Sorry to be so mean-spirited, though I'm sure Russell can more than handle it - but - does anyone still believe the Qantas media awards mean anything? Doesn't it always seem like they share them out about evenly around all the companies, and if someone misses out they make up for it the next year?

In fact, is there anyone who's been working in journalism for more than about four years who HASN'T won a Qantas?

I don't know if there is any truth to this at all, but someone told me yesterday that Don't Dream It's Over only got to the top of the US charts on the back of some major payola. Or minor payola. Whatever. At any rate, they said it was one of the last pay-for-play successes of that era - before the more recent scandals of this one. But maybe it's just a big fat lie put out by Finn's enemies...

It wasn't music, but I watched Idiocracy over the weekend thanks to a friend of a friend of a friend who downloaded and then burnt it, and I was so glad to have seen it I wanted to send Mike Judge some money to say thank you.

Though I probably won't. On the other hand, given that the movie had zero publicity and was barely even released, maybe I can discharge my debt by telling you all to - by whatever means you choose - see it. It's satire, it's funny, Fox hated it. What's to lose?

I think if you're illegally downloading some artist you really like, maybe you should just buy the t-shirt or the concert ticket instead. They make way better margins on gigs and merch.