May 22, 2014
Fun stuff from around the web for those starved for news and features about Mexico:
10 things Mexico does better than anywhere else
What’s your favorite?
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© Steven M. Fry
Updated May 21, 2014
The Diario de Yucatan chronicles the latest efforts by Yucatecan health authorities to combat Dengue: Using Specialized Bacteria to Sterilize Mosquitoes.
En la búsqueda de nuevas maneras de combatir el dengue en Yucatán, las autoridades de Salud apuestan ahora a una tecnología que se está experimentando con éxito en otros países, como Estados Unidos y Australia.
El secretario de Salud del Estado, Jorge Mendoza Mézquita, explicó ayer que se trata de un método que consiste en inyectar en laboratorio al mosquito transmisor del dengue una bacteria que los esteriliza, de tal manera que al reproducirse, los nuevos ejemplares ya no tienen el virus que causa la enfermedad y eso reduce de manera importante la incidencia. ”
These techniques have been tried in Australia, Brazil, Vietnam, and Thailand with varying results.
Readers who want to know more about using Wolbachia bacteria to (sometimes successfully) infect and (partly) sterilize Dengue-carrying mosquito populations (Aedes Aegypti) can read:
~ Risk Assessment of the Pilot Release of Aedes aegypti
mosquitoes containing Wolbachia
~ http://entomologytoday.org/2013/10/12/using-wolbachia-to-control-mosquitoes/
~ http://mosquitomate.com/faqs/
and the very good: PLoS article at: http://www.plosntds.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pntd.0001797
To avoid backfire from readers for reporting facts from scientific studies, we simply direct readers to the sources.
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© Steven M. Fry
Read-on MacDuff . . .
May 22, 2014
The world just keeps getting stranger:
It turns out that educating US adults about factual errors in their beliefs does not work: “If someone held a contrary attitude, the correction not only didn’t work—it made the subject more distrustful of the source. ”
“Strong partisanship affected how a story about climate change was processed, even if the story was apolitical in nature, such as an article about possible health ramifications from a disease like the West Nile Virus …”
“If information doesn’t square with someone’s prior beliefs, he discards the beliefs if they’re weak and discards the information if the beliefs are strong.”
“If factual correction is ineffective, how can you make people change their misperceptions?” New Yorker.com
Backfire effect: A recent healthcare study by Dartmouth researchers found that when educated Palin supporters were given the correct information about the supposed “death panels”, educated Conservatives became even “more likely to believe in death panels and to strongly oppose reform (than) if they received the correction.” ??? The Hazards of Correcting Myths …
Reliable research now shows that even well-educated Conservatives simply reply “Nugh-unhhh” and irrationally dig in their heels, when presented facts that contradict their personal opinions, even on key issues like the mythical “death panels”.
This might explain why years of Conservative’s comments on Yucalandia have only been able to make vitriolic and frankly childish comments in reply to facts like:
~ US states controlled by Conservatives have the highest rates of child poverty,
~ Conservative US states rank 29’th in the world (with Bulgaria) for children’s education and standards of living, and
~ Conservative US states receive the majority of US federal government welfare, in spite of their living Conservative principles.
Bizarre…
America seriously needs to change.
As long as blocks of people stubbornly cling to false beliefs, we’re going to be stuck being the next-to-worst country (29’th) in the industrialized world.
We used to value doing things well.
We used to value being a good nation, taking good care of our children – making good futures for the next generations.
Now USA as #1:
~ We still have the biggest bombs.
~ The USA still has the highest %’s of people in prison.
~ We still spend the highest %’s of our resources on the military, putting our military into 75% of the world’s countries – a record high in the history of humans.
… as our US children face worse food poverty rates than Mexico…
sad.
Get out and vote for change in the next election…
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© Steven M. Fry
May 21, 2014
Ebay (via NPR) just announced that our personal account information data has BEEN HACKED.
Ebay is advising us to go change our Ebay passwords, immediately.
~ http://my.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?MyeBay&CurrentPage=MyeBayPersonalInfo&gbh=1&ssPageName=STRK:ME:LNLK ~
Your password change “option” is the 3’rd item down in your personal “Account Information” block. … Click ~ Edit ~ .
You have to re-enter your personal login information, … then fill in new EBay passwords.
