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President seeks to make public worker strikes illegal
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The Laura Chinchilla administration is prepared to take on the public employees with a proposal to prohibit strikes.

Casa Presidencial sent such a proposal to the legislature in exchange for a proposed labor code rewrite that would have permitted strikes.

Strikes are common among public employees. Workers at the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social are always ready to stage a partial walkout over working conditions.

Dock workers in Moín and Limón have been known to cost exporters of perishable products thousands of dollars with unannounced strikes.

The Chinchilla proposal would prohibit completely strikes at hospitals and clinics, other services of emergency, strikes by workers in electrical and water companies, strikes by all the police forces, strikes by those delivering services to children and the aged, strikes by fire fighters, the Cruz Roja, sanitation workers and those involved in inspection of incoming and outgoing vegetable and animal products.

Employees in other agencies would be allowed to strike as long as that job action would not disrupt services. Casa Presidencial mentioned specifically administrative workers in the health field, courts, workers in child support and domestic violence, workers in food service for children and also those in transportation services.

There is a general clause prohibiting strikes in undefined areas that would hamper socioeconomic development and those that would affect the living conditions of part or all of the population.

Dock strikes are specifically prohibited as well as those by workers who distribute fuel, engage in public transport, provide banking services, deliver  passports as well as documents for foreigners and those involved in providing services at the  Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones. 
teachers
A.M. Costa Rica file photo
 Teachers march in 2008 at a time when the dock
 workers and some telecom employees were on
 strike.


The bill also gives the executive branch the power to fire strikers or replacement on the job and sets up a speedy legal procedure of just three days for the courts to decide if a strike is legal.

Casa Presidencial did not say it, but there is fear that dock workers at the Caribbean ports will walk out after they have exhausted legal efforts to annul the concession awarded APM Terminals for a $1 billion container handling facility there.

Previous administrations had to send police into the docks to keep them operating when the dock workers union walked out.

Online sources say that just 11 U.S. states allow strikes by public employees. Such an action made the news when Chicago teachers went on strike.  Students there missed seven days of school in September. It was the first by teachers in 25 years.

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Professional Directory
A.M. Costa Rica's professional directory is where business people who wish to reach the English-speaking community may invite responses. If you are interested in being represented here, please contact the editor.


Dentistry

Dr. Vargas
Dental implants in Costa Rica
Call us: Within C.R.  2225-1189
From USA    1-866-7060-248
Please visit: www.dentalimplantsti.com
Of email; implantesdentales@ice.co.cr
7838-4/11/13

Marco Cavallini & Associates
Dental Implants and Crowns

Dr. Marco A. Muñoz Cavallini has placed and restored
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over 17,000 dental implants since 1980. The Dr. Marco Muñoz Cavallini Dental Clinic, is recognized as one of the best practices in Dental Reconstruction, Dental Implant placement and Cosmetic Dentistry in Costa Rica and the World. For more information, visit us today at: marcomunozcavallini.com
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Psychological Services

√ Individual, group and couple therapy.
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Dr. Pablo Quirós, License #8486
We are located in Escazú Corporate Center, 6th floor. Phone number: (506) 2201-4718
Web: www.psicologia.ws
Email: info@psicologia.ws
7919-7/15/13


Psychotherapy

Lucinda Gray, Ph.D.
California Licensed Psychologist
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Real estate agents and services

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COLINAS DEL SOL
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A fenced and gated project with the ex-pat hortaculturalist in mind. There are 88 clear-title hobby farms with water and electricity.  The layout is designed to provide ample space for your vegetable gardening ands fruit tree projects.
You can see more on our Web site: www.colinasdelsolcr.com
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and 20 minutes to Liberia airport.
Please contact Jim Day at JimDay50@aol.com   or    Phone:  001 517 484-3675.
7858-8/26/13

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Contact Christian Arce in English:
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Send us your request to our email: info@greciarealestate.com
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CR Beach

CR Beach Investment Real Estate
reminds you that Costa Rica’s #1 beachtown,“the new Jacó,” invites you to see the recent changes:  clean paved roads; more bilingual police; more trendy & tipico restaurants; new a/c movie 4plex & new theatrical-conference center; new central park with activities; more bargain priced properties for sale, and lower priced rentals…
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Let CR Beach show you why we know this is the best area for you to  invest-retire-enjoy!
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Located in the heart of Jacó. IL Galeone Center, Jacó, Costa Rica
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Residency experts

Residency in Costa Rica
A full service immigration agency
U.S. and San José offices
Getting and authenticating documents can be a chore —

we know how to do it. Experienced with many nationalities. Up-to-date on
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Tel: (323) 255-6116
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Insurance

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Project completion specialists

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A turnkey home and project completion agency devoted to creative vision and flawless execution. We provide a single, solid and dedicated point of contact for the duration of your real estate project, specializing in:

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Our primary goal is to assist our clients with a smooth transition to occupancy while providing highly personalized and distinctive services. We have refined the process to be a hassle free experience, especially valuable for clients who live abroad. We customize to suit each client’s personal taste, lifestyle and budget.
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7834-8/13/13

Legal services

FULLY BILINGUAL ATTORNEY
& NOTARY PUBLIC

Arcelio Hernandez

Official English/Spanish translator and interpreter
Serving the international community  since 2001
Lic. Arcelio Hernandez Mussio, Jr.
With over a decade of experience in the fields of:
Family law, criminal & constitutional law, civil & commercial law

Visit the website at:  CRTitle.com
Email: lawyer@crtitle.com
Cell: 8710-9827
Skype:  hernandez.mussio
Serving the Great Metropolitan Area, Central and South Pacific
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Member of the Colegio de Abogados de Costa Rica
Lawyer ID number: 12.358
7923-10/15/13

KEARNEY-LAWSON & Asoc.
Lic.Gregory Kearney Lawson.
Attorneys at Law and real estate brokers
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 Phone: (506) 2232-1014
7920-10/11/13

RE&B Attorneys S.A
Attorneys & Notaries
Tels: 2201-8012/2637-7640
USA phone number: (305) 748-4340
Email: info@rebattorneys.com
Web: www.rebattorneys.com
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Our law firm offers services
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ONE STOP LAW OFFICES OF
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Attorney At Law – CPA

Mario Valverde
Everything you need to do and stay in business in Costa Rica. We'll incorporate you, take care of your immigration status, get your legal permits and licenses, keep your books and taxes and represent you in any legal process, either civil, commercial, criminal, tax, labor, family and torts.
 
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Contact us at: (506) 2215-0001; (506) 8312-3087
Email: mario.valverde@ice.co.cr
7841-8/11/13


Translations and legal services

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Simultaneous translator 
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Accountants

U.S. Tax International

Plus Costa Rican taxes, accounting, and legal services
Over 15 years in Costa Rica
(English Spoken)
C.R. 2288-2201   U.S 786-206-9473
FAX: 2231-3300
E-mail: ustax@lawyer.com
7640-3/4/12

U.S. Income Tax
David G. Housman Attorney & C.P.A
.
in Costa Rica 32 years.
Specializing in all matters of concern to U.S. taxpayers residing abroad, including all new passport and other
Goliath
I.R.S.  filling requirements foreign income tax exclusion (to $95,100 per year) for all back years. Taxpayers filling past-due tax returns before I.R.S. notice do not face criminal sanctions
• Associate of James Brohl
Phone: (506) 2239-2005 Fax 2239-2437

E mail: papahound@comcast.net
7667-10/17/12

James Brohl, C.P.A. & M.B.A.
US Income Tax,  US GAAP Accounting
& Business Consulting

Uncle Sam's
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• US Tax return preparation  for
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• eFile returns: secure with faster refunds
• Assist with back reporting and other filing issues
• Take advantage of the Foreign
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• Business Consulting to facilitate working in Costa Rica
• Accounting for US and International Financial Reporting
• Associate of David Housman

Telephone 8305-3149 or 2256-8620
E-mail jrtb_1999@yahoo.com
7410-4/1/13


bridge
                                                          too far
Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes photo
They actually used this bridge.

Hanging bridge at Río Orosi due
for repairs and replacement


By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Highway crews begin work today to repair the old hanging bridge over the Río Grande de Orosi in Palomo de Cartago.

Crews are trying to make temporary repairs while bids are sought for a new bridge there.

Road officials characterized the state of the bridge as precarious. The span will be closed for a month to motor vehicles while work continues. The Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes said that pedestrians will be allowed to use the bridge as well as persons on bicycles and motorcycles.

An early part of the work will be a complete diagnosis of the bridge by engineers. The bridge has a weight limit of four tons, but that limit was not respected, officials said.

Once repair work is finished, the weight limit will be reduced to three tons, they said.

Ministry officials said that a new, two-lane bridge probably will take at least 18 months for design and construction. They said that for technical reasons a bailey bridge is not suitable for the span.


Guoapiles
                                                          festival
Biofestival photo
This is a scene from last year's festival

Guápiles festival this year
will be June 3 through 8

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Guápiles plans its Biofestival from Monday, June 3, to Saturday, June 8.

