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Abstracts and fair use are permitted. Check HERE for more details |
A.M. Costa Rica's Second news page |
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San
José, Costa Rica, Monday, March 30, 2015, Vol. 15, No. 62
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Tragedy for
some marks holiday start
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Anyone leaving town for the western beaches last weekend faced bumper-to-bumper traffic into the last hours of the evening. Traffic was snarled from Parque La Sabana to well past the exit to Grecia on the Interamericana Norte. There were some accidents but the damage was minimal considering the speed of the traffic. But there were serious crashes elsewhere beginning late Thursday. The Cruz Roja said Sunday afternoon that 10 persons had died in violent deaths over the weekend and that 14 were hospitalized. The rescue agency counted five deaths in traffic accidents and 10 persons hospitalized as a result of such crashes. The Cruz Roja said that a man died when a vehicle rolled over in La Cruz, Guanacaste, Sunday morning. In Bagaces at 7:55 a.m. a crash left one person with multiple injuries, the agency said. In Limón about 9:30 a.m. Sunday an individual was hit by a vehicle, the Cruz Roja reported. Friday two men died in a head-on collision on the Circunvalacion between Paso Anchoo and San Sebastián. The 5 a.m. crash took place when a driver appeared to lose control and his vehicle crossed into the oncoming lane and struck a bus, said the Judicial Investigating Organization. The Judicial Investigating Organization also reported Friday that a man had been struck and killed by a vehicle in Orotina Thursday evening. A crash Friday night in Belén de Carrillo cost the life of a 52-year-old driver. Three persons in the other vehicle were injured, and one died later at the Hospital de Liberia, said judicial investigators. About 2:30 a.m. Saturday a driver on the Caldera highway in San Rafael de Escazú misjudged the location of a stationary flatbed tow truck, and the passenger side of the vehicle collided with the rear of the truck. A 21-year-old passenger died. Also Saturday morning about 4 a.m. a motorcycle collided with the rear of a small van on Avenida 5 in downtown San José. The 28-year-old driver died and a passenger was hospitalized. The Cruz Roja also reported one water death. That was at Caldera when two men were caught by a wave. One was rescued. Messenger gunned down in Zapote By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
A messenger for the Spoon restaurant chain died Sunday afternoon when he was attacked by two robbers. The judicial police identified the victim by the last name of Codinez, He was 45 and lived in Hatillo 2, agents said. The shooting took place in Zapote across the street from the Registro Nacional at the entrance to PriceSmart, observers said. The messenger was carrying money from the restaurants for deposit. He was on a motorcycle, and was ambushed by two men also on a motorcycle. The messenger struggled with the robbers and fought to keep the briefcase containing the money. They shot him for that reason, investigators said.  Ministerio de Seguridad Pública
photo
Frontier police
found these three pigs stuffed into a car truck whenthey stopped a vehicle at the Southern border. The car, containing five persons, was being chased by police in both Costa Rica and Panamá. Officials said the pigs were stolen from a local school. Theater floor plans are on display By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Most Costa Ricans and residents who attend concerts at the Teatro Nacional are aware vaguely that they are sitting on a floor that moves. Under the seats of the theater are mechanisms that can level the floor. This usually takes place for state dinners when the government hosts many guests. Now those interested can see the original plans for the floor. The Ministerio de Hacienda is putting the plans on display through April 15 in the lobby of the ministry building that is across Avenida Secunda from the theater. The plans are 117 years old. Some license plates still prohibited. By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Even though this week is Semana Santa, the traffic police are enforcing the downtown license plate restrictions today, Tuesday and Wednesday. So drivers of vehicles with license plates ending in 1 or 2 today may be ticketed if they venture into the area between La Uruca and the Circunvalación at San Pedro. Some motorists have complained this is overkill because downtown traffic is expected to be minimal today. But the traffic police note that government workers are supposed to be on the job through Wednesday. Semana
Santa information
Banco Nacional gives Semana Santa hours By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Banco Nacional said that it would close Holy Thursday, April 2, and reopen Monday, April 6. The reason is the Semana Santa holidays. In addition, the bank said that it would not provide evening services on Wednesday, April 1. The bank will close at 3:45 p.m. that day. There may be some variations at individual bank offices outside the metro area. For example, the office at the Depósito Libre de Golfito will be open Saturday, April 4, and Easter Sunday, April 5. The closing in the evening of April 2 might be a hardship to workers who are paid by check. But the automatic tellers will be in service all days. •
The Municipalidad de Palmares said that it would enforce the
dry law next Thursday and Friday, April 2 and April 3.
