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San
José, Costa Rica, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013, Vol. 13, No. 194
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Go to Page 5 HERE! Go to Page 6 HERE! Sports is HERE! Opinion is HERE! Classifieds are HERE! Plus useful links |
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Our reader's opinions
Why are some welcomedbut other immigrants not? Dear A.M. Costa Rica: Who can fathom the logic and priorities of politicos? Sept 19: A.M. Costa Rica said: Lawmakers soon will consider a proposal to make more immigrants legal. The principal concerns are mostly Nicaraguan immigrants who are in the gray labor market because they cannot afford the cost of official applications. . . . And Sept 27: A.M. Costa Rica asked in an editorial: How could officials be caught flat-footed again? So, in my opinion, those of us who would like to be expats or pensionados, or whatever term, with money and talent to contribute to Costa Rica are shunned as Gringo intruders (unless we have a few $ million), yet the “exploited” (my words) worker bees from the neighboring “enemy” state are welcome and even (to be) assisted as they make their southerly migration. Seem familiar to you Mr. Expat? Apparently not a lesson relearned by the Ticos from the US experience. Perhaps the common language does not instill the fear of illegal border infiltration or a national identity crisis? And remember the profiling outrage Costa Rica expressed about the Arizona law? I get stopped for ID checks more in Costa Rica than in the U.S.! Do that math. Costa Rica has no problem admitting U.S. hospital ships and the countless missionary groups that arrive with (Godly) benefits to Costa Rica. Guess they’re leaving within 90 days! I digress. My point is to ponder the complexity of national identity as it relates to growth and progress. I am pretty sure MTV and satellites eliminated national borders back in the 80s and everybody wanted to be like “us” (now social networking continues that). Are we (to be) tribes or a united planet? I am of the opinion that ANYONE who contributes should be encouraged, welcomed and treated equally. Hank
Lam
Texas and Talamanca Nicaragua's Ortega is smarter and cannot be taken lightly Dear A.M. Costa Rica: A second “Panama Canal” linking two oceans is an opportunity for Daniel Ortega to increase his power in Central America and the Organization of American States. Without a doubt, this weakens Costa Rica on an economic front and militarily. Since we have no army, Costa Rica becomes VERY vulnerable. What most people fail to understand is that Ortega has never changed his spots, only his tune. He is still a renegade, just smarter. When I think of the potential of Canal Nicaragua, I see ships laden with drugs with little oversight. Drug lords could bypass a more restricted and patrolled Panama for a friendlier port. Ortega and his underlings would be dipping their beak in everything that passed through the canal. The fuel savings alone would make it very attractive to shippers. With this level of economic power, Nicaragua would increase pressure on our northern provinces with a quiet invasion of border crossers/illegal immigrants. With the cordoba strong climb versus the dollar, the impact of a canal increases its trading value to who knows what. That is major money in anybody’s book. Ortega cannot be taken lightly. My adopted country seems to have an attitude of arrogance that one day will lead to a major political upheaval. Foreigners have a tremendous investment here that Ortega envies and wants. I do not know the last time you have visited Granada, but if that is any indication of Ortega’s challenge to lure retirees from around the world, he will. We know that Panamá is offering a major challenge to Costa Rica. My wife and I have visited there and have scratched our heads. We have U.S. friends retiring there. The cost of living is surprisingly low for what is being offered. We are married to Costa Rica because of family, but it is definitely alluring. Ken
Beedle
