On July 25, 2011, Will Smith visited Costa Rica accompanied by an entourage to scout for locations to shoot the film. Filming took place in February the following year, with much of the movie’s filming taking place in Costa Rica‘s La Fortuna and Arenal Volcano
After Earth about a military father and son crash landed on Earth one thousand years after cataclysmic events forced humanity to abandon it for a new home planet.
The teenage son must save his dying father by trekking alone across the hostile terrain, encountering highly evolved creatures and a ruthless alien beast along the way, to recover their rescue beacon and also prove that he can live up to his father’s reputation as a legendary soldier.
Critical response
After Earth has received negative reviews from most film critics. It is currently certified “rotten” with a rating of 12% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 130 reviews with the consensus: “After Earth is dull, ploddingly paced exercise in sentimental sci-fi — and the latest setback for director M. Night Shyamalan’s once-promising career.” It holds a score of 32 on Metacritic based on 35 reviews, which indicates “generally unfavorable reviews”. However, the film still earned a B grade CinemaScore surveyed from the general audience on opening day. Under CinemaScore, a C grade is the equivalent of a failing grade, and a B grade signals general satisfaction.
Joe Morgenstern, film critic for The Wall Street Journal, opened his review by asking: “Is After Earth the worst movie ever made?” His answer was “Maybe not; there’s always Battlefield Earth to remind us how low the bar can go.”
According to Time magazine, there six theories why the After Earth Bombed:
Blame director M. Night Shyamalan (Richard Corliss at TIME)
Blame Will Smith (Adam B. Vary at BuzzFeed)
Blame it on a less-than-successful collaboration (Nikki Finke at Deadline)
Blame it on critics and audiences (Rotten Tomatoes)
Blame it on nepotism (Brooks Barnes at the New York Times)
Blame Bieber (Gary Susman at Moviefone)
Whatever.
I’d love to hear what you think of the film. Use the comments section below to give your take on the movie.
According to the National Association of complaint Public and Private Employees (ANEP) due to a series of measures taken by the national insurer, the Instituto Nacional de Seguros (INS), to reduce costs of vehicle repair covered by the voluntary insurance, at least 400 car repair shops are about to close their doors
The closure will leave some 10.000 unemployed.
Albino Vargas, head of the ANEP, explains that INS president, Guillermo Constenla, ordered a variance in the tariff system and prices that are paid to car repair workshops. The change affects repairs to vehicles involved in a traffic accident and covered by the INS insurance policy.
Vargas says that the change means repair shops have to bear the difference in the arbitrary decision, causing them to lose on labour, parts and body repair.
In 2004, with the intervention of the Ombudsman, the INS and workshops signed an agreement that allowed the shops to remain financially viable and maintain employment levels.
Vargas explains that, under the new INS policy, the INS, for example, will pay out the same amount to change a side window or straigthen a chassis.
The unilateral establishment of a rating system, developed by a Mexican company, will undoubtedly cause many car repair workshops to close and fire employees, according to the union leader.
Where Can We Get Imported Bananas? The other day I was in the supermarket. As usual I was looking over the bananas, wanting just the right mix of green and brown – firmness, but not raw nor too ripe – when I overheard a foreigner couple ask that question.
With grave sadness, more than 100 colleagues and family of environmentalist Jairo Mora laid him to rest Sunday. But a sense of repressed anger also attended the funeral — anger that Costa Rican authorities did not heed the warning of the murder victim.
Mora’s nude body with head wound was found on a Caribbean beach Friday morning after he and three fellow environmentalists were kidnapped by hoodlums.
Update But shortly after noon Monday, police patroling the same beach where Mora’s bound body was discovered lifely, police arrested two men with 74 illegal turtle eggs and two firearms A ballistics test will be run on the .38 caliber pistol found on one of the egg thieves.
The same day, police also detained the men and a minor scouting Moin Beach for turtle nests containing eggs valued at 500 colones each. The ATV they were using was confiscated an the minor turned over to Children’s Court officials but the adults were released.
Edwin Cyrus, head of the National System of Conservation Areas (Sinac) spoke for all when he said at the ceremony, “He helped protect turtles and natural resources. We ask authorities for their maximum efforts to catch those responsible for his death.
“This must not stain the image of the country.” Mora was, Cyrus added, not just a colleague but an example for others to cooperate in protecting nature.
This is definitely not what the persons suspected of killing Mora wanted. As drug addicts, the hoodlums who committed murder wanted Mora’s death to frighten off those who would keep those hoodlums from selling turtle eggs to feed their drug addictions.
