Supreme Court Chief Justice, Paulino Mora, died Sunday night at the age of 68. His death was a surprise to many after being admitted to hospital last Monday.
Mora was Minister of Justice during the first Oscar Arias Sánchez (1986-1989). Following he was elected magistrate to the Sala Constitucional, the country’s Constitutional Court and in 1999, elected as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
During his tenure at the Poder Judicial (Justice), he was a criminal judge in Limón and and chief justice of the Sala Tercerra.
Mora graduated from Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR) and earned a doctorate in law from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
During the great earthquake of Cartago in 1910, there were reports of a meteor streaking across the skies of Costa Rica. Historians say that the night of May 4, 1910, while the “vieja metrópoli”(old metropolis as Cartago is often referred to) was rocked by the great earthquake, a sign in the sky further instilled fear.
Reports say a fireball crossed the night sky, from side to side. And became forever part of that fateful day in Cartgao, when more than 500 people died from the quake, although no exac figure was ever available.
BY all accounts, the meteor crossed the sky from east to west and was confirmed by a the crew of a German steamship that at the time was in the Gulf of Nicoya, on the Pacific coast.
The Cartago meteor was the second.
The first meteor was recorded in April 1857, 156 years ago.
Proof of that meteior is a fragment weighing only 3 grams that is possession of the Geología de la Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR) – Geology department of the University of Costa Rica.
That meteorite fell in the province of Heredia. Reports of the day indicate that it was seen over San José as a great fireball that streaked across the sky.
In a check of the web records lists for cCosta Rica lists only one meteorite record, the Heredia. This is because the Cartago meteorite never impacted.
According to the Meteriological Society, the Heredia meteor was classed an “H5:.
“An ordinary chondrite from the H group that is petrologic type 5.”
The highlighted words are defined as follows:
Ordinary chondrite: A major class of chondrites, distinguished by sub-solar Mg/Si and refractory/Si ratios, oxygen isotope compositions that plot above the terrestrial fractionation line, and a large volume percentage of chondrules, with only 10-15 vol% fine-grained matrix.
H group: The high-iron (H) chemical group of ordinary chondrites, distinguished by their high siderophile element content, relatively small chondrules (~0.3 mm), and oxygen isotope compositions that are closer to the terrestrial fractionation line than those of other ordinary chondrites.
Type 5: Designates chondrites that have been metamorphosed under conditions sufficient to homogenize olivine and pyroxene, convert all low-Ca pyroxene to orthopyroxene, cause the growth of various secondary minerals, and blur chondrule outlines.
Some 190 small and medium sized businesses will be promoting their products this weekend at the “Feria del Gustico Costarricense” (Costa Rican Tasting Fair), in the Antigua Aduana, San José.
The aim is to promote the marketing of agro-food products and crafts, in support of rural enterprises.
According to the deputy minister of agriculture, Tania Lopez, exposed aat the fair are innovative products that are not found in the supermarkets.
This is the second year that the event takes place. According to Lopez, in 2012 sales exceeded ¢80 million and received some 15,000 visitors.
The Antigua Aduana (Old Customs Building) is on the east side of downtown San José, 100 metres east of the Parque Nacional and Atlantic train station. Some may remember the building by its old name, FERCORI.
A weakness in security at the Estadio Nacional (National Stadium in La Sabana has allowed a man to climb to the top of the roof on four separate occasions. The last time was Friday morning.
Stadium manager, Edgar Barrantes, assures that they are considering physical barriers to impede the unauthorized to climb to the top of the roof and access other parts of the stadium.
The Cruz Roja (Red Cross) told the press that each time the man climbed the stadium’s roof he wsa taken to a medical facilty for evaluation.
Norris moved to the farm town of Quepos, Costa Rica, in 2006
A man accused of sexually abusing a child in Santa Barbara (California) over several years was arrested Thursday night at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) shortly after his plane from Costa Rica touched down, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department..
Michael Norris
Michael Norris, 67, formerly of Carpinteria, is charged with multiple counts of child molestation, including but not limited to continual sexual abuse of a minor, contact with a minor with the intent to commit sexual abuse, distributing and producing pornography to a child, and aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14 years of age, according to sheriff’s spokeswoman Kelly Hoover.
An investigation began in February 2012 involving allegations that Norris had sexually abused a minor from 2003 to 2006 while he lived in Carpinteria, Hoover said.
Norris moved to the farm town of Quepos, Costa Rica, in 2006, and a warrant was issued for his arrest in December 2012, Hoover said.
When Norris learned of the warrant, he agreed to return to Santa Barbara County and negotiated his surrender with sheriff’s investigators.
The arrest was a coordinated effort between investigators from the sheriff’s Felony Fugitives and Criminal Investigative Divisions and U.S. officials in Costa Rica who assisted in monitoring Norris’ whereabouts and ensuring he boarded the plane.
Norris was on a direct flight from Costa Rica Thursday when sheriff’s Investigators, along with FBI and U.S. Customs agents, boarded the plane and took the man into custody.
The Ministro de la Presidencia (Presidency Minister) Carlos Ricardo Benavides Tuesday lay the blame for decisions on construction of the Trocha (Route 1856 or border road) directly in the lap of President Laura Chinchilla.
The testimony was in reply to allegations that the decisions surrounding the debacle of the road construction in the north of the country were made by advisers to the President.
The unicameral legislature’s government spending committee has been investigating the hapless construction for more than a year during which the lawmakers have turned up much finger pointing at others for making serious mistakes. (See previous articles.)
The committee has managed to implicate everyone in the Administration from Vice President Luis Liberman to the National Emergency Committee on down while coming up with more questions than answers.
Benavides told the committee emphatically that that the final decision were the President’s, made with the expert advice of then-minister of Public Works Francisco Jimenez.
The road was begun to provide a land link between border communities on the south bank of the San Juan River so residents would not have to use the river (Nicaraguan territory) to get to the rest of the country.
