Tuesday´s News

Costa Rica: Tax Bill Gathers Opposition

From: http://www.insidecostarica.com

The tax measure hammered out in a meeting between President Laura Chinchilla (Partido Liberación Nacional - PLN) and Otton Solis, chief of the Partido Acción Cuidadana Party (PAC) has inevitably run into a few objections Thursday in its first appearance on the floor of the Legislative Assembly.

The objections number 1,250, to be exact, the vast majority of them (1,100) from the Movimiento Liberatio (ML), but other smaller parties weighing in as well.

The Broad Front Party (Frente Amplio) registered 100, the PASE party 35 and Social Christian Unity (PUSC) 20. That was the count Friday morning, but parties may present others through Monday.

Thereafter, deputies offering the proposed changes to the plan and those opposing amendments have four days in which to discuss the bill and insert alterations in it. Then it will be voted on.

The reform, in case you got in on the action too late, proposes to turn the 13% sales tax into an ad valorem tax. It would also make the sales tax 14% and include many services now exempt.

Libertarian deputy Manuel Hernandez whose party opposes the tax package does not rule out presenting more amendments on Monday. If PAC and Liberation can keep their votes together, they have a chance to push the measure through.

But several groups have a push back planned outside the unicameral congressional halls on Central Avenue in downtown San Jose. For example, the high school teacher's union, APSE, strongly opposes the bill as now written.

The teachers plan to mobilize a broad front of university students, unions, social organizations, banana workers--even Caja anesthesiologists and physicians [who are already on strike.]

Chief target of APSE is a 2% tax on private education contained in the bill. "As an organization defending the right of education," said Beatriz Terreto, APSE president, "We are worried about the tax on private education, lest the cost of registration and courses becomes unpayable."

But other onerous contents of the bill are a tax similar to education on private medical care, a 15% tax on dividends for companies in the free zone industrial parks. This latter tax, although it would not go into effect until 2015, has already caused some foreign companies to rethink their plans for expansion here.

Both PASE and Broad Front representatives have presented modifications to the latter measure. An estimated 60,000 persons are workers in the free zones that were made tax free by past administrations to attract just such businesses. It is unusual for these tiny parties to side with businesses.

Manrique Oviedo, PAC floor leader, dismisses the majority of the amendments as "irrational," meant simply to slow down the passing of the bill.

Word of the Day

Inevitable
in·ev·i·ta·ble: \i-ne-və-tə-bəl\
Origin: Middle English, from Latin inevitabilis, from in- + evitabilis evitable
First Known Use: 14th century
Adjective
incapable of being avoided or evaded <an inevitable outcome>
Adverb
1: in an inevitable way
2: as is to be expected <inevitably, it rained>

More Vocabulary

Ad valorem: adj. imposed at a rate percent of value
Alter: v. to make different without changing into something else
Amendment: n. a change in the words or meaning of a law or document
Exempt: n. one exempted or freed from duty
Lest: conj. for fear that —often used after an expression denoting fear or apprehension <worried lest she should be late> <hesitant to speak out lest he be fired>
Onerous: adj. involving, imposing, or constituting a burden : troublesome
Unicameral: adj. having or consisting of a single legislative chamber

Tuesday´s News

Colombian president warns U.S., Europe to shape up

From: www.cnn.com

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has a message for Europe and the United States: "Put your house in order."

In an interview with CNN's Richard Quest, the Colombian president, who took office in August of last year, said he sees an "economic hurricane" sweeping the industrialized world.

His warnings are not just empty talk. The South American country's economy is expected to grow 5.5 percent this year. It is among the group of countries financial analysts call the "CIVETS": Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey and South Africa.

As HSBC CEO Michael Geoghegan described them in a speech in London last year, these countries have a "large, young, growing population. Each has a diverse and dynamic economy. And each, in relative terms, is politically stable." A civet is also a small, nocturnal mammal with a long body and short legs that is native to the tropical forests of Asia and Africa.

Asked by Quest what advice Santos would give to the United States and Europe, Santos said now is the time to act decisively.

"We're saying what they told us 10 years ago," Santos said. "Put your house in order; because your disorder is affecting us. Take the decisions that are necessary. Have the political will and the political capacity to make unpopular decisions that are necessary because you're going to affect the whole world if you continue with this uncertainty."

Santos also warned that the United States and Europe cannot get out of trouble by printing money and using creative monetary policy. "That money will not stay (in their countries) because it will go after a better return (somewhere else)," he said.

Santos also said that another global financial crisis would erase the growth achieved by countries such as his in the past decade.

