I would also like go to bed then, really

Researchers have found out that part of our brain can have mini-naps, while you are actually awake. It is like partly going offline. This can be the cause for the feeling of sleepiness, forgetfulness and making small errors. This micro-sleep does not affect the entire brain, but small parts of it. Some neurons can go offline, which means that part of our brains is asleep. This local sleep could for example cause people falling asleep behind the wheel.  The researchers tested a specific group of neurons in the brains of rats, which were kept awake for some time. They started making mistakes after a long while of being kept awake.

The brain really can be half asleep, claims research http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/8476781/The-brain-really-can-be-half-asleep-claims-research.html 

It is good to know that my brains can partly fall asleep, while the other part stays awake to finish this assignment. As I am a big fan of sleeping, this is an interesting article. It does happen often, that I make small errors (or big ones). So now I have an explanation for my manager when I make a small mistake like for example forgetting a zero in an offer to a client. It is a pity that you cannot decide which part of your part is allowed to get some sleep, so you can eliminate the risk of forgetting for example your wallet in the supermarket.

Who is to blame?

Teachers, members of the NASUWT teacher’s union, think that parents are responsible for the behaviour of their children at school. In these modern times pupils arrive at their schools with mobile phones, Ipods and MP3 players, but do not bring a very useful and important utensil such as a pen.

These teachers also feel that that the parents should put more effort in teaching their children to behave well at school. Parents, as well as head teachers, should also back the teachers when they have to take action when their children do not behave well. It is important for the kids to be in a safe school where they can learn in an ordered environment.

Parents ‘responsible for children’s bad behaviour’.

In my opinion it is absurd that a child, when going to school, does not carry a pen with him. It is like sending a carpenter for a job, without his hammer. This is a modern society, but we still use things like pens to register the words we should remember. Perhaps parents have sent their kids to schools with an Ipad to put their notes in, which is mistaken for an Ipod? Probably not. It almost seems as if the parents need some education first, to make them able to send their children to school. I think it all starts at home and that the parents should be aware of their important role in showing their kids how to respect others.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-13176049 

Watch out!

A north London councilor is calling for spitting in public places to be banned. He thinks that most people find spitting a filthy habit which can spread germs and causes health issues. The banning of spitting will help combat tuberculosis which has been on the increase in London. It is unlikely that spit spreads tuberculosis, the saliva is more likely to be washed away by rain or destroyed by ultraviolet rays, according to an emeritus professor of bacteriology.

Rooney and Tiger Woods are caught on camera spitting and are publicly shamed for this. American commentators defended Woods and explained that many amateur athletes can be seen spitting.

Some spitters believe that as long as you direct the saliva towards the ground there should be no problem. 

Should spitting in the street be banned? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13134283 

I thought it was an awkward moment when Frank Rijkaard spitted in the 1990 World Cup and actually aimed at Völler. It is pretty degrading when you receive someone’s spit. I can agree with the London councilor in some extend, but at the same time, being a jogger (sometimes a runner) I have experienced that at times it is very necessary to get rid of your saliva. This does not make me want to spit around, but I take into account that people might walk where I just walked. When people do not make a noise like all of their intestines are coming along with their saliva and spit it into a spot where no woman will put her almost bare foot, I think spitting will not have to be banned.   

A coat of what?

Apparently, Kate Middleton is getting a new coat, a coat of arms. She probably wished for a new coat for the coming summer.  

Kate, officially Catherine, and Prince William are getting married the 29^th of April 2011 and she is provided with a traditional heraldic identity as she marries into the royal family. The crest is laden with symbolism. The gold chevron between the blue and the red refers to Goldsmith, Carole’s –Kate’s mother- maiden name. It also is a little pun, as it is in the middle, referring to Middleton. The blue and the red are the colours of the flag of the United Kingdom.

It is an old form of identifying yourself and it sits strangely alongside the arrangements for hi-tech wedding coverage.

An article from the Guardian: Kate Middleton's coat of arms blends in-jokes, symbolism and history http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/apr/19/middleton-coat-of-arms-symbolism 

In my opinion a coat of arms is a beautiful sign of your identity. In these modern times it is in so many ways possible to show your identity. Almost everyone has some kind of profile on one of the many social networks available. This profile shows who you are by the photos you present, the subjects you talk about, the interests you have listed and so on. It is a modern crest, but a crest that changes all the time. A coat of arms such as the Middletons have presented is one that lasts forever and rembers you always of who you once were.