I am on the first floor of HILLHEAD LIBRARY. It is on BYRES ROAD in Glasgow. I came in here to attempt to log on to the internet. Why? So that I could vote in RUSSELL DAVIES' Greatest Lyricist Poll! Here it is, if you are interested: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/davies/ You see, today is the last day that you can vote in the poll. The other day, Alasdair Cook heard RD's programme for the first time. He thought it was 'educational ... *and* entertaining'. There was a marvellous sequence called 'How To Write A Song' - a recording from the 1940s or so during which the performers essayed various genres across 6 minutes. Later I met someone from Rhode Island and tried to remember the words and the import of the song about Rhode Island that Blossom Dearie once, or more than once, sang. Some of you will remember it, perhaps. If I mistype anything I cannae really blame the computer. It is a perfectly guid wan. I had scant hope of getting on line but a fellow at the desk with a Saltire badge on his jacket was terribly helpful, writing me out a VISITOR'S CARD. It is valid for a month. He gave me more than an hour on the computer. I was sorry because I really only wanted to vote in RD's poll. I did not want to put this fellow to such trouble. But he said it was no trouble. Now, I don't want to log off too soon, a la Del Amitri, because he would perhaps feel all his efforts were wasted. My vote? It went to Lorenz Hart. The reason? His lyric for 'Manhattan'. -- Summer journeys To Niag'ra And to other places Aggravate all our cares. We'll save our fares. I've a cozy little flat In what is known as old Manhattan. We'll settle down Right here in town. We'll have Manhattan, The Bronx and Staten Island too. It's lovely going through The zoo. It's very fancy On old Delancey Street, you know. The subway charms us so When balmy breezes blow To and fro. And tell me what street Compares with Mott Street In July? Sweet pushcarts gently gliding by. The great big city's a wondrous toy Just made for a girl and boy. We'll turn Manhattan Into an isle of joy. We'll go to Greenwich, Where modern men itch To be free; And Bowling Green you'll see With me. We'll bathe at Brighton The fish you'll frighten When you're in. Your bathing suit so thin Will make the shellfish grin Fin to fin. I'd like to take a Sail on Jamaica Bay with you. And fair Canarsie's lake We'll view. The city's bustle cannot destroy The dreams of a girl and boy. We'll turn Manhattan Into an isle of joy. We'll go to Yonkers Where true love conquers In the wilds. And starve together, dear, In Childs'. We'll go to Coney And eat baloney On a roll. In Central Park we'll stroll, Where our first kiss we stole, Soul to soul. Our future babies We'll take to "Abie's Irish Rose." I hope they'll live to see It close. The city's clamor can never spoil The dreams of a boy and goil. We'll turn Manhattan Into an isle of joy. We'll have Manhattan, The Bronx and Staten Island too. We'll try to cross' Fifth Avenue. As black as onyx We'll find the Bronnix Park Express. Our Flatbush flat, I guess, Will be a great success, More or less. A short vacation On Inspiration Point We'll spend, And in the station house we'll end, But Civic Virtue cannot destroy The dreams of a girl and boy. We'll turn Manhattan Into an isle of joy! -- Taking of isles, of joy, Hillheid, I mean, head, Library, is a nice place: not too warm, not too cold, stocked with these gadgets, with reference Buicks, I mean, buiks, etc. If one were not careful one could spend too much time in here, like Don Paterson in the library of Alexandria, about which he has, I seem to remember, written too many poems. The other day I saw Partick Thistle lose 1-5 at home. I think it all happened because Calumn Shearer took his pop, I mean, his paw, that is, his pa, to the match for his (the rock's - I mean, the pop's) birthday. They are Partick fans, even! They went to the stand with no-one in it. It is reserved for VIPs. I have not experienced such vitriol and unrelieved bitterness around me at a fitba match since the fans started tearing up the pitch of the Valley in, I think, 1985. KELVINGROVE MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY has reopened with a smashing exhibit of RECORD-BREAKING ANIMALS. For instance, the MOOSE is very big, and weighs the same as a football team. They didn't say which football team. The sloth is the slowest animal, travelling at 2 metres per hour. The King Penguin is the deepest diving bird, diving for 530 metres. The Peregrine Falcon is the fastest of all animals! When it dives it travels at 190 mph! And many more. I would be in that museum now, probably, were I not doing my grateful time on this silver machine. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list mail sinister@missprint.org. To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to majordomo@missprint.org. 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