Yesterday many websites were in a World-Wide Blackout against The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) bill, and it’s sister bill, Protect IP Act (PIPA), that is currently working their way through the United States Congress and the Senate. These new bills threaten every facet of the internet by letting government regulate what can and can not be seen; a form of censorship - just like China and Iraq does to their Internet users.
Craig's List Blackout in Protest of SOPA and PIPA
Thousands of website owners, webmasters, and SEOs (including Tico Times Directory), joined with the big boys like Google, Craig’s Lists, and Wikipedia and protested for 24/hrs this scary and very unfair bill. The purpose of the blackout was twofold: to raise public awareness, and to encourage people to share their views with their elected representatives.
Fighting online piracy is VERY important and we believe in the copyrights and trademarks protection of others. Unfortunately, SOPA and PIPA bills target the innocent places like American social networks, Blogs and search engines. This alone undermines the existing laws that have enabled the Web to thrive, creating millions of U.S jobs. In otherwords, those in protest, believe the bill violates a few US Amendment Rights, like the 1st Amendment – Freedom of Speech. Read more... (752 words, 2 images, estimated 3:00 mins reading time)
A female Mediterranean fruit fly pumps eggs through her ovipositor into the soft outer layers of a ripe coffee berry. Coffee is one of Costa Rica's prime exports
In 2011 National Geographic had a photo contest and ironically one of the winners in the nature category was a picture of a fruit fly resting on a green coffee bean in Monteverde, Costa Rica. Obviously unknown to the photographer, it implicated one of Costa Rica’s worst nightmares is alive, well, and continues to threaten Costa Rica’s multimillion dollar agriculture business.
The Mediterranean fruit fly, is one of the world’s most destructive fruit pests. This pest attacks more than 260 different fruits, flowers, vegetables and nuts and causes billions of dollars in damages.
It was in 1955 the Mediterranean fruit fly first invaded Costa Rica and did over $2 million in damages, or in today’s dollar, around $20 million. And back in 1955, the agriculture business was only a fraction of what it is today. With said, Costa Rica has taken massive steps to combat any infestation and has established detection procedures so that the pest does not make Costa Rica its home. Read more... (522 words, 2 images, estimated 2:05 mins reading time)
One again, as the New Year gets started, Costa Rican’s will find themselves paying more to the government.
Ticos by nature are non-aggressive, but this time the government may experience what American’s have seen, “country wide protests” and what some of the Bloggers are writing about, “WTF – The don’t understand land!”
Starting today (Jan 1, 2012) Costa Rica will see ( to name the few) higher traffic Fines, increase in tolls, and new tax(es), particularly on corporations, which is caused a bit of confusion.
Traffic Fines and Vehicle Registration
Just about all traffic fines will go up on average ¢44.000 colones. And for the existing high fines that have not been paid, expect a hike of 14%. In other words, a ¢316.000 fine suddenly becomes ¢360.000.
Private cars and Motorcycles will pay on between 30% to 43% more for registration and general taxes.
Traffic fines can be paid at some banks, but then again, find a bank open on Sunday and without a mile long line, and if you can’t pay, one had better keep a sharp eye for a Tránsito official who will be looking for that missing 2012 sticker on your windshield. Read more... (613 words, 2 images, estimated 2:27 mins reading time)
Probably one of the best bathroom signs I have seen at Los Amigos. They sell t-shirts with this logo on it.
I had not been to Jaco in a while - with said, a while back I wrote about how wild Jaco is and how I predicted that the desire for tourist bucks will change it. Needless to say, I spend some time checking out the ‘new’ Jaco a few weeks ago.
Those that experienced Jaco years ago had warnings about the lawless of the town. Druggies, prostitution, pickpockets etc, pretty much ran it. I’m impress how Jaco has changed. The last time I was there, old men with their bellies protruding from Hawaiian shirts with hookers on their arms was a common occurrence. And high-rise cranes littered the sky in development. Not anymore.
However, Jaco still has it problems, last August the mayor was arrested for embezzlement, illicit enrichment, misrepresentation and fraud and there are still those undesirables that cruise the streets and beaches, harassing gringos to buy drugs and other illegal items. Jaco has also become sorta the “no-mans-zone” for drug traffickers. This has increased the on-foot police force – which is a good thing as it gives the tourist a sense of security. Read more... (948 words, 5 images, estimated 3:48 mins reading time)
Starting in Jan, 2012 the monthly fishing license will be discontinued and fees will go up.
In the past, tourist and nonresident anglers could pick whether or not they wanted a monthly ($13 USD) and/or yearly fishing license ($25 USD). Considering that most anglers come to fish once a year (about 98%) they’d pick the cheaper. Fishermen who don’t know this in advance have been known to get a little upset at having to shell out cash at the dock to get one before they set forth on a $1200/day sport fisher charter. Fishing licenses are not usually included on a charter and have to be paid for when on the docks.
But soon that will change – affective Jan 1, 2011 sport fishing licenses will go up in price. And [most importantly] Costa Rica will no longer provide the low-cost monthly fishing license, instead, they will force anglers to buy the more expensive yearly license at $30 USD.
Costa Rican Fisheries Institute (Incopesca) claims the price hikes and single yearly license are necessary due to the rising cost of administrating the fishing license system. Read more... (715 words, 3 images, estimated 2:52 mins reading time)
Loading ...