Watching the World
‘Snarled in Conflicts’
● The United Nations International Conference on Population convened at Mexico City in August in an effort to find ways to curb excessive population growth. But after the nine-day conference, said The New York Times, many delegates asserted that too much time and attention were given to “matters that had the least direct relation to planning of the world’s future population growth.” One such hotly-debated issue was the recommendation to condemn the establishment of settlements in occupied territories, viewed as a reference to Israel’s settlements in the West Bank. Another was the proposal to urge an end to the arms race and to divert the resources used for it to social and economic improvement. According to the report, the meeting “raised new concern over the inability of world forums, even those engaged in politically neutral subjects, to keep from being snarled in highly charged international conflicts.”
Refugee Burden
● There are an estimated three to four million refugees in Africa. “But Africa’s capacity for helping [them] has been drastically undermined by the conjunction of natural and man-made catastrophes and global economic crises,” says The Times of London. “For the past two years there has been no significant event to cause a new flood of political refugees,” the report maintains. “However, the [refugee] camps remain, some times in the poorest countries.” For example, an estimated 700,000 refugees reside in camps in poverty-stricken Somalia, with possibly as many living outside. But while The Times points out the urgent need for refugee assistance, it adds that “there has also been undue emphasis on emergency aid at the expense of long-term planning for development” of better conditions in Africa.
Indonesian Migration
● If the Indonesian government meets its ambitious ten-year goal by 1989, 7.5 million people will have been transmigrated from the country’s most crowded islands to its less-populated outer islands. Officials say the program will help Indonesia grow food and develop new regions. To promote the program, the Indonesian government promises migrating families food rations for the first year or two, a house and 2.5 to 4 hectares (6 to 10 a.) of land. Unfortunately, many migrants, particularly those from large cities, have been finding it difficult to adjust to their new surroundings. “In the end what keeps transmigration going,” says New Scientist, “is that plenty of Indonesians want land so badly that they are willing to endure the hardships of pioneering to get it.”
“Eggbeater” Power
● “Theoretically, it looked like our machine would be less efficient than windmills with propellers,” says Dr. Richard Braasch, head of wind energy research at the Sandia National Laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico, “but it turned out to be more.” Dr. Braasch is referring to his 82-foot-high (25 m) wind-power machine, resembling an inverted eggbeater, that has emerged as the best energy-producing windmill. In contrast to the much larger propeller-type wind machines, which cost the United States government hundreds of millions of dollars to develop, the “eggbeater” project was a $14-million bargain. But why is the smaller machine better than a high-tech giant? For one thing, dependability. Also, repair and maintenance are simpler because the generator and control devices are at ground level. Furthermore, complicated machinery for redirecting propellers is unnecessary. The “eggbeater’s” blades turn, no matter which way the wind blows.
High-Tech Fishing
● “Twenty major species of fish and marine mammals are threatened by over-intensive fishing and hunting,” warns Mr. Jean Carroz, secretary-general to the World Conference on Fishing. More sophisticated methods to detect and trap fish have resulted in greater catches, he added, but now stocks are depleted. The threatened species include the Peruvian anchoveta, the Canadian halibut, the Pacific perch, European salmon and sturgeon, and the North Pacific right whale. Mr. Carroz believes that the best way to protect fish stocks would be to limit the number of ships allowed on the fishing grounds. But many nations observe strict secrecy over their fishing operations.
To Salt or Not to Salt
● When David McCarron of the Oregon Health Sciences University recently reported that people with high blood pressure routinely eat less sodium and significantly less calcium than people with normal blood pressure, he caused a medical stir. His findings challenged the validity of a popular maxim, namely, that high salt intake causes high blood pressure. Other researchers have since confirmed his findings. McCarron recommends that hypertensives take in sufficient calcium, such as is found in dairy products, and not worry about salt intake. But others are calling for more research. McCarron’s data, cautions one of his peers, “are not nearly at the level to make dietary recommendations.”
Prayer Clocks
● Dr. Ahmed Bahat, an electrical engineer from Egypt, has developed a computerized “prayer clock” for Muslims. According to New Scientist, the clocks are able to tell when and in which direction Muslims should pray, no matter where they are. After the owner enters his latitude and longitude—or the proper code for any of 200 selected cities—and the local time and date into the clock’s computer, the clock will buzz at the designated times for prayer. The clock also has a compass that can be set to point toward Mecca. A United States company has made plans to introduce 100,000 of these clocks into Saudi Arabia this year.
