The ideal acting of the media during the electoral processes

The role of the media and the possible influence of the media in the decision of the voters are remembered in the discussions on the weight of the free time-table of electoral propaganda or simply “tempo de antenna”, during the television discussions, in the space granted by the newspapers to each one of the candidates between others.

Here, my focus is centered in the question of the flow of information by the media. The acting of the media in the electoral process must take into account the lack or deficiency of schooling of a significant part of the citizens, so this is one of the points that would make the most sensitive and less critical electorate regarding the content conveyed by the organs of communication and in the choice itself of the candidates, so that the voter is able to do a conscious option, he needs to be provided of information adapted on:

Who are the candidates, who support them, which are his trajectories and his proposals?

The social world, i.e. what challenges are being faced, what are the possible alternatives?

Only an appropriate and rigorous explanation of the public opinion about several projects to be scrutinized will make possible conscious choices by the electorate

It is very important that the media do not close the doors to the political protagonists seen as being secondary or weak candidates in order to provide enough the information the consumers need to take conscientious options.

It is necessary that the media does not forget that all political projects in argument are, in first instance, interesting while citizenship instruments, and for that all the opportunities must be allowed for them to reach their addressees.

The adjective "adapted", in the previous sentence, must be understood as "true". However, for most of the relevant cases, the value of the truth is debatable.

It is necessary to take into account that, which is in play there are the beginnings of perception of the political and social world, amid beliefs, values and convictions for part of the citizens.

The facts made a list to the electoral process do not need to be presented hardly, they need to be interpreted, fitted in gifted texts of explicative power so that we have gifted voters of critical postures in the moment of the vote. And, it is the media that supplies all the necessary information for this purpose.

A whiter shade of pale (part 1)

I'd rather endure bumper-to-bumper exhaust fumes in silence than sit through another tedious radio talk show on the topic. I hear the word "race", I turn the dial. Goodbye SAfm, goodbye 702. Hello Bob Dylan: tell me something that hurts.

For years I stayed tuned, listening on in the hope that someone would say something fresh and dazzling. But then I stopped listening. Because there is something about the bi-polar topic of race that results in South Africans checking in their personalities at the door.

Public discussions on the topic quickly descend into a dull hum of platitude-swapping as Brian from Bryanston and Sipho from Soweto haul out all the exhausted old phrases and hand-me-down ideas that clog the drains of contemporary wisdom. The politicians and the pundits don't come close to the mind-blowing range of racial experiences that punctuate the everyday realities of the average South African. Humbling, enervating, mystifying -- race is a twisted choreographer that plays silent havoc with our days.

But when the dinner party cacophony veers towards the topic I'm the first to stop drinking and volunteer to take the gravy-soaked plates to the kitchen. Because that's the moment when idiosyncrasy and surprise leave the room and everyone reverts to his or her monologues. Having been knocked around by three guys with AK-47s in his own home, my usually riveting father becomes a predictable bigot in the face of my equally predictable zealot. Gay friends turn into ranting Republicans. My brother becomes an instant Zulu blanc, ululating at the altar of Jacob Zuma. And my husband starts becoming nostalgic about the favelas of Brazil, where race is as passé as Havaianas, and the infrastructural demands of a city with a mega-population as big as São Paulo's are more Beijing than Ipanema.

I invariably get stuck somewhere between the socialist gangbang idealism of my pre-1994 toyi-toying days and the frigid cynicism I feel in the wake of the conservative cultural essentialism that defined the Mbeki era. The African renaissance was an ideological party that rocked on to Timbuktu without me. I seemed to get left behind with my SPF60 and my astronomical electricity bill.

So there I am, driving home from Hyde Park mall after blowing some ebucks to ward off my recession blues, when I get a call from the Mail & Guardian. The piece they're after? It's my own personal tokoloshe come home to haunt me. You can't put your bed on bricks forever. "How does it feel to be white in South Africa now?" How does it feel to have hayfever on the first hot day of spring, to be childless, 40, slightly hungry, stuck in a traffic jam and moderately saddened by the death of Patrick Swayze?

I know how being white doesn't feel. It doesn't feel like kwaito. None of that relentless, throbbing desire to announce oneself. It doesn't feel like Allen Ginsberg yelling his tumbling, hallucinatory anthem, Howl, over the rooftops of New York City in the summer of 1955. My sense of being in my skin, in my country, isn't half as ballsy and declaratory as all that. It's an altogether quieter, more stoic kind of an affair.

