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A.M.
Costa Rica
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Published Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016, in Vol. 17, No. 188
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San José, Costa Rica, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016, Vol. 17, No. 188
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Volcano shows it still is in
active stage
By the A.M.
Costa Rica staff
Undated at 11:30 a.m. The Turrialba volcano erupted again starting at 3:20 a.m. today, and then continued to emit a series of pulses until about 9:30 a.m., said the Red Sismológica Nacional. The column of ash reached as high as 2,000 meters above the crater, according to the Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica. Winds sent the ash to the northwest and north of the capital, said the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional. The lengthy activity squelched any thoughts that the mountain was settling back to an inactive phase. Although the Turrialba volcano spewed out ash in four significant eruptions Wednesday, the bigger problem seems to be the gas. Plenty of metro area residents are complaining of headaches and burning eyes, and they attribute this to the volcano. The volcano erupted Wednesday at 7:36 a.m., 8:14 a.m., 9:48 a.m. and 3:43 p.m., according to the Red Sismológica Nacional. In the Central Valley afternoon rains cleaned up much of the lingering ash from Monday. However there was plenty of sulfur to smell in the Central Valley and perhaps cause the eyes to burn. Answers to the news quiz are here Here are the answers to the quiz on Page One. 1. How long is a presidential term? Four years. 2. The president submitted a budget that was how many percent higher than last years? About 12 percent 3. Why is there so much construction at the Plaza de la Cultura? The plaza is the roof of the Museos de Banco Central, and workmen are trying to stop the leaks 4. What is the Caja? The nation’s public health agency, the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social. 5. How many members are in the Asamblea Legislativa and what are they called in Spanish? 57 and they are called diputados 6. What is K2? This is synthetic marijuana and very bad because the ingredients could be anything. 7. What is Las Baules? Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas on the Pacific coast 8. A new law published last month gives police agencies broad powers to do what? Seize assets, including cash, without notice. 9. Who was Alexander Skutch? He is the late famed naturalist mostly know for decades of study of Costa Rican birds. 10. How did a bot fly (Dermatobia hominis) give the country unwanted publicity? The larva of a fly showed up as a bump in the scalp of a California boy who had visited here, resulting in a newspaper story there. 11. For what kind of anti-harassment campaign is the government spending $35,000 To raise awareness of women to street harassment and to warn off aggressive men. 12. What danger does the country face from a project known as Las Crucitas? International arbitrators might award those who tried to operate the open pit gold mine a boatload of the country’s money. 13. How long must a foreigner remain out of the country to renew a tourism visa? A Near York minute.
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A.M. Costa Rica Third News Page |
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San José, Costa Rica, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016, Vol. 17, No. 188
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| Animal
protection bill suffers a reverse in constitutional
court |
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By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Lawmakers overwhelmingly sought stiff fines and even jail terms of up to five years for those who mistreat animals, but the Sala IV constitutional court said Wednesday that such penalties were not proportionate. The court acted on a legislative request after the bill had been passed in late July for the first of two required times. The Procuraduría General de la República, the government’s legal adviser, and the Defensa Pública already had pointed out what they said were flaws. The court, however, did say that humans have a moral duty with respect to their relations with nature that surrounds them. |
As such,
the court said that mistreatment of animals violates the
good customs and the public order and that the state is
obligated to regulate these actions. Lawmakers probably will send the bill back to committee for revision and a change in the penalties. There is strong support for some kind of measure both with the public and among the 57 lawmakers. The bill passed 50 to 4 on first reading. The same fate might await another bill, No. 19.660, that advanced Wednesday. The Permanente Especial de Juventud, Niñez y Adolescencia established an eight-year jail term for anyone who through neglect or fault permits an animal to kill a human. The committee considered the measure as one to protect children. |
| New
bottle sticker promises that honey in the marketplace is
pure |
