Australians Forced to Answer Intrusive Questions

Australian citizens have been complaining about government surveyors knocking on their doors and asking very intrusive personal questions. One resident in particular was asked what sexual partners his wife had, and also asked when either of them would be home alone. If residents decline these questions, they can face fines or even jail time.

The Untouchables

FRONTLINE magazine examines why no Wall Street execs have been prosecuted for the financial crisis.


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Gross! Guess How Many People Don't Wash Their Hands After Flushing

The next time you reach out to shake someone's hand, consider this finding: A recent study of hand-washing habits found only 5 percent of people who used the restroom scrubbed long enough to kill germs that can cause infections.

Thirty-three percent didn't use soap, and 10 percent didn't wash their hands at all, according to the study, based on Michigan State University researchers' observations of more than 3,700 people in a college town's public restrooms.

Soul Surfer - An Inspiring Story of Bethany Hamilton

Born into a family of surfers in Kauai, Hawaii, Bethany Hamilton has been surfing almost as long as she has been walking. Entering her first competition around age four, and sponsored by age nine, Bethany's love for the sport was immediately apparent. 

Despite a shark attack that took her left arm at age 13, her dedication has remained unwavering. Just one month after the tragic accident, Bethany was back on her surf board to pursue her goal of becoming a professional surfer, winning her first national title in 2005 and turning pro in 2007. Since then she has participated in numerous ASP and World Tour events, taking second place at the ASP 2009 World Junior Championships. Her courage and determination was documented in her 2004 autobiography Soul Surfer, and a major motion picture bearing the same title (released theatrically in April of 2011).


For source go here.
More information at BethanyHamilton.com

Why We're Always Hungry

We're a country of people who never stop eating. The freedom to eat anytime and anywhere is convenient, but it also means you may be mindlessly inhaling hundreds of extra calories without even realizing it.

By Liz Welch

When I was growing up, in the 1970s, my mother used to joke that our car had a mind of its own. Every time we drove near the Carvel store in town, it would mysteriously guide us to the parking lot. "I can't control the car! It wants ice cream!" my mom would say as she pretended to struggle with the steering wheel. Mom loved her soft-serve, but we didn't stop there often. Ice cream was a treat we had only once in a while.

Happiness Is … Being an Aussie

Yet again, Australia tops the list of happiest countries. 

 As I sit at our kitchen table on yet another unseasonably damp and chilly morning in Sussex, England, watching the rain streak down the windowpanes and listening to the dawn rush of traffic on our far-too-busy street, I find myself thinking longingly of my Australian passport.

Changing face of the US jobs market

Unemployment in the US remains well above the government's target of 6.5%, and there are also concerns about the types of jobs being created in the fragile economic climate.
Full-time employment is harder to come by so many worker are finding they have to rely on casual roles to make ends meet, as Samira Hussain reports.



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Control Your Home From the Couch

How often have you wished you could turn your lights off without moving an inch from your comfy couch? 

Researchers at the University of Washington are working on making that a reality with a device that interprets your gestures to perform commands for various devices, like pausing music and movies, or turning the lights off.

Girls 'lack ambition' for good jobs

 





A new report from the Women's Business Council says our economy needs women's contribution, and action is required to remove the obstacles that currently restrict women from realising their full potential.

These obstacles appear at all stages of their working lives. Among the report's recommendations are a call to broaden girls' aspirations and career choices and to create a business culture that embraces them.

Ruby McGregor-Smith, chair of the Women's Business Council (WBC) and author of the report, told today presenter John Humphrys that she has seen "a real lack of confidence in young girls".

Gladys Lawson, a microbiologist who volunteers for the charity Inspiring the Future, said some girls "don't have any guidance" in schools and described how girls "lack ambition". "Parents need to encourage their children as well as teachers" she added.

For source go here.

Who are Turkey's protesters?

Turkey's deputy prime minister has apologised to environmental campaigners whose efforts to save a park in Istanbul provoked an unprecedented wave of anti-government unrest. The apology was intended to defuse the tensions but demonstrations have continued. Jeremy Bowen reports from Istanbul on the challenge to the Turkish leadership.

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