A woman's diet around the time of conception may influence the gender of her baby, research suggests.
The study suggests a high-calorie diet at this time - and regular breakfasts - might increase the odds of a boy.
The researchers say the modern trend to opt for low calorie diets might explain why the proportion of boys is falling in developed countries.
The study, by the Universities of Exeter and Oxford, appears in the Royal Society journal Biological Sciences.
The study focused on 740 first-time pregnant mothers in the UK, who were asked to provide records of their eating habits before and during the early stages of pregnancy.
Influencing a baby's sex
The researchers found 56% of women with the highest energy intake around the time of conception had boys, compared to just 45% among women with the lowest energy intake.
The average calorie intake for women who had sons was 2,413 a day, compared to 2,283 calories a day for women who had girls.
Women who had sons were also more likely to have eaten a higher quantity and wider range of nutrients, including potassium, calcium and vitamins C, E and B12.
They were also more likely to have eaten breakfast cereals.
Fewer boys
Over the last 40 years there has been a small but consistent decline, of about one per 1,000 births annually, in the proportion of boys being born in industrialised countries, including the UK.
Previous research has also shown a reduction in the average energy intake in the developed world, and there is also evidence that more people now skip breakfast.
Scientists already know that in many animals, more males are produced when a mother has plentiful resources or is high ranking.
The phenomenon has been most extensively studied in invertebrates, but is also seen in horses, cows and some species of deer.
The explanation is thought to lie with the evolutionary drive to produce descendants.
Lead researcher Dr Fiona Mathews said: "Potentially, males of most species can father more offspring than females, but this can be strongly influenced by the size or social status of the male, with poor quality males failing to breed at all.
"Females, on the other hand, reproduce more consistently.
"If a mother has plentiful resources then it can make sense to invest in producing a son because he is likely to produce more grandchildren than would a daughter.
"However, in leaner times having a daughter is a safer bet."
Glucose levels
It is known from IVF research that high levels of glucose encourage the growth and development of male embryos while inhibiting female embryos.
In humans, skipping breakfast depresses glucose levels and so may be interpreted by the body as indicating poor environmental conditions and low food availability.
Dr Allan Pacey, an expert in fertility at the University of Sheffield, said there was good evidence that nature had subtle ways of changing the sex ratio of a population in response to a variety of circumstances.
However, he said: "I would urge women to not to start starving themselves in order to try influence the sex of their baby.
"It has been observed in some animal studies that even small changes in female diet can affect the life long health of the offspring, so it is important that the mother has appropriate nutrition at the time of conception and throughout her pregnancy."
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7358384.stm
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Can you influence a baby's sex?
There are a variety of theories about influencing the sex of a baby.
But do they have any scientific merit or are they just old wives' tales?
Recent polls are clear. Many parents, given the chance, would love to influence the sex of their baby.
Four out of 10 say they would like to choose whether they have a boy or girl, with one in five even claiming they would pay £1,000 for the opportunity.
But why are parents so obsessed about it?
Annette Briley, a consultant midwife at Tommy's baby charity, believes it is linked to the ever-shrinking size of the family unit.
She points out whereas it was not uncommon for the post-war generation to have four or five children, most parents now opt for just two.
Control
"When our grandparents were having lots of children, there was always a good chance that they would have a mix of boys and girls.
"But now we have fewer that is not so likely.
"I guess it is also related to the nature of our society where we have so much control and I think that extends to choosing the make-up of our family."
And for couples wanting to influence their child's sex, there is no shortage of advice.
Fertility doctors already have the know-how to be able to decide the sex of a baby through embryo selection, but that is banned in the UK except for medical reasons.
There is very little scientific evidence that any of these lifestyle factors really have an impact
Dr Simon Fishel, fertility expert
As a result, parents are left to sift through a selection of what some dub old wives' tales.
Many of them relate to the environment of the vagina at the time of sex.
The theory goes that male sperm struggle more than female sperm in the naturally acidic conditions.
In the 1980s, douching, flooding the vagina with an alkaline solution such as baking soda before sex, was used.
This environment theory has also been used to lend support to the suggestion sexual positions can influence the reproduction process.
Since the vagina is known to be less acidic closer to the cervix, it has been claimed that having sex with the woman on top or the man behind, during which penetration is deeper, is more likely to lead to a boy.
Another theory is that as X-chromosome carrying sperm, which produce females, live longer, but swim slower than their Y-chromosome - male-producing - counterparts, it may increase the odds of a girl by having sex several days before ovulation and then abstaining so that the male sperm die.
This certainly seems to have gained some credence in the 21st century if the booming sales of ovulation sticks are anything to go by.
And then there is diet. Previous research has suggested potassium, found in the likes of meat and bananas, helps Y-chromosome sperm thrive, while the magnesium in nuts, soya beans and green leafy vegetables is good for X-chromosome sperm.
The latest study takes this a step further, suggesting a high calorie diet increases the odds of a boy.
But despite some parents swearing by these techniques, experts remain unconvinced.
Odds
Dr Simon Fishel, a leading fertility doctor and head of the CAREfertility group of clinics, said: "There is very little scientific evidence that any of these lifestyle factors really have an impact. At most they will only alter the odds slightly.
"But that is not to say people don't believe them. I get one or two emails each month with parents asking me about how they can have a boy or a girl.
"In the end I don't think we should decry this too much as long as every child is loved and cherished."
And no matter how silly some of these techniques seem, spare a thought for the French in the 18th century.
It was widely believed that if a man tied off his left testicle, a boy would be more likely.
The theory was based on the mistaken belief that sperm from each testicle were sex-specific.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7362541.stm
But do they have any scientific merit or are they just old wives' tales?
Recent polls are clear. Many parents, given the chance, would love to influence the sex of their baby.
Four out of 10 say they would like to choose whether they have a boy or girl, with one in five even claiming they would pay £1,000 for the opportunity.
But why are parents so obsessed about it?
Annette Briley, a consultant midwife at Tommy's baby charity, believes it is linked to the ever-shrinking size of the family unit.
She points out whereas it was not uncommon for the post-war generation to have four or five children, most parents now opt for just two.
Control
"When our grandparents were having lots of children, there was always a good chance that they would have a mix of boys and girls.
"But now we have fewer that is not so likely.
"I guess it is also related to the nature of our society where we have so much control and I think that extends to choosing the make-up of our family."
And for couples wanting to influence their child's sex, there is no shortage of advice.
Fertility doctors already have the know-how to be able to decide the sex of a baby through embryo selection, but that is banned in the UK except for medical reasons.
There is very little scientific evidence that any of these lifestyle factors really have an impact
Dr Simon Fishel, fertility expert
As a result, parents are left to sift through a selection of what some dub old wives' tales.
Many of them relate to the environment of the vagina at the time of sex.
The theory goes that male sperm struggle more than female sperm in the naturally acidic conditions.
In the 1980s, douching, flooding the vagina with an alkaline solution such as baking soda before sex, was used.
This environment theory has also been used to lend support to the suggestion sexual positions can influence the reproduction process.
Since the vagina is known to be less acidic closer to the cervix, it has been claimed that having sex with the woman on top or the man behind, during which penetration is deeper, is more likely to lead to a boy.
Another theory is that as X-chromosome carrying sperm, which produce females, live longer, but swim slower than their Y-chromosome - male-producing - counterparts, it may increase the odds of a girl by having sex several days before ovulation and then abstaining so that the male sperm die.
This certainly seems to have gained some credence in the 21st century if the booming sales of ovulation sticks are anything to go by.
And then there is diet. Previous research has suggested potassium, found in the likes of meat and bananas, helps Y-chromosome sperm thrive, while the magnesium in nuts, soya beans and green leafy vegetables is good for X-chromosome sperm.
The latest study takes this a step further, suggesting a high calorie diet increases the odds of a boy.
But despite some parents swearing by these techniques, experts remain unconvinced.
Odds
Dr Simon Fishel, a leading fertility doctor and head of the CAREfertility group of clinics, said: "There is very little scientific evidence that any of these lifestyle factors really have an impact. At most they will only alter the odds slightly.
"But that is not to say people don't believe them. I get one or two emails each month with parents asking me about how they can have a boy or a girl.
"In the end I don't think we should decry this too much as long as every child is loved and cherished."
And no matter how silly some of these techniques seem, spare a thought for the French in the 18th century.
It was widely believed that if a man tied off his left testicle, a boy would be more likely.
The theory was based on the mistaken belief that sperm from each testicle were sex-specific.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7362541.stm
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Dull jobs really do numb the mind
Boring jobs turn our mind to autopilot, say scientists - and it means we can seriously mess up some simple tasks.
Monotonous duties switch our brain to "rest mode", whether we like it or not, the researchers report in Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences.
They found mistakes can be predicted up to 30 seconds before we make them, by patterns in our brain activity.
The team hopes to design an early-warning brain monitor for pilots and others in "critical situations".
