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The artist Yvonne Herbst began her career illustrating in the famous Pixar animation studios, but for some time she discovered this technique and dedicated herself to it completely, achieving amazing results. We share his best works in this note. Artist Yvonne Herbst graduated in Illustration in 1997 and began working as a scene painter at the Pixar animation studio. He has worked on several Pixar movies, such as Bugs, Monsters Inc., Nemo and Cars, among others. Yvonne lives in the United States, where she is raising three children and takes care of a flock of chickens and two dogs. His art has been varied, but in 2012 he fell in love with felting wool. Since then, his animal sculptures have found homes all over the world. As the artist tells about her technique: “When needle felting, the wool fiber is repeatedly stabbed with a very sharp, barbed needle. The barbs of the needle make the wool take shapes and thus it can be sculpted”. About her days in the animation industry, working at the famous Pixar studio, Yvonne recalls that “I used to spend many hours a day painting on a computer sitting in a dark room. While it was a fun time, now I cherish being in my studio, in the light, working with my hands in a completely different way.” About the type of art he develops, he tells us that “Needle felting is still a relatively unknown art form. I love this medium because the wool is warm and organic in my hands and I find that it adds 'life' to my animals on its own.” His work usually starts with a simple wire armor (the animal's skeleton) and felt around the armor. He often adds taxiderm-quality glass eyes. He works with lots of reference photos. The result is surprising for the realism of her sculptures, but she says that “I don't want my animals to look 100% realistic (after all, they are made of wool), but by trying to capture the individual character of each animal, my sculptures look realistic. Sometimes I get emails from people who are angry because they're convinced I'm sending bunnies in the mail. I can only go so far to make the animals look realistic. Working with wool limits my abilities, but I enjoy the challenge of portraying the essence of each animal and hope that they come to life in my sculptures. Let's take a look at some of his best works: Link: https://billiken.lat/entretenimiento/increibles-esculturas-de-animales-en-lana-de-fieltro-que-parecen-tener-vida-propia/
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BMW Motorrad has filed a patent in which an electric motor uses a cooling system that nods to the aesthetics of its iconic boxer-type engines. The German firm BMW, through its motorcycle division BMW Motorrad, is one of the main manufacturers in the motorcycle sector and one of the earliest to launch electric motorcycles. The firm continues to work with this type of technology, and this is indicated by the latest patent that has come to light, in which a boxer-type electric motor takes center stage. And it is that these types of engines have become an icon within BMW Motorrad itself, both for their sound and for the particular aesthetics that it gives to the motorcycle that equips it, since the engine protrudes from both sides of the the bike The patent for this electric motor has come to light because of its registration in the United States, which was echoed later in Solo Moto. In truth, however, what BMW Motorrad has actually patented corresponds to a cooling system whose shapes mimic those of a boxer-type engine. The idea is to make an aesthetic nod to the protuberances that this type of engine generated on each side of the motorcycle in question by placing the air filters on them. With this you can take advantage of the air flow that these protuberances support by being completely exposed to the air when moving forward. Scheme of the patent for the BMW electric "boxer" motor. The electric motor itself would be centrally positioned in the motorcycle chassis, and the air would come from it to be cooled, as this flow could also be used to cool the batteries or any other element. Something similar was revealed by the German firm with one of its latest conceptual models, the BMW Motorrad Vision DC Roadster, which is the first example of BMW's work on the concept of a sports-style electric motorcycle. If there is a model that will probably release this solution, the one that has the best chance of doing so is, precisely, or at least an electric motorcycle whose concept resembles or is close to the one that BMW showed with the conceptual model of the Vision DC Roadster. The idea of BMW Motorrad with these highlights is to take advantage of the air flow they support. However, and as happens on many occasions, the fact that an idea, design or technology makes its way into the patent office of a country by a manufacturer does not mean, however, that it has to end up as a commercial solution. , because in many cases the idea ends up being discarded by the manufacturer and what they are really looking for is sure that no other brand or company will resort to it. Link: https://www.hibridosyelectricos.com/articulo/motocicletas-electricas/bmw-patenta-motor-electrico-tipo-boxer-proxima-moto/20220624141151059559.html
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Brazil asked for the relief to not be able to host the party for the general elections to be held the next day, Sunday, October 2. The final of the Copa Sudamericana 2022 will be played on October 1 in Córdoba, Argentina The final of the 2022 South American Cup, scheduled for October 1, will be played at the Mario Alberto Kempes stadium in Córdoba (Argentina) to replace Brasilia, chosen in principle, Conmebol announced. The change of venue was requested by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) considering that the general elections in that country will be held the following day, Sunday, October 2. The new venue was agreed upon by the members of the Conmebol Council given the impossibility of carrying out the program at the Mané Garrincha World Cup stadium in the Brazilian capital. Córdoba already hosted the definition of the 2020 South American Cup when the Defense and Justice champion of Argentina was consecrated. Both the tournament and the final will not be able to have an audience in the stadiums due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The South American Cup is a tournament "increasingly consolidated in the continent and with a growing global impact," Conmebol said in a statement. "The sustained increase in prizes for participating and winning clubs, the increasing scope of broadcasts and the high level of competition of the teams are factors that show the expansion of this continental tournament," said the entity. The contest will distribute 60 million dollars and the champion of the 2022 edition will pocket a prize of 5 million dollars, one million more than the purse that Athletico Paranaense won when they won the 2021 tournament. In the group stage, all participating teams received $900,000. (D) Link: https://www.eluniverso.com/deportes/futbol/conmebol-cambia-de-sede-para-la-final-de-copa-sudamericana-nota/
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Happy birthday!
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Happy Birthday!
