Wild Animal Rescue Fortuna Costa Rica

Me and a parentless, baby howler monkey.
Costa Rica has animals, really cool, eXotic animals- sloths, macaws/parrots, iguanas, monkeys and about 135 species of snakes, just to name a few. Many people love exotic animals, so much in fact, they want to keep them as pets. These people usually have no idea as to how to care for them. Needless to say, as the 'wild' animals start becoming adults, they tend to act just how they are- wild. Most folks don't manage 'wild' very well. Luckily there's a few places around Costa Rica who take in these wild, semi- domesticated animals and try to acclimate them back into their natural habitat. La Fortuna has such a place.

D'Angelo and I recently visited it. Check it out.



And of course one of our favorite animal rescue centers- Jaguar Rescue Center in Puerto Viejo.



TONS of Costa Rica Tavel Info and VIDEOS on our websitc: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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Get the F*CK OUT If You Don't Like Costa Rica

The, 'Get the F*CK OUT of Costa Rica If You Don't Like It' video was one I wanted to make years ago for the sole reason I got sick of listening to 'gringos' continuously BASH Costa Rica. I know, weird right? So as these gringos would whine and cry in their beer, I'd be thinking, if you hate it so much, 'don't let the door hit you where the good Lord split you'. But I wanted to do something more than just, 'think', so I finally made a video. Anyway, I already posted this video in a few places and it's received a TON of comments, mostly positive btw, so thanx. But for some of those who didn't really get it- a couple points I'd like to clarify. First, I'm not making fun of 'old' people- listen carefully to what I say. Second, I'm not angry, it's a video for god sake, just being a little dramatic for effect and really, so what if I was, are the points valid or not? So, without further ado-



TONS of Costa Rica Tavel Info and VIDEOS on our websitc: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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Why Gringos Can Be Annoying in Costa Rica

As far as Costa Rica is concerned, many folks from the United States can be somewhat annoying at times, while other times just plain stupid/ignorant. And since there's a lot of us who live in Costa Rica as well as visit, it's good that you understand a few things. I made this video. enJOy!



TONS of Costa Rica Tavel Info and VIDEOS on our websitc: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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CHEAP GOOD Steak in La Fortuna- Worth a Stop

Truth is, it's hard to find good steak in Costa Rica. AND if you do, it's usually overpriced, such is the case in La Fortuna. It's here but it's usually gringo priced and definitely not as good as what you would find in the States (Have you ever eaten at 'Prime' at the Belligio in Las Vegas). Sorry, having a flashback. Anyway, when we found this little 'local' place not 5-minutes from the center of town that served a better-than-average steak for 8 bucks..... well, we just had to make a video. *If you ever find yourself in La Fortuna, check out 'Garra Pata' and tell the owner we sent you... just might get a better price... just maybe.



TONS of Costa Rica Tavel Info and VIDEOS on our websitc: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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Don't Leave Home WITHOUT These

Visiting Costa Rica? You do NOT want to forget these 2 items. Check out this short video- could save you thousands.



TONS of Costa Rica Tavel Info and VIDEOS on our websitc: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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Tico Culture From Gringo EYES

Understanding Tico culture is very important if you're thinking about living or retiring in Costa Rica. Don't miss this interview with my good friend, Lair Davis- definitely a 'must see'. ENjoY!



TONS of Costa Rica Tavel Info and VIDEOS on our websitc: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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Pizza John Passes Away- so Sucks

Sad days. Our friend, John Divita aka Pizza John, passed away 2 days ago succumbing to that Bitch, cancer. For those of you who had the pleasure of knowing John realize what a devastating loss this is and for those of you who didn't, your loss. Always a smile, always a kind word, and if he could help you, he would. The kinda guy who just wouldn't give you the shirt off his back... but his shoes and socks as well and a couple bucks to get you to where you were goin'. Quality guy. Personally, for me, it's doubly sad because I had just run into John at the bank a couple weeks prior to his diagnosis and he was so excited about his future plans. He couldn't tell me the particulars because he had a few things to iron out but man, was he giddy with excitement. Matter of fact, us doing videos for his 'secret' endeavor were also discussed. I was so happy for him.... and he had just recently gotten married. Fuck, this sucks.

'Pizza John', because he ran a pizza place in el Castillo about 30 minutes off the beaten path from La Fortuna. He catered to the backpacker crowd and if you've ever been to his place, great pizza and he use to let everyone who went there sign his wall, or should I say building.... hundreds and hundreds of remarks, signatures, quotes, well wishes etc., from people all over the world. We've even signed it. And I know whoever visited John's place were also touched by him- he was just that type of guy.

