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August 10, 2003 Dear Editor,
This is for all those who are amateur
astronomers, and even those who are not... check it
out!
The Red Planet is about to be spectacular!
This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars
in an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach
between the two planets in recorded history. The next
time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Due to the
way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its
orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has
not come this close to Earth in the Last 5,000 years,
but it may be as long as 60,000 years before it happens
again.
The encounter will culminate on August
27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth
and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object
in the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9
and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest
75-power magnification Mars will look as large as the
full moon to the naked eye. Mars will be easy to spot.
At the beginning of August it will rise in the east
at 10 p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.
By the end of August when the two
planets are closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and
reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30 a.m. That's
pretty convenient to see something that no human being
has seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar
at the beginning of August to see Mars grow progressively
brighter and brighter throughout the month.
Alta
Dear
Editor,
My mom came into town to visit us
3 weeks ago and when I got to the airport to pick her
up I saw the new OPC "booth". I was so surprised!
I went upstairs and wrote out a complaint about it.
My mom left on Thursday and I still had not heard anything
from them about my complaint so I went upstairs again.
Señorita Palomera told me that the person in
charge of that was out sick and had not gotten back
to me but that he would as soon as he returned to work.
She also said that I was the only person to complain
about the OPC "booth". I can hardly believe
that. My mom was reading a letter to the Tribune from
someone who wrote long and well about Puerto Vallarta
not having been born for the time share business. I
mentioned that letter to Señorita Palomera and
she said "Oh, that was just the hotel and motel
association," as though they don't count at all.
While I was there I saw a man standing
nearby who had on the shirt that identified him as a
worker for the airport. I asked him where I could find
the manager of the office. He said that person was at
lunch. So I asked him what his job was.... he is the
contador. So I asked him the question "How much
did the timeshare people pay the airport for that concession?'"
He said that he couldn't tell me that. So I said, "You
mean as the accountant, you don't know how much was
paid for that?" He said no, that he just couldn't
tell me. "So it's a secret?" I asked. "Si,
es un secreto," he said.
I have some time to dedicate to getting
that thing out of the airport. I would like to see all
OPCs out of the airport...but at the very least we need
to assure that visitors to PV don't have to run the
gauntlet of timeshare hawkers just to get to their pickup,
whether that be the tour rep’s or their relatives’
or friends’.
As the manager of a small guest house,
I consider this unfair to say the least. As a citizen
of Puerto Vallarta, I consider it to be abominable.
As an airport arrival, I consider it to be confusing
and an inconvenience.
So... what do I do next?
P. M.
Dear
Editor,
I had an experience last week I want
to share. I was on a southbound bus, midday, on the
access road in front of Mega. An ambulance was on the
main road, heading for the bridge where four lanes merge
into two. By the time my bus reached the bridge, the
ambulance was stuck and had turned off the lights and
siren. The thoughts going through my head were horrific
- I hope whoever was waiting for medical help survived.
When the roads were laid out, many
years ago, there were no buses, few people and fewer
cars. Not only is traffic causing critical levels of
pollution, but it's also endangering lives in a more
immediate way.
I know foreigners can't comment on
politics, so I'm hoping some of the community leaders
will start taking traffic seriously. Growth is good,
but no one seems to be concerned about solving the problems
that go along with expansion. Many foreigners count
good medical care as one reason to live here, and tourists
certainly take it into consideration when choosing a
place to vacation.
Anyone know why we still have brown
water every summer? I can't get an answer from the water
company and my neighbors all mumble something about
filters.
I lived in "Rain City"
(Seattle) for 40+ years and never had colored water.
It's 2003 - let's get this problem solved!
M.M.
Dear
Editor,
Gotta agree with PB in Aug. 3rd letter
to editor regarding "unfair treatment of Gringos"
I can speak for myself and many of my Gringo friends
that "PV shows a major dislike for us" which
is not a good thing.
We are not treated the same under
any of the Mexican laws regardless if we live here with
FM3 or FM5 status. The transito cops are the worse offenders
and many business owners go out of their way to make
sure we pay more. The "Power Company CFE"
is a good example, where is it in the Mexican law books
that Gringos have to subsidize poor Mexicans who can
not pay the electric bill? Why does it cost me $47.
dollars to have a simple lunch in Bucerias with my wife?
The price gouging of tourists and Gringos will catch
up to these business owners and tourism in general.
All anyone has to do is look at Cabo and see where PV
is headed.
So who can change this? Or is it
just always going to be this way? Mexico has a very
long road ahead of it and foreign investment is a vital
part to Mexico's future. "Why shoot yourself in
the foot when you still have a long walk to go down
the road?"
The local government is in sad shape
and needs some fresh new blood. "But stop shooting
yourself in the foot to get it!"
J.B.
Dear
Editor,
I agree with P.B. in this week's
"letter to editor".
My wife and I have invested over
1 million USD in land and 4 houses here in P.V. and
after being here 3 full years I am ready to sell it
all and take my money elsewhere.
When we moved here in 1999 we had
dreams and visions for a perfect retirement plan, we
have employed countless Mexican workers to construct
our projects and have paid our fair share of taxes.
But in looking back over the past 3 years I am saddened
by the lack of fairness towards Americans.
I am in the process of selling all
my properties and getting the heck out of here. I can
no longer put up with this lack of common sense. I have
been victimized by the police, businesses and Pemex
way too many times. At first I just went along with
the saying "this is Mexico" but can't any
longer.
It is sad to see PV decline and just
when you think someone is "getting it" they
prove you wrong again. The city government is a "joke"
and the right arm doesn't have a clue what the left
is doing. The walking bridge is a prime example. The
bus and taxi companies run the city and to prove my
point when was the last time a cabbie was held liable
for an accident. All I can do is watch as PV becomes
a place "Tourists" don't want to come to anymore.
So I selling and getting while the
getting is good. Thanks.
R.M.
Dear
Editor,
There are lots of tips for people
who are visiting Puerto Vallarta, but not many for those
who are moving there.
Any advice (or contacts for advice)
you have will be appreciated.
Thanks!
Rob and Sherry
Dear Rob and Sherry,
The best we can suggest is that
you read the letters written by other readers, the local
news and the Real Estate section either in the Tribune
or in the archives of www.pvmirror.com.
That should give you a balanced
view of this place we have chosen to call home.
The Ed.
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