The Howler
Volume 15, No. 11 Issue No. 170
November 2010 Founded 1996
TAMARINDO COSTA RICA www.howlermag.com THE HOWLER Ced. Juridica: 3-101-331333
FEATURES
Publisher, editor and production David Mills
8 Dining Out
Mary’s Place, sports bar and restaurant in Playa Negra, serves all the games along with a delicious selection of fine food.
dmills@racsa.co.cr Tel: 2-653-0545
9 Eco Wax
A surf camp operator decides that commercial surf wax is damaging the environment and starts to make his own from natural ingredients.
14 Around Town
CONTRIBUTORS ELLEN ZOE GOLDEN TONY OREZ TOM PEIFER JEFFREY WHITLOW
JEANNE CALLAHAN KAY DODGE JESSE BISHOP MONICA RIASCOS
Deadline for December: November 15
Howler advertising
Openings, closings, parties, music. The Gold Coast has it all, and barhoppin’ David is in the groove.
15 Surf Report
In the Triple Crown contest, Gilbert Brown won at Santa Teresa, Jair Perez at Jacó and again at Quepos.
16 Peace Day at Country Day School
Students at Country Day School celebrate Peace Day with song and dance, a living peace symbol and a private fly past.
20 Night Magic
The Howler offers a wide range of advertising sizes and formats to suit all needs. Contact David Mills • dmills@racsa.co.cr
As dusk descends in Guanacaste, a new night-adapted population emerges to spend the dark hours
Advertising rates & sizes
A second visitation by the Big Guy sends our columnist into a panic and gives him a holy challenge using the internet.
Size 1/12-page 1/8 1/6 1/4 1/3 1/2 Full
Dimensions (cms) Width Height 6.3 9.4 6.3 9.4 19.2 6.3 9.4 19.2 19.2
x x x x x x x x x
6.15 6.15 12.70 12.70 6.15 25.80 25.80 12.70 25.80
Price $ 50 75 90 120
23 Back to the Burning Bush
26 Surviving Costa Rica
Hedging his bets, our columnist propounds two scenarios for Tamarindo’s immediate future - the best and the worst.
150 210 400
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).
DEPARTMENTS 5
Parents’ Corner
24 November Forecasts
7
Word Puzzle
25 Doctor’s Orders
10 CD Review
27 Slice of Life
11 Book Review
28 Rain, Sun & Moon
12 Gallery - Fashion Show 31 Tide Chart
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
Cover Caption: Fire dancer at Nibbana Restaurant, Tamarindo Cover design and photo: David Mills
Parents’ Corner Be a Good Parent - Be Good to You
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ecoming a parent is truly a life changing experience... we all make accommodations in many aspects of our daily lives in order to be able to create the ideal environment for our son or daughter, in an act of unconditional love and dedication. The child becomes the center of our universe and everything revolves around him. Even though no responsible parenthood goes without some serious accommodations and changes, it’s very important that these changes are not interpreted as a sacrifice of one’s “self”... As with everything in life, extremes are never healthy and the right answer is found in balance. With the responsible, dedicated parent, there should be also the person, the “self”, with his personal dreams, ambitions, passions and needs. Being a father or a mother is just another aspect of our life, a very important one, but not the only one that defines us. It should be our goal to be good parents, and at the same time be committed spouses, loyal friends, involved citizens, dedicated professionals and individuals with personal interests and personal space. This is important not only for our own mental health, but for our children’s social and emotional development. As you balance out your parental responsibilities and joys with your personal activities, dreams and needs, you are a model of emotional stability for your children. How can a woman or a man find harmony between “being a parent” and “being me”? 1. Cherish and take care of your relationships... parents who are loving and committed partners, and active and involved friends and family members give their children a deep sense of security. At the same time, you are modeling interpersonal skills and stimulating your child’s social development. 2. Take a little time for yourself every day... go for a walk, listen to music, read, or just simply enjoy a moment of quiet “dolce far niente” (sweet doing nothing). Alone-time helps you recharge your energy and find inner stability, and enables you to open up yourself to others in a positive way. When parents take personal time on a regular basis, children can see the positive value of independence and autonomy, and are less likely to experience separation anxiety. 3. Don’t give up your dreams “because of the kids”; it’s not healthy for you or for your children to view parenthood as a sacrifice. Adopt a positive perspective based on embracing change as an opportunity and find a way to accommodate your dream to your new situation, approaching it in little steps, but never dismissing its realization. By pursuing your own personal goals and ambitions, you teach your children assertiveness and perseverance. In brief: happy and fulfilled mothers and fathers provide the ideal conditions to raise happy and fulfilled children. “Nothing has a stronger influence psychologically on their environment, and especially on their children, than the unlived lives of the parents.” Carl Jung. Msc. Mónica Riascos Henríquez Psicóloga – Psicopedagoga Tel. 83589550 consultariascos@live.com
EE d d ii tt o o rr ’’ s s N N o o tt e e
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ovember sees the start of the High Season, and we all hope it will be “high”. For whatever reason, I am seeing a lot of optimism – or wishful thinking – which is manifesting itself in new ads, some from new businesses and others who have never advertised before. There must be sound financial rationale for the new direct flights into Liberia International Airport, from Chicago, Montreal and London, once a week from each city. For details of the flights, see “Around Town” on page 14. The unusually heavy rainy season came (almost) to an early and abrupt end at the beginning of October, followed by some very pleasant showers to keep down the dust. Rainfall this season was almost twice as high as in the same period of 2009. The economic difficulties are having an effect on Tamarindo life, with businesses closing and residents moving back to whence they came. A quick look at Facebook shows many ex-residents keeping in touch from foreign shores. Some are on vacation; others gone for good. Some we will miss a lot, and we wish them luck in their new lives. Today marks the one-year anniversary of the disappearance of British tourist Michael Dixon, who went missing from his hotel cabina October 18, 2009. His parents and friends have returned to Costa Rica to renew their search and have called upon President Laura Chinchilla for assistance. Anyone with news about Dixon should call 0800-098-8485 or visit www.helpfindmichaeldixon.com The Howler welcomes feedback from readers. Please send your comments, suggestions, complaints, photographs or stories to dmills@racsa. co.cr Our biggest danger is not that our goal is too high and we can’t reach it, but that it is too low and we can. Michelangelo
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. annually aumento borracho button carretera catastrophe colon communicate ejecutivo extricate founding futura highway inauguracion increible
invertir mesonero mezcla palabra pensar pertain pugilism reunion servicio suddenly taller tantalus televisora tension waitress
David Mills
Dining Out
David Mills
Mary’s Place Restaurant Playa Negra
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used to enjoy eating at Tres Hermanas in Playa Negra, a cute little place that served breakfast, cakes, sandwiches and great coffee. Since then it has morphed a few times until it is now an open-air restaurant and bar with a sports theme, several large plasma screens – and good food. Mary and Michel Strasser, from France, run Mary’s Place with the admirable assistance of chef Numa, who has been preparing good eats in the Negra area for two decades. The theme is fine, but casual, dining with the emphasis on seafood, which is fresh every day. I had previously lunched at Mary’s Place over a World Cup soccer game, and the hamburger was as good as any I’ve eaten. Returning for dinner months later I was hoping for a similar experience – and was not disappointed. Appetizers are salads – jumbo shrimps, chicken or mixed; nachos; wings; calamari garlic or breaded; and gazpacho. We started with shrimp salad and wings, juicy and finger-lickin’ good. There are three pasta dishes – Bolognese, carbonara and pesto. A kids’ menu comprises pureed potato with chicken, ham or fish; or pasta with tomato sauce. The burger menu comes with a normal burger (add any of 4 ingredients as you wish); vegetarian; chicken; or fish. There is also a club chicken sandwich and fries. The menu is augmented by a daily chalkboard special. Regular menu items are grilled chicken; beef kebab; jumbo shrimps with lemon sauce; shrimp with rice; dorado filet with garlic. We chose yellowfin tuna and tenderloin in green pepper sauce, both delicious. Dessert is a panoply of delights: profiteroles; chocolate cake; crepes Suzette. We finished up with coconut flan and chocolate mousse. The wine list is short with South American wines by the glass or bottle, at very reasonable prices. Mary’s has a special French menu on Thursdays; there is live music on Saturday nights. Mary’s Place, in the center of Playa Negra, open lunch & dinner, closed Wednesday. Visa and Mastercard accepted. Tel: 26534123. E-mail: kgrip@hotmail.com.
