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Thread summary:

Mexico: politics.

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Old 04-01-2008, 11:18 AM
 
Location: Not in Indiana, but bleed Hoosier blood
210 posts, read 743,568 times
Reputation: 179

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Rosarito View Post
Part of the problem with people who only come across the border on day trips is their lack of cultural differences perception. Those people you call "homeless" are merely doing their job. They have to have a license to sell (and they do) and they go to their homes at night, many in their own cars. You see them as "homeless" because that is what you are used to seeing in the US . . . . And yes, when you walk the streets in the red light district, it IS a popular saying used by the street Hustlers (doing THEIR job) in trying to get you into the brothel they work for, and not the one next door. It is simply how it is, and they all have jobs and homes to go to after work. Yes, there are a few chronically "homeless" bums around, sleeping wherever they can, but they are very small in numbers, and you won't see them because they rarely venture into tourists areas (the police will chase them off) but they are VERY few compared to the hoards of homeless all over the US.

"Gringo" is only offensive to those who do not understand what it means. It simply refers to anyone from the north (or even Europe) who are foreigners. Not derrogatory at all, sorry . . . .

Don't know who stole her truck, the police caught someone with 10 or 12 stolen vehicles at their home in TJ over the weekend, hope her's was one of them. They DO get stolen down here, but its rare, maybe 3 or 4 a year? Or maybe 20 or 50, but nowhere near the 12,000 plus that are stolen in San Diego each year . . . .

Angry? Hard to be angry when you live where I do. My printer died yesterday, so I hauled it off to a couple of computer shops, only to find no one fixes them here (maybe in Tijuana). Well, the last place was next to a bar where a girl friend of mine works, so o o o o time for a cerveza (it was 12 o'clock somewhere)! Take care of the printer manana . . . . oh, that's now! Well, maybe next manana, going to the beach now . . . .
Well said anyway Dave, when are you going to invite me to your Villa, so you can show me the good parts of mexico that i havent seen yet?
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Old 04-01-2008, 12:05 PM
 
16,087 posts, read 41,060,528 times
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Drug cartels use camps near Texas border to train recruits | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Mexico News (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/world/mexico/stories/DN-trainingcamps_30int.ART.State.Edition2.470123d.htm l - broken link)


Drug cartels turn more to terrorist tactics | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Mexico News (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/world/mexico/stories/DN-campsside_30int.ART.State.Edition1.461eeab.html - broken link)
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Old 04-01-2008, 08:12 PM
 
47,525 posts, read 69,521,481 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Rosarito View Post
You claim to have lived here, so you know they are not homless but are simply doing a job. Some are independant, but most work for a distributor.

I walk around with my eyes open. I do not expect to see Laguna Beach and its wealthy when I look here, I expect to see MEXICO and it's people. Many from the US think every country should meet our standards of living, and it simply is not that way. Those "servants" are simply doing THEIR jobs. That they are not wealthy and educated to your standards is irrelevant. And don't pretend that in the US people don't have "servants". Who cuts your grass, hauls your trash, cleans your house, etc. etc.

A woman out at night to buy some cigarettes Dangerous in the US, but perfectly safe here. But then, if you lived here you would know that.

No tanks in the streets, but it makes a good visual for those who want to believe. Boy, talk about hypocrits, demand Mexico DO something about the druggies, then don't like what they do . . . .
I have nothing against servants but pay them a decent wage is all, although I'm pretty much against a servant-master kind of economy and one where so many must leave if they're to ever leave their caste.

It's the American in me, the love for a largely middle class society where hard work can get you something and where we aren't packing up our peasants to be shipped out of the country.

Obviously you don't see a problem with a single thing in your adopted land and that's fine but your hatred of the USA just seeps out too much. You've got a major grudge against your own country if you're really an American. It's one thing to like another country and it's people but you don't have to bash Americans and blame them for every last problem in your adopted country. Mexico is not perfect. Much greed led to the narco problem that now exists. Many Mexicans have become very very wealthy from drug trafficking and it's not just to the USA.
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Old 04-01-2008, 08:54 PM
 
