Friday, 8 March 2002

Tell him he's dreaming - The history of humans is one of "make love, not war", a study of DNA from people from around the globe suggests.The American researcher Alan Templeton has concluded the Earth was populated by African people who left their homeland in three big waves. But rather than wipe out the people they encountered, the wanderers had sex with them. [SMH] "Humans expanded again and again out of Africa, but these expansions resulted in interbreeding, not replacement, and thereby strengthened the genetic ties between human populations throughout the world," said Dr Templeton, of Washington University in St Louis, whose study is published in the journal Nature. God had something interesting to say on this subject: Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it... 8:22:25 AM    Comments ()

Surprise, surprise - Ansett has only been dead a few days, but there are already claims that discount fares are drying up on some major routes. The cheapest Qantas discount Internet fares between Perth and both Sydney and Brisbane have risen as much as 20 per cent in the past few days, and availability has been reduced, research by the consumer information service Infochoice has found. [SMH] 8:12:40 AM    Comments ()

Female Politicians - I read with sadness that Faye Lo-Po, the NSW Member for Penrith and well respected Minister for Community Services is to retire. Whilst I have a low regard for politicians and generally an even lower one for those of the other gender, Lo-Po was great. Every ministry she found herself appointed to, she fixed, organised, and removed from media the spotlight. She was an original "Mr. Fix It" (ok "Ms Fix It"). [Editors note: I would sing the praises of on Carmen Lawerence at this point, if only to rile Jonathon, but the repercussions prevent me]. In Australia we have a tendency to try to force certain issues - female representation in parliament is one such area. Many women are merely rolled out as token prizes for the government of the day. Many are competent, all are used. Some are just plain hopeless - like the Federal Member for Lindsay Jackie Kelly. Swept to power by a majority of some 12 and a half votes and installed as Federal Sports Minister (token woman in a token portfolio) where she managed to make gaff after embarrassing gaff. Thankfully she has all but disappeared. Not so Faye Lo-Po. Someone will miss you Faye. 8:03:30 AM    Comments ()

Rats in the ranks - Sydney's pest-control companies are not calling it a plague, but they agree the city's rat population has been "unusually active" over the last few months. [SMH] 7:49:38 AM    Comments ()

Frozen Dead Guy - Well this takes the cake, it's the Norwegian Frozen Dead Guy festival, showing that whilst cold and hard, a bureaucracy can also be tender hearted. Activities include coffin races, the Polar plunge, a Grandpa lookalike contest and more! 7:45:15 AM    Comments ()