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They warn that the increases can lead to stagflation or, even worse, a new recession due to their impact on growth A 'trader' following the stock market session on Wall Street. A senior official from the European Central Bank (ECB) commented privately a few days ago that one thing is what the markets want, because they are doing better for their objectives, and another thing is what he believes the ECB itself has to do. I was saying this in connection with the imminent rate hike (their amount and speed), and the truth is that the interests of both parties may not coincide, but they are closely related and in recent days, investors are showing signs of their concern that this rise will lead to stagflation or, even worse, to a new recession. It happens in Europe and also in the United States, where the appearance of Jerome Powell in the Senate yesterday focused the attention of those investors. The markets move these days between the doubt that the regulators have arrived late to the monetary normalization process and the fear that the rate movements will take time to control inflation and exacerbate the slowdown in the economy. Other topics, even, that go too far. "The sheer number of actions by central banks in the past week has shown that many are growing in ignorance of the devastating effect this will have on growth. This dynamic poses serious risks to the world and we now estimate that the revival of economic activity in The US will stagnate in the coming quarters," notes BlackRock, the largest global asset management firm, in its weekly research commentary. "The focus is on the Fed and we think it will eventually change course, but not before stalling growth. This raises the specter of weak growth against a backdrop of persistent inflation," he adds. His message aligns with that of other investors, analysts and management firms trying to gauge the recession risks they face in the midst of the fight against inflation. The Federal Reserve raised interest rates a further 0.75% last Wednesday (the biggest move since 1994), leading a round of hikes by central banks around the world, including the Swiss National Bank (+0.5% ) or the Bank of England, which rose another 0.25% in the same week. In the Eurozone, the ECB announced at its last meeting that in July it will carry out the first rate hike in 11 years. In his case, the path of increases will also be marked by the impact that the new monetary policy will have on sovereign debt and the risk premiums of peripheral countries. The so-called fragmentation has become one of the main concerns of the Eurobank, as acknowledged yesterday by the entity's vice president, Luis de Guindos, when speaking of the "undesired fragmentation" that threatens the region. During his speech at the summer course organized by the Association of Economic Information Journalists (APIE) at the Menéndez Pelayo International University (UIMP), De Guindos emphasized the importance of developing anti-fragmentation instruments to "fight against the increase in risk premiums unwanted" and to deal with price increases. "Having an anti-fragmentation instrument is freeing up monetary policy to be able to act more forcefully against inflation," Guindos pointed out, specifying that this does not mean, however, that rate hikes are going to speed up or gain in intensity, since any The central bank's decision will be "data dependent". RISKS In a macroeconomic context also marked by the war in Ukraine and the effects of the pandemic, the ECB works with two hypothetical scenarios: on the one hand, a real scenario in which "growth projections are positive" and, on the other hand, an alternative scenario, "more adverse" in which more negative hypotheses are contemplated. “The longer the inflation spike and central bank interest rate hikes last, the greater the risk of a recession,” says Ben Laidler, Global Markets Strategist at eToro, addressing the re or no dilemma. More in The World Spain is still cheaper than Europe in alcohol and clothing, but it is more expensive in electricity, water, mobile and furniture The great scare of Anita Álvarez in the Budapest pool For Jan Viebig, global CIO of the investment firm ODDO BHF, "the markets must prepare for a slowdown in growth with high inflation." Both in the US and in Europe, the latest inflation figures are above 8% and that raises the risks. "The likelihood that the US will experience a recession in the next 12 months has been highlighted recently; in Europe, the economy is cooling more markedly and a recession would be inevitable if a Russian gas embargo were imposed or if Russia cut off supply" . Tina Fong, a strategist at Schroders, has gone further by analyzing more than 100 years of data to try to predict what these weeks' market movements might indicate for the economy. Among his conclusions, he points out that "although we do not currently foresee a recession in the US, the risks are tilted towards one. Recessions do not follow a bear market, although the odds are not favorable if you look at history," he explains. The S&P 500 index on Wall Street entered bearish territory several sessions ago, hence its appreciation. Link: https://www.elmundo.es/economia/macroeconomia/2022/06/23/62b302d6e4d4d80f708b45cb.html
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The Permian extinction 252 million years ago ended almost 90% of life on Earth. Now, they have discovered the positive consequence of the dramatic event. The most colossal mass extinction that the Earth has experienced took place about 250 million years ago. We know it as the "Great Dying" and it ended with 90% of all living beings on our planet. It was a devastating period in the planet's history. However, a team of paleontologists, led by the University of Bristol (UK), has found that after the Permian Extinction, new predators emerged resulting in prey developing new defences. The animals got smarter and also grew faster in response to the new threat. Lizards and birds became faster by developing a more upright posture and mammals and birds developed some form of insulation, whether it was in the form of hair or feathers. Thus, this extinction event was followed by a 'dramatic revival of life' where animals evolved to be faster and more intelligent than their long-lost ancestors. The natural world bounced back with a vengeance In their study, published in the journal Frontiers in Earth Science, the scientists reveal that predators became more vicious and prey animals quickly adapted to find new ways to survive. On land, the ancestors of mammals and birds became warm-blooded and could move faster. The Triassic saw an explosion of life on Earth and in the oceans and was a time of massive increase in energy levels. "Everything was speeding up," says Michael Benton of the University of Bristol's School of Earth Sciences and lead author of the new study. "Today, there's a big difference between birds and mammals on the one hand, and reptiles on the other. Reptiles are cold-blooded, which means they don't generate much body heat themselves, and although they can pretty quickly, they don't have energy and can't live in the cold." many changes "It's the same in the oceans," says Feixiang Wu of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology in Beijing and a co-author of the paper. “After the end-Permian mass extinction, fish, lobsters, gastropods and starfish show new hunting styles. They were faster, more agile and stronger than their ancestors." The fossils used in the research were discovered in China and feature a variety of predators showing that new hunting styles appeared earlier than previously believed. The scientists found modern-style sharks and the Saurichthys longfish, which was very common around the world (and was an ambush-style hunter). "Other Triassic fish from China are adapted to crushing shells," Wu explained. "Several major groups of fish, and even some reptiles, are especially shell crushers. We even found the world's oldest flying fish, and this was probably to escape new predators." The last Permian reptiles moved slowly and used a kind of extended posture, like modern lizards, where the limbs protruded to the sides, something that limited their resistance. However, those who arrived after the Great Dying stood more upright, which caused them to move faster and for a longer period of time. "If this is true, and new fossil discoveries seem to confirm it, all the evidence points to major changes in these reptiles as the world rebuilds itself after the end-Permian mass extinction," according to the researchers. As one side speeds up and becomes more hot-blooded, the other side has to too. This affects competition between plant eaters or competition between predators. "It also refers to predator-prey relationships: if the predator gets faster, the prey does too to escape," the experts conclude. "These are not new ideas. What is new is that we are now discovering that they apparently occurred around the same time, through the Triassic. This emphasizes a kind of positive aspect of mass extinctions. Mass extinctions, of course, were news terrible for all the victims. But the massive cleanup of ecosystems, in this case, offered plenty of opportunities for the biosphere to rebuild itself, and it did so with higher octane than before the crisis," says Benton. Link: https://www.muyinteresante.es/ciencia/articulo/la-gran-mortandad-provoco-que-los-animales-fueran-mas-inteligentes-y-crecieran-mas-rapido-881655897929
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There was a time when 125 sports cars did need a motorcycle license: their 2T engines, close to those of the Grand Prix, took them beyond 160 km/h... Here you have a beautiful sports car, the Cagiva Mito 125 Evolution replica of the Ducati 916, with a small 125 cc engine but thanks to its internal two-stroke cycle (like other dream bikes, such as the Yamaha TDR 250) and its evolved performance was able to get more than 30 hp for just over 120 kg of weight. Almost a Grand Prix bike with lights and license plate, which arrived in 1994 in this Evolution version. This one has about 20,000 kilometers and is sold at Iconic MotorBikes for just over 3,000 euros. Cagiva Myth 125 2000 I perfectly remember the time when these 125s dominated the Italian market, because there you could drive with your A1 license at the time: from 16 years old and up to 125 cc... with no power limit. In Spain they were not so po[CENSORED]r because a "full" license was needed (for a large motorcycle, the A1 was up to 74 and then 80 cc) and their price set them apart from larger motorcycles, but many dreamed of them because they were the closest thing to a motorcycle. of Grand Prix, since the 250 twin cylinders do not arrive officially. Cagiva rivaled the also Italian Aprilia and Gilera in making the best 125, but seen in the long term the Cagiva had some finishing advantages beyond its seven-speed gearbox (yes, 7, from the Freccia, although it later went back to 6) . And another advantage is obvious: the design. The Mito is a “scale” Ducati 916, a beautiful and very well finished motorcycle. A dream, which is now closer thanks to some auctions like this one... well, or not so much. We know for a fact that Mitos, even in poor condition (!), are highly valued! in Italy. Motorcycles that here not long ago were sold for less than two thousand euros, there now they don't go below double or more than that. Link: https://www.moto1pro.com/actualidad/moto-de-ensueno-cagiva-mito-125
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The Eastbourne tournament should serve to fine-tune his preparation for Wimbledon, a tournament he has won seven times. Serena Williams resumed her career after an injury American star Serena Williams returned to competition at the Eastbourne women's doubles tournament on Tuesday, with a win and qualification for the second round a year after her abandonment at Wimbledon due to injury, a period in which she doubted "if she could return" to compete, he admitted at a press conference. The 40-year-old, seven-time Wimbledon winner, Serena Williams, teaming up with the Tunisian Ons Jabeur, defeated the duo formed by the Czech Marie Bouzkova and the Spanish Sara Sorribes 2-6, 6-3 and 13-11. Now ranked No. 1,204 in the WTA rankings, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion announced her return to competition in a message via social media last week. The Eastbourne tournament should serve to refine his set-up for Wimbledon, a tournament he has won seven times and that he will be able to play in 2022 thanks to an invitation from the organization. “If I doubted that I could return? Yes, of course. I wouldn't be honest if I said I wasn't thinking (of withdrawal). And now I feel so good physically … ”, declared the youngest of the Williams sisters at a press conference. Serena declined to answer the question of how much longer she sees herself playing tennis, as she continues to chase to equal Margaret Court's record 24 Grand Slam titles. “I take things day by day. I took my time after my hamstring injury, so I'm not going to make all these decisions at once," he added. "I love tennis and I love playing, otherwise I wouldn't be here, but I also love what I do off the court," he insisted. After a first set loss to Sorribes and Bouzkova, Serena and Jabeur managed to level the match in the second set and take the victory in the 'super tie break'. "It's been a lot of fun playing with Ons," the American said after the match. “After the first set we tried to survive (...) I ended up finding the flame a bit and I needed it. But they played wonderfully in the first set." Her partner Jabeur was "very honored that she chose me" to play the doubles tournament. "I couldn't believe it (...) I was a little nervous at the beginning to play with such a legend, but she has made me feel so good on the court, even when I made mistakes." (D) Link: https://www.eluniverso.com/deportes/otros-deportes/dude-de-si-podria-volver-admite-serena-williams-nota/
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Happy birthday!
