2 kids kidnapped

according to tob two school kids were kidnapped yesterday in sat. Dreadful...hope they are ok and released unharmed and quickly.

There has been rumor going around for a few weeks that we could see a repeat of what happened last year in April/May. I really hope that is not true.

According to TOB it was a brother and sister taken.

Could just as easily be a family situation.

I just heard at the abarrote that they were found this morning. It is all unconfirmed, and I hope this last rumor is true. . .if the first rumor is also true.

Were they unharmed?

I have a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach :(

My gardener (lives in SAT) has been telling me for weeks that there will be a repeat of last year's May Massacre. God help us.

Sideways wrote:My gardener (lives in SAT) has been telling me for weeks that there will be a repeat of last year's May Massacre. God help us.

Just out of curiosity, how would your gardener be privileged to such information? I mean, if common folk such as gardeners and maids are hip to the cartels plans then wouldn't the authorities also be in the know?

seisdedos wrote:

Sideways wrote:My gardener (lives in SAT) has been telling me for weeks that there will be a repeat of last year's May Massacre. God help us.

Just out of curiosity, how would your gardener be privileged to such information? I mean, if common folk such as gardeners and maids are hip to the cartels plans then wouldn't the authorities also be in the know?

of course not. that's too simplistic. gardeners, maids and physical therapists are the only ones who know everything.

Would that be Chance Gardener by any chance?

interestingly, my last name,which is hungarian , means gardener in english. therefore, i must know everything.

I've lived here 14 years and speak street Spanish with my neighbors and workmen. Over the years, I've learned more from a few chit-chats with them than I ever have on one of these Boards or from the GDL Reporter.

A few of them say there are 'signs' of an impending big change within the local drug selling scene. Kidnappings, threats, people gone 'missing' (they presume they have left town in light of these changes afoot). A state of general nervousness, my gardener says. Just like last May, he says.

I hope he's wrong, but I read the local papers and even this old gringo can see that there's a lot of activity going on that will remind many of us of what we heard in hindsight, last year.

Don't discount what a local gardener, maid or construction guy says; locals here know who's selling drugs or running errands or selling info to cartel henchmen. It's their 'unemployed' neighbor's kid who buys a new scooter; or a co-worker's waitress daughter who starts wearing designer jeans; or their second cousin who brags after a little too much tequila.

Whether it's SJC, SAT, Ajijic, or even the 'big' city of Chapala, these are small towns/villages/neighborhoods where everyone knows everyone else's business.

Sideways wrote:I've lived here 14 years and speak street Spanish with my neighbors and workmen. Over the years, I've learned more from a few chit-chats with them than I ever have on one of these Boards or from the GDL Reporter.

A few of them say there are 'signs' of an impending big change within the local drug selling scene. Kidnappings, threats, people gone 'missing' (they presume they have left town in light of these changes afoot). A state of general nervousness, my gardener says. Just like last May, he says.

I hope he's wrong, but I read the local papers and even this old gringo can see that there's a lot of activity going on that will remind many of us of what we heard in hindsight, last year.

Don't discount what a local gardener, maid or construction guy says; locals here know who's selling drugs or running errands or selling info to cartel henchmen. It's their 'unemployed' neighbor's kid who buys a new scooter; or a co-worker's waitress daughter who starts wearing designer jeans; or their second cousin who brags after a little too much tequila.

Whether it's SJC, SAT, Ajijic, or even the 'big' city of Chapala, these are small towns/villages/neighborhoods where everyone knows everyone else's business.

Well I've lived in this country for quite some time and speak fluent Spanish. Yes, the small towns where everyone knows everyone else's business is true to an extent. They think they know everyone's business. The problem is they make up more than half of the bullshit that runs through the rumor mill.

seisdedos wrote:

Sideways wrote:I've lived here 14 years and speak street Spanish with my neighbors and workmen. Over the years, I've learned more from a few chit-chats with them than I ever have on one of these Boards or from the GDL Reporter.

A few of them say there are 'signs' of an impending big change within the local drug selling scene. Kidnappings, threats, people gone 'missing' (they presume they have left town in light of these changes afoot). A state of general nervousness, my gardener says. Just like last May, he says.

I hope he's wrong, but I read the local papers and even this old gringo can see that there's a lot of activity going on that will remind many of us of what we heard in hindsight, last year.

Don't discount what a local gardener, maid or construction guy says; locals here know who's selling drugs or running errands or selling info to cartel henchmen. It's their 'unemployed' neighbor's kid who buys a new scooter; or a co-worker's waitress daughter who starts wearing designer jeans; or their second cousin who brags after a little too much tequila.

Whether it's SJC, SAT, Ajijic, or even the 'big' city of Chapala, these are small towns/villages/neighborhoods where everyone knows everyone else's business.

Well I've lived in this country for quite some time and speak fluent Spanish. Yes, the small towns where everyone knows everyone else's business is true to an extent. They think they know everyone's business. The problem is they make up more than half of the bullshit that runs through the rumor mill.

pretty much nails it. just like on some of these web boards-SNORK!

Smartalex wrote:Would that be Chance Gardener by any chance?

"As long as the roots are not severed,all is well.And all will be well in the garden".

