. given the present context, viable option would be to work on ‘ diplomacy ’ as an instrument of national policy before getting into the discussion of the appropriateness of diplomacy for exercising nepal ’ s foreign policy, it might be worthwhile to digress a bit on the definition given to it by the representatives of super powers during 1940s which is as follows : general joseph w. stilwell ( known as “ vinegar joe ” ), the top american military commander in the china - burma - india theater ; calling himself as a ‘ deckhand diplomat ’ had said, “ it is a serious business. a lot of big figures indulge in it and a host of little ones trail along. the term diplomat to the average american evokes a vision of an immaculately dressed being - pen stripe pant, spats, cutaway and topper - and a coldly severe and superior manner which masks the lightening like play of the intellect … ” - the stilwell papers, edited by theodore h. white ( william slaon associates, 1948 ). joseph stalin from a different background seems to have described the art of diplomacy as : ‘ a diplomat ’ s words must have no relations to actions - otherwise what kind of diplomat is it? good words are a mask for the concealment of bad deeds — quoted in david dallin, the real soviet russia ( yale university press 1944 ). whatever the definition, a diplomat is supposed to function on the following broad areas : representation, negotiation, reporting and protection of interests of a nation. harold nicolson ( whose book diplomacy has become a classic ) has given emphasis on three developments of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries which have greatly affected diplomacy. growing sense of community of nations, increasing appreciation of the importance of public opinion and rapid increase in communication have provided opportunities as well as challenges to diplomacy. nepal may need to resort to structured ( normal channels ) diplomacy as well as personal diplomacy notwithstanding the advantages and disadvantages of personal diplomacy ( practiced during critical periods of the events leading to world war ii - churchill and roosevelt for atlantic charter ( vision for post war settlement ) ; with chiang kai shek, stalin ; churchill, stalin and truman, potsdam conference 1945 - punishment to the defeated ), and a regular practice followed by nepal in conducting high level dialogue with india ’ s senior officials as well as china ’ s, resorting to this mechanism at a critical moment might prove to be better than following the normal channels. such a practice would require a proper combination of diplomats functioning at different circumstances. although the appointment of ambassadors is considered


officials as well as china ’ s, resorting to this mechanism at a critical moment might prove to be better than following the normal channels. such a practice would require a proper combination of diplomats functioning at different circumstances. although the appointment of ambassadors is considered to be political decision making yet one cannot expect the bureaucrats to perform outside of the normal channels. personal diplomacy would thus require suitable persons who can read the minds of the government leaders accurately and perform expeditiously and always in the best interest of the country and its people. nepal must ever remain alert to the demands and aspirations of its neighbors and act in a proactive manner to either douse smallest of their doubts or help prevent any untoward incident affecting it. nepal is destined to be in a 24 - hour working schedule simply for its survival as an independent and sovereign nation. besides, nepal needs to make judicious use and application of its scarce but invaluable resources including water resources ; protection and preservation of its natural environment including bio - diversity artistic and cultural legacy for choosing a pragmatic course for socio - economic development. while a bad internal decision on the use of public goods and resources would push back nepal into a state of further underdevelopment causing rampant poverty and social unrest, lack of imagination in its bilateral relations with its immediate neighbors could easily land nepal in an intractable situation taking decades to unwind unfavorable consequences and regain its composure. this is the biggest foreign policy challenge for nepal. ( concluded ). ( this paper was presented by the author at a seminar organized by the institute of foreign affairs, nepal, november 14, 2011. thanks to the author and the organizer : chief editor. 1. l. f. stiller, s. j, prithvinarayan shah in the light of dibya upadesh : 1968 2. leo e. rose, nepal strategy for survival : 1971 3. norman d. palmer and howard c. perkins, international relations - the world community in transition : 1985 ( indian edition ) 4. indian foreign policy in the 21st century : prospects and challenges.


teacher ' s resources - a question of ritual for the people of the ancient americas as for many other humans worldwide, ceremonies formed a bridge between their world and that of deities and spirits. through sacred rituals they communicated to their gods and ancestors their hopes for a bounty of food, protection from the potential disasters wrought by nature or political enemies and general good fortune, thus forming a bridge between the living and the metaphysical. in the mesoamerican and andean belief systems, many different rituals involving dances, ceremonies, festivals and games were performed to maintain a sense of order and balance and to create the conditions necessary for prosperous human cultures to unfold. much has been made of the evidence for the practice of human sacrifice in both regions ; certainly it appears to have been practiced, as it was in certain civilizations all over the world, including imperial rome, the early celtic settlements of western europe, and many others. what is more interesting and fruitful to pursue with students is an exploration of the possible belief systems that gave meaning to the cloth & clay objects, such as this ritual incense burner from teotihuacan, an ancient mexican culture. classroom activities and projects ( recommended ages are in italics and are approximate ) 1. 12 - 16 : in groups or as individuals, students can research the symbolism of the mountain in ancient american cultures, investigating such areas as sacred geometry, layout of cities and ritual sites, pyramids, and rituals. the results of the research can result in essays, as well as drawings and 3 - dimensional models. 2. 12 - 16 : within a larger project comparing the beliefs of ancient peoples around the world, students can investigate those of the ancient americas, including shamanism, use of psychotropic plants, and human sacrifice, tying these practices to the religious beliefs of the cultures practicing them. class discussions can touch on how easy it is to sensationalize these practices, and the importance of putting them in context with the larger belief systems of the civilizations under review. 3. 12 - 16 : research on the day of the dead, a yearly festival in mexico that takes place in early november, provides insight into ancient and contemporary religious beliefs and rituals. by studying this and other festivals, students who are growing up in the secular societies of the west can develop an understanding of life in a deeply religious culture. similarly, students who are themselves rooted in a religious culture can learn about other belief systems. in its original form, this festival took place during miccailhuitontli ( late summer ) in the aztec calendar


the use of beta - alanine to produce muscle carnosine offers a way to increase anaerobic exercise potential and is likely to add to the effects of creatine in some exercise settings. first discovered in the early 1900s, beta - alanine and histidine are the two components of carnosine. histidine is already present in large quantity within skeletal muscles, so it is beta - alanine that acts as the rate - limiting factor in carnosine conversion. a buildup of metabolic waste limits muscle contraction, with hydrogen ions being the worst. this is primarily true of our fast fibers, which are most sensitive to hydrogen ions and extremely susceptible to fatigue. if the hydrogen ions can be buffered, muscle strength can be maintained for a longer time before fatigue sets in. anyone, including bodybuilders, involved in exercise where lactic acid buildup is the limiting factor stands to benefit from beta - alanine. in the gym, this benefit may translate into more reps with a given weight. carnosine is very effective at buffering the hydrogen ions responsible for producing the lactic acid burn. studies have shown that increasing muscle carnosine by supplementing beta - alanine may delay fatigue and improve the muscular aspects of athletic performance. research also indicates that beta - alanine increases lactate threshold, improves the ability to maintain maximal power output during high - intensity exercise, and decreases neuromuscular fatigue. by elevating carnosine level, nerves fire at a faster rate. for example, instead of one ’ s body operating at 80 % the day after exercise, carnosine may help it perform closer to the highest possible levels. beta - alanine is mainly useful for athletes who are constantly using the same muscles, without the ability to take a break and recover for a few days.


pathogens put squeeze on florida citrus industry government seeks new solutions after giving up on eradication of bacterial disease state and government officials are gearing up to release a citrus health response plan ( chrp ) for florida, after calling a halt to efforts to eradicate the bacterial disease citrus canker. meanwhile, florida ' s citrus growers are facing a new, potentially more devastating threat - - a bacterium called citrus greening, which has wiped out the citrus industry in many parts of asia. after 2005 ' s hurricane wilma, which helped transmit citrus canker, officials estimated that it would be necessary to rip out roughly a third of florida ' s citrus - growing acreage to continue with eradication efforts, which require removing all trees within 1, 900 feet of an infected tree. the cost : $ 1. 7 billion. eradication " just wasn ' t practical or feasible any longer, " philip berger, national science program leader at the usda ' s center for plant health science and technology, told the scientist now, florida farmers are dealing with another pathogen, citrus greening. also known as huanglongbing ( chinese for " yellow shoot disease " ), the bacterium was identified for the first time in florida in september 2005 and is now present across the southern half of the state. spread by the citrus psyllid insect, the disease has wiped out the citrus industry in many parts of asia, including china and thailand, and now threatens brazil, which has the world ' s largest citrus industry. fruit from canker - infected trees isn ' t pretty, but it can still be juiced and thus remains commercially valuable. but citrus greening dramatically shortens the lifespan of citrus trees, making fruit inedible as the tree sickens. " not too many pathogens kill plants - - this one does, " says allan dodds of the university of california at riverside, who moderates plant diseases on promed mail and while canker is fairly easy to detect, greening is tougher to spot. symptoms can mimic those of nutrient deficiencies. the bacterium that causes the disease, candidatus liberibacter asiaticus, invades the phloem, but it is not clear where it goes after that, and it has never been cultured in the lab. pcr tests have been developed to identify the bacterium, but are only capable of detecting it in symptomatic trees, ron brlansky of the university of florida ' s institute for food and agricultural sciences ' citrus research & education center in lake alfred told


