A Rise in Kidney Stones for U.S. Children

No longer are kidney stones solely a middle aged disease. While the data isn't fully acquired yet, Hospitals throughout the country are seeing a huge rise in kidney stones in children. The median age for these stones is 10 but there is also a huge spike in the disease in 20 and 30 year olds. While many doctors disagree on the details the overall census is that diet imbalance is to blame. Most kidney stones are a mix of highly concentrated calcium and oxalate, a byproduct of certain foods with very little water. The most common producer of this oxalate is salt. "What we've really seen is an increase in the salt load in children's diet," said Dr. Bruce L. Slaughenhoupt, co-director of pediatric urology and of the pediatric kidney stone clinic at the University of Wisconsin. Especially high salt rates are found in these favorite kids foods; canned soups, sandwich meats, packaged meals, and even in sports drinks like Gatorade. The combination of these salty foods with very little water for the salt to dissolve in is the most likely cause of kidney stones in children. Active kids who drink little water and lots of salt and who have a family history of stones are at most risk to develop kidney stones.

The Journey of our DNA

The journey of our DNA began some 200,000 years ago when a small group of modern diverse humans set course to colonize the world. Over the slow migration of 100,000's of years those early ancestors spread their diverse DNA throughout the world. Only a handful of people carrying their genetic markers walked out of Africa and then to all other lands of the world. These early humans were hunters and gatherers who were in Europe 40,000 years ago and crossing into North America 20,000 years later. Scientists are able to know where certain groups of people come from by studying different parts of our DNA. All humans have 99.9% identical DNA through out the world. The difference is .1% and is responsible for all our differences. The fathers ancestry can be tracked through the Y chromosome. In the breaking apart of these we can see that all males around the globe share similar 'base' DNA patterns of African males. From then new mutations occur adding on top of the first ones to create ethnic diversity we see in all people today. The mothers history can be found from the mitochondrial which is passes from mother to child. Using both the mother and father history, genetic patterns can be found telling where and when a certain group of people migrated around the planet.

This is a video of Nelson Mandela's first televised interview. Mandela was a huge figure in non-violent acts of protest against the apartheid in South Africa. He was later put in jail for 27 years until the apartheid was ended and he was elected the first black president of South Africa. This video is about how one hero can not do it alone, part of their fight is to spread their message, as Mandela did in this interview. I chose this because it gives insight into the first of Mandela's actions, when studying heroes it is important to know their start. From this artifact I learned that heroes continue their cause even after they are in hiding or under arrest, as Mandela did. It shows how their message will continue to prosper under the understanding of everyone that will listen.

(This is a preview for a movie about Gandhi's life. I've seen this movie and know it is extremely accurate.) This academy award winning movie provokes the deep understanding of the struggle to liberate India. Gandhi was the forward figure in the movement, who preached that, "In this cause I too am prepared to die, there is no cause in which I am prepared to kill." His words of non-violence formed the liberation of India from the English empire, and influenced many revolutions to come. This artifact depicts the effect that one person can have on the whole world. They didn't fight but rather told everyone of the immorality of what they were doing that made them stop. We learn that peace heroes can be regular people who let their message be known and like Gandhi are prepared to give their life for their cause.

Lord of the Manor

The eighteenth Earl of Pembroke, or Lord Herbert is 28 and has the mightly task of running his families' 14,000 acre estate. The job has been past down to the eldest male heir since the manor was built in 1542. The land was given to his family by King Henry the 8th with around 20 bedrooms, 14 farms, 200 residential properties and over 140 employees. The estate is also quite large tourist atraction getting around 70,000 visiters a year. The manor has an ancient sculpture collection, the largest private collection of Anthony Van Dyek paintings, very old and traditional furniture and large extensive english gardens. Lord Pembroke has his own private quarters in the mansion, but he spends most of his time in the modernized library with a 43-inch plasma-screen TV stocked full with DVDs. The long dark corridors bring nightmares and the past to life, and as a child one of the Earl's favorite activities was exploring the vast array of secret rooms in the manor. While the mansion and grounds are huge there is always people around, staff, visitors, watchmen or residents. His favorite family heirloom is a lock of Queen Elizabeth 1st's hair.

Peace Heroes

Peace Heroes in a Box

"I just wish George had as much courage in his entire body as Casey had in his little pinky, then he would meet with me." ---Cindy Sheehan is camped outside the Crawford Texas home of US President George W. Bush, who refuses to meet with her or other war-protesting parents of soldiers killed or wounded in the Iraq War.

