Ana has been listening to Nuevo Radio Ya. For those who aren't aware, this is an FSLN station. Now, Ana is no Sandinista and Ana's mother, when she is here, is irritated that Ana is listening to "Danielista radio". But, I want to step back from the politics and talk about the model.

These posts were moved here since they had nothing to contribute to the original post titled:

"People who fight about nothing" by BlackEagle. http://www.nicaliving.com/node/16655#new

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Ripped off new Submitted by ATZ on Mon, 2010/02/08 - 11:15.

Laura Chinchilla becomes Costa Rica's first female president. InTheNews.co.uk wins as the first place I saw the information.

President-elect Chinchilla, of the ruling National Liberation party, had campaigned for election on a platform of maintaining incumbent president Oscar Arias's free-market policies.

What would it cost to get braces (no, not for me) in Nicaragua. No clue what it now costs in the U.S. but I was told It would cost about $2000 in Nicaragua and this is just for part of the mouth. Does that sound right?

http://www.insidecostarica.com/special_reports/2010/2010-02/nicaragua_fo...

NICARAGUA: Can Army Protect Plundered Forest Reserves? By José Adán Silva

MANAGUA (IPS) - The Nicaraguan state has embarked on an iron-fisted policy, including the use of military force, to clamp down on those responsible for environmental depredation, after repeated denunciations by organisations and government officials that the country's two largest biosphere reserves are being plundered.

A friend sent me a link to a web site about Pantasma and the Pantasma meteorite crater. The site also includes other information about the area. Note that the site is in English, French, German and Spanish.

So I went to my bank in the US before I came down to Nica, took out some money. Here, I go to the bank, to change the bills into cords.

"Ah, lo siento, here's a small 1/2" tear in the bill, we can't accept it.."

Okay, no problema. So then I go to my favorite tienda, and then another one - same thing: "Oh, this bill isn't good, it's torn, it's folded, it's bent, it's not pristine....."

I really don't want to go up to Rivas and find a coyote - so what's the alternative?

One of the few things I dislike about my Toyota Hi-Lux is the driver's side mirror. Unlike the US, where the driver's side mirror is flat, vehicles here use a mirror that is convex (like the passenger's side mirrors). The problem is that I actually like to be able to see things in the driver's side mirror, especially when the rear view mirror is blocked, and/or I need to be able to judge distance. The dealers only have the original equipment, and all of the parts stores I have checked in Matagalpa don't know the difference. Any clues out there?