Panama Living Newsletter

Time magazine multimedia on Panama

Here is an interesting multimedia display on the Panama Canal expansion referendum from Time Magazine. Takes a few minutes to load but worth it.


http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/2006/panama_votes/

Behind Panama's Vote to Expand Its Canal

The editor of the magazine, Popular Mechanics, is here in Panama to see how they plan the big dig. His father happened to grow up in the canal zone and came along to pass on his insights. It is an interesting article and one that they are updating each day as they look at the technology behind the canal. As a technology magazine it is interesting to hear their take on the technical aspects of the project. So far they give it a big thumbs up!

Read it here....

Know the ins and outs of Social Security abroad

Here is an informative article from the Mercury news about Social Security benefits, Medicare and services abroad.

Excerpt;• You can continue to collect Social Security benefits even if you retire abroad, unless you live in Cuba or North Korea. You may also not be able to receive benefits if you are in Cambodia, Vietnam or countries from the former Soviet Union (although some exceptions may apply).

I don't think many bommers are considering Cuba or North Korea, do you?

British retirees living in squalor abroad

Here is an interesting article from Easier Travel News pointing out how many UK retirees don't take in all the considerations of moving abroad and end up living in poverty. Of course they are moving from one high tax country to another (Spain) so their pounds and shillings don't go so far. Maybe they should consider Panama where the low cost of living can keep them out of squalor.

British retirees living in squalor abroad
25 October 2006       
The Foreign Office today voiced its concern that thousands of British citizens retiring to ‘paradise’ abroad, end up living alone in poverty and poor health due to inadequate preparation for their new life.

Baby boomers change senior housing trends

Here is a well written article from the San Diego Daily transcript about what people over 55 are looking for in a lifestyle.

Ecerpt: Gopal Ahluwalia, staff vice president of research at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), said older buyers want a home with all the goodies but none of the maintenance. They are looking for places with less lawn to mow and less floor space to carpet and clean.

"The boomer -- who can travel, see the world and play golf or tennis when he so chooses -- is seeking to cut down on the amount of time and energy they have to expend on upkeep of their castles," said Ahluwalia. "This is a step between single-family and senior housing."

The article goes on to describe trends I find surprising such as the numbers of people looking to live in a maintenance free city apartment in order to be close the culture and activities the city offers. This is should be good news for all the high rise developments going on in Panama City Real estate market.
Click here to read the entire article...

A Nicaragua Canal?

Here is an interesting article from the Latin Business Chronicle regarding Nicaragua's recent announcement f a proposed canal. A number of pundits are interviewed and their answers are revealing.

Go here for the full article...

It's not Disney, but its a great attraction!

The local press announces a $300 million tourism project by Ocean Embassy to build a Marine Park for interaction between sea life and humans. This was the much rumored "Disney" project from last year that I had dismissed as implausible. This project may be just the right type of project for Panama and the area. Last month they received a lot of negative press about the type of dolphins they were bringing as being endangered, but this article has a much more positive spin.

Behind deaths in Panama, a culprit: Cough medicine

The bad news is that 22 people were poisoned and died. The good news is that it was not some kind of viral infection that could spread to the rest of the population.

By Marc Lacey and Denise Grady The New York Times Published: October 16, 2006

PANAMA CITY Lucía Cruz, healthy one day and then suddenly writhing in a hospital bed, is now known as No.17.

 

Her life was a quiet one, raising children and ironing other people's clothes. Her death this month and those of 21 other mostly down-and-out Panamanians was a mystery.

 

The medical nightmare of Cruz, a 74- year-old grandmother, began in mid- September when she realized that she had not urinated in two days. Her neighborhood doctor sent her to the public hospital. Her condition went from bad to worse.

The undiscovered world in Panama

Enjoy the art and music on a tour of this revitalized country a canal made famous

By Agustin Gurza
Los Angeles Times
October 15, 2006

Mysterious Panama killer identified

The last week has had many in Panama wondering what kind of new virus is attacking the unsuspecting populace. Over 40 people have fallen Ill and 21 have died of a strange killer. It has been in the international press a  lot this past week and now that it has been identified I thought it a good idea to share this with you. It turns out t is a industrial chemical that apparently found its way into cough medicine distributed by the Social Security administration. Whether accidental or deliberate has yet to be determined, but it is good to see that the U.S. works quickly with this small country to identify the problem. From the Associated press.

CDC traces Panama deaths to cough syrup    
2006/10

By MIKE STOBBE, AP Medical Writer     

ATLANTA - U.S. health officials this week cracked the case of what caused the mysterious deaths of 21 people in Panama since midsummer — an industrial chemical in red cough syrup.