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What do Ireland and Mexico have in common? Let me count the ways.
Well , first of all, we can go back to relatively recent history, the Mexican-American War that began in 1846. Students of international conflicts might remember that during this 'dust-up', several Irish immigrants who began the conflict fighting on the side of the Americans switched their allegiance to the underdog mexicanosand formed the Saint Patrick (or, en espanol, San Patricio) Battalion.When Mexico accepted defeat in 1848, several dozen of the defectors were caught by U.S. forces and were hung as traitors. However, in Mexico, to this day, the sons of Ireland who were executed continue to be honored as heroes.In addition, many modern day south-of the-border icons are of Irish ancestry. Alvaro Obregon (originally O'Brien) was President of The Republic from 1920-24, Academy Award winning actor Anthony Quinn was the son of a Mexican father and Irish mother, and, close to home, the Ireland born-and-bred Crosthwaite clan are one of the founding families of Baja California's Rosarito area.
How about other commonalities? Going way back we can look at the religious faith...Catholicism...that both countries share as well as a common enemy most of the time...la Francaise. But perhaps the most unusual congruity of them all is in the field of the terpsichorean arts. When Sandra Dibble of the San Diego Union Tribune dabbled on the shared roots in her 2011 article entitled "Irish Dancers from Tijuana?', she was barely scratching the surface of what has become a worldwide phenomenon.
As she pointed out, "Tijuana is one of the few places in Mexico where Irish step dancing is taught and performed. Fernando Lopez Maldonado, director of the city's elite public high school Prepa Federal Lazaro Cardenas dance program, pointed out that he began teaching the steps back in 2002 after watching a traveling troupe perform Irish maestro Michael Flatley's 'Lord of The Dance' show."
Dibble opened the door to more research on the subject when she briefly mentioned that " the Irish step dances are somewhat reminiscent of the Mexican zapateado style popular in the southern state of Veracruz."
That research uncovered a lot more than a passing similarity.
Dan Haren and Ann Richens, who ran a Columbus, Ohio based Irish Dance Academy, were indefatigable researchers who traced the roots of their native country's contributions to a variety of dances first performed in the mid-1500s. "These included the Rinnee Fada or Fading, where two lines with partners faced each other. The dances had a fast tempo and included side steps." Fast forward 200 years to when "a major influence on Irish dance and culture was the advent of the traveling Dance Masters. Sometimes the itinerant teachers had to tie a rope around a student's leg to distinguish right foot from left. Having an eminent dance master associated with a village was a cause for pride and boasting by the community."
"Each dance master had a repertoire of dance steps and he created new steps over time. By the way, eight measures or bars of music were called a 'step, hence the term 'step dancing."
"Dance Masters created the first schools of dancing; villagers paid the dance masters and the accompanying musicians from the proceeds collected at a 'benefit night' held to present the new artistic creations. Apparently the level of the pay for the instructors was relatively high for the country as it included room and board."
At approximately the same historical period, a combination of music and dance that had started in Spain (where it originated as flamenco and fandango) found its way to the Mexican state of Veracruz during the colonial period where it was called jarocho or zapateado. It was an amalgam of Spanish baroque music played by musicians accompanied by rhythmically talented dancers stamping out the rhythms (often with two lines of performers facing each other on raised platforms called tarimas).
The Mexican National Folk Dance, derived from this style, is called the Jarabe Tapatio. The late great ethnomusicologist Francis Toor tells us that back in the 1920's "...it was danced by rancheros and their partners....and it was gay and it was fiery. In many instances a wooden platform was placed over an excavated area or over buried jars to produce a resonance. The dance sometimes lasted for hours."
Now we can compare 'Lord of The Dance' choreography (the pinnacle of Irish step dancing) with Mexico'sbaile folklorico zapateado/jarocho and the similarities are striking. In fact, as writer Agustin Gurza of The Los Angeles Times told us in 2006 "...British born dance director Richard O'Neal gave up his job as assistant director of Michael Flatley's international production company of 'Riverdance' and attempted to launch a Mexican version of the show to be based on the rousing, foot-stomping dance style known as son jarocho, native to the southern state of Veracruz. The invitation had come from a powerful, highly placed fan of 'Riverdance," (then) Veracruz Governor Miguel Aleman Velasco."
Can an amalgam of the two country's dance heritages succeed? The jury is still out on the experiment, but on February 28th you can see extremely talented young Mexican dancers perform Irish choreography interpreted by a local, brilliant and talented dance master; by the way, you can do this without traveling to the ends of the earth and having to pay a king's ransom.
Check out the recently created Facebook event page titled 'International Triple Treat Benefit Concert' and find out how you can support a worthy cause while being marvelously entertained by not only the aforementioned Danza Irlandesa, but by the celebrated Blue Agave, under the Musical Direction of the internationally acclaimed Andy Abad, and the Latin Grammy-nominated Trio Ellas. It all takes place at the Rosarito Beach Hotel's historic Salon Mexicano. Packages including event tickets and two nights at the iconic oceanfront hostelry are available and...while they last...affordable. Doors open at 6:00 PM and the show starts promptly at 7:00 PM.
