Siempre Soluciones

3 minutes ago, TwoSailors said:

But are they tender?

Yes, it melts in your mouth.  I hope these become a regularly stocked item.

Whenever I'm busy with a large project I tend to not want to cook or dine out.  I'll pickup a bunch of cold cuts and cheeses and such and eat sandwiches.  I primarily shop at El Rey at Terronal Plaza and I always get Virginia ham at their deli counter.  This time they had "Sugardale Country Inn Ham low sodium."  This is by far the best tasting ham I've had in Chiriqui.  Great taste and low sodium to boot.  A bit pricey at $15.55 per kilo ($7.07 per pound) when compared to their regular hams but well worth it.

As we all know everyone once in a while Pricesmart will have beef with good marbling.  This week they have rib eyes with the best marbling I've seen in my five years here.  Reasonably priced at $9.19 per kilo ($4.84 per pound).  I stocked up!  In fact I had one for dinner last night and I'm eating one for breakfast as I type!  These are the real deal.  I hope they have them next week too!  Photo attached.

55 minutes ago, TwoSailors said:

To make more money, probably!

Yes, you are 100% correct, with just a few bands from each of the possible genres would no doubt bring in a lot more money.

And of course ditto for art which has no limit.

I still hear drumming here in Bajo so perhaps the parade continues.

I don't know if this has been addressed, but what music genres are going to be participating at the next BMAF?

I don't want to sound like an instigator but are head banging music groups with mosh pits going to be allowed?  I only bring this up because the previous name pretty much identified what genre of music would be present.  The new name containing the word "music" seems to leave it wide open.

24 minutes ago, Bonnie said:

I saw on FB reference to a parade and happenings at the Féria today, but I don’t see anything on the CL calendar. Anyone know if it’s true and, if so, what time?

The parade is over (unless there's more than one) and they already set off fireworks.

They had via Boquete closed between Los Establos Plaza and the church.

I'm curious to see what Sertracen says.   A Panamanian friend of mine left Panama for more than 20 years and upon return was required to attend the driving school and take the written exam in order to obtain a Panamanian drivers license. 

Facebook's COO says privacy will be offered for a price.

Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg: If You Want Privacy, You're Going to Have to Pay for It

"We don't have an opt-out at the highest level," she said. "That would be a paid product."

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/04/06/facebooks-sheryl-sandberg-if-you-want-privacy-youre-going-have-pay-it

10 minutes ago, Marcelyn said:

During lunch with a friend last week, she mentioned she is taking a class here in Boquete. Enjoys it and believes she is learning and benefiting from the experience, but said she may not continue.

My friend has a big smile for everyone. Her Spanish is good but usually speaks only English during class sessions. She told me several Panamanian females talk negatively about “gringos” and don’t like Americans or Canadians being in Panama.

Yesterday a car with two Panamanian men left turned right toward our car. We stopped to avoid an accident. They started yelling at us. I offered a giant smile and waved a big hello. Their facial expressions changed to shocked stares and their mouths stopped moving.

Today two Panamanian males gave Bud “the finger gesture”. The same morning another man yelled “gringo go home” as Bud drove down the street near Romero’s.

What is happening? We don’t know any of these people, certainly didn’t do anything wrong, and don’t believe we deserve this kind of treatment. Have never noticed this rudeness from the locals until recently. Anyone else seen this escalation of dislike toward gringos?

Comments requested.

Amazing, I've never heard of any overt actions like that.  There was a woman on Panama Expat Exchange last year stating that she's received treatment like that in La Chorrera.

Some say the Panamanians didn't like the gringo "invasion" of the past two decades.  Perhaps they don't like the fact that many have moved on, less people are moving here, and that tourism is slow all of which would negatively effect them financially if their lively hoods depended on resident gringos and tourism.

I hope this isn't a sign of the future?

Maybe England will ban knives now.

20 minutes ago, Uncle Doug said:

We have moved into a world where technology has stripped alway our traditional expectations of privacy. In the industrialized countries,  CCTV cameras are everywhere. Your license plate is routinely photographed and time stamped. Do you use Google location history? Even if you're not using your cellphone  your location can be fairly precisely triangulated from cell towers.

Technology exist to see what room in your house you are located with your doors and windows closed. As someone located outside  the USA, every text  phone call, internet posting of yours is captured by the NSA.

As mentioned before, if you have brought in the Amazon Alexis or Google Home listening devices into your home, youve effectively bugged your house.

On top of this, you gleefully joined Facebook,  Twitter, Instgram, and shared your thoughts, your politics,  your friends, and even your enemies. You announce your trips and actual locations.  Even when you plan to return.