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V3 text and effects
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On Maldonado Avenue, in the Cutuglagua sector, located in the south of Quito, indigenous protesters blocked the road. Photo: Carlos Granja Medranda The first four days of protests in Ecuador against the government due to the cost of living called by the indigenous movement have prevented the country's productive sectors from entering 50 million dollars in sales, according to an estimate by the Executive. The Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investments and Fisheries of Ecuador also saw in a statement that exports were affected by the closure of roads, "which puts at risk non-oil exports that have had a sustained growth of more than 30 % in the last year". The calculations of losses for tourism start from a minimum of 2 million dollars a day, "a value that could be even higher when the international impact of unemployment is assessed." According to a survey carried out in the tourism sector, 79% of hotel reservations "would have been cancelled", while 9 out of 10 establishments already report levels of reduction that reach, in some cases, less than 80% of the concurrence habitual to its tourist establishments, due to the conjuncture of protests. The Ministry of Production also reported that several commercial establishments suspended their activities due to fears of acts of vandalism and the difficulty of transporting merchandise. Likewise, companies from the industrial sectors, such as flower growers and exporters, reported threats and attempted forced entry by demonstrators. The mobilizations have also affected oil production, since several wells and facilities in the Ecuadorian Amazon have been taken over by groups of protesters to force oil extraction to stop. In Block 16, which is operated by the company Petrolia, a subsidiary of the Canadian New Stratus Energy (NSE), a pumping station has been occupied since Monday, which prevents the transport of around 4,000 barrels of oil each day. Additionally, the Waorani indigenous people have carried out partial closures on the road that connects the production facilities of Block 16, which has caused problems in industrial safety and the continuity of the operation, to the point of reducing production by 3,000 barrels of crude oil. up to date. Meanwhile, in Blocks 14 and 17, the company PetrOriental reported the paralysis of eight wells and other oil facilities that prevent the production of some 1,400 barrels of crude each day that they are inactive. For its part, the state oil company Petroecuador reported on Tuesday an accumulated loss of 2,500 barrels due to the stoppage of wells in various fields under its charge, by protesters who clashed with the Armed Forces who guarded the facilities and caused at least 10 wounded soldiers. . At the moment, the president of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie), Leonidas Iza, leader and main promoter of the mobilizations, opposes a dialogue that the Government has offered him on several occasions during this week. The indigenous leader demands that, without mediation, that the Executive accept a decalogue of demands, which includes the freezing of the price of those fuels that have it released, the control of prices of basic products, the annulment of privatizations of strategic companies of the State and moratoriums on both peasant debts and extractive activities. Link: https://www.eluniverso.com/noticias/economia/primeros-cuatro-dias-de-paro-indigena-dejan-perdidas-por-50-millones-indica-el-gobierno-nota/
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Mexican laws do allow exotic animals to be kept as pets, according to the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources; are the steps to follow according to these authorities. Mexican laws followed a process for a person to process permission to have exotic animals as pets. (Darkroom/Armando Monroy) The death of a spider monkey – who was dressed in a diaper and a camouflage suit, during a confrontation between elements of the armed forces and alleged members of organized crime in Texcaltitlán, State of Mexico – raised the question of whether it is possible to have exotic animals as pets . Yes, you can have a wild animal as a pet, as long as it is not an endangered species, in accordance with the Official Mexican Standard NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010. The objective of the regulation is to identify the species or po[CENSORED]tions of wild flora and fauna that inhabit the country and that are at risk in order to grant them the corresponding protection. Animals such as: toads, frogs, tlaconetes, swans, ducks, pigeons, hawks, eagles, sparrows, among many others, can be found on the list of species at risk. How to process the permit to have an exotic animal as a pet? The Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) establishes that people who are interested in having a wild animal as a pet must complete Procedure 08-056, which is used to obtain authorization. According to the Semarnat, Procedure 08-056 must be carried out when "there are specimens of exotic wildlife species that, due to their behavior or natural behavior, derivatives or natural microbiological po[CENSORED]tion, can coexist with man in a domestic environment under management and it does not represent physical, health or safety risks for its owners, possessors or any person or other animals, and the authorization of exotic specimens as a pet or companion animal is required for them”. On its website, Semarnat does not clarify what documents must be submitted to request the permit. It only indicates that applications must be made, participate in the administrative procedure, file appeals, withdraw and waive rights, be accredited by means of a public instrument or with a power of attorney signed before two witnesses. Who can carry out the procedure? Permission to have exotic animals does not give the owner the right to take them out for a walk. (Armando Monroy/Armando Monroy) The federal agency details on its website that any natural or legal person can carry out Procedure 08-056. The applicant must complete the procedure in person, using the duly required format that can be downloaded from the electronic section of Semarnat Procedures, in addition to being essential to comply with all the requirements. The request to have an exotic animal as a pet or companion animal can be carried out all year round and it is a free procedure, whose resolution has a maximum term of 15 business days, according to information from the Ministry of the Environment. Environment and Natural Resources. Once permission is obtained from the Mexican authorities, the person who carried out the procedure may have an exotic animal as a pet for an indefinite period of time without the need to renew the document. What legal basis gives rise to the procedure? On its website, Semarnat establishes that the procedure to have an exotic animal as a pet is based on Article 27, Second Paragraph of the General Wildlife Law, published in the DOF on July 3, 2000. It is also based on Article 131 Bis, First Paragraph, of the Regulations of the General Wildlife Law, published in the DOF on November 30, 2006 and its amendments. Can I walk my wild animal freely? Even if you have completed the procedure and have the current permit, the document does not give you the right to walk your pet freely. Semarnat is clear in stating that the "management of exotic specimens and po[CENSORED]tions may only be carried out under conditions of confinement, in order to prevent and minimize the negative effects on biological and ecological processes, as well as the substitution or displacement of po[CENSORED]tions of native species that are naturally distributed on the site”. For that reason, "release to the natural environment is strictly prohibited." You should also know that permission to keep an exotic animal as a pet can be revoked. "Those specimens of species that due to their nature, due to improper handling or an event that puts the civilian po[CENSORED]tion at risk, must be relocated by Semarnat," says the federal agency. Link: https://www.elfinanciero.com.mx/el-preguntario/2022/06/17/es-legal-tener-un-animal-exotico-como-mascota/
