POP LEVI has two videos for "Semi-Babe" (Part 1, Part 2) designed to be played simultaneously.

SONGS FOR THE LEFT LANE: More uptempo driving songs are streaming courtesy of KEXP.

KELLEY STOLTZ: An indie-pop classicist talks to Glide about his influences.

THE BROKEN WEST has a new single, "Perfect Games," that you can -- and should -- stream at So Much Silence (via Chromewaves.)

OKKERVIL RIVER: Will Sheff tells the Calgary Herald he is reluctant to call The Stage Names and the upcoming companion LP, The Stand Ins, concept albums: "You can be talking about something like (Neil Young's) Tonight's the Night or that Styx album about robots taking over the world..." Domo arigato, Mr. Sheff.

BECK has released a teaser video for his upcoming Modern Guilt album.

DAVID VANDERVELDE: Muzzle of Bees reports that Jay Bennett injects a kind of Being There/Summerteeth vibe into Vandervelde's upcoming Waiting For The Sunrise LP, and posts the mellow "I Will Be Fine" for a listen.

BEST OF 2008 SO FAR lists are popping up all 'round, including NPR (which is also hosting a poll with 50 choices plus write-ins), The A.V. Club, and Music For Kids Who Can't Read Good.

DANIEL JOHNSTON: The critically-acclaimed, bipolar singer-songwriter tells JamBase that he likes to tour -- for the comic book and record shopping opportunities.

BARACK OBAMA shuffles his iPod for "Random Rules" feature at the A.V. Club. No, wait, I mean Rolling Stone.

BRADGELINA have donated a million dollars for educational aid to children affeccted by the Iraq war.  Half is going to Iraqi kids, while half is going to American kids who have a military parent killed in Iraq, or who are separated from a parent stationed in the country.

JENNIFER GARNER & BEN AFFLECK thinking of splitting up?  Garner's rep calls the report "100% completely fabricated."

DENISE RICHARDS & CHARLIE SHEEN have their children, Sam, 4, and Lola, 3, in therapy. Sad, but maybe needed.

ANNE HATHAWAY's ex-boyfriend Raffaello Follieri was hospitalized for a severe sinus infection following his New York court appearance on fraud and money laundering charges.

VERNE TROYER, a/k/a "Mini-Me" in the Austin Powers movies, has a sex tape.  No thanks.

SUPERMODEL KAROLINA KURKOVA has been attacked by the Brazilian media for appearing too fat on the runway. On the one hand, the harsh criticism of Karolina's heavier appearance seems extremely cruel; on the other hand, she's a highly compensated model whose job is to look great all the time, as in this Decmber 2007 photoshoot.

LINDSAY LOHAN is reportedly much more professional on-set, because girlfriend Samantha Ronson "has a calming effect on her."

JAMIE LYNN SPEARS tells OK! magazine that she plans to lead a much more low-key life with her new baby daughter.

JEN & JOHN: Aniston seems to be making time to hook up with Mayer while he's touring Europe.

ISLAMISM in the UK: A 12-year-old white schoolboy is among 120 people being dealt with by police in a new project combating Islamic-inspired violent extremism, according to the Daily Mail. The child was reported by his school in West Yorkshire after he was found circulating video clips of terrorists beheading Westerners.

IRAQ: Iraqi and Coalition forces discovered two large weapons caches in northeastern Baghdad, including seven EFPs. As many as 1000 memberss of Sahwa (awakening) forces have gained access to the Police in Baghdad.

COP HITS DINOSAUR in Lake Delton, Wisc. Let's go to the video!

SCAREDY CAT survived 18 hours clinging to high voltage power lines in a Wiltshire village.

PANDAS at the earthquake-devastated Wolong research centre in Sichuan province have been evacuated to other parts of the country, just days after being taken off bamboo shoots and put on a strange diet of fruit. Damage to the bamboo forest in earthquake sites such as Dujiangyan and Mianyang has led to a sharp reduction in the amount of shoots on offer for the pandas, which now must make do with fruit and seeds.

A MELON-HEADED WHALE is receiving treatment after being rescued off the coast of Brevard County, FL, on Tuesday.  I believe it was looking for lover that won't drive it crazy.

ALLIGATOR bites off the arm of a late-night swimmer in Okeechobee, FL.