Remember the helicopters leaving Phnom Penh

I do. The great whirling things on top of the US embassy; people forcing themselves into the open doors while in the distance the Khmer Rouge advanced through the dusty streets.

Andrew Collins has a "Where did it all go right?" website here.

Soundtrack - Rousing music from wguc.org - Hamilton Harty Irish Symphony: The Twelfth of July Ulster Orchestra Cond.: Bryden Thomson.

Better mood ensues so no Finnegan's Wake for you today my lad.

Reading Matter - A Little Knowledge by Michael Macrone. A wonderful little book of short chapters giving the highlights of various philosophical, Scientific and Artistic topics. I though I might know most of them except the philosophy but the whole thing is a revelation - one step up from being a cheat's guide but valuable nevertheless.

It is still very sticky here though our house is quite cool even on the hottest days. I hate being out in the sun (couldn't you just tell that?) and stickiness is just horrible. I love it when it rains (Tell that as well could you?). It has rained here for weeks just recently and waking up in the night to the sound of the water on the window is so relaxing. My daughter was quite taken with the rain sounds on a rainforest CD I bought ages ago and now she would like a tape of rain sounds to help her get to sleep. I think the weather is probably not helping at her bedtime at the moment so we will try anything. Years ago I used to make white noise sounds from my early computers in the style of the waves on Oxygene which at the time I though were quite good but now are just naff. It is funny how over the years synthesised noises lose their attraction. I still like Synthesisers (witness a recent purchase here) but real instruments are just so much better. I once argued with my aunt regarding synthesisers but I think I am now on her side unless the track is a definite synthesiser track. She also did not like Steve Reich after they had him as composer of the week on Radio 3.

Be very careful when you go to any BBC site. You may find yourself sucked in to what appears to be an endless web of connections. The news site has every story going back until 1st November 1997 - see one of the first stories here but anything touched on by the BBC is covered in their main sites and all this comes onto my screen. I know I am a techy but like the saying about snow you are never too old to appreciate the wonder of a situation. It is just amazing that so much information is free and at your fingertips - be awed and think about it every once in a while. It is almost back on your heads time but I don't feel like finishing yet. I want to write a poem but there is not time. No Random Friday either, unless this is all just r andom and has come out consistent. Will you ever know? I won't. There is a whole universe of kettles here beginning to boil but there is no heat anywhere. Maybe I will get the infinite number of monkeys to take time out from their typing to pour the tea. To be or not to banana. That is the Bonobo!

Bye for today.