LONE CHILD: Some myopic analysts are trying mightily to blame unmitigated population growth for what looks like a food shortage creeping up on the more populous sections of the world.

The simplistic analysis is that because there are too many mouths to feed, there is suddenly not enough food to go around. Other factors are conveniently glossed over.

If population growth were indeed the culprit, how come China — which has enforced a one-child policy per couple since 1979 — seems to be in the grip of a food shortage?

Beijing has turned down a request of Manila to import wheat from it. Reason given: China needs all the grains it produces for its population, now estimated at 1.33 billion, or 20 percent (1 out of every 5) of the world’s estimated 6.6-billion population.

Although billed as a “temporary measure,” the one-child policy imposed by Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping will continue till 2010. To enforce it, fines, abortions, sterilization and full access to birth control methods are used.

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BEATRICE: This brings me to one of my favorite stories on family planning, forwarded by cabalen Dr. Mike Galang of Wisconsin. The story goes: 

Miss Beatrice, the church organist, was in her eighties and had never been married. She was admired for her sweetness and kindness to all.

One afternoon the pastor came to call on her. Showing him into her quaint sitting room, she invited him to have a seat while she prepared tea.

As he sat facing her old Hammond organ, the young minister noticed a cut-glass bowl sitting on top of it. The bowl was filled with water, and in the water floated, of all things, a condom!

When she returned with tea and scones, they began to chat. The pastor tried to stifle his curiosity about the bowl of water and its unusual floater, but soon it got the better of him and he could no longer hold back.

“Miss Beatrice,” he said finally, “I wonder if you would tell me about this?” pointing to the bowl.

“Oh, yes,” she replied, “Isn’t it wonderful? I was walking through the park a few months ago and I found this little pack on the ground. The directions said to place it on the organ, keep it wet and that it would prevent the spread of disease. Do you know I haven’t had the flu all winter!”

Pahabol from Mike, who is retired but keeps his doctor’s license to be able to join the medical missions that he and a group of physician friends conduct now and then:

“If you don’t send this story to five good friends right away, there will be five fewer people smiling in the world.”

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MALUNGGAY EXPORT: From our biotech workers comes the news that the Philippines has become the world’s first exporter of malunggay oil (marketed globally as “moringa” oil) that can be used as biodiesel.

Pioneering exporter is Secura International, a 100-percent Filipino biotechnology company. The firm has been extracting oil from malunggay seeds and marketing it as edible oil and as a substance with pharmaceutical applications.

Malunggay is easy to propagate. Cut a branch, stick it to the ground, water it, and, like Moses’ staff, it will grow! It is popular as a nutritional supplement and as an herbal cure for various ailments.

Credit for the promotion of malunggay as food, source of micronutrients and as biofuel goes to the Department of Agriculture-Biotechnology Program Office headed by Director Alice Ilaga.

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NEWSEUM: If you happen to be in Washington, DC, and are interested in the Fourth Estate, visit the $450-million Newseum — a museum dedicated to news — which was opened last Friday.

The capital’s newest museum and tourist attraction sits on Pennsylvania Ave. between the White House and the Capitol. Glass-encased and protected by a 74-foot-high marble engraving of the First Amendment, this is “the new home of journalistic artifacts and traditions and dilemmas that have defined a profession.”

Outside the main entrance is “Today’s Front Pages,” showing current newspaper front pages from around the world. Inside the Newseum, print, video, audio and digital media — spread over seven floors of exhibits, galleries and theaters — tell the story of world news coverage.

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MAC-WINDOWS TOGGLING: Gary Morgenthaler reports in Businessweek.com that a recent upgrade to the Mac operating system moves Apple closer to challenging Microsoft for computing dominance, even in the corporate market.

He says: “The 20-year death grip that Microsoft has held on the core of computing is finally weakening — pried loose with just two fingers. With one finger you press ‘Control’ and with the other you press ‘right arrow.’ Instantly you switch from a Macintosh operating system (OS) to a Microsoft Windows OS. Then, with another two-finger press, you switch back again.

“This easy toggling on an Apple computer, enabled by a feature called Spaces, was but an interesting side note to last fall’s upgrade of the Mac OS. But coupled with other recent developments, the stars are aligning in a very intriguing pattern.”

Morgenthaler predicts that Windows users will be free soon to switch to Apple computers and mobile devices using a growing array of Mac software, without having to give up critical Windows-based applications right away.

With the easy migration path thus opened, he says, “Apple is positioning itself to challenge Microsoft for overall computing dominance even in the corporate realm.”