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Rapid Tax, Costa Rica - A Paradise Where Taxes are Minimal

03.27.08 (4:03 am) [edit]

Rapid Tax, Costa Rica - A Paradise Where Taxes are Minimal Most people who take up residency, do business or even visit frequently are surprised to learn that the tax system in Costa Rica is much less complicated than many European or North American countries. It is much different than that of United States, mainly because anyone relocating to the country can quickly understand the system. Overall, the basic principle for paying taxes in Costa Rica is based upon level of earnings. If you earn over a certain amount of income, you are liable to pay income tax to the government. There are four main types of taxes that a foreigner moving to Costa Rica will have to pay ? income, government, property, and sales tax. Income Tax Everyone regardless of his or her citizenship pays income tax in Costa Rica. However, the only way in which you would not have to pay income tax coming from abroad, would be if your income was less than eight hundred dollars a month. Any earned income below this amount will not levied income tax. Above this salary however, the income tax you are required to pay will range from 10 to 15 percent, dependant on the amount you earn. In Costa Rica, the tax year ends in September. Government Tax Each area of Costa Rica land is divided into branches of local governments (or municipalities) who oversee the collection of government tax. Just as in the United States, this government tax is used to provide services to the residents such as electricity for streetlights, or garbage removal etc? Each area has its own government tax, at its own levels that to go towards the services that municipality provides. Depending on the price of your home, you will also be required to pay a government property tax. Property Tax The government of Costa Rica has established a Costa Rica property tax equivalent to 0.5 to1.5 percent of the purchase price of a home in Costa Rica. If you are planning to purchase a home in Costa Rica, expect to pay property tax for Costa Rica real estate, at the price similar to that of many states within the United States. With one large exception,?The cost of the home will be considerably less! Sales Tax If you are relocating from the United States, then paying a tax on items purchased will not be a new concept to you. Costa Rica has a sales tax of 13 percent above the cost of each item. However, unlike in the United States in which certain items are exempt from sales tax, Costa Ricans pay sales tax on all goods sold to them. This sales tax can also be levied against certain services in the country. Again, remember though the cost of most goods and all services are drastically lower than what you are used to. When it come to taxes, everyone will have a different situation, and it is therefore important to consult your tax advisor when considering the tax implications in any relocation or that of any foreign country. One thing the Costa Rica government does well is that it goes easy on its own citizens, and relocating residents when it involves prying the tax dollars from them. by David Lovendahl Costa Vista Land is ?developing paradise? in Costa Rica. They purchase large quantities of raw land at discount prices and develop the properties in less than 18 months. Hence, the unique program in which investors can obtain developed land at undeveloped prices and why company President, Brad Hogan says, "We are an investment company first and a land sale company second." Parcel choices range from valleys to mountains, to beautiful coastline property. Costa Vista Land encourages investors to visit Costa Rica to view their property and will pay for accommodations, meals and transportation to do so. This lucrative program comes with 100% money back guarantee.

Baby Tenda, Achtung Baby crushes The Joshua Tree and The Edge is Voted Most Indispensable Member of U2 as U2 Fans Cast Ballots in Worldwide Survey

03.27.08 (1:41 am) [edit]

