El Residente 2013_01

El Residente Costa Rica’s English language newsle er

January/February 2013

¢1500 January - February 2013

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El Residente

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Contents: President’s Message................. 4 My Costa Rican Experience ....... 5 - Edmond Alkaslassy

Wild Side of Costa Rica ............ 7 - Ryan Piercy

LTG: Merely Players ................. 8 - Anne e Halle

Costa Rica on the Globe ........ 10 A City Rejuvinated .................. 12 - Richard Ternouth

A Day in the Life...................... 14 - Allen Dickenson

Costa Rica Living: Chili ............. 16

Editor’s Note Its always exci ng to start a new year, and with it we have the chance to experience new things, which also gives us the idea to look at some new avenues for the El Residente.

I am especially excited about this year’s central theme, deciding to take a look at the country in terms of its “awakening” as it opened up to the outside world. And what more fi ng than JFK, as this year marks the 50th anniversary of his visit here.

But aside from this series, we have a number of new contributors to bring you new ar cles, and also different viewpoints on various subjects. I am really looking forward to working with them, as well as our regular contributors from the past. As always we appreciate feedback from our readers to let us know we are on the right path.

So as we head down this new path together into the new year, we hope you have a pleasant read to start of a pleasant new year.

- Judy Timson

Ryan Piercy

Costa Rica on the Globe ........ 18

Contact Informa on:

Health Care: Implants ............. 20

Published by: Email:

- Dr. Esteban Ocampo

Dollars & Sense....................... 22

ARCR Administra on info@arcr.net www.arcr.net Ed tor in Chief: Ryan Piercy Adver sing, Publicity: Cindy Solano

- Alan Weeks

Business Directory................... 26

This magazine has been published every two months since 1995 as the official communica ons media of the ARCR. Our organiza on provides service to thousands of foreigners who have chosen Costa Rica to reside for short periods or for permanent residence.

Office Hours:

Monday- Friday, 9 am to 5 pm CRC me GMT-6

Address:

#101 Casa Canada, Av 4 Calle 40 San José, Costa Rica Tel: 506-2233-8068 Fax: 506-2255-0051

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 1191-1007 Centro Colon San José, Costa Rica

Since 1984 the ARCR has been offering reliable SERVICES, INFORMATION and ADVOCACY to Costa Rica’s foreign residents.

We have the experience and ability to help you with your residency applica on, immigra on, business and financial management, real estate purchases and rentals, property management, insurance, pet importa on and much more.

If you wish to place an ad in El Residente, please contact the ARCR main office. Goods & services offered are paid adver sements.

Neither ARCR Administracion nor El Residente research the companies and take no responsibility for the quality of such goods and services.

January - February 2013

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President’s Message

by Terry Wise

Happy New Year, from a New Face Hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season! It’s great to live in Costa Rica. And for those of you who don’t yet, we at ARCR hope to see you here soon.

As the incoming ARCR Board President, I feel it’s important to introduce myself. I am Terry Lee Wise, born into an automo ve repair business family in a small town in California.

Like many, I started working in the family business as soon as I was able to walk. I a ended Chaffey Community College and with the excep on of a twoyear s nt with the U.S. Army and a period where I tried working in the corporate atmosphere of General Motors as a trainer (I quickly learned I was not the type to work for a large corpora on) I worked in the family business un l it was sold in 1996. A er that I worked as a real estate broker. During those mes I was married and raised two wonderful daughters.

During a third grade field trip I fell in love with the La n culture. We were visi ng an old Mexican Hacienda in Chino when I realized I had been born at the wrong me. From then on I visited Mexico every chance I got; hoping and planning that someday I would live there. When the me came to actually make the move, however, I realized that I had “worn Mexico out” so I got back on the bus . . . and here I am.

It was the right decision. I am now married to a beau ful Tica, the most wonderful person I know, and we own our home in the San Jose area. I have been here for six years now, love every day, and have no plans of ever leaving.

That’s me. Now on to some things I hope you find useful.

Something near the top of everyone’s list is the subject of residency. I am sure you’ve heard a thousand things about the advantages of becoming an official resident of Costa Rica and obtaining your cedula. Well, here’s one

benefit I’ll bet you haven’t heard of: the posi ve change in Ticos’ a tudes when dealing with them and showing your cedula. Having a cedula can take what you are trying to accomplish to a whole different level. I have experienced that effect at banks, government offices, and stores – when they ask for my passport, and I take out a cedula, a smile appears along with a heightened desire to help. Having a cedula gives more credibility because by having residency you display your respect for them, their country, and its laws. (Another great benefit is that when you return from a trip outside Costa Rica, you don’t have to stand in those long, annoying lines of tourists at airport Immigra on. That alone can be worth the cost and effort of ge ng it.)

On the topic of respect, and I don’t want to sound like I am lecturing, but we North Americans don’t have the best reputa on for being humble tourists. In fact, in the latest Yahoo traveler poll we finished last. I was once told, “you can tame more bears with honey than with a s ck.” That’s true, so remember that even though we may live here, we are s ll visitors. And here are some other sugges ons you might like to try to make your stay here more rewarding: – When visi ng a Tico friend, your doctor, your banker, etc., take along a small gi like a loaf of bread or some fruit (dark chocolate works great.)

– Always try to be humble and thankful (something not always easy, granted.)

– Ask to be helped with your Spanish. Ticos are great, willing teachers.

– Carry candy in your pocket or purse to give to children. Always ask the adult with them for permission first. (And be aware that the adult may want some too, but probably won’t ask.)

– Try to always smile, even offer a gree ng, to those you meet on the bus or in a store.

– And most important, tell them how much you like their country. Ticos are very proud of it.

That’s enough for now.

If I can help with something or you need to reach me, my address is: coterry33@gmail.com

Contest Update: My Costa Rican Experience The results are in, and though it was a tough decision, due to some very good submissions, we have selected a winner, Mr. Edmond Alkaslassy. CONGRATULATIONS! You are the winner of the $250 cash prize for this years contest. Addi onal prizes will also be awarded to several other entrants whose ar cles will be published over the coming year for the enjoyment of our readers. We hope you enjoy them, and our first can be found on the facing page.

El Residente

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My Costa Rican Experience Ge ng to Know the Ticos I’m a biologist so my ini al a rac on to Costa Rica was the tremendous biodiversity for which it is justly famous.

But the more me I spend in Costa Rica and the more opportuni es I have to interact with Ticos, I now see that they too are a compelling reason to spend me in Costa Rica. Three recent encounters with complete strangers illustrate the Tico character that I have come to respect and appreciate so much.

My wife Pam and I stopped for lunch at a seafood restaurant a er spending a morning at a beach on the South Pacific coast. We both ordered fried whole fish, a medium for me and a small for Pam. The meal (including salad and patacones) was very fresh and wonderfully prepared. When I looked at the bill I saw that although I had ordered a medium fish I had been charged for a small one. I pointed out this “error” to the waiter. He told us that the medium fish he had that day were a bit on the small side and so he decided to charge us for a small. A er recovering my composure, I thanked him and we went on our way.

The waiter had never seen us before and had no reason to expect that we would return. He did not take advantage of an opportunity to make another buck or two off a couple of gringos. Instead his decision to undercharge us came from his personal sense of right and wrong. We le feeling warmed by more than the food.

Later during the same trip we stopped at the ICE office in Dominical. The staff there was very pa ent with us, and we were able to complete our transac on. We were on our way to the San Jose airport for a flight to Oregon that day, so perhaps I was walking back to the car faster or more carelessly than usual, but whatever the cause I slipped and in a flash I ended up on my side in a muddy puddle. I was unhurt, although embarrassed, and a er standing up I realized that I was more or less covered with mud. If we had been going to the beach I wouldn’t have cared but I was wearing “airplane clothes”; clean shorts and a nice bu on-down shirt. I didn’t want to get back into our rental car in that condi on, let alone on an airplane. Somehow I needed to clean up.

I approached the ubiquitous security guard and asked if there was a water tap I could use to wash off. He pointed me toward one and I thanked him. I saw that the tap did not have a hose a ached and I was going to have to clean myself one handful of water at a me. There was nothing to do but start splashing myself off.

by Edmond Alkaslassy over to me carrying a large drinking glass, which I assume was his personal glass that he kept in his kiosk. Without saying a word he began to fill the glass from the tap and carefully pour water on my muddiest spots. Needless to say his help shortened my clean up me considerably. I thanked him, he said it was no problem, and we were soon on our way, wet but clean. We departed feeling warm inside yet again, reminded of the kindness and humanity of the Costa Rican people.

