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ISSUE 251<br />

SATURDAY 10 AUGUST - 2013 FRIDAY 16<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


If you’ve been meaning to find a little information on the region,<br />

but never quite got around to it, we hope that the following will help.<br />

Look at the map in this issue, you will note that PV (as the locals call<br />

it) is on the west coast of Mexico, in the middle of the Bay of Banderas,<br />

the largest bay in this country, that includes southern part of the state<br />

of Nayarit to the north and the northern part of Jalisco to the south.<br />

Thanks to its privileged location -sheltered by the Sierra Madre<br />

mountains- the Bay is well protected against the hurricanes spawned<br />

in the Pacific. Hurricane Kenna came close on October 25, 2002,<br />

but actually touched down in San Blas, Nayarit, some 200 miles<br />

north of PV. The town sits on the same parallel as the Hawaiian<br />

Islands, thus the similarities in the climate of the two destinations.<br />

AREA: 1,300 sq. kilometers<br />

POPULATION: Approx. 325,000<br />

inhabitants<br />

CLIMATE: Tropical, humid, with<br />

an average of 300 sunny days per year.<br />

The temperature averages 28 o C (82 o F)<br />

and the rainy season extends from late<br />

June to early October.<br />

FAUNA: Nearby Sierra Vallejo<br />

hosts a great variety of animal species<br />

such as iguana, guacamaya, deer,<br />

raccoon, etc.<br />

SANCTUARIES: Bahía de<br />

Banderas encloses two Marine<br />

National Parks - Los Arcos and the<br />

Marieta Islands - w<strong>here</strong> diving is<br />

Index<br />

2<br />

Need to Know<br />

allowed under certain circumstances<br />

but fishing of any kind is prohibited.<br />

Every year, the Bay receives the visit<br />

of the humpback whales, dolphins and<br />

manta rays in the winter. During the<br />

summer, sea turtles, a protected species,<br />

arrive to its shores to lay their eggs.<br />

ECONOMY: Local economy is<br />

based mainly on tourism, construction<br />

and to a lesser degree, on agriculture,<br />

mainly tropical fruit such as mango,<br />

papaya, watermelon, pineapple,<br />

guanabana, cantaloupe and bananas.<br />

CURRENCY: The Mexican Peso is<br />

the legal currency in Mexico although<br />

Canadian and American dollars are<br />

widely accepted.<br />

BUSES: A system of urban buses<br />

with different routes. Current fare is<br />

$6.50 Pesos per ticket and passengers<br />

must purchase a new ticket every time<br />

they board another bus. T<strong>here</strong> are no<br />

“transfers”.<br />

TAXIS: T<strong>here</strong> are set rates within<br />

defined zones of the town. Do not enter<br />

a taxi without agreeing on the price with<br />

the driver FIRST. If you are staying in a<br />

hotel, you may want to check the rates<br />

usually posted in the lobby. Also, if you<br />

know which restaurant you want to go,<br />

do not let the driver change your mind.<br />

Many restaurateurs pay commissions to<br />

taxi drivers and you may end up paying<br />

more than you should, in a second-rate<br />

establishment! T<strong>here</strong> are 2 kinds of taxi<br />

cabs: those at the airport and the maritime<br />

port are usually vans that can only be<br />

boarded t<strong>here</strong>. They have pre-fixed rates<br />

per passenger. City cabs are yellow cars<br />

that charge by the ride, not by passenger.<br />

When you ask to go downtown, many<br />

drivers let you off at the beginning of the<br />

area, near Hidalgo Park. However, your<br />

fare covers the ENTIRE central area, so<br />

why walk 10 to 15 blocks to the main<br />

plaza, the Church or the flea market?<br />

Pick up a free map, and insist on your full<br />

value from the driver! Note the number<br />

of your taxi in case of any problem, or<br />

if you forget something in the cab. Then<br />

your hotel or travel rep can help you<br />

check it out or lodge a complaint.<br />

TIME ZONE: The entire State of<br />

Jalisco is on Central Time, as is the<br />

southern part of the State of Nayarit<br />

- from San Blas in the north through<br />

to the Ameca River, i.e.: San Blas,<br />

San Pancho, Sayulita, Punta Mita, La<br />

Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Bucerías, Nuevo<br />

Vallarta, etc.)<br />

TELEPHONE CALLS: Always<br />

check on the cost of long distance<br />

calls from your hotel room. Some<br />

establishments charge as much as U.S.<br />

$7.00 per minute!<br />

CELL PHONES: Most cellular<br />

phones from the U.S. and Canada may<br />

be programmed for local use, through<br />

Telcel and IUSAcell, the local carriers.<br />

To dial cell to cell, use the prefix 322,<br />

then the seven digit number of the<br />

person you’re calling. Omit the prefix if<br />

dialling a land line.<br />

LOCAL CUSTOMS: Tipping<br />

is usually 10%-15% of the bill at<br />

restaurants and bars. Tip bellboys, taxis,<br />

waiters, maids, etc. depending on the<br />

service. Some businesses and offices<br />

close from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., reopening<br />

until 7 p.m. or later. In restaurants, it is<br />

considered poor manners to present the<br />

check before it is requested, so when<br />

you’re ready to leave, ask «La cuenta,<br />

por favor» and your bill will be delivered<br />

to you.<br />

MONEY EXCHANGE: Although<br />

you may have to wait in line for a few<br />

minutes, remember that the banks will<br />

give you a higher rate of exchange than<br />

the exchange booths (caja de cambio).<br />

Better yet, if you have a «bank card»,<br />

withdraw funds from your account back<br />

home. Try to avoid exchanging money at<br />

your hotel. Traditionally, those offer the<br />

worst rates.<br />

WHAT TO DO: Even if your allinclusive<br />

hotel is everything you ever<br />

dreamed of, you should experience at<br />

least a little of all that Vallarta has to<br />

offer - it is truly a condensed version of<br />

all that is Mexican and existed before<br />

«Planned Tourist Resorts», such as<br />

Cancun, Los Cabos and Ixtapa, were<br />

developed. Millions have been spent to<br />

ensure that the original “small town”<br />

flavor is maintained downtown, in the<br />

Old Town and on the South Side.<br />

DRINKING WATER: The false<br />

belief that a Mexican vacation must<br />

inevitably lead to an encounter with<br />

Moctezuma’s revenge is just that:<br />

false. For the 21 st year in a row, Puerto<br />

Vallarta’s water has been awarded<br />

a certification of purity for human<br />

consumption. It is one of only two<br />

cities in Mexico that can boast of such<br />

accomplishment. True, the quality of<br />

the water tested at the purification plant<br />

varies greatly from what comes out of<br />

the tap at the other end. So do be careful.<br />

On the other hand, most large hotels<br />

have their own purification equipment<br />

and most restaurants use purified water.<br />

If you want to be doubly sure, you can<br />

pick up purified bottled water just about<br />

anyw<strong>here</strong>.<br />

EXPORTING PETS: Canadian and<br />

American tourists often fall in love with<br />

one of the many stray dogs and cats in<br />

Vallarta. Many would like to bring it<br />

back with them, but believe that the laws<br />

do not allow them to do so. Wrong. If<br />

you would like to bring a cat or a dog<br />

back home, call the local animal shelter<br />

for more info: 293-3690.<br />

LOCAL SIGHTSEEING: A good<br />

beginning would be to take one of the City<br />

Tours offered by the local tour agencies.<br />

Before boarding, make sure you have a<br />

map and take note of the places you want<br />

to return to. Then venture off the beaten<br />

path. Explore a little. Go farther than the<br />

tour bus takes you. And don’t worry -<br />

this is a safe place.<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


Sound Off 3<br />

T<strong>here</strong> are a couple of items I would like to touch upon this week.<br />

Firstly, although the Mirror usually focuses on Puerto Vallarta in<br />

particular, this week’s issue will also introduce you to a couple of little<br />

towns in our neighboring state of Nayarit, to the north.<br />

This was prompted by Anna Reisman’s journey to San Francisco<br />

(better known as San Pancho) and Sayulita last week. One of her<br />

photos is featured on our cover, and you may find it interesting to read<br />

her report on the community center she and her companions visited.<br />

The other observation I have deals with the temporary closure of<br />

local shops and restaurants.<br />

In past years, it was common for some eating establishments to close<br />

for the month of September –known as “septi-hambre” in Spanish,<br />

i.e. the month of hunger- when school holidays have ended and the<br />

tourists haven’t returned yet.<br />

This year is different. We see restaurants close for two months instead<br />

of one, others for the entire summer, while others still have closed<br />

forever. During my conversations with other full-time residents, it<br />

appears that while some of these permanent closures can be attributed<br />

to a lack of original market study, others may be due to the downturn<br />

in the economy of the U.S. over the last year or so. And of course,<br />

we cannot ignore the American media’s negative propaganda against<br />

Mexico either. Personally, I feel that the local authorities haven’t<br />

handled the city’s promotion in accordance to market demands. We<br />

can only hope that this state of affairs will improve in the months to<br />

come.<br />

In the meantime, I suggest that you who are in Puerto Vallarta<br />

in August and September show your support for those shops and<br />

restaurants that are bravely keeping their doors open during this<br />

difficult period, especially those off the beaten track. Let us not allow<br />

any more good ones to close!<br />

Dear Editor,<br />

My daughter and I recently discovered a new little treasure in our<br />

paradise of PV. Ever feel like you “know it all” after years of living<br />

<strong>here</strong>, only to discover something new and fresh?<br />

I am almost ashamed to admit I never knew Playa de los Camarones<br />

even existed. Well, it does and right t<strong>here</strong> is a restaurant called EL<br />

BARRACUDA! It is just south of the hotel Buenaventura on the<br />

beach. Fresh, casual, inviting, friendly, economical, fabulous foods<br />

all while enjoying a fantastic view of the entire bay! The owners are<br />

on site. The staff is attentive, bilingual and I think you’ll love the<br />

bright splash of color. This time of year it is always … do we leave the<br />

cool comforts of home and A/C? Well, don’t worry, sitting just steps<br />

from the sea, you will feel the cool and refreshing breezes and not<br />

sweat a bit. They offer burritos de pescado fresco, ceviche cocktails,<br />

aguachiles, tacos, salads and more. FABULOUS!! They are closed on<br />

Mondays and open Tues-Sun from 1:30 p.m. Ample parking on the<br />

street and I guarantee you will not be disappointed. Check it out …<br />

and enjoy!<br />

PV Lover<br />

Please go to next page for continuation...<br />

Allyna Vineberg<br />

Editor / Publisher<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


4<br />

Within PV<br />

Summer holidays =<br />

$1 Billion Pesos for PV<br />

Carlos Gerard Guzmán, PV’s Director of Tourism,<br />

informed that prior to the summer holidays, only<br />

80% of the city’s lodging accommodations had been<br />

reserved. However, that number rose to between 90%<br />

and 100% over the last three weeks, leaving over $1<br />

Billion Pesos in the city’s coffers.<br />

For their part, the Port Authorities welcomed<br />

between 1,700 and 2,000 passengers per day to their<br />

various tours around the Bay, numbers even higher<br />

than those registered during the last 2-week Easter<br />

holidays.<br />

The Tourism Offices in the main square, Olas Altas<br />

and the Malecon attended to over 6,000 visitors<br />

during this period, some 200 of which took the free<br />

downtown tour offered by the Office.<br />

Puerto Vallarta welcomes over 2 Million national<br />

tourists per year and 1.5 Million foreigners, mostly<br />

from Canada and the U.S.<br />

Dear Editor,<br />

I found this an interesting bit of trivia that might bring a smile to<br />

your readers, especially after reading the “Puerto Vallarta driving tips”<br />

[Issue # 248 – www.<strong>pvmcitypaper</strong>.com/download/248.pdf] a couple<br />

of weeks ago.<br />

Giving the Finger<br />

Before the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the French, anticipating<br />

victory over the English, proposed to cut off the middle finger of<br />

all captured English soldiers. Without the middle finger it would be<br />

impossible to draw the renowned English longbow and t<strong>here</strong>fore be<br />

