Tech on Tec

The last posts for class have been posted. Our despedida dinner is tomorrow. Everyone goes their separate ways on Saturday….some to Guadalajara, many back to Atlanta, and a couple will stay here.

“Mexico is the top drug exporter to the United States” (Levy and Bruhn 213). While I couldn’t tell you where or when I learned this information, it did not shock me to come across this statement when reading for class. What shocked me was that I had never applied the basic principle of supply and demand pounded into my head during a semester of macroeconomics: “with no demand, there would be no reason to produce” (Levy and Brunn 216). More simply put, Mexicans sell drugs to Americans because Americans want to buy drugs from Mexicans.

Since the drug problem is two-fold—Mexican production and American consumption—it makes sense that the countries would work together to find a solution. Ideally, while the Mexican government addressed the economic and social factors that make drug production and distribution attractive to its citizens, the American government would focus on understanding and decreasing U.S. consumption. In actuality, however, both countries’ efforts have been devoted to the to the production and transport activities within Mexico.

Many feel the U.S. focus on Mexico is hypocritical and detrimental. Some wonder why the U.S. portrays the drug trade as a Mexican problem without acknowledging its more than thirty million drug users. Others worry that Mexico’s stance on drugs is an act of subservience to the U.S; many Mexicans see “the drug problem as a U.S. problem that becomes a Mexican problem simply because of U.S. pressure” (Levy and Bruhn 222). Adding even more fuel to the fire is the growing number of guns making their way from the U.S. to Mexico where they are illegal. “They are cynical regarding this (consumption) issue,” said Mexico’s Attorney General Eduardo Medina during a recent speech criticizing the lack U.S. action to stem the fire arms flow.

For now it seems, the two countries will continue to center their efforts in Mexico. As we learned in David’s recent post, on June 25, 2007, nearly 300 members of Mexico’s federal police force were temporarily suspended and told that they would be reinstated upon completion of drug, polygraph, and psychological screening. Additionally, President Calderón has fortified anti-drug forces with military support, and the extradition of drug traffickers to the U.S. has increased.

Corruption has been a common theme throughout our class. Within Mexico there exists corruption of the government, of the prison system, and also in the police force. This corruption of the police is currently leading to large amounts of drug related crime.

In Tultitlán, Mexico nearly 300 police officers were suspended, due to a crack down on police corruption. President Calderon has been fighting against the drug trafficking and related crimes since he took office in 2006.

This new plan to suspend police officers suspected of corruption includes drug tests, lie detector tests, and even psychological tests. This is one “of the most radical measures yet undertaken by authorities to stamp out corruption.” Even friends and families of police officers will be tested. The officers that fail the tests will be suspended and those that pass will be promoted.

This is an especially important movement in Mexico. It is one of the first major crack downs on corruption that includes investigation of family and friends. However, it is hard to believe that this measure is going to actually accomplish much if you compare the amount of corrupt police to the 300 that were suspended. There is still a lot of progress to be made in this struggle, but this is a good start.

The coming of the Internet has brought many changes around the world; the way people live and communicate has been greatly impacted. Certain social groups have used Internet blogs to create a community that spreads around the world, and, in this case, Mexico. If you look up blogs on the Internet you will be able to find a blog for almost anything.

The war against organized crime and drugs in Mexico is growing at a rapid pace, if the current state of organized crime remains there will be a major insecurity problem all over the entire country. The growth of these groups comes from the manner in which they communicate and how quickly information is exchanged, not to mention how easy it is to log on the net, through Narco-Blogs. Death threats and insults are passed around people that claim to be part of a certain Narco group. For example, the biggest rivalry in organized crime in Northern Mexico is between the “Chapos” and the “Zetas” who promote their victories and killing sprees on blogs and websites like YouTube, Metacafe, and others of the same kind.

There was a particular blog named the Escolar Blog. Within this blog the Zetas made death threat towards Marcelo Garza y Garza. Garza y Garza was the director for the AEI (State Investigation Agency) and carried out the task. This happened in San Pedro Garza in Monterrey on September 6, 2006. The blogs are extremely popular and it seems like the people who are bragging about their victories through posts are portraying a surreal debate between them that grows into a cyber/war for lack of better words.

In this translated section, of the original, where apparently a member of the rival Cartel is saying how they are looking for Marcelo Garza y Garza and how they are going to kill him amongst other people around him.

What’s up motherfuckers, you children-murdering Zetas, we know that you’re fixed with Marcelo Garza y Garza from the PGR, killing innocent people with the help of that traitor, but we swear that soon we will knock him off, so we can end the executions. We also know that he sold himself to the “Hummer” and the “50”, he even lets them borrow the PGR helicopter so they can get around, so start counting your hours cause soon enough you will get fucked.

This is only a small example of what globalization has done for such groups and how popular it has become to utilize the internet. Similar threats have been flowing around in You Tube with videos that use certain songs to promote the killing sprees these groups engage in. The latest example of how popular and dangerous these blogs have become was with the death of the singer/songwriter Valentin Elizalde who had a song titled “A mis enemigos (To my enemies)”. He dedicates the lyrics to the “Zetas” from the “Chapos.” Other sources claim that he did not write the song for them, that it did not have any significance with the group others say that “El Chapo” made it his anthem to the “Zetas” and used the song to promote himself. But what it all ca down was that Elizalde played a show in Reynosa Tamaulipas and he sang the song twice once at the beginning and once at the end. The lyrics of ¨El Chapo¨:

To speak behind my back you guys don’t need help, why don’t you say it to my face, are you afraid of death? You know whom you are dealing with, so now come and try your luck.
Keep crying snakes that ill get you out of my way and for all of those who appreciate me you have friend in me, cause I have already sang this to all my enemies.

After all, the internet has been an amazing tool for communication and other purposes. However, in this case it is promoting the violence in this country. Even though it resembles a form of cyber violence, it still promotes actual violence. Children log on everyday to the net, and it would be hard to believe that parents would not mind them looking at these websites that discuss killing other human beings along with the description of how they killed a guy in a gruesome way.

