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Some tourists getting short-changed with visa dates
By Kayla Pearson
of the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Some tourists are getting unexpected and inconvenient short stays from immigration agents at Daniel Oduber airport in Liberia.

One North American businessman found that out when he flew into Liberia. He and his wife only were granted 30-day visas, he said.  They both had not been in the country since April and had an exit ticket for three months after their arrival.

Pat Wegner, a permanent resident, said a friend came to visit Nov. 26 and told the airport immigration agent that he was leaving Dec. 5.  The agent stamped his passport for five days instead of the 10 which the visitor had requested.

“This was our friend's first visit to Costa Rica, and he is seriously considering retiring here in the near future,” said Ms. Wegner.  “The question remains to be seen if this overstay will negatively impact his eventual application for residency. Only time will tell.”

According to Freddy Montero, it is not a usual practice for border workers to give less time than requested.  However the government workers have the legal right to decide how many days a person should be granted, he said.

“North Americans have the opportunity to stay 90 days but that does not mean they are going to be granted 90 days,” he said.  “This depends on the information you give at the time of arrival.”

The information comes from the question on the
customs form that asks how long a person will be in the country, why they are are there and where they are staying.

If a person is only coming for a few days, it is likely that they will not get the 90-day visa, said Montero. He is a spokesman for the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería.

Montero gave the example of if a person comes for a 10-day stay, the border agent may give a visa for 15 days.  It is procedure to give a few days more than asked, he said.

An immigration official at the Liberia airport said he did not know exactly why these persons are getting less days than asked, and said that the visa cannot be contested at the airport.

Those who want their visa to be revised must go to an immigration office before it expires and file for an extension, he said.

According to immigration documents, this can only be done with a visa that has less than 90 days.  It is also a complex process that includes getting authentication from a lawyer and paying money.

North Americans affected are saying the inconsistencies in immigration policies are going to have a negative impact on travel to the country.

“This is lousy business for tourism,” said the businessman, who asked that his name not be used.

He happens to own property in Costa Rica and was not happy with the prospect of having to leave the country again during the Christmas rush.


Darkened sky promises a great show by meteors
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Astronomy lovers who do not mind missing a little sleep are in for a treat tonight and early Friday. This is the peak time for the Geminids meteor shower.

The meteors out of the constellation Gemini are an annual event. But this year there is a new moon, so the sky will be dark.

The meteors have been visible at times from the middle of last week. The shower will continue until Dec. 17. But late tonight and early Friday is considered the peak time with more than 100 meteors an hour.

The meteor shower is visible around the world in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. The flashes of light could be small pieces of an asteroid. Typically meteors come from comets, but the Geminids shower may be an exception. However, the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration notes that some scientists believe the source is what is called a rock comet.

It was a NASA satellite that discovered the source of the meteors in 1983. The source is called 3200 Phaethon.
meteors
National Aeronautics and Space Administration photo
Time exposure of the current meteor shower

Said NASA:

A rock comet is a new kind of object being discussed by some astronomers. It is, essentially, an asteroid that comes very close to the sun — so close that solar heating scorches dusty debris right off its rocky surface. Rock comets could thus grow comet-like tails made of gravely debris that produce meteor showers on Earth.

Expats who are more serious and who seek something more than just a sky show can visit the Web site of the International Meteor Organization. Amateurs are invited to send in reports on their observations. Plus there is a lot of data about the meteor shower.

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A.M. Costa Rica's  Second news page
San José, Costa Rica, Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, Vol. 12, No. 248
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Clinica

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Professional Directory
A.M. Costa Rica's professional directory is where business people who wish to reach the English-speaking community may invite responses. If you are interested in being represented here, please contact the editor.


Real estate agents and services

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Twin quakes in the Pacific
are felt in center of country

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Posted at 11:54 a.m.

Twin earthquakes took place late this morning off the central Pacific coast.

Monitoring agencies said the magnitudes were better than 5.0 for each.

