Howler0912dec

Editor’s Note

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ccording to Canatur, the national tourist bureau, Costa Rica can expect over 800,000 tourists between November 2009 and March 2010. This figure is down about 10% from the same period last season. The bureau states that the reduction is due to the reduced economy. In addition, the average amount spent in Costa Rica has dropped from $1,040 (2008) in ten days to $855 in 9 days for each tourist, according to ICT figures.

But, from just personal observation, Tamarindo seems to have had tourists right through the off season and, as of writing, the restaurants are doing very good business and there are lots of people on the streets.

One restaurateur told me: if you want to dine here in February, you’d better make a reservation today! Many new restaurants and other businesses are opening and there seems to be a mood of optimism in most areas. We could be seeing a very productive tourist season.

Now, if they would just fix the huecos.

Tamarindo was shocked in October when a tourist, recently arrived from Belgium, went for a swim and disappeared. Michael George Dixon, 33, a journalist with the pulp and paper industry publication “Risi”, walked out of his lodging on the morning of his second day here and has not been seen since, despite widespread searches by family and volunteers and by boats, helicopters and aircraft. Unfortunately, the news of his disappearance was not broadcast until ten days later, by which time any important clues would have also disappeared. The first indication his family had of his disappearance was when he failed to show up for work after his vacation.

A tourist missing in Tamarindo; 40 police cars in town from OIJ; $15,000 stolen from a house in Langosta; no, no, it was $200,000; a body found in the estuary with two bullet holes... These are all stories going around town in one day. Most are just Tamarumours but, for Pete’s sake, if you don’t know for sure, and you almost certainly don’t, then don’t spread them further. That is just irresponsible, serves no useful purpose, and can do a lot of harm.

Flamingo Equestrian Center Riding School - Boarding Facility Lighted Indoor Arena - Jump Course Year-round Customized Horse Camps and Clinics flamingohorses@gmail.com www.costaricahorses.com 8-828-6879

Looking at the weather, it would appear that winter is over. We have just had ten hot, dry days, and the offshore winds are picking up. The rainy season started late and seems to have finished early, so we all know what that means, don’t we? A depleted acquifer, so let’s be sensible with our use of water. Do you really need to wash down your driveway every day? Because, when it’s gone, it’s gone.

This could be good tourism news! The Panamanian airline COPA is negotiating with Guanacaste businesses, ICT and Caturgua (Guanacaste’s tourist agency) to start regular flights from Panama direct to Liberia. They hope Tocumen (Panama City) airport will become a hub for tourists from all over South America, who could come direct to Guanacaste, avoiding San José. If agreement is reached, flights could start as early as July, 2010.

The Howler Since 1996

December 2009

FEATURES 8 Dining Out

Five years of serving good food in Tamarindo has made Nibbana a favorite for residents and tourists.

14 Around Town Openings, closings, parties, music. The Gold Coast has it all, and bar-hoppin’ David is in the groove.

15 Surf Report

The Costa Rica Surf federation shuffles around its picks for the IX PanAmerican Surfing Games in Brazil.

17 Kids - High on Horses

Local children spend a day at Casagua learning that a horse is more than just something to ride.

22 What’s Developing?

Palmas de Tamarindo is a combination of shopping plaza and condominiums, just a short drive from Tamarindo

22 Earthquake The recent serious earthquake near Poas inspires Gold Coast residents to organize an emergency plan - just in case.

33 Dreaming of a Green Christmas

More than ever, in these fast-changing times, we must learn to adapt, financially as well as ecologically.

34 Surviving Costa Rica

Having written over a hundred columns for The Howler, Jesse tries to pull them all together into a book.

35 Bebes al Aqua

In Tamarindo, tiny infants have their own swimming lessons in an Aquatic Stimulation Classes.

Cover Caption: No matter how you say it or where you are, Christmas is our favorite time of year. Happy Holidays to all our loyal readers, advertisers and friends.

Cover design and photo: www.johnlymanphotos.com

DEPARTMENTS 9

Student Voices

10

CD Review

11

Book Review

12 Yoga 13

Soccer

20 Halloween 23 Slice of Life 27 Puzzle 29 Tide Chart 32 December Forecasts 36 Sun & Moon 36 Rain Gauge

The Howler Founded in 1996 Vol. 14, No. 12 - December 2009 Issue No. 159 Editorial Office: Casa Equinox, Playa Tamarindo Guanacaste, Costa Rica Ced. Juridica: 3-101-331333 Publisher, editor and production David Mills dmills@racsa.co.cr www.howlermag.com Tel/fax: 2-653-0545 Contributors: TONY OREZ TOM PEIFER JOHN LYMAN ELLEN ZOE GOLDEN KIDS OF COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL CYNTHIA CHARPENTIER JEANNE CALLAHAN LINDA TREPANIER JESSE BISHOP NINA WEBER KAY DODGE

Deadline for January: December 15

Howler advertising

Advertise in the Howler and improve your business.

The Howler now offers a wide range of advertising sizes and formats to suit all needs. Please contact: David Mills - 2-653-0545 dmills@racsa.co.cr Advertising rates (color) Size

Casagua Horses The greatest variety of tours and riding experiences for all ages, featuring spectacular countryside, howler monkeys, colorful small towns and fun-filled fiestas.

Cantina Tour - Nature Tour Fiesta & Tope Rental - Old Tempate Trail Tour Located near Portegolpe on the main road, opposite the Monkey Park, just 20 minutes from the beach.

Phone us at: 2-653-8041

kaydodge@racsa.co.cr www.tamarindo.com/casagua The best horses on Guanacaste’s Gold Coast!

1/8-page 1/4 1/2 3/4 Full

Dimension (cms) Width Height 9.4 9.4 19.2 9.4 19.2 19.2 19.2

x x x x x x x

6.15 12.7 6.15 25.8 12.7 19.3 25.8

Price ($) 75 120 210 300 400

Discounts: For 6 months, paid in advance, one month is deducted.

For 12 months paid in advance, two months are deducted.

Ads must be submitted on CD or e-mail attachment, JPG or PDF format at 266 dpi, at the appropriate size (above).

All comments, articles and advertising in this publication are the opinion of their authors, and do not reflect the opinion of Howler Management.

www.tamarindobeach.net www.tamarindohomepage.com

Casa Ventana Jungle elegance! Balinese estate set on 4.29 acres with breathtaking valley and distant ocean views. Four years in the planning and attention to countless details are reected in a home of uncommon quality.

Designed by renowned Costa Rican Architect Abraham Valenzuela, Ventana is perhaps best described as a residential nature preserve offering unspoiled views and proximity to Tamarindo and neighboring beaches!

Tony DiMaggio Owner / Broker 2653-1561 / 8815-1200 tony@eltesoroproperties.com

Details upon request!

Offered at $2,500,000

David Mills

Dining Out

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ibbana has been in operation for ten or so years, earlier as Blue Moon and Las Palmas, in its current incarnation for five. One of the very few restaurants on Tamarindo Beach, it attracts a good crowd for the friendly Happy Hour at the bar between 5 and 7 which includes the view of our glorious sunsets. During that time the restaurant starts to fill up, frequently doing good business as it has a fine reputation. The dining room is open and fresh, with warm ambience.

Arriving on a very busy night, we were nonetheless served rapidly and attentively, and were entertained by Avelino’s live Brazilian music, which plays Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

Owned by Fabien Mandrea, Nibbana mixes French with Tico and seafood cuisine, and has an eclectic menu. Appetizers include a trio of ceviches; tuna tartare; beef carpaccio; jumbo shrimps; Italian charcuterie; and tomato, eggplant and cheese with basil sauce. We ate the soup of the day, a creamy lobster bisque, and escargots, juicy and garlicky in a butter sauce.

Meat dishes include mixed grill; pork filet; beef tartare in cognac sauce; chicken curry; beef tri-tip in wine sauce; grilled beef chop; and beef tenderloin. We chose chicken breast in Marsala, mushroom and bacon sauce, very tasty, and pork ribs in herbed caramel sauce, two slabs of juicy ribs, delicious and enough to take some home.

Other options are six salads; eight pastas; ten desserts; a wide selection of seafood such as lobster, corvina, grilled tuna, whole fish, mussels in sauce, jumbo shrimps...something for everyone here. Our whole dining experince was most enjoyable.

Nibbana is located behind Century 21 between the main road and the beach in Tamarindo. All credit cards accepted, and it is open from 7 a.m. for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For reservations, call 2-653-0447 or 2-653-2222. Web site is www.nibbanatamarindo.com, e-mail fabienmandrea@hotmail.com.

S T U D E N T V O I C E S • C D S G

Zeus, God of Gods 1717, Mt.Olympus z1e2 u3s4 Dear Lord of the Sky, I’m delighted with writing a letter to you. I’ve heard that poor Artemis has retired from her job. I was sorry to hear that so I decided to apply to replace her. My name is Polemistis, which means huntress in Greek.

As the best huntress of the whole country, I think I can handle being the goddess of the hunt. I can shoot one arrow and kill a whole army. I can run miles without being winded. I have the skills from my father, Achilles. My mother was Athena, goddess or war.

I was a friend of the twins Apollo and Artemis. She is the one who taught me how to hunt. I was favored by her. But of course there is a second section about replacing my good friend Artemis. I also have to be goddess of the moon and ride the the moon chariot across the sky. I came to see Artemis often. Everyday, she taught me something new. She taught me how to drive the chariot, and how the gods ruled the world.

This is why I should replace Artemis. She had entirely belief in me and told me that whatever happened to her, I could take her place. This would be my biggest acomplishment.