– If you are successful, you get this confirmation email:
 |
eBay sent this message to ****** (****). Your registered name is included to show this message originated from eBay. Learn more. |
 |
eBay Change Password Confirmation |  |
Dear ***** …”
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The Rest of the Story: According to a Yahoo report “… eBay did say that”
~ ” the hackers were able to access members’ names, email addresses, physical addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth. ” ~
Closing the barn door after the cows are already out?
(data stolen last March)
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© Steven M. Fry
May 21, 2014
USA is a nation of immigrants.
Immigrants (far from our sight) quietly: ~ pick our food, ~ sew our clothes,
~ cut our meat, ~clean our offices, ~ build our homes, and
~ defend our nation.
Republican Congressman Jeff Denham is pushing a policy that’s worth considering: extend some respect to the children of illegals who serve in our military. Representative Denham (R) is pushing: ENLIST (Encourage New Legalized Immigrants to Start Training Act) a bill that offers permanent residency to undocumented immigrants who serve in the military, as an amendment to the current defense bill. Since Denham (R) is not on the House Armed Services Committee, his proposal is stuck.
Maybe our Congressional Reps and Republican Leadership will listen to us.
This proposal needs the support of Republican House leaders to get onto the House agenda. So far, this very good idea is stuck in the limbo of House-rules.
This seems a very fair action to help those who are willing to die to become fellow citizens.
We can help get this important idea brought to a vote in the House: Write to your congressional rep. urging them to support this amendment.
Complaining to each other won’t change things. Our leaders need to hear from us.
Email them. To learn how, Go to: www.House.gov
Enter your zip code beneath the map, then click on the name that pops up,
and ~ be transported ~ to your House member’s website.
Let’s use a little of our “computer-time” for a good cause.
Contact them by email, by phone, and/or by letter.
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© Steven M. Fry
May 18, 2014
How do we restore the balance?
Since the 1982 “Conservative Revolution”, politicians have climbed into bed with big business magnates, creating a government that serves the rich and powerful. The rich previously took 40% of the profits before Reagan’s regulatory & tax “reforms”. Now, under “Conservative’s” under-regulated Capitalism, the rich take over 97% of the profits for themselves – as over 50% of workers at big companies like Walmart and McDonalds live in poverty.
During the Reagan presidency, Conservative’s “reforms” shifted over $1 thousand-billion (a trillion) from middle class families, to the already-rich during Reagan’s Presidency. “Conservative’s” twin myths of tax-cuts (Reagan raised Middle Class taxes to historic highs during his presidency) & “trickle-down” actually created the giant sucking of over $3 trillion of wealth from middle class families, to create 6.5 million millionaire households, and 100,000 with over $100 million each => as Bush-Reagan Conservative “reforms” continued to create whole new classes of obscenely wealthy people ~ through 30 years of ~ “reforms” and “deregulation”.
“Conservative” myths of “job creation” through tax cuts & deregulation created 442 US billionaires…. and no, they didn’t “earn it”.
… unless you see yourself not as exploited, but as a temporarily embarrassed millionaire.
Huh? “Conservatives” & billionaires are “exploiting” Americans? 
McDonalds could raise its average worker OUT OF POVERTY, (a 30-something mom who is the primary bread-winner in the family), by simply paying just $14 billion of profits to the already-rich versus ~ McDonald’s current $16 billion a year in “profits” ~ they pay-out to the already-rich.
Did anyone else notice that Walmart and McDonald’s et al can raise ALL their workers out of poverty, and ~ not raise prices ~ ?
Just trim a little fat from the profits they pay to their executives and owners.
~ Where did the “American Dream” go ~ under Conservative’s world of “trickle-down” , low taxes for the rich, and “regulatory reform”?
Consider the myth of “Privatization save $$ Money” …
~ Greed is not good ~ http://www.alternet.org/economy/privatization-scam-5-horror-stories-govt-outsourcing-greedy-private-companies
The people who actually do the work should:
Vote to take back OUR government, and OUR economy.
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© Steven M. Fry
May 15, 2014
… Republican’s personal opinions and their religiously-held ideologies on weather realities, are now especially poignant, as NASA scientists announce that the WAIS, a big ice cube that can all-alone raise world-wide ocean water levels 4 feet, as it goes ker-plunk from the land into the sea…
and
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© Steven M. Fry
Read-on MacDuff . . .
