Scientist dismisses detox diets

Detox, sir?

Following a so-called detox programme is a waste of time and money, a leading scientists says.

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Six injured by exploding fondue

Well I never

Three people are taken to hospital with serious burns after a gas-powered fondue set explodes.

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Snorting a Brain Chemical Could Replace Sleep

No more sleep?

Scientists are reporting that a nasal spray of a key brain hormone cures sleepiness in sleep-deprived monkeys. With no apparent side effects, the hormone might be a promising sleep-replacement drug.

Wired

Three women collapse at sales

The lengths some people will go to

Three women collapse - two from suspected hypothermia - during the sales at branches of the fashion store Next.

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Stuff

So, what have I been up to?
Well I learnt to dive, or at least the basics. And I would highly recommend it. It was great fun - the open water diving itself was a mixture of wow and who in that rollercoaster fun / terror way. The kit side is a geeks dream come true in many ways - things to plug in and check and double check, because your life could depend on it.
I did go somewhere warm (er) to do it though, and that was definitely a *good* thing.

Overheard

Overherad mobile phone conversation
The things you hear on a train...
(heated voice - heartfelt upset discussion)
'...yes, and I wanted to see you this evening, but I have a long commute home...'
'...'
'I know, I have kids and a family too.'
'...'
'Please don't be like that, I really wanted to see you.'
'...'
'You know how things are, and you are being unfair.'

Ahh, a messy afair!

'...'
'But I really want to see you this weekend! Please come down.'

Divorced?

'She wants you to come down. It's her house, and she has offered to let you stay.'

Much more discussion. Sounds like divorced, and ex-wife seems quite cool about it.

'I'm really looking forward too seeing my niece.'

???

'Ok sis, see you on Saturday.'

Ahh, who hasn't had a similar conversation?

Seagulls

Well, normally all I think of seagulls is that they are actually quite scary... Of course I love the sound of them, but who doesn't?

But yesterday there was a gull chick abandoned in a doorway, and the poor thing looked like it was going to starve. So we got it a can of sardines, which it ate in about 10 seconds, then called the bird rescue people.

They turned up and caught the poor thing - which had got a lot more perky having had the fish. It tried to run away in fact, and took some effort to catch.

The chick was actually quite large, and I was a little surprised that it didn't even try to take off. One of the rescue guys commented that it looked to be the youngest one they had picked up in sometime! It was, admittedly, all dark grey feathers and down, but it was also huge, not for a gull, obviously, but bigger than a 'normal' bird.

Anyway - I hope you are up and about soon, little gull, and ripping up my bins.

Richard Carlile

He argued he wanted to see "the last king strangled with the entrails of the last priest".

Good man.


Read about him here

Saturday morning

So it's Saturday morning, and it's been raining again.

Not so interesting, but true. Pah.

Cowl

A time travelling yarn which seemed to hold up the uncertainties of time travel reasonably well.

Shows the growth of characters as they gain personal freedoms that neither really knew they lacked, and under circumstances of restriction of which they are all too aware.

Along with good characterisation a good story, with carbines, explosives, programmed killers, the future of humanity suffering from our own darwinian crisis, and all that malarkey.

Recommended.

Hello

I intend keeping this up to date from my phone, predominantly, so bear with my spelling and grammar :)