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| A.M. Costa Rica's Second news page | |
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San
José, Costa Rica, Monday, Feb. 24, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 38
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was less than 4,000 colons Dear A.M. Costa Rica: I read with interest your article in today's A.M. Costa Rica about photovoltaic (solar) electricity production. We have had a grid-tied system installed for about three years and would never go back. The Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad permits homeowners to grid-tie their systems to ICE's electrical system in a way that allows the panels to provide the owners with power when there is sufficient sunlight and to use ICE's electricity when there isn't. When the panels produce more electricity than the home's occupants are using, the electricity meter runs backwards creating, in effect, a credit against the bill for the month. A grid-tied system does not involve a bank of batteries. That makes the initial installation much less costly and maintenance is reduced to virtually zero. A drawback is that when ICE's service is interrupted, the photovoltaic system goes down, too, so that no electricity is introduced into ICE's system while linemen are making repairs. Ours is an all-electric home. We use the electric range and dryer as needed. We have solar water heating with an electrical element for backup, but if we were doing it again, we would invest in more photovoltaic panels and heat our water with the energy they produced. Both initial installation and operating costs would be cheaper. Last month (admittedly, a sunny one), our net bill from ICE was ¢3,905 (yup, less than four thousand colons). The payback on a grid-tied installation will vary from one home to another, but every time that the electricity utility is granted a rate increase, that payback time is shortened. David
C. Murray
Grecia, Alajuela  Ministerio
de Gobernación,
Policía
After the arrest, police created
this display of drugsy Seguridad Pública photo Osa landlord
leads police
to cache of crack and pot By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
A dispute with a tenant led a landlord to contact police. The result was the confiscation of presumed drugs, including crack. The case happened in La Palma de Puerto Jiménez on the Osa peninsula. The landlord wanted to get rid of the tenant, but claimed he was threatened. When police arrived, they were able to confiscate 55 crack rocks, marijuana seeds and some of the plant material, they said. Press advocacy missing lists areas of concern in Honduras Special
to A.M. Costa Rica
The Inter American Press Association has expressed concern at a flare-up in violence unleashed against journalists and news media in Guatemala, particularly in the interior of the Central American country. Members of the association staged a two-day visit in which they consulted representatives of the various branches of government, of civil groups and journalists. Claudio Paolillo, chairman of the IAPA’s Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, who headed the international delegation, enumerated three recurring aspects on which the mission consulted, analyzed and observed during its meetings, among them with Guatemala’s President Otto Pérez Molina and Vice President Roxana Baldetti. 1. The association following 13 missions to Guatemala in the last 15 years, and after having submitted several cases of unpunished murders of Guatemalan journalists to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, voiced its concern at the worsening of violence against journalists in the interior of the country, especially at a climate of impunity and lack of institutional protection, which is giving rise to a vicious circle that is generating greater violence and self-censorship among media and journalists. The association is calling upon and urging the executive authorities and the attorney general’s office to show greater effort, diligence and speed in the final creation of a journalist protection program, which should have the procedures and necessary resources to protect and prevent violent acts against journalists, through joint actions of the attorney general’s office and civil and press associations. It also calls for greater resources and a more decisive role for the public prosecutor’s office for crimes against journalists set up in 2001 at the direct request of the association following an amicable agreement with the government over the case of Irma Flaquer, kidnapped and gone missing in 1980. In this regard, the delegation asked for information about the state of the investigations into the murders committed in 2013 of Carlos Orellana Chávez, Luis de Jesús Lima, Luis Alberto Lemus Ruano and José Napoleón Jarquín Duarte, and recent attacks on Nery Morales. 2. Concerning the conflict that is of public knowledge of President Pérez Molina and Vice President Baldetti with the newspaper el Periódico and its editor, José Rubén Zamora, the delegation voiced concern at the various actions taken by the executive branch of government against that news media outlet. The association acknowledges as a positive development that the president and vice president have dropped criminal charges against Zamora. The visiting newspeople said they were disappointed, however, at the decision of the two stated to the delegation that they will have recourse established by the constitution and the law on expression of thought. 3. The delegation showed special concern at the monopoly of on-air television stations affecting the country, renewing its demand of years concerning the most decisive role that the government should play to encourage a climate of greater diversity and plurality of voices, essential for the greatest respect and enjoyment of citizen’s rights in a democracy. The delegation said that governments cannot have excuses for inappropriate handling of distribution of electronic media operational licenses, considering these to be finite resources that belong to society. The delegation reported it was unpleasantly surprised by the fact that there has been adopted a system of 25-year extension of licenses. Ministers to address rustling in announcing rule changes By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Cattle rustling or cattle butchering is reaching epidemic proportions, particularly in the northern zone, according to some producers. The minister of agriculture, Gloria Abraham Peralta, and the security minster, Mario Zamora Codero, are expected to address the issue this afternoon when they announce changes in the regulations relating to exiting laws. Representatives of both the Coorporación Ganadera Nacional and the Cámara de Productores de Leche are expected to attend. In addition to the continual stealing of cattle, there are more and more slaughter of single animals in the field, which presumably is done for the meat.