Erick Gabarrete, an official with the Association of Friends of the Coast and Nature (Amicona) echoed Cyrus’s plea to bring the murderer and his accomplices — at least four lawbreakers wearing hoodies — to justice.
Vigils, demonstrations and profiles on social media expressed the anger and horror of Costa Ricans and demanded of police some answers–and quickly. Alas, that may not happen.
Comment: The Limon area is arguably the most violent in the country. If police inaction in Mora’s case is any example, the police have given up not only protecting nature but also those who protect nature.
Mora’s friend Erick Alguerra, who is left only with a cap Mora wore to remember him, set the record straight. “Jairo and I grew up together. He never had a vice. We began as volunteers together and now we were on salary.” (This blog erroneously called him a volunteer, still.)
And Mora’s aunt, Marina Matute, described the pain: “Jairo should be here with us, protecting the turtles. He didn’t have to die at the hands of criminals.”
As La Nacion expressed it, “Mora’s remains were buried in the Gandoca-Manzanillo cemetery where he was born, grew up and learned to protect the turtles.” It remains for others to take up the torch cruelly wrenched from his hand.
Note: The news of the latest captures by police will undoubtedly not console Mora’s family or friends who cannot help but feel if police in Limon had done their jobs earlier that Mora would still be alive. The arrests merely show how blatant egg traffic has become and how brazen the thieves have become.
Another bus driver of La Periferica bus company, hours earlier, pulled the same stunt made by fellow driver that ended in the death of Marlon Evans last Thursday.
The two buses were caught on camera by the Municipality of San José surveillance cameras, on Paseo Colon make a left turn at the Mercedes tower.
Luis Diego Gonzalez, general manager of the bus company says he does not believe the drivers are making the illegal turn to save time, for there is no time pressure on their routes.
Costa Rica’s Civil Registry and Attorney General’s office are seeking to annul 221 marriages between Costa Ricans and foreigners, who, apparently, were fictitious.
According to authorities, these sole purpose of these “marriages of convenience” was to facilitate the foreigner obtaining Costa Rican citizenship.
Ana Lorena Brenes, of the Attorney General’s office, reports that they have already been able to annul eight bogus marriages in the San José Family Court. Eighty more are before the courts.
Luis Guillermo Chinchilla, director of the Civil Registry, says that 221 suspected cases have been investigated and referred to the Attorney General to effect an annulment.
According to the Registry, 12 of the marriages were registered in 2011; 144 in 2012; and so far this year the number is 65.
Chinchilla explained that many complains arise because, when a foreigner files for naturalization by marriage, the Costa Rican spouse named in the documentation is notified, and denies the link (marriage). In such cases the Registry passes on the documents to the Attorney General to follow up with an investigation.
Chinchilla said that most of these marriages were by notary public. “We are not doubting the Notary. We are confirming the link”, Chinchilla told La Nacion.
In Costa Rica, notaries file the paperwork with Civil Registry to legalize a marriage. Notaries can be lawyers, but not all lawyers are notaries.
Marriages of convenience have been common for some time in Costa Rica. For little money a Costa Rican national lends his or her name to a document, allowing the foreigner to the file for naturalization. Payments for this service can range on average from ¢5.000 (US$10) to ¢50.000 colones (US$100).
In terms of nationalities, most are Cubans, Colombians and Nicaraguans who use marriage to naturalize in Costa Rica. However, there are more: Americans, Canadians, Europeans and Asians are all on the Registro’s list.
Just last week, it emerged that the alleged leader of the largest money laundering operation in the world obtained his Costa Rican citizenship by paying ¢200.000 colones (US$400) to a street seller. The marriage of Arthur Budovsky, a Ukrainian-born American who was nabbed by authorities in Spain, was registered in 2008.
Gabriel Morales Fallon, the Colombian linked to the controversial use of a THX Energy airplane by Presidenta Laura Chinchilla, is another high profile case of an arranged marriage. Morales married a Costa Rican to obtain his citizenship and then divorced.
A foreigner who obtains Costa Rican citizenship can avoid being extradited to his/her country for crimes committed there.
Although, as in the foregoing cases, it is commonly thought that only Costa Rican women sell their names to such marriages, there are a large number of Costa Rican men who do the same.
The arrangement is simple enough. The Costa Rican, contracted usually by a third party like the notary or lawyer filing the marriage paperwork, allows the use of their document to register the marriage and the foreigner to file for citizenship. In the majority of the cases the foreigner and Costa Rican never meet, all they know of each other is what is on the documents.
