A glance at the week that was...
430,000
Number of Toyota Prius cars recalled worldwide
750
number of people made redundant by the closure of 44 Halifax branches
0
number of so-called Asbos issued in Ireland last year
We now know
The Eurosong shortlist includes compositions by Mikey Graham and The Irish Timescolumnist John Waters
Scientists have identified the genes responsible for stammering
Friday’s episode of Eastenders will be broadcast live
"A priestly caste, scribbling by candlelight, cut off from the electric current of the culture"
Novelist Julian Gough’s caustic verdict on today’s Irish literary writers
Ancient Man
Around 4,000 years ago a Greenlander died, and his body was discovered in 1986. From a tuft of his hair, scientists set about using his DNA to reconstruct his physical characteristics and family traits, and this week it was revealed that he looked something like this. He probably had brown eyes and square front teeth for munching on seal meat. He was a touch inbred and had dry earwax. More importantly, he is evidence of a previously unknown migration out of east Asia to the New World. The scientists call him Inuk, but the DNA couldn’t tell us what he was really called.
Notes to selves
Sarah Palinseems to have decided that it doesn't matter if she goes beyond caricature. During a televised appearance at a conservative event, she wrote notes on her hand. She had scrawled "energy", "budget cuts", and "lift American spirit" on her palm. The word "budget" was crossed out and replaced with "tax". Then, Richard Brutonwas snapped with a report about British politician Harriet Harman's nomination as Rear of the Year. Even the brightest of us need a frivolous read every now and again.
