Friday 15 June 2012

Mexican Presidential Election Update and Analysis

A bit of prologue is in order.   The reporting in the United States has been dismally poor concerning the topic of the elections in Mexico.   Reporting in the United States about almost everything is in a fairly dismal condition.   This bit of information is given as an update to our previous analysis about the issue, along with a bit of self-critique.

     To begin, our assessment has been pretty much dead on.   The biggest surprise is that Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) has managed to lag behind, then surge, and now slide back, showing a peculiar "wave action" among the electorate for and against this somewhat deranged, narcissistic Trotskyite.  It always sounds good to say that the poor people need help and that there should be more "income redistribution", but after the sun comes up the next day, and everyone comes back to their senses, most people really, really know that "income redistribution" is not a workable socio-political solution for anything.

     We were also somewhat surprised at the viciousness of the intellectual left in Mexico and internationally against the National Action Party's (PAN) candidate, Josefina Vasquez Mota.   Joining in the piling on has been the old Dinosaur capitalists of the old official party, the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI);  these would be people associated closely with the  Televisa entertainment group, and people of the type, resources, and connections of someone like Carlos Slim.    Intense, prolonged, and concentrated efforts have been made to denigrate the woman at every turn.

     The candidacy of the old official party's nominee, Ernesto Pen~a Nieto, the ex-governor of the State of Mexico, has wobbled and stumbled.   It has been propped up by glossy, pablum television ads, and marked by pointless, rambling speeches built of platitudes.  It has been suddenly and severely damaged by relentless news stories about massive corruption having been committed by PRI governors in Coahuila and Tamaulipas States, including collusion with cartels, with some connection being laid at Pen~a Nieto's feet.   He and the now disgraced previous governor (and his  chief subordinates) of Coahuila were closely allied in recent years during internal PRI politicking.



mexico0611
Lopez-Obrador (left), Quadri, Pena Nieto, and Vasquez Mota

 
     The PAN candidate has had a few contretemps, especially in the earlier part of the campaign, but has hit her stride in recent days.   In spite of what is written in FOX News - Latino, she was overwhelmingly seen as having won the debates that were held in Guadalajara a few nights ago.    This was a unanimous decision of the entire press and among polling groups.  Newspapers such as La Reforma, Excelsior, ABC,. Milenio, and even the television commentators pointed out that she had "taken it to them", leaving the "boys" standing sheepishly as she lashed out at their preposterous statements and records as well as some of their associates.

     The fourth-ranking candidate, perhaps appropriately named Quadri, did not make much head-way in the last debate when he resorted to asking his opponents for help about what some of the points of his platform had been.    Shades of Governor Perry.   Quadri is a likeable sort, not the fire-brand radical one might expect as the head of a confederation of leftist parties.   He will not receive more than four percent of the vote, in all probability, and many of those will be in the vein of votes casted for "none of the above".

Latest rankings:

                                              Pen~a Nieto                                 36 - 39%

                                              Vasquez Mota                             31 - 33%

                                              Lopez Obrador                            27 - 29%

                                              Quadri                                            3 -    4%
     

     We have been surprised that the normally very reliable Mitofsky poll has stubbornly insisted upon showing Pen~a Nieto with up to 45%, and is considered an outlier.    Other historically reliable polling groups have been agreeing with the assessment that the most fervent voters....those most likely to vote...are the Vasquez Mota supporters, and this portends a close outcome, unless some of the less dedicated Lopez Obrador voters change sides again and go to Vasquez Mota.    All agree that Pen~a Mota has steadily lost backing during the past three weeks especially, and that his voters are the least ardent.    So, we may be treated to a perfect storm on the 1st of July, next.

Thanks for your time and attention.  More later.
El Gringo Viejo

From the Left Coast

     The son-in-law of El Gringo Viejo sent some pictures from a couple of spots folks hear about but do not have a lot of chance to see.    One is from a really magnificent ocean-side golf course near the Monterey area, and another is from a stretch of the famous Pacific Coast Highway.

The fog lends to the scene more than it takes.


