One and a wakeup!

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Issue Date: February 27-March 5, 2006, Posted On: 2/27/2006 More Americans abducted along Mexico border than in Iraq By Maxim Kniazkov, Special to Insight LAREDO, Texas – This border area is one of the least publicized international crisis zones. More Americans have been kidnapped just in this area than in all of Iraq by Islamic terrorists. Twenty-six Americans are now officially listed as missing in the Laredo-Nuevo Laredo region of the U.S.-Mexico border—in addition to the more than 400 Mexicans reported to be suffering a similar fate. The number of American civilians missing or kidnapped in Iraq since the beginning of the war is 23 as of last September, the latest figure released by the State Department. And then there are the executions. Unlike Muslim jihadists, enforcers from the feuding Gulf and Sinaloa Mexican drug cartels favor off-camera basement executions and oil-drum burials. “I’ve seen these barrels with bodies stuffed into them,” said a U.S. law enforcement official, who, like most here, spoke on condition of anonymity. “It’s horrible, but it is really happening.” First acid is poured in to break up flesh and bone. Then the drum is filled with diesel fuel. A match—that’s all it takes to turn a life into a heap of ashes. How many of those unaccounted for have already been “processed” this way? Nobody here knows—or is eager to find out. “The Mexican government has lost control along the border,” fumes Rick Flores, the youthful Webb County sheriff. “They had 176 murders in Nuevo Laredo last year, and none of them have been solved. In the first less than six weeks of this year, there were another 27 murders. Again, none solved. At the rate they are going, the death toll will be over 300 by year’s end.” If anything, Mr. Flores said, the cartels have become more brazen, more willing to reach for their guns. On Jan. 3 there was a harrowing standoff with heavily armed suspected cartel paramilitaries in the hamlet of El Cenizo, about 15 miles south of here. An alleged smuggler drove a van pursued by sheriff’s deputies into the Rio Grande and used his cell phone to call in reinforcements. “They arrived within minutes—all clad in black, all with AK-47s—and took up positions on the Mexican bank,” recalls Mr. Flores. “They shouted to us in English—and I convey these words literally—‘You wanna play, mother f…rs? Let’s play!’ Unfortunately, we could not engage them across an international boundary.” Law enforcement officials don’t believe the gunmen were the much-publicized Los Zetas, members of a U.S.-trained Mexican special forces unit, who deserted in the 1990s to become enforcers for the Gulf Cartel. They say about half of the original 33-member group have already been captured or killed, and, according to the most recent intelligence, only one or two of those still at large work in the Nuevo Laredo sector. But they are concerned the group has spawned in northern Mexico a kind of cultural franchise with its seemingly infinite litter of Zetas imitators, wannabes and unscrupulous thugs. “They don’t even court women anymore. They abduct them at gunpoint and give them as presents to their bosses,” Mr. Flores says, shaking his head. “Here, beauty can be a curse.” That is what happened, many believe, to U.S. citizens Yvette Martinez and Brenda Cisneros, who disappeared in Nuevo Laredo in September 2004. There is also evidence, officials warn, of foreign fighters heavily moving into the region. The Gulf Cartel, bloodied in the turf war, they say, is actively recruiting reinforcements from among “kaibiles,” former Guatemalan guerrilla fighters. The Sinaloa Cartel is bringing in members of the MS-13 gang from El Salvador. And there have been other new arrivals that officials say worry them even more. Mexico has long had a thriving Middle Eastern community, but there is word it might now be getting new, possibly less benevolent members. “We’ve had source intelligence that there are possible terrorist cells making their way into Mexico, who want to learn the language and culture and camouflage themselves as Mexicans,” said another law enforcement official, who requested anonymity. “There have been new arrivals of that kind in Nuevo Laredo as well, and we don’t know yet whether their business is legitimate.” Coincidentally or not, Laredo police and federal agents busted in early February what amounts to an underground factory for manufacturing improvised explosive devices comparable to those used in Iraq, seizing about half a dozen ready-made bombs and materials able to make almost 100 more. A puzzling incursion, local officials said, was witnessed in the middle of the night 20 miles south of Laredo about a year ago. About 20 physically well-trained men, all dressed in black with automatic rifles slung over their shoulders, crossed the Rio Grande and headed into the U.S., carrying oversized duffel bags. “They were intercepted by the Border Patrol further down. But to this day, we don’t know what was in these bags,” one of the officials said. “Whatever the cargo, these men appeared to be ready to pick up a major fight to protect it. And that’s very unusual for a drug smuggling operation.” A request for information left with the Border Patrol still remains unanswered. - Maxim Kniazkov is a Washington-based journalist.

