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San
José, Costa Rica, Monday, Nov. 25, 2013, Vol. 13, No. 233
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called justified due to costs By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The nation's price regulating agency has rejected a request by the industrial chamber to reconsider including extra charges in the price of electricity. The agency, the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos, said that the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad was due the additional amount because of increased costs in operating the Garabito generating station. The decision said that the state firm known as ICE had to use a more expensive diesel fuel to generate the heat to create power in February and March. The agency said that a supplier of cheaper bunker fuel provided a shipment that the Refinadora Costarricense de Petróleo S.A. had to reject for technical reasons. Consequently the more expensive diesel was fed to the thermal generation system at a cost of 5.6 billion colons more. That is about $11.2 million. ICE was not responsible for the problem, so the increased cost is justified, said the Autoridad Reguladora. The agency also announced that it has returned a rate hike request from Riteve SyC without a decision. The firm operates the nation's vehicle inspection stations. The Autoridad Reguladora said it did not act on the request because it lacks the methodology to evaluate the tariffs charged by the firm, which has about 13 inspection stations around the country. The Autoridad blamed the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes and its Consejo de Transporte Público for failing to create such a system. Murder suspects caught at sea by coast guard By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Coast guardsmen frustrated a murder plan when they intercepted fleeing suspects at sea Friday night. The suspects are believed to be the men who invaded a home in La Cruz en Liberia, killed one man and wounded two others. The motive for the gunplay has not been shared with the public by investigators. Dead is a man with the last name of Chaves. He was with a group at a house in Barrio Cangrejal, when men in a vehicle broke through the porton and began firing. After they fled, the gunmen set the vehicle afire and appear to have had a vehicle and driver waiting to carry them to Junquillal de Guanacaste where a boat was waiting. There was a boat of the Servicio Nacional de Guardacostas nearby whose crew had been alerted. The boat was able to stop the flight of the suspects, said the Judicial Investigating Organization. Five persons were detained. In another Friday shooting a bus driver with the last name of Rubí died. The 60-year-old man picked up a passenger along Ruta 32 who is believed to have shot him in a robbery. Zelaya's wife one of two who claim Honduras win By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Two of the eight presidential candidates in Honduras have declared victory in Sunday's vote. Xiomara Castro de Zelaya and Juan Orlando Hernández have both claimed victory, but the final results have yet to be tallied. Ms. Castro is the wife of former president Manuel Zelaya, who was ousted in a coup in 2009. Hernandez is the candidate of the governing Partido Nacional. Election officials say preliminary results give Hernández a slight edge. Final results are expected to come in sometime today. International observers monitoring the election say the balloting process was conducted without irregularities. Election officials say voter turnout was high. Honduras is one of the poorest and most violent countries in the Western Hemisphere. Militants in Pakistan take polio vaccination workers By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Officials in Pakistan say militants have kidnapped 11 teachers involved in a polio vaccination campaign for children. Authorities say the workers were kidnapped Saturday in the Bara district of the Khyber tribal region along the border with Afghanistan. Militants frequently attack polio vaccination workers in Pakistan, accusing them of being Western spies or part of a plot to sterilize Muslims. The disease is highly infectious and can cause irreversible paralysis. The Global Eradication Initiative says polio remains endemic in three countries,Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan. The initiative says until poliovirus transmission is interrupted in these countries, all countries remain at risk of importation of polio. Our readers' opinions
Social Security formis called reasonable request Dear A.M. Costa Rica: I read with interest your coverage of some expats' dissatisfaction with the requirement to submit the form which Social Security has sent out asking for verification of some information. Of course, I can't say why Sr. Art Sulenski's form was returned as undeliverable, but I do think that there is a reasonable justification for the requirement to return the form, and Sra. Carol Meeds hit on it directly when she said, "I am alive and well until you hear otherwise." The problem, of course, is that outside the United States the Social Security Administration has no reliable means of learning when a beneficiary has died unless someone informs them. The death records held by U.S. states vital records offices are public and accessible to Social Security in a way that Costa Rican vital records (and the records of 150 or so other countries) are not. Should any of us die outside the U.S., payments could continue to be made for months or years. Sra. Meeds' "otherwise" could be a very long time if no verification is required. The Social Security Administration has a reasonable obligation to maintain the integrity of its payment system and periodic (and infrequent) verification that its beneficiaries living outside the U.S. are, in fact, still alive is a reasonable and nonintrusive check. The beneficiary, of course, always has the option not to return the form. David
