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I think all of you should hold back on judging Saul until you know what his health problem is. Boy- so many righteous people mouthing off. You do not know what his circumstances are. He is the best window washer, and a perfect gentleman.

Yes, I realize that, I've lived in Mexico for 18 years. But I also know many Mexicans who realize that that's not how most of the world operates and that if they want to maintain a good reputation in their business, have gringo clients, who are usually willing to pay more and treat them better than well-off Mexicans do, that they need to step up their game. Those who don't have the presence of mind to let you know if they can't make it, or are going to be late, get crossed off my list, never recommended, and I give my business to those who are more considerate.

Dear Gringal: That sounds like a perfectly reasonable way of understanding the situation; it's a cultural contrast and conflict. Mudgirl, however, doesn't or won't accept or understand it. She sounds very judgmental to me, though she claims not to be making judgements at all. Others who take some apparent discomfort at the invocation of external standards, which "mudgirl" (love the dirty name;-) attribute to the Professional World (and herself) wouldn't agree, though the situation strikes an outsider as one full of insularity. I suspect that the woods down there are full of Gringos who earn passive aggressive responses which they neither understand nor anticipate.

No, I don't. In my experience, most people, even those with ample property, do not compost. And no, it doesn't attract rodents if it is done correctly. I've been composting for 50 years- it's not just a matter of throwing a pile of kitchen scraps in a corner of the yard. And as I pointed out, composting units are available at Costco, perhaps other places, I haven't checked. These are critter-proof.

... that my subscription couldn't be renewed with the credit card information that they have on file. Which is kinda interesting because I don't have a Netflix subscription and never have. I deleted it. BE WARNED that this is a phishing scam looking for credit card information.

My experience is the same as Mudgirl's. If someone doesn't notify me that they are not coming, I let them know that my time has value as well and I need to have my life organized. It is a courtesy to me and my being here when they say they will come is a courtesy to them.... as is paying them immediately for the work. YMMV.

The damp veggies at Walmart and Soriana will not stay in a paper bag. I bought heirloom tomatoes at the Tuesday market and forgot to take my reused Walmart bag so he bagged them in paper. I made it 6 steps before the bottom gave out and a kilo of very expensive, beautiful tomatoes hit the floor. In Guad the famous fish taco Felix Pescado restaurant uses thin plastic bags over rigid reused plastic plates and your food is actually on the outside of the plastic pag which they throw away so they do not wash any dishes. This probably evolved because they started as a food cart. I have NO single use bags from any store as I reuse all of them. You are supposed to carry a bag when walking your dog how many paper bags will it take and how many will you have to pickup the same mess along with the busted wet paper bag. This stupidity will force the poor who, reuse every bag they get for trash or TP and can't afford to buy bags to have to purchase them or just throw all the trash on the corner. We already have dogs and possums that remove the trash from plastic bags (many of them single use) on the corner, that look is what we'll be left with with no plastic bags. Studies have found 80%+ of the plastic in the oceans originates in Asia. How are we going to make China stop this madness when we can't even persuade them to stop stealing technology. Jalisco's law will not make things better and will cost those least able to pay. This ban is the sort of thing you pass if you don't have the huevos to enforce litter laws. If you want to reply that the people responsible can't afford to pay fines then you sentence them to picking up trash along the roads.

Dreaming of Home and Mother (1851) John Pond Ordway (Composer) Cello https://youtu.be/C6K3vD_GtlI

I guess you need to make some sacrifices to save the planet,. To bad! Get your neighbors and take your recyclable to a drop off point. Freeze all your veggie and meat scraps and put them in the trash they day of pick up. They do make biodegradable bags, yes more expensive but it does help save the planet for future generations. See it as an investment. Think out side the box you have trapped yourself in and stop bitching. If everyone thought like you changes would never happen,. See it as an opportunity to get creative!

He bites you and do not try to bite her?.. If that is so , he knows she is the boss and you are someone he can mess with.