incapable of fighting in the future.<br />

This famous weapon was made of the native English Yew tree, and<br />

the act of drawing the longbow was known as “plucking the yew” (or<br />

“pluck yew”).<br />

Much to the bewilderment of the French, the English won a major<br />

upset and began mocking the French by waving their middle fingers<br />

at the defeated French, saying, “See, we can still pluck yew! PLUCK<br />

YEW!” Since ‘pluck yew’ is rather difficult to say, the difficult<br />

consonant cluster at the beginning has gradually changed to a<br />

labiodental fricative ‘F’, and thus the words often used in conjunction<br />

with the one-finger salute are mistakenly thought to have something to<br />

do with an intimate encounter.<br />

It is also because of the pheasant feathers on the arrows used with<br />

the longbow that the symbolic gesture is known as “giving the bird”.<br />

And yew thought yew knew everything!<br />

Publisher / Editor:<br />

Allyna Vineberg<br />

avineberg@yahoo.com<br />

Contributors:<br />

Anna Reisman<br />

Joe Harrington<br />

Harriet Murray<br />

Stan Gabruk<br />

Giselle Belanger<br />

Krystal Frost<br />

Gil Gevins<br />

Ronnie Bravo<br />

Tommy Clarkson<br />

Luis Melgoza<br />

Dr. Fabio Cupul<br />

Dr. Jorge Chavez<br />

Gretchen DeWitt<br />

Office: 223-1128<br />

Graphic Designer:<br />

Leo Robby R. R.<br />

Webmaster:<br />

PVMCITYPAPER Online Team<br />

Cover photo:<br />

“In Sayulita”<br />

by Anna Reisman<br />

PV Mirror es una publicación semanal.<br />

Certificados de licitud de título y<br />

contenido en tramite. Prohibida la<br />

reproducción total o parcial de su<br />

contenido, imágenes y/o fotografías sin<br />

previa autorización por escrito del editor.<br />

Nathan Finkelstein<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


Within PV<br />

5<br />

About the pets…<br />

by<br />

GRETCHEN DeWITT<br />

T<strong>here</strong> were over 100 sterilizations<br />

at our clinic in San Blas, Nayarit, last<br />

weekend. The donations were kept by<br />

Patas Salatas which underwrote the<br />

entire cost of this clinic ($1,500. USD)<br />

In lieu of gifts for the first birthday<br />

of Charlotte Amelie Gammet Martin,<br />

one of Vallarta´s babies, her mother,<br />

animal activist Nicole Martin, is<br />

requesting donations for the free spay/<br />

neuter clinics.<br />

From Nicole: “Charlotte is<br />

having her 1st birthday on August<br />

10! To celebrate, she is hosting a<br />

NeuteraTHON for PEACEAnimals<br />

because we LOVE what they are<br />

doing. This will make her town a<br />

happier one by reducing the number<br />

of the many unwanted and abused<br />

street animals in Puerto Vallarta. $7<br />

(90 pesos) will remove one testicle<br />

of a cat or dog. For $14 (100 pesos),<br />

you can remove the pair!” Click<br />

to make Charlotte happy: https//<br />

donate.peaceusa.org and designate for<br />

PEACEAnimals (spay/neuter).”<br />

Need to be adopted: T<strong>here</strong> are<br />

64 dogs including 20 puppies at<br />

the Centro de Acopio (local no-kill<br />

shelter). Open Mon-Sat from 8 AM-2<br />

PM. Tel.: 293-3690<br />

Many of the cats and kittens on<br />

the Isla Cuale. More than 20 kittens<br />

have been dropped t<strong>here</strong> this week. A<br />

certain number of cats is sustainable.<br />

They keep the rats away, which the<br />

restaurants appreciate.<br />

When t<strong>here</strong> is overpopulation,<br />

poisoning of cats may take place. It<br />

has in the past. T<strong>here</strong> are free clinics<br />

every week. PLEASE help publicize<br />

them. Clinics help prevent the future<br />

suffering of animals, including wildlife.<br />

Colina Free Clinic - Every Sunday<br />

from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 491 V. Carranza<br />

in the Romantic Zone. Surgeries<br />

limited to 15 cats and dogs. Arrive<br />

early! Contact: cez@rogers.com<br />

PEACEAnimals free clinic<br />

schedule: August 14-17 - Las Juntas,<br />

next to the government office building,<br />

just off the main square. Enter the<br />

colonia and drive all the way into the<br />

plaza.<br />

Wed., Thurs. and Fri. – 9 a.m. to 2<br />

p.m., Sat. – 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Arrive<br />

early. 25 animals / clinic is our limit.<br />

No food or water after midnight before<br />

surgery day. Animals must be at least<br />

8 weeks old. They will be treated for<br />

parasites, fleas, ticks and mange, if it<br />

is present. Pregnancies terminated<br />

on request. Euthanasia performed if<br />

animal critically ill or injured. All<br />

services are free.<br />

https://donate.peaceusa.org/ Clinics<br />

need funding! Please consider<br />

donating.<br />

For more information on clinics and<br />

animal rescue: www.peaceanimals.org<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


6 Beyond PV<br />

Crisis easing, Mexico sees uneven recovery<br />

What a difference two years can make.<br />

In the summer of 2011, Mexican government<br />

officials, wholesalers, association heads and<br />

leaders of travel agent groups met <strong>here</strong> to<br />

brainstorm about what could be done to reverse<br />

a spiraling drop in business. Consumers,<br />

frightened by violence associated with drug<br />

gangs, were booking away from Mexico.<br />

By contrast, a second summit, held <strong>here</strong><br />

last week, painted a picture of a destination<br />

in recovery, with focused discussions on<br />

major long-term projects rather than crisis<br />

management.<br />

Still, t<strong>here</strong>’s evidence that the destination’s<br />

recovery is uneven. The Mexico Tourism Board<br />

(MTB) game plan, which includes emphasis on<br />

the notion that the violence was regional rather<br />

than national, appears to have helped resort<br />

areas like Cancun and Riviera Maya immensely.<br />

But land crossings at towns bordering the<br />

U.S., w<strong>here</strong> violence has been concentrated, are<br />

down so significantly that, overall, international<br />

arrivals are lower year over year.<br />

Calling that situation “alarming,” MTB CEO<br />

Rodolfo Lopez-Negrete said that although crime<br />

has dropped “dramatically” in border towns,<br />

some land and non-cruise water crossings are<br />

down in “high double digits.”<br />

Even so, the drop in land border crossings has<br />

had little impact on most summit attendees, who<br />

promote packages to resort areas, and they were<br />

heartened by encouraging news regarding air<br />

arrivals, spend per visitor, market share, hotel<br />

occupancy and revenue per available room in<br />

the interior destinations they market.<br />

Lopez-Negrete reviewed recent developments,<br />

including the creation of a “tourism cabinet” of<br />

10 federal ministers that is chaired by President<br />

Enrique Pena Nieto; a proposed rail link between<br />

the Riviera Maya and Merida that would stop at<br />

the ruins of Chichen Itza and the colonial city<br />

of Valladolid; the building of infrastructure to<br />

facilitate a push to promote Mayan heritage in<br />

five states in southeastern Mexico, with Cancun<br />

as a transportation hub; and the rebranding of<br />

Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit to “Vallarta<br />

Nayarit.”<br />

A total of $43.3 million will be spent by MTB<br />

this year promoting the country, with a big push<br />

from September to December.<br />

Lopez-Negrete said the total represented an<br />

increase of about 10%. He added that the timing<br />

of the marketing efforts were affected somewhat<br />

by changes in advertising and public relations<br />

agencies but that new 30-month contracts would<br />

provide stability in promotional efforts moving<br />

forward.<br />

In addition to the federal tourism promotion<br />

budget, more than $10 million in federal, state<br />

and regional funds will also be spent in the U.S.<br />

and Canada on the rebranding of Vallarta Nayarit<br />

over the 12 months beginning in September.<br />

MTB’s marketing director, Gerardo Llanes,<br />

unveiled a new tourism slogan, “Mexico, Live<br />

It to Believe It,” and played two new TV spots,<br />

one in support of the Vallarta Nayarit rebranding<br />

and one promoting Mexico City as a leisure<br />

destination.<br />

The ads, which will first air next month, are<br />

designed to trigger an emotional response “using<br />

a visual language, made of memories” rather than<br />

to enumerate features, Llanes said.<br />

The narrators of both spots were female and had<br />

a British accent. Llanes said that the ads were made<br />

for use in multiple English-speaking countries,<br />

and that Americans look more favorably upon<br />

hearing a British accent than vice versa. Attendee<br />

reaction to both spots was overwhelmingly<br />

favorable.<br />

Discussion about whether Cancun and the<br />

Riviera Maya should also be rebranded as one<br />

destination followed, but t<strong>here</strong> was no consensus<br />

on the benefits of doing that.<br />

Elyse Elkin, Travel Impressions’ vice president<br />

in charge of Mexico, felt it could be useful because<br />

the two destinations share one airport, but Classic<br />

Vacations President David Hu felt it would “be<br />

too much to explain. Sell one, and then tell them<br />

what’s nearby.”<br />

Gibran Chapur, executive vice president of<br />

Palace Resorts, liked the idea “if we could double<br />

the marketing value. I’d rather have two spots<br />

featuring Cancun/Riviera than one on Cancun and<br />

one on Riviera Maya.”<br />

Alex Zozaya, CEO of Apple Leisure Group,<br />

had the last word. “Try to stay focused on what<br />

will get us more traffic,” he said.<br />

(Source: Arnie Weissmann - travelweekly.com)<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


Beyond PV<br />

7<br />

Sayulita and San Pancho, Nayarit<br />

Many visitors to the Bay of<br />

Banderas area are unaware of the<br />

fact that this immense body of water<br />

washes the sands of two Mexican<br />

states: Nayarit on the North Shore,<br />

and Jalisco on the Southern half.<br />

Southern Nayarit - the<br />

municipality of Bahía de Banderas<br />

to be exact - used to take a back seat<br />

to its better known neighbor to the<br />

south, Puerto Vallarta. But no more.<br />

This area, with approximately 50<br />

miles of coastline with pristine<br />

white sandy beaches, extends from<br />

Nuevo Vallarta to Punta de Mita<br />

on the Bay, and then Sayulita and<br />

San Francisco on the Pacific Ocean<br />

itself.<br />

These areas are within 45 minutes<br />

of driving time from Vallarta’s<br />

international airport, and half of<br />

that distance is a 4-lane highway<br />

from the airport to the Punta de<br />

Mita turnoff west. The Mexico 200<br />

road continues onward north, and<br />

inland to Tepic and Guadalajara.<br />

Once all the prize land in PV<br />

was developed, the natural growth<br />

of the town went North, to Bahía<br />

de Banderas and its beautiful<br />

beaches: Nuevo Vallarta, Bucerías<br />

and La Cruz de Huanacaxtle,<br />

Costa Banderas and Punta de Mita,<br />

an immense development that<br />

includes the famed Four Seasons<br />

Resort Hotel and its spectacular<br />

Jack Nicklaus Signature 18-hole<br />

golf course, with an additional hole<br />

on an islet.<br />

Sayulita is about 8 miles up the<br />

Pacific coast, north of Punta de Mita<br />

(25 miles north of PV). It is a very<br />

quaint, but very active, beachfront<br />

town. With its spectacular beaches,<br />

rolling surf and lush hillsides, this<br />

is an area that has attracted many<br />

foreign tourists wanting to be a<br />

little more removed from the hustle<br />

and bustle of PV, but still within<br />

reasonable distance to enjoy some<br />

of its action.<br />

San Francisco, better known as<br />

San Pancho, is quieter than Sayulita.<br />

This area was once mostly owned<br />

by a former President of Mexico,<br />

Luis Echeverría. It has lovely<br />

wide streets and is also a favorite<br />

of foreign investors. Nowadays,<br />

it holds surfing and Stand Up<br />

Paddle championships, art exhibits<br />

and music festivals, among other<br />

events.<br />

The pre-Columbian indigenous<br />

inhabitants of the Sayulita and<br />

San Pancho area were most<br />

likely small bands of the seminomadic<br />

Cuyuteco. Like most of<br />

the greater Banderas Bay area, the<br />

sheer remoteness and thick jungle<br />

prevented permanent European<br />

colonization until the late 19 th<br />

century. The ejido of Sayulita was<br />

not established until 1941 when<br />

the first families arrived from the<br />

mountains of Jalisco.<br />

Known for its consistent river<br />

mouth surf break, roving surfers<br />

“discovered” both sites in the<br />

late 1960s with the construction<br />

of Highway 200. Today, Sayulita<br />

is home to approximately 4,000<br />

residents, while San Pancho has<br />

only half that number. Hailed<br />

as a popular off-the-beaten-path<br />

travel destination, they both offer<br />

a variety of activities such as<br />

horseback riding, polo (!), hiking,<br />

jungle canopy tours, snorkeling<br />

and fishing. Still a Mecca for<br />

surfers of all ages, they attract<br />

upscale tourists with their art<br />

galleries and restaurants as well.<br />

Sayulita has a curious eclectic<br />

quality, frequented by native Cora<br />

and Huichol peoples, traveling<br />

craftsmen as well as international<br />

tourists. The natural beauty and<br />

easy access to Puerto Vallarta have<br />

made the real estate in both towns<br />

some of the most sought after in<br />

all of Mexico. With a growing<br />

ecological awareness and stricter<br />

zoning enforcement, development<br />

is being regulated to help safeguard<br />

the environment and quality of life<br />

of the community. For example,<br />

Sayulita now has a medical office<br />

with an English-speaking doctor<br />

and pharmacist, a number of<br />

internet cafés and a wide variety<br />

of open-air eateries - some right on<br />

the long and wide sand beach. Both<br />

have also become coveted wedding<br />

destinations with a number of local<br />

wedding planners.<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


8 Beyond PV<br />

Pacific hamlet could become<br />

Mexico’s next hot stop<br />

Maybe it was the impossibly bright orange sunset over the Pacific<br />

Ocean, the sound of waves crashing onto the shore, briefly disturbing the<br />

peace and the silence around us.<br />

Or it may have been the eclectic crowd – old hippies, yuppies and the<br />

ultrarich – enjoying the isolated innocence on an unspoiled Mexican<br />

beach.<br />

Whatever it was, I couldn’t avoid a creeping realization: I didn’t miss<br />

Cancún, its blindingly white sandy beaches, or the turquoise Caribbean<br />

waters. And just forget Acapulco and its nonstop night life and foul bay.<br />

I had found a new paradise, and just in time. I’d thought I’d visited every<br />

beach in Mexico. I had grown jaded about many places w<strong>here</strong> you arrive<br />

eager to hit the water or relax and read a book, only to end up feeling<br />

cleaned out by resort operators and their hidden costs, such as the 5 percent<br />

cover charge just to dine. This quiet stretch of Pacific coast in Nayarit state<br />

renewed my faith.<br />

I’m enjoying this place, just 25 miles north of Puerto Vallarta and a world<br />

