Angel >> Aussie Aboriginal power In one of the greatest Olympic moments since Jesse Owens stuck it to Hitler, Australian runner Cathy Freeman became the first Aboriginal to walk away with an Olympic gold medal. After her 400-metre, 49.11-second victory, the 27-year-old Freeman took a celebratory lap around Stadium Australia, the Aboriginal and Australian flags intertwined over her shoulders. Oi Oi indeed.

Insect >> Modern life In the '60s, two researchers set about trying to measure the impact of life's little problems. Basing their study on such "life-changing" events as having children, divorce and unemployment, Richard Rahe and T.H. Holmes, then of the University of Washington, established a scale for determining just how much life sucks. Now, nearly 35 years later, the duo has scientifically proven the obvious. These days life sucks a full 45 per cent more than it did then. Go ahead and feel sorry for yourself, you've earned it.