C. Murray
Grecia, Alajuela EDITOR'S NOTE: A news story for part of the day Friday said that the U.S. Embassy did not reply to a reporter's question. In fact, the embassy staffer did reply via email but the reponse ended up in the editor's spam folder. The embassy staffer's response was that they were seeking to assist with the delivery problem. Questionnaire generates a warm, fuzzy feeling Dear A.M. Costa Rica: The question was asked “ Who the hell is the government to make citizens jump through hoops to receive their Social Security payments?” At a time when the federal government appears to be in a total state of disarray, inclusive of all three branches, the Social Security program (labeled as an entitlement program by those legislators who truly have a pension plan which is truly an entitlement program.) In my opinion Social Security is an investment program, set up by the government for its citizens to participate in by congressional decree. Even though the government has taken these funds and mixed them with other funds which they have missed managed as they have the entire federal budget, it gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling to know that some bureaucrat someplace in the government had the good sense to check that they are not issuing payments to people who have either passed away or are otherwise not entitled to these payments. This practice makes sense and is done by most countries who have federal retirement programs. Want to straighten out Social Security? Put all members of our federal legislature on the program we are all on. Want to straighten out federal health care? Put all members of our federal legislature on the same program we are all on. Gordon
L Balter
Atenas, Costa Rica
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
| The contents of this page and this Web site are copyrighted by Consultantes Río Colorado S.A. 2013 and may not be reproduced anywhere without permission. Abstracts and fair use are permitted. Check HERE for details | ||||||
A.M. Costa Rica Third News Page |
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| San José, Costa Rica, Monday, Nov. 25, 2013, Vol. 13, No. 233 | |
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| Volunteers put to test Fire fighters race the clock to put on gear during a Sunday competition among area volunteer units. Some 10 groups of volunteers participated and accomplished typical fire fighting chores, such as rolling hoses, entering buildings and putting on their gear. Volunteers from Guadalupe in Goicoechea were the winners, followed by Zarcero and Paraíso, said the Cuerpo de Bomberos de Costa Rica. |
 Cuerpo de Bomberos de Costa Rica photo
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| Costa Rica praises as historic nuclear
agreement with Iran |
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By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
and wire service reports The country has praised an agreement between a five-nation commission and Iran as historic. The Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto said that that agreement will represent a first solid step toward an enduring solution. Under the deal reached in Geneva early Sunday, Iran must limit its enrichment of uranium and freeze reactor construction. Representatives from Germany, China, The United States, The United Kingdom and Russia negotiated the deal with Iran. Costa Rica noted that it is a member of the International Atomic Energy Organization and that it will support the monitoring and verification of the Iranian nuclear program. The deal drew strong criticism from Israel and silence from its main Gulf rival, Saudi Arabia. Israel and Saudi Arabia have long feared Iran will divert nuclear activities to make atomic weapons that could threaten their interests. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful. |
In return for Iran's concessions,
the United States and five other world powers agreed to ease some
international sanctions on Iran's economy. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Israeli Cabinet the Geneva agreement is an historic mistake that makes the world a much more dangerous place. Israel wants more sanctions on Iran and a complete dismantling of its nuclear facilities. Israeli leaders see a nuclear-armed Iran as a threat to their nation's existence due to Iran's frequent calls for Israel's demise. Netanyahu said Israel will "not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapons capability." President Barack Obama offered reassurance late Saturday, saying Washington's commitment to Israel and to its Gulf partners will "remain firm." He also said those nations have "good reason to be skeptical about Iran's intentions." In an interview with CNN, Secretary of State John Kerry said the deal with Iran will make Israel "safer" because it is designed to expand the amount of time Iran would need to make a nuclear weapon. |