The scientists say the device would be particularly suitable for monotonous jobs where focus is hard to maintain - such as passport and immigration control.
Mistakes 'foreshadowed'
"We might be able to build a device (that could be placed) on the heads of people that makes these easy decisions," said Dr Eichele, of the University of Bergen, Norway.
"We can measure the signal and give feedback to the user that your brain is in the state where your decisions are not going to be the right one."
headset for EEG
Headsets could be designed to offer "early warning" of mistakes
In the study, Dr Eichele and his colleagues asked participants to repeatedly perform a "flanker task" - an experiment in which individuals must quickly respond to visual clues.
As they did so, brain scans were performed using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
They found the participants' mistakes were "foreshadowed" by a particular pattern of brain activity.
"To our surprise, up to 30 seconds before the mistake we could detect a distinct shift in activity," said Dr Stefan Debener, of Southampton University, UK.
"The brain begins to economise, by investing less effort to complete the same task.
"We see a reduction in activity in the prefrontal cortex. At the same time, we see an increase in activity in an area which is more active in states of rest, known as the Default Mode Network (DMN)."
Workplace safety
This is not a sign of the brain going to sleep, says Debener.
"Autopilot would be a better metaphor," he explains. "We can assume that the tendency to economise task performance leads to an inappropriate reduction of effort, thus causing errors."
plane at air traffic control tower
Device could help pilots and air traffic controllers maintain focus
Since this state begins about 30 seconds prior to a mistake being made, it could be possible to design an early-warning system that alerts people to be more focused or more careful, said the researchers.
That could significantly improve workplace safety and also improve performance in key tasks, such as driving, analysis of X-rays, or airport security screening.
But MRI scanners are neither portable enough nor fast enough to be practical for these real life scenarios, so the next step is to see if more mobile EEG devices are able to detect the phenomenon.
A prototype of a wireless, mobile, and lightweight EEG amplifier is currently in development and could be ready for the market in "10 to 15 years", says Dr Debener, who is based at the MRC Institute of Hearing Research, at Royal South Hants Hospital.
"But first, we must establish what is causing these mistakes," he adds.
"We do not know whether the change in brain activity we see has a causal link to the mistakes. After we establish that, we can try to develop monitoring devices."
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7358863.stm
Monotonous duties switch our brain to "rest mode", whether we like it or not, the researchers report in Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences.
They found mistakes can be predicted up to 30 seconds before we make them, by patterns in our brain activity.
The team hopes to design an early-warning brain monitor for pilots and others in "critical situations".
The scientists say the device would be particularly suitable for monotonous jobs where focus is hard to maintain - such as passport and immigration control.
Mistakes 'foreshadowed'
"We might be able to build a device (that could be placed) on the heads of people that makes these easy decisions," said Dr Eichele, of the University of Bergen, Norway.
"We can measure the signal and give feedback to the user that your brain is in the state where your decisions are not going to be the right one."
headset for EEG
Headsets could be designed to offer "early warning" of mistakes
In the study, Dr Eichele and his colleagues asked participants to repeatedly perform a "flanker task" - an experiment in which individuals must quickly respond to visual clues.
As they did so, brain scans were performed using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
They found the participants' mistakes were "foreshadowed" by a particular pattern of brain activity.
"To our surprise, up to 30 seconds before the mistake we could detect a distinct shift in activity," said Dr Stefan Debener, of Southampton University, UK.
"The brain begins to economise, by investing less effort to complete the same task.
"We see a reduction in activity in the prefrontal cortex. At the same time, we see an increase in activity in an area which is more active in states of rest, known as the Default Mode Network (DMN)."
Workplace safety
This is not a sign of the brain going to sleep, says Debener.
"Autopilot would be a better metaphor," he explains. "We can assume that the tendency to economise task performance leads to an inappropriate reduction of effort, thus causing errors."
plane at air traffic control tower
Device could help pilots and air traffic controllers maintain focus
Since this state begins about 30 seconds prior to a mistake being made, it could be possible to design an early-warning system that alerts people to be more focused or more careful, said the researchers.
That could significantly improve workplace safety and also improve performance in key tasks, such as driving, analysis of X-rays, or airport security screening.
But MRI scanners are neither portable enough nor fast enough to be practical for these real life scenarios, so the next step is to see if more mobile EEG devices are able to detect the phenomenon.
A prototype of a wireless, mobile, and lightweight EEG amplifier is currently in development and could be ready for the market in "10 to 15 years", says Dr Debener, who is based at the MRC Institute of Hearing Research, at Royal South Hants Hospital.
"But first, we must establish what is causing these mistakes," he adds.
"We do not know whether the change in brain activity we see has a causal link to the mistakes. After we establish that, we can try to develop monitoring devices."
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7358863.stm
US military recruits more ex-cons
The US Army and Marine Corps recruited significantly more people with criminal records last year than in 2006, amid pressure to meet combat needs.
Statistics released by a congressional committee show 861 people were granted waivers to enlist, up from 457 in 2007.
The crimes included assault, sex crimes, manslaughter and burglary.
The Army says waivers are only granted after careful review and are in response to the challenges of recruiting in a changing society.
The number of people granted waivers are just a small fraction of the more than 180,000 people who entered active duty in the armed forces during the fiscal year that ended in September 2007.
But the perceived lowering of standards is causing concern in some quarters.
"The significant increase in the recruitment of persons with criminal records is a result of the strain put on the military by the Iraq war," said Democratic Representative Henry Waxman.
Mr Waxman chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that released the figures drawn up by the US Department of Defense.
These show that:
* The Army granted 511 felony waivers in 2007, up from 249 the year before
* Some 350 people with convictions joined the Marine Corps, up from 208 in 2006
* The Navy actually recruited fewer people with convictions, down from 48 to 42
* The Air Force did not recruit anyone with a felony conviction
Among the convictions, many were for stealing, including burglary and car thefts, and drug offences.
Waivers were also granted to three people convicted of manslaughter, nine guilty of sex crimes, and nine convicted of making terror threats, including bomb threats.
In addition, the Army and Marine Corps granted 27,671 "conduct waivers" covering what are regarded as serious misdemeanours , up from 25,098 in 2006.
Pentagon officials say that the need to recruit troops for continuing operations abroad, low unemployment at home, and declining interest in serving pose a challenge.
"We're digging deeper into the barrel than we were before," an official told the Washington Post.
The Army also argues that its ranks reflect the society they are drawn from.
Only three in 10 Americans of military age meet the army's medical, moral, aptitude, or administrative requirements, army officials point out.
"We're growing the army fast, and there are some waivers - we know that," said Army Lt Gen James Thurman, deputy chief of staff for operations.
"It hasn't alarmed us yet."
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7360157.stm
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Ovary problem 'may aid athletes'
A common cause of menstrual disorders in women may offer a significant advantage to some athletes, according to a Swedish scientist.
Some leading female athletes have either no periods or irregular periods, normally thought to be due to tough training regimes and restricted diets.
But in some cases polycystic ovary syndrome may be the cause, said Magnus Hagmar, of the Karolinska Institute.
This raises male sex hormone levels and may help sufferers in sport, he said.
Many women have polycystic ovaries without any outward symptoms, although it can lower fertility and cause problems such as excess body hair and acne.
Power sports
While the precise cause is unknown, there seems to be a genetic link to the condition.
Mr Hagmar, from the Karolinska Institute, believes that having polycystic ovaries could explain some of the menstrual disorders found in "elite athletes".
He found polycystic ovaries were much more common in athletes training for the Olympics compared with the average woman - 37% of the athletes had them, compared with one in five women in the general population.
What we're dealing with is just a tiny increase in levels, which can make it easier for the women to build muscle mass and absorb oxygen
Magnus Hagmar
Karolinska Institute, Sweden
Polycystic ovaries were also more common in "power sports" such as ice hockey and wrestling, compared with technical sports such as archery or curling.
This could mean that the slight increase in production of the male sex hormone testosterone which accompanies polycystic ovaries is offering a competitive advantage.
He said: "What we're dealing with is just a tiny increase in levels, which can make it easier for the women to build muscle mass and absorb oxygen.
"This means that they might have got quicker results from their training and therefore been encouraged to train harder and more often."
Stronger bones
He said the results suggested a smaller influence for the conventional view that links eating disorders and heavy training with the loss of periods and an increase in brittle bone risk caused by the suppression of female hormones, as none of the athletes he tested had weak bones.
However, Professor Stephen Franks, an expert on reproductive biology from Imperial College London, said that while the research was "interesting", it did not offer proof that polycystic ovaries were a significant factor in menstrual disorders in athletes.
"It's pretty well established that, at least in endurance athletes, such as marathon runners, menstrual disorders are related to the effect of heavy exercise on the pituitary gland.
"It is possible that in 'power' sports that women who generally have slightly higher levels of testosterone may be better off."
