This is the Abrams M1 tank. It's the main battle tank of the US army, and there's quite a lot of them on the road in Iraq right now.

It's popular with the troops, because its sophisticated viewing system enables them to see what's going on around them without sticking their head out. If I was as popular as them, I'd want to keep my head down as well.

Of course, they can't see much at night. Until, that is, they look in their heat-o-vision monitor, the Independent Thermal Viewer. The RPG rounds hurtling towards them must show up in glorious technicolour.

And it's a tribute to the post-modern, hyperreal nature of the conflict. Why, even the troops are watching the war on the ITV.

Dennis Wise, the manager of Leeds Utd, is League One Manager of the Month for September. He was also Manager of the Month for August.

They'd have struggled not to give it to him again, given that Leeds took thirteen points from their five games in September, but there's still a controversial element to the decision. In the last game of the month, against Gillingham, he was sent off for dissent and had to watch the second half from the stands. Interestingly, the referee is also being investigated, for swearing at Wise. You can imagine being driven to it, but referees are supposed to be made of sterner stuff.

So are award winning managers, though. I mean, a player can be sent off for two mistimed tackles, but managers have to be at least a little bit bad. Is it really OK to make someone Manager of the Month after they've been sent off during that month?  You know I'm not inclined to be overly moralistic or anything, and I've always thought a bit of aggro can liven up a dull game, but even I'm a bit surprised.

I suppose, though, that it's difficult to see a better candidate. Last season, Leeds were relegated and went bust. Despite Ken Bates' best cheating efforts, the mandatory fifteen point deduction for insolvency was applied this season, rather than last. Everyone was wondering if Leeds would be able to avoid relegation to League Two, an all time low. Many sports writers clearly thought a year spent playing the likes of Morecambe and Accrington Stanley while the rest of the country looks on and laughs would have been the kind of penance Leeds were due. Whether they wanted Leeds to emerge purged of sin and ready to bounce back or whether they just enjoyed watching them squirm, that's what they expected, and that's probably very much what the FA had in mind too.

With 25 points from the first 27, though, Leeds clearly feel they're done squirming. Despite the points penalty, they're now out of the relegation zone, 4 points from the playoff places and only 9 from the top. To achieve this, they've scored 18 goals and conceded 4. If they keep this up, they'll go top about Christmas time.

And you have to give Wise and Bates the credit. If football was scripted they'd have written in an odd couple, one of them tall, posh and serious, the other one short, common and comical. In the narrative chaos we call real life, they're both Cockney wide boys, both controversial figures, shall we say, and both experts in football's seamier side. It's not the ideal recipe for a moral renaissance, but if they turn Leeds back into a lean, mean points machine none of their fans will mind that too much.

After Lara Croft, Resident Evil and so on, they're making the movie of Minesweeper.

Thanks to Jeff for the link, and yes I am up for a pint on Friday.

And plugincinema are back!