John Gibson: It used to stink at these Steps

Like a breath of fresh air. Good to see the Scotsman Steps, short cut from Waverley's back door to North Bridge, sanitised and gated at night for our protection. Adjacent to the Evening News/Scotsman offices, for me the scene of my halcyon years in newspapers.

The Steps, as I recall, mostly stank and had to be hosed down every few weeks by the cleansing dept. The scene, too, of the occasional knee-trembler. We're all human.

Hat's no use

What you didn't know about Hamid Karzai is that the wee wally hat the Afghan president wears looks like a tea cosy his granny knitted.

Maybe he's had a transplant where Wayne Rooney got his. For sure, you wouldn't hire Karzai to repair your boiler or install double glazing.

A dodgy-looking character altogether. PS, your granny wants her tea cosy back.

Karzai. Steak pie. Banzai. Cat's eye. Sky high. Bondi. Och aye. Goodbye.

Sale or return

Brisk business. A shop in Cockburn Street selling an assortment of bits and pieces opened at nine last Saturday and about an hour later had "closing down'' and "all stock must go'' notices in the window. Said shop was still open yesterday.

Dave the fave?

You can bet on it. William Hill have been offering odds on David Cameron not being PM by December 2012. You could get 4-1 last I heard. Probably too late to bother about a flutter now, considering Cameron's performance these last few days.

Call Me Dave's been using a heavy duty blusher, have you noticed? What odds from Hills on December 2011?

Afterwords . .

. . . Placido Domingo talking, not complaining: "I live as simply as possible but sometimes it's a little difficult going for a walk or in restaurants when people recognise me. I find the English are very respectful. People smile. If somebody asks for an autograph I say 'yes, but let's walk, because if I stop maybe someone else will come up to me.'"