Language is an ever-evolving phenomenon, as Monitor is well aware. Back in the good old days, regional chairs used to 'rock around the clock' and 'jive on daddio' at the IHSM disco.

Now, 'wicked' means good, 'gay' means nothing of the sort, and one can't even mention a 'hoe' without causing offence to Charlie Dimmock.

Monitor does his best to keep up, but is most impressed by the yoofspeak of 'happening' Professor Liam Donaldson, the geezer in charge of public health. The National Patient Safety Agency, his very own love-child, has issued some reader-friendly info. And cor lummey, tabloidese is heading right up Whitehall's street! In answer to a query on past guidance, NPSA blurts out: 'We boobed!' Being civil servants, when the questions get tricky, the answers get shorter. Take question 14: 'What about the role of new Strategic Health Authorities?' 'Good question!' explodes the document: 'Watch this space!'

High calibre top notch people are fantastic - Monitor has always thought so. NHS management is finally engaging in that age-old hobby involving wheat and chaff, with its attempts to attract future leaders, Darwinian-style. The website for the management trainee scheme asks: 'Are you ready for one of the most challenging management jobs in Britain?' Ooh, tell me more, thought Monitor, only to be faced with some tough choices.

'Which scheme are you interested in?' the cyber presence begs. It offers three options: The general management training scheme, the financial management training scheme and, for those really high-flying, suit-strutting movers and shakers, 'not really sure'.

And finally, Monitor spent today perusing a number of websites - all in the line of duty - before ending up at his natural home: the Department of Health. Yet deep in its unchartered territory were some rare surprises. For one thing, There is the strange - and not necessarily accurate - assertion that 'the department and its agencies are always pleased to receive comments or queries about their work'. Perhaps more interestingly, Monitor also stumbled upon a list of 'service standards' for the department. And the promise that all telephone calls will be answered within 10 rings is an interesting one to watch. As NPSA might have put it: Watch this space!