They cost $40 U.S. and as the article says, they have become very popular in Puerto Rico, which has similar infrastructure problems as Mexico. Chain your garbage cans to a post, or paint them some gawd awful color. There are some very compact, vermin resistant composting systems, the government should be distributing them to lower income families, as well as mosquito proof rain collection barrels. What is wrong with cloth bags? They are very economical to make, especially if they accept advertising on them.

Other people don't have that problem. I have not had more "no show" or "no call" here than NOB or other places.

I wasn't judging Saul, I don't know the man. I was speaking in general terms. There can always be valid extenuating circumstances as to why someone can't call, but "I was sick", "My kid was sick" "I had to take my mother to the doctor" "My phone was out of saldo", "My phone was on the charger" and all the myriad excuses we hear on a regular basis just don't cut it for me. I run a business as well. if I'm going to be even 10 minutes late to a client's place, I message them- it's rude to leave people waiting without knowing if you're going to show up or not.

I remember that I once did some work for a major property owner family in Vancouver. My competitor did some work for them before, but took many more weeks than they said to finally complete the project. When the contractor asked for their payment, the property owner told them no, they will get paid at the same time frame they were made to wait. I think it was nine weeks, a big deal for a small business, which took on more business than they were capable of delivering.

The kitty litter was not a problem 'in the old days'. There wasn't any! Dog droppings were also not a problem, either. Dogs and cats were simply let out. They came home after they were done. City folks had to 'curb their dogs'; take them to the curb, where the 'gutter' would wash away their waste.....eventually. Smart neighborhood dogs, in Mexico, curb themselves, as they like to lie on the sidewalks, where you may step over them without disturbing them.

Mudgirl: Hard to do when you have employed the best and they do not show... You can wave your dineros around and you might get on time but with less than perfect service... You can have it: a. Timely. b. professionally done. or c. cheap. You will have to wait for the afterlife to get all three...

Wet garbage? Back in the "old days", every kitchen had a covered 'garbage pan', which was taken out to the compost yard a couple of times each day. It was the first daily chore for many children. Of course, the family pet was the first disposal method for much of the kitchen waste. Even apartment dwellers can use the new composters, and then use the compost, or dispose of it without too much inconvenience.

Isn't just Walmart by a long shot. Everything these days is packaged to death. We are probably spending more money on the packaging than on the contents.

What they need to find a replacement for is the plastic bag and straw that the venders use to sell their drinks in.

This is mine: Accusharp knife sharpener, 2 for $18 USD. My mother (QEPD) gave me one at least 25 years ago and I've used it regularly since then. Works like a charm, I'd be lost without it. Order the 2-pack and have it sent to a friend NOB; they're very small, flat, don't break, and your friend can bring one to you and keep one as your thank-you gift for being your mule. Out of this world, look at the reviews! Pure 5 stars on every seller site on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Accusharp-066C-Knife-Sharpener-Piece/dp/B072HVMYZC/ref=sr_1_11?crid=1ZMTY365K60OH&keywords=accusharp+knife+and+tool+sharpener&qid=1557639883&s=gateway&sprefix=accusharp%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-11

There are rental companies lakeside so you might find a better deal here such as Antonio Regalado - R&R New and Used Cars and Car Solutions on Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Car-Dealership/RR-New-and-Used-Cars-and-Car-Solutions-294754600930898/ Linea Professional - http://lprentacar.com/

There are many businesses where I live that are now using cardboard and other biodegradable containers for take-out foods. These containers are available and being manufactured in Mexico. Restaurants could also purchase a bunch of reusable tupperware-type containers to have for sale, making a small profit on them, if they chose. You can fold newspapers into a bag shape which will hold household garbage. That wouldn't work for wet kitchen waste, and while I realize some people live in situations where they have no yard, those who do should definitely have a compost pile- as RV Gringo says, both kitchen waste and toilet paper can go in that pile. A proper compost bin or pile won't attract pests and there are composters available to buy at Costco if you don't want the waste just out there. And the added bonus is that you end up with nice compost after it breaks down to use in potted plants and in your garden, negating the need to go buy bags of compost or potting soil.

