Destínense los impuestos a casas de lujo a la economía costarricense

Anteriormente, estuve cavilando que el gobierno podría desviar los fondos obtenidos de impuestos a las casas de lujo para ayudar a la economía nacional. De esta manera este capital se destinaría para apoyar económicamente a familias costarricenses amenazadas por el impacto del coronavirus. El 14 de febrero del presente año, se publica el siguiente reportaje en La Nación, “Ministerio de Hacienda retiene ₡7.000 millones de impuestos a casas de lujo destinados a erradicar tugurios”. Estaría de acuerdo en utilizar estos recursos para inyectarle liquidez a la economía, evitando que el estado costarricense se endeude más.

Además, tajantemente apoyo el impuesto solidario, porque son compatriotas en vulnerabilidad los perjudicados, y sería egoísta de nuestra parte no querer aportar.

Disobedience Deteriorates the Response Against the Pandemic

I praise the announcements to increase the fines for traveling at given times of the day in Costa Rica. The same line would apply to fines aimed at people who disobey orders in behalf of public health interests. I hope that higher rates for penalties will disuade people from disobeying the authorities. Additionally, if needed I would endorse the blockade of freeways for non essential traveling, with the same underlying conditions and exceptions as the ones applied to “sanitary travel restrictions”

If civil groups fail to follow orders in behalf of the welfare of the country, harder measures shall be imposed.

Wall Street is Chasing a White Whale

Wall Street is staring at a mirage. Last week it rose wildly mainly because of hype generated by the $2 trillion plan approved by congress amid increasing number of coronavirus cases in the US, about three million filling for unemployment and with the certainty that the worst news are yet to come. May be on Friday they began the foresee with realistic eyes when the Dow settled about 700 points lower. This goes for skeptics too, the market hasn’t hit a bottom.

The US coronavirus response has been certainly poor and catastrophic, with multiple Americans who can’t seek medical aid nor Covid-19 tests. The world’s biggest economy hasn’t grasped the reality yet. This $2 trillion plan will just help in the short term. A poor health system is the biggest underlaying menace to America.

Some Telecom Companies Can't Cope with Demand: My Case

Throttling streaming services is a helpful measure since some telecom providers have drown in excess of demand as a byproduct of over-selling their borne capacity. For instance, my telecom provider couldn't supply the speeds specified in the contract, the internet would work at lower speeds as otherwise stated. In addition, they previously promised to double our internet speed, but never made do of such. TV which comes under the same service over a coaxial cable, would freeze, glitch or go quiet, as well as telephone. I guess many clients had to switch providers in order to guarantee a stable service to suffice their remote work or study needs as well as I. Now with optical fiber installed, working from home shan't be hindered in such a way.

YouTube Video Quality is to Be Downgraded as Default

Previously, over concerns broadband had an excessive burden with stay at home policies, some video stream sites throttled bit rates or default video quality to provide relief to a network on its knees with the increasing pressure of remote work and study to comply with coronavirus fueled quarantine policies. The first measures to reduce web traffic, were applied to Europe amid concerns from European politicians.

Now YouTube is taking a broader stance to default videos to a lower quality for the whole globe.

Demuestre A ⊆ B ⇐⇒ ℘(A) ⊆ ℘(B)

Demuestre A ⊆ B ⇐⇒ ℘(A) ⊆ ℘(B) 

Demostración 

Por definición A ⊆ ℘(A) ∧ B ⊆ ℘(B)

Si A ⊆ B⇒ A ⊆ B ⊆ ℘(B)

⇒ A ⊆ ℘(B) 

SeaAk ⊆A
⇒Ak ⊆℘(B)

⇒ ℘(A) ⊆ ℘(B)

Ahora bien, si ℘(A) ⊆ ℘(B) 

⇒ A ⊆ ℘(A) ⊆ ℘(B)
⇒ A ⊆ ℘(B)
⇒A⊆B

Brainstorm on Economic Stimulus

a) Governments and economies that can afford it, should do subsidies to internet access to expand the reach of remote work. Internet velocities in such scenario should be increased and web access given to households that may need it for remote schooling.