| Is your home all decked out for the holidays? |
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By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Do you have or will you have some cool holiday lighting of your Costa Rican home? Some expats really knock themselves out to decorate their homes or business. None probably go so far as the Hospital del Niños where a live evergreen bears |
12,000 bulbs. But
some come close. A.M. Costa Rica will publish a picture of these holiday creations if homeowners send in a .jpeg photo to editor@amcostarica.com. The photo should be accompanied by a note giving the names of the homeowner or business owner, location and any interesting details. |
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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 |
| The contents of this page and this Web site are copyrighted by Consultantes Río Colorado S.A. 2013 and may not be reproduced anywhere without permission. Abstracts and fair use are permitted. Check HERE for details | ||||||
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| San José, Costa Rica, Monday, Nov. 25, 2013, Vol. 13, No. 233 | |||||
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| 90 experts give predictions of sea level rise for this
century and 2300 |
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By
the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research news staff
Sea-level rise in this century is likely to be 70 to 120 centimeters, about 31 to 47 inches, by 2100 if greenhouse-gas emissions are not mitigated, a broad assessment of the most active scientific publishers on that topic has revealed. The 90 experts participating in the survey anticipate a median sea-level rise of 200 to 300 centimeters, about 79 to 118 inches, by the year 2300 for a scenario with unmitigated emissions. In contrast, for a scenario with strong emissions reductions, experts expect a sea-level rise of 40 to 60 centimeters by 2100 and 60-100 centimeters by 2300. The survey was conducted by a team of scientists from the United States and Germany. “While the results for the scenario with climate mitigation suggest a good chance of limiting future sea-level rise to one meter, the high emissions scenario would threaten the survival of some coastal cities and low-lying islands,” says Stefan Rahmstorf from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. “From a risk management perspective, projections of future sea-level rise are of major importance for coastal planning, and for weighing options of different levels of ambition in reducing greenhouse-gas emissions.” Projecting sea-level rise, however, comes with large uncertainties, since the physical processes causing the rise are complex. They include the expansion of ocean water as it warms, the melting of mountain glaciers and ice caps and of the two large ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica, and the pumping of ground water for irrigation purposes. Different modeling approaches yield widely differing answers. The recently published United Nations report had to revise its projections upwards by about 60 percent compared to the previous report published in 2007, and other assessments of sea-level rise compiled by groups of scientists resulted in even higher projections. The observed sea-level rise as measured by satellites over the past two decades has exceeded earlier expectations. “It this therefore useful to know what the larger community of sea-level experts thinks, and we make this transparent to the public,” says lead author Benjamin Horton from the Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers University in New Jersey. “We report the largest elicitation on future sea-level rise conducted from ninety objectively selected experts from 18 countries.” The experts were identified from peer-reviewed literature published since 2007 using the publication database Web of Science of Thomson Reuters, an online scientific indexing service, to make sure they are all active researchers in this area. The 90 international experts, all of whom published at least six |
peer-reviewed
papers on the topic of sea-level during the past 5 years, provided
their probabilistic assessment. The survey finds most experts expecting a higher rise than the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projections of 28 to 98 centimeters by the year 2100. Two thirds (65 percent) of the respondents gave a higher value than the Intergovernmental Panel for the upper end of this range, confirming that the U.N. reports tend to be conservative in their assessment. The experts were also asked for a high-end estimate below which they expect sea-level to stay with 95 percent certainty until the year 2100. This high-end value is relevant for coastal planning. For unmitigated emissions, half of the experts (51 percent) gave 1.5 meters or more and a quarter (27 percent) 2 meters or more. The high-end value in the year 2300 was given as 4.0 meters or higher by the majority of experts (58 percent). Overall, the results for 2300 by the expert survey as well as the Intergovernmental Panel illustrate the risk that temperature increases from unmitigated emissions could commit coastal populations to a