 |
| Jared Lee Loughner |
The kid is mentally ill, probably some form of a psychopathic mental disorder or paranoid schizophrenia.
This is what happens when mental illnesses go untreated. Right Maggie and Joe?
"Fulano de Tal" is Spanish for "John Doe". These are The Fulano Files.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
The Psychopath in Arizona
The young suspect in a shooting at a Tucson, Arizona, shopping center-- Jared Lee Loughner -- has several videos posted on the Internet in which he writes about mind control and the “new currency".
15 headless bodies found in Acapulco
Link to article.
(CNN) -- The headless bodies of 15 people were found dumped near a shopping center in the tourist city of Acapulco, Mexico, the Guerrero State Public Security office said in a statement Saturday.
The victims are all men between the ages of 25 and 30 years old. Police were led to the bodies by a group of burning vehicles, the security office said.
A 16th body was found in a nearby car. The victim was a 30-year-old man who was shot to death, the office said.
The bodies were not found in an area frequented by tourists, said a spokeswoman for the security office. [Fulano's note: Well, thank God they were not in a tourist area. I feel better already.]
"It's a shopping center where locals go regularly, but it's not that far away from the tourist areas," she said. "They were found on a popular highway used to get to the tourist area." [Fulano's note: Damn! Now they'll have to bus in tourists on another road.]
LATE AFTERNOON UPDATE:
Mexican newspapers are reporting a total of 28 persons were executed in Acapulco today, of which 15 were decapitated.
(CNN) -- The headless bodies of 15 people were found dumped near a shopping center in the tourist city of Acapulco, Mexico, the Guerrero State Public Security office said in a statement Saturday.
The victims are all men between the ages of 25 and 30 years old. Police were led to the bodies by a group of burning vehicles, the security office said.
A 16th body was found in a nearby car. The victim was a 30-year-old man who was shot to death, the office said.
The bodies were not found in an area frequented by tourists, said a spokeswoman for the security office. [Fulano's note: Well, thank God they were not in a tourist area. I feel better already.]
"It's a shopping center where locals go regularly, but it's not that far away from the tourist areas," she said. "They were found on a popular highway used to get to the tourist area." [Fulano's note: Damn! Now they'll have to bus in tourists on another road.]
LATE AFTERNOON UPDATE:
Mexican newspapers are reporting a total of 28 persons were executed in Acapulco today, of which 15 were decapitated.
First Mexican Mayor of 2011 Murdered
...and the year is only one week old.
Authorities in northern Mexico found a bullet-ridden body Friday that matches the description of the mayor of a town near the Texas border who disappeared two days ago.
Saul Vara Rivera
An ID card was found on the body with the name of Mayor Saul Vara Rivera, and the body matches his description, prosecutors in northern Coahuila state said in a statement. The statement added that the body was found in the neighboring state of Nuevo Leon.
Vara Rivera is the mayor of the town of Zaragoza, located southwest of Eagle Pass, Texas. He has a wife and three sons.Link to news article.
Where Have You Heard This Story Before?
See if any of this sounds a little familiar to you:
In a clear case of racial discrimination and profiling, the brown-skinned people of the Dominican Republic are deporting the brown-skinned people of Haiti.
Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the Caribbean island of Hispaniola and have a long history of cross-border tension. Relations improved in the aftermath of the Jan. 12 quake, with the Dominican government providing assistance and serving as a staging ground for the international relief effort. Still, human rights groups complain that Haitians are subjected to bitter discrimination.
The Dominican government, which suspended deportations after the earthquake, resumed anti-illegal immigration efforts this week, stopping and detaining people at checkpoints around the country. In a rare move, checkpoints were also set up outside the capital.
More than 700 Haitians have been deported since Monday and more are expected in coming days, said Ambiorix Rosario, Department of Migration spokesman.
Dominican officials said the crackdown is necessary to stem growing illegal immigration. Human rights groups criticized the deportations, accusing authorities of stopping and questioning people based on their physical appearance.
"The acting authorities are clearly following a racial profile to decide who should be detained," said Francisco Leonardo with the Jesuit Refugee and Migration Service.
Haiti is much poorer than the Dominican Republic. 80% of all Haitians are poor (54% in abject poverty) and 47.1% were illiterate. The country of nine million people has a fast-growing population, but over two-thirds of the labor force lack formal jobs. Haiti's per capita GDP was $1,300 in 2008, or less than one-sixth of the Dominican figure. As a result, hundreds of thousands of Haitians have migrated to the Dominican Republic, with some estimates of 800,000 Haitians in the country, while others put the Haitian-born population as high as one million. They usually work at low-paying and unskilled jobs in building construction, household cleaning, and in sugar plantations. There have been accusations that some Haitian immigrants work in slavery-like conditions.
