Although the last couple of days are been pretty throughout most of the country weather wise, there is still no official start date for the transition period from the rainy to dry season.
The National Meteorological Institute – Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN), is forecasting at least a couple more weeks of rain.
The weather service says we can expect heavy downpours typical of the rainy season, though not every day, in particular for the Pacific coast and Central Valley. While in the Caribbean there will be less rain.
The IMN also advises to be aware of lighthing storms and take precautions.
Ever since a 13-year-old high school girl died after drinking a lethal cocktail of vodka and an unnamed narcotic, parents and educators have been deeply concerned about “cocktails” consumed by kids in so-called “mega parties.”
Although the girl died amidst a small, informal group of friends in a school parking lot, police have broken up at least one party under open skies in which liquor and possibly drugs were the order of the evening. Now private schools are asking police for help in controlling teenage drinking.
Omar Jimenez, the chief criminal prosecutor of adolescent crime, has been especially busy since that tragedy, touring high schools and talking with parents, teachers and students. He wants parents, especially, to be aware of the inter-high school giant parties that have sprung up.
These giant parties have developed with blinding speed during the past two years — “the complexity and rapid evolution” of parties without responsible adult supervision, reports La Nacion, is intensely alarming.
The Costa Rican Institute on Drugs (ICD) has intervened in some 30 private high schools with preventive information. The National Association of Catholic Education, representing about 50 private high schools, has also asked help.
These private schools charge tuition and their student body has an affluence that most schools do not. Their students also tend to be more sophisticated and media wise. For example, social media is the network that signals an upcoming event, its location and time. The fact that many have their own cars complicates prevention.
So far the prevention has been an uphill battle. Students themselves who have access to small farms organize the events and La Nacion reported that some earn up to a million colones per party. The paper interviewed one anonymous 17-year-old who has organized some 15 of these events.
The youth stoutly defends his territory: “Much of the information that the media reports is exaggerated or false. I’ve never seen narcotics traffickers…at any party I’ve attended,” he said.
“Maybe they misinterpret things,” he continued, “It’s all right that (they say) it’s bad, but it isn’t to hurt anyone. It’s to generate resources for serenades, dances and outings.” He claimed his last event was to buy sweaters for high school students.
He calculates that a giant party with 300 persons attending generates from 800,000 to a million colones. Sometimes, where there are more than one organizer, they split the profits from 2,000 to 3,000 colon entrance fees, earning 200,000 colones or more.
For most private high school students, 3,000 colones is mere pocket change. Less so is the beer bought by the organizers at 580-600 colones per bottle and served for 1,000. Liquor, on the other hand, can cost 1,000 or 1,500 a shot, the boy told the paper.
Although the 17-year-old entrepreneur may see fears of alcohol and drugs plus alcohol and drug befuddled sex as media hype, one thing he and ICD director Carlos Arbarado agree on is a lack of other kinds of affordable teen social activities.
“The excursions and dances for graduation are activities with great expense and there are those who can’t afford everything,” the teen told La Nacion, “The simplest way to collect funds is to organize fiestas and many persons have been able to participate (in costlier activities) thanks to fiestas.”
ICD is looking for sponsors for concerts and music festivals that can be supervised by adults and police to attract kids to a healthier kind of party. if these gatherings can be made as fun drug and alcohol free, the other kind of party will wither away, they hope.
But one factor that these adult sanctioned events cannot offer is sex and a La Nacion report charges that organizers will do anything to attract participants, including happy hour prices for drinks and jacuzzis in which kids of both sexes can cavort in underwear.
With the rise of the megafiesta, organizers have had to confront fierce competition with two or three events each weekend — although the 17-year-old might consider this report in La Nacion mere media hype. But even he agreed that organizing parties is getting more complex.
Those who attend rate everything, including the music and the DJ down to the price of drinks and spread this review all over social media. To compete, organizers have had to become increasingly professional in their planning. These are not spur-of-the-moment congregations.
Fliers will soon be able to use e-devices such as readers and games throughout flights.
The ban on passengers using e-devices (cell phones, tablets and computers) before takeoff and landing might be removed for flights into and out of Costa Rica.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States on Thursday said airlines can allow passengers to use the e-devices during takeoffs and landings on planes that meet certain criteria for protecting aircraft systems from electronic interference.
“Each airline will determine how and when this will happen,” FAA administrator Michael Huerta told reporters at Reagan National Airport.
In Costa Rica, the director of Civil Aviation (Dirección General de Aviación Civil), Alvaro Vargas, said he had not received communication about it, but that the implementation of the measure is at the discretion of each airline.
According to Vargas, each airline knows if e-devies can affect their aircraft nagivation, acknowledging that with the change in the U.S., it also likely mean a change on flights departing from Costa Rica to that country and vice versa.
But don’t expect to be chatting on your cell phone. Cell phones must be in airplane mode.
The state telecom, the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), got the green light to market its 4G cellular service, following a court decision rejecting the appeal filed by competitor Movistar.
Through a press release, ICE confirmed that it will start promoting the 4G LTE network by mid November.
Movistar’s filing claimed ICE would use a band that excluded other operators.
ICE president, Teofilo de la Torre, explained that “ICE acted within the country’s legal framework, considering that the state telecom was granted in 1998 the rights to frequencies between the 2,500 and 2,690 MHz”.
Movistar spokesperons, Matías Señorán, reiterated that the appeal was not to stop the 4G, but rather intended for an equitable distribtion of the radio spectrum.
