domingo, 7 de febrero de 2010
Observan OVNIs
California - 12-18-09 - The city of Carlsbad - This UFO displayed a bright, blue light when flying to the left and a bright red light when flying to the right, moved fast and circled. At approximately 2:50 AM, while looking southwest from a business just south of Palomar Airport in Carlsbad, California, a bright blue light in the sky caught my attention while I had been outside walking in a parking lot.
The light was at the horizon and seemed far away, like it might be near Interstate 5 or the coastline. However, the light was brighter than it should have been if it was a regular aircraft flying from that far away. It was also quiet, so I assumed it was too far away for me to hear.
The blue light was flying to the left. That's what really made me stop to look at it. I thought something was strange about what I was looking at. I work by an airport, so I'm used to seeing lights in the sky all the time, but something seemed strange about this one.
If an aircraft is flying from the right to my left in front of me, shouldn't I be seeing a red navigation light? The light slowed and changed colors. It went from blue to red and flew back to my right. It appeared to be circling something off in the distance, like a police helicopter.
My initial thought was that it WAS a police helicopter, but I was still confused by the lights and the direction of travel. I have this saying to remember which side of an aircraft the lights are on: "Go right ahead."
I think of green meaning 'go' and 'right'reminds me that green should be on the right side of the plane.
As I stood there and watched, I expected to see a white search light come on. It never did. It circled a few times, even seemed to hover. It would move off quickly again, dipped, and sometimes dipped so low that I couldn't see it anymore because it dropped below the horizon. Source: www.nuforc.org
California - 01-24-10 - my brother called and told me to look outside - the orbs were back. He was telling me that there were about six. So we went outside and could not see in that direction because the sun was so bright.
So we decided to drive to his house about ten minutes away. We arrived and the orbs were still there. Once I saw them, we took video and caught it on my camera. We managed to watch it as it faded away in the clouds. We had about six family members witness this. My family has seen these orbs a lot this month, and finally got them on camera. Source: www.mufon.com
California - 01-24-10 - My dad called me outside to see what he was looking at, and they were the same orbs that we observed several times at our home. I looked up and started watching them.
I then noticed that there was more than one. Then I noticed more and more. In all, I must have counted over 16 white orbs right over my house, in all directions, just hovering in place.
Some of them began to move, and I saw 3 of the orbs make a perfect triangle. Eventually they started to disappear. This sighting was seen by several family members. Source: www.mufon.com
California - 01-25-10 - My wife woke me up and asked if a certain star was blinking or if she was going crazy. I opened the mini-blinds and got out the binoculars.
We live on the beach in Ventura, and there are no street lights to block out the stars over the ocean and our back yard, we have a clear shot. With the binoculars you could clearly see the craft blinking lights of several different colors - red, blue, green, and white.
While the white lights were on, you could just make out the shape of the craft. Living here in Ventura we have seen missiles shot off and the space shuttle come in, this was nothing like I have ever seen before.
The craft hung there in the southwest sky for about an hour moving west, and then just as it was there, it was gone. My feelings were excitement and thrill. Source: www.mufon.com
Ultimo momento en Haiti
G7 condona deuda de Haití
Redacción
BBC Mundo
Los ministros de finanzas de los principales países industrializados señalaron que están dispuestos a cancelar el cobro de sus préstamos bilaterales a Haití tras la devastación del terremoto de enero.
El G7 condonó la deuda de Haití para agilizar la reconstrucción del país.
Al concluir la reunión del denominado G-7 en Iqaluit, en el norte de Canadá, los ministros se comprometieron con seguir trabajando para lograr la condonación de la deuda internacional de la nación caribeña.
"El G7 cancelará toda la deuda bilateral de Haití", señaló el ministro de Finanzas de Canadá.
El G7 también incluye a Estados Unidos, el Reino Unido, Francia, Alemania, Italia y Japón.
"El G7 fue presionado tras el terremoto del 12 de enero para que facilitara la recuperación del país con la cancelación del dinero que les deben", señaló el periodista de la BBC en Puerto Príncipe, Nick Davis.
"Este acuerdo significa que se borra la deuda de Haití con los países acreedores, pero el país sigue debiendo millones adicionales en préstamos institucionales de organismos multilaterales como el Fondo Monetario Internacional (FMI) y el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID)", agregó.
Antes del sismo gran parte de la deuda externa haitiana de US$1.200 millones ya había sido cancelada con el apoyo de la comunidad internacional.
clic Lea: Bill Clinton pide disculpas a haitianos
Deuda multilateral
Sin embargo el país todavía debe US$900 millones a instituciones multilaterales como el FMI y el BID.
La caridad británica Oxfam se ha pronunciado a favor de la condonación de esa deuda.
Este acuerdo significa que se borra la deuda de Haití con los países acreedores, pero el país sigue debiendo millones adicionales en préstamos institucionales de organismos multilaterales como el Fondo Monetario Internacional (FMI) y el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID)
Nick Davis, periodista de la BBC en Puerto Príncipe
Se estima que al menos un millón de personas siguen necesitando ayuda tras el terremoto de 7 puntos en la escala de Richter que dejó un saldo de más de 200.000 muertos.
El primer ministro británico Gordon Brown elogió el compromiso alcanzado en Canadá.
"Es lo correcto lograr que una nación que ha sido enterrada por los escombros no termine igualmente enterrada por la deuda", dijo Brown.
"El Reino Unido ya ha cancelado todo lo que le adeuda Haití y yo le doy una una enérgica bienvenida al compromiso de hoy del G7 de perdonar el restante de la deuda multilateral de Haití. Trabajaremos con los demás para cercionaros de que esto se haga", agregó el primer ministro británico.
El Banco Mundial recientemente anunció que no cobrará los pagos de la deuda de Haití durante los próximos cinco años.
Y el Club de París, que incluye a gobiernos acreedores de países como EE.UU., el Reino Unido, Francia y Alemania, instó a otras naciones a seguir su ejemplo en la cancelación de las deudas de Haití. .
Venezuela y Taiwan son los mayores acreedores del país caribeño.
Bleak Portrait of Haiti Orphanages Raises Fears
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By GINGER THOMPSON
Published: February 6, 2010
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — The floors were concrete and the windows were broken.
Enlarge This Image
Lynsey Addario for The New York Times
A woman tended a baby recently at the Foyer of Zion orphanage, whose staff cares for more than 60 children who range in age from 2 months to 10 years old. More Photos »
Multimedia
Interactive
Foyer de la Patience Orphanage
Slide Show
Orphanages in Haiti
Related
Haiti Disaster Relief: How to Contribute | Tips on Donating
More Multimedia on the Haiti Earthquake
Enlarge This Image
Lynsey Addario for The New York Times
Sheshier Regilus, 13, with his sister at a children's center in Port-au-Prince. They were among the 33 children that 10 Americans tried to take out of Haiti without papers. More Photos >
There was no electricity or running water. Lunch looked like watery grits. Beds were fashioned from sheets of cardboard. And the only toilet did not work.
