UpDate: White-Nose Syndrome in Bats

WHITE NOSE SYNDROME, BATS - FRANCE: 1st IDENTIFICATION, NON-LETHAL
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A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: Fri 8 Jan 2010
Source: Science, Vol. 327. no. 5962, p. 132 [edited]

(subscription)


Europe's Bats Resist Fungal Scourge of North America
----------------------------------------------------
The same fungus that has devastated bat colonies in the northeastern
United States has been identified for the 1st time in Europe -- in a
healthy bat. "The astonishing thing is that [the fungus] affects
North American bats so devastatingly, but that European bats can get
along with it," says Christian Voigt, a bat physiologist at the
Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in Berlin.

White-nose syndrome was 1st identified in a cave in upstate New York
in 2006. Since then, it has spread across 9 states and caused
unprecedented mortalities. Affected bats emerge from hibernation too
frequently and lose body fat, and many starve to death. Last year, a
group led by microbiologist David Blehert of the U.S. Geological
Survey in Madison, Wisconsin, identified the fungus associated with
the syndrome as _Geomyces destructans_, but many puzzles remain about
the nature of the disease, such as whether the bats' immune systems
were compromised (Science, 29 May 2009, p. 1134).

European researchers watched the U.S. outbreak with alarm. "I
thought, 'Oh my God, we've got a huge nightmare on our hands,'"
recalls Kate Jones of the Zoological Society of London. So far, no
mass casualties have been detected among Europe's species, but
researchers did find anecdotal reports of bats with white fungus that
no one had paid attention to previously.

On 12 Mar [2009], Sebastien Puechmaille of University College Dublin
(UCD) spotted a mouse-eared bat (_Myotis myotis_) covered with fungus
in a cave 130 km [80 miles] northeast of Bordeaux, France.
Microscopic examination of the spores and 2 molecular markers showed
that it was _G. destructans_, the team reported online 29 Dec 2009 in
Emerging Infectious Diseases [see commentary]. Another group, led by
Gudrun Wibbelt of IZW, has also identified the fungus in bats from 3
other European countries, none reporting bat deaths. Their results
have been submitted to the same journal.

Now the challenge is to figure out why most European bats are not
infected and why those that are remain healthy -- and whether that
knowledge can be used to help ailing bat populations in the United
States. One scenario is that _G. destructans_ has been present in
Europe for a long time, and European bat species have evolved
immunity, says Emma Teeling of UCD, the senior author of the December
paper. Or perhaps the fungus evolved greater virulence after arriving
in North America, a possibility that could be investigated with
further sequencing.

Whatever the explanation, the European reports are "great news," says
Alan Hicks, a mammal specialist with New York's Department of
Environmental Conservation in Albany, [New York], who has charted the
decline of the state's once-massive bat colonies. Eventually, an
understanding of these differences could help lead to the development
of a vaccine or treatments for endangered bats, Blehert says.
Meanwhile, researchers are beginning once again to survey hibernating
bats in the Northeast United States. Hicks says the signs so far are
that deaths are continuing.

[Byline: Erik Stokstad]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail


[The on-line published paper is:
Sebastien J. Puechmaille, Pascal Verdeyroux, Hubert Fuller, Meriadeg
Ar Gouilh, Michael Bekaert, and Emma C. Teeling. White-nose syndrome
fungus (Geomyces destructans) in bat, France. Emerg Infect Dis. 2010
Feb; [Epub ahead of print].
. -Mod.AS]