Meanwhile.......... We whistle as the border burns and the jihadists waltz across.

Legalize drugs.
Reduce US police and prison costs, and completely break the cartels' source of income.
~

Or just machine-gun them as they wade the river.

They're only looking for a better life.  Not liking them for their illegal acts is racist.

Quoted: Or just machine-gun them as they wade the river.

As a resident of the city of Laredo, I support this idea. Machine gun nests with M2's and M240's  every hundred or so yards = problem solved

Quoted: Or just machine-gun them as they wade the river.

Have to agree

When I did a summer trip to Randolph AFB (San Antonio) over this past summer we were allowed to go anywhere within a 300 mile radius of the base, except we couldnt go within 50 miles of Mexico specifically because of this problem.

There really seems to be an undeclared war against the US comming from Mexico.

Yes, arresting our international neighbors because they want to earn a decent living selling drugs in our country is an act of legal bigotry.        

Quoted: Quoted: Or just machine-gun them as they wade the river. As a resident of the city of Laredo, I support this idea. Machine gun nests with M2's and M240's  every hundred or so yards = problem solved

AFCOM hunting trips. Get together with the folks at Snipershide and get competitions set up.

Sounds harsh? Probably. Do those people deserve to die? No. Not all of them. But actions have to have consequences. Fight for your own damn country. Ask us for help, we'll send you guns.

But do NOT come up here dragging you crime and poverty along with you. We can barely cope with our government the way it is. We don't need your asses making things worse.

Quoted: Or just machine-gun them as they wade the river.

Yes, because the evil criminals and terrorists wade in the river.

In this example, yes, this is racist as you'll just be killing the dirt broke dirt farmers who genuinely want a better life. I mean, i don't think paramilitant drug dealers wade across the river, grab a hot american girl, and wade right back across, haha.

Ya'll badass vigilantes and minutemen wannabe need to cross the border and kill the bad men with guns if you want to solve the problem through immediate and direct violence. If you are all just talk, then maybe you need to think of a solution better than spouting racist bullshit from the comfort of your armchair.

Quoted: Quoted: Or just machine-gun them as they wade the river. Yes, because the evil criminals and terrorists wade in the river. In this example, yes, this is racist as you'll just be killing the dirt broke dirt farmers who genuinely want a better life. I mean, i don't think paramilitant drug dealers wade across the river, grab a hot american girl, and wade right back across, haha. Ya'll badass vigilantes and minutemen wannabe need to cross the border and kill the bad men with guns if you want to solve the problem through immediate and direct violence. If you are all just talk, then maybe you need to think of a solution better than spouting racist bullshit from the comfort of your armchair.

Yes, because gangs like MS13 don't come up through mexico.

Murders, rapists, and child molesters don't come up thorugh mexico.

All sorts of criminals don't come up through mexico.

They're all saints.

Really.

Quoted: Quoted: Or just machine-gun them as they wade the river. Yes, because the evil criminals and terrorists wade in the river. In this example, yes, this is racist as you'll just be killing the dirt broke dirt farmers who genuinely want a better life. I mean, i don't think paramilitant drug dealers wade across the river, grab a hot american girl, and wade right back across, haha. Ya'll badass vigilantes and minutemen wannabe need to cross the border and kill the bad men with guns if you want to solve the problem through immediate and direct violence. If you are all just talk, then maybe you need to think of a solution better than spouting racist bullshit from the comfort of your armchair.

and your solution is.........???????

