Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe THINGS WE DON'T UNDERSTAND Women say they want to meet older men but when push comes to shove, they go for the younger guys. Advertisement Women are twice as likely to circle "yes" to younger, rather than older men when filling out dating questionnaires, according to a survey conducted by Pre-Dating, one of the leading "speed-date" companies. Some 500 participants were surveyed in 25 cities across the country about speed dating, where singles meet in a series of short mini-dates. Women found both the quality of the conversation and the man's overall attitude to be most important in making selections at Pre-Dating events. Intelligence and a sense of humor were the next most important factors. Men found appearance and "chemistry" to be most important. NEWS OF OTHER LIFE FORMS Local officials in Randwick, near Sydney, Australia, have mended fences with the Virgin Mary, so to speak. The Daily Telegraph in Sydney says that seemed to be the verdict of the faithful crowded on a beach Sunday, hoping for a glimpse of what some describe as Our Lady of Coogee. Randwick Council workers had repaired a section of fence where many say an apparition of Mary is visible on a clear day. They said they had never felt "so much pressure" to repair a fence. Advertisement Vandals had kicked down parts of the fence in what's believed to be an attempt to keep people away. It didn't work -- throngs of people continued to descend on the beach, causing some locals to complain their ocean view was blocked. TODAY'S SIGN THE WORLD IS ENDING A day after Bee Gee Maurice Gibb died following surgery, British television talk show host Graham Norton quipped, "I bet Maurice Gibb's heart monitor was singing the tune of 'Stayin' Alive'." The British Broadcasting Corp. reports Bee Gee bro Robin Gibb has called Norton "scum" and vows to "rip his head off" if the two ever met. Robin Gibb demanded an apology from Norton and from Channel 4, which broadcasts his show -- and he got it. The joke also drew complaints from viewers. A spokeswoman from the Independent Television Commission told the BBC the watchdog agency is investigating. AND FINALLY, TODAY'S UPLIFTING STORY A double-amputee from Australian hopes his trek to the highest peak of Mount Kilimanjaro will inspire others who believe in their dreams. Warren MacDonald, 37, of Melbourne, on Sunday became the first double amputee to conquer Africa's highest peak, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. says. Advertisement He had both of his legs amputated above the knee four years ago after a climbing accident in Queensland when he was trapped for two days under a 1-ton slab of rock. MacDonald wore specially built prosthetics for the climb and was accompanied by 20-year-old Tanzanian farmer Hamisi Lugonda, who was born without arms, as well as a photographer, film-maker, nurse and local guides.