But the Foyer of Patience here is like hundreds of places that pass as orphanages for thousands of children in the poorest country in the hemisphere. Many are barely habitable, much less licensed. They have no means to provide real schooling or basic medical care, so children spend their days engaged in mindless activities, and many die from treatable illnesses.
Haiti's child welfare system was broken before the earthquake struck. But as the quake shattered homes and drove hundreds of thousands of people into the streets, the number of children needing care grew exponentially.
Chronic problems — like inadequate services, overwhelming poverty and shady orphanages — have only intensified, while the authorities fear that some of the less scrupulous orphanages are taking advantage of the chaos to round up children in crisis and offer them for sale as servants and sex slaves.
But it took the arrest last weekend of 10 Americans caught trying to leave the country with 33 Haitian children to focus international attention on the issue. While there is no evidence that the Americans, who said they were trying to rescue children in the aftermath of the earthquake, intended any harm, the ease with which they drove into the capital and scooped up a busload of children without documents exposed vast gaps in the system's safeguards.
"This has called the world's attention because it is the first clear piece of evidence that our fears have come true," said Patricia Vargas, the regional coordinator for SOS Children's Villages, which provides services to abandoned children around the world. "Our concern as an organization is how many other cases are out there that we are not aware of."
At the front lines of the system are the orphanages, which run the gamut from large, well-equipped institutions with international financing to one-room hovels in a slum where a single woman cares for abandoned children as best she can.
Most of the children in them, the authorities said, are not orphans, but children whose parents are unable to provide for them. To desperate parents, the orphanage is a godsend, a temporary solution to help a child survive a particularly tough economic stretch. Many orphanages offer regular family visiting hours and, when their situations improve, parents are allowed to take their children back home.
But instead of protecting Haiti's most vulnerable population, some orphanages have become tools of exploitation, the authorities fear.
"There are many so-called orphanages that have opened in the last couple of years that are not really orphanages at all," said Frantz Thermilus, the chief of Haiti's National Judicial Police. "They are fronts for criminal organizations that take advantage of people who are homeless and hungry. And with the earthquake they see an opportunity to strike in a big way."
There is no precise count of the number of orphanages in this country, the number of children living in them, or of the children who are victims of trafficking, although Unicef estimates that number in the tens of thousands per year. The authorities said thousands of those trafficked were sold as servants, known as restaveks, to well-to-do Haitian families. Others, officials say, are smuggled into the Dominican Republic to do domestic and agricultural work, often in appalling conditions.
In recent years, the government has tried to crack down on trafficking, establishing special police units known as child protection brigades that monitor children leaving the airports or crossing borders. But a State Department report issued last year said the brigades did not pursue trafficking cases because there was no Haitian law against the practice. The government "did shut down a number of unregistered orphanages whose residents were believed to be vulnerable to trafficking," the report said.
And in the wake of the earthquake, the authorities suspended all adoptions pending a review of hundreds of applications already in the system.
But Haitian authorities acknowledge that the fledgling efforts of a financially struggling government long plagued by corruption have proved little match for the highly organized, multimillion-dollar criminal networks.
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Single Page
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By GINGER THOMPSON
Published: February 6, 2010
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — The floors were concrete and the windows were broken.
Enlarge This Image
Lynsey Addario for The New York Times
A woman tended a baby recently at the Foyer of Zion orphanage, whose staff cares for more than 60 children who range in age from 2 months to 10 years old. More Photos »
Multimedia
Interactive
Foyer de la Patience Orphanage
Slide Show
Orphanages in Haiti
Related
Haiti Disaster Relief: How to Contribute | Tips on Donating
More Multimedia on the Haiti Earthquake
Enlarge This Image
Lynsey Addario for The New York Times
Sheshier Regilus, 13, with his sister at a children's center in Port-au-Prince. They were among the 33 children that 10 Americans tried to take out of Haiti without papers. More Photos >
There was no electricity or running water. Lunch looked like watery grits. Beds were fashioned from sheets of cardboard. And the only toilet did not work.
But the Foyer of Patience here is like hundreds of places that pass as orphanages for thousands of children in the poorest country in the hemisphere. Many are barely habitable, much less licensed. They have no means to provide real schooling or basic medical care, so children spend their days engaged in mindless activities, and many die from treatable illnesses.
Haiti's child welfare system was broken before the earthquake struck. But as the quake shattered homes and drove hundreds of thousands of people into the streets, the number of children needing care grew exponentially.
Chronic problems — like inadequate services, overwhelming poverty and shady orphanages — have only intensified, while the authorities fear that some of the less scrupulous orphanages are taking advantage of the chaos to round up children in crisis and offer them for sale as servants and sex slaves.
But it took the arrest last weekend of 10 Americans caught trying to leave the country with 33 Haitian children to focus international attention on the issue. While there is no evidence that the Americans, who said they were trying to rescue children in the aftermath of the earthquake, intended any harm, the ease with which they drove into the capital and scooped up a busload of children without documents exposed vast gaps in the system's safeguards.
"This has called the world's attention because it is the first clear piece of evidence that our fears have come true," said Patricia Vargas, the regional coordinator for SOS Children's Villages, which provides services to abandoned children around the world. "Our concern as an organization is how many other cases are out there that we are not aware of."
At the front lines of the system are the orphanages, which run the gamut from large, well-equipped institutions with international financing to one-room hovels in a slum where a single woman cares for abandoned children as best she can.
Most of the children in them, the authorities said, are not orphans, but children whose parents are unable to provide for them. To desperate parents, the orphanage is a godsend, a temporary solution to help a child survive a particularly tough economic stretch. Many orphanages offer regular family visiting hours and, when their situations improve, parents are allowed to take their children back home.
But instead of protecting Haiti's most vulnerable population, some orphanages have become tools of exploitation, the authorities fear.
"There are many so-called orphanages that have opened in the last couple of years that are not really orphanages at all," said Frantz Thermilus, the chief of Haiti's National Judicial Police. "They are fronts for criminal organizations that take advantage of people who are homeless and hungry. And with the earthquake they see an opportunity to strike in a big way."
There is no precise count of the number of orphanages in this country, the number of children living in them, or of the children who are victims of trafficking, although Unicef estimates that number in the tens of thousands per year. The authorities said thousands of those trafficked were sold as servants, known as restaveks, to well-to-do Haitian families. Others, officials say, are smuggled into the Dominican Republic to do domestic and agricultural work, often in appalling conditions.
In recent years, the government has tried to crack down on trafficking, establishing special police units known as child protection brigades that monitor children leaving the airports or crossing borders. But a State Department report issued last year said the brigades did not pursue trafficking cases because there was no Haitian law against the practice. The government "did shut down a number of unregistered orphanages whose residents were believed to be vulnerable to trafficking," the report said.
And in the wake of the earthquake, the authorities suspended all adoptions pending a review of hundreds of applications already in the system.
But Haitian authorities acknowledge that the fledgling efforts of a financially struggling government long plagued by corruption have proved little match for the highly organized, multimillion-dollar criminal networks.
Manuel Fontaine, a child protection specialist with Unicef, said his agency was also concerned that Haiti's inability to monitor orphanages and keep track of children moving in and out of them left them open to abuses.
