Are you lucky? There’s no doubt that some of us are. Always in the right place at the right time – to meet our perfect marriage partner or win a great business deal. While for the rest of us nothing ever seems to go right. About half of us say we enjoy luck like that. Around 15% say we have no luck at all, while the rest of us aren’t sure either way. So something like two thirds of us feel that luck plays an important part in our lives. That’s such a high proportion, that luck can’t just be the way chance events stack up in different people’s lives. Something real must be causing things to work out well for some of us – and not for others. Continue Reading

Are you superstitious? Most of us are! Professional sportsmen and women are a good example. Nearly half of them do something superstitious as part of their preparation. Wearing a piece of lucky clothing maybe, carrying a mascot, or going through a special routine. Around the world there are lots of high-rise buildings that don’t seem to have a thirteenth floor. They do of course – but it’s not labelled thirteen. Table thirteen’s rare in restaurants for the same reason. Because so many people think that thirteen’s an unlucky number. I’ll bet you can remember doing something superstitious too. Like carrying a lucky charm, shaking dice a certain way or changing your plans because of something you read in your horoscope. There are lots of superstitions about cats. Like it’s unlucky to see them at night, or while crossing a road, or as you start a journey. There are people who wear something inside-out to guard against bad luck. Or throw burning sticks at hooting owls to ward off a death in the family. Almost everyone has done something superstitious at some time or other – though many of us won’t admit it. Continue Reading

Now tell me, have you ever sat in a traffic jam? Behind vehicles that are belching out diesel smoke? They smell awful, don’t they? But do you have any idea just how bad for your health these fumes really are?

Diesel engines can be powerful, very efficient and new ones can be very clean, but they have to be maintained well. Old worn out engines, badly maintained and badly adjusted don’t burn their fuel properly – and the resulting exhaust fumes are a chemist’s nightmare. Continue Reading

Do you spank your children? Well you’re in good company. Over 90% of all parents around the world do – and yet it has been declared illegal in many countries. It is recommended many times in the Bible, and yet it has thoroughly divided opinions among social scientists and psychologists. Many parents will admit to having misgivings about it, and yet it seems to work fine. So what’s the problem?

But let’s first agree what we’re talking about. Spanking is certainly intended to be painful – a little – but should never involve any form of physical or other injury, and is meant to benefit the child. There are many other names for it and techniques vary, although it is usually given on the buttocks. And it does seem to be a natural way of teaching small children. After all, children have many painful experiences at the beginning of life, such as touching hot stoves. These painful lessons do not seem to do children any great harm and teach them things they needs to know in order to survive and be safe in society. Continue Reading

…it’s a really interesting question, the answer to which is guaranteed to raise a disbelieving response from almost every quarter!

The truth is that no-one knows for sure…

…but the seven day week is very old, very widespread and only poorly related to other astronomical periods, such as the year or month. Continue Reading

Women live longer than men. Almost everywhere. And it seems likely they always have. Sweden’s first national statistics, gathered between 1751 and 1790, showed Swedish woman living 36.6 years on average, compared to 33.7 years for men. Men suffer more disease, have more accidents – and are more likely to kill or to be killed. According to psychologists Martin Daly and Margo Wilson, a man is 20 times more likely to murder another man than a woman is to kill another woman.

But why? Continue Reading

Do you ever think about the way you sleep at night? It’s not just a matter of being cosy. In fact, we tend to settle into the same basic sleeping position every night – as a result of our subconscious needs. Professor Chris Idzikowski has catalogued the links between sleeping positions and aspects of our personality. Mind you, you may not recognise yourself – because our conscious image of ourselves often conflicts with our underlying desires…

Sleeping on your side indicates that your personality centres around adaptability. If your arms are close to you and relaxed, you generally go with the flow. Men who favour this position are usually mild-mannered, rational – and more often than not generous lovers. If both arms tend to be straight down alongside you, your easygoing, sociable and flexible style tends towards trust. Even of strangers – and to the point of gullibility. It’s important for you to be a part of the in-crowd – and girls who sleep in this position are more likely to have sex on the first date! If your arms are usually outstretched in front of you, then although you have an open nature, you can be cynical and suspicious. You don’t buy chat-up lines – or like making rushed decisions. But once decided, you’re unlikely to change. You like to get the most out of life, but won’t sacrifice everything to get ahead. Continue Reading

Important as the talks between PNU and ODM are, we mustn’t forget that they represent just one step in the process of reforming the way Kenya’s governed. Our problems since the election won’t go away by shuffling a few government positions between the parties. There’s a deep rooted discontent everywhere about the way the government operates. Of which the conduct of the recent election was just the most glaring example.

Because Kenya is following – along with most of Africa – the ‘iron law of oligarchy.’ Where the political elite steadily increase their hold on power. And do less and less for the electorate. History shows that all governments tread this path unless the right checks and balances are created to limit executive power.

So that power is not concentrated into a few hands, or the will of a majority group imposed on a minority community, for example. One of the most successful ways to achieve this is through an effective constitution.

We already have one, of course. But it’s largely ineffective, because it was written by people who did not foresee the problem of ensuring fairness between different communities, or of limiting the power of the presidency. It also contains an impossible level of detail! Kenya’s proposed new constitution ran to over fifty seven thousand words. Continue Reading

We’re forever greeting people. Each in our own special ways. But there’s a universal underlying pattern. Which lets everyone know what’s expected of them. And what each person’s likely to do next. In fact, just by watching people greet each other you can tell lots about them. And how they feel about each other.

Greetings often start when we’re quite a long way apart – although only between people of similar status. Posh people tend to ignore us! But close family members and lovers start waving, making big smiles, laughing and even shouting. Wide eyes and open mouth – a bit like we look when we’re surprised. Acquaintances are usually more discrete. A raised eyebrow. A tight smile. A nod maybe, or a raised hand. And signs of embarrassment as they draw near to one another. Touching the hair. Adjusting clothes. Glancing about. Maybe not even approaching directly. But lovers and the like rush together, maybe even running, with their attention fixed firmly on each other. And everyone sends ‘getting-ready’ signals that say whether they want to embrace, kiss, shake hands or whatever. You can almost always tell exactly what people are going to do by the time they actually get together! Continue Reading

for this..

to fall would be too fast

to pour too fluid

to plumet too unimposing

no for this i must slide

or this i must drip

for this i must wade

slow..sudden..systematic..imposing..unavoidable..

for this,..

to glide would be too smooth

to whizz too swift

to assume too easy

no for this i must rivet

for this i must shuffle

for this i must know

for this,..

to imagine would be too lenient

to hear too good

to sense too polite

no for this i must envision

for this i must listen

for this i must recognise

I MUST!

I must endure every senseless whim

I must examine every intricate fibre

I must fulfill every unspeakable act

I must       slid..drip,,wade..shuffle..know..envision..undergo..recognize..endure..listen.examine..fulfill

I cannot escape

for this,

I must

I MUST!