away from Mexico’s more well-known and crowded tourist destinations.<br />

Before long, however, the inevitable pressure of beach-seeking humanity<br />

will be arriving by the planeload. The place is no longer a secret beyond<br />

the small but dedicated group of vacationers, the vast majority from<br />

California, who come back year after year to live a few days in simple<br />

luxury.<br />

The northern rim of Bahía de Banderas has<br />

become an eclectic refuge for the pinchers of<br />

pennies and the deep pockets alike. Lodgings go<br />

for anyw<strong>here</strong> from $35 for a no-frills room in<br />

Cielo Rojo to $550 at the Four Seasons Punta<br />

Mita.<br />

This windswept coast was once a string of<br />

remote fishing villages nestled by hilly jungles.<br />

But it’s now a playground for jet-setters and<br />

surfer dudes alike, all chasing the next big wave.<br />

At once, a vivid reminder of Spain’s Costa Brava<br />

and California’s Santa Cruz.<br />

Nayarit state has been known as the jungle<br />

around Puerto Vallarta – for decades a principal<br />

destination for U.S. travelers from the West<br />

Coast. It was a small, unhurried resort area squeezed against the Pacific<br />

by tall mountains hiding the colorful but reclusive culture of Mexico’s<br />

Huichol Indians.<br />

The charming hamlet of San Francisco, known locally as San Pancho,<br />

won me over with its tropical beachfront and lush green hillsides of<br />

seemingly undisturbed parrots. It has some of the best bird and whale<br />

watching in the world.<br />

It’s off the beaten path and reflects a downshift tourism – a quieter and<br />

more relaxed environment. More important, it was the unusual, welcome<br />

hospitality offered by friendly locals who appear eager to embrace the<br />

transformation of this fishing village into a world-class resort.<br />

Its cobblestone streets and white sands call out for early morning or<br />

evening walks. It’s also a surfer haven, this point proved by a travel<br />

companion who’d wake up at 5:30 a.m. to hit the waves. I preferred hiking<br />

through mountains, taking in the views and endless miles of pristine<br />

beaches along the Nayarit coast. Like the region itself, ours was a peaceful<br />

coexistence.<br />

That doesn’t mean that some aren’t worried about losing a traditional<br />

way of life. They’ve seen what’s happened to once-secluded Cancún, or<br />

Nuevo Vallarta. A local group of women is protesting to preserve public<br />

beach access they’ve always had before.<br />

Yet change is coming: Both the federal and state governments are<br />

pumping millions of dollars into roads, electric lines and municipal water<br />

projects. They’re creating what locals proudly call Mexico’s next best<br />

tourism destination.<br />

Among the projects: a new road to connect San Pancho to Sayulita,<br />

an indolent fishing village known for its surfer-worthy waves, and Punta<br />

Mita, w<strong>here</strong> Four Seasons is the star attraction. It’s one charming beach<br />

after another, interrupted only by tropical forests and mangroves. Farther<br />

inland are Nayarit’s volcanic highlands and the cultural attractions and<br />

pristine beaches of Guayabitos and big-city Tepic.<br />

I stood on top of a mountain, watching the sunset and Bungalow Lydia<br />

below us, taking in the whispering wildlife and hushed sounds, mindful<br />

that the secret will soon reach Texans, if it hasn’t already.<br />

Editor’s Note: Although this article on San Pancho was written<br />

and published 7 years ago by Alfredo Corchado in the Dallas<br />

Morning News, we feel that it is still applicable today.<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