This is a big event for the community and some 6,000 persons are expected to attend. Events will take place in the Casa de la Cultura de Guápiles, in the Escuela Los Diamantes and in other locations around town.

The environmental emphasis will include a hike to water sources,  discussion of water politics and a relaunching of a local biological corridor. There also is an environmental video contest.

The Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud and the Municipalidad de Pococí are among the sponsors.


Pretend cops are detained
after home robbery in Nicoya


By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Three men have been detained on the allegation that they pretended to be judicial agents in order to invade a home and held the occupants captive.

A judge in Nicoya awarded the men six months each of preventative detention.

The Poder Judicial said that the men used trickery to enter the home and take valuables but that they were detained not long after the crime.  They were identified by the last names of Castro, Bejarano and Arce.


Blue skies in the morning
can mean afternoon downpours


By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

That bright morning with blue skies actually are helping to generate afternoon showers.

The Instituto Meteorológico Nacional said Monday that the lack of cloud cover was one reason that hot air put more moisture into the atmosphere.

That is expected to happen again today with afternoon or evening showers and perhaps electrical storms in the Pacific and in the Central Valley and the northern zone.

Partly cloudy skies are predicted for the Caribbean, the weather agency said.

The weather institute put out a midday warning of heavy storms Monday, but they did not materialize in the metro area.


Behavior of Chinese tourists
become an issue in their country


By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

Social media users in China are expressing outrage at a young Chinese tourist who was reported to have been identified after having scribbled his name into an ancient Egyptian monument.

Chinese state media say an Internet user last week tracked down the 15-year-old boy, who wrote "Ding Jinhao was here" in Mandarin on a 3,500-year-old tablet at Egypt's Temple of Luxor. Egyptian authorities this week removed the graffiti from the monument.

The Global Times newspaper says the image of the defaced monument has been shared over 90,000 times on Chinese social media and triggered public outrage from embarrassed Chinese citizens.

The boy's parents, who say the monument was defaced a few years ago, have apologized. They say their son is concerned about the attention being given to his actions, especially because Chinese hackers defaced his school's Web site with a message making fun of him.

The story has raised the issue of embarrassing behavior of Chinese tourists abroad. Monday, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson urged Chinese citizens to behave themselves overseas and abide by local laws and regulations.

Earlier this month, Vice Premier Wang Yang said certain tourists' uncivilized behavior, such as talking loudly, jay-walking, spitting, and graffiti, were harming China's image.

The number of Chinese tourists traveling overseas has expanded rapidly in recent years. The United Nations World Tourism Organization says Chinese travelers are now the biggest source of international tourism cash in the world.


French lesbian love story
among the winners at Cannes

By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

A French lesbian love story and a veteran Hollywood star are among the top winners at the 66th annual Cannes Film Festival, the world's most prestigious celebration of cinema.

"Blue Is the Warmest Color," a story of a teenage girl's love affair with an older woman, won the GPalme d'Or award for best film.

Its Tunisian-born director, Abdellatif Kechiche, said he is dedicating his prize, in part, to young Tunisians whose successful revolution gives them the chance to live and love in freedom.

Hollywood's Bruce Dern won the best actor award for his role of an old man returning home to claim an inheritance in the film "Nebraska."

The best actress prize went to Berenice Bejo for "The Past," the story of a woman trying to balance motherhood with an ex-husband and a new fiancee.

The Grand Prix prize for the second best film was awarded to the Coen brothers' story of a folk singer in the 1960s.

Mexico's Amat Escalante was best director for his violent drug war drama "Heli," and China's Jia Zhangke won the best screenplay prize for his "A Touch of Sin," the story of Chinese citizens rebelling against corruption.

 

 
Find out what the papers
said today in Spanish


By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Here is the section where you can scan short summaries from the Spanish-language press. If you want to know more, just click on a link and you will see and longer summary and have the opportunity to read the entire news story on the page of the Spanish-language newspaper but translated into English.

Translations may be a bit rough, but software is improving every day.

When you see the Summary in English of news stories not covered today by A.M. Costa Rica, you will have a chance to comment.

This is a new service of A.M. Costa Rica called Costa Rica Report. Editor is Daniel Woodall, and you can contact him
 HERE!
From the Costa Rican press
News items posted Monday through Friday by 8 a.m.
Click a story for the summary







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The Red Sismológica Nacional said that there have been 13 aftershocks of a magnitude of between 4.1 and 4.3 as a result of the 3:42 a.m. quake. Quakes with greater magnitude are in blue at the estimated epicenter.

replicas
Red Sismológica Nacional graphic

Panamå quake spawned a day full of moderate aftershocks
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The early Monday morning earthquake in Panamá did not cause any serious damage, but there were many aftershocks

The quake was estimated to be about 5.7 magnitude, and the epicenter was estimated to be about 18 kilometers south of Sixaola in Panamá.

The quake was felt all over the country with the exception of western and northern Guanacaste, records show.

The Comisión Nacional de Prevención de Riesgos y Atención
 de Emergencias coupled its report on the quake with a reminder that every home should be prepared.

The commission said that heavy objects should be removed from high places and that suitcases should be packed with survival food and gear.

The commission also encouraged residents to keep a battery-operated radio nearby as well as flashlights, personal documents and medicines.

There have been previous quakes about the same magnitude in this region in 1991 and 2001.


Report of blacklisting shakes up officials in finance ministry
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

As Costa Rica is poised to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, officials were rattled Monday by a wire service report saying that France had again listed the country as a so-called fiscal paradise. That means a country with low controls on the transfer of money.

The Ministerio de Hacienda quickly shot out a release denying this. The ministry said that Costa Rica has not had any official word on being placed on any blacklist. In addition, the ministry said that a check with the French Embassy and French officials in México failed to uncover in any information on such a listing.

The ministry also said that for the last four years the country has been working to tighten its financial oversight and that
officials have signed 14 agreements to exchange information on tax cases.

Costa Rica had been listed by French in years past, but in 2012 it signed the appropriate agreements for an exchange of financial information on persons banking here, said the ministry.

And the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has even advanced the country toward membership, the ministry said.

Anabel González, the minister of Comercio Exterior was in Paris Monday at the organization headquarters working to enroll the country, her ministry reported. This would be a prestigious achievement for the Laura Chinchilla administration to be listed among the most advanced countries.

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U.S. officials confirm international sweep targeting Liberty Reserve
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The U.S. Attorney's Office in New York Tuesday confirmed the indictment and criminal action against Liberty Reserve, which the office called one of world’s largest digital currency companies. The office also said that seven of its principals and employees wre included in the indictment.

According to the U.S. Attorney's office, Liberty Reserve, which was based in Costa rica, was a $6 billion money laundering  scheme  with at least a million users worldwide.

The action against the company and associated individuals involved law enforcement in 17 countries as is being considered by officials as the  largest international money laundering prosecution in history.

The U.S. attorney, Preet Bharara,, who is a federal prosecutor, said that there were about 200,000 Liberty Reserve users in the United States.

Nearly all the transactions were illegal and involved more than $6 billion in suspected proceeds of crimes including credit card fraud, identity theft, investment fraud, computer hacking, child pornography, and narcotics trafficking, said the U.S. Attorney's Office..

In additoon to Csota Rica, the investigation involved law enforcement action in 17 countries, including The Netherlands, Spain, Morocco, Sweden, Switzerland, Cyprus, Australia, China, Norway, Latvia, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, Russia, Canada, as well as the United States.

One aspect of the crackdown became known Friday when a Costa rican prosecutor, Jose Pablo González, , said that Liberty Reserve administrator  Arthur Budovsky, 39, a Costa Rican citizen, had been detained in Spain. He oversaw searches of the man's property here and the confiscation of computer servers and three vehicles.

For some reason, federal officials did not announce the actions until today.

In addition to Budovsky, Vladimir Kats, 41, the co-founder of Liberty Reserve, was arrested in Brooklyn, New York; Azzeddine el Amine, 46, a manager of Liberty Reserve’s financial accounts, was arrested in Spain; and Mark Marmilev, 33, and Maxim Chukharev, 27, who helped design and maintain the firm’s technological infrastructure, were arrested, said the federal agency in a release.

Marmilev was arrested in Brooklyn, and Chukharev  was detained in Costa Rica, the agency said. Two other defendants, Ahmed Yassine Abdelghani, 42, and Allan Esteban Hidalgo Jimenez, 28, are at large in Costa Rica, it added.

“As alleged, the only liberty that Liberty Reserve gave many of its users was the freedom to commit crimes," said Bharara. "The coin of its realm was anonymity, and it became a popular hub for fraudsters, hackers, and traffickers. The global enforcement action we announce today is an important step towards reining in the Wild West of illicit Internet banking. As crime goes increasingly global, the long arm of the law has to get even longer, and in this case, it encircled the earth.”

The U.S. Attorney's Office gave this background report in a news release:

Liberty reserve was incorporated in Costa Rica in 2006 and operated the digital currency commonly referred to as “LR.” While the company billed itself as the Internet’s largest payment processor and money transfer system, serving millions of people around the world, including the U.S., at no time did the company register with the U.S. Department of the Treasury as a money transmitting business, as required by law.

