Route 27 Tolls Increasing On January 1st

Costa Rica News – If you are headed from San Jose to Jaco Beach you might want to head there or back before the 1st of January or you can not worry about the less than $0.10 increase.

Tolls on Route 27 are going to increase starting January 1. This road connects San José with Caldera.

The increase corresponds to the quarterly adjustment established by the concession contract.

The increase will be between ¢10 and ¢30 depending on the type of vehicle.

The increase is at the following toll booths: San Rafael, Atenas, Escazú, Pozón, Ciudad Colón, Rampa de Atenas, Guácima, Costanera Sur and Siquiares.

For some sections the rate will stay the same for some types of vehicles. The tolls in which the payment will remain the same for motorcycles and light vehicles are Escazú, Ciudad Colón, Rampa de Atenas, Guácima and Costanera Sur.

Buses and trucks must pay more in most sections. At the Atenas booth, motorcycles and light trucks will actually pay ¢20 less, according to a press release.

Perceiving Color In a Gray World

All human beings short of illumination contain a spectrum of human consciousness, which varies from person to person. Many are false with some true, while a few are true with some false. But we all span some portion of the human spectrum.

In this sense, “the world is gray,” because nothing and no one is completely black or white. But in another sense, it is deeply false, because it means the absence of color, vibrancy and life.

Thus “the world is gray” worldview, if it is primary, encourages lifelessness and lack of clarity. It’s also mechanistic, stemming from and reinforcing the false philosophy that believes life is a random event, that humans are unique in the universe, and that thought brings order out of the chaos of nature.

Though seeing what is is never fixed, and often uncertain, believing “the world as gray” precludes clarity of perception. The capacity to discern what is false and what is true is essential, our birthright as human beings. It’s that capacity that we urgently need to develop within ourselves and children.

If, as the saying goes, “color is God,” believing “the world is gray” where the earth and life are concerned is a sacrilege. That applies to sound as much as to sight. The meadowlarks common to this locale are drab gray in their coloration, but their songs are among the most varied and exquisite of any bird.

The word is not the thing. The word ‘color’ is clear, referring to the actuality of beauty and splendor in nature. But the word ‘God’ is another matter. To what does it refer? To a purely subjective thing, like the inane saying, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder?”

God is a subjective thing, but an open question, one that cannot be perceived by the busy mind, much less captured by any philosophical or intellectual construct. The essential thing is to quiet the mind as thought, and drink from the infinite well of the unknown.

The movement of the known can end, both as knowledge and experience, through passive awareness gathering intense, undirected attention. This is the true meaning of meditation.

It’s essential to stop for 20 minutes twice each day and simply observe and listen, setting aside one’s work, problems, desires and plans. I find it helps during these breaks (outdoors if possible) to jot down things one wants to think about, or insights one might have, so that space and stillness are created in the mind and heart through the simple act of intensely watching and listening without the interference of judgment and evaluation.

When thought spontaneously yields to awareness, one sees that while the man-made world may be gray, life is anything but a colorless monotone.

There’s another sense in which things actually are black or white. Things are coming down to it for each of us, and for humankind as a whole. We can no longer have things both ways, rationalizing it as the human condition of contradiction and complexity. That is the way of duplicity and darkness.

In short, we can either be conduits of darkness or self-knowing human beings awakening insight to the extent of our capacity.

The sunlight is gone, except alpenglow on the white bark of the upper branches of the bare sycamore trees. Woodpeckers squawk as they return to their holes and hollows in the trunks.

A vulture soars by at speed in the wind near treetop level. In the last light of day, with the stream flowing by a few meters away, there is, in the stillness of mind, a direct perception of beauty, both as form and the formless.

Once again one feels, in the body itself, “the peace that passes all understanding.” Blessings in the New Year. We’re all going to need them.

Martin LeFevre

Paying for Spirituality

From the time of this article to the present – Deanna’s opinion has changed. Deanna now believes that it is acceptable to accept donations, but not refuse service for insufficient funds. The reason being is that churches accepts donations for the services that they provide.

Halo Paranormal Investigations should be accommodated for their time, their traveling (gas – wear and tear on their vehicles), the services we provide from investigating to cleansing, the materials that we leave behind from Palo Santo wood, sage, red fern, holy water containers with holy water, Eucalyptus smudging wands, the tasks of cleansing and baptisms. We provide a whole lot and many times in the past it has been our dime. We are not rich and we seek assistance for our services via donations.

Every day I open my eyes and the first thought on my mind is what did I dream and what is the message? I feel like I am evolving into a creature meant to survive the universe. The reason why I love dreams is because they are free. Yes, it isn’t anything you have to buy because I believe you shouldn’t have to buy anything for spiritual help. No one charges you for a prayer, do they?

I see people selling rocks and other things like feathers to give you self esteem. The best blessed stuff is not the stuff that you buy.  There’s online stores like Sage Goddess and many more that are trying to sell you rocks. One rock in said store was 24$ for a 2 inch piece of pyrite I could go out and find or purchase in larger quantities for less. She was promising to fix your self esteem with this rock and help you unlock it’s power. This is not the right path for anybody to take.

Although certain rocks hold special energies, You have to look within to find yourself and heal.

I believe in the incense, the sage, the shells and feathers but honestly it IS enough to just believe in goodness and pray. Nowadays we cant just go into a random field and pick wild sage because the government has taken over. So that is the only choice for that. Don’t be fooled by psychics or mediums asking for money. The spirit world did not give them their gift to make money from you. That is not how the spirit world works. You need to reflect from within about what is happening.

Incense are another beautiful thing that aids in prayer, it doesn’t matter if you burn it or not but it has been used for centuries. I recently had been to a Buddhist temple where the incense was just laying out there free in front of the statues and temple so that you could freely offer prayer. Prayers need to lift up beyond the mortal dimensions and trust me no amount of money spent on your prayer is going to make it any better than anyone else’s.

Magic even works better when you are given things by the universe to use. Although money is a useful tool to use to purchase anything it is not how the spirit world works. The ingredients used in magical spells were made at a time when these flowers, oils and candles were handmade or found naturally. Purchasing magical ingredients is going to ruin the quality of your magic spell because you are missing the whole point.

The spirit world is spiritual, airy and free. It is filled with energy not lifeless materials. Although you may be able to channel the energy from gemstones and other precious materials you are not channeling the object itself. Look up into the universe and be amazed at the stars and the universe…for free…

Now there are plenty of confusing circumstances nowadays. Do not ever feel obligated to pay for spiritual help or guidance because money is not what’s going to open the portals to other worlds. The most unique individuals has come up with some amazing ideas. If you are really in need the Gods, Goddess and Angels will find you.

The ten commandments were carved into a rock found on the top of a mountain. God’s most precious words were carved free of charge into a rock that belongs to everyone that was found on top of a mountain. God has requested gold, silver and precious gemstones from people to teach lessons and morality and they have whined and complained but never once did anyone’s prayers go unheard after losing these objects.
This is becoming a huge problem today. I wish that I could help everyone in the world to understand the value of what is in the spirit, the unseen, the ungrabbable, the unlookable and yet it is all free. We should be searching for these things instead of the riches the devil and humankind has acquired for us on Earth and than oh yes, they left it because you cant take your rocks, gold or candles to the next world…

Deanna Jaxine Stinson, HPI Supernatural Sleuth
Halo Paranormal Investigations (HPI International)
https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/HPIinternational/

A Record Year for Banana Sales in Costa Rica

Costa Rica News – Banana exports from Costa Rica will close this year with record sales. This is both in volume and revenue.

It is estimated that the total export at the end of the year will be about 125 million boxes of 18.14 kilos each. This will be the first time the sales of this fruit exceeded an annual income of $1,000 million.