Several weeks before our trip to the ICE office I went surf fishing at Playa Tortuga. I wandered out on the flat at low de to try my luck. I came equipped with the full gringo package: rod, reel, and a bunch of plas c and metal lures. Some Ticos also fish this way but many use a hand line, a weight and a baited hook. I eventually realized that the local methods are probably the most produc ve but on this day I didn’t know any be er.

I saw a man and his kids fishing a few hundred meters down the beach. I like to learn from and meet the locals so I walked toward him. He was a Tico and we quickly developed the camaraderie o en found in fellow anglers. When he saw my equipment he shook his head and offered to help set me up with proper equipment.

He didn’t like any of the lures, hooks or weights I had so he generously rigged me up with his own weights and hooks. He had captured a bucket full of small fish to be used as bait and put a piece of bait on the hook for me (not that I couldn’t do it myself) and told me where to cast. The fun of the fishing increased for both of us: now we each had another person to root for, and the odds of landing a fish had doubled.

Clouds had rolled in and an impressive a ernoon storm had built up. His children and the few other anglers had long since departed a er the storm began; only the two of us remained. We con nued to fish in the dark, windy and rainy weather, unwisely staying out even as lightning bolts streaked across the sky. He had brought a pineapple and cut it up with his machete, offering me several pieces. We laughed at the wild scene we were enjoying together; fishing, completely soaked and ea ng delicious pineapple. Eventually even we had to leave the beach and we parted with a handshake and a smile, a smile that returns to my face whenever I remember that great a ernoon.

I am humbled by the friendship and hospitality these (and many other) Ticos have shown to me, a complete stranger and a very pale-skinned foreigner. I s ll love the biodiversity of Costa Rica but I enjoy the country so much more now that I have shared many happy moments with the amazing people whose country this is.

But I didn’t do it for long. Soon the security guard walked January - February 2013

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El Residente

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Wild Side LXXI

by Ryan Piercy

Cormorant Whether visi ng the coastal marshes or other waters further inland, one may have the benefit of spo ng a Neotropic Cormorant, the only species of its kind to be found locally. The Cormorant is a medium to large sized seabird, some mes called a Shag, depending on loca on.

Most Cormorants are a glossy black (some are gray) and the southern species o en have white underparts.

The local bird, the Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) is some mes called the Olivaceous Cormorant and the adults are mostly gloss black with a small patch of yellow-brown on the throat, while the young will have the white underparts. This par cular Cormorant is medium-sized, reaching up to 64 cm, with male adults weighing up to 1.5 kilograms.

Cormorants appear to be a proud species in the way they stand with their head held high, o en with their neck in an S-shape. They look par cularly royal when their wings are spread. They have a harsh gu ural call, most o en used near their nes ng areas.

In Costa Rica, apart from the Caño Negro district, they can also be commonly found in Tempisque marshes and around the Golfo de Nicoya. Addi onally they can be seen, though less frequently, throughout the country up to 1500 meters. Recently they have been noted to be abundant around Lake Arenal, where it is thought they may be gathering for breeding.

As a waterbird, cormorants swim on the surface, diving to pursue their meals under water. Their diet consists primarily of fish but they also consume crustaceans, tadpoles, frogs, and small insects. When diving they propel themselves along with their feet as they forage for food, staying under between five and fi een seconds. Though they are seabirds, their plumage is not fully waterproof, which leads to them to some mes spread their great wings, with a span up to 100 cm, in the sun to dry.

Neotropic Cormorants are monogamous and will build their nest 30-100 feet up a tree by crea ng a pla orm of s cks, o en gathering in large colonies of up to 400 pairs. Such a community can be seen in Lago Caño Negro. In the nest they will lay up to five eggs, though two hatchlings are the most common. Both sexes will incubate the eggs for 25 to 30 days then, a er hatching, will take turns feeding the younglings un l their independence, around twelve weeks of age.

January - February 2013

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LTG: Merely Players

by Anne e Halle

Enter Stage Le On behalf of the Li le Theatre Group, I would like to express my thanks to ARCR for invi ng LTG to keep the readers of “El Residente” abreast of what is happening in the area of the performing arts in Costa Rica. Through our ar cles, we hope to keep Costa Rican residents apprised of the many different cultural events and entertainments being presented, not only in the Central Valley, but also beyond it.

The Li le Theatre Group, during its long life, has played what has been described as a seminal role in the development of popular theatre in Costa Rica. Its original mandate stated quite clearly that “its purpose was to provide a balanced programme of plays each year for the cultural benefit of those interested in theatre arts. “ In a le er addressed to the Junta Direc va of the Na onal Theatre, just prior to the opening of their first produc on in 1949, the organizing commi ee of Li le Theatre Group offered the following aspira on. “ Although at the present me we are presen ng plays in the English language only, it is hoped that enough English speaking Costa Ricans will become affiliated with the group that, in the not too distant future, the Costa Rican members will be capable of producing some of the very fine plays that have been wri en by Spanish playwrights”.

A swi review of the growth of Costa Rican theatre since 1949 will reveal that the Li le Theatre’s aspira ons were not only met but surpassed.

In 2009 the Group celebrated its 60th anniversary, and s ll it goes on. It has survived earthquakes, financial upheavals, loss of performance spaces, of sets and of costumes to become the oldest con nuously running English-language theatre in Central and South America.

On a wet Saturday a ernoon in 1948 Albert (Bert) E. Williams, a founding member of the group, wandered into the Na onal Theatre and was distressed to see that it was “almost deserted, gloomy, and much rundown.”

The war years and the revolu on had taken their toll on the beau ful building. He resolved to do something to El Residente

bring it back to life, and also to enliven the somewhat dull social scene in the city. People were reluctant to go out at night because the recent revolu on had le some folks a li le trigger happy, and given to engaging in sporadic gunfights, usually in the vicinity of the Na onal Museum, which was then a fortress called” Bella Vista”.

Despite there being a “Toonerville Trolley” style tramcar service that ran from San Pedro, down Avenida Central and Paseo Colon, all the way to the airport, located then on La Sabena, most people preferred to walk to their des na on. A residence close to the Na onal Theatre was a dis nct advantage for those who wished to support the performing arts.

“There were about 200 English speaking people living near San Jose at that me who might have been interested in taking part in theatricals or going to see a play” writes Williams, “ the bigger the cast the smaller the audience, and LTG could only put on a play for one night because there just were not enough people”.

The inaugural produc on was a play by Rose Franken which, before the war, had been a big hit on Broadway. Bert Williams was the director, but finding a cast was not easy. Ralph Bellamy, who just happened to be in San Jose at the me, lent some much needed to encouragement to the fledgling group, and “Claudia “opened to rave reviews on Friday 22nd April 1949.

A young co called Don Jose Trejos courageously took on the role of Fritz in the produc on. “Most of the young men of the town were s ll wandering about in contra uniform and spor ng beards” writes Williams, “and considered ac ng to be too effeminate for them.” Don Jose Trejos was such a success that he was s ll ac ng forty two years later.

In 1991 he received a Best Male Actor award from his Costa Rican peers. It was he who in subsequent years inspired so many young Costa Rican actors and directors to develop the Spanish speaking theatre groups that are so prolific today.

There are many tales to tell of LTG’s checkered history, but the group s ll adheres to its founding principles of being a non -profit organiza on. It relies solely on the unpaid services of theatre devotees. Its aim is to present English speaking theatre for the enjoyment and inspira on of bilingual Costa Ricans and ex patriot residents alike.

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Several charitable organiza ons have benefited from the proceeds of LTG produc ons over the years, and will con nue to do so in the future. LTG also provides valuable opportuni es to students of English to experience the language through the Reader’s Theatre programmed.

In the coming months we hope to reveal more details of our history, as well as provide advance no ce of our future events. We are presently in a state of transi on as we have had to relinquish our beloved theatre home in San Jose. Tetra Laurence Olivier’s owner Don Nicholas Baker, a life member and great benefactor of Li le Theatre Group, has been ren ng his theatre to the group since the Blanche Brown Theatre in Esau had to close its doors in 2008. Due to rising costs and diminishing revenue the LTG must now downsize, and is looking for more affordable premises to rehearse and to store its “bits and pieces”.

