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Post by bod on Mar 1, 2008 10:21:31 GMT
Happy St Davids Day to all the Welsh and Welsh at heart! (And that includes kiwi's as they are definitely honorary welsh - they gave us Lord Graham of Henry and then sent his servent Warren to show us the way to the holy grail - the grand slam.....or at least the triple crown! ;D )
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Post by bod on Dec 3, 2007 17:05:21 GMT
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7113739.stmGreat result! Barbarians (15) 22 Try: Giteau, Williams, Elsom Pens: Giteau Cons: Giteau South Africa (5) 5 Try: Pieterse South Africa's World Cup-winning year ended with a defeat as a tired-looking side were outplayed by the Barbarians. Matt Giteau opened the scoring with a typical Barbarian counter-attack try as the visitors failed to make the most of their early pressure at Twickenham. Barend Pieterse's try gave South Africa hope but tries either side of the break by Martyn Williams and Rocky Elsom ended hopes of a Springbok revival. Jason Robinson set up a try and earned a standing ovation on his farewell. South Africa's Ryan Kankowski came close to the opening try when he broke free and charged up the left wing following a scrappy Mark Regan line-out throw. But Joe Rokocoko's superbly-timed tackle knocked him into touch inches short of the line. That break camped South Africa on the Baa-Baas line, and it just looked like a matter of time before they scored. But when the try came, it was a thrilling Barbarian breakaway, after an uncharacteristic handling mistake by Habana. Ma'a Nonu and Giteau combined well to set up Conrad Smith to cover half the pitch, and he looked to have lost the initiative before off-loading to Rokocoko, whose pass put Giteau over to touch down. Nonu wasted two good chances to add to that advantage before Schalk Burger's late replacement Pieterse finished off a Habana-inspired attack to put South Africa on the scoreboard. But when Francois Steyn's ill-judged kick went straight down the throat of Robinson, making his final appearance on the world stage, it just set up the next Baa-Baas try. His electric burst brought the crowd to its feet and set up Williams for a slick finish just before the break, and when Elsom added another straight after the restart, the Barbarians were out of sight. The death of the match as a competitive event coincided with rain setting in, and the spark of the first half was lost as the conditions grew worse. Pride meant that South Africa began to treat the game more like a competitive Test, but for all their efforts and pressure, they rarely had try-scoring chances. With 13 minutes left, Robinson was substituted, to a standing ovation, with his place going to Peter Grant. Troy Flavell was yellow-carded with 10 minutes to go for a clumsy high challenge on Habana as a game which had promised so much early on ended up petering out to a tame conclusion. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Barbarians: Robinson, Rokocoko, Smith, Nonu, Neivua, Giteau, Marshall, Pucciarello, Regan, Ma'afu, Cockbain, Harrison, Elsom, Williams, Collins. Replacements: Brits, Moller, Flavell, Owen, Shanklin, Grant, Cohen. South Africa: Pienaar, Ndungane, Fourie, Steyn, Habana, Pretorius, Januarie, van der Linde, B. du Plessis, J. du Plessis, Muller, Ackermann, Pieterse, Smith, Kankowski. Replacements: Liebenberg, van der Merwe, van den Berg, Lobberts, Olivier, Julies, Jantjes.
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Post by bod on Nov 9, 2007 12:55:11 GMT
On winning the rights to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games
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Post by bod on Dec 4, 2007 7:26:39 GMT
Trouble is domestic rugby in Argentina doesn't yet have a league where international players can play at the level they need to - hence why many of them move to Europe, SA, NZ & Oz. There success in the WC has raised the profile of the game in a football mad country
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Post by bod on Dec 3, 2007 17:03:21 GMT
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Post by bod on Nov 25, 2007 0:20:45 GMT
Not too sure about the mini world cup idea, altho I think it could work if it was kind of a combined 6 nations and Tri Nations...... I think Argentina shoudl really be in the 6 nations - most of their players are playing in europe so they would be less fatigued with the travel. not a brilliant score line for Wales in today's test but there were some good phases of play, with some interesting passes and good hands. Encouraging for the 6 nations... Wales 12-34 South Africa news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/7110984.stm
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Post by bod on Nov 22, 2007 19:58:13 GMT
Like it! As Dragons got thumped by London Irish last weekend my rugby teams aren't doing that well at the moment. Still, the 6 nations is not far away now......
