HUMAN´S AND ANIMAL´S RIGHTS

To introduce this topic is important to understand that human rights are linked to the dignity of the individuals in contrast to the state.

Human dignity is not a human right, it is the foundation of the rights granted to every men,  women and child. Because of this, our Constitution and international treaties host and in which our legislation is based.

Therefore, the public administration must first ensure the needs of its citizens and the proper coexistence in society, passing laws to ensure the healthy enjoyment of fundamental rights. To do this, one of the items that empower the human being to the enjoyment of these rights relates to the simple fact of being a person. The article 31 of the Civil Code of Costa Rica says: "The existence of the individual begins at birth and is said to be born alive 300 days before his birth ..."

This article refers basically that the rights of each person are attributes that are inherent to their dignity and the state is obliged to respect, protect and fulfill compliance.

The recognition of the dignity and equal rights are inalienable for the people but has not always been so, for this, the man has had to fight for freedom, justice and peace.

This struggle has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the human kind and has been an achievement of freedom from fear and misery, to be able to enjoy the freedom of speech, freedom of belief and foremost be protected by the rule of law which hosts the human rights.

However, it is unfortunate that now days there are still some countries that are part of the ignorance and contempt for the human rights to perform these acts of abuse to humanity.


The individual rights are regulated in our Constitution. Some of the rights that are established are: freedom of a person, meaning that, no one can be slave. Human life is inviolable. The right to move freely within the country or in a foreign country. The right to private home and inviolability of home. The right to privacy and to freedom. The right to form associations and hold peaceful gatherings. The right of opinion, whether they manifest orally or in writing.

Right to equality before the law prohibiting all discrimination. No one may be arrested without a hint of having committed a crime. No one shall be subjected to cruel treatment or to life imprisonment.

The above rights are just some of the many that Costa Rican citizens enjoy. However, each and everyone of them has limits, and you cannot abuse the enjoyment of the right to violate the rights of another person. For example, people have the right to roam free for the Republic; however, can not violate someone else's home. Or, people are entitled to express their opinion, however cannot harm the reputation of another person or company image with fake reviews. Likewise, everyone has the right of freedom, but if someone kills or commit murder, his or her freedom will be limited.

For these reasons and more, we must define certain rules of conduct, that can be found in our Penal Code, in order to regulate these behaviors and define the penalties for noncompliance.

Another set of penalties that are stablished for exceeding the limits of decency, refers to the mistreatment of animals. If it is true, animals do not have rights, as well as discussed earlier, rights are inherent to individuals only. Meaning that, we understand the inherent rights people are born with and clearly, the state cannot give rights to animals, because in this way animal will then be valued as equal to humans. With this, I'm not saying that I agree with animal abuse, but the animal rights cannot overcome the legally protected human rights. In what I totally agree, is that there should exist regulations containing fines for people who mistreat animals, in order to regulate this injustice.

The article governing animal abuse is the 385 of the Penal Code: "There shall be a fine from five to thirty days. For those who mistreat animals, causes death without a necessity, or use them as subjects of  manifestly excessive work."

MASTERPIECE: The Persistence of Memory

The Persistence of Memory is an abstract painting by the Spanish painter Salvador Dalí, painted in 1931. Performed by the technique of oil on canvas, is a figurative style. The images that are presented are watches that seem to be melting on the branches, and ants that devour greedily pocket. Dali was indisputable not a traditional painter. The background of the painting is clearly a beautiful representation of the landscape of Port Lligat in native Catalonia Dali, but as a whole, works like an amazing hallucination: full of fascinating and confusing details, the type of blended images we experience when we dream. Dali and his surrealist contemporaries were responsible for leading the masses through an immensely important and challenging new art movement. This painting is really striking.

I’m really into his work. The scenery is simple; the sea in the background and a small rock formation on the right appears. The work depicts a dreamlike landscape, large dilated spaces, in which the elements are associated in an unusual way. In the foreground on the left, probably a block of wood, which serves as a table, on which two watches and an incomplete tree with one branch without leaves have observed. The largest clock is soft, has a fly on it and falls, slipping over the edge of the table. The small, closed like a pocket watch and ants move about it. Pending a third clock tree, too soft. A strange figure that simulates a soft head, the neck is diluted in the dark in the center of the work. Particularly striking is the enormous nose, the kind of language coming out of it and the closed eye with long eyelashes. The figure seems to sleep on the sand. The artist has placed this figure fourth watch, equally soft and it also seems to melt or run off. The elements described above are set in what looks like a deserted beach, with the sea and a cove surrounded by cliffs in the background. The sky and sea merge. I think his work is very disturbing.

