(A roundup of developments in the macroenvironment)

• The Rise of Cyber Civility
  Internet users fan the flames of good manners.
  Internet users are spontaneously generating systems of restraints and codes of civil behavior amidst the lawlessness of cyberspace, Mark Caldwell claims in his new book, A Short History of Rudeness. Story by Jeff Minerd.

• Cyberunions: Organized Labor Goes Online
  Unions are getting members onto the Internet.
  The AFL-CIO is now offering members Internet access in an effort to create a Web-based community--and give itself more political clout. Labor scholar Arthur Shostak, author of CyberUnion, believes labor must learn to use the new technologies or become "roadkill on the Information Superhighway." Story by Cindy Wagner.

   

• Beaches vs. Buildings
  Coastal development is accelerating the erosion of U.S. beaches.
  Scientists estimate that 70% to 90% of American beaches are eroding, science writer Cornelia Dean reports in her new book, Against the Tide. Story by Dan Johnson.

       Also:

       A Report Card for Renewable Energy

• Peers May Help Reduce Teen Pregnancy
  Programs bring sex education to underserved areas.
  Pregnancy has become the leading cause of death among adolescent girls in the Dominican Republic. To help solve the problem, the United Nations Population Fund is working with NGOs to develop peer-education programs. Story by Cindy Wagner.

• The Internet Alters Politics
  Politicians, activists, and journalists move online.
  The Internet is beginning to have a significant impact on public policy, according to the Foundation for Public Affairs. Story by Dan Johnson.

• High-Tech Clothes
  "Super" clothes fight odor and bacteria.
  Innovative techniques in clothing manufacture offer garments that actively keep you safe and comfortable: jackets that grow warmer when the temperature drops, sweat socks that resist bacteria and odors, and T-shirts that might one day kill mosquitoes on contact. Story by Jeff Minerd.

  Also:

  Preventing Genetic Disorders

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Revised: 15 December  1999