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
| The contents of this page and this Web site are copyrighted by A.M. Costa Rica.com Ltda. 2014 and may not be reproduced anywhere without permission. Abstracts and fair use are permitted. Check HERE for details | ||||||
A.M. Costa Rica Third News Page |
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| San José, Costa Rica, Monday, Feb. 24, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 38 | |
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| Residents association continues to dispute medical rates
with the Caja |
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By
Michael Krumholtz
of the A.M. Costa Rica staff Disputes continue between the Association of Residents of Costa Rica and the persistent Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social that has started to charge higher rates for association members. According to the association general manager, Ryan Piercy, the rising rates and additional requirements have caused much concern from members who are signing petition letters. Piercy said that if the Caja denies any requested changes then the argument will likely head to the constitutional court, Sala IV. The association that assists foreigners in transitioning to residency in Costa Rica has been involved with this latest dispute since last October, and lawyers for both sides have met to try to reach some settlement. Piercy and association members are claiming that the Caja's new health insurance figures are arbitrary numbers that have no bearing on regular methods for coming up with such numbers. "Where did these figures come from?" he said. "That's all we're trying to find out from them." If a court case proves necessary, Piercy estimated the potential proceedings would last at least six months. The association would be |
asking for
individual case examples and testimonies from its members as part of
its legal action. The new rates for members provided by the association's legal department are: Pensionados over 55 years old must pay $75 per month. Those under 55 are charged $139 monthly. Permanent residents over 55 would pay $63 per month. Those under 55 would pay $114. Rentistas over 55 would pay $252 per month, and those under 55 would pay $442 each month. The legal department said it did not want to publish the figures for investors because the numbers were so high. It is estimated that investors are being asked to pay more than $600 every month to the Caja. Investors are also asked to declare a $3,300 per month income when they were never before required to prove any stream of income. Affiliation in the Caja is a requirement for those foreigners who have been awarded residency by the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería. The association has about 1,000 foreigners who were members of its group plan with the Caja. Many other foreigners have other arrangements with the Caja and make payments based on their monthly income or with some other arrangement. |
| Dogs prowl
through backpacks to ferret out marijuana and pipes By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
One technique police officers use to keep drugs out of schools is to have a trained dog inspect the exterior of backpacks. That is what happened Friday at two high schools where students had to line up while the drug-sniffing dog wandered among their backpacks. The dogs belong to the security ministry's Unidad Canina. In Heredia a dog managed to sniff out two marijuana pipes and six small quantities of the drug. The items were within a student's lunch, and Fuerza Pública officers said they thought the student put them there when he became aware of the police presence. In Santa Bárbara de Heredia, a dog encountered more pipes, more quantities of marijuana and cigarette paper for making marijuana cigarettes, said police. All of this was in one backpack, officers said. Such dog searches are routine, and they sometimes are done during night classes with better results. |
 Ministerio de Gobernación,
Policía y Seguridad Pública
Police
dog checks out a suspect backpack
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| Government tries to undercut union calls for general strike
Tuesday |
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By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The central government is trying to counter public employee unhappiness with a six-month pay raise of less than half a percent. The Asociación Nacional de Empleados Públicos y Privados has joined with the Asociación Nacional de Educadores and the Asociación de Profesores de Segunda Enseñanza in planning a general strike Tuesday. They are expected to be joined by other groups of public employees who are unhappy about something. In an effort to defuse the strike, the Ministerio de Educación Pública said Friday that the salaries of teachers have gone up an average of |
154 percent over
the last few years, and even correct for inflation the increase has
been about 90 percent. The ministry also said that fiscal reform was
indispensable for an annual average of 8 percent increase in salaries. The minister, Leonardo Garnier Rímolo, included graphs with his statements that showed a steady increase in base salary and also extra payments to teachers for various reasons. The unions call for a general strike has focused attention on the public employee salaries with some commentators saying that those in government service are making as much as 50 percent more than those with the same job in the private sector. |
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
| The contents of this page and this Web site are copyrighted by A.M. Costa Rica.com Ltda. 2014 and may not be reproduced anywhere without permission. Abstracts and fair use are permitted. Check HERE for details | ||||||
