Teatro Jose Peon Contreras

This is the front of the theater in which I listened to the Orquestra Sinfonica de Yucatan the other evening. I will try to post a picture of the inside to give an idea of its opulence.

The performance this coming Friday evening will be Beethoven’s Fifth.

Yesterday I consulted the elderly proprietor of the tiny store four door downs as to whether I should expect trick or treaters. She indicated that trick of treating is not a custom observed here but that I may have some so outfitted me with a small bag of treats. I had not visits.

Progreso

I finally made it to Progreso, a city of about 40,000 about 20 miles North of Merida on the Gulf coast. I must say I was underwhelmed.

The air-conditioned bus ride from Merida took about an hour each way and cost 21 pesos, or $2 US, roundtrip.

The picture shows the pier, at 5 mile long purportedly the longest in the world. The picture also shows the very nice, white sandy beach and the paving stone walkway, called the Malecon, that extends some sixteen blocks and it lined the entire way by a concrete bench.

Yesterday, as it turned out was not a good day to visit, as there were two cruise ships docked and herds of tourists through the approximately 9 square block tourist area.

During my next visit I will explore the coastal villages to the West.

There's not much else to report from here, other than I walked today to the Central Market which I visit a few times each week just for entertainment. I bought a maddox which represents a hug technological advance in my gardening pursuits. and came home and excavated the rocks, and there are many, from a 25 square foot patch.

Hasta luego.
Gringo Loco

One Hell of a Birthday

I’ve had some memorable birthdays, like my 40th when my sister bought the birthday cake at the Erotic Bakery in Seattle; but I can say without qualification that today will be my most memorable yet.

This morning I walked the two miles round trip to the Santiago market, to which I had not yet been, to buy shrimp, tequila and black plastic with which to cover my garden bed to facilitate the composting. I bought a kilo of shrimp and a bottle of Jalieza, which is distilled from Agave, as is Tequila; but since it not distilled in the Tequila region it can not be called Tequila. I did not find black plastic.

After returning home; eating about a pound of shrimp, a tomato, and a quarter of an avocado; and drinking a couple of grapefruit juice and Jaliezas I walked the three mile round trip to the central market in search of black plastic, which I found and purchased. I returned home and covered the garden bed.

The real memorable part of my day, though, was my attendance, this evening, of a performance of a “Rock Sinfonico” by the Orquesta Sinfonica de Yucatan in the spectacular Teatro Jose Peon Contreras.

Not knowing that I should have purchased a ticket in advance I ended up in the “Galeria”, about 50 feet above the stage and level with the 12 foot, glass chandelier that hangs from the domed ceiling adorned with murals, which seem to me to have a religious theme. The theater, I think, is somewhat small, as such venues go; but is opulent in the true meaning of the word.

The theater is constructed as a semi-oval with the stage as its base. The ground floor has only thirteen rows of seats, with four successive balconies, adorned with elaborate filigree and which contain semi-private boxes, with six chairs each, accessed through elegant, double wooden doors. Above the fourth balcony resides the “Galeria”, which consists of an open concrete floor with chairs arranged along a guardrail. Despite the altitude and distance from the stage the performance was completely audible and left me agape.

The orchestra, in which my Spanish next door neighbor, Joel, plays trombone, performed a number of Beatles songs, from a rousing rendition of “When I’m Sixty-Four”, to delicate performances of “Yesterday” and “Michelle”, to a somewhat jocular version of “Yellow Submarine”. The Beatles’ numbers were followed by a number of Queen songs, including “Bohemian Rhapsody”. Joel was quite amazed earlier today, as he was telling me what the orchestra would perform, that I had never heard of Freddie Mercury, who I understand wrote the “Bohemian Rhapsody.” I wouldn’t know Freddie Mercury if I tripped over him, though I did recognize quite a number of the songs, such as “Another One Bites the Dust”, “We Will Rock You”, and “We Are the Champions”, even though I hadn’t known they were Queen songs.

All-in-all, it was it was a very enjoyable performance, and the only symphony orchestra performance I have attended when I recognized the songs performed.

What a day. And what a place to be.

Sunet Over the Rappahannock

I took this picture in 2000 while participating in the No Whiners Rendezvous II, at my high school buddy's Northern Neck retreat near where the Rappahannock flows into the Chesapeake Bay in Virgina.

The only thing I have to say about Libby's indictment today is that any adult who still goes by "Scooter" has no business working in the White House.

OK, I'm just kidding. If you read the indictment you will notice that it, at one point, says:
"On or about May 29, 2003, in the White House, LIBBY asked an Under Secretary of State (“Under Secretary”) for information concerning the unnamed ambassador’s travel to Niger to investigate claims about Iraqi efforts to acquire uranium yellowcake. The Under Secretary thereafter directed the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research to prepare a report concerning the ambassador and his trip. The Under Secretary provided LIBBY with interim oral reports in late May and early June 2003, and advised LIBBY that Wilson was the former ambassador who took the trip."

