THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE:

...with SHINDIG! This is a "best of" compilation of "Sixties Superstars." Part 1 features the Byrds ("Turn, Turn, Turn"), Donovan ("Catch The Wind"), The Turtles ("Let Me Be"), and Beau Brummels ("Laugh Laugh"). Part 2 features The Mamas & Papas ("California Dreaming"), The Yardbirds ("For Your Love"), and Donovan ("Colors"). Part 3 includes The Turtles ("It Ain't Me, Babe"), The Byrds ("I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better"), and The Gentrys "Keep On Dancing"). Part 4 has The Kingsmen ("Louie, Louie" - with clear lyrics), Sir Douglas Quintet ("She's About A Mover"), Roy Head ("Treat Her Right") and The Olympics ("Good Lovin'" with an assist from house organist Billy Preston). Part 5 includes The McCoys ("Hang On Sloopy"), The Hondells ("Little Honda"), The Righteous Brothers ("Let The Good Times Roll"), Part Six brings Dobie Gray ("The In Crowd"), Zsa Zsa Gabor ("High Heeled Sneakers." Really.), Jerry Lee Lewis ("Great Balls O' Fire") and The Isley Brothers ("Shout!").

MATES OF STATE: The husband-wfe duo stopped by the World Cafe for a chat and mini-set you can stream on demand via NPR.

THE VERVE is streaming their new album at VerveSpace.

JENNIFER O'CONNOR is profiled by the New York Sun, which observes that she is carelessly compared to Liz Phair when Townes van Zandt might be equally appropriate. She just did the four free songs thing for Daytrotter, including a previously unreleased cover of Stevie Wonder's "A Place In The Sun," so you can judge for yourself.

DAVID BYRNE has a new gig designing bike racks for NYC.

BLOC PARTY have surprise released a new album, which is streaming at their website.

GLADYS KNIGHT and the UN-PIPS: The magic of modern video effects insert Tropic Thunder stars Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey, Jr. into the classic "Midnight Train to Georgia" during the American idol charity special.  (Here's the original clip.)

MATTHEW SWEET talks to the North County about the changing times and a possible lawsuit against the makers of Guitar Hero II. (Thx, LHB.)

THE BROKEN WEST: You can stream "Auctioneer" from the upcoming Now or Heaven album at Aquarium Drunkard.

JOANNA NEWSOM brings the humor to an interview with TimeOut Chicago in advance of her gig tonight with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

GARY GLITTER continues his world tour, agreeing to return to London after being kicked out of Hong Kong and Thailand (twice.)

THE CONSTANTINES are profiled at Filter.

CUTOUT BIN: From Jimi Hendrix to Hugh Grant, from Jonathan Richman to The Spinners, from the Beach Boys to The Equals, from The Who to Tullycraft, from Stratocruiser to Alive & Kicking and more -- this Friday's fortuitous finds can be jukeboxed or streamed separately via the Pate page at the ol' HM.

BRITNEY SPEARS singing alone sounds pretty bad.  Maybe not as bad as the late Linda McCartney, but bad.  Will a duet with Justin Timberlake revive her career?

GWEN STEFANI & GAVIN ROSSDALE welcome a second son.

ELLEN DeGENERES & PORTIA de ROSSI: The newlyweds are thinking about having kids.

JESSICA SIMSPON looks at bf Tony Romo's phone call log?  She also says, "He's the first person I've spiritually connected with."  If so, should you need to snoop into his phone records?  And ex-husband Nick Lachey will appreciate the compliment, too.

AMY WINEHOUSE is not back in rehab (no, no, no).

NOW SHOWING: This weekend's wide releases are The Rocker, which opened Wednesday and is currently scoring 38 percent on the ol' Tomatometer; Anna Farris as The House Bunny, which appears to be unscreened for critics; the reimagining of Death Race, which is scoring XX percent; and The Longshots with XX percent.

SIENNA MILLER's London home was tagged by graffiti marking her as a "SLUT." The actress has attracted controversy for her relationship with married man Balthazar Getty.

SHARON STONE goes cougar with a 24-year-old boyfriend, who apparently could stand to learn a few things about tact and discretion: "I've started dating Sharon Stone, and she's pretty good for 50."

JODIE FOSTER is hoping to avoid a 25 million dollar galimony payout.

MAD MEN: Ratings for season two are eroding, though some may be watching on demand during the Olympics.

EMILY O'BRIEN explains a new method of capturing human performances for computer animation. And the version of soap actress in the video is not real. The Times of London has background.

WOLVERINE: Fox co-chairman and CEO Tom Rothman reportedly had a set repainted while the director was out of town to try to lighten the tone of the movie.  Because after the success of The dark Knight, we know the world is dying to see a happy-go-lucky Wolverine, right?

WHAT MAKES A TERRORIST? Two different views -- one more global, based on the Gallup Poll of the Muslim World, the other UK-centric from MI5.

GEORGIA, GEORGIA: Reuters reports that Russian armored units have begun pulling back into South Ossetia, though the Finnish Foreign Minister says the Russians have not budged from the strategic city of Gori and that that Russia has conducted an ethnic cleansing of South Ossetia.

IRAN plans to send a manned rocket into space in the next 10 years.  Pres. Ahmadinejad called Israel "a germ of corruption" to be "removed soon" in comments on his presidential website.  Iran has banned an award-winning young actress from leaving the country over her appearance in Ridley Scott's latest movie "Body of Lies" with Hollywood heartthrobs Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe.

IRAQ: Recent political progress in Diyala may unravel after a botched attempt to capture a provincial official at the main governmental center in Baqubah killed an assistant to the provincial governor. OTOH, over 1000 suspects have so far sought amnesty in a campaign aimed at lower-level insurgents in Diyala, a provincial official says.

SPAGHETTI CAT: A moment of zen.

TWO TORTOISES, FOUR WALKING CATFISH, A GATOR and a BLUE INDIGO SNAKE were spotted on a runway at the Melbourne International Airport in Florida, thanks to Tropical Storm Fay.

THE LOST BABY WHALE who mistook a yacht for its mother may have to be euthanized by Aussie officials.

WHEN COWS ATTACK: A jogger feared for his life during an attack by a cow in a popular park in Auckland, NZ that left him with a broken arm and extensive bruising.

THE SQUIRREL THREAT: This militant squirrel is in training for something.

POLAR BEARS are being sedated and marked for measurement with spray paint in Alaska.  Is PETA cool with this?

MAY THE CROCODILE bless you and eat you.