Bud

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/indigenous-confrontation-looming

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/mizrachi-facing-money-laundering-probe

Marcelyn has wanted an engraved metal dog tag for Anouk from the time that Anouk arrived at our place as a rescue dog about six weeks ago. As a stopgap measure, I used our label printing device to make some labels with Anouk's name and our home telephone number, but those tags obviously are not as durable as a metal tag. Marcelyn had read about an upcoming ARF event (October 1st) at which the business "Mr. Dog" (located in David) would be attending and be able to make custom engraved metal dog tags. However, we will not be able to attend that event, and so we made a dedicated trip to David yesterday afternoon (in the heavy rain, duh!) to get a metal dog tag for Anouk. I tried to prepare myself in advance for finding the business by doing the usual Goggle search and studying of the maps, etc. However, at my advanced age nothing ever really goes as planned. We ended up parking ourselves in a Romero grocery store parking lot that is across the street from the Felipe Rodriguez tire dealership. We then called Mr. Dog. A male answered, and I tried to talk with him in Spanglish, but that didn't work too well (my fault, not his). Then he turned the telephone over to another person who did speak very good English. Rather than try to give me directions, this second person suggested that I remain in the parking lot, and got the description of our vehicle, gave us the description of his vehicle, and suggested that we wait about ten minutes. What the hey. We agreed. This was a first for us. We thought -- what outstanding customer service! Lo and behold in about ten minutes there he was. He came over to our vehicle (I was standing next to our car, but under the parking cover so that neither of us would get wet). He then stated how we would caravan over to their business location, and that if we were to get separated that he would pull over and wait for us. We arrived at the Mr. Dog business in about ten minutes, got out of our vehicle, and then did the introductions. The store owner is Carlos, and he is the one who answered our telephone call. It was his son, Joel, who did the escort duty. Joel showed us around their store. Marcelyn then described what she was wanting to purchase. Joel pulled out their inventory of metal dog tags, discussed some of the characteristics of them, answered our questions, etc. Marcelyn made her selection, and opted to get two metal dog tags, each of a different style. Per Joel's recommendation the only information to be placed on the tags was Anouk's name and our home telephone number. He then asked that we write down the information so as to be sure that there was no misspelling or transposed numbers, etc. In about five minutes Marcelyn had her two custom engraved metal dog tags. These custom engraved metal dog tags are of good quality, and good value; one was $6.00 and the other was $7.00. Mr. Dog is located in Plaza Mallorca in David. I suspect that no one reading this posting will have any idea where Plaza Mallorca is located, so, it is on the original one-way street in David (the street on which immigration had been located many years ago, but somewhat closer to the InterAmerican Highway). There is a Puma filling station on the corner across the street. Also, the radio station "Megamix" is said to be across the street (but I did not see any signs to that effect but I wasn't looking because we were already at the store). Here are the front and back of Mr. Dog's business card: The contact information on the card may be difficult to read, so here is the important stuff: 6543-4944 (Carlos, the store owner, Spanish only) 6681-4422 (Joel, the son, Spanish and English) 730-7429 (business line) email: mr.dogpanama@hotmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mr.dogpanama/ A Google search turns up a different landline telephone number -- 730-7423 -- so I don't know which is correct, perhaps both. Joel relayed a story to us about his tenure with a US restaurant chain from several years prior. He indicated that he had gone through some of their training sessions, one of which was on customer service. That must have been one powerhouse of a training session because customer service was oozing from his every pore. You can't go wrong with this place based on our experience. Good location, no parking problems, good selection of pet related items (we didn't see any foods or medicines, however), good quality and value for the prices charged, and great customer service.

I thought I would add a copy of José's business card, just for the sake of completeness:

Did you notice the hair style for his attorney. Almost looks like a Mohawk. I started to write "hair cut" instead of hair style, but it appears to be natural based on advancing age and male baldness.

Can you imagine 8,500 vehicles on one ship??? That seems like a "wow" to my way of thinking. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/worlds-biggest-car-carrier-transits-canal

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/security-company-obstructed-fugitives-arrest

http://www.centralamericadata.com/en/article/main/Panama_Penalties_for_Failing_to_Provide_Tax_Information

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/new-canal-crossing-will-toll-bridge

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/latin-america/us-funded-anti-crime-studies-questioned

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/wannabe-jetsetter-deported-panama

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/ex-police-chief-jail-term-upheld

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/canal-fallout-shipper-bankruptcy

http://www.centralamericadata.com/en/article/main/Panama_to_Import_Packaging_for_Eggs

