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Costa Rica Your daily English-language news source Monday through Friday |
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San
José, Costa Rica, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2013, Vol. 13, No. 169
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Park guards
will borrow
firearms for their jobs By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Park guards are getting firearms and training, thanks to an agreement with the security ministry. Alfio Piva Mesén, vice president, and Ana Lorena Guevara, vice minister of Ambiente, signed an agreement Saturday that will provide the 300 workers for the Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación some 214 firearms, according to Casa Presidencial. The signing was the highlight of the Día de los Parques Nacionales, celebrated at the Reserva Natural Absoluta Cabo Blanco. The security ministry will provide training for the guards in the use of weapons and maintenance. The period of the loan is two years. At the same time the 2014 budget for the Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación contains nearly a half million dollars for firearms. The guards also will receive incentive pay because of their possession of firearms on the job in the same way that police officers do. The dangers facing park guards has increased due to drug traffickers and poachers. Usually they have to call in the Fuerza Pública. The Laura Chinchilla administration is more concerned about park and conservation safety after the murder of a worker who protected turtle nests in Moín. The administration came under international criticism for not providing security for the nesting sites that mainly are protected by volunteers. Remote buildings used by park guards also are prime targets for local thieves. There have been a number of incidents because the buildings are not always occupied, and they are located in areas where there are few jobs and the motive to steal is strong. The conservation system is within the Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía. Our reader's opinion wins praise from reader Dear A.M. Costa Rica: Regarding the article about "advisory services" for expats, for an annual $50 membership fee, the Association of Residents of Costa Rica (ARCR) has for many years offered an excellent variety of bilingual services, including joining and making payments to the CAJA, answering residency and real estate questions plus discounts to members on INS medical, car and home insurance. They also serve members as a mail and package forwarding/receiving office along with numerous other services. As a long-time member, I've appreciated and found the ARCR service very helpful. The office employees are bilingual, courteous, efficient and sincerely helpful. (ARCR: 2233-8068 or 2211-2053) David
Roller Black
Editor's note; We agree.Santa Ana. Chinese military officer wary of U.S. action movie By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
A Chinese army officer has slammed the light-hearted Hollywood monster movie "Pacific Rim" as a sinister propaganda tool used by the United States government to help win support for its military shift toward Asia. The science fiction film, written and directed by Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, depicts how countries surrounding the Pacific Ocean must come together to combat giant monsters, called Kaijus, which rise up from the ocean floor to attack humans. Despite gaining only mediocre reviews in the U.S., the movie has been well-received in China, spending three straight weekends at the top of the box office. It has so far made over $100 million there, making it one of the top grossing American films ever in China. But that, apparently, does not sit well with Zhang Jieli, an officer in China's People's Liberation Army, who recently wrote an opinion piece in the PLA Daily, a military mouthpiece, slamming the movie for portraying the U.S. as the "savior of mankind." Zhang took particular offense to a crucial battle scene, in which massive, human-controlled robots, called Jaegers, fight against the Kaiju just off China's southeastern coast. He says the scene was "deliberately set in the South China Sea," where Beijing has territorial disputes with several of its neighbors.In Zhang's estimation, this serves to "demonstrate the U.S. commitment to maintaining stability" in the region. Zhang was referring to the Obama administration's pivot to East Asia, under which the U.S. plans to move 60 percent of its naval assets to the Pacific by 2020. Many in Beijing view the move as a U.S. attempt to contain China, despite assurances from Washington this is not the case. It is not the first time that U.S. movies have been the subject of official criticism in China, which tightly censors all foreign films for what it views as subversive or otherwise controversial content. In his opinion piece, which was reprinted by several Chinese state media outlets, Zhang says Hollywood movies have "always served as a propaganda machine to convey American values and their strategies in the world." He recommended that Chinese soldiers remain on guard against ideological erosion when watching American movies. China, and its 1.3 billion inhabitants, make up the world's second biggest film market, behind the United States, and is set to become the world's largest by 2020. Many U.S. filmmakers have removed controversial content from their movies in order to get pass Chinese censors and gain access to the lucrative Chinese market. Pill smuggler gets 2.5 years Special
to A.M. Costa Rica
A Korean man detained at Los Angeles International Airport with nearly 40,000 counterfeit erectile dysfunction pills has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison. The man, Kil Jun Lee, 73, of Los Angeles had the pills in a golf bag, said the U.S. Attorney's Office there. Analysis of the pills showed that they were inconsistent with the genuine products, said the U.S. Attorney's Office, adding:. While many of the pills contained the active ingredient for the brand name product, they typically contained the wrong amount (up to 150 percent of the claimed dose) or contained the active ingredient for a competitor’s product (so the purported Viagra would contain the active ingredient found in Cialis). Some of the counterfeit pills had no active ingredient at all. Prosecutors said that the danger to those who might ingest the pills was substantial.