A large number of Haitian women, often arriving with several health problems, cross the border to Dominican soil during their last weeks of pregnancy to obtain much-needed medical attention for childbirth, since Dominican public hospitals do not refuse medical services based on nationality or legal status. Statistics from a hospital in Santo Domingo report that over 22% of childbirths are by Haitian mothers.
Link to an article on the issue.
In a clear case of racial discrimination and profiling, the brown-skinned people of the Dominican Republic are deporting the brown-skinned people of Haiti.
Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the Caribbean island of Hispaniola and have a long history of cross-border tension. Relations improved in the aftermath of the Jan. 12 quake, with the Dominican government providing assistance and serving as a staging ground for the international relief effort. Still, human rights groups complain that Haitians are subjected to bitter discrimination.
More than 700 Haitians have been deported since Monday and more are expected in coming days, said Ambiorix Rosario, Department of Migration spokesman.
Dominican officials said the crackdown is necessary to stem growing illegal immigration. Human rights groups criticized the deportations, accusing authorities of stopping and questioning people based on their physical appearance.
"The acting authorities are clearly following a racial profile to decide who should be detained," said Francisco Leonardo with the Jesuit Refugee and Migration Service.
Haiti is much poorer than the Dominican Republic. 80% of all Haitians are poor (54% in abject poverty) and 47.1% were illiterate. The country of nine million people has a fast-growing population, but over two-thirds of the labor force lack formal jobs. Haiti's per capita GDP was $1,300 in 2008, or less than one-sixth of the Dominican figure. As a result, hundreds of thousands of Haitians have migrated to the Dominican Republic, with some estimates of 800,000 Haitians in the country, while others put the Haitian-born population as high as one million. They usually work at low-paying and unskilled jobs in building construction, household cleaning, and in sugar plantations. There have been accusations that some Haitian immigrants work in slavery-like conditions.
A large number of Haitian women, often arriving with several health problems, cross the border to Dominican soil during their last weeks of pregnancy to obtain much-needed medical attention for childbirth, since Dominican public hospitals do not refuse medical services based on nationality or legal status. Statistics from a hospital in Santo Domingo report that over 22% of childbirths are by Haitian mothers.
Link to an article on the issue.
Colorado Powder Skiing
OK, that was a little joke. This happened last week in Colorado Springs. 20 car pile up, in slow motion.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Police Ambushed in Rosarito Beach
Two state ministerial police were ambushed around 6PM Thursday evening in Colonia Lucio Blanco. The police had gone to a home to investigate a robbery, when they were attacked.
Agent Carlos Fernando López González was wounded by a large caliber weapon and was transported to a hospital in Tijuana where he is reported in stable condition.
Meanwhile, police were sent to the General Hospital in Playas de Rosarito where a patient entered with gunshot wounds, and police are investigating whether this person was involved in the attack on the police.
Link to article in Spanish.
Agent Carlos Fernando López González was wounded by a large caliber weapon and was transported to a hospital in Tijuana where he is reported in stable condition.
Meanwhile, police were sent to the General Hospital in Playas de Rosarito where a patient entered with gunshot wounds, and police are investigating whether this person was involved in the attack on the police.
Link to article in Spanish.
Convicted Sex Offender Arrested At The Mexico Border
Link to article.
El Centro, Calif. – U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the El Centro station arrested a convicted sex offender yesterday morning.
At approximately 1 a.m., Border Patrol agents working approximately 6 miles west of Calexico, Calif., apprehended an individual who had illegally crossed the U.S./Mexico International border.
While being processed, record checks revealed that the illegal alien had a prior conviction for open and gross lewdness. The illegal alien is a Convicted Sex Offender in the state of Nevada and had also been previously removed from the United States.
The subject is being held at the Imperial County Jail pending prosecution proceedings.Thank you, Mexico. What a wonderful neighbor you make. Just throw all your garbage over the fence.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Tiene turismo caída drástica en Rosarito
[Fulano's translation follows the original news story in Spanish.]
Link to article in Spanish.
Rosarito, Baja California - La caída en el sector hotelero en Rosarito es sumamente drástica, al registrarse apenas un 20% de ocupación durante el 2010, declaró Gustavo Torres, director de Desarrollo Económico y Turismo del Ayuntamiento.
Explicó que la recuperación en el renglón turístico ha sido muy difícil ante el miedo y la percepción de inseguridad que prevalece entre los visitantes californianos y hasta regionales, dando como resultado que los niveles en la caída de ocupación hotelera sean inéditos.