There are 42,400 hectares planted with bananas. This leads to direct employment of 40,000 people and indirect employment of 100,000, in fruit transport, agrochemical stores and other activities.

Last year was also a record, but one that is now being surpassed. This comes after a sharp decline in 2015 due to climatic phenomena. Threats for next year are seen. Some countries have increased production which could generate an oversupply. Additionally, European supermarkets are in a war with banana prices, which could drop the value.

The banana sector accounts for 9.6% of Costa Rica’s exports of goods, 36.7% of total agricultural exports, 2% of the Costa Rican Gross Domestic Product and 38.6% of the agricultural GDP.

Who Was The Man Found Dead in Quepos, Costa Rica?

Costa Rica News – The Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ) is asking the population for help in identifying a man who was found dead in Quepos.

His body was found on an African palm farm in Marítima de Quepos, Puntarenas.

He was found at 6:50 am on Tuesday by an agricultural laborer on his way to work. The man approached what looked like a mound of leaves and found the body. He alerted authorities.

The body had started decomposing and it is estimated he died three or four days before being found.

An autopsy revealed four bullets in the back of his head.

The victim is believed to be between 20 and 30 years old. He is about 1.90 meters tall with a thick build, white complexion and black hair. He was wearing a polo shirt with horizontal red and white stripes, multi colored shorts, gray socks and black casual shoes.

If anyone has data about the victim please communicate confidentially at 800-8000-645 or send a WhatsApp message to 88000645.

What Happens if Costa Rica’s Improvised Bullfighters Get Hurt?

Costa Rica News – INS and the managers of Zapote clash regarding the insurance policy needed for improvised bullfighters and what they are due.

Those responsible at Zapote want INS to recognize coverage for “work risk,” as this year all the bullfighters are on a payroll. The fact that they are paid makes it work, according to Zapote’s authorities.

This should allow for the use of work risk insurance, which offers unlimited care.

They also state that the contract is for a year so INS must provide such coverage.

INS, however, offers a basic accident policy and says that is what’s necessary. They claim that this is not work as most bullfighters have other jobs and only enter to fight a few days a year. The accident policy covers up to ¢3 million and after that the person must pay for additional care. INS states that giving coverage of work risks to improvised bullfighters would affect the whole regime of risk of work in the country.

Accidents from bullfighting should not be the responsibility of the labor risk regime.

The Zika Virus & Its Lifelong Effect on Children

Costa Rica News – Children born with congenital Zika will face lifelong difficulties. These include the inability to sit up alone, sight and hearing problems, seizures and difficulties with sleeping and feeding.

This information is from a study looking at 19 children with this condition in Brazil. It’s the first study to analyze kids between 19 and 24 months of age as it is a new disease and they are the first patients to reach these ages.

This syndrome is due to a woman being infected by the virus during her pregnancy. It is transmitted through the placenta. This causes neurological alterations. The most common symptom is microcephaly. It can also cause sinking of the skull, irritability and crying that can exceed 20 hours a day.

As children affected by congenital Zika syndrome grow up, they will need specialized care from health and educational professionals. The findings of this study can be used to help plan long-term care and look for better ways to try to reduce the impact on quality of life.

This year in Costa Rica seven children have been born with Zika.

Surf Photos & Costa Rica Weekend Surf Report- December 29th & 30th

Costa Rica Surfing – (Surf Report December 29th & 30th) – We are going to give you the surf forecast for Costa Rica and we have Costa Rica surf pics.  Ready for some big wave surfing this weekend? There are going to be smaller sets on the Pacific side  &  some slightly overhead sets on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. We have also added surf video from Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica.

North Costa Rica & Central Costa Rica & South Costa Rica Forecast for the Pacific

FRIDAY: Old mid period SSW/S swell slowly eases over Thursday and Friday but enough energy remains to offer a couple more days of fun zone surf. Most breaks are at least in the knee-waist high range with chest high sets expected at good exposures. Standouts may occasionally do a bit better than that during favored tides.

WEATHER/WIND: Central Costa Rica will see calm to light offshore AM winds, followed by light+ onshore flow through the later morning into the afternoon for most areas. Keep an eye on the Central America Hi Res Winds when planning your session.

Friday 12/29 – 2-3ft+ Knee to chest high – Lingering SSW/S swell.

Saturday 12/30 – 2-3ft – knee to waist high – Fading S Hemi swell.

Video of the Surf at Playa Hermosa – Equipment From Reel Cameras

Caribbean Costa Rica Forecast

Small short period wind waves from the east-northeast holding during the next few days. Light and variable west-southwest winds until Saturday and switching to the west-northwest. Small short period wind waves from the east-northeast holding during the early part of next week. Light and variable west-southwest winds and switching to the northeast.

Friday 12/29 – 5-6ft – Head high to 1ft overhead – Small short period wind waves from the east-northeast holding during the day. Light west winds with a slight chop.

Saturday 12/30 – 5-6ft – Head high to 1ft overhead – Small short period wind waves from the east-northeast holding during the day. Light and variable west winds and switching to the northwest.

Now Some Costa Rica Surf Pics (Photos Taken By Una Ola Surf Camp (unaola.com)

East Texas Youth Pastor Dies Saving Boy in Costa Rica

Costa Rica News – There are no other words than “hero”. 

It has been said that there is no greater love than for a man to give his life for his friends.

Kelly Clarke, youth pastor of New Covenant Church in Tyler, lived his life by these words, and ended it by these words, sacrificing his own life to save a child from drowning off the beaches of Costa Rica over Christmas.

“They went to the beach with Manuel Garcia and his family, Costa Ricans they’d known for years,” said Hannah Bower, outreach coordinator at New Covenant and a lifelong friend of Clarke’s. “Johnny’s son was in the ocean swimming, and the waves were getting high and there was a strong undercurrent, and he started going under. So Manuel swam out to try to save the boy, but he started getting tired.

Kelly swam out there and saved both of them, but the undercurrent pulled him down.”

There is a GoFundMe to help bring him home.

by Calvin Maynard, (edited by Dan Stevens), From Tyler Paper

Costa Rican Surfer at the 2020 Olympics?

Costa Rica Surfing – Surfing will be included in the Olympics for the first time in Tokyo 2020.

The International Surfing Association and the World Surf League have designated parameters to qualify, which will be ratified in February.

If the classification were today by these parameters Leilani McGonagle would be the only Costa Rican to qualify. She was on the podium at the World Open in France and won the gold at the Central American Games in Nicaragua.

40 surfers will participate in Tokyo, 20 males and 20 females. There will be a maximum of two per country. There are three ways to qualify. The first 10 men and 8 women ranked in the professional level World Tour qualify. The first four men and five women of each year, 2019 and 2020, at the World Surfing Games also get a direct ticket.

The gold medalist male and female from the Pan American Games of Lima will also take part.

The last female and male place are reserved for the host country.

Costa Rica Vacation Package For Less Than $1000

Costa Rica Travel – Are you wanting to head to Costa Rica? Are you on a fixed budget? This might be a Costa Rica vacation solution.

Tripmasters is offering a deal on an independent trip to Costa Rica. The package in mid-March, for example, starts at $978 per person double and includes round-trip air from Washington to San Jose, Costa Rica; three nights at Casa Luna Hotel & Spa, near the Arenal Volcano; three nights at El Faro Beach hotel, near Manuel Antonio National Park; SUV car rental with manual transmission; and taxes. Priced separately, the trip would cost about $125 more. Info: 800-430-0484, tripmasters.com.

Costa Rica’s Electronic Waste

Costa Rica News – Costa Rica generated 48 kilotonnes of e-waste last year, an equivalent of 9.7 kilograms of this type of waste per person, including screens, lamps and telecommunications equipment.

