Theater Guild of Ancon Presents the Rabbit Hole

The Theatre Guild of Ancon

Presents:

RABBIT HOLE

A Pulitzer Prize Winning Drama by David Linsay-Abaire

Directed by Inez Azpurua and Produced by Simon Tejeira

Cast: 
Melanie Gilpin Lee - Andres Clemente - Ines Azpurua - Keitha Kushner
Daniel Saavedra

RABBIT HOLE presents a tragedy and its consequences, with utter candor and without sentimentality. The dialogue is most impressive for capturing the akwardness and pain of thinking people faced with unthinkable situation - and eventually their capacity for survival and even hope. - USA Today

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Show Dates:

October 11^th, 12^th, 13^th 

October 18^th, 19^th & 20^th 2012

8:00 P.M.

Donation: $15.00

For RESERVATIONS: Email: tgapanama@gmail.com 

Panama Bay clean up near completion

NewsRoomPanama:

Panama Bay clean up near completion

SATURDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER 2012 12:33

The  Panama Bay  sanitation project is 85 percent complete and  scheduled to go into service in June 2013.

The announcement was made Saturday September 29 during a tour of the facility by healthminister, Javier Diaz.
He said that the $238 million project, initiated by the previous government, constitutes one of the most important projects in the country, and will ensure the reduction of skin and respiratory infections, and improve the quality of life for the population at large. He made no mention of what some residents of Paitilla call Eau de Panama, which produces the odour that hangs in the air where the upscale residential community skirts Avenida Balboa.
The treatment process will enable the recovery of methane gas, which will be used to generate 18% of the electrical energy required to operate the plant.The construction consortium is headed by the Brazilian Norberto Odebrecht company.

Police trainees in Panama

Panama America News:

35% of aspiring police officers do not graduate

30 | 09 | 2012

The entity makes about six promotions per year in the three schools that governs the academy, which is called Belisario Porras (Acapol). One such center is located in Veraguas.

Center. The academy Belisario Porras is the main police training center. (Archive)

Melchizedek Quintero (melquisedec.quintero @ epasa.com) / PANAMA AMERICA

Number of recruits

400

• Aspiring is the number allowed by the Academy promotion Belisario Porras.

6

• promotions per year by the National Police in three training centers in the world.

200

• of every thousand people who apply do not pass the requirements of the institution.

Creation and early police academy Belisario Porras

• The Police Academy, which is named after the former President Belisario Porras, began operations in 1990, after the fall of Manuel Antonio Noriega.

• In the beginning was dedicated to the training of members of the Defence Forces, which became part of the National Police. Today is responsible for the instruction of classes and troops of the institution, that is, the police have no official rank.

• Officials, meanwhile, come to the Center for Higher Education.

35% of those admitted to police recruitment goals fails graduating as an agent, according to the Directorate of Recruitment of this security agency of the National Police.
This figure was confirmed by the greater Serafin Villarreal, Directorate of Recruitment at Howard, who said: "We deliver 100% to those passing academy enrollment. They are graduating about 65% by promotion, according to the amount that we will deliver. "
The reasons for this number of applicants does not finish its training process revolve around that do not adapt to the institution, and other family problems, even some are separated because they find any pending case with justice.
Meanwhile, in a thousand applicants who enroll, about 800 make it through all phases from the medical evaluation, psychological examination and various tests of general knowledge, Villarreal said.
The way for the formation of a police officer goes through a series of steps that serve as a filter, to be alone with the number of applicants who meet all the requirements. For example, in the first stage of the screening, "they come and spend a first entry, here and in the different areas, there is a physical assessment to the person, because when they come to be physical evaluation, there are many that are discarded because they do not meet certain standards, the official said. "This is because there are many eligible, for example, who have tattoos or too hole in the lobes, among others."
After fulfilling the selection process continuing six months to be interned in the police training centers in the country. Currently, the PN has three schools, two of them in the Acapol, located in the academy Belisario Porras and another extension in the province of Veraguas.
Students are taught general knowledge and expertise in human rights, also are trained physically and are tested regularly on their performance.
Approximately a year are performed six promotions. The recent trend shows that one in three applicants are female. This is sometimes difficult because there are few blocks (quarters) female, since this had always been a male profession, said Villarreal.
For a person to aspire to be an actor, you must meet requirements such as: do not spend 25 years of age, have no tattoos or holes in the earlobes, also have obtained high school, pass a psychological test, of general knowledge and good health.
In recent years, the demands of society on the growing insecurity have been the center of criticism of the security agency, which has been forced to step up their manpower.
This company currently has around 17 000 units, not including members of other security agencies such as the State Border Service (SENAFRONT) and the Naval Air Service (Senan), among others.
The latest report from Panama Asis, which brings together members of different private companies providing security services, revealed that the country employs about 17 000 500 units up, 500 more than the PN.

