ERENDIRA IBARRA STEALS THE SHOW

“Ingobernable” stars Kate del Castillo as a Mexican first lady who is on the run following the mysterious death of her husband, the president. The title, means “ungovernable”.  It is shot and produced in Mexico City (English subtitles available), by a Mexican firm that has made a string of successful telenovela soap operas.

It is super Mexicany, but super modern Mexican- with LED flashing police cars, Mexican rap music, and flat screen monitors.  It’s got the edge of an American ghetto movie, keeping true to Mexico’s history of extortion, ransom and abject poverty.  It’s realistic enough to keep you believing.  Lots of passionate Latin sex scenes if you’re into that.

In addition to the issues that can be expected from corruption at the state and police level, sexuality, female empowerment, homosexuality, piracy, the role of domestic employees in the lives of the powerful and human rights issues are also explored. You will see a Mexico that is more real and different from all the stereotypes we have.

The Tijuana Linea bus terminal; the red ABC bus to Ensenada; the massive turnstalls entering into Mexico by foot.

Perhaps the safest way to get to Rosarito or Ensenada is by bus.  Nine American dollars will get you a one way ticket to either.  ABC bus company runs every 45 minutes from Tijuana through Rosarito, Puerto Nuevo and terminates at Ensenada.  Toss your belongings in a backpack or duffell bag and head for the border.

You will need to get to the TJ and San Ysidro border crossing in order to walk across.  You can avoid American border parking costs by taking Uber or the San Diego Trolley, or simply have someone drop you off. If you plan on parking your car on the American side of the border and walking across be prepared to pay a hefty parking rate-$25.00 a day.  A two night stay will equal $75.00 in parking since they don’t prorate the days.  Good luck finding cheaper American side border parking.

Walk towards McDonalds where you can exchange dollars into pesos from the nearby money changers (highly recommended due to the record decline in the peso).  Follow the sign towards “Mexico” and follow everyone else.  You will stroll by the cute frolicking Prairie Dogs and then through the massive turn-stalls into the indoor Mexican Border Patrol pedestrian checkpoint.  Show you’re American Passport to the border officer and they will give you a Tourist Visa free of charge.  Keep walking and you automatically end up at the end of the sidewalk where Taxi drivers solicit your business.

The white taxis are Taxi Libre which are usually a cheaper taxi service than Yellow Cab, but both will charge 100 pesos to take you and all of your companions to the ABC bus terminal.  Tell the driver to take you to “El Terminal Linea Autobus ABC” and say you only have 100 pesos. Say “100 pesos” a few times so there is no misunderstanding.  Up and over the bridge, via the round-about, lots of horn honking and you will be dropped off at the bus terminal in three minutes flat.  ABC is front center, and if you are lucky, the big red bus may be waiting there for you.  Buy the ticket at the counter for 180 pesos.  (Ask for a window seat on the ocean side if you want a sea-view on the way down.)  Wait in the lobby.  You will notice that all of the passengers are harmless.  Many are moms with infants and senior citizens with canes.  You will feel safe.  Buy a Mexican Coke at the food and beverage stand and you will soon be in paradise.

The bus is modern with WIFI, and an America Spanish dubbed movie will entertain you the on the way down.  The bus will pass effortlessly through the toll roads and will be ignored by the Mexican Highway Patrol. You will not get high-jacked or harassed because you will be invisible.

The bus will automatically stop at Rosarito near a gas station after about 30 minutes.  To stop at other places along the way, tell the bus driver when you board and while driving walk up and remind him.  (I don’t remember seeing those old fashioned pull chords).  The bus will automatically end up at the Ensenada bus terminal on 11^th Street after one and one -half hours of driving.

A safe five dollar Uber or Taxi ride will take you to the tourist strip in Centro Ensenada or Rosarito.  You have arrived with no worries.  To return back to America, reverse the process.  The ABC bus will drop you off directly at the Ped West border crossing, so you will not need to take a taxi on the return trip.  Wait in the long line to get through American customs.

Fifty percent of marriages end in divorce.

You’ve probably heard that claim several times—just as you may also have heard from other sources that it’s inaccurate. As I’ll explain below, the real number is likely lower, but perhaps not by a lot. One thing is for sure. Arguments over what the divorce rate is and whether it’s dropping are ongoing and unlikely to end anytime soon.

Just last month, Claire Cain Miller argued in the New York Times that the divorce rate has been coming down for a long time even while the odds of divorce remain greatly exaggerated in the minds of many. She highlighted the conclusions of economist Justin Wolfers, who told her that “If current trends continue, nearly two-thirds of marriages will never involve a divorce.” In a follow-up piece, Wolfers explained more about the complexity of the issue and defended his claims.

Some go even further than Cain Miller, arguing that the likelihood of divorcing has never been anything like 50 percent. For example, Shaunti Feldhahn, the author (with Tally Whitehead) of a recent book on the subject, argues that it was never true that half of newly married couples would end up divorced, and that 30 percent is closer to the mark. While not a social scientist, Feldhahn has studied the history of the divorce rate and believes people are too pessimistic about the odds of success in marriage. Although I’m not persuaded that the risk of divorce is that low, I agree with her that many people avoid marriage for fear of divorce even when their own risks are quite low.

In contrast to those who argue that the divorce rate has been coming down, or that it was never that high, demographers Sheela Kennedy and Steven Ruggles argued in an article last year that divorce did not level off or decline in recent decades but actually continued to rise from 1980 to 2010. In fact, Ruggles commented on Cain Miller’s and Wolfers’ New York Times pieces, here and here, arguing that conclusions in both are likely incorrect and that most professional demographers have not accepted the notion that the overall risk of divorce declined during the period in question states Family Studies.