tests have been developed to identify the bacterium, but are only capable of detecting it in symptomatic trees, ron brlansky of the university of florida ' s institute for food and agricultural sciences ' citrus research & education center in lake alfred told the scientist measures spelled out in the draft chrp, written by usda / aphis and florida department of agriculture and consumer services ' division of plant industry, focus largely on ensuring that new citrus plant stock is free of both diseases, and require that citrus stock or budwood sources be grown in insect - proof structures featuring double entry doors with positive pressure air displacement. nursery industry officials have estimated that building such a greenhouse for 175, 000 young trees would cost $ 2. 5 million. in the meantime, scientists like brlansky are working hard on getting the word out to growers on how to manage citrus greening, which he calls " our number one priority. " with " judicious spraying, " the disease can be controlled, chester roistacher, an emeritus professor at the university of california - riverside who has worked internationally on citrus greening and other citrus diseases, told the scientist. " where you do not have a good control program, your trees will live anywhere from five to eight years and die. " but because the disease is new to florida, he noted, it ' s not yet clear how frequently groves will have to be sprayed. yet another danger is waiting in the wings - - citrus tristeza virus ( ctv ). the virus has been present in florida for years without causing serious damage. but the brown citrus aphid ), which can spread the virus more aggressively than its standard florida vector, aphis gossypii, recently arrived in florida. " it ' s a much more effective vector, " said dodds. he predicts that the strains of ctv endemic to florida will gradually become more virulent as toxoptera spreads. such ctv strains can cause stem pitting, which reduces the commercial value of citrus fruit. links within this article citrus health response plan " usda determines citrus canker eradication not feasible, " florida department of agriculture and consumer services, january 11, 2006. j. woodall, " our food is dying, " the scientist, march 2006. philip h. berger center for plant health science and technology citrus research & education center brown citrus aphid


fashion, as even we khaki - wearing office types know, is all about trend setting. flapper dresses in the 20s. shoulder pads in the 80s. skinny jeans that make men look like wobbly, newborn gazelles in the 2000s. it ' s a business built on thinking a few years ahead, and sometimes dragging the country places we didn ' t know we wanted to go. so perhaps its appropriate that clothing was one of the first american manufacturing industries to take a truly post - industrial turn in the late 20th century. u. s. textile mills began closing in the 1970s, and by the 1990s apparel production was in full collapse. the bureau of labor statics has produced a great online feature tracking the last 20 or so years of the domestic fashion industry, including graph below illustrating the way jobs simply evaporated here thanks to competition from abroad. between 1990 and 2011, 80 percent of apparel manufacturing jobs disappeared. this has been a tragedy for workers and factory towns. but it ' s been triumph for consumers, because it ' s kept clothing cheap. the black line on the graph below is the consumer price index, which measures inflation. that colorful tangle at the bottom is all apparel. the price of a basic shirt was pretty much arrested in the 1990s, when all those jobs headed overseas. for better or worse, that ' s the bargain we ' ve made. in the meantime, what we ' ve been left here in the states is essentially a high - margin knowledge industry. j. crew, ann taylor and the like are a lot like apple, with design and marketing concentrated here in the states, and production outsourced to factories in asia. the safest jobs in the industry, as shown in the graph below, are the relatively small coterie of designers and custom tailors - - high skilled professionals and service industry workers. production jobs are expected to continue sailing offshore, where it can simply be done more productively. but is it possible that fashion has fallen behind the times, supply chain wise? offshoring was the hot thing in manufacturing for the last two decades. now, everyone is talking about on - shoring, where companies use automation to bring more of their assembly work back home to ultra - efficient factories. is that a development we could see one day in clothing? hard to say. but if the pentagon can actually build that unmanned sewing machine they ' re working on, i wouldn ' t rule it out.


november 22, 2012 infection with hepatitis c virus ( hcv ) and hiv causes inflammation, a natural response by the immune system as it seeks to deal with invading germs. however, sometimes the sheer number of germs overwhelms the immune system or at other times the germs are able to subvert the immune system ' s response to infection. in such cases, the germs spread and infection takes hold. this can be the case with viral infections and when such an infection becomes established in the body, it becomes a chronic infection. even in cases of chronic viral infections the immune system tries to fight the infection, but inflammation that may have been useful in the initial stages of exposure becomes a problem if it is sustained over the long - term. the immune system and its cells are widely distributed throughout the body and found within many organ - systems such as the following : a chronic viral infection with its associated inflammation of the immune system is likely to cause inflammation - related problems for these organ - systems. the inflammation caused by chronic hcv infection affects the liver, causing this organ to become dysfunctional and injured. hcv can also cause other problems ; for instance, some studies have found thinner - than - normal bones in some hcv - positive people. some researchers think that this problem of bone thinning in hcv infection arises in part because of complications of liver injury and chronic liver inflammation. an injured and inflamed liver could result in reduced levels of the hormones estrogen and testosterone. these hormones play an important role in maintaining the health of bones. also, a dysfunctional liver may not be able to convert vitamin d to its active form. this may affect the body ' s ability to absorb and retain nutrients such as calcium and phosphorus, which are needed to build bones. potent combination anti - hiv therapy ( commonly called art or haart ) can also temporarily decrease the thickness of bones ( called bone mineral density ) in the first few years of use. however, after this, bone mineral density tends to stabilize. the reason for the initially decreased bone mineral density under art is not yet clear. but the benefits of art continue to greatly outweigh the risks. a team of researchers in the u. s. has grown concerned about the strength of bones in the hips of people with hcv, hiv or both viral infections. among hiv - negative people, when hip bones / joints become broken their survival subsequently decreases. moreover, the u. s. researchers noted : " hip fractures cause significant pain and disability and


hips of people with hcv, hiv or both viral infections. among hiv - negative people, when hip bones / joints become broken their survival subsequently decreases. moreover, the u. s. researchers noted : " hip fractures cause significant pain and disability and typically require an emergency department visit, hospitalization, surgery and rehabilitation stay, resulting in substantial healthcare costs. " the u. s. research team ( based at the university of pennsylvania ) conducted a massive study of three million people, both with and without different viral infections. they found that people co - infected with hiv and hcv were at greatest risk of hip fracture compared to participants with hcv infection alone ( monoinfection ) or to people who had neither infection. this study underscores the need to understand why thinning bones, particularly in the hips, occur in people with hiv, hcv or both. furthermore, ways to improve the bone health of people with chronic viral infections are needed. researchers at hospitals in philadelphia and boston collaborated on a massive cohort study, analysing health related - information collected from adults using the u. s. medicaid program in the following states : the research team compared data assembled on each person with hcv monoinfection, hiv monoinfection and both infections ( co - infection ) and compared them to health - related data collected from up to 10 randomly selected people without viral infections. the researchers analysed data collected from more than three million people distributed as follows : on average, participants were in their early 40s, and 60 % were men and 40 % women. they were monitored for up to seven years. the study team found that it was relatively common for hcv - positive people to have been diagnosed with conditions that were either associated with severely thin bones ( osteoporosis ) or a risk of falling, including the following : they also found that participants with hcv monoinfection were more likely than other groups in the study to have received medicines associated with thinning bones, including the following drugs : overall, hcv - positive people had a 47 % increased risk of hip fracture compared to uninfected people. however, it is important to note that this risk varied, in some cases, by factors such as age and gender among hcv - positive people, as follows : no comments have been made.


the term roman catholic first appeared in the english language in the 16th century to differentiate specific groups of christians in communion with the pope from others. it has continued to be widely used in the english language ever since, although its usage has changed over the centuries. it is now even used to distinguish different groups of catholics who recognize the pope, e. g., those who belong to the western ( i. e., latin rite ) church from those who belong to the eastern catholic churches. the catholic church consists of 23 autonomous churches — one " western " and 22 " eastern " — governed by two sets of codes of canon law. to refer to all 23 autonomous churches together, official church documents often use the term " catholic church " or, less frequently, the term " roman catholic church ". the usage that makes the term " roman catholic " mean members of the latin rite or western church to the exclusion of those who belong to the eastern catholic churches does not appear in recent documents of the holy see. in popular usage, " catholic church " is usually understood to mean the same as " roman catholic church ". in some compound forms such as " roman catholic worship ", the term is used to differentiate western practices. the roots of the term roman catholic may be traced to the differences between english catholics who remained loyal to the pope from those who acknowledged the elizabethan settlement which re - established the church of england ’ s independence from rome in 1559. the terms " romish catholic " and " roman catholic ", along with " popish catholic ", were probably originated in the english language by protestants ( who at times called themselves protestant catholics ) who were not willing to concede the term catholic to their opponents without qualification. the reign of elizabeth i of england at the end of the 16th century was marked by conflicts in ireland. those opposed to english rule forged alliances with those against protestant reformation, making the term roman catholic almost synonymous with being irish during that period, although that usage changed significantly over time. like the term anglican, the term roman catholic came into widespread use in the english language only in the 17th century. the terms " romish catholic " and " roman catholic " were both in use in the 17th century and " roman catholic " was used in some official documents, such as those relating to the spanish match in the 1620s. there was, however, significant tension between anglicans and roman catholics at the time ( as reflected in the test act for public office ). even today, the act of settlement 1701 still prohibits roman catholics from