In addition, there should be on governments' interest, to make infrastructure for e-learning, since this is crisis is not going to last weeks, but months. Even so, we have been shown the importance of having such systems beforehand.

b) Just commenting on the cash injection to be given to Americans, it would sure help as an economic stimulus, but cheaper health services are a key to less economic suffering during the COVID-19 crisis.

The American health system is broken, people will either get in debt by searching treatment, and even starving in the process, or suffer or die from the illness. This scheme has serious economic and social setbacks.

Flatten the Curve

In Costa Rica, according to a press conference held March 17th in Zapote, it was stated that the public health system had in its totality just 420 artificial respirators. This is just a reminder of the critical capacity that the system can hold. Severe cases of pneumonia and shortness of breath must be treated with respirators to avoid deaths in critical conditions. If we want to prevent deaths within our population, we must curb the spread of the disease with independent action and the duty to stay informed. Consequently, the number of new cases would be reduced, in order to maintain cases below the critical capacity threshold. In contrast, if the curve isn't flattened, less patients in need of attention will receive it.

Take for instance Italy. Doctors are taking heavy ethical decisions, they decide who lives and who doesn't. They just can not look after everyone. There aren't enough human nor material resources.

People must take action and work from home whenever possible. If orders are not followed, civil restrictions will follow, like in Italy or Spain.

Oil Agreements Expire Soon

Take note, OPEC+ oil quotas agreed upon expire on April 1st, thus the true debacle in the oil industry will be seen until then. Russia and Saudi Arabia will increase considerably their output, crunching the shale industry to a tighter corner. If the trend is to be sustained, that would even mean layoffs in the sale industry. Beware that this situation may not last for long, it depends on the outcome of the current coronavirus outbreak, which will impact the US harshly, and on whether Saudi Arabia or Russia can stand for long.

Options in Government Economic Stimulus in The United States Against Coronavirus

The US Government should spend money on buying a myriad of test kits. Have more people tested and isolated, so they could spend their money on other things and stop propagating the disease. Just for getting tested, some people get charged ridiculous amounts of money, when it should be the government's best interest to diagnose everyone that may have the disease to identify transmission chains. They should also finance treatment, otherwise this precarious conditions would be inhumane. The United States has just shown how unequal and unreliable life could be in the world's biggest economy.

So far, they have tested a proportionally small amount of people, while other countries like South Korea do about 20000 tests a day.

The US' lack of a proper response will take the bill onto its economy.

Bear Market Will Continue

This bear market we are experiencing will continue without any doubts. The United States and Europe are just beginning to feel the coronavirus burn through its economy. American shale producers will have a nightmare scenario with oil's price tanking and production menacing to get a boost. On April 1st, OPEC+ quotas and reductions will deepen oil further affecting American shale even more.

The United States has a dreadful health system with expensive bills. Additionally, Trumps cuts to health and the CDC worsen the perspective of the coronavirus in the US.

Beware, the horizon is so bleak that the Federal Reserve may need to reduce interest rates to dangerous lows not seen since the financial crisis.

Travel Between the US and Europe is Suspended for 30 Days

Travel between the United States and Europe (excepting the UK) is suspended for 30 days to curb the spread of the virus. Such a measure will surely shock the markets at both sides of the Atlantic in issues regarding commerce and tourism.

Update 7:24 (CTS): Dow futures just fell 600 points.

STOP CONSPIRING about Covid-19!

Lately there is all kind of conspiracy theories regarding the novel coronavirus. But I am pretty shocked with the stupid things people start believing in.

Some radicals argue that the coronavirus is a complot orchestrated by the capitalist world, the United States and the world's most richest and powerful to subjugate China's economy and hinder it from consolidating as 'the' main power. Let's make a pause here. Biological weapons do exist, but rationale denies that such weapons would be put in place without immunizing your own people. See, it is absurd! Every country is facing a major threat here.