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7354882.stm
Some leading female athletes have either no periods or irregular periods, normally thought to be due to tough training regimes and restricted diets.
But in some cases polycystic ovary syndrome may be the cause, said Magnus Hagmar, of the Karolinska Institute.
This raises male sex hormone levels and may help sufferers in sport, he said.
Many women have polycystic ovaries without any outward symptoms, although it can lower fertility and cause problems such as excess body hair and acne.
Power sports
While the precise cause is unknown, there seems to be a genetic link to the condition.
Mr Hagmar, from the Karolinska Institute, believes that having polycystic ovaries could explain some of the menstrual disorders found in "elite athletes".
He found polycystic ovaries were much more common in athletes training for the Olympics compared with the average woman - 37% of the athletes had them, compared with one in five women in the general population.
What we're dealing with is just a tiny increase in levels, which can make it easier for the women to build muscle mass and absorb oxygen
Magnus Hagmar
Karolinska Institute, Sweden
Polycystic ovaries were also more common in "power sports" such as ice hockey and wrestling, compared with technical sports such as archery or curling.
This could mean that the slight increase in production of the male sex hormone testosterone which accompanies polycystic ovaries is offering a competitive advantage.
He said: "What we're dealing with is just a tiny increase in levels, which can make it easier for the women to build muscle mass and absorb oxygen.
"This means that they might have got quicker results from their training and therefore been encouraged to train harder and more often."
Stronger bones
He said the results suggested a smaller influence for the conventional view that links eating disorders and heavy training with the loss of periods and an increase in brittle bone risk caused by the suppression of female hormones, as none of the athletes he tested had weak bones.
However, Professor Stephen Franks, an expert on reproductive biology from Imperial College London, said that while the research was "interesting", it did not offer proof that polycystic ovaries were a significant factor in menstrual disorders in athletes.
"It's pretty well established that, at least in endurance athletes, such as marathon runners, menstrual disorders are related to the effect of heavy exercise on the pituitary gland.
"It is possible that in 'power' sports that women who generally have slightly higher levels of testosterone may be better off."
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7354882.stm
DNA tests on Texas sect children
A Texas judge has ordered that 416 children, removed from a polygamous breakaway Mormon sect by police, remain in state custody for genetic testing.
Welfare officers had told the judge they had been unable to determine which parents the children were related to.
The ruling comes after officials said some of the girls may have had babies when they were just 13 years old.
The closed community was first raided amid reports that a 16-year-old girl was physically and sexually abused.
Detectives are looking for evidence of a marriage between the girl and a 50-year-old man.
She is reported to have been beaten and raped by her older husband and to be pregnant again eight months after giving birth to her first child when she was 15.
The legal age of sexual consent in Texas is 17.
The girl has not yet been identified, but all children living on the isolated Yearning for Zion ranch aged between six months and 17 years of age were placed in emergency state custody.
'Persecution'
The adults in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) group, which broke away from the mainstream Mormon Church more than a century ago when polygamy was banned, say they are being persecuted for their religious beliefs.
Church built at the FLDS's compound in Texas (2005)
The sect has built a large church at the Yearning For Zion ranch
Members believe a man must marry at least three wives in order to ascend to heaven. Women are taught that their path to heaven depends on being subservient to their husband.
Group members live in large extended families, and the sect has been accused of forcing young girls into polygamous marriages, a claim it denies.
Child protection officials said group members were evasive when questioned, making it hard to determine exact parenthood, and that DNA testing was necessary.
'Indoctrination'
Child Protective Services supervisor Angie Voss, testifying in Friday's custody hearing, told the court there was a "culture of young girls being pregnant by older men" at the YFZ ranch.
Ms Voss said the girls were in danger of sexual abuse and the boys were being "groomed" to become perpetrators, AFP news agency reports.
An expert on children in cults told the court that the girls may have believed that marrying much older men was their free choice because they had been raised in that belief.
"Obedience is a very important part of their belief system," said Bruce Perry.
Although many of the adults and children at the YFZ ranch seemed emotionally healthy, the sect's belief system was "abusive", he added.
"The culture is very authoritarian."
Polygamy is illegal in the US, but the authorities have reportedly been reluctant to confront the FLDS for fear of sparking a tragedy similar to the 1993 siege of the Branch Davidian sect in Waco, Texas, which led to the deaths of about 80 members.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7355779.stm
Welfare officers had told the judge they had been unable to determine which parents the children were related to.
The ruling comes after officials said some of the girls may have had babies when they were just 13 years old.
The closed community was first raided amid reports that a 16-year-old girl was physically and sexually abused.
Detectives are looking for evidence of a marriage between the girl and a 50-year-old man.
She is reported to have been beaten and raped by her older husband and to be pregnant again eight months after giving birth to her first child when she was 15.
The legal age of sexual consent in Texas is 17.
The girl has not yet been identified, but all children living on the isolated Yearning for Zion ranch aged between six months and 17 years of age were placed in emergency state custody.
'Persecution'
The adults in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) group, which broke away from the mainstream Mormon Church more than a century ago when polygamy was banned, say they are being persecuted for their religious beliefs.
Church built at the FLDS's compound in Texas (2005)
The sect has built a large church at the Yearning For Zion ranch
Members believe a man must marry at least three wives in order to ascend to heaven. Women are taught that their path to heaven depends on being subservient to their husband.
Group members live in large extended families, and the sect has been accused of forcing young girls into polygamous marriages, a claim it denies.
Child protection officials said group members were evasive when questioned, making it hard to determine exact parenthood, and that DNA testing was necessary.
'Indoctrination'
Child Protective Services supervisor Angie Voss, testifying in Friday's custody hearing, told the court there was a "culture of young girls being pregnant by older men" at the YFZ ranch.
Ms Voss said the girls were in danger of sexual abuse and the boys were being "groomed" to become perpetrators, AFP news agency reports.
An expert on children in cults told the court that the girls may have believed that marrying much older men was their free choice because they had been raised in that belief.
"Obedience is a very important part of their belief system," said Bruce Perry.
Although many of the adults and children at the YFZ ranch seemed emotionally healthy, the sect's belief system was "abusive", he added.
"The culture is very authoritarian."
Polygamy is illegal in the US, but the authorities have reportedly been reluctant to confront the FLDS for fear of sparking a tragedy similar to the 1993 siege of the Branch Davidian sect in Waco, Texas, which led to the deaths of about 80 members.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7355779.stm
Villages 'discovered' in DR Congo
Hundreds of villagers are helping to map parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo where thick forest and conflict have prevented effective mapping.
So far about 190 villages have been found in one area of Bandundu province where old maps show only 30, UK-based charity The Rainforest Foundation says.
Most maps are produced from satellite images taken from above, but this project is using handheld GPS units.
The map is intended to aid post-war planning and timber permit allocations.
A five-year conflict in DR Congo ended in 2003.
Resource-rich
"In one of the sectors of the territory that the groups are mapping at the moment, there are something like 190 villages but on the official map there are about 30," Cath Long of the Rainforest Foundation which is organising the project told the BBC's Network Africa.
She said millions of Congolese depend on the forest for their existence.
"The real worry is that permits to cut timber, permits to extract resources will be given to external companies without recognising the fact that people are already there and already using the forest," she said.
The charity hopes the map will be ready for a government meeting in May on forest and land.
The government has already allocated parts of the territory to 11 logging concessions, it says.
DR Congo is home to one of the word's largest rainforests and has huge reserves of gold, diamonds, copper and coltan, used to make mobile phones.
Correspondents say these riches have been a key factor in the civil wars, instability and bad government the country has known since independence.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7355335.stm
So far about 190 villages have been found in one area of Bandundu province where old maps show only 30, UK-based charity The Rainforest Foundation says.
Most maps are produced from satellite images taken from above, but this project is using handheld GPS units.
The map is intended to aid post-war planning and timber permit allocations.
A five-year conflict in DR Congo ended in 2003.
Resource-rich
"In one of the sectors of the territory that the groups are mapping at the moment, there are something like 190 villages but on the official map there are about 30," Cath Long of the Rainforest Foundation which is organising the project told the BBC's Network Africa.
She said millions of Congolese depend on the forest for their existence.
"The real worry is that permits to cut timber, permits to extract resources will be given to external companies without recognising the fact that people are already there and already using the forest," she said.
The charity hopes the map will be ready for a government meeting in May on forest and land.
The government has already allocated parts of the territory to 11 logging concessions, it says.
DR Congo is home to one of the word's largest rainforests and has huge reserves of gold, diamonds, copper and coltan, used to make mobile phones.
Correspondents say these riches have been a key factor in the civil wars, instability and bad government the country has known since independence.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7355335.stm
Bank to detail £50bn bonds plan
The Bank of England is to announce details later of a plan to help prevent the credit crisis causing more damage to the UK banking system and economy.
Banks will be given the chance to swap their mortgages for about £50bn worth of government bonds to enable them to operate during the credit squeeze.