Eco Wax
Making your own organic surf wax
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number of years ago I started thinking more and more about surf wax and how to make it. Since my aunt and uncle owned a candle factory for many years and were familiar with different waxes, I had them research what general surf waxes were made of. We learned that the main ingredient in surf wax is paraffin, a petroleum (oil)-based wax. My interest returned last summer, when the oil spill disaster occurred in the Gulf of Mexico. My thoughts were that since surf wax consists mostly of oil, every time a surfer waxes his board and goes surfing, the wax slowly dissolves into the ocean and thus creates a mini oil spill every single time. CNN certainly wasn’t covering this mini crisis, so we figured the Zephyr Eco Project should take a crack at it! Online research told us that beeswax and coconut oil could be mixed to make a great surf wax. The mixture of beeswax to coconut oil is roughly 3g beeswax to 1ml coconut oil. For example, you can mix 2,250 grams of beeswax with 750 ml of oil. I found the closest apiary (bee farm) and negotiated a rate for a large amount of beeswax. We bought a gallon of 100% virgin coconut oil from a coconut farm here in Costa Rica and collected the necessary utensils for the job. Raw beeswax looks like this. Upon closer inspection you’ll discover dead bees, bee wings, other bee parts stuck within the wax. To remove these impurities from the wax, use cheesecloth or a simple kitchen towel to filter the wax during the boiling process (see box). At right is our son, Happy Zephyr Walsh, holding a stack of Zephyr Eco Surf Wax that my wife Holly made this past week. I cleaned off my surfboard’s old wax and applied our new wax (no basecoat, just our wax). Then I went surfing. The wax worked perfectly; I surfed tons of waves and never fell because of poor traction.
How to make organic surf wax Ingredients: beeswax, refined coconut oil. Necessary tools: large cooking pot, scale, stove or cooking range, large measuring cup, large metal spoon, metal tongs, ladle, cheesecloth (or a loose-weave kitchen towel), muffin tins (we used dark non-stick), gloves Recipe: to remove the impurities from the beeswax, first start by filling a large cooking pot 50% with water. Select a piece of beeswax that doesn’t exceed 25% volume of the cooking pot (don’t forget to measure its weight and save the info!). Place beeswax inside a kitchen towel so that it can be gathered at the top and closed into a “bag”, fastening the bag with a hair rubber band. Place the bag in the water and bring to a simmer. Make sure water level doesn’t exceed 75% volume of cooking pot, also make sure the bag doesn’t touch the bottom. As the beeswax melts, use your tongs to twist the kitchen towel and strain the bee parts from the wax. After the wax has been completely melted and strained, remove the kitchen towel and turn off the stove. As the wax cools, it will separate and rise to the top of the pot. Once the wax is completely solid, remove the wax “cake” and throw out the water. Now its time to mix the clean beeswax with the coconut oil. Start by breaking the cake into small pieces, placing them in an empty cooking pot, and constantly stirring them on low heat until they melt. As you do this, add in the coconut oil (don’t forget the 3g to 1ml ratio). Keep stirring until everything has mixed and melted completely. Once liquefied, turn off the heat and let the wax cool. This will create one large surf wax cake; if you want individual surf wax blocks that look nice, use a ladle to pour the wax into muffin tins. Let the wax cool and BAM! you’ve got surf wax!
Story: Joe Walsh Witch’s Rock Surf Camp
I have since surfed with the new Zephyr surf wax for about 10 sessions, and learned a lot more about the wax. Here is a review thus far: Pros: this wax is 100% natural, biodegradable, organic, sustainable, etc, etc. No more oil spills; no basecoat is needed, just the wax; this wax is super sticky; you won’t lose your feet from the board, bro; this wax lasts longer than traditional surf wax because less wax is used during application. Standard surf waxes make raised bumps, therefore requiring more wax material. This organic wax is sticky enough to not require bumps, therefore requiring less wax material. Cons: after surfing with this wax, your boardshorts and rashguard are slightly tacky with surf wax. I haven’t found this to be a nuisance unless I surf many times with the same boardshorts. The wax is fully natural and any wax film in your clothing should easily come out in the wash; you need to wax your surfboard before every surf session; this wax cannot blend with Sticky Bumps, Sex Wax, or other standard surf waxes. You must remove all existing surf wax from your surfboard before applying the Zephyr surf wax. Conclusion: In my opinion, the pros outweigh the cons significantly. The Witch’s Rock Surf Camp staff has begun cleaning off the rental surfboards and applying the new organic Zephyr Eco Surf Wax. With how much surf wax is used on rental boards and freely provided to surfing guests each month, I feel this switch has already made a substantial positive environmental contribution to the planet. As WRSC staff, guests and neighbors learn about this non-oilbased wax and how well it works, we hope to convert more and more surfers to organic surf wax.
CD Review Maicol Leroy’s San Juanillo Tony Orez
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ake no mistake about it, Maicol Leroy has been Ticoized. Don’t get me wrong, I mean this as a compliment and I know he would be the first one to consider it as such. Hey, the guy has even Latinized his name... Sr. Leroy has been coming to Guanacaste for nearly a quarter of a century and living here for almost two decades. He has been playing guitar and harp since well before puberty. Take these two components, mix in a little stage experience, an early exposure to the blues and great songwriting ability and voila: you’ve got the new self-produced album “San Juanillo” by Maicol Leroy. Eight of the twelve songs on this album were penned by Leroy, with two exceptions being the traditional Spanish songs “Cielito Lindo” and “Luna Liberiana” and Leroy’s translated versions of the blues classic “Summertime (Veranillo)” and the folk standard “500 Miles (Quinientos Millas)” on this set. One impressive thing about his original cuts is that the ex-pat has written them in Spanish, complete with tongue-in-cheek humor, an overall commendable accomplishment, indicative of where Maicol’s heart has led him: his Ticoization. Leroy’s voice is a nice vehicle for the pace and style of the disc, not to mention his guitar and slide guitar work, along with his harmonica playing and banjo picking. Impressive, indeed. Maicol is accompanied on piano by Bob Hays and “John from Pinilla” on drums. Leroy also had the good “privilege and pleasure”, as he puts it, to enlist legendary musician Al Shackman (Nina Simone, Aretha, Harry Belafonte, The Drifters, Ben E. King) to add his signature guitar work on a few of the songs. The two met at a jam in Tilaran, played a gig at Casa Agua on Lake Arenal, then went into the “open” studio in Lagartillo, which was literally open to the elements. The results produced a marriage between musician and Mother Nature, who backs him up with a variety of her instruments including wind, rain, monkeys, frogs, surf, owls, chickens and roosters.
OK, Muni, now will you believe that our roads are garbage?
Wars will continue as long as the colour of the skin is more important than the colour of the eyes. Bob Marley
It is apparent that one of Maicol Leroy’s goals with this project was to build a bridge between his American Folk & Blues roots and the boleros and traditional musical styles of Latin America and more specifically of Guanacaste. His humor in songs like “Gringolandia” adds to this unique blend of styles, as well as the surprise I had hearing a banjo played in a bolero-style song, for example. The result is what I refer to as an “up” album. It moves right along. Even the slower, more poetic songs have a positive pulse to them. Most ex-pats who move here have a story about a defining moment that helped them decide to take the plunge. I know I do. Maicol told me that his came about five years after he had bought a piece of property and built a place to stay on it while he was staying here. On this trip, he had purchased a return ticket for five months after his arrival. When that day rolled around, he decided that the surf was just too nice to leave and just like that, the Ticoization of Maicol Leroy was on its way. San Juanillo is available at all three Jaime Peligro shops in Tamarindo, Quepos and Tilaran, where they will gladly sample the music for their customers.
