METRO Thursday, October 8, 2009 D Offer subject to availability terms & conditions Call now 01 8047100 Sale ends 31 October 09 699 Fr including taxes Cheryl No.1 in chart of confusion THE reason why Cheryl Cole has stood by husband Ashley is more confusing than buying a house, researchers have said. The singers decision to forgive the cheating football star is one of the most baffling conundrums. It made fourth place in a chart of lifes 50 most confusing things, ahead of credit card interest rates and the rules of cricket. Foreign call centres topped the list, followed by algebra and what women see in Russell Brand. Confusion continues to surround loan interest rates, politics, footballs offside rule and religion, the report revealed. Also making the top 50 were currency conversions, learning languages and filling out insurance forms. Social networking site Twitter was deemed less confusing than Stephen Hawkings theories, Kerry Katona, poker or predictive text. The chart was compiled by the website www.confused.com. Baffling: Cheryl Cole issues are, put it behind you as quickly as you can, and be seen to act. Ms Donovan admitted that print media is strug- gling, faced with the double blow of the downturn and the shift to digital media. She said the compa- nys digital arm would embrace the changing mar- ket, and react to it as quickly as possible. The talk was the first in the series to offer online interactivity. Ms Donovan fielded questions from Twitter users, including: Are you happy we all dont have broadband in Ireland and have to put our clothes on to go out and read yesterdays news? Ms Donovan laughed it off, claiming there would always be a role for print, no matter how techno- logically adept we are. Further speakers in the series include Fergus Fin- lay, chief executive of Barnardos (October 28), and Sinn Fin president Gerry Adams (December 2). When you have a crisis, you must do something Tough Times: Maeve Donovan, Irish Times managing director, speaking at the Legends In Your Lunchtime event yesterday Pictures: Patrick OLeary BY ROSS McDONAGHACT quickly and at least be seen to be doing some- thing when faced with a crisis was the advice the managing director of The Irish Times had for the Government yesterday. Maeve Donovan said the politicians were causing themselves more issues by reacting too slowly as problems develop. Ms Donovan made the comments in a public in- terview with broadcaster Claire Byrne as the latest speaker in the Legends In Your Lunchtime series, presented by Metro, Newstalk 106-108fm and the National College of Ireland. She referred to the current example of John ODonoghues expenses scandal, which was al- lowed to drag on unaddressed for weeks, until it boiled over in the most dramatic fashion. What we are seeing is a continued sense of con- fusion, Ms Donovan said. The lesson that needs to be learned is when things go wrong act. When something is going against you, identify what the Maeve Donovan enjoying a quality free newspaper Contestants call Walshs X Factor bluff A CLAIM by Louis Walsh that an individual singer and not a group will win the new series of The X Factor was a bluff, his contestants said yesterday. The judge, who has been given the groups to mentor in the UTV show, said he had the hardest group and that he thought someone from Simon Cowells over-25s group would win. But the groups stood up for Irish pop mogul Walsh. Tallaght-born Azi Jegbefume, 25, said she could not believe Walsh would say he did not think one of the groups would win. We read it but we dont believe that Louis would say that. All of us have a really good relationship with him and he does believe in us, she said. Shar Alexandra, 25, said: Maybe hes saying that to surprise the public so they think hes not going to win and then therell be a dramatic climax and one of us will. The X Factor is on UTV on Saturday at 8pm. Bluffing: Louis Walsh Calories on menus fail to cut love of fatty fast foodA RULE that requires New York City fast-food restaurants to post calorie information on their menu boards actually increased the number of calories in the meals purchased in low- income neighbourhoods, according to a study. While half of consumers surveyed said they noticed the labelling, and about a quarter of those said they made different choices as a result, a review of fast-food purchases showed habits remained much the same. About a third of US adults are obese, and in July last year New York became the first US city to mandate calorie counts in large type on fast-food menu boards. Study leader Prof Brian Elbel, of New York University School of Medicine, said: Though the introduction of calorie labels did not change the number of calories purchased, a combination of public policy efforts are likely necessary to produce a meaningful change in obesity. About a third of US adults are obese. The researchers at NYU and Yale analysed fast-food purchases by 1,156 adults at Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonalds and Wendys immediately before and after the rule went into effect. Irish Times boss Maeve has message for the Government... index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html