Torres Ramírez, refirió que los cachanillas han contribuido de manera determinante para que la situación de los hoteleros pudiera ser llevadera ya que es el segmento que más visitó Rosarito.
Otro sector que también ha sido muy golpeado dijo el funcionario, es el inmobiliario que apenas logró registrar ventas por 150 casas y condominios, durante el año que recién concluyó.
Explicó que por ejemplo en el 2007 había ventas por más de 300 unidades anuales, lo que refleja que la caída registrada en el 2010 fue del 50% en comparación con ese año y que por si fuera poco los precios por las propiedades, sobre todo las de los complejos turísticos disminuyeron.
Dijo que no se tiene contabilizado las afectaciones a otros sectores relacionados con el turismo, como el restaurantero, mueblero y otros, pero se espera que para este año se puedan tener datos más concretos para mejorar las estrategias de promoción y que todos se beneficien en conjunto.
Rosarito, Baja California - The drop in the hotel sector in Rosarito is very dramatic, registering only a 20% occupancy in 2010, said Gustavo Torres, director of Economic Development and Tourism for the City.
He explained that the recovery in tourism has been very difficult due to fear and the perception of insecurity which prevails among California visitors and even those from other regions, the result of which the drop in hotel occupancy levels have been unpublished.
Torres Ramírez, said that the Cachanillas [residents of Mexicali] have contributed decisively, such that the situation was made more bearable as they are the ones who visited Rosarito the most.
Another sector that has also been badly beaten, the official said, is real estate sales which barely managed to register 150 house and condominium sales for the year just ended.
He explained that, as an example, in 2007 there were sales of more than 300 units per year, reflecting a decline of 50% in 2010 when compared with 2007, and to top it off prices for properties, especially those of resorts, declined.
He said no one has recorded the effects on other related tourist sectors such as a restaurants, furniture and others, but he hopes this year they may have more specific data to help improve promotion strategies that benefit everybody.
Link to article in Spanish.
Rosarito, Baja California - La caída en el sector hotelero en Rosarito es sumamente drástica, al registrarse apenas un 20% de ocupación durante el 2010, declaró Gustavo Torres, director de Desarrollo Económico y Turismo del Ayuntamiento.
Explicó que la recuperación en el renglón turístico ha sido muy difícil ante el miedo y la percepción de inseguridad que prevalece entre los visitantes californianos y hasta regionales, dando como resultado que los niveles en la caída de ocupación hotelera sean inéditos.
Otro sector que también ha sido muy golpeado dijo el funcionario, es el inmobiliario que apenas logró registrar ventas por 150 casas y condominios, durante el año que recién concluyó.
Explicó que por ejemplo en el 2007 había ventas por más de 300 unidades anuales, lo que refleja que la caída registrada en el 2010 fue del 50% en comparación con ese año y que por si fuera poco los precios por las propiedades, sobre todo las de los complejos turísticos disminuyeron.
Dijo que no se tiene contabilizado las afectaciones a otros sectores relacionados con el turismo, como el restaurantero, mueblero y otros, pero se espera que para este año se puedan tener datos más concretos para mejorar las estrategias de promoción y que todos se beneficien en conjunto.
* * * * *
Rosarito, Baja California - The drop in the hotel sector in Rosarito is very dramatic, registering only a 20% occupancy in 2010, said Gustavo Torres, director of Economic Development and Tourism for the City.
He explained that the recovery in tourism has been very difficult due to fear and the perception of insecurity which prevails among California visitors and even those from other regions, the result of which the drop in hotel occupancy levels have been unpublished.
Torres Ramírez, said that the Cachanillas [residents of Mexicali] have contributed decisively, such that the situation was made more bearable as they are the ones who visited Rosarito the most.
Another sector that has also been badly beaten, the official said, is real estate sales which barely managed to register 150 house and condominium sales for the year just ended.
He explained that, as an example, in 2007 there were sales of more than 300 units per year, reflecting a decline of 50% in 2010 when compared with 2007, and to top it off prices for properties, especially those of resorts, declined.
He said no one has recorded the effects on other related tourist sectors such as a restaurants, furniture and others, but he hopes this year they may have more specific data to help improve promotion strategies that benefit everybody.
Tijuana Pharmacy Sales Have Fallen 60%
Pharmaceutical merchants reported that sales took a sharp drop between 60 and 80%.
Ariel Mora Maximino Gomez, manager of a pharmacy that is located in the center of Tijuana, said that while the requirement for prescriptions has affected the purchase of antibiotics, there are other factors that have led to a drop in sales.
He said that since the attack on the twin towers in the United States they have been affected by the the problem of insecurity, border inspections, restrictions on dollar purchase and police extortions; reasons why they have few customers.