LTG s ll hopes to be able to rent the theatre for major produc ons, and is looking forward to holding a Cabaret Night in the Shakespeare Bar early in February 2013.

Also planned is a roman c comedy to open in me to

January - February 2013

celebrate St Valen ne’s Day. This la er event will be part of a fund and awareness raising campaign called “Give Your Heart to LTG”. Jim Theologis, well known ar st and teacher, as well as stalwart supporter and expresident of LTG, has put his considerable talent at LTG’s disposal, and has designed an original “HOT LOVE” logo for T shirts. These T shirts went on sale at the beginning of December 2012 and will remain available throughout 2013. Meanwhile the original artwork, as executed by Mr Theologis, has been framed, and will be the featured prize in an LTG raffle to be drawn on or around St Valen ne’s Day 2013.

A produc on of “God of Carnage” by Yasmina Reza will be coming to San Jose in April 2013. Directed by Noel Montagno, it will feature some of Li le Theatre’s best known actors, including Tom Humes, Lisa De Fuso, and Susan Liang.

LTG welcomes new members, and offers plenty of opportuni es to par cipate both on and off the stage.

If you would like more informa on about The Li le theatre Group please feel free to call Anne e Halle on 8858- 1446, or contact us through the LTG website at www.li letheatregroup.org.

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Costa Rica on the Globe by Ryan Piercy A Kennedy in Costa Rica “We could not feel more at home a thousand miles from the United States than here in Costa Rica.”

Famous words, locally anyhow, from the then President of the United States of America, John F. Kennedy, during his arrival speech to the President of Costa Rica and the public at large in 1963. It is a sen ment that many have definitely found to be true over the decades since it was spoken.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the President’s visit to this country, as well as his un mely demise. In Costa Rica his passing was mourned greatly.

to the capital of San Jose. The crowd went hoarse calling out to him as the seven dignitaries traveled from the Airport at La Sabana to the Na onal Theater where the talks were to be held. Never before, nor since, has there been such a large turnout to welcome a single individual to this small country.

In his opening speech Kennedy stated; “…I come here today not only with the Members of the Congress and the Secretary of State and others, but I come here today with 180 million fellow Americans who want this hemisphere to be free, and who want this hemisphere to be an example to a watching world…”

And the world was watching. For three days his visit greatly exposed Costa Rica and the neighboring countries to the en re world and they were the center of a en on.

A new alliance had been formed, the Alianza para el Progreso. Only five years earlier, Central America had been primarily shipping its raw material out to other countries; trade in the region, as well as manufacture, had almost been non-existent. By joining together the six na ons were combining their resources and energies. New trea es signed over this period had strengthened trade with growth of over 400% in a new Common Market for the region.

It was here in the Na onal Theatre, from March 18th to 20th, that he would meet with six other Presidents, from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, and of course Costa Rica. President Kennedy had been invited to a summit of the Presidents of Central America who wanted to display their progress, reaffirm their common goals, and obtain support, especially in light of recent incidents in Cuba. A major purpose of Kennedy’s visit was to offer support from the United States to the six countries to further assist their economic development and educa onal programs. At the me it was es mated that the USA was ready to earmark two hundred million dollars to raise living standards and finance development projects.

President Kennedy’s welcome here was profound, arriving at the airport in San Jose to be greeted by President Francisco Orlich, along with an es mated quarter million people, nearly one fi h of the country’s inhabitants, turning out to welcome El Amigo Presidente El Residente

A new Central Bank for the region had been created by the six governments, which made large strides in manufacturing capabili es and output in the en re region. Other efforts to provide land and homes for those without, as well as providing medicine to those in need and feeding more than three-quarters of a million hungry children, were being achieved in steady strides.

Addi onal benefits of this Alianza were highly evident in educa on; one was the publica on of 2,250,000 free school texts for 800,000 students, with a goal of free books for every child in the first five grades.

Addi onally, over two years, parents in the region united in their spare me and erected over 3000 schoolrooms and 6000 school teachers were trained, providing their children a benefit they themselves never had.

In a later speech Kennedy said, “To meet this enormous challenge, the peoples of the Americas have fashioned an Alianza para el Progreso, an alliance in which all the 10

“Gracias. I want to express the thanks of all of us to you for having us here today. Occasionally, universi es are regarded as dangerous places for Presidents, and we are grateful to you for your warm welcome to all of us on this occasion. We also want to express our thanks to the people of Costa Rica. Every one of us will go home with the most profound impression of what a strong, vital people can accomplish. And I think that this journey to Costa Rica has illuminated the minds of 180 million people of what a great opportunity and privilege we have to be associated together in our common cause.”

American states have mobilized their resources and energies to secure land for the landless, educa on for those without schools, and a faster rate of economic growth within a society where all can share in the fruits of progress. Here in Central America we have already begun to move towards the goals of the Alianza.”

“You have made enormous strides towards the crea on of a common market of 13 million people. New regional ins tu ons have been created; a central bank has been established; and centralized planning and direc on are going ahead in educa on, finance, and many other fields. I congratulate you on your effort to reestablish an historic unity to meet new needs; and I pledge my Government’s con nued assistance to that great effort.”

The impact of JFK’s visit to this country was profound and long las ng. He was named Meritorious of the Na on, and the Legisla ve Assembly declared him as an Honorary Ci zen on July 31, 1970. Older Costa Ricans today s ll recall his visit which vividly displayed to the world the poten al of Costa Rica and her neighbors.

It brought great poten al benefit for future alliances, trade, and economic growth.

Kennedy’s famous closing words echoed the crowds own shouts; “Viva Costa Rica. Arriba Costa Rica.”

The American President also made a visit to a major social housing development, El Bosque, where he said; “We celebrate here today a great victory, and that is a victory for the human spirit, for these houses, these medical units, these books, are today freeing men and women from centuries of bondage and poverty which has imprisoned their capacity, their happiness and their future. And I am proud, as a ci zen of the United States, to be here in Costa Rica taking part in this great effort.”

The final stop, at the University of Costa Rica, was also highly publicized to the world and his speech there was par cularly memorable. He spoke of the four principles to which the Alliance was commi ed: The right of each na on to self-govern, the right of each individual to poli cal liberty, the right to social jus ce, and the right for each member na on to economic progress with technical means. He finished saying; January - February 2013

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A City Rejuvinated

by Richard Ternouth

San Jose, La Sabana This is the first of a series of ar cles focusing on the dynamic transforma on currently taking place in areas of greater San Jose. The ar cles will briefly look at the history of an area and show how the city is moving forward, not only to provide a con nually a rac ve city to greet the 2 million plus tourists who visit yearly, but to also s mulate re-interest in San Jose itself by its 1.6 million plus residents. First stop, La Sabana.

La Sabana La Sabana is east of Paseo Colon and is comprised of three dis nct residen al and commercial areas. It includes Sabana South (Sabana Sur), Sabana North (Sabana Norte) and Sabana West (Sabana Oueste). Located very close to the center of San Jose, these locales are mostly quiet residen al areas with many cul de sacs.

The core of La Sabana is the La Sabana Metropolitan Park, a sprawling 177 acre area with a 225 year history. Due to its abundant greenery, the park has been referred to as the “The Lungs of San Jose” and can be compared to New York City’s Central Park.

back over 225 years to 1786 when a parish priest, Manuel Antonio Chapuí, donated several plots of land “in order to favor Costa Rican’s interests.” The intent was for the park be a place for the people; a “green space” in the middle of the city.

Through its 225 year history the park has seen many plan ng campaigns developing its characteris c vegeta on. It has also been the home for a horse racing track, the country’s first Interna onal airport, and has had soccer fields, ar ficial lakes, and the original soccer stadium developed as part of the area. It has also been the home to major events such as the visit of the American pilot Charles Lindbergh in 1928, the Mass of Pope John Paul II in 1983, and the 2010 inaugura on of Laura Chinchilla, the first woman to the achieve the presidency of Costa Rica.

The Savannah Interna onal Airport An air show in the park in 1912 led to the growth of commercial avia on in La Sabana, which influenced the progressive use of airplanes and the construc on of hangars. This led to the establishment of Savannah Interna onal Airport in 1936, and for nearly 40 years this ended the greening of La Sabana with the cu ng of trees and draining of the lake to make way for a landing field and an airport terminal.

The airport eventually proved to be inappropriate for interna onal traffic and became used only for domes c flights. It was also under constant poli cal and public ridicule for being too dangerous for the local residents, and was cri cized for having administra ve costs which were deemed to be much too high.

