Such is the brilliance of contemporary medical science, at least in our privileged realm, that we can be kept breathing long past the point where our existence is anything save miserable - miserable for us, miserable for our loved ones, and miserable for those who have been appointed by either by the state or a private health plan to minister unto us.

BBC: A Point of View: The biggest decision

Ones in which the characters are colder and more miserable than you (Chekhov stories, Ibsen plays, Dostoevsky doorstops)?

FORBES: Winter Reading

El Chavo makes us laugh at miserable places, full of greedy, selfish, violent people, and also at the ones who are bullied by them.

FORBES: Meet El Chavo, The World's Most Famous (And Richest) Orphan

After a miserable showing by Forza Italia in the European elections on June 13th, and in municipal and provincial ones two weeks later, Mr Fini felt emboldened to settle scores.

ECONOMIST: Italian politics