Location: So. of Rosarito, Baja, Mexico
6,987 posts, read 21,868,665 times
Reputation: 7007
There seems to be a slight misconception on the usage of the word "servant". Having lived in Mexico City (Mexican wife) for 3 yrs, under no conditions were the (maids, servants,cooks,housekeeper,cook,laundry worker or whatever you wish to call them are looked down upon.Sure, they have a small room and own bath on the rooftop that they use each evening. Rest of the time, they are downstairs inside the house. They ate the same food we did (which they cooked) for the household. Sunday was their day off.Since they were at our house 6 days a week,on Sunday they might say leave on Sat. p.m. to take transportation to wherever their family lived, and return before Mon A.M. They were paid a Monthly wage plus the room and board so as to speak. They had no expenses for the month. Almost every house on our block had a female person starting at 15 or older doing this type of work. Look at the population of Mexico City. Jobs are jobs for many people of need. Homes have entire familys living in one building untill one gets married and then the NEW spouse will move into the house with the family. With so many at the house working at whatever job they have, money is contributed to pay for one of these "servants" as the word is used. They don't have welfare in Mexico, and everyone has to pull their share to survive. Unless a person has LIVED the life amongst the mexican people he or she should not spout all their unknowledged opinions about the Good and Bad of Mexico. Visiting over many years does not make a person completly knowledged. Slight observations also does not qualify. Have a traditional MEXICAN WEDDING like I did. Eat all the Mexican dishs that you have never heard about. Attend a Mexican Soldiers Wedding infull dress uniform, sword and all.Reception on a small dirt hillside with Cola in 2 Ltr bottles (no alcohol). Very basic food served by proud Parents at the Reception. Now this is MEXICO in its truest form. Stefhen
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Old 04-01-2008, 09:19 PM
 
47,525 posts, read 69,521,481 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Bagu View Post
There seems to be a slight misconception on the usage of the word "servant". Having lived in Mexico City (Mexican wife) for 3 yrs, under no conditions were the (maids, servants,cooks,housekeeper,cook,laundry worker or whatever you wish to call them are looked down upon.Sure, they have a small room and own bath on the rooftop that they use each evening. Rest of the time, they are downstairs inside the house. They ate the same food we did (which they cooked) for the household. Sunday was their day off.Since they were at our house 6 days a week,on Sunday they might say leave on Sat. p.m. to take transportation to wherever their family lived, and return before Mon A.M. They were paid a Monthly wage plus the room and board so as to speak. They had no expenses for the month. Almost every house on our block had a female person starting at 15 or older doing this type of work. Look at the population of Mexico City. Jobs are jobs for many people of need. Homes have entire familys living in one building untill one gets married and then the NEW spouse will move into the house with the family. With so many at the house working at whatever job they have, money is contributed to pay for one of these "servants" as the word is used. They don't have welfare in Mexico, and everyone has to pull their share to survive. Unless a person has LIVED the life amongst the mexican people he or she should not spout all their unknowledged opinions about the Good and Bad of Mexico. Visiting over many years does not make a person completly knowledged. Slight observations also does not qualify. Have a traditional MEXICAN WEDDING like I did. Eat all the Mexican dishs that you have never heard about. Attend a Mexican Soldiers Wedding infull dress uniform, sword and all.Reception on a small dirt hillside with Cola in 2 Ltr bottles (no alcohol). Very basic food served by proud Parents at the Reception. Now this is MEXICO in its truest form. Stefhen
I have lived there and I currently live right on the border and know plenty of well-to-do Mexicans who have never made their own beds or washed their own dishes.

I don't believe 15 year old girls should be out of school and waiting on people for dirt pay. It just doesn't make for much of a future when you work for extremely low wages for 6 days a week. It's a caste system and the reason Mexico has found itself with a large excess of servants and campesinos it feels it must be rid of. The problem is -- there's a limit to how many the USA can take off their hands.

I know of "cleaning ladies" in the USA who charge $12-$15 an hour, if they work 4 hours, they take a 15 minute break but can clean an average house in 4 hours, a large house in 8. They live in their own homes, and clean houses as a business, even set their own hours or work days -- I have no problem with that.

I realize some Americans adore the lifestyle, of being waited on hand and foot, of whistling at a waiter or waitress for service which wouldn't go over too well in the USA.
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Old 04-01-2008, 09:21 PM
 
47,525 posts, read 69,521,481 times
Reputation: 22472
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lakewooder View Post
Drug cartels use camps near Texas border to train recruits | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Mexico News (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/world/mexico/stories/DN-trainingcamps_30int.ART.State.Edition2.470123d.htm l - broken link)


Drug cartels turn more to terrorist tactics | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Mexico News (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/world/mexico/stories/DN-campsside_30int.ART.State.Edition1.461eeab.html - broken link)
More fun in Juarez today:

Balean soldados a policías | Diario.com.mx: Edición Cd. Juárez

Shoot-out between the military and Juarez police.
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Old 04-01-2008, 10:18 PM
 
