wildlife fund. " we were not only trashing our marine environment, but we were ruining the character of coastal communities that had existed on fisheries for centuries, " sutton says. sutton and other environmental advocates, and many scientists, warned that the cod collapse taught the world a sobering lesson : government agencies that were supposed to monitor and regulate fishing were often doing a lousy job. cod weren ' t the only fish in trouble. studies showed that populations of major species like swordfish, marlin and tuna were plunging too. " so we needed to do something drastic, " sutton says. he and colleagues decided to convince industry executives that protecting the oceans would also protect their bottom line. sutton made a pilgrimage to the unilever conglomerate, then one of the largest producers of frozen seafood — including fish sticks. " my pitch to unilever was, ' the future of their frozen fish business is at stake, ' " sutton remembers. " overfishing is not only bad for the environment, but it ' s really bad for business, because it means that they ' re not going to have fish in the future the way they have them today. " unilever and the world wildlife fund joined hands in 1997, and set up the msc. unilever eventually sold its seafood subsidiary and left the program, but the founding partner left its mark : from the day the msc opened its doors in london, it has been a balancing act between industry and the environment. today, the msc has more than 100 employees worldwide, including about 60 at its headquarters in a renovated building down the street from st. paul ' s cathedral. " msc has a global vision, " says rupert howes, the organization ' s chief executive officer. " we want to see the global oceans transformed onto a sustainable basis. " msc ' s system of certification here ' s the msc ' s basic idea : executives of a growing number of food companies want to be " green. " some genuinely want to protect the environment ; others may be mainly seeking a marketing edge. but when it comes to seafood, those executives don ' t have the time or knowledge to figure out which fishing companies are plundering the ocean and which ones are doing a good job. so the msc does the work for them. the msc does not certify fisheries itself. instead, a fishery that wants the label hires one of roughly a dozen commercial auditing companies to decide whether its practices comply with the msc ' s definition of " sustainable. " the msc ' s standard for sustainability includes dozens


certify fisheries itself. instead, a fishery that wants the label hires one of roughly a dozen commercial auditing companies to decide whether its practices comply with the msc ' s definition of " sustainable. " the msc ' s standard for sustainability includes dozens of items, but they ' re designed to assess whether the population of a fishery ' s target species is healthy ; if the fishing practices don ' t cause serious harm to other life in the sea — including by accidentally catching other animals, which is called bycatch ; and if the fishery has good management. if the commercial auditors give the fishery a passing score, then the fishery gets the right to use the blue " certified sustainable seafood " label. it can be a long and expensive process. some certifications have taken years, and the fisheries have paid the auditing firms up to $ 150, 000 or more. howes says that when a store sells msc - certified seafood, the label announces to consumers, " we care where our fish comes from. " he adds that as a growing number of food companies sell msc - labeled seafood, executives of fisheries that don ' t have it are motivated to join the program. that catalyzes " real and lasting change in the way the oceans are fished, " howe says. during the msc ' s first decade, there wasn ' t much demand for sustainable seafood by the u. s. food industry, and the msc " almost went bankrupt, " sutton says. and that put the spotlight on the msc ' s financial model. the way that executives structured it, msc ' s budget comes partly from foundation grants. but some revenue comes from the licensing fees that msc charges businesses for the right to sell seafood with the msc label. so as long as many supermarket chains were not promoting it, the msc wasn ' t getting much money. then, in 2006, everything changed. the msc and its supporters had sent a series of delegations to bentonville, ark., world headquarters of wal - mart. the delegations helped convince wal - mart executives to promise that all the seafood they sell in the u. s. would be msc - certified by 2012. " we had to get wal - mart, " sutton says. " the significance of their commitment, of course, is that once wal - mart made a commitment to the marine stewardship council, every other major retailer had to follow suit, because none of them wanted to be less progressive than wal - mart. " sure enough, other discount chains promised to go sustainable, too. " overnight


mart made a commitment to the marine stewardship council, every other major retailer had to follow suit, because none of them wanted to be less progressive than wal - mart. " sure enough, other discount chains promised to go sustainable, too. " overnight, the demand far outstripped the supply, " says sutton, " and so the suppliers had to catch up. " since wal - mart made its pledge in 2006, the msc system has certified seven times as many fisheries as it did during the same period before, according to npr ' s analysis. still, the msc system has not been able to certify enough seafood for wal - mart to meet its 2012 deadline, according to bob fields, a senior buyer for wal - mart and sam ' s club. the explosion in sales of msc - labeled products at leading chain stores has transformed the organization ' s finances. the year that wal - mart pledged to promote msc - labeled seafood, the msc received most of its income from foundation grants — 75 percent, according to the msc annual report. meanwhile, it received only 7 percent of its income from label licensing fees. today, those licensing fees generate more than half of the msc ' s revenue. and since wal - mart executives embraced sustainable seafood, the msc has also received millions of dollars in grant money from the walton family foundation, which was created by wal - mart ' s founder and is governed by his descendants. the walton family foundation has become one of the msc ' s largest donors, according to financial reports. the director of the foundation ' s environment programs, scott burns, served on the msc ' s board of directors before he went to walton. critics say that the day wal - mart embraced sustainable seafood, it was a blessing for the msc system — and a curse. the critics charge that the msc system has compromised its standards to keep up with the booming demand from wal - mart and other chains that followed suit. fuller, of the ecology action centre, says she has watched the msc system " struggling with meeting the demands of the system that they helped create... they have ended up having to lower the bar. " when ocean specialist daniel pauly, a fisheries professor at the university of british columbia, talks about the msc today, he sounds dispirited. pauly took part in early meetings in london that helped create the msc and now says he has lost faith in the system. " the msc is doing the business of the business community, " pauly says, not the environment. balancing ' sustainable ' swordfish with


part in early meetings in london that helped create the msc and now says he has lost faith in the system. " the msc is doing the business of the business community, " pauly says, not the environment. balancing ' sustainable ' swordfish with at - risk sharks some environmentalists and scientists say if you want to understand why they ' re losing faith in the msc, look at the battle over certifying canadian swordfish. next time you buy swordfish at a store like whole foods, it might come from a controversial fishery off the coast of nova scotia. fishermen have known for ages that when they go swordfishing in some parts of the atlantic, they will accidentally catch sharks — lots of sharks, says steve campana, who runs the canadian government ' s shark research laboratory, near halifax, nova scotia. when npr caught up with campana one morning, he and his research crew were heading into the atlantic on a 34 - foot trawler, the dig it. they were planning to attach sophisticated satellite transmitters to blue sharks. " on average, from what we ' ve seen over the years, the swordfishermen catch about five blue sharks for every one swordfish, " campana said, holding onto a metal strut as the dig it bounced through the waves. add it up, studies suggest, and canada ' s long - line swordfish boats — so named because they typically let out 30 or 40 miles of fishing line, dangling more than 1, 000 hooks — accidentally catch tens of thousands of sharks every year. this touches on one of msc ' s three fundamental rules, even though studies show swordfish are plentiful. the second rule says that a fishery is not sustainable if it does not maintain " the integrity of ecosystems " — which means, in part, that it ' s not sustainable if there is too much bycatch. the committee on the status of endangered wildlife in canada, which is funded and appointed by the canadian government, has warned that the main kinds of sharks that swordfishermen accidentally catch are " threatened " or " endangered " or " of special concern. " swordfishermen generally release the sharks. but there had been few studies on what happens to those sharks after fishermen let them off the hooks — until campana and his colleagues came along. about six years ago, they started tagging sharks with satellite transmitters before fishermen set them free. during one outing, the crew showed how they do it : they snagged a 5 - foot blue shark on a hook baited


colleagues came along. about six years ago, they started tagging sharks with satellite transmitters before fishermen set them free. during one outing, the crew showed how they do it : they snagged a 5 - foot blue shark on a hook baited with mackerel, reeled it in, and then pinned the thrashing shark against the boat ' s broad, flat railing. they jabbed a satellite transmitter, which looks like a turkey baster with a barb on one end, into the shark ' s leathery skin. and then they let the shark go, the transmitter protruding like an unsightly growth. the device is equipped with a computer chip that records data every 10 seconds, including where the shark goes, how deep it goes, and how long it stays there. after about 10 months, the tube pops off the shark and floats to the surface, beaming all the information via satellite to campana. when the transmitter shows that a shark went to the deepest part of the sea and just stayed there, campana knows when and where the shark died. campana and his colleagues published some of their first findings based on these studies in july 2009, in the journal marine ecology progress series. their studies showed that up to 35 percent of the sharks caught by swordfish boats die, either right on the hook or within days after the fishermen set them free. the findings suggested that canadian swordfish boats accidentally kill almost two sharks for every swordfish they catch. campana says that when you put these findings in context, it is troubling. other studies suggest that the populations of major kinds of sharks in the north atlantic have plunged as much as 40 to 60 percent in just the past few decades. " any time you see consistent declines like that, and the fact that all of these large sharks seem to have declined all over the world, " campana says, " it ' s just a worrisome pattern. " the president of canada ' s swordfish industry, the nova scotia swordsfishermen ' s association, dismisses campana ' s conclusions. campana ' s report on shark deaths could not have come at a worse time for canada ' s swordfish industry. only months before the report was published, the association, which catches most of canada ' s commercial swordfish, had applied to the msc for certification. the industry sells much of its swordfish to whole foods and other stores in the u. s. those conclusions " were not close to what the industry felt was reality, " troy atkinson, president


