Category: Current Affairs
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Swine Fever: Part of the Deal
The outbreak of swine fever that has originated in Mexico and has now spread pretty much throughout the word appears shocking. The mounting deaths are terrible, but we shouldn’t pretend that this is somehow something new and sinister. Its’ not. Ever since we left our hunter-gatherer roots and began to domesticate crops and animals, we…
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Good News, nearly: UK Government Gives Up Plans for Snooping Database
Mixed news today: the UK Home Secretary has given up plans to have a national database to store information on all phonecalls, emails and internet use of UK citizens. Instead, they are going to force communications companies to do that work for them. I’m pleased they’ve given up the plans, but skeptical about the reasoning.…
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We Like (Gay) Sheep Have Gone Astray?
In today’s Independent there is an interesting piece about gay sheep: For the past five years, a team of researchers at Orgeon State University has been investigating the sexuality of sheep. Early on, they proved what every sheep farmer knows: some 8 per cent of rams are gay. When it comes to sex, these woolly…