HIGH levels of education, a prosperous economy, low crime rates and calm politics have long set Costa Rica apart from its troubled neighbours.
After all the meltdowns in his decade-long career, Costa celebrated his French Open title against Juan Carlos Ferrero today by embracing those who inspired his calm under pressure.
At long last, Costas went after Johnson for acting out Burress' gun incident in a Manhattan nightclub three years ago.
It would not be very long before Mr. Costa had company in the form of two other ad hoc groups, Rescue California, organized by a former Republican member of the California Assembly, Howard Kaloogian, and Recall Gray Davis, the vehicle of a political consultant, Sal Russo.
Alvarado, who took office in May, comes from a long line of Costa Rican leaders who have made the well-being of citizens a government imperative.
Mr. Costa's long, generally static takes, most of which last a few minutes though a few run closer to 10, are themselves kinds of rooms, spaces that you can examine at your leisure and settle into.
The partnership with Costa Rica, long an island of relative peace in Central America, also involves the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration.
Costas has long been Ryan's hero, and when the two firmly shake hands, Ryan erupts into a fit of nervous excitement.
Costa Rica has long been stable and relatively prosperous; it has been sniffy about sharing sovereignty with its neighbours.
Mr. Costa gives us long, seemingly unrelated scenes of children kicking a ball, a ratty-looking circus, fishing boats at sea.
