El Residente 2013-07 by ARCR Administration

El Residente Costa Rica’s English language newsle�er

July/August 2013

¢1500

July - August 2013

Published by ARCR Administracion S.A. Apdo. 1191-1007 Centro Colon San José, Costa Rica 1 (www.arcr.net)

El Residente

Contents: President’s Message................. 4 Club Corner .............................. 6 A City Rejuvinated ................... 8 - Richard Ternouth

My Costa Rican Experience .... 10 - Doris Ward

Costa Rica on the Globe ........ 12 A Day in the Life...................... 14 - Allen Dickenson

Wild Side of Costa Rica ........... 17 - Ryan Piercy

Health Care ............................ 18

Editor’s Note Not so much in the way of change this �me, but I think we s�ll have some interes�ng material for our readers this month. Take for example our contest winner, who takes you on a simple bus trip down to the city. Add to that a walking tour of San Jose, covered in our look at the rejuvena�on of San Jose. Suddenly you are taking a quick journey, all from the comfort of your home, and just maybe you will be inspired to try it for real. We of course have Alan Weeks’ ar�cle to keep you informed on the global front today, along with a li�le bit of history from yours truly, taking a look back at Costa Rica’s early involvement on the subject. Of course my usual ar�cle on wildlife is also here for you to take a Bite Out Of! Of course few changes don’t mean none, so please be sure to check out the ARCR update. Those with vehicles must now be aware of the change of their license plates, as you don’t want to miss your �me slot. Ryan Piercy

ARCR Update ......................... 20

Contact Informa�on:

Learning the Language .......... 21

Published by: Email:

- Chris Howard

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

ARCR Administra�on info@arcr.net www.arcr.net Ed�tor in Chief: Ryan Piercy Adver�sing, Publicity: Cindy Solano 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: 506-2255-0061

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.

July - August 2013

President’s Message

by Terry Wise

Saludos a Todos I have been unable to find any new Costa Rican laws or urgent things about which you need to be made aware! No changes or updates. How can that be? So, I’m going to use this opportunity to give some reviews and reminders about a few things members may find useful. If you are a U.S. ci�zen, please take the �me to register with the United States Embassy Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). If they know where you are they can help you. If there is an emergency, the embassy can give your contact informa�on to the people you put on the list. Conversely, you can be no�fied if there is an emergency back home. Also, you can receive travel alerts as to bad weather or high crime areas to avoid. And, check their website frequently too; it has a lot of current news rela�ng to Costa Rica, and other countries. Go to: h�p://costarica.usembassy.gov. (Others may find similar services at their Embassy’s web sites.) Available to those with an iPhone, IPod, or an IPod Touch, you can now get a new App called Smart Traveler, by the U.S. State Department. With this applica�on you can access informa�on on the State Department’s travel website, including travel alerts and warnings, maps, embassy loca�ons and direc�ons, customized ei�neraries, the op�on to sign up for STEP, and more. You can get the App on iTunes. Okay, now for a subject that many of us don’t like to think about, but need to be aware of: ARCR has a contract with a funeral company called Polini. The company offers discounts on a�er life services to ARCR members, its staff, and all U.S. Military Veterans, including their family Members. Details of their services are available in the ARCR office. Polini has offices all over Costa Rica, so you should have one near you. If you wish to contact Polini direct, call them at 2223-4333 or 2223-4155. Some of you have told me you are not receiving my

monthly emails. It’s ARCR’s policy not to send emails to people without their reques�ng us to do so. Even if the office already has your email address, you need to tell them you want to receive them. If you are not ge�ng them and you want to, please email your address to legal@arcr.net asking to be put on the mailing list. NOTE: there has been, and s�ll is, a problem with AOL addresses. Some�mes they work and some�mes not. Try to remember our First Friday Lunch (FFL) get together. It takes place, coincidentally, on the first Friday of each month. We are now mee�ng in a new loca�on in Sabana Sur, a restaurant located inside a hotel called Colaye San Jose, a KC Hotel and Resort. We start at 12 p.m. and talk, eat, drink un�l we’re finished. Join us and you can pick people’s brains about anything from good restaurants to fixing your roof. A�er the last lunch all a�ending agreed the food was good and well priced. And, there is adequate parking available! You can get direc�ons to the hotel by calling or emailing the office, or the loca�on and direc�ons can be found on Google maps. A reminder no�ce is also posted on the bulle�n board, Costa Rica Living. This item I feel is of special importance! Even if you have been living here for several years, you should stay current on what’s going on. Traffic laws, real estate values, the Caja, and residency are just some of the ever changing topics covered in our monthly seminar. By a�ending two or three seminars a year you will be less likely to be caught unaware and unprepared. I no�ce one of the topics I hear Gringos talking about while drinking coffee or ea�ng, is the problem of illegals living in the United States. It makes me wonder how many of them have a Cedula in their pocket. If you do not have your residency yet, you need to get started. The staff at legal@arcr.net is wai�ng to help you. It’s worth it. All for now. I hope to see you at July’s FFL and June’s seminar. Terry Wise

Contest Update: My Costa Rican Experience In ths issue, our fourth place winner, Doris Ward turns an every day rou�ne into a tale of culture and travel. So o�en one simply goes through the day without realizing the beauty and excitement that passes us at every turn. It is refreshing to rethink our lives, and recall the great adventure we have each undertaken to live here. El Residente

July - August 2013

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. Puriscal, Fred 8866-0128. Al-Anon Mee�ngs English language Al-anon mee�ngs are open to anyone whose life has been/is affected by someone else’s problem with alcohol. Mee�ngs are one hour long and held twice each week in Escazu centro, above the Buena Tierra Restaurant, 25 meters south of the San Miguel Catholic Church. Tuesdays at noon and Thursdays at 10: 30 a.m. Tel: 89 93 17 62 (Rosemary) and/or 22 28 10 49 (Barbara) email: rosemaryzitek@yahoo.com. 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 Bello Horizonte Country Club in Escazu. 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 p.m. 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 Auxiliary The Legion Auxiliary meets the Second Saturday of each month, at 1300 hours 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, 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

El Residente

or www.li�letheatregroup.org Marine Corps League Meets at 11 a.m. 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 a.m. 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 a.m. 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. English language group in Cariari de Belen, English-Spanish group in Heredia, Spanish language group in San Jose. We work on peace and human rights issues. Call Mitzi, 24337078 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 p.m. on the second floor. All members are welcome plus veterans who served overseas may join. Call Bob Sempell at 2588-1475. Young Expats of Costa Rica Some Expatriates under the age of 40, and currently living in Costa Rica, have formed a new social club to be coordinated through their website This club will help younger expatriates living in, or moving to, Costa Rica meet other expats in their age group for: friendship, romance, travel and ac�vity partners, and professional networking. www.YoungExpatsOfCostaRica.org