Continuing his war on drugs, Mexican President Felipe Calderon took the inital move on June 21^st to send yet another person accused of drug-trafficking into the hands of the U.S. government. The accused man, Mario Villanueva Madrid, is the former governor of Quintana Roo, a state located on the southern tip of Mexico.  He is currently wanted on charges of racketeering, trafficking, and money laundering in New York City.Villanueva began his governorship in 1993 as a member of the PRI, and he is accused of accepting millions of dollars from the Juarez cartel in return for allowing them to bring in 200 tons of cocaine from South America during that time.  Villanueva is also being accused of ordering the state police to protect the traffickers while they temporarily held the drugs in Cancun until they were able to ship the cocaine to the U.S.  Villanueva went underground in 1999 before his term ended, sacrificing his exemption from prosecution. It was then that the federal police were able to capture Villanueva in 2001 and convict him on charges of money-laundering.  He was held captive in a maximum security prison until early in the morning on June 21^st, when he was released from that Mexico City prison.  However, immediately upon his release, several masked federal agents seized him, and following the orders of President Calderon and the U.S., he currently is being detained until his extradition hearing.  If a Mexican judge approves of the extradition, Villanueva will then be put on trial in New York, making him the highest-ranking former Mexican elected official to be on trial in the U.S. for drug-related charges. President Calderon has sent 21 people accused of being members of the drug trade to the U.S. just this year.  He even sent over 11 high-ranking drug trafficking members in one night. By making moves to turn Villanueva over to the U.S., President Calderon boosts his relations with the U.S.  His tough stance on drugs alters the U.S.’s image of Mexico as a weak enforcer to one where it emphatically has been cracking down on the drug trade.

Lugar: Monterrey, Nuevo León, México.
Fecha: Junio de 2006
Temperatura: No mayor a 30 grados.
Hora: 14:03 horas aproximadamente.

Yo estaba dentro de mi casa, con el aire acondicionado encendido ya que el calor, incluso en la sombra, era insoportable, me decidí a encender la televisión para ver el noticiero con Lolita Ayala y fue entonces cuando sucedió algo, algo que me hizo sentir aún más calor repentinamente…Y es que estaban pasando un reportaje en el noticiero local, decían que durante este verano estaba muriendo la gente, -muriendo de calor- decían…yo más bien diría: “muriendo de indiferencia”, de esa indiferencia, de ese egoísmo e individualismo, que mostramos hacia todos esos seres humanos que a pesar de ser absolutamente iguales a nosotros en esencia, no han tenido la misma suerte…Es tanta la gente que muere todos los días, personas que sienten, que piensan, personas que están absolutamente solas, ante un mundo gris, un mundo cruel y tirano que solo los mira de cuando en cuando y les da unas cuantas monedas para callar la voz de su conciencia…

Yo no sabría decir si toda la gente muerta en las calles durante este verano, ha muerto por el calor de la naturaleza o por la manera en que toda la gente “normal” destellamos hacia ellos durante cada instante de su vida…

During class discussion of the Mexican economic crisis of the 1990s last week, we identified several contributing factors, including the drastic increase of credit extended from commercial banks to the private sector, which exacerbated the current account imbalance. Part of the problem in the credit market arose from the lack of a strong, efficient Mexican credit bureau. Because banks and other lending institutions had no means to gather and share information about their clients, consumers could open new credit accounts even after defaulting on previous loans. However, in the last ten years, several international and domestic credit information companies (CICs) have begun to flourish within the country, and government policies have evolved alongside them to improve the quantity and quality of consumer information.

The official Mexican credit bureau is comprised of three main CICs, each of which interacts with the Comision Nacional Bancaria and the national bank to streamline regulation and to promote awareness of the importance of credit reporting in budding economies.

The first of these CICs, TransUnion de Mexico, is a subsidiary of TransUnion and Fair Isaac, two of the leading US firms that offer credit scoring, decision management, fraud detection, credit risk analysis, and other services to financial institutions. TransUnion de Mexico deals with physical individuals’ credit information, a relatively new aspect of the consumer information business in Mexico. Only in 2002 did Congress pass a law called the Law Regulating CICs (Ley para Regular las Sociedades de Información Crediticia), or CBIL, allowing individuals to request and view their own credit score. Before the CBIL, the only regulations governing CICs were three loose provisions in the Law Regulating Financial Groups (Ley para Regular las Agrupaciones Financieras). Under the old law, lending institutions were required to show individuals their credit report after their loan application was denied. Other than that, individuals had almost no way to view their credit information or to ascertain its accuracy.

The other portion of the credit bureau is controlled by a private firm called Dun & Bradstreet de Mexico, a subsidiary of Dun & Bradstreet and TransUnion corporations. This firm deals with the information of corporations and other large entities.

As we have seen with the lack of consumer-rights legislation, the Mexican government does not play a large role in forming standards for CICs. Instead, the Buro de Credito has been conforming with standards regulated by international organizations like ISO, an organization comprised of delegates from 157 different countries that meets in Geneva to set standards for various industries. The Buro has also conformed to standards set by the Norma de Excelencia de Centros de Contacto (NECC). Many of these standards govern general administrative and business practices in addition to privacy concerns, which one would expect with a consumer information database. By conforming to international standards rather than only fulfilling the bare-bones regulations of the Mexican government, the Buro increases its international credibility and allows Mexican firms to compete internationally.

A second source of credit information, not officially aligned with the Buro, is Elektra, primarily known as an electronics and household goods retail store. However, by offering credit to their consumers for furniture, televisions, and washing machines—goods smaller than cars and houses—Elektra incorporates into the market a lower-class portion of the Mexican population that would otherwise be ignored by the Buro.

Real de Catorce it’s a small town in the state of San Luis Potosi about 5 hours from Monterrey, we took an adventure to this traditional city and famous town, real de catorce was a very important town in the 1800´s, it got to be a very famous town because of the amount of silver the mines had, Spaniards came to the town and star exploding the important mineral, and that’s when they founded this little town. In this picture we can see when we arrived to the town, and a cool thing is that to get into the town you have to go in a tunnel that is 2.5 kilometers long.

In this photo we can see some ruins, we visit them like about 9 or 10 o’clock in the morning we had to ride like for about an hour to get there, this place its call “pueblo fantasma” and the name its not because ghost live there, its because its abandoned. This place used to be a mine were the Spaniards use to clean the silver, they are some entrances to the mine, and some big ponds were they used to clean and work on the silver. This is one of the most important attractions in Real de Catorce.
The “quemada” it’s a place to go in Real de Catorce it’s a ceremonial center of the wicholes tribe, we had to ride in a horse for more than 2 hours to get there, it was very fun we were talking all the way, saying jokes and singing (that was me), the wicholes are some is a tribe in northern Mexico, and this ceremonial center its in the top of a mountain, this trip was kind of tiered, but it was very interesting to learn and know a little more of the culture.

