It is customary for reviewers to offer comments for the editor to help decide the fate of manuscripts. All papers that we ultimately publish undergo this tough scrutiny. But the last word always belongs to the editor. With this issue I am restoring a column that will consist of a few brief comments about each of the papers. Depending on the reaction from readers, this will either be a regular feature or only emerge when the spirit moves me and space permits.

The never-ending debate continues: in the Opinion-Dissent columns, supporters and critics of bike helmets square off again (p 86). This time, however, the focus is on an issue which, though exemplified well by the helmet controversy, is much broader: risk compensation. This too is being revisited, and, as before, both sides score well. Clearly, this is an area desperate for more research, or at least a systematic review.

Several papers address violence prevention. That by Reza, Mercy, and Krug (p 104) is destined to be a classic. As the authors promise, it provides basic data on violence worldwide. These should serve as benchmarks against which future progress can be measured. It is reassuring that WHO is represented among the authors; …