4G is a successor to the third generation (3G) standards. A 4G system provides mobile ultra-broadband Internet access, for example to laptops with USB wireless modems, to smartphones, and to other mobile devices. Conceivable applications include amended mobile web access, IP telephony, gaming services, high-definition mobile TV, video conferencing, 3D television, and cloud computing.
Leaving the mandatory change of license plates to the very last day meant long lines for owners of vehicles trying to beat today’s deadline for plates ending in “1”.
Usually, the process takes an hour, but in the last couple of days the time was five hours and more.
The National Registry (Registro Nacional) said the average new plate issues last week was 500 per day. On Wednesday the number rose to 2,754.
Accoring to the Registro, a total of 25,683 vehicles did not get new plates issued by the close of business today and starting tomorrow face a fine ¢20.000 by the Traffic Poice.
Starting Friday and for the next three months, it will be for onwers of vehicles with license plates ending in “2”.
Amazon Support Services in Costa Rica announced it will be hiring 700 new workers, in its customer service centres located in Calle Blancos (Tibas) and Lagunilla (Heredia), as part of its expansion in the country.
Amazon currently employees 1.500 in Costa Rica, opening its doors in the country in 2008.
In addition to the new staff, the Calle Blancos centre will more than double to 7.000 square metres (75.000 square feet), bringing the total space Amazon will occupy in Costa Rica to 23.000 square metres (247.000 square feet).
Amazon will be looking to fill positions in customer service, administration, human resources and management.
The Costa Rica operation provides services to customers and suppliers in the United States, Spain, Mexico and Brazil.
PanamPost – Costa Rica is well marketed — and thus internationally well known — for its stunning natural beauty. What isn’t so well marketed is the ugly undertone of xenophobia that exists in the small but opinionated Central American nation.
While discrimination is normally associated with two non-like parties, Nicaraguans in Costa Rica fall victim to the ever-expanding and concerning trend of intra-cultural intolerance.
Ticos still boast that they are ahead of other Central American countries in areas such as education, social security, and health care. However, the formidable issue the nation has had to address is the loss of their advantage, due to declining Costa Rican performance in those areas and other nations catching up.
With decline comes blame, and lots of it.
Being a hub for migration offers an easy out: applying culpability to those using the nation for refuge. However, rather than accept an accurate internal assessment — that Costa Rican exceptionalism is in decline — Ticos have favored a series of scapegoats, scapegoats that don’t fit with the self-applied culture of elitism they have for themselves.
The trend goes much deeper than statistics. It’s a dual-pronged rationale based on narcissistic ideologies and a lack of an internal plan going forward.
The country has always held itself in higher standing than other Central American nations. Erica Townsend-Bell, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Iowa, calls this Costa Rica’s “Whiteness.” The ideology doesn’t have to do with skin complexion directly — though Ticos are generally fairer skinned than elsewhere in the region — but rather with civility. Perceived superiority levels derive from areas such as urbanism, peacefulness, Christianity, and in being more democratic.
With this superiority complex in mind, those who are not deemed to qualify as “white enough” are seen as inferior. Nicaraguans, derogatively referred to as “Nicas” in Costa Rica and who make up the majority of migrants in Costa Rica, are the largest group unfairly saddled with the blame for the nation’s shortcomings.
What Townsend-Bell so articulately hits on the head is not that Costa Ricans hold themselves in higher standing than others in Central American but how much higher. From a practical perspective, we can see that even the decline in actual superiority or exceptionalism isn’t the root of the problem. Rather, in the Ticos’ eyes, it is what that decline represents: Costa Rica is becoming more “Central Americanized.”
“One of the key components of whiteness in Costa Rica — its opposition to the darkness and poverty of the rest of Central America — is fraying,” accentuates Townsend-Bell. Nicaraguans are targets because they are seen as the reason for the leveling playing field. Put differently, “Nicas” are “blackening” Costa Rica’s whiteness.
Placing blame on Nicaraguan immigrants is an act of convenience; their arriving to Costa Rica is not a new development. As such, assigning fault for recent concerns on long-term immigration rings hollow.
In the early 20th century, Nicaraguan immigration served a different role. With mostly men migrating to work in one of Costa Rica’s many export industries, locals used it as a tool to enhance the notion of Costa Rica as ethnically cultured and to reinforce their elitism and superiority in comparison to their neighbors.
With the Nicaraguan civil war ongoing in the latter part of the century, the reasons for emigration from Nicaragua changed, and so did Costa Rican attitudes.
With Costa Rican national debt reaching US$2.4 billion in 1981 — resulting in a suspension of all external debts — and a corresponding inflation rate climbing to an all-time high 108.9 percent in 1982, the doors opened for heightened xenophobic attachments that may even be more prevalent today.
Those downward economic trends, alongside no clear action plan on the part of Costa Rica, made Nicaraguans an easy target, says University of Costa Rica professor Carlos Sandova. “Costa Ricans are intolerant of and disrespectful towards Nicaraguans because we have found ourselves without a well-defined blueprint for the future of our nation.”
The irony of misdirecting responsibility for the decline is that the same level of diversity or disruptive culture Ticos attach to Nicaraguans already exists within Costa Rica itself.
Sandova points this out and says the justification for blame against Nicaraguans could very easily be attributed to Ticos as well.
“Even within our nation, there are differences. Some of us were born in the countryside, others in the city. Some of us are heterosexuals, others are homosexuals, some are middle-class, others are poor. The differences lie in ourselves.”