Multimedia
Interactive
Foyer de la Patience Orphanage
Slide Show
Orphanages in Haiti
Related
Haiti Disaster Relief: How to Contribute | Tips on Donating
More Multimedia on the Haiti Earthquake
"With the system already fragile before the quake, we knew something like this could happen," he said of the effort by the 10 Americans. "We warned authorities here to be on the lookout."
It was unclear what the future holds for the 50 children crammed into two bedrooms at the Foyer of Patience, some of them scampering around in clothes that were either too big or too small, and others wearing no clothes at all.
The director of the orphanage, Enoch Anequaire, said he opened the center five years ago but has had no time to get a license. He said he provided an education to the children, but there was not a single book, piece of paper or pencil in the house.
He said he fed them three square meals. At noon, one recent day, several said that they had had nothing to eat.
Mr. Anequaire, whose own clothes were pressed and shoes polished, said he had been overwhelmed with new children since the earthquake. He pointed out five boys who arrived last Wednesday and said that an aunt had brought them in because their homes had collapsed, and that their mothers were unable to feed them.
Some of the children, however, said Mr. Anequaire had come looking for them.
"He came to my house and told my mother he needed 10 more kids," said one of the boys, whose names were withheld from this article to protect them from retribution.
Mr. Anequaire denied this version of events.
Across the street stands another orphanage, two-story compound called the Foyer of Zion, where more than 60 children live in airy, cheerfully decorated rooms. Still, on a recent visit, it was woefully understaffed and poorly equipped. Children in the nursery were kept in stacked wooden boxes rather than cribs.
The director, Marjorie Mardy, said that the center was financed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and that several members from the United States had rushed to Port-au-Prince after the earthquake to take home children who had been in the adoption process for more than two years.
Most of the children, however, were in legal limbo, she said. Their parents had not given up custody, nor had they any clear plans for bringing the children home. Many children had been dropped off at the orphanage without any documents providing their names, ages or need for specialized care, which Ms. Mardy acknowledges she is unable to provide.
There was a baby so frail and shriveled she was clearly sick, but Ms. Mardy said she had not been able to take her for tests. A toddler who seemed lethargic and unresponsive had been running a low-grade fever since arriving at the orphanage after the earthquake. But she had not been taken to a doctor.
"In Haiti, it's not like the United States where people have jobs and homes and security," Ms. Mardy said. "And if people have no security, how can they give security to their children?
"We try to give them that security," she said. "But at times like these, it's overwhelming."
The solution, say child protection advocates, lies as much in fixing families as fixing orphanages.
"If we are going to really protect children, orphanages have to become a family's last resort," said Suzanna Tkalec, a human rights lawyer and child protection specialist at Catholic Relief Services, which is developing a program to provide social and economic support for the families of some 2,000 displaced children.
"Anything that recreates a family is a much better option."
Lomene Nerisier is a living example of what is possible. After her husband kicked her and their three children out of their house in La Mardelle, she begged an orphanage in the village to give the children to a family that might provide them a better life.
The director, Gina Duncan, offered Ms. Nerisier a job instead. She received part of her salary in cash and the other part in materials to build her own house. Three years later, she not only takes care of her own children, but she also teaches preschool.
Today she is proud of her accomplishment, but not naïve about what sets her apart from the vast majority of mothers in this country.
"I am lucky," she said. "So many women do not have jobs. They do not have land to grow food for their children. If their choice is to watch their children starve or give them away, they are going to give them away, and hope that they have put them in good hands."
Either way, the decision is heart-wrenching for parent and child. Stanley Vixamar, 10, cried through the night on his first night at the Foyer of Patience.
"I wanted to stay with my mother even though our house has fallen down," he said. "I love her."
Multimedia
Interactive
Foyer de la Patience Orphanage
Slide Show
Orphanages in Haiti
Related
Haiti Disaster Relief: How to Contribute | Tips on Donating
More Multimedia on the Haiti Earthquake
"With the system already fragile before the quake, we knew something like this could happen," he said of the effort by the 10 Americans. "We warned authorities here to be on the lookout."
It was unclear what the future holds for the 50 children crammed into two bedrooms at the Foyer of Patience, some of them scampering around in clothes that were either too big or too small, and others wearing no clothes at all.
The director of the orphanage, Enoch Anequaire, said he opened the center five years ago but has had no time to get a license. He said he provided an education to the children, but there was not a single book, piece of paper or pencil in the house.
He said he fed them three square meals. At noon, one recent day, several said that they had had nothing to eat.
Mr. Anequaire, whose own clothes were pressed and shoes polished, said he had been overwhelmed with new children since the earthquake. He pointed out five boys who arrived last Wednesday and said that an aunt had brought them in because their homes had collapsed, and that their mothers were unable to feed them.
Some of the children, however, said Mr. Anequaire had come looking for them.
"He came to my house and told my mother he needed 10 more kids," said one of the boys, whose names were withheld from this article to protect them from retribution.
Mr. Anequaire denied this version of events.
Across the street stands another orphanage, two-story compound called the Foyer of Zion, where more than 60 children live in airy, cheerfully decorated rooms. Still, on a recent visit, it was woefully understaffed and poorly equipped. Children in the nursery were kept in stacked wooden boxes rather than cribs.
The director, Marjorie Mardy, said that the center was financed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and that several members from the United States had rushed to Port-au-Prince after the earthquake to take home children who had been in the adoption process for more than two years.
Most of the children, however, were in legal limbo, she said. Their parents had not given up custody, nor had they any clear plans for bringing the children home. Many children had been dropped off at the orphanage without any documents providing their names, ages or need for specialized care, which Ms. Mardy acknowledges she is unable to provide.
There was a baby so frail and shriveled she was clearly sick, but Ms. Mardy said she had not been able to take her for tests. A toddler who seemed lethargic and unresponsive had been running a low-grade fever since arriving at the orphanage after the earthquake. But she had not been taken to a doctor.
"In Haiti, it's not like the United States where people have jobs and homes and security," Ms. Mardy said. "And if people have no security, how can they give security to their children?
"We try to give them that security," she said. "But at times like these, it's overwhelming."
The solution, say child protection advocates, lies as much in fixing families as fixing orphanages.
"If we are going to really protect children, orphanages have to become a family's last resort," said Suzanna Tkalec, a human rights lawyer and child protection specialist at Catholic Relief Services, which is developing a program to provide social and economic support for the families of some 2,000 displaced children.
"Anything that recreates a family is a much better option."
Lomene Nerisier is a living example of what is possible. After her husband kicked her and their three children out of their house in La Mardelle, she begged an orphanage in the village to give the children to a family that might provide them a better life.
The director, Gina Duncan, offered Ms. Nerisier a job instead. She received part of her salary in cash and the other part in materials to build her own house. Three years later, she not only takes care of her own children, but she also teaches preschool.
Today she is proud of her accomplishment, but not naïve about what sets her apart from the vast majority of mothers in this country.