Please contact the Boys and Girls Club of Rosarito's President, Rosy M Torres, for all the details at:rosymtorres@hotmail.com or (661) 850-1773 and find out how you can enjoy a very special evening spent celebrating similarities.
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< p>If you're thinking about buying property in Baja, you shouldn't do so without checking out a few different areas in person. There are some phenomenal deals out there for Ensenada homes, Rosarito real estate and other options, but you shouldn't just rely on photos and descriptions alone. To drive to Baja safely, you should always arm yourself with high-quality Mexican insurance. If you think that buying a Mexican car insurance policy is difficult, think again. The trick is to buy what you need online, and you should take the time to find a reliable Mexican insurance provider.
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< p>If you're going to drive into Mexico regularly to check out Playas de Tijuana homes and other properties, you might get tired of having to buy a new policy every time. One way to get around this is by purchasing weekly or yearly insurance instead. As an added bonus, you will enjoy a lower daily rate when you buy a Mexican car insurance policyfor 6 months or annually. If you end up buying a house in Baja, you might want to maintain yearly Mexican insurance so that you can drive to and from your home whenever you'd like.
Get Great Deals on Car Insurance for Mexico
Tips for Checking Out Real Estate in BajaThe best way to pay less for Mexican car insurance is by ordering it online from Mexican Insurance Store.com. The first step is to get a free online quote. You will then be presented with a few different options. Just select the one you want and proceed through the checkout process. You will need to provide a valid credit card to complete your purchase. Once that's done, you'll be able to print a copy of your policy. With the right coverage, you'll be able to drive legally while checking out properties down in Baja, which will make it easier to find the home of your dreams.
www.bajainvestment.com
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The Mexican president who fought the drug war leaves behind a growing economy and says the U.S. should consider 'market alternatives.'
By BRET STEPHENS | New York
Felipe Calderón arrives 15 minutes early for his meeting with the editors of The Wall Street Journal, as if he wants to put to rest the old stereotype about his countrymen living on "Mexican time." It isn't the only stereotype the Mexican president means to bury as he wraps up his six consequential (and term-limited) years in office. Consider a few examples:
• Labor-force skills: "There are 113,000 new engineers graduating in Mexico every single year, which means more engineers in Mexico graduating than in Germany or Canada or Brazil," he says in serviceable English. "And if you establish some kind of rate of engineers per 100,000 people, it's almost twice the American rate."
Lest readers assume these are somehow second-rate engineers, the president notes that "Mexican engineers are designing the new engine for GE—the engine for Airbus 380" jumbo jet, and that Mexico will soon begin to manufacture planes for Canada's Bombardier and helicopters for Eurocopter. "We are investing in people," Mr. Calderón says. "China has a lot of engineers, I know, but we are not looking for cheap labor. . . . I am looking for talent factors."
• Immigration: "The net rate of migration of Mexican workers toward the United States," the president notes, "became zero in 2010 and it repeated zero in 2011 and probably it will be zero or less than zero this year."
Numbers from the Pew Research Center back Mr. Calderón's point, showing that annual Mexican immigration to the U.S. peaked around a decade ago at 770,000 and dropped to 140,000 in 2010—while 1.4 million Mexicans living in the U.S. returned to Mexico between 2005 and 2010, the vast majority of them voluntarily.
• Economy: Mr. Calderón cites a number of reasons that explain the drop in Mexican migration to the U.S., including the lousy American economy, the efforts of U.S. border agencies and the threat criminal gangs increasingly pose to migrant workers.
"But let me go to the good reasons," he quickly adds, citing 13 consecutive quarters of economic growth and job creation that clocked in at 700,000 "formal sector" jobs last year and will likely match that number this year. Since the financial crisis hit in mid-2009, Mexico's unemployment rate has declined to just under 5%, while U.S. unemployment remains stubbornly above 8%. Mexico also exports $1 billion of goods a day.
• Border security: Americans are familiar with the name Brian Terry, the U.S. border agent killed in Arizona in 2010 by Mexican criminals using guns obtained through the "Fast and Furious" program.
Then again, how many Americans have heard of Guillermo Arévalo Pedroza? He was killed earlier this month by a bullet fired from a U.S. Border Patrol boat while picnicking with his wife and two young girls on the south side of the Rio Grande, near Laredo, Texas. "Nothing happened in the legal institutions of this country," Mr. Calderón says with evident restraint, noting that another 14 Mexicans have been killed in roughly similar ways this year alone. "This father was not trying to cross the border, he was trying to pass a good day with his kids."
***
These stories and statistics belie the common image of Mexico as an almost-failed state whose chronic instability is spilling over to the U.S. side of the border. They are of a piece with Mr. Calderón himself, who as president has proved a very different figure from the somewhat colorless, Harvard-educated technocrat he seemed to be when, at age 44, he eked out a razor-thin victory over the populist Mexico City mayor Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) in the 2006 presidential election.
At the time of his election, Mr. Calderón's biggest challenge seemed merely to establish his constitutional authority, which AMLO refused to recognize by naming himself the "legitimate president" and trying to bring Mexico City to a standstill through a series of mass rallies. But Mr. Calderón had the sense to let those rallies burn themselves out. Instead, within days of taking office he mobilized the Mexican military for an all-out war against the drug cartels.
