Penny

No, I mean the tax for doing business. The sales tax is merely a pass-through. I'm involved with two organizations and the business tax has gone up at least 500% for both of them this year.

I've never experienced any of this personally. I do, however, believe there is a move to restrict gringo-owned businesses. They seem to want to assess giant tax increases on business (or what they perceive to be a business).

Several people have asked me to post the Law (Ley 6) concerning jubilado discounts in Panama. This will be a summary of the law in English rather than an exact word for word translation. First of all the discount law applies to anyone: a) With a pensionado visa as long as the person is over 18 years old unless the age requirements are spelled out in the specific provision. b) Any legal resident of Panama who has attained the age of 55 (if female) or 60 (if male) c) The law does not apply to tourists or anybody who does not have some kind of residency visa. Discount of 50% of the admission price for recreational and entertainment activities such as movies, sporting events, and other public shows. The discount is not applicable to charitable activities and fundraising events. Discount on public transportation (other than inter-urban) a) 30% for buses b) 30% for trains c) 30% for boats d) 25% for airplanes These transportations must originate in the country of Panama in order to receive the discount. The discount does not apply to the portion of the ticket for fuel surcharge or taxes. Discount on hotels, motels, and hostels: a) 50% from Monday through Thursday b) 30% from Friday through Sunday c) In hotels that sell "all inclusive" packages there is a 20% discount applied Monday to Thursday, and a 12% discount applied from Friday to Sunday. Discount of 25% on food consumed in non-fast food restaurants a) Doesn’t apply to fondas that don’t need a commercial operating license. b) The discount applies only to the qualifying persons, not everyone at the table. c) The discount applies only for a meal consumed on the premises; it doesn’t apply if the diner only orders a beverage or a dessert. d) If a restaurant is offering a special price for a meal, the diner has the option of paying the special price or obtaining the discount off of the regular price. e) The discount applies to all food except alcohol and sodas Discount of 15% in fast food restaurants a) This is for places like McDonalds, Burger King, Food Courts and franchises. b) The diner has the option of paying a special promotion price or the regular price with the discount. · Editor’s note – both McDonalds and the cafeteria at Price Smart give 25% discount although they are not required by the law to do so. Discount of 15% off the total bill for services at hospitals and private clinics. Discount of 20% off of all medicines purchased in a pharmacy. a) If the medicine is offered at a special sales price, the buyer has the option of accepting the price or paying the regular price minus the discount.\ Discount off the following medical services: a) 20% off the consultation fee for general practitioners, medical specialists, and surgeons. b) 15% off the fee for dental services c) 15% off the fee for optometrists Discount for health insurance policies must adjust their premiums to reflect the discount for jubilados. · Editor’s note – the law doesn’t say what the percentage discount should be. Discount of 20% of the charge for technical and/or professional services. a) Technical services include electricians, plumbers, building contractors, wood-workers, etc. b) Professional services include accountants, economists, lawyers, engineers, architects, etc. Discount of 20% on the price of prosthetics and other handicap aids (crutches, wheel chairs, etc) Discount of 50% on the fees and commissions for obtaining either a personal or a commercial loan. Discount on the surcharge or encumbrances from a personal or commercial loan. Discount of 15% off the interest charged by banks, financial institutions, credit institutions, etc on a personal or commercial loan. Discount of 1% off the interest charged on a mortgage. The freezing of the property tax on your primary residence that is in your name (not in a corporation or foundation). Discount of 50% off the charge for a passport (Panamanian passport) Discount of 25% on your monthly electrical bill (up to 600kwh). Discount of 50% off the Airport taxes (usually included in your ticket) Discount of 25% off the flat-rate monthly telephone contract bill when: a) The telephone bill is in your name b) The telephone bill is for residential usage c) The telephone bill is for a single phone Discount of 25% of your water bill (whether from a public or private water company) a) The bill must not be more than $30 b) The bill must be in your name c) The bill must be for a residence and be your primary residence Exoneration of 100% in the Public Registry for paying registration and judicial fees for new organizations for retirees. Discount of 20% for purchase of coffins and urns and for funeral services when the deceased qualified for the discount.

We've reduced the price of this GPS to $60. Email pjbarrett@aol.com to purchase.