Cartago Data card Internet hookup is impossible during the day Dear A.M. Costa Rica: I am wondering if this is happening all over Costa Rica, or is it just happening in Manuel Antonio/Quepos? Since roughly Monday of this week (Sept. 23), I have noticed that the in and out speed of the Internet using an ICE data card 3MB (which ICE staff say is really the max they can sustain, any "faster plans" they can not guarantee) is so slow that the only time to really get online is after 10:30 to 11 p.m.. Data speeds from early morning and throughout the day are averaging 100-200 Kb in speed and 50-150 Kb out speed. I have spoken with some folks in the area, and they, too, are saying they are having sustained issues with their connection speeds. My question is, does ICE ever do anything about this, or do they just collect your money for services paid for and think that this is acceptable service? I think we need to demand some sort of response from the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad and or demand refunds for the 90 percent of the day that we have little or no connection to do anything on the Internet. If you are going to sell a product and claim a certain level of speed, then don't you have to deliver on this, otherwise, don't sell these plans with a so called "3MB-6MB" capacity. Would love to hear what others are experiencing specifically with ICE and their data card internet service? Laura
Lyle
Quepos
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
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| San José, Costa Rica, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013, Vol. 13, No. 194 | |
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| An
A.M. Costa Rica guest editorial Remote community struggles for lack of a promised bridge |
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By
Tracy Leann Waters*
Special to A.M. Costa Rica My husband and I have lived in Costa Rica for four years working as private school teachers. During this time, we have grown to love this country and its citizens. For our fall break, we opted to go to Drake Bay to enjoy our vacation. We chose to fly, as opposed to drive into the area because we heard the roads were rough and were only passable with SUVs because it was the rainy season. The flight there on Nature Air was great, but when we were getting ready to land, we realized part of the gravel runway was flooded. The pilot skillfully accommodated, and we had a fairly smooth landing, except for a few large potholes on the runway. We didn't realize our adventure was just beginning. We were escorted to the Nature Air hub and told we may want to change clothes. Confused, we asked why we would need to change clothes. The reply was that we would need to ford the river on foot because it was swollen and impassable due to heavy rains. We arrived by SUV to the river's edge and unloaded our bags, preparing to cross. The problem was that there was one small, feeble woman who would not be able to cross the swiftly moving water. One of her sons hefted her to his shoulders and began the crossing. The water grew deeper and deeper until he was waist deep. He was battling to keep his mother on his shoulders safely through the strong current. My husband and I were also struggling through the strong waters to keep our balance and hoist our luggage above our heads to keep our clothing dry. Finally, after many minutes and much deliberation, our group made it across. Everyone was safe and accounted for. This incident made me wonder what life was like for the locals in Drake Bay. What happens when tourists fly in and can't cross the river? What happens when power or Internet is lost and repairmen can't arrive to repair the damaged lines? What happens when hotels or restaurants cannot receive the necessary supplies or when the EBAIS cannot receive the medication? I would soon find out. We checked into the Jademar Hotel, one of the few still open in the area during the rainy season. The rain was heavy throughout the day, so we decided to go to the bakery across the street to sit and relax. While walking up the ceramic tiled incline, my husband slipped and fell . . . hard. He cracked a bone in his back and a bone in his right forearm. It wasn't a life-threatening injury, but we wanted to get back to the San José area for his medical treatment. We spoke to Nature Air and changed our reservations to fly back to San José the next morning. The next morning, we ate a wonderful breakfast of omelette, gallo pinto, and freshly baked bread at the bakery. We went to schedule our ride to the air strip only to be told the flight was cancelled because the river was uncrossable. Our other option was to take a boat an hour up the coast to Palma Sur and fly from there. The only problem was the boat had left 30 minutes earlier. We were essentially stuck in Drake Bay for another day. We needed to find a medical clinic to hold my husband over until we could get back to San José. Our hotel administrator, Johnny Obando, was so helpful. He tried calling the doctor who worked at the local EBAIS, only to find out he was out of town. There was no pharmacy in town and the EBAIS was closed. What do the locals do if there is a medical emergency? That |
 Tracy
Leann Waters photo
Ms.