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Or just machine-gun them as they wade the river. Yes, because the evil criminals and terrorists wade in the river. In this example, yes, this is racist as you'll just be killing the dirt broke dirt farmers who genuinely want a better life. I mean, i don't think paramilitant drug dealers wade across the river, grab a hot american girl, and wade right back across, haha. Ya'll badass vigilantes and minutemen wannabe need to cross the border and kill the bad men with guns if you want to solve the problem through immediate and direct violence. If you are all just talk, then maybe you need to think of a solution better than spouting racist bullshit from the comfort of your armchair. and your solution is.........???????

I think he was about to get to that ... singing a chorus of 'kumbaya'.

I don't know WTF is wrong with you people? king Jorge and senior gonzales assure us that these people are only coming here to do the jobs that lazy Americans won't do and that family values do not stop at the rio grande.

Quoted: Quoted: Or just machine-gun them as they wade the river. Yes, because the evil criminals and terrorists wade in the river. In this example, yes, this is racist as you'll just be killing the dirt broke dirt farmers who genuinely want a better life. I mean, i don't think paramilitant drug dealers wade across the river, grab a hot american girl, and wade right back across, haha. Ya'll badass vigilantes and minutemen wannabe need to cross the border and kill the bad men with guns if you want to solve the problem through immediate and direct violence. If you are all just talk, then maybe you need to think of a solution better than spouting racist bullshit from the comfort of your armchair.

Dude I'm a hispanic and I pray only for the worse for the majority of the people who illegally cross the border.  Fuck them, plain and simple this isnt there country. They need to stop abusing our trust and border.  We as a country have been far to lenient with Mexico, they fuck us every chance they get. They continue to pollute the river though we gave them a large amount of money not to. They continue to launch "excursions" into our country for whatever reason. And when we bring this to there attention they pretty much say to bad and go fuck yourself.  Wheres General Pershing and Patton when you need them???

Quoted: Quoted: Or just machine-gun them as they wade the river. Yes, because the evil criminals and terrorists wade in the river. In this example, yes, this is racist as you'll just be killing the dirt broke dirt farmers who genuinely want a better life. I mean, i don't think paramilitant drug dealers wade across the river, grab a hot american girl, and wade right back across, haha. Ya'll badass vigilantes and minutemen wannabe need to cross the border and kill the bad men with guns if you want to solve the problem through immediate and direct violence. If you are all just talk, then maybe you need to think of a solution better than spouting racist bullshit from the comfort of your armchair.

Yeah, you're right, we should do absolutely nothing, in fact we should cheer them on as you do.

Your ignorant illegal alien loving ramblings never cease to amaze me.

Your constant assinine pro-illegal statements would get you much more support on DUh, those  idiots think just like you.

I generally don’t like the French but every now and then they come up with a good idea.

We need to build a frickin Maginot Line across our entire southern border and station a couple divisions there. Unless Heinz Guderian reincarnates as a Mexican there’s no way they are getting through.

“But we need illegal aliens to do the jobs Americans won’t do…”

Bullshit. That argument is just an excuse for US companies to pay people substandard wages. Americans will do all kinds of nasty jobs if we get paid enough. I don’t care what the industry is, if you have a shortage of qualified workers it’s because you aren’t willing to pay market rates. That’s not just my opinion it’s just one of the basic laws of economics. Arguing against it is like arguing against gravity.

We are being overrun by foreigners and most of them are illegals. We can’t keep absorbing people at this rate. It’s American culture that made America a great country and if we loose the culture we will turn into another third words shithole. We need to seal the borders and kick out all of the illegal aliens.

