Hello from sunny Acapulco,
If you've never been here I highly recommend it. I spent more than 6 months sailing the entire Pacific coast of Mexico a few years ago on my sailboat, so I've seen nearly every single town and city on the entire Pacific coast. From Ensenada and the entire desolate and cold Baja, to Cabo, which is for all intents and purposes the US, to Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Barra de Navidad, Ixtapa, Huatulco and more.
The neat thing about Acapulco is it is nothing like any of those other places. Many of them are very Americanized tourist traps. And even the ones that are less so, like Huatulco, are small towns. This place, now known as Acapulco, has been inhabited since the 8th century by the Olmecs. The Olmecs eventually died out due to “very serious environmental changes that rendered the region unsuited for large groups of farmers”. Interesting, hey? There were serious environmental changes hundreds of years ago. I didn't even know they had SUV's then.
Speaking of “Global Warming” or now, “Climate Change”, now that it has been proven that the world is not warming but that it has been cooling and we are headed for a mini ice age, does that mean we should all buy more SUVs and just leave them running all night? And should those who own carbon credits be punished for trying to cool the Earth as we head into such a time of crisis? Al Gore, always ahead of the crowd, seems to have already figured this out, that's why he flies around in private jets and owns numerous mansions, some with electric bills of over $1,200/month. Thanks again Al for trying to save us all!
But I digress. After the Olmecs, Acapulco came to be occupied by the Mayans and then, in 1486, it became part of the Aztec empire. Then, by 1530, the white devils had arrived by ship from Spain. Things progressed quickly after that and by 1550 Spanish Galleons began arriving from the far east. For 300 years, from the 16th century to the 19th century, the Manila Galleon would make its yearly run from Acapulco to Manila. It was the first real “global trade”.
Still to this day Chinese New Years is well celebrated in Acapulco and many people are part Asian, including my wife who is typical for the locals being 25% Filipina, 25% African, 25% Native Mexican and 25% Spanish.
The tradition and culture here is, to say the least, storied. And so, in the last few years, with the criminal US Government giving the criminal Mexican Government billions of dollars to “fight drugs” and the Obama Administration has run countless high powered firearms in to the narco-entrepreneurs there has been some activity. The police every now and then attack some free market providers of plants (cannabis and coca leaf, mostly). But, and this part I like, rather than lying down like whipped dogs like in the US, the narco-preneurs fight back. Often kidnapping and beheading some cops. Touche, I say. And all part of the strong warrior tradition of the Aztecs and the strong people who have lived in this region for millennia.
Any of that almost always occurs far, far away from the tourist and rich areas of Acapulco, by the way. Constantly scared Americans always ask, “Is it safe?”. They've been trained to fear everything up there. Well, every time I go to the US I get kidnapped (Phoenix, Palm Springs). Here, I have no problems. What more can I tell you.
Not to mention even the statistics show that the US is far more dangerous than Mexico for foreigners. Here are stats on Canadians:
But, besides that, really, the point I want to make is that a few years of US and Mexican Government interference in the natural free market lives of the people of Acapulco is but a speck in time in the history of this place. And, as quickly as it came, it has already left, as I recounted a few months ago.
This place is truly one of the most interesting and beautiful places on Earth… and that is why I am here.
MEXICO
Speaking of Mexico, I always laugh at people in the US' misperceptions of Mexico. They really have no clue. Most think it is a third world, dangerous, poor place where people siesta all day and fiesta all night. Here is a graphic from the already dead “What I Really Do/Am” meme on Mexicans:
DON'T FORGET TO SMILE
About a decade ago I started feeling a little depressed. Most of it had to do with the fact that I was living in Los Angeles. I sat back and gave it some thought. What had I been doing differently lately? Or, even more, how was I living then compared to how my ancestors probably lived for hundreds of thousands of years?
I decided to take a look at my daily life. I'd wake up, check my computer. Then I'd go for a run on the beach. I'd return, shower, then spend about three hours on my computer. Later I'd go to the gym, where there was never one other person and then I'd return and spend most of the rest of the day/evening on my computer.
If you already haven't spotted why I was depressed it should be obvious. Our ancestors, all the way up until even the 1970s likely spent much of their time amongst others working, playing, laughing, eating. I'd often go days without even talking live to another person… but I didn't realize it because I was communicating with so many through my computer.
I eventually figured out that the main problem was that I needed to have more real human interactions… and there was one other simple answer. I needed to smile more. Luckily I hadn't gone to a “medical doctor” in LA or almost assuredly he'd put me on mind lobotomizing chemicals to help cure the symptoms of my depression. But the answer was so simple. Talk to people and smile more. There is actually scientific evidence to show that even if you fake smile a few times per day it will improve your mood.
This cartoon is what reminded me of my past small bout of depression. Look at the way we used to live and the way many live today… is it any wonder many people are feeling depressed when they mostly sit in a cubicle and stare blankly, emotionless, at a computer all day?
Remember to get off the computer as much as possible. And if you can't… as stupid as it sounds AND looks, fake smile a few times per day to remind your brain to release a few endorphins. Because, if you live in the western world, you'd need those endorphins to not be suicidal for living in an enslaved police state!
WHAT'D THEY DO TO RON PAUL THIS WEEK
And now for the latest installment of how the mainstream media in the US tries to hide Ron Paul from the public. Now they list percentage winners from the lowest to the highest:
Poor Ron Paul, last again!
THE PASSING OF DAVID COFFIN
There was some sad news this week as mining industry veteran, David Coffin, of the Hard Rock Analysts, passed away. I've known David for close to twenty years and him and his brother, Eric, have always been some of the most well respected mining analysts in the business. Our condolences go out to Eric and David's family.
PRESIDENT'S DAY
Monday is President's Day in the US… the day of the year to celebrate the biggest criminal in the land. Here is a funny President's day joke we came across:
I was eating lunch with a 6-year-old and I asked her, “What is the 20th of February?” She said “President's Day!” She is a smart kid, so, I asked her, “What does President's Day mean?” I was waiting for something about Washington or Lincoln etc. She replied, “President's Day is when President Obama steps out of the White House, and if he sees his shadow we have one more year of unemployment.”
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND
Remember to get out and have some personal communications… and smile! And have a great weekend from all of us at The Dollar Vigilante.
