A pungent rubbish bin!) is a constant reminder that the world is full of wonders, and we are lucky to be alive. It is a constant reminder to slow down, smell the roses and find joy in small things.

Barnes & Noble recently announced that US sales of books related to anxiety are up more than 25% from a year ago, leading the retailer to hypothesise that “[Americans] may be living in an anxious nation”.

• I’m pleased that Arwa Mahdawi doesn’t think it appropriate to call dogs Alan (There’s no debate: you don’t call dogs ‘Alan’, G2, 8 August), but the name doesn’t just suit retired footballers.

The news that Google is recording everything you do, even if you have signalled that you don’t want it to, is yet another indicator that the tech company, like many of its peers, doesn’t seem to care much for ethics.