June 8

Table of Contents

June 8, 2005

Skin Cancer​—How to Protect Yourself

We need to protect our skin from damaging overexposure to sunlight.

3 From Pale to Tan​—Changing Concepts About Skin

4 Save Your Skin!

9 Coping With Skin Cancer

11 Crossword Puzzle

14 Get Rid of Fatal Smoke

19 A Clean Home​—The Part We All Play

23 Recife​—A City Made by Sugar

28 Watching the World

30 From Our Readers

31 ‘You Should Feel Proud of This’

32 Are You Ready to Attend?

Is It Wrong to Be Ambitious? 12

What is the Bible’s view of this?

Are They Wildflowers or Weeds? 15

Can you tell the difference?

From Pale to Tan​—Changing Concepts About Skin

WHAT is your symbol of radiant health? Is it a sleek, tanned body? For many Europeans and North Americans, it is. But such has not always been the case. Years ago, European women wore wide-brimmed hats and carried parasols to protect themselves from the sun. Pale skin was considered a sign of aristocracy. A suntan was the mark of a manual laborer.

In more remote times, products now known to be poisonous were used to whiten the skin. For example, as early as 400 B.C.E., the Greeks whitened their skin with a face powder of lead carbonate. Poppaea Sabina, the wife of Roman Emperor Nero, used this toxic substance to whiten her face. In the 16th century, arsenic was used by some Italian women to give their faces a translucent appearance. But ever since French clothing designer Coco Chanel popularized the suntan in the early 1920’s, a tanned body has been considered fashionable by many. People spend hours sunbathing.

However, not all lovers of the outdoors desire a darker-colored skin. Sunbathing is not part of their culture. They enjoy the relaxing effects of the warm sun and gentle breezes that a day outdoors brings them rather than the tanning effect of the sun’s rays. Why does their skin need protection from the sun?

[Picture on page 3]

Beach scene from the early 20th century

[Credit Line]

Brown Brothers

Save Your Skin!

“People are unaware of the very real risk posed by the sun . . . and the damage it can cause to the skin’s DNA. Accumulation of this damage can lead to a skin cancer time bomb.”​—Dr. Mark Birch-Machin, skin-cancer expert.

THE skin is the body’s largest organ, measuring some 20 square feet [1.8 sq m] for an average male and 17 square feet [1.6 sq m] for an average female. It contains receptors that respond to pain, touch, and temperature. The skin is the body’s first line of defense against heat, cold, and trauma, as well as against toxins, chemicals, and pollutants. It makes the body waterproof and leakproof. However, the skin has a potential enemy​—the sun. But is not sunlight essential to life?

Yes, it is. Plants, upon which we depend, need sunlight for growth. Moreover, small amounts of sunlight stimulate the body to produce vitamin D, which metabolizes calcium, building strong bones. But this does not mean that if a little is good, more is better. The sun produces ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which can cause irreversible damage to the skin. One result is premature aging.

The book Saving Your Skin warns of an even greater danger: “Ultraviolet light damages DNA [the genetic material that controls cell activities, such as cell division], causes immunosuppression and may activate chemicals in the body that stimulate the chain of events leading to cancer.” The word “cancer” is frightening. But just how prevalent is skin cancer? Is there cause for alarm?

Skin Cancer​—A Modern-Day Plague

The Merck Manual states that this is the most common type of cancer in the world. In the United States, 1 out of every 6 to 7 people gets some form of skin cancer. But rates are increasing. According to Dr. I. William Lane in the book The Skin Cancer Answer, “it is now estimated that 50 percent of people who reach the age of sixty-five will develop some form of skin cancer.” Malignant melanoma causes some 7,500 deaths yearly in that country and is on the rise, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Dark-skinned people have a lower incidence of skin cancer, but they too are at risk.

Why has skin cancer become such a plague? While there may be many relevant factors, such as elevation, latitude, the amount of cloud cover, and the condition of the ozone layer, the main culprit may simply be too much exposure to the sun. Life-styles have changed. Vacations at the beach and outdoor recreation such as mountain climbing and skiing have become more popular and accessible for people with indoor occupations. Fashions have changed. Whereas modesty used to dictate that men and women wear long swimming costumes, swimming suits have become ever skimpier, exposing more of the skin. Skin cancer has increased correspondingly. Did desert dwellers such as the Bedouin, with their long, flowing robes and head coverings, know something that we seem to have ignored?

Skin Cancer​—A Very Real Danger

The three most common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and malignant melanoma. Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas begin in the outer layer of the skin, which is only 1/25th of an inch thick [1 mm] on the average. These nonmelanoma cancers appear to result from chronic sun exposure, such as that of outdoor workers, and they occur almost exclusively on parts of the body exposed to the sun, such as the face and the hands.a These carcinomas tend to begin as a nodule or a lesion on the skin that enlarges, often bleeds, and does not heal completely. It may spread locally, invading surrounding tissue. About 75 percent of skin cancers are basal cell carcinomas. Although less common, squamous cell carcinoma is more likely to metastasize, or spread, from the primary site to other parts of the body. Early diagnosis is important because while nonmelanomas are the most curable type of skin cancers, they can result in death if left untreated.

Malignant melanomas, which account for only 5 percent of all skin cancers, also begin in the outer layer of the skin. One of the main factors for developing melanoma appears to be intense, intermittent exposure to the sun, such as that received by indoor workers who vacation in the sun. Some 50 percent of malignant melanomas develop from pigmented moles, particularly on the upper back and lower legs.

This type of skin cancer is the most deadly, for if it is not treated early, it can invade the inner layer of the skin, the dermis, where blood vessels and the lymph are located. From there it can quickly metastasize. Says oncologist Dr. Larry Nathanson: “The paradox of melanoma is that it is a highly curable disease when it is treated early. On the other hand, when it is metastatic it is relatively resistant to treatment by drugs or radiation.” In fact, only 2 or 3 percent of patients with metastasized melanoma survive for five years. (See the box on page 7 for early warning signs of melanoma.)

Who are at risk for skin cancer? In addition to people who have had chronic or intense, intermittent exposure to the sun, those with fair skin, light hair and eyes, moles and freckles, and a family history of the disease are especially at risk. Skin cancer is much less likely among people with a darker complexion. Does this mean that the more tanned you are, the less danger there is of skin cancer? No, because although tanning is the skin’s reaction to protect itself from UV radiation, the skin is damaged during the tanning process, and repeated injury increases your risk of skin cancer.

Treatment of Skin Cancer

Depending on the type of tumor, its location and size, and previous therapy, there are several methods of treatment: surgical excision, scraping, burning with an electric needle, cryosurgery (freezing), and radiotherapy. The challenge is to remove all cancerous cells. A procedure called Mohs surgery, using microscopically controlled excision, is effective in eradicating basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas (a 95 to 99 percent cure rate), while preserving the greatest amount of healthy tissue and producing less noticeable scarring. In any case, tissue reconstruction may be necessary.

The U.S. National Institute on Aging says: “All skin cancers could be cured if they were discovered and brought to a doctor’s attention before they had a chance to spread.” Thus, early detection is vital. But what can be done to prevent skin cancer?

Educate Yourself About Safe Sun Habits

Education about safe sun habits is necessary from childhood. According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, most ‘people receive about 80 percent of their lifetime sun exposure before the age of 18. Just one blistering sunburn in childhood is estimated to double the risk of melanoma later in life.’ This is because skin cancer can take 20 or more years to develop. (See the box on page 8 for useful tips on safe sun habits.)