The first was at 11:16 a. m. about 50.2 kilometers southwest of Bahia Bailena, according to the Laboratorio de Ingeniería Sísmica at the Universidad de Costa Rica.

The second was at 11:20 a.m. about 44.1 kilometers south west of Bahia Ballena, the Laboratorio said.

The Red Sismológica Nacional, estimated the magnitudes at 5.5 and 5.4 and said that the cause was the subduction of the Coco tectonic plate under the lighter Caribbean. That is the usual cause for Pacific coast earthquakes.

The second was felt moderately in the Central Valley, even thought the magnitude was estimated as being less.

The location is in the Pacific off Dominical, and the quake was felt mainly in the country's center, said the Laboratorio.


Six persons detained in case
of northern border roadway


By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Judicial agents have arrested six men, including the former director of the Consejo Nacional de Vialidad, two other former government officials and three contractors.

Agents suspect that these men all played a part in embezzling money meant to go towards a road along the Rio San Juan on Costa Rica's northern border.

The still-incomplete road has become infamous for having fallen into disrepair far quicker than expected even by Costa Rica's standards for roads. It has become known as the the trocha or trail.

The most prominent person arrested Wednesday morning is Carlos Eduardo Acosta Monge, the former director of Costa Rica's government agency in charge of regulating all roads in the country.

Additionally, a bulletin from the Judicial Investigating Organization said that two low-level former government officials were also detained. A judicial spokesperson identified these men as Manuel Francisco Serrano Alvarado, the engineer responsible for the project, and Miguel Francisco Ramírez Marín, workplace supervisor.

The other three men arrested were in charge of businesses with which the government contracted on the project. All three of these men were arrested in Guápiles within an hour of each other.

A judicial spokesperson identified these men as Giovanni Gerardo Baralis Crosetti, David Mauricio Castillo Villalobos and Johnny Manrique Muñoz Sanabria.

Judicial sources did not identify which businesses in which these three men were involved.

Anti-corruption prosecutors raided six businesses, Monday morning, that also worked on the border road, but none of them was in Guápiles, according to a press release from the Ministerio Público.

These businesses are VH Constructora S.A in Ciudad Quesada, Movimientos de Tierra y Acarreos ALFRITZ S.A. in Boca Tapada, Constructora Basavi S.A. in Pital, Compañía Constructora MONRO S.A. in La Tigra, WSP Constructora S.A. in Curridabat and Construtana R&A S.A in Sarapiquí.

According to the press release, these businesses were not raided earlier because prosecutors thought that they had not yet been paid for their work. It was later found that the council did pay these companies.

The roadway, Ruta 1856, is the project that President Laura Chinchilla rushed through because of incursions into Costa Rican soil. The road provided an option for travel along the northern border. The other option is to travel in the river, which is within Nicaraguan territory.


Our reader's opinion
Chinese patent numbers
include foreign filings


Dear A.M. Costa Rica:

RE: the article "China tops in 2011 patent applications."

The numbers are the result of foreign companies filing patents already granted in their home country and/or other countries.  The article which has appeared in similar form elsewhere would give the impression that the Chinese are brimming over with patentable ideas, which is definitely not the case.

To attempt to clarify the above, just because an individual or company was granted a patent in the U.S.A., it has no protection from being copied in China and sold throughout the world excluding the U.S.A.  Supposedly, one is protected from a Chinese company selling into the U.S. market.

David Laker
patent officer
Dubai

 
Find out what the papers
said today in Spanish


By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Here is the section where you can scan short summaries from the Spanish-language press. If you want to know more, just click on a link and you will see and longer summary and have the opportunity to read the entire news story on the page of the Spanish-language newspaper but translated into English.

Translations may be a bit rough, but software is improving every day.

When you see the Summary in English of news stories not covered today by A.M. Costa Rica, you will have a chance to comment.