Word of the Day

Will
\wəl, (ə)l, əl, ˈwil\
Origin: Middle English (1st & 3d singular present indicative), from Old English wille (infinitive wyllan); akin to Old High German wili (3d singular present indicative) wills, Latin velle to wish, will
First Known Use: before 12th century
Verb
transitive verb
1: desire, wish <call it what you will>
2 a : to order or direct by a will <willed that her property be divided among her children>; b : to dispose of by or as if by a will : bequeath <willed his entire estate to this wife>
3a : to determine by an act of choice; b : decree, ordain <Providence wills it>; c : intend, purpose; d: to cause or change by an act of will <believed he could will himself to succeed>; also : to try to do so
verbal auxiliary
1—used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent, or in negative constructions refusal <no one would take the job> <if we will all do our best> <will you please stop that racket>
2—used to express frequent, customary, or habitual action or natural tendency or disposition <will get angry over nothing> <will work one day and loaf the next>
3—used to express futurity <tomorrow morning I will wake up in this first-class hotel suite — Tennessee Williams>
4—used to express capability or sufficiency <the back seat will hold three passengers>
5—used to express probability and often equivalent to the simple verb <that will be the babysitter>
6a —used to express determination, insistence, persistence, or willfulness <I have made up my mind to go and go I will>; b —used to express inevitability <accidents will happen>
7—used to express a command, exhortation, or injunction <you will do as I say, at once>
intransitive verb
1: to have a wish or desire <whether we will or no>
2: to exercise the will
3: choose <do as you will>
noun
1: desire, wish: as
2 a: disposition, inclination <where there's a will there's a way>; b : appetite, passion; c : choice, determination
3 a : something desired; especially : a choice or determination of one having authority or power; b (1) archaic : request, command (2) [from the phrase our will is which introduces it] : the part of a summons expressing a royal command
4: the act, process, or experience of willing : volition
5 a : mental powers manifested as wishing, choosing, desiring, or intending; b : a disposition to act according to principles or ends; c : the collective desire of a group <the will of the people>
6: the power of control over one's own actions or emotions <a man of iron will>
7: a legal declaration of a person's wishes regarding the disposal of his or her property or estate after death; especially : a written instrument legally executed by which a person makes disposition of his or her estate to take effect after death

More Vocabulary

Erase: v. to remove from existence or memory
Office: n. a special duty, charge, or position conferred by an exercise of governmental authority and for a public purpose : a position of authority to exercise a public function and to receive whatever emoluments may belong to it
Policy: n. prudence or wisdom in the management of affairs
Relative: adj. relevant, pertinent

Idioms & Phrases

Put one's house in order: to put one's business or personal affairs into good order. (As if one were cleaning one's house.) 

• There was some trouble in the department office and the manager was told to put his house in order.

Tuesday´s News

New scandal clouds anticipated decision in Crucitas case

From: www.amcostarica.com

The proposal for an open pit gold mine in northern Costa Rica has taken a scandalous turn.

The Poder Judicial has confirmed that an investigation has been launched because someone appears to have leaked a draft of a decision in the case by the Sala Primera high court.

The Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo has annulled the agreement under which Industrias Infinito S.A. was to mine nearly a million ounces of gold. The project has been controversial since it was announced because of environmental concerns and, in part, because the parent company of the local firm is Canadian.

The essence of the draft was not made public, but prosecutors are investigating. Only a limited number of persons in the Corte Suprema de Justicia had access to the document.

This is the Crucitas mine case that was supported strongly by former president Óscar Arias Sánchez. The project ran into problems because in order to dig for the gold some protected trees will have to be felled.

The case already has been before the Sala IV, which basically gave the project the go ahead.

The Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo then faulted the process by which the government issued permits. The Sala Primera is hearing an appeal of that decision.

Infinito said that Crucitas is environmentally, economically and socially viable for Costa Rica. The firm in a release lamented the fact that the project has been frozen for three years. The company noted that the formal complaint was filed by Anabelle León, president of Sala Primera.

The company said its parent firm was evaluating the impact of yet another delay and said that the firm was gathering information for a possible international arbitration.

Word of the Day

Mine
Origin: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *mina, probably of Celtic origin; akin to Welsh mwyn ore
First Known Use: 14th century
Noun
1 a: a pit or excavation in the earth from which mineral substances are taken; b: an ore deposit
2: a subterranean passage under an enemy position
3: an encased explosive that is placed in the ground or in water and set to explode when disturbed
4: a rich source of supply
Verb
transitive verb
1a: to dig under to gain access or cause the collapse of (an enemy position); b: undermine
2a: to get (as ore) from the earth; b : to extract from a source <information mined from the files>
3: to burrow beneath the surface of <larva that mines leaves>
4: to place military mines in, on, or under <mine a harbor>
5a : to dig into for ore or metal; b: to process for obtaining a natural constituent <mine the air for nitrogen>; c: to seek valuable material in
intransitive verb
1: to dig a mine

More Vocabulary

Annul: v. to declare or make legally invalid or void
Arbitrate: v. to submit or refer for decision to an arbiter
Essence: n. the most significant element, quality, or aspect of a thing or person
Fell: v. to cut, knock, or bring down
Leak: v. to become known despite efforts at concealment
Scandalous: adj. offensive to propriety or morality : shocking

Tuesday´s News

San José Went To The Dogs On Sunday

Some 4.000 were escorted by their pets in the march against animal abuse!

