I was just fascinated when Ben played the Uillean Pipes at Chorlton Folk Club, which meets on Thursday at the South West Manchester Cricket Club, om Ellesmere Road.

But what can I say? I love folk music and the history of science and technology and this and the Pipes thread have pulled out so much fascinating information and quality of thought. I value all that people have contributed even though I can't really see the point of most of what sorefingers has posted.

As Nerd tirelessly points out: evidence is what matters. In that sense I don't think the strategies involved in any accademic study vary much. Eveidence, evidence, evidence....... hypothesis ... testing testing... stands up .... falls down? Scienec, Humanities or whatever. The odd one out is religion. Peopel can believe what they like. L Ron Hubbard probably got bored and invented the Church of Scientology. When Watt improved the steam engine it was a different kind of event.

Thank you all!