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Escazú author wins a top fiction prize
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Escazú resident and A.M. Costa Rica associate Lou Kilzer has been honored with a top book award for his first novel "Fatal Redemption." Kilzer wrote the book along with Mark Boyden, a British national who .
The main character is Sally Will, a young, hyper-determined investigative reporter for the Chicago Tribune who smokes black cigars, drinks too much and suffers periodic panic attacks. Based in Denver, she catches the story of a lifetime, according to a summary. In this mystery thriller, Sally must overcome the Russian mafia and its green-eyed assassin Katya, the Chicago mob and the mystery killer, the summary said. Sally makes mistakes, she draws wrong conclusions, but with the help of her lover, former FBI agent Lou Elliott, Sally confronts all the danger head on, it added. Grady Harp, a top 10 reviewer at Amazon says “This is one of the toughest, smartest, most terrifying and well-conceived forays in the dark underworlds of two continents. Crime, intrigue, romance, passion, political shenanigans fill this superb book. Stand aside Lee Child, Tom Clancy, and Ian Fleming. Here is a new take on intrigue!” Kilzer borrows from his many years as a newspaper investigative reporter. He twice won the Pulitzer Prize for his news articles. He has been in Costa Rica writing for more than a year. The sequel is "Fatal Seductions," where Sally Will and the Green Eyed Lady go face-to-face, Kilzer said. It was written with the help of a rear admiral of the U.S. Pacific submarine fleet and involves a North Korean plot to attack the United States, he added. This book, too, takes place in part in Costa Rica, Jacó, La Sabana and San José. The sequel is due out in a few months. Kilzer said he was regarded as dyslexic to the point of hopelessness, throughout his early school years" in Wyoming. He fought against these preconceptions of abject failure to graduate cuma laude from Yale University to craft a career as an investigative reporter and as an acclaimed historical author. Kilzer has written two non-fiction historical books, "Hitler's Traitor: Martin Bormann and the Defeat of the Reich," and "Churchill's Deception: The Dark Secret That Destroyed Nazi Germany." As part of his research, Kilzer received unprecedented access to the archives of the former Russian KGB. "Fatal Redemption" is available at Amazon in paperback or as an e-book and at Nook, iTunes or KOBO, as are other Kilzer books.  Pennsylvania State University
photo
Colony
of the symmetrical brain coral, Pseudodiploria
strigosa, thatis a common reef-building coral in the Caribbean. When under stress, these animals may harbor a species of mutualistic microbe, which was recently discovered to be introduced from the Indo-Pacific. Invasive
algae is good and bad for coral
By the Pennsylvania State University news
staff
An invasive species of symbiotic micro-alga has spread across the Caribbean Sea, according to an international team of researchers. These single-cell algae, which live within the cells of coral animals, are improving the resilience of coral communities to heat stress caused by global warming but also are diminishing the abilities of corals to build reefs. "The results raise a potentially contentious issue about whether this invasion is relatively good or bad for the long-term productivity of reef corals in the Atlantic Ocean and the ecosystems they support," said Todd LaJeunesse, associate professor of biology at Pennsylvania State University The team's findings appear in Monday's issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. According to LaJeunesse, relationships between corals and photosynthetic algae evolved over millions of years and are generally mutually beneficial. Corals derive energy and nutrients from algae. In turn algae obtain nutrients and protection by living in the tissues of corals. "Coral reefs are highly important to the biosphere, and they also have enormous economic and societal value in the form of tourism, recreation and coastal protection, and as a source of food and pharmaceuticals," said LaJeunesse. "Currently, these ecosystems are threatened by synergistic effects of diminished water quality, increased temperature and reduced ocean alkalinity." LaJeunesse and his team, which includes researchers from the University of Delaware and the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, used DNA sequencing techniques to document this possible new threat to coral reefs, the spread of non-native Symbiodinium trenchii, which comes from the Indo-Pacific. To determine that S. trenchii's presence in the Caribbean likely came from a limited introduction and then began to spread, the team used population genetic markers to analyze the genetic diversity among populations of S. trenchii in the Indo-Pacific and compared this diversity with that in the Caribbean Sea. "We found that the Caribbean population of S. trenchii contains very little genetic diversity and is highly