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| A.M. Costa Rica's Second news page | |
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San
José, Costa Rica, Thursday, March 6, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 46
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 Ministerio de Gobernación,
Policía y Seguridad Pública
photo
Not even Coors Lite.What would you
do with it
when you brought the beer in? By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Expats going into the smuggling business have lots of options. Some expats are smuggling gasoline from Panamá, police have said. Clothing is another product that almost never results in police confiscation. But Milwaukee's Best? Admittedly Costa Rica has some high beer prices, and the local beers are not exactly top of the line. But Milwaukee's Best? Nevertheless there seems to be a run on the brand. Two persons have been nabbed in the last few days with cases of beer brought in from Panamá. The customs warehouse in Paso Canoas has some 240 cans of cheap beer as a result of confiscations. And that includes at least 168 cans of Milwaukee's Best.  Consejo de Vialidad
graphic
Blue lines show the route still
not started.Contract awarded for two jobs for Circunvalación in north By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes has issued a contract for the first of two projects that will complete the highway loop around the metro area. The job has been awarded to a Costa Rican-Dominican consortium called La Estrella-Hernán Solís for $141.16 million. The consortium will design 5.4 kilometers from the La Uruca intersection to Ruta 32 and also build a second stretch from Ruta 32 to Calle Blancos and the current eastern end of the highway. Two other firms, one from China and one from Mexico, submitted bids, said the ministry. The construction phase will take 18 months, and the design job is expected to take six months, the ministry said. When completed, both sections will close the circle around the metro area. The Circunvalación now is a four- and sometimes six-lane highway from San Pedro in the east along the south side of the metro area to La Uruca. This is the same route that has been partly closed due to a washout near Hatillo. The highway is back to four lanes at that point as of Wednesday morning. The contract has to be approved by the Contraloría General de la República. Twin earthquakes rattle the area around Nosara By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The Nosara area was the scene of two earthquakes Wednesday. The first took place at 3:16 p.m., and the magnitude was 4.9, said the Laboratorio de Ingenieria Sismica. The epicenter was estimated to be about 7.6 kilometers west southwest of Buenavista de Samara on the far Pacific coast of Nicoya. The second was about 9.5 kilometers south of Nosara at 4:57 p.m. In both cases, sensing instruments at Nosara reported moderate movement. The magnitude of the second quake was estimated to be 3.9, the Laboratorio said. Missing woman turns up By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The Judicial Investigating Organization said that a 25-year-old American woman, who has been reported missing, has turned up. The woman was identified as Jessica Jana Johnson. Agents said she disappeared Feb. 20. She contacted police herself Tuesday afternoon, the judicial police said.
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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, Thursday, March 6, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 46 | |
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Luís
Guillermo Solís now campaigns to get people to come out to vote
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By
Michael Krumholtz
of the A.M. Costa Rica staff As he walked under the red and yellow flags into the backyard of his party's headquarters, Luís Guillermo Solís put a pin over the left side of his chest that read "Salí a votar." The Partido Acción Ciudadana candidate then sat down with his family and campaign team in front of reporters, every now and then allowing for a few quick moments to point to and repeat those three words on his lapel. After his opponent Johnny Araya suspended his campaign earlier Wednesday, Solís had basically been given Costa Rica's next presidency one month before the official runoff election. Just don't tell him that. Solís insisted he is not yet the president and that he will continue his normal campaign process until the April 6 vote. "We're going to plan with great detail the rest of the campaign," Solís said. "The next few days will be devoted to organizing and introducing more communities to our plans." He urged his faithful in attendance and those watching from live television feeds to still attend the polls for the runoff vote. The integrity of the country's political system, he said, depends on voting and participation. "The main enemy of democracy is called abstentionism," Solís said. Hence the lapel pin that means "gone to vote" Survey numbers released Wednesday by the Centro de Investigación y Estudio Políticos at the Universidad de Costa Rica had shown a widened gap between Solís and Araya. One press member probed Solís on a comment made earlier by Araya that alluded to a national deal that had been made as part of his decision to drop out. The former Oscar Arias adviser denied any behind-the-scenes deal with Liberación Nacional. "We are looking for the best people to fill our cabinet positions," he said. "We want changes to be made." Though he was reluctant to label it a formality, Solís still confronted the basic ideas of his future presidency. He assured those watching that he would do his best to uphold the standards of democracy set in place long before him. "I want to make a call for the calm, for the serene," he said. "I want to ask you all to not be afraid. The country is much bigger than I am. We have the confidence and ability to steer the country the right way." President Laura Chinchilla made a phone call to the man who seems to be her eventual successor Wednesday afternoon. Solís recalled the 10-minute phone conversation and said Ms. Chinchilla expressed her concerns of a transition and its immediate effects on the nation's economy. She also wanted to guarantee an easy transition between administrations. Ms. Chinchilla released a statement after Araya's campaign |
