Blank Czech
If there's one kind of state more resistant to imposing restrictions on corporations than a capitalist country, it's a capitalist country that recently emerged from a long period of communism. So perhaps it's not entirely surprising that Czech President Vaclav Klaus has come out against "ambitious environmentalism," saying the "anti-greenhouse religion" has replaced the ideology of communism and threatens world markets. Klaus responded to questions from the US House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce saying he opposes initiatives like the Kyoto protocol that set "arbitrary targets" and believes mandatory standards will widen the gap between wealthy countries and developing nations. Employing the argument strategy reductio ad communism, Klaus wrote, "This ideology preaches earth and nature and under the slogans of their protection—similarly to the old Marxists—wants to replace the free and spontaneous evolution of mankind by a sort of central, now global, planning of the whole world." Apparently, if the free and spontaneous evolution of mankind leads to destruction of the environment, biodiversity, and habitable land, so be it.
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Be All Ewe Can Be
Ewes in New Zealand are becoming more fertile, frequently giving birth to triplets instead of twins—ten years ago, flocks were lambing at 100 percent, but now farmers get a 120 percent increase in stock with each successive generation. While farmers are thrilled by the increased return on their sheep, normal, two-nippled ewes aren't able to feed three kids at once. Frequently, the runt of the litter is bullied out of place by his siblings and dies from malnutrition. Agricultural scientists have decided there is but one solution to this problem: more nipples! New Zealand researchers have begun an effort to breed four-nippled sheep. AgResearch Invermay scientist George Davis is looking for tetrateated ewes so he can breed a flock able to feed all of their young. 20 years ago, researchers bred a polyteated flock, but when farmers lost interest, the line died out. Besides giving each child an equal opportunity at milk, four teats might allow a ewe to actually produce more milk, the scientists say. In dairy cows, all four mammary glands produce a substantial portion of the animal's milk. I guess they milk each gland for all it's worth.
Surgery Enhances Self-Esteem, Bust
A bigger bank account might not make you happy, but it's possible a bigger cup size will. According to a study recently published in the journal Plastic Surgical Nursing, women who undergo breast augmentation tend to have higher self-esteem and better feelings about their sexuality after the surgery. University of Florida nursing professor Cynthia Figueroa-Haas studied 84 women who underwent the surgery, measuring their self-esteem and sexuality before and two to three months after the procedure. On average, self esteem increased by over four points on a 30-point scale, and sexual function increased by over four points on a 36-point scale, with substantial average increases in sexual desire, arousal, and satisfaction. Figueroa-Haas emphasizes that breast augmentation surgery is not a cure-all for low self-esteem or low sexual functioning. but she also said she hopes the study will destigmatize the surgery. With a 476 percent increase in bust boosting procedures since 2000, that stigma should probably be gone already.