Andrea Sanabria and her husband Ismael Salazar will compete again in the Carrera del Chirripó 2020. Sanabria has won the race nine times already. The couple is indigenous Cabécar and is dedicated to agricultural work. They sow beans, corn and chayotes.
They recently moved to Sitio Gilda near Sanabria’s mother. They used to live an hour further away. Still, they are 30 minutes from the nearest school and 23 kilometers away from public services like electricity.
In January they will start training for the athletic event. Salazar built a trail in the mountains.
The Minister of Sports recently visited with a delegation to see the needs of the population and bring gifts such as training uniforms as well as toys for the kids. They were told of the problems, such as the absence of drinking water and electricity, few options for paid work, difficulties selling their products, and many living eight hours walking distance from the nearest school.
The couple will compete in the event in February and hope to win the ₡250,000 prize.
San Carlos is now seen as having a better investment climate than it did before. More and more technology companies are opening in the area and free zones and business parks are being created.
Additionally, there are improvements in bilingual education, public infrastructure, roads, practices, and opportunities for residents and tourists. The region is full of innovation, according to the Northern Zone Development Agency.
Exports from the northern areas grew and eceeded $2 billion last year. A higher value-added supply of ayote and bananas are being produced. Productivity is up and good practices such as carbon neutrality are in place. The Pelletis firm manufactures carbon neutral fuel from wood waste in the area.
The area is home to the English Teaching Congress and the San Carlos Technology Summit. The availability of talent is ever growing as are the job opportunities. Many who had to move to San Jose to find work are coming back and finding great jobs close to home.
The health and tourism sectors are also being improved. The hot springs and adventure activities have long drawn tourists to the region. A cycle path is going to be constructed to enjoy the scenic beauty of the Arenal volcano.
In the 4 billion-year history of life on earth, from single-celled bacteria to trilobites to dinosaurs to humans, there have been five mass extinctions. The Washington Post recently published a muddled piece about the Sixth Extinction, which is being wrought by Homo sapiens, the smartest animal to ever crawl or walk upon the Earth.
The writer, Sarah Kaplan, attempts to have it all ways. In doing so, she contributes to the contradiction and confusion in human consciousness, and thereby to man’s destruction of this beautiful planet.
For example, there is this defeatist canard, which has become a staple of science stripped of philosophy: “Given the environmental crisis we’ve created, it’s unclear how much longer we’ll be around.”
It isn’t just the banality of the cliché that adds to the endarkenment of humankind; it’s the undertone of resignation. The subliminal message: It’s probably too late, and Homo sapiens deserves the same extinction our species is bringing about across the planet.
That’s a self-fulfilling vicious circle. The crisis of human consciousness is the crisis of human nature. And human nature is not an immutable thing.
The accretion of knowledge is completely distinct from the wisdom to use knowledge wisely. Indeed, the more humans have accrued knowledge about past and present natural worlds, the more unintelligent and destructive we have become as a species.
Yet the idea of scientific knowledge as the highest principle has become dogma. It’s enfolded in statements like the following, which carry a strong whiff of Judeo-Christian theology: “If we don’t understand this [primeval] world, if we don’t appreciate how this [present] world came into being, how can we be capable stewards of it?”
This reflects a standard, outer-directed and anthropocentric attitude, based on the idea that greater knowledge of extinct and living animals and ecosystems will enable us to manage nature and make us “capable stewards.”
The requirement to be positive is twisting MSM commentators into knots. They end up saying nonsensical things like: “Only now, as our own actions imperil this extraordinary and singular planet, do humans have a chance to comprehend all that is about to be lost. What a profound responsibility that is. What a beautiful gift.”
The non sequitur only makes some sense in the context of anthropocentrism, how “an enterprising ape species evolved sufficient intelligence to invent the field of geology.”
Are humans a sentient species, whose “own actions imperil this extraordinary and singular planet?” Or are we “an enterprising ape species” accumulating all this wonderful knowledge? It cannot be both equally.
Tellingly, the name of this confused piece in WAPO, is “Ghosts of the Future,” a sly, supposedly objective dig at Homo sapiens, which will sooner or later become extinct too.
Thus the mainstream media is flipping from fatalism to strained optimism, and portraying it as a ‘diversity of views.’ Pundits go from correctly saying, “At this moment, Earth’s climate is changing at a pace unmatched in the planet’s 4.6 billion-year history. The systems on which species depend are vanishing.” To the shallow and self-centered admonition, “We’ll get a morale boost if we acknowledge the backdrop of hard-won improvement.”
The latter is from Nicholas Kristof’s traditional year’s end dose of optimism, this year absurdly entitled, “This Has Been the Best Year Ever.”
With juvenile flair, Kristof intones, “I promise to tear my hair out every other day, but let’s interrupt our gloom for a nanosecond to note what historians may eventually see as the most important trend in the world in the early 21st century: our progress toward elimination of hideous diseases, illiteracy and the most extreme poverty.”
Kristof is not in the is not the least interested in what it means to be a good human being, or to live a good life. Much less the fact that the human spirit is dying in direct proportion to the human species ravaging of the Earth.
The believers in progress march in lock step with the progress of believers in the destruction of the Earth and the human spirit. Left-wing progressivism feeds right-wing extremism.
It’s an unfortunate tendency of human nature to try to have things both ways. But with a modicum of maturity, one realizes that isn’t possible, and doing so eventually makes one deeply dishonest and disordered.
Why is it that we acknowledge that everything changes, but assume that human nature is immutable?
Is it largely due to the idea that we cannot see things as they are, but only as we are conditioned to see them, or worse, choose to see them?
That belief denies our birthright as human beings, and the first requirement for meeting the crisis of consciousness—to do one’s best every day see things as they are.
Eleven people are indicted for a conspiracy involving money laundering through an illegal gambling business. The indictment is for operating an illegal gambling business as well as conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
The suspects are Stephen Bellipario, Joseph Fowles, Amir Hugh Robinson, Anthony Pinialis, Clinton Reider, Thomas Reed, James Ovens, Michael Tutolo, Maurey Presser, Alan Bambic, and Ralph Robertson.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice consider identifying fraudulent schemes a priority. To safeguard the country’s financial system, they partner with other agencies committed to this purpose, such as the Internal Revenue Service and the United States Secret Service.
The IRS Criminal Investigation is unraveling the complex scheme that reached internationally and included a gambling website, PremierPerHead.com, based in Costa Rica. Proceeds from this website were allegedly laundered. Thousands of dollars in cash were seized from the homes of bookmakers.
It’s a fun season. Just after the “fiestas de San José” and bullfights in Zapote come to an end, the Palmares parties begin. The start date for the excitement in Palmares is January 16.
The producers announced the list of concerts that will be held at the traditional Imperial Bar of Palmares and El Patio this 2020. Over 50 artists will participate, including 11 international ones. On the 16th, Dalex opens the stage.
Some of the big names we can look forward to seeing live include Sech, El Roockie, Comando Tiburón, Aldo Ranks, Chronix, RKM & KenY, Demphra de La Factoría, and Eddy Lover. On Sunday, January 26th, El Gran Silencio will close out the party.
There will be a few theme nights, such as Latin dance night on Friday the 17th and a hip hop night on the 24th.
There is plenty of room for the general public at La Barra Imperial, El Patio, the Bebedero Pilsen, and the Cantina Bamboo, but this year there is also the option of VIP tickets for special spaces. The cost is between ₡5,000 and ₡20,000.