Book Review A Beauty That Hurts Tony Orez
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he survival of the Mayan people and their culture has been an astonishing accomplishment, testimony to their persistence and resiliency. In his book “A Beauty That Hurts”, W. George Lovell refers to it as a “culture of resistance”. In this new publication, Lowell concentrates primarily on the Mayan inhabitants of southwestern Guatemala and their struggle to persevere the last three decades. It is a harrowing account. It was the Maya culture that initially led me to explore Central America and I have a fair knowledge of their history but I’ve never seen a piece as detailed about the plight of the “modern Maya” as this book, which is separated into three sections. The first section opens with a brief history of the European colonization of the Maya and the destruction of the population: more than ninety percent in the first century of occupation. This isn’t new news but the author describes a recent discovery of inscriptions chronicling the mass death of inhabitants via disease a full three years prior to Spaniards arriving in that area. Indeed, cholera, typhus and measles preceded them, rendering the remaining populace a pretty easy target. Lowell goes on to describe the lives of individual modern Mayans, each living under different circumstances but all with a common bond of personal hardships and adversities. Currently, Mayans make up about half the Guatemalan population and about seventy percent of them are impoverished. The second section delves into the arena of modern politics and human rights in Guatemala, the past thirty years being a carousel of military rule, insurgencies and guerilla revolts, coups, and civilian presidents controlled by the military. The Mayan mountain villages in southwestern Guatemala have literally found themselves caught in the crossfire of this, labeled simpatico to the guerilla by the military and vice versa with massacre being the solution by both sides. Who decapitates an eight-year-old boy as a “lesson to the rest”? One solution for the Mayans has been to flee, either into more remote areas of the neighboring hillsides or into other countries. Imagine “escaping” to Mexico! In the third and final section, Lovell takes a step back to examine the historic and cultural influences that have led to and now shape Mayan modern life, from the colonization and land parceling, to new interests from outside influences such as United Nations advisors. In one amusing chapter, he discusses the logoed T-shirts with each Mayan man who is wearing one. It also serves as a reminder of the poverty level, on a more sober note. In Guatemala, only one in four primary students are Maya; in secondary school, one of ten. Again, it is not news that education has the ability to pull a person out of poverty, and these people are not being given that opportunity. One thing I thoroughly enjoy about this report is that Lovell doesn’t rehash earlier accounts of CIA invasions or United Fruit Co. plighting the people. Those stories have been told and, to be sure, Lovell touches on these subjects when it applies to his report. But this account is of his own making, a current report of the situation, and for that Lovell is to be commended.
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Phone us at: 2-653-8041 • kaydodge@racsa.co.cr www.paintedponyguestranch.com The best horses on Guanacaste’s Gold Coast!
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Fashion Show
Fashion Show, organized by Gold Coast Women’s Club at Conchal Beach Club, showed some delightful beach wear from Azul Profundo, Diamante and Papaya con Leche, all of Tamarindo. All models were local residents.
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amarindo Homepage now has a new 3D map of Tamarindo and surrounding areas to help visitors find your business. See www.TamarindoHomepage.com/Tamarindo Map
Fighting Sewage with Mozart
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aybe this is the solution to Tamarindo’s sewage problem. Forget about the two-million-dollar waste processing system. Just give it Mozart!
Mozart’s music has previously been credited with increasing intelligence in infants and improving milk yield in cows. Now it can speed up the fermentation process in sewage. The chief operator of a sewage treatment plant in Treuenbrietzen, Germany, has discovered that, by piping Mozart operas into the plant, the waste-eating microbes eat faster and process the sludge more efficiently. Anton Stucki claims that he can save the operation $1,200 per month by treating the stuff with music. He claims that the vibrations of Mozart’s music create a resonance in the microbes which helps them to work better. “Mozart managed to transpose universal laws of nature into his music. It has an effect on people of every age and background. So why not on microbes? After all, they’re living organisms just like us”, he says. Stucki is not a classical fan , but prefers rock and roll. However, for increased efficiency of the sewage plant, his preferred opera is “Die Zauberflote” (The Magic Flute). So run those speakers down to the septic tank and crank up the opera...
All you need to be successful is ignorance and confidence. Mark Twain
Auctions on eBay? Now you can have your purchases shipped to Costa Rica by Mail Boxes, Etc. Get your eBox account - see ad on page 21. Gold Coast Learning Center will have an open gym at the Salon Comunal in Huacas on Saturdays from 9-12. Everyone is invited to come and play some basketball. El Coconut Beach in Playa Potrero is now open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am till Sunset Special for the rest of the low season. El Coconut Beach is a more casual setting than El Coconut Fine Dining in Tamarindo, but with the same high quality of cuisine and service. Special events will include “Singles over 30”, “Open Minded Day” and “Baby Swimming”. Any suggestions for events are more than welcome. Come by and pass the day at the pool, by the beach or at a table. For more information please do contact us at 2653-0086 or 2654-4300 or by mail: katharina.elcoconut@gmail.com La Paz School presents a quality community event professionally organized by Newton Events, of San José. On November 20, a 5- and 10-km run in Tamarindo will be preceded and followed by a fiesta on the beach in front of Nogui’s Bar (Sunrise Café). All proceeds from Ruta La Paz will go to the La Paz Scholarship Program. See ad on page 6 for details. El Mirador Bar & Restaurante welcomes Chef Steve Blanco as their new head chef. Chef Steve, who helped establish Kahiki Restaurant, applies his extensive culinary experience in creative and innovative ways and is always on the lookout for new and fresh ingredients. Look for new menu items focusing on Pacific Rim flavors. Three new flights will soon be arriving at Liberia International Airport. Thomson Airlines, the world’s largest charter airline, will fly from London every Tuesday starting November 2 Apple Vacations will operate a direct flight from Chicago every Friday starting January 14. The target market is families with respect for nature, honeymoon couples and others who will spend about $150 per day in the country Air Canada has already started its new flight direct from Montreal every Monday, targeting travelers with income over $65,000 and of higher education. In Potrero, visit Lola’s Boutique in Plaza Vista Verde for a wide selection of fashionable clothing for women, children and men.
www.howlermag.com
Surf Report Story: Ellen Zoe Golden
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his winter, the Federacion de Surf de Costa Rica conducted a Triple Crown surf contest called Sol Surf ’10. The contest took place in Santa Teresa, Jacó and Quepos and rewarded the winners cash prizes as well as trophies. Back in August was the first date of the Triple Crown. Just like the leader he is, Puerto Viejo’s Gilbert Brown took to the winner’s podium for the first date in Santa Teresa—called Luz de Vida Surf Challenge. He dominated with a wave of 8.40 at the beginning of the final heat, and killed it with a closing wave of 8.30 that sent him to first place with the highest combination of the event. That 16.70 earned him $2,500. His heat featured a challenger from New Zealand—new resident of Costa Rica, Alaric Smith—who ended up third with 12.67, while Jason Torres of Jacó came in second and Anthony Fillingim of Malpais rounded it out at fourth with 11.70.
here and the people of the Luz de Vida, I could make it a great date,” commented Fillingim after leaving the water. The second date of the Triple Crown, Morgan’s Cove Invitational, took place in September in Playa Jacó. Jair Perez won the trophy from a field that was exceptional in the fact that it excluded star names such as Jason Torres, Carlos Muñoz, Luis Vindas, Diego Naranjo, Federico Pilurzu, and Matias Brau. Gilbert Brown was absent, as he was recovering from an injury. However, Perez took advantage of good surf conditions, and a hometown location that he knows well, to take the crown and the money—even if it did occur in the last minutes of the final heat. That heat featured Tamarindo’s Isaac Vega, South African Brandon Roberts and Jefferson Tascon and took place in front of Hotel Morgan’s Cove. For the final series of the Open, Perez knocked out a combination of 14.67, while Roberts scored a 13.53 and Vega took a 13.37 and Tascon a 9.50. The leader took home $800. “It was a final that I had not wanted to see my opponents, because I knew they could make something incredible happen at any time. I concentrated on giving the best of myself and with that I could win this heat and I knew that I had the possibilities of playing a good role. For this I dedicate the win,” said Perez.