to the spanish match in the 1620s. there was, however, significant tension between anglicans and roman catholics at the time ( as reflected in the test act for public office ). even today, the act of settlement 1701 still prohibits roman catholics from becoming english monarchs. the official and popular uses of the term roman catholic in the english language grew in the 18th century. up to the reign of george iii, catholics in britain who recognized the pope as head of the church had generally been designated in official documents as " papists ". in 1792, however, this phraseology was changed and in the speech from the throne, the term " roman catholic " was used. by early 19th century, the term roman catholic had become well established in the english - speaking world. as the movement that led to catholic emancipation through the catholic relief act of 1829 grew, many — though not all — anglicans and protestants generally began to accept that being a roman catholic was not synonymous with being disloyal to the british government. while believing that in the past the term roman catholic may have been synonymous with rebel, they held that it was by then as indicative of loyalty as membership in any other christian denomination. the situation had been very different two centuries before, when pope paul v forbade english members of his church from taking an oath of allegiance to king james i, a prohibition that not all of them observed. also in the 19th century, prominent anglican theologians such as palmer and keble supported the branch theory, which viewed the universal church as having three principal branches : anglican, roman and eastern. the 1824 issue of the christian observer defined the term roman catholic as a member of the roman branch of the church. by 1828, speeches in the english parliament routinely used the term roman catholic and referred to the " holy roman catholic and apostolic church ". in the united states, the use of the term roman catholic and indeed the number of roman catholics began to grow only in the early 19th century, given that in 1790 there were only 100 roman catholics in new york and some 30, 000 in the whole united states, with 29 priests. as the number of roman catholics in the united states grew rapidly from 150, 000 to 1. 7 million between 1815 and 1850 — mostly by way of immigration from ireland and germany — the clergy followed the people to serve them, and roman catholic parishes were established. the terms " roman catholic " and " holy roman catholic " thus gained widespread use in the united states in the 19th century, both in popular usage and within official documents. in


clergy followed the people to serve them, and roman catholic parishes were established. the terms " roman catholic " and " holy roman catholic " thus gained widespread use in the united states in the 19th century, both in popular usage and within official documents. in 1866 president andrew johnson attended a meeting of the council of the roman catholic church. american catholics, who by the year 1900 were 12 million people and had a predominantly irish clergy, objected to what they considered the reproachful terms popish and romish and preferred the term roman catholic. in the early 20th century, the use of the term roman catholic continued to spread within the united states and canada, to refer to individuals, parishes and their schools. for instance, the 1915 report of the commissioner of education of the united states had a specific section for " roman catholic parish schools ". by 1918, legal proceedings in state supreme courts ( from delaware to minnesota ) and laws passed in the state of new york used the term " roman catholic parish ". by the middle of the 20th century the use of the term roman catholic was widely established in the united states and a 1957 survey by the united states census bureau determined that 25 % of the us population applied the term roman catholic to themselves. the term roman catholic is generally used on its own to refer to individuals, and in compound forms to refer to worship, parishes, festivals, etc. its usage has varied, depending on circumstances. it is sometimes identified with one or other of the terms " catholic ", " western catholic " ( equivalent to " latin catholic " ), and " roman - rite catholic ". in popular usage, " catholic " usually means " roman catholic ", a usage decried by some, including some protestants. " catholic " usually refers to members of any of the 23 constituent churches, the one western and the 22 eastern. the same meaning is attributed also to " roman catholic " in documents of the holy see, talks by popes and in newspapers. when used in a broader sense, the term catholic is distinguished from " roman catholic " which has connotations of allegiance to the bishop of rome, i. e. the pope. in this broader sense, " catholic " also refers to many other christians, especially eastern orthodox and anglicans, but also to others, including old catholics and various independent catholic churches, who consider themselves to be living within the " catholic " tradition. they describe themselves as " catholic ", but not " roman catholic " and not under the authority of the pope. "... the individual


old catholics and various independent catholic churches, who consider themselves to be living within the " catholic " tradition. they describe themselves as " catholic ", but not " roman catholic " and not under the authority of the pope. "... the individual becomes eastern catholic, not roman catholic ". similarly the catholic faith handbook for youth states that "... not all catholics are roman catholics and there are other catholic churches ", using the term " roman catholic " to refer to western church members alone. the same distinction is made by writers in the eastern catholic churches. that this view is not the only one, especially perhaps at popular level, is shown by the use of terms such as " byzantine roman catholic " and " maronite roman catholic " as self - identification by individuals or as the name of a church building. additionally, in other languages, the usage varies significantly. although the catholic church has western and eastern branches, many, even catholics, are unaware, or only dimly aware of this fact, partly because, outside the middle east, eastern catholics are a small fraction of the total number of catholics. when referring to worship, the term roman catholic is at times used to refer to the " roman rite ", which is not a church but a form of liturgy. the roman rite is distinct from the liturgies of the eastern catholic churches and also from other western liturgical rites such as the ambrosian rite, which have a much smaller following than the roman rite. an example of this usage is provided in the book roman catholic worship : trent to today states : " we use the term roman catholic worship throughout to make it clear that we are not covering all forms of catholic worship. there are a number of eastern rite churches that can justly claim the title catholic, but many of the statements we make do not apply to them at all. ". compared to the roman rite, the other western liturgical rites have little following. hence, the vatican department that deals with forms of worship ( including music ) in the western church often issues documents that deal only with the roman rite. any involvement by the holy see in questions of eastern liturgies is handled by a different department. some of the writers who draw a contrast between " roman catholics " and " eastern catholics " may perhaps be distinguishing eastern catholics not from latin or western catholics in general, but only from those ( the majority of latin catholics ) who use the roman liturgical rite. adrian fortescue explicitly made this distinction, saying that, just as " armenian catholic " is used to


eastern catholics not from latin or western catholics in general, but only from those ( the majority of latin catholics ) who use the roman liturgical rite. adrian fortescue explicitly made this distinction, saying that, just as " armenian catholic " is used to mean a catholic who uses the armenian rite, " roman catholic " could be used to mean a catholic who uses the roman rite. in this sense, he said, an ambrosian catholic, though a member of the latin or western church, is not a " roman " catholic. he admitted, however, that this usage is uncommon. when the term " roman catholic " is used as part of the name of a parish it usually indicates that it is a western parish that follows the roman rite in its liturgy, rather than, for instance, the less common ambrosian rite, e. g. st. dominic roman catholic church, oyster bay, new york. the shorter term " catholic " may also appear in parish names and " roman catholic " sometimes even appears in the compound name of eastern catholic parishes, e. g. st. mary ' s byzantine roman catholic church. all catholic parishes are part of an ecclesiastical jurisdiction, usually a diocese ( called an eparchy in the canon law of the eastern catholic churches ). these jurisdictions are usually grouped in ecclesiastical provinces, headed by a metropolitan archdiocese. all dioceses and similar jurisdictions — eastern and western — come under the authority of the pope.. the term " roman catholic archdiocese " is formally used to refer to both western and eastern churches. as of january 2009, there were 630 roman catholic archdioceses, western and eastern. the terms " catholic church " and " roman catholic church " are names for the entire church that describes itself as " governed by the successor of saint peter and by the bishops in communion with him ". in its formal documents and pronouncements the church most often refers to itself as the catholic church or simply the church. in its relations with other churches, it frequently uses the name " roman catholic church ", which it uses internally also, though less frequently. some writers such as kenneth whitehead and patrick madrid argue that the only proper name for the church is " the catholic church ". some catholic writers such as kenneth whitehead argue that the proper name of the church is the " catholic church " rather than the " roman catholic church ". kenneth whitehead and patrick madrid argue that the term " roman catholic " has anglican origins and that the term is used to leave open the possibility that there are other " catholic " churches. the name


catholic church " rather than the " roman catholic church ". kenneth whitehead and patrick madrid argue that the term " roman catholic " has anglican origins and that the term is used to leave open the possibility that there are other " catholic " churches. the name " roman catholic church " is occasionally used by popes, bishops, other clergy and laity, who do not see it as opprobrious or having the suggested overtone. the use of " roman ", " holy " and " apostolic " are accepted by the church as descriptive names. some us states and the country of england require the church to use the legal name " roman catholic church ". at the time of the 16th - century reformation, the church itself " claimed the word catholic as its title over protestant or reformed churches ". it believes that it is the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church. throughout the years, in various instances, official church documents have used both the terms " catholic church " and " roman catholic church " to refer to the worldwide church as a whole, including eastern catholics, as when pope pius xii taught in humani generis that " the mystical body of christ and the roman catholic church are one and the same thing ". however, some easterners, though in communion with the bishop of rome, apply the adjective " roman " to the latin or western church alone. representatives of the catholic church are at times required to use the term " roman catholic church " in certain dialogues, especially in ecumenical milieu, since some protestants consider themselves authentic instances of catholic faith. in the 21st century, the three terms catholic church, roman catholic church and the holy roman catholic church continue to appear in various books and publications, and scholarly debates on the proper form of reference to the catholic church within specific contexts continue. for instance, the catechism of the catholic church does not contain the term " roman catholic church ", referring to the church only by names such as " catholic church " ( as in its title ), while the advanced catechism of catholic faith and practice states that the term roman is used within the name of the church to emphasize that the center of unity of the church is the roman see. there is controversy about the name " roman catholic church " because of its use by some outside the church to suggest that the church in rome is only one part of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church. this argument is linked especially with the anglican branch theory, ( i. e., that the church in communion with the pope is only