I had biodegradable plastic bag in my kitchen container and it degraded before I could take it out. I needed to use a regular plastic bag for that other bag and the trash. The have alternate containers for the take out already for years, it has just not been used by many. I have dogs and use a plastic bag in a bucket which I can take out and then seal. I guess in the future I will need to put the fecal matter directly in the bucket and they will have to dump it (eww) into the truck? Then I will need to wash it our each time? Gross. I also feel sorry already for the garbage men. The same will be for the kitchen garbage and what is one to use when taking the dog for a walk and there are no more small plastic bags to pick up the poop?

IMHO Part of problem is there is no "one" solution. Several things that will help but too many people throwing up their hands and saying why bother.

All I know is I'm damn tired of picking up single use plastic crap around my neighborhood and won't miss any of it. We didn't have it when I was young and I have no recollection of any hardship as a result.

Biodegradable bags are available for the TP dilemma and I would bet major stores will be using them soon.

I think it is time to start a new thread, if that is what is is called, as this one is getting very long. We have had Ilox now for approximately a month a half. We live in Villa Nova and are very happy with the service. We are getting between 45-100 Mbps consistently. Have not tried it yet with my VPN but will eventually. There was an outage the latter part of this week and we were without service for about 4 hours in early evening. I emailed Ilox (don't bother phoning as if Ilox is down and you don't have a Telmex line then you are out of luck. I used the noc@blablabla address and believe it or not I had a response from them in less than half an hour saying that they were having problems in Ajijic and that our service would be reconnected asap. In 2-4 hours later we had service back. They are new and I expect a few breaking-in problems. However, we have to give them a chance. They are new here and Telmex has been here for years, with IMO, lousy customer support and service.

I love Williamsburg, Samuel Gamez, cinnamon raisin bagels. The visiting son who lived on the east coast for many years, thinks they are really good too. And the fact that they are delivered to my front door doesn't hurt either.

CG...maybe you got a bad batch??? We buy from Williams Burg regularly and while not totally consistent, 90% of the bagels we have gotten have been excellent (we buy the cinn-raisin and the everything). I grew up in an immigrant neighborhood in the Northeast and do not expect to find those bagels from the 50s and 60s again. However, Williams Burg's bagels are better than most bagels in the US as most are sold by chains (Einsteins, Panera) or in grocery stores.

I too have seen the change and eat there several times were week. I am looking forward to another great breakfast there this morning. Well time to go

Unfortunately, your cleaner was an exception to what usually happens in Mexico. People don't like to say "no" for any reason, so they simply don't show up. I know this doesn't set well with U.S. standards, but it tends to be "the way it is" here, for the most part.

Unless a business person has been in a serious accident, or is extremely sick, or a close family member is, why would being sick be an excuse for not taking a minute to call or text clients you have appointments with that you can't keep? I had a wonderful cleaner for many years. If she was feeling ill, or one of her kids was, meaning she'd not be able to show up for work, she always contacted me the night before or at least an hour before she was due to start work. She didn't just not show. It's called professionalism. And consideration for others.

You probably should file a complaint with PROFECO to find out if you have further recourse. It depends on whether or not under Mexican law a vendor can elect to cancel a contract and refund monies. The contract you posted doesn't state that specifically. Anyway I don't know if it is because ILOX is diverting a significant amount of TelMex's load but our TelMex internet has sped up to a BLAZING 9-10 megs. It could also be due to the snowbirds going home too, or both, but in any case it was just in time for the last season of Game of Thrones. Thank you! We're going wait and watch and see if the bugs are ironed out before we decide whether to switch.

How about turning the other cheek, and give them a roll of TP to take on their travels - just wrap it around the car! 😉

My favorite revenge is to squirt the windshield with dishwashing liquid. Even better if they turn on the wipers to clear it.

I believe either the transitos or the cops will ticket and tow if called.

