The Howler
Volume 19, No. 5 Issue No. 211
May 2014 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
dmills@racsa.co.cr Tel: 2-653-0545
Dine inside or out, or home delivery. Chopstix serves authentic Chinese food in Tamarindo with a wide variety of offerings.
14 Around Town
CONTRIBUTORS
Howler • Mono Congo
JEANNE CALLAHAN JESSE BISHOP MARY BYERLY ROBERT AUGUST KAY DODGE LYNDA ESPADA
ELLEN ZOE GOLDEN TONY OREZ TOM PEIFER JEFFREY WHITLOW BARBARA DEPPE SUSAN SMITH
Deadline for June: May 15 Howler advertising
The Howler offers a wide range of advertising sizes and formats to suit all needs. Contact David Mills • dmills@racsa.co.cr
Advertising rates & sizes Size Bus Card 1/8 1/4 Banner 1/2 Full
Dimensions (cms) Width Height 6.4 9.4 9.4 19.2 9.4 19.2 19.2
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Price $
Openings, closings, parties, music. The Gold Coast has it all, and bar-hoppin’ David is in the groove.
15 Surf Report
Share the waves: surfing etiquette. Leilani McGonagle excels in Ecuador; Carlos Muñoz wins ALAS, again in Ecuador.
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Horse-empowered Retreats
At Painted Pony Ranch, horses interact with humans in a blend of horsemanship and yoga, to the enjoyment of both.
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Private Solar Generation
Recent changes in the law have allowed homeowners to generate their own electricity and sell their excess back to the utilities.
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Surviving Costa Rica
Canadians take over Tamarindo; the past High Season came nicely up to expectations; and Jesse buys a Kindle.
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The Scourge of Prometheus
30 100 140
Humans’ discovery of fire was just the first of many transgressions against Mother Earth, and she doesn’t like it.
230
DEPARTMENTS
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).
9 Yoga
23 Doctor’s Orders
10 Music Review
24 Slice of Life
11 Book Review
25 Poetry by Diana Renee
12 August Odysseys
26 May Forecasts
13 Soccer
27 Word Puzzle
17 Dharma Corner
32 Sun & Moon
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: Howler Monkey • Mono Congo Cover Photo: Paul Gerace • www.photosofcostarica.com Cover Design: David Mills
Shape Up! Don’t Think “Diet and Long Workouts” Think “Lifestyle Change”
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e’ve all been there, trying the quick-fix diet plans and workouts. We’ve tried them all – low-fat to low-carb to low-cal. We’ve tried the “we are going to do cardio every day this week!” – running from indoor cycle to Pilates and yoga to body sculpt. By day three we realize, Ugh! – we can’t even move a muscle in our aching bodies. This is crazy and we have not even lost a pound. With little or no satisfaction, we are back on the couch with the remote in one hand, our favorite junk food snack in the other and lots of Advil, swearing that there has got to be an easier way. As a personal trainer and fitness instructor for over twenty-five years, and someone who has struggled with personal weight gain and loss issues since age five, I am able to relate to many of the same issues as my personal training clients. Unlike most kids who have their distinct likes and dislikes of certain foods, I can honestly say there were very few foods I didn’t like… I have travelled up and down and back again on the very same path as my clients. I was always the “healthy kid.” Through many years of trial and lots of errors, I have figured out what works for me - but that does not necessarily mean it may work for another. We all have different body compositions, likes and dislikes, and I have found success in making healthy lifestyle changes comes without much effort –they are just part of my every day. There really is not ‘one lifestyle change fits all’. Even working out five times a week does not mean I do not need to carefully watch what I eat. Today do not think about diet; think what lifestyle change can I make tomorrow – 2 sets of 15 sit-ups, eat a healthy low-fat breakfast, go to the gym and walk 20 minutes on the treadmill. If the changes you make are not easy, there is no way you are going to keep them up and eventually, most of us fall back into our old patterns. Start with small steps and before you know it, the change is part of your lifestyle. Try it for a week. When that step works for you without effort, it is time to make another small change. There’s one basic fact that can’t be denied: we are creatures of habit. To make health-conscious changes, the changes have to fit in with our habits. Quick fixes don’t exist for long-term health.
Lynda Espada is newly retired here to Tamarindo from Washington, DC. She has worked in the fitness industry for over 25 years as a director at a community center and as both a personal trainer and fitness instructor. She is fitness certified through ACSM, AFAA, Les Mills Body, and Cancer Exercise Specialist. She can be contacted at espadalynda@gmail.com
Take only photos...
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wonder how many plastic bags of seashells are tucked away in drawers and cabinets in the U.S., Canada and Europe. Because every day when walking on our Pacific beach I watch tourists, bag in hand, collecting shells by the hundred. Sure, it’s an exotic find to someone from Regina or Iowa, but these pretty little shells are a gift from nature to us all, and don’t deserve to be hidden away, forgotten, until the new owner gets around to making a decorative design around a mirror, which will never happen. If you want to take home a shell memento of your visit, why not buy a little brooch or necklace from a local vendor. Yes, of course, they too are taking the shells from the beach, but at least it is helping put a meal on the table for a poor kid, and, at least, some creative work has been put into the piece. Day by day, my beach walk sees fewer shells, until soon the beach will be devoid of these little treasures. And, if you are a frequent visitor here, why not bring back the forgotten bags of shells and scatter them on the beach?
Remember the slogan: Take only photos; leave only footprints.
...Leave only footprints.
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his year’s Robert August Surf & Turf Celebration raised $36,000 of proceeds for CEPIA www.cepiacostarica.org. The event kicked off at Witch’s Rock Surf Camp with a ‘60s best-dressed winner and Endless Summer Q & A winner. The lucky winners walked away with a $100 WRSC Gift Certificate. Saturday was the world-class golf outing at Hacienda Pinilla and beachwear fashion show by Azul Profundo Boutique, DJ Matos, Langosta Beach Club, & Floristeria Cristal. Sunday was an early start at Playa Avellana for the Robert August surf competition and Frijoles Face Off-Under 17 & Family Tag Teams with breakfast at Lola’s. The event concluded with the awards ceremony that night back at WRSC and a great performance by The Flamingo Beach Resort Band. Winners of this year’s Charity Challenge were the very talented and beautiful Mary Osborne who carried her team Muriel, Robbie, and Clay to victory by winning first in the surf competition and her team crushed it on the golf course with a 14 under par. Second place team was Royce, Sam, Calinche, and Brian, and third team John, Tyler, Kyle and Aaron! CEPIA would like to give a special Thank You to Robert August for his donation of the proceeds to CEPIA. You rock Robert! We would also like to thank everyone that came down to participate in the event and to our sponsors and silent auction donors: Surfoam Central America, Che Boards, Witch’s Rock Surf Camp, Langosta Beach Club, Lola’s, Azul Profundo Boutique, Frijoles Locos, Hacienda Pinilla, JW Marriott, Radio 2, Evan Luck, Flamingo Beach Resort, DJ Matos, Horizon Pacific Management & Rentals, The Howler, Clarke & Hook Realestate, Anagolf, Siplast, Rick Fails, Body Glove, JetBlue, Los Altos de Eros, Turfsafari, Futures, Kaenon, Watermans, Floristeria Cristal Huacas, Sansa, Earthpack, Havassy, Mark Beamish, Carolina Lodge, Alegria Soap, Alkima, Authentica Costa Rica, Bagus, Bahia Del Sol, Bamboo Sushi, Banana Surf Club, Barcelo, Blue Dolphin Sailing, Buccaneers, Buon Appetite, Café Tico, Captain Suizo, Coco Spa, Colette’s Flower Shop, Costa Rica Books, Diego Garcia, Dr. Cavallini, Eagle Eye Golf, Eco Souvenir, El Diria Hotel, Gifts of Learning, Grace Cabanas, Guanacaste Gourmet, Susan Adams, Yves Deweer, Hotel Brasilito, Jardin del Eden, JetBlue, Tricia Jewelry, Joe Hrbek, La Baula, Langosta Beach Club, Linda McCay, hotel Luna Llena, Mandingo Snorkel Express, Marriott Guanacaste, Mi Ola, Nova Casa Furniture, Papaya con Leche, Patagonia, Café Playa Negra, Guatil Pottery, Pura Vida Signs, Rancho Avellanas, Reserva Conchal Golf Course, SalveMonos, Sansa Airlines, Season’s, Sirensong, Sunset Sailing, Surf Shack, Sushi Love Boat, Tamarindo Dining, Tamarinda Diria, Tamarindo Eats, Tamarindo Family Photos, Tamarindo Jiu Jitsu Academy, Tamarindo Retreat, Tony Toatoonais, Urban Eclectic, Wild Panda, Wok ‘n Roll, Wyland. Many sports and educational programs for youth are made possible thanks to your participation! See you all next year!
