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Readers from around the world weigh in on sundry topics

Jim Simonsson

Jim Simonsson, better known as Sumo or Sumonista on the various Panama email groups, recently died there. As is normally El Siglo's practice they misspelled his last name. Sumo was a passionate man who was proud of his Panamanian citizenship by birth and his Costa Rican heritage that came from his mother's side. He was a good friend and I'll miss him. For the record, would you please publish his correct name: James Anthony Paul Simonsson Mora Molina Garro de Torres? Godspeed, Jimito.

Bob Sullivan
Phoenix, Arizona

Editor's note: Jim Simonsson, a 1974 graduate of Balboa High School, was also a friend of The Panama News, albeit mostly through electronic contact. His untimely death from an accidental fall was quite a shock.

About El Siglo's standards, and those of the Panamanian corporate mainstream media in general, two things bear mentioning. First, this reflects the quality of education that most of this country's journalists get at a University of Panama that has no student media. Second, I have to admit that while working in a context where the general standard of journalism is so low might at times make The Panama News look good by comparison, ultimately it's bad for the quality of my own work as well.

Heppenheimer's not Cristobal High's only rocket scientist

Here is another CHS rocket scientist. He is my son and graduated in 1985. Started in Coco Solo pre-school when we arrived in 1969. Then to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and then right to NASA.

Keep up the good work.

Gary Hudson

Forwarded Message --- Subject: RE: from thepanamanews.com

Sure --- I assembled hardware to fly on rockets and have a Masters Degree in Space Systems Operations. There was also another guy that I ran into at KSC (about 1993) who lived near us in Coco Solo --- I can't remember his name --- I assume he graduated from CHS a few years after me, but maybe he moved and graduated somewhere else.

David Hudson

Big screen advertising

I have just been reading your article about the "Figali Store Screen."

I was at the forefront of this type of screen-advertising in London as CEO of a public advertising company; and am therefore amongst a "fairly well-informed few" on this particular subject.

I just wanted to say that I found your article both amusing and full of common sense. If you are to take any consolation from this Panamanian screen-advertising fiasco; let me assure you that I have been called in by numerous "investors" around the world to rescue similar projects from the dustbin. You are not alone!!

Kindest regards and thanks for the smile.

name withheld

About Hillary's gaffe and America's real problem

Just wanted to say that I appreciated your piece. As a US-born citizen living in the United States, the game of Democrats vs. Republicans is played out through the media to such an intense degree that it can blind the simple, non-politicized reality that the US is extremely vulnerable for all the reasons you mentioned. The equation for a major decline or even fall is there within the facts and when one starts to look past the forest for the trees you can see there will be a day when the foreign policy of evangelical democracy through the war on terror will be a luxury the US can not afford.

These political movements concerning the ports are all about votes here in the US and is as outrageously simplistic as the invasion of Iraq was. In global politics, I believe the leadership of the US is merely the entity other nations have to tolerate --- but only for a while longer. In the meantime some Democrats will win elections and some Republicans will win.

The push and pull will go on while the foundation is insidiously sinking. I don¹t hate America or wish for my country's failure. I am embarrassed, disgusted and very concerned but more, with the help of opinions expressed like yours, I can at least not live in ignorance watching the political ball go back and forth between the powerful and competitive.

Diedrich Weiss
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Canadians living in Panama

We would be interested in talking to some of the locals originally from Canada. We are thinking about retiring in Panama and would appreciated some feedback.

Would you know of anyone who might be interested in corresponding with us?

Janelle
torontoemail@yahoo.com

Save remote Panama rainforest from hydro dams

Four proposed hydroelectric dam projects threaten free-flowing rivers, rare tropical species, indigenous cultures and a biologically diverse World Heritage Park in the remote rainforest of western Panama. Promoted by the Panamanian government and major Columbian and US corporations, the dam projects would forever alter the free-flowing rivers of the Changuinola basin.

