I have now seen two articles about a Gringo with legal problems in Nicaragua. Whether this person is innocent or guilty I don't know but it, once again, inspires some thought about a general problem.

This particular case is covered a couple of TV blurbs, this one from the FOX TV station in San Antonio. The story is summarized as:

Family members are trying everything they can to get a San Antonio businessman released from a Central American jail.

One of the problems brought up here is that qualified workers leave Nicaragua making it hard to start/run a business. It's a real issue but not just for Nicaragua. Another country with this problem is Ecaudor.

The discussion of the arrest of Toth (http://www.nicaliving.com/node/21146) has clearly been a hot topic. Another hot topic here has been immigration/residency issues. In those discussions there has been some Nicaragua should ideas presented -- many justified by how easy it is for bad Gringos to move here/stay here.

With this real case study available, have we learned anything/changed any opinions?

Here are my observations:

Get on the bandwagon. Today's the day for FLISOL. See Flisol 2013

Over 20 countries will participate this year, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Even Spain is joining the Festival.

http://www.fenitur.com.ni/en/

Participants include some people I haven't heard about in Jinotega:

http://www.fenitur.com.ni/en/participante/122

And two I have heard on, one I've done business with and can recommend quite highly:

http://www.fenitur.com.ni/en/participante/129 La Bastilla Ecolodge

and

http://www.fenitur.com.ni/en/participante/120 Matagalpa Tours (highly recommended).

The print edition of La Prensa today 25 April has a large 20 page pullout "Nicaragua Eficiente" discussing the present & future electrical generation plans here. Good read - I don't see it online but it probably is there.

This is a webinar upcoming on 9 May that sounds pretty interesting. The web page with information about it is on Engineering for Change.

Here is info from the page.

This webinar will focus on the development of a telehealth system to improve the lives of rural Nicaraguans in the communities surrounding the town of Waslala in North Central Nicaragua.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/24/us-usa-fiscal-delays-politics-...

For the majority of people flying here from Canada, the best way to avoid these delays is to book flights with TACA and Copa that fly from Toronto to Nicaragua by changing planes in El Salvador and Panama instead of US airports.

Also, both TACA and Copa allow you 100 pounds of free baggage, twice as much as US airlines. Their prices (except for Spirit) and their schedules (especially Spirit's) are better than US airlines. Their check/in and in/flight amenities are superior.

one of the kids up on the farm..fell off a horse late sat. afternoon..when he fell..got a thorn stuck in his eye...they got him to the hospital in waslala,,got there about 8 pm..sunday...they took him to matagalpa by bus..no ambulance service..everything in Waslala was free..except for the medicine..in meteagalpa..the same free.on monday.there they put him and several other people in a ambulance..and put him here in mga..at a eye clinic.next to the s.s. office..below plaza inter..they operated on him today..hopefully tomorrow they will know..how his eye is..they said the hospital..in W.

FYI; See link below to the article on the capture of Toth

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/22/us-usa-crime-toth-idUSBRE93L19...

Nicaragua is headed toward energy independence, mostly from renewable sources. It certainly isn't there yet but it has a plan. On the other side lots of people (including people here on NL) have said renewable energy won't work. That is, it's too expensive, unreliable and more.

Does anyone know of any bars or other public places that will telecasting the NHL Playoffs? I know that Sky TV here was carrying regular season games this year.

of this in Boise. The last 30 seconds are all you have to watch.

http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nbc-news/51596458?from=en-us_msnhp#51596458

Eastern European refugees would buy a run down fixer, and transform it into the nicest house on the street; Somalis so different from our home-grown African Americans, THEIR kids excel in school instead of dealing drugs. So much opportunity still available; it's your choice.