Archive for July 28th, 2009
Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
New bill to propose a 2% tax on gambling, gaming and betting industry.
Costa Rica’s finance ministry will submit a bill within the next two weeks proposing a two percent tax on gambling, the country’s English-language Tico Times reported.
According to the report, the ministry estimates the tax – which would be imposed on income earned in the gambling, gaming and betting industry, would generate up to $85 million for the government.
Those figures were calculated by money earned by casinos and the online betting industry. There are 46 casinos in Costa Rica and 300 gambling-related businesses, including call centers, the report said.
Although the tax would provide a boost for the state during these tough times, officials in the gaming industry have expressed concern about a reduction in revenues, following an already significant drop in 2009.
Costa Rican Association of Casinos vice president Jorge Hidalgo was quoted by the Tico Times as saying the gaming industry was among the hardest hit by the global financial crisis.
“Activity has fallen about 35 percent, and in addition to that we have fewer work hours and have had to let go about 500 employees,” the newspaper quoted him as saying.
The bill in expected to be put to the Legislative Assembly on August 3.
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Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
While Costa Rica has become a hot destination for tourists and property investors alike, Limon, one of the country’s provinces, still remains largely undiscovered. It is not that Limon lacks the goods that can make it a vacation blockbuster. Endowed with beautiful sandy Caribbean beaches and impressive rain forests, it is indeed gorgeous.
Travelers who make it to Limon won’t be bored, especially if they are the kind who enjoy nature and aren’t bothered too much by lack of up to snuff infrastructure. Tourists can hang out on undeveloped beaches, hike in rain forests, surf, and fish. They can also visit Costa Rica’s last remaining indigenous Indian tribes, the Bribri, the Cocles, and the Talamanca Cabecarv. Still, the province has yet to become a destination in terms of property development. “Limon has not been as popular for investment as the Pacific Coast,” said Ellie Watland, a real estate agent from Costa Rica Tropical Paradise Properties.
About Limon
The Costa Rican province of Limon has a population of approximately 340,000 according to a 2001 census and covers an area of 3,548 square miles. Not only is it remote and relatively under-developed, it is also culturally different from the rest of the country. For some travelers, these two factors can add to its appeal.
From a cultural perspective, the Jamaican population in the area gives it a different feel. “Limon is almost like another country because of its strong Jamaican influence. Years ago, Jamaicans were brought to the province to supplement the labor force,” said Watland. As a result, you can hear ‘patois’ spoken, as well as Spanish. Carnaval is celebrated each year.” Even the typical Limon cuisine is different from the rest of Costa Rica. “There is a strong ‘Rasta’ image to the area,” said Watland. (more…)
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Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
For patients with high blood pressure, there’s no evidence that aiming lower than the standard 140 over 90 millimeters mercury (mm Hg) will do any good, according to a review of previous studies.
High blood pressure is linked to heart attack and stroke, and so the idea that “lower is better” has recently caused some doctors to recommend pushing blood pressure targets to 135 over 85 mm Hg. (The higher number in a blood pressure measurement is the systolic pressure, while the lower number is the diastolic pressure.)
However, in seven trials involving more than 22,000 patients, there were no differences in the risk of heart attack, stroke, or death between people who reached 140/90 and those who reached 135/85.
Dr. Jose A. Arguedas, from the University of Costa Rica, and his colleagues published their findings in the Cochrane Library, part of the Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews.
To refine the findings, Arguedas’s team calls for more research on groups of patients with particular conditions, such as diabetes and kidney disease.
SOURCE: Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews, 2009.
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