Archive for January 14th, 2010
Thursday, January 14th, 2010
Lin Bartee, 65, and his wife, Christine Bartee, 51, made an appearance in Federal Court in Sacramento Monday after being extradited from Costa Rica on charges of bankruptcy fraud and tax evasion.
The couple was returned to Sacramento by U.S. Marshals on Sunday.
The couple, originally from Grass Valley, are the subjects of a grand jury indictment on conspiracy to avoid paying federal taxes, making false statements in a bankruptcy case and concealing property in a bankruptcy case, according to a release from Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Ferrari, who is prosecuting this case.
The indictment states the defendants failed to file a tax return in 2001, and then after earning a lot of money in 2002 also failed to file a tax return for that year. They did, however, transfer about $240,000 to Christine Bartee’s parents, who transferred about half of it to a bank in Costa Rica. In 2003, the couple declared bankruptcy without naming the Internal Revenue Service as a creditor and without identifying money they received the year earlier, according to the release.
The bankruptcy court denied the discharge of the debt in the winter of 2004, and soon thereafter the couple moved to a remote area of Costa Rica.
The case was investigated by the IRS, which got an indictment in May and began extradition. The couple fought extradition but lost those efforts.
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Thursday, January 14th, 2010
The Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) has finally announced its rates for internet over its 3G cellular line, saying it will offer two packages.
The first is the basic with a connection of 128 Kpbs for us$6 (¢3.500 colones) per month, the other up to 1.5 Mb for us$24 (¢13.700) monthly.
ICE says customers will have a choice to stay at the basic level or move.
Using the method of bait and switch, ICE is wetting the appetite of cellular internet users with speeds of up to 720 Kpbs at the basic rate.
But that will stop at the end of the month, when customers have to trade up or get stuck in the slow lane.
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Thursday, January 14th, 2010
The Honduran Congress will be debating an amnesty bill, on Tuesday, for the authors of the coup against President Manuel Zelaya, amid strong rejection by the civil society because crimes against humanity will go unpunished.
It was revealed in Parliament that the projected norm will include pardon for political and common crimes committed by those involved in the coup, such as treason, sedition, terrorism, violence, vandalism, and abuse of authority.
The National Front against the Coup, gathering popular organizations and progressive parties, factions of different trends, lawyers, deputies, human rights defenders, among other sectors, have strongly rejected the bill.
According to legislator and former Attorney General Edmundo Orellana, the amnesty will be approved because it will favor parliamentarians and military involved in the coup.
“It is obvious that the political crimes against democracy, the State and the Republic were committed from Congress, and the coup was plotted there,” Orellana denounced.
On June 28, hooded military, in connivance with the oligarchy, the Supreme Court of Justice, the Attorney’s Office, and Parliament kidnapped the president and took him to Costa Rica by force.
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Thursday, January 14th, 2010
Cosmetic surgery has become a billion-dollar industry in the United States. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people choose to have some sort of cosmetic surgery performed on their bodies, and most of these procedures are not covered by health insurance. As a result, cosmetic surgery can become quite expensive, so some patients have decided to seek an alternative option to cosmetic surgery in the US. Combining a cosmetic procedure with a relaxing tropical vacation has become a new way of getting the cosmetic surgery you want done, and Costa Rica is a great spot.
Costa Rica cosmetic surgery is done quite frequently. In fact, according to one study, over 14.25 percent of visitors who come to Costa Rica get some sort of medical procedure done. These procedures are often cosmetic ones. The cosmetic surgeons that practice in Costa Rica, along with travel agents and other services, can help to set a patient up with an affordable surgery as well as excellent care afterwards in a vacation atmosphere.
One big question that most people have is whether getting Costa Rica cosmetic surgery is safe. While it’s important to research any doctor before consenting to surgery, Costa Rica does boast a number of highly qualified cosmetic surgeons available to perform your cosmetic procedures. The standard of medical care in Costa Rica is one of the highest in the world, and cosmetic surgeons here are considered to be some of the best available while still being less expensive than those in the United States. Doctors practicing in Costa Rica can come from prestigious medical schools in the US and England, as well as other countries.
Costa Rica also offers places like the Las Cumbres Inn, in San Jose, Costa Rica, which is a surgical retreat center staffed with medical personnel. This retreat allows patients to stay in comfort in a luxurious resort atmosphere, while receiving aftercare for their medical recovery. Tours and other amusements can be arranged while you stay at Las Cumbres, and the staff speaks several languages so that the language barrier is not an issue.
Choosing Costa Rica for your cosmetic surgery is affordable and convenient. You are able to obtain the procedures you require and the vacation you need, all while saving money over the cost of the same surgery in the US. While traveling to Costa Rica for surgery may not seem safe to some, by doing your research before heading to your destination, you can be sure to obtain all the necessary information to make the right decision about your surgery.
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