swordfish, had applied to the msc for certification. the industry sells much of its swordfish to whole foods and other stores in the u. s. those conclusions " were not close to what the industry felt was reality, " troy atkinson, president of the association, says while sitting in his store, crammed with giant spools of plastic fishing line and boxes of heavy metal hooks. he runs the main business that supplies equipment to canada ' s swordfishing fleet. " we ' re sometimes portrayed as a bunch of cowboys out to harvest the last buffalo, " he says. " we ' re portrayed as some of the worst in the world. and it ' s just not correct. " atkinson cites reports by other researchers that conclude that the population of blue sharks off the coast of canada is healthy – especially reports by the international commission for the conservation of atlantic tunas ( iccat ), which represents dozens of governments whose nations fish the atlantic. so, atkinson says, canada ' s swordfishermen could catch and kill even more sharks without hurting the environment. other studies suggest the evidence is contradictory, and that scientists don ' t know for sure what is happening to sharks across the atlantic. for example, the optimistic iccat researchers whom atkinson cites acknowledge that their conclusions are " highly uncertain " because they ' re based on unproven assumptions and incomplete data. however, studies showing that blue sharks have sharply declined focus on a limited region. so scientists and environmentalists were dumbfounded in early 2012 when the msc system decided that canada ' s swordfish industry can use the label " certified sustainable seafood. " " that is absolutely the kind of fishery that should not be certified, " says leape of pew environment group. " that fishery is outrageous. " certifying canadian swordfish " is the worst thing they can do, says fuller, of the ecology action centre. " that is not at all the way it should go. " a program based on ' science and evidence ' the ecology action centre and dozens of other environmental groups denounced the msc. the groups said in a letter to the msc system that roughly 10 percent of canada ' s swordfish are caught with harpoons — a method environmentalists support because there is hardly any bycatch. but the long - line boats that supply most of the swordfish catch a " staggering " number of sharks, as the environmentalists put it. " certifying [ canada ' s long - line swordfish boats ] compromises the credibility of the msc, " the groups warned,


supply most of the swordfish catch a " staggering " number of sharks, as the environmentalists put it. " certifying [ canada ' s long - line swordfish boats ] compromises the credibility of the msc, " the groups warned, " and the sustainable seafood movement as a whole. " howes, from the msc, disagrees. he says the controversy over canadian swordfish " illustrates a key feature of the msc program, which is the fact that the program is premised on science and evidence. that fishery has met the msc standard. " the analysts who evaluated the fishery for the msc system agreed that the swordfish boats do kill large numbers of sharks. they acknowledged that the optimistic studies on sharks that the swordfish industry cites are uncertain, but they concluded that the weight of evidence suggests it is " highly likely " there are plenty of blue sharks left in the sea. the analysts also stressed that, by all accounts, other countries kill far more sharks than canada ' s swordfishermen do. so, they said, canada causes only a small part of the bycatch problem. " we are not saying that shark bycatch doesn ' t matter, " says howes. " what we ' re saying implicit within the labeling of that fishery is, the shark bycatch of that unique individual certified fishery is safe. it ' s within ecological limits. " barnes, of the antarctic and southern ocean coalition, says the controversy over canadian swordfish illustrates why the booming demand for sustainable seafood actually threatens to hurt the movement more than help it. " the bottom line is that there are not enough truly sustainable fisheries on the earth to sustain the demand, " barnes says. " the retailers and wholesalers all want access to this kind of label because they ' re trying to... make money with their consumers. there ' s nothing wrong with that ; that ' s how the world works. " but barnes charges that the msc is labeling some fisheries as sustainable — even when they are not — partly to fill the seafood counters at wal - mart and other large chains. " i ' m not down on wal - mart at all, don ' t get me wrong, " he says. " but to get on line with big chains as your goal leads you down a path that i don ' t think the originators of the msc intended. " howes could hardly disagree more. " if you really want to contribute to the transformation of our economic systems more generally, you ' ve got to engage with the big guys.


that i don ' t think the originators of the msc intended. " howes could hardly disagree more. " if you really want to contribute to the transformation of our economic systems more generally, you ' ve got to engage with the big guys. and therefore, i absolutely welcome wal - mart ' s commitment, " he says. " that will drive change. " howes continues : " will that overload the msc system? no. " he argues that there ' s no way the msc could label problem fisheries sustainable just to satisfy demand, because, he says, the certifiers evaluate each fishery based only on scientific evidence. but he adds, " we want to see oceans fished sustainably forever. we ' re not going to achieve that by becoming a small niche organization that engages with a handful of perfect fisheries. " researcher barbara van woerkom contributed to this story. melissa block, host : this is all things considered from npr news. i ' m melissa block. robert siegel, host : and i ' m robert siegel. in this part of the program, we ' re going to hear about seafood, specifically about the two words that are changing the way many of us buy our seafood : certified sustainable. block : the movement to sell seafood that can be fished without doing harm to the species or the environment is no longer limited to high - end grocery stores. wal - mart, kroger ' s, even mcdonald ' s are getting into the act, selling wild caught seafood with those magic words : certified sustainable. siegel : the marine stewardship council gives its seal of approval to fisheries that they say help protect the oceans. the msc is also a prime example of an important trend : private groups, not the government, telling consumers what ' s good or bad for the environment. block : many environmentalists say the msc is a good idea. but as npr ' s daniel zwerdling reports, even some of its supporters warn you don ' t always get what you pay for. daniel zwerdling, byline : come with me for a moment to a supermarket and you ' ll see why this program for sustainable seafood is so compelling. you ' ll also learn that shopping for so - called sustainable seafood is trickier than you might like. i ' m meeting an executive from whole foods at their store near ground zero in new york. it ' s like a temple for food. there are mountains of fruits and vegetables and chocolates and olive oils. and look at the seafood counter ; there are shiny whole fish


an executive from whole foods at their store near ground zero in new york. it ' s like a temple for food. there are mountains of fruits and vegetables and chocolates and olive oils. and look at the seafood counter ; there are shiny whole fish and fragile filets and mussels and clams and shrimps - they ' re all nestled in beds of ice. carrie brownstein : i ' m carrie brownstein. i ' m the global seafood quality standards coordinator. and we ' re here to talk about seafood sustainability. zwerdling : she says companies like whole foods have to move to sustainable seafood. fish and shellfish caught in the sea are the only major foods left that people still get in the wilds. brownstein cites a recent study from the united nations. it warns that almost 30 percent of the world ' s fisheries are over - exploited, which means that people are fishing them faster than they can rebound. and most of the other fisheries are near their limit. so, push them any more and they could decline. brownstein : we can ' t just go out and find more fish to catch. zwerdling : you ' re convinced people need to be worry about seafood and the oceans. brownstein : yeah, people need to be careful. people need to be careful. and i think that retailers like whole foods and other companies can play a huge role in making a difference for the oceans. zwerdling : so, whole foods has promised to sell as much seafood as it can that the marine stewardship council says is sustainable. there are other groups that decide which seafood ' s good or bad for the environment. for instance, one rates them green, yellow or red, like traffic lights. but the msc system is the most expensive. they say they ' ve certified more than $ 3 billion worth of seafood. brownstein points to the fish with the blue msc logo. brownstein : we have a number of msc - certified fish here right now. we ' ve got halibut, king salmon, chilean sea bass... zwerdling : the logo is an abstract fish with a check mark. brownstein :... and swordfish. zwerdling : and the logo proclaims the words... brownstein : certified sustainable by the marine stewardship council. zwerdling : in other words, the msc promises that if you buy this seafood, you won ' t contribute to over - fishing. and you won ' t be killing off other life in the sea, whether


by the marine stewardship council. zwerdling : in other words, the msc promises that if you buy this seafood, you won ' t contribute to over - fishing. and you won ' t be killing off other life in the sea, whether it ' s dolphins or coral. a mother has just parked her baby stroller at the seafood counter. rebecca weel says she depends on the msc and whole foods to tell her what to buy. rebecca weel : i want to feel that i ' m doing the right thing without putting too much effort into figuring it out on my own. zwerdling : now, if you see two fish, one says msc - certified sustainable and the other one doesn ' t... weel : i would definitely choose the sustainable one over the not - sustainable one. zwerdling : are you willing to pay any more for fish that ' s sustainably certified? weel : i would personally, yes. zwerdling : brownstein wouldn ' t give details, but she said that whole foods does charge more for some seafood that ' s labeled by the msc. so, ocean specialists say you might be troubled to hear something that whole foods and the msc are not telling you. gerry leape : in our view, we would prefer they didn ' t use the word sustainable. zwerdling : gerry leape helps oversee oceans programs for the pew charitable trusts. he ' s worked with the msc for more than 10 years on their official advisory council. and i asked him... when one of our listeners goes to the supermarket and they see that msc label - this seafood is sustainable - can they believe it ' s true? zwerdling : that ' s a long pause. leape : it is a long pause. you can ' t believe across the board that it ' s necessarily sustainable. zwerdling : or ask a biologist named susanna fuller. she co - directs the marine program at the ecology action center in canada. when i go to the supermarket and i see there ' s fish with a blue label - certified sustainable - and other fish that aren ' t, should i buy the msc fish? susanna fuller : you know, i - you - you know, you ' re - it ' s a gamble. zwerdling : to understand why many environmentalists say it ' s a gamble, i joined a research trip one morning off the coast of nova scotia. ( soundbite of an engine ) zwerdling : remember the msc swordfish, back at whole