Who might that Under Secretary of State be?

My two readers will recall that I have, a number of times, suggested John Bolton's involvement in the Plame Name Game affair. Bolton's previous position was Undersecretary of State and one of his aides, Fred Fleitz, worked for the CIA and was "detailed" to Bolton's staff.

The Fitzgerald investigation continues; and, it seems, Libby's indictment (a great birthday present, by the way) is not the end. I am wondering, since Rove was spared an indictment today and since he has reportedly been in last minutes meetings with Fitzgerald, if Rove may have flipped.

I suspect that Fitzgerald has sought the indictment only against Libby because he has Libby dead to rights and is hoping Libby will flip. I mean is Libby really ready to go to prison (and if they sent Martha Stewart to prison for lying, they damned well better send Libby there) to save the Vice-president, Rove and the whole host of other sleaze bags up to their ears in this sordid affair.

Update: I lifted the following from Laura Rozen's blog "War and Piece."

Update II: The Post has more, including this tidbit about Rove, which Kevin [Kevin Drum's blog "Political Animal"] highlighted:

Rove provided new information to Fitzgerald during eleventh-hour negotiations that "gave Fitzgerald pause" about charging Bush's senior strategist, said a source close to Rove. "The prosecutor has to resolve those issues before he decides what to do."

Update III: Here's the Indictment.
Point 4 is particularly interesting and has new information. On May 29, 2003, Libby asked Under Secretary of State for information concerning Wilson's trip to Niger. It doesn't name him but I believe* that was Marc Grossman. (Mark Goldberg at Tapped suggests it's Bolton. Hmm.) That led to the infamous State Department memo on Wilson's trip. . . . (still reading)

I will witholding gloating until Bolton's involvement is confirmed.

Eva

Eva is the daughter of a friend in Pinar del Rio, Cuba and is amongst the cutest kids I've ever met.

Prosecutor Fitzgerald Leasing More Office Space?

Important Update: Clemons is now reporting that his sources have informed him that they got it wrong. Fitzgerald has not, has not leased additional office space.

Read his retraction here.

Steve Clemons, at "The Washington Note", reported late last evening that Fitzgerald has leased additional office space.

Read the report here.

Earlier reports indicated that Fitzgerald had met with the judge which impaneled the grand jury to request that another grand jury be impaneled upon the expiration of the current grand jury this coming Friday.

Niger Uranium Forgeries

As you may have read, the Italian publication "La Repubblica" has published a three part report on the origins of the Niger uranium forgeries which the Bush administration neo-fascists convinced Bush to cite in his now infamous State of the Union Address to Congress justifying the criminal invasion of Iraq.

La Repubblica reports that the forgeries originated with none other than Silvio Burlsconi, Italy's richest person, Italian media mogul, George Bush buddy, and Italian Prime Minister.

Remember, in late 2001 Harold Rhode, a committed neo-fascist and Pentagon official; Larry Franklin, since indicted for espionage for passing secrets to Israel and an Israeli advocacy lobbying group; Michael Leeden, super uberneo-fascist and leading neo-fascist "intellectual"; Iranian arms dealer and Iran-Contra star Manucher Ghorbanifar and a number of other Iranians; and Nicolo Pollari, director of the SISMI, an Italian state intelligence agency all met secretly in Italy. Whether the Niger forgery idea was cooked up at the meeting we will hopefully find out soon.

Remember also that the Italian parliament has investigated the matter of the Niger uranium forgeries but has not released a report of the investigation's findings. Until, that is, a copy of the report was provided, some time ago, to none other than special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald.

Translations of the three parts of the report may be found:

Part One

Part Two

Part Three (partial)

Indictments

Steve Clemons, is reporting in "The Washington Note", a very reliable source of information which I recommend highly, that he has been informed that 1-5 indictments will be issued tomorrow in the Plame name Game.

He also relates that CBS News has reported that Fitzgerald will make a public statement tomorrow.

Read The Washington Note here.

I also highly recommend Laura Rozen's blog "War and Piece" as a source of highly reliable information. Tonight she has a report of a story she's done and a report in an Italian periodical related to the Niger uranium forgeries.

Read War and Piece Here.

Mexican National Census

A very pleasant census interviewer was by today to document how many folks live here, the conveniences contained in apartment, my name, my national origin, and the other normal census information. I've been counted.

My Future Garden

Here is the garden bed I'’ve constructed from limestone rocks and discarded concrete blocks that I've rooted out of the vegetation in the back yard of my apartment. I'’ve filled the bed with Mango leaves I'’ve stripped from branches that had been pruned and discarded in the back yard, green vegetation I chopped with a machete, and semi-rotted palm fronds which I also rooted out of the back yard vegetation. I am hoping the materials will compost over the next few months into usable garden soil, though I am relatively certain that I will have to also import soil.

