Juan Gabriel Delightful in Concert

Singer Juan Gabriel or "JuanGa," as he is commonly known, is an expert on stage and he sang for more than three hours on November 28 in Costa Rica, pleasing the people with most of his hits.

The audience especially enjoyed his well-known songs such as "Yo no naci para amar" (I was not born to love), "Querida" (Dear) and "Vidita mia" (My Life), but there was a moment in the middle of the concert when it became quite boring because nobody knew the songs. It was during the time when the Michoacan Mariachi band accompanied the "Divo from Juarez."

Although the musicians wanted to win over the few people in attendance (far short of what organizers said they had sold) with the song "Guaria Morada" (Purple Orchid), it did not come out quite right. Two of the singers of the mariachi band wrote down the words on back of the violins, but they did not have time to read them and they skipped stanzas. However, it was a nice gesture.

The years have not passed in vain. Let Juan Gabriel, who appeared agitated and danced very little tell it. It was very different from past times and his fans are used to a different type of concert from him.

At one point, he became agitated and had to pause and said that he was trying to catch his breath. Even his voice was not the same. It was a bit hoarse. In fact, he said so on stage.

But he is forgiven everything, because he is a showman and an excellent composer. It was enough for him to sing "Inocente pobre amigo" (Innocent poor friend), "No vale la pena" (It is not worth it), "Abrazame muy fuerte" (Hold me Close), "Amore enterno" (Eternal Love), "Hasta que te conoci" (Until I met You) and "No tengo dinero ni nada que dar" (I Have no Money or Anything Else to Give) and everyone forgot all the other awkward details. As expected, he closed the show with "Noa Noa."

If you had the time and opportunity to see the concert, why don't you tell us about your experience with JuanGa in Costa Rica?

A Costa Rican Journalist Who Exercises her Heart in Two Ways

Carolina Sanchez, the host of "Reporte 11" in Costa Rica, is exercising her heart in two different ways.

First, she goes swimming three times a week in the Corobicí gym so that she can participate in an open water competition in Punta Leona in February.

"The idea is to build my physical fitness because I participated in a competition in September and I hyperventilated," she said.

The other manner in which she is exercising her heart is that she is dating a handsome Argentine whom she met at the XKnights competition last February.

"He is a very nice person. He is 45 and his name is Andres" she said.

Although he lives in Argentina, he travels a lot and they saw each other in Bogota, Colombia a few days ago.

This reporter from Costa Rica should be commended for her commitment to fitness because it is always important to keep the body healthy and we should all wish her luck with her relationship.

Possible Increase in Electricity Rates

The Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) intends for its residential customers to pay about 25% more in electricity rates, beginning in March 2010 in Costa Rica.

According to the latest request, the Institute asked for a 24.24% increase in electricity consumption rates in homes and apartments.

This means that a household using 200 kilowatt hours per month (kW/h), would have to pay ¢14,660 instead of the ¢11,800 they are currently paying. Using another example, the consumption of 400 kilowatt hours per month would increase from ¢37,200 to ¢47,216.

This increase would affect half a million people in the rural and urban areas of Alajuela, Puntarenas and Limón.

According to the request made on November 20 before the Regulatory Authority for Public Services (ARESEP) of Costa Rica. The increase would be intended to "cover the costs of system operation and to generate resources for its development."

An attempt was made to speak to ICE officials in order to get the official version of how the proceeds from the increase would be invested, but there was no response from ICE spokesman Elbert Duran.

In the petition, the Institute maintains that it intends to apply the new rates beginning on March 1, 2010. Besides the increase in domestic consumption rates, the Institute also requested for preferential customers having a social character to have a rate increase of 30.46% and those who receive medium voltage 24.24% more.

ICE also requested that generation rates (the price at which it sells electricity to municipal companies, private firms and cooperatives) in Costa Rica go up by 14.87%.

If this increase is approved, other energy distributors such as the National Power and Light Company (CNFL) and rural cooperatives could make adjustments in their rates to compensate for the rate increase by ICE.

Finally, ICE requested a 32.3% increase in transmission rates and 26.09% increase for public lighting. ARESEP will assess whether these rate increases will be accepted to be studied.

People in Costa Rica are troubled because ICE is already requesting a rate increase without a real economic recovery from the financial crisis. There are signs of a recovery, but people in Costa Rica have yet to see the recovery in tangible financial terms.

This increase that is being proposed would mostly affect families who are already in precarious socioeconomic conditions. It remains to be seen what ARESEP is going to do about the request for a rate increase