This is a new service of A.M. Costa Rica called Costa Rica Report. Editor is Daniel Woodall, and you can contact him
 HERE!
From the Costa Rican press
News items posted Monday through Friday by 8 a.m.
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A.M. Costa Rica Third News Page
San José, Costa Rica, Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, Vol. 12, No. 248
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Floats designed for the Festival de la Luz are closely guarded state secrets. A photographer could not see the float being finished up for the Municipalidad de San José, but this sketch, which may or may not be the final design, was available.

float sketch
A.M. Costa Rica/Kayla Pearson

Mayor promises a punctual start for Festival de la Luz
By Kayla Pearson
of the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The Municipalidad de San José is putting the finishing touches on the 17th edition of the Festival de la Luz 2012.  The show will commence Saturday at 6 p.m.

“We are absolutely ready for the activity, the Festival de la Luz this Saturday,” said Johnny Araya Monge, mayor of San José.

“There is a very low prediction of rain, and it is a beautiful day . . .  this Saturday,” he added.

The lights festival, which consists of 11 carrozas or floats and 13 bands, will begin at the Gimnasio Nacional on Calle 42 at Parque la Sabana continuing to the statue of León Cortés.  The parade will then take Paseo Colón to Calle 14 where it turns a block south to take Avenida Segunda. It continues on Avenida Secunda to Calle 11.

The municipality has designed for the floats to park in different places after the parade. Some of the floats will head toward Plaza de la Democracia while others will take Avenida Segunda back to the statue.  All bands and cheerleading groups will end up at the Museo Nacional.

Preparation for the night is already under way.  Monday the municipality began building bleachers and platforms for viewers.  Construction workers are expected to finish all the work Friday at noon.  Later the Municipality will begin to rope off the route for the Festival. 

Officials described the activity as an all-day event.  Those who want to see the carrozas in advance, can view them at La Sabana park.  Floats will arrive at La Sabana park early Saturday.

The Festival de la Luz 2012 will begin at 6 p.m.

“It's a very punctual activity,” said Araya.

Throughout the parade, fireworks will be shot from Parque la Sabana and the roofs of Banco Nacional de Costa Rica, Banco de Costa Rica, Banco Crédito Agrícola de Cartago, Banco Popular and Edificio Ofomeco. 

The parade is expected to last until 9 p.m. Perhaps as many as a million persons will line the parade route, and local television will carry the full event.

More than 160 Cruz Roja workers will be on call during the festival.  They will have 20 ambulances and six vehicles dispersed across the route and 12 stations set up to administer medical care and first aid.

Last year the organization served 186 patients, said spokespersons.
float two
A.M. Costa Rica/Kayla Pearson
 Part of the municipal float peeks out from a covered
 building where it is being prepared. The site is off limits, as
 are other locations where floats are being constructed.


"The efforts and commitments of the cruzrojistas will be reflected this Saturday during the Festival de la Luz,” said Carlos Gutierrez, chief of national rescue service.  “Our job is to safeguard the integrity of the attendees.”

Stations will be at the Gimnasio Nacional, Léon Cortés, Centro Colón, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, Torre Mercedes, Hospital San Juan de Dios, La Merced, La Cañada, Parque Central, Banco Popular and Plaza de la Democracia.

For safety, the Cruz Roja is cautioning patrons to check bus schedules and stop relocations, to wear visible clothing for drivers, to carry identification, to refrain from bringing bulky items such as backpacks, to leave flashy jewelry at home and to establish a meeting place in case someone in their party gets lost.

During the event, the organization also recommends that parents keep a close eye on minors.
 
The Patronato Nacional de la Infancia will be on site to protect minors who are lost or put in at risk situations during the festival, it said.
   
According to the children's organization, last year the Patronato provided protection to 38 minors who were lost or put in risky situations by adults such as placing them on top of walls, roofs, bus stops and phone booths.

This was an increase from the 19 minors that needed the Patronato's aid in 2010. 


Ferry trips across Gulf of Nicoya increased for high season
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Passengers crossing the Gulf of Nicoya by ferry will have the option of a romantic evening cruise.

The transport ministry said Wednesday that ferry service was being increased to 12 trips a day because of the high tourist season. Two of those trips will begin after dark.