The Costa Rican spouse does not have to file or even sign the naturalization documentation filed by the foreigner.
Typically the marriage lasts for as long as it takes for the naturalization process, ending when a divorce is filed by foreigner after receiving his or her “cedula”.
In most cases the process works without a hitch. However, there have been cases where the arranged marriage comes to the attention of authorities when the Costa Rican files a complaint, some because they now intend to marry someone (a real marriage) or have a child. Sometimes, however, the Costa Rica alleges a fake signature.
In the past decade, Costa Rica’s immigration service was forced to give 1.700 immigration visas to aliens who where married to a Costa Rican national, after the Constitutional court ordered the marriages be recognized.
In 2008 the Attorney General’s office began building the legal argument to support that marriages of conveniences be annulled, if they were proven false.
The Constitutional Court affirmed that the State may require demonstration of married life. Consequently it is not permissible to use only the figure of a marriage for the purpose of naturalization, to that end relying on international treaties and the Family Code.
Starting in 2010, the Civil Registry and Attorney General’s office coordinated the study of suspected cases of marriages of convenience.
Last year alone the Civil Registry granted citizenship to 4.400 foreigners.
Whether or not Xi Jinping will prove to be the political reformer that many hope for (probably not), one thing China’s president has changed is the leadership’s soft power strategy. As Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, proved yet again in Costa Rica, China’s first couple are soft power champs.
On Monday, Xi and Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla signed deals worth almost $2 billion, including upgrades to an oil refinery and public transport.
“Relations between China and Costa Rica could well become a model of co-operation between countries of different sizes and national conditions,” Xi said after his meeting with Chinchilla. Costa Rica is the only Central American nation that has diplomatic relations with Beijing.
The president and his wife then visited a Costa Rican coffee plantation and the farming family which owned it, producing the adorable photos you see below that circulated in the China press on Tuesday.
“We will be using the proposal submitted by the Wider Caribbean Seal Turtle Network (WIDECAST) in order to formulate a plan for the creation of a protected area”, said Castro, referring to the area where Cairo worked.
Authorities say they have no suspects in Mora’s murder, which took place the night of May 30 in the province of Limón. Authorities theorize that Mora was killed while walking the beach at night, a common practice for him in protecting nesting turtles and their eggs.
With Mora were four volunteers – three women from the United States, the other from Spain – who were also attacked and kidnapped by at least five masked men. The women told police they were taken to an abandoned house and left there, while the assailants drove off with Mora.
Mora suffered a head trauma and died of affixation from sand, according to a statement by the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ). The OIJ, in a previous statement had said Mora died from a gunshot wound to the head. The revised statement was after an autopsy was performed. It is unclear, however, if Mora was shot or not.
The conservationists were on their way to patrol the beach of Moín (north of the city of Limón) at night in search of nesting leather-back turtles, with the purpose of protecting the turtle nests from poachers.
Less than a month earlier, in a conversation with a reporter from La Nacion, Jairo had denounced sea turtle egg poaching by people involved in drugs and organized crime. Jairo’s colleagues and friends are convinced he was murdered in retaliation for shining a light on the shady trade in sea turtle eggs and its close connection with other illegal activities.
Nesting sea turtles are the engine of a multimillion-dollar tourism industry in Costa Rica, generating jobs, economic development and opportunities for its people. The turtles attract tens of thousands of tourists to the country every year — tourists who spend money on lodging, souvenirs and tour guide fees.
Despite Costa Rica still having a long way to go with respect to gender quality, access to wealth and equity in leadership opportunities for women, there are outstanding women who with their ability to drive change, both on a personal and professional front make great strides in areas of politics, economics and social.
The Prensa Libre says it used several criteria to choose the ten most influential women in the country and with the support of the Dean of the Naional Press, have come up with the following list:
1. PILAR CISNEROS GALLO, Co-director of Channel 7 Television news
Born in Lima, Perú, June 27, 1954, she arrived in Costa Rica in 1972, graduating in journalism from the Universidad de Costa Rica in 1980. She travelled to the United States to obtain here Masters in Investigative Journalism from the University of Florida, Gainsville. Cisneros has worked for La Nacion and for more than two decades at Canal 7, where she currently is noon news anchor and co-director of the news program.
2. ANABEL GONZÁLEZ CAMPABADA, Minister of Foreign Trade
Graduated in Law from the University of Costa Rica (UCR) with highest honors (1986) and Masters in Law with emphasis in International Trade Policy at the University Georgetown University Law Center (1988). He has held the positions of Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade (1998-2001), developer and chief negotiator for Costa Rica’s Free Trade Agreement between Central America, Costa Rica and the United States, CAFTA, (2003-2004), was managing director of Cinde (2001-2002) and Director of International Trade Negotiations. Gonzalez was also the founder of International Trade courses at the University of Costa Rica (UCR) which also served as a teacher.
