France’s wealthy could take it on the nose if the French taxman gets his way and cosmetic surgery becomes subject to the value added tax (VAT).
France’s new Socialist government has promised to tax the rich, and the tax authorities are looking at going after expensive cosmetic surgery such as tummy tucks, liposuction and breast enhancements that so far have escaped the country’s 19.6 percent VAT.
The tax authorities have issued a finding that operations for aesthetic rather than health purposes should be taxed, and the finance ministry is currently studying which procedures to target.
Photo: Reuters
照片:路透
France’s financial inspector general has calculated that the government needs to find 3.9 billion euros (NT$146.2 billion) each year if the country is to keep its promise to bring its budget back into balance by 2017.
(AFP)
如果法國稅務人員得其所願,讓整形手術成為加值稅課徵對象,法國有錢人將可能受到極大衝擊。
法國新任社會黨政府已承諾要對富人徵稅,稅務當局正考慮以昂貴的整形手術,如塑腹、抽脂和隆乳等為目標,這些整形手術迄今仍不必繳納該國稅率百分之十九點六的加值稅。
稅務當局提出一份報告,指出為了美觀、而非健康目的所動的手術應該繳稅,財政部正研究要對哪些手術項目課稅。
法國財政稽核長計算出,政府若要遵守其二○一七年讓預算回歸平衡的承諾,必須每年籌措三十九億歐元(約新台幣一千四百六十二億元)。
(法新社/翻譯:管淑平)
The strongest earthquake to hit Taiwan in 25 years killed at least 16 people and damaged dozens of buildings, but the destruction was largely contained thanks to decades of preparedness work. Taiwan sits on the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of intense seismic activity along the Pacific Rim, and — much like neighboring Japan — has a long history of catastrophic quakes. How does April 3 compare with other recent quakes? The April 3 earthquake, which measured 7.4 on the moment magnitude scale, was felt across Taiwan. It was the most severe since a 7.6 magnitude quake in 1999 killed
Around the time of the Dragon Boat Festival in June, the streets of Taiwan are filled with the delightful aroma of zongzi, a traditional snack made of sticky rice wrapped in leaves. The leaves are folded into a cone and then filled with sticky rice and other ingredients such as braised pork belly, peanuts and salted duck egg yolks. The filled leaves are then tightly tied with kitchen twine and ready for cooking. 每到六月端午時節,街頭巷尾就會飄出粽子的香氣。粽子是將糯米包進粽葉的傳統美食,先將粽葉折成圓錐狀塞入糯米,以及紅燒肉、花生、鹹鴨蛋黃等配料,用棉線綁緊後即可烹煮。 Dragon Boat Festival (n. phr.) 端午節 aroma
Everyone has seen a piece of fruit turn brown after being cut. Have you ever wondered why that happens? It is a common phenomenon that occurs due to a chemical reaction called enzymatic browning. The appearance, flavor and nutritional value of the fruit are all affected by this reaction. Some fruits, such as apples, pears, bananas, avocados and peaches, are more prone to enzymatic browning than others. These fruits contain high levels of an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase, or PPO for short. __1__ This causes a chain of chemical reactions that ultimately transforms the phenolic compounds into
There are several methods to prevent or slow down enzymatic browning in fruit. __3__ This lowers the pH level of the fruit tissue, causing the PPO to be far less active. Another method is to store the fruit in an airtight container or to wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Doing this will reduce its exposure to oxygen. __4__ Although fruit that has undergone enzymatic browning may look less appealing, it is still safe to eat. However, by using one of these simple methods, you can enjoy fresh-looking fruit for a longer period. 有一些方法能避免或減緩水果的酶促褐變。其中一個有效的方式就是在切片水果的表面塗上酸性物質,像是檸檬汁或醋。這樣做能降低水果組織的酸鹼值,讓 PPO 更不為活躍。另一個方式是將水果存放在密封的容器內,或用保鮮膜將其緊緊包住。這樣做會減少水果與氧氣的接觸。快速蒸一下切片水果或將其短暫浸泡在滾水中也能使PPO失去活性,並終止 PPO 與空氣的作用。 雖然經歷酶促褐變的水果可能看起來較不吸引人,但仍然可以安全食用。然而,藉由採用這些簡單方法中的其中一個,你就能在更長的一段時間享用看起來新鮮的水果。 What Did You