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What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
The contents of this page and this Web site are copyrighted by Consultantes Río Colorado S.A. 2013 and may not be reproduced anywhere without permission. Abstracts and fair use are permitted. Check HERE for details |
A.M. Costa Rica Third News Page |
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Costa Rica advertising reaches from 12,000 to 14,000 unique visitors every weekday in up to 90 countries. |
San José, Costa Rica, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2013, Vol. 13, No. 169 |
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Some lawmakers want special measurement
of women's work |
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By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Women in the legislature backed a propsoed law Monday that would include uncompensated work in the national statistics such as gross national product. The goal of the proposed legislation is to to improve the injustices and inequalities of gender in the country, said a summary. The bill, No. 18.073, has been in the legislature since April 2011, and a presentation Monday was designed to give the concept more visibility. Although it once was shelved, the bill now has been reported out to the floor of the legislature favorably by the Comisión Permanente Especial de la Mujer. according to proponents. The proposal seeks surveys by the Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas y Censos to determine how Costa Ricans spend time that is not paid work. The bill predicts that the outcome will be to produce economic and social indicators that show gender inequality and the contribution of unpaid work to the creation of wealth and well being. The survey would obtain data on domestic work, mainly done by women, which the bill said is fundamental for the modification of social perceptions of the significant work and support to economic and social development of the country. The survey would obtain data on housework, cooking, sewing, shopping, care of children, care of seniors and handicapped, agricultural work, volunteer work recreation and even the time transporting children to school. Men's efforts would be counted, too. The work would be denominated by hours. Proponents noted that more women are involved in paid work now. The national census agency already has some data from its surveys of the families, but the bill calls for more details and to include the unpaid work hours in a special section of the economic data used by the government. The survey work would have to be done within three years of passage of the bill. Supervision would be by the Instituto Nacional de las Mujeres, said the bill. Repeat surveys would have to be done every three years, it said. The bill leaves the details of getting the information up to the census agency. Presumably workers there will come up with an inferential survey to contact a thousand or so homes and project the findings to the population as a whole. The alternative would be a census where workers would have to conduct interviews |
A.M. Costa Rica graphic
Multi-tasking
woman
at nearly every home in the country. There was no indication what the money for the project would originate. The summary of the bill said that similar surveys are taking place in other Latin countries. |
On the road, north or east, there are great places to eat |
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By
Ann Antkiw
Special to A.M. Costa Rica A topic of conversation often arises about where to take visitors on an interesting day trip, or when on route to a specific destination, where to find a stopoff for a good meal or a tasty snack. Residents also have their favorites for an away day out of town that includes the following restaurants: One often mentioned is Restaurant Colbert (2482-2776), which sits outside the village of Vara Blanca in isolation on the top of a windy hill, often covered with swirling mist. After a visit to Poas Volcano or La Paz Waterfall Gardens, there’s no better place to stop and enjoy the warmth of the brick fireplace and the hospitality of owner/chef Joel Suirer. The delicious smell of cooking and his freshly baked, crusty bread permeates the dining room and sets the taste buds tingling while you ponder the menu with its choice of French specialties, using some of his Mother’s cherished recipes. Mouthwatering offerings include rabbit, quail, baby goat and other unusual and inventive culinary delights. Colbert is not cheap, but you pay for what you get. Open Friday through Tuesday noon to 8 p.m. Closed Wednesday and Thursday. Loveat (2447-9331): You can’t miss it! There are billboard signs for miles along the road before you reach this much talked about restaurant, which is part of the Lands in Love