inbred," said Tye Pettay, a postdoctoral fellow, University of Delaware. "In contrast, S. trenchii in the Indian and Pacific oceans is extremely diverse and contains far more genetic diversity on a single reef the size of a football field than it does in the entire Caribbean Sea. Our evidence indicates that the introduction of S. trenchii to the Caribbean was relatively recent. There has been no time for it to evolve any novel genetic diversity." In its new home in the Caribbean, the team found, S. trenchii behaves opportunistically and proliferates within coral colonies during periods of increased sea-surface temperatures, enabling the corals to survive these episodes. During these warming events, S. trenchii replaces the more sensitive native species of algae, which are expelled by their hosts when the environment becomes too warm, a process known as bleaching. S. trenchii eventually is replaced by native species of algae after environmental conditions return to normal. "For some time now researchers have focused on identifying stress-tolerant symbiodinium that may allow reef corals to better cope with future increases in temperatures," said Pettay. "Symbiodinium trenchii in the Caribbean possesses those attributes. It turns out, however, that because this species was introduced to the region, its symbioses may be suboptimal, which may significantly diminish coral growth under normal conditions." Specifically, the researchers found that S. trenchii benefits some colonies of coral by providing them with thermal tolerance under conditions up to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit higher than normal, yet the team also found that for one group of dominant reef-building corals, Mountainous Star Coral, S. trenchii reduces rates of calcification, the process by which reefs are built, by half. "Our results indicate that S. trenchii may not translocate as many nutrients to the coral host as do native species, which is why we see reduced calcification rates among the corals," said LaJeunesse. The retention of more nutrients to invest in its own growth and physiology may explain, in part, why S. trenchii can continue to function under heat stress and is not expelled by the host during warming events, he added. As a result, corals with S. trenchii tend not to bleach. "Invasive species pose major threats to biodiversity, ecosystem function and economic well-being," said LaJeunesse. "Growing evidence indicates that microbes, which include micro-algae, are being successfully introduced to new places around the world, but we still have little understanding of the negative or positive outcomes from such introductions. This work highlights how microbial introductions, many of which may be unknown to science, can affect ecosystem stability and function -- in this case, reduced calcification of corals in the Caribbean." Sex workers demand respect on their day By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
An organization of sex workers said Monday that they were demanding respect from those providing medical services and from police. The organization is La Asociación La Sala, which presented grievances at the legislature. Sex workers face violence every day, and this violence manifest itself as discrimination, stigmatization, bad treatment at health centers, and police repression, said the organization in a release. The organization noted that today is the international day of the sex worker because it is the anniversary of a 1975 French protest by prostitutes there. Ms. Ordoñez was quoted as saying that women are free to decide about their own bodies and that they have fundamental rights that they will not surrender. Beer tasting planned in Heredia By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The fourth annual exposition of Costa Rican beers takes place Saturday at the Petregal event center in Heredia. The hours are from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is 12,000 colons, almost $24. The Asociación de Cerveceros Artesanales de Costa Rica sponsors the beer tasting. Most of the beer makers are small scale and are relatively unknown even among the beer-drinking public. The association warned on its Web site that some of the brewers might run out early. Those who purchase an entry ticket receive a small container with which they can taste the various beers. However, they also have to purchase 1,000-colon tickets. Each ticket can be exchanged for a five-ounce sample of beer. Anyone who gets drunk and causes a ruckus will be ejected, the organization said. Traditional dance classes announced By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The Taller Nacional de Danza plans classes in traditional Chorotega folkloric dances for the public. The series of 24 classes that run through August. Each month there is a charge of 15,000 colons or a bit less than $30, said an announcement Enrollment ends today at 3:30 p.m. at the Taller Nacional de Danza in Barrio Escalante. The organization is an element of the Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud.