The decision was taken in haste in 2010 after Nicaraguan troops invaded Costa Rica’s Calero Island. (See previous articles.) Construction began without an environmental impact study and, indeed, even a paper plan.
Private construction companies were contracted willy-nilly and the courts are still investigating the corrupt practices involved, which implicate the highway construction agency Conavi, MOPT, Emergency Committee and a host of private contracters.
The national newspaper La Nacion observed that Deputy Walter Cespedes of the Social Christian Unity party, a vocal critic of the government’s action, was less aggressive than usual in questioning Benavides.
This may be because he himsef is under scrutiny for having petitioned Benavides to influence the Education Ministry to give two of his nieces jobs. Or, it may be because he did not want to get on the bad side (caer mal) of the powerful minister.
Comment: The committee has spent many hours investigating this fiasco. But, they had plenty of time. There was enough blame in the Administration during 2010-11 to go around — no one needs to fear being short-changed in that regard.
Still, the public may be growing tired of the whole mess. It may be time to get some lawmaking work done.
In celebration of its 85 years, the Teatro Melico Salazar, will get a facelift. The “Melico” as it is commonly referred to, is a veteran of Tico culture. The renovation, that is to cost ¢1 billion colones, will start with the installation of a new electrical system.
The theatre, that sits across from the Parque Central, is icon of downtown San José and all of Costa Rica and maintains a full schedule of concerts, recitals, and plays. So far, it has been likened to Madison Square Garden.
While large and built in the European Baroque style, it is far simpler than the Parisian influenced Teatro Nacional one block east.
The land was bought by Jose Raventós, who dreamed of building a theatre in which to produce zarzuelas, (usually comic Spanish operettas). The building was designed by Jose Fabio Garnier Ugalde, dramatist and architect. Construction began on February 8, 1927, and was completed October 7, 1928. The inauguration featured operettas of Esperanza Iris, the famous Mexican singer known as the Empress of Operetta.
In 1960 a new gallery was added that included a screen for Cinemascope. Seven years later, in 1967, during the dawn of April 23, a fire destroyed the room.
In the early 70s, the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sports decided that Costa Rica must buy the theater and renew it. In December 1981, a pre-inauguration occurred. Shortly afterwards, the building was closed to finish the restoration. There was a re-inauguration on March 6, 1985, and April 7, the following year. “The Gaceta”, the official newspaper of the government, announced law 7023 that gave the Melico Salazar the position of “cultural institution especializada” of the Costa Rican State.
Originally named the Raventós Theatre, it was renamed in 1986 to honor famous Costa Rican tenor Manuel “Melico” Salazar.
According to police authorities, taxi drivers in Costa Rica have become a favourite target of criminals. And not only are taxis targets of attacks, but also used a trusted “ally” in committing crimes.
The last act against a taxi occurred Thursday night, when man called 911 reporting that three men were beating on a taxi driver. The call came in at 8:00pm and through the quick action of the police, they had the men in custody.
The driver told police that he was flagged down by the men in Hatillo, was pistol whipped and shoved into the trunk.
Police gave chase and stopped the vehicle in La Sabana, near stadium, exchanging fire wire with the criminals before apprehending them.
Authorities say that taxis are under the watchful eyes of offenders, for several reasons, including at night there are a lot of taxis and can go unnoticed.
Former vice-minister, Karina María Bolaños Picado, retracted her statements made to the Spanish magazine, Interviú, on alleged corruption in the Costa Rica government.
Karina made the statements last September 7, part of her public outrage for being fired after a video of her in scanty clothing was made public. The video went viral making headlines in Costa Rica and half way around the world.
In the magazine inteview Karina lashed out at Presidenta Laura Chinchilla and her government, saying she (the Presidenta) only protects the corrupt.
Adrían Chinchilla Miranda, doña Laura’s brother, filed a libel lawsuit against Karina, and for that reason, this week, she appeared in court and stated the following:
“Me retracto de las manifestaciones que proferí para la revista española Interviú. Si con ellas ofendí al querellante le ofrezco mis sinceras disculpas, ya que no fue esa mi intención” (I retract the statements made to the Spanish magazine Interviú. If by doing so I offended the complainant I offer my sincered apologies, because that was not my intention).
Moisés Fachler, Karina’s lawyer, said the the apology statement is part of her getting on with her life. According to the lawyer, Karina intends to return to public life and is involved with a large group of the Liberación Nacional party.
Fachler added that there is sufficient evidence to prove Karina was being extorted after her personal computer was stolen.
Above is a screen capture of the video that brought Karina to the public eye and resulting in her dismissal. During the 56-second video which was viewed by over a million people, Karina points at her breasts and invites a man she refers to as ‘little one’ to join her.
A University for Peace student delegation visited the Presidenta Laura Chinchilla, at Casa Presidencial in San José, as part of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN).
President Chinchilla signed a message of support for the “Treaty on the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons” in a special ceremony related to the paper crane project, which foresees sending 1000 paper cranes to every head of state worldwide as a symbol to encourage them to sign a treaty for the prohibition of nuclear arms.
“We need to applaud and recognize the important campaigns you [UPEACE students] have been carrying along many years. I would like to emphasize that the request that you make with these beautiful paper cranes does not fall on non-fertile ground here in Costa Rica and in the hands of the Presidents”, said Chinchilla.
Costa Rica, said the presidenta, stands precisely “for advocacy over and over again, through a set of facts, the calls for peace”, especially by abolishing their own army in 1948.
Dr. Victor Valle, Rector of the the University for Peace, pointed out the paradox that the five permanent members of the Security Council of the United Nations are the countries with the most nuclear weapons.
The ceremony was also attended by representatives of the Costa Rican government, legilsators and civil society, and diplomatic corps.
Chinchilla said Costa Rica, which got rid of its army in 1948, is an advocate for peace.