“I am more than content with this since it has been almost two years since I won an event, and that was in Panama for an international contest. The conditions here were very difficult, but I practiced surfing before I entered the water for this final heat because I knew that to win this with these gentlemen was a serious thing,” said Brown. “My surfing is done as a Diego Naranjo, a Luis Vindas or a Germaine Myrie run: of lines, reading and selection. Which is why I cannot just make an impression with one good aerial of innovating maneuver. I needed to top out high combinations as I did today and for that reason I am very happy.” Nataly Bernold of Jacó won $700 when she surpassed her rivals Lisbeth Vindas of Jacó (7.27), Julia Miller of Santa Teresa (7.33) and Flavia Fernandez of Venezula (00). Nataly combined for 12.00. The trophy for Junior remained in the zone, when local boy Anthony Fillingim (photo) took first place. Alberto Muñoz (Esterillos) was second with 11.20, Danny Bishko (Esterillos) was third with 10.60 and Carlos Muñoz was fourth with 5.53. Fillingim earned $1,000. “After Tamarindo in March, my surfing has improved and I have profited in competition. Thanks also to the support of the people
Nataly Bernold repeated her win as Women’s Champion, and pocketed another $300. Lisbeth Vindas was absent at this contest, and Bernold didn’t have a rival of any weight this weekend. She surfed her typical radical self against Flavia Fernandez (8.57) Evie JohnStone of Jacó (8.36) and Verónica Quiros of Jacó (6.00). And finally, the best surfer in Junior for the Morgan Cove Invitational, coming away with the highest combo of 12.53, was Anthony Seguro of Esterillos. He beat Maykol Torres (Esterillos) with 12.50, Ramon Taliani of Jacó with 11.34 and Alberto Muñoz with 9.67. “I want to dedicate this to all those who have believed in me,” Anthony announced. “This is my first win in Junior and it is because the level of my friends are very high. In this date I had much confidence, a lot of people believed in me and I obtained something that I have wanted a long time, which is to get to first place.” Seguro didn’t win a cash prize, but took home sponsored premiums instead. Jair Perez was the man of the hour again for the third date of the Triple Crown in October. By winning this date in Quepos, he also wins the entire Sun Surf ‘10. In addition, he scored another $2,000. (continued page 18
Country Day Scho for Peace
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other Teresa maintained that “peace begins with a smile.” Much peace, then, must have been begun on International Peace Day at Country Day School, when dozens of smiling students, parents, teachers, and school staff joined to promote this virtue in themselves, one another, and the planet. While the day itself was in no short supply of the spectacular—featuring presentations, song, personal pledges, and an airplane flying overhead from which aerial photographs were taken of the day’s participants holding hands in peace symbol formation—preparation for the day began long before its September 21st celebration. Inspired by brainstorming sessions at a world peace summit she attended in Vancouver in 2009, CDSG parent and industrial designer Gabriela Valenzuela initiated the large-scale idea for the event, bringing a wealth of information and possibility to school staff in a presentation form and speaking with real feeling about the importance of instilling a sense of peace in the young. From there, a team of parents, teachers, and students worked together to design a day worthy of the noble goal behind it. The day devoted to peaceful unity began, appropriately, with assemblies. Kinder kids and fifth graders presented a poster and poems they had created, while first and second graders took to the stage, performing original skits featuring themes that focused on peace in the classroom, such as getting along with others, the importance of inclusion, and how to be a true friend. Third and fourth graders organized an inspiration circle, and while soft music played and their lower-school peers and teachers sat eyes-closed in the meditative milieu, students walked around whispering positive comments in each person’s ear: You are really smart....Thanks for being such a special friend.... You are my favorite teacher of all time. As lower-school students worked to empower and elevate one another with words of positivity and peace, upper school students were treated to presentations by juniors and seniors. History teacher Kelsey Sullivan’s Modern Conflict class researched historical leaders and figures famous for having employed non-violent methods for solving conflicts and promoting peace, and a packed classroom of students, teachers, and parents took in inspiration by example. Students highlighted the lives and work of Costa Rica’s Oscar Arias as well as Irene Khan, Sadako Sasaki, Harvey Milk, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, and the 14th Dalai Lama. Junior Donovan Garcia noted that while these individuals and their accomplishments are extraordinary taken singly, many of the figures highlighted borrowed not only inspiration but methodology from each other. “Every protest Martin Luther King, Jr. organized in the march toward equality was based on Gandhi’s most important principle, nonviolence,” he said. Truly, peace begets peace, and the day reminded everyone that to create peace, one must be peace. Parents brought in peace-themed books to share with others present, and many shared stories and strategies for promoting feelings of love and calm in themselves and others. Va-
ool Stands United on Earth
Brijin Hales
lenzuela noted that the act of creating Peace Day itself created peace. “There is a real power in unity and creativity, and getting together to create anything brings a loving and warm feeling that brings peace,” she said. After the separate upper and lower school assemblies, everyone came together in the cafetorium for a school-wide welcome from director Jeff Haun and introductory words from Valenzuela. Lower school children then joined their voices, and swaying from side to side with arms over each others’ shoulders, sang John Lennon’s “Imagine” led by Jesse Bishop of the Banana Kings. This was a highlight for many, including freshman Dennis Abarca. “Peace day really was wonderful. What I enjoyed most was when the kids were singing; it almost made me cry,” he said.” Another highlight was the grand gesture of the day—the airplane overhead. All Peace Day participants, donned in white, formed a gigantic peace symbol on the soccer field and waited with proverbial bated breath for peace pilot Alex Cavaletti and his plane. After the perfect circle and symbol were formed, the suspense built. Conversations took place. Peace fingers flashed. Eyes shone. And smiles spread from one ear to the next as the plane approached. Valenzuela said that this moment alone made all of the organizational effort worthwhile. “My favorite part of the day was waiting for the airplane together for those ten minutes outside, holding hands, and when it finally flew overhead everyone instinctively elevated their hands to welcome the airplane, and the look on the children’s faces was so incredible,” she said. Sophomore Daniel Vandruff affirmed the overall response to the peace plane arrival with an excited “Oh, man, the swoopdown was so cool.” Ninth grader Brenda Nuñez said she felt not only exhilaration but a strong sense of unity with everyone involved while waiting for the plane. “When we were on the soccer field, sweating and suffering from the intense humidity and heat, and we stood in a peace sign formation holding hands, I felt we were connected. I felt a strange flow of positive energy flowing through our bodies and we were no longer separate islands; we were connected underneath,” she said. This sentiment really was the purpose of the day. And while participants felt connected deep within, the aerial perspective from which the human peace symbol shots were taken was itself symbolic in that to create peace, people must begin to see the big picture from just this kind of lofty perspective. Valenzuela believes it is the young especially who need to adopt this higher vision and elevated ideal. (continued page 21
Surf Report (from page 15) In front of 2,500 people, Perez gave a performance of strength and experience. He knocked out two waves of 6.00 and 6.50, making anything after that dessert that would only improve his positioning. He did just that with a 7.10 that secured his first place and a 13.60. David Herrera of Quepos tried valiantly to pressure Perez for the top spot, and he arrived at 12.84 with a 6.97 and 5.87, with an admirable physical display that took applause from his local crowd. Young Anthony Fillingim placed third with 10.70 and Maykol Torres rounded out the heat with an 8.64. The interchange in the heat came between 2nd, 3rd and 4th place, between the surfers who were risking a lot in their waves. Herrera was the only one that was able to put any doubt in the victory of Perez, and this came at the very end. However, he could not put together a wave of 6.64 that he needed to put himself in first. The best of Jair was evident this weekend. He customarily connects all sections of his waves, and this day he didn’t fail to do that and add power to his moves for the judges to see. “First I want to congratulate David, because he surfed incredibly, and as he goes on, he will continue to astonish as he did today. And personally, I feel very well physically and mentally, which gives me the security doing what I did,” said Perez. With this second consecutive first place win, this makes the third cash award in the Triple Crown for Perez. He came in fifth for the first date and was also rewarded with money. It is important to emphasize that the Triple Crown featured a high degree of surfing with a young age of athletes, an average of 18- to 25-year-old surfer participated in the events. The youngest finalist this weekend was Fillingim at 16 and the oldest was Perez at 21.
And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud...
