Give us a big, manly hug

It is affectionate but manly, and combines the attitude of the modern metrosexual with the physicality of rutting stags.

Obviously, social intimacy between men is not necessarily the preserve of societies with enlightened attitudes towards homosexuality, otherwise Saudi Arabia (where men hold hands) would be a bastion of tolerance. However, Pat Fitzpatrick of the University of Limerick's department of sociology believes that the lingering reticence about public displays of affection is not solely down to Irish men's fears that their sexuality might be compromised or questioned.

"Men tend to monitor and police their emotionality for anything that might appear feminine," he says. "So there would be a distancing from anything that contains expressions of femininity.

The ethical lesson of humility

Politicians with the wisdom and moral clarity to keep their decisions free of influence and potential corruption. It's not only the right thing to do, but one shining example of humility. They had to humble themselves (put their own desire, self-worth, self-estimation aside) for the good of the county.

Contrary to popular belief, humility is a sign of strength, not weakness. This is something our national leaders need more of and the candidates for president should strongly embrace.

Last week, President Bush summoned a handful of conservative columnists to the Oval Office for a mostly off-the-record briefing. We discussed a range of topics, including gas prices, FISA and Iraq.

On this day, Mr. Bush (who at many times has shown acts of humility) seemed particularly feisty and had a lot to say.

The champion that time forgot: Why do we find it so hard to love

The athlete's irreverent attitude to his intimate life changes once Scotty's left, and we sit down to talk, at around 10.30 at night, in the Leogrand's empty restaurant. He orders a hot chocolate. "Do you miss it?" I ask.

Thompson, who now works as a motivational trainer for individuals and corporations, but still speaks about his athletic career in the present tense, doesn't need reminding what "it" might be. "Every day. Not a day goes by when I don't wish I was still doing it. Being selfish, training, no responsibilities. To be honest" – this last phrase is one that Thompson uses frequently – "all I ever wanted to be was the best. I don't enjoy fame."

"Didn't you once talk enviously about 'those 100-metre guys; they're so glamorous...'?"

"That was before I knew what fame was like.

The spin doctor, Monty Panesar, will see you now

It is this can-do attitude and boundless enthusiasm that have helped Panesar to become the only Sikh to play for any national cricket team apart from India. At times it has looked an uphill struggle and he’s the first to admit he is not always a natural athlete.

"I’m aware of it and I realise it’s important to work on that aspect of my game, but I enjoy working hard and I have no problem putting the hours in. It takes an elephant time to turn round, too."

For every detractor, there are dozens of fans, many wearing a homemade patka (the proper name for the small turban Panesar wears) and cheering on "the Montster", another of his many nicknames. On YouTube, the video-sharing website, fans have posted a song about "the man with enormous hands".

Air France criticized for attitude towards disabled passengers

The editors at Emerging Horizons have a great deal of personal experience with the challenges of travelling with a disability. One of the editors is a paraplegic, thus necessitating much research in advance of any trip.

Air France received the rather unenviable distinction from the editors of Emerging Horizons, for the unwillingness of one of its senior captains to allow a prominent, disabled passenger to board a flight. Michelle Daly, an advisor working for the French government, had a ticket to fly from Paris to London-Heathrow in order to serve as a participant at a conference on disabilities. Daly's plans, however, were nixed, when the captain came out of the cockpit and cast doubt on whether the government advisor had the ability to walk. Daly pointed out that she could not, in fact, walk on her own, and shortly after hearing this, the captain asked her to leave the plane, noting that the advisor posed a "safety and health risk to everyone on the plane."

Air France publicly stood by its captain and argued that it was not safe for Daly to fly, because the aircraft in question was not equipped to handle passengers with disabilities.

Victory or defeat?

Conventional wisdom about American voters is a powerful currency in the pundit economy. Reporters and consultants trade generalizations like legal tender in their political commentary. Unfortunately, some of their factual coinage turns out to be counterfeit.

As this election year unfolds, it's helpful to separate myth from fact. Much of what we think we know — and that which gets repeated as gospel in explaining election results — turns out to be apocryphal.

Those are the main conclusions from an insightful new book titled, "Unconventional Wisdom — Facts and Myths About AmericanVoters," by political scientists Karen M. Kaufman, John R. Petrocik and Daron R. Shaw. Reading this book will help anyone interested in understanding the 2008 election, avoid common pitfalls in political interpretation that are perpetuated by the absence of rigorous analysis.

The Incredibles

The most glaring difference one sees when comparing the two companies is the attitude and execution of their labor practices.

The average hourly wage of a Wal-Mart employee is $9.68, while the average hourly pay of a Costco employee is $16. The average Costco employee makes over $40,000 after working there for three years, at which point Costco is also paying for over 90 percent of the employee's health insurance.

One almost wonders how such a generous company stays in business. The management of the company has stated again and again, however, that treating their workers well is not altruistic, but simply good business, and it would appear that they're right: Relative to the amount of revenue pulled in by each company, just under 10 percent of Costco's money goes toward paying its workers, while Wal-Mart ends up spending about 17 percent.