Category Archives: Safety and Security

Events related to safety and security of central México

Surviving a Kakistocracy in La Yacata

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Kakistocracy occurs when the least qualified are in positions of power. That definition certainly fits Mexico to a T.

The whole mismanagement of funds and the lack of services in La Yacata can be followed back to having the least qualified person in charge for more than 20 years. (See Birth of the Revolution) La Yacata is just a small not-quite village, but how high does this bad governing go, really?

Let’s look at the highly publicized case of the 43 students from the Ayotzinapa Normal School who disappeared in 2014 as an example of the ineptitude. To make this long story shorter, here’s a brief summary of the facts known to date.  On September 26 of that year, 6 innocent bystanders were killed, 25 were wounded and 43 protesting students were abducted by local police in Iguala, Guerrero, which is about 80 miles south of Mexico City. (See also El Dia del Estudiante) Various elements of human rights violations were perpetrated in this incident. Starting at the bottom rung, local police were guilty of homicide and attempted homicide in the initial confrontation. Then once the students were detained, they were turned over to the crime syndicate Guerreros Unidos (United Warriors) by local police enforcement who then murdered every single one. Talk about a breach in due process there!

On September 28, 22 local police officers were arrested for their participation in the abduction and murder of the students and bystanders. But this was more than a local rogue police force. On September 30, a warrant was issued for the arrest of the Iguala mayor and his wife as well as the Director of Public Security, all of whom fled. The mayor and his wife were able to evade arrest until November 4. The Director of Public Security is still at large.

The ensuing protests in Mexico had a domino effect on the government structure. On October 23, the Governor of Guerrero resigned once it became clear that he had actively protected corrupt officials and possibly contributed to a cover-up of the events that transpired on Sept 26.

The PRD political party founder and senior leader resigned on November 25.  PRD is the dominant political party in Guerrero.

The Mexican Attorney General had received prior information about the cartel ties of the Iguala mayor and did not act on that information and is currently under investigation. He resigned his post on February 27, 2015.

Further investigation has shown that the Mexican Armed Forces were also present on September 26 and did nothing to aid the unarmed students or bystanders. In fact, the Army tried to run interference by preventing wounded students from receiving medical attention at the local clinic. The current Supreme Commander of the Mexican Armed Forces is the current Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto. The President also holds the right to appoint the Attorney General.

Thus, kakistocracy is evident all the way to the top level of government in Mexico. But it doesn’t stop there. Several experts have traced the hierarchy of power to the U.S. And as long as the U.S. is pulling the strings, Mexico will continue to be a kakistocracy. (See La Llorona Returns)

So how does all this make La Yacata the perfect place to live in the event of kakistocracy? Well, once the colonos (community members) became fed up with the local kakistocracy, we staged a coup, albeit a legal one and elected a new governing body. Although we have yet to succeed in uniting the community enough to really benefit ourselves, we have prevented the continued exploitation by the same corrupt representative. (See You can lead a horse to water, sewage, and electricity)  Therefore, we are all ready for the coming revolution!

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Surviving an Impact from an asteroid in La Yacata

Asteroids hit the Earth all the time. Usually, they are little rocks and hardly anybody notices, however, it’s estimated that over the last 600 million years, the Earth has been struck by at least 60 asteroids with a diameter of 3 miles or more. There are at least 3 craters left from these mega-impacts that are linked to major extinction events on our planet. The most famous mass extinction event was that of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago.

Seems like ancient history right? Well, there have been other catastrophic asteroid related disasters since then. In 1490, stones fell like rain killing more than 10,000 in the Ch’ing-yang district of China ranging from the size of goose eggs to water chestnuts. Scientists believe this stone shower was a result of an asteroid that exploded within the Earth’s atmosphere.

Then there was the meteor explosion near the Stony Tunguska River in Yeniseysk Governorate in Russia on June 30, 1908. Scientists believe a meteor burst just 6 miles from the Earth’s surface. The result of this explosion was the destruction of 80 million trees over an area of 830 square miles.

Russia was hit yet again on February 15, 2013, around the area of Chelyabinsk Oblast. The resulting explosion had 20-30 times more energy than the atomic bomb that exploded over Hiroshima. The meteor burst more than 18 miles above the surface of the Earth and produced extensive ground damage. Officials reported that 1,491 people were injured, most from shattered glass from windows that exploded. The intense light from the explosion was estimated at 30 times brighter than the sun and caused at least 180 cases of eye pain and 70 cases of flash blindness. About 20 people were injured by ultraviolet sunburn.

Will it happen again? Probably. Scientists are currently monitoring an asteroid called Apophis as it travels across the universe. It’s about the size of 3 football fields. In 2029, it will pass really close to some of Earth’s communication satellites in space, but there is a risk that it will orbit back in 2036 and actually hit the planet. If Apophis enters the Earth’s atmosphere, it could do so with 750 megatons of kinetic energy and a huge section of Earth would be in the “path of risk” including southern Russia, islands in the north Pacific, the coastlines of California, Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, northern Colombia, Venezuela and on through the Atlantic Ocean, stopping just before reaching the coast of Africa. In the projected hypothetical impact simulation, Colombia and Venezuela could have more than 10 million human casualties. If Apophis hits the ocean area, scientist forecast a short-range tsunami with a potential destructive radius of 1000 km at a wave height of more than 2 meters for most of North America, Brazil, and Africa, a radius of 3000 km for Japan and a radius of 4500 for Hawaii. I’m not exactly sure what that means, but it sounds scary.

