letters

 

One way to look at it is variations on how to live and what to eat

Editor's note: A lot of the emails I get are not for publication, especially the ones that specify that and also most of the things in Spanish, which I don't have time to translate. Be that as it may, let me touch on three matters about which I have received a lot of mail lately:

1. The Graciela Dixon nomination to the International Criminal Court bench has been the subject of much email. There has been a big campaign among the Afro-Antillean community in New York, basically along the lines of US-style identity politics, in support of Judge Dixon. I don't support her, for reasons set forth in this issue's editorial, and there is a lot of stuff going around questioning the motives of those who don't support her, including my own. People have a right to an opinion, and to ask rude questions. But two defenses that I have heard, that Dixon slanted her judgments in favor of Ernesto Perez Balladares because he appointed her to the Supreme Court and that "anyone would do this;" and that Dixon ruled in favor of impunity for disappearances during the dictatorship because that was established law; I find as a person educated in the law to be particularly unworthy. Richard Nixon's appointees shot him down on the Watergate Tapes decision, and rightfully so --- without an independent judiciary every crooked tyrant gets a free pass and there is no rule of law. As a matter of fact, prior to a series of a half-dozen decisions in which Dixon held that it's illegal to investigate the disappearances of anti-government activists during the dictatorship, Panama's high court had ruled the other way on this question. Moreover, international law recognizes no statute of limitation on crimes against humanity and the letter of Panamanian law recognizes no statute of limitations for murder.

2. There is a website that calls itself panamanewsblog and uses the big logo "Panama News." It's mostly pirated copyrighted stuff, Don Winner's personal attacks on me and promotions for Rex Freeman and his ludicrous claims. That's not me, of course. I'm looking at legal options in this case of imitating this publication's name in order to divert readers from this website.

3. Both down here and across the USA, the anonymous and pseudonymous Republican email election attack machines are into high gear. One of the GOP chain letters that's satire rather than libel --- perfectly legal and ethically acceptable even if it's mean-spirited in many ways --- has found its way into this issue's fun section, in amended fashion. And then there is this crew of local Republicans who are taking on fake identities and flooding email groups with the message that I am a liar and whatever you read on this website should be discounted. But then, I think that the born-agains in the local GOP might take offense at Don Winner's email group moderator Clyde Jenkins going into electronic drag as "Linda Kapp" to sling mud in such fashion. It's not that I have anything in particular against female impersonators, but I really do dislike wimps.

Likes attention to urban issues

My name is Azael Barrera, president of the Clayton Owners and Residents Association (APRECLA), one of the groups fighting for the Camino de Cruces Park, its trail remnants and the green forested areas of Clayton that should have never had its land use changed but then were sold (sale was approved by current executive cabinet in October 2005).

I appreciate very much your writing about our struggle. Just recently one of the developers, Inmobiliaria Pasco, who "purchased" two big lots, one a undeveloping forest area according to Law 21 of 1997, and the other a lot which contains the remnants of the Camino de Cruces trail, started slashing and cutting the forest area lot (CL-43) and was denounced by our residents to ANAM, which gave the permit to cut, and brought the matter to court to stop that. A resolution was enacted by ANAM to stop it, and stopped too late, after slashing all the undercanopy of the lot. A fine was issued.

Guess what? He has now ordered the cutting of the tall trees of the lot this last weekend and has been doing it for this week too. Out lawyers are working non-stop because of this developer.

There is also another thing: a three-tower 18-stories building complex that will block the passage of undercanopy migratory birds that cross through Clayton, Cárdenas and Corozal. The land use pattern of Law 21 of 1997 has left very narrow wildlife corridors that even though there are two-lane roads in some places, birds and small mammals still can cross. The project, named Clayton View, will act as a unsurpassable wall blocking the fragile passage between the riparian forest of Cardenas river, the forested hill that has the cellular phone antenna in Clayton (area AV-35) and the Camino de Cruces Park in the north end. Despite letters from the Association to the mayor and to the municipal engineer to halt approval of the project, it seems it has been approved because the developer has started publishing promotional ads in La Prensa (see Compras section on Friday last week).

