Mexico

The Right Room

January 5, 2013

First time in Puerto Vallarta I was hungover standing at basin, looking into fright, when woman popped from stall behind and said sir are you aware this is women’s bathroom. Years later long sober I stood in Bakersfield theater as two women entered and one said what’s guy doing here. Leaving quickly I forgot to…

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President Chapo Guzman

July 4, 2012

Come on. Admit it. You keep having to Google “new Mexican president” because you can’t remember Enrique Pena Nieto. He’s handsome but like generic model and smooth but so’s oily auto part. You know he represents old guard PRI that ruled dictatorially for decades, spoon feeding wealthy while ignoring poor. Trust me, Enrique Pena Nieto…

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World According to Americans

June 6, 2012

Don’t know if they were godless communists or radical Muslims but some outrageous critters emailed world map insulting Americans. On map they write we think Canada’s uninhabited. Bull feathers. We know few icy people live up there, and they sure as hell want to be like Alaska next door, which is now America except for…

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Travel Advice

May 19, 2012

Avoid crowded and dangerous Mexico City, stay way from torrid beaches, ignore over-hyped pyramids, and forget boring cathedrals. Instead, come to San Juan in infernal yet enchanting Nuevo León. Here you’ll meet friendly and forthright people. Don’t worry about forty-nine headless corpses on highway under welcoming white arch. Everything’s been cleaned up, and narcotics traffickers…

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Mexican Journalists Murdered

May 4, 2012

routine news three mexican journalists found maimed in plastic bags week after female reporter strangled at home

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El Popo Getting Hot in Mexico

April 19, 2012

volcanologists at national disaster prevention center in mexico city say rock spewing el popo volcano agitating like teenager’s pimple must be dreary group or would’ve likened el popo to hard on ready to blow

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Mass Murder in Mexico

April 9, 2012

Hasn’t been much new in search engines about discovery of hundred seventy-seven corpses near San Fernando, Mexico. Occasional reports reminded just eighty miles south of border Mexican authorities ignored mountain of unclaimed luggage in bus depot before finally digging holes and discovering mummified Central Americans and Mexicans who’d headed north to work. Some had been…

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The Right Room

February 9, 2012

first time on puerto vallarto tour quite hungover stand at basin looking into fright woman pops up behind and says sir are you aware this is women’s years later long sober at bakersfield movie women enter one says what’s guy doing in here leaving rapidly forget to say heat intoxication

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State of the Union

January 26, 2012

This story is from the collection “Obama on Edge”

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Remembering Mass Murder in San Fernando, Mexico

January 17, 2012

There hasn’t been much new news in search engines about the discovery one year ago of a hundred seventy-seven corpses near San Fernando, Mexico. Occasional reports merely reminded that just eighty miles south of Brownsville, Texas, Mexican authorities ignored a mountain of unclaimed luggage in a bus depot before finally digging holes and discovering mummified…

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Drink Vacation

January 1, 2012

had too much last night or wouldn’t have left underwear stacked in motel rushing to early mexico city flight * * * proud had attracted beautiful senorita in loud bar but regretted smile disappeared shortly before she did

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Tijuana Taxi Ride

December 16, 2011

american drunk in tijuana night lumbers into taxi and in spanish asks for senoritas and marijuana fine says cabbie few minutes later american admits really wants cocaine cabbie reminds not what said then silently drives way out and says here’s best place for you american enters and thinks goddamn that guy dropping me where there’s…

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Getting to Madrid

August 9, 2011

My journey to Madrid began on a Sunday morning as I drove from blistering Bakersfield down Highway 99 toward Los Angeles and punched sports talk radio but heard an ESPN guy strain to be funny and cool but sounding lame: most jockeys lack comedic skills and can’t sustain the purported subject matter of their shows.…

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Education of Ulysses S. Grant

May 30, 2011

I loved this wonderful horse that cost twenty-five dollars but when the owner brought it to our house my father said it wasn’t worth more than twenty and that’s what he offered. The owner wouldn’t yield and left but I so earnestly urged my father to help he gave me confidential instructions and ordered me…

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Colossal Head and the Mesoamerican Ballgame

November 22, 2010

I know it’s not right by your standards but I don’t care about them or you, so my relentless almond eyes and flat ears, open and acute below the helmet on my Colossal Head 5, carved six-feet high into three tons of basalt, are aimed at viewers in museums who surround me on three sides.…

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Civil War in Mexico

May 27, 2008

At press conferences I proudly proclaimed the capture of safe houses and drug cartel hit men in Mexico City, and displayed their powerful weapons, bulletproof vests, and stacks of money.   Here’s what they’re doing, I told the Mexican people.  I want everyone to know that I, Edgar Millan Gomez, am the national police chief and…

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Taxi Tips In Mexico City

August 14, 2007

In order to help you avoid being overcharged, introduced to sexy but unscrupulous companions, ensnared in business ventures by smooth talkers, or kidnapped and robbed, I have compiled a nearly foolproof list of advice about how to deal with Mexico City taxi drivers, who, during my several trips to this magnetic metropolis, have been unsuccessful…

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A World of Protests in Mexico City

August 7, 2007

“To the Museum of Modern Art, please,” I told the taxi driver. “I can’t go there.  The street’s closed.” “Paseo de la Reforma?” “That’s right.” “What’s going on?” “A big demonstration.” “What are they protesting?” “Don’t know.  I can’t keep track of all the protests.” “Please drive as close as you can, and I’ll walk…

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Mexican Society Under Attack

May 9, 2007

I can’t offer you my byline or a dateline for this column, and I wouldn’t describe the scene outside my window even if the drapes were open. They’ve been closed a long time in Mexico, and I don’t think that’ll change soon. I’ve got to stay quiet and out of sight, two things a journalist…

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Top Adviser Offers Blueprint of Mexico’s Future

August 1, 2006

All Mexican presidential candidates launched their 2006 campaigns by acknowledging that I more than anyone had mastered the essential issues and formed astonishing plans to propel our country out of Third World quicksand and into the cherished state of First World existence.  I was thus going to be the foremost adviser no matter who won…

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