Garth Brooks in a wee spot of bother

Country superstar Garth Brooks famously boasted in one of his biggest hits: “I’ve got friends in low places” and it seems they’ve upset some residents near Dublin’s Croke Park stadium who are trying to stop the five sold-out shows Brooks is due to stage there in July.

They are complaining on Facebook that every time there's a big event, they get a "mass influx of country folk that piss and vomit all over." They say they also have to put up with noise, traffic, litter and other bad behaviour.

One homeowner says, "Residents are driven mad by people pissing everywhere, on front doors, cars, walls of homes etc."

Their anger isn’t aimed at Brooks -- who recently said Ireland is his favourite place to sing -- but at the company that runs the stadium. Residents say they were promised no more than three concerts at Croke Park each year -- and nine events are already planned for 2014. Brooks’ concerts sold out in two hours and 400,000 people are expected to see them.

The homeowners are considering legal action ... but say if they can't stop the concerts, they'll demand the city or the stadium put up "portaloos" in their neighbourhood.

The loss of innocence

Interesting (but rather sad) quote from legendary Hollywood child star Shirley Temple, who died this week:

"I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six, after my mother took me to the store to meet Santa and he asked me for my autograph."