He further commented that they are also affected by unfair competition and that some pharmacies are breaking laws which affects those that do are doing their job well.
Link to article in Spanish.
Mr. Gomez is probably referring to the large quantities of fake medicines sold in Mexico.
Ariel Mora Maximino Gomez, manager of a pharmacy that is located in the center of Tijuana, said that while the requirement for prescriptions has affected the purchase of antibiotics, there are other factors that have led to a drop in sales.
He said that since the attack on the twin towers in the United States they have been affected by the the problem of insecurity, border inspections, restrictions on dollar purchase and police extortions; reasons why they have few customers.
He further commented that they are also affected by unfair competition and that some pharmacies are breaking laws which affects those that do are doing their job well.
Link to article in Spanish.
Mr. Gomez is probably referring to the large quantities of fake medicines sold in Mexico.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Ensenada; Soldiers Steal Car, Hide On Military Base
Link to article in Spanish.
A pair of car thieves who had just stolen a Honda Accord from Calle Curato and Blancarte in Ensenada were pursued by Ensenada police, who witnessed them stop just outside the El Ciprés military garrison in Ensenada and jump the fence along Westman into the military base. The two men wore dark clothing and had military-style haircuts.
Military personnel guarding the base denied that anyone had jumped the fence. The police officers recognized the two thieves inside the garrison, but the military refused to let the police enter the base. Three police officers were injured during the chase when their patrol unit crashed.
A pair of car thieves who had just stolen a Honda Accord from Calle Curato and Blancarte in Ensenada were pursued by Ensenada police, who witnessed them stop just outside the El Ciprés military garrison in Ensenada and jump the fence along Westman into the military base. The two men wore dark clothing and had military-style haircuts.
Military personnel guarding the base denied that anyone had jumped the fence. The police officers recognized the two thieves inside the garrison, but the military refused to let the police enter the base. Three police officers were injured during the chase when their patrol unit crashed.
Nightclub Owner in Mexico Wouldn't Pay Extortion Money
...so the gangsters kidnapped him, cut him up into pieces, pulled the skin off his skull and left it in the doorway to a convenience store.
Mexicans are the friendliest psychopaths on the planet. Why I'll bet the people who did this are preparing fish tacos for some BajaNomad right this very minute.
 |
| The former owner of "Mamis" nightclub |
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Send OUT the Clowns
 |
| Rigoberto López Cordova. A sign which said, "esto me pasó por dedo y sapo y creer que Sedena me cuidaría. Atte. FEZ" was found next to his body. |
Two street clowns were found dead in southeastern Mexico alongside messages allegedly from a drug gang accusing them of working as army informers. The message read, "esto me pasó por dedo y sapo y creer que Sedena me cuidaría. Atte. FEZ." [Fulano's translation: This happened because I'm a snitch and believed the Army would take care of me, Los Zetas.]
The clowns were found in bright costumes and makeup on a roadside on Sunday in the city of Villahermosa, bearing signs of torture and a message accusing them of being army informers, their families said.
 |
| Rigoberto López Cordova |
Link to article in Spanish.
Two Young Girls Climb U.S./Mexico Border Fence in 18 Seconds
Filmmaker Roy Germano shot two young women climbing to the top of the U.S./Mexico border fence to show just how easy it is to climb to the top. It took the women, who both stand at about 5’5” tall, just 18 seconds to climb to the top.
Kidnapping of Migrants Is Unstoppable
[The following news article was translated by Fulano.]
El Sol de Tijuana
January 2, 2011
by Krystel Gomez Sevilla
Tijuana .- Strong blows over all his body, injuries from sharp objects that will leave permanent scars and the threat of never seeing his family again, are experiences that have been suffered by dozens of migrants on this border, where kidnapping cases never cease.
One victim, who preferred to remain anonymous for fear of retribution from his captors, said it was about a month ago when, while traveling in the central city area, he was seized by a group of men who took him by force.
"In this location -- I don't know where -- there were many of us, some four of us and a woman with her 3-year old daughter, they tortured her too, but I don't know what happened to them, but they called everybody's family asking for money, that was what they wanted," said 21-years old "Marcos."
He did not know the exact amount demanded of his family in San Francisco, from where he was deported after living there 11 years, but according to pro-immigrant groups it had recently varied between one and two thousand dollars, the victim explained that it was thanks to the intervention of the municipal police who managed to rescue him a month ago.
A broken arm, a deep wound on the nose and his right ear lobe partially cut off with a scissors are evidence of the brutality of the kidnappers against the migrant population who many times, according to Marcos, prefer to not report anything to the authorities.