"I am lucky," she said. "So many women do not have jobs. They do not have land to grow food for their children. If their choice is to watch their children starve or give them away, they are going to give them away, and hope that they have put them in good hands."
Either way, the decision is heart-wrenching for parent and child. Stanley Vixamar, 10, cried through the night on his first night at the Foyer of Patience.
"I wanted to stay with my mother even though our house has fallen down," he said. "I love her."
Prius recall
Imagen de Toyota en "trizas"
Alastair Leithead
BBC, Ciudad Toyota
El brillo de la pintura negra de la réplica de un modelo Toyota de 1936, entronizado en el Salón Conmemorativo de la empresa, denota el profundo orgullo y la dedicación que caracterizan a los trabajadores en la ciudad de Toyota.
Las disculpas llegaron mal y tarde.
Inspirado en la industria automotriz estadounidense, Sakichi Toyoda impulsó el negocio familiar de telares mecánicos hacia nuevos horizontes y creó lo que hoy en día es el mayor fabricante de autos del mundo.
Sin embargo en estas últimas semanas se ha opacado la intachable imagen construida por Toyota a lo largo de varias décadas como un baluarte de calidad, atención al detalle, eficiencia y confiabilidad.
Se trata de algo que va mucho más allá de la marca o la situación de un fabricante de autos común y corriente.
Toyota ha simbolizado la transformación de Japón desde las ruinas de la Segunda Guerra Mundial en una de las grandes potencias mundiales.
Los valores de la empresa se mantienen en sintonía con el credo de la nación, y Toyota es un símbolo nacional.
clic Lea: Toyota pide disculpas
"Perdón"
De manera que la lectura de la profunda reverencia de disculpas de Akio Toyoda, el nieto y presidente de tercera generación de la compañía, va mucho más allá de un simple "perdón".
RETIRADAS DE TOYOTA HASTA LA FECHA
2007, EE.UU.: tapices de 55.000 modelos Camry y Lexus
2009, EE.UU.: tapices, 4,2 millones de vehículos
2010, EE.UU.: 2,3millones de autos, acelerador
2010, EE.UU.: 1,1millones de vehículos, tapices
2010, Europa: 1,8millones de Toyotas, acelerador
2010, Japón, EE.UU.: 200 informes de fallas en los frenos del nuevo Prius, no hay retirada hasta el momento.
2010, América Latina, África y Oriente Medio: 180.000 vehículos, acelerador
Desgraciadamente para la mayoría de los que viven en Japón, y en los 60 o más países afectados por la retirada de autos, sus palabras se pronunciaron mal y tarde.
Primero surgió el problema con el pedal del acelerador, quizás el más dañino, que dio lugar a la retirada de ocho millones de Toyotas en todo el mundo.
Se calcula que esto le costará a la empresa US$2.000 millones. Sin embargo el segundo pánico relacionado con el auto híbrido de mejor venta a nivel mundial, el Prius, tuvo mucho más impacto en su país de origen.
Los ásperos titulares, las críticas mordaces y las investigaciones de quejas y accidentes han impactado severamente la imagen de Toyota en otros lados, pero los autos con problemas fueron exportados y el furor mediático mundial se había mantenido ausente de Japón hasta ahora.
Las fallas de los frenos del Prius, un hecho que podría sumar centenares de miles a la lista de vehículos retirados, se ha hecho notar en su país de origen porque muchos fueron comprados en Japón con incentivos gubernamentales para promover el uso de automóviles ecológicos.
Pese a la golpeada imagen de Toyota, la improvisada rueda de prensa del viernes por la noche en Nagoya, una ciudad a una hora y medio de Tokio en tren bala y del otro lado del Monte Fuji, fue la primera vez que el presidente de la compañía se presentó en público para esgrimir sus argumentos.
clic Lea: ¿Se verá dañada la reputación de Toyota?
Comunicación
Los ejecutivos japoneses no siempre logran comunicarse con la autoridad que sería de esperarse de semejantes potencias industriales, y además hubo más preguntas que respuestas de un enjambre de periodistas ansiosos por obtener respuestas cortas y llamativas.
Toyota emplea una cuarta parte de la población de Ciudad Toyota.
"El cliente siempre es la prioridad", insistía Akio Toyoda, "y debo disculparme ante todos nuestros clientes". Sin embargo le delegó a su vicepresidente los detalles de qué estaban haciendo al respecto.
Todavía no hay claridad en torno al problema de los frenos del Prius, simplemente una aseveración de que funcionarán con seguridad siempre y cuando se oprima el pedal con más fuerza, y una promesa de que si la empresa considera necesaria una retirada, los clientes serán los primeros en ser informados.
Sin embargo la gente aquí todavía está confusa y no sabe porqué se está actualizando el software de los modelos más nuevos si todo funciona bien.
Hay que decir que este coche híbrido, que alterna sin grandes esfuerzos entre el motor y la corriente de la batería, funciona con gran suavidad.
En una prueba con uno de los modelos cuestionados, me pareció que la respuesta de los frenos era sumamente buena, pero el hombre que me ayudó a encontrar los puntos a favor y en contra sí reconoció que había problemas con bajas temperaturas.
clic Lea: ¿Cómo parar un auto cuando el acelerador se atora?
Consumidores
Quizás los consumidores japoneses sean un poco menos agresivos que sus contrapartes estadounidenses a la hora de presentar quejas o demandas judiciales.
Algunos lo atribuyen a los sentimientos anti japoneses provenientes del sector automotriz de EE.UU., pero coches que no dejan de acelerar y frenos que tardan en parar el vehículo difícilmente se ganarán la confianza de los conductores.
Sin embargo esa confianza se mantiene intacta en la Ciudad de Toyota, donde opera la sede de la compañía que provee los empleos de una cuarta parte de la población.
"Habrá daños, pero Toyota es fuerte y podría fortalecerse aún más tras una experiencia como esta", dijo un hombre cubierto con abrigos para protegerse del frío mientras caminaba en frente de una de varias fábricas de la zona.
Entre los varios museos dedicados al apellido y el producto de la familia, figura un salón donde robots de dos piernas dan la bienvenida tres veces al día con el toque de trompetas en la recepción.
Entre las muestras visuales de alta tecnología se resalta el énfasis en la seguridad, la esencia de la empresa durante tantos años.
"Los esfuerzos de Toyota están dirigidos hacia lograr que conduzcan con seguridad y sin preocupaciones", reza una de las voces.
En ese sentido la empresa ha sido duramente golpeada alrededor del mundo y el impacto en sus finanzas podría durar meses o inclusive años.
Toyota Has Pattern of Slow Response on Safety Issues
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By JAMES KANTER, MICHELINE MAYNARD and HIROKO TABUCHI
Published: February 6, 2010
This article is by James Kanter, Micheline Maynard and Hiroko Tabuchi.
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Seth Perlman/Associated Press
Nick Cathers, a Toyota technician, with a pedal assembly. Some Toyotas accelerate out of control.
