Monday, February 04, 2013
Central America travel advisories and vaccinations
I bought my plane tickets. Now, the real planning begins...
Guatemala
Visa: None for Americans staying for 90 days or less.
Threats to Safety: Large demonstrations, drug and human traffickers, locals who mistake foreigners for child kidnappers, armed robberies, carjackings, kidnappings by indigenous activists, general kidnappings, many criminals use police uniforms and cars, poorly maintained vehicles, drunk driving. Between January and September 2012, an average of 95 murders per week in the country. Since 2008, 31 Americans have been murdered.
Vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Rabies, Malaria
Honduras
Visa: None for Americans, but proof of onward travel is required.
Threats to Safety: Political demonstrations (tear gas, water cannon, rubber bullets), land mines along Honduras-Nicaragua border, flooding, Peace Corps suspended program in 2012 due to safety concerns, highest per capita murder rate in the world (86 per 100,000), kidnappings, armed robberies, carjackings, pirates. Since 1995, 108 Americans have been murdered; 29 cases have been resolved.
Vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Rabies, Malaria
El Salvador
Visa: No visa for Americans staying for 30 days or less.
Threats to Safety: Political demonstrations, strong currents/undertows, extortion, shootouts, carjackings, armed robberies. 70 murders per 100,000 residents. 13 Americans killed since 2010.
Vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Rabies, Malaria
Nicaragua
Visa: No visa for Americans staying for 90 days or less.
Threats to Safety: Political demonstrations, domestic air travel, violence-robbery-assault-stabbings near Ticabus terminal (shit).
Vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Rabies, Malaria
Costa Rica
Visa: No visa for Americans staying for 90 days or less.
Threats to Safety: Not too bad, relatively speaking.
Vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Malaria
Panama
Visa: No visa for Americans staying for 180 days or less.
Threats to Safety: Avoid remote areas of the Darien Province (first sentence of advisory), FARC, ELN, AUC, drug traffickers, general crime at around Costa Rica levels.
Vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Yellow Fever, Malaria
Source: U.S. State Department and CDC
Guatemala
Visa: None for Americans staying for 90 days or less.
Threats to Safety: Large demonstrations, drug and human traffickers, locals who mistake foreigners for child kidnappers, armed robberies, carjackings, kidnappings by indigenous activists, general kidnappings, many criminals use police uniforms and cars, poorly maintained vehicles, drunk driving. Between January and September 2012, an average of 95 murders per week in the country. Since 2008, 31 Americans have been murdered.
Vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Rabies, Malaria
Honduras
Visa: None for Americans, but proof of onward travel is required.
Threats to Safety: Political demonstrations (tear gas, water cannon, rubber bullets), land mines along Honduras-Nicaragua border, flooding, Peace Corps suspended program in 2012 due to safety concerns, highest per capita murder rate in the world (86 per 100,000), kidnappings, armed robberies, carjackings, pirates. Since 1995, 108 Americans have been murdered; 29 cases have been resolved.
Vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Rabies, Malaria
El Salvador
Visa: No visa for Americans staying for 30 days or less.
Threats to Safety: Political demonstrations, strong currents/undertows, extortion, shootouts, carjackings, armed robberies. 70 murders per 100,000 residents. 13 Americans killed since 2010.
Vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Rabies, Malaria
Nicaragua
Visa: No visa for Americans staying for 90 days or less.
Threats to Safety: Political demonstrations, domestic air travel, violence-robbery-assault-stabbings near Ticabus terminal (shit).
Vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Rabies, Malaria
Costa Rica
Visa: No visa for Americans staying for 90 days or less.
Threats to Safety: Not too bad, relatively speaking.
Vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Malaria
Panama
Visa: No visa for Americans staying for 180 days or less.
Threats to Safety: Avoid remote areas of the Darien Province (first sentence of advisory), FARC, ELN, AUC, drug traffickers, general crime at around Costa Rica levels.
Vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Yellow Fever, Malaria
Source: U.S. State Department and CDC
The most interesting 2013 Super Bowl car ads
The second half of the game was something, wasn't it?
I would not say that there were any great car ads this year, but these three were certainly interesting:
This Fast & Furious 6 trailer got a lot of buzz for its interesting machinery, including an Antanov.
Is that Nico Rosberg? And why is he driving in an oval, anti-clockwise?
I would not say that there were any great car ads this year, but these three were certainly interesting:
This Fast & Furious 6 trailer got a lot of buzz for its interesting machinery, including an Antanov.
Is that Nico Rosberg? And why is he driving in an oval, anti-clockwise?
This Ram truck ad is certainly the most dramatic.
Sunday, February 03, 2013
Saturday, February 02, 2013
Heidfeld will again drive for Rebellion Racing
I'm at peace with the fact that Heidfeld will not be in F1 again. Thankfully, Spark makes 1/43 scale models of Heidfeld's 2012 #12 Lola-Toyota.
San Francisco 49ers fans: Please don't riot tomorrow
That's the fire chief, mayor, and police chief.
Friday, February 01, 2013
Deadliest Journeys: Siberia
I've posted a few of these Deadliest Journeys videos before. There are newer episodes. As the roads get worse in Russia, the vehicles get cooler! Definitely, absolutely, worth the 22 minutes.
Three brothers from 1913
Confession time! I was in a fraternity in college. Today marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of Nu chapter of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity. I thought it would be fun to see what three of the men from the 1913 class did with their lives.
1. Brigadier General Harry B. Liversedge, The Warrior. After college, in 1917, he enlisted as a private in the U.S. Marines. He was in the Olympics in 1920 (where he won a bronze medal for the shot put) and 1924. After a number of promotions, then-Lt. Gen. Liversedge led the 28th Marine Regiment in its assault on and capture of Iwo Jima.
2. William John Cooper, The Educator. He began his career as a public high school teacher in Stockton, California. After many moves up the ranks, he became the Commissioner of Education (now, Secretary of Education) under the Coolidge, Hoover, and Roosevelt administrations.
3. Tracy B. Kittredge, The Savior. Kittredge served in the navy during the Great War. After the war, he served on a commission for the relief of Belgium. Soon thereafter, he became the Secretary-General of the newly formed International Red Cross. There's even a street in Berkeley named after him.
Pretty darn impressive.
2. William John Cooper, The Educator. He began his career as a public high school teacher in Stockton, California. After many moves up the ranks, he became the Commissioner of Education (now, Secretary of Education) under the Coolidge, Hoover, and Roosevelt administrations.
3. Tracy B. Kittredge, The Savior. Kittredge served in the navy during the Great War. After the war, he served on a commission for the relief of Belgium. Soon thereafter, he became the Secretary-General of the newly formed International Red Cross. There's even a street in Berkeley named after him.
Pretty darn impressive.
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