July - August 2013

A City Rejuvinated

by Richard Ternouth

The Rejuvena�on of San Jose - Let’s take a walk This is the fourth in a series of ar�cles focusing on the transforma�ons taking place in areas of greater San Jose. In our first three ar�cles we covered the changes in La Sabana, the influence of the Caldera Highway, and finally in the commercial area of downtown San Jose. In this issue we look at some of the interes�ng and historical sites between La Sabana Park and downtown San Jose. There are over one hundred historical loca�ons in this area to explore which can be reached by walking, and along the way the casual stroller can experience the rejuvena�on of central San Jose as well. So put on your walking shoes, gather up your free ARCR map, and let’s go explore the areas around La Sabana Park and Paseo Colon. Paseo Colon - A preview In the area including La Sabana and Paseo Colon, there are over twenty places of historical significance to visit. The area of Paseo Colon itself is interes�ng since its urbaniza�on began in the 1940s, about the same �me as the inaugura�on of the La Sabana Interna�onal Airport next door. Land that was previously coffee planta�ons was turned into residen�al housing areas. Due to an interna�onal crisis of coffee prices during the Second World War, resul�ng from the shutdown of Costa Rica´s main market, Germany, coffee planta�on owners chose to terminate their growing opera�ons in the Paseo Colon area. A side-effect was that they were able to take advantage of the lucra�ve land prices around the airport (now La Sabana Park) which led to the development of the then elegant residen�al neighborhoods of San Francisco, San Bosco, and Pitahaya. A Star�ng Point There are many ways one can tackle his walking tour. For simplicity’s sake, we will start ours in Sabana Sur, and go east, ending up in the heart of San Jose. Some of the highlights along the way are: La Salle Natural Science Museum Located at Avenida 12, Calle 68, within the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock building in Sabana Sur, it houses more than 70,000 displays. If you want to look into the world of fish, rep�les, birds, and mammals, a trip through this museum is well worth the experience. Leaving the museum we head northeast, through La Sabana Park, into Sabana Norte where we will find: The ICE History and Technology Museum El Residente

Sited four blocks north of the central ICE offices, the ICE museum showcases the history and development of the u�lity’s electrical and telecommunica�ons services. Exhibits emphasize ICE’s technological and socioeconomic contribu�ons to the country. From the ICE museum we head south again, back through La Sabana Park to its southeast corner and: The Na�onal Gymnasium Located within La Sabana Park at the intersec�on of Calle 42 and Avenida 10, the Na�onal Gymnasium opened in the early 1960s with an event hos�ng the VII Central American and Caribbean Basketball Championship. The gym is an ellipsoidal design elevated on concrete blocks with a capacity for 4,000 people. Designed primarily for spor�ng events, it is also used for various religious, poli�cal, and cultural events. Close by we find: The Costa Rican Art Museum

Situated in the terminal of the old interna�onal airport in La Sabana Park, Calle 42 and Avenida 10, this museum holds around 6,400 different pieces of art, the majority from Costa Rican na�onal ar�sts. Exhibits range from the 19th century un�l the present. Separate galleries can be found within the museum such as the “Sculpture Gardens” and “The Golden Room” which also serve as a backdrop for various cultural events. A short distance away we come to: The Monument to León Cortés Castro This four foot high bronze sculpture of León Cortés Castro can be found near Calle 42 and Paseo Colone. Sr. Castro held the posi�ons of State Secretary and President of the Republic (1936-1940). He and his government took on extensive public works projects which allowed it to donate various and significant school buildings, serving as city halls to a large number of communi�es throughout the country. We now turn east to head straight up Paseo Colon (a.k.a. Avenida 0) through the heart of the Paseo Colon District. 8

A Walk up Paseo Colon As you walk up Paseo Colon, and before your final walking des�na�on, here are some of the heritage houses and buildings you will encounter. Each possesses its own individual and interes�ng architectural style.

addi�on was built in the same Art Deco style as the first building. In 1976 INS moved to the El Carmen District and converted the old building into the Merced branch. It was declared a Historical and Architectural landmark on November 30th, 2004.

Look for:

La Merced Church Today the church sits in Braulio Carrillo Park, bordered by Avenidas 2 and 4, Calles 10 and 12. It began as an adobe brick chapel built in 1815 on the site where the Central Bank stands today. Three earthquakes and almost one hundred years later, in 1907, a new church was completed where it stands today. In 2002, a long restora�on process began, and in 2010 a ten-foot sculpture of piled stone, created by the Argen�nean ar�st Josefina Genovese and dedicated to the Way of Christ, was placed in its gardens. The church was declared a Historical and Architectural landmark on June 11th, 1996.

Hotel Rosa del Paseo at Calles 28 and 30, the Home of the Jiménez Montealegre Family on Calle 28, the Securi�es Exchange S.A. on Calle 26, the Home of the Pozuelo Pages Family on Calle 22, the Home of Pozuelo Azuola Family, located on Calles 20 and 22, and the Historic Chapuí Chapel at Calles 16 and 20. Further along the way, as you near downtown, you will pass: San Juan de Dios Hospital Located on Paseo Colon, Calle 14, the hospital was built almost one hundred and seventy years ago in 1845 when a new law was put into place to create a place to treat sick people and open to all. It remains a very busy hospital today and is located right in the hub of San Jose, just a block from where Paseo Colon becomes Avenido Central, a pedestrian walkway. The first building was inaugurated in 1852, however, the construc�on of the pavilion con�nued un�l 1855. Eventually the hospital became an extensive two-floor ¨L-shaped¨ brick building constructed in a very somber design. It was declared a Historical and Architectural landmark on October 25th, 1994. Across the street (north) and north a block is the area known as Coca Cola. The Historic Na�onal Insurance Ins�tute Once we leave San Juan de Dios Hospital heading east, Paseo Colon abruptly ends for anything with four wheels, and traffic takes a 90 degree turn right onto Calle 14. It is here, near the intersec�on, that we find the original home of Na�onal Insurance Ins�tute, more commonly known as INS. Built in the 1930s, this building also housed the San José Fire Department. In 1943 a second July - August 2013

Enjoy your walk? Hang on to your map, there will be more walking tours in upcoming ar�cles dedicated to The Rejuvena�on of San Jose. By the way, a second map of Costa Rica, featuring street maps of other communi�es (vs. San Jose) on the reverse side, has been printed and is available FREE to ARCR members at the office. Stop by and pick one up today! 9

My Costa Rican Experience

by Doris Ward

The Bus to Town I took the bus into the capital yesterday to deal with some paperwork. As government offices open early and the queues can build up, we were driving up the steep backroad to town at about 6.00 a.m., the four-wheel drive grumbling its way over the ruts and holes. The views on that backroad are spectacular....the stands of wild bird of paradise flowers opening up suddenly to reveal the whole valley far below, so� in the early morning light...but the high spot for me in this season is a tree with yellow fruit standing amidst the sugar cane. The form of the fruit is the exact shape of the round baubles on a Christmas tree and in the morning they glow lemon in the sunshine against the spears of cane. Up in the town, where the feeder buses are coming in from the villages I queue as the main-road buses fill up and depart under the control of the inspectors, busy checking that every seat is taken before the bus pulls out. None of your chicken buses here...though I do admit to once bringing back a duck in a plas�c bag with its head s�cking out of the top. Not coming from a Catholic country, the habit of the more devout driver of crossing himself before se�ng out can give rise to slight niggles of worry in the back of the mind as the bus pulls out of the town and starts to descend from the hills, swooping down the sharp bends with the front of the bus seeming to hang out over the edge of the road with a sharp drop below. The passengers are usually sleepy at this hour, pushing the seats back to doze comfortably to the background of light music on the radio. A few are cha�ng or busy with their mobile phones, but the ones who astound me are the young ladies making up their faces. As the bus swerves and swoops, out come the mirrors, the eyebrow brushes, the eyeshadow, the eyeliner and mascara, the founda�on, the blusher, the lips�ck and lip liner... all applied with an accuracy that defies belief. Costa Rican women are generally decora�ve. Finger and toe nails shine forth with wonderful designs and El Residente