Waters at the edge of the river.
river is their lifeline to civilization. When it's uncrossable, they are literally stuck. Why has the government not built a bridge for this area? After talking to Mr. Obando further, I found out that 80 percent of the hotels here have to close this time of year because the tourists cannot get to the area easily. He told me if the power or Internet fails, the locals have to wait for days at a time to have the problem resolved. Can you imagine being a hotel owner who cannot provide power to your guests? Can you imagine being a restaurant that cannot provide food to your customers? It would affect your ability to make money to provide for your family. All of the hotels and stores here have to go on a cash only basis because they cannot rely on power or Internet. These are basic needs and our government is not providing for the basic needs of its citizens. There is always road construction in San José and bridges being repaired or replaced, but Drake Bay is part of this country, too. My husband and I were not able to fly out that first day. We had to wait until the next day (two days after the accident) and catch a taxi to the river's edge, where we once again forded across it. We walked another 600 meters to get to the airstrip and caught the Nature Air flight back to San José. Once back to San José, we were able to get medical and dental treatment for my husband. Mr. Obando said the government has been promising to build the bridge for years and even started once or twice but ran into problems. He said they now have equipment two kilometers away and will maybe start again soon. But we are in the rainy season, and for Drake Bay, that means a lot of rain and possibly a lot more waiting for the bridge to come. *Ms. Waters lives in Escazú. |
| Agents and prosecutors search legislative
offices for evidence |
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By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Judicial agents, prosecutors and two judges entered and searched the legislative offices of Justo Orozco Monday afternoon. They sought evidence that he had illegally provided notary services in a public facility. Orozco is the only lawmaker of the evangelical Partido Renovación Costarricense. The Poder Judicial said that because he is a lawmaker, the search had to be authorized by the Sala III of the Corte Suprema de Justicia. Both the law and the notary rules prohibit the use of public facilities for private business, so Orozco faces what amounts to |
a taking of public property
investigation. The Poder Judicial said he had been under investigation since Aug. 16. Prosecutors were responding to a new story on Teletica Channel 7 that said the man was conducting his private business at the legislative complex. The Poder Judicial said that the investigation was at the stage of studying evidence. Orozco also is the presidential candidate for his party. In Costa Rica, notaries can conduct marriage ceremonies, validate divorces and provide a number of services that result in filings at the public registries. |
| Couple found shot to death in their Paso
Ancho home |
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By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Judicial agents said that a man appears to have killed his companion and then killed himself at their home in Paso Ancho. The dead woman was identified by the last name of Obando. She was 33, agents said. The dead man had the last name of Alemán, and he was 34, agents said. The double killing was one of three murder cases in 24 hours. Agents were investigating a shooting of a young woman in San Sebastián about 9 p.m. Monday night and the killing of a person in Purral de Goicoechea about a half hour later The Paso Ancho incident began about 10 p.m. when a taxi driver said that he took the couple home. There was a dispute, and the taxi driver said that the man fired several bullets at him. He suffered a wound. |
Several hours later neighbors heard
two shots that appear to have been
the fatal ones. The bodies were found Monday morning by a relative, said the Judicial Investigating Organization. Today the Judicial Investigating Organization said that the person killed near a bus terminal in López Mateo, San Sebastián, was a 16 year old who was not yet identified. The girl was walkingon the public street when she was confronted by presumed robbers who shot her. In another case, a woman, 38, identified by the last name of Fajardo died Monday night in her home in Purral de Goicoechea after being shot in the head. Judicial agents said the woman ws inside the home about 9:30 p.m. when shooting erupted outside. She is believe tohave beenkille by a stray shot. |
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| You need to see Costa Rican tourism information HERE! |
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
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| A.M. Costa Rica's Fourth News page | |||||
| San José, Costa Rica, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013, Vol. 13, No. 194 | |||||
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| Costa Rica ranked 28 out of 91 countries on well being of
its older citizens |
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By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