"Yes, I talked to some who have also been seized but all they want is to return to the US, they don't want to remember anything because it is very difficult, I'd rather not remember," added the young man who is looking for a way to return to San Francisco and get his life back on track.
For Captain Ofelia Gress, director of The Salvation Army migrant shelter in Tijuana, kidnapping cases did not decrease last year, on the contrary, there were frequent arrivals of deportees with stories of abuse.
"They risk a lot to cross the border, they are victims of kidnappers and smugglers who are already well placed and are waiting to rob them on the road, in addition to abuses from U.S. immigration," said Captain Erasmo Vargas of The Salvation Army.
Link to article in Spanish.
El Sol de Tijuana
January 2, 2011
by Krystel Gomez Sevilla
Tijuana .- Strong blows over all his body, injuries from sharp objects that will leave permanent scars and the threat of never seeing his family again, are experiences that have been suffered by dozens of migrants on this border, where kidnapping cases never cease.
One victim, who preferred to remain anonymous for fear of retribution from his captors, said it was about a month ago when, while traveling in the central city area, he was seized by a group of men who took him by force.
He did not know the exact amount demanded of his family in San Francisco, from where he was deported after living there 11 years, but according to pro-immigrant groups it had recently varied between one and two thousand dollars, the victim explained that it was thanks to the intervention of the municipal police who managed to rescue him a month ago.
A broken arm, a deep wound on the nose and his right ear lobe partially cut off with a scissors are evidence of the brutality of the kidnappers against the migrant population who many times, according to Marcos, prefer to not report anything to the authorities.
"Yes, I talked to some who have also been seized but all they want is to return to the US, they don't want to remember anything because it is very difficult, I'd rather not remember," added the young man who is looking for a way to return to San Francisco and get his life back on track.
For Captain Ofelia Gress, director of The Salvation Army migrant shelter in Tijuana, kidnapping cases did not decrease last year, on the contrary, there were frequent arrivals of deportees with stories of abuse.
"They risk a lot to cross the border, they are victims of kidnappers and smugglers who are already well placed and are waiting to rob them on the road, in addition to abuses from U.S. immigration," said Captain Erasmo Vargas of The Salvation Army.
Link to article in Spanish.
The Invisibles
Marc Silver, a British filmmaker, has produced a four-part series on Central American migrants traveling through Mexico. Here is Part 1:
'Seaworld' (Film 1 of 4 from 'The Invisibles' series) from marc silver on Vimeo.
Here are links to the other three parts:
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
This series was produced by Amnesty International, and it has their imprint on it. They want immigrants to be able to travel freely and safely in Mexico without being killed, raped, robbed, tortured and abused by Mexican criminals, police, immigration and military. While that is a noble cause, it would be far better if these people stayed in their own countries and forced a change so they did not have to leave. As long as they leave, the pressure is off and their countries don't have to change.
These are simple, humble and uneducated people. They are not computer programmers, engineers, accountants, designers, nor have they any skills other than simple manual labor. They do not have any skill sets needed in the US. We have all the manual laborers we need, and more are born into the job market every day. Also notice that although these people are poor, they are not starving by any means. They all have plenty of meat on their bones. The Salvadoran woman who is sitting on the train tracks is talking about getting to the US to buy her son a little motorcycle -- not food. They are coming to the US for the money.
'Seaworld' (Film 1 of 4 from 'The Invisibles' series) from marc silver on Vimeo.
Here are links to the other three parts:
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
This series was produced by Amnesty International, and it has their imprint on it. They want immigrants to be able to travel freely and safely in Mexico without being killed, raped, robbed, tortured and abused by Mexican criminals, police, immigration and military. While that is a noble cause, it would be far better if these people stayed in their own countries and forced a change so they did not have to leave. As long as they leave, the pressure is off and their countries don't have to change.
These are simple, humble and uneducated people. They are not computer programmers, engineers, accountants, designers, nor have they any skills other than simple manual labor. They do not have any skill sets needed in the US. We have all the manual laborers we need, and more are born into the job market every day. Also notice that although these people are poor, they are not starving by any means. They all have plenty of meat on their bones. The Salvadoran woman who is sitting on the train tracks is talking about getting to the US to buy her son a little motorcycle -- not food. They are coming to the US for the money.
Two Officers Assaulted In Escondido By Illegal Immigrant
Link to article.
ESCONDIDO — Two Escondido police officers suffered serious injuries Monday when they were attacked after responding to an accident.
A 35-year-old Escondido man was in custody, and expected to be booked into Vista jail Monday night with an immigration hold because of a prior deportation, Lt. Craig Carter said. He was being held on several charges, including assault on a peace officer, driving under the influence and taking a weapon other than a firearm from an officer, Carter said.
