Archive for September 2nd, 2009
Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
As if the job weren’t difficult enough, being a Latin American president suddenly has become more perilous.
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has come down with swine flu – he was recuperating at home Tuesday in Bogota – becoming the second Latin American president, after Costa Rica’s Oscar Arias, to be victimized by the virus in less than a month.
Now at least six other Latin American presidents who met Friday with Uribe, the day he began to suffer from the flu’s telltale signs, are being watched for symptoms. One of those, Evo Morales of Bolivia, said he was taking the flu-fighting drug Tamiflu in hopes of warding off the illness.
The infection rate for Latin American presidents so far is more than 10 times the global average of less than 1 percent. However, the significance of two falling ill from the virus is more than just a statistical oddity, flu experts said. It’s a reminder that everyday activities put everyone at risk of coming into contact with the virus.
“Presidents shake a lot of hands,” said Gregory Hartl, a spokesman for the World Health Organization. “The more people you come into contact with, the greater chance you’ll contract the virus.”
“Disease knows no boundary and respects no rank,” said Daniel Epstein, the Pan American Health Organization’s spokesman. “The best prevention – besides taking medicines when they become available – is an emphasis on personal hygiene, especially cleaning hands with soap and water. This goes for everybody, including presidents.” (more…)
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Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
The Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo Monday afternoon put a temporary halt on the expected reduction in electrical rates that was to have take effect today, September 1.
The suspension is until Friday, September 3, then the Tribunal will hold a hearing on the application by the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE).
Last week the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (Aresep) – regulator of public prices and services – approved a 7.2% decrease of electrical rates.
ICE objected to the decrease saying that it would affect negatively the institution’s financial position.
The approved reduction was based on a filing by the Cámara de Industrias y la Asociación de grandes consumidores de energía that proved that ICE did not spend the budgeted ¢98 billion colones in energy production, but rather about half that.
The Cámara argued that consumers should be compensated.
Friday the court will decide if the reduction approval will be permitted or be annuled.
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Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
So far a total 500 fake tickets to the Costa Rica – Mexico soccer game have been detected following a call by the Federación de Fútbol for an exchange of tickets that began last week.
Gina Escobar of the Federación confirmed the number of fake tickets, while the Federación lawyer, Milton Castro, assures that there is no concern, blaming the whole incident on the weakness of the system used by Specialticket to sell tickets to sports events.
Castro said that they have not yet been able to determine where the fake tickets came from or how they were distributed.
Last week the Federación recalled all tickets to the soccer game that will be played at the Saprissa stadium on Saturday, September 5.
A woman working at Specialticket, in charge of tickets, was detained, interrogated and then let go with “medidas cautelares” (bail) following the detection of the fake tickets. The woman’s identity has not been made public.
Federación officials say that the investigation into the fake tickets is continuing by judicial authorities, who expect more raids and arrests in the matter.
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Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
The cellular telephone network known as “Red Alcatel” will completely disappear in the coming weeks, as the work to move all the 400.000 lines on that network to the Ericsson network will be moved.
The move will not be felt by the users.
Originally ICE had announced that all customers with cellular numbers between 8810 and 8850 would have to visit an ICE agency to obtain a new SIM chip that would replace the existing chip.
However, once ICE completes the work, customers need only to turn off and then turn on their cellular phone.
The move is part of ICE’s improvement of the GSM network with an investment of us$17 million dollars for the transfer that was necessary as the Alcatel network was lacking proper maintenance, resulting in a deterioration of service.
The Alcatel network was the first of the two GSM networks in Costa Rica and also the centre of a scandal involving payoffs to ICE and government officials from Alcatel executives.
Alcatel network customers will be notified by ICE when the changeover is complete and to take the action of turning off their cellular telephones.
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Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
The tiny country of Costa Rica is a nature-lover’s paradise. With two coasts, one on the Pacific Ocean and the other on the Caribbean Sea, the ecological variations and contrasting landscapes make Costa Rica one of the most appealing Honeymoon destinations. Complete with lush rainforests, active volcanoes, mountainous regions and rugged coastlines, couples looking for a romantic adventure will not be disappointed.
Many honeymooners begin their exploration in the Arenal area, starting with a look at the flowing lava of the Arenal Volcano. Not far from Arenal, you will encounter the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. This rainforest is one of the most outstanding wildlife refuges in Costa Rica, complete with hundreds of different species of mammals, birds and insects. Hike through the jungle or get a birds-eye view on a canopy tour where you will swing through the trees above on a zip line.
On the Pacific coast, the Guanacaste region of the Nicoya Peninsula is the best place to find long stretches of deserted sands where you and your partner can disappear for a while. There are also several semi-active volcanoes here plus cattle ranches and lakes. Guanacaste is the driest area of Costa Rica, experiencing only about 65 inches of rain each year, but some amazing waterfalls can still be seen in the jungles surrounding Montezuma.
A few cozy boutique hotels that cater to honeymooners can be found on Mount Chirripo, the highest peak in the country. Perched above the sea on the central Pacific coast, this area boasts spectacular views. In the south along this coast is a very humid, remote and largely undeveloped area with many protected areas and national parks. Check into a nature lodge near the shore of Golfo Dulce where privacy is easy to come by. Explore rainforests or take advantage of the warmer waters in this region and go scuba diving in the Cano Island Biological Preserve. Stony coral, huge schools of fish, manta rays and sharks are common sightings here.
The Caribbean coast is blanketed with rivers, rainforests and banana plantations and has many remote and secluded areas, perfect for a romantic getaway. Visit the Tortuguero National Park to witness sea turtles nesting or take a riverboat trip and explore the unique biodiversity of the area. The Cahuita National Park is a gorgeous, palm-lined beach with colorful coral reefs very close to shore and a few sunken ships to explore as well. This region is also a popular destination for white water rafting on one of the many rivers which plunge through mountain gorges and offer spectacular scenery.
Romance and excitement will be the theme for your honeymoon as you wander through the rich ecological treasures of Costa Rica. Bring your sense of adventure, a love of nature and do not forget the camera!
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