This new Russia, strident but erratic, requires a subtler approach than either the straightforward rivalry of Soviet times or the handouts and advice (not always very helpful) offered to Boris Yeltsin in the 1990s.

ECONOMIST: The West and Russia

Comparing Lloyd George with Churchill, or Marshall Foch with General Eisenhower, is not very helpful, effectively though it is done here.

ECONOMIST: 20th-century history

"Having a very strong reminder of one or two things that are important can be helpful, " he said.

WSJ: Fund Firm at Center of Big Game Hunt

Games are usually cheap (99 cents to download one) or even free, and most guide you very gently into playing, with helpful on-screen tips and intuitive touchscreen controls.

FORBES: Phone And Tablet Games For Grown-Ups

So I think it is pretty well documented through scientific studies that acupuncture, for example, can be very helpful in relieving certain things like migraines and other ailments -- or at least as effective as more intrusive interventions.

WHITEHOUSE: Town Hall in Arnold, Missouri

But he does think a debate about the UK monetary policy framework, and alternatives to it, would be helpful - provided it is resolved quickly, probably in favour of the current regime or something very close to it.

BBC: Governor Carney: Same remit, new ambition

Where it may be very helpful is for the few truly big ideas that simply need money to demonstrate their new idea or method and provided that a successful demonstration would lead to a significant upside.

FORBES: Is CrowdFunding A Boon, Or A Disaster?