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sonful

Nov 24, 2006, 6:49 PM

Post #1 of 29 (3688 views)

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Electric blanket or Down Filled Comforter

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I have seen some of you mention having electric blankets for the winter. I wondered if using a nice down comforter wouldn't work just as well. No electricity. Don't know how much they use though. I also hesitate to get an electric blanket because (I must admit) my two dogs (one large, one small) sleep with me, and I didn't think the electric blanket would work with them. Thought they could get burned from blanket maybe.

Of course if it got real cold (they have short hair) and I had a down comforter they would have to get under it.

My house by the way is not in Chapala, it is in Ensenada, which gets colder in the winter.

bournemouth

Nov 24, 2006, 6:53 PM

Post #2 of 29 (3675 views)

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Re: [sonful] Electric blanket or Down Filled Comforter

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I like electric mattress pads. You can warm the bed up before you get in and then turn it off. That and a down comforter should keep you toasty warm - the dogs too.

rainer

Nov 25, 2006, 6:58 AM

Post #3 of 29 (3634 views)

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Re: [sonful] Electric blanket or Down Filled Comforter

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Since you mentioned that you live in Ensenada; could you tell us more about living there? My wife and I are wanting to retire in Rosarito in less than four years - but we're open to other locations in the baja. (Baja, because of its proximity to San Diego and its military facilities.) We'd sure appreciate hearing about someone's life who is already living there. Thanks, Rainer
Smile

sonful

Nov 25, 2006, 9:28 AM

Post #4 of 29 (3613 views)

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Re: [rainer] Electric blanket or Down Filled Comforter

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Hi Rainer,

I have only spent about one month total there as I just bought my house. I have friends though living in Ensenada who have been there about three years and love it. They live a few blocks from the beach. I bought in a gated community at the other end of town. I primarily purchased there as I have a store in Bakersfield, Ca. and I needed a place that I could get to my store in reasonable time. This works for me. There are many areas in Mexico prettier than Ensenada, but don't have the good weather or the close prox. to US that I need.

I didn't want to locate in one of the gringo developments between Rosaria and Ensenada becouse I like the convenience of being able to go to the store and restaurants without spending an hour getting there. As for gringo stores in Mexico, you can't ask for much better. We have a Costco, Home Depot and now a super Walmart. There's also several other very large new supermarkets. (Commercial - don't know how it's spelled)

Prices are better than living in US. That is for sure, but not as cheap as living further into the interior. It has more American influence. It also has San Diago weather, which is pretty nice. I guess you could call it Mexico-Light.
There is DSL available. In fact they just upgraded their service to 1 Meg for approx $35 US or 2 Meg for about $60 US.. (uptown hah) You have no problem using satalite TV there. The local cable company has about 15 or more English speaking channels also. There are a number of people there in business who speak English, but not all so you can't count on it. Taxes are cheap if you buy but you will also have to pay about another $55 a month in Bank Trust fees as you are close to the ocean.

I bought the cheapest house in the most expensive development in Ensenada. It is way on top of a mountain and with breathtaking views of either the ocean, bay or City for some homes with prices all the way up to close to $800,000. My house is not so big or grand and I don't have the view, nor the big price. It is gated though 24 hours, so I can leave my home for extended periods without so much worry.

What else can I tell you?

(This post was edited by sonful on Nov 25, 2006, 9:30 AM)

Georgia

Nov 25, 2006, 11:26 AM

Post #5 of 29 (3596 views)

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Re: [sonful] Electric blanket or Down Filled Comforter

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We find the down comfortor to be warmer and safer than an electric blanket (ours caught on fire) and they don't use electricity.

esperanza

Nov 25, 2006, 1:13 PM

Post #6 of 29 (3573 views)

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Re: [sonful] Electric blanket or Down Filled Comforter

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I use a sheet, an antique quilt, and a down comforter--year 'round.

From mid-December till mid-February, I usually add another light blanket under the down comforter. And once in a while, I throw on a Hudson Bay blanket, pure wool.

It promises to be a chilly winter here in Guadalajara. I suspect the wool blanket will be on the bed soon.