Location: So. of Rosarito, Baja, Mexico
6,987 posts, read 21,868,665 times
Reputation: 7007
LIVED WHERE???? The people that I knew in Mexico City were Middle class people. With 4-5 people working, they could afford someone to do necessary chores in the house.Age 15-16 for girls is common. They do not want to attend school, then they have to WORK. Did you live with a Mexican family or were they just acquaintences?. I do not profess to know everything about Mexico but did have the pleasure of meeting and could call them personal friends such as 2 Dentists,Cardiologist,4 lawyers, 1 judge,Deputy Mayor of Mexico Cty, guest in the entourage for the Govenor of the State of Guerrero at one time.Have spent 3 yrs with these people. This is knowing MEXICO. Living on the Border is sure Big Time. Heck, I have been here in Baja 12 yrs and its no big deal as fas I am concerned. Visiting as a TOURIST 3 days here, 1 wk there does not constitute as full knowledge of any country. Makes no difference if a person has been to all the countrys in South America. Don't mean diddly ****. I spent 1 yr in Japan and still know very little about the country(island) of Honshu, Do remember that they have 7 different dialects. Reading books is only going on other peoples observations and does not apply to complete knowledge. There is no way to compare the American way fof life to that of another foreign country. What you may consider to be below American standards might be STEAK to them. You are looking down on these people and to their plight whatever it may be. Your nose is so high it is starting to bleed. Stefhen
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Old 04-02-2008, 11:54 AM
 
27 posts, read 89,765 times
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My wife and I lived there for 3 years in Monterrey and travelled all over the country, and our son was even born there, so I think that I might have some insight. I got to know many middle class mexicans, unfortunately no one important like a previous poster, so my views might be tainted.

Most middle class folks do have the servants, and when I started working there many of my co-workers encouraged that we get one. I found out that almost all middle class folks have had servants growing up and in fact when they come to the US (my company was international and oftentimes some Mexicans would be able to come up an work here), they are so lost because most can't cook, don't know how to wash clothes and many other things we americans think of as normal chores we have doen our whole lives! It typically cost about $15-$20/day for a servant, and they typically work 3-5 days a week. At first we balked at the idea of hiring one being stubborn self sufficient americans, but as my son came along it became easier to hire a cleaning lady. Then we were approached by a young man who offered to do the yard and wash the vehicles so we added him to the mix. Typically among the working class $20-25/day is standard pay in any factory, plant, doing construction, etc. I knew college graduates who got paid between 700-1000/month, it is little wonder how the US seems like the land of milk and honey to them!
In my opinion Mexico is a land in which easy caste/class system preys on the misfortunes of the poor, and in all honesty the powers that be (rich and middle class) don't truely want that structure to change because all their cheap labor would disappear, and then the houswives of the middle class would (GASP) have to wash their own clothes, mop and do other household necessities.

Yes they are very family oriented, very much more than in the US, and we miss that about living there, and all adore children, however, I think most gringos have a tainted view of Mexico even the ones who live there, since most middle class and upper class mexicans kiss the gringos asses pretty well, even though their true feelings for us gringos is much different than what they show.

True some kids selling gum are doing work and are not necessarily homeless, however, most don't realize that a "pimp" rounds up a bunch of those kids makes them sell gum, and at the end of the day/night the pimp take 90% of what they earned.
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Old 04-02-2008, 02:46 PM
 
Location: Rosarito Beach
334 posts, read 826,256 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by allisonguru View Post
Well said anyway Dave, when are you going to invite me to your Villa, so you can show me the good parts of mexico that i havent seen yet?
My Villa! Heh Heh Heh . . . You re welcome to visit anytime you d like (Uh Oh, just got my computer back, had to upgrade to XP Pro to get new printer to work and now my keyboard (spanish) isn t talking well to my english computer thingy, some symbols are gone, some moved . . . .

Well, my *Villa* DOES have running water and a few other amenities, even a spare bedroom for guests! Of course, unfortunately, most of the good parts of Mexico aren{t right here. Got a great beach, fabulous restaurants (including some great taco stands), entertainment, good shopping and some great bars for all tastes (sports, gambling, dancing, view, etc). One of my friends tells me Xavier makes the BEST margaritas in the world, and she should know, being from Boston . . . .

Come on down!

PS: Sorry, you ll have to fend for yourself -- all of my maids, servants, car wash and gardening help have gone north for better $$$$
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Old 04-02-2008, 04:08 PM
 
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"fabulous restaurants (including some great taco stands)"

HA HA!, those taco stands on the side of the road were truely fabulous places to eat! I miss those
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