Witnessing Helen Zille toyi-toying in the run-up to the elections made me feel skaam to be white. Like a babalaas flashback, it reminded me of myself when I was 21 and bok to belong. But my skaamness didn't stop me voting for her. (Basic instinct: power must be checked and balanced.) And voting for her didn't stop me feeling like an unspoken-for outsider.

Sometimes, being white is just about carrying on. But sometimes the news flash bleeds right over the edges and you get fired-up and indignant all over again. Take the half-baked diplomatic "outrage" that got aired in response to the sprinkler salesman from Mowbray being given Canadian refugee status. There's no denying the fact that more black people than white people are victims of violent crime in this country. But with close to 3 000 farmers having been murdered in tens of thousands of farm attacks since 1994, it's not as though we are living in an extended-play version of Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder's Ebony and Ivory either.

By Alex Dodd

The Ten Most Important Things to Know about the 2009 H1N1

We have been inundated with so much information about the 2009 H1N1 that it's hard to keep it all straight. Here's my top ten list of what's most important to know, much of it coming from the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has done a spectacular job of providing timely and useful information:

1) What is the 2009 H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)?

Different from the typical seasonal influenza virus, this is a new type of flu virus that appeared in Mexico in April, 2009 and soon spread to the United States and around the world. It contains a combination of genetic material found in influenza viruses that infect humans, birds, and pigs. On June 11th the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a phase 6 pandemic -- its highest alert level. On July 16th the WHO called the pandemic the fastest moving pandemic ever.

2) Why are people concerned about the 2009 H1N1 pandemic?

Over the past century, three major pandemics have swept through the world and caused severe illness and death. The most devastating by far was the influenza pandemic of 1918, which killed 40-100 million people worldwide and 500-750,000 Americans at a time when the U.S. population was only about 100 million. The 1957 "Asian flu" caused about 70,000 deaths when the U.S. population was about 170 million. The last pandemic, in 1968, killed about 34,000 out of 200 million Americans.

3) How does the 2009 H1N1 influenza compare to the typical seasonal flu?

Because the 2009 H1N1 virus is new, most people -- especially children and young adults -- have little or no immunity against it. It is spreading more quickly than the usual seasonal flu but seems to be somewhat milder -- though still capable of causing severe illness and death. The typical seasonal flu affects 15-60 million Americans, leading to more than 200,000 hospitalizations. Annual deaths range from 17,000 to 52,000 annually, averaging about 36,000.

The elderly are especially at high risk of seasonal flu, with over 90% of deaths occurring in patients over 65. In contrast, 2009 H1N1 has preferentially affected young adults and children while older patients appear to have some immunity. Only 18% of deaths from H1N1 have been in patients over 65.

It's estimated that between April and June, more than a million Americans became ill from 2009 H1N1; the CDC stopped reporting individual cases on July 24th, 2009. While the vast majority of cases have been relatively mild, as of September 3rd there were 593 deaths and 9,079 hospitalizations in the United States and territories.

For both the regular flu and the 2009 H1N1, certain groups are at increased risk for complications once infected -- children under five, pregnant women, and patients with underlying medical conditions such as suppressed immune systems, asthma, diabetes, neurological disorders, kidney problems, and heart disease as well as adults over age 65.

4) What Can We Expect This Fall?

Flu virus tends to die down over the summer because it survives better when the weather is cold and dry than warm and humid. That's why during our summer the H1N1 virus spreads to the Southern Hemisphere, where it's winter. But the virus never really went away in America and is now surging much earlier than with the regular seasonal flu.

In August, a panel of experts prepared an extensive report for President Obama about the virus. While warning that the exact impact of H1N1 was impossible to predict, the panel outlines a "plausible scenario" that included 60-120 million infected Americans, as many as 1.8 million hospital admissions, and 30-90,000 deaths. Others, including the CDC, have suggested that these estimates are a "worst case scenario."