church to suggest that the church in rome is only one part of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church. this argument is linked especially with the anglican branch theory, ( i. e., that the church in communion with the pope is only one branch of a divided catholic church, of which the eastern orthodox church and anglicanism are the other two branches ). in 1864, the holy office rejected the branch theory, affirming in a letter written to the english bishops that the roman church is not just a part of the catholic church and stating that " there is no other catholic church except that which is built on the one man, peter.... " in 1870, english bishops attending the first vatican council raised objections to the expression " holy roman catholic church " which appeared in the schema ( the draft ) of the council ' s dogmatic constitution on the catholic faith. these bishops proposed that the word " roman " be omitted out of concern that use of the term " roman catholic " would lend support to proponents of the branch theory. while the council overwhelmingly rejected this proposal, the text was finally modified to read " the holy catholic apostolic and roman church ". [ note 1 ] the second vatican council did not use the term " roman catholic church ", and in one important passage replaced it with an equivalent phrase, " the catholic church, which is governed by the successor of peter and by the bishops in union with that successor ", while also giving in a footnote a reference to two earlier documents in which the word " roman " was used explicitly. the second vatican council ' s dogmatic constitution lumen gentium declares that the phrase " roman church " has been applied in the tridentine profession of faith to the church itself, the church " governed by the successor of saint peter and by the bishops in communion with him ". even as far back as 1208 the adjective " roman " was applied to the church " outside which we believe that no one is saved ". while the phrase " roman catholic church " does not appear in the catechism of the catholic church, the advanced catechism of catholic faith and practice states that the term " roman " is used within the name of the church to emphasize that the centre of unity of the church is the roman see. some eastern - rite catholics reject the description of themselves as " roman ", even though they ' re a part of the catholic church. others are proud to call themselves roman catholics, and " roman catholic " sometimes even appears in the compound name of eastern


the jewish museum, one of the world ' s largest and most important institutions devoted to exploring the remarkable scope and diversity of jewish culture, was founded in 1904 in the library of the jewish theological seminary of america, where it was housed for more than four decades. in 1944, frieda schiff warburg, widow of the prominent businessman and philanthropist, felix warburg, who had been a seminary trustee, donated the family mansion at 1109 fifth avenue at 92nd street to the seminary for use as the museum. located along new york ' s museum mile, this elegant former residence has been the home of the museum since 1947. a sculpture court was installed alongside the mansion in 1959, and the albert a. list building was added in 1963 to provide additional exhibition and program space. in 1989, a major expansion and renovation project was undertaken. upon completion in june 1993, the expansion doubled the museum ' s gallery space, created new space for educational programs, provided significant improvements in public amenities, and added a two - floor permanent exhibition called culture and continuity : the jewish journey. the expanded jewish museum preserves the french gothic chateau - style exterior of the original warburg mansion, which was designed by architect charles p. h. gilbert and completed in 1908. judge mayer sulzberger donated the first gift of 26 objects of fine and ceremonial art to the library of the jewish theological seminary of america with the suggestion that a jewish museum be formed. subsequent gifts and purchases have helped to form the museum ' s distinguished collection and develop the concept of the institution, whose mission has been to preserve, study and interpret jewish cultural history through the use of authentic art and artifacts, linking both jews and non - jews to a rich body of values and traditions. today, the jewish museum ' s permanent collection, which has grown to more than 26, 000 objects - - paintings, sculpture, works on paper, photographs, ethnographic material, archaeological artifacts, numismatics, ceremonial objects, and broadcast media materials - - is the largest and most important of its kind in the world. the jewish museum regularly presents large temporary exhibitions of an interdisciplinary nature. such exhibitions often employ a combination of art and artifacts interpreted through the lens of social history in order to explore important ideas and topics. the museum ' s highly successful the dreyfus affair : art, truth and justice ( 1987 ), gardens and ghettos : the art of jewish life in italy ( 1989 ), from court jews to the rothschilds : art, patronage and power 1600 - 1800 ( 1996 ), assignment : rescue


affair : art, truth and justice ( 1987 ), gardens and ghettos : the art of jewish life in italy ( 1989 ), from court jews to the rothschilds : art, patronage and power 1600 - 1800 ( 1996 ), assignment : rescue, the story of varian fry and the emergency rescue committee ( 1997 ) and berlin metropolis : jews and the new culture 1890 - 1918 ( 1999 ) are examples of this type of exhibition. the museum is also known for its exhibitions of fine arts interpreted in the context of social history, such as painting a place in america : jewish artists in new york, 1900 - 1945 ( 1991 ) ; social history exhibitions such as bridges and boundaries : african americans and american jews ( 1992 ) ; and monograph shows of significant artists such as camille pissarro ( 1995 ), marc chagall ( 1996 ), chaim soutine ( 1998 ) and george segal ( 1998 ). the museum also regularly presents the works of contemporary artists in group exhibitions such as too jewish? challenging traditional identities ( 1996 ) and one - person shows like bordering on fiction : chantal akerman ' s " d ' est " ( 1997 ). its education department presents a diverse and wide - ranging array of programs for individuals, groups, families and schools. for nearly a century, the jewish museum has illuminated the jewish experience, both secular and religious, demonstrating the strength of jewish identity and culture. its unparalleled collection and unique exhibitions offer a wide range of opportunities for exploring multiple facets of the jewish experience, past and present, and for educating current and future generations. it is a source of education, inspiration and shared human values for people of all cultures. explore the jewish museum ' s history in 100 years at the jewish museum : a timeline ( 1904 - 2004 ).


we all love a story of ancient treasures, long - lost, found again. whether it ’ s the antikythera mechanism, or ancient coins ( curious coincidence – this report includes comments from curator of archaeology at manx national heritage allison fox, who was in my a - level physics class for a year back in the 1980s – it ’ s a small world ) or rare roman armour, it doesn ’ t really matter. you don ’ t have to be an academic specialising in ancient knowledge of astronomy or a military historian to understand the special significance of such finds. so too with ancient bottles. occasionally a shipwreck with a few intact bottles turns up. one has been in the news in the uk recently, with the forthcoming auction of bottles found at the bottom of the baltic sea. opinion on the quality of such bottles can vary. in the last few weeks they have been described by tom stevenson as being for “ historical interest, not pleasure ”, but speaking last year of bottles from the same find, essi avellan mw tasted them and declared them to be “ very much alive and remarkably fresh ”. whether or not the quality is good, however, we can be reasonably certain that the prices these bottles will fetch are likely to be very high. old, rare, shipwrecked bottles clearly generate some interest. we are fascinated by the story, and i for one am prepared to ‘ buy into ’ the story. in other words, part of me understands why people want these bottles, in the same way i can understand why others find ancient coins and other treasure troves to be of interest. but what about bottles submerged not centuries ago, and not because of some fateful storm and shipwreck, but on the whim of the winemaker? do these incite the same interest? franck labeyrie, proprietor of chateau du coureau in bordeaux, already has a track record of selling wine that has been submerged, the cuvee in question a white wine which sees out six months on the sea bed in the famous lagoon at arcachon. he has been experimenting with more extreme submersions recently though, with an attempt to sink bottles into an atlantic trench at a depth of 1000 metres. reading this report ( in french ) it seems as though he failed at his first attempt, having experienced difficulties, first with the increased pressure at 200 metres dislodging the cork, secondly a technical difficulty with the robot submersible. not to be dissuaded, he will try again.


he failed at his first attempt, having experienced difficulties, first with the increased pressure at 200 metres dislodging the cork, secondly a technical difficulty with the robot submersible. not to be dissuaded, he will try again. the ‘ experiment ’ is bankrolled by michel rolland, a family friend, who i assume is content to pay for the second try. in the meantime though, my ‘ gimmick ’ alarm bells are ringing very loudly indeed. especially when i learn that the wine he sinks in arcachon sells for 2 - 3 times the usual price. more recently, the team from chateau larrivet - haut - brion have been trying, but this time not with bottles, but with a tiny wooden cask, as reported here ( in french again ). remarkably, bruno lemoine, director of the chateau, claims he was inspired by stories of wines aging well at sea ( bandol, madeira, the wines of cos d ’ estournel, etc. ). somebody should tell him the wines were on a ship at the time though, not thrown overboard! the 56 - litre barrel seems to have been lined with stainless steel, nevertheless – surprise, surprise – the cuvee neptune as it has been named is better than the wine aged on land in a similarly small cask. naturally it seems to have enjoyed some ‘ osmosis ’ with the sea, no doubt picking up some delicious salty flavours along the way. needless to say, my gimmick alarm is going like the clappers at this one. if you were a winemaker, would any of this convince you to begin aging your wine underwater? and as a consumer, would you be prepared to shell out more for cuvee neptune against cuvee tellus, the wine from the barrel stored on land?


