Category Archives: Science

The strategic use of ‘Fear’: Iran 2026

The USA is spending billions of dollars in the Iranian war.1 Strategic fear comes more-or-less free. Like all strategies it requires management. The Mafia knew this long ago, and immortalized it in the phrase, “I’m going to make you an … Continue reading

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Is a McDonald’s burger food?

“There have been a lot of online videos and photos touting the fact that when left out for an extended period of time, a McDonald’s hamburger does not rot and that this is because they are laden with chemicals. The … Continue reading

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Book Review: Andrew Cartmel ~ The Vinyl Detective: written in dead wax (2016)

Two things need to be noted up front. (1) I’m a very longstanding jazz fan and (2) I adore quirky novels, which destroy customary formula. There isn’t a maverick Detective Inspector anywhere in this novel. In fact, there are no … Continue reading

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Book Review: Douglas Adams ~ The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (1979)

For a comedic SciFi novel to become a best-seller is unprecedented. Douglas Adams was very, very lucky that he got decisive support from BBC Radio4. They produced 15-minute programmes, which became a cult. Adams then wrote a series of books … Continue reading

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Florida’s Giant African Land Snail

The giant African land snail has a voracious appetite, eating over 500 types of plants and sometimes even consuming plaster and stucco, putting structures at risk. The snails can produce 1,200 eggs in a year and grow up to about the … Continue reading

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Legalise Class-A Drugs and Save Lives

Introduction The great reforming governments of Harold Wilson shredded obsolete laws. Capital punishment ended as did the criminalisation of abortion. They were both hugely contentious actions with moral and religious opposition. Decriminalisation of abortion ended ‘back-street’ abortions and their grim … Continue reading

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An ephemeral world?

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Cooking for Slackers: Cheerful scrambled eggs

The ‘Mission Statement’ of Cooking for Slackers says food should be cheap, quick and cheerful. It’s the ‘cheerful’ bit that often goes missing. Good food? Yes. Cheerful? Possibly not. So, cheerfulness is now included in this recipe. The basic Slacker … Continue reading

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A stolen punchline

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Two Germans Explain Success and Failure

Albert Einstein 1922 If my theory of relativity is proven successful, Germany will claim me as a German and France will declare me a citizen of the world. Should my theory prove untrue, France will say that I am a … Continue reading

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