adornments...the woman si�ng next to me on the bus had pale blush coloured nails, each displaying a bunch of three cherries. Discreet peering revealed that the toes had received similar a�en�on. At this hour of the morning most ladies are wearing clothes suitable for work...trouser suits for the bank clerks, polo shirts labelled with the name of the employer in the commercial sector, fairly discreet dresses....but later in the day the non-workers will be flaun�ng their feathers. As a cynical remark has it, their mo�o must be “Push it out, stuff it in and don’t forget the spandex”... There are some wonderful sights and large ladies do not feel in the least inhibited from wearing what they please. I cannot imagine that anorexia is common in Costa Rica. I always take a book for the poten�al queues at the offices I need to visit but, despite being a reader of the back of cereal packets if nothing else is available, I don’t read on the bus. The scenery is too interes�ng. First, on one side of the bus, the views are of the far mountains and the li�le white villages tucked into the valleys below while on the other side the road is lined by towering bamboos, their tops curling over like young fern fronds uncurling, wild heliconias flaming beneath the bouganvilleas, red, orange and purple. Later, heading downhill, the views are on the other side of the bus, down into the central valley and across 10

to the Poas volcano on the other side. We cross land laid aside for the remnants of one of the indigenous peoples of Costa Rica where homemade herbal soap is sold at one house and numerous roadside stands sell handicra�s...hats, baskets, hammocks, all, as the postman notes, bought in from Guatemala.

through the outer suburbs.

Houses start to line the road, most well above it, reached by steep flights of steps, their gardens full of flowers. People are walking along the road to the next bus stop, a few cows are being led out on tethers and dogs bound around the heels of the machete-carrying men off to work in the fincas.

The new na�onal stadium donated by China looms up across Sabana Park where it’s as well to enjoy the red and purple trunks of the eucalyptus trees now, before they are felled to be replaced by na�ve species. Then the bus runs into the capital proper.....the rush hour commuter train hoo�ng to warn the traffic at the totally unguarded crossings, the concrete brutalism of the town hall looming behind the li�le shops and houses with �n roofs....then the new tower blocks going up in an a�empt to lure the middle classes back to the centre and finally the shuffle round the one way system past the classical architecture of one of the oldest schools in the capital to the bus sta�on, where we descend, thanking the driver, to join the bustle in the streets.

In the next town, a sprawling, ugly ribbon-development sort of thing, the shops are open, people are breakfas�ng in the cafes, the li�le trucks are se�ng up on the roadsides, selling fruit and vegetables....the peach palm is in season, hands of red fruit ready to be cooked. The road levels out and industry rears its head....motor repair shops, bigger enterprises, un�l finally the new office blocks appear on either side as the bus heads in

July - August 2013

People wake up, pull the communica�on cord to halt the bus as their des�na�on looms up, the doors open back and front and the li�le community breaks up, heading for their working day.

It’s commu�ng...but not as I knew it.

Costa Rica on the Globe by Ryan Piercy Rockefeller in the Americas Soon a�er Richard Nixon was sworn into office as President of the United States, he sought advice on how to foster be�er rela�ons with La�n America. Nelson A. Rockefeller, his ex-rival for the Republican Party nomina�on, was recommended as an advisor due to his reputa�on in the region. Though surprised at the appointment for a series of fact-finding missions, Governor Rockefeller accepted the undertaking and, as Apollo 10 shot towards the moon, Rockefeller and his delega�on were on their way south.

Irrespec�ve of some minor protests at the Presiden�al House, the visit to Costa Rica went very well. Apart from mee�ngs with President Trejos, press conferences, and a grand recep�on, Rockefeller also made an unofficial visit to the Ins�tute of Agricultural Sciences (IICA), an organiza�on which he had helped inspire during a visit some twenty-five years earlier.

Unfortunately the four trips he undertook were ill-fated due to massive protests, huge demonstra�ons, military repression, and even bloodshed. These events led historians to view the trips as a disaster, though later study has shown some important steps were in fact made, and the informa�on had been quite revealing, if only it had been studied.

Despite the posi�ve visit here, the remainder of his journey con�nued to bring conflict and problems. Upon his return to Washington he completed his report to the President. Li�le a�en�on, however, was paid to it and in the end, due to the situa�on encountered in the other na�ons, the bulk of the material was simply archived and forgo�en.

Rockefeller’s recep�on in Costa Rica was, however, quite different. Upon his arrival at the San José airport he was greeted with a cheering crowd of over 2,500 people of all ages. From the moment he stepped off the plane he was astounded at the country at receiving such a different response to his presence. Moved by the emo�on of the moment, the Governor broke from protocol and, with a large smile on his face, walked off to shake hands and greet dozens of students who had come to welcome him. His comment later was, “I am very happy to be in Costa Rica. These are a marvelous people . . . Here I feel really great, as if I was in my own country.” El Residente

Ironically, while the results of his official visit were swept away into obscurity, it was his unofficial study that had the most impact; Nelson Rockefeller accomplished something of much greater importance for La�n America than his fact-finding report and the memory of those trips, thanks to his personal pas�me, a great love of art and culture. It was Rockefeller’s mother, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, who had encouraged in him a love of the arts. His affec�on led to almost four decades of involvement with the Board of Modern Arts, including a s�nt as president. His personal and professional journeys led to his acquisi�on of a vast collec�on of works from all over, and especially a love of items from the Americas, including items from Costa Rica. He founded the Museum of Primi�ve Art in 1954 and his 12

promoted a wider knowledge of the history and culture of the region. In 1976 the collec�on was transferred to the Metropolitan Museum of Art where it can s�ll be enjoyed today. Now called the Michael C. Rockefeller Collec�on in honor of his son, it is a standing legacy to the actual man behind the vast collec�on of works, Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller. When leaving Costa Rica in 1969, Governor Rockefeller stated how much he admired the country and her people, and the Minister replied they were honored by his visit. But in the end, Rockefeller has more than repaid that honor by helping to preserve such important pieces of history in a grand fashion. personal collec�on was the core of the fantas�c works found there. Through his ability to collect and preserve this vast collec�on, augmented by his willingness to share them with others, he provided a venue for others to enjoy the works of aboriginal tribes extending from the Americas to Oceania to Africa. In this way he

July - August 2013

A Day in the Life

by Allen Dickenson

Baby On Board What do you get when you mix teenage girls, modern music, cell phones, motorcycles, hormones, and teenage boys? I don’t know what YOU get, but I get crazy! I have four daughters, three of them teenagers (19, 18, 15), and they draw boys like honey does bears! When they congregate in the street in front of my house at night, I suddenly find myself becoming a stereotypical 1950’s father – suspicious, untrus�ng, judgmental, worried. To me, every one of those guys looks like Marlon Brando in “The Wild One.” I find myself wan�ng to find a shotgun. I want to holler, jump up and down, threaten, anything to make them leave and never return!