endangered or of special concern. i told my mother the other day that i was going to come out on this boat. and my mother said, why do i care about sharks? i like eating the swordfish. campana : sharks are, well, they ' re, they ' re the king of the food chain. so they are the equivalent of the lions on the serengeti plains of africa. and if you suddenly wiped out all of the lions, undoubtedly, you would find very strange things happen to the ecosystem there, probably unpredictable things. zwerdling : so, a lot of scientists and environmentalists told us, we don ' t get it - how can the msc say the swordfish industry is sustainable? we ' ll come back to that question in a moment and to this research boat. but first, a quick history of the msc. let ' s go back to 1992. ( soundbite of archived news clip ) unidentified woman # 1 : good evening. the news was expected but that didn ' t make it any less devastating. it ' s a moratorium on fishing on northern cod, a ban that will affect about 20, 000 people and gut the backbone of the atlantic fishery... zwerdling : one of the most important fisheries in the world had collapsed. canada ' s cod industry had been worth an estimated $ 700 million a year. cbc television announced their government was dealing with the crisis by making cod fishing illegal. ( soundbite of archived news clip ) unidentified woman # 2 : and with that, fishermen stormed the doors of john crosby ' s news conference. ( soundbite of a crowd and yelling ) unidentified woman # 2 : security guards locked the doors and frantically called for help. michael sutton : thousands of people thrown out of jobs, the closure of the cod fisheries. zwerdling : mike sutton ran the oceans programs back then for the world wildlife fund. sutton : i mean, it was so bad in some of these coastal communities, they had to - the government had to send in suicide prevention teams. zwerdling : sutton says the collapse of the cod industry shocked people. they finally realized the oceans are in big trouble. and sutton says the crisis proved something else : the government agencies around the world that were supposed to protect the oceans were often doing a lousy job. sutton : we were not only trashing out marine environment, but we were ruining the character of coastal communities that had existed on fisheries for centuries. so we needed to do something drastic. zwerdling :


oceans were often doing a lousy job. sutton : we were not only trashing out marine environment, but we were ruining the character of coastal communities that had existed on fisheries for centuries. so we needed to do something drastic. zwerdling : sutton and his colleagues said, we have a solution. since government officials aren ' t protecting the oceans, let ' s convince industry they have to do it. sutton met with executives at unilever. they were one of the biggest seafood suppliers in the world. sutton : my pitch to unilever was, the future of their frozen fish business is at stake. overfishing is not only bad for the environment but it ' s really bad for business because it means that they ' re not going to have fish in the future the way they have them today. zwerdling : and in 1997, unilever and the world wildlife fund joined hands. they set up the marine stewardship council. so, the msc was a balancing act between industry and the environment from the day they opened their doors. the headquarters are down the street from st. paul ' s cathedral in london. rupert howes : msc has a global vision. we want to see the global oceans transformed onto a sustainable basis. zwerdling : that ' s the man who runs the msc, rupert howes. these offices could be a software company. they are designer chic, lots of glass, hardly anybody wears a tie. the msc is registered non - profit. howes : okay. msc employs about 100 people around the world. we have 12 offices globally. on this floor, we have over here our fundraising team... zwerdling : and here ' s the msc ' s basic idea. more and more food companies want to look green, right? some want to help the environment. some want to attract customers. but when it comes to seafood, those executives don ' t know which fishing companies are plundering the ocean and which ones are doing a good job, so the msc system studies it for them. all food companies have to do is offer seafood with a blue msc label, certified sustainable - and they can probably tell consumers, hey... howes : we care where our fish comes from. we care how it was fished. zwerdling : and as more and more food companies sell seafood with the msc label, fisheries that don ' t have it will think we better get certified, too, or we ' re going to lose business to our competitors. howes calls


. zwerdling : and as more and more food companies sell seafood with the msc label, fisheries that don ' t have it will think we better get certified, too, or we ' re going to lose business to our competitors. howes calls this the msc ' s theory of change. howes : the theory of change is very, very simple. if we could use a certification and labeling program to create an incentive for fisheries to improve the way they fish the oceans, we could catalyze real and lasting change in the way the oceans are fished. zwerdling : but it turned out that during the msc ' s early years, the american food industry wasn ' t excited about sustainable seafood. in fact, michael sutton, who helped create it, says the msc almost went bankrupt. the msc ' s budget comes partly from foundation grants and part of it comes from getting licensing fees from businesses that sell seafood with the msc label. so as long as many supermarket chains weren ' t promoting it, the msc wasn ' t getting much money. but starting in 2005, the msc and its supporters sent a series of delegations to bentonville, arkansas, headquarters of wal - mart, and everything changed. ( soundbite of video ) unidentified woman : wal - mart is one of the largest retail purchasers of wild cod and farmeries seafood. zwerdling : that ' s a wal - mart company video. mike sutton and the other delegates helped convince wal - mart ' s executives to make a promise. wal - mart would sell as much seafood as possible that ' s certified sustainable in all their american stores. ( soundbite of video ) unidentified woman : the goal of the seafood network is to have our wild cod fisheries certified by the msc, or marine stewardship council, an... sutton : we had to get wal - mart and the significance of their commitment, of course, is that once wal - mart made a commitment to the marine stewardship council, every other major retailer had to follow suit because none of them wanted to be less progressive than wal - mart. zwerdling : target promised to go sustainable. kroger and costco promised, too. the problem was the msc had not labeled enough seafood sustainable. sutton : overnight, the demand far outstripped the supply and so the suppliers had to catch up. zwerdling : listen to this fact. since wal - mart embraced sustainable seafood in 2006, the msc system has certified at least seven times as many fisheries as it did during the same period


: all right. so the satellite tag ' s in. good to go here. zwerdling : and they ease her back into the ocean. this shark looks okay for now, but campana ' s studies show that up to 35 percent of the sharks caught by swordfish boats die within days after they ' re caught. add it all up and campana ' s findings suggest that canadian swordfish boats accidentally kill almost two sharks for every swordfish they catch. other studies estimate that the populations of major kinds of sharks in the north atlantic have plunged 40 percent, even 60 percent in just the past few decades. campana : any time you see, you know, consistent declines like that and the fact that all of these large sharks seem to have declined all over the world, for them all to be declining, it ' s just a worrisome pattern. zwerdling : campana published some of his major findings back in 2009 and they couldn ' t have come at a worse time for canada ' s swordfish industry because only a few months before, the industry ' s president had gone to the marine stewardship council. he said, we want canadian swordfish to be certified sustainable. now, here was a troubling study about bycatch by one of the government ' s top researchers. the industry president didn ' t buy it. troy atkinson : i had a disagreement with the results. they were not close to what the industry felt was reality. zwerdling : you ' re basically rejecting the findings of, you know, one of the most respected shark scientists. atkinson : yep, i am. zwerdling : troy atkinson runs the nova scotia swordfishermen ' s association. it ' s based in halifax. they catch most of the swordfish exported from canada. atkinson says, there are some studies out there that conclude that blue sharks in the north atlantic are doing great. atkinson : we ' re sometimes portrayed as a bunch of cowboys out to harvest the last buffalo, you know. we ' re portrayed as, you know, some of the worst in the world. and it ' s just not correct. zwerdling : you ' re saying that your swordfish fleet could be catching or killing more blue sharks and the oceans would still be healthy. atkinson : correct. yes, that is indeed the fact. zwerdling : actually, the evidence is contradictory. it suggests that scientists don ' t know for sure what ' s happening to sharks across the atlantic. for instance, the optimistic researchers that atkinson


: correct. yes, that is indeed the fact. zwerdling : actually, the evidence is contradictory. it suggests that scientists don ' t know for sure what ' s happening to sharks across the atlantic. for instance, the optimistic researchers that atkinson cites who say that blue sharks are doing great, they acknowledge that their conclusions are highly uncertain - their words - because they ' re based on all kinds of assumptions and incomplete data. on the other hand, studies that show that blue sharks have sharply declined focus on a limited region. so some scientists and environmentalists were dumbfounded last year when the marine stewardship council added up all this confusion and they proclaimed canada ' s swordfish industry is certified sustainable. is it sustainable? fuller : no, no. it ' s not at all. zwerdling : that ' s susanna fuller again, from the ecology action center in halifax. the center joined forces with other groups like the sierra club, oceana, the shark research institute and they denounced the msc. they said a small amount of canada ' s swordfish is caught with harpoons and we ' re all for that. but 90 percent of the swordfish comes from longline boats, which studies show catch tens of thousands of sharks. how can the msc call that sustainable? fuller : it ' s so egregious. we said, you know, why are you guys doing this because we ' re trying to actually help get some trust behind that label? and by certifying this fishery, you are just, like, undermining a whole bunch of consumer trust. zwerdling : the analysts who evaluated the fishery for the msc system agreed that the swordfish boats do kill large numbers of sharks and they agreed that the optimistic studies on sharks are uncertain. still, they concluded that when you put all the evidence together, it is highly likely, their words, that there are plenty of blue sharks left in the sea. the analysts also said that other countries kill way more sharks than canada ' s swordfishermen do, so canada ' s only a small part of the bycatch problem. we asked the head of the msc in london what he thinks about bycatch. rupert howes. suppose you said to your family, listen guys, every time we eat a swordfish here in our house, the fishermen who caught it killed two sharks and just dumped their bodies in the ocean. how would your family react to that? howes : it ' s a very good question and i think it illustrates a key feature