Reuters – Costa Rica’s Presidenta Laura Chinchilla speaks during an interview with Reuters at Casa Presindcial in Zapte (San Jose), February 14, 2013. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate
In an interview with Isabella Cota of Reuters on Thursday, Presidenta Laura Chinchilla said that she was ready to take more steps to prevent flows of foreign capital from driving the Costa Rica’s currency higher.
In the interview, Chinchilla said she was worried a capital controls bill sent to the Legislature could stall, reviving interest from speculative investors that have tipped the Central American nation into a battle over its currency.
Costa Rica’s Banco Central (Central Bank) has spent US$1.5 billion in six months to keep the colon from strengthening beyond ¢500 per dollar, but inflows at the end of last year prompted the government to take more drastic steps.
Business leaders are concerned that an appreciation in the currency could hurt the tourism industry and coffee exporters, who sometimes receive payments in dollars.
So the government sent the Legislature a bill proposing to raise the current 8% tax on foreign investments by up to 30 percentage points. It also would require foreign investors to make a deposit at the central bank of up to 25% of the value of any investment, without receiving any interest.
Since then, the central bank has not had to buy excess dollars, but the commission in Congress in charge of reviewing the proposal has not yet approved it.
“(The plan) has given us great peace of mind, but it’s a temporary one because we know quite well that unless the project passes it’ll be very difficult to maintain these conditions,” said Chinchilla, sitting in the living room that leads to her office at Casa Presidencial in Zapote (San José).
“If we were to see a similar flow before the project is approved by the Legislature, we would, of course, turn to other mechanisms. Investors should have no doubt about this, we are totally willing to protect our economy”, she added.
Last month the first female president of this tiny Central American country referred to the potentially destabilizing flows as “weapons of mass destruction.”
On Tuesday, Group of Seven nations issued a statement reaffirming a “longstanding commitment to market-determined exchange rates” and Chinchilla admitted feeling pressure to let the colon float freely. But she said she would stay the course.
“There are (pressures), yes,” she said. “A government should not function based on the pressures of some or others. It should try to adapt a mix of measures that fits every context and generates the appropriate steps forward.”
HIGH RATES
The Central Bank’s high benchmark interest rate, currently at 7.8%, has lured investors to bring in dollars and buy government bonds in the local currency.
Interest on deposits in dollars is around 2% due to loose monetary policy by the U.S. Federal Reserve. Late last year, interest rates in Costa Rica were as high as 12%.
Even as rates drop gradually, Ministro de Hacienda (Finance Minister) Edgar Ayales has said that it will be impossible to lower them to 45 or even 5% without a significant overhaul of fiscal policy.
Just over year before her term ends, Chinchilla is struggling to introduce a plan to tackle Costa Rica’s budget deficit of 4.4% of gross domestic product (GDP).
The previous plan was killed by the Sala Constitucional (Constitutional Court), which declared it to be unconstitutional last April.
Chinchilla, whose centrist Partio Liberación Nacional (PLN) party lacks a majority in the Legislature, has not given up, she says. She aims to send a new plan to the Legislature before her term ends in May 2014.
“We will not relent in our final efforts to see if we persuade a few congressmen to re-establish the conversation about the fiscal plan,” she said.
“The finance minister is currently undertaking a new consultation process and we will see if a new situation arises that will allow us to leave a well-ordered country in fiscal terms.”
If you are a customer of Scotiabank and use the bank’s online services, WARNING OF THE EMAIL that tells customers that their account has been “frozen” after detecting an improper closing when last used.
At first glance the email looks legitimate, the from to says “scotia.co.cr, there is the Scotiabank logo and a link “Scotiabankcr.com”.
However, when the shock of the frozen account – especially on a Friday afternoon and on payday in Costa Rica- wears off, you will notice that the link is a redirect.
The www,scotiabankcr.com allows access to the bank’s website, but to enter the online banking the correct URL is www.scotiabank.fi.cr. The bank has posted a warning on access to its online banking site.
DO NOT CLICK OR FOLLOW THE LINK IN THE EMAIL!
Typically customers of state banks like the Banco de Costa Rica (BCR) and the Banco Nacional (BN) have been target of phishing emails.
Following is a sample content of the email:
Estimado cliente de Scotiabank le informamos que nuestro sistema de seguridad ha detectado problemas en su cuenta, debido a que en su último ingreso no finalizo de manera correcta, y por cuestiones de seguridad su cuenta ha sido bloquea, para el desbloqueo de su cuenta será necesario hacer una pequeña verificación de identidad. Una vez emitido este correo electrónico tendrá un plazo de 24 horas para llevar acabo dicha acción de lo contrario y por medidas de seguridad su cuenta sera congelada.
Entre aquí para realizar el desbloqueo de su cuenta http://www.scotiabankcr.com/
The negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Costa Rica and Colombia did not come to and yesterday, despite a video conference to close the deal.
The demands by Costa Rica’s industrial remains the biggest stumbling block, the minister of Comercio Exterior (Comex) – Foreign Trade, Anabel González, said yesterday.
Both González and her Colombian counterpart, Sergio Diaz Granados, held a video conference to resolve the issue, both coming to the conclusion that they have reached an “inlfexible” point.
Ministra González explained after that both sides will talk again, reconvene a meeting some 12 days time, after each reviews their positions on the sensitive points. The Ministra did not say exactly when and where or the type of meeting, in person or again by video conference.
Costa Rica’s industrial sector wants excluded from the FTA soaps and detergents, paper, cardboard, sanitary wear, forestry, furniture and glass.
The government of Laura Chinchilla is promoting a bill that would allow micro, small and medium business owners to take out loans for their business, without risking the family home as collateral.
The bill, Ley de Garantias Mobiliarias (Secured Transactions Law) would allow financial institutions to accept accounts receivables, inventory, even a business or professional license as collateral for a business loan.