 A.M. Costa Rica/Michael Krumholtz
Presidential candidate
Luís Guillermo Solís and his lapel pin.announcement in which she shared the stance of Solis that people still have an obligation to vote on the upcoming election day. "Costa Ricans should still go to the ballot boxes," she said. "The government maintains this attitude and will continue to ensure the support that our elected authorities require." |
| Johnny Araya Monge said that he put himself in the hands of
God |
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By
Michael Krumholtz
of the A.M. Costa Rica staff On the night of the Feb. 2 general election, Partido Liberación Nacional supporters sang and danced after an optimistic speech from presidential candidate Johnny Araya Monge. A month later in the same ballroom at the Hotel Corobicí, Araya told his faithful that his campaign was concluded. He said that he decided to put the future into the hands of God, when the polls showed a second round of voting would be needed. The man long thought of as the frontrunner had let his lead slip so opponent Luís Guillermo Solís actually finished in first place but not with enough votes to win. Solís of Partido Acción Ciudadana has since seemed to gain even more momentum. "I asked a lot of God, and he showed me important signs that I have received to be able to make this decision," Araya said. "I feel certain about this decision." The election's second round is still slated for April 6, as it must according to the Constitution and the Liberación candidate will still have his name on the ballot. But Araya's campaign manager, Antonio Álvarez Desanti, confirmed that the now-inactive presidential candidate will no longer do debates, place ads, or visit schools and churches for election purposes. "We will not call on the people to vote, nor will we stop them from voting," Álvarez said. Early Wednesday a Universidad de Costa Rica survey came out in which 64.4 percent of participants said they would vote for Solís. Only 20.9 percent said they would choose Araya. Nearly 15 percent of those 1,200 adults polled via telephone said they would not vote. Araya noted that Liberación leaders have heard those calls for administrative change from the people. "I have heard their reasons. I have paid attention to their judgements, and I have consulted the polls that measure the profound currents of public opinion," he said. "And I have realized the existence of a collective willpower wanting to be relieved of the current party in charge." Now that it looks certain there will not be a third consecutive Partido Liberación Nacional member residing in Casa Presidencial, the party said it is planning for a commitment to public services and to rebound with an influential leader in the 2018 elections. |
 A.M. Costa Rica/Michael Krumholtz
Johnny Araya and his wife,
Sandra, arrive at the Corobici.Álvarez, who spoke once Araya and his wife, Sandra, left the podium, said that the campaign team had realized the nation's voters truly do want a change from the Liberación standard. He said the polling was not the only cause for the party's retreat, but that it was a major consideration. "Effectively there's been a strike by the people of Costa Rica against Liberación Nacional," he said. "It would have been hard to imagine a victory given our analysis of the electoral map." The statistics and surveys that had initially favored Araya and his party plummeted over the past month. Álvarez blamed this sharp turn on the narrative most commonly used against Liberación Nacional that says no changes can come with another liberationista in office. "In this country there is a sentiment that continuity is bad." An earlier story is HERE! |
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
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| A.M. Costa Rica's Fourth News page | |||||
| San José, Costa Rica, Thursday, March 6, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 46 | |||||
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| Satellite tags open window onto the lost years of young
loggerheads |
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By
University of Central Florida news service