In addition, the ferry Tambor 2 is back in service after a trip to Colombia for maintenance, the ministry said.

The more intense ferry schedule starts Friday. The ferries used to be the major link between the mainland and the southern part of the Nicoya peninsula. However, the construction of the Puente de Amistad now provides a reasonable vehicle route. For tourists, the ferry ride is a pleasant alternative to highway travel.

The Tambor 2 was removed from service Oct. 29, so ferry
trips were reduced to eight a day. The División Marítima Portuaria del Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes said that each of the Tambor ferries will offer six trips a day, beginning at 5 a.m. from Puntarenas Centro and 6 a.m. from Paquera on the peninsula.

Until Friday the last trip of the day will be at 5 p.m. But starting Friday and for the remainder of the high season a ferry will depart Puntarenas at 8:30 p.m. the last trip from Paquera will be at 8 p.m., said the ministry.

The seagoing ferries carry passenger cars and tractor trailers. bus passengers usually leave one vehicle in Puntarenas and board another upon landing.

The $7 million Tambor 3 went into service in 2011, and it can carry 160 vehicles and 850 passengers.  The ferries are operated by Naviera Tambor S.A., which is associated with the Hotel Tambor which is south of Paquera.

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Fish Fabulous Costa Rica

A.M. Costa Rica's Fourth News page
San José, Costa Rica, Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, Vol. 12, No. 248
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Commerce minister paints optimistic picture of investment
By Aaron Knapp
of the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Costa Rica has attracted foreign businesses to start 40 new projects in Costa Rica and generate more than 8,000 jobs here this year, said Anabel González, the minister of Comercio Exterior, at a press conference Wednesday.

Ms. González and officials of the Coalición Costarricense de Iniciativas de Desarollo, known as CINDE, said that these projects are primarily technical and research projects that created high-paying skilled jobs.

These new projects came mostly from businesses based in the United States, but also from Europe, Asia and other Latin American countries, they said.

“In any country in Latin America, when we go to Asian countries, when we are in Europe, the people are saying that Costa Rica is a country that is succeeding in attracting foreign investment,” said Ms. González.

Analysts from the coalition say that these businesses have invested about $575 million in Costa Rica. The numbers of projects, investments and new jobs from these foreign companies all increased last year.

However, this narrative that Costa Rica is business-friendly is not the trend that has been painted by surveys and rankings.

This year's edition of the World Bank's annual Doing Business survey placed Costa Rica as 110th out of 185 countries around the world, behind currently tumultuous countries like Pakistan and Egypt.

That survey ranked Costa Rica as 169th in protecting investors, 128th in getting construction permits, enforcing contracts,
resolving insolvency and starting a business, as well as 125th in paying taxes.

Additionally, the Costa Rican-American Chamber of Commerce held a summit in October that focused on the theme that the government is standing in the way of Costa Rica becoming competitive for business.

A spokesperson from the chamber noted that the data released by the coalition did not include how many businesses made steps to come to Costa Rica but ultimately chose to go elsewhere.

The spokesperson also said that businesses that come to Costa Rica could have been successful, but they report that the government could do more to facilitate growth.

Ms. González touted the fact that many of these projects deal with engineering, software design, product research and product development, or high-paying skilled jobs.

“The principle contribution that high-technology businesses bring to our country is the formation of human capital in Costa Rica,” said Ms. González.

At the conference, coalition officials highlighted many of these new projects and major expansions by other companies already in the country. Most of the 8,000 jobs have not actually been added to these businesses' payrolls yet, but officials maintained numerous times that the companies will add these jobs.

Some projects seem certain, such as the U.S. company Convergys planning to add 500 new jobs after inaugurating a new headquarters in Rohrmoser. Others do not seem as concrete, like the U.S. Akamai which said it plans to begin operations for a technical support facility for South America and Mexico in 2014 and add 50 jobs.

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A.M. Costa Rica's
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Obama and GOP far apart
on spending and tax cuts


By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

U.S. President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans remained far apart on Wednesday in their positions as negotiations continue to avert expiring tax cuts and government spending cuts at the end of the year.