Thank you, Polemistis

Amelia L. English 7th

Where I am from I am from a place where there are lots of buildings and people, lots of cars and traffic. From the city that never sleeps. I am from a place where there are beaches and small towns, not very many people and not very many buildings. I am from a mother who is from Costa Rica, and a father who is from New York. I am from a family that celebrates all different holidays, and are not religious at all. I come from a family that enjoys spending time with each other. If I didn’t come from any of these places I would definitely not be the same person I am today. I was raised in three very different places, and living three different lifestyles is very hard but it made me who I am and I’m glad. My family made me who I am today by teaching me and raising me the way they did. Telling me about their past experiences and helping me learn from mistakes. Without any of these things, I don’t know who I’d be Miranda Hirsch English 8

CD Review Radio Latino Tony Orez

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hen Rock & Roll was in its infancy, Latin rock was represented only by gimmick songs, ala “Little Latin Lupe Lou”. Along came Richie (Valenzuela) Valens in 1959, putting Latinos on the rock-and-roll map, giving them a lot more credibility, with hits like, “La Bamba”. His early, untimely death closed that chapter and Latin rock fell back into hibernation for nearly a decade.

On an April night in 1968, I was at a concert at Bill Graham’s fabled Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco, California, to see the band The Youngbloods. The unknown, opening band’s guitarist played their entire first set behind his amplifier. No one could see him but he certainly had everyone’s attention with his innovative, blazing guitar work. There is really no other way to describe his style.

As it turned out, this shy guitarist was also the band’s leader and namesake and for their second set later that night for the Carlos Santana Blues Band, he graced us with his presence on stage. Over the course of the next year, Santana (the band) would shorten their name, release their first album and play at my high school. Twice. I actually got to talk with Carlos and bassist Joe Brown between sets at one of these shows. With their performance the next year at Woodstock, the floodgate would open for a river of Latin artists, all the way to the present, for artists like Shakira and Mana. Every one of these musicians has Carlos Santana to thank for that.

Over the past ten years, Putumayo Records has set the trend for World Music, basically inventing the term. They recently released a new CD titled, “Radio Latino” comprising eleven Latin artists from all over the globe, including Spain, Cuba, Venezuela, Uruguay, Argentina and even the U.S.A. The result is a compilation of radio-friendly songs of contemporary Latin pop music.

The first song, “Princesa”, by Sacha Nairobi of Venezuela sets the pace: up-tempo, fun Latin songs with a danceable beat. Other notable tunes include Cuba’s Kevin Ochoa doing “Viento y Tiempo” and Los Pinguinos from Argentina performing the snappy, “Cielo de Scarlata”. The offering of “Mulatica Mia”, by the U.S.A.’s The Toa of Groove is a great example of what happens when Lounge meets Latino. And Cubano music is well represented by Raul Paz with his rendition of “Mama” and Jorge Moreno closing out the disc with a stirring version of “Candelita”. Uruguay checks in with “Vagabundo” by Martin Buscaglia. Throughout the disc, in fact, the use of horns has done well to represent the lush Latin rhythm sections, which are an integral part of the Latin Rock genre. The packaging for the CD is done in true Putumayo style, complete with a booklet in Spanish, English and French that includes a blurb on each performer. All told, Radio Latino is an indicator of how Latin music has carved a niche for itself in the Pop mainstream.

Radio Latino is available at the Jaime Peligro bookstores in Playa Tamarindo, Tilaran and Quepos.

Book Review Rock & Roll Cemetery Tony Orez

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ying has always been a bad career move, no matter how you look at it. In the world of music, however, artists become immortalized after their untimely demise. But not once has there been a follow-up tour. Still, as Jimi Hendrix so ironically put it, “Once you’re dead, you’ve got it made for life...” In his new book “Better to Burn Out”, Dave Thompson explores the truncated lives of some of the lesser-known musicians in the world of rock, people who had a brush with stardom or influenced musicians who later went on to be famous.

Being a music nerd, I found the book full of little nuggets about musicians out of the mainstream and in some cases, people of whom I had only a faint recollection.

It was nice, for example, to see such nice exposure for Steve Marriot and Ronnie Lane of the Small Faces, a band I saw a few times in the ‘70s. I also was lucky enough to go to one of Ronnie’s shows for his farewell tour, shortly before he succumbed to his long battle with multiple sclerosis. Marriot had passed away about a year earlier in a fire at his house. But these two individuals are the exceptions in “Better to Burn Out”, where most of the musicians’ deaths are basically self-induced, by suicide and/or alcohol and drugs. I’m not sure if it was the author’s intention, but the stories in this book serve as a reminder that heroin and alcohol are not discerning and know no boundaries, effecting musicians from literally every genre.

As I read the book, I became curious about Thompson’s choices (and omissions) of subjects. So I googled him and sure enough, he was born in England and has lived a good deal of time in the Pacific Northwest, so the bulk of his sagas stem from these two locales. But I thought it was unusual that not one musician in the book hailed from a San Francisco band, which is littered with tombstones of musicians who met an early demise. Certainly, the likes of John Cippolina, Michael Bloomfield, Nicky Hopkins, Brian Marnell, and a half-dozen keyboard players for the Grateful Dead (not to mention Jerry Garcia himself) deserved some kind of mention. I also missed the point of Thompson including the gifted folk singer/songwriter Phil Ochs in a single sentence but not elaborating about the musician’s alcoholism and the fact that he hung himself at the age of thirty-one.

I also questioned the inclusion of two of the histories. The first was a man who called himself Jobriath. I remember this guy and if he ever did actually gain any notoriety, he was simply fulfilling Andy Warhol’s premonition that everyone would be famous for fifteen minutes. But he was never a musician.

I also don’t understand why the author included the French poet/crooner Jacques Brel simply because he influenced other people’s style. Does that make Jesus Christ a pop star? Hey, he influenced people and died young (33), under unusual circumstances (crucifixion), too.

Through all this criticism, though, I have to say I enjoyed the book and its illumination of musicians who never received this kind of recognition when they were alive and deserved it.

on the Beach

By Nina Weber Certified Yoga Instructor

YOGA AT CASA AZUL in Tamarindo Beachfront provides a combination of Dynamic * Challenging * Inspiring * Encouraging and Relaxing Yoga * Small groups and individual adjustments *Most important.: Yoga is fun !!!

A Short Introduction to Bikram Yoga

For more information email me at nina@tamarindoyoga.com. www.tamarindoyoga.com

Yogiraj Bikram Choudhury is the founder of the worldwide Yoga College of India

Bikram therapeutic Hatha/Raja Yoga is a series of 26 yoga postures, and breathing exercises taught in a 90minute class. Each pose is a challenge based on one’s personal abilities. The postures are done in the safe environment of a heated room so that deep penetration can relieve one’s body resistance without risking injury.

have been repeatedly observed and documented over time. With regular practice, discipline and honest effort you will: reshape your body, reduce risk for sport injuries, reduce the effects of stress, clear your mind, tone and strengthen muscles, increase balance and coordination and increase energy.

By the end of a class session, each individual will have worked every muscle, tendon, joint, ligament, internal organ, and gland while systematically moving fresh, oxygenated blood to 100% of the body. The result is restoration of health to all systems.

Why do we use the heat?

Heat therapy is becoming recognized as a valuable healing tool. Its earliest-known use dates from Ancient Greek physicians who raised body temperature as an immune defense mechanism against infection. Regular profuse sweating generated by heat As you increase strength, flexibility will flush toxins out the body and and balance in your body, you will promote relaxation and well-being. be energized, you will revitalize your mind, and you’ll be working Poses are presented by Miriam Jacob, on eliminating conditions of stress November, 2009. produced by fast-paced lifestyles.

These postures work synergistically Miriam: I love coming to Tamarindo and cumulatively to put the body and doing YOGA at Casa Azul with back on track and in balance. Regular my good friend Nina. When I am in practice of this series of postures L.A. or other parts of the world I like results in the healing and repair of doing the Bikram 26 postures. It is injuries and illnesses, weight loss, and challenging ! As Bikram says: “Better peace of mind. to suffer for 90 minutes than to suffer

90 years.” I just got certified in Palm

The practice of yoga dates back Desert to teach the Bikram Yoga. I five thousand years and its benefits feel so much vitality and energy.

David Mills

End of the Road to South Africa

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hat is the longest a person can hold his breath? One minute? Five minutes? What about nine months, as that is the time that Costa Rica has held its collective breath while La Sele battled its way through the elimination rounds towards the World Cup.Finally, Costa Rica’s hopes for a berth in the Mundial were dashed during the two reperchaje games against Conmebol’s Uruguay, and the South American team will reserve its tickets to South Africa next June.

After fading fast in the latter half of the hexagonal Concacaf tournament between March and October, Costa Rica just missed making the grade in its last game, and was forced into a desperate pair of games against Uruguay. A win on aggregate goals was the ticket to the World Cup; unfortunately, La Sele only managed 1 (0-1) against Uruguay’s 2 (1-1). The first game was a display of aggressive and good quality football by La Sele, though they just couldn’t pull off the needed goal. The second game was a disgrace, leading a Tica friend to say “It’s a good job that they lost. A team playing this badly in South Africa would be a national embarrassment.” The only bright plays came from Keylor Navas, whose goaltending saved the team from a humiliating score.

It has been an exciting ride for the past ten months, and now it’s over until 2014.

Thank you, Sele, for giving us some great games and a lot of hope. Better luck next time.

The World Cup tournament takes place from June 11 to July 11, 2010 in various venues in South Africa.

Go, Inglaterra!

David Mills

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hannon thanks everyone who supported the Coral Reef Hallowee’en Party (their best-ever party - photos centre pages) – Martin & Claudia of MOHS; Joe & Holly from Witch’s Rock; Ellen Zoe; Omar of Congo Tours; Diego for the ghouly music.

