Thursday, August 29, 2013

GT: More drugs require prescriptions / Colombian border remains closed

More drugs require prescriptions-
In an effort to control future flu outbreaks, the Ecuador health ministry has mandated that more than 250 medications currently available over the counter, be prescribed only by doctors.

The medications include a variety of cold remedies, analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs. According to the ministry, the goal of the order is to prevent outbreaks of H1N1 influenza. The medications named in the order mask flu sypmptons, it says, by providing reflief of symptons and could delay a flu diagnosis.

The Independent Pharmacy Federation says that the order puts an unnecessary burden on the country’s pharmacies and says that millions of dollars of medications are stuck in warehouses.

Pharmacies were notified two months ago about the pending rule and most have voluntarily complied. Carlos Reyes , president of the federation says that sales are down significantly in pharmacies nation-wide.

In addition to controlling flu outbreaks, the health ministry says that it is also concerned about self-medication in general, saying that many citizens rely too heavily on over-the-counter medications and should be visiting doctors first.


Talks begin but Colombian border remains closed-
The Colombian government has offered concessions to small-scale farmers on strike for more than a week. Talks with some of the protesters are underway in several areas of the country but little progress has been reported.

Meanwhile, the country's borders with Ecuador and Venezuela remain effectively closed.
Farmers say the government's agricultural and trade policies are driving them into bankruptcy.

Finance Minister Mauricio Cardenas said that new government measures, including better prices for products and more access to loans should ease pressures. Other framer demands, such as ending the free trade agreement with the U.S. and other countries are not on the table, according to Cardenas, although he said the government would offer more protection for products affected by the agreements.

Cardenas said he is hopeful that an agreement to end the strike can be reached soon. "We believe that the conditions exist for the strike to be lifted and for the highways to be unblocked," said Cardenas.

Some of protests have turned violent as food deliveries has been disrupted due to road blocks on key access routes to cities and towns.

Farmers have been destroying their produce and throwing it into the streets.

 One hundred Cuenca taxi cabs will be among the first in Ecuador to be equipped with new safey equipment. According to the National Traffic Agency (NTA), the equipment consists of a video camera, voice recorder, gps system, emergency button and a small computer.

Installation of the new equipment will begin next week.

The NTA says the equipment will eventually be installed in 38,000 taxis and 17,000 buses nationwide at a cost of $95 million, which will initially be paid by the government. Cuenca has 3,600 taxis, almost 10% of country's total.

The security systems, actívated when the taxi or bus engine is turned on, has a direct connection to the ECU-911 emergency system. If the driver hits the emergency button, an alert is sounded and police will be called. The video cameras and voice recorders will provide information that can be used in court in case of an assualt.


Beginning in 2015, the NTA will charge a monthly fee of $3 per taxi or bus to maintain the system. Photo caption: Taxis outside the Cuenca bus station; photo credit: El Tiempo

...read more: http://www.cuencahighlife.com/post/2013/08/28/ECUADOR-DIGEST3cbr3eCountrye28099s-taxis-and-buses-to-get-security-equipment3b-Government-bans-250-over-the-counter-medications3b-Strike-continues-in-Colombia.aspx
Comment by Journeymanjack: The above 1990 Nissan Sentra is the typical Taxi & Private Car of EC..as back in the States Taxis & LEO prefer the roomy Ford Crown Victoria. The nissan sentras are assembled in Colombia and cost about $14,000. The body style has stayed the same since 1990, even a 2013 looks like the one in the above photo. 
 

Privacy Gone on Offshore Assets - James Hall – August 28, 2013

Privacy Gone on Offshore Assets by James Hall – August 28, 2013

When struggling consumers hear about offshore banking, they naturally think such assets only apply to the rich. Secret bank accounts issued in the name of a confidential number, often portrayed in mystery movies, are less prevalent than a stake in an oversea property estate. Cash in a financial institution is an easy reporting task for foreign banks.

 Although, most Americans do not possess such wealth, many do have an interest in real property or chattel ownership in portable entities that are outside the physical soil of the country. Even if you are not one of these fortunate beneficiaries, the principle behind the (FATCA) statue can certainly apply a broad interpretation domestically....

