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A.M.
Costa Rica
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A.M. Costa Rica Second News Page |
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Published
October 27,
2017, Vol. 17,
No. 207
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A.M. Costa Rica Third News Page |
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Published
October 27, 2017, Vol. 17, No. 207
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Published
October 27, 2017, Vol. 17, No. 207
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| Photo exhibit
about transgender individuals was vandalized at Universidad Nacional |
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By the A.M. Costa Rica staff A group of six students from the National University of Costa Rica (UNA) denounced the destruction of their photographic exhibition on transgender people, which they placed on the walls as part of an academic project. According to them, what happened is an act of discrimination. In the images, some transgender people from Costa Rica are seen posing for the photographer Ariela Muñoz. One of them is Daya Hernández, known for her social work and more recently for her nomination as a legislator. The exhibition was inaugurated last Saturday at 7:00 pm in the second building of Social Sciences. Around 8:00 a.m. the following Monday, they learned what students qualify as a violent act. Out of the 10 photographs, at least 4 were thrown onto the ground and another two were found folded and wrinkled along the campus, located in Heredia. One of the photos still has not been found. Andrea Campos, a student of Arts and Visual Communication at UNA and a member of the artistic group, explained the exhibit is part of a project that seeks to make visible the problems of this population: hatred, discrimination, unemployment, misinformation and the violation of their human rights. “We assumed that public universities are super open spaces, where serious dialogue can happen among the rules of no-discrimination and then something like this occurs. I wonder if it was made by students or administrative staff,” said Campos. |
 Ariela Muñoz photo
Some of the pictures were ripped off the
walls
and thrown to the floor. Campos said that they do not have videos of
security cameras to find those responsible for this
act. However, they will ask the administration to
investigate what happened.
"It seems important to us that the university takes a stand on the matter because it is not just a violent act, but a transphobic one. It troubles me to be inside the university campus, " Campos said. |
| A woman who married 15 years old
student goes back to teaching |
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By
the
A.M. Costa Rica staff
On July 2016, a 40 years old woman married a 15 years old student while she worked at a Special Education Unit belonging to the Ministerio de Educación Pública (MEP). As of today, she has regained her teaching position. Although the MEP requested her dismissal without any employer liability, the Tribunal de Servicio Civil, unanimously determined that the teacher did not commit a crime. When she married she was 40 and the student 15, but it is not illegal. After the resolution, the Ministerio could not stop her from going back to her job. Since August 2016, just one day after the case was reported, the woman had been transferred to another office, where she performed administrative work. “The court decision is final and can only be reversed by another judicial decision,” said Mauricio Azofeifa, spokesperson at the Ministerio. “At this moment the Ministry is preparing to raise the issue to the Attorney General's Office which would give us a chance, otherwise we have to comply with the decision of the Court.” The woman is no longer a teacher of her husband, since he switched into high school, explained Azofeifa. This marriage generated a country-wide discussion. At that time, the Minister of Education, Sonia Mora, said she would investigate the case in detail in order to determine if the educator had entered into an improper relationship. |
 AMCostaRica
graphic stock image
Marrying a minor is not a felony if the minor
is over 15 and has parental consent. Also at that time, a bill that punished relations between minors and adults had been filed in the Legislative Assembly for discussion. As a result of this case, it was approved and this law went into effect in January 2017. Since there is no possibility of an appeal, the MEP now expects the Attorney General's Office to provide the necessary judicial steps for a judge to cancel the sentence of the Tribunal de Servicio Civil, issued on August 29, 2017. According to a statement, MEP finds this resolution as negative precedent. “It leaves the underprivileged kids unprotected, and the possible abuses of adults who must protect them, due to their status as teaching professionals, as unpunished." |
218-8/25/17
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A.M. Costa Rica Fifth news page |
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Published
October 27, 2017, Vol. 17, No. 207
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| Calendar |
Opinion |
Classifieds |
Real estate |
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Food |
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| Free WiFi and broader sidewalks arrive at Barrio Escalante | |
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff Barrio
Escalante,
the San José Neighborhood known for its many
gastronomic options, will
now provide free wireless internet for up to 15
thousand people who can connect simultaneously. San José Mayor Johnny Araya said
the idea is to leave at least one lane for
vehicles. |
 AMCostaRica
wire
photo services
Users
should
provide their email or social network
accounts to connect to the service.
In addition, he said that, depending on the amount, the boulevard will be built all at once or in various phases. In the case of free internet, users only need to register with their email or through their Facebook or Twitter profiles. |
| National Symphonic Orchestra
celebrates 77 years by showcasing the Carmina Burana |
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By the A.M. Costa Rica staff The National Symphonic Choir, together with the National Symphonic Orchestra will present the famous cantata on October 26, 27 and 29 at the National Theater celebrating its 77 years history. It was founded on October 31, 1940. The cantata is based on a series of poems called Carmina Burana, set to music by composer, Carl Orff. In
ancient medieval philosophy, people believed
that fate was capricious and expressed that in
poetry. Luck was symbolized
by a wheel of fortune, whose owner was Fortuna,
the Roman goddess of luck both good and bad. The
deity turned the wheel randomly and changed the
positions of all who are on the wheel, bringing
some misfortune and gains to others. Fortune
drives the wheel blindfolded. In 2014, Carl St. Clair began his work as the main director of the National Symphony Orchestra. This year he also runs his 27th season with the Pacific Symphony in Santa Ana, California. |
 National Symphony
Orchestra photo
The
Carmina Burana was composed between 1935
and 1936 by German musician Carl Orff. The Orchestra will also perform the work Eternal Light, by composer Morten Lauridsen, also with the participation of the symphonic choir. The concert will feature three internationally acclaimed lyric singers to perform solo parts in Carmina Burana: American soprano Celena Shafer, American tenor Christopher Pfund and Canadian baritone Hugh Russell. The last time the orchestra and the choir performed the Carmina Burana at the National Theater was in April 2013. Tickets for this concert are available for purchase at the ticket office and Teatro Nacional website with prices ranging from 4,000 to 18,000 colones. Students and seniors may request a 50 percent discount. |
| Want to read more? Check out
these books listed below! |
|
 Costa Rica: Remarkable
Tales from Our Super Vacation Spot
By the staff and contributors at A.M. Costa Rica & James J. Brodell (editor)A.M. Costa Rica celebrates its 16th anniversary with a compilation of classic news reports geared to the needs of foreigners living here and those elsewhere with personal or business interests in this vacation paradise. Each seeks to tell something new or original about the vacation and retirement mecca. Read a sample and purchase the book HERE! |
 Trapped In The
Damas Cave, Costa Rica
A true story by author Dusty Pilot, who lived in Costa Rica for 11 years. Dusty tells his horrifying story of being trapped in the Damas Cave, near Quepos, for 26 hours. The book is available from Amazon in both digital and print format. Digital format will be on sale for $2.99. Visit Amazon.com to preview or purchase, or DustyPilot.com/cave.html More information Contact Dusty Pilot Email: dusty@dustypilot.com US phone: 001 440 796-4105 |
 The Trouble with Cash
By John H Paterson Greg and Liz must sell their property in Costa Rica to finance their retirement. They receive an offer for their full asking price of $1 million, but it comes with one condition...the payment is to be in cash. They go for it. Things go wrong. The money is stolen.The local police are no help so Greg devises his own plan to get their money back. Review or buy the book on Amazon ON SALE FOR $0.99 Click Here Email: j.paterson@riomagnolia.com Phone: (506) 8868-5561 Watch book trailer here: |
 New World Meditation:
Focusing-Mindfulness-Healing-Awakening
By Lucinda Gray PhD You will be Free to Live, Love, Work and Play in the Full Creative Expression of Your Authentic Self. New World Meditation is easy to learn, easy to practice, and profoundly transformational. More information HERE! |
 MAKE GIFTS FROM DOLLARS OR
COLONES
Running out of gift ideas?
Author Dusty Pilot has just released easy to follow,
step-by-step instructions for turning bills (dollars
or colones) of any denomination into unique gifts such
as flowers: roses, daffodils, daisies and poinsettias;
shirts and blouses, and birds with flapping wings. In
Time For The Holiday -- Give Unique Gifts Of Dollars
or Colones."
It will be available at the discounted price of $0.99 until Dec. 25.. It is available at all major online book stores. Preview or purchase at Amazon.com, or visit https://www.dustypilot.com/holiday-money.html For more information Contact Dusty Pilot: Email dusty@dustypilot.com. Phone 001 440 796-4105 |
Life is a
Tropical Garden
By Victoria Torley A quirky look at gardening in the
tropics. What happens when a "Northern" gardener
moves to Costa Rica? You have no idea….
Email: victoriatorley1@gmail.com. Order this book here: CLICK HERE |
 The Dark Side
of Pura Vida: Murder, Betrayal, Abduction and
Revenge in the Vacation Paradise
By James J. Brodell. Retired baseball player Jack Patterson becomes suspicious after his younger sister dies in a Pacific Ocean rip tide while on vacation in Costa Rica. Jack has to go there to find answers to troubling questions. But soon he is hijacked by a gang of avengers led by an icy Costa Rican-American woman who carries twin pistols strapped to her chest. Jack soon helps uncover a web of corruption and greed . Read a sample and purchase the book HERE! |
 Guide to Costa Rican
Spanish
(English and Spanish Edition) This one-of-a-kind
best-selling Costa Rica Spanish phrasebook will
help anyone including older retirees master the basics of
using Costa Rican Spanish in real-life situations.
Retirees, expats and tourists will get the most of of
Costa Rica, be able to communicate effectively with Costa
Ricans and understand the local culture. A practical
pronunciation will help you sound a like a native Spanish
speaker. The book is now available for sale on
Amazon click here
|
 Bohemian
Road
Trip
By Paul
Furlong
"Makin' it
Real--a Road Trip," is basically three themes running
concurrently: A
motorcycle racer who betrays himself by quitting...
who looks at his watch one day... and realizes he's
thirty now... and if he was going to be a star, he
would be by now.
So he quits racing and takes a year long trip to see
who else might be in his reflection.
The book is now available for sale CLICK HERE |
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Published
October 27, 2017, Vol. 17, No. 207
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| The Witching Hour | |
By Albert A. Correia A.M. Costa Rica Spooky Short Story contest Five minutes after arriving, Ty told Sheila he'd never been to such a strange Halloween party. “Realistic is the term I'd use,” Sheila replied. Liz, the hostess and owner of a Barrio Amón hobby shop, had told them the theme was animals, but they never anticipated anything like what they found. Sheila was in a black cat outfit and Ty was the big bad wolf, but anyone could tell they were a beautiful woman and a handsome man. The others looked like real animals. One could imagine the lion stalking through the Tanzanian Serengeti. The jaguar prowling the Oso jungle, the crocodile floating through the River Tarcoles. The gorilla swung from the chandelier and the python slithered along the floor. “Liz, why'd you rent us such unrealistic costumes when you had outfits like that available?” asked Ty. “They don't rent from me,” she replied. “They're individualistic.” “And why are you dressed as a witch instead of an animal?” Sheila asked. “It fits me, don't you think?” said Liz. They admitted it. They'd privately joked that with her crooked teeth and hair growing on the top of her bent nose, all she needed was a pointed hat and a broom to be the perfect witch. Now she had both, and looked the part. As the party wore on, Ty and Sheila tried to strike up conversations with the other guests, but were soundly rebuffed. A few appeared to check them out at a distance, but walked off when the couple tried to approach. Neither Ty nor Sheila remembered seeing any of them around Costa Rica. As midnight neared, they went to their hostess and told her they were leaving. “You can't go now,” Liz protested. “It's about to strike midnight, the witching hour.” “The what?” “The witching hour. For one hour, everyone changes. I can't predict what will happen to the others, but you two will become a real black cat and a big bad wolf.” “Yeah, sure,” sniffed Ty. “Well, you all have fun, but you'll do so without us.” “I beseech thee,” pleaded Liz. She put a hand to her mouth, but her guests were already near the door and showed no sign they'd heard the words. All eyes were on the departing couple as they opened the door to leave. When Ty closed the door behind them, the clock struck midnight and the doorknob twisted in his claw. Claw? What the . . .? Ty stared at the claw for a moment, then took stock of himself. It had happened. He had become a wolf. His sharp grey eyes scanned the area for Sheila, but she was nowhere in sight. Something scratched his hind leg and he looked down to see a black cat staring up at him. “Sheila?” he snarled. “Yes,” she purred. “Ty, we've become animals.” “What should we do?” he growled. “Liz said it would last an hour,” She reminded him, her voice a soft trill. “Let's go home. It will all be over soon.” “Good idea,” he said. “But, neither of us can drive like this.” “Right now, walking will be easy. We'll be home in fifteen minutes.” “Good point,” he agreed. “Let's go.” They started to walk, Sheila scurrying as fast as her little paws could move. They'd barely left the property when a very large man dressed in a hunter's outfit stepped out from the bushes to block their way. At the same time, a panel truck drove out of a driveway in front of them. The driver got out and opened a sliding side door. |
 AM Costa Rica wire graphic stock image
The
driver
scooped up Sheila and put her in the truck. The
large hunter grabbed Ty by the scuff of his
neck, ignoring the sharp wolf's teeth and claws
– which Ty had no idea how to use – and tossed
him in the truck beside Sheila. The hunter
lumbered up into the truck and the driver slid
the door shut and locked it. A minute later they
were speeding away. “Look,” Ty said, “I understand your mistake, but I assure you I'm not a wolf. It's just some kind of crazy spell that Liz must have put on us. In forty-five minutes, I'll be a man again, and Sheila here will be a beautiful woman. Then we can laugh this off, have a drink, and get on with our lives.” The hunter looked at his watch and nodded. He put a finger to his lips to let Ty know he wished him to stop talking. “The strong, silent type,” purred Sheila. “Impressive, but I'm sure we'll talk later.” No one spoke as they drove out of San José. Ty thought he recognized the highway to Limon. They turned off on a road that zig-zagged through a dense, mountainous jungle. Sheila couldn't see out, but she could feel the ruts and bumps in the road as the truck climbed. Finally, at ten minutes before one, they came to a stop. It was dark, but newly acquired animals senses told them they were in a heavily wooded area near a lake or a river. The driver got out and opened the door. He grabbed Sheila and carried her into a cave, first stopping to light a torch. The big hunter draped Ty over is shoulders and followed. When all were inside the cave and another torch was lit to provide a little wavering light, Ty whistled. “Man,” he snarled, “you being hunters, I expected rustic, but I thought you'd at least have a cabin. Where do you sleep? How do you cook?” The hunters exchanged glances, shook their heads and looked at their watches. None of Ty's belongings had transformed when he did, so he had no watch. He walked over to look at the big man's watch. “Two minutes before one,” he offered helpfully. “In a couple of minutes, we're going to change back into our real selves, a good-sized man and a tall, beautiful woman. You're going to be enchanted, and I'm sure ashamed, but we'll all have a good laugh, and we can be on our way.” The hunters sat on large rocks in the middle of the cave. Ty watched the biggest man's watch and the other picked up Sheila so she could view his. The second hands moved slowly – much too slowly to suit Ty and Sheila – around the watches. The first minute seemed to take five. The second was an eternity, but eventually there was but five seconds left. Then four, three, two, one, and, finally, the second hand passed twelve. “It's one a.m.,” noted Ty with great relief as he transformed from the two foot tall wolf into a six foot tall man. Sheila slipped to the floor and was dazzling as she once again became a tall, lovely woman, no longer a tiny cat. “See,” cried Ty triumphantly, but he gasped in frightened dismay as he found he was looking into the blue-green eyes of a hungry crocodile and the yellow eyes of a ferocious jaguar. |
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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| A.M.
Costa Rica Seventh Newspage Business |
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October 27, 2017, Vol. 17, No. 207
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| Costa Rican exports reach an 8.6 percent growth | |
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff Exports of goods accumulated in September grew at 8.6 percent to $ 8,090 million compared to a year ago. This is the best growth figure of the last six years, according to data provided by the Ministry of Foreign Trade (Comex). The greatest magnitude of growth was in free zone operations, which grew by 12 percent, while other sectors grew at 5 percent. For the first nine months of the year, all sectors grew, with the exception of plastic and textile exports. The agricultural sector represented 27 percent of the total exported ($ 2.165 million), mainly pineapple, bananas and frozen fruits. The second sector of importance was precision medical equipment (26 percent or $ 2,114 million), especially medical devices and contact lenses. The electronics industry grew to 11 percent ($ 440 million). The main markets are China, Germany and South Korea. The drop in plastic exports (-1 percent) is related to a decrease in the sale of sterilized products, a sector with a lot of Asian competition. By destination, Costa Rican exports grew around the world, except in South America (-15 percent), mainly by a decrease in Venezuela, which accounts for two-thirds of the reduction. |
 /AMCostaRica wire
services photo
Agricultural
products account for 27 percent
of all
exported goods.
The growth of Costa Rican services exports grew by 5
percent during the first half, higher than the rest of
the world (3 percent).
Of the total amount exported ($ 4,656 million), 52 percent correspond to travel, which grew by 8 percent. Business services grew 6 percent and financial services grew 21 percent. The export of information and telecommunications services fell along with transport (billing of national services of transport of merchandise and people) and other services. |
| A.M. Costa Rica Spooky Short Story contest |
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| By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff Readers are invited to celebrate the Halloween season by entering the A.M. Costa Rica Spooky Short Story contest. Original fiction with a Costa Rica dimension will complete for the $100 top prize. The deadline is appropriately midnight Oct. 27, a Friday. Authors may include an original drawing or photograph, but this submission will not be judged by the contest panel. Only the text will be considered. Judges include the A.M. Costa Rica staff and established writers. Here are the rules: 1. The submission must be original and not contain any extensive copyrighted material from elsewhere. The usual rules regarding fair use will apply. That means the author may include in the text short references and quotes for other sources. But the bulk of the story must be original. Any graphics submitted must be original. 2. The short story must contain a substantial relationship to Costa Rica.That could include actions of expats or Costa Ricans elsewhere. Or the author could describe an encounter with one of the many supernatural creatures that make up the mythology of the country. La Llorona, for example. 3. Authors are encouraged to create a suspenseful and/or scary story, and such an approach will earn bonus points in the judging. 4. Editors will make an effort to publish every short story submitted in the editions leading up to Halloween. 5. Authors are reminded that A.M. Costa Rica is read in 90 countries each weekday morning and some readers may not fully understand the meaning of Halloween, so some explanation might be needed in the story. 6. A poetic narrative will be accepted in the tradition of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven.” |
7. Authors will retain the copyright to their submission but by doing so they grant A.M. Costa Rica and its corporation, Consultantes Río Colorado S.A., the full right to publish their work in the daily newspaper, in any subsequent collection of news stories that may be compiled and anywhere else. 8. Short stories should be no longer than 1,200 words, and longer works will earn negative points in the judging. 9. The newspaper staff will seek to compile the works into a book of short stories to be published in time for Halloween 2018. Typically such books generate little income, but if there is interest from a third-party publisher, the newspaper corporation will share the majority of the resale income with the authors. 10. Authors should include a short biography that list their place of residence. They also may make a short pitch of other published works. 11. Authors are encouraged to use their given names, but pen names will be accepted particularly from readers who have established a readership under that name. 12. Authors must state in their email submission that they agree with these rules. 13. There is no charge for submission. Short stories should be pasted into an email (not sent as an attachment) to books@amcostarica.com The staff
of A.M. Costa Rica has created this contest, in part,
to showcase the many excellent writers among the
newspaper readership.
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