Small satellite-tracking devices attached to sea turtles swimming off Florida’s coast have delivered first-of-its-kind data that could help unlock the mystery of what endangered turtles do during the lost years. The lost years refer to the time after turtles hatch and head to sea where they remain for many years before returning to near-shore waters as large juveniles. The time period is often referred to as the lost years because not much has been known about where the young turtles go and how they interact with their oceanic environment. Until now. “What is exciting is that we provide the first look at the early behavior and movements of young sea turtles in the wild,” said University of Central Florida biologist Kate Mansfield, who led the team. “Before this study, most of the scientific information about the early life history of sea turtles was inferred through genetics studies, opportunistic sightings offshore, or laboratory-based studies. With real observations of turtles in their natural environment, we are able to examine and reevaluate existing hypotheses about the turtles’ early life history. This knowledge may help managers provide better protection for these threatened and endangered species.” Findings from the study appear in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. A team of scientists from University of Central Florida, Florida Atlantic University, University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, and University of Wisconsin tracked 17 loggerhead turtles for 27 to 220 days in the open ocean using small, solar-powered satellite tags. The goal was to better understand the turtles’ movements, habitat preferences and what role temperature may play in early sea turtle life history. Some of the findings challenge previously held beliefs. While the turtles remain in oceanic waters traveling between 124 miles to 2,672 miles off the continental shelf and the loggerhead turtles sought the surface of the water as predicted, the study found that the turtles do not necessarily remain within the currents associated with the North Atlantic subtropical gyre. It was historically thought that loggerhead turtles hatching from Florida’s east coast complete a long, developmental migration in a large circle around the Atlantic entrained in these currents. But the team’s data suggest that turtles may drop out of these currents into the middle of the Atlantic or the Sargasso Sea. The team also found that while the turtles mostly stayed at the sea surface, where they were exposed to the sun’s energy, the turtles’ shells registered more heat than anticipated as recorded by sensors in the satellite tags, leading the team to consider a new hypothesis about why the turtles seek refuge in Sargassum. It is a type of seaweed found on the surface of the water in the deep ocean long associated with young sea turtles. |
 University of Central Florida/Jim Abernethy
Kate Mansfield with tagged
lagggerhead about to be released.“We propose that young turtles remain at the sea surface to gain a thermal benefit,” Mansfield said. “This makes sense because the turtles are cold blooded animals. By remaining at the sea surface, and by associating with Sargassum habitat, turtles gain a thermal refuge of sorts that may help enhance growth and feeding rates, among other physiological benefits.” More research will be needed, but it’s a start at cracking the lost years mystery. The findings are important because the loggerhead turtles, along with other sea turtles, are threatened or endangered species. Florida beaches are important to their survival because they provide important nesting grounds in North America. More than 80 percent of Atlantic loggerheads nest along Florida’s coast. There are other important nesting grounds and nursing areas for sea turtles in the western hemisphere found from as far north as Virginia to South America and the Caribbean. “From the time they leave our shores, we don’t hear anything about them until they surface near the Canary Islands, which is like their primary school years,” said a Florida Atlantic University professor, Jeannette Wyneken, the study’s co-leader and author. “There’s a whole lot that happens during the Atlantic crossing that we knew nothing about. Our work helps to redefine Atlantic loggerhead nursery grounds and early loggerhead habitat use.” |
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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, Thursday, March 6, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 46 | |||||
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| Venezuela recalls Chávez but conditions are bad for all By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
One year ago, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced the death of Hugo Chávez, the socialist leader who had governed the country for 14 years, and vowed to preserve his mentor’s legacy. Today, worsening economic conditions, soaring crime and growing protests nationwide have many questioning whether Maduro can keep the Chavista coalition together absent the late president's charismatic leadership. Followers of the late Venezuelan leader took to the streets Wednesday to mark the anniversary of his death. Among Chávez supporters, affection for the charismatic leader still runs high. But there is also growing anger and frustration about the direction the country is heading. Inflation hit 56 percent last year. There are shortages of basic commodities such as cooking oil and flour and one of the highest murder rates in the world. Student-led anti-government demonstrations are heading into their second month and have in some cases turned deadly as protesters clashed with national guard officers and police. Ronn Pineo, a Latin America analyst with the Council on Hemispheric Affairs who admired Chávez, says many people are losing faith in his successor, President Maduro. “Maduro is not that man," he said. "And part of what we are seeing now is an individual who just doesn’t have the same level of charisma. He’s not as savvy politically.” Still, Venezuela's worsening conditions have not changed the country's