(1) My website (the new one at www.johnderbyshire.com) was invaded by cooties at the weekend. Repairs are under way. Sorry about that.

(2) The historic Alan Colmes/John Derbyshire bout is on for this evening at 6 p.m., at the Book Revue in Huntington, Long Island. It promises to be dirty and cruel: but, as I tell my publisher, they can smear me with molasses and strap me to a fire-ant colony if it’ll sell books. There is no dignity in literature.