Hail In Oaxaca!
Saturday, March 31st, 2007It was hot as hell today…stayed home and worked on the video footage of a Tajate demonstration of Mica’s mother yesterday. Then at 6pm this! Actually we got hail when I was here last June too…
Archive for March, 2007
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A Dongle?
Saturday, March 31st, 2007New Luxury tax on internet usage in Thailand
All internet accounts to be taxed with 970 Baht/month. ($235)
Hardware dongle required for internet use
BANGKOK: — The government has announced heavy investment to upgrade Thailand’s international bandwidth, but has introduced an internet tax to help fund investment, and control usage.
The internet tax will be based on bandwidth and would be applied on a graduated scale according to the speed of a users internet connection. The internet luxury tax will be 970 Baht/month for most users.
Foreigners without a work permit and retirees will be required to pay the monthly tax at a higher rate, 1,490 Baht/month. ($361)
Sombat Merou-Ruang, director of the Alien Internet Control Division at CAT headquarters in Bangkok says “foreigners that do not have work in Thailand only hang out on internet forums, visit pornographic sites and other website lamock, different from Thai citizens who mostly use the internet for banking, ecommerce, and furthering their education.” (Right…and I have a bridge in Oaxaca to sell you! Now the bar girls will have to pay more for writing to their johns in Germany or the US of A begging money for their grandmothers’ operation before she dies!}
In addition to the bandwidth tax, an extra usage tax of 490 Baht will be levied on those using Bittorrents and surfing foreign language internet forums.
[read on]
Lucha Libre
Saturday, March 31st, 2007
Good against evil. Have you seen the movie Nacho Libre filmed in Oaxaca with Jack Black? Here is a snippet of a real lucha (fight) that I attended in Oaxaca...my first one. Pretty silly...and lots of humor. ... [Continue reading this entry]
Tranquilo Oaxaca?
Wednesday, March 28th, 2007
On Monday morning March 26, I went to my dentist appointment. The dentist was 45 minutes late. She explained there was a taxi strike and she had had to walk to work. The dust in this country is ... [Continue reading this entry]
Dual Pricing
Tuesday, March 27th, 2007
Found a hilarious travel article on Bootnall today about the luxury tax...or dual pricing for foreigners as it is called:
The Luxury Tax - Asia, Europe, South America
By: Adam Jeffries Schwartz
The following is a guide to how the luxury tax is ... [Continue reading this entry]
Atenco Foreshadowed Oaxaca
Monday, March 26th, 2007
A brutal repression and massacre of resistors by federal and state police in the small city of Atenco, 15 miles south of Mexico City, in May of 2006, foreshadowed the repression that was to follow June through November 2006 in ... [Continue reading this entry]
Taco Surprise
Friday, March 23rd, 2007
Yesterday, after a leisurely visit over coffee at the Nueva Mundo coffee shop in the Centro with Sharon, I drove out to Plaza del Valle, past the University, to Oaxaca City's northern style shopping plaza which is newish...built within the ... [Continue reading this entry]
Straight Talk From New Mexican Ambassador
Friday, March 23rd, 2007
Mexican Envoy Highly Critical of U.S. Role in Anti-Drug Effort
By Karen DeYoung
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 23, 2007; Page A11
The United States has contributed "zilch" to Mexico's efforts to combat the nations' joint problem with criminal narcotics gangs, Mexico's new ... [Continue reading this entry]
Where Are The Bracero Payments?
Tuesday, March 20th, 2007
The "braceros" were a huge group of Mexicans allowed into the United States on special work visas between 1942 and 1964 to allow Mexican workers to replace Americans who had entered WWII. Most of the braceros worked in agriculture but ... [Continue reading this entry]
Family of Brad Will To Visit Oaxaca
Sunday, March 18th, 2007
Family of Murdered Independent Journalist Brad Will to Visit Mexico City and Oaxaca
According to a press release issued by the family of Bradley Roland Will, the independent US photojournalist shot and killed last October 27th in Oaxaca, they will visit ... [Continue reading this entry]
Watching Calderon
Sunday, March 18th, 2007
"I know I am running risks, confronting strong forces," he said on the presidential jet. "But I think the key to life is to live it intensely."
He is making many promises as did Fox. And no mention of taxes. We'll ... [Continue reading this entry]
Largest Drug Raid in History…in Mexico
Saturday, March 17th, 2007
The LA Times reports today from MEXICO CITY — Authorities confiscated more than $200 million in U.S. currency from methamphetamine producers in one of this city's ritziest neighborhoods, they said Friday, calling it the largest drug cash seizure in history.
The ... [Continue reading this entry]
Where Are The “Disappeared?”
Saturday, March 17th, 2007
Latest news in Oaxaca:
The Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos, CNDH has formally confirmed that the "violence" in Oaxaca was carried out by the ministerial, state and federal police troops, thereby agreeing with the complaints of the APPO regarding violations ... [Continue reading this entry]
Zocalo At Night
Saturday, March 17th, 2007
Intimidating, the Governor thought the tourists would feel safer with them there...among other political reasons.
Gone from the Zocalo are the PFP with their menacing night sticks and bullet-proof vests and their rifles and sidearms...for shooting and for tear gas. ... [Continue reading this entry]
Tlacalula Again
Friday, March 16th, 2007
When Jennifer got in the car she looked at me and asked if I used to go to the Beanery coffee house in Salem where she worked at one time. Of course I had.
Michael and Jennifer from Portland Oregon ... [Continue reading this entry]
Violence “Worries” The Pope
Saturday, March 10th, 2007
Today’s big headline in the Oaxaca Noticias says Preocupa al Papa la violencia en Oaxaca (The violence in Oaxaca worries the Pope). Oh, really?
Protesting Donald Trump With Poise
Saturday, March 10th, 2007
More on the beauty pageant to be staged at Monte Alban:
Auditions to be Held April 18 in New York City Toward a Protest with Poise Aimed at Donald Trump and NBC
By Cha-Cha Connor
Spokesmodel, Popular Assembly of Models for Oaxaca
"In solidarity ... [Continue reading this entry]
10th Oaxaca MegaMarch
Saturday, March 10th, 2007
Maria and I missed the 10th Megamarch in observance of International Women's Day March 8. Probably just as well because Maria is mega cautious. Instead, we went to Teotitlan again in search of rugs for her daughter.
Slim’s Pickings in Mexico
Friday, March 9th, 2007
My Mexican cell phone air time is astronomically expensive. My Mexican friends have resorted to text-messaging...a few pesos cheaper than calls.
The TV stations are controlled by one man...and the news they give by the government.
Wonder ... [Continue reading this entry]
Bob, Josh and Luk In Bangkok
Wednesday, March 7th, 2007
My son Josh is Chef de Cuisine of "One East On Third" in the Hilton Hotel in Beijing. He was sent by the Executive Chef to Bangkok last week to check out some restaurants there. Luk, a delightful Thai ... [Continue reading this entry]