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The Austrian craftsman Christian Schwarzenlander, after more than a year of work, has made this jewel from a 1961 Aermacchi 250 Sprint. Aermacchi made airplanes but after World War II it started building three-wheelers. Harley-Davidson took control of the brand with the idea of selling small-displacement motorcycles for the American market. The American company in 1978 won the brand from the Castiglioni brothers, who also came to control brands such as Cagiva, Ducati, Husqvarna, MV Agusta and Morini. Italy has some of the most iconic names in motorcycling such as Ducati or MV Agusta, but the transalpine country has also had not-so-successful stories, such as the case of Aermacchi. Not because it is a cliché, it is no longer true: getting there is difficult, but what really makes the difference is the ability to stabilize over time, something that Aermacchi cannot achieve. Aermacchi 250 restomod from 1961 When Harley-Davidson acquired the company in 1960, it began selling Italian products in the United States, with only the H-D name on the tank. The unit you see here has been brought to light by the folks at bikeexif.com. It is a 1961 Aermacchi Harley-Davidson 250 Sprint, which has been updated by the Austrian Christian Schwarzenlander, responsible for ExesoR Motorcycles. The craftsman wanted to get hold of something Italian but, in turn, not the typical transalpine brand (Ducati, Guzzi...) so he decided on this unit: "The style of the single cylinders of the 60s and the purity "By design they are unmistakable. I had always wanted to build an Aermacchi. But it's getting harder and harder to get one at an affordable price. Some have been converted for classic racing and others are in the hands of perfectly restored private collectors," said Christian Schwarzenlander. A friend asked him to do an Aermacchi restomod (restoring a classic vehicle using modern parts). The unit that was found was in poor condition and the engine could barely be saved. Despite its deplorable state, Christian insisted on rescuing the original tank: “That was a disaster, after removing three layers of paint and paste to fill holes, I saw that it was completely dented. I put a new Monza-type gas cap on it and took it to my friend at I-Flow to have it fixed and painted,” explained the craftsman. “Many things were unsalvageable, we had to make more than 50 pieces by hand. In addition, we modified about 20 original parts”, said Christian. After more than 13 months and 250 hours of work, the result is visible. The craftsman has baptized this mount with the name Verde (it is said the same in Italian) in honor of its color. Link: https://www.moto1pro.com/actualidad/moto-de-ensueno-aermacchi-250-restomod-de-1961
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The Ecuadorian Football Federation is working to find a new venue to host the final, Quito and Ibarra are the options The Ecuador Cup, a tournament organized by the Ecuadorian Football Federation created in 2019, will have another venue to play the final, as established by the director of FEF competitions, William Poveda. The tournament was canceled for two years due to covid 19. William Poveda said that Guayaquil is the venue for the final of the Copa Libertadores, both male and female, for this reason it cannot host the match where the champion of the second edition of the Ecuador Cup will be defined. Aquiles Álvarez leaves the vice-presidency of Barcelona SC “It was reported that the final would be in Guayaquil, on October 5. The date does not change, but the FEF and its board are evaluating the availability of the stages. They will not only use the Monumental for the final of the Libertadores, but also the others for the training of the finalists and the referees," he said. The Ecuadorian Football Federation is working to find a new venue to host the final, Quito and Ibarra are the options handled by the directors of the FEF. “The Executive Committee has several options, they can be: Quito, Ibarra. We are evaluating everything, the security, the conditions of the stadium. All of this is being seen." Alfaro Moreno: "I don't think we should get rid of Cortez, but we will analyze it" The Ecuador Cup began on May 6 and left several surprises where Deportivo Cuenca, Macará and University Technician were eliminated. Also, 42 penalties were awarded between Bonita Banana and Libertad in this competition. For the moment, the matches that were going to take place this weekend for this competition were suspended due to the national strike that the country is experiencing, since there are several roads closed, therefore the mobilization of the teams is difficult and also to save the safety of the players. Link: https://www.ecuavisa.com/estadio/nacional/aquiles-alvarez-deja-la-vicepresidencia-de-barcelona-sc-EF2007327
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Demand will grow to 101.6 million barrels per day, more than expected so far, and complicates the decarbonization roadmap Neither the prices, skyrocketing, nor the ambition to decarbonize the economy and tackle climate change. World oil consumption will accelerate next year to 101.6 million barrels per day, more than previously forecast and far exceeding pre-pandemic levels. The annual increase in demand will be 2.2 million barrels, compared to 1.8 in 2022, and will be concentrated in emerging countries, according to the projection published this Wednesday by the International Energy Agency (IEA). "The rise in prices and the worse economic outlook are moderating the growth of consumption, but the resurgence of China will guide the increases in 2023", explain the technicians of the agency, dependent on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD, the think tank of the rich countries). Unlike in 2022, when rich countries were the ones pushing up demand as pandemic restrictions were lifted, next year it will be low- and middle-income countries that will account for 80% of the increase: from Of the 2.2 million barrels of increase, 1.8 million will come from these economies. On the supply side, the increase will be largely covered by less traditional producers, with the United States in the lead. With Russian exports penalized by Western sanctions, OPEC+ (the expanded cartel led by Saudi Arabia and Russia itself, in which all the large countries of the Persian Gulf are represented) will add 1.8 million barrels, compared to 1 .9 additional that they put on the market this year. Only an increase in production in Libya - one of the few that has idle capacity - could carry that increase to 2.6 million barrels, which would help reduce the pressure on prices. This Tuesday, OPEC itself acknowledged having problems fulfilling its promise to reopen the tap “World oil supply will struggle to keep pace with demand next year,” warns the Agency. "Tighter sanctions are forcing Russia to shut down more wells and several producers are facing capacity constraints." The EU, remember, has just agreed to a veto on 90% of oil imports from the Eurasian country in the next six partial or eight months. Tension in the markets Production and demand are just two of the four key variables in the oil market. The third is refining capacity: convert crude oil into fuel. That is where the main bottlenecks have occurred in recent months, which have pushed the price of gasoline and diesel to record highs despite the fact that oil is still far from its peak. The IEA's prospects are not much more rosy: global refining capacity will grow by 1.6 million barrels per day in 2023, an increase greater than that of 2022 (one million) insufficient but to alleviate tension. “The market will continue to be tight, with a special concern in the case of the supply of diesel and kerosene,” warns the Paris-based agency. The fourth variable key is storage capacity. And there the news is not the best either: after two years of continuous decline in inventories, and despite the increase registered in April (the last month for which there are data), the reserves of crude oil and derivatives in rich countries will remain below of the average of the last five years (2017-2021), which adds an additional degree of pressure on the general picture of the market. Link: https://elpais.com/economia/2022-06-15/el-consumo-global-de-petroleo-marcara-un-nuevo-maximo-en-2023.html