Budovsky, the principal founder of Liberty Reserve, directed and supervised its operations, finances, and corporate strategy. Kats, a co-founder, helped operate the company until 2009. The day-to-day operations were managed, at different times, by Hidalgo and Yassine. El Amine managed various financial accounts controlled by Liberty Reserve, while Marmilev and Chukharev were primarily responsible for designing and maintaining the company’s technological infrastructure.

The defendants created, structured, and operated Liberty Reserve as a criminal bank-payment processor designed to help users conduct illegal transactions anonymously and launder the proceeds of their crimes. It emerged as one of the principal money transfer agents used by cyber criminals around the world to distribute, store, and launder the proceeds of their illegal activity. The company grew into a financial hub of the cybercrime world, facilitating a broad range of online criminal activity, including credit card fraud, identity theft, investment fraud, computer hacking, child pornography, and narcotics trafficking. Liberty Reserve was used extensively for illegal purposes, functioning as the bank of choice for the criminal underworld because it provided an infrastructure that enabled cyber criminals around the world to conduct anonymous and untraceable financial transactions.

The defendants also protected the criminal infrastructure of Liberty Reserve by, among other things, lying to anti-money laundering authorities in Costa Rica and pretending to shut down Liberty Reserve after learning the company was being investigated by U.S. law enforcement. They then continued operating the business through a set of shell companies, and moved tens of millions of dollars through shell company accounts maintained in
Cyprus, Russia, China, Hong Kong, Morocco, Spain, Australia, and elsewhere.

In order to use LR currency, a user first had to open an account through the firm's Web site and provide basic identifying information. Unlike traditional banks or legitimate online processors, Liberty Reserve did not require users to validate their identities. Users routinely established accounts under false names, including such blatantly criminal names as “Russia Hackers” and “Hacker Account.” As part of the investigation, a law enforcement agent opened and executed transactions through an undercover account at Liberty Reserve in the name of “Joe Bogus” and the address “123 Fake Main Street” in “Completely Made Up City, New York.”

Once an account was established, the user could conduct transactions with other users. In these transactions, the user could receive transfers of LR from other users’ accounts, and transfer LR from his or her own account to other users, including any “merchants” that accepted LR as payment. Liberty Reserve charged a 1 percent fee up to a maximum of $2.99, every time a user transferred LR to another user through the firm's system. For an additional “privacy fee” of 75 cents per transaction, a user could hide his or her own account number when transferring funds, effectively making the transfer completely untraceable, even within Liberty Reserve’s already opaque system.

To add an additional layer of anonymity, the firm did not permit users to fund their accounts by transferring money to the company directly through a credit card transfer or other means. Users also could not withdraw funds from their accounts directly. Instead, users were required to make any deposits or withdrawals through the use of third-party exchangers, which enabled the company to avoid collecting any information about its users through banking transactions or other activity that would leave a centralized financial paper trail. Budovsky, Kats, and El Amine owned and operated certain  exchanger services.
In order to use LR currency, a user first had to open an account through the firm's Web site and provide basic identifying information. Unlike traditional banks or legitimate online processors, Liberty Reserve did not require users to validate their identities. Users routinely established accounts under false names, including such blatantly criminal names as “Russia Hackers” and “Hacker Account.” As part of the investigation, a law enforcement agent opened and executed transactions through an undercover account at Liberty Reserve in the name of “Joe Bogus” and the address “123 Fake Main Street” in “Completely Made Up City, New York.”

Once an account was established, the user could conduct transactions with other users. In these transactions, the user could receive transfers of LR from other users’ accounts, and transfer LR from his or her own account to other users, including any “merchants” that accepted LR as payment. Liberty Reserve charged a 1 percent fee up to a maximum of $2.99, every time a user transferred LR to another user through the firm's system. For an additional “privacy fee” of 75 cents per transaction, a user could hide his or her own account number when transferring funds, effectively making the transfer completely untraceable, even within Liberty Reserve’s already opaque system.

To add an additional layer of anonymity, the firm did not permit users to fund their accounts by transferring money to the company directly through a credit card transfer or other means. Users also could not withdraw funds from their accounts directly. Instead, users were required to make any deposits or withdrawals through the use of third-party exchangers, which enabled the company to avoid collecting any information about its users through banking transactions or other activity that would leave a centralized financial paper trail. Budovsky, Kats, and El Amine owned and operated certain  exchanger services.

The Liberty Reserve Web site recommended a number of pre-approved exchangers, which tended to be unlicensed money transmitting businesses operating in countries without significant governmental money laundering oversight or regulation, such as in Malaysia, Russia, Nigeria, and Vietnam. The exchangers charged transaction fees for their services that were much higher than the fees charged by mainstream banks or payment processors for comparable money transfers.

To further enable the use of Liberty Reserve for criminal activity, its Web site offered a shopping cart interface that merchant Web sites could use to accept LR currency as a form of payment. The merchants who accepted LR currency were overwhelmingly criminal in nature. They included traffickers of stolen credit card data and personal identity information, peddlers of various types of online Ponzi and get-rich-quick schemes, computer hackers for hire, unregulated gambling enterprises, and underground drug-dealing Web sites.

In addition to being used to process payments for illegal goods and services online, Liberty Reserve was also used by cyber criminals to launder criminal proceeds and transfer funds among criminal associates. For example, Liberty Reserve was used by credit-card theft and computer-hacking rings operating in countries around the world, including Vietnam, Nigeria, Hong Kong, China, and the U.S., to distribute proceeds of these conspiracies among the members involved.

The defendants were well aware that Liberty Reserve functioned as an unlawful money-laundering enterprise. In an online chat between Kats and Yassine that was captured by law enforcement, Kats explicitly described LIberty Reserve’s activities as illegal and noted that everyone in USA such as the Department of Justice knows “LR is money laundering operation that hackers use.”


 
Vacation, travel and hospitality
Mead
                                                  Brown
MEAD BROWN
Rent villas, homes, and condos for your Costa Rica vacation.
Daily housekeeping, WiFi and concierge services included.
Visit us at Costa Rica Vacation Rentals.
7939-11/20/13

Anywhere
Anywhere Costa Rica plans custom vacations, and has the most comprehensive travel services in the country including travel guides, resorts and vacation homes,
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7880-3/13/14

The Relocation/Retirement tour with the
 *HIGHEST SUCCESS RATE
OF RELOCATION*

 (as reported by the moving companies)
Visit many rental options to actually experience the price/amenity options available in more of the areas chosen by Expats for security, comfort, and quality of life.
Geroge's view
An evening View
from George’s Puriscal home
Meet many Expats who are willing to share their experiences and how the tour has value long after the “lust” wears off.
See how to choose a Retirement tour video by past guest!
http://www.vimeo.com/5656822

Ask the others what you get for your money, and then compare the quality of accommodations, quality, quantity and variety of food and drink to measure the best value for your money.  Learn how others “talk the talk” and learn who really can “walk the walk
Please visit my Web site  to contact my references.
George Lundquist, retirement, relocation columnist, Guide & Developer/Builder. george@glundquist.com
7897-9/1/13

Arenal Volcano Cabin Retreat
Steve and Debbie Legg
Toll Free: 1-888-828-9245       In Costa Rica: (506)-2478-0023 or 8333-6863

Our Vision at Leaves and Lizards Arenal Volcano Cabin Retreat is to create the perfect blend of Adventure, Discovery and Tranquility for each guest.  Plan an Adventure zooming along a zip line high in the canopy or horseback riding though forests, farms and rivers. Discover the magical wonders of the flora and fauna of Costa Rica. Experience Tranquility in one of our cabins tucked in our 26 acres. Located in Monterrey, San Carlos, in the mountains above Fortuna, we enjoy spectacular, panoramic views of the Arenal Volcano and its lava flow. Please see our Web site for more information. www.leavesandlizards.com or e-mail us at leavesandlizards@gmail.com.
7862-8/1/13

Costa Rica’s #1 Time –Tested Relocation/Retirement Tours
Christopher Howard's Award-winning Combination Relocation/Retirement Tour. NO other retirement tour offers MORE options...MORE areas visited, MORE information, MORE people just like you who have made the move and a LONGER
fact-filled tour for your money. Winner of the 2010 Latin America-Asia Travel Excellence Award for the most UNIQUE and OUTSTANDING tour in Latin America. This  is the ONLY relocation/retirement tour really APPROVED with a LEGAL tour guide to operate in Costa Rica by the government’s Institute of Tourism ICT (license number DL-658-2004) in 2004. ALL tours are personally led by Christopher Howard, the author of the perennial best-selling ”New Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica,” the MOST read authority on living and 
Christ Howard with Max
retiring in Costa Rica,  and who has personally helped over 10,000 people with ALL BUDGETS relocate SUCCESSFULLY over the last 35 years. CUSTOM TAILOR-MADE TOURS are also available for people with special needs or who can’t take one of our fixed-date tours. ALL tours include EXTENSIVE touring and a highly informative SEMINAR by the country’s most renowned EXPERTS in their respective fields. Also visit: Live in Costa Rica to check out our NEW tour prices and specials.  Customer satisfaction 100% guaranteed! MY REFERENCES.

