LIFE-NET NEWS
by Ret Z.
Covering Poverty Widely in a Net of Many Voices
2004 August 18 No Profit; No Proceeds
Volume 8 Number 12 All-Volunteer

"Give a family a fish, and they'll eat a meal;  give them a Net, and they'll have fish for Life."

Happiness Promoted As Leading Economic Indicator
      HH The Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, received an honorary fellowship from Liverpool John Moores University during his official visit to Britain. His Holiness supports the movement for happiness to be adopted as an economic indicator. In a letter to an international conference in Bhutan on "gross national happiness" he writes:
      "As a Buddhist, I believe the purpose of our lives is to overcome suffering and cultivate happiness. But by happiness, I do not only mean the temporary pleasure that is derived from material comfort alone. I am thinking more of the enduring happiness that results from the thorough transformation and development of the mind that can be achieved though the cultivation of such qualities as compassion, patience and wisdom. At the same time, on national and global levels we need an economic system that enables such a pursuit of true happiness."
      Bhutan, led by King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, is the only country in the world to measure its well-being by Gross National Happiness instead of Gross National Product. This unorthodox approach questions the values of unbridled economic progress and highlights the importance of a balance between tradition and modernization.
      "There’s a need for a new movement that talks the language of economists and tries to expand their horizons," says Sander Tideman, chairman of the Spirit in Business Network and a leading spokesman in the dialogue with the Bhutanese. "Since the Enlightenment we stopped seeing the divine in everything, and the West created economic models that say that if we have enough material goods we will be happy. Now that is completely invalidated."
      The Dalai Lama endorses this view. "I have discovered in my travels around the world that people in wealthy countries are often not nearly as happy as I had expected them to be, considering their material affluence. Seeing deep poverty side-by-side with conspicuous consumption in both wealthy and poor countries also indicates that all is not well."
      Source:  Positive News
      More Info:  Center for Bhutan Studies

Coming Too Soon: Free-Market Eugenics
      The crimes of Nazi Germany discredited the idea of "breeding" the "fittest" babies. Yet eugenics is resurfacing today via biotechnology, say some ethicists and theologians.
      The eugenics of the past originated with government, says Ted Peters, president of Pacific Lutheran Seminary and a researcher at the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences. In the future, however, "we're going to see free-market eugenics."
      Francis Galton, a cousin of Charles Darwin, coined the term "eugenics" in 1886. His meaning: "to improve the human race through better breeding," says Christine Rosen, author of Preaching Eugenics: Religious Leaders and the American Eugenics Movement (Oxford University Press). To achieve this goal, she says, Galton and other adherents encouraged "the production of the fittest specimens."
      The urge to produce "the fittest" is still with us, say some bioethicists. Parents have begun to use genetic screening and engineering to keep their children free from diseases, Peters says. As an example he cites the use of amniocentesis -- the procedure used to predict whether a baby will have Down syndrome.
      In the near future, he says, biotechnology will permit parents to move from "therapy" -- preventing or treating disease -- to "enhancement." "Designer babies" could be on the horizon within five years. Parents could be using genetic selection and modification to enhance traits such as intelligence and musical ability in their offspring.
      "Only the wealthy could afford it," says Peters. "A 'gene-rich' class could develop."
      Source:  Religion News Service