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any times we have made the trip to Santa Cruz to enjoy Chinese food, and even occasionally to Cartagena where, surprisingly, there was a good Cantonese restaurant. Now and again I get the urge for this type of cooking, with its tempting flavours, colours and sauces. Now in Tamarindo is Chopstix, a tiny restaurant serving a good variety of Taiwanese dishes. Chopstix is operated by Curtis and his wife Sharon, of Taiwanese origin, and Sharon does the cooking. After being open two months, Sharon has ideas for future offerings, such as a dim sum day. “We want to wait awhile, see how we are accepted, then we may start some menu changes,” she says. My companion insisted that no MSG be used in her meal. “Don’t worry,” said Sharon, “we don’t use MSG at all. Also, all our ingredients are fresh. It’s not easy finding everything we need in Costa Rica, but we have managed to do it.” Appetizers include lettuce wrap; fried wonton; chicken wings; fried shrimp; scallion pancake; egg rolls; Asian salad and stir-fried rice. We decided to share a half-dozen or so appetizers, plus a few main dishes: chicken General Tso; beef with broccoli; shrimp vegetable fry-up; and vegetable curry. Sharon, noticing that my “no-meat” companion was salivating over my pork wontons, kindly prepared a crunchy vegetable variation. We worked our way through the colourful and delicious selection, ending up wellsatisfied. Definitely worth another visit. Chopstix is a small restaurant, mainly intended for take-out, with home delivery to Tamarindo and Langosta by Tico ToGo, but also for dining in. We ate inside the air-conditioned room while other diners sat outside on the small patio. Chopstix is situated under Tamarindo Gymnasium; telephone 2653-2018; all credit cards accepted.
Now Begins the Study of Yoga The Core Abdominal Muscles Any of you like to have the “6-pack abs” featured on the covers of fitness magazines? Of course, we’ve all been sold on how beautiful and attractive that washboard is. Yet, in a recent article in Yoga Journal, Fernando Pagés Ruíz writes that obtaining that rock-hard Full Boat look can sacrifice the health and flexibility of your spine. He states that abs-obsessed folks can develop a hunchback posture from overdoing work in this area of the body. In our yoga practice, we do want to have toned, healthy muscles throughout our body. Healthy - meaning that they are both strong and flexible so that our abdominals support our torso, but also allow us to move our spine forward, backwards, and sideways in a fluid manner.
Since all of our poses involve the abdominals, a good yoga teacher will begin to teach the engagement of these muscles in the first class, in Tadasana, or mountain pose. The new student is taught the lifting in and up from the pit of the abdomen below the belly button, yet in a manner in Upper Plank which it is still possible to breath freely and deeply. Not hard, but that blend of being strong and flexible. If this is enforced throughout your practice, you can progress towards balanced and healthy abdominals that support your physical postures, your digestion, and your emotional health!
Some of the poses that are also used to strengthen the abdominals in yoga are boat pose (Navasana) or half boat pose. Moving between the two Working with the abdominals in your yoga pracposes using your breath is a fun way to work tice can be done in every pose with the exception your abs and back muscles together. Another of Corpse pose. In standing poses, you use your great way to work the abdominals is with upper abdominals to support the limbs of your body in plank or forearm plank position. Finding the enall kinds of different positions. In twisting poses, gagement of the abdominals in upper plank can the obliques are worked to move the torso to one assist in the support of the body lowering down Bridge side and the other. In balancing poses, the abinto Caturanga Dandasana. Forearm plank can dominals (rectus abdominus, obliques, and transversus abdominus) build both abdominal strength along with the shoulders for taking all support you – think Warrior III, and imagine doing that pose into inverted poses like headstand, and peacock tail feather (Pinca without using your abdomiMayurasana). The final pose nals! Then if you consider arm pictured here is bridge pose balances the abdominals have (Setu Bandha), which is a a key role in helping the arms good way to counter balance hold your body up in balance. your abdominal work. Let In forward bends, you contract your yoga practice and your the abdominals, in backbends abs be balanced in strength you stretch the abdominals. and flexibility.
Half Boat
Namaste, Mary
Mary Byerly is one of the owners and the yoga teacher at Panacea. An oasis of tranquility and health 10 minutes from Tamarindo. Discover Paradise and Bring a Peace Home www.panaceacr.com • 2653-8515
Forearm Plank
Music Review
Tony Orez
Stonetree Growing in Belize jaimepeligro.tamarindohomepage.com
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van Duran got his first guitar when he was fourteen years old and living in Belize. Within a relatively short amount of time, he had also called Mexico, Spain and Cuba home. Then, in 1995, he returned to Belize with one project in mind: to build a quality recording studio, Stonetree Records, in his home town of Benque Viejo, near the Guatemala border. In fact, he told me in a recent interview that the recording studio “is on the same street where I used to play futbol when I was growing up”. In order to pursue his dream, Ivan sold most of his musical instruments to generate cash flow. But he kept that first guitar, which, he told me, “plays a part in every album”. It took about two years to get the studio up and running. During that time, Sr. Duran played in a project called Free Access. The group had one concert and recorded one album that provided “an unforgettable experience for all those involved”. Stonetree recently celebrated their fifteenth anniversary. Looking back, the results have been nothing less than fantastic. The studio has produced nearly thirty albums of music that embrace a variety of cultures, including Garifuna, Creole, Maya and Mestizo. They have been recognized as archivists of historic music while at the same time pursuing modern trends in world music. Ivan has attended WOMEX (World-Wide Music Expo) every year since its inception in 1997, where he has “developed many friendships with people who share the same passion for world music”. In fact, when Jacob Edgar left Putumayo Records to launch the Cumbancha label, he contacted Duran, according to Ivan, “to see what was in the works at the Stonetree lab”. The initial result was the acclaimed Watina, an infectious CD of Garifuna music. In fact, Jacob agrees with the stories of Duran being a perfectionist. “Ivan has an incredible ear for detail,” he told me recently, “and he keeps working on songs over and over again until they are exactly how he thinks they should be”. Ivan and Stonetree have also worked with the Garifuna Women’s Project, recording more than one hundred songs in the Garifuna language with more than fifty women participating. Upcoming projects for Duran include two more Garifuna albums with Cumbancha, one being “AYO!”, with the aforementioned Garifuna Women Project, backed by the musicians who appeared on the Watina CD. Another recording is by Honduran Paranda star Aurelio Martinez. The award winning documentary, “The Three Kings of Belize” features three legendary Stonetree players: Paul Nabor, who has played the same guitar for 53 years, the accordionist Wilfred Peters and Florencio Mess, a Mayan farmer. The result of this film and soundtrack album is uniquely Belizean, with a universal message. Ivan Duran told me that the name for the studio, “just came to me. It was more of a feeling: stone representing the past and our cultural heritage, and a tree that is alive and growing now”. They have recently released “From Bakabush”, a compilation of songs from their catalogue. It’s a great introduction to the label, including songs from all the artists mentioned earlier in this article. It seems that Stonetree has lived up to the concepts behind its name.
Book Review Savage Detectives Highly Defective
Tony Orez
jaimepeligro.tamarindohomepage.com
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oberto Bolaño is a household name in South America. The Chilean poet wrote novels & novellas as well, when he wasn’t whining about being cast is the shadow of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Mario Vargas Llosa, to whom he referred as “the rock and the hard place”. He continually complained that their greatness left little room for recognition for the ensuing generation of Latin writers. He was also a vicious critic of Isabel Allende.
I’ve just finished reading “The Savage Detectives” by Bolaño, a fiction that he admits is semi-autobiographical. The main characters are two young men who are former members of the self-proclaimed “visceral poets movement” but there is continual banter about whether or not this movement really ever existed. The storyline is confusing, at least partially because it is being told as an oral history by no less than fifty-two interviewees about the travels of Ulises Lima and one Arturo Belaño, a thinly veiled alter-ego of the author, and his travels through Chile, Spain, Israel, Los Angeles, San Francisco and ultimately Mexico in an eighteen-month period from 1974 to 1976. That’s a lot of witnesses for a relatively short amount of time, one of many reasons I found this novel cumbersome and uneven. And the storyline has a monstrosity of disguised references and more inside jokes than a gynecologist’s office. The novel begins and ends with the main character’s quest to find Cesarea Tinajero, the founder of “real viscerismo” in Mexico in the 1920s. These introductions and conclusions are told by a seventeen-year-old aspiring poet by the name of Garcia Madero, who finally recounts the new viscerealists’ escape from Mexico City and ensuing flight to Sonora. I do have to say I found the beginning and end of this novel much more engrossing than the bulk in the middle: the conversations more engaging and the prose much easier to digest and keep down. Arturo Belaño is an alter-ego Bolona has used in other works, an alliteration of his own name. Or perhaps we should just call the character an altered ego or perhaps just plain, over-inflated Ego. If Bolaño’s goal in this mess is to satirize the style of other writers, he has fallen into the sad condition of becoming a pale copy of the original during his parody. If humor was the goal, I missed the joke. I still do not understand his references to the Beat Movement in the U.S. since this work bears no resemblance to it and I found no “pictures of a gone world” while reading this work. And Bolaño need never be worried about being compared to Marquez or Llosa, this much is certain. Bolaño once described “Savage Detectives” as his “love letter to his generation”. To me, it appears to be a love note to himself.
August Odysseys
Robert August kristenmattoxbrown@gmail.com
Goodbye, Amigo!