New copyright bill in Panama

infojustice.org:

Copyright in Latin America: New Enforcement Measures Pose Major Threats to Internet Users in Panama and Colombia

September 28, 2012 By Carolina Botero 

Co-authored by Carolina Rossini and Carolina Botero. Reposted from the EFF Deeplinks Blog.
After years of being one of the most progressive regions in the world in terms of balanced copyright policy, Latin America is unfortunately sliding into copyright maximalism, enacting increasingly restrictive copyright enforcement measures into their federal laws.
While Chile spent years drafting their broad reform to the copyright system along with civil society groups, and Brazil excitedly discussed the reform of copyright law with unprecedented civil society participation to draft a balanced bill, Colombia and Panama have rushed to write and approve new copyright frameworks with drastic consequences for the digital generation. Why is this occurring? It is the result of top-down, harsh implementation of bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) with the US, that require nations to enact far more restrictive language than what is found in the US itself.
This is precisely the kind of forum shifting and policy laundering we often blame on the US. But in these cases, Latin American governments should also be held accountable for their own choices.
Panama
Panama, which has had a long history of being susceptible to US political pressure, recently introduced a new copyright bill in order to fulfill the requirements of its FTA with the US. And they did so with no civil society consultation [PDF- Spanish]. Andres Guadamuz from Technollama called the bill, Bill 510, the “worst copyright law in history.” The Bill has been approved by the Panamanian Congress last Wednesday (September 26th), and is now awaiting the President’s signature which realistically could occur at any moment.
One of the major concerns with Bill 510 is that it completely abolishes due process from the proceedings of infringement claims. The law would create an administrative branch called the General Copyright Directorate (DGDA). The DGDA can slap users with an infringement charge and will only allow users 15 days to prove their innocence. Once arrested, they can be fined up to approximately $100k USD for the first offense, and $200k for the second.1

More on the Latin America Poker Tour (LAPT)

PokerStarsBlog.com:

LAPT PANAMA: NEW HOST ON PACE FOR FINAL TABLE APPEARANCE

by Brad Willis on September 28, 2012 9:55 AM

There is something quite important to be said about being the first to a title. It's a distinction that no one can ever take away. This week, there are many firsts still in play. For instance, whoever wins this weekend will be the first ever LAPT Panama champion.

There also stands a chance that the very first LAPT Panama champion could be the first Panamanian champion in LAPT history. Through nearly five full seasons of the tour, Panama has never notched a win.

Today, 15 people are on track to change that. Of the 111 people remaining in the LAPT Panama field, more than ten percent of them are Panamanian. While they have the home field advantage in their favor, they will have to get past some big-stacked players from around the world.

Here are the top ten stacks as we get ready to begin Day 2.

John Hewitt (Costa Rica) 155400
Martin Diaz (Argentina) 155200
Mathew W. Lapossie (Canada) 150100
Andres Herrera (Chile) 136500
Alex Komaromi (Uruguay) 136300
Zhiwei Zhou (Belize) 135100
Carlos Mauricio Ponce Ligorria (Guatemala) 130100
Leonardo Fernandez (Argentina) PokerStars Team Pro 118300
Carlos Alberto Mejia Mora (Colombia) 109600
Darryll Fish (USA) 108600

"The quicker we start, the quicker we see who is gonna win this thing!" tournament director Mike Ward just yelled. "Lot of people sleeping in today. Too many activities last night."

Panama Historical Association meeting

Panama Historical Society meeting:

NOTICE OF MEETING

Dear members and friends of the Historical Association of Panama:

The Panama Historical Association is pleased to invite you to the next regular meeting on Tuesday, October 2 in the National Library in Parque Omar in San Francisco.

The scheduled speaker is a member of the board of the AHP, Niko Liakópulos. Present the talk of "Notes and coins in Panamanian politics" that gave and was very well received during the Collectors Fair in September at the Hotel Panama

Niko was very young collector and specializes in coins, medals and tokens of Panama. He is a member of several numismatic associations in Panama, Colombia and the U.S.. He has written several articles and Panamanian numismatics has spoken at the Colegio Brader, the Athena Institute, and National Bank staff and Bank of Boston. His knowledge of the subject is so notorious that participated in the appraisals of numismatic collections of the National Bank and the Bank of Boston, as well as private collections.

We hope you can join us and enjoy this informative presentation.

The talk is scheduled to begin at 7:30 pm As it is sometimes problematic to find where to park, we recommend arriving a little early to park your car and enjoy the camaraderie with other history buffs before the speaker begins.

