More than 300 killed in Honduras prison fire

Tegucigalpa, Honduras (CNN) -- More than 300 inmates were killed in a prison fire in central Honduras, officials said Wednesday, as families clamored to learn whether their loved ones were among the victims.
The fire was one of the worst tragedies of its kind in decades in Latin America and focused renewed attention on the often poor conditions of prisons in the region.
Authorities offered differing reports of how many prisoners died in the fire. Honduran government officials said more than 300 inmates were killed, while the National Human Rights Commission said as many as 356 inmates were unaccounted for and may have died.
Forensic teams removed more than 150 bodies from the facility by Wednesday evening.
"Everyone ran for their lives," said one survivor who spoke briefly to local television cameras.
Prisoners awakened to the screams of fellow inmates and forced themselves out of the prison any way they could, he said.
Authorities were investigating what caused the blaze, which broke out late Tuesday in a minimum-security prison in Comayagua, Honduras, about 40 miles northwest of the capital, Tegucigalpa.
"This is a day of deep pain for Honduras," Honduran President Porfirio Lobo said in an address to the nation.
He announced the suspension of the Comayagua prison administrators and the entire prison chain of command up to the national level.
"We are going to review the conditions in all the penitentiary centers to see how we can improve the overcrowding conditions that exist in many of our prisons," Lobo said.
The prison was built to house 250 inmates, but 852 inmates were behind bars there at the time of the fire, the Honduran National Human Rights Commission said in a statement.
Five of the prison's units -- more than half of the facility -- were affected by the fire, said Jose Turcios, a spokesman for the Comayagua fire department.
The country's prison commissioner said authorities were looking into whether a short circuit sparked the fire or if a prisoner set a mattress alight.
Authorities have not determined what caused the fire, but the nation's electric utility will review wiring in all prison facilities as a "preventative measure," Lobo said, "because that can be one of the causes of these types of disasters."
Before dawn Wednesday, families of the prisoners gathered in front of the prison gates and authorities' offices, demanding to know if their loved ones were among the survivors.
Hundreds of relatives pressed against the gates as an official read aloud the survivors' names.
"I understand the worry and demands of the people, but we have to abide by the law," said Pompeyo Bonilla, the country's minister of security. "We have the best intention to give answers to the families as soon as possible."
The president said Chile was sending forensics experts to Honduras to help with identification.
It was the third fatal prison fire in recent years. In 2003, 61 prisoners were killed in a fire at a prison in La Ceiba. In 2004, 107 died in a fire at a San Pedro Sula prison.
The U.S. State Department published a report last April painting a damning portrait of conditions in Honduras' 24 prisons.
Prisoners "suffered from severe overcrowding, malnutrition, and lack of adequate sanitation," the report said, citing human rights groups.
"Authorities did not provide adequate food or other basic necessities. The ready access of prisoners to weapons and other contraband, impunity for inmate attacks on nonviolent prisoners, inmate escapes, and inmate threats against prison officials and their families contributed to an unstable and dangerous penitentiary system environment," the department said in its 2010 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.
Human rights groups also alleged that prison officials used excessive force against prisoners, the State Department said.
As of December 2010, the total prison population in the country was just under 12,000, about 400 of whom were women, the report said.
Honduran officials told CNN that overcrowding in the country's prisons is the result of an increase in transnational organized crime.
Honduras, and the world, will have to decide how to respond to the security crisis in the poor nation, Foreign Minister Arturo Corrales said.
"We do not produce drugs, nor are we the main place where they are consumed. But we suffer from the scourge of the extreme increase in violence in our country because of drug trafficking," he said.
Danilo Orellana, the director of prisons in Honduras, added that the prisons in general were in crisis.
"The situation is grave, and we have said on many occasions that the prisons in the country are failing and that investments are necessary from the state," he said.