Christmas Fun for the kids! “Come talk with Santa at Coral Reef” will be held December 12 at 10 a.m. All are welcome. Shannon needs candy canes – anyone know where she can get them? Write her at essencedayspa@yahoo.com.

What a coincidence! That the full moon on December 31 is a Blue Moon (second full in a month) and falls on New Year’s Eve. Now, isn’t that the reason for a party?

The area is going crazy with new businesses opening. In Tamarindo, Le Beach Club is open behind Galeria del Mar; Lugarcito is serving Italian food; Dragonfly has reopened after a long break. Koi Sushi is on the third floor of Aqua. In Potrero, La Terraza Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria is open on the third floor of Plaza Verde. El Rancho tavern and restaurant opens at Best Western in Huacas, and Café Pueblo brings pizza to Playa Grande. Giramundo has brought a travel agency to the area, with an office in Huacas (see ad page 13). And Super Maracas in Tamarindo in Galeria del Mar, top floor.

Author Zoraida Diaz will be signing her excellent coffee table book “Life Portraits” at Jaime Peligro, December 13 from 3 to 5 p.m. There will also be paintings by Sage and Susan Adams and live music with Jesse Bishop, the Banana Kings and Los Caballeros de La Calle.

Kion supermarket from Santa Cruz delivers your groceries to your door. See ad page 23.

My Collection proudly presents its Grand Opening to the public in the Garden Plaza shopping center. The store specializes in custom-made one-of-a-kind leather handbags designed and made by local designer Yenory Cordero. Come and visit us to learn how a leather bag comes to life. Contact Cynthia at c.castro@myleatherfashion.com or visit www.myleatherfashion.com.

Live theatre in Tamarindo!! Beach Nuts Theatre Co. and Amigos de la Educacion will present a traditional British-style pantomime at Voodoo Lounge on December 18 and 19 at 6:30 p.m. These hilarious shows are for all ages, and are a must, especially if you have never seen one. And no, it is not mime, but very vocal. Traditionally, men play the female parts and vice versa; buffoonery, slapstick, song, dance are mandatory and the audience is encouraged to boo and hiss. “If you buy a ticket, you’re in the show,” says Paul Belanger. This first presentation is Cinderella, starring local thespians. Tickets are $10 at Papaya Con Leche and Jaime Peligro. Call 2-653-1440 for information.

Tiny tots can learn to swim and be comfortable in water at Bebes al Aqua classes. See page 35.

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www.howlermag.com

Surf Report Story: Ellen Zoe Golden

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t seems that after the 2009 International Surfing Association (ISA) World Surfing Games, the Federación de Surf de Costa Rica was motivated to shake up the talent on the Costa Rica National Surf Team. Gone were familiar names like Gilbert Brown and Diego Naranjo, Costa Rica National Champions and internationally sponsored pros.

Sure, anchoring the Open team was powerhouse 21-year-old Jason Torres. But now there were names being called out like Jair Pérez, Isaac Vega....Josymar Fuentes??

The baton has shifted.

José Ureña, President of the Federación and Technical Director of the Costa Rica National Surf Team has bolstered the team with youngsters who have ranked high on the Circuito Nacional de Surf chart and not had a chance to compete.

And the results are paying off.

In El Salvador on October 25, Costa Rica won its fourth consecutive Central American Championship. On November 15, its first-ever silver medal at the IX PanAmerican Surfing Games in Brazil.

Riding on the extraordinary surfing of a slew of Ticos, the best of whom ended up in second place overall in the IX Pan American Surfing Games, the National Team today made history by placing second in the Games that took place in Brazil.

With the skills of Torres earning his first silver medal in the Open, Costa Rica secured its 4th consecutive podium visit at the Games since 2003.

In this opportunity, however, rather than mining Bronze and Copper as before, the overall points earned by the team resulted in their earning a silver medal and a sub-championship at these Games.

This team silver medal is even more significant since Costa Rica competed in Brazil with an incomplete team. From the nine selections that arrived here, only Peru, Venezuela and Guadalupe brought the full 15 athletes for the 6 categories. Costa Rica took 8 competitors.

“We do not really believe it,” said José Ureña. “The praises of the other teams and people came at us from all sides. The work that we managed to do has been even better because we arrived here with only sixty percent of a team.”

The full team was: Open: Carlos Muñoz, Jair Pérez, Jason Torres and Isaac Vega.

Junior: Anthony Segura, Carlos Muñoz, Jordan Hernández and Anthony Fillingim.

Women’s: Lisbeth Vindas and Nataly Bernold.

Longboard: Jason Torres and Esteban Leiton.

Bodyboard Male: Isaac Vega and Anthony Fillingam Bodyboard Female: Lisbeth Vindas (continued page 26)

Organizing Playa Negra Corazones Unidos - Not Just Recycling

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Linda Trepanier

group of us foreigners got together to see if we could make a difference for the better. While enjoying a few bocas and libations and discussing how we could best save the world, we decided to start at just cleaning it up by creating a recycling program.

It quickly became apparent that we needed money. Our first fundraiser was a garage sale held in an empty lot owned by the Rosano family in Los Pargos. The Rosanos pitched right in, raised a tent for us, donated hot dogs, and even came to help out with the sale. Natcho and Flors from Gran Pan donated an entire day’s baking, also Maicol Leroy came out and sparked off a little jam session. Even though it poured buckets (of course) and the ants were ferocious (this is Guanacaste), Los Pargos/Playa Negra and surrounding communities were wholeheartedly supportive with their donations and their purchases, and the Corazones Unidos had a little operating budget.

We continued to meet weekly, and ironically, as our group dwindled, our objectives grew. With the new roads coming through our area we are experiencing an increase in tourist activity while the rest of the world is possibly experiencing just the opposite. We plan to offer free Basic English and Spanish Lessons so we can better communicate; also we want to inspire artists new and old, and there are some health and safety issues we would like to address.

Obviously we were going to need more money.

Being the group of fun-loving bleeding hearts that we are, our next fundraiser was a big party, and it was a Blast! Musicians came from several communities to donate their time. Aloha Amigos donated the space, the Rosanos once again donated their tent, Lola’s donated beers, Las Tecas donated some feistier spirits, the two pulperias in Los Pargos, Negros and Vincentes, donated other party necessities, individuals cooked it up. Many came out to enjoy the show and several people donated above and beyond the cost of a beer or a plate of food. The Corazones were Unidos indeed, and the meager operating budget swelled up a little bit more.

Our third fundraising event, at the request of many, was another garage sale. This time Willie and Isabel from La Vida Buena donated the use of the Pizzeria. Gerry from Aloha Amigos came out with his BBQ and cooked it up for the hot dog sale, and the communities again supported us generously with donations and purchases. Now we are happy to announce that recycling will soon begin in Los Pargos/Playa Negra.

Our two main hurdles were where to collect and store the materials, and how to get them picked up. Aldo and Carle from Finca Los Pargos offered the use of their Old Ice Factory building. It is perfect for our use, there is room for 25 barrels, space for a free store (those things that are in between the garage sales and the garbage), it has access to water, and Maria José Flecha has even given us usage of electricity from her house next door when we need it. The location is easily accessible and it even has a loading ramp! Our second problem was resolved by timing, as now Costa Rica has allotted funds for recycling (continued page 25)

Kids

High on Horses

by Kay T. Dodge de Pearaza

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re your boots and saddle clean? Where are my gloves?

How much time do I need to get my horse ready?

Where is the truck?

The day of any horse show is exciting for the horse-loving participants and sometimes hectic for their proud parents. Whether involved in Western Horsemanship or English Jumping and Dressage, kids preparing for a show are all alike - “high on horses”.

On November 14, riding students were invited to participate in the Casagua Horse Show sponsored by Casagua and Flamingo Equestrian Center.

The half-day show not only featured classes in Halter/ Bridle in Hand and Walk/Trot for various age groups, but also demonstrations of horsemanship featuring dressage, jumping, bareback and riding western and criollo style with advanced students and adults. There was a comfortable blending of the disciplined riding and having fun with horses.

Ellen Duggan and Jeanne Cordes, avid horsewomen, were the judges for the horsemanship classes giving the young riders tips on their performances.

The morning activities ended with two very different events.

For the participants eight and under the “Painted Pony” competition with kids decorating two very patient horses with an array of colored ribbons, glitter on their hooves, and designs painted on their (continued page 24)

AquaSmarter Chlorine-free Water Purifier

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quaSmarter changes your pool to a chlorine-free oasis and makes your coffee taste even better!

On my vacation to Europe last September I was introduced to this incredible product, the AquaSmarter, and after using it in my own pool and drinking water I was convinced this is a great product, protecting your health and....saving you $$$ on chlorine and chemicals.

The AquaSmarter is an Ionizing Capsule that automatically regulates copper and silver ions when submerged in various types of liquids. This ionizaton process is also called “Electro Galvanic Action”. There is no need for electricity using the AquaSmarter. The AquaSmarter ionization prevents formation of bacteria, viruses and algae.

AquaSmarter will last for 12 full months, reduce chlorine use in pools up to 90% and reduce the usage of chemicals to 100%. It also saves you energy since you can reduce the time of running your pool pump.

Capsule Size: The AquaSmarter Capsule is 3.5” and has been specifically designed to fit into any pool skimmer basket or leaf trap baskets located around your pool or close to a point of circulation as in the case of water tanks, Jacuzzis or aquaria.

The basis for the technology that makes AquaSmarter work has existed for more than 5,000 years. Certain minerals, when processed correctly and exposed to water, create ionization. It is this ionization that eliminates bacteria, algae, microbes, and other organisms that live in water and produce illness in humans. Since no electricity is required for this ‘galvanic’ process, AquaSmarter technology allows water to be purified without the need for additional energy, nor expensive, dangerous, and life-threatening chemicals. The effect of this galvanic process lasts for nearly one year and has no detrimental health effects, unlike current water purification techniques.