[see also:
2009
----
White nose syndrome, bats - USA (14) 20091014.3538
White nose syndrome, bats - USA (13): (NJ) 20090712.2495
White nose syndrome, bats - USA (12) 20090510.1750
White nose syndrome, bats - USA (11) 20090510.1743
White-nose syndrome, bats - USA (10): cave closings 20090507.1703
White-nose syndrome, bats - USA (09): (VA)susp. 20090427.1590
White-nose syndrome, bats - USA (08): (MA) 20090414.1413
White-nose syndrome, bats - USA (07) 20090320.1110
White-nose syndrome, bats - USA (06): (PA) RFI 20090311.1011
White-nose syndrome, bats - USA (05): (PA) 20090309.0975
White-nose syndrome, bats - USA (04): (PA) 20090306.0931
White-nose syndrome, bats - USA (03): (WV) susp 20090220.0711
White-nose syndrome, bats - USA (02): (northeast) 20090208.0578
White-nose syndrome, bats - USA: (Northeast) 20090129.0401
2008
---
White-nose syndrome, bats - USA (07): (Northeast) 20081102.3448
White-nose syndrome, bats - USA (06): (Northeast) 20080331.1195
White-nose syndrome, bats - USA (05): (Northeast) 20080304.0898
White-nose syndrome, bats - USA (04): (Northeast) 20080304.0880
White-nose syndrome, bats - USA (03): 2004 Dorset bat colony gate 20080221.0709
White-nose syndrome, bats - USA (02): (Northeast) 20080220.0687
White-nose syndrome, bats - USA: (Northeast) 20080219.0675]]
....................arn/ejp/dk

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Frogs Found Contaminated w/ Salmonella

Of course, its in our water!

SALMONELLOSIS, SEROTYPE TYPHIMURIUM - USA: FROGS, 2009
******************************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: Thu 7 Jan 2010
Source: Morbidity Mortality Weekly Report 2010;58: 1433-1436 [edited]



During April-July 2009, the Utah Department of Health identified 5
cases of _Salmonella [enterica_ serotype] Typhimurium infection with
indistinguishable pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns,
predominantly among children. In August 2009, the Centers for Disease
Control and Infection (CDC) began a multistate outbreak investigation
to determine the source of the infections. This report summarizes the
results of this ongoing investigation, which, as of 30 Dec 2009, had
identified 85 _S._ Typhimurium human isolates with the outbreak
strain from 31 states.

In a multistate case-control study, exposure to frogs was found to be
significantly associated with illness (63 percent of cases versus 3
percent of controls; matched odds ratio = 24.4). Among 14
case-patients who knew the type of frog, all had exposure to an
exclusively aquatic frog species, the African dwarf frog.
Environmental samples from aquariums containing aquatic frogs in 4
homes of case-patients yielded _S._ Typhimurium isolates matching the
outbreak strain. Preliminary traceback information has indicated
these frogs likely came from the same breeder in California. Reptiles
(e.g., turtles) and amphibians (e.g., frogs) have long been
recognized as Salmonella carriers (1,2), and 3 multistate outbreaks
of human Salmonella infections associated with turtle contact have
occurred since 2006 (3,4). However, this is the 1st reported
multistate outbreak of Salmonella infections associated with
amphibians. Educational materials aimed at preventing salmonellosis
from contact with reptiles should be expanded to include amphibians,
such as aquatic frogs.

The 5 cases identified in July 2009 by the Utah Department of Health
all had isolates indistinguishable by pulsed field gel
electrophoresis and were identified with XbaI pattern JPXX01.0177.
The cases had occurred during April-July 2009. On 29 Sep 2009,
PulseNet, the national molecular subtyping network for foodborne
disease surveillance, identified a national increase of isolates with
this PFGE pattern (37 isolates from 19 states in 60 days).
Multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) provided
additional discrimination of the outbreak strain. For this
investigation, a case was defined as _S._ Typhimurium infection with
illness onset on or after 1 Apr 2009, with 1) PFGE pattern
indistinguishable from the cluster-defining pattern and 2) MLVA
pattern either matching that of the main outbreak strain, or MLVA unknown.

The multistate investigation began with in-depth, open-ended
interviews of salmonellosis patients regarding exposures in the week
before illness onset. A total of 11 interviews with patients were
conducted through November 2009. All 11 persons reported consumption
of cheese-flavored crackers; 8 reported exposure to aquatic animals,
including fish and aquatic frogs.