This data from the Global Report on Electronic Waste 2017 was published by the International Telecommunication Union with the United Nations University and the International Solid Waste Association.

The world generated 44.7 million metric tons of such waste. That’s the equivalent to 4,500 Eiffel towers. This electronic waste is a risk for the environment and the health of the people when improperly disposed in landfills, backyards or by burning it. An old TV can contain about 3 kilos of petrified lead, a substance that negatively affects the nervous system and kidneys and accumulates in the blood.

Interestingly, if these items were recycled responsibly they would have an estimated value of $55 billion, more than the gross domestic product of most countries. The study anticipates that this type of waste production will increase by 17% by 2021.

Componentes El Orbe periodically carries out campaigns to collect e-waste. Another option is to contact the item’s manufacturer to see if they accept the used items back for proper disposal. If not, you can contact the Ministry of Health for a location to drop it off at.

El Chapo’s Lawyers Haven’t Been Paid

World News – El Chapo’s lawyers say they still have not gotten paid and don’t have the funds to prepare for a trial in April.

In a filing over the holiday weekend, attorneys representing cartel kingpin Joaquin Guzman asked a federal judge in Brooklyn to postpone the trial date from April to August or September so they can get up to speed.

The legal team says that Guzman himself is resistant to putting the date off because he’s being held under extremely restrictive conditions, and prosecutors only agreed to a two-month postponement.

But lead defense lawyer Eduardo Balarezo, who took over the case from public defenders in October, said more time is needed to deal with the mountain of government evidence in the wide-ranging case.

“Due to Mr. Guzmán’s conditions of confinement and his inability to speak with specific family members to request that counsel’s fees be paid, the defense is insufficiently funded at this time to be properly prepared for a trial less than four months away,” he wrote.

Guzman, was extradited from Mexico a year ago to stand trial in the U.S. on charges he ran the world’s largest drug-trafficking cartel.

Because he has escaped twice from Mexican lockups, he is held in near-isolation at a federal jail in Manhattan, kept in his cell for up to 23 hours a day with barely any visitors beyond legal counsel.

In November, Balarezo complained to the court that El Chapo’s mental state is deteriorating, and he is suffering hallucinations and memory loss. A judge approved a psychological examination for him.

The government has not yet responded to the defense’s request for a trial delay.

Meanwhile, one of Guzman’s closest associates has been extradited to the United States after a daring, eight-year undercover investigation.

Victor Manuel Felix-Felix allegedly headed a money laundering and cocaine trafficking operation that is tied to the Sinaloa cartel, and his daughter is reportedly married to El Chapo’s son, the Justice Department said.

by TRACY CONNOR, NBCNews.com

Costa Rica Vacation Tips from the Ylang Ylang Beach Resort

If you are planning your first trip to Costa Rica, you better ensure that your planning skills come into play. This little tropical paradise has so much to offer that you can easily get lost in the number of activities you can do and the people you can meet. Imagine going there without a plan and missing its most fabulous attractions, even if they were at a stone’s throw away.

Now you know that taking a trip to Costa Rica involves more than just hopping on a plane and hoping for the best. These tips will help you plan the first of many trips to this beautiful country.

• Find your accommodation. Costa Rica provides a wide range of options. So one will need to decide whether he/she wants to stay on the beach, in a city, or in seclusion and make your choice accordingly. The Ylang Ylang Beach Resort is a popular resort located on the beach, in seclusion and within minutes of Montezuma – giving you the best of everything in one location.
• Plan an itinerary. By having a game plan, you will not waste any precious time in Costa Rica. There are hundreds of things you can do in Costa Rica, so pick some of the activities that you do not want to miss and make your reservations. Better safe than sorry. Make an itinerary today and leave some space for improvisation too.

• Plan a budget. Unless you have unlimited money, make sure you have a budget for your vacation. Plan your activities around your budget and leave room for unexpected expenses, such as gifts, spur-of-the-moment excursions, and other similar activities. Sticking to your budget will ensure that you have plenty of money to enjoy each day of your vacation to the fullest.

Keep these tips in mind and get the most fabulous Costa Rican vacation ever.

Filed under: Costa Rica Tagged: fabulous Costa Rican vacation, wide range of options
Costa Rica Vacation Tips from the Ylang Ylang Beach Resort published first on https://ylangylangresort.com/

What Are The New Traffic Laws in Costa Rica?

Costa Rica News – You might need to know some of these if you are driving in Costa Rica in 2018. 

There are 19 new changes to the Traffic Law approved on Monday in the first debate.

1. Loading and unloading areas have been defined as space on public roads exclusively for loading and unloading merchandise.
2. Vehicles with a gross weight over 2 tons cannot be parked on urban or suburban roads, except in authorized stops
3. It is prohibited to park in a loading and unloading area.
4. The Transit Police can remove the plates of vehicles obstructing public roads, transit, sidewalks, bike lanes or in front of public service stops.
5. A fine of ¢ 306,850 will be imposed on any driver refusing a breathalyzer. He will also be taken to the Public Ministry.
6. The driver can challenge the result of the blood alcohol test and will be entitled to a second test. However, if the result is positive in the second test, the driver must pay for it.
7. A sanction of ¢ 306,850, instead of ¢ 21,992, is set for producing noise above the decibel limits allowed by law.
8. An economic sanction of ¢ 306,850 will be imposed and the plates will be removed from vehicles whose emissions of gases, fumes or contaminating particles exceed the limits established in the Veteran Technical Review.
9. The circulation of vehicles with polarized mirror is prohibited, except factory polarization that allows visibility from the inside out and vice versa of 100%.
10. Tickets can be given while the driver is not in the vehicle. They can also be made for infractions captured by cameras.
11. Driving with a B-1 license (for light vehicles) on non-primary roads is eliminated.
12. The fine imposed on the driver who drives without the license required for the type and class of vehicle driven is increased from ¢51,316 to ¢104,600.
13. The Transit Authority may remove the plates of public transport vehicles when the driver drives with an expired license.
14. There will be a fine of ¢22,000 to the owner of the vehicle that circulates with a driver without a driver’s license.
15. There is a sanction of ¢104,600 for not properly securing cargo.
16. The penalty for exceeding the number of passengers allowed is ¢104,600.
17. The same fine is imposed if the driver transports passengers in the trunk.
18. A fine of ¢51,316 will be imposed on the driver who disrespects the instructions of the traffic officers.
19. A sanction of ¢51,316 applies for operating a taxi or special passenger service in unauthorized areas.

Costa Rica Has its Hopes Up for the World Cup in Russia

Costa Rica Sports – When talking about game management, it is tough to find a better national squad than Costa Rica. A perennial World Cup participant that will compete on its fourth tournament in the last five editions, the Centro American country improved progressively until achieving a milestone in Brazil 2014 by reaching the quarterfinals’ round.

The feat tied the record for the best World Cup participation by a CONCACAF nation with Mexico (1986) and the United States (2002).

Costa Rica’s great achievement was not only a one-day wonder. It was the result of very hard work. Under the guidance of Colombian head coach Jorge Luis Pinto “Los Ticos” established a rock solid defensive system that included five defenders, four midfielders and only one lonely forward. Instead of being tiresome, the style of play generated many attacking opportunities with excellent fast breaks always managed by the art of offensive midfielder Bryan Ruiz, who has been delivering for many years in European clubs first in The Netherlands and later in Portugal.

In the 2014 World Cup, thanks to owning one of the best goalkeepers in the world Real Madrid’s Keylor Navas, who has won the last two Champions Leagues, and good strategy plays that took advantage of a its tall men, Costa Rica defeated soccer powerhouses Uruguay and Italy in the group round.