If the bill is passed, Mayi Antillón, the head of the Ministerio de Economia Industria y Comercio (MEIC) – Commerce minister – said it would meets the needs of the business sector and the calling for alternative methods of obtaining credit without risking the family home, for example.
“I ask, is it fair to lose the family home if a business venture fails? The clear answer is NO”, says presidenta Laura Chinchilla.
The bills is now in the hands of legislators who will evaluate, analyze and discuss it before putting to a vote for approval or denial.
The new director of the La Anexion Hospital of Nicoya, Dr. Jorge Fonseca Renault, conversed in depth with VON a month after taking the reins of the main medical campus of the peninsula, after the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) intervened in December due to serious management deficiencies.
Fonseca took the place of Dr. Juan Jose Li Kam and will be in charge for 6 months to a year since Dr. Anner Angulo, current Regional Director, will have to return to the role of medical director in a year and a half given that the post is his property, unless the CCSS indicates otherwise.
Fonseca was cautious when speaking of the plans of the intervention and the deficiencies found since in six months he will have to make a report to the Medical Management, but he didn’t hide that when he first walked into the hospital, he found it functioning at 60% compared to how it should be.
“There are many things that catch the attention. The physical layout continues the same, but it should be bigger and with more staff since the population of this area has grown considerably,” the doctor explained.
Weaknesses and Priorities
Fonseca pointed out that “a quick expansion and structural reinforcement is needed since the seismic code is different, principally the expansion of external consultation and hospitalization services since emergencies is new.”
In addition, the beds are insufficient. Today we only have 105 and in surgery and internal medicine they are always full, more now with how dengue is,” added the chief.
Meanwhile, Fonseca mentioned that among the immediate priorities of the hospital is resolving the problem of garbage collection, because the Municipality of Nicoya hasn’t done it since December 24th. Elizabeth Fernandez Ramirez, coordinator of environmental management for the Municipality of Nicoya, explained that the hospital wasn’t properly separating hazardous waste such as bags of blood from normal waste. In addition, she said that most hospitals have private contracts for garbage disposal and by law the municipality is not obligated to collect the hospital’s waste. Fonseca assured VON that the garbage is now being properly separated.
In addition, the challenge with the operating rooms continues. The rooms were shut down by the Ministry of Health on June 6, 2012. Although they were reopened on November 27th, Fonseca indicated that “due to bad fortune a change in voltage in the electrical current damaged three air conditioners in the hospital, one of which is for one of the operating rooms; nonetheless we will repair it in the next days.”
Due to this, the waiting list for surgeries continues to grow. “As for those who are stuck [waiting], the idea is to get them out by November at the latest. I should explain that there is a wait of three months to get a case onto the waiting list; for everything to be normal there should be a maximum wait of one week. At the same time, we have to scientifically analyze the waiting lists for external consultation; there are many determining factors, but I can say that we would have to obtain more personnel to achieve the objective in two years minimum,” he cited.
Budget, Overtime Hours and More Positions
As VON stated in the January issue, the CCSS will allocate $35 million between 2013 and 2017 to develop a hospitalization tower, the renovation of the entire old structure and the electromechanical systems. The job bid closes on May 8th and minor works are expected to initiate in October.
“The damages that the September earthquake caused will be done with separate money. With this budget, we have to recover the archive clinic and the roof of the external consultation, which is being installed and will be ready in March,” said the director. He also indicated that the budget from the CCSS for this year is 15 billion colones ($30 million), but he estimates that this won’t be enough so more will have to be requested.
“La Anexion has 595 employees, of which 40 are doctors and among them 23 are specialists. For the resolution level we need more, but at this moment there wouldn’t be room for more to work. Between February and August we will receive four specialists recently contracted by the CCSS, one of whom is a much-needed anesthesiologist,” he affirmed.
Finally, he referred to overtime hours, a theme that led some doctors to protest in August of 2012. “We have an on-duty guard system on Sundays with specialists, and with general doctors on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, but we want to eliminate as much as possible all types of on-duty guards. I want them to work in shifts 24 hours a day, so the doctor is always resting. It’s more efficient and the costs are less,” he assured.
“I can only say to this beautiful town that the hospital has reactivated, the personnel appear completely committed to the cause. I am a demanding person and I’ve marked the path and the objectives to pursue. I have great affection for Nicoya because even two of my children were born here. Therefore I want and will look to do things well,” concluded Fonseca.
Soon the sound of the train will be heard in Cartago, as the INCOFER – Costa Rica’s railway – nears completion of a line that has been inactive for the last 13 years. Construction is almost complete, only 100 metres (a block) is left to go.
For ¢580 colones (one way), passengers can ride the train from the downtown San José and Cartago in only 40 minutes, enjoying the beautiful landscape while avoiding the traffic congestion if taking the bus or vehicle.
In addition to commuters using the train to get to and from work, the INCOFER says the train will also be open to family outings on weekends.
It is expected that the wheels of the train will start rolling next month, and INCOFER estimates are that more than 6.000 people wil use the service daily.
This image appeared on Facebook and shows the misspelling of “Costarricense” in the library. A note says that the sign has come down after appearing on FB.
Sign warns visitors to not to have “relaciones” (sex) in the area.
Presidenta Laura Chinchilla (middle in blue) sits on floor with students in Aserri. To her right (shirt and tie) is the minister of Education, Leornardo Garnier.
“The school should not replace their parents or guardians”, Presidenta Laura Chinchilla told the pupils of Liceo de Aserri on Thursday about sex education in the schools.
The Presidenta said that if parens are not satisfied with the sex education their children are gettig in school, they the parents are the ones who should be talking to their children.
The warning comes from the horror story of a German couple vacationing in Costa Rica, losing her arm due to alleged misconduct by local private doctor
If Costa Rica is touted as a destination for adventure then has an obligation to provide security . The German Embassy in San José has exacerbated travel warnings to German tourists vacationing in Costa Rica, following an accident by a German couple in Cóbano and the alleged misconduct by a local private doctor that led to the loss of an arm by one of them.