Related
Lawsuit Over a Crash Adds to Toyota's Difficulties (February 5, 2010)
The Dozens of Computers That Make Modern Cars Go (and Stop) (February 5, 2010)
Answers to Questions About Prius and the Toyota Recalls (February 5, 2010)
Toyota's Top Executive Under Rising Pressure (February 6, 2010)
Paragon Envy: Oh, What a Feeling: Watching Toyota Flunk for Once (February 7, 2010)
Weekend Business: Jane Bornemeier and Micheline Maynard on Toyota's problems.
Add to Portfolio
Toyota Motor Corp
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Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters
Akio Toyoda, head of Toyota Motor, apologized on Friday for the company's safety problems.
Toyota's recalls and disclosures in recent months are part of a lengthy pattern in which the automaker has often reacted slowly to safety concerns, in some instances making design changes without telling customers about problems with vehicles already on the road, an examination of its record shows.
Toyota received complaints from customers in Europe about sticking accelerator pedals as early as December 2008 and started installing redesigned pedals on new vehicles there last August. Months later, in January, similar concerns in the United States led to a pedal recall of 2.3 million vehicles. The European cars have now been recalled, too.
In a Congressional committee meeting on Jan. 27, Toyota officials said they first learned of this problem through reports of sticking pedals in vehicles in England and Ireland in the spring of 2009. But Toyota later acknowledged it had received reports there as early as December 2008.
Three years ago, it recalled 2007 and 2008 Toyota Camrys and Lexus ES 350s because the accelerator could stick under floor mats, a precursor to a much bigger recall last fall.
And in early 1996, Toyota engineers discovered that a crucial steering mechanism could fracture on the Hilux Surf, which was sold as the 4Runner in the United States. Toyota started installing a stronger version on new models.
Yet it took Toyota eight more years to start recalling Hilux Surfs and 4Runners built before the 1996 design change, after an accident involving an out-of-control Hilux Surf prompted a police investigation. Toyota received a rebuke from the Japanese government and was ordered to overhaul its recall system.
Many automakers address problems discreetly when feasible, hoping to avoid an uncomfortable spotlight.
But Toyota, a company that built its reputation with meticulous attention to quality, is now facing a credibility crisis as little-known problems are surfacing with many of its models.
Most recently, Toyota acknowledged it had identified a flaw in the antilock braking systems of its Prius hybrids and altered the system for models built since January. Facing new investigations, Toyota said it was considering a recall. Late Friday it began telling dealers that it would announce a fix early this week.
Toyota officials, when asked about their handling of previous safety issues, responded largely with comments about how they would handle the matter now and in the future.
"The company is prepared to cooperate fully and sincerely, and we are doing our utmost to deal with the matter in a way that brings safety and peace of mind to our customers," the company's chief executive, Akio Toyoda, said Friday at a news conference.
"We acknowledge that we could have communicated better as a company," said James Wiseman, a spokesman for Toyota's United States division. "However, we have taken significant steps to address these issues."
Toyota's handling of safety problems contrasts with steps Toyota took 30 years ago, when it was building its American operations.
Faced with engine and transmission problems on early Camrys, the company's engineers addressed them, and by the mid-1980s, the Camry's quality was considered on par with that of the Honda Accord.
After defects showed up on the first Lexuses in 1989, Toyota put together a team to solve them quickly. In many instances, the company went to customers' homes to collect the cars.
Years later, many consumers started seeing evidence of a more reactive and defensive approach from the company.
In 2002, for example, Toyota faced thousands of complaints from customers who said their cars' engines could become clogged with oil sludge.
Toyota initially faulted drivers, saying the problem was a result of infrequent oil changes. It agreed to extend warranties to eight years on 3.3 million 1997-to-2002 models. Customers then complained that Toyota made it too difficult to file claims, and the company was soon defending itself from a class-action suit.
Now the company is facing more public accusations of being slow to respond.
The transportation secretary, Ray LaHood, decided to confront Toyota late last year when it did not announce a recall for sticking pedals, although it had recalled millions of cars because their floor mats could interfere with the accelerator.
"Maybe they were a little 'safety deaf' in their North American office," Mr. LaHood told The Associated Press last week.
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By JAMES KANTER, MICHELINE MAYNARD and HIROKO TABUCHI
Published: February 6, 2010
This article is by James Kanter, Micheline Maynard and Hiroko Tabuchi.
Enlarge This Image
Seth Perlman/Associated Press
Nick Cathers, a Toyota technician, with a pedal assembly. Some Toyotas accelerate out of control.
Related
Lawsuit Over a Crash Adds to Toyota's Difficulties (February 5, 2010)
The Dozens of Computers That Make Modern Cars Go (and Stop) (February 5, 2010)
Answers to Questions About Prius and the Toyota Recalls (February 5, 2010)
Toyota's Top Executive Under Rising Pressure (February 6, 2010)
Paragon Envy: Oh, What a Feeling: Watching Toyota Flunk for Once (February 7, 2010)
Weekend Business: Jane Bornemeier and Micheline Maynard on Toyota's problems.
Add to Portfolio
Toyota Motor Corp
Go to your Portfolio »
Enlarge This Image
Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters
Akio Toyoda, head of Toyota Motor, apologized on Friday for the company's safety problems.
Toyota's recalls and disclosures in recent months are part of a lengthy pattern in which the automaker has often reacted slowly to safety concerns, in some instances making design changes without telling customers about problems with vehicles already on the road, an examination of its record shows.
Toyota received complaints from customers in Europe about sticking accelerator pedals as early as December 2008 and started installing redesigned pedals on new vehicles there last August. Months later, in January, similar concerns in the United States led to a pedal recall of 2.3 million vehicles. The European cars have now been recalled, too.
In a Congressional committee meeting on Jan. 27, Toyota officials said they first learned of this problem through reports of sticking pedals in vehicles in England and Ireland in the spring of 2009. But Toyota later acknowledged it had received reports there as early as December 2008.
Three years ago, it recalled 2007 and 2008 Toyota Camrys and Lexus ES 350s because the accelerator could stick under floor mats, a precursor to a much bigger recall last fall.
And in early 1996, Toyota engineers discovered that a crucial steering mechanism could fracture on the Hilux Surf, which was sold as the 4Runner in the United States. Toyota started installing a stronger version on new models.
Yet it took Toyota eight more years to start recalling Hilux Surfs and 4Runners built before the 1996 design change, after an accident involving an out-of-control Hilux Surf prompted a police investigation. Toyota received a rebuke from the Japanese government and was ordered to overhaul its recall system.
Many automakers address problems discreetly when feasible, hoping to avoid an uncomfortable spotlight.
But Toyota, a company that built its reputation with meticulous attention to quality, is now facing a credibility crisis as little-known problems are surfacing with many of its models.
Most recently, Toyota acknowledged it had identified a flaw in the antilock braking systems of its Prius hybrids and altered the system for models built since January. Facing new investigations, Toyota said it was considering a recall. Late Friday it began telling dealers that it would announce a fix early this week.
Toyota officials, when asked about their handling of previous safety issues, responded largely with comments about how they would handle the matter now and in the future.
"The company is prepared to cooperate fully and sincerely, and we are doing our utmost to deal with the matter in a way that brings safety and peace of mind to our customers," the company's chief executive, Akio Toyoda, said Friday at a news conference.