•
The Municipalidad de
Montes de Oca will be open Monday, March 30, and Tuesday, March
31. Then the municipal offices close until April 6.The canton also will enforce the Easter dry law April 2 and April 3, Holy Thursday and Friday. •
The Municipalidad de Nicoya
will not enforce the dry law.•
A.M. Costa Rica will
not be published Friday, April 3.•
The Caja
Costarricense de Seguro Social will only offer hospital and
emergency services April 2 and 3. Employees in many areas that re not
directlyinvolved with the public will be closed all of Semna Santa, but
financial and adminstraive officers will be open Monday, March 30,
through Wednesday, April 1.•
Good Shepherd Episcopal Church lists servicesBy the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The Good Shepherd Episcopal (Anglican) Church has announced Holy Week services. All services are bilingual, an announcement said. The special services begin Palm Sunday, March 29, at 9 a.m. The Holy Wednesday services April 1 also is at 9 a.m. The service Holy Thursday, April 2, is at 6 p.m. The Good Friday service April 3 is from noon to 3 p.m., and the Great Vigil of Easter is Saturday, April 4, at 6 p.m. The Easter Sunday service April 5 is at 9 a.m. The church is on Avenida 4 at Calle 5 next to McDonald's.
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
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this Web site are copyrighted by Consultantes Ro Colorado S.A 2015
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 Third News Page |
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| San José, Costa Rica, Monday, March 30, 2015, Vol. 15, No. 62 | |
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A hiker going through the Quebrada González will find improvements such as this small bridge and a well-defined trail. |
 A.M. Costa Rica/Steven Rogeers
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| This untouched forest is just a short ride from downtown San
José |
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By Dennis Rogers
Special to A.M. Costa Rica Less than an hour from San José one the most accessible spots in the national park system allows a short hike through untouched forest. The Quebrada González station is just off the main Braulio Carrillo highway in the park of the same name. About 45 minutes from the north side of San José, the park station is on the right about five kilometers past the only large bridge on the highway, over the Río Sucio. The bridge is just below a well-known spot where the river loaded with sediment from the north side of the Volcan Irazú joins a clear river. Both watersheds are almost intact. On the highway, the continental divide is between the toll booth and the short tunnel. Fog can be a problem here usually later in the day. At the Quebrada González station a trail goes up the creek away from the highway and the noise of the highway is quickly left behind. The trail is a circle 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) long through pristine forest. The first several hundred meters are relatively flat before the trail starts up onto a ridge. The last part of the loop is steep steps down and affected by traffic noise. To keep the hike manageable one can turn around at any point. Once on a ridge top where the trucks can be heard again, most of the nicer part of the walk is behind. The forest here is an exceptionally wet foothill forest where clouds coming across the humid Caribbean lowlands dumps large volumes of rain. It can rain any time of year here, but during the January-March dry season and earlier in the day are better. This habitat is home to many species of birds with colorful tanagers well-represented. Unfortunately for the casual and serious birdwatcher alike, the fanciest tend to rove through the forest canopy in mixed flocks that don’t pause much for observation. In the area of the trail, there are usually about three of these flocks which might be located on any given visit. |
 A.M.