Quoted: Quoted: Or just machine-gun them as they wade the river. Yes, because the evil criminals and terrorists wade in the river. In this example, yes, this is racist as you'll just be killing the dirt broke dirt farmers who genuinely want a better life. I mean, i don't think paramilitant drug dealers wade across the river, grab a hot american girl, and wade right back across, haha. Ya'll badass vigilantes and minutemen wannabe need to cross the border and kill the bad men with guns if you want to solve the problem through immediate and direct violence. If you are all just talk, then maybe you need to think of a solution better than spouting racist bullshit from the comfort of your armchair.

You want to know why you feel the way you do?


BECAUSE THERE'S NO FUCKING MEXICAN BORDER IN FUCKING WASHINGTON! I'm glad we don't have one in Florida either, but it's damn near as bad. If the fuckers make it to land, they're home free and don't have to worry about deportation.

Quoted: Quoted: Or just machine-gun them as they wade the river. Yes, because the evil criminals and terrorists wade in the river. In this example, yes, this is racist as you'll just be killing the dirt broke dirt farmers who genuinely want a better life. I mean, i don't think paramilitant drug dealers wade across the river, grab a hot american girl, and wade right back across, haha. Ya'll badass vigilantes and minutemen wannabe need to cross the border and kill the bad men with guns if you want to solve the problem through immediate and direct violence. If you are all just talk, then maybe you need to think of a solution better than spouting racist bullshit from the comfort of your armchair.

Solution... they come live with you and you pay all the bills.... naw you just talk shit.

Third world scum fucks will turn every non- third world nation into third world shitholes. The human race will soon end when they have finally succeded.

Not liking it is after all racist, so just sit back and let happen.

Not letting the strong survive and the weak to die was the beggining of the end.

I am all for around the clock bombings of Neuvo Laredo.

Quoted: I am all for around the clock bombings of Neuvo Laredo.

It wouldn't take long.


Oh, and as for the accusation of racism, I'm hispanic, and I'd love to see the southern border turned into Omaha Beach.

Silly me. I choose to be an AMERICAN first.

Quoted: Legalize drugs. Reduce US police and prison costs, and completely break the cartels' source of income. ~

Quoted: Or just machine-gun them as they wade the river.

Do both!

Quoted: Quoted: I am all for around the clock bombings of Neuvo Laredo. It wouldn't take long. Oh, and as for the accusation of racism, I'm hispanic, and I'd love to see the southern border turned into Omaha Beach. Silly me. I choose to be an AMERICAN first.

I salute you patriot!

Quoted: I salute you patriot!

But, but, but, they're just doing the dope growing, dope smuggling, kidnapping, and killing that the gringos won't do for themselves.

Quoted: Quoted: Or just machine-gun them as they wade the river. Yes, because the evil criminals and terrorists wade in the river. In this example, yes, this is racist as you'll just be killing the dirt broke dirt farmers who genuinely want a better life. I mean, i don't think paramilitant drug dealers wade across the river, grab a hot american girl, and wade right back across, haha. Ya'll badass vigilantes and minutemen wannabe need to cross the border and kill the bad men with guns if you want to solve the problem through immediate and direct violence. If you are all just talk, then maybe you need to think of a solution better than spouting racist bullshit from the comfort of your armchair.

Evil criminals and maybe terrorists do come into the USA...       Just stick to killing head crabs...    

Edit to say , i'm from Arizona.  

Don't forget the bad cooking.

Quoted: In this example, yes, this is racist as you'll just be killing the dirt broke dirt farmers who genuinely want a better life. I mean, i don't think paramilitant drug dealers wade across the river, grab a hot american girl, and wade right back across, haha. Ya'll badass vigilantes and minutemen wannabe need to cross the border and kill the bad men with guns if you want to solve the problem through immediate and direct violence. If you are all just talk, then maybe you need to think of a solution better than spouting racist bullshit from the comfort of your armchair.

Did you actually bother to read the posted article?

Quoted: Quoted: Or just machine-gun them as they wade the river. As a resident of the city of Laredo, I support this idea. Machine gun nests with M2's and M240's  every hundred or so yards = problem solved

They'd just flank you, Gringo!