A year later, local coach Óscar Ramírez was called to replace Pinto. Following the saying if ain’t broke, don’t fix it, Ramírez strengthened Costa Rica’s game. Results were spectacular. The Costa Ricans easily qualified for the World Cup, delivering a lethal blow to Team USA by crashing the Americans, 4-0, in San José and defeating them again, 2-0, in Harrison, New Jersey, with two goals by Marcos Ureña.

The draw for Russia 2018 was not a good one for Costa Rica. “Los Ticos” share Group E with Brazil, Serbia and Switzerland. But the Costa Ricans face the challenge calmly. They know how to survive a “Death Group”. Everything they do this upcoming summer will only add to the legend of a national team that is already acknowledged as the best ever in the history of Centro American soccer.

By Rafael Cervera, Aldianews.com

America Is Dead. Long Live Humanity

It’s near sunset on Christmas as I head out on the bike. The shopping is over and all the stuff has been opened. There isn’t a soul in sight. One is immediately struck by the atmosphere of palpable stillness of the earth alongside the deadness of the world.

Where is everyone? It looks like a neutron bomb went off. I don’t see a vehicle for miles. The normally busy 4-lane trunk road is empty as I sit on a utility box to watch the sunset.

The true gift—an intensifying magenta above the ridgeline of the Coastal Range—is apparently completely missed, except by one. The color grows into an intense flame, becoming a concentrated glow along the ridge, and ending in a single spot of reddish-orange at a pass in the mountains.

Aliveness is our natural condition, our state as children and wellspring throughout life unless we deaden our hearts, or allow this godforsaken culture to turn them to stone or sentiment.

Therefore it’s absurd to believe, as academic philosophers apparently do, that “The goal of life is not happiness, peace, or fulfillment, but aliveness.”

That incomprehensible obtuseness is from a purported philosopher at America’s most prestigious university in the nation’s newspaper of record. Sean D. Kelly equates aliveness with “when you see in your students the sense that what is happening now will stay with them, will remain alive as a future memory that can sustain them in some other moment.”

That misses the mark by a mile. Aliveness is not a memory of a mentor, or a class, or staring into your lover’s face. It is the capacity to be present, and feel sadness without being caught in sorrow; to perceive beauty without interpretation; to know the sting of compassion without identification.

Good people and deep insights are imprinted on the living heart. They remain alive not in memory, but in understanding. Psychological memory precludes understanding and destroys aliveness.

The intelligentsia is willfully blind to the deadness of this culture, and the American people as a whole. Pundits, editors and academics believe it’s their job to sugarcoat reality, if they perceive the truth of things at all. The truth is not going away however, even if those who dare to speak it shut up.

Referring to his beloved mentor, Kelly says, “I don’t believe I ever heard him talk about aliveness.” Setting aside that contradiction (after quoting him as saying, “the goal of life is…aliveness”), the reason his mentor didn’t often refer to aliveness is that it used to be a given.

Before 1990, the people and the polity had not died in America. Anyone over the age of 50 can remember when at least one ventricle still beat in the body politic of America. The straw that broke the Spirit’s back came in the early 1990’s, when the

United States declared itself “the indispensible nation,” and celebrated its glorious victory in a set-up war against Saddam’s Iraq.

The spiritual dimension matters most. By rejoicing at killing a quarter million Iraqis vs. less than 200 Americans in 1991, the intelligence that imbues the universe withdrew. Deadness took hold. There’s a direct line from Bush Senior’s CIA machinations, to the wasted Clinton years, to Bush Junior opening the gates of hell globally, to the Obama con and loss of hope, to the blatant authoritarianism of Donald Trump. And that’s just the last 30 years.

People have to take active measures to kill aliveness within them. Its moronic to say that deadness is the natural result of routine—the product of repetitious “rise, commute, work, lunch, work some more, maybe have a beer or go to the gym, watch TV.”

The ruling elites are incapable of telling the truth because their positions and power depend on perpetuating underlying lies. Even Paul Krugman, who tells it like it is up to a point, foolishly says, “If U.S. democracy survives this terrible episode, I vote that we make pink pussy hats the symbol of our delivery from evil.”

To understand the deadness that pervades America, one has to understand the darkness that people are “numbing out” to in reaction. Most people consciously or subconsciously think it’s too painful to see and feel.

An epidemic of depression and opioids is the result, not the despair to which Kelly glibly refers. If you feel despair, at least you feel something. There can only be a rebirth of aliveness in America if the deadness of the people is fully acknowledged by enough of the people.

All life is intensely alive, except man, and Americans may be the deadest people of all. This is the source of the present danger, and its denial insures fascism will grow.

The goal of life is not aliveness, since aliveness is our birthright. The goal of life, where creatures like humans with brains that have the capacity for self-knowing are concerned, is direct awareness of timeless numinousness.

Martin LeFevre

Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/25/opinion/aliveness-waking-up-holidays.html

Strange Abilities

Ghosts & The Supernatural – Let’s just say that I am an honorary member of Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency and I am involved with Project Blackwing, the secret CIA project to evaluate subjects with strange abilities. In my lifetime, I have met or been associated with many people that I feel have strange abilities. Of course, I married Deanna Jaxine Stinson that I feel has strange abilities, as you can see in The Costarican Times here: https://www.costaricantimes.com/the-psychic-power-to-uncloak-ufos/56673 In one of our investigations, Deanna was able to tell me to start recording, because she could hear the spirit speaking. I started recording and captured an EVP that said: “I am watching you.” Another time, Deanna was able to feel an attachment to a chair and 3 paranormal investigators take a picture of the chair and we find an orb hovering over the chair. The next picture we took, there was a mist on the chair. Deanna’s Strange Ability: Uncloaking the Paranormal.
You can see a portal over Copperopolis, CA that Deanna uncloaked here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/155143410@N04/
Deanna had an impulse to take a picture of the sky, because she felt that something was there and sure enough, the photo proves it. It looks like a portal.

Here are my list of people with strange abilities.

Brad Steiger: This remarkable author wrote his first book at the age of 7. Mr. Steiger has incredible knowledge on all things paranormal and enlightened the public about “Star People” which shadows upon the Ancient Astronaut theory. When I was a small boy, I was traumatized about the experiences I grew up with at a house on Effy Street in Fresno. I had to learn more about that paranormal ordeal and it was Brad Steiger’s books that helped me understand what I was experiencing and lead me down the path to become a paranormal investigator. Brad’s Strange Ability: Having the knowledge and answers to various paranormal questions that people have all around the world and being able to write and publish books at such a young age.

Secretary of Sylvia Brown: At one point of time, we had a psychic, I will just call her Ms. D, that was at one time the secretary for Sylvia Brown. Ms. D had the same type of ability as my wife Deanna. When we were on Mount Shasta, she told me to take a picture of her and that I would see an anomaly in the sky. In the photo, I could see Ms. D and behind her was a disc shaped craft tilted behind her. Another time, we were at the Leonard Thomas Lake / Charles Ng murder house. Ms. D told me to take a picture in a certain area, because she could feel the spirit of one of the victims of these two serial killers. I snap a photo and capture a mist at the exact spot as Ms. D told me. Ms. D’s Strange Ability: Uncloaking the Paranormal

Ronnie Sanders: In grade school, Ronnie had the ability to generate electricity in his body and release it through his right index finger. He would go around shocking the kids. Some of the kids, thought he was generating electricity by sliding his feet on the carpet, but there was many times he generated electricity while playing basketball on asphalt. Ronnie’s Strange Ability: Generating and discharging electricity from his index finger.