Around the park the area is currently seeing a growth and development explosion. This is mostly a ributed to the construc on of the new Na onal Stadium, which was completed in 2011. Prior to the construc on La Sabana was slowly developing into an a rac ve alterna ve to commercial business in the city core, but s ll close enough to the city to be easily and quickly accessible.

Today we are seeing dynamic growth and development on all sides of the Park where many smaller home sites are being demolished in favor of 10-14 story, high rise residen al condos, with penthouses selling for more than two million dollars.

La Sabana Metropolitan Park - Origin Most of the history of La Sabana involves the park itself.

It was officially inaugurated in 1977, though its origins go El Residente

Consequen ally the current, and much more suitable, site was chosen for the airport and in the mid 1970s the old airport was shut down and La Sabana again became a park for the people. On December 8, 1977, park facili es for public service opened under the theme of “The Savannah for All.” A er the Airport – 1980s to the early 2000s Un l the latest economic boom, La Sabana Park has slowly re-developed itself into what it was originally intended; a place for the people. Trees were again planted and it became a park full of ponds, lovely fountains and playgrounds, an ar ficial lake, and a place for family picnics and events. It also became a home for sports with jogging paths and tracks, Olympic sized swimming pools, a ska ng rink, and various other sports facili es. In May of 1978, the magnificent Costa Rican Art Museum, housed in the building that had been the airport terminal, opened.

During the 1980s through the early 2000s, the surrounding area saw the government build La Controlleria in Sabana 12

South and ICE built its main headquarters in Sabana North.

Commercial developers and companies soon followed with the construc on of the office park Oficentro, behind La Controlleria, and Sco a Bank comple ng its main offices in Sabana North. This brought with it an instant boom of government and commercial employees who needed services such as restaurants, stores, banks, etc.

Not only was the development taking place along the Calle Vieja in Sabana South, but also on many side streets in the Sabana South and Sabana North areas.

announced, construc on began on re-developing the Calle Vieja in Sabana South, east to west. During the road construc on many older businesses closed down.

Once the job was completed in 2011, the upgrade of this formerly narrow street acted as an incen ve for new businesses and residen al development to lay stake in La Sabana. New businesses, along with the new residen al condominium towers, have sprung up on almost every block. Now almost every side street in Sabana South has some of their residents conver ng their homes or garages into cafes, shops, restaurants, hairdresser shops, and other small businesses that provide various services to new residents and workers in the area.

Other new development is also taking place in Sabana West; in front of the stadium and on Pavas Boulevard are new high rise commercial and residen al buildings and MacDonald’s recently opened a new restaurant on Rohrmoser Boulevard.

It Started with the Stadium Most will say that the economic boom we see surrounding La Sabana today is a direct result of the construc on of the 35,000 seat Na onal Stadium of Costa Rica (Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica) which replaced the original Na onal Stadium. It would be the first modern sports and event arena to be built in Central America.

If you have not visited La Sabana recently, we highly encourage you to do so. Sample the fare of the many interna onal restaurants that are now abundant in the area, take in the new architecture, visit The Art Museum or, as many locals s ll like to do, take a walk in La Sabana Park and experience why they s ll call it “The Lungs of San Jose”.

The agreement to construct the stadium was announced as a result of then President Oscar Arias’ first visit to China in October 2007. The Chinese government agreed to finance the construc on of the stadium in its totality, along with its furnishings, and assumed all other construc on costs. Part of the agreement also brought in 800 Chinese laborers to complete the work. The construc on began on March 12, 2009, and was finished in 2011. Since its opening Costa Ricans have been able to enjoy soccer matches in the covered comfort of their new stadium. The stadium will host IFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2014.

As well, the stadium is now the venue for many world class concert events. In the past, due to lack of adequate facili es, such groups and ar sts as Elton John, Shakira, Miley Cyrus, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, and Judas Priest could not be hosted. Now, appearances by these ar sts as well as others of this high, interna onal caliber, are rou ne events; most recently Lady Gaga made history as the largest show ever in Costa Rican history with 31,000 fans in a endance.

Today Almost at the same me the new stadium was January - February 2013

13

A Day in the Life

by Allen Dickenson muffler with one much, much louder.

Some Things are Different in Costa Rica Recently I seem to be making lists of things. Don’t know why that is, maybe it is the coming New Year (this is wri en in December), but here’s one that a empts to cover some of the things many of the guide books and tourism web sites rarely men on about Costa Rica.

Unfortunately, not all paint a fla ering picture, but all are taken from personal observa ons, except where noted. Your mileage may vary.

Light switches operate (or are mounted so that they operate) side-to-side.

Most Tico homes do not have central hot water supplies. The only hot water available in many is in the shower, which is heated by running the water through a shower head connected to a live electric circuit. (These are known as “suicide” shower heads.)

Ticos use cabbage like North Americans use iceberg le uce. A typical hot dog is dressed with catsup, mayonnaise, and shredded cabbage. Mustard is rare but not impossible to find.

Ticos like odd angles in construc on, some mes ending up with rooms with weird shapes and very ght-angle corners.

Local police have no jurisdic on over common traffic offenses such as speeding, ignoring stop signs, passing on the right, illegal parking, or exceeding noise limits, to name some of the more commonly seen infrac ons.

It is some mes cheaper to buy smaller por ons of some items rather than larger quan es, ie: two half-gallon cartons of milk are cheaper than one one-gallon jug; four, separate quarter-pound s cks of bu er or margarine are cheaper than a one-pound package. (Although these two examples are dairy products, the concept also applies to other types of common items.) In other cases there is no discount for buying a larger quan ty. Laundry soap is an example: a 1,500 gram bag may cost the same per gram as a 2,500 gram bag.

Many Ticos love loud. The first thing many will do a er buying a car, motorcycle, or ATV is to replace the stock El Residente

A traffic signal’s green light will flash several mes before changing to yellow.

The metric system is the usual measuring standard (but not always.)

Though the country’s longitude would logically seem to put it in the Eastern U.S. me zone (San Jose is almost due south of Miami) the me zone used is the same as the central US. Daylight Savings Time is not used.

The Colon, the na onal currency of Costa Rica, is some mes referred to as Pesos or Plata.

Most secondary and many primary roads have no curbs; the pavement frequently ends at the edge of a deep ditch. Some mountain roads, even those with serious drops of hundreds of feet within a foot or two of the road’s edge, o en have no guard rails.

Most stores that sell light bulbs have a test socket, usually located at the check-out counter. When purchasing a light bulb the cashier will take the bulb out of its package and test it in the socket to assure it works before it is taken it out of the store.

The gravel that’s used on unimproved roads is different from the crushed rock used in North America. Costa Rican gravel is more round, without the jagged edges that dig into the substrate, and will roll and slide, even when dry. This can make unpaved roads “slick” (and especially so when wet.)

Cars, busses, trucks, motorcycles . . . nobody slows down around school zones, no ma er how narrow the street, how many cars are parked along the sides, or how many children/mothers/ dogs/school bags/or bicycles are gathered around the school gates or standing in the street.

Interest rates for Costa Rican bank credit cards can be as high as 50%, and in-house, private credit plans can reach 119%. (According to an ar cle published in the on-line newspaper, AM Costa Rica, 26/8/2011.)

Dates are shown Day / Month / Year (May 18, 1943 will be 18/5/43, for example.)

Buildings are o en constructed right up to the edge of the property lines, very close to right-of-ways, even on street corners, making visibility for cars entering from cross streets difficult, even perilous.

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Although Costa Rica promotes itself as an environmental and ecologically conscien ous country, many members of the popula on haven’t go en the message; it is not uncommon to see bags of trash (of all kinds) casually disposed of at the side of the road or in streams and rivers.

There are no public school busses. “School busses” are privately owned, usually nine- twelve- or fi eenpassenger mini-vans which the families pay to pick-up and deliver their children to / from school. They usually are not yellow.

Costa Rica is a democra c country. The legal system, however, is not based on Common Law (as it is in Canada, England, or the United States) but is pa erned on Civil Law (some mes called the Napoleonic Code) whose origin dates back to Roman mes. The result is that many seemingly simple legal issues are handled much differently and can be subject to much more complicated and me-consuming processes.

Although vegetables, like le uce, are fresher and be er tas ng, intes nal parasites think so too. (It’s advisable to wash them in a bleach/water solu on before consuming.)

