“An anti-anticlutter movement is afoot, one that says yes to mess and urges you to embrace your disorder. Studies are piling up that show that messy desks are the vivid signatures of people with creative, limber minds (who reap higher salaries than those with neat “office landscapes”) and that messy closet owners are probably better parents and nicer and cooler than their tidier counterparts. It’s a movement that confirms what you have known, deep down, all along: really neat people are not avatars of the good life; they are humorless and inflexible prigs, and have way too much time on their hands.” (New York Times )

Sword swallowers more likely to be injured when distracted or swallowing ‘unusual’ swords: “The authors set out to explore the techniques and side-effects of sword swallowing. Forty-six SSAI members took part in the study, 19 had experienced sore throats whilst learning, many had suffered lower chest pain following some performances, and six had suffered perforation of the pharynx and oesophagus, one other was told a sword had ‘brushed’ the heart.

The research found that these injuries occurred either when swallowers used multiple or unusual swords, or when they were distracted. For example one swallower lacerated his pharynx when trying to swallow a curved sabre whilst another suffered lacerations after being distracted by a ‘misbehaving’ macaw on his shoulder.” (British Medical Journal)

“The “umbrella test” is a longstanding urban myth that still bothers men who present for testing at sexual health clinics. Access to genitourinary clinics is a hot topic, and we have been working to encourage more men to present for screening for sexually transmitted infections. There is a long standing urban myth that men attending such clinics have to have the “umbrella test.” This myth varies little in rendition. The usual description is that something akin to a cocktail umbrella in a closed position is inserted deep into the urethra. This umbrella is then opened out and withdrawn, to the considerable discomfort of the owner of said urethra.” (British Medical Journal)