“The man who smiles when things go wrong has thought of someone to blame it on”

- Robert Bloch

This morning over coffee (okay, I don’t drink coffee, it was passion fruit iced tea for me), I was talking to Julie and our friend Gale about a common trait, persistence.  Oddly, or by divine design, she had just posted the following quote on her Facebook page.  Thanks Julie, I love the way your mind works.

“Persistence. It’s that certain little spirit that compels you to stick it out just when you’re at your most tired. It’s that quality that forces you to persevere, find the route around the stone wall. It’s the immovable stubbornness that will not allow you to cave in when everyone says give up.”

- Estee Lauder

Developing countries, according to the United Nations, are those with a low level of material well being, those that have not achieved a significant degree of industrialization, and those that have, in most cases, a medium to low standard of living.22

Most of the deaths in children under the age of five occur in developing countries. More specifically, 90% of worldwide deaths in children younger than 5 years occur in just 42 countries23 and the under-five mortality rate is increasingly concentrated in Africa and Asia. Combined, these two continents represent 93% of all under age five deaths with 51% in Africa and 42% in Asia.24 South-central Asia has the highest number of neonatal deaths (up to one month old), while sub-Saharan Africa has the overall highest rates up to age five.25 India, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pakistan, and China are the specific countries that rank the highest in under age five mortality rates.26

Around the world, only seven countries are considered to be on track to meet MDG4. These countries are: Bangladesh, Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Mexico, Nepal and the Philippines.27

In these countries, the “Mama Bears” themselves may be weak, unable to protect their own. As seen in the animal kingdom, it is often up to the other females of the species to step in – those with the strength, health and resources – to protect and save the others’ young. It is in our biology to do so. And it is in the best interest of our species to do so now.

1/3

Fraction of all children born in developing countries that dies in the first month of life.10

2/3

The MDG4 hopes to reduce by two-thirds the mortality rate among children under five.11

Two-thirds of the under five deaths occur in just ten countries.11 Among those children who die as infants (up to two months old), almost two-thirds die in the first month of life. Of those who die in the first month of life, about two-thirds die in the first week of life. Of those who die in the first week, two-thirds die in the first twenty-four hours of life. 12

5

Age by which nearly 8.8 million children around the world will die in 2010.13

13

Number of times a child in a developing country is more likely to die by the age of five than a child in an industrialized country.14

21

Number of children under the age of five that die each and every minute.15

30

Number of times an Ethiopian child is times more likely to die by his or her fifth birthday than a child in Western Europe.16

60

Number of seconds that pass during which twenty-one more children under the age of five die around the world.17

99

Percentage of all newborn deaths that occur in the developing world.18

29,000

Number of children under the age of five that died yesterday.

Number of children that will die today.

Number of children will die tomorrow.19

8,800,000

Number of children born alive across the world who died before their fifth birthday in 2008.20

13,000,000

Number of children born alive across the world who died before their fifth birthday in 1990.21

done (dn) v. adj.

1. Having been carried out or accomplished; finished: a done deed.

4. Informal Totally worn out; exhausted.

Idioms: done for Informal.  Doomed to death or destruction. done in

Informal Totally worn out; exhausted. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Quite possibly the most delicious of all tomatoes.  Wonderfully satisfying on their own or added to salads, sauces or nearly any recipie.  I got this bushel at Trader Joe’s for 7 bucks! Mmmmm!