From: www.insidecostarica.com

They came out in the thousands with their pets taking to the streets of downtown San José in a march to give aresounding no to animal abuse.

Although the majority of the animals escorting their owners were dogs, big and small, and everything in between, on hand were a cat or two and a couple of goats.

In total, organizers says some 4.000 people and their pets gathered in Parque Central at 10 am and moved slowly to the Plaza de la Democracia, diagonal to the Legislative Assembly building.

The common goal was to speak in one voice for all abused animals.

Another objective of the march was to collect signatures for Law 7451 that would punish animal abuse. According to organizers they needed 152.000 signatures for the project to be presented before the Legislature to criminalize animal abuse.

Insidecostarica.com was there without one of our five Siberian Huskys, Rosso. ICR is also home to another six dogs rescued from the streets.

In Curribadat, a parallel event took place.

Word of the Day

Parallel
par·al·lel:\ˈper-ə-ˌlel, ˈpa-rə-, -ləl\
Origin: Latin parallelus, from Greek parallēlos, from para beside + allēlōn of one another, from allos … allos one … another, from allos other — more at else
First Known Use: 1549
Adjective
1 a : extending in the same direction, everywhere equidistant, and not meeting <parallel rows of trees>; b : everywhere equally distant <concentric spheres are parallel>
2 a : having parallel sides <a parallel reamer>; b : being or relating to an electrical circuit having a number of conductors in parallel; c : arranged in parallel <a parallel processor>;  c: relating to or being a connection in a computer system in which the bits of a byte are transmitted over separate channels at the same time <a parallel port> — compare serial
3 a (1) : similar, analogous, or interdependent in tendency or development (2) : exhibiting parallelism in form, function, or development <parallel evolution>; b : readily compared : companion; c : having identical syntactical elements in corresponding positions; also : being such an element; d (1) : having the same tonic —used of major and minor keys and scales (2) : keeping the same distance apart in musical pitch
4: performed while keeping one's skis parallel <parallel turns>
Noun
1 a : a parallel line, curve, or surface; b : one of the imaginary circles on the surface of the earth paralleling the equator and marking the latitude; also : the corresponding line on a globe or map — see latitude illustration; c : a character ∥ used in printing especially as a reference mark
2 a : something equal or similar in all essential particulars : counterpart; b : similarity, analogue
3: a comparison to show resemblance
4 a : the state of being physically parallel; b : an arrangement of electrical devices in a circuit in which the same potential difference is applied to two or more resistances with each resistance being on a different branch of the circuit — compare series; c : an arrangement or state that permits several operations or tasks to be performed simultaneously rather than consecutively
Verb
1: to indicate analogy of : compare
2 a : to show something equal to : match; b : to correspond to
3: to place so as to be parallel in direction with something
4: to extend, run, or move in a direction parallel to
Adverb
1: in a parallel manner

More Vocabulary

Criminalize: v. to make illegal: outlaw
Escort: n. accompaniment by a person or an armed protector
March: n. an organized procession of demonstrators who are supporting or protesting something
Resounding: adj. emphatic, unequivocal

Tuesday´s News

Costa Rica: Plan Fiscal Proposes A Global Income Tax

From: www.insidecostarica.com

The Partido Acción Ciudadana (PAC) and the government assure that the proposal to include a "global income tax" in the Plan Fiscal (Tax Plan) will not affect those with fewer financial resources because it is a progressive plan.

The global income tax is one of two points agreed to by the government and the opposition party to fast track the Plan Fiscal.

The proposed plan calls for a 15% tax on revenues generated in another country and moved to Costa Rica.  Exempt from the global tax capital gains by way of inheritances, bequests and donations. The tax would apply to all income from a dual perspective: income generated from labour and capital.

The global tax can address serious financial problems facing the country at the same time raising revenue for development.

Systems of personal income tax vary enormously around the world. The differences are big and small, simple and complex. Some countries' personal income tax code consists of one word - “none” - while other countries' consist of volumes and volumes of intricate details.

However, almost all nations are unified on one point: a country only taxes non-residents on, at most, income earned within the country. Residents are fully taxed by the country according to its tax code. But if you don't live there, then your personal income tax obligation to that country is limited to, at most, tax on only the income earned within that country.          

If approved, Costa Rica joins the United States as one of the few countries in the world which levies personal income tax on all its citizens: not only on its residents – citizens or non-citizens – but also on its citizens who do not live in the country. All citizens of the United States are taxed under the same personal income tax system, regardless of whether they live in the country or abroad.