•FATCA focuses on reporting:
•By U.S. taxpayers about certain foreign financial accounts and offshore assets
•By foreign financial institutions about financial accounts held by U.S. taxpayers or foreign entities in which U.S. taxpayers hold a substantial ownership interest
•The objective of FATCA is the reporting of foreign financial assets; withholding is the cost of not reporting. Notice 2013-43 revises the implementation timeline and provides additional guidance
Clarification for individual’s states:
Taxpayers with a total value of specified foreign financial assets below a certain threshold do not have to file Form 8938
If the total value is at or below $50,000 at the end of the tax year, there is no reporting requirement for the year, unless the total value was more than $75,000 at any time during the tax year....
offshoreaccount.jpg
Make no mistake about the implications of tracking down the last penny of treasure. The Caribbean buccaneers stole pieces of eight from the colonial empires who promoted the slave trade. Today the practice of trading on the flesh of labor is substituted with the taxation on the "financial assets" of the incarnated serfs that need to pay tribute to their feudal lord.

"The IRS anticipates issuing regulations that will require a domestic entity (corporations, partnerships, trusts, or estates) to file Form 8938 if the entity is formed or used to hold specified foreign financial assets and the total asset value exceeds the appropriate reporting threshold."...



....If FATCA is merely a legitimate cooperative coordination, many people would eagerly support closing the door on the wealth sheltering hidden assets in foreign depositories. However, the encompassing scope of defining financial assets to be whatever serves the interests of the taxman, should disturb every citizen.
Recollect how different our lives are today from a century ago before the Revenue Act of 1913. The past century has assaulted privacy rights to the point that the average person simply accepts that the government is acting properly. When filling out Form 8938 becomes routine, the surrender of what is left of your meager fortune is sealed. The greed of the real pirates never ends. James Hall – August 28, 2013 http://www.batr.org/negotium/082813.html


Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Ecuador: parents return to U.S., son still missing, believed to have been kidnapped

via Nicholas Crowder: http://latinamericacurrentevents.com/ecuador-parents-return-to-u-s-son-still-missing-believed-to-have-been-kidnapped/29361/

Posted on August 28, 2013 • Filed under: Crime, Ecuador, TRAVEL
newsok.com reported that August Reiger went missing June 16 while hiking with his family in Ecuador. His parents have returned home to Oklahoma City without knowing what has happened to him. Chris and Randa Reiger came home from Ecuador without their son, August.



More than two months after the 18-year-old valedictorian went missing while on vacation, his parents made the agonizing decision to return to Oklahoma City without knowing their son’s fate, said Christi Reiger, August’s aunt. “I’m sure it’s the hardest thing they’ve ever had to do in their lives,” Christi Reiger said. “It’s hard to imagine leaving your child somewhere not knowing if they are safe.” Read Article: http://newsok.com/missing-oklahoma-city-valedictorians-parents-return-from-ecuador-without-their-son/article/3876613

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Security Message for U.S. Citizens – U.S. Embassy Quito-Potential Protests in Quito- August 27, 2013

Security Message for U.S. Citizens – U.S. Embassy Quito-Potential Protests in Quito- August 27, 2013

The U.S. Embassy in Quito advises U.S. citizens visiting or living in Ecuador that protests may occur in Quito or other locales on August 27.  Some news sources have reported that indigenous groups in Ecuador are calling for protests on August 27.

 Though there are varying accounts regarding the time, location and magnitude of the protest, a number of reports cite Quito’s Arbolito Park and the Presidential Palace as potential zones for protest activity, and a march between the two locations is possible.
 While there are no specific threats to safety and security, public protests always carry a risk for conflict.  The U.S. Embassy advises U.S. citizens to exercise caution and to avoid large gatherings or demonstrations.

Americans living or traveling in Ecuador are encouraged to enroll with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate in order to obtain updated information on travel and security within Ecuador through the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.
U.S. citizens should consult the Country Specific Information for Ecuador and the latest Travel Alerts and Warnings and Worldwide Caution at the Department's website. Updated information on travel and security in Ecuador may also be obtained from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 within the United States or by calling 1-202-501-4444 outside the United States.

The U.S. Embassy in Quito is located at Avigiras E12-170 y Eloy Alfaro. The telephone number for American Citizen Service (ACS) inquiries is (011 593-2) 398-5000.   Within the same city use the last seven digits. Add the city code for inter-city telephone calls.        

      Public call-in hours are Monday through Thursday 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. and Friday 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.
·          For after-hours emergencies, contact the Embassy at (011 593-2) 398-5200.       