think bamboo... think exotic the very thought of bamboo conjures up images of exotic tropical scenes - tall, green bamboo forests gently swaying in the soft, warm breeze. bamboo has helped humankind since time began for shelter, weapons, food, and medicine. something about bamboo fulfills a basic human need of getting back to nature and a more simple life. 12, 000 documented species & varieties bamboo is actually a grass that grows to a harvestable height between 3 - 5 years. some species grow up to 2 feet per day. after harvesting, bamboo does not require replanting, it has an extensive root system that continually sends up new shoots, naturally replenishing itself, making it one of the most renewable resources known. bamboo walk, jamaica no old growth forests are touched, no trees are cut. bamboo is 16 % harder than maple wood, 1 / 3 lighter in weight than oak, yet in some instances as strong as steel. bamboo holds the promise of a sustainable, cost effective, and ecologically responsible alternative to the widespread clearcutting of our old growth forests. the bamboo we use phyllostachus, pubescens, more commonly referred to as " moso " is grown 500k west of bamboo is not only a " plant " it ' s a way of life. we have been bitten by the " bamboo bug ". we don ' t know why but it seems everyone involved in bamboo is so passionate about it - it must be contagious. bamboo is such a beautiful and useful plant, not to mention an ecologically friendly material.


until the aswan high dam was built, egypt received a yearly inundation - an annual flood - of the nile. the ancient egyptians did not realise this, but the flood came due to the heavy summer rains in the ethiopian highlands, swelling the different tributaries and other rivers that joined and became the nile. this happened yearly, between june and september, in a season the egyptians called akhet - the inundation. this was seen by the egyptians as a yearly coming of the god hapi, bringing fertility to the land. the first signs of the inundation were seen at aswan by the end of june, reaching its swelling to its fullest at cairo by september. the flood would then decrease in size around two weeks later, leaving behind a deposit of rich, black silt. the amount of silt left behind due to the height of the nile determined the amount of crops that the egyptians could grow - if the inundation was too low, it would be a year of famine. the egyptians learned a method of measuring the height of the nile known as the nilometre. although all nilometres used by the egyptians had a single obvious purpose, to mark the highest point of inundation, they were constructed in one of three different formats - - a slab or pillar, a well or a series of steps. all three were calibrated using the same unit of measurement, the cubit ; the egyptians broke the cubit into smaller units, which allowed them to keep remarkably accurate records, perhaps more accurate than would have been warranted for the purposes of merely agriculture and taxation. the nilometre on elephantine island near the first cataract deep in southern egypt always held supreme importance. it was the first outpost where the floods exerted themselves and the first to know when they were over, but the religious significance of the might might have overshadowed its strategic location. it was the home - place of khnum, the ram - headed god of inundation. during the eleventh dynasty a sanctuary was built on the island specifically to celebrate inundations. a new nilometre replaced a much older one at the edge of khnum ' s temple during the twenty - sixth dynasty ; somewhat later, in dynasty thirty, a riverside terrace and another nilometre was added to the nearby temple of satet, one of khnum ' s celestial consorts. when egypt fell to rome, that did not mean an end to nilometres on elephantine island,


terrace and another nilometre was added to the nearby temple of satet, one of khnum ' s celestial consorts. when egypt fell to rome, that did not mean an end to nilometres on elephantine island, for khnum ' s nilometre received a new calibrated staircase and a granite roof from the romans. - - ralph vaughan, nilometers : measuring the universe the nilometres were usually a series of steps by the nile, where the water level against the steps would show how high the nile would rise and records of the maximum height of the inundation could be taken. there are nilometres at the temples at elephantine, philae, edfu, esna, kom ombo and dendera. these were build through pharaonic times up until roman times. there was even a nilometre built during early islamic times at el - rhoda in cairo, which was possibly the site of an ancient nilometre, though it used a pillar rather than the usual steps. the ancient egyptians viewed sirius as the bringer of new life. this was because sirius was newly visible in the sky at the time of the flooding of the nile river, the life - giving inundation which yearly fertilised their crops. the inundation was also around the time that the egyptians noticed the rising of the ' dog star ' sirius. the goddess sopdet ( sothis ) was the personification of this star, represented as a woman with a star as her headdress, or as a seated cow with a plant between her horns ( just as seshat ' s hieroglyph might have been a flower or a star. ) her star was the most important of the stars to the ancient egyptians, and the rising of this star came at the time of inundation and the start of the egyptian new year. she was linked closely with isis, just as her husband sah ( the star orion ) and son soped were linked with osiris and horus. isis ' sister nephthys is also somewhat linked to the inundation - in one particular tale, she represents the desert while osiris represents the inundation itself. when the nile flood is high enough to reach the desert, flowers bloom in the barren red land. in the story, osiris and nephthys have a drunken union, where osiris leaves behind his garland of


national museum of vietnamese history what we say : the national museum of vietnamese history is housed in a magnificent example of indochinese architecture, which was until 1910 the french consulate and the residence of the governor general. the building was also home to the ecole francaise d ' extreme orient ( efeo ), during which time it became a museum to exhibit efeo finds. over time the building deteriorated, and it was not until the early 1930s, following a seven - year renovation, that what you can see now was realised. the entrance gives on to an impressive two - storey rotunda with exhibits all around and in many galleries to the rear. the contents are as fascinating as the building. the ground floor traces vietnam ' s ancient history, from the first neolithic finds through to those of the 15th century. some items date back as far as 10, 000 bc and feature more than just the requisite pottery shards and axe heads. the jewellery, tools and household items archaeologists have unearthed - - along with human and animal remains - - paint a compelling picture of the people who inhabited the region long ago, and provide a sense of how they are tied to vietnam ' s modern inhabitants. there ' s also an excellent selection of bronze drums dating back as far as 500 bc. ancient military history is also touched on. corny dioramas of famous battles aside, some of the wooden spikes used by tran hung dao to skewer the mongolian fleet in 1288 are on display. the upstairs of the rotunda has a small though impressive collection of champa pieces - - if you missed the champa museum in da nang, now is your chance. the rest of the second floor goes from the 15th century up to the 20th. some familiar sights are here in terms of temple statuary and pearl - inlay furniture, but the statue of guan yin - - the ' thousand armed, thousand eyed ' manifestation of the bodhisattva - - is second only to the one in the fine arts museum other unusual exhibits include a scroll from the 1920s adorned with the characters for long life written 100 different ways. there ' s also a sculpture garden on the west side of the building where some old pieces have been left to suffer the ravages of acid rain, including a stellae bearing the oldest epitaph in southeast asia, dating from the 3rd century ad. there ' s a charge for photographing the exhibits, and the price goes up if you want them to open the displays to eliminate the glare. guided tours are available on


august 10, 2010 > free vision curriculum guides available free vision curriculum guides available submitted by natalie wolfrom in today ' s economy, educational tools are expensive for both students and educators. school textbook prices have risen alarmingly in recent years ; depending on the subject, a single elementary textbook can range in price from $ 30 to $ 100. for 30 years, the foundation of the american academy of ophthalmology ' s museum of vision has provided educational materials for physicians, teachers, and parents interested in teaching children about the eye, vision, and ophthalmology. the museum has created an entire curriculum to teach children about the fascinating and spectacular science of vision. the museum ' s materials are suitable for ages 10 - 14, but can be adapted for other age groups. the free teacher workbooks created by the museum focus on the human eye, the differences between human and animal vision, perspective, and how the brain processes images like optical illusions and 3d. the guides are filled with discussion points and fun interactive activities. each guide can be downloaded at www. museumofvision. org / education and is free of charge : eye openers : exploring optical illusions is designed to help educators teach basic concepts of vision including binocular vision, persistence of vision, and eye - brain connection. it includes activities for youngsters and provides appropriate handouts. animal eyes ( r ) describes the basic concepts of vision and explores the amazing eyes of the animal kingdom. the booklet teaches about the human visual system, how human eyes differ from animal eyes, seeing in the dark, and color vision. art and vision : seeing in 3d ( r ) describes the concepts of vision and special visual techniques that help to create the illusion of depth. it includes sections on size scaling, overlapping, atmospheric perspective, and linear perspective. " i am very appreciative of the [ educational ] materials. i know that they would be very helpful for me in teaching my students about the eye and its wonders, " said scott a. blanchard, teacher at the biscotti educational center, in macomb, michigan. those interested in getting the curriculum guides can download the free pdf version online by visiting www. museumofvision. org / education. once there, click on the link " read more " found under any of the three booklets. a new page will open with the appropriate booklet information. scroll to the bottom of the page to find a free downloadable version of the booklet. the museum of vision is an educational program of the foundation of the american academy of opht