HPI Investigators – We have an emergency investigation this Saturday at 5pm. Address to be at: 33rd Avenue, Sacramento, CA. Contact Person: Shula Jackson. Shula lives with her husband, dog, and 3 children in a home that is 12 years old. Activity: Older man (The Old Man) ghost standing over Shula’s bed looking at her. Something made her scratch her forehead in her sleep. A cloud of smoke (Smoky Entity) appears and get’s in her baby’s face. 6 knocks are heard on the wall, first 3, then a pause, and another 3 knocks. They captured an EVP, in which the entity says “find me” and when asking the entity’s name, the name is “Richard”. Child walks in their bedroom and a black ball is floating in the air and then it vanishes. One of the children has an imaginary friend and will sit in the closet talking to their friend.
HPI INVESTIGATORS ROLL CALL:
Deanna Jaxine Stinson – Psychic Medium – HPI Co-Owner; Paul Dale Roberts – HPI Co-Owner; Richard “Ox” Oxenrider; Angela Chessnutt; Heather Cornwall.
Shadow Person Captured by Angela Chessnutt:
THE INVESTIGATION:
We did two one hour investigations, covering all of the bedrooms, garage, front yard, living room, etc. After each investigation we have a briefing to discuss any evidence that we collected. We present the evidence immediately to the occupant – Shula Jackson. All I can say is….wow! While we were there, Shyla was getting choked and felt anxiety. Deanna picks up on a shadow person wearing a fedora hat (The Hat Man) in the hallway, near the children’s bedroom. Later Angela captures a full body shadow person wearing a hat, like Deanna described. Ox and Heather see a shadow person moving down the hallway in the beginning of our investigation. Ox captures all kinds of orb activity in one of the bedrooms and some of the orbs were dust, while some orbs displayed intelligent movement and would also move erratically from one direction to another direction. We capture 3 EVPs, one in the living room, 2 in the children’s bedroom. You can hear the EVPs for yourself at the video links. Heather felt cold spots moving on one side of her and moving to her other side. Deanna and Ox at the same time see a (Shadowy Bat Creature) fly out of the children’s bedroom and Ox had to duck, to avoid being hit by the shadow bat creature. Shula confirms that she has also seen the shadowy bat creature. Deanna sees a (Black Orb) moving down the hallway. Using dowsing rods to locate the entity named “Richard” and I followed the dowsing rods as they pointed down the hallway and back to the children’s bedroom. The dowsing rods crossed over at the location of where Richard was and I captured an EVP of a man talking a full on sentence that was unintelligible. Deanna saw a large (Black Beetle) that went into the split in the kitchen cabinets. The Black Beetle was a type of shadow creature. ENTITIES IDENTIFIED: The Black Beetle; The Black Orb; Richard; The Shadowy Bat Creature; Smoky Entity; The Old Man; The Hat Man.
THE CLEANSING:
Tonight I gave Shyla a full submersion baptism after Deanna and I, blessed the warm water in the bathtub. Shyla feels she has an attachment and demonic faces will appear on her back. I also gave a full submersion baptism to her 2 daughters and 3 boys with the help of Deanna and Shyla. I conducted a Roman Catholic house blessing while Deanna conducted a metaphysical cleansing of the house. Deanna left cleansing material for Shyla. Shyla said the house felt good and she felt good. After we left, Shyla called me to tell me she was being choked again. She is placing holy water around her neck area and is saying a protection prayer. We will monitor the results of our cleansing with Shyla.
BELOW ARE HPI UPDATES AND NEWS!
HAUNTED TRAILS
There are many haunted trails in California. Deanna Jaxine Stinson – Psychic Medium and I, have been on many. Some of the haunted trails in California are; Moro Rock Trail in Tulare, CA; Alum Rock Trail in San Jose; The Lost Coast Trail in Petrolia, Ca; Pear Lake Trail in Sequoia National Park; Mount Diablo Trail – Contra Costa County, CA; Lake Chabot Trail in Castro Valley, CA and Crystal Cave Trail in Sequoia National Park. My late brother Joseph “Joe” Soyo was an avid hiker and has been on all of these trails during his lifetime. Joe told me that the scariest trail he has ever been on is the Lake Chabot Trail. Joe called all 7 trails – The Haunted 7. After Joe hiked the Lake Chabot Trail, he had a dream that his throat was cut by a fellow hiker. Here is some information I found on the Internet about this trail:
“The Lake Chabot Trail is an ideal area for fishing, and for those who wish to get a long winded walk out of the day. However, many Castro Valley residents have started to avoid this magnificent plot of natural beauty, because of the area’s growing reputation. Hikers have claimed that while walking on the ten mile Lake Chabot Trail they started to experience bizarre visions. One envisioned being bitten by an extremely venomous snake. Another swears he saw a horrific looking clown, following him on the trail with a knife. And still another envisioned being attacked and killed by a rabid mountain lion. After sharing their fearful visions, they came to the conclusion that there is a paranormal phenomenon on the trail where the hiker will have visions of their worst fears…….come to life.
From the Paranormal Hotline – 11/12/2019 – Time: 15:14 Hours. “Hi, my name is Denny Laybourn and recently my fiance and I hiked the Lake Chabot Trail. After hiking this trail and going home to rest and sleep after having a long day on this trail, I had a hard time sleeping. I tossed and turned all night long and kept thinking of the trail. There was a time when I did fall asleep and I woke up in a cold sweat. My fiance had a terrifying nightmare, she dreamed that she was kidnapped on the trail by some homeless campers on the trail and stripped of her clothes. She was thrown into a basket that had a hole on the bottom of the basket. Below her was a demon with bluish skin, horns, long ears and sharpened fingernails. A female demon was beside him performing fellatio on the male demon. The basket she was in lowered down to the demon’s private area and the male demon inserted into her private area through the hole in the basket. The basket was then spun around while the male demon was inside her. She screamed and screamed and the female demon yelled “Spin the Basket!” Paul, my fiance and I, will never go on that trail again. That trail is cursed with EVIL! We are now having normal sleep times and normal dreams. I never want to go back!”
TODD’S DILEMMA:
Case Number: 9B165P186508. Contact Person: Todd. Paranormal Issue: 30 years ago Todd worked construction. He was working a field in Redding, CA and accidently disturbed an Indian gravesite. When this happened, he became cursed. Terrible things happened to him, he lost everything and is now homeless. Divorce, financial ruin, injuries, etc. He wants the cursed lifted. I suggested he should get a full submersion baptism.
HAUNTING IN KELSEYVILLE:
JUST IN: Case Number 70B7262L2516. Sub Category 70Y73501H921. Location: Kelseyville, CA. Contact Person: Brandon Perry. Special Note: Zak Bagans and Ghost Adventures is interested in this case and Brandon Perry claims he talked with Zak over the phone. Activity: UFO and Ghost Haunting. Ghost Haunting: Disembodied singing is heard. Strange loud noises are heard. Glass table and big umbrella in the patio was thrown off deck and into the woods. Former owner of the house lived in the dark and he was blind. He was also an alcoholic and died at this house. It’s possible that his spirit is still haunting this home in Kelseyville? Brandon further states that the UFO hovered over his house for 5 minutes. Brandon moved into the house 2 months ago. Brandon’s mother was growled at by an unseen specter. Brandon has heard hissing in the house. Brandon’s fiancée recently acquired lupus rheumatoid arthritis. More growling was heard at open window, Brandon was so scared he slept with his pistol. Brandon says at times his house will be infested with hundreds of rats and thousands of flies, as if the house was possessed. UFO: On 12/18/2019 a UFO the size of a huge Walmarts flew across the night sky in Kelseyvlle, CA. The UFO was silent. There were 6 witnesses to this event. Brandon Perry (witness to the event) submitted the picture of the UFO as seen here:
Three days into the festivities in Zapote, the organizers of the bullring lowered the cost of tickets to the traditional bullfights.
