Sunday, December 20, 2009

Import Export Business


When We crossed the border and this was the first time US Authorities had asked me "if We were bringing in firearms and ammunition into the US"? HUH??

I was going to ask the agent why they were asking that, or did they have a smuggling problem from Mexico, but figured this was not the time to have the whole car disassembled and my body cavity searched.

They do not have any sense of humor....I found that out crossing from Tijuana into California about 30 years ago.

This whole border thing is bizarre.

The amount of money being spent, trying to plug up a border that will always have holes in it is strange. You would think that there would be a better solution, since security is not the issue, after all, if it was, there wouldn't be 15 million "guests" using the US resources that the US taxpayer is subsidizing part of.
There is something else besides the need of money, since if that was all there was they would be with their families, working in Mexico.

I keep seeing Help Wanted signs in so many stores as we travel, starting in Patzcuaro, Morelia, Guadalajara, Mazatlan so on and so on and so on.

Maybe it's the chance to get away from the family, La Familia.....no wife , no kids, no buddies wanting to borrow a few pesos.....? Maybe it's the freedom to get the hell out of Dodge.

The draw to El Dorado of the North escapes me, and that is a topic that will continue to be debated forever, like the feud between the Hatfield and McCoys , this one will last way past my final breath.


I recently saw a couple of stories in the paper which had some PR news, justifying more government jobs. They keep trying to put a positive spin on these unresolvable issues.

First is the "war on drugs" which should just be labeled a corporate make work project paid for with an endless supply of money, and the second is a close runner up. The story was that the US Feds seized more than 6000 pounds of Marijuana worth 6 million bucks hidden in a shipment of door knobs in a truck. The truck was trying to cross in Calexico.

The other story was on the same day in San Diego, they seized thousands of counterfeit toys worth 2 million bucks. Knockoff Barbie dollars and "Jeep" toy vehicles, seems nobody had permission to use the "Jeep" logo.These were large trucks, the kind kids could drive around. Chalk one up for the Copyright Police Machine......
" They are just trying to protect people from getting ripped off. "

You would think that "Caveat Emptor" would be the norm, but I guess the government has long ago figured out that the citizens are too stupid to figure things out for them selves.

Maybe that is one of the problems. No one has any "learned" street smarts. After all, once you get ripped off you kind of learn, not to accept everything without at least a little bit of scrutiny. That explains why my Rolex hour hand fell off, and the back says India?
Lots of government jobs, lots of make work projects, life is way to complex NOB.




Happy Holidays.......
But that's just my opinion.....
The editorial , not the Holiday Greetings.

6 comments:

norm said...

There will always be big money keeping people in cages-or out of cages as the case may be...

Michael Dickson said...

Do you feel better now?

About the Help Wanted signs: You´re right. They are quite common hereabouts.

Bob Mrotek said...

Tancho,
Someday we have to have a nice long chat. The reason that most Mexicans leave Mexico is to escape Mexico City...even though they don't live anywhere close to Mexico City. In most big cities of the world everything emanates from the city like the rays of the Sun. In Mexico it is the other way around and Mexico City sucks everything in like a black hole. So now you know :)

Tancho said...

Norm, interesting about the prison business facts, maybe one day I will expound on that!

Felipe, what can I say, this land up here just stresses me out!

Ah Bob, interesting avatar, not sure if I can accept the new you! Your invitation for a chat will always be welcomed, I will bring some good Russian snacks to give us energy!

1:59 PM

Karen said...

Hi, this is a really late comment, but I just found you.

As someone living on a Mexican's income I can tell you some things about the "help wanted" signs. My husband is 34 (I am older) and is too old to get most of the jobs you see posted. They want people 18-25 and often female, and single, etc. They also pay about $700/week for a six day work week. That is about $54 US and while fruits and veggies, and rent are cheaper (normally), meat, clothes, and everything else are at least the same as NOB.

Tancho said...

Well welcome Karen, better late than never would be the first thing that pops into my keyboard for you!
Indeed the signs at the store are always looking for younger people, but experienced people are also needed and sought after, maybe not in the tourist areas but other parts. Even NOB, the older person does have a hard time finding jobs, especially now. Unless the companies are looking for experience. At the company I had I would always look to hire someone older, but unfortunately at that time they were too overpaid for the area we were in. Now, they would jump at the job, at any salary. The "big" adjustment had to come at some time...
There are still lots of opportunities for entrepreneurs in Mexico, but take some wise investment and market research. You are right about the cost of meat and some clothes being costly. If one buys "designer or fashionable trendy clothes" they are ridiculously expensive. If you shop at Walmart, Sears, Costco or the Mercado, pants, shirts, etc can be found very reasonable. I am sure you know.
And yes it is easier to make money taking chances doing some questionable jobs, but unless you have friends that are connected it can be deadly dangerous.