4June

A lot of learned colleagues have spoken approvingly of Facebook in recent days. Though it looks to be amongst the better websites around at the moment (and at this point, we should mention Stale's recent homage to Netvibes), we're far from convinced that it is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Let us explain why.

(More: The fundamental flaw behind Web 2.0, and how it'll be resolved - 805 words)

At best, Facebook is a stepping stone. It is not the be-all and end-all of the web. It will be superceded in time; indeed, we'd be surprised if its existing business model were still viable five years from now.

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5June

(More: World Party, Daniel O'Donnell, and four re-issues in the top ten)

The second-highest new entry, in at 3, for Radiohead's Paranoid android. The lead single off their OK Computer album is pure pop theatre, swinging wildly from theme to theme without ever losing the sense that it's a coherent unit. It's the group's second in a string of five top ten hits, one that wouldn't end until 2001, and remains the only time the Head have been in the top three of the singles chart.

Last week's number one, I wanna be the only one, slips to 2. Taking the place of Eternal is Hanson, the three-piece band who combined good looks, youth, catchy tunes, youngness, driving rhythms, good songwriting, and did we mention that they were young? Mmmbop managed to sound like every surf record from the mid-60s, yet done with a style and polish that was unique to the late 90s. We'd first heard this record in the dying days of 1996, and wondered just how huge a hit it was going to be. Even we were surprised at the size; here was the first debut single ever to top the UK singles chart and the Hot 100, and the first number one single to feature someone born in the 1980s.

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6June

The Independent on Sunday re-launched last Sunday. It consolidated four sections into two-and-a-half new ones; Travel was merged into the main paper, and the old Arts Books Culture was split between the main paper and the Sunday Review.

The paper seems to be trying to go down the route of The Economist, giving informative gobbetts of between 50 and 700 words, rather than the excruciatingly long stories popular with other Sunday papers. There are relatively few longer articles. This is moderately satisfactory, though the choice of long pieces was disappointed - a clearly pre-written piece about David Cameron's house didn't deserve the front page, and while there was lots of sniping about the Conservative party's wars on grammar schools, there was nothing in the way of explanation. There was also precious little foreign news; the late-breaking arrest of three people over an alleged plot to blow up a New Amsterdam airport was deservedly relegated to a brief on page six. There was perhaps too much celebrity and not enough real life in the paper.

(More: Is it any good, and how much would you pay for this? - 647 words)

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7June

The combination of the Strikeout nonsense and the end of the month meant we missed the second of last week's Two Songs. So here's one we didn't put up then, and a new old one for this week.

It's been annoyingly difficult to avoid Young folks (words and music: John Eriksson, Peter Morén, Björn Yttling) over the past year. The song was released by the composers' group, Peter Bjorn and John, and was a very minor top 40 hit in the UK last August. We would normally expect such very minor hits to vanish into the ether. Not this one; the insistent whistling and strange sound has given the song a certain persistance, and it's become one of those tunes that gets played on low rotation for most credible radio stations. And the theme to RTÉ's sports coverage, curiously.

More recently, the song has been translated into German as Ich kann nix dafuer, and recorded by Nena, Olli & Remmler. That's Nena of 99 red balloons fame, Oliver Pocher of last summer's anthem Schwarz und weiss, and Stephan Remmler a former member of Trio, of those adverts with a loudly shouting girl. (That was the right Trio, wasn't it?) Anyway, this cover version has done something the other version hasn't, and become a significant hit somewhere on the planet - to wit, top ten in Germany.

Song two is one inspired by something in the next 1997 Nostalgia post. Terry Hall has been making records of quality and distinction for the best part of three decades. Just so that no-one is hideously confused, this is the singer and songwriter, not the recently-deceased Terry Hall who worked with Lenny the Lion.

Beginning his career in Coventry ska bands, Terry Hall's biggest hit would be Ghost town, a chart-topper in 1981 with the ska band Special AKA. This was the seventh consecutive top-ten smash for the group, who had become massive stars in the previous two years. But at the height of the group's success Hall went off and manufactured the commercial pop Fun Boy Three. By 1984, that concept was beginning to show its age, though had given us the great hits Out lips are sealed and launched Bananarama on It ain't what you do it's the way that you do it.