Author Claims to Expose Islam's Hidden Agenda
      Since 9-11, dozens of books have been rushed to market purporting to "explain" the religion in whose name the terrorists acted. Most of them, including friendly LNR regular Islamic Center of South Jersey, strike a common theme: "True" Islam -- as opposed to the "fundamentalist" variety of the hijackers -- is a "religion of peace" that promotes charity, tolerance, freedom, and culture no less than "true" Christianity.
      Serge Trifkovic, foreign affairs editor of Chronicles magazine and author of Sword of the Prophet, gives readers what he calls the unvarnished, "politically incorrect" truth about Islam -- including shocking assertions about its founder, Mohammed; about bloody conquest as driving Islam's rise; about endorsements of theft, deceit, lust and murder; about persecutions of Christians, Jews, Hindus and other "infidels", and cruel mistreatment of women; about the "colossal myth" of its cultural "golden age"; and about an irreformable commitment to global conquest by any means necessary.
      Sword of the Prophet presents details and documentation on hundreds of "politically incorrect" topics. For example, he argues that:
  • The Qur'an sanctions pillage, looting, ransom, and the rape of captive women as incentives to join in "holy war".
  • Mohammad allowed temporary marriage "for three nights" or more, permitting soldiers in the field to "marry" prostitutes.
  • Mohammad had as many as 25 wives. One was 6 when they married; he was 54. He consummated the marriage when she was 9.
  • The joys and glories of the Islamic "paradise" are tangible and sensual and include sex with virgins -- and young boys.
  • Islam's "golden age" was parasitic on the Christian cultures and peoples it conquered, and ended when it "killed the host".
  • The Crusades were a belated military response to three centuries of Muslim aggression against Christian lands and peoples.
  • Islam divides the world into the House of Islam (where Islam rules) and the House of War (where it doesn't). The two are permanently at war; there may be temporary truces, but peace will come only upon the completion of global conquest.
  • When Muslims are a minority community, the Qur'an permits them to adopt a peaceful attitude to deceive their neighbors, until they feel strong enough to dispense with the pretense.
  • The Qur'an assures the Muslim the right to own slaves by purchasing them or as a bounty of war. Mohammad had dozens.
      Book:  Sword of the Prophet

Charter Schools Score Lower Than Regular Ones
      The first national comparison of student test scores between charter schools and regular public schools shows charter school students often doing worse than comparable students in regular public schools. The findings, buried in mountains of data the Education Department released without public announcement, dealt a blow to supporters of the charter school movement, including the Bush administration.
      The data shows fourth graders attending charter schools performing about half a year behind students in other public schools in both reading and math. Put another way, only 25% of the fourth graders attending charters were proficient in reading and math, against 30% in reading and 32% in math at traditional public schools.
      Because charter schools are concentrated in cities, often in poor neighborhoods, the researchers also compared urban charters to urban traditionals. They looked at low-income children in both settings and broke the results down by race and ethnicity as well. In virtually all instances, the charter students did worse than their counterparts.
      Charters are expected to grow exponentially under No Child Left Behind, which would force some chronically failing regular schools to convert to charter.
      "The scores are low, dismayingly low," said Chester Finn, a supporter of charters who was among those who asked the administration to do the comparison. Finn, an assistant secretary of education in the Reagan administration, said the quality of charter schools across the country varied widely. He predicted that the results would move those overseeing charters to demand more in the way of performance. "A little more tough love is needed for these schools."
      Finn and other charter backers contended, however, that the findings should be viewed as "baseline data." The findings may reflect the predominant number of kids who entered charters hoping to escape the severe problems they had at schools in their neighborhoods.
      Source:  New York Times

Donated Supplies Delight Burmese Schoolgirl
      Sitting on the floor of her home, surrounded by new school clothes and supplies, Janjira told the Operation Blessing (OBI) team she had never received gifts like these before. Her family’s life had been in extreme transition for a while. They are among the 310,000 Burmese refugees now living in Thailand after fleeing an oppressive situation in Burma.
      Janjira is a bright-eyed 13-year-old who, unlike some girls her age, loves going to school. It’s her only relief from a life that's too stressful for a young teen. She is often busy looking after her four younger sisters -- especially the youngest, who is mute. Janjira looks to school as her only hope, but her father can’t afford to buy new uniforms and supplies for his five girls.
      Thanks to OBI's Back to School project, over 360 struggling families won’t have to worry about the extra cost of attending school. Earlier this summer, students in elementary through high school received a great backpack filled with notebooks, pens and paper, as well as school uniforms, shoes and winter clothes. Believe it or not, it would have cost Janjira’s father a full year’s wages to outfit each daughter.
      Before presenting the gifts, the OBI team threw a party. The kids learned new songs, were delighted to receive treats for especially enthusiastic participation, and had a chance to showcase their own talents.
      Source:  Operation Blessing International
      To Donate (only $25 to outfit a child):  OBI Giving Form

