This story about the parachutist who died after his parachute was tampered with (according to the Police) is like a something out of CSI (the American tv series about Crime Scene Investigators). What a truly awful way to die.

Devastating for David Millar that he shipped his chain at a crucial moment in the Prologue of the Tour de France and so lost the stage win by only 8 hundreths of a second and the chance to put himself in the yellow jersey. Looking on the bright side though, his ride on Saturday demonstrates that he is in good form and it also means that he won't have to work hard over the first few days to keep the yellow jersey. In fact, he appeared to be remarkably relaxed when interviewed after today's (Sunday) stage on television. He was sat so far at the back of the peloton that he avoided the horrendous crash that happened 500m from the finish. Awful viewing, that crash and it appeared to be carnage. According to www.letour.fr 35 riders hit the ground although Jimmy Caspar was the only one so badly hurt he won't start tomorrow. Petacchi, the Italian sprinter who made such an impression at this year's Giro, won the stage, relatively easily. Robbie McEwan (who took second) will not be happy.

The musicians are fighting back. I picked this up for Lawrence Lessig's blog. V. interesting comments on the post.

One of the things I have never got to grips with is dance music although I do like it. Now I find I have a way to work out what is going on. Radio 1 programmes are now available online and last Friday's Essential Selection with Pete Tong (outside Cafe Mambo in Ibiza) has been great listening all week. Had to download Realplayer to make it work (Media Player doesn't do it for me) but no complaints. And the track listing that goes with the show allows you to make sense of what is going on. Apparently "Satisfaction" by Benny Benassi is the dance tune of the summer - or so Jo Whiley said in The Observer magazine a few weeks ago (scroll down to M for Music). Pete Tong plays it first, although knowing little of what other "tunes" are out there, I will reserve judgement. Now need to work out how to get this stuff onto a portable music player.

One of the best things about reading blogs is the sheer variety of what you come across. The life of a porn PR - Pornblography - is kinda fascinating (and not just for the obvious reasons). Actually very well written and thought -provoking. The most recent post is about how they find sets for porn films.

And then Burnt Toast weblog pointed me to this: turningtables - an Iraq-based US soldier's blog. Interesting stuff.

Further to that post on Barbara Cassani (which appears below) I see in yesterday's FT (the paper that is because I can't find it online) that she is reported as working unpaid until August and has taken a salary of £150,000. She is also about to start advertising for her team.

The paper quotes her as saying:

"I would prefer people with passion for the Olympics, people prepared to put their careers on the line and say I believe in this so much I will join the company and make it happen".

Um.

I am not a great fan of Barbara Cassani's appointment as head (although she appears to be described in press releases as "Chair") of the London Olympic Bid for 2012.

My most obvious concern is that an Amercian should not be at the forefront of what to all intents and purposes is a UK bid. Given the debacle over the World Athletics Championships for 2005, the IOC must have realistic concerns about the UK's ability to put on a major games. I accept the the Commonwealth Games in Manchester were a great success, but London has different problems. By appointing an American we are effectively saying that we cannot sort this out for ourselves and we will have to look elsewhere for talent and expertise. That doesn't strike me as a great starting point.

I know she claims that it is reflective of the cosmopolitan nature of the city, but I don't buy it. I know she created Go, although I am not entirely sure that was the great success she suggests it was. Funded by BA, it was hardly as "start up" in the conventional sense, so I am not convinced it reflects that well on her. I think my other concern is that she appears to have no overt sporting interest whatsoever. This, for her, is a pragmatic career move. I even read (although I am not sure where) that she phoned the headhunters when she found out she was on a short list. Well wouldn't you if there was a chance of a £200,000 a year job and you were out of work?

All of which means, I will be looking at this bid process with some interest. Already there appear to have been misjudgements, the most notable being Ms Cassani's suggestion that she must have David Beckham involved. It did not appear to have dawned on her or her advisers that David Beckham will have little or no connection with either the Olympics, London or anything else other than the glamour such a connection might bring. The IOC will be aware that an Olympic Stadium is built on more solid foundations that such associations. And so it came as no surprise that Jacque Rogge, the head of the IOC has already made the point that Beckham will not help London.