Gasoline is sold by the liter. One liter equals 0.26 US gallons, so one gallon is 3.79 liters. (Mul ply the number of liters by 3.79 to obtain the number of gallons. Divide the result by the current exchange rate to obtain the dollar price per gallon.)

One can make a “collect” call from public pay phones.

If you don’t have the coins, simply call the number and the recipient will be asked if they will accept the call (in Spanish, of course.)

Most residence doors do not have weather stripping around them, leaving gaps large enough that bugs, some mes even small animals, can enter (or leave) the house.

Lemons are green on the outside, not yellow. But the flesh inside is yellow.

Wri en figures use a decimal point to denote places rather than a comma. Eg: $10,000. vs. ¢10.000. The dollar sign is used interchangeably for dollars and colones.

Ticos like to back into parking spaces. Even though it can be more difficult and take longer, it is a popular choice. At the same me, most have no idea of how to parallel park.

At night the local police may drive through neighborhoods with the red and blue strobe lights atop their vehicle on and flashing. Some will also burp their siren occasionally.

Due to frequent counterfei ng, Costa Rican money (bills) is not blindly trusted. Therefore, it is standard prac ce for a cashier to take an offered bill, even the smallest denomina ons, and hold it to the light to check for the watermark or feel for the braille dots included on all real bills.

This is by no means a comprehensive list, but, it does enumerate some of the commonly encountered differences. Feel free to add your own.

Many homes in Costa Rica have resident geckos. These are small, harmless lizards that eat bugs and chirp.

(None will try to sell you car insurance.)

A month’s supply of a prescrip on drug will not usually come loose in a bo le; the pills are individually packaged in plas c bubbles on sheets and have to be individually pushed out through a foil backing.

Allen Dickinson is a member of ARCR. A er serving 23 years in the US Navy he se led in Pensacola, Florida, where he resided for 24 years. In 2006 he re red from opera ng his own licensed mortgage brokerage business and relocated to Costa Rica. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of the State of New York and a Master of Arts degree from the University of West Florida. He can be reached via email at: allen@humphree.net.

Regular, weekly church services are o en not conducted on Sundays, but are held on Saturdays (though they can, and do, happen on any other week day also.)

Cigare es are not sold in so packs; only crushproof boxes.

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Costa Rica Living

by Judy Timson

Atenas: Some Like it Hot. or Spicy?

Have you ever been to a Chili Cook Off in Costa Rica?

Whether you have or haven’t, you will not want to miss this year’s Sixth Annual Charity Chili Cook Off event held in Atenas on February 10th. This event has grown from two or three chili teams to almost 30 chili teams. It now boasts over 1000 a endees from all of Costa Rica and even outside the country. The beauty of this event is that it helps in making a difference for a local children’s home here in Atenas.

The History of the Atenas Charity Chili Cook Off Chili Cook Offs are neither new nor unique in any country, but we think our Atenas Chili Cook Off is hard to beat! In 2006, Kay & Tom Costello, owners of one of Atenas’s most popular ex-pat community hangouts, Kay’s Gringo Postres, held the first-ever Chili Cook Off where a few chili teams par cipated at their Café for a cause. Where once it was a rela vely modest event, this Chili Cook Off has grown significantly and has moved to a beau ful new park, Quinta Romavista, which a racts cooks and chili fans from all over the world! It is one of the biggest events here in Atenas – and certainly one that offers fun, great food, entertainment, raffle prizes galore and much, much more – all while helping to make a difference here in our community!

Hogar de Vida: Making a Difference One Child at a Time Quite simply, the Atenas Charity Chili Cook Off is making a difference one child at a me! The proceeds from this event go to support Hogar de Vida – a local childrens home in Atenas. The home offers a ray of hope for children in need by providing a refuge for children ages birth to ten, with up to 35 children are living there at a me.

Many of the children come from poverty condi ons, have been abandoned or come from abusive situa ons – including sexual, physical or emo onal abuse. Its mission is to give love, protec on and a subs tute family for these at-risk children. Its goal is to meet the children’s El Residente

needs by offering a stable home environment, providing good nutri on, a founda on for educa on, and offering trustworthy authority figures and spiritual training.

This Chris an-based organiza on not only offers hope and love, it offers the children an opportunity to build a founda on of faith to help support them throughout their life me.

Founders Tim & Dena Stromstad opened Hogar de Vida in 1995 a er founding a Guatemalan home for children in the early 90’s. It started with one small home and has now grown to three homes, supervised by experienced and loving “Tias” or aun es. This home provides around the clock, 365 days a year care. Tim and Dena live on the property and oversee all opera ons there.

Only about 35% of their budget is secured from the Costa Rican government, while the remaining 65% comes directly from dona ons. As with any non-profit, it can be a challenge to meet budget needs year to year, which is why our Atenas Charity Chili Cook Off is so important to them. We are determined this year’s Atenas Charity Chili Cook Off will raise the most money yet – we would like to double what was raised last year and give at least $10,000.

Addi onally, this year’s support is more cri cal than ever because of a recent break-in to the Hogar de Vida property; approximately $10,000 was taken in equipment, electronics and money. The funds collected at the Atenas Charity Chili Cook Off will go to help off-set this loss.

Come one, come all – got a flair as a chili chef? Think you have the best chili? Sign up as a Chili Team. Interested in sponsoring our event and ge ng recogni on as a community contributor? Would you like to volunteer on the day of event? We’ll make it a great experience for you. Or, just interested in coming out and having a fun day of trying out various chilis (and you can vote for your favorite chili), enjoying our food and beverage (hot dogs, chili dogs, potato salad, baked beans, desserts by Kay’s Gringo Postres, ice cream and, as always, a beer garden), listening/dancing to the music, book sales, mechanical bull riding, face pain ng, swimming, etc.

We will have some fabulous raffle prizes, too – King for a Day, Queen for a Day, Weekend Beach Getaway, Gourmet Basket, etc. You will not want to miss our Sixth Annual Charity Chili Cook Off on Sunday, February 10th from 11am to 4pm.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.atenaschilicookoff.com 16

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Alcoholics Anonymous Groups meet daily throughout the country; mes and places change frequently. Call for up-to-date informa on. San José 2222-1880 (Anchor club, also serves Narco cs Anonymous) Av 6 Calle 1, 2nd floor Maryland Building. Heredia (Laura) 2267-7466, Puerto Viejo Limon 2750-0080, Zancudo 2776-0012, Tamarindo 2653-0897, Flamingo (Don) 2654- 4902, Manuel Antonio (Jennifer) 2777-1548, Jacó (Nancy) 2637-8824, Zoo Group Escazu 2293-4322. Grecia (Jay) 2494-0578. Southern Zone, mee ngs in English & Spanish, 8634-9241.

Al-Anon Mee ngs Al-Anon Family Group is for all family and friends of Alcoholics.

Mee ngs are at the Interna onal Bap st Church, 2nd floor, Saturday morning 10:30, located on the pista toward Santa Ana between the Mul plaza and Guachepelin exits. For informa on in English, please call Ken 2288-0317 and Rosemary 8993-1762; For Spanish please call Chris ne 8840-4658. Also in Grecia on Tuesdays at noon (English), contact Cheryl at 2444-1515.

American Legion Post 10- Escazu The oldest and largest American Legion Post in Costa Rica meets at 12 noon on the first Wednesday of each month at Club Cubano in Guachipelin. For informa on and map, go to the website at amlegioncr10.com/met_loc.html, or call John Moran at 22321680.

American Legion Post 12- Golfito Mee ngs are held 4 pm 1st Tuesday every month at Banana Bay Marina. The Golfito GOVETS have been helping Southern Costa Rica for over 20 years. Contact Pat O’Connell at walkergold@yahoo.com or 8919-8947, or Mel Goldberg at 8870-6756.

American Legion Post 16- Goicochea Mee ngs are the second Wednesday of the month in the Hotel of the Hospital Clinica Catolica. Lunch at 11:30 and the mee ngs at 12:30 Contact Jim Young at 2524-1265.

American Legion Auxiliary The Legion Auxiliary meets the Second Saturday of each month, at 1300 hoiurs in Moravia. Contact Doris Murillo 2240-2947.