So supposing an asteroid does hit the Earth, what then? The impact will vaporize (yes, you read that correctly) a large amount of the Earth’s crust, throwing rocks into the air for miles. Most of the rock will rain back on the Earth, heating the atmosphere and triggering massive forest fires. The dust from the impact and forest fires will block the light of the Sun for a year or so. Without sunlight, the climate will enter another Ice Age and vegetation will die. Without vegetation, animals, including humans, will die.

Or at least this is what happened 65 million years ago when the Chicxulub Crater in the Yucatan, Mexico was formed. We all know the result of that asteroid impact now, don’t we?

So what can you do to maximize your survival in the event of an asteroid impact? Nothing. Experts agree. (See also Asteroid hits Earth!, How to survive a collision with an asteroid) Although, European scientists suggest staying away from windows. (See What can we do if an asteroid threatens Earth? Europe Starts Planning)

Might as well enjoy life in La Yacata until it happens.

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Surviving a Hail storm in La Yacata

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La Yacata also gets hail storms, though not nearly as damaging or deadly as the one mentioned in the news reports below. As you can see from this picture, our goats and most of our chickens found shelter in this hail storm in April 2016.

Hail? How can that be apocalyptical? Well, let’s reference one of my favorite movies The Day After Tomorrow when the Japenese businessman is bludgeoned to death by hail when he stops for a quick saki after work. Try telling that guy a hail storm wasn’t the end of the world!

Then there were the Egyptians who refused to let His people go. “And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field.” Exodus 9:18-26

One of the visions experienced by the Apostle John in the bible book of Revelation also centers around huge hailstones weighing about 75 pounds falling on the unrighteous. (Revelation 16:21)

Sound too fanciful? Well, let’s look at some hailstorms through history.

In the 9th century, several hundred pilgrims were killed in a hailstorm in Roopkund, Uttarakhand, India. In 1360, a hailstorm outside Paris, France, killed hundreds of invading English soldiers. King Edward III gave up his conquest of France after that. On April 30, 1888, 230 people, 1600 sheep and goats were killed in Uttar, Pradesh, Northern India by hailstones the size of oranges. On February 1, 1936, coconut sized hail killed up to 26 people and some cattle in Settlers, Transvaal, South Africa. On April 1986, 92 people were killed by grapefruit sized hail in Gopalganj, Bangladesh. On July 19, 2002, 25 people were killed and hundreds injured in a hailstorm in the Henan Province in the People’s Republic of China.

How about in Mexico?

Golf-ball sized hail destroyed crops in San Martín Texmelucan, Puebla on May 15, 2010. In Tepeji del Rio, Hidalgo 7 feet of hail accumulated on May 13, 2013, killing 7 people. Ping-pong ball sized hail destroyed the avocado crop in Michoacan in the worst hail storm in 40 years on March 25, 2015. On May 26, 2015, a severe hailstorm in Saltillo, Coahuila claimed one life and caused massive damage. On August 18, 2014, and August 30, 2015, massive hailstorms hit Mexico City killing 4 in 2015 when nearly 30 cm of hail accumulated on the streets in about 90 minutes.

So what can be done to prevent a hail storm? Well, in the 18th century, some enterprising Europeans tried to prevent hail by firing cannons into clouds and ringing the church bells. More recently, in the 20th century, Russia and the US attempted to seed clouds (adding chemical particles into clouds from rockets or aircraft) to control hail. There is no scientific evidence that either of these methods works.

Not being able to prevent a hail storm aside, what should you do in the event of hail?

If it begins to hail and you are in a vehicle, pull off the road and STAY INSIDE the vehicle. Of course, odds are high in Mexico that you will be on a bicycle or motorcycle. In that case, drive your vehicle up on the sidewalk and take shelter under an overhanging roof section.

If it begins to hail and you are in a building, STAY INSIDE away from windows. Avoid using electrical devices during a hail storm as well, just to be safe.

If it begins to hail and you are outdoors, COVER YOUR HEAD. Do not get under a tree because the hail might cause branches to fall. On one of our trips to Los Amoles for capulines (See Picking capulines) it began to hail. My enterprising mother-in-law put the bucket meant for the capulines over her head while they double-timed it back to the vehicle. It made and awful racket, with her shrieks and all, but her head was well protected.

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There’s always one!  This dratted rooster decided to ride the storm out without taking adequate shelter.

The proof is in the pudding–you can survive a hailstorm in La Yacata, providing it’s not that one prophesied in Revelation with 75-pound hailstones.  If that one hits, well, best say your prayers.

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