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
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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, Tuesday, June 2, Vol. 15, No. 107 | |
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Instituto Meteorológico Nacional graphic
Rainfall during the month of May |
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| Rainfall in May sets records for the most in east and the
least in west |
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By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
May weather set records for being dry in the west and being wet in the east. The Instituto Meteorológico Nacional said that the prior record for the least rainfall in Liberia was set in 1967, based on records dating from 1937. In May of that year 7.5 millimeters of rain fell, just 19/64s of an inch. This May there was just 1.3 of a millimeter or 3/64ths of an inch, data showed. The story was just the opposite in La Selva de Sarapiquí where the old record for rainfall was 940 millimeters in 2002. |
a bit more
than 37 inches. This year in May the weather institute measured 1,028
millimeters or about 40.5 inches Guanacaste always is on the dry side, and the Caribbean coast and the northern zone usually are wetter at this time of year. But thanks to El Niño in the far Pacific the differences are magnified this year. That is why farmers and ranchers are screaming. One suggestion has been to use government money to access the abundant underground water. Ranchers say, however, that trying to get a well permit is a lengthy process and that the government has not taken steps to make it shorter. One said that a well that meets all the rules for distance from waterways and other concerns still takes months. |
| Education ministry to include sustainability in school
curriculum |
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By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The education ministry has unveiled a program of sustainable development. One aspect is the instruction of youngsters about sustainability. The Ministerio de Educación Pública also said that it would incorporate sustainability in its own internal practices, such as saving paper and water. Sonia Marta Mora Escalante is the minister of Educación |
Pública.
She said in a release that there are three segments to
the plan. The first is education for sustainable development, The
second is sustainable management of the ministry resources. The third
is in external strategic alliances. She was quoted as saying that environmental sustainability is the center of educational management and one of the pillars in the construction of a new education policy. Regional education officials were briefed on the policy Monday. |
| Environmental fair starts Wednesday at the Antigua Aduana in
San José |
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By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Some 110 stands will present products or services at the 2015 Feria del Ambiente that opens Wednesday at the Antique Aduana on Calle 23. The event runs through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. In addition there are discussions each day on topics as critical as the handling of municipal trash and how to reduce the carbon footprint of public transport, said an announcement. Organizers expect 25,000 visitors. This is the 11th annual edition. Many major corporations will be presenting themselves as environmentally progressive. |
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| 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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| San José, Costa Rica, Tuesday, June 2, Vol. 15, No. 107 | |||||
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| Glass you can cook in marks 100 years in the kitchens of the
world |
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By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
One hundred years ago, a new brand of kitchenware named Pyrex entered the American market, firmly imprinting its name into the psyche of consumers. It is still being manufactured while the early models are now collector items. The characteristic sound of putting the lid on a Pyrex dish is recognizable to many, as it can be heard in kitchens all over the world. Heat resistant glass was invented in Germany at the end of the 19th century, but was used mostly in lanterns and in jars to hold telegraph and telephone batteries. Its usefulness as cookware was discovered by accident. A scientist from the Corning Glass Works manufacturing company in New York brought his wife a sawed-off battery jar made of the so-called borosilicate glass, resistant to heat and mechanical abuse. “She proceeded to bake a cake, a sponge cake, in this battery jar. And she discovered that the baking was much more efficient, and much more even than baking in ceramic or |
metal was,”
said Kelley Elliott, of the Corning Museum of Glass. Elliott added that when it finally appeared on the market in 1915, Pyrex dishware became an instant hit. At first, dishes were made of clear glass, but the company soon started offering it in colors popular at that time. Owner of the vintage homeware shop Aunt Katie’s Attic, in Scotia, New York, Kate Halasz, said these retro-colored dishes are much sought-after among collectors. “It's kind of crazy! But the popular patterns are the pinks, the turquoises," said Ms. Halasz. "The friendship pattern is a pattern that came out in the 70s. That's highly collectible.” Because it is not affected by temperature changes, borosilicate glass is also being used for astronomical instruments, such as the 5.1 meter telescope mirror at Mount Palomar Observatory. As for Pyrex dishes, they are still being manufactured by companies that bought the rights to this recognizable brand name. |