Though his early work had shown a fantastic ear for melody, Hall had not had much chance to show it during the previous few years. He set that right in 1984, founding the Colourfield, yielding a near miss with an eponymous track, and the number 12 hit Thinking of you, but precious little else.

At the end of the 1980s came the Terry, Blair, and Anouchka project, with Anouchka Groce (who didn't give up the day job as a jeweller) and an actress with a name that was unremarkable then, but quite amazing now - Blair Booth. This was an unashamedly kitsch act, recalling the heyday of 60s pop on the 1990 release Ultra modern nursery rhyme (m/l: Terry Hall). Next up was 1992's Vegas, a one-album work with Dave Stewart of Eurythmics fame - we found it rather heavy going, the best bit was the single Walk into the wind.

Not until 1995 did Terry Hall release a solo single, and not until 1997 did he have a top 50 hit, putting in Ballad of a landlord from his second solo album Laugh. Since then, Terry has released one further solo album, 2003's Hour of Two Lights, but is probably best known for working with the Lightning Seeds, contributing a number of tracks to the group's work during the 1990s.

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10June

New numbers ones this week: Rhianna in Germany, Christophe Wilhem (Doube je) in France, Danny (Play it for the girls) in Sweden. This week's Finnish number one is Satukirjan sankari from Yö.

20 16 Travis - Closer
19 NE Pigeon Detectives - I'm not sorry
18 20 Mika - Relax (take it easy)
17 14 Michael Bublé - Everything
16  6 Mark Ronson - Stop me
15  9 Boys Aloud - Ruby
14 18 Mark Medlock - Now or never
13 11 Ville Valo and Natalia Avelon - Summer wine
12 10 Fray - How to save a life
11 13 Maroon 5 - Makes me wonder
10 15 Manic Street Preachers - Your love alone
 9  7 Timberland et al - Give it to me
 8 NE Mutya Buena - Real girl
 7  8 Mika - Love today
 6 12 Rihanna - Umbrella
 5  3 Mika - Grace Kelly
 4  5 Linkin Park - What I've done
 3  2 Beyonce / Shakira - Beautiful liar
 2  4 Nelly Furtado - Say it right
 1  1 Åvril Lavignnesøn - Girlfriend

10June

Almost a record fall out of the chart, as Simply Red slumps from 36 to 137; his physical single ran into trouble, and the download stalled as people realised the song was a crock of rubbish. McFly also set an unwanted chart record - just four weeks in the top 75 for Baby's coming back, it went 1-20-39-59-91. Other big falls from Tiny Dancers (33-71) and Marilyn Manson (19-50).

Just a couple of new entries in the lower reaches - Carbon/Silicon's The news at 59, and Gwen Stiffeny's 4 in the morning at 118. We've also got re-entries from the Arctics and Klaxons, and a surprise climb for Biffy Clyro.

Second time in the top 40 for the Holloways' Generator, a number 30 hit last October. Keep on jumping was a top 10 hit for both the Lisa Marie Experience and for Todd Terry during 1996; the latest version by Corenell enters at 37. Ghosts make 35 with their second single, and the Fray's newie makes the top end by climbing to 34 - it's spent the last six weeks moving between 49 and 58. The record for that particular ten-place run is held by Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel's White lines, which appeared there for twelve consecutive weeks between February and May 1984, and sixteen in total; the song didn't enter the top 40 until its 22nd week in the top 75. Frank Sinatra's My way spent 13 weeks in the area, and the chart only went down to position 50 in those days!

Something slightly more modern at 28, but only just. Not over yet was the big hit for dance act Grace, peaking at number 6 in April 1995. Now, pisspoor new rave band Klaxons have done a cover of tremendous rubbishness, losing the intricate keyboard work of the original, and giving nothing more than a bunch of loud horns and other such nonsense. Speaking of which, the Chemical Brothers enter at 25 with Do it again, the worst performance by the first single from one of their albums, removing their 1995 debut - that made 17. Queens of the Stone Age have their third top 20 hit, 3s and 7s makes number 19, one place behind a singularly rubbish track by Kelly Rowland and Eve. Unklejam enter at 16, another track with no song. Bob Sinclar's Sound of freedom makes it in at 14.