Some events were only 60% full but the management says this is not why they chose to lower the price, rather it was a decision to help families. The economic situation of the country this year has been difficult.
At the start, the cheapest adult ticket was ₡16,000. Torotico, the company in charge of producing the event, made the decision to make the cost more accessible. The price for adults dropped to ₡14,000 for the afternoon show and ₡15,000 for the evening one.
Tickets for children ages 3 to 12 were also reduced, from ₡9,000 to ₡7,000. Those under age 3 do not pay.
Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office of the roundabout on the fairground or online. The event goes from December 25 to January 5.
Almost 1,200 false marriages between Ticos and foreigners have been found. Vulnerable Ticos, often single mothers, are offered money to marry strangers, foreigners who seek Costa Rican nationality.
Colombians and Cubans are the groups who most often enter these kind of agreements. There has been legal reform making this a crime, still many notaries are dedicated to signing off on these illicit marriages.
1,169 cases were brought before the Family Court to dissolve simulated marriages. Some come to be known because the Tico no longer wanted to be married to the stranger. Others go to get a certificate that they are single only to find out it appears they are married and never knew about it. Still others are flagged for analysis because of a large age gap between the foreigner and Tico.
Some simulated marriages are taken to great lengths to not be found out. In some cases, the foreigner pays for the Tico to take a trip abroad just to have photos together making the relationship look real.
2020 is the year that at least a dozen road infrastructure works will receive start orders. Some of these we have waited decades for. Sure it will cause some traffic but it’s worth it for the convenience it will create when done.
Authorities ask us to stay in the know about when and where roads will be closed temporarily, making use of news sources and traffic apps to plan accordingly. Taking public transportation can help congestion. Patience is needed to avoid accidents.
In the first quarter of the new year, the three-level exchange in La Uruca, the Guadalupe viaduct, will start as will the extension of the Lindora radio station in Santa Ana.
It is believed that many projects will be finished during this administration, including works from San Ramón to Cartago, the Northern Ring Road, and three roundabouts and overpasses to eliminate traffic lights in Hatillo.
Steps will also be taken to tender works in San Pedro. There will be an overpass from near the Fuente de la Hispanidad to the cemetery as well as an underground passage for students of the Roosevelt school to get to the plaza.
After sitting for an hour beside the rippling stream, watching the water flow by below my feet and people on bikes and foot flow by on the pedestrian road across the water, I stand in awe as the last sunlight floods the bare upper branches of the oaks and sycamores in alpenglow.
One has spontaneously left the fabricated reality of thought and entered the immeasurable actuality of the sublime and sacred. It’s always a surprise when this happens, and something of a miracle.
What leaves reality and enters actuality? ‘I’ don’t. When the mind-as-thought falls silent in passive watchfulness, the brain directly perceives what is. What is the door to the actuality of beauty, sublimity and sacredness.
In the so-called mystical state of being, there isn’t “a God,” but there is God. By God I mean immanent intelligence and sacredness imbuing nature and the universe.
However God in this sense only comes with complete negation. As Silesius, a 17th century Lutheran/Catholic mystic wrote:
God, whose love and joy
are present everywhere,
can’t come to visit you
unless you aren’t there.
Is such a God completely indifferent to the fate of sentient, potentially sapient creatures such as Homo sapiens? In other words, though it sounds and perhaps is anthropocentric, does God care?
Despite the orgy of consumeristic sentimentality that Christmas has become, I would be remiss in this contemplation on Christmas Eve not to reflect on the life of Jesus.
Christians believe “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
I’m no atheist, but from the looks of things in America these days, one cannot help but think that the atheist Christopher Hitchens came closer to the truth when he quipped, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him will believeth in anything.”
What else can explain why over 90% of evangelicals still support the cruel, malignant Donald Trump, and many even believe he is “the chosen one?”
If he’s the chosen one, Satan itself chose him. (No, I’m not “demonizing” Trump; he made himself a puppet of dark things in human consciousness long ago.)
However we conceive of God, s/he never did “love the world.” The question is, does s/he love humanity?
The birth of Jesus purportedly attests to God’s love for humanity. Jesus certainly felt God cared about humanity. After all, he gave his life for his mission.
With respect to the Bible, as Thomas Jefferson said in his famous “diamonds from dunghills” letter to John Adams, “parts of the Bible are the fabric of very inferior minds, parts of it have proceeded from an extraordinary man.”
In our age, scientists make pronouncements of truth like Delphic oracles, and repeat in unison: “Evolution is unpredictable and undirected, and humanity is a fluke outcome rather than the inevitable result of billions of years of increasing complexity.”
Completing the tired refrain, they echo, “There were all these other worlds out there in the Earth’s primeval past; someday ours is going to be just another one of them.”
Such atheism is indistinguishable from religionism; such fatalism is indistinguishable from nihilism. Clearly the human species is a fluke outcome of evolution. The question is: Are brains like ours a fluke outcome?
Incontrovertible evidence of a single intelligent species from another planet (though humankind hasn’t attained that threshold) will prove not only that life is plentiful in the universe, but also that brains with the capacity like ours ineluctably evolve.
That still doesn’t address the question of whether cosmic intelligence ‘cares’ whether potentially intelligent species make the transition and transmutation to true intelligence.
For a mystic, there is no doubt that immanent intelligence beyond the mind of man exists. One is aware of that otherness whenever the brain gathers sufficient undirected attention to completely quiet the mind.
The doubt, given the world as it is, is whether Intelligence, which is neither separate from evolution nor directing it, is operating in human consciousness and on the human brain.
I’m only certain of two things: the existence of man-made darkness; and the negation of thought/darkness in methodless meditation.
Though no light at the end of the tunnel is discernible at present, what choice is there except to keep going? Don’t hold out hope, but keep the faith as best one can.
The sun rises on the Earth and abundant forest breathe life into our bones. The day folds in front of us like a path into a world unknown. Awake in the light of creation brings the desolate stones to life and animation. The dawn of mortality is born.
The secrets behind the existence is the darkness. That which shadows the truth. Across the world, we come together as one in this present moment. We connect through wonder and mystery.
In essence the birth of our spirits forms in the womb of the Earth. This is where we collect the stories of our ancestors and purify our hearts and minds. Where we stand in front of the light of Heaven and Hell.
Adam and Eve
In Christian mythology, it was the birth of Adam and Eve which led us to our current existence as beings striving under our desires for the darkness and the secrets which lies within them. This is what moves us forward and is also our salvation- enlightenment.
Creation
Genesis. 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Emotion
Our feelings are the start of processing our emotions about our moralities. They are the sunrise of understanding where we exist in a hopeless night. These are the sparks of humanity.
Rivers
Genesis 2:10–14 lists four rivers in association with the garden of Eden.
Rivers are where civilizations are born. They symbolize a holy life that exists in eternity.
In paradise, wherever that may be for your soul, you will find many rivers from which to drink and gain power in replenishing energy.
The Gardens
Song of Solomon
A garden fountain, a well of living water, and flowing streams in Heaven.
