My worst nightmare

Writing a lecture at home with only hours to go, I decided to print it out at university to save time. On turning on my PC, I got a message that my computer, the University of London system and the entire Janet network was down (having been knocked out by the Indonesian Government in retaliation for an attack by East Timorese rebels). I told my 120 students the subject of my lecture was "Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today". I then busked for 55 long minutes.

Ivor Gaber is emeritus professor of broadcast journalism at Goldsmiths College, London.