At what point do we become oldtimers? We've been here nine years.

It's a big new mall by the developers of the Albrook Mall in PC. Chiriqui Chatter, Panama Perspective, and other blogs contain reports about it.

20 minutes ago, Jim Tosch said:

why would you think I am joking?

Because your "solution" so clearly fails to address many aspects of the problem: non-fatal car accident, severe bacterial infection requiring hospitalization, non-fatal stroke or heart attack, etc. Any number of conditions could require extended hospitalization but not be life threatening. And without health insurance the costs fall on the Panamanian government, which already is stretched.

1 hour ago, Jim Tosch said:

Bonnie, you may have just suggested an idea for new expat coverage. For a small fee per month you receive whatever pain relief necessary to see you through your ultimate day.

Easier said than done, I imagine. I assume that you're joking. I have a good sense of humor, but I don't consider health insurance a laughing matter. I see what has happened to people without it.

4 minutes ago, Jim Tosch said:

Sometimes I wonder why everyone, including Christians want to live so long. If you have had a great life do you really want to go through repetitive surgeries and live in special care facilities. For many of you it is simply delaying what you believe is heaven. For others it is just delaying the inevitable. Live fast, die young and forget Plan B. Use plan helium, just keep a full tank nearby.

It isn't necessarily wanting to live so long, Jim. We end up going to hospitals and doctors for reasons other than imminent death. The amelioration of suffering figures strongly into the decision of whether to have adequate health insurance or not. If it comes to one's final days, I don't know anyone who would choose to spend them in Hospital Regional without pain medication, and I understand that pain medication is not routine here, especially if the patient can't pay for it.

Finally, all expats should be insured so as not to be a drain on the Panamanian health system. (I can't understand why Panama doesn't require proof of health insurance for residency.)

When it was Panama Roasters, it catered largely to foot traffic. Too, back then parking wasn't a problem. Period.

25 minutes ago, Marcelyn said:

 

I didn't know it was possible to have Part A  and not also enroll for Part B for Medicare. I've always had both and thought they only came as a pair. Maybe I couldn't have purchased my supplemental health program unless I had both A and B coverage. Possibility?

You are automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A, which is limited hospital coverage. You have to enroll in and pay for Part B coverage (doctors, non-emergency procedures, etc.) Yes, you would have to be enrolled in Part B to purchase a supplemental program because it supplements both Parts.

I liken Part A to the so-called Hospital Chiriqui plan here. It gets you into the hospital, but it may not get you the treatment you need. You need at least Part B for that, and for more complete coverage a supplemental health plan.

On 11/15/2015, 3:44:29, JudyS said:

I didn't take Part B when I turned 65, because I couldn't use it.  A few years later, I did the calculations and found there is no advantage to dropping Part B if you ever anticipate receiving medical care in the U.S.  Over a lifetime, if you enroll later, you will pay much more.  I wish I had just kept it when I qualified at 65.  I re-signed up at age 71 and am paying about $160/month instead of $106.  I know I will be going back to the States eventually.  Being very old here is a nightmare.  You don't want to be here when you are ancient, if you are that lucky (or unlucky).  There are no services available like there are in the U.S.

An equally important consideration is that if you decide to re-enroll in Medicare it can only be done in the month of January and will not become effective until the following July. I had friends who could not afford insurance here and had significant health problems which they could address only by returning to the States and taking advantage of Medicare. Unfortunately, they left Panama in July only to find that their Medicare coverage would not begin until the following July.

11 hours ago, JoJo said:

Bonnie, have you tried Conway in Plaza Terronal?  I don't know that the king size blankets are as big, but they do have good quality sheets and other bed linens in my opinion. 

Yes. Conway is where I bought the sheet set that feels like sandpaper. (Admittedly, they have grown softer with repeated laundering and the use of fabric softener.) The undersized blankets came from Pricesmart.

Now that IPTV is working better, I notice that a number of IPTV channels have changed numbers. I looked online but couldn't find a channel listing. Has anyone else with IPTV had any luck? It's disconcerting to go to channel 8101 expecting Jeopardy and get the mindless Inside Edition.

I don't intend to argue that there may not be a place for both organizations, but I would note that, come February, only those persons who subscribe to Rodny Direct will have the benefit of Rodny's services. Alto al Crimen may or may not hire someone else to man a hotline, but it will not be Rodny, who has the experience and the contacts. My personal preference is to support Rodny now so that he is able to better his life and that of those close to him on whose help he relies. Alto al Crimen has done very, very little in the past two years, but I certainly will support them if again they become a viable organization.

I hate to lower the quality of discussions here, but there is a category for help findings things.

I can rough it with the best of them, but two things I find hard to do without are a hot shower and soft bedding. We solved the shower problem with an electric hot water heater in the master bath, but I'm having no luck with the bedding. The sheets we brought with us are gradually disintegrating, and the ones I have been able to buy here so far feel like they're made of new dish towels. And two "king size" blankets I've purchased here are noticeably smaller than those I brought from the States, resulting in nighttime tug o' wars.

Has anyone had any luck finding high thread count sheets and true king size blankets?

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sleep-apnea/in-depth/cpap/art-20044164

From Transportation to Housing to Home Maintenance, Gloria and her crew are here to help.

Today marks the grand opening of Gloria Cruz’s comprehensive new business: Viajes y Bienes Raices, located in the little red building behind Banco Nacional.