Chlorine was introduced as a water purification method more than 100 years ago... long before its negative effects were known. Why would you allow yourself to be exposed to the toxic effects of chemicals when there exists a new technology that actually promotes your health?

The AquaSmarter technology is straightforward to operate and requires no maintenance. This water disinfection technique can be used in practically all situations where lasting disinfection of bacteria, viruses and algae is required. With each capsule lasting one full year, it is already operational in thousands of swimming pools and whirlpools.

For drinking water AquaSmarter has produced a “golden egg” , to be placed in a 5-gallon water bottle, ionizing tap water in 24 hours. The golden egg will last 12 months for the price of $49.95 only! The ionized water is of similar or better quality than bottled water and does make your coffee or tea taste even better!

The AquaSmarter is registered at the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) with Certification Number 075702-CRI-00.

For more information www.aquasmarter.net Or call 88342036 / 26531961 or see ad on page 2.

WHAT ARE WE DOING COSTA RICA?

Riteve

Cynthia Osborne Charpentier

Why Riteve?

Because every year you have to go through the same thing. A lot of people don’t go and hire somebody else to go.

“Clearly Costa Rican, RTV comes from the estrategic Alliance of Transal de Costa Rica with Supervision and Control de Espana, this last one with 20 years of experience in cars technical revision and international prestige as a solid Company like that” - from RTV. “I think it is a good thing, for safety, makes the roads better” - Tom Haidu.

“It’s good to fix safety things but if you have a little bulb that doesn’t work, then they make you come back and expect another ¢5,000” - Norman.

“I don’t go to RTV unless I have to go shopping or something to do in the same town” - Norman.

Many people go three or four times to pass. I am so happy I don’t have a car anymore.

“For little things they shouldn’t charge you, it’s wrong. I understand and I agree about mufflers, tires, lights, brakes, they have to inspect them. That’s a good thing, that will prevent accidents, but stupid little things to come back? No. I had the little bulb that wasn’t bad, just dirty, and I had to come back because of that - Norman.

“I am disgusted at RTV. The first time was my fault, because of one tire and the tube for my muffler. Then, the second time they said my emissions had to be fixed, and my third time their machine wasn’t working. It was their fault that my car couldn’t pass. So, I have to go one more time. If you live in Liberia, no big deal, but living in the jungle? No! I am a very busy man, I cannot go to Liberia all the time” - Norman.

“This Company started in July 2002. RTV is now recognized for seriousness, responsibility, objectivity, transparence, credibility and confidence for the service” - From RTV. “It’s always about the money. Many people rent parts to go for revision. Some people see RTV like a barrier, some others don’t have the money” - Wendy Abarca.

“Riteve is not for poor people, and with these bad cars, that cannot be good” - Juan Arias, Dos Pinos.

“To me it is good as it reduces accidents - Manrique.

“Riteve is good for the country, because you can avoid many accidents that happened before” - Erick.

“It helps people to keep their cars in good shape” - O. (continued page 19)

WHAT ARE WE DOING COSTA RICA? (from page 18) “When a user is not satisfied with the result, he has the right to appeal directly to Departamento de Calidad, or Organo Fiscalizador de la Revision Tecnica of MOPT. Also to la Comision Nacional de Defensa del Consumidor, or Defensoria de Habitantes” - from RTV. “Some people talk badly about RTV. For me it’s OK. If the car is not good it has to come back. That generates expenses, but if it’s not in good condition it shouldn’t be on the roads. To me RTV is perfect” - Ericka.

“You should get rid of it. It’s a pain in the butt. Many people think the same. They can not afford it also.”

Are the roads safer with RTV? “That’s true! That’s the other part of it. Not too many accidents on the road also” - Jesse.

“Appointments: Don’t wait, you choose your time and day. We will attend to you right away”. (From RTV).

“I think it is good if there is order on the roads, transit officers, government laws and RTV requirements. I never had problems” - Tony.

“It’s bad, really bad, because it is a swindle for poor people, because the machines don’t say anything good, even when the car is good. You have to go back and pay again. Nobody can accuse us for saying it’s a swindle, because that’s the reality, the truth.”

- J. Martinez.

Mr. Martinez went to RTV in Guapiles. His car brakes were good, but he couldn’t make it through. He went to a mechanic and went back to RTV. So why didn’t the machine detect anything before, even the brakes were good?

“This is a Company whose mission is quality and the best possible attention for the clients”. (From RTV).

“You go there for prevention if the car has problems, it is for your safety and that of people on the roads. If you don’t have the money it’s very difficult to give maintenance to the car. If your car is not good it’s because of tires, suspension, oil, many things that some people don’t care about and RTV regulates that; if not it will be worse.” - Wendy Abarca.

“RTV with only two years achieved the ‘Sistema de Gestion de Calidad Certificate’. This is for global reach, meaning those16 stations all over the country”. (From RTV).

Are you going to pass?

Be patient.

Hallow 200

C B S A E

20

we’en 09

Coral Reef Bar One Sharky’s Aqua El Coconut

What’s developing?

L

David Mills

ess than a ten-minute drive out of Tamarindo in the direction of Santa Cruz brings you to Palmas de Tamarindo, a combination shopping plaza with 14 stores fronting seven condominium buildings set back from the main road and set in a rectangle surrounding the pool and recreation area. Total area of the project is 2 hectares.

Condos are one-, two-, and three-bedroom plans, ranging in size from 54 square meters (581 square feet) to 92 square meters. Each condo has a balcony overlooking the pool, and comes with its own parking space and storage areas.

Kitchens are fully equipped with top-quality appliances, wood cabinetry and granite counter tops, and there is a washer and dryer in each unit. All floors are imported tile. Each unit has mini-split air-conditioning in bedrooms and living areas, cable television and high-speed internet connection.

There are 42 one-bedroom condos at $128,000; 24 two-bedroom at $178,000 and 18 three-bedroom at $198,000. Phase 1 is complete, and Phase 2 is now open for sales.

Palmas de Tamarindo is one hour from the International airport in Liberia, five minutes from the world-class golf course at Hacienda Pinilla and half an hour from the city of Santa Cruz.

The Project Developer is ServiGlobal S.A, and the architect Horacio Espinoza (Promode). For information on Palmas de Tamarindo, call José Murillo Sabirío at 2-653-4002, 2-288-5926, or 8-839-7256, e-mail info@palmasdetamarindo.com or visit the web site at www. palmasdetamarindo.com

Are we ready for the Big One? Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum - he who wants peace should prepare for war - Flavius Vegetius in 4th century A.D. With a very comprehensive set of slides showing every aspect of earthquake anatomy, engineer Jean Schiettekatte demonstrated to a group of interested residents the possibility of a serious earthquake occurring in Guanacaste in the near future, its potential effects and the measures which can be taken to reduce the amounts of injury and property damage in our immediate area.

The facts are that Guanacaste, particularly the Nicoya Peninsula, sits upon several tectonic plates which are in constant motion, sliding and grinding against each other, causing greater or lesser tremors. Small temblores, such as we feel from time to time, are beneficial to the situation, as they reduce the pressure which is building up constantly under the surface without causing serious damage.

Nonetheless, the peninsula has a long history of big earthquakes, which have occurred at roughly 50-year intervals over the past two centuries – 1826, 1853, 1900 and 1950. Extrapolation, supported by seismic studies, suggests that we are ten years overdue for another Big One and, since we cannot stop it or predict exactly when or where it may happen, our best strategy is to prepare for it.

In a severe scenario, Tamarindo and other beach towns may be cut off from the rest of Costa Rica due to destruction of roads and bridges.

In such a case, it would be hoped that rescue teams find methods to supply the stricken area, e.g., air drops of emergency supplies – water, medical, food.

A very frequent companion of an earthquake near the coast is the dreaded tsunami. We all watched at a comfortable distance as an estimated 230,000 people died in Indonesia at Christmas 2004, but some may remember the panic which ensued when a tsunami warning was issued in Tamarindo a (continued next page)

A Slice of Life

(from page 22)

Weed Whipper

few years ago (the warning was cancelled shortly afterwards). A moderate-sized tsunami could damage coastal communities with, or without, the earthquake, and here, too, a preparedness plan would be of immense help.

Schiettekatte pointed out that, in the January 2009 earthquake near Volcan Poas, much effort was wasted because the rescue teams didn’t know how many people lived in each community, where people were expected to be and who was missing. In order to avoid this in our area, it is hoped that all residents complete a questionnaire – in effect a local census – to give rescuers a good idea of the number of people missing in such an event.

This would also act as a guide to the amount of emergency supplies needed.

Shown here is the “Ficha de Registro para Familia” with the names and ages of people living at each address. These forms, when consolidated, will give a profile of the community, allowing authorities to determine what supplies are needed and where to send them. The form is available on-line at www.howlermag.com/coverlinks/eqform, and can be printed out and sent to Simona at Hotel Luna Llena in Tamarindo.

We hope, of course, that this event will never happen. After all, residents of Southern California have lived under the threat of the Big One for many years and, so far, it hasn’t happened. But, a small amount of effort now may have big benefits if Mother Nature decides to give us a kick in the pants.