President Promotes Homeownership
      "If you own something, you have a vital stake in the future of our country," said President Bush in June. "The more ownership there is in America, the more vitality there is in America, and the more people have a vital stake in the future of this country."
      On homeownership, the President believes it's the cornerstone of America's vibrant communities and it benefits individual families by building stability and long-term financial security. In June 2002, he issued America's Homeownership Challenge to the real estate and mortgage finance industries to encourage them to join the effort to close the gap that exists between the homeownership rates of minorities and non-minorities. The President also announced the goal of increasing the number of minority homeowners by at least 5.5 million families before the end of the decade.
      During his administration, the overall US homeownership rate in the second quarter of 2004 reached an all time high of 69.2%; minority homeownership set a new record of 51% in the second quarter.
      Included in the President's homeownership initiatives:
  • The American Dream Downpayment Initiative, which provides down-payment assistance to approximately 40,000 low-income families.
  • The Single-Family Affordable Housing Tax Credit, which he says would increase the supply of affordable homes.
  • The Self-Help Homeownership Opportunities Program, for which the President has proposed increased support.
  • Simplifying homebuying and increasing education: The President and HUD want to empower homebuyers by simplifying the home buying process so consumers can better understand and benefit from cost savings. The President also wants to expand financial education efforts so that families can understand what they need to do to acquire their own home.
      Source:  White House

#  LNN  #  Small  #  Hauls  #

  • Camden school officials responded to criticisms Monday in a public meeting:
    • Programs for students with behavioral issues were described, including alternative education programs at the local Boys and Girls Clubs and Camden County College.
    • Volunteer mentors were mentioned -- artists, police officers in schools, others.
    • Former juvenile offenders returning to school have been provided with a separate reentry program. A state official said none of the students in the program have been involved in any violent incidents this year.
    • District officials also presented data showing overall improved test scores. They said district-wide test results in reading went up 10.9% and in math 10%. As for attendance, the district said its dropout rate fell from 18.1% in 2001-2002 to 8.7% in 2002-2003.
    (Courier-Post)

  • A group dedicated to shutting down Planned Parenthood (PP) says the abortion provider will stop at nothing to promote sexual activity to children. Jim Sedlak, executive director of the American Life League's STOPP International, believes PP has a singularly nefarious goal: to introduce children to sex and develop future customers for abortions. Sedlak cites PP's distribution of a six-inch ruler that poses the sarcastic question: "Does size matter?" The ruler is just one item offered through PP's online store on a Web site Sedlak says is filled with sexual content. He warns parents, especially during the back-to-school shopping season, to be aware of this offensive ruler and other products and tactics employed by PP in its profit-motivated agenda. (AgapePress)

  • Chadian President Idriss Deby has called for an improvement in the welfare of African veterans who fought alongside the French army in liberating France from the Nazis. "We hope that all those -- the French or others -- who fought for freedom and paid with their lives, would be taken into account and the welfare of war veterans and their dependants improved," Deby said at the end of Sunday's commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the landing of allied forces in Toulon, southern France. Now that the French have recognized the efforts and the blood spilt by Africans in that battle, he said, "we would like to see the situation of these people improved as equitably as possible compared to that of their French comrades-in-arms who are in a better situation." (PANA Press)

  • Food for Peace celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. In 1954, President Eisenhower started the Food for Peace program to share America’s rich harvests with those in need in postwar Europe and other countries. Since then, US food has made a huge difference to many people, assisting in times of crisis and showing that Americans' generosity transcends political boundaries. Hunger knows no nationality, and we Americans continue to send our wheat, corn, and other foods wherever they are needed to save lives. More than 60% of international emergency food aid comes as a gift of the people of the United States. Approximately 3 billion people in 150 countries have benefited directly from American food. (USAID)

  • A military watchdog believes the radical feminist agenda has resulted in what she calls a "mean girl mentality" in American society, and for that reason it should come as no surprise that a female soldier is enmeshed in the Abu Ghraib prison controversy. While some suggest that Lynndie England has been particularly vilified for her part in the scandal because she is a woman, Elaine Donnelly of the Center for Military Readiness calls England a product of a "male-bashing" society and liberal social engineering. She says, "It kind of underlies everything about feminism that one way to beat men is to literally beat them, to be stronger than them, to demean and humiliate them." Cultural degradation has occurred in both military and civilian society as a result of this feminist mentality, she says, "the culture of girls being tough and beating up other people." (AgapePress)