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By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Beekeepers and honey processors have joined with the Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería to create a seal of quality, but they have avoided discussing a sticky problem. The seal is supposed to guarantee the quality of honey from the hive to the jar in the grocery. Representatives of the ministry’s Servicio Nacional de Salud Animal met with some of the nearly 900 beekeepers in the country Wednesday to announce the creation of the seal. The real problem is not sanitation because honey has natural antibacterial properties. But a lot of the honey in the market is adulterated with cheaper corn syrup and other liquids. Most shoppers cannot identify pure honey from the adulterated variety, but the new seal will guarantee the purity. |
 Servicio Nacional de
Salud Animal photo
Jars of honey on display feature the new seal. |
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A.M. Costa Rica's Fourth News page |
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San José, Costa Rica, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016, Vol. 17, No. 188
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| Coffee
grounds found effective in removing heavy metals from
water |
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By the American Chemical Society
news staff
Coffee is one of the most popular drinks, which makes for a perky population, but it also creates a lot of used grounds. Scientists now report in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering an innovative way to reduce this waste and help address another environmental problem. They have incorporated spent coffee grounds in a foam filter that can remove harmful lead and mercury from water. Restaurants, the beverage industry and people in their homes produce millions of tons of used coffee grounds every year worldwide, according to researcher Despina Fragouli. While much of the used grounds go to landfills, some of them are applied as fertilizer, used as a biodiesel source or mixed into animal feed. Scientists are also studying it as a possible material for water remediation. |
Experiments
so far have shown that powder made from spent coffee
grounds can rid water of heavy metal ions, which can cause
health problems. But an additional step is needed to
separate the powder from the purified water. Researcher Fragouli and colleagues wanted to simplify this process. The researchers fixed spent coffee powder in a bioelastomeric foam, which acted as a filter. In still water, the foam removed up to 99 percent of lead and mercury ions from water over 30 hours. In a more practical test in which lead-contaminated water flowed through the foam, it scrubbed the water of up to 67 percent of the lead ions. Because the coffee is immobilized, it is easy to handle and discard after use without any additional steps, researchers say. |
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medical care
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
| The
contents
of
this Web site are copyrighted by Consultantes Río
Colorado S.A. 2016 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 news page |
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San José, Costa Rica, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016, Vol. 17, No. 188
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make or break a candidate By the A.M. Costa Rica wire
services
The next phase of the 2016 presidential election begins Monday in Hempstead, New York, when Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump face off in the first of three presidential debates. In recent weeks, Trump has narrowed the gap with Mrs. Clinton in public opinion polls, and the debates could be a pivotal moment before voters cast their ballots Nov. 8. Televised presidential debates have a rich history, beginning in 1960 with candidates Republican vice president Richard Nixon and Democratic sen. John Kennedy of Massachusetts. A youthful, tanned Kennedy took on a haggard, poorly made up Nixon, who was also ill after surgery for a knee injury suffered during the campaign. Kennedy used the debate to push his message of change after eight years of Republican president Dwight Eisenhower. “We must give this country leadership, and we must get this country moving again,” Kennedy told viewers. Radio listeners gave Nixon a slight edge in the debate, but those who watched on TV preferred Kennedy, whose polished performance against the more experienced Nixon helped shape the election, which Kennedy narrowly won. The 1960 debates demonstrated the power of television in politics and helped even the playing field for Kennedy against his better-known opponent. “It establishes stature. If you can stand toe to toe and be the equal of somebody who is more well-known, that is one thing that happens in debates,” said Jeremy Mayer, associate professor of government at George Mason University in Virginia. There were no debates in 1964, 1968 or 1972. Neither President Lyndon Johnson in 1964 nor Nixon in 1968 or 1972 wanted to share a national TV stage with their opponents. Nixon in particular wanted to avoid a repeat of the 1960 event that he believed was at least partly responsible for his loss to Kennedy. The debates resumed in 1976 and featured the first of what could be considered major gaffes by presidential candidates. President Gerald Ford faltered against Democratic candidate Jimmy Carter