Friday, July 29, 2005

100 years ago

The millionaires of America combined immense business energy and enterprise with good health. How did they manage it? By taking good holidays, by living in the open air, and by regular and simple habits. There was John D Rockerfeller, senior, the wealthiest man in the world, or thereabouts. He was 67, and years before suffered from shattered health, which his recourse to the golf links was the means of building up again. Young Mr Rockerfeller had been ailing for some time and the advice given to him was to "go around and have a good time!" Fresh air and a change of scenery, developed to a science and a system, was the multi-millionaire's panacea for all his ills. That Russel Sage, in his ninetieth year, was still active was due to his systematic care for his health. He got his exercise and fresh air in walking to and from his office daily.

50 years ago

A BBC report on listening and viewing trends for the April-June quarter of the year, based on BBC audience research, said that it was estimated that the average size of the adult "sound public" - those living in houses with a sound receiver but no television - was about 62.5% of the total population, compared with 69.19% in the same period the previous year. The average size of the adult "television public" - those living in houses with a television receiver - was estimated at 33.77% of the total population compared with 23.93% in the same period the previous year. The April-June 1955 percentages for levels of listening and viewing among the whole adult population during the evening hours when all BBC services were on the air was sound 12.1 and television 13.1 compared with sound 13.2 and television 10.4 in the April-June 1954 quarter. "It will be noted that television audiences are now tending to exceed those of sound broadcasting," the report said, "even though the television public comprises only a minority - about one-third - of the population."

25 years ago

More places in the Youth Opportunities Programme might be sought to offset increasing difficulties in finding work for school leavers. The Government agreed in February to increase the proposed number of YOP places by between 34,000 and 44,000 in 1980-81. But the Manpower Services Commission's special programme review, said that still more YOP places might be needed to absorb the summer's school leavers. The commission was reviewing its services for the jobless prompted by the prospect of continuing very high levels of unemployment, and the review result would go to the Government in the autumn. Vacancies notified to career offices -- which reflected the number of jobs available for young persons under 18 -- fell dramatically in this month to 15,700 -- the lowest since careers officers' records began in 1974.

Updated: 08:33 Friday, July 29, 2005