Ministers hope the plan will alleviate problems in the mortgage markets.
BBC business editor Robert Peston said the move could be seen as a "U-turn" by the usually conservative lender.
'Ambitious plan'
Our correspondent said under the scheme banks would be allowed to swap their mortgages for government securities.
He said the scheme could be the world's most generous plan to pump money into the banking system.
This was especially so because the Bank of England was regarded as more conservative in its financial support for banks than the Federal Reserve in the US and the European Central Bank, he added.
The Bank is expected to say later that it expects around £50bn of these securities to be issued to banks in the first instance, but that it would be prepared to provide more help if required.
On Sunday, Chancellor Alistair Darling said that without the Bank of England's intervention, there was "every chance" the UK's financial crisis would get worse.
He confirmed the Bank would be setting up a scheme to help banks operate during the credit squeeze but insisted the loans would have to be paid back.
Sub-prime problems
Mr Darling will reveal the full details of the rescue plan to MPs in the House of Commons after the announcement by the Bank.
British banks have become increasingly unwilling to lend to one another as a result of the credit crisis, which was sparked by massive losses for banks who lent in the US sub-prime sector.
Many investors, concerned about what happened to sub-prime mortgages in the US, no longer want UK mortgage-based assets and the disappearance of this market has deprived banks of tens of billions of pounds of finance for mortgage lending.
It is one of the main reasons why the cost of mortgages for many homeowners has been rising, even though the Bank of England has been cutting its base lending rate.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7357880.stm
Banks will be given the chance to swap their mortgages for about £50bn worth of government bonds to enable them to operate during the credit squeeze.
Ministers hope the plan will alleviate problems in the mortgage markets.
BBC business editor Robert Peston said the move could be seen as a "U-turn" by the usually conservative lender.
'Ambitious plan'
Our correspondent said under the scheme banks would be allowed to swap their mortgages for government securities.
He said the scheme could be the world's most generous plan to pump money into the banking system.
This was especially so because the Bank of England was regarded as more conservative in its financial support for banks than the Federal Reserve in the US and the European Central Bank, he added.
The Bank is expected to say later that it expects around £50bn of these securities to be issued to banks in the first instance, but that it would be prepared to provide more help if required.
On Sunday, Chancellor Alistair Darling said that without the Bank of England's intervention, there was "every chance" the UK's financial crisis would get worse.
He confirmed the Bank would be setting up a scheme to help banks operate during the credit squeeze but insisted the loans would have to be paid back.
Sub-prime problems
Mr Darling will reveal the full details of the rescue plan to MPs in the House of Commons after the announcement by the Bank.
British banks have become increasingly unwilling to lend to one another as a result of the credit crisis, which was sparked by massive losses for banks who lent in the US sub-prime sector.
Many investors, concerned about what happened to sub-prime mortgages in the US, no longer want UK mortgage-based assets and the disappearance of this market has deprived banks of tens of billions of pounds of finance for mortgage lending.
It is one of the main reasons why the cost of mortgages for many homeowners has been rising, even though the Bank of England has been cutting its base lending rate.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7357880.stm
Is it her genes? Oldest known person turns 115 on Sunday
SHELBYVILLE, Ind. - Maybe it was a lifetime of chores on the family farm that accounts for Edna Parker's long life. Or maybe just good genes explain why the world's oldest known person will turn 115 on Sunday, defying staggering odds.
Scientists who study longevity hope Parker and others who live to 110 or beyond — they're called supercentenarians — can help solve the mystery of extreme longevity.
"We don't know why she's lived so long," said Don Parker, her 59-year-old grandson. "But she's never been a worrier and she's always been a thin person, so maybe that has something to do with it."
On Friday, Edna Parker laughed and smiled as relatives and guests released 115 balloons into sunny skies outside her nursing home. Dressed in pearls, a blue and white polka dot dress and new white shoes, she clutched a red rose during the festivities.
Two years ago, researchers from the New England Centenarian Study at Boston University took a blood sample from Parker for the group's DNA database of supercentenarians.
Her DNA is now preserved with samples of about 100 other people who made the 110-year milestone and whose genes are being analyzed, said Dr. Tom Perls, an aging specialist who directs the project.
"They're really our best bet for finding the elusive Holy Grail of our field — which are these longevity-enabling genes," he said.
Only 75 living people — 64 women and 11 men — are 110 or older, according to the Gerontology Research Group of Inglewood, Calif., which verifies reports of extreme ages.
Parker, who was born April 20, 1893, was recognized by Guinness World Records as the oldest of that group last August after the death of a Japanese woman four months her senior.
A widow since her husband, Earl, died in 1938 of a heart attack, Parker lived alone in their farmhouse until age 100, when she moved into her son Clifford's home. She cheated death a few months later.
One winter night, Clifford and his wife returned home from a high school basketball game to find her missing. Don, their son, says he discovered his grandmother in the snowy darkness near the farm's apple orchard. He scooped up her rigid body and rushed back to the house.
"She was stiff as a 2-by-4. We really thought that was the end of her," he said.
But Parker recovered fully, suffering only frostbitten fingertips.
Fifteen years later, her room at the Heritage House Convalescent Center in Shelbyville, Ind., about 25 miles southeast of Indianapolis, is adorned with teddy bears and photos of her five grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great grandchildren. She's outlived her two sons, Clifford and Earl Jr.
During a visit this week, Parker was captivated by a new album of photos and documents from her life that Don's wife, Charlene, had assembled.
"That's the boys," she said hoarsely, tapping a photo of her two late sons in their youth. "Clifford and Junior."
Her two sisters also are deceased. Georgia lived to be 99, while her sister Opal was 88 when she died.
Parker's long-lived sisters are typical of other centenarians, according to Dr. Nir Barzilai, director of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine's Institute for Aging Research in New York. Nearly all of them have a sister, mother or other relative who lived a long life, he said.
"Longevity is in the family history," Barzilai said.
He and other scientists have found several genetic mutations in centenarians that may play a role in either slowing the aging process or boosting resistance to age-related diseases.
Perls said the secret to a long life is now believed to be a mix of genetics and environmental factors such as health habits. He said his research on about 1,500 centenarians hints at another factor that may protect people from illnesses such as heart attacks and stroke — they appear not to dwell on stressful events.
"They seem to manage their stress better than the rest of us," he said.
Found at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080418/ap_on_he_me/oldest_human_research
Saturday, April 19, 2008
EU push to widen US visa waiver
EU interior ministers have agreed to give the European Commission the green light to negotiate terms for visa-free travel to the US for all EU states.
EU officials have been unhappy about deals being done individually, as has already happened in some cases.
Most older EU states are already in the US visa waiver scheme, but Greece and most of the 12 newer members are not.
Access to personal data is a key issue in the talks. Since the 2001 terror attacks the US has tightened the rules.
The ministers, meeting in Luxembourg on Friday, want the Commission to address concerns that US security demands could contravene EU laws on data protection.
Washington wants access to passenger data and to the database used by EU countries in the Schengen zone of border-free travel.
Only 15 EU states are covered by the current visa-waiver scheme. They are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK.
Citizens from Greece and 11 of the 12 newest EU states - Slovenia is the exception - need visas for travel to the US.
Source:
EU officials have been unhappy about deals being done individually, as has already happened in some cases.
Most older EU states are already in the US visa waiver scheme, but Greece and most of the 12 newer members are not.
Access to personal data is a key issue in the talks. Since the 2001 terror attacks the US has tightened the rules.
The ministers, meeting in Luxembourg on Friday, want the Commission to address concerns that US security demands could contravene EU laws on data protection.
Washington wants access to passenger data and to the database used by EU countries in the Schengen zone of border-free travel.
Only 15 EU states are covered by the current visa-waiver scheme. They are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK.
Citizens from Greece and 11 of the 12 newest EU states - Slovenia is the exception - need visas for travel to the US.
Source:
Friday, April 18, 2008
Action urged to keep net neutral
Tough action is required by US regulators to protect the principles that have made the net so successful, a leading digital rights lawyer has said.
Professor Lawrence Lessig was speaking at a public meeting to debate the tactics some net firms use to manage data traffic at busy times.
He said the Federal Communications Committee (FCC) should act to keep all net traffic flowing equally.
The FCC said net firms had a duty to tell customers about data management.
No more rules
The seven-hour public meeting was held at Stanford University and featured presentations from Prof Lessing, songwriters, network administrators and net engineers.
Prof Lessig said one of the principles that guided the foundation of the net was that all traffic should flow equally across it.
This principle of net neutrality, he said, was being eroded as net firms manage traffic and place restrictions on what their domestic broadband customers can do.
Consumers must be fully informed of the exact nature of the service they are purchasing
Kevin Martin, FCC
The meeting was called by the FCC in reaction to the news that US net firm Comcast had been exposed as managing traffic by stopping some of its 13m customers uploading files to BitTorrent and other peer-to-peer networks.