3. MARÍA LUISA ÁVILA AGÜERO, Former minister of Health
Under her leadership, in 2009, Costa Rica achieved the lowest infant mortality rate in history, taking third place in Latin America, thanks to the extension of the basic vaccination for all citizens. Born in San Jose, Costa Rica, January 30, 1961, she is a Costa Rican pediatric infectious disease specialist, who has been Minister of Health during the administrations of Óscar Arias Sánchez (2006-2010) and Laura Chinchilla Miranda (2010-2014)
4. AMELIA RUEDA AHUMADA, Journalist and director of the radio program Nuestra Voz
She began her career as a Television news reporter from Channel 7. In 1996, he became Managing Director of Noticiero Univision. Under her leadership introduced new topics in the news agenda of space, that earned her multiple national and international awards as Angela Acuña Braun (for coverage on gender issues), Unicef (for awareness of the rights of children), Joaquín García Monge (for coverage of health issues).
5. OFELIA TAITELBAUM YOSELEWICH, Ombudswoman
Holds degree in Biology from the University of Costa Rica (UCR) and holds a Master of Environmental Pollution Control from the Polytechnic of London, England, also has a Masters in Business Administration from INCAE. From December 2009 to date is the defensora de los Habitantes de la República de Costa Rica (Ombudswoman).
6. IARY GÓMEZ QUESADA, General Manager and Director of Grupo Extra (Diario Extra and Prensa Libre newspapers)
In 1992 became part of the Group Extra. With her help the project developed the Channel 42, in late 1996 she switched to Radio America, where she worked for eight years. In 2003 she took the CEO of Extra Newspape, owner of two newspapers, Diario Extra and La Prensa Libre, two television channels: 42UHF and 69UHF and two radio stations: Radio America Radio 780 MHz and 850 MHz Carthage .
7.LAURA CHINCHILLA MIRANDA, President of Costa Rica
Is the first female President of Costa Rica. She was one of Óscar Arias Sánchez’s two Vice-Presidents and his administration’s Minister of Justice. She was the governing PLN candidate for President in the 2010 general election, where she won with 46.76% of the vote. She is the sixth woman to be elected president of a Latin American country and the first woman to become president of Costa Rica.[4] She was sworn in as president of Costa Rica on May 8, 2010.
8. MÓNICA SEGNINI ACOSTA, President of the Chamber of Exporters of Costa Rica
Businesswoman and managing parter of Grupo Descarga, a logistics company and export services. She holds degree in Business Administration with specialization in Customs and International Trade, a member of the Costa Rican Director of Fiscal Studies of the Trade Office of Costa Rica (Procomer) of Federation of Chambers of Exporters (Fecaxca) and professor of the School of Foreign Trade Customs Administration and the University of Costa Rica (UCR).
9. MAYI ANTILLÓN GUERRERO, Minister of the Economy, Industry and Trade
Former Minister of Communications and Government Liaison Oscar Arias Sanchez and former deputy. She served as executive vice president of the Chamber of Industries of Costa Rica, pushed legislation for the national productive sector, including the Law on Strengthening Small and Medium Enterprises and the Law of the National Quality System. As legislator, drove the Banking System Law.
10. ANNE SLAUGHTER ANDREW, United States Ambassador to Costa Rica
Anne Slaughter Andrew is an American environmental attorney and was appointed the current United States Ambassador to Costa Rica by President Barack Obama in 2009. Born in Evansville, Indiana, Andrew graduated from Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Arts. She received her Juris Doctorate in 1983 from Indiana University School of Law at Indianapolis, where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Indiana Law Review. Andrew is married to former Chair of the Democratic National Committee Joe Andrew and they have two children.
Having to endure breathing second hand cigarette smoke in San José’s boulevard may soon be a thing of the past, as the Ministry of Health is reforming the Anti Tobacco regulations.
According to Dr. Juan de Dios Rumoroso, there is plan to set out smoke free or “green” zones that include boulevards (pedestrian pathways), prohibiting cigarette smoking and setting fines for transgressions.
The plan would also prohibit smoking in industrial areas, with cigarette smokers having to respect a distance of at least three meters (10 feet) from doors of establishments.
The regulations, if adopted, would require smokers to find remote areas to feed their habit, smoking in areas that do not affect anyone.