I'm guessing that after watching me root out the rocks and chop vegetation, my landlord, Senor Monsreal; the fellows who have been renovating a vacant apartment here; and my next door neighbor, Joel, a Spanish fellow who plays trombone in the Yucatan Symphony Orchestra, consider me to be un Gringo Loco. And after today, when I dragged quite a number of fallen palm fronds from the yard of the vacant house next door over to my future garden, I am guessing that my other neighbors may have come to share the sentiment.

But, hey, you know me. I am a gringo, a quality I'm not so proud of these days, and I am loco, a quality of which I immensely proud. The fellows renovating the apartment must also appreciate loconess, as I notice that today they laid some unused concrete blocks in a line on the other side of the Lemon tree so as to start another bed.

I plan to plant tomatoes, melons, and peppers. Given that the back yard is composed mostly of sandstone I'm having to use the raised bed approach. If all goes according to plan I'’ll be eating home grown produce early next Spring.

Plame Name Game

Raw Story, a web site which has broken lots of news of the Ftizgerald investigation into who “outed” Valerie Plame, is reporting that David Wurmser, a committed neo-fascist and Cheney aide, informed Libby of Plame’s identity. Cheney’s chief of staff, “Scooter”Libby instructed Wurmser to find out who Plame's husband Joseph Wilson was after Wilson began informing associates and reporters that the Bush administration had cooked the intelligence on Iraq. Libby then passed Plame’s identity on to Rove and others in the administration.

Wurmser had access to CIA intelligence through his work with Douglas Feith, the third ranking Pentagon official whom General Tommy Franks called the “dumbest f---ing man in the world”, a assessment with which Colin Powell’s top aide, Larry Wikerson agrees, in the secret Pentagon Iraq intelligence “stove piping” operation.

After Wurmser reported back to Libby, Libby instructed Wurmser to leak Plame’s identity to reporters.

We will find out this week which Bush administration officials and, hopefully, "reporters" will be indicted.

Read the story here.

Wilma

For those of you who have written asking about the effects of hurricane Wilma on Merida, I can report that at this time, 4:20 PM CST, WilmaÂ’s eye is over Cozumel on the East coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. The weather here today has been partly cloudy, with a couple of showers; and a bit breezy, though nothing out of the ordinary.

The forecast is indicating thunderstorms for today, though none have occurred, and rain through Sunday.

So, as of yet, there have been no effects.

Updates:
6:00 PM local time - it has started raining heavily and has become quite blustery.

6:30 PM - the rain and bluster has stopped

11:00 PM - still no storm to speak of. A bit breezy, and that's it.

3:30 AM - still no storm. Still only a bit breezy.

7:30 AM - gusting winds and rain. Nothing serious.

9:30 AM - no wind, no rain. Cloudy and normal breeze.

3:00 PM - sunny and breezy.

7:30 AM Sunday - a bit breezy and occasional showers during the night. This morning a heavy cloud layer but no wind or rain.

Judith Miller

The two of you who have been reading my commentary have noticed that I have repeatedly referred to Judith Miller, New York Time "reporter", as a "media whore." Apparently Miller is more than merely a whore, she, reportedly, was one of the White House's chief corporate media propagandists.

The New York Daily News, which has been doing some good, reliable reporting on the Plame Name Game and the Fitzgerald investigation, yesterday reported the following comment from "a source."

"'They [the White House Iraq Group] were funneling information to [New York Times reporter] Judy Miller. Judy was a charter member'" the source said."

The White House Iraq Group [WHIG] was the entity created to cook the intelligence relative to Iraqi WMDs, since the White House wasn't getting what it wanted from established intelligence agencies. The WHIG has, reportedly, become a focus of the Fitzgerald investigation and, reportedly, is where the plan to out Valrie Plame originated.

Read the story here.

Cheney Cabal

I have often claimed that it is Dick Cheney, as the administration’s chief of transition in the wake of Bush’s election, who is the real power of the Bush presidency and it is Cheney who hijacked the U. S. government foreign policy, defense, and intelligence apparatus by placed rigid ideologues (they call themselves neoconservatives) into powerful positions within the departments of State and Defense, the NSC, and other intelligence agencies.

Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, who for 16 years served as the top aide to Colin Powell, from his time at the Joint Chiefs of Staff to his tenure as Secretary of State, in scathing commentary has confirmed my contention. Here is a short excerpt of Wilkerson’s remarks, a transcript of which may be found here.

“What I saw was a cabal between the Vice President of the United States, Richard Cheney, and the Secretary of Defense and [inaudible] on critical issues that made decisions that the bureaucracy did not know were being made.

“And then when the bureaucracy was presented with those decisions and carried them out, it was presented in such a disjointed incredible way that the bureaucracy often didn’t know what it was doing as it moved to carry them out.