According to a German Embassy document (Nota-Verbal-11-Embajada-de-Alemania-1) dated December 14, 2012, addressed to the Ministerio de Relaciones Esteriors y Culto (Foreign Ministry), German officials express heir concern of the quality and access to private medical services in the country.
The letter tells the tale of 23 year old Evelyn Jürgensen who suffered an ATV accident while vacationing in Santa Teresa de Cóbano, on the Pacific coast.
The young lady suffered multiple fractures and was taken to a private area clinic, where the doctor decided that considering the extent of the injury she should be sent to San José, but only “after long discussions about who would bear the costs of the helicopter”.
The letter continues, as they headed to Playa Tambor (the local airport) the doctor informed the young coupe that the helicopter would not be coming since the credit charge for US$8.000 had been denied.
Jürgensen was thus taken to the Ebais de Cóbano (local state clinic), where she was treated and sent to Paquera and onto the hospital in Puntarenas and the onto San José, when the Puntarens hospital doctors could not perform the required surgery.
Twelve hours had passed since the accident and doctors in San José could save the girls arm, requiring an amputation.
Attending physicians at the Hospital México commented “if only the patient had arrived two hours earlier, it could have been possible to save the arm”.
Following up on the German Embassy letter are the disturbing facts.
One, the cost of a helicopter from Tambor to San José is between US$2.500 and US$3.500, depending on the aircraft and when adding US$500 professional fees, how did the local doctor come up US$8.000? Was this a case of lets get what we can given the predicament of the visitors?
And, two, in a medical emergency, such as the case as related by the Embassy, the medical professional deserved the greatest balme for violating the basic principles of medicine and the Hippocratic Oath.
Here is a situation of visitors being in the middle of nowhere, in the jungles of Costa Rica and requiring urgent medical attention.
While the Tourism Ministry promotes the country as a destination for adventure, must it not also provide safety for visitors and ensure they not become mere objects of profit and misfortune?
In the case of Jürgensen, had not the medical professional been concerned with profit and over billing, the couple could have travelled by land and obtain the proper medical attention and in time to save the arm, as the San José doctors confirmed.
If nothing more, the relevant authorities should investigate the incident reported and establish liability and in favour of the country’s tourism image and the highest human values that distinguishes us.
Any legitimate keylogging program can still be used with malicious or criminal intent
The next time you use a public computer or a computer other than you own to access bank accounts and other sensitive and personal information. beware. A little known but available everywhere device or software, can easily record every stroke you type on the keyboard, making it cakewalk to hack an account.
So, what the heck is a keylogger?
A keylogger, also known as keystroke logger or system monitor, is a hardware device or small program that monitors each keystroke a user types on a specific computer’s keyboard.
Keyloggers can be divided into two categories, keylogging devices and keylogging software. The former can easily be spotted as it requires a physical connection, usually between the keyboard cable and the motherboard on desktop computers. The latter, is virtually impossible to detect, as the software records away virtually undetected.
What a keylogger does?
Logs each keystroke a user types on a computer’s keyboard
Takes screenshots of user activity at predetermined time intervals or when a user types a character or clicks a mouse button.
Tracks user activity by logging window titles, names of launched applications, exact time of certain event occurrence and other specific information
Monitors online activity by recording addresses of visited websites, taken actions, entered keywords and other similar data
Records login names, details of various accounts, credit card numbers and passwords including those hidden by asterisks or blank space
Capture online chat conversation made in popular chat programs or instant messengers
Makes unauthorized copies of outgoing and incoming e-mail messages
Saves all collected information into a file on a hard disk, and then silently sends this file to a configurable e-mail address uploads it to a predefined FTP server or transfers it through a background Internet connection to a remote host. Gathered data can be encrypted.
Complicates its detection and removal by hiding active processes and concealing installed files. The uninstaller, if it exists, usually refuses to work if a user cannot specify a password.
Appropriate usage of keyloggers
Developers and vendors offer a long list of cases in which it would be legal and appropriate to use keyloggers, including;
Parental control: parents can track what their children do on the Internet, and can opt to be notified if there are any attempts to access websites containing adult or otherwise inappropriate content;
Jealous spouses or partners can use keylogger to track the actions of their better half on the Internet if the suspect them of “virtual cheating”;
Company security: tracking the use of computer for non-work-related purposes, or the use of workstations after hours;
Company security: using keyloggers to track the input of keywords and phrases associated with commercial information which could damage the company (materially or otherwise) if disclosed;
Other security (e.g. law enforcement): using keylogger records to analyze and track incidents linked to the use of personal computers;
However, the justifications listed above are more subjective than objective; the situations can all be resolved using other methods. Additionally, any legitimate keylogging program can still be used with malicious or criminal intent.
Today, keyloggers are mainly used to steal user data relating to various online payment systems, and virus writers are constantly writing new keylogger Trojans for this very purpose.
Types of hardware keyloggers
They can be implemented via BIOS-level firmware, or alternatively, via a device plugged inline between a computer keyboard and a computer. They log all keyboard activity to their internal memory.
A hardware keylogger has an advantage over a software solution; because it is not dependent on the computer’s operating system it will not interfere with any program running on the target machine and hence cannot be detected by any software.
A hardware keylogger is typically designed to have an innocuous appearance that blends in with the rest of the cabling or hardware, such as appearing to be an EMC Balun. They can also be installed inside a keyboard itself (as a circuit attachment or modification), or the keyboard could be manufactured with this “feature”. They are designed to work with legacy PS/2 keyboards, or more recently, with USB keyboards. Some variants, known as wireless hardware keyloggers, have the ability to be controlled and monitored remotely by means of a wireless communication standard.
The main risk associated with a hardware keylogger use is that physical access is needed twice: initially to install the keylogger, and secondly to retrieve it. Thus, if the victim discovers the keylogger, they can then set up a sting operation to catch the person in the act of retrieving it. This could include camera surveillance or the review of access card swipe records to determine who gained physical access to the area during the time period that the keylogger was removed.
