On 15 June 2012, Nik Wallenda will attempt to walk across the Niagara Falls on a tightrope. Is that a cool risk, or what? » read more »

A recent study found that among van drivers who were responsible for an accident, 61% had already committed a motoring offence and 35% had a criminal record. Why is that do you think? » read more »

I just discovered the Google Ngram Viewer. Wow! What a lovely toy! I spent hours playing with it, trying to find a word or phrase whose usage has increased more dramatically than risk. I couldn't find one that even came close. » read more »

It is less than a week since a difficult rescue plan for the euro was hammered out in Brussels. And now Greece has thrown a spanner in the works. The Greek Prime Minister, George Papandreou, has announced that he will hold a referendum on the deal. » read more »

This last week I had the pleasure of catching up with some friends and family I haven't seen for some time. It was good to have time to talk. But I learned something too . . . it was good to have time for silence. » read more »