"We acknowledge that we could have communicated better as a company," said James Wiseman, a spokesman for Toyota's United States division. "However, we have taken significant steps to address these issues."
Toyota's handling of safety problems contrasts with steps Toyota took 30 years ago, when it was building its American operations.
Faced with engine and transmission problems on early Camrys, the company's engineers addressed them, and by the mid-1980s, the Camry's quality was considered on par with that of the Honda Accord.
After defects showed up on the first Lexuses in 1989, Toyota put together a team to solve them quickly. In many instances, the company went to customers' homes to collect the cars.
Years later, many consumers started seeing evidence of a more reactive and defensive approach from the company.
In 2002, for example, Toyota faced thousands of complaints from customers who said their cars' engines could become clogged with oil sludge.
Toyota initially faulted drivers, saying the problem was a result of infrequent oil changes. It agreed to extend warranties to eight years on 3.3 million 1997-to-2002 models. Customers then complained that Toyota made it too difficult to file claims, and the company was soon defending itself from a class-action suit.
Now the company is facing more public accusations of being slow to respond.
The transportation secretary, Ray LaHood, decided to confront Toyota late last year when it did not announce a recall for sticking pedals, although it had recalled millions of cars because their floor mats could interfere with the accelerator.
"Maybe they were a little 'safety deaf' in their North American office," Mr. LaHood told The Associated Press last week.
Japan's Transport Ministry appeared to be a step ahead of Toyota last week. It ordered the company to investigate problems on the 2010 Prius hybrid that could cause its brakes to be unresponsive when driving slowly on bumpy or icy roads.
Related
Lawsuit Over a Crash Adds to Toyota's Difficulties (February 5, 2010)
The Dozens of Computers That Make Modern Cars Go (and Stop) (February 5, 2010)
Answers to Questions About Prius and the Toyota Recalls (February 5, 2010)
Toyota's Top Executive Under Rising Pressure (February 6, 2010)
Paragon Envy: Oh, What a Feeling: Watching Toyota Flunk for Once (February 7, 2010)
Weekend Business: Jane Bornemeier and Micheline Maynard on Toyota's problems.
Add to Portfolio
Toyota Motor Corp
Go to your Portfolio »
Toyota then said it had corrected the problem on cars built since mid-January. But it now faces a decision on whether to recall more than 300,000 cars sold since the newest version of the Prius was introduced last spring.
The most severe criticism has been over Toyota's handling of the pedal problem.
The company did not recall cars with sticky pedals in Europe, after it made a design change for new cars, because it considered the problem a "customer satisfaction" issue rather than a defect. None of the 26 complaints it received involved cars that had been in accidents, Toyota officials said.
It introduced the design change for new cars being built in Europe last summer, before sticky pedal problems came to a head in the United States.
Only after Toyota announced a recall in the United States did it then extend the recall to 1.8 million European vehicles as well.
In a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Toyota said it had not realized until October that the pedals in cars made in the United States used the same material as those in Europe — even though both are supplied by the same parts maker, CTS of Elkhart, Ind.
Although it made the change on European models last summer, Toyota initially told American authorities it was unaware of any problems with the CTS-made pedals. Instead, Toyota said it believed gas pedals were becoming trapped in floor mats, the subject of an advisory to consumers that was later followed by a recall.
Toyota had "not been able to single out or verify any other cause" for the unintended acceleration, the company said when the floor-mat recall was made.
Analysts questioned Toyota's explanation.
"There is no way that Toyota in America or Japan would not have known about a replacement taking place in Europe," said Tadashi Nishioka, an auto industry expert at the University of Hyogo in Japan. "At Toyota, all information flows to headquarters. It's that kind of company."
Colin Hensley, the general manager of corporate affairs at Toyota Motor Europe, said the change would eventually have been brought to cars in the United States under Toyota's practice of sharing new production methods among its plants.
Shinichi Sasaki, the Toyota executive in charge of quality, added last week: "We did realize that it was not good that pedals were not returning to their proper positions, but we took some time to consider whether we needed to take market action."
When American regulators visited Japan, they "directed us to think of things from a customer's perspective," Mr. Sasaki added. "We took this seriously and made the decision to recall the cars."
Last week, Toyota dealers began replacing pedals on millions of cars. Factories will start installing them in new cars this week.
Related
Lawsuit Over a Crash Adds to Toyota's Difficulties (February 5, 2010)
The Dozens of Computers That Make Modern Cars Go (and Stop) (February 5, 2010)
Answers to Questions About Prius and the Toyota Recalls (February 5, 2010)
Toyota's Top Executive Under Rising Pressure (February 6, 2010)
Paragon Envy: Oh, What a Feeling: Watching Toyota Flunk for Once (February 7, 2010)
Weekend Business: Jane Bornemeier and Micheline Maynard on Toyota's problems.
Add to Portfolio
Toyota Motor Corp
Go to your Portfolio »
Toyota then said it had corrected the problem on cars built since mid-January. But it now faces a decision on whether to recall more than 300,000 cars sold since the newest version of the Prius was introduced last spring.
The most severe criticism has been over Toyota's handling of the pedal problem.
The company did not recall cars with sticky pedals in Europe, after it made a design change for new cars, because it considered the problem a "customer satisfaction" issue rather than a defect. None of the 26 complaints it received involved cars that had been in accidents, Toyota officials said.
It introduced the design change for new cars being built in Europe last summer, before sticky pedal problems came to a head in the United States.
Only after Toyota announced a recall in the United States did it then extend the recall to 1.8 million European vehicles as well.
In a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Toyota said it had not realized until October that the pedals in cars made in the United States used the same material as those in Europe — even though both are supplied by the same parts maker, CTS of Elkhart, Ind.
Although it made the change on European models last summer, Toyota initially told American authorities it was unaware of any problems with the CTS-made pedals. Instead, Toyota said it believed gas pedals were becoming trapped in floor mats, the subject of an advisory to consumers that was later followed by a recall.
Toyota had "not been able to single out or verify any other cause" for the unintended acceleration, the company said when the floor-mat recall was made.
Analysts questioned Toyota's explanation.
"There is no way that Toyota in America or Japan would not have known about a replacement taking place in Europe," said Tadashi Nishioka, an auto industry expert at the University of Hyogo in Japan. "At Toyota, all information flows to headquarters. It's that kind of company."
Colin Hensley, the general manager of corporate affairs at Toyota Motor Europe, said the change would eventually have been brought to cars in the United States under Toyota's practice of sharing new production methods among its plants.
Shinichi Sasaki, the Toyota executive in charge of quality, added last week: "We did realize that it was not good that pedals were not returning to their proper positions, but we took some time to consider whether we needed to take market action."
When American regulators visited Japan, they "directed us to think of things from a customer's perspective," Mr. Sasaki added. "We took this seriously and made the decision to recall the cars."