Word of the Day

Revenue
rev·e·nue : \ˈre-və-ˌnü, -ˌnyü\
Origin: Middle English, return, revenue, from Anglo-French, from revenir to return, from Latin revenire, from re- + venire to come — more at come
First Known Use: 15th century
Noun, often attributive
1 : the total income produced by a given source <a property expected to yield a large annual revenue>
2: the gross income returned by an investment
3: the yield of sources of income (as taxes) that a political unit (as a nation or state) collects and receives into the treasury for public use
4: a government department concerned with the collection of the national revenue

More Vocabulary

Abroad: adv. or adj. beyond the boundaries of one’s country
Bequeath: v. to give or leave by will —used especially of personal property
Gain: n. resources or advantage acquired or increased
Intricate: adj. having many complexly interrelating parts or elements
Levy: v. to impose or collect by legal authority
Obligation: n. a commitment (as by a government) to pay a particular sum of money

Tuesday´s News

Día de las Culturas moved to create three-day break

From: www.amcostarica.com

There is another three-day holiday coming.

The Consejo Superior of the Poder Judicial is the latest entity to rule that workers in that branch of government should take Monday, Oct. 17, off. The normal day to celebrate Día de las Culturas is Oct. 12, which is a Wednesday this year.

Other branches of government are expected to adopt the same rule.

The Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social already has announced that the holiday will be celebrated Oct.17 for private enterprises. Holidays usually can only be moved around with the approval of the ministry.

So Oct. 17, becomes a holiday with obligatory pay. But that term means nothing to most companies. Most firms still have to give their employees the day off or they have to pay double. Only a small fraction of companies that pay their employees weekly can avoid holiday pay.

Word of the Day

Entity
en·ti·ty: \ˈen-tə-tē, ˈe-nə-\
Origin: Medieval Latin entitas, from Latin ent-, ens existing thing, from coined present participle of esse to be — more at is
First Known Use: 1596
Noun
1 a: being, existence; especially : independent, separate, or self-contained existence; b: the existence of a thing as contrasted with its attributes
2: something that has separate and distinct existence and objective or conceptual reality
3: an organization (as a business or governmental unit) that has an identity separate from those of its members

More Vocabulary

Branch: n. a division of an organization
Rule: v. to determine and declare authoritatively
Term: n. a point in time assigned to something (as a payment)

Tuesday´s News

Acapulco woman makes street children her mission

From: www.cnn.com

Ask Rosa Maria Cruz-Muller how many children she has, and she'll answer you with a shrug. The answer is in the hundreds, perhaps thousands. The 53-year-old government employee has three biological children. The rest she rescued from the streets took them home and gave them a new life ... away from drugs, abuse and an early death.

Everybody calls her Mama Rosy. She describes herself as somebody who "gives love to street children." By all accounts, she has done that for a long time.

For more than three decades, Mama Rosy's mission has been to rescue children from the streets in the Mexican beach resort of Acapulco. Where others see petty criminals, drug addicts and young prostitutes, she sees abandoned children in need of love.

She goes to places many would consider dangerous, looking for children nobody cares about. Most often, she walks around a bridge near the Acapulco pier, where many street children find shelter from the tropical sun.
During a recent walk around the bridge, Mama Rosy gave some children clothes. She took two boys who were particularly hungry to a nearby supermarket and bought them food and sandals with her own money. "They need so much love," she said as she saw them walking away.

She has gained the children's trust by always being available, always. "I go with them and I talk to them and when a new one comes here the other ones (tell) him, 'Here's Mama Rosy. When you need something, this is the address, go with her' and it's like a chain," Mama Rosy says.

She also frequently goes to the pier looking for children begging for money or doing drugs. This is also a place where they're picked up by pedophiles so her goal is to try to get them away from there as soon as possible.
One of the children she rescued is now a young man who works at the pier maintaining boats. As soon as he sees her at the pier, he comes out of the water and gives her a wet hug.

Children are welcome at her home in downtown Acapulco 24 hours a day, where they can always get a hot meal and a shower. Others keep coming back now as adults with a family; Mama Rosy already counts 24 non-biological grandchildren.

Dythra Lopez, who was lost in a world of drugs when Mama Rosy found her at age 16, is now a manager at a convenience store. No matter how much she resisted, no matter how many times she ran away, Mama Rosy, she says, was always asking her to quit drugs in a loving, patient way. "She earned our love, trust and respect little by little and became like a mother to us, the mother none of us had," Lopez said.

But for every success story there’s heartbreak. Many of the kids she tries to rescue simply disappear without leaving any trace. Others move to different cities. Some have been violently murdered or ended up serving prison time.

Last year a 16-year-old girl who called herself "Jahaira" and who, according to Mama Rosy, was working as a street prostitute to pay for her drug habit suddenly became ill. Mama Rosy took her to the hospital where doctors gave her a serious diagnosis. She was dying of AIDS. Mama Rosy scrambled to find any relatives and managed to bring Jahaira's grandmother to her death bed. The 16-year-old girl died the following day.
Mama Rosy cries as she reads letters from Jahaira. "I always remember her. She was a beautiful girl. Very happy, how do you say, traviesa, a prankster! But she was only a girl and only 16 years old."