In my heart I know they are harmless and when I meet them individually, they always turn out to be pre�y nice young men – respec�ul, polite, clean and neat. But when I look off my balcony and see one or more of my daughters standing around outside with three to five of those “hooligans” laughing, talking, listening to music, talking on their cell phones, I have this automa�c, visceral reac�on . . .

goes too far over the edge to think ra�onally. I must be ge�ng old. Speaking of the baby (and it’s a really good kid – she hardly ever cries), the other day as I was returning from the store a�er picking up my birthday cake, I looked in the rearview mirror and no�ced there was one of those yellow “Baby on Board” signs hanging in the rear window. My first thought was, “What is that and why is it there?” Then I remembered and it struck me that in my wildest fantasies I never, EVER would have imagined that at my age I would be pilo�ng a vehicle with such a sign! As I drove on I was feeling . . . I don’t know what it was I was feeling. I wasn’t depressed or sad, just a li�le confused and wondering how my life had come to the point where I was buying my own birthday cake and driving around with that tacky sign in the window. It sure wasn’t anything I had planned! Then, when I got home, s�ll slightly aghast at the realiza�on of the direc�on my life had taken, there was my Tica wife, the daughter that’s the mother of the baby, our four other kids, a niece with her baby, three visi�ng boyfriends, two motorcycles, and the cat. The TV was going full blast with some horror flick while everyone was trying to talk over the volume . . . and both babies were crying. I gave the cake to my wife, climbed the stairs, took a Xanax, locked myself in the bedroom, and turned on a golf game on TV! (It wasn’t really, really bad, but you know it’s not good if I’ll watch golf on TV!) My life, my life! What has happened to my Golden Years? I began wondering, can I s�ll develop a serious drinking problem if I try? But, I am afraid that it’s too late and I have missed my chance. Please pray for me.

It doesn’t help that the oldest girl just had a baby (the father was killed in a motorcycle accident a few months before the birth) and she’s back living at home. Nor does it help that I clearly recall walking for miles through a frozen city, in the dark of night, to get home because I missed the last bus back to town and the parents of the girl I had gone to see wouldn’t allow me a spot on their worn sofa. And it certainly doesn’t help that I know it’s the normal dance of life and that I used to hear that same music . . . standing on the balcony my brain El Residente

Maybe at this point I should make something clear – I did NOT move to Costa Rica to party, for sex or love, or to find a younger woman so I could deny my age. I DID come here with the idea there was a possibility that I might find a mother with a child or two that needed a grandfatherly-type male in her life; someone to whom I could offer some occasional support and that I might help to make their lives a li�le be�er. What I planned was that I would have lots of �me to explore parts of myself that I hadn’t before, to try some new things, and to otherwise live out my declining years calmly, quietly, comfortably relaxed and doing things for which I wasn’t able to find the �me back home. Ha! The old saying, “Be careful what you ask for – you may get it” has taken on a whole new meaning for me. As they say in the South, “Boy, Howdy!”

farther into the future.) I know I am physically and mentally much be�er off than I was when I came here – a boon from reloca�ng that I never an�cipated. And I s�ll get to explore sides of myself that I hadn’t before. (That they aren’t the same sides I envisioned exploring doesn’t ma�er, I am just grateful to the gawds that at my age I have the opportunity.) Yes, my life is good. But I could do without that damn Baby on Board sign in the rear window! 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.

Don’t get the idea I am depressed. Nor am I upset and I am not complaining. I am just amazed that somehow, while I wasn’t watching, my life’s path has strayed so far away from what I had envisioned when I moved here, that I have ended up with that sign in my car’s rear window. Actually, I am very happy with what life has given me. I love my family and believe that my situa�on is not only good for my kids (they will have a be�er life than if I had not come along), but it is also good for me. I am healthier and more alive than I ever an�cipated. I have a purpose for my life which didn’t exist before, and I don’t have much �me to think about my “declining years” (which, incidentally, I believe I have extended out somewhat July - August 2013

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Wild Side LXXIV

by Ryan Piercy

A Snake in the Dark For the most obvious reasons, when one discusses snakes we normally think of poisonous fangs or immense crushing bodies. In reality there are many other types of snakes, many of which can be of great interest, if one only takes the �me to look. Take for example the �ny and harmless blindsnakes, who are generally no longer than a ruler. Most snakes fall into the infraorder called Alethinophidia with which most people are familiar. Those of the infraorder Scolecophidia, however, are less well known, due in great part to their lifestyle. This group of snakes are Blind Burrowing snakes which remain mostly underground, hence their obscurity. Not to be confused with worms, nor caecilians, these members of the serpent family do have scales and even one or two teeth. Scolecophidia are currently divided into three families with twelve genera. Costa Rica is known to be home to five of the 306 known species. In overall appearance these snakes look similar to other more well known types with small shiny scales and �ny eyes located under the head scales. It is thought that they probably cannot form a visual image, therefore are “blind”, though they may sense light intensity. This species have a small curved mouth, well away from the �p of the head, and their bodies are uniform in diameter un�l the �p of the tail. Many of these snakes appear to live in or near ant and termite nests and feed on the workers, larvae, and pupae they find. If disturbed, most seem to emit a smell that is quite objec�onable to humans, and quite likely, other creatures. The five species in Cost Rica are:

Anomalepis mexicanus, an all brown specimen found (so far) only in the northern part of the Guanacaste region. They are rare, very secre�ve, and reach up to about 180 mm long. Helminthophis frontalis, is a neat li�le snake with an allblack body and just the head a bright red color. Their maximum length is 160 mm and they resemble small earthworms. They can be found near La Florencia in Alajuela Province.

Slightly larger at up to 232 mm is the Liotyphlops albirostris, also glossy black but with a light, some�mes pinkish, spot on the snout. The only records of this species are from the southern part of Costa Rica, near the border with Panama. Of special note is the Typhlops costaricensis, named for the country, which is largest of its kind found locally. They can reach up to a whopping 360 mm. Known to exist on the Pacific slope near Monteverde, at about 500-1500 meters, they are colored uniformly between dark grey to brown. Lastly, in the area from Northern Guanacaste to around La Garita, one can encounter Leptotyphlops ater, which is more accurately called a thread snake. In general thread snakes are short and slender and have been seen up to about 185 mm. They are black above with a chocolate colored belly. So, next �me you are digging in the back yard and encounter some “worms” crawling around, you may want to take a second glance; it may one of these �ny snakes you are seeing.

July - August 2013

Health Care A talk with San José-based Psychoanalyst, Adrian Price ER: Thank you for mee�ng with me, Mr. Price. I’d like to ask you some ques�ons to assist our readers in learning more about your therapeu�c field as it applies to living in Costa Rica. AP: You’re very welcome. I’ll be pleased to answer your ques�ons. ER: To start, why would anyone living here in beau�ful, idyllic Costa Rica have the need to seek the help of a psychoanalyst? AP: Life has its share of misfortune and difficulty, and life goes on here as elsewhere. I lived in Paris for twelve years before moving to San José, and the differences are not that significant. People share broadly the same range of concerns here as elsewhere, and when these concerns become troublesome, they go to an analyst to resolve them through therapy. ER: What causes the kind of concerns you are encountering? AP: Some might occur because of difficul�es people meet in their personal rela�onships, or at work, or because they suffer a bereavement or an accident. A person might inexplicably develop a phobia or deeprooted anxiety, or find an addic�on is gaining the upper hand over their self-control. Another problem area may be a sense of sadness or emp�ness. Here, like everywhere, beneath the smiles and the apparent ease, many people can experience a sense of disappointment or consterna�on whose cause cannot be explained away by their current circumstances. ER: What are the most common problems you assist expats with? AP: Among the adult members of the community, a common complaint is “culture shock”, though the term is somewhat inaccurate. It implies that the culture itself provokes a shock, when actually it is produced by the confronta�on with one’s own desires and difficul�es in the absence of one’s na�ve culture. Catch-all terms like “homesickness” or “language barrier” are o�en used to ra�onalize a sense of lack or emp�ness that stems from issues that were already present prior to moving. ER: Why does this happen? Most people move here to simplify their lives, or relax and re�re. What’s so stressing about that? AP: O�en people arrive in Costa Rica following re�rement or some other major change in their life, and struggle to maintain con�nuity with their core values while trying to adapt to a new life. These values are unconscious bearings rather than clear-cut principles, and in the process a person may put too much emphasis on adap�ng, which can distract them from the fundamental bearings guiding their life. This can set up an unintended internal conflict that seems to lack El Residente