long-term, multi-meter sea-level rise, says Rahmstorf. “They do, however, illustrate also the potential for escaping such large sea-level rise through substantial reductions of emissions.” Extra day still fails to find accord By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Climate talks in Warsaw carried over into an extra day with little hope for an agreement between developed and developing countries at the U.N. Climate Change Conference. After two weeks of negotiations, delegates from more than 190 countries still argued Saturday about apportioning targets for carbon emissions cuts between rich and poor nations, and about funding for climate-vulnerable countries. Developing nations like China and India insist that richer countries adopt stricter targets than they do. Poor countries also want wealthy nations to ramp up their aid to help those countries deal with weather disasters they say are made worse by climate change. An agreement needs to be reached within two years before a deal can be signed in Paris, then enter into effect in 2020. |
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
| The contents of this page and this Web site are copyrighted by Consultantes Río Colorado S.A. 2013 and may not be reproduced anywhere without permission. Abstracts and fair use are permitted. Check HERE for details | ||||||
| A.M. Costa Rica's Fifth news page |
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| San José, Costa Rica, Monday, Nov. 25, 2013, Vol. 13, No. 233 | |||||
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| New explanation offered for tropical species diversity By the
National Evolutionary Synthesis Center news staff
A new study of 2,300 species of mammals and nearly 6,700 species of birds from across the globe helps explain why there are so many more species of plants and animals in the tropics than at higher latitudes. In a study supported by the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center in North Carolina, researchers found that while the tropics harbor a greater diversity of species, the number of subspecies, potential stepping stones in the process by which one species becomes two, is actually greater in the harsher environments typical of higher latitudes. The surprising results suggest that the latitudinal diversity gradient may be due higher species turnover -- a higher potential for speciation counterbalanced by a higher potential for extinction -- towards the poles than near the equator, the researchers say. Scientists have known for more than a century that species diversity increases towards the equator. Tropical rain forests, for example, house two thirds of the world's species. They are teeming with buzzing insects, screeching birds and howling monkeys, versus the frigid tundra, where life is largely limited to scattered trees and only a few dozen kinds of mammals, such as caribou and foxes. Numerous hypotheses have been proposed to explain this pattern. One idea is that tropical regions harbor greater biodiversity because they are especially fertile grounds for the formation of new species. Another idea is that biodiversity hotspots are less likely to lose the species they already have. "There's a lot of controversy over what explains the global pattern of biodiversity," said lead author Carlos Botero of North Carolina State University. In a study to appear in the Friday issue of Molecular Ecology, Botero and colleagues assembled a data set of climate and weather patterns across the globe, and combined it with genetic data other information for nearly 50 percent and 70 percent of all mammals and birds known to be alive today. The team was surprised to find that while the number of bird and mammal species increases closer to the equator, the number of genetically distinct groups within each species, known as subspecies, is greater in the harsher environments typical of higher latitudes. "These are environments that are colder and drier, and where the differences between the hottest and coolest months are more extreme," Botero explained. Animals in these environments are more likely to freeze during cold winters or die during usually hot summers. "If extreme weather events wipe out a population every now and then, but don't wipe out an entire species, the populations that survive will be geographically separated and could start to diverge from one another," Botero said. The results are consistent with a 2007 study by researchers at the University of British Columbia suggesting that contrary to conventional wisdom species arise faster in temperate zones than in the tropics. "It may be that species come and go more frequently in the temperate zones," Botero said. Comparing biodiversity in the temperate zones with that in the tropics is like comparing the coins in your pocket with the coins in your piggy bank, he added. "There are usually more coins in your piggy bank than in your pocket. But you're always spending the coins in your pocket, and receiving new coins in the form of change. The coins in your piggy bank turn over less often, but over time they add up."  Wake
Forest University photo
Graduate biology student Max
Messinger flies a robotic drone equipped with a visible light camera.Peru’s tropical
cloud forest
to be studied via robot drones By the Wake Forest University news staff