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Scott Barry, 1958 - 2014
aving had a house here for over twenty years, coming here for vacations and filming and enjoying my time here, I decided to move to Tamarindo in 2011. Having a young daughter, I was concerned about her education, and the one thing that made me feel comfortable about moving here was talking with Helen at Nogui’s about La Paz School. We decided to give Costa Rica a shot. When Christine and I got here, there were people whom I already knew from my years of travel who I thought could help give me some direction and help us in this new environment. Sometimes they showed up and sometimes they didn’t. The first time I saw Scott was out at Hacienda Pinilla for a golf lesson for kids attending La Paz. I became aware that Scott’s daughter, Marie, and my daughter, Christine, were going to the same school. Sooner or later we got to talking about how we got to Costa Rica as everyone has his own story. After running into each other at different places in town, given that our daughters had the same school schedule, we figured out we were single parents of young girls. We bonded over the similar challenges with raising girls, especially as single fathers, but we are so lucky because both Marie and Christine are great girls. Having all of these new challenges with living in a new environment, some things I could take care of, but a lot of things I had no clue what to do. Scott helped me find a car. It was old and had not been used in ages. It was full with mold and dirt, but Marie and he went to town and scrubbed the inside of the car without even asking me about it. He helped find a mechanic to get the car running, with him speaking little Spanish and me speaking absolutely none. It was even more fun going to Liberia to do RTV; I had no clue what that was. There were so many other simple things that Scott helped me with, like how do I pay my property tax? So many things would have been difficult to figure out on my own, but Scott was always there before I had even thought about it. Aside from that, those of you that knew Scott knew that he could be loud and boisterous. He explained to me one time that he grew up in a large family, hardly saw his father because he was always working, and he explained that things were not always great at home. I never saw a vicious side to him. With his booming voice, as those of you know from bingo, he would yell out “Bingo” and scare the rest of us, and then laugh with his schoolboy chuckle. Still today, when I hear a motorcycle I expect to see Scott with his little girl Marie hop off his motorcycle. He even would carry my daughter Christine on the back of the bike with the girls’ two surfboards and ride out to Langosta to go surf! Scott, I will miss you. Adios my friend.
dmills@racsa.co.cr
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o, the World Cup Femenino Sub-17, played in Costa Rica, is over, with Japan the World Champions; runner-up Spain and Italy third. FIFA President Sepp Blatter expressed satisfaction at the organization of the tournament by the Costa Rican hosts. But the organization of seat sales was less than perfect. Having failed to purchase seats for games in Liberia due to the atrocious web site, I went to the sales desk in Liberia to find the games were sold out. However, watching the same games on television, I saw that an estimated forty percent of the seats were unoccupied. The same situation recurred later in the tournament for the quarter and semi-finals in different stadia. What a shame to have so many seats unsold, when people wanted to buy them.
The World Cup in Brazil is only six weeks away, and all the games will be played at times very convenient for local sports bars. The Howler in June and July will feature the entire schedule so you can follow the tournament game-by-game, so get out and support the bars that have made this possible by advertising. Costa Rica’s national team, La Sele, will play Uruguay June 14; Italy June 20; and England June 24. We wish them the very best of luck.
Swans sing before they die; ‘t were no bad thing, that certain people die before they sing. Samuel Taylor Coleridge
AROUND TOWN The Tamarindo Feria has moved to Alfaro Bus Terminal, next to El Pescador, offering space, shade and parking. Fruits, vegetables, baked goods and much more. On Facebook: Tamarindo Feria. Chopstix presents authentic Chinese food from scratch using local ingredients, and offers free delivery in Tamarindo and Langosta during business hours – 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. (closed Wednesdays). The restaurant is below Tamarindo Fitness Center, with outdoor or air-conditioned areas and free home delivery and Wi-fi. See review on page 8. Surf Shack is open in the old Chillerz location on Tamarindo Circle, serving hamburgers, wings, hot dogs, kids’ menu and good pub food, and wide-screen TVs. Symbioseas Upholstery Service has moved its operation to Plaza Izarra in Huacas, up the hill on the road to Belén. See ad on page 19. Stanley Jobb, long-time resident in Tamarindo, has passed away at his home in Canada. Many will remember him by the flowers he wore in his hat, and that he was always walking somebody’s dogs in the woods. He will be missed by his friends in Tamarindo. For real estate, rentals or property management, contact Alonso Lara at 2654-5969. Se ad page 25. Need anything in the Tamarindo area? Five Star Concierge Service will tell you anything you need, book your tours, find the best restaurants and make reservations. Call 6031-3481. For all your cell phone needs, Brasilito Cell offers activation and cutting of Sim cards, new phones, accessories and charging. In Brasilito just north of the plaza, next to Tiki Restaurant. See ad page 32. Wash-a-Gogo Laundry Service is now available at Jaime Peligro Bookstore. Drop off your grubby stuff today; pick it up clean tomorrow. See ad page 8. We welcome our new fitness advisor to The Howler. Recently arrived in Tamarindo, Lynda Espada has many years experience as personal trainer. Read her column on page 5. The Tide Chart could be yours for only $240 monthly. Advertise your business with this very popular half-page ad. Call 2653-0545 or e-mail dmills@racsa.co.cr.
Surf Report Ellen Zoe Golden ellenzoe@aol.com
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his month’s column is going to begin a little differently. The regular reporting of the country’s surf contests can be found below. However, I’d like to talk about something that is going on at some of our area surf breaks: localism, sometimes known as territorialism. Having lived and surfed here for 14½ years, I hadn’t experienced any real problems with others in the water. To recap, here are some unwritten rules of surfing, a list of the most commonly agreed upon guidelines: • The surfer closest to the peak or furthest out has the right of way, is entitled to the wave. • Don’t drop in on someone who is already riding or paddling with the right of way mentioned in #1. • Don’t paddle out straight through the lineup where people are surfing, look for the channel outside. Paddle behind a surfer who is paddling for a wave or already riding. If you can’t, it’s your responsibility to paddle fast so you don’t ruin their wave. • Don’t ditch your board. (Or better explained by my friend Tom Walinski, who says: “Surf like you don’t have a leash.”) • Don’t paddle around another surfer in order to get the right of way. • Don’t hog all the waves • Be tolerant and respectful at all times. Now I’ve been guilty of all these things at one time or another in my experiences and always apologized when I was in the wrong. However, nothing could prepare me for what happened at Playa Grande about a month ago. I paddled for a wave and misjudged the timing, and it crashed down on me. I let go of my board and saw it jerk towards another surfer. When I surfaced, I asked if he was alright and apologized. At this point, the guy, name of Stuart, ridiculed me. He then proceeded to continue with the commentary about me as he paddled back into the lineup and told everyone what I had done. I did not like this and yelled for him to shut up.
Realizing a problem, I paddled far outside the pack towards the parking lot where it was one other girl and me. Next, Stuart paddled over to where I was and I got angry, asking him why he had to surf where I was? He shouted that this was “his peak” and he had been surfing there forever. He then called me “stupid” and told me I didn’t know what I was doing. This hit me in my insecurities, the feelings that I am not very skilled. I shouted: “Loser” and he proceeded to cultivate negative feelings towards me from others, and they laughed at me. At this point, I gave up, paddled in, crying. I posted what happened on Facebook and received tremendous support, but I have to admit I’m not keen on going back to Playa Grande because of Stuart the Bully. I have since learned that he and his friends have hassled many others, including two who have already put denuncias out on him. While most of my friends told me to ignore what happened and surf
“wherever I want” one person in particular told me that the answer to such a bully is to avoid the area and send a message to that community that abuse in the water will not be tolerated. If enough people do this, then business will be affected and something will be done. That advice came from local board shaper, Marco Pacheco. Marco is a soul surfer with the highest degree of respect for the sport and mother ocean. Pacheco believes we go where we are welcome: “Don’t go back to a haunted house.” “You can have that wedge there in those spots like Playa Grande, and you say to them, ‘That’s it, you win, we are going somewhere else’. The baddest guys surf there and they have scared everything that walks and crawls. One of those guys has always been aggressive to others, disrespectful and intimidating, like he’s the King of the Peak,” explained Pacheco. I like the idea that abuse has consequences, that you can put a denuncia on a bully, and leave an area where there are people with what Pacheco calls “gangster mentality,” then go where people are welcoming. “The better surfers are not even concerned with these matters that occur like when two surfers collide,” he continued. “The better athletes have the shortest memories, when something happens they let it go. As to you, you made a mistake surfing and he reacted more than necessary. It’s a social disease.” Surfing as a sport teaches us humility from the very start. The waves are powerful and can take us down in a moment. It’s this humility that we need to remember in all aspects of surfing. We are human; mistakes are the only way to learn. Next month we discuss legal recourses available when you are bullied in the water. Now back to your regularly scheduled column. Ecuador was the scene of not one but two big events last month. First, in Playas La Fae de Salinas, Ecuador, 14-year-old Leilani McGonagle of Pavones made history. On the last day of the International Surf Assocation (ISA) World Junior Surfing Championships, she found herself in both the finals for the Girls Under 18 and the Girls Under 16. After two demanding heats, Leilani won the silver medal for Girls Under 16 with 2nd place, and the copper for Girls Under 18 for 4th. In 2011 Craig Schieber (Puerto Viejo) won a gold , and in 2013 a silver in the World Masters Surfing Championships. Leilani’s brother Noe Mar won a bronze in 2012 at the World Junior Surfing Championships. However, no one in Costa Rica has ever won 2 medals at one time.