political dynamics, says analyst Michael Shifter of the Inter-American Dialogue. “A lot of the discontent extends to the people who supported Chávez," he said. "What hasn’t happened is that many of those people have come over to the opposition.” In the most recent municipal elections in December, the ruling socialist parties bested the opposition. Support for the social programs that Chávez initiated that greatly reduced poverty and improved health care remain popular. But Pineo says Maduro has been unwilling or unable to make needed reforms to protect the sustainability of these programs, as his mentor had done in the past. “Chávez went too soon," he said. He wasn’t given enough of an opportunity to finally cement into place some of the things that he had built, he added. While Maduro has called for dialogue to deal with the nation’s problems, observers say his inaction so far has tarnished the legacy of Hugo Chávez. Budget is campaign ploy, Republicans say of Obama By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Republicans in the U.S. Congress Wednesday criticized President Obama’s 2015 budget proposal. The president’s spending plan raises taxes on the wealthy, creates new tax breaks for the poor and middle class and increases spending on domestic programs. This likely sets up a year-long battle with congressional Republicans. The president sent his $3.9 trillion budget proposal to Congress Tuesday. On Wednesday, Republicans responded. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan called the 2015 budget a campaign document. “Spending is out of control. We have to take back the reins. We have to address this before it gets too late," said Ryan. The budget, which requires congressional approval, includes $56 billion in new spending for military and domestic programs. The proposal reflects the president's goal of reducing income inequality, the gap between the wealthiest and poorest in America. It would eliminate tax cuts on the wealthy to pay for tax credits for childless workers and families with young children. Sylvia Burwell is the director of the government office that develops the budget. She spoke to the House Budget Committee. “It includes fully paid for investments in infrastructure, job training, preschool and pro-work tax cuts. At the same, it reduces deficits and strengthens our long-term fiscal outlook through additional health care reforms, tax reforms and by fixing our broken immigration system," said Ms. Burwell. Again, Chairman Ryan: “More tax increases, more spending and more debt aren’t going to get people back to work. They’re not going to increase take home pay. They’re not going to grow the economy," he said. Republicans will counter with a budget that will include welfare reform, an alternative to the president’s health care reform, and the party's own proposals to create upward mobility for the working class. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a Republican, said: “As Republicans we continue to be focused on those policies that are going to help people get jobs and also those policies that are going to help address the middle class squeeze - the struggle that people are facing in their day to day lives," said Ms. Rodgers. The budget battle is a forerunner of the November election. Republicans hope to hold on to the House of Representatives while Democrats are protecting a narrow majority in the Senate. Democrats are expected to point to what the president calls choices and values involving income inequality while Republicans are expected to push for lower spending and support for the middle class. Dalai Lama to give prayer to open U.S. Senate session By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, will lead the traditional opening prayer this morning in the U.S. Senate. This is the first time the Dalai Lama has led the prayer, even though he has visited the Capitol many times. The Dalai Lama has been touring the United States and met with President Barack Obama in the White House last month despite China's objections. The president repeated his strong support for Tibet's religious, cultural and linguistic traditions. The Dalai Lama said he is not seeking Tibetan independence from China and wants to resume a dialogue with Chinese leaders. China warned the United States there would be serious diplomatic consequences if the meeting took place, but nothing has happened. China accuses the Dalai Lama of using religion as a cloak to engage in separatist activities. It also has accused him of encouraging Tibetan separatists to set themselves on fire as a protest. The Dalai Lama has always denied the charge.  Oregon State University/ Steve O'Connell
Wristbands can sample an
individual's exposure to environmental toxins. Wristbands can
keep track
of exposure to toxic fumes By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
People around the world proclaim support for various causes by wearing colored wristbands, yellow for cancer research, pink for breast cancer, purple for animal welfare. But Oregon State University researchers have decided to use flexible silicone bracelets to support a different cause: measuring an individual's exposure to toxins. People are constantly exposed to all sorts of low level pollutants, from industrial compounds used in disinfectants and upholstery to fragrances and nicotine in consumer products to pesticides. Research suggests there is a link between some of these chemicals and health problems, but long-term measurements to confirm that are difficult to make. While monitoring exposure is typically done with bulky and expensive equipment, university researcher Kim Anderson notes that the silicone used to make the wristbands absorbs a wide variety of compounds. She and her colleagues had volunteers wear wristbands for various periods of time. They then measured levels of 49 different substances that had been absorbed. She says that it is possible to screen for more than 1,000 chemicals. Writing in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, the team concludes the widely-available wristbands could be a valuable tool for determining individual exposure and potential disease risk.  Voice of America photo