Other irrational and vacuos propositions state that is, yet again, another capitalist covin to boost sales of products that don't have a big market to satisfy the offer and also to benefit pharmaceuticals with vaccine selling. First of all, the pharmaceutical and sanitizer sector comprise a small portion of the market, many companies like mask producers, can barely satisfy demand. Many big players in the pharmaceutical sector have abstained from joining in the race to develop a vaccine against the virus because of the precedent of significant losses in previous pursuits like with SARS or Ebola.

China's economy is not the only one that will take the burden. Several countries rely on tourism, Chinese exports, the Chinese market... That was just the beginning, now the hit is tangible and present over several borders, with virus cases popping all around the globe and prompting an economic slowdown.

Before all this happened, the stock market was rallying to historic highs. Who would have wanted their wins spoiled? These obtuse conspiracies are just bullshit.

Reaction or Prevention

Harsher measures should have been taken, screening incomers, quarantine them... We could not afford the luxury of letting people in without strict supervision and background checks. Why? Because some countries don't have the resources to contain a coronavirus pandemic and 'neither the disposition'. Government mistrust and disobedient people make the perfect recipe for a public health catastrophe. People don't quite believe or respect the authorities in power, thus making them a bit powerless, and also promoting the spread of misinformation. Look at Singapore, where government trust can restore calm to the people and prevent further disease spread and food stocking with civil obedience. On the other side, some Italians defied the call to quarantine, and first they got a quarter of their population in it and now the whole bunch.

The countries with broader or preventive responses have been the main successful ones in this health crisis. We should consider if the natural ways of western democracy are the ones that suit of best to this time. Closing borders, quarantining citizens [...] China did it pretty well, showing remarkable results curbing the disease's spread. Concerned about trade and the economy? Shutting off borders doesn't suit you? An economic halt of short duration would be preferable than one on the long run.

Contribute Towards a Treatment Against Covid-19 (Folding@Home)

Folding@Home, which is a distributed computing project aimed at simulating protein folding in order to combat diseases, has now released a project to model the interaction between the proteins in the virus surface and its receptors. By processing this data, progress could be achieved towards a therapeutic antibody, which can block viral proteins from binding its receptors This results in turn could help to develop treatments against the novel illness.

By joining the project, you donate some spare computing power to perform certain tasks. I’ve previously donated some computing power myself.

Tackling Chemical Equations with Multiple Balancing Solutions

In rare cases the reader may find chemical equations that can be balanced in multiple ways, providing several possibilities for the coefficients, without considering multiples of other solutions.

For instance, take the following equation.

$$a*CrC{l}_3+b*KI+c*C{l}_2+d*KOH\to e*K_{2}Cr{O}_4+f*KI{O}_4+g*KC{l}_3+h*H_{2}O$$

With some iterations, the following solutions might be found.

$$2*CrC{l}_3+2*KI+11*C{l}_2+32*KOH\to 2*K_{2}Cr{O}_4+2*KI{O}_4+28*KC{l}_3+16*H_{2}O$$ $$8*CrC{l}_3+3*KI+24*C{l}_2+88*KOH\to 8*K_{2}Cr{O}_4+3*KI{O}_4+72*KC{l}_3+44*H_{2}O$$

Both are mathematically correct. Are they chemically correct? First, we will explore why there are two possible answers. By transforming the chemical equation into a linear system, one equation is obtained per each chemical element and the coefficients a ,b...h  defined as variables.

$$$$$$\mathrm{Cr:\; a}=e$$
$$\mathrm{Cl:\; 3}a+2c=g$$
$$\mathrm{K:\; b}+d=2e+f+g$$
$$\mathrm{I:\; b}=f$$
$$\mathrm{O:\; d}=4e+4f+h$$
$$\mathrm{H:\; d}=2h$$
$$\mathrm{<br>}$$

Be noticed that the amount  of equations is directly linked to the number of chemical elements, while the variables are linked to the quantity of compounds. Therefore, the system is underdetermined, thus that either there are no solutions or there are infinite ones. In the previous case we already mentioned possible solutions hence there are infinite solutions that balance the chemical equation.