As of 30 Dec 2009, _S._ Typhimurium isolates with the outbreak strain
had been identified in 85 patients from 31 states, extending from
Massachusetts to California, with week of illness onset ranging from
22 Mar to 29 Nov 2009 (Figure 1 [for figures, use original URL -
Mod.LL]). Among the patients, 52 percent were male; median age was 5
years (range: 3 weeks-54 years), and 79 percent were aged less than
10 years. Among 47 patients with outcome information available, 16
(34 percent) had been hospitalized; no deaths were reported.

Case-Control Study
------------------
To examine possible associations between illness and consumption of
cheese crackers and exposure to aquatic pets, the CDC conducted a
nationwide case-control study during 30 Nov-7 Dec 2009. Patients
infected with _S._ Typhimurium with the outbreak strain who had
specimen collection dates after 15 Jul 2009 were enrolled. Controls
were persons with recent infection of Salmonella strains other than
the outbreak strain and matched to case-patients by age and county of
residence. Exposure histories were collected for 7 days before
illness onset for case-patients and for 7 days before interview for controls.

Investigators sought to match each case-patient with 2 controls. A
total of 19 case-patients (18 with stool specimens and one with a
urine specimen) and 31 matching controls were enrolled from 15
states. Case-patients were found to be significantly more likely than
controls to have had exposure to an aquatic pet, including fish and
frogs (74 percent of case-patients versus 35 percent of controls; mOR
= 4.7 and 95 percent confidence interval (CI) = 1.2-27.0). More
specifically, illness was found to be associated with exposure to
frogs (63 percent of case-patients versus 3 percent of controls; mOR
= 24.4 and CI = 4.0-infinity]). Exposure to fish was not
statistically significant (58 percent of case-patients versus 29
percent of controls, mOR = 3.1 and CI = 0.8--14.2). No association
was found between illness and consumption of any food item, including
cheese crackers.

Among 39 patients interviewed as of 9 Dec 2009, including some of the
19 case-patients enrolled in the case-control study, 14 knew the type
of frog involved in their exposure, and all 14 identified the frog as
an African dwarf frog (Figure 2). When asked about potential for
Salmonella infection, 19 of 36 (53 percent) patients reported
awareness of association between contact with reptiles and Salmonella
infection, but only 11 of 36 (31 percent) reported awareness of
association with amphibians. Among 20 patients from whom the
information was available, the frog's aquarium was cleaned in the
kitchen sink in the homes of 6 persons (30 percent) and in the
bathroom sink in the homes of 7 others (35 percent).

Environmental Testing and Traceback
-----------------------------------
Environmental samples taken from patient homes in 4 states yielded
the outbreak strain of _S._ Typhimurium. The Colorado Department of
Public Health obtained matched isolates from 2 African dwarf frogs,
and from a rock and water in the aquarium containing the 2 frogs. The
New Mexico Department of Health matched the outbreak strain with
isolates from the filtration system, gravel, and water from an
aquarium in a patient's home containing fish and a small water frog.
The Ohio Department of Health matched the outbreak strain with
isolates from a patient's deceased African dwarf frog, its water, and
the lid and edge of its aquarium. The Utah Department of Health
obtained matched isolates from a container used to clean African
dwarf frogs in a patient's home.

Traceback investigations of frogs associated with positive
environmental isolates have been completed. African dwarf frogs from
the homes of the Colorado patient and the Utah patient were prizes
from games at 2 different carnivals. The vendor who distributed the
frogs to both carnivals was from Utah and identified the source as a
breeder in California. Environmental sampling from the vendor's home
(of aquarium filters and skin previously shed from African dwarf
frogs) yielded multiple isolates matching the outbreak strain. The
aquatic frog from the home of the New Mexico patient was purchased
from a pet store chain, whose distributor identified the same breeder
as the source for all of its aquatic frogs. The family of the Ohio
patient purchased its African dwarf frog from a department store,
whose distributor identified the breeder as the ultimate source of its frogs.

Environmental sampling from the breeder's California facility yielded
_S._ Typhimurium isolates matching the outbreak strain. Positive
samples were collected from multiple locations in the facility,
including water tanks that contained African dwarf frogs and gravel
in the water filtration system.

