Nearly 20 % Of Scientists Contemplate Moving Overseas Due In Part To Sequestration

Nearly 20 Percent Of Scientists Contemplate Moving Overseas Due In Part To Sequestration

HuffPolitics Blog - Posted: 08/29/2013 7:30 am EDT  |  Updated: 08/29/2013 2:52 pm EDT

WASHINGTON -- New data compiled by a coalition of top scientific and medical research groups show that a large majority of scientists are receiving less federal help than they were three years ago, despite spending far more time writing grants in search of it. Nearly one-fifth of scientists are considering going overseas to continue their research because of the poor funding climate in America.
The study, which was spearheaded by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) and will be formally released next week, is the latest to highlight the extent to which years of stagnant or declining budgets, made worse by sequestration, have damaged the world of science.
More than 3,700 scientists from all 50 states participated in the study, offering online responses in June and July 2013. They offered sobering assessments of the state of their profession. Eighty percent said they were spending more of their time writing grants now than in 2010, while 67 percent said they were receiving less grant money now than they were back then. Only two percent of respondents said they had received money from their employers -- predominantly academic institutions -- to make up for the loss of federal funds.
The drying up of resources has had a damaging effect on the research being conducted, forcing scientists to curtail their projects or trim their staffs.
According to the survey, 68 percent of respondents said they do not have the funds to expand their research operations; 55 percent said they have a colleague who has lost a job or expects to soon; and 18 percent of respondents said they were considering continuing their careers in another country....read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/29/sequestration-scientists_n_3825128.html
Comments by Jour-Ja: they could be moving because they are about half smart?

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....

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

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.

August Reiger PROVIDED

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

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/

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.


 

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

Published on Sunday, August 25, 2013 by Common Dreams

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....
.