Add the ever-increasing skills of hackers and criminal elements and it's hard to say if you have any privacy left. It's not the government powers of George Orwell 's 1984. It's everyone, including yourself.

And the unintended circumstances as when you purchase a used General Motors automobile and decline to continue the Onstar coverage they conveniently leave it on, track you, and sell the data.  They got spanked for that.

8 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said:

Uncle Sam has plans to use social media as a visa screener, if it's not being done already.

 

It's long overdue.  Lot's of lives could've been saved if they would've begun years ago.

That couple who successfully immigrated to the US that committed that mass shooting in California had Facebook pages full of anti American and Christian messages including "Death to America."

20 hours ago, Uncle Doug said:

The amount of private and even embarrassing things people share on Facebook simply blows my mind. You can be sure that law enforcement, potential employers, and predators all love digging through the information you were dumb enough to share to the entire world for the rest of your life.

Add to that the growing craze of putting Alexa and Google home in your house so that all your conversations are monitored.

Even here, read twice before posting.  The internet is going to last for a very long time.

More and more companies are requiring access to your social media sites as a requirement of the interview process.  Some boldly ask for your username and password while some simply ask for you to sign in during the interview so they review them in your presence.

People need to be aware of the fact that Facebook reserves the right to do anything with the data you post on Facebook.  Even if you delete your data or even close your account it's out there for eternity to be mined.  Common abuses include someone purchasing the rights to someone's photograph who happens to be an animal lover and then using that photograph on say the cover of a hunting magazine.  Imagine the fun!

Also keep in mind that if Chiriqui Life changed ownership, would the same protections, intended and unintended, stay in place?  That did not happen in the Ashley Madison case.

33 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said:

Over the years I've met a number of Gringos here who  don't agree with the concept of gun control and boast about their unregistered firearms.

Obviously not advisable to get caught.

Yes, I've met quite a few too.  I'm glad I played it safe.  I missed the importation cutoff in 2013 by one month.

Another horrific tragedy.  That poor family.  Zooming in on the photo provided by La Prensa seems to reveal a pattern.

https://www.prensa.com/judiciales/personas-mueren-vehiculo-edificio-Costa_0_4995250451.html

I'm sorry to report that none of the home improvement centers carry this trim, Hopsa, Cochez, Franklin Jurado, Novey, or Doit.

59 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said:

This Boquete bound bus was off in the raspberries just south of Brisas late this morning. It must have have been a bumpy ride for the passengers.

I too snapped a photo after the accident, looks like your photo is photo shopped.

28 minutes ago, Marcelyn said:

Well now......perhaps I am misinformed, but I thought the reason for and purpose of Embassies was to serve and aid citizens in a foreign country, especially during an emergency or when people have a problem.

This information from Stephanie Espinal sounds to me like the US Embassy in Panama City has a different view for their existence.

Is our Embassy losing their focus?

In my travels I've needed embassy services throughout the world, the majority of people seeking services are non-Americans, that's their customer base.  That's been my experience.

Just like when they talk about social security running out of money, but welfare never will.  Go figure.

13 hours ago, Jude Schmidt said:

Back in the states they made foam "closure strips" that matched the profile of the corrugated panel, Every place that sold the corrugated panels sold closure strips, this made for an air tight and weatherproof seal. Are you sure they do not have something similar here? The foam strip were about $1 each and very effective, and would make a better seal than the wood.

Yes, I've seen the foam ones back in the states.  Since I'll be painting these the material is irrelevant.  I'm also considering using 2" x 2" foam rubber if i can find that economically.

I will find out in the next couple of days.

21 hours ago, Penny said:

I bet a local carpenter can make the product. Give him a piece of the scalloped roofing to use as a pattern.

There's a special scroll saw that can do patterns, if anyone has one of these, making these would be a snap.  I thought about checking with the pallet and crate guy in Alto, perhaps he's got something along those lines or would know who would.

21 hours ago, Keith Woolford said:

HOPSA ?

That was my first guess since I remember them having the widest range of corrugated roofing panels on display in their showroom.  They've got to have it!

15 hours ago, Uncle Doug said:

Nope, although I mostly shop Do-it and Cochez. What do you need it for?

Thanks, I'll make the rounds in David.

It's the missing link when integrating flat surfaces and corrugated panels as depicted in the attached photo.  Unfortunately it's not commonly used here.  The hunt continues!

I have a project that requires scalloped or corrugated roof wood trim as depicted in the attached photos. 

Has anyone ever seen this type of trim or molding in any of the home improvement stores in David?