any obvious cause. Many people, because they can’t iden�fy what’s bothering them, feel uncomfortable trying to discuss it, even with those to whom they are closest. ER: So this is where you come in, to help them gain insight into these reference points and assist them in weaving some stable con�nuity between their past life and new life? AP: Correct. However it’s not always that easy. Something I have no�ced is that many of the ex-pats I have met approach their therapy, at least ini�ally, as a kind of quick repair job. I hear things like “I’m malfunc�oning, what do I do to fix this?” ER: When a person decides they need some help, how do they find someone qualified? Si�ing through the list of professions in the classified columns can be quite daun�ng. AP: When a person arrives at the point where they realize they need to explore their ques�ons with someone who can listen and respond to them at a different level from their friends or family, they o�en turn to the newspaper or internet to find help. I have nothing against this approach, but this means that they may be passing up a powerful quality filter: wordof-mouth. Most of the people who come to see me have either heard about me from someone who has been in therapy with me, or has an acquaintance who has. Some�mes, however, when someone doesn’t feel comfortable making enquiries in their social circle, the classifieds can be a welcome alterna�ve. ER: When people contact you, what is the process to ge�ng started? AP: Pick up the phone! Some imagine they are being shrewd consumers by posing guarded queries by email. In wri�ng, however, people o�en prac�ce a kind of auto-edi�ng; instead of an exchange in which they could be se�ng out their problems and difficul�es, they get sidetracked into wondering about the a�ributes of the therapist: Who is this guy? What’s his training? How much does he charge? The first thing to realize is that you are seeking to embark on an experience based on talking; you are going to confide in someone who will listen to you. When you pick up the phone you take your des�ny in your hands in a way that wri�ng doesn’t allow. You have something to say about a difficult or painful situa�on in your life and the words you use to express this ought to be given pride of place from the word Go. Spoken words have a power. This power is the lever of the therapy and the wheels are set in mo�on as soon as those first words are exchanged. ER: What kind of things should one look out for when seeking a therapist? Surely qualifica�ons are important? AP: The ques�on of the therapist’s training is valid, yes, but what kind of answer do you expect? His 18

university diplomas? His methodology? His CV? A list of references? The primary thing to establish is that the therapist can listen to you, hear your situa�on clearly, and create the kind of se�ng in which you can explore your ques�ons. The decision to work with one therapist rather than another invariably hangs on some small, unexpected detail that neither party could predict in advance. This is the case in all close rela�onships in our lives, where the decisive factor o�en remains obscure even years down the line, but endures in spite of what might look like a mismatch “on paper”. This is something that can only be done in a face-to-face interview. If, at the end of the first mee�ng, there are any specific concerns about the therapist’s professional background or methodology, that would be the �me to raise them. A�er that, if you feel this person is not right for you, you can always walk away. ER: What are the differences between psychologist, psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and so on? AP: Historically these are separate disciplines that involve very different training methods. A psychiatrist is first a medical doctor, which means he can prescribe medica�on. A psychologist is someone who has completed a university program, which may be clinical or may be research-based. Psychology is a very wide field and encompasses many, o�en conflic�ng, philosophies and methods. For example, I have a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, but this qualifica�on tells you li�le about how I work. Generally speaking, someone who is en�tled to use the �tle “psychoanalyst” or “psychotherapist” works using the power of words alone. My prac�ce has been formed by my experience of training analysis, which is a process that is pursued on an individual level, not at university or college. Likewise, some psychiatrists have also undergone a personal analysis, which means that they are in a posi�on to work as a therapist alongside their medical prac�ce as a doctor. So, you see, the �tle that you might read on a business card, valid as it is, rarely tells the whole story. ER: A friend of mine went to see a psychologist and was asked a series of ques�ons read from a form. She didn’t feel she was able to make herself heard in her own words. AP: Stories like these are becoming more frequent, but fortunately are s�ll rare. We’re living in a world where people want solu�ons that are faster and more efficient than ever before. Ques�onnaires and �cked boxes give the illusion of being provided “Value for Money” and “Total Quality Control”. This trend has made its way into the therapeu�c field too. Your friend responded nega�vely, as do many people, but more and more therapists are trying to defend themselves against the charge “I went and told him my problems, and he just sat there and didn’t do anything!” July - August 2013

Some people are reassured, in the short term, by ques�onnaires and clear-cut methodologies. My approach, and that of most of my colleagues, is to resist that tempta�on. The very least that we should offer is a se�ng in which the person can express themselves freely, without judgment. We don’t offer an “off-the-shelf” method, but a “tailor-made” approach that becomes more defined as the sessions progress. Some�mes it takes a while for the person to “unpack” their problems, to find the right words to target them, or express their ques�ons in a way that is authen�c for them. During that period the therapist has to listen carefully and pa�ently, and gently steer the person on the path towards tackling the issues at stake. ER: You make it sound like an adventure! AP: Psychoanalysis has always been reputed to be a “voyage of discovery”, though this wrongly implies that the person is merely finding what was already there, rather than inven�ng new things. From my experience, when someone comes to realize that they owe it to themselves to cast a steady gaze over life’s highs and lows, the moments of senseless repe��on as much as its moments of hard-won freedom, there’s no looking back; they get swept up in the experience and before they know it they have found the courage and the perspec�ve they need to tackle those gnawing ques�ons. Some�mes this brings a sense of ela�on, some�mes it can be awe-inspiring, but the important thing is that they are moving through an invigora�ng process that has its own logical �me and pace, and no one else’s. ER: Before we end, you men�oned “Value for Money.” How much does it cost? AP: Everyone goes to a therapist for a different reason, most o�en when they have a sense of instability in their lives. This might not entail financial instability, but o�en it does. If this is an issue, the therapist has a duty to find a set-fee that the person can pay without increasing the instability, but without allowing it to se�le in and become the norm either. No therapist has a crystal ball; I can’t tell what price to put on such a commitment before mee�ng someone, and to do so would be irresponsible. That makes it difficult to indulge an illusion of being able to “shop around” and “find the best deal”, but rest assured, the amount will be the right one for that person because it will be their personal price. ER: Thank you, it’s certainly been very enlightening. AP: You’re very welcome. More informa�on on Adrian Price and his prac�ce can be found at the Interna�onal Therapist Directory: h�p: //interna�onaltherapistdirectory.com/costa-rica/, or he can be contacted at (506) 87-32-24-71 – Allen Dickinson 19

