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Want to Avoid Crowds? Try Skiing at Bear Valley
December 30, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
You’ve heard about the skiing at Lake Tahoe or Mammoth, but one of the best ski or snowboard experiences you’ll ever have awaits you at Bear Valley, where the crowds are few, but the thrills are many.
While not on a par with Squaw Valley or Heavenly or other major California ski resorts, the Bear Valley ski area is still a prime candidate for a weekend or even an extended skiing vacation. As we discovered in early February, Bear Valley offers a surprisingly complete ski vacation experience – no frills, to be sure, but still rewarding and well worth the trip deep into the Sierra Nevada range.
If designer clothing stores, zillion-dollar condos, and Hollywood-style glitz are part of your criteria for a ski vacation, this ski area might not be the best choice. If wide-open ski runs, no lift lines and plenty of groomed snow are more important to you, then by all means give Bear Valley a try.
Coming originally from the Pacific Northwest, we could not help but compare Bear Valley to one of our favorite ski areas in Washington state – a place called Mission Ridge in a town named Wenatchee. The population in that part of the state is sparse compared with the big ski areas near Seattle, so Mission Ridge is able to offer wide-open skiing runs most days of the week.
Similarly, Bear Valley is less accessible than the many larger ski areas in the Lake Tahoe area. Bay area and Sacramento residents can drive Interstate 80 to the Tahoe area and find a selection of ski resorts a short distance off the interstate. To reach this ski area, you have to drive two-lane roads through the foothills and mountains for close to 100 miles.
But when you get there, most skiers and snowboarders will find it’s worth it. Our mid-week skiing was some of the best we’ve experienced – plenty of wide-open, groomed terrain perfect for intermediates and serviced by a number of lifts where there seemed to never be lines. It was ski down the run, get right on the chair and do it all again and again until just a few hours into our day we were growing exhausted. We probably skied in four hours what it would take us a full day to do at a resort with moderate lift lines.
There are no gondolas or high-speed quad chairlifts at Bear Valley, although there are 10 lifts altogether, mostly doubles and triples. About 1280 acres are available for skiing and snowboarding; some 100 acres are in an area where they can make snow – although at 7,750 feet, it’s likely Mother Nature will supply all the snow you need.
We mentioned the intermediate skiing because that’s our favorite – but rest assured this ski area has many black diamond or expert ski runs for those looking for more of a challenge. The day lodge is situated mid-mountain with lifts going both up the mountain to 8495 feet, and coming to the lodge from the lower part of the mountain. Most of the expert runs are located on the lower mountain.
The area’s day lodge also was wide open and easy to navigate. Instead of masses of people waiting in line to get their food and find a place to sit, we stepped right up and got our cooked-to-order Philly cheesesteak sandwiches in just a few minutes. And there was no shortage of menu options – lots of different types of food from sandwiches to Asian cuisine, from soups and salads to major meals.
But the Bear Valley experience is much more than a daytrip – or at least it should be given the time it takes to get to the ski area. For our trip we booked lodging at the Bear Valley Lodge, one of just a few hotel-type facilities near the mountain. Located about three miles from the mountain, the Bear Valley Lodge seems to be the hub of activity in the area and proved to be a good choice for accommodations. While showing some of its age – it was built in the 60′s – the lodge proved to be a comfortable, convenient base of operations. A ski shuttle bus will take you to the mountain, and you can even ski all the way back to the lodge.
When we say comfortable, we are not comparing the lodge to the high-end condos you find at most major ski resorts. The rooms at Bear Valley Lodge are more like a motel unit with two double beds a bath area and a TV/entertainment area that included HBO. But small touches – such as the bay window looking out onto the snowy landscape or the pine furniture – helped to make this feel much cozier than a motel room.
The four floors of rooms at the Bear Valley Lodge look out onto the Cathedral Lounge, a large open space in the middle of the lodge that offers guests a place to sit and read and enjoy the fire in the massive stone fireplace. Photos are mounted along the walls depicting the history of the lodge and Bear Valley ski area. Celebrities such as Spider Savich, Claudine Longet, Merv Griffin and several others are shown skiing or otherwise enjoying Bear Valley.
Adjacent to the lounge are several shops including an old-fashioned general store – with a deli to get quick sandwiches and soups – and a surprisingly complete ski shop with all of the latest ski equipment, clothing and accessories. But keep in mind this is not the type of resort where you can spend hours shopping when you’re not on the slopes; your down time here most likely will be spent in front of the fire reading a good book.