Wireless Keylogger sniffers – Collect packets of data being transferred from a wireless keyboard and its receiver and then attempt to crack the encryption key being used to secure wireless communications between the two devices.
Firmware – A computer’s BIOS, which is typically responsible for handling keyboard events, can be reprogrammed so that it records keystrokes as it processes them.
Keyboard overlays – a bogus keypad is placed over the real one so that any keys pressed are registered by both the eavesdropping device as well as the legitimate one that the customer is using.[1]
Countermeasures
Denial of physical access to sensitive computers, e.g. by locking the server room, is the most effective means of preventing hardware keylogger installation.
Visual inspection is the easiest way of detecting hardware keyloggers. But there are also some techniques that can be used for most hardware keyloggers on the market, to detect them via software. In cases in which the computer case is hidden from view (e.g. at some public access kiosks where the case is in a locked box and only a monitor, keyboard, and mouse are exposed to view) and the user has no possibility to run software checks.
One method a user might thwart a keylogger when using a public or unknown computer is by typing part of a password, using the mouse to move to a text editor or other window, typing some garbage text, mousing back to the password window, typing the next part of the password, etc. so that the keylogger will record an unintelligible mix of garbage and password text.
It was time to feed the family, tortillas, frijoles, rice, an egg and with great luck some chorizo or even “bistek”. It was not too many years ago, perhaps eight maybe only six that riding a bicycle on the road in Costa Rica was equated with the “working class” poor and the best way to get to the job on time in the moonlight hours near dawn and back again in similar moonlight hours of the evening after working twelve, maybe fifteen hours that day.
Not anymore!
Riding those bikes, with wobbly wheels remains a sign of necessity and certainly not a part of some cardiovascular exercise prescribed by a personal trainer at Hospital CIMA which is now the case for many.
Equally important, these riders went to work each day cared and knew the common sense rules of the road. Again, something which is now missing and with the elitist rider system made popular and entrenched on the singular mantra,”Need to get a workout and look good while doing it.”
I went to a bike store the other day and was floored by the cost of these two wheel demons. Low end starting price, US$500 and the ending price….well there is no ending price. But Lindora, Escazú, Curridibat, Tres Rios and Santa Ana riders all need the most expensive two wheelers which have replaced the big ass Hummer car as Costa Rica’s newest status symbol.
Early enough in the approaching dawn are the workers, construction workers, the farm laborers; all those people needing to make a living on limited income and needing to get to the job on time or be docked wages.
However, shortly after the sun comes up , then on the less pocked roads, come the “dandies” dressed to kill and chugging away on their US$2,000 bike with those skinny wheels which when caught in any one of the five million Tico huecos means an early demise of both rider and bike.
Traditional Guanacaste bicycle
Actually, last year a new sport among criminals was to hold up sports riders and steal their bikes and uniforms. A poor business decision . Bottom line, who and the hell wanted them? Then again, some cars just ran them over and cut to the cotton line of frustration.
Sometimes the workers and riders mix since the laborers need to get to their job sites and are reluctant to give up road space. A truly weird and indeed caste confrontation that would make a good Harvard case study: maybe INCAE
The workers are to the right of the road riding the shoulders in single lanes so as not to be squished by approaching cars, trucks, buses and sport bikes. Meanwhile the truly arrogant sport riders are two to four abreast chatting about something important like where to have breakfast or on their cellular phones with the office making mega – mega deals.
“Sorry my dear, I will be a little late today since I am on the phone with Edgar, avoir.”
Either way, these people have a distorted the innate sense of road ownership, especially on the freeways which is the route you get with those super costly bikes and not to mention those hot $500 jerseys and pant sets + US$400 shoes not meant for walking yet signed by Lance Armstrong who beat cancer, but not his own egomania. (I notice less yellow bracelets lately! But the jerseys cannot be returned.)
Meanwhile, the worker bees struggle up and down hills, with back packs, heavy boots, umbrellas and remain far to the right so as not to attract attention. After all, they must bring home the bread tonight while the sport bikers only need to fix the flat tire, get a massage then off they go to the warm, refreshing shower and after reading La Nación while warmed by an organic coffee with non-fat sweetener , free range skimmed yak milk, latte.
“Make that a double.”
Weekends are the worst!
We have bikers in caravan, almost like the Tour de France in Costa Rica and each looking for their PED fix, blinking light cars in front and cars behind.
All I want to do is go grocery shopping nestled in my own car. My goodness, by 7:30AM on Sunday you would believe that you are the violator of their roadway rights to form a peloton which literally means little ball. (Read into it want you want!)
Not that there is leader but they chat on their Black Berry to each other and ogle the long legs of the trim ladies riding alongside with a little more on the front side and in so doing take up the entire damn road!
Tooting the horn that I am a car and would very much like to go more than 40kph is not acceptable. It is Group Think at its best. With mumbles of vulgarities and a “finger” or two, I know we must wait to pass those damn $2,000 bicycles and $500 T-shirts.
The workers, they are not about to take chances and certainly are not members of these elitist group of riders. You have no idea how much I would love to see one of these worker guys pull up the wobbly Schwinn bike and take off on a peloton.
Beat the hell out of them! “Zoom, Zoom”
Delta Travel is excited to share with their members new specials in regard to travel to Costa Rica.
Valencia, CA (PRWEB- Press Release) – According to Delta Travel executive Paul Bullion, “Delta is always trying to find ways to save our members money, and there are so many incredible places to travel, we just can’t focus on one. We have to find the best deals for travel to anywhere in the world. And when we find amazing packages for certain areas, we have to let our members know right away.”
Delta Travel is a private travel club where members must pay a one time enrollment fee to obtain the best prices on travel for the rest of their life. Members will receive discounts on cruises, all inclusive resorts, car rentals, hotels, and even have the ability to stay at timeshare resorts all over the world.