Mama Rosy has three biological children, including Vanessa Santoyo, who routinely helps with the children who suffer from both physical and emotional wounds. Santoyo describes her mother as her "hero; the best mom of the world for me and the other kids."

Her nonstop labor of love also includes visiting marginalized neighborhoods, bringing gifts and hope. Mama Rosy admits that sometimes it's overwhelming, but says she's not about to stop helping children anytime soon. "As long as there are children in need," she says, "there will always be Mama Rosy for them."

Word of the Day

Wound: \ˈwünd, archaic or dialect ˈwau̇nd\
Origin: Middle English, from Old English wund; akin to Old High German wunta wound
First Known Use: before 12th century
Noun
1: a : an injury to the body (as from violence, accident, or surgery) that typically involves laceration or breaking of a membrane (as the skin) and usually damage to underlying tissues b : a cut or breach in a plant usually due to an external agent
2: a mental or emotional hurt or blow
3: something resembling a wound in appearance or effect; especially : a rift in or blow to a political body or social group

Move Vocabulary

Beg: v. to ask for as a charity
Chain: n. a series of things linked, connected, or associated together
Decade: n. a period of 10 years
Marginalize: v. to relegate to an unimportant or powerless position within a society or group
Overwhelm: v. to affect (someone) very strongly
Petty: adj. having little or no importance or significance
Pier: n. a structure (as a breakwater) extending into navigable water for use as a landing place or promenade or to protect or form a harbor

Love those Phrasal Verbs

Run away: to flee or escape; leave a place of confinement or control with the intention of never returning

• Randall ran away from home three times.

Tuesday´s News

Costa Rica Study Results: More Beans, Less White Rice Tied To Less Diabetes

From: www.insidecostarica.com

(Reuters Health) -- Beans and rice are a classic combination throughout the western hemisphere, but a study in Costa Rica finds that the bean half of the equation may be better for health.

Among nearly 2,000 men and women, researchers found that people who regularly swapped a serving of white rice for one of beans had a 35 percent lower chance of showing symptoms that are usually precursors to diabetes.

"Rice is very easily converted into sugar by the body. It's very highly processed, it's pure starch and starch is a long chain of glucose," said Frank Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, who was part of the study team.

"Beans compared with rice contain much more fiber, certainly more protein and they typically have a lower glycemic index - meaning they induce much lower insulin responses," he told Reuters Health.
Hu's group looked at the diets of nearly 1,900 Costa Rican men and women participating in a study of risk factors for heart disease between 1994 and 2004. None of the participants had diabetes at the start of the study.
As Costa Rica has become richer and more urbanized, rice consumption has risen while intake of beans has fallen, Hu said. Meanwhile, the rate of diabetes in the country has soared.
The extra rice might be at least partly to blame, the Harvard group concludes. They found that people who ate more white rice over time had higher blood pressure and elevated levels of sugar and harmful fats in their blood as well as lower levels of "good" cholesterol.

Those factors, along with a high waist circumference, are all elements of the so-called metabolic syndrome, which is a major risk factor for both type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

People who ate at least two servings of beans for every serving of white rice tended to be at lower risk for metabolic syndrome. In those who substituted a serving of beans for a serving of white rice the risk of metabolic syndrome was reduced by 35 percent, the researchers report in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Although rice may be a larger part of diets outside the U.S., the findings have important implications in this country, Hu said. Americans are consuming more rice than ever, up from 9.5 pounds per person in 1980 to 21 pounds per person in 2008, government figures show. Consumption of dry beans is markedly lower, at about seven pounds a year per person, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

That's a bad trend, said Hu, especially if people are eating white rice rather than brown rice. From the body's perspective, a serving of white rice "is like eating a candy bar - the fiber and other nutrients are stripped away," said Hu, who added that the trend "will have long-term metabolic effects."

"It would be useful to introduce more legumes, including beans, into our diet to replace white rice and some of the red meat," he told Reuters Health.

The Harvard team's findings do not prove that white rice raises diabetes risk or that beans lower it.
In previous research, Hu and his colleagues have found that eating brown rice may protect against type 2 diabetes.

"It doesn't surprise me that you get better health outcomes in bean eaters," said David Jenkins, a nutrition researcher at the University of Toronto who developed the concept of the glycemic index to help diabetics gauge the effect various foods would have on their blood sugar. "Beans are notable among plant foods" for having a modest effect on blood sugar, he explained.

Although Jenkins said the health benefits of different beans might vary, "as a class they hang together pretty well, and much more uniformly than other foods."