Gonna miss you man. I bought a bottle of Flora de Cana in your honor.... one shot for me and one shot for you by me- repeat again and again. And for the record, I don't really want you to rest in peace, I hope you get the fuckin' party started...

John was one of the first videos we ever did about 5 years ago. So in his honor-



TONS of Costa Rica Tavel Info and VIDEOS on our websitc: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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It Doesn't COUNT Unless it's On TripAdvisor

I hate TripAdvisor but I wish this review of Travel Costa Rica NOW was ON TripAdvisor. Boy do I hate admitting that. But unfortunately it's true as SOooooooooo many people view TripAdvisor as the 'Bible of Travel' and 'reviews' on the much manipulated site can either bolster a business BIG time or leave it in the gutter for dead, nevertheless I do feel the need to have more good 'reviews' there- sad but true. Want to see what I really think of TripAdvisor...scroll all the way down and watch the video. Anyway, if only the folks who emailed us appreciating how much they enjoyed their Costa Rica experience we set up for them would post on TripAdvisor- we'd be set. Like this one that shows Travel Costa Rica NOW some serious love:

Thanks for your follow up email. I had intended to shoot you a message telling you what a great time I had!

First, many thanks to you (plus D'Angelo and Michael Alan) for custom designing an itinerary that fully achieved my travel goals. And everything pretty much went like clockwork, from the airport pickup to the pickups for the various activities during the week. Everyone was on time, as was I! None of this "Tico time" stuff you hear about. :-) I enjoyed all the tours/adventures (Poas Volcano, ziplining, rafting, Manuel Antonio National Park, etc.), so kudos also to the tour companies that you coordinated with.

Both hotels were also great. I loved the central location of El Presidente in San Jose (and you guys were right -- 2 nights in SJ was perfect), and the Villa Rocca in Manuel Antonio was also the right place for a solo traveler, such as me, to stay. Fantastic view from my room at the Villa Rocca! The staff and other guests were quite friendly, and I was easily able to join up with others for beach trips and meals (and I even got someone to go rafting with me). I would definitely recommend both hotels to others (and I already have), just as I will surely recommend your travel agency to friends. I definitely plan to visit Costa Rica again!

This was truly a relaxing vacation that also met all my outdoor adventure needs. As someone who enjoys traveling and learning about other cultures, for my return trip to CR I guess that I will also want to find a way to get off the beaten track and go beyond some of the tourist destinations and visit some local villages -- and meet some Costa Ricans who do not work in the tourism industry. There just wasn't enough time to do everything on this trip.

It was a pleasure to work with you, Renee, so thanks again for all your help. Pura Vida!

Pretty nice, right? It would look so GOOD on TripAdvisor. I suppose I should be careful what I wish for and if you watch this video, you'll understand why I say that. eNjOY!



TONS of Costa Rica Tavel Info and VIDEOS on our websitc: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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Moving to Costa Rica the RIGHT WAY- a video interview

If you're thinking about making the move to Costa Rica then you're going to want to follow in my friend, Lair's, footsteps. Personally, I don't know anyone who has prepared better. Lair did it right, he dotted the i's and crossed the t's for 20 years before deciding to make Costa Rica his permanent home. I recently had the good fortune to spend a little time with Lair and talk to him about his story. If you're thinking about making the move, I highly recommend you check out this video. eNjoY!



TONS of Costa Rica Tavel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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BEST ATV Tour in Costa Rica

The BEST ATV Tour in Costa Rica has to be the one in La Fortuna and "NO", it's NOT La Pradera, (not that you've really heard of that one either) but La Pradera does happen to be the BIGGEST and the one you usually run into on the internet but just NOT the BEST. Obviously we haven't been on every ATV tour in Costa Rica and their could be other great ones, so yeah, 'BEST' might be a little overly dramatic but believe me, this one I just went on is about 5-steps above most. And the fact that many are just average is the reason we've never really endorsed one before.

So, here's the SC@@P- When D'Angelo returns from visiting relatives in New York we will make the video and you'll see why we say what we do. In the meantime, if you're going to be in La Fortuna and are interested... let us know. Pura Vida!

TONS of Costa Rica Tavel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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Live in Costa Rica- the First 2 Rules

Live in Costa Rica on a permanent vacation...but first things first.
I can totally understand why you think you want to live in Costa Rica- hell, we all have our reasons. But before you do something life altering and may or many not work out, please, PLEASE take a few moments and watch these short but informative videos. The are appropriately named, 'Live in Costa Rica Rule 1 and Live in Costa Rica Rule 2. Trust me, these videos are a MUST SEE if you're thinking about making the move.