m. k. hurd, asce member back to " for the record " civil engineering students from illinois and purdue universities in may staged what is believed to be the world ' s first concrete canoe on the inland sea, a tiny lake in east - central illinois. the illinois canoe weighted in at 360 lb ( 163 kg ) compared to a mere 125 lb ( 57 kg ) for the purdue canoe. although pre - race odds heavily favored purdue, illinois emerged the victor winning three of five heats on the 1240 ft ( 317 m ) course. ( note that the conversion is incorrect. but, since 317 m translates to 1040 ft, the " 2 " was probably a typo. ) fastest time for an individual heat was 2 minutes, 46 seconds. ( we travel this distance today in approximately one half that time. ) the two schools were about evenly matched as to the number of students dunked in the lake but the illinois win was attributed to greater expertise with the paddles. both canoes were made of ferro cement, a special form of reinforced concrete, made of several layers of small - gage wire - mesh reinforcement embedded in a thin section of rich mortar. ( sounds pretty much like the " adaptive reinforcement " that we use today. ) differing from ordinary reinforced concrete, its behavior approaches that of a homogeneous material, and some designs have been made based on the assumption of equal tensile and compressive strength. ( why didn ' t we read this before we started in 1986? this is the assertion that we made in our 2001 design report ; it only took us 15 years to come to that conclusion. ) the whole affair began nearly two years ago when university of illinois civil engineering students under the guidance of professor clyde kesler, a fellow of asce, built the " mis - led. " they used # 3 reinforcing bars bent and welded at each end of the canoe to make the gunwales and keel. a single rib of # 3 bar was welded to the gunwales and keel at mid - length. four layers of chicken wire ( at least we referred to this in the late ' 80s as a " poultry restraining device " to give our reinforcement ' s name a high - tech ring. ) were placed over this frame. a stiff mortar was troweled onto the wire mesh. final thickness of the the hull averaged 0. 5 in. ( 13 mm ). no forms were used. when professor john mclaughlin, member of asce and head of civil engineering at purdue, told his students of the


msc in the technology and analysis of archaeological materials the application of scientific techniques to the study of archaeological remains is an increasingly important dimension of archaeological research. using suitable analytical methods, it is possible to uncover patterns associated with the selection and provenance of raw materials, the manufacturing processes behind archaeological objects, the technical knowledge of past craftspeople, the direction and tempo of past trading patterns and / or the persistence of particular cultural traditions. scientific information often allows degrees of resolution that cannot be obtained through simpler stylistic comparisons or historical research. this msc programme aims to bridge the gap between archaeology and science by integrating both a detailed training in the use of scientific techniques for the analysis of inorganic archaeological materials and a solid background in the anthropology of technology. by the end of the degree, students should have a good understanding of the foundations of the most established analytical techniques, practical experience in their application and data processing, as well as the ability to design research projects that employ instrumental analyses to address archaeological questions. teaching and research include the use of thin - section petrography, metallography, optical and electron microscopy and microanalysis ( sem / eds and wd / epma ) and bulk chemical analysis ( xrf and icp ), and their application to the study ceramics, glass, stone, metals and metallurgical debris. in addition, we introduce and discuss strategies for data processing and interpretation, as well as relevant archaeological theory, using archaeological and ethnographic examples from across the world. the degree is typically a full - time, one - year programme ( commencing in september ) although it is also available on a part - time basis. it is designed for graduates in archaeology with an interest in scientific methods. it is also suitable for conservators and others concerned with archaeological collections, and for science graduates who have, or are willing to acquire, a good understanding of archaeology.


viral arthritis is swelling and irritation ( inflammation ) of the joints from a viral infection. causes, incidence, and risk factors arthritis may be a symptom of many virus - related illnesses. it usually disappears on its own without any lasting effects. it may occur with : it may also occur after immunization with the rubella vaccine. this is a common form of childhood joint discomfort. while many people are infected with these viruses or receive the rubella vaccine, only a few people develop arthritis. no risk factors have been established. the main symptoms are joint pain and swelling of one or more joints. signs and tests a physical examination shows joint inflammation. a blood test ( serology ) for viruses may be performed. in some cases, a small amount of fluid may be removed from the affected joint to determine the cause of the inflammation. your doctor may prescribe pain medicines to relieve discomfort. you doctor may also prescribe antiviral or anti - inflammatory medications. if joint inflammation is severe, aspiration of fluid from the affected joint may relieve pain. the outcome is usually good. most viral arthritis disappears within several days or weeks when the virus - related disease goes away. there are usually no complications. calling your health care provider call for an appointment with your health care provider if arthritis symptoms last longer than a few weeks. there is no known way to prevent viral arthritis. espinoza lr. infections of bursae, joints, and bones. in : goldman l, ausiello d, eds. cecil medicine. 23rd ed. philadelphia, pa : saunders elsevier ; 2007 : chap 293. ohl ca. infectious arthritis of native joints. in : mandell gl, bennett je, dolin r, eds. principles and practice of infectious diseases. 7th ed. philadelphia, pa : churchill livingstone elsevier ; 2009 : chap 102. last reviewed 12 / 6 / 2011 by david c. dugdale, iii, md, professor of medicine, division of general medicine, department of medicine, university of washington school of medicine ; jatin m. vyas, md, phd, assistant professor in medicine, harvard medical school, assistant in medicine, division of infectious disease, department of medicine, massachusetts general hospital. also reviewed by david zieve, md, mha, medical director, a. d. a. m., inc. - the information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. - a licensed medical professional should be consulted for


here ' s the buzz on bugs this summer : because of all the rain we ' ve had, the u. s. department of agriculture is predicting one of the worst mosquito seasons in recent history. so how do you protect your children from being a mosquito snack? parents can decrease a child ' s risk of being bitten by using insect repellent. " the most effective type of repellent on the market contains deet, a pesticide that works by masking our release of carbon dioxide and body odor. that ' s what mosquitoes are attracted to, " says robert edelman, m. d., professor of medicine and pediatrics at the university of maryland school of medicine and director of the travelers ' health clinic at the university of maryland medical center. " when putting insect repellent on children, use a product with a deet concentration of no more than 10 percent, " adds dr. edelman. deet was developed by the u. s. government in the 1940 ' s. its chemical name is n, n - diethyl - m - toluamide. some people worry about the toxicity of deet. therefore, they may opt to use insect repellents that contain plant oils, like citronella, soybean or eucalyptus, as the active ingredients. studies of these products, however, show they are not as effective as deet in preventing mosquito bites. repellents vary, they come in many different forms, including liquids, creams, lotions and sticks. they also have different concentrations of the active ingredient. " it ' s important to read the label and closely follow the directions, " says dr. edelman. it is not necessary to put insect repellent on children every time they venture outdoors. dr. edelman says mosquitoes are most active in the early morning and late evening, making these good times to consider repellent. also, he says it is a good idea to use repellent when children play in a wooded area or near water. " avoid applying the repellent to a child ' s face or hands to reduce eye and mouth contact, and never put it on a cut or irritated skin, " he says. mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors. dressing children in light colors, like white or tan as opposed to navy blue or black, may decrease their chance of being bitten. in addition, pants, long sleeve shirts and socks reduce the amount of exposed skin, cutting the risk of getting a mosquito bite. in the united states


oikos - cooperacao e desenvolvimento - date submitted : 1 nov 2011 - stakeholder type : major group - name : oikos - cooperacao e desenvolvimento - submission document : download full submissionthe global challenge of food security in the twenty - first century by : joao jose fernandes population growth, increased global gdp and the consequent change in consumption patterns, price volatility, market failures, water scarcity, land degradation and soil erosion, loss of biodiversity in ecosystems, climate change and in some regions political instability and social upheaval, are some of the factors that condition the agro - food systems in the coming decades. according to the latest projections, world population, now 7 billion people will reach 8. 1 billion in 2030 and 9. 2 billion in 2050 ( fao, 2009ai ). virtually all population growth will occur in developing countries ( dcs ), where the soil and water resources are already facing enormous pressure. in 2006, the population suffering from food insecurity amounted to 854 000 million ( fao 2008ii ). in 2009, the population with food insecurity rose to 1. 02 billion due to the rising of prices seen in 2008 ( fao, 2009biii ). the origin of this trend reversal is the rise in grain prices caused by a set of stressors : drought breaks in production and exporting countries ( australia, canada ), speculative capital in agriculture commodities, rising oil prices and increased demand for cereals? whether stating the result of demographic pressure? or the result of demand for raw materials for the production of biofuels. in the future, this combination of factors? now understood as cyclical? can become a structural trend. indeed, demographic pressure and the expansion of consumption in emerging economies, the depletion of fossil fuels ( pick oil ), climate change, soil erosion and soil degradation, advancing desertification and water scarcity are factors that strongly condition the demand for and supply of food in the medium and long term. how to answer the challenge of global food security? facing the enormous challenges of food security, two main trends are perceived. the first marked by technological optimism, the second championing the enlargement of the market role, as a panacea for all ills of resource scarcity and environmental degradation. these two trends, with more or less charitable empathy for the poor, mark the mainstreaming economic thinking. limits of technological innovation approach between 1950 and 2000,