An index of the well being of older people puts Costa Rica in 28th place globally and fourth in Latin America. The index is called the Global AgeWatch, and it was set up by an advocacy group, HelpAge International, which says it helps older people claim their rights, challenge discrimination and overcome poverty so that they can lead dignified, secure, active and healthy lives. Costa Rica has about 10 percent of its population over 60, the index report noted, and the county was scored high in the health status domain, with a long life expectancy at age 60 of 23 years, with 18.4 of which expected to be in good health, the report said. Some 93 percent of those over the age of 50 report feeling happy with the freedom of choice in their lives, but only 49 percent of the same group say they feel safe walking alone at night where they live, the report said. Costa Rica scores lowest for income security at 60, with a high rate of old age poverty, the study said, noting that 31.6 percent of people aged 60 and over have an income of less than half the country's median income. The country scored lower than Chile, Uruguay and Argentina on the index, but it is the highest in Central America, where Honduras was at the bottom. HelpAge said that the index used different indicators for the four key domains of income security, health status, education and employment, and enabling environment. The index is a tool to measure progress and aims to |
improve the impact
of policy and practice on aging populations, the organization said. The index contains reports on 91 countries where enough data was available. Among other sources, the index incorporations date from the Gallup World View surveys, the organization said. "The structure of our world is changing," said Jane Scobie, HelpAge director of communications and advocacy. "Today there are more people over 60 than children under 5, in just two generations there will be more people over 60 than under 15. Some countries are simply aging, others are grappling with spiraling youth and aging populations." "Today Japan is the only country where 30 percent of the population is over 60. By 2050, 64 countries will join this club including Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam, Jordan and Nicaragua. In other countries such as Eritrea, Kenya and Cameroon the population of younger people (under 15) will decline between 2012 and 2050, but still remain high (around 30 percent) at the same time the proportion over 60 years will also grow to around 8 to 9 percent." The country that earned the top score is Sweden, followed by Norway and Germany. They were followed by The Netherlands, Canada, Switzerland, New Zealand, The United States and Iceland. Japan was in 10th position. "New plans, laws and budgets are needed,: said Ms. Scobie. "Today, around 100,000, older men and women in 58 countries are meeting with their governments to take forward these issues as part of Age Demands Action. This growing global movement of action has achieved policy changes with the potential to help over 10 million older adults in the last five years." |
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
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| San José, Costa Rica, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013, Vol. 13, No. 194 | |||||
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| U.S. partial shutdown begins with politicians still far apart By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The U.S. government has entered a partial shutdown after a politically deadlocked Congress could not pass a bill to extend funding. Lawmakers worked late into the night but could not overcome a partisan split over President Barack Obama’s signature health care law, a major component of which is being implemented today. Three times, the Republican-led House of Representatives voted to undermine the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, as a condition of funding federal operations. Three times, the Democratic-controlled Senate rejected the measures. With Congress unable to agree on an extension of federal spending authority, non-essential U.S. government operations halted early today. Sen. Richard Durbin, a Democrat, was incredulous over the turn of events. “Shutting down the government of the United States of America? When you hear about this happening in foreign countries, you think, ‘It is a shame they are not as stable and strong as our great democracy’. And yet here we are,” said Durbin. The Senate passed its own spending bill free of partisan stipulations about Obamacare or any other matter, but Republican leaders in the House declined to bring that measure to the floor for a vote. Rep. Michele Bachmann belongs to a core group of House Republicans that refuses to abandon the fight against Obamacare. “I have gotten literally hundreds and hundreds of phone calls to my office today, and people have said, ‘Keep fighting. Stand strong.’ They want us to stand and fight. They do not want us to give up,” said Ms. Bachman. Other Republicans, such as Sen. Lisa Murkowski, think their party’s campaign against Obamacare has gone too far. “I am not a supporter of the Affordable Care Act. But do I believe that we should shut down the federal government at this point because we have not been able to shut down the Affordable Care Act? I think we have a responsibility here to govern,” said Murkowski. Democratic lawmakers, meanwhile, are united behind President Obama in funding the government while keeping Obamacare intact. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Democrats will hold firm. “We will not re-litigate the health care debate or negotiate at the point of a gun," said Reid. In the final hour before the shutdown began, House Republicans suggested a bicameral negotiation to resolve differences between the two chambers, but Reid immediately rejected the idea. Similarly, House Speaker John Boehner ruled out a vote on the Senate funding-only bill. And so, with no resolution passed, the U.S. government’s authority to spend money expired as the clock struck midnight in Washington. Hours earlier, at the White House, President Obama voiced frustration and disappointment over Congress’ inability to act. Later today the president will tout provisions of Obamacare that are being activated despite the shutdown. Many Americans of modest means who lack healthcare insurance will be able to sign up for subsidized policies on newly-created insurance exchanges. Here is what the shutdown means to the average citizen By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
If the U.S. government shuts down today, the world will keep on turning. But some government functions linking the United States to the rest of the world will be affected, as will many domestic services. To better understand the crisis and its potential impacts, here is a primer. 1. How would a shutdown affect U.S.-global relations? Consular Operations: U.S. consular operations overseas will remain operational as long as there are sufficient funds to support them, according to the State Department. That means the State Department will keep processing foreign applications for U.S. visas and passports, and providing services to U.S. citizens overseas as long as it can. Consular Staff: The State Department will apply a furlough to locally employed staff, including foreign nationals, depending on local labor laws in each country. In general, State Department locally employed staff will be required either to report to work as directed by their supervisor, be given a paid absence, or be placed on ordinary furlough status. Diplomacy: State Department travel would be limited to that necessary to maintain foreign relations essential to national security, or dealing with emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of property. So, for example, travel would be allowed for the negotiation of major treaties and for providing essential services to refugees. Green Cards: Most employees working for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will stay on the job, which means applications for U.S. green cards, or legal permanent residency, should continue as usual. The agency gets its money from fees people pay for immigration services and benefits, which means its employees are not dependent on congressionally-approved appropriations bills. Homeland Security: The Department of Homeland Security’s Procedures Relating to a Federal Funding Hiatus designate about 86 percent of its more than 200,000 employees as essential for the “safety of human life or protection of property.” That means work will continue as usual for most Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection employees, airport screening officers, U.S. Secret Service agents, and other people in passenger processing and cargo inspection at ports of entry and the detention of drug traffickers or undocumented immigrants. Military Operations: The military’s 1.4 million active-duty personnel would stay on duty, although they would be paid later. About 400,000 people, half of the Defense Department's civilian employees, would be sent home without pay. Tourism: Foreign tourists taking a U.S. vacation might be disappointed if they were planning on trekking through the Grand Canyon in Arizona or the National Zoo in Washington. The rangers who run these sites are considered non-essential federal employees, so the national parks will be closed. 2. What economic impacts would there be on the U.S. and the world? If the shutdown lasts a few days, any financial hardship would be felt mostly by furloughed workers. If the shutdown lasts a few weeks, tourism revenues would slip and anxious American consumers and businesses would think twice before spending money. If the shutdown is followed by a default on the federal debt, which could happen in a month if Congress does not act, foreign investors would really start to worry about the strength of the U.S. economy. They may lose confidence in the U.S. ability to pay back loans, triggering higher interest rates from foreign lenders. Even worse, foreign investors may not feel confident buying U.S. bonds. 3. What would make the U.S. government shutdown? The government is like a car. Its fuel is money. If the car isn’t refueled, it stops running. The U.S. Congress is responsible for refueling that car, and it does that by passing spending bills. The new budget year begins on Tuesday, and Congress is nowhere close to agreeing on spending laws. As a result, the government, without funding, would slow to a stop. 4. Why can’t lawmakers agree on a spending bill? The Republican and Democratic parties disagree on a plan to provide health care insurance to millions of uninsured Americans. Republican members of the House of Representatives are refusing to sign an appropriations bill that includes funding for the health care program, known as “Obamacare.” Democratic members of the Senate are refusing to sign a spending plan that does not fund Obamacare. 