About 3,200 Mexican federal police have been fired since May for failing to do their work or being linked to corruption, Federal Police Commissioner Facundo Rosas said Monday. Of those, 465 have been charged with crimes. In addition, Rosas said at a news conference, another 1,020 officers face disciplinary proceedings for failing confidence exams. The probe started in mid-May, said Marco Tulio Lopez of the federal police internal affairs department.
“Investigations of our department began many months ago and this is the result,” federal police spokesman Ramon Salinas told CNN. Among the officers who were fired, Rosas said, were officials in Ciudad Juarez who were publicly accused by fellow officers of corruption several weeks ago. In that incident, two groups of officers shoved and fought each other outside police headquarters.
The fired officers account for about 9 percent of the federal police force, which has about 34,500 officials.
None of the dismissed officers will be allowed to be rehired on police forces at the local, state or federal levels, Rosas said.
This all should have not much effect in La Paz anyway. You can hear all this stories when you live here but I can say: I @#$%&* up a few times and got pulled over or had to deal with the cops and NONE ever asked for any bribe, all went by the book?? Just coincidence?? In my opinion La Paz IS a safe city!
The most fishy individuals I meet so far in almost 10 years are shady folks from up road. Kinda sad that one has to make such statement. So all we have to do now is watch out from them dreamers that want to sell you a 400’000$ house you could have for 200’000$ in SoCal….. Some things never change! Stay tuned on a report about conversations I overhear when flying north. Including some about them “La Paz real estate deals”. We did a little collection the last few month. That’s going to be a good one. All about La Paz and what visitors think when they leave…..

Police Commissioner content credits: CNN.com

Baja California’s one of those places with two, completely different reputations. One version of the place is a paradise with nude beaches, lunar desert plateaus, and lush sub-tropical area. The other Baja’s ground zero for the war on drugs, war on immigration, and gang war, fire, tacos and beers, and a handful of our favorite skateboarders surfing and smoking – not to mention home to Tijuana, donkey shows and all. Knowing the place had split personalities, we knew they had to check it out. Patrick O’Dell along with Arto Saari, Heath Kirchart, and Keegan Sauder, make the 2,200 mile journey from San DIego down to the tip continue

While La Paz was first inhabited by Neolithic hunter-gatherers at least 10,000 years ago who left traces of their existence in the form of rock paintings near the city and throughout the Baja peninsula is the “official” founding recorded on May 3, 1535. Hernán Cortés arrived in the bay by La Paz and named it Santa Cruz. He attempted to start a colony but abandoned his efforts after several years due to logistical problems. Almost 60 years later, in 1596 Sebastian Vizcaino arrived, giving the area its modern name, La Paz. From April 27 through May 5 take different festivities place to commemorate the foundation of the city featuring diverse artistic and cultural events. continue

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake has hit the peninsula of Baja California, killing at least two persons and causing tremors as far away as Nevada. The quake struck at 1540 (2240 GMT), 26km (16 miles) south-west of Guadalupe Victoria in Baja California, at a depth of 32km, said the US Geological Survey. Some people are still trapped in their homes in the city of Mexicali, where a state of emergency has been declared. It was the worst quake to hit the region for many years, officials said. The US Geological Survey said some 20 million people felt tremors from the largest quake to hit the area since 1992. Mexican civil protection officials said a man had died when his home collapsed outside Mexicali continue

Pacific nations gear for tsunami after Chile quake. Nations around the Pacific Ocean are on full alert for a possible tsunami following the devastating earthquake that hit Chile on Saturday morning.
Tsunami warnings have been sounded in an area affecting about a quarter of the globe. Waves will spread from the epicentre of the 8.8 quake in central Chile and may strike land bordering the Pacific in the next 24 hours. People in the Galapagos and on Easter Island have already taken refuge. Large waves are already reported to have struck Chile’s Juan Fernandez island group, reaching halfway into one inhabited area. Three people there are missing, local media say. Two aid ships are reported to be on their way. Nations affected by the Pacific “Rim of Fire” have all sounded alerts continue

How do you get people to do somethings important but not preaching to them?? Check out “Embrace Life”! A small online video production made for the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership. became big worldwide!! It got BIG worldwide and made people talking, watching…. absolutely moving, great concept and simple yet brilliant making, this online ad to enforce the use of seat belt while driving is one of the most popular things published lately. And sure enough the cause applies as much to La Paz as everywhere else!! How often do I catch myself to drive “quick” around the corner to Walmart or just the tienda down the road without wearing it…. continue

Tomorrow, 11. February 2010 is opening night for the 2010 La Paz Carnaval. At the first night of Carnaval, the “embodiment of a bad mood” gets burned in effigy in the Quema del Mal Humor. There will be live entertainment on the Malecón at the foot of 16 de Septiembre starting at 17:00 The show really gets going after 20:00, with a dance performance, the Quema de Mal Humor and coronations of the King of Happiness and the Queen of Young People. At 22:00, opening night’s featured entertainer is Mara Escalante (more details on her below). At 23:00, dance the night away to Banda Sinaloense music. Hopeful this will all all happens at reasonable weather, continue