bioTD Is At It Again, BIG TIME

January 11, 2012

And my second chance to see my new special friend - Laura Chinchilla, but this time, Stef was with me to see that I was not joking.

It has been absolutely unbelievable the progress that Robin and the bioTD group has done in such a short period of time. After they won the innovation award that I told you about - Laura asked Robin how they were doing with the National Healthcare System - After he answered, she immediately set up a meeting with the necessary people involved and made sure bioTD was on top of the list.

Then, Laura decides that bioTD should have the elite status of a Nationally Recognized Company and made it a point to do the official inauguration and sign the papers to put bioTD at that status. That happened today, and it was very exciting. There were over 200 people in attendance, news people and you name it. Somehow, Stef and I were asked to sit in the front row by the podium - now, this was pretty cool because we would only be less than 10 ft away from the speaker at the time.

Robin was the first speaker and his job was to welcome everyone and thank the people who have supported bioTD. His thank you's took quite awhile.

The first Government speaker was Mayi Antillon Guerrero - the Minister of Economy, Industry and Commercial - Now, I have got to tell you that this woman came on very strong with her praise of bioTD and how the government will support their efforts. Then, she told the bankers and everyone else in the audience to do the same.

Now, it is time for my new special friend and soon to be neighbor to speak. Dona Laura Chinchilla Miranda , Sra. Presidenta del la Republica de Costa Rica - One thing that surprised me about Laura is how short she really is. Every time I saw her on the news or in the paper, I would have sworn that she was about as tall as Stef, but I was wrong - However when she starts talking, you can see a great sense of determination and strength that this woman has within her.

Laura was very kind to Robin and backed up everything that Ms Guerrero had said. Then she added much more in words of support for Robin and bioTD. That she was very proud that a company with so much to offer was born in Costa Rica and will become known on a world-wide basis as a Nationally Recognized Company of Costa Rica.

Here she is signing the documents making bioTD an Officially Recognized Company of Costa Rica. 

Now, we have the ribbon cutting ceremony - Robin's cutters were a little dull and Laura had to help him finally get the ribbon cut.

I need to take a minute and show you pictures of some of the people who have supported bioTD from the beginning.

Don & Elaine Butland from Canada who are friends and neighbors who have a vested interest in bioTD

Peter & Nim Parsons - who now live in Atenas and are friends and neighbors. Peter is an attorney was very instrumental in helping Robin get the legal side of things all set up.

Dennis and Karolyn Matthews more friends and neighbors who are strong supporters of 

bioTD.

And, sitting in the front row - my lovely wife Stephanie and your's truly.

Do you notice the empty chair sitting next to me? Check this out :-) 

That is about it for this stage of the game. Robin and the boys at bioTD are now working with a group to place their products in India and the United States - This is going to be big, and I will keep you posted.

New Year's Eve 2011 & Our Anniversary

December 31, 2011

Tonight is New Year's Eve and as some of you know - the anniversary of the night Stef and I wed 28 years ago

 Happy Anniversary Stef!!!

Based on what I have been seeing and hearing in the news, there are many who are going to say good bye and good riddance to 2011 and bring in 2012 with a hearty welcome hoping for much better things to come. Fortunately for us, we were not really affected bad with all that happened in 2011, but do like the idea of a new year and a new start.

Anyway, we got a small group together to go to a great restaurant  that I found one night. It is called Fogo Brasil Rodizio located just as you go into downtown San Jose. Now, this place is pretty cool.  This is a Brazilian Steak House that has the largest salad bar that I have ever seen with everything from green salads to sushi and all kinds of breads and deserts. I could exist just on the salad bar alone! Then, they bring you so many different kinds of meat on a stick hot off the grill where they carve it right off for you. Mmmmmm it is so good!

The group consisted of our new neighbors Gary and Sherri  Brown who just bought a house here in Atenas and are from Mass. Then, we have our other neighbors who we have become friend with - Alan & Debbie Green, and Debbie's mother Billie. Alan is the yacht broker who I helped build him a website - remember? Don't forget if you are in the market for a nice yacht just contact Alan at:  Family Yacht Sales

Left to Right are: Debbie's mother Billie, Debbie Green, Stef, Your's Truly, Sherri Brown,

 Gary Brown, and Alan Green

The napkins - I think - were set up to look like birds in the glass - I think

This gives you an idea of what the meat looked like when it is cut right off the skewer and these guys were running around all over the restaurant with different types of meat - I loved it

This is our waiter Antonio who was always there to make sure we had everything we wanted.

All in All - everyone had a great time, great companionship, and great food - what else could you ask for.

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

Season's Greetings

Please click the link below to see our Holiday Wish to You.

http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=3237178738683&source=jlfb&cont=2

Enjoy,
Pete & Stef

Costa Rica's Judicial System - A Great Disappointment

After being here for 4 years, the one great disappointment that I have had is from what my experiences have been with the judicial system that exists here. Because this site is seen all over the world, it would be difficult to give you specifics without getting into trouble with the government. All that I can tell you is to be very careful in who you are dealing with and do some research on the subject before you move here. However, the one thing I can tell you is that you will need to learn to be very patient because the system is very slow and a case may take as long as 5 years to settle, and forget about anything getting accomplished around Christmas time.

New Garden For Stef

Remember the garden Stef had? It was made of bamboo and regular wood. It didn't last long because some types of bamboo rot after two years and termites ate up the wood used for the beds. By the time it was done, it only took less than 1/2 hr to tear the entire thing down. We also had to set the wood on fire to get rid of the termites. If we didn't do that, then the termites were going to head for the house, and that would not have been a good thing.

