Paul Samuelson's textbook on economics did nothing but reinforce a suspicion I'd always held: Economics was obscure on its best day and as soporific as a Lutheran sermon on the rest.

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But an election that had seemed a soporific canter has suddenly turned into a horse race.

ECONOMIST: Brazil's presidential election

The dogged batting of Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Dwayne Bravo combined with the Proteas' ineffective attack to produce a soporific start to day four.

BBC: West Indies blow their chance against South Africa

It has come at the price of a soporific message.

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Roque Santa Cruz, deployed on the right by Martino, ought to have tested Japan keeper Eiji Kawashima after a corner dropped invitingly but the striker missed from close to the penalty spot as a largely soporific half ended goalless.

BBC: Paraguay 0-0 Japan (5-3 pens)

Today's in-vehicle DVD players could evolve into headrest-mounted touch screens providing an entertainment experience like Virgin America's RED while accommodating a generation obsessed with sharing every soporific specific of their lives with the world.

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Mail-Well veered from envelopes, a sleepy business growing 2.5% a year, into the slightly less soporific commercial printing market, growing at 6%.

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Colonised by the Spanish in the 16th Century, Colca harbours more than a dozen of these small villages notable for their ornate churches, soporific main squares and esoteric agricultural and artisanal specialties, including embroidery and alpaca wool products.

BBC: Exploring Peru��s epic Colca Canyon

Administering a similar tranquilliser to the health service would be more difficult, however, even for the famously soporific Mr Darling.

ECONOMIST: Will Labour back-pedal on health-care reform in 2007?