(continued page 20)
Horse-Empowered Retreats at Painted Pony Guest Ranch Sandy Bell
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he breeze strokes your face during a seated breathing exercise. You soften your gaze and slow your breathing, and a horse moves closer to smell your head and hands. She stands beside you. Another horse moves into the centre of the circle of people and horses. She rests quietly with her head down and gently sighs. The feeling of unity deepens. This experience is one of the highlights for participants in the “Horse-Empowered” retreats offered in partnership with Painted Pony Guest Ranch and Panacea de la Montaña Yoga Retreat and Spa. Both are located in the Guanacaste region of beautiful Costa Rica, and have outstanding reviews on TripAdvisor.
20 thousand pounds twenty thousand dollars / pounds two years / 24 months / how many days? six months / lots of weeks later afterwards after all it’s only money after all you dump / us / me over dinner and a wig from: London, High Teas, the Love Series Lincolnshire,UK
written by Geretta Geretta
The retreats are based at Painted Pony Guest Ranch. They are a unique blend of natural horsemanship, yoga, equine-assisted learning, trail rides and spa activities. Everything is intentionally embedded within the culture and landscape unique to this area of this friendly country. Daily activities are intended to be restorative and peaceful, and build upon each other as the days go by. No prior experience with horses or yoga is needed. The retreats are not limited to women, though women seem drawn to them. Many are caught up in their busy lives and taking care of others yet, at certain times in their lives, they are facing life-changing transitions for themselves. By making time to take care of themselves and exploring personal development through yoga and equine-assisted learning, they may better prepared to move forward and take charge of the next chapters in their lives. “We are excited about hosting the retreats at Painted Pony Guest Ranch. The combination of people, horses and yoga is magical, especially when set in a tropical paradise of Costa Rica,” says Kay Dodge, owner of Painted Pony Guest Ranch. . The yoga portion of “Discover you!” is not about doing yoga poses with horses as props. The horses are full partners or facilitators in horse-human interactions – a foundational belief (continued page 21)
Dharma Corner
L
Sue Smith
Touching the Earth
iving in Costa Rica is such an opportunity to experience many of the natural wonders of the planet we know as our home, and that we call Earth. There are so many microclimates, geological manifestations, types of diverse plants and animals, right here in this relatively small country. However, if we take a moment to reflect...to be mindful...we can see that it is all connected and that we are a part of it, just as it is a part of us. We “Inter-are”. Pick a cloud....there are plenty to choose from right now...and contemplate it. Where did it come from? And when you no longer see it, where has it gone? Well, it came from the ocean’s water vapor - the same ocean that gives us fish, and is there for us to surf on. And once you no longer see the cloud, it is likely that it may have turned into the rain that flows in the local streams and back to the ocean. But, it is also the fresh rain that waters the garden and mixes with the Earth’s soil to nourish the plants, plants that provide beauty, oxygen for us to breath and foods for us to eat. Even when you look at a beautiful flower, you can see the rain (the ocean), the soil (former plants, volcanos, Earth), the sun and the air. The flower isn’t just a flower. So, “what is the point?”, you may say. The point is that everything is part and parcel of everything else. This is because that is. And without our beautiful Earth that adds support for it all, we might not be. And so, we should be mindful of her care....our Mother Earth. For in doing so we care for ourselves and all that we hold dear and enjoy. And caring for our Mother Earth is simple and something we can all do. It doesn’t take joining an environmental movement. Just a few things from everyone on the planet could preserve her. Things like picking up some trash you see on your path, eating in a vegetarian way (even just one day a week), go one day a week without using electricity, set a “car free” day once a week. After all, she supports each and every one and we are a part of her. We Inter-are. So, next time you take a walk (anywhere) imagine your feet touching and giving the Earth a kiss with each step. And when you see those clouds, think of how many ways they will become a part of you... and your dog and your horse and certainly the ocean where we play. Namaste
The best thing about the future is that it only comes one day at a time. Abraham Lincoln
Private Solar
A
Comes to Coopeguanac
fter years of delay, the national utility regulatory office (ARESEP) has finally exercised its authority to require all Costa Rican electricity distribution companies to provide their customers what we refer to as ‘grid-connection rights and netmetering privileges’. That means that finally, even Coopeguancaste and CNFL, two utilities who have stubbornly resisted our efforts to introduce private, small-scale renewable energy generation (solar & wind), are now required to offer you, their customers, the right to install solar panels or other renewable generation at your home or business, and to reduce your monthly electricity bill by ‘netting’ your electricity consumption against your solar or wind production. The Laura Chinchilla government has finally made good on a campaign promise it made four long years ago. Coopeguanacaste consumers should understand that ‘grid-connection rights and net-metering’ are not new to Costa Rica or to Central America in general. In fact, we’ve been installing solar generation very successfully with our customers in the ICE-served territory for over four years now. ICE has become a positive and outspoken champion of the net-metering program. And we can do the same in Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador…. and numerous markets around the world where government policy has made a priority of the reduction of oil imports, reduction of carbon emissions, and of providing consumers a practical means of reducing their electricity costs. And finally ARESEP, whose job it is to protect consumers, has finally acted as if consumers’ interests are a higher priority than supporting electricity companies to protect their monopoly service territories from what the utilities perceive as ‘the threat’ of private solar generation.
The Democr Renewable Ene
Net-metering is the key to economical solar investment: In essence consumers with solar panels will be able to use the distribution company grid as a ‘virtual battery’; i.e., to export power to the grid during daytime, and withdraw power whenever they need it. The grid will actually use your excess kWh production from the daylight hours and give you kWh ‘credits’. These Map of power exports and credits from Solar Brilliance your solar panels will accumulate on days when the sun is providing maximum irradiance to your solar panels, but your children are at school and you are at work. Maybe only a refrigerator is running during this period. But when you return home in the evening, and kitchen, TV, lighting, etc., all require electricity, you may not have to purchase electricity, because you can consume the kWh ‘credits’ you’ve accumulated during the prior day or days. In fact, the ‘credits’ are good for up to a year’s duration. So you might accumulate credits today and carry them forward to the next monthly billing period, or the next, for up to twelve months. This net-metering flexibility is critically important for an investment in solar (and other renewable generation sources) to make economic sense to consumers because it means: a) you don’t need expensive and hazardous batteries
r Generation
caste’s Service Territory to store your excess production; and b) you can take advantage of periods of low use to accumulate credits. For example, maybe your home is only seasonally occupied, and it sits empty for weeks or even months at a time. Obviously these times of low or no occupancy can allow us to design and install a smaller and more economical solar array, which can then accumulate kWh credits for you during quiet times, for use during holidays or high occupancy periods. Similarly a business that is closed on holidays and weekends may use all of the kWh production from those days of no operation to offset their normal weekday consumption. What do you need to know?: The following may be helpful bits of knowledge to better understand how to prepare yourself to take advantage of this historic shift in government policy: - Net-metering is coming to Coopeguanacaste, but ARESEP has given them six months to prepare, submit and get approval of the required documentation and commercial terms to offer customers. - The six-month clock began ticking on April 8 , the date the new regulation was published in the government’s official La Gaceta, so in mid-October Coopeguanacaste must be prepared to offer this service to their customers. It could happen much faster, if Coopeguanacaste merely takes the tried and tested documents used successfully for many years by ICE and changes the utility name. - From the time Coopeguanacaste receives an application from a customer requesting net-metering, by regulation, they have maximum of 120 days to act upon that application. - All ‘auto-generators’ are required to ensure their solar generation system complies with the normal electrical safety codes, safety regulations, etc. - Coopeguanacaste, at no charge to you, will replace your current meter with a bi-directional meter capable of ‘net-metering’. The meter is the accountant…..it measures kWh imported (purchased) and kWh exported (credits), and ‘net’s them for the monthly invoice. - Unless you are a consummate ‘do-it-yourselfer’, you will need a solar professional to design and install your solar array, and then electronically monitor your solar investment’s performance, not to mention to prepare all the drawings, application forms, technical requirements, etc., just to get the interconnection agreement from the utility (for net-metering). Your solar supplier should take responsibility for doing this technical and administrative work, as it will otherwise be a nightmare for you. - And to efficiently obtain price quotations from suppliers, we recommend you provide them with the following: minimum 12 months of electricity consumption information, even better is all of 2013 plus 2014 YTD. This can be copies of invoices or a summary of usage and expenditure by month. (This allows us to more easily calculate your economic benefits/savings and ROI [Return-on-Investment]).-
ratization of ergy Generation
Solar Array at Private Home
(continued page 21)
Surf Report (from page 15)
It was also historic that McGonagle (photo) won 1st or 2nd in every heat of the Qualifying Rounds of both divisions, and never had to enter the 2nd-chance repercharge rounds. All in all, this year’s Costa Rica National Junior surf team was particularly strong, as the athletes were gleaned from many frequent podium visitors in the Circuito Nacional Olympus 2014 presented by Adrenaline Rush. Fighting for Costa Rica were: Boys Under 18 Noe Mar McGonagle (Pav.) Manuel Mesén (Jacó) Leonardo Calvo (Barranca) Martín Artavia (Limón) Boys Under 16 Aldo Chirinos (P. Negra) Malakai Martínez(Tam.) Joseph Méndez (Jacó) Lorenzo Córdoba (P. Viejo)
Girls Under 18 Leilani McGonagle (Pav.) Paula Duarte (Jacó) Girls Under 16 Leilani McGonagle (Pav.) Emily Gussoni (Jacó)
This year, the team was coached by 3-time Costa Rica national surf champion Gilbert Brown, with Leilani and Noe Mar’s dad Sean McGonagle as Brown’s assistant. Brown had one mandate: “Our commitment and strategy is to keep going, which is the focus of the boys and girls. The mission is to get two good waves in each of their heats. If we do that, I’m sure that our objective is met here in Ecuador,” said Brown.