Lisbeth Vindas returned to the winner circle this weekend, as she took first place in the Women’s. After an absence in the last date and losing to Nataly Bernold in the first date, a proud Vindas earned the top spot with a starting wave of 7.00 and a killer performance on a 6.60 in the last minutes of her heat. With the combination of 13.60, she surpassed Bernold, who earned 13.56. Left behind were Fernandez with 9.90 and Brazil’s Mahoo Padillla with 7.77. Vindas ran waves in both directions, but saved her lethal weapon for the highest waves. Bernold, of course, was her main threat, but it was Vindas who pocketed the $750 winner’s check. “Personally, I feel very well. I feel that my surfing is at its best level and that makes me happy because the World Surfing Games are coming up and I know that I can give the country a lot. This event puts a high level of prizes, and a value to our work, and for that reason, I applaud the organization,” affirmed Lisbeth. Bernold, however, with two first place wins in the Triple Crown is the rankings winner of the whole event. Once again, Anthony Fillingim—now considered one of the brightest stars in the Costa Rica surfing universe—nabbed the Junior trophy. This second win of the Triple Crown, along with his now common (continued page 19)
Surf Report (from page 18 appearances in the final heats of the Open makes him, at 16, one of the surfers to watch. That makes the check for $250 a small bonus. At the final date of the Triple Crown, Alberto Muñoz came in 2nd, Danny Bishko came in 3rd and Maykol Torres came in 4th. Fillingham takes the Junior Triple Crown for the entire event. Now that the Triple Crown is completed, the Federacion de Surf turns its attention towards building a Costa Rica National Surf Team for the ISA World Surfing Games in Peru, which will take place in Lima on October 19 through 27. They have announced the team: Open Jason Torres (Jacó); Carlos Muñoz (Esterillos); Gilbert Brown (Puerto Viejo); Isaac Vega (Tamarindo, 2006 National Champion). Women Nataly Bernold (Jacó): Lisbeth Vindas (Jacó) Longboard Cristian Santamaria (Nosara); Anthony Flores (Jacó) Currently, Costa Rica ranks #7 in the world, and according to the Federacion, the goal of the team in Peru is to maintain their place within the Top 10. Individually, Torres is ranked #7 in Open and Vindas is #13 in Women’s, while Longboader Flores is #21. “Generally, we generally balance the team with equilibrium and experience. Jason and Carlos will arrive hardened soldiers to fire themselves internationally. Gilbert, once again, goes into this with a better level, and the women, Nataly and Lisbeth, have come along to play a better international role than their last presentation. In Longboard, we want to improve from last year,” explained José Ureña, President of the Federacion de Surf de Costa Rica and the Technical Director of the Costa Rica National Surf Team. There are 40 countries expected to send their best surfers to Peru. Currently, the United States are the world champions. Previous Rankings For Costa Rica: 2004 Ecuador, 9th place; 2006 California, 8th place; 2008 Portugal, 5th place; 2009 Costa Rica, 7th place. Top 10 Ranking United States; France; Australia; Hawaii; South Africa; Perú; Costa Rica; Venezuela; Brasil; Puerto Rico
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.
Night Magic
The Tropical Dry Forest - Dusk to Dawn
T
rust your horses”, I said, as we snaked down the dimly-lit trail. “Are you sure horses can see at night?” asked the doubting tourist as she rode down the oxcart trails lit by a quarter moon and millions of stars. I explained that horses see only in shades of black and white, as do many mammals, and are adapted to see in low light. They feed during the night taking only occasional “horse naps” of 15-20 minutes. In the moonless nights of the rainy season, we have ridden down roads which were so dark in areas that were tree-covered, that the gelding Esteban, my husband, was riding would periodically lean against my mare because she had better night vision. Other nights, we are treated to the lights of millions of fireflies, actually species of beetles, sending out their phosphorescent messages to potential mates. For Californians, it would be the first time to experience the fairyland show of fireflies, but for we Michiganders, it was a reminder of summer nights with jars full of the captured glowing lights. There is magic to be discovered in the nights of the tropical forests of Guanacaste. Unlike the long twilight of the northern latitude nights a short, yet spectacular, sunset falls quickly into the tropical night. The night conditions range from the eerie darkness of the moonless, overcast nights, to the shadow-filled, day-like nights bathed with the light of the full moon and accompanying stars. Stop, look and listen - the tropical nights are filled with specially adapted life. From dusk to dawn, the life of the dry tropical forest environment changes, for the cooler, moist night air brings out the “night shift”, the highly adapted nocturnal life forms. As the parrots, egrets and other day birds seek night perches as sunset approaches, an array of night hunters emerges to take advantage of the nocturnal insects, thin-skinned amphibians and small mammals that are active only at night. Bats, the only true flying mammal, leave their perches in high branches, tree holes or in caves to feed primarily on fruit, flowers or insects. The bats are mammals, second only to rodents in numbers. A few species of these social mammals also feed on fish or blood. The famed vampire bat found in Guanacaste will often return to the same animal, horse, pig or cow, and feed off the blood night after night. There have been reports of humans being bitten; not, however, on the neck, but between the toes. Fortunately, most bats are helpful as flower and fruit pollinators and play an important role is the tropical forest ecosystem. Night-feeding moths are attracted to the sweet nectar of night-blooming plants. Many large moths have distinctive markings on their lower wings that resemble owl eyes to frighten would-be predators. Their feather-like antenna pick up pheromones from night-blooming flowers and other feeding sources. They exhibit the subtle colors of night, rather than the gaudy daytime colors of their diurnal cousins. When taking ecotours with students, we would set up a bed sheet with a light underneath at dark and draw hundreds of insect species, most of which were nightfeeding moths. Tree frogs and many small mammals have specially adapted eyes that adjust even to the dimmest light. The pupils, which are located vertically,
Kay T Dodge
can range from a tiny slit to wide open. They can often be seen moving around at night on our windows, held tightly by their suction-cup fingers, waiting for insects drawn to the light. The large protruding eyes of night monkeys and other small mammals also help them see in dimmest light. Some night creatures have substituted a highly developed sense of smell to compensate for lack of sight, particularly in dense forest areas where, even in the day, only one or two percent of the sunlight reaches the forest floor. The bird family also has its nocturnal hunters, the most easily recognized being the owls. Of the 120 species of owls worldwide, some are day and twilight feeders. Their mysterious night hoots, shrieks and whistles have made the night-feeding species infamous. Their feathers are adapted to provide almost soundless flight. The facial disks help gather the slightest sound, and their large forward-directed eyes see in very dim light. Their colors of patterned gray and brown allow camouflage during the day when most sleep. Insects, rodents and birds are their most common prey. When driving the dirt roads between the small Guanacaste towns at night, an occasional owl can be see quickly flying across the headlight beams. But most often seen on these drives are another group of nocturnal birds with distinctive white throat or wing patches and plaintive cries. This group includes the nightjars, potoo, nighthawks, pauraque and goatsuckers. These insect-eating birds are often flushed from the ground ahead of cars. They circle the sky seeking flying insects, swooping them up in their large whisker-lined mouths. Because most humans are diurnal, we miss much of the “night life” that lives outside of our “artificial human places”; however, we were once reminded of just how alive the night is. Susan Smith and I were spending the night caring for her very sick horse (see the story of Dr. Dog in the Howler, October 2002). Camping out in the large corral, the moon was in the dark phase; however, the stars were so bright we could still see. Surviving the long night on coffee, we ministered to the struggling filly. As we sat on our mobile camp chairs we commented on the amount of activity on the farm at night. Dogs chasing a skunk through the pasture or digging after armadillos, cats daintily walking the teak fences in search of a tasty rodent, and of course the night sounds of insects, frogs and night birds. The other horses in the near pastures softly nicker to one another, seeming to sense a problem, vigilant to our rare night presence. For much of the world, the city lights and street sounds prevent any chance of seeing stars or listening to the cacophony of nature’s symphony. However, here in paradise, throughout the night as the moon and stars light the ghostly gray landscape, the struggle for life continues. And, as dawn approaches, the bats begin the return to their lofty roosts and the black howler monkeys begin to call from their trees, announcing the shift change once more. The brightly coloured birds and flowers replace the camouflage experts and night sounds are replaced with the noises of day. Day to night to day, the cycle continues.
Peace on Earth... (from page 17) “It’s the next generation that must find a way to cross the barriers of politics, religion, race, and country and take a serious vow for the peace of the planet,” she said. “That transformation occurs one person at a time, over and over again—that’s the only way it’s going to happen.” While it is difficult to top airplanes overhead when it comes to the wow factor, sophomore NHS president Karol Brenes said that she believes the personal peace pledges that followed were just as powerful. Brenes drew and cut out more than 150 white peace doves on which participants’ personal peace pledges were recorded and posted on a Wall of Peace. “It’s so important to know that we can embrace peace here and now, and it’s not a far-removed and distant idea. It starts with us, as individuals. The fact that we made peace pledges mean that we can be the change; we can make peace happen,” she said. Lower school coordinator Sarah Haun said classroom teachers in elementary grades introduced the concept of peace pledgemaking by talking about what peace means and how people can create it in their everyday existence. Each student chose two actions they could perform to create peace: I will say thanks to my mom for cooking dinner tonight....I will walk the dog for my brother so he doesn’t have to do it....I will go to sleep the first time my dad asks me without complaining tonight....I will let my sister watch her favorite TV program instead of asking to watch mine tonight....I will thank my mom for driving me to school....I will tell my teacher that I think she is great....I will rub my mom’s feet. Many upper school students’ pledges were familial as well, such as ninth grader Amelia Worrell’s vow to do all her chores with a smile on her face and let her siblings have their way twice a day and Nuñez’s promise to tidy her room every weekend for the remainder of 2010. Many were in support of environmental peace, such as freshman Tomás King’s renewed commitment to combat oceanic contamination and his fresh promise to accept no Styrofoam for the rest of his life. Abarca pledged to “be kind to everyone, every day, 24/7,” while sophomore Barrett Smith pledged to help at least one person in need every day, even if only in a small or simple way. Smith’s classmate Alejandro Salcedo committed to hug more, junior Alana Eitman to forgive more. Ninth grader Sarah Akin had a dual peace goal. “My pledge for peace was to prevent unnecessary drama between friends and to spend more time alone, enjoying my own company,” she said. “In general, I just thought it was fun collaborating with teachers and parents on making the day meaningful for the students,” said Sarah Haun. “At first I was nervous about the logistics and timing of everything...the plane, the photos, the possibility of rain, the upper and lower schools coming together, parent participation. But in the end I think that coming together as a whole school with teachers, parents, students and administration was the point of the whole day—making an effort do be together and enjoy the day together—that was the best part.” The day, as sophomore Lilly Pandis succinctly put it, “felt good.”
