* The new Girls Aloud album isn’t as good as Chemistry – what is? – but Call The Shots is yet another perfect pop single. The baby seems to like it too.

* I’ve got a new camera lens. It’s an f1.4 which, photo buffs will appreciate, is several Fs less than standard kit lenses. Those absent Fs give me super photo powers, or something.

* passports for babies. What a load of (expensive) shite.

* amazon’s ebook reader. Not the iPod of the book world.

* that Robert Plant / Alison Krauss album is really rather wonderful, you know.

* the royal bank of Scotland’s new online banking system. Yet another bloody bank card, yet another pin number, plus a portable card reader you need to use for arranging transfers and the like. How very convenient!