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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A.M. Costa Rica's Fifth
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| U.S. Senate might vote today on surveillance bill By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Hours after the U.S. government’s domestic surveillance authority expired, senators debated a bill to restart the collection of Americans’ phone records for anti-terrorism purposes but to have telecommunications companies store them. “We’ll have a vote on that legislation as soon as we can,” said Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. “It’s time to get the job done.” McConnell pressed for an expedited vote on the USA Freedom Act Monday, but was blocked by a fellow Republican, Sen. Rand Paul, who objected. As a result, the majority leader scheduled a vote to end debate for later today. Until and unless both houses of Congress pass an identical bill authorizing the bulk collection of telephone data by some entity, those logs will not automatically be kept. Passed overwhelmingly last month by the House of Representatives, the USA Freedom Act would keep phone records in private corporate servers unless the government obtains a court order to review them. After initially rejecting the bill, the Senate voted late Sunday to begin floor deliberations and consider possible amendments. The vote came hours before the NSA’s authorization to collect bulk data expired, with no program approved to replace it. Despite acknowledging a need for swift action, the Senate’s Republican leadership wants to amend the USA Freedom Act to allow more transition time for the new data collection program to be launched, and wants the director of national intelligence to certify that the system is working. “These fixes are common sense, and whatever one thinks of the proposed new system, there needs to be basic assurance that it will function as its proponents say that it will,” said McConnell. “The Senate should adopt these basic safeguards.” Any alterations would force another House vote before the bill could go to the White House for President Barack Obama’s signature While Congress works its will, the U.S. government will have to subpoena phone companies for call records if a terrorist plot is suspected, rather than simply consulting the National Security Agency’s databases. The situation has the White House expressing increasing impatience with Congress in general and the Senate in particular. “The Senate’s failure to act introduces unnecessary risk to the country and to our citizens,” said White House spokesman Josh Earnest. Monday multiple senators took to the floor to defend the bulk collection of Americans’ telephone records, a program exposed two years ago by fugitive former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. “I think the American people want us to know if terrorists are talking to somebody in this country,” said Republican Richard Burr, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. “I think they really do want us to know that.” Another Republican, John Cornyn, warned that the United States is slipping back into a pre-9/11 mentality, referring to the federal government’s failure to detect terrorist threats prior to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Democrats, meanwhile, are voicing strong support for the USA Freedom Act and urging its prompt approval. “We need to get these authorities restored,” said Sen. Barbara Mikulski. “Do we need reform? Absolutely. But let’s not delay, let’s get it going.” Rand Paul’s procedural delaying tactics have earned him the ire of some colleagues on Capitol Hill. But the senator, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination next year, is standing firm in his contention that bulk telephone data storage at the government’s behest is an unconstitutional violation of Americans’ civil liberties. Speaking late Sunday, Paul warned against allowing government agencies to “collect anything they want anytime they want.” Deadly heat wave causes thousands of deaths in India By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The severe heat wave gripping India is the second deadliest the country has experienced and the fifth deadliest in the world. The death toll across the county is topping 2,000, and there are rising calls for authorities to put in place more measures to cope with extreme temperatures. Scattered rain brought relief to a handful of places from scorching temperatures that have persisted for nearly two weeks across much of India. But across vast swathes of India, the heat showed no sign of letting up. A Brussels-based disaster center, the Emergency Events Database, called it the world’s fifth-deadliest heat wave. Chandra Bhushan, deputy director of the New Delhi-based Center for Science and Environment, said although India is used to coping with high temperatures, the summer heat has turned deadlier as temperatures increase more rapidly. “Generally there is a slow ramp up of temperature. But that did not happen. We had an unusually cold and wet March and April and then from the first week of May, the temperature suddenly started to increase and the ramp up was very, very fast," Ms. Bhushan explained. "What it means is in a very short period