when he was asked about the influence of the Soviet Union on Eastern Europe. “There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe,” Ford said, though he later acknowledged that was not what he meant. But Carter pounced, saying, “I would like to see Mr. Ford convince the Polish-Americans and the Czech-Americans and the Hungarian-Americans in this country that those countries don’t live under the domination and supervision of the Soviet Union behind the Iron Curtain.” Ford lost the close race, another example in which the debates mattered, said Stephen Wayne, a Georgetown University professor of government. “Presidential debates are important in presidential elections when the candidates are very close. Most of the people who watch the debates root for their side or for their candidate,” Wayne said. Four years later, the tables were turned on Carter. He faced Republican Ronald Reagan in a single debate and challenged Reagan for opposing a plan to expand national health insurance. “Governor Reagan again, typically, is against such a proposal,” Carter said, bringing the memorable retort from Reagan: “There you go again.” Reagan’s question to voters at the end of the debate with Carter has also become a standard for presidential candidates, especially challengers: “Are you better off than you were four years ago?" Carter was leading Reagan in the polls before the debate. But Reagan easily won the 1980 election after his reassuring debate performance. The Commission on Presidential Debates was formed in 1987 to ensure that debates are a permanent part of the campaigns every four years. The commission has organized the debates every election cycle beginning in 1988 and is doing so again this year with three presidential debates and one debate between vice presidential candidates Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, a Republican. Recently, candidates have been more concerned with avoiding mistakes that could haunt them on Election Day. That has led the media to focus on some non-verbal moments, such as when President George H.W. Bush checked his watch in his debate with Democrat Bill Clinton and independent candidate Ross Perot in 1992. Some interpreted Bush’s glance as a sign he was bored. Clinton went on to win in November. In the 2000, Democrat Al Gore sighed during his debate with Republican George W. Bush. The replay of potentially embarrassing moments is what puts candidates on guard, said Mayer of George Mason University. “Debates seem to be getting a little less powerful,” he said. “People aren’t watching them as much as they used to. Now that may be ameliorated by the fact that while people aren’t watching them live, if you make a mistake, everybody watches a clip of it on Facebook or on YouTube.” Four years ago, Democrats began to worry after Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential nominee, turned in a strong performance in his first debate with President Barack Obama. But Romney’s surge in the polls proved to be short-lived after Obama recovered in the next two debates. In this year’s campaign, both Trump and Mrs. Clinton have turned in strong performances in their primary debates. Trump skewered his primary opponents like former Florida governor Jeb Bush and Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida. Election analysts expect the first Clinton-Trump debate to be the most-watched event of the campaign so far, with enormous political stakes for both contenders. Obama sees climate change as national security issue By the A.M. Costa Rica
wire services
U.S. President Barack Obama says climate change is a growing threat to national security and its impact should be factored into national security-related decisions, plans and actions. Obama signed a presidential memorandum establishing the new policy Thursday. The memorandum calls for 20 federal agencies and offices to work together to ensure “the best information on climate impacts is available to strengthen our national security,” according to the White House. The move came on the same day the National Intelligence Council released a report saying climate change “will likely pose significant national security challenges” over the next 20 years, including on U.S. military operations and bases. It also said climate change is already causing national security problems around the globe and will worsen. The problems include the ability of affected nations to respond to and recover from climate change, something that could lead to political instability. Water shortages could lead to disputes between people sharing water sources, spark migration that can overwhelm governments, and strain the ability of U.S. and allied forces to deliver aid and relief, according to the report. Obama called on agencies to come up with a blueprint to identify and react on climate-change-related impacts on national security, said Brian Deese, senior adviser to the president. The presidential memorandum requires an assessment and policy plan be completed in 90 days. "That will provide a template that should help encourage this work and provide direction for this work,” Deese added. The next administration will not be required to enforce it. Texas drops out of program to resettle Syrian refugees By the A.M. Costa Rica
wire services