American Museum of Natural
History workers present the super suit.Diving super
suit allows
going much deeper, longer By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
A new diving suit will allow oceanographers to explore the underwater world up to four times deeper than today’s most advanced compressed air gear. In addition, the new suit will allow divers to stay underwater for hours, so they can explore marine life up close as never before. The so-called Exosuit is made of aluminum alloy, stands about two meters tall and weighs more than 240 kilograms. It is designed to protect divers below 300 meters, where the pressure is 30 times greater than on the surface. The Exosuit, unveiled at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, has 18 rotary joints, providing better freedom of movement than similar suits. Still, says Michael Lombardi, the museum's diving safety officer who tested the suit, it takes some time to get used to. “It takes an effort to find a comfortable spot in the suit, but at the same time you don't feel claustrophobic. I get that question all the time because it's so tight," said Lombardi. The Exosuit has four 1.6-horsepower water-jet thrusters, controlled by pressure-sensitive pads in the boots. The oxygen supply allows the diver to stay underwater for hours, with up to 50 hours of life support. A special tether will provide contact with the surface and send high-quality video of underwater organisms. Scientists are especially excited about the possibility of studying bioluminescent and biofluorescent animals in their own habitat. Curator of the museum’s Department of Ichthyology, John Sparks, says that people are amazed to learn that there are a lot of undiscovered species in the ocean depths. “Because everyone thinks everything is described, but you hit an area like a deep coral reef or this open water environment and can collect out there, we're going to find hundreds of new species," said Sparks. It took 14 years for the Canadian firm Nuytco Research Ltd. to design and construct a single Exosuit, at the cost of more than $1 million. It is scheduled to be tested in July, about 160 kilometers off the coast of New England.  Northwestern University photo
Northwestern University
biomedical engineer Patrick Kiser holds an intravaginal ring.Contraceptive
ring gives
protection from disease, too By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
An intravaginal ring that slowly releases an antiretroviral drug and a contraceptive has the potential to protect women from HIV, herpes and unwanted pregnancy. The ring is designed to remain in place for three months, delivering controlled doses of the medicines, which are already used for contraception and preventing HIV infection. By replacing high-dose pills that must be taken daily, researchers hope the device will increase adherence to the medical regimen. The intravaginal ring was developed over five years at Northwestern University by biomedical engineer Patrick Kiser and his colleagues. Writing in the journal PLOS ONE, Kiser said the team expected that women would use the ring primarily for contraception, but noted that they would also benefit from protection against sexually transmitted diseases. The easy-to-use device is being manufactured now and will soon be tested in women. Marijuana possession draws a small fine in Washington By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The Washington DC city council has decriminalized marijuana possession, making a violation no worse than a parking ticket. The measure now goes to Mayor Vincent Gray, who says he will sign it. The U.S. Congress, which oversees many affairs in Washington, is not expected to intervene. Anyone caught with 28 grams of marijuana or less will be fined $25, less than most city parking tickets. Supporters of the bill note that more than 90 percent of suspects arrested for marijuana possession in Washington are African-American. They point out that the drug is widely available on college campuses in the city, which are attended by students of many races. Opponents say the law is inconsistent because while possession is a no longer criminal, selling and smoking is still illegal. A number of cities and states have decriminalized pot, but it is still illegal under federal law. Study says that a hangover does not affect future drinks By
the Brown University School