Marcelyn and I were in David late afternoon yesterday. We made a point of stopping by the Box Shop to learn more about it and to be sure of its location. Disclaimer: we are not displeased with the mail forwarding services that we use in Boquete. However, we have been asked by some of the CL members if we can get more information about the Box Shop. We met the owner/operator, Dario Samudio. He spoke good English and answered our questions. We asked for a brochure or business card, but he indicated that he had none. Then we explained that we operate a website, and he went to his car and retrieved a brochure that he said was never published for customers/potential customers -- for reasons which he chose not to disclose. Here is that brochure: After looking over the brochure, we asked a few more questions. His hours of operation are weekdays 9:00AM to 6:00PM. Saturdays is 9:00AM to 2:00PM. His email is info@boxshopdavid.com. His personal cell phone is 6799-4595. His website is www.boxshopdavid.com. We also learned that there are no monthly service charges. You pay only $2.50 per pound for your incoming shipments, plus a $0.25 service fee per item (we understood that fee as his 'cost recovery' for getting the shipments from PC to David). We were informed that customers need to be careful about what the actual chargeable weight of a package is. There are two weights. One is the actual (physical) weight itself -- something you get by putting a box on scales. The other weight is a "size adjusted" weight. Dario showed us a package -- rather large, about 1 foot by 1 foot by 4 feet dimensions -- but the size adjusted weight was to be 33 pounds. Its actual weight was only four pounds. Apparently all of the freight carriers do this. This adjustment is not something that the Box Shop does on its own; this is how all carriers assess the chargeable weight of a shipment. I am aware that UPS and FEDEX, etc., do have size adjusted weight. There is no way to get around this "adjustment". In other words, customers need to understand everything about their shipments before they execute a purchase. Now for the shop's location: from the brochure you can see that it is in Plaza Comercial San Francisco, Local #15, in David. That plaza is literally in front of, and across the street from Panaderia Mara Pan. Here is my best way to describe the location: while in your vehicle in front of Hotel Ciudad de David (which is a major landmark in David), you will be on a one-way street. Go to the first intersection, which has a stop sign. Do NOT turn. Go through the intersection for one more block to the next intersection; also a stop sign. Then turn left at that intersection (that is a two-way street, so be careful), and go about 2/3 of the way down that street. Plaza San Francisco will be on your left, immediately across from Panaderia Mara Pan. That street is the one that not only has Panaderia Mara Pan, but also the Copa Airline office, the street that is between Hotel Nacional and the Bomberos, and at the far end on the McDonalds/police prison street intersection where the Mitsubishi dealer is located. I took a couple of pictures to help those unfamiliar with the street names, etc. The entrance to the Box Shop in David. Meet Dario Samudio. The Mara Pan business that is directly across the street from the entrance into Plaza San Francisco in David. This picture was taken from our car as we were exiting Plaza San Francisco in David. This is a view looking down the entrance of Plaza San Francisco in David. (I keep saying in David so that people will know I am NOT talking about Plaza San Francisco in Alto Boquete.)

Quite unexpectedly this past Sunday (September 3rd), Marcelyn and I found ourselves in Volcan to take care of some business. The decision was made about 11:30AM, and 30 minutes later we were in the vehicle heading west. We opted for the "shortcut" through Potrerillos, which normally is about a one hour drive in good conditions. However, it was raining very heavily, and so it took more like 1.75 hours to arrive in Volcan. We took care of our business matters, and then decided to have a Mexican cuisine lunch at Burricos. If you have not eaten at Burricos, then you don't know what you are missing. Not only good food, good service, etc., but then in the middle of munching down our food, there was a cabalgata (horseback riding, turned into a parade). We estimate a minimum of 50 horses involved, all decked out in their finest attire. Some horses had braided tails, and some had red socks on their feet. A loud band in an open bed truck led the entourage. Lots of people were along the roadway viewing the festivities. The waitress at Burricos indicated that this is typically a monthly affair, and just part of the culture of their community. As we were leaving the area, the horses had turned around and were coming back into town for a repeat parade. Many people had apparently come early, parked their vehicles along the roadway, kind of "tailgate party" style. They obviously like their horses in that area. Here are two pictures I took with our iPhone:

Marcelyn and I made an unplanned trip to David yesterday (Monday, September 5th) to take care of some business matters, and stopped by PriceSmart just prior to leaving David. Wow, get ready for a shock, folks. Many items (not all, but many) have been relocated. For instance, the pet items are no longer in the far rear, left corner of the warehouse. Same aisle, but now close to the front wall of the store. Vitamins, etc., in a totally different area. There has been a LOT of rearranging in that store. You might want to plan extra time on your next visit so that you can locate things. They ain't where they used to be.

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/corruption-raids-net-6-cops-narco-boss

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/panama-papers-scandal-hits-world-bank-nomination

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/fire-causes-egg-carton-shortage

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/ex-ministers-court-hearing-adjourned

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/regulator-takes-insurance-company

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/funds-short-accusatory-system-kicks

http://www.newsroompanama.com/features/media-watch/opinion-fallout-sexual-ignorance