Australia has a high rate of skin cancer​—in particular, of melanoma.b This is because the country is populated mainly by fair-skinned Northern European immigrants, the majority of whom live along the coast with its sunny beaches. A study of these immigrants suggested that the earlier in their life they arrived in Australia, the greater their risk of melanoma, bearing out the need to educate about safe sun habits from an early age. The Australian government has mounted an aggressive campaign to educate people about the dangers of the sun, using the slogan “Slip, Slap and Slop,” which stands for “Slip on a T-shirt, Slap on a hat, and Slop on sunscreen.” These moderate changes in life-style are having an impact on the incidence of melanoma among younger age groups in that country.

As to sunscreen, using a broad-spectrum product that filters out both UVA and UVB radiation is wise. This is important even on cloudy days because 85 percent of UV rays can penetrate clouds. The rays can also penetrate clear water. A sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 is recommended by some experts. To find out how much protection this affords, multiply the number of minutes in which you normally burn by 15. Sunscreen should be reapplied at least every two hours, but this does not double the total protection time.

Moreover, The Skin Cancer Answer warns that you should not be lulled into a false sense of security just because you use sunscreen. No sunscreen is 100 percent effective against sunburn, nor does it necessarily prevent skin cancer. In fact, the use of sunscreen may indirectly increase the risk of skin cancer​—if using it causes you to stay in the sun longer. The book notes: “There is no substitute for safe sun habits. Wearing protective clothing and staying indoors during peak sunlight hours are considered ‘effective’ weapons against skin cancer.”

What about getting a tan indoors, from sun lamps and tanning beds? Just 20 minutes in a tanning salon is estimated to be equivalent to approximately four hours in the sun. Indoor tanning was thought to be safe because it used mainly UVA radiation, which did not seem to cause burns. But The Skin Cancer Answer states: “It is now known that UV-A penetrates more deeply into the skin than UV-B, can cause skin cancer, and may suppress the immune system.” One study reported on in the international edition of The Miami Herald found that women who visited tanning salons once a month or more “increased their chance of developing melanoma by 55 percent.”

Thus, it is necessary to give serious attention to safe sun habits. Remember, the sunburn you receive today may develop into skin cancer 20 years or more in the future. How have some struggled with skin cancer, and what has helped them to cope?

[Footnotes]

[Box/Pictures on page 7]

KEY WARNING SIGNS OF MALIGNANT MELANOMA

1. ASYMMETRY. Most early melanomas are asymmetrical (the two sides do not match). Common moles are round and symmetrical.

2. BORDER IRREGULARITY. The borders of early melanomas are often uneven and may have scalloped or notched edges. Common moles have smoother, more even borders.

3. COLOR VARIABILITY. Varied shades of brown, tan, or black are often the first sign of melanoma. As melanomas progress, the colors red, white, and blue may appear. Common moles usually are a single shade of brown.

4. DIAMETER. Larger than common moles, early melanomas tend to grow to a diameter of more than one fourth of an inch [6 mm].

[Credit Lines]

Source: The Skin Cancer Foundation

Skin samples: Images courtesy of the Skin Cancer Foundation, New York, NY, www.skincancer.org

[Box/Pictures on page 8]

TIPS FOR SAVING YOUR SKIN

1. Limit sun exposure, especially between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., the peak hours for harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

2. Examine your skin from head to toe at least once every three months.

3. When outdoors, use a broad-spectrum sunscreen rated SPF 15 or higher. Apply it liberally 30 minutes before sun exposure and every two hours thereafter. (Sunscreen should not be used on children under six months of age.)

4. Teach your children good sun protection habits at an early age, for the damage that leads to adult skin cancers starts in childhood.

5. Wear protective clothing such as long pants, long-sleeved shirts, broad-brimmed hats, and UV-protective sunglasses.

Coping With Skin Cancer

FIFTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD Jeremiah is an Australian of Irish descent, with flaming red hair and milk-white skin, which some refer to as the “Celtic curse.” He relates: “Like most Australians, our family was frequently outdoors, especially on weekends and summer holidays. For hours on end as a child, I would swim in our backyard pool or surf and play cricket on the Gold Coast beaches, south of Brisbane. Often, the only thing I wore was a pair of swimming trunks.”

Jeremiah continues: “Until my early teens, there were no effective sunscreens available. In those days advertising widely encouraged people to use coconut tanning oil to attain the Australian image of the bronzed lifeguard. At that time we had little understanding of the damage sun can do to the skin. It was only with the repeated pain of serious sunburn that, for self-preservation, I began to shun situations of high sun exposure.” But the damage had been done. “All those years with bare back and chest yielded a lot of moles, which were starting to darken and thicken, particularly on my chest.”

Jeremiah has since had three melanomas removed as well as many basal cell carcinomas. Because of this he has changed his routine. He says: “Daily, before I go out the door, I apply a skin moisturizer. Over that, I then apply a sunscreen. I now wear a hat or cap most days in summer from about 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.” He also goes for a check-up by a dermatologist every three months.

Jeremiah explains what has helped him to cope with his ordeal: “Jehovah God has given me the prayerful conviction to expect to recover when others thought I might die any year. Based on the life expectancy of many melanoma sufferers as little as 20 years ago, I have been regarded by some as a dead man walking. I have personally experienced the meaning of King David’s words: ‘Jehovah himself will sustain [me] upon a divan of illness; all [my] bed you will certainly change during [my] sickness.’”​—Psalm 41:3.

Another who has had a struggle with skin cancer is Maxine. In her youth fair-skinned Maxine was sent to the Tropics as a missionary, first to the Dominican Republic and later to Puerto Rico. For 20 years her missionary work involved going house-to-house in the ministry in the sun for much of the day. Additionally, she enjoyed sunbathing in her leisure time. Then, in 1971 a basal cell carcinoma was discovered on her face. She had radium treatments and then surgery, followed by skin grafts to repair the damage. However, cancerous cells continued to appear.

Explains Maxine: “The problem was that infected cells often went undetected, so they continued to grow. It has been a long and stressful time​—about 30 years of visiting doctors, clinics, and hospitals. I have had at least ten operations on my face, in addition to several visits to a clinic to treat the cancer by other means.” Now, 80-year-old Maxine’s most recent treatment is Mohs surgery, which has been more successful in eradicating the cancerous cells.

As a result of her recurring skin cancer, Maxine has had to make changes in her manner of missionary service, doing her public ministry in the evening to avoid the sun. What has helped Maxine to cope? “One thing is keeping a positive attitude. I know that cancerous cells will continue to appear and that I will have to visit the doctor again. This I accept. I try not to feel sorry for myself or moan about my trials. These do not take away my joy in my ministry. I can still talk to others about Jehovah’s Kingdom. And I have the hope of a permanent cure in the near future in the new world. Then I will have a young, perfect face.”

Yes, skin cancer sufferers and victims of other diseases can look forward to the day when the words recorded in the book of Job are fulfilled: “Let his flesh become fresher than in youth; let him return to the days of his youthful vigor.” (Job 33:25) Until that time arrives, let us all beware of the danger posed by overexposure to the sun and let us make a conscious effort to safeguard our skin.

