alexsarll | Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Where have all the barbers gone? There was a really good one pretty much opposite the House Beautiful, but it seems to have closed down. And even in Pimlico sidestreets everywhere is a 'unisex salon' or 'hairdresser', awash with exotic Product and only a freshly-trimmed hair's breadth from either Sloanery or Barleyism. Hairdressers are like guitarists; nine times out of ten, anything more than basic competence is pernicious. And though most of the brilliant ones are bad enough, nine times out of ten, the ones who think they're visionaries actually aren't, and they're even worse.

Curses! France is in the grip of a one-day general strike, just as Paris hosts a team of inspectors from the International Olympic Committee. Why couldn't our useless bloody transport system have managed one of its periodic spasms during their visit here?

John Moore wants to make sure that Google places his site's shop top of their results when people want to purchase his album Half Awake. Given it's rather good and he's a lovely chap, I'm happy to do my bit.

More answers:

Sparky: Well, presuming you're one of those crazy monogamists, can't you just tell them that you like them but Not Like That, and point out that you are happily taken? I mean, there are bad ways to let someone down (telling someone you don't date friends, and then within a month embarking on a long-term relationship with another friend, as happened with some people I know) but 'I am already happily spoken for, but still like you as a friend' seems pretty irreproachable.

Fidelity Wars: The matter is in hand.