During our brief stay we dined in the lodge’s Grizzly Lounge – mainly because the other lodge restaurant, the Creekside Dining Room, was closed Mondays and Tuesdays. The lounge food was good and included a few menu items from the Creekside. We did learn that the Creekside has recently employed a well-educated and accomplished chef that has proven both creative and popular with guests – so we were disappointed we didn’t get a chance to sample the Creekside cuisine.
We also enjoyed a meal down at BaseCamp, a lodge that is just a short walk from the Bear Valley Lodge and the only other hotel-style lodging this close to the ski area. We enjoyed our meal at BaseCamp where we got to know an English waitress who had come to Bear Valley simply because the skiing is so good. The BaseCamp, incidentally, offers the lowest cost rooms in the area with “bathroom down the hall.”
There are also condo and cabin rentals available in the Bear Valley area, as well as the Tamarack Lodge further west on Highway 4. Prices in general will be less at BaseCamp, moderate at the Bear Valley Lodge and Tamarack, and more when you rent an entire vacation home.
While in the area, there are several small towns and attractions that are worth a stop if you have the time. To reach Bear Valley in winter, you’ll be traveling through the historical town of Angel’s Camp and then a similar but smaller Gold Rush town called Murphys.
But our suggestion would be to allow plenty of time for skiing. You’ll want to ski or board Bear Valley just as long as the weather – and your legs – will hold out.
AT A GLANCE
WHERE: Bear Valley Ski Resort is on Highway 4, about 52 miles from the foothills town of Angel’s Camp, and 130 miles from Sacramento.
WHAT: Bear Valley is a throwback to skiing in the ’60′s and ’70′s – no high-speed quads or gondolas but lots of wide open groomed terrain in a gorgeous setting.
WHEN: Winter always means where is lots of snow for skiing as well as many other snow sports; the area also is a popular summer recreation area with numerous lakes, hiking trails and a pristine forest.
WHY: It’s refreshing to ski where there are no lift lines and little pretense – most of the “beautiful people” went to Colorado; the home-growns stayed here. Economically, this ski vacation is quite affordable.
HOW: For more information on Bear Valley Ski Resort, phone (209) 753-2301 or visit www.bearvalley.com. For more information on Bear Valley Lodge, phone (209) 753-2325 or visit www.bearvalleylodge.com.
Cary Ordway is a syndicated travel writer and president of Getaway Media Corp, which publishes websites focused on regional getaway travel. Among the sites currently offered by GMC are , covering and other Golden State destinations, and , covering ideas as well as other Pacific Northwest travel destinations.
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I want to go snowbird to ski but want to miss most of the crowds what is the best time of the year to go skiin
December 27, 2009 by admin · 6 Comments
I am still in school and can’t leave just like that but want to go this year or next.
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I Want to go skiing for thanksgiving next year – could you tell me the best places in the usa ?
December 23, 2009 by admin · 8 Comments
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La Mesa Auto Accident Lawyer’s Top Ten Things You Least Want to Hear in the Ambulance After a Car Accident
December 18, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
1. This is ambulance number thirteen. Just thought you should know.
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2. We havenât lost a patient yet. Not this week anyway.
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3. For a little extra, weâll take you to the right hospital on the first try.
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4. Youâre lucky you werenât with us yesterday.
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5. They donât call us a meat wagon for nothing.
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6. Letâs see, where would you like to go?
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7. Do you know the way. Weâre kind of new in town.
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8. We used to drive taxis in New York, but they took away our licenses.
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9. We hit a deer last week.
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10. Was that the same week we overturned?
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Here are ten useful tips of advice from an auto accident lawyer to follow if you have been in an accident. You can also learn more about how to handle an auto accident in La Mesa, or any city, by calling the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson at any of the numbers which can be found on our website at  and learning how we can assist you.
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Obviously, if you have had an accident, and you are reading all of this advice, itâs probably been at least a few days since the accident. However, if itâs only been a few hours or if you ever have another accident, hereâs what you should do the next time from the start.
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First, take a look around and determine if you or anyone, are hurt. If so, taking steps like trying to prevent further injury or loss of blood are the most important thing you can do. Even if some other driver caused you to be injured, itâs just good manners to help the other driver if they are hurt. They may even be so thankful that they admit their fault to you. The worst thing you can do is get angry or start a fight.