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| A.M. Costa Rica's Fourth News page | |||||
| San José, Costa Rica, Monday, Feb. 24, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 38 | |||||
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| Another week of anguish planned for motorists on the
Circunvalación |
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By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The Circunvalación is being reduced to a single lane east and a single lane west at the site of the August washout. The Consejo de Vialidad said that the second of four bailey bridges is being taken down so that a permanent bridge can be built. Traffic for the last week has been over three temporary bridges with police using the middle lane as traffic demands. The backups extended into Hatillo proper even on the weekend. Traffic on the Circunvalación should be even worse this week as traffic from the six- to four-lane highway will be able to pass over just two single-lane bridges. Transport officials said they expect this situation to last for a week until the first permanent bridge goes into service. The washout has cost motorists, the government and private firms millions in lost work hours, fuel costs and other expenses. Workers at this point are installing pre-fabricated concrete beams that will be the base on the new bridges over the Río Aguilar. The location is between the most westward traffic light in Hatillo and the turnoffs to the Ruta 27 Caldera highway. |
 Consejo de Vialidad photo
More beams go into place at the
site of the first bridge. |
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
| The contents of this page and this Web site are copyrighted by A.M. Costa Rica.com Ltda. 2014 and may not be reproduced anywhere without permission. Abstracts and fair use are permitted. Check HERE for details | ||||||
| A.M. Costa Rica's Fifth news page |
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| San José, Costa Rica, Monday, Feb. 24, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 38 | |||||
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| U.S. hopes to lay its hands on Sinaloa drug cartel leader By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
U.S. prosecutors say they plan to seek the extradition of a Mexican drug lord to stand trial in the United States, but it was not immediately clear which country will try him first. The United States had a $5 million bounty on the head of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzmán, the world's most wanted drug kingpin who was arrested Saturday in Mexico after 13 years on the run. He faces numerous charges in the U.S., and prosecutors in New York said Sunday they want him returned there to stand trial. But the 56-year-old Guzmán also faces charges in Mexico, and an unfinished term there after his 2001 escape from a prison in a laundry cart. He spent Sunday in a Mexican maximum security prison. Mexican and U.S. authorities arrested him in a dawn raid Saturday without a shot being fired at a condominium in Mazatlan, a Pacific seaside resort in his home state of Sinaloa. Later, he was flown in a police helicopter to the prison. Authorities said they had tracked him for weeks and came close to capturing him a week ago. But Mexican Attorney General Jesúsillo Karam said the drug kingpin managed to escape then in a specially built tunnel linked to the drainage system in Culiacan, Sinaloa's largest city. He said police were slowed as they broke down steel-reinforced doors in one of the seven homes he was using. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder hailed the arrest as a landmark achievement for Mexico and the United States. Guzman's global drug organization was the leading U.S. cocaine supplier. The U.S city of Chicago, where drug-related gang violence is a major problem, has declared Guzmán Public Enemy Number One. He is the first criminal to earn that label since the legendary organized crime boss and prohibition magnate Al Capone in the 1920s. Surviving von Trapp member reported to have died at 99 By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Maria von Trapp, the last surviving member of the singing family whose story was told in "The Sound of Music," has died at 99. A spokeswoman at the family's lodge in the U.S. state of Vermont says she died Tuesday. Maria was a member of the Trapp Family Singers. They toured Europe before fleeing their native Austria when the Nazis marched into the country in 1938. The family settled in Vermont, where in 1942 they opened an inn. Maria von Trapp chronicled her family's story in a 1949 book, which was adapted into a Broadway musical called "The Sound of Music." The show was made into an internationally beloved film starring Julie Andrews. Maria was represented in the film as the character Louisa. Congress returns to work but with concern for elections By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The U.S. Congress gets back to work today after a week-long break. Despite recent action to pass a federal budget and raise the nation’s debt ceiling, expectations are low that the politically-divided legislature will tackle momentous and contentious legislation to reform America’s immigration system and facilitate new international trade pacts. In last month’s State of the Union address, President Barack Obama once again urged Congress to enact immigration reform. “Immigration reform will grow our economy and shrink our deficits by almost $1 trillion in the next two decades. And for good reason: when people come here to fulfill their dreams - to study, invent, and contribute to our culture - they make our country