The 7 Arts<br />

9<br />

2 Guns<br />

About ten minutes into this<br />

action movie, I got the feeling I’d<br />

recently seen the same plot.<br />

2 Guns plot: Two law<br />

enforcement agents, one from the<br />

Navy the other from the DEA, take<br />

on an assortment of bad guys and,<br />

while doing so, break just about<br />

every law they once took an oath to<br />

uphold. Let’s see, what was the plot<br />

of the recently released Heat? Oh,<br />

yeah, two law enforcement agents,<br />

one from the FBI the other from the<br />

Boston Police Department, take an<br />

assortment of bad guys and, while<br />

doing so, break just about every law<br />

they once took an oath to uphold.<br />

The number of buddy movies<br />

made that start out with two guys<br />

loathing each other is immense.<br />

That said, this is not a bad movie,<br />

but it is not a special one either.<br />

by<br />

JOE HARRINGTON<br />

My recommendation is as<br />

follows: If you like Denzel<br />

Washington and/or you like Mark<br />

Walberg, then by all means buy a<br />

ticket. But if you have a “Ho Hum”<br />

attitude, save your money.<br />

One thing really jumped out at<br />

me and that was the aerial footage<br />

involving a car chase. People have<br />

been trying to outdo the car chase<br />

in Bullet, starring Steve McQueen,<br />

ever since that flick aired. Probably<br />

the most overworked element in the<br />

car chase is going down a one-way<br />

street against the flow of traffic.<br />

What was unusual about the 2 Guns<br />

car chase? It takes place in a desert<br />

with two guys, our heroes, trying<br />

to commit vehicular homicide.<br />

Visually very satisfying.<br />

This has a good cast. I<br />

can’t remember the last time I saw<br />

Edward James Olmos in anything,<br />

but it has been a long while. Not so<br />

with Bill Paxton, who seems to be<br />

getting a lot of work lately.<br />

Other members of the cast are<br />

Paula Patton, James Marsden,<br />

Fred Ward and Robert Burke.<br />

This movie beat out Wolverine at<br />

the box office – which is the only<br />

thing that counts in Tinsel Town.<br />

2 Guns = $27 Million; Wolverine<br />

= $21 Million. Neither of those<br />

numbers comes even remotely<br />

close to being a blockbuster.<br />

The movie, as silly as some of<br />

the scenes are, is entertaining.<br />

However, I did suggest a new<br />

rating system called SALUE a few<br />

weeks ago and this movie certainly<br />

deserves that warning, which is:<br />

Suspend All Logic Upon Entering.<br />

Why do so many action movies<br />

insist on arming the heroes with<br />

a handgun and all the bad guys<br />

with Uzis or, in this case, even a<br />

CIA helicopter with fifty-caliber<br />

machineguns, and our heroes hit<br />

everything they aim at and the bad<br />

guys, spraying out 1,500 rounds a<br />

minute per weapon, miss?<br />

Now on to another note. Sadly,<br />

another actor has passed away. I<br />

am going to ask one trivia question<br />

and that is, given the following<br />

data, who was he?<br />

He was born on April 15, 1922 in<br />

Syria. He starred in the TV series<br />

Broken Arrow (1956 to 1958.)<br />

In 1959 he starred in Law of the<br />

Plainsman. He portrayed an Indian<br />

in those roles and also in Wagon<br />

Train, Gunsmoke, and Texas Across<br />

the River. He also played other<br />

ethnic roles: an Egyptian taskmaster<br />

in The Ten Commandments and<br />

Judas Iscariot in The Robe. But<br />

the biggest clue to who this talented<br />

actor was comes from the original<br />

TV series Star Trek. He played the<br />

Klingon Kang. He played the same<br />

role in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine<br />

and Star Trek: Voyager.<br />

But that is only a nod to the<br />

diversity of roles this man acted<br />

in. He was involved with the<br />

following incredible list of<br />

television series: Alfred Hitchcock<br />

Presents, The Fugitive, The Man<br />

from U.N.C.L.E., The Outer Limits,<br />

Lost in Space, The Mod Squad,<br />

Hawaii 5-0, Kojak, The Adventures<br />

of Rin Tin Tin, The Rifleman, Perry<br />

Mason, The Untouchables, and Ben<br />

Casey.<br />

He married three actresses: Jean<br />

Byron (1949 – 1956); Barbara<br />

Eden (1958 – 1973); and Beverly<br />

Kushida, which lasted 36 years,<br />

until his death.<br />

Who was he? He was Michael<br />

Ansara - an actor I followed mainly<br />

because we were born on the same<br />

day – April 15 th , which I can state<br />

unequivocally is the worse day to<br />

be born in as it is tax day.<br />

Joe is an internationally published<br />

author and a documentary<br />

film maker. He can be reached<br />

with suggestions or criticism at<br />

JoeMovieMadness@YAhoo.com.<br />

Artwork by Bob Crabb.<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


10<br />

Vallarta Voices<br />

by<br />

T<strong>here</strong> was no sun this past<br />

SUNday (when I usually take a few<br />

hours off to relax in my wannabe<br />

pool and read), so I took the time<br />

I would normally use to do that to<br />

tell you a little about my outing<br />

last Friday with Astrid Van Dam of<br />

Superior Tours and a great group of<br />

locals.<br />

Firstly, for those who have not<br />

driven out along that bit of road,<br />

north to San Pancho, I must tell you<br />

that it is absolutely breathtaking at<br />

this time of year. The jungle on both<br />

sides of the well-paved road looks<br />

like some sort of enchanted forest,<br />

with vines covering all the trunks<br />

and branches until the entire forest<br />

looks as if it were covered with a<br />

lush green velvet blanket. T<strong>here</strong><br />

were many “OMG!” exclamations<br />

among the passengers in Astrid’s<br />

new air-conditioned van.<br />

Now, although I had heard and<br />

read quite a bit about the entre@<br />

migos Community Center in San<br />

Pancho, I never expected it to be<br />

what it is.<br />

Founder Nicole Swedlow, a<br />

wisp of a woman with enough<br />

energy to power a nuclear plant,<br />

has accomplished nothing short<br />

of a miracle - with the help of<br />

innumerable volunteers, including<br />

ANNA REISMAN<br />

no less than the founder of the<br />

internationally famous Cirque du<br />

Soleil, Guy Laliberté! Yes, the same<br />

billionaire who traveled to space<br />

back in 2009 …as a tourist.<br />

What started out as a little<br />

project in a little space has grown<br />

to occupy a huge building that had<br />

been abandoned years earlier. Since<br />

2009, the town of San Pancho has let<br />

entre@migos use it rent-free (though<br />

it is responsible for the utilities), but<br />

it is rewarded for its generosity: last<br />

month, entre@migos organized a<br />

clean-up day they used to “scour the<br />

river, the estuary, the beach and the<br />

main streets of San Pancho”.<br />

During the school year, the<br />

kids receive uniforms, material<br />

support and scholarships, as well<br />

as free access to a large bilingual<br />

library, computer classes, tutoring<br />

and mentor programs. Some who<br />

may not have been able to do so<br />

without that support are now off to<br />

university!<br />

The Community Center offers<br />

4-week summer workshops to some<br />

200 children of the small town, aged<br />

from 3 to 16 years of age, keeping<br />

them off the streets, occupied<br />

with interesting challenges, while<br />

awakening their creative spirit and<br />

promoting their self-esteem.<br />

This summer, all the<br />

youngsters and the volunteers<br />

were given yellow T-shirts<br />

(different color every year),<br />

which helped give them a<br />

sense of true community. They<br />

had over two dozen different<br />

workshops to choose from,<br />

everything you can imagine,<br />

including mural art and puppet<br />

making, ballet and jazz,<br />

Huichol-type weaving, cooking<br />

and science projects, crochet,<br />

textile design, Circo de los Niños<br />

circus training, soccer (of course!),<br />

field trips, bird watching on the<br />

beach, environmental responsibility<br />

and, perhaps most importantly:<br />

recycling.<br />

And boy, oh boy, do they know<br />

how to recycle! Plastics, paper,<br />

glass, aluminum, you name it. Do<br />

you remember the glasses at the last<br />

Altruism Festival? Well, they were<br />

made at entre@migos. Now they’ve<br />

started etching them. I bought two<br />

of them (see photo) as gifts for some<br />

special friends of mine, as well as a<br />

T-shirt and a bag that says “. They’re<br />

also making toys and greeting cards,<br />

jewelry and souvenirs, among other<br />

items they sell in their Recycle Shop.<br />

I cannot tell you how impressed<br />

my 30 or so companions were at the<br />

end of the tour. If my little report<br />

has peaked your curiosity, you can<br />

check out entre@amigos’ web site<br />

at www.entreamigos.org.mx to see<br />

myriad photos and find out so much<br />

more about this incredible project.<br />

All of the entre@migos projects<br />

and programs including the<br />

library, scholarships,<br />

community events and<br />

construction projects are<br />

supported entirely by<br />

private donations.<br />

entre@migos is<br />

a 501(c)3 non profit<br />

organization so your<br />

donations are tax<br />

deductible in the U.S.<br />

Please consider making<br />

a donation to entre@<br />

migos.<br />

I forgot to mention: the local<br />

children from San Pancho who<br />

participated in the Circus lessons at<br />

entre@migos have been invited to<br />

enjoy a Cirque du Soleil presentation<br />

in Guadalajara this coming week!<br />

How’s that for a nice gesture on the<br />

part of Mr. Laliberté?<br />

I could go on and on about this<br />

place, but it would be best if you<br />

checked it out yourself.<br />

Enjoy the great sunsets we’ve<br />

been having every night, and may<br />

your Mirror always reflect a happy,<br />

healthy you. Hasta luego.<br />

sheis@ymail.com<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


Good Bites 11<br />

Add Passion to your diet!<br />

The passion fruit is an eggshaped<br />

tropical fruit also called<br />

granadilla and maracuya, among<br />

other names. The scientific name<br />

of the giant granadilla is Passiflora<br />

quadrangularis. T<strong>here</strong> are more<br />

than 200 species of Passiflora, of<br />

which 55 are grown for their edible<br />

fruit.<br />

The ones we find <strong>here</strong> have<br />

a tough, leathery, sometimes<br />

wrinkled skin, that is usually yellow<br />

or dark orange in color. Filling the<br />

central cavity is a yellow-greenish<br />

aromatic pulp, surrounding<br />

numerous hard black seeds attached<br />

to small peg-like outgrowths on<br />

the fruit wall. This pulp is rich in<br />

vitamin A, B1 and C. Both the seeds<br />

and the pulp are edible, usually<br />

eaten raw, popular in fresh fruit<br />

salads. The seeds resemble those of<br />

a pomegranate (granadilla means<br />

“little pomegranate” in Spanish).<br />

Passion fruit is more commonly<br />

sieved and its highly aromatic pulp<br />

and juice are used as a flavoring for<br />

beverages and sauces.<br />

The passion flower got its name<br />

when the first Christian missionaries<br />

landed in South America in the 16 th<br />

century; they found a plant which<br />

seemed to be a very good omen for<br />

the success of their mission. They<br />

called it the passion flower because<br />

they thought that it symbolised the<br />

death of Christ. The five sepals and<br />

five petals of the flower, which are<br />

similar in appearance, represent<br />

the disciples without Peter and<br />

Judas. The double row of coloured<br />

filaments, known as the corona,<br />

signifies to some the halo around<br />

Christ’s head and to others the<br />

crown of thorns. The five stamens<br />

and the three spreading styles with<br />

their flattened heads symbolise the<br />

wounds and the nails respectively.<br />

The tendrils resemble the whips<br />

used to scourge Christ and the lobed<br />

leaves look similar to the clutching<br />

hands of the soldiers.<br />

In the major producing countries<br />

- Brazil, Kenya, Australia and<br />

Hawaii -, passion fruit are grown<br />

on plantations, but they grow right<br />

<strong>here</strong> in Puerto Vallarta too. T<strong>here</strong><br />

are many trees around from which<br />

you can pick them, if you keep your<br />

eyes open.<br />

In Brazil, it is used as food<br />

and as a sedative. They make<br />

a passion flower drink, called<br />

maracuja grande, frequently used<br />

to treat asthma, whooping cough,<br />

bronchitis and other tough coughs.<br />

In Peru, besides being eaten raw,<br />

it is considered to be a diuretic,<br />

helpful in curing urinary infections.<br />

If you’re in Puerto Vallarta, you<br />

might even want to check out the<br />

fabulous maracuya lemonades<br />

or maracuya mojitos at Coco’s<br />

Kitchen. You won’t be sorry!<br />

How about this Saturday, when<br />

you go to the Co-op Market? Just<br />

remember that Coco’s is only<br />

open for breakfast and lunch from<br />

now to October… 122 Pulpito,<br />

across the street from the Paradise<br />

Community Center. Enjoy!<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


12<br />

Legal Matters<br />

Dear Readers: On July 29 th ,<br />

Immigration began the permanent<br />

enforcement practices mandated<br />

by Law. You should be aware that<br />

Immigration officers may inspect any<br />

business —including rental properties<br />

and vendor stands at the Saturday<br />

markets— to verify that any and<br />

all foreigners who own, operate or<br />

work, in any capacity, in or at any<br />

inspected location have the proper<br />

Immigration category, with Lucrativa<br />

status; they can and will review any<br />

and all documents necessary for the<br />

legal operation of the business or<br />

employment and that these are in full<br />

compliance with all applicable city,<br />

state and federal ordinances, statutes<br />

and laws.<br />

If a foreigner’s Immigration status<br />

does not explicitly permit income<br />

generation activities, or if a foreign<br />

employee is not registered with<br />

Immigration as such by that specific<br />

employer, or if the activity performed<br />

by the foreigner is not among those<br />

Ask Luis<br />

by<br />

LUIS MELGOZA<br />

previously registered by him/her with<br />

Immigration, or if any other city, state<br />

or federal violations are found, the<br />

foreigners shall be detained pending<br />

an investigation.<br />

It is critical that if you engage in any<br />

income generating activity in Mexico<br />

or from Mexican sources —including<br />

occasionally renting out your real<br />

property or receiving payment for<br />

anything— all your permits are in<br />

order and all your legal obligations are<br />

met at all times.<br />

If you have someone else process<br />

your Immigration renewals, activity<br />

or address changes, you must have<br />

this person give you a copy of the<br />

official application receipt. If you<br />

are inspected and you don’t have<br />

either a valid and current Immigration<br />

document authorizing your stay and<br />

activity in Mexico or an application<br />

control number, you will be detained<br />

because you won’t be able to prove<br />

that your application is in progress.<br />

I have knowledge of two inspections<br />

practiced between July 29 and today.<br />

In one case, Mailboxes, Etc. at Molino<br />

de Agua —mentioned <strong>here</strong> with<br />

permission—, the business and its<br />

owners/operators had all necessary<br />

permits and licenses in order, and they<br />

always make sure that all their legal<br />

obligations are met on time.<br />

In the second case, a person, whose<br />

name I will not disclose, was found<br />

offering professional services from a<br />

home-based business. This person had<br />

lived <strong>here</strong> for many years, as a tourist,<br />

and was planning to go to the border<br />

to get a new Visitor (a.k.a. Tourist)<br />

visa to replace one that expired in<br />

May. Once detained, the person was<br />

charged with practicing a profession<br />

without a license, zoning violations,<br />

operating a business without a permit,<br />

working without a permit, unlawful<br />

permanence in Mexico, tax fraud,<br />

and, because this person offered a<br />

bribe to the arresting Immigration<br />

officers, bribery of a federal officer.<br />

Other than the zoning violations and<br />

the operation of a business without a<br />

permit, all other offenses are penalized<br />

with prison and deportation.<br />

A license to practice any profession<br />

abroad does not give anyone<br />

permission to practice it in Mexico.<br />

The proper process must be followed,<br />

equivalencies met, and proficiency<br />

proven to apply for a license to<br />

practice in Mexico.<br />

Engaging in any income-generating<br />

activity in Mexico or from Mexican<br />

sources —including, but not limited<br />

to receiving payment for any services<br />

rendered, working, renting out<br />

Mexican assets, etc.— without being<br />

duly authorized by Immigration is an<br />

offense punishable by deportation.<br />

Unpaid volunteerism does not<br />

require a work permit; however, the<br />

volunteer must inform Immigration of<br />

this activity following the established<br />

process.<br />

Permanent enforcement by<br />

Immigration is, well, permanent. Stay<br />

legal.<br />

Dear Luis: About a month ago, I<br />

spoke to Oscar at the Nogales border,<br />

whose business is nationalizing /<br />

importing cars, he told us that they<br />

are currently doing the importation<br />

for 2007 cars and in November, 2013<br />

they will start nationalizing 2008 cars.<br />

He said that if the Amparo is still in<br />

effect, we would be able to nationalize<br />

our 2009 car in November of 2014.<br />

Dear Mike: Used vehicles of<br />

model-years other than those allowed<br />

by law, can be permanently imported<br />

under various Amparos (temporary<br />

injunctions granted by a federal<br />

judge); but t<strong>here</strong> is no guarantee that<br />

any of these temporary injunctions is<br />

legitimate one. Most bulk-importers<br />

utilize copies of the injunctions<br />

granted to others to illegally<br />

nationalize cars through corrupt<br />

officials. The other problem with these<br />

temporary injunctions, even if they are<br />

legitimate, is that if they are vacated,<br />

anything done under them is voided.<br />

Legally, only used vehicle 8, 9<br />

or over 30 model-years old, and<br />

brand-new ones, manufactured or<br />

assembled in Canada, Mexico or the<br />

US, may be nationalized if they meet<br />

Mexico’s environmental and safety<br />

requirements.<br />

Send me your questions to askluis@<br />

pvgeeks.com Although I try, I am<br />

not able to answer each message<br />

privately due to the volume of mail<br />

I receive. I will identify you by your<br />

first name only in my response <strong>here</strong>,<br />

unless you tell me that you wish to<br />

remain anonymous. Should you need<br />

personal attention, please call me at<br />

(322) 164-4049 to schedule a private<br />

consultation. For breaking news,<br />

follow me on Twitter @pvgeeks<br />

Luis Melgoza is a former PRI<br />

(Mexico’s ruling party) Head Counsel<br />

and Legal Adviser to the Mexican<br />

Congress. Although retired from<br />

the legal profession, he is a highly<br />

respected consultant for both the<br />

foreign and Mexican communities<br />

in Puerto Vallarta, and he provides<br />

professionally certified commercial<br />

and residential computer and<br />

networks solutions locally through his<br />

company, PVGeeks. You can reach<br />

Luis at lumel@pvgeeks.com<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


Real Estate 13<br />

by: HARRIET MURRAY<br />

The housing bubble<br />

Part 2<br />

Evidence of the bubble<br />

How did rating agencies miss understanding the amount of risk they were<br />

giving to mortgage debt instruments? When CDOs (credit default option)<br />

are put into different pools or tranches, they are supposed to be separated by<br />

amount of risk. The idea is for investors to then choose by price and amount<br />

of risk, the CDO instrument in which they want to invest. However, if the<br />

agencies rate all the CDO’s the same, it is difficult for the purchaser of the<br />

investment to know the amount of uncertainty in the different products.<br />

Wrong assumptions by rating agencies<br />

made the models inaccurate, and they did<br />

not distinguish among them. Too many<br />

investors believed the ratings of “almost<br />

no risk,” were accurate, and few used other<br />

methods of analysis for a second opinion.<br />

Unrealistic evaluations of risk were not<br />

the only problem. An American home<br />

has not historically been a lucrative<br />

investment, but it has been a safe one<br />

by the very nature of being the shelter<br />

and anchor for the family. Historically,<br />

families would give up their home last if<br />

they ran into serious financial difficulties.<br />

For this reason, lenders considered home<br />

mortgages a safe risk.<br />

In the 2000s, prices of homes in America became unrelated to supply and<br />

demand as lenders, mortgage brokers, and rating agencies profited in one<br />

way or another from every home sale. The economics had shifted away<br />

from basic principles to manipulation and false assumptions. Higher prices<br />

from false assumptions meant that true demand was not present. If t<strong>here</strong><br />

was no true demand, how could the high prices paid for property continue?<br />

Other countries, including Norway, the Netherlands, and Japan<br />

experienced housing bubbles previous to the US. They all suffered bad<br />

financial crashes. As US real estate grew to unaffordable levels, a crash<br />

began.<br />

A key piece of evidence for the US bubble and crash was the discovery<br />

later that people buying the homes had unrealistic assumptions of their<br />

investment return. These people were influenced, of course, by all the<br />

hype in the press and media. The seeds of disaster were already planted:<br />

lenders and recipients’ were unrealistic in their assumptions. Everyone was<br />

drinking the same Kool-Aid.<br />

By 2007 t<strong>here</strong> were clear signs of trouble ahead when house prices began<br />

to decline, as demand lessened. Lenders became more conservative and less<br />

willing to make loans, and housing permits declined.<br />

Foreclosures had doubled by 2007 as adjustable rate mortgages increased<br />

rates and monthly payments followed suit.<br />

Politicians and the US Congress reacted emotionally and naively to basic<br />

economics. Proposals were made for techniques to spur more home sales<br />

by offering cash credits to new homes buyers. Congress expanded the<br />

lending capacity of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in an effort to encourage<br />

home sales. These continued efforts were more of the same policy which<br />

had brought us into this dire situation in the first place. More of the wrong<br />

product was not the answer. And sadly, few people in positions of authority<br />

grasped the consequences of a housing-price collapse for the economy in<br />

general. US economists incongruously predicted during this time little<br />

chance of a recession, although it had already begun.<br />

What did the economists miss? One: They missed the effect that a drop<br />

in housing prices would have on the finances of the average American.<br />

If most of the wealth of the average American was tied to the value of<br />

his home, his wealth or equity would be worth much less in a recession.<br />

Borrowing against his equity had become a habit. This American was using<br />

the “equity” in his home to borrow against or to use as an ATM machine for<br />

consumable goods.<br />

Decline in American home owner wealth caused a decline in consumer<br />

spending as he was forced to take a more realistic view of his finances.<br />

Consumer spending declined dramatically.<br />

This housing bubble crash was not the same as prior ones in the US.<br />

Something very different had happened. The<br />

housing market is normally a small part of the entire<br />

US financial system. Homes sales, even when in<br />

the trillions of US dollars, are small compared to<br />

the trillions in stocks and bonds traded every year.<br />

What was different? The larger stock market funds<br />

to the tune of $80 trillion dollars were invested in<br />

mortgage-backed home securities. How bizarre the<br />

situation was: for every dollar a buyer was willing<br />

to put into a mortgage, Wall Street was betting $50<br />

USD on the side. What is this? …leverage to the<br />

extreme.<br />

If you borrow money to make a bet, you have a<br />

leveraged bet. It is not your money so if you lose,<br />

you must repay who your borrowed from and the<br />

debt. Lehman Brothers in 2007 had a leverage<br />

ratio of 33 to 1 invested in securities composed of mortgages. This<br />

leveraged debt meant if t<strong>here</strong> was a 3-4 percent decline in the value of the<br />

portfolio, Lehman Brothers would have negative equity and potentially face<br />

bankruptcy. This was very little margin to have if the slightest downturn<br />

occurred in the portfolio. Was this a realistic position to take? Why were<br />

these investments being rated highly with “little or no risk?’’<br />

Lehman Brothers was not alone being in a highly leveraged ratio position.<br />

Was the tragedy because the persons in authority were not aware of the<br />

simple mathematics of compounded risk? Or was the tragedy that those<br />

who did understand, were betting against the system in order to make a<br />

significant return by selling the investment short? Did both occur?<br />

Information for this article has come from “The Signal and the Noise,” by<br />

Nate Silver. I recommend that each potential buyer or seller of real estate<br />

conduct his own due diligence and review.<br />

Harriet Murray can be contacted at harriet@casasandvillas.com<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