Hotel and Resort. The picturesque road between San Ramón and La Fortuna winds through small towns, villages and the misty cloud forest; then 32 kilometers from San Ramón it descends to Loveat. Lands in Love is a great place to spend the day if you want to fly like Tarzan, take the canopy tour or get a kick out of a zip line adventure. After all this excitement you will no doubt, be starving and head for the restaurant. However, in passing this is a must stop where you can satisfy your hunger pangs for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a quick snack on what is claimed to be some of the best vegetarian food in this country. Owned by a group of dedicated, talented Israelis, the restaurant also offers vegan and gluten-free choices, plus will cater to special diet requirements. Dishes from all over the world are on the menu, but the Israeli cuisine and wonderful hummus and falafel, plus the yummy cheesecake and deserts are not to be missed. Open daily 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Nobody came up with a favorite in Arenal. Many of the hotels and resorts have their own restaurants and the ubiquitous steak houses, pizza joints and sodas in town cater mostly to tourists and backpackers. Prices vary considerable from cheap eats to expensive dining. Leaving Arenal behind and driving along the road that runs by the side of the lake offers an alternate, bumpy but scenic route to Monteverde. Between Nuevo Arenal and Tilarán you will find Mystica Lodge & Retreat (2692-1001) that stands on the top of a hill overlooking Lake Arenal and the picture-perfect Arenal Volcano. Mystica Lodge’s restaurant is open for breakfast, but only for guests. Nevertheless, from noon to 9 p.m., visitors are very welcome for lunch and dinner. The charming rustic dining room has indoor and outdoor verandah seating offering panoramic views of the lake and surrounding countryside. At night the open fireplace is lit adding to the warm and cozy ambience, while at the other end of the room the unique, tile cottage, actually a wood burning oven, bakes the most delicious thin crust pizzas. Despite these being Mystica’s tour de force the restaurant offers other traditional Italian family recipes and is well worth a visit, whether you are staying in the area or just passing-by. Perched high in the Tilarán mountain range amidst the swirling mists of the cloud forest, Monteverde and the nearby village of Santa Elena have become one of the country’s most cherished tourist destinations. The multicultural population offers lodgings and restaurants to suit all pocketbooks and when it comes to favorites there are many to choose from, but the same names keep cropping up. Starting in downtown Santa Elena, Morpho’s (2645-7373) with its hand-painted décor inside and out of nature, wildlife and brilliant blue morpho butterflies, is one of the most popular places with locals and tourists alike. It has an excellent selection of tasty Tico standbys and international and vegetarian meals. Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. If business is hopping, the bar will stay open later and snacks are available. Next to the supermarket Trio (2645-5274) offers a unique cuisine infused with exotic flavors. Try the burgers served with arugula and figs, plus the mouth-watering desserts. On a nice day, the small outside balcony with a view overlooking the valley is a delightful place to sit. Open daily 11.30 to 9.30 p.m. The road from Santa Elena to the Monterverde Reserve is lined with hotels and restaurants. Sophia (2645-7017) in Cerro Plano is often touted as one of the best, but expensive in town. Known for their exotic cocktails and Nuevo Latino fusion cuisine, the staff offers a very different kind of menu to tempt the palate. Large windows overlook the lush green landscape and candlelight dining adds to the romantic ambience of this charming cloud forest restaurant. Open daily 11.30 to 9.30 p.m. Chimera (2645-6081) also in Cerro Plano belongs to the same owner as Sophia and offers a selection of inventive Nuevo Latino infused tapas, plus different exotic cocktails. Open daily 11.30 to 9.30 p.m. On the road to the Butterfly Farm Restaurante de Lucía (2645-5337) is a long standing favorite with a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Known for their succulent steaks you can choose your own cut and they will cook it to order. Excellent fresh fish and chicken dishes are available and plates for non-meat eaters. There is a good selection of Chilean wines. Open daily noon to 9 p.m. |
Further
up the road two Italian restaurants compete in popularity. Johnny’s Pizzería
(2645-5066) is an age old favorite
for traditional Italian food and
thin crust wood-burning oven pizzas. The seating on the outdoor covered
verandah is a pleasant place to sit on a nice day. Open daily 11 a.m.