The image of a city is produced from a combination of factors: edifices, people, and cultural practices, along with numerous small details that constitute the intricacies of that particular place. However, these small details are typically lost on a visitor’s first impression, which usually is drawn from pictures, tourist sites, or transportation terminals. As for the latter, airports represent a major hub for visiting traffic and as a result, frequently provide a traveler with their first taste of the city in which they are entering. For this reason, it has become commonplace for cities to manipulate local airports to represent some form of the city itself, giving visitors an initial taste of the identity they hope to consume. While some examples of this practice are over the top, such as Denver International’s “Rocky Mountain” range rising from the main terminal building, many succeed in subtly conforming to the home city feel, as seen by the southwestern décor featured throughout concourse interiors at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor airport, or the multitude of coffee shops and wireless cafes that fill SeaTac Airport, Seattle’s main hub for air travel.

Monterrey’s General Mariano Escobedo International Airport follows this pattern similarly; however in this case, the airport has been tailored to represent a more broad view of the city- displaying the modernity yet industrial plainness that sets Monterrey apart from most other locales of Mexico. The heavy use of glass doors and metallic features throughout the three terminals lead into a large check-in/ baggage claim area that, while looking very up-to-date and sophisticated, lacks any true distinguishing characteristic and mirrors many recent additions to airports in the United States. However, this very omission fits well into the image of Monterrey, a Westernized city of industry that lacks an independent character that jumps out to those who visit. As such, many consider Monterrey’s to be the most efficient and modern airport in Mexico, much like the city that boasts Mexico’s highest GDP per capita and stands as an industrial center, not a cultural icon.

Originally built during the 1970’s in response to the troubles and incidents that plagued Monterrey’s existing Del Norte Airport, General Mariano Escobedo International has a history of upgrades and additions, all efforts to uphold the reputation of Mexico’s finest airport. While not large by modern day standards, both the original terminals have been kept well above industry standards, especially after a 2003 upgrade that cemented the current status of the airport’s advanced reputation. In 2006, an additional terminal was added to provide room for the growing domestic carrier market in Mexico (as seen in Group Two’s recent post). Unlike Mexico City, which has encountered numerous problems with airport expansion and new airport planning, Monterrey has consistently funneled ample funding into their airport. According to El Porvenir, a local newspaper, the city will begin the upgrade and expansion of Terminal B, one of the original structures that has been the least touched in recent years. The addition of gates as well as more modernization of the terminal as a whole will cost at least $40 million dollars. Once completed, every terminal in the Monterrey Airport will have undergone some form of either construction or renovation over the course of five years, assuring the airport’s dominance over the country’s other options.

The only foreseeable flaw in the airport as it stands today are the two runways- of which only one is capable of handling larger passenger jets. In addition, neither of the two is long enough to comfortably accommodate the new wide body jets that are beginning to enter the market, constituting the wave of the future. An additional runway or an extension to an existing one would open up an ability to host larger international flights and bring the airport even deeper into the modern air industry. Surely, as Monterrey has used extensive projects and funds to keep the airport modern in the recent past, the city will continue to upgrade the facility, thus strengthening the already deep-seated connection shared by the city and its gateway to the world.

            Last Sunday afternoon, our class traveled to Papa Bill’s clad in tri colors, but they weren’t that of the United States. These greens, whites, and reds were in obvious support for our temporary motherland, which ended up being a mistake because traitors never win.

            The CONCACAF Gold Cup Championship between Mexico and the United States last Sunday, which was the 9^th edition of the most important tournament in the region, was played at Soldier Field in Chicago.  The overwhelming support in the 60,000-plus stadium was clearly pro-Mexico, except for the US fan base behind one goal, the entire stadium was overwhelmed with the endless sea of green. 

            The game started off appearing as an evenly matched game, without an apparent upper hand in either direction. This changed as Mexico began pushing into their offensive final third, but although they were in the American penalty box, they couldn’t finish the ball.  After many excruciatingly close attempts in the first half Mexico finally scored, but this didn’t stop the US attempts on goal in the second half, which concluded with an American victory. This was made possible by Donovan’s successful penalty kick followed by the phenomenal game winning shot drilled from 25 yards out by US midfielder, Feilhaber, into the upper 90 of the Mexican net over Sanchez’s head, an nearly impossibly shot to block.

            Although this game may have seemed insignificant to viewers who don’t follow soccer, football enthusiasts can appreciate the importance of this second Gold Cup Championship for the States.  Football has become a relatively recent phenomenon in the United States, compared to that of our Southern Hemisphere competitors.

In the past two decades, the United States has risen from a mere mockery to a respectable team, and even though they began to fall behind Mexico during the first half on Sunday, “they didn’t fall apart as they might have in years past.” United States coach Bradley commented on their confidence developing as a result of “those home victories they’ve piled up over El Tri recently” and this helped them to “win in a different way.”

Even though they have the footwork and miraculously placed goals to back up their reputation, the international politically charged opinion of the United States and our current administration has caused the team much turbulence during away games. This negative stigma was not helped in the semi-finals when the US played Canada during which there were many controversial calls in US favor, including the potential match point that was voided because of an off side call by the sideline referee.

Though the United States ended with the trophy, the Mexican coach, Hugo Sanchez, did not feel that the final game and tournament were to be viewed with a negative sentiment. During a post game interview, he commented about the level of play of both teams, saying that “when the rival takes advantage of their opportunities one must congratulate your rival. The U.S. was more practical but we deserved a better result. Many times the team that plays best is not the one who wins, but the most efficient and the one that takes advantage of their opportunities.”

The final outcome was disappointing for Mexican fans, but the level of play was intense and the atmosphere on our adventure was engaging and a overall great experience.

Last weekend when the class took a trip to Guanajuato, which is about 10 hours driving distance south of Monterrey, we were presented with the challenge of a photo safari contest. The purpose of the contest was to encourage us to see the important sites and experience the culture of this smaller town. The following pictures are my favorite pictures from the safari.

