farmdoc's blog post number 685

Here’s this week’s compendium. This week…

1. Great Britain, which sanctimoniously condemned the use of fake British passports in the Dubai hit on the murderer al-Mabhouh, has now cringingly apologised for the use by its agents of fake passports in a 1942 hit on Nazi SS chief Heydrich [1]. I suppose the Brits think this pathetic apology gives them licence to continue their sanctimonious condemnation.

2. General Motors announced it'll shut down its Hummer brand after China’s regulators halted a Chinese purchase [2]. Good riddance.

3. in the US, National Grammar (on Thursday) came and went [3]. And I’ll bet the standard of grammar in the US stayed appallingly unchanged (not that Australia’s is one iota higher).

4. the Lancet published research concluding that in adults with low back pain of at least 6 weeks duration, cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) in a group setting was effective in terms of pain and disability at 12 months [4]. You’d be foolish to underestimate the power of the human brain.

5. a retrofit of the Empire State Building – the world’s most famous office building – won it a prestigious award for energy efficiency [5]. Now for retrofits of the less famous ones.

6. a University of Ballarat survey revealed that almost 90 per cent of older men involved in community organisations feel it improves their overall wellbeing [6]. I’m one of the 90% because I’m a member of the Mole Creek Fire Brigade.

7. Nutrition Diva said calories you eat in the evening aren’t more likely to make you gain weight than calories eaten at any other time of the day [7]. Fair enough, then.

8. Sweetheart Vivienne’s book Alzheimer’s: a Love Story received a major accolade from a prestigious source, on national television [8]. Ho hum.

Finally, I wish you, dear Farmdoc’s Blog readers, a wonderful week.