Current information is available at: http://www.facebook.com/p.php?i=1103712763&k=Z5E656U3S4T F5JACWB2UU5PQVSKFWY4M&oid=1191126029970 D I S T R I B U T O O F P R O D U C T F O R H O T E L S R E S T A U R A N T

R S & S

TEL: (506) 2680-0139 FAX: (506) 2680-0679 E-mail: INFO@KION.CO.CR WWW.KION.CO.CR GUANACASTE

B

ass player for the Hot Five Jazzmakers is Colin “Gut String” Bray. Colin is a jazz purist, which means that he has defined all jazz as New Orleans, and all New Orleans jazz as having happened in the 1920s and ‘30s. Never mind that he plies his hobby in Toronto in the 21st century; real “classic” jazz only happened for those two decades. Colin hosted a radio program - “Sugar Foot Stomp” - on a small Toronto station; on this show he would only play the real classics. Wildly intolerant of anyone who does not share his very narrow interpretation of jazz, he refers to other types of music as “biddly-bop sh-t.”

Colin received his nickname from his frequent assertation that he will only string his double-bass with real gut strings. “These fingers will never touch artificial strings,” he boasts.

One evening I was with friends at the Rex Hotel, where the Freeway Jazz Band was playing. At the break the bass player, Phil Carney, came over and joined our table. Someone complimented him on the bass sound. “Thank you,” said Neil, “it must be the new secret strings I’m using.” Pressed for the secret, he admitted that he went to the Canadian Tire store and bought a couple of reels of Weed Whipper line, used in the electric grass cutters.

“It’s very handy,” he said, “because it comes in large reels of different thicknesses, and it’s much cheaper than regular strings.”

After the band resumed for the next set, Colin Bray walked in and joined us. Someone enquired whether he would ask to sit in for a couple of numbers, and he agreed that he would. Lee kicked me under the table, and we each grinned, silently, to the other: “Don’t mention Neil’s strings.”

Eventually, Colin joined the band and took Neil’s bass in hand. We could hardly contain ourselves as Colin’s virgin fingers plucked away at the borrowed instrument. From that day, Colin has a new nickname: Colin “Weed-whipper” Bray.

Do you have a short anecdote, weird or funny, to share with the readers? Please e-mail to dmills@racsa.co.cr

Kids...

(from page 17)

bodies. They were having fun with their horses which would be judged, and participants awarded with certificates and candy.

At the same time, kids nine and over were able to compete in the “Fun Run”, a timed obstacle course which included pole bending, barrels, a post office, marshmallow run and more poles.

The kids were having so much fun that some of the parents, also taking lessons or life-long riders, joined in to see who was the fastest. The laughs from the crowd and participants were non-stop.

Although the majority of the participants in the riding classes were girls, there will be more opportunity in the future for boys (big and small) to participate in the Centered Riding and Western Horsemanship Classes forming at Casagua. The new classes for kids and adults will teach horsemanship, barrels, pole bending and running the traditional Costa Rican cinta races. Contact Casagua at 2-6538041 or email casaguahorses@yahoo.com for information.

The next horse show will be at Flamingo Equestrian Center, Saturday, December 12th. Call Amanda or Donna for more information (see ad on page 4).

But you don’t need a show to have fun with horses.

Throughout the year Casagua plans horse fun days for birthdays, play days or special shows for non-riding groups. The goal is for all of us to get “High on Horses!”

Organizing...

(from page 16)

efforts to begin in outlying communities and Santa Cruz is offering a reliable, free pick-up of materials. The only thing standing between us and the beginning of our recycling project is a few barrels and, if our luck holds out, by the time you are reading this, recycling will have started in Los Pargos/Playa Negra.

NOT JUST RECYCLING! As if all this were not wonderful and generous enough, the community of Los Pargos keeps giving even more. Carlos and Andrea of the Cafe Playa Negra have donated the use of the Galleria Amano for the creation of an artists’ co-operative.

Ideally located in the center of beautiful downtown Los Pargos it is the perfect place for artists and tourists to unite. More than just a gallery we are hoping to create a Studio/Gallery - a Drop-In Center where anyone can get some “hands on” exposure to art, tourism, music, work on their language skills, or just come and relax and enjoy some company. Still in the beginning stages, we’re open to ideas and suggestions and I look forward to welcoming a group of artists and interested individuals who want to be part of Corazones Unidos and give of themselves.

This story is proof that a few people can get together and change the world one little bit at a time. When hearts unite, heads and feet follow.

Our little group is open to newcomers of every nationality; we meet from 4 to 6 pm every Thursday in Los Pargos. For more information, to make a donation (we’re all trying to get barrelled), or simply just join in the fun call Linda at 2-652-9244 or join our Facebook group Corazones Unidos.

Oh! I almost forgot, our next fundraiser is another Music Night! We’re going to be showcasing some local musicians, some familiar faces and also some first timers so come on out and enjoy an evening of music, dancing, refreshments, and good home cooking and support the Corazones Unidos Community Programs.

Aloha Amigos Rancho, December 5th from 6 to 11 pm. If you can help out by donating, food or party necessities, or you are a musician and would like to play give us a call or just come on out and enjoy the fun! See you there!

Inspire-Unite-Educate

Alcoholics Anonymous Schedule of Meetings

Flamingo

Tuesdays: 5:30 - 6:30 pm (open) Fridays: 5:30 - 6:30 pm (open)

Location: Hitching Post Plaza Unit 2, Brasilito Contact: Don H. at 2-654-4902

Tamarindo

Saturday: 10:30-11:30 - Open General Meeting Monday: 5:30 Open Meeting Thursday: 6:30-7:30 - Open Meeting Location: Behind Restaurant Fiesta del Mar Contact: Ellen - 2-653-0897

THE RIDE OF YOUR LIFE!!!

CANOPY, HORSEBACK RIDING AND ATV www.CanopyPuraAventura.com info@CanopyPuraAventura.com Tel: 2-658-0781 / 8-883-5703 / 8-873-7236

Surf Report (from page 15) Torres ended up in the final heat by winning second place in Repercharge Heat 6, where he bested the other high-ranking Costa Rican Jair Pérez. Pérez ended these Games ranked #5.

The final heat of the event was actually won by Brazilian Ruda Carvalho, and also featured, Venezuelan Rafael Pereira and Brazilian Franklin Serpa. The 25 minutes provided a great end, where Pereira in his first route, put out the best wave of the series with 8.83—a magnificent demonstration of radical 360 air. Torres imitated the Venezuelan in a maneuver, but only scored 6.83. The attacks of the Brazilians almost immediately sent the Tico to fourth position. During the last 5 minutes, Carvalho managed sufficient risk to jump to champion with a combination of 14.56, while Torres urged on with a 6.51 to bounce into second.

Counting down, a true race ensued between Torres and Serpa that managed to bring the Tico a wave that brought a 6.67 and the cementing of the silver.

The points Torres earned in Brazil, along with the higher rankings of the rest of the Costa Ricans, brought the team its 4th consecutive podium visit since 2003. In Ecuador 2003, they were 3rd place, 4th place 2005 in Peru, and 4th place 2007 in Chile. Now they rise to 2nd place in Brazil.

“Hopefully, this arrives for all to see this institution of surfing doing well in Costa Rica, so that people can support it and see that it gives a lot of merit to the country. We arrived incomplete because of the price of the airline tickets being so expensive, so I want to be thankful to the surfers we had and be pleased that they made Costa Rica the second best surfing nation on the American continent,” exclaimed Ureña.

Champions IX PanAmerican Surfing Games 2009 Open: Ruda Carvalho (Brazil); Junior: Gabriel Medina (Brazil); Longboard: Phil Rajzman (Brazil); Women’s: Camila Casia (Brazil); Bodyboard Female: Isabela Souza (Brazil); Bodyboard Male: Uri Valadao (Brazil).

National Rankings 1. Brazil; 2. Costa Rica; 3. Guadalupe; 4. Perú; 5. Venezuela; 6. Chile; 7. Argentina; 8. Ecuador; 9. Guatemala.

Costa Rica Rankings Open Jason Torres 2nd; Jair Pérez 5th; Carlos Muñoz 7th; Isaac Vega 9th Junior Carlos Muñoz 6th; Anthony Fillingim 8th; Jordan Hernández 17th; Nataly Bernold 29th Women’s Nataly Bernold 5th; Lisbeth Vindas 9th Longboard Jason Torres 9th; Esteban Leiton 11th Bodyboard Male Isaac Vega 13th; Anthony Fillimgim 13th Bodyboard Female Lisbeth Vindas 7th “I feel a great joy for the boys and girls who behaved like true professionals inside as outside the water. The truth is that this experience has been exemplary, and each of them purchased his own airline ticket because the Federation has its funds reserved for the PanAmerican (continued page 28)

Word puzzle Miscellany

All words from the list below can be found in the word block on the right.

Answers may be forward, backward, upwards, downwards and diagonal. abridged almendra amigdalas annapolis batalia ciruela concha condensed condimentar conocedora cortesia diccionario embarrassment espuela explanation

faithful fortunately friendliness luxurious mesomorph monorail puente sospechar stentorian tariff temporada tonsils tortuguero tutorial verguenza

David Mills

Surf Report (from page 26) Surfing Games in Brazil in November,” expressed Ureña. “They should really be proud to have the support of so many of their followers like relatives, friends and surfers of Costa Rica, and not just the fact that the technical body directed them for this important appointment.”

For the second consecutive year, Jason Torres became the most important surfer in Central America by winning the Open. He reaped the title in this division last year, and had also won the Junior crown in 2006. So young, Torres’ surfing continues to evolve, and nothing was more clear than when in the final he surpassed rival Ticos Pérez and Vega and Salvadoran Rotherham with a vertical game of surfing—i.e. mostly airs.

He scored 16.83 when adding his two best waves.

Enquire about special rates for residents

“This is a very special title for me, that I have fought hard to have. I feel that I am at a very good moment of my competitions and I hope to be able to continue reaping even more important titles. The PanAmerican title now is the unique thing on my mind,” prophesized Torres when he received his Central American Surf Championship trophy.