[Pictures on page 9]

Jeremiah has had a number of skin cancers removed, including three melanomas. Yet, he remains positive and hopeful

[Pictures on page 10]

“In the new world . . . , I will have a young, perfect face.”​—Maxine

Crossword Puzzle

Clues Across

1. Vessels of this type were used for trade in the days of King Solomon [3 words] (1 Kings 10:22)

7. What the apostle Paul said that he had run to the finish when near the end of his life (2 Timothy 4:7)

9. A grandson of Levi and uncle of Moses and Aaron (Numbers 3:19)

10. Pharaoh had one in which he saw seven fat cows eaten up by seven thin cows (Genesis 41:17-20)

11. Timothy’s mother, from whom he received an excellent spiritual education (2 Timothy 1:5)

12. After Absalom was killed by Joab, Absalom’s body was pitched into one (2 Samuel 18:17)

17. The “wages” it pays is death (Romans 6:23)

18. The word Jesus used to describe the effort of a camel’s passing through the eye of a needle as compared with a rich man’s getting into the Kingdom of God (Matthew 19:24)

19. In regard to Jesus, it was on this subject that Felix listened to Paul (Acts 24:24)

20. It was said that Jacob’s eyes had become dull because of this (Genesis 48:10)

21. Reaches a specified situation [2 words] (Proverbs 14:13)

26. According to Revelation 19:15, Jesus does this in the symbolic winepress of God’s anger

27. The two tablets upon which God wrote the Law were made of this material (Exodus 31:18)

28. The term of honor and dignity called out before the chariot of Joseph after Pharaoh made him second in the kingdom (Genesis 41:43)

29. Forefather of a family of Solomon’s servants (Ezra 2:55)

30. Paul recommended that Christian women display this by the way they adorned themselves [3 words] (1 Timothy 2:9)

Clues Down

1. Two were needed to support each of the tabernacle’s panel frames [2 words] (Exodus 26:19)

2. Paul sent greetings to this Christian woman who lived in Rome and had “performed many labors in the Lord” (Romans 16:12)

3. Areas in which grain was separated from its stalk and chaff [two words] (Joel 2:24)

4. The concubine by whom Nahor fathered four sons (Genesis 22:24)

5. He suffocated Ben-hadad of Syria and began to rule in his place (2 Kings 8:13-15)

6. Figuratively speaking, it is said that Jehovah can measure “the waters” within this [4 words] (Isaiah 40:12)

8. Location of Adam and Eve’s garden home (Genesis 2:15)

13. The prophet whose words stimulated Asa to eliminate “disgusting things” from his domain (2 Chronicles 15:8)

14. The jackals’ home (Jeremiah 9:11)

15. Utilized (Leviticus 7:24)

16. The apparent site of a great cistern where Saul inquired as to the whereabouts of David and Samuel (1 Samuel 19:22)

22. Second son of Jacob, whose violence was disapproved by his father (Genesis 49:5-7)

23. Name given to one of the four rivers branching out from the river that issued out of Eden (Genesis 2:11)

24. If a Christian takes a false one, those with spiritual qualifications should try to readjust him in a spirit of mildness (Galatians 6:1)

25. Head of the fourth of the 24 priestly divisions selected by lot during David’s reign (1 Chronicles 24:8)

Crossword Solutions Page 13

Solutions Across

1. SHIPS OF TARSHISH

7. COURSE

9. UZZIEL

10. DREAM

11. EUNICE

12. HOLLOW

17. SIN

18. EASIER

19. BELIEF

20. AGE

21. ENDS UP

26. TREADS

27. STONE

28. AVREKH

29. PERUDA

30. SOUNDNESS OF MIND

Solutions Down

1. SOCKET PEDESTALS

2. PERSIS

3. THRESHING FLOORS

4. REUMAH

5. HAZAEL

6. HOLLOW OF HIS HAND

8. EDEN

13. ODED

14. LAIR

15. USED

16. SECU

22. SIMEON

23. PISHON

24. STEP

25. SEORIM

The Bible’s Viewpoint

Is It Wrong to Be Ambitious?

“WHAT is wrong with fame, fortune and power anyway?” This question appeared in a report from a religious association under the heading “Ethical Dilemmas.” The account referred to God’s words to Abraham: “I shall make a great nation out of you and I shall bless you and I will make your name great.”​—Genesis 12:2.

While noting that “ambition should not be pursued to the detriment of others,” the write-up quoted a famous first-century rabbi, who said: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me?” and then concluded: “If we do not realize our potential no one else will.” Does ambition present a dilemma for those who desire to serve God? What is involved in realizing our potential? Is it wrong to be ambitious? What is the Bible’s viewpoint?

Was Abraham Ambitious?

Abraham is noted in the Bible as an outstanding man of faith. (Hebrews 11:8, 17) God was not encouraging Abraham to be ambitious by promising that He would make a great nation out of him and make his name great. God was stating his purpose to bless mankind through Abraham, a purpose that transcended mere human aspirations.​—Galatians 3:14.

In pursuing his devotion to God, Abraham left an apparently comfortable, prosperous life-style in Ur. (Genesis 11:31) Later, for the sake of peace, Abraham willingly relinquished power and authority when he offered his nephew Lot the choicest part of the land in which to settle. (Genesis 13:8, 9) Nothing in the Bible record portrays Abraham as an ambitious man. Rather, his faith, obedience, and humility are what endeared him to God as a real “friend.”​—Isaiah 41:8.

A Different View of Rank, Fame, and Power

Ambition is defined as an “ardent desire for rank, fame, or power.” In ancient times King Solomon had rank, fame, and power, along with great wealth. (Ecclesiastes 2:3-9) Interestingly, though, he did not set out with an ardent desire for them. When Solomon inherited the kingship, God invited him to ask for anything he wished. Solomon humbly asked for an obedient heart and the discernment needed to rule God’s chosen people. (1 Kings 3:5-9) Later, after describing the full extent of the wealth and power he had come to possess, Solomon declared that “everything was vanity and a striving after wind.”​—Ecclesiastes 2:11.

Did Solomon say anything about humans reaching their potential? In a way he did. After examining his many experiences in life, his conclusion was: “Fear the true God and keep his commandments. For this is the whole obligation of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13) Humans reach their potential, not by achieving rank, wealth, fame, or power, but by accomplishing God’s will.

Humility Leads to Exaltation

Granted, there is nothing wrong with a modest love of self. The Bible commands us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. (Matthew 22:39) It is natural to desire comfort and happiness. But the Scriptures also encourage hard work, humility, and modesty. (Proverbs 15:33; Ecclesiastes 3:13; Micah 6:8) People who are honest and reliable and who work hard often get noticed, find good employment, and earn respect. Surely, following this course is better than resorting to the manipulation of others for personal gain or competing with others for position.

Jesus cautioned his listeners against choosing for themselves the prominent place at a marriage feast. He advised them to go to the lowest place and leave it to the host’s discretion to reposition them. Clearly stating the principle involved, Jesus said: “Everyone that exalts himself will be humbled and he that humbles himself will be exalted.”​—Luke 14:7-11.

True Christians Avoid Ambition

The Bible indicates that haughty ambition is linked to human imperfection. (James 4:5, 6) The apostle John was at one time ambitious. So ardent was his desire for rank that, together with his brother, he boldly asked Jesus for a highly prominent place in the Kingdom. (Mark 10:37) Later John changed his attitude. In fact, in his third epistle, he had strong words of censure for Diotrephes, who, he said, “likes to have the first place.” (3 John 9, 10) Christians today take to heart Jesus’ words and humble themselves, while following the example of the aged apostle John, who learned to shun ambitious tendencies.

Realistically, though, it must be stated that an individual’s talents, abilities, good deeds, and hard work do not in themselves guarantee recognition. Sometimes they are rewarded by fellow humans, and sometimes they are not. (Proverbs 22:29; Ecclesiastes 10:7) At times, those less qualified may be put in positions of authority, while individuals who are more capable go unrecognized. In this imperfect world, those who attain rank and power may not necessarily be the most qualified.