One of the first things that I did when I got there was take a trip on a local bus into the center of town. It was a nice experience to use the most commonly used mode of transportation instead of a taxi. I felt less like a tourist, and more like a local.

The photo safari encouraged me to take notice of some of the local foods. I tried corn on a stick that was seasoned with cheese, lime, and spices. This type of corn was different from what I’m used to eating. All of the seasoning made it a lot more exciting to eat than regular corn. It was also a nice change from the corn in a cup that I’ve purchased here in Monterrey. Later I tried some Mexican candy that was not sold in a wrapper. It was a sweet made of sugar and milk and they refer to it as “dulce con leche.” I enjoyed the scavenger hunt requirements that gave me an excuse to try some local cuisine.
The contest also forced me to take notice of some of the more subtle aspects of Mexican culture, one of which was the presence of small independent businesses cooking and selling food on the street. This picture is a man cooking beef that he will then use to make tacos. In five minutes you could order, get your taco, pay and be on your way.

On June 20, 2007, President Felipe Calderón announced a new set of tax provisions intended to increase government revenue. The new laws would address two segments of Mexico’s economy in particular: big business and members of the informal sector. Companies will be expected to pay a minimum tax of about 19%. The government will also institute a 2% tax on all bank deposits of more than 20,000 pesos in an effort to tax the self-employed who rarely pay income taxes.

Currently, the largest proportion of federal funding comes from the state-owned oil company, Pemex. In 2006, oil profits accounted for 40% of the national budget, but declining production and shrinking reserves are forcing politicians to seek alternative sources of revenue. Suggestions that the value-added tax (VAT), a 15% tax to consumer goods, be amended to include food and medicine were dismissed as too detrimental to Mexico’s poor citizens. In December 2006, it appeared the government had found a more acceptable solution with the Chamber of Deputies’ approval of a 5% soda tax proposed by Calderón. However, the Senate voted 73-55 against the measure.

In addition to fortifying the federal budget, many hope this latest attempt at tax reform will signal a change for the better for Mexico’s tax system. Compared to other countries with similar economies, the country’s tax revenue of about 11% of GDP accounts for a strikingly small amount; such low numbers make it increasingly difficult for the government to maintain the infrastructure and to finance much needed social programs. The new laws are intended to make it more difficult for companies and individuals to cheat the system, but some are already thinking of ways to avoid the new rules should they be passed: “When it comes in, I’ll stop putting money in the bank,” said one Mexico City small business owner.

Mexico has undergone a significant economic transition in the last decade, becoming a much more open economy. According to World Bank Atlas 2002, Mexico is the world’s ninth largest economy, the eighth largest exporter of goods and services with maquiladoras activity included, and the fourth largest oil producer.
Mexico has an intensive trade activity and has been committed to diversify its commercial openness. WTO  2000 shows that Mexico was ranked 8th leading exporter and 7th leading importer.

Thanks to the trade liberalization’s measures adopted by Mexico, which had contributed to the economic development, today Mexico is the first trade country in Latinoamerica, with 46% of the exports from the region and 47% of its imports.

In 2001, the Mexico’s foreign trade exceeded the 326,000 million dollars. The exports registered in the last year of 159,000 million dollars represent the triple of the amount exported in 1993. The market polices together with the network of the Free Trade Area have done from Mexico one of the most attractive countries for the national investment. Since the NAFTA was created in 1994, Mexico has received more than 112,000 million dollars in Foreign Direct Investment. It represents an annual average of almost 14,000 million dollars, more than three times the annual amount received during the six years previous to the NAFTA. The liberalization of the commerce also has helped Mexico to diversify the base of its exports. At the beginning of the decade of 1980 the oil and products related to petroleum constituted most of the exports. Today almost of the 90 percent of the external sales consist of manufactured products. 

The benefits of the liberalization of the commerce in Mexico have been propagated by all the country. Previously our potential of export was limited to the countries enrolled in the Free Trade Area that involves  Mexico, the NAFTA. Today,
Mexico has expanded its trade agreements with many other countries like the agreement with the EFTA, obtaining greatest benefits .

In my opinion, it’s important to know that although Mexico GDP has risen 70 billion dollars thanks to NAFTA , has not yet risen the standard of living of the population neither the  hourly wages. However with the agreement established with the EFTA, Mexico has been more benefited, I would said in an indirectly way, it means in the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) because since the EU has become the Mexico’s second main trading partner, it also has become one of the most important contributor to the FDI, which means more works opportunities for the Mexican persons and a better standard of live.

      Mexico’s airline industry saw a new low cost sector emerge in 2005.  Most of Mexican aviation history has been dominated by only two major airlines.  But recent liberalization of the market by the Mexican government has allowed for several new players to come into the game.  It was also a market ripe for innovation with a large demand for cheaper domestic travel.
      Up until 2005 most domestic airline travel was with the two giants: Aeromexico and Mexicana.  But in 2005 these partially state owned airlines were sold and the government deregulated some of its strict policy in the industry.  Interestingly enough, it was Mexicana that announced the first low-cost airline with Click Mexicana.  Several other airlines emerged and led to drastic changes in the business.
      These new airlines have taken the model of several American budget carriers such as JetBlue and Southwest.  A 2005 Economist article pointed also to the Brazilian airline, GOL, which has gained a fair share of its domestic market and been reasonably profitable.  The major competitors that have evolved in Mexico’s market include: Volaris, Interjet, the aforementioned Click, and most recently Viva Aerobus.  These new lines have all gotten a majority of their passengers from would be Aeromexico and Mexicana flyers, but they have also attracted many first time flyers that are drawn by the low fares.  These new flyers have contributed to growing strain on Mexico City’s Benito Juárez International Airport and led several of the low cost lines to take up hubs in nearby Toluca.  Only an hour and a half outside of DF, the Toluca airport offers lower operation costs for the discount carriers and less hassle for its passengers.
      This growing low cost field has been occurring globally with growing markets in India and Asia as well as those well established in the US and Europe.  Such a boom has had positive implications for the major aircraft manufactures Airbus and Boeing.  These firms’ recent sales have been boosted heavily by these low cost carriers after the void from September 11.  For Mexicans cheaper domestic flights could mean a break from long bus rides and a more accessible county.  

After visiting the Coke bottling plant this week, my curiosity was sparked as to the differences in the design of various beverage packaging.  