‘Zapping’ Commercials
● Zapping, originally defined as using a TV remote-control device to skip around the dial in order to avoid commercial messages, has been given added meaning now that 10 percent of American families own videocassette recorders. The New York Times says that half the programs that are played back “have their commercials zapped when viewers hit the beloved ‘fast forward’ button.” Up to now, says the report, “those people without the gumption or strength to get up and go to the TV set to change channels . . . will see the advertising. Now all it takes is the press of a button . . . and the commercial goes bye-bye.” Advertisers are worried. One large corporation figures it loses about one million dollars annually by broadcasting commercials to a non-existent audience.
Conquering the ‘Menace’
● “Malaria is fast becoming a greater menace than ever before,” says Newsweek. But three teams of scientists—one at New York University Medical Center and two in Washington, D.C., at the National Institutes of Health and at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research—now offer hope that malaria will someday be controlled. Using new techniques of genetic engineering, they were able to identify and synthesize the antigen that is responsible for producing immunity to sporozoites, one of three stages of the malaria parasite. What this could mean is that scientists will soon be able to mass-produce a single-stage malaria vaccine for testing on animals. But even if such a vaccine should prove successful—testing on humans is still several years away—malariologists agree that a vaccine that will induce immunity to all three stages of the disease will still be needed. Furthermore, says Colonel Franklin Top of Walter Reed, “controlling malaria will take all the resources we have: insecticides and drugs, as well as vaccines.”
Doubting Bishops
● Dr. David Jenkins, a former theology professor who does not believe that Jesus was resurrected or was born of a virgin as the Bible states, was ordained in July as Bishop of Durham, one of the highest ranking posts in the Church of England. When his views were first made public in April, many church members were upset that an unbeliever should be slated for such a high office. But a subsequent poll of 31 of the Church’s 39 bishops revealed that many of these high-ranking church leaders felt the same way as Dr. Jenkins. “In the poll,” says The South China Morning Post, “15 bishops said miracles in the New Testament were later additions to the story of Jesus.”
Sports Injuries
● “We’ve always known that football is a major problem [in incidences of injury], but as far as most other sports are concerned, we haven’t really known what’s been going on.” So said Frederick O. Mueller of the University of North Carolina in an interview at the 1984 Olympic Scientific Congress in Eugene, Oregon. To find out, he and another colleague compiled data on the rates of injuries that have caused permanent disabilities or fatalities among college and high school students in the United States. Among college students the rates per 100,000 were 12.73 for ice hockey, 14.27 for gymnastics and 20.25 for lacrosse. This compares to 6.63 for basketball and 9.33 for football. For high school students the highest rates were 1.96 for wrestling, 2.25 for football and 4.16 for lacrosse.
Drugs and Crime
● Drug-related crime has risen rapidly in Spain since narcotic laws were changed to decriminalize possession of “soft” drugs such as marijuana. As reported in the International Herald Tribune, “Interior Ministry figures . . . showed a 51 percent increase in pharmacy holdups from 1982 to 1983 and a 92 percent rise in armed robberies overall, including banks, during the same period.” Officials say that three fourths of all crimes committed in Spain are drug related. One bank holdup made news when the two gunmen demanded heroin in return for the release of their hostages. Figures this year show that crime in Spain is still rising.
Celestial Gratitude
● Light pollution is rapidly increasing on a global scale, but few people really care—unless they are astronomers. Why? Because light pollution—such as from city lights—hinders their astronomical observations. However, a number of cities have responded to the pleas of local astronomers and have introduced nighttime-lighting regulations. Particularly noteworthy was San Diego’s decision to install low-pressure sodium street lights, which do not seriously impede celestial observations, for the sake of the observatory on Palomar Mountain, 60 miles (97 km) to the north. Astronomers on the mountain were so delighted that they named a recently discovered asteroid after the city.
Insured for Violence
● As school violence escalates in Japan, an insurance company in Maebashi City has recently offered a unique new form of insurance. It covers claims brought against a child who causes, according to the Mainichi Daily News, “bodily injury including that leading to death and damage to property during the hours when the child is under school administration.” This is the first time that insurance has been offered to cover assailants. Although nearly 60 percent of the students in the 16 participating schools have already bought the insurance, there is mounting criticism. Calling it “acquiescence to school violence,” opponents fear it will encourage even more violence. The insurance company is being pressured to suspend the scheme.