Third Internation Tourism Expo this week end.

NewRoom Panama:

Twenty-nine countries are participating in Panama’s third International Tourism Expo at the Atlapa Convention Center this weekend, Friday September m28 and Saturday September 29.
The countries involved are Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, El Salvador, Spain, United States, Finland, Guatemala, Holland, Honduras, England, Mexico, Nicaragua, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Russia, Sweden, Uruguay and Venezuela
Meanwhile Panama’s Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP) and the Chamber of Tourism of Panama (Camtur), and the country’s Tourism Authority (ATP), will focus on promoting domestic tourism in Panama, offering opening spaces, forests, beaches, mountains, eco tourism, world class golf courses, and what professionals dub the best fishing sites according to the president of the organizing committee of the event, Annette Cardenas.

Panama: More schools in the future to help treat autism nationwide

Panama America News:

More centers will be constructed Ann Sullivan

28 | 09 | 2012

The president, Ricardo Martinelli, said the Panamanian government will allocate more resources so they can build more schools in the future Ann Sullivan (Caspan)

Marta Linares (Courtesy Presidency)

Writing (nacion.pa @ epasa.com) / PANAMA AMERICAThe president, Ricardo Martinelli, said the Panamanian government will allocate more resources so they can build more schools in the future Ann Sullivan (Caspan) to help treat autism nationwide.
The Caspan on Avenida Balboa, started operating in June and initial enrollment was 35 children, who receive specialized treatment.
The president's words came during the fifth annual meeting of the organization Autism Speaks, in yesterday, in which one of the speakers was the First Lady, Marta Linares de Martinelli.
At the meeting, Linares de Martinelli emphasized the importance of awareness to everyone about this disease that affects so many children and young people worldwide.
Autism Speaks is the largest organization of defense against autism, which supports research into the disease and conducts awareness and dissemination activities aimed at families, governments and the general public.
The meeting was held within the framework of the 67th General Assembly of the United Nations Organization (UN), held in New York, United States, and took other first ladies, health ministers, leaders and experts in the field autism from around the world.

LAPT Panama: A town full of fish

Latin Americ Poker Tour (LAPT) Panama: A town full of fish

http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/lapt/2012/lapt-panama-a-town-full-of-fish-119310.html

1

It's nearing 11pm and the van is bumping hard along the highway to Panama City. An American expat sits near the front explaining the subtleties of poker to a Venezuelan journalist who doesn't know a turn from a roundabout or a river from a lake. And there is nothing else. It's blackness, water and jungle, everywhere. Or that's what you're left to assume, because other than the dashboard's blinking lights, there is nothing but black.
"It's pretty," are the first words that recognize the approaching horizon. Panama City is rising out of the black like Las Vegas out of the desert. The expat in the front is on his first trip to Panama. He's alone and has just popped across the boarder from Costa Rica where he's been grinding the World Championship of Online Poker for the past several weeks.

And it is pretty. The high rises stretch much higher toward the sky than one would hope for an earthquake-prone area, but it's gorgeous in a way you might not expect. It's bright against the black, and suddenly the ride is less bouncy and more treacherous. Cars and people are everywhere in the narrow streets that lead to the casino that hosts the Latin American Poker Tour.

This is the fifth season of the LAPT, a tour that has stretched as far north as Mexico and as far south as Argentina. In all its time and all its events, this is the first time the LAPT has visited Panama.
Here is sum total of what many people know about Panama:

Van Halen has a song of the same name (it's, in fact, about a car, not the country)

There is a hat called a "panama" (it actually has its roots in Ecuador)

The engineering marvel known as the Panama Canal is here (it's been here for more than a hundred years but only came under Panamanian control 13 years ago)

With that in mind, some people might wonder how this became a stop on the LAPT. That question becomes moot by the time the van parks in front of the hotel. The lobby is full of poker players. Hundreds of them slide in and out of the LAPT welcome party. It's more crowded than some people expect, but to the educated, it makes a lot of sense.
"This is like the hub of Latin America," explains Thomas Koo, the besuited, smiling fixture of the LAPT. "You can get a direct flight here from almost any city."
By the time the evening begins to wind down, it's clear Koo is right. The tables in the tournament room upstairs are set for more than four hundred people from all over the world. In the hotel lobby, international tourney rounder Jim Collopy is poking pieces of sushi in his mouth, clearly aware of the fact he's on an isthmus that divides two oceans of sashimi, and perhaps hoping the pickings are as easy the next morning in the tournament room.
"I did some research," says Reinaldo Venegas, the Latin American PokerStars blogger. "Panama means town full of fish."
He says it with a smile, but the etymology is apparently true. Fish and butterflies to be more exact. The grinders are hoping for fish. As for the butterflies and what swarm they might symbolize here, it appears that's a story better left for another day.
For now, it's morning, crunchy rock and roll plays over the tournament room speakers, and the dealers are setting up for this inaugural Panamanian event. As this four-day event kicks off, it clear this place is more than a song, hat, or canal.
Panama is the hub of Latin American poker for the week.
¿Busca la transmisión en vivo de LAPT5 Panama en español? Haz click aquí.
Brad Willis is the PokerStars Head of Blogging