(continued page 29)
Horse-Empowered Retreats... (from page 16)
of equine-assisted wellness. Activities with horses are also grounded in the philosophy of natural horsemanship; that is, horses have complex, emotional lives as herd beings. Horses are gifted and intuitive teachers who give us honest feedback to support our personal development if we are prepared and willing to listen. Yoga aims to enhance our sense of our inner state, so when we move on to activities with horses, we are more open to learning from them. Past participants tell us that they’ve learned something new about themselves from the wonderfully intuitive horses or had something important to them reaffirmed. They’re re-energized by interacting with the horses, by practicing yoga or relaxing with others, and by experiencing the warm Tico hospitality. “We expect the participants to grow with all the positive energy but, for us, it is a positive experience for the horses as well. Natural horsemanship helps the horses communicate with humans, and our horses were certainly hooked on to the people as well,” says Kay. Energy flows from person to person to horse as they connect to help each other work through an obstacle course. The human partners describe trust and patience, and the horse partners rest their heads against kind hands. The herd is complete. Join us in December, and re-energize in beautiful Guanacaste, Costa Rica. The next horse-empowered retreat will be from December 2 to December 9, 2014. Space is very limited. You are invited to contact Kay for more information or to register: Kay T. Dodge Painted Pony Guest Ranch • (506) 2653-8041 info@paintedponyguestranch.com www.paintedponyguestranch.com About the author: Sandy Bell, Principal, Chinook Communications, is a certified Equine-Assisted Learning Facilitator and Equine First-aid Instructor based at Windhorse Retreat in central Alberta. You can reach her at: chinookcomm@gmail.com or www.facebook.com/ChinookCommunications
Private Solar Generation... (from page 19) Even in a month where you generate 100% of your power requirement, if you’re a residential consumer, you will still need to pay Coopeguanacaste’s minimum rate (currently ¢2,070). - Experienced companies like ASI Power have special import licenses issued by MINAE that allow us to exonerate 100% of the import duties and even the 13% sales taxes; as a result, our clients pay virtually no taxes or duties on their generation systems. - Because of the growth of private solar investment spurred by ICE’s successful net-metering program, and the ‘buzz’ appeal of all things related to sustainability and ‘green’, there has been a huge increase in the number of companies offering their services as ‘solar professionals’. Not all these companies have the technical knowledge or experience you should require, and some are downright unscrupulous, preying on gullible clients. Be especially cautious of companies whose small print contracts relieve them of all liability and/or obligation to warranty their work or products. Some of these companies are selling what we call ‘DOG’s (damaged, obsolete goods). For instance, because of the rapid decline in solar panel prices of the last few years, there are companies here selling solar panels and even Chinese inverters that effectively have no warranty protection, because the manufacturers are bankrupt and gone. But the clients are not warned of this, or given a price discount which might justify risking an investment in ‘DOG’ material. Like many things…..”Buyer beware” is a good policy to adhere to, especially when you see 5 KW Invertor the fine print excusing the supplier of any warranty obligation and providing only the (converts DC to AC) manufacturer’s warranty (if that company still exists). But fortunately there are experienced solar professionals who have the equipment knowledge, purchasing power and technical experience to ensure that you are pleased with your home or business investment in solar. Here in Guanacaste we have such tremendous solar resources that you should expect to enjoy a very sound investment, with excellent design and installation, and long-term warranty protection, from a provider who stands behind their work. Solar generation is the future…..and now it is finally coming to Coopeguanacaste’s territory too! Note: All photographs in this article are property of ASI and may not be used without permission By Jim Ryan, ASI Power & Telemetry, S.A. The author: Jim Ryan has worked on energy policy and regulatory reform in multiple countries including the USA, Western and Central Europe and now Central America. He is the founder of ASI Power & Telemetry, S.A. based in Liberia, Guanacaste. ASI Power specializes in renewable energy generation and advanced telemetry systems for residential, commercial and industrial clients. ASI Power is a member of ACESOLAR (Asociación Costarricense de Energía Solar). Please visit www.ASIPower.com.
World-Class Medical Care Saves Life in Guanacaste
I
n the early morning of April 17, 2014--St. Patrick’s Day--my new friend and I climbed a ten-storey set of steps to have coffee with a mutual friend. Upon arrival at his condo, I experienced intense chest pain which was not wished away after five minutes. At that point in time my right arm became numb and it seemed my family’s long history of cardiac disease had finally caught up to me: Heart Attack - Myocardial Infartion. After informing my friends, two of us set off to the local 24-hour, seven-day-a-week clinic to seek help. My other friend woke my wife and informed her. We drove to two 24-hour clinics before 8 a.m. to find both of them closed until 8 a.m. We then received a message from a neighbor to proceed to Dr. Andrea Messeguer’s clinic where she and her staff were waiting. There, all appropriate steps were taken: vital signs; EKG (continuous and 12 lead), intravenous started; IV morphine; blood thinners; sublingual nitroglycerin; and, most importantly, a plan set in motion to limit permanent heart damage. Dr. Andrea, and her nurse Devin Moorman, placed me in an ambulance and accompanied my wife and me to the Liberia airport for air transport to CIMA hospital, San José, for cardiac catheterization and artery stent placement. Near CIMA hospital, Liberia, my condition became more unstable and Dr. Andrea diverted the ambulance to CIMA’s emergency room. There I had further treatment and proceeded to Liberia airport with a nitroglycerin drip via a pump and was feeling much better. At the airport the plane, with two doctors on board, was waiting for the forty-minute ride to CIMA, San José, emergency room. The plane ride and land transport to CIMA were uneventful. Emergency staff quickly prepared me for the catheterization lab and soon I met Dr. Jorge Arauz, the cardiologist. It was seven hours from onset of chest pain to intervention with two stent placements!! From the west coast of Playa Flamingo to life-saving treatment in San José. I am now nearly three weeks out and newly cleared by Dra. Andrea to return to Pennsylvania, USA. This is a tale of good medicine, of angels at work and of pure luck. I am a newly retired nurse anesthetist and my wife is a retired nurse practitioner. We have been on the provider side of this story hundreds of times; we know how the system is supposed to operate and function. It does not get any better than this in any country in the world. My care was first-class and I owe my life to Dra. Andrea and her wonderful staff. Dra. Andrea was the wizard who orchestrated this whole scenario via her cell phone and contacts. “Thank you” is not enough, so my wife and I plan to volunteer in the brand-new clinic just opened by Dra. Andrea in Huacas on the road to Playa Grande. It will be a true 24-hour, sevenday-a-week clinic set up for all types of emergencies, including cardiac. Spread the word: world class emergency care is in our own backyard. Again, we would like to thank all those involved in my care--muchas gracias! Dra. Andre’s clinic can be reached at 2653-2767.
Thomas and Patricia Thomas, Playa Flamingo
Doctor’s Orders Jeffrey Whitlow, M.D.
jwhitlow82159@gmail.com
Cancer VII This month we will continue our discussion on the so-called “unconventional” treatments for cancer, focusing on the unacknowledged father of the immunological treatment of cancer, Lawrence Burton, Ph.D. It has long been thought by some scientists that cancer is the manifestation of a catastrophic failure of the human immune system. If such is the case, then logic would dictate that any maneuver or substance that strengthens the immune system could be of benefit in preventing or treating cancer. Dr. Burton, in conjunction with some other researchers, identified a substance in mice that stopped the growth of tumors. When this substance was injected into mice with tumors, it made the tumors literally disappear within a matter of hours. In 1966-67, Dr. Burton attended two scientific symposia (meetings) where he demonstrated his method. And what was the reaction of the American Cancer Society (ACS) to these dramatic findings? In predictable fashion, they labeled him a fraud, and actually accused him of switching disease-free mice for the mice with the tumors. However, there were some in the scientific community who felt that Dr. Burton’s findings deserved further investigation. In 1974, he was offered a chance to treat some patients and the results were promising. In 1975, the FDA offered him a chance to begin clinical trials in humans, but that offer came with one catch. He would have to treat one group of patients with a placebo. Dr. Burton felt that it would be unethical to withhold treatment from a cancer sufferer, so he refused the offer and instead chose to open a clinic in the Bahamas in order to treat his patients. Dr. Burton treated over 3,000 patients at his clinic, but he has never published a study to summarize his findings. However, several clinicians have stated for the record that his results were highly successful. For instance, Dr. John Beaty, of Greenwich, CT, sent twenty patients with advanced cancer to Dr. Burton’s clinic, and he reported that ten of the twenty showed marked improvement in their disease and their clinical condition. How does Dr. Burton’s method work? It is thought that since cancerous cells grow so much more rapidly than normal cells, that there is a natural substance in the blood that can block the factors or substances needed to support that rapid growth. Since the cancerous cells are not “normal”, they quickly collapse and die once they are cut off from the chemical or nutritional support they need. Dr. Burton uses the cancer patient’s own blood to obtain the substance(s) needed to treat their disease. The cancer establishment has attempted to duplicate his method using patentable drugs such as interferon and interleukin, with unremarkable results. What was Dr. Burton’s reward? Along with the anonymity and isolation that usually accompanies those who disagree with or flout the establishment, he has been the subject of an ongoing war with the FDA and the CDC. The CDC was even able to effect a brief closure of Dr. Burton’s clinic in 1985, even though that agency has no jurisdiction in a foreign country. Next month, we will conclude the cancer series with a look at another maverick, Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski, the developer of antineoplastins.