14<br />

Hi-Tech<br />

WAIT - Don’t buy that iPhone or iPad!<br />

Well, don’t worry folks - I’ve not gone over to the “dark” side (read<br />

Android). But if you are thinking of buying a new iPhone or iPad, you<br />

should wait just a bit. Later this month or in early September, Apple should<br />

announce the new models coming out!<br />

Now t<strong>here</strong> are two reasons to possibly wait for this<br />

announcement. If you like the latest and newest, you’ll<br />

want to wait the extra few weeks to pick-up that next<br />

generation of iPhone or iPad. Alternatively, if you like<br />

to save money and are not too worried about having the<br />

“latest”, it’s worth waiting the few extra weeks to pick<br />

up the currently available models at discounted pricing!<br />

Apple always reduces prices on current models when it announces the new<br />

models. It clears stock to make room for the new. Sharp consumers benefit<br />

$$$.<br />

T<strong>here</strong> are plenty of rumors on the Internet about the next iPhone, most of<br />

which you should take with a grain of salt. Most rumors online turn out to<br />

be nothing but wishful thinking, but a few do get it right sometimes.<br />

One of the most prevalent rumors around, has been for a low cost version<br />

of the iPhone. Rumors about this range from a colored plastic see-through<br />

back to a much less expensive LCD screen. The latest buzz on this offering<br />

is that it may only be available in “emerging markets” initially.<br />

Price range is rumored to be in the $300. US range with no contract (we<br />

like no contract). Time will tell if this version of iPhone will materialize<br />

and if it will be available <strong>here</strong> in Mexico. Personally I think Mexico has<br />

outgrown the “emerging market” shadow!!<br />

Now as for the main iPhone rumors, chances are it will be called iPhone<br />

5S and in all likelihood the new iPhone and iPad will hit stores in late<br />

September - following the trend set by the iPhone 5 and 4S. It is even<br />

possible that Apple will skip the iPhone 5S and hop right on to the iPhone<br />

6, though t<strong>here</strong> is little consensus that this would be the case.<br />

Since the iPhone 3G launched in 2008, Apple has continued a pattern of<br />

changing the outside design of its phone only every two years. On even<br />

years, the company puts out an iPhone with a different exterior while on<br />

odd years, it releases a phone that looks the same outside, but features<br />

improved internal hardware and one or two new software features that are<br />

exclusive to the new model.<br />

One thing is for sure: with the release of such super handsets like the<br />

Samsung Galaxy S4, Sony Xperia Z and HTC One, the next iPhone will<br />

have to seriously up its game on the inside. Interestingly, it’s likely that<br />

initial designs of the iPhone 5S will have begun under the watchful eye of<br />

the late Steve Jobs.<br />

One of the features Apple may improve on its next iPhone will be its<br />

camera. Every time Apple has released an “S” version of the iPhone, it has<br />

improved the quality of the camera, and this year, t<strong>here</strong>’s extra pressure to<br />

do that as many of Apple’s rivals - including Samsung, Sony<br />

and LG - are coming out with phones that have as many as 13<br />

megapixels in their camera sensors. The iPhone 5 currently<br />

has just 8 megapixels.<br />

The “S” in the iPhone 3GS stood for “speed,” the “S” in<br />

the iPhone 4S stood for “Siri,” so could the “S” in the iPhone<br />

5S stand for “scan?” That’s the rumor, as many believe Apple<br />

will incorporate fingerprint scanning into the Home button of the next<br />

iPhone.<br />

Backing up this rumor is Apple’s 2012 acquisition of AuthenTec Inc.,<br />

a fingerprint-authentication products maker. Prior to being purchased<br />

by Apple, AuthenTec sold fingerprint sensors to companies for security<br />

reasons. If Apple incorporates this scanning technology into its next<br />

iPhone, it could market the device as being more secure than its rivals.<br />

Another rumor that has been reported about the iPhone 5S, is that Apple<br />

will add wireless charging to it. This is a feature we have seen on other<br />

recent devices, including the Nokia Lumia 920 and the Google Nexus<br />

4, so t<strong>here</strong>’s pressure from Apple’s rivals to add this technology to the<br />

iPhone. This is a relatively new technology and would require a major<br />

redesign so I don’t see this rumor coming true until the 2014 iPhone.<br />

It’s believed the iPhone 5S will receive a processor upgrade. At the very<br />

least we’d expect to see the inclusion of the A6X chip which appeared<br />

inside the iPad 4, but more likely it’ll be something heftier. T<strong>here</strong> are<br />

rumors of an A7 chip, which may be a quad-core, but what isn’t clear<br />

is who will make it. Apple is reportedly trying to distance itself from<br />

manufacturing partner Samsung due to ongoing retail court battle between<br />

the two companies.<br />

As my contract with Telcel on my iPhone 4S is coming to an end, I’m<br />

hoping the iPhone 5S will be a winner. I tend to upgrade my iPhone every<br />

second version. So… anyone looking to get in on the iPhone bandwagon<br />

with a gently used iPhone 4S? hahaha…<br />

That’s all my time for now. See you again next week... until then,<br />

Remember: only safe Internet!<br />

Ron can be found at CANMEX Computers. Sales, Repairs,<br />

Networking, Wi-Fi, Hardware upgrades, Graphic Design, Data<br />

Recovery, house-calls. www.RonnieBravo.com Cellular 044-322-157-<br />

0688 or just email to CanMex@Gmail.com<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


Gil Gevins’ Page 15<br />

Even after thirty years of living<br />

in Mexico it’s nice to know that I<br />

can still be beguiled and amused by<br />

the improbable peculiarities of my<br />

adopted country. A case in point:<br />

Scanning La Prensa a while<br />

back, I came upon an article more<br />

worthy of The National Inquirer<br />

than of a serious daily newspaper.<br />

The dateline was Ecatepec, a city of<br />

millions of people located just north<br />

of Mexico City. Upon assuming<br />

office the mayor of said municipality<br />

had taken the seemingly bizarre step<br />

of abolishing all traffic and parking<br />

fines.<br />

From this moment forward, his<br />

Honor had decreed, moving and<br />

stationary violations will no longer<br />

exist!<br />

This amazing act of jurisprudential<br />

prestidigitation struck me as being<br />

both bigheaded (in a Promethean<br />

kind of way) and highly imprudent<br />

(as in dumb). Was the mayor<br />

not opening a Pandora’s Door to<br />

potential vehicular chaos? Was he<br />

not tampering unwisely with the<br />

Underlying Order of Things itself?<br />

The mayor’s theory, according to<br />

the article, was that if police officers<br />

couldn’t threaten drivers with<br />

tickets, then they couldn’t shake<br />

them down for bribes, either.<br />

“People will always speed,” the<br />

mayor was quoted as saying. “They<br />

will always park illegally. But this<br />

way, at least they won’t have to pay<br />

bribes.”<br />

In most parts of Mexico (Puerto<br />

Vallarta included) the Transito, or<br />

traffic police, perform their duties<br />

with honesty and diligence. But<br />

the area around Mexico City, I can<br />

Fine by Me<br />

by GIL GEVINS<br />

www.gilgevins.com<br />

testify from personal experience,<br />

is infamous for its problematic<br />

patrolmen.<br />

Every year, for over two decades,<br />

my wife and I have spent three to<br />

four months traveling all over the<br />

interior of Mexico searching out<br />

authentic and original folk-art for<br />

our shop, Lucy’s Cucu Cabaña<br />

(conveniently located just up the<br />

street from Galleria Dante). In the<br />

course of our wanderings, we had<br />

visited the city of Ecatepec twice in<br />

order to procure some of its highly<br />

attractive and unusual pottery.<br />

Sadly, on both occasions we had<br />

encountered precisely the type of<br />

problem the mayor had been talking<br />

about and had, t<strong>here</strong>fore, vowed<br />

never to return.<br />

Until that particular time.<br />

After loading up our small truck<br />

with several cartons of lovely handdecorated<br />

plates and bowls, we had<br />

pulled out into traffic only to be<br />

immediately pulled over by a patrol<br />

car.<br />

“Watch this,” I told my wife.<br />

“What are you going to do?” Lucy<br />

asked warily.<br />

“I’m not sure yet, but I think it will<br />

prove to be highly entertaining.”<br />

“Entertaining?” Lucy said. “Are<br />

you crazy?”<br />

“What do you mean?”<br />

“I mean,” my wife said<br />

deliberately, “are you more insane<br />

than usual today?”<br />

“Probably.”<br />

The policeman, strutting selfimportantly<br />

up to my window,<br />

leaned in and said, “Your license<br />

and registration, please.”<br />

“What do you want to see them<br />

for?” I asked innocently.<br />

Somewhat taken aback, he said,<br />

“You were speeding.”<br />

“Speeding?” I laughed. “I barely<br />

had time to get into traffic before<br />

you pulled me over. You’ll have to<br />

come up with something better than<br />

that.” Turning to my wife I favored<br />

her with a big grin. She did not smile<br />

back.<br />

“I don’t like your attitude,” the<br />

man said, looking more nervous<br />

than annoyed.<br />

“That makes two of you,” I<br />

admitted.<br />

“What do you mean?” the<br />

policeman asked suspiciously.<br />

“You and my wife; neither one<br />

of you likes my attitude. Now that<br />

I think of it, I don’t like it that much<br />

myself.”<br />

“Okay,” the man said, looking<br />

increasingly confused, “I’m going<br />

to have to impound your vehicle.”<br />

“That’s nice,” I said amiably.<br />

“That’s nice?” he repeated<br />

incredulously.<br />

“Sure. Don’t you think that’s nice,<br />

honey?” I asked turning to my wife.<br />

“No,” she mumbled, “I don’t think<br />

that’s nice.”<br />

“Sorry, I told the policeman, “she<br />

doesn’t think it’s nice, so I’m afraid<br />

you won’t be able to impound the<br />

car.”<br />

“She has no say in the matter,”<br />

the policeman said, handing me an<br />

ancient moth-eaten book entitled,<br />

State of Mexico Traffic Regulations<br />

Guide. “Here, read the paragraph at<br />

the bottom of the page.”<br />

I took the book and began to read the<br />

paragraph in question. Apparently,<br />

because I was a foreigner, he must<br />

have assumed that I could not read<br />

Spanish; the section he’d indicated<br />

dealt with illegal parking.<br />

“This section is about illegal<br />

parking,” I said good-humoredly.<br />

“Am I confused, or was I parked at<br />

the time you pulled me over?”<br />

Visibly agitated, he retrieved the<br />

book, flipped through the pages and<br />

handed it back to me. “Read the<br />

paragraph at the top of the page.”<br />

“I’m sorry,” I said when I had<br />

finished. “I don’t think this applies<br />

to me at all. As far as I can tell,<br />

this states that vehicles which<br />

have no license plates or which are<br />

demonstrably stolen, or involved<br />

in disputed traffic accidents, may<br />

be impounded. But it doesn’t say<br />

anything about speeding. And, of<br />

course,” I added, favoring the man<br />

with a big smile, “I wasn’t speeding.<br />

Unless the limit <strong>here</strong> is two miles an<br />

hour.”<br />

“But you don’t have a smog<br />

inspection certificate,” he pointed<br />

out. “That’s an impoundable<br />

violation.”<br />

“T<strong>here</strong> are no smog inspections in<br />

the state of Jalisco,” I replied, “and<br />

this vehicle is registered in the state<br />

of Jalisco.”<br />

“But you’re not in the state of<br />

Jalisco now,” he said, “you’re in<br />

the State of Mexico, and you must<br />

comply with the laws of this state.”<br />

“You’re pulling my leg,” I said,<br />

winking at my wife, who did not<br />

wink back.<br />

(Actually, I’d said, “You’re<br />

pulling my hair,” which is Spanish<br />

for “You’re pulling my leg.”)<br />

“I am perfectly serious,” he<br />

said with feigned outrage. “I’m<br />

impounding this vehicle.”<br />

“I see. Say, by the way, how’s the<br />

mayor doing?”<br />

“The mayor?” he asked guardedly.<br />

“Yes, I was just reading about<br />

him.” Reaching over the seat, I<br />

grabbed a copy of the article I’d<br />

preserved in plastic before leaving<br />

Vallarta. Handing it to him, I said,<br />

“Here, read the top two paragraphs.”<br />

Flummoxed beyond the hope of<br />

redemption, the policeman scanned<br />

the article, and said, “But, but, but,<br />

this only applies on weekends!”<br />

Gil Gevins is the author of the<br />

hilarious books, Puerto Vallarta<br />

On 49 Brain Cells A Day, Refried<br />

Brains and Slime And Punishment.<br />

They are all available as E-books<br />

on Amazon Kindle, and well worth<br />

it, if you like to laugh.<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


Nature’s World<br />

Planting Roots in Mexico<br />

by<br />

TOMMY CLARKSON<br />

16<br />

Lemon Grass<br />

Family: Cymbopogon citratus<br />

(Also known as: Barbed wire grass, silky heads,<br />

citronella grass, or fever grass<br />

Perhaps not often thought of for inclusion in a tropical<br />

garden, this is – nonetheless – an interesting and, great<br />

culinary addition as Lemon Grass is effectively incorporated<br />

in a delightful array of Asian, Mexican, African and<br />

Caribbean food!<br />

While requiring full sun and frequent watering, it’s not<br />

really much of a “looker’. In fact, seldom producing flowers,<br />

this nondescript plant looks basically like a tall bunch of<br />

thick grass. Situated at the base of each group of leaves is a<br />

fat stalk that looks rather similar to a spring onion bulb. The<br />

plant whole is but a big cluster of these individual stalks.<br />

If grown outside they may achieve heights up to six feet.<br />

Mine, growing in a large pot, is around 3½ feet. Want to grow<br />

some? It is extremely easy to start by simply transplanting<br />

rooted stalks.<br />

When planting, enrich the soil with some compost or<br />

well-aged manure. And those who know me will anticipate<br />

this next instruction – ensure the soil is draining well!<br />

Lemongrass appreciates extra nitrogen, so fertilize twice a<br />

month during the growing season. Perhaps most importantly,<br />

water regularly, not allowing the plant to dry out – particularly<br />

when the weather is very hot.<br />

Once your Lemongrass attains a height of three feet or so,<br />

you may want to trim the tops and as Lemongrass doesn’t<br />

grow branches, no other pruning is necessary.<br />

Found in temperate and tropical regions, t<strong>here</strong> are<br />

approximately fifty-five species of this tall perennial grass.<br />

Native to India, the citrus flavor of Lemon Grass is widely<br />

used as a dried, powdered or fresh herb in Asian cuisine. Many<br />

westerners first encountered it through Thai or Vietnamese<br />

dishes. (Having lived a couple of years in “The Land of<br />

Smiles” – Thailand - my personal favorite incorporating this<br />

plant is Tom Yum Goon …Hot Shrimp Soup.)<br />

When cooking with it, keep in mind that it is somewhat<br />

pungent, so use in small amounts. If one wishes, the entire<br />

stalk of the grass can be used or the grass blade can be sliced<br />

very fine – often added to soups. Some prefer to use the<br />

stalk - the white part near the root is w<strong>here</strong> t<strong>here</strong> is more<br />

concentration of the citrusy smell.<br />

However, most generally, the bulb is the preferred part for<br />

use in cooking. It can be bruised and then minced or grated.<br />

In fact, this aromatic grass is commonly used in a variety<br />

of culinary presentations: teas, soup, stews, curries and stir<br />

fry. It is also suitable for poultry, fish, and seafood. The light<br />

lemon flavor of this grass blends well with garlic, chilies, and<br />

cilantro It is often used as a beverage in African and Latin<br />

American countries. For a wonderful hot Lemon Grass tea,<br />

take ten or so green leaves, wash them, tie them in a knot and<br />

place in the bottom of a French Press to which boiling water<br />

is added. After about five minutes, press and enjoy!<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