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 La Caracola Contact: Ellen - 2-653-0897
Back to the Burning Bush Tom Peifer Some time ago a crazy dream came to me. I dreamt I was walkin’ into World War Three ... Bob Dylan
R
egular readers of the Howler might remember. Those of you who have back issues right up on the shelf with Dickens, Dostoevsky and the other literary classics.
Just about four years ago, I recounted a rather unusual encounter during a walk in the forest. Under a raging downpour, a nearby bush burst into flame and the result was a rather cosmic experience. Due to some serious issues with stress management it has been a long time since I ventured into that particular little valley. Things were getting seriously overgrown. But it has been a great year for planting the species of food-producing, native trees that interest me. It was time to bite the bullet and head into the bush. I stocked up on the usual supplies, cigarettes, water, anti-panic pills in case of wasp attacks--or worse. One of the workers had left a razor-sharp edge on my machete, perfect for working deep into the overgrown copse. Due to the darkening sky it was akin to entering a primeval cave. As usual, the ant acacias at the forest edge ensured an average of one ant bite per step. It’s a complex sort of tai chi to be swinging a slippery machete with one hand and smashing bugs under your clothing with the other. Rather hard to concentrate on the surroundings. Less than fifty feet away, the ‘surroundings’ suddenly vaporized with a jolting explosion that left me simultaneously dazed, flat on my butt in the mud and reaching frantically for my Xanax with a foreboding feeling of déjà vu. It was all eerily similar, but different from, gulp, the last encounter of the cosmic kind. This time the bush wasn’t actually burning. Carbonized, yes, but practically no flames or smoke. “Pretty nifty, huh?” came the familiar baritone voice from off to my left. (The fact that I didn’t go airborne at that point is testimony to the efficacy of serotonin uptake inhibitors on calming nerves in stressful situations.) Just to be sure, I lit up a menthol. “Yup,” he went on, “we figured out a way to make our dramatic entries almost carbon neutral. Trying to do our part to help out this mess you people have going on down here.” I respectfully refrained from asking which particular mess he was referring to, but couldn’t help noticing a few changes. No more flipflops, he had up scaled to some nice sneakers. Talk about blending in with the crowd, he even sported a ‘Hollister’ brand T-shirt. In contrast to his captive audience, definitely no signs of aging; if anything he look slightly more buff. Impertinence got the better of me. “Man, I mean, Sir, have you been working out?” “Working out”, he thundered, “I have been running all over Creation, and, as I told you
last time, the brilliant idea of an expanding universe has a definite downside in terms of travel time. And, no, wise guy—since you were about to ask--we don’t get frequent flier miles. And furthermore, before you ask about the dark circles, you think I get any sleep with 20 million flooded Pakistanis shouting my name at a minimum of five times a day?” I was on the verge of suggesting one or two home remedies which usually help me with sleeplessness, but thought the better of it. I opted for a blend of diplomacy and suck up. “Please allow me to express my gratitude, sir.” He regarded me a bit quizzically. “Well, if you recall, the last time you ‘dropped in’ unexpectedly, I made a modest request for some help with the potholes in the road out front.” He waved a hefty hand, as if 15 miles of super highway in Costa Rica were nothing less than an act of God. “Please allow me to continue, sir, I would like to express my gratitude in any way I can possibly be of service to your cosmic designs.” Not that I had a choice in the matter, right. Go with the flow, God willing, and no use struggling with Divine Providence. Sort of like trying to circumvent the laws of thermodynamics. Not leaving matters to chance, I decided to remind him of my previous collaboration. “Was the new version of the Ten Commandments in digital format as successful as hoped?” He sighed and I learned something there and then. When God sighs, everything stops. Time, your heartbeat, the birds, bees, you name it. “Once you uploaded from your shack there, we got the stuff translated into a hundred languages and out onto the web through what we thought were perfectly secure channels. Remember, we didn’t want any Blackhawk helicopters or drone missiles messing up your little corner of paradise. But, as luck would have it, a key bit of code got distorted during a massive bit of Internet skullduggery and spy games that was going on simultaneously between the Pentagon, the Chinese and the Russians. Our stuff just completely disappeared into the ether. The only good news is that the nutso Christian fundamentalist networks didn’t get their hands on it.” “Sir,” I found myself reverting to the reverent humility that usually worked to avoid physical abuse in Catholic school, “it would seem that a crackerjack web team could have taken preventative measures.” He leaned back against the smooth bark of a big Guanacaste. “Honestly, I thought we had a pretty top notch crew up there, but I’ve come to realize that we need some more Chinese and Indians. They put in longer hours, complain less and are just plain more (continued page 28
by Jeanne Callahan
NovemberForecasts Forecasts October
Aries: 21 March - 20 April
28 20
Things are starting to get a little critical with regard to your professional life, finances and partnership. Negotiations may stall till after the 18th when Venus and Jupiter station before going into direct motion again. It’s better to wait for major decisions until the end of the month. Don’t get angry, burn off your frustration with physical activity or travel. Your best days are the 17th and 18th.
Visit Jeanne’s site at CelestialAdvisor.com
Libra: 23 September - 23 October
Taurus: 21 April - 21 May
Finances and your home are front and center concerns for you this month. Things are definitely at a critical juncture but the middle of the month promises some solutions and gain for you. Use your ability to negotiate now more than ever. Identify your strengths and past successes to gain support. You are at the end of a 12-year cycle and will have plenty of new opportunity in 2011. The 3rd, 4th and 30th are your best days.
Gemini: 22 May - 21 June
The power of attraction is definitely working for you as this is a great month for you to seek attention and gain support. With Venus in your sign, even though in retrograde motion, you get the attention you want. Be careful what you wish for and wait until the end of the month to make any final plans when Venus is again direct. Creativity is also at an all time high. The new moon on the 5th and 6th are your stellar days.
Cancer: 22 June - 22 July
With Mars now in your sign, you feel empowered and energized again. People from your past will start contacting you again after the middle of the month. Don’t burn any bridges but you may find there are some folks you no longer want in your life. That’s fine as you are setting the stage for something new in 2011, with a new cast of characters. This is a positive month for you. Best days are the 7th and 8th.
Leo: 23 July - 23 August
You are definitely considering some major changes regarding your professional life and possibly even your home location. The middle of the month holds some positive gain for you as you make new connections through networking opportunities. Consult trusted advisors about the big issues to avoid your blind spots. You have favorable lunar aspects on the 9th and 10th.
Virgo: 24 August - 22 September
With Mars in your tenth house of career, you are definitely making some progress in your professional life with many opportunities presenting themselves now. Wait until the end of the month to finalize any plans as there are a few details that don’t come to light until that time. Go with the flow till then and just delay till after the 18th. The vibes are good on the 12th and 13th.
Your focus will be about maintaining a balance with your work obligations and your business partnerships. New opportunities may present themselves around the middle of the month and it is worth doing some extended research for you to understand the long-term implications for you. Keep an open and optimistic attitude as, when your ruling planet, Venus, goes direct, you will benefit. The 19th, 20th and the full moon in Taurus on the 21st hold positive vibes for your progress.
Scorpio: 24 October - 22 November
You may experience just a bit of stalled energy around work assignments this month as you are either overlooked or overburdened with obligations now. New relationships may experience some trouble now as reality sets in about the other person’s habits. Wait until the end of the month to make your decisions. The 22nd and 23rd hold a positive lunar vibe for getting your way.