May 8, 2014
I keep chiding myself to keep a camera at hand, battery charged, …
Why?
How many times in your life have you gone to sit on the potty, to find a brilliant iridescent green iguana leaping (terrified) at your kiester?
The poor thing was frantic:
leaping and scrambling to try to escape his porcelain prison.
My sole focus was to rescue him, quickly, … and release him in friendlier surroundings (our back garden).
… another great foto-op missed.
An hour later, I realized what a great little gem that foto would have been as a part of an ongoing series of (future) Short Stories from the Tropics. Being a good German(-American), I have no shortage of resolve or patience – and have kept the camera at the ready:
Recognize this location?
It’s our kitchen sink.
and
a great example of what each of us see.
I saw this (coiled to strike) =>
Fry-Home Fun
<== Maria Alba saw this …
Clever readers might have noticed that these 2 images are just … the right-side of our kitchen sink versus … the left side of our kitchen sink.
My eye was enamored with the moving scorpion on the right side, while Maria Alba only saw the immobilized cucarachon on the left side. – with 100’s of ants doing “disposal”. (Neither of us saw both.)
I commented about how unusual it was to see “one of these” in our kitchen, as Maria Alba quizzically replied “… we see one almost once a month… ?? ”
Steve: “I haven’t seen one since last month, in our upstairs bedroom …. and that one had been the first in 8 years”.
Maria Alba: “What are you talking about….?”
I scooped the scorpion into a clear plastic cup (w/lid) and showed her. Her eyes popped…
While scooping ~ a second look ~ revealed the big roach. (and ant-disposal crew)
Maria Alba explained that the cucarachon – now not moving – had ~ attracted ~ the scorpion….
How many of you noticed ….
what I then pointed out to Maria Alba? ….
The cucarachon has … no head… and no abdomen…
Another casualty of war.
“Night of the Scorpion”
…
“Kitchen Wars:
Cuca v. Scorpio ”
…
“Another good reason to not kill scorpions?”
…
“Our little hunting friends …”
… What other things go on in our homes, unseen and unknown ???
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© Steven M. Fry
Read-on MacDuff . . .
May 5, 2014 ~ Update on US CBP Car Export Requirements ~
In the arcane world of US government law and even more dense regulations, some laws and rules go un-noticed and un-enforced for years.
There is a glaring example of this in the years of Americans (and Mexicans) importing used cars and used pickups into Mexico. We’re all pretty much aware of the Mexican requirements for importing one-car-a-year into Mexico, but how many of us pay attention to the other half of the equation: Formally Exporting the vehicle from the USA ?
US law is pretty clear on this: We must formally register the exporting of our cars/pickups with Customs & Border Patrol (CBP) BEFORE we can legally import them into Mexico. See:
19 CFR 192.2 – “Requirements for Exportation”
“(a) Basic requirements. A person attempting to export a used self-propelled vehicle shall present to Customs, at the port of exportation, both the vehicle and the required documentation describing the vehicle, which includes the Vehicle Identification Number or, if the vehicle does not have a Vehicle Identification Number, the product identification number.
Exportation of a vehicle will be permitted only upon compliance with these requirements, …”
Failure to comply with this US Export law is a felony….
Sure, some people can point to the CBP website that has squishy language about the requirement for export, but websites are not law, especially when the website info is directly contradicted by laws and regulations published in the US CFR.
Reality: (sometimes reality ~ enforcement of the law ~ is different from the law)
There are people who offer a service for gringo’s illegal TIP cars – taking them (legally) back up to the border to either legalize them or sell them NOB. These people have reported talking with CBP supervisors as CBP techs tear through the cars. Their consistent internet reports say that CBP/Homeland Security does require us to formally export our used cars (using CBP services at the border) before doing a permanent import into Mexico.
We offer this report, because hundreds of used car are now successfully formally exported everyday at the border – mostly by Mexicans – so, know that the USA is now enforcing the law. Find a licensed Customs broker on the US side of the border who does this frequently (or contact a Mexican broker before you travel), and they make it all easy ~ and legal. ~
~ Notice that a few un-licensed “facilitators”, are mistakenly telling their Canadian and US clients that “you don’t have to do that” ~ (export the car) ~ skipping half the export/import requirements ~ which allows the “facilitators” to charge lower fees by providing only half the required services. ~
The consequences of a future felony conviction (if the vehicle is worth more than $1,000), hardly seems worth the few hundred $$ saved now. (???)