In the end, 16-year-old Carlos Muñoz obtained his first international title in this race after a demonstration that was outstanding. He put together the highest combination of the competition with a 17.33, based on radical and innovating maneuvers. Among his competitors were other Ticos Fillingim, Maykol Torres (Esterillos), Hernandez, yet they were outshone.

“To be Central American Champion, it gives me incredible inspiration, because it is a title that covers countries with cultures very similar to Costa Rica and that motivates me very much. Nevertheless, it was not so easy to win because I knew the level of my friends and in order to win I could not commit errors,” said Muñoz, while he received his trophy.

Apparently, Nataly Bernold is now immortal in Central America. That comes with her second Central American Surf Championship title in the Women’s division. Today she reached over Tica Lisbeth Vindas. She was 14 when she won the first time 2008 in Panama, and she is now 16, and has evolved as a surfer. In the Women’s final, the women were distributed between the border countries Costa Rica and Panama, with two surfers per team. Bernold was joined by Mariana Samudio, the latter coming along as an international competitor, this being her first attempt outside Costa Rica.

TAMARINDO - LOTS 1,200 TO 4,000 M2 Fully titled, water and electricity Very quiet location 5 min. from Tamarindo and beaches 3 min. from Hacienda Pinilla Golf Best prices, below the Bank’s appraisal!!

Financing available!

Lot 2B: 1201 m2 - $42.000 Lot 12A: 1322 m2 - $46.000 Lot 9A: 1601 m2 - $51.000

Lot 3A: 1734 m2 - $60.000 Lot 3B: 2044 m2 - $71.000 Lot 22: 4000 m2 - $84.000

Web Site: www.fincaarwen.com Email: finca.arwen@gmail.com TEL: 8885.8706

“The truth is I wanted very much to be champion because it helps motivate me to do better in the Circuito Nacional de Surf, the PanAmerican Surfing Games and the World Junior Surfing Games. I feel that to defend a title is more difficult to accomplish and I did it,” affirmed Bernold.

Anthony Flores, 19, obtained the first international title in Longboard for Costa Rica, after two years of this category being included in the Championships. He knocked out the local Wilber Alvarenga.

“Being selected was a source of pride for me, but now to be a champion is even more satisfactory. I really am thankful to the team because they gave everything and because of that the good results occured today,” Flores said.

That’s all I’ve got. Looking forward to hearing what you think.

Keep those emails coming at EllenZoe@aol.com. Send your comments, information, errors or praise, because I can’t do this column without you, the real surfers.

La Paz Community School La Paz Community School has had an eventful first trimester of the 2009-2010 school year, focusing on the themes of Peace Ambassador and Service.

As a part of our themebased curriculum, the students have created an award entitled the La Paz Community School Ambassador Award to be presented to an outstanding peace promoter in our community.

4th graders at Flamingo Beach clean-up

The concept behind this project is to foster student thought and conversation about positive leaders and peacemakers in our local community. Additionally, the students are choosing and learning about the nominees through persuasive writing and speaking, democratic voting, debate, interviews, and field trips.

As a part of the authentic selection process, La Paz students nominated inspirational individuals in the community, and are currently learning about how each nominee positively contributes.

Through excursions and/or presentations/work-

1T

2W Full Moon 3T

4F

5S

01:19 07:38 13:54 19:45 02:06 08:23 14:40 20:33 02:52 09:09 15:26 21:22 03:40 09:55 16:14 22:12 04:28 10:42 17:03 23:03

9.0 0.4 8.1 0.9 9.4 0.0 8.6 0.6 9.6 -0.4 8.9 0.3 9.8 -0.6 9.2 0.2 9.8 -0.6 9.3 0.2

6S

7M

8T Last Qtr 9W

10T

05:19 11:32 17:54 23:57 06:12 12:22 18:47

9.5 -0.4 9.3 0.3 9.2 -0.1 9.2

11F

00:54 07:08 13:17 19:44 01:54 08:08 14:14 20:44 02:58 09:12 15:15 21:46

0.5 8.7 0.2 9.0 0.8 8.3 0.6 8.9 1.0 7.9 1.0 8.7

13S

4th graders performing at the

Santa Cruz elderly home Some nominees include: Laetitia Deweer, CEPIA founder; Dawn Scott, animal rescuer; Tatiana Ortiz, dentist; Melina D’alolio, active Playa Grande community member; Barbara Deppe, Animal Rescue Clinic; Patricia Sterman of Azul Profundo who has promoted the Monkey Bridges.

2nd and 3rd graders visiting Ambassador Award nominee Barbara Deppe

After conducting the research, the students will then hold a debate-formatted discussion to collectively decide on the criteria to determine who is the most deserving of the first annual La Paz Ambassador Award. The award winner will be invited to La Paz Community School on Friday, November 27th for an honorary celebration of Peace and Service.

DECEMBER TIDE CHART

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shops the students are gaining an understanding of each nominee’s work and its importance. Not only does this help the students make a democratic, educated decision regarding the award winner; but, it also allows the children to acquire knowledge of progressive projects and individuals in the local community.

04:05 10:19 16:18 22:48 05:10 11:24 17:21 23:47 06:11 12:25 18:21

1.2 7.6 1.3 8.6 1.1 7.6 1.5 8.6 1.0 7.6 1.5

16W New Moon

00:42 07:06 13:19 19:15 01:33 07:55 14:09 20:04

8.7 0.8 7.8 1.4 8.8 0.6 8.0 1.4

19S

17T

18F

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02:19 08:39 14:54 20:49 03:02 09:20 15:37 21:31 03:44 09:58 16:17 22:12 04:23 10:36 16:56 22:52 05:03 11:13 17:35 23:32

8.8 0.5 8.2 1.3 8.9 0.3 8.3 1.2 8.8 0.3 8.4 1.2 8.7 0.3 8.5 1.3 8.5 0.5 8.4 1.3

21M

05:42 11:50 18:14

8.3 0.7 8.3

26S

22T

00:12 06:22 12:27 18:53 00:54 07:04 13:06 19:34 01:39 07:49 13:47 20:17 02:27 08:38 14:32 21:05

1.5 7.9 1.0 8.2 1.6 7.6 1.3 8.0 1.8 7.2 1.6 7.9 1.9 7.0 1.8 7.8

27S

23W

24T 1st Qtr 25F

28M

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03:20 09:33 15:23 21:58 04:17 10:32 16:21 22:54 05:16 11:33 17:21 23:52 06:14 12:33 18:22

1.9 6.8 2.0 7.9 1.8 6.8 2.0 8.0 1.6 7.0 1.9 8.3 1.1 7.4 1.5

31T Jan Full Moon 1F

00:49 07:09 13:28 19:20

8.7 0.6 7.9 1.1

4M

2S

3S

01:43 08:01 14:20 20:17 02:36 08:52 03:11 09:10 03:27 09:40 03:59 10:02 04:17 10:28 04:48 10:53 05:06 11:16 05:38 11:54

9.1 1.1 8.5 0.5 9.6 -0.5 9.2 0.0 9.9 -0.8 9.7 -0.3 10.0 -1.0 10.0 -0.5 9.9 -1.0 10.1 -0.4

Generosity, please

O

ne of the most important objectives of CEPIA, is to promote education and market opportunities. Therefore, 3 years ago, we created “Train teenagers into the future”.

This program is adapted to teenagers dropped out of school, living in the street, in poverty, prostitution, pregnancy or with family problems.

At CEPIA center, they participate weekly in English classes, Computer instruction, women’s group, psychological counseling, educational support and professional trainings.

The 25 teenagers participate in these trainings and volunteering in CEPIA to promote their empowerment and autonomy in the future.

For the next year, 2010, we worked in improving this program, adding some disciplines like Spanish and Mathematics, Culture and Sport, and more, trying to make it as complete as possible to respond the teenagers’ needs.

We also have a wish!!! To be able to receive 30 youngsters; 5 more than this year.

Fortunately, the “Fundacion Florida” will help us to cover 75% of the program’s budget. The improvement we wish to make would not be possible without this help. CEPIA will cover the other 25% but we still need 5 laptops for the computers classes.

Please, if you think that it is time to change your laptop for a newer, don’t let it lie unused in a corner; drop it off to CEPIA and be part of our training teenagers into the future...

In advance, many thanks to all!!!

October Forecasts December Forecasts

by Jeanne Callahan

Aries: 21 March - 20 April

This month has a few interesting surprises after the 20th when your ruling planet, Mars, begins its 3-month retrograde phase.

Being in Leo in your solar fifth house, you will revise creative projects, spend more time with your children, and/or get re-acquainted with an old flame. Avoid speculation and gambling. Your work/career takes a positive turn with appreciation being shown possibly in the form of a year-end bonus. Travel is favorable before the 26th. Best days are the 24th and 25th!

Taurus: 21 April - 21 May

Things will improve in your work environment with an increase in activity as well as the quality of projects coming your way.

The next 2.5 years are for creating new regimens regarding diet, exercise and your personal work/play balance. Travel opportunities are offered but don’t make solid plans until the end of January. You’ll also be making positive new friends in the coming year. Use the good vibes of the 26th and 27th to spread joy to others.

Gemini: 22 May - 21 June

There is plenty of activity in your relationship house so those Gems looking for love/partnership should make themselves available in more than one way. While the thrill of connecting with someone from your past is possible, it’s not really worth pursuing--strictly a fun-type dalliance. You’ll have more contact with siblings and neighbors this month so plan to attend some social festivities. You are gearing up for a more public year in 2010 involving writing, teaching or public speaking. The full moon on the 2nd, and also the 29th and 30th are special days for you.