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Second, make sure everyone is safe from being injured further. If you are in the middle of traffic, and you are dizzy, sit down away from traffic. If your vehicle is a traffic hazard and you have accident warning devices like flares or triangles, put them out on the road to warn other drivers and get away from the car. Let the police an other emergency personnel investigate the scene with the vehicles in place and move them more safely at a later point.
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Third, call the police. Accident reports are extremely helpful if the police will do such a report. Let the police know you are injured immediately. Answer the police questions honestly. But if you are dazed or confused, let them know you need medical treatment and answer only what you feel sure about. Remember, your statements can and will be used against you if you admit fault, and it will be too late and too fishy to later say you didnât know what you were saying at the scene. Police know that your best recollection is immediately after an accident.
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Fourth, get the other driverâs information including their names, addresses, driverâs license numbers, make and model of their vehicles, license plate numbers, and their insurance company name and policy number. If there are witnesses, get their names, addresses and telephone numbers as well. If the other driver makes any admissions of fault, write those down as well.
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Fifth, if you have a camera on your cell phone or in the car and you arenât too injured, take some photos of the vehicles and the scene. If you canât do it right away, do it after you are released from the hospital.
Sixth, if you are hurt, obtain medical treatment. Donât decline the ambulance or hospital examination to save your insurance company money or to be stoic. Take your valuables out of your car if you can and get checked out at the hospital. If you are not hurt, donât get treatment you donât need. However, remember, after an accident, you may feel a rush of adrenaline that causes you to only start feeling symptoms of pain a few hours later. If you have a health plan that requires you to obtain permission first, call them and find out where you are allowed to seek treatment.
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Seventh, call a good auto accident lawyer as soon as you have had your initial treatment, so the attorney can gather other important evidence and prevent the insurance company from taking advantage of you and obtaining such things as recorded statements that you feel fine, when many of your symptoms have yet to manifest themselves. A good auto accident lawyer can save you from making a great deal of mistakes and can shoulder much of the hassle of knowing what to do about car repairs, car rentals, medical treatment, witness statements and the like. If you think you will save money by not having an attorney, think again. A good auto accident lawyer can almost always obtain much higher settlements, obtain reductions of medical bills and insurance liens and prevent you from making costly mistakes. Also, most auto accident attorneys advance costs of obtaining police reports, medical records and the like and are paid and reimbursed for these costs only out of any settlement.
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Eight, you will need to report the accident to your insurance company, but since they will want to take a recorded statement from you, just like any other driverâs insurance company, itâs good advice to retain an attorney first. And if the other driver did not have insurance, remember that it is your own insurance company that will be your adversary. You will also need to report the accident to the Department of Motor Vehicles and your lawyer can give you the form for this.
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Ninth, do not agree to settle your claim privately with the person at fault for the accident. This almost never works out to your advantage. Donât agree not to call the police. Police reports that determine the fault for an accident are golden. Your agreement to not involve the police only affords an opportunity for the other driver to change his story and blame you when the police will no longer investigate the accident.
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Tenth, donât pay a traffic ticket without a fight if you werenât at fault or agree to accept a small payment for your vehicle repairs without knowing that the amount will in fact cover the cost of all the repairs.
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If youâve had an auto accident in La Mesa, Lakeside, Santee, Poway, Spring Valley, Lemon Grove, Coronado, National City, San Diego, Carlsbad, Oceanside, La Jolla, Del Mar, Escondido, Chula Vista, El Cajon, Vista, San Marcos, or anywhere in Southern California, we have the knowledge and resources to be your San Diego Auto Accident Lawyer and your La Mesa Auto Accident Attorney. Be sure to hire a California law firm with auto, motorcycle, truck, bicycle, pedestrian, car, bus, train, boat and airplane accident experience, wrongful death experience and insurance law expertise who can ensure you are properly represented and get the compensation you deserve.
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If you have a personal injury legal matter, a dog bite or if youâve lost a loved one in a wrongful death accident, call the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson, or visit our website at  and learn how we can assist you.