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As always, Yucalandia authors present material that is only for informational and entertainment purposes only. All important fiscal, financial, tax, immigration, Customs/Aduana matters should be discussed with an appropriate expert.
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Readers who want more details on Importing a Car or Truck into Mexico, and the Mexican and US rules and procedures can find lots o’ details at our main article: Importing & Driving a Car in Mexico .
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© Steven M. Fry
Read-on MacDuff . . .
May 3, 2014
Public Service Announcement
From time to time, Yucalandia offers information we think may be useful to readers, especially when it comes from from very reliable sources. Long-term readers know a bit of the reputation and years of continuing excellent public service that Lawyer Lic. Spencer McMullen of Chapala Law (Chapalalaw.com) provides to the US and Canadian communities in Mexico. Lic. McMullen has also been a regular contributing author to Yucalanda of fine technical articles on key legal issues that affect foreigners living in Mexico.
In his latest efforts, Lic. McMullen is supporting a legal action by affected investors, in a bankruptcy filing by “Casas GEO” and 15 of their subsidiaries, to support individuals who have either lost money or will be losing money on some Mexican financial investments that have gone sour. I leave the rest of the story to Lic. McMullen:
General Message to the Public from Chapala Law:
“(Our legal firm is) seeking investors in Casas GEO, many invested with Actinver or Multiva (who) lost or will lose their money. We need to register you as investors in the bankruptcy proceedings so you will get paid, and not be scammed by the banks that offered these “good” investments using words like “guarantee” and then denied many investors instructions to sell before the bottom fell out of these investments. Once registered you can then participate in the voting and approval of a plan to try and get a portion of your money back.
On April 15, 2014 judge Enrique Gonzalez Meyenberg from the 6th Civil Federal District Court in Mexico City in case number 216/2014 signed a judgment declaring Casas GEO and 15 of their subsidiaries to be found in the situation of what would be similar to a Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Here in Mexico the standard is if the company doesn´t have sufficient liquid assets to cover a minimum of 80% of debt that is due and payable, OR 100% of their debt that is due and payable and 35% of it for more than 30 days unpaid.
The law governing this type of case is the Federal Ley de Concursos Mercantiles.
There is a 30 day time limit in which to be recognized as a creditor after the publication of the bankruptcy decree. IFECOM (Instituto Federal de Especialistas de Concursos Mercantiles) has named a conciliator in this case, Tomas S. Heather and his role is to prepare the list of creditors to whom Casas GEO and their subsidiaries owe money to and then to negotiate a payment agreement between the creditors and the company who is in reorganization.
Many banks were also investors and people (affected individuals) need to protect their rights and register as creditors so that they have a voice and vote to be repaid and not have their bank who sold them the bad investment get the upper hand. The banks do have a clear conflict of interest in this matter and from what has been reported back to me the banks have been giving misleading and not current information.
Email (Guadalajara – guadlegal@gmail.com / Chapala chapalalegal@gmail.com) or call my office ASAP (Guadalajara – 33-1592-3801 US 805-563-3300 / Chapala 376-765-7553 US 805-683-4848) as time is limited, you will also need your original investment contract. The two attorneys who will be coordinating the efforts will be Lic. Alheli Jimenez Vazquez in Chapala and Fidel Roberto Perez in Guadalajara.”
.
Background Information on Lic. Spencer McMullen:
Lic. Spencer Richard Mc Mullen is an attorney and translator in the Guadalajara area of Mexico with a specialty degree in Civil and Business Procedure from the Universidad Panamericana as well as has 6 postgraduate degrees, is an authorized state court translator and is an attorney certified by the National Corporate Bar Association (ANADE). Mr. McMullen´s practice covers banking, taxation, immigration, civil matters as well as issues involving the large foreign community
–Contact Information–
Spencer’s Office SC, Abogados
Lic. Spencer Richard McMullen, Titular
Perito Traductor / Official Court Translator / Abogado
Hidalgo #230
Colonia Centro
Chapala, Jalisco, México 45900
Office (376)765-7553
US VOIP (805)683-4848
US Fax (805)880-0454
Skype: Legal_and_Immigration
Pablo Neruda #3055 Int. 302
Colonia Providencia
Guadalajara, Jalisco
(33)1592-3801
US VOIP (805)563-3300
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Other than recommending Spencer’s past history and strong record of good service and technical excellence in Mexican legal matters, based on following his work and frequent comments by his Chapala community members (for the past 2 years), as always, Yucalandia offers this information for informational and entertainment purposes only. Please seek competent professional matters on all legal, medical, financial, or tax matters.