      Appointments for ACS are available through our website.

The U.S. Consulate General in Guayaquil is located at the corner of Avenida 9 de Octubre and Garcia Moreno (near the Hotel Oro Verde). The telephone number for ACS inquiries is (011-593-4) 232-3570 during business hours, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or 232-1152 for after-hours emergencies.

You may also follow the activities of the U.S. Embassy in Ecuador through the Embassy website, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. http://ecuador.usembassy.gov/

Monday, August 26, 2013

ECUADOR NEWS MAGAZINE: Just 6 hours to start a company in Ecuador

ECUADOR NEWS MAGAZINE: Just 6 hours to start a company in Ecuador: Ecuador news magazine - Quito, August 26 (Andes).- Currently, to set up a company in Ecuador takes between 35 and 55 days, unlike other countries in the region such as Uruguay and Chile in which a company can be set up in a week.

This gap is due to the amount of bureaucratic procedures to be completed. President Rafael Correa said that he is in a fight against procedures in which they “make up” obstacles. “We are going to simplify things, change the view”, he said.

Among 174 countries, Ecuador is in the 169th position in terms of obstacles to set up a company. Nearly 30% of GDP per capita is used in legal fees, i.e. USD $1,600. Likewise, a minimum capital is required to set up a company.

There are 13 steps to set up a company. Besides, the cost for the time spent in these procedures amounts to USD $67 million per year. “It’s not only the payment of rates, fees, legal fees, but also the cost to time wasted”, said the President.

With the Government’s proposal, the procedures to set up a company will be reduced to the point that all may be completed in six hours and on-line. “The thirteen (13) steps will be reduced to one in a single stop. The USD$ 800 minimum capital requirement will be brought down to USD $0”, he said.



 

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Colombia Nationwide Strike Against 'Free Trade,' Privatization, Poverty

Colombia Nationwide Strike Against 'Free Trade,' Privatization, Poverty

Ignored by English-language media, rural uprisings spread across industries as hundreds of thousands protest US-backed govt

- Sarah Lazare, staff writer
Protests in Sincelejo (Photo: Marcha Patriotica)A nationwide strike in Colombia—which started as a rural peasant uprising and spread to miners, teachers, medical professionals, truckers, and students—reached its 7th day Sunday as at least 200,000 people blocked roads and launched protests against a U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement and devastating policies of poverty and privatization pushed by US-backed right-wing President Juan Manuel Santos......

...
Meanwhile, the Colombian government is handing out sweetheart deals to international mining companies while creating bans and roadblocks for Colombian miners. Likewise, the government is giving multinational food corporations access to land earmarked for poor Colombians. Healthcare workers are fighting a broad range of reforms aimed at gutting and privatizing Colombia's healthcare system. Truckers are demanding an end to low wages and high gas prices.
"This is the third or fourth large-scale non-military rural uprising this year," Martin told Common Dreams.
Colombian workers organizing to improve their lives are met with an onslaught of state violence: Colombia is the deadliest country in the world for union activists, according to the AFL-CIO Solidarity Center, and 37 activists were murdered in Colombia in the 1st half of 2013 alone, leading news weekly Semana reports.
Santos, who says he refuses to negotiate while the strikes are taking place, has so far been unsuccessful in his efforts to quell the swelling protests that are paralyzing much of the country, particularly in rural areas.
"[W]e just want solutions to our problems,” Javier Correa Velez, the head of a coffee-growers association called Dignidad Cafetera, told the Miami Herald. “The strike is simply a symptom of an illness that the entire agriculture sector is suffering from.”
(Photo: Twitter/@zonacero)https://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/08/25?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
JourneymanJack Comments: This could make for an uptick in Refugees & Immigration from COL to EC....
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Why Are So Many People Choosing To Leave The United States Permanently?

The Economic Collapse By Michael Snyder, on August 11th, 2013- 

Have things gotten so bad that it is time to leave the United States for good?  That is a question that a lot of Americans are dealing with these days, and an increasing number of them are choosing to leave the country of their birth permanently.  Some are doing it for tax reasons, some are doing it because they believe the future is brighter elsewhere, and others are doing it because they are very distressed about the direction that America is heading and they don't see any hope for a turnaround any time soon...