swordfish here in our house, the fishermen who caught it killed two sharks and just dumped their bodies in the ocean. how would your family react to that? howes : it ' s a very good question and i think it illustrates a key feature of the msc program, which is the fact that the program is premised on science and evidence. that fishery has met the msc standard. we are not saying that shark bycatch doesn ' t matter. what we ' re saying implicit within the labeling of that fishery is, the shark bycatch of that unique individual certified fishery is safe. it ' s within ecological limits. zwerdling : back on dig it, off the coast of canada, i ask the scientist who is studying the sharks, steve campana, given all your studies that show that the swordfish industry is accidentally killing huge numbers of sharks, how can the marine stewardship council say that this swordfish industry is sustainable? campana : that ' s an excellent question and i don ' t have the answer to that. jim barnes : well, i don ' t know why he ducked that one. well, i think the answer ' s obvious. zwerdling : jim barnes is a lawyer. he runs an international coalition of 30 environmental groups. he says ever since the wal - marts of the world said they want sustainable seafood, it ' s been a blessing for the sustainable movement and a curse. barnes : the bottom line is that there are not enough truly sustainable fisheries on the earth to sustain the demand. the retailers and wholesalers all want access to this kind of label because they ' re trying to, you know, make money with their consumers. again, there ' s nothing wrong with that. that ' s how the world works. zwerdling : jim barnes, are you saying that the msc system is rushing to certify seafood as sustainable when they know it ' s not, at least partly because they need to fill the seafood counters of wal - mart and other huge chains? barnes : yes, in some cases, they ' re doing that. i ' m not down on wal - mart at all, don ' t get me wrong. but to get on line with big chains as your goal leads you down a path that i don ' t think the originators of the msc intended. howes : if you really want to contribute to the transformation of our economic systems more generally, you ' ve got to engage with the big guys. zwerdling : the msc ' s president,


t think the originators of the msc intended. howes : if you really want to contribute to the transformation of our economic systems more generally, you ' ve got to engage with the big guys. zwerdling : the msc ' s president, rupert howes. howes : and therefore, i absolutely welcome wal - mart ' s commitment. that will drive change. and so your question about will that overload the msc system? no. zwerdling : howes says there ' s no way the msc could label problem fisheries just to satisfy demand, because, he says, the certifiers evaluate every fishery based only on scientific evidence. but howes says, you also have to realize, this is the real world. there is no such thing as perfection. howes : we want to see oceans fished sustainably forever. we ' re not going to achieve that by becoming a small niche organization that engages with a handful of perfect fisheries. zwerdling : even the biggest critics told me that the marine stewardship council has accomplished some important things and they say maybe here ' s the most important, the msc has helped get people to think about sustainable seafood. back when the msc got started, not many people did. but npr conducted a survey for this story with a company called truven health analytics. the results show that almost 80 percent of americans who eat seafood regularly said it is important or it ' s very important that their seafood is sustainably caught. daniel zwerdling, npr news. siegel : our story was co - reported by npr ' s margot williams. tomorrow, critics say the msc can make a positive difference when it honors its original goals. meanwhile, you can learn more about the pros and cons of sustainable seafood at npr. org. transcript provided by npr, copyright npr.


september 10, 2012 valdosta - south health district ’ s 12 county health departments and clinics have begun offering seasonal influenza ( flu ) vaccinations to the general public. the centers for disease control and prevention ( cdc ) recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older as the first and most important step in protecting against this serious disease. “ we have plenty of vaccine this year for everyone, ” states debra adams, rn, aprn, district clinical and nursing director. “ in addition to flu shots, some of our health departments also offer : nasal spray, intradermal and high - dose flu vaccines. ” the regular flu shot is an option to people 6 months and older. the nasal spray is available for non - pregnant, healthy people ages 2 through 49. the intradermal flu vaccine is a shot that is injected into the skin instead of the muscle. it uses a much smaller needle than the regular flu shot, and requires less antigen to be as effective as the regular flu shot. this vaccine is approved by fda for adults 18 through 64 years of age. fluzone high - dose vaccine is designed specifically for people 65 years and older. this vaccine contains four times the amount of antigen contained in regular flu shots since our immune systems become weaker with age, and places us at greater risk of severe illness from influenza, says adams. public health officials encourage everyone to get the shot. “ you are protecting yourself as well as the people you are around when you get vaccinated. you can pass the flu to someone else before you even know you are sick, ” states adams. other than getting the vaccine, there are everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of the flu : wash your hands often with soap and water ; cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze or cough and then throw it away ; avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes, since germs can pass this way and ; avoid close contact with sick people. most importantly, if you are sick with flu - like symptoms, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone to avoid spreading the flu to the seasonal flu shot is $ 20 ; for availability and pricing of nasal spray, intradermal or high - dose flu vaccines, call your local health department. cash, check, medicare, medicaid and blue cross blue shield of georgia : bluechoice ppo are accepted at all health departments. united healthcare and cigna are also accepted for state employees. designed by gray digital media


by gina garippo, pure matters a study published in the journal sports health : a multidisciplinary approach analyzed the bone density of 560 athletes, ages 47 to 93, who competed in the senior olympic games. they found that men and women who played high - impact sports had much higher bone density than those who participated in low - impact games. high - impact activities include those that require almost continual running and jumping - - such as track and field, road racing, and basketball. a big impact on bone density the difference in bone density measurements between adults playing high - and low - impact sports was significant. playing a high - impact sport improved bone density scores by 3 percent. that ’ s about the same percentage of decline caused by some individual risk factors, such as age. not everyone can participate in high - impact activities. it may be better for people with osteoarthritis and other chronic health problems to stick with low - impact activities. thankfully, any weight - bearing exercise - - including lower - intensity activities like walking - - can help ward off bone loss. however, the study shows that for older adults who are able, exercising at a higher intensity may provide additional bone benefits. even small amounts of activity help you don ’ t have to be an olympic athlete to reap the benefits of high - impact activity. add a little jogging to your daily walk or join a high - impact aerobics class. just be sure to talk with your doctor before starting or changing an exercise program. for help getting active, visit the national institute on aging website at www. nia. nih. gov and search for “ exercise guide. ”


recognizing developmental delays in children vision developmental delays in children until 6 months, a newborn ' s vision is normally blurry. then it improves as the child begins to coordinate sight in both eyes. however, sometimes this does not happen or other vision problems show up. possible causes of vision delays. refractive errors, such as nearsightedness and farsightedness, are common in children. other eye problems include : - amblyopia ( lazy eye ), poor vision in one eye - infantile cataracts - - a clouding of the eye ' s lens - - or another inherited problem ( these problems are rare ) - retinopathy of prematurity, an eye disease that sometimes affects premature infants - strabismus - - also called cross eyed - - eyes that turn in, out, up, or down types of treatment for vision delays. early treatment can help correct many vision problems. depending on the eye problem your child has, he or she may need : - glasses or contacts - special glasses - an eye patch warning signs of vision problems. contact your child ' s doctor if your child has any of the following signs at the age that ’ s indicated. in addition, watch for any loss of skills that have already been learned. by 3 months, contact the doctor if your child : - does not follow moving objects with his or her eyes - does not notice hands ( by 2 months ) - has trouble moving one or both eyes in all directions - crosses eyes most of the time by 6 months, contact the doctor if your child : - has one or both eyes turning in or out all the time - experiences constant tearing, eye drainage, or sensitivity to light - does not follow near objects ( 1 foot away ) or far objects ( 6 feet away ) with both eyes if your child ' s doctor notes any problems, the doctor may refer your child to an ophthalmologist for further evaluation. motor skill developmental delays in children developmental delays may be related to problems with gross motor skills, such as crawling or walking, or fine motor skills, such as using fingers to grasp a spoon. possible causes of motor skill delays. children who are born prematurely may not develop muscles at the same rate as other children. children who have been institutionalized, lacked stimulation at young ages, or have autism may have sensory integration dysfunction, a diagnosis questioned by the american academy of pediatrics. this complex disorder has been thought to cause a variety of problems with the senses, including : - extreme reactions to touch, textures, or


making sense of science : going deep to go far by linking science and literacy instruction schoolsmovingup at wested february 8, 2012 @ 10 : 30 a. m. – 12 p. m. ( pacific time ) tel : 415. 615. 3213 email : firstname. lastname @ example. org register for the making sense of science : going deep to go far by linking science and literacy instruction webinar. if leadership tomorrow depends on how we educate our students today, then what can we do to facilitate deep conceptual learning, both for students and teachers? in this webinar, kirsten daehler, senior research associate at wested and director of understanding science for teaching, and kathy huncosky, science instructional resource teacher from the madison metropolitan school district, will share facilitation strategies and principles that get learners to dive deeper into science, reason about ideas in evidence - based ways, and communicate using multiple languages of science. all teachers and teacher educators can use the strategies and principles featured to support science learning, regardless of their curriculum. during this webinar, daehler and huncosky will : - draw examples from making sense of science ( mss ) professional development - share findings from a national randomized controlled study showing significant positive effects in science learning for teachers and their students, including english learners, students with disabilities, and students who otherwise struggle with science - provide tips for helping teachers and science educators : - keep conversations evidence - based - make thinking visible - go beyond one explanation - separate science ideas from individuals - explore ideas with words, actions, images, and symbols - classroom science teachers k – 16 - science instructional coaches - science educators - curriculum supervisors / consultants - district personnel in charge of teacher professional development and inservice


in the 1920s, the denver art museum became one of the first art institutions in the world to collect american indian material not be - cause of some historic or scientific interest, but because of its undeniable aesthetic qualities. nearly ninety years later, the dam has one of the largest and most important collections of native american art anywhere. but for months now, the american indian art galleries in the ponti building devoted to displaying the museums collection have been closed while native arts curator nancy blomberg rethought and reinstalled it. the new galleries underwent not only a physical change, but also an intellectual one, explains blomberg. the new presentation focuses on specific artists. people go to the modern and contemporary art floors or the european art floors and expect to see artists ; however, when they come to the american indian art galleries, they dont. i want to challenge that. i want visitors to look at a group of, for example, navajo weavings and see the distinct style and hand of the artist involved. i want people to see 2, 000 years of continuous artistic creation. see it all from prehistoric to postmodern when the galleries reopen at noon today at the dam, 100 west 14th avenue park - way. for more information, call 720 - 865 - 5000 or go to www. denverartmuseum. org.