A flying, insect-like robot developed by scientists at Wake Forest University will give an unprecedented look at Peru’s tropical cloud forest, one of the world’s most biodiverse ecosystems and a key indicator of global climate change. A research team led by conservation biologist Miles Silman will launch two different drones to conduct climate research in the region, giving a never-before-seen bird’s eye view of one of the most difficult locations in the world to study. The drones will allow researchers to gather thermal data down to a few centimeters and visible light data down to the sub-centimeter level, a big improvement over current satellite capabilities. “This will allow us for the first time to see how individual canopies are functioning on a landscape level to fix carbon and release oxygen and water,” said Max Messinger, a biology graduate student who worked with chemistry lab manager Marcus Wright to assemble and test the drones. “Once we build a better understanding of why the forest is behaving in a certain way, we can start making decisions about how do we conserve this region and ensure that it continues to function.” One of the researchers’ robots, a copter drone, relies on eight small propeller units and is capable of flying at 15 mph for up to 20 minutes at a time. It can be equipped with either a conventional visible light or thermal imaging camera to gather data on everything from leaf and flower characteristics to temperature readings and animal behavior. “We will utilize its hover capability to take off from small tree-fall gaps in the rainforest and observe things like monkeys feeding or something like that for an extended period of time,” Messinger said. Their second robot resembles a small airplane. Launched like a javelin, it uses a single electric motor and propeller to fly up to 50 mph for over an hour. “We can map much more territory with the plane because it can fly three times farther,” Messinger said. “The drawback is that it can’t carry the fancier sensors we use on the copter.” Both robots are capable of taking pictures of an object from multiple viewpoints. They then use that data to build three-dimensional models that can be studied in the lab. “It works in a way that is really quite similar to how a human uses their eyes,” he said. Rather than relying on a human operator, the drones fly autonomously, using global positioning data, compass coordinates and onboard stabilization systems. “We plug all of that info into our mission planning software, which generates the flight plan and sends it to the aircraft,” Messinger said. “It is then as simple as launching it, flipping a switch and waiting for it to finish.” To date, data about the forest canopy comprised of 390 billion trees is hard to come by. Silman, who has spent his career conducting research in the tropics, said data is currently collected via remote satellite sensing or manually from the ground or a crane. “While there is satellite data on temperature and thermal distribution in the Amazon going back to the early 1970s, it doesn’t provide the resolution necessary to build the detailed models we need,” Silman said. “The only other alternative is to rent out a helicopter, which is far too expensive for any kind of continuous observation.” Mixture of natural products said to kill breast cancer cells By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
A new study finds a cocktail of compounds found naturally in plants killed all of the breast cancer cells collected in a laboratory, without any toxic side effects on normal cells. Researchers at Louisiana State University tested six known protective chemical nutrients from turmeric, soybeans, broccoli, grapes and tea. Individually, they were ineffective against cancer. But combined, they suppressed breast cancer cell growth in the lab by more than 80 percent, and eventually triggered the process leading to cell death. The next step for the scientists is to see whether the compounds can prevent tumor formation and growth in mice. Dr. Madhwa Raj, who led the study published in the Journal of Cancer, points out that all the ingredients in the cocktail come from foods people eat everyday, but at much higher levels than they could possibly get from their diet. Because he "really believes it can help women now," he has established a bio-tech start-up company to bring the super-cocktail to market as a nutritional supplement for breast health, which does not require approval from the Food and Drug Administration. Hagel says U.S. strategy is geared for warmer Arctic By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced Friday the Pentagon's first Arctic strategy to guide changes in military planning as rapidly thawing ice reshapes global commerce and energy exploration, possibly raising tensions along the way. Ice on the Arctic Ocean shrank last year to its lowest levels since satellite observations began in the 1970s, and many experts expect it will vanish in summers by mid-century due to climate change. As the sea ice thaws, ships are increasingly using a shortcut between the Atlantic and the Pacific, and competition is intensifying for Arctic oil and gas. Hagel, addressing a security forum in Canada, said the military would evolve its infrastructure and capabilities and would keep defending U.S. sovereignty in and around Alaska while working to help ensure freedom of the seas. Part of the strategy would also include bolstering U.S. military ties