The challenge faced by Health officials is enforcement.
Rumoroso is of the opinion that “it is the duty of all Costa Ricans not to smoke in places where it affects others and business and organizations to ensure the law is enforced”.
Finally, Dr. Roberto Castro of the Vigilancia de la Salud (Surveillance at the Ministry of Health) says that although smoking is prohibited in parks, the city of San José has not wanted to put up signs and as such many continue to smoke there.
The local Guanacaste publication, Voice of Nosara, goes regional and with a new website: Voz de Guanacaste
In life, change is inevitable. Change can be good or bad, and which it is depends much on how it is embraced.
For ten years, The Voice of Nosara has been the local newspaper serving the Nosara area, but in the past few years it has also become the local newspaper of other communities such as Garza, Ostional, Samara and Nicoya.
Editor in Chief Elimiana Garcia says “we believe other communities in Guanacaste also need a medium that truly recognizes their voices and informs about what they care about. On that note, we are proud to introduce with this issue The Voice of Guanacaste, or simply The Voice—your Voice”.
Garcia assures loyal readers in Nosara says, “it still is your newspaper. That has not and will not change. We will continue to provide strong coverage of what is happening in Nosara, and we will continue to invite you to be a part of that. For the other communities that are now also reading The Voice, we invite you to do the same”.
A major change is the introduction of the Voice of Guanacaste include: a new website, colour pages and some new content, including the introduction of an editorial. This new format will appear once a month in the print edition and represents not the opinion of one person but rather a collaborative effort of the editorial board, currently composed of four people.
Costa Rican businesses that do not accept credit card payments encourage and facilitate money laundering, says Costa Rica’s banking association.
Gilberto Serrano, head of the Asociación Bancaria Costarricense (ABC), explained that the refusal of shops, primarily in coast towns, to accept credit cards generate large cash flows, allowing large sums of money to circulate without banking supervision.
The comments were made follwoing the news of the largest money laundering case in the world, whose headquarters were right here in tiny Costa Rica.
Defending criticism, Costa Rica’s banking leaders say the banking system ensured that the irregularities were uncovered, but admit there is room for improvement.
The chairman of the Consejo Nacional de Supervisión del Sistema Financiero (Conassif) – National Financial System Supervision, José Luis Arce, said his organization seeks to strengthen the two pillars of the banks: knowledge of its customers and employees and improving the technology infrastructure and monitoring of suspicious transactions.
Although the system is “neither the best nor the worst, we must improve significantly” in technology and training, said the superintendente de Entidades Financieras (Sugef) – Superintendent of Financial Institutions, Javier Cascante.
Nerves, excitement, gratitude and honour, were some of the sentiments expressed by the Zamora Calvo family, who received in their home China’s president Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan.
Xi had requested a visit to a “typical” Costa Rican farmer family home.
The Zamora Calvo live in San Miguel de Santo Domingo de Heredia, where the leader of a wold power and a humble Costa Rican farmer and their wives shares a cup of “yodo”. ( Yodo – literally means iodine but in Costa Rica it can mean “coffee”)
Marco Tulio Zamora and Ruth Calvo have been married for 52 years, have five children and have dedicated the entire lives to coffee farming, a business that Marco Tulio inherited from his father and grandfather.
After the coffee session, Xi, who comes from humble farming roots, left with the promise to help small Costa Rican producers export to China.
Peng Liyuan (2nd L, front), wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, communicates with a child during her visit to the National Children’s Hospital of Costa Rica, accompanied by Emilce Miranda, mother of Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla, in San Jose, Costa Rica, June 3, 2013.
The visit by China’s president Xi Jinping on Monday was very good for Costa Rica, as the two countries signed nine cooperation agreements totaling more than US$1.5 billion that will provide resources for improving Costa Rican roads and public transit fleets, purchasing solar panels and the building of a new police school.
China’s President Xi Jinping, center, and his wife Peng Liyuan, left, stand alongside Costa Rica’s President Laura Chinchilla as they listen to their national anthems at a welcoming ceremony at the presidential house in San Jose, Costa Rica, June 3, 2013.
The biggest of is the US$900 million dollar line of credit to finance the expansion and remodeling of the Moín oil refinery in the province of Limón.
The refinery, in the Caribbean coast, is small and old and refines about 18,000 barrels of imported crude a day. The remodel could boost production to 65,000 barrels a day, with the Chinese sharing in the profits. Costa Rica sought help from China in updating the facility.