Quoted: Yes, because the evil criminals and terrorists wade in the river.

Actually they do.  They also drive through it, tunnel under the fence, walk across, etc.  Every time it floods you can find the waders floating downstream.

In this example, yes, this is racist as you'll just be killing the dirt broke dirt farmers who genuinely want a better life. I mean, i don't think paramilitant drug dealers wade across the river, grab a hot american girl, and wade right back across, haha.

It's really better not to post something than to post on a topic you know nothing about and look completely ignorant of the situation.  The example you provided (intending it to be sarcastic) is actually quite true and has happened.  If you were aiming to shoot yourself in the ass, you hit the 10 ring.  The Mexican military also has a problem wading through the river, often sidelining for the narcotraficantes or as coyotes.

Ya'll badass vigilantes and minutemen wannabe need to cross the border and kill the bad men with guns if you want to solve the problem through immediate and direct violence. If you are all just talk, then maybe you need to think of a solution better than spouting racist bullshit from the comfort of your armchair.

How is it racist?  Your geographic (and factual) separation from the situation is obvious.  The Alamo wasn't fought by all white guys, and some of the strongest anti-illegal people I know are hispanics (I use that term knowing it's really not liked by all of my brown friends, but it is current usage).  If you weren't all they way up in WA you might have known that the Mexicans down here (the Americans whose ancestry is out of Mexico) refer to the illegals as "mojados."  Want to guess what that means?  I'll tell you.  It means "wet" literally.  Are they racist?  
Might want to keep your posts to topics that you have some knowledge of.

Quoted: Yes, because the evil criminals and terrorists wade in the river. In this example, yes, this is racist as you'll just be killing the dirt broke dirt farmers who genuinely want a better life. I mean, i don't think paramilitant drug dealers wade across the river, grab a hot american girl, and wade right back across, haha. Ya'll badass vigilantes and minutemen wannabe need to cross the border and kill the bad men with guns if you want to solve the problem through immediate and direct violence. If you are all just talk, then maybe you need to think of a solution better than spouting racist bullshit from the comfort of your armchair.

you dont live down here and see whats going on everyday...you're in the comfort zone of washington state

Zaphod

Would you share some of your personal negative experiences that have been caused by the border problems?  I know that there are numerous, significant problems caused by our border insecurity but I'd appreciate it if you could give us a personal sitrep.

I'm not trying to flame, I will most likely be moving to the Southwest border soon and would appreciate the first hand experiences.

Thanks

I have been living in Laredo since about May, and until December I worked daily in Nuevo Laredo. I also spent quite a bit of time before that working in Nuevo Laredo for my former company.

I have not been directly affected, which is to say that I was not threatened or assaulted at any time. However, I had an employee get beaten up, and another who, with his wife and two children, walked out of a movie theater in NL and straight into a shootout where everyone had AK's and at least one guy had an RPG. He and his family also had their house broken into (while she was home alone with the girls; no one was hurt after she threw a pot at the bastard). They left soon afterwards.

I have been driving home in the evening on the road that runs along the river, and almost run over a group of "youths" who were running across the road toward the river with small satchels. This has happened more than a few times.

Soldiers walk the streets of NL or patrol in trucks. They are heavily armed. I once found myself driving down the same road with an HK-21 aimed at me from the truck that was in front of me. As you can imagine, I changed lanes as soon as I could, but SLOWLY.

The week before I got there, the state police and the army (or was it the state police and the local police? Hard to tell anymore.) had a massive shootout. A few days later the entire police force was fired for bribery. The next police chief was assassinated in front of his daughter a few weeks later, after having taken office three hours earlier.

The locals (many of whome worked for me) live in abject fear. It's terrible, and they have no means of protection, because only the government and the warlords can have weapons. In NL, it's even illegal to carry ANY knife.

