Now I'm poshing it up in a real hotel, I've got a TV (of my own). I was watching the news on CBC when all of a sudden... Coronation Street came on - for all of about 5 minutes before almost as many minutes of adverts. Weird...

I'm exhausted after a morning of floating around on a few inches of new snow. This rocks...

Now Cat fans, we all know that Canada skiing is far less crowded than most European equivalents. However, right now, Banff mountains are all but deserted. Vast fields of fresh snow: all untouched, just waiting for me to get my ski-clad paws all over them. It's been really quite something...

And tomorrow I start on the PDP. I've already met some of my fellow instructors as I checked into my new dwellings. Yes, I'm a proper high-roller now, poshing it up in a real hotel (with free Wifi ;-)

I am once again Captain Canadiski (okay, so I'm recycling the cartoon strip from last year). I'm skiing remarkably well, considering it's day 1. There's much more to do before my instructors thing starts in a couple of days though.

It's early season here in Banff, and well, erm, it's sketchy. Norquay is completely closed (although was open for at least a few days a while back), Lake Louise is doing discounted lift tickets because not all of the mountain is open, and I found Sunshine remarkably difficult to get around as all my short cuts were closed. However, I'm still home absolutely exhausted, after day on my feet.

Sadly though, the conditions do leave quite a few rocks just below the surface. This is why these mountains are called "The Rockies". I've torn both my skis "a new one" (as they sound around these parts). I'm dreading the repair bill... it might even be as high as a new set of skis if this level of damage keeps up.

Still, it's great to be out in snow once again.

The Government can't run anything properly. They make mistakes, bungle and cover up just like anyone else. The trouble is, when they do it, they affect millions of people who had no choice but to be involved with them.

I scarcely • need • to • link to the story, as the Intarwebs are on fire with the story (and you'll note - the mainstream media doesn't even lead the charge, even though it's headline news).

Surely now, no right thinking person can possibly believe that more databases and more stored information in the form of The NIR (& ID Cards), even the NHS computerisation projects and others can possibly be a good thing.

Now Cat fans, I don't have any need of fur straighteners, but I have much admiration for GHD adverts on the telly. We've had Thou shalt not... and Style with heat, style without fear... and now, what I'm going to call, "He can dump her tonight and come home with me".

Sexy, classy, sassy and innovative. Keep it up, GHD!