5. Has this happened before? Yes, the government has shut down 17 times since 1977. The last shutdown was the longest, lasting 21 days from Dec. 16, 1995, to Jan. 5, 1996. 6. How would the shutdown proceed this time? Federal agencies are alerting their staff as to who is essential and who is non-essential. Staff deemed essential will continue working. Everyone else will be furloughed, going home without pay. Essential employees will be paid, but only after an appropriations bill is passed. 7. How many U.S. government workers could be furloughed? Of the 3.3 million government workers, approximately 800,000 could be sent home without pay or any assurance they will be paid back for their unwanted time off. 8. Can a furloughed worker work? They could, but there would be consequences. Technically, it’s illegal for a government worker to perform any of their duties during a government shutdown. That even includes checking their work email. Device tested in monkeys protects against HIV-like virus By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Researchers have tested a new medical device that protects female monkeys from an AIDS-like virus, and it could turn out to also protect humans. It is a vaginal ring containing an anti-retroviral drug that protects 100 percent of female monkeys from becoming infected with a non-human primate version of HIV known as simian immunodeficiency virus. The developers believe it could help women in areas of the world where HIV is prevalent. Some 60 percent of Africa's HIV/AIDS sufferers are women. The main ingredient in the device is tenofovir, a drug taken daily by 3.5 million people worldwide infected with the AIDS virus. Tenofovir in pill form has been shown to be effective at limiting transmission of the AIDS virus. But developers say it can be hard to remember to take daily doses of the medication. Although the vaginal ring also contains powered tenofovir, the drug's effectiveness as a topical agent has not been studied in humans. Researchers say the device is made of a special polymer or plastic material that swells once inserted into the vaginal canal, releasing high doses of the anti-retroviral agent for up to 30 days. Human clinical trials of the protective vaginal ring are set to begin in November at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, which will evaluate the device’s safety and effectiveness in a group of 60 women over two weeks. Patrick Kiser, a visiting professor at Northwestern's school of biomedical engineering, says it took 10 years to develop the device, which can protect against multiple exposures to HIV for an extended period of time. Kiser described the work in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Vatican to canonize popes in unusual double ceremony By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The Vatican says the late popes John Paul II and John XXIII will be declared saints in a joint ceremony on April 27. Pope Francis made the announcement Monday during a meeting of cardinals at the Vatican. The Polish Pope John Paul II and Italian Pope John XXIII are two of the 20th century's most influential Church leaders. The decision to canonize them together is seen by many as an attempt to bridge a divide within Catholicism as each pope has their admirers and critics. Pope John Paul II, the first non-Italian pope in four centuries, led the Roman Catholic Church from 1978 to 2005 during the fall of communism, including in his native country of Poland. He is credited with curing a Costa Rican woman with severe brain injury and healing a French nun of Parkinson's disease. Pope John XXIII was pontiff from 1958 through 1963. He is credited with organizing the Second Vatican Council, which overhauled the Church's rituals, and with reaching out to other faiths. Only one miracle, the curing of an Italian nun, is associated with Pope John. Current Pope Francis waived the customary rules requiring a second miracle for sainthood. Greek government to take action against neo-Nazis By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The Greek government said Monday it would present a bill targeting racist hate speech, part of a crackdown on the far-right Golden Dawn Party after the killing of an anti-fascist rapper. Greece's ruling coalition had been at loggerheads over whether it needed a new anti-racism law to deal with racist and inflammatory talk used by Golden Dawn. The bill will be submitted to parliament in a matter of days, Deputy Prime Minister Evangelos Venizelos told reporters, adding it would align Greek legislation with European standards. The bill has symbolic and moral value, he said. Venizelos's Socialist PASOK party had pushed for a new law, while the main ruling conservative party of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras had argued that current legislation was enough. But the murder of rapper Pavlos Fissas Sept. 17 by a Golden Dawn supporter prompted a crackdown on Greece's third-most popular party, whose fierce anti-immigrant rhetoric has attracted support amid a severe economic crisis. Golden Dawn leader Nikolaos Mihaloliakos and four other party lawmakers are due to appear in court this week to respond to charges of forming a criminal organization. “We are dedicated in completely eradicating such a shame,” Samaras told the American Jewish Community in New York. “We have to go all the way and do whatever it takes. There is no room for the neo-Nazis in