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Although it is something relatively unusual, there are living beings with the ability to emit their own light; It is called bioluminescence, and it can serve as a means of communication, claim, warning, threat or bait to hunt. The animals that live during the day and where the sunlight reaches without obstacles rarely notice, but among nocturnal animals, or among those that live in dark places, a phenomenon occurs with a relatively unusual frequency that never ceases to amaze us. . In biology it is called bioluminescence, the ability of some organisms to emit light with their own body. The biochemical and physiological mechanisms responsible for the same function may be different between different groups of living beings. In most of the large groups, the genes and proteins involved in the bioluminescence process are unrelated and evolved independently. It is estimated that bioluminescence, throughout the long and extensive history of the evolution of life, may have arisen up to 30 times. However, the most common is that the process happened thanks to the chemical oxidation reaction of a reagent, which in each group can be different, but whose family is called luciferin —from the Latin, 'that carry light'—, and through the action of an enzyme, which is called luciferase —the ending '-ase' indicates that it is an enzyme, a kind of biological catalyst—. These chemical reactions emit photons, which ultimately make up light. There are bacteria, dinoflagellates and even bioluminescent fungi. And of course, there are also several groups of animals with that ability. Of these, the best known example is that of the fireflies, whose name comes from the Latin lucerna, which means 'candlelight' or 'lamp'. Among the fireflies, only the females, wingless —without wings— are capable of shining, and they do so through the final region of the abdomen. The winged males flutter at night looking for those tiny points of light that illuminate the forest, like stars that show sailors the way home. But even if they are capable of emitting light, the name of 'oil lamp' does not do them justice. A lamp burns a fuel, generally an oil or other type of fat that impregnates a cotton wick, and its flame is the one that lights up in the dark, like a tiny torch. However, the chemical process that allows fireflies to glow is different. In a lamp, light and heat is emitted by the combustion of oil, which is an oxidation reaction. Fireflies also take advantage, as has already been explained, of oxidation to fulfill their most famous function, but instead of doing it by combustion, they use their own metabolism, with very low heat emission. fish of the deep In the abyssal zones of the sea, in the dark abyss where the sun does not reach, there is a strange ecosystem composed mainly of animals and microorganisms that feed on everything that precipitates from the parts where there is more light, and other animals that eat these first. Much of these animals are blind, but not all. In fact, some fish use the light they emit as a form of communication, claim, threat, or as bait to attract their prey. Some do not emit light by themselves, but instead contain organs under their skin in which they maintain colonies of luminous bacteria in symbiosis. Although many others, such as the frogfish of the genus Porichthys, do have their own light-emitting mechanism. Among these luminous fish are the viper fish, the dragon fish, the demon fish, and many other animals with no less terrifying names, which live up to their nomenclature with their spooky appearance. Creatures that seem to appear by H. R. Giger or extracted from a novel by H. P. Lovecraft, and that could po[CENSORED]te the nightmares of those who have seen them... if it were not for their size, most fit in the palm of a hand. Creatures of an almost alien aspect, that po[CENSORED]te a world completely different from the one we know; a world of water and darkness, with a pressure that would crush a human being; a hostile world in which any creature can become prey to a larger one. Big eyes that distinguish colors, and huge mouths, with long and irregular teeth, transparent, and sharp as needles. Terrors hidden in the darkness, masked by the dazzling brilliance of beautiful and alluring dancing lights that stand out in the dark. Jellyfish with their own light Fish are not the only inhabitants of the sea capable of emitting light. Certain species of jellyfish have a very particular bioluminescence; they emit intermittent flashes of light that come from specialized cells located in the endoderm—the internal tissue of the jellyfish. Thanks to the fact that its body is practically transparent, it acts as a diffuser, and that light is visible from the outside, highlighting the bright points, and drawing the entire body of the jellyfish in the dark. More specifically, light sources are often found at the base of the tentacles and along the inner edge of the umbel. It is assumed that the function of bioluminescence in jellyfish has a function of defense and dissuasion from possible predators. A surprising peculiarity of jellyfish is the ability to emit light without the need for oxygen. As the luciferin reaction is an oxidation, this fact represents a fascinating evolutionary process. The reaction of luciferin from jellyfish, which is called coelenterazine, is mediated by calcium ions. Animals, in the presence of oxygen, accumulate a peroxidized and stable version of the reagent —peroxycoelenterazine—, and then they only need calcium to emit light, even without oxygen in the medium. the vampire squid Among cephalopods there are also cases of bioluminescence, perhaps the most fascinating being the vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis). Despite its name, this cephalopod, which is neither an octopus nor a squid, has notable differences from them. On the one hand, the number of arms; it has eight and not ten, it can regenerate them if it loses them, the inner part is covered with spines instead of suckers, and they are connected to each other by a membrane. Additionally, it has two long retractable filaments that are unique among cephalopods. The luminescent organs of the vampire squid are located under the skin, called photophores, they are located mostly at the end of the arms. The skin has a series of transparent, lens-shaped cells that stretch or compress thanks to the muscles of the skin, opening or closing the passage of light. On the one hand, this animal can use light as a bait to attract its prey. However, perhaps the most surprising thing about the vampire squid is its defense system. Instead of ink, it emits a mucous and sticky substance, loaded with bioluminescent particles. When attacked, the vampire squid takes the opportunity to wrap its arms around itself, exposing a black and spiny surface to avoid being devoured, at the same time, it emits this shiny mucus, which adheres to the hunter, dazzling it, giving it away to other possible prey. , and making it, at the same time, an easy prey for other predators to see. Ctenophores, lights and rainbows Almost half of the ctenophore species are bioluminescent. Although this strange group of animals does not contain more than 170 known species. Alien-looking, these animals are reminiscent of the creatures in James Cameron's famous 1989 film The Abyss. In addition to emitting their own light through bioluminescence reactions, their eight rows of locomotive cilia seem to project the colors of the rainbow. Although many claim that these rows of changing colors are also the product of bioluminescence, however, it is not a phenomenon of light emission, but of diffraction. The same type of diffraction that Newton discovered by passing a beam of white light through a prism. Indeed, these cilia diffract the white light that the ctenophore receives from the environment, changing its color depending on the orientation of the cilia —and it also changes depending on where you look at it from. The bioluminescence of ctenophores is dim, blue or greenish in color, and is only visible when in great darkness. Link: https://www.muyinteresante.es/naturaleza/articulo/5-animales-que-brillan-en-la-oscuridad-361655203485