As always, Yucalandia also has no financial stake, nor financial benefits in the things we report on.
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© Steven M. Fry
Read-on, Mac Duff…
Diá Del Los Santos Innocentes, 28 de diciembre (4/25/2014 Update)
In concordance with the May 2010 Ley de Migracion’s requirements to establish a “Points System” for qualifying foreigners who apply for residency in Mexico, inside sources say INM officials seem to finally be showing some movement on implementing the details of a new “Points System”.
After evaluating the performance of the last 18 months of the Nov. 9, 2012 “new” INM Law and Lineamiento system at INM offices and Consulates, INM in Distrito Federal may now be considering some new principles for approving Residency applications for foreigners who want to live in Mexico. Rumor has it that the proposed new Requisitos include the following options for INM and Consular officials to use when evaluating Residente Temporal and Residente Permanente applicants.
Here are some crude (Google) translations of the rumored hypothetical options for local INM and Consular clerks:
“Sorry, we are denying your application because:
….. a. You have not learned even basic Spanish.
….. b. Mexico is a polite and civilized country: Your past behaviors have been found to be far too rude to qualify you as a resident of Mexico.
….. c. You are far too grumpy to be of benefit to the Mexican society and culture.
….. d. Your loud and pushy behaviors are not welcome in Mexico.
….. e. Your selfish self-centered attitudes have been found to be non-beneficial to Mexico.
….. f. Your repeated references to: “In America, we ….. “, make it clear that you do not sufficiently understand or appreciate Mexico, and are not suited to living in Mexico.
….. f. We have carefully studied your writings and verbal opinions expressed about Mexico, and at this time, we believe you would not be an asset to Mexico. ”
At this point, these are only rumors of how the new “Points System” will be implemented.
People who are truly interested in the details of these rumored UPDATES, must read:
“Dia de los Santos Inocentes” ~ Day of the Holy Innocents ~ Feasting and Ancient Traditions Around Spain”
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As always, Yucalandia authors present material that is only for informational and entertainment purposes only. All important fiscal, financial, tax, immigration, Customs/Aduana matters should be discussed with an appropriate expert.
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Feel free to copy while giving proper attribution: YucaLandia/Surviving Yucatan.
© Steven M. Fry
Read-on MacDuff . . .
Lunes Sagrada (4/21/2013)
Holy Monday – one of the few work days in Mexico … but not in Spain.
A highly observant reader noted that recent Yucalandia posts & articles appear to have slipped into some schmaltzy personal vacation foto blog.
(see previous post)
If however, we read Yucalandia’s chief editor’s insights in the previous comments, we find that travel to other beautiful, exotic, and enriching locations, during the official Mexican vacation times, can be essential parts of Living in Mexico and Surviving Yucatán ‘s April heat.
Today’s actividad principal was a visit to Gaudi’s Cathedral Sagrada Familia …
Meeting our brother-in-law (cuñado) and his wife (concuña) on the Metro – Can you tell which guy came all the way from Yucatan ?
Catedral Sagrada Familia still stands …. and the construction continues (for another 100 years, give or take a few) …
people still stand in lines … unaware of some of the world’s finest 3-D dramas pass by (overhead).
until …
If interested, part of the Familia Sagrada day’s top fotos can be seen at:
Barçelona – Familia Sagrada 1
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© Steven M. Fry
Read-on MacDuff . . .
End of a long day…
of climbing stairs ….
Watching the pretty girls ….
Noticing details invisible to the oblivious ….
Because they are on the front of the building ~ next to ~ Gaudi’s Casa Battlo
If interested, the rest of the day’s top fotos can be seen at: Barçelona – Casa Battlo de Gaudi
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© Steven M. Fry
Read-on MacDuff . . .