with fellow Arctic nations, including Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin has described the Arctic as crucial to Russia's economic future and security, and has redeployed forces to the region. “Throughout human history, mankind has raced to discover the next frontier. And time after time, discovery was swiftly followed by conflict,” said Hagel. “We cannot erase this history. But we can assure that history does not repeat itself in the Arctic.” In September, Putin announced Russia was reopening a Soviet-era military base in the Arctic, part of a drive to make the northern coast a global shipping route and secure the region's vast energy resources. Meanwhile, the U.S. military has an extensive presence in Alaska, with roughly 27,000 U.S. forces there. Hagel noted that the U.S. military had ski-equipped C-130s and nuclear submarines with decades of operations in polar regions. Beyond potential tensions over energy, Hagel noted that increased tourism and commercial activity on Arctic sea routes would increase the risk of accidents. “Migrating fish stocks will draw fishermen to new areas, challenging existing management plans,” said Hagel. Hagel said the U.S. military would adapt infrastructure and capabilities “at a pace consistent with changing conditions.” He did not offer specific details or promise specific resources, and the speech came as the Pentagon reels from funding shortfalls. One U.S. official, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, played down any current tensions with Russia over the Arctic. The official noted that the U.S. Coast Guard had experienced quite positive interaction with its Russian counterparts over the years. Another U.S. official said the strategy assessed a relatively low military threat in the Arctic, “and we don't see that changing in the near term.” Hagel stressed the opportunity for strengthening ties in the region. “By taking advantage of multilateral training opportunities with partners in the region, we will enhance our cold-weather operational experience, and strengthen our military-to-military ties with other Arctic nations,” he said. “This includes Russia.” New 'Hunger Games' movie has a theme of liberation By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Academy award winner Jennifer Lawrence returns fiercer than ever as Katniss Everdeen in the "The Hunger Games, Catching Fire," the second installment in the trilogy based on the books by Susan Collins. Katniss, lithe and deadly with her bow and arrow, becomes the symbol of liberation from the tyranny of Panem’s Capitol and its venomous President Snow, played by veteran Donald Sutherland. "She has become a big kind of hope for them," Snow says in the film. "She has to be eliminated." He hatches a plot to pit Katniss against previous Hunger Games victors inside a deadlier-than-ever arena. “It’s really an incredible story of a girl who doesn’t want to be a hero, but finds herself in a position where she is forced to be," Lawrence said. The heroes of "Catching Fire" seem to be unraveling in the somber and deadly environment both inside the arena and out, in the poverty-stricken districts of Panem. The film, intended mainly for young audiences, highlights the racial and class divisions of dystopian Panem with rich cinematography and a vast array of costumes. Though stark and bloody at times, "Catching Fire" does not glorify violence. It exposes its ugly face and the bitter consequences of a struggle, no matter how necessary. The movie franchise also promotes a new generation of movie heroine: strong and cunning, passionate and compassionate. Neither a temptress nor a tomboy, Katniss can be fearful and fearless, often saving her male friends in battle. Willow Shields, 13, portrays Primrose, Katniss’s sister, and says Lawrence’s unaffected screen persona reflects the genuine human being. “She doesn’t have to try," Shields said. "She doesn’t like to conform to the celeb image. So, it’s great to finally see someone who’s just themselves and not so much involved in Hollywood.” Like Lawrence, Katniss has become, for younger audiences, a symbol of truth and hope in a world as ailing as the one on screen. Scandal envelopes governor in Virginia gift-giving case By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The outgoing governor of the mid-Atlantic state of Virginia, Republican Robert McDonnell, is widely reported to be under federal investigation for allegedly accepting gifts and gratuities. The governor has defended his actions as not violating his own state's ethic laws. While there have been scandals involving U.S. state governors over the years, less than a dozen have been removed from office. On a prominent hill in Richmond, Virginia, sits the state’s Capitol, built in 1788, almost as old as the United States itself. Now, this building is weathering a scandal surrounding its 71st governor. He has been widely reported to have received loans, gifts, and special favors for himself, for his wife, Maureen, and other family members. Richmond-based investigative reporter Peter Galuszka lists what was allegedly given to the governor and his family primarily from a Richmond-area businessman named Jonnie Williams, who heads a company called Star Scientific. He said, "Governor McDonnell has accepted some loans for a real estate corporation that he has with his family. His daughter received $15.000 