wfp ' s office in kathmandu is leading the way towards carbon neutrality with an ambitious solar project that will cut down its greenhouse emissions by over a third. copyright : wfp / meghbar chemjong frequent power outages and melting glaciers are a constant reminder in nepal of the shortcomings of fossil fuels. in an effort to reduce its carbon footprint and become more energy - efficient, wfp ' s office there is looking to solar power as a sustainable alternative. by deepesh shrestha, public information officer and tyler mcmahon, solar project coordinator kathmandu - - for much of the world, climate change is still an abstract concept. but in nepal it is a visible and ominous reality — just ask wfp nepal country director richard ragan. a mountaineer who first came to nepal in the early 1990s to climb the himalayas, ragan saw first - hand how much had changed when he came back with wfp in 2006. on world environment day 2007, un secretary general ban ki - moon called on all agencies and programmes to “ go green ” and become climate neutral. see how far we ’ ve come at the new greening the blue website. “ twenty years ago, when i first came here climbing, there was no lake at the bottom of mt. imja tse, ” he says. but there is now. runoff from a melting glacier has created a body of water over one kilometre wide in less than 16 years. one of many examples of climate change in nepal, the country also struggles with major energy shortages that leave much of the country without electricity for long stretches of time. “ nepal is a country with abundant energy potential yet most people still live without power for 50 % of the day. this just didn ' t make sense to me so i felt we needed to demonstrate that there were alternatives, ” said ragan. in an effort to shrink its carbon footprint and become less reliant on the national energy grid, the kathmandu office launched an ambitious project to cut greenhouse emissions by 30 % using solar energy. this will eliminate at least 25 tonnes of co2 emissions per year and will ultimately pay for itself through reduced electricity costs. the project got off the ground in late may with the installation of a 10 kilowatt peak grid - interactive power system and stand - alone solar - powered security lights. this alone will power the office ’ s server room, satellite and telephone communication systems, and 11 computers, saving around 30, 000 watt - hours per day. the second phase, to be completed by mid - august, will


the 3d axis shows the direction of the cartesian coordinates in the 3d window. it consists of 3 legs, a tip at the end of each leg, and a label specifying x, y, or z beyond the tip. the axis can be drawn using lines, as shown below, or as a solid model using cylinders and cones. the labels are drawn with lines in both cases. the 3d axis property page controls the appearance of the axis, including its size, line thicknesses, size of the solid elements, size of the labels, tip details, colors, and whether or not the tips and / or labels are shown. the axis size is specified as a percentage of the average extent of the 3d scale box. in addition to entering the percentage on the 3d axis property page, several mouse and key actions change the size. moving the mouse with the right button and the a key held down scales the axis. when the a key is held, the zoom toolbar buttons and the numeric keypad + and - affect the axis size ( instead of the overall image size ). when both the ctrl and a keys are held down, the numeric keypad + and - keys scale the axis in larger increments than without the ctrl key. the axis center ( where the 3 legs come together ) can be specified either in absolute coordinates or relative to the center of the 3d scale box. the coordinates and interpretation choice are made on the 3d axis property page. the axis can be moved interactively along each of the 3 principal directions by holding down the x, y, or z key and moving the mouse with the right button held down or pressing the arrow keys. when using the arrow keys, holding down the shift key ( along with x, y, or z ) moves the axis in larger increments. the axis tab of the information window shows the position of the axis center. the absolute position is reported, even when the center is relative to the 3d scale box. when the tab is active, the axis can be used as 3d marker to query the coordinates of objects in the 3d display. the property page contains an item to reset the center position to ( 0, 0, 0 ) following the import of a model by reading a mcnp or sabrina input file. the position is not reset upon reading a checkpoint file ( that presumably contains the position ). the axis submenu of the 3d context menu contains items to toggle the axis visibility, move the center position to the middle of the 3d scale box, to


( bpt ) - growing evidence from nutritionists and literacy experts suggests access to good nutrition and good books are the building blocks to early learning. according to the u. s. department of agriculture, lack of enough nutritious food impairs a child ' s ability to concentrate and perform well in school. children who have not developed some basic literacy skills by the time they enter school are three to four times more likely to drop out in later years, says the u. s. department of education. proper nutrition is vital to the growth and development of children, just as access to good books is key to literacy development. to encourage reading and learning about healthy eating, share these recommended books from reading is fundamental ( rif ) and buddig lunchmeats with your children : * “ how do dinosaurs eat their food ” by jane yolen and mark teague. “ how does a dinosaur eat all his food? does he burp, does he belch, or make noises quite rude? does he pick at his cereal, throw down his cup, hoping to make someone else pick it up? ” just like kids, dinosaurs have a difficult time learning to behave at the table. however, with a little help from mom and dad, these young dinosaurs eat all before them. * “ green eggs and ham ” by dr. seuss. sam - i - am tries to convince a nameless skeptic that green eggs and ham are a delicacy to be savored − in a house, with a mouse, in a box, with a fox, with a goat, on a boat − to no avail. reading this timeless classic will help your child with phonics, rhyming and language development while learning it really can be fun to try new foods. * “ cloudy with a chance of meatballs ” by judi barrett. in this whimsical tale there is no need for food stores because all the food falls from the sky. this children ' s favorite is great for a read - aloud and discussion about where food comes from and how it gets from field to table. * “ i will never not ever eat a tomato ” by lauren child. when charlie is asked to give his little sister, lola, her dinner, he proves he ' s more than up to the task. this book explores the fun and imaginative ways charlie finds to get lola to eat. it ' s a great book for role playing and word games and may even get your picky young eater to try something new. *


islam completes the long chain of guidance from god to humanity. meticulously preserved and thoroughly documented, islam ’ s message has a familiar resonance, owing to its shared history and common values, with abrahamic religions. additionally, islam reiterates a return to basic principles of faith : belief in one god, righteous living, and faith in the afterlife. this brochure introduces the central themes of islam and its core components – with a special focus on our purpose in life and the all - encompassing nature of islam. islam is a faith and comprehensive way of life that literally means ‘ peace through submission to god. ’ it provides a clear understanding of a person ’ s relationship with god, purpose in life, and ultimate destiny. a muslim is someone who adopts the islamic way of life by believing in the oneness of god and the prophethood of muhammad, peace be upon him ( pbuh ). today, islam is one of the fastest growing religions and is practiced by more than 1. 2 billion muslims across the world. the most essential principle in islam is the purely monotheistic belief in one god. god is the creator of everything in the universe and is unique from his creation. muslims are encouraged to develop a direct and personal relationship with god without any intermediaries. muslims often refer to god as allah, which simply means “ god ” in the arabic language. arabic - speaking jews and christians also refer to god as allah. god describes himself in the holy book of muslims, the quran ( also spelled ‘ koran ’ ), by stating : “ say, ‘ he is god the one, god the eternal. he begot no one nor was he begotten. no one is comparable to him. ’ ” ( 112 : 1 - 4 ). a universal faith islam is the culmination of the universal message of god taught by all of his prophets. muslims believe that a prophet was chosen for every nation at some point in their history, enjoining them to worship god alone and delivering guidance on how to live peacefully with others. some of the prophets of god include adam, noah, abraham, ishmael, isaac, jacob, joseph, moses, jesus, and muhammad, peace be upon them all. the prophets all conveyed the consistent divine message of worshiping one god, along with specific societal laws for each nation ’ s circumstances. however, after the prophets delivered the divine guidance to their people, their message was lost, abandoned, or changed over time, with only parts of the original message intact.


people, and just and harmonious societies. devoting one ’ s self to a life of submission to god is the key to attaining a true sense of peace because it produces a balance of spiritual needs with worldly affairs. it also lends special meaning to the concept of living one ’ s life responsibly, aware of the accountability to come in the hereafter. belief in the day of judgment is extremely important in islam. this event will signal the transition between the temporary life of this world to the eternal life in the hereafter. on that day, people will be resurrected and held accountable for their deeds in life, which will determine their eternal destination in heaven or hell. many verses in the quran describe the events on the day of judgment in great detail and give a description of heaven and hell. worship in islam worship in islam is woven into the daily life of a muslim and is not confined to a holy place. the fundamental aspects of worship in islam are encompassed within five pillars, which enable muslims to cultivate their relationship with god. 1. testimony of faith ( shahadah ) : the first of the five basic foundations is knowingly and voluntarily asserting that, “ there is nothing worthy of worship except god, and muhammad is the messenger of god. ” this statement is the basis of faith in islam, affirming that no partners can be associated with god and muhammad is his final prophet. as a result of this belief, muslims seek guidance in life through god ’ s revelation ( the quran ) and the teachings of prophet muhammad ( pbuh ). 2. prayer ( salah ) : muslims are required to pray five times a day to maintain a spiritual connection with god and remind themselves of their ultimate purpose in life. through sincerity, repentance, and direct prayer to god, muslims strive to establish a personal spiritual relationship with their creator all throughout the day. this prayer includes physical motions of bowing and prostrating, which were also performed by jesus, moses, and the prophets before them. 3. charity ( zakah ) : this is an annual charity given to the poor. muslims must give 2. 5 % of their yearly savings to help the poor, the needy, and the oppressed. charity is one of the vital sources of social welfare in islam, encouraging a just society where everyone ’ s basic needs are provided for. 4. fasting ( sawm ) : muslims fast during the month of ramadan, the ninth month of the muslim lunar calendar, by refraining from eating,