any part of the democratic world.” Three police officers who were also guards of Golden Dawn lawmakers were suspended from their posts Monday for illegally possessing ammunition, police said. In a search of a house belonging to Golden Dawn lawmaker Christos Pappas, police said they found a picture of Adolf Hitler with Golden Dawn written on it, helmets and flags depicting a swastika and Waffen-SS insignia and empty wine bottles with labels showing Italian fascist wartime leader Benito Mussolini. The government is also preparing another law that would suspend Golden Dawn's state funding on the grounds that its leadership is facing prosecution on felony charges. “Democracy can't fund its opponents,” Venizelos said. Golden Dawn features a swastika-like emblem and its members have been seen giving Nazi salutes. Prosecutors are investigating the party for links to about 30 violent attacks, including the killing of the rapper and a Pakistani immigrant. The party has denied any connection to the rapper's death and also rejects the neo-Nazi label. An outright ban of a political party is difficult under Greek law. The government plans instead to undermine Golden Dawn by cutting its money flows and dismantling its leadership. Canadian baby boomers urged to test for Hepatitis C By
the Toronto Western Hospital news staff
Canada should begin screening baby boomers for the hepatitis C virus infection, since this age group is likely the largest group to have the illness, and most don’t know they have it, say a group of liver specialists in the Toronto Western Hospital Francis Family Liver Clinic. Unlike many other chronic viral infections, early treatment makes hepatitis C curable. In an article entitled, A Canadian Screening Program for hepatitis C – is Now the Time? published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal Monday by Hemant Shah, Jenny Heathcote and Jordan Feld, the authors present arguments and data in favor of developing and implementing a national screening program for hepatitis C in Canada. “Baby boomers are much more likely to be infected with hepatitis C than other age groups. Most people who have the infection have no or very few symptoms even if they’ve been infected for decades. Without symptoms, many infected people have no idea they have the disease until it’s too late,” said Feld, a Toronto Western Hospital liver specialist. “Hepatitis C has the greatest impact of all infectious disease in Ontario, even more so than HIV, influenza virus or human papillomavirus,” said Shah, clinic and education director of the Francis Family Liver Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital. “It’s a life-changing diagnosis, yet there is a huge gap in public and healthcare provider awareness about the disease, it’s implications and the treatment options for patients.” Hepatitis C causes more years of life lost than any other infectious disease in Ontario, and likely in Canada, and is the leading indication for liver transplantation. The virus slowly destroys the liver over many years of infection eventually leading to cirrhosis and ultimately liver failure or liver cancer. However, if hepatitis C is diagnosed early, it is curable. Once liver disease is very advanced, treatment is much less effective and may not be possible, so the goal is to find people with hepatitis C before the virus has caused liver damage. Screening for hepatitis C involves a simple blood test which is covered by all provincial health care plans. Currently, the recommended Canadian approach is to test based on risk factors. These include: injection drug use (even once), receiving blood transfusions or blood products before 1992, piercings or tattoos done in an unclean environment with unsterile equipment, exposure to infected blood through sharing personal care items such as razors, toothbrushes, or even being immunized or receiving a medical procedure in countries where hepatitis C is common. In contrast, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States has recently recommended screening all individuals born between 1945 and 1965 for hepatitis C virus. Even though most baby boomers do not have the infection, the Centers adopted the policy because identifying infected people and treating them early will save lives and money by avoiding the costs associated with complications of liver disease, it said. The Canadian Liver Foundation has recently advocated that all those born between 1945 and 1975 get a test, basing the recommendations on the prevalence of the illness in Canada, and on the immigration into Canada from areas where hepatitis C is very common, such as Africa (particularly Egypt), southern Italy, Eastern Europe, and Central and Southeast Asia. |