Bird Watching Club The Birding Club of Costa Rica sponsors monthly trips to observe local and migrant birds in various areas of the country. For more informa on contact us at costaricabirding@hotmail.com Canadian Club The Canadian Club of Costa Rica welcomes everyone to join us for our monthly luncheons, and at our special annual events, like our Canada Day Celebra on, no passport required. For informa on visit our website: www.canadianclubcr.com Democrats Abroad Democrats Abroad meets on the last Saturday of every month at the Aurola Holiday Inn, San Jose. Contact Nelleke Bruyn, 22793553, e-mail cr.democratsabroad@yahoo.com. Join Democrats Abroad at www.democratsabroad.org. Register to vote absentee at VoteFromAbroad.org!

Li le Theatre Group LTG is the oldest con nuously running English-language theatre in Central or South America. The group currently puts on a minimum of four produc ons a year offering a choice of modern, classic,

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serious, and farcical plays. The group’s monthly social mee ngs are held in the theatre on the first Monday of the month from 7p.m. to 9 p.m. and everyone is welcome. Membership: Student C2,500, Adult: C5000, Family: C8000. Also, earn your Wings, become an LTG Angel.

For more informa on Call the LTG Box Office 8858-1446 or www.li letheatregroup.org Marine Corps League Meets at 11am the 2nd Saturday of every month, at Tres Hermanas Rest. big bull statue in front. On service road opposite Hospital Mexico on the autopista. Call Bill Enell at 8812-0126.

Newcomer’s Club Newcomers Club of Costa Rica (for women) meets the first Tuesday of every month, September through May. September mee ng will be an interest fair. Contact: 2416-1111 costaricaporo@yahoo.com or h p://www.newcomersclubofcostarica.com PC Club of Costa Rica This computer Club meets on the third Saturday of each month at Pan American school, in Belen, 830 to 11:30 am. Two months Free Trial for newcomers. For informa on call Chuck Jennings.

Phone 2266-0123 www.pcclub.net Republican’s Abroad Republicans Abroad meets the third Monday of the month at 11: 00 am at Beso’s Restaurant in Sabana Sur. Contact Dick Macauley at 2439-2897 or dickmacauley@yahoo.com.

Radio control Sailing Club Meets at Sabana Park Lake. For informa on contact Walter Bibb.

Wwbbsurf40@yahoo.com Wine Club of Costa Rica Please mark your calendars. The wine club usually meets at 1 P.M. on the last Sunday of each month. Join us to tantalize your taste buds and expand your educa on. For more informa on on upcoming events please contact us. Phone 2279-8927, 2257-2223 Women’s Club of Costa Rica The Women’s Club of Costa Rica is the oldest, con nuously opera ng, philanthropic organiza on for English-speaking women in Costa Rica. Founded in 1940, WCCR now includes over 250 members represen ng 25 countries worldwide, drawn together by the mo o: Friendship through Service. The Club a racts fascina ng women who are interested in serving community needs in Costa Rica, par cularly focused on children’s educa on while, at the same me, making deep, meaningful, personal rela onships.

Along with its philanthropic fundraising ac vi es, WCCR also hosts regular lunches, teas and many special interest groups, including a Professional Women’s Group. Guests are welcome and further informa on and a calendar of planned events can be found at www.wccr.org Women’s Interna onal League for Peace and Freedom (open to men too) Bilingual group meets in Heredia on the first Wednesday of the month at 10 a.m. in the clinic of Mireya Gonzalez. We work on peace and human rights issues. Call Mitzi 2433-7078 or write peacewomen@gmail.com Veterans of Foreign Wars: Post 11207 No-host lunch at 12 noon in the Club Colonial Casino dining area, mee ng at 1:30 pm on the second floor. All members are welcome plus veterans who served overseas may join. Call Bob Sempell at 2588-1475.

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January - February 2013

19

Health Care

by Dr. Esteban Ocampo

A New Way to Smile: Dental Implants

Dental implants stop this process and appear and work just like natural teeth.

Over the past few years, the development of dental implants has allowed them to become a predictable, simplified and safe resource. This treatment is being increasingly requested by pa ents and is considered an ideal treatment by specialists.

On the other hand, they are more comfortable, avoiding the inconveniences of par al and total removable prosthe cs, which must sit on the gum and maxillary bone. Over me, the bone is reduced and the fit is altered, with loss of stability. In addi on to the discomfort, the gum is irritated.

Dental implants are ar ficial subs tutes for missing teeth. A er a bone integra on (osseointegra on) period, the implant will serve as an anchor for the new tooth, 2 to 6 months later.

Another advantage is improved speech, as the pa ent can talk more naturally and confidently.

Recently, implants went from being a part of restora ve clinical den stry to a major treatment alterna ve in the absence of natural teeth. This has led to a big change in the planning and treatment sequence of any oral rehabilita on, offering a number of opportuni es and possibili es, both in the absence of a single tooth and in the lack of several or all of the teeth.

The use of this resource has become generalized in current den stry. Even in cases of large tooth lesions with periodontal support impairment, the validity of its maintenance must be carefully analyzed. Depending on the short- term (5- year) prognosis, a solu on of subs tu ng teeth for implants is o en cheaper, faster and longer- las ng.

It is the specialist´s job to present and discuss with the pa ent the different restora on op ons applicable in each case. From a preven ve standpoint, the use of dental implant can prevent the prepara on of natural teeth, ensuring less damage, less risk of overburden on remaining teeth, and a be er long- term prognosis.

Moreover, oral implant specialists must prefer the more durable plan.

Dental implant solu ons are o en far superior in terms of func on, comfort and esthe c, when compared to results obtained with conven onal methods. This has been confirmed in numerous mul -center trials.

The specialist must make a thorough clinical assessment of important aspects, to determine whether a pa ent is a candidate for dental implant therapy. These include systemic diseases like hypertension and diabetes, bone volume, whether the pa ent smokes, is an alcoholic, or suffers from any periodontal disease. Each case must be assessed before the implant treatment.

Advantages: The advantages of dental implants are manifold, including an improved appearance, as loss of teeth makes facial bones lose volume and give an aged look to the face.

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In the best- case scenario, people with total prosthe cs eat with only 15- 20% of the chewing efficacy of people with natural teeth. Over me, the maxillary is reduced and chewing efficacy becomes even lower and makes it hard to eat certain foods. Dental implants can restore chewing efficacy up to a level similar to that of natural teeth, allowing the pa ent to enjoy food.

Implants give pa ents more self- confidence, as they will not need to cover their mouth to laugh or smile for fear of showing missing teeth or fear of their dentures falling out, greatly improving their self- esteem and confidence in their own appearance. Dental implants eliminate the need for modifica on of filing of healthy teeth, leading to a more conserva ve and esthe c restora on.

Whether because of injury, disease, or cavi es, any person who has lost one or several teeth can benefit from implants, as long as they s ll have enough healthy gum and bone. Whether only one tooth is missing of if all of them are, there are implant solu ons that can be sa sfactory, recovering func on and preven ng further bone loss. Some people believe that their age prevents them from enjoying the advantages of dental implants.

However, the most important factor is health: if they meet the requirements for a dental extrac on, they probably also have what it takes for implant placement.

Contraindica on: Some chronic diseases can contraindicate treatment with dental implants. A er a careful assessment of your medical and dental history, the specialist will decide if you are the right candidate.

Research has shown that dental implants have a success rate of over 95% in mul ple studies.

Care: It is important to point out that, as with natural teeth, good oral hygiene is one of the most important factors for dental preserva on. Regular check- ups are very important to assess the health of implants and gums.

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January - February 2013

21

Dollars & $ense

by Alan Weeks

Ingenuity Drives New Technological Breakthroughs TECHNOLOGY tends to cascade into the marketplace in waves, one journalist (1) observed. Think of personal computers in the 1980s, the Internet in the 1990s and smartphones in the last five years.

There are at least five stages in a Product Adop on Lifecycle. (4) Stage one is the basic Idea or Inven on. As Thomas Edison once said: “inven on is 10% inspira on and 90% perspira on.” In other words, inven on requires both ingenuity as well as much perseverance.

Behind the seeming explosion, experts say, is a process of technology evolu on and that technological advances o en evolve in periodic spurts. Thus, it typically takes years of progress before there is a commercial technological breakthrough. “Even in Silicon Valley, it takes most technologies 20 years to become over-night successes.”

