Did you know that.......(things you will not find in the press)
-Many people who traveled with Hippo to Spain were officials and members of their families who had no other business than to visit family members who live in Spain. Hippo favored them knowing they could use a free seat paid with our taxes.
-The man who killed 4 members of his family and then committed suicide with his own gun, obtained a permit to carry guns using a "formulario 25" obtained by a "buscon". This man was never screened for a gun permit.
-Gang shootouts are happening in our barrios every weekend near colmadones with the frequency of traffic arguments, yet the police never shows up, except when the bodies are left on the ground for hours. Members use a machete and a saca higado in each hand to start the fight and then guns to finish up. Rock throwing has been taken to an art. Presidente grandes are weapon of choice for those without knives and guns. A favorite gang hangout is Orlandos disco on Isabel Aguiar, where the owner was shot last year by the owner of the disco next door.
-The most dangerous town in DR today is Villa Altagracia. This mess of a town is the equivalent of Dodge City. Stay away from it. And if you drive farther north, Bonao is no Disneyland.
-Almost 30% of the shops at Diamond Mall are now closed due to the financial mess Hippo has put us thru. For sale signs are all over the place in store fronts. This week, only the movie houses had some action.
-Anthonys, a mini department store has bucked the trend by tripling their square footage in Plaza Central. This Mall is the least affected by this economy. This is now the chopo mall, but it is frequented by rich people and celebrities.
-The best Dominican mass type ice cream is now sold by Nestle. Besides incredibly low prices, their quality is superb. Their new flavors Guanabana and melon are a must. Bon is the worst. So bad is the situation with Bon, that their neighborhood parlors have no tables for seating, the ice cream melts for lack of refrigeration and their sales people are obnoxious. They hire the worst chopos.
-With the situation as it is, it is a must to ask for prices everytime you buy anything before hand. Most business are hiding prices and just placing price codes. When you get to the cashier...sticker shock!!!
-Beware of Dominican supermarkets(all included) 90% of merchandise on sale is expired or ready to be expired. Some are even doubling on expired stuff by packaging together. For instance, La Cadena is selling Club Social crackers with a Tang envelope as a package for $18.50. Quite a bargain...but stale. Eat the crackers before you get home!!!
-Plaza Lama supermarket is a merchandising disaster, with most products without prices and shelves filled with the same product over and over. This is due to low stock of many products.
-A pernicious tactic used by supermarkets is to mix in a rotten fruit, like orange or apple, vegetables like potatoes in a healthy 5lb. bag. As fresh as a Barcelo package of oranges may look to you, inspect every orange individually or be sorry later. This is Dominican supermarketing at its "best"
-The new OMSA buses taken from the Pan Am games are very comfortable and air-conditioned. They are a bargain for $10 pesos. Problem is...there are not enough or enough routes to cover the city. Hoiw long will they last with poor Dominican maintenance? If Miami and New York cannot keep A/C buses with air in good repair, how can we do it?
-If you own land in DR and are not here to supervise it, or have someone permanently watching, dont be surprised if a PPH official simply walks in your property and takes it over. Property rights are a thing of the past in DR. Those who occupy the property have more rights than those with titles.
-To obtain a Dominican birth certificate you must first jump from Duarte Bridge and survive, then run to Montecristi in half and hour, then climb El Morro in15 minutes, walk down and look for Hippo wearing a well tailored suit on top of Montecristi old clock, then when you get his autograph, your certificate may be ready for a measly $500 pesos. When you take it to the passport office to renew your passport, you will be told the certificate needs to be certified and stamped. Passport denied!!!!
-Hippo ordered RNN News to stop TV news during prime time and show the NORSECA volleyball tournament, where DR has won two games, with the hope of showing a gold medal and using this as a re-election campaign rally. He will probably award the medals personally if we win. So much for freedom of the press, radio and TV.
-Women at Zona Franca factories in DR are being sexually harassed by managers and owners. Women who want to get salary increases and promotions to foremen must please the boss under the desk. Hello Bill!!!
-People in Barrios are now paying $10 for contaminated water to save $20 pesos. Trucks carrying water in tanks, prohibited by law are spreading all over selling water with fecal matter and dangerous imputirities. But poor people have little choice. Lack of education and economy force them to promote a thriving business. These truckers are also a nuisance with their horns.
-If you are signaled to stop by uniformed policemen in highways you are better of taking the risk of evading and getting shot at than stopping and getting mugged. Most muggings in highways now are the act of police and army members. For the first time we see them now working in combination.
- All small towns are "speed" traps. Except corrupt cops stop you for no reason to extract an illegal bribe. Dont venture out of you hotel unless you go with an official hotel tour.