....Yes, life in America is definitely going to be extremely challenging in the years ahead, but the grass is not always greener on the other side of the planet either.
There are a whole host of things to consider before you make a permanent move to another country.  The following is an extended excerpt from one of my previous articles...
*****
The following are 10 questions to ask yourself before you decide to move to another country...
Do You Speak The Language?  If Not, How Will You Function?
If you do not speak the language of the country that you are moving to, that can create a huge problem.  Just going to the store and buying some food will become a challenge.  Every interaction that you have with anyone in that society will be strained, and your ability to integrate into the culture around you will be greatly limited.
How Will You Make A Living?
Unless you are independently wealthy, you will need to make money.  In a foreign nation, it may be very difficult for you to find a job - especially one that pays as much as you are accustomed to making in the United States.
Will You Be Okay Without Your Family And Friends?
Being thousands of miles away from all of your family and friends can be extremely difficult.  Will you be okay without them?  And it can be difficult to survive in a foreign culture without any kind of a support system.  Sometimes the people that most successfully move out of the country are those that do it as part of a larger group.
Have You Factored In Weather Patterns And Geological Instability?
As the globe becomes increasingly unstable, weather patterns and natural disasters are going to become a bigger factor in deciding where to live.  For example, right now India is suffering through the worst drought that it has experienced in nearly 50 years.  It would be very difficult to thrive in the middle of such an environment.
Many of those that are encouraging people to "escape from America" are pointing to Chile as an ideal place to relocate to.  But there are thousands of significant earthquakes in Chile each year, and the entire nation lies directly along the "Ring of Fire" which is becoming increasingly unstable.  That is something to keep in mind.
What Will You Do For Medical Care?
If you or someone in your family had a serious medical problem in the United States, you would know what to do.  Yes, our health care system is incredibly messed up, but at least you would know that you could get the care that you needed if an emergency arose.  Would the same be true in a foreign nation?
Are You Moving Into A High Crime Area?
Yes, crime is definitely on the rise in the United States.  But in other areas where many preppers are moving to, crime is even worse.  Mexico and certain areas of Central America are two examples of this.  And in many foreign nations, the police are far more corrupt than they generally are in the United States.
In addition, many other nations have far stricter gun laws than the United States does, so your ability to defend your family may be greatly restricted.
So will your family truly be safe in the nation that you plan to take them to?
Are You Prepared For "Culture Shock"?
Moving to another country can be like moving to a different planet.  After all, they don't call it "culture shock" for nothing.
If you do move to another country, you may quickly find that thousands of little things that you once took for granted in the U.S. are now very different.
And there is a very good chance that many of the "amenities" that you are accustomed to in the U.S. will not be available in a foreign nation and that your standard of living will go down.
So if you are thinking of moving somewhere else, you may want to visit first just to get an idea of what life would be like if you made the move.
What Freedoms and Liberties Will You Lose By Moving?
Yes, our liberties and our freedoms are being rapidly eroded in the United States.  But in many other nations around the world things are much worse.  You may find that there is no such thing as "freedom of speech" or "freedom of religion" in the country that you have decided to move to.
Is There A Possibility That The Country You Plan To Escape To Could Be Involved In A War At Some Point?
We are moving into a time of great geopolitical instability.  If you move right into the middle of a future war zone, you might really regret it.  If you do plan to move, try to find a country that is likely to avoid war for the foreseeable future.
When The Global Economy Collapses, Will You And Your Family Be Okay For Food?
What good will it be to leave the United States if you and your family run out of food?
Today, we are on the verge of a major global food crisis.  Global food reserves are at their lowest level in nearly 40 years, and shifting global weather patterns are certainly not helping things.
And the global elite are rapidly getting more control over the global food supply.  Today, between 75 and 90 percent of all international trade in grain is controlled by just four gigantic multinational food corporations.
*****
Leaving the United States permanently and setting up a new life in another country can be done, but it isn't for the faint of heart.  It takes planning, preparation and lots of hard work.
However, there are lots of people that have done it successfully, including quite a number of people that I know personally.
In the end, you have got to make the decision that is right for you and your family.  Don't let anyone else tell you what to do.
For many, staying in the United States and preparing for the tough years that are coming is the best choice.  For others, getting out of the United States and heading for greener pastures is the right choice. What about you? What is your choice? http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/why-are-so-many-people-choosing-to-leave-the-united-states-permanently