of Public Health news service Many if not most people during their lives have experienced a hangover. Some people believe that hangovers might delay subsequent drinking through pain and discomfort or perhaps hasten drinking to relieve hangover symptoms, known as "the hair of the dog." A new study has investigated if a hangover following a drinking episode can influence the time to a future drink, finding that the influence is minimal. Results will be published in the May issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. "If hangovers motivate hair of the dog drinking to alleviate hangover symptoms, perhaps they play a direct role in the escalation of problematic drinking," explained Thomas M. Piasecki, a professor in the department of psychological sciences at the University of Missouri, as well as corresponding author for the study. "On the other hand, if hangovers punish or discourage drinking, why wouldn't we find that the people at highest risk of problem drinking are those who actually experience the fewest hangovers?" Piasecki cited two previous studies of hangover experiences that both suggested hangovers have implications for future drinking problems. "However, one found frequent hangover was risky while the other found that resistance to hangover is risky," he said. "In fact, the two findings may be compatible. For example, we have found that drinkers who reported being relatively insensitive to the intoxicating effects of alcohol … were actually more likely than their 'lightweight' peers to report having one or more hangovers during the study period. This is consistent with other research suggesting that being less sensitive to alcohol promotes heavy drinking. People who don't experience as much intoxication when drinking may have difficulty learning their limits and therefore may be more prone to drink to hangover-inducing levels." "It is well known in psychology that immediate positive or negative effects of a behavior are far more powerful than delayed effects in affecting whether people engage in that behavior again," added Damaris J. Rohsenow, a professor of behavioral and social sciences at Brown University School of Public Health. "People who drink heavily generally experience pleasurable effects while drinking, and that is what drives the decision to drink heavily again. The pain of hangover is temporary and may be considered a nuisance rather than an important negative consequence. Some studies show that younger drinkers do not consider hangovers to be a negative experience and that many drinkers are willing to experience hangovers time after time." Piasecki and his colleagues recruited 386 community-based frequent drinkers, oversampling for current smokers, to carry electronic diaries for 21 days while reporting on drinking behaviors and other experiences. Analysis was performed on data culled from 2,276 drinking episodes, including 463 episodes that were followed by self-reported hangovers in the morning-diary entries. "Our main finding is that hangovers appear to have a very modest effect on subsequent drinking," said Piasecki. "On average, the time between drinking episodes was extended by only a few hours after a hangover. We looked to see whether there were particular subgroups of drinkers who might show distinctive patterns like hair of the dog use, but we didn't find clear evidence for that. Participants made a diary entry each morning, and they were asked to rate their likelihood of drinking later the same day. It was striking that ratings made on hangover and non-hangover mornings did not differ. Even when the drinkers were acutely suffering a hangover, it didn't seem to affect their conscious drinking intentions. No doubt this reflects the fact that drinking behavior is determined by a host of factors, like day of the week, opportunity, and social plans." "There were some complicated interactions that indicated that if you stopped drinking while you still wanted to drink more, or if you had financial troubles, then you delayed drinking a few hours more if you also had a hangover in the morning than if you had no hangover," noted Rohsenow. "However, these effects were short-lived and hard to interpret. Furthermore, the people who experienced hangover also tended to experience more pleasure from drinking the night before, and those immediate pleasurable effects are likely to drive drinking decisions more than expecting an unpleasant hangover would." "Our findings fill in a basic piece of the puzzle concerning hangovers and alcoholism," said Piasecki. "If hangovers don't strongly discourage or punish drinking, links between current problem drinking and frequent hangover seem less incongruent. If hangovers don't generally hasten drinking, we can rule out a direct causal role of hangovers in the acceleration of problem drinking. Instead, the findings encourage us to think about alternate hypotheses linking hangovers and alcoholism, such as the possibility that hangovers are good markers for other risk factors, such as a propensity to lose control over drinking or individual differences in alcohol sensitivity. More broadly, I hope this kind of work will attract more research attention to alcohol hangover. It has been sort of a neglected topic in alcohol research. I find it surprising that the alcohol field hasn't shown a lot of interest in this constellation of physical and psychological post-drinking symptoms that have been known to people since antiquity. Studying hangovers may provide new clues that help us better understand the effects of alcohol on health and behavior." "The message here for clinicians is that it is probably a waste of time to discuss hangovers when trying to motivate a problem drinker to drink less or drink less often," said Rohsenow. "Drinkers do not seem to be bothered that much by the temporary discomfort of a hangover, since it does not get them to delay their drinking in any meaningful way, and since other studies show that young drinkers often perceive hangovers to be neutral or positive experiences." "Remember that hangovers are 100 percent preventable by abstaining from alcohol or drinking responsibly," advised Piasecki. "Of course, experiencing frequent hangovers is a warning sign that should probably prompt you to reflect upon your drinking, and to consider seeking help if you are having difficulty drinking within safe limits."  The Grande Naine, the export banana par excellence also known as the Chiquita. Banana variety