The Sebastian Gibson Law Firm serves auto, motorcycle and truck accident victims in La Mesa, Lakeside, Santee,, Lemon Grove, Coronado San Diego, National City, Carlsbad, Oceanside, La Jolla, Del Mar, Escondido, Chula Vista, El Cajon, Vista, and San Marcos. We also serve bicycle, pedestrian and car accident clients from Orange County to Palm Springs, Palm Desert and Indio, Long Beach and Santa Monica, from Newport Beach to Anaheim Hills, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Oxnard and San Luis Obispo, Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga, from Palmdale to Victorville and Hesperia, and all of Southern California.
Visit our website at if you have a personal injury legal matter of any kind. We have the knowledge and resources to represent you as your San Diego Auto Accident Lawyer and La Mesa Auto Accident Attorney or your attorney in and around the cities of Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Anaheim, and Santa Ana. We also serve Orange, Fullerton, Costa Mesa, Corona, Temecula, Murrieta, Westminster, Buena Park, Mission Viejo, Garden Grove, Riverside, San Bernardino, Moreno Valley, Fontana, Laguna Niguel, Chino Hills, San Clemente, Poway, and Spring Valley.
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Where is a great resort and place that would want chefs?
December 17, 2009 by admin · 5 Comments
My boyfriend is going to chef school right now in Nashville, TN and when he grats, we are prob. going to move. Where is a awesome place and resorts for chefs? Like on the coast or at a beach? With a great atmosphere and life? What about Canada? Is it a wonderful place to live? or not? I want to move out west, or should we go east?
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Discount Lift Tickets – Learn What Colorado Ski Resorts Do not Want you to Know!
December 17, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
How to get Discount lift tickets for Keystone Colorado, Breckenridge Colorado, Arapahoe Basin Colorado, Loveland Ski Area Colorado, Copper Mountain Colorado, Winter Park Colorado, Vail Colorado, Beaver Creek Colorado.
Discount Lift Tickets in Colorado- All Colorado ski resorts make it difficult for anyone coming from out of state to get a great deal on lift tickets. Don’t expect to get a great deal anywhere if you didn’t start looking in late September or early October. As your Keystone Lodging provider, we can help, but WE DO NOT SELL LIFT TICKETS.
The most expensive way to ski is to buy your lift tickets at the ticket window without any coupons. The following information will help you find the best deal around no matter what time of year.
Colorado Ski Season Passes
If you are in Colorado in April, September or October, you can look into buying a season pass for Keystone, Breckenridge, and A-Basin. Both Loveland and Copper Mountain sometimes sell season passes into November. If you plan on skiing 5 or more days, a season pass to one of the areas ski resorts will more than pay for itself and is the cheapest way to go…even though you won’t get to use it for the entire season.
:: Keystone :: Breckenridge :: A-Basin :: Vail :: Beaver Creek ::
Season passes are sold along the front range at places like Gart Sports, REI, and Christy Sports. Season passes for Keystone, Breckenridge and A-Basin usually cost around $329. A 2nd option is to pay slightly more and get 10 days at Vail or Beaver Creek added to that same pass. You MUST buy these in person, and you typically have to use it at least once before the holiday season, or it will become invalid for the rest of the year. These passes do have blackout dates during the holidays and during Presidents Day weekend usually, so make sure you read the fine print before purchasing these ski passes. If you’re planning an early season trip (Before December 20th) AND a later prime ski season trip (January – April), this is by far the least expensive way to go. Best of all, once you get a pass that you have to buy in person, you can renew it over the web year after year.
:: Arapahoe Basin Only ::
This year, Arapahoe Basin is offering a season pass of thier own. For the 2005-2006 ski season, these are only $239. This allows unlimited skiing at Arapahoe Basin, but also allows you to ski at Keystone or Breckenridge for 5 days. One of the 5 days can be used at either Vail or Beaver Creek. This is an awesome deal if you’re coming out for a short trip of 5 days or more. Best of all, you can buy these over the phone and just pick them up at the base area of Arapahoe Basin. As always, get in on this deal EARLY. Passes are usually sold in September and October only. Check out the Arapahoe Basin Website for full details.
:: Copper Mountain :: Winter Park :: Mary Jane ::
Copper Mountain is offering season passes for the 2005-2006 ski season for only $279. You can buy these without being present, but you must submit a photo of yourself so they can print your pass. Add a few more dollars and you can ski Winter Park and Mary Jane too. However, Winter Park is a solid 1 hour drive from Summit County. Still, the skiing at Mary Jane is legendary and you won’t be disappointed with your day excursion to the snowpack in the Fraser Valley of Colorado.