Commentary:
I think the hole incident was caused by the prisioners. This could be a plan to escape from the prision and kill the guards with the fire. I think that Honduras should control more what the prisioners do.

s a 'nudge' in the right direction all we need to be greener?

By George Webster, for CNN February 8, 2012 -- Updated 1742 GMT (0142 HKT) | Filed under: Innovations

A wall sticker from London-based design and sustainbility outfit Hu2 brings home the carbon cost of keeping the lights on.

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Little green nudges

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STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• "Nudging" is a way of influencing behavior without using force or incentives
• Idea is being tested as method to encourage better consideration of environment
• Techniques include subliminal visual cues and exploiting herd mentality
• Some argue "nudging" is infringement on freedom, others say it does not go far enough

(CNN) -- What's the best way of encouraging men to pee more accurately in public urinals? Answer: Give them a target.

That's what a maintenance man working at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport suggested: Etch an image of a house fly on the urinals to give men something to aim at. Overnight, the quantity of misdirected urine fell by about 80%, according to the airport.

The painted fly is an example of a "nudge" -- a subtle way of influencing behavior without offering material incentives or imposing punishments.

"Normally, if a government, employer or even parent wants to promote a certain type of conduct, they introduce rules, offer a financial reward or both," says economist Richard Thaler who, alongside fellow academic Cass Sunstein, popularized the concept of "nudging."

Subliminal sway

Whether we're conscious of them or not, nudges -- of a sort -- are all around us. From the rumble strip along motorways -- gently encouraging motorists to remain in the correct lane -- to rows of brightly colored candy wrappers, less subtly inviting us to pick them up and place them in our shopping cart.

The whole idea is that we don't force anyone to do anything ... it's about helping people make the right choices to reach their own objectives
Richard Thaler

Such subliminal influences are nothing new. But Thaler and Sunstein argue that they have the potential to be harnessed on a much grander scale -- and for the collective good.

"Just imagine if your surroundings were arranged to help you make better decisions to achieve your goals," says Thaler.

The question is, could we be "nudged" into better, more sustainable practices that help the environment?

How bad habits start

Much of our behavior is habitual, says Pelle Hansen, behavioral philosopher at the University of Southern Denmark and chairman of the Danish Nudging Network. "We have long showers, leave appliances turned on and throw away rubbish as part of daily routines that involve little thought."

Some of this automatic behavior is not even in our own long-term interests, let alone the planet's. Hansen points out that dropping litter, for instance, obviously degrades the quality of the shared environment while leaving lights on costs us money.

More from Road to Rio: Counting the carbon cost of bringing water to the desert

So why do we do it? The problem is that once a pattern of behavior has formed, it's difficult to break, especially if the negative repercussions are not experienced immediately, says Professor Robert Cialdini, psychologist and author of "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion."

"Our brains are designed to go into autopilot once we've established a routine that works for us. This is useful because it frees us up to think about things other than day-to-day tasks. But it's also unhelpful if the behavior has negative, albeit not immediately felt, consequences," he adds.

This is where "nudging" could help.

Visual cues

In a study conducted by Hansen's nudging network in Copenhagen, 1,000 caramel sweets were handed out to passing pedestrians. All the nearby streets, including garbage cans, ashtrays, bicycle baskets and so on, were then examined for the distinctive empty wrappers, and duly counted.

The process was repeated, but on this occasion a prominent trail of green footsteps leading up to the nearby bins was stenciled on the ground. This led to a 46% decrease in the total quantity of littered caramel papers (just under 70% of the original total were unaccounted for in both settings), according to the study.

"The green footsteps certainly caught people's attention," says Hansen. "I think they create an atmosphere where the public feel more conscious about litter ... and perhaps there is also a subconscious inclination to follow the feet."

Hansen's remarks echo findings from a recent trial at an office block in Amsterdam which was designed to encourage visitors to take the stairs rather than the power-hungry elevators.