[Byline: Hall J, Poulson M, Fawcett L, et al]

Editorial Note
--------------
Salmonella illness remains a major public health problem in the USA,
with an estimated 1.4 million human Salmonella infections, 15 000
hospitalizations, and 400 deaths annually (5). Although most
Salmonella infections are foodborne, animal contact is an important
source of human salmonellosis (6). Studies conducted during 1996-1997
determined that approximately 74 000 Salmonella infections each year
in the USA resulted from reptile and amphibian exposure (1). The
ongoing investigation described in this report documents the 1st
multistate outbreak of Salmonella infections associated with amphibians.

A case-control study described here found an association between
infections and exposure to aquatic pet frogs such as African dwarf
frogs. In addition, the outbreak strain was isolated from African
dwarf frogs in 2 patient homes, from a container used to clean
African dwarf frogs in a 3rd home, and from water in an aquarium
containing a small frog in a 4th home. Traceback investigations
converged on a breeder in California; environmental sampling of the
breeder's facility yielded the outbreak strain.

The most likely source of transmission in this outbreak was contact
with water from the frogs' aquariums. Because African dwarf frogs are
small and tend to rest at the bottom of aquariums where children have
difficulty reaching them, direct handling as the source of
transmission is less likely. Amphibians are known carriers of
Salmonella (2). African dwarf frogs are purely aquatic animals,
typically less than 2 inches long from nose to tail stub, and sold as
ornamental aquarium pets. In one study, 21 percent of aquarium frogs
tested from 16 retailers were positive for Salmonella (2).
Furthermore, Salmonella bacteria shed from frogs are readily
recoverable from aquarium water where frogs are housed (2).
Salmonella can survive for an extended period in the environment, and
indirect transmission through environmental contamination might occur (1).

Although 53 percent of case-patients described in this report knew
that Salmonella infection could be acquired from reptiles, including
turtles, only 31 percent knew that Salmonella could be acquired from
amphibians. These findings are consistent with anecdotal reports of
persons buying frogs as pets as an alternative to pet turtles because
of concern over salmonellosis. Human exposure to Salmonella from
aquariums can occur in homes, but also in pet stores, retail stores,
schools, or child care centers (7). Public education regarding the
risk for illness associated with turtles and other reptiles should be
expanded to include the risk for salmonellosis from aquatic pet frogs
and other amphibians. Most notably, because children aged less than 5
years might be less likely to consistently practice proper hand
hygiene, prevention and control measures should be emphasized for
this age group.

Water contained in aquariums where frogs and other amphibians are
housed is an ideal environment for Salmonella growth (1,2,8).
Aquarium water should be changed regularly and aquariums should be
cleaned frequently. However, in this investigation, in 30 percent of
patient households, aquariums were cleaned in the kitchen sink,
posing a risk for cross-contamination with food preparation areas
(2). The CDC has published guidelines for consumers on how to reduce
the risk for Salmonella infection from amphibians and reptiles (available at
). Preventive
measures include washing hands thoroughly with soap and water after
touching animals or cleaning aquariums. No regulations prohibit the
sale of small frogs, but education measures might help reduce the
risk for Salmonella transmission.

References
----------
1. Mermin J, Hutwagner L, Vugia D, et al: Reptiles, amphibians, and
human Salmonella infection: a population-based, case-control study.
Clin Infect Dis 2004;38(Suppl 3): S253-261.
2. Bartlett KH, Trust TJ, Lior H: Small pet aquarium frogs as a
source of Salmonella. Appl Environ Microbiol 1977;33: 1026-1029.
3. CDC: Multistate outbreak of human Salmonella infections associated
with exposure to turtles---United States, 2007--2008. MMWR 2008;57: 69-72.
4. CDC: Turtle-associated salmonellosis in humans---United States,
2006--2007. MMWR 2007;56: 649-652.
5. Voetsch AC, Van Gilder TJ, Angulo FJ, et al: FoodNet estimate of
the burden of illness caused by nontyphoidal Salmonella infections in
the United States. Clin Infect Dis 2004;38(Suppl 3): S127-134.
6. CDC: Compendium of measures to prevent disease associated with
animals in public settings, 2009: National Association of State
Public Health Veterinarians, Inc. (NASPHV). MMWR 2009;58(No. RR-5).
7. Trust TJ, Bartlett KH, Lior H: Importation of salmonellae with
aquarium species. Can J Microbiol 1981;27: 500-504.
8. Mann PH, Bjotvedt G: Salmonella organisms isolated from water used
for storage of pet turtles. Can J Comp Med Vet Sci 1967;31:43-45.