But the project is under debate as Costa Rican economists and politicians question the Chinese feasibility studies, and say the money would be better spent seeking alternative forms of energy.
Rene Castro, minister of environment and energy, said that the agreement only means having a line of credit available and that Costa Rica’s government still has asked state universities for analysis to determine whether the project is feasible.
To facilitate transportation between San José and Limón, the Chinese have agreed to lend Costa Rica US$400 million dollars to reconstruct and expand the Ruta 32. The loan money is to be used for road construction only, Costa Rica’s government will have to find financing for expropriations and relocation of utilities and other costs. The terms of the loan were not disclosed. A condition of the loan is that a Chinese contractor be awarded the project.
Among the other agreements, the Chinese ratified Costa Rica’s sanitary protocol to allow the export of pork to China, while the largest dairy business in the country, Dos Pinos, announced new exports of fresh and flavoured milk products.
Costa Rica will be receiving a donation of US$16 million dollars towards a police academy and 8.400 computers for use in public schools.
Agreements for the purchase of solar panels and funding for “clean energy” public transportation programs were also inked.
The two countries also signed an agreement that will boost Chinese tourism to Costa Rica.
China has more than 100 million tourists traveling worldwide. Costa Rica’s Foreign Minister, Enrique Castillo, said Costa Rica will speed up the process for Chinese who already have visas from other countries, such as the U.S. and European Union, and will add people in the Beijing and Shanghai consulates to process paperwork quicker.
Castillo noted that if Costa Rica could get 500,000 of them (Chinese tourists), it would boost the country’s tourism visits by 25 percent.
Currently Chinese tourism to Costa Rica is very small because of visa problems.
To get the most out of Costa Rica, you should be able to speak Spanish. The better you speak it, the more there is to enjoy.
Nevertheless, I know more than a few gringos down here who have lived for years here and speak only the most rudimentary Spanish, about what an intelligent person could learn in a day or two. It is possible to get by in Costa Rica, San Jose in particular, without Spanish. We all know how to point to a picture of a Big Mac or a bucket of KFC on the wall of a fast food joint. It does make you wonder why they are even here, but that’s another subject. For now, let’s talk about learning to speak Spanish.
My own Spanish is not perfect, but it is usually adequate. I took one intensive course in Mexico for three weeks then took Spanish 2 at my local community college. I moved to Costa Rica in 2004 and have been improving ever since. I could be a lot better if I worked harder at it, but I am adequate, at least.
One of the good things about Spanish coming from English is that Spanish has very few sounds not found already in English. The Spanish ‘r’ and ‘rr’ would be two of the exceptions. I don’t find them hard to do, and neither do most gringos. In general though, an English speaker can probably replicate all of the sounds needed to speak Spanish. The reverse is not true.
Unlike English, the rules of pronunciation in Spanish are uncomplicated and once you learn them, you can read aloud with considerable confidence that you will be understood by your listeners, even if you don’t have a CLUE what in the world you’re reading aloud. I love this aspect of Spanish. I like to read and learn well by reading. If I am looking up a word in an English/Spanish dictionary, I can be pretty confident I know how to pronounce it without hearing it pronounced. Close as I need to be, at least.
There are numerous ways to try to learn the language. You can take classes in a private or public school, you can hire a tutor, you can combine a vacation with an intensive course or even a home stay with a Spanish speaking family. You can buy one of a multitude of computer programs, you can buy books, you can buy audio courses, you can try a free online site, you can move to Spanish speaking country and hope to ‘absorb’ it, or you can even try to learn by watching Mexican soap operas or movies on TV. I’m sure I’m leaving some ways out.
Notice please that I said ‘try to learn.’ None of those methods work unless you put in the time and effort! There is only one way to learn Spanish effortlessly, and that is to be raised in a home where Spanish is spoken. If you believe in reincarnation, perhaps this will be available to you in your next life. As far as this life goes, it’s too late, amigo.
But let’s say you actually have the desire and dedication to learn, what is the best way? Sadly, one size does not fit all. If you have plenty of money, you can try them all, I suppose. The some of the software programs can be rather expensive. Rosetta Stone, which is very popular, isn’t cheap. For the full package you will probably pay over $400. Pimsleur is primarily an audio method, and if you spend a lot of time driving, it might be the best method for you. There are a lot of other software packages out there, some quite inexpensive. There are also free online sites available. Vokabel is simple but a great way to build vocabulary. Your public library probably has some free material available.
The author lives in the Monte Cielo Gated Community in Puntarenas, in the hills above Pacific Ocean near Jaco. He speaks semi-fluent Spanish and understands 0 to 100% of what he hears, depending on who is talking and what they are talking about.