Since then, some 55,000 Mexicans have been killed, most of them members of rival cartels but also some 1,000 children, close to 100 mayors and dozens of reporters. In 2011 the estimated death toll came to more than 16,000—the bloodiest year of the war to date. How does Mr. Calderón assess the success of the war so far?
"When I took office," he says, "I could see twin processes. On the one side you could see the [law enforcement] agencies, mainly the police corps, absolutely penetrated by corruption and in a very dangerous weakening process. And, on the other side, empowerment of criminal organizations. . . . Today we have the trends the other way around."
As evidence, the president points to increased infighting within the cartels, as well as a drop in the rate of homicides between last year and this. But he's very far from claiming victory. Mexican commandos have killed or arrested one drug lord after another—this week came news that Zetas kingpin Ivan Velazquez Caballero (nicknamed "El Taliban") had been nabbed in the city of San Luis Potosí—without yet turning a definite corner in the war. Efforts to improve the caliber and integrity of Mexico's federal police forces have also had mixed results, despite training assistance from Canadian Mounties and even the Israeli Mossad.
Mr. Calderón cites a number of obstacles, one of them being constraints that Mexico's federalist system puts on his presidential powers. "The director of the national police of Colombia could remove any single officer," he says, pointing to a country often compared with Mexico. "However, if I, as president, see there is a cop in the corner getting bribes, if I do not have enough judicial evidence, I do not have the capability to remove him."
The larger problem is the flow of money going from the wallets of (primarily American) drug users to the safe boxes of the drug lords. "As long as we are not able to stop the flow of money to the criminals," he says, "this narco business will be a never-ending story."
So does that mean Mr. Calderón advocates drug legalization? "This society," he says, referring to America, "has the responsibility . . . to explore all the alternatives, including the market alternatives, in order to reduce the amazing amount of money coming from the black market in drugs."
Warming to the theme, the president observes that "the traditional answer about the flow of money toward the criminals is to reduce consumption. Frankly speaking, is there any chance that consumption is going to be reduced in this society in significant terms? I know that there are some figures that cocaine consumption is reducing but clearly being substituted by methamphetamines consumption."
Which brings him to his conclusion: "If the price goes up [thanks largely to interdiction efforts] and the demand is the same, you will increase profits so you are creating more incentives for participants in the market. And it's clearly a textbook case of an unstable economic system in which the more successful you are, the more criminals you are creating."
The war on drugs, in other words, ineluctably breeds its own enemies. Milton Friedman would have agreed.
***
Perhaps it's ironic that the man who has waged that war more fiercely than any of his predecessors would reach this conclusion. But Mr. Calderón is at pains to stress that the war against the cartels isn't ultimately about drugs at all. It's about what he calls the "difficult and painful effort to make Mexico a rule of law state." Drug profits may be turbocharging the cartels. But barring unlikely changes in U.S. law, Mr. Calderón and his successors will have to deal with the hand they're dealt.
That means improving the effectiveness of legal institutions, broadening the avenues of educational and economic opportunity, taking better advantage of Mexico's chronically mismanaged energy resources (including potentially vast deposits of shale gas) and securing the monetary foundations of a country that has suffered too often from devastating peso devaluations. On that last point, he strikes a skeptical note about the current fashion of trying to stimulate the economy through measures like the U.S. Federal Reserve's rounds of quantitative easing:
"The paradox is that with a monetary measure [taken] in order to expand the economy, you are provoking some kind of increase in [the price] of commodities. So you are getting a recessionary measure." Hear that, Ben Bernanke?
Finally, there is the question of the future of Mexico's democracy. Mr. Calderón is the son of the co-founder of the National Action Party, or PAN, which 12 years ago broke the 70-year grip on the presidency by the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI. But the PRI was the big winner—and the PAN the big loser—in July's election, and it's an open question whether the PRI of the future will pick up Mr. Calderón's reformist agenda, or return to its antediluvian past.
The outgoing president of Mexico can only watch and hope: "Mexico needs a lot of work to do," he says, sounding wistful. "We are in the middle of the rebirth."
Mr. Stephens writes Global View, the Journal's foreign-affairs column.
A version of this article appeared September 29, 2012, on page A15 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: The Paradoxes of Felipe Calderón.
www.bajainvestment.com
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This event regularly sells out each year and has raised over $45,000 usd
for this fantastic charity. This years event will be the best ever so sign up
now! We will have some of Baja's best wines featured on 9 of the holes and
every hole will have something going on. W ith the return of our title sponsor,
Oceans Flavor, we are lining up a spectacular time for all. We are expecting a
big turnout at the Champions Diner Gala Event. Live music and dancing will cap
off this eventing and make this the most sucessfull event yet!
EVENT INFORMATION
General
This years event is Co-hosted by the Baja Country Club & the Estero
Beach Hotel in support of the Baja Scholarship Foundation. it is a celabration
of all of some of the best that Baja has to offer including; Country Club Golf,
artisanal wine and a Beachfront after party.
Pre-Game
Check-in and breakfast at the Estero Beach Hotel 7:45am to 9:45am
Shuttle to course begins 8:00
Range opens at 8:00am
Coffee and morning refreshments at the course
Putting contest, long drive, givaways
Game-Format
Shotgun start at 10:00am
Two Person Scramble (best shot from all players on each play)
Two 2 person teams start on each hole and score each other
Modified Handicapping (every level has a chance to win!)