RULE #1



RULE #2


TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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Hummingbirds- Iridescence Can Be a BITCH

The Rofous-tailed Hummingbird is probably the most common species of hummingbird found in Costa Rica.
D'Angelo and I never knew how much we loved birds until we moved to Costa Rica- Toucans, Oropendolas, Honeyceepers etc., and especially the HUMMINGBIRDS! We love watchin' those little guys jettin' around from flower to flower with such determination- little flying caffeinated pieces of artwork.

Needless to say we have about 8 feeders around our vacation rental property in la Fortuna (video below), which is precisely how Cynthia Walpole and her husband, Charles Fritsch, found us. They are professional photographers and love to photograph hummingbirds, and if you've ever tried, you know how difficult it can be too truly capture a hummingbird's beauty- iridescence can be a bitch. Anyway, they can, but you'll have to ask them how they do it, I'm supposing it's both daunting and technical (strobe lights and such) and you probably need as much patience as the hummers have energy.



After a few emails back and forth confirming that we do indeed have quite a few species of hummingbirds at our feeders, Cynthia, Chuck and Cynthia's brother, Julio, rented our place out for a few days to see if they could get the shots they were looking for. *I believe they were very interested in getting the White-tailed hermit, which we do have, but Hermits are typically shy and the more aggressive hummers chase them away from the feeders as soon as they see them. However, Hermits are fairly stealthy themselves, sneaking up on the feeders but quickly leaving when they sense another hummer, so needless to say, they can be even a little more tricky than the usual hummingbird to capture on film. *Here's a short video when a White-tailed hermit got stuck in our house. We're not exactly sure if they got all the pics they wanted but we're guessing probably not since Chuck was telling me it takes about 2000 shots to get the 'one' and I believe it. I know, D'Angelo and I have tried on many of occasions to get a decent pic. The above foto of the White-necked Jacobin is just one sample pic of what Cynthia and Chuck shot at our house. The most excellent pic of the Rofous-tail was also taken by Cynthia and Chuck but not at our house. After only talking them with a few minutes it's obvious they're passionate about what they do and talk about a WEALTH of information.... so if hummers are your thing, I would say check out their their website or shoot them an email- FocusFrog. Great stuff. ENjoY!

Our vacation rental video just in case you haven't seen it yet.



TONS of Costa Rica Tavel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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Immerse Yourself in Costa Rica is BULLSH*T

Can you experience Costa Rica without 'immersing' yourself into the culture or mastering the language? A lot of websites say, 'no'... I say, "BULLSHIT". Check out the video to see why.



TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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Using YOUR Cell Phone in Costa Rica

I don't have the foggiest idea about using your cell phone while traveling in Costa Rica. Luckily, D'Angelo does. Check it out. After the video, I quoted a guy who commented on the video for added information. Hopefully, the video and comments explain what it is you need to do.

GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) are the phones with the "smart chip." If you're from the USA and want to purchase a prepaid Subscriber Identity Module (SIM card) from a Costa Rican cellular provider, you need an UNLOCKED phone from AT&T or T-Mobile. If your phone is uses CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) such as Sprint, Verizon or MetroPCS, then your phone does not use a SIM card and will NOT accept a pre-paid SIM card from a Costa Rican cellular provider.

In the USA, AT&T and T-Mobile sell their phones locked to their networks. A SIM-card from a different cell phone company will not work in your phone until you get your phone unlocked. AT&T will usually agree to unlock your phone at the end of your 2-year contract. T-Mobile will allow you to unlock your phone once your phone is fully paid for. AT&T and T-Mobile do not sell unlocked phones and they do not unlock them automatically, you must specifically request to have your phone unlocked.

Feel FREE to add your own INFO in the comments if you think it will help.
TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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What's the most common use for a mobile phone?

Not making calls, not texting, not accessing the internet or taking and sharing photos - can you believe the most common use for a mobile phone is TELLING THE TIME?

The mobile phone is 40 years old this month.  Martin Cooper made the first call on 3 April, 1973 in New York.   A fascinating article by Adrian Lee is full of facts and figures to make you stop and look back at your phone-using past.

How about being the most annoying person in the office today - test how much your friends & colleagues can remember.  Correct answers in our office were thin on the ground but produced plenty of hilarity.

1. What year did the first mobile phone go on sale in the US?
2. What year did the first mobile phone go on sale in the UK?
3. How much did a phone cost approx in UK when it first went on sale?
4. What year was voicemail first used?
5. What year was texting first used?   (Apparently you had to text via a PC in the early days)
6. What year was (clumsy) internet access first used?
7. What year was photo sharing first used? 

Read more for answers and a link to the full article.

 

ANSWERS:

1. US first phone on sale - 1983
2. UK first phone on sale  - 1987
3. UK first phone on sale in 1987 for £1,200
4. Voicemail arrived 1986
5. Texting arrived 1993
6. Internet Access arrived 1996
7. Photo sharing arrived 1997

Read Adrian Lee's full article here

 
Lynda Nicolson
Marketing & Online Community Manager

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Where do you look for business ideas?