This story shocked alot of people and got them thinking about the motives of war. I remember hearing about this on the news and thinking of all the attention Sheehan was getting and how by raising her concerns and going straight to the president about it she was able to make a difference. She was not scared of the critics she only wanted answers about her son. I chose this because it is a recent example of how one mother raising questions about her son, raised questions about the war.

"Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding." - Albert Einstein

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." -- Mahatma Gandhi

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. --- Eleanor Roosevelt

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." --- Jimi Hendrix

All of these quotes are short but meaningful, they represent the main parts of being a peace hero; understanding surroundings and similarities as much as differences, forgiveness and compassion, the overall dream and working to reach that dream while not becoming consumed with power. I chose these because they tell the story of all peace heroes and their quests and goals.

"This has to stop."
Biography [1] [2]

Rachel Corrie was killed on Sunday, March 16, 2003 while trying to stop a bulldozer from tearing down a building in a refugee camp in Gaza. Her body was crushed by the bulldozer passing over her several times. She had been acting as a Human Shield, trying to stop the demolition of a family home.
Rachel wrote to her mother shortly before she died, "I spent a lot of time writing about the disappointment of discovering, somewhat first-hand, the degree of evil of which we are still capable. I should at least mention that I am also discovering a degree of strength and of basic ability for humans to remain human in the direst of circumstances - which I also haven't seen before. I think the word is dignity. I wish you could meet these people."
"... This has to stop. I think it is a good idea for us all to drop everything and devote our lives to making this stop. I don't think it's an extremist thing to do anymore. I still really want to dance around to Pat Benatar and have boyfriends and make comics for my coworkers. But I also want this to stop." (more)
Rachel was a senior at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. Rachel grew up in Olympia and graduated from its Capital High School. Her teachers have remarked that she was "a shining star, a wonderful student and a brave person of deep convictions."
To quote Naomi Klein, "These do-it-yourself social movements have emerged as a kind of activist "third way," an alternative both to the purely symbolic dissent of demonstrations and the suicidal impulse of armed aggression, and their members are exercising their rights throughout the world. The true faces of modern activism belong to people like the late Rachel Corrie ... Corrie wasn't in the occupied territories to give comfort to suicide bombers; she was standing with the with the nonviolent group, International Solidarity Movement trying to keep a Palestinian family home from being demolished."

I would have moved out of the way but why didn't she? She found courage to fight a terrible injustice. The Palestinians lost their land, their rights and now their home and she wanted to help. I picked this article because it talks about the tragedy of an ordinary high school girl trying to make a difference. It makes you wonder if it made any difference at all, did it make us think about how others don't have our basic rights.

Thomas Woodrow Wilson
Reelected in 1916 as a peace candidate, he tried to mediate between the warring nations; but when the Germans resumed unrestricted submarine warfare in 1917, Wilson brought the United States into what he now believed was a war to make the world safe for democracy. He supplied the classic formulations of Allied war aims and the armistice of Nov. 11, 1918, was negotiated on the basis of Wilson's Fourteen Points. In 1919 he strove at Versailles to lay the foundations for enduring peace. He accepted the imperfections of the Versailles Treaty in the expectation that they could be remedied by action within the League of Nations. He probably could have secured ratification of the treaty by the Senate if he had adopted a more conciliatory attitude toward the mild reservationists; but his insistence on all or nothing eventually caused the diehard isolationists and diehard Wilsonites to unite in rejecting a compromise.

Wilson's ideas on peace and forgiveness were unique after the first world war. He fought for his 14 points which we now know if they would have followed them, the second world war could have been avoided. He also created the League of Nations where nations could communicate in a peaceful way with eachother, and ofer aid to those in need. This article is significant because it is about how sometimes all great efforts don't end up with results, sometimes the hero fails. But their mission lives on and the League or United Nations still stands today with tons of influence.