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Post by bod on Nov 9, 2007 12:42:20 GMT
Warren Gatland has been appointed as the new coach of Wales, according to his former club Waikato. The appointment of the 44-year-old is set to be formally announced by the Welsh Rugby Union at a news conference at 1230 GMT on Friday.
The former Ireland and Wasps coach will start his new job on 1 December.
"While it was a hard decision to make to leave, it is the ultimate dream for me to coach at this level again," Gatland told the Waikato website.
"I've been given the opportunity to coach at the highest level. I want to thank Waikato for the support they have given me during this time of transition."
Wales have been without a coach since sacking Gareth Jenkins the day after they were knocked out of the World Cup by Fiji at the end of September.
Gatland - who represented New Zealand 17 times between 1988 and 1991 but was denied a cap by the presence of Sean Fitzpatrick in the team - was on a shortlist of three foreign coaches approached by the WRU.
He met WRU officials in New Zealand last month at the start of the Union's global search for a new coach and arrived in Cardiff at the weekend.
Gatland spent the weekend with WRU chief Lewis, visiting his house and joining him at the Joe Calzaghe versus Mikkel Kessler boxing match at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on Saturday.
Lewis has refused to be drawn on names, although he said he was encouraged by the interest in the post shown by Gatland and South Africa's departing coach Jake White.
"We have our first choice," Lewis told BBC Sport. "He is totally the right man to lead us to the next World Cup and I think the people of Wales will recognise that."
Meanwhile, the WRU is still negotiating with another New Zealander, Andrew Hore, to become the new elite performance director, who would work above Gatland.
"I would have no problems at all working with Andrew," Gatland said.
"But that appointment has nothing to do with me. The Welsh Rugby Union are working through that process at the moment."
There has also been media speculation linking the Wasps defence coach, Great Britain rugby league legend Shaun Edwards, with a move to Wales when Gatland takes charge.
He and the New Zealander were part of Wasps' 2004 Heineken Cup winning coaching set-up, while former Wasps scrum-half Rob Howley could also be approached by Gatland.
Edwards has expressed an interest in stepping up to international level, albeit on a part-time basis.
But Gatland said: "Until anything is finalised that is pure speculation and it would be unfair at the moment to comment much further on those things, especially as Shaun is under contract at Wasps."
The Waikato Rugby Union fully supports Warren in his decision to coach at international level again.
Waikato Rugby Union chief executive Graham Bowen
Gatland enjoyed a highly successful spell as coach after joining the English side in 2002, leading them to three consecutive Guinness Premiership titles (2003, 2004 and 2005) and the Heineken Cup in 2004.
He cut his coaching teeth at Connacht before succeeding Brian Ashton in the Ireland job, enjoying three successful years only to be ousted by Eddie O'Sullivan in 2001.
He is currently assistant at Super 14 team the Chiefs and is also in charge of the Waikato NPC side, but is keen to get back into the international set-up.
And Waikato Rugby Union chief executive Graham Bowen said Gatland departs with their blessing.
"The Wales coaching job was an opportunity too good to turn down for Warren, who had aspirations to continue on as an international coach," said Bowen.
"The Waikato Rugby Union fully supports Warren in his decision to coach at international level again. We have a good relationship with Warren and maybe sometime in the future he will again be able to add value to Waikato Rugby.
"Winning the inaugural Air New Zealand Cup in 2006 and securing the Ranfurly Shield for the eighth time in Waikato history this year are highlights in Warren's time with the Mooloos.
"However, he was also instrumental in developing a number of young rugby players in our province and we will no doubt see the result of this in future years in Waikato rugby."
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Post by bod on Nov 9, 2007 8:57:51 GMT
Press Statement - Chad Varah Samaritans
It is with great sadness that we have learnt of the death of our Founder, Dr Chad Varah, CH, CBE, MA Oxon., aged 95 on Thursday 8th November 2007. Dr Varah died peacefully in his sleep earlier this evening.
“My father always spoke of Samaritans Volunteers as the most incredible group of people – unsung heroes, whose commitment and dedication is the lifeblood of the Organisation” – said the late Michael Varah, Chad’s eldest son and Trustee of Samaritans. “They are my father’s legacy”.
Felicity Varah, Chad’s eldest child, comments: “Thanks to my father, Samaritans has been working for over 50 years, providing confidential, emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which may lead to suicide. His relationship with Samaritans had many chapters, from the moment he founded it in his beloved Church, St Stephen Walbrook in 1953, through its expansion worldwide, to the latter years when he stepped back to allow the movement to grow and flourish”.