Nature’s World 17<br />

To acquire<br />

the stalks,<br />

stems and<br />

bulbs, ya<br />

gotta go<br />

into the<br />

interior!<br />

That’s one big<br />

cup of Lemon<br />

Grass tea or<br />

a whole lot of<br />

tasty accents<br />

for curries,<br />

sauces, stews<br />

and stir<br />

fry dishes<br />

growing<br />

t<strong>here</strong>!<br />

In Thailand, the lightly sweetened Nahm Takra is good for<br />

cooling some of those great – but spicy – Thai dishes.<br />

It can be made by steeping approximately 12 lemon grass<br />

stalks in 8 cups of water to which one ½ cup of sugar (or<br />

sweetener) has been added.<br />

Lemon Grass is also used commercially as the recognizable<br />

scent in products such as soaps, perfumes and candles.<br />

This grass is rich in a substance called citral which is the<br />

active ingredient in lemon peel. Commonly, it is used to<br />

aid in digestion as well as relieve spasms, muscle cramps,<br />

rheumatism and headaches.<br />

Used for yet more comprehensive medicinal purposes, a<br />

research team from the Ben Gurion University in Israel found<br />

that lemon grass (cymbopogon citratus) caused apoptosis<br />

(programmed cell death) in cancer cells. Using concentrations<br />

of citral - equivalent to the quantity in a cup of tea (one gram<br />

of lemon grass in hot water) - the researchers observed that<br />

citral induces programmed cell death in the cancerous cells,<br />

while the normal cells were left unharmed.<br />

But, back to your garden, leaf blight can hit lemongrass.<br />

If so, the leaves can start to wilt developing brown or rust<br />

colored spots on their ends. Pick away the infected leaves,<br />

and spray the whole plant with a natural fungicide that can be<br />

used on edible plants.<br />

Lastly, cats, too, like it and may chew on your plants if<br />

given the chance.<br />

Pretty interesting stuff for a simple clump of grass, huh?<br />

In Manzanillo, visit Ola Brisa Gardens, Tommy and Patty’s<br />

verdant, multi-terraced tropical paradise nestled on a hill<br />

overlooking the magnificent vista of Santiago Bay. Leisurely<br />

meander its curved, paved path, experiencing, first hand, a<br />

delicious array of palms, plants and flowers from all over the<br />

world. Or, e-mail questions to him at olabrisa@gmail.com<br />

Beyond its numerous<br />

great culinary<br />

applications,<br />

Lemon Grass is<br />

not an altogether<br />

unattractive plant<br />

onto itself, as may<br />

be seen from this<br />

picture from the<br />

Herb Terrace. (A<br />

test: Does anyone<br />

remember what kind<br />

of palm that is above<br />

it and from w<strong>here</strong> it<br />

originally comes?)<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


18<br />

Nature’s World<br />

Little moths with houses<br />

on their backs<br />

by<br />

When we think about animals<br />

that carry their houses on their backs,<br />

we immediately think of snails that,<br />

slowly but surely, advance along<br />

the sinuous paths of life. Another<br />

animal that comes to mind is the<br />

turtle, which defends itself from<br />

its enemies and environmental<br />

elements inside its hard bone shell.<br />

Few people, almost no one, can<br />

imagine insects, and much less<br />

moths, which have copied the same<br />

evolutionary strategy as snails and<br />

turtles in order to survive. How can<br />

we imagine a moth which, although<br />

it changes location, will always<br />

carry a tiny house on its back that<br />

will serve it as shelter?<br />

Nevertheless, everything -or<br />

almost everything- is possible<br />

in nature, considering that along<br />

the walls and roofs of the houses<br />

around the Bay of Banderas, and<br />

many other tropical regions of<br />

the world, we can observe tiny<br />

beings of disconcerting appearance<br />

moving about. A quick look<br />

confuses us into thinking they are<br />

fluff or small pieces of paint that<br />

has fallen off the walls and that<br />

sway to the rhythm of the breeze<br />

produced by the fans. But, if we<br />

look at them more carefully, we see<br />

that living beings come out of these<br />

strange fragments through a small<br />

DR. FABIO CUPUL<br />

orifice. What we see intermittently<br />

coming out of what appears to<br />

be a small shell, is something<br />

like a worm. Nevertheless, this<br />

worm is rather a larva (a state<br />

of development that presents in<br />

many insects), which, after going<br />

through a transformation (like the<br />

well-known metamorphosis of the<br />

butterflies) will turn into a beautiful<br />

tiny moth.<br />

Scientist have called this small<br />

moth -or micromoth- P<strong>here</strong>oeca<br />

uterella. We can observe that the<br />

small house it carries on its back<br />

(it does not really carry it, as it is<br />

attached to the back of his body)<br />

is flat and oval (which is why, in<br />

some English-speaking countries,<br />

it is known as plaster bagworm). To<br />

build its small home, this moth uses<br />

the silk that it produces in order to<br />

“glue together” the smallest grains<br />

of sand (or any type of waste) into<br />

a kind of sleeping bag, very similar<br />

to a watermelon or pumpkin seed,<br />

wide in the middle and narrow at<br />

both open ends.<br />

These sacks are generally gray,<br />

although they can acquire red or<br />

blue tones depending on the type<br />

and characteristics of the materials<br />

used in their making, and they can<br />

measure up to 12 millimeters in<br />

length. Their habit of preparing<br />

and loading these sacks is what<br />

got them the common name of<br />

case-bearer moths. Curiously, they<br />

can only be found inside human<br />

dwellings (scientists still do not<br />

have a concrete explanation for<br />

this behavior) and t<strong>here</strong> is still no<br />

record of their presence in the wild.<br />

It is known that the larvae<br />

which can grow to between 8 and<br />

14 millimeters, eat human and<br />

animal hair, spider webs and dead<br />

insects, but not clothes or wood<br />

as commonly believed (some<br />

other species of moths that inhabit<br />

houses do consume the natural<br />

fibers of clothes). This is why they<br />

should not be considered as pests<br />

(although they can alter a little the<br />

particular aesthetics of the home).<br />

The larva also uses its house to store<br />

food. It larva will never expose its<br />

back outside the safety of its house<br />

– which is why it defecates inside<br />

it. Having done that, it will turn<br />

around and push the waste outside<br />

with its head.<br />

The larva begins the construction<br />

of its small house as soon as<br />

it hatches out of its egg. It is<br />

important for it to build it since<br />

it will be living in it, protected<br />

from predators (mainly wasps that<br />

will deposit their little eggs inside<br />

the small house, and the newborn<br />

babies will feed on the larva when<br />

it is in its pupa or chrysalis stage),<br />

it will store its food and experience<br />

its metamorphosis t<strong>here</strong>. The small<br />

house will expand as the larva does<br />

and the larva will only go out to<br />

search for food with the help of<br />

its three pairs of thoracic legs. The<br />

abdominal legs have hooks that<br />

help it hold the house in place.<br />

After around 50 days in the larva<br />

state, the pupa takes shape inside<br />

the sack -or house- and remains<br />

like that for 11 to 23 days, after<br />

which the completely developed<br />

adult moth emerges. Its wings<br />

can reach an extension of 10 to 13<br />

millimeters and the body, while<br />

the body -a little more than half a<br />

centimeter in length- is grayish in<br />

appearance. As its mouth parts are<br />

reduced, it is believed that it does<br />

not feed during the adult stage,<br />

when its only goal is reproduction.<br />

They can lay as many as 200 little<br />

eggs that will hatch in 10 days.<br />

Adults inevitably die following an<br />

exciting week of life dedicated to<br />

perpetuating their species.<br />

Dr. Fabio Germán Cupul-Magaña<br />

was born in Mexicali, Baja California<br />

in 1965. He has been professor and<br />

researcher at the Coastal University<br />

Center (CUC) of the University<br />

of Guadalajara since 1992. Dr.<br />

Cupul has published six scientific<br />

research books in Mexico and Cuba,<br />

on crocodiles, venomous plants<br />

and animals, and natural history in<br />

general. Today he is doing research<br />

on the diversity of centipedes<br />

in Mexico. Email:<br />

fabio_cupul@yahoo.com.mx<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


Health Matters<br />

19<br />

What is a cardiologist?<br />

by<br />

Part I<br />

DR. JORGE CHAVEZ<br />

A cardiologist is a doctor with special training and skill in<br />

finding, treating and preventing diseases of the heart and blood<br />

vessels.<br />

What is an F.A.C.C.?<br />

An F.A.C.C. is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology.<br />

Based on their outstanding credentials, achievements, and<br />

community contribution to cardiovascular medicine, physicians<br />

who are elected to fellowship can use F.A.C.C. as a professional<br />

designation.<br />

The strongest evidence of achievement for those who earn the<br />

F.A.C.C insignia comes from their peers. Letters of sponsorship from<br />

other F.A.C.C.s and medical school faculty attest to professional<br />

competence and commitment to excellence, and are necessary for election to<br />

Fellowship in the College.<br />

When accepting election to Fellowship in ACC, each physician pledges,<br />

“cooperation and loyalty to the attainment of the ideals” of the College, the<br />

most important of which is to promote excellence in cardiovascular care.<br />

Each year at ACC’s Annual Scientific Session, newly appointed Fellows take<br />

part in the convocation ceremony honoring their new rank as F.A.C.C.s and<br />

reaffirming the commitment to furthering optimal cardiovascular care. New<br />

Fellows receive their certificate of Fellowship and are officially recognized as<br />

Fellows of the College at the convocation ceremony.<br />

How are cardiologists trained?<br />

Cardiologists receive extensive education, including four years of medical<br />

school and three years of training in general internal medicine. After this, a<br />

cardiologist spends three or more years in specialized training. That’s ten or<br />

more years of training!<br />

How does a cardiologist become certified?<br />

In order to become certified, doctors who have completed a minimum of ten<br />

years of clinical and educational preparation must pass a rigorous two-day exam<br />

given by the American Board of Internal Medicine. This exam tests not only<br />

their knowledge and judgment, but also their ability to provide superior care.<br />

When would I see a cardiologist?<br />

If your general medical doctor feels that you might have a significant heart or<br />

related condition, he or she will often call on a cardiologist for help. Symptoms<br />

like shortness of breath, chest pains, or dizzy spells often require special<br />

testing. Sometimes heart murmurs or ECG changes need the evaluation of a<br />

cardiologist. Cardiologists help victims of heart disease return to a full and<br />

useful life and also counsel patients about the risks and prevention of heart<br />

disease. Most importantly, cardiologists are involved in the treatment of heart<br />

attacks, heart failure, and serious heart rhythm disturbances. Their skills and<br />

training are required whenever decisions are made about procedures such as<br />

cardiac catheterization, balloon angioplasty, or heart surgery.<br />

What does a cardiologist do?<br />

Whether the cardiologist sees you in the office or in the hospital, he or she<br />

will review your medical history and perform a physical examination which<br />

may include checking your blood pressure, weight, heart, lungs, and blood<br />

vessels. Some problems may be diagnosed by your symptoms and the<br />

doctor’s findings when you are examined. You may need additional tests such<br />

as an ECG, x-ray, or blood test. Other problems will require more specialized<br />

testing. Your cardiologist may recommend lifestyle changes or medicine.<br />

Each patient’s case is unique.<br />

What kind of tests may the cardiologist recommend or perform?<br />

Examples include:<br />

• Echocardiogram – a soundwave picture to look at the structure and<br />

function of the heart.<br />

• Ambulatory ECG – a recording during activity to look for abnormal<br />

heart rhythms.<br />

• Exercise test – a study to measure your heart’s performance<br />

and limitations.<br />

• Cardiac Catheterization – a test in which a small tube is<br />

placed in or near the heart to take pictures, look at how the<br />

heart is working, check the electrical system, or help relieve<br />

blockage.<br />

Is my cardiologist a surgeon?<br />

No, however, many cardiologists do tests such as cardiac<br />

catheterizations that require small skin punctures or incisions,<br />

and some put in pacemakers.<br />

Next week: Preparing for your visit to the cardiologist<br />

Dr. Jorge Chavez F.A.C.C. is a Board Certified Interventional Cardiologist and<br />