“Read George Packer’s book The Assassin’s [inaudible] if you haven’t already. George Packer, a New Yorker, reporter for The New Yorker, has got it right. I just finished it and I usually put marginalia in a book but, let me tell you, I had to get extra pages to write on.
“And I wish, I wish I had been able to help George Packer write that book. In some places I could have given him a hell of a lot more specifics than he’s got. But if you want to read how the Cheney Rumsfeld cabal flummoxed the process, read that book. And, of course, there are other names in there, Under Secretary of Defense Douglas [inaudible], whom most of you probably know Tommy Frank said was stupidest blankety blank man in the world. He was. Let me testify to that. He was. Seldom in my life have I met a dumber man.”

And yet, and yet, after the Secretary of State agrees to a $400 billion department, rather than a $30 billion department, having control, at least in the immediate post-war period in Iraq, this man is put in charge. Not only is he put in charge, he is given carte blanche to tell the State Department to go screw themselves in a closet somewhere. That’s not making excuses for the State Department.

Update: Here is a complete transcript of Wilkerson's comments, including questions and answers.

My Usual Breakfast

OK, I admit it. I'm a bit short on ideas for interesting posts, so I thought I post a picture of my usual breakfast, the ingredients of which I pickup at the market a few blocks from home.

Saving Grace

I'm certain that many of you reading this have probably seen the movie "Saving Grace." Being profoundly ignorant of popular culture that has emerged after about 1970, I hadn't before this evening when it showed up on one of my cable channels.

If you haven't seen the movie I recommend it. It's a good bit of fun and may provide an idea for your future financial independence

Niger Uranium Forgeries, Franklin Spying, Iran-Contra, and a Big Nest of Serial Crooks

According to a well documented and sourced report by Justin Raimondo, to which the below link leads, the Fitzgerald investigation is far more wide ranging than I have seen reported elsewhere. I think everyone with even a modicum of curiosity about the large number of crooks with a hand in the Bush administration should read the report. Ultimately, it has been Cheney who ensured the presence of the crooks in the administration.

Read the report here.

A Nice House

I came across this very nice house during my evening bicycle ride around a portion of town I had not yet explored.

The Entrance to a Very Large Compound

This is the entrance to a very large compound with lots of buildings, ponds, geese, magnificent giant trees, a playground, and lots that I was not able to see as I bicycled the perimeter.

I did not find any signs identifying what it is.

Parque Centenario

This is the entrance to a very, very large park, with amusment rides, ponds, fake exotic animals, and all sorts of other diversions.

Saddam Goes on Trial. U. S. Complicit in His War Crimes.

With Saddam Hussein’s trial to being tomorrow, with the main charge against him being that he ordered the murder of 143 men from the village of Dujail after an attempt to assassination him in 1982, I think a history review will be useful. So, because my friend Hemingway (he actually just looks like Hemingway) advised me to keep my posts brief, here the thumbnail version.

The U. S. government severed diplomatic relations with Iraq following the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. In 1979 a popular revolution overthrew the U. S. installed Shah of Iran and a few years later war broke out between Iraq and Iran.

In 1983, with Iran, a much larger country with a much larger population, gaining ground in the Iran-Iraq war, President Reagan dispatched his Middle East envoy, Donald Rumsfeld to Baghdad to inform Hussein that the U. S. was prepared to resume diplomatic relations at any time.

According to the Iraqi Foreign Ministry, Rumsfeld and Hussein discussed “topics of mutual interest”. Rumsfeld, meanwhile, remarked that Hussein “made it clear that Iraq was not interested in making mischief in the world” and “it struck us as useful to have a relationship given that we were interested in solving the Middle East problems.”

Rumsfeld returned to Baghdad in March 1984 to meet with Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz. On March 24, with Rumsfeld still in Baghdad, news reports from the U. N. indicated that “Mustard gas laced with a nerve agent has been used on Iranian soldiers in the 43-month Persian Gulf War between Iran and Iraq, a team of U.N. experts has concluded... Meanwhile, in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, U.S. presidential envoy Donald Rumsfeld held talks with Foreign Minister Tarek Aziz (sic) on the Gulf war before leaving for an unspecified destination.” Before Rumsfeld’s 1984 visit, on March 5, 1984, the U. S. State Department issued a statement saying “available evidence indicates that Iraq has used lethal chemical weapons.”

Subsequent to Rumsfeld’s Baghdad visits Iraq obtained military helicopters from U. S. firms which, according to U. S. intelligence agencies, were used by Iraqi forces to drop chemical weapons on Kurdish civilians. Additionally, Rumsfeld and Cheney facilitated the transfer biological weapon precursors to Iraq from a lab in Maryland; and U. S. intelligence, relating to Iranian troop movements, was passed on to Iraq for use in targeting chemical weapons attacks on the Iranians.

Neither Rumsfeld nor any other Regan administration official ever raised any objections to Iraqi chemical weapons attacks.

Has Someone Flipped Cheney in the Plame Name Game?