Sonful, I can't imagine that Ensenada winters are colder than they are in this part of Jalisco. I've seen wee-hour temperatures here hovering at -4* Celsius.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

TlxcalaClaudia

Nov 25, 2006, 9:56 PM

Post #7 of 29 (3523 views)

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Re: [sonful] Electric blanket or Down Filled Comforter

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Currently in windy and hilly Pachuca with my little girls (4 years and 6 years old). Not heat in the apt....we use down comforters. THANK GOD I brought 2 with me from USA. Very effective.

I personally WOULD NOT use electric blankets. I do not trust electrical wiring in my apt thus the small ceramic heater I bought is never on at night. We stay very warm under our down comforters.

Claudine

juditha16

Nov 25, 2006, 10:36 PM

Post #8 of 29 (3513 views)

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This week we began using the down comforter. Adding three dogs and the cat keeps things really toasty. (But taking the dogs out at 8am is really hard. Brrrrr.)
Judith

Bubba

Nov 26, 2006, 7:06 PM

Post #9 of 29 (3435 views)

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You know, there are times when I just don´t know how my maid stands it living in a lean-to with large holes in the walls the size of basketball hoops and 18 people living together and pooping down the street and here I am just trying to get by in my guarded subdivision 20 minutes from Costco and those dirty bastards are charging me $55USD a month for my fideicosimo when I could live an hour north in San Ysidro and tell them to go to hell but the people I really hate own those $800,000USD homes with the great views of the Tijuana slums and distant ocean but, of course, I could be back up there in Pacific Palisades in Cousin Billy Bob´s $15,000,000 house that is about two hours from Costco but everybody knows Billy Bob is big into cocaine that louse and, anyway, he bought that house in 1967 for $250,000USD after having written Town Without Pity but that´s the only thing he ever did that jerk but anyway, now here I am only two hours from Bakersfield and Pacific Palisades is at least four hours from Bakersfield so Billy Bob can kiss my ass.

What I really hate is that some day the Mexicanos will figure out how we are screwing them and they will serve up our balls on a platter.

donemry

Nov 27, 2006, 7:40 AM

Post #10 of 29 (3390 views)

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Re: [Bubba] Electric blanket or Down Filled Comforter

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What is this rant all about? The original poster was neither bragging or complaining, just explaining what he decided to do and why.

Brian

Nov 27, 2006, 8:38 AM

Post #11 of 29 (3373 views)

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Re: [donemry] Electric blanket or Down Filled Comforter

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Unfortunately, you have to sift through asinine messages like that one if you want to stay with MexConnect. I don't find them to be valuable and, in my opinion, the quality of MexConnect has deteriorated over the past couple of years with the tolerance for messages like the one to which you refer. Occassionally, the moderators will delete the posts. I never have understood what criteria they use. Anyway, despite it's chatroom nature with all the disadvantages i.e. ad hominem responses, one still can gain some perspective about different aspects of Mexico and its aficionados.

saludos

Brian

(This post was edited by Brian on Nov 27, 2006, 10:30 AM)

sfmacaws

Nov 27, 2006, 2:54 PM

Post #12 of 29 (3321 views)

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Brian, you have to consider what is in it for those who have lived in Mexico for a long time to continue to post here and answer the same questions over and over. For some, it's the camaraderie of chatting with virtual friends and for others it is the occasional rant about the things that seem so important to ex-pats and so over the top for many of the poor in Mexico. I thought it was rather relevant to this discussion as most people in Mexico do not have any heat *ever* in their homes, work or schools.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

Brian

Nov 27, 2006, 4:10 PM

Post #13 of 29 (3307 views)

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Re: [sfmacaws] Electric blanket or Down Filled Comforter

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I don't agree, Jonna. I have been a member of MexConnect since back in the free non-subscription days (held out as long as possible before conceding to the new system and paying my annual dues) and lived continuously in Mexico for 10 years before very recently returning to the states temporarily for necessary treatment for a fairly serious medical problem. I have never felt that I had to answer the same questions over and over..just when I felt I had something to contribute. Boorishness need not be a quality of camaraderie. I also didn't find the response particularly relevant...it belittled the original poster's lifestyle in Baja California. Why do that at someone else's expense? I'm not sure that I can agree about the majority of Mexicans not having heat in their homes but don't have the figures to support this. Over the years we have participated in two censuses, the results of which were published by the government. Most of the questions were about number of appliances in the home, hot water, drainage etc. I do know that I was a bit surprised in how far Mexico has come as a developing nation. Not at all like the stereotypes.