For true Christians the subject of ambition does not present an ethical dilemma. Their Bible-trained consciences help them to shun ambition. They simply try hard to do their best in all situations, for God’s glory, and leave the outcome in his hands. (1 Corinthians 10:31) Christians strive to reach their potential by fearing God and keeping his commandments.

[Picture on page 12, 13]

Did God encourage Abraham to be ambitious?

Get Rid of Fatal Smoke

THE statistics are disturbing: Three people are killed in their homes every minute of every day. The perpetrator​—smoke from burning biomass.

What is biomass? It may be dried animal dung, dead wood, twigs, grasses, or crop residues that can be scavenged. One third of the global population, over two billion people, use biomass as a fuel for cooking and heating, reports The Kathmandu Post of Nepal. It is often the only fuel available to the very poor.

Sadly, burning biomass gives off deadly gases. So what can be done? “The solution to indoor air pollution is relatively simple: either stop smoke getting into the home or remove it from the home,” states the Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG), an organization helping people in many countries to improve their lives.

The first suggestion is to cook outside. What, though, if this is not possible or desirable? Improve home ventilation, suggests ITDG. There are two ways to do this​—by cutting holes at roof height (wire mesh will keep small animals out) and by putting in windows (shutters will give privacy). This helps air to circulate and take the smoke out. However, holes in walls are impractical when fuel is being burned for heat, so another simple method can help.

Smoke hoods are one of the most acceptable and effective methods for removing smoke, says ITDG. Hoods can be made cheaply from sheet metal or even from bricks and mud. These wide covers are placed over fires and have a chimney to take smoke out of the house through the roof. Experts say that when ventilation is improved at roof height and smoke hoods are used, dangerous pollutants in the home are reduced by almost 80 percent. People who use smoke hoods say that they have become healthier, are cleaner, can do more work, and enjoy being in their homes more​—evidence that something very simple can make life better.

[Picture on page 14]

An indoor kitchen in Kenya with smoke hood, large eaves space, and windows

[Credit Line]

Dr. Nigel Bruce/www.itdg.org

Are They Wildflowers or Weeds?

By Awake! writer in Canada

Wildflowers are fascinating. Pause and examine their intricately shaped blossoms. Look at their diversity of gorgeous colors. Smell their delightful fragrance. And how enticing it is to reach out and touch their soft, delicate petals! Such regal elegance excites our senses. Even our emotions are stirred by such splendor. Truly, wildflowers beautifully complement our environment. They add a unique dimension to our enjoyment of life. For this we are indebted to their Creator and Designer!

While we admire flower blossoms for their bold colors, shapes, and scents, their main function is to make seeds for the vital process of reproduction. To this end, their blooms are designed to attract insects, birds, and even bats for pollination. Songbirds and butterflies especially seek out wildflowers. “They’re a food source for these flying creatures, while cultivated flowers are not,” says horticulturist and author Jim Wilson. It is of interest that according to The World Book Encyclopedia, “originally, all flowers were wild flowers.”

There are many thousands of flowering plants earth wide. So, then, how can a wildflower be identified? What is a wildflower? In very simple terms, a wildflower is any flowering plant that grows without human intervention. In North America alone, more than 10,000 are identified as wildflowers. “While the term refers in general to soft-stemmed plants with showy blooms, wildflower books also include plants with woody stems. These inconsistencies make it virtually impossible to arrive at an all-encompassing definition for every type of plant we call a wildflower,” says naturalist Michael Runtz, author of Beauty and the Beasts​—The Hidden World of Wildflowers.

Seeds are great travelers. Some are capable of very long voyages by wind or water. Most, though, have natural limitations because they are designed for specific areas. Winds can carry dust-fine seeds for miles. However, seeds with parachutelike attachments, such as the dandelion, may travel only a fraction of a mile.

It may surprise you to know that if you live in North America, many wildflowers now native to your area have been introduced from different lands. The advent of oceangoing ships and the opening up of new territories spread a host of plants and seeds from their parent lands. Many such plants originated in Europe or Asia. Some were “invited” to come, and others arrived as “stowaways.” In fact, many plants that now decorate the North American landscape originally “came as weeds in agricultural crop seeds; others in cereals and grains; in packing materials such as straw and hay; in ship’s ballast . . . Others were brought as herbs for flavorings, dyes, scents, and medicinal remedies,” says the book Wildflowers Across America. Why, though, are these and countless other flowering plants sometimes called weeds?

When a Wildflower Becomes a Weed

Generally speaking, any plant growing profusely where you do not want it to can be termed a weed, whether it shows up in your lawn, in your garden, or among your crops. “Many plants designated as weeds could not survive . . . if these artificial habitats did not exist,” states the reference book Weeds of Canada. It adds: “We are largely responsible for creating a suitable environment for the growth of the plants that we are most anxious to eliminate.” Some introduced wildflowers invade the habitat of other less-aggressive, naturally occurring plants and radically change the environment. In this way an introduced plant can go beyond becoming a naturalized wildflower and become an invasive weed.

If you have tried to cultivate even the smallest of garden plots, you will understand what is meant by an invasion of uninvited plants. Open ground is susceptible to rapid erosion by wind and water. At any given time, there are literally millions of dormant seeds from a wide variety of plants scattered over the top inch or so of the ground. When an area is open, weeds are programmed to fill in these areas quickly and hold the soil. While this process may cause an ongoing duel in an open garden, understanding it helps you to be aware of the respective roles of both weeds and wildflowers.

Enjoy This Fascinating Part of Creation

You cannot help but admire the unassisted splendor of wooded slopes carpeted with the spring blooms of white trilliums or the sky-blue chicory blossoms that flower in the morning and follow the sun, folding up by noon on a bright day. These merely signal the beginning of a procession of natural beauty that continues through the seasons, year after year, vying for your attention. The appearance of some, such as the tawny daylily, is very brief. Others, the black-eyed Susan for one, can be seen blooming in sunny fields or along roadsides from late spring through summer.

Indeed, the world of wildflowers is a fascinating part of creation. When some show up in your lawn or garden or you notice them on the roadside or in the woods, take the time to admire their intricate shapes, gorgeous colors, and delightful fragrances. Recognize them for what they are​—a gift from their Designer, our generous Creator.

[Box/Pictures on page 18]

Did You Know?

The common dandelion was once a complete stranger to all of North America. Now most of the world knows the plant. Some authorities claim it originated in Asia Minor. European settlers in the Americas, accustomed to using it as a food source, took it with them for their new gardens. The dandelion root has been used in many patent medicines, while its young leaves have been served in salads.

Oxeye daisies are among the most common roadside flowers. Their origin is Europe. For the most part, they are a cheerful addition to the scenery. Each blossom is really a bouquet of yellow and white flowers. The center disk is composed of hundreds of tiny, fertile, golden florets encircled by 20 to 30 white rays, or petals, that are sterile flowers​—landing pads for insects.

The tawny daylily, it is believed, came from Asia and was then taken to England and eventually North America. While each stem puts forth many flowers, each bloom lasts only one day. They open in the morning and close forever by the end of the day.

The tall buttercup was also transported from Europe to North America. There, it is generally found in moist fields and along roadsides. At times it grows to six or more feet [2 m] in height. Few people realize, though, that it can be dangerous. Nearly all species of this flower are acrid in varying degrees. For centuries some buttercups have been known as blister plants. Anne Pratt, a 19th-century British writer, stated: “Instances are common in which the wanderer has lain down to sleep with a handful of these flowers beside him, and has awakened to find the skin of his cheek pained and irritated to a high degree by the acrid blossoms’ having lain near it.”