One drive from each player per side must be used
Longest Drive, Closest to the pin, longest put, hole in one, magic
raffle... games, prizes or events on each hole. Givaways all over the course!
Refreshment
Wine tasting, Craft Beer, Water
Culinary pairings from some of the areas best restaurants
On course Tequilla tasing & Cigars
Beer, water, soda on every other hole
Lunch at the turn
Post-Game
$100K playoff!
Shuttles start back to the Beach (Estero Beach Hotel)
Cocktail Hour on the BEACH with raffles, games, silent auction
Baja Beach Buffet Champions Dinner with awards, prizes, MAGIC RAFFLE
DRAWING and live Auction
Music & Dancing
EVERYTHING IS INCLUDED
Registration fee $85
Register befor September 26th to Qualify for one year of FREE GOLF!!!
For information contact: email info@bajacharitygolf.com phone: 1 (800)
820-3183
www.bajainvestment.com
RE/MAX Baja Realty
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Written by
9:38 p.m., June 18, 2012
TIJUANA — Robert Redford, the actor and director, has been in Baja California this month filming a new movie at the Baja Film Studios in Rosarito Beach.
Written and directed by J.C. Chandor, “All is Lost” tells the story of a man fighting for survival while adrift at sea.
The 75-year-old actor took a break from filming Saturday for a guided visit through Tijuana’s Cultural Center (Cecut) in the city’s Río Zone, together with his wife, the German artist Sibylle Szaggars.
The couple stopped by an exhibit of of Baja California artist Angel Valráin the center’s El Cubo gallery, and visited the Cineteca movie theatre, according to a news release. Redford told his hosts that he used to visit Tijuana as a teenager to attend bullfights.
For dinner, the actor and his wife dropped in at Mision 19, the restaurant owned by chef Javier Plascencia that has been the focus of much U.S. media attention in recent months.
www.bajainvestment.com
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laya del Carmén.- La estrella de cine estadounidense Robert Redford anunció este jueves que rodará este año una película en México cuyo protagonista es un náufrago y sobre la que evitó dar más detalles.
"No habrá muchas palabras en esta película, pero prometo que es (un proyecto) muy atractivo", dijo el septuagenario actor, que fue invitado especial de una reunión de empresarios del sector turístico en un hotel de la zona de playas llamada Riviera Maya, cerca del puerto de Playa del Carmen, en el Caribe mexicano.
Redford explicó ante los empresarios cómo las inversiones en proyectos pequeños pero atractivos producen buenos resultados, como lo ha hecho con el festival de cine independiente de Sundance, que este intérprete ganador del Oscar y del Globo de Oro creó en 1980.
Hemos demostrado que el hacer buenas películas no necesariamente requiere de grandes inversiones. El equilibrio entre el presupuesto y la energía creativa es una buena simbiosis", dijo Redford, quien fue precedido en el evento por el multimillonario mexicano Carlos Slim.
"Películas como 'Gente común' o 'El candidato', en las que gastamos menos de 2.5 millones de dólares, tuvieron una extraordinaria acogida", recordó en alusión a dos de sus filmes.
Redford subrayó que el hecho de que vuelva a filmar en México es simplemente la confirmación de la buena relación que ha mantenido con América Latina.
"Una relación que comenzó en los años sesenta cuando nos trasladamos a Cuernavaca y Taxco en México para rodar un filme que transcurría supuestamente en Bogotá", agregó.
Redford instó a los empresarios del turismo a mantener estrategias para sus negocios que respeten el medio ambiente y eviten los efectos del cambio climático. "Este planeta es el real y único legado que podemos dejarle a nuestros hijos", enfatizó.
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Rosarito Baja California Playas de Rosarito Vacaciones Descubre Baja California
Gastronomia, Galerias de Arte, Playa, Estudios de Cine, Compras, Langosta Estilo Puerto Nuevo,
www.bajainvestment.com
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JERUSALEN, ISRAEL, A 21 DE MARZO DE 2012.-Baja California fortalecerá su relación comercial con Israel con el fin de posicionar productos locales en el mercado mundial y así crear más y mejores empleos para los bajacalifornianos.
Durante el cuarto día de trabajo, el Gobernador del Estado, José Guadalupe Osuna Millán y Shalom SimHon, Ministro del Comercio, Trabajo e Industria del Gobierno israelí sostuvieron una reunión de trabajo para estrechar las relaciones en materia de comercio con el fin de buscar beneficios mutuos.
El mandatario estatal señaló que actualmente existe una relación comercial en los temas de seguridad e irrigación y durante esta gira se ha visualizado la apertura al tema de la reutilización del agua, en donde Israel tiene ya una gran experiencia, por ello invitó al funcionario israelí a seguir buscando mayores oportunidades de intercambio comercial.
El Gobernador Osuna Millán, mencionó que tan sólo en el tema de irrigación, Baja California supera a Israel en cultivos plantados bajo invernadero con 600 hectáreas sembradas, en las cuales se ha implementado la tecnología desarrollada por israelitas.
