02 Dec 22:51
WASHINGTON (Dec. 1, 2008)Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2008, marks the 60th anniversary of the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Compiled after the horrors of World War II, the declaration's purpose was to state and protect the rights of all people. Every Human Has Rights: A Photographic Declaration for Kids is a collaboration among The Elders, National Geographic, and the ePals Global Community.

The 30 rights set down in 1948 are incredibly powerful. According to the U.N., every human just by virtue of being human is entitled to freedom, a fair government, a decent standard of living, work, play, education, freedom to come and go as we please and to associate with anyone we please, and the right to express ourselves freely. Every Human Has Rights: A Photographic Declaration for Kids (Nov. 25, 2008; $17.95) offers kids an accessibly written list of these rights, commentary much of it deeply emotional by other kids, and evocative photography illustrating each right.

The foreword by Mary Robinson, former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, gives perspective on one of the most important documents of human history. At the end of this deceptively simple book, kids will know and feel that regardless of individual differences and circumstances, each person is valuable and worthy of respect.

The Elders, a network of elder statesmen that advocates for human rights around the world, brought the 60th anniversary to National Geographic's attention. In an effort to start with "kids themselves," the publisher worked closely with the ePals community, the largest online community of K-12 learners, to join the celebration. Each participating teacher shared the Universal Declaration, rewritten for accessibility. The students wrote short responses and sent them to the publisher for judging. The 16 contest winners are featured in the book. Inspired by The Elders, the students, and the declaration, National Geographic Children's Books' editorial team pulled together the photographs, captions, and labels. Readers are encouraged to go to www.EveryHumanHasRights.org to sign the declaration and speak up about human rights and "the values that unite us as one human family."

The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 325 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 9,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program combating geographic illiteracy. For more information, visit nationalgeographic.com.

<center>
EVERY HUMAN HAS RIGHTS:
A PHOTOGRAPHIC DECLATION FOR KIDS
National Geographic Children's Books
Foreword by Mary Robinson,
Former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
ISBN-10: 1426305117 * ISBN-13: 978-1426305115
Publication date: Nov. 25, 2008
$17.95 hardcover
</center>

02 Dec 22:51
WASHINGTON (Nov. 14, 2008)--National Geographic invites budding explorers on a seven-day "tour" of the marvelous cultures and natural wonders of the Americas during Geography Awareness Week 2008, Nov. 16-22. Geography Awareness Week is part of Geography Action!, an annual conservation and awareness program for schools and students in grades K through 12, designed to educate and excite youngsters about the world's natural, cultural and historic treasures. This year's spotlight on the Americas is National Geographic's third leg of a five-year journey focusing its geographic lens on five world regions.

At the Geography Action! Web site (nationalgeographic.com/geographyaction), teachers can find an assortment of resources, including hands-on activities; downloadable lesson plans and maps; a free, downloadable Americas map kit with tips for creating a jumbo-sized map of the Western Hemisphere; and links to additional resources on the Americas.

"Our compelling maps, activities, lesson plans and educational resources on the Americas will help students and teachers learn about these extraordinarily diverse continents," said Terry Garcia, National Geographic executive vice president of Mission Programs. "Web resources give students and teachers the necessary tools to understand the varied cultures and history of the Americas, the importance of their local regions, and the larger issues of relationships among people, places and environments."

Geography Action! is a program of National Geographic Education & Children's Programs, which provides grants, training, hands-on activities and support for educators and organizations.

02 Dec 22:51
WASHINGTON (Oct. 14, 2008)A group of Maine students will have the unique opportunity this month to document their communities of Vinalhaven and North Haven Islands under the direction of National Geographic contributing photographers Amy Toensing and Matt Moyer during a National Geographic Photo Camp. From Monday, Oct. 20, to Wednesday, Oct. 22, the high schoolers will photograph, edit and design a portrait of their experiences on the islands. The Photo Camp is presented in partnership with the Island Institute, an organization that supports the islands' communities and helps preserve the region's biodiversity.

During the three-day workshop, the young photographers will explore the natural environment of the two geographically close island communities. Toensing and Moyer will brief the students on photographic vision, equipment and technique and guide them through the process of creating a story through photography and writing, working with cameras and laptop computers provided by National Geographic. The students will create a multimedia show, using the images, which will convey the students' perception of the experience.

Participants, their families and community members are invited to a presentation of the students' work on Wednesday, Oct. 22, at 4 p.m. at Waterman's Community Center, 12 Main Street, North Haven, and at 7 p.m. at Vinalhaven High School, 22 Arcola Lane, Vinalhaven.