[Credit Lines]

Dandelion: Walter Knight © California Academy of Sciences; tall buttercup: © John Crellin/www.floralimages.co.uk

[Pictures on page 16]

Chicory blossoms

[Picture on page 16]

Tawny daylily

[Pictures on page 16, 17]

White trilliums

[Pictures on page 17]

Black-eyed Susans

[Picture Credit Lines on page 16]

Top left: www.aborea.se; top middle: Courtesy John Somerville/www.british-wild-flowers.co.uk; tawny daylily: Dan Tenaglia, www.missouriplants.com, www.ipmimages.org

A Clean Home​—The Part We All Play

By Awake! writer in Mexico

HOW pleasant it is to live in clean, uncontaminated surroundings! However, with the increase of garbage and refuse in cities, it is ever more difficult to keep our environment clean and orderly.

Municipal governments strive to keep streets clean by arranging for garbage collection systems, but in spite of this, trash accumulates in some areas, where it becomes unsightly and a threat to public health. Accumulated garbage can contribute to an increase in the population of rats, cockroaches, and other pests that cause illness. Is there anything that you can do about the situation? Yes, keep your home and surroundings clean and neat.

The Right Mental Attitude

Some people think that dirty neighborhoods or homes are synonymous with poverty. However, this is not necessarily so. Granted, the lack of material means can make it more difficult to keep our surroundings clean. But, as a Spanish proverb says, “poverty and cleanliness have no quarrel with each other.” On the other hand, the fact that someone has sufficient material means is not a guarantee that he will keep his surroundings clean.

Cleanliness in and around the home depends on a mental attitude that translates into action. In fact, keeping the home clean is dependent to a great extent on the mental attitude of the entire family. For this reason it is good to examine what all of us can do to contribute to the cleanliness of our homes, including the neighborhoods we live in.

A Cleaning Program

It seems that a mother’s housework is never done. Besides preparing food and getting the children ready for school, she also has to work to keep the home and its surroundings clean. Have you noticed that frequently it is the mother who picks up the dirty clothing or personal items that her children leave out in their rooms? A well-defined cleaning program that includes the whole family can help to lighten the mother’s load.

Some wives decide that there are things that need attention and cleaning daily, while other areas of the house can be cleaned once a week, and still others once a month. In fact, there are some things that can be scheduled for cleaning once a year. For example, in Bethel Homes, at branch facilities of Jehovah’s Witnesses in each country, thorough closet cleaning is done once a year. That is an occasion to get rid of things that are not used and to put the closet in order. There is also a regular program to clean walls.

There are places in the home where cleanliness is critical for good health, such as the bathroom. Although light cleaning should be done daily, a more thorough cleaning, perhaps once a week, will keep bacteria from building up. Some think that the stains that accumulate in the toilet bowl are inevitable and that it is impossible to remove them. However, you will find homes where toilets stay completely clean and shiny. It is just a matter of constant cleaning and of using the appropriate products.

The kitchen too requires careful cleaning. Although you wash the dishes and clean the stove and countertops daily, every so often​—perhaps at least once a month—​it is necessary to do a more thorough cleaning, such as behind the appliances and under the sink. Cleaning the pantry or cupboards frequently will keep cockroaches and other harmful insects from taking up residence there.

Family Cooperation

Some parents make rules for their children and have trained them so that when they leave their room in the morning to go to school, they leave their bed made, their dirty clothes in the proper place, and their personal belongings in order. A useful rule for everyone is, “A place for everything and everything in its place.”

Also, some members of the family can have a specific assignment or a part of the house to clean. For example, does the father handle keeping the garage in order and thoroughly cleaning it at least once a year? Can one of the children help him in this? Who takes charge of keeping the weeds out of the front yard or cutting the grass? How often must this be done so that the outside of the house has a dignified appearance? Is there an attic in the house or a utility room that needs to be checked so that unnecessary clutter can be removed and the area kept neat? If so, who will do it? Some parents assign such tasks to the children, rotating the chores among them.

Therefore, make up a good program for maintaining your home. Whether you do the cleaning yourself or with your family or you need to hire someone to help you, it is necessary to have a well-defined program. One mother who keeps her home very tidy tells us how the whole family cooperates to keep it clean: “We distribute the housework among my three daughters and me. Norma Adriana cleans the living room, two bedrooms, the patio, and the street. Ana Joaquina takes care of the kitchen. I wash the clothes and take care of other things while María del Carmen washes the dishes.”

A Good Appearance Outside

What about the outside of the house? Whether you live in a mansion or a very humble home, a cleaning and maintenance program for the outside is needed. For example, a gate on the fence of the house may lose one of its hinges. You know how bad the gate will look if it is left unrepaired until it finally falls off. The same may be said of trash left to accumulate at the entrance of the house or on the sidewalks nearby. Also, cans, tools, and other items are sometimes allowed to accumulate untidily outside a house, and these can become a hiding place for pests.

Some families have decided that once a day or every week, as necessary, they will sweep and clean up areas around the outside of their house, including the sidewalk and even the street in front of their house. It is true that in some places the government has a very good system for keeping neighborhoods clean, but in other places there is no municipal program. Without a doubt, the surroundings where we live will look much better and will be more healthful if we all do our part to keep them clean.

Some families not only have a program that includes the chores mentioned above but also put it down on paper and post it where the family can see and follow it. This can yield very good results. Of course, we have not included everything that you should know about cleaning. For instance, you need to decide which cleaning products are the most appropriate in your community and which utensils and tools you can obtain according to your means.

These brief suggestions will no doubt make the whole family aware of the need to maintain your home and your surroundings. Remember, keeping a home and its environs clean depends, not upon your means, but upon your mental attitude.

[Box on page 20, 21]

A Practical Home Cleaning Program

Use the extra space to add your own points to the checklist

Important note: Mixing cleaning products could be extremely dangerous, especially mixing bleach with ammonia

✔ Daily

❏ Bedroom: Make beds and put things in order

❏ Kitchen: Wash dishes and sink. Keep counters and tables free of clutter. Sweep or mop the floor if needed

❏ Bathroom: Wash sink and toilet. Put things in order

❏ Living room and other rooms: Put things in order. Give the furniture a light cleaning. Sweep, mop, or vacuum the floor if needed

❏ All the house: Properly dispose of the garbage

✔ Weekly

❏ Bedroom: Change bed linen. Sweep, mop, or vacuum the floor if needed. Dust furniture

❏ Kitchen: Wash the stove, countertop appliances, and sink fixtures. Mop floor

❏ Bathroom: Wash the shower walls and all the fixtures. Clean toilet, cabinet, and other surfaces with disinfectant. Change towels. Sweep or mop the floor

✔ Monthly

❏ Bathroom: Thoroughly wash all the walls

❏ All the house: Clean the frames of the doors. Vacuum or thoroughly clean upholstery

❏ Garden, courtyard, garage: Sweep and clean if needed. Avoid accumulation of refuse or unnecessary items

✔ Every Six Months

❏ Bedroom: Clean bedspreads according to manufacturer’s instructions

❏ Kitchen: Empty and thoroughly clean the refrigerator

❏ Bathroom: Empty and clean shelves and drawers. Dispose of unnecessary or out-of-date items

❏ All the house: Clean lamps, fans, and light fixtures. Clean the doors. Wash screens, windows, and windows frames

✔ Yearly

❏ Bedroom: Empty and thoroughly clean closets. Dispose of unnecessary items. Wash blankets. Vacuum or thoroughly dust the mattresses. Clean pillows according to manufacturer’s instructions

❏ Kitchen: Empty and thoroughly clean shelves, cupboards, and drawers. Dispose of unnecessary items. Move appliances so you can clean the surface or floor underneath

❏ All the house: Wash all the walls. Clean upholstery and curtains according to manufacturer’s instructions

❏ Garage or storage units: Sweep thoroughly. Organize or dispose of unnecessary belongings

[Pictures on page 22]

“A place for everything and everything in its place”

[Pictures on page 22]

It may help to give away things you no longer use

Recife​—A City Made by Sugar

BY AWAKE! WRITER IN BRAZIL

“GOLD, glory, and gospel” were not the only driving forces behind the colonization of the Americas. Europe’s gentry was hungry for sugar. Beginning in the mid-15th century, revenue from this costly delicacy grown on the islands of the Atlantic had been flowing into Portuguese coffers. So in 1516, Portuguese King Manuel I decided to establish sugar production in his New World territories.