Fellow of the American College of Cardiology in Puerto Vallarta.<br />

His clinic, CardioMed, is located at 148 Lucerna in Colonia Versalles,<br />

Office tel.: 293-1991, Emergency cell: (322) 135-5500.<br />

If you have a question you would like Dr. Chavez to respond to, please email him<br />

at: cardiomedpv@hotmail.com or drchavez@cardiomedvallarta.com<br />

You can also check out the clinic’s web site at www.cardiomedvallarta.com www.<br />

facebook.com/cardiomed.vallarta<br />

CardioMed was started by Dr. Jorge Chavez in 1995. He and his team offer patients<br />

bilingual services including diagnosis, prevention and treatment of cardiac disease<br />

- using the latest technology. Some of the services offered by CardioMed include:<br />

Evaluation, EKG, Stress Test, 24-hour Ambulatory EKG, Echocardiography, Stents,<br />

and Angiography. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States<br />

and Mexico. Because of the enormous growth in both technology and advances in<br />

cardiovascular sciences, Dr. Chávez spends several months per year continuing his<br />

education at the Long Island Jewish Health System.<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


Body & Sol<br />

20<br />

by KRYSTAL FROST<br />

organic-select@hotmail.com<br />

Re-Thinking<br />

Mammography<br />

...NOW A WARNING??<br />

Radiologists often rely on specialized “CAD”<br />

or Computer Aided Digital machine software<br />

to find suspicious areas in mammograms. But<br />

a large new study showed that the technology<br />

has failed to improve breast cancer detection.<br />

In fact, it increases a woman’s risk of getting<br />

a “false positive” result and being told she had<br />

an abnormal mammogram when she’s actually<br />

cancer-free.<br />

Health Matters<br />

The study analyzed 1.6 million mammograms<br />

taken between 1998 and 2006. Some experts<br />

say that in light of the new evidence, radiologists<br />

should use more discretion in interpreting<br />

CAD results.<br />

According to CNN:<br />

“CAD, is now used in roughly three of every<br />

four screening mammograms ... The detection<br />

rate for noninvasive breast abnormalities<br />

improved at radiology facilities that adopted<br />

CAD technology, but, crucially, the rate did<br />

not improve for invasive breast cancers, the<br />

dangerous type that invade healthy tissue in the<br />

breast or other parts of the body.”<br />

Updated Federal Advisory Board<br />

Recommendations<br />

You have to wonder why - when science clearly<br />

confirms that a conventional recommendation is<br />

useless - it receives virtually no exposure in the<br />

media to inform the public of this change. (Go<br />

figure…)<br />

This is precisely what happened with the<br />

recommendation of routine mammography,<br />

which was conclusively shown to be useless in<br />

most women under the age of 50.<br />

As of November 2009, routine mammograms<br />

are no longer recommended across the board<br />

for all women starting at the age of 40. Citing<br />

ineffectiveness and increased risk of harm<br />

in premenstrual women, the U.S. Preventive<br />

Services Task Force, a federal advisory board,<br />

changed their recommendation from annual to<br />

bi-annual mammography screenings, and raised<br />

the recommended starting age to 50. Since then,<br />

the use of mammography has begun to drop.<br />

Concerns about Lack of Safety and<br />

Effectiveness of Mammograms Continue<br />

Time and again, studies published in prestigious<br />

medical journals have shown that mammography<br />

isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The federal task<br />

force indicated that this was their impression as<br />

well; hence the shift in their recommendation in<br />

2009. For example:<br />

• Mammograms miss up to a third or more<br />

of all breast cancers, as reported by Medscape,<br />

depending on the composition of your breast<br />

tissue and the type of cancer.<br />

• Mammography and its subsequent tests,<br />

such as MRIs and stereotactic biopsies, may<br />

actually cause cancer.<br />

• False positives (a diagnosis of cancer<br />

when it turns out to be non-cancerous) are<br />

notorious in the industry, causing women needless<br />

anxiety, pain and, often, invasive and disfiguring<br />

surgical procedures. This is the MAJOR danger<br />

of mammography, as it radically increases the<br />

number of women who will be misdiagnosed and<br />

plugged into a system designed to cut, poison,<br />

and burn them unnecessarily without addressing<br />

the underlying reasons of what caused the cancer.<br />

• CAD computer software used as an<br />

aid to locate suspicious areas in mammograms<br />

has been shown to be ineffectual for improving<br />

breast cancer detection, and increases your risk<br />

of getting a “false positive” result.<br />

The final insult to injury is the latest in a<br />

long row of blows against the cancer detection<br />

industry. In the featured study above, 1.6 million<br />

mammograms from 90 radiology facilities<br />

across the US were analyzed. It was determined<br />

that the use of computer assisted software, which<br />

should be helpful in the detection of breast cancer,<br />

was not helpful after all.<br />

As reported by CNN:<br />

“The detection rate for noninvasive breast<br />

abnormalities improved at radiology facilities<br />

that adopted CAD technology, but, crucially, the<br />

rate did not improve for invasive breast cancers,<br />

the dangerous type that invade healthy tissue in<br />

the breast or other parts of the body. Moreover,<br />

in facilities that began using CAD the percentage<br />

of women with abnormal mammograms who<br />

were accurately diagnosed (a measure known as<br />

“positive predictive value”) dropped, from 4.3%<br />

to 3.6%. Rates of false-positives and “recalls” --<br />

being called back for further testing -- increased<br />

slightly after facilities implemented CAD.”<br />

These results echo those from a study published<br />

in 2007, which also concluded that:<br />

“The use of computer-aided detection is<br />

associated with reduced accuracy of interpretation<br />

of screening mammograms. The increased rate of<br />

biopsy with the use of computer-aided detection<br />

is not clearly associated with improved detection<br />

of invasive breast cancer.”<br />

Mammography Is a Source of Radiation-<br />

Induced Damage<br />

Another recent study further fuels concerns<br />

about the use of mammography, especially<br />

in women predisposed to breast cancer, and<br />

strengthens the recommendation to avoid<br />

mammograms if you’re under the age of 50.<br />

The study assessed the radiation-induced DNA<br />

damage in epithelial breast cells in women with<br />

high- and low risk of breast cancer. The results<br />

showed that women with a family history of<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


Health Matters 21<br />

cancer, placing them at high risk,<br />

were at significantly greater risk<br />

to suffer irreparable double-strand<br />

DNA breaks from mammography,<br />

and the effect was exacerbated with<br />

dose repetition.<br />

The authors concluded that:<br />

“This isn’t the first time scientists<br />

have come to the conclusion that<br />

using mammography as a tool for<br />

early detection and ‘prevention’ of<br />

lethal cancer may in fact, in many<br />

cases, do far more harm than good.”<br />

Yet you don’t see major warning<br />

about the risks in the media, nor<br />

do any mammography centers<br />

provide information on these risks,<br />

so the women are not given full<br />

disclosure, making it impossible<br />

for them to give any type of valid<br />

informed consent for this procedure.<br />

According to the Cancer<br />

Prevention Coalition, radiation<br />

from routine mammography<br />

poses a significant cumulative<br />

risk of causing breast cancer. And<br />

according to the BreastCancerFund.<br />

org, lower-energy X-rays provided<br />

by mammography result in<br />

substantially greater damage to<br />

DNA than would be predicted,<br />

and suggests that risk of breast<br />

cancer caused by exposure to<br />

mammography radiation may be<br />

greatly underestimated.<br />

Dr. Samuel Epstein, probably the<br />

leading scientist in the world who<br />

truly understands this issue, has<br />

been warning people for years about<br />

the dangers of mammography,<br />

explains:<br />

“The premenopausal breast is<br />

highly sensitive to radiation, each<br />

1 rad exposure increasing breast<br />

cancer risk by about 1 percent,<br />

with a cumulative 10 percent<br />

increased risk for each breast over<br />

a decade’s screening...” “The high<br />

sensitivity of the breast, especially<br />

in young women, to radiationinduced<br />

cancer was known by 1970.<br />

Nevertheless, the establishment<br />

then screened some 300,000 women<br />

with X-ray dosages so high as to<br />

increase breast cancer risk by up<br />

to 20 percent in women aged 40<br />

to 50 who were mammogramed<br />

annually.”<br />

Mammography-Related<br />

DEVICES..<br />

You might be surprised to learn<br />

that many mammography-related<br />

devices have been approved without<br />

any scientific evidence to back up<br />

their safety and effectiveness. In<br />

a 2009 article posted on<br />

HealthCentral.com, Terry Matlen<br />

reported that nine FDA scientists<br />

had raised the red flag and shared<br />

their concerns in a letter to the then<br />

president-elect Obama, alleging<br />

that “’gross mishandling’ by FDA<br />

managers was putting the country at<br />

risk,” and asking for a restructuring<br />

of the agency.<br />

“Daschle noted that these devices<br />

were not backed by clinical evidence<br />

showing they were effective in<br />

detecting breast cancer, thus causing<br />

undue biopsies for thousands and<br />

thousands of women. For the past<br />

three years, FDA scientists and<br />

A new lump or hard knot<br />

found in your breast or<br />

armpit<br />

Dimpling, puckering or<br />

indention in your breast or<br />

nipple<br />

physicians have recommended five<br />

times that these mammography<br />

devices not be approved without<br />

valid clinical, scientific evidence.”<br />

This seems to fly in the face of<br />

an industry that prides itself on<br />

adhering to science-based medicine,<br />

doesn’t it?<br />

Of course, many mammography<br />

proponents will argue that any<br />

drawbacks are “theoretical.” But the<br />

bottom line is that they’re really just<br />

trying to protect their bottom lines<br />

by denying the truth as evidenced<br />

by the many studies indicating that<br />

mammography is both risky and<br />

ineffective. The price you pay for<br />

being misled is your health; perhaps<br />

even your life, if you’re one of the<br />

women whose mammograms miss<br />

the cancer, or if you end up being<br />

one of those whose cancer might be<br />

the result of the procedure itself.<br />

Motives of Mammography<br />

Recommendations<br />

Dr. Samuel Epstein wrote:<br />

“Mammography screening is a<br />

profit-driven technology posing<br />

risks compounded by unreliability…<br />

Mammography is not a technique<br />

for early diagnosis. In fact, a breast<br />

cancer has usually been present<br />

for about eight years before it can<br />

finally be detected. … In striking<br />

contrast, annual clinical breast<br />

examination (CBE) by a trained<br />

health professional, together with<br />

monthly breast self-examination<br />

(BSE), is safe, at least as effective,<br />

and low in cost.”<br />

According to a recent report by<br />

market analysts Medtech Insight,<br />

Change in the size, shape<br />

or symmetry of your breast<br />

Swelling or thickening of<br />

the breast<br />

Redness or scaliness of the<br />

nipple or breast skin<br />

Nipple discharge,<br />

especially any that is<br />

bloody, clear and sticky,<br />

dark or occurs without<br />

squeezing your nipple<br />

breast cancer screening is a $2.1<br />

Billion-a-year business, centered<br />

around mammography, magnetic<br />

resonance imaging (MRI), and<br />

ultrasound. Unfortunately, when<br />

something is this profitable, the<br />

concern and emphasis when<br />

evaluating safety and efficacy<br />

tends to center on loss of income<br />

rather than on what best serves the<br />

patient. When it comes to business<br />

decisions, it seems the patient’s best<br />

interest nearly always is factored out<br />

of the equation, and this seems to be<br />

the case with mammography…<br />

Take Control with<br />

Regular Self-Exams<br />

Breast self-exams have long been<br />

recommended as a simple way for<br />

women to keep track of anything<br />

unusual in their breasts. However,<br />

after studies indicated that this too,<br />

in and of itself, does not reduce<br />

breast cancer mortality rates, many<br />

experts began recommending a<br />

more relaxed approach known as<br />

“breast awareness.”<br />

Breast awareness is really selfexplanatory.<br />

It means you should<br />

regularly check your breasts for<br />

changes, but you can do so in a way<br />

that feels natural to you. In other<br />

words, you don’t have to do it on the<br />

same day each month, or using any<br />

particular pattern. Instead, simply<br />

be aware of what’s normal for you<br />

so you can recognize anything out<br />

of the ordinary.<br />

Changes to keep an eye out for<br />

include:<br />

Any suspicious changes in<br />

your breasts<br />

Changes in your nipple<br />

such as tenderness, pain,<br />

turning or drawing inward,<br />

or pointing in a new<br />

direction<br />

Krystal Frost is a long time resident of<br />

Puerto Vallarta. Graduate of University<br />

of Guadalajara, and specialized<br />

in cosmetic acupuncture at Bastyr<br />

University in Washington State. She is<br />

the owner of Body & Sol for over 15<br />

years w<strong>here</strong> she practices traditional<br />

Chinese medicine, acupuncture,<br />

massage therapy, yoga, meditation and<br />

nutritional counseling. She has created<br />

healing programs for individuals,<br />

retreats and spas. Questions and<br />

comments may be directed to<br />

organic-select@hotmail.com<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


22<br />

Health Matters<br />

Attention Deficit<br />

and Addiction<br />

by GISELLE BELANGER<br />

RN, LCSW<br />

The chances of developing an addiction goes way up for people<br />

with ADD and “untreated ADD, is one of the leading causes of<br />

substance abuse in America today”. Studies of adults with ADD have<br />

found: a) co-occurring alcohol abuse disorders at rates ranging from<br />

17% to 45%, b) drug abuse or dependence at rates ranging from 9% to<br />

30%. As surprising as this may seem, studies have shown that people<br />

with ADD are a) “more likely to develop a substance abuse problem<br />

at a younger age, b) more likely to require lifetime substance abuse<br />

treatment and c) more likely to develop prolonged substance abuse<br />

problems throughout life.” However, the good news is, “medication<br />

treatment of ADD reduces the risks of substance abuse by 85%<br />

amongst teen patients with ADD.” (John Lee, Editor. “Why ADD/<br />

ADHD Increases the Odds of Addiction – And How to Get Better”,<br />

June 21, 2011: web page: http://www.choosehelp.com/mental-health/<br />

why-add-adhd-increases-the-odds-of-addiction-and-what-to-do.html)<br />

I am no longer surprised at the number of alcoholic/addicts that I see<br />

in therapy who have an underlying undiagnosed, untreated, ADD. It is<br />

so sad to imagine all of the years they have suffered not only from their<br />

addiction but from the frustration of having something else wrong that<br />

caused them to feel different, worthless, anxious, or depressed. Just<br />

imagine how many of the adult alcoholics and addicts actively using,<br />

or walking into a 12-step program, or into therapy, are part of that 85%<br />

of undiagnosed teens with ADD!! Think about that!<br />

Brain function impaired<br />

Frontal lobe impairment: T<strong>here</strong> has been a great deal of research<br />

