William Penn Life, 2004 (39. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2004-09-01 / 9. szám
Magyar Matters Hungarians spend more than half of free time in front of TV, survey says from The Budapest Sun HUNGARIANS spend more of their free time watching television than their European neighbors, according to a new survey. Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, has issued a publication that endeavors to clarify the everyday lives of men and women (aged 20 to 74) in nine European Union member states (Belgium, Germany, Estonia, France, Hungary, Slovenia, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom) and Norway. Eurostat focused on three areas, the somewhat clumsily titled "Time Use Structure for Employed," a "Breakdown of Domestic Activities," and "Breakdown of Free Time Activities." According to the survey, Hungarians spend the majority of their freetime watching TV and videos. Indeed, Hungarians spend more than half their free-time (56 percent for women, 51 percent for men) in front of the television. This perhaps accounts for the fact that they spend the least time amongst all the countries in the survey reading (8 percent) and partaking in entertainment and culture (1 percent). According to the statistics, Hungarian women only spend 5 percent of their free-time exercising, although at least they come in slightly higher than the British, who spend a dismal 4 percent of their free-time exercising. Men in Hungary and the UK both spend 6 percent of their time exercising. The statistics also show the breakdown of domestic activities between men and women. While there are no shocking anomalies within the statistics, the domestic activities of Hungarian men are relatively low on all counts (shopping, dishwashing, etc). Hungarian men do, however, seem to spend 5 percent more of their "domestic" time than men from any other country on "other domestic work". Government says long-awaited sale of MALÉV airlines could happen this year from The Budapest Sun BUDAPEST — The government has finally announced the long-awaited privatization of its financially troubled national carrier Magyar Légiközlekedési Rt (MALÉV) for this year, after 14 years of keeping it afloat with tax-payers money. "The government will not permit losses on state assets to be financed by tax payers," said Zoltán J Gál, cabinet spokesman, at the official announcement after the decision was carved in stone at the weekly cabinet meeting July 28. He did not detail the amount the government was expecting from the sale, however MALÉV could easily fetch more than $220 million considering the fact that in 1992 the government sold a 35% stake in MALÉV to Alitalia for $77 million. Gál would not comment on reports that an Austrian group had shown interest, but said any bidder serious enough to inject fresh capital into the company and guarantee to repay the hefty debts (currently swelling to $176 million) would be welcome to participate in the sale. Gál said that anyone who buys MALÉV will have to maintain the airline's national identity and character. A buyer is due to be announced in October and the government hopes to conclude the sale before the end of this year. On another note, MALÉV announced recently that in 2004 the company plans to break even, and perhaps even make a profit. In Brief Remembering the Roma Holocaust BUDAPEST — Prime Minister Péter Medgyessy was among those lighting candles recently to commemorate 60th anniversary of the Roma Holocaust in Budapest’s District IX. He was invited by the Roma Civil Rights Foundation. Aladár Horváth, President of the Foundation said that the vigil was held to commemorate the night of Aug. 2-3, 1944, when more than 3,000 Roma were systematically murdered at the Auschwitz- Birkenaui concentration camp. Civilians urged to leave Iraq BUDAPEST - Defense Minister Ferenc Juhász has called on the relatives of Hungarian civilians currently working in Iraq to ask them to come home. Juhász, speaking on a TV morning show, said that Hungarian civilians in Iraq are “in harms way”, adding that Hungary is unable to control where they go and therefore cannot vouch for their personal safety. Ministry spokesman Péter Matyuc said that if Hungarian civilians are taken hostage in Iraq, it would be “very much regretted by the armed forces”, but the ministry will not change its policy for either them or the terrorists. Calling all Magyars Have news about the Hungarian community you want to share? Write to: John E. Lovász, William Penn Life, 709 Brighton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15233. You may also call us at I -800-848-7366, ext. 135, or send an email to: jlovasz@williampennassociation.org William Penn Life, September2004 7