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CFMoto expands its range with this Sport version of its already well-known CFMoto 700 CL-X, which also has the Heritage variant that was first presented. In the latter there are improvements in the front braking, with a change in the size of its rim included, as well as small details that gave it a sportier character than that of its sister. Available for the A card, it is also valid with the limitation kit for the A2 card. The new CFMoto 700CL-X Sport 2022 is here. The Chinese firm CFMoto (imported to Spain by Jets Marivent, also responsible for MITT) has just presented the details and specifications of the new model that arrives with a starting price of €7,995, ready to fight for a gap between the range of motorcycles from half cylinder. The Sport finish of the 700CL-X arrives to put a somewhat sportier point within the range, for a motorcycle with a 693 cc and 73.8 CV twin-cylinder engine. It will also have a limitation kit (optional) to drive it with an A2 license. The CFMoto 700CL-X Sport 2022 is a motorcycle that also incorporates top brand components, showing that the Chinese firm is serious about its new 700CL-X range. As a curiosity, it has optics with full LED technology in its headlight, with a DRL (daytime running light) system that simulates an X, with an aggressive and spectacular appearance. It will come in two finishes: Nebula White and Velocity Grey. Rivals of the CFMoto 700CL-X Sport 2022 The new CFMoto 700CL-X Sport 2022 is framed in the naked range with a mid-displacement retro style, where it has a lot of competition and tall rivals. Although the truth is that its price content and its high horsepower play in its favor. These would be their most direct rivals today: Kawasaki Z650RS 2022: 8,399 euros Moto Guzzi V7 III Stone: 9,399 euros Triumph Street Twin 2021: 9,250 euros Engine and technology of the CFMoto 700CL-X Sport 2022 The new CFMoto 700CL-X Sport 2022, like the Heritage version, mounts a 692.6 cc twin-cylinder engine with 74.8 CV at 8,500 rpm and a maximum torque of 68 Nm at 6,500 rpm with Bosch electronics, the top of Chinese brand range. It is also possible to limit it to 48 CV for the A2 card. CFMoto has not yet given us data on its maximum speed and consumption, although its 13-liter tank should give us a range of at least 400 km. The 2-into-1 exhaust on the right ends in an attractive compact silencer. Meanwhile, the new CFMoto 700CL-X Sport incorporates a complete package of electronic aids for greater safety: Electronic throttle, two driving modes (Eco and Sport), cruise control and anti-lock clutch; all of it as standard. It also incorporates a USB charging socket under the seat and a 75 mm circular digital screen that shows all the necessary information, as well as being a complete trip computer. Chassis, brakes and suspensions of the CFMoto 700CL-X Sport 2022 The new CFMoto 700CL-X Sport 2022 is a light motorcycle (205 kg dry) that has a resistant chrome-molybdenum steel tubular structure chassis (only 16.6 kg), together with a double-sided swingarm in aluminium, with upper reinforcing brace. In the front suspension we find a robust 41 mm inverted KYB fork -adjustable in compression, preload and rebound-, while in the rear there is a shock absorber with a progressive system, also adjustable. The brakes of the new Sport version are one of the sections where the brand has introduced various modifications. These include Continental ABS technology on both wheels: The front wheel is now 17-inches and features 300mm discs and ByBre four-piston radial calipers. At the back, the 17-inch rim and a 260mm disc remain, although the JJ caliper has been replaced. Juan for one of Brembo. Both wheels are shod with Maxxis tires measuring 120/70 ZR17 at the front and 180/55 ZR17 at the rear. Finishes and equipment of the CFMoto 700CL-X Sport 2022 In this new version, the Asian brand has provided a series of details within this section that give it a more aggressive and sporty aesthetic, all without losing that retro air that is the essential basis of the model. In addition to having 17” wheels on both trains, we can also see that the rear of the seat has been modified. Now we find a single-seat saddle that ends in a tail that has a much more racing aspect. Other differentiating details in this new CFMoto 700CL-X Sport 2022 would be focused on the driving position. Here the brand has opted for the inclusion of clip-on handlebars instead of the wide handlebar of the Heritage. Likewise, it incorporates a front casing behind the instrument panel that simulates carbon fiber in its finish. In short, small design touches that will give this Sport variant a new image. Link: https://www.soymotero.net/cf-moto-700cl-x-sport
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According to the Chilean media, the goalkeeper has proposals from Aucas and Liga de Quito. His wife doesn't want to stay in Santiago either. Hernán Galíndez (l), goalkeeper of the Ecuadorian national team Hernán Galíndez, an Ecuadorian nationalized Argentine goalkeeper who plays for the University of Chile, has asked to leave the Santiago club by denouncing "harassment" on social networks after FIFA ruled in favor of Ecuador in the Byron Castillo case. The National Association of Professional Football (ANFP) sued the planetary football body for an alleged irregularity in the nationality of the current player of the León de México, with the aim of qualifying for the Qatar 2022 World Cup. Last Friday, FIFA dismissed the claim and the Araucanian leadership specified that they will appeal the decision and ultimately go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS). “Hernán Galíndez is pressing for a quick exit from the University of Chile. The Ecuadorian goalkeeper, who participated in the delegation that played the friendly in which his team won Cape Verde by the minimum score, seeks to disassociate himself as soon as possible from the team that trains in La Cisterna, ”says a note published this Wednesday in the newspaper The Third of Santiago. “Acusa is being harassed on social networks after the fall of FIFA against Chile, according to information collected by El Deportivo. He claims to be uncomfortable. To the point that his wife has already warned him that she does not want to continue living in Santiago,” added the newspaper. According to the version of the Chilean newspaper, the goalkeeper communicated his wish to the university coach and his representative is already making arrangements for his departure. “Galíndez, through his representative, Rodrigo Abadie, has been negotiating with Azul Azul for several days. This Monday, even, on his return to the club, he already personally transmitted to Diego López, the new blue DT, his desire to leave the institution. He has also discussed it with the sports manager, Manuel Mayo. He wants to leave as soon as possible”, indicates the site. “In the university they want the goalkeeper to respect his contract that unites him with the club until December 2023. They know that within their squad they have a World Cup player who can bring them an important sale for the future, especially after Qatar 2022 ″, added The Third. The newspaper mentions that Galíndez, who was a member of the Catholic University of Quito, has proposals from Aucas and the Quito League. (D) Link: https://www.eluniverso.com/deportes/ecuatorianos-exterior/hernan-galindez-quiere-irse-de-chile-acusa-hostigamiento-en-redes-sociales-tras-el-fallo-fifa-en-el-caso-byron-castillo-nota/
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Happy Birthday!
