That we would have an Irishman helping Anglo-American relationships is news indeed. And for those of you less versed in the saga, Wiredgoose is correct that Caracalla* and David have indeed fallen out (* Caracalla is not his real name). I feel duty bound to point out that I did offer the "olive branch" but it was too little too late.

As to the airbrushing or damnatio memoriae for you more literate folk, Caracalla deleted his entries on this blog, which was such a shame. In my last email to Caracalla I wrote "That I managed to teach you some of the finer points of English humour is one of my better accomplishments - it is a real shame that you deleted the article on French cricket (grillon). The other articles will also be sorely missed - almost as much as you."

Caracalla's penmanship was becoming superb, surpassed only by his truculency. In the dusk of our friendship, I asked Caracalla if he ever watched House (since it seems to include a fair rendition of our two characters) - he replied that he did not find curmudgeons that appealing !

I will miss Kevin (ooops - I meant to say Caracalla)