Because everyone travels a little different, the details can vary too greatly, in that some may want a hotel, some may want a timeshare resort. The best deals are for those who travel within 60 days and take advantage of the Hot Weeks. Though even with hotels, members can receive a price of up to 40% less than they’ve seen on a website. Members can receive up to 30% off on their car rentals.
In regard to Costa Rica, the best time to visit is the dry season from December to May, although it will still rain occasionally. Vacation for the schools runs from December to February, so the beaches will be more crowded during that period. The rainy season begins in May, but the early part of this season is still a good time to visit. There will be fewer tourists and accommodations will be cheaper. Later in the rainy season, roads will become muddy and sometimes very difficult and almost impossible to navigate. Many American and European tourists come in June and July, so prices go back up again.
And if you like to surf, the biggest swells and fastest waves occur during the rainy season, beginning in late June and reaching their peak during September and October. These two months are also the rainiest. On the Caribbean side, the waves are best from October to March.
The government of Costa Rica will pay US$360,000 in compensation to 18 couples impacted by the country’s ban on in-vitro fertilization.
The payment, in compliance with a ruling by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, will be made on February 25, said Communications Minister Francisco Chacon.
Each couple will receive about US$20,000, while US$60,000 will be made available for lawyer fees, he said.
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights condemned in December Costa Rica’s ban on in-vitro fertilization, which was declared unconstitutional by the country’s Supreme Court in 2000.
In its ruling, the court said the ban affected the rights to private and family life, reproductive rights and the personal integrity of those affected.
The judges said that “the decision to be a father or mother is part of the right to privacy and includes, in this case, the decision to be a mother or father in the genetic or biological sense.”
The court ordered that assisted reproduction be reinstated, and the government promised it would fully comply.
Religious conservatives had called for banning the practice, saying it was a violation of privacy because it involved discarding embryos.
The Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), Chaves Xinia Quirós, has participated in the Technical Consultation on measures to prevent and deter illegal fishing, held by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome.
The objective of the meeting was to seek consensus among member countries to define the responsibilities of States on unreported and unregulated fishing, not only in the maritime jurisdiction of each country, but also in the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ).
As part of this initiative, the MAG will boost, from 2011, the file No 18320, on the approval of the accession to the WTO Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing.
According to the FAO, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing poses a global threat to sustainable fisheries and for the management and conservation of fisheries resources and marine biodiversity.
The FAO also mentioned that vessels which do not meet the new requirements of the Agreement, will be denied access to the port.
Measures of Port State Control (MEP), are the requirements or interventions carried out by states, which foreign fishing vessels must comply with, as a condition for the use of ports.
The MEP Agreement was approved by the FAO Conference at its 36th session in November 2009, and specifies that foreign vessels must notify in advance and request permission to States to be allowed entry to the port.
Jessie Rupert is collecting craft materials, small sports equipment and Canadian souvenirs to take with her on a work placement in Costa Rica in February. Rupert will be working with at-risk youth in Liberia, Costa Rica, as a placement in her child and youth worker program.
She doesn’t need medical supplies or donated food, just some deflated soccer balls and Canadian flags. When Mitchell (Ontario, Canada) resident Jessie Rupert heads to Liberia, Costa Rica later this month she will be working with at-risk youth.
Jessie Rupert is collecting craft materials, small sports equipment and Canadian souvenirs to take with her on a work placement in Costa Rica in February. Rupert will be working with at-risk youth in Liberia, Costa Rica, as a placement in her child and youth worker program.
It’s the 20-year-old’s final placement as part of her three-year Child and Youth Worker program at Fanshawe College.
A nurse and early child educator on Rupert’s three-person team will bring certain supplies, but those extras that help children create, play and learn more about the world are Rupert’s responsibility.
Rupert, the daughter of Alex and Pat, said materials for crafts are going to be important as she plans activities to do with the children.
She said her goals will be to teach the children general life skills and social skills as well as improve their self-esteem and self-confidence.
Rupert said many of the children in the Kindergarten to Grade 8 school she will visit are coping with poverty and abuse, including parents who are prostitutes or drug addicts.
Rupert’s first two placements as part of her program were at the Child and Parent Resource Institute (CPRI) in London and a London public school.
The trip to Costa Rica will be her first – she is one of five people going out of the 90 people in her program.
“I wanted to see what different kids grow up with,” she said about her reasons for choosing Costa Rica. “I always wanted to do missionary trips.”
Rupert is able to collect craft materials, sports items like deflated soccer balls and Canadian souvenirs like flags until Feb. 20. She stays in Costa Rica with her host family from Feb. 24 to March 22.
Ministro de la Presidencia, Carlos Benavides, talking to the press following the confiscation of his secretary's computer by the Attorney General.
Ministro de la Presidencia, Carlos Benavides, talking to the press following the confiscation of his secretary’s computer by the Attorney General.
Looking for evidence of alleged influence peddling, the Fiscalia (Attorney General office) confiscated on Wednesday the computer of the Ministro de la Presidencia, Carlos Ricardo Benavides’ secretary, from the offices of Casa Presidencial (Government House).
Th act was part of the investigation after it was known publicly that legislator Walter Céspedes asked Benavides to appoint two of nieces to the Ministerio de Eduación Pública (Ministry of Public Eduación.).
Fiscal General, (Attorney General) Jorge Chavarria explained that the computer will be analyzed because there is not printed copy of the correspondence between the two politicians.
Some years back, perhaps ten or so I gave a speech in front of my congregation in Los Angeles, CA, a Catholic Church of about 1,000 people just when the subject of “abuse” (Is there a technical difference between abuse and rape?)became both public and albeit fodder to attack the rule of the road itself. Both its teachings and certainly the roots of the Church’s moral underpinnings were soundly disgraced.
I said when,” We, just by being a Catholic, are all victims of abuse and the now public cover up. Yet, some members by far are more victims than others.”