* Recommended by the Association of Residents of Costa Rica ARCR as part of the new Costa Rica Alliance (made up of the most renowned experts in their respective fields).
        
*FREE BONUS all people who sign up for the tour receive a FREE copy of the 16th edition of  the bestseller “New Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica. At the conclusion of the tour they also receive FREE eBook copies of Christopher Howard’s other one-of-a-kind  bestsellers “Official Guide to Costa Rican Spanish,” “The Official Guide to Real Estate In Costa Rica” and “The Official Guide to Costa Rica’s Legal System for Tontos (dumbells).” Almost 2,000 pages of INVALUABLE material in all!
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Howard Spanish cover

NOW YOU CAN SPEAK SPANISH

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    * Christopher Howard’s “Official Guide to Costa Rica’s Legal System for Tontos
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7964-6/9/13

Ready For a Vacation to Costa Rica?
Customized vacation packages to Costa Rica planned by our team of in-country travel experts. Call us Toll Free: 1-800-606-1860 or locally in San Jose: 2296-7715. You can sit back and relax while we plan your dream Costa Rica Vacation.
7699-3/4/14

Costa Rica Vacations
Customized, all inclusive Costa Rica vacations planned by our team of in-country travel experts. Call us Toll Free: 1-800-606-1860 or locally in San Jose: 2296-7715. Sit back and relax while we plan your trip or dream Costa Rica Honeymoon.
7698-1/14/14

Panama Vacations
Custom, all-inclusive vacations to Panama by 100% locally based experts in Panama.  See "the new Costa Rica" before the secret gets out!  We offer customized trips to the best all inclusive Panama hotels and Panama resorts. Call 1-866-393-4192 if from the U.S. or 00 (507)-264-1279 from Costa Rica.
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Costa Rica Fishing Experts
Customized, upscale fishing packages & Costa Rica fishing vacations designed by 100% local experts. Call Toll Free: 1-866-901-0683
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Here's reasonable medical care
Costa Rica's world class medical specialists are at your command. Get the top care for much less than U.S. prices. It is really a great way to spend a vacation. See our list of recommended professionals HERE!amcr-prom


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Rohrmoser
Escazú
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  rentals.sanjose@gmail.com
7976-6/16/13

COMPLETELY and nicely furnished apartments
apartment view
in San José, and one condo in Escazú. Fast Internet, cable TV, hot water. Large American appliances including washer and dryer. Both convenient locations. No pets. $600 per month. Contact: rentnowcr@gmail.com or call 8555-9819.
7975-6/16/13

ALAJUELA – SERENE LIVING
MONTHLY $800 TO $1,200

Villas Casa Loma has everything you are looking for.  Best vistas, climate, value.  Four unique homes in a secure private compound on a ridge near Alajuela overlooking the entire Central Valley.  Two are available fully furnished and equipped, each a complete home accommodating 4 persons in two bedrooms with ensuite baths.  Pool, rancho, mirador, other features.  Ask about part-month rates.  Call Gerry at (506) 2441-8796 or e-mail at gerrybuilt2000@yahoo.com.  See virtual tour of accommodations HERE!
Get to know the real Costa Rica – you may want to live here someday.
7968-7/17/13

Lovely cottage on private coffee farm
One spacious bedroom, one bath, office room/spare room with high speed DSL internet, fully equipped kitchen, phone line,
Sarchi cottage
balcony with beautiful view, especially at night with the far off lights of San José. Farm is gated and guarded, private and peaceful, owner on-site. Sarchi is a quiet small town about 30-40 min from the airport, a perfect base to explore from and also get a
feel for normal, day-to-day Tico life. Rental is $575 per month, 3 months minimum. All utilities included. Shorter stays at $45 per night, 2 nights minimum. $225 per week, and $30 per additional night. Sorry, no pets.  Contact jogya345@yahoo.com or 8308-7732.
7956-6/16/13

Beautiful Golfito house for rent in Costa Rica: $300/month
Available now and please see the video!
http://youtu.be/7N5BThdct8s
New construction includes some wooden stairs to the main gate and a small pavilion above the house overlooking the village. The distance to Golfito harbor/downtown is 7 kms and you can get there by car, taxi or bus. The sale price is $72,000 which is negotiable and includes the property lot of 26,000 sq, ft, for more houses. The rent is $300/month, which is very reasonable for those who want to live near sea and Panamá in an inexpensive lifestyle. It was so nice to live near Panamá where people can shop for much lower prices including for groceries. Please contact me at berosyyourlife@hotmail.com for more details. Thank you.
7954-6/8/13

Available now $650 a month
This small but new and clean American-built house is settled on an organic farm a 10-minute walk from the center of town in Santa Bárbara de Heredia. Taxis are $1 to town and buses run to
Organic farm
Heredia and Alajuela, about 30 minutes each. There is parking for one car. NO DOGS please. Rent includes: Cable television, house phone, ICE ADSL internet, water, electricity, laundry facilities. We have a family living on the farm aside from myself,  the owner, and another renter, so there is always someone around. This 2-bedroom house is brand new, 
completely furnished. Large windows overlook the valley and the gardens, There are large trees. Surrounded by fruit trees and vegetable gardens, it has a beautiful view of the valley. The kitchen comes fully equipped, with large refrigerator, gas stove and oven, all accessories. The bathroom has a large shower; both kitchen and bath have hot water. A brand new extra firm queen-size bed is included. A breakfast bar separates the living area and kitchen and a porch overlooks the farm and valley. This house is for one or two people only. $300 deposit required to be returned when renters leave house. Email for photos and questions. laurelfanderson@gmail.com
7945-5/30/13

Heredia rental
Beautiful mountain chalet  for rent
Beautiful mountain chalet surrounded by nature, built with tropical hardwoods and  located on a  5,000 m2  (54,000 sq feet) lot  with two other cottages.  House has basic furniture and  kitchen  appliances.  Ground floor:  Very large living/ dinning room, kitchen, office (or guest bedroom), and 1 bathroom . Upstairs:  2 bedrooms (one with a balcony), and 1 bathroom. 140 m2 approximately  Great BBQ rancho outside. Plenty space for visitor parking. Pets are welcome.  Quiet place, rural, restaurants close by. Near El Castillo Country Club, Tirol and La Condesa mountain hotels.  Only 45 minutes by car from San José.  All public services available  More information call Liseth.  Phone: (506) 7158-1548. Or send me a email:  licortes@hotmail.com
7939-5/24/13


COMPLETELY and nicely furnished apartments
apartment view
in San José, and one condo in Escazú. Fast Internet, cable TV, hot water. Large American appliances including washer and dryer. Both convenient locations. No pets. $600 per month. Contact: rentnowcr@gmail.com or call 8555-9819.
7975-6/16/13

Perez  Zeledon:   Large studio home overlooking river with deck.  Elegant, ceramic floors, nice cabinets, walk-in closet.  Beautiful gardens and grounds.  Secure. Private. Only  10 minutes
River view home
to San Isidro de El General. Mountain town with everything!  Then, 40 minutes to Playa Dominical, 40 minutes to Chirripó National Park, and also near many other attractions, yet very private and secluded.  Listen to river sounds and sleep like a baby.   
Rare birds in abundance. Includes,  One  double bed and refrigerator, stove, juicer, sofa, tables,  dishes, pans, etc.  Plus, electric, (hot) water   Phone, TV connected, Internet cable connected, garbage and gardener. All included for $425. /month.  Looking for one good person, reliable, long-term.    Non-smoker. jjpepman@hotmail.com
7902-4/25/13

Manuel Antonio long term apartment for rent
This modern two-bedroom apartment with a breathtaking view of the Quepos town and the Pacific Ocean is situated near Manuel Antonio National Park and beaches. The location offers a unique experience in the edge of the jungle, where you can observe wildlife. The apartment has two separate bedrooms and sleeps three guests maximum. The bathroom has a walk-in shower and a toilette. The living room is furnished with very comfortable furniture. The kitchen is fully equipped. Public transports like taxis, bus station, port as well as shops, groceries, restaurants, cafes, bars, and nightlife are within a very short distance. Fully furnished, all bills included (water, electricity, cable tv, wireless internet), $575 per month, 6-month minimum. Contact us now!!! 8853-8245. or see our
Web page:  www.brunxu.com  
7901-4/25/13

Mountain cabin for rent
Sacramento, Barva de Heredia
We offer for rent three furnished, 2-bedroom mountain homes located on the slopes of Barva Volcano, Sacramento, Heredia. The cabin-style homes are adjacent to the Braulio Carillo National Park and walking distance to the Barva Volcano crater lake. Enjoy a spacious living room, kitchen, fireplace and garage. Take in breathtaking views of the Irazú Volcano and the Central Valley. Observe dozens of bird species, to include the occasional Resplendent Quetzal, and a pristine cloud forest. We can also offer you an occasional ride on one of our beautiful mares. Contact Allan or Cristina at HPCattleCR@aol.com, or or for more information HERE! $850 USD/month. We can also offer a weekend or short-stay package.
7875-4/11/13

Tropical Homes of Costa Rica is offering the best selection of vacation homes, condos and long-term rental homes in Playa Flamingo, Playa Potrero and Playa Brasilito on  the Pacific Gold Coast of Guanacaste. A wide selection of private residencies is providing an excellent choice for your stay in this beautiful part 
tropical
                                    homes
of Costa Rica. We are offering homes for every budget and every need. Please visit our Web page at www.tropicalhomesofcostarica.com or contact us at rentals@tropicalhomesofcostarica.com or call at (506) 2654-5442.
7833-8/15/13

Looking 4 Costa Rica Villas?
Rent our all-inclusive, 7 bedroom rental home in Guanacaste.  Just 20 minutes from the Liberia airport, this deluxe ocean view mansion sleeps 6-22 guests.  Ideal for company events & Costa Rica weddings. With 3 meals served daily and a full-time staff to pamper guests, it's more than a Costa Rica vacation rental ...It's your own Private Resort!  Call toll free: 1-800-606-1860.
7695-1/19/14

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tomatoes
John Innes Centre photo
The purple tomatoes are genetically modified.

Those purple tomatoes
are really the best ones

By the John Innes Centre news staff

Tomatoes, said to be the world’s most popular fruit, can be made both better-tasting and longer-lasting thanks to UK research with purple genetically modified varieties.

“Working with GM tomatoes that are different to normal fruit only by the addition of a specific compound allows us to pinpoint exactly how to breed in valuable traits,” said Cathie Martin a professor from the John Innes Centre.

The research could also lead to genetically modified varieties with better flavor, health and shelf life characteristics because even higher levels of the compounds can be achieved.

In research to be published in Current Biology, Ms. Martin and colleagues studied tomatoes enriched in anthocyanin, a natural pigment that confers high antioxidant capacity. The purple genetically modified tomatoes have already been found to prolong the lives of cancer-prone mice and in the latest findings they also more than double the normal shelf life of tomatoes from an average of 21 days to 48 days.

“Post-harvest losses due to rotting are such a serious problem for growers and supermarkets that even an increased shelf life of one day would make an enormous difference to them,” said Yang Zhang, lead author from the John Innes Centre.

One way to improve shelf life is to pick tomatoes early when they are still green and induce them to ripen artificially with ethylene. However, this results in loss of flavor. Another method is to grow varieties that never fully ripen, but these also never develop a full flavor.

In the current study, anthocyanins were found to slow down the over-ripening process that leads to rotting and softening, achieving a tomato with a long shelf life and full flavor. The purple tomatoes were also less susceptible to one of the most important post harvest diseases, grey mold caused by Botrytis cinerea.

Conventional tomatoes can now be screened for their antioxidant capacity. Those found to be highest in antioxidant compounds can be used as parental lines for breeding.

“Our research has identified a new target for breeders to produce tomato varieties that are fuller in flavor, and so more appealing to consumers, and more valuable commercially due to increased shelf life,” said Martin.

The findings could also be applied to other soft fruit such as strawberries and raspberries.

Other varieties of tomatoes high in a variety of compounds such as those found in red wine are being used by Essex company Biodeb to develop a range of skincare products.


Chinese president speaks
hopefully of U.S. visit


By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

Chinese President Xi Jinping says Beijing's relationship with Washington is at a critical juncture to build on past successes and open up new dimensions for the future.

The statement came at a meeting in Beijing Monday with U.S. National Security Advisor Tom Donilon, who is in China to lay the groundwork for a summit between Xi and U.S. President Barack Obama next week in the United States.

Donilon told the Chinese president that the summit will be an important opportunity for the two presidents to have in-depth discussions about U.S.-China relations.

The talks will take place at the secluded desert resort of Sunnylands in the western U.S. state of California June 7 and 8.

Among the issues that are likely to be discussed are tensions over North Korea's latest nuclear test, U.S. accusations of Chinese government-backed cyberspying, which Beijing denies, and China's territorial disputes with Japan and Southwest Asian neighbors.


Americans honor the fallen
with ceremonies and rally

By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

Americans paused Monday to honor the country's war dead, as the United States observed its annual Memorial Day.

U.S. President Barack Obama laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery just outside Washington.  He recalled the service and character of several military personnel who were killed recently in overseas operations and have been buried at Arlington, the nation's most prominent military cemetery.

"Today, just steps from where these brave Americans lie in eternal peace, we declare as a proud and grateful nation, that their sacrifice will never be forgotten.  And just as we honor them, we hold their families close," Obama said.

Obama and his wife, Michelle, also hosted a breakfast at the White House for families of the fallen.

Communities across the country honored the war dead in a variety of ways.  In New York, Women Air Service Pilots who tested aircraft during World War II were commemorated.

Washington marked the holiday Sunday with thousands of motorcycle riders roaring into the national capital, a Rolling Thunder rally aimed at calling attention to prisoners of war and those missing in action. 

The first large-scale observance of what was originally called Decoration Day took place at Arlington cemetery in 1868, three years after the bloody U.S. Civil War that killed more than 600,000 people.

Many Americans have the day off from work and school, and the three-day weekend is seen as the unofficial start of the summer vacation season.  Many families have picnics or make trips to the beach, parks or campgrounds.


Burma's opposition leader
protests two-child policy


By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

Burma's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has condemned a policy by authorities in the country's west that revives a two-child limit on Muslim Rohingya families.

Aung San Suu Kyi said Monday the move was illegal discrimination that violated the Rohingyas' human rights.

Authorities in Rakhine state, near the border with Bangladesh, have reaffirmed a measure enforced in the 1990s that banned Rohingya families from having more than two children. The policy applies to two Rakhine townships in the state with Muslim majorities.

The Burmese government does not include its population of about 800,000 Rohingyas as one of its ethnic minorities. It considers them illegal immigrants and has denied them citizenship in the Buddhist-majority nation.

In the past, Aung San Suu Kyi has been criticized by rights groups for not speaking up for the Rohingya.


New guide to mental illness
is facing some criticisms

By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

A long-anticipated revision of an official diagnostic guide to mental illness, known as the DSM-5, was released this week.  While the new manual is being welcomed by some doctors as reflecting advancements in the understanding and diagnosis of mental disorders, critics say its definitions of psychiatric conditions are based too much on symptoms and too little on the biological causes of mental illness.

The DSM, or Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, is considered by many psychiatrists and psychologists to be the bible by which they can diagnose and treat their patients' mental illnesses.
 
It’s been nearly 20 years since the DSM's publisher, the American Psychiatric Association, or APA, did a major revision of the voluminous guide.

David Kupfer, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, headed the international task force that put together this fifth version of the manual.  Kupfer says it was time to update the manual, a process that took the task force a decade to complete.

“We are quite excited about putting out DSM-5 as a revision due to the fact that many things have happened over the last 19 years; that it was felt, in terms of scientific evidence that we were ready for a change,” Kupfer said.

For example, the manual drops the separate diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome, a developmental disorder marked by significant difficulties with social interaction, and folds it into a broader category called autism spectrum disorders.
 
Asperger’s is considered the mildest form of autism, which can cause an inability to communicate with others, emotional outbursts and repetitive behaviors.

Kupfer believes that the change in the Asperger’s designation is relatively minor. But Alycia Halladay, a senior director of Autism Speaks, an advocacy group for people with autism, thinks otherwise.  Ms. Halladay says people who were previously diagnosed with Asperger’s will still have access to special treatment and training programs in the U.S.

“We’re concerned about individuals who may have shown symptoms of Asperger’s or may show symptoms of what was called Asperger’s not meeting the criteria for what is now called autism. And therefore not receiving services,” Ms. Halladay said.

Another significant change in DSM-5 that critics have targeted is its revised definition of depression.  The old criteria were that a patient had to display symptoms of unhappiness or lack of pleasure for weeks or months at a time. 

Now, the manual specifies that a psychiatrist may diagnose a patient with clinical depression after just two weeks of persistent sadness.

To "diagnose major depression after a bereavement is medicalizing a normal human reaction, that is the grief of losing a loved one,” explained Bruce Cuthbert, coordinator of the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health’s Research Domain Criteria Project or RDoC.  RDoC is tasked with pulling together the latest research identifying the biological underpinnings of mental disorders such as depression and schizophrenia.

Cuthbert says the DSM-5 continues the prevailing symptoms-based approach to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with psychiatric disorders.  It's an approach he calls hit or miss since the drugs and therapies prescribed to relieve a mental health condition don't always work as hoped.  As a result, Cuthbert says, doctors frequently resort to trying different medications on the same patient. 

Cuthbert says mental health research also tends to follow definitions outlined in the DSM manual.

“That’s what we need to change, because we know that these categories are very complicated.  There are many different mechanisms of brain functioning and behavior that are involved with any one of these disorders,” Cuthbert said.

As scientific research sheds new light on the biological causes of mental illness, Cuthbert says doctors will be able to target increasingly effective treatments for their patients' psychiatric disorders.  Experts say those advances will be incorporated by the American Psychiatric Association in future revisions to its DSM.


Original Apple brings
amazing auction price

By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

A vintage Apple computer has sold for more than $670,000 at an auction in Germany.
 
The Apple-1 computer sold Saturday was assembled by Apple founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976.
 
Bob Luther, author of the book, "The First Apple," said the computer is a rare collectible.
 
"Well, the Apple 1 - there were only 200 built and they came out of the garage of Steve Jobs," Luther explained. "And then Apple had a trading program, because they wanted to bring them back, so they destroyed a lot of trade-ins. So, about 46 of them  today. It's really the holy grail of collectible technology."
 
The German auctioneer says the buyer who purchased the computer for $671,400 is from the Far East and wishes to remain anonymous.


Chile evacuates an area
around erupting volcano


By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

Chile has ordered a mandatory evacuation of a 25-kilometer radius around Copahue volcano on the border with Argentina.

The 2,965-meter volcano, located in south-central Chile's Bio Bio region, has seen increasing seismic activity in recent weeks, but has not erupted.

Chile's Interior and Security Minister Andres Chadwick says about 2,200 people will be evacuated.

In neighboring Argentina's Neuquen province, access to the volcano is closed within four kilometers.

In 2011, ash from a Chilean volcano eruption forced the sporadic cancellation of hundreds of flights, especially in neighboring Argentina and Uruguay.


Brazil to forgive debt
of some African nations


By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

Brazil's government says it is canceling or restructuring nearly $900 million in debt owed by 12 African nations.

The announcement came as Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff visited Addis Ababa for the African Union summit.

Easing the debt is part of a Brazilian program to bolster Africa's infrastructure, agriculture, and social programs.

Brazil is one of the world's largest economies, with a gross domestic product of $2.4 trillion.


Afghanistan news reporters
become a growing target


By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

The rise of independent media in Afghanistan has been one of the country's biggest achievements, but there are troubling signs for its future. A growing number of attacks on journalists and the international community's continued silence on the issue are drawing concern.

Naqibullah, a shopkeeper on so-called electronic street in Kabul, sells TVs and DVD players

"Over the past 10 years under the Karzai government, I would say 85 percent of people are using TVs, DVDs, radio and other devices if they can access them. People are so interested in watching the news and other programs on TV," Naqibullah said.

The country now boasts 75 TV channels, 175 radio stations, and hundreds of newspapers and magazines.

Yet, behind the headlines lies another story.

Since January there have been 36 cases of violence against journalists, a 40 percent increase over last year.

Footage from Takhar province shows a police officer just after he smashed a journalist's car. The officer told a television cameraman he was acting on orders from the local chief of police who for a year has been repeatedly accused of assaulting and threatening journalists.

The abusive police chief was fired in May. Although journalists have criticized the dismissal as being a year late, Sadiq Siddiqi, the interior ministry's spokesman, says the government is very supportive of free media  "...and we will support, fully support that, and that is the policy of the Afghan government, but unfortunately in some areas there are some individuals who do not understand that reality and that policy, and cannot implement that policy," Siddiqi said.

The Afghan Journalists Safety Committee, however, claims the government is the main perpetrator of violence against journalists.

Committee spokesman Najib Sharifi says the international community's failure to speak out on the issue has given government officials the idea their behavior is acceptable.

"A strong and adamant position from the international community about the concepts would create the perception in the mind of the Afghan government workers and non-state players who are usually behind the acts of violence against reporters. It creates the perception that the international community is serious about this issue," Sharifi said.

In a country like Afghanistan, where victims of violence can be killed for telling their stories, so can the journalists who assist them.

1TV's show "Mask" seeks out women who have been abused and invites them on the show to tell their stories.  Islamic scholars and clerics listen and respond to the victims' tales.

"Mask" producer Sorosh Azami has been targeted twice by the families of the victims who appeared on the show.

"Two weeks ago a husband beat his wife. Her hand and nose were broken so she called me for help, her husband went to jail and a divorce is in the process.  I am supporting and handling this prosecution and the family issues. Who will support this woman if I don't? This is my job," Azami said.

In an already tense reporting environment, and with presidential elections less than a year away, media rights groups fear the number of violent acts against journalists will only increase.


Vietnamese online critic
carried off to prison

By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

Vietnamese police have detained a former journalist who ran a blog containing anti-state views, authorities said Monday, part of a widening crackdown on dissent in the Communist-run country.
 
Truong Duy Nhat, 49, was taken into custody on Sunday and police searched his house in the central city of Danang. He complied with an urgent warrant issued against him, the ministry of public security said in a statement Monday. If convicted, he faces up to seven years in jail.
 
Online dissent has grown in the past year as Vietnam wrestles with deep economic woes that have shattered its image as one of Asia's hottest emerging markets. Some bloggers have harshly criticized Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, accusing him of cronyism and economic mismanagement, which he denies.
 
The ministry said Nhat violated a clause of the penal code on abusing democratic freedoms with acts against the state. It did not elaborate on his actions.
 
Nhat, a former journalist at state-run newspapers, including one run by the Danang police force, was moved to Hanoi for further investigation, state media said.
 
He quit his journalist job in 2010 and ran a blog titled Truong Duy Nhat, "a different viewpoint," that was known for criticism of top government officials including the prime minister.
 
He also conducted an online opinion poll just weeks before the national assembly's first-ever confidence vote on top officials, scheduled for early June.


New iPhone device sends
rapid EKG info to hospital


By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

Researchers have developed an experimental iPhone application, or app, designed to help emergency medical technicians diagnose a particularly deadly form of heart attack and send that information quickly to waiting hospital surgical teams. The inexpensive app can greatly improve a patient's odds of survival.

The iPhone app is specially designed to identify patients suffering from a dangerous type of heart attack known as STEMI, or ST-elevation myocardial infarction.
 
In STEMI, blood flow to the heart is blocked by a clot in a coronary artery.  Unlike many types of heart attacks, STEMIs show up very clearly on an electrocardiogram, or ECG, a diagnostic test that measures the heart's electrical activity.  Small adhesive wire leads are placed on the chest around the heart.  They feed signals to the ECG, which prints a paper tracing of a dozen waves showing cardiac activity.
 
With the experimental iPhone app, emergency medical technicians responding to a call can do an ECG, snap an image of the tracing with the mobile phone camera and transmit it clearly at high speed over the cell network.

David Burt and his students at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville jointly developed the iPhone app.  Burt says the app has the potential to save lives by alerting emergency room doctors to get ready for the STEMI patient, who will need catheterization and surgery to unblock the artery.

“A decision made as early as possible in the STEMI treatment process allows the system to ramp up or mobilize so that when the patient shows up, they are pushed into the cath lab, everything happens and their artery gets opened," said Burt.

The iPhone app centers and reduces the size of the ECG image, sending a sharp, clear, easy-to-read image to waiting physicians in as little as four seconds.  The developers tested the app 1,500 times over three U.S. cellular networks in an urban area.  Normally, when emergency medical teams send an ECG image to the hospital by regular e-mail, it can take between 38 and 114 seconds, a long time when a patient's life is at stake.

“If your iPhone at the time that you hit send shows two or more bars, the app is successful in sending an image 94-plus percent of the time in less than 10 seconds," he said.

Burt and his student developers are now testing the still-nameless app in rural areas, where cell phone reception is typically less reliable than in cities.  They are hoping to make the software available at a very low cost.

The emergency iPhone app that quickly transmits diagnostic heart images was presented at an American Heart Association symposium in Baltimore, Maryland.
Real estate-related services (paid category)

Bid on Costa Rican properties to be foreclosed!
Win big with Costa Rican foreclosures.
Full service team at your service

English-speaking team of lawyers, translators and other experts will help and guide you to make the right decision. Complete support including legal research and accurate description of all documents. Legal support all through the process.
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WE GET RESULTS!
7873-4/7/13

Real estate brokers and agents (paid category)


Swimming pool at night
A Buyer’s Broker offering the best
of Costa Rica Real Estate.

For those looking for quality properties and service at quality prices. Central Valley Rentals. Offering honesty, experience and knowledge. Your Villa Real Expert. Call us now  Toll Free (877) 845-4533. In Costa Rica 2228-5961 or 8339-2112. www.costaricarealtyone.com
7938-6/8/13

Re/Max, the Pacific coast expert
Re/Max offers comprehensive Costa Rica Real Estate, vacation rental and relocation services. Our award-winning team is the largest in the country, and can show you the best lifestyle and financial investment properties in the most desirable locations including prime real estate in Tamarindo, Langosta, Conchal, Flamingo, Pinilla, Coco, Hermosa and Playa Panama.  Give us a call in Costa Rica at 506-2653-0073, or toll free from the U.S. and Canada 1-800-385-5930. Re/Max, the name you trust for the finest real estate services in Costa Rica.
7949-11/15/13

Moran Arenal
Lake Arenal, Costa Rica
The undiscovered jewel of Central America, 35 square miles of blue, pristine, clear water ideal for fishing, swimming, boating, Real estate values still low.
Great lake front, river front land, farms, homes, condos and commercial property. Some with owner financing
 
This is far and away the most beautiful place in all Central America — cool climate. Try our two-day, all-inclusive discovery tour for $299.

Check with our Web site at www.moranlakearenal.com
Contact us at the office: (506) 2694-0088
Cell (506) 8880-8888
Phone number from the U.S. (305) 307-0088
Email: moranrealestate@gmail.com
Moran logo
7922-10/15/13

The #1 Authority in Costa Rica Real Estate

Costa Rica real estate
Since 1996, CRREC has been providing the most valuable resource for discovering real estate in Costa Rica. Our Costa Rica properties database contains some of the most exclusive and hard to find properties in the country. Not to mention how affordable some of our Costa Rica homes for sale are. So if you're in the market for Costa Rica real estate then we encourage you to
visit our Costa Rica MLS and discover for yourself why people call CRREC the #1 authority in Costa Rica real estate.
Call Today @ 506-2654-5507 (Costa Rica) or 1-888-414-1836 (Toll-Free) Email: info@costaricarealestate.com
7721-4/29/13



Costa Rica,

Central America
Houses, lots and farms in Grecia,
western Central Valley.
Great climate
and safe communities.
Gracia home
Sale price now reduced from $240.000
to $190.000.
  Click HERE!
Sarchi home
Modern three-bedroon home in San Rafael de Sarchí. Cick HERE!
 Great deals for you!
SEE OUR OFFERS HERE
Visit our Web Site:
 www.greciarealestate.com
 English: (Cristian Arce)
English:  (Luis Arce)
 Español: (Luis G. Jiménez)

   (506) 8538-6186
   (506) 7100-8489
   (506) 8707-4016

  Send us your request to our email: info@greciarealestate.com
7685-2/7/12
Bargain

Real estate for sale (paid category)


San Pedro condo
Condo for Sale in Flor del Este
Lourdes, Montes de Oca San Jose

Located behind The Foundation Costa Rica Canada 500 meters north of Inglesia Lourdes. U Latina, UCR, and U Fieditas are located within 5 minutes.  Beautiful mountain view from roof covered 3rd floor terraza. Condo is a 3-story. Three/four-bedroom, three and half bath unit within a secure complex of 40 condos with high cement outside walls with only one entrance manned by an armed guard 24 hours per day. In addition, to security fencing, and electric wire, a recorded security camera system is monitored within the guard house. Residence has a telephone communication system to contact the guard house. In addition there is a green park area inside the complex for children to safely play and an outside parking area in from of guard house for visitors. Equipped with an independent wired security system in addition to iron bars on windows and patio doors. Equipped with circuit breaker box and 220-volt service for hot water heater, stove and dryer. Also has water storage tank under parking area and water pump to maintain high pressure on all three floors. American-style washer and electric dryer, Refrigerator, glass top stove, and kitchen cabinets included. Other furniture items may be available for purchase.
Call Bill   (English) C.R. Phone: (506) 8876-7399
U.S. Phone:  6630-886-4458  or   (305) 848- 5577
Spanish  phone number: (506) 8799 4041
Email:  sjogringo@yahoo.com
7973-8/23/13

Guaancaate condos
Little Dreams La Colina Magnolias

Great Guanacaste Beach Condos Available

$28,500 - Little Dreams - Ocotal beach studio condo, furnished upper floor condo in great complex just 1 mile from Ocotal beach, 2 miles from Coco beach, great price for this complex.
$70,000 - La Colina - another Ocotal beach 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo, 80 m2 and fully furnished with upgraded kitchen, complex has Infinity pool, mountain views.

$75,000 Magnolias 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath townhome just 1 minute's walk from Coco beach and the 2 beach clubs in Coco. Nicely furnished, walk to town, 67 m2, perfect location.
Find out more information on these and other condos at my website WendyLovesCostaRica.com. All 3 of these condos are about 35 minutes away from Liberia Intl. airport, no need to drive a long way to get to your condo.  Call for more information, 1-415-670-9382 or 011-506-826-1211. Or email Wendy@WendyLovesCostaRica.com.
7971-6/23/13

Rich Coast Montage
RichCoastRealty.com
Central Pacific Coast Real Estate
- 2 Bedroom House in Gated Community near the beach, $89,000!!
- Beachfront Residential Lots from $35,000! Financing Available
- 2 Coffee Shops and Bakeries Turnkey $40,000/ $120,000 Great ROI
- Lots in Gated Community near the beach from $17,500!!
- 3 Bedroom House in Gated Community, furnished, walk to the beach, $120k
- 3 Bedroom Oceanview House on 5 acres subdividable
into 4 oceanview properties $250k
- 58 acre Oceanview Property subdividable, $169k
and much more....
http://www.richcoastrealty.com/
USA Toll Free 1 866 833 4005
CR Cell 011 506 8718 9891
Brendan@RichCoastRealty.com
7972-8/9/13

NOW REDUCED TO $680,000
ALAJUELA – PRIVATE COMPOUND OF 4 HOMES - $850,000 TURNKEY
Spectacular view property on a ridge near Alajuela.  Large home and 3 rental homes totaling 7,300 square feet (678 square meters) live-in construction.  Property area is 3,376 square meters (0.83 acres) including a vacant lot for expansion options.  In total there are 10 bedrooms, each with an ensuite bath.  Property has pool, rancho, mirador, courtyard and covered parking.  Homes have romantic fireplaces, built-ins, storage, other luxury features.  Turnkey sale includes all appliances, furniture, fixtures, equipment.  Call Gerry at (506) 2441-8796 or e-mail at gerrybuilt2000@yahoo.com.  See property video here:

See virtual tour of accommodations here:

For more details go to:
7967-7/17/13

La Cruz finca
La Cruz Finca 223 ha. (558.2 acre)
This beautiful 223-hectare (558-acre) farm is 70 kms. north of Liberia on the Pan-American Highway and has over a kilometer of frontage on the highway. The property is almost 3 kms deep and has good interior roads. The River Sapoa runs year round at the back side of the farm which is almost 1 mile wide with and incredible views over the Nicaraguan border to Lake Nicaragua and Isla Ometepe. Great property for an eco retreat, teak farm or cattle ranch.  At $900 per acre, this is one of the best farm deals around. See details HERE! The seller will entertain any reasonable offer. Price: $495,000 contact: Bruce Hummel. Email: Bruce@bh-cr.com. Cell Phone: 011 (506) 8819-2119, From US/Canada: (816) 987 7166,  www.bh-cr.com
7966-6/16/13

Playa Octal home
Playa Ocotal Beach Home
This home is located in a residential resort complex made up of 40 luxurious, fully furnished beachfront villas, plus a clubhouse complete with poolside bar and restaurant. Bahía Pez Vela is located in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, one kilometer from Playa Ocotal on the North Pacific coast and just 30 minutes drive from Liberia International Airport and three miles to downtown Playas Del Coco. From this home you can hear and see the waves crashing on the rocks of this pristine beach. See it HERE! This is the best priced beach home in Costa Rica! Price $225,000   Contact: Bruce Hummel Bruce@bh-cr.com, www.bh-cr.com - Cell Phone: 011 (506) 8819-2119, From US/Canada: (816) 987-7166.
7965-6/16/13

hree peanel montage
This dream Costa Rica beach house overlooking Carara National Park and the Pacific has been rented continuously for two years. D.C. owners are on site at the house in May and prepping for June 1 Move in and/or vacation rentals and have an unbelievable offer. Already listed way under value, $150,000 Cash or $199,500 with owner financing through May 30th. Note: This was the owner's (14 year residents of Costa Rica) dream home before their relocation to Washington, D.C., Your own salt water Infinity pool, expansive sala and balcony, views from every room. Each room is individually air-conditioned, ceramic tiles, cathedral ceiling; three bedrooms in an international community. Scarlet macaws fly by your veranda each evening.
zen/natural contemporary design ideal for your location overlooking Costa Rica's biological corridor. 50 minutes from San José, minutes from beaches/20 minutes from Jacó Beach. Tour this property online first at www.dreamincostarica.com and if interested contact Barry in Costa Rica through May 30th for a tour. In Costa Rica: 8701-5639 or call Rosemary in the U.S. 239-910-3354. Note: On June 1 the price of this property will increase to over $200,000 after equipping, painting and acceptance of rental income. Don't wait!
7958-6/2/13

La Garita
                                  home
This home was built by a California contractor with all the amenities expected in a 3,000-square foot home.  There is a little less than one acre of land.  There is an 800-square foot shop easily converted to a rental unit or studio.  Located in La Garita de Atenas, 15 minutes to the international airport and 30 minutes to San José.  $225,000. 2487-4500.
xxxx-xxxxx

Casa de Eden
For sale by owner Playa Conchal home. Reduced $329,000

Casa de Eden is an ocean view three-bedroom, 2.5-bath, with outdoor shower, private pool located only minutes from Playa Conchal.  The home is in a private, secure community surrounded by nature but still only 20 minutes to the resort towns of Flamingo & Tamarindo and less than an hour from the Liberia airport. There is 2,600 square feet under the roof, which includes a large outdoor terrace and has phone, Internet & satellite TV. The home boasts luxury finishings: AC & ceiling fans, Frigidaire professional series stainless steel appliances, granite kitchen countertops, marble bathroom vanities, custom wood cabinetry, ceramic tile.  Contact desmondproperties@gmail.com  U.S. 1-800-939-2617 or CR (506) 8349-2025.
www.puntaplayavistas.com
7948-5/29/13

Pirate beach
For sale by owner: Ocean view condominium. Reduced $175,000

Gorgeous two- bedroom, two-bath with private terrace offering spectacular ocean views and built-in energy efficiently. This condo is located in a gated community with low HOA dues and offers amenities including a pool & rancho.  It is located close to a beautiful white sandy Pirates Beach. Only 20 minutes to the resort towns of Flamingo & Tamarindo and less than an hour from the Liberia airport.  Luxury finishings: Pella double panel windows, AC & ceiling fans, Frigidaire stainless steel appliances, granite kitchen countertops, marble bathroom vanities, custom wood cabinetry, porcelain tile. Contact desmondproperties@gmail.com  U.S. 1-800-939-2617 or CR (506) 8349-2025. www.puntaplayavistas.com
7947-5/28/13

montage ofr photos
ALAZAN Eco-Friendly Community

- Ocean, mountain, and river views, built in harmony with nature
- 70% sold out, 1.25 acre + lots available from $75,000
- All lots held in separate corporations
- Functioning HOA with 24-hour security and gated front entrance
- 100% custom homes, turnkey construction
- Community homes have been featured in Su Casa Architectural Magazine
- Abundant wildlife on the property, access to 45-acre nature preserve
- Organic Permaculture farm coming soon
- Build your custom dream home and join our community of friends in paradise!
Brokers Welcome
http://www.richcoastrealty.com/1011.html
USA Toll Free 1 866 833 4005
CR Cell 011 (506) 8718-9891
7725-5/15/13

Arenal Colonial
Property for sale, great potential income
Turnkey business $350K. Rental $1,250/month This luxury home (4,000 square feet and two story private home) is a botanical paradise overlooking beautiful Lake Arenal. Only one block from the lake park and boat ramp. Close to Tabacón hot springs and Monteverde cloud forest. Caño Negro national park and many beautiful beaches along the Pacific are only a short drive away. Costa Rica bird watching, wind surfing, fishing, water sports, ecotourism adventures, hiking, tennis and mountain biking are out your front door. Also has a wonderful view of the Arenal Volcano, a safe 25 miles away. Electric gated entrance. Safe private home and entire property. To see more pictures and info, click here: http://www.intertica.com/homes/roy.htm
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=wKaNmrNyyZtXGg
7933-7/22/13

Jacó compound
Located in Jacó at Barrio Ricos y Famosos in Calle Europa, Casa Shangri La.
Main house: 3 bedrooms, 3 bath 270 square meters, 2 condominiums 2 bedrooms, one bath, 110 square meters, plus one small apartment. one bedroom, one bath. Huge pool, carport for five cars. plus double garage, rancho with pool bathroom,  gymnasium, laundry room, pool plumbing room, huge dog house in separate 500 square-meter garden with aviary for Guacamayas (we have three birds) 60 meters of river front of Río Copey with a 4 meter-high protective and retention stone wall. Eight surveillance camera CCTV system with Internet access from anywhere. Over 2 meter-high brick wall all around the property with two layers of razor wires on top, the safest place to be! Electronic entrance gate, door phone, five telephone lines, high-speed Internet wireless access everywhere. Beautiful gardens with many fruit trees. Price $ 1,350.000 negotiable. All fittings and furniture, included even a car. Owner financing available. German-built, excellent quality and well maintained. More photos on request. http://www.intertica.com/ocean/wolfgang.htm
7929-7/18/13

Monte Mar
Hacienda Monte Mar
Gated Community near the beach
SALE on our last 4 lots! Starting at just $17,500 with financing available.
Reserve today with just $5,000 down
Great Retirement Home, Vacation Home, or investment option!
Lots of wildlife on the property. Gated front entrance, caretakers on site,
security and lawn maintenance.
Water and power on site.
http://www.haciendamontemar.com/
USA Toll Free 1 866 833-4005
CR Cell 011 506 8718-9891
7928-8/9/13

Nicoya views
Property with ocean and gulf view for sale
Tranquil million dollar view, 5,000-sq.meter property with 3/2 home built to American standards, artistically designed and decorated, 16-foot ceilings of mango and tamarindo, appliances, plunge pool, rancho, caretaker apartment, workshop, covered parking, views of Gulf of Nicoya and ocean, in countryside near San José to Caldera highway. Near the lovely town of Esparza. Can provide extra income from bed and breakfast room rental and stellar Tripadvisor reviews. www.oasisbytheseabandb.com $180,000 506-8869-9274.
7882-4/15/13

FOR SALE BY OWNER
You can purchase property in Costa Rica legally without paying Land Transfer Tax; this plus the usual real estate commission of 5% will reduce your purchase price by approximately 11%. Save over $50,000.00 on the purchase of this $465,000.00 property. Large 5000+ sq.ft. House. Ideal for business executive, B & B or large family. E-mail for photos and more information to landofpalms@hotmail.com.
7869-4/6/13

For Sale By Owner
1 lot (1.5 acres)  at SIBU (8 lots total) amongst 50 acres of protected jungle gardens with sunset ocean views of Playa Nosara. Underground electric and water.13 minutes from Playa Guiones. Gated. In house financing available. Home of SIBU Sanctuary. jungalow@gmail.com.
7845-8/18/13

just reduced
Just Reduced to $169,000!!!
58-acre oceanview and mountainview property

Segregated into 9 lots, Excellent Development Potential!
20 minutes from the beach Central Pacific Coast, between Jacó and Quepos.
http://www.richcoastrealty.com/1060.html
Brendan@RichCoastRealty.com
USA Toll Free 1 866 833-4005  CR Cell 8718-9891
7766-6/17/13

Real estate services
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Business for sale or lease (paid category)7115-12/16/11


Live the dream!
Several profitable businesses, including a regional radio station, are for sale in Costa Rica. Certain purchases can provide the new owner with residency as well as a great lifestyle. So live your dream while making a profit. Contact: manager@crbusiness.biz.

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Legal marijuana increases
child intoxication, study says

By the University of Colorado
School of Medicine news staff

A new study shows the relaxation of marijuana laws in Colorado has caused a significant spike in the number of young children treated for accidentally eating marijuana-laced cookies, candies, brownies and beverages.

"We have seen an increase in unintentional ingestions of marijuana by children since the modification of drug laws in Colorado," said George Wang, lead author of the study and clinical instructor in pediatrics at Children's Hospital Colorado and the University of Colorado School of Medicine. "We need to educate marijuana users, the community and medical professionals about the potential dangers."

The study, published Monday in the JAMA Pediatrics, compared the number of young children treated at the Children's Hospital Colorado emergency department for ingesting marijuana before and after the modification of Colorado's drug laws beginning in 2009.

A total of 1,378 patients under age 12 were evaluated for unintentional ingestions – 790 before Sept. 30, 2009 and 588 after Oct. 1, 2009. The number of children treated for exposure to marijuana before Sept. 30 was zero. The number from Oct. 1 on was 14 with eight of those coming directly from consuming marijuana food products.

Wang, a fellow at the Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Center, said today's marijuana can be much stronger, and these products can contain higher concentrations of THC, the active ingredient in the drug. Some marijuana infused candy bars, for example, contain 300 milligrams of THC. Children who ingested the drug exhibited symptoms that included respiratory problems, extreme sleepiness, difficulty in walking and lethargy. Many underwent a battery of expensive tests to diagnose their problem because the history of exposure was not given, or medical professionals were not familiar with marijuana causing these symptoms.

"Before the marijuana boom these kinds of edibles were not mass-produced and the amount of THC ingested was somewhat limited, but now we are seeing much higher strength marijuana," Wang said. "The key to this is prevention through child resistant packaging."

With that in mind, Wang and Michael Kosnett, a medical toxicologist and associate clinical professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, recently testified before a state advisory panel. According to Kosnett, they persuaded the panel to recommend child resistant packaging for marijuana edibles.

"Dr. Wang and I worked together to translate his study findings into public policy that would prevent poisoning," said Kosnett, who is also an attending physician at the Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Center, a division of Denver Health. "We were gratified that our message to the governor's Amendment 64 Implementation Task Force and the legislature resulted in passage earlier this month of a law requiring the Colorado Department of Revenue to develop rules for child resistant packaging for marijuana products by July 1."

Child resistant packaging, Kosnett said, began with baby aspirin in the 1940s and in several studies has been associated with a 40 to 95 percent decline in pediatric poisonings from oral medications and hazardous household chemicals.

"We know that children will act quickly to ingest even unpalatable items like household cleaners, pills and capsules," he said. "The allure of these marijuana edibles which taste and look like simple sweets makes them especially risky."

So far, no other state has developed similar packaging laws, including Washington which legalized recreational marijuana last year, Kosnett said.

"I believe the experience here in Colorado and the appropriate response by the Colorado Legislature will serve as an example to the rest of the country," he said.

Wang agreed.

"As more states move to legalize marijuana this problem is only going to increase," said Wang. "Now is the time to be proactive and intervene."

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