a more attractive place for businesses to locate and create jobs for everyone. So let us get immigration reform done this year,” said Obama. Many Republican lawmakers remain opposed to any bill that would provide a path to citizenship for undocumented workers. Others, like House Speaker John Boehner, say the Obama administration cannot be trusted to enforce the law. “The American people, including many of my members, do not trust that the reform we are talking about will be implemented as it was intended to be,” said the speaker. On the other hand, Boehner is urging bipartisan backing to boost the administration’s ability to negotiate free trade agreements across the globe. “The president says he wants to make this a year of action. That sounds good, but if he wants to make it a year of action, let us work together to pass trade promotion authority that would expand exports and create more jobs in America,” said Boehner. Under the authority, trade pacts would be subject to an up-or-down vote in Congress without amendment. President Obama has endorsed expanding trade, but has not named negotiating authority as a top economic priority. Many congressional Democrats say free trade will ship American jobs overseas. In the Democratic-led Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid says trade promotion authority is unlikely to get a vote. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi says opposition runs high in her caucus. "I do not think that would have very many votes among Democrats in the House." Instead, Ms. Pelosi is urging Congress to raise the U.S. minimum wage and to extend jobless benefits for the unemployed, which most Republicans oppose. All House seats and one-third of the Senate will be contested in midterm elections in November. During an election year, Congress usually shies away from politically-contentious votes, a tendency that could be repeated in 2014. Obama backs higher wage in his weekly national talk By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
U.S. President Barack Obama says restoring the idea of opportunity for everyone requires a year of action from every American, and 2014 is that year. Obama said in his weekly address Saturday, his recent action included a new requirement that federal contractors paid their employees at least $10.10 an hour. President Obama said in the year since he asked Congress to raise the minimum wage, six states have passed laws to raise theirs, and more states were working on it. The U.S. leader said there was a bill before Congress that would boost America's minimum wage without requiring any new taxes. The president said even though Democrats, Independents and many Republicans supported raising the minimum wage, Republicans in Congress did not want to give it a vote. In the Republican address, Rep. Tom Cotton of Arkansas said President Obama's policies spend too much money and concentrate power in Washington. He also said Republicans wanted to repair the damage he said the president has inflicted on the country. Coalition emerges to oppose political movement of gays By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Leaders of a new U.S. organization say the group will combat what they call a global lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender agenda. Scott Lively of Defend the Family International and Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality unveiled the Coalition for Family Values at the National Press Club in Washington. Lively said the Coalition for Family Values wants what it calls family friendly nations to block efforts to end discrimination against gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people. “The LGBT agenda has already gone too far, but it’s still advancing,” he said. Among those nations he applauded is Russia. “As the 2014 winter Olympics come to a close in Sochi, Russia, we want to praise the Russian Federation for providing much-needed leadership in restoring family values in public policy, and to encourage the governments of the world to follow the excellent example of what the Russian government has said in 2013 and 2014 by banning LGBT propaganda to children and limiting the adoption of children to natural families only,” said Lively. At Friday's news conference in Washington, he said about 70 anti-gay activists and religious leaders from the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and Brazil have so far joined the coalition. “Let us pray for healing for those who choose the LGBT path and within reason respect their rights to be wrong and their private lives, but let us not allow the LGBT political movement to transform the world in its own distorted image,” he said. Peter LaBarbera, of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, said American liberals do not care about religious teachings against homosexuality or protecting children from what the group says are efforts to normalize homosexual behavior and gender confusion. “Children need a mom and a dad, and a homosexual partner cannot substitute for what a mom or a dad brings to a natural family,” said LaBarbera. Gay rights activists with the Spectrum Human Rights Alliance heckled the speakers. Ellen Sturtz was one of them. “I would like to stand for equality and stop the killing that’s going on in your name in Uganda and Russia,” said Ms. Sturtz. Lively has campaigned in the United States, Europe and Africa for laws against the gay rights movement. U.S. drug chief says India will cooperate with safety By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says her agency is not targeting India, though officials plan to impose more U.S. regulations on Indian drug manufacturers. Margaret Hamburg spoke to reporters Friday after her first