The FCC has started a formal investigation to see if Comcast merits a fine for its actions.
In response to the publicity surrounding its actions, Comcast has said it would change its policy.
In the UK many net firms manage traffic at peak times in a bid to ensure that everyone gets the highest broadband speed possible.
Prof Lessig said there had to be clear rules, perhaps involving financial incentives, to force net firms to respect net neutrality. Current rules, he warned, meant that many firms were tempted to manage traffic to protect profits.
At the meeting the two Democrats who sit on the five-strong FCC board said it needed new powers to make sure net firms complied with net neutrality principles.
But the two Republican commissioners on the board warned against over-burdening net firms with more rules.
Summing up, FCC chairman Kevin Martin said its net policies were powerful enough but just needed to be properly enforced.
He said there was nothing wrong with net firms managing traffic as long as they kept customers fully informed.
"There must be adequate disclosures of the particular traffic management tools," said Mr Martin. "Consumers must be fully informed of the exact nature of the service they are purchasing."
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7354133.stm
Professor Lawrence Lessig was speaking at a public meeting to debate the tactics some net firms use to manage data traffic at busy times.
He said the Federal Communications Committee (FCC) should act to keep all net traffic flowing equally.
The FCC said net firms had a duty to tell customers about data management.
No more rules
The seven-hour public meeting was held at Stanford University and featured presentations from Prof Lessing, songwriters, network administrators and net engineers.
Prof Lessig said one of the principles that guided the foundation of the net was that all traffic should flow equally across it.
This principle of net neutrality, he said, was being eroded as net firms manage traffic and place restrictions on what their domestic broadband customers can do.
Consumers must be fully informed of the exact nature of the service they are purchasing
Kevin Martin, FCC
The meeting was called by the FCC in reaction to the news that US net firm Comcast had been exposed as managing traffic by stopping some of its 13m customers uploading files to BitTorrent and other peer-to-peer networks.
The FCC has started a formal investigation to see if Comcast merits a fine for its actions.
In response to the publicity surrounding its actions, Comcast has said it would change its policy.
In the UK many net firms manage traffic at peak times in a bid to ensure that everyone gets the highest broadband speed possible.
Prof Lessig said there had to be clear rules, perhaps involving financial incentives, to force net firms to respect net neutrality. Current rules, he warned, meant that many firms were tempted to manage traffic to protect profits.
At the meeting the two Democrats who sit on the five-strong FCC board said it needed new powers to make sure net firms complied with net neutrality principles.
But the two Republican commissioners on the board warned against over-burdening net firms with more rules.
Summing up, FCC chairman Kevin Martin said its net policies were powerful enough but just needed to be properly enforced.
He said there was nothing wrong with net firms managing traffic as long as they kept customers fully informed.
"There must be adequate disclosures of the particular traffic management tools," said Mr Martin. "Consumers must be fully informed of the exact nature of the service they are purchasing."
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7354133.stm
See Mercury, the Elusive Planet
The planet Mercury is often cited as the most difficult of the five brightest naked-eye planets to see. Because it's the planet closest to the Sun, it never strays too far from the Sun's vicinity in our sky. It is often referred to as "the elusive planet." And there's even a rumor that Copernicus, never saw it, yet it's not really hard to see. You simply must know when and where to look, and find a clear horizon. And for those living in the Northern Hemisphere, a great "window of opportunity" for viewing Mercury in the evening sky is about to open up.
Mercury is called an "inferior planet" because its orbit is nearer to the Sun than the Earth's. Therefore, it always appears from our vantage point to be in the same general direction as the Sun. In the pre-Christian era, this planet actually had two names, as it was not realized it could alternately appear on one side of the Sun and then the other.
Mercury was called Mercury when in the evening sky, but was known as Apollo when it appeared in the morning. It is said that Pythagoras, about the fifth century B.C., pointed out that they were one and the same.
A bright evening "star"
Mercury just passed superior conjunction on April 16, but in the days to come it will bolt out to become easily visible low in the west-northwest at dusk. On Wednesday evening, April 23, Mercury should be visible within about 30 minutes after sunset if your sky is quite clear. Mercury will be shining at magnitude �1.6, slightly brighter than Sirius (the brightest of all stars). In fact, at that particular hour of the day, Mercury will be the brightest object in the sky!
So, if your sky is free of any horizon haze and there are no tall obstructions to your view (like trees or buildings) you should have no trouble in seeing it as a very bright "star" shining with just a trace of a yellowish-orange tinge. By April 30, Mercury will be setting as late as 85 minutes after the Sun. That evening, binoculars may show the Pleiades star cluster 4 degrees directly above it. (Your clenched fist held at arm's length measures about 10 degrees in width.)
In the evenings that follow, Mercury will slowly diminish in brightness, but it will also slowly gain altitude as it gradually moves away from the vicinity of the Sun. This is just the start of Mercury's best apparition of the year for mid-northern viewers. On the evening of May 6, be sure to look for a delicately thin sliver of a 1.5-day old crescent Moon sitting just a couple of degrees above and slightly to Mercury's right.
Pinnacle: May 14
Mercury, like Venus, appears to go through phases like the Moon. Right now, Mercury is a nearly full disk, which is why it starts off appearing so bright. Mercury reaches its greatest elongation, 22 degrees to the east of the Sun, on May 14. Shining at magnitude +0.4 (as bright as the star Procyon in Canis Minor), it will set nearly two hours after the Sun. By the time it arrives at its greatest elongation, it will appear roughly half-illuminated and the amount of its surface illuminated by the Sun will continue to decrease in the days to come. So when it begins to turn back toward the Sun's vicinity after May 14, it will fade at a rather rapid pace.
In fact, on the evening of May 22, Mercury's brightness will have dropped to magnitude +1.7; only 1/20 as bright as it was on April 23. In telescopes it will appear as a narrowing crescent phase. This, in all likelihood will be your last view of it, for the combination of its lowering altitude, plus its descent into the brighter sunset glow will finally render Mercury invisible by the final week of May.
Orbital peregrinations
In old Roman legends, Mercury was the swift-footed messenger of the gods. The planet is well named for it is the closest planet to the Sun (at an average distance of 36 million miles) and the swiftest of the Sun's family, averaging about 30 miles per second; making its yearly journey in only 88 Earth days. Interestingly, the time it takes Mercury to rotate once on its axis is 59 days, so that all parts of its surface experiences periods of intense heat and extreme cold. But we cannot say that a solar day on Mercury lasts 59 days because its highly eccentric orbit causes an effect known as a 3:2 spin�orbit resonance. As a consequence, because Mercury rotates three times for every two times it revolves around the Sun, the time it takes from one sunrise to the next is equal to about 176 days.
So for 88 days, the Sun is constantly above the horizon and surface temperatures soar to nearly 900 degrees F (482-degrees C). Daytime temperatures are high enough to melt zinc and tin. Then comes 88 days of darkness, with surface temperatures plummeting to -300 degrees F (-184 degrees C) — the greatest range of temperatures of any planet.
In fact, on some parts of Mercury's surface, it is even possible to see the Sun briefly reverse its course in the sky. This happens around the time that Mercury arrives at that part of its orbit which places it closest to the Sun (called perihelion), where it's orbital speed can briefly exceed its rotational speed.
At sunrise, this strange effect would cause the Sun to appear to rise above the horizon ... then slow to a halt ... then reverse direction and drop back below the horizon. At sunset, the Sun would drop below the horizon, then pop back up into view before resuming its normal course, ultimately setting again for a second time within a week.
Found at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20080418/sc_space/seemercurytheelusiveplanet
How Far is the US From Food Shortages and Food Riots?
by Monica Davis (davis4000_2000@yahoo.com )
Saturday Apr 12th, 2008 2:37 PM
Even the United States is not immune from the potential for food shortages, food riots and food insecurity. We’re just blind to the possibility.
As Americans complain over high gasoline and food prices, many third world countries are experiencing food riots over price and scarcity of food. In some parts of the word rice is so expensive that it is transported in heavily guarded convoys and farmers guard their fields from thieves.
Food riots are becoming more common, as more land and crops are being diverted from the food chain by the world biofuels industry. According to an investment magazine, the crisis shows no signs of weakening. Food, the bread of life, is fast becoming the “gold” of the Twenty-first century.
Fatal food riots in Haiti. Violent food-price protests in Egypt and Ivory Coast. Rice so valuable it is transported in armoured convoys. Soldiers guarding fields and warehouses. Export bans to keep local populations from starving. (Globalinvestor.com)
The face of food security is rapidly changing around the world and there are no quick fixes experts say. What worries many is that food stockpiles are at historic lows. In the United States alone,
stockpiles of wheat hit a 60-year low in the United States as prices soared. Almost all other commodities, from rice and soybeans to sugar and corn, have posted triple-digit price increases in the past year or two. (Ibid)
Experts say the high prices will continue for years, putting billions of people at risk for malnutrition or starvation. World leaders continue to cast fearful eyes at the burgeoning bio-fuels industry, noting that the competition generated by the industrial biofuels industry and food agriculture is pushing up food prices and making it more profitable to grow fuel crops for industrialized countries than it is for big farmers in Third World countries to grow food for their own citizens.