I don't at all disagree that at least half of what we hear via the Mexican rumor mill is bad information, and yet, tengo un mal presentimiento, tambien. A few too many varifiable things have happened in the last few weeks not to give me pause and cause my concern to grow. It feels like this area might be entering another state of transition. And I'm by no means an alarmist.

Of course, I hope my judgment is off and I'm completely wrong.

viajero wrote:

Smartalex wrote:Would that be Chance Gardener by any chance?

"As long as the roots are not severed,all is well.And all will be well in the garden".

Yeah, that Chance Gardener.

Pedro wrote:

seisdedos wrote:
Well I've lived in this country for quite some time and speak fluent Spanish. Yes, the small towns where everyone knows everyone else's business is true to an extent. They think they know everyone's business. The problem is they make up more than half of the bullshit that runs through the rumor mill.

pretty much nails it. just like on some of these web boards-SNORK!

Also, having lived here a long time, these two opinions are right on. There is a competition in small communities to be the first with the latest, even if it is fabricated, on the chance that if they "guessed" right, they will then be perceived like the town "oracle of delphi" or because it suits their own alarmist hysteria. Take everything you hear that is "street gossip" with a grain of salt, which makes it difficult because sometimes, just like horoscopes, they are right.

slainte39 wrote:

Also, having lived here a long time, these two opinions are right on. There is a competition in small communities to be the first with the latest, even if it is fabricated, on the chance that if they "guessed" right, they will then be perceived like the town "oracle of delphi" or because it suits their own alarmist hysteria. Take everything you hear that is "street gossip" with a grain of salt, which makes it difficult because sometimes, just like horoscopes, they are right.

Spanish words of the day: arguenderos, chismosos, celosos e envidiosos. Shit disturbers.

seisdedos wrote:

Sideways wrote:My gardener (lives in SAT) has been telling me for weeks that there will be a repeat of last year's May Massacre. God help us.

Just out of curiosity, how would your gardener be privileged to such information? I mean, if common folk such as gardeners and maids are hip to the cartels plans then wouldn't the authorities also be in the know?

How do you know the authorities are aware of what is going on?

saege007 wrote:

seisdedos wrote:

Sideways wrote:My gardener (lives in SAT) has been telling me for weeks that there will be a repeat of last year's May Massacre. God help us.

Just out of curiosity, how would your gardener be privileged to such information? I mean, if common folk such as gardeners and maids are hip to the cartels plans then wouldn't the authorities also be in the know?

How do you know the authorities are aware of what is going on?

Well if the gardener knows and the maid knows and the hairdresser knows then it ain't a big secret, sweetcheeks. And many police officers live amongst the "in" crowd so they probably hear a chisme or two, too.

seisdedos wrote:

saege007 wrote:

seisdedos wrote:

Sideways wrote:My gardener (lives in SAT) has been telling me for weeks that there will be a repeat of last year's May Massacre. God help us.

Just out of curiosity, how would your gardener be privileged to such information? I mean, if common folk such as gardeners and maids are hip to the cartels plans then wouldn't the authorities also be in the know?

How do you know the authorities are aware of what is going on?

Well if the gardener knows and the maid knows and the hairdresser knows then it ain't a big secret, sweetcheeks. And many police officers live amongst the "in" crowd so they probably hear a chisme or two, too.

Sorry, I meant how do you know they aren't aware? Typo on my part. You seemed sure that the authorities must not know, that is what I meant to convey.

seisdedos wrote:

saege007 wrote:

seisdedos wrote:

Sideways wrote:My gardener (lives in SAT) has been telling me for weeks that there will be a repeat of last year's May Massacre. God help us.

Just out of curiosity, how would your gardener be privileged to such information? I mean, if common folk such as gardeners and maids are hip to the cartels plans then wouldn't the authorities also be in the know?

How do you know the authorities are aware of what is going on?

Well if the gardener knows and the maid knows and the hairdresser knows then it ain't a big secret, sweetcheeks. And many police officers live amongst the "in" crowd so they probably hear a chisme or two, too.

Oh, and never underestimate what a hairdresser knows. We probably know more about your personal lives than you wish us to know.

seisdedos wrote:

slainte39 wrote:

Also, having lived here a long time, these two opinions are right on. There is a competition in small communities to be the first with the latest, even if it is fabricated, on the chance that if they "guessed" right, they will then be perceived like the town "oracle of delphi" or because it suits their own alarmist hysteria. Take everything you hear that is "street gossip" with a grain of salt, which makes it difficult because sometimes, just like horoscopes, they are right.

Spanish words of the day: arguenderos, chismosos, celosos e envidiosos. Shit disturbers.

Another one to be wary of is caprichosas

I know I'll get blasted for being chauvinistic but Mexican women who haved lived in small towns all their lives (and big city girls too) have never heard of the journalistic axiom of "verify with two sources" or the complete no-no of never "creating news" which would be the end of most journalists.

I know from experience, of sitting through the weekly sessions of "chismes" with the women in my family. It makes me want to

True enough. Ever notice the guys talking? Same deal, especially if the subject is the local women. ROFL.

saege007 wrote:



Sorry, I meant how do you know they aren't aware? Typo on my part. You seemed sure that the authorities must not know, that is what I meant to convey.

Uh no. It was very clear what I wrote. If everybody in the barrio knows then so do the fuzz.