Many of us have known Gloria as a facilitator and transportation/tour provider, but she now has expanded her business to include sale and rental of real estate as well as all types of property management. Gloria is perfectly bilingual and has gained the trust of many expats for her many services. She is honest and reliable.

Gloria will continue to provide Facilitation Services for social security and other government functions.

Her Transportation Services, in a new van, include airport drop off and pick up; tours around Boquete or in any part of Panama; and shopping trips to David. She also will do shopping for you.

The Real Estate element of the business is for selling homes and land, the rental of homes and apartments, and management of your property when you are away. Gloria now has her real estate license.

Home Maintenance Services are comprehensive. They include locating and providing the community’s best service people for plumbing, electrical, roofing, fencing, etc.; computer help and repair; housekeeping; elder care; help for social occasions such as a chief, bartender, and waitresses; construction and repair work; septic tank cleaning; painting; house sitting; dog sitting—anything you can think of relative to maintaining your home. It’s one-stop shopping for your home-related needs. Gloria promises to find the right people for the job.

Contact Gloria at 6623-8729 or vbrcruz@hotmail.com. Her office, located behind Banco Nacional, will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on Saturdays.

 It's the only Ambreen Ghazi (Shaikh) to be found online. I thought that what she says about the "Datamatics" part of the business might fit as it has to do with Internet work.

Prior to starting Z Datamatics  in 2012, Ambreen worked for 5 Year as an Customer Service Executive with Convergys. After that she has 2 year of experience in Virtual Assistance and Customer Service, Marketing and Internet Research, Data Entry and Data Mining, Email Marketing and campaigns (Infusion soft, Aweber and Mail chimp),Social Media page management, tweets and post creation (Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn),Ad Posting to Cragslist, Kajiji, Word Press, Ebay, and Amazon, etc. Expert on Word Press and can customize Tumblr as well, knowledge of Google hangout, Content Development for Website and Blog and other white paper.

1 hour ago, Marcelyn said:

Can you give me the contact information for your worldwide medical supplier?

Thanks.

Gloria Detresno

detresno@usa.net

6615-6391

Gloria and her husband Pedro are simply the best. I went to her on the recommendation of Penny Barrett and have never been happier with service. They even come to your house to deliver documents and collect payments.

There are still flights from David to PC on Air Panama. Go to their website.

I find it interesting too, Bud, as there is a lot of interest in this locally. I'm inclined to think that, given the short attention span of many people, the article may have been too long to spark their interest. Another possibility is that folks are afraid of ruining afoul of the forum rules in responding since this topic has generated such strong feelings.

It is possible to discuss the issue without getting into personal attacks. And I think Mr. Jackson's history lessons are an essential element when considering the influx of evangelicals or Endtimers to our community. Those who have taken a live-and-let-live attitude toward these people should be fully aware of the threat that such extremists pose to the rest of us. Mr. Jackson suggests that their coming here in droves is not a matter of amusement because, and I quote,

Quote

"Consider that they are not just urging senior citizens to come retire here. Many of the people who have come to Boquete due to the urging of Wiles and Daves are working age Americans who are not millionaires and won’t qualify for pensionado, investor or special professional visas. They are coming here intending to violate Panamanian labor and immigration laws. And what about the advice that Daves gives his followers about protecting themselves? He not only says that every “Christian” of his variety ought to be packing a gun, he’s advising people to get portable anti-aircraft weapons to shoot down drones."

The writer offers examples of how this type of activity on the part of radical expatriates, who consider themselves to be sovereign powers exempt from Panamanian laws, threatens us all if and when they gain the attention they are seeking because they may come to be seen as representative of expats in general. 

It's a great idea, and I'm already doing it.

I think so, too. But I don't know why because she certainly carried the party line. There was no difference of opinion between her and Mr. Hunter so far as I could tell.

I suspect Hunter will be looking for someone locally to moderate. Only a fool would accept it, of course.

8 hours ago, Twin Wolf Technology Group said:

Hmmm...  I disagree.   I believe this is Ambreen:

Facebook only comes up with one person with her name: https://www.facebook.com/ambreen.ghazi.10

She lives in Pakistan and belongs to more than 12 religious christian groups.   

Doing a Google search for JLM and Pakistan, the top hit is a website for Jesus Love Ministries based in Pakistan.

There is a 10 hour difference from Pakistan to Panama.   I do not recall Ambreen being online during our normal hours.   She is there early and late possibly indicating she lives on the other side of the world.

Lastly add to all of those things that there is a NEW advertiser on Ning under sponsors -  The Stephen Ministers   fitting in with the religious group idea.

So, that is my guess

 

 

The Pakistanti Ambreen is a nurse; the Indian Ambreen provides website service. There is also a 10 hour or so time difference between India and Panama.

The Stephen Ministers is a local group, headed by Steve Mainero and San Juan Bautista Catholic Church, that provides services to gringos such as transportation, translation, visiting, delivery of food, etc. It's notice was on the site before Lee left. I know Steve and can comfortably say that he is not involved in JLM Foundaton, whoever they may be.

As I pointed out early in all of this, there is a JLM (Jesus Loves Me) Foundation already operating in Panama. But any connection with that group was denied. The coincidence remains strong, however.

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/raid-on-supreme-court-offices-nets-13-corruption-suspects

Could this be the one? http://www.zdatamatics.com/about-me.html

If so, she's located in Mumbai.

Beautifully written, Al. Thank you for sharing.

Love the changes! Much less busy and much less complicated.