What has put many world leaders on notice is the fact that this artificially generated food crisis has not yet peaked. As of this writing, no one knows when the situation will reach a crescendo, or to what extent this demand will affect food security and political stability in the world.
Many believe that the food crisis is in its infancy and they worry about increasing food-based political instability worldwide.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said this week he's worried that ethanol production is pushing up food prices everywhere, and he called for an urgent review of the issue. Economist Dr. Hazell has said that filling an SUV tank once with ethanol consumes more maize than the typical African eats in a year. (Ibid)
So far, Americans have been able to weather the storm. While rising fuel and food prices have generated grumbling from the populace and hand wringing from the politicians, this country has yet to experience the level of social unrest and rioting that high food prices have generated in other parts of the world.
In Haiti, ongoing instability and riots over food prices has led to the probable ousting of the nation’s Prime Minister. Newswires are reporting “A Haitian senator says that parliament has voted to dismiss Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis following deadly riots over rising food prices.” (Wire services)
A few analysts believe that the United States is on the verge of a major economic revolution, a process, which will change where we live, what we eat, and how we view agriculture. Looking at the rumbles from around the world we are already seeing wars over oil and energy resources, not to mention the violent eviction of traditional farmers in South America and other parts of the world by the industrialized bio-fuels industry.
The fight over finite land resources is slowly taking shape out of sight of most of the United States as agribusinesses lay claim to land around the world. Agro-conglomerates chase natives off tribal lands in South America, Indonesia and parts of the Far East at gunpoint. Murder over land continues in the Third World, as conglomerates move onto jungle and rain forest land, clearing acreage with slash and burn campaigns.
What was once climate producing tropical rain forest has become fields for sugar cane, corn and other biofuels. More profitable biofuel crops have now deprived the food chain of a large supply of corn and other crops, driving up the cost of corn-based food such as corn meal, tortillas, corn syrup and a hundred other crops and products which grace our tables at ever greater cost.
The food riots in Haiti are mirrored by riots in parts of Africa and Asia, sending shock waves throughout the Third World. According to a report from the United Nations, the 60 per cent price increase in the price of corn and feedstock over the past two years can be directly traced to the increased demand on corn and soybeans made by the biofuels industry. The United States, as the world’s largest exporter of corn, has diverted millions of pounds of corn and soybean crops to the growing biofuels industry, creating a market that makes fuel crops more profitable than food crops. National surpluses of grains have give way to increased demand for biofuels, driving up the price of corn and grains around the world. (World Bank)
Traditional food crops—rapeseed, maize (corn), palm and soybean are in demand by both food agriculture and the growing biofuels industry, creating an increased competition, which is driving up food costs by double digits, generating food riots around the world. Thai farmers and other farmers are now guarding rice crops, as skyrocketing grain prices are leading to crop theft and food riots around the world. According to international reports:
Rice farmers here (Thailand) are staying awake in shifts at night to guard their fields from thieves. In Peru, shortages of wheat flour are prompting the military to make bread with potato flour, a native crop. In Egypt, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso food riots have broken out in the past week. (Thoughtcriminal.org)
In Thailand and other rice and grain producing nations, food theft is rising. Crops are stolen directly from fields.
The reported thefts in five rice-growing provinces in central Thailand are the first signs of criminal activity in this region stemming from the sharpest global spike in commodity prices since the oil crisis in the mid-1970s. Across the world, higher food prices are triggering thefts and violence – both by people who can’t afford to eat and those who want to make an easy buck. (Ibid)
The United States produces 46% of the world’s biofuels, with Brazil coming in at a close second with 42%. (Biofuels: the Promise and the Risks). As a world leader in food exports, grain in particular, the United States has altered world grain markets by diverting grain into fuel production, thereby increasing demand for grains with a resultant rise in the price of the commodity because of demand. The ensuing market shortage has generated price increases in the world grain market, making food staples too expensive for much of the world’s poor to afford.
So far, Americans are mostly bystanders in the game, content to grumble at the gas pump and complain in the grocery aisles. As a “First World” nation, the United States so far has not been subject to the food riots, which we have seen in Haiti and other parts of the world. Americans have more per capita income than much of the world; hence the crisis of the Third World, so far, is inconvenience in the “First World” and in developed nations such as the United States.
That said, however, we must understand that this situation is not sustainable. While Americans do have more disposable income than the rest of the word, that income is not unlimited and our food supply is much more vulnerable than we think. When it comes to food security, both in terms of supply and accessibility, this country is much more vulnerable than we think.
As one retired grain salesman noted, most of the nation’s grain is moved around the country by just TWO railroads. Little is stored in the event of disaster and the whole system is extremely vulnerable. While we in the United States look at the food riots in other countries with a sense of disbelief, we are not immune. Under the right circumstances, we could be in the same boat. (Ibid)
In order for riots to break out the whole food supply doesn't have to be wiped out. It just has to be threatened sufficiently. When people realize their vulnerability and the fact that there is no short-term solution to a severe enough drought in the Midwest they will have no clue as to what they should do. Other nations can't make up the difference because no other nation has a surplus of grain in good times let alone in times when they are having droughts and floods also. (Robert Felix, “US Food Riots Much Closer than You Think”)
Critics say the US is currently too preoccupied with foreign excursions and oil to pay attention to food security, particularly how concentration of suppliers and processors threaten the food chain. The highly concentrated meat processing industry has generated millions of pounds of recalls this year. Outbreaks in e.coli and other food borne pathogens continue to haunt the headlines, as food prices rise around the world.
The concentration of food processing, cultivation and distribution into the hands of a few companies is wrecking havoc around the world. A Canadian reporter noted the connection between market concentration and price increases around the world:
In Mexico and most other countries, a handful of international companies is controlling more and more of the food production line—from growing crops to purchasing crops from farmers, to warehousing, processing and distribution.
Carlsen said investigations following the tortilla crisis found that huge stores of corn in warehouses had cut down the supply and led to a jump in prices. (Matthew Little, Epoch Times, “Food Prices Skyrocket Amidst Growing Shortages.”)
Food security, that is the availability and affordability of food, has been pushed aside by the War on Terror, and continues to lag behind our awareness, despite their being linked together in a dangerous dance of death, which has been created by the bio-fuels industry. Ultimately, the price of oil, depends on supply, demand and risk (War), and the price of food has now become dangerously linked to the energy market by the requirements of the fuel crop industry. We now are dealing with a ‘double whammy’ that is dangerously impeding our food supply.
Living in the “Breadbasket of the World,” it is hard for most Americans to even conceive of the idea that food could become scarce in this country. Few of us are paying attention to the close relationship between biofuel, grain crops and price inflation.
Think tank analyst Pat Mooney noted the close connection between corn and oil prices.
"The market place does now tie the price of a bushel of corn to the price of a barrel of crude and when it does that it means that poor people are going to lose out," said Mooney. (Ibid)
The world’s grain and food markets have been turned on their heads. Where once the price of fuel and oil-based fertilizers used to cultivate crops added to the cost of the crop, now the use of crops as fuel generates still another tier of demand on the world’s soils and crops.
With finite amounts of cropland, competition between fuel and food crops for land and economic resources, and unpredictable natural disasters, wars and pestilence waiting in the wings, our food supply is not as secure as we think it is.
Even the United States is not immune from the potential for food shortages, food riots and food insecurity. We’re just blind to the possibility.
The author is an activist/writer/public speaker based in the Midwest. She has written articles on the mortgage crisis, land theft, mis-education of ethnic youth and food security. Books include:
Land, Legacy and Lynching: Building a future for Black America, and Urban Asylum: Politics, Lunatics and the Refrigerator Woman.
Source:
Saturday Apr 12th, 2008 2:37 PM
Even the United States is not immune from the potential for food shortages, food riots and food insecurity. We’re just blind to the possibility.
As Americans complain over high gasoline and food prices, many third world countries are experiencing food riots over price and scarcity of food. In some parts of the word rice is so expensive that it is transported in heavily guarded convoys and farmers guard their fields from thieves.
Food riots are becoming more common, as more land and crops are being diverted from the food chain by the world biofuels industry. According to an investment magazine, the crisis shows no signs of weakening. Food, the bread of life, is fast becoming the “gold” of the Twenty-first century.