We're still working out whether to include the White Stripes' Icky thump in the Rubbish file or the Brilliant file. All three songs from their last album (just) made the top ten, this one enters at 13. Enrique Iglesias is rubbish, but up 19 to 9. Reverend and the Makers also hit the charmed circle, climbing four to 8. Bouncey and Shakira down two to 5, Gym Class Heroes back up two to 4, Calvin Harris is up six to 3 (but it's got a good beat - the advert says so!) No change in the top two, Mutya held off by Rihanna.

Seven new entries into the album chart top ten, headed by Rihanna's Good Girl Gone Bad at 1. Biffy Clyro's Puzzle is in at 2, Twang's Love it When I Feel Like This at 3, Paul McCartney's Memory Almost Full at 5, Dizzee Rascal's Maths and English at 7, Marilyn Manson's Eat Me Drink Me at 8, and Mutya Buena's Real Girl at 10. Just below come Hank Marvin's Guitar Man (13) and Genesis's latest hits album (14). Mark Ronson does very well, climbing seven to 12, and outselling all but four of last week's albums. Bruce Tungsten has a live album at 21, another Clash singles set at 23, and Dream Theatre's Systematic Chaos at 25. Huge drops for R. Kelly (10-32) and Ozzy Osbourne (11-38). Old albums back: Bob Marley's Exodus returns at 44, and Sgt. Pepper number 48. The new entries roll on! Marc Almond's Stardom Road number 53, and Wiley's Playtime is over makes 71. Phew!

 2  2 Mutya Buena - Real girl
 8 12 Reverend and the Makers
  - Heavyweight champion of the world
17  8 Twang - Either way
21 13 Åvril Lavignnesøn - Girlfriend
24 25 Fray - How to save a life
26 17 Mika - Love to-day
27 16 Pigeon Detectives - I'm not sorry
33 27 Manic Street Preachers
  - Your love alone is not enough
34 52 Fray - Over my head
35 NE Ghosts - The world is outside
38 31 Mika - Grace Kelly
39 75 Holloways - Generator
42 32 Mark Ronson - Stop me
49 55 Biffy Clyro - Living is a problem
58 62 Calvin Harris - Acceptable in the eighties
63 60 Gossip - Standing in the way of control
65 71 Pink - Leave me alone
67 53 The Enemy - Away from here
71 33 Tiny Dancers - Hannah we know
72 re Arctic Monkeys - Flourescent adolescent
73 68 Arctic Monkeys - Brianstorm
74 72 Linkin Park / Jay Zed - Numb/Encore

.. 51 Cribs - Men's needs
.. 59 McFly - Baby's coming back
.. 66 Jojo - Anything
.. 69 Funeral For A Friend - Into oblivion

10June

This week, we've been watching and hearing...

• Coast (BBC-2), a trip around Shetland. We particularly liked the worked example of how to build a sea chart, showing the height of a newly-found rock. Website.
• How We Built Britain (BBC-1) David Dimbleby travels across the land, stopping at some fantastic buildings. This week's were all in East Anglia, and included Ely Cathedral, King's College Chapel, and any number of castles. Last week, someone in Het Graun wondered if Davina's 15-minute monologue at the opening of Big Apologies was a record. In this show, Dimbleby treated us to a monologue lasting almost an hour, with plenty of pauses to admire the view, and a few words - but no substantive contributions - from anyone else. We found ourselves worn out after about half an hour - scheduling this back-to-back with Coast is too much heritage in one sitting. Website.
• The Single North American Currency (CBC Radio 1), an investigation into the pros and cons (but mostly cons) of combining the loonie with its flexible neighbour to the south. Honestly, would you trust a currency based on a note worth approximately fifty new pence? Website.
• Andrew Marr's History of Britain (BBC-2) We can't kick our creditors in the balls. A tempting insight into the race panic of 1968, and explaining why the old fogies on the left-wing are so virulently against anything that might pass as racist: they still blame Enoch Powell for losing Election '70. That's nonsense: it was the open rebellion exposed by In Place of Strife.
• The Witnesses in the Tunnel (C4) told the photographers' story of a car crash in Paris almost ten years ago. An insipid programme, livened up only by the contribution of BBC World's Nik Gowing, the man dragged out of bed to helm the Beeb's overnight coverage. ITV had TV's Mister Six, Dermot Murnaghan.
• Speed Dating the Labour Leadership Candidates (Radio 5). Simon Mayo spends seven minutes with each of the contenders for the highest elected office in the Labour party. One highlight: Jon Cruddas would not accept one Jag, let alone two. Hazel Blears is insubstantial. Peter Hain thinks the England side shouldn't have visited Zimbabwe in 2003. Alan Johnson was completely immemorable. Hillary Benn made some decent noises, but was also forgettable. Harriet Harman said that everything was her idea, and she'll say what's right and wrong based on the evidence. Overall: Good idea, but whose idea was it to invite Miss Wigan 2007 onto the show; she lived down to the stereotype.

