Yes, I really did just spend a portion of my lunchbreak browsing the ikea website for new furniture, and yes, I am bookmarking this one so I don't forget. What of it?

This account of the various means of launching nuclear weapons that would result in death for the lunching crews is creepy enough, but the really chilling bit is here: "two Soviet nuclear torpedoes were loaded into their tubes to fire against American forces at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Had one of them been launched, it would have inevitably caused a nuclear war. According to one account (and we don't know if it's true), the decision to launch the nuclear torpedo on the submarine B-59 came down to a sort of vote between the three senior officers on board. All three had to agree to launch the torp. Two voted yes, one voted no." Like he says, it may well not be true. But it is absurd to me that we live in a world where there is even the chance that it is true.

This is a really good food-for-thought post. On the one hand: it is absolutely not acceptable that John Terry use racist language. On the other: because of his media stature, a trial that cannot possibly result in anything more than a fine – if I've understood the matter right, a fine of not more that £2,500 – that, for another defendant would be a half-a-day in court job, is going to be a five day multi-media three-ring circus, with police presence and the whole works. Is this really worth the cost to the taxpayer. (FWIW, I think it just about is, but I am forced to admit that there's a strong "don't bother" argument.)