Tech honoree denied entry into country

[Newsjock]

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/13110471.htm

By Steve Johnson
Mercury News

The U.S. State Department has barred a Cuban scientist who helped develop a low-cost vaccine for children from attending a San Jose Tech Museum of Innovation ceremony honoring technological achievement.

Vicente Vérez-Bencomo, who led a scientific team that developed a vaccine that helps prevent the spread of meningitis and pneumonia among poor children, was denied a visa into the United States. Science Magazine said last month that the vaccine "may someday save millions of lives."

He was among those slated to attend the Tech's annual gathering Wednesday of 25 people and groups honored for using technology to improve the human condition in the areas of environment, economic development, education, equality and health.

René Roy, a Canadian researcher who also worked on the vaccine and who will attend the banquet in Vérez-Bencomo's absence, found the visa denial distressing.

... Kurtis Cooper, a State Department spokesman, declined to discuss why Vérez-Bencomo was not permitted into the United States. "We do not comment on individual visa cases," he said.

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[PDJane]

1. What is wrong

With this administration. Never mind........too early in the morning for this! I'm still in my irritated morning state.

[NashVegas]

3. The Trouble, Apparently

Is that he wanted to attend, but didn't want to defect.

[readmylips]

2. Chalabi is coming, Chalabi is coming...

US give high honors to this criminal Chalabi but disqualifies a scientitist who does good for humanity.

[Webster Green]

4. Motherfuckers...

My friends are beginning to worry about me walking around muttering "motherfuckers" all the time.

[LiberalFighter]

6. Make up a subsitute

I use dida for shit

[krkaufman]

5. One reason to deny him entry...

... is because his accomplishment puts the lie to Big Pharma's theme that they must charge huge sums of money for their drugs in order to pay for research.