Chad retained a watchful eye over Samaritans even after his retirement. As recently as Summer 2007, he had a particularly happy meeting with the Chief Executive, Dominic Rudd, and Chairman hearing about all those people who continue his original, enlightened and essential work – of active listening - providing support to people living through emotionally difficult times.
Steve Evans, Chair of Samaritans, adds, “It was Chad’s inspiration and untiring determination that created Samaritans. In 54 years, his founding work has helped literally millions of people, throughout the UK, the Republic of Ireland and around the world through Befrienders Worldwide, a global extension of the supportive spirit of Samaritans. It is our honour and determination to carry on his extraordinary work in the way he would have liked.”
Dominic Rudd, Chief Executive, Samaritans says: “Chad was quite simply an extraordinary man, and his legacy is a strengthened Samaritans which seeks to make emotional health part of everyday conversation. We have some way to go before we achieve that, but in the meantime, Samaritans believes that offering people the opportunity to be listened to in confidence, and accepted without prejudice, can alleviate despair and suicidal feelings. Chad’s vision – of a society in which people are able to explore their feelings without fear or prejudice, in turn respecting the feelings of others – has touched millions of people in the 54 years since we started to offer emotional support.”
Chad Varah can be considered a pioneer of talking therapies. Despite having no formal psychiatric qualifications, he initiated this form of support, based on his wider experience in the church, and through establishing the Samaritans service. He found that if a distressed individual could be given time and be listened to, without judgement, they could start to find a way through even the most difficult feelings.
Michael Varah, who himself served as an elected Trustee of Samaritans from July 2005 until his death in April 2007, remembered: ‘My father described this befriending of the suicidal thus: ‘There are in this world, in every country, people who seem to be ‘ordinary’, but who, when meeting a suicidal person, turn out to be extraordinary. They can usually save lives. How? They give the sad person their total attention. They completely forget themselves. They listen … and listen … and listen, without interrupting. They beam approvingly or shake their heads sympathetically. After a long time, they say, ‘Please tell me more.’ If asked for advice, they say, ‘You’re the only person who can advise you well – what do you think you should do?’ They have no message. They do not preach. They have nothing to sell. We call them ‘Samaritans’.”
Today, people are encouraged to contact Samaritans for all kinds of emotional issues as soon as they are able, in the hope that they can be supported through difficult episodes before thoughts of suicide occur. In 1950s Britain, suicide was illegal, making the discussion of such thoughts and fears incredibly difficult for individuals. Chad Varah’s ground-breaking approach to resolving this contributed immeasurably to fundamental changes in the law and attitudes towards this difficult subject. Moreover, Chad’s role in the creation of an international network of charities to help people in emotional distress and at risk of suicide worldwide, means that it is no exaggeration to say that the global society owes him its collective thanks.
In the Millennium New Year’s Honours List, Her Majesty the Queen awarded the Reverend Prebendary Dr. Chad Varah the Order of the Companion of Honour for Services to the Samaritans. He considered his CH the greatest of the many honours bestowed upon him in his lifetime.
Ends
Further information Despite an initial reluctance to follow in his father’s footsteps, Varah was persuaded to study at Lincoln Theological College after graduating in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Keble College, Oxford. His first funeral, as an assistant curate, prompted his lifelong commitment to suicide prevention and education. The funeral was for a 13 year old girl who had taken her own life because she feared she was seriously ill; in fact she had started to menstruate. Varah vowed at her graveside to devote himself to helping other people overcome the sort of ignorance and isolation that had ultimately caused the young girl’s death.
To subsidise the financial demands of a growing family in the 1940s, Chad Varah the vicar built a second career as a children’s comic scriptwriter and visualiser, notably as one of the brains behind strip cartoon spaceman Dan Dare.
The opportunity to act on his promise to help people in emotional need came in 1953 when Varah was appointed Rector to St Stephen Walbrook Church in the City of London. In the early fifties, three suicides a day were officially recorded in Greater London; suicide was still an illegal act and sex education hardly existed. Varah advertised in the press for people to help – not as trained counsellors, but as ordinary human beings offering a listening ear and emotional support. Inundated with people willing to help, he opened the first drop-in centre where emotionally isolated and distressed people could go to find a sympathetic ear – and Samaritans was born. Chad continued to run Samaritans until 1987, thereafter remaining an active member of the organisation.