role, as a panacea for all ills of resource scarcity and environmental degradation. these two trends, with more or less charitable empathy for the poor, mark the mainstreaming economic thinking. limits of technological innovation approach between 1950 and 2000, world population grew from 2. 5 billion to 6 billion people, but the world economy expanded sevenfold. in terms of agriculture, growth in productivity per hectare on the level of cereals rose from 1. 1 to 2. 7 tons. the application of scientific knowledge to agriculture ( advances in genetics and improved agronomic practices ), coupled with powerful economic incentives to farmers, has allowed an enormous expansion of world agricultural product. at the level of genetic advances, there is the effort of finding varieties with greater capacity for channelling the photosynthates to the seed. in terms of agronomic practices, expansion of irrigation areas, the intensive use of fertilizers and control of diseases, insects and weeds. however, while in the period from 1950 to 1984 the cereal production rate has expanded faster than population growth, increasing production of cereals per person by 34 % since 1984 grain output growth was exceeded by population growth. this drop was not more noticeable only due to increased efficiency in the cereals conversion process into animal protein ( brown, 2005iv ). but is technological innovation the master key and sufficient to meet the challenge of sustainable use of soil and feed a growing population? in our view, investment in technological innovation may be important but faces major difficulties. therefore, we are inclined to a more integrated and comprehensive approach. in fact, there are two main obstacles to an answer based solely on technology : - 1st the current technologies? reserve, available to farmers to increase productivity is almost exhausted, at least for the major powers cereal producers?. as mentioned above, the techniques used during the last decades have extensively explored the genetic potential, in order to increase the percentage of photosynthates that is forwarded to the growth of the seed. - 2nd a paradigm shift would require increasing the efficiency of the process of photosynthesis, something out of the current possibilities. it is the efficiency of photosynthesis, which, coupled with the availability of agricultural land, defines the quantity of food that the earth can produce. as lester brown notes ( brown, 2005 ), the advances made until now in genetic engineering and biotechnology are not promising signs in this line of research, limiting the focus on plant tolerance to herbicides, resistance to insects and diseases. to a lesser extent, there were some results about the


2005 ), the advances made until now in genetic engineering and biotechnology are not promising signs in this line of research, limiting the focus on plant tolerance to herbicides, resistance to insects and diseases. to a lesser extent, there were some results about the resistance to drought or salt tolerance. these advances allow only marginal gains in terms of agricultural productivity. given the physical limitations placed on increasing the efficiency of photosynthesis? and thus to the increased productivity of the soil? that the current technological paradigm does not seem able to overcome, we must choose complementary strategies for the expansion of agricultural output. one possible approach is the increase of multiple cropping, i. e. more than one crop per year. in some asian countries the challenge is to maintain this practice, but countries like the u. s. can gain considerable production with the encouragement of this practice. this will require a reorientation of agricultural research for the development of technologies that enable the acceleration of the maturity cycles of crops from the first and second planting seasons. another way to increase food production to increase water productivity. the construction of small systems to capture and store rainwater, as well as the development of precision irrigation techniques may prove to be an excellent contribution to conserve the existing irrigation areas, or even to contribute to its expansion. land productivity can also be increased through the use of crop residues for the production of food, as the case of corn or cane straw of rice and wheat for animal feed, thereby allowing a second crop on the same land. in some parts of the world as in africa, investment in transport and storage infrastructures could play an important role in increasing food production, facilitating the transition from subsistence farming to agriculture with great economic and productivity increases. these two measures are essential for the efficient link from producers to markets. finally, it is necessary to find strategies to a more sustainable agriculture, or facilitate the decoupling of product per hectare ( santos, 2009v ), given the level of non - renewable resources that produce damage to the natural environment ( fertilizers, pesticides, etc... ). sustainable agriculture, particularly relevant in marginal agricultural land implies a more efficient use of resources and the copy of the natural processes at the level of nutrient cycling, nitrogen fixation, soil remediation, and use of natural enemies to control pests. in addition, we need a greater investment in human and social capital, particularly in developing countries. the training of farmers will help to self - sufficiency and the improvement of their agricultural practices, the focus on social capital is


to control pests. in addition, we need a greater investment in human and social capital, particularly in developing countries. the training of farmers will help to self - sufficiency and the improvement of their agricultural practices, the focus on social capital is decisive for the increase in scale, integrated management of watersheds and forests, as well as access to credit and markets for small producers. the market limits the creation of markets for all ecosystem services assumes that the commercial interaction between economic agents will reveal the value of services inducing the appropriate incentives to the production, while the ecosystem management organizes itself in order to respond to these incentives. in our opinion, this solution is not applicable in all situations. there are other complementary solutions and, in certain circumstances, more feasible. there are three grounds : - 1st the market failure does not occur only by the lack of commercial value to some of the services, but also due to the lack of protection of the rights of some stakeholders, including future generations. - 2nd the creation of markets focuses on the scale of the service, to the detriment of the ecosystem scale. ecosystem services, object of value, are only the " discrete and identifiable end products " ( kroeger e caseyvi ). thus, the ecological functions underlying ecosystems are not subject to valuation. - 3rd moreover the fact that there are some barriers to the creation of markets as it is the case for some of the services of forest ecosystems. for example, refer to the complexity of the services of biodiversity conservation, the volatility of other services such as carbon sequestration, risks of future losses, the need for long - term monitoring, the impossibility of exclusion in the case of pure public goods such as air quality or climate, and the high transaction costs, e. g. costs of certification of carbon sequestration, which add to the cost of providing the service. the barriers to the creation of markets for some ecosystem services, the need to incorporate all ecosystem services in the decisions of managers, coupled with the need to protect the rights of interested parties who have no voice, as is the case of future generations, lead us to complementary solutions able to ensure effective governance of ecosystems, to be combined in different proportions and whose validity must be assessed according to specific circumstances. we emphasize, in addition to the creation of markets, the regulation by the state, the ( re ) defining and protecting of the rights of different individuals and groups, the accountability of managers ( civil liability, or " societal license to operate " ), the definition of new forms


to the creation of markets, the regulation by the state, the ( re ) defining and protecting of the rights of different individuals and groups, the accountability of managers ( civil liability, or " societal license to operate " ), the definition of new forms of organization for an ecosystem - wide management, or instruments such as green taxes and public payments for environmental services. finally, it is noted that, even if the solution is the creation of markets, state intervention can be decisive. one of the classical situations is the need for intervention by the states in terms of defining property rights. there are no markets without clear and respected property rights. it is usually the state to define these rights and make them comply, namely through the exclusion of non - owners. thus, following bromleyvii, we can say that " while market processes can be used instrumentally after a previous definition of socially desirable environmental conditions, we cannot leave the market to decide on how clean should be our water or our air. the market is also not able to turn out how much biodiversity should be preserved for future generations. " thus, we cannot accept technological innovation and market instruments as sufficient to solve all the challenges of sustainable food security. they are certainly necessary conditions but not sufficient. which role for sustainable consumption? an increase of production which corresponds to the expected consumption as a function of population growth and increased purchasing power is problematic. first, because in the coming decades we will face constraints on natural resources such as soil or water and secondly the increased production and agricultural productivity is only sustainable if it does not result in irreversible losses of biodiversity and increased emissions of irreparable greenhouse gases ( ghg ). thus, the solution should be found in a balance between a more eco - efficient agriculture and more sustainable consumption. the term " sustainable consumption " entered the international agenda through agenda 21, the action plan for sustainable development adopted by 179 heads of state at the rio summit in 1992. however, the concept of sustainable consumption is far from obtaining a broad consensus. the first problem is related to the perception of the ultimate ( or motive ) of the act of consuming. the utilitarian approaches value consumption as a means to increase the utility ( welfare ) and the decisive factor is the information and knowledge that enable rational utility maximization. in this context, the instruments for sustainable consumption are a certification of " green " consumption and tax incentives to the consumption of " environmentally friendly? products. the scale of the analysis is the individual. it is also in the light of this scale that we situate the


, the instruments for sustainable consumption are a certification of " green " consumption and tax incentives to the consumption of " environmentally friendly? products. the scale of the analysis is the individual. it is also in the light of this scale that we situate the psycho - social approaches to consumption. under this paradigm, the consumer arises as a response to a stimulus of the social or psychological needs. the consumption is then a kind of " identifier " of personality and social group membership. in this context the sustainable consumption emerges as driven by social marketing, aiming at the promotion of an? environmentally friendly lifestyle " ; consuming a " green " product often promoted by a? celebrity?, " is part of belonging to " a? tribe?. more recently, some movements have been characterizing the consumption as an act determined by the supply - infrastructure ( by supply chains ). the scale of analysis becomes the society ; consumption is understood as a routine habit, almost imperceptible. sustainable consumption is then to be distinguished not only by individual preference for consumption, but by the initiatives? usually at the local level? aiming at overcome the constraints that are imposed by the format of the global supply chain of goods and services. an example is the local initiatives linking producers and consumers that outline the intermediation of large stores ( seyfang, 2009 ). the latter approach to sustainable consumption is actually a very profound transformation in consumption patterns, the motion falls into the so - called " new economy " as opposed to current mainstreaming concept of sustainable economic consumption. table 1 summarizes the key differentiating elements between both approaches. ( please reference submission document for table ) sustainable consumption and the new economy in order to understand the specificity of the concept of sustainable consumption in the? new economy?, it is necessary to briefly characterize this movement. first of all, bear in mind that we are no longer under a concept of consumption as " green washing ", or consumption as a driver of economic growth. on the contrary, it is proposing a reduction in consumption in absolute terms. immediately, from the three concepts of sustainable consumption mentioned above, it is this that more boldly relates to the global challenge of food security as introduced at the beginning of our text : population growth, rising standards of consumption, resource scarcity, biodiversity loss, soil degradation and climate change. what distinguishes the " new economy " of the mainstreaming concept of economy? the distinctive features of the " new economy " ( ne ) are four : ( i ) a comprehensive understanding of the meaning