Costa Rica/Steven Rogeers
The harmless sock-headed
snake (Enulius sclateri), a
typical inhabitant of the Caribbean jungles, is one of the critters
found in the Quebrada González.The trail is one of the better places in Costa Rica for species characteristic of this narrow band of wet forest, such as lattice-tailed trogon, yellow-eared toucanet, dull-mantled antbird, black-crowned antpitta, black-headed antthrush, sharpbill, pale-vented thrush, and ashy-throated bush-tanager. More likely to be seen or at least heard close to the trail are orange-billed sparrow, white-breasted wood-wren, white-ruffed manakin, olive and tawny-crested tanagers (together), common bush-tanager, and black-headed nightingale-thrush. Large animals and snakes are rarely seen. There is another trail across the highway but the habitat there is secondary as it was cattle pasture when the park was founded in the 1980s. The entrance fee is $12 for international tourists and 1,000 colons for Costa Ricans and residents. The gate technically opens at 8 a.m. The rangers prefer you park up in front of the station itself. |
| Malicious spammer targets A.M. Costa Rica advertisers with
zip file |
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By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Advertisers and others with email addresses in A.M. Costa Rica have been targeted by a spammer who sent out messages Sunday using the newspaper name. The messages contained a zip file that most certainly holds a malicious program. The newspaper has been under attack by spammers for the last three weeks. This is the first time that the spammers targeted advertisers. The email addresses appear to come from ads running in the newspaper. The email originated at this address: kdunham@new.rr.com. The path of the fake message passes through the Google server and may have come from Coudersport, Pennsylvania, via a Times Warner Internet cable. The real origin is hard to pinpoint because the spammers sent the message through various servers, including one in Green Bay, Wisconsin. |
The message
was designed specifically for A.M. Costa Rica advertisers because it
contained the newspaper's street address. The message said: "Please see attached for an updated version of the Project sales report, which includes a merits & transaction page. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask." Although A.M. Costa Rica frequently sends out invoices in a .pdf attachment, it never sends zip files, and editors and other employees do not open zip files, regardless of the source. Technicians at the A.M. Costa Rica server have said that there is no way to prevent such messages because they are sent from a computer outside the newspaper's email system. The IP address from which the message was sent shows up on some blacklists. |
| You need to see Costa Rican tourism information HERE! |
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
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this Web site are copyrighted by Consultantes Río Colorado S.A.
2015 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, March 30, 2015, Vol. 15, No. 62 | |||||
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 ETH Zurich/ iStock.com
Boston was hit by
extraordinary cold snaps in the past two winters. |
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| Scientist discount warming link with extreme cold weather in
U.S. |
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By the Eidgenössische Technische
Hochschule Zürich
news staff Cold snaps like the ones that hit the eastern United States in the past winters are not a consequence of climate change. Scientists at ETH Zurich and the California Institute of Technology have shown that global warming actually tends to reduce temperature variability. Repeated cold snaps led to temperatures far below freezing across the eastern United States in the past two winters. Parts of the Niagara Falls froze, and ice floes formed on Lake Michigan. Such low temperatures had become rare in recent years. Pictures of icy, snow-covered cities made their way around the world, raising the question of whether climate change could be responsible for these extreme events. It has been argued that the amplified warming of the Arctic relative to lower latitudes in recent decades has weakened the polar jet stream, a strong wind current several kilometers high in the atmosphere driven by temperature differences between the warm tropics and cold polar regions. One hypothesis is that a weaker jet stream may become more wavy, leading to greater fluctuations in temperature in mid-latitudes. Through a wavier jet stream, it has been suggested, amplified Arctic warming may have contributed to the cold snaps that hit the eastern United States. Scientists at ETH Zurich and at the California Institute of Technology, led by Tapio Schneider, professor of climate dynamics in Zurich, have come to a different conclusion. They used climate simulations and theoretical arguments to show that in most places, the range of temperature fluctuations will decrease as the climate warms. So not only will cold snaps become rarer simply because the climate is warming. Additionally, their frequency will be reduced because fluctuations about the warming mean temperature also becomes smaller, the scientists wrote in the latest issue of the Journal of Climate. The study’s point of departure was that higher latitudes are |
indeed
warming faster than lower ones, which means that the temperature
difference between the equator and the poles is decreasing.
Imagine for a moment that this temperature difference
no longer exists. This would mean that air masses would have the same
temperature, regardless of whether they flow from the south or north.