A Slice of Life Terminated by Termites David Mills
M
any of us have done it - left one life behind to start another. When I left Canada to move to Costa Rica, I had four categories of belongings: sell it; give it away; dump it; take with me. Deciding what goes into each group was not easy, but in the last group one item was very valuable, both personally and intrinsically – a mint condition record album of Gilbert & Sullivan’s “The Mikado”, passed down to me by my grandmother. In the early days of recording, the stage just after Edison’s cylinders, long before LPs, EPs and floppies, was the flat 12inch 78-rpm disc. Heavy and fragile, these discs could hold a recording of three minutes, which is why most of the early pop or jazz songs were written to last just that long. To accommodate a longer work, such as a symphony or opera, a number of discs were made into an album, like a thick book, but each page was a pouch and held a disc inside it, with a hole in the centre where the label could be read. The Gilbert & Sullivan Savoy comic operas were performed at the D’Oyly Carte theatre in London. “The Mikado” ran for 672 performances in 1885, the longest-ever theatre production at that time. My “Mikado” album comprised a heavy cardboard cover, a few pages of liner notes and a dozen “pages” of discs. The album was inscribed, in gold lettering “Electrically Recorded under the Personal Supervision of Rupert D’Oyly Carte”, dated to 1918, and had never been played. I valued it greatly. While my house was under construction in Tamarindo, many personal possessions were temporarily stored in a wooden bodega in my yard, well secured and safe from marauders. Except for termites! One day, entering the bodega to get some item I saw a disaster had occurred. These nasty little insects, no fans of the Savoy operas, had eaten away the entire book, its cover and all inside pages, leaving the dozen or so discs unsupported. Heat had completed the damage, and all the discs had melted down into weird shapes; the whole collection was useless. My treasured album, that had endured eighty years, was demolished by a tiny insect.
Selected Poems from “Tell me about the telaraña” by Diana Renee
stars slip out of us uno por uno volviéndose al cielo as we deflate they slip out of the tops of our heads hasta que todos se han ido a casa and we are just two regular lovers clasped in semi-sleep
si yo podria darte la carne de mis huesos todavía no seria suficiente para tí tú necesitas la grasa de ballenas la tierra de montañas el fuego de las estrellas de la galaxia para empezar
come into my lair little one it is warm i am the protectress here nothing will harm you
mi grito más fuerte es el violín de un grillo en la profundidad de tu abismo
there is milk and honey between the rocks in my cave do not be afraid of my purr “Tell Me About the Telaraña” is available at Jaime Peligro’s Bookstore in Tamarindo.
Your Stars in May
Aries: 21 March - 20 April
Libra: 23 September - 23 October
The month begins with Uranus in your sign still being opposed by Mars Rx in Libra, a rather volatile accident-prone aspect. Be aware of your surroundings at all times and don’t take risks this month or next at all. Venus will enter your sign on the 4th, bringing some social events, exciting new women and possible romance. You’ll get a definite lift from this energy so make the most of it. Money matters are on the increase but don’t get spendy when it comes in. Best days are the 24th and 25th.
With Mars Rx moving through your first house you are experiencing yourself by examining your past relationships and looking for a common thread. Jupiter overhead in your tenth house offers some protection and guidance; call on it for help and clarity. By mid-May you’ll have a better idea about your partnership needs and when Mars goes direct on the 20th, you have unraveled the core issue and are free to act on your own behalf. The 10th, 11th and 12th are days when you can shine.
There’s a nice boost to your vibes with the Sun and Mercury transiting your sign now. Venus in Aries, in your solar twelfth house makes you a little more reclusive than normal but you will start blooming as the month ends. Make sure you have some alone time to process your feelings about relationships, matters of the heart and what/who you want in your life. Money opportunities do come in but make sure you carefully read all contracts during this time period. Your days to excel are the 26th and 27th.
You are going through a major process of maturity with Saturn in your first house and Mars Rx in your twelfth. Good time for a life review and course correction if you are not pleased with the direction you are heading. Your partnership is also under review too, as they need to be considered with your next step. A trip abroad or study about a foreign culture could bring you the insights you need right now. Expand your horizons and reach out for guidance. The 13th and 14th could offer such clarity.
Your ruling planet, will enter your sign on the 8th, giving you a social and mental boost. Things that felt stagnant and unclear break through into clarity during the rest of the month. Great month to network as Venus in your solar eleventh house favors new people, groups and associations as venues for your talents. After Mars goes direct on the 20th your love life will improve. Keep an exercise program going…Saturn demands you pay attention to your health this year. Great days are the 1st, 2nd, 28th and 29th.
With your ruling planet still passing through your solar eighth house you could be experiencing some help with your financial situation, some unearned income or an inheritance coming your way. The transit is also good for bringing in enriching life-changing experiences that broaden your thinking and help you overcome previous limitations. Pay attention to your health, don’t overeat. The 15th and 16th are good days to make positive changes.
With Jupiter in your sign in the solar first house you are optimistic and able to attract lots of new people into your life right now. If you are in business, this is a great month to launch some new product or service as Venus will transit your tenth house of public and profession. There’s just a lot of support for your personality and your talents all month. This is also a good month, after the 20th, to begin a home renovation project. Best days for you are the 3rd, 4th, 30th and 31st.
Your ruling planet is Rx in your eleventh house of friends, networks and associations. You should spend some time reviewing just whom you now want to be identified or associated with. This month you are clearing out what is not working or outmoded for a new direction in all parts of your professional life. In spite of all this, you do need to have a little fun too. Get out there and do something spontaneous and pleasurable. Best days for that are the 17th and 18th.
There’s a lot of energy available for your professional life as well as higher education or unexpected travel after the 12th. While it’s a bit unsettling how the trip comes about, you are really pretty revved up to go. There might be a problem with one of your siblings as you are on this trip. Just be kind; you don’t have to solve all their problems, just easing some pain is enough. Excellent days are the 5th, 6th, and 7th.
With Saturn Rx in your solar tenth house you are having to make quite the effort to get ahead. Lots of responsibility is falling on your shoulders now and there’s more of that to come. You can do it; just pay attention to how you use your energy and, more importantly, what you waste your time on. Good month to entertain at home, as you are so enjoying the time you get to spend there. Cut yourself some slack and have a party. Good days for that would be 19th and 20th.
Taurus: 21 April - 21 May
Gemini: 22 May - 21 June
Cancer: 22 June - 22 July
Leo: 23 July - 23 August
Virgo: 24 August - 22 September
You are still working out some drama about money, women, and longdistance travel. Just know that over-analyzing the situation is only belaboring the problem. Relationships and finances could take an unexpected turn on the 15th as Venus conjuncts Uranus. You’ll definitely know who your friends are. Be aware and careful when out and about in that world. Mars Rx moving through your second house might change your values by the time it’s done. The 8th and 9th are good days to get things done. by Jeanne Callahan jeannecallahan007@gmail.com
Scorpio: 24 October - 22 November
Sagittarius: 23 November - 21 December
Capricorn: 22 December - 21 January
Aquarius: 22 January - 19 February
Pisces: 20 February - 20 March
This is a good month to enjoy spending some time with your children and family members. Neptune is quite powerful in your first house, making you charismatic, nebulous and charming. If travelling abroad, be very careful as something could get stolen or you might find yourself in some danger. Money matters could get a little sketchy mid-month so do your best to stay within your budget at all times. Good days for getting your way are the 22nd and 23rd.
Namasté Visit Jeanne’s site at CelestialAdvisor.com
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.paintedponyguestranch.com The best horses on Guanacaste’s Gold Coast!
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
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Coopeguanacaste to Allow Solar Installations On April 2, ARESEP voted to allow net metering for all of Costa Rica’s utility customers.
