http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Community-and-Politics/Ethics/Earth_Community-and-Politics_Ethics_18_193_715.html Press Review of the Earth from the most relevant websites. Keep in touch with the Earth and your future ! fr-FR http://www.earth-stream.com/logo-stream-Earth.png http://www.earth-stream.com Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:58:20 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Community-and-Politics/Ethics/The-ethical-wardrobe-Luxury-fabric-from-the-Peruvian-vicuña_18_193_715_133877.html Wool from the Peruvian vicuña is used to make luxury goods for super-rich consumers, while the farmers who raise the animals live in poverty. Kate Carter reports on a company trying to share the wealth Wed, 01 Oct 2008 07:43:44 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Community-and-Politics/Ethics/Sarah-Palin-puts-polar-bears-on-thin-ice_18_193_715_133789.html The United States is drawing closer and closer to one of the most important presidential elections in many years.In particular, the scientific community is anxiously anticipating the outcome on November 4. One of the reasons can be summed up by a December 12, 2007 House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Report. In summary:This report presents the findings of the Committee’s investigation. The evidence before the Committee leads to one inescapable conclusion: the Bush Administration has engaged in a systematic effort to manipulate climate change science and mislead policymakers and the public about the dangers of global warming. As their habitats are threatened by climate change, polar bears have become a primary symbol of the impending effects climate change will have on the entire planet. Predictably, the global warming deniers are attempting to muddle the science proving that polar bears are in peril. Guess which side Sarah Palin is on. In the context of the proposed federal listing of the polar bear as threatened, late last year, a story came out regarding Exxon-funded polar bear "research":While recognizing the possible impact of climate change on the polar bear, the authors concluded "it is simply not prudent to overstate the certainty" that climate change, or any other single factor, is responsible for "observed patterns in polar bear population ecology." The article, which was labeled a "Viewpoint" essay because it contained no new research, was published in the September issue of the Journal of Ecological Complexity. In their conclusion, the article's authors thanked ExxonMobil and the American Petroleum Institute for their financial backing. They noted that the paper's views were "independent of sources providing support." Many of the articles referenced by the paper were by the same authors and other global warming deniers, all of whom have been prominent mouthpieces for a variety of Exxon-funded think tanks. Fast forward ... Wed, 01 Oct 2008 03:34:26 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Community-and-Politics/Ethics/Alt-Text-Stash-Cash-in-These-Uniquely-Geeky-Investments_18_193_715_133733.html With the markets seesawing like some sort of playground equipment that goes up and down, you may be thinking to yourself: "What should I do with the money I have invested in the stock market/sunk into certificates of deposit/hidden at the back of my closet in a box labeled 'anthrax and centipedes'?" Clearly, traditional investments are no more secure than a Chevy Nova with a plastic sheet for a driver's side window. However, with the amassed intelligence of the online world -- the same amassed intelligence that has thoroughly documented all seven forms of lightsaber combat, including Soresu, or "The Way of the Mynock" -- surely we can come up with alternatives to stocks, bonds, precious metals and the assorted body parts of edible animals. Alt Text Podcast Download audio files and subscribe to the Alt Text podcast. Panicky, unstable times call for panicky, unstable measures. I'm just going to throw some ideas out there and maybe one of them will develop into something that will save civilization and usher us into a new paradise of serenity and comfort. I think it's likely. Computers No matter what, computers are here to stay. I just don't see us going back to the days when the phrase "that poster is a troll" referred to a Tolkien fanatic's dorm-room decoration. So what better place to put your money than computers? Desktops, laptops, palmtops -- invest in anything that sits on top of something else and has a screensaver. Fill your garage and bathtub with all the computers you can buy and you'll have something better than money, food or air. When civilization has been reduced to foraging the ruins of Ikea stores in search of dowels to chew, the person who can play Bejeweled will rule as a god. Domain Names It's well-known that "crisis" and "opportunity" are the same word in every language but English. If the economy falls into a lava-filled crevice inhabited by carnivorous flying creatures called "magma bats," it will create a de ... Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:19:03 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Community-and-Politics/Ethics/Discover-the-Terror-in-Dead-Space-With-Dario-Argento-Italy-s-Master-of-Thriller_18_193_715_133650.html Renowned Italian Director Plays the Role of Doctor Kyne in Dead Space EA Games Label Jino Talens, 650-628-9111 Publicist jtalens@ea.com Scott Gamel, 650-628-7286 Senior PR Manager sgamel@ea.com Tammy Schachter, 650-628-7223 Senior PR Director tschachter@ea.com Logo: http://info.ea.com/ Electronic Arts Inc. Tue, 30 Sep 2008 22:06:49 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Community-and-Politics/Ethics/Humans-are-Slowly-and-Steadily-Destroying-the-Everglades-and-Amazon_18_193_715_133626.html If it wasn’t bad enough that we seem to be pumping more and more in the way of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, we humans seem to be doing a pretty damn good job of eating away any chance of removing said emissions. The latest comes in a one-two punch. First of all experts are labeling the fight to save the Florida Everglades as a “losing battle,” while Brazil’s Environment Minister is blaming upcoming elections and increasing food prices for another rise in Amazon deforestation. So no matter which way you look at it, the simple fact of the matter is, humans are irreversibly stupid. Read more of this story » Tue, 30 Sep 2008 19:02:59 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Community-and-Politics/Ethics/Activision-CEO-Labels-Should-Owe-Guitar-Hero-Not-Reverse_18_193_715_133516.html Game and record executives are trading barbs over who should pay whom for the songs used in Guitar Hero and Rock Band in an apparent attempt to kill the goose that's laid so many golden eggs for both parties. Tue, 30 Sep 2008 04:15:46 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Community-and-Politics/Ethics/Beta-Music-Site-Takes-Aim-at-MySpace-Music-s-Mainstream-Moves_18_193_715_133248.html NEW YORK, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- A music startup that has quietly attracted more than 750,000 members, today opened its beta platform to independent artists and labels frustrated by recent negotiations with the newly launched MySpace Music service. Mon, 29 Sep 2008 22:43:18 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Community-and-Politics/Ethics/Forget-Hershey-s-Three-Tips-for-Better-Chocolate_18_193_715_133095.html Hershey’s, in an attempt to counter rising food costs, has replaced the cocoa butter in many of its candies with vegetable oil, effectively changing their product from “milk chocolate” to “chocolate candy”.  Cocoa butter is the ingredient that gives milk chocolate it’s creamy mouthfeel, and it will be noticably absent from Whachamacalits, Mr. Goodbars, Milk Duds, and Krackels, although Hershey’s claims that Hershey Bars, Kisses, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups will remain unchanged. Sigh.  Why bother with any of them?  Although Hershey’s has made attempts towards more fair trade practices, they’re far from green or ethical.  There’s several other ways to get your chocolate fix while supporting responsible companies. Find out how, after the jump… Read more of this story » Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:27:13 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Community-and-Politics/Ethics/California-launches-broad-effort-to-control-hazardous-chemicals_18_193_715_133054.html Two new 'green chemistry' laws focus the state program on the most dangerous substances. California today launched the most comprehensive program of any state to evaluate, label and, in some cases, ban industrial chemicals that are linked to cancer, hormone disruption and other deadly effects on human health. Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:04:29 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Community-and-Politics/Ethics/New-Launch-By-Nokia-in-Spain-the-Nokia-Music-Store_18_193_715_132833.html ESPOO, Finland, September 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today Nokia has announced the launch in Spain of its new digital music site, Nokia Music Store, which already has a catalogue of more than 4 million songs amongst which can be found the highest-selling records, independent record labels, and new national talent. Mon, 29 Sep 2008 06:08:46 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Community-and-Politics/Ethics/Is-that-a-Worm-in-Your-School-Lunch-Oh-No-It-s-Just-a-Porkchop-_18_193_715_132723.html Goats with spider genes. Pigs with worm genes. Genetically-engineered animals cross the lines of phyla and even kingdom with plants containing animal genes and vice versa. It’s no longer a