So much for now
TW
-Many people who traveled with Hippo to Spain were officials and members of their families who had no other business than to visit family members who live in Spain. Hippo favored them knowing they could use a free seat paid with our taxes.
-The man who killed 4 members of his family and then committed suicide with his own gun, obtained a permit to carry guns using a "formulario 25" obtained by a "buscon". This man was never screened for a gun permit.
-Gang shootouts are happening in our barrios every weekend near colmadones with the frequency of traffic arguments, yet the police never shows up, except when the bodies are left on the ground for hours. Members use a machete and a saca higado in each hand to start the fight and then guns to finish up. Rock throwing has been taken to an art. Presidente grandes are weapon of choice for those without knives and guns. A favorite gang hangout is Orlandos disco on Isabel Aguiar, where the owner was shot last year by the owner of the disco next door.
-The most dangerous town in DR today is Villa Altagracia. This mess of a town is the equivalent of Dodge City. Stay away from it. And if you drive farther north, Bonao is no Disneyland.
-Almost 30% of the shops at Diamond Mall are now closed due to the financial mess Hippo has put us thru. For sale signs are all over the place in store fronts. This week, only the movie houses had some action.
-Anthonys, a mini department store has bucked the trend by tripling their square footage in Plaza Central. This Mall is the least affected by this economy. This is now the chopo mall, but it is frequented by rich people and celebrities.
-The best Dominican mass type ice cream is now sold by Nestle. Besides incredibly low prices, their quality is superb. Their new flavors Guanabana and melon are a must. Bon is the worst. So bad is the situation with Bon, that their neighborhood parlors have no tables for seating, the ice cream melts for lack of refrigeration and their sales people are obnoxious. They hire the worst chopos.
-With the situation as it is, it is a must to ask for prices everytime you buy anything before hand. Most business are hiding prices and just placing price codes. When you get to the cashier...sticker shock!!!
-Beware of Dominican supermarkets(all included) 90% of merchandise on sale is expired or ready to be expired. Some are even doubling on expired stuff by packaging together. For instance, La Cadena is selling Club Social crackers with a Tang envelope as a package for $18.50. Quite a bargain...but stale. Eat the crackers before you get home!!!
-Plaza Lama supermarket is a merchandising disaster, with most products without prices and shelves filled with the same product over and over. This is due to low stock of many products.
-A pernicious tactic used by supermarkets is to mix in a rotten fruit, like orange or apple, vegetables like potatoes in a healthy 5lb. bag. As fresh as a Barcelo package of oranges may look to you, inspect every orange individually or be sorry later. This is Dominican supermarketing at its "best"
-The new OMSA buses taken from the Pan Am games are very comfortable and air-conditioned. They are a bargain for $10 pesos. Problem is...there are not enough or enough routes to cover the city. Hoiw long will they last with poor Dominican maintenance? If Miami and New York cannot keep A/C buses with air in good repair, how can we do it?
-If you own land in DR and are not here to supervise it, or have someone permanently watching, dont be surprised if a PPH official simply walks in your property and takes it over. Property rights are a thing of the past in DR. Those who occupy the property have more rights than those with titles.
-To obtain a Dominican birth certificate you must first jump from Duarte Bridge and survive, then run to Montecristi in half and hour, then climb El Morro in15 minutes, walk down and look for Hippo wearing a well tailored suit on top of Montecristi old clock, then when you get his autograph, your certificate may be ready for a measly $500 pesos. When you take it to the passport office to renew your passport, you will be told the certificate needs to be certified and stamped. Passport denied!!!!
-Hippo ordered RNN News to stop TV news during prime time and show the NORSECA volleyball tournament, where DR has won two games, with the hope of showing a gold medal and using this as a re-election campaign rally. He will probably award the medals personally if we win. So much for freedom of the press, radio and TV.
-Women at Zona Franca factories in DR are being sexually harassed by managers and owners. Women who want to get salary increases and promotions to foremen must please the boss under the desk. Hello Bill!!!
-People in Barrios are now paying $10 for contaminated water to save $20 pesos. Trucks carrying water in tanks, prohibited by law are spreading all over selling water with fecal matter and dangerous imputirities. But poor people have little choice. Lack of education and economy force them to promote a thriving business. These truckers are also a nuisance with their horns.
-If you are signaled to stop by uniformed policemen in highways you are better of taking the risk of evading and getting shot at than stopping and getting mugged. Most muggings in highways now are the act of police and army members. For the first time we see them now working in combination.
- All small towns are "speed" traps. Except corrupt cops stop you for no reason to extract an illegal bribe. Dont venture out of you hotel unless you go with an official hotel tour.
So much for now
TW