By Phil Taylor, is a retired building contractor from Chicago Illinois. Phil lives with his wife of 35 years, two mongrel dogs they adopted locally and a parrot named Socrates. Phil enjoys working on his tree house and writing about his adopted country.
San José mayor and PLN presidential candidate, Johnny Araya, got in on the action with visit of China’s president, Xi Jinping.
In a ceremony at the Intercontinental hotel in Escazú, Araya, in recognition of the cooperative relationship with China, gave Xi the key to the city of San José.
This in contrast to the US Presidenta Barack Obama visit on May 3, when the San José mayor to a back seat in the visit.
Monday morning, at Casa Presidencial, China’s president Xi Jinping opened the goody bag containing gifts that include US$400 million loan for the reconstruction of the Ruta 32, between Rio Frio and Limon.
The loan is part of the nine agreements signed by the two countries.
The loan still has to be approved by Costa Rica’s legislators is subject to a Chinese company obtaining the contract and the details of the repayment have not yet been made public.
Xi’s goody bag also included a deal for Costa Rica milk exported to China. This deal benefits primarily the Dos Pinos milk cooperative that will be exporting the first containers of dairy products to China in the coming weeks.
Signed on Monday is also the financing deal between the state bank, Banco de Costa Rica (BCR) and the Export-Import Bank of China. According to the press release, the agreement provides financial support for the energy and infrastructure projects, as well as trade in electronics and mechanical technology.
Also signed is the agreement for a joint redevelopment and expansion of the Moís refinery in the province of Limón. That deal will see an investment by China of close to one billion dollars.
Other agreements singed includes a protocol on veterinary and sanitary requirements for Costa Rica to export pork to China; China’s Hangtrong China Corporation agreed to buy US$12 million dollars of teak and US$8 million dollars of leather from Costa Rica’s Quality Impex S.A.; In the environmental area, Costa Rica will purchase 5.000 solar panels paid for by a loan from China.
Xi announced the donation of 8.400 computers to be used by public school students and 800 computers for teachers; and US$16 million dollars toward the police academy.
The giant retailer WalMart is about to get even bigger in Costa Rica. The company announced Friday that it would spend US$40.2 million more in six new Maxi Pali grocery stores during 2013.
The new outlets will be located in Alajuela, Orotina, San Rafael Abajo, Mercedes Norte, Siquirres and Esparza.
Corporate affairs manager Yolanda Fernanez told La Nacion that “with the openings, more workers will be added to the 12,000 already associated with” the giant multinational.
The new outlet in Esparza opened Thursday. This month, WalMart also opened a new US$70 million distribution center to serve its ever larger fleet of stores.
Comment: This repoorter cannot resist, with a chuckle. remembering the genious reporter in The Wall Street Journal who predicted that WalMart had reached its peak and had run out of profitable places to build new stores.
This article appeared about 20 years ago and the stock of the company fell a long, long way down on Wall St. Lesson for stock brokers: Don’t believe everything you read, even in the Journal…
The visit of Chinese president Xi Jinping is affecting normal daily life in San José and San Pedro today, with government offices closed and public institutions with partial closures.
For example, all central government offices are closed and government employees have the day off work.
However, at state institutions like the Banco Nacional (BN) and the Banco de Costa Rica (BCR) only the branches in downtown San José and San Pedro, in the area of the presidential visit, will be closed.
The Instituto Nacional de Seguros (INS) says its central offices in Barrio Amon will be opened. If you will remember the major part of Barrio Amon was shut down completely during the US President Barack Obama visit on May 3.
Contrary to previous announcements, Paseo Colon and Avenida Segunda will have “partial” closures during the visit of Chinese president, Xi Jinping.
Paseo Colon Monday morning.
Costa Rican authorities had announced a total closure for entire day Monday.
The Policía de Tránsito (traffic police) announced that Paseo Colon and Avenida Segunda will have “paso regulado” – traffic movements will be tightly controlled.
Affected by the Paso Regulado are roads leading to and from the airport and the Ruta 27, the road to and from the Intercontinenal hotel where the Chinese delegation is staying.
Peng Liyuan was already a celebrity when she became first lady of China, in March. For over two decades, this soprano enchanted her countrymen as a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) folk singer.
Today, this 50 year old woman captures looks inside and outside their country.
Peng’s popularity broke the traditional role of Chinese First Ladies, who maintained a very low public profile and never occupied public office.
Peng Liyuan holds the position of “general division” of the Chinese army.