The Mind Reader: While walking through a mall back in the 80s, a woman who I did not know, looked at me oddly and said: “You are sad because your brother passed away.” I was flabbergasted and was trying to stop this woman in a fast moving

crowd. She simply walked away, I didn’t know who she was, but as she passed me, she knew exactly what I was thinking about. This blew me away. She was truly a mind reader and I don’t know how she did it. The Mind Reader’s Strange Ability: Reading minds.

The Supervisor: When I was working for the Department of Health Services, I worked with a supervisor that told me an odd story. The supervisor said that he was sitting on a hill in Spain and spied a UFO. He concentrated on the UFO and said in a mental message to the UFO: “Make me smarter.” The supervisor told me that he was failing in school, but after that experience, he actually became smarter and now worked as a supervisor and scientist for the Department of Health Services. The Supervisor’s Strange Ability: After a request to a UFO to become smarter, actually became smarter.

Joseph “Joe” Soyo: Joe Soyo is my half-brother. He was an amateur magician. There was one magic trick he did that I could never figure out. He would tell me to hold a coin in my hand and he would wave his hand 3 times over my hand, not touching my hand. He would tell me to open my hand and the coin would be gone. He would close his waving hand and would then open his hand and the coin would now be in his hand. I could never for the life of me figure out how he did that. Joe’s Strange Ability: Making a coin appear in his hand.

The only strange ability I had when I was a kid, was blowing bubbles from my mouth. If I had to choose real people that I met or been associated with in my life, these are the people that I feel have strange abilities, they are my X-Men!

Paul Dale Roberts, HPI Esoteric Detective
Halo Paranormal Investigations (HPI International)
https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/HPIinternational/

What Are Costa Ricans Eating This Holiday Season?

Costa Rica News – The Christmas menu may look different this year in many Tico households.

The meat to be consumed is becoming diversified. It’s always been pork leg, traditionally. Now turkey, chicken, lamb and grilled meats are entering the competition as family tables crave innovation.

Another change is that those in charge of preparing the meals increasingly look for prepared products. The purchase of prepared meats is gaining popularity.

Turkey is sold in Costa Rica almost exclusively in the holiday season for Christmas and New Year’s dinners. The sale of pork increases about 40% at the end of the year. The pork goes into tamales as well as holiday meals. Beef is tied with pork for favorite taste among consumers. During this season, meats make up 15% of the profit at PriceSmart.

Many family tables include national lamb meat. This national meat is grass raised, leaner than other options, and has a high nutritional value. Trays of national lamb start at ¢10,000 and imported lines at ¢25,000 per kilo. It can be found at Más x Menos, Automercado and gourmet butchers.

Costa Rica In Top The 20 Of Nations For Environmental Protection

Costa Rica News – Costa Rica managed to sneak in among the 20 nations of the world that most protect the environment and promote social development, according to the first edition of the Laudato Si Environmental and Social Development Index.

The ranking analyzed 127 countries and in the case of Costa Rica distinguished it as the only emerging economy and as the only Latin American nation to position itself in the prestigious top 20.

This also places the country the best nation positioned in Central America and second in the continent, surpassed only by Canada.

The measurement was made by the Universidad Católica in partnership with Viva Trus, Incae Business School and Progress Social Imperative.

Aspects such as access to health and services, air quality, water, and discrimination policies were taken into account; that is, not only actions to protect the planet, but also for human and social development.

This is included in a note on humanistic integral ecology, which in the case of Costa Rica was 77.35.

This ecology is composed of two dimensions: the common good (where aspects of basic needs and opportunities are seen) and the care of the common home (composed of the performance and environmental balance of each country).

In these two aspects, the country reached scores of 82.33 and 72.37; respectively.

This index took into account the situation of around 6.7 billion people, which represents 93% of the world’s population.

The top 5 in the world:

1. Finland
He is the leader of the ranking to reach a note of integral humanistic ecology of 87.51. In common good it obtained 88.26 and in care of the common house 86.77.

2. New Zealand
The country obtained an environmental score of 85.43. In the common good dimension it reached 88.03; while in that of care it obtained 82.83.

3. Australia
In this first index it obtained a score of 85.36. Its highest dimension was common good at 86.78; while care reached 83.94.

4. Sweden
The other European country to appear in the top five, thanks to its score of 85.30. In common good it got a 86.58 and in care 84.03.

5. Canada
America’s only country in the top 10. Canadians obtained an environmental score of 83.14 and 84.09 in commong good and 82.18 in care.

Source: Larepublica.net

Andrea Bocelli Coming to Costa Rica

Costa Rica Events – Andrea Bocelli is a name many music fans know. The Italian tenor will be coming to Costa Rica soon, in February 2018.

This announcement was made by the singer’s official Facebook page.

The price of the concert is yet to be defined. Some songs to look forward to include Bésame mucho, My Way, La Vie en Rose, Perfidia, Cinema Paradiso, Love me Tender, and Quizás, Quizás, Quizás.

Bocelli was blind since he was 12 years old. He is a pianist and doctor in law. He grew up in the Tuscan region of Italy.

He has been in Costa Rica before, in 2005. He then sang in front of a Tico audience at Ricardo Saprissa, in Tibás.

He will surely fall in love with Costa Rica again. He will also bring a smile to many Costa Ricans.

Costa Rica Hospital’s Maternity Unit Closed Until January 2nd

Costa Rica News – The Calderón Guardia Hospital’s maternity unit will stay closed until January 2nd.

It has been closed to complete a program to avoid contamination with bacteria and this is only 50% done.

While no new cases of contamination have been seen, the hospital administration decided to complete the measures started to attack the outbreak before reopening, which was scheduled for December 26.

The Medical Management of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund endorsed the extension for maintenance work in Neonatology. The outbreak was of the bacterium Serratia liquefaciens, that affects mothers and babies. There is an ongoing investigation regarding whether this bacteria caused the death of six infants who were infected.

The San Juan de Dios and Women’s hospitals provide care for high-complexity births and the Comprehensive Health Care Center of Desamparados addresses those of low- complexity.

Re-Light the Candle of Innocence This Christmas

What little warmth the sun afforded on this short winter day evaporates as it reaches the treetops. Sitting under the dying sycamore tree, sparrows and juncos come close as a meditative state begins.

Memory and association yield to awareness and attention. In the stillness and emptying of thought, there is a love for the earth and everything on it, even man.

The great bifurcated sycamore that I’ve taken many meditations under for 15 years is nearly dead now. After the fire that swept over the fields and jumped the creek a decade ago, it lost branches and limbs one by one, like a leper from the Dark Ages.

You can’t help but feel the parallel with the earth’s denudation at the hands of man. Except for a few common birds, all the animals that were here ten years ago are gone.

The long-eared rabbits were the first to go, followed by coyote, then rattlesnakes (which I encountered without incident, as they give you fair warning). Then the pheasant disappeared, and finally, most recently, as ‘development’ has gone into high gear in the fields, one of the most beautiful birds in nature, the slender, graceful kite falcon.

Many times one would appear at a moment of despair, lifting the eyes and spirit as the fittingly named kite fluttered in place for half a minute or more, scanning the ground for prey. Then, wings tucked back, the gentle falcon parachuted more than plummeted to the ground.

Only the most deadened heart couldn’t be deeply moved by the sight, and I would sometimes point them out to junior high school kids on their way home.

Our relationship, or lack of relationship, with nature is the existential ground of our existence. It defines our relationship with human beings, not the other way around.

The sycamore was once the stateliest tree I’ve ever seen besides the massive oaks that are native to this area. Except the giant or coastal redwoods of course, which are to trees as whales are to porpoises.

Inverted Christmas trees are the latest thing this season, when everything has been turned upside down. America’s last true religion, shopping, is significantly up this year, in a futile attempt to compensate for the pervasive gloom.