The tears that we cry are precious mana from love, which is holy.
A garden is beautiful, but it must be watered in order to flourish.
So, love is a paradise…
Promises
Keeping our words and manifesting intentions are the same idea.
That is taking gratitude for the moments we have and not wasting them in vain.
All the Gods make promises to show the importance of them and how to build worlds.
Revelations
So, there is a beginning so there will be an end.
The eternal karma of ever blessing and curse rules into one movement.
With every finale a space is cleared in order to grow something new.
7 Legends of Genesis
These concepts can be found in the basis of many philosophical ideas and this is because it is what is natural and pure that has the most power with soul work.
Breaking down the whole foundations of our spiritual worships can really help us understand our desires of the soul.
There have been a number of changes in the way Ticos see marriage. The census from this year compared to the one in 2010 shows this. The percentages of people getting married has decreased and the number separating or divorcing has increased.
Of all those who have been involved in a marriage, in 2019 half are still living in the relationship, 19.6% have separated or divorced, 7% are widowed, and 24% live in free unions.
From 2010-2019, the percent of those who at some point in their lives maintained a relationship of coexistence and then separated went from 7.6% to 12%. Those who divorced went from 6.3% to 7.6%. The percent of marriages decreased from 56% to 49%.
Ticos are much more likely to engage in a civil union now than in the past. In 1984, this type of relationship represented only 17% while it now represents 26.3%. This shows that Ticos are less likely to stay in a relationship that doesn’t work for them, regardless of tradition.
Costa Rica News – Huawei products will no longer be able to use Google services in 2020, because it’s on a restricted entities list put forth by the US Government, so the company came up with a plan B.
It has started its own AppGallery where it will publish apps to compete with Google Play and Apple AppStore. The Huawei Mobile Services integrates phones, cloud, services, tools, programming interfaces, and applications.
The AppGallery will even include apps that are important locally, such as National Bank, Tigo, UCR, CCSS, Medismart, Workcr, and many more. There are already 60 apps that are often used in the country.
The brand has 1,070,000 developers worldwide working on incorporating applications into the HMS platform. The brand offers visibility and incentives for those who place apps on HMS.
Devy González inspired so many girls when she won “Best Figure” at the Miss Intercontinental as well as placing in the top 20 finalists, out of 70 beautiful contestants from around the world.
Her goal was to convey a message to women that with effort everything is possible, regardless of our physical traits. She showed african descendents and people with curly hair that there is no need to change our appearance to be seen as beautiful. The winners this year of Miss Universe and Miss World are also black women.
Devy won second place at Miss World Costa Rica. She was invited to Miss Intercontinental just six days before it began. She left the event full of pride and satisfaction, having met her goal of helping others feel identified.
In her day-to-day life, Devy works at a bank and studies health services administration. She took a 25-day-leave from her job to participate in the contest in Egypt and is glad she got to meet so many aspiring women and learn about their cultures.
A pastor from Costa Rica has been arrested in the United States for abusing children under the age of 14. He used his computer to attract victims, according to the police department in Las Vegas.
A 14-year-old reported that the abuse was committed for several years. The complaint was made in the Juvenile Sexual Assault Section and the arrest was made on December 20.
The suspect’s last names are Retana Reyes. He is a pastor of a church near the 2000 block of Michael Way, near Mead Boulevard. He remains in custody in a Clark Country detention center while being investigated for different charges of sexual abuse.
His request for bail was denied because of his position in the church. It is believed that similar crimes might have been committed against others who have not yet come forth to authorities. Any other victim should contact 702-828-3421. Anonymous complaints can be made at 702-385-5555.
Pictures are from Ghosts of London and from Momo Ramad, submitted to Halo Paranormal Investigations for analysis. From what I can tell these photos are legit. The outline is quite unusual and some people see the outline of a Bigfoot. Could this possibly be a Bigfoot manifesting in the Sedona Desert? Or could this be an apparition of a deceased person? Let’s see what Ghosts of London has to say about these photos.
“Paul, the owner of this photo, makes claim that the photos were taken at the Sedona desert. You can clearly see the “spirit being” standing next to the ancient rock formation. As if protecting the sacred ground upon which he stands. The set of two photos show the figure clearly forming within the small rock wall. the photographer told us they were well off the beaten path and he felt “the hair rise on his neck.” He took two photos near the rock formation and this is what appeared.”
There are many mysteries surrounding the Sedona Desert. People make claim that they feel like they are in surreal surroundings when they walk in this desert. Some people have seen portals open up. I have written previous articles about Sedona. You can find my article on the Invisible Porcupine Man of the Sedona Desert here: www.unexplained-mysteries.com/column.php?id=158728 and you can find my article called Mystical Supernatural Forces in Sedona at the Costa Rican Times, seen here: www.costaricantimes.com/mystic-supernatural-forces-of-sedona-arizona/23758
From the Paranormal Hotline:
Jason Bogmen from Las Vegas says that in 1989, he visited Sedona with his wife and 2 children. While camping out in the desert, they encountered a fleet of UFOs zooming through the sky and one UFO became stationary and sent down a beam of light towards the ground. Jason said that the light was light blue and the light went down, until it touched the ground. The light did not go straight to the ground like a regular light. The light came to an end mid-air and then the light was lowered to the ground and made a sweep, as if the ground was being scanned. The scanning of the ground lasted about 8 seconds and then “poof” the light was turned off. The UFO was there for a ½ second and then completely vanished. The fleet of UFOs were also gone.
Maggie Sterner of Wisconsin while visiting Sedona with her girlfriend Julie E. says that while hiking in Sedona, they came to part of the trail that looked as if it had a pane of glass blocking the trail. They thought it was very unusual. Both women felt dizzy. As they looked at the aberration on the trail, Julie E. placed her hand through the aberration and her hand vanished. When she brought her hand back out, everything was normal. The aberration on the trail just melted away. Both women noticed they were missing 2 hours of time. Special Note: I believe that Maggie and Julie E. experienced the Oz Effect or also known at the Oz Factor. The “pane of glass” aberration may have been some kind of portal that would have taken the 2 women from our reality into another reality. During this odd experience that they were having, they may have been abducted for 2 hours and not have known it. When I visited Sedona during my time at Fort Huachuca, my head felt very cloudy as I explored one of the trails. My daughter Illianna Vega lives in Arizona and she finds Sedona to be a mystery, a mystery that needs to be investigated by a team of scientists. What is causing all of the unusual paranormal disturbances in this area?
I found this on the “Verde Valley Bigfoot: The Missing 411” website: “It appears the Verde Valley is the area where more people are vanishing than anywhere else. To think Arizona ranks as being one of the highest in the United States than this should raise some alarms and questions. Is the Verde Valley region one of the highest ranking in the United States for disappearances and why?
The high number of missing persons per capita reportedly going missing is alarming enough on its own merit but to find out the Sedona/Verde Valley area is the hotspot to vanish is a completely different story. Something appears to be happening to people in the region and nobody is or has been talking about it until now.
The most startling detail released by David Paulides and his team was a connection made through research very odd mysterious disappearances are taking place in areas where there is ironically found the name “devil.” On Coast to Coast AM Paulides stated:
“A lot of people over the last 5 years we’ve done research on have disappeared in those geographical areas where there’s devil in the name. The people I am around everyday I work with we look each other in the eye sometimes and can’t believe what we have found.”