Cancer: 22 June - 22 July

Foremost on your mind later in the month will be your children and a re-direction in your career. This 3-month cycle commands your full attention as your mother hen instincts kick into high gear. Remember to have some fun with your work and you’ll have more success--don’t forget that people need to feel better in little ways too. There will be major changes in your life in the next six months as the 31st is a full moon lunar eclipse in your sign. The 3rd and 4th are also favorable days for rejuvenation.

Leo: 23 July - 23 August

Mars continues in your sign and begins its 3-month retrograde period on the December 20th. You’ll have an opportunity to re-connect with people from your past and also make changes in your home. Travel is favorable if you go to places you’ve enjoyed before. Mars can cause trouble so watch your belongings whether you travel or stay at home. Avoid risks during that time period to avoid accidents. The 5th and 6th are busy but positive and things go your way if you’re not too pushy.

Virgo: 24 August - 22 September

This is a good month to entertain in your home until the 26th when it’s time to pull back from the social scene as your ruling planet, Mercury begins its retrograde phase. You’ll have plenty of invites for public events so enjoy the festivities prior to that date. There is potential for partnership now and in the new year so if you are interested, put yourself out there. Public speaking, teaching engagements and/or writing assignments could come your way now and in 2010. It’s up to you what you want to pursue. The 7th and 8th are days to get your way.

Visit Jeanne’s site at CelestialAdvisor.com

Libra: 23 September - 23 October

You are somewhat subdued this month as you feel less inclined to socialize. There could be bickering with your partner after the 20th as Mars in its retrograde phase for 3 months causes old wounds to surface and cause conflict. Remember how important partnership is to you and get counseling if you can’t sort through the upheaval of this transit in your own mind. You are in a Saturn transit that involves a deep commitment to discipline. Money will be also be a source of tension so agree to be somewhat frugal and you’ll keep the peace. The 9th and 10th are your best days.

Scorpio: 24 October - 22 November

You will be undergoing some big changes as your ruling planet, Mars, will have its 3-month retrograde phase beginning Dec. 20th.

Evaluate your overall appearance to see where you can update your look. Making a good first impression is never the wrong thing to do. Your public image house is also under review during this time so you may experience a “demotion” or have to go back to the drawing board for some major project. Remember your passionate commitment is an asset during times like this.

The 12th and 13th are your lucky days.

Sagittarius: 23 November - 21 December

This month first challenges your faith in the future as things are still only going about half right--not the norm for the positive oriented Sag! You are being viewed in a positive light by someone from your past so things get better as the month progresses. You might be a little accident-prone in your home at the beginning of the month so exercise caution and don’t take any trips to foreign countries until after April. The 14th, 15th and new moon on the 16th are days you can advance your cause.

Capricorn: 22 December - 21 January

You will feel more confident and in control of your life this month and at the same time have to make repairs in your home or experience changes with your partner’s financial state. It’s a good time to review your insurance coverage, your will and matters that involve end-of-life issues and let your family know your wishes. You are a bit withdrawn socially at the beginning of the month but rise to the occasion as Christmas approaches. The 17th and 18th are times to tell others how much you care.

Aquarius: 22 January - 19 February

This month begins with a possible recurrence of a health condition that’s been just below the surface since May. You’ll be able to find just the right person to help you find the appropriate path to a cure. Your faith in the future will be restored this month as many things fall into place for your next project. Partnerships are a little shaky from mid-December thru mid-March so be cautious personally and professionally. Hold contract signing off until February if at all possible. The 19th and 20th are your most fortunate days.

Pisces: 20 February - 20 March

You begin the month with uncertainty but the quality that makes you an everyday saint keeps things stable. You professional life is busy as you may have to cover for others who fall short of the mark. The next 3 months will hold many changes in the way you approach your work. Next year will hold the energy of expansion for you so don’t worry if some people or “stable” situations leave your life. More and better is on the way. The 22nd and 23rd are you best days.

Namasté

28

Dreaming of a Green Christmas Tom Peifer

T

‘Cause Santa Claus is coming to town...

he first winds of ‘verano’ spark a flurry of activity along Guanacaste’s Gold Coast these days. Farmers are bringing in their late season corn crops. Cattle pastures bear witness to the chopping of ‘rondas’. Fence repair is underway. In spite of the late rains, many farmers know that they are facing a long, hot summer.

In the parallel universe of the local real estate industry, salesmen are desperately hoping that their own dry spell will be swamped in a flood of ‘liquidity’ soon to arrive with the throngs of summer vacationers.

Hawaiian shirts are being taken out of closets and freshened up. The latest trends in sunglasses are being checked out, adjusted for fit and broken in. Web sites are getting their final tune-ups. Prices are reviewed, signs repainted and brochures checked for embarrassing typos.

The bottom line is that there is a hold-your-breath type of hope that the Daniel Oduber Airport in Liberia will be our own local version of the proverbial Christmas chimney, funneling scores of Santas into the local market, complete with bags crammed full of everybody’s favorite stocking stuffers.

As I stressed in a previous article, “On Pyramids and Pura Vida,” The Howler, Feb. 2008, potential buyers really need to do their ‘due diligence’ before signing on the dotted line.

Caveat emptor, the Latin expression usually translated “Let the buyer beware,” is still used, precisely because it has relevance even 2,000 years after the phrase was coined in the Roman Empire. Potential buyers on the Gold Coast have even more to be wary of than they did a year ago.

Allow me to provide a couple of examples.

Due in part to the wide readership of “The Howler” both in Costa Rica and—in the on-line edition—overseas, I regularly receive letters with comments and questions related to goings-on on the Gold coast. Two recent communiqués illustrate some of the ‘problemitas’ which prospective buyers need to keep squarely in their viewfinders as they peruse the panorama of properties competing for their attention.

Since I am visually and spatially oriented, I’ll break it down dimensionally. One woman has a ‘vertical’ problem.

No, she’s not afraid of heights, au contraire; the 5th floor condo she bought at pre-development prices continues to exist only in the virtual realm of computer graphics.

The concrete realm of footings, columns, floors and walls somehow stopped going up a few floors below her ‘ocean view suite.’ For this investor, the sweet dreams of pura vida sunsets are morphing into a bitter stew of protracted legal struggle to recoup what might remain of her investment. Those with first-hand experience of Costa

Rican jurisprudence can conjure up a vivid picture of the long bumpy road ahead.

A rough road was exactly the issue for the other guy who wrote me. His problem was more ‘horizontal.’ His oceanview lot is ensconced in a secure, gated, nature preservetype community with all the furry and feathered fauna prominently featured on their web site. One ‘problemita’ presented itself on a recent visit to the site of his future dream home—he could barely get there. The 1.7 km. of gravel roads were criss-crossed by axle-breaking gullies, and the promised water and electrical hookups had yet to materialize. The developer apparently puts the blame on “the usual suspects”, the Costa Rican bureaucracy, but there are definite signs of a syndrome that is spreading like a fungus in the favorable conditions of the economic downturn.

Creative minds can perhaps come up with a more apt moniker than ‘sub-prime south,’ or perhaps ‘underwater developments S. A.’ The bottom line is that buyers need to be on red alert for projects which are not going to live up to their commitments—infrastructure, amenities and all the etceteras which flow out so fluidly in the polished sales pitch of the experienced huckster.

Before going into “what to look for”, a tip of the hat to the creativity of the handful of developers who have weathered the drought without sacrificing quality and shortchanging on commitments. Personally, I have developed a belated appreciation of ‘market forces’ in that I now see analogies to trends in nature. When conditions change, those who adapt, survive. Nothing better exemplifies this than the “Cash for Clunkers” approach offered by a development near me. On a case-by-case basis they are negotiating with frustrated refugees from failed projects and crediting the value of their bad investments towards partial payment in a fully performing project.

Rather than recapitulating the detailed list of ‘telltale signs’ of a project that is in critical condition, I’ll simply offer to e-mail the previous article to interested readers. What are some additional signs that help you feel secure that your investment won’t disappear into a black hole somewhere on the financial spreadsheet of the project?

Look for signs of momentum within the project. More than just a quick patching of the roads and freshly installed landscaping accents. Are houses going up, utilities being installed and the guard gate fully staffed? (continued page 36

Surviving

C hapter CLVI

O

COSTA RICA

ne of the things I wanted to do to fill in all the Rainy Season blank spaces was work on a compilation of the columns I’ve written for “The Howler” over the years, with a rather ill-defined idea of putting them all together with a slick photo on the front cover. Don’t hold your breath on a publishing date but it has kept me busy tracking down old columns.

When Editor-in-Chief David Mills first approached me on the idea of writing for the Howler my basic literary tools were a ballpoint pen and a yellow legal pad, after which I’d make the trek to his solitary house up on the hill and transcribe it to his computer. The ink-smudged wrinkled yellow papers with all the cross-outs did not survive the ages and I had kept only six or seven original Howler copies in my metal file box.

Eventually I became computer literate enough to figure out 20th-century Microsoft Word and had pretty much saved columns in the ol’ computer since about 2003 on.

Fortunately David assured me he had kept all the “hard copies” he had ever published and made them available. I scanned all the copies and after several format changes I was able to get them all together in one big batch.

As it turned out David had most of the old copies but not all. Some columns stick out in my memory that I still don’t have. I remember writing a restaurant review of the Santa Cruz Festival that hasn’t surfaced, as well as one or two other of my earlier rants. But I figure I have about 96% of all the columns I’ve written for “The Howler”, 114 in number if you include this one.

My first endeavor for “The Howler” appeared in the January 1999 issue and ended up being a two-part story about driving down here from Texas, something my wife and I did four times in the early days before we became sane. It wasn’t a column, as such, but was written pretty much in the same style (or lack of it) as my other offerings. Oddly enough I was never able to find the second part of the story in any of the subsequent editions.