You’ll know things have actually begun to change in what one New York Times pundit called “just a squalid, oversized, greedy place past the zenith of its greatness,” when consumerism no longer reigns supreme at Christmas.

America is an experiment in the limits of materialism. And consumerism, despite what we like to tell ourselves about being a religious people, is the only tradition left. The national news in the past couple of weeks actually contained embedded ads for specific items on sale in the big chains, with the blatant message, ‘hurry up and buy buy buy!’

Having a sybarite as president with a base of Christian evangelicals is no contradiction; it’s the logical conclusion of what passes for religiosity in the United States.

Right side up or upside down, Christmas trees have nothing to do with Jesus’ birth, just as the celebration of Jesus’ birth has nothing to do with his life and death.

Jesus represents the ultimate catch-22. His mission failed because the Jews of his time turned against him. (Which isn’t the same as ‘the Jews killed Jesus’ trope.) And having turned against him, Jews in the generations that followed declared he was not the messiah.

As far as Christians go, they believe Jesus signaled the fulfillment of the prophecy by riding a donkey into the city. Then, when his mission failed, Christians made his crucifixion the cornerstone of their spinoff from Judaism, declaring that he was sent and meant to “die for our sins” all along.

What we really celebrate at Christmas is innocence, within our children and perhaps ourselves, in a world that has not essentially changed in over 2000 years.

Deadness of spirit is the ultimate goal of darkness, and evil is but a means to that end. And many hearts have succumbed. Therefore rather than the superficial “resistance,” the greatest act of revolt is to remain inwardly alive.

In the growing darkness, keep a candle lit in your heart, guard it with your life. I for one would rather die than let it be snuffed out.

Martin LeFevre

Bach, Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, ~6 min: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=doJ2Fd6JRpQ

Sand & Stars

The taste of the ocean is bittersweet and the salty air stings my lips in a purifying way. From above, I can see the stars of our universe glittering, shimmering like beautiful living diamond creatures. They are always there; it does not matter if it is dark or light, whether I am alive or dead, their presence remains. There is a dark star that cannot be seen from the outer edges of the night. It remains locked away deep inside of me. It is only when I hold up a candle to the reflections in my eyes that I realize what I have seen is simply a mirror of time and the words that are left in my head are only thoughts that collected in the deep abyss of a haunted human head. Yet, they do not go away, they only evolve and change. The universe is inside, patterns left of mathematical designs, and nothing makes much sense.

A poetic grace escapes me as words spill out, overflowing from the beauty that is deep and over flooded by the oceans side.

Sand falls from my skeleton’s mouth…like a spiraling seashell dropping dust…what is this? A dream…a vision… tiny glittering pieces of the ocean caught up on the shoreline of our world. Together, it is an unstable surface but I find enough foundation to carve meaning in the sand with my hands. I am overwhelmed and I cannot speak when I see what it all is.

Separately each piece of sand is nothing but a moment in time…a fraction of something incomplete…when put together…it becomes land that I can draw upon, something elemental. Something tiny has given life and now there is an ocean and wind within the design. Mana is also created and fed to me as words. There is something anyone can understand… there in the sand is a spiral that goes on and on forever building high into eternity.

The ocean wipes over the spiral, erasing the scar and taking it back. A bottle washes upon the shore as I step back. It seems everything I let go may come back to me. Inside of the bottle, there is a paper. I uncork the bottle to read the paper and this is what it says…

A Haunted Reverie
poetry by Deanna Jaxine Stinson

Twilight glitters
Breathing & bleeding
Beauty transmitter
Kneading into the quick sand
Of a mystical land
Where
Time is slipping
Through an hour glass
Like Cinderella’s shoes
Everything that falls behind us
We love and we let loose
Shattered into
A river of solitude
Waves on the shore
Where ocean meets land
Time and memory again
Will we ever understand?
The precious moments that we had
As we fall away into ghost hands
Of a haunted reverie
An eternal melody…

Then everything in my hands suddenly melts. It seems there is a bit of a sickness growing in my soul as I inhale the black smoke left from the burning note and I pass away into a dream land where I see more of the universe.

My Dreams

Gathering Agate and Amethyst

I am in a place that is filled with sand and tire trails from a vehicle.

The sand is light tan colored and very loose.

This place seems like a place for jogging because there is a woman that walks by in jogging clothes. She is an older woman with short blonde hair. I am also in jogging clothes.

The woman points over to a corner where there is a hole with sand filled in. I see an amethyst chunk and I go over and start filling up my pockets with amethyst, agate, crystal points some with a titanium coated look and other precious minerals of various colors.

I run back home to wear Paul is but it’s a different home, very dark with wood floors and one couch where he is watching tv.

There is no sound in the house, even though I see the tv on it does not turn on so I could not figure out how to tell him what happened.

Sands Falling

I am in a cave. The cave was large and it is filled with sand on the bottom, and leaking through the top. It is dark in the cave but not pitch black, it is a deep blue.

I am on top of a steep cliff inside of the mountain. The sand is falling through my hands as I clutch with my hands from the sky.
Beneath of the cliff, I see small pools of blue water. There is also sea green colored water dripping down the cliffs.

I am not wearing a swim suit but rather modern clothes that are grey and white colored. I think that I am actually wearing sweats.
On the other side of the sand, I start to see a vision of a place where a lot of people live. The people live underground. They do not live above ground. I think they are dead people because they go into the bottom of volcanoes and tunnels in the Earth with no sense.

On The Shore

I dreamed that I was on a shoreline of a beach. I was standing on the other side of a huge piece of black driftwood. There was a dead woman in the sand and there was other people trying to hide her corpse. There were two men with black hair. Apparently, we had accidently killed her.

She was a white woman with light brown hair. She disappeared into thin air. My higher self said that in a past life we killed this woman and got away with it and now we were paying the karmic prices. I dreamed than about my children that I love and about demons and vampires and I held my head in my hands and just cried in deep anguish.

Buried in the Sand

I dreamed that there was a girl that went missing on her wedding day. I found her three days later. She was buried in the sand, in a coffin.

When I opened the coffin, she was in the sand and she woke up and sat up in the coffin. I turned around and saw that she was alive.

Egyptian Sand

I dreamed I was riding in the sand, past a bunch of workers. I was in some sort of jeep vehicle. I stopped and got out of the vehicle and looked over a slight edge and saw some ancient Egyptians working on a white boat. I said nothing and kept traveling.

Up ahead on the road I saw my friend. My hair was black and I was contemplating whether or not I believed in reincarnation. I looked outside of myself for a moment, and saw a scarab tattoo on my lower back.

My friend said she had spoken with the man building the boat. He had lent her a piece of jewelry for a day. It was a gold and black case that opened up like wings spreading on a beetle to reveal a gold and ruby scarab. It was a necklace. I lied to my friend and asked to borrow it knowing I was going to steal it. I felt like it was mine, like I could remember it.

The next day I was driving through the sand and stopped where the boat man was working the day before. An upside down man, yellowish creature jumped in front of me hanging by his legs. I said here I have something for you and threw a replica of the necklace at him. He became off guard and could not see well believing it was the original necklace. So, I ended up keeping the scarab necklace.

Sand & Stars

I wake up slowly and open my eyes. I am shivering as the sun is rising.

I must have slept along time. I looked around to gather myself. I look into the eyes of someone standing above me. It is a bright star hovering close. I recognize her immediately. It is Psamathe, Greek goddess of beaches. She shines so bright that it is blinding but my head fills up with information as she glows and brightly darts away. I see now, the meaning in my dreams…

In dreams, the element of sand symbolizes the borderlands. This could represent where the ocean meets, or land and it could be representing your unconscious and conscious mind merging together. Sand also represents time as it would inside of an hourglass or as tiny pieces of something that when put together make something larger for a bigger purpose than one might be able to comprehend in the current situation..

