Archive for February 16th, 2010
Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
The Government said there are now 34 death claims since 2000 possibly related to sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles. It’s just the latest in a series of setbacks for the automaker as it tries to gain back consumer confidence.
Dealers have just come off of a rough year. First, there was the massive recall for sticky gas pedals, then the recall for an anti-lock brake glitch. And now, the death complaints. But Toyota execs say they’re working to gain back customer’s confidence.
The president of Toyota said he plans to come to the U.S. to talk to American workers and dealers about the problems, although a date hasn’t been set. Toyota execs have already met with dealers to push a new marketing campaign starting in March.
The automaker is also considering offering longer warranties on its vehicles and 0% financing for 60 months in some areas of the United States.
“The dealers are working 24/7 to get these fixes in,” said Ed Tonkin, the incoming chairman of the NADA. “If they do come with an incentive, I think it will be just to kind of peek the consumers interest to come back in and take a look at Toyota. They’re great cars, they’re doing the right thing.”
Researchers said the changes may not be enough. Kelley Blue Book found 27-percent of new car shoppers considering a Toyota before the recall are no longer interested in the brand.
Toyota’s president plans to issue an update on the recall sometime on Wednesday.
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Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
Costa Rica remains on the list of tax havens published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), according to documents seen by the wire service AFP on Monday.
The Central American country of 4.5 million people had signed an agreement in July saying it would take steps to ensure free exchange of financial information. But while Costa Rican officials made strides toward complying with the OECD, the country has failed to pass legislation in congress.
In December, Finance Minister Jenny Philips said, “We are continuing trying to comply with the OECD, but we can’t commit to legislators passing (appropriate legislation.).”
She said her ministry is looking to reduce the time it takes for judges to review and authorize the release of financial information of suspected tax evaders, but that she needs more time.
“The French government has taken a very tough, very strong position,” Philips said at the December press conference. “But at the moment France decides to pressure, other countries have to unite and say, ‘Wait a minute.’”
According to various news sources, the French government will begin imposing fines of as much as 50 percent – up from 33 percent – on dividends and interest fees paid by French firms to people or other firms domiciled in tax havens.
As of press time, the OECD had yet to make the updated tax haven list public.
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Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
Amino has won the Costa Rican licitation to provide STBs to support a major IPTV roll-out by the Costa Rican Electricity Institute. The network operator plans to launch services in the first half of 2010, targeting up to 100,000 homes across the country. Amino will work closely with systems integrator ITS on the service roll-out and will provide 38,000 units including its A125, A130M and A530 DVR STBs phased over the next two years.
ICE is the state-owned network operator in Costa Rica and offers a range of fixed, mobile and broadband communications services and power across the country. Systems integrator ITS will manage the deployment working with Amino, Minerva Networks, Harmonic, ATEME and Widevine equipment.
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Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
Smuggling cash out of Costa Rica has become a headache for the airport authorities, with the arrest on Sunday of a Mexican woman carrying some us$250.000 dollars in her carry on luggage.
So far this year, the Policía Control de Drogas (PCD) – drug enforcement police – have seized more than us$532.000 dollars in cash from various travelling heading out of San José’s Juan Santamaría International airport.
The woman is now in the hands of judicial officials, mainly the Fiscalía de Alajuela, who will be looking for preventive detention and begin their investigation into origin of the cash.
Days earlier (Friday), Costa Rican authorities arrested two Mexican nationals with more than a ton of cocaine that was expected headed north. Police found the stash during a raid of home near Miramar, Puntarenas, following reports by area residents of strange activity coming from the residential home that was being used as a warehouse to store and pack drugs for shipment.
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Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
Legislators in Costa Rica begin discussion on the reforms of the new Ley de Tránsito that is to go into effect on March 1. And one the items up for discussion is the changes to the drunk driving provisions.
The current legislation says that anyone with a blood alcohol reading of 0.75 is impaired and is subject to criminal prosecution, including jail and a permanent loss of the drivers license.
However, the Instituto Sobre Alcoholismo y Farmacodependiencia (IAFA) is pushing for the limit to be dropped to 0.50, arguing that the the 0.75 is too permissive and is not enough of a deterrent.
Guiselle Amador, director of the IAFA, is of the opinion that by keeping the limit at 0.75 many will continue to drive drunk and thus the country will continue with more fatal traffic accidents.
