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Suggestions, critiques and popular demands...

Taj Mahal review

Thank you for your review of the Taj Mahal restaurant. It would be even more helpful if you had provided an address/location, Website (if any) Email? Etc. But I do thank you for sharing your experiences.  I LOVE VINDALOO!

Martín

Editor's note: It's on Calle 42 in Bella Vista. Its email is tajmahal@racsa.co.cr. If you notice I gave directions in a Panamanian style, with reference to landmarks. Because it seems that every street in the capital has three names and two numbers and most of the street signs have been stolen, that way of navigation just works better here, even if it seems as if it were specifically designed to confuse American tourists. Don't let me discourage you, or anyone else. The Taj Mahal and the nearby Masala are both fine Hindu restaurants, just up the side street from the distinctive BBVA building on Avenida Balboa, and they both deserve to survive.

Tropical Test Center

I was a soldier stationed in Panama from July 25, 1985 to July 1, 1989 at the Tropic Test Center in Corozal, Panama. Unfortunately, I don’t know too much about all the chemicals and other materials tested there during my time there. I can tell you that there is a lot of unexploded ordinance in the ranges all over that area. I only was told this from other soldiers who was stationed there with me. I only wanted to locate a few of the former soldiers who were stationed there with me during the times I was there. My present wife is from Arraijan, Panama. I really loved it there. I cried every time I had to leave there. We both are sad because the US had to leave there. We traveled there to Howard AFB for practically free. Now, as you know it is very expensive to travel there. I think the US should fulfill its obligations to clean the areas up if that was indicated in the treaty. I am very sorry for this. I pray for Panama’s prosperity. Please let people know I am trying to contact former members of my unit if you should receive email from them. Thanks!

Garett B. Juneau, B.A.

(US Army Retired)

GWOT Outreach Specialist

Shreveport Vet Center

2800 Youree Drive; Suite 105

Shreveport, LA 71104

(318) 861-1776

(318) 868-1788 (fax)

(318) 751-2995 (cell)

Cut out the abusive letters

When oh when are you going to start acting like a proper editor and stop printing obnoxious letters from individuals whose sole contributions are to offer profanities rather than reasoned arguments.

If I disagree with an article I will send you an email, outlining why I think the article is wrong, and putting forward my views on the subject.

What I won’t do is resort to petty name-calling, verbal abuse and infantile swearing that has no place in a modern news source.

Can I suggest that you ignore such emails in the future and stop clogging up the letter’s page with such trivia? Perhaps then these people will learn how to write a proper letter.

I have a nine years old daughter who is very interested in her mother’s country of Panama. Sadly I have had to ban her from reading your website, purely because I don’t want her asking me to explain some of the more “colorful” phrases you print.

Martin Cavinue

Editor's note: It's a point well taken. I actually don't publish most of the abusive hate mail, but sometimes I do when I think that its author is noteworthy or if it represents a threat to The Panama News of which I believe the readers should be aware. But of course, those things always have to be balanced against the fact that kids also read The Panama News, as do adults with low tolerance for creepy language.

From Puerto Rico, we say no to Torrijos

Surprise, confusion and anger have been aroused among Puerto Ricans and all of the other Latin American brothers resident in Puerto Rico by the regrettable expressions of the Panamanian president, Martín Torrijos. His father must be turning over in his grave about this folly from His Excellency the President.

Not only does he not know of our culture and our wishes that we as a people long for, but he should restructure his cabinet over the international policy to which he refers. Who told this man to get mixed up in the affairs of the Puerto Rican people? Or perhaps he has the sindrome of putting down the people of other nations to resolve his domestic problems, like Noriega did?

Mr. President, for your information the Independence Party didn't even retain its ballot status because it got less than three percent of the electorate's support. In other words, the independentistas represent nobody in Puerto Rico, and much less can they speak in the name of the 97 percent of the electorate who reject independence.

We don't know how you could get this confused, but in all the South American countries I have visited, including Panama under the presidency of Mrs. Mireya Moscoso, this 97 percent against independence is considered a super-majority.

Your action in support of this minority is incredible, and a clear abuse of your presidential position. I think that our Panamanian brothers have a mountain of situations to which you ought to attend instead of inserting yourself where you are not invited. If you think that Panama is better today than it was four years ago and everyone enjoys an excellent quality of life, then I invite you to not interfere in subjects that are the domain of the Puerto Rican people and not Panama's.

Thank you for your non-intervention in the future, Mr. President.

Manuel F.  Navedo

Naranjito,  Puerto Rico USA

Alianza por Derechos  Permanentes para Puerto Rico

Panama City pubs

Hi! How about a review of the best traditional pubs in town --- the typically rather scruffy places where people regularly hang out just to talk, get to know one another and share the local gossip without being dominated by music, loud TV, the pick-up scene, package-tour tourists or hookers (though a few of the latter never hurt!). Daytime, afternoons, evenings, whenever.

Particularly if they have adequate convenient parking too! Places a bit off the beaten track. Probably with simple food available. Nothing too fancy. Pubs where you can avoid obnoxious types like non-smokers, tea-totallers, vegetarians, primping yuppies and air-heads who are obsessed with "working out". Friendly politically-incorrect places like this exist throughout the world --- everywhere from Macau to Montevideo to Tokyo to Santo Domingo (even Miami) --- and they're a particular godsend for newcomers, visitors and the expatriate community. In this case, the rapidly-expanding international crowd who share the same interest in Panama. Places where the local journalists, lawyers, politicos and other shady types tend to congregate. Where people tend to debate the canal expansion, whose heads should roll in the public health department, the fastest traffic detours, the weather, the cheapest judges to bribe, etc. Casual places where dog-owners can bring their pets. Where would you suggest in Marbella, for example? In Obarrio? Bella Vista? Amador? Casco Viejo? (I guess you'd feel compelled to include Punta Paitilla as well.) Even if you're on the wagon yourself, enlist all your drinking buddies and give us a run-down! No pubs are perfect, but a knowledgeable review of the pros and cons of Panama's best sure would be useful.

Peter Myers

Miami

Editor's note: There are certain scenes that my lifestyle, knowledge, income or other personal attributes keep me from properly covering, and yet they do deserve a place in a publication that tries to present a reasonably complete picture of Panama and what goes on here. The bar scene is one of these. But how about it, you readers out there who do participate in that form of entertainment? I'm not going to get into raunchy descriptions of the wildest places in town, but I will publish readers' opinions about the bars in Panama if they come my way.

Fan mail

Just a quick note to say "keep up the good work."

Don't let the bad hombres get you down.

All the very best for the future.

Pete

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