At the start up stage of a business, innovation levels are flying high.  But once the business is established, it can be easy to get bogged down in day to day delivery and paperwork. 

How can you recapture the energy and creativity of your original idea generation to propel your business forward?   Where to even start? 

Join our Encompass LinkedIn Group and have your say.

A first step may be to do an internet search on 'Where to find new business ideas'. 

This will keep you busy surfing for a few days, reading anything from scholarly articles complete with processes, strategies and complex graphs on idea generation,  to questionable tips such as 'eavesdrop'.

There are ideas in universities waiting for your business skills...

An opportunity right on your doorstep is to use ideas that have already been generated within universities.  All over the world, research is being carried out that universities aren't in a position to commercialise.  In Scotland, businesses can often access these ideas for free, using quick and simple licence agreements.

Visit the University Technology website to find out what IP is available, read success stories on how other companies have used these ideas and how you can get involved.

Additionally, a new website has launched which creates science competitions around unused inventions.  Read about the invention on the Marblar website, and find out how you can compete to suggest a creative application for the invention. 

Good luck.

Lynda Nicolson
Marketing & Online Community Manager, Encompass, University of Glasgow

SIGN UP FOR OUR ENCOMPASS NEWSLETTER HERE

  

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I Need Experts for Video Interviews

HELP Me Make a VIDEO!
I want to make a few videos for our YouTube Channel pertaining to real estate, dental tourism, medical tourism in general, and would also like to interview a lawyer who speaks English and understands and can explain how the system works here in Costa Rica. So, I'm looking for 'experts' in the fields mentioned, for video interviews.

These would be interview type videos in order to provide relevant and truthful information to folks thinking about moving or traveling here.

Interested or want more details (or have an idea of your own), write me- info@TravelCostaRicaNow.com

TONS of Costa Rica Tavel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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UPDATE- My Back and Fire at Just Good Food

I try to stay in shape because sometimes Karma isn't enough.
First off, I want to say, "THANK-YOU!" so much for all the concern, support and well-wishes I received after I hurt my back 11 days ago. *If you don't know what happened, the video is below. The out-pouring of concern was truly touching and I can't tell you how much it was appreciated. It feels really good to know people cared and if I could hug each one of you, I would. M-U-S-H-Y, but true. Let me update my situation. So, I literally couldn't walk for the first 5 days and the difficulty/pain it took to take a shower, change clothes, go the bathroom (I know, tmi) was past intense and even getting out of bed was so difficult, I slept sitting up on the couch. To say I was a little worried would be a vast understatement. I didn't want to say it then, but I'll say it now, I knew I should have seen a doctor, but truth is, the money situation just isn't all that...enough said. Fast forward to this past Monday when I woke up and it was almost as if KARMA decided I had had enough. I don't want to say 'miracle', but kinda. I'm at about 90% and have even hit the gym these past 3 days. I attribute my quick rebound to Karma and the fact I'm in shape, I think out-of-shape may have had some serious problems. That fall may not look like much to some, but at 53, believe me, we just don't 'bounce' like we used too. Anyway, thanx again. And btw- I know a few of you thought the video was 'funny', so remind me to laugh when you walk into a pole.

The fire that engulfed 'Just Good Food' a couple weeks ago was indeed arson. *The video is below. The owner and our friend, Mike, is trying to figure things out, but as of this writing, it doesn't look like he will rebuild. Will post more on this later.





TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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MORE Cheap Good Food in La Fortuna - Video

Costa Rica is EXPENSIVE. Wish I had a dime... And it's true, it can be but it doesn't have to be. And La Fortuna gets the same rap. Especially when it comes to food. We live here, we see the folks who bitch about the cost, it's usually the tourists who did very little preparation for their vacation, trusting the guide books, or else they're being lead from tourist trap to tourist trap by someone working off commissions.

If they did their homework or watched our videos, they'd know about this place, La Hormiga (the Ant), a little family run Soda that we go to just about everyday. Seriously, everyday. Why, because like many of you who travel on a budget, we don't have a ton of money to waste on over-priced food and when we eat, we need something that gets us to the next meal. And really, even if you have money, La Hormiga is a great way to experience the local flavor.

Anyway, here's our video about cheap, good food in La Fortuna at La Hormiga-



TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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From Cakes to Computers via Universities....

From Cakes to Computers, lessons from the past on working with Universities

By Stephen Marshall, Knowledge Transfer Manager, Encompass

Catering company J Lyons and University of Cambridge 1949

Universities are a rich source of new ideas and expertise, and working with them can be highly beneficial for businesses.  The past few years have seen an increasing recognition of the importance of business-university collaboration, resulting in a number of publicly funded initiatives, such as Encompass, which is aimed at supporting small businesses in working with universities. 