With an exceptional view of themselves, accurately identifying internal problems has proved difficult for Ticos. Forget economic or social decline; in scapegoating Nicaraguans, there is also a decline in Costa Rica’s human exceptionalism.
In his first campaign in the media, presidential candidate for the National Liberation Party (PLN), Johnny Araya, is asking Costa Ricans to hire him.
With the slogan, “I want to work for you, hire me” (Quiero trabajar para usted, contráteme) Araya hopes to capture the votes of Costa Ricans.
“As president I will concentrate on building. You know me and know what I can do. With your vote you will hire me to take of the urgent works needed for nation-building”, says the Araya full page ad in all the print media this morning.
PLN campaign manager, Rolando González, said the advertising campaign is in the hands of the Tribu agency and the concept is to introduce a candidate who is a builder and ready to work for Costa Rica.
In 2010, Laura Chinchilla occupied the left bottom box on the voting ballot. Oscar Arias did so in 2006, and Abel Pacheo in 2002. All three went on to winning the election.
What do Abel Pacheco, Oscar Arias and Laura Chinchilla have in common besides being the president of Costa Rica? They shared the same spot on the ballot box.
The last three presidential candidates, Pacheco, Arias and Chinchilla, occupied the same position on the ballot box as does now José Maria Villalta does for 2014.
This is the first box to the left on the bottom row.
On Wednesday the Tribunal Supremo Elecciones (TSE) announced the placement of the candidates for the Feb 2 elections, with Hector Monetestiel, candidate for the Workers Party (Partido de los Trajabadores) winning the coin toss, so to speak, for first position (top left).
TSE political adviser, Gustavo Román, said that some have a thesis on the candidates position on the ballot box, but based on the history of elections, he does not believe it influences voter intentions.
The 2014 voting ballot. If the trend of the last three elections continues, Frente Amplio candidate, José María Villalta, could be elected president simply for his position on the ballot.
The second of the prisoners on early released was arrested Tuesday night for assault and robbery of another in the Parque Central in downtown San José
The man, identified by his last name Calderón Prado, serving a sentence of 3 years and 4 months for aggravated robbery, was released last October 23 to a half way house in Guadalupe, part of the early prisoner release to combat overcrowding at the San Sebastian jail.
Calderón Prado captured when he was returning to the half way house Tuesday.
In typical Costa Rican fashion, owners of vehicles with license plates ending in “1” left it to the last minute to make the mandatory changeover, enduring long lines at the National Registry (Registro Nacional) the avoid fines starting on Friday.
The deadline for the number 1 ends tomorrow, October 31. On Friday, and for the following three months, owners of vehicles with license plates ending in “2” will be required to make the change.
Starting Friday, the Traffic Police (Policia de Transito) will begin fining drivers and vehicles owners ¢20.000 colones for driving with the old plates. In addition, vehicles with the old plates will fail the Riteve vehicular inspection.
According to the National Registry, of yesterday a total of 89.729 of the 117.294 plates were changed.
That leaves 27.565 plates still to go. But the number of unchanged plates could actually be lower, as that number includes all registered vehicles, and does not take into account vehicles no longer in circulation but never unregistered.
The mandatory changeover of license plates began on July 15. Each number has three months according to a program that ends in January 2016 with the number “0”.
The cost of the new license plates is ¢15.000 for vehicles and ¢8.000 for motorcycles.
The changeover can also be done at the Banco de Costa Rica (BCR) and Correso de Costa Rica (Post Office) locations, with an additional cost of ¢5.000 and more for delivery.
Cellular telephone customers of the state telecom, Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), can beginning on Friday switch from “postpay” to “prepaid” and back without having to change their phone number.
The move is anticipation of the “number portability” that will, starting at the end of November, allow cellular customers to switch operators and keep their existing number.
One of the major changes in the opening of the telecommunications market in Costa Rica was the introduction of prepaid cellular service.
However, for the more than a million of ICE’s cellular postpay or subscription customers, moving to prepaid meant leaving behind that for many, had been their for years. The same was for prepaid customers who wanted to move to a postpay plan.
The conditions for switching is no outstanding debt with the institution.
Darío Navarro is shown here captured by police on Tuesday, was one of the 280 chosen released early from prison in the past week due to overcrowding. Photo ANDRÉS GARITA, La Nacion.
The numbers indicate that National Institute of Criminology – Instituto Nacional de Criminología (INC) – choice of 240 of the 331 prisoners released on conditions during this past week were in prison for aggravated robbery. The rest on drug related charges, fraud, reckless driving, theft and misdemeanors.
One of the released is is Darío Navarro Grijalba, who was let out of the Puntarenas prison in El Roble, last Wednesday and was recaptured yesterday (Tuesday), charged with the murder.
Only three days after his release, 59 year old William Salazar Alvarado lost his life at the hands of Navarro.
According to police, Navarro and three others held up a chicken vending store in Puntarenas, shooting Salazar in the process. The robbery of the chicken store, Pollos Real and murder of Salazar occurred Saturday night.
Costa Rica’s Penal Code classifies aggravated robbery as a crime committed by two or more people or if violence was involved or a firearm was used.
Jorge Rodríguez, deputy minister of Justicia, said all cases of aggravated theft were fully analyzed. “We excluded the most violent”, said Rodríguez.