Last week, Toyota dealers began replacing pedals on millions of cars. Factories will start installing them in new cars this week.
sábado, 6 de febrero de 2010
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De: Energias Renovables en erenovable <gruizu@gmail.com>
Fecha: 1 de febrero de 2010 07:05
Asunto: erenovable
Para: miapodoescolar2@gmail.com
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| Hijo de Fidel Castro apuesta por la energía nuclear Posted: 31 Jan 2010 12:49 PM PST Ayer, precisamente, hemos comentado que España tiene opiniones divididas en energía nuclear (también conocida como energía atómica). Hoy, las novedades llegan desde Cuba. El hijo de Fidel Castro considera que la energía nuclear puede llegar a ser una solución al cambio climático y valoró su uso.
España se encuentra con opiniones controvertidas, debatiendo sobre la energía nuclear. Pero, a pesar de la polémica suscitada en nuestro país, debemos saber que otros países del mundo están pensando en la energía nuclear. En este caso, hablaremos de Cuba y de lo que opina el hijo del mandatario cubano con respecto a este tipo de energía. Fidel Castro Díaz-Balart, de 60 años, es hijo del mandatario cubano Fidel Castro pero, además, es físico nuclear. Castro Díaz-Balart es físico graduado en la ex Unión Soviética. El hijo del líder cubano ha valorado la utilización de la energía nuclear para poder enfrentar el cambio climático. El físico ha declarado, durante un encuentro de experto que las técnicas nucleares están cobrando vigor en el mundo entero ante la escasez de agua, de alimentos y de combustibles fósiles. Pero, ha hecho mucho hincapié en que el mayor desafío de la energía nuclear estaría en la lucha contra el cambio climático.
En referencia a su padre, Fidel Castro, el físico nuclear destacó que el líder de Cuba tuvo la visión y la voluntad política para animar a los jóvenes cubanos en la ex Unión Soviética para que realicen carreras relacionadas con las tecnologías nucleares y con la energía. "La energía nuclear no puede resolver todos estos problemas, pero sí aportar sensiblemente a la solución de éstos como lo evidencia que durante el último decenio produjo cada año el 6% de toda la energía primaria a escala mundial lo que evitó la emisión anual de billones de toneladas de CO2", puntualizó Díaz-Balart. Vía| EcoDiario
|
| Generar energía limpia de pozos petrolíferos abandonados Posted: 31 Jan 2010 09:22 AM PST Alberto Vázquez-Figueroa, novelista e inventor español, cree que es posible generar energía limpia, extrayéndola de los pozos petroleros abandonados aprovechando el mar.
El reconocido novelista Vázquez-Figueroa ha estado encerrado durante años con un grupo de ingenieros con la intención de hallar soluciones a la problemática energética mundial. El primer invento del escritor fue la desaladora VF, que ha logrado producir agua dulce a partir del agua del mar. Ahora, tras años de estudio, el inventor va más allá y cree que es posible generar electricidad limpia en los pozos petrolíferos abandonados, que serían capaces de dar solución a los problemas energéticos mundiales. La propuesta que ha hecho Vázquez-Figueroa es tratar de aprovechar los yacimientos abandonados, siempre que se hallen cerca del mar, con la idea de instalar una turbina en su interior. De ese modo, el agua marina caería por el pozo hasta la balsa en la que antiguamente hubo petróleo. En síntesis, armar una central hidroeléctrica aprovechando el agua del mar. Vázquez-Figueroa aclara que los yacimientos petrolíferos son impermeables y, por ende, cuando el pozo se llenase habría que sacar la turbina e instalarla en otro pozo diferente. El inventor dependerá de la opinión de los técnicos. Ellos serán los encargados de vislumbrar si ésta podría ser la solución a los problemas energéticos en el mundo o no. "Hay 400.000 pozos petrolíferos abandonados en todo el mundo, que podrían generar un 20% de energía extra ahora que están vacíos", ha expresado Vázquez-Figueroa. Por su parte, el ingeniero de caminos y profesor de Obras Hidráulicas de la Escuela de Ingenieros de Obras Públicas de la Universidad de La Laguna ha calificado este invento como "una idea genial". "Compagina la obtención de energía con el reciclaje de una infraestructura abandonada que ya no genera nada. Además, el rendimiento de la energía hidroeléctrica es el más alto de todas las fuentes actuales y ronda el 90%".- ha dicho el ingeniero. La idea del novelista ya ha llamado la atención de ministros españoles de Industria y de Exteriores. Los ministros ya se han reunico con sus técnicos para evaluar el proyecto de Vázquez. Grandes empresas españoas como Cobra (filial de ACS), FCC o el BBVA ya han contactado al inventor para interesarse por su nueva propuesta que, además, podría generar nuevos puestos de trabajo. Según los estudios de Vázquez-Figueroa, se lograría generar más electricidad que con doscientas centrales nucleares y con certeza de que no se generarían residuos ni gases de efecto invernadero. Vía| elmundo
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Turbinas inteligentes para aprovechar el viento
Turbinas inteligentes para aprovechar el viento
Laura Plitt
BBC Mundo, Medio Ambiente
Las turbinas de viento son difíciles y costosas de reparar. Muchas están ubicadas en medio del mar o en sitios remotos.
Ante cualquier eventualidad, nada mejor que estar preparado. Ésta parece haber sido la máxima que inspiró a un grupo de investigadores británicos y daneses que creó un nuevo dispositivo -o mejor dicho, mejoró uno ya existente- para producir energía limpia.
Se trata de turbinas eólicas inteligentes que tienen la capacidad de sentir el viento un poco antes de que entre en contacto con sus aspas.
Estas nuevas turbinas hacen uso de la tecnología conocida como LIDAR (Siglas en inglés de Light Detection and Raging, en español Detector y Medidor de Luz) que -mediante un sistema de ondas de luz- puede detectar la velocidad y la dirección del viento para dirigir las aspas de la turbina en la dirección correcta.
Según le explicó a BBC Mundo Michael Harris, científico de Natural Power, una de las compañías involucradas en el proyecto, este aparato ofrece numerosas ventajas.
Es como manejar un auto en una carretera cubierta de pozos. Si no los puedes ver antes, no puedes reaccionar a tiempo. En cambio, si lo sabes con anticipación, puedes frenar o mover el carro para evitarlos
Michael Harris, científico de Natural Power
"El mecanismo nos permite detectar turbulencias y alteraciones antes de que lleguen a la turbina. Es como cuando manejas un auto en una carretera cubierta de pozos. Si no los puedes ver antes, no puedes reaccionar a tiempo y seguramente dañarás la suspensión", dice Harris.
"En cambio, si lo sabes con anticipación, puedes frenar o mover el carro para evitarlos", añade.
Si bien la información llega a la turbina unos segundos antes, este período de tiempo es suficiente para que las aspas se acomoden en la dirección adecuada.
Larga vida
La tecnología LIDAR se viene utilizando desde los años '70.
Como acomodarse en la dirección del viento hace que se eviten averías, estas turbinas tienen un período de vida más largo que las tradicionales, y esto, en opinión del experto, es uno de los principales beneficios.