official trip to India. She said products sold in the United States and used by American consumers, no matter where they come from, must meet U.S. standards. She spent nine days in the subcontinent. Ms. Hamburg announced plans to send more U.S. inspectors to India to monitor the safety and quality of Indian pharmaceuticals. She also signed an agreement with the Indian health ministry pledging cooperation in safety standards. India has become the second largest provider of prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines to the United States, next to Canada. As the Indian drug industry comes under greater scrutiny for quality lapses, U.S. regulators have called for better compliance with production standards. India is a huge supplier of prescription drugs to the U.S. Concerns about the quality of medicines exported by India came to the forefront last year after a leading Indian drug company, Ranbaxy, pleaded guilty to falsifying clinical data and distributing adulterated medicines in the United States. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has banned drug imports from Ranbaxy’s Indian plants and some drugs from another company, Wockhardt. Although the concerns have been triggered by a handful of companies, it has affected the image of the Indian pharmaceutical industry. India’s industry has boomed on the back of the low-cost drugs it makes and exports to both developing and developed countries. In total, Indian drug exports are worth about $15 billion. The secretary general of the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance, D.G. Shah, said drug companies are taking steps to comply with U.S. standards. “We are sensitizing organizations and CEO’s themselves have to be alert about the culture change they have to bring in organizations. Jointly with U.S. FDA we will organize seminars in India where Indian companies will be exposed to standards and requirements, how to achieve those,” said Shah. Ms. Hamburg has called on Indian regulators to join the U.S. in ensuring more rigorous oversight of drug manufacturing facilities. Hamburg said the industry plays an important role in the global marketplace. For its part, the U.S. will increase the number of FDA inspectors in India from 11 to 19 as it intensifies inspections of drug factories. India also plans to increase its staff of inspectors from 1,500 to 5,000 over the next five years. However, Shah said, while some problems have been identified by the U.S. regulator, most Indian drug manufacturing facilities are world class. He said the issue should not be blown out of proportion. “We need to put our house in order first and this is something which is being addressed. Media should not be alarmist about what happens to one or two companies out of 300 companies which are exporting to U.S.,” said Shah. Even as fingers are pointed at a lax approach to quality control by some drug-makers in India, the U.S. concerns are likely to serve as a wake-up call. Some 40 percent of prescription and over the counter drugs sold in the United States come from India. Most of them are cheaper versions of medicines whose patents have expired. $2.2 billion given as amount to help world's needy in 2014 By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The U.N. Children’s Fund is announcing a record $2.2 billion appeal to provide emergency assistance this year for 85 million people, including 59 million children in 50 countries. While almost 40 percent of the appeal is for Syria and the nearby region, Africa remains the continent with the largest number of emergencies in the world. The lion’s share of the money, $845 million, would pay for life-saving aid for some 10 million people, half of them children, in Syria and neighboring countries of refuge. Priority needs include immunization, water and sanitation, education and protection. While Africa has many emergencies, UNICEF said two in particular stand out. UNICEF’s director of emergency programs, Ted Chaiban, said it is urgent to position essential supplies in the Central African Republic and South Sudan before the rainy season begins in six to eight weeks. "We are in a race against time,” Chaiban said. He has just returned from a week-long visit to conflict-ridden South Sudan. “In the case of South Sudan, the whole place becomes swamped, or most of the place becomes swamped. If you do not move now to pre-position supplies, to strengthen the services, have the resources in place to be able to address issues like malaria, issues like diarrheal diseases and the risk of cholera, issues like severe acute malnutrition, and food and security generally -- then we could be facing a catastrophe in 45 to 60 days,” said Chaiban Fighting between the government and rebels in South Sudan broke out in mid-December. The U.N. estimates more than 730,000 people are internally displaced and another 130,000 have fled to neighboring countries. The majority of those affected are women and children. While in South Sudan, Chaiban looked at the condition of displaced people in Minkaman and around the capital Juba. He was also able to visit some of the 38,000 people who have taken refuge in the U.N. compound in Malakal. He said he was impressed by the work U.N. agencies are doing in providing essential services for these displaced populations. “What is important is to be able to access that population and to do so quickly because the more time elapses, the worse the condition of the children that you reach, the more difficult it is to recover from either malnutrition or diarrheal diseases or upper respiratory infections,” he stated. Chaiban said $62 million is needed for emergency programs in Central African Republic this year and $75 million for South Sudan. While those countries and Syria are in the headlines, he urged donors to remember other emergencies, such as Burma, Yemen and Afghanistan, where the desperate humanitarian needs of people are crying out for help. Chinese are biggest smokers, and tobacco controls urged By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
