For as in this world, head winds are far more prevalent than winds from astern (that is, if you never violate the Pythagorean maxim), so for the most part the Commodore on the quarter-deck gets his atmosphere at second hand from the sailors on the forecastle.

NPR: Excerpt: 'Moby-Dick'

The questions on the energy question, which is never far from the economic part of the independence debate, are how you assess both risk and return, and how much appetite for risk - both downside and upside - Scottish voters will have when they vote in September next year.

BBC: Scottish independence: energy's alternating currents

The threat level, as far as we are aware, has slightly come down in the last 12 months, but you can never be certain.

CNN: London's Olympic security headache