Money for the Panama Canal Museum collection at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida USA

Email message from the Panama Canal Museum (PCM) Friends President

Dear PCM Friends,

I'm very happy to forward  to you a note—below—from Judy Russell, Dean of the George A. Smathers Libraries at the University of Florida, announcing UF's receipt of an Institute of Library and Museum Services (IMLS) leadership grant to support integration of the Panama Canal Museum collection into the Smathers Libraries. The award amount of $477,312, with a matching amount from UF of $541,976, ($1,0019,288 total) will provide for increased staff support and funding to help preserve and grow the collection and will help fund the development of an extensive centennial exhibit at UF in 2014. It is a major achievement for UF to receive this award and our collection will benefit immensely fro it.

Joe Wood
President
PCM Friends

From:"Russell,Judith"
Date: September 20, 2012 12:12:05 PM EDT

Subject: ANNOUNCEMENT: UF has received a major IMLS grant to support integration of the Panama Canal Museum collection into the Smathers Libraries

I have to share my good news (and brag a little bit)! UF has received an IMLS leadership grant to support the integration of Panama Canal Museum Collection into the Smathers Libraries.

To put this in context: This award is the 4th largest nationally, behind UIUC ($499,919), ALA ($486,587), and Zoo Atlanta ($486,580). It is one of three awards in Florida, and at $477,312 exceeds the awards to the Orange County Library System ($212,070) and FSU ($98,789).

Construction Progress at Tocument International Airport

Panama America News:

President inspects construction progress at the Tocumen International Airport

23 | 09 | 2012 By Editor / Web

After the completion of the construction of the North Pier, Tocumen International Airport will start construction of the new Central and South Terminal.

The first phase of the expansion of the airport (North Pier). Photo / Taken from the website of the Tocumen International Airport

In order to monitor progress in the work being carried out at the Tocumen International Airport, the President of the Republic, Ricardo Martinelli made ​​an inspection. Following the completion of the construction of the North Pier, Tocumen International Airport will start construction of the new Central and South Terminal. 's new South Terminal comprises approximately 75 million square feet of construction, will include new areas of immigration and customs, a control tower, a third runway, direct access to the Corredor Sur, check areas departing passengers, parking lots, commercial areas and 20 bridges approaches that will process up to 15 to 20 million passengers a year. With this work will expand its annual volume of passenger care 6-10000000. Six million passengers transited the Tocumen Airport in 2011. So far this year are served daily in Tocumen average about 19 ​​thousand passengers, up 22% compared to the same period last year. The tour took place yesterday, Saturday, September 22 at various areas used by passengers, where the president was struck by the customs and immigration authorities to expedite care, "which put more staff and equipment," said Martinelli. The airport terminal has flights to over 65 destinations in 30 countries in America, of which are major users.

Bobsled team/s in Panama

Bobsled team/s in Panama:  Spirit of Panama, is the first Panamanian team trying to qualify for Bobsled competitions to participate in the Olympic Winter Games to be held in Sochi, Russia, 2014. It all started when Chris Zollinger, Panamanian born in Switzerland, home town for this sport, went down for the first time in a taxi-bob at St Moritz in February 2010. Amazed, Chris wonder if there will be a chance to put together a Panamanian bobsled team and after a deep looking he finally got a name: Hans Hiltebrand, a two-time champion who competed in three Olympic Winter Games. Chris sent him an email entitled “A dream… a crazy idea”

In April 2010, Chris meets for the first time Hans Hiltebrand, Swiss bobsled coach, who explained the “ingredients” required to make this project a reality. He agreed to help, and advised him on what specific type of athlete would be needed for the team.

In August 2010, back in Panama, Chris meets Dr. Sasso – President of the Panamanian Athletics Federation – who recommends Jonathan Romero, born in Colon City, Panama, a lifelong track &  field long-jump star, ranked #2 in South America, and he accepted the challenge and together started the first Panamanian bobsled team. He also unhesitatingly accepted the invitation to fly to Igls, Austria to try his luck. At the beginning Jonathan did not understand the concept of bobsled since he grew up in a Tropical Zone, with zero snow, playing basketball and participating in track & field so the thought of pushing a sled down a tube of ice was just strange. When Jonathan finally saw the snow, and understood the whole idea about the sport, he immediately encouraged himself to be part of the first Panamanian Team on this category.