Although the first mills appeared in southern Brazil, what was then the province of Pernambuco,a located in northeast Brazil, became the center of a new sugar civilization. Its warm climate, copious rainfall, gentle slopes, and fertile, silt-enriched soil all favored growth of sugarcane. Coastal tropical forests melted away as plantations spread up the hills and onto the plateaus around the Capibaribe River delta.

By 1537 a tiny colony of sailors and fishermen was established. It was perched precariously on the tip of the narrow isthmus stretching southward from Olinda, then the capital of Pernambuco. Flanked on the west by the Capibaribe River and sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by a wall of coral reefs on its eastern side, this natural port became known as Povo dos Arrecifes (Village of the Reefs) and later as Recife. It was here that produce transported downriver from the sugar estates was stored while awaiting embarkation for Europe.

News of Pernambuco’s prosperity soon attracted unwelcome visitors. First, French pirates in 1561 and then the English merchant Sir James Lancaster, sometimes referred to as a pirate, in 1595 captured and pillaged Recife. Lancaster reportedly set sail after loading with booty his own fleet and another 12 ships “borrowed” from French and Portuguese merchants. Forts were built on the isthmus between Recife and Olinda to deter subsequent attacks but to little avail.

The Sugar War

By the early 17th century, Pernambuco, then under the Spanish crown, was the largest and richest sugar-producing area in the world, boasting 121 mills. Recife had become the busiest port in Portuguese America.

Europe had developed a sweet tooth for Brazilian sugar, most of it refined in Holland. In 1621 the end of the truce between Holland and Spain put this profitable trade in jeopardy. The Dutch West India Company (hereafter called the Company), had been awarded a trading monopoly with Africa and America that same year. The Company proposed a solution in a document revealingly entitled “Reasons Why the West Indies Company Should Wrest Brazil From the King of Spain as Soon as Possible,” which was accompanied by the “List of What Brazil Can Produce.” The Sugar War was about to begin!

On February 14, 1630, a fleet of 65 ships under the flag of the Company appeared on Pernambuco’s horizon and after a brief struggle planted its flag on Brazilian soil. To the invaders Recife with its forts, neighboring islands, and rivers seemed safer than Olinda’s hills and open spaces. So, on November 25, 1631, the Dutch burned Olinda to the ground and moved their administrative headquarters to Recife. It was a turning point in Recife’s development.

Land being scarce, the settlement grew vertically to accommodate the influx. Tall, thin, two- and three-story sobrados, or houses, characteristic of European capitals of the time were constructed with material salvaged from Olinda’s ruins. By 1637, though, there was practically no vacant land left in Recife. That was when the new governor-general, German Count John Maurice of Nassau, arrived with plans to build the most cosmopolitan and advanced city in South America.

The Town Maurice Built

Mauricia, as he named it, took just seven years to construct and was planned along European lines, complete with paved roads, a marketplace, palaces, a zoo stocked with animals imported from Africa and regions of Brazil, botanical gardens, the first observatory of the Americas, a museum, hospitals, and a library. Nassau built his city on Antônio Vaz Island, several hundred feet [a few hundred meters] from Recife, and commissioned two bridges​—engineering feats for their day—​to link Recife, Mauricia, and the mainland.​—See the box “Maurice of Nassau and the Flying Cow.”

Far from being a typical colonial mercenary, Nassau referred to his new home as “beautiful Brazil without equal under the heavens.” His passion for the country, which the Company had commissioned him to exploit, has been preserved in the paintings of Frans Post and Albert Eckhout, members of the cultural entourage Nassau imported from Europe. Under his patronage, a group of 46 artists, scientists, and craftsmen produced a plethora of books, drawings, and maps revealing Pernambuco’s impressive landscape to curious Europeans.

Nassau’s government brought economic growth to Mauricia and Recife. Loans from the Company financed the rebuilding of sugar mills destroyed during the invasion. Soon Recife was bustling with English officials, Swedish adventurers, Scottish traders, German and French businessmen​—all drawn by the commerce of slaves, sugar, and brazilwood.

Religious tolerance under Nassau’s administration also attracted Jewish investors and refugees from Europe and North Africa. For a short time, a thriving Sephardic community openly met in the first two synagogues built in the Americas. So prominent was the Jewish presence that the commercial center of Recife was known as Rua dos Judeus (Street of the Jews).

Brazil Goes Sour on the Dutch

Despite Nassau’s impressive record as an administrator, the directors of the Company complained that his enthusiasm for Brazil was clouding his financial judgment. The Company’s shareholders saw little return on their investment. Nassau balked and returned to Holland in May 1644. His departure, greeted with dismay​—even by the Portuguese—​marked the decline of Dutch Brazil. Successive failures of sugar crops, a slump in the international sugar market, and heavy debts incurred with the Company all led plantation owners to plot an uprising, which finally expelled the Dutch in 1654.b

Nassau’s gardens and much of the city he built were destroyed in the struggle, but something had changed. The Dutch thirst for sugar had shifted Pernambuco’s center from Olinda to the islands of the Capibaribe delta and had laid the foundation for a new capital. Recife had become a town and economic center in its own right.

A Taste of the Past

At first glance, modern Recife, one of the largest industrial, financial, and tourist centers in Brazil, with over 1,300,000 inhabitants, bears no resemblance to the tiny fishing colony that served Olinda in the 16th century. The sugar estates along the banks of the Capibaribe have long since been engulfed by residential districts, bequeathing only their names and a few picturesque sugar mansions. Recife’s commercial center, which occupies the islands of Recife and Santo Antônio and the mainland district of Boa Vista, has lost much of its colonial architecture as a result of neglect and aggressive modernization.

However, the rivers, islands, and reefs that attracted the Dutch remain at the heart of Recife’s life, and vestiges of a sugary past peek through its modern facade. Forte do Brum, a four-cornered Dutch fort originally built on the seafront to defend the port, now stands isolated from the sea by landfills​—a historical island amid modern buildings. Rua dos Judeus, now Rua do Bom Jesus (Street of the Good Jesus), still follows its 16th-century course and conserves multicolored colonial sobrados that have escaped urban renewal.

For those who wish to delve more deeply into the history of Recife, there are exhibitions of Dutch maps and memorabilia​—such as those of the Forte das Cinco Pontas, completed by the Company mercenaries in 1630, and the unpretentious Institute of Archaeology, History, and Geography. The Museum of the Northeastern Man traces the development of the sugar industry from its primitive beginnings to modern industrial mills and provides a sobering glimpse of life among the slaves, “the hands and feet of the sugar barons.”

