Batten down the hatches.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/geekquinox/hurricane-forecasters-warn-ext...

Recently, about two weeks ago, the US Supreme Court, in a unanimous ruling, ruled that farmers cannot create new seeds from plants grown with Monsanto's patented and genetically altered soybeans. The Supreme Court ruling is sending shock waves through the US farming community. Ten companies control 65% of seeds protected as " intellectual property".

After reading this article I wonder why this is considered progress. It seems more like a little kid taking his ball and going home, while the other kid says, I didn't want to play anyhow.

http://www.nicaraguadispatch.com/news/2013/05/pastora-costa-rica-loses-b...

am I missing something (like actual progress) here?

One friend has a dwarf lemon tree that's bearing fruit in a small pot, so I will be asking him, too. We've got plant growers on the road to Matagalpa so that's an easy enough trip, and they bring plants to one of the parks here on Mondays. I have a rosemary, herba buena (water mint), and three scarlet sages/shrimp plants in the passageway. Looking for things that will stay relatively small (4 or 5 feet for one, couple of other smaller things). The rosemary got repotted recently and is around 30 inches high from pot soil level.

It's Tuesday at 4:30 pm here in Carazo and it just started to cloud over this aft and now the air is heavy. Him sure feel rain come. Rained about a week ago nicely but dried up quick and the heat started to build again.

According to the weather forecast (or as my father used to say in his Polish accent, "da weddor whorecast") lightning storms are predicted for Managua starting now and for the rest of the week. I have all my electrical appliances hooked up to surge protectors and checked them just now to make sure they are in working order.

Has any one had experiences with optometrists in Nicaragua regarding quality and prices for new glasses. I went to one shop in Granada years ago but thought them expensive, somewhat the same price as in the States was my initial thought. Thanks in advance for any commentary.

It is pretty common for someone here to suggest that Nicaragua, Venezuela, Ecuador, ... don't have freedom of the press but the US does. Well, Freedom of the Press Foundation offers an article that may get your attention. I got pointed to it from a tweet that said The Justice Dept's "conspiracy to commit espionage" theory is better defined as "conspiracy to commit journalism".

An article in Indian Express reports on a smuggling ring in Ecuauor being broken up. Cocaine? No. Not even bananas. Indian and Sri Lankan nationals.

Deputy Interior Minister Xavier Cordoba said the smugglers charged USD 5,000 per person. After entering Ecuador illegally, the migrants would be sent to Central America and from there to the United States.

I am looking to pick up some 12V deep cycle "no-maintenance" (AGM) marine batteries. Apparently Pricesmart only sells flooded cell marine bats (or was I misinformed?).

I'd also like to buy one of these new higher-end "smart" battery chargers.}

Does anyone a place that sells them here?

I'd be much obliged to anyone who can help me out here.

Toilet paper shortage in Caracas:

http://news.yahoo.com/venezuelans-scrambling-scarce-toilet-paper-2029513...

Clearly the working-class of Venezuela is ignoring its obligation to the supreme sacrifice of the Christ-like god-child, Commandante Jesu Cristo, Santo Hugo, el pajarito.

All around the globe the downtrodden, oppressed, exploited masses of neo-liberal exploitation are calling out to their Venezuelan brothers and sisters ...

Hello NL readers:

I am glad to inform you than Nicaragua now is part of The Hague Convention (Apostille Treaty ) which entered into force in Nicaragua on 14 May 2013, abolishing the requirement for legalization or authentication of foreign public documents by the local and state authorities and by the Nicaraguan Consulate abroad, for the countries which are members of the Convention.

According to this article the Bosawás forest has been partially deforested and the recent assassination of Mayangna leader Charley Taylor, have put the local residents on a war footing because of governmental\ political inaction.

http://www.nicaraguadispatch.com/news/2013/04/indigenous-congressman-war...

1st Capt. Ron

(Title by Miskito Alan)

Good morning all. I will be down mid June and need a hotel in Leon and Esteli. Suggestions please? Thank you.

We passed through the central ghetto yesterday and saw something new-- police in black uniforms. Normally, police here have on clean. starched, light blue shirts. They have a very neutral look, like letter carriers or something.

I was concentration on priority one, not hitting potholes, and didn`t notice that some of them had on masks. It was a little like something from a grade B movie, but they were just sitting on the corner.

That night they raided businesses throught out the north on an anti-money laundering operation. Big news on the tube the following morning.

So, I was bored and did a google search on "strange laws in "nicaragua"". I found this one on http://www.livingreefs.com/strange-laws-t28919.html