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DH2 - Good music
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"Venezuela was fixed" is a phrase that has been circulating for months on social networks creating controversy inside and outside the South American country. Many pronounce it with a strong charge of irony, while others see in it the reflection of changes that have been taking place in recent years and that point to improvements in some of the serious economic problems that the country has faced in recent years. Some users attribute that phrase to a supposed strategy of the government of Nicolás Maduro to project a more favorable image. The Venezuelan president, however, has not endorsed that sustained, although he has wanted to gain revenue from the recent changes in that country. "Venezuela today can say that we deserve the Nobel Prize in Economics because we have gone ahead alone, alone, humbly alone with the Bolivarian economic agenda," Maduro said at the end of March, who sees how certain liberalization policies are having positive consequences. . A month later, he made direct reference to the phrase. "Some people have come out to say that 'Venezuela has been fixed'. No, it hasn't been fixed. It is improving, Venezuela is going to improve, grow, but there is still a lot to do," he stressed at an event with entrepreneurs, according to local media reports. Maduro affirmed that Venezuela deserves the Nobel Prize in Economics. Luis Vicente León, president of the consulting firm Datanalisis, points out that the perception of improvement depends on the point of comparison and that Venezuelans have just experienced a "macro-crisis" in 2018, in which they experienced "brutal hyperinflation", with food shortages. and medicines throughout the country; in which you had to stand in long queues to buy basic products and that these times were obtained above their international price. In addition, people could go to jail for carrying out operations with dollars. “So, when you compare yourself against 2018, there is no doubt that you are better off,” says León, who warns, however, that between 2013 and 2021 the Venezuelan economy shrank by 75% and that in the last year there was hardly any a growth of between 6% and 8%. "It's like a plane that was flying at 10,000 feet and started to plummet and before it hits the ground it manages to lift its nose and now it's flying at 2,500 feet. It didn't crash, but it's a long way from its initial height." comment. The effect of this long crisis is reflected in the daily reality of Venezuelans, as shown by the Encovi study on living conditions, carried out in 2021 by the Andrés Bello Catholic University and which reveals, for example, that there are 24.8% of Venezuelans in a situation of extreme poverty and that 60% of the po[CENSORED]tion lives with moderate to severe food insecurity. That does not mean that there have not been changes or improvements. Below we will explain the causes of this recovery, but now we will tell you 5 factors that indicate the change in the economic conditions of the country. 1. End of hyperinflation In January 2022, the Central Bank of Venezuela announced that the country had completed the cycle of 12 consecutive months with an inflation rate below 50%, for which it formally abandoned the hyperinflationary spiral in which it had been immersed since 2017. Hyperinflation caused the Venezuelan bolívar to lose so much value that its bills ended up being used for decorative purposes. That good sign was granted shortly after, in March, when the South American country had a monthly inflation rate of 1.4%, the lowest recorded since September 2012. Last April, the latest date available, monthly inflation rose to 4.4% but is still well below the 24.6% registered in April 2021. 2. Increase in oil production Venezuela's oil production peaked at over three million barrels a day in 1998, then began a slow decline under Hugo Chavez that accelerated under his successor, Nicolas Maduro, in power. In 2020, oil production in Venezuela fell to mid-20th century levels. As of January 2019, Venezuela was extracting just 1,106,000 barrels per day, indicating a reduction in production by two thirds over 20 years. It was then, when the United States government sanctioned the Venezuelan oil industry, from which crude oil production suffered a historic setback that led to levels typical of the mid-20th century, registering an extraction of just 434,000 barrels per day. for November 2020, always according to OPEC data. However, in the last semester of 2021, the production of crude oil, the main source of wealth for the State, began to increase until reaching some 718,000 barrels per day by December of that year and has remained slightly below 700,000 barrels since then. A very small figure for the country that presumes to have the largest proven oil reserves in the world, but almost doubles that registered during the historic fall in 2020. 3. Economic growth forecasts Among institutions and economic experts there is an almost unanimous consensus regarding the possibility that the Venezuelan economy will continue to grow in 2022. A Credit Suisse report projected 20% economic growth for Venezuela. The estimates, yes, vary significantly. Thus, the International Monetary Fund projects a growth of 1.5%, while a report by the Credit Suisse bank quoted by the Reuters agency estimates the increase in Venezuelan GDP for this year at 20%. Asdrúbal Oliveros, director of Ecoanalítica, points out that this consulting firm expects GDP to grow 8% and private consumption to grow 12%. "That has to be understood in the context of a GDP that has shrunk by 80%, so we're talking about an economy that's in the pit, that has fallen too far. That makes it entirely possible to grow at that rate because you're growing 8%. over 20 and not over 100, which is where you were in 2013. To put it in numerical terms: 8% of 20 is just 1.6, so you're going from 20% to 21.6% compared to your starting point which is 100", explains the expert to BBC Mundo. It also analyzes that this growth is very focused on sectors such as commerce, technology, the food and health industries, while others such as manufacturing, construction, banking and insurance continue to be highly affected. He warns that territorially the growth is not generalized, since it is focused on Caracas and a few other cities. "It should also be noted that it is an unequal growth because in Venezuela the gap between those who have access to goods and to be able to cover all their needs and those who do not is very wide," he points out. 4. Product Sourcing Improvements In recent years, stories about the shortage of products in Venezuela have gone around the world. From the intermittent lack of basic products such as milk, toilet paper or corn flour to make the typical arepas, it went in a few years to a general shortage of all kinds, including essential medicines and even gasoline. Currently, the images of the long queues of citizens waiting to be able to purchase basic products in Venezuela have disappeared with an important exception in the case of gasoline, which still requires queues and waiting by those who want to purchase it at subsidized prices. "Today you are not queuing at the supermarket to buy milk. Today you get practically full supply. The problem now is prices," says León. Oliveros agrees and points out that the food shortage index prepared by Econanalítica shows a very significant reduction, which has gone from 80% in 2016-2017 to 15-20% today. However, the problem of access to the goods that are now available to those who can afford them is not a minor issue due to the low income of the majority of Venezuelans. According to Oliveros, a study he carried out in January shows that around 50% of the Venezuelan po[CENSORED]tion earns less than US$100 a month, while another 30% receives between US$100 and US$300. "With these levels, it is clear that people's ability to feed themselves properly is extremely limited, since the minimum food basket (an indicator that includes the food that a family must consume to survive) is around US$350 a month, for which, in the end, the gap is very large," he explains. 5. The return of airlines and international artists After an absence that lasted for years, many international airlines and many foreign artists (or Venezuelans residing abroad) are returning to Venezuela. Oliveros warns BBC Mundo that he is not aware of any economic literature that uses these elements as indicators of economic growth. However, both have been strongly incorporated into the debate around the phrase "Venezuela fixed itself." Air Europa is one of the few international airlines that flies to Venezuela. The economic debacle experienced by Venezuela in recent years led to a massive reduction in the number of international airlines operating in the country, whose number ended from 25 to 5 between 2014 and 2022. Many of these companies decided to leave the Venezuelan market because they were unable to get the Venezuelan government to pay them an outstanding debt that was then estimated at around US$3.3 billion, derived from the sale of air tickets in bolivars at an original price subsidized by the State through exchange control. However, recent statements to the press by the president of the Venezuelan Airline Association, Humberto Figueras, indicate that at least eight international airlines have initiated approaches with a view to the possibility of operating in Venezuela again. In the case of the visit of international artists to the country, their concerts turned out to be reduced around 2014 -in principle for political reasons since there were artists like the Spanish Alejandro Sanz who criticized Maduro's repression of the protests against his government- and, then, they stopped for economic reasons around the year 2017. In recent months, however, there has been a remarkable return of international artists (and local artists but living abroad) to the Venezuelan stages. Among the groups and singers that have performed in the country is the Colombian band Morat, the Mexican singers Emmanuel and Christian Castro or the Mexican singer-songwriter Fonseca, who had not visited Venezuela for a decade. Mexican Emmanuel is one of the first artists to sing again in Venezuela. Among the artists who have concerts planned soon is the duo Sin Bandera, the Puerto Rican singer Olga Tañón, the Venezuelan singer José Luis Rodríguez "El Puma" and the Argentine rocker Fito Páez, among others. Show