Por su parte el ministro del Gobierno de Israel, hizo énfasis en el interés del Gobierno de su país, en apoyar a naciones con posibles problemas hídricos, transfiriendo tecnologías que les permitan una mayor productividad en pequeñas áreas de cultivo.
Ante la presencia de Federico Salas, Embajador de México en Israel, el titular del ejecutivo estatal, así como el ministro israelí, reconocieron que empresas bajacalifornianas han trabajado de manera conjunta a compañías israelitas por más de 18 años, por ello la importancia a seguir buscando nuevos mercados entre estas dos entidades, para hacer crecer esta relación económica.
Es por ello que se logró el acuerdo entre el Gobernador, el Ministro y el Embajador de preparar una presentación de productos enológicos y gastronómicos de Baja California en suelo israelí en el corto plazo, en donde posibles clientes conozcan la calidad de los productos que se generan en el Estado y así dar una apertura a estos en dicho país.
Durante esta reunión también acompañaron al Gobernador: Antonio Rodríguez Hernández, Secretario de Fomento Agropecuario; Alejandro Mungaray Lagarda, Secretario de Desarrollo Económico; Renato Sandoval Franco, Secretario del Trabajo y Previsión Social y AviIvanir, Gerente Zona Baja California de Netafim.
www.bajainvestment.com
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Playas de Rosarito, B.C. a Martes 20 de Diciembre de 2011.
En Playas de Rosarito se esta volviendo a integrar el COMITÉ CIUDADANO DE ATENCIÒN AL TURISTA!
Estamos muy contentos, ya que esto siempre ha ayudado bastante a conservar la tranquilidad en los turistas, asi como asisitencia en casi cualquier situacion.
La reunion para formar dicho comite, el cual llego a tener hasta 400 miembros, todos de la localidad, sera este 26 de enero, a las 9am en el Salon Las Americas del Hotel Rosarito.
El comite ha sido integrado por residentes rosaritences tanto nacionales como extranajeros, ya que tenemos una gran poblacion, de alrededor de un 15% de la poblacion total, que son extranjeros. En su mayoria del vecino pais de Estados Unidos, pero tambien tenemos canadienses, guatemaltecos, holandeses, noruegos, chinos y mucho mas.
Se les invita a todos los que nos acompanen el 26 de enero, 2012
Gustavo Torres
RE/MAX Baja Realty
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Bellow is a very interesting article written by Mr. Richard Marossi for the Associtated Press, published in the Los Angeles Times last week. The most interesting part is that, Mr. Marosi is mostly very critical on Mexico and Baja California... in my personal opinion. Please read it, as I am sure that you will find it very informative. Also, just FYI, Baja Studios, which is located in Rosarito Beach, Baja, about three miles south of downtown, is looking and talking into receiving a few more very important movie productions in the coming months, with great and amazing movie stars... Great for Baja residents and Baja real estate. I will keep you all posted here!
Read on...
Baja wants the movie spotlight again
A 35-acre studio complex was thriving until drug-related violence and tough competition interfered. Now, with 'Little Boy,' it's trying for a comback
 A huge replica of the Titanic, shown in 1997, was built at Baja Studios for the filming of the blockbuster movie about the doomed liner. The studio was all but shut down over fears of drug wars and fierce competition. (Los Angeles Times / January 13, 1997) |
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Reporting from Rosarito Beach, Mexico—
Hollywood made a big splash here when it sank the movie replica of the "Titanic" in an enormous water tank built specifically for the cinematic spectacle. The films "Master and Commander" and "Pearl Harbor" followed, with the cannon shots and explosions from those productions rattling high-rise condos and palapa bars up and down the craggy Baja California coast.
But fears of drug wars and incentives from rival production facilities all but shut down film-making at Baja Studios, a 35-acre facility on a bluff overlooking the Pacific. Also closed was the Titanic-inspired theme park, which once drew thousands to gawk at the mementos from Hollywood's second-biggest box office film of all time.
Now, movie fever may be building again. Cameras began rolling this summer on the first feature filmed in years at the studio. The movie, "Little Boy," a
World War II-era film set in a Northern California fishing town, drew Academy Award-nominated actors, put local movie crews to work and signaled the studio's ability to still lure major productions south of the border.
Casting the film was a challenge as some actors shied away because they feared local crime, said Eduardo Verastegui, "Little Boy's" executive producer. But the 12-week shoot went off without a hitch for a cast that eventually included
Kevin James,
Tom Wilkinson and Emily Watson.
"They lived there for a while and were having a great time, and loving the people," Verastegui said. "It's an amazing studio … and you save a lot of money at the same time."
Built in 1996 by
20th Century Fox, Baja Studios has four sound stages and outdoor water tanks that are among the biggest in the world. Other pluses: Local film crews are cheaper than their Hollywood counterparts and the studio's location just south of Rosarito Beach is a few hours' drive from Southern California. The trip is even shorter for people using the facility's heliport.
Over the years, all or part of about nine films were produced there. In 2005, one of the stages hosted rehearsals for the rock group U2 ahead of the band's Vertigo world tour. In 2007, 20th Century Fox sold the studio to a group of local investors who hoped to make it a job growth engine in the region.
But in 2008, during pre-production work for the "Chronicles of Narnia:
Prince Caspian,"
Mexico's drug war flared in Rosarito Beach. Seven cops were killed in one month, and the studio moved the production to New Zealand.