Although Obama and John Boehner, the speaker of the House, continue to talk by telephone, and their aides confer, public statements indicate that major differences remain.

Wednesday began with Boehner, a Republican, accusing the president of failing to put forward specifics, asserting Obama has proposed mainly tax and spending increases.

"The plan does not fulfill his promise to bring a balanced approach to solving this problem.  It is mainly tax hikes.  And his plan does not begin to solve our debt crisis. It actually increases spending," Boehner said.

"What we hear from the president is continuing discussion only on one side of the ledger.  It has been about tax rate increases, and nothing about spending," said Eric Cantor, the Republican House majority leader.

Press secretary Jay Carney said Obama believes a deal can be achieved, but will not yield on his pledge to extend Bush-era tax cuts for lower income earners while asking wealthier Americans to pay more.

"He is eager to find a compromise, he understands that would require tough choices by him and Democrats.  But a position that says we want tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, and that is our No. 1 priority, is not a position that the president could ever sign on to," Carney said.

Carney said he would not dispute reports citing unnamed congressional and other officials who described Obama's conversation with Boehner the previous day as tense.

New details emerging Wednesday included an apparent Boehner proposal to permanently extend Bush-era tax rates for all taxpayers, including the top 2 percent.

Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic minority leader in the House, said Republicans have failed to lay specifics on the table.

"All we have seen from them is a letter. All we heard from them is they don't want to tax the rich. All we know is that the public is very much on board with everyone in the country paying his or her fair share," Pelosi said.

The two sides continue to argue over the specific amount of revenue that would be raised from tax increases.  Republicans offered $800 billion through unspecified tax reform steps Congress could take next year.

President Obama is now seeking $1.4 trillion in new revenue as part of a broader deficit reduction deal.  The president says he is willing to make tough decisions regarding reforms of huge government entitlement programs.

From U.S. city mayors visiting the White House, including Mayor Bob Buckhorn of Tampa, Florida, Obama heard concerns about the negative effects on the economy.

"We think we need to get an agreement on this fiscal cliff.  Let there be certainty for the markets to operate, for investors to put their money into growth, and we will see the economy grow significantly as a result of that," Buckhorn said.

The chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, said uncertainty already is hurting the U.S. economy.


McAfee returns to U.S.
after Guatemalan deportation


By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

Internet software pioneer John McAfee is back in the United States after being deported from Guatemala where he had been ducking police who wanted to question him about a murder in neighboring Belize.

McAfee's plane touched down late Wednesday in Miami, Florida, and he told reporters that his plans for the future are still not clear. But he said all he wants is a normal life.

The 67-year-old software pioneer fled to Guatemala from Belize, where he had been living for several years. Police there want to question him about the murder of his neighbor. They say he is not a suspect but a person of interest.

Guatemalan police arrested him last week for entering the country illegally. He said his life would be in danger if he returned to Belize.

Guatemala refused to grant him asylum and ordered him to be deported to the United States, his country of origin.

McAfee made a personal fortune after designing the popular anti-virus software program named after him. He sold his stake in the company several years ago. But he now says an earlier claim that he lost much of his money to bad investments is not accurate.


U.S. and U.N. call rocket
by North Korea a violation


By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

The United States says it wants consequences for North Korea's rocket launch, and that it will seek international action in the coming days.

Wednesday, the United Nations Security Council condemned the launch, calling it a clear violation of U.N. resolutions that ban Pyongyang from carrying out missile or nuclear-related tests.

Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said the initial statement out of the council was one of the swiftest and strongest that the 15-member body has issued.  She said the United States will be working with the international community toward an appropriate action on North Korea.  She said Washington will look for a clear set of objectives that include consequences.  

Rice also said Pyongyang's actions more than call into question North Korea's commitment to return to six-nation talks on its nuclear program.

North Korea announced Wednesday that it launched a long-range rocket, which it says put a weather satellite into orbit.  North Korean state media called the launch a groundbreaking"mission that met the last instructions of Pyongyang's late leader, Kim Jong Il.