Officers Tim Kelly and Chris Leso arrived at 10:57 a.m. to the scene of an accident at Vista Verde Way and Loreto Glen in northeast Escondido. They found an unoccupied truck that had struck a wood barrier, Carter said. Witnesses said the driver had fled.
Mexico publishes a picture guide to help Mexicans live illegally in the US
The officers called for a tow, and about 11:50, a man emerged from trees nearby and became irate, Carter said. He made a sign of the cross, took a fighting stance and charged the officers, who ordered him several times in Spanish and English to stop resisting.
The officers used a Taser, but to no effect. The man hit the officers in the head and back, and they returned strikes with a baton.
Leso and Kelly called for backup, and the assailant was in custody within minutes. Officers found a large knife in the man’s pocket, Carter said.
He will be tested for drugs and alcohol, the lieutenant said.
Kelly and Leso were treated at a hospital, and likely will require further medical evaluation, Carter said.
Monday, January 3, 2011
From Another Mexico Message Board
Young girl assaulted in Punta Banda
This will without a doubt be one of the most disturbing and saddening notes you'll ever see on this bulletin board. We are posting it at the request of the family involved, who, after much reflection and soul-searching, decided to let the community know about this tragic incident for its own safety. After reading this, we hope and trust you will respect the privacy---and the courage---of the family affected by this horrible event.
In the late afternoon of December 30, 2010, as she awaited the micro to Maneadero, the teen-aged daughter of Bobby Garza was brutally attacked and raped by two men near Campo Arnaiz. She was beaten, sexually assaulted, and thrown down a hill, where she lay unconscious for over an hour before recovering enough to return home.
Bobby is sharing the details in hopes of preventing another occurrence of this crime and of possibly uncovering other facts that will lead to the arrest and imprisonment of these criminals. The girl left her home in Campo Arnaiz and waited on the La Bufadora road for a micro to take her to Maneadero; her destination was to be the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, where she regularly and customarily attended services for the past two years.
She noticed a vehicle parked under the sign advertising boat excursions ("Paseo en lanchas---10 dlls") but paid it little attention, since cars are often parked there near the beach access. The car apparently was a two-door Blazer or Bronco type vehicle, dark-colored, with brownish windows; it was old and faded-looking, and had no back seats.
As she waited for the bus, two men wearing ski masks got out of the car, and one ran towards her. Sensing the danger she was in, she began to run away but was overpowered by her pursuer, who nearly squeezed the breath out of her to silence her, before forcing her through the open back window of the vehicle.
Once inside the vehicle, she was beaten and raped by one of the men while the other "stood guard" outside the car. The poor child suffered this ordeal for about 40 minutes before she was carried from the car and thrown, unclothed, down a hill, where she remained unconscious for about an hour. Injured and in shock, she remained a while longer before returning home; she was afraid the rapists might still be there.
Bobby is seeking only justice for his daughter in telling this story. In his own words, "Our intention is to first of all let people know that though it may seem like Paradise, we are far from it, especially if we are not careful. In my daughter's case, this was done in the plain light of day and on the side of the road….Second, we more than anyone want these criminals behind bars, where they belong."Punta Banda Newsletter
APNewsBreak: Mexico Plans Immigration Shake-Up
[Fulano's note: Whenever Mexico is forced to face the reality of its corrupt government, it announces a shake-up. People are fired, speeches are given, blame is laid and ultimately life goes on exactly as before. Nothing will come of this new immigration shake-up. The Mexican government is not even in control of the situation. Cartels, corrupt police and immigration officials call the shots, not Los Piños. The following news story is all just smoke and mirrors.]
Link to article.
Link to article.
MEXICO CITY — Mexico plans a shake-up of its corruption-ridden immigration institute, officials said, after a year that saw some of the worst atrocities against illegal migrants trekking through the country - including the mass slaughter of 72 Central and South Americans trying to reach the United States.
The dismissals early this week will include several top directors of the National Institute for Migration, according to two government officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been made public.
The government of President Felipe Calderon also plans to reform practices that have led to omissions, oversights and acts of corruption, though the officials didn't provide details.
The hardships migrants face in Mexico have long been a source of discomfort for a country that lobbies hard for better treatment of its own immigrants in the United States.
The shake-up comes less than two weeks after El Salvador reported the kidnapping of 50 migrants from a train in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca.
Mexico angered its Central American neighbors by initially denying the Dec. 16 abduction took place, but now says it is investigating and has several migrants who escaped in protective custody. El Salvador later denounced a second kidnapping in Oaxaca: nine migrants who apparently were taken from a train Dec. 22. Five escaped and reported the kidnapping and one was killed trying to flee, the Salvadoran Foreign Relations Department said in a statement.