Security concerns were only part of the reason for the switch, according to Kurt Honold, a Tijuana-based businessman who is part of an investors' group that owns the studio. With facilities elsewhere offering aggressive incentive packages, Baja Studios, as well as the broader Mexican film industry, had lost its competitive edge, he said.
The Mexican government responded by establishing incentive packages offering up to 17.5% cash rebates and tax breaks for the costs of movies shot in Mexico. President
Felipe Calderon announced the incentives program at the studio in March 2010, saying he wanted Mexico to become "Latin America's movie capital."
U.S. and international locales continue rolling out ever-more enticing incentive packages, so Mexico's ability to attract film shoots faces serious challenges. Some observers say that Mexico's incentives still don't match other regions' aggressive offerings. And negative perceptions about drug violence persist, even though crime in Baja California has declined significantly in the last two years.
Mexican investors and government officials are hoping that the studio's track record for turning out blockbusters will provide an edge. With a deep pool of local film crew professionals, many of whom have worked in Hollywood, the studio is a "turn-key solution," said Ricardo Alvarez, the head of innovation at Pro Mex, the government agency that promotes the film industry.
"We have the people, we have the resources, we have the facilities and we have the supply chain," he said. "It's one of the advantages of being so close to Hollywood. Lots of our talent has experience working in Hollywood productions. That is really helpful. It allows you to solidify your credentials."
For Rosarito Beach, the movie dollars and big-spending studio executives and stars nourish all levels of an economy struggling from a collapse in tourism. During film shoots, actors and production crews fill dozens of hotel rooms and oceanfront homes. Residents still remember the sight of
Russell Crowe jogging from his hotel to the studio every morning, and photos of
Leonardo DiCaprio line the walls at a nearby Marriott Hotel.
For years, eateries offering Titanic-themed burgers and seafood did brisk business, and hundreds of extras would be shuttled from downtown Rosarito Beach. Honold said everyone from hotel maids to highly skilled camera technicians benefit from a film production, as well as businesses across the border in San Diego, where people often make big-item purchases like cars.
"For every penny spent in Mexico, 50% goes back to the U.S.," Honold said.
Little Boy's production provided a taste of past windfalls, pumping about $14 million into the local economy, according to Honold. Crews constructed a
Norman Rockwell-esque town overlooking the ocean and long-vacant production offices and dressing rooms — one still bearing the name of
Peter Weir, the director of "Master and Commander" — were once again buzzing with activity.
Verastegui, the executive producer, said filming in Baja California sliced 50% off the budget, without sacrificing quality. Some cast members agreed. "I think that if people knew about this facility — that it's this good, with people around here that are this competent — they'd be flocking down here in droves," Wilkinson, the actor, said in an interview with filmmakers.
richard.marosi@latimes.com
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TIJUANA.- Jueves 27 de Octubre de 2011.- En su edición del 25 aniversario, del 17 al 21 de Noviembre se llevará a cabo la tradicional caminata “Travesía Baja 100”, la cual consiste en atravesar a lo ancho la península de Baja California, caminando desde la Playa Altamira, situada en el Pacífico, hasta Bahía de los Ángeles en el Mar de Cortez, al sur de la entidad.
El recorrido a realizar a pie es de aproximadamente 110 kilómetros en un plazo de tres días de jornada, iniciando a primera hora del viernes 18 de Noviembre para concluir la caminata el día domingo 20 de Noviembre, hasta mojarse en las aguas del Mar de Cortés.
Salvador León, organizador de “Travesía Baja 100”, informó que se trata de un evento en el que se propicia el deporte, la amistad, el acercamiento a lo elemental y a la naturaleza; una actividad de gran formación y un reto personal.
“Al final de la jornada diaria se integran todos los grupos en un gran campamento donde se propicia la convivencia y la interrelación de todos los participantes. El espíritu del evento es el de aventura: no es una competencia sino una actividad en la que todos somos ganadores”, dijo.
Como parte de los atractivos de este evento indicó que al final del primer día se acampará junto a la Misión de San Borja, que es uno de los sitios misionales mejor conservados de la península de Baja California.
Asimismo los caminantes y las personas que participen como apoyo cruzarán el Gran Desierto de la Zona Central y pasarán por un costado de las Pinturas Rupestres de Montevideo, así como por valles con inigualables paisajes llenos de cardones y cirios, así como otras especies de plantas endémicas.
Para esta edición se espera la participación de 150 caminantes, provenientes de diferentes localidades del estado, así como del Distrito Federal y otros estados del interior del país, quienes serán acompañados por familiares y amigos como parte del personal de apoyo, lo cual se traducirá en una buena derrama económica para el poblado de Bahía de Los Ángeles, Baja California.
Agregó que por la naturaleza de este reto se requiere de buena salud y excelente condición física para estar en posibilidades de concluir la Travesía y disfrutar al máximo de esta aventura, además de que cada equipo participante debe ser totalmente autosuficiente en lo que respecta a víveres, agua, tiendas de campaña y equipo de transporte.