producer José Luis Ventura explained to BBC Mundo that the dollarization of the economy has been key to the return of international artists to Venezuela because these artists are paid in foreign currency. He added that the estimated cost of tickets for this type of show ranges between approximately US$30 and US$200. But, how is it possible that in a country where the minimum wage is around US$30, people can afford these concerts and, in some cases, fill the venues where they are held? "I think that all of us who worked on this are clear that they worked for a sector that still has purchasing power. It is a minimum sector, I don't know if it will be 5% of the po[CENSORED]tion, but it is working," Ventura responds. Line The reasons for the economic recovery and its limits Asdrúbal Oliveros points out that there are three factors that have come together to improve the supply in Venezuela: the abandonment by the government of the "draconian" policies of exchange and price controls; the dollarization of the economy and the opening to imports. As he explains, these measures allowed the private sector to operate in better conditions, knowing that it would be able to adjust its costs and guarantee its profitability, at the same time that thanks to dollarization it obtained certainty because it could set its prices in that currency and reach agreements with its suppliers to pay them in the same currency. The frequent electrical blackouts that Venezuela suffers are an obstacle to its economic recovery. However, both Oliveros and León agree that this incipient recovery of the Venezuelan economy is very limited - "a recovery in the background", as Oliveros describes it - that it will be difficult to take it further if other important changes do not occur. And, at the same time, a growth rate like the current one of around 6% or 8% is insufficient for the Venezuelan economy to experience a full recovery. "If you decreased 75% in GDP, in order for you to recover the levels of 2013 you will have to grow in GDP around 400%. You were at 100, you ended up at 25 and, then, to return to 100 you will have to quadruple and that you raised was 6% to 8%. At that rate you will need decades to be able to return to the level of 2013, "says León. Both point out that these higher rates require infrastructure that can count on electricity, water and all kinds of services that currently lack and for which investments are needed that the government is not capable of making. "Venezuela does not have access to services. It is a very important element. Neither public nor private financing. The big problem that companies in Venezuela have is the lack of credit. It also has a collapse of the State and a collapse of the public, which also it is reflected in a significant decrease in production capacity. The most emblematic case is the lack of electricity. Without electricity, it is very difficult for the industry to grow," says Oliveros. The expert believes that the required growth cannot be achieved without a profound reform and without the construction of a political agreement that allows Venezuela to access financing from multilateral organizations with whose support, added to the arrival of foreign investment, a payback within 8 to 10 years. "We cannot access the Monetary Fund, nor the World Bank and their support -which is essential for a program of certainty and reconstruction- we will not have it until the political issue is resolved. Nor will we achieve the elimination of economic sanctions until that this political issue be resolved," he says. Government and opposition have been at odds for years and many countries do not even adopt Maduro as president. But what will happen to the Venezuelan economy if there is no such political agreement? "If the conditions do not change significantly, Venezuela may take between 40 or 50 years to recover. Now what we have is an economy that has stopped falling and if those political and economic conditions do not change, it will stay there. It will probably not continue to fall. , but it is not going to grow either. It will remain stagnant and that is the danger that we see moving forward," concludes Oliveros. Link: https://www.ecuavisa.com/noticias/internacional/detectan-el-primer-caso-de-viruela-del-mono-en-venezuela-HI1965696
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This debate is philosophical, but it draws on the scientific evidence provided by the study of animal behavior Recently, an academic book entitled The Oxford Handbook of Moral Psychology has been published, in which philosophers and psychologists reflect on contemporary moral psychology. Of the 50 chapters that the book contains, one is dedicated to the rest of the animals. Specifically, it addresses the question of whether morality is an exclusively human characteristic, or whether we can also find it in other species. This is a controversial topic on which philosophers have not yet reached a consensus. The authors of the chapter, Susana Monsó and Kristin Andrews, specialized in animal ethics and philosophy, are committed to approaching the debate from a scientific perspective that analyzes the existing evidence on animal behavior. Monsó and Andrews addressed a question that they considered key: Do the rest of the animals care about the others? That is, are they able to identify with and meet the needs of other individuals? Are they affected by your misfortune? Empathy, compassion, pain and love are necessary emotions in every moral being. In order to answer these questions, ethologists have been looking for three different behaviors: mourning, consolation, and helping. Nowadays, there is enough scientific evidence to affirm that certain species show some of these behaviors or even all three. For starters, grief over the death of a mate has been described in elephants, primates, dogs, cetaceans, giraffes, and peccaries. Among all, possibly, the elephants are the ones that show the most moving behavior. The Save the Elephants organization studies the behavior of elephants in the Samburu National Reserve. They have personally identified all the elephants in the area and, since 1998, have recorded their movements by GPS. On October 11, 2003, members of this organization observed the death of Eleanor, the matriarch of one of the groups, documenting the behavior and movements of all the elephants in the area. For example, they narrate how another elephant named Maui doubtfully approached Eleanor's body, sniffed her with her trunk and touched her. Next, he rested his right leg on the corpse and wiggled it for a few minutes. In total, five families visited the matriarch's body, including her own. The funny thing is that most of these families were not related to Eleanor, in fact, it is possible that Maui did not know her because she came from another area. Elephants take an interest in other dead or sick individuals, regardless of their genetic relationship. Explaining this behavior from an evolutionary point of view is quite a challenge, especially if we take into account the diseases that can be contracted when inspecting a corpse. According to the study authors, this is evidence that elephants and humans share emotions such as grief, as well as an interest in death. Regarding consolation behavior, it has been documented in primates, elephants, cetaceans, rodents and crows, but the case that touches us most closely is that of dogs. Whether by having experienced it in person or by having seen it in a video, almost all of us know stories in which a dog comforts a human. But this is not just anecdotes, scientific studies confirm that these pets are able to identify human emotions and respond accordingly. For example, one study compared the reaction of dogs to a crying human and another that was simply humming, showing that they spent significantly more time touching and licking the crying human. Another study wanted to see if dogs also comfort each other. They conducted the experiment with 16 dogs, which we will call subject dogs. They put them in a room and played different vocalizations through a loudspeaker. Sometimes it was caused by the crying of a familiar dog, others by an unknown dog and others by an artificial sound that acted as control and was similar to these cries. The familiar dog then entered the room and the reaction of the subject dog was studied. When they had heard the cry of the familiar dog, they were much more affectionate towards the newcomer than when they had heard an unknown dog or the artificial sound. So, thanks to this evidence and many others, scientists can conclude that dogs are empathetic beings who comfort their friends. The last behavior that indicates whether an individual cares about another is helping. As in the previous cases, it has been observed in different species of primates, in dogs, in elephants, in rodents and even in pigeons. In po[CENSORED]r stories, an animal that is often shown off for its heroism is the dolphin. We tend to portray them as friends and confidants, capable of risking their lives to save bathers from sharks and guide lost ships. What the scientific evidence says so far is that, at least, they do help other dolphins. In 2012, Korean scientists were conducting a census of small cetaceans in the East Sea. Suddenly, they realized that there was something strange about a group of common dolphins (Delphinus capensis), because they were swimming very close to the surface. They counted a total of twelve dolphins, among which one of them stood out more than the rest and balanced on the body of the others. Sadly, the dolphin was sick and will not survive despite the best efforts of his friends. Mothers had been observed several times before pushing their calves to the surface to help them breathe, but this was the first time scientists had observed this among adult dolphins. In addition to describing in detail what happened in an article, the witnesses of the event recorded it on a video that is accessible to everyone. So the conclusion is clear: There are animals that care about others. As to whether this makes them moral beings, we can continue the debate. Above all, a philosopher seeks to ask good questions. Perhaps that is why Monsó and Andrews conclude the chapter like this: “As long as we are willing to consider ourselves moral, we think it is necessary to ask: Can animals also be moral?” Link: https://elpais.com/ciencia/2022-05-28/pueden-ser-morales-el-resto-de-los-animales.html
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