More than 13 million deaths could be prevented in China over the next 40 years if the country fully implements global anti-smoking measures. Beijing has not taken many steps, however, to improve tobacco control. China signed onto the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2003, but it has only half-heartedly enforced the world body's strict recommendations to curtail smoking. Experts say that following the guidelines could cut smoking rates 40 percent by the year 2050. Without stronger measures, they estimate 50 million tobacco-related deaths could occur in China over that time. The authors of a new study based their predictions on a computer model called SimSmoke. David Levy of Georgetown University’s Lombardi Cancer Center in Washington said China, the world’s most populous nation, accounts for about one-third of the world's cigarette smokers. More than half the men in China smoke. Levy said people often take up the deadly habit unaware of the long-term health consequences. “Smoking, you know, once it gets established and in many of the low- and middle-income countries, you know there’s kind of a prestige initially to smoking,” he said. The World Health convention calls for anti-smoking campaigns and bans on smoking in all public places. To discourage smoking, it also calls for health warnings on cigarette packages, programs to help people kick the habit and stiff tobacco taxes. Experts say a 75 percent increase on cigarette taxes would save about 3.5 million lives, and a marketing ban would save about another 2 million. Since signing the convention, the Chinese imposed a 12-percent tax on cigarettes, but the higher price was not passed on to consumers. Teh-we Hu, a professor of public policy economics at the University of California Berkeley, is co-author of the study published in the British Medical Journal. Hu is optimistic that cultural and social norms in China are changing. He noted that President Hu Jintao is advocating the adoption of a ban on smoking in public and bestowing cigarettes as gifts to officials and employers. “So, that’s the promising part of it. But we have yet to see whether legislation will be implemented, will be compliant, whether there’s a penalty on it just like we do in the U.S. or in Hong Kong, in Taiwan or in other countries,” he said. Hu concedes the most effective anti-smoking measure, a major increase in the cigarette tax, is probably a long way off. Scientist would link DNA to its species classification By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
All living organisms on Earth could soon have a new name if a Virginia Tech professor has his way. Boris Vinatzer has developed a system that classifies and names organisms based on their genome sequence. His study was published in PLoS One. Vinatzer says his new system would provide scientists and others with a much more precise and clear universal language that could make communicating about all life on Earth easier. Adopting his system would provide each of Earth’s organisms, whether it’s a bacterium, plant, fungus or animal, with a heartier, more detailed and useful name, according to Vinatzer. The naming system is based on the one devised in the 18th century by Carl Linnaeus (a/k/a/ Carl von Linné), a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who is often referred to godfather of genus (taxonomic rank). The Linnaeus classification system has been used by scientists worldwide for more than 200 years. “Genome sequencing technology has progressed immensely in recent years and it now allows us to distinguish between any bacteria, plant, or animal at a very low cost,” said Vinatzer, who is with Virginia Tech’s Fralin Life Science Institute. “The limitation of the Linnaeus system is the absence of a method to name the sequenced organisms with precision.” Rather than completely change the current naming convention of biological classification, Vinatzer sees his system more as a way to add more specific defining data to the classification of every organism within its already named species. Since the naming system would depend on an organism’s specific genetic code, he says it would allow for a much quicker and more universal way of identifying new life forms. The system begins with the sampling and sequencing of an organism’s DNA. The sequenced DNA is then used to produce unique code that is specific to that individual organism, but is also based on its similarity to other like organisms that have already been sequenced. Unlike the current method of biological classification where the names of organisms may change and vary over time, Vinatzer says the code system would make names permanent and standardized. He also says that naming life forms based on his proposed code system would be faster than today’s long and detailed process that requires analyzing one organism’s physical characteristics compared to another’s. Back in 2009, Vinatzer and a colleague had success with using genome sequencing to trace a pathogen that was devastating kiwifruit crops around the world back to China. Brazil pleased that stadium will continue being built By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Many in Brazil sighed with relief after international football officials this week approved a construction delay for a Curitiba city stadium. Last month, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association threatened to remove Curitiba from the 2014 World