The bodies of 72 migrants were found Aug. 24 at a ranch about 100 miles (80) kilometers south of the U.S. border they were trying to reach. Authorities have said the migrants were killed by the Zetas drug gang after refusing to work as traffickers. The Zetas have also been linked to the disappearance of the 50.
In September, Cecilia Romero resigned as director of the institute in the wake of the massacre and was replaced by the current director, Salvador Beltran del Rio.
The two officials said the shake-up is not a response to the kidnappings but to a government review that found widespread incompetence within the institute, which runs migrant detention centers and is in charge of deportations. They declined to say how many of the institute's 5,000 employees would be replaced.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
A Simple Twist of Fate?
On November 21, 2010, about 5:44PM, a Beech 19A, N6064N, piloted by Chuck Chambers ran out of fuel. During the pilot's subsequent forced landing, the airplane descended into an estimated 3-feet-deep water in Newport Beach, California, nosed over, and was substantially damaged. Chambers and his two passengers were killed. They were all returning from watching the Score Baja 1000 off-road race in Baja, California.
Five years earlier, on November 19, 2005, at 2:03PM, a Cessna T210N, N546BC, crashed into the Pacific Ocean and sank about 3 miles south of Dana Point, California. The pilot and three passengers on board, who were returning from the Score Baja 1000 off-race in Baja were all killed. Among the dead was Jason Baldwin, who was a driver in the race. The accident investigators believe the pilot, Dan Neuman, 51-years old, suffered a heart attack in flight.
The two aircraft crashes were separated by exactly five years and occurred 16 miles from each other, but were connected by the same event, the Score Baja 1000.
Jason Baldwin was no stranger to accidents. In 1998, he collided head-on with a motorcyclist who was considering entering the Score Baja 500 off-road event during the pre-race warm up. The motorcyclist was killed.
In 1999, he lost control of his truck two miles into another Baja off-road race and crashed into a crowd, killing an onlooker and injuring himself and several others.
Immediately after the news of Jason Baldwin's death, his family released the following announcement:
For over 50 years, social psychologists have been trying to figure out the human gift for rationalizing irrational behavior. Why would a human being say it is okay to die unexpectedly, as long as the victim lived life to the fullest? Is it really OK to die before your time?
This self-delusion, the result of what’s called cognitive dissonance, has been demonstrated over and over by researchers who have come up with increasingly elaborate explanations for it. Psychologists have suggested we hone our skills of rationalization in order to impress others, reaffirm our “moral integrity” and protect our “self-concept” and feeling of “global self-worth.”
Cognitive dissonance, is a term coined by the social psychologist Leon Festinger. In 1956 one of his students, Jack Brehm, brought some items into the lab and asked people to rate the desirability of things like an electric sandwich press, a desk lamp, a stopwatch and a transistor radio. Then they were given a choice between two items they considered equally attractive, and told they could take one home. After making a choice, they were asked to rate all the items again. Suddenly they had a new perspective. If they had chosen the electric sandwich press over the radio, they raised its rating and downgraded the radio. They convinced themselves they had made by far the right choice.
In general, people deal with cognitive dissonance — the clashing of conflicting thoughts — by eliminating one of the thoughts. The notion that the radio is desirable conflicts with the knowledge that you just passed it up, so you banish the notion. The cognitive dissonance is gone; you are smug once again.
Of course, when you see others engaging in this sort of rationalization, it can look silly or pathological, as if they have a desperate need to justify themselves or are cynically telling lies they couldn’t possibly believe themselves.
This concept becomes manifest with people who make poor decisions, and then defend those poor decisions against all logic and reason. For instance, many Americans have been hooked-in by the shameless promotions of Mexico as a cheaper and better place to live than the United States. Once down there, and the reality of Mexico sinks in, some wisely move back to the US and chalk it up to experience. Others remain in Mexico and become pathological liars.
One can find many of the pathological liars on the BajaNomads message board. They live in a third-world shithole, with corrupt police, corrupt politicians and incompetence at every level of government. The power goes off almost daily, the water is undrinkable, even when it is available. Any interaction with the government takes weeks and months for the simplest of requests. Crime, especially petty crime, is rampant. No self-respecting Mexican will ever leave his home unoccupied for more than a few hours, knowing full well that it will be cleaned out in his absence.
Yet these very same people who have invested their money and their reputation down there will insist that Mexico is not only a paradise, but is far superior to the United States. They will do this while reading the daily news headlines that the Mexican government lacks sovereignty over large swaths of its own territory and that Mexico is descending into anarchy. They will invent reasons why they made sound decisions.