ARCR Update New License Plates are ¢15,000 Well, the �me has come finally, for the first few at any rate. As we men�oned in the last edi�on, the new License Plates are being issued, and it may be wise to get yours before the deadline, and lineups, begin. Now a deadline has finally been determined, so any of you who haven’t exchanged them yet will now have to do so, well, eventually… The new plates will be issued based on the last digit of the plate, and those plates ending in a one can start to exchange them beginning July 15th. Apparently though each group will have three months in which to exchange the plates, so the first group must do so no later than October 15th. Addi�onally, the director of the Na�onal Registry has also requested that owners only go to change their plates during the �me period corresponding to the number, thus those with plates ending in a two should wait un�l a�er October 15th, but do so before the 15th of

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January 2014, and so on. Yes, as you can then determine for yourself, it is going to take some �me before all of the license plates in the country will be able to be converted. A total of 30 months in fact. That means those with a plate ending in zero will be able to do so around November 2015… so please be pa�ent. But it will be possible to process the change at the various registry offices, or certain Banco de Costa Rica and Correos de CR loca�ons. These new plates will bring a higher degree of security to prevent duplicates being made of yours, and include an addi�onal matching s�cker to place inside the windshield of the vehicle. The new plates also incorporate security ink, as well as a holographic image. It will be possible to keep the plate number you have, or you may also change it to an alphanumeric plate. The cost per vehicle has been set at ¢15000 for the two plates and s�cker,while motorcycles are slightly be�er off at a cost of ¢8000 for the new plates, but only for one plate and the s�cker.

Learning the Language

by Chris Howard

Costa Rica Soccer Terms With the FIFA World Cup in play, you are more than likely to see/hear a lot of people talking about “La Sele”, Costa Rica’s Na�onal Selec�on for futbol! * a celebrar carajo – Used when a team qualifies for the World Cup * abrir el abanico de posibilidades –A phrase used when there are various op�ons as to how to play soccer. * balompie – another name for football or soccer as it called in the U.S. and Canada. * balón dividido – When two players are figh�ng for possession of a soccer ball. * banderola – The flag the referees use when signaling a foul. * cachetear el balon – To bunt or hit a ball with li�le force * darle con la de palo – Hit the soccer ball with the weaker leg. * darle tratamiento al balón – Term used to describe when a player handles the ball. * de buen oficio – Said when a player plays a good game of football. He has “game.” * el horizontal – The crossbeam of a goal * el mano a mano – Said when a player faces the goal keeper one-on-one. * el palo mayor – Another term for the crossbeam of a goal. The term Travesaño is the same thing. * favorito en el papel – A team that is the favorite on paper. * gran galardia – A well-executed play * gresca – A fight between players * hincha – A soccer fan * jornada – The term used to refer to the date when games are played. * la alfombra mágica – Term used to refer to ar�ficial turf. * la caprichosa – A term some�mes used to refer to the soccer ball. * mamón – A player who always “hogs” the ball * marco virgen – When the goal keeper hasn’t been scored on. * medular – The backbone of a team * patear el mundo – When a player kicks the dirt instead of the ball. * pegarle con rencor – The ac�on of kicking the ball violently * peinar el balón – To hit (tap) the ball with the head and not using much force. * rajar al rival – To pass the ball between a rival’s legs. * recorte – To strip your rival of the ball by cu�ng him off. * reducto – A stadium * repechaje – . A special extra playoff game that takes place so that a team can qualify for the World Cup. * sacar la faena – Used when a team or player accomplishes an objec�ve. * sacar los tres puntos – To win a game. * sacarla con la cu�cula de los dedos – When a goal keep barely makes a play. * Salir a cazar mariposas – When a goal keeper fails to make a play. * taquito – Any play where the ball hits a player’s heel. * técnico– Another name for coach * tener gol – Said when a player scores. * �empos suplementarios – Over�me * �monel – Another name for coach. * �rar un caño – The act of passing the ball between an opponent’s legs. * tocar en corto – A short pass of the ball. * tocar la gloria – To score Tiquismos (Costa Rican expressions) of the week: la cueva del monstruo – The cave of the Monster. Refers to the stadium (cueva) of San Jose’s team, Saprissa (el monstruo). July - August 2013

Dollars & $ense

by Alan Weeks

Global Warming, Climate Change & Pollu�on Issues Before reviewing the latest scien�fic evidence related to the above issues, I want to go on record as being strongly opposed to air and water pollu�on and suppor�ng efforts to reduce same. And, it should be obvious that significant exposure to air or water pollu�on is detrimental to one’s health. Air Pollu�on Linked to 1.2 Million Premature Deaths in China (1) “India, which also has densely populated ci�es grappling with similar levels of pollu�on, had 620,000 premature deaths in 2010 because of outdoor air pollu�on.” That ar�cle headline and summary in the New York Times on April 1st should have been a wake-up call to Hollywood and other purported environmentalists that to be truly concerned about pollu�on, they must get serious about it on a global level. Global Warming Theory in a Nutshell Every scien�fic theory involves assump�ons. The first theory, which has been the generally accepted one, is that the release of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the burning of fossil fuel and from land use is responsible for the recent global temperature increase. Most agree that the temperature has increased about 0.6 - 0.7 o C over the last century and that the level of Carbon Dioxide (CO2), presumed to be a greenhouse gas (GHG), has increased in the atmosphere by 25-30% from preindustrial values. In support of this theory, a computer model was developed in an a�empt to replicate the ac�on of GHG. From it, a graph, the so called Hockey S�ck Graph was created by Michael Mann et.al. This graph implies that temperature varia�ons were rela�vely stable during the period between year 1000 and the year 1900. A�er that �me it has increased considerably. The graphical projec�on of exponen�ally increasing temperatures, which added the element of urgency, has been exploited for both public and private advantages. This graph has been challenged by global warming skep�cs who have pointed out its flaws. The fact is that the graph corresponds much be�er to the varia�on of CO2 than to temperature changes. GHG Emissions from the Oil Sands (2) El Residente

Environmental ac�vists have raised several objec�ons to the development of the Alberta Oil Sands. One major issue is that oil sands produc�on contributes significantly to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Let’s look at some GHG comparisons: Total emissions from the oil sands in 2012 amounted to only 3% of that from US coal-fired power plants. China emi�ed 21% more GHG (est.) in 2011 than all emissions from the US, Japan, Germany, and Canada combined. And, the emissions had to be even worse since then because the coal-fired power plants operated flat out during the extreme cold period last winter. O�en ignored in the debates is that more than 70% of GHG emissions occur during vehicle fuel consump�on; regardless of the source of crude oil. Vehicles are also a significant source of real pollu�on. The latest US State Dept. Study (3) reported that crude oil delivered by the Keystone XL pipeline would offset as many as 200 ocean oil tankers a year, reducing GHG emissions by as much as 19 million tons; about 40% of the total emissions from the oil sands. Finally, Canada is being unfairly cri�cized for carbon emissions, as the latest report shows that Canada has, in fact, outperformed the USA on emissions reduc�ons. Let’s look at some quotes from some eminent sources that dispute the current popular theories about climate change: History Trumps Climate Scien�sts (4) “Historical records show that in Roman �mes 2,000 years ago, the temperatures were warmer than today. During that Roman Warm Period, records show that olives grew in Germany and citrus trees in Britain. It is also recorded that, in another warmer-than-today period, the Medieval Warm Period, grapes grew in Britain and the Scandinavians farmed in Greenland. The records also show that during the Li�le Ice Age 500 years ago, the Dutch invented ice skates and [in winters] from the 15th to the mid-19th century, the Thames River in London o�en froze over. History also shows that the Arc�c has o�en�mes warmed, making a mockery of claims that the modest recent warming is in any way extraordinary. Furthermore, the US has maintained a con�nual base at the South Pole since the mid-1950s. The actual 22

