Banking Holiday in Panama Announced!

By Randy Hilarski

This morning the National Bank of Panama announced that it was suspending all services until Tuesday the 1st of October. The National Bank of Panama says that the reason is to upgrade systems. The Banking Holiday in Panama was announced this am.

This system wide shutdown has country wide implications. The National Bank of Panama did not warn the people before making the announcement and shutting down the banks. The people do not have access to ATM’s either. We received word of this from family members first. This weekend is payday for people across Panama.

I am active among the Gold and Silver investing community. We have been discussing at great length about the possibility of bank holidays in countries on the Dollar standard. Could Panama just be the first domino to fall in the banking system? Could this be more than just a system upgrade? Why not tell the people ahead of time to prepare for the closure of the banking system?

What are some reasons for a bank holiday? The National Bank of Panama says it is a system upgrade, I don’t believe it is that simple. Maybe a Dollar revaluation could be coming soon. Maybe it is something more serious like a banking crisis like we had in Indonesia back in 1997 or more recently in Cyprus. I am hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.

What are some things you can do to protect yourself if Panama is just the first signal of a pending banking crisis? First and foremost make sure to have some cash. Second buy the essentials for your family. Be frugal until the storm passes. I know this sounds simplistic, but those who are prepared will be fine.

I feel for the Panama families who live paycheck to paycheck. They were expecting to be paid tomorrow. This is the time that they go grocery shopping, put gas in their cars and pay the bills. This delay will have wide ranging affects on the people of Panama.

Do not be unprepared, you have it within your power to be ready for such a situation!

Latest update. 6pm CST

The Clave (Debit Card) system has been taken offline. No wire transfers between banks and internationally until the 1st of October. Panamanians will be required to go to their local bank branch to take out cash.

http://www.randyhilarski.com/

– Posted Thursday, 26 September 2013 | Digg This Article | Source: GoldSeek.com

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WHAT REALLY HAPPENED

Banking Holiday in Panama Announced!

Banking Holiday in Panama Announced!

By Randy Hilarski

This morning the National Bank of Panama announced that it was suspending all services until Tuesday the 1st of October. The National Bank of Panama says that the reason is to upgrade systems. The Banking Holiday in Panama was announced this am.

This system wide shutdown has country wide implications. The National Bank of Panama did not warn the people before making the announcement and shutting down the banks. The people do not have access to ATM’s either. We received word of this from family members first. This weekend is payday for people across Panama.

I am active among the Gold and Silver investing community. We have been discussing at great length about the possibility of bank holidays in countries on the Dollar standard. Could Panama just be the first domino to fall in the banking system? Could this be more than just a system upgrade? Why not tell the people ahead of time to prepare for the closure of the banking system?

What are some reasons for a bank holiday? The National Bank of Panama says it is a system upgrade, I don’t believe it is that simple. Maybe a Dollar revaluation could be coming soon. Maybe it is something more serious like a banking crisis like we had in Indonesia back in 1997 or more recently in Cyprus. I am hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.

What are some things you can do to protect yourself if Panama is just the first signal of a pending banking crisis? First and foremost make sure to have some cash. Second buy the essentials for your family. Be frugal until the storm passes. I know this sounds simplistic, but those who are prepared will be fine.

I feel for the Panama families who live paycheck to paycheck. They were expecting to be paid tomorrow. This is the time that they go grocery shopping, put gas in their cars and pay the bills. This delay will have wide ranging affects on the people of Panama.

Do not be unprepared, you have it within your power to be ready for such a situation!

Latest update. 6pm CST

The Clave (Debit Card) system has been taken offline. No wire transfers between banks and internationally until the 1st of October. Panamanians will be required to go to their local bank branch to take out cash.

http://www.randyhilarski.com/

– Posted Thursday, 26 September 2013 | Digg This Article | Source: GoldSeek.com

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WHAT REALLY HAPPENED

Banking Holiday in Panama Announced!

North Korean ship was carrying sugar donation, Cuba told Panama

PANAMA CITY/MIAMI (Reuters) – When a North Korean ship carrying Cuban arms was seized last week in Panama on suspicion of smuggling drugs, Cuba first said it was loaded with sugar for the people of North Korea, according to a Panamanian official familiar with the matter.