On Sunday a black ribbon across the front of the chicken store told residents of Puntarenas the story of what had occurred inside. Photo Andrés Garita, La Nacion
However, the head of the country’s judicial investigation police – the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ), Francisco Segura, expressed publicly his concern over the situation.
Segura’s concerns are over recidivism of the released. The Justice ministry, however, says their de-institutionalization programs has an 85% success rate.
The prisoner release was on the order of judge Roy Murillo fo the ‘Ejecución de la Pena’ court, who felt the overcrowding of the San Sebastián jail in San José was inhumane. The San Sebastián is a holding centre on the south side of San José where prisoners are awaiting trial or sentencing and overpopulation is at 79.5%.
The INC says of the 331 released, 100 were from La Reforma in Alajuela (a prison holding some of the country’s worst criminals).
As of yesterday, 280 prisoners had already been released.
For a good part of the day Tuesday, starting in the early morning, residents of Alajuelita blocked the entrance to the residential community in Santa Ana where Presidenta Laura Chinchilla lives.
The protest generated tremendous traffic chaos on the Ruta 27 from Escazú to Santa Ana, traffic backing up all the way to the Escazú toll station at some points.
There were some 200 protestors of mostly women and their children taking part in the blockade.
The Policia de Transito decided to close the westbound lanes, detouring traffic onto Guachipelin. On scene was also the PANI – the child welfare organization – ready to intervene on behalf of the children, but it did not have to. The Cruz Roja (Red Cross) was also on hand to assist almost two dozen who felt dizzy and tiredness from the intense heat.
The protest was organized by the Comisión y Lucha contra la pobreza en Alajuelita (COLUPOA) demanding the government provide them housing.
The group is calling on the government of Laura Chinchilla to start the housing project on the Boschini farm in Alajuelita, a development of 16 condominium towers for poor families.
“This (the protest) does not help. This is not the way to fix a problem. There are cowards who do not show their faces instead they send women and their children to protest”, Presidenta Chinchilla said.
“We were promised housing during her political campaign and all was a big lie”, said Marlen Bermúdez of COLUPOA.
For his part, the president of the Instituto de Vivienda y Urbanismo (INVU) – Costa Rica’s assisted housing agency, Álvaro González, explained that if the project is fast tracked it could begin in the first quarter of next year (before the end of the term of the current government).
By Ariana Crespo, VozdeGuancaste – Nicoya’s streets were tinted pink this past Sunday, October 27 to say yes to life and no to breast cancer, as well as to highlight and promote the importance of early detection and self-examination in both men and women.
The Guanacaste CIMA Hospital along with the Municipality of Nicoya took the initiative to organize a recreational walk and horseback ride, and about 400 people registered to participate. Some walked while others jogged, ran or rode bicycles. The Nicoya Riders Association also participated in the horseback ride that began a few minutes after the walkers.
Registration cost 2000 colones ($4) for the walk and 3500 ($7) for the ride. The Cima Hospital will use the funds from the activity to cover the cost of mammograms for low-income people.
The walk began at 4 p.m. Despite the rain and a rather cloudy sky, attendees kept up a good energy and a positive attitude.
One of the participants, Emilia Ramirez, said, “It’s great because this event invites all men and women to try to do a self-examination and a mammogram so we can live a little longer, because remember that breast cancer is silent and there are many who stay on the path out of fear. I just did it for the same reason, because I want my health.”
The 4.3-kilometer walk left from the municipality and passed through El Carmen, Los Angeles, San Martin and Calunga until arriving at the colonial square. The group of scouts and guides from San Joaquin provided hydration to participants.
Once the route through the neighborhoods of Nicoya was completed, activities continued in front of the church. There was a one-hour Zumba class with instructor Flor Morales in which many women, men and children participated.
The Cima Hospital awarded stick horses to the children for them to race. The activity ended at 7 p.m. with poetry and live music by the Nicoyan singer-songwriter Max Goldenberg.
The taxis are collectively referred to the “Fuerza Roja” (Red Force) for their ability to unify in times of crisis or emergencies.
Wherever you go in Costa Rica, from Guanacaste to San Jose and from Playa Jaco to Puerto Viejo in the Southern Caribbean region of Limón, you are bound to see the iconic red taxicabs.
They are likely to be four-door Hyundai Accents or Toyota Corollas, with occasional 4×4 SUVs in rural areas and vans in tourist hotspots. The exceptions to the red rule are the orange taxis at the airport, the organized porteadores and the informal pirate cabs.
The short answer to the question posited in this article is that Law Number 7969 requires taxis to be painted red. The law also requires, among other things, that taxis be further identified by three yellow triangles: one on the driver’s side door, another one on the front passenger side door and one on the roof. These yellow triangles have the license plate number and the region the taxicabs are authorized to offer their services. Taxis in Costa Rica must also have a roof sign that lights up at night.
It is important to note that the yellow triangles on Costa Rica’s taxis pay homage to the color used in other parts of the world, including Athens, Barcelona, Bogota, Bombay, Buenos Aires, Damascus, Istanbul, New York City, Panama, and many others. A recent article in online magazine Slate notes that the iconic New York City cabs were made officially yellow in 1967, but yellow fleets existed in other cities since 1909.
The first NYC cabs were manufactured in France, and they arrived in Manhattan painted red and green. In Costa Rica, informal cabs started operating in the 1950s, until Noe and Jorge Alfaro (founders of one of the most powerful taxicab coops in San Jose) imported 40 Renault 4CV taxicabs from France. According to Oscar Zaldivar Rivera’s “History of Taxis in Costa Rica,” these taxis were painted red and arrived with a taximeter, which is now known as the infamous “Maria.”