In theory there would no longer be any temperature variability. Such an
extreme scenario will not occur, but it illustrates the scientists’
theoretical approach. Using a highly simplified model, they examined various climate scenarios to verify their theory. It showed that the temperature variability in mid-latitudes indeed decreases as the temperature difference between the poles and the equator diminishes. Climate model simulations by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change showed similar results: as the climate warms, temperature differences in mid-latitudes decrease, and so does temperature variability, especially in winter. Temperature extremes will therefore become rarer as this variability is reduced. But this does not mean there will be no temperature extremes in the future. “Despite lower temperature variance, there will be more extreme warm periods in the future because the Earth is warming,” says Schneider. The researchers limited their work to temperature trends. Other extreme events, such as storms with heavy rain or snowfall, can still become more common as the climate warms, as other studies have shown. And the jet stream? Schneider shrugs off the idea: “The waviness of the jet stream that makes our day-to-day weather does not change much.” Changes in the north-south difference in temperatures play a greater role in modifying temperature variability. Schneider wants to explore the implications these results have in further studies. In particular, he wants to pursue the question of whether heat waves in Europe may become more common because the frequency of blocking highs may increase. And he wants to find why these high pressure systems become stationary and how they change with the climate. |
Here's reasonable medical care
Costa Rica's world class medical specialists are at your command. Get the top care for much less than U.S. prices. It is really a great way to spend a vacation. See our list of recommended professionals HERE!amcr-prom
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
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contents of
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2015 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 Fifth
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| More beheadings reported in Islamic State territory By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The Islamic State terrorist group released a new video Sunday showing its fighters cutting off the heads of eight men described as Shi'ite Muslims. The eight men were said to be beheaded in the central Syrian province of Hama. Blindfolded and with their hands tied behind their backs, the men are seen being led forward in a field by what appear to be teenage boys. They were then handed over to a group of fighters. A boy wearing a black uniform is seen handing out knives to the fighters before the hostages are killed. The video was posted on social media. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights in the United Kingdom said the video appeared authentic. An Islamic State fighter speaks in the video, calling the hostages impure infidels and saying the military campaign against the Islamic State will make the group stronger. The Islamic State terror group has beheaded scores of captives since taking large parts of Iraq and Syria last year. Earlier this month, a video was released showing the beheading of three Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga fighters. Republican primary seen as a gigantic free-for-all By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas kicked off in recent days what is likely to be the longest, most expensive and perhaps most contentious Republican Party presidential battle in history. Cruz has been lagging in the national polls and hoped that his early announcement would give him some momentum as conservative activists around the country begin to focus on the fight for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination in 2016. Cruz hopes to build on his support among Tea Party supporters and expand his appeal to evangelical Christian voters, hence his decision to announce on the campus of the nation’s largest Christian college, Liberty University in Virginia. “What I am so encouraged by is the enthusiasm that we are seeing, particularly in the early primary states, in Iowa, in New Hampshire and in South Carolina,” Cruz told ABC News. “People are hungry for someone who will stand up and fight alongside them.” Whether Cruz’s early announcement will boost him from his low position in the polls remains to be seen. The 2016 field promises to be among the most crowded in recent history. But one thing is certain: Cruz is not easily deterred from his ambitions. Cruz was born in Canada but since his mother was an American citizen he is eligible to run for president. In a recent profile in The Washington Post, Cruz told friends that he began looking at his own presidential eligibility when he was a child. The Cruz announcement signals the beginning of an intense period of activity as other candidates prepare to jump into the race while others still pondering a run for the White House assess levels of support and their ability to raise funds. Former Florida governor Jeb Bush is at or near the top of most polls among the Republican contenders. But Bush told voters in Georgia he’s aware he will have