[harlonrichards]

a racial comment was made against 2 black men.. in spanish which in turn one of the guys pulled out a gun and bullets began. killing one of the ticos. the 2 men have not been found yet.

[harlonrichards]

congratulations.. at least they did not harm you.. which seems like the trend here. crime here is rising and really needs to be addressed by the current goverment. i have been here full time 6 years and have seen a dramatic rise not only petty crime but also violence. i am not going to compare statistics comparing the U.S with here as I also am NOT trying to sell any real estate.. I could care less if you move here or not.. these are only observations..

the other day..during midday in the san pedro mall there was a shoot out regarding some racial comments.. the guys just took out a guns and killed the offender.. they both just got into a cab and left.. lets see if they will ever be caught… NOT.. these incidents are rising.. especially gun related incidents.. pura vida

by the way.. with all its crime and all.. its still one of the best places to live.. its just part of the price of living in paradise.

[harlonrichards]

new moon

shhhhhhhhh.. your right.. but like anything else.. its best to keep these strategies under the rader

[harlonrichards]

funny.. i dont see it as a hateful video but rather funny..

and i do see many of the american women in this light .. but that problem is resolved now since I am now living here in the we love costa rica land.. and before you get any indecent thought just because I said the word young .. to me young means 25 to 35 years old.. shame on you for assuming otherwise.

[harlonrichards]

experiencing a nice young tica is always less expensive than dealing with american women..

here is a 3 minute video clip that pretty much shows the problem with american women..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8YE4S5Ov5M

women who see this always laugh… while the guys know deep down how true this is

[harlonrichards]

yes yes yes.. please stay in the US.. we already have too many damn gringos moving here.. making things more expensive

[harlonrichards]

Biggdawg

please make sure that you do your dilligence and not just listen to people on this or any other board.. misinformation is rampant here..

for example;

stephanie states that you can work in your own company here.. that is false.. you can own a company here but you cannot legaly work here. its not to say that you may never get caught.. but if your investing $100 stacks of high society.. then you want to weigh your risks

i know bar owners that immigration inspected and they were working behind the bar and they took them in.. you cannot work here unless you have a special work permit or be a legal resident.. and im not sure of the legal resident part..

another example.. is obtaining a liquor license.. just because you buy a license from someone or at an auction doesn mean you are allowed yet to sell liquor.. you still have to go through the process of obtaining the right to exploit or activate that license in your location which brings on that process.. inspections.. etc etc

even then you may not be approved… i have business owners in san jose.. and escazu that are experiencing major problems one owner is renting a liquor license for a restaurant in escazu paying $2000 a month for this… he is in court because the municipality denied him to exploit this license

i have real world examples of these and had my own problems.. it was not until i had to go through these actions where i had to learn the hard way..

my suggestion is to spend time here and visit the type of businesses that you are interested in and try and speak with the owners.. just to ask them some questions.. about what are the 5 worst problems you experience doing business here. please take what people say on internet boards with a grain of salt. its your money.

costa rica is a wonderful place to live but terrible place to do business… generally speaking.

I should also note that it depends on what kind of business you want to open up.. anything retail.. visible locations that rely on walk in traffic are the most difficult… online business would be a better way if you can..

many changes are coming along.. that will impact negatively in my opinion the small visible business owners. but that is another conversation

Edited on Apr 22, 2007 19:27

[harlonrichards]

If i am home with my family.. and someone breaks into my house.. im sorry but i will kill you..plain and simple.. i am working on a big sign that reads in spanish

if you break into this house you will be shot and killed on site

this may offend some people. I hate violence and wish everyone can all get along… but I live in real world and there are people here in this country as well as others that prey on the good.. for whatever reason it is…

I will not be a victim.

You gotta love Robin Williams……
Even if he’s nuts! Leave it to Robin Williams to come up with the perfect plan. What we need now is for our UN Ambassador to stand up and repeat this message.

Robin Williams’ plan…
(Hard to argue with this logic!)

