Five Best at Granta.com

This is a picture of me and I wrote these, even if my name appears nowhere.

Tell me more

"In the lab, adult teeth soaked in white wine for a day had a loss of both calcium and another mineral called phosphorus to depths of up to 60 micrometers in the enamel surface, which the researchers say is significant."

Tell me more about this exciting new. . .what did you call it? A mineral? PHOS-PHOR-US? What, BBC? What?

Fair enough

"In this respect, I can’t help regarding medicine cabinets, vacuum cleaners and dead sharks as reckless investments. Somewhere out there in collectorland is the unlucky guy who will be the last one holding the vacuum cleaner, and wondering why."

Though a single* reasonable sentiment in the midst of a display of stunning douchebaggery is no redemption.



*There may have been a few more.**

**Nope. Nevermind.

Unacceptable Award

"It had been observed that some who develop high fevers could be cured of syphilis. Thus, for a brief time malaria was used as treatment for tertiary syphilis because it produced prolonged and high fevers (a form of pyrotherapy). This was considered an acceptable risk because the malaria could later be treated with quinine which was available at that time. This discovery was championed by Julius Wagner-Jauregg, who won the 1927 Nobel Prize for Medicine for his work in this area."
From Wikipedia

Unacceptable attachment

"So attached was the author Patricia Highsmith to snails that they became her constant travelling companions. Secreted in a large handbag or, in the case of travel abroad, carefully positioned under each breast, they provided her with comfort and companionship in what she perceived to be a hostile world."

From Snail by Peter Williams