Cup for failing to meet a series of construction deadlines. The stadium is now due for completion in mid-May, about a month before the start of the world's most important football event. Nearly 1,400 workers are now working around the clock to finish the stadium on time. Electrician Francisco Santos said the federation ultimatum was a wake-up call for Brazilian organizers. “They have now opened their eyes and they are employing enough people," he said. "Now it will work.” The Geneva-based football federation determined Tuesday that Curitiba is capable of finishing on time the infrastructure necessary for the matches it will host. Lawyer Nelsson Gomez said the decision saves Brazil's national pride. “It would have been a humiliation if Curitiba had been dropped.” The country's vice minister of sports, Luis Fernandes, was more concerned about preventing the financial loss Brazil would have suffered if Curitiba had lost its status as a World Cup venue. "It's a victory, in quotation marks. It is a victory as we turned around a situation which was heading towards the axing of a host city. And we think it's very important that the World Cup takes place in Brazil's 12 host cities. Because beyond the joy of the competition, it brings development and economic potential to the country's 12 regional centers. So on this aspect, yes, it was a victory," explained Fernandes. "Ideally, it would not have come to this with Curitiba and the stadium would be already ready." Others want the construction to end for a different reason. “We want them to put back in order everything that they got dirty. That’s what I want,” said Deshanine Dominone who lives near the stadium. Many Brazilians are not happy about the multi-billion-dollar cost of hosting the World Cup and two years later the Olympic Games. But former player Ronaldo, a member of the local World Cup organizing committee, said the benefits will be worth it. "It's our job to show to this small minority against the World Cup, that the World Cup will be a big celebration, a big business, leaving hundreds of legacies to our people," he said. Curitiba venue Arena da Baixada will seat 41,000 spectators. Officials have promised non-stop parties throughout Brazil during the World Cup. Malaria detectives trace parasite to African jungle By
the Perelman School of Medicine,
University of Pennsylvania, news service An international team of scientists has traced the origin of Plasmodium vivax, the second-worst malaria parasite of humans, to Africa, according to a study published this week in Nature Communications. Until recently, the closest genetic relatives of human P. vivax were found only in Asian macaques, leading researchers to believe that P. vivax originated in Asia. The study, led by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, found that wild-living apes in central Africa are widely infected with parasites that, genetically, are nearly identical to human P. vivax. This finding overturns the dogma that P. vivax originated in Asia, despite being most prevalent in humans there now, and also solves other vexing questions about P. vivax infection: how a mutation conferring resistance to P. vivax occurs at high frequency in the very region where this parasite seems absent and how travelers returning from regions where almost all humans lack the receptor for P. vivax can be infected with this parasite. Members of the labs of Beatrice Hahn and George Shaw, both professors of medicine and microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania, in collaboration with others tested over 5,000 ape fecal samples from dozens of field stations and sanctuaries in Africa for P. vivax DNA. They found P. vivax-like sequences in chimpanzees, in western and eastern gorillas, but not in bonobos. Ape P. vivax was highly prevalent in wild communities, exhibiting infection rates consistent with stable transmission of the parasite within the wild apes. Ape P. vivax infects both gorillas and chimpanzees, unlike the ape precursor of P. falciparum, the deadliest human malaria parasite, which only infects gorillas. The origin of P. falciparum in gorillas was discovered several years ago by the same international group of investigators. The team continued its widespread screen of malaria parasite DNA in wild-living primates, and noted that P. vivax was also endemic in gorillas and chimpanzees in central Africa. To examine the evolutionary relationships between ape and human parasites, the team generated parasite DNA sequences from wild and sanctuary apes, as well as from a global sampling of human P. vivax infections. They constructed a family tree of the sequences and found that ape and human parasites were very closely related. But ape parasites were more diverse than the human parasites and did not group according to their host species. In contrast, the human parasites formed a single lineage that fell within the branches of ape parasite sequences. From these evolutionary relationships, the team concluded that P. vivax is of African -- not Asian -- origin, and that all existing human P. vivax parasites evolved from a single ancestor that spread out of Africa. The high prevalence of P. vivax in wild-living apes, along with the recent finding of ape P. vivax in a European traveler, indicates the existence of a substantial natural reservoir of P. vivax in Africa. Of the five Plasmodium species known to cause malaria in humans, P. vivax is the most widespread. Although highly prevalent in Asia and Latin America, P. vivax was thought to be absent from west and central Africa due to a mutation in most indigenous African people. P. vivax parasites enter human red blood cells via a protein receptor. Because the absence of the receptor on the surface of these cells confers protection against P. vivax malaria, this parasite has long been suspected to be the agent that selected for this mutation. However, this hypothesis had been difficult to reconcile with the belief that P. vivax originated in Asia. “Our finding that wild-living apes in central Africa show widespread infection with diverse strains of P. vivax provides new insight into the evolutionary history of human P. vivax and resolves the paradox that a mutation conferring resistance to P. vivax occurs with high frequency in the very region where this parasite is absent in humans,” says Ms. Hahn. |
