Spell CHEKA

At some time in 1981, my Dad took me into his office/lab thing in Sheffield to show me the new Apple Computer they had just had "installed" in the computer room (as in the room that housed THE computer...) anyhow...my Dad being a bit of a card, had discovered the spell checker function on the word processing software and had spent a blissful afternoon typing in his mates names and seeing how the spell checker coped...accordingly his recommended alternative name was suggested as "Deviant Mauler" and one of his buddies..."Richer Pomposity"...how we laughed.....

Ever since, I've been marginally intrigued with spell checkers...not least because I'm a hopeless speller. But just who is it who decides what alternative words are suggested - which words go in the dictionary....are there some social truths hidden in the computer programme...? For example...I always thought it a bit weird that Microsoft Word didn't have "internet" in its spell checker for years....you had to write "the Internet"...(ok like wot eva)...Noika handsets with predictive txt (spell checkers for the new generation..) are great so long as you never want to swear or use rude words..."fucker" is predicted as "ducker"...."penis" is translated to "remis"...I was texting the guy who is doing some decorating in my place the otherday....tapped in "paint" - Noika turned it into "saint"....is there really a part of the world where "saint" is used more than "paint"?

May be - who knows/cares

OK - I'll go out and get a life now

Saying goodbye to the summer

This weekend, we went to the seaside to say goodbye to the summer.

Aldeburgh - what a magical place as you crunch across the shingle to Thorpeness. Haunting almost. J&D had consumed a pocket full of cute pills enroute and were pretty marvelous...

We caused a scene by not driving up the high street in a SAAB or VOLVO...AND we didn't que for fish and chips. Nope we had cheese and ham sarnies....with crisps stuffed in.

On leaving the A12 on approach...we played English Folk Music very loudly to get in the mood...

Saturday was a day when life was lived

Brian ENO

How have I never found you before? Where have you been all my life? You utter, utter, utter, mind blowing legend. Life will never be the same again. Thank you for being alive and for synthesising....