Stuff I finally got rid of my poxy laptop, well its gone back to IBM for surgery. My temporary replacement is not perfect, but it is a vast improvement and it picks up Blogger's new text formatting which is great. I am still having probs with Hello.com, I can't seem to enter my password without getting an error code, hence lack of pics on this site. I need to get that sorted.

With the weather changing here quicker than the transfer drivel on Tribal Football.com, I thought I would add a weather forecast to the blog courtesy of The Weather Channel. As they say in Chicago, if you don't like the weather, go indoors for 10 minutes and by the time you go back outside it will be different.

I have also had a little play with my links and added a couple of thought provoking London Blogs - Casino Avenue and Diamond Geezer and I am in the throws of investigating the Chicago Blog scene too.

I finally purchased some furniture the weekend. Anyone who has visted Chez Chicago Addick will tell you that it currently has a very minimalist feel. I'm much more at home in this place though and lying in bed last night looking through the blinds 36 floors up at the downtown Chicago skyline did bring it home to me that this is a quite a cool place to live.

Nevertheless, these are my current gripes about America & the people that live here:

1. The TV is truly appalling. From the production and the adverts through to the programming. The night before last I watched the 'grand finale' of Who wants to marry my Dad? Basically three daughters (all gorgeous obviously) that during the past few weeks had to choose between 13 women to be the wife of their Dad. Stacy 'won' for the record. God it was awful, particulary watching the happy couple 'make out' in front of the 3 grinning, tearful daughters. I will never moan about UK Gold again.

2. Power walking. Now what is that all about? On the Lakeshore you literally see hundreds of normally large people walking fast. What are they late for something or do they have a bus catch? What?

3. I have got used to being greeted by shop staff like I was a long lost family member, but this weekend during my power shop it did slowly drive me mad. I am going to get a sign and put it around my neck saying "yes I am very well thank you, and no I am only browsing and yes it is a fine day thank you". Americans, you gotta love em.

Back to footie, with Arsenal preparing to sell Patrick Vieira to Real Madrid for 23m, which is good value when you compare that to some of the money that Chelsea throw around, it just shows that even the biggest and best clubs cash their top players in. In my mind it will be a real shame (no pun intended) that one of the best players in the world will depart the Premiership to join the 'Galacticos'

What has happened to the Carlton Cole saga. Have Charlton just let the matter go away? That does seem out of character for the normally terrier like Peter Varney. Or is the potential 3rd new player going to be a replacement from Chelski? Or am I jumping the gun and should worry who will be 1 & 2 first?

It was great to see that All Quiet In The East Stand unearthed a story about Big Fat Peter Garland. He was a mini (or not so mini) legend in my mind during the early days back at the Valley. Great song too.

I see that relatively unknown - and a complete 9/1 no hoper according to the American media - boxer Danny Williams put Mike Tyson on his arse the weekend. All credit to the South London born boy, it sounded like an action packed 4 rounds. I am not a big Boxing fan, but like others I desperately try to remember Tyson as the awe inspiring Iron Mike of 15 years ago, whose sheer brute strength brought him 37 consecutive knock outs and not the mess he has become.

It appears that Japan is the next stop for the sad debt laden fighter, whose recent 'acheivements' include divorce, lawsuits, prison, drug abuse, religious conversion, street brawls, car crashes, road rage, ear-biting and bankruptcy which means in an effort to clear reported $22m debts he will take up Japan's lucrative K1 all-in fighting sport, which is apparently a mixture of boxing and kick-boxing that generates serious money. A sad and tragic tale.
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