in islam, encouraging a just society where everyone ’ s basic needs are provided for. 4. fasting ( sawm ) : muslims fast during the month of ramadan, the ninth month of the muslim lunar calendar, by refraining from eating, drinking, and sexual interaction from dawn to sunset. it is an act of self - restraint and spiritual cleansing that increases one ’ s empathy for the less fortunate and enables one to consciously control bad habits such as foul language, idle talk, and anger. fasting also helps people develop strong willpower as they overcome the essential desires of their body and the damaging acts of their tongue. 5. pilgrimage ( hajj ) : the pilgrimage ( journey ) to mecca is an act that every muslim must perform once in their life if they are physically and financially able. it symbolizes the unity of humankind as muslims from every race and nationality assemble together in equality to worship god, following the traditions of prophet abraham. a holistic approach these primary acts of worship urge individuals to fulfill their purpose in life by becoming more conscious of god and serving the practical needs of society. however, worship is not limited to simply completing these acts. islam promotes a holistic approach to worship that encompasses spreading justice and compassion in the world through one ’ s daily interactions with people. smiling at someone, visiting the sick, and defending an innocent person who is being oppressed are all considered acts of worship as well. these forms of worship exemplify the importance of good manners in islam. muhammad ( pbuh ) once said, “ the best among you are those who have the best character. ” islam has a practical approach to living that positively transforms people ’ s individual connection to god and fellow humans. islam offers guidance on all matters of life, including one ’ s diet, manners, and social relationships. god tells muslims to eat everything “ good and pure ” while adhering to simple dietary restrictions such as avoidance of pork, alcohol and anything slaughtered in the name of other than god. when it comes to dressing and behavior, modesty and humility are ordained for both men and women. muhammad ( pbuh ) has stated, “ every religion has an essential character and the essential character of islam is modesty. ” parental obedience and dutifulness is integral to islam. men and women are to sanctify their relations in a marital contract, taking their spousal roles and family units seriously. raising children who are morally upright and responsible participants in their communities is also a significant obligation. the preservation of family ties


. men and women are to sanctify their relations in a marital contract, taking their spousal roles and family units seriously. raising children who are morally upright and responsible participants in their communities is also a significant obligation. the preservation of family ties is a fundamental principle of islam, along with kind treatment of orphans, widows, travelers, and neighbors. professional and philanthropic contributions to one ’ s society are encouraged in order to nurture individual and collective success. god calls on people to remember him in all of their actions and purify their hearts so that they can live a truly balanced life. spirituality in islam is about nurturing tolerance, kindness, control, righteousness, and forgiveness while shunning arrogance, pride, ego, anger and selfishness. this spirituality and god - consciousness should be reflected in a person ’ s interactions with other people. therefore, islam stresses the importance of treating people with respect, mercy, and dignity. in conclusion, islam is not a new way of life ; rather, it maintains the same message god sent to humanity through all of his messengers. islam teaches people how to have a meaningful relationship with god, without any intermediaries, and how to reform their souls, beautify their character, and be part of a vibrant, healthy community. through this message, god encourages individuals to draw closer to him and fulfill their purpose in life. “ is it not time for believers to humble their hearts to the remembrance of god and the truth that has been revealed? ” ( quran, 57 : 16 ) we invite you to learn more about islam on our website : www. whyislam. org or by calling us on our toll - free line ( 877 ) why - islam.


washington - with scientists at odds about the risks of a chemical found in plastic baby bottles, metal cans and other food packaging, the government on tuesday gave consumers some tips on how to reduce their exposure to bpa even as it said the substance is safe. a food and drug administration advisory committee met as a major study linked bisphenol a to possible risks of heart disease and diabetes. the scientific debate could drag on for years. " right now, our tentative conclusion is that it ' s safe, so we ' re not recommending any change in habits, " said laura tarantino, head of the fda ' s office of food additive safety. but she acknowledged, " there are a number of things people can do to lower their exposure. " for example, consumers can avoid plastic containers imprinted with the recycling number ' 7, ' as many of those contain bpa. or, tarantino said, they can avoid warming food in such containers, as heat helps to release the chemical. more than 90 percent of americans have traces of bpa in their bodies, but the fda says the levels of exposure are too low to pose a health risk, even for infants and children. other scientists, however, say bpa has been shown to affect the human body even at very low levels. and tuesday a study released by the journal of the american medical association suggested a new concern about bpa. using a health survey of nearly 1, 500 adults, the study found that those exposed to higher amounts of bpa were more likely to report having heart disease and diabetes. because of the possible public health implications, the results " deserve scientific follow - up, " its authors said. the study is preliminary, far from proof that the chemical caused the health problems. two dartmouth college analysts of medical research said it raises questions but provides no answers about whether the ubiquitous chemical is harmful. fda officials said they are not dismissing such findings. " we recognize the need to resolve the concerning questions that have been raised, " said tarantino, acknowledging that more research is needed. but the fda is also arguing that the studies with rats and mice it relied on for its assessment are more thorough than some of the human research that has raised doubts. the agency has asked an outside scientific panel for a second opinion on bpa ' s safety, and the medical journal article was released to coincide with the advisers ' hearing. the fda has the power to ban or limit use of bpa in food containers and medical devices. past animal studies have suggested reproductive and hormone - related problems from


s safety, and the medical journal article was released to coincide with the advisers ' hearing. the fda has the power to ban or limit use of bpa in food containers and medical devices. past animal studies have suggested reproductive and hormone - related problems from bpa. the jama study is the largest to examine possible bpa effects in people and the first suggesting a direct link to heart disease, said scientists frederick vom saal and john peterson myers, both longtime critics of the chemical. still, they said more rigorous studies are needed to confirm the results. vom saal is a biological sciences professor at university of missouri who has served as an expert witness and consultant on bpa litigation. myers is chief scientist at environmental health sciences, a charlottesville, va., nonprofit group. they wrote an editorial accompanying the jama study. bpa is used in hardened plastics and in a wide range of consumer goods, including the lining of metal cans, eyeglass lenses and compact discs. many scientists believe it can act like the hormone estrogen, and animal studies have linked it with breast, prostate and reproductive system problems and some cancers. researchers from britain and the university of iowa examined a u. s. government health survey of 1, 455 american adults who gave urine samples in 2003 - 04 and reported whether they had any of several common diseases. participants were divided into four groups based on bpa urine amounts ; more than 90 percent had detectable bpa in their urine. a total of 79 had heart attacks, chest pain or other types of cardiovascular disease and 136 had diabetes. there were more than twice as many people with heart disease or diabetes in the highest bpa group than in the lowest bpa group. the study showed no connection between bpa and other ailments, including cancer. no one in the study had bpa urine amounts showing higher than recommended exposure levels, said co - author dr. david melzer, a university of exeter researcher. drs. lisa schwartz and steven woloshin of the dartmouth institute for health policy and clinical practice said the study presents no clear information about what might have caused participants ' heart disease and diabetes. " measuring who has disease and high bpa levels at a single point in time cannot tell you which comes first, " schwartz said. the study authors acknowledge that it ' s impossible to rule out that people who already have heart disease or diabetes are somehow more vulnerable to having bpa show up in their urine. the american chemistry council, an industry trade group, said the study is flawed,


study authors acknowledge that it ' s impossible to rule out that people who already have heart disease or diabetes are somehow more vulnerable to having bpa show up in their urine. the american chemistry council, an industry trade group, said the study is flawed, has substantial limitations and proves nothing. but dr. ana soto of tufts university said the study raises enough concerns to warrant government action to limit bpa exposure. " we shouldn ' t wait until further studies are done in order to act in protecting humans, " said soto, who has called for more restrictions in the past. an earlier lab experiment with human fat tissue found that bpa can interfere with a hormone involved in protecting against diabetes, heart disease and obesity. that study appeared online last month in environmental health perspectives, a monthly journal published by the national institutes of health. one of the fda ' s outside advisers was skeptical of the jama study. " for diabetes, i really don ' t see it, " said dr. garret fitzgerald of the university of pennsylvania. toxicology experts from another government agency have studied bpa and recently completed their own report. they found no strong evidence of health hazards from bpa, but unlike the fda, said there was " some concern " about possible effects on the brain in fetuses, infants and children. several states are considering restricting bpa use, some manufacturers have begun promoting bpa - free baby bottles, and some stores are phasing out baby products containing the chemical. the european union has said bpa - containing products are safe, but canada ' s government has proposed banning the sale of baby bottles with bpa as a precaution. the fda advisory panel is expected to make its recommendations to the fda late next month.