This painting is indisputably his famous work. The objects are painted in detail, although they are not lifelike, and an almost photographic realism is involved. The artist uses a bright color that contrasts strongly with the warm tones cold. Light plays a powerful role and contributes to shaping a dreamlike and delirious atmosphere.  It’s definitely my taste of art.

Table seems to be divided into a high luminance portion and a shadow. Regarding the composition scheme is predominantly horizontal, interrupted only by the vertical marking, the tree trunk, by the curving lines of watches and the central figure. Which appear to have been introduced to provide a slow movement to the stillness of the beach. He’s one of my all-time favorites.

ICELAND

Located in the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean, Iceland is consider a destination for a perfect get away.

It’s full of vibrant scenery with tons of hunched mountains and drenched with adventurous activities all over the place.

Also, Iceland has a lot of places of grassland that are parched by the snow, due to the fact that is one of the largest glaciers in Europe.

One of the most warped places in Iceland is the Hekla volcano, because of it twisted shape.

I have been planning my next vacations, and I think that I will be traveling Iceland by the end of this year.

Phonetic Symbols

FIFA WORLD CUP

The moment that many Costa Ricans have been waiting for has finally arrived. We were waiting for eight years to see our selection compete with "kraken" players at the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). This is a football tournament, founded in 1904 and held every four years since 1930, except in 1942 and 1946 due to the World War II. It’s interesting to highlight that Brazil has won 5 times and they are the only team who has played in every tournament ever since. Other countries, like Italy, have won 4 cups, Germany 3, Argentina and Uruguay with 2 titles each and finally England, France and Spain with one each. The current champion is Spain who won the FIFA World Cup 2010, the tournament in South Africa.

In every single game Costa Rica was always shining, and after witnessing our previous games, Costa Rica was a persevering and extraordinary defense that completely stopped the Dutch team. And, not to talk about goalkeeper Keylor Navas, considered the best goalkeeper in the World Cup and one of the top 3 goalkeepers in the world. Keylor Navas, or Saint Navas, is originally from Perez Zeledón, he was commissioned to provide confidence to all Ticos after his performance in the World Cup by helping the team to pass to the quarterfinals against Greece. Just like the rest of the soccer players from the selection who gave us joyful moments.

After witnessing the previous games, the moment came with the game against Holland last Saturday. The whole country was aware of the match between Costa Rica and The Netherlands, which was a celebration. Families gathered at home, friends gathered in a bar, and all the country united by the same shirt: red, white, blue. Everybody was pending the semi-finals for the World Cup Brazil 2014. Most Costa Ricans were very than satisfied with the role of our national team at the world cup championships. Ultimately, the boys gave 100% on the court.

Time did not reach them for more, so the game went to penalties, where a strategic change of goalkeeper at the last minute was made by The Netherlands, astonishing all spectators in the city of Salvador, media and many viewers. With luck and preparation Netherlands team managed to take the team forward.

Our National Selection did not come back empty-handed, as the boys showed an excellent performance in Brazil leaving all Costa Ricans as the best of the best. Some of them even refer to us as the giants of CONCACAF and not Cinderella anymore. So, from Saturday onwards, it is a luxury that other teams compete with our national team.

It was not until yesterday that the national team came back to our country which was a day of celebration. Our president Luis Guillermo Solís went to the airport for a welcoming ceremony. Many people arrived with banners, parades, children from all parts of our national territory were there to participate in the national activity. Folkloric music playing everywhere during the waiting time. Many proud people from all over the country showed up to show their greatfulness to our National Football Team. How nice is it to be a Tico!

COMMUNICATION WITHOUT BORDERS

The internet is undoubtly the most important tool of the world in communication. It has definitely revolutionized the whole society, in addition to being communication without borders. The internet opened the doors to the many technological sources we have today. Technology is everywhere and a part of every moment of our lives. 

One of the important sources is the social network as it allows us to keep in touch with people we know, who we know well and that is through the connections between people for either friendship, work or family; and also people who share interests, activities and backgrounds that connect each other. Social networks are platforms that allow internet through communication and contact with many people, many of them in a nearby territory, as other people may be in different countries, even very far and because of this, we or they can be kept in contact.

The main types of social networking services are Facebook, Google +, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and other more. One of the most popular is Facebook; many users in the world remain connected during all day. This tool has great advantages of communication, information, news, among others. Social networks have generated a very positive impact on communication, always seeking innovation and speed. In turn, generates economic benefits to people, because it is fixed by moving the virtual media phone.