 Just an amazing piece of geography

A respite from the "important" topics, politics, and so forth.   All very enjoyable.
El Gringo Viejo    

Thursday 14 June 2012

The Curse of the Perfect Gift

     Not long ago, the comadre of El Gringo Viejo (the mother-in-law of his daughter) made up a gift for the Quinta Tesoro de la Sierra Madre with her own hands.   It was in a format inspired by the classical patchwork quilt, with overtones of French design and finery of appointments.  It is truly a remarkable piece.    Very large, perfectly squared, with built in pole loop for hanging, and impeccable stitching and assembly....all designed to humiliate the Gringo Viejo who is incapable of accomplishing anything done by hand.

     The colour scheme also fits perfectly into the setting at the Quinta.   It also fits perfectly into the intentions of the two sister cats to defile anything that is luxuriant and simultaneously comfortable.  Since The Quilt was done-up in a very nice home that also has cats, the Queens of the Quinta sniffed out that they had "connections" in a far away place known as Central Texas.   They took that, of course, as an invitation to make good use of the neatly folded "cat mattress" at their earliest opportunity.    Shortly after becoming comfortable, they learned  a new set of marching orders concerning gifts coming out of Central Texas.    A shaking out, some Febreeze, a quick brushing with a slightly damp dishtowel solved any possible damage, and the quilt was taken to safer precincts.

     After a few days, we decided to hang the quilt, using its available rod-loop, in front of the bedroom window, so as to further prohibit the entry of cold during the very chilly nights that can occur in our area.   It worked perfectly, and accentuated the colonial-inspired windows that are silled and barred of hand hewn Mexican tropical oak from the nearby forests in the higher reaches of the Sierra Madre.   The colour of the oak takes on a very dark brown, like thick coffee,  and blends in with the screen framing that is of a slightly blonder pine from the same area.   The outside view would be a crinoline with a bit of lace-work, with the quilt showing through in perfect blend with the white walls, dark window construction, and framed outside on top with the off-red, split tile roof.   The inside view was equally balanced and presentable.   The room was further improved by a certain "quieting" that was pleasant.
     Everyone agreed that this was the perfect place to have the quilt.   They also agreed that the perfect place to put it was behind the beds in the main bedroom, hanging on the wall via its own personally selected and crafted pole of tenaza wood, processed by hand by Sergeant Major Alvaro, where it provided the same "quieting", and fit perfectly and squarely into the wall dimensions there.

      But wait!   There's more!   You see, in the guest room, The Quilt went perfectly as a bedspread on one of the super-single beds, and strangely matched with one of the ancient patchwork quilts that had been one of the first made by El Gringo Viejo's grandmother (the quilt is 100 years old now).   The guest room is very and truly rustic, with exposed adobe and an almost perfect image of a room built in the 1790s....built from the ground up by hand, remember.   One could almost hear the two quilts gossipping with each other about the things they had seen, comparing notes about where they had been,  and talking about me in front of my back.   Yes!  We could use the Quilt as a quilt!

      Then, in that same room, if we take down the denim curtains, leave the lace curtains that are hung directly on the large butterfly windows, and hang The Quilt on the decidedly low-tech curtain rod....lo and behold....it is obvious that it had been made specifically for that application and in this room.   The odd perfection of the colours and tones blending into each other with seeming intent was compelling.    Yes!  This is where we shall deploy The Quilt, because it had its pole loops, and it is....strangely....exactly the breadth of the window (which is made in the same style as the other bedroom's window) with about four inches left over on each side, a perfect cover.    It extends almost all the way to the floor, but is high enough off to not worry about attacks by an errant mop.

      Finally, another radical notion was to hang The Quilt along the "long, west-facing corridor" which is easily accomplished.   We have an arrangement of rope for hanging clothes to dry or to air,  or serapes during the summer to provide quiet and shade during the torrid afternoons for the entire 66 feet of the  length of the corridor.    El Gringo Viejo hung The Quilt out, where once again it fit perfectly into the dimensions, waving very gently between all the flowering things and the corridor proper.   The hummingbirds would come up to inspect any chance that the new arrival might have some source of nectar and then go about their way, un-concerned about the new presence.  The Quilt looked "right" hanging there as an accompaniment to the natural setting that makes up the Quinta's front area....full of flowers, bees, birds, butterflies, and growing things.

     So, there we are.   At this writing The Quilt has been placed on the wall behind the beds of the master bedroom.   We are content with that decision.  Because, you see, since each choice would be perfect, there is no wrong choice.    It actually speaks to the mastery of design, execution, and decor that is represented by our comadre.   The Quilt has a friend in the Quinta, no matter which room or placement we use.

