A glance at the week that was
Drunk-proofing e-mail
Google has introduced a measure to protect the inebriated from sending e-mails that their sober selves may regret. The system, called Mail Goggles, requires you to answer five simple maths problems in less than a minute if you are trying to send a mail at specific times, such as after dark or at weekends, or whenever you might be likely to be under the influence. If you answer incorrectly, Mail Goggles will assume that your judgment is impaired, and refrain from sending your missive into the electronic ether, thus aiming to minimise hungover remorse.
Drug-proofing sport
The International Olympic Committee will retest all doping samples from the Beijing Olympic Games to check for traces of a blood-boosting drug called Cera that has only recently been discovered. It turns out that the IOC will be keeping samples for eight years, retesting as tests for new drugs are developed. Oh dear, how many fond memories of this years games are going to be sullied? And does this mean clean athletes might be awarded medals for the 2008 games in 2016?
We now know
The US national debt grew too large for the famed National Debt Clock (above) in New York
Germany is to allow domestic military deployments for the first time since 1945
St John's Wort supporters got a lift when a new study concluded that it is as effective as prozac in relieving depression
The numbers
£50bnThe amount the UK exchequer is spending to buy major stakes in British banks.
£3bnThe collective debt of English football clubs, according to FA chairman Lord Triesman
11%The fall in the national average house price in the past 12 months