Category: Explore

There's a reason why nonprofit organizations like La Leche League exist--mothers are receiving increasingly mixed information on whether or not to breast feed their newborn babies.  LLL recently scheduled awareness events throughout the US last August 1-7, as the period marked World Breast Feeding Week.  But it seems every related organization will have to pick up the pace against companies who continue to spread confusion.

According to a report conducted by the Boston University School of Medicine, new mothers tend to leave the hospital with a doctor's recommendation for exclusive breast-feeding for the first 6 months, but also a basket full of free baby formula samples and discount coupons.  Researcher Anne Merewood told Reuters the prevalence of sample formula distribution is "disturbing and incongruous given extensive opposition, but encouraging trends suggest that the practice may be curtailed in the future."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are against the use of manufactured formulas for newborn babies, as are the American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the World Health Organization.

With all these heavy weights shouting their disapproval, one would think the problem could almost resolve itself.  While current trends indicate that fewer hospitals are giving away formula samples, it's still estimated that only 11 percent of infants in the US are exclusively breast-fed for 6 months.  The Boston University study indicates that the free formulas undermine natural breast feeding with some sort of believe that babies need more--prevalent advertising in parenting magazines doesn't help the cause either.

Organizations like La Leche League give a voice to a process that does not generate money--sucking the natural milk from the breast of a mother.  The procedure dates back to the dawn of time (I believe) and has secured our evolution of a species up till the 20th Century--the only problem now is that it doesn't stimulate the economy.

For many, the work place can feel like imprisonment--a necessary, inconvenient, and sometimes oppressive sacrifice of freedom to obtain the means of survival.  For at least one employer, however, she sees a potential for the environment to provide a profound sense of fulfillment and in the process generating far more productivity and profits.

Shankari the Alchemist, the world renowned jewelry designer of Talismans of Power by Shankari, pays her employees to meditate for the first hour of every work day.  At eight am her staff meets in a modest sized ballroom with carved stone dragon pillars and timber floors to do nothing except sit, breathe, and clear their minds to focus on the now--yoga and quiet Hindu chants are encouraged as well.

"People who are balanced and happy do great work," says Shankari.  "The first hour of each day is an investment in the quality of the work.  It sets the tone for the rest of the day and the good will created carries into each piece of jewelry and ultimately to the wearer.  This creates a product that not only looks great but it has spiritual integrity as well.  I think consumers really care about that sort of thing.  These days you must walk your talk to be taken seriously."

Talismans of Power jewelry is known for its original, homemade look and feel--there is a certain logic at play for happy workers to create such a product.

Shankari would love to see meditation become more widespread in other work places, but even she has to admit a certain image comes with the practice that doesn't quite jive with western thought systems.  As Andy Puddicombe notes on the corporate news site Management-Issues, "For most people the word meditation conjures up images of shaven-headed monks and nuns sitting in mountain retreats high in the himalayas.  Very few people would associate it with their office or place of work."

But as any practicing Buddhist can tell you, it isn't the place that is sacred, rather the person who makes it so.  People who can find a sense of meaning in their environment and work are bound to treat it more seriously, or if nothing else, they realize the helpful service it provides to another and still perform it well even if they are personally detached.

For any employers considering testing it out in the work place, know this:  at least meditation is cost-free.  As far as I see it, there's nothing to lose in giving it a shot.

 The Bahamas Government environment agency, the BEST Commission, has concerns about the potential negative effects a soon-to-be-built Tiger Woods Albany marina and golf course could have on Adelaide beach and the surrounding coastal and marine environment.

Although the BEST Commission has refused to make their recommendations available to the public yet, they say the project would place new million dollar homes, a marina, and at least one, 18-hole golf course on Nassau, Bahamas' "most plentiful fresh water repository."  The project would also, obvious to anyone's observations, cut the extraordinarily large, historic beach in half permanently.