mexico city ( cnn ) - - it ' s the one fact about mexico that you probably didn ' t know. the country ' s name is not really mexico, at least not officially. after gaining independence from spain in 1821, mexico officially became the " united mexican states. " the american independence movement had inspired mexican leaders of that era and since mexico, in fact, also was a territory composed of states, the name stuck and became official in 1824. but the reality is the official name is used only by mexican officials who deal with diplomatic protocol and official documents pertaining to international relations. for the rest of mexicans - - and the world - - the country is simply known as mexico. that ' s why outgoing mexican president felipe calderon on thursday sent to the mexican congress a piece of legislation to change the country ' s name officially to simply mexico. calderon, a conservative president better known for his war on drug cartels and organized crime, is literally in his last days in office. enrique pena nieto, who was elected in july, takes office on december 1. it ' s still too early to know if the new mexican congress will quickly act on calderon ' s bill or tackle other more pressing matters like security and the economy. in announcing his decision to propose officially changing his country ' s name, calderon said thursday the name united mexican states was originally taken because back in 1824 the united states of america was an example of democracy and liberty for the new independent nations in the americas. " it ' s time that we mexicans retake the beauty and simplicity of our motherland ' s name : mexico. ( it ' s ) a name that we use when chanting or singing, a name that identifies us throughout the world and that makes us proud, " calderon said. " mexico " is a word first used by the aztecs in their original nahuatl language. the indigenous tribe founded a city called tenochtitlan in the valley now occupied by the modern mexico city. that original city was conquered by the spanish in 1521. mexico gained its independence from spain in 1821. in spanish, mexicans pronounce the " x " in mexico as a hard " h. " designed by gray digital media


search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. if you are not sure what you are looking for, try the combination search or our recommended species lists. search native plant database : zanthoxylum americanum p. mill. common pricklyash, toothache tree, prickly ash usda symbol : zaam usda native status : native to u. s. a 12 - 25 ft., many - branched, shrub that often forms dense thickets. toothachetree or prickly ash is a citrus and all parts are pungent and aromatic. inconspicuous flowers are followed by small red, turning black, fruits. stems are armed with nodal pairs of thorns. compound leaves, resembling ash foliage, are dark - green. yellow autumn color. plant characteristicsduration : perennial habit : shrub flower : fruit : size class : bloom informationbloom color : white, green al, ar, ct, dc, de, fl, ga, ia, il, in, ks, ky, la, ma, md, me, mi, mn, mo, nc, nd, ne, nh, nj, ny, oh, ok, pa, ri, sc, sd, tn, va, vt, wi, wv canada : on native distribution : extreme s. w. que. to e. nd, s. to ga, al, ok & e. ks native habitat : rocky hillsides ; thickets in prairie ravines ; roadsides usda native status : l48 ( n ), can ( n ) growing conditionslight requirement : sun soil ph : circumneutral ( ph 6. 8 - 7. 2 ) soil description : rocky, calcareous soils. conditions comments : pest free. because of thorns and weedy habit, this is not a desireable landscape plant except for use as a barrier in poor soils. butterflies and moths of north america ( bamona ) is a larval host and / or nectar source for : propagationdescription : propagation by seed is possible. seed collection : capsules may be hand - picked from the shrub. the capsules open, discharging the seed after drying. seed treatment : seed exhibits a strong dormancy that can be broken with a two - hour h2so4soak followed by cold - moist stratification for 120 days at 41 degrees. commercially avail : yes from the national suppliers directory according to the inventory provided by associate suppliers, this plant is available at the following locations :


beginning this school year, michigan children entering kindergarten or transferring into a new michigan school district are required to get a chickenpox vaccine. you must show proof of vaccination or natural immunization. some physicians think the vaccine should go beyond younger kids. " it ' s important to immunize those kindergarteners or toddlers, but what ' s even more important are the adolescents, college students or even adults and immunize those people. regardless of age, if you haven ' t had the chickenpox, you should get vaccinated, " dr. dean sienko, ingham county medical examiner. the ingham county health department and your primary care physician offer the vaccines. chickenpox is responsible for 11, 000 hospitalizations and 100 deaths nationwide. the older you are when you get the chickenpox, you raise your risk for developing complications. wilx. com : extended web coverage - chickenpox is a disease that can be very easily spread from person to person. it is most common in children. - most cases of chickenpox occur in people who are under 15 - years - old. - chickenpox is usually a mild illness, but it can cause problems like brain swelling, pneumonia and skin infections. - some children get sicker than others, and chickenpox may be a very serious illness in infants and adults. - because chickenpox is so contagious, a child with chickenpox shouldn ' t go to school or day care until all the sores have dried or crusted. - the varicella vaccine is a shot that can prevent chickenpox. it is called varicella vaccine because the varicella virus causes chickenpox. - up to 90 percent of people who receive the vaccine will not get chickenpox. - people who get chickenpox after having the vaccine get a milder form of the disease. who should be vaccinated against chickenpox? - the chicken pox vaccine is not required like some other vaccines. however, it is generally safe and will save your child from suffering with a preventable illness. - the vaccine is given to children from 12 to 18 months of age, and older children can be given the vaccine if they haven ' t had chickenpox. - adults who haven ' t had chickenpox but who work in health care or daycare, college students or staff, inmates of correctional institutions, women of childbearing age who are not pregnant, and people that has never had chickenpo


cell - tower emission risks probed with mobile phones now as ubiquitous as their land - line counterparts, few people worry about the potential health risks associated with flipping open a handset or standing near a cell tower. but among researchers who study the effects of electromagnetic emissions from mobile phones and towers, the prevailing wisdom is that it ' s too early to conclude that they are harmless to humans. " at the moment, there are too few properly controlled scientific studies to draw any strong conclusions, " said elaine fox, a professor in the psychology department at the university of essex who is studying whether the electromagnetic fields emitted from mobile - phone base stations have a direct effect on human health. fox ' s project is one of several that received funding last month from the united kingdom ' s mobile telecommunications and health research program, a group formed in 2001 to report on whether exposure to cell - phone radiation adversely affects people ' s health. the group formed following the publication of a report that failed to find evidence of health risks, but noted that research to date was not expansive enough to conclude that no dangers exist. topics of past research include the potential link between brain tumors and mobile - phone use, effects of mobile - phone radiation on blood pressure, and the possible link between cancer incidence in early childhood and proximity to mobile - phone base stations. as part of the current studies, researchers are examining the scientific basis of " electrical sensitivity, " a collection of symptoms, such as headaches and fatigue, that some people believe is caused by exposure to wireless phones and towers. fox ' s research, an extension of a volunteer study that begun in january, will investigate whether some people are particularly sensitive to cell - phone electromagnetic fields. in the first stage of the project, fox collected survey results from 4, 000 participants, about 6 percent of whom indicated some degree of symptoms, such as headaches or burning skin, that they attributed to electromagnetic fields. the second part of the project, launched in november, involves testing people who identify themselves as hypersensitive to electromagnetic fields alongside people who are not, to establish whether mobile - phone base stations really are affecting health and well - being. another research group, based at king ' s college in london, is testing 120 people, half of whom consider themselves hypersensitive to mobile - phone emissions. james rubin, a research fellow at king ' s college who is overseeing the project, is hoping to submit findings for publication by the end of next year, provided he finds enough volunteers (. pdf ). " people who report being hyper


phone emissions. james rubin, a research fellow at king ' s college who is overseeing the project, is hoping to submit findings for publication by the end of next year, provided he finds enough volunteers (. pdf ). " people who report being hypersensitive to mobiles are often understandably cautious about taking part in a study which involves exposure to a mobile - phone signal, " he said. the study will examine whether mobile - phone signals cause such symptoms as headaches, nausea, dizziness and fatigue, and whether they affect the levels of certain hormones that are important in regulating metabolism. since cell - phone adoption reached critical mass in the mid - 1990s, research into the effects of long - term mobile - phone usage has also become more feasible. however, representatives of the cell - phone industry say they have yet to see any findings that should give mobile users reason for alarm. " there is no conclusive evidence that wireless phones contribute to health risks, and the same goes for towers, " said erin mcgee, a spokeswoman for the cellular telecommunications industry association. the u. s. food and drug administration takes a similar position on health risks caused by mobile - phone base stations. " measurements made near cellular and pcs base - station antennas mounted on towers have confirmed that ground - level exposures are typically thousands of times less than the exposure limits adopted by the ( federal communications commission ), " the agency states on its website. the fda also maintains that there ' s no scientific evidence to link any health problems to mobile - phone use. on the other hand, the agency says there is no proof that they are absolutely safe. the world health organization, meanwhile, expects to complete health - risk assessments in 2007 under its international emf project, which examines effects of exposure to electric and magnetic fields up to 300 ghz in frequency, which includes cellular - phone emissions. libby kelly, executive director of the council on wireless technology impacts, an activist group favoring greater regulation of electromagnetic emissions, believes health agencies are understating the risks posed by wireless phones and towers. she cited a study released in october by sweden ' s karolinska institute, which found that 10 or more years of mobile - phone use increases the risk of acoustic neuroma - - a benign tumor on the auditory nerve. however, the study was conducted on analog mobile phones that had been in use for more than a decade, and researchers said they could not say whether results would be similar after long - term use of digital phones.


the office of healthy homes and lead hazard control is a federal agency established to eliminate lead - based paint hazards in private homes and low - income housing. the healthy homes program also helps prevent disease and injuries that result from housing - related hazards such as radon, poor indoor air quality and even poor lighting that can lead to falls. the cdc estimates more than 11, 000 people die each year from preventable unintentional injuries, including falls, fires and poisonings in unsafe homes. this program would lose $ 10 million. department of homeland security, office of health affairs the office of health affairs in the department of homeland security is something americans want to be fully operational if terrorists attack the country using chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons. it serves as the department ' s authority for all medical and health issues. the office also provides experts to the department ' s leadership, builds national plans in case of terrorist attacks, helps first responders and protects the department itself from health threats. it would lose $ 14 million from its budget. the leading undergraduate liberal arts education program for the deaf and hard of hearing is based in washington. it has an international reputation for its education programs and for the kind of research it does related to deaf people. with an 8. 2 % budget cut, the college ' s funds would be reduced by $ 10 million. " we are monitoring the situation closely and keeping the campus community informed as the situation develops, " said fred weiner, interim assistant vice president for administration and finance at gallaudet, in a statement sent to cnn. since the start of the recession, there has been a marked increase in the need for federal disability insurance as provided by social security. according to the last available census data, more than 8 million people are considered too disabled to work and receive this benefit from the government. automatic cuts would dramatically reduce these services. the federal disability insurance budget alone would be cut $ 241 million for discretionary spending.


