rufus

A little historical perspective: Since 1910 to this day, the Mexican peso has devalued 7,500% President Party Years Exchange rate at beginning at end Difference % devaluation Lic. Luis Echeverría Alvarez PRI 1970–1976 $12.50 $22.69 $10.19 82% Lic. José Lopez Portillo PRI 1976–1982 $22.69 $150.29 $127.60 562% Lic. Miguel de la Madrid Hurtado PRI 1982–1988 $150.29 $2,289.58 $2,132.71 1552% Dr. Carlos Salinas de Gortari PRI 1988–1994 $2,289.58 $3,410 $892.00 36% Dr. Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León PRI 1994–2000 $3,410 $9.360 $6.08 180% Lic. Vicente Fox Quezada PAN 2000–2006 $9.360 $10.880 $1.45 15% Lic. Felipe Calderón Hinojosa PAN (2006–2012) $10.900 $12.50 $1.60 15% Lic. Enrique Peña Nieto PRI (2012–present) $12.50 $18.4350 Mid-market rates: 2016-02-02

There are so many variables involved in this issue, I cannot even begin to speculate on the out come. What if the stock market bubble burst? What if the real estate market takes a dump? What if Deutsche Bank goes under and that takes down some US banks? What if the Arabs want their oil paid for in the new gold backed Chinese currency? What if there is a war in the Middle East? Now where is my magic eight ball gizmo?

Did they ever catch the European looking fellow that was working the area a couple of years ago? Also, have the mustard bandits ever reappeared? They see to have occurred about the same time. Maybe they are of the same tribe.

Just out of curiosity, did they ever catch that "European Appearing" fellow that was working the area a couple of years ago?

Try these two sources. If you cannot get Black Austrolorps try for Jersey Giants. Also the Cara Blancas from Spain make a nice bird. Just avoid the bantams. The Cara Blancas have a white face mask larger than the Minorcas. http://www.quiminet.com/shr/es/comercializadora-para-el-campo-1265058306/productos.htm http://www.quiminet.com/shr/es/incubadoras-huacuja-1230104047/productos.htm?pp=7806871780 Good luck, Rufus

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you on this. In 1981, we were visiting family in Guadalajara. We gave an uncle a ride to the bank. He said that the bank was paying really good rates on dollar deposits. He urged us to open an account. Well, if things are too good to be true, look out. My wife said that we should have some dollars on hand because we would probably need to kick in on some funeral expenses for family in the future. She was working in banking at the time, and it would be easier to make deposits from up north to a dollar account. Then, in August of 1982, the government was in trouble. They had banked on having an ever increasing income from the oil, but the price of oil fell like a rock. To stem the flow of foreign currency, the government froze those accounts. And there the account is. Some people took their money out in pesos and then converted it to something tangible. But we didn't have a lot of money in the account, so we just let it ride. Then followed devaluation of the peso. Devaluation followed devaluation. Eventually, the government lopped off a bunch of zeros and produced a new peso. In the meantime, people with businesses had loans made from banks out of the country. Those loans had to be serviced and repaid in that foreign currency. Businesses went bankrupt. Some survived only by getting loans from family living north of the border. It was a tough time for all.

We, like Geezer, had a dollar account that was frozen. Now we are afraid the US government will come back on us about it. If they can get the money out of the bank, they are welcome to it.

It crosses my mind that the insurance company may have already settled with the neighbor, but that he may have seen this as an opportunity to take advantage of someone. I wouldn't pay him anything.

Frankly, I do not foresee a flood or retirees setting up households in Mexico. I keep getting e mail warnings that US government will soon nationalize retirement accounts and seize bank accounts. I know they are just trying to sell gold or silver or something else, but still it scares me. Mexico is a nice place to live, but it is no place to be poor. No nation, no matter what it says on the statue of Liberty, wants poor people. What will happen when and if the government does take these actions? What retired person can live without their pension checks and social security? And such a large per centage of the US population is dependent upon food stamps, extended unemployment payments and other transfer payments, what will happen when and if the government cannot or will not continue these payments? These people will not be denied. It worries me. The government and the news media say things are better, but the line at the DES office is getting longer.

Evaporative Cooling works if you live in a very dry, arid area. We in Arizona relied upon them for years. But, the water supply was switched from well water to water from the Central Arizona Project. Somewhere up in northern Arizona, the Little Colorado River flows over a salt deposit. That ruined it. We put in air conditioning. They are labor intensive. Prepare to spend a lot of time on the roof. You have to make sure you replace the deodorante blocks on schedule or there will be a very funky smell. That is where the swamp part comes in. Make sure the sacrificial anode is replaced a couple of times every season. Also, you must replace the pads every season. Before you invest the money, examine your situation and decide if it is in your interest to go with an evaporative cooler. And no, they will not work in the rainy season.

Not to be paranoid, but when using public transportation always wash your hands after getting down from the bus. Everyone touches those hand rails. Keep your hands away from your mouth, nose and eyes. If you have to touch or rub your face, use the back of the hand. And, get a flu shot.

Sorry if you are bored. I found this to be a very interesting thread, not so much about the language as the personalities. When I was a kid in the US, the teachers used to hit kids for speaking any language but English. The Indian kids were always getting hit. Anyway, as a result, Spanish became a language that was only spoken amoung trusted friends and family. And since the language was learned without any instructions, people were illiterate and made a lot of mistakes. Cut us some slack! If you are understood, you are doing ok. Just say it like they say it, and you will get by. Rufus