Faced with what appears to be a growing cancer, defection of church members, (According to the BBC, tens of thousands of German Catholics deserted the Church after years of child abuse came to light in 2010.) the newer revelation of personal documents that suggest everything from, rape, money laundering to simply over paying to purchase a toilet: Pope Benedict XVI, at 85 years old has decided his health and the overwhelming circumstances of the Catholic Church are too much to manage.
Arguing his decision is not really important although it is the first time in 600 years a Pontiff has resigned.
While we wish to believe Pope Benedict and in fact the conclave of great minds debated and really understood they had selected the right man to lead the 1.2 billion member Catholic Church , replacing John Paul was a God like task; a man who despite death yet remains the beating heart of the Catholic Church.
While we know that Benedict is a conservative, and it is possible that as Archbishop Ratzinger he was knowledgeable of the horrific rape of children which the Church, so far has granted $2 billion in settlements for moral “misconduct”, he knew and has grown exhausted of it all. It is just possible that at his age (85) the human factor kicked in and found truth, rather than denial, excuse and cover up…The Pope, as a person, cannot go any further.
Please, based on his years of service to the cross and the code of secrecy do not expect a public confession. He is an ill man who needs benevolent care until he dies.
I find it strange, uncanny, that in so many Latin countries, and especially Costa Rica where we live, that our hands, “have been washed of blood.”
In Costa Rica, we have one priest (Minor Calvo) who was sent to prison for fraud, but none, nada who ever touched a child, a boy, a girl or nun. The odds just do not seem right!
What sincerely scares me…The Cardinals who elect a Pope only need to be under 80 years old. And some, such as Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles, California (1.2 million members) himself has been relieved of his duties (Not defrocked which is the next step) for covering up, years and years of rape – abuse of kids of all ages, protecting fellow priests gets to vote for the next Pope!
Mahoney was known as the progressive priest, the father of immigration, the man who openly fostered equality, especially among the homeless.
But he hid his pedophile priests from the law, he covered up rape and made sure the guilty before being legally accused where sent to other parishes and did nothing to cooperate with the law of this land, and in so doing violated the sacred laws of his faith.
And guess what? Even after being stripped of his priestly functions, Cardinal Mahony can and will vote for the next Pope after February 28, 2013.
For me to swallow that in Costa Rica the Church is clean, the Church is pure seems absurd.
Calvo got caught defrauding the public, but there is not a single case, in all these hundreds of years of priests raping children and only a back-room whisper that the “cloth” had forced sex with nuns.
It so terribly pains me, but I cannot think of anything more than that which epitomizes organized crime more than religion. You can justify about anything?
“Yet, here I am a believer of a better world after death and that puts me on par with the three major religions : Jews, Islamists and Christians.”
The hard part is finding your personal road up the same mountain as mine. There are many paths and mine might well not be correct for you, however, if you follow one or two or more, in the end “just being good”, the will get to the same place.
In the end of life, I have not a clue where that will be; but in can’t be bad.
It is only 11 kilometres between the Juan Santamaría interantional aiport and the cruce Manolo’s (Manolo’s crossing), in Alajuela. This stretch of road is one of the most important in the country, it leads tourists and nationals to Pacific coast beaches, resorts, volcanoes and small towns.
It is also a heavily trafficked business route, connecting a large number of industrial business parks to San José.
And it is this stretch of road, called the Bernardo Soto and forming part of the Interamericana, that over time had become one of the worst roads and dangerous due to lack of maintenance and compounded bad repair jobs.
Before the work began, the right lanes in each direction of the four lane road were such that they could hardly be used unless one wanted a bouncy ride and/or end up in a ditch. The only useable lanes were the centre lanes and then not in the best of condition.
Without a question it was time to “really fix” this important road.
Work began on the reconstruction of the road last year and still is oingong today, as the project continues to consume a major part of the ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT) budget for all road maintenance work.
This 11km section of the Bernardo Soto represents 5.32% of the 200 kilometres of maintenance contract awarded to the H. Solis company. However, according to an investigative report by La Nacion, the work has so far consumed 82% of the budget for all road maintenance in the country.
A report by the Laboratorio Nacional de Materiales y Modelos Estructurales de la Universidad de Costa Rica (Lanamme), this project alone will end up costing the State ¢5.8 billion colones of the ¢7.1 billion available.
That means that there is only ¢1.3 billion remaining to maintain the other 189 kilometres of road identified by the Consejo Nacional de Vialidad (CONAVI), a division of the MOPT, as needing maintenance, that includes 9 majors road in Alajuela alone.
The solution, according to Pedro Castro, MOPT Minister, is he will have to get CONAVI more money to complete its projects.
The minister did not provide details on the amount.
Minister Castro, who is not responsible for awarding the contract, said the project is one of reconstruction and not maintenance, as defined by CONAVI and approved by the previous MOPT management. Castro added that in the future maintenance and reconstruction contracts will be tendered separately.
Confirming that the project is one of reconstruction is the Lanamme in its November 2012 report, which questioned the CONAVI referring the contract as one of maintenance.
Dr. Jokin de Irala, who promotes that homosexuality can be overcome with therapy will be visiting Costa Rica, as one of the speakers of the V Congreso Centroamericano de Bioética (Fifth Central American Congress of Bioethics) next month.
The conference will take place on March 7 & 8 at the Hotel Radisson and was declared of public interest by the Presidency and the Ministry of Health.
Homosexual orientation, the Spanish doctor writes in his book “Comprendiendo la Homosexualidad” (Understanding Homosexuality), is due to inadequate development of sexual identity. In an interview in 2011, de Irala said that with the proper care of a therapist a person can overcome homosexuality.
Mora was Minister of Justice during the first Oscar Arias Sánchez (1986-1989). Following he was elected magistrate to the Sala Constitucional, the country’s Constitutional Court and in 1999, elected as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