HP Compax dx2200 Desktop Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit (English or Spanish) Intel Pentium 4 CPU, 3.06GHz Processor 80 GB hard drive 2 GB RAM memory CD-ROM 6 USB Ports (4 rear, 2 front) The Handicap Foundation has cleaned and reconditioned this computer and will guarantee it for 30 days. For sale for only $95. Email pjbarrett@aol.com to purchase. We also have a monitor for sale for $35

We've reduced the price of the entertainment unit to $35

Now that the craziness of the huge venta de patio is behind us, the Handicap Foundation is able to concentrate on selling the two larger furniture items we have stored at the Mission. We started out asking $300 for this dining room table. We've now reduced it to $250. The photos don't show the extended length. Here's the ad: New cost $740 (in the US) plus shipping. The Handicap Foundation is willing to take $250. Modern dining table - brushed stainless steel frame with tempered glass top Added extension panels feature adds versatility to this elegant piece Approximate Dimensions: Width 63"(extending to 78"), Depth 3 feet, H: 30 inches Excellent condition. Email pjbarrett@aol.com to buy or make an appointment to see.

Despite their efforts to keep the schedule a big secret, I'm managed to find this copy of it. I'm going to work with Judy Tovar and Linda Hart to get a bus to go to David for dinner and a game.

If Chris and Justin can keep the present servers at Oasis, they will be miles ahead and lucky indeed. The Oasis has the best serving staff (Calixto and Naira) in the entire area. Attentive, prompt, and speaking English when needed.

I had to take one of my semi-retarded rescue dogs in to Dra. Chely's clinic a couple of weeks ago for a badly cut foot. The people who were in the clinic when we arrived we're having an emotionally bad time because they were there for Dra. Chely to put down their elderly dog who had bone cancer. When the procedure was over, it was my turn to go in and Dra Chely cried during the entire 20 minute visit time we were there. She is definitely a sweetheart.

Just learned of Hershel's passing in New Mexico. Hershel was one of the earliest expats to come to Boquete. He and his wife Mikey built a house and lived in Alto Lino for many years before bad health drove them back to the U.S. Hershel was actually the founder of News.boquete which is still known by some old-timers as "Hershel's List". Mikey writes:

Royal 1212X Personal Cross-Cut Paper Shredder; 12 sheet capacity; 8.75" throat width; 5/32" x 1-5/8" shred size; Security level 3; Shreds CD/DVDs, staples, credit cards, paper clips and 3 1/2" diskettes; 3.9 gallon basket w/window; Auto start/stop and reverse; Ultra quiet motor; Casters for easy mobility, Dimensions 13.75 x 10.5 x 18.5 Sells for $73.01 on Amazon.com. Tested and guaranteed by the Handicap Foundation. For sale for $30. Email pjbarrett@aol.com

You guys should also know that News.Boquete never profits from knowing your name and email address.

Braun SJ3000 Spin Juicer, 0.5 Litre, 600 Watt, White Compact juicer Anti drip spout 1 speed Easy to remove pulp container Available used on Ebay for $38.79 plus shipping. Tested and guaranteed by the Handicap Foundation. For sale for $30. Email pjbarrett@aol.com

For those you want to do it, Denese Rodgers supplies this information: For those interested in importing a vehicle: UNCAP is the Union Nacional de Corredores de Panama. 393-6099 uncap@uncap.org.pa We are importing our Ford F150 from the US. We received this list as we were going through the importation procedures. I do not know which ones are bilingual. This is an abridged list of Corredores for David: Venancio Serrano 774-2533 Agustin Serrano 727-7599 Rosa Morales 727-7129 Mireira Montero 727-6696 Lily Duff 727-7923 Daysi Serracin 774-2992 Marcos Vides 727-6912 Rogelio Vargas 727-6735 Luis Best 727-6962 Moserrat de Arauz 727-6030 Olmedo Alvarado 727-7605 Wilberto Santos 727-7625 Yolanda Hernandez 260-2625 Luis Carlos Jaen 727-7631 Dayanys Visuetti 279-0091 Abel Perez 236-6000 Miguel Villarreal 263-3667 Yamileth 775-2023 Yesenia 727-7735 Alan 730-3290

I just heard this awful news. Dr. Drew is survived by his wife Jasmine and a daughter. No other information available at this time.

Black & Decker Mini Compressor Inflator 12v 220v Asi300 160psi Powerful 160PSI Bar Air compressor handles a large variety of inflation tasks Operated through the vehicle‘s 12 V DC (cigarette lighter) power, ideal for use on the roadside Easy Air Dial with auto shut off enables accurate setting of the desired PSI / Bar with no risk of over or under inflating In like new condition. For sale by the Handicap Foundation for $25. Email pjbarrett@aol.com

Do you remember Mrs. Tea? Launched in 1995, the Mrs. Tea machine was Mr. Coffee’s vaguely British counterpart, an automatic counter-top brewing machine for loose-leaf tea. The device allowed for extra steeping time, and best of all, brewed into a classy-looking plain two cup ceramic teapot. Mrs. Tea isn’t available to the tea snobs of today, though: she disappeared from the market sometime between 1998 and 1999. Amazon.com still has a new one for sale for $247.99 and they Ebay has used ones for between $20 and $49 plus shipping. The Handicap Foundation has a like new one for sale for a mere $25 and no shipping. Email pjbarrett@aol.com to buy.

