Tuesday, October 21, 2003
10 reasons why the All Blacks won’t win the Rugby World Cup
10. The French and the South Africans all speak two languages: one to argue with the ref and one to communicate among themselves.
9. All the All Blacks speak two languages. Unfortunately, not the same two.
8. Most of the All Blacks will probably learn the words to the Australian national anthem before they manage New Zealand’s.
7. They’ll suffer from hypothermia waiting for the South African national anthem to finish.
6. They do the haka with their shirts on. The opponents know they're not serious. (In a genuine haka, it is obligatory for the males to scratch their chests so hard they draw blood.)
5. All the other teams chose players who could play a game if required.
4. They’re not allowed sex the night before the game.
3. They’re worried their girlfriends don’t face the same prohibition.
2. Replacement midfield back Ben Atiga has to be back in school before the Cup ends.
1. The French backs look sexier in their body-hugging tops.
10. The French and the South Africans all speak two languages: one to argue with the ref and one to communicate among themselves.
9. All the All Blacks speak two languages. Unfortunately, not the same two.
8. Most of the All Blacks will probably learn the words to the Australian national anthem before they manage New Zealand’s.
7. They’ll suffer from hypothermia waiting for the South African national anthem to finish.
6. They do the haka with their shirts on. The opponents know they're not serious. (In a genuine haka, it is obligatory for the males to scratch their chests so hard they draw blood.)
5. All the other teams chose players who could play a game if required.
4. They’re not allowed sex the night before the game.
3. They’re worried their girlfriends don’t face the same prohibition.
2. Replacement midfield back Ben Atiga has to be back in school before the Cup ends.
1. The French backs look sexier in their body-hugging tops.
NZ Presbyterian church opens door to homosexual ministers
The Presbyterian Church has effectively become the first New Zealand denomination to allow homosexual ministers.
Last year, Deborah Gordon – a lesbian – applied to be accepted for ministry training in the church, but was turned down. She appealed, and a Church Judicial Commission headed by Sir Duncan McMullin, has come out in her favour. The decision says “there are currently no specific regulations barring the ordination of homosexuals.�
The Presbyterian Church has effectively become the first New Zealand denomination to allow homosexual ministers.
Last year, Deborah Gordon – a lesbian – applied to be accepted for ministry training in the church, but was turned down. She appealed, and a Church Judicial Commission headed by Sir Duncan McMullin, has come out in her favour. The decision says “there are currently no specific regulations barring the ordination of homosexuals.�
Test threatens disappearance of Down Syndrome children
ABC (Australia)'s 7.30 Report has reported that a new pap smear which can accurately test for Down Syndrome babies could lead to their elimination. "It's now clear that without a major education campaign to accompany mass screening for Down Syndrome, we may never see children like this again," says journalist Mark Bannerman. At the moment, 80% of Down Syndrome children are born to women who have not been tested. A survey in a Melbourne hospital has suggested that 98% of women who are tested will have an abortion.
Bannerman tried to redress widespread misconceptions about Down Syndrome. He interviewed a young Down Syndrome woman who is working with computers and has played roles on stage and TV shows. The potential of people with Down Syndrome "doesn't seem to have filtered through to those most in need of hearing it... doctors," says Bannerman. Instead, most doctors advise women to have an abortion. One mother told him that she would probably have aborted her Down Syndrome daughter if she had had the test. Now she feels differently: "She is my joy. She makes my heart burst, she really does."
ABC (Australia)'s 7.30 Report has reported that a new pap smear which can accurately test for Down Syndrome babies could lead to their elimination. "It's now clear that without a major education campaign to accompany mass screening for Down Syndrome, we may never see children like this again," says journalist Mark Bannerman. At the moment, 80% of Down Syndrome children are born to women who have not been tested. A survey in a Melbourne hospital has suggested that 98% of women who are tested will have an abortion.
Bannerman tried to redress widespread misconceptions about Down Syndrome. He interviewed a young Down Syndrome woman who is working with computers and has played roles on stage and TV shows. The potential of people with Down Syndrome "doesn't seem to have filtered through to those most in need of hearing it... doctors," says Bannerman. Instead, most doctors advise women to have an abortion. One mother told him that she would probably have aborted her Down Syndrome daughter if she had had the test. Now she feels differently: "She is my joy. She makes my heart burst, she really does."
Monday, October 20, 2003
A lasting marriage is worth £60,000
A lasting marriage brings as much happiness as having an additional 60,000 of pounds income, according to a new research report on levels of happiness entitled "Well Being in Britain and the US".
The study, by economists Professor Andrew Oswald at the University of Warwick, and David Blanchflower at Dartmouth College USA, found that despite a decline over the last quarter century in the number of married people, those who are married report much higher happiness levels than the unmarried. The authors examined the lives of 100,000 randomly sampled people in Great Britain and the US.
Professor Oswald says that this result is being confirmed by studies worldwide. In virtually every country ever studied, workers who are married earn between 10% and 20% more than those who are single. This figure holds after many other influences are factored out.
A lasting marriage brings as much happiness as having an additional 60,000 of pounds income, according to a new research report on levels of happiness entitled "Well Being in Britain and the US".
The study, by economists Professor Andrew Oswald at the University of Warwick, and David Blanchflower at Dartmouth College USA, found that despite a decline over the last quarter century in the number of married people, those who are married report much higher happiness levels than the unmarried. The authors examined the lives of 100,000 randomly sampled people in Great Britain and the US.
Professor Oswald says that this result is being confirmed by studies worldwide. In virtually every country ever studied, workers who are married earn between 10% and 20% more than those who are single. This figure holds after many other influences are factored out.