  • The Fairtrade Mark label is celebrating its tenth birthday with sales now over £100 million a year. The Fairtrade Foundation was set up to respond to the human consequences of collapsing world commodity prices. Fairtrade labels are now affixed to 18% of roast & ground coffee packages sold in the UK. The British public eat 300,000 Fairtrade bananas every day. There are 250 products from over 100 companies. More than 300 catering suppliers nationwide offer Fairtrade products. Towns including Oxford, Cambridge, Lancaster, York, Cardiff and Edinburgh have declared themselves Fairtrade towns. Says Fairtrade Foundation executive director Harriet Lamb, "Fairtrade, backed by a vibrant social movement ..., is giving thousands of producers in developing countries the chance to build a better future." (Positive News)

Life-Net News Extra

Gandhi's Grandson To Kick Off Unarmed Palestinian Campaign
      The grandson of former Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi, Arun Gandhi, is to kick off a Palestinian campaign for an unarmed, popular struggle against the Israeli occupation. The campaign is being organized by a group of Palestinian social and political activists in Ramallah, that was formed after a ruling of the International Court of Justice in The Hague against the separation fence and Israel's occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Gandhi, head of the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence in the United States, will be the star speaker in three mass rallies planned in Ramallah, Abu Dis and Bethlehem on August 26. Gandhi said he intends "to promote the philosophy of nonviolence, the approach that nonviolence is the only venue that can solve our problems."
      The Ramallah group's leader Mohammed Al Atar said they felt "an urgency to find another way to resist occupation."
      The link between Al Atar and the Ramallah group was Terry Boulata of East Jerusalem, the principal of a private school in Abu Dis and a major anti-fence activist. The fence separates her home from her place of work and from her husband's family. Boulata said, "The struggle is our right, but we must be creative."
      In a telephone call from the US, Gandhi said he is coming both to learn and to teach his philosophy. "I understand that many bad things happened 55 years ago, but the attempt to get justice by revenge accomplishes nothing."
      It is difficult to tell how the Palestinians will relate to Gandhi's tendency to explain violent conflicts by reducing them to private interpersonal relations. "I've dedicated my life to explain to people how damaging prejudices can be, and how to form better relations. That is the basis of non-violence. Relations must be based on love, understanding and honor, not on negative foundations."
      "I will tell the Palestinians that it is their responsibility to change. If the Israelis do not want to listen, it does not mean we cannot act."
      Gandhi intends to tell the Palestinians that the essence of violence is that each side justifies it by saying the other side started it. "The question is who is more intelligent (to stop using violence) and who has more power to change. I think the Palestinians have a chance to be more intelligent and not act like the Israelis."
      Source:  ZNet

WHO: Chemicals the Next Tobacco?
      According to a July 10 Lancet article, "chemicals could be the next tobacco for WHO," meaning that officials at the World Health Organization (WHO) are taking the link between toxic chemicals and human health very seriously. The author interviews several experts worldwide, including Dr. Philip Landrigan of Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York, who states that asthma, childhood cancer, learning disabilities and birth defects -- which can all be linked to chemicals in the environment -- are on the rise. Now, the WHO appears to be gearing up for a major fight with the chemical industry as it sets more rigorous standards for safety testing.
      The WHO is composed of volunteer scientists and researchers from around the world, who meet annually to advise member countries on public health issues. Its policies are not laws, but they are conceived by what may be considered the world's top health experts. The Washington Post reported on July 21 that some 24 per cent of WHO advisors come from North America.
      The Post story describes a Bush administration attempt to politicize this prestigious panel. Administration officials have asked the WHO to reverse its policy and allow them to choose the scientists who will advise WHO. Official WHO policy is that WHO invites experts to join, and that those experts may represent their own views only, not those of an institution or government. The Bush administration wants American experts to represent its own policies, rather than focus on public health issues from a broad, purely scientific perspective.
      Source:  EWG
      More Info:  How Many Chemicals Are Found In People

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