New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com
Cheney may be target of probe BY JAMES GORDON MEEK, THOMAS M. DeFRANK and KENNETH R. BAZINET
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU Tuesday, October 18th, 2005 WASHINGTON - A special prosecutor's intensifying focus into who outed a CIA spy has raised questions whether Vice President Cheney himself is involved, knowledgeable sources confirmed yesterday.

At least one source and one reporter who have testified in the probe said U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald is pursuing Cheney's role in the Valerie Plame affair.

In addition, at least six current and former Cheney staffers - most members of the White House Iraq Group - have testified before the grand jury, including the vice president's top honcho, Lewis (Scooter) Libby, and two top Cheney national security lieutenants.

Cheney's name has come up amid indications Fitzgerald may be edging closer to a blockbuster conspiracy charge - with help from a secret snitch.

"They have got a senior cooperating witness - someone who is giving them all of that," a source who has been questioned in the leak probe told the Daily News yesterday.

Cheney was questioned last year byprosecutors and has hired a private attorney, former colleague Terrence O'Donnell, who declined to comment when contacted by The News.

Read the story here.

Horse Drawn Carriages

These carriages cart tourists around town to see the sites.

Cathedral at la Plaza de la Independencia

This is the cathedral adjacent to the Plaza de la Independencia, looking across the plaza.

All of those dark spots in the sky are pigeons.

Sunday in Downtown Merida

On Sundays many of the streets surrounding la Plaza de la Independencia are closed to traffic, food and craft vendors set up their booths, and music groups perform. It's like a fair every week, with folks hanging out eating and dancing.

I don't know what kind of instrument this is, but I think it is a marimba for seven.

Paseo Montejo Monument

This monument, inhabits the center of one of the treacherous traffic circles along the Paseo Montejo.

Paseo Montejo Casa

This building is representative of those lining the Paseo Montejo, a beautiful, tree lined four lane boulevard that is one of the most famous in Merida.

The periodic traffic circles along the boulevard are scary to navigate on a bicycle, at least for me. I tried to fall in behind local bicylists and follow their lead.

Wagging the Dog with Terror Alerts

Keith Olbermann does a bit of creative journalism, a rarity these days, in documenting 13 instances of the Bush administration issuing terror alerts or warnings in the immediate wake of bad news for the administration. As Olbermann observes, it all may just be coincidence.

Read the story here.

To: UR So Right

Thank you for your intelligent commentary and the information relative to Vicente Fox Quesada, of which I was unaware. I promise that in no way was I putting you on when I asked what you have against Fox, as I am almost completely ignorant of Mexican politics. Now that you have piqued my interest I will have to do my research.

About all I know about Fox is that represents the PRI, which, I think has ruled Mexico for most, if not all, of its Constitutional history and which is probably as corrupt as the current U. S. republicans. I know also that Fox and Bush are friendly (I suppose that Fox is as patient with Bush’s Spanish speaking as is my favorite Merida restauranteur with mine); and that he and his PRI cronies attempted to prevent the mayor of Mexico City, Andres Manuel López Obrador, from running for president next year, but was forced to back down on that count when faced with popular protests.

I understand that Lopez (is that the correct name to use, I’m still a bit confused about how to properly use Mexican names) is leading in the polls and that he stands against the “neo-liberal” policies promoted by the U. S. and its IMF and World Bank tools. I am hoping that Lopez will win and take his place next to Chavez, Castro and the recently elected presidents of a number of Latin American nations that are resisting U. S. efforts to suck up even more L. A. wealth. It looks like Boliva, thanks to a truly popular movement, may be next to elect a president who will say no to U. S. hegemony.

It seems to me that since the U. S. took a more hands off approach to the internal affairs of the sovereign nations of Latin America that democracy has emerged in most of those nations. I think the U. S. should follow the lead of many L. A. nations, and South Africa, and establish a truth commission to expose the misdeeds of the U. S. government since it became an imperial power at the turn of the twentieth century. I will not be holding my breath, though, as the forces of capital have complete political control of the U. S.

As for being numero uno en ti libro – muchas gracias. Please continue with your intelligent contributions to my education relative to Mexican politics, though, being a foreigner, I think it would be presumptuous, and thus inappropriate, for me to comment extensively on such.

Hasta luego.

Will Miller and/or Libby Flip Dick Cheney

With both NYT media whore Judith Miller and Cheney's chief of staff Scooter Libby facing conspiracy, perjury, and/or obstruction of justice charges for repeatedly failing to inform federal investigators and the Fitzgerald grand jury about their June, 2003 conversation about Valerie Plame, I'm wondering if either will start singing. If one, or both, do, my guess is that Vice-president Cheney could be looking at conspiracy charges, as well as a number of others. I'm also still waiting for announcement of Bolton's involvment in the conspiracy.

Of course, no matter who may ultimately be charged with crimes, they will all probably be pardoned, a la the Iran-Contra crooks, many of which inhabit the Bush administration.