Hans and Chris conjured up the idea of a national casting show in Panama. It was a two-day event attended by 85 Basketball, Soccer Athletes, American-style football and Rugby. Two were selected: Andres Rodríguez (track & field star at 17 age. At one point, was the nineth-fastest 200-meter sprinter in the world); and Arsenio Caballero (star on the Panamanian National American Football and Rugby Team)

So far, this is our team:

CHRIS ZOLLINGER – PILOT “Excellent.”

Lawyer by profession and Partner of a well-known law firm in Panama, Chris is also an active pilot with private licenses for helicopter and airplane, skills that allow him to develop his bobsleigh skills. In 2010 at St. Moritz, he went down for the first time a bob track as a passenger in a taxi-bob . This experience was what sparked the passion for this exciting sport. He decided to go to Bob school in Igls, Austria, with the help and guidance of Hans Hiltebrand and graduated as a pilot bob pilot. He then went on to organize the first bobsled team of Panama – “Spirit of Panama”.

JONATHAN ROMERO – BREAKMAN “…on three levels”

Athletic career started in Colon participating in different sporting events: sprints, long jump and triple jump.

Triple jump National Champ in 2009.

Long jump Champ in Central American Sport Games in 2009

Has represented Panama in Central American Sport Games celebrated in PA in 2010 and at Costa Rica in 2011 obtaining Gold medal in the 4 x 100 men event.

Started as bobsledder in 2010.

EDUARDO FONSECA – PILOT “Speed frees us.”

An active pilot, he first flew alone in an Ultra-light airplane at age 13- his fixed wing and helicopter ratings plus 75 hours on aerobatic aircraft gives Eduardo the necessary abilities to be a Bob pilot. A surfer and spear fisherman, he played soccer for a local junior league and paddled through the Panama Canal. As a collegiate athlete he rowed 8-man Crew in NCAA Division 1 for Santa Clara University. Started as bobsledder in 2011.

ANDRES RODRIGUEZ – BREAKMAN/RUNNER “Spicy.”

National Champ in 200 m and 400 m dash – Athletics National Championship

9th in 200 m – World Championship for under 17 at Debrecen, Hungary. Baseball player since age 7 playing in different categories of National leagues.

Basketball player in Colon

Joined the team after winning a Casting Show held in September 17 – 18th, 2011.

ARSENIO CABALLERO – BREAKMAN “Right on!”

National American Football player since 1999. Went with the National team to play at the first Global Football in Atlanta 2000 (from where Frank Davis was discovered, NFL player). Baseball player since age 7, representing Panama in the Junior Category at Dominican Republic. Joined the team after winning a Casting Show held in September 17 – 18th, 2011.

We have already participated in the Utah Olympic Park and Calgary in 2011 and achieved success finishing 12th in Park City and 9th in Calgary and after 5 races reaching position 42 in the world rangking, feeding our hope to have a dream come true.

In spite that bobsleigh is not a tropical sport, Spirit of Panama athletes train from Monday to Saturday at the gym and at the Rommel Fernandez Stadium athletics track, running and pushing the Bob or “carrito” as we call it.

It is time to American Cup in Utah, November 5 to 11; and Calgary, November 12 to 18 of 2012. We will do our best to participate in most of the competitions, including Euro Cup, October to February 2013. Through these races we have good chances to qualify for the World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland in January 2013.

Last year we had already qualified for the World Championships in Lake Placid 2012 but could not participate that year because of lack of budget.

At this moment, we are still knocking doors in Panama for sponsorship. It is not an easy job… Companies prefer to support local sports such as soccer or baseball which are the most popular and profitable for their investments here in Panama.

Even so we have received some appreciable support from international sponsors, like many other sports, we still are looking for additional funds to make our dream come true!

Saludos / Kind regards,

Andrea Niño
Project Coordinator

Mossfon Building
54th E. Street, Panama
Tel. +507 2055888 ext 192
www.spiritofpanama.org

Chiva Parrandera Party Bus

Panamá party bus-a 3 hour city tour with music & beverages, for more detail see:   http://www.gopanamaonline.com/tours/chiva-parrandera.html

Description

The Chiva Parrandera is the Party Bus that is specially designed to carry a Murga Band (typical Panamanian band), that plays latin and salsa music.