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ishop of Limburg Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst “the Bishop of Bling” has been suspended by the Vatican after spending more than 31m euros (£26m) on renovating his official residence. Male students in North Korea are required to wear the same haircut as leader Kim Jong-un. The campaign slogan is “Let’s trim our hair in the Socialist lifestyle”. A Norwegian sailor has reclaimed a luxury yacht valued at $108,000 that has been floating in a Swedish harbor for two years, after he forgot all about it. Brazilian Edson Aparecido Borim is looking for a buyer for tattooed advertising space on his forehead. He already has 49 ads tattooed on various parts of his body, For only $1,199 you can own an electric skateboard. ZBoard is powered by rechargeable lithium batteries and has a range of 16km at 27kph. A ‘male’ kangaroo in a Siberian zoo has given birth to a baby. As well as the mistake in gender identification, the birth went unnoticed by zoo staff for weeks. A 27-year-old woman, left abandoned as a new-born baby in a Pennsylvania Burger King, has been reunited with her mother after posting search requests on Facebook. A city administrator in Bell, CA, has been sentenced to a year in prison after she misappropriated public funds. Angela Spaccia, a $564,000-a-year employee, had been looting the city treasury in a case called “corruption on steroids.” Twenty-eight years after abolishing the appointment of Knights and Dames, Australia is to reintroduce the tradition. Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the honours would go to those of “extraordinary and pre-eminent achievement and merit. Surf’s Up! A NASA space probe, exploring Saturn’s moon Titan, has discovered waves on its seas, the only time waves have been seen on another world.
Until now, customers of Coopeguanacaste have not been eligible to install solar energy producing systems as allowed under the ICE Pilot Program. This new ruling allows net metering countrywide and makes solar energy a very economical way to power your home or business. With net metering solar powered electrical customers will be able to bank extra power they produce month-to-month for an entire year. This allows them to use those credits later on to offset their use. Solar Costa Rica, located in Playa Grande and Santa Ana, has been installing solar hot water and electric systems in the Coopeguanacaste area since 2009. They have installed several small grid-tied systems, the last being a solar electric system at VerdiAzul, the turtle conservation organization in Junquillal. The donated system was installed by Jon Harrington, owner of Solar Costa Rica along with international volunteers from Australia, Russia, and the US. Gabriel Franca, director of VerdiAzul said, “This system will not only cover much of our electrical load, but it will educate volunteers from all over the world about the need for renewable energy to help mitigate climate change.” “With solar panels prices at an all time low, the removal of tariffs on renewable energy imports, and now net metering, it is an excellent time to take control of your power. Solar Costa Rica can install reliable solar systems that produce power for you to use and/or pump into the grid. They are guaranteed for 25 years and can pay for themselves on energy savings alone within 5 years,” said Harrington. Home and small business systems can even produce power when the grid goes down due to weather or the newly regulated planned power outages. The backup power can be used to run a fridge and lights, and charge computers and phones. In addition to the economic and environmental benefits, renewable energy helps lower the midday peak demand on the Costa Rica grid, thus lowering the need for more transmission and generation capacity.
Jon Harrington solarcostarica.com NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer BPI Building Energy Analyst Phone: 4000-1845
You can get more with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone. Al Capone
Surf Report (from page 22) Ultimately, Costa Rica placed #11 out of 32 countries. Overall Team Results: 1. Hawaii- 21,168 points and Winner of the ISA World Junior Team Champion Trophy 2. France- 20,872, Silver Medal 3. Australia- 20,628, Bronze Medal 4. USA- 18,418, Copper Medal 5. Brazil- 17,426 6. Peru- 15,062 7. Japan- 14,820 8. South Africa- 14,618 9. Portugal- 13,852 10. New Zealand- 13,474 11. Costa Rica- 12,252 “Thank you everybody for coming to Ecuador, and thank you to everyone in Salinas for receiving us with open arms,” commented ISA President Fernando Aguerre. “To all the competitors, congratulations, if you were here, you are a champion. At the end of the day there will be four individual Gold Medalists, but all of you are champions as members of your National Teams, the highest honor, which is surfing for your country and the love of your sport. Ecuador has a beautiful ocean that provides an endless source of waves and joy.” Earlier in March, in San Lorenzo, Ecuador, Carlos Muñoz (photo) won the latest date of the Asociacion Latinamericana de Surfistas Profesionales (ALAS) Circuito, the Ama la Vida, ALAS Super Prime. Cited by ALAS for his “modern, powerful and radical surfing” the Tico mastered waves of 5- to 6 ½-feet and rode inside hollow pipes on the final day.
In addition, the surfer was able to bust out in front of the current ALAS champion Francisco Bellorín. With only date of the ALAS circuito completed, Carlos is #13 in the rankings. It should be noted that Anthony Fillingim remains at #1, while Jason Torres (who tied for 3rd place in Ecuador) currently holds a #5 ranking after participating in 3 ALAS dates each. Meanwhile, our other Costa Rican surfing star, Noe Mar placed 4th in the Junior division at this event.
On a rare visit to a Costa Rica contest, Muñoz showed everyone how to do it when he won the Circuito Nacional Olympus 2014 presented by Adrenaline Rush date in Dominical. The COPA House of Marley took place behind Tortilla Flats, and the champion surfer from Esterillos joined the nation’s other best in an exciting contest. As a matter of fact, Muñoz managed to earn the first perfect 10.00 score this season in the semifinals. To be honest, the finals weren’t that easy to win. After all, he faced off with three regular podium visitors: Angelo Bonomelli, Ramon Taliani and Luis Vindas. “I am happy, not because I achieved this victory that came in focus, but because of the quantity of young kids who are running higher levels in the Circuito,” explained Muñoz. “I went out there knowing the anxieties they had, and I had to tell them that their moment will come, they only need to continue to work as they are doing and they will fulfill their dreams.” After these two victories, Muñoz will leave Costa Rica again to rejoin the Association of Professional Surfing (ASP) WQS, where he is currently ranked #60 out of 321 of surfers trying to hit the top of the chart and revert to the World Championship Tour (WCT). Please note that 12-year-old Malakai Martínez of Tamarindo made history at the COPA House of Marley, when he won both the Junior and Boys categories. Previously, Muñoz scored this double coup but he was 14 years when he did it. COPA House of Marley Results March 15, 16, 2014 • Playa Dominical Open 1. Carlos Muñoz (Esterillo Oeste) 2. Ramón Taliani (Santa Teresa) 3. Angelo Bonomelli (Tamarindo) 4. Luis Vindas (Jacó)
Boys 1. Malakai Martínez (Tamarindo) 2. Joseph Méndez (Jacó) 3. Dean Vandewalle (Tamarindo) 4. Aldo Chirinos (Playa Negra)
Women’s 1. Lisbeth Vindas (Jacó) 2. Debby Zec (Dominical) 3. Lilly Von Treuenfe 4. Arisha Griotti (Santa Teresa)
Minigrommets 1. Jacon Kelly (Nosara) 2. Dean Vandewalle (Tamarindo) 3. Darshan Antaquera (Jacó) 4. Neo Escaler (Jacó)
Junior 1. Malakai Martínez (Tamarindo) 2. Juan Carlos Hernández (Jacó) 3. Manuel Mesén (Jacó) 4. Sean Forester (Sámara)
Minigrommet Girls 1. Ella Ostrander (Dominical) 2. Katie Herman (Tamarindo) 3. Surya Folger (Sámara) 4. Olivia Barger (Herradura)
Junior Women’s 1. Paula Duarte (Jacó) 2. Emily Gussoni (Jacó) 3. Coral Wiggins (Tamarindo) 4. Zullay Martínez (Tamarindo)
Longboard 1. Anthony Flores (Jacó) 2. Ariel Gutierrez (Dominical) 3. Adolfo Gómez (Sámara) 4. Robert Clark (Dominical)
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.
Surviving
C hapter DCXXXIII
COSTA RICA
B
y the time you read this the 2014 High Season will be over and you have nothing better to do than read The Howler and wait for the rainy season to begin. It wasn’t all that bad a season all things considered and I think we all know who to thank for it. The Canadians! Boy, there were a lot of them down here this year, but please don’t think I’m complaining. Some of my best friends are Canadian. For some inexplicable reason they seemed to have been drawn to a lot of the places you might have found yours truly playing this season and, although not necessarily wellbehaved, they seemed to excel at having a good time as well as a quaint habit of insisting on plying the entertainment with alcohol. An interesting by-product of this year’s bumper crop of Canadian types is the almost fanatical new interest amongst the local Guanacastecos for hockey, a direct result of this year’s early morning Olympic Games where large numbers of Canadian fans would swoop in, take over, and go completely nuts. Now every bar in Villareal has got hockey on and no one even cares any more for futbol. Sadly, from what I hear, this may be the last time we’ll have our friends from Way Up North in the abundance we’ve come to hope for as, once again, their local currencies, which I understand are called “loonies” and “toonies”, seem to be plummeting to an undesirable value. Maybe we should send them a bunch of colones. It’s safe to say that this year’s High Season was better than last year’s, which was kind of the beginning of the end of the three or
Anoher One Bites the Dust
so previous high seasons that absolutely sucked following the semi-collapse of the world economy. The 2014 season, however, doesn’t even come close to the High Seasons of Yesteryear, in the beginning of the current millennium when Tamarindo’s streets were filled with North American types searching for deals on painted feathers, terra cotta bird whistles and real estate. These were the salad days when construction began on the many now-abandoned concrete towers one finds throughout Tamarindo with the knowledge that “if you build it, they will buy”. The fumes from the endless convoys of dump trucks through the center of town used to enhance the sunsets during those exciting times, causing a purplish glow that local scientists termed the “diesel ocular” effect, something you just don’t see any more. Those of us who survived those years are hoping they never return. So we’ve established that it’s early May and therefore you have nothing better to do than read The Howler and wait for the rain. I realize that you may be reading this particular Howler Magazine in some dentist’s office in the nebulous future so please don’t be offended if you’re not included in this paragraph. It is well established that the rain will start on May 15th. I didn’t make this up. Every gardener, cleaning lady and security guard in Guanacaste knows this. With the coming rainy season we can look forward to the rapid greening of the currently blackened countryside and the not-so-rapid cooling off of the weather which should improve sometime around July. With the rain comes the transition between Guanacaste’s two seasons, “Mud” and “Dust” and those of you living in Playa Langosta will notice an increasingly longer drive into Tamarindo as the “sorta, kinda” molasses blacktop is dissolved into some of the besttasting mud around.