Since making the announcement, members of the public have requested the government to put a stop to the construction that would dredge the beach, but so far officials html_removed have failed to act.  Many locals have written personal appeals to the professional golfer himself, but none of which he has replied to as far as sources know.  But according to a press release available through reEarth.org, the Tiger Woods Albany Environment issued a report on the project stating, "BEST cannot recommend approval for the marina component of this project."

There's no doubt that Tiger Woods' development is likely to draw big money into the Bahamas, as it's targeted to attract a great number of wealthy vacationers and tourists (even more so).  But many locals are questioning the sacrifices it could deliver to their community, even though few know exactly what those sacrifices are yet.  

"This is the type of information The Bahamas Government doesn't want the public to know about," said one Bahamian.  "There has been so much secrecy surrounding this project. Earl Deveaux, the Minister of the Environment, the Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, and the Minister of Tourism, Vincent Vanderpool Wallace are allowing the Tiger Woods developers to cut through our beach for mega yachts and block Bahamians from enjoying their own beaches.”

The climate of paranoia, while mostly fed by the vague details of the BEST Commission, isn't exactly unfounded either.  The Young Bahamian Marine Scientists (YBMS) organization has been gathering public attention for their protests against the construction project.  Bahamas and US water and hazardous chemical specialist Samuel Sage has also voiced concerns to the public in an outline that shows how consistent and affordable water supply could be threatened.  

At the time of this publishing, developers have already started cutting into the beach.

 

 Thailand’s governmental unrest took a turn on Tuesday when thousands of anti-government demonstrators “pushed into the Thai prime minister’s office compound and railed outside several ministries.” (Sutin Wannabovorn, Associated Press)

The right-wing People’s Alliance for Democracy called this protest “a final showdown” in efforts to rid the country of elected Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej. The Alliance has been actively protesting across Bangkok, the country’s capital, since May, demanding his and his party’s resignation. “The people’s army is victorious over our government,” proclaimed protest leader Sondhi Limthongkui from a stage assembled inside the government compound. “We are now in Government House and won’t move until the government resigns.”

The protest was a peaceful one; however, and no one involved attempted to enter the actual government offices on the premises. Still, the prime minister insisted they leave by 6pm, and that the protestors were breaking the law. The deadline passed without any effort to rid of them. Samak commented that, “security personnel would not use force against the occupiers but that he was preparing legal charges against them.” Samak moved Tuesday’s weekly cabinet meeting to Bangkok’s military headquarters to avoid the large, angry crowd. Army Chief General Anupon Paochinda assured the public there wouldn’t be a military coup, and that the crisis will be solved “politically.”

The conservative alliance aligns itself with factions of the Thai military and monarchy. Tuesday’s actions began with a “violent, pre-dawn raid by about 80 masked alliance members on the main studios of the government-run National Broadcasting Services of Thailand.” (NBT) Protestors claim the station is a “political mouthpiece” for their government. NBT footage included police officials holding knives and at least 1 gun that they claim attackers had on them during the raid.

The crowds of protestors took over the TV station for a second time, around 8 am. The Thai Journalist Association protested on grounds that the station is a “threat to press freedom and freedom of expression.”

As much as 30,000 protestors are waiting for the government’s resignation for the following reasons: Samak amending the constitution to help former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra avoid conviction on corruption charges, the government’s failure to aggressively prosecute cases against Thaksin, and suggesting a governmental shift to an electoral democracy, where military officials and appointees from the bureaucracy would have sole control of Thailand’s voting system.

The People’s Alliance for Democracy appeared a threat at the beginning, but continue to alienate supporters by creating bad traffic in the capital and being linked with acts of violence. 

 After Moscow’s attack on Georgia, US-Russian relations could be at stake concerning both countries space programs. The United States’ support of Georgia may block the former from future access to the International Space Station.

