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!