April 2014 Emailed News from a Friend:
On December 2013, the president of the State Judicial Council, Marco Celis Quintal , stated that burglary is an offense that causes significant psychological impact to the victim, “since the individuals are affected within their vital and intimate space that is their home.”
In 2013, the Ministry of Public Security captured two young men who for weeks had burglarized and burned a number of homes in Caucel, on the west side of Merida. Their modus operandi was designed to eliminate evidence such as fingerprints and DNA traces, and also to make the victims believe their goods had been destroyed in the fire, when in fact they had been stolen.
Those arrested were William de Jesús Sansores Xool age 19 and José Cruz Ku Sansores age 18, although it is presumed by the Ministry of Public Security that there were many more people involved in this wave of burglaries and arson.
Last month police arrested a gang of Colombians who had been burglarizing houses for months all over the Yucatan Peninsula, as well as in other parts of the country. The gang was disbanded in a combined operation by The Secretary of Public Security (SSP) of Yucatan and the Campeche State Police. These criminals had been operating in Yucatán and Quintana Roo, and they were specialists in stealing safes from houses. They committed eight robberies in Mérida and three in Cancún before being finally apprehended.
More recently, a man was arrested while he was burglarizing a property in the neighborhood of Montes de Ame, in the North of Merida. A neighbor and a pizza delivery man alerted the local police, and asked them to investigate suspicious activity in a house where the owners were supposed to be on vacation.
According to reports from the authorities, these gangs are well organized. One group of gang members walks around the neighborhood, watching for any movement and looking for potential victims. These “scouts” then tag the properties with the appropriate symbols, informing the actual burglars of the conditions inside the property. Scouts usually have a legitimate reason for being in the neighborhood, such as delivering flyers door to door. Thus informed, the burglars can enter the property in relative safety.
Currently we have information from different police departments in Mexico that bands like the ones mentioned above are operating throughout the country, through simple graphic codes that makes the job easier for them.
For example, something as simple as a cross or a piece of string tied to the fence or gate can be a signal indicating that the inhabitants are on vacation or out working, etc.
These signs can be found on walls, doors, lamp posts or public telephone booths nearby, alerting other gang members. If you see these types of drawings on or near your home, we recommend you take a picture before erasing them, and let your neighbors and the local police know about them.
Here is a guide to some of the most used codes and their meanings:
Abril, 2014
La Rambla
Plaça de Catalunya ~ SW Corner
… Is it this way?
or … Is it this way?
Go West (?) young man…
(C. Colon is pointing at Sao Paolo o Rio)
Un plato de good fresh fish is always a welcome sight.
Sometimes the skeleton is on the outside…
Other times
All the panels are moveable persianas
Off in the distance …
Can you find Sagrada Familia ?
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© Steven M. Fry
Read-on MacDuff . . .
March 23, 2014
What do chemists think about as they drift off to sleep…
Merida’s heat has been building, and lately our upstairs bedroom/solarium has been getting hotter every night. March in Merida generally kick’s-off the annual HOT season here, with temperatures rising through April, to hit 104º – 115º F peaks in May. Mid-June often brings a little relief with the start of Rainy Season – as the daily afternoon rains come in as ~ cool fronts ~ which is a great contrast to Washington DC and the Eastern Seaboard, where afternoon summer showers mean steamy muggy nights of heat intensified by humidity.
Anyway, while lying in bed, sweating … trying to decide whether to turn on the clima, (AC), I started running the number in my head for ~ how much “AA” (“Aire Acondicionado“) costs to cool down our bedroom for a night. 
~
Short Answer: As little as $4 pesos a night . . . or over $100 pesos a night, ~ depending on your bedroom, ~ your air conditioner, and ~your lifestyle
For better or worse, figuring out your PPN ($pesos por noche) means we have to know:
~ How many hours will you run the AA por dia?
~ How cool do you want your room? a.k.a. What temp to set the A/C?
. . .continue reading here . . .
… And now you know what chemists think about as they drift off to sleep…
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Full Article can be read at: Just how much does it Cost to Cool a Room in Mexico?
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Feel free to copy while giving proper attribution: YucaLandia/Surviving Yucatan.
© Steven M. Fry
Read-on MacDuff . . .
March 22, 2014
As we troll internet forums across Mexico, interesting topics pop up. Apparently, there is a documentary film making the rounds reporting Monsanto’s adventures in GMO agricultural products and Monsanto’s abusive practices of suing neighboring farmers when Monsanto’s GMO products jump to neighbors fields and enter our food supplies.