to 9.30 p.m. Tramonti (2645-6120): The Italian owners offer some tempting specialties from the old country such as antipasti, pasta, a good selection of Italian wines and wood-burning oven pizzas; including the much sought-after seafood one. Open daily 11.30 to 9.30 p.m. Across from the Artists’ Cooperative CASEM, Stella’s (2645-5560) is one of Monteverde’s longest running establishments known for its delicious baked goodies, homemade bread, wonderful soups and quiche. Locals drop-by for breakfast and hikers pick-up take-out munchies to sustain them while they explore the Cloud Forest Reserve and return for lunch on the charming patio, ideal for bird-watching. Open daily 6.30 a.m., to 5 p.m. Leaving the misty mountains behind and heading to the Caribbean coast you will find a melting pot of cultural diversity, which is a world unto itself. A reggae beat permeates the small, funky, laid-back community of Cahuita and a variety of small restaurants can be found along the dirt roads, nestled in the jungle, or overlooking the thundering surf. Further down the coast Puerto Viejo is more developed, but the Caribbean vibes remain the same. It attracts many nationalities and expats have set-up businesses in town or by the glorious, palm-fringed beaches of Cocoles, Chiquita and Punta Uva that stretch south along the coastline road where it ends in Manzanillo. Kelly’s Creek (2755-0007) was the one restaurant that stood out in popularity in Cahuita. The charming owners, Andrés and Marie-Claud, original from Madrid have been running a tight ship for over 15 years. Located at the entrance to Cahuita National Park. this all-wooden hotel and restaurant is situated by a creek abundant with wildlife where Roberto the alligator and his family live and enjoy the restaurant’s morning offerings of chicken legs. The menu is basically Spanish cuisine and the specialty is classic paella, which should be ordered in the morning for dinner that night. Kelly Creek’s restaurant is open to non-guests for breakfast 6.30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and dinner 6.30 to 9 p.m. Puerto Viejo has all sorts of eateries to entice you, which cover an array of choices from cheap and cheerful to a selection that fall in a more pricey range. Sodas serving typical home cooked Caribbean specialties, plus vegetarian, European baked goodies, Thai, pizza and gourmet Italian are all there to satisfy your whim. Despite the choice people still have their favorites and a few are repeatedly mentioned. Ms. Sam (2750-0181) is a Puerto Viejo household name for reasonably priced Caribbean specialties. Pan Pay Café (2750-0081) offers freshly baked bread and croissants and is a favorite for breakfast. Chili Rojo (2750-0108) is popular for Thai and Asian fusion, plus the always crowded Café Viejo (2750-0817) for tasty pasta, pizza and night life. The Black Beach dirt road winds along the coastline, and at the end, 1.5 km. from town Hotel Banana Azul (2750-2035) welcomes drop-in guests to join those staying at the hotel to enjoy their excellent, hearty breakfast, lunch at the Azul Beach Club, and their fixed price three-course dinner, which changes daily. Apart from meat, chicken and the catch of the day, the menu also caters to vegetarian, gluten-free and ovo-lacto diets. Friday is fajita fiesta night and Sunday a Caribbean night. The restaurant is open daily for breakfast 7.30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Lunch 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and dinner 6 p.m. to 8.30. The Pecora Negra (2750-0490) south of Puerto Viejo in Playa Cocoles is an all-time favorite on the Caribbean coast for pricey, but outstanding, gourmet, Italian cuisine. The small, thatched roof, open air restaurant’s exuberant owner/ chef Ilario Giannoni’s menu offers a small selection of traditional Italian dishes. However, his regular clientele, of which there’re many, wait with bated breath for his fantastic nightly specials, which he prepares in his open kitchen with great aplomb according to his whims. Open 5.30 to 10 p.m. Closed Monday. Reservations recommended. Maxi’s (2759-9073): this second-floor open-air restaurant overlooking the ocean has been an all time favorite for years. People would drive the pot-holed, dirt road that ends in Manzanillo long before it was paved, just to eat at Maxi’s. Lobster when in season, mouth-watering fresh fish and Caribbean platters are the order of the day. Open daily noon to 9.p.m. |
You need to see Costa Rican tourism information HERE! |
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What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
The contents of this page and this Web site are copyrighted by Consultantes Río Colorado S.A. 2013 and may not be reproduced anywhere without permission. Abstracts and fair use are permitted. Check HERE for details |
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A.M. Costa Rica's Fourth News page | |||||
San José, Costa Rica, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2013, Vol. 13, No. 169 |
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Cargo boat yields 300 kilos of cocaine when agents inspect
the hull |
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By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The cocaine is coming in so fast and furious that police need a forklift to handle it. Or at least to lift what smugglers used to hide the drugs. Some 300 kilos of cocaine turned up in cargo ship over the weekend when anti-drug agents and members of the Servicio Nacional de Guardacostas searched it while the craft was tied up at Moín. The cargo boat began its trip in Puerto de Turbo, Antioquia, Colombia, said the Policía de Control de Drogas. The 300 one-kilo packages of cocaine were inside a metal structure that was affixed to the hull of the ship, they said. No one has been detained, said police, because the investigation is continuing. Using an ocean-going cargo ship is a change in tactics because smugglers usually load cocaine on small fastboats with three 200-horsepower outboard motors. However, they have used submarines in the past as well as aircraft. |