Story by Jesse Bishop owlhumm@hotmail.com
However, I’ll take the twenty-minute mud trip to Tamarindo any day over what they had to put with up North during our 2014 high season, an alien-to-Costa Rica phenomenon known as “Winter”. Now I’m a big news nut. I stay on CNN just about all day long and will also watch the network evening broadcasts, (except for NBC, which can’t or won’t be shown locally), and the weather that seemed to hammer the geographic area north of Mexico was more often than not the leading story, and it wasn’t like there was a shortage of wars or extravagant disasters. Now you would think that we’d have had a whole lot more folk from the Lower Forty Eight states with weather like that going on, but instead we got ‘em from even further north. I think we got the better deal! This 2014 season has completely changed the way I have gone about things all my life, and it had nothing to do with tourism, music or weather. I got a Kindle and, although I miss my bimonthly trips to Jaime Peligro Bookstore, it has altered my reading habits immeasurably, not to mention sleeping habits. I’m kind of a nut for historical fiction and all of a sudden I have an unlimited number of books at my fingertips from which to choose. The one drawback has been that I’m basically a cheap bastard and am now obligated to “buy” the books. Rats! We’ve also started uploading various old TV shows and mini-series and then watching them in bed before we fall asleep, especially the BBC Masterpiece Theater ones. We’ve gone through every “Upstairs Downstairs” episode, the new “Treme” and “Downton Abbey” seasons and are currently involved in the old “I Claudius” from BBC in 1977, a must if you ever plan to become a master poisoner.
The Scourge of Prometheus Tom Peifer peifer@racsa.co.cr
I
’ve been scratching my head a lot lately, trying to figure out a thing or two.
The way I remember it, in Catechism they taught us that God said: “Let there be light”, and that sort of got the ball rolling. Like in the sense of actually being able to see stuff and all. Leave it to a bunch of nerdy physicists to come along and complicate matters by saying that the whole shebang started some fifteen billion years ago. In one fell swoop Creation was accomplished and endowed the universe once and for all with all the matter and energy it would ever get. For quite some time now, humans have had a favorite source of energy--fire. Mostly just a convenient way of transforming the stored sunlight in other material, like paper or your mountains of yard waste, the cooking gas in your stove, the diesel in your tractor or the coal extracted and burned in power generation stations all over the globe. Harness that energy and, bingo, you can go places. Anthropologists tell us that fire was employed by early humans and their hominid ancestors to cook food, stay warm, ward off predators and, importantly to alter and manage entire landscapes. We, as a species, have been torching off tons of stored-up sunlight from the get-go. Combustion is what gave homo sapiens the defining edge over the rest of the animal hordes. It allowed us to range over the entire globe, erect vast monuments and transportation networks, land on the moon and explore space. As the Greeks understood, combustion is the cornerstone of civilization.
Case in point: the Arctic looks to be ice-free in summer by 2015, some 30 years ahead of their previous projection. You can pretty much say ‘ditto’ for the rest of their ‘worst case’ predictions given our continuing appetite for the abundant fruits of Prometheus’ gift. In all likelihood we’re looking at a future of eternal torment with no Hercules to come and save us. As to why we’re locked into a paradox, another Greek legend holds the key. While the Greek Gods dwelled on Mount Olympus, a measuring station on the snowy summit of Mauna Lea has been documenting the increasing concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere for over fifty years. Meanwhile, in the rarefied atmosphere of behavioral science, the American Psychiatric Assn. just made it official: the taking and posting of ‘selfies’ is now a certified mental disorder. For this layman, it is simply a modern, technologically facilitated reincarnation of the myth of Narcissus—the guy who fell in love with his own reflection and starved to death. We all think we’re so special, our accomplishments so important and we feel entitled to more or less keep doing the same stuff that on the macro-scale is torching the edifice for our all-important enterprise and the playground for our collective fun and games. Like charity, denial begins at home. A study recently showed, that in the US of A, only 35% of the citizenry actually even believe in global warming at all. However, as one guy, with the very cool nom-de-blog of Meteor Blades has pointed out: “Don’t tell me what you believe, show me what you do and I’ll tell you what you believe...”
According to Greek mythology, Prometheus was the trickster figure who stole fire from the gods and gave it to humanity, an act that enabled progress and civilization. The head of the gods, Zeus, exacted a sort of divine vengeance, imposing eternal torment upon the chained Prometheus. Risking the wrath of Zeus, Hercules crushed the chains and liberated the daredevil Prometheus. In the Western classical tradition, Prometheus became a figure who represented human striving, particularly the quest for scientific knowledge, and the risk of overreaching or unintended consequences. As it turns out, the ‘unintended consequences’ of man’s use of Prometheus’ gift are spiraling out of control.
And I can guarantee, what those self-same climate change believers do is drive, buy, fly, use prodigious amounts of electricity from a largely fossil-fuel-powered grid and will go berserk if the ‘gubmint’ tries to mandate some kind of limits on what George Bush called the “non-negotiable American way of life.” This is the modern version of the Greek concept of hubris—overweening pride—writ large and embossed with the presidential seal.
I’m not talking about the admittedly gruesome fires that burn day and night through the hills in Guanacaste. I’m talking about the latest report from the UN Panel on Climate Change.
“As I write, a troop of Howler monkeys swings gracefully through the forest on its way to snack on a few papaya leaves. Elegantly adapted to life in the treetops, these distant relatives of ours live in harmony with the paradise which God bestowed upon them. Not so
Bear in mind that these guys are super-cautious in their predictions. Scientists, by their very nature, like to avoid the limelight and, God forbid, be seen as alarmist or ‘rocking the boat”.
At the risk of showing a bit of narcissism myself, the following was penned over ten years ago after a particularly nasty conflagration laid waste to a substantial part of San Diego, California.
(continued page 32)
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 Wednesday: 10:30 - Open Meeting Thursday: 5:30-6:30 - Open Meeting Location: Behind Pedro’s Surf Shop Contact: Ellen - 2-653-0897 / Steve - 8377-1529
M a y ( a l l
t i m e s
2 0 1 4 l o c a l )
Sun
1st - rise 5:25; set 5:55 15th - rise 5:22; set 5:58 31st - rise 5:21; set 6:02
1st quarter: Full: Last quarter: New:
Moon
6th 14th 20th 28th
9:15 p.m. 1:16 p.m. 6:59 p.m. 12:40 p.m.
The Scourge of Prometheus
(from page 31)
their upright cousins--Homo sapiens—whose ancestors apparently came down out of the trees, took stock of the situation, and began the task of rearranging nature more to our liking. From the fires set by early hunters to massive deforestation for agriculture and settlement, mankind has been hell bent on showing Mother Nature just who runs the show. Reweaving DNA, the strands of life itself, and sucking out the earth to belch it into the sky are just the latest chapters in the long epic of pride at work. It is interesting to note that indigenous cultures worldwide developed different myths warning of the disasters to be incurred by transgression against nature. These myths have been swept away first by liturgically-based religions as mere witchcraft and more recently by economics, the de facto global religion. It’s not a lack of information. We know that the planet earth is the only habitable real estate among the billions of sterile rocks in the known universe. But we lack the common sense to proceed with respect and even reverence in the natural realm, to not let our priceless natural equity go up in smoke. Everyone watched helpless as a sizeable chunk of net worth spiraled into the sky last October. As predicted by folk myths, Mother Nature is capable of spanking her favored child when it misbehaves. I’m not evoking hell-fire and brimstone, the retribution of a judgmental Father in the sky, simply the consequences of how we choose to live on earth.” (from “Reflections in the Flames.” The Howler, Jan. 2004). Those consequences have leapt out of the arcane annals of climate studies into a worldwide tantrum of weather gone awry. They have ‘fast-forwarded’ from the predictions of computer models in 2007. “No one will be spared severe consequences of climate change,” warned the chairman of the UN panel. The gift of Prometheus has turned out to have a definite downside. Zeus is probably watching the show from his lofty perch on Mount Olympus, savoring the divine pleasure of having the last laugh. Tom Peifer is an ecological land use consultant with 19 years experience in Guanacaste. 2658-8018. tompeiferecv@gmail.com El Centro Verde is dedicated to researching and promoting sustainable land use, permaculture and environmentally sound development http://www.elcentroverde.org/