A Nice Thing About Living Here

One of the very nice things about living here is that just up the street, and a number of other places around the city, is a market where one may buy a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, frequently from those who grew them.

There are piles of these large avocados, this one of which is 5" long, 4" in diameter, and cost about $.90 U. S.

I can honestly say that I am now each day getting the recommended 8 servings of fruits and vegetables.

Another Nice Building

This shot is looking North down Calle 60. On the right is the Gran Plaza.

At every plaza, it seems, there is a cathedral which dates from colonial days when the Spanish monarchy and Catholic church were, essentially, one entity.

I'll try to stick to pictures for a while, for those of you who tire of my ranting. Though you know me, so I make no promises.

My Wheels

I now have transportation other than my feet, and my feet are now rejoicing.

The bike has a shock absorbing front end, which is handy on the cobblestones; and 18 speeds, tough given that Merida is essentially flat they're are not all necessary. It seems that bikes with aluminum frames are not readily available here so I had to settle for steel.

At any rate, the bike, with plastic fenders and a rack, came to $1,180 pesos, or about $110. U.S. I bought it from a local shop, operated by some very nice folks, just South of Centro.

Now I can peddle on over to WalMart and flip it off.

Parque Santa Ana

I pause in my normal rantings to post another picture.

Here's the church at the edge of the Parque Santa Ana where the opening ceremonies of the Festival Gastronomico will occur tomorrow evening.

The church and park, lying to the right of the church in the picture, are just a few blocks from my apartment and just around the corner from my favorite restaurant.

There are number of parks and plazas in Centro. The Grand Plaza, a few blocks South, lies in the midst of Centro and is surrounded by many grand buildings.

As a Corrupt Group a Group as There Has Been

Bush's top procurement officer has been frog marched out of the White House by FBI agents and been charged with four counts of lying to federal and congressional investigators; DeLay has been indicted for violations of Texas campaign contribution statutes; Frist is under investigation by the SEC for insider trading related to the fortuitous timing of the sale of stock in the Hospital Corporation of America, a company his father started; Rove and Libby are facing indictment, perhaps for espionage and conspiracy; California congressman Duke Cunningham is in hot water for accepting bribes; quite a number of top Ohio republicans, including the governor are facing indictment for using state pension funds to buy rare coins through a crony; republican bagman, Jack Abramoff, and a whole host of his cronies, including Ohio congressman Bob Ney, have been, or will be, indicted for all sorts of shenanigans, including the murder of a former Abramoff business partner; and I'm sure there are many other instances I've forgotten or haven't heard of.

Bush promised to return honor and dignity to the White House and instead has given us unrivaled mendacity; unprecedented incompetence; unparalleled venality; and corruption on a level that surpasses that of the Nixon years and probably that of any we've seen throughout the history of our nation.

These folks are the same folks who spent 8 years and millions of taxpayer money dogging Clinton's every move; came up with almost nothing; and have now rendered the U. S. to almost the status of a banana republic.

So let's all give a big atta boy or girl to all of the fools that voted to reelect our perpetual adolescent president.

My Favorite Merida Restaurant

Here's a picture of the Terra Mestiza, cafe arte objecto, which is a cross between a restaurant and art gallery.

The proprietor, Barbara, speaks to me in English and insists that I speak to her in Spanish; and she is always ready with a smile. A fine breakfast of fruit, yogurt, and granola; juice; and coffee is very reasonable and the service is great.

During the coming week Barbara's restaurant, and other venue's in the area, will host the "Festival Gastronomico", which will feature food, music, folk dancing, art exhibits, and a showing of the award winning 1961 movie "Animas Trujano", of which I've never heard.

I'll post a picture of Barbara if I can convince to pose.

Judith Miller – Media Whore. And, War Profiteer?

We know now that New York Times “reporter” Judith Miller dutifully prostrated herself, and the once proud New York Times, to Vice-president Cheney, his chief of staff Scooter Libby, John Bolton and other administration lying ideologues by pushing their “anonymous” reports relating to Iraqi attempts to obtain aluminum tubes for nuclear centrifuges, Niger uranium, Russian smallpox virus, and a multitude of other fabrications aimed at building public and congressional support for the conquering of Iraq and “privatizing” its resources to U.S. corporations.

After voluntarily spending more than 80 days in jail for refusing to testify before the Plame Name Game grand jury, despite the fact that Libby has last year released her from her reporter’s confidentiality responsibilities; and all the time playing the victim, Miller has, reportedly, received a $1.2 million book deal.

Some time ago someone close to Miller, apparently from the New York Times, began providing information to Arianna Huffington, who is reporting the book deal. Miller seems to be so completely impressed with herself that she apparently has trouble refraining from touting herself.

Read the report here.