What is happening at Sedona? We need to find out. Over 2000 people have vanished in Arizona and many of those people vanished in Verde Valley / Sedona. Why are these people vanishing?
Miss Costa Rica 2014, Karina Ramos, filed both criminal and civil lawsuits against Nicole Carboni for injuries and defamation and against Multimedios CR for reproducing the damaging comments on social media.
The complaint is about comments Carboni made in an interview on the Multimedia television channel stating that Ramos got the title Miss Costa Rica by having sex with a businessman whose company organizes the event.
The model claims $250,000 in drop in revenue for the Imagination Agency academy which she owns. This damage was done by questioning her morals and discrediting her reputation.
Ramos wants to personally and professionally advertise an image of beauty among Costa Rican women and has worked hard to do so. The comments made by Carboni are unfounded and unprofessional.
Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, came to surf in Costa Rica in the company of the elected president of Uruguay, Luis Lacalle. What better way to spend Christmas than enjoying this water sport in such a beautiful country.
The itinerary published by his office only states that he is in Costa Rica. It doesn’t specify which beaches they will visit, how long they will stay, nor whether his wife and three children accompany him.
Trudeau was elected in 2015. He comes from a political lineage. His father ruled from 1968 to 1984.
Canada and Costa Rica have always had a positive relationship. Trudeau personally called President Carlos Alvarado when he won the election. He said, “I want to express my greatest congratulations. I am very excited about the future of Costa Rica and your leadership.” The two leaders later posed for a picture together at the Paris Forum for Peace.
I’ve long wondered why the question that seized me as a young man didn’t register with the vast majority of philosophers. Given that nature unfolds in seamless wholeness, I asked, how did nature evolve a sentient creature that is fragmenting the Earth all to hell?
At one level, this question expresses what 19th century philosophers called “the riddle of man.” In the 21st century however, finding an adequate explanation for why man is such a destructive creature has become an existential imperative, not just a philosophical exercise.
The question was never merely a philosophical one for me. I had an insight into the observer at 18 that changed the course of my life, and carried with it an insight into the nature of thought.
What separates humans from nature, each other and the sacred is our ability to separate things from nature, without realizing that this is a functional capability, not the nature of things
In the last few decades, scientists and philosophers have tried, and utterly failed, to resolve the riddle of man and mitigate human ecological destructiveness by denying the dissimilarity, and blurring the difference between the human adaptive pattern and the way nature as a whole operates.
In a clear and concise letter, a philosopher with whom I’ve been corresponding inadvertently helped me understand the indifference I’ve long encountered with respect to the anomaly between man and nature.
“One thing on which we do not see things quite the same,” he understatedly began, “is when you state that a ‘sentient and potentially sapient’ organism could destroy its own habitat requires special explanation.”
“I don’t see this,” he stated. “It seems to me pretty much blind odds whether ecological understanding will develop concomitantly with technology, which can advance independently of understanding.”
That seems a good argument on the surface, though it’s full of holes just below the surface. For one thing it presumes that the evolution of symbolic thought, and the potential for self-understanding are equivalent, and entirely the result of random evolution.
Though there is no end, randomness is a means, not the sole factor in cosmic and terrestrial evolution.
I submit that we won’t find a different biology on other planets (or moons, such as Saturn’s methane cloaked and soaked Titan) anymore than we will find different physics in other solar systems.
I submit that the evolution of symbolic thought occurs wherever the conditions for life are stable enough to permit billions of years of evolution. That means that evolutionary processes are random, but the evolution of creatures like us, capable of
manipulating their environments rather than being bound to ecological niche, is inevitable.
Another flaw in the view that the human anomaly requires no special explanation, and that the insight to use thought wisely could have evolved along with symbolic thought, is that it removes human agency from the equation. “Ecological understanding” can only come with self-understanding, and that’s the responsibility of the creature in which conscious thought evolves.
Therefore insight and wisdom could not concomitantly occur with the evolution of ‘higher thought,’ since the strong tendency of thought is to mistake the reality it fabricates for the actuality of nature’s seamless wholeness. It’s then a question of when, and whether creatures possessing symbolic thought gain sufficient insight into to stop fragmenting their planets and themselves.
The correspondence with the philosopher ended when he assumed a decidedly nihilistic stance. “I’d say there is a fairly good chance that a creature which, due to creative adaptation, breaks out of ecological niche, will eventually destroy its planetary ecosystem. What is to constrain it? Throw in capitalism, and there’s your explanation.”
Without wading into the swamplands of critiquing capitalism, that’s a dead-ending conclusion. If man is doomed, it certainly isn’t because of capitalism, but the unrestrained selfishness and greed that underlie it.
We may not be able to change, and change course, but the fault will be not in our stars, but in ourselves. In any case, nihilism, the belief that humans are hopeless and life is meaningless, is antithetical to life.
The emergence of a brain such as ours, which at present is ravaging this beautiful planet, may be of complete indifference to the universe.
However since the human brain also gives us the capacity for direct experiencing of the numinous, faith in a higher intelligence, and in humanity, is clearly required.
Costa Rica’s leisure sector is booming, and it goes far beyond the sun, sea and surf of the Pacific beaches. When the night draws in, the tourists head indoors but are still looking to be entertained. The nation’s selection of top casinos serves as an obvious magnet for those who want an opportunity to dress to impress, play some traditional games and maybe even end their night on the town with more money than they started out with.
The rise of online gaming has served to give Costa Rica’s casino industry an additional boost. When online casinos first arrived on the scene, some people predicted that they would lead to a drop in revenue for brick and mortar establishments. However, the opposite seems to have been the case. Those who might never have considered visiting a casino in real life are often tempted to give it a try after exploring different games on their PCs or smartphones.
That’s all well and good, but there’s quite a difference between trying a game on a mobile app and stepping in through the doors of Croc’s or Byblos. The most fundamental question of all, especially for those who are new to casinos is what game to play. Here, we take a look at the most popular choices.
Blackjack
It’s traditionally the most popular casino game of them all, and with good reason. Blackjack is a game that is outwardly simple, but rewards strategic play, so the outcome is not just down to luck. It’s popularity is just as high in cyberspace, and there are dozens of popular blackjack sites online where you can gamble real money, craft your skills and get to grips with basic strategy. Doing so will make those all important decisions, such as whether to hit, stand or split a pair, second nature and this in turn can reduce the house edge to less than one percent.
Some newcomers find approaching the gaming tables a little daunting, but there is really no need. Of course it is fun to learn the hand signals if you want to play the James Bond part, but it is by no means essential. The dealers are accustomed to beginners, and will provide all the guidance you require. After all, it is in their interest to make sure you relax, have a good time and hopefully enjoy a few nice wins.
Roulette
If sitting at the blackjack table seems a little too formal for your taste, you could always try roulette. The big advantage here is that it’s a game where newcomers are just as likely to win as seasoned casino goers. In some respects, it can be compared to playing Lotto in as much as it is simply a case of hoping your numbers come up.
That doesn’t mean there is no room for strategic play, however. There are different types of roulette, the most common two variants being European, where there is just the one zero on the wheel, and American, which also has a double zero. If you have the choice, always opt for European roulette, as here, the house edge is significantly lower. Some casinos have a tendency to open the American roulette table first in the hope of attracting customers there, so be alert and bide your time.
Poker
The most popular card game on the planet is loved by those who understand it and feared by those who don’t. If you’ve never played poker before, or only have a vague conceptual understanding of the rules, you might think this is the last game to consider playing in a casino. Don’t be put off or swayed by Hollywood’s portrayal of poker games, there are forms of poker you can play in a casino that are ideal for beginners.