Although there were red and green French-manufactured cabs roaming around in NYC, yellow would arrive when:
In 1915, Chicago entrepreneur John Hertz (of future rental-car-company fame) opened the first Yellow Cab Company in his city. To unify his fleet, Hertz had commissioned a local university study to “scientifically ascertain which color would stand out strongest at a distance,” per his biographer—and yellow won. (Color researchers still agree that yellow is generally the most visible color, though some have suggested that it’s chartreuse that the eye most easily detects.)
The Hertz logo is unmistakably yellow, but this color had also been used by the Thurn und Taxis German family that pioneered commercial postal and transport services in Europe in the 16th century; their family coat of arms prominently featured the colors yellow and red. The taximeter is also a German invention, but horse-drawn “taxi” services were pioneered in London and Paris.
In Costa Rica, there was never a move to change the colors of the original Renault 4 CV taxicabs, and thus we have kept the red tradition and later added the yellow triangles. There is little uniformity in this regard, however, so these days we can appreciate a run on the magenta spectrum on taxis painted from Cabernet to candy apple red.
The state telecom, the Instituto Costarricesense de Electricidad (ICE) plans to launch the 4G cellular network in the coming weeks. The sticking key is Movistar’s appeal.
ICE president, Teófilo de la Torre, said on Monday that the injuction sought by the Spanish multinational Telefonica, operator of the Movistar brand in Costa Rica, to not allow the marketing of the 4G LTE over the 2600 MHz (2.6 GHz) band, is expected to be before the courts in the coming days.
If Telefonica’s injuction is not granted, ICE will be free to begin marketing the high speed cellular network.
ICE, under the Kolbi brand, has been testing the network since June, with market trials in Santa Ana, Escazú and La Sabana in the west side of San José and Tres Rios, Curridabat and San Pedro on the east.
4G LTE (fourth generation of mobile phone mobile communication technology), is a standard for wireless communication of high-speed data for mobile phones and data terminals. It is based on the GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA network technologies, increasing the capacity and speed using a different radio interface together with core network improvements. The standard is developed by the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) and is specified in its Release 8 document series, with minor enhancements described in Release 9.
Presidenta Chinchilla (right) stands with the president of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, and his wife, Sabina Coyne, outside of Casa Presidencial in San José
Higgins is in Costa Rica to strengthen trade and investment ties, taking advantage of the recent entry into force of the Association Agreement between Central America and the European Union (EU).
Presidenta Chinchilla offered for Costa Rica to serve as a “bridge” to Ireland to be closer to the other Central American nations, taking advantage of Costa Rica holding the presidency of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), that comprises 33 countries speaking five different languages.
The Verge – A Cornell professor and a senior Facebook engineer are claiming to have developed a Facebook algorithm that can accurately identify who you’re dating and, especially for new relationships, whether you’re in danger of breaking up.
The algorithm depends on a new metric the researchers are calling “disperson,” which looks at connections between people who have different sets of friends. Close friends are likely to share a lot of friends in common, which social scientists call “embeddedness.” But people in romantic relationships tend to connect each other to different spheres: for example, a husband is likely to introduce his wife to his work friends, college buddies, and members of his kickball league, with whom she may not have any other connections in common.
Relatives may also show this same “dispersion” dynamic, the researchers say.
The researchers were able to identify who was dating whom with 60 percent accuracy, much better than the 2 percent accuracy they’d get from random guessing. High dispersion also seems to be correlated with longer relationships. The study found that couples were 50 percent more likely to break up in the next two months if the dispersion algorithm failed to guess that they were dating.
The scientists also looked at metrics such as how many times a user viewed another’s profile, attendance at the same events, and messages sent. Dispersion turned out to be the most overall accurate metric for determining romantic relationships. The researchers used multiple sets of anonymous data, including a large data set from 1.3 million Facebook users.
The study shows the enormous effort being made to crunch Facebook data into something meaningful for marketers. However, it’s easy to see where the algorithm would fail. For example, many Facebook users list fake relationships as a joke, declaring themselves to be “married” or “engaged” to their best friends. The method also assumes that you, all your friends, your spouse, and all your spouse’s friends are active on Facebook.
Of course, this is nothing new.
A graphical representation of one person’s network neighborhood on Facebook.
According to a poll by Unimer contracted by La Nacion, some 32 out of 100 Costa Ricans are planning not to vote. Some of them, including Estrella Zuniga, 51, of Desamparados, are eloquent and witty about why they intend to abstain.
“I’d rather lose all my teeth than vote,” she grumbled, referring to the recent campaign gambit by Presidential contender Johnny Araya’s wife, a dentist, who toured the country fixing teeth for the poor and handing out campaign literature for her husband.
Zuniga, mother of three children, had other reasons: “Why does anyone want to go and vote? I have no desire to vote. The last time, I voted for doña Laura (Chinchilla) and that was a great disappointment!” The disgusted former voter doesn’t want to hear anything about politics.
“None of them are good for anything,” she continued, “Look at that doctor (Rodolfo Hernandez) who came and then resigned and came back and resigned again.” She of course was referring to the Social Christian Unity candidate who dropped out of the campaign twice.