Baby Tenda, Achtung Baby crushes The Joshua Tree and The Edge is Voted Most Indispensable Member of U2 as U2 Fans Cast Ballots in Worldwide Survey Tri-Cities, WA (PRWEB) January 7, 2008 -- U2 fans around the world cast surprising votes in the 2007 U2 Fan Survey, naming guitarist The Edge the most indispensable member of U2 and voting Achtung Baby as their favorite U2 album in a landslide over The Joshua Tree. A total of 4,159 fans from 78 different countries voted in the 111-question survey, which was sponsored by @U2 (www.atu2.com), the oldest independent U2 web site. U2 fans voted throughout November, 2007. For the third straight year, the 1991 album Achtung Baby was a runaway winner for Favorite Album, outpacing 1987's The Joshua Tree by a whopping 45% to 24%. "Not even the Joshua Tree's re-release on its 20th anniversary last year could topple Achtung Baby," said @U2 founder and editor Matt McGee. "With wins in three consecutive years, it's clear that Achtung Baby is the favorite album of U2 fans worldwide.." In a series of four questions, U2 fans were asked if U2 should continue if one member left the band. The Edge was the fans' choice as the most indispensable member of U2, with only 4.9% of fans saying U2 should continue if he were to quit. By comparison, 5.8% of U2 fans think U2 should go on if Bono were to leave the band. "It was really close between The Edge and Bono, but in the end Edge was the guy most fans said U2 can't go on without," McGee said. Other results from the 2007 U2 Fan Survey: * About 11% of U2 fans either disagree with Bono's extracurricular efforts, or ignore what he does away from the band. * Almost 32% of U2 fans surveyed say Bono did "too much preaching" during the Vertigo Tour in 2005-06. Only 2% said they "would've enjoyed more preaching." * When asked who they would vote for if all four band members were running for the highest office in the fans' home countries, almost 62% said they would vote for Bono. * 35% say the 1985 Live Aid concert is U2's "defining moment," while 11% say that moment has yet to happen. * Drummer Larry Mullen, Jr., was voted the band member most likely to win on the reality show Survivor by 42% of U2 fans; 43% said The Edge would be victorious on the quiz show Jeopardy. * A whopping 87% of fans say Edge is the best musician in U2. Larry finished second with 5.5% of the vote. * U2 fans named Coldplay, The Beatles, and Bruce Springsteen as their favorite musical artists aside from U2. "With more than 75 countries represented, and more than 4,100 fans voting, we feel the survey is statistically representative of U2's online fans as a whole," McGee said. "The survey gives a great overview of what U2's fans think about things both serious and lighthearted. There's some great information in here for both casual and serious U2 fans." Complete results of the 2005 U2 Fan Survey are available now on @U2: 2007 U2 Fan Survey (http://www.atu2.com/survey/) About @U2: Launched in 1995, @U2 is the web's oldest independent U2 site. With a staff of more than two dozen U2 fans worldwide, @U2 produces original, daily content including news articles, interviews, podcasts, reviews, live event coverage, commentaries, and humor. In December, 2007, Entertainment Weekly included @U2 on its list of the Top 25 Essential Fan Sites for music, movies, and TV. @U2 was the highest music fan site on the list. In 2003, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum asked @U2 to co-host a "U2 Fan Celebration" on the museum grounds in Cleveland. In 2004, @U2 was voted one of the Top 5 "Best Unofficial Sites" at the Digital Music Awards.

Baby Tenda, Releases Annual

03.06.08 (12:22 am) [edit]