Word of the Day

Hemisphere
hemi·sphere: \ˈhe-mə-ˌsfir\
Origin: Middle English hemispere, from Latin hemisphaerium, from Greek hēmisphairion, from hēmi- + sphairion, diminutive of sphaira sphere
First Known Use: 14th century
Noun
1a : a half of the celestial sphere as divided into two halves by the horizon, the celestial equator, or the ecliptic; b : half of a spherical or roughly spherical body (as a planet); specifically : the northern or southern half of the earth as divided by the equator or the eastern or western half as divided by a meridian; c : the inhabitants of a terrestrial hemisphere
2: realm, province
3: one of two half spheres formed by a plane through the sphere's center
4: a map or projection of a celestial or terrestrial hemisphere
5: cerebral hemisphere

More Vocabulary

Circumference: n. the perimeter of a circle
Epidemiology: n. a branch of medical science that deals with the incidence, distribution, and control of disease in a population
Gauge: v. estimate, judge
Legume: n. the fruit or seed of plants of the legume family (as peas or beans) used for food
Swap: v. exchange

Tuesday´s News

Costa Ricans Invent Method to Grow New Blood Vessels

From: www.costaricanewssite.com

The lack of blood in the tissues of the body deprives cells of oxygen and can damage the heart or lead to amputation of a limb.

However, a group of U.S. researchers, led by chemist Samuel Stupp of Costa Rican origin, invented a way to regeneratenew blood vessels necessary for blood to circulate in the body.

Stupp and his team of researchers at Northwestern University, based in Chicago (USA), created a structure 

that serves as a kind of scaffolding for the body to build their own blood vessels.

This structure was created using nanotechnology, the science that works in the extremely small. A nanometer is a millionth part of a meter.

Scientists were able to build a nanostructure that mimics one of the proteins responsible for creating natural blood vessels, called vascular endothelial growth factor, known as VEGF.

Stupp hopes to begin in two or three years the testing of this technology on humans. Such treatment could have applications that benefit people with various circulation problems, including diabetics, who can lose limbs because of problems with blood supply.

Word of the Day

Amputate
am·pu·tate: \ˈam-pyə-ˌtāt\
Origin: Latin amputatus, past participle of amputare, from am-, amb- around + putare to cut, prune — more at ambi-
First Known Use: 1612
Verb
1 : to remove by or as if by cutting; especially : to cut (as a limb) from the body
— am·pu·ta·tion: noun

More Vocabulary

Deprive: v. to take something away from
Limb: n. a leg or arm of a human being
Mimic: adj. imitate; mock
Regenerate: v. to replace (a body part) by a new growth of tissue
Scaffolds:  n. a supporting framework

Tuesday's News

Tram Is Proposed Alternative Solution To Transportation In The GAM

From: www.insidecostarica.com

The integration of transport networks of buses and intercity railways, as well as a new urban development model that promotes the mobility of people in the greater metropolitan area of San José (GAM), are some of the proposals currently being discussed in the country.

Experts at Incofer and PRUGAM exposed some of the initiatives during the II Forum “Movilidad Urbana GAM: Planificación y avances concretos” (GAM Urban Mobility: Planning and concrete progress) organized by the Comisión de Construcción Sostenible el Colegio de Ingenieros Civiles (Commission on Sustainable Construction College of Civil Engineers) which was held on July 20^th , in the Auditorium of LANAMME at the University of Costa Rica UCR.

For architect and researcher Oliver Schütte urban models must be developed to meet the needs of people and enable mobility in the city. To this end, the PRUGAM conducted a study of cultural mapping, to characterize today's urban culture and identify ways in which people perceive and use of GAM space.

The study included the districts of Tacares, Alajuela, Pozos, Asuncion, San Felipe and the four central districts of San José.

Satellite images show highly fragmented developments of new urban areas in relation to the nuclei or old villages; while there are opinions of people providing information on security issues, odors, noise and other factors that affect them.

Schutte explained that from this information, you can define the main points of congestion at the entrances to downtown San José and insecure areas. To solve this problem, the PRUGAM proposes the creation of compact, multifunctional centers and different models of urban densification that could be used in San José, generating means of connections to urban centers.

Meanwhile, Eduardo Mata Brenes former director of PRUGAM explained that the Metropolitan Area has been coveted with a model of irrational and unsustainable urban development, as it contains less than 4% of national territory, with a population that represents 50% of the national population.

Faced with the problem of mobilization in the urban areas, the PRUGAM proposes a mass transit system under the concept of road connectivity. The idea is to integrate the public transport network of buses and intercity railways, in order to generate a type of a habitable and safer city.

This initiative will integrate 27 projects in transport and viability priority areas and would cost US$1.8 billion dollars and would be implemented gradually to achieve integration of the different routes and modes of transport. The proposal suggests moving from a fragmented operation and radial routes to cross paths.

To help solve the problem of congestion in the GAM, the train is one of the most attractive alternatives.

Miguel Carabaguiaz, CEO of Instituto Costarricense de Ferrocarriles (Incofer) presented the draft of a commuter train that would connect cities like Alajuela, Cartago, Heredia and San José, using the railroad right of way on a rail mass transit with bidirectional sections.