:: Loveland Ski Area ::
Lesser known by people from out-of state, Loveland is a very inexpensive option. You’ll see Loveland Ski area on your way into Summit County on the East Portal of the Eisenhower Tunnel. The closest ski lodging to Loveland is in Keystone….only 15 miles away. Loveland offers season passes for $253. Being an independant ski resort, you can only ski at Loveland. Loveland is one of the highest ski resorts on North America and they are usually the first to open the ski season in North America in October. Check the webste for details. They have an outstanding variety of terrain and there are little or no crowds at any given time.
++++++++++++ Warning ++++++++++++
Do not EVER try to use a 4 pack or season pass that is not yours. There are extremely stiff penalties including large fines and possible jail time if you are caught. The lift operators WILL catch you. A free lift ride is simply not worth the consequences.
++++++++++++ Warning ++++++++++++
Colorado Ski Resort “Four Packs”
Another money-saving tip is to buy what is called a “4 pack” for your ski resort of choice. A “4 pack” is 4 days of skiing for any 1 person. Typically the ski resorts sell these early in the season, but have also been known to sell them again in late March or in April. Buying late in the season is ideal…unknown to many, April is usually the snowiest month in Colorado!
:: Keystone :: Breckenridge ::
For the Keystone and Breckenridge 4 packs, you must buy them in person and they are not transferrable. In previous years they have been transferrable until people started selling them for a profit on eBay. $ packs usually run about $99 and are bought in the same fashion that a Season Pass is bought. The 4 packs do have blackout dates, so read the fine print carefully.
:: Copper Mountain :: Winter Park :: Mary Jane ::
Copper Mountain offers 4 packs for only $69 and ARE transferrable. This deal usually is around for about a week and may have already passed. If so, you’re still in luck…both Copper Mountain and Winter Park offer 4 packs for $120, which is still only $30 per day. This offer expires on Dec 9th 2005, so jump on this quickly if you want to get in on the deal! There are usually rules and restrictions as to the dates you can use the 4 pack, so check the fine print carefully.
:: Loveland Ski Area ::
Loveland also offers a 4 pack as well for the 2005-2006 ski season. The 4 packs run only $99 but are only available through November 21st 2005. There are no blackout dates on these 4 packs and can be used anytime during the 2005-2006 ski season at Loveland.
:: Aspen :: Snowmass ::
Okay, so these 2 resorts aren’t really all that close to Summit County, but if you want to see what celebrities do during the winter in Colorado…try Aspen or Snowmass for a day. Cheap passes are available, but you have to get them in person. They are available up until November 20th, 2005 at select locations around the Colorado Front Range.
Other ways to get Discount Lift Tickets
Are you a member of the armed forces? Keystone has a special setup with any active duty military, Reservists, National Guard and dependents. Rocky Mountain Blue offers a Freedom Pass for only $129. This pass is good for unlimited skiing at Keystone or Arapahoe Basin. It can be purchased at military bases in colorado including Buckley AFB, Peterson AFB, Schriever AFB, F.E. Warren AFB, Fort Carson and the Air force Academy. You can purchase this anytime during the 2005-2006 ski season and it is good through closing day at Keystone. THIS IS THE BEST LIFT TICKET DEAL IN COLORADO.
Keystone Lift Tickets Sign up for a free Colorado Gem Card. These cards will give you discounts at other ski areas that are further away. The closest resort that accepts this card is Loveland Ski area, which is about 15 miles away right at the Eisenhower Tunnel on the Continental Divide.
Keystone Lift Tickets Know someone with a season pass? Season Pass holders usually can buy a lift ticket for you for a deeply discounted price of $29-$59. The number of times they can do this is limited.
Keystone Lift Tickets Don’t forget eBay! Many times people will buy a package deal and not be able to use it. Sometimes it’s a 4 pack, sometimes it’s someone who has an inside track to the resort and is trying to make some money on the side. Either way, MAKE SURE you check the lift tickets carefully to make sure you know what you’re getting. Search around and see what you can find!
Keystone Lift Tickets Buy an Entertainment book for the Denver area. These books are PACKED with ski coupons. We typically buy these books and keep them available for our guests to use. The coupons are for slightly discounted lift tickets. ($5 – $10 off ticket window prices) There are also coupons for ski school.