Since leaving the presidency, Carter and his wife Rosalynn have been involved with building homes, all over the world, for the poor in the Habitat for Humanity program. Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit, nondenominational Christian housing organization which, since 1976, has built more than 100,000 houses in more than 60 countries, including some 30,000 houses across the United States. He hammers a straight nail and works humbly side by side with all the volunteers as a common citizen. In 1982 Carter and his wife Rosalynn founded The Carter Center to promote human rights, democracy and health care.
His work at The Carter Center has given Jimmy Carter world-wide recognition as an international mediator and promoter of democracy and human rights. He has traveled the world mediating conflicts and monitoring elections, in East Timor, the West Bank, Haiti, and most recently in Jamaica. Carter visited Cuba in May 2002, the first US president to do so since 1959 when Fidel Castro assumed power in a communist revolution. Carter spoke on Cuban national television and urged Castro to expand civil liberties and allow reform through fair elections. In Cuba Carter also publicly urged the US government to lift sanctions against Cuba. Back to Top
In October 2002 Jimmy Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. According to the Nobel Prize Committee Chairman Gunnar Berge, "Carter has stood by the principles that conflicts must as far as possible be resolved through mediation and international cooperation based on international law." Jimmy Carter was awarded the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his "untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development." Shortly after receiving the prize, Carter left for Jamaica to observe the strife-filled Jamaican national elections. Nobel Committee Chairman Berge noted that the choice of Carter, who opposes unilateral US military action against Iraq --- the impending war --- should be interpreted by the world as a criticism of the efforts of US President Bush to attack Iraq rather than search for other, non-violent resolution of the present crisis.
His dedication to peace and the compassionate work of Jimmy Carter is a continuing inspiration to all people. Carter is a leader with ideals and the perseverance to work energetically toward those ideals, to make the world a better place, to bring fairness, equality, and decency, basic human rights, to all people. Jimmy Carter is a peace hero for the world.

This article is significant because it is about what Carter did after his presidency. While most retire to their large houses or make occasional speeches for their party former president Carter spend his time building houses all over the world while making an organization of his own. Sometimes greatness can be achieved even after positions of power. Just because someone is moved from the spot light doesn't mean they fade away.
from: http://www.peaceheroes.com/quotes.htm

Conclusion

All the collected above artifacts imply that all peace heroes have four things in common; the overcome different situations in their own lives to accomplish greater good, face disapproval, endangerment or imprisonment, use compassion and take action, and finally non-violence. After this peace heroes are divided into two major groups; well known and ordinary achievers. For instance, Martin Luther King Jr. is a very well known and admired peace hero while some like Rachel Corrie lead courageous acts all by themselves. Many well known peace heroes are great speakers and are able to lead people into action to overcome injustice without violence. Others had previous prominent leadership positions like a former president or religious leader. Jimmy Carter began some of his most notable work after his presidency striving for acceptable homes for all. While Gandhi did not have any previous government positions he shaped a country and movement more powerful than the greatest military. Not well-known can be divided into direct action such as being on the scene or in a rally and non-direct action like creating an organization or raising money for a cause. Many peace heroes have humble beginnings giving us the message that we all can achieve great acts of kindness, understanding and bravery that shape our world.

A Rocker's Trip Into His Father's Head Space

Rock and roll star Mark Oliver Everett never really knew his father. Now 25 years after his father's death, Mark or 'E' to his friends and fans will get an unexpected view in to the life of his brilliant father Hugh Everett. Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives is a documentary about Everett; a major quantum physicists and creater the Theory of Quantum Mechanics in the 50's. His theory is right up there with Einstein's theory of relativity and Newton's theory of gravity. The theory, about the possibility of parallel worlds was at first rejected by the scientific community, the devestated Hugh Everett withdrew almost entirely into his own mind. The documentury is about his son's journey to understand his withdrawn life and theory. He describes his visit to the dorm room where the theory and largely created as, "in the music world this would be like going to Abbey Road Studios." He met with some of his father's fellow students who are now in their 70's as well as students who have spend their careers studying his work. They are extatic to met him not because of his famous lyrics and rock and roll history but because he is the last living family member of one of science's greatest folk heros. The film will be showed on Tuesday on PBS as the 50 year anniversery of the theory and the 25 year anniversery of his death. The whole expierence has been an emotional look in to the past for Mr. Everett; a long over due journey in to the mind of our time's greatest quantum physicist.

