In Reply

A fine Archimedian postulation. I would point out that, after settling, the lake’s water level would not actually rise from addition of submerged buildings, as rivers outflowing from the lake act as an ‘overflow valve’ – a bath constantly gaining water from the rain tap will reach the natural level of its overflow and then, no matter how many objects are placed in the bath, after further settling, the same level will be maintained. However, looking at the whole system, the floor will be that much deeper in water as a result of objects in the bath. ie. Sea levels would rise.

You are right that the 'wich' equals 'wick'. It also equals 'witch' as in wicker man (or wicca man). I have visited the wicca stronghold of Summerisle in the past, and feel that the activities of groups being investigated in this case are not in any way reminiscent of the strange activities there. As such I favour the wick hypothesis you identify. The same wick technique is used for draining the reservoirs of the human ear (wax removal). My map of the ear in my caseroom demonstrates this potentiality. I have never experienced the method, but I understand that a short hollow wick is inserted into the ear canal and is then lit at the other end. The wick and flame act as a parafin lamp, with the wax of the ear being the fuel reservoir, which is sucked along the wick.

I believe the technique is usually used as a means of emptying the ear of wax, rather than as a means of utilising a fuel source in order to achieve lighting, but in dark conditions, it could be used to read in the dark. It would presumably require a sufficiently long wick to hang down below eye level, for this purpose. I have heard various urban myth stories of reverse osmosis principles being used to extract water from a substance, for example as a means of distilling spirit or as a means of concentrating birch sap to achieve birch syrup (or in america, maple). I think that is a different principle from the wick.

So, where, if your supposition is correct, is the water stored once syphoned to Detroit by wick? Perhaps, if Droitwich itself can be taken as an example semiologically at least, it is stored in a vast salt reserve under Detroit? The salt could absorb the water, trapping it below ground. Perhaps the collapse of the US motor industry has been caused by the resultant brine from this project flooding up and rusting the steel lying in motor city storerooms ready for cutting into car shapes. Perhaps wool has been planned to replace steel in a wave of new industrial development. All just thoughts.

I returned to the warehouse last night and developed further use of energy arcs, achieved through a number of kung-fu style poses and stances. I also developed a shrinking technique, scaling up or down ones surroundings by will power imposed upon ones field of vision.