Reuters: Top News

North Korean ship was carrying sugar donation, Cuba told Panama

Panama charges North Korea ship crew

18 July 2013 Last updated at 03:25 ET

Cuba admitted being behind the military cargo, hidden inside a shipment of 10,000 tonnes of sugar.

Panama has charged the crew of a North Korean ship detained in Panama after it was found to be carrying weapons.

Prosecutor Javier Caraballo accused the 35 crew members of endangering public security by illegally transporting war material.

The charges came just hours after North Korea urged Panama to release the ship and its crew without delay.

Police found the weapons under bags of sugar. Cuba has said it had sent the weapons for repairs to North Korea.

Panama has asked the UN to investigate whether there has been a breach of sanctions against North Korea.

The UN sanctions prohibit the supply of arms to Pyongyang in the dispute over its controversial nuclear programme.

BBC News – Asia

Panama charges North Korea ship crew

Panama charges North Korea ship crew

18 July 2013 Last updated at 03:25 ET

Cuba admitted being behind the military cargo, hidden inside a shipment of 10,000 tonnes of sugar.

Panama has charged the crew of a North Korean ship detained in Panama after it was found to be carrying weapons.

Prosecutor Javier Caraballo accused the 35 crew members of endangering public security by illegally transporting war material.

The charges came just hours after North Korea urged Panama to release the ship and its crew without delay.

Police found the weapons under bags of sugar. Cuba has said it had sent the weapons for repairs to North Korea.

Panama has asked the UN to investigate whether there has been a breach of sanctions against North Korea.

The UN sanctions prohibit the supply of arms to Pyongyang in the dispute over its controversial nuclear programme.

BBC News – Asia

Panama charges North Korea ship crew

North Korea ship seized by Panama

16 July 2013 Last updated at 01:29 ET

More than 15,000 vessels sail through the Panama Canal each year

Panama’s president says his country has seized a North Korean-flagged ship carrying “undeclared military cargo”.

President Ricardo Martinelli told local media that the ship, which was sailing from Cuba, contained suspected “sophisticated missile equipment”.

He posted a photo of what looked like a large green object inside a cargo container on his Twitter account.

He said the ship, which was searched as it passed through the Panama Canal, was being held for further investigation.

BBC News – Asia

North Korea ship seized by Panama

Panama Seizes North Korea-Flagged Ship for Weapons

Panamanian authorities have seized a North Korean-flagged ship traveling from Cuba that was carrying “undeclared military cargo,” Panama’s president, Ricardo Martinelli, said late Monday night.

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Mr. Martinelli did not describe what type of military items were in the cargo, although his Twitter posting included a photo of what looked like a green tubular object in a container.

The United Nations has imposed broad sanctions on North Korea that includes limits on its ability to export weapons to and from other countries. Earlier this month, the United States blacklisted a general in Myanmar, Thein Htay, for buying military goods from North Korea.

American officials say that North Korea’s arms trade has helped finance the country’s nuclear and missile ambitions. In February, North Korea carried out its third nuclear test, a detonation that led to a tightened round of sanctions imposed by the United Nations and supported by Pyongyang’s longtime ally and benefactor, China.

In remarks on Radio Panama, President Martinelli said the military cargo was hidden behind shipments of sugar and that the captain of the ship tried to commit suicide during the incident.

The president said the ship would undergo a thorough inspection to look for weapons being transported illegally through the Panama Canal.

“We’re going to keep unloading the ship and figure out exactly what was inside,” he said. “You cannot go around shipping undeclared weapons of war through the Panama Canal.”

Reuters quoted Javier Caraballo, Panama’s top anti-drugs prosecutor, as telling local television the ship was en route to North Korea.

The seizure comes as Panama and South Korea, Pyongyang’s sworn enemy, have been strengthening ties and exploring a possible free trade agreement.

NYT > Global Home

Panama Seizes North Korea-Flagged Ship for Weapons

Panama Detains North Korean-Flagged Ship, Seizes Weapons

PANAMA CITY — Panama has detained a North Korean-flagged ship coming from Cuba as it approached the Panama Canal with undeclared weapons, President Ricardo Martinelli said.

