Heres a thought-

is it really money that makes the world go round- or is peoples demands for power. What is more powerful money or power- or do they all mean the same thing. Bush will fire at Afganistan dispite what it means to the world economy because if he doesn't he is bound to lose the reigns of power at the next election.

So I pre-ordered the new Starsalior album "Love is Here" and should be sitting comfortably on my door mat when I get home- that is if the postal service hasn't lost another one of my parcels. On the outside I hope that the album will confirm all our suspecions that this band will be as good as I remember them being in December 2000 but I think it might just be a Coldplay 2 type album- one pace- not very interesting. But hope is everything.

Speaking of albums- since last week I have obtained through purely legal means of course the new Eels album, the Ladies and Gentlemen We are Floating in Space album by Spiritualized, the first White Stripes album and an album called No Sleep Till Belfast by the Stiff Little Fingers. I think the Eels stuff is better than the last album and is good but certainly not the Best Album of the year or even close. I've not had the chance to listen to any of the Spirtilized album yet and the White Stripes I have only listened to a few songs. I have to say that I was quite surprised by how good the White Stripes are dispite the constant bombardment of good reviews and "Most important thing since Punk" articles in major newspapers. I hear quite a bit of Jimi Hendrix in them but also vocally early David Bowie.

The Stiff Little Fingers album- well if you can- buy this album- I got it cheap because it is quite old and not particularly famous. It is a live album and the recording is brilliant. It truely is an album which from the beginning gets your blood circulating at high speed. They are a Belfast born punk band and standout tracks are the title track (a la the Beastie Boys) and Alternative Ulster as well as the great Wasted Life. Much more Clash than Sex Pistols in that they can actually sing and play and do both at the same time!

Still waiting for the new Belle and Sebastian soundtrack to be released. I prey that Stuart Murdoch wins an Oscar for it but I doubt that the dogs of society would allow that to happen after the whole Brits diaster.