“The Sex and the City image of women seeking casual encounters for pleasure does not quite fit the latest research.
Nine out of 10 women interviewed in a snapshot survey said they thought one night stands were immoral.” (BBC)
I bet this gets lots of attention. But it’s a study of only 46 women so it’s barely seems worth writing a paper on, let alone making the news.

“Goths tend to be the weirdo intellectual kids who have started to view the world differently.” (Guardian)
And now they rule the world!

A positive update on the new ‘morality’ in Indonesia:
“The Indonesian Government is backing away from a sweeping anti-pornography law that would outlaw kissing and revealing clothing.
Demonstrations against the law, which has the support of mainstream Islamic organisations, have spread from the artistic community and the resort island of Bali, with prominent Indonesians claiming it was alien to Indonesian culture and an attempt to impose sharia law by stealth.
After accompanying President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to a meeting with the National Commission on Violence Against Women, State Minister for Women’s Empowerment Meutia Hatta Swasono said the new law should focus on banning obscene materials, rather than criminalising personal conduct.
“We also ask that women are treated fairly; it’s as if they are blamed by the way they dress,” Mrs Meutia said.””
Age

Incredibly, the Commonwealth Games are actually good for something: “On the eve of the Melbourne Games, the Queen has highlighted the global spread of AIDS and urged the Commonwealth’s 1.7 billion citizens to take better care of their health.
The Queen’s message comes as health authorities prepare to use the Commonwealth Games as a platform for tackling HIV/AIDS, targeting visiting leaders and officials from Pacific and African nations, as well as raising local awareness.” (Age)

3hive recommends new bands, and provides links to their mp3s. It’s a nice way to discover new music.

“New by-laws championed by Tangerang’s ambitious mayor, Wahidin Halim, aim to run gamblers, drunks and prostitutes out of his satellite city on Jakarta’s outskirts. They are enforced by a small army of “public order officers” who cruise the streets able to arrest at whim.
The move has created a de facto curfew for women in Tangerang who, if they are caught alone at night, must prove they are not prostitutes.
As well as banning “physical intimacy” in places visible to the public, a by-law states that any woman “who behaves suspiciously” in streets, hotels, theatres, coffee shops

Is it tragic that I’m excited by this? I’m hoping it’ll also include good films as well as ‘hit movies’.
“Channel 4 has signed a multi-million dollar deal with 20th Century Fox to buy the rights to a raft of hit movies.”
BBC

Just when you were worried about how stupid David Beckham is… Dubya can’t even stay on his pushbike.
“Mr Bush was shouting “Thanks, you guys, for coming” when he lost control and collided with an officer”. (BBC)

I really hope this is a joke:
“England football captain David Beckham confessed he is befuddled by his six-year-old son Brooklyn’s maths homework.
…
“I find that if I follow a routine … it gets to the stage where you are thinking, ‘Right, was it the left side … the left boot I put on first, or the right side?’
“There are so many things that can go through your mind.”” (Age)

If you give the music map site the name of an act you like, it will show you acts also liked by people who like the first name.
While not as good/comprehensive as Pandora or last.fm, the interface is easy to use and it can throw up some nice connections and lead you down some interesting musical paths.