An early proponent of sex education, Chad Varah alerted society to the approach of the permissive society, usually associated with the 1960s, with an article in the Picture Post in 1952. Far more important to him than the outraged responses of conservative society were the 235 people who wrote in afterwards to bare their souls, 14 of whom showed signs of considering suicide as an option. From 1967 to 1987, Chad Varah worked as a consultant to the sex education magazine, Forum, his work recognised by his appointment as Patron of the Terence Higgins Trust, the UK’s largest HIV and AIDS charity.
Chad Varah’s wife died in 1993 and his eldest son Michael died in April this year (2007). He is survived by four children, 12 grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Edward Chad Varah, priest and founder of Samaritans, born 12th November 1911, died November 8 2007.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © Samaritans 2007. Reg charity number: 219432 Samaritans Things on your mind? Phone us UK: 08457 90 90 90 ROI: 1850 60 90 90 Email us jo@samaritans.org Write to us Chris, P.O. Box 9080 Stirling, FK8 2SA
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Post by bod on Nov 9, 2007 8:50:13 GMT
Thanks for the compliment brother, however I can't claim the credit, have now added the link to the BBC page
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Post by bod on Nov 9, 2007 8:07:58 GMT
I was 'Sam' for about 4 years in various parts of the UK, Chad was a unique individual, never afraid to speak his opinion. His legacy lives on worldwide thru Samaritans and Befrienders International.
Obituary: The Reverend Chad Varah (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3169124.stm)
The Reverend Chad Varah founded Samaritans with one telephone line and saw it grow into a world-wide organisation helping thousands of people to avoid the ultimate act of desperation.
He was never a conventional clergyman. His chief concern from the start was to help individuals rather than spreading the gospel.
Born in Barton-on-Humber, where his father was the vicar at St Chad's, the local Anglican church, Chad Varah was educated at Oxford before, he said, being "press-ganged" into the life of a priest.
Promise
His first task as an assistant curate in Lincoln in 1935 determined the path he would follow.
Standing in at the funeral of a 14-year-old girl, he asked the undertaker why the girl was being buried in unconsecrated ground, and was told she had killed herself because she had mistaken menstruation for a serious disease.
Dr Varah recalled his reaction: "I stood at the end of the grave and I said, little girl, I never knew you, but I promise you that you have changed my life and I shall teach children about sex."
Dr Varah kept his promise, although the explicit nature of his advice to children and young couples scandalised many people in the Church.
The need for advice on sexual taboos was reinforced by the response to an article he wrote in Picture Post on the joys of sex, with 250 people writing the next day, asking for help.
As vicar of St Paul's, at Clapham in south London, he realised that a significant number of people coming to see him were talking of suicide. He thought a special telephone line might help people in distress, but there were many demands on his time.
He was a father of five, including triplet sons, he wrote strip-cartoons for Eagle and Girl comics and was the scientific consultant for the Eagle hero, Dan Dare.
"I would not have anyone prudish or preachy because the prudish want to sit in judgement "
Chad Varah
But the idea of a help line became a reality when he became rector of St Stephen Walbrook, a church in the City of London whose only parishioner was the Lord Mayor.
Samaritans grew rapidly, complemented by a dramatic fall in the suicide rate, and its many branches in Britain and around the world now handle millions of calls every year.
Chad Varah always insisted that it should not be a religious organisation.
In his autobiography, Before I Die Again - he believes in reincarnation - he says: "Church people were all too often narrow-minded, censorious, judgmental, intolerant, conventional."
Retiring from Samaritans in 1986, Chad Varah's work has received widespread recognition - he was made a Companion of Honour in 2000. His wife, Susan, who died in 1993, also distinguished herself as a president of the Mothers' Union.
Sadly, Chad Varah had been at odds with Samaritans' management council for several years because he felt it had betrayed its original principles by becoming an evangelical support group, instead of an emergency service for the desperate.
He felt the job of volunteers was to listen, without talking about themselves.
"This is a rare quality," he said. "They are in fact people who cannot bring themselves to pass by on the other side when somebody's needing them."
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Post by bod on Oct 20, 2007 20:41:37 GMT
Hope you're out looking for the laptop! And the BBC must take the credit for the story not me.
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Post by bod on Oct 19, 2007 12:51:52 GMT
A New Zealand brewery is reportedly offering a lifetime supply of beer for the return of a stolen laptop. Local media said the laptop was stolen from the Croucher Brewing Company in the central North Island city of Rotorua earlier this week.