"Muchas veces las granjas eólicas están ubicadas en lugares remotos o en el mar, en zonas de fuertes vientos. Esto hace que su reparación sea difícil y además muy costosa. Extender la vida de una turbina es muy ventajoso", dice Harris.
Por otra parte, al ser más eficientes, tienen la capacidad de generar más energía que las turbinas tradicionales.
La tecnología LIDAR no es nueva. Se ha venido utilizando en diversas aplicaciones desde los años '70. Sin embargo, los sistemas anteriores eran más grandes, más delicados y más costosos. Por esta razón "su implementación hubiese sido totalmente inapropiada en el campo de la energía eólica", explica el científico.
El nuevo tipo de LIDAR, desarrollado por la compañía británica Natural Power, es en cambio más compacto, más robusto y su producción es más económica.
Actualmente, el producto se encuentra en una fase experimental, pero los investigadores confían en que estará disponible dentro de los próximos tres años.
El agujero en la capa de ozono... ¿bueno o malo?
A más ozono, más calentamiento
Laura Plitt
BBC Mundo, Medio Ambiente
El área decolor azul es el agujero en la capa de ozono en 1999.
El agujero de la capa de ozono -uno de los problemas ambientales más discutidos en la década de los '80- está en vías repararse. Sin embargo, su recuperación podría contribuir a la aceleración del calentamiento en ciertas regiones del hemisferio sur.
Ésta es la conclusión de un estudio llevado a cabo por investigadores de la Universidad de Leeds, en el Reino Unido, que analizaron información meteorológica recabada entre 1980 y 2000.
Los científicos descubrieron que, durante este período, aumentó la velocidad del viento en la región ubicada debajo del agujero de la capa de ozono.
Estos vientos de gran velocidad provocaron la formación de nubes más húmedas y luminosas durante los veranos, que actúan a modo de espejo, rebotando los rayos del sol.
Como consecuencia, la atmósfera antártica se tornó más fría.
"La mayor cantidad de gotas de agua de mar en las nubes -debido al aumento en la velocidad del viento- es lo que ha provocado un enfriamiento en algunas zonas del hemisferio sur", le dijo a BBC Mundo Ken Carslaw, uno de los coautores del estudio.
"En las próximas décadas el agujero se irá cerrando. Desafortunadamente, esto puede dar como resultado la aceleración del calentamiento en esas regiones", añadió el experto.
Entre dos males
La única solución posible es reducir las emisiones de gases con efecto invernadero, porque eso es lo que causará la aceleración del calentamiento cuando ya no haya unl proceso de enfriamiento
Ken Carslaw, coautor del estudio, Universidad de Leeds
La capa de ozono cumple la función de proteger a la Tierra de los efectos nocivos de los rayos ultravioletas.
Su rápida destrucción fue precibida por primera vez en los años '80. Los científicos atribuyeron el daño al uso de clorofluorocarbonados, unos gases utilizados comunmente en los aerosoles y cuyo uso fue prohibido por el Protocolo de Montreal adoptado en 1987.
A partir de su prohibición, el agujero comenzó a recuperarse paulatinamente y en la actualidad, explica el profesor Carslaw, se ha estabilizado.
Lo que cabe preguntarse entonces es que si dado que su recuperación contribuye al calentamiento global, no resultaría mejor dejarlo como está en vez de tratar que se cierre por completo.
La respuesta de Carslaw es contundente: "De ninguna manera. Es mucho peor tener un agujero de ozono. La única solución posible al calentamiento global es reducir las emisiones de gases con efecto invernadero, porque eso es lo que causará la aceleración del calentamiento cuando ya no haya un proceso de enfriamiento".
Por otra parte el experto tampoco cree que la geoingeniería pueda aportar ninguna solución. Ni siquiera la propuesta de un barco que fabrica nubes, que replica, de algún modo, el mismo proceso que genera el agujero en la capa de ozono.
clic Lea: Un barco que fabrica nubes
"Yo no creo que eso pueda aplicarse en la zona del continente antártico, porque allí los vientos son muy fuertes y por ende estos barcos tendrían que generar una cantidad enorme de vapor marino para que se note la diferencia", dice Carslaw.
"Además", concluye, "esto fue pensado para latitudes bajas y no para latitudes altas, como en estas regiones".
Enfermos terminales
Enfermos vegetativos "pueden responder"
Fergus Walsh
BBC, corresponsal médico
En la parte de arriba de la imagen están los escáneres de una persona sana (a la derecha, cuando responden "no", a la izquierda, respondiendo "sí"). Abajo, las mismas respuestas en pacientes en estado vegetativo.
Un equipo de científicos consiguió gracias a un nuevo método de escáner comunicarse con personas que sufrieron daños cerebrales.
El estudio, publicado en la revista médica New England Journal of Medicine, muestra que a través de resonancias magnéticas se pueden detectar en tiempo real signos de conciencia en pacientes en estado vegetativo.
Estos enfermos están despiertos, no en coma, pero no son conscientes por haber sufrido graves daños cerebrales.
Los científicos, del Consejo de Investigación Médica, El Centro Wolfson de Imagen Cerebral de Cambridge (Reino Unido) y la Universidad de Lieja (Bélgica), pidieron a personas sanas que se imaginaran jugando al tenis mientras les escaneaban.
Nos quedamos sorprendidos cuando vimos los resultados del escáner del paciente, que era capaz de responder correctamente preguntas sólo cambiando su pensamiento
Adrian Owen, Consejo de Investigación Médica
En todos ellos se podía apreciar actividad en su cortex, la parte del cerebro que tiene que ver con el movimiento.
Lo mismo ocurrió cuando se lo pidieron a algunos pacientes que se presumía estaban en estado vegetativo.
Los investigadores notaron actividad en el cerebro de cuatro de los 23 pacientes estudiados.
"Sí o no"
A uno de los pacientes, un belga herido en un accidente de tráfico hace siete años, le hicieron una serie de preguntas.
Este hombre fue capaz de comunicar "sí" o "no" utilizando sólo su pensamiento.
El equipo pidió al paciente que se imaginara jugando al tenis para expresar una respuesta afirmativa y que se imaginara caminando las calles para decir que no.
Respondió bien a cinco de seis respuestas autobiográficas que le preguntaron los científicos, por ejemplo, si el nombre de su padre era Alexander.
Los enfermos en estado vegetativo están despiertos, no en coma, pero no están conscientes.
"Nos quedamos sorprendidos cuando vimos los resultados del escáner del paciente, que era capaz de responder correctamente las preguntas que le hacíamos sólo cambiando su pensamiento", dijo Adrian Owen, del Consejo de Investigación Médica de Cambridge.
Según explicó, esta investigación facilita el camino para que otros pacientes tomen sus propias decisiones acerca de sus tratamientos en el futuro. "Podríamos preguntar a los pacientes si tienen dolores, con lo que podríamos administrarles analgésicos, y preguntarles sobre su estado emocional".
También despierta cuestiones éticas. Por ejemplo, es legal dejar morir a pacientes en estado vegetativo, pero si un paciente muestra que puede responder a preguntas podría dejar de serlo, incluso si dejan claro que lo que quieren es morir.
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