However, collaboration between industry and academia is not a new phenomenon and there are many examples from history that we can draw upon for inspiration.

One industry sector that has benefitted enormously from university expertise is the computer industry.  A fascinating example of this is a project which dates back to the very start of the
 computer industry in the UK. 

It involved a collaboration between catering firm J Lyons & Company and the University of Cambridge to develop the first computer specifically for business use. 

Amazingly, this landmark project in the history of technology grew out of a simple requirement for the company to more accurately monitor sales of cakes throughout its chain of teashops.

The project started in May 1949 when the Lyons board took the decision to build an electronic computer to serve the company’s growing data processing needs.  This bold decision had been prompted by a fact-finding visit to the USA by two senior managers of the company, Raymond Thompson and Oliver Standingford, two years earlier in May 1947. 

Despite the seemingly mundane nature of the company’s products, Lyons had a refreshingly forward-thinking attitude to business and had pioneered innovative management techniques in its quest for office efficiency.  Thompson and Standingford’s original remit had been to investigate wartime developments in office systems and equipment but this was extended to include computers following tantalising snippets of information that were beginning to appear in the press about US developments in electronic computation.

During their trip Thompson and Standingford met with Herman Goldstine, a leading figure in the US computer research community, who informed them of efforts to develop a computer that were taking place much closer to home at the University of Cambridge. 

The Cambridge University group was led by the pioneering computer scientist Maurice Wilkes.  Wilkes had been one of a handful of non-US academics invited to attend a series of lectures held at the University of Pennsylvania’s Moore School of Electrical Engineering in the summer of 1946 to disseminate the results of US government-sponsored research into electronic digital computers. 

Top of the agenda was one of the Moore School’s own projects, a radical new computer design based on a stored-program architecture.  This was the breakthrough which would turn electronic computers from sequence-controlled calculators into powerful machines capable of carrying out all manner of complex tasks.  Fired up by what he had seen and heard on his visit to the US, Wilkes began working on his own version of this design during the voyage home. 

The machine would be called the Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator (EDSAC).

Goldstine arranged for Thompson and Standingford to be contacted by the Cambridge University group on their return to the UK.  Following positive discussions, Lyons agreed to donate £3,000 in cash plus the services of an electronics technician for 1 year to support the Cambridge University group in the development of EDSAC in return for advice on the company’s plans for computerisation of its data processing operation. 

These extra resources helped the Cambridge University group to not only catch up with but to overtake the far more experienced Moore School team in the race to construct the world’s first full-scale stored-program computer.  The fruitful relationship between Lyons and Cambridge continued beyond the initial 1-year agreement and when the company finally took the decision to build its own computer, it was obvious to all concerned that this should be based on EDSAC. 

The result was the Lyons Electronic Office (LEO), the world’s first business computer.

Built at a cost of £150,000, LEO featured a 17-bit word length and a clock speed of 526 KHz. 

Like other full-scale computers of the pre-transistor era, LEO was the size of a room. 

Its electronic circuits were constructed using thousands of bulky thermionic valves and its capacious 2,048-word memory was made up of 64 individual acoustic delay lines, long cylinders filled with liquid mercury that stored data in the form of sound waves.  Input and output was via punched cards and paper tape.

LEO ran its first live data processing job in November 1951, calculating the value of cakes, pies and pastries for despatch to Lyons’ retail and wholesale outlets. 

As one of the first electronic computers in the UK, LEO also attracted considerable attention from organisations interested in using the machine for scientific applications.  Lyons was able to take advantage of this situation by making LEO available to a number of these organisations on a fee paying basis in what was probably the earliest example of a computing bureau service.

LEO was conceived for internal use only but the enormous interest in the project prompted Lyons to enter the computer industry and a subsidiary company, LEO Computers Limited, was created in November 1954 to manufacture computers “for sale or hire”. 

LEO Computers later merged with the Data Processing & Control Systems Division of English Electric to form English Electric Leo Computers which eventually became part of International Computers Limited (ICL). 

On its formation in 1968, ICL was the largest non-US manufacturer of computers with a workforce of over 34,000 employees.

So are there any lessons that we can learn from the success of the LEO project?  Here are three I can think of:-

1.    Play to each other’s strengths.  Lyons took a lead from the Cambridge University group on the design of the hardware for LEO.  This allowed the company to focus its efforts on developing the application software, a task which made the best use of in-house expertise in office systems.  The company also subcontracted much of the construction work to other firms.