This two-liter bottle of Sprite is a typical shape for two-liter soda bottles. It really differs from the bottles in that the top has a longer, more angled slope; the typical two-liter bottles in the U.S. curve almost immediately from the top and have a more pill-like shape.

Fanta bottles were the ones that first got my attention. These bottles are bubbly-shaped, almost in the likeness of an hourglass. The Fanta’s at home take on the typical 20 oz bottle shape.

Lastly, the other beverage packaging that I noticed a difference was Gatorade and Powerade. The ones here in Mexico may look almost outdated compared to ones you would find in the States. The top found on the bottles distributed here reminds me of the Gatorade and Powerade design from years ago.

What could these differences be attributed to? A difference in industrial design training? Facilities? Resources perhaps? Consumer preference? Who knows?!

The debate over illegal immigrants is at the forefront of Mexico-United States relations. We all know the arguments, and each of us probably holds his or her own opinion about the subject. Some fear losing America’s cultural identity to the vast number of foreigners entering our country: Hispanics have become America’s largest minority group, and predictions place California as the first Hispanic majority state by 2035. There is no question that as Mexican immigrants, both illegal and legal, move to the US, some mixing of the two cultures will occur. I do agree that maintaining a cultural identity is a valid argument, but it’s an argument that has two sides.

The Americanization of Mexico has been apparent since I arrived in Mexico. Many American chains and brands are prominent in Mexico, and Monterrey has a strong American influence since it is close to the Texas border. Pharmacies and grocery stores are filled with the products we know and love, like Crest, Suave, and Gillette. If an American wanted to eat only “American” meals, he or she would not have much difficulty with the wide variety of familiar restaurants: Applebee’s, Chili’s, Bennigan’s, and plenty of fast food places. Wal-Mart has even become Mexico’s largest private employer.

While the majority of the Mexico’s “Americanization” is due to the influx of goods that were not present in the country before NAFTA’s implementation, Americans themselves are playing a role. Around one million Americans are presently residing “south of the border”, a statistic that is greatly increased from the 200,000 who were living here ten years ago. Typical rationales for Americans moving to Mexico are based on money and atmosphere. Depending on where in the US they lived, the cost of living in Mexico may be significantly lower, between 25 and 75 percent lower. The climate and attitude also attract some American expatriates. The current political atmosphere, however, is becoming a main reason for a move to Mexico. The day after President Bush’s reelection, real estate agents in San Miguel de Allende received many inquiries from Americans wishing to emigrate from the US. This town is already the top spot to which Americans have congregated – 10 percent of its residents are American!

In an interesting turn of events, some Americans actually remain in Mexico illegally, having not renewed their visas or traveling around the country without establishing residency. The issue of illegal immigration to either side of the border will not be solved in the immediate future, while both countries remain dependent on the other but uncomprehending of the other’s argument.

As we discussed Mexican exports in class, I became more and more interested in what types of goods Mexico is exporting, what conditions the farmers and manufacturers are living under, and their attitudes towards their business. I found these answers in an article about fruit exportation from a small farm in Hermosillo, Mexico.
This small family in rural Mexico grows, packages, and directly exports table grapes from their farm. The heat is intense and the work is not easy, yet the family, based on how the article read, seems to enjoy and find much pride in their work. The mother, Aide Espinosa, her husband, and her son who is sixteen years old, work the fields together. As a family, the Espinosa´s produce whatever crop is in high demand and in season – ranging from grapes to tomatoes.
The table grape season for the family begins in May, as the Chilean grape crop begins to run out. The majority of these grapes are sent to United State’s grocery stores. Apparently, these grapes are in high demand in the United States. Last year, 213 million tons of the table grapes were exported to the States, most of which were farmed by Mexican itinerant (moving from place to place) farmers.
Agricultural production is a very small business in Mexico and draws little attention from foreign investment. This is due to poor ¨legal structure governing land tenure system in Mexico.¨ This article has shown me that, even though agriculture is a diminishing business in Mexico, the farmers amongst it are often very satisfied and content with their profession.

Man hides stolen diamond in newly constructed building. Man goes to prison. Man is released from prison to find that said building is now a police station. Man pretends to be a detective to retrieve diamond. This is the basic plot of Columbia Picture’s 1999 comedy, Blue Streak. While the movie is typical Saturday afternoon fair for TBS, neither stellar nor awful, its conclusion, in which our “hero” escapes into Mexico with the long-sought gem, serves to highlight an interesting facet of US/Mexico relations: criminal jurisdiction and extradition.

On May 4, 1978, Presidents Jimmy Carter and López Portillo signed the Extradition Treaty Between the United States of America and the United Mexican States. The treaty gives each country jurisdiction over crimes committed inside its borders, territorial waters, or any aircraft or vessel registered within the country. Subject to the treaty’s provisions, each country is obligated to extradite persons convicted for or suspected of committing any one of more than two dozen crimes including murder, rape and arson. However, provisions concerning sentencing, the treatment of nationals, and procedures for requesting and obtaining extradition allow each country considerable discretion and can affect administration of the treaty:

• Neither country will extradite persons whose crimes warrant a sentence of less than one year in prison.
• Neither country will extradite persons facing a death sentence unless their crime warrants the same penalty in the country they will be extradited from.
• Neither country is obligated to extradite a citizen to be prosecuted for a crime committed abroad.

In recent years, Mexico/U.S. extradition practices have frequently been addressed in regards to two men: Andrew Luster and Duane “Dog” Chapman. On June 18, 2003, Chapman, a Hawaii-based bounty hunter, arrested Luster, a convicted rapist, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Chapman and his associates were then taken into Mexican custody on possible kidnapping charges. On February 16, 2007, the men learned that Mexican authorities had requested their extradition for trial, but as of June 15 they remained free, so while the treaty gives each country the right to request extradition, it cannot guarantee compliance.

Menopause has always been a nightmare both for women and their male counterparts. It is said that while the feminine side of the issue worries about the loss of sexual desire – which consequently affects the males – the masculine side of the issue lies in having to deal with their partners’ unstable temper. Organon Mexico, a research facility dedicated to the investigation, fabrication and commercialization of products related to the area of gynecology amongst others, has added another burden to the already extensive list of menopause symptoms: painful sex.