Communicated by:
ProMED-mail


[The formal CDC report on this outbreak of ornamental frog-associated
salmonellosis previously reported on ProMED. A picture of the African
dwarf frog can be found at:
. - Mod.LL]

[see also:
2009
----
Salmonellosis, serotype Typhimurium - USA (13): frogs 20091208.4178
Salmonellosis, serotype Typhimurium - USA (12): poss. lettuce source
20090927.3382
Salmonellosis, serotype Newport - USA: ground beef, alert, recall 20090806.2779
Salmonellosis, serotype Saintpaul - USA (03): sprouts, geo. spread
20090310.0992
Salmonellosis, serotype Saintpaul - USA (02): sprouts recall 20090306.0929
Salmonellosis, serotype Saintpaul - USA: (NE) 20090303.0873
Salmonellosis, serotype Typhimurium - USA (11): peanut butter 20090210.0606
Salmonellosis, serotype Typhimurium - USA: RFI 20090108.0077
2008
----
Salmonellosis, human, pet turtles - USA (05) 20081023.3356
Salmonellosis, human, pet turtles - USA 20080125.0317
2007
----
Salmonellosis, human, pet turtles - USA (multistate): 2006-2007 20070709.2186
Salmonellosis, human, fatal, pet turtles - USA (FL): FDA 20070409.1182
2005
----
Salmonellosis, human, pet turtles, 2004 - USA (WI, WY) 20050311.0715]
...................................ll/ejp/dk

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The Venus Project: Designing a Whole New Way of Living

Click on title above to go to informative e-book;

http://www.thevenusproject.com/images/stories/a-designingthefuturee-book.pdf

The venus Project: Designing the Future

A free e'book on a whole new better way of living;

http://www.thevenusproject.com/images/stories/a-designingthefuturee-book.pdf

America's Dirtiest Vehicles

When it comes to pollution, these cars prove it's not just about fuel economy.

By Hannah Elliott

Just because a car has low fuel efficiency doesn't mean it's the worst polluter on the road. The Chevrolet Suburban and Dodge Challenger are some of the biggest gas-gulpers available, but they don't cause quite the environmental harm other cars do.

That title is reserved for vehicles that combine their poor gas mileage with high tailpipe and greenhouse gas emissions. Think along the lines of some of the bulkiest cars on the road, like the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Chevrolet Trailblazer and Dodge Dakota.

While fuel economy is linked to emissions, it's not the only factor. Pollution levels also have to do with the type of fuel being used and the age and condition of the engine, among other things.

"You can have a really fuel-efficient, dirty vehicle and a really clean, not-so-fuel-efficient vehicle," says Karl Simon, a director of compliance and innovation for the EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality. "It really is pretty wide open from a technical perspective."

Behind the Numbers

To determine the dirtiest cars on America's roads, we used air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The EPA rates air pollution on a scale of 0 to 10; the score reflects the amount of tailpipe emissions a vehicle releases. Vehicles that score 10 are the cleanest--they don't emit pollutants like hydrocarbon, nitrous oxides, particulate matter, carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. Greenhouse gas levels (carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane) are based on the vehicle's fuel economy and are evaluated on the same 0-10 scale. That score represents the "relative global warming potential of each car," the EPA says.