Keystone Lift Tickets Buy your tickets on the front range in or around Denver. Go to any Safeway or King Soopers grocery stores, or ski and snowboard rental shop. They sell disount lift tickets for most ski areas.
Keystone Lift Tickets As your Keystone Lodging provider, just ask us and we’ll do what we can to get you the right information you need or point you in the right direction to save you the most money given the time period of your visit. We typically keep a packet of coupons just for our guests use. When booking, please email or call us with your requests and we will mail coupons to you before you arrive. Coupons are first come first serve. These coupons usually come from Entertainment Books, and wherever else we can find them. We do not sell lift tickets.
BE CAREFUL – Some other lodging providers will entice you with a “package deal” saying that they will give you discounted lift tickets after your reserve your lodging…only to suddenly “run out” of the lift tickets after they have your money.
Smith Chen is an author and internet marketing consultant. Find more about and review page
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The Mexican People Protesting And Want The Army Out!
December 16, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
By MICHAEL WEBSTER: Syndicated Investigative reporter. Feb 18, 2009 at 1:30 PM PST. Police used a water cannon to disperse protesters in the northern industrial city of Monterrey, Mexico, where hundreds of protesters in Monterrey and others in several border cities demanded that the Mexican army leave their cities. Officials say that the protests are organized by Mexican drug cartels that they say are trying to disrupt the government’s anti-drug crackdown. (AP Photo) – AP
Mexico — Thousands of Mexicans are protesting in Mexico City and others are blocking roads and bridges into the U.S. They are protesting army operations against drug gangs that officials said was organized by the Mexican drug cartels. The protesters are demanding the army leave in another challenge for the Mexican government as it struggles to quell escalating drug violence since the Calderon administration ordered Mexican army troops into Mexican Border cities and many other cities throughout Mexico.
Mexican newspapers are reporting several hundred protesters carried signs in the streets of Mexico. In the northern city of Monterrey’ in front of the town hall protesters signs read in Spanish “Army Get Out! In a growing challenge to the military across Mexico, groups of taxi drivers, shop keepers and Mothers also blocked bridges that connect the border cities of Juarez, Tijuana and Reynosa with U.S. Cities, stopping vehicles and foot passengers, police said.
The protestors in Ciudad Juarez and Tijuana blocked traffic for hours across three bridges connecting the city to El Paso, Texas, and California with Mexico. Similar protests broke out on bridges in the border cities of Nuevo Laredo and Reynosa, while demonstrators blocked roads in Mexico City.
It was the largest display of discontent against the army’s role in an anti-drug crackdown since President Felipe Calderon began deploying soldiers across the country two years ago to fight Mexican drug cartels. About 45,000 soldiers are now spread out across Mexico.
According to AP government and army officials claimed that drug cartels organized similar protests in Monterrey earlier this month to undermine the crackdown. Federal officials had no immediate comment on the protests.
Human rights activists say there are legitimate complaints about abuses by soldiers, including cases in which patrols opened fire on civilians at military checkpoints. But they say it is unclear who has been behind the demonstrations.
El Paso Times reports that the Calderon’s offensive was initially widely popular among Mexicans hopeful for an end to relentless shootings, kidnappings and killings. But drug violence has only surged and become more violent since he took office, with drug gangs beheading rivals and attacking police nearly every day. More than 6,000 people were killed in drug violence last year.
Border towns have been transformed by the crackdown, with soldiers in ski masks regularly rumbling down the streets in large convoys.
Some of the protestors, mostly women and children, blocked the Paso del Norte bridge leading from Ciudad Juarez to downtown El Paso. They shouted “soldiers, get out!” as they stood in front of about 20 troops in green army pickup trucks. One person held a sign reading, “Get out of Juarez, thieving abusive soldiers.”
Brenda Contreras, a 22-year-old mother of two, said the city has only become more dangerous since troops arrived. She said soldiers detained her 32-year-old husband during a raid at a car wash three months ago, and she has not heard from him despite filing a complaint with the Defense Department.
“I saw him on the floor and they wouldn’t let me get near him. Where he is, only the army knows. What am I going to tell my daughters?” she said.
Not all city residents, however, are against the army’s presence.
“Knowing that the soldiers are out there all over the city makes me feel that the city is more protected,” said Cynthia de los Santos, 32, a secretary at a Ciudad Juarez law firm.
