R.E.M. ember

My heartlessness regarding the splitting up of REM has caused a storm of correspondence. And once again Mrs Trellis of North Hamptonshire writes:

Dear Rowan 

 I am not happy about REM. Why did God allow this to happen? 

Yours sincerely, Mrs Trellis.

Well Mrs Trellis - the theories about how and why God allows terrible things to happen are called "theodicy". Sometimes we suffer excruciatingly painful and inexplicable things for a long time. And then they break up, and things get better again.

If anyone needs support in their REM withdrawal, they can call our premium rate phone number, and Burton will tell them how miserable he is before accusing them of being fascists. It's not quite the same as the real thing but it makes me richer so I'm not complaining.

If you believe they put a man on the moon, you're almost certainly right.