The weapons, hidden in containers of brown sugar, were detected after Panamanian authorities stopped the ship, suspecting it was carrying drugs. The vessel was pulled over near the port of Manzanillo on the Atlantic side of the canal.

“We’re going to keep unloading the ship and figure out exactly what was inside,” Martinelli told Panamanian television late on Monday, without giving further details.

“You cannot go around shipping undeclared weapons of war through the Panama Canal.”

Martinelli said the captain of the vessel tried to commit suicide after the ship was stopped. Panamanian authorities have detained some 35 crew members.

A spokeswoman for the canal said she did not have any more information and referred questions to the attorney general.

The attorney general’s office did not immediately return requests for comment.

Javier Caraballo, Panama’s top anti-drugs prosecutor, told local television the ship was en route to North Korea.

(Reporting by Lomi Kriel; editing by Elizabeth Piper)

NYT > Global Home

Panama Detains North Korean-Flagged Ship, Seizes Weapons

The most popular modern bathroom features for new homes

Don\’t accept average, consider some of these luxury bathroom features in your brand new home. Today the bathroom is not just a necessity, but for many it\’s a place to be alone and let the day go. Years ago, just having a separate bath and shower was the height of luxury restroom design. Now there are lots more options to choose from to turn your bathroom into a plush spa escape. When planning your luxury vacation home, we at SARCO Architects only want you to have the very best.

Blurring the Lines Between House and Nature

One of the most significant reasons that people choose to build a vacation home is to enjoy nature at its finest. One design suggestion that I usually try and achieve (at least in master bathrooms) is to have enormous floor to ceiling glass facing breathtaking sea or mountain views. Imagine waking up in the morning and the very first thing you get to see is the striking dawn.

Another choice for people that are worried about big open windows due to neighbours or absence of privacy is to place the loo in direct relation to a small personal garden space. This provides visual relaxation and creates a great expansion of space that blurs the line between inside and out of doors. If you have not yet experienced the joy of a bathroom with this design, it"ll make you look forward to your next holiday back to your luxury home in Panama.

Luxury Loo Features: The Tub

Many people still opt to include a bathtub as the central piece in their custom luxury home\’s bathroom. Many brands and designs are available, some even made from composite materials made of resins and pulverised white volcanic stone, which works as a heat insulator and permits extra time for use before the water cools down. This reduces the necessity to empty and refill your bathtub with heated water as well as the employment of reheater pumps, therefore making this feature ecological.

Custom Cabinetry

In your vacation home, you don\’t need to store all the \”stuff\” that you might need to store in a main home which allows for more flexible cupboard design. You may have a mix of open and closed drawers floating counters with no cabinets below or a simple stone shelf below a counter that holds toiletry filled baskets. This gives the lavatories a more open, casual, and laid-back feel that is vital for someone on a relaxing vacation.

The Return of the Sauna

A popular luxury bathroom feature being requested today is a new spin on the retro sauna style that was popular in the 70s. The updated version of this private sauna room is being found in master bath suites and features glass walls, exotic woods and cushioned, and custom seating. Some top of the range, luxury saunas even feature Italian tiles on the walls, seats, and floor.

Luxury Bathroom Features: The best way to Keep it Green

Not to be forgotten in the look of your new luxury loo is supportability, as bogs are one of the more important rooms to remember for this. Selecting water-saving fittings, low flow and dual flushing toilets are a key to reducing your water consumption. Another idea to be considered is fitting the home with separate plumbing systems so that sewage travels separately from grey water which can often be treated for reuse for irrigation.

If you have an interest in having us include these and other custom high-end bathroom features in your new home, make contact with us today at SARCO Architects. We\’re a design-build firm serving Costa Rica and Panama, focusing on stunning, efficient custom houses. View our portfolio and ask us what luxury toilet features we will be able to help layout in your new place.

Continue to read about luxury home features on our Panama Custom Luxury Builder Website, http://sarcoarchitects.com/

The most popular modern bathroom features for new homes