Every time I looked that way and didn't see the garden, something felt like it was missing because I knew how much Stef enjoyed it. - I decided that while she was gone, that it was going to be re-built, and made in such a way that it would last for at least 20 years.

I got my man Biron, who is an outstanding welder to make the frame out of steel and weld it together on site. Then, I had him also make the platforms for the tables out out steel. We used Cedar for the boxes that set on the platforms.

It was finished just in time before Stef returned and the results were well worth the effort. Take a look..

With the construction phase of the project completed, Noel found some real good black dirt to put in the boxes. He also added charcoal, coffee shells and rice shells to the mix. Using all this, things are going to grow very good.

The green cover on the roof area is specifically made for this purpose and will allow 50% sunlight to enter the area.

This cost me a little more than expected because Biron got a little fancy with his welding artwork. Now, my friends who come to visit are asking me not to let their wives see it because they are going to want one.

Stef has the seedlings ordered and they will arrive tomorrow...

Stef leaves Costa Rica

September 27, 2011

Stef was pretty anxious to head to Tennessee. You can see how excited she was. When we usually go there, we take an aftenoon flight and arrive in Nashville around 10:00 PM. However, her flight was scheduled for 7:00 AM, which meant that I had to have her at the airport at 5:00 AM, which meant that I had to be up at 3:30 AM - Oh Well so much for getting a good night's sleep.

I got her to the airport on time and went with her to the check-in desk to see if her bags were not too much over-weight, and they were. One thing that our friend Johanna told her is that she takes a shopping bag with her and put the excess in that because a shopping bag is not counted for a bag or weight. This is something we should all remember for future airline travel.

She gave me a hug and kiss goodbye and headed for the gate.

There she goes 

After she took off - I headed home and went back to bed for a couple of hours. She was scheduled to land in Nashville early afternoon and my friend Bob would be there to pick her up.

The Ya Ya' Girls Invade Tennessee

Stef has been away from Tennessee for several years now, and had a desire to go back and see her friends and relatives. When she told me this, she said that she had planned a month's stay there I was a little shocked. Now, little did I know that the plans she made involved several real cool events - AND -  included the Costa Rica Ya' Ya' girls meeting her there for some fun times. Oh God, do you know what that means? An invasion on Tennessee that those town-folk in Nashville are not used to. I immediately emailed my friends there and told them to batten down the hatches because they didn't know what they were in for. (in the picture) Karolyn - CR, Guess who - CR, Kathy - CR, and Carol from TN who is going to have to put up with these girls.

I had no interest in going back to the States because with all that is going on there, I get depressed. In addition, someone had to stay here and take care of things while she was gone. Besides, it would give me a chance to relax a bit, but that never happened.  Because I do not have any idea of how to cook, Stef took several days and made me about a month's worth of food, which she put in the freezer for me. I do know how to microwave things :-).

The itinerary that she put together was pretty intensive:

• Meet with her twin sister Denise whom she hasn't seen in a few years.
• Get together with some of our friends in Nashville.
• Meet the Ya' Ya's and go to Gatlenburg for a few days at Charlie's mountain resort
• Go on the annual Fall Cruise at Center Hill Lake near Nashville and raise hell. (we were the founders of this event in 1993 - there were 3 boats involved - She said there were over 100 boats this year)
• Back to Nashville and see some more friends.

To put this all into one post would make it a book, so I decided to break it up into events on several posts. - Stage 1 is about to come - Stay with us, or her should I say.

bioTD Is On the Move

August 17, 2011 - A very exciting and special day!

Remember my friend Robin who started the pharmaceutical company? If not, go back to my post dated June 11, 2011.

This is Robin and his lovely wife Ursula

Robin's team has won about 5 awards since that posing. However, today they were awarded the big one. This was for Award Winning Medical Ideas sponsored by XXI Century Strategy headed by Franklin Chang.
They won the award for the development of a replacement for the Pap Smear test - Citofem. When you go back and read my post, I stated that this was going to be the big one of all the products they have developed. 

"This award is for an outstanding contribution to science and technology. It also allows us to assess the Costa Rican efforts to develop projects based on the development of a better Costa Rica" said Costa Rican astronaut and physicist Franklin Chang Dias, president of XXI Century Strategy.

This is a picture of Dr. Roy Mora accepting the award from guess who? Laura Chinchilla - the President of Costa Rica! Dr Roy is Robin's right hand man and has done a lot of work in the development of Citofem
It also just so happens that Dr Roy has more than gone out of his way to help me with a medical condition that I had.


Robin asked me to come along for this presentation, which forced me to get dressed up in a coat and tie for the first time in years - but it was well worth it. The presentation was given at the Presidential Palace in San Jose, and there were a lot of special people in attendance. It also gave me the opportunity to meet and chat with:

US Ambassador

Anne Slaughter Andrew

The first woman ambassador to Costa Rica

Franklin Chang


Astronaut 
Holds the record for the most flights (8) into space


President 
XXI Century Strategy 


Franklin is considered a Nation Hero in Costa Rica

And last, but not least

My new special friend :-) Also, soon to be my neighbor

Laura Chinchilla

President

Republica de Costa Rica

As you can see, Robin and his team at bioTD are really making some inroads in the field of medicine. To get the details regarding Citofem, just click below to go to their website:

CITOFEM