The train would pass through 51 districts, 13 counties and cover a route of 75 kilometers. With its implementation it would benefit about 767.000 inhabitants and 383.000 potential users that must pass through San José.

The route passes by hospitals, universities, stadiums, shopping centers, industrial areas and public institutions, which is ideal for users.

To carry out this plan, the Incofer suggests the use of the tram-train, a modern electric powered train, which can operate as a tram system or a rail system in rural areas or in the suburbs.

To start the operation of the commuter train requires an investment of US$250 million dollars.

Carabaguiaz announced that the project is supported by the Spanish Government and two Spanish public companies, which will begin with the confirmation of technical studies and use and demand studies that should be ready later this year.

The Costa Rican government now needs to decide how it will finance the project.

Word of the Day

Perceive
per·ceive: \pər-ˈsēv\
Origin: Middle English, from Anglo-French perceivre, from Latin percipere, from per- thoroughly + capere to take — more at heave
First Known Use: 14th century
Verb
1a : to attain awareness or understanding of; b : to regard as being such <perceived threats> <was perceived as a loser>
2 : to become aware of through the senses; especially: see, observe
— per·ceiv·able  adjective
— per·ceiv·ably  adverb
— per·ceiv·er noun

More Vocabulary

Congest: v. clog <traffic congested the highways>
Enable: v. to make possible, practical, or easy
Integrate: v. to incorporate into a larger unit
Habitable: adj. capable of being lived in: suitable for habitation
Tram: n. a vehicle on rails used primarily for transporting passengers and typically operating on city streets

Tuesday's News

Costa Rica's Athletes Honoured

From: www.insidecostarica.com

Hanna Gabriels, Bryan Ruiz, Nery Brenes and Andrey Amador will travel throughout Costa Rica and the world in stamps.

The four "bigs" of Costa Rica's sports figures are the protagonists of the new issue of stamps by Correos de Costa Rica (Post Office) "Atletas Destacados" (Featured Athletes), which recognizes the discipline, dedication and courage of these athletes in the consolidation of national sports.

The new issue consists of four motifs with photographs of Hanna Gabriels (boxer), Nery Brenes (sprinter), Bryan Ruiz (soccer) and Andrey Amador (cyclist).

The collection is of 60.000 stamps - 15.000 for each sports figure - is a tribute to these Costa Ricans who with their performances in each of the four sports have brought the name of Costa Rica to the world.

The president of Correos, Álvaro Rodríguez, stressed that athletes honored in this issue, are an example for new generations of athletes who see in them a motivation to keep going.

"These athletes, each in their discipline, have given Costa Ricans joy and smiles, but mostly their sporting exploits have become role models for children and young people who see each of their accomplishments in hope to move forward," said the Rodríguez.

The issue will be available at Window 10 of Central Post Office or in the Virtual Store with face values between ¢200 and ¢330 colones.

Word of the Day

Stamp
\ˈstamp\
Origin: Middle English; akin to Old High German stampfōn to stamp and perhaps to Greek stembein to shake up
First Known Use: 13th century
transitive verb
1: to pound or crush with a pestle or a heavy instrument
2 a (1) : to strike or beat forcibly with the bottom of the foot (2) : to bring down (the foot) forcibly; b : to extinguish or destroy by or as if by stamping with the foot —usually used with out <stamp out cancer>
3 a : impress, imprint <stamp “paid” on the bill>; b : to attach a stamp to
4: to cut out, bend, or form with a stamp or die
5 a : to provide with a distinctive character <stamped with a dreary, institutionalized look — Bernard Taper>; b : characterize <stamped as honest women — W. M. Thackeray>
intransitive verb
1: pound 1
2: to strike or thrust the foot forcibly or noisily downward
Noun
1: a device or instrument for stamping
2: the impression or mark made by stamping or imprinting
3 a: a distinctive character, indication, or mark; b: a lasting imprint
4: the act of stamping
5:a stamped or printed paper affixed in evidence that a tax has been paid; also : postage stamp

More Vocabulary

Consolidation: n. the process of uniting
Face value: n. the value indicated on the face (as of a postage stamp or a stock certificate)
Honor: v. to give special recognition to
Motif: n. a dominant idea or central theme
Protagonist: n. a leader, proponent, or supporter of a cause : champion

Tuesday's News

Mundo Milo: A World Apart in Junquillal

From: www.ticotimes.net

In the laidback beach town of Junquillal – a place where hitchhiking is the preferred mode of transportation, although the bus or a car will work just fine – Michiel Breman and Lieke van de Loo discovered exactly what they were looking for.

It took three years for the Dutch couple to build their gorgeous Mundo Milo Eco Lodge. In November 2006, the two sold their house in Arnhem, Netherlands, and quit their jobs. They decided to pursue their dream “to build something in Middle America” in the jungle. They also chose to build it all by hand, to try to preserve as much of the nature as possible. Now, guests can wander up the forested dirt path toward Mundo Milo, five minutes from Playa Junquillal, to discover the small plot of land that Breman and van de Loo have turned into a friendly cabina, restaurant and bar.