Paul Krugman wins the Economics Nobel Memorial prize

Mr. Krugman was awarded the Nobel Memorial prize on monday. He is a professor at Princeton and has a regular Op-Ed column in the New York Times since 2000. His column has gotten him strong supporters and critics as he is a growning pain to President Bush and now Senator McCain. He was awarded the prize for his academic reserach that began in 1979 about world trade patterns and where and why goods are produced. He said in an interview monday,"to be absolutely, totally honest, I thought this day might come some day, but I was absolutely convinced it wasn't going to be this day." He says he doesn't expect this prize to influence the way his colleagues or critics see him or his work. He began his writting career writting about economics in Slate magazine and Forbes in the 1990's. Now his columns are more centered around politics and his academic works around international finance and trade. The prize is the last of the 6 Nobels to be given out this year. While the economics prize was not one of the original Nobel awards, it was added by a Swedish bank in Alfred Nobel's memory, hence the name Economics Nobel Memorial prize. The prize includes a total of about $1.4 million. While there may be critics there are always the supporters. Paul A. Samuelson, a previous winner said,"I praise today's prize as being deserving and even overdue, but more than that I reproach the Pulitzer prize committee, which owed him at least a couple of prizes in the past. Paul Krugman is the only columnist in the United States who has had it right on almost every count form the beginning."

Hacking Harvard

Just today I started the book Hacking Harvard a novel by Robin Wasserman. It is about a truly brilliant hacking (similar to pranking) team who takes on a high stakes bet to get a slacker in to Harvard. I am on page 214. The team has just used a tiny camera, invisible earpieces and 3 geniuses to help their slacker, Clay get a perfect score on the SAT. Eric, the moralist who plays by the rules, has just found out his best friend Max made the bet a little higher stakes than he lead the rest of them to believe. What started out as just $100 per person is now a $25,000 bet that could get them in serious trouble if they should fail. In hopes to prove to the college board and millions of stressed high school students, that life isn't all about where you get in; the team will have to follow the Hacker's code, stay focused and don't get caught! This is a pretty interesting read that gives some good life lessons on planning for the future. It really got me thankfull I'm not applying to college just yet and also a little freaked out for the SAT, (they have some sample questions in the book.) I really can't figure out if they will succeed or fail in the end, I guess I will find out.

Sun Country files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy October 7, 2008

Sun Country filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy over the weekend. All of the companies voting shares were held by Tom Petters, who's office was recently stormed by federal agents on account of fraud. Petter's other businesses have been taken over by a court appointee while they sort out the case. By filing for bankruptcy Sun Country wanted to prevent being seized by the court. Also, Sun Country was expecting to recieve a loan from Petters to cover costs during the months of October and November. The company has already cut their workers wages by 50%, promising to reimbuse them in 2009. The CEO Stan Gadek said in an interview, "We're not in bankruptcy because of our business model being broken, we are in bankruptcy because of the recent events at Petters Group World-Wide." The company said flights and service will continue as usual during the up-coming holiday season and that there will be no major increase in ticket or baggage fees. They are confident they will be able to make up their losses during their peak season when many Minnesotans flee the cold harsh winter.

A Book I Just Finished....I Am The Messanger by Markus Zusak

Ed Kennedy is an underage cabdriver without much of a future. He can't play cards, is completly hopelessly inlove with his best friend Audrey, and things are looking like business as usual until the day he stops a bank robbery and he gets the first ace in the mail. Ed becomes the messanger, chosen to care, helping and hurting (when necessary). He becomes devoted to his mission, changing people's lives through small acts of caring. Until he realizes by changing others, he changes himself. "If a guy like you can stand up and do what you did, then maybe everyone can. Maybe everyone can live beyond what they're capable of" (Zusak 357). This book has the reasuring message, that if Ed Kennedy can do it, so can all of us. I just recently finished this book and it pretty much tops my favorite book list and favorite author. With stunning truth and brillance that is Markus Zusak, this book shows the huge effects of small actions and the message that we all can make a difference.

Something I read today...from the New York Times

Yesterday the $700 trillion bailout plan what to be voted on in congress. Despite major endorsements from the President and major party leaders, the plan suprisingly did not pass. The writers of the plan pushed it through quickly - needing quick results. But the experts and many of the Congressmen weren't confident in the plans future success. The main reason for the rejection of the bill was that many of the House and Senate members recieved tons of calls from their states, telling them to let Wall street fail. Then just 15 minuets after they voted to reject the bill, the stock market took it's biggest plung in two decades. The Dow Jones lost 7 % by the end of the day. Now today seeing the huge turmoil in the global economy, Sentaters are trying to come up with a new bill and quickly before the finanil crisis possibly trickles down to Main street consumers and we have our selves in a lot of trouble.