However, many things have been invented that have not had significant commercial value. And, it is reported that even innova ve leaders have overlooked the commercial significance of new products. For example, “Thomas Edison turned down the radio because it had no commercial value; Western Union turned down the telephone because management thought ‘it will never be more than a toy’; Thomas J. Watson Sr., founder and head of IBM, turned down the computer; and Kodak turned down the Xerox copier.” (5)

The journalist (1) contends that the economy and human progress are fueled and powered by energy. And, while the physical energy of fossil fuels and new technological breakthroughs with fracking in the US are certainly important; what ul mately powers the economy are ideas. He thinks there are more ideas swirling around on the planet now than ever before in human history, and we should eagerly an cipate that ongoing technological advances will improve the quality of our lives and make them more interes ng.

The 2nd Stage in product adop on has been called the Chasm. An idea or inven on o en languishes for a period before some entrepreneur perceives it has poten al commercial value. Furthermore, in many cases, it can take a convergence of technologies before many products are able to func on sa sfactorily for widespread usage; a point called the Technology Trigger.

However, other professionals (2) (3) are becoming increasingly concerned about how technological advances are destroying jobs, even middle-class ones. As one well-respected economic journalist (2) stated recently: “I think that in the next 40 to 50 years we will see massive gains in manufacturing output without an accompanying large increase in manufacturing jobs.”

Another journalist, (3) with a focus on Europe stated: “Tech is driving nails into coffins of Europe’s weak economies”. And, “as digital revolu on gains in importance, job destruc on everywhere among lowskilled workers seems on the verge of being repeated among white-collar jobs”.

This serious concern about future jobs will be delved into later.

TECHNOLOGICAL INVENTION & ADVANCEMENT There seems to be “an inevitable, inexorable, and incremental march of technological improvement that con nues steadily even during recessions and depressions.” It has been said that: “necessity is the mother of inven on.” Perhaps, ingenuity is sparked when employment prospects are the weakest.

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In the sequence of stages in product lifecycles, the early adaptors of new technological products are o en tech “geeks”. And, as more early adaptors become enthusias c about the new tech product, they tend to hype it. This can create a surge of inflated expecta ons.

Because most product lifecycles then enter a period called the trough of disillusionment; this is usually not a good me to invest.

As the number of adaptors increases significantly, the next stage is called the Slope of Enlightenment. And, even as products or services begin to gain widespread acceptance, the sales of only a few, rela vely unique ones, start growing by annualized rates of 20 to 30%.

Companies marke ng a high growth product or service with good profit margins now or with scale, are the ones worth reviewing for poten al investment.

The final stage in a product’s lifecycle has been called the Plateau of Produc vity. At this stage, unless the Company is star ng to offer good dividends, it may be me to cash in.

Ingenuity Drives Technological Breakthroughs in 2012 1. ROBOTICS (6) Robo cs is not a new industry; any autoworker can 22

a est to that. For many years, public imagina on was fired by visions of a world where robots replaced most human labor in every factory and warehouse. But the growth of industrial robo cs over the decades, while steady, has been slower than expected.

Although we have seen adver sing for types of home service robots to vacuum floors, clean eaves-troughs, and cut lawns, the commercial applica ons are “where the rubber is really mee ng the road today”. The key innova on that led to the successful applica on of commercial service robots was the addi on of sensors for self-guidance. These specialized guidance sensors were originally developed for the military. (a) Medical Service Robo cs The growth rate of medical robo cs has been astounding and, as uptake from hospitals has skyrocketed, stock values of the companies involved have soared. One of the medical service robots developed, called The Tug, has already been employed in over 100 hospitals to roam the halls dispensing medicines to pa ents as needed. It can share the hallways safely with doctors and pa ents alike, works around the clock, and makes no costly mistakes (at least not unless a human plugs in the wrong instruc ons.) In addi on, Tug doesn’t mind delivering meals or linens as well; whatever it is programmed to do. (b) The Kiva Systems These industrial service robots operate in a warehouse exactly the opposite way from how it works today.

Instead of people driving around forkli s, when not on breaks, in order to pick stuff off vast networks of sta onary shelves, the shelves drive around and bring products to the people who load up boxes and fill trucks.

In this way, manpower in a warehouse can be reduced to a small frac on of what is needed today.

Is it any wonder then why Amazon.com bought Kiva out for a few 100 million dollars?

2. SOLAR CELLS (7) (a) 3D Solar Cells Solar3D, Inc. is developing a breakthrough 3-dimensional solar cell technology to maximize the conversion of sunlight into electricity. Currently, a lot of incident sunlight is reflected off the surface of conven onal solar cells as well as inside the solar cell materials. Inspired by light management techniques used in fiber op c devices, its innova ve solar cell technology u lizes a 3-D design to trap sunlight inside a structure where photons bounce around un l they are converted into electrons.

And, an innova ve wide-angle light collec on feature January - February 2013

on the cell surface collects the sunlight over a range of angles during the day. This next genera on solar cell will be much more efficient and the lower cost should make solar power affordable for the world. (b) Solar Windows Making use of the world’s smallest func onal organic solar cells, which measure less than ¼ the size of a grain of rice, it has been shown to successfully produce electricity on see-through glass for commercial applica on in homes, offices, and commercial buildings.

3. THREE “UNBELIEVABLE” BIOTECH BREAKTHROUGHS (8) (a) Stem Cell Medicine To emphasize how advanced stem cell medicine really is, the writer provided a video, slightly looped, of his fully rejuvenated heart cells bea ng in a flask in a lab.

He then described how the researchers took his own old skin cells and made them young again by reac va ng the telomerase gene and converted them to iPS cells iden cal to the embryonic cells he came from. And, using his own cells, he could receive them via transfusion without triggering an immune response.

The iPS technology obviously opens up vast poten al to treat medical condi ons by restoring cells to youthful health. These condi ons range from joint problems and blindness to heart disease and diabetes. Eventually, it should be possible to rejuvenate and extend the life span of every cell in our bodies. (b) The SP100 Gene Discovery This discovery emerged a er exhaus ve gene c analysis and comparison of proteins expressed by ac ve genes in hundreds of cell lines, both cancerous and normal. Many genes not previously associated with cancer were discovered, which led to a radically new diagnos c technology. Like PSAs and other single cancer diagnos cs, this new test requires only a drop of blood and a biochip; but will allow extremely precise diagnosis of most if not all major cancers.

The writer believes this inexpensive pan-cancer diagnos c will enable inexpensive and early detec on of many cancers that currently develop into lifethreatening malignancies. This, in turn, will significantly reduce cancer mortality rates and costs. (c) The World’s First Nano-Medicine This writer also described the first oral nano-medicine that is expected to cure Influenzas. He reported that scien sts have iden fied ligands that a ract specific 23

viruses. (As background informa on, ligands are extraordinary molecules essen al to life.) With the knowledge that invading viruses use specific ligands to iden fy and a ach to their target cells and then enter and “hack” the cells’ DNA to mul ply.

The scien sts have iden fied the ligands that a ract specific viruses. These biochemists then exploited the natural atomic-scale tools and used them to produce precise submicroscopic synthesized polymer Virus Traps to which they a ached huge numbers of these ligands.

Then, when the viruses force their way into the polymer structure and a empt to “hack” it as they would a living cell, with no genome to exploit, the viruses are disassembled harmlessly.

Finally, the following quote shows the need for investors as well as those in medical need, to temper their op mism: “Our medical scien sts are great. It’s the bureaucracy that’ll kill you.”

4. ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING (3D Prin ng) (8) “Print a Jet Engine,” the phrase used to confirm how seriously some companies are taking addi ve manufacturing, came in November when GE Avia on, part of the world’s biggest manufacturing group, bought Morris Technologies, a small privately-owned precisionengineering firm in Ohio. This firm has invested heavily in 3D prin ng equipment and will be prin ng bits for a new range of jet engines.

The 3D prin ng machines are in produc on using a digital descrip on of an object to build it in physical form, layer by layer. Among the 3D prin ng technologies used is laser sintering. This involves spreading a thin layer of metallic powder onto a build pla orm and then fusing the material with a laser beam. The process is repeated un l an object emerges. Laser sintering is capable of producing all kinds of metal parts, including components made from aerospace-grade tanium.

It is thought that addi ve manufacturing technology is now good enough to be used to make produc on items and without the need for tradi onal economies of scale, it will overturn many of the economics of produc on.

Furthermore, prin ng parts saves both material and labor. Instead of machining components from solid metal, only the material needed to shape the part is used. Printed parts can also be made lighter, which promises fuel savings. However, the most a rac ve feature is that designs can be quickly changed, so the technology enables flexible produc on and mass customiza on.