2.    Don’t be tempted to reinvent the wheel.  The LEO developers did not try to create the most advanced machine possible.  LEO’s conservative design was closely based on EDSAC which itself was closely based on the Moore School’s design.  Proven components and subsystems were chosen over newer technologies.  This combination of modest design goals and the use of readily available technology facilitated speed to market.

3.    Seconding staff can be one of the most effective methods of transferring knowledge from one organisation to another.  The technician chosen for the secondment, Ernest Lenaerts, quickly became a valued member of the Cambridge University group.  When Lenaerts later returned to the company, the knowledge that he had gained transferred back with him, making the job of building LEO much easier.

If you want to read more about LEO, I can recommend the book ‘A Computer Called LEO’ by Georgina Ferry.  Also worth reading is ‘Memoirs of a Computer Pioneer’ by Maurice V Wilkes. 

Stephen Marshall

Knowledge Transfer Manager

Encompass

University of Glasgow 

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Could your company set our postgrad research students a challenge?

Imagine a group of University of Glasgow postgraduate research students from all types of discipline working together over a few months on a project for your business.

The 2013 Insights to Industry programme is now looking for companies to take part.

Andy from Freescale (automotive) said of the 2012 'Cars of the Future' programme:  'Looking for radical innovation inside your own industry is difficult, as people are constrained by accepted norms and practices, so the different backgrounds and the fresh eyes of the PhD students brought some brand new & exciting ideas to the table"


Freescale's challenge to the students was:  What does the car of the future look like?   What will we be driving in 2030?  what might the challenges be in making that car a reality and how might these be overcome?  You can read more about Freescale's 2012 challenge here.

Some of the areas the students covered included market research, consideration of driver attitudes to risk and technology, product life cycles, energy usage and traffic congestion issues.

The research students gained the opportunity to sharpen their commercial awareness working on a real industrial problem. 

Your commitmentTo take part in the Insights to Industry programme, we will need the company to attend 3 meetings over the summer period.   The initial meeting will be for you to brief the students.   A half-way meeting will take place at your premises, allowing the students a look around and letting them brief you on their findings so far.  The final meeting will be the presentation of their findings to you.

If you are interested in finding out more, email Elizabeth Adams

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I BROKE My Back Yesterday Serioiusly! The VIDEO

Drinking and a jerry-rigged, backyard zipline and me do NOT get along. Tell me the video doesn't make you cringe a bit- I'm 53 not 13, I can't take 'hits' like this and I definitely don't 'bounce' like I use too. Well, needless to say, I totally f**ked up my back and neck yesterday. Seriously, can't even walk and forget about trying to change my clothes or go the bathroom, need help with that as well. I know, tmi. Sorry. I'm not going to cry and whine too much because folks everywhere deal with a lot more than a broken back. But boy does it hurt. The clinic is not an option for reasons I'll keep to myself so I'm thinking pain meds will mostly come in the form of a cheap bottle of scotch. K, I'm done.

TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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We LOVE YOU but...

We LOVE you guys... but we're thinking you have NO IDEA how many emails we receive on a daily basis (which we really do love receiving) but please, READ ON-

Hey Everyone! First, our apologies if this letter doesn't come off as intended but if you received this link in response to an email question you wrote us, then it may apply to you.

D'Angelo and myself have worked extremely hard over the last 5 years to provide information for folks interested in traveling and/or living in Costa Rica. Yup, literally thousands and thousands of man hours (well, only 2 men actually) to produce hundreds of pages of written text and videos- with very little monetary reward and mostly at our own expense. And if you've seen this video of how we live here in Costa Rica, I think it pretty much confirms the fact we haven't made shit doing what we do. If it sounds like we're complaining, trust me, we're NOT. We wouldn't change this 'adventure' for ANYTHING in the world- we LOVE what we do and feel blessed everyday we're able to do it. But.... this cartoon kinda says it-

Ok, let me get to the point. We love, Love, LOVE your emails- comments, words of encouragement, feedback, perspective etc. Believe me, it's much appreciated, because without you we'd be talking to ourselves and we've always loved a little back and forth. And you have our word we will continue to put out videos, blog posts, website articles etc. in order to continue to provide YOU relevant and useful information about traveling and living in Costa Rica.

But we have a Travel Agency NOW and we can't do it for FREE anymore. Plus, you probably wouldn't believe how many emails we get DAILY. Seriously guys, we need to start making a little money for our work. So, if you're thinking about emailing questions to us about YOUR travel plans you have 3 options if you want a response. Without one of these monetary responses, we won't.

1. If you want us to set up your Costa Rica Travel Package, obviously we'll be talking.

2. If you want our recommendations about what you should do or where to go in Costa Rica based on your likes and dislikes, but you want to book everything yourself, no problem, but you have to DONATE $150. for our expertize of knowing the country and sharing it with you. IN other words, we'll set the itinerary, you'll just BOOK it yourself. Believe me, we have no problem if you have the time to do your OWN homework and really, a LOT of it can be done on OUR sites, so have at it and save your money. But we don't give stamps of approval anymore.