question of can we do that. It’s crossed over the line of should we do that. And if we do, should we sell it for food? Without a label? If it had a label, would you eat it? The answer for most of is no, which is why there likely won’t be one, according to the new FDA plan, unless the game of gene mix-n-match alters the nutritional content of the food. The FDA has a similar no label approach for cloned meats that are designated for human consumption. Read more of this story » Sun, 28 Sep 2008 19:19:24 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Community-and-Politics/Ethics/Cells-Safely-Changed-into-Embryonic-State-in-Tests_18_193_715_132626.html By ROB STEIN By Rob Stein The Washington Post WASHINGTON Scientists are reporting they have overcome a major obstacle to using a promising alternative to embryonic stem cells, bolstering the prospects for bypassing the political and ethical tempest that has embroiled hopes for a new generation of medical treatments. Sun, 28 Sep 2008 14:59:23 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Community-and-Politics/Ethics/Who-s-Into-Eco-Travel-_18_193_715_132566.html I’m not sure if I’m surprised or not with the results of a recent survey by Responsible Travel. If you’re not familiar with this website and you’re planning a vacation, here’s a little bit about them from their site. Since 2001, we’ve been handpicking inspiring holidays from all over the globe to give you a fantastic experience and make a real difference to local people and the environment. We were the first people to link up travelers and responsible operators and places to stay in this way, and still offer the largest selection of responsible holidays anywhere on the web! A recent survey they conducted found that women were more likely than men to book an eco vacation. The study revealed over two thirds (67%) of people who booked one of Responsible Travel’s ethical holidays online were women. Not to be too hasty, the folks at responsible travel are quick to mention that: … this doesn’t necessarily mean that women are necessarily more environmentally-savvy than men when it comes to travel, it may be just because they’re normally the ones who organize vacations. This squares with travel industry statistics that show that 70% of all travel decisions are made by women. So what does this mean for the ecopreneurial travel company? Read more of this story » Sun, 28 Sep 2008 01:29:31 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Community-and-Politics/Ethics/Ethical-dilemma-Can-energy-drinks-be-ethical-_18_193_715_132461.html Working out whether your beverage ticks all the right natural, fairtrade and sustainable boxes is a minefield, says Lucy Siegle Sat, 27 Sep 2008 18:47:26 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Community-and-Politics/Ethics/Leroy-Hood-Look-to-the-Genome-to-Rebuild-Health-Care_18_193_715_132388.html Leroy Hood thinks the $2.3 trillion US health care system is headed for life support, but he has a plan for curing its inefficiency, and ineffectiveness. The 69-year-old biotechnologist bases his plan on the four Ps—medicine that is predictive, preventive, personalized, and participatory. The goal is to shift medicine from treating illness to managing health, saving money and lives along the way. Hood's Institute for Systems Biology is developing the diagnostics and technology to make it happen. Here's the doctor's Rx. The US medical system should be ... Predictive The vision Using genome sequencing and blood tests, a doctor will be able to determine a patient's probability of developing certain diseases. The price of these tests is dropping and will soon be less than $1,000 — the same as a CT scan today. The challenge Physicians will have to be trained to use the technology ethically. Patients will have to make sense of new kinds of choices. Preventive The vision Based on an individualized risk profile, you could start therapies in advance to cut the likelihood of illness. Drugs could be designed to blunt the desire to overeat, drink, or smoke. Average lifespan could be extended by 10 to 30 years. The challenge What qualifies as a disease? Will we have fewer football players if we quiet the genes that drive aggression? Personalized The vision With billions of data points for every patient, drug therapies can be created to suit each genome. This would eliminate the trial-and-error approach doctors use today. The challenge Having your genome on Google could be a huge privacy risk. With so much information around, data security will become an important field in the health care industry. Participatory The vision People will maintain their own health, not just by treating existin ... Sat, 27 Sep 2008 18:19:53 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Community-and-Politics/Ethics/Eco-Boutique-Spotlight-Heart-On-Your-Sleeve-In-Toronto-~-Clearance-Sale-This-Weekend-And-Buy-Nothing-Day_18_193_715_132381.html Donning the list of Toronto’s Fashion Heroes, named by NOW Magazine, is Natalie Stephenson whose Heart On Your Sleeve boutique in Toronto, Ontario is filled with labels that are only cruelty-free/vegan, sweatshop-free, recycled and/or organic.  