Texas gave notice on Wednesday that it was withdrawing from participating in the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement program, citing security concerns after failing in federal court to halt the inflow of Syrian refugees into the state. The Texas State Refugee Coordinator sent a letter to the agency, giving 120 days’ notice of its intention to withdraw, charging the program was riddled with problems that present security risks, Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, said. "Despite multiple requests by the State of Texas, the federal government lacks the capability or the will to distinguish the dangerous from the harmless, and Texas will not be an accomplice to such dereliction of duty to the American people," Abbott said in a statement. Texas, a bellwether state for conservative policies, has seen other Republican-led states follow its lead in challenging the Obama administration's refugee resettlement plans in and out of the courts. Officials from the Office of Refugee Resettlement were not available for comment. U.S. officials have said refugees are carefully vetted before entering. The U.S. Justice Department has argued in court filings that the federal government sets policies for international immigration and states do not have authority to halt federal plans. The Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, a leading resettlement agency, expressed disapproval of Texas' action. "The decision to pull out of the refugee resettlement program after nearly 40 years of participation is misguided and inconsistent with that state's proud history of welcoming refugees," it said in a statement. Since Jan. 1, 2011, there have been 1,104 Syrian refugees resettled in Texas, according to the U.S. State Department-affiliated Refugee Processing Center. That is less than the 1,610 people resettled in California and the 1,515 sent to Michigan. The Obama administration said on Aug. 29 it would meet its goal of admitting 10,000 Syrian refugees during the current fiscal year a month ahead of schedule and was working with Congress to increase the target by a few thousand during 2017. U.S. admission of Syrian refugees has been a hot-button issue in the 2016 presidential race. The civil war in Syria has led to a flood of refugees. Those in coal country try to find new opportunities By the A.M. Costa Rica
wire services
In early June, Tammy Mondrage lost her job as a registered nurse at Ridgeview High School in southwestern Virginia when the county school board eliminated more than 40 positions for budget reasons. Mrs. Mondrage, in her late 40s, was the major wage earner in her family of four, and the news came as a blow. But she was not really surprised. “The budget cuts came because of the loss of the coal industry. In the county, it hit the school system too. And that hit me too,” said Mrs. Mondrage at her home in the hamlet of Steinman which was named after the Steinman Brothers, who operated a coal mine in the area about a century back. Thanks to the coal industry, area residents have mostly remained immune to budget shortfalls or unemployment. But things started getting tough a year ago when Mrs. Mondrage’s husband, David, lost his job at Paramount Coal Co. Coal has been a vital component of the U.S. economy since the late 19th century and a major source of energy. In the Appalachian region, people like the Mondrage family, have been dependent on the coal industry for their livelihood for generations. However, due to tighter regulations on carbon emissions, lower oil prices and growing demand for cleaner energy, coal production has declined in the last few years. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, coal production in the country fell 10 percent between 2014 and 2015 alone. It has hurt coal-dependent communities, many of which, like Steinman, are in the Appalachian Mountain region. "For the last 100 years or so many of these communities have had one source of employment, one source of income," says Earl Goal, federal co-chairman of the Appalachian Regional Commission. "And as coal has moved away and declined dramatically, now it’s important to take the next step and to work with counties to make this transition." Local communities across Appalachia have started, though reluctantly, thinking about diversifying the local economy. With the help of government partners, some counties in Virginia are now undertaking projects to attract tourists and adventure seekers. Nestled in the green mountains, the small town of Cleveland in Russel County, Virginia, used to have four grocery stores, banks, a hotel and a train station in the middle of the last century. But Cleveland’s population has shrunk to about a quarter of what it was in the 1950s. None of those businesses remain, and the town’s mayor, David Sutherland, says all the schools have closed due to the lack of funds. "We had a high school that closed. Then the middle school closed. And the last one we had was the elementary school which closed three years ago. So at this time we have no school." But what Cleveland does have that no downturn in the coal industry can touch is scenic mountain trails and the Clinch River, which runs through town. The local community, along with local and state partners, is implementing an action plan to develop tourism in the area. And recently, an entrepreneur opened a rental store for kayaking and rafting