temperatures recorded there show the South Pole to be colder today than when it was first established.” Are Polar Bears Really Disappearing? (5) “Some say they’re on the edge of ex�nc�on. However, a�er months of repor�ng and hundreds of bear sigh�ngs, [the author] kept running up against an inconvenient truth: There were a lot of well-meaning, well-creden�aled scien�sts, wildlife officers, and local experts actually living in polar-bear country who said, by a wide margin, that they’re seeing more bears than ever before.” Tree-Rings Prove Climate Was WARMER in Roman and Medieval Times than it Is Now- and World Has Been Cooling for 2,000 Years (6) “Study of semi-fossilized trees gives accurate climate reading back to 138 BC. German researchers used data from tree rings to claim the world has been in a long cooling trend for two millennia un�l the global warming of the 20th century. It is the first �me researchers have been able to precisely demonstrate that the long-term trend over the past two millennia has been toward climate cooling.” 20-Year Hiatus in Rising Temperatures Has Climate Scien�sts Puzzled (7) “The Economist says the world has added roughly 100 billion tons of carbon into the atmosphere between 2000 and 2010, about one-quarter of all the carbon dioxide put there by humans since 1750. This mismatch between rising Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and not-rising temperatures is among the biggest puzzles in climate science just now.” Second Coldest Start to Spring in US History (8) Global Warming Debunked: NASA Report Verifies Carbon Dioxide Actually Cools Atmosphere (9) “Prac�cally everything you have been told by the mainstream scien�fic community and the media about the alleged detriments of Greenhouse Gases, and par�cularly carbon dioxide, appears to be false, according to new data compiled [and just released] by NASA’s Langley Research Center. As illustrated by data collec�on using SABER, both carbon dioxide and nitric oxide, which are abundant in the earth’s upper July - August 2013

atmosphere, reflect heat energy rather than absorb it. Without these necessary elements, in other words, the earth would be capable of absorbing devasta�ng amounts of solar energy that would melt the polar ice caps and destroy the planet.” Climate Change Misdirec�on (10) “Fear-mongering exaggera�on about effects of Global warming is a distrac�on from finding affordable and effec�ve energy alterna�ves. Historical analysis of wildfires around the world shows that, since 1950, their numbers have decreased globally by 15%. Crop yields in recent years were less affected by drought than crops of the dust-bowl droughts of the 1930s, when there was less carbon dioxide. As for one of the favorites of alarmism, hurricane ac�vity is at a low not encountered since the 1970s. The US is currently experiencing the longest absence of severe landfall hurricanes in over a century.” Thus, “there isn’t the slightest evidence that more carbon dioxide has caused more extreme weather.” (11) Therefore, instead of demonizing this vital chemical compound, we need to realize that CO2 is a boon to plant life and a vital producer of oxygen, upon which we depend. SOME EXAGGERATIONS AND CONTRADICTIONS On Oil Pipelines: There are more than 2.5 million miles of pipelines in the USA. (12) Pipelines are regarded as the safest way to transport fuel by far. Furthermore, the Keystone pipeline operator has declared that the XL pipeline will be the safest pipeline ever built in North America. And operators point to the billions that have been spent on new technologies as well as to the gradual improvement over the last two decades as proof of their commitment to safety. However, protestors of the Keystone XL pipeline contend that when pipelines do fail, the consequences can be catastrophic. Let’s compare some stats to get a proper perspec�ve on this issue: Since 1986, pipeline accidents (most carrying natural gas and the majority were damaged by accidental rupture), have killed more than 500 people and injured over 4,000. Highway accidents kill about 33,000 Americans/ year (based on 2010 stats.) 23

Corrosion is cited as a chief concern of Keystone XL pipeline opponents. The conten�on is that the chemical makeup of this heavier type of oil is much more corrosive than conven�onal oil. The Keystone operator says that the XL pipeline will transport crude oil similar to what’s been piped into the US through the original line for more than a decade. And, the fact is that NO spills in the original line since 2010 were caused by corrosion. The Pipeline-on-Rails Alterna�ve (13) About 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil was transported by rail in tankers last year. In a new report, (14) it was es�mated that about 700,000 bpd of new rail capacity, roughly the size of the Keystone XL pipeline, is expected to come on-stream by 2015-16. Even though the US has just now become the world’s #1 petroleum producer, thanks to booming shale oil produc�on, demand for oil s�ll requires that over 36% of the total be imported. And, the latest forecast by the US EIA (15) is that the US will con�nue to import 7.5 million bpd into 2035. Canada is the only secure, stable ally legally commi�ed to supply oil to the US, even in �mes of shortage. A summary of Canada’s posi�on is that a balanced approach to future oil sands produc�on and supply to the US is needed, one based on fact not fic�on, and one that recognizes the importance of this to Canada’s economic growth as well as its alignment with the US on environmental issues and oversight. My own posi�on regarding the Keystone XL pipeline, now that construc�on is already underway, is the expecta�on that the government has already ensured the best known pipe composi�on has been specified and is being used, and that the highest standards for pipe installa�on, including the on-site welding, have been set and are subjected to full inspec�on. Then, the approval contract must contain specific regula�ons to ensure the operator is commi�ed in wri�ng, to maintain regular inspec�on and maintenance of the all parts of the pipeline system as well so as to be held legally responsible for all damages caused by failure of the XL line. In regard to approving new pipelines from Alberta, El Residente

Canadians first need to recognize, as stated in a new Deloi�e report ,(16) that a growing oil sands is crucial to Canada’s prosperity and will drive the country’s economy for the next 25 to 30 years. Thus it is in the country’s long-term na�onal interest to ship the oil product to the east and west coasts. However, I am not in favor of shipping raw bitumen if there is any way to jus�fy upgrading it in Alberta to a higher value product, and an easier one to handle, if spills occur. Thus it is proposed that a thorough joint private/public review be undertaken promptly to determine whether a major upgrading facility can be economically jus�fied, knowing the key benefits of having same. Perhaps this poten�al project needs only a tax exemp�on un�l the costs are recouped to make it viable. Furthermore, I perceive that the pipeline operators have been much too arrogant on many fronts. Some examples are that they appear to have failed to completely involve landowners and governments in the planning of poten�al pipeline routes. They also seem to have been far too complacent with regard to the inspec�on and maintenance, par�cularly of old pipelines, as well as the response to spills. I believe the pipeline operators as well as the oil sands producers need to be con�nually pressured to keep improving their environmental and opera�ng performance standards. In addi�on, all the issues raised by the Bri�sh Columbia (BC) government will need to be addressed. This should include a thorough re-examina�on of the proposed port loca�on and the rou�ng to the BC coast. Clean Energy Double Standards (17) The EU Commission agreed on May 13th to impose puni�ve import du�es on solar panels from China. Please note the ironies in these tariffs: “Back in 2008, the German solar manufacturing industry was riding the crest of a wave of growth fueled by subsidies. . . Without generous subsidies, the EU panel manufacturers were not profitable. . . It’s okay for the EU to provide subsidies but not China. Such hypocrites.” The EU is hell-bent on promo�ng clean energy but does not want it if the cost is too cheap. The US Administra�on posi�on is similar. So what if China is dumping solar panels below cost? If the EU and the US were really interested in clean energy and reducing 24

