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Laurie Taylor's weekly portions of Poppleton pie seem to be a source of heartburn for Gary Holmes (THES, September 6). To me they always come as a well-deserved dessert. Professor Taylor's treats can indeed be bittersweet when the ingredients turn out to be a little too close for comfort. Thus my recommendation to all acid-sensitive colleagues: always have your sense of humour handy.

If you have lost or exhausted it, your school or department may still have the odd one left after the last cost-cutting exercise. Try the admin office filing cabinet between "Professorship Forms (Multiple Choice Version)" and "Toilet Paper Allocation (Performance Related Scheme)".

Jean-Paul Vincent 101462.2073@copuserve.com.