All that jazz

The slow economy notwithstanding, there has been a lot happening in Panama lately. Because I caught Dino Nugent's jazz concert on the 16th, I didn't go across town to catch the boxing that night, wherein Pedro "Rockero" Alcazar became the world super-flyweight champion, the latest in a long line of great Panamanian pugilists. I also missed a concert by the Grupo Tuira and another with a cast of veteran musicians that included Danilo Pérez's dad. I'm not disappointed by my choice. Read all about in the arts section.

The financial squeeze continues on The Panama News, but there are glimmers of hope. To raise some money, we will be auctioning off one of only two complete sets of the print editions of the newspapers, from the initial edition at the end of 1994 through our most recent print edition earlier this year. If the investment can be had, the plan is to go back into print in a few months, but probably in a glossy-covered magazine format that we sell. The advertising base just doesn't seem to be there to support a free English-language paper at the moment, and Panama's economic recovery is slow at best. There is also a very possibility of a venture in to one of the broadcast media, the details of which will be published when and if it happens. Meanwhile the generous contributions of readers are keeping The Panama News Online afloat, but just barely.

If you want to help us survive, send your contributions to:

The Panama News
Apartado 55-0927 Estafeta Paitilla
Panama, Rep. of Panama

And what happens during hard times? You usually see a petty crime wave. In this case the thieves who have recently ripped me off are folks who never miss a meal, the pathetic rabiblancos who run La Prensa. Read all about it in our business section.

And if the rich try to keep up their BMW payments during difficult times by stealing from the poor, in the public sector the stuffed shirts maintain their pretenses by insulting folks with much more talent than they will ever have. Read about one example of this in this issue's editorial.

Willy Carrera, a Peruvian journalist whom the powers that be would like to ban from the Panamanian media, contributes to our science and news sections this time, and Roxanna Cain writes about books in the review section.

Also among the reviews is my take on "The Tailor of Panama," whose local premiere I recently attended. If you're looking for a documentary about Panama, this movie is not it, but I found it to be a hilarious satire, one that skewered bigwigs in British diplomacy, the Pentagon and the Panamanian banking sector more or less equally. In the aftermath the joke's on those who can least take a joke.

While those who want to be offended cry foul, I have better things to do - like considering which Panama City eatery serves the best sandwiches. See the dining section for that one.

Eric Jackson