, oh THOUSANDS of times, and I have to say, the B-3 is a very nice touch.

As is the darling Scots imp singing it.

Gorgeous

shot of La Moss by Mario Testino

Now THAT'S a hat!

At Royal Ascot

So cool

The Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess, cult author Irvine Welsh, comedian Steve Coogan and members of New Order were amongst the figures who today (June 22) completed a 24-hour "conversation" in memory of the late Manchester impresario, Tony Wilson.

Broadcasters Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie - the former NME writer - were amongst the 24 key speakers over the 24 hours shared their creative expertise and experience with the hand-picked audience.

I really want this hat

Ah, if I only had an extra 2 grand lying around...

Krka River Waterfall - Croatia

Krka River Waterfall - Croatia, originally uploaded by PaulBoyd01.

Flooded areas near big ditch

Flooded areas near big ditch, originally uploaded by jmurphpix.

Random ten

1. Canned Heat- Jamiroquoi
2. There She Goes- Babyshambles
3. Shameless- The Fratellis
4. In The Middle- Sugababes
5. Looking For A New Love- Jody Watley
6. High Fidelity- Elvis Costello
7. Always On My Mind- Ryan Adam and The Cardinals
8. Cool For Cats- Squeeze
9. Memories Of Us- Keith Urban
10. Heartache Tonight- The Eagles

Bonus-
11. Pumping On Your Stereo- Supergrass
12. Oh! Bondage, Up Yours!- X-Ray Spex

Exact quote

from our friend, a state patrolman, regarding Sen. John McCain's visit to neighboring Columbus Junction, devastated by the recent flood:

"I don't know what that fucker thought he'd accomplish by showing up here."

Seems our friend wasn't the only one who felt that way...

CAN'T. HANDLE. THIS.

TOO. MANY. OF. MY. FAVORITE. THINGS. IN. ONE. PLACE.

PIPEDOWN. WEE KYLE. OASIS. JANIE JONES. THE MAN WHO CAME TO STAY.

BRAIN. MELTING.

The View's Kyle Falconer played a surprise acoustic show in support of Babyshambles at the Brixton Mass venue last night (June 18).

...

Taking the stage at 10:30pm (BST), after being introduced by Babyshambles bassist Drew McConnell, Falconer played an eight-song acoustic set which included an Oasis cover, a new song and hits 'Same Jeans' and 'Superstar Tradesman'.Falconer also played 'Wasted Little DJs', 'Skag Trendy' and a cover of Oasis' 'Don’t Look Back In Anger'.

...

The band kept banter to a minimum and covered 'Janie Jones' by The Clash later in the set, then played 'Sedative' before heading off for a cigarette break.After the break Babyshambles played an amped-up closing set including 'Delivery', 'Pipedown' and 'Fuck Forever', which they closed the show with.

Although, may I point out that noting that Petey was wearing a suit and necklace, is similar to saying incredulously that the Pope is Catholic, bears shit in the woods, et al...

Please, Jesus,

Let my friends have the excellent taste to choose, and myself the financial ability to afford, bridesmaid dresses like these. Ahhhhhh, Vivienne.

Gorgeous

le pont d'Avignon

le pont d'Avignon, originally uploaded by Navas.

Nice to see a river behaving itself...

Mandatory evacuation

for the Mississippi River bottoms today.

At Two Rivers Levee and Drainage District today

This is so typical

The command center of the southern Louisa/northern Des Moines County flood efforts has been at the Apostolic Christian Church about 3 miles south of Oakville. I say "has been" because I'm not sure if they'll be there tomorrow- the waters are rising steadily.

But let me tell you, the Apostolic women are a force to be reckoned with. They're used to preparing food for large groups of people, and I swear, they could teach courses on organization.

Well, they are of mostly German descent. And we all know the Krauts (of whom I am one), can organize. Okay, sorry. Bad joke.

They have a book than contains the land line and cell phone numbers, the email and home addresses of every church member, cross-referenced with what each person is willing and able to do.

They have a phone bank of sorts set up in the church dining room/kitchen. At any given time, there are at least 5 women, very conservatively dressed, hair pulled up in buns, on their cell phones, making sure that everyone has enough food/water/medical supplies out on the levees.

And these women can flat out COOK. The maid-rites I had yesterday? Divine. God smiled upon their makers.

Absolutely broke my heart today. The local Catholics provided the lunch for the 400+ rescue workers today. As we delivered it to the AC church, I made a random comment to one of the women, "Beautiful day we're having, huh?"

She replied, "Oh yes. God has blessed us."

She and her husband lost their house in the flood.

Utterly selfless.

So, that being said, this doesn't surprise me in the least.

This southeastern Iowa town was under water on Monday, but its people didn't give up their flood fight. Dozens of people filled sandbags in the parking lot of Oakville Apostolic Christian Church, with the aid headed south to towns that still face a flooding threat. A long line of trucks dumped sand for the workers, many of them women.

Bethany Frank, 28, said that the water at her farmhouse was up to the roof. "My house is past help, so we're trying to save everybody else's," she said.

"We're helping relatives and family," said Mary Lanz, 42. "We're all related." Oakville didn't flood in 1993, but a levee break north of town turned it into a four-mile wide lake this time.