done revealing that brain function of persons with ADD is impaired,<br />

particularly in the frontal lobe. Many of their symptoms are very<br />

similar to people with closed head brain injury. The frontal lobe is<br />

responsible for a) “sequencing” handle information in a sequential<br />

step by step manner, b) “drive” ability to accomplish tasks, c)<br />

“executive control” or social appropriateness; a loss of this leads<br />

to blurting out comments, impulsivity, and distractibility. The ability<br />

to logically organize and plan behavior, which enable you to set and<br />

achieve goals is impaired. Considering the possible consequence of<br />

one’s behavior and preventing “runaway” emotional responses is a<br />

function of the frontal lobe. Basically, frontal lobe impairment affects<br />

attention, impulse, and thinking capacity.<br />

Dopamine deficiency: T<strong>here</strong> is very strong evidence which links<br />

dopamine receptor deficiency (receptor D2) to many behavioral<br />

abnormalities including addiction (alcohol/drugs/sex/pathological<br />

gambling), food binging, and attention deficit. What a double<br />

whammy! Growing up with attention deficit and then developing<br />

addictions all because of the same dopamine deficiency in the brain!!<br />

One research study revealed that “52% of cocaine addicts” and “49%<br />

of children with Attention Deficit” had the abnormal dopamine<br />

receptor D2 present. (Sudderth, David & Kandel, Joseph. (1997)<br />

Adult ADD: The Complete Handbook. New York, NY. Three Rivers<br />

Press. pg 31)<br />

Dopamine is the neuro chemical responsible for reward or “feel<br />

good” sensory response in the brain. T<strong>here</strong>fore, if dopamine is<br />

released in lesser amounts in the brains of those with ADD/ADHD,<br />

causing them a lessened ability to feel “normal pleasure”, then it is<br />

completely understandable and even expected that they would seek<br />

out normal pleasure levels through intoxication or thrill seeking<br />

behaviors, which increase the amount of dopamine released in the<br />

brain.<br />

Increased Norepinephrine: T<strong>here</strong> is also research supporting the<br />

idea that another part of the brain called the “locus coeruleus”, a group<br />

of neurons located in the brainstem responsible for norepinephrine<br />

release, may be firing at an increased rate. This causes sensory<br />

overload; too many thoughts at once and the inability to sort or filter<br />

them and focus.<br />

Self-medicate<br />

It is no surprise that undiagnosed and t<strong>here</strong>fore untreated<br />

individuals with attention deficit would turn to cocaine and marijuana<br />

to self-medicate. The cocaine is a stimulant, which causes increased<br />

dopamine release and the marijuana slows down the rapid firing of<br />

thoughts and helps concentration.<br />

It is no wonder that most of the current treatment for ADD<br />

is stimulant-type medications like “Ritalin”, “Adderall”, and<br />

“Concerta”, which increase the dopamine levels. Needless to say,<br />

these are much more effective and safer than cocaine.<br />

“Clonidine” (sustained release) is used to specifically treat the rapid<br />

firing of norepinephrine, achieving a much safer and effective result<br />

than marijuana. It is often used in combination with the stimulants<br />

mentioned above because it has a calming effect enabling the person<br />

to control their thoughts, impulses, and sleep disorders.<br />

One man with severe ADD says that the constant stimuli is so<br />

distracting that if he didn’t smoke marijuana before he started his<br />

day, he wouldn’t be able to drive because he’d be so distracted, he’d<br />

have an accident for sure. He not only has justified his chronic longterm<br />

marijuana use, he knows that it helps.<br />

NOTE: Of course, absolutely do NOT advocate the use of marijuana<br />

or other illicit drugs to self-medicate attention deficit (or depression<br />

and other mental health issues). T<strong>here</strong> are too many unknown and<br />

uncontrolled factors causing major health risks, and unsafe mixtures<br />

and dosing, and t<strong>here</strong>fore inconstant effects on the brain. (http://<br />

psychcentral.com/lib/2010/adhd-and-marijuana/) This is extremely<br />

dangerous!! Please seek proper medication treatment.<br />

Giselle Belanger, RN, LCSW (psychotherapist) is available for<br />

appointments in person, by phone, or by skype webcam.<br />

Contact info: ggbelangerpv@gmail.com,<br />

Mex cell: 044 (322) 138-9552 or US cell: (312) 914-5203.<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


Fish Tales 23<br />

Warm water conditions<br />

drive Yellowfin deep<br />

Written by STAN GABRUK<br />

Owner of Master Baiter´s Sportfishing and Tackle<br />

reproduce. With the swimming<br />

and more swimming, they build<br />

up a hunger and they’re growing<br />

like crazy as well. So t<strong>here</strong> is a<br />

strong urge to feed and they have<br />

to surface. So the late afternoon<br />

into the sundown hours will be<br />

producing well. Morning bite may<br />

be worth the try, but the afternoon<br />

bite is a sure thing. Now you have<br />

my Tuna secret. Please keep this<br />

between us!<br />

With hurricanes and tropical<br />

storms, they have an energy serge<br />

that pushes high pressure in front of<br />

its path. The fish feel this pressure,<br />

it’s amazing but they do, so they run<br />

in front of the pressure dome. We’ve<br />

seen strong days w<strong>here</strong> YF Tuna<br />

were well over 200 lbs. and other<br />

days after the hurricane’s passing,<br />

no fish to be found. Basically they<br />

left the area and have not returned<br />

as yet. So you want to keep your<br />

eyes on the conditions and follow<br />

weather alerts. You can sign up<br />

for them on weather underground,<br />

just Google it, it’s t<strong>here</strong> and it’s a<br />

great source of information when it<br />

comes to present conditions.<br />

The Bank this week has been very<br />

strong with Black Marlin running<br />

anyw<strong>here</strong> from 350 to over 600<br />

lbs. No water temperature concerns<br />

<strong>here</strong>, amigos, they’re hungry and<br />

ready for your presentation in the<br />

form of bait. Bullet Bonito (baby<br />

Bonita) are still in the area and<br />

these Marlin will hit one of these<br />

faster than my wife with a new<br />

credit card!<br />

YF Tuna should be t<strong>here</strong> as well,<br />

but don’t be surprised if you don’t<br />

see any. Dorado of the large variety<br />

in the 60-lb range, Sailfish, Snappers<br />

to 65 lbs. and of course, the list just<br />

goes on. With this being summer,<br />

anything can happen so keep alert<br />

for changes. Remember, this is one<br />

of the most famous fishing grounds<br />

Mexico has to offer.<br />

Well, summer is definitely<br />

<strong>here</strong>. In the last few weeks, we’ve<br />

seen hurricanes 300 hundred miles<br />

off the coast pass us on the way<br />

to Hawaii. Tropical storms have<br />

formed and have been following<br />

these last couple of hurricanes,<br />

petering out shortly t<strong>here</strong>after. That<br />

pretty much means Puerto Vallarta<br />

has had a steady and, to be frank,<br />

pleasant climate from rain the last<br />

few weeks as August is the doorway<br />

to the heat of summer.<br />

With the unusual water warmth<br />

t<strong>here</strong> are plenty of Black Marlin<br />

and Sailfish to be found at the<br />

usual places, no surprise t<strong>here</strong>.<br />

Now if you’re talking Yellowfin<br />

Tuna, you’ve got some work in<br />

front of you. You see, with water<br />

temperatures hovering over 90 o F,<br />

the water is just too hot for our fishy<br />

friends. As a result, they will hang<br />

out at Corbeteña and El Banco in<br />

the deep water, looking for more<br />

comfortable digs. The problem is<br />

they’re down anyw<strong>here</strong> from 150<br />

to 170 feet - in the cooler depths.<br />

Those looking for the elusive<br />

Yellowfin Tuna during the midday<br />

hours will find it difficult at best<br />

and frankly, not likely in midday.<br />

If you are serious, and you need<br />

to be serious if you’re looking for<br />

this beast of a fish, then you need<br />

to be savvy old salt, amigos. If<br />

you’re lucky enough to head out<br />

on an overnight, I suggest getting<br />

to the fishing grounds in the late,<br />

I said late afternoon, as Yellowfin<br />

will come to the surface for a<br />

late bite when the surface water<br />

tempers drop ever so slightly from<br />

the intense equator sun. Trolling at<br />

this time of day will pay off with<br />

150-lb Yellowfin Tuna looking for<br />

a bite to eat. But midday now their<br />

bodies can handle this depth with<br />

no problem, problem is they don’t<br />

exactly see all that well with a<br />

complete lack of light. So comfort<br />

during the day turns to hunger in<br />

the afternoon. Remember, these<br />

fish do three things: swim, eat and<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


24<br />

Fish Tales<br />

Corbeteña has been full of Yellowfin Tuna in the<br />

150 to over 200-lb range, if you’re lucky enough<br />

to be in the right place at the right time. Fishing is<br />

90% being t<strong>here</strong>, and then taking advantage of your<br />

preparation. You know when to be t<strong>here</strong>, now just<br />

GO!<br />

Not too many Black Marlin, but the Cubera<br />

Snapper are hitting hard and they’re great tasting. No<br />

bottom fishing for the time being, they’re attacking<br />

surface baits with a vengeance. Sailfish in the larger<br />

sizes have been a constant <strong>here</strong>. Dorado are in and<br />

out, but the ones that are in have been larger than<br />

40 lbs., so t<strong>here</strong> are no losers heading to Corbeteña,<br />

The Rock. Deeps off the west side and the shallow<br />

areas are perfect for bait and monsters! Right now,<br />

until the water cools down, we’ll be living with this<br />

for a while, so have a plan.<br />

The Marieta Islands are still awash in Sailfish<br />

in the 60 to 75-lb range, not bad for Sails. Dorado<br />

in the 35-lb range, Snapper are in the same range.<br />

Bonito have been active and the Skippies or Skip<br />

Jack Tuna are plentiful. Hopefully the Rooster<br />

fish will show up again soon. Plenty of fish at the<br />

Marieta Islands and it’s a shorter day, don’t forget<br />

sun screen though!<br />

Inside the bay, we’re still seeing the cookie cutter<br />

conditions of a trash line that gets hit pretty hard<br />

after the rains. Since we’ve been seeing daily rains,<br />

the trash line is alive and well. If near the river<br />

mouths at either end of the bay, you’ll find Snook or<br />

Robalo, fantastic white meat fish. I don’t understand<br />

why more people other than the locals don’t shoot<br />

for these great tasting fish. Snapper are around the<br />

structure or rocks. Yellowfin Football Tuna to 50<br />

lbs. have set up house at Yelapa, but you need a full<br />

distance 4-hour trip. So make sure when discussing<br />

fishing trip with a ¨Promoter¨ you don’t get jipped<br />

out of fishing because of price. Be sure you know<br />

what you’re getting and please make sure t<strong>here</strong> is<br />

a radio on the boat that functions, if not, don’t get<br />

on the boat! Your safety can depend on a working<br />

radio. It also helps your captain find fish from his<br />

associates. Be smart, be safe.<br />

We have fish and the crowds that we’ve come<br />

to expect are not at the fishing grounds. Good or<br />

bad, you have a chance to have these world class<br />

fishing grounds to yourself which, in my books, is<br />

a real luxury. Also, if it rains, that is very good for<br />

fishing, the water droplets hitting the water surface<br />

make the fish think bait is coming back into the<br />

water from jumping. They can’t seem to figure if<br />

nothing went up, what is coming down (?), your<br />

bait, that’s what. Rain is good! Be prepared with<br />

light jackets, but umbrellas are dangerous on a<br />

moving boat, so bring a hat. Dorado especially go<br />

nuts over rainy conditions so keep this in mind and<br />

go find Moby Dick, I hear he’s out t<strong>here</strong> now!<br />

Until next time, don’t forget to kiss your fish and<br />

remember: at Master Baiter’s Sportfishing &<br />

Tackle “We Won’t Jerk You Around!”<br />

Master Baiter’s has changed locations in<br />

Marina Vallarta and are now near Victors Café<br />

Tecuba. Look for me at the least traveled end of<br />

Marina Vallarta and I will be t<strong>here</strong> in my new<br />

place. Email your questions to me at: CatchFish@<br />

MasterBaiters.com.mx Web page: www.<br />

MasterBaiters.com.mx , Local phone at: (044)<br />

322 779-7571 or if roaming: 011 521 322 779-<br />

7571 (this is my cell phone directly until the<br />

shop phone is working. Facebook: http://www.<br />

facebook.com/pages/Master-Baiters-Sportfishing-<br />

Tackle/88817121325 The trade name Master<br />

Baiter’s ® Sportfishing and Tackle is protected<br />

under trade mark law and is the sole property of<br />

Stan Gabruk.<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


Calendar 25<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16


22<br />

Calendar<br />

SATURDAY 10<br />

ISSUE 251 | AUGUST 2013 FRIDAY 16

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