Peng was at her husband’s side Sunday night when she stepped off the Chinese presidential plane at the Juan Santamaría airport. Holding hands, the President and the First Lady waved to the awaiting Costa Rican and Chinese delegation.
During her Costa Rica visit, Peng Liyuan will be visiting the Hospital Nacional de Niños (Chidlren’s hospital) in San José.
Peng Liyuan is the daughter of a veteran communist who fought alongside Mao Tse Tung, at the age of 18 becoming a member of the People’s Liberation Army as just another soldier, but her talent led her to sing in many military bands.
Like her father, China’s First Lady dedicated herself to singing in the army and achieve unprecedented success. So much that in 2009, where her husband was appointed vice-president, she decided to abandon her artistic life so as not to overshadow him.
Before becomin president, Xi Jinping, was popularly known as “the husband of Peng Liyuan”.
Energy projects, the expansion of the Ruta 32 between Sarapiqui and Lemon and strengthening teaching Mandarin in Costa Rica are the issues that will dominate the agenda of Chinese President Xi Jinping, in our country.
Xi arrived on Sunday at 7:44pm, 16 minutes ahead of schedule.
Xi’s exit from the presidential plane was delayed a few minutes due to a stuck door.
Costa Rica and China established diplomatic relations on June 1, 2007. Six years later, the Asian giant has doubled its exports to our country. Through a press release, President Chinchilla described the link between the two countries as a “young but mature.”
The presidential agenda is as follow:
Monday 9:15am – Xi will visit Casa Presidencial where he will meet Presidenta Laura Chinchilla. At the same time, China’s First Lady, Peng Liyuan, will visit the Children’s hospital accompanied by Chinhilla’s mother, doña Emilce Miranda and the wife of Costa Rica’s ambassador to China, Carolina Palma.
11:05am – A visit to the Legislative Assembly
12 noon – Xi Jiping and his wife will meet with San José mayor Johnny Araya at the Intercontinal hotel. Araya will give Xi Jinping the keys to the city.
3:30pm – The Chinese president and his wife will visit a typical Costa Rican farming family. This is at the Chinese president’s request, wanting to hold a close and personal visit with a “simple” family in their home.
7:00pm – State dinner at the Teatro Nacional
Tuesday 9:15am – China’s president Xi Jinping and his wife are expected to leave Costa Rica, enroute to Mexico.
To no surprise there are several reasons why Costa Rica’s roads aren’t in good condition: the type of asphalt used is not adequate for the temperatures that varies from one region to another and the vehicle load.
Experts recommend that for each type of road (urban, rural, cold and hot weather) specific asphalt be used. But, the same asphalt is used for all.
This conclusion is found in a report by the Laboratorio de Materiales y Modelos Estructurales de la Universidad de Costa Rica (Lanamme) – Laboratory of Materials and Structural Models of the University of Costa Rica.
The Lanamme results show that the current type of asphalt used cracks quickly and loses its ability to withstand water and recommends that at least three types of emulsions be used.
The Refinadora Costarricense de Petróleo (Recope), Costa Rica’s oil refinery and sole importer of asphalt, says that it does not have the logistical capacity to bring into the country more than two types of asphalt.
Roberto Coto, Director of Quality Assurance at Recope, says the change could be made if the government issues a decree to allow a variance in the quality of the product it can import.
However, Jose Luis Salas, direct of the Consejo Nacional de Vialidad (Conavi) – National Roads Authority – says the decision of the type of asphalt is that of Recope.
“We cannot demand Recope make the change (in asphalt). We have sat down with them to verify that the product they import meets the needs, but in the end they decide what to import”, said Coto.
Luis Guillermo Loría, of the Programa de Infraestructura del Transporte (Pitra), confirms that the current asphalt does not support the traffic load, reducing its lifespan by 50%.
“The problem now is that the asphalt is very rigid and is very fragile. The result is cracks or loses water resistance”, said Salas.
An argument used by both Recope and the Conavi is that to migrate to another type – a better quality – asphalt it can increase the price by 20% or more The current cost is US$120 a barrel, the new formula would be at least US$145.
Olman Vargas, director of the Colegio Federado de Ingenieros y Arquitectos (CFIA) – Association of Engineers and Architects – say that the price increase could be justified by the longer life of the asphalt, and more economical for the government in the long term.
The teenage son must save his dying father by trekking alone across the hostile terrain, encountering highly evolved creatures and a ruthless alien beast along the way, to recover their rescue beacon and also prove that he can live up to his father’s reputation as a legendary soldier.