Brand new and still in the package. Both keyboard and mouse work off of one receiver. The reliable wireless combo with the tiny Logitech Unifying nano-receiver and carry around mouse. Long-range wireless Logitech Advanced 2. 4 GHz wireless gives you a fast, reliable connection up to 10 meters away with virtually no delays or dropouts. * Carry-around mouse You can take the sleek mouse anywhere you take your computer-thanks to its comfortable size and the tiny nano-receiver. Extended battery life A 24-month keyboard and 12-month mouse battery life mean you can go for months without the hassle of changing batteries. * Logitech Unifying receiver The tiny receiver stays in your laptop. You can easily add a compatible wireless mouse, keyboard or number pad-without the hassle of multiple USB receivers Eight hot keys The things you do most are right at your fingertips with eight hot keys for instant access to your movies, music, Internet, e-mail, play/pause, volume and more. Full-size, spill-resistant keyboard The full-size keyboard with number pad, directional keys, and nine F-keys is comfortable, convenient and built to last. For sale by the Handicap Foundation for $25. Email pjbarrett@aol.com

This is a large 19" computer monitor. It has some minor scratching on the screen which is reflected in the reduced price. The 140-degree viewing angle is going to make this monitor valuable to groups as well as the single user. The 300 cd/m2 brightness keeps the image crisp in all light levels and its 800:1 contrast ratio keeps those images sharp. With 16.7 million colors, every shade is clear. Tested and guaranteed by the Handicap Foundation. For sale for $30. (remember, some minor scratching on the screen). Email pjbarrett@aol.com to buy

HP Compax dx2300 Desktop Microtower -- $130 Originally designed specifically for businesses with essential computing needs, the HP Compaq dx2300 Business Microtower PC provides practical features and functionality used every day by businesses and individuals. There are several of these advertised on Ebay but they all have slower processors, less memory, and much smaller hard disk drives. Specifications: Windows 7 Pro Intel Celeron 3.46 GHZ processor 500 GB hard drive 4GB RAM Memory DVD ROM 6 USB 2 Ports (4 in the rear; 2 in the front) This computer has been reconditioned and tested by the Handicap Foundation. Guaranteed and for sale for $130. Email pjbarrett@aol.com to purchase.

Are you looking for a dedicated scanning solution with great quality, versatility and a compact design? Then the CanoScan LiDE110 Color Image Scanner is sure to impress. The CanoScan LiDE110 features the quality, speed and ease of use you need with a maximum resolution of 2400 x 4800 (Optical) dpi1 for excellent scanning quality for both photos and documents. You can buy a cheaper scanner but if you need high resolution, this is the one. Auto Scan Mode automatically adjusts settings by detecting what you are scanning High-speed letter size color scanning in approx. 18 seconds Just one USB cable for data and power Advanced Z-lid expansion top for scanning bulky items 2400X4800 DPI, A4 size $59.99 on Amazon.com. This scanner has been tested by the Handicap Foundation. Guaranteed for 30 days. Just $25. Email pjbarrett@aol.com to buy

This tablet was donated to the Handicap Foundation and we know nothing about it. We don't know how to use it or test it. For that reason we are selling it very cheaply and (as always) a money back guarantee for 30 days. We know that refurbished it sells on Amazon for between $149 and $173. It's an android (not windows). Seems to have a good battery and comes with a power cord. There is also a leather cover with some damage. We'll sell it to you for $35. Email pjbarrett@aol.com to purchase. Here's the specs: Technical Details Screen Size 9.7 inches Screen Resolution 1024_x_768 Max Screen Resolution 1024 x 768 pixels Processor 1 GHz Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 RAM 1 GB DDR3 Hard Drive 16 GB SSD Graphics Coprocessor Integrated Wireless Type 802.11bgn Average Battery Life (in hours) 10 hours Other Technical Details Brand Name Lenovo Series Idea Tablet Item model number 22911EU Hardware Platform Android

Given the low price and the huge quantity of food, I don't know how they can make a profit. Maybe if they attract a huge quantity of diners -- which seems unlikely given the lack of good advertising and the parking situation.

It worked for me. I clicked on something like $6/lb and gave them my email address so they could tell me when they had $6/lb shrimp. And that was the entire survey.