Beginning at the lobby entrance, members of Dutch environmentalNGO Hivos lay a series of bright red strips along the floor leading up the stairs. The frequency of people entering the building who opted to take the stairs leapt by 70% during the 24-hour sample period that followed.

"There are a number of forces at play," says Thaler. "Curiosity, novelty and the snowball effect when you see loads of other people suddenly using the staircase."

Policy nudge?

In the UK, nudge theory has been embraced by senior members of the coalition government, who set up the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) -- popularly known as the "Nudge Unit" -- to research how it could be implemented shortly after coming into office in 2010.

They create an atmosphere where the public feel more conscious about litter
Pelle Hansen, behavioural philosopher

"Nudges appeal to policy makers because they generally don't require huge investments and yet have the potential to make a big impact," says David Halpern, director of BIT.

In its first annual report, released towards the end of last year, the team suggested a range of nudges that could be implemented in the UK. These include the removal of alcohol from conspicuous displays in supermarkets (to discourage excessive drinking) and making residents more aware of how much energy others are consuming.

Knowing how other people behave is often a potent determinant of our own actions. Energy bills that inform users of how they compare with those on the same street or neighborhood are currently being trialled in parts of the UK, says Halpern.

Read more from Road to Rio: Solar lamps replace toxic kerosene in poorest countries

"When you get a bill with a long list of numbers, it's unlikely to mean very much to you. But if you see you're using much more than your next door neighbor, let's say, it suddenly becomes personal."

According to Cialdini, we humans are hardwired to fall in line with the behavior and attitudes of our immediate peers, and so nudges that exploit this trait are likely to succeed.

"MSRI scans in the lab have revealed that when people are led to believe that their opinions differ from the majority of their contemporaries, it activates the pain center of the brain ... so we have a very real incentive to keep in sync with those around us."

But, for some, nudges alone will never be enough. Hannah Kyrke-Smith is a policy adviser for the UK's Green Alliance. She says the problem is less the idea itself and more the policy implications.

"The (UK) government has made quite some noise about the potential of green nudging, but by itself it will never be enough. You can't nudge people towards fully sustainable living, you can't replace regulation ... it needs to form part of a mix of policy tools," she says.

my opinion

i think that in a time we would nedd to use other things undersid the paper and we would have to dont demolish the trees

Lance Edward Armstrong, born on September 18, 1971 that is a professional Road racing cyclist. The best achievements are that he won  seven times the Tour of France. After having survived testicular cancer, he founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong foundation for cancer research and support.

In October 1996, the aged , Armstrong was diagnose  as having developed stage three testicular cancer. Armstrong announced on September 9 that would return after  talking my children. The Lance Armstrong sponsors are RADIOSHACK. I admire because he doesn’t  give aout.

Nick names:  The boss, Juan pelota, The Texan.

Weight: 71 Kg 

Heigh t: 1.77 m.

ZINADINE ZIDANE

Zinadine Yazid Zidane nació en Marsella, Francia el 23 el 23 de Junio de 1972. Sus padres Ismaile y Malikal eran del pueblo de Aguemone, en la Cabalia, Argelia, quienes emigraron a Paris y luego a Marsella en 1953, un año antes de que comenzara la guerra de Argelia. Fue el más joven de cinco hijos: Djamel, Farid, Nourredine y Lila, que crecieron en La Castellane, un complejo de viviendas patrocinado por el gobierno, en los suburbios del norte de la ciudad (el Quartier Nord). Desde muy pequeño sintió afición por el bádminton. A los seis años empezó a practicar el judo. Pocos años después acudía al estadio de Marsella, y se volvió admirador del futbolista uruguayo Enzo Francescoli. 

Edson Arantes do Nascimento "Pele"

Was borned in Três Corações, Brasil, on October 21 first 1940. Son of  Flumiense footballer Dondinho and Dona Celeste Arantes. He was the oldest of two siblings.

He is the most famous and best soccer player in the world. When he started playing soccer, he was rejected by most of the soccer clubs in his country, until “Los Santos “ accepted him.