Experts worry that a new Cold War could be on the horizon as well between Washington and Moscow after Russia overpowered the South Ossetia state militarily. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration “will become dependent on flights to the International Space Station (ISS) by Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft when it retires the shuttle fleet that has long ferried US astronauts into space in 2010.” (Agence-France Presse)

NASA’s next trip is planned for the moon in 2015 at the earliest. This leaves the needs of US astronauts visiting the international station vulnerable.

“If recent Russian actions are any indicator, a technical excuse to completely block US access to the ISS for geopolitical reasons would fit nicely into the Kremlin toolkit,” Vincent Sabathier, expert on human space exploration at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington told AFP on Monday.

Sabathier added that Russia considers US plans to set up missile defense systems in both the Czech Republic and Poland a direct threat to its military. He gives a recent suspicious example of the Czech Republic signing an agreement with the US on the subject, only to find oil supplies in the region cut off to merely “a trickle.” Apparently the shortage was for “technical reasons.”

The US Congress has recently considered voting for an exemption to a 2000 law that bans US government agencies from opening contracts with countries like Russia that are “considered aiding Iran and North Korea” which are both on the US terrorist watch list. John Logsdon of George Washington University’s Space Policy Center believes congress will allow the waiver as long as Russia accepts abiding by terms of the cease-fire in Georgia.

People worried about the possibly disabled access include NASA’s chief Michael Griffin, who told AFP just days before the Georgia conflict erupted that it was a “great concern” that something could happen to prevent the US from using Soyuz (Russian spacecraft). Griffin said if access was denied, “we [would] have no system to access the space station.” NASA has however, also downplayed risks, claiming their relationship with the Russian Federal Space Agency is amicable and agrees it may have effects on other aspects of our relationship but not in the space department. Let’s hope it stays that way. 

Scientists at the University of Virginia believe that algae may be the best answer to alternative fuel methods. Algae, otherwise known as pond scum, are comprised of little tiny “biological factories that use photosynthesis to transform carbon dioxide and sunlight into energy so efficiently that they can double their weight several times a day.” (ENN)

Algae can produce 15 times more oil per acre than other plants used for biofuels. It can grow in salt water, freshwater, and contaminated water, at sea or on ponds, and even on land not usually suitable for food production. The fungus can grow even better when fed too much carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas. It also grows better when fed sewage. “If so,” University of Virginia report writes, “algae could produce biofuels while cleaning up other problems.”

Lisa Colosi, who is a professor of civil and environmental engineering, is part of the University of Virginia’s research team, which has been funded by a 3,000 dollar grant given from the new U.Va. Collaborative Sustainable Energy Seed. The team will try to decipher the true value of algae biofuel production. They hypothesize that by feeding the algae more carbon dioxide they could tentatively boost oil yield production by as much as 40 percent by weight. “The main principle of industrial ecology is to try and use our waste products to produce something of value,” Colosi said.

The U.Va team will experiment with only a few liters of algae to begin with. They will attempt to optimize the oil output by testing basic issues like whether or not it’s beneficial to grind up materials before feeding them to the algae.

If algae can indeed thrive within these means, a door will open to all kinds of ecological possibilities. For example, the new technology would help with wastewater treatment, “where dealing with solids is one of the most expensive challenges.” (ENN) It could even help reduce emissions of CO2, such as coal power-plant flue gas, “which contains 10-30 times as much carbon dioxide as normal air.”

If the team’s efforts prove successful, the group of three, including Mark White and Andreas Clarens, may be looking at even more grants from agencies like the U.S. Department of Energy.

Britain’s domestic spy program is asking gay recruits to step out of the closet. After years of discrimination towards the minority group, MI5 is now asking the gay and lesbian community of Great Britain to “consider a career as a spy.” (Associated Press)

The program promises a decent salary, plus benefits, as well as a chance to protect their country. MI5 has apparently already wooed women, minorities and “people with language skills.” “The fact that they’re now reaching out to Britain’s gay community is long overdue,” Peter Tatchell, a London-based gay rights activist said on Monday.