to overcome the doubts of conservative activists. “I’m the most conservative governor in Florida’s history," he said. "I cut taxes every year.” Republican strategist Ford O’Connell worked on the 2008 McCain-Palin campaign. He picked Bush, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as the top Republican contenders so far who will appeal to Republican primary voters. “They are looking for three things," he said. "They want someone who can win the White House in 2016. They want a strong leader and they want someone who is going to do what they say they are going to do and not just sell campaign rhetoric to win the nomination.” Bush is a favorite of the party’s establishment wing while Cruz wants to become the champion of Tea Party activists and social conservatives. O’Connell said the various Republican contenders will be looking to appeal to various groups with the Republican Party who play key roles in the nominating process. “It is a very complicated mosaic," he said. "We have four main types of voters. There are the moderate or establishment voters, which are about 40 to 45 percent of the party. We have what are known as grass roots conservatives or the media likes to call them Tea Party. They are about 20 to 25 percent of the party. "We have social conservatives, which are about 18 to 20 percent of the party," O'Connell said. "They are strongly against abortion and they are strongly against gay marriage. And then we have this libertarian strain, which is about 10 to 15 percent of the party and they just don’t like the government whatsoever.” A long campaign will test the ability of contenders to raise money, analysts say. “There are more than 20 potential contenders, which makes it potentially the largest field in either party in modern times,” said University of Virginia political expert Larry Sabato. “Now the truth is there isn’t going to be enough money to support most of these candidates, and so some of them just want to get on the debate stage to make their points or sell their books.” The 2016 Republican race could be the most exciting in decades according to Washington Post political reporter Dan Balz. “Normally what you find in a Republican race and sometimes in a Democratic race is, if not an heir apparent, a pretty clear frontrunner," he said. "We don’t have that in the Republican race so it is going to be a more interesting one than we have sometimes seen.” Republicans seem excited by their choices so far but already some conservative activists are talking about banding together with the aim of denying Bush the nomination because they see him as unacceptably moderate. As for the eventual winner, political strategist O’Connell said it will be a test of who can put together the strongest coalition of the various conservative groups that make up the Republican Party. “You have certain blocs of support depending on the candidate," he said. "The question is, can you broaden your appeal to all major swaths of the Republican Party and that is really going to be the key if you want to make this a two candidate race or actually win the nomination.”  Voice of America photo
The lever system is
demonstrated in this photoLevers on
wheelchair design
gives mechanical advantage By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
For many disabled people, the only way to move around is by using a wheelchair. Those who cannot afford powered wheelchairs propel themselves with their arms, which often leads to fatigue, pain, and even permanent damage to arms and shoulders. In 2007, a group of mechanical engineering students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology decided that the wheelchair needed a new design. Amos Winter, now an MIT professor, came up with an innovative idea for a wheelchair propelled by levers. The group formed a company called Global Research and Innovation Technology and started manufacturing what they call the Leveraged Freedom Chair. The firm’s chief technology officer, Mario Bollini, said that "instead of grabbing on the wheels, like you would with the regular wheelchair, you grab these levers that you can push with either hand — kind of like a bench press. And it uses a bicycle drivetrain, very similar to what you have on your bike, to transfer power from these levers to the wheels.” Other wheelchairs are also based on push-lever technology, but Bollini said his firm's design is unique in at least two important areas. “Our core technology is this lever-drive train that you’re able to make entirely out of bike parts," he said. "And so that lets us have a really low-cost design, especially compared to the other competitors in the U.S., for about half the price of the next closest chair on the market, with, I think, better performance in our drive train. In addition to that, we’re the only drive train that lets you change the mechanical advantage by where you grab the lever.” Bollini said the leveraged wheelchairs are especially useful for moving over the rugged surfaces often encountered in developing countries. “We’ve had chairs in India for multiple years that are still performing great, and chairs in sub-Saharan Africa that are also doing very well out in the field," he said. "And most importantly, we have designed the chair so that every part is easily found on the local markets.” If a wheel or a chain breaks, it can be replaced with a regular bike wheel