Today is my second day in my new job. The window of my office overlooks St James's Park, where marching bands and mounted policemen pass up and down Birdcage Walk. I'm allowed (with provisos) to use the Internet at work, and I have smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwiches for my lunch.

David Hare has an interesting article in today's Torygraph about the flag burning amendment. Dick Cheney is arguing against an escalation of force in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - not because it would kill people, but because it would make US arms sales to Israel look bad. Such integrity.