Ten years ago gay people were seen as a security threat due to certain cases of blackmail. Two decades ago they were being “witch hunted,” and fired when found out during the paranoid days of the Cold War.

A gay rights group in Stonewall, England is working with MI5 to create “a workplace environment that is supportive of gay people.” “The spy agency is shaking off its clubby image and becoming more representative of the community it serves,” Ben Summerskill, chief executive officer of the gay rights group in Stonewall said.

Because the move by the military operation is not only about inclusion, but also about improving their image and reputation in the British community, “they’re trying to portray themselves as open,” Gary Hindle, the head of security and counterintelligence at the Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies said.

Some of the available jobs include translators, computer specialists and surveillance officers. The program is recruiting all minorities, including women and ethnic groups, as well as the gay and lesbian community.

What would it take to rebuild the Dead Sea? Apparently quite a bit of water. The huge mass of water has been a religious and cultural landmark of the Middle East for thousands of years. But because of its salty substance, the Dead Sea has lost approximately a third of its surface area through the centuries.

The Jordan River, which is responsible for 95 percent of its flow, has been “diverted for agriculture and domestic use.” (Worldwatch Institute) Mineral mining for potash and magnesium chloride is also removing water at a rate of “150 million cubic meters per year.”

However, a project coalition including Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the World Bank have proposed a plan in efforts to halt the sea’s rapid disappearance. The project involves importing water from the Red Sea into the south of the Dead Sea.

But environmentalists are worried that less riskier plans are being ignored by the coalition. If built, the ‘Red-Dead’ conduit is expected to cost up to 15 billion dollars. Since water demand is increasing in some regions of the world, environmentalists are complaining that the project has failed to address the “underlying causes of water stress, such as a lack of conservation.”

The World Bank says the conduit would carry 2 billion cubic meters of water to the Dead Sea. The project would also provide a “symbol of peace and cooperation between the warring Middle Eastern states.”

“Given the fact that the flow of the Jordan River is largely appropriated for what are views as key economic and social uses, good water management within the basin may have to be combined with a water transfer from outside the Jordan Basin to restore the Dead Sea level o a reasonable level,” the World Bank noted in a document concerning the project proposal.

Environmentalists are worried, however, that by attempting something noble, engineers may drastically alter the very thing they are trying to save. The Dead Sea, being rich in calcium, and the Red Sea, being rich in sulfate could cause a problem if mixed. The two could create a surface layer of gypsum, a kind of algae growth which could cause the landmark to turn red. A problem, critics say, for the tourism industry in the region.

Many organizations are against this, including Life and Environment, Friends of the Earth Middle East and the Society for the Protection of Nature and Israel. Certain alternatives these groups have suggested include rehabilitating the Jordan River instead, which would only cost around 800 million. (Better in comparison to the 15 billion involving the Red Sea)

Ghazala Khamis, 27, gave birth to septuplets last weekend in a Cairo, Egypt.

“This is a very rare pregnancy — something I have n html_removed ever witnessed over my past 33 years in this profession," Emad Darwish, director of the El-Shatbi Hospital, told The Associated Press by phone from the hospital.

Khamis was in good condition after having a blood transfusion during her Caesarean section due to bleeding. The infants, four boys and three girls, weigh between 3.2 pounds and 6.17 pounds are in stable condition and have been placed in four hospitals in the area that have premature baby units.

The babies were delivered via Caesarean section at the end of Khamis' eighth month of pregnancy due to the pressure on her kidneys.

“From the initial checkup, I say that none of the babies have any sort of deformities or incomplete organs," Darwish said.

Khamis conceived using fertility drugs in an effort to have a son, already having had three daughters. Her brother, Khamis Khamis explained to the Associated Press, "We thought about an abortion, but then we felt it's religiously forbidden. So we said 'Let God's will prevail.'"

Egypt's health minister announced that the seven babies will receive free milk and diapers for two years, the brother added, which should help with increasingly high price of commodities in Egypt.