“I see a lot of people yelling for peace but I have not heard of a plan for peace. So, here’s one plan.”

1) “The US will apologize to the world for our “interference” in their affairs, past and present. You know, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Tojo, Noriega, Milosevic, Hussein, and the rest of those “good ole boys”, we will never “interfere” again.

2) We will withdraw our troops from all over the world, starting with Germany , South Korea , the Middle East , and the Philippines They don’t want us there, anyway. We would station troops at our borders. No one allowed sneaking through holes in the fence.

3) All illegal aliens have 90 days to get their affairs together and leave. We’ll give them a free trip home. After 90 days the remainder will be gathered up and deported immediately, regardless of whom or where they are. They’re illegal!!! France will welcome them.

4) All future visitors will be thoroughly checked and limited to 90 days unless given a special permit!!!! No one from a terrorist nation will be allowed in. If you don’t like it there, change it yourself and don’t hide here.
Asylum would never be available to anyone.
We don’t need any more cab drivers or 7-11 cashiers.

5) No foreign “students” over age 21. The older ones are the bombers. If they don’t attend classes, they get a “D” and it’s back home baby.

6) The US will make a strong effort
to become self-sufficient energy wise. This will include developing nonpolluting sources of energy but will require a temporary drilling of oil in the Alaskan wilde rness.
The caribou will have to cope for a while .

7) Offer Saudi Arabia and other oil producing countries $10 a barrel for their oil. If they don’t like it, we go someplace else. They can go somewhere else to sell their production. (About a week of the wells filling up the storage sites would be enough.)

8) If there is a famine or other natural catastrophe in the world, we will not “interfere.” They can pray to Allah or whomever, for seeds, rain, cement or whatever they need. Besides most of what we give them is stolen or given to the army.
The people who need
it most get very little, if anything.

9) Ship the UN Headquarters to an isolated island someplace. We don’t need the spies and fair weather friends here. Besides, the building would make a good homeless shelter or lockup for illegal aliens.

10) All Americans must go to charm and beauty school. That way, no one can call us “Ugly Americans” any longer. The Language we speak is ENGLISH…learn it or LEAVE…
Now, isn’t that a winner of a plan?

[harlonrichards]

Sprite

I could not have said it any better.. right on the money.. thanks

harlon

[harlonrichards]

what kind of question is that… what is the solution.. thier is no solution except.. gringo go home

but that wont happen anytime soon

costa rica is and will be going through some major changes over the next few years.. and with any change there will be people that will benefit and people that will suffer..

if you look at the countrys largest paper la nacion… and look at the large display ads.. just about 1/2 are all in english.. so if your a tico looking for a good job with a future.. you will need to learn englsih or you will not have a future.

harlon

[harlonrichards]

hola scott

didnt mean to offend you.. this has been my experience living here in costa rica.. i guess it depends on a lot of factors.. i have lived in 6 different areas since moving here..san jose is the worse.. all renting of course.. i have been robbed in all of the places.. non violent but robbed. breaking into my apartment.. breaking into my car.. etc.. this also includes escazu.. i finally got my residency here and also i carry a weapon.. of which i am trained in using.. i will never be a victim ever again..

i grew up on the mean south side of chicago so its not that im a driving miss daisy type of guy..

things are changing here .. and its NOT everyone.. all in all its no worse than NYC or chicago…

I love costa rica by the way.. the weather and women..

harlon

ps. its like the admin scott he is such a pura vida guy lol

PPS. take away the weather here and its women and I would be gone in 60 seconds flat

[harlonrichards]

the same thing happened to me a few months back in san jose.. 2 yoooths lol pulled a knife and tried to rob me.. but fortunetly they also met my little friend from austria.. no shots were fired but it was I who took thier stuff

i would not try this at home

on another note.. you need to rent here in different areas BEFORE you buy.. and stay away from san jose.. its the arm pit of costa rica..

harlon

[harlonrichards]

is your husband in costa rica

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