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We published a story this week that gave me food for thought. It was about “dopamine menus”. These are tools suggested online for people who are living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), to help them identify things or activities that stimulate the dopamine levels in their brain. So starters could be things that are quick and give a burst of pleasure, while mains might take longer but are more rewarding in the long run. Desserts are naughty but
nice and should be done in moderation. Sides, meanwhile, are things you can do to make drudge tasks more bearable.
But I think this could be a useful tool for us all, especially at this time of year when many of us get the winter blues. Have a think about what you like doing and why and schedule yourself in for a session. For me it’s cooking, so I’m planning to make some vodka and beetroot-cured gravadlax this weekend. With a glass of red on the side, perhaps.
My week, once again, has mainly been taken up with covering the conflict in the Middle East. As Israel continues its relentless assault on the Gaza Strip, it is also facing daily attacks from Hezbollah, whose strategy appears to be to engage Israel in fighting on two fronts. Meanwhile, an array of other armed militias are launching sporadic attacks on US military bases in the region. The aim is to force Washington to put pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to
a ceasefire.
Meanwhile, the positive news that Polish prime minister Donald Tusk has been able to form a coalition that will at least provide a degree of stability for the EU and Nato, was leavened by a disturbing incident when a far-right MP used a fire extinguisher to put out the menorah candles in Poland’s parliament building. Antisemitism in Poland has a long and dark history and it was disturbing to see such apparent hatred on display.
This week we also had the drama of a possible constitutional crisis around the UK government’s controversial Rwanda bill, we considered why Blackpool and other seaside towns in Britain are struggling, and we recommended a wonderful
history of “weird medieval guys”.
Meanwhile, from our friends and colleagues around the world, we discovered that the Sahara desert used to be a green savannah and wondered what might have happened. We read a fascinating piece about “Mutton”, the indigenous American
dog that was once kept for its woolly fleece. And we considered why we often get a headache after drinking red wine.
As ever, do try to find time to listen to our weekly podcast. The latest episode of The Conversation Weekly is part one of an in-depth look at how universities find themselves deeply conflicted over their reaction to the war in Gaza.
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