www.CostaRicaTicas.com

A.M Costa Rica 05-05-2009

You see!

I told you guys the sky was falling and you did not believe me.

Mps are looking a lot better with each dramatic turn of events in CR.


50

MPs may be nonexistant if she is elected. She will go after them with the gusto of a hound dog.

That's funny, monks in Tibet know about the brothels but it's a surprise to her?

Puhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhlease

I doubt she was unaware of them. She was the First VP when they closed so many of the MP's for building violations. While the raids were staged by the Municipality of San Jose she and the then mayor are from the same political party.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

ID is right that Laura Chinchilla is fully aware about the MP's. She has multiple targets but the overall feminist theme runs through all of them (like CR doesn't have any bigger problems). She'll get back to dealing with the MP's in due time. I find it curious that the issue she had with these casinos was not that it was mostly tico citizens that were using them and losing their hard earned cash, but that prostitution involving foreign men also happened to be going on around there. I'd imagine if there were no hookers at these places they'd still be open 24 hours/day (and even emptier during the day than they are now because of the lack of other attractions).

Unfortunately for her, attacking the "problem" of prostitution by attacking the casinos where some prostitutes work is misguided and completely misses the mark. Whether the gaming tables and slot machines are running or not these casinos are going to see just as much prostitution activity take place in them as ever before. These casinos weren't doing that much gambling business during the day anyway and most of those who did gamble during the day will just come later. Most of the gringos who frequented places like the HDR casino weren't going there primarily (or at all) for the gambling anyway and the fact that for a few hours per day gambling is no longer available is not going to keep them from going there to pick up the prostitutes.

Where I think ID's remarks are somewhat misleading was in lumping Johnny Araya and Laura Chinchilla together. While they may be from the same politicial party (PLN), they are actually political rivals. And I strongly suspect the actions that Mayor Johnny took against the MP's were mostly just show to demonstrate he's not "soft" on morality or "the victimization of women" rather than any real commitment on his part against those business interests. Similar to the influence of the religious right in the Republican Party in the US, feminists and other prostitution forces have an inordinate influence in CR politics. The scarier part is that the opposition (PAC) party isn't any better and its leading candidate, Epsy Campbell, is even more of an ardent feminist than is "Laura".

And this feminism can also be seen in other areas, such as the recently passed over-the-top paternity, Ch*ld support and domestic abuse laws. Granted there was and are a lot of deadbeat dads and abusive domestic partners in CR, and something needed to be done in those areas, but what these embittered tica politicians pushed through takes away just about all the rights of tico (and also sometimes gringo) men even when baselessly accused of abuse or paternity by angry or greedy ticas.

These women can stir up a vocal minority, particularly if they paint it as a problem of perverted foreign sex-tourists coming into their country, spreading diseases like HIV and engaging in sex with minors. Meanwhile, in the face of this vocal groundswell, male politicians (like ex-Mayor Johnny) just roll over lest they be accused of being sexist misogynists themselves.

Now, ID, tell me that I'm wrong.

The particulars here are peculiar to this time in CR but the overriding theme is age-old. Extremists and demagogues capture some political segment, then, even if they have to invent justifications, use that as a base to steamroll all opposition, especially the squishy-soft and the moderates. We can only hope here that they take this cycle to the logical, absurdist extreme position and blow out all their support so a rebuilding on centrist-humanist grounds can happen. This cycle takes awhile and meanwhile a lot of folks (not least of which, us) get hurt. Ah, the political/ social cycles of humanity!

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

Not really sure why that comment was necessary.

I will not tell you that you are wrong but I will respectfully disagree with part of your post if that is permissible.



I am aware that both Laura and Johnny are battling for their parties nomination to be the presidential candidate. However, politics are politics and basically practiced he same way world over. Rivals can and do act together when it is in their mutual interest. In this case even though she was the countries First VP she lacked the power to make an immediate impact on the MP's. The mayor on the other hand could act immediately under the guise of building code violations. It made political sense for Laura to reach out to Johnny and for Johnny to act, so he could as you point out, "demonstrate he's not "soft" on morality or "the victimization of women"."

It was one of those win win situations that politicians even if they are rivals from the same party or from opposite parties just live for.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

So what is happening as to closing or not so far ?
Tampa

Wait a minute, hold on....the DR has gambling?

_________________
I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelled of elderberries. Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time!

Wow, paying for drinks while gambling? Thats unheard of. I love checking out the scene at the DR, and jetting over the Colonial for an hour or two to play some poker, back to the DR. It upsets me, cuz I used the colonial to get drunk on the cheap.

You bet! Every unknown selection we make is a gamble.

_________________
"Your love gives me such a thrill
but your love don't pay my bills,
I NEED THE MONEY!" - John Lee Hooker

Disclaimer: The above is merely the opinion of the author unless specific scientific data is included.
Your mileage may vary. https://costaricaticas.com/phpBB2/viewto ... 978#206978

ID,
The comment wasn't really necessary because I fully expected you to correct me if I was wrong. And of course its permissable to disagree. What fun would things be if you didn't.

"Rivals can and do act together when it is in their mutual interest." That maybe true but how would the MP closures be in their mutual interest? Did Laura "reach out" to Johnny and say "Please could you do this for me?" or did she pressure him in doing something by stirring things up with her supporters by saying things like "Why isn't Johnny doing anything about this horrible situation?" And did Johnny act against the MP's because he really agreed with Laura that they were the major problem or did he act against them because he would lose votes to Laura he didn't do anything in response to the firestorm Laura stirred up? Don't you think its curious that these MP's have been around for a long time and he had his whole tenure in office to do something about them but he didn't act until Laura made a big deal about them and he was seeking to run against her for President? The people that are so much against this scourge of MP's can only vote for one candidate. The move by Johnny was purely a political sop (or you could call it pandering) to try and win back at least some of that special interest block rather than ceding all of it to Laura without any fight.

Any way that is my opinion, but you have my permission to respectfully disagree if you still want to.

Obviously neither I or you know what went on in either the minds or actions of either individual. Anything we say is pure conjecture and our opinion.

I think we already agreed on Johnny motive when you wrote and I agreed to this statement:

"demonstrate he's not "soft" on morality or "the victimization of women"."


So hypothesize all you will and feel free to share it with the board.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

What ID and Prolijo are saying is basically correct as I have posted before and have been telling CRT friends ever since last July. The MP closings were a planned thing and a small hand full of people knew ahead of time. I was told that one of their goals was for the police and CHANEL 7 to catch me going in a MP with a group of gringos. Lucky for me that I left the country the night before the closures started . Also, as for "HER" and "Mayor Johnny's" involment in the closures, the president was in Brazil and she was acting president at the time. It should not take a rocket scientist to figure out that, yes, she put pressure on "poor lil Johnny"!! Anyone ever heard of political manuevering to show ones strength???? And for anyone that thinks it (doing away with prostitution) can't happen; she has the backing almost all the "rich and powerful", and women account for about 70% of the people who vote here.

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

I have heard that one of the reasons for the new Casino laws is related to organized crime groups that are running the casinos. They are particularly terrified of the Russian and Chinese mob.

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