for a wedding dinner. He has been given a $6,500 Rolex watch. His wife, Maureen McDonnell, has been treated to expensive shopping sprees in New York.” Legal observers say the Virginia state laws covering the reporting and accounting of personal activities by elected officials are not strong. And, as McDonnell himself points out, these laws only cover him, not other family members. “Gifts that come to me, I regularly, diligently report them in the Statement of Economic Interests that are done annually," said McDonnell. "But, gifts that come to other family members, under current law, are not reportable.” McDonnell says he has repaid the nearly $125,000 in loans from Williams and that his daughter has paid back the check Williams sent for wedding expenses. Another McDonnell family member returned money given to her by Williams. The governor also said the Rolex watch was being returned. However, a federal investigation is reported to be underway of McDonnell and Williams for possible legal violations, including the improper exchange of favors. The governor strongly denies any such deal. He said, “Neither Mr. Williams, nor Star Scientific, has received any special benefit at all from the state, nor has any other company." At the University of Richmond, political science professor Dan Palazolo says that what statehouse watchers have been waiting for is the results of the federal investigation. And that McDonnell’s political future may hinge on what happens. “The most important issue upcoming is the FBI report, and whether there is an indictment," Palazolo said. "If there is no indictment, then I think that Bob McDonnell kind of survives. If there is an indictment, then things get dragged on.” Virginia’s capitol is now preparing for the inauguration in January of McDonnell’s successor, Democrat Terry McAuliffe. McAuliffe has made clear he will seek tighter controls on gifts both to the governor and to family members. Venezuelan give away policy linked to December elections By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is firing up supporters for the upcoming mayors' election through a theatrical confrontation with businesses that has showered voters with cheap consumer goods, echoing the style of late socialist leader Hugo Chávez. The Dec. 8 vote for control of 335 municipalities, ranging from urban hillside slums to isolated villages in sweltering plains, will be the first major test of Maduro's strength after he narrowly won the presidency in April. Venezuelans are flooding shops to snatch up discounted car parts, televisions and clothes since Maduro ordered businesses to slash prices in a gambit similar to the oil-financed pre-election largesse of the Chávez era, but with private merchants footing the bill. "These are the right measures. The shop owners themselves voluntarily lowered prices, which means they are recognizing the products were overpriced,'' said Leonardo Jimenez, a 28-year-old lawyer, in line outside a shop at a prominent Caracas mall. "This is obviously going to have a positive impact on the upcoming elections.'' Pitting working-class consumers against business leaders in the run-up to the vote could help rally Socialist Party sympathizers weary of nagging product shortages and surging inflation that is approaching 55 percent. Flashy videos on state TV showed ministers denouncing over-pricing by retail chains to a backdrop of thumping dance music, and interviews with shoppers thanking Maduro for protecting them from rapacious capitalists. People continued to line up at shops around the country even as inventories dwindle and shelves are increasingly bare. National Guard troops bearing assault rifles and bored expressions keep watch to prevent a repeat of several instances of looting that took place shortly after Maduro's order. One woman rose to prominence thanks to a photo showing her emerging from a shop with new electronics and a joyful smile. Assuming she had stolen the goods, opposition commentators dubbed her "The Looter.'' The woman, Clotilde Palomino, responded by producing receipts to show she had paid for the goods. Maduro invited her to the presidential palace and cited her as an example of humble Venezuelans who benefited from the measures. The ruling Socialist Party is likely to proclaim victory if it wins the majority of mayors' seats, but pollsters say that is probable anyway because most municipalities are sparsely populated pro-government areas. The opposition looks likely to win key metropolitan areas including the capital Caracas and second city, Maracaibo, according to a confidential presentation by one pollster. Many high-profile pollsters no longer publish their surveys given the furious controversy they create, though they are frequently leaked to private media. Maduro's "economic offensive'' began with the military occupation of an electronics chain and has since included aggressive inspections of thousands of businesses. Critics call it an act of government-organized looting and say it has punished honest entrepreneurs by forcing them to sell below cost. They predict it will pave the way for more product shortages down the road. One widely circulated online video shows an electronics merchant shouting, between sobs, that forcing him to mark down his merchandise would ruin him. "For the love of God, this is an offense. Don't leave me with nothing!'' the man yelled, moments before officials and troops led him away. Election campaigning officially kicked off on Saturday, but received scant attention amid the rush for cheap goods and Venezuelans' general weariness with marches, speeches and rallies after three elections in just over a year. |