Fatal food riots in Haiti. Violent food-price protests in Egypt and Ivory Coast. Rice so valuable it is transported in armoured convoys. Soldiers guarding fields and warehouses. Export bans to keep local populations from starving. (Globalinvestor.com)
The face of food security is rapidly changing around the world and there are no quick fixes experts say. What worries many is that food stockpiles are at historic lows. In the United States alone,
stockpiles of wheat hit a 60-year low in the United States as prices soared. Almost all other commodities, from rice and soybeans to sugar and corn, have posted triple-digit price increases in the past year or two. (Ibid)
Experts say the high prices will continue for years, putting billions of people at risk for malnutrition or starvation. World leaders continue to cast fearful eyes at the burgeoning bio-fuels industry, noting that the competition generated by the industrial biofuels industry and food agriculture is pushing up food prices and making it more profitable to grow fuel crops for industrialized countries than it is for big farmers in Third World countries to grow food for their own citizens.
What has put many world leaders on notice is the fact that this artificially generated food crisis has not yet peaked. As of this writing, no one knows when the situation will reach a crescendo, or to what extent this demand will affect food security and political stability in the world.
Many believe that the food crisis is in its infancy and they worry about increasing food-based political instability worldwide.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said this week he's worried that ethanol production is pushing up food prices everywhere, and he called for an urgent review of the issue. Economist Dr. Hazell has said that filling an SUV tank once with ethanol consumes more maize than the typical African eats in a year. (Ibid)
So far, Americans have been able to weather the storm. While rising fuel and food prices have generated grumbling from the populace and hand wringing from the politicians, this country has yet to experience the level of social unrest and rioting that high food prices have generated in other parts of the world.
In Haiti, ongoing instability and riots over food prices has led to the probable ousting of the nation’s Prime Minister. Newswires are reporting “A Haitian senator says that parliament has voted to dismiss Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis following deadly riots over rising food prices.” (Wire services)
A few analysts believe that the United States is on the verge of a major economic revolution, a process, which will change where we live, what we eat, and how we view agriculture. Looking at the rumbles from around the world we are already seeing wars over oil and energy resources, not to mention the violent eviction of traditional farmers in South America and other parts of the world by the industrialized bio-fuels industry.
The fight over finite land resources is slowly taking shape out of sight of most of the United States as agribusinesses lay claim to land around the world. Agro-conglomerates chase natives off tribal lands in South America, Indonesia and parts of the Far East at gunpoint. Murder over land continues in the Third World, as conglomerates move onto jungle and rain forest land, clearing acreage with slash and burn campaigns.
What was once climate producing tropical rain forest has become fields for sugar cane, corn and other biofuels. More profitable biofuel crops have now deprived the food chain of a large supply of corn and other crops, driving up the cost of corn-based food such as corn meal, tortillas, corn syrup and a hundred other crops and products which grace our tables at ever greater cost.
The food riots in Haiti are mirrored by riots in parts of Africa and Asia, sending shock waves throughout the Third World. According to a report from the United Nations, the 60 per cent price increase in the price of corn and feedstock over the past two years can be directly traced to the increased demand on corn and soybeans made by the biofuels industry. The United States, as the world’s largest exporter of corn, has diverted millions of pounds of corn and soybean crops to the growing biofuels industry, creating a market that makes fuel crops more profitable than food crops. National surpluses of grains have give way to increased demand for biofuels, driving up the price of corn and grains around the world. (World Bank)
Traditional food crops—rapeseed, maize (corn), palm and soybean are in demand by both food agriculture and the growing biofuels industry, creating an increased competition, which is driving up food costs by double digits, generating food riots around the world. Thai farmers and other farmers are now guarding rice crops, as skyrocketing grain prices are leading to crop theft and food riots around the world. According to international reports:
Rice farmers here (Thailand) are staying awake in shifts at night to guard their fields from thieves. In Peru, shortages of wheat flour are prompting the military to make bread with potato flour, a native crop. In Egypt, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso food riots have broken out in the past week. (Thoughtcriminal.org)
In Thailand and other rice and grain producing nations, food theft is rising. Crops are stolen directly from fields.
The reported thefts in five rice-growing provinces in central Thailand are the first signs of criminal activity in this region stemming from the sharpest global spike in commodity prices since the oil crisis in the mid-1970s. Across the world, higher food prices are triggering thefts and violence – both by people who can’t afford to eat and those who want to make an easy buck. (Ibid)
The United States produces 46% of the world’s biofuels, with Brazil coming in at a close second with 42%. (Biofuels: the Promise and the Risks). As a world leader in food exports, grain in particular, the United States has altered world grain markets by diverting grain into fuel production, thereby increasing demand for grains with a resultant rise in the price of the commodity because of demand. The ensuing market shortage has generated price increases in the world grain market, making food staples too expensive for much of the world’s poor to afford.
So far, Americans are mostly bystanders in the game, content to grumble at the gas pump and complain in the grocery aisles. As a “First World” nation, the United States so far has not been subject to the food riots, which we have seen in Haiti and other parts of the world. Americans have more per capita income than much of the world; hence the crisis of the Third World, so far, is inconvenience in the “First World” and in developed nations such as the United States.
That said, however, we must understand that this situation is not sustainable. While Americans do have more disposable income than the rest of the word, that income is not unlimited and our food supply is much more vulnerable than we think. When it comes to food security, both in terms of supply and accessibility, this country is much more vulnerable than we think.
As one retired grain salesman noted, most of the nation’s grain is moved around the country by just TWO railroads. Little is stored in the event of disaster and the whole system is extremely vulnerable. While we in the United States look at the food riots in other countries with a sense of disbelief, we are not immune. Under the right circumstances, we could be in the same boat. (Ibid)
In order for riots to break out the whole food supply doesn't have to be wiped out. It just has to be threatened sufficiently. When people realize their vulnerability and the fact that there is no short-term solution to a severe enough drought in the Midwest they will have no clue as to what they should do. Other nations can't make up the difference because no other nation has a surplus of grain in good times let alone in times when they are having droughts and floods also. (Robert Felix, “US Food Riots Much Closer than You Think”)
Critics say the US is currently too preoccupied with foreign excursions and oil to pay attention to food security, particularly how concentration of suppliers and processors threaten the food chain. The highly concentrated meat processing industry has generated millions of pounds of recalls this year. Outbreaks in e.coli and other food borne pathogens continue to haunt the headlines, as food prices rise around the world.
The concentration of food processing, cultivation and distribution into the hands of a few companies is wrecking havoc around the world. A Canadian reporter noted the connection between market concentration and price increases around the world:
In Mexico and most other countries, a handful of international companies is controlling more and more of the food production line—from growing crops to purchasing crops from farmers, to warehousing, processing and distribution.
Carlsen said investigations following the tortilla crisis found that huge stores of corn in warehouses had cut down the supply and led to a jump in prices. (Matthew Little, Epoch Times, “Food Prices Skyrocket Amidst Growing Shortages.”)
Food security, that is the availability and affordability of food, has been pushed aside by the War on Terror, and continues to lag behind our awareness, despite their being linked together in a dangerous dance of death, which has been created by the bio-fuels industry. Ultimately, the price of oil, depends on supply, demand and risk (War), and the price of food has now become dangerously linked to the energy market by the requirements of the fuel crop industry. We now are dealing with a ‘double whammy’ that is dangerously impeding our food supply.
Living in the “Breadbasket of the World,” it is hard for most Americans to even conceive of the idea that food could become scarce in this country. Few of us are paying attention to the close relationship between biofuel, grain crops and price inflation.
Think tank analyst Pat Mooney noted the close connection between corn and oil prices.
"The market place does now tie the price of a bushel of corn to the price of a barrel of crude and when it does that it means that poor people are going to lose out," said Mooney. (Ibid)
The world’s grain and food markets have been turned on their heads. Where once the price of fuel and oil-based fertilizers used to cultivate crops added to the cost of the crop, now the use of crops as fuel generates still another tier of demand on the world’s soils and crops.
With finite amounts of cropland, competition between fuel and food crops for land and economic resources, and unpredictable natural disasters, wars and pestilence waiting in the wings, our food supply is not as secure as we think it is.
Even the United States is not immune from the potential for food shortages, food riots and food insecurity. We’re just blind to the possibility.
The author is an activist/writer/public speaker based in the Midwest. She has written articles on the mortgage crisis, land theft, mis-education of ethnic youth and food security. Books include:
Land, Legacy and Lynching: Building a future for Black America, and Urban Asylum: Politics, Lunatics and the Refrigerator Woman.
Source:
Euro 2008 fans at risk of measles
Football supporters travelling to Euro 2008 may be at risk of catching measles, health officials have warned.
Significant outbreaks are occurring in Switzerland and Austria, the two countries hosting the competition this summer, Europe-wide figures show.
A team of vaccine experts is currently conducting a risk assessment in Austria just eight weeks before the tournament.
The experts warned people to make sure they are vaccinated against the highly contagious disease.
Figures from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) show more than 1,300 measles cases were reported across Europe in the first quarter of 2008, compared to less than 800 in the same period last year.
Significant outbreaks have occurred recently in several European countries, so the risk to the millions of unvaccinated Europeans is real
Zsuzsanna Jakab
In 2007, Switzerland, UK, Romania and Ireland were the countries with the highest number of measles cases per 100,000 population.