A recent study realized by the mentioned organization in Mexico City ‘proves’ the claim. Over 700 women between the age of 40 and 63 were asked to complete a survey, and the results revealed that 66 percent of women going through the stage of menopause confirmed the presence of pain during sexual relations. Organon attributes this ‘suffering’ to the fact that as a woman grows older, the vaginal wall becomes more rigid, thin, and less elastic, in addition to the absence of adequate lubrication. The thinning of the walls is also associated with difficulty to have an orgasm and the proclivity to acquire vaginal infections, as well as itchiness and dryness – all manifestations that are directly related to the drop of estrogen levels during menopause. This apparently common cause for sexual problems, often due to lack of awareness, often evolves into irreparable problems between couples. The questionnaire also divulged that 58 percent of women still have sexual desires, which calls for the need to provide them with a diagnostic and treatment that can control the symptoms and allow them to have a normal sex life once again. Organon is determined to find a solution to this, having in mind that the consumer market is in incredible need and is highly profitable.

A little more than 10 years ago the aging man was ‘blessed’ with the patenting of Viagra to help him with his sexual difficulties. But for those of them that can’t get young women, today there finally is hope that their partners will receive another windfall from the ‘scientific market’.

Just a few days ago, the Vatican issued a list of 10 commandments for motorists to promote safer driving. The 36-page manuscript – which encourages drivers to make the sign of the cross before setting off on any trip – was established as a consequence of the 1.2 million people deceased on the road each year. The commandments call for people not to make the car ‘an occasion of sin’, such as happens when drinking or when involving prostitution. It also warns about the primitive’ behavior patterns that can be emancipated by the act of driving, such as cursing or blasphemy. Here is a list of the 10 driving commandments.

1. Thou shall not kill.
2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.
3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.
4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.
5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.
6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.
7. Support the families of accident victims.
8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.
9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.
10. Feel responsible towards others.

Mexico has over 26,000 deaths and 18,000 handicapped per year due to car accidents. It is also the ranked number 1 in the index of deaths and injuries of underage drivers and drivers of ‘productive age.’ The lack of correct signaling and the scarcity of civic education all around the country might as well be to blame. But all is lost once an accident occurs, and blame matters no more. It is evident that for this reason the ‘catholic’ country of Mexico has become a home for sinners – according to the Vatican.

And Monterrey might as well be the ’sinning capital’. Even though the metropolitan city is constantly afflicted by motorist victims, people keep driving imprudently due to the lack of enforcement of the law. “Mordida”, the Mexican term for ‘bribe’, seems to have successfully replaced the ‘driving ticket’. And even though this ‘phenomenon’ is morally and politically incorrect, the fact of it presenting itself at every level of the bureaucracy and as a way of life in Mexico makes its extinction all the more unachievable. From 2000 through the beginning of 2002, 991 people died in the city of Monterrey (consider that this does not includes its outskirts or neighboring municipalities), and an additional 71 pedestrians died from car-related accidents during the same time period. If the numbers were to include all of the accidents and deaths in places such as San Pedro Garza Garcia, Cumbres, Santa Catarina, amongst many other ‘cities’ considered to be part of the Monterrey metropolitan area, the numbers would be astonishing.

Young people in these places are the greatest contributors of accidents; they drive at excessive speeds, without the necessary precaution, and even under the influence of alcohol. It is for such reasons that municipal governments have provided themselves with the duty of establishing “anti-alcoholicas” (road blocks for the sole purpose of identifying and stopping drunk drivers) all across the city and “inspection points” in San Pedro – the all-powerful youngsters of this city convinced their family’s business elite to complain to the government, causing it to accede by only changing the ’special’ road block’s name. The government of Monterrey has made other ‘efforts‘ to reduce the number of accidents however, but the truth lies wherein that until the parking ticket evolves in such a manner that it can overshadow the nonpareil Mexican “mordida”, this city will always be a an anthill of ’sinners’.

Una cuestión muy tratada en los medios de comunicación es el estereotipo de la belleza, y no es que se hable específicamente de ella, sino que las personas que aparecen en los medios cumplen perfectamente con los parámetros establecidos. Son los programas de televisión The Swan y Extreme Makeover, los que acentúa aún más, la obligación de las personas de ser atractivas, así, en estos programas, se muestran casos de personas que no se sienten satisfechos con su apariencia física y por lo tanto se someten una gran número de cirugías plásticas para “verse y sentirse mejor”. Al final del programa, se hace un concurso de belleza de las mujeres que han sido mejoradas y se presenta el testimonio de la persona que ha cambiado su imagen, respectivamente; a pesar de quedar totalmente irreconocible esta persona se encuentra sumamente feliz y segura de sí misma.

¿Segura de sí misma? ¿A caso el tener una cabellera lisa y brillante, menos kilos encima y una nariz más pequeña pueden dar seguridad personal? No lo creo, lo más seguro es que sea solo un alivio momentáneo, pues las inseguridades no se vencen solo cambiando físicamente, y –por lo tanto- todos los programas que caen en esta categoría, lejos de ayudar a levantar la autoestima de la persona, solo provocan que se difunda, y que se exprese aún más la idea de que si no eres una persona atractiva físicamente –según los estándares de los medios-, no debes ser feliz, cuando la verdad es que todas las personas son gente real, con defectos, sin embargo, los vestidos, el maquillaje y los retoques son los que crean la imagen de perfección, producto final que se vende a traves de los medios de comunicación y que son los que ven las personas.

In the year 2006, a career in journalism took a surprising turn for the worse, and suddenly became a dangerous line of work. Recently, the names of missing, threatened or murdered journalists have been amongst the headlines in the newspapers where normally their only claim to fame is their byline on the story or the journalistic awards they may win. Journalists are supposed to write the stories not be the focus of them. Mexico, sadly, has the reputation of being one of the worst countries for this issue.

As a result of all the headlines about Mexican journalists, the Senate of the Republic began running a TV commercial to combat accusation of Mexico being listed as the country with the highest number of journalists’ deaths in the Americas. This commercial sought to give the country a bit of hope by mentioning near the end that the Senate of the Republic was working to improve the laws regarding the protection of these professionals. Nevertheless, in 2007, the unjustified deaths of journalists continued including cases such as Amado Ramirez, a correspondent of Televisa, who, while covering a news story on drugs, was brutally murdered.