Also have countless disadvantages, the users can became addicted to frequent this site and can cause them to distance themselves from those who are closest to. The persons may have problems with their work or study result. Many people also published confidential or sensitive information which may be useful for scammers. According to a study published by Royal Society, another negative aspect of social networking is that it tends to diminish the intellect of people. This condition is that social networks are a source of information for many users that use this media to read news or stay informed on the publications that you know. Although it seems contradictory, it generates too much information that decreases the concentration of people and therefore undermines the intellectual capacity of people. 

The exchange of information of a personal nature may become a threat to our private life and hence a loss of anonymity. To counter the risks generated disseminate information on social networks is important that people be cautious. To be more responsible to social networks, in order to protect personal data use. Accordingly, you can understand that social networks are a simple, useful, practical, appropriate and necessary that could generate very positive aspects in the life of users.

My favorite character: ALICIA KEYS.

Alicia Augello Cook, known as Alicia Keys, was born on January 25, 1981 in a neighborhood of lower-class Manhattan, New York. At age 7, his parents decided to enroll her in piano lessons, to her keep away from drugs and prostitution lurking in her neighborhood.

She is very single-minded, because from the first moment she began piano lessons she showed to have similarities with artists like D'Angelo or Prince talent. She was a self-sufficient girl, because at the age of 14 with her talent, developed composition, production and recording of her first album, she wrote her first song called Butterflyz, from her album Songs in A Minor.

Alicia is very thick-skinned, because of her personality, back when she was in high school she was very criticized by her teammates, she never felt intimidated to continue and she succeeded the pressure, gossip and the hard times.

With excellent grades she managed to graduate high school before the rest of the students. She immediately enrolled at Columbia University, but quickly withdrew her college career, because her real passion was music.

She is very career-oriented, strength to achieve what inspires is the music, which undoubtedly led her to become a big star.

After chasing her dreams Alicia Keys, at age 31, is a 14-time Grammy Award winner, an actress, an accomplished singer, songwriter and music producer, she has sold worldwide over 20 million records and has won eleven Billboard Awards and three American Music Awards.

After succeeding in a great career, Alicia is a very kind-hearted person, is Co-Founder and Global Ambassador of “Keep a Child Alive (KCA)” to people's movement that provides treatment to HIV / AIDS in Africa and India.

The things I like about her are her voice and her songs. But what I really like about her is her perseverance, passion and good heart.  For that and more, Alicia Keys is my favorite character.

MY DREAM PLACE: Canada.

Did you know that Canada has the world’s largest coastline of 202.080 km?

This and other interesting facts Canada has that it makes it my favorite place. Although I have never visited I have it pending in my bucket list as a destination to visit it. Geographically speaking Canada has many places to visit such as the province of Ontario where you could visit Toronto, Niagara Falls, Ottawa (which is the capital of Canada and the fourth largest city). In the province of Québec one can visit Montreal and in the province of British Columbia you can visit Vancouver.

You dont want to miss out the National Gallery, National Arts Centre where they offer a space for national and international artist that exhibit precious and large works of art.  Make sure you go to watch the northern lights in places like Saskatchewan which is one of the best points of observation for this kind of activity.

Every time I think about this beautiful country the first thing that comes to mind is the Hôtel de Glace, located in Québec. 

I´d recommend to going to this hotel, is built every year where they use around 400 tons of ice and 12 000 tons of snow. And my favorite part is that every summer it melts away and every winter it is rebuilt.

 

Spend the night there is quite expensive but I think it totally worth it as is a life time experience, so If you object to paying lots of money, don’t stay here.

Canadian people are very open minded and I think it has to do with the fact that they are rich in culture, folklore, arts and so on. Its culture has been influenced by the French and British traditions. They speak so many languages: such as English, French, and Portuguese.

A friend said the food in Canada is characterized by its delicious dishes.

She encouraged all foreigners to visit Québec and taste the meat pie and all types of pea soups that they have.

She also said that in Montreal they have a variety of smoked meats, but it is a little bit overpriced.

In my case, my favorite one is Ontario because even though they don’t have a variety of dishes in their diet per se they do have maple syrup which I love. All I know for sure is that if I get to visit Canada someday I will try their maple syrup with pancakes!!

To finalize, Canada has a lot of fun activities to do, a lot of places to visit, food, people, arts, sports and so on. This is why Canada is my dream place. I don’t think people get enough of Canada.

Canada’s Territory outlined in red

Did you know…? A bear cub named Winnipeg was exported from Canada to the London Zoo in 1915. A little boy named Christopher Robin Milne loved to visit Winnipeg (or Winnie for short) and his love for the bear cub inspired the stories written by his father, A.A. Milne, about Winnie-the-Pooh.