Sand can symbolize shifting spiritually and emotionally, as the entire world is made as little pieces of a bigger situation.

An even brighter light comes my way…it is Apollo, Greek god of the sun.

He seems to be holding onto my hands as I stand up off the sand and I feel the warmth drying my clothes. The day becomes calm and beautiful as the sun shines high and mighty, as I tread barefoot back to the city from where I came. I came to feast upon the universe, and that I did and I am now satisfied. I will not return until the hunger aches again.

White Mage

Stars fall down in a spiral motion
Turning to stone like pillars in the ocean
Tides splash around me
Sounds like a full moon melody
And I hear songs like
Words of eternity
Return to me
God, is like a white mage
He bathes my soul in prisms of smoke and sage

For more dreams and poetry please visit Teardrops of an Angel dot com.
End

Deanna Jaxine Stinson, HPI Esoteric Detective
aka The Rose Goddess
Halo Paranormal Investigations (HPI International)
https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/HPIinternational/

Costa Rica Children’s Hospital Brings Christmas Joy Early

Costa Rica News – The 176 children hospitalized in the Children’s Hospital, as well as those in outpatient or the emergency room, received visits and gifts just before Christmas.

The hospital was full of smiles due to the arrival of Santa Claus.

He and other children’s characters toured the halls making sure each little one got a gift. There were cars, dolls, stuffed animals, board games and puzzles all over the place. Christmas carols were being sung.

This annual tradition is carried out thanks to toys donated by families attending the lighting of the traditional Christmas tree of the hospital, on December 7th, in addition to other individuals and companies during a donation campaign.

The tradition has been going for over a decade and a half. It brightens otherwise difficult days for minors receiving medical attention during this season, alleviating some of the pain and stress.

Choosing Costa Rican Accommodations with the Ylang Ylang

With so many resorts in Costa Rica, it can be tough to choose only one place to stay during your vacation. To help you choose the best resort to meet your needs, we at the Ylang Ylang have created a list of helpful tips for finding accommodations. Keep these tips in mind to help you find the right place to stay to help you enjoy your Costa Rican vacation to the fullest.

• Choose the type of hotel environment you want. If you want privacy and seclusion, consider the peaceful, tranquil environment offered by the Ylang Ylang. If you want more of the city life, consider a hotel located within a city, such as Montezuma.
• Our sister hotel is in the heart of Montezuma offers comfortable, cozy accommodations with easy access to city activities. A business traveler with less time for exploration will want to stay close to the city while a honeymooning couple may need a more private location.

• Once you have decided the environment you want, consider the activities you want to engage in. Some hotels and resorts offer their own activities, such as the spa and yoga sessions we offer at Ylang Ylang.Others provide only sleeping quarters. In fact, most hotels and resorts will be happy to help you plan an itinerary too.Again, your choice depends on the time and budget you have.

• Now that you have narrowed your list of options down, start comparing amenities and service. Choose a hotel that offers the best of amenities at a decent price such as the Ylang Ylang. We pride ourselves on taking care of our guests as if they were family. Contact us today to learn more about the benefits of enjoying Costa Rica accommodations with us.

These tips will help you find the best accommodations in Costa Rica. If you ever have any doubts, just chose Ylang Ylang to enjoy luxury in your budget.

Filed under: Costa Rica Tagged: costa rica accomodations, tips for finding accommodations
Choosing Costa Rican Accommodations with the Ylang Ylang published first on https://ylangylangresort.com/

Costa Rica Facebook Scam

Costa Rica News – A group defrauded at least eight people on Facebook. The known damage is ¢18 million.

The Judicial Police, however, affirm that there may be many more victims including some outside of Costa Rica.

The group is made up of three people. The scam cheating people to invest was brought to light on Wednesday morning by the Judicial Investigation Agency, following two raids in which they captured two women and a man.

It seems they used a page on Facebook called Money Book and with it offered to pay an extremely high interest on investments. In one case, a person invested ¢8 million based on the promise that he would earn ¢3 million more in just three months.

Experts advise to consider whether an offer is too good to be true. An interest this high, for example, is unreal and believing in it would be considered a very high risk.

Police confiscated bank documents, computers and phones to get more information. They are looking into whether the scam spanned across other countries as well.

2018 Predictions: What’s Next for Business Intelligence

Despite being around for decades, with multiple iterations, business intelligence (BI) remains locked in a technological ivory tower; accessible to only the most senior executes or technically sophisticated employees. But that’s going to change in 2018. Here are a few predictions for what’s next in BI:

• Analysts Focus on Insights – The professionals in charge of BI reporting previously spent much of their time crunching numbers and looking closely at data. In 2018 and beyond more of this work will be automated, empowering decision makers to spend more time utilizing analytics to guide decisions while analysts spend a lot less time producing analytics and more time on strategic data initiatives.

• BI Goes Mainstream in the Enterprise – This technology will no longer be confined to discrete departments or senior executives. Instead, it will used by professionals across departments to satisfy a wide range of business goals. As the accessibility of BI has improved, its utility and applicability have improved as well.

• NLP on the Rise – Natural language processing (NLP) will make BI more accessible than ever in 2018. When users can rely on search terms of their own creating rather than rigid commands and inputs, BI becomes much easier and more intuitive. As a result, BI will become a common tool for professionals at all levels.

• CDO in the C-Suite – Data is correctly seen as the resource that all future business will run on. That preeminence has given rise to the Chief Data Officer (CDO) position. These executives will be tasked with imagining, planning, implementing, and managing large-scale data initiatives in a way that delivers maximum impact.

• Governance Opens – The sensitivity of data lead companies in the past to take a top-down approach to governance and institute strict controls and severe limits. That notion is beginning to open up as companies realize the importance of accessibility and flexibility. While governance isn’t going away – and it shouldn’t – look for the rules specifically around access to become less restrictive in 2018 and to invite more input from the bottom up.

• Data Engineers in Demand – The demand for data engineers has been fierce over the last few years, and that will only intensify in 2018. Companies need highly-skilled engineers to perform complex operations with the data, including developing, maintaining, and testing infrastructures for data generation. Conversely, more accessible and automatic tools coming online eliminate the need for smaller companies to add an expensive new engineer.

• Location of Things – Connected devices have exploded in recent years. This provides new and diverse touch points for BI data collection including locations information. That data will become even more valuable in 2018 as IoT devices get better at understanding geo-location and how it reflect user behaviors. Information being used for BI will be enhanced with a rich layer of context and enable data collection from a larger number of locations.

• Academia Goes All In – There is little doubt that BI, machine learning, automation, artificial intelligence, and other data-driven technologies will propel the future. To develop the workforce necessary to seize this opportunity, universities are opening new data science departments and developing new degree paths. Talent shortages have always been an issue in regard to effective BI, but the trend appears to be shifting in a positive direction.

The broadest trend for 2018 is BI increasingly shifting from exclusive use in the boardroom and going fully into the mainstream. By the end of 2017 the global market for BI software is projected to top $18.3 billion. Don’t be surprised if the figure is significantly higher by the end of 2018. The companies that are avoiding this technology are not exercising healthy caution. They are falling behind competition that is speeding up quickly.

USA Tax Reform & Costa Rica

Costa Rica News – US President Donald Trump has received unprecedented support from Republican senators and is on the verge of approving his controversial tax reform.

This plan would reduce the tax burden for companies and those who earn high sums of money.

The Senate approved the law after eliminating three clauses of the bill, including its title, that were in violation of its rules. It’s now in the hands of Mr. Trump to enact it. What effect will this have on Costa Rica?