Unfortunately, the influenza virus is famously unpredictable and the above "plausible scenario" could be way off in either direction. Although the virus is relatively mild now, it can quickly change on its own through mutation and become more deadly. Another way of changing is if two different viruses happen to infect the same cell at the same time. The two different strains could then trade genetic material. Hypothetically, the 2009 H1N1 that is currently sensitive to the antiviral medication Tamiflu could become resistant to Tamiflu if it combines with last year's seasonal flu strain which was 99 percent resistant to the drug. Fortunately, until now the virus has been stable genetically and it remains sensitive to Tamiflu and Relenza.

5) What are the symptoms of the 2009 H1N1?

The symptoms are very similar to those seen with the regular seasonal flu: fever, headache, fatigue, cough, sore throat, runny nose, and aches and pains. In addition, there may be gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

6) How can you catch H1N1?

Just as with the regular seasonal flu, the virus enters your body through your nose, mouth, or eyes. People infected with H1N1 shed virus starting a day before symptoms begin and lasting up to a week or longer in some patients. An uncovered cough or sneeze in a patient with influenza can send infectious virus-filled droplets into the air. If you touch a surface that's infected with flu virus and then touch your mouth, nose, or eyes, the virus can enter your body and cause infection.

7) How do you prevent the seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1?

The most effective way is through vaccination -- assuming you are in a group for which immunization is appropriate. The CDC recommends vaccination with both the regular seasonal flu vaccine, which is already being given, and the 2009 H1N1 vaccine once it becomes available around mid-October. So far, the 2009 H1N1 vaccine has been shown to be safe in adults; the CDC told me this week that studies in children and pregnant women should be done within about 2-3 weeks. Health officials want to vaccinate at least 159 million Americans. Experts predict there will eventually be enough vaccine for all Americans who want it. But only about 45 million doses are expected to be available with the first batch in mid-October.

Those on the priority list to get the 2009 H1N1 vaccine include pregnant women, people in close contact with infants 6 months and younger, health care workers, those ages 6 months to 24 years, and people ages 25 to 64 with serious conditions that put them at high risk for complications from flu.

Experts stress the importance of covering your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Wash your hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand cleaner. Remember: you don't get flu from virus that's only on your hands; you get it when you touch your face and give the virus a way to enter your body. Avoid close contact with sick people. And if you are sick with the flu, the current CDC recommendation is to stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone without the use of fever-reducing medication. In some situations, the use of a face mask may be indicated, especially to try to prevent flu in patients at increased risk for complications; click here for the CDC's recommendations.

8) Who should receive treatment with anti-viral medication such as Tamiflu and Relenza?

Last week the CDC said that most people who come down with the 2009 H1N1 flu should just ride it out and not take antiviral medications such as Tamiflu and Relenza. Dr. Anne Schuchat of the CDC said the majority of adolescents, adults and children "can be cared for with mom's chicken soup at home, rest, and lots of fluids." But she stressed the importance of early treatment with antiviral medications -- within 48 hours if possible -- for certain patients at increased risk of complications, especially those hospitalized, under age five, over age 65, or with chronic medical conditions.

A key change in advice from the CDC involves patients at high risk who may have been exposed to the H1N1 virus. Before last week, doctors were advised to give them medication to prevent infection; now doctors are being given the option of "watchful waiting" -- observing the patient closely and only starting antiviral treatment if evidence of flu develops.

9) What warning signs should prompt immediate medical evaluation and treatment?

In adults, warning signs include: trouble breathing, pain or discomfort in the chest or abdomen, dizziness, confusion, severe or persistent vomiting, and symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough. In children, warning signs include: trouble breathing, bluish or gray skin color, inability to drink enough fluids, severe or persistent vomiting, change in mental status (e.g., not waking up, not interacting, or being unusually irritable), and symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough.

10)Should I get the 2009 H1N1 vaccine if I think I've already had the H1N1 flu?

The CDC told me "yes" -- because the vast majority of patients diagnosed with 2009 H1N1 were not specifically tested for the virus. It may have been some other virus that made you ill. And even patients who had positive "quick tests" in the office for influenza A cannot be absolutely certain they had the 2009 H1N1 virus because the kits are sometimes wrong and because there's a small chance that the strain of influenza A detected was NOT the 2009 H1N1. So the CDC recommends playing it safe and getting the both the regular seasonal vaccine and the 2009 H1N1 vaccine if you are in a group for which immunization is suggested.