Passionate about supporting local designers, she carries only goods from Canadian labels.  You’ll find great eco-brands like Grace & Cello, Passenger Pigeon, deux fm, Sparrow handbags and more.  And if you live or work in Toronto, they have a bike delivery service that costs the same as shipping (if you’re within their bicycle delivery zone).  Normally Black Friday (11/28) is a huge day for retailers, but HOYS will be closed as they’re  participating in an international event, Buy Nothing Day as “an opportunity to express their ongoing frusteration with rampant, excessive consumption“.  Read more of this story » Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:11:55 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Community-and-Politics/Ethics/Chinese-Internet-Firms-Reportedly-Censored-Content-for-Dairy-Firms_18_193_715_132074.html Text of report by Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post website on 24 September ["Portals Scrutinized Over 'Favours' for Dairy Firms"] The ethics of major internet content providers on the mainland are being closely scrutinised after they reportedly took money to censor content in the interests of dairy firms. Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:24:12 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Community-and-Politics/Ethics/Top-UK-Banker-Turns-Heads-in-G-Wiz-Electric-Vehicle_18_193_715_131935.html Photo credit: The Times Unconventional Green Arrival at Bid to Save Lehman Brothers If being popular is important to you, it’s fair to say that now is not the best time to be the head of a major financial institution. But imagine how much more popular many Wall Street execs would be if they showed signs of personal ethics and, dare we say it, thriftiness. Take Sir Victor Blank, for example – chairman of UK-based Lloyds TSB, who turned up to an emergency meeting to set up a £12.2bn (US$24bn) deal to try to save the Lehman Brothers, not in a Rolls Royce or a limousine, but in that teeny electric vehicle that’s so often grac... Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:32:54 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Community-and-Politics/Ethics/MySpace-Music-Venture-Starts-With-4-Top-Labels_18_193_715_131920.html By Yinka Adegoke MySpace, the social networking site owned by News Corp., on Thursday began a long-expected joint venture with all four major music companies that will compete with iTunes, the Apple music store. Fri, 26 Sep 2008 06:21:37 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Community-and-Politics/Ethics/Pleistocene-Park-Where-the-Auroxen-Roam_18_193_715_131828.html Crouching outside a hay-strewn paddock, veterinarian Olivier Bertrand opens a worn black briefcase and digs through a jumble of huge syringes and glass vials labeled Dopram-V, Immobilon, and Large-Animal Revivon. He chooses a 5-inch dart, fills it with Immobilon, and loads it into what looks like a high-end paintball rifle. Bertrand lodges the butt against his shoulder, takes aim over the slats of the fence, and pulls the trigger. With a pfft, the dart lodges into the hindquarters of a 1,500-pound, 9-foot-long European bison. Bertrand repeats the process, sending darts into two bulls just as intimidating as the first, their sharp horns and brown-black fur glistening in the cold rain. "That should do it," he mutters. Within seven minutes, the tranquilized trio — 3-year-olds named Jozef, Bert, and Jan — have dropped into the soupy mud of this wildlife park outside Han-sur-Lesse, Belgium. Snoring deeply, they hardly twitch as Bertrand, park workers, and a Dutch conservationist named Joep van de Vlasakker tie their legs and horns. The men drag one of the bulls onto a rough wooden shipping pallet, and Van de Vlasakker, his rain gear and hat spattered with mud and bison dung, climbs aboard. A John Deere 3800 Articulated Telehandler — basically a cross between a forklift and a crane — hoists the pair 6 feet off the ground and rumbles toward the metal loading ramp of a semi designed for hauling cattle. But the animal is too long for the opening. As the lift lurches forward, the bison's head hangs off the end of the pallet, inches from the side of the truck. "Stop! Stop!" Van de Vlasakker screams, hauling up the bull's horns just in time to avoid a decapitation. The driver jogs the lift to the left and slides Van de Vlasakker and the bull into the trailer. Bertrand scrambles in and jabs the beast with a hypo of Large-Animal Revivon to stave off a fatal buildup of the tranquilizer in its liver. The bison lumbers to its feet, groggy and filthy. After hour ...