So, in case the message has not been clear, it really is NOT OK to die young, leaving a widow and children just because you lived life to the fullest or had a zest for life. It really is NOT OK to kill people with your truck and then do it again the next year because you happen to love racing. It is really not OK to grossly mischaracterize Mexico so you can remove your inner conflicts about making a bad decision. It is all just rationalization.
Five years earlier, on November 19, 2005, at 2:03PM, a Cessna T210N, N546BC, crashed into the Pacific Ocean and sank about 3 miles south of Dana Point, California. The pilot and three passengers on board, who were returning from the Score Baja 1000 off-race in Baja were all killed. Among the dead was Jason Baldwin, who was a driver in the race. The accident investigators believe the pilot, Dan Neuman, 51-years old, suffered a heart attack in flight.
The two aircraft crashes were separated by exactly five years and occurred 16 miles from each other, but were connected by the same event, the Score Baja 1000.
Jason Baldwin was no stranger to accidents. In 1998, he collided head-on with a motorcyclist who was considering entering the Score Baja 500 off-road event during the pre-race warm up. The motorcyclist was killed.
In 1999, he lost control of his truck two miles into another Baja off-road race and crashed into a crowd, killing an onlooker and injuring himself and several others.
Immediately after the news of Jason Baldwin's death, his family released the following announcement:
The family has found comfort knowing that Jason spent the last day of his life doing what he loved, racing through the Baja desert. Jason had a strong faith and an unmatched zest for life, living it to the fullest every day.Chuck Chambers has the following quote on the home page of his website:
Plan your life as if you are going to live forever. Live your life as if you are going to die tomorrow.Did anybody do any investigation to determine if the two people killed by Baldwin also lived life to the fullest? Did anybody investigate whether Chuck Chambers' passengers, who also perished when he ran out of fuel, lived their lives as if they were going to die tomorrow?
For over 50 years, social psychologists have been trying to figure out the human gift for rationalizing irrational behavior. Why would a human being say it is okay to die unexpectedly, as long as the victim lived life to the fullest? Is it really OK to die before your time?
This self-delusion, the result of what’s called cognitive dissonance, has been demonstrated over and over by researchers who have come up with increasingly elaborate explanations for it. Psychologists have suggested we hone our skills of rationalization in order to impress others, reaffirm our “moral integrity” and protect our “self-concept” and feeling of “global self-worth.”
Cognitive dissonance, is a term coined by the social psychologist Leon Festinger. In 1956 one of his students, Jack Brehm, brought some items into the lab and asked people to rate the desirability of things like an electric sandwich press, a desk lamp, a stopwatch and a transistor radio. Then they were given a choice between two items they considered equally attractive, and told they could take one home. After making a choice, they were asked to rate all the items again. Suddenly they had a new perspective. If they had chosen the electric sandwich press over the radio, they raised its rating and downgraded the radio. They convinced themselves they had made by far the right choice.
In general, people deal with cognitive dissonance — the clashing of conflicting thoughts — by eliminating one of the thoughts. The notion that the radio is desirable conflicts with the knowledge that you just passed it up, so you banish the notion. The cognitive dissonance is gone; you are smug once again.
Of course, when you see others engaging in this sort of rationalization, it can look silly or pathological, as if they have a desperate need to justify themselves or are cynically telling lies they couldn’t possibly believe themselves.
This concept becomes manifest with people who make poor decisions, and then defend those poor decisions against all logic and reason. For instance, many Americans have been hooked-in by the shameless promotions of Mexico as a cheaper and better place to live than the United States. Once down there, and the reality of Mexico sinks in, some wisely move back to the US and chalk it up to experience. Others remain in Mexico and become pathological liars.
One can find many of the pathological liars on the BajaNomads message board. They live in a third-world shithole, with corrupt police, corrupt politicians and incompetence at every level of government. The power goes off almost daily, the water is undrinkable, even when it is available. Any interaction with the government takes weeks and months for the simplest of requests. Crime, especially petty crime, is rampant. No self-respecting Mexican will ever leave his home unoccupied for more than a few hours, knowing full well that it will be cleaned out in his absence.
Yet these very same people who have invested their money and their reputation down there will insist that Mexico is not only a paradise, but is far superior to the United States. They will do this while reading the daily news headlines that the Mexican government lacks sovereignty over large swaths of its own territory and that Mexico is descending into anarchy. They will invent reasons why they made sound decisions.
So, in case the message has not been clear, it really is NOT OK to die young, leaving a widow and children just because you lived life to the fullest or had a zest for life. It really is NOT OK to kill people with your truck and then do it again the next year because you happen to love racing. It is really not OK to grossly mischaracterize Mexico so you can remove your inner conflicts about making a bad decision. It is all just rationalization.
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