Finalmente mencionó que en caso de que alguien se interese en registrarse para participar en este evento, lo pueden hacer hasta el próximo lunes 31 de Octubre, para lo cual solicitó ponerse en contacto a través del sitio de facebook.com/travesiaBaja100, o bien enviando un correo electrónico a travesiabaja100@gmail.com.
www.bajainvestment.com
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La Secretaria de Turismo del Gobierno Federal, Gloria Guevara Manzo, realizó una gira de trabajo en Los Ángeles, California, con el propósito de promover la afluencia turística hacia los diferentes destinos de México, incluyendo Baja California.
En el marco de esta gira promocional, la Secretaria de Turismo Federal acompañada del Secretario de Turismo del Estado de Baja California, Juan Tintos Funcke, desarrolló una intensa agenda de trabajo y atendió reuniones y entrevistas con destacados medios de comunicación norteamericanos, tanto anglosajones como hispanos, así como con representantes de agencias informativas. Es así como se llevó a cabo una reunión con el Consejo Editorial del prestigiado diario Los Ángeles Times y posteriormente se sostuvieron entrevistas con las cadenas televisivas Univisión, Telemundo y Azteca América, así como con la agencia Notimex.
En esa misma ciudad, la titular de la Secretaría de Turismo del Gobierno Federal encabezó una presentación ante más de 300 agentes de viajes, operadores de tours, empresarios y líderes de opinión, en la que resaltó los avances que hay en materia turística en nuestro país y la importancia de la relación con el mercado de Estados Unidos, en este caso con el del Sur de California, apoyada con estadística, proyectos y programas que se están desarrollando para impulsar la actividad turística.
Durante la presentación se incluyeron testimoniales y ejemplos de visitas de personalidades reconocidas mundialmente, así como la realización de eventos internacionales en México que estarán contribuyendo a mejorar la imagen y percepción de nuestro país y de Baja California para que vengan más turistas.
“Le propusimos a la Secretaria de Turismo unos meses atrás el cambiar la estrategia en aspectos relacionados a cómo vender, cómo proyectar Baja California y es por ello que nos dio mucho gusto que por un lado al inicio de esta semana en Monterrey dio a conocer que el Turismo Médico y de Salud va a ser una prioridad para la Frontera Norte y por el otro la realización de esta gira por varias ciudades de Estados Unidos, en la que ha ido a presentarse ante consejos editoriales, grupos organizados, representantes de operadores de viajes, aerolíneas, organizaciones y autoridades, para llevar toda esa información que hacía falta y que vendrá a llenar ese vacío que se había generado”, mencionó el titular de la SECTURE.
Por otro lado el funcionario estatal destacó que fue altamente positivo que como parte de este esfuerzo se haya resaltado el estado de Baja California con aspectos como la realización de la película “Little Boy” en los estudios de cine de Playas de Rosarito y diversas locaciones; la importancia de la Ruta del Vino y la Celebración de Las Fiestas de la Vendimia; la próxima inversión del renombrado golfista Tiger Woods; la distinción que recibió Rancho La Puerta como el Spa número uno en el mundo; la visita de los actores Dolph Lundgren y Silvester Stallone, entre otras cosas que están contribuyendo a mejorar la percepción de Baja California y de México.
En la mencionada presentación que se realizó en Los Ángeles, California, se conto con la presencia de empresarios turísticos de Baja California como fue el caso de Daniel Torres Ramírez, Vocal Ejecutivo del Fideicomiso Público de Promoción Turística de Playas de Rosarito; Jean Loup Bitterlin Jeffroy, Presidente de la Asociación de Hoteles y Moteles de Ensenada, así como Roberto Arjona, Director General de Rancho La Puerta, entre otros.
Finalmente el titular de la SECTURE reconoció el gran apoyo que está dando para Baja California la Secretaria de Turismo, Gloria Guevara Manzo, y el Gobernador del Estado, José Guadalupe Osuna Millán, para poder realizar este tipo de giras y acciones, toda vez que es muy importante que se mantenga la constancia y la presencia de Baja California, así como que no baje la intensidad de la promoción.
“Razón por la cual dentro de 15 días, la Secretaría de Turismo del Estado, en coordinación con los Fideicomisos de Promoción Turística y los Comités de Turismo y Convenciones de los diferentes municipios, estará llevando a cabo una presentación de Baja California en Los Ángeles, con el apoyo del Consejo de Promoción Turística de México, a través de su oficina en esa ciudad del estado de California”, concluyó.
www.bajainvestment.com
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La medida sólo se refiere a depósitos de dólares en efectivo en los bancos.
Los Bancos seguirán vendiendo a sus clientes dólares en efectivo, sin ninguna restricción.
Todas las transacciones de dólares realizadas por medios electrónicos seguirán operando sin ninguna modificación.
Las nuevas medidas anunciadas por la SHCP no afectarán las actividades lícitas
La Banca incrementará su infraestructura de servicio para cambio de divisas, particularmente en centros turísticos, puertos, aeropuertos y zonas fronterizas.
La Asociación de bancos de México (ABM) y las instituciones bancarias que la conforman manifiestan que aplicarán las medidas anunciadas hoy por la autoridad sobre los límites para operaciones con dólares en efectivo y expresan su convicción de que estas acciones no afectarán la actividad económica lícita y, por el contrario, fortalecerán los procesos de prevención de lavado de dinero que la Banca aplica desde hace más de diez años.
