Who knows ? Blair might yet survive. He still sounds remarably unfazed whenever I hear him. He seems to assume that the broad mass of the public don't give a toss about Iraq. He may be right.

Went to the memorial annual gig for Eric Roche last night. Eric was a phenomenal acoustic guitarist who was on the verge of real success when cancer took him about 2 years ago. He was just a little older than me. It raised money for his kids and Addenbrookes hospital. There was a rendition of one song by one of the performers which, although I didn't like the way it came out, reminded me of him very much. RIP, Eric.

I heard a phrase on a radio news item about the impending split within the Anglican church which took me right back over the years- "actively homosexual". It reminded me of a Spitting Image sketch in which a Cof E priest asks George Carey what it means to be "non-actively" homosexual. Carey replies that it's Ok to wear a leather cap with a chain, with a leather waistcoat, and dance to the Village People, and proceeds to do just that, as the Church around him turns into a gay club.

"Organised religion" is starting to sound just as meaningless to me. You hear it from people who claim to be developing some kind of spirituality, but object to "organised religion" because boo, hiss, they repress sexuality, persecute minorities etc. As far as I'm concerned, if you're going to invest your faith in a non-existent being, then at least choose one whose followers have contributed to the history of morality. A bit paradoxical given my aversion to religious dogma, but at least it avoids the kind of hooey that the likes of Madonna spout, and which you can buy in shops that sell incense, prayer mats and other such tat. I'm actually with God's Rottweiller on that one- relativism sucks.

Catch me on a bad day and I'll stick the boot right into any kind of religion, but most priests and ministers I meet are more concerned with others' well-being than most. When I was at a very low point a few years ago I went and spoke with one of our neighbours, the local priest, and she was a bigger help than anyone, despite my stated atheism. It can't always be bad to train people in contemplation and compassion.

Another recent effort here. This one's taken a while and I still don't feel 100% about it, but here it is for now.

It's not very cool to admit, but I actually like..........

The Mock Turtles, "Can You Dig It"- This got a slagging in both its incarnations. First time around because they were an indie band who dared to get a decent production job and scored a hit, the second because it was courtesy of an ADVERT (boo hiss !). But it's just insanely catchy, with a glorious wah-wah guitar solo. Lighten up, indiekids !

Sheryl Crow- OK, it may have been the trousers initially. But the songs are just great (apart from "If It Makes You Happy", which is an utter dirge). Check out the You Tube clip of her and Shelby Lynne singing "The Difficult Kind" at the Grammys. It's not her best song on record, but the two of them transform it.

I know it makes me an insufferable cliche, but I still hate-

Whitney Houston- Comparisons between her and Aretha Franklin just fill me with rage. Listen to the closing bars of "I Say a Little Prayer", and you'll hear ONE SINGLE EXAMPLE of the type of octave-stretching that La Houston does in every syllable, when she (Aretha) sings "For me there is no-o-o-o-o-o-o-oone but you". Which do you think is more affecting ?

Try though I might, I just don't get.....

Van Morrison "Astral Weeks"- No, wait, I LOVE Moondance, (most of) St Dominic's Preview, his R&B stuff. But even when stoned, this is just a mess.

Meryl Streep- Just one pained glance at the camera has me reaching for the remote.

(Most of ) Emmylou Harris- As above, substitute "vowel" for "glance".

The West Wing- IT'S JUST NOT LIKE THAT. FACE IT.

I never used to like, but am now actually quite fond of..........

New Order "Power, Corruption and Lies"- Got it out of the library recently, having junked my old cassette years ago. The dull songs are still dull, but the nice ones are great and the great ones are sublime.

Leaving Las Vegas- Thought it was overacting masterclass first time I saw it. Then saw it again and was blown away.

Beetroot- But only with olive oil dressing.

Dogs- My sister's one is dead cute.

Here's how she's progressed in the last 24 hours.

Couldn't wait to upload this, black and white, pencil lines and all. It came out so easily, Amy I love you.

95 dead just today. 600,000 in total. And the fucker still won't resign. I don't really give a chuff about the whole cash for honours brouhaha. The whole institution is so bent who cares how this particular government choose to abuse it ?

It'd be cool if there were some way of tracking which music I've listened to most over the years, the same as you can website viewings. At a guess, going by how dog-eared they are, it might be-

The Byrds boxed set
The Doors, "LA Woman" (yes ! and I'm NOT ashamed !)
Portishead, "Dummy"
Miles Davis "Kind of Blue"
Tom Waits, "Rain Dogs"
Thin White Rope, "Sackful of Silver"
Saint Etienne, "Foxbase Alpha"