On 21 February 1966, Pelé married Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi. He has two daughters Kelly Cristina (13 January 1967) who married Dr. Arthur DeLuca, and Jennifer (1978), as well as a son Edson ("Edinho" – little Edson, 27 August 1970). The couple divorced in 1982.

His first match in the World Cup was against the USSR in 1958, He was the youngest player of that tournament, and at the time the youngest ever to play in the World Cup. He also competed in world cups in 1962, 1966 and 1970.

Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong was born on September 18, 1971 in Texas. His mother is Linda Mooneyham and Eddie Charles Gunderson. At the age of 12 he began his sporting career as a swimmer at the city Plano swim club. He abandoned swimming competition after seeing a poster for a junior thriatlon called the iron kids thriatlon, which he entered and won at the age of 13. The best stage of the thriatlon for him was the cycling part. The bicycle becomed his greates talent after winning the Amateur U.S race championship in 1991. Representing U.S in the summer olympics he finished 14th. This performance earned him his first proffesional contract with motorola. On october 2, 1996, then aged 25, Armstrong was diagnosed as having developed stage three testicular cancer. The cancer spread to his lungs, abdomen and brain. His cancer went into complete remission, and by January 1998 he was already engaged in serious training for racing. Before his cancer treatment, Armstrong had won two Tour de France stages. In 1993, he won the 8th stage and in 1995 he took 18 in honor of teammate Fabio Casartelli. Armstrong announced announced on september 9, 2008 that he would return to pro cycling.

Diego Maradona

Family
Maradona was born in Lanús, but raised in Villa Fiorito, a shantytown on the southern outskirts of Buenos Aires, to a poor family that had moved from Corrientes Province. He was the first son after three daughters. He has two younger brothers, Hugo and Eduardo, both of whom were also professional football players.

First experience of sport
At age 10, Maradona was spotted by a talent scout while he was playing in his neighborhood club Estrella Roja. He became a staple of Los Cebollitas, the junior team of Buenos Aires's Argentinos Juniors. As a 12-year-old ball boy, he amused spectators by showing his wizardry with the ball during the halftime intermissions of first division games.

Early succeses
On 20 October 1976, Maradona made his professional debut with Argentinos Juniors, ten days before his sixteenth birthday. He played there between 1976 and 1981, scoring 115 goals in 167 appearances before his £1m transfer to Boca Juniors. Having joined the Boca squad midway through the 1981 season, Maradona played through 1982 earning his first league championship medal. Whilst playing for Argentinos Juniors, English club Sheffield United put in an offer of £180,000 for his services but the bid was rejected.
After the 1982 World Cup, in June, Maradona was transferred to Barcelona in Spain for a then world record £5m.  In 1983, under coach César Luis Menotti, Barcelona and Maradona won the Copa del Rey, beating Real Madrid, and the Spanish Super Cup, beating Athletic de Bilbao. However, Maradona had a difficult tenure in Barcelona. First a bout with hepatitis, then a broken ankle caused by an ill-timed tackle by Athletic's Andoni Goikoetxea threatened with jeopardizing Maradona's career, but after treatment and therapy it was possible for him to soon be back on the pitch. At Barcelona, Maradona got into frequent disputes with the team's directors, especially club president  Josep Lluís Núñez, culminating with a demand to be transferred out of Camp Nou in 1984. He was transferred to Napoli in Italy's Serie A for another record fee, £6.9m.

Greatest Achievements

Started in 21 consecutive matches for Argentina in four World Cups these are 1982, 1986, 1990, and 1994. He appeared 16 times as captain of the national team, a World Cup-record. Scored 8 goals and made 8 assists in 21 World Cup appearances, including 5 goals and 5 assists in 1986Tied for highest goal-scorer from Argentina in World Cup finals.

I admire him because..

I admire him because I think he is a good player and played in a lot of world cups.