Sugar does not stir up the strong feelings it did in past centuries. The profits that attracted sugar-hungry pirates and the West Indies Company have dwindled. Few envy the sugar civilization’s legacy of financial, social, and environmental problems. Even so, sugar still dominates the agriculture of coastal Pernambuco. Not too far outside Recife, workers harvest immense fields of sugarcane, much as they have for the past five centuries​—a reminder that Recife was made by sugar.

[Footnotes]

[Box/Picture on page 25]

Maurice of Nassau and the Flying Cow

“Initially, small boats ferried people between Mauricia and Recife, but this greatly hindered commerce. The idea of building a bridge was applauded by all, and the work was completed swiftly. The inauguration celebration was to be on Sunday, and the program included an item designed to arouse public curiosity​—a flying cow!

“On the afternoon of the party, musicians played and the streets were bedecked with streamers. Crowds flocked to the bridge. Although impressed with the new bridge, all were eager to see the flying cow. ‘What will it be like?’ some asked. ‘It is a sin to say a cow can fly like an angel,’ said an old woman.

“At the appointed time, the shape of a yellow cow with horns and a long tail emerged from the upper window of a house on the quay. ‘There it is!’ everyone cried out. Nobles, commoners, and slaves alike looked up. Suddenly, there was a burst of laughter. The cow was just a paper balloon filled with hot air!

“Prince Maurice of Nassau’s joke had amused the people and served another useful purpose. Everyone who had crossed the bridge to see the cow fly had paid a small fee, and the money raised went a long way toward financing his praiseworthy venture.”

[Credit Lines]

Terra Pernambucana (The Land of Pernambuco), by Mário Sette.

Maurice of Nassau: ACERVO FUNDAÇÃO JOAQUIM NABUCO--RECIFE

[Box on page 27]

The American Venice

“Like Venice, Recife is a city that emerges from water and is reflected in water; a city that feels the pulse of the ocean in its innermost parts.”​—Joaquim Nabuco, Brazilian statesman.

A battle between builders and the sea, swamps, and rivers​—waged since the construction of the first landfills and embankments in the 16th century—​has left the capital of Pernambuco divided by 66 canals and united by 39 bridges. Modern Recife sprawls over a delta formed by the Capibaribe, Beberibe, Jiquiá, Tejipió, and Jaboatão rivers. Since Recife is only an average of six feet [2 m] above sea level, occasionally a high tide and heavy rains still cause flooding of some of its principal avenues. Ironically, the district of Old Recife, site of the original settlement, which for centuries clung tenaciously to the mainland by a sliver of sand, was finally severed from the continent with the expansion of port facilities in 1960.

[Picture on page 23]

Above: Rua do Bom Jesus

[Picture on page 23]

Below: Rua da Aurora

[Picture on page 24]

The Dutch West India Company fleet attacking Olinda (on the right) and Recife (on the left) in 1630

[Picture on page 24, 25]

“Like Venice, Recife is a city that emerges from water and is reflected in water”

[Pictures on page 26]

Forte do Brum and (at bottom) Forte das Cinco Pontas

[Picture Credit Lines on page 23]

Top: FOTO: NATANAEL GUEDES/P.C.R.; bottom: Bruno Veiga/Tyba/socialphotos.com; map: Mountain High Maps® Copyright © 1997 Digital Wisdom, Inc.

[Picture Credit Lines on page 24]

Fleet: ACERVO FUNDAÇÃO JOAQUIM NABUCO–RECIFE; bottom: MUNDOimagem

Watching the World

World’s Oldest University?

A team of Polish and Egyptian archaeologists have unearthed the site of the ancient university of Alexandria, Egypt. According to the Los Angeles Times, the team found 13 lecture halls​—all of similar size—​that altogether could have accommodated up to 5,000 students. These halls, says the newspaper, “feature rows of stepped benches running along the walls on three sides of the rooms, sometimes joining at one end to form a ‘U.’” In the middle is an elevated seat, likely for the lecturer. “It is the first time ever that such a complex of lecture halls has been uncovered on any Greco-Roman site in the whole Mediterranean area,” says archaeologist Zahi Hawass, president of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities. Hawass defines it as “perhaps the oldest university in the world.”

Garlic Ice Cream?

Garlic has long been praised for its medicinal properties. Now Mariano Marcos State University in the northern Philippines has developed garlic ice cream for “healthful” reasons, reports the Philippine Star newspaper. It is hoped that the new product may benefit those suffering from ailments that garlic is said to alleviate. Among these are the common cold, fevers, high blood pressure, respiratory conditions, rheumatism, snakebite, toothache, tuberculosis, whooping cough, wounds, and even baldness. So, garlic ice cream, anyone?

The Arctic​—Once Subtropical

An international team of scientists who have been drilling into the floor of the Arctic Ocean between Siberia and Greenland say that the area once enjoyed a subtropical climate. The Arctic Coring Expedition relied on the assistance of three icebreakers during the work and obtained sediment samples from nearly 1,300 feet [400 meters] below the seabed. Tiny fossils of marine plants and animals found in those samples indicate that ocean temperatures were once about 70 degrees Fahrenheit [20 degrees C], instead of the current 30 degrees Fahrenheit [-1.5 degrees C]. According to Professor Jan Backman of Stockholm University, quoted by BBC News, “the early history of the Arctic Basin will be reevaluated based on the scientific results collected on this expedition.”

The Digital Screen Goes to School

In over 21,000 primary-school classrooms in Mexico, the traditional green board, chalk, and eraser are being replaced by an electronic board connected to a computer, reports El Universal of Mexico City. For now the board, which measures six feet wide by three feet high [two meters wide and one meter high], is being used with fifth and sixth graders. Seven digitalized books are available to teach history, science, mathematics, geography, and other subjects. Videos can also be shown on the board. As a result, the pupils in one teacher’s class have “visited the pyramids of Tikal and Palenque, have seen the traditions of the Maya, and have listened to [their] music.” The benefits? “Children pay more attention, learn, and participate more,” says the teacher.

One Million Suicides a Year

Suicide accounts for almost half of all violent deaths worldwide. As many as one million people kill themselves every year, a figure that in 2001 surpassed the total of deaths from murder and war. For each suicide, there are between 10 and 20 failed suicide attempts. The figures were published by the World Health Organization (WHO), based in Geneva, Switzerland. WHO points out that for every death “there are scores of family and friends whose lives are devastated emotionally, socially and economically.” The report notes that factors that protect against suicide include “high self-esteem,” support from friends and family, stable relationships, and religious or spiritual commitment.

Dust-Storm Warnings

The use of four-wheel-drive vehicles in deserts “has contributed to a ten-fold increase in dust storms around the globe and is damaging the environment and human health,” states The Times of London. The vehicles break up the deserts’ fragile surface, allowing dust particles to be blown away. “There are a huge number of these vehicles driving across deserts now,” says Professor Andrew Goudie, of Oxford University. “In the Middle East, nomads who used to ride camels now tend their flocks in 4x4 vehicles.” In addition to whipping up dust from deserts, warns Goudie, “dust storms pump herbicides and pesticides out of agricultural soil and dried-up lake-beds and send them out into the atmosphere.” Airborne particles also carry allergens and spores, which can cause serious health problems. Environmentalists are concerned that parts of Africa could suffer a phenomenon similar to the 1930’s dust bowl, which resulted from overplowing and drought and destroyed prairie lands in the United States.