of time, the temperature increased by close to 15 to 20 degrees.” In the worst-affected states such as Andhra Pradesh, authorities issued advisories for people to stay in the shade. But it was advice many poor people, such as construction labor, hawkers and vendors, dependent on daily wages, could not afford to heed. The plight of those in crowded cities was worsened as a lack of tree cover and paved surfaces drove temperatures higher. In many places, temperatures have hovered around 45 degrees C. R.S. Deshpande at the Indian Institute of Social Science Research said as with most other disasters, poor people are the worst hit. They do not have access to homes with protective roofs or the right clothing to help cope with the weather. Deshpande said the economic costs of such a heat wave can be crippling for poor people. “Their income takes a dip, the health hazards are more, and the expenditure on health increases, expenditures on other items increases, like they have to buy fruit. Usually in the summer there is no other work also, as far as their living condition are concerned they take a dip in summer,” Deshpande said. Experts point out that although heat waves are now listed as a disaster, little has been done to cope with them on the same footing as cyclones and earthquakes. But as the killer heat wave persists across large parts of the country, calls for authorities to do more to prepare for such extreme weather are becoming louder. So far only one Indian city, Ahmedabad in the western Gujarat state, has put in place a heat action plan to protect its residents. The many measures include public and community awareness campaigns, setting up cooling spaces in malls and other public buildings, training doctors and alerting supervisors at construction sites on how to protect laborers. Dileep Mavalankar is director of Ahmedabad’s heat action plan, which he said was modeled after one put in place in Europe following a killer heat wave in 2003. He said the action plan has shown results: it helped reduce mortality during a major heat wave that hit the city for a few days last June.“That time the mortality instead of reaching 300 per day, it reached to 180 in one day. So the peak mortality during heat wave is reduced at least in Ahmedabad. It seems the peak mortality which we saw in 2010 is much, much, much reduced,” he said. Mavalankar said that the response to a workshop they held in April to promote similar plans for authorities from other cities was lukewarm. Several states did not send representatives, and only two states showed interest in adopting a similar plan. The recent heat wave, however, could put more pressure on authorities to draw up contingency plans to cope with extreme weather, which climate experts warn could become more frequent in future. Ms. Bhushan at the Center of Science and Environment calls for better forecasting systems and other measures to alleviate the impact of extreme temperatures. “If a warning is announced, that all the manual work is stopped for a certain period of time, say for example between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., people are out allowed to work in fields and outdoors," she said. "Second concern is, we will have to upgrade our public infrastructure much more for heat waves, whether it is about providing water at public places, having dehydration salts at public places, much more alert health care systems.” But even as experts worry about the future, most Indians are simply longing for a break from the heat. For the time being, all hopes are pinned on the annual monsoon rains, which usually hit the southern coast by this time, and which weather officials say could arrive any day. June is designated as time to honor immigrants to U.S. By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
June marks the second annual Immigrant Heritage Month in the United States, meant to honor the accomplishments and role of immigrants in shaping U.S. history and culture. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2013 American Community Survey, the nation's immigrant population was more than 41 million, or 13 percent of the total population of 316 million. Mexican-born immigrants are the majority, comprising 28 percent of the 41 million total immigrant populations. Mexican immigration to the United States has gone through several waves starting before World War II, continuing with programs for seasonal farm labor. Although the number of Mexican immigrants remains the highest in the country, in recent years it has started to decline as a result of recession, improved educational and economic opportunities at home, and tougher border enforcement. Meanwhile, immigrant groups from India and China, including Hong Kong, but not Taiwan, each account for about 5 percent of the United States' total immigrant population. Many moved to the country to work, study or join family members already here. The Philippines has the fourth highest number of immigrants living in the United States at 4 percent, while residents from Vietnam, El Salvador, Cuba and Korea each make up 3 percent of the immigrant total. Up until the mid-1960s, immigration restrictions in the United States favored the entry of people from Europe. However, with the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act, a law that made it so people would be admitted based on their occupational skills rather than their country of origin, the makeup of most immigrants also changed from Europe to Latin America and Asia. In 1960, Europeans made up nearly 75 percent of the U.S. immigrant