Probably the best choice is video poker. This presents you with a hand of five cards, and you can choose which to hold and which to swap. Rewards are provided for flush, full house, three of a kind and so on. It’s the ideal way of getting to understand what constitutes a good hand. Best of all, there are online or mobile games with tutorial modes that will tell you if you are making a sub-optimal choice. Once you’re comfortable with the basics, consider moving on to three card draw. This is similar in concept to blackjack, in that it is just you versus the dealer, who has to follow set actions. So you are not competing directly against other players.
Baccarat
A decade or two ago, baccarat had all but disappeared into obscurity, to the extent that the game was replaced by poker in the 2006 remake of Casino Royale so that viewers would have some idea what was going on. If the movie was being made today, a different decision might be made, as baccarat has enjoyed something of a renaissance over the past two to three years.
The game rules are similar to those of blackjack, but in baccarat, the hands of “player” and “banker’ are nominal, as both follow set rules when it comes to whether or not they are dealt another card. As such, all the player has to do is bet on which hand he thinks is going to win. It’s a game steeped in tradition and superstition, and is a great one for those who like to experiment with progressive betting strategies like Oscar’s Grind.
Slots
We mention slots last, despite the fact that they are often the first things a casino visitor will head for. Of course, there are no rules to worry about beyond spinning the reels, and there’s no dealer or croupier watching your actions. The downside to slots is that they provide little in the way of interaction with other casino goers, and only limited opportunities for strategic play. They will also have a higher house edge than table games.
That’s not to say you should ignore them entirely. One thing in their favor is that slots offer that outside chance of a truly life-changing jackpot win, something you will not get in a single game of blackjack or roulette. This is why many casino goers choose to have a few spins on a slot game at the end of the evening, just to see if they can finish the night with a big win – after all, you never know.
The luxury homes tax will be collected in January 2020. The Government has updated the details of this tax, which has amounted to ₡4.500 million by October. Specifically, the Treasury updated tax ranges.
The homes whose value exceeds ₡133.1 million (Approx $235,000) are required to declare and pay the solidarity tax, also known as the “luxury homes tax” which goes to strengthening social housing programs in the country.
Housing valued between ₡133.1 million (Approx $235,000) and ₡334 (Approx $591,000) million will pay 0.25% of the property value. As the home value goes up, so does the tax percentage.
To calculate the value of homes, many things are considered including the value of the construction, additions such as pools, and the land value. There are about 4,000 home owners who must cancel the tax.
Ileana Rojas has become the first general manager for Intel, making a name for herself, the company, and Costa Rican talent. She also serves as Manager of Manufacturing Products Engineering, making her appointment historic in that the company in the country is now entirely under Costa Rican leadership.
She has been part of Intel for 22 years, since the company entered the country. She has shown that Costa Ricans can operate with excellence and grow to meet the changing technological needs.
She says she has a team of local leaders who are very capable. Since the company’s arrival in 1997, Rojas has seen a great improvement in the quality of talent. One thing that has been difficult is the speed with which they need to grow with the times to compete with other countries who already have large talent pools of engineers with masters and doctorate degrees.
Her clear strategy for the future of the company includes having workers who are extremely specialized. For instance, those who work in human resources and accounting should get to know about all the branches at a deeper level.
Costa Ricans have established something of a reputation on the global stage for both national pride and for sometimes wearing their hearts on their sleeves. Nowhere does this manifest itself more clearly than in the world of sport. Of course, like other nations in both Central and South America, football is a national pastime. However, that’s far from the beginning and end of sport in Costa Rica.
Football – a national passion that went global
Ask someone from anywhere else in the world about Costa Rica and football and they will immediately make the connection with the 2014 World Cup. But in many ways that takes us to the end of the story, not the beginning.
The Costa Rican national team’s heroics in 2014 represented the culmination and crowning glory of a passion for football that goes back generations. But it also brought the game to a wider audience than ever before. This was the fourth time Costa Rica had qualified but the first time in the digital age and so close to home in Brazil. As such, men and women, young and old, all were transfixed by that quarter final run that could so easily have resulted in a semi final berth against Argentina but for the smallest of margins in the penalty shoot out.
Those heady weeks in 2014 stoked the flames of Costa Rica’s love affair with football, and it is one that burns strongly to this day. Online technology allows fans of all ages, regardless of personal skill or fitness to really feel involved by placing a personal stake on the outcome of games at a wide choice of online bookmakers. This has played its own role in increasing viewer engagement. The sites offer a variety of ways to get involved that go far beyond just backing a winner. For example, there is the possibility to predict how many goals will be scored, the winning margin or the top goal scorer over a tournament.
The other point to remember with these online betting sites is that many of them are based over in Europe. This means they also allows Costa Rica’s football fans to broaden their horizons and place bets on games in tournaments like the European Champions’ League and the English Premier League.
Back at home, Costa Rican football has neither stood still not crashed and burned after the excitement of 2014. The 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup saw the team finish top of Group A and make it through to the semi finals. Then in Russia 2018, Costa Rica had a tough group, but performed way better than the final table looked. Remember, it seemed for all the world that the mighty Brazil would be held to a draw until Coutinho scored in extra time.
Watersport – where fun gets serious
Youngsters love to kick a football around in the streets of Costa Rica too. But primarily, football’s mass appeal is as a spectator sport as opposed to something in which people routinely participate. When Costa Ricans want to get personally involved in sporting activity, they are far more likely to head for the vast stretches of Pacific coastline than the football field.
It’s an environment that is perfect for watersport, so unsurprisingly, locals congregate at weekends to participate in surfing and paddleboarding. Over the past decade or so, they’ve been joined by a growing army of tourists, and for that, Hollywood has to take a certain amount of responsibility. It’s a quarter of a century since The Endless Summer 2 went on general release. The ultimate surfing documentary, it put Costa Rica at the epicenter of the world surfing scene, and there it has remained ever since.
Over recent years, stand up paddleboarding (SUP) has become increasingly popular, and not just among the beach lizards. In fact, in 2016, Costa Rica participated for the first time in the World SUP and Paddlebord Championship.
Golf – the great leveler
Not all of us are blessed with the talent or physique to head for the beach and hit the waves. But that doesn’t preclude us from having a go at one of Costa Rica’s other most popular participation sports. Golf sometimes has a reputation for exclusivity. Perhaps this is due to the historically high prices of club membership leading to it being seen as something for the upper classes.
In many ways, though, the opposite is the case, and golf is the most inclusive and accessible sport of all. Take a look on any one of Costa Rica’s beautiful golf courses and you’ll see men and women ranging from teenage years to their 70s or even older. Golf’s handicapping system even means that those playing close to professional level can have a meaningful and enjoyable round of golf competing with a complete beginner. How many sports are there where you can say that?
The nation has also produced some top golfers who have gone on to participate in the world PGA tour. These currently include the likes of Juan Marin and Valentin Quiros. On the whole, however, golf is less popular as a spectator sport, and certainly does not attract TV audiences in the way that football does. However, the rise of online streaming means that major tournaments and special events like the Ryder Cup are starting to attract a following.
Long-standing tradition in toros a la tica
Bullfighting is a sport that causes no end of controversy whenever it is discussed. We will not go into the rights or wrongs of it here, but there is no denying that toros a la tica remains a hugely popular spectacle and is woven into Costa Rica’s cultural heritage. In fact, it would be difficult to imagine what life in San Jose would be like over the New Year period without it.