Mountaineers Pay for Recklessness

Each year hundreds of people die while climbing in the mountains. Some become victims of falling rocks or unforeseen health problems, such as a heart attack. Yet, according to the German newspaper Leipziger Volkszeitung, one of the main causes of death in the mountains is recklessness. The problem is not limited to the young and inexperienced. According to Miggi Biner, president of the Mountain Guides’ Association of Zermatt, Switzerland, “experienced or inexperienced​—often it is a case of overestimating one’s ability or of not paying enough attention to the weather and the conditions.” Some who carry mobile phones feel unduly confident that there will always be a helicopter available to pluck them out of any emergency.

Freak Monster Waves

It is said that an average of two big ships sink somewhere on the globe each week. Even supertankers and container giants more than 650 feet [200 m] in length have been victims of the sea. Many of these disasters are believed to have been caused by rogue waves. Reports of towering ocean waves capable of sinking large ships have long been dismissed as mere seamen’s yarns. However, a European Union research project has given credence to such stories. Satellite radar images of the oceans were scanned for gigantic waves. According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, project leader Wolfgang Rosenthal says: “We have proved that monster waves are more common than anyone thought.” During a three-week period, his team identified at least ten. Such waves are near vertical, can be up to 130 feet [40 m] high, and would break over a vessel, seriously damaging it or even sinking it. Few ships are capable of withstanding them. “Now we have to analyze whether the waves can be forecast,” says Rosenthal.

From Our Readers

Fathers I just finished reading the series “What Makes a Good Father?” (August 22, 2004) I am adjusting my work to have more time for family and congregation responsibilities. Considering my economic situation, at times I have felt that I should be earning more money by doing more secular work. But this series convinced me that time spent with my family is more important than money. I was encouraged by the experiences of successful fathers.

K. S., Japan

My sister and I really appreciated this series. We have very little communication with our father. Naturally, we love him, and even though he does not say so, we believe that he feels the same way. Reading these articles made us feel that someone understands us. A heartfelt thanks!

V. D., Italy

Fame The article “Something Better Than Fame” (August 22, 2004) was an answer to my prayers. It convinced me that I made a wise decision to return to the full-time evangelizing work. At first, as the article showed, Charles faced his father’s lack of understanding. But how much he was blessed later! I hope my mother will come to agree with my decision to expand my service to Jehovah. Thank you for introducing us to Jehovah’s faithful servants through such articles.

Y. P., Ukraine

As a young person, I sometimes find myself distracted by the world and what it seems to offer. In fact, the secular career I chose could lead to fame. After reading this article, I realize that serving Jehovah was not my true motive for my choice of careers. Brother Charles Sinutko’s story touched me because he had firsthand experience with what fame is, and yet he chose to serve Jehovah. This article showed me that there is nothing better in this world than serving Jehovah full-time.

R. K., Canada

I was impressed by the fact that Brother Sinutko turned down a lucrative singing career to serve Jehovah full-time. I am enjoying pioneer service with my husband. We want to follow Brother Sinutko’s example by putting faith in Jehovah and keeping God’s Kingdom first in our lives. Thank you for printing this upbuilding experience!

E. S., Japan

Premarital Sex I would like to thank you for the article “Young People Ask . . . How Can I Avoid Premarital Sex?” (August 22, 2004) As a teacher and counselor, I found this article very interesting. At a class meeting, I highlighted useful points to help the students to be viewed by Jehovah God as holy and deserving and to make good progress in their studies without having to face the problems that can come with having sex before marriage. Many students showed interest and wanted to learn more about the Bible! Some teachers have now been asking me to talk to students in their classes. Every week, I meet with my class of students to discuss various topics from the Young People Ask book.

B. C., Mozambique

I am 25 years old and have done my best to remain a virgin. I am now more determined than ever to enter into an honorable marriage. Keep up your wonderful work.

F. K., Uganda

‘You Should Feel Proud of This’

TRUE servants of God recognize the importance of being honest. Love for their Creator moves them to feel that way. Take, for example, the case of Lázaro. Some time ago when he was an employee in a hotel in Huatulco, Mexico, he found 70 dollars that had been dropped in the lobby. He was quick to turn the money over to the manager on duty. A little later he found a billfold in a bathroom. He turned it in at the reception desk, to the happy surprise of the person who had lost it.

These actions came to the attention of the general manager, who asked Lázaro what had motivated him to return the money and the billfold. Lázaro answered that the moral values he had learned from the Bible prevented him from taking something that was not his. In a letter of appreciation, the general manager told Lázaro: “Today it is difficult to find people who uphold high moral values. We commend your attitude. You have shown yourself to be a decent man, an example for your workmates. You and your family should feel proud of this.” Lázaro was named employee of the month.

Certain workmates thought that Lázaro had made a mistake when he returned the items. But after they saw the reaction of their employer, they congratulated Lázaro for upholding his moral principles.

The Bible exhorts Jesus’ faithful followers to “work what is good toward all” and to “conduct [themselves] honestly in all things.” (Galatians 6:10; Hebrews 13:18) Without doubt, displaying honesty as Christians brings glory to the “righteous and upright” God of the Bible, Jehovah.​—Deuteronomy 32:4.

Are You Ready to Attend?

◼Attend what? The “Godly Obedience” District Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses! A series of these three-day conventions, which began in the United States the last weekend in May, is scheduled to be held for months to come in hundreds of cities throughout the world. Likely one will be held in a city near you.

In most places the sessions begin at 9:30 a.m. with a musical program. Friday’s theme is “Obey My Voice, and I Will Become Your God.” (Jeremiah 7:23) After the morning’s talks entitled “We Are ‘Wonderfully Made’” and “Resurrection​—Why That Hope Should Be Real to You,” the session concludes with the keynote address, “Follow the Model in Your Obedience to God.”

Friday afternoon’s session features the discourses “Keep ‘Minding the Spirit,’ and Live,” “Guard Against Every Sort of Covetousness,” and “Do Not Follow ‘Artfully Contrived False Stories.’” Then a two-part symposium presents highlights from the Bible books of Haggai and Zechariah. The day’s sessions conclude with the talk “All Suffering Soon to End!”

The theme for Saturday’s program is “Obedient From the Heart” “in All Things,” based on Romans 6:17 and 2 Corinthians 2:9. The morning session includes a three-part symposium entitled “Happy Are the Families Observing Godly Principles.” It features demonstrations and interviews and focuses on how members of the family​—husband, wife, and children—​can contribute to family happiness. The morning program concludes with the part “Let Your Yes Mean Yes,” after which there is opportunity for qualified ones to be baptized.

Saturday afternoon’s talks include “Pass On From Seeing What Is Worthless” and “Return to the Shepherd of Your Souls.” A two-part symposium called “Be Obedient to Those . . . Taking the Lead” follows. The concluding talk of the afternoon, entitled “What Does the Bible Really Teach?” is a convention highlight.

Sunday morning’s program develops the theme “Obey All These Words . . . That It May Go Well With You,” based on Deuteronomy 12:28. A three-part symposium entitled “Help Others Obey What the Bible Teaches” provides practical help in starting and conducting effective Bible studies.

The morning session concludes with a full-costume drama entitled “Pursue Goals That Honor God.” It is preceded by the talk “Youths​—Are Your Goals Leading You to Success?” This talk sets the stage for the Bible drama, which is about young Timothy, who set an example of selfless service that modern youths are urged to imitate. The convention’s final session Sunday afternoon features the public discourse, “To Whom Does Our Obedience Belong?”

Make plans now to attend. To find the location nearest your home, contact the local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses or write the publishers of this magazine. In its issue of March 1, our companion magazine, The Watchtower, has a list of all convention locations in the United States, Canada, Britain, Ireland, and Malta.