destroys
damaging root nematodes By
the KU Leuven news service
The banana variety Yangambi km5 produces toxic substances that kill the nematode Radopholus similis, a roundworm that infects the root tissue of banana plants to the frustration of farmers worldwide. The finding by an international team of researchers bodes well for the Grande Naine, the export banana par excellence, which is very susceptible to the roundworms. The parasitic nematode Radopholus similis is the invisible nemesis of the banana plant, says Dirk De Waele, one of the researchers. “This roundworm infects banana crops worldwide," he said. "The nematodes are invisible to the naked eye, but they can penetrate the roots of banana plants by the thousands. Once infected, these plants absorb less water and nutrients, resulting in yield losses of up to 75 percent. Lesions in the roots also make the plant more susceptible to other diseases. Eventually, the roots begin to rot. In the final stage of the disease, the plant topples over, its fruit bunch inexorably lost.” Combating nematodes isn’t easy, adds colleague Rony Swennen: “Synthetic pesticides are toxic and expensive. Moreover, pesticides usually do not actually kill the nematodes, they just temporarily paralyze them. Nematodes can also build up resistance to pesticides.” "We have always wondered how the Yangambi km5 fights off roundworms. This study offers an answer." While the Grande Naine is very susceptible to nematodes, other varieties are known to be resistant to them. Enter the Yangambi km5, a variety first grown in the 1950s at a Belgian research station in Yangambi, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The researchers compared the two banana varieties and studied their defense responses to Radopholus similis. “Researchers have always wondered how the Yangambi km5 manages to fight off roundworms," says De Waele. “This study goes a long way in answering that.” With colleagues at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Germany, the KU Leuven researchers identified the metabolites that kill the nematodes. “We found nine different nematode-killing metabolites in Yangambi km5. These metabolites are also produced in the Grande Naine, but much more slowly and in lesser quantities. In that banana variety, the nematodes win the fight.” The researchers' findings were published in a recent issue of the journal PNAS. The new insights into metabolites will be helpful in developing edible and pest-resistant banana varieties, says Swennen. “The next step is to screen other banana varieties for metabolites. This method could also be applied to other crops and other species of nematode. Nematodes pose a growing threat to rice production in Asia, for example. Our findings also provide the industry with perspectives to develop a generation of new pesticides against nematodes.” Senator confirms claim CIA snooped on aides By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency has launched an internal review into allegations that its officers had improperly monitored congressional staffers assigned to investigate the agency's interrogation program. Sen. Diane Feinstein told reporters Wednesday about the investigation by the CIA's inspector general , confirming earlier reports by The New York Times and McClatchy Newspapers. ms. Feinstein is the chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, which conducted a four-year investigation into the CIA's now-defunct terrorist detention and interrogation program, which began under former president George W. Bush. Under an agreement between the committee and the spy agency, the CIA provided computers for the committee's staff members so they could review millions of pages of classified documents. CIA officers allegedly conducted unauthorized searches of those computers to monitor the staffers' activities, which lawmakers say violated the agreement. CIA Director John Brennan issued a statement late Wednesday saying he was deeply dismayed over what he called spurious allegations made by lawmakers. Both the Times and McClatchy said the CIA's inspector general, who is handling the internal probe, has referred the matter to the Justice Department. Some lawmakers have suggested the alleged monitoring may have also violated federal law that prohibits unauthorized access to a computer. The Senate Intelligence Committee approved a 6,000-page report in December 2012 that concluded the CIA's detention and interrogation program, which held suspected terrorists in secret overseas prisons and engaged in harsh interrogation techniques such as waterboarding, yielded little or no significant intelligence. The committee sent the report to the CIA so the agency could review it and add its own comments before it was released to the public. Another scrap metal load was used to hide cocaine By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Anti-drug agents said they confiscated 554 kilos of cocaine Wednesday morning at the Peñas Blancas. The drugs were in steel boxes hidden under scrap metal. This is the second time in a week that anti-drug agents found cocaine being smuggled this way. They confiscated 740 kilos last Thursday. The truck involved in the latest case was headed to Guatemala, agents said. |