Ministerio de Gobernación,
Policía y Seguridad Pública photo
Operator uses a forklift to move
the metal container in which drug packages were found. |
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What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
The contents of this page and this Web site are copyrighted by Consultantes Río Colorado S.A. 2013 and may not be reproduced anywhere without permission. Abstracts and fair use are permitted. Check HERE for details |
A.M. Costa Rica's Fifth news page |
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San José, Costa Rica, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2013, Vol. 13, No. 169 |
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Terrorist Army
major hears
the results of his rampage By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
In a courtroom at Fort Hood, Texas Monday, Major Nidal Hasan sat quietly as witness after witness described how their lives were shattered when he went on a murderous shooting rampage there in November 2009. The jury hearing the dramatic testimony has only two choices with regard to Hasan's fate: life in prison or death. Relatives of the 13 people killed by Nidal Hasan in his methodical killing spree nearly four years ago told the jury Monday about their pain and suffering. Some parents and spouses of the dead said they feel their lives also ended that day. Three men wounded in the shootings told the jury how their careers and the lives they had hoped to live were taken away by Hasan. The convicted murderer remained silent as the witnesses spoke. Geoffrey Corn, a former military prosecutor who now teaches at the South Texas College of Law in Houston, was on hand at Fort Hood for the dramatic testimony. "One particularly compelling victim was an army sergeant who had been selected to attend officer candidate school and is now paralyzed for the rest of his life on his left side," he said. "He lost 20 percent of his brain and never was able to fulfill that dream because of this guy's depraved decision to kill as many people as he could." Testimony in this punishment phase of the trial will continue Tuesday and then Hasan, who is representing himself, will have a chance to either call witnesses or make a statement to the jury. During the first phase of the trial, Hasan called no witnesses and rested his case without making any statement. Corn says Hasan still has one option left. "He can give what is called an unsworn statement, which means he is not under oath and he does not have to be subjected to cross examination. And he can give it in a narrative form. That is the most likely scenario because then he gets to say whatever he wants." Corn says the jury, or panel as it is known in military law, will consider the law and the evidence when making its decision. "The prosecution has clearly and unambiguously established how incredibly aggravated the nature of this crime was, and the law tells us that the maximum penalty under the law is death," he said. "The real question is does he deserve the maximum penalty authorized by law? And I think when they get to that question they are going to answer yes." Even if the jury votes for the death penalty, Hasan likely will live in prison for some years to come, as automatic appeals run their course. There are five inmates on the U.S. military's death row. No military prisoner has been executed since 1961. Second sergeant honored for extreme valor in a battle By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The highest U.S. military honor has been presented to Army Staff Sgt. Ty Carter, who risked his life to save a wounded soldier who was pinned down by enemy fire during a 2009 battle in Afghanistan. President Obama presented the Medal of Honor to Carter during a ceremony Monday at the White House. Obama called Carter a true hero and said his service and selfless actions saved many lives. Carter is the second U.S. service member to receive the award for bravery in an Oct. 3, 2009, battle, during which Taliban insurgents tried to overrun Combat Outpost Keating in Afghanistan's Nuristan province. Eight U.S. soldiers were killed in the fighting. It is the first battle since the Vietnam War in which two living service members earned the Medal of Honor. Staff Sgt. Clinton Romesha received his medal in February. The last battle for which two living service members received the Medal of Honor was the 1967 Battle of Ap Bac in Vietnam. Massive wildfire endangers San Francisco water supply By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
One of the largest California wildfires in decades roared largely unchecked for a 10th day through forests in and around Yosemite National Park Monday and threatened a reservoir that supplies most of San Francisco's water. As of midday, the eastern flank of the so-called Rim Fire had burned to within a mile of Yosemite's Hetch Hetchy reservoir on the Tuolumne River, raising concerns about the possibility of ash and soot contaminating the sprawling artificial lake. Saturday, flames had been no closer than four miles from the reservoir, which supplies 85 percent of the water consumed by 2.6 million people in San Francisco and several communities in three adjacent counties about 200 miles (320 km) to the west. Roughly 300 million gallons of water is carried to the San Francisco Bay area daily through tunnels and an aqueduct, and reservoir samples show water quality has remained healthy since the fire began Aug. 17, according to a spokeswoman for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. “There's no evidence of a change in the water quality, and there's no change in our ability to deliver that