christian de duve a nobel prize winner is warning that the forces of natural selection in evolution instilled mankind with an innate “ original sin ” that – if not overcome – may lead to humanity ’ s extinction. his ideas, he says, are not new, but as old as the bible ’ s book of genesis. biochemist christian de duve, a professor emeritus at new york city ’ s rockefeller university and 1974 winner of the nobel prize in physiology or medicine, said in an interview with newscientist that the essential problem … is selfishness. “ natural selection has resulted in traits such as group selfishness being coded in our genes, ” de duve explains. “ these were useful to our ancestors under the conditions in which they lived, but have become noxious to us today. ” unfortunately, de duve says, that while evolution favored the survival of early tribes with a me - first nature, there are dire consequences to the success of a selfish race. put more simply, he says, natural selection “ doesn ’ t care about your grandchildren. ” “ the cost of our success is the exhaustion of natural resources, leading to energy crises, climate change, pollution and the destruction of our habitat, ” he continues. “ if we continue in the same direction, humankind is headed for some frightful ordeals, if not extinction. ” de duve has written a book, “ genetics of original sin, ” in which he explains how he sees the intersection of his theories with the bible. “ i believe that the writers of genesis had detected the inherent selfishness in human nature that i propose is in our genes, ” he told newscientist, “ and invented the myth of original sin to account for it. ” the biochemist is quick to point out, however, “ i am not acting as an exegete – i don ’ t interpret scripture. ” indeed, while the bible prescribes redemption and regeneration of the human heart through jesus christ as the solution to mankind ’ s inherent selfishness, de duve proposes another answer : population control. “ it is a simple matter of figures, ” he says. “ if you want this planet to continue being habitable for everyone that lives here, you have to limit the number of inhabitants. “ hunters do it by killing off the old or sick animals in a herd, but i don ’ t think that ’ s a very ethical way of limiting the population, ” he continues. “ so what remains? birth control. we have access to practical,


century dictionary and cyclopedia - a division of thallogenous chlorophyllous cryptogams found for the most part in the sea ( seaweeds ) or in fresh water. they are wholly cellular, though varying exceedingly in form and size, from a single microscopic or sometimes large and branching cell, a shapeless, jelly - like mass, or mere string of articulations, to forms with trunk - like stems and membranous laminæ many feet in length. nourishment is absorbed by the surface of the plant, never through roots. the mode of propagation varies greatly in the different orders. in many no well - defined sexual differences have been discovered, and reproduction is carried on by means of cell - division or by non - sexual spores ( tetraspores, zoospores ). in the highest order there are distinct male and female organs ( antheridia and oogonia ). the term algæ as used by linnæus and early botanists included not only seaweeds, but also the hepaticæ, lichenes, and characeæ. by harvey the algæ were divided into three groups, distinguished chiefly by their color, viz. : the olive - brown, melanospermeæ ; the red or purple, rhodospermeæ ; and the green, chlorospermeæ. this arrangement has now become nearly obsolete. recent authorities have proposed several different schemes of classification for the thallophytes in general, in which structure and development, as well as supposed relationship, are taken into account, and in which the algæ are variously distributed. substantial agreement is not yet reached, and the nomenclature for many of the groups remains in a very unsettled condition. it may, however, be said that the algæ are now generally divided into the following orders ( classes, etc., of some ), viz. : florideæ, the most highly developed, producing cystocarps after fertilization ; oosporeæ, propagating sexually by oospores ; zoosporeæ, distinguished by the conjugation of zoospores ; conjugatæ, including the diatoms, desmids, etc., in which there is a conjugation of cells ; and a remainder, the cryptophyceæ of thuret, variously disposed of by other authors, in which there is no known sexual reproduction. many of


century dictionary and cyclopedia - n. a diminutive termination in latin words, some of which have entered english without change, as fasciculus, curriculum, operculum, opusculum, tenaculum, vinculum, etc., but which have usually taken the form - cule, as in animalcule, reticule, etc., or more frequently - cle, as in article, auricle, particle, conventicle, versicle, ventricle, etc. see - cule, - cle. “ the tensor has a convenient list of english words derived from latin words with the diminutive - culus suffix ; he adds : the oddest one i found was muscle, which comes from the diminutive of mus ' mouse '. ” “ he also includes " a few words that i would have guessed contained - culus, but don ' t. ” “ we were discussing the origin of the latin name for " a little fig ", grossulus, and i seemed to remember that - ulus not necessarily - culus denotes a diminutive. ” “ the two movements of description and theory formation are as inseparably interrelated as they were in physics and astronomy where the analysis of simple processes, for instance, that of a freely falling body, led to mechanics and to the dis - covery of the appropriate tool of the differential cal - culus. ” “ leibniz are popularly credited with creating the cal - culus, what they essentially did was to synthesize, in symbolic form, concepts that had been developed by ” “ booliiska somalia ayaa waxaa ku dhaawacmay 35 - qof oo u badan shacab ay madaafiic culus kula dhacday degmooyinka waqooyiga muqdisho. ” “ madaafiic culus iyo qoryaha fudud ayaa dagaalka loo adeegsaday, 4 - qof oo rayid ah ayaan arkay maydkooda, sidoo kale waxaan arkay dhaawacyada dhowr qof oo kae " ayuu yiri axmed faarax oo ka mid ah dadka ku harsan degmooyinkaas. ” “ dhaawacyada ka dhashay qaraxa oo gaarayay


kae " ayuu yiri axmed faarax oo ka mid ah dadka ku harsan degmooyinkaas. ” “ dhaawacyada ka dhashay qaraxa oo gaarayay 10 - qof ayna ku jiraan kuwo culus ayaa la gaarsiiyay isbitaalka madiina ee muqdisho, halkaasoo lagu daweynayo sida ay sheegeen saraakiisha caafimaadka isbitaalkaas. ” “ and it is notable, that velleius pater - culus writeth of tullie, how that the perfection of eloquence did so remayne onelie in him and in his time, as before him, were few, which might moch delight a man, or after him any, worthy admiration, but soch as tullie might haue seene, and such as might haue seene tullie. ” “ and it is notable, that _ velleius pater - culus _ writeth of _ tullie _, how that the perfection of eloquence did so remayne onelie in him and in his time, as before him, were few, which might moch delight a man, or after him any, worthy admiration, but soch as _ tullie _ might haue seene, and such as might haue seene _ tullie _. ” ‘ culus ’ hasn ' t been added to any lists yet. looking for tweets for culus.


the move by hitachi to take on the horizon nuclear power project marks a shift in technology direction for the uk, which had been set to replace older gas - graphite reactors with pressurized water units. industry said the broadening of scope was " good news for the uk supply chain. " generation i and ii units from the uk ' s former national nuclear program were based on graphite - moderated cores cooled by carbon dioxide. a project in the 1990s to compliment these with a tranche of ten pressurized water reactors resulted in just one, sizewell b. in the uk ' s current push for nuclear power it has been up to private investors to make technology choices, not the government. based on discussions with vendors and utilities, the first two designs to go through the generic design assessment ( gda ) process have both been pressurized water reactors : the areva epr and westinghouse ap1000. hitachi ' s move today to purchase horizon and put forward its boiling water technology means that will also become an option after another round of gda, sure to begin soon. uk trade body the nuclear industry association ( nia ) said the addition of boiling water technology in the uk would broaden the range of supply chain opportunities. nia chief executive keith parker called the deal, " good news for the uk supply chain, for jobs in the nuclear sector, and for the wider economy. " the uk could supply up to 60 % of the value of the first unit with the figure increasing for subsequent units, according to hitachi and government. hitachi said it will work with babcock international and rolls - royce to " plan and deliver " the new build program. rolls - royce said it would explore with hitachi how it could offer support through its manufacturing, engineering and technical services. it would also like to develop opportunities in nuclear instrumentation and control. advanced boiling water reactor ( abwr ) this is a modular design, for which large sections of the reactor building can be assembled in a factory, complete with wiring and components, before being shipped to site and lifted into place. hitachi wants to " transfer " this technology and establish a module factory in the uk. the company promised " significant investment in training engineers, construction teams and operating staff for the plants. " it is to work with local colleges and universities to develop training programs, which will " create a strong and permanent base of nuclear skills in the uk that also have a global demand. " the development of the abwr design was unique, and has led to an


to work with local colleges and universities to develop training programs, which will " create a strong and permanent base of nuclear skills in the uk that also have a global demand. " the development of the abwr design was unique, and has led to an unusual situation where it can be offered by three different companies. abwr was co - developed by toshiba and ge, which then worked with hitachi to construct the first two units in the late 1990s. ge and hitachi went on to form joint ventures of their nuclear businesses, resulting in two daughter firms : ge - hitachi and hitachi - ge. both those joint ventures can build abwr, as can toshiba, although its version differs in some technical respects due to intellectual property issues. horizon has been purchased by the main hitachi corporate entity and the share of resulting work between hitachi and ge ' s two joint ventures is yet to be announced. ge told world nuclear news : " it ' s very exciting day for our joint venture partner, hitachi. while the project is in its earliest days, we look forward to supporting them. " there are four operable abwr units in japan, while two more are under construction. two more are being built in taiwan and two planned for lithuania, although another project for two has been shelved in the usa. the design is already licensed in japan and the usa. it can run on a full - core of mixed - oxide ( mox ) nuclear fuel. hitachi cited the construction times of the four japanese abwrs, which varied between 36. 9 and 43. 2 months. researched and written by world nuclear news