I’ve gotten into a fairly unhealthy sleep pattern cycle that I really have to break – especially at the weekends, when I work in a bar and generally get home at around 2am. Once a week (Sundays, usually), I’ll stop off at the chipper and get a fresh cod and curry chips… probably a bad idea too, if I’m honest- health-wise certainly,- although I convinced myself recently that once a week is okay. I meant to make a new year’s resolution to cut down on it (or cut it out entirely) and get more healthy, but that’s easier said than done as I like it too bloody much for my own good!

Once home, I’m reluctant to go to sleep and usually watch a bit of TV with the dog for company. When I do eventually go up to the bedroom, I’m too awake to sleep and stay up reading, browsing, chatting, tweeting, facebooking, watching movies – and yes, occasionally, blogging.

Sometimes I have a few drinks while doing this… alone. Bad idea.. I know! – and this goes on until I finally start to feel properly tired – stupid o’clock usually (often after 4 or 5am) – a lot of the time actually in bed with the laptop on a tray on my knees, and I end up not getting up until 1 or 2pm the next day.

I’d been meaning to blog more recently… had plenty to say… plenty going on. It’s been suggested to me, however, that I don’t go talking online (facebook particularly… here too) specifically about the incident a week ago which led to me having a black eye over the time since then – and it’s been suggested for all the right reasons.

I am going to follow that advice to some degree and not go into any real detail about it. Of course, the minute details of the incident itself aren’t for public consumption as they’re quite personal and it’s not in anyone’s interest really that they be divulged publically. All that needs to be said is that I had a disagreement with someone, he expressed himself physically… and I didn’t get the chance to respond in kind.

Oh… and that I’m fine now!

Well you may know by now that they did it in the UK… In a testament to the power of the Internet, a facebook campaign has succeeded in usurping the X Factor from the Christmas No. 1 slot and installing the most unlikely replacement in the shape of definite song of the moment “Killing in the Name” by Rap metal supremos Rage Against The Machine at the top of the UK “Singles” Chart. Scott Mills announced it just before 7pm on BBC Radio 1’s Chart Show.

The (digital only) sales of the song outstripped second place Joe McElderry’s “The Climb” (which was also available on CD for the last few days) by over 50,000 making it the first download-only Christmas No. 1 and the biggest electronic sale of a song ever in the UK. (David has the figures here).

This isn’t being seen as just a victory for Rage Against the Machine or their song – or even for rock music itself. Moreover, it’s a clear message being sent to Simon Cowell and the whole manufactured TV “talent” competition establishment that has dominated the charts and removed the unpredictability and fun of the pop music charts and the institution that is the Christmas No. 1.

That message seems to have been along the lines of “no thanks, we’d rather have real bands playing real music that they wrote and performed themselves” – and the choice of song to represent that message was a well made one. In other words… “Fuck you, Cowell.. we won’t do what you tell us!”

Here’s the guys in their recent BBC Radio 5 appearance (before the chart was announced) – where they talk about the battle for the No. 1 spot, Simon Cowell & The X Factor, – and play the song itself (featuring various inclusions of the famous “Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me!” line at the end).

UPDATE: The band are now promising that they WILL come to the UK to play a free gig there to celebrate this No. 1 – and they are giving a huge chunk of the proceeds from the downloads of the song directly to the charity “Shelter”.

Meanwhile, the race is still on for the Christmas Number One spot here in Ireland – the chart here being announced on Thursdays – so that’ll be Christmas Eve, this year.

You can do your bit by downloading it on iTunes (as I have done) or eircom music store. The X Factor single’s chances are possibly stronger over here than they were in the UK, unfortunately, as it will have been available on CD for longer than it was there – but you never know!

Fair play, Grandad, Damien, Allan and a whole pile of others who pledged their support to Rick O’Shea (who is understandably staying tight lipped on the issue) and Nikki Hayes (who I’ve blogged about before) – who have been the victims of a “dumbing down” order in RTÉ Radio, essentially reducing them to “that was/this is” jocks who are no longer allowed engage the listeners in their brand of engaging banter.

Below is the email I sent off this evening to complaints@rte.ie. Here’s hoping that enough people do it that make them sit up and take notice (and action!).

Weird ad on facebook that I saw just now…:

WTF is that supposed to mean???

This (among other things) almost puts me off the site…

Then there’s this!