Rice said that no matter how the North Koreans choose to describe the launch it violates two Council resolutions and shows that the country ``is determined to pursue its ballistic missile program without regard for its international obligations.''
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San José, Costa Rica, Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, Vol. 12, No. 248
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                        weapon
Judicial Investigating Organization photo
This is one of the weapons confiscated in the raids

Four held in double murder
and attempted murders

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Judicial agents detained three men and a woman Wednesday and also confiscated a fragmentation grenade, drug paraphernalia, an automatic rifle and handguns.

The individuals are suspects in two murders and two attempted murders, all in Los Guidos en Desamparados. Raids Wednesday were in San Sebastián and Higuito de Desamparados.

The double murder took place June 12 in Los Guidos. Agents suspect the men were killed because they had robbed the woman who was detained Wednesday.

The attempted murders were Aug. 30 when two men were fired upon and wounded in the same area, said agents.

Agents also found bulletproof vests, police-type radios, a shotgun, pistols and various types of ammunition at the scenes of the arrests, they said.


New facility will produce
larvae for oyster production

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

How about Gulf of Nicoya oysters?

That's the plan from three government agencies now that a $1 million facility for producing oyster larvae is in operation.

The project has help from the Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería, the Instituto Mixto de Ayuda Social and the Universidad Nacional in Heredia. They shared in the cost of what is being called a laboratory.

The lab produces the larvae, which sometimes are called oyster seeds. The facility is in the university's marine science station in Punta Morales. Production can be 1.5 million larvae a month, which can be distributed into 15 areas.

The cultivation of oysters elsewhere takes from two to three years.


Caribbean head-on crash
claims lives of motorcyclists


By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Two motorcyclists died early Wednesday when their machines collided head on along the Caribbean coast.

The Judicial Investigating Organization said that the mishap took place on the road that links Cocles and Puerto Viejos de Talamanca. The victims were identified by the last names and ages of Montoya, 23, and Taysigue, 37.

A passenger on one of the motorcycles was hospitalized, agents said.








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San José, Costa Rica, Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, Vol. 12, No. 248
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coral
Boston University photo
Coral sample being harvested for international trade.

International coral trade called beneficial

By the Boston University news service

Corals used to be primarily a curio trade of dried skeletons, but now international business focuses on live corals for the marine reef aquarium trade. A research team from Roger Williams University, Boston University, Conservation International and the New England Aquarium has been studying this relatively new development and have published findings about this trade and its long-term implications.

The article  appears in the December issue of the journal Conservation Letters.

Assessing 21 years of live coral import data for the United States, the researchers found that the coral trade increased over 8 percent per year between 1990 until the mid-2000s, and has since decreased by 9 percent annually. This decrease is mostly due to the current economic climate. The timing of the peak and decline varies among species, and is a result of the rising popularity of mini-reef ecosystem aquariums, the global financial crisis, and an increase in domestic aquaculture production.

The live coral trade for home aquariums has traditionally been viewed in absolute terms as a threat to these undersea areas of high biodiversity. However, realities are often grey. In the case of coral reefs, supplying the home aquarium trade with locally cultivated corals can provide real economic benefits to small island communities, and thus, an incentive to protect the reefs from which the mother colonies are obtained.

In their article, the researchers highlight this dichotomy and demonstrate that recent changes in the trade of live corals for the reef aquarium hobby are resulting in new opportunities for conservation. “The trade has moved from a wild harvest to mariculture production, a change sparked by long-term efforts to produce a sustainable income to small island countries such as the Solomon Islands and also by the government of Indonesia,” said Andrew Rhyne, lead author and Roger Williams University assistant professor. This shift from a wild fishery to a mariculture product poses new opportunities and challenges for conservationists.

Coinciding with the publication of this study, the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration has just proposed to protect 66 stony corals under the Endangered Species Act. An unintended consequence of this listing would be to eliminate the benefits of the trade revealed by the study, which include elevated value for intact coral reefs, and an income source that is sorely needed in these island nations where hundreds of millions of people rely on reef resources for subsistence.