All the other seats have a bar system that holds glasses and bottles in order not to loose even a drop of the open bar of Rum and Seco (a Panamanian spirituous drink) included in the tour.

During this tour you will visit the main attractive zones of the City like Causeway, Mis Pueblitos, Via España, Calle Uruguay, while you drink, dance and meet new friends.

The Chiva Parrandera, departs  everyday (subject to availability).  If you have a large group you can hire the whole bus for a private party! Ask for special packages for 35 or more people.

Buses pick up and drop off passengers according to their hotel location. Therefore, tour time may increase due to transportation overhead.

At the time of booking please indicate the address of pick up so we can verify if regular tours cover that area.

Date Change for the Thousand Pollera Parade

This is a beautiful event, attend if you can.  I have attended a Pollera parade on Calle 50 in Panama City, very beautiful.  The following is from the Panama America News:

Date Change for the Thousand Pollera Parade on January 5

20 | 09 | 2012 By Editor / Web

We initially planned to conduct the parade on November 17, but was changed because by then it rains and skirts deteriorate and tarnish.

The Thousand Pollera Parade in Las Tablas. File Photo EPASA

Related Notes

The Thousand Pollera Festival will be held ...

After the announcement that parade of "Thousand Pollera" would be held on January 6 next year, Deputy Carlos Afu, announced today that the date was moved up to the 5th of that month. The date change is due to Macaracas that residents in the province of Los Santos, were dissatisfied with the initiative since January 6th is traditionally established to celebrate Three Kings Day. According Afu, the change was made ​​so that residents area can participate in the activities for the date, and said that advertising in Thousand Pollera Parade, promoted Kings Day. initially planned to conduct the parade on November 17, but was changed because that date rains and skirts deteriorate and tarnish.

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institutes (STRI} Tuesday afternoon seminar for September 25, 2012

Announcing the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institutes (STRI} Tuesday afternoon seminar for September 25, 2012 at 4:00 pm in the Earl S. Tupper auditorium:  

Speaker: Taegan McMahon, STRI and USF

Title:  Disease and amphibian declines:  alternative hosts and possible solutions

Upcoming seminars:  

October 2:  Egbert Leigh, STRI

The intellectual history of STRI

October 9:  Dave Marvin, University of Michigan

Is elevated CO2 a cause of increasing tropical lianas?

October 16:  Kristina Anderson-Teixera, SCBI

Title to be announced

Coronado Beach area, Panamá UPCOMING EVENTS:

Coronado Beach, Panamá UPCOMING EVENTS:

Friday September 21
Gringos Go Green at Locos Backyard Grill
The Gorgons with a Latin twist are at Picasso

Saturday September 22
The Coronado Road improvements meeting is taking place in the Alcazar
Live Salsa at Paraiso  On the El Valle road, 3 Ks north of the PanAmerican Highway.

Wednesday September 26
The Playacommunity Mixer will be at Picasso

Story of a Panama Canal hero, Cecil Haynes, R.I.P.

Story of a Panama Canal hero:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOroM9mWycU

Cecil F. Haynes (1913-2012)

Cecil Fitzroy Haynes, 99, uncle of CyberNews Subscribers Eddie and Felicia Myers (Panama), passed away on Sunday, September 16, 2012 at Santa Fe Hospital in Panama City.  Cecil is recorded as the longest working U.S. Federal employee worldwide, having worked for 72 years for the Panama Canal, a former agency of the U.S. Government. He retired on December 31, 2000.  He was a member of Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, a member of the Society of Friends of the West Indian Museum (SAMAAP) and a member of the Masonic Lodge St. Andrew No. 1140, S.C.  Cecil has received several awards, honors by several community and civic organizations and he has been recognized by several Governors of the former Canal Zone, Administrators of the Panama Canal, Presidents of Panama and the United States, Prime Minister of Barbados (2003), the King and Queen of Spain and other international heads of state.  The Panama Canal bestowed one of its highest honors naming a tugboat after him. A celebration of the life of Cecil F. Haynes will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 22 at the Cathedral of Luke in Ancon, Panama City.  Interment will follow in Jardin de Paz Cemetery.  Among survivors are his wife Margarita Haynes (to whom he was married for 72 years); niece Lilia Myers Garcia; nephews Sidney Myers (spouse Carmelita), Franklin Haynes (spouse Ada), Eddie Myers (spouse Felicia) and Rolando Haynes (Aminta); several grand nieces and nephews; and caregivers Carolina Alvarado and Miledis Luciano. 