enthusiasts near the city’s Town Hall. Nearby Hays has been improving its infrastructure with the hopes of attracting visitors and businesses. “We have done a lot of improvements to the building facades,” says Town Mayor Larry Yates. “We have done new windows and doors and a lot of new paint, new lighting, new signage, those type of things to the buildings. Then we have also done extensive work to our sidewalks.” In Tazewell County, Spearhead Trails is developing and promoting a 37-mile trail for All-Terrain Vehicles near a mine site for adventure seekers. Regional efforts are also underway to educate local youth in fields never before considered because life in the region revolved around black gold. At the peak of the coal era, 15- 16-year-old boys would often find a job in a coal mine and did not feel the need to pursue college education. Mrs. Mondrage’s 24-year-old son Zachary Mondrage did the same. However, after losing his job at Paramont Coal Co., where his father worked, he is now studying to launch a new career in adventure and tourism. “The reason why I decided to get into this is because I have always been an outdoor enthusiast as far as hunting, fishing and just being outdoors and enjoying it,” he says. “And I thought that would be a great career opportunity to get into.” |
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
| The
contents
of
this Web site are copyrighted by Consultantes Río
Colorado S.A. 2016 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 sixth news page |
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San José, Costa Rica, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016, Vol. 17, No. 188
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Traditional foods sought
in San Ramón
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The cultural center in San Ramón plans a contest for local traditional foods. This is the XIII Festival de Comidas Tradicionales that will be held Oct. 8. The Centro Cultural e Histórico José Figueres Ferrer is trying to have the event come as close as possible to the Día del Encuentro de Culturas that has been Oct. 12 and now has been moved for Oct. 17 by presidential edict. The contest has three categories: drinks, sweet dishes and unsweet. The center also will be presenting “Recetario Popular,” a book that contains the recipes from the last 12 annual events. The center noted that the drinks category has been reinstituted after several years. Free registration is open to San Ramón residents who can sign up through Oct. 1 at the center. On Oct. 8 participants are required to show up with their plate or drink and a recipe. The goal, the center said, is to capture the local culinary traditions. Flames darken much of Puerto Rico By the A.M. Costa Rica wire
services
Schools and businesses were forced to close in Puerto Rico Wednesday after a fire at a power plant left 1.5 million people in the dark. Officials say two powerful transmission lines at the southern power plant, which serves most of the U.S. territory’s 3.5 million residents, failed and caused a blackout that swept across the island. “This is a very serious event,'' Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla told reporters. “The system is not designed to withstand a failure of this magnitude.'' He said the fire destroyed a system that provides power to about 30 percent of the island and caused 15 additional fires across the island as generators began to malfunction. No one was hurt in those fires. Puerto Rican authorities said they expect power to be restored to most areas by today. |
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| From Page 7: U.S. Fed holds the line on low interest rates By the A.M. Costa Rica
wire services
U.S. economic officials held the key interest rate steady at a near-record low level Wednesday, but said the case for raising rates has strengthened. Many experts interpret that as a signal the U.S. Federal Reserve may boost interest rates in December. The Fed repeated a pledge that whenever it begins to increase borrowing costs, it will do so gradually. Central Bankers use low interest rates like an accelerator pedal to boost economic growth, and higher interest rates sort of like a brake to keep the economy from crashing into high inflation or unrealistic stock values. The Fed decision follows debate by leaders of the Bank of Japan, which sets policy for the world's third-largest economy. World stocks rose Wednesday after Japanese officials adjusted their effort to fight deflation by speeding up economic growth. The complex program puts more focus on very low long-term interest rates and continues efforts to make it easier to borrow money to start businesses and buy homes. Central bank officials in Washington, Tokyo and elsewhere are coping with slowdowns in global growth and international trade, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Wednesday, organization experts published a new study that said the global economy is set to expand 2.9 percent this year, and 3.2 percent in 2017. That is about one-tenth of a percent slower than prior expectations. The experts say low growth has disappointed consumers and investors for some time, and their lowered expectations are hurting future investment and consumption. The data also show faltering international trade, which hurts economic growth. |
