I mailed Nick Brown about going to the concert in Cambridge on Sunday � with luck that will happen. The price of going to Detroit is that it messes with some Cambridge related stuff in that week � the Hughes Lecture and then there is a Hoggwarts reception at the House Commons. Yes I agree it sounds bizarre. Anyway one can hardly grumble. The HoC is clearly a get your chequebook out event.

Valentines Day � a Tesco kissing lips cushion � which makes a kissing sound when you squeeze it, some sparkling African stuff in a green bottle and something from the modern Greek artefact shop across the road from my favorite bar in Kenilworth, a card that plays a chromatic fanfare. So what if its delivered at 10pm !?

This weeks Economist � amidst all the stuff about Iraq � well worth a read � has an essential article about what AIDS adds to an African famine. On www.kwase-kwaza.org there is a good article a fortnight back which says that a Middle Eastern disaster will shift attention from on-going catastrophes.

Gilbert�s Blisters CD with Joe Fonda has arrived � very nice packaging focusing on the individuals. I can�t imagine how they got nearly 60 minutes of varied music down in the day. It�s a very documentary soundworld � except I think the guitar may slightly louder than the natural sound. Anyway its impressive stuff. More when I have had the chance to hear it.

The 1993 Alfred Appel volume � the Art of Celebration arrived � didn�t take long.

I began to think that God Bless the Child might be a duo � also that Reading&sleeping might talke some Dhorn oboe.

I don�t envy Jacob doing gigs in those circs.