Brian

(This post was edited by Brian on Nov 27, 2006, 6:05 PM)

song_of_joy

Nov 27, 2006, 8:10 PM

Post #14 of 29 (3260 views)

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Re: [Brian] Electric blanket or Down Filled Comforter

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I will never understand why

1) Bubba feels the need to post rants like this

and

2) the moderators permit it

This is not a chat room, and people seeking serious information (who pay to use the forums) instead find a character who calls himself "Bubba" (his name is Robert) posturing and pontificating and generally trying to get attention. Like a child, he does get noticed. But -- sadly -- much of the attention is negative, whether we bother to post our opinion or not. (I rarely do. He's a bully and I'd rather avoid confrontation.)

If we offend you so much, you could take the high road and say nothing. But then, that's what a gentleman would do....

thriftqueen

Nov 27, 2006, 8:18 PM

Post #15 of 29 (3259 views)

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Re: [song_of_joy] Electric blanket or Down Filled Comforter

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Boorishness need not be a quality of camaraderie. I also didn't find the response particularly relevant...it belittled the original poster's lifestyle in Baja California. Why do that at someone else's expense?

I agree with Song of Joy and Brian - I find most of Bubba's postings and especially the ones that he uses crude language very offensive. I'm sure this will bring on one of his usual rants. I have begun to skip over his postings when I see they are headed in an obnoxious direction.

It seems there are not many new posters joining the forum (possibly lurking) and many of the interesting posters seem to no longer post here. Wonder why?

Mark Landes

Nov 27, 2006, 8:40 PM

Post #16 of 29 (3251 views)

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You have to be able to interpret Bubba's postings and not take them so literally. For the questions that get asked over and over we have Rolly's compendium --
Mark

song_of_joy

Nov 27, 2006, 8:48 PM

Post #17 of 29 (3248 views)

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Re: [Mark Landes] Electric blanket or Down Filled Comforter

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Why? Why must we learn to interpret them?

Why must we permit such offensive rants?

I'm told that Robert is actually an educated man. (It's hard to tell from many of these posts. Far too many.)

Why must we permit him to lower the limits? Why not hold him to a higher standard? A standard of common courtesy?

Mark Landes

Nov 27, 2006, 9:01 PM

Post #18 of 29 (3244 views)

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Guess I'm not easily offended. Not by wits and words anyways. San Cristobal is over 7000 feet up there and I though maybe there is some occasional oxygen depletion.
Mark

Anonimo

Nov 27, 2006, 11:26 PM

Post #19 of 29 (3229 views)

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Re: [Brian] Electric blanket or Down Filled Comforter

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IMO, Bubba uses a shock post tactic and provides a useful counterpoint to the Forums, to what otherwise might be a rondelay of back scratching.I think his words are colorful and not offensive.

And Bubba: you might try paying your maid more.

Saludos,
Anonimo

(This post was edited by Anonimo on Nov 27, 2006, 11:29 PM)

sfmacaws

Nov 28, 2006, 2:22 AM

Post #20 of 29 (3226 views)

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Really, are you adults or children? Have you spent any time on the internet? I too Brian was a member of MC before it was subscription and I'll say that while it got wooly at times I enjoyed it a lot more than the current stodgy version.

Whoever said they skip over the posts they don't like has the right idea, if you don't want to read it, don't read it. There are posters on here that I always skip because they bore me to tears. What I don't do is ask for a moderator to delete them because I can't stand how boring they are or I can't stand their politics or I don't have the smarts to just ignore them.

Posting whines about how offended you are is juvenile and you ought to get a grip, recognize that the real world is not sanitized for your prissy tastes and get over it. These complaints about how someone's tender feelings are bruised is what I find offensive. Speak up and stand up for yourself.