My Apartment

More Cost of Living Info

Wednesday afternoon I arranged for cable TV and 192 Kbps internet service. I had to take the TV service to get the internet service so I selected the least expensive TV package, which consists of 5 music channels and 21 TV channels at $9.25 per month (as a matter of principle, and jokingly, I asked it they could delete Fox.) The monthly internet service charge is $24.45 U.S. The CableMas office is about a six block walk, the process took about 15 minutes, the services were installed today at 11 AM. The total cost of the installation, including the modem deposit, amounted to $56.75 U.S.

The woman who arranged everything was very efficient and very patient with my Spanish. She laughed when I asked that she please excuse my insufficient Spanish and responded “no problema.” The two fellows that installed the service were also very pleasant and efficient.

<>

Living in the City

Moving into the center of a large City after spending over 28 years living in the quiet and solitude of the Upper Satsop Valley has its distinct advantages, among which readily come to mind are no need to incur the expense or hassle of a car, supplies and services are available nearby, and the availability of high speed internet service. There are, of course, also disadvantages, such as the dachshund two doors down which began barking a duet with some distant dog last night just as I dozed off and continued for such a duration that I began contemplating a means of introducing the dog to a poison infused meatball (sorry Dan, for having such thoughts). Fortunately, the not so polite entreaties to the dog’s owner hollered by a couple of neighbors caused the owner to end the barking and eliminated the prospect of me committing a misdemeanor my first week here.

In terms of supplies and services nearby I have thus far found, within 6 blocks of my apartment, a laundry, grocery store, a number of good restaurants, a computer store, a lamp store at which I am hoping I can find replacement parts for the lamp I knocked off the night stand, and quite a number of dentist and doctor offices. I have yet to find a bicycle shop, which the bottoms of my feet and shins continue to encourage me to do.

Cost of Living Here

Before I left Elma a number of folks asked me about the cost of living here. Now that I found the grocery store in my neighborhood I can report that I today purchased a six pack of Pacifico beer in cans, 90 grams of butter, about 2 lbs. of cheese, a 405 gram loaf of bread, 20 corn tortillas, a 200 gram bar of soap, and two red onions, all for $104 pesos, which is about $9.63 U. S. The haircut I had at the local barber shop earlier today was $2.30 U.S. and the 1 ½ dozen eggs I bought yesterday were $1.56 U.S. A pack of non-filter Mexican cigarettes is $1.20 U.S.

There are number of restaurants in the neighborhood which folks operate from their homes. Today I stopped at one and had a sope (a thick corn tortilla with chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, beans, and sour cream) and an orange soda for $1.30 U.S. Breakfast this morning, in the tourist area, of a plate of fruit, a cup of plain yogurt, and a bowl of granola was about $5.00 U.S. An hour at the internet café runs about $ .90 U.S.

This evening I had a 10” pizza and two beers at the pizzaria around the corner for $7.50 U.S.

Of course, if one shops in the tourist areas the prices are higher.

The Folly of Empire

I am just about finished reading “The Folly of Empire” by John Judis, which draws a number of parallels between the lies of Bush, et al, relating to the Iraq adventure and our earlier adventures in the subjugation of Native Americans and the Philippines and our attempted subjugations of Mexico and Viet Nam. All involved presidential administration lies, a lapdog media all too willing to pass on the lies, and a horribly uninformed, disinterested citizenry. Who was it that said something to the effect that those who are ignorant of history are doomed to repeat it? Of course in the case of the Bush administration, not only has it been mendacious; but it has displayed a level of incompetence only achievable by zealots who believe so strongly in their superior rectitude that hubris clouds their vision and judgment, leading them to believe their own lies.

There were many professionals in our military, the Departments of State and Energy, our intelligence agencies, and even the Army War College who predicted exactly what has transpired with the Iraq adventure. Unfortunately the neo fascist (they call themselves neo-conservatives) “chicken hawks” in the Pentagon, National Intelligence Agency and Vice-president Cheney’s office, who are managing our foreign affairs, discounted, derided and even dismissed those professionals. Instead, they bought into, and propagated, the suggestions of long time Iraqi expatriates and neo-fascist “scholars” that the U.S. would be greeted with “flowers and sweets.”

As we now know, just about everything we were told by senior administration officials, and their media cheerleaders has been wrong, though none will acknowledge such.

It's Been Raining Here Too

It rained incessantly, mostly torrentially, during the ride to the airport on Sept. 30. It was a rain that typically is experienced in the area beginning in November, in that, not only was it raining hard, it was chilly.

It began to rain here on my ride from the airport and has been raining, off and on since. Here, though, it is warm and humid, and the rain provides relief.

Though the miles and miles of walking I’ve been doing since my arrival is no doubt good for my general health, the bottoms of my feet and shins are quite sore, requiring me to tread gingerly. The streets of Merida are generally numbered with the odd numbered streets running East and West and the even numbers running North and South, so it’s been fairly easy to find my way around.

