When the Americans sent monkeys into space in the late 1950s, did they have any trouble strapping them in for their journey? A monkey would, I imagine, be a pretty tricky animal to secure for a space flight. In fact, it turns out all manner of creatures have been shot into orbit: dogs, cats, frogs, fish, crickets and worms. The harnesses for some of these animals must have been very intricate mechanisms.
Clearly, it was a pioneering era for safety devices in vehicles. In 1959, Volvo introduced Nils Bohlin's revolutionary three-point seat belt into its cars. The children's safety seat emerged in pretty much the form we know today a few years later. The overall design of these products has changed very little in 50 years.
Trying to strap Astrid into her car seat one day, I had to remind myself that these technological innovations are a blessing. I have to force myself to remember what a boon car seats are, how many lives they save each year and how lucky we are to have them. Yet I cannot help but envy the Nasa engineers with their monkeys and their worms and perhaps even a handy dose of sedatives.
Astrid is a much more slippery beast. She is like some kind of superbug: it is as if she has evolved to be highly resistant to car seats.
The trouble begins before we reach the car. If Astrid realises we are going on a car journey, her body goes limp and floppy. It is like carrying a plate of jelly. Perhaps sensing she is going to be shackled, probably for a long time, she tries to slip out of my arms. When I put her into her seat, she pushes her belly out, arches her back and keeps it rigid as I struggle to fasten her in. Every now and again she wriggles and kicks her legs.
When it seems as though I have almost succeeded in my arduous task, she starts to scream. Sometimes I trap my finger in the clasp, and then I start to shout and curse.
Eventually I manage to secure her in her seat, but she is not bound there for long. A few minutes after setting off, I glance in the rear-view mirror and notice she has managed to contort herself to free her arms from the harness despite being tightly strapped in. Fortunately, this mayhem only happens about one in every 10 trips.
Steven Levitt, an American economist and co-author of Freakonomics, has brought his skills of data analysis to bear on the subject of car seats. In a talk on TED.com, he argues that for children older than two, there is no statistically proven benefit in using a car seat instead of a normal seatbelt. It is an interesting idea, and one that Levitt estimates could save around US$300 million (Dh1.1 billion) every year.
I want Levitt's statistical analysis to be right. I yearn for car seats to be exposed as complicated and unnecessary contraptions. Yet, I cannot see how it is the case.
While we were in the UK, we bought another car seat. It is more of a booster seat than the one we use at home. Astrid is more placable in the new seat. She struggles less. She falls asleep in it more often. The whole process is easier, but even with the straps pulled snug and tight, she manages to wriggle free. With an adult seatbelt she would no doubt be free in seconds.
Later in his talk, Levitt argues for the need for a new design - something in between a car seat and a seat belt. Perhaps the Nasa engineers who designed the harness for a worm would have something useful to contribute.
SPECS
Nissan 370z Nismo
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 363hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh184,500
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
SPECS
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RESULTS
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Bridgerton%20season%20three%20-%20part%20one
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nicola%20Coughlan%2C%20Luke%20Newton%2C%20Jonathan%20Bailey%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
JAPAN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Masaaki Higashiguchi, Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Tomoaki Makino, Maya Yoshida, Sho Sasaki, Hiroki Sakai, Sei Muroya, Genta Miura, Takehiro Tomiyasu
Midfielders: Toshihiro Aoyama, Genki Haraguchi, Gaku Shibasaki, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Shoya Nakajima, Takumi Minamino, Hidemasa Morita, Ritsu Doan
Forwards: Yuya Osako, Takuma Asano, Koya Kitagawa
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
'Downton Abbey: A New Era'
Director: Simon Curtis
Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter and Phyllis Logan
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder
Power: 220 and 280 horsepower
Torque: 350 and 360Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT
On sale: now
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
ON%20TRACK
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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RACE CARD
5pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Purebred Arabian Cup Conditions (PA); Dh 200,000 (Turf) 1,600m
5.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup Conditions (PA); Dh 200,000 (T) 1,600m
6pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Cup Listed (TB); Dh 380,000 (T) 1,600m
6.30pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Group 3 (PA); Dh 500,000 (T) 1,600m
7pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Jewel Crown Group 1 (PA); Dh 5,000,000 (T) 2,200m
7.30pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Handicap (PA); Dh 150,000 (T) 1,400m
8pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 100,000 (T); 1,400m
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
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The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now