The abandoned streets are no exageration. The main avenues still have some traffic during daylight, but otherwise everyone stays put. The guy I replace actually had rounds from a drive-by come through his bedroom window. He quit, too.

Now, the crime isn't nearly as bad on our side of the river, but that may be changing as more and more people from NL move north to avoid the violence. Some of them are targets (drug families, etc.), so eventually the hits will begin happening here.

It's ugly, VERY ugly, and I don't see anyone (including the guy I voted for for President) doing anything to stop it. The Border Patrol guys are scared, and I know that because I spoke to them every day when I crossed back into the U.S.

Already, girls have been abducted FROM OUR SIDE, and never seen again. Two of them vanished from a shopping plaza not far from where I live.

I'm gone in less than 48 hours. I'll come back only to get the rest of my stuff. I'll never come back if I can avoid it. There is NOTHING to recommend this shithole.

I say again...there is no illegal immigrant crisis on our southern border.  It is completely secure.  They are just looking for jobs.  You are completely safe.

Amazing. I just saw an ad against Henry Cuellar, claiming he "turned his back on Texans" and "even voted to build a wall along the border with Mexico".



With politicians like that on our side, who needs Mexican protests?

Edited b/c I guess I used a bad word.  Although I do find it interesting that some say I might get banned for whatever bad word I used (Border Patrol?) and yet no one bated an eye when someone advocated shooting Mexicans as the swam the Rio Grande.

Oh well, a thousand pardons.

Quoted: PS: it is my understanding that old-time Border Patrol agents used to call UDA's "Tonks".  Because that was the sound it made when you hit them on the head with an aluminum flashlight.

IBTL
IBTB

Quoted: Zaphod Would you share some of your personal negative experiences that have been caused by the border problems?  I know that there are numerous, significant problems caused by our border insecurity but I'd appreciate it if you could give us a personal sitrep. I'm not trying to flame, I will most likely be moving to the Southwest border soon and would appreciate the first hand experiences. Thanks

It will vary on how far from the border you are.
You'll notice a distinct USBP presence in some areas, absolutely none in others.  There will be a drag strip next to many roadways to watch for footprints.  "Random" check points and static posts will be along major traffic routes for vehicle searches.  Gueros are frequently just waived through.
You can completely forget camping trips with your family (or anyone else).  Hunting is iffy depending on the area.  It can get unhealthy to be seen with a rifle in some parts.
If you own land, it will be used as a rest stop and picnic area.  Or bathroom.  Any unoccupied buildings are likely to be broken into.  Any attempt to keep mojados off of your property will be countered.  Advocacy groups will call you racist, and will do whatever they can to help the downtrodden and persecuted illegals, including setting up water points and cutting fence lines.  
Burglaries of homes are a problem.  Your water bill will go up in the summer if the illegals decide to use your faucets as a drinking fountain/shower.  You can expect to have illegals literally running through your yard.  Cars are frequently stolen and driven south to be stripped/sold.  
Forget about getting into emergency rooms, the wait will be pronounced due to anchor babies and free health care.  
If you send your kids to public school they will attend with kids from across the border.  
Your local jail will likely have a series of civil suits filed by illegals filing slip and fall claims from being taken into custody.
That's just what I remember from Del Rio and trips into Dimmit and Webb county that I have to take for my current department.  YMMV.
Oh wait, just ask Gordo about the truth on la frontera.  He's got lots of personal experience.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Or just machine-gun them as they wade the river. Yes, because the evil criminals and terrorists wade in the river. In this example, yes, this is racist as you'll just be killing the dirt broke dirt farmers who genuinely want a better life. I mean, i don't think paramilitant drug dealers wade across the river, grab a hot american girl, and wade right back across, haha. Ya'll badass vigilantes and minutemen wannabe need to cross the border and kill the bad men with guns if you want to solve the problem through immediate and direct violence. If you are all just talk, then maybe you need to think of a solution better than spouting racist bullshit from the comfort of your armchair. You want to know why you feel the way you do? BECAUSE THERE'S NO FUCKING MEXICAN BORDER IN FUCKING WASHINGTON! I'm glad we don't have one in Florida either, but it's damn near as bad. If the fuckers make it to land, they're home free and don't have to worry about deportation.