For this week's CBS Doc Dot Com, I discuss very practical advice - especially for parents - about H1N1 with Dr. Thomas Farley, who was appointed New York City Health Commissioner in May 2009 and immediately found himself smack in the middle of the 2009 H1N1 outbreak.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-jon-lapook/the-ten-most-important-th_b_290326.html

Gaddafi rejected by US citizens

Muammar Gaddafi is making preparations to stay at the Bedford, New York, estate owned by Donald Trump during the Libyan leader's visit to the United States this week, a source with direct knowledge of the arrangement tells the Huffington Post.

Gaddafi's Bedouin-style tent, the source says, is to be pitched on the lavish Seven Springs property that Trump has owned since 1995. An aide to Trump denied the report. It is "totally untrue," said Rhona Graff, a spokesman for the real estate mogul.

Pressed whether Gaddafi was planning to stay at Seven Springs, Graff only said that the Libyan leader wasn't there currently. "He is not there to my knowledge," she said. "He is not there." The spokeswoman noted that Seven Springs is not Trump's primary residence, though neighbors said that his children spend time there regularly.

The source who knew about the arrangement, who is a resident of Bedford, says that Gaddafi's people are already in the process of setting up a tent, though plans could potentially be upended by bad publicity. ABC News reported earlier on Tuesday that Gaddafi had indeed chosen the posh New York suburb as the site of his stay during his visit while he attends the United Nations General Assembly. The news organization did not specify where in Bedford he was staying. Another resident in the town told the Huffington Post that a news helicopter was now visible over Seven Springs.

Officials in Bedford are being tight-lipped about the arrangement. A spokesperson for the Bedford Hills police department declined to comment on the matter. "I'm not going to confirm or deny anything," said Sgt. Tom Diebold, referring the Huffington Post to the Secret Service. Calls there were not immediately returned.

By settling in Bedford, Gaddafi has apparently put to end a bruising and lengthy search for a place to stay during his week in the United States. The Libyan leader had tried to pitch his famous tent in Manhattan's Central Park, but city officials rejected his request. Earlier Gaddafi had tried to set up a temporary residence in Englewood, New Jersey, only to run into opposition from the local mayor and other officials. His efforts to book a hotel room in New York City -- including the Helmsley Hotel and the Pierre -- were equally fruitless, leading to speculation that Gaddafi would simply stay at the home of Libya's ambassador to the U.N. while in town.

The 213-acre Seven Springs estate one of the gems in the Trump portfolio. The spot, which sits atop the high point of Bedford, includes a 39,000-square-foot mansion and was formerly owned by the Rockefeller family.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/22/gaddafi-on-donald-trump-e_n_294876.html?alacarte=1

We are all mutants: say scientists

Each of us has at least 100 new mutations in our DNA, according to research published in the journal Current Biology.

Scientists have been trying to get an accurate estimate of the mutation rate for ove 70 years.

However, only now has it been possible to get a reliable estimate been thanks to "next generation" technology for genetic sequencing.

The findings may lead to new treatments and insights into our evolution.

In 1935, one of the founders of modern genetics, JBS Haldane, studied a group of men with the blood disease haemophilia. He speculated that there would be around 150 new mutations in each of us.

Others have since looked at DNA in chimpanzees to try to produce general estimates for humans.

However, next generation sequencing technology has enabled the scientists to produce a far more direct and reliable estimate.

They looked at thousands of genes in the Y chromosomes of two Chinese men. They knew that the men were distantly related, having shared a common ancestor who was born in 1805.

By looking at the number of differences between the two men, and the size of the human genome, they were able to come up with an estimate of between 100 and 200 new mutations per person.

Impressively, it seems that Haldane was right all along.

Unimaginable

One of the scientists, Dr Yali Xue from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridgeshire, said: "The amount of data we generated would have been unimaginable just a few years ago.

"And finding this tiny number of mutations was more difficult than finding an ant's egg in an emperor's rice store."

New mutations can occasionally lead to severe diseases like cancer. It is hoped that the findings may lead to new ways to reduce mutations and insights to into human evolution.

Joseph Nadeau, from the the Case Western Reserve University, US, who was not involved in this study said: "New mutations are the source of inherited variation, some of which can lead to disease and dysfunction, and some of which determines the nature and pace of evolutionary change.

"These are exciting times," he added.

"We are finally obtaining good reliable estimates of genetic features that are urgently needed to understand who we are genetically."(Source: BBC/Health)