water to all of our customers,” said the spokeswoman, Suzanne Gautier. If fallout from the blaze were to foul the Hetch Hetchy, its water could be diverted to a smaller Bay Area reservoir for filtration at a local treatment plant before delivery to customers, she said. The Rim Fire, named for a Stanislaus National Forest lookout point called Rim of the World, has already damaged two of the three hydropower generating stations linked to the Hetch Hetchy reservoir that supply electricity for all of San Francisco's public facilities, such as hospitals and firehouses. Gautier said the city for now was continuing to draw on reserve power stored for emergencies and purchasing additional electricity on the open market to make up for the difference. Despite threats to water and power, firefighters have made headway against the blaze, although rugged terrain and the fire's remote location were complicating efforts to subdue the flames, fire managers said. “There are places where they can't get in,” said Mike Ferris, a spokesman for the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho. “It's just inaccessible.” As of Monday morning, fire crews working with hand tools and backed by bulldozers and water-dropping helicopters had carved containment lines around 15 percent of the blaze's perimeter, more than double Sunday's figure, though the fire's footprint continued to grow. The blaze in the western Sierra Nevada Mountains was among the fastest-moving of some 50 large wildfires raging across the drought-parched U.S. West. The fires have strained resources and prompted fire managers to open talks with Pentagon commanders and Canadian officials about possible reinforcements. According to the latest estimates, the Rim Fire has charred nearly 150,000 acres (60,703 hectares) or 234 square miles - the size of the city of Chicago - most of that in the Stanislaus National Forest west of Yosemite. That ranks the blaze as the largest wildfire in California since August 2009, when the so-called Station Fire ravaged nearly 145,000 acres of the Angeles National Park north of Los Angeles, and one of the 20 biggest in state history, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. By Monday morning, nearly 22,000 acres (8,903 hectares) within Yosemite had burned, forcing the closure of the main road leading into the park from the San Francisco Bay area and prompting the evacuation of 74 campsites in the park's White Wolf area, officials said. But the majority of the 1,200-square-mile Yosemite National Park, including the Yosemite Valley area famous for its towering rock formations, waterfalls, meadows and pine forests, remained open to the public. The fire was not believed to pose a threat to the concrete structure of the 90-year-old O'Shaughnessy Dam, which forms the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, or of the granite basin it was built into, Ms. Gautier said. But in addition to the immediate potential fallout of ash and soot, Hetch Hetchy's water could be left vulnerable to heavy runoff of debris and topsoil stripped of vegetation by the blaze and washed into the reservoir by winter rains, she said. “When you burn down everything, you've got a moonscape out there when floods can contaminate the water,” Gov. Jerry Brown said during a visit to the fire zone Monday. He declared a state of emergency for San Francisco Friday due to threats to the city's water supply. The blaze has destroyed about a dozen homes and 1,000 outbuildings, and some 4,500 additional dwellings remained threatened. Residents in the tiny town of Tuolumne and other communities near the western edge of the park were evacuated, but evacuation orders have been lifted for the enclaves of Pine Mountain Lake and Buck Meadows. The cause of the wildfire remained under investigation. More than 3,700 firefighters have been assigned to the blaze, which was burning over steep terrain through scrub, oak and pine, stoked by stiff winds, high temperatures and low humidity. Immigrant investor status in U.S. now cost $500,000 By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
An Idaho gold mine, a proposed wind farm in central Washington state, a new casino in Las Vegas and ski resort expansions in Vermont, all have one thing in common: they're investment vehicles for well-to-do families seeking U.S. green cards. Under U.S. immigration law, wealthy foreigners can get a green card by investing at least a half-million dollars to create at least 10 jobs in America. That looked like a good plan to Canadian Jordan Gagner. He and his wife had a problem a few years ago. They needed to relocate to a drier, desert climate. Something like Arizona. At first glance, the prospects for permanently relocating south of the border looked daunting. "Being a self-employed wealth manager and a teacher, those are two occupations that are not on the top 10 lists of visas being given to foreigners to come down to the U.S.," Gagner said. "Trying to get an executive visa of some sort would've been very hard to do." But then Gagner discovered the immigrant investor visa shortcut. He and a number of other foreign investors chipped in $500,000 each to build an assisted living complex outside Bellingham, Washington. Gagner got credit for creating lots of construction jobs in the midst of the recent recession and the whole family received green cards. Bellingham immigration lawyer David Andersson orchestrated the deal. He's made a business out of bringing together developers who need low-cost capital and prospective immigrants with money. "If you have a solid investment and there may be a benefit which exceeds mere return, such as the ability to move your family to America, then an investor may consider a lower return than, for example, a bank," he said. Andersson was a pioneer in an industry that he says is now experiencing amazing proliferation and growth. The matchmaking companies