Rio Teribe begins in the heart of La Amistad Biosphere Reserve in western Panama and flows into Rio Changuinola, where three dams are proposed. Construction of the lowest Changuinola dam alone would biologically deplete over 500 miles of streams. A fourth proposed dam on Rio Bonyic, a major tributary of the Teribe, would permanently impact more than 100 miles of stream habitat. The dams, roads, bridges and power lines slated for construction as part of these projects would devastate unique native fish, impact the entire ecosystem of the Changuinola basin and open this remote jungle for development.

La Amistad Reserve contains Central America's largest intact tropical rainforest, is designated a World Heritage Site by the United Nations, and harbors incredible biodiversity including 115 species of fish. Most of the fish in the Teribe and Changuinola Rivers depend on access to the ocean to complete their life cycles. The dams would hinder migration and prevent successful reproduction for fish that migrate downstream to the estuary to spawn or rely on currents to carry eggs or larvae back to the sea. The dams would also flood portions of the territories of the indigenous Naso and Ngobe tribes, destroying the centerpiece of their cultural and natural heritage.

The Panama National Environmental Authority (ANAM) recently approved flawed Environmental Impact Assessments for the four proposed dams. Please join the growing international movement to protect this ecological jewel of Central America and voice your opposition to the proposed Changuinola and Bonyic Hydroelectric Projects to ANAM.

Send a letter to the following decision makers:

·    AES Corporation Directors and Officers

·    ANAM Officials

Action Network
http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/panama_rainforest/wdxusk2v537wtj?

Hooray for Brazil, they kept their guns!

I wish to congratulate the people of Brazil for voting awhile back to keep their access to privately owned firearms even in the face of deceitful attempts by government and media moguls to con them into giving up their gun rights to make them defenseless against criminals in the streets or in government and reduce the people to defenseless de-facto slavery. It's apparent that government gun grab attempts are a continuing threat to free people everywhere and are being spearheaded by the left wing globalist New World Order types and all aspiring tin-pot dictators on the planet including the United Nations global gun grab operation. We should see: www.getusout.org (search: global gun grab) or call 1-800-jbs-usa-1 for free information about the UN and DEMAND that our God given right to own and carry guns for self protection be clearly stated unconditionally as our birthright in our constitutions of our various countries. The US Constitution and Bill of Rights are the best examples I know for any nation to emulate to preserve precious freedom for us and our children. However even here in the United States the tin-pot politicians continue to ignore our constitutional protections with impunity and they can only be stopped by an awakened people as the people of Brazil have demonstrated. We must choose freedom over slavery and never trust a politician!

Ed Nemechek
Landers, California, USA

Help --- festival information wanted

Wow! what a fabulous Jazz Festival that was, my first trip to Panama was a huge success.

The people were great, accomodation impressive, music scintillating, transportation and rum at unbelievably low prices.

I want to come back, I really do, and bring 20 friends with me, but I need your help.

I have prepared a powerpoint slide show to encourage my fellow Canadians to escape winter's icy grip, and travel with me to the 2007 Panama Jazz Festival.

The posters are prepared, the room booked, and plans are underway in Panama to secure the very best of assistance to our group once we arrive.

I have even secured preferential airline rates for the long journey --- so what's the problem?

Despite repeated attempts no one can confirm the actual dates for next year's festival.

I realize the dates might not be set yet, but when they are we need to know. I have cash poised, ready to reserve airline spaces, even though the event is a long way out. The sooner we book, the cheaper the price.

So, if you would like to make us happy we would be happy to see you in 2007, along with our soaring Canadian Dollars.

Actually, two or three of us are returning in May to scout hotels. It would be nice to know by then.

FIND OUT THE DATES PLEASE --- MR. BLADES, MR. PEREZ, MR. TOYOTA PEREZ, ANYBODY --- FIND OUT THE DATES PLEASE!

JAZZSAMBA
Canada