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I like guidelines. They make life simple. In the sense that you can probably save yourself some time by not having to think too much, maybe squeeze in a coffee. But also in the sense that they can demystify – protect from increasingly spurious meddling. But Iona Heath in the BMJ reminds us of Karl…

Intriguing article in the BMJ by John Burn, a professor of genetics. When does life begin? At fertilization? At conception? When the embryo implants in the uterus? He points out that the early zygote is a clump of cells, which actually are not the embryo but give rise to an inner mass that then becomes…

So in September last year, Somali pirates hijacked a Ukrainian ship, the Faina, and demanded a ransom from its owners. Turns out the ship was secretly carrying 33 tanks and an assortment of weapons, apparently heading for Sudan (not Kenya as supposed) in defiance of the UN embargo. The pirates made for the Pirate port…

Generally speaking, increasing the perceived likelihood of being caught is a more effective deterrent than severity of sentence. Police targetting of violence hotspots is effective. Restorative justice (in the form of community conferences) reduces repeat violence where a heartfelt apology is given. Fear of violence increases where there is evidence of criminal damage, litter and…

As in, courage derived from the imbibing of alcohol. Wikipedia takes a positive line, saying that the idea of it being perjorative propaganda is wrong. Instead, it suggests the Dutch were a feared naval power in the 17th century, and their ferocity must have been fuelled by drink. A letter in the Times says it…

From November data, the Health Protection Agency has warned.

What a great word! From the Greek for the constellation known as Ursa Minor (although I still don' t get the Greek literal meaning), it means a focus, a centre of attention, around which everything else revolves. Ursa Minor contains Polaris, the Pole star.

Bit before my time, but I was aware of these atrocities being carried out in Germany at the same time as Palestinians were hijacking aeroplanes and such like. And of course, I wondered what exactly their problem was. Not democratic rights, for sure. And indeed, they were mostly middle class. From http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/5919/ I understand now…

“Between the ages of twenty and forty we are engaged in the process of discovering who we are, which involves learning the difference between accidental limitations which it is our duty to outgrow and the necessary limitations of our nature beyond which we cannot trespass with impunity.” WH Auden [from http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2008/10/happiness-six-c.html]