Sagittarius: 23 November - 21 December
You are on the cusp of making a major life change right now that will have long-range consequences. This is not a bad thing but you’ll have to cope with some uncertainty regarding your security as you’ll be walking away from a long-standing and rather comfortable situation. Remember, nothing changes if nothing changes. Make your decision after the 18th. You are favored on the 24th and 25th.
Capricorn: 22 December - 21 January
Lots of action in your home this month as you look to improve your surroundings or host an event there. Your public image needs some attention as you are able to attract people to you and your causes. Good time to polish up your presentations. This will be positive for the future goals in 2011. Wait until the end of the month to finalize any contracts or get commitments. Your most favorable days are the 26th and 27th.
Aquarius: 22 January - 19 February
This is a month for networking, written communications and connecting with people in your immediate community. Look to put yourself in the public eye in ways that don’t cost you a lot of money. Your finances are stable but gains are slight. This is a time for slow steady progress and good planning. Some repairs may be necessary in your home this month. Best days for your gains on your own terms are the 1st, 2nd, 28th and 29th.
Pisces: 20 February - 20 March
You are in the process of making some financial decisions that will have long-range consequences. Don’t avoid understanding the details now. You have some luck on your side but not till the end of the month after Jupiter goes into direct motion on the 18th. Stall till then. Your most favorable days are the 14th and 15th.
Namasté
Doctor’s Orders Jeffrey Whitlow, M.D.
T
his month I will discuss some of the positive and negative effects that specific foods have on specific body structures and functions.
The body is composed of the following structures and systems. The musculoskeletal system forms the main support for the body’s architecture, and also facilitates movement. The skin and the integument provide a natural covering for the body, that helps to provide comfort and prevent disease. Then there are the various organ systems, the digestive, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine, nervous and sensory, all having those specified functions. When I see a person who is my age (that being 50) who has all gray and/or thinning hair and dry or excessively wrinkled skin, I immediately know that person is consuming too much flour and/or sugar, and not enough healthy fats from meat or fish, or healthy oils, such as palm or coconut. The flour and/or sugar, when digested, forms acid in the body, which strips the body of the essential oils that keep the hair and skin glossy and moist. A diet low in healthy fats and oils compounds the problem. When I see a person who is extremely heavy with their fat concentrated in either their belly or their butt and thighs, I know that person is consuming an excessive amount of sugar, soda, and unnatural junk food. There are people, like the Samoans, who are “overweight”, but their weight is evenly distributed, whereas the classic Occidental obese body type is the pear (bottom heavy), or the apple (top heavy). Why? Because the junk foods that most Americans consume contains substances such as modified food starch (MFS) or hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP). Those substances are produced by ConAgra and Archer Daniels Midland (ADM). These huge agri-giants produce essentially all of the bulk livestock feed used in the US. What is not used is sent to several huge plants, cooked and processed into 100 lb sacks, and added to processed foods as a cheap extender and/or bulk agent. This food has been specifically engineered to increase the meat yield from a cow or pig. Their effects on people have never been formally studied, but those effects are obvious to a trained observer, and are readily apparent even to the untrained eye when you see these tremendously overweight apple- and pear-shaped people in their one-piece mu-mus and voluminous swim trunks on the beach. If you doubt my word, look at any box of Hamburger Helper, any can of Campbell’s Soup, any boxed pastry, any frozen dinner, or any other fake food, and you will see MFS, HVP, or some variant thereof listed in the ingredients. When I see an older person with memory loss or a hesitant gait, I know that person is on a low-cholesterol or a low-fat diet, or they have a diet that is low in healthy fats and oils. A little known fact is that our brain is composed of cholesterol, in the main, so a low cholesterol diet dooms that person to a slow starvation of the brain, resulting in nervous system disorders like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and the more common senile form of dementia that we now consider a natural process of aging. In my next column, we will expand on the discussion of how the things that we have been led to believe are incurable chronic diseases are rather the direct result of the over or under consumption or the mal-absorption of certain foods and types of foods.
Surviving
C hapter CLXXXII
COSTA RICA
Caution: The following story contains elements of humor such as “Irony” and “Sarcasm” which are not meant to be read by those without a sense of humor. We humbly request that those of you so disposed skip on to the horoscope.
I
f you are currently reading this you must have successfully survived the Tamarindo rainy (also known as the slow) season. I congratulate you on your perseverance in making it through one of the most pleasant and dry Octobers in recent memories which at least made watching your savings dwindle to nothing a little more enjoyable. So now we embark on the future, or at least the next six months, which in better times used to be referred to as “The Tourist Season”. What I’ll do is put forth what we call here at HowlerMagSyndicates S.A. the best and worse case scenarios for what may be in store. Maybe As the Dow Jones hits 13,000 in early November causing worldwide unemployment to drop and most workers returning to their jobs at twice what they made before, and thanks to the airlines cutting fares in half and no longer charging for oxygen, people are expected to visit Costa Rica in record numbers. The unfortunate breakout of Bubonic Plague on the Papagayo Peninsula is also predicted to send more tourists southward. In anticipation of the oncoming throngs to Tamarindo several previously-empty ten-storey concrete condos are quickly finished and opened, thanks to a surplus of Chinese workers stolen away from the National Stadium site, who surprise all by purchasing most of them afterward. In one of the largest construction projects ever attempted by the Costa Rican au-
Future Forecast
thorities, involving every piece of earthmoving equipment in the country as well as others from as far away as Bolivia; and in using numbers of construction (Nicaraguan) workers heretofore never imagined, the one-kilometer stretch of road from downtown Tamarindo to far-flung Langosta was successfully paved. Several former Costa Rican presidents, joined by Bill Clinton, the Dali Lama and Lady GaGa were on hand for a event-filled ribbon-cutting ceremony after which that guy who rides the unicycle is joined by the guy who rides the motorcycle with the goggle-wearing dog, and lead a sixhundred-car cavalcade to the Langosta Sports Bar. As the current president leaves she stops long enough at that gigantic shining white edifice that we know so well and declares it a National Monument. Tamarindo experiences its first White Christmas ever, thanks to several large bundles washed up on the beach while the week after Xmas the town is flooded by large numbers of well-behaved national city dwellers who spend a lot of money in local restaurants and never snake your wave. Tourism is at an all-time high in Tamarindo as enthusiastic visitors just can’t seem to get enough of our quaint little seaside town. Several new businesses pop up from improvising local entrepreneurs, one of the most popular being “Let Me Rob You”. Tourists just can’t get enough of it! As the tax money flows into the municipal coffers in Santa Cruz the mayor and his city council are so emotionally overwhelmed that they promise never to be mean to us again and throw in several new downtown speed signs (60 km) totally gratis. As April comes around and the season
Story by Jesse Bishop
starts to slow down a little local business owners can stop those pesky three-times-a-day bank deposits and get back to the real Tamarindo job of enjoying life! Or Maybe Not The rains started up again in mid-November and didn’t stop until late March, causing several already-unstable large empty concrete structures to collapse, causing a large number of residents to seek shelter elsewhere, most of whom end up north in the healthy and dry Papagayo Peninsula. Ferry service to Playa Langosta never quite got off the ground and when rescuers finally made it there in early January they found that most survivors had had to eat their pets and there were rumors of cannibalism in the French community. The last pizza restaurant finally closed its door due to the high price of mozzarella which could only be airdropped, and what few tourists actually make it into town are immediately confronted by opposing gangs of starving t-shirt sellers. After several tourists are kidnapped by sinister tour operators the US State Department declares the “Central Western Pacific Coast of Costa Rica” unsafe. In a surprise move Nicaraguan shock troops, accompanied by state-of-art Venezuelan tanks and aircraft, flowed across the unprotected border at Penas Blancas on Christmas Eve taking the local Border Police totally by surprise. The Nicaraguan blitzkrieg continued until finally stopped by the Liberian Fuerza Publica at the Papagayo Peninsula, causing tourism to flee southward and maybe finally giving Tamarindo a break. However a brokered peace agreement dashed any hopes for Tamarindo as we are now all trying to learn how to speak Nicaraguense.
A Slice of Life Feeding Frenzy!