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| San José, Costa Rica, Thursday, March 6, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 46 | |||||||||
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U.S. lawmakers hear
tales of forced childhood sex By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
U.S. lawmakers are exploring ways to combat child sex trafficking, a crime that child safety advocates estimate is affecting several hundred thousand American children each year. Law enforcement officials, child safety groups and a victim shared their views on the problem with members of a House Appropriations subcommittee at a recent hearing. Lawmakers heard from Stephanie Vu, a human trafficking survivor who now works with the Shared Hope International and Youth for Tomorrow anti-trafficking groups. Vu told lawmakers that at the age of 12, she was chosen. She said an older boy that she met at a party lured her away from her family and into a life that included stripping at a club. Vu said that later, the boy threw her out of his house on a bitterly cold night after she refused his demand to sell herself for sex. She said she spent several hours outdoors shivering and pacing the streets before finally deciding to climb into a buyer's car. "That moment changed my life forever," said Vu. "There were three men that night and at the end of it, I couldn't stop vomiting," she said. The Polaris Project, a Washington-based group that fights global human trafficking, said U.S. sex trafficking has been found in a wide variety of venues, including residential brothels, fake massage businesses and online escort services. In a statement, the group said the average entry age into the commercial sex industry is between 12 and 14. It said children who become victims of sex trafficking sometimes encounter challenges that include isolation, criminalization and a lack of social services to help them recover from their trauma. Cindy McCain is co-chairwoman of the Arizona Governor's Task Force on Human Trafficking. She cited figures from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as she told lawmakers that child sex trafficking is a low risk, high reward enterprise. "NCMEC also estimates that a pimp can make between $150,000 and $200,000 per child per year," said McCain. "The average pimp has four to six little girls," she said. The perception of the prostitute walking the streets persists. However, Fairfax County, Virginia police detective William Woolf told lawmakers more and more child sex traffickers are actually using online tools. "They commonly exploit social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and things of that nature to be able to target their recruitment efforts, making them a lot more effective and efficient," he said. Woolf also said his department has seen an increase in trafficking activity, largely because of the Internet. "We see other Internet-based companies, like Backpage.com, that is openly and, in some senses, legally advertising commercial sex," said Woolf. "It gives these traffickers opportunities to advertise to the general public, these sexual services and to advertise, essentially, our children online," he said. However, Backpage said it cooperates with law enforcement efforts to find child sex traffickers. In an interview, Backpage Attorney Elizabeth McDougall said the Web site is not the root of the problem with child sex trafficking. "If Backpage shut down, the content wouldn't go away. It would go to an underground or offshore Web site," she said. Urban Institute Research Associate Colleen Owens said law enforcement officers have had some success in curbing online trafficking by moving to shut down Web sites and, in some cases, by posing as potential clients to catch traffickers. But she said in an interview that a broader approach is needed to fully address the problem. "To really tackle this issue, it involves a lot more than just using online sites to further investigate tactics," said Ms. Owens. "I think really trafficking requires a more comprehensive multi-disciplinary approach than maybe some other forms of crime or similar to some other forms of crime," she said. Lois Lee is president of Children of the Night, a California-based organization that helps youth who have been victims of sex trafficking. She said law enforcement efforts alone won't resolve these problems. "We need people to really do something, to develop programs. Homes for kids. Schools for kids," said Ms. Lee. Ms. Lee also said there should be more emphasis on helping young children in unstable homes, a problem that she said could make them more vulnerable to trafficking as they get older. |
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| From Page 7: Some bad gasoline cases still are pending By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Nearly two years after motor vehicles were damaged by excessive amounts of an additive in gasoline, some 69 cases are still pending, said the Autoridad Reguladora de Servicios Públicos Wednesday. So far 56 cases have been resolved through conciliation, 32 cases were rejected and 24 motorists failed to follow up, the agency said. Other cases were resolved through administrative procedures, said the agency. In all, the Refinadora Costarricense de Petróleo, the petroleum monopoly, has had to pay 100,274,511 colons, about $185,000 for the damages. The Autoridad received 192 complaints in 2012. The additive is methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl, known as MMT. |