Owners were desperate to retrieve the computer containing designs, contact details and financial information, the Rotorua Daily Post said.
They have offered free beer to anyone giving clues leading to its recovery.
Co-owner Paul Croucher said the company would provide a lifetime supply of about 12 bottles a month to anyone who could name the thief.
The company has back-up copies of the material stored on the laptop but these are not up to date, the newspaper said.
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Milan
May 25, 2007 12:53:21 GMT
Post by bod on May 25, 2007 12:53:21 GMT
As a lifelong Chelsea fan it's great to see the 'poo lose ;-) S&F Richard never mind, bro richard, we all have our burdens in life..... West Ham 'til I die......... ;D
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Milan
May 24, 2007 13:43:52 GMT
Post by bod on May 24, 2007 13:43:52 GMT
2006 was barca v Arse
2005 was the year of the Liverpool comeback
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Post by bod on May 18, 2007 16:04:11 GMT
Not everyone's cup of tea I know, but I quite like it, and football and rugby - in fact most sports really....
Windies v England at Lords, current score, 2nd day, 1st innings, Eng 446-5
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Post by bod on May 15, 2007 21:53:23 GMT
US evangelist Jerry Falwell dies
Leading US conservative evangelist Rev Jerry Falwell has died in hospital in Virginia after being found unconscious in his office, his assistants said. Doctors gave Rev Falwell emergency treatment at Lynchburg General Hospital but could not revive him.
Rev Falwell, 73, survived two serious health scares in 2005 but had a history of heart problems.
He became a figurehead of the religious right in the 1980s, founded the Moral Majority and later Liberty University.
Rev Falwell was regarded as the father of the political evangelical movement.
As one of the first television preachers, he reached millions on his programme The Old Time Gospel Hour.
Ron Godwin, executive vice president for Liberty University, said Rev Falwell was found unresponsive in his office at about 1045 local time (1535 GMT) after missing an appointment.
Mr Godwin said: "Dr Falwell is a huge, huge leader here in this area and in the nation at large."
Controversial
Rev Al Sharpton said he was deeply saddened and was praying for the Falwell family. He said although he often disagreed with the reverend, they had a cordial relationship.
The BBC's Vanessa Heaney in Washington says Rev Falwell was a controversial figure who offended many.
But his alliance with Republicans in the 1980s was a key help in the elections of Ronald Reagan as president and many political leaders have since continued to seek his support.
Among them is Senator John McCain - a Republican contender for US president - who described him as "a man of distinguished accomplishment who devoted his life to serving his faith and country".
Rev Falwell was a strong opponent of abortion, homosexuality and many other issues that conflicted with his fundamentalist Christian beliefs.
His statements on feminism and race issues often outraged liberals.
In 2002, he sparked anger across the Muslim world by calling the Prophet Muhammad a "terrorist". He later apologised.
Shortly after the 11 September 2001 attacks, he said that gays, atheists, civil-rights activists and legal abortions in the US had angered God and "helped this happen".
In 1999, he denounced the BBC TV children's show The Teletubbies, because he believed one character, Tinky Winky, was homosexual.
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Post by bod on May 21, 2007 7:03:58 GMT
I'm pleased to say that Mars have bowed to the voice of the consumer:
Mars bars get veggie status back
Mars has abandoned plans to use animal products in its chocolate, and has apologised to "upset" vegetarians. The firm had said it would change the whey used in some of its products from a vegetarian source to one with traces of the animal enzyme, rennet.
The Vegetarian Society organised a campaign against the move, asking members to voice their concerns to parent company Masterfoods.
Mars said it became "very clear, very quickly" that it had made a mistake.
In just one week, more than 6,000 people bombarded the company, which produces the Mars, Snickers, Maltesers and Galaxy brands, with phone and e-mail complaints.
Forty MPs also signed a petition to voice their opposition.
Fiona Dawson, managing director of Mars UK, said the company had listened to customers and decided to reverse its decision.
"The consumer is our boss and we had lots of feedback from consumers who were unhappy about the change," Ms Dawson said.
"It became very clear, very quickly that we had made a mistake, for which I am sorry.
"There are three million vegetarians in the UK and not only did we disappoint them, but we upset a lot of the consumers."
The Vegetarian Society had called the move by Mars "incomprehensible" and "a backward step" at a time when consumers were increasingly concerned about "the provenance of their food".