  

Noticias en TVN-Canal 2

http://www.tvn-2.com/noticias/noticias_detalle.asp?id=88144

Video interview with Cecil Haynes by Voices from our America: http://voicesamerica.library.vanderbilt.edu/VfOA/voices_CHaynes.php

Written interview with Cecil Haynes by Ifeoma NWankwo, Voices from our America:

http://voicesamerica.library.vanderbilt.edu/diglib.php?record=4

The Panama Canal Alumni Association salutes Cecil Haynes:

http://pancanalalumni.com/uploads/NoteworthyPeople-Cecil_F_Haynes.pdf

El Faro, Autoridad del Canal de Panamá:

Cecil Haynes se jubila el 31 de diciembre de 2000, luego de 72 años de servicio al Canal:

http://micanaldepanama.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/elfaro-20010112.pdf

Biografía de Cecil Haynes, Diario La Crítica:

http://www.critica.com.pa/archivo/121799/relatos.html

Diario Día a Día: http://www.diaadia.com.pa/edicion/actual/impacto-interna.php?story_id=40859&edition_id=20120918

http://www.diaadia.com.pa/edicion/actual/ultimas-interna.php?story_id=40802&edition_id=20120917

Diario El Siglo: http://www.elsiglo.com/mensual/2012/09/17/contenido/561463.asp

Diario La Crítica:

 http://www.critica.com.pa/hoy/hoy-interna.php?edition_id=20120917&external_link=muere_trabajador_mas_antiguo_del_canal_de_panama

Panama Canal Tugboat Cecil F. Haynes:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/striderv/4656238524/

Cecil Haynes on You Tube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOroM9mWycU

Nations's (USA) Ports get ready for boost from Panama Canal

Nation's ports get ready for boost from Panama Canal

Published: Sunday, September 16, 2012, 6:30 AM

 By Richard Thompson, The Times-Picayune 
Nearly $14 billion is expected to be spent maintaining and upgrading the nation's ports and inland waterways in the next eight years, but that won't be enough to take full advantage of the soon-to-be-completed widening of the Panama Canal, according to a report released Thursday by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Port officials and others in the shipping industry hope the multibillion dollar project will flood large, coastal ports with containers from ships that are now too large to fit through the waterway, and many have scrambled to raise money for infrastructure improvements.

Ted Jackson / The Times-PicayuneThe new cranes at the Port of New Orleans operate on a 100 foot gauge track, double the older cranes'€™ gauge of 50 feet.

Here in New Orleans, port president and chief executive Gary LaGrange has said that he expects his facilities to see an "incremental growth" from its two new container cranes, and has looked for new public-private partnerships to help raise capital in anticipation of the project.

But between now and 2020, that $14 billion that's slated for investmentneeds to be closer to $30 billion, according to the report. Otherwise, it predicts bad times ahead for consumers, contending that the price of goods will rise, job growth in the port sector will fall and the U.S. will become less competitive in the global market.

The report is part of the society's Failure to Act report, which examines the economic consequences if current investment trends in infrastructure continue.

With the scheduled widening of the Panama Canal expected to be completed by 2015, the average size of container ships is expected to increase, which will require infrastructure upgrades at major U.S. ports and dredging harbors and channels to authorized depths.

The report stresses the role that the ports play in the U.S. economy, estimating that the facilities support about $270 billion in annual U.S. exports and 738,000 jobs.

In a conference call with reporters on Thursday, Andy Herrmann, president of the American Society of Civil Engineers, said making up the investment gap would help maintain "a critical link to make international commerce possible," and suggested that the nation's cargo facilities would benefit from a unified investment policy on infrastructure improvements.

He also suggested that money could come from the multibillion-dollar Harbor Maintenance TrustFund, a decades-old cache created by Congress to pay for maintenance work at U.S. ports and harbors.

Jerry Bridges, chairman of the American Association of Ports Authorities and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority, said commerce at the ports supports the jobs of more than 13.3 million U.S. workers.

"Those are huge numbers, and we need to prepare," Bridges said. "This is the critical time for port planning and forethought, to make sure that we're compeititive in the world going forward."

Richard Thompson can be reached at rthompson@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3496.

The Panama Canal has sufficient capacity to continue their wor

Panama America News:

The Panama Canal has sufficient capacity to continue their work

16 | 09 | 2012 By Editor / Web

Meanwhile, the ACP said exadministrador be available for this entity needs that requires your help.

Alberto Alemán Zubieta, administrator of the Panama Canal Authority. Photo / Erick Barrios

The exadministrador of the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), Alberto Aleman Zubieta, made ​​clear today, Sunday September 16, that the channel is ready to continue with the work taking place and that this entity is planning programs to be extended beyond the period of the ACP administrator now, Jorge Quijano. program in Dialogue Channel 2 , Channel Zubieta said that "we must look at it as a business," and that when he was manager asked who were under his command, to be told who was preparing to take his position. "No one is indispensable in life," said Alemán Zubieta, reiterating that the Channel has "sufficient capacity and quality people", which can lead thework forward "without any problem", for example the expansion project. Meanwhile, the ACP said exadministrador be available for this entity needs that requires your help, however, in their projects is to create a specialized consulting. "I give myself time to think about what I want to do after 16 years of intense work," said Zubieta. 

