In his infinite mercy, God invented snooker in order to ensure that there was a source of distraction in the world sufficiently powerful to ensure that every now and then artists could be diverted into complete inactivity. This divinely-ordained blessing ensures that artists do not suffer from mental or aesthetic burn-out. As it happens, at this time of special need on my part I have been given as a birthday present a ticket to a session of the semi-final of the World Championship, in Sheffield, this week-end. Hallelujah!