Following the Photo Camp, four students will be selected to be youth ambassadors for Pop!Tech, an acclaimed ideas summit held each fall in Camden, Maine, exploring the new ideas, technologies and forces of change shaping our future. During the conference, Oct. 23-25, the student ambassadors will have the opportunity to learn from and participate in sessions with eminent thought leaders and change agents. The student also will present their multimedia show from Photo Camp and photograph the Pop!Tech presenters and conference fellows. Their images from the conference will displayed during the Pop!Tech closing gala on Oct. 25.

"We hope that Photo Camp 2008 will provide students with a unique lens on the world and help expand their awareness of the environment and their impact on it," said Terry Garcia, National Geographic's executive vice president, Mission Programs. "We are honored to participate in this endeavor."

The theme of the Photo Camp is environment and conservation, and the aim is to draw attention to youth perspectives on their generation's connection to the natural world.

EVOLT SLR cameras for the Photo Camp have been provided by Olympus Imaging America Inc. Memory cards have been donated to the Photo Camp program by PNY Technologies.

In addition to Toensing's work for National Geographic magazine, she has covered editorial assignments for various national and international publications and private corporations since 2000. Her photographic stories intimately render the lives of ordinary people, and her images have received honors in International Pictures of the Year competitions. In 2003 Toensing was named Photographic Alumni Fellow at The Salt Institute for Documentary Studies, where she worked on a portrait of Muslim teenage girls living in Western culture.

Moyer's photographic work in Egypt, New York City and Iraq focuses on the people behind the news story, and he was named a Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellow for the 2007-2008 academic year at the University of Michigan.

National Geographic Missions Programs is sponsoring other Photo Camps this year in Taos, N.M.; Rajasthan, India; Chesapeake Bay; Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, S.D.; Costa Rica; Appalachian Trail; New York City; Santa Monica, Calif., and Miami, in partnership with VisionWorkshops of Annapolis, Md. Visit nationalgeographic.com/photocamp for more information.

The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 325 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 9,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program combating geographic illiteracy. For more information, visit nationalgeographic.com.

The Island Institute is a membership-based nonprofit that serves as a voice for the balanced future of the islands and waters of the Gulf of Maine, particularly the 15 year-round island and working-waterfront communities along the Maine coast. More information is available at islandinstitute.org.

Pop!Tech is a renowned ideas summit and social innovation network dedicated to accelerating the positive impact of world-changing people and ideas. The organization is known for its visionary Pop!Tech conferences, engaging media productions and the innovative social change programs that it fosters worldwide. "Pop!Tech 2008: Scarcity and Abundance" will be held Oct. 23-25, 2008, in Camden, Maine, and will be simulcast live on www.poptech.org.

01 Dec 10:23
As we age and life just seems to pass us by, there are many things we have the tendency to forget about or not ever think about.  One of these so important things we rarely, if ever, think about is what will happen to our beloved pets after we are goneprobably because we never think [...]

30 Nov 16:42
The cool winds of winter are already blowing through the nation.  Some states are experiencing sooner and greater than expected snowfalls.  So, what can you do to make sure your companion animals are prepared for the coming months?  Here are just a handful of helpful tips If your companion animal is older and arthritic, be [...]

23 Nov 15:48
Thanksgiving is just around the corner and whether that conjures warm memories of family gathered around a wonderful feast or a nightmare of in-laws that have inundated your house, it is important to remember that pets will be around for the holidays as well. Personally, Thanksgiving is my favorite meal and it isnt hard to imagine [...]

30 Apr 00:00
A dog that has been in contact with many other dogs, perhaps at a shelter situation may have gotten an upper respiratory infection. A loud, noisy cough is often a characteristic of infectious canine tracheobronchitis. Some cases can be mild with the pet showing few other changes, but in other cases the dog may be quite ill and show a lack of appetite, be lethargic and have some respiratory difficulties. Depending on the degree of severity the dog will need rest, a good diet, perhaps some antibiotics and should be isolated from other dogs to avoid spreading the disease. More complicated cases may need further intervention as determined by the veterinarian.

30 Apr 00:00
It is quite normal for a young dog to investigate their environment and chew on items as part of that process. It is important to provide plenty of appropriate chew toys to avoid damage to household items and to prevent the puppy from ingesting dangerous items. When the puppy cannot be supervised, she should be placed in a safe, dog proofed area. Proper chew toys should be provided. These can be hard rubber toys that have been stuffed with food to make them more attractive. In some situations a puppy might enjoy manipulating feeder toy to get their meal. Rotating toys and providing different ones daily can help direct normal puppy chewing to the right place.

30 Apr 00:00
Depending on the time of year, a dog or puppy may loose a great deal of his undercoat. A puppy will also loose some of their "puppy" fur as he grows an adult coat. An infection or allergy could also cause hair loss. If there are bald areas where the hair is not growing back or the dog is scratching and pulling out the hair, a veterinary visit is needed.