Weekly Tuesday Smithsonian Seminar Sept 18

Tuesday seminar September 18, 2012 at the Earl S. Tupper Conference Center, Ancon, Panama site of the old Tivoli Guest House.  Announcing the STRI Tuesday afternoon seminar for September 18, 2012 at 4:00 pm in the Earl S. Tupper auditorium:  

Speaker: Jordan Mayor, STRI and NSF International Postdoctoral Fellow

Title:  Using natural abundance stable isotope ratios to understand ecosystem nitrogen cycling in boreal and tropical forests

Abstract:  Plant and ecosystem ecologists are increasingly interested in using stable isotopes as nondestructive tracers that integrate how plants today and in the past have interacted with and responded to their abiotic and biotic environments. Nitrogen isotopes are informative because biological and physical processes alter the ratio of heavy to light nitrogen isotopes (15N:14N) and these effects can be traced along the soil-fungal-plant continuum. A major limitation to many studies using these metrics has been the inability to differentiate underlying causes of 15N variability. My approach has overcome this limitation through the detailed isotopic analysis of individual forms of soil N.

Studying the nitrogen cycle is particularly important as humans have doubled the amount of N in the biosphere and it is limiting net primary productivity and associated carbon balance in many ecosystems. The main themes in ecosystem 15N research will be presented and addressed in four case-studies the author has worked in. These will include highlights from: 1) an Alaskan black spruce forest reliant on ectomycorrhizal fungi for their N sources, 2) a global meta-analysis of fungal isotope patterns to elucidate trophic dynamics, 3) the patterns and processes following 13 years of N and phosphorus treatments in the Gigante Fertilization Experiment, and 4) an isotopic labeling experiment conducted in montane rainforests in western Panama.

Upcoming seminars:  

September 25:  Taegan McMahon, STRI and USF

Disease and amphibian declines:  alternative hosts and possible solutions

October 2:  Egbert Leigh, STRI

The intellectual history of STRI

October 9:  Dave Marvin, University of Michigan

Is elevated CO2 a cause of increasing tropical lianas?

Ministry of Housing and Land Management (Miviot) has disbursed $1,063,707 to Panamanian families

Panama America News:

Miviot loaned more than $1 million

10 | 09 | 2012

To date, the Ministry of Housing and Land Management (Miviot) has disbursed $1,063,707, through the Materials Loan Program, to Panamanian families for construction

Help. The Miviot expects to deliver $ 200 billion in loans. (Archive)

Edith Erika Quiñones (erika.quinones @ epasa.com) / PANAMA AMERICA

To date, the Ministry of Housing and Land Management (Miviot) has disbursed $ 1,063,707, through the Materials Loan Program, to Panamanian families to build their homes.

After five years of being suspended and that in 2009 the project was reactivated in the Ministry has received about 4,000 applications for loans, of which 577 have been granted and left about 116 for delivery in the remainder of 2012.

Roberto Rivera, director of the program, revealed that it would not generate numbers for bestowing this year are about $200,000.

Rivera explained that before approving each loan is made a home visit, both social and technical, to corroborate the information provided by applicants and nationwide annually given track to learn the use of the materials provided.

The requirements to be benefited by this program are: to have a wage income between $300 and $1,000 to the person to work in the public sector, private or informal.

Teachers strike dialogue in Panama

Panama America News:

Meduca resumed dialogue with teachers 

08 | 09 | 2012

With discrepancies in the way they should catch up but the strike continues today the fifth round of dialogue between authorities of the Ministry

Negotiations. (Archive)

Carlos Patterson (carlos.patterson @ epasa.com) / PANAMA AMERICA

With discrepancies in the way they should catch up but the strike continues today with the fifth round of dialogue between authorities of the Ministry of Education and teachers unions.

Andres Rodriguez said today they have several proposals to resolve the issue of payment of lost hours, but it is questionable whether education authorities just keep the concept of using the holiday week for students to recover those hours.

Reported that in some cases had already reached agreements with some schools to increase class time and in other cases teach on Saturdays, but now wants to impose its will Meduca. "We hope to reach an agreement on this issue and respect the provisions agreed upon at the beginning of these talks."

For its part, the Ministry of Education said that it will continue with the talks.