and regular bike chain. The production started in 2011, and Bollini said that last year, the firm shipped almost 1,200 Leveraged Freedom Chairs to 17 countries. They are mostly sold to aid agencies and non-government organizations, which distribute them free of charge. The company plans to design an equally affordable folding model. Paper says jet crash co-pilot may have had eye problems By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The Germanwings co-pilot, accused of intentionally crashing his plane into the Alps, may have had vision problems in addition to being treated by psychologists, a German newspaper reported Sunday. Bild am Sonntag reports investigators found evidence 27-year-old co-pilot Andreas Lubitz feared losing his eyesight due to a detached retina. Prosecutors said Friday searches of Lubitz's home uncovered documents that suggested "an existing illness and appropriate medical treatment." Police also found evidence that he was treated for a psychological illness. The newspaper also reported that Lubitz's girlfriend, whom he lived with, was pregnant. French officials said the plane's flight recorders indicate that Lubitz locked the pilot out of the cockpit before the jet crashed on Tuesday, killing all 150 people on board. Bild said the captain, who likely had left the controls to use the restroom, screamed "For God's sake, open the door," while pounding on the cockpit door in an attempt to gain reentry. Prosecutors said the voice recorder indicates Lubitz, alone with the controls, manually sent the Airbus A-320 jetliner into a final descent at 700 kilometers an hour. Flight 9525 was bound from Barcelona, Spain, to the German city of Dusseldorf, with 144 passengers and six crew when it crashed about 100 kilometers north of the French Riviera city of Nice. People from at least 18 countries were aboard the flight, with 72 Germans and at least 35 Spaniards among the casualties. Forensic teams say they have so far isolated 78 DNA strands from remains found at the mountain crash site. Also Sunday, the pastor of the Lutheran church in Lubitz's hometown of Montabaur, said Sunday that the community stands by him and his family, despite the fact that prosecutors blame the co-pilot for causing the plane crash that killed 150 people in southern France. The town of Montabaur has been rattled by the revelation that Lubitz, who first learned to fly at a nearby glider club, may have intentionally caused Tuesday's crash of Germanwings Flight 9525. "For us, it makes it particularly difficult that the only victim from Montabaur is suspected to have caused this tragedy, this crash, although this has not been finally confirmed, but a lot is indicating that, and we have to face this," pastor Michael Dietrich said. He spoke after holding a church service Sunday to commemorate the crash victims and support their families. "The co-pilot, the family belong to our community, and we stand by this, and we embrace them and will not hide this, and want to support the family in particular," Dietrich said. He added that there is no direct contact with the family at the moment, but that he believes they are receiving good assistance. French prosecutors haven't questioned the family yet "out of decency and respect for their pain," Marseille prosecutor Brice Robin said. Elsewhere Sunday, the family of Jun Ichi Sato, a Japanese man who died in the crash, visited a memorial site in the French Alps. The father, stepfather and wife of Japanese national Sato spent about an hour at the site, where they laid flowers and burned incense. In Rome, Pope Francis prayed for the victims of the plane crash, citing in particular the 16 German students returning from an exchange trip to Spain. He offered the prayer after Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square at the start of Holy Week. Philippines pushes tourism with new casino projects By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Tourism is a multi-billion dollar industry in the Philippines. Close to five million foreign visitors traveled there last year, perhaps lured by the country’s tropical beaches. But the country hopes to entice more travelers to stay indoors and spend money inside new casinos. When international visitors touch down in the Philippine capital, they do not have very far to go to reach the casinos. Entertainment City is located adjacent to the international airport. Two of its four planned casinos are now open for business. That includes the new resort, the City of Dreams. When it opened in February, gaming officials said this hotel and casino complex will help turn Manila into the next Macau, which has long been Asia’s gambling hub. Manila-based travel writer Carlo Velasco says his city still has a ways to go before that can happen. But he says more casinos can be good for the local economy. “We do have a need to create or diversify our tourism in Manila. As you can see Manila as a tourism destination is limited in terms of appeal to the international market,” says Velasco. And in order to make Manila’s gaming industry a success, Velasco says foreign gamblers are essential. “The casinos in the Philippines need to appeal to the high rollers and most of them come from the international market, mainly China,” says Velasco. Chinese travelers were the fourth largest nationality that visited the Philippines in 2014. Some observers say this is