population, but by 2013 that number dwindled to just 11.6 percent. During the same period, immigrants from South and Central America increased from 19 to 54 percent. U.S. rugby team has eyes for a 2016 Olympic berth By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The USA Rugby men's sevens team is trying to reach another milestone this month by qualifying for the 2016 Olympics after winning its first-ever Sevens World Series tournament in London on May 17. The Rio Summer Games will mark rugby's first appearance in the Olympics since 1924, when the U.S. men won a gold medal in the 15-a-side version of the sport. The U.S. men's seven-a-side team can get a chance to try to emulate that historic achievement by winning a North America and Caribbean Olympic qualification tournament in the U.S. state of North Carolina June 13 and 14. In that event the Eagles, as the U.S. men's Sevens players are known, are likely to face a final matchup against Canada, the region's only other highly-ranked team. Canada was one of several traditional rugby powers whom the Eagles beat convincingly at London's Twickenham Stadium last month on the way to winning their maiden Sevens World Series Cup title. The U.S. men also trounced hosts England, already qualified for the Olympics, in the Cup semi-final and Australia in the final. London was the final leg of the annual nine-city international Sevens tour. It ended with the Eagles securing sixth place in a field of 22 nations, the best finish to date, but just short of the top four places that secured automatic entry to the Olympics. Still, the London Cup victory has given the Eagles a confidence boost going into a potential re-match with Canada in the qualification final, according to U.S. team member Danny Barrett. "For the rest of the world, we are kind of known as a sleeping giant, so to be awakened a little bit going into the Olympics year is a big deal for us," Barrett said. Barrett attributes the Eagles' improved performance to a new coaching team hired last year, led by Englishman Mike Friday and his assistant, New Zealander Chris Brown. Speaking by phone from London last week, Friday said he has been focussing on how to identify rugby talent in a country as vast as the United States and how to create team unity among players of diverse cultural backgrounds. Friday said he also has helped the Eagles to become better players, closing gaps in their tactical understanding of Sevens rugby and teaching them to boost their mental resilience and put the interests of the team above the individual. But the U.S. head coach said he needs more investment in the sport to boost his team's prospects in the long run. "If we qualify for the 2016 Olympics and get a medal, it will be in spite, not be because, of the existing U.S. rugby infrastructure," Friday said. Building that infrastructure at the U.S. high school level is key, according to Friday. "We need to position rugby in high schools as a complement to American football and basketball, which students can become better at if they understand and play rugby," he said. Soccer great Pele endorses Blatter as do Africans By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The world of soccer continues to be rocked by allegations of corruption at the sport's world governing body. There are new questions over whether bribes were paid to secure votes for hosting the World Cup. It comes days after the re-election of controversial President Sepp Blatter. European nations will hold an emergency meeting this week to discuss what action to take over the crisis. Arriving in Havana Monday for an exhibition match between the New York Cosmos and the Cuban national team, one of the greatest players the sport has ever seen added his voice to the scandal engulfing world football. Pele, who won three World Cups with Brazil, gave his backing to Blatter. “I was in favor of Sepp Blatter's re-election,” Pele told reporters. “I was a director for FIFA, and I am part of FIFA, and it's better to have someone with experience,” he said. He used the acronym for the Fédération Internationale de Football Association. The United States indicted several federation officials on corruption charges last week. Swiss officials are investigating the process that awarded the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 event to Qatar. South Africa hosted the 2010 World Cup, the first finals held on African soil. The head of South African football admitted Sunday that the federation had made a $10 million payment in 2008 to the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football. However, he insisted it was not a bribe, but rather meant to support grass roots soccer among African diasporas. African support for Blatter remained strong, said sports analyst Philip Barker. “He took the World Cup to Africa. So he will always be revered in that part of the world for bringing the world game to them and giving them a fair chance to really take center stage,” he said. Former football administrator for Zambia, Simaata Simaata, said African football has benefited from federation investment under Blatter. “People are saying to themselves that ‘if Sepp Blatter goes, these projects might just close down and we are back to square one. So let’s keep him for as long as we can,'” said Simaata. But it’s not only federation members that wield power. The corporate sponsors were watching events closely, said Barker. “Football is seen as a force for good. If FIFA, and by dint football, then becomes a negative thing, then sponsors are going to want to disassociate themselves with it.” he said. Speaking Saturday, the federation president appeared to suggest his critics were motivated by envy. “There are signs that don't lie’” Blatter said. “The Americans were candidates for the 2022 World Cup and they lost. The English were candidates for the 2018 World Cup, and they lost,” he said. The Union of European Football Associations will hold an emergency meeting Friday in Berlin to discuss the crisis. Some members, including England, have suggested a boycott of the federation. Others have proposed a rival tournament to include teams from Europe and South America. |
