Take me - I do not believe that an asteroid striking the Earth led to the extinction of the dinosaurs. I don't think that it is because I am too short-sighted to espouse a new idea (though one that I feel has now regretfully gained general acceptance), it is simply that I am reluctant to embrace any ideology that smacks so much of catastrophism.

On this theme, in his article The international significance of Agassiz Rock, David Land writes about that notable landmark in Blackford Glen and how Agassiz's ideas on continent-wide glaciation were received by some as a break-through but by others with scepticism. As David says, Agassiz's contemporaries were being asked to replace a near-impossible Flood hypothesis with an equally impossible general refrigeration. The prevalent mechanism for glaciation is, of course, a blow for catastrophism, so I, for one, approve. And I thank David for his contribution.

And talking of general refrigeration, what's all this about Snowball Earth? This is a theory that suggests that in the late Proterozoic, planet Earth, including its oceans, was entirely mantled in ice. Call me a Doubting Thomas but... Anyway, this was one of the issues discussed at the Earth System Processes Conference held in June of this year in Edinburgh, though sadly not in any of the sessions covered by Nick Golledge, Sarah Arkley & Charlotte Vye in the brief review of the conference, a review that they gallantly agreed to put together despite a preposterously short time-scale imposed by me. I am indebted to them for their efforts.

John Hull, in his Presidential Address to the Society earlier this year, talked of the reluctance of politicians to take responsibility for managing the offshore environment. I am grateful to John for elaborating on this head-in-the-sand approach in an article for this magazine. The reluctance to acknowledge that there is a problem is worse because that reluctance is politically-driven.

In A caseful of correspondence, I hear from three Corresponding Fellows. At least their achievements have been acknowledged in their time - and they have been honoured for them. It was not so with William Smith, who receives acclaim today but had little in his own time. Two of our book reviews are on new biographies of this 'father of English Geology'. The other book review tells of a love affair... Thanks to Andrew McMillan, Norman Butcher and David Land for these. And thanks to Radvan Horny, Peter Wyllie and Robert Dott for corresponding with me.

And of course I am grateful to Angela Anderson for her latest Rocksword and to David Land (again) for submitting a song by Alexander Rose for our Poet's Corner, as well as for drafting the request for suggestions from Fellows on a new design for the Society's Diploma. Does anyone else share with me the notion that David may be having a clear-out?!

In the last issue, I had to apologise because I had found the song Jointing to include in Poet's Corner, but had completely mislaid the covering letter. I am grateful to Robert Dott for writing to me from Wisconsin and letting me off the hook. At the same time, Donald McIntyre wrote to me to tell me that it was to Robert Dott that he had sent the tune for Gilbert Wilson's song. Donald also filled me in on some details of the use of the brick symbol for limestone and I here thank him for his interest and correpondence on both topics.

Anyone wishing to send me anything for the next issue (and I am happy to receive brief contributions as well as full-length articles) should write to me at the address below. At the time of going to press, I am having a little trouble with my e-mail service provider, so please could you phone before sending me anything electronically - I hate to think of anyone's efforts being left floating somewhere in e-space. The copy date for the next issue is St David's Day, 1st March, 2002.