So in 2007, it is not surprising news that Mexico is considered as the most dangerous country for journalists in Latin America, even over Colombia. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) announced within its annual report that 155 journalists worldwide died in 2006. Ten of these deaths happened in Mexico. In addition, the IFJ, affirmed that 2006 was a tragic year for mass media around the world, since this number of murders, assassinations, and unexplained deaths among reporters and workers was a historical record and the worst year for journalists.

In Latin America, Mexico (10 deaths) is ranked higher than Colombia (5 deaths) as the most dangerous country for the reporters who cover crime and corruption. Most of victims were investigative journalists, who might have published or spoken words that denounce someone powerful or more specifically the government.

Overall, it is imperative to improve the laws regarding protection for journalists because these people work on a daily basis to provide factual information to the nation. Journalists are writing with the assumption that the freedom of expression exists; however, in this day and age this freedom is being controlled by powerful people that may not even have political power. These journalists should experience justice and security. Moreover, Mexico needs to resolve the issues surrounding violence and journalism, as well as support the freedom of expression in order for democracy and their economy to prevail in today’s world.

I want vegetables!!! After several weeks of being in Monterrey, Mexico, I have noticed a shortage of vegetables in my diet. Then I realized that it was not because I was not willing to eat vegetables, it was because I couldn’t find restaurants and places that sell a wide selection of vegetables. Therefore, I asked my Spanish professor, Sra. Lucy Arroyo, why there were no vegetables available or served in Monterrey. Her response was point blank that the people in Monterrey don’t like them. She continued to say that in the Northern States of Mexico a person can find a lot of protein and dairy, but vegetables are more prevalent in the Southern States of Mexico. Hearing this statement, made me wonder how the nutrition components of each region affected the people. My teacher explained that typically in the north the people are tall and skinny, whereas the people in Southern Mexico tend to be more stout. However, I believe that besides the influence of food, genetics plays a significant role in the physical characteristics of a population. In genetics it is well documented that a person inherits specific genes from their parents that contribute to their physical characteristics such as hair color, eye color, skin color, height, and bone structure. Therefore, if there is a population with predominantly tall people, there is a high probability that the majority of their offspring will also be tall. Therefore, I do not believe that the physical appearance of a person can be solely attributed to the food they consume. I do, however, find it interesting that the Northern States of Mexico seem able to balance their nutrition in order to maintain a healthy life style with a lack of vegetables. It may be that their bodies have adapted to the lack of vegetables, and has found other means of supplying the fiber and essential dietary needs they have. Furthermore, this could explain some of the dietary issues that foreign visitors experience during their stay in Mexico as their bodies would not be conditioned for such a diet. Overall, it is a simple matter of regional customs and traditions that dictates the cuisine and lack of vegetables.

During our trip to Guanajuato, we got the opportunity to visit the Cristo del Rey Statue just outside the city. Visitors come from around the country to see the statue mounted on the top of the mountain Cerro del Cubilete. The top of the mountain, where the statue is located, is considered the very center of the state of Guanajuato and of Mexico. This monument may be a national attraction these days, but the fight for the construction of the Cristo del Rey statue was not an easy one.
The idea to create the Cristo del Rey monument was first proposed in 1920 by Emeterio Valverde Téllez, a bishop from León, Gto. Construction of the first statue began immediately but stopped because the other bishops had a greater vision of the statue. They wanted it to be significant and meaningful to the Catholics of Mexico. So in January of 1923, eight-thousand Mexicans and ten bishops went to the top of the mountain where the building site was blessed and construction started on the second statue. Although so many people attended this event, the government and President Obregón strongly disapproved of the religious ceremony and the project was suspended. The government disliked the statue so much that it was destroyed in 1928 through an air raid in response to the Cristero War.
Although there was so much opposition from the government, the bishops continued to make their vision a reality. Finally in 1944, the architect Nicolás Mariscal decided to go through with the plans. The statue designed in and art deco fashion was completed with his arms open wide over the country signifying peace and love. At his feet, there are two angels offering a crown of thorns and a king’s crown. Even though the bishops and the supporters had to overcome so many obstacles in order to complete the statue, it is Mexican jewel that is treasured by many.

A recent news article about the business of Mexican funerals in the US and the repatriation of the bodies really caught my interest. I know that back in the US immigration and every other story that relates are favorites of American media. But this article brought up several issues that I was quite unfamiliar with and had quite honestly never even thought about.

It seems that so many Mexican’s upon their death wish to return to Mexico to be buried; it appears that although they immigrate to the US, in death they desire to return to “home”. I would wonder, based on the statistics in the article, how many of these repatriated persons were 1st generation immigrants. How much do Mexican-Americans assimilate into American culture and truly feel an attachment to the country? As Porter suggested, Mexican immigrants might come to the US seeking work but not with the intentions of a permanent move. Yet the article does note the close ties that Mexicans have with the family. Some of those that immigrate to the US come alone, leaving their families and friends behind. It could be those family ties that always bring them back to Mexico.

I was also surprised at how much the Mexican consulates are involved in the matter. The Little Rock consulate puts almost half of its budget to cover transport fees. It goes to show that the Mexican foreign ministry sees the importance of repatriation for Mexicans and their families. The private businesses that support these funerals and transport also have much invested. I simply felt compelled by the article to think outside the issues commonly represented in American media.

Immigration is no longer the only conflict concerning the US-Mexico border, earlier this year a ‘water war’ broke out over the California-Mexico border. The All-American Canal in Imperial County, California passes its seepage as a source of water/irrigation for Mexican farmers; however, this has lately become a hot topic in which the Bush administration is striving to put an end to.

The US government is currently pushing to line a section of the 82 mile long All-American Canal with cement in order to prevent the seepage of excess water over the border. This decision would strip farmers of their jobs, cause a depletion of the crops grown in the area, harm the wetlands of the region, and, in addition, it would also produce unnecessary amounts of air pollution in Imperial County.

Northern Mexico is one of the biggest agricultural regions of onion, alfalfa, asparagus, and squash production; all farmers of this region rely on the canal’s seepage. Without access to the canal, these farmers would be forced to find “alternative water sources such as digging deep wells to tap an underground aquifer.”