are officially known as "EB-5 regional centers," so named for the relevant provision of U.S. immigration law. Originally, these investment centers stuck to straightforward real estate deals. But now the options for wealthy, would-be immigrants are much more diverse. More than 200 immigrant investors from China are financing the revival of 100-year-old gold mines in southwest Idaho. In a marketing video, a former executive of Gold Hill Reclamation and Mining describes how his company reprocesses leftover ore and mine tailings. A majority of immigrant investors come from China and prospective investors are asking more questions before signing up. This past winter, a Chicago hotel development that attracted backing from several hundred visa seekers was exposed as a fraud. Other Chinese investors demanded refunds from the organizer of a project tied to a new toll bridge between Seattle, Washington, and its eastern suburbs. They put money into state highway construction bonds, but then had to wait for an unusually long time, 20 months, to apply for their visas because of uncertainty over whether federal officials would approve the novel investment. Novel for EB-5 visa purposes, that is. Mike Mattox and his Lacey, Washington-based firm, Access the USA, organized that deal. He says, despite those complications, offering municipal bonds could be a game changer. "If the underwriting is in place, the relationship is in place," Mattox said. "If it is done correctly, it will be very successful. As far as marketing, this is what the market wants." The owner of a different immigration and economic development firm based in Lynnwood, Washington, thinks there's also a market for wind power investors. The firm invited well-off Koreans to back a proposed wind farm in central Washington state. But nearby landowner Harland Radomske fears a wind farm next door will reduce the value of his horse and cattle ranch. And that's not all. "What upsets me is also just the plain fact to realize we have all of this controversy going over immigration, the borders of Mexico, and all of that, issues before the Congress and Senate and so on," Radomske said. "And now we find out unbeknownst, if you’re a rich foreigner, you can buy your way to citizenship." The wind project developers declined multiple requests for an interview. Despite the general controversy over immigration, the foreign investor program has broad support in Congress. Legislation recently sent to the House by the U.S. Senate would make the program permanent. Attorney Andersson acknowledges the visa program accounts for only a small fraction of direct foreign investment. But he says it brings favorable results. "In creating jobs in your neighborhood and in our state, the unemployment rate goes down," he said. "We have more taxpayers. Therefore, we can have more services. In other words, we have economic development." The immigrant investor program has an annual cap of 10,000 visas and had never come close to that number before. But the regional center industry group predicts investor visa applications could reach the cap next year. Starbucks entering Colombia with at least 50 retail outlets By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Starbucks Coffee Co., which has exported coffee beans from Colombia for more than four decades, plans to open its first cafe in the Andean country in 2014 and serve only locally-grown coffee. The world's biggest coffee chain hopes to open at least 50 coffee shops in cities across Colombia in the next five years, starting in the capital Bogota. The announcement by the Seattle based-firm coincided with protests by local coffee growers who are demanding the government provide more aid to counter low global prices and cheap imports hitting the world's biggest producer of washed arabica beans. “We've had great success in Latin American and it's well overdue for us to open up in Colombia,” Starbucks Chief Executive Howard Schultz said in an interview, adding that he hoped to open at least six stores in the first year. A military crackdown on drug-funded insurgent groups has made Colombia more attractive to foreign firms once fearful of investing in the nation when the conflict between Marxist rebels and the government was at its height. In addition to opening stores, Starbucks said it would partner with the U. S. Agency for International Development and invest a joint $3 million in a plan to help 25,000 farmers in conflict-hit areas of Colombia increase coffee yields. Starbucks' new coffee shops will be run by a joint venture between Mexican restaurant firm Alsea, which operates more than 500 Starbucks stores in Latin America, and Colcafe, a subsidiary of Grupo Nutresa, the fourth-largest Colombian food company. Colcafe helped Starbucks develop Via, its instant coffee product, launched in 2008. The Via manufacturing business, Starbucks' only roasting facility in Colombia, will be expanded to roast espresso blends and packaged coffee for sale in the country. “We want to sell Colombian coffee in Colombia,” said Craig Russell, Starbucks' senior vice president of global coffee. The USAID-Starbucks program will be directed at farmers in Antioquia, Tolima, Huila and Cauca, rich coffee-growing areas where there is still a FARC presence. A major aim of the initiative is to reduce “extreme poverty, which is still a reality for almost all of these small-scale coffee growers that have barely one hectare (2.5 acres) of land,” said USAID chief Raj Shah. Carlos Piedrahita, head of Nutresa, said Starbucks' entrance into Colombia's coffee shop market would mean investment and jobs. “This means more demand for our national produce,” said Piedrahita, speaking at a press conference in Bogota alongside Schultz. Starbucks said its research suggests the cost of the chain's beverages, known for being relatively expensive around the world, won't deter consumers. The company declined to reveal its Colombia pricing, citing competitiveness. Schultz said Starbucks would not undercut the country's farmer-owned Juan Valdez chain and probably charge a little more to create Starbucks home-from-home lounge environment. He emphasized the company wanted to make a respectful entry into a country that has been a key coffee supplier for many years. |