For our list, we combined air pollution and emissions scores and then chose the vehicles with the smallest results (the greater the score, the more environmentally friendly the car). We broke ties by evaluating the combined fuel efficiency of each vehicle. (Driving a car that gets 25 miles per gallon rather than 20 mpg will prevent 10 tons of carbon dioxide from hitting the air over a vehicle's lifetime, according to EPA data.) We did not evaluate models that will end production after this year, like the Bentley Arnage and Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster, or vehicles classified as "heavy duty," like the 3500 series of the Dodge Ram, which are exempt from federal fuel economy requirements.

We also deliberately omitted some vehicles that rated higher on the particulate-emissions scale, including exotics like the Ferrari F430, uber-luxury cars like the Bentley Continental Flying Spur, and high-performance variants from Mercedes-Benz's AMG line. Those cars have marginally worse emissions ratings than some of the entries on our list but are produced in such small quantities and driven so infrequently--on weekends or on racetracks--that they often don't contribute much to air-pollution problems.

Lonnie Miller, an automotive analyst for R.L. Polk, says it's OK that performance and design dictate the aim of those vehicles, while others emphasize fuel economy and practicality. There's a place in the market for each type, he says.

Repeat Offender

Even had we included those supercars, though, the Jeep Grand Cherokee still would have topped the chart. It scored a paltry three out of 10 for air-pollution ratings and two out of 10 for greenhouse gas emissions. The flex-fuel engine--prized because it uses a renewable resource that reduces dependency on traditional gasoline--on the Cherokee was even worse: three out of 10 and one out of 10 for the air pollution and gas emissions, respectively.

In terms of finger-pointing, however, it's not just Jeep maker Chrysler that needs to clean up its act. In all, cars and trucks account for almost one-third of the total air pollution in the United States. And while EPA emission standards have gotten increasingly strict since they first were instituted in the early 1970s, there's still a long way to go, especially at home: 60% of the entries on our list are from domestic automakers. The remainder are German; no Japanese or Korean cars make the list.

Of American automakers, though, Chrysler is the worst offender, with six vehicles on last year's "dirtiest" list (the Jeep Commander, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango, Chrysler Aspen, Dodge Ram 1500 and Dodge Dakota), and five this year.

It's important to note that each of the cars on our list are street legal--and much cleaner than anything on the road years ago.

"We continue to drive our fleet average even lower," Chrysler spokesman Nick Cappa said in a written response to the rankings. "Chrysler Group products are 99% cleaner than vehicles of 30 years ago and meet or exceed United States federal emission standards, the most stringent in the world."

Going Clean

Many auto manufacturers are making concerted efforts to produce models that are easier on the environment; most offer hybrid, compact or turbocharged 4-cylinder versions, all of which record low pollutant scores. Next year will see the long-awaited arrival of several low- and emission-free options, like the compact but "ecoboosted" Ford Fiesta and the plug-in electric Chevrolet Volt.

Some high-end carmakers are making considerable emissions efforts as well, but don't look to them for the latest in high-volume electric technology. It's prohibitively expensive and technologically difficult to get anywhere near the same performance out of an electric motor as a combustion engine, and aside from notable entries from Tesla and (perhaps) Fisker, it will be years before any meaningful amount of electric motors find their way into high-performance and luxury cars.

Besides, there's much to be done to improve the combustion engine, engineers from Bentley, BMW and Porsche say, either through increasing its efficiency or developing alternative fuels. Bentley developed the flex-fuel-capable, $245,000 Continental Supersports coupe for that very reason.

"We believe bioethanol is a really good alternative to reducing CO2 emissions," says Brian Gush, Bentley's director of chassis and powertrain engineering. "This is a renewable source, which will be growing into the future."

Simon at the EPA says emissions levels have indeed improved significantly over the last 20 years and will continue to do so. But with 40,000 Jeep Grand Cherokees sold this year so far, there's a long way to go.