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| San José, Costa Rica, Monday, Nov. 25, 2013, Vol. 13, No. 233 | |||||||||
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World Court tells
Nicaragua to fill in the San Juan canal Editor's Note; The following story was posted Friday afternoon, and we are republishing it here for the benefit of morning readers. By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The 16 justices of the World Court in the Hague have ordered Nicaragua to fill in part of the controversial ditch in what Costa Rica considers its land. In an interim decision issued Friday, the court basically gave Costa Rica everything it was seeking in its appeal. The court in its decision recognized that there had been digging work on the ditches that could connect an arm of the Río San Juan to the sea. It noted that Nicaragua claimed that the additional work there was directed by Edén Pastore, the man put in charge by Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega. The country's lawyers had said in the recent arguments in the court that Ortega stopped work there as soon as he became aware of what was going on. The court had ordered in March 2011 that no one enter the disputed territory, but Costa Rica presented overwhelming evidence, mostly satellite photos, that showed the advancement of digging operations and the presence of Nicaragua military. The court ordered Nicaragua to fill in part of the ditch within two weeks and report back when the job had been done. It also ordered that any government personnel, including soldiers, be ordered out of the area and that the Nicaragua government should prevent the intrusion of private parties. Groups of so-called environmentalists have been camping on the disputed land. The court said that "The decision given in the present proceedings in no way prejudges any questions relating to the merits or any other issues to be decided at that stage. It leaves unaffected the right of the Governments of Costa Rica and Nicaragua to submit arguments in respect of those questions." So a final decision still is awaited. The court said that Nicaragua had argued that since dredging activities have now ceased and will not resume, there is no real and imminent risk that irreparable prejudice will be caused to Costa Rica’s claimed rights before the court has given its final decision. The court recognized that the digging and dredging might cause the river to change course and create a new opening to the sea. That is the main purpose of the Nicaraguan dredging. The part of the river that drains into the Caribbean is silted, and Nicaragua hopes to open a new channel that will allow increased river traffic. To do so it must cross land that Costa Rica claims. The south bank of the river is the international boundary over which the International Court of Justice has jurisdiction. Said the decision: "The Court moreover considers that there is urgency. The risk of irreparable prejudice . . . is not only real but also appears to be imminent, for the following reasons. First, during the rainy season, the increased flow of water in the San Juan River and consequently in the eastern caño could extend the trench and connect it with the sea, thereby potentially creating a new course for the San Juan River. Secondly, the trench could also easily be connected to the sea, with minimum effort and equipment, by persons accessing this area from Nicaraguan territory. " Caño in this reference, as defined by the court, means canal. Since Nicaragua did not fully comply with the early court order to stay off the disputed territory, Costa Rica will be watching closely to see what its neighbor does. |
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| From Page 7: Obama says that good things are happening By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
U.S. President Barack Obama urged Americans Saturday to look beyond the frustrating political headlines to the good things happening in the economy. Obama said in his weekly address businesses have created 7.8 million jobs in the past 44 months. He said another 200,000 went to work last month. He also said since he has been in office the country's deficits have been cut in half, making it easier to invest in the things that create jobs, like education research and infrastructure. President Obama noted that for the first time in nearly 20 years, America now produces more oil than it buys from other countries. The president asked Americans to imagine how much further along the country could be if both parties worked together without what he called a reckless few holding the economy hostage every few months or wasting time on dozens of votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act. In the Republican address, U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess, a Texas physician, said the troubled health care law should be scrapped and a new effort started. He said the health care law does not do what the president promised, calling it "a trainwreck for doctors, a trainwreck for patients, and...a trainwreck for the American people." |