a market that the country cannot miss out on. Edieser De la Santa lectures at the University of the Philippines Asian Institute of Tourism. “Chinese tourists travel in droves, they spend a lot of money, and it’s forecast by the World Tourism Organization to be the number one tourism market in the world,” says De la Santa. But since Beijing issued a travel warning for the Philippines late last year, the number of Chinese tourists here has been on the decline. De la Santa says the move was most likely in retaliation for territorial disputes with Manila in the South China Sea. But the City of Dreams casino does not seem worried about the decline in Chinese tour groups. Representatives say they are focused on the domestic market and attracting other Asian gamblers. Duke and Michigan State make cut for Final Four By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The Duke and Michigan State University men's basketball teams scored victories Sunday to join No. 1 Kentucky and Wisconsin in the Final Four of the NCAA Division One championship tournament. The Duke Blue Devils of North Carolina pulled ahead late in defeating Gonzaga of Washington State, 66-52, in a game played in Houston, Texas. Earlier Sunday in Syracuse, New York, Michigan State upset Louisville in overtime, 76-70. Saturday, Kentucky edged Notre Dame of Indiana, 68-66, and Wisconsin beat Arizona, 85-78. In the widely followed, single elimination national tournament, this year's Final Four will be played in Indianapolis. In the semifinals this coming Saturday, Kentucky will play Wisconsin, and Duke will face Michigan State. Kentucky also played Wisconsin in last year's semifinal and was victorious by one point, then lost to Connecticut in the final. Obama has plan to stem drug-resistant bacteria By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
President Barack Obama on Friday announced a new five-year plan to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria, saying it is one of the most serious public health issues faced today. Obama told reporters at the White House, before meeting privately with his advisers on science and technology, that people take antibiotics for granted for a lot of illnesses. "If we start seeing those medicines diminish in effectiveness, we're going to have problems,'' he said. Germs can become resistant to antibiotics through repeated exposure, making the bacteria immune to typical medicines. The president's plan includes working to prevent the spread of resistant bacteria, improving the monitoring and diagnosing of bacteria-resistant strains, and improving research into new drugs. He offered few details about the new plan. Obama also said the solution is not just finding new antibiotics. "It’s also making sure that we're using antibiotics properly. ... There are a whole range of reasons why bacteria are becoming more and more resistant to our traditional treatments." Critics said his plan does not adequately tackle the use of antibiotics in farming. Russia motorcycle helmet contains active GPS system By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
In cities with heavily congested traffic, people can get around much faster on a motorcycle than in a car. But a rider who is not sure of his route may have to stop to look at the map or consult a GPS. A Russian startup company is working to make navigation easier for motorcyclists. Designers at Moscow-based LiveMap are developing a smart helmet with a built-in navigation system, head-mounted display and voice recognition. Weaving in and out of traffic can test the patience of the best bike riders, especially if they have to stop by the road to look at the map or use a GPS to get directions. Andrei Artishchev, chief executive of LiveMap, said, "If we talk about security, it would be right to do the helmet so that a man could navigate without stopping by the side of the road and having to type a new address on his mobile phone, but making it by voice, for example, just saying 'Madison Avenue,' and the computer replies, 'The route is set up.' " Some visor-mounted devices already exist that make navigation easier. But LiveMap is creating a smart helmet with navigation and voice-recognition systems built into the helmet. The prototype features a translucent color display that’s projected onto the visor in the center of the field of vision and with a voice-controlled interface. The helmet’s display features a light sensor that adjusts image brightness and features tools to track head movements. Artishchev said he was inspired to create it seven years ago, when he saw a pilot's helmet with built-in navigation. He decided to create a similar helmet but at a lower price. "An aviation helmet costs between $10,000 to $15,000 because it is not a mass-market product. I want to sell the helmet for $2,000," Artishchev said. Artishchev consulted several Russian optics specialists before embarking on the project. He used Android and Google glass technologies to make the headgear convenient. "Maybe for military pilots and their tasks it is enough to have everything shown in green color. But when I just started to work on the project I thought that it would be difficult to explain to a mass consumer who has been using a multicolor mobile phone for years why his helmet costing $2,000 has only green color while his mobile telephone has 16 million colors," he said. A prototype of a helmet with a built-in navigation system, called Skully, has already been introduced by an American company. Anatoly Sukhov, editor-in-chief of Moto Magazine Russia, said that helmet is not the same thing as the version LiveMap is creating. "There is a difference in their parameters. The American helmet is much heavier. I think its weight is almost 2 kilograms, and the Russian one weighs 1.4 kilograms. So, this is a very big difference. Anything that weighs more than 1.5 kilograms is not a helmet," Sukhov said. The Russian entrepreneur hopes to launch his smart helmet within the next year or two in English-language markets. It will cost $2,000, but it can be pre-ordered now for $1,500. |
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
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| San José, Costa Rica, Monday, March 30, 2015, Vol. 15, No. 62 | |||||||||
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The spring equinox: sun about 10 degrees from being directly overhead at noon, and me? I was doing a chorus of “Mad Dogs and Englishmen.” I was out planting vetiver on a slope near the house. I am well and truly
Sunburn or not, it was a successful day of planting vetiver. This clumping grass has been around for a long time. There is a farm in India with a 200+-year-old stand of the grass doing what it does best – preventing erosion. The Army Corp of Engineers used it in World War II all over the Pacific Theater. The grass is popular all over the Pacific but it’s amazing how little known it is to expats like myself. Well, time to learn because I evidently don’t walk around our property enough. We are up in the hills overlooking Lake Arenal, and the hills are the problem. All that up and down gets exhausting after a while. The minute I forget to pay attention to the property, something will come up. This time, something came down: A nasty slump in a hillside. Cows are part of the problem, all that chomping of grass and clomping of hooves. But rain is certainly an issue any time land slumps. For a solution, I am reaching for vetiver. Vetiveria zizanioides to be exact (don’t ask me to pronounce the ziza-part). And why? Because vetiver has really really deep roots. The roots can grow 3 to 4 meters (up to 13 feet) in the first year. That’s impressive. As the rains come and soil begins to wash down the hill it hits clumps of the grass and stays put. This silt, caught by vetiver, can build up at a rate of 10-30 cm (5-15 inches) in one season. Planted correctly, it actually helps terraces form. This is actually a miracle grass in many ways. Cows eat it, and it comes back. It’s non-invasive, reduces water runoff, filters the water, is pest and disease resistant, is adaptable to many soils, the list just goes on and on. So, if you have hilly land and worry about erosion, grab yourself some vetiver. It truly is a miracle grass.  A.M. Costa Rica/Victoria
Torley
Plant of the Day
My vetiver after 24 hours is looking a bit sad in this
picture, but I am sure it will recover and thrive. Vetiver is a
sterile grass so you will need to look for plugs at your vivero.
These were less than $1 each. Thirty-five in the ground, another
forty to go. Oh my aching back.If you would like to suggest a topic for this column, simply send a letter to the editor. And, for more garden tips, visit https://www.facebook.com/pages/Arenal-Gardeners/413220712106845 |
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| From Page 7 : Books launched at literary event in Grecia Special to A.M. Cost Rica
Penman House Publishing launched books from three expat novelists Saturday. The three are Aaron Aalborg, Michael Crump and K. Francis Ryan. Some 60 guests including the media, other authors, creative writing experts and book lovers attended the launch in Grecia. Each of the authors gave brief presentations. All profits from book sales at the event will go to Oxfam and the Fundación Puriscaleña Pro Clìnica de Control del Dolor y Cuidados Paliativos. Penman House Publishing offers a new concept in that it seeks to creatively interact with readers. Each writer agrees to put draft versions of chapters on www.Penmanhouse.com and to take comments and suggestions from interested readers and writers. Aaron Aalborg, is the author of two thrillers "They deserved It" and "Revolution." He is a British resident of Costa Rica but writes for an international audience. He explained that he challenges readers to think about moral and political issues in new ways. He entices readers to do this with dramatic action and unexpected twists. Michael Crump, author of "Candyman’s War," "The Oligarch" and his third sequel, "Twelve Days," said that his interests stemmed from his curiosity about the campesino culture in which he lives. His published work is historical fiction set in the Guatemalan Civil War and its aftermath. A new fictional work, "El Peon," is being revised to an unidentified setting in Central America. K. Francis Ryan is the Amazon best selling author of "The Echoes Quartet," an adult paranormal mystery series. "Echoes Through the Mist" and "Echoes through the Vatican" were available at the book signing. All Penman House Publishing’s books are available through Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. More books are planned for 2015. There is more about the books, projects, Penman House and its authors at www.penmanhouse.com. |