emissions, the only thing be�er than cheap solar panels would be free solar panels. “Step back and think about the benefits of free panels. On one side of the equa�on, the EU and the US would lose a few hundred solar panel jobs. However, thousands of individuals and businesses would employ solar panels if they were free. Think of all the dock unloading jobs, trucking jobs, and installa�on jobs that would result from free panels. The US Administra�on gives the wind energy industry a pass on killing birds, but not oil and gas. (16) “Wind power, a pollu�on-free energy intended to ease [purported] global warming, is a cornerstone of President Obama’s energy plan. His Administra�on has championed a $1 billion-a-year tax break to the industry that has nearly doubled the amount of wind power in his first term. “However, more than 573,000 birds are killed by the country’s wind farms each year, including hawks, falcons and eagles, according to a new peer-reviewed es�mate by the Wildlife Society Bulle�n. Killing these iconic birds is not just an irreplaceable loss for a vulnerable species; it’s also a federal crime. The Administra�on has never prosecuted a wind-energy company, even those that flout the law. The Administra�on, however, has used the charge to prosecute oil companies when some birds have drowned in their waste pits, as well as power companies when birds were electrocuted by their power lines.” And finally, it should be noted that: “Renewable energy projects have cost US taxpayers $26 billion for only 2,600 permanent jobs”. (18) One More Post for Earth Day (19) “Year a�er year, we hear messages of environmental gloom and doom and admoni�ons on Earth Day. On the back of this sen�ment in wealthy countries, governments have invested many tens of billions of dollars in inefficient, feel-good policies, such as subsidizing solar panels and electric cars. This Earth Day, we need a dose of realism about real environmental challenges - such as air and water pollu�on that make life so miserable for billions; and the real opportuni�es that exist for environmental innova�on, to make our planet a be�er place.”

July - August 2013

Please note that the opinions expressed in this ar�cle are solely those of the writer. Reference details are below. Alan Weeks e-mail: imc.weeks@yahoo.ca REFERENCES: 1. Air Pollu�on Linked to 1.2 Million Premature Deaths in China, New York Times, Beijing, E. Wong, 1.04. 2013. 2. Canada Unfairly Gored, Na�onal Post, Jack Mintz, May 13, 2013. Stats from Wikipedia. 3. Pipelines Are the Ticket to North American Energy Independence, Globe and Mail, Derek Burney and F. O. Hanson; quo�ng US Dept. of State’s Environmental Impact Study, and US Energy Info. Agency 2012 Forecast (15), February 22, 2013. 4. History Trumps Climate Scien�sts, Na�onal Post, Lawrence Solomon, Founder and execu�ve director of Energy Probe and author of “The Deniers”, April 18, 2013. 5. Are Polar Bears Really Disappearing? Wall Street Journal, Zac Unger, author of “Never Look a Polar Bear in the Eye”, February 8, 2013. 6. Tree-Rings Prove Climate Was warmer in Roman and Medieval Times then It Is Now and the World Has Been Cooling for 2000 Years, Daily Mail, London, published in Nature Climate Change, July 11, 2012. 7. 20-Year Hiatus in Rising Temperatures Has Climate Scien�sts Puzzled, The Australian, G. Lloyd, Environment Editor, from The Economist, March 30, 2013. 8. Second Coldest Start to Spring in US History, Steven Goddard, wordpress.com, April 26, 2013. 9. Global Warming Debunked: NASA Report Verifies Carbon Dioxide Actually Cools Atmosphere, Natural News, E. A. Huff, Staff Writer, May 22, 2013. 10. Climate-Change Misdirec�on, Wall Street Journal, Bjorn Lomborg, author of “The Skep�cal Environmentalist.” January 24, 2013. 11. In Defence of Carbon Dioxide, Wall Street Journal, Profs. H. H. Schmi� and W. Harper, May 7, 2013. 12. Pipelines Explained: How Safe Are America’s 2.5 Million Miles of Pipeline? ProPublica, L. Groeger, November 15, 2012. 13. New Rail Capacity Coming as Pipeline Approvals Face Delays: CERI, Financial Post, Yadullah Hussain, including (14) CERI Report, May 28, 2013. 16. Oilsands Will Be Canada’s Economic Engine for Next 25 to 30 Years: Deloi�e, Financial Post, Melissa Leong, quo�ng Deloi�e, Canada Report- Gaining Ground in Sands 2013, Nov. 15, 2012. 17. Reuters, also Clean Energy Hypocrites, Mike Shedlock Blog- Mish’s Global Economic Trend Analysis, May 13, 2013. 18. Renewable Energy Projects Have Cost US Taxpayers $26 Billion for Only 2,600 Permanent Jobs, American Enterprise Ins�tute, CARPE DIEM, Dr. Mark J. Perry, May 10, 2013. 19. One More Post for Earth Day, USA Today, Bjorn Borg, April 22, 2013.

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Exchange rate of the Costa Rican ¢ to the US Dollar December January February March April May

514.32 507.00 506.84 504.65 504.46 504.20

Basic Interest Rate December January February March April May

9.20 % 8.30 % 7.35 % 6.95 % 6.75 % 6.65 %

Exchange rate of other currencies to the US Dollar

3 8 !

! " ( ) *+, +- --$ , ./ 0 ) * $

1 2 3 2 ! 4 4 5 6 7 +

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 Bolívar ' Hong Kong Dollar Taiwan Dollar Bolivian Peso Chilean Peso Russian Rouble # # Peruvian Sol Polish Zloty Australian Dollar Chinese Yuan

1.49877 1.03620 1.29770 0.95770 24.61740 5.74500 5.87630 6.62220 20.25000 1.51720 5.28000 1,913.60000 12.88700 41.34500 2.13000 7.79550 1,129.64000 100.88000 6.29210 7.76420 29.94000 6.96000 500.67000 31.94800 2.73200 3.30300 0.95740 6.13450

Libor Rate 1 month 3 month 6 month 12 month Prime Rate

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0.19428 % 0.27525 % 0.41426 % 0.68920 % 3.25 %

Holidays of Costa Rica Thursday, July 25th Annexa�on of Guanacaste - Na�onal holiday, ARCR Closed Friday, August 2nd Dia de Los Angeles - Observance, ARCR Closed Thursday, August 15th Mother’s Day - Na�onal holiday, ARCR Closed Sunday, September 15th Independance of Costa Rica - Na�onal holiday, ARCR Closed (Monday 16th) A Touch of Wisdom “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” - Ben Franklin (1706-1790) “Be�er two hours too soon than a minute too late.” - Ford in Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor “Experience teaches slowly and at the cost of mistakes.” - James Anthony Froude (18181894)

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Funniest One Liners...

Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks. Vaca�on begins when Dad says, “I know a short cut.” Evolu�on: True science fic�on. What’s another word for “thesaurus”? Everywhere is walking distance if you have the �me. A flashlight is a case for holding dead ba�eries. I went to the fights, and a hockey game broke out.

July - August 2013

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