She complained that, however she voted, local politicians don’t listen to mere voters but she did have some advice for them: “That they pay heed to doing what they promise to do.” Yet, unlike a person who pays no attention to politics she was able to name five of the six candidates with the best chances of winning.
Of course, in Costa Rica, one has to be deaf and blind to avoid campaign advertising on local TV and radio. She considers her abstaining from going to the polls as an act of protest but adds, “the politicians won’t take notice even of that.”
The Unimer poll gave as the main reason that 32% of three million Costa Ricans plan to stay home on election day is corruption and a feeling that whoever wins will pay attention only to the rich, not the average citizen. Of those 32 abstainers, the poll suggest that 17 will likely be as good as their word.
Others may weaken at the last moment when they see all the commotion of election day. Costa Ricans, after all, are unique among citizens of a democracy in knowing how to put the “party” in “political party,” with rallies and such. In the past, Costa Ricans have been enthusiastic about voting but that excitement has been waning in this century.
Presidential candidate Johnny Araya and his wife, Sandra León,
Presidential candidate Johnny Araya and his wife, Sandra León. Photo: La Nacion
The times they are a-changin’ and nowhere more than in elections where Presidential nominees in this conservative Catholic country were married to one woman all their lives, much like party reluctance to field a divorced candidate in the United States in the 1950s when Adlai Stevenson was unsupported by some fellow Democrats because he was divorced.
One of the first to break the mold in Costa Rica was the second term of ex-President Oscar Arias (2006-10) whose divorce came after his first term, and his remarriage was a quiet affair during his second. Now, front runners have checkered matrimonial records.
Front runner Johnny Araya, for example, has been married five times, pointed out La Nacion’s Sunday edition. Yet we have heard no rumblings from within his National Liberation party nor the opposition. However, unlike in United States, the press allows politicians their privacy and even his last marriage, in July, passed nearly unnoted. As the local saying goes, “no hay quinto malo” (there isn’t a fifth bad one), we suppose.
Then there is Rodolfo Piza, Social Christian Unity’ choice as standard bearer. He has been wed twice. The above two are the only legally wed candidates — Luis Guillermo Solis, of Citizen Action Party and Jose Maria Villalta of Frente Amplio (Broad Front) have marriages in all but the legal sense.
ML Otto Guevara and his girlfriend, Ileana Alfaro. Photo: La Nacion
Libertarian Otto Guevara is divorced but in a serious relationship. If you think that Solis and Villalta are in the minority, think again–La Nacion noted that 800,000 Ticos live in union libre — free union — without benefit of clergy while the rest of the marrieds only number 1.1 million — not far ahead in numbers.
It is clear that Costa Ricans tend to have a healthy curiosity about how their candidates stand on the issues and less about prying into their bedrooms, something the U.S. press and voters could profitably emulate. And if the nation decides to elect another woman Chief Executive in the future, odds are that she could be head of a one-parent family — the number of these has increased from 23% to 35% in the past dozen years.
President Laura Chinchilla is twice married as was Arias’s predecessor Abel Pacheco (2002-06). La Nacion pointed out that in the 1980s and ’90s, once-married was definitely the fashion — Oscar Arias’s first election in 1986 was when he was married (once), as were Rafael Angel Calderon in 1990, Jose Maria Figueres in 1994 and Miguel Angel Rodriguez in 1998.
“Without a doubt this is a reflection of a Costa Rican society that is increasingly heterogeneous,” Villalta told La Nacion, “and Costa Rican families are diverse. Because of this, legislation should respect this diversity.” To back his viewpoint, the paper pointed out that in 2001 there was one divorce for every three marriages. In 2012, it was a divorce for every two.
Araya and Piza are in civil unions — 15 years ago, only 4 in every 10 marriages were not in a church — now that number is 7 in 10. Piza observed to the paper, “I admire those who have only had one marriage. Others of us have had to find a second chance.
“I’m in a second marriage,” he continued, a trifle wistfully, “I’m a Catholic and conscious that I can’t partake communion in my condition as a divorcee.” The Church remains firm in its opposition to divorce but, in its pronouncement on the elections, diplomatically cautioned voters not to judge others.
Of the five candidates with the best possibilities of winning in February, only Araya and Piza plan to incorporate their mates in governmental functions as First Lady, reported the paper. The other three noted that the Constitution does not have any legal position of First Lady or First Mate.
“With what eyes you see the world?” is a non-profit campaign that creates awareness of how people live their daily lives, with the objective that there is always a better perspective on life.
Thus was born the concept “#gafasrojas” (red glasses).
The campaign is to last six months, working with various foundations and causes.
The launch was in July. Despite a slow start, it is now picking up momentum and with participation of notable Costa Ricans, like Presidenta Laura Chinchilla and Teletica’s television personality, Edgar Silva.
The idea was born in the mind of José Cañas who wants us all to look at the world through the eyes of solidarity.
The government of Germany donated nine million euros (US$12.4 million) to Costa Rica so it can fight climate change and strengthen biocorridors program.
Biological corridors involve connectivity between protected areas and areas of high biodiversity to counter habitat fragmentation, currently being proposed as a new tool to promote nature conservation.
In Costa Rica there are 37 such areas designated as priority.
Costa Rica’s Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE), said in a press release that six million is earmarked to promote the conservation of biocorridors and the remaining three in the fight against climate change, specifically in the New Carbon Bank, which was created recently to enable the country to achieve carbon neutrality by 2021 .