3. General Donation to show some appreciation of what we do and get a few of your questions answered as well.

Please, please... and pretty please don't begin your email telling us how much you like our videos and then go on and on telling us every detail of your travel plans and expect us to answer the 20+ questions you have concerning them. You 'liking' our videos doesn't do shit for paying the rent and seriously, we get too many emails to respond to them all anyway with NO motivation to do so. It's not personal, it's business, because for awhile, we did answer them all and donations weren't exactly rolling in.

We're hoping you understand where we're coming from on this and also hope our hard work thus far kinda speaks for itself about our reasons for writing this post. If nothing else, we try to be up front and honest.

If you'd like to start on your homework, start with these videos. ENjoY! and hope they help:



TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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Why Gringo's DON'T Make it in Costa Rica

A large percentage of Gringo's leave Costa Rica within 2 years of coming here. Seriously, why don't Gringo's make it in Costa Rica? Gringo pricing? Tico time? Red Tape? WHAT? Here's the answer.



TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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Intellectual Property for small businesses - what's it all about?

Intellectual Property - do you know your way around it?  Do you know when you need it?  And when you don't need it? 

One of my university colleagues highlighted this app to me recently.   I think it's a pretty good guide to all things IP for the small and micro business.

Have a look. It's free to download on Itunes and is called:

IP for SB

By Goldborough Cottage Studio, published on behalf of The Intellectual Property Office (IPO), Swansea University and IP Wales.

More information at the IPO website link here.

Lynda NicolsonMarketing & Online Community Manager
Encompass, University of Glasgow

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Have your say on how businesses learn to trade internationally

There's a research group meeting up in April who really want to make sure businesses have a say in the research that's talking place in University Business Schools. 

Their workshop will look at the learning that firms go through for growth with a particular focus on international.  

It will give the business community the opportunity to meet leading thinkers on how small to medium business owners and managers learn.


Places are limited so book early if you are interested.  You can find out more and register your place here.

If you have further questions about the event, please contact Margaret Fletcher or Tamara McNeil
Details:  Tuesday 16th April, 2013
Location:  Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow

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FIRE! at Just Good Food

There was a fire at 'Just Good Food' in La Fortuna early this morning and just between me and you, it has 'sketchy' written all over it. I heard the FBI will be investigating so we'll see, but for now, I'll keep my thoughts to myself. If you don't know, 'Just Good Food' is a small, soda-style, pizza/hamburger joint where a lot of us gringos like to hang-out and drink too much. For the tourist visiting La Fortuna, it's cheap, decent eats for those traveling on a budget.

The owner of 'Just Good Food', Mike, is a friend and I feel bad for him and his family because really, it's been one thing after another since he took over the restaurant about 9 months ago so it definitely hasn't been the easiest of rides. Every time things seemed to be looking up for the restaurant- another issue. You know, 2-steps forward, 3-steps back.

Hopefully he'll rebuild, we'll see. The kitchen didn't seem to get damaged, it appears to be mostly the ceiling and roof area so to me it looks worse than it actually is.. but obviously that's totally speculative.

Anyway, the first video pertains to the fire, the second was made by D'Angelo and myself to help 'Just Good Food' get the word out and the last video is an interview I did with Mike about how things were going for him at the time. The last video explains some of the issues/problems he's had to deal with since taking over the restaurant.







TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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Eco Termales Hot Springs UPDATED

We like to say Eco Termales Hot Springs in La Fortuna is like a baby Tabacon.
I've written about Eco Termales before and likewise, we also did a video on them a couple years back (see below). The 'couple years back' video is informative but we shot it at night and it's pretty dark so we decided to update and show Eco Termales in the daytime. Although technically, on a side note, we like to go to the hot springs at night, we think it much more beautiful.

But anyway, without further ado our UPDATED video of Eco Termales in La Fortuna.



The Eco Termales video from a couple years back-



TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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The Problem with Drinking in Costa Rica

Drinking, working and living in Costa Rica just seem to go hand-in-hand...
Or maybe it's just me.

Here's the problem(s). I(we) live in paradise. EVERYDAY is a vacation day or at the very least, a Friday or Saturday. Seriously, everyday. And although we work hard, we also work for ourselves so there's no one telling us we can't extend lunch for 5 hours, so in essence, everyday has the potential to be an extended, neverending 'Happy Hour'. And as you might imagine, we meet a LOT of tourists, and guess what, they're on vacation too, so we're not opposed to showing our Costa Rican guests a good time. Pura Vida. Not sure if we've ever said, "no" to a beer.

