I love this:

[...] beta-carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E seem to increase mortality.

I don't think so. Something tells me they'd have died anyway, unless these docs had a particularly immortal sample of 233,000 people. Needless to say, the control element in research such as this is almost impossible anyway, which makes it pretty much meaningless.

Labels: research, science

Perhaps Jacqui Smith should choose her grammar more carefully to avoid misinterpretation:

We can't wait for an attack to succeed and then rush in new powers.

God help Italy if they elect Berlusconi again.

Labels: politics

People who argue for the undesirability of the politicisation of the Olympics, and of sport more generally, are misguided. For a start, as this video shows, "politicisation" is not something that can or should be "decided about", or otherwise legislated or arbitrated against. That the 2008 Olympics are highly political is not really a matter for regret or celebration, but rather a matter of fact; a good number of people have chosen to demonstrate their (valid) objections to the Chinese regime, and that is their right. Such clampdowns on political expression as were seen in London yesterday, and in Paris today, do nothing to "depoliticise" the situation. Rather, and unfortunately, they place British and French governments and police forces uneasily close to the drivers of those tanks in Tiananmen Square.

Those who argue for "politics-free" sport really do so because they don't want to get involved in what are real and serious problems. "Engaging" the Chinese does not of itself improve the situation, but rather risks offering an endorsement of their current human rights situation. Events such as the Olympics are ideal opportunities to exert real political pressure, in the form of public denunciations, demonstrations and boycotts if necessary.

Tags: olympics, china, humanrights.

Labels: politics

Although I don't really understand it, this is rather fascinating.

Another reason to love New Zealand.

Labels: humour