In Nuevo Laredo, 150 people blocked three bridges leading to Laredo, Texas, for several hours. Many were masked men, but some were women and children.
Protesters also blocked bridges leading to Texas from Reynosa, the town’s mayor, Oscar Luebbert, told Mexico’s Radio Formula.
Luebbert also said a shootout erupted Tuesday between federal police and armed men in Reynosa, and authorities were trying to confirm reports that several people were killed.
“The situation is very critical,” Luebbert said. “The whole population is very alarmed.”
An official from the federal Public Safety Department said the shootout erupted when federal police came across a group of gunmen. Soldiers joined the fight when police asked for help, said the official, who was not authorized to give his name. He said at least four gunmen were killed and several police were injured.
Protesters also blocked two highways in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz and one road outside the state capital, Jalapa.
Nuevo Leon state police Chief Aldo Fasci said last week that crime organizations were paying people to protest against the army and that gangs were handing out backpacks full of school books, pens and paper to poor families who joined the demonstrations.
This recent protesting by the people of Mexico is spreading around the world, explosive anger is spilling out onto the streets of Europe. The meltdown of the global economy is igniting massive social unrest in a region that has long been a symbol of political stability and social cohesion.
It’s not a new trend: A wave of upheaval is spreading from the poorer countries on the periphery of the global economy to the prosperous core.
Riots are spreading across what is patronizingly known as the Third World. Furious mobs against skyrocketing food and energy prices, stagnating wages and unemployment in India, Senegal, Yemen, Indonesia, Morocco, Cameroon, Brazil, Panama, the Philippines, Egypt, Mexico and elsewhere.
For the most part, those living in wealthier countries took little notice. But now, with the global economy crashing down around us, people in even the wealthiest nations are mad as hell and reacting violently to what they view as an inadequate response to their tumbling economies and incompetent political leaders.
In the mean time the police chief of the Juárez police department and three officers were killed in an ambush Tuesday.
Police operations director Sacramento Perez Serrano, 49, was being escorted by the officers when the four-door police pickup they were riding in was riddled with gunfire in the upscale Zona Dorada (Golden Zone) area of the city about 5 p.m.
Perez and the three officers died in the attack near Paseo de La Victoria and Ejercito Nacional boulevards.
“They were on their way to the Babicora (police) station when they were ambushed by an armed commando,” said Jaime Torres, city spokesman.
“They didn’t have a chance to defend themselves. They died in the patrol unit.”
Police, federal agents and soldiers are on “red alert” as an extensive man hunt for the killers continues, Mexican officials said. More protests are expected country wide in Mexico, according to Mexican officials.
Video: Protesters Block Bridges Between Mexico, Texas
Michael Webster?s Syndicated Investigative Reports are read worldwide, in 100 or more U.S. outlets and in at least 136 countries and territories. He publishes articles in association with global news agencies and media information services with more than 350 news affiliates in 136 countries. Many of Mr. Webster?s articles are printed in six working languages: English, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish. With ten more languages planed in the near future.
Mr. Webster is America’s leading authority on Venture Capital/Equity Funding. He served as a trustee on some of the nation?s largest trade Union funds. A noted Author, Lecturer, Educator, Emergency Manager, Counter-Terrorist, War on Drugs and War on Terrorist Specialist, Business Consultant, Newspaper Publisher. Radio News caster. Labor Law generalist, Teamster Union Business Agent, General Organizer, Union Rank and File Member Grievances Representative, NLRB Union Representative, Union Contract Negotiator, Workers Compensation Appeals Board Hearing Representative. Mr. Webster represented management on that side of the table as the former Director of Federated of Nevada. Mr. Webster publishes on-line newspapers at and and does investigative reports for print, electronic and on-line News Agencies.
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I want to sell my week’s stay at Park regency resort at Park city utah in december. what is the best way to do
December 15, 2009 by admin · 2 Comments
I am not using my one-week time at my time-hshare unit that i have booked in Dec 2007. want to sell to someone who can use it for ski holidays in the beautiful Park city resort? Which is the best medium to advertise to get decent offers from reliable people?
Want
I Want You to Want Me by Cheap Trick- played by Helicopter
December 15, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
This is a great song played by an awesome band called Helicopter. This was their show at the Shadow Ridge Resort in Palm Desert. Here’s their website: www.helicopterbandla.com Thanks for watching!