In today's Galway Advertiser - a woman alleges that she was held down by two men and forced to watch while a swan was killed. No evidence of swan killing has been found at the scene.

I just heard someone here say that the word "gaudy" comes from comparisons to the work of the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi...

Michael Heraghty has 'half' a story today on his typically sublime blog. If he didn't bypass Tubbercurry it would never have happened.

Reviews of Steven Soderbergh's Solaris. The SF Chronicle rates it a 3/10 but the Village Voice gives it a perfect 10.

Flak Magazine Review of Volume 5 of Bob Dylan's Bootleg Series. I've ordered my copy.

Today Bertie Ahern launched the National Spatial Strategy for Ireland - the framework for development of the country's infrastructure and population centers over the next 20 years. It's primary objective is to address the development and investment imbalance which currently exists in Ireland where almost half the country's population lives in or around Dublin. Over the last ten year's it's become apparent that we cannot continue to support the expansion of Dublin at such a rate that the citiy's infrastucture is creaking under the strain when traditionally bouyant rural population centers are dying for want of inward investment and job creation. I used to live in Dublin, and yes it's a great city, but if I was to move there now from Galway not only would my quality of life take a serious hit but it would probably cost me 30% more at least to live there. Anyway, I welcome the fact that the Government now has a strategy - it won't keep everyone happy and the development of the country is bound to be influenced by many other external factors over the next couple of decades but it's a lot better than nothing at all. Perhaps, the next step now is a complete overhaul of the system of local government.

Apologies for the flaky postings these days. I'm hyper busy at work and getting more stressed by the hour. You know when you're working to a deadline and you really, really need things to go right only for everything possible to go wrong. That's how it feels. I nearly threw this pc out the window yesterday...but that kind of anger externalisation would have been unproductive I guess. Still, it's not off the hook yet....

Jeff Tweedy, Peter Buck, Ken Stringfellow and Sean O'Hagan all on one album. Sounds good, doesn't it?

In today's Irish Times we have more evidence that Ireland has a third World health service - €8,250 for girl whose hospital bed was infested with ants.

This will make you smile.

Six people were hospitalised suffering from gas inhalation in the Venue niteclub in Galway on Sunday. I've never been there but all reports suggests it is a shithole of the highest order.

Seamus at Taylors bar in Galway accused of racism. Richardsons is now the watering hole of choice for the do-gooders of Galway. It's their loss I say.

A new volume of the Dylan bootleg series is being released in a few days. This is news to me. It appears to be a live concert from the 'Rolling Thunder Revue". Don't we have the 'Hard Rain' live album for that already?

BobDylan.com has audio samples and links to this positive review of the album in the New York Observer.

By criminey. Man burns penis with Laptop. Apparently the offending machine was a Dell Latitude.

Last night's film on TG4 was one of the weirdest movies I have ever seen screened on prime time television. Released in 1974, 'Seizure' is notable for marking Oliver Stone's debut as a director. I must admit I didn't watch all of it (Celebrity Big Brother put paid to that) but what I did see looked like a 1970's film school mix of Hammer Horror and 'Twin Peaks'. It looked like a soft porn movie without the tits. The guy who's responsible for programing the films on TG4 is doing a great job; the channel consistently screens brilliant (often little known) movies from the 40's and 50's but with this one he was either taking the piss or intent on pushing the proverbial 'envelope' of evening TV.

RCA Secret postcard exhibition. Spot the Damien Hirst?

Hoax Photo Test.

Lots of Black Holes in the news this week. First this and now this.

This makes for an interesting read. Pitchfork - Top 100 Albums of the 1980s. I can't say I agree that The Pixies are the most influential alternative rock band of all time (unless all time means any time after 1990 or we exclude the Velvets on the basis that 'alternative rock' wasn't invented until 1982). However, with the exception of 'Pauls Boutique' I have little argument with their top ten list and indeed 'Daydream Nation' is a worthy selection for No.1. Where though is Dinosaur Jr's 'Bug' or the Sugarcubes' 'Life's too Good' or etc. etc. etc.

Safety Tips from Anubis - via 3 Bruces