While one objective of the reform is to repatriate financial and productive capital that is outside the US, Costa Rica’s Government is not too worried. It does not expect to see the exit of companies operating in the country, according to the Ministry of Foreign Trade.

One thought is that Costa Ricans might want to enact a similar reform but that is unlikely because Costa Rica is in a financial crisis, opposite of the financial status of the US.

In fact, some companies are waiting on the tax reform to make an investment decision regarding Costa Rica. Many are analyzing the expansion of investments once understanding clearly the rules of the game.

Costa Rican Soccer Player To Join DC United

Costa Rica Sports – It seems more talent is traveling the well-trodden path from Costa Rica to MLS this winter, with multiple reports stating that Ticos attacker Ulises Segura is set to move from Saprissa to D.C. United and Black-and-Red general manager Dave Kasper confirming to the Washington Post on Wednesday that a deal is near.

A 24-year-old Costa Rican international capable of working out wide or in central midfield, Segura scored five goals in the 2017 Apertura season, which concludes with the championship final between Herediano and Perez Zeledon on Saturday.

He holds six national team caps to date and looks to be a candidate for inclusion on next summer’s World Cup squad.

Segura was originally reported to be moving north by Costa Rican journalist Yashin Quesada, followed up by subsequent reporting in both the Tico and US media, and on Wednesday Saprissa officially announced his departure for MLS alongside the exits of two teammates, one of whom is reportedly headed to the Portland Timbers.

By Charles Boehm, MLSSoccer.com

Surf Photos & Costa Rica Weekend Surf Report- December 22nd & 23rd

Costa Rica Surfing – (Surf Report December 22nd & 23rd) – We are going to give you the surf forecast for Costa Rica and we have Costa Rica surf pics.  Ready for some big wave surfing this weekend? There are going to be overhead sets on the Pacific side  &  the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. We have also added surf video from Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica.

North Costa Rica & Central Costa Rica & South Costa Rica Forecast for the Pacific

FRIDAY: Solid SSW swell on the rise all day. Most well-exposed breaks start Friday already in the chest-shoulder high zone with sets pushing head high to overhead at long period focal points. 1-3′ overhead surf looks likely at good spots by the afternoon/evening.

WEATHER/WIND: Central Costa Rica will see calm to light offshore AM winds, followed by light+ onshore flow through the later morning into the afternoon for most areas. Keep an eye on the Central America Hi Res Winds when planning your session.

Friday 12/22 – 4-5ft – shoulder to head high occ. 6ft – New, long period SSW swell builds in – BIGGEST LATE with overhead+ surf. Lully early becoming more consistent.

Saturday 12/23 – 5-8ft – head high to 3 ft overhead – Long period SSW swell tops out.

Video of the Surf at Playa Hermosa – Equipment From Reel Cameras

Caribbean Costa Rica Forecast

Moderate mid period swell from the east-northeast falling slightly during the next few days. Light and variable west-southwest winds, winds dropping rapidly later and switching to the east. Moderate mid period swell from the east-northeast holding during the early part of next week. Light and variable southwest winds later and switching to the north.

Friday 12/22 – 7-8ft – Head high to 3ft overhead – Moderate mid period swell from the east-northeast holding during the day. Light and variable west-southwest winds and switching to the east.

Saturday 12/23 – 7-8ft – Head high to 3ft overhead – Moderate mid period swell from the east-northeast holding during the day. Light and variable west-southwest winds and switching to the southeast.

Now Some Costa Rica Surf Pics (Photos Taken By Una Ola Surf Camp (unaola.com)

The UN Breaks With the US

It’s winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. The days are short and fly by. History hastens towards its unknowable goal in our age.

Despite the minimal light in New York, the United Nations turned its back on its primary founder and funder today. By a vote of 128 to 9, the General Assembly voted to demand that the United States rescind its December 6 declaration that Jerusalem, the site of the world’s three major religions, is the capital of Israel.

Major allies like Britain, France, Germany and Japan all voted for the resolution, though weak sisters Australia and Canada abstained.

Aside from Israel, the only countries to side with the United States by voting no were Guatemala, Honduras, Togo, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru and Palau.

The no vote by the little Pacific islands is understandable; Trump could use them for above ground nuclear testing again. But what’s up with Guatemala and Honduras?

Dripping with contempt for the UN, Nikki Haley pronounced, “No vote in the United Nations will make any difference.” Why? Because only we, the United States, matter in the world.

She and Trump openly threatened the world’s only deliberative institution for “isolating us for a decision that was our sovereign right to make.” No, national sovereignty and competitive national interest are history; humanity is sovereign now.

“We will remember it when we are called upon once again to make the world’s largest contribution to the United Nations,” Haley darkly averred.

Trump harrumphed after the vote, vying for the world’s biggest Scrooge: “Let them vote against us; we’ll save a lot. We don’t care.” The post-World War II international order is officially dead.

So far, Trump has been more bluster than bombs, unlike George W. Bush, who gave the world his administration’s self-fulfilling prophecy of a “global war on terrorism” after 9.11 by illegally invading Iraq. President Obama, it turns out, was merely an interregnum between two evil US administrations.

Susan Rice, President Obama’s senior policy advisor and UN ambassador, still speaks of “America’s unrivaled political, military, technological and economic strength…and the opportunities to expand prosperity, freedom and security through principled leadership.”

That’s rich coming from Rice. After the Bush Administration invaded Iraq and franchised torture, the Obama Administration whitewashed it and squeezed the last once of goodwill towards America as a “global force for good” with their relentlessly small ball political strategy. Essentially, Obama squandered the last opportunity for the United States to lead in the de facto global society.

Yes, he played nice with the Chinese to get the Paris Climate Accords, but Trump pulled America out of it with a stroke of a pen wielded by his dainty little fingers.

The Iran nuclear deal was an important achievement, but that too is on verge of being undone by 19th century troglodytes like Trump, Mattis, Haley, Kelly and Pompeo (Tillerson and the State Department don’t even count).

People around the world now laugh bitterly and derisively at the United States. Bluster and braggadocio define American foreign policy, delusionally set in post-World War II preeminence. Speak loudly with an ugly mouth and wave our big stick. That kind of weakness and loser mentality is a prescription for a real war.

Susan Rice strikes the hollow gong: “Russia…aggressively opposes NATO, the European Union, Western values and American global leadership.”

All four of those premises are false or defunct. NATO should have been disbanded after the Soviet Union dissolved. Instead it was an alliance in search of a mission for a decade, self-fulfillingly waiting for a return of Russia as nemesis.

George Bush Senior and James Baker promised Gorbachev in 1989 that NATO would not expand beyond East Germany if Gorbi allowed Germany to reunite. They broke that promise in the spring of 1990 and set the stage for Putin, who came in from the KGB cold in what was still Leningrad to begin his meteoric political rise.

As far as the European Union, it is faltering, if not fracturing under the strain of Brexit and a slew of right-wing regimes, such as Prime Minister Orban’s Hungary.

As for “Western values,” they have internally collapsed as certainly as communism did in Russia, replaced by individualism’s silo mentality. So we now have oligarchy in both Russia and America, as the recent tax scam bill by Republican business (cl)ass-kissers attests.

“American global leadership” has been part fiction, part fig leaf for 25 years. “Trump’s National Security Strategy glaringly omits many traditional American priorities. It fails to mention the words ‘human rights’ or ‘extreme poverty,’” Rice says. That’s right, they were just words even during the administration you served.

Fascism always succeeds superficially before it fails spectacularly. The worst is ruling in America, but Trump is a catalyst.

Humanity’s future is in a race with man’s past. We have to presume truth and goodness are losing until we break through. Can we, now?

Martin LeFevre