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San José, Costa Rica, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2013, Vol. 13, No. 169 | |||||||||
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October seems to be
deadline for hike in U.S. debt limit By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The Obama administration warned Congress on Monday that the United States could run out of money to pay its bills soon after mid-October if lawmakers do not move swiftly to raise a limit on government borrowing. “Congress should act as soon as possible to protect America's good credit,” Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said in a letter to congressional leaders, urging action “well before any risk of default becomes imminent.” The government has been scraping up against its $16.7 trillion debt limit since May, but has avoid defaulting on any of its obligations by employing a number of emergency measures to manage its cash, like suspending investments in pension funds for federal workers. Lew said the government will exhaust its borrowing capacity in the middle of October and be left with about $50 billion in cash on hand, an amount that he said could conceivably be wiped out in a single day. That would make default imminent and could shake investors' confidence in the United States, he said. “Such a scenario could undermine financial markets and result in significant disruptions to our economy,” Lew added. A heated debate in Washington over the debt ceiling nearly led to default in 2011. This roiled financial markets at the time and helped prompt a Wall Street rating agency to downgrade America's debt rating. This year, Republicans are considering using the need to raise the debt ceiling as leverage for their agenda in Congress. The party is trying to weaken President Barack Obama's signature healthcare overhaul. Conservatives also want to reform tax laws and get Obama to approve a proposed oil pipeline. “The debt limit remains a reminder that, under President Obama, Washington has failed to deal seriously with America's debt and deficit,” said Michael Steel, a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner. While Congress has already taken the tax and spending decisions that have fueled U.S. budget deficits, it also separately controls the limit on the nation's debt. Obama is vowing not to let the debt ceiling be a bargaining chip in other political discussions. “We will not negotiate with Republicans in Congress over Congress' responsibility to pay the bills that Congress has racked up, period,” said White House spokesman Jay Carney. Previously, the Obama administration had said Congress needed to act by early September, but a strengthening economy has boosted tax receipts, buying the government more time before it runs out of borrowing room. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has said the government might not exhaust its borrowing capacity until November, an estimate in line with private sector forecasts. |
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From Page 7: BAC San José gets $20 million for small and medium business loans Special
to A.M. Costa Rica
The Inter-American Investment Corp. and Banco BAC San José, S.A. have signed an agreement for a revolving credit of up to $20 million, which will provide financing to over 260 small and medium-sized enterprises in Costa Rica. With this financing, BAC San José will diversify its funding sources and provide medium- and long-term subloans to small and medium-sized enterprises in productive sectors such as commerce, industry, services, tourism, and agroindustry, as well as the export sector. The credit will give preferential financing to clients committed to energy efficiency and technologies for the reduction of carbon emissions. “The IIC and Banco BAC San José have a long history of collaboration and together have given over 600 Costa Rican SMEs access to medium-term financing,” noted Laura Oradei-Bayz, chief of the Investment Corp.'s Portfolio Management Division. “Through this credit facility we are reaffirming our commitment to continue helping SMEs grow and prosper in an economically and socially sustainable manner in an increasingly competitive market.” Gerardo Corrales, executive vice president of BAC San José, added, “We are honored that the IIC continues to put its trust in our organization, not only through financing but also as a strategic partner for the implementation of its technical assistance programs in Central America. We hope to continue strengthening this relationship to foster growth, development, and job creation in Costa Rica’s SMEs.” With over 25 years’ experience in the market, Banco BAC San José is Costa Rica’s largest private bank. It provides universal banking financial services to local customers and offers residential mortgage loans, personal and corporate loans, and loans to small and medium-sized enterprises. BAC San José, part of the BAC Credomatic group, with operations throughout Central America, is an indirect subsidiary of Colombia’s Banco de Bogotá S.A. This project is the third one by the Investment Corp. with BAC San José. The first one, a loan approved in 2009, benefited 383 small and medium-sized enterprises, and the second, a loan approved the following year, assisted another 221. The Inter-American Investment Corp., a member of the Inter-American Development Bank Group, promotes private-sector development in Latin America and the Caribbean with a focus on small and medium-sized enterprises. |