Frank, the Chomsky piece you read might have been an essay, "Peace in the Middle East? Reflections on Justice and Nationhood," which was published in a collection called "Middle East Illusions." But what you describe sounds more like "The Fateful Triangle," published last year by Pluto. (The triangle being the US, Israel and Palestine.

Gareth: if your copies of NS/NSS go back to Bruce Page's editorship, then you need to look more carefully. Since those days most of my journalistic income has been from subbing and magazine design. In very recent years I haven't really needed to earn much at all from anywhere, and most of what work I do nowadays is in the voluntary sector.

I suppose your reference to "the nature of (my) illness," just about sums you up. Since you've been challenged directly on this point, and have been given the specific permission you solicited, to quote from any posts of mine that have mentioned my health, it is a pity you don't have the guts to say what you're talking about. As the reference is no longer to "mental" health, I'm wondering whether you've widened it to take in the heart attack I had in December 2003, and the serious eye disorder I have had from childhood - both mentioned somewhere among all my posts. Please make free with any of this information, since I would hate to cramp your peculiarly snide style.