1. Jeep Grand Cherokee

2. BMW M5

3. BMW M6 Sedan/Convertible

4. Chevrolet Trailblazer

5. Mercedes-Benz CL600

Click on title above to see the full list of America's Dirtiest Vehicles;

http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/04/dirty-cars-emissions-lifestyle-vehicles-fuel-efficiency_slide_3.html?thisSpeed=15000
http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/1159/americas-dirtiest-vehicles/

MercatorNet Needs Your Help Getting the Word Out

Defending human dignity on the internet. We stand for reframing ethical and policy debates in terms of human dignity, not dollars and cents or political calculation.

www.MercatorNet.com
From the Editor

November 8, 2009

Hi there,

We've just finished the annual New Media Foundation conference (our first, actually) in Sydney. Our deputy editor, Carolyn Moynihan, flew across the Tasman from New Zealand, and I came up from Melbourne. NMF, the publisher of MercatorNet, among other projects, is a far-flung, virtual organisation, held together by proverbial bits of string and the internet, so there were apologies from our web support in Mumbai and from Associate Editor Brian Lilley in Ottawa. But most of us were there to discuss Future Directions.

As a subscriber, you are a MercatorNet stakeholder, so I thought that you might be interested in this.

In the editorial department, we feel that our articles are hitting the mark. (Do you?) However, we need more of them, and fresh perspectives on our central theme of human dignity. We welcome suggestions for issues and contributors.

We're a bit weaker in the marketing department. Over the past couple of years, we have raised our profile on the internet substantially. But we need many more subscribers and hits to lift us to a new level. Like the flu, the best method is viral, by word of mouth. So make sure that your friends have signed up!. But we also need advice in search engine optimisation, so if you are an expert, please get in touch.

We had other ideas, of course, and we hope to roll them out over the next few months. Lots of them involve volunteers, so stay tuned.

We wound up the week with some fine articles on death and dying. Carolyn Moynihan complains that too many of us are afraid of people dying slowly in nursing homes and funerals and Walter Pless reviews a beautiful Oscar-winning Japanese film about an undertaker. And Kevin Ryan, an education expert from Boston, rejoices at the demolition of Baby Einstein DVDs. The folly of teaching babies by plonking them in front of a television has finally been confirmed, he says.

Happy reading!
Michael Cook
Editor

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Every chance he gets, Michigan Democrat Bart Stupak is making a reasoned argument for his amendment to ensure health care legislation won't require citizens to pay for abortion.Read more... | Read as text format

What makes people take a pride in their work?

Carolyn Moynihan | 4 November 2009

If there is one thing the financial crisis has taught us it is the need society has for people who take a (well-founded) pride in their work.Read more... | Read as text format

What was rejected and what was affirmed

Sheila Liaugminas | 4 November 2009

The citizens of Maine want laws to protect traditional marriage.Read more... | Read as text format
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Media Watch
Gorbachev did not tear down that wall Gorbachev opened the window, the human spirit broke free | National Post

Crucifix out, warming in It's official - global warmingism has court-warranted standing as a religion | The Globe and Mail

Misleading Indicator Will the Great Recession finally end our misguided obsession with gross domestic product? | The Atlantic

E. D. Hirsch's Curriculum for Democracy A content-rich pedagogy makes better citizens and smarter kids. | City Journal

Make life the only choice The cultural wind is in euthanasia's sails and the most unlikely people are heeding its siren call. | National Post

Cellphones, Texts and Lovers In today's world, the choice of a Prius can be a more sanctified act than the choice of an erotic partner. | New York Times

BioEdge
British mother asks court to turn off her infant's machine

Aborted foetus cells used to make beauty cream

My genes made me do it, says Italian murderer

Genetic tests used to prove nationality in UK

British IVF clinic makes worst mistake possible, says industry watchdog



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A Typhoon Brings Terror

August 10, 2009 11:29 AM

Marakot -- suggests beauty. “Marakot” is Thai for “emerald”. But Typhoon Marakot has brought pain and horror to Southeast Asia, in particular to a mountain village in southern Taiwan. One million people in China have been evacuated; 22 are reported dead in the Philippines; but on Taiwan, the storm spawned a mudslide that has buried some 600 people in the village of Shiao Lin. We will update as we learn more about their fate; in the meantime, click on title above for full story with vids;
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theworldnewser/2009/08/a-typhoon-brings-terror.html