The court case is currently being reviewed in the US Circuit Court of Appeals and is continually being put on hold. The case was reviewed late last April in San Francisco, but was again put on hold. Perhaps a good way to speed up the process of this decision is to inform the Bush Administration that Mexican farmers are beginning to state that if the water is not allowed to cross the border legally, then they themselves will cross it illegally to find the jobs and standard of living they desire.

Just a few weeks before our arrival in Mexico, controversial photographer Spencer Tunick completed a mass photo shoot in the Zocalo in Mexico City—the largest of its kind, with an estimated 20,000 participants—despite prolonged resistance.

The first source of resistance was purely practical. Because Tunick originally planned to perform the shoot at the pyramid at Teotihuacan, he had to request special permission from the Mexican government. An executive resolution passed in 1977 states that historic archaeological monuments and their surrounding areas are under the responsibility of the central government, and may not be used by any person or government entity for “ends foreign to their object or nature,” unless those ends are explicitly permitted in the resolution or are specially approved by the Secretary of Public Education. Tunick’s request was not approved. While he could have appealed his request by comparing his project to other artistic endeavors that have taken place on the same site, Tunick ultimately decided to abandon Teotihuacan because the costs of transporting his equipment and subjects to the site approached 1,600,000 pesos.

Even after agreeing to relocate the shoot to the Plaza de la Constitucion, or the Zocalo, in Mexico City, the artist had to make a few concessions due to moral opposition to the nature of his work. This aversion arises from the fact that Tunick takes photographs and videos of his own installations of nudes in public places. [While his oeuvre (more examples) includes works using individuals or small groups, his mass installations, such as the one performed in the Zocalo, have earned him the most fame and criticism.] Therefore, in return for permission to use the square, Tunick promised not to include the Mexican flag and the national Cathedral in his shots.

The second voice of criticism comes from international art critics, who predicted that the assembly of nudes in the Zocalo would degenerate into a “public raunch fest.” Critic Roman Gubern, director of the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, went even further to claim that all Tunick’s photographs are the same, that they lack soul and meaning. He accused Tunick of making a living by deceiving thousands of unlucky people into thinking they are protagonists of a liberating or subversive act.

Critics like Gubern view Tunick’s work from a purely photographic standpoint. When considering the photographs as works in themselves, yes, they are practically identical. The distant shots and extreme abstraction Tunick employs prevent his works from being classified as “erotic art,” yet at the same time strip the photos of humanity. However, Tunick is not technically a photographer. He is an installation artist, and the statement and value of his work arise from the interactions between the artist, his subjects, and their environment. From this perspective, Tunick can contradict the accusations in Gubern’s diatribe and assert that his works are not “just a heap of naked bodies,” but rather “an abstract narrative” in which the body is a symbol of freedom, beauty, and the fragility of life. As an installation, the nude mass in Mexico City distinguishes itself from others in Barcelona, Caracas, Sao Paolo, and the many other major cities where Tunick has worked. By disrobing in the Zocalo, nearly 20,000 people of Mexico demonstrated their desire for the Mexican government to figuratively do the same, to abandon the corruption and inefficiency of authoritarian bureaucracy.

    Easily known as the world’s most recognizable brand, Coca-Cola’s dominance of the soda industry came about during the 20^th century when it was bought by Asa Candler. Today, the Coca-Cola Company produces almost 400 brands in more than 200 countries, with their headquarters in the good old city of Atlanta, Georgia. But there is more to soda production that just the final product. As we saw today, for example, bottling inspection is taken very seriously, making sure no defects are shipped from the warehouse. People are working around the clock to create and distribute the beverages that the world is so in love with.

Taking a closer look at production, the Coca-Cola Company has recently established a partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The franchise is pledging to reduce and replace water used in their beverages, coining this commitment with “Reduce, Recycle, Replenish.” The Coca-Cola Company hopes to help conserve the world’s most important fresh water river basins, support and demand more efficient water use throughout merchandise production, and decrease their carbon footprint. Chairman and CEO of the Company E. Neville Isdell says they hope to “replace every drop of water used in our beverages and their production.”

I am unsure how one would go about water replacement, but I presume that there is some way it cane be done if the Company makes such claims as these. Commitments to use less water during production and to recycle water used throughout manufacturing processes seem like an crucial step made by the Company is response to our current global conditions. I think it is important that such a huge, influential, and global company takes steps toward our environment because it may encourage other corporations to do the same. In the end, of course, it is still all about the final product. But slightly changing the steps to get there may not be such a bad idea.

While in Guanajuato, GTO last weekend, the class had the opportunity to go on a photo safari around town taking pictures of local sights and small town Mexican life. The results of the photo safari contest are posted below. The first number is the point total; the number in parentheses is for partial points for pictures that only partially fit the contest requirements.

© Stephanie L.

Anjli 190 (15)
Ryan 180 (15)
Stephanie S. 170 (5)
Stephanie L. 145 (5)

All four students will get to pick the Tec t-shirt of their choice from the campus store.

Yesterday we visited the PAN (Partido Accion Nacional) headquarters for the state of Nuevo Leon. Upon arrival, we were asked to come inside in order to prevent giving the idea to a passerby that we were unwelcome, treated without hospitality, or striking against the PAN. Although our appointment was with an individual who turned out to be non-existent, we waited patiently for the employees to organize an impromptu meeting that explained their platform and other important factors about politics and policies both nationally and in the Nuevo Leon district.

When the meeting began we were graciously welcomed and given a workbook and other handouts that included the PAN platform, voting procedures, and other relevant information about politics, in particular the PAN. Although there were many words and concepts that I didn’t comprehend, one issue that stood out to me in particular was the issue of abortion and prostitution. Of all seven of the PAN Representatives, only one was female. This seems unimportant, but what caught the attention of multiple students was the emphasis put on abortion and prostitution during our meeting, which is categorized as women’s rights. To me, this seemed to be another blatant example of machismo in Mexican culture, although it is not restricted to south of the border.

This can be compared to the current Bush Administration in the United States. In 2003, Bush signed the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, which prohibits a woman from getting an abortion after the first trimester of her pregnancy. This law was signed into effect with public opposition from women’s rights groups, but there was something more. When Bush actually signed the papers, he was interestingly enough surrounded by all men.

Our visit to the PAN was a mind opening experience about the current Mexican political party in power, but it also helped me to realize that machismo is an ever-present reality for women all around the globe.