The National Seismological Network – Red Sismológica Nacional (RSN) – reports some 15 eartquakes were registered in Costa Rica over the weekend, ranging from 3.9 to the strongest at 5.3 on the Richter scale.
The two strongest tremors were: in Corredores, on the South Pacific area of Costa Rica. The Corredores, the strongest at 5.3, occurred at 9:28am Sunday and a 4.5 on Saturday, locate some 15 kilometres south of Pavón de Golfito.
In Samara, Nicoya a 3.9 tremor shook the Pacific north.
Experts rule out that the movemets are directly related.
Remember that Costa Rica is a country with high seismic activity, so it is worth taking preventive measures like having an emergency plan which identifies the safe places in your home or office. In case of an earthquake, the golden rule, experts say, is to stay calm.
The coastal waters of Costa Rica are teeming with sharks. Many species of the Elasmobranch subclass swim in the waters off Guanacaste, Puntarenas, Cocos Island, Limón, and many other coastal communities in Costa Rica.
This rich selachian biodiversity suits Brett McBride, captain of the Research Vessel (RV) Ocearch just fine, you see, this is man who recently fell asleep among 500 Galapagos sharks as they fed right off the coast of Costa Rica.
The 46-year old McBride is part of a marine biology and oceanography research team dedicated to one of the most ambitious shark monitoring studies ever. The scientists and crew of the RV Ocearch aim to attract sharks aboard their modified fishing vessel. This is part of Captain McBride’s job: To coax toothy sharks aboard so that they can be fitted with electronic tracking devices.
According to a recent report by CNN Mexico, the RV Ocearch has a shark collection platform that essentially scoops up sharks right from the water. Captain McBride often has to jump into this platform and engage into a hand-to-fin struggle to calm down captured sharks. First he guides the sharks into position with his own hands, then he places a towel over their eyes to calm them down. This temporary blindness has a soothing effect on the sharks, which are also fitted with water hoses placed in their jaws to keep their gills wet.
In essence, Captain McBride is to sharks what Cesar Millan is to dogs. As to why he fell asleep off the coast of Costa Rica while hundreds of Carcharhinus galapagensis (pictured in this article) were feeding all around him, the San Diego native explained that he wanted to prove a point: If humans do not show interest in sharks, then sharks will not show interest in humans. This is valuable advice for surfers and swimmers in Playas del Coco, Jaco Beach or any of Costa Rica’s numerous pristine beaches.
The number of daily traffic accidents in San José increase up to 70% on days that it rains, compared to other days when it does not.
According to figures by the Policia de Transito (Traffic Police), the average number of collisions daily in San José is 100. But in the months when it rains the most – August, September and October – the daily average of accidents reaches 170.
Traffic officials say the increase is directly related to driver recklessness, not taking into account the climatic conditions that reduce visibility and stopping distance. Vehicle mechanical failure, such as faulty brakes and windshield wipers also contribute to the accident statistics.
Another interesting statistic is that half of the country’s traffic accidents happen in the province of San José. In 2012, the traffic police attended to 48.030 collissions. This year, that number increased to 47.717 for only the first nine months (January to September).
Better safe than sorry. If you have to drive in the rain taken into account that roads are slippery, visibility is hampered (especially during heavy down pours and fog), have your windshield wipers and lights in good working order and most important – watch out for the other guy!
A good piece of advice from the Q is don’t drive in the rain unless you really have to. Remember the rains in Costa Rica are not long lasting, usually disappear within minutes or a few hours at the mos. It will pass. Also, because it is not raining, it doesn’t mean to let your guard down, the roads are still slick from the water and oil/grease accumulation on the pavement.
And, watch out for those puddles – that pothole may be deep enough to swallow the entire wheel, causing major damage to the vehicle and could lead to loss of control and…
Ireland’s President Michael D. Higgins is in Costa Rica on his final leg of his Latin America tour.
Flying in from El Salvador, Higgins arrived on Saturday of his four-day visit to Costa Rica, marking one of his quieter days of his busy 12-day trip.
In Costa Rica, Higgins met with Presidenta Laura Chinchilla and will be delivering the keynote speech at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which is based in San José.
During his visit, President Higgins, will tavel to the Atlantic Rainforest Aerial Tram and the Teatro Nacional.
Higgins will also meet with Costa Rica’s Environment Minister, Rene Castro, to discuss environmental matters because of the Costa Rica’s leading role concerning climate change and sustainable development.
Higgins has also visited Mexico and El Salvador on this trip. The Irish prez flies back to Ireland on Thursday.
Morena Baccarin’s style is special, she is one of the edgy fashionistas. (AP Photo)
It’s no secret that Latinas tend to have a spicy flair and showcase their own sense of style. From the curve-hugging, bodycon dresses worn by Sofia Vergara to the fun, surfer-babe style of Cameron Diaz, Latina celebs seem to enjoy creating a trademark style with a fashion flavor they can be depended upon to dish out appearance after appearance.
Some Latina celebs step outside the norm of what’s hot at the moment and display some hair and wardrobe choices that are more edgy than we’ve come to expect from our sisters.
Here’s a list of some famous Latinas who have an edgy style that they’ve made their own!
Latina edgy fashionistas
Kat Von D (Mexico) She got her first tattoo at the age of 14 and became a tattoo artist when she was just 16 years old. Kat’s edgy style includes tattoos across her face, neck, and covering most of her exposed limbs.
Her wardrobe choices are often provocative with a lot of flesh being flashed and we can’t help but love her usually pin-up girl styled hair and retro makeup.