What would make the reaction proceed with different proportions in real life conditions? A given solution would be favored by the physicochemical conditions in which the reaction takes place. In more complex situations, some solutions will be "more correct" because they may describe correctly the true reaction by taking into account its mechanism.

$$$$

To avoid these chaotic situations, many chemical processes shan't be combined into a single equation. They must hold their independence to avoid ambiguities. Such simplifications may lead to quantitative errors. Similar expositions on the topic may be seen here or there. Not every chemical equation follows stoichiometry in real life reactions, be referenced to Cotton's Advanced Organic Chemistry where it talks about non molecular solids.

Enfrentando ecuaciones químicas con múltiples soluciones de balanceo

En extrañas ocasiones quizás se encontrará con alguna ecuación química que se podría balancear de más de una manera distinta. Donde hay distintas posibilidades para los coeficientes, obviando aquellos casos que son múltiplos de otras soluciones.

Obsérvese para efectos de estudio, el caso de la siguiente ecuación.

$$a*CrC{l}_3+b*KI+c*C{l}_2+d*KOH\to e*K_{2}Cr{O}_4+f*KI{O}_4+g*KC{l}_3+h*H_{2}O$$
$$\mathrm{<br>}$$ $$$$

Con un ligero muestreo, se podrían encontrar las siguientes maneras de balancearla.

$$2*CrC{l}_3+2*KI+11*C{l}_2+32*KOH\to 2*K_{2}Cr{O}_4+2*KI{O}_4+28*KC{l}_3+16*H_{2}O$$ $$8*CrC{l}_3+3*KI+24*C{l}_2+88*KOH\to 8*K_{2}Cr{O}_4+3*KI{O}_4+72*KC{l}_3+44*H_{2}O$$
$$\mathrm{<br>}$$

Ambas son matemáticamente correctas. ¿Serán químicamente correctas? Para ahondar en el tema, primero se explorará porqué es que se encontraron dos soluciones posibles. Se procede a expresar la ecuación química de manera algebraica, obteniendo una ecuación para cada elemento en la ecuación química, y tomando como variables los coeficientes a, b…h.

$$$$$$\mathrm{Cr:\; a}=e$$
$$\mathrm{Cl:\; 3}a+2c=g$$
$$\mathrm{K:\; b}+d=2e+f+g$$
$$\mathrm{I:\; b}=f$$
$$\mathrm{O:\; d}=4e+4f+h$$
$$\mathrm{H:\; d}=2h$$
$$\mathrm{<br>}$$

Obsérvese que la cantidad de ecuaciones está ligada a la cantidad de elementos químicos, y la de variables está relacionada con la cantidad de compuestos. Ante esta situación, se tiene un sistema infradeterminado, donde la cantidad de ecuaciones es menor a la cantidad de variables. En dichos sistemas, se puede dar que no haya ninguna solución, o bien que hayan infinitas soluciones. En el caso enunciado con anterioridad, ya se sabe de la existencia de soluciones, y por ende se concluye que hay soluciones infinitas para balancear la ecuación química.

¿Cuál es la justificación en el mundo real, para infinitas proporciones que pueden satisfacer la reacción? Una determinada solución se vería favorecida por las condiciones fisicoquímicas en las que se lleva a cabo la reacción. En casos más complejos, algunas soluciones serán “más correctas” por su afinidad describiendo el fenómeno real, si se tiene en cuenta el mecanismo de la reacción.

$$$$

Finalmente, para evitar casos tan caóticos como este, cabe resaltar que no se deberían combinar tantos procesos en una única ecuación química, sino mantener la independencia de cada una para evitar ambigüedades. Tales simplificaciones de procesos químicos pueden llevar a errores cuantitativos. Se pueden observar fenómenos similares aquí o allá… También vale la pena considerar que no toda ecuación química va a respetar la estequiometría en el mundo real, por ejemplo véase el capítulo de sólidos no moleculares en el libro Química Inorgánica Avanzada_Cotton.