I can’t recall

by frog

Oh, this is bad, bad news for politicians with dirty laundry:

MEMORY loss is widely considered as one of the banes of old age, but a world-first Australian study suggests that people over 50 who walk for just 2 1/2 hours a week can halt and even reverse it.

West Australian researchers found that over-50s with mild memory problems experienced improved brain function after a six-month exercise program based on walking, compared with other people who lived their lives as normal.

In the same country as the study’s authors Queensland Premier Anna Bligh (who is only 48) can’t remember how more than a dozen children kidnapped from Indian slums have ended up being adopted in Australia during her time as Child Safety Minister.

“Not to the best of my recollection, but there is material being gathered by the department about the child concerned so there may well be something that I don’t recall, but as you’ll appreciate it is a long time ago,” she said.

In two years time researchers could be forcing her out for a few brief walks to see if they can get to the bottom of the controversy.

Meanwhile 66 year old Thabo Mbeki who does not remember meeting the bosses of Thomson CSF, the French arms company, despite the fact that his ambassador to France, Barbara Masekela said he did, could find his memory inconveniently improved with some pedestrian activity too.

And here in New Zealand Winston Peters (63) will be grateful that he has the excuse that he still has his ministerial limo to ride in so that walking won’t accidentally endanger him during any upcoming SFO or privileges committee questioning.