Goodbyes in Paris

Deb Talan - Ashes on your eyes

"Now you're only dreaming peaceful blue..."

Why don't people this talented earn banker's salaries? Just as Alice says in her adventures through the looking glass, "it would be so nice if something made sense for a change."

Thank you to Antonia for the recommendation.

The Liberals "unite" behind their new leader

Love the guy who cuts someone's head off and then just walks around aimlessly.

Tony Abbott somehow elected as leader of the Australian Liberal Party

In a bizarre intra-party ballot reminiscent of France's 2002 Presidential election bungle which left voters with a choice between right-wing Chirac and ultra right wing Le Pen, Australia's opposition party, the Liberal Party, has elected an anti-abortion, anti-stemcell research, pro "at-fault" divorce, climate change denying, John Howard-loving, outspoken socially conservative Catholic.

A sad day for Australia as a forward-moving nation. 1950s values, here we come. Please excuse me now, it's time for me to go salute the Queen...

Regina Spektor - Samson

Having had a trawl around a couple of music websites, I am none the wiser as to what this song is about.

Some internauts suggest that it is a love song about one of Spektor's lovers who died of cancer (the link apparently being that "Wonderbread" is a type of medication used to ease the suffering of those undergoing radiation therapy). On the other hand, there are some who suggest the song is a love song written from the perspective of the prostitute who, according to the Bible, is supposed to have spent a night with Samson of Samson and Delilah fame before he went on to meet Delilah (cute, but a little too literal perhaps?). Others have even suggested that the song is about the love shared between two woman ("The Bible doesn't mention us, not even once").

Whatever it's about, the imagery is definitely evocative. It touches me. And for what it's worth, I am fine with not fully understanding why.

Through my Internet travels, I came across the following comment from one fan:

"What are you supposed to do after you hear a song like that [other] than play it again, and hope [that] you die soon so you're happy."

Ok. So, I'm probably not quite ready to die over this song yet, but as a homage to the truth of the fact that music has the power to take you to the happiest place you will ever have the chance to visit, it's genius.