Amador backs her arguments of experts that say that a 0.50 limit for those 24 years of age and over and 0.20 for those under that age, is required to keep drunk drivers off the road.
In addition, the IAFA is asking that legislators include a provision for an educational course for those caught driving under the influence.
“This tool is ideal to educate, prevent and detect early those with problems with alcohol”, said Amador.
Amador also believes that the other public institutions like the INS (Instituto Nacional de Seguros, the national insurer), the CCSS (the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social, the country’s social security) and the COSEVI (the nation’s driving authority) work together to reduce drunk driving and road fatalities.
The IAFA is also seeking that legislators allow a portion of the fines collected from drivers towards prevention and driving instruction.
In 2009, 43 people lost their lives to drunk driving, aside from the many more who suffered injuries from traffic accidents involving drunk drivers.
The World Health Organization figures indicate that between 20% and 50% of all fatal traffic accidents around the world involve alcohol abuse.
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Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
Although stem cell therapy is illegal in the USA, Global Surgery Providers is facilitating stem cell treatments at offshore hospitals affiliated with renowned U.S. hospitals.
Some of the most remarkable medical breakthroughs of the 21st century are emerging from stem cell research. Such devastating afflictions as cancer, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are now being treated with adult stem cells, and the results are encouraging.
Stem cell research, however, is one of several leading-edge scientific fields that is currently against the law in the USA. This is one reason why many acclaimed American medical institutions have set up hospitals and other research facilities abroad. Among these are Harvard Medical, Johns Hopkins, the Mayo Clinic and 18 of the leading U.S. medical schools.
Now a Georgia company is making it possible for U.S. citizens to reap the benefits of the stem cell therapies that are being performed in other countries. “This sounds like science fiction,” says Jack Schafer, CEO of Global Surgery Providers, Inc., “but I actually saw a human heart valve growing in a petri dish. And because these body parts are created from the patient’s own adult stem cells, there is no danger of rejection.”
Global Surgery Providers (GSP) was one of the first medical tourism facilitators in America to be certified by the Medical Tourism Association. Now they have begun arranging overseas stem cell therapy for their clients.
“We recently sent a paraplegic patient to Costa Rica for stem cell treatment.” Mr. Schafer said. “He has no use of his lower body and has been confined to a wheelchair for ten years. We are hoping that stem cell therapy will be able to re-grow the nerve cells in his damaged limbs.”
Whether Americans are considering medical tourism for stem cell therapy, dental implants or hip replacement surgery, Mr. Schafer warns consumers not to attempt to organize everything themselves. In fact, having a facilitator such as Global Surgery Providers make all the arrangements can actually save the patient as much as several thousand dollars.
GSP not only deals with overseas hospitals and medical clinics, but they also arrange accommodations, transportation, a dedicated local car and driver, an English speaking Medical Concierge, and the exclusive use of an international mobile phone for 24/7 contact with friends and family back home.
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Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
While in January Costa Rica saw a rise in seismic activity, February has been rather quiet. The Obvservatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica (OVSICORI), reported only two earthquakes so far this month.
In January the OVSICORI reported registering 14 earthquakes, many located in the Zona Sur (southern zone), while a number originated in the area of Barva de Heredia.
In contrast to January, February has been quiet, seismic wise.
Experts say that is is common that there months with intense activity and months that are not, Costa Rican being a country with high seismic activity.
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Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
Costa Rica, Central America’s second-biggest economy, will recover this year from its first recession in 27 years as exports, tourism and foreign investment rise, central bank President Francisco de Paula Gutierrez said.
The $29.4 billion economy will grow 3.2 percent this year after an estimated 1.3 percent contraction in 2009, Gutierrez, 60, said in an interview at his office in San Jose.
“Much of last year’s contraction was caused by a heavy fall in trade, and we’re already seeing dynamic exports yanking us out of recession,” Gutierrez said. “Our economy is enormously interdependent with the world’s.”
The economy suffered last year from a 9 percent drop in exports to $8.7 billion, according to government trade agency Procomer. President-elect Laura Chinchilla takes office in May having vowed to bolster economic growth by deepening trade with China and boosting public spending. She will have to be careful not to run up an already “unsustainable” fiscal gap, Gutierrez said.
The budget deficit grew to 4.3 percent of gross domestic product last year from a gap of 0.4 percent of GDP in 2008 and a surplus of 0.8 percent in 2007, Gutierrez said.