10June

The promotional team for the Crass Spectacle in 2012 have unveiled the event's promotional logotype. After a year's work, and a £400,000 budget, the logotype is an amorphous pink splodge that looks like a cat that's been dragged out of the rain. Crasser-in-chief Baron Sir Sebastian Coe OBE of Ranmore said that the logotype was dynamic, evolving, and interactive, failing to realise that a one-way medium (such as a logotype) could never be any of these things. It could - and did - cause seizures, and had to be removed from the Crass Website after barely a day. Head of the International Obsequiousness to Commercialism Jack Rogge bit his tongue and called it a unique design. People all over Britain said, Is it too late to give this mess to Paris? Our preferred design: a Pearly Queen, with a septum piercing in the five-ring design, because Londoners will be paying through the nose.

Basque separatist group ETA has ended its unilateral ceasefire with Spain. The group said in March 2006 that it had abandoned terrorist methods, but now proposes to defend the Basque country with weapons and on all fronts.

Ireland's psychiatric nurses have accepted the government's offer, ending the nurses' strike that ran through the recent series of Dáil or No Dáil. Negotiations between Fianna Fáil and the Green Party began on Sunday, and ran all week, before breaking down on Fridy. The World Monuments Fund declared that the Hill of Tara is one of the most threatened monuments on the planet, with a large motorway set to slice through the historic home of kings.

Former Labour party deputy leader, and current deputy prime minister John Prescott was admitted to hospital suffering from pneumonia. With former Labour party leader Tony Blair still conducting his farewell tour, opposition parties wondered who, exactly, was in charge at the moment?

The minority Conservative government in Canada has suffered from a defection: Bill Casey Cumberland-Colchester voted against the government's budget because he believes it breached an agreement with the Nova Scotia government over oil revenues. The budget was supported by the Bloc Québécois, and past 158:108.

At the G7 summit in Heiligendamm, leaders of six countries made a significant deal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and Japan will reduce their output of the gas linked to anthropogenic warming by 50% by 2050. The final member of G7, Russia, has agreed to take note of the deal, and consider reducing its own emissions. A similar undertaking has been made by the failed colonies south of Canada. No comment has been made by the government of the last major polluters, Australia, Red China, or India.

Twenty-six agents of the rebel North American forces have gone on trial in Italy. They are charged with kidnapping Abu Omar from Milan and forcing him to Egypt, where he was tortured. None of the guerillas will be in court, as the rebel leaders have refused to co-operate with the legitimate Italian investigators.

The organisers of the Tour de France removed Bjarne Riis from their list of winners, following his confirmation that he used performance-enhancing drugs during the event. Mr. Riis was fastest across the lines in the 1996 tour. That year's runner-up Jan Ullrich is also under investigation for doping, and we have to go down to fifth-placed Peter Luttenberger to find someone who hasn't been named in connection with doping offences.

10June

With no particular airflow this week, the dominant features were the high pressure, which initially brought clear air from the Arctic. That was replaced by a cloudy front on Thursday, which has had more moist Atlantic air; it's been warmer, but somewhat more humid.

04 Mo sunny spells      12/20
05 Tu sun                9/19
06 We sun               10/18
07 Th cloud             10/15
08 Fr mist and haze     10/22
09 Sa sun, humid        12/23
10 Su cloud to sun      12/21

Rainfall in June: 0mm; monthly average: 50mm

Degree heating days: 497½
2005-6: 684/684
2004-5: 556/556
2003-4: 754/754

Degree cooling days: 22
2006: 43/360
2005: 13/238
2004: 33/198
2003: 29/328