"Significant" outbreaks are currently occurring in Austria and Switzerland.
Hundreds of thousands of people, some of whom may be unvaccinated against measles, are expected to travel to Austria and Switzerland for the championship, European officials warned.
ECDC director Zsuzsanna Jakab said: "Measles is one of the most contagious viruses in existence, causing serious illness and even death.
"If unvaccinated people are exposed to it they have a high chance of being infected.
"Significant outbreaks have occurred recently in several European countries, so the risk to the millions of unvaccinated Europeans is real."
Routine childhood vaccination against measles was introduced in most European countries in the 1980s.
But there are many children and young adults who have not had the opportunity or have refused to be vaccinated meaning a target to eliminate measles from Europe by 2010 is unlikely to be met.
In the UK MMR immunisation rates dipped following research - since discredited - which raised the possibility that the vaccine may be linked to an increased risk of autism.
Professor Steve Field, chair of the Royal College of GPs said the general advice would be to get your child vaccinated.
"Children are probably even more at risk in the UK than many other countries in Europe so it's not just an issue for Euro 2008.
"Measles can be very serious and even fatal."
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7352490.stm
Significant outbreaks are occurring in Switzerland and Austria, the two countries hosting the competition this summer, Europe-wide figures show.
A team of vaccine experts is currently conducting a risk assessment in Austria just eight weeks before the tournament.
The experts warned people to make sure they are vaccinated against the highly contagious disease.
Figures from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) show more than 1,300 measles cases were reported across Europe in the first quarter of 2008, compared to less than 800 in the same period last year.
Significant outbreaks have occurred recently in several European countries, so the risk to the millions of unvaccinated Europeans is real
Zsuzsanna Jakab
In 2007, Switzerland, UK, Romania and Ireland were the countries with the highest number of measles cases per 100,000 population.
"Significant" outbreaks are currently occurring in Austria and Switzerland.
Hundreds of thousands of people, some of whom may be unvaccinated against measles, are expected to travel to Austria and Switzerland for the championship, European officials warned.
ECDC director Zsuzsanna Jakab said: "Measles is one of the most contagious viruses in existence, causing serious illness and even death.
"If unvaccinated people are exposed to it they have a high chance of being infected.
"Significant outbreaks have occurred recently in several European countries, so the risk to the millions of unvaccinated Europeans is real."
Routine childhood vaccination against measles was introduced in most European countries in the 1980s.
But there are many children and young adults who have not had the opportunity or have refused to be vaccinated meaning a target to eliminate measles from Europe by 2010 is unlikely to be met.
In the UK MMR immunisation rates dipped following research - since discredited - which raised the possibility that the vaccine may be linked to an increased risk of autism.
Professor Steve Field, chair of the Royal College of GPs said the general advice would be to get your child vaccinated.
"Children are probably even more at risk in the UK than many other countries in Europe so it's not just an issue for Euro 2008.
"Measles can be very serious and even fatal."
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7352490.stm
Chaos at polygamy custody hearing
The US judge deciding the fate of 416 children removed from a breakaway Mormon sect has struggled to control a first chaotic day of custody hearings.
Judge Barbara Walther had to suspend proceedings for an hour to allow hundreds of lawyers for the children and their parents to view evidence.
Lawyers were arguing whether the Texas case violated religious freedom rights.
Police raided the ranch last week after receiving reports that a 16-year-old girl had been sexually abused.
'Largest case'
The courtroom in San Angelo was packed with members of the Yearning for Zion religious sect, including many of the children's mothers, who wore distinctive long pastel dresses.
More than 300 lawyers crammed into additional rooms, in what is reportedly the largest child welfare case in US history.
The judge said her primary task was to establish whether the children should be returned to their parents or remain in the care of the Texan authorities.
"The court is not in the position and certainly does not intend to rule about someone's religious practices and their freedom of religion," said Judge Walther.
Detectives had raided the ranch after a 16-year-old girl called an abuse hotline saying she had been beaten and raped by her 50-year-old husband.
Church built at the FLDS's compound in Texas (2005)
Sect members believe men must have at least three wives to get to heaven
As a result of the raid, all children on the ranch aged between six months and 17 years of age were placed in emergency state custody.
Texas law states that if sexual abuse is happening in a home and a parent does not put a stop to it, then the parent can lose custody of the child.
One of the judge's tasks is to determine whether or not the ranch constitutes a "home" under state law.
In making her judgement, she may also weigh up the dangers of placing children who have grown up in such an isolated location into mainstream society.
The unprecedented size of the case is also putting pressure on the state's child services division, and if the state is granted permanent custody of the children, it will have difficulty finding foster homes for all of them.
Except for 27 adolescent boys, all of the children are being held in a domed coliseum on land used for the San Angelo state fair.
Mormon split
The Yearning for Zion ranch belongs to a breakaway Mormon sect called the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
FBI Ten Most Wanted poster for Warren Jeffs
Warren Jeffs was on the FBI's most wanted while on the run
The sect is led by polygamist Warren Jeffs, who is currently in jail as an accomplice to rape after he forced a 14-year-old girl to marry her cousin.
The self-proclaimed prophet is currently awaiting trial in Arizona on charges of being an accomplice to four counts of incest and sexual conduct with a minor stemming from two arranged marriages.
Members of the sect have denied the latest allegations of abuse.
"It's the furthest thing away from what we do here," said Dan, a sect member.
"There's nothing that's more disliked and more trained against," he added.
The 10,000-strong sect, which dominates the towns of Colorado City in Arizona, and Hildale, Utah, split from the mainstream Mormon church more than a century ago.
Members believe a man must marry at least three wives in order to ascend to heaven.
Women are meanwhile taught that their path to heaven depends on being subservient to their husband.
Polygamy is illegal in the US, but the authorities have reportedly been reluctant to confront the FLDS for fear of sparking a tragedy similar to the 1993 siege of the Branch Davidian sect in Waco, Texas, which led to the deaths of about 80 members.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7353304.stm
Judge Barbara Walther had to suspend proceedings for an hour to allow hundreds of lawyers for the children and their parents to view evidence.
Lawyers were arguing whether the Texas case violated religious freedom rights.
Police raided the ranch last week after receiving reports that a 16-year-old girl had been sexually abused.
'Largest case'
The courtroom in San Angelo was packed with members of the Yearning for Zion religious sect, including many of the children's mothers, who wore distinctive long pastel dresses.
More than 300 lawyers crammed into additional rooms, in what is reportedly the largest child welfare case in US history.
The judge said her primary task was to establish whether the children should be returned to their parents or remain in the care of the Texan authorities.
"The court is not in the position and certainly does not intend to rule about someone's religious practices and their freedom of religion," said Judge Walther.
Detectives had raided the ranch after a 16-year-old girl called an abuse hotline saying she had been beaten and raped by her 50-year-old husband.
Church built at the FLDS's compound in Texas (2005)
Sect members believe men must have at least three wives to get to heaven
As a result of the raid, all children on the ranch aged between six months and 17 years of age were placed in emergency state custody.
Texas law states that if sexual abuse is happening in a home and a parent does not put a stop to it, then the parent can lose custody of the child.
One of the judge's tasks is to determine whether or not the ranch constitutes a "home" under state law.
In making her judgement, she may also weigh up the dangers of placing children who have grown up in such an isolated location into mainstream society.
The unprecedented size of the case is also putting pressure on the state's child services division, and if the state is granted permanent custody of the children, it will have difficulty finding foster homes for all of them.
Except for 27 adolescent boys, all of the children are being held in a domed coliseum on land used for the San Angelo state fair.
Mormon split
The Yearning for Zion ranch belongs to a breakaway Mormon sect called the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
FBI Ten Most Wanted poster for Warren Jeffs
Warren Jeffs was on the FBI's most wanted while on the run
The sect is led by polygamist Warren Jeffs, who is currently in jail as an accomplice to rape after he forced a 14-year-old girl to marry her cousin.
The self-proclaimed prophet is currently awaiting trial in Arizona on charges of being an accomplice to four counts of incest and sexual conduct with a minor stemming from two arranged marriages.
Members of the sect have denied the latest allegations of abuse.
"It's the furthest thing away from what we do here," said Dan, a sect member.
"There's nothing that's more disliked and more trained against," he added.
The 10,000-strong sect, which dominates the towns of Colorado City in Arizona, and Hildale, Utah, split from the mainstream Mormon church more than a century ago.
Members believe a man must marry at least three wives in order to ascend to heaven.
Women are meanwhile taught that their path to heaven depends on being subservient to their husband.
Polygamy is illegal in the US, but the authorities have reportedly been reluctant to confront the FLDS for fear of sparking a tragedy similar to the 1993 siege of the Branch Davidian sect in Waco, Texas, which led to the deaths of about 80 members.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7353304.stm
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