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| San José, Costa Rica, Monday, Feb. 24, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 38 | |||||||||
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Competing Caracas
marches outline divisions in nation By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Supporters and opponents of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro held rival marches Saturday in Caracas as he summoned all sides to what he described as a peace conference in the coming days. Opponents of Maduro began marching earlier this month against his government. They say they are tired of out-of-control crime and shortages in supermarkets in an oil-rich nation. Thousands of Maduro backers held a counter-demonstration, saying he is the democratically-elected leader. His wife, Cilia Flores, described the opposition as fascists. Meanwhile, Maduro is calling on all sides to join him for peace talks Wednesday. Late Friday, Maduro invited U.S. President Barack Obama to meet him for talks and condemned U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry as arrogant and insolent for criticizing the Venezuelan government's use of force against opposition protesters. In a statement Friday, Secretary Kerry called on the Maduro government to step back from its efforts to stifle dissent through force and respect basic human rights. He also said every government has a duty to maintain public order, and all sides, including the opposition protesters, must refrain from violence. Protest-related violence has killed 10 people and injured more than 100 others. President Maduro says the demonstrations are part of a right-wing attempt to topple his socialist government. He accuses the United States and international media outlets of supporting the opposition — a charge the State Department denies. He also revoked the accreditation of CNN reporters covering protests and ordered them to leave the country. The protests began Feb. 2 in the western city of San Cristobal, led by students angry over the soaring crime rate. Protests quickly spread to Caracas and other major cities, and intensified over the past two weeks. Venezuela has the world's largest proven oil reserves, but under Maduro and his predecessor, the late Hugo Chávez, the economy has declined, street crime is common, and corruption is widespread. |
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| From Page 7: Here are ways to improve a bad boss By
Elizabeth Morales Coto*
Special to A.M. Costa Rica Let´s remember the seven main features of a BAD BOSS: • Bad or lack of communication or expectation for mind reader abilities from the employees • Avoiding responsibility for a team`s fault or taking credit for someone else`s findings • Different attitudes when the boss is in and out • Bullying: Yelling, exaggeration or constant violent reprimands • Overly friendly situations • Small or no healthy eye contact • Severe negativity and critique Now let´s try to find positive turns to make these go away. Here are some options to try and
4. When points 1 and 3 are applied, bullying will go away naturally, there will be no need for harsh reactions to obtain positive environment and productivity out of the employees. 5. Overly friendly situations often turn into harassment or lack of respect towards and from the boss, so keeping a positive friendship with the employees, keeping it professional, and staying in that area is the best way to proceed. One or more talks will be necessary with a few workers if the friend zone has been established, but a good worker will always understand, if a proper explanation is given. Talking resolves pretty much everything here. 6. The lack of eye contact represents fear, but if the bullying part is gone, then there will be good business family communication, and this will translate into group chemistry for positive results, therefore, eye contact will be related to attention, interest and the intrinsic need to help the coworkers and boss reach the company goals. 7. When steps 1 and 6 have been put into the picture, then negativity and critique will banish and turn into positive and constructive critique. However, a boss and employees should always think before they talk and always refer to others and to problems in a positive and extra human way. That means that the problem should never be personal, but a situation or conflict external to the persons involved. This way, any conflict will have a fast and proper solution. Remember that one can only manage those things that can be measured. Any information to be used in decision-making needs to be accurate, functional, representative and realistic. Never hesitate to ask a professional for help or guidance and, better yet, before big fires need to be put out. Remember that problems exist to be solved, and always be a part of the solution. Stay dynamic and flexible to change and adapt positively. * Ms. Morales is an engineer with a master's of business administration specializing in business strategy and development. She is a principal in CEDAD Asesores and can be reached at info@cedadasesores.com. |
