Well, I’m back from the Big Apple. It was all far too much hard work and long hours. I had to move room 4 times – which included one hotel change because of having to extend my stay. Both times the room was like trying to sleep on a runway. Funny thing? You complain – and I did have good reason – and they instantly move you to a better room. I said, “you might want to get someone up here to listen,” to which the front desk said, “no, we’ll just move you.” Well, cool banana, I say. The first time I moved, they moved me into a suite for a week and a half! Customer service in the US is legendary, but a friend pointed out, and I totally agree, that it’s either brilliant or total rubbish. They either want to make you feel like a movie star, or an annoyance. I went to the Apple store in Soho to buy a mini-iPod – and they’re great! – it’s a posh shop, very nicely done, but I wanted help in choosing the right bits for it. I queued up and the guy refused to help – “I’m ringing,” he said. I said, “you’re saying you can’t walk around the counter and pick up what you suggested?” … “I’m ringing,” he said. I noticed he walked around the counter when a lady customer asked the question. The all-American dickhead in full effect. I went to Bloomingdales and Macy’s. I heartily recommend both to no one. I do absolutely hate shopping however – so listen at yer peril. I went into KFC – may fav junk food place – and ordered a meal deal thingy. I opened the box … and no chips! Just some hot bread thing. And they roast their chicken … eh? World’s gone mad. I walked all through Central Park to the top, and then walked all the way back to the bottom … that’s 100 blocks in total. An amazing place that – right in the middle of a big city. It’s perfect land to build skyscrapers – because of the rock in the ground – but they resist… so they got that right. Lastly, the people I dealt with have no memories – these are people in an investment bank. By the time they walk from the room in which you just had a meeting – they’ve forgotten what you said. This is most people all of the time. From my experiences in the US this year – been there over a month so far this year alone – I wonder how they are the world’s only superpower. It’s probably just a lack of global competition and the 5% of people who are very sharp folks indeed. I’m half American … and I can’t remember what I just said.

How long can this go on? What on earth has he done to get such loyalty from Sven? He’s an absolute liability – and he always has been! No positional sense, prone to crazy errors, totally unreliable – the defenders must secretly hate the fact he’s in the team, and that must affect their game. Nigel Martyn is getting on, but he’s a much safer bet than this clown. David James is not even good – he’s a first division keeper at best. We lost the Euros because the defence is forced to defend so deeply because of the fact James is in net.

Come on Sven – stop being a loyal dog and pick the best team! James is not the best English goalkeeper – not by a long way.

The death count from the siege has reached 320 and will no doubt become much worse. That’s more dead people than was even thought to be in the school before it all kicked off. And who’s the winner? No one. Who could have won? No one.

I cannot comprehend the motivation behind the people (used loosely) who committed this crime. How can people dream up and execute such plans?

Whatever the grievances of the Chechens, their cause has taken huge steps backwards. The Russian Bear will retaliate, probably removing more than a few innocents from the world in their justifiable rage. The retaliation will be a real reaction to something quite abhorent, but will also be motivated by political reasons. The politicians are already reacting to evade criticism and the like – it’s the same as immediately after 9/11. I was working for an American company and the staff were screaming with horror – but within 2 hours were analysing the effect on certain markets to maximise their trading capability. The world gasps, but then moves on. I don’t see the children who survived or their parents being given that luxury.

Never short of a word or two to say, I’ve decided to write a blog. (Is that bee log, or blog – like slog?). So … here it is.