As a scientist, I am left wondering if Monsanto’s 3 decades of promises are valid or hollow**.
Before diving into the science and data, there’s also an interesting loose-end about Mexico supposedly banning GMO corn in Oct. 2013. The claim of a ban is not broadly true.
Note: Hawaii legally banned GMO corn in 2013, and France just banned Monsanto corn on March 15, 2014. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ocean-robbins/huge-gmo-news_b_4129311.html and http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/15/france-monsanto-idUSL6N0MC0BR20140315
Mexico? Internet searches report country-wide “bans” that: “suspend all activities involving the planting of transgenic corn in the country and end the granting of permission for experimental and pilot commercial plantings”.
Unfortunate reality: There is no ban of GMO corn in Mexico. There was a fairly narrow judicial ruling by Amparo (similar to a Temporary Restraining Order), issued by a single judge, ordering only the temporary suspension of planting GMO corn in Mexico, to allow a group of other lawsuits to make their way through the Mexican judicial system.
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Back to our regularly scheduled program:
In gringo internet discussions, some people are still believing that GMO corn and GMO products work.
Does Monsanto’s GMO corn deliver on Monsanto’s broad promises?
**Decades of reliable evidence says each and all of Monsanto’s GMO promises are false:
Reality: “In the 20 years since GMO crops first came on the market, studies have found that they have led to higher pesticide use, and no meaningful improvement in flavor, nutrition, yield or water requirements. Instead, what they’ve created are plants that are engineered to withstand massive dosing of toxic herbicides, and plants that function as living pesticide factories. Monsanto’s Bt. corn, for example, is actually registered with the EPA as a pesticide. ”
Why report this? It explains why governments are finally recognizing the real risks of GMOs, and it supports governments rejections of Monsanto’s decades of inflated false promises.
GMO corn does not use less water. GMO corn does not give higher yields. Other than GMO corn’s pesticide properties and its resistance to Monsanto herbicides, GMO corn (like Monsanto’s GMO cotton et al) does not ultimately provide any of the promised benefits.
Ironically, even Monsanto’s top promise of lower herbicide usage is false. In response to Bt Corn and other GMOs: Nature has simply created “super-weeds” that require far higher amounts of herbicide spraying – leading to the highest levels ever seen of herbicide contamination in US and India’s rivers due to over-spraying required by GMO corn and GMO cotton.
GMO corn and cotton simply do not deliver on Monsanto’s decades of false statements and false promises.
http://www.nature.com/news/case-studies-a-hard-look-at-gm-crops-1.12907 and
Conclusion: Since there is no long-term Mexican ban on GMO corn, there is still risk that Monsanto’s $$ payoffs to politicians can overturn the judges temporary amparo, resurrecting the risks of GMO corn to Mexican farms, farmers, and Mexican corn.
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© Steven M. Fry
Read-on MacDuff . . .
March 19, 2014
Good economic news continues to roll in for the future of Mexico’s economy. After financial experts’ 2013 broad projections of Mexico as a top choice for personal investing for the next few years, Goldman Sachs and Nomura now predict that the Mexican economy will enter the top 10 largest economies in the world by 2020.
A combination of record exports, growth of the US-Mexico trade relationship, plus commitments by Cisco, PepsiCo, Nestle, Pirelli, Vesta, and PEMEX to invest close to $10 billion in new operations in Mexico bolster expert opinions that Mexico has a bright healthy economic future.
A few facts: Mexico’s record 2013 exports of $280.4 billion to the U.S. and imports of $226.1 billion from the U.S., point to a growing trade alliance that benefits both countries. Automobile manufacturing, auto parts, and aerospace were the driving sectors for exports to the U.S.
Mexico’s solid fiscal and monetary policies have not only stabilized MXN peso values, but Moody’s Investors Service has taken notice and has increased – improved Mexico’s debt rating to “A3” from “Baa1”. This change ranks Mexico as second only to Chile in Latin America with this good rating.
Billions in heavy investment by in Mexico key international businesses have also been announced by a variety of industries. Cisco, PepsiCo & & Nestle plan over $7.3 billion expansions of their Mexican operations over the next five years – demonstrating further confidence in already robust Mexican consumer and industrial markets.
