Watching the World

Arms Race “Alarming”

◆ Just a few years ago, the nations were spending about $200 billion a year on armaments. But in 1976 this reached $334 billion, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Yet, funds earmarked for development aid to poorer countries were only $25 billion. James Reston of the New York Times stated: “Last year, the nations of the world spent 60 times as much equipping each soldier as we spent on educating each child.”

In 1977, experts from 13 countries reported to the United Nations that the arms race among major industrial nations has now accelerated to “an alarming tempo.” Spending reached some $350 billion during the year. Also, the magazine To the Point International said: “There are now a total of 1,386 military satellites for guiding missiles, warheads and other weapon systems accurately to their targets circling the globe; five countries conducted a total of 40 nuclear explosions in 1976.”

Caring for the Heart

◆ Each year thousands undergo surgery to replace clogged arteries that are unable to carry enough oxygenated blood to the heart. But an American engineer, Nathan Pritikin, claims that an alternative method of heart care would eliminate the need for most of these operations. He claims that a diet without fat, salt and table sugar, along with a daily exercise program, can reverse the symptoms and perhaps even the underlying cause of advanced heart disease. In tests conducted under the care of a heart specialist, patients were said to be “remarkably improved clinically” after four months of Pritikin’s program. Although their heart disease remained, they had dramatically increased their activity, lost weight and lowered cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Their reliance on drugs to control their heart disease was practically eliminated. Of course, more time needs to pass before any definite conclusions can be drawn.

Africa Hard Hit

◆ African nations have suffered most from the economic recession of the last few years. Though some Western countries are in the process of recovery, many African nations are not. Of the world’s 29 poorest countries, 18 are in Africa. More than 60 million Africans are unemployed out of a total labor force of 140 million, according to Director General Francis Blanchard of the International Labor Organization. He said that 30 percent of the total population were destitute, and an additional 30 percent were seriously poor​—which is more than two thirds of the population. Blanchard also said that Africa faced a “desperate shortage of resources,” which worked against any substantial progress.

How Fast Can You Read?

◆ A group of educators generally agreed that reading speed cannot be increased to many thousands of words a minute without decreasing comprehension. Most said that for light “recreational” material, many can attain a speed of from 500 to 1,000 words a minute with good comprehension. But when the material is more difficult, and there is more to remember, then a good reading rate may be between 300 and 400 words a minute. The educators said that the faster one reads, the more he must “skim,” that is, omit words or phrases. And, as one reading expert stated, “the less you see, the less you comprehend.”

Preventing Water Burns

◆ Reports of scalding due to hot tap water are not uncommon. A medical center in San Antonio, Texas, has treated 50 such cases of scalding in the past few years. The center found that 37 of the cases were infants under three years old. They were burned when they turned on the hot water while playing with the tap. Most of the older victims were burned in showers. Sixteen of the patients died. A check of private homes and hotels found that a large number of them had water hot enough to be dangerous. It was recommended that the temperature of the water be reduced, keeping it below 130 degrees Fahrenheit (55 degrees Celsius). Lowering the temperature is not only a safety measure, but also represents a considerable saving in fuel costs.

Record Man-powered Flight

◆ How far can a heavier-than-air craft be flown when it is powered only by human strength? Not very far. In California, a new world distance record in such flight was officially set​—one and a third miles. The craft weighed 70 pounds (32 kilograms) empty and had a wingspan of 96 feet (30 meters). It was powered by a rear-mounted propeller 146 inches (nearly 4 meters) in diameter, driven by a chain from bicycle pedals powered by a human. The record flight lasted seven minutes and 27 ¹⁄₂ seconds.

Catholic Birth-Control Patterns

◆ In the past 10 years, there has been a huge change in attitude on the part of married Roman Catholic women in the United States toward their Church’s view on birth control. By 1975, according to a Princeton University study, 94 percent of Catholic women were using methods of birth control forbidden by their Church. There was little difference in the percent among Catholics practicing birth control when compared to non-Catholics. Researchers found that rejection of the Church’s prohibition against artificial birth control was just as complete among regular churchgoers as among those Catholics not regularly attending.

Siberia Subway

◆ Siberia’s first subway system will be located in the Soviet Union’s seventh largest city, Novosibirsk. Work on plans for the first part of the subway is in full swing. That first segment will be about eight miles (13 kilometers) long, having 12 underground stations.

No TV Void

◆ While television can provide entertainment and information, too much watching can stunt creativity. There is no substitute for doing, compared to just watching. Thus, in U.S. News & World Report a Connecticut youth wrote the editor: “I am 16, and have not watched TV for 292 days. I can honestly say that, rather than experiencing a void, my life has been opened up to many creative pursuits. Perhaps it’s time we seriously reevaluated our TV viewing habits.”

“Doctor-induced Illness”

◆ The Toronto Globe and Mail reports that “doctor induced illness is one of the five biggest problems of old age,” according to Dr. R. Cape of London, Ontario. He stated that doctors can make old people ill by prescribing too many drugs, or drugs in doses that are too strong for an aged body to handle. The other four major problems are: mental confusion, incontinence, falling and the inability of the body to get back to normal after some slight upset such as a cold. Recommended as aids for elderly people are exercise, fresh air, good food (“but not too much”), an interest in life and a stake in the community.

More Mental Problems

◆ The U.S. President’s Commission on Mental Health reported that “between 30 and 32 million Americans need some kind of mental health care at any one time,” in addition to the six million people already classified as mentally retarded. Others who helped to compile the report say that the true figure may be more like 40 million. The director of the National Institute of Mental Health said that 32 million Americans actually received treatment for mental problems last year. It was reported that people in Europe have about the same proportion of mental disorders. A mental disorder was considered one that is severe enough to impair a person’s life, one that can be diagnosed by doctors.

Suez Canal Comeback

◆ The Suez Canal was closed for eight years, from 1967 to 1975, due to Arab-Israeli fighting. Then, after eight months of rehabilitation, the canal was opened. Now canal traffic is growing steadily and tonnage is at 85 percent of the pre-1967 level. During 1977 an average of 56 vessels a day made the journey through the waterway, compared with 46 the previous year. Work is continuing to deepen the canal so that larger vessels such as super oil tankers can go through. Also, work has begun on a 784-foot (240-meter) highway tunnel underneath the canal, linking the Nile Delta with the Sinai Peninsula. It will be the first land link across the canal since the 1967 fighting.

Amazing Sense of Smell

◆ Bloodhounds are used to track down some criminals. How keen is their sense of smell? Science Digest reports that in a New York City test, a bloodhound followed a trail laid down by a detective through four softball games that were in progress, and across a large park area where 55,000 persons had attended a concert the previous evening. Yet, the dog was able to sort out the one trail and stay with it.

Farm Exodus Continues

◆ It was thought that recent trends, particularly among younger people, back to rural areas to live a more “natural” life would spark an increase in farm population in the United States. But that has not happened. Those moving away from farms continue to exceed the number moving into rural areas. Forty years ago, one out of every four persons lived on a farm. Now it is only one in 25. Today, there are only 2,800,000 farms of 10 acres or more, a decrease of 4,000,000 since 1935.