Mundo Milo is in an alluring area enclosed by the jungle, yet close enough to the beach that you can hear the surf. The town of Junquillal lies on the northern Pacific coast, about 45 minutes from the town of Santa Cruz in the northwestern Guanacaste province.

“(Junquillal) was kind of like a magnet,” van de Loo said. “We checked the whole coastline, but every time we came back to Junquillal because of thetranquility, the very strong community.”

“I felt very welcome,” Breman added.

The duo forged Mundo Milo with a do-it-themselves attitude. They learned Spanish to communicate with their small construction team and the locals around town, and Breman also learned how to make a website to create www.mundomilo.com. One of the reasons he and van de Loo chose to build the place without the help of a contractor was to ensure that construction would not cause excessive damage to the wilderness.

The two uprooted plants by hand, instead of plowing through the area with machines. They used eco-friendly products and reused leftover lumber to construct Mundo Milo. The jungle aesthetic remains even as the hotel’s restaurant serves up delicious fish dinners and cold beers. The gnarly tree trunks used to hold up the restaurant’s magnificent thatched roof might be Mundo Milo’s finest touch.

Mundo Milo has one cabina that guests can rent for any period of time. Breman and van de Loo eventually plan to build seven cabinas, with each one representing a different part of the world, for example, the Mediterranean, Asia and the Arabian Desert. The first cabina is a wonderful homage to Africa. The bathroom walls have giraffe print on them, the carpet is spotted like a jungle cat, a blanket has zebra stripes, and the architecture of the room adds other nuances to put guests in the mindset of being on an African safari. The cabina also includes a kitchenette with a fridge, a private terrace and bathroom.

The hotel’s location can make a stay feel like a jungle expedition at times. Sleeping in a cabina smack dab in the forest means Mundo Milo is not for the squeamish. Breman has seen guests leap onto tables in the restaurant as tarantulas crept across the floor. 

The cabina also hosts some uninvited guests, such as red ants and spiders. But these creatures must be expected when spending the night in a Costa Rican jungle, and they leave guests alone.

Other, more exotic creatures nearby includes howler monkeys, colorful birds and the olive Ridley and leatherback sea turtles that nest on Junquillal’s 4-kilometer shoreline. Compared to the bustling beach town of Tamarindo to the north, Junquillal is a much quieter and close-knit spot. During nesting season, area hotel owners will collaborate with environmentalists working on the beach to give tours of the turtles returning to nest. Guests can also kayak in the mangrove lagoon near areas where crocodiles are known to lurk. Canopy tours, horseback rides and national park visits can be arranged as well. The hotel also has a swimming pool.

The owners are central to the experience at Mundo Milo. Breman and van de Loo are friendly and accommodating, whether a guest needs a delicious vegetarian meal or a simple rum and Coke. Both of them speak English, Dutch, Spanish and German, and enjoy conversing with guests. For travelers staying longer than a weekend, the owners will offer breakfast and laundry service.

Junquillal is the archetypal secluded beach town. And while you’re there, take the opportunity to immerse yourself in the beautiful jungle, surrounded by the friendly community, at Mundo Milo.

Word of the Day

Aesthetic
aes·thet·ic: \es-ˈthe-tik, is-, British usually ēs-\\-ti-kəl\
Origin: German ästhetisch, from New Latin aestheticus, from Greek aisthētikos of sense
erception, from aisthanesthai to perceive — more at audible
First Known Use: 1798
Adjective
1 a : of, relating to, or dealing with aesthetics or the beautiful <aesthetic theories>; b : artistic <a work of aesthetic value>; c : pleasing in appearance : attractive <easy-to-use keyboards, clear graphics, and other ergonomic and aesthetic features — Mark Mehler>
2: appreciative of, responsive to, or zealous about the beautiful; also : responsive to or appreciative of what is pleasurable to the senses
Noun
1: plural but sing or plural in constr : a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, and taste and with the creation and appreciation of beauty
2: a particular theory or conception of beauty or art : a particular taste for or approach to what is pleasing to the senses and especially sight <modernist aesthetics> <staging new ballets which reflected the aesthetic of the new nation — Mary Clarke & Clement Crisp>
3: plural : a pleasing appearance or effect : beauty <appreciated the aesthetics of the gemstones>

More Vocabulary

Forge: v. to form or bring into being especially by an expenditure of effort
Hitchhike: v. to solicit and obtain (a free ride) especially in a passing vehicle
Homage: n. something that shows respect or attests to the worth or influence of another: tribute
Laidback: adj. having a relaxed style or character
Lurk: v. to move furtively or inconspicuously
Smack dab: adv. exactly, squarely
Squeamish: adj. easily offended or disgusted
Tranquil: adj. free from disturbance or turmoil