Apologies for the slow blogging this week. I've been busy. Luckily, my classes start on Monday, after which time I'll never be busy again.

* Rethinking the collapse of Easter Island. Terry Hunt argues in American Scientist, contra Diamond, that rats (not people, though in fairness people introduced the rats) deforested the island, which furthermore may never have been all that populated to begin with.

* The evolution of speech balloons.

* Nick Hornby: 'Reading Should Be a Joy'

I would never attempt to dissuade anyone from reading a book. But please, if you're reading a book that's killing you, put it down and read something else, just as you would reach for the remote if you weren't enjoying a television programme.

I suspect this advice may not be strictly applicable to graduate students.