From Platform 17

A day at a conference and then off for beers with those jet-setting transatlantic blip-artists and some other blip-types who hadn't been seen in too long. So that was lovely. Great curry on Leith Walk, profound insults directed at entire nationalities and then lovely random German beers in Tourmalet.

When knowledge lets you down, randomness is about the most reliable way to choose. Otherwise you fall into all sorts of cognitive traps like being attracted by labels or thinking you can discern something about the taste from the name. Best just to get things like the fourth from the left on the second shelf etc. The fat German party beer (no idea what it was called) was particularly nice.

Sensible dash to a reasonably early train and home in time to catch Question Time nearly live but even the UKIP woman didn't seem as bat-shit crazy and you'd expect so there was very little telly-ranting before crashing into bed.