rather conflicting agendas ( e. g., withdraw money from a local economy to a store of value, inhibits its movement within the community and meeting local needs ), and acknowledges that monetary systems are social constructions whose design emphasizes certain purposes and encourages certain behaviours over others. for example, i think we can all agree that the use of the monetary system favours a narrow range of economic activities ( valuing what is scarce and not what contributes to the well - being ), uprooting the exchange currency of its environment and social ambiance, and inhibiting sustainable consumption. the corollary of this understanding is the need to design new systems of exchange, designed to serve different purposes and to allow an inclusive systemic approach of the social and environmental context of economic activity. ne acknowledges that this approach may be less efficient than a strictly economic point of view, however, by incorporating social and environmental factors appears to be much more rational. embryos of this approach are the many initiatives around the " complementary currencies " that have emerged among local communities as diverse as the united kingdom, brazil and argentina since the early 1990s. last but not least decisive, ne considers ethics as central to economic activity. unlike the apolitical abstractions of conventional economics ( which obviously obeys ideologically based policy prescriptions ) ne implies a normative analytical approach, which aims to describe and facilitate the transition to a more sustainable society ( seyfang, 2005 ). with regard to the experience of practical application of this new economic model, ne still lacks empirical investigations to test its ideas and concepts. one area where is relevant to promote a systematic scrutiny of the ne? initiatives is precisely the assessment of its contribution to sustainable consumption. to meet this challenge, seyfang advances five indicators that must be present in a strategy of sustainable consumption, consistent with the proposals of ne, namely : location, reducing the ecological footprint, community - building, collective action, and creating new procurement and supply infrastructures ( seyfang, 2009 ). these indicators are briefly presented in table 2. table 2 : evaluation / assessment indicators for sustainable consumption ( please reference submission document for table ). in contrast to a " green consumption ", so often vulnerable to strategies of " green - washing, " the proposal from the ne suggests a sustainable consumption that contributes to an effective reduction of all consumption that does not contribute to the well - being. in contrast to the utilitarian concepts of sustainable consumption, or approaches based exclusively on the identification around social and psychological standards, ne


| medina humed ahmed ( centre ), 10, lines up with other girls to enter the galifega alternative basic education primary school in afar region, ethiopia. | by indrias getachew addis ababa, ethiopia, 19 june 2006 – ten - year - old medina humed ahmed opens up about her dreams for the future. “ i want to drive one of those land cruisers, and i also want to fly airplanes, ” she declares, pointing up at the cloudless sky above the desert of ethiopia ’ s afar region. her words generate a loud round of applause from her family. in contrast to the confidence she now has, just two months ago medina wasn ’ t sure if she would have much of a future. back then, she spent most of her time helping her mother with household chores. her contact with the outside world was limited to fetching water, looking for firewood, and taking the family ’ s sheep and goats in search of pasture. but now, medina goes to school – an opportunity provided to her and other pastoral children like her by the alternative basic education ( abe ) strategy, which is being implemented by the afar region education bureau with unicef support. children of pastoralists afar region, where medina lives with her family, has a population of more than 1 million, and is one of the poorest regions of ethiopia. infrastructure here is minimal, and an estimated 90 per cent of school - age children are not in school, far worse than the already poor national average of 43 per cent. | medina collects water from a pool left by a recent flooding. like all pastoral children, medina started to help with the household chores at a very young age. | most afar tribesmen are pastoralists, their lives bound to the fate of their herds of cattle, sheep, goats and camels that they raise in one of the most forbidding environments on the planet. children play a critical role in the nomadic lifestyle. boys as young as eight start to herd their family ’ s sheep and goats while girls help with household chores. medina was just one of the many pastoral children who were deprived of a chance to realize their right to an education. both school and family responsibilities the abe system responds to the urgent need for an education that suits the special needs and constraints of pastoral life. it provides flexible school hours, allowing pastoral children fulfil their household responsibilities while still finding time for school. the teachers are familiar with the community, and understand the pastoral lifestyle. “ teaching is a profession held in high esteem by the afar


life. it provides flexible school hours, allowing pastoral children fulfil their household responsibilities while still finding time for school. the teachers are familiar with the community, and understand the pastoral lifestyle. “ teaching is a profession held in high esteem by the afar people, ” says 20 - year - old abe facilitator mohammed adam mohammed. “ what can be greater than to bring enlightenment to one ’ s people? i live with the community, sleep with them and eat with them. if they have to move from this place then i will move with them too. ” these days, medina gets up at the crack of dawn and joins her 12 - year - old brother mohammed to take their family ’ s sheep and goats out to pasture. they leave early in order to be back in time to collect their school books. by 8 a. m., both will be present at the school door for morning line - up and exercises along with more than 40 other students. | medina ( far right ) with her grandmother, robi ibrahim, and two other friends. since she started going to a school specially designed for pastoral children, her family has adjusted their lifestyle so that her education will not be interrupted. | their lessons include instruction in the afar and english languages, mathematics and environmental studies. class times are set by the community. some classes are taught on saturdays, and the abe school year is sometimes longer than regular school year, in order to make sure that children have time both to attend school and to help with family chores. staying with the children “ alternative basic education is enabling the emergence of a new generation of educated pastoralists in ethiopia, ” said unicef representative in ethiopia bjorn ljungqvist. “ if we are to succeed in providing primary education to all ethiopian children, including all girls, then the systems we provide must be able to accommodate the lifestyles of the hardest to reach children. ” to bring more children into school, unicef is scaling up its support in afar region. more than 150 more abe centres will soon be built, providing education to some 7, 500 children. where abe schools are up and running, life is beginning to change for afar pastoralists. “ i prefer our nomadic life because i believe that it is better for us, ” says robi ibrahim, medina ’ s grandmother. “ but we have decided to stay here with the children while most of the other adults have moved away with the animals. why should our children be left behind while others go to school? ” “ only allah knows what medina ’ s future will be


published in the huffington post 16 november 2009 – today, nearly 200 million children under the age of five who live in the developing world suffer from stunted growth as a result of chronic maternal and childhood undernutrition. undernutrition steals a child ' s strength and makes illnesses that the body might otherwise fight off far more dangerous. but far more devastating is the fact that more than one - third of the children who die from pneumonia, diarrhea and other illnesses could have survived had they not been undernourished. the 1, 000 days from conception until a child ' s second birthday are the most critical for a child ' s development. nutritional deficiencies during this critical period can reduce the ability to fight and survive disease, and can impair their social and mental capacities. those who survive often suffer poorer physical health throughout their lives, and damaged cognitive abilities that limit their capacity to learn and to earn a decent income. they become trapped in an intergenerational cycle of ill - health and poverty. stunted growth is a consequence of chronic poor nutrition in early childhood. stunting is associated with developmental problems and is often impossible to correct once it has occurred. a child who is stunted is likely to experience a lifetime of poor health and underachievement, so the answer lies in prevention. according to a report released last week by unicef, " tracking progress on child and maternal nutrition, " reducing and even eliminating undernutrition is feasible. of all the proven interventions, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months - together with nutritionally adequate foods from six months - can have a significant impact on child survival and stunting. good progress has been made in the delivery of cost - effective solutions to undernutrition, including micronutrients, to vulnerable populations worldwide. an example is providing more children access to iodized salt and vitamin a supplements. in the world ' s least developed countries, the percentage of children under five years receiving essential doses of vitamin a supplements has more than doubled, from 41 percent in 2000 to 88 percent in 2008. this has contributed to reduced infant and child mortality. while 90 per cent of children who are stunted live in asia and africa, progress has been made on both continents. in asia the prevalence of stunting dropped from about 44 percent in 1990 to an estimated 30 percent in 2008, while in africa it fell from around 38 per cent in 1990 to an estimated 34 percent in 2008. global commitments on food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture are part of a wider agenda


from about 44 percent in 1990 to an estimated 30 percent in 2008, while in africa it fell from around 38 per cent in 1990 to an estimated 34 percent in 2008. global commitments on food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture are part of a wider agenda that will help address the critical issues raised in this report. unless attention is paid to addressing the causes of child and maternal undernutrition today, the costs will be considerably higher tomorrow. ann veneman is the executive director of unicef. unicef is on the ground in over 150 countries to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. for more information about the report, " tracking progress on child and maternal nutrition, " go to www. unicef. org. about the unicef executive director ann m. veneman assumed the leadership of unicef on 1 may 2005, becoming the fifth executive director to lead unicef in its 60 - year history. prior to joining unicef, veneman served as secretary of the united states department of agriculture. at unicef, veneman directs a global agency of over 10, 000 staff and annual total resources of more than $ 3 billion, funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of governments, businesses, foundations and individuals. since assuming the position of executive director, she has traveled around the world, witnessing firsthand the work of unicef, speaking at meetings and conferences, and visiting heads of state or government and other partners. for further information, please contact : christopher de bono, unicef ny, tel + 1 212 303 7984 ;