Specifics? Over 50 Japanese companies have inked deals to expand operations in Guanajuato alone, resulting over $1.79 billion in planned investments to create 12,580 new jobs there. Continuing to build Guanajuato’s manufacturing base: Pirelli Tires is currently investing $1 million a week, of a planned total of $200 million, in its Guanajuato production plant based on strong demand.
High Tech, Aerospace & automotive industrial capacities also continue their already solid growth in states like Queretaro, bolstering Mexico’s economic future. Vesta, a leader in wind power generators, declared investments of $400 million throughout Mexico in the next five years, on top of their $60 – $65 million yearly investments in industrial plants in Queretaro’s industrial parks for the past 3 years.
The planned growth is not just from international players: PEMEX plans 2 years of $600 million USD of investments to upgrade its ocean fleet, and PEMEX has also announced service contracts for 42 ocean vessels for deep-water drilling and exploration to dramatically expand Mexico’s oil production over the next decade. Finally, Mexican companies ranging from Logistics to Foods and Mining plan $billions in capital investments to increase capacity.**
All in all: Things look good for Mexico.
** http://bdp-americas.com/blog/2014/03/03/recent-and-upcoming-investment-in-mexico-24/#more-944
http://world-economic.com/articles_wej-328.html
http://www.elpasoinc.com/columns/local_columnists/article_4de83d8a-ad51-11e3-a3c8-001a4bcf6878.html
http://www.abqjournal.com/369839/biz/mexican-economys-growth-in-overdrive.html
Click to access mexicowhitepaper2013.pdf
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Feel free to copy while giving proper attribution: YucaLandia/Surviving Yucatan.
© Steven M. Fry
Read-on MacDuff . . .
March 13, 2014 RealtyTrac reported that US foreclosure filings fell 27% year-over-year in February to a new seven-year low. U.S. Foreclosure Activity Decreases to Lowest Level in More Than 7 Years
Why should we care?
As we described back in 2009, foreclosed homes are the last big piece of the economic recovery puzzle. Since it takes roughly 2 years for governments to process foreclosure requests, when a homeowner loses their job and stops paying on their mortgage, the home does not hit the foreclosure market until 2-3 years later. A foreclosed home then takes another 400 days (2013 average). This means that the Bush deregulation-caused 2008 Fiscal Crisis damage and Bush deregulation-caused job-losses are finally (logically) resolving in 2014, just as we predicted back in 2009 Merida Real Estate Predictions
Just what does this have to do with us foreigners living in Mexico?
If you look back at our past articles, you find that the big backlog of foreclosed homes were the last piece keeping unemployment high and keeping a lid on the economic recovery. This means that the last big piece of uncertainty about personal finances for people considering retirement & visiting or moving to Mexico, will diminish with decreasing unemployment and increasing home values. With low numbers of foreclosed properties, potential Boomer retirees will be feeling the optimism from the personal wealth effects of a stock market at all time highs, fully-recovered retirement accounts, ~ and ~ higher home values .
Remember the Baby Boomers?
Baby Boomers: Retirement? Sufficient Savings? Their Likely Effects on Mexico? pointed out that there are roughly 40 million Boomers who will be retiring with substantial savings and nice homes between 2014-2030, which takes us back to the point of this post: The PREVIOUS backlog of foreclosed properties weighing down home values were the last item causing lots of retirees worries about the economic future.
Now that the backlog of foreclosed properties is back down to a manageable level, we should see a nice surge of retirees checking out Merida, Yucatan, and the beach areas over the next 5 years => good growth in both tourism and in our real estate and rental markets from relatively affluent new-Boomer retirees.
Let’s make them welcome.
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Feel free to copy while giving proper attribution: YucaLandia/Surviving Yucatan.
© Steven M. Fry
Read-on MacDuff . . .
Having issues or questions about CURP ‘s ? Here’s a useful link.
Pasos a seguir para obtener o corregir tu CURP
“Para mayor información comunicarse al Centro de Atención y de Servicios RENAPO al teléfono 01 800 911 11 11 (llamada sin costo).”
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Feel free to copy while giving proper attribution: YucaLandia/Surviving Yucatan.
© Steven M. Fry
Read-on MacDuff . . .
Surviving Yucatan 