I suppose I can take my 'Free Alan Johnston' banner off my page now. It's stupid to say I felt so relieved when Ian shouted up this morning that he'd been freed, but bizarrely I really did get a nice feeling in my belly. I'm glad I had that reaction, because once I heard him talking about the whole ordeal I couldn't believe what a humble, intelligent and uncynical person he was - and how phenomenally articulate and grounded he appeared after such an experience. When he was doing the international press conference from Jerusalem, I looked up at the clock and thought, "Shit, he's been talking for 40 minutes!" But I suppose when you've had nothing to do but go over and over the few things that have happened to you, then maybe you would be prepared to talk about it all so eloquently, and be glad of the opportunity to engage in a dialogue at all.

It's a trite thing to say, but I was really impressed with him.

In a completed unrelated matter, I went to see Pirates of the Caribbean 3 tonight, and it was completely ludicrous and had the most convoluted plot since Mission:Impossible, but it was still enjoyable. Possibly I scoffed and guffawed more than I genuinely chuckled or laugher, but hey. You have to take it for what it is . . . which judging by the ending is a filthy, commercial endeavour to extort money from audiences further by extending the franchise to a FOURTH movie. For godsake . . . .