Grim stuff south of the border

[headmount]

Two Australian surfers have been missing and on the 30 Nov. this picture came out.  Tough news.  Comments are wild and all over the place.  These kinds of events sure stir people passions.

Anyway food for thought for any travelers.  Certainly there are places to avoid on the mainland US, even a few spots here in the islands and it definitely appears that those places exist in Mexico as well.  This particular area has a track record for grisly murders.

http://www.theinertia.com/surf/missing-australian-surfers-burned-van-found-in-mexico-worst-case-scenario-expected/

[PonoBill]

The cartels actually have a process for redressing their grievances that generally result in substantial numbers of people being killed in specific areas at specific times. It looks like these guys might have run afoul of that. Doesn't matter to them who they kill. Very strange notions.

[TallDude]

The governor's answer was, ' these things happen regularly. The cartels do a monthly cleaning. During this period, a lot of people are killed. That's probably what happened to these tourist.'
Case solved!
That defines 3rd world.

[OUTSIDEWAVE]

it is sad and terrible and i don't care what people say Mexico is not a safe place. it never has been, I have had several close calls   and won't go there again. 

[Tom]

It's  hard  to  say  what  is  more  dangerous ,  cartels  in  Mexico  or crazy  gunmen  with  assault  rifles  in  the  US . 

[TallDude]

The Cartels kill way more people.  If it wasn't tourist that were killed,  it would never make the World News. Though last month there was a record number of people killed in South Central LA. More than one a day. Mostly gang related.

[K-541`]

I would think long and hard about driving in parts of mainland Mex. The state of Guerrero is a complete mess with the opium poppy the big player.They say tourism is all but done Acapulco.

[PonoBill]

85,000 people in Mexico have been killed since the drug war was proclaimed:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/31/mexico-violence-numbers_n_6075258.html

[headmount]

Most of my pals report fairly safe conditions in Baja.  That particular area on mainland Mex where they were is one of the worst. 

It's odd because there is a hospital there that wishes to entice US citizens with 'mediacl vacations' where they can get what are very expensive procedures north of the border, on the cheap south of the border.  My guess a sizable discount occurs from lack of liability insurance. 

At any rate violent acts whether in San Bernardino or Mexico make today's traveling something that should be well planned.   There are many roaming around the world well armed and tittering on the edge of sanity.

[headmount]

85,000 people in Mexico have been killed since the drug war was proclaimed:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/31/mexico-violence-numbers_n_6075258.html

He lives!  Haven't heard from you.  Anyway... Huffington Post?

[SUPcheat]

It's a terrible thing that happened. One of my neighbors lived in Mexico for many years, had a bed and breakfast of all things.

She said that everybody knows the dangerous areas, just like we know in the Bay Area you don't take casual strolls around many parts of Oakland.  She thinks a lot of areas in Mexico are quite safe if you choose correctly and don't wander where you don't know.

She also said that the vast majority of gringo deaths revolve around the drug activity i.e. the gringos were actively involved in some manner i.e. don't get involved in the drug trade and stay on the beaten paths and it is unlikely you will become  victim.

[PonoBill]

He lives!  Haven't heard from you.  Anyway... Huffington Post?

Yeah, I know, WTF, eh? It's where I found the most useful article. Go figure.

Got the heavy lifting at the house almost done. Time to play. Might be a SS today. We're headed into lousy Maliko wind angles (WSW) according to 2K, and of course NO FRICKEN SURF until sunday soonest.

[TallDude]

and of course NO FRICKEN SURF until sunday soonest.

Same here. Lake Pacific.

[headmount]

We have huge surf but it's hammered with wind.

[PonoBill]

And the places with no wind have no surf.