Of course, the scenes played out in Costa Rica are far removed from the Spanish bullfights on which they are loosely based. Here, the raucous crowds are decidedly on the side of the bull, and a roaring cheer goes up every time he charges the unfortunate bullfighters.
In fact, the bull is by far the safest participant out there, and animal welfare is taken seriously. It is the human combatants who are most at risk, especially the growing number of amateurs who take to the ring in fancy dress. Still, whatever your views, it seems that this sport, beloved by both spectators and participants, will not disappear any time soon.
Dry season is going to affect over 600,000 residents of Costa Rica. The lack of water in the center of the country will leave 95,000 people suffering cuts in service of 6 to 12 hours or more.
The Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA) estimates that at least 662,000 people will have at least some degree of impact on their supply of drinking water. This is 27% of AyA subscribers.
In the Greater Metropolitan Area 37% of the entity’s customers will be affected. 127,000 could be out of water for six hours a day, 95,000 will lose water more than six hours, and 250,000 will be without water less than six hours a day. In the GAM, 472,000 people in total will face at least part of the day without water supply.
The decrease in water supply happens every summer. The low rainfall is attributed to the El Niño phenomenon. AyA is making a number of investments in water supply improvements but asks users to avoid using drinking water to wash cars and water gardens.
Public sector workers will benefit from an agreement signed by the government and the union sector on Tuesday. 125,000 civil service officials will have a single increase of ₡7,500 next year.
The proposal came from the Minister of Labor as a way to reduce the wage gaps between sectors and impact the economy and families in a positive way. The Wages Commission signed the decree. This will be the only increase the public sector will have in 2020.
In addition to the general increase, there is a differentiated one for those with lower wages. Those who make ₡300,000 or less will get the ₡7,500 plus ₡1,250. Those who make over ₡750,000 will not receive any increase.
The proposal was met positively by many involved parties. It was signed by the trade union sector, Rerum Novarum Confederation, the Central General of Workers, and the Costa Rican Workers’ Movement.
MOPT has awarded contracts for the construction of overpasses in Tarras and La Lima de Cartago. The H. Solís-Estrella consortium is the winner. It will begin the work in the second half of next year as long as there are no appeals.
The projects have already been designed and financed. The Inter-American Development Bank loaned $58 million for the works.
The overpass in Tarras will have three lanes in each direction and the one in La Lima will have two lanes each way.
Related improvements include bike paths, bus bays, and sidewalks along the 2.8 kilometers that connect Tarras and La Lima.
The work is important to all who travel between San José and Cartago or the south of the country. 40,000 vehicles pass through this sector per day.
The Minister of Public Works and Transportation estimates that the work will be completed 28 months after the start date.
Noncompliance with the General Superintendence of Financial Entities (Sugef) has been a huge issue. Financial institutions have had to close over 1,000 accounts of individuals and companies due to this problem.
About 30,000 were supposed to register by June 30 or September 30, depending on their group. Only 3,577, or 11.9%, complied with this obligation which is a measure against money laundering.
Financial institutions are required to establish policies to detect breaches and assess closing the relationship with those who don’t comply with registering before Sugef. The requirements were created in May 2017 in Law 9449.
The measures by Sugef are in response to weaknesses found by the International Financial Action Task Force in July 2015. Mechanisms to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing were recommended.
What is Lycanthropy you may ask? According to The American Journal of Psychiatry Vol. 134, No. 10. published in October 1977 it states:
“Lycanthropy, a psychosis in which the patient has delusions of being a wild animal (usually a wolf), has been recorded since antiquity. The Book of Daniel describes King Nebuchadnezzar as suffering from depression that deteriorated over a seven-year period into a frank psychosis at which time he imagined himself a wolf. Among the first medical descriptions were those of Paulus Aegineta during the later days of the Roman Empire. In his description of the symptom complex, Aegineta made reference to Greek mythology in which Zeus turned King Lycaon of Arcadia into a raging wolf. Thereafter, references to lycanthropy appeared in the ancient literature. Many medieval theologians envisioned lycanthropy as a consequence of the evil eye.Delusions of being a wolf or some other feared animal are universal and, although rare in the industrialized countries, still occur in China, India, Africa, and Central and South America. The animals in the delusioned transformation include leopards, lions, elephants, crocodiles, sharks, buffalo, eagles, and serpents.Not infrequently, bizarre and chaotic sexuality is expressed in a primitive way through the lycanthropic symptom complex. Patients whose internal fears exceed their coping mechanisms may externalize them via projection and constitute a serious threat to others. Throughout the ages, such individuals have been feared because of their tendencies to commit bestial acts and were themselves hunted and killed by the populace. Many of these people were paranoid schizophrenics.”
Thoughts of werewolf movies may come to your mind from: The Boy Who Cried Wolf, Blood, Bad Moon, The Curse of the Werewolf, Death Moon, Face of the Screaming Werewolf, Teen Wolf, The Wolfman, Project: Metal Beast – DNA Overlord and Ginger Snaps. But, we’re not here to talk about good werewolf horror movies, we are here to talk about two real werewolves! Lolita Moonshadow and Katrina Kanine!
I get a call from Lolita Moonshadow and Katrina Kanine. They are self-proclaimed werewolves. What the? Okay Lolita and Katrina, where can I meet you at? We first met at the Avid Reader at Broadway and crossed the street over to Starbucks for a refreshing frappachino. Lolita and Katrina are cousins, they claim to be of Romanian descent. They claim to have a long history of werewolves in their family. I asked them, how do you know you are werewolves, besides the Romanian descent and thinking your family members are werewolves? They said they both crave raw meat. When a dog, cat or a rabbit crosses their paths, they have the urge to ‘chase’. They feel domination over men, physically and mentally. When the full moon rises, they feel the urge to hunt. They must suppress their dark desires. They said they have a lot of dark desires within their inner souls.
I asked them to elaborate on their dark desires and they asked me if I ever saw An American Werewolf in London and they left it at that. I pondered…do they have the desire to kill? They both feel they have a chemical imbalance during a full moon, but feel they have everything under control. They both showed me their unusual long canines. I don’t know if they were unusually long, or if they stood out more. They said that during a full moon, they get more hair on their arms and legs. They said that they have a keen sense of smell and after they get used to my smell, they would be able to sniff me out a block away.
Katrina took my arm and dug in a bit with her fingernails and looked at me and said…”Paul, I have a hunger!” Okay, okay, just as long as it is not me! We discussed if silver bullets can kill werewolves and they said that a real werewolf can be killed by any bullet, that is a myth. They told me that their eyesight changes over to seeing everything in black and white during a full moon, they feel greater strength and are quite agile. They claim that if they are with their boyfriends during a full moon, their sexual desires are greatly heightened and their boyfriends are not able to handle their wild frenzy. They describe it as throwing a bull carcass in the Amazon river and watching piranhas go into a feeding frenzy. They said that their love life had dwindled, when anytime their lovers discovered the true essence of their beings. They said that last week, their boyfriends left them and they are single again.