Baby Tenda, Releases Annual "Most Ridiculous Baby Products" List Chicago, IL (PRWEB) December 4, 2007 -- We're moms. We love to shop. And sometimes we get suckered into buying ridiculous products. So we surveyed thousands of moms from around the country to find out what they thought were the most ridiculous baby products on the market right now. Caveat emptor! #1. Zaky Pillow This is a set of fake hands that lays against your newborn to trick her into thinking that it's you. It's almost too creepy for words. And wrong. So very wrong. Even the description is creepy: "Leave a hand with your child!" We'd like to see the studies of these poor babies 10 years from now who found out their loving parents were really disembodied mummy hands? #2. The Baby Keeper The Baby Keeper is a contraption that hangs your baby on the back of a public bathroom door so you are "free to go." The picture says it all. Convenient? Perhaps. Sanitary? No way. Trusting a single hook will hold my baby safely over the hard bathroom floor? Not a chance in hell. #3. WhyCry Baby Crying Analyzer We'll let the manufacturer describe this one: "The WhyCry Baby Crying Analyzer is a new, innovative device that analyzes your baby's crying and can help you understand and identify why your baby is crying." This device is going to tell us why our baby is crying? And for only $65? Are they kidding? Plus, unless it makes our baby STOP crying, it's of no use to us. #4. Prenatal Educational Systems A device you strap to your pregnant belly like an electronic fanny pack that plays a rhythm of sounds for an unborn baby that resembles a mother's heartbeat? but not quite. The rhythms are actually different and random. Let us get this straight: as the baby starts to distinguish the difference between the mother's heartbeat and the "fake" heartbeat - the learning begins. What? Surely, you jest. So, as the baby is growing and thriving in the womb listening to the mother's heartbeat, they want you to throw in an erratic heartbeat for an hour twice a day? Why would you ever do that? So the baby thinks mom has been in a car accident? We would never mess with our baby's brainwaves in utero and neither should you. #5. Silk Covered Diaper Bags Sure they are beautiful in the store. But every single silk diaper bag that we have ever seen in use is frayed, stained, balled, faded and just plain hideous. Unless the silk is covered with plastic, a silk covered diaper bag is $150+ you will regret spending. #6. Fur Covered Diaper Changing Pad We love designer diaper bags as much as we love designer purses. But some of them have gone where luxury does not belong: faux fur-covered changing pads "for baby's comfort." Um, do the manufacturers know what goes on down there? Do they know what you use a diaper changing pad for? To keep baby's butt off the germy public changing counter, but also to help contain the, shall we say, sloppy seconds and inevitable diaper explosions. Yes, they claim to be machine washable, but when? When we're in a public restroom? We either rinse it out in the dirty sink and carry it home wet, or should we fold the poo-stained pad up and shove it back in our lovely designer diaper bag and stink our way home? In our humble opinion, fur and poop do not mix. Pretty much ever. A vinyl-like, wipeable surface is the only thing that should cover a changing pad. #7. Stroller Baskets As Second Baby Seats We're all about making double strollers as narrow as possible so store clerks can stop hating us, but this is ridiculous. You know you've seen them: the all-terrain stroller that looks like a totally normal single stroller for the first rider, but has an odd scooped-shaped seat underneath where you are supposed to place your second rider. Literally, the second kid gets tucked underneath where the basket usually is, with no view, no great air supply, and nothing to do but stick their little fingers in the wheel spokes spinning inches from their face. Yes, the manufacturers saw the error of their ways and now offer "finger guards" for the wheels, but that will hardly stop our 2-year-old from dragging their knuckles, playing "pick up the dirty cigarette" polo, and needing therapy years from now. #8. Bad Baby Videos All videos are not created equal. We love good videos, and there are a couple to be had, don't get us wrong (Little Laureate, who partnered with National Geographic and the BBC is quite magical.). But bad baby videos are just plain stupid. What makes a bad baby video? Bad production quality, bad music, cheesy 3D computer animation, and endless, lingering close-ups of toys and lava lamps. Toys are meant to be played with, not looked at onscreen. And don't get us started on the creepy, homemade sock puppets. Named after poop, no less. #9. Knee Pads If you want your kid to get beat up on the playground later in life, be sure to remind their friends they needed knee pads to protect their knees when they were learning to crawl. Yes, little tender knees get a little scraped. But are rug burns on baby knees really a major problem in today's households? Unless you teach your kids to crawl across concrete, we don't think so. In any case, there's a simple solution that's been around for centuries: pants. Knee pads: necessity for rollerblading, ridiculous for babies. #10. The Pee-Pee Teepee Yes, we've all been peed on by our baby boys once or twice, but a fabric cone to set over their wee wee just in case? How long is it taking to change that diaper, and how long is he exposed that you really need a cover? And, p.s., we've seen the stream of pee in action. It's a large, large, arc that can shoot halfway around the room. You're telling us that much force against a tiny fabric cone won't A) shoot the cone around the room with the pee, or B) reflect the pee back at the baby himself. Yeah, we're not buying it. Literally. We're not buying it. Visit the whole list at babygizmo.com (http://www.babygizmo.com) About BabyGizmo.com The Baby Gizmo Company was founded in 2005 by sisters, seasoned entrepreneurs and authors Heather Maclean and Hollie Schultz. A product testing and research coalition of moms, pediatricians and child development experts, The Baby Gizmo Company publishes BabyGizmo.com, the Web's most comprehensive baby product resource site featuring Senior Editor reviews, mom reviews from around the country, video reviews, audio clips, and the only dedicated baby gear price comparison engine on the planet with over 25,000 products. The company is based in Chicago, Illinois. Maclean and Schultz' next book, "The Baby Gizmo Buying Guide" will be released February 12, 2008 by Thomas Nelson.