All you need is the US consulate to issue a tourist visa and you are in. Go to AA.com pick a flight like seat selection going to Latin America, the planes outbound are leaving empty or at the least half occupied then pick an inbound flight you will see that the planes are chock full. 90% of the illegal aliens entered on a legal tourist visa then overstayed the 90 day limit.

Quoted: PS: it is my understanding that old-time Border Patrol agents used to call UDA's "Tonks".  Because that was the sound it made when you hit them on the head with an aluminum flashlight.

The version I heard was because that was the noise they made when they hit the fender.

Quoted: Quoted: Or just machine-gun them as they wade the river. As a resident of the city of Laredo, I support this idea. Machine gun nests with M2's and M240's  every hundred or so yards = problem solved

Don't forget mortar positions in the rear, as well as a division of M1A2s and M2A3s able to respond ASAP along with a flight or so of A-10s.  Some Apaches and land mines would be nice too.  That ought to keep the !#$@ Mexican Army out of our country.

Oh, and whatever you do, don't get caught across the border without THEIR immigration papers. They'll put you in prison.

I had one asshole at my plant give me shit one day when I complained about it.

Me: "These immigration papers sure are a pain in the ass."
Him: "Well, you're in Mexico, so you need to follow Mexican law."
Me: "I wish you people took OUR immigration laws as seriously."
Him: Dead silence.

Quoted: I have been living in Laredo since about May, and until December I worked daily in Nuevo Laredo. I also spent quite a bit of time before that working in Nuevo Laredo for my former company. I have not been directly affected, which is to say that I was not threatened or assaulted at any time. However, I had an employee get beaten up, and another who, with his wife and two children, walked out of a movie theater in NL and straight into a shootout where everyone had AK's and at least one guy had an RPG. He and his family also had their house broken into (while she was home alone with the girls; no one was hurt after she threw a pot at the bastard). They left soon afterwards. I have been driving home in the evening on the road that runs along the river, and almost run over a group of "youths" who were running across the road toward the river with small satchels. This has happened more than a few times. Soldiers walk the streets of NL or patrol in trucks. They are heavily armed. I once found myself driving down the same road with an HK-21 aimed at me from the truck that was in front of me. As you can imagine, I changed lanes as soon as I could, but SLOWLY. The week before I got there, the state police and the army (or was it the state police and the local police? Hard to tell anymore.) had a massive shootout. A few days later the entire police force was fired for bribery. The next police chief was assassinated in front of his daughter a few weeks later, after having taken office three hours earlier. The locals (many of whome worked for me) live in abject fear. It's terrible, and they have no means of protection, because only the government and the warlords can have weapons. In NL, it's even illegal to carry ANY knife. The abandoned streets are no exageration. The main avenues still have some traffic during daylight, but otherwise everyone stays put. The guy I replace actually had rounds from a drive-by come through his bedroom window. He quit, too. Now, the crime isn't nearly as bad on our side of the river, but that may be changing as more and more people from NL move north to avoid the violence. Some of them are targets (drug families, etc.), so eventually the hits will begin happening here. It's ugly, VERY ugly, and I don't see anyone (including the guy I voted for for President) doing anything to stop it. The Border Patrol guys are scared, and I know that because I spoke to them every day when I crossed back into the U.S. Already, girls have been abducted FROM OUR SIDE, and never seen again. Two of them vanished from a shopping plaza not far from where I live. I'm gone in less than 48 hours. I'll come back only to get the rest of my stuff. I'll never come back if I can avoid it. There is NOTHING to recommend this shithole.

where are you going? new job?

Quoted: where are you going? new job?

<--- Yep.

Good to see your moving, man.  Bad shit.

39 hours, 48 minutes and counting.....