The central bank’s goal of keeping inflation below 6 percent this year will be a “challenge” after prices rose 1.6 percent in January from the previous month, Gutierrez said. Last year’s 4.1 percent inflation rate was the lowest in 38 years, though still Central America’s highest, Gutierrez said.
Foreign investment will grow 2 percent this year after dropping 35 percent to $1.3 billion last year, Gutierrez said.
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Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
Are you starting to plan your retirement and worrying about how the state of the economy will effect your life style after you turn 65? Are you watching your friends make plans to cash in their paper assets, move to a smaller home, and cut down on spending? This is what many people are doing in the face of a recession in the United States right now. But you imagined having a little money to travel, visit Paris maybe, or go on a cruise. Is all of that just a fantasy now?
Well some people have discovered out how to make the dream a reality and retire in style by living and investing in the heavenly paradise of Costa Rica! It all begins with the real estate market. Those who know say the real estate market in Costa Rica is one of the most stable in the world, and prices are easily comparable to US property or lower. You could easily find a beautiful beach house for $300,000 overlooking the ocean. Or buy a piece of land near the beach for $100,000 and build your dream home. Imagine spend your days walking on the beach, a drink on the terrace, watching the sunset, and socializing with new friends who share your enthusiasm for a good retirement!
You may think it sounds crazy, that people only go to Costa Rica on vacation, but that’s no longer true. More and more foreigners are retiring in Costa Rica, especially Americans but also Europeans and other foreigners. And they are all doing it the same way: investing in property which will only go up in value for years to come, while living their retirement in the sunshine. But how? you ask. The following are just a few examples of the things that make it so easy to live the dream and retire in Costa Rica:
ONLY 2 HOURS AWAY
Costa Rica is only 2 hours away from Florida and all the comforts of home. Take a log weekend in Miami and do some shopping, or grab a connector flight to visit your family, and have them come visit often! And be careful who you invite to come visit you, it is so easy to get to Costa Rica that they will certainly come!
ESPANGLISH
Maybe not everyone speaks English, but no matter where you are, there is probably someone around who will be able to translate. A large majority of the population can speak at least some English, and most of the private schools are English Immersion, so from a young age many of these kids are bilingual. And hey, why not take some Spanish lessons yourself? Stretch your brain a little and make some friends while you are at it.
COST OF LIVING
The cost of living is comparable to the US if not slightly lower. There are some items which are shockingly inexpensive, while others are what you are used to at home. Groceries, restaurants and shopping tend to be about what as you are used to, however workers such as a live in maid or gardener are much less expensive than in the US. During retirement, it can often be a great blessing to have people around to help you with the daily chores.
HEALTH CARE
Health Care in Costa Rica is known for its quality and inexpensive price tag. Many of the doctors are trained in the US or Europe, and hospitals are very modern with all the latest equipment and technologies. Not to gossip but Costa Rica is known for its movie star plastic surgery!
MEDICARE
Both the Costa Rican government and Medicare and are making it extremely easy for ex-patriots to receive their Medicare cheques in Costa Rica through a network of banks in now offering direct deposit to your Costa Rican bank account.
VISAS & LEGAL ISSUES
Do I need a visa, or how does it work? If you are 45 years or older you can apply to be part of a retirement program set up by the Costa Rican government to encourage foreigners to come to Costa Rica. Benefits include tax exemptions and incentives, but the greatest thing is that you don’t have to pay tax on your retirement income in Costa Rica!
CAN I OWN PROPERTY IN COSTA RICA?
In Costa Rica foreigners are in no way penalized when purchasing property. Foreigners have the same rights as a Costa Rican and the law will treat them as an equal. You can also incorporate your own company and purchase the property through your company for additional tax breaks.
OF COURSE THE BEAUTY …
The words Cost Rica actually mean Rich Coast, a name Christopher Columbus bestowed on this country overflowing with natural beauty, lush rain-forests, mountains, cloud forests, and sandy beaches. Costa Rica is world famous for its diverse natural habitat and beautiful sunsets.
So there you have it, not a bad list of reasons to rent out your house, cash in your paper assets, and retire to a beach house in Costa Rica! There may be a coming recession, but you don’t have to live in it, or let it spoil your long awaited liberation from the rat race.
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