Dear Tico Times:

President Manuel Zelaya of Honduras was kicked out of his country and brought to Costa Rica moments after trying to imitate the sneaky habits of some of his colleagues from Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador.

He is trying to change the nation's constitution to allow himself to be reelected indefinitely, just like Venezuelan President Hugo Chaves did in his country.

The Honduran people, who are well known for defending their ideals, their democracy and their freedom, did not allow their president to become a dictator.

The Honduran National Army immediately was able to recognize the worries of their citizens and act accordingly, without delays. The military did well in removing the president in his pajamas and kicking him out of the country before it was too late.

It is clear that Honduras will not tolerate wannabe dictators. Some leaders start out well and then fall in love with power and their political jobs and don't want to let go, trying to make their will more important than the will of the people who elected them.

The Honduran army is defending their freedom and their constitution, and it won't allow anyone to break their laws, even if it's a president who thinks he is above the law.

Too bad the Venezuelan army doesn't have the balls that the Honduran army has.

Lic. Gregory Kearney Lawson
San José

Dear Tico Times:

I'd like to share an experience I had recently on the road.

About three weeks ago, I was driving down the Sabanilla road. It was around 11 a.m. I stopped at the red light near the Paulina Pharmacy. Three cars were in front of me. When the light turned green the first car did not move. We all started beeping, but to no avail, so we continued beeping non-stop. All of a sudden, a very angry, well-dressed woman stormed out of the first car with a cell phone in her hand and screamed at us: “Can't you see I'm on the phone?” Then she got back into her car and drove away. The other drivers looked around at each other and just shrugged.

Only here….

Harry Liang
San Ramón de Tres Ríos

Dear Tico Times:

Yep! I was conned, grifted, scammed, taken advantage of this week after living here for 19 years and thinking that I was immune. A “Gringa” using the name Deborah Hart checked into my cabins last week, managed to wiggle out of the first payment and the con began.

With 30 stitches in her right upper thigh, she managed to gain entrance by claiming to have come from the hospital and would pay the next day when she went to a cash machine. Of course the next day she doesn't feel well, and you, of course, feed her and make sure she is okay and she put off payment yet again. And so the con lives on.

Her cover: She raises Arabian horses in Monteverde and she had sold three at the Esparza auction. After drinking and celebrating her sale, she allegedly cuts her leg open on a pool slide. After being attended to at the hospital, shoddily of course, she manages to find my place, which was recommended by a mutual friend.

She drinks like a fish and claims to be in constant pain with her injuries. Preying on the good nature and sympathy of all the guests and of myself, she manages to get alcohol and food. She is very good at reading people and conjuring up sympathy. But BEWARE! She is a clever con artist.

Paying for just enough drinks as she went along, having her credit card rejected and blaming it on Costa Rica, she manipulates people sufficiently to skirt along. Claiming to be a retired DEA captain and well connected, name dropping is her thing. She intimidates you with her brazen self-confidence and pathetic drinking habit, all the while working your good nature.

After the gig was up she managed to slip away, leaving the guests and myself with our mouths gapping, a hefty bill and one incredulous story.

Jamie Pettitt
Casa Canadiense
Puntarenas