von phones me at 5.30pm to tell me that

1) he's not having dinner with me at 6pm

and

2) while i am a nice little girl and nearly as useful as google answers, i am ditzy, vague and have no listening comprehension skills whatsoever. (i have been known to let people spend two hours telling me about their science projects, and then come back to say, erm, i think it was something about sulphur and dna conducting electricity.)

the upshot of all this is that he has written up his own project summary, although a 846-word SOS is not a summary in my opinion, much less an SOS. patent self-indulgence is what it is, but no matter. if you wish to help him, though i am sure he does not deserve it, read on. it is interesting but long. you have been forewarned.

p.s. and email him, not me. that will teach the brute to dump me for dinner at the last minute in order to rush off to woo heiresses, or whatever else he has rushed off to do.