David Mills
A
couple of times each year the east coast of the United States erupts in a bonanza for the surf fisherman. Depending on water temperature and baitfish movement, the bluefish moves along the Atlantic coast in huge schools, devouring anything in its path. At such times, known as “bluefish blitzes” it is impossible to not catch dinner – even if you are not fishing! Bluefish is a commercial food fish, often found in supermarkets under the name Boston bluefish, though the frozen fillets bear no resemblance to a freshly caught blue, which is delicious eating. All along the coast, fishermen drive their pick-ups with rods already tackled-up on the front bumper, communicating by CB and listening to the radio for news of water temperature. When a blitz occurs, the news goes out and fishermen descend on the location by the score, to park on the beach, flatbed toward the ocean, and stand waist-deep, a meter apart as they cast their baits into the surf which is boiling with frenzied fish. During a feeding frenzy, the blue will eat anything, slashing with razor teeth at passing fish. The surf is red with blood, and pieces of baitfish fly through the air. Compared to a blue, a shark is a picky eater. Beaches are sometimes closed during a blitz, as blues can inflict injuries to bathers. Due to cannibalism, fish in a school all run the same size; some schools are all 5-pounders, others 8, or 15, or 20. The huge schools of blues drive smaller fish onto the beach, where they suffocate rather than be slashed to pieces. I have often lunched on large trout and drum, picked up live on Outer Banks beaches, driven there by blues. Every cast brings in a blue. If the fish are small, 4-5 pounders, a double rig is used, and they pull in two fish at a time. Any bait will do, though mostly cut mullet is used. When a fisherman pulls in a blue – between disentangling his line from others’ tackle – he tosses it over his shoulder to his wife, who catches it, guts and fillets it and has it in the built-in freezer almost before it is dead. There is usually an open bottle of beer on the flatbed, but it stays untouched, because the fisherman hasn’t time to drink it. The wives socialize together as they process the flying fish. The men, buddies from many previous blitzes, shout familiarities to each other, far to busy to stop and chat. After a couple of hours, Mary shouts to her husband “Ok, George, the freezer’s full,” but George just has to make one more cast before collapsing, exhausted, onto the truck to have a cool beer or two. “See you next blitz,” they shout to their buddies, then head up off the beach with enough bluefish to keep them fed for another year. Am I the only person anything happens to? Surely you readers have little “slices of life” to share with others. Send your story to dmills@racsa.co.cr.
Burning Bush... (from page 23)
more creative than all the Euros and gringos. Fortunately, with all the natural disasters going on, recruitment is a piece of cake.” I grimaced at the implications of that choice observation and prepared a sarcastic retort. He held up his hand.
RAIN GAUGE
10
RAINFALL - September/October Maricle Meteorological Observatory La Garita
8
c m s
“Let me remind you, I’ve got a few other things going on. You don’t even want to know what is starting to develop at the subatomic level. It turns out that quarks were a bad idea as the expanding universe gets beyond a certain point. We’re working night and day to stave off a problem that won’t occur for another million years.”
6
Nothing like a small reminder of one’s own mortality and insignificance in the grand scheme of things.
Total rainfall: 33.9 cm (13.1 inches)
4
2
0 16
20
25
30 1
September
5
10
October
Year-to-date 2009: 150.3 cm 2010: 282.4
Rainfall Sept/Oct 2009: 28.7 cm 2010: 33.9
November 2010 ( a l l
t i m e s
l o c a l )
Sun
1st - rise 5:34; set 5:20 15th - rise 5:38; set 5:18* 30th - rise 5:45; set 5:19
* earliest sunset of year - 16th at 5:17 New: 1st quarter: Full: Last quarter:
Moon 5th 13th 21st 28th
10:52 p.m. 10:39 a.m. 11:27 a.m. 2:36 p.m.
15
He tried to cheer me up. “Look, there’s definitely something you can do. It’ll help with your guilty conscience, make you feel less depressed about things and maybe even earn you some money.” Now that definitely got my attention. “Before I go into what we want you to do, let me review a couple of things. Communication on this planet is a mess. The better it gets technically, the stupider the content. The press in the US can’t use the word ‘torture’, they call it ‘enhanced interrogation’. Assassinations are called ‘targeted killings’. Orwell would love it, Doublespeak on crack. At the same time, the East Coast is frying, Pakistan is flooded, Russia’s on fire, the plankton in the oceans are crashing and the US Senate can’t even pass a climate bill because most people have been brainwashed or are just brain dead. They’re watching American Idol—for God’s sake.” He allowed himself a cosmic chuckle before going on. Something to do with ‘idolatry’ I guessed. “Anyway, as I told you the last time, we’ve backed off a bit from our Prime Directive of non-interference, but,” he hastened to add, “no big stuff. We’re not going to fix the plankton so they can soak up all the CO2 in a couple years. We’re going small and local. And that’s precisely where you fit in.” “Beggin’ your pardon, sir,” I decided to really grovel; even faked an accent, but he cut me short. “We want you to start blogging. The net is huge. We’ll make sure you get tons of visibility. Google owes us some favors. But don’t try to get all fancy; work with what you know. Let’s admit it. You’re a bit obsessed with water. Funny thing is, all the world’s religions have rituals involving water. There’s something you can tie in to. Get away from the eco-freaks and back to a bit of (continued page 29
Burning Bush... (from page 28) old-time religion. Plus, you need to get away from that ‘doom and gloom’ stuff you’re always spouting. Get people stoked up, turned on about saving their frickin’ future. Make it fun, or - let’s be even more realistic here - figure out a way to make it profitable. That’ll really grab their attention.” He definitely had my attention, but my head was spinning with the possible implications of this divine mandate. He didn’t stop there. While walking over to his own personal launching pad he kept throwing out ideas over his shoulder, a series of cosmic one-liners. “I don’t care what you call it...” “Tell people what they can grow to deal with the heat...” “Make it funny, throw in some neighborhood gossip...” “You gotta’ make it bi-lingual, and hope to get a few of these Ticos out of the dark ages. Worshipping a rock, really, what century do they think they’re in?” “And please, whatever you do, try to get them to stop saying ‘Si Dios Quiere’”. Overcoming at least a bit of curiosity, I headed out of the woods with nary a backwards glance. There were some issues to be dealt with. What in God’s name would I write about? Would I get even more nasty e-mails? How in Hell would I come up with the right name? Stay tuned. “An Eye in the Forest”: coming soon to an Internet café near you.
Tom Peifer is an ecological land use consultant with 16 years experience in Guanacaste. Phone: 2658-8018. peifer@racsa. co.cr El Centro Verde is dedicated to sustainable land use, agriculture and development. http://www.elcentroverde.org/
Only two things are infinite: the universe and stupidity. And I’m not too sure about the first. Albert Einstein
1M
2T
3W
4T
5F New Moon
0326 0946 1551 2223 0436 1054 1657 2325 0541 1157 1757
15 6S 76 13 82 12 7S 78 10 87 07 8M 82 06
0022 0639 1254 1853 0115 0732 1346 1945
93 9T 02 86 03 97 10W -03 90 00
0205 0821 1435 2034 0253 0908 0524 2122 0339 0954 1611 2210 0426 1040 1658 2257 0513 1126 1747 2345
101 -07 93 -02 102 -08 104 -02 101 -08 93 00 98 -05 91 04 93 -01 87 09
NOVEMBER TIDE CHART
11T
0600 1213 1837
87 16T 04 83
12F
0036 0651 1301 1929 0130 0744 1353 2025 0229 0843 1449 2123 0332 0945 1546 2219
14 81 09 79 18 75 14 76 22 71 18 75 23 69 21 75
13S 1st Qtr 14S
15M
17W
18T
19F
20S
21S Full Moon
0433 1045 1642 2312 0529 1140 1735
22 68 21 76 20 70 20
0001 0617 1230 1822 0044 0701 1315 1905 0125 0742 1356 1946
79 23T 16 72 18 82 24W 12 75 16 85 25T 08 78 14
22M
0205 0821 1437 2027 0245 0900 1516 2108 0324 0939 1557 2149 0406 1019 1638 2233 0449 1101 1721 2319
88 04 81 11 91 02 83 09 92 00 85 08 92 00 86 07 91 00 87 08
26F
0534 1146 1808
89 1W 02 Dec 87
27S
0009 0624 1234 1859 0103 0718 1325 1954 0202 0818 1422 2053 0307 0922 1524 2156
09 86 04 86 10 83 07 86 11 80 09 86 12 78 11 87
28S Last Qtr 29M
30T
2T
3F
4S
5S New Moon
0413 1029 1628 2258 0518 1133 1731 2358 0619 1234 1831
11 78 11 89 08 79 10 91 05 82 08
0054 0714 1329 1937 0147 0806 1422 2019
94 01 85 07 96 -01 88 05