I can not remember a time that Bubba has not backed down when confronted specifically about what he has said. Try it sometime or just sit there in silence but don't expect some virtual mommy to come and erase this from your sensitive vision.

I am not the only poster who has something to contribute and who enjoys the banter on here but who has been very, very close to leaving because of over zealous deleting by moderators. I will be gone if that kind of censorship returns and I won't be the only one. You could be left here with only questions and no one to answer them or with such a boring series of 'what is the best route from Laredo to Ajijic' conversations that David will go broke and the whole enchilada will be gone.

I will repeat it, why not just ignore what you don't like and go on? Why do you think that YOUR sensibilities are so important that they should override others ideas of what is entertaining and relevant? Speak up and take Bubba on if he bothers you but please, stop calling for mommy moderator to step in for you. Be an adult and stand up for yourself. </rant>

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

Bloviator

Nov 28, 2006, 2:59 AM

Post #21 of 29 (3223 views)

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Re: [sfmacaws] Electric blanket or Down Filled Comforter

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Please don't ever go away. Despite your troglodite politics, you constantly provide me with great information. I could not have made my trip to Playa del Carmen without you and have benefited greatly from your wisdom.

I had been skipping this discussion, as I had no idea why people should spend so much time discussing blankets. Finally, I decided that there must be something more going on. Sure enough, a diatribe from Bubba and a whole stream of invective or slavish praise aimed at him.

I don't advocate deleting Bubba, tempting though the thought may be when he is flaming me, but would suggest that perhaps just opening a new topic - or a whole forum - called Bubba's Raves would have been a good idea. Then those fascinated by what blanket to use would be able to have their needs met and those needing their Bubba fix would know where to look.

As always, if you don't enjoy or find someone's postings enlightening or informative, don't read them.

I hope someone reads this one. I especially hope that I'm not one of those sfmacaws finds boring and doesn't read. If that is the case, I've really just wasted a whole ten minutes of my really really valuable time.

(This post was edited by dlyman6500 on Nov 28, 2006, 3:00 AM)

sfmacaws

Nov 28, 2006, 3:31 AM

Post #22 of 29 (3220 views)

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Never fear my friend, I read all of your posts and I've learned a great deal from you as well.

It's late here in New Mexico, it's very cold and I'm not in Mexico yet so I'm crabby. One more complaint about Bubba but not to Bubba put me over the line.

Hopefully the part we are waiting for will arrive tomorrow and we will be on our way to the border, you'll hear a lot less from me once I'm on the road.

ps. Don't tell anyone as I don't want to disillusion them about the veracity of Bubba's comments, but #1 I'm not registered as a Republican although I have voted for some - no one with the initials GB, I do love the 2-Terminator though. #2 Only in SF and in Bubba's prose am I considered right wing, in the rest of the country I discovered I am just another left wing California fruit and nut.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

bournemouth

Nov 28, 2006, 6:33 AM

Post #23 of 29 (3204 views)

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Some wise poster suggested sometime back that Bubba open his own blog site where he could rant and rave to his heart's content - it was and still is a good idea.

If the old timers do not want to answer the same question over and over again - it's simple - don't answer.

Bloviator

Nov 28, 2006, 6:36 AM

Post #24 of 29 (3203 views)

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At the risk of getting terminated by the moderator, I have to say that I am quite impressed by the terminator now also. He seems to have a vision that is very hopeful - looking to the future and trying to get all sides to work together.

Just to keep from being deleted, I must add that the terminator seems to have excellent ideas about the immigration problem facing California and the implications for Mexico.

Among my fondest memories is riding my motorcycle through the snow across the desert in Las Cruces after winter snowstorms. Another is riding down from Durango, Colorado to Taos through the green highland meadows on a beautiful summer day. There is much to love about New Mexico.

Jerry@Ajijic

Nov 28, 2006, 7:45 AM

Post #25 of 29 (3190 views)

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Many people are talking about having the same questions asked over and over. That is what MC was started for. To answer questions. Some of these questions may seem stupid about stