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| Costa Rica Expertise Ltd http://crexpertise.com E-mail info@crexpertise.com Tel:506-256-8585 Fax:506-256-9393 |
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| Canada
Day picnic is charitable event By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The annual Canada Day picnic held by the Canadian Association of Costa Rica is scheduled for July 3rd from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Proceeds will be donated to schools and communities throughout Costa Rica, said Fred Boden, vice president of the association and coordinator of the event. The picnic is scheduled to take place at the Pedregal complex in San Antonio de Belén, and everyone is invited, said Boden. A Canadian passport is not mandatory. Tickets are 2,500 colons ($5.25) for adults and 500 for children under 12. Specialties include pancakes with real maple syrup, hamburgers, hot dogs, and a slice of the pig roasting on a stick, as well as a chance to see the scheduled entertainment. Last year the association's outreach program — with the help of the Canadian Embassy — donated more than $48,000 to schools and communities throughout Costa Rica. The proceeds this year will be donated in much the same way, said Boden, and four groups of past beneficiaries are scheduled to perform at the picnic. Each group will perform once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Tickets are available at the Canadian Embassy or at the entrance. Dengue fever hitting coastal areas hard By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Health officials are bracing for a tough dengue season. Incidents of the mosquito-born disease are already troubling on the Pacific coast and along the Caribbean. Readers have reported local outbreaks of the disease, but the Ministerio de Salud did not provide hard figures until Monday. The report showed more than 5,000 cases already this year, some 70 percent higher than the figures last year. 2004 was the year in which officials engaged in a massive cleanup of breeding spots for the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Francisco Cubillo, vice minister of health, called the statistics troubling when he met the press Monday. He said the outbreak was because citizens had relaxed their guard against the insects and permitted standing water to remain near their homes and businesses. The rainy season encourages mosquito breeding because the larva grow in water. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control point out that the mosquito is a day feeder: “International travelers are at risk for dengue infection, especially if an epidemic is in progress. Cases of dengue are confirmed every year in travelers returning to the United States following visits to tropical and subtropical areas. Travelers to endemic and epidemic areas, therefore, should be advised to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites. The principal vector mosquito, Ae. aegypti, prefers to feed on humans during the daytime and most frequently is found in or near human habitations. “There are two peak periods of biting activity, in the morning for several hours after daybreak and in the late afternoon for several hours before dark. The mosquito may feed at any time during the day, however, especially indoors, in shady areas, or when it is overcast. Mosquito breeding sites include artificial water containers such as discarded tires, uncovered barrels, buckets, flower vases or pots, cans, and cisterns.” Symptoms of dengue are fever, severe frontal headache, and joint and muscle pain, said the centers, adding that many patients have nausea, vomiting, and rash. Cuibillo said only one case of hemorrhagic dengue, the worst form, had been reported. Hemorrhagic dengue can be fatal and can occur the second time a patient contracts the disease. Priest and businessman to trial in Medina killing By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
As expected, a judge in Heredia has ordered a trial for those suspected of murdering radio commentator Parmenio Medina Pérez, Among the suspects is the Rev. Minor de Jesús Calvo Aguilar and businessman Omar Chavez Mora. A spokesperson for the Poder Judicial confirmed the decision Monday. In all, nine persons are involved. Officials said three gang members shot Medina, four men functioned as intermediaries and that Calvo and Chavez were the intellectual authors. Both Calvo and Chavez were involved with Radio María, a Catholic radio station, but Medina on his Saturday show, La Patada (The Kick), raised serious questions about Calvo's personal life and the financial situation at the station. Medina was gunned down as he drove to his Heredia home after taping a show in 2001. The case has gained widespread international interest. Charges of fraud and conspiracy against Calvo and Chavez were not upheld by the judge in Heredia. No date has been set for the trial. Jocote will have day with fair in Aserrí By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The jocote will have its day in Aserrí July 30 and 31. The area produces more than 10 million of the small, green fruit each year, but producers complain of overproduction and falling prices. So producers in conjunction with the Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería will kick off the fair with the goal of introducing more consumers to the fruit. For most, jocotes are a small, green snack with a large seed that can be gnawed, frequently with a little salt or lemon. However, producers are prepared to show jocote jam, jocotes in syrup, jocotes cut up in encurtido and jocotes in vinegar. Visitors also will have a chance to go into the fields and pick jocotes from trees, perhaps using a special tool, a bag hung on a stick, to avoid damaging the fruit. Organizers also promise a full range of typical foods, including tamales, homemade bread and other treats. There are even plans for a jocote dance. The event will be in La Uruca de Aserrí, south of San José. Taxi theft ends in chase By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Two teens, 15 and 17, are accused of taking off with a taxi cab Monday. The paid were stopped in Pavas in connection with the hijacking of a taxi in Rohrmoser earlier Monday morning. The two were captured after a chase. The taxi driver presented himself to reclaim his vehicle, and the police arrested the two juveniles. |
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with the observations of Dr. Lenny Karpman Click HERE! |
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| A wall of glass
tells a sacred story at San José church |
|
 A.M. Costa Rica/Jesse
Froehling
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By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Artist Sylvia Laks has finished one of the largest stained glass windows ever created as one piece for the Templo Votivo del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús. It took her and 50 others over a year and a half to design and complete. Its 19,000 pieces are connected in 252 panels that show Saint Margarita Maria de Alacoque receiving light rays from the heart of Jesus. The window at the base is more than 63 feet long and over 64 feet tall. Altogether the whole structure weighs 22,000 pounds. The church is at Calle 25 and Avenida 10 on a hill overlooking the city. |
| Employer group offers a 7.26 percent pay hike |
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By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The organization representing private employers in Costa Rica has suggested a 7.26 percent increase in salaries for the second half of 2005. Salaries are raised twice a year to compensate for the programmed devaluation of the colon. The increases affect the minimum salaries paid to employees, which are established by law for each occupational category. The proposal was made to the Consejo Nacional de Salarios, which will make a final decision. Employees will be compensated if negotiations go past July 1. Organizations and unions representing workers want more, from 10 to 12 percent. The employers' organization, the Unión Costarricense de Cámeras y Asociaciones de la Empresa Privada, said that its suggested adjustment would mean an annual increase of 14.6 percent because workers got 6.8 percent for the first half of the year. The organization said it was speaking for employers who provide jobs for 1.4 million Costa Ricans, some 86 percent of the workforce. |
The union said that
inflation continues with the percentage estimated
at 6.37 percent in the first half of the year, despite a Banco Central
estimate that inflation would remain within 10 percent. Inflation in
2004 was 13.1 percent, the highest since 1995 and one of the highest in
Latin America, said the union in a statement. The union of employers also said that when raising salaries officials must bear in mind the estimated 30 percent additional that companies pay for social charges to the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social and other costs. Many employees work for the minimum salary in Costa Rica, and they would be affected by the increase. A salary schedule for popular categories of workers is usually available wherever legal books are sold. A list of four letter-size sheets stapled together costs from 100 to 300 colons, from 20 to 60 cents. More detailed information is available from the consejo. Minimum salaries for those other than domestic help range from 117,014 colons ($246) to 327,856 colons ($690). |
| Employer group offers a 7.26 percent pay hike |
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By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The organization representing private employers in Costa Rica has suggested a 7.26 percent increase in salaries for the second half of 2005. Salaries are raised twice a year to compensate for the programmed devaluation of the colon. The increases affect the minimum salaries paid to employees, which are established by law for each occupational category. The proposal was made to the Consejo Nacional de Salarios, which will make a final decision. Employees will be compensated if negotiations go past July 1. Organizations and unions representing workers want more, from 10 to 12 percent. The employers' organization, the Unión Costarricense de Cámeras y Asociaciones de la Empresa Privada, said that its suggested adjustment would mean an annual increase of 14.6 percent because workers got 6.8 percent for the first half of the year. The organization said it was speaking for employers who provide jobs for 1.4 million Costa Ricans, some 86 percent of the workforce. |
The union said that
inflation continues with the percentage estimated
at 6.37 percent in the first half of the year, despite a Banco Central
estimate that inflation would remain within 10 percent. Inflation in
2004 was 13.1 percent, the highest since 1995 and one of the highest in
Latin America, said the union in a statement. The union of employers also said that when raising salaries officials must bear in mind the estimated 30 percent additional that companies pay for social charges to the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social and other costs. Many employees work for the minimum salary in Costa Rica, and they would be affected by the increase. A salary schedule for popular categories of workers is usually available wherever legal books are sold. A list of four letter-size sheets stapled together costs from 100 to 300 colons, from 20 to 60 cents. More detailed information is available from the consejo. Minimum salaries for those other than domestic help range from 117,014 colons ($246) to 327,856 colons ($690). |
| U.S. moving against what it says is disinformation |
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Special to A.M. Costa Rica
The U.S. State Department is on the offensive against what it says is disinformation. According to the State Department’s website, disinformation includes urban legends, conspiracy theories and deliberate misinformation. For example, an urban legend debunked by the Web site claimed that Americans and Europeans were kidnapping children from Latin America and elsewhere, and murdering them to use their body parts for organ transplants. Other conspiracy theories cited and rebutted by the State Department include claims that the United States was involved in the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri in February, and had foreknowledge of the tsunami disaster in Southeast Asia. This type of conspiratorial thinking is neither new nor specific to any particular region of the world. Many analysts attribute it to factors ranging from human nature to regional politics. Ehsan Ahrari, an expert on information warfare, says disinformation is due in part to the clout the United States has as a major player on the world stage, "Our interests in different regions of the world are part of our larger global interest. So the regional actors have a predilection to look at the issue from their regional perspective. And to them, regional perspectives are very important. For us, regional perspectives are part of our global perspective. That is part of our problem.” Other analysts say cultural misunderstandings bolster conspiracy theories, while acknowledging that foreign policy differences between the US and other countries play a role in shaping people’s perceptions. Former Assistant Secretary of State Edward Walker, who served on the Clinton administration, says misconceptions also play a role. He adds, “It’s not altogether just the foreign policy. For example, we have a democracy program. What we think we’re doing is trying to help countries to establish a strong, stable base for economic development. And what a lot of people think we’re doing is trying to establish hegemonic rule over [them], [that] we’re trying to change people to fit our mold and our model.” Ambassador Walker, who is currently president of the Middle East Institute in Washington, adds that disinformation is often based on false assumptions and miscommunication between cultures. In the war on terrorism, some analysts suggest that these misconceptions are helping to drive anti-American sentiment abroad, especially among factions that hate the United States to begin with. But this kind of thinking, argues analyst Ehsan Ahrari, is widespread and pervades democratic societies as well |
as developing ones. He
adds,
“conspiracy theories are part of human existence. If we think that a
democratic society is going to do away with conspiracy theories .
. . no, it’s not going to happen.” Other analysts say that people tend to be more skeptical when extraordinary events take place. A case in point would be the conspiracy theories in the United States surrounding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Most Americans believe Kennedy was the victim of a conspiracy. In addition the popular television show “X Files” and similar movies stoke the public mistrust of official statements. University of Southern California communications professor Nancy Snow says people are generally fascinated by larger-than-life events that they cannot explain. She says, “it gives some people a sense of empowerment, a sense of power and also control, if they think that they know something that others don’t know. The whole nature of conspiracy literally goes back to ‘breathing together,’ co-inspire means to breathe together.” But some of the people named by the State Department as sources of disinformation argue that their stories are supported by well-documented facts. Among them is investigative journalist Wayne Madsen, who is cited as the source for the story on Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri’s assassination. He says, “I would put my sources up against the U.S. government any day of the week and feel very confident that what I am being told is absolutely truthful.” On its website, the State Department denies any U.S. role in the murder, citing an executive order dating back to 1976 that prohibits assassination by anyone acting on behalf of the United States government. To counter disinformation, many analysts suggest that a review of U.S. foreign policy may be necessary. Some propose a more aggressive public policy to counter ideological warfare. Others, including former Ambassador Walker, say the State Department Web site is a good start. “This is not the kind of thing you can solve with one vehicle. You have to have a complex of messages going out there. Some from the government, some coming in public statements by our leaders, some coming by other people in this country who have credibility, and then using the support of respected people outside the United States.” Some analysts believe that building better relations with other countries may help overcome suspicions and separate fact from fiction. But ultimately, many concede that conspiracies and legends are part of the human psyche, and will always exist. |
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