For the first time since 1995, when the Gallup Poll began asking about abortion, a majority of U.S. adults have identified themselves as pro-life.

A new poll conducted from May 7 to May 10 found that 51 percent of Americans call themselves pro-life; 42 percent pro-choice.

New Yorkers split 46 to 46 percent on gay marriage, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll released today.

But break down the responses by groups and the numbers change.

Black voters are opposed 57 to 35 percent; white voters narrowly favor same-sex marriage 47 to 45 percent.

Men are against it 51 to 42 percent. Women support it 49 to 42 percent.

Five years ago New Yorkers overall were opposed to gay marriage 55 to 37 percent.

Counting calories? Now when you order you can know exactly what you’re getting.

As of tomorrow, Westchester County requires chain restaurants with at least 15 restaurants to post calories on all menus and menu boards.

You might be surprised. I remember looking up my favorite take-out salad. With the dressing and the bread? More than 1,000 calories.

Not what I had in mind at all.

Also effective tomorrow, all menus and menu boards must include an allergy notice reading: “If you have a food allergy, please speak to the owner, manager, chef or your server.”

Enforcement begins this month by the Westchester County Department of Health. Restaurants that do not comply could face fines as high as $1,000.

The columnists, especially women, can’t resist writing about Elizabeth Edwards’ marriage.

How does she delude herself? How can she not want to know whether Rielle Hunter’s daughter is her husband’s.

“If we discovered that it was, then that would be part of John’s life, but it’s not part of mine,” she told Oprah. “I can’t really see any up side to making it part of my life, honestly.”

To me, her comment makes perfect sense. She faces terminal cancer. She most likely is using all her strength to try to stay alive and care for her children. That’s what she’s probably focused on, and who can blame her?

And if she’s deluding herself, who cares?

Were she not ill I might understand the criticism. As it is, I don’t. Be kind.

Another school shooting, another killer with access to a gun.

This one was at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn., which hits hard. I attended Wesleyan as an exchange student for a year, my brother graduated from the school as did many friends.

The killing will spark the usual debate, with gun control opponents making their typical arguments against any limits.

Why don’t they instead offer some realistic ideas for making campuses safer?

PHOTO: Middletown Police Lt. Margaret Liseo holds a press conference near Broad Street Books store and the Wesleyan University campus in Middletown, Conn., today. She released a surveillance camera photo of the alleged gunman in the killing of Wesleyan junior Johanna Justin-Jinich. (AP Photo/George Ruhe)

When the competition to become caretaker of a tropical Australian island was announced, the job sounded fabulous.

Now that the economy’s tanked, it sounds even better.

The so-called job attracted thousands of applicants, and the winner has been announced. He’s a bungee-jumping, ostrich-riding British charity worker named Ben Southall.

Here’s the AP story:

SYDNEY (AP) — A bungee jumping, ostrich-riding British charity worker was named the winner Wednesday of what’s been dubbed the “Best Job in the World” — a six-month contract to serve as caretaker of a tropical Australian island.
Ben Southall bested nearly 35,000 applicants from around the world for the dream assignment to swim, explore and relax on Hamilton Island in the Great Barrier Reef while writing a blog to promote the area.
The 34-year-old was selected for the 150,000 Australian dollar ($111,000) gig by officials from the tourism department of Queensland state.
Southall and 15 other finalists spent the past four days on the island for an extended interview process, which required applicants to snorkel, gorge themselves at a beachside barbecue and relax at a spa. The finalists also had to demonstrate blogging abilities, take swimming tests and sit through interviews.
The job is part of a tourism campaign to publicize the charms of northeastern Queensland, and officials say it already has generated many millions of dollars in publicity. It became a viral marketing hit, spreading across the world via YouTube and social networking sites such as Facebook.
“I hope I can sell the reef as much as everybody is expecting,” Southall said after he was chosen at a ceremony on Hamilton Island. “My swimming hopefully is up to standard.”
Southall once was a tour guide in Africa and most recently worked raising money for a charity. In his application video, he expressed a love for adventure and featured photographs of himself riding an ostrich, running a marathon, scuba diving and kissing a giraffe.
“From the time he was announced in the Top 50, and then the Top 16, Ben has excelled in showing a true passion for Queensland,” Queensland Tourism Minister Peter Lawlor said in a statement. “His ideas for how he will make the role his own … plus his initiative and ability to rise to a challenge impressed the selection panel and secured his place in the top job.”
Although unquestionably a publicity smash success, the contest also attracted a fair bit of trouble since it was unveiled in January.
First, the job’s Web site crashed due to a deluge of visitors, angering many hopefuls who couldn’t lodge their video applications. Later, the tourism department was forced to admit it had created a popular video “application” showing a woman apparently getting a tattoo expressing her love of the Great Barrier Reef.
Then one finalist was ousted after it was revealed she had connections to the adult entertainment industry. And a prankster identifying himself as terror mastermind Osama bin Laden posted a video of himself on YouTube reciting reasons why he was the best pick for the job.
Southall will live for free in an airy, three-bedroom oceanfront villa with a private pool and sweeping views of the surrounding islands. He plans to bring his Canadian girlfriend to the island.
Southall starts “work” on July 1.

And here’s the Web site: http://www.islandreefjob.com/

PHOTO: Ben Southall in a picture supplied by Queensland Tourism. (AP Photo/Queensland Tourism, Eddie Safarik, HO)

Is there a sadder story than Elizabeth Edward’s?
To be battling terminal breast cancer and find out so publicly that your husband betrayed you.
Today the news has been of her interview with Oprah.
She told the talk show host that she did not know if Rielle Hunter’s baby was her husband’s, answered “You know, that’s a complicated question,” when asked whether she still loved her husband, and had this to say about “Is it a day by day thing?”
“Neither one of us is out the door so I guess it’s day by day, but maybe it’s month by month.”
The show is to air Thursday.

John Edwards admitted to the affair in August after it was revealed by the National Enquirer. He has denied being the father of Hunter’s daughter.
Elizabeth Edwards did the interview as part of the promotion of her new book, “Resilience,” to be published later this month.
I have no interest in anything John Edwards does at this point. As far as his wife, I agree with what Melinda Henneberger wrote the other day on AOL’s new Daily Politics: ”(W)hy should the National Enquirer get the last word on the story of her life?”
Here is part a profile of her that I’ve always remembered. It was written by the Times’ Randy Archibold in 2004 and it’s exceptionally poignant now.

For all her semi-feigned annoyance at the attention to his boyish looks, his image makers believe that the contrast between the senator and his wife helps him. That is especially true, the advisers say— and they tread carefully here—when Mr. Edwards introduces as “my wife of 26 years” a woman who looks smart, maternal and glitz-free.
“Given his looks, voters, I think, expect to see some blond trophy or something when he introduces his wife,” an aide said.

PHOTO: This photo taken March 28 and provided Tuesday by Harpo Productions Inc., shows talk-show host Oprah Winfrey with former presidential candidate John Edwards, his wife Elizabeth and daughter Emma Claire Edwards at their home in Chapel Hill, N.C., for a taping of “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” The show will air nationally on Thursday. (AP Photo/Harpo Productions, Inc., George Burns)

I’m just back from three days home sick. I’m pretty sure I had a cold—sneezing, coughing—and not the flu.

But this is what greeted me on one of my trips to my corner drugstore looking for supplies.

Clever marketing.