We were still in the process of making the big move down here from more familiar su-

A Collection of Columns

rroundings, trying to figure out if it was the right thing to do. Twelve years later we’re still wondering. I wrote for David when we were here, about half the year, so there were fewer of the earlier columns and are mostly part of the “missing” ones.

One of David’s early ideas for me was to be the “Music Columnist” and many of my earlier efforts were about the live music scene happening in those days.

There were open jam sessions at both Pasatiempo and Vista Villas with a constant parade of talented musicians in and out of town. I was also a very involved participant and one notices not a small bit of self-promotion.

After a while I started veering off the path and started writing very “non-music” items that I hoped might be construed as “humorous”, another of those items still under consideration. Instead of disciplining me the editor actually encouraged such departures and even gave my column its first title: “Musings”. It soon became evident that this title sucked.

I turned to my readership for suggestions and got an overwhelming response from my loyal following, most of which can’t be printed in this “family oriented” publication of ours. “Surviving Costa Rica” was chosen as the least offensive and the rest is, as they say “history”.

Going through my older columns is like traveling back in time, kind of like the old photos we never took.

In June 2000 I write about our first house in Tamarindo where we stayed for a couple of years. It was one of Jeff Hutton’s (one of the area’s premier builders) first projects that he built for one Dean Butterfield. The place was called “Campo de Mantequilla” (get it?). It sat up on the hill now facing the city park, perched on a big lot filled with trees that always seemed about ready to fall on the house, and had a great natural feeling. Dean eventually sold it to some folks who immediately mowed down the trees and built two-storey condos wherever they could. The house is still there, I think being used as storage shed.

Story by Jesse Bishop

There was also a lot to be said for the road, starting in Villareal, that led into Tamarindo.

I first wrote about it in May 2001. At the time it could take up to twenty minutes just to do the three-kilometer stretch avoiding gaping holes that could destroy a tire in a split second or jack-knifing 180 degrees in the mud before slipping off the (alleged) road.

As fate would have it I named one of my CDs “The Road to Tamarindo” complete with a song of the same title describing the road’s many defects and dangers. This at the same time as the massive road repair project that transformed the road to Tamarindo into one of the county’s premier showcase highways. The road is still functional but hardly a showcase anymore, and as for my song “The Road to Tamarindo”, it now applies to the one we have to deal with here in the suburbs of Playa Langosta.

And then there was the great Trooper Musical Project from April 2000.

Galeria Pelicano, headquarters of the Tamarindo avant-garde music scene, has once again scored a cultural coup by providing the first ‘Auto Performance Art” presentation of a short piece of music utilizing the brakes of seven 1988 Isuzu Troopers. The well-known signature sound of the brake systems can be heard individually throughout the day in Tamarindo, bothering people and scaring dogs.

However, when seven Troopers, in an amazing synchronization of precision driving skills, simultaneously pulled into the Pelicano’s parking lot, hitting their brakes at precisely the same moment, the resulting sounds brought tears to many eyes.

David Robert, one of the “Trooper Musicians”, who taped the performance to be used on his next CD, told the press “The whole musical experience was very moving and I promise to be humbler from now on”.

The government of Costa Rica, in the form of uniformed representatives from MOPT, was also on hand to issue special commemorative citations to all involved.

Bébes al Agua

Tamarindo’s Waterbabies

W sion.

Story: David Mills

ater is a natural environment for babies. The first nine months of their life are spent immersed in water. So it is not surprising that, if started at an early age, they adapt readily to immer-

Professora Maria Ximena Bepmale, a physical fitness teacher from Buenos Aires, gives Aquatic Stimulation Classes to babies at her home in Tamarindo. Between dunking babies in her swimming pool, she tells me “We begin classes from the fourmonth old baby. At this time the muscles of the neck are strong and they start to interact with objects.”

Objectives of the water classes are: teach skills and respect for the water to avoid accidents; strengthen the link between baby and parent; development and freedom of movement and notions of space and time; Activation of the cardio-respiratory system; control of breathing; development of independence and self-esteem.

The day we visited, newcomers Esteban (4 months) and Mia (10 months) were introduced to the classes. Using baby songs and an atmosphere of laughter and fun with parent participation, Maria Ximena soon had them enjoying their first immersion experience.

“Reflexes that they bring from birth give rise to increasingly complex movements and voluntary actions,” continues Maria Ximena. “It is essential to give time to see, hear, feel and enjoy the water from the first bath. Preparation for the dive begins with something as simple as to pour water down his back, head and face.

The methodology is based on affection and play, so that learning is a pleasure that will result in continuity.”

Aquatic Stimulation Classes are held Tuesday and Thursday at 10 a.m., Saturday at 10:30. For information, call 8-328-3080 or e-mail to alaguabebes@gmail.com.

Dreaming... (from page 33) How can you evaluate the personal commitment of the developers to ‘stick it out’ and ensure that their clients receive both value for their money and fulfillment of their dreams?

Here’s an easy one. A person who has built and lives within his own project has put his money where his mouth is. You get the impression that he’s here for the duration and not taking your dough and headed for Tahiti.

RAIN GAUGE

7.0 6.0

c m s

Yesterday afternoon I was involved in my first-ever negotiation for the sale of a project I am working on. We were discussing with the prospective buyers the challenges which appear to loom on the collective horizon for humanity—economic, energetic, and climactic. I watched in appreciation as my partner/mentor moved his hand in a downward spiral, capturing with an elegant visual depiction the sense that we are in a transition towards a future where limits on consumption redefine our lifestyles, and our impact on the planet.

RAINFALL - October/November Miller Meteorological Observatory La Garita

5.0 4.0

Total rainfall: 34.9 cm (13.8 inches)

3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0

16

20

25

31 1

October

5

10

November

Year-to-date 2008: 343.6 cm 2009: 185.2

Rainfall Oct/Nov 2008: 29.5 cm 2009: 34.9

t i m e s

l o c a l )

Sun

1st - rise 5:46; set 5:19 15th - rise 5:53; set 5:24 31st - rise 6:01; set 5:32 Full: Last quarter: New: 1st quarter: Full:

As I write, the dry season winds are already whipping away the precious little humidity that remains after a disappointing rainy season. It’s a convenient reminder that ‘business as usual’ will not return to Guanacaste as it dries out some 25% with global warming. Last words of advice to prospective buyers: Work with people who are philosophically, physically and financially prepared to adapt, survive and prosper in these ‘changing times.’

Tom Peifer is an ecological land use consultant with 14 years experience in Guanacaste. Phone: 2658-8018. peifer@racsa.co.cr El Centro Verde is dedicated to sustainable land use, agriculture and development Web sites: http://www.elcentroverde.org/ http://www. puebloverde.org/

December 2009 ( a l l

15

Moon

2nd 8th 16th 24th 31st

1:30 a.m.

6:13 p.m.

6:02 a.m.

11:36 a.m.

1:13 p.m.

2012

End of the World?

I recently received a letter from my financial advisor: Dear David, This letter is to inform you of an upcoming maturity in your portfolio.

Three options for re-investment are: A – One year GIC yielding 1.25% ICICI Bank B – Three-year GIC yielding 2.45% Bank of Nova Scotia C – Five-year GIC yielding 3.32% AGF Trust Company.

Well, the decision was easy, as I had just read a paper about the End of the World on December 21, 2012 – just two years away, and I’d like to have all my cash with me when that happens.

The movie “2012”, now on the circuits, tells of a disaster predicted for the above date with continents cracking, cities burning, a tsunami throwing an aircraft carrier through the White House and a wayward asteroid plunging toward the earth. Don’t bother to buy and decorate a Christmas tree .

The premise behind the movie, and two others of similar scenario also in the works, is the roll-over of the Mayan calendar. I’ll make it easy for you.

Where we use millennia, centuries, years, months and days to denote the passage of time from the birth of Christ, the Mayan calendar uses baktuns (144,000 days), katuns (7,200 days), and progressively smaller units such as tuns, uinals, kins, ahaus and cumku to date from a significant event in their history – August 11, 3114 B.C. There, didn’t that clear things up?

We are now in Baktun 13 (or would be if we were Mayans), which comes to an end on the dreaded date Dec. 21, 2012. The following day, the Mayan date will be 14.0.0.0.0.0.0, no more significant in itself than when your car’s odometer hits the 100,000-kilometer mark. But certain “scientists”, the kind who like to manipulate “scientific evidence” so as to write sensational best-sellers, have determined that, on that day, several weird things will happen, none of them to the good of mankind.

One of these sages, Frank Waters, obviously misinterpreting some Mayan forecasts, assures us that the world will, on the deadly date, be “destroyed by catastrophic earthquakes.” Another, José Arguelles, introduces a beam from the center of the Milky Way which will link people, the earth and the sun to the center of the galaxy using the “principle of harmonic resonance.” John Major Jenkins reminds us that that date is the winter solstice, and predicts that the winter solstice point will line up exactly with the centerline of the galaxy. Add to all these the “planetary alignment” at the winter solstice in 2012, the reversal of the earth’s magnetic field and solar storm emissions, plus a NASA conspiracy involving the secret planet Niburu which, you guessed it, is headed inexorably at us! So, basically, we are toast!!!

Makes our own little Nicoya earthquake scenario look petty in comparison and we don’t even know if or when that will happen.

Fortunately, none of these above presumptions is supported in any way by Mayan lore or history, nor by present-day astronomers. There is no cosmic beam, there is no discernable “center of the galaxy”, no planet Niburu, and the planets do not align in December 2012.

So maybe I’ll go for the five-year GIF at 3.32%

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