We wouldn't consider doing this and would walk a block or two to park BECAUSE we know there is a chance our nice paint job might have a screwdriver scratch all along one side of it. Maybe this person is ignorant of this common act of revenge.

This problem is everywhere in Lakeside. It's also something to think about when renting or buying. I was lucky in finding a place on the "no parking" side of a one way street, with a garage. People who does what's shown above don't even stop to think about what happens if the owner of the property NEEDS to get out for an emergency. The entitled jerks care only for themselves. I think the people who include a picture of a tow truck along with the words re no parking may have the right idea!

I have to say, nobody "loaned" iLox anything. They asked for a financial commitment; they got it, and they are following through. Yeah, so it takes some time. Are we all so entitled that we can't wait without getting annoyed?

Very accurate and well put.

The new GR states that local businesses have until July to use up their stashes of disposable plastics because they soon will be banned from use. While I heartily support environmental measures including reducing use of disposable plastics, I have the following questions: How are we supposed to collect and dispose of used toilet tissue without these bags? This is necessary in most of MX and most people re-use plastic bags for this purpose. Same goes for organic waste saved for recycling. There would be quite a risk of household contamination without being able to seal the containers used for such purposed. Even if you used solid waste baskets, at some point you have to put this stuff in the street for pickup. What are we supposed to use for this purpose? Think of the garbage workers who have to handle this stuff! I tried leaving my glass/plastic/metal recycling in a plastic bucket outside my house but the container got stolen twice, so now I have to carry it to the local drop-off points. I frequently buy roast chicken and have wondered what kind of container to bring to put a very hot roast chicken in. The typical hard plastic containers wouldn't work. I've already asked the help to not use the styrofoam, only the plastic bags, but without those, what? These new rules will be a severe culture shock for the many small businesses which feature take out food and beverages. There is little alternative to take out containers other than to actually serve the food in place and use washable dishes. But that is not feasible for a tiny take out stand. I hope some genius will invent a truly biodegradable material to use for take out food. Until then, what??

Wow. Some good suggestions here but it seems many posters here are not aware of the Mexican household lifestyle. Bidets??? To keep from using toilet paper??? Are you people all aware that you CANNOT even flush paper down the toilet in MX? Few Mexicans or gringos in less expensive housing have the fancy water systems that allow for flushing toilet paper. Do you think Mexicans can afford to install bidets in their houses??? Huh??? I've traveled all around MX, stayed in nice hotels, ate in nice restaurants, and they ALL have wastebaskets by the toilet for the used toilet paper, which has to be disposed of somehow. My own house is like that. Almost every house I've been in here has bathroom wastebaskets lined with plastic bags from the tiendas. The only places where you know you can flush your toilet paper is when the DON'T have a wastebasket by the toilet, and that is very rare. You can't put that kind of loose waste into a big garbage can. The garbage workers handle all that stuff by hand without gloves! I don't even use a garbage can to put in the street here. I take out 4 small bags of trash per week. Singles and couples don't generate enough garbage, hopefully, to need a big trash can! The plastic bags are very convenient for small amounts of trash. Empty garbage pails get stolen. Please remember we are talking about MX here, not up north. Also, if people had the space for a compost heap, don't you think we/they would already be doing that? The recycling of kitchen waste is a great idea so we can contribute to a municipal compost heap. In the mild climate of MX, there is much greater risk of vermin getting into your food scraps. I've seen rats around town, you don't want to leave food scraps around! MX has almost no sturdy paper bags to be found anywhere. Remember the trees they come from? If shops can no longer use plastic bags for customers, wouldn't it follow that you won't be able to buy them either? That would be an extra expense for many financially struggling Mexicans. So I'm still not seeing a solution to the garbage disposal issue which in MX, revolves around plastic bags. I think this law was thought up by men who have never done a lick of housework or have never taken out the trash in MX. Yes, let's move in the direction of using less plastic, but the plastic issue has to be connected to the trash disposal issue as it is in MX, not up north.

If Ilox cut your telmex line, you need to have them come back, reconnect it and then have them port it. Happened to me.

I key them.