Watching the World

World’s Leading Tobacco User

China is “the world’s largest producer and consumer of tobacco,” reports The Journal of the American Medical Association. “Of China’s population of 1.2 billion, more than 300 million men and 20 million women are smokers.” Doctors from the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine and the Chinese Association on Smoking and Health, in Beijing, along with Western doctors have released the results of a nationwide survey of more than 120,000 respondents. Their conclusion? China is in “an early stage of a tobacco epidemic,” and “at least 50 million Chinese smokers alive today are expected to die prematurely.” The average age of first-time smokers in China has declined by about three years since 1984, from age 28 to 25, states the report. Only a minority recognized that lung cancer and heart disease can be caused by smoking.

When Parents Care

“Scientists now say the secret of a child’s success is a parent who cares about his learning—and shows it,” states The Toronto Star. Statistics Canada and Human Resources Development Canada have jointly tracked the development and health of 23,000 Canadian children aged 4 to 11 since 1994. Evidently, most Canadian parents take an active interest in their children’s schooling, especially in the early grades. The report states that “95 per cent of children aged 10 and 11 say their parents encourage them to do well at school all or most of the time” and that 87 percent of parents “read with their children every day during Grades 1 to 3.” Mary Gordon, administrator of parenting programs for the Toronto District School Board, says: “We now know you don’t have to be rich or educated to be a good parent but you have to be present, alert and interested.” She adds: “It’s the nurturing relationship that grows brains, and this happens first at home.”

Teens and Telephones

Teenagers are famous for talking on the phone. “They reach for the receiver for fun or when they are bored,” notes the Polish weekly Przyjaciółka. Many, however, may not consider how long they are on the phone or be aware of the cost of a call. What is the remedy? The magazine suggests that the young person be required to pay for at least part of the phone bill. It recommends reminding teens that “the telephone is to be shared and that others would also like to use it from time to time.”

Gunslinger Beetle

“High-speed photographs have given scientists an insight into the mechanisms that make the bombardier beetle the surest shot with the most effective arsenal in the insect world,” reports the Independent newspaper of London. Using a pair of shieldlike deflectors at the tip of its abdomen, the beetle can precisely aim a stream of hot acids at a potential enemy and smother it in a fraction of a second. As the beetle is immune to the effects of this liquid, it can also defend itself by targeting specific sites on its own body, including its back, when under attack by smaller swarming insects, such as ants. Scientists at Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York, who photographed the beetle in action note: “Although it was known that bombardier beetles can aim their spray by revolving the abdominal tip, the degree of precision with which they target their ejections had escaped notice.”

Kitchen Rage

“The increasing complexity of hi-tech domestic appliances is prompting outbreaks of ‘kitchen rage,’” reports the Independent newspaper of London. Frustrated householders “discover they cannot microwave a cup of soup, wash a pair of socks or use the blender-cum-mixer without spending hours poring over a manual.” Psychologists point out that modern technology permits designers to pack too many features into appliances, and they cite the average video player as a prime example of overcomplication. Cary Cooper, psychology professor at Manchester University, explains: “People  are confronted by new technology at work everywhere, and when they get home they want a more simple life that doesn’t remind them of work.”

Raw Sprout Risk

After an increase in reports of foodborne illness, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has advised consumers that anyone who wants to reduce the risk of foodborne illness should avoid eating uncooked seed sprouts, reports FDA Consumer magazine. Many people enjoy raw alfalfa, clover, or bean sprouts. However, these have been linked to outbreaks of bacterial infection in several countries, notes The New York Times. Small children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems are particularly susceptible. Researchers tested various ways of curbing the bacteria, including washing the sprouts in chlorine or alcohol solutions, but none were totally effective. They explained that “the moisture and warm temperatures of the sprouting process provide ideal conditions for the organisms to flourish,” states the Times.

London’s Languages

Schoolchildren in London, England, speak at least 307 languages, reports that city’s newspaper The Times. Dr. Philip Baker, one of the authors of the first survey of languages currently spoken in London, was surprised at their diversity. He said: “We are now pretty certain that London is the most multilingual city in the world, more so even than New York.” The figure of 307 does not include hundreds of dialects and may well be an underestimate. Only two thirds of the city’s 850,000 schoolchildren speak English at home. The largest foreign-language groups come from the Indian subcontinent. At least 100 African languages are spoken. In just one school, pupils speak 58 languages.

Fungus Attack!

Athlete’s foot, a painful fungal infection of the toes and soles of the feet, is spreading rapidly in Germany, reports the newsmagazine Der Spiegel. One in 5 Germans suffers from it, and in some other European countries, there is an even higher level of infection. The chances of becoming infected are high wherever people walk barefoot in a confined area—such as at saunas, swimming pools, or even some religious edifices. Since the fungus spores are very hardy, foot-disinfectant spray machines or basins—where the chemicals have just a few seconds to take effect—often promote the spread of athlete’s foot rather than prevent it. How can you protect your feet? Fungus specialist Dr. Hans-Jürgen Tietz recommends using bathing slippers in all places where others walk. Most important is keeping your feet dry. Drying them thoroughly, especially between the toes, prevents fungi from becoming established and flourishing.

Taking the Salt out of Seawater

Seawater is being converted into drinking water at a desalination plant on a small island off the coast of South Australia, reports the newspaper The Australian. Though desalination is not new, “the technology has been hailed as a breakthrough in desalination because it does not require chemicals,” states the report. To supply the 400-member community of Penneshaw, on Kangaroo Island, “water is drawn from the ocean and forced through a membrane at high pressure to remove the salt. The concentrate, or brine, can then safely be released back into the sea.” Although hopes run high for wider use of the new system, it remains expensive, although it is less costly than traditional water-purification methods, says The Australian.

“He’s in a Meeting”

In a survey of 148 secretaries who work for executives of major companies, 47 percent said that their bosses had asked them to mislead others on occasion, reports The Wall Street Journal. One secretary, a Texas marketing assistant, said that in order to keep her job for 30 years, she has had to tell callers that her boss was “in a meeting,” even when he was alone in his office. Some untruths can be especially explosive, such as telling a wife that you don’t know where her absent husband is. One secretary was fired after she truthfully informed a caller that an overdue check was not in the mail.