At this point of time, I noticed a bead of sweat dripping from my brow. I knew I better end this interview as quickly as I started it. I noticed that Lolita had purchased a werewolf book from Avid Reader. Yes! These girls were truly into lycanthropy. Before, I left, we discussed werewolf sightings in Placerville and the Sierras. They said, that at times they feel a calling for the Sierras to find their brethren. What is so unusual, after I met them, I have been contacted by another werewolf girl in Fremont and I plan to interview her too. She claims that there are werewolf sightings in Antioch. She has a very interesting story to tell also! When I stood up from Starbucks, both were eyeing me strangely and both stood around me, as if they were blocking me from the entrance. Lolita grabbed my shoulder and said…”Paul, remember one thing, doctor up our photo, we do not want to be identified for this article and make sure not to identify us in anyway in this article. We know where you live!” I looked back at Lolita and Katrina and said…”sure, no problem, no problem at all!”
As I left Starbucks, I thought how safer it would be to just hunt ghosts, they don’t make threats! Before I close this article, I met Tanya Filer, a clerk at my local Bel-Air and she told me about an abandoned house in Elk Grove that she wants me to investigate. The house has been abandoned for 7 years, because no one will purchase the home, its reputed to be haunted. The story goes that a builder of the house, killed himself with a nail gun. People who have entered the home, claim that the phantom builder looks at them and is holding a nail gun in his hand. Okay, Tanya, where is this house? I am willing and ready to investigate! As I rode home tonight on the lightrail, Julie Surjan a good friend of mine, who knows I am a ghost hunter, had me all hooked on her story. She said, that a strange thing happened to her last night. She was watching TV and saw something at the corner of her eye, it was dark and black. I asked…”was it a shadow person?” She looks at me and laughs…”no, it was a black widow spider! I had the hardest time killing the thing!”
The CCSS is planning to use the “day hospital” modality of care more and more. It also plans to treat more patients in their homes. Starting in Calderón Guardia Hospital and Hospital Nacional de la Mujer, 1,000 hospitalizations will be avoided in 2020.
Implementing a day hospital means many patients will be able to receive treatment without being admitted to the hospital. They will go home to their families and come back the next day to continue treatment.
Receiving antibiotics is one example of a situation in which a patient is unnecessarily hospitalized. This can be done in a day hospital and the bed can be used by multiple people per day, bettering the wait time for patients.
This will help the patients quality of life as well as solve problems faced at overcrowded hospitals. It would save over ₡600 million for the Caja next year.
The system has proved successful in isolation in public medical centers and starting in 2020 it will begin to be executed in a phased manner throughout the territory.
The Serrat and Sabina concert will be this Tuesday at 8:30 pm in Parque Viva. This long awaited concert, part of the No hay dos sin tres tour, is expected to be the best of the end of year shows.
There are some details attendees will want to be aware of ahead of time. To start with, Parque Viva opens at 5 pm while the Coca-Cola Amphitheater will open at 6:30 pm. Throughout the park there will be a variety of places to purchase drinks and meals before and after the concert.
It’s important to note that the management asks concert goers to arrive at the door with tickets in hand as to avoid congestion. They also remind us that the following items are not allowed: weapons, sharp objects, vaporizers, lighters, food, drinks, umbrellas, folding seats, wallet chains, backpacks, drones, ad selfie sticks. Injectable medications are allowed only with medical documentation.
Transportation is being coordinated by the Marvi Transport Company. To reserve a space, go to yappexperience.com or call 2214-2828.
There are still tickets available in the gramilla sector and areas 101 and 103. Tickets can be purchased at 4080-6700 or boleteria.cr.
A friend and I fr0m philosophy grad school days at the University of Oregon are exploring the question: Is the human brain exapted for insight?
‘Exaptation’ is a word coined in the early 1980’s by paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould. It means “a trait, feature, or structure of an organism that takes on a function when none previously existed, or that differs from its original function which had been derived from evolution.”
The quintessential example is bird feathers. The consensus of paleontologists is that feathers were not originally evolved for flight, but for temperature regulation in dinosaurs, and only later emerged in the reptilian ancestors of today’s birds.
The idea of exaptation was proposed as an alternative to “pre-adaptation,” since that term “implies that such traits, features or structures as feathers were destined for a future function.”
In other words, exaptation does away with simplistic teleology, the human-projected need to see “intelligent design” in the evolution of vision, flight, or humankind’s prodigious brain.
As my friend points out, on first reading my question appears too simple, implying “how nature plays out regardless of any actions or decisions performed by humans, so that the most we can do is anticipate it.”
There is a great deal of subtlety enfolded within the question however. Things are so complex, especially where humans are concerned, that questions and lines of inquiry need to be kept simple.
Near the end of his life, Einstein was asked what question he would pursue if he had his life to live over again. He replied, “Is the universe friendly?”
I hear echoes in his question, levels of meaning and implication that point in the same direction. At one level, Einstein’s question is the standard one of astronomers and astrobiologists: Is life unique to the earth, or is it intrinsic to cosmic evolution?
At a deeper level, it implies the question: Does the universe ineluctably give rise to potentially intelligent species such as Homo sapiens? And is consciousness an emergent phenomenon, or the underlying actuality of the cosmos, or both?
Dan felt that “the question as stated carries with it the problem of specifying something called ‘insight’ that the brain was not originally adapted for.”
Specifying what insight is would make it another property of thought, which it isn’t. In any case I don’t feel it’s accurate to speak of “what the human brain evolved for,” only to be clear about what the human brain does that’s different from other animals, including the smartest animals such as Orcas, crows, or bonobos.
Why don’t we see our own “adaptive strategy?” Is it that thought cannot see itself?
But his point is well taken. Clearly the human brain has the capacity for insight. Most of the advances in science have been the result of scientists persistently questioning a phenomenon until they have an insight into it.
So what would be different about ‘exaptation’ for insight? Does it imply an explosion of insight, both in the individual, and in enough individuals to give rise to a revolution in consciousness?
Our distant ancestors obviously had many insights into animals and plants. That’s how and why they survived, and we are here.
Is it that to this point, humans have had external insights, whether in the scientific age or during the long prehistoric times, but that we haven’t had anywhere near sufficient insight into ourselves—into thought and consciousness?
There is a state of insight, which is not about anything, but occurs when psychological thought falls completely still. In that state the brain aligns with the order that permeates the universe.
Is the human brain exapted for that—a state of being beyond psychological noise and functional application? And why is it essential to awaken it at this time?
To this point in human evolution, the brain’s capacity for insight has been appropriated by thought and reason for the purpose of accruing
knowledge. A conscious exaptation for insight would mean that insight would take primacy over knowledge formation, much less experience.
Such a revolution in human evolution has become essential to our survival because thought has fragmented the Earth and humanity to the point of collapse. Insight flows from wholeness, and makes us whole.
A Costa Rican doctor, Alejandro Moya, was once called upon to help in a medical emergency on a flight. He identified that the patient was having a myocardial infarction that required interventions not available 28,000 feet in the air.
The plane was diverted to the nearest airport and the patient transferred to a hospital. Other travellers were not happy to have an extra stop and have to wait two hours for the next takeoff but it was necessary to save a life.
Another Costa Rican doctor has also used his skills aboard a plane, or rather three planes. Doctor Clive Montalbert attended three incidents on flights. One, being a heart condition, required an emergency stop. The other two he was able to handle in the air. When a girl had a fever and was convulsing, he used cold compresses to lower the fever. When a man had abused liquor and pills leading to him lose blood pressure and faint, the doctor moved him to a seat where he could rest with his feet up to better his blood pressure.
There is a medical emergency on one out of every 604 flights, or 130 per million passengers. Flight attendants are trained in first aid and there is always a ground crew offering medical consultations for emergencies.