Thanks to La Comadre.   And thank all OROGs for your attention.   We have more news and observations coming out.
El Gringo Viejo

Wednesday 13 June 2012

Back in Town

Returned from the front lines to join the front lines here.   Some interesting material to come later tonight and tomorrow.

El Gringo Viejo

Tuesday 29 May 2012

Banking on Stupidity

In Newton, Obama told the crowd at TPI Composites that companies like TPI will take a hit if Congress does not act on this item of his “To-Do” list.
“Nobody wants a handout. Nobody wants to get something for nothing,” Obama said. “But if we've got a chance to create energy and create value and put people back to work, why wouldn't we do that?
“So I'm here today because, as much progress as we've made, that progress is in jeopardy,” said Obama. “If Congress doesn’t act, those tax credits that I mentioned--the ones that helped build up the wind industry, the ones that helped to bring all these jobs to Newton, those tax credits will expire at the end of the year if Congress doesn't do anything. If Congress doesn’t act, companies like this one will take a hit.”

     The president has been in full campaign mode for 7 solid years.   He is deranged.  He needs to go to a "rest home".   More folks are seeing through the facade, and are realising that he fully intends to change America into a third world septic tanque.  More folks are daily grasping that the president's "hope" is his own.   He hopes that all black people who are conservative can be thrown to the crocodiles and that the part of the population that would never vote for him can be led into the long grey buildings, 133 miles southeast of Point Barrow.

     Even a Democrat with a graduate degree is not so stupid as to think (1)  TPI could ever stand on its own legs, no matter how much counter-productive tax money were to be dumped on it. (2) that ethanol, solar, wind, tidal, geyser, crematoriums, squirrel cage, or Gloria All Red all put together would provide 1 percent of the permanent employment that the Keystone project would accomplish.   Not to mention the stabilisation of energy supply, or (3) that any dumbass who touts Solyndra's 1,000,000,000 USD flush of tax dollars had anything to do with producing solar panel...(it did not, it was designed to pass money through the hands of Democrat moguls who would then pass it pack to Obamaham's perpetual campaign against America). 

     The President has changed from being a dangerous American hating, racist marxist to being an increasingly deranged aforementioned type of psychopath.   I hope someone can change him before it's too late for simple medication to calm him down.

El Gringo Viejo advises that little will be said on these pages starting to-morrow.   We shall probably be out for several weeks.   Efforts will be made to make submissions when possible.
We shall await the results of the Texas Primary Elections, to-night.  We shall see if Obamaham can carry the Democrat Party's nomination as their pick for president.   And, we shall see if, with reference to the race for the nomination to the candidacy for United State Senator,  Mr. Ted Cruz can upset the country-club, reasonable Mr. Dewhurst who is the choice of the people who do not smell bad and who have caviar smoothies for breakfast.   As everyone here knows already, we have voted for Mr. Cruz and an assortment of rightwing crazy troublemakers in the Republican Primary.   It should be an interesting night.



DO NOT VIEW THIS POST IF YOU HAVE UNCONTROLLABLE RAGE OVER THINGS LIKE ABORTING A BABY IF THE OB/GYN TELLS YOU IT IS A GIRL BABY.

W A R N I N G:
THIS POSTING CONTAINS A LINKAGE TO  DISGUSTING IMAGES.   THERE IS NO NUDITY OR BRUTALITY, JUST A PROFOUNDLY DEPRESSING VIEW OF WHERE OUR CULTURE HAS ARRIVED. PERHAPS THE RED CHINESE REALLY ARE LEADING US INTO THE BRAVE NEW WORLD.   IT IS NOT FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18, ESPECIALLY GIRLS.....OR BOYS.


It really is all about choice.   See and hear how a Planned Parenthood worker guides a woman to a selectomatic anti-girlbaby "choice"....and how to do it on Medicaid....so it's free.   Maregaret Sanger would be so proud of this great leap forward for America's female population. Click on to this link to learn what Miss Flukie really means about "reproductive rights'.

Go away, little girl.   You're not wanted around here.

But wait!  You are wanted over here!   From a grandfather of two and father of one....we dedicate this corney piece of truth and reality....well done by a Frenchman, no less!


El Gringo Viejo