According to the researchers, the trade is still rapidly evolving, creating challenges, such as the addition of new species that outpace effective management strategies. “New species in the live coral trade initially command high prices, but as they become common the price drops with feedback effects to the trade,” said Les Kaufman, a Boston University professor involved in the study.

Coral reefs are under numerous human induced threats. These include the global threats of warming oceans that are becoming more acidic, and local threats such as improper land use resulting in increased nutrient loading, and overfishing, which can trigger an ecological cascade resulting in blooms of seaweed that inhibit coral growth.


Video aims to repel attackers, rapists

By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

Surveillance footage of an 11-year-old's abduction motivated Dallas Jessup, who was 13 at the time, to do something to help stop sexual assault and violence against girls.

She founded Just Yell Fire, a nonprofit which teaches self-defense skills to girls. Seven years later, Ms. Jessup has grown and so have her efforts.

Ms. Jessup produced "Just Yell Fire," a self-defense video for high school girls,
Ms. Jessup
Ms. Jessup
in 2006.

Last summer, she produced a second film for college women highlighting the dangers on campus and focusing on ways to prevent and escape date abuse, sexual assault or violence.

“Any girl anywhere in the world can watch for under an hour, for free how to get herself out of a situation,” Ms. Jessup said.

The way to get out of a situation, she advises, is not to stay and fight, but try to disable the attacker for just a few seconds so the victim can run. Bite him, gouge him in the eye, or simply yell “Fire” to get someone’s attention. She said, adding that unfortunately, people often ignore a call for help and are reluctant to get involved if they hear a girl scream “Rape!”

Ms. Jessup, who has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, says the two films exemplify the
mission of Just Yell Fire, which is empowering young women.

“We're also going to schools, shelters in local areas to make sure girls work one-on-one with us," she said, "make sure they can understand the techniques and really do them in real life.”

To keep spreading the word, Ms. Jessup has begun a train a trainer program.

“We bring leaders in the community to certify them in the Just Yell Fire program, so that they then can continue in their community and keep girls safe,” she said.

Just Yell Fire now has a presence in 65 countries. Last year Ms. Jessup traveled to India where the Vanderbilt University senior spent two weeks speaking at a dozen colleges on how to avoid slave traders and sex trafficking.

Ms. Jessup has testified before Congress and her efforts have been recognized by a number of organizations.

Most recently, in October , she received the World of Children Award as a social changemaker, transforming the lives of the world’s most vulnerable children.


7,000-year-old cheese clues found

By the University of Bristol news service

The first unequivocal evidence that humans in prehistoric Northern Europe made cheese more than 7,000 years ago is described in research by an international
cheese sieve
This is the cheese sieve
team of scientists, led by the University of Bristol, published Wednesday in Nature.

By analyzing fatty acids extracted from unglazed pottery pierced with small holes excavated from archaeological sites in Poland, the researchers showed that dairy products were processed in these ceramic vessels. Furthermore, the typology of the sieves, close in shape to modern cheese-strainers, provides compelling evidence that these specialized vessels have
been used for cheese-making. Before this study, milk residues had been detected in early sites in Northwestern Anatolia (8,000 years ago) and in Libya (nearly 7,000 years ago). Nevertheless, it had been impossible to detect if the milk was processed to cheese products.

Researchers from the Organic Geochemistry Unit at the University of Bristol, together with colleagues at Princeton, Łódź, Gdánsk and Poznań, studied unglazed pottery from the region of Kuyavia in Poland dating from around 7,000 years ago.  These had been typologically interpreted as cheese-strainers by archaeologists for more than 30 years due to the peculiar presence of small sized holes on the surface.  They look like modern cheese-strainers.

Using lipid biomarker and stable isotope analysis, researchers examined preserved fatty acids trapped in the fabric of the pottery and showed that the sieves had indeed been used for processing dairy products.  Milk residues were also detected in non-perforated bowls, which may have been used with the sieves.
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