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Venezuela's Maduro expels U.S. diplomats as saboteurs By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Monday he was expelling the top U.S. diplomat in the South American nation and two others, accusing them of meeting with opposition leaders and encouraging acts of sabotage against his country. It was the latest of several public disputes between the socialist leader and the United States since Maduro won an April election following the death of his mentor and predecessor Hugo Chávez. Maduro said Venezuelan authorities had for months followed the three U.S. diplomats, and that he had now given them 48 hours to leave the oil-producing member country. “We detected a group of U.S. embassy officials dedicated to meeting the far-right and to financing and encouraging acts of sabotage against the electrical system and Venezuela's economy,” the president said in a televised speech. “I have the proof here in my hands,” Maduro added. “... Yankees go home! Get out of Venezuela! Get out of here! I don't care what actions the government of Barack Obama takes.” He said Venezuela was expelling Kelly Keiderling, who as U.S. charge d'affaires is the senior American diplomat in Venezuela because the United States has no ambassador to the country. According to a U.S. Embassy Web site, she has been assigned to Caracas since July 2011 as deputy chief of mission, and was temporarily serving as the charge d'affaires. Venezuela identified the other two diplomats as Elizabeth Hunderland and David Mutt. The U.S. Embassy had no immediate comment or confirmation regarding the expulsions. “I'm not going to allow any action that stirs violence in this country,” Maduro added. Responding to the expulsion of the three U.S. diplomats, opposition leader Henrique Capriles said no one believed the joke alerts being issued by Maduro's team. “It's just smoke to cover up that they can't manage the country,” Capriles, who contested the election result after losing to Maduro in April, said on Twitter. Six months ago, Maduro expelled two U.S. military attaches hours before announcing Chavez's death from cancer, later saying that one of them was trying to stir up a coup against Chávez. Maduro has also suggested Chavez's illness could have been caused by his enemies, including the United States. The United States and others called that allegation absurd. Since then, the president has loudly denounced a U.S.-led economic war that has led to product shortages and blackouts. His critics say those problems are the result of an inefficient currency control system that encourages corruption, as well as under-investment in the country's creaking power grid. In the most recent diplomatic spat, Venezuela accused Washington of aggression this month after Maduro's plane was briefly blocked from flying over Puerto Rico en route to China. The U.S. government said it nevertheless approved the flight plan, which had not been properly submitted by Caracas. U.S. President Barack Obama had said after Chavez's death that he hoped for a constructive relationship after years of bilateral tensions. But the United States and others have found it difficult to engage with the government, or opposition, without opening themselves up to accusations of meddling. Boat, suspected marijuana seized By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The Servicio Nacional de Guardacostas detained six men in a boat off of Limón Centro over the weekend after being alerted by the crew of a British frigate carrying a detachment of U.S. Coast Guardsmen aboard. The boat herded the suspects toward shore, said the Ministerio de Gobernación, Policía y Seguridad Pública. The ministry said that the crewmen of the fleeing boat tossed nearly a ton of marijuana into the sea. The marijuana appears to have originated in Jamaica, said the ministry. |
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| From Page 7: Elegant hotel reopens as Grand Tara By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The stately hotel in the hills above Escazú has reopened with the name Grand Tara, the management said Monday. This is the hotel with the spectacular view of the Central Valley and located above San Antonio de Escazú. The hotel has been closed for some time and has been called the Tara Resort Hotel, Spa and Conference Center and the White House Costa Rica Hotel, Spa and Casino under different owners. The new management is K Hotels International, which also operates the Beacon Escazú Hotel in Escazú Centro. An announcement said that the interior has been remodeled completely. Derek Derefaka, who spent many years in the hotel business in South Beach, Florida, is the new general manager, said the announcement. He said that plumbing and electrical systems were improved, according to the announcement. The hotel was described as being three-story with 23-rooms and adorned with ornate white pillars, a spacious balcony and floor-to-ceiling windows. Inside, hardwood floors, natural wood accents and a winding staircase give the hotel an elegant appeal. The hotel also has a bar and a restaurant, aptly called the Grand View Restaurant. The announcement also said that the facility is a fully licensed medical facility for cosmetic surgery, ultra sound face treatment a personal consultation with the on-site doctor. There also is a pool and a jacuzzi and an on-site spa that offers a variety of treatments, including massages, facials, manicures and pedicures, said the announcement. Although not mentioned by the new operators, the hotel also has had a helicopter landing pad that brought tourists regularly from the Pacific coast to play in the former casino. The new operators included a brief history of the building and said it was built in 1978 for Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran and his family. But the shah never stayed there due to the revolution in his country. The history said it was U.S. businessman Richard Shambley and his wife, Barbara, who purchased the property in 1989 and named the hotel Tara after the mansion in the 1939 movie "Gone with the Wind." The hotel also has established a Web site. |