Keep on publishing The Panama News.

Our best regards,

A. Barrera

APRECLA president

 

Interesting question

Has anyone ever asked:

Would this country ever choose a black man over a woman for president?

Bill Phillips

USA

 

About Winner's main man, Mark Boswell alias Rex Freeman

Alright, I'm tired of hearing these "supporters" of Rex Freeman bash people because they are claiming that he's a fraud. You say you haven't heard from anyone who claims to have done business with him and felt ripped off?

Well let me tell you the same story that I have relayed to Eric Jackson, and at one time relayed 1600+ people who I had on the line to join VRG back in 2005.

1. Rex solicited investment money from VRG members in 2005 to place in the VRG "CFD Account". He used the claim of an "inside source" in the oil industry to fire everyone up to let him use their money to trade crude oil. I'm sure he does have an inside source, because his prediction was dead-on. But rather than make money, he claims that he lost the bulk of it due to "market volatility" and being a novice at trading crude oil.

Now, how is it professional to solicit investment money if you know that you're a novice trader?

 But more importantly, I explained to him that it looked very much like he was using members money to trade and keeping the profits for himself. Rather than deny what I said, he freaked out and banned me from communicating with other VRG members.

2. I was on his "executive council" for VRG. The minute that we, as a council, began to question his intentions with VRG, he dismantled the council and banned all council members from posting in the VRG forum.

What were we questioning? Well, VRG is sold as a program "for those who have money and want to manage it better; and for those who need more money to manage." We, as a council, did not understand why his only activity seemed to be soliciting members to invest in his programs. He used to shut us down for even suggesting that we do something to help members who needed more money to invest. The majority of VRG members fell into this category and were complaining to us on a daily basis that they were not getting what it was that they bought into.

3. At the time, WE were building the VRG program. He sold it as if it was "world class" when it was a weak "shell" of a program, at best.

4. I visited Rex in 2005, in Costa Rica. I paid him $500 to obtain a Costa Rica Driver's License, which he explained to me that I could drive in America with.

First, I have been pulled over with that license and laughed at.

Second, I'm sure it's illegal in Costa Rica to sell a government issued ID.

5. The VRG "members benefits package" includes illegally reproduced photocopies of two manuals: "Technical Analysis of The Financial Markets" and "Trading Like The Big Dogs" by Peter Bain.

I don't care how you slice it, that is illegal.

I could go on for days about the smoke and mirrors that this guy put in front of everyone.

I will say something good about him, though. He refunded all of my investment money, and bought back 2 corporations that I bought from him. He did this after I repeatedly threatened to alert the authorities as to the scams that he was pulling; and after I finally threatened to come back to CR and take what was rightfully mine.

Rex is a bullshit artist. End of story.

ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SEE DOCUMENTED PROOF OF THIS CAN FEEL FREE TO ASK ME FOR IT.

Josh Aney

 

Looking for somebody

I am trying to locate a lady who is a member of Mercosur. Her name is Ethel Pippo. It's important that I talk with her. My phone number is (580) 248-8227. My address is:

Patty Owens

2705 SW H Ave.

Lawton, OK 73505

Thank you very much,

Patty Owens

 

Hot tip from a fellow spice freak

I have noticed that you enjoy your food and the reporting of it. I live in Bocas Del Toro and one of the treats we have there is a little shop called Super Gourmet that carries a large variety of goods we would otherwise not have available to us.

The owner, Lorelie has now opened a store in Casco Viejo that you may want to check out. As you live in Panama you can probably get most things you want so may not need another super or mini super to do your shopping in.

You did a review on an Indian restaurant that you liked and as another spice lover, would like to try it out, what was the name of it again.

Thanks for your time and thanks for the news.

Barry Munro

Editor's note: There are a couple of Hindu restaurants near one another on Calle 42 in Panama City, the Masala and the Taj Mahal. I like them both, although some of my friends have divergent opinions on their relative merits. If you're into the hot stuff, I think that the Taj Mahal and their vindaloo probably has the edge there.