Vacation is one thing, living here is another.... here's our video about DRUNKer in Costa Rica. ENjoY!

TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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THINGS to Know About Doing Illegal Drugs in Costa Rica

Marijuana and Coke are the easiest drugs to get in Costa Rica.

You may or may not be surprised to know we get quite a few emails asking us about the legalities of drug use in Costa Rica, while others just come right out and ask, “Where can I score some decent weed?” Usually, the emails ARE about pot (or 'mota' as it’s called by the locals), but once in awhile we’ll get asked about Coke and other ‘harder’ drugs. So, we've decided to put all the drug related answers in one place, (namely in the video below). BTW- We're not dealers or a go-betweens, so we don’t know where you can score anything, but we do know a few things about drugs in Costa Rica- you know, the stuff we read in the paper and see on the news. ;)

The first thing to know is, like most laws here, they tend to have the ‘bark is worse than the bite’ thing goin’ on. The drugs laws ARE on the books, but they don’t seem to be enforced, at least not for the casual drug user. *Dealing is an entirely different story. If you’re even half-way discreet, you can pretty much smoke ‘anywhere’. And even if you're found with a small amount of pot on you (a few joints), 9 times out of 10 nothing will happen. The police are much more interested in the 'harder' drugs. The second thing you need to know is- contrary to popular belief, Costa Rican pot is NOT quality stuff. You would think living in such a climate, someone would figure out a way to grow some quality weed. Well, it may be out there, but I can assure you, it would be the exception to the rule. So when someone tells you, "it's the good stuff", more often than not- LIES. You'd have to 'know' someone to get the good stuff.

I could keep writing but most everything you want to know about doing illegal drugs in Costa Rica (while visiting Costa Rica) can be found in the video below. ENjoY!

Oh, and just so we're clear- CRYSTAL CLEAR- if you decide to do drugs in Costa Rica- it IS at your own risk. We do NOT endorse anything, we just provide relevant information for you the traveler.



TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

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Opportunities in the Defence arena

Could there be an opportunity in the Defence arena for your products or technology?

·         Technology for security

·         Enablers: Sensors, signal processing, antenna or COTS technology

·         Smart materials and structures

If these terms are relevant to your business, have a look at upcoming calls from the Centre of Defence Enterprise.  Approximately 42 per cent of the £35 million funding supplied to date through CDE has gone to small and medium-sized companies
 

Upcoming themed calls
CDE themed calls aim to address specific challenges under MOD’s science and technology research programme. They have a bounded budget and a bounded response timeframe for you to submit your research proposals. Strengthening the security of maritime operations - call launches on Thursday 24 January 2013 at an event in Bristol. Proof-of-concept research proposals are sought from all sectors for new solutions and new technology that can strengthen the security of maritime operations by improving the determination of unlawful activity, the response to hostile activity and small arms accuracy at sea. Register online for the launch seminar and read the call document now. This call will close on 25 February 2013. Generic enablers for low Size, Weight, Power and Cost (SWAPC) Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) – call launches via a webinar on Tuesday 5 February 2013. This call is looking for innovative enablers to reduce SWAPC of sensor payloads for ISTAR. Enablers may include advanced signal processing, innovative antenna technology, novel reuse of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technology, or other fundamental enablers. Register for the launch webinar now by emailing kelly.botham@aadktn.co.uk with your full name and organisation details. This call will close on 15 March 2013.Smart micro- and nano-scale materials and structures for defence and security – call launches on Thursday 21 February at an event at Harwell Oxford. This call intends to refresh and enhance MOD’s knowledge and capability by investing in new smart materials and structures. Smart materials and structures are those that respond to environmental stimuli, such as temperature, light, sound, pressure or electric and magnetic fields. They represent a key enabling technology for defence and security. Register online for the launch seminar now. This call will close on 9 April 2013. The challenges of countering terrorist networks – call launches on Tuesday 19 March at an event in Reading. This call is seeking novel and innovative methods of extracting and exploiting information relating to terrorists. Further information will be announced shortly when registration will also open. This call will close on 1 May 2013.

Further Information at http://www.science.mod.uk/events/events_listing.aspx

Or email cde@dstl.gov.uk.

The Centre for Defence Enterprise (CDE) is MOD's entry point for new science and technology providers, bringing together innovation and investment for the defence market. CDE, part of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), proves the value of novel, high-risk, high-potential-benefit research sourced from the broadest possible range of science and technology providers, including academia and small companies, to enable development of cost-effective capability advantage for UK Armed Forces and national security. Approximately 42 per cent of the £35 million funding supplied to date through CDE has gone to small and medium-sized companies and 24 per cent to academia.

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