I have discovered a very nice restaurant nearby my apartment, where classical music is played and which has quite a collection of books and magazines, both in Spanish and English. The staff speaks to me in English and I to speak to them in Spanish. They are all quite patient with my Spanish and correct my mistakes. Generally English speakers are rarer here than in other places in Mexico I’ve visited, which is good because one reason I’m here is to become more fluent.

Yesterday afternoon I stopped into the restaurant for a “Sol” beer and struck up a conversation with a woman sitting at the next table. As it turns out she is Canadian teaching English here for 5 months and has recently obtained her resident Visa. When I explained to her why I am here she assured me that I will decide to stay.

I am frequently told here that the Yucatan is quite different from the rest of Mexico, in that it is “mas tranquilla”. I have noticed that the police are mainly occupied in directing the voluminous traffic; and have yet to see a police officer with anything besides a sidearm, which is something I also noticed in Cuba. Quite different than in the land of the free, home of the brave, where police officers, even in the smallest of towns, are laden with sidearms, pepper spray, night sticks, and stun guns.

Today I am off to look for a bicycle, a barber shop, grocery store, and a self service laundry.

I'm Here

It is now Monday and I’ve found an internet café that is open and to which I have been able to connect my laptop. Until I am able to get an internet connection in my apartment my postings will be sporadic. I’m learning my way around. So far, so good, though.

Well, it’s Saturday, Oct. 1, and here I am, after spending about 16 hours in airports and airliners, all checked in to my apartment in Merida. My neighbor and good friend, Dan, and friend Mike drove me to the Portland airport; and, hopefully, returned safely with my car. I have been without internet access since leaving the Portland airport, which has about 70% wireless internet coverage at no charge while they make sure all the bugs are worked out. The Mexico City airport has fairly complete wireless coverage, but one must be a subscriber to Prodigy to access the network and I didn’t want to go through the trouble of signing up for a couple hours of use.

Upon my arrival at the Merida airport, the fact I was carrying two suitcases, a day pack and a laptop case piqued the interest of the customs officials, who requested a look inside my luggage. Well, being an eccentric I had brought along some soap that I had made out of sheep fat and lye. The customs inspector was very interested in what it was. I explained, in my often insufficient Spanish, that it was soap I had made. At any rate, the agriculture inspectors didn’t quite know how to react; and, after speaking to just about every customs inspector in the airport, they decided it best to confiscate the soap. They were all very nice and very apologetic at confiscating the soap. I assured them that it was “no problema” and “yo soy loco” and headed on my way after they helped me rezip my suitcases, which were both stuffed. Dealing with Mexican immigration and customs inspectors is quite a pleasant when compared to most of the U.S. customs and immigration folks I’ve dealt with. I promised myself, about 8 years ago, that I would never again fly through L.A. after dealing with the Customs officials, each of whom I dealt with was a complete asshole.

My landlord, Senor Fernando Lopez Monsreal picked me up at the airport and provided a very thorough apartment orientation. In addition to the orientation, Sr. Monsreal has completely furnished the place, down to a new bar of soap in the bathroom and new towels and pot holders in the kitchen. He even provided me with a 50 pesos telephone calling card, a couple of 20 liter jugs of drinking water and a pitcher of ice water in the brand new fridge.

Sr. Monsreal advised me that the best internet service in town is available through the cable TV provider and that my next door neighbor knows all about it. So I will on Monday be checking into establishing high speed internet service and maybe cable TV as well.

Upon Sr. Monsreal’s departure I enjoyed a cold shower and then went exploring. I have found that the streets of Merida, with a population of around 900,000, are deserted during midday on the weekend; but come back to life in the evening. After wandering a bit I found a restaurant that was open; and, as I hadn’t eaten much other than airline snacks, since lunching for one last time at Saginaw’s on the way to the airport. I enjoyed a filet mignon and 3 “Sol” brand beers for about $12 U.S.

I spent Sunday, Oct. 2, walking around “Centro” Merida but never found the bicycle shop advertised in the local phone book. After working up quite a sweat, as it is a bit humid here, I headed home; and arrived as the afternoon deluge set in. After observing the siesta tradition for a couple of hours I headed out again for further exploration. I never found the bicycle shop but ended up in a very nice bar talking to Raphael, his son Juan, and the bartender Natasia. Raphael, who is retired, insisted that I call him so that he may show me the sights. Juan is a supervisor with the Corona brewing company, which also, Juan informed me, also brews Pacifico, Modelo, Sol, Estrella and a number of other beers, some of which they export throughout the world.

I have returned to the apartment for the evening and figured out how to connect my laptop to the TV so that I may listen to the CDs I brought with me, though I will need an adapter to view DVDs. I am now sitting around in my underwear listening to the Buena Vista Social Club reading “The Clash of Political Ideals”, which is a bit outdate but still interesting .

Tomorrow, Monday Oct. 3, I will check on obtaining internet service, getting the adapter I need to view DVDs on the TV, and search for a bicycle shop. I must, above all else, go to Sr. Monreal’s office to provide a copy of passport and tourist visa.

<>