Mars replied that, by admitting its products were no longer suitable for "extremely strict vegetarians", it was making a "principled decision".
Now it insists it will begin changing its recipes back immediately.
Dr Annette Pinner, chief executive of the Vegetarian Society, said she was pleased Mars had been "honest enough" to admit it had "made a mistake".
"A Masterfoods representative has made contact with us and we are very pleased that they now recognise the importance of integrity to all their customers, especially vegetarians," she added.
Rennet is extracted from calves' stomachs and was to have been used in the ice cream versions of all Masterfoods' bars too.
Bod comment: On the tv news last night it was revealed that a large number of non vegitarians had complained about the move as well.
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Post by bod on May 14, 2007 12:09:43 GMT
www.vegsoc.org/news/2007/mars.htmlMARS PRODUCTS NOT VEGGIE The Vegetarian Society is extremely disappointed to learn that Mars favourites such as Mars, Milky Way, Bounty, Snickers, Galaxy, Twix and Maltesers are now all unsuitable for vegetarians. At a time when more and more consumers are concerned about the provenance of their food, Masterfoods’ decision to use non-vegetarian whey is a backward step. Mars products are very popular with young people and many will be shocked to discover that their manufacture now relies on the extraction of rennet from the stomach lining of young calves. Please contact Masterfoods Customer Services on 0845 045 0042 to express your concern. ******************************************** news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6653175.stmMars starts using animal products Masterfoods' brands are household names Some of the UK's best-selling chocolate bars, such as Mars and Twix, will no longer be suitable for vegetarians. Also affecting brands such as Snickers and Maltesers, owner Masterfoods said it had started to use animal product rennet to make its chocolate products. Masterfoods said the change was due to it switching the sourcing of its ingredients and the admission was a "principled decision" on its part. The Vegetarian Society said the company's move was "incomprehensible". Masterfoods said it had started using rennet from 1 May and non-affected products had a "best before date" up to 1 October. It will now also be found in Bounty, Minstrels and Milky Way products, and the ice cream versions of all Masterfoods' bars. "If the customer is an extremely strict vegetarian, then we are sorry the products are no longer suitable, but a less strict vegetarian should enjoy our chocolate," said Paul Goalby, corporate affairs manager for Masterfoods. The Vegetarian Society said it was "extremely disappointed". "At a time when more and more consumers are concerned about the provenance of their food, Masterfoods' decision to use non-vegetarian whey is a backward step," it said in a statement. "Mars products are very popular with young people and many will be shocked to discover that their manufacture now relies on the extraction of rennet from the stomach lining of young calves," it added.
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Post by bod on May 3, 2007 10:44:34 GMT
Wasn't too sure which category to put this under, so went for this bit, tho it can be moved if a mod deems it appropriate to be moved. the Brisith Library has the following exhibition on currently: www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/features/sacred/visit.htmlSacred is about Judaism, Christianity and Islam: the religions that have shaped so much of European history and civilisation. They are often called the ‘Abrahamic faiths’, because of the part the Prophet Abraham plays in their holy books. Both their commonalities and the differences between them are explored here. Visitors will see some of the finest manuscripts ever produced by these religions. For Jews and Muslims there is only one language invested with sacred authority, Hebrew and Arabic respectively. In Christianity, the scriptures have spiritual authority regardless of the language into which they are translated. Hence the variety of Christian texts on display. Aspects of belief and practice and inter-faith working in Britain are also featured. At the heart of each of these religions is a book of divine revelation, identifying God and providing moral teachings and spiritual guidance. In Judaism, it is the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh); in Christianity the Bible (Old and New Testaments), and in Islam the Qur’an. This is one of the most important features that the three religions have in common. In the Muslim tradition, this essential unity is encompassed by the phrase ‘People of the Book’ (from the Arabic: ahl al-Kitab), embracing both Jews and Christians as communities which received scriptures revealed by God before the revelation to the Prophet Muhammad. Each succeeding religion acknowledges the texts of the preceding and draws a great deal from them - stories, characters, and moral teachings - although there are differences of interpretation and emphasis. In this way Christianity inherits from Judaism, and Islam inherits from both Judaism and Christianity. The Hebrew Bible, the Christian Bible and the Qur’an therefore form one linked textual tradition. Sacred is the first in a series of exhibitions celebrating the diversity of religious traditions within Britain today. The British Library is uniquely placed to hold such a series, as it has one of the finest collections of sacred books of all the world’s major religions.
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