If there’s no one to see it, has it really happened?

If a tree falls in the woods, and there's no one around to hear it, has it made a sound? If Channel 5 News has no pictures is it worth reporting? Judging from the few seconds afforded in one weekend report to the current crisis in Burma, the answer from a Channel 5 point of view would appear to be 'No'. In the same report they did thankfully manage several minutes on the China earthquake, they had endless pictures of collapsed buildings to perk their interest, but undermined their dubious credibility with a few minutes on a YouTube video posted by Pete Doherty and Amy Winehouse (talented people wasting their lives always draws in the red-top readership).

If only Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had been born with her feet the wrong way around, or had an unusual eating disorder, then Channel 5 might have shown more interest. Shoddy television news reporting only encourages, and in their minds justifies, the isolationist tendencies of Burma's military leaders. As it is we are once again reliant on decent newspaper coverage to inform us of what is happening; it's a shame none of us read any more.

I am the destroyer of (plant) life

As the time approaches for the return of Mrs R, the thought occurs to me that perhaps I should have done as asked and watered the various plants around the house. In particular the plastic containers positioned on every windowsill to catch the light, so that the seeds (of what I have no idea) have a chance to grow. I recall once renting a house for three months and only remembering to water the plants at the very end; it was as if I thought with enough water I could somehow bring them back to life.

Trouble is I've been so busy putting discs in the DVD player, taking discs out of the DVD player, cursing the DVD player drawer for constantly sticking (they don't make cheap £20 supermarket DVD players like they used to any more), that it's easy to forget everything else. Tonight is my last chance to catch up on anything I'd like to watch without interruption, or indeed chance to watch anything at all. It's an opportunity to watch something intellectually stimulating or something puerile and fun... and there's a large vanilla cheesecake in the fridge... oh dear.

In winter

Do I dare disturb the earth

Poke my head above the ground

Is it safe for me outside

Can I take a look around

Do I dare disturb a world

That once I would placate

Or breathe a safe existence

For a while and hibernate

Do I dare disturb a life

Though around me cold has come

Or tie myself in Gordian knot

For fear of being undone