La ABM aclaró que estas medidas no implicarán una restricción en la adquisición de dólares en efectivo por parte de sus clientes, toda vez que dicha divisa podrá ser adquirida sin limitación alguna en las instituciones de crédito o casas de cambio.
Asimismo detalló que las transacciones en dólares realizadas por medios electrónicos o con documentos no tendrán ningún cambio y seguirán realizándose con la misma mecánica operativa con que funcionan hasta ahora.
Sin embargo, según el anuncio realizado el día de hoy por la SHCP, para la compra de dólares en efectivo a clientes, usuarios y turistas extranjeros, la banca deberá observar los siguientes límites:
Clientes persona moral hasta US$7,000 por mes, en zonas turísticas y fronterizas.
Clientes persona física, hasta US$ 4,000 por mes, en toda la red de sucursales
Usuarios (no turistas), hasta US$ 300 por día y hasta US$ 1,500.00 por mes, con cobertura suficiente en todo el país.
Turistas extranjeros, hasta US$1,500.00 al mes, cobertura toda la red de sucursales.
Es de resaltar que estas disposiciones no afectarán a los clientes y usuarios de las instituciones bancarias, en virtud de que el monto total de las operaciones en dólares en efectivo representan el 0.6% del total del mercado cambiario, no afectará a los beneficiarios de remesas, porque el 96% son electrónicas y son pagadas en pesos. Sólo el 2% de la facturación del sector turismo se realiza con dólares en efectivo.
Por otro lado, la cantidad de sucursales, cajeros automáticos y terminales punto de venta que brindan servicio a clientes, usuarios y turistas extranjeros es suficiente para realizar el cambio de dólares por pesos en todo el territorio nacional.
Cabe destacar que en los últimos cinco años la infraestructura bancaria ha observado importantes crecimientos:
Número de Sucursales Bancarias: 43%
Número de Cajeros Automáticos: 70%
Número de TPVs: 178%
Sin embargo, ante un incremento eventual en la demanda la Banca se compromete a incrementar su infraestructura en todo el país, particularmente en centros turísticos, puertos, aeropuertos y zonas fronterizas. De esta manera, se compromete a implantar las siguientes acciones:
Disponibilidad en 3,740 sucursales para brindar el servicio de cambio de divisas en efectivo.
Se instalarán más de 3 mil 550 Cajeros Automáticos adicionales a los cerca de 34 mil existentes privilegiando Puertos, Aeropuertos y Ciudades Fronterizas.
Toda la red de Cajeros Automáticos actuales se dotará de efectivo con mayor frecuencia para mantener la disponibilidad constante.
La Banca iniciará una campaña agresiva de afiliación para Terminales Punto de Venta especialmente en centros turísticos, puertos y gasolineras de la franja fronteriza.
Incentivos para contratación de Terminales Punto de Venta: En particular para los comercios no afiliados aún, y que estén establecidos en los puntos de desembarque de cruceros, la banca ofrecerá incentivos para que instalen TPVs para recibir pagos con Tarjetas Bancarias:
Desde 10% de reducción en la tasa de descuento.
Terminal sin costo.
Cero penalización por baja transaccionalidad.
Estas condiciones se aplicarán durante tres meses como mínimo y a partir del 1º de julio.
La Asociación de Bancos de México consideró que estas medidas serán benéficas porque no afectarán la operación normal de los clientes y del sistema financiero en general, ya que se impulsarán la realización de operaciones por medios electrónicos, lo que a su vez fortalecerá la seguridad en las transacciones bancarias y la bancarización.
Finalmente, la Asociación de Bancos de México detalló que las instituciones bancarias han desarrollado e instrumentado desde hace varios años una serie de políticas y acciones que han facilitado el conocimiento del cliente y la identificación de este tipo de operaciones. Del mismo modo, la Banca ha cumplido a cabalidad el marco normativo establecido por la autoridad, al tiempo que ha trabajado de manera coordinada con asociaciones internacionales en la búsqueda de nuevos mecanismos para combatir con más eficacia el lavado de dinero.
Fuente: Asociación de Bancos de México
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Las Villas de Rosarito es una pequeña comunidad de 13 unidades, ubicadas a solo unos cuantos pasos de una de las playas más preciosas de Rosarito, y se localizan a solo 5 minutos al sur del Hotel Rosarito
Cada unidad cuenta con 2 recamaras, sala, comedor, cocina equipada con refrigerador y estufa listas para ser habitadas. Cuenta además con estacionamiento privado para cada Villa.
Desde el balcón se pueden apreciar vistas espectaculares del Oceano Pacifico y las Islas Coronado,
Las Villas de Rosarito están estratégicamente ubicadas, cerca de supermercados y tiendas de autoservicio y de vida nocturna de Playas de Rosarito.
Es el lugar ideal para que pases unas vacaciones inolvidables con tu familia y amigos, adquiere tu Villa y economiza en tus costos de estancia. Además de que es una oportunidad de inversión en un lugar con la más alta plusvalía!
Ven y disfruta todo lo que Playas de Rosarito tiene que ofrecerte en tu propia Villa en la playa.
Créditos FOVISSTE, COFINAVIT aceptados.
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