Shakira (Colombia)
Now, we know that lately our beloved Shak has been all moms-style and we’re digging it but we couldn’t help but notice her flaunting her post baby body in ways that most new moms might not.
Edgy fashionistas celebs step outside the norm: Shakira.
On the cover of Self Magazine’s September 2013 issue, Shakira pulls up her black tank top to expose toned abs that not many women have, even before having children.
While this may not be edgy in the typical sense, we’re sure mothers everywhere were a bit aghast (and envious) of Shakira’s lack of modesty and willingness to brag about not just her hips but her post baby six-pack.
Morena Baccarin (Brazil)
Born in Rio de Janeiro to an actress mother and broadcast news coordinator father, Morena Baccarin’s style is special.
Morena Baccarin’s style is special, she is one of the edgy fashionistas. (AP Photo)
With a rockin’ bod, we’re not complaining about Morena’s choice in clothing. The “Homeland” actress wears red carpet gowns as well as designer denim like it was sewn onto her body.
Her edgy style though, is expressed most often in her choice of hair styles! From pixie cuts colored peroxide blonde to her natural dark brown locks grown long, her willingness to change her look drastically from one day to the next takes some self-confidence that most of us only dream of!
Aubrey Plaza
Aubrey Plaza is one of the Edgy fashionistas. (AP Photo)
Half Puerto Rican actress Aubrey Plaza is best known for her role as the lazy college intern on NBC’s hit comedy Parks and Recreation. On the show, she can be seen in baggy pants and sweatshirts and, well, real life is not much different! She makes our edgy list as her hipster style is one not often embraced by Latina celebs.
She’s been spotted sporting the trademark hipster mustache as well as her movie’s hashtag, #thetodolist, written across her chest. When dressed up for an event, we can’t deny her sex-appeal and stunning features but what sets her apart from everyone else is her quirky, comical approach to herself and her style.
From the fun to the absurd, Latina celebs have a style all their own. Who did we miss? Anyone else have an edgy style that has you wondering what they’ll walk out of the house wearing next?
The annual Miss Universe contest which kick started in 1952 has been going on in full swing this year with contestants from around 90 countries vying for the coveted crown. This year, the contest owned by billionaire Donald trump is held in Moscow, Russia.
Contrasts. The brunette from Hojancha, Guanacaste, posing with Miss Slovak Republic at the Crowne Plaza in Moscow. Photo: EFE
The reigning Miss Universe, Olivia Culpo from the U.S. will crown her successor in a grand finale on 9 November.
Costa Rica’s entry this year will be the brunette beauty Fabiana Granados. While the finale is two weeks away, the predictions have already begun as to which country might bag the crown. This year the Philippines, Australia, Russia and U.S. are the hot favourites.
But that won’t stop Fabiana to pull out all the stops.
The Costa Rican beauty said it is time apply all she has learned in preparation and will not rest until she classifies for group of 16 semi-finalists.
Fabiana, speaking to La Nacion after her arrival in Moscow last Monday, besides the -1 Celcius temperature, the hard part is the culture shock, the Russion people are very serious, totally in contrast to the lively attitude of Latinos. “In meeting someone I try to get a laugh. It’s a little awkward… but it’s part of the culture”, said Fabiana.
The daily routine is up at 5am, ready for breakfast at 7:30am and depending on the day, it can end around 10pm.
“Yes, it is tough, there are many beautiful girls and well prepared, but it does not mean to let my guard down. Rather it makes me stronge and to try do my best, to work harder”, says Costa Rica’s beauty queen.
For now, Fabiana, believes strong contenders (second to her) for the crown are beauties from Puerto Rico, the United States a little), Nicaragua, Spain and Venezuela.
In here own words: “I believe pollution is the biggest problem facing the world today. We need to come together to reduce our energy consumptions to power our lives in the future.”
Fabiana’s roommate is Miss Colombia, Carmen Lucía Aldana Roldán, who get along very well.
Fabiana loves to ride motorcycles and four wheelers in her free time, is a skilled horseback rider, with over 10 years of riding experience and one of Fabiana’s favorite beauty regimes involves exfoliating with coffee and honey.
At 1.73m (5′ 7″), the 23 year old Fabania grew up in Guanacaste where she hopes to one day run her own restaurant. She is currently a Business Administration and Industrial Engineering student at the University of Latina Costa Rica.
Miss Universe 2013 – And The Winner Is………..?
Misses Universe Costa Rica, Peru, Philippines, El Salvador and Spain get candid during welcome dinner in Moscow on 25 October. (Photo: Facebook)
The number of criminal cases for distributing pornography, punishable under Article 173 of the Penal Code, has increased 63% since 2008.
According to the Ministerio Publico, in 2008 there were 52 cases, 59 in 2009, 60 in 2010, 68 in 2011 and 82 last year. In all cases minors were involved, either exposing minors to pornography and distributing pornography with depictions of minors. The law punishes offenders with from one to four years in prison.
The Fiscalía Adjunta de Género (prosecutor), Cristian Darcia, added that since 2007 the law also criminalizes possession of pornographic material involving minors.
In the case of possession of child poronography, the penalty is between six months and two years prison. Darcia said that in 2008 there were two such cases, seven in 2009, nine each in 2010 an 2011 and three last year.
Although the last couple of days are been pretty throughout most of the country weather wise, there is still no official start date for the transition period from the rainy to dry season.