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GE sees the purchase as an investment in an important new manufacturing technology. “Our ability to develop state-of-the-art manufacturing processes for emerging materials and complex design geometry is cri cal to our future.” And, because product innova on will increasingly go hand-in-hand with manufacturing innova on, proximity of produc on and R&D will ma er more.

WHITHER THE FUTURE OF JOBS The skep cs argue that technology has exhausted its growth-enhancing poten al, that innova on is now mostly about social media, entertainment and silly games, with no ability to boost living standards. With each technological advance more and more goods and services are produced by fewer and fewer people. In isola on; that drives down costs; and standards-ofliving have soared.

But what does that mean looking ahead? Will there be any jobs le ? If so where?

Working Age Popula on vs. Projected Jobs (2) In a Chart from the author’s presenta on he shows the predic on that the gap between US working age popula on and Jobs will con nue to widen. Moreover, he states “the problem is …I think my projec on is way too op mis c, because … I think we ain’t seen nothing yet when it comes to technology.”

A Hollow Powerhouse (2) The author reviewed the con nual complaint that US manufacturing has been “hollowed out.” Where manufacturing jobs once were ckets to the middleclass lifestyle, there are now fewer and fewer such jobs available. Indeed, a FED chart shows that manufacturing jobs are down almost 40% from the peak in 1978 and back to roughly where they were during World War II. Furthermore, we’re in the midst of a perfect storm: a Great Recession that has caused a sharp increase in unemployment and a Great Inflec on; a merger of the informa on technology revolu on and globaliza on that is simultaneously wiping out many decent-wage, middle-skilled jobs, which were the founda on of our middle class, and replacing them with decent-wage, high-skilled jobs. Every decent-paying job today takes more skill, more ingenuity, and more educa on, but too many Americans aren’t ready.

As one HR leader (11) put it: “Our path to success relies on our will to get it done.” And, “It will take genuine 24

collabora on between business leaders, academics and the government to push for a change in how we collec vely approach our labour challenges.”

However, I believe that it is primarily up to the parents, schools, and local community leaders to become much more pro-ac ve to get kids thinking about their own future place in the world. Only then, can the adults provide encouragement and guidance about the need to acquire more specific skills to match up with their kids’ own natural abili es and interests.

WHAT ABOUT THE SKILLED LABOR SHORTAGE?

(12)

Without having a good source on the skilled jobs shortages in the US to refer to, a new Canadian report is being cited, believing that the US should be experiencing very similar issues.

This new report on Canada’s job market, just released

by CIBC World Markets, indicated that 30% of the country’s businesses face a skilled labor shortage, which is double the rate seen in early 2010. The report also showed there is a growing divide in Canada’s job market between have and have not occupa ons.

technology has exhausted its growth-enhancing poten al, that innova on is now mostly about social media, entertainment and silly games, with no ability to boost living standards. However, social media could and should also be used by indebted BA graduates who have found no jobs, other than being waiters, baristas or the like, to warn younger genera ons of the need to acquire specific skills to be er match the evolving demand for Jobs.

CONCLUSION As has happened in the past, technological innova on is expected to con nue making more jobs redundant.

But we believe it will create new ones and, if the impact on global growth is as strong as expected, it will certainly create more jobs overall. But strong individual and community involvement as well as an adap ve educa on system will be needed to ensure that the supply of skills matches the evolving demand.

Please note that the opinions expressed in this ar cle are solely those of the writer. For more informa on and reference details, please contact Alan Weeks by email: imccr2002@yahoo.com

The largest skill shortage across the country was found in health-related occupa ons, the mining industry, advanced manufacturing and business services. Put together, those occupa ons account for 21% of total employment in Canada. “The average unemployment rate of this pool of occupa ons is just over 1% and their wages are now rising by an average annual rate of 3.9%; more than double the rate seen in the economy as a whole.”

“Obviously when you look at the occupa ons you can see where Alberta is missing. It’s really things that are related to the oilsands, such as Engineers & Heavy machinery operators.” “We’re even star ng to see the impact of a skilled IT worker shortage here in Alberta,” said one industry VP Opera ons. “Not enough Albertans are choosing Informa on Technology as a career path, which is leaving unfilled employment opportuni es that are cri cal to economic growth.”

There has been an increased focus on appren ceship as a possible solu on to the chronic shortage in skilled trades. However, despite recent program improvements, the number of cer ficates granted to appren ces is s ll a frac on of the overall size of the skilled trades’ labour pool.

As men oned earlier, the skep cs argue that January - February 2013

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Exchange rate of the Costa Rican ¢ to the US Dollar June July August September October November

503.58 505.98 503.22 503.31 503.24 503.17

Basic Interest Rate June July August September October November

9.75 % 10.25 % 10.50 % 10.50 % 10.25 % 9.50 %

Exchange rate of other currencies to the US Dollar Giro Canadian Dollar Euro Swiss Franc Nicaraguan Cordoba Danish Krone Norwegian Kroner Swedish Krona Honduran Lempira Bri sh Pound Argen ne Peso Columbian Peso Mexican Peso Dominican Peso Brazilian Real Guatemalan Quetzal Korean Won Japanese Yen Venezuelan BolĂ­var Hong Kong Dollar Taiwan Dollar Bolivian Peso Chilean Peso Russian Rouble Peruvian Sol Polish Zloty Australian Dollar Chinese Yuan Libor Rate

1 month 3 month 6 month 12 month Prime Rate

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1,53481 0.99360 1.29830 0.92820 24.02100 5.74580 5.68250 6.66840 19.80000 1.60040 4.38130 1,815.35000 12.92970 40.12500 2.10760 7.89250 1,082.85000 82.68000 4.29470 7.75010 29.05400 6.96000 480.36000 30.91330 2.57780 3.16330 1.04070 6.22660

0.21450 % 0.31050 % 0.52600 % 0.86000 % 3.25 %

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Holidays of Costa Rica Tuesday, Jan 1st New Year’s Day - Na onal holiday ARCR Closed Thurs/Fri, March 28th, 29th Easter - Na onal holiday ARCR Closed Mar 23rd - 31st A Touch of Wisdom “All the world’s a stage.�

- William Shakespeare (1564-1616) “Be slow in choosing a friend, slower s ll in changing.�

- Ben Franklin (1706-1790) “Enough is as good as a feast.�

- Mallory (1470) A Bit of Fun...

There cannot be a crisis today; my schedule is already full.

Borrow money from pessimiststhey don’t expect it back.

As a computer, I find your faith in technology amusing.

'&+%#- 3511-8 31'%+#-+343 +/ 034# +%# 3+/%'

Ostomy -'#3' %0/4#%4 53 #4

052 3402' /5.$'2 02 %0/4#%4 052 #/#)'2 Wound Care &+2'%4-8 #4 02 (02 120('33+0/#- 3'26+%'3 %#-- 53 #4 52 '.#+- #&&2'33 +3 +/(0 #4-#/4+%#.'&+%#- %0. #/& 052 3402' +3 Incontinence %0/6'/+'/4-8 -0%#4'& /'#2 4*' 031+4#- # #49-+%# "' #-30 0:'2 *0.'

Dermacosmetics 6+3+4#4+0/ 3'26+%+'3 ( 805 #2' %0/%'2/'& #$054 35/$52/ 31043 12'.#452' #)+/) #/& '6'/ 3,+/ %#/%'2 +/ 034# +%# 1204'%4 80523'-( 7+4* 777 +(% 31#+/ %0. 120&5%403 *'-+0%#2' +3 4*' .034 #&6#/%'& /#452#- 1*040 +..5/01204'%4+0/ 35/3%2''/ +/ 4*' 702-& #/& 7#3 &'6'-01'& #4 #26#2& '&+%#- !%*00- ! #4 052 3402' 40 #-- #/& 4*'+2 (#.+-8 .'.$'23 52%*#3' #/& 2'%'+6' # &+3%05/4 0/ 8052 152%*#3'

AtlĂĄntica Medical Supply Company

Nothing in the known universe travels faster than a bad check.

What do you call a handcuffed man? - Trustworthy.

What’s the quietest place in the world? The complaint department at the parachute packing plant Q: What do you do when a blonde throws a pin at you?

A: Run like hell....she’s got a hand grenade in her mouth.

Q: What is the thinnest book in the world?

A: “What Men Know About Women.�

January - February 2013

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