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Banning phones
helps kids, research says
By the University of Texas news staff
Banning cellphones in schools reaps the same benefits as extending the school year by five days, according to a study co-authored by an economist at The University of Texas at Austin. “New technologies are typically thought of as improving productivity, however this is not always the case,” said Richard Murphy, an assistant professor of economics. “When technology is multipurpose, such as cellphones, it can be both distracting and disruptive.” Murphy and Louis-Philippe Beland, an assistant professor of economics at Louisiana State University, measured the impact of mobile phones on student performance by surveying 91 schools in four English cities (Birmingham, London, Leicester and Manchester) before and after strict cellphone policies were implemented. By comparing student exam records and mobile phone policies from 2001 to 2013, researchers noted a significant growth in student achievement in classrooms that banned cellphones, with student test scores improving by 6.41 percent points of a standard deviation. This made them 2 percentage points more likely to pass the required exams at the end of high school, researchers explained. “We found the impact of banning phones for these students equivalent to an additional hour a week in school, or to increasing the school year by five days,” Murphy said. Low-achieving students benefited most from the ban, with test scores increasing by 14.23 percent points of a standard deviation, a gain that was double compared with that of average students, making them 4 percentage points more likely to pass the exams. Likewise, the ban greatly benefitted special education needs students and those eligible for free school meals, improving exam scores 10 and 12 percent points of a standard deviation respectively. However, researchers found that strict cellphone policies had little effect on both high-achieving students and 14-year-olds, suggesting that high achievers are less distracted by mobile phones and younger teens own and use phones less often. “This means allowing phones into schools would be the most damaging to low-achieving and low-income students, exacerbating any existing learning inequalities,” Murphy said. “Whilst we cannot test the reason why directly, it is indicative that these students are distracted by the presence of phones, and high-ability students are able to concentrate.” Though phone ownership among English teens is high. Some 90.3 percent owned a mobile phone by 2012. The results are likely to be significant in U.S. schools where 73 percent of teenagers own a mobile phone, Murphy said. “Banning cell phones in schools would be a low-cost way for schools to reduce educational inequality,” Murphy said. “However, these findings do not discount the possibility that mobile phones could be a useful learning tool if their use is properly structured. Regardless, these results show that the presence of cellphones in schools cannot be ignored.” Contest finds plenty of game fish By the A.M Costa Rica staff
Sports fishing enthusiasts caught and released 20 blue marlin and 17 sailfish during the Presidential Papagayo Cup on the Guanacaste Pacific coast. The tournament is part of the Presidential Challenge Conservation Series. The event benefits the Billfish Foundation conservation projects in Costa Rica. |
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| From Page 7: U.S. economy contracted, late data show By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The U.S. economy shrank in the first three months of 2015, as unusually foul winter weather hurt economic activity, the strong dollar made it harder to sell American-made goods in other nations and low oil prices meant less investment in drilling. Friday's report from the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis said the gross domestic product declined at an annual rate of 0.7 percent during the first quarter. That is a sharp downward revision from a first estimate that showed a slight amount of growth in January, February and March. Officials routinely revise GDP estimates as more complete data become available. The economy grew at a modest pace in the last few months of 2014, and many economists say current data indicate the economy will resume growth soon. "While the evidence of a second-quarter rebound hasn't been overwhelming, we still think that the outlook for the economy is very encouraging," Paul Ashworth, chief U.S. economist at Capital Economics, wrote in a research note. Economists predict steady increases in employment and lower gas prices will spur consumer spending. The U.S. unemployment rate has dropped to a seven-year low of 5.4 percent. And though the auto club AAA reports the average price at the gas pump has climbed to $2.74 a gallon, up from just over $2 in January, it’s still almost a dollar below the $3.65 of a year ago. |
