We follow the literary universe quite keenly at the best of times, mainly because we're frustrated novelists and hope one day to bathe in the rich, creamery money of grants and prizes, but also because we like to stay cultured 'n' shit.

However, we also realise that it's about as "cool" as watching Question Time (which is pretty damn cool, if you ask us), which perhaps explains TheAge.com.au's front-page treatment of this story on the Miles Franklin Literary Award's announced nominees:

FULLY!!

Oh dear. It's almost as daggy as news.com.au's "Pose Like A Pro" effort from yesterday. Suggested topics for the Age Online monkeys to tackle in future include LOLNobelPeacePrize and FAILStateFunerals.

Given that they are, in most people's eyes at least, the bastion of granddad rock these days, it's worth remembering that there was a time long ago in a galaxy far, far away when The Rolling Stones were public enemy #1.

One of those places was in Blackpool, where the Stones were banned from playing in 1964 following rioting at a gig they played there - and the ban remained in place until yesterday (though we don't really imagine there were too many times when Mick and Keef and co tossed up touring options and said, "You know, boys, as much as I love Wembley and all, what I really want is to play Pleasure Beach in Blackpool... oh yeah, we can't," before they all drowned their sorrows in a round of quadruple whiskeys).

But what struck us was the way in which one of Blackpool's councillors was clearly so excited to make the Stones joke he'd been sitting on for the past fifteen years or so that he just had to slip it into his official statement. See if you can spot it:

"They are icons and I for one would certainly welcome them back,'' council leader Peter Callow told The Gazette newspaper in Blackpool.

"It would certainly give me some satisfaction if they did play here.''

We're surprised he didn't go on to say that he was close to his 19TH NERVOUS BREAKDOWN after telling the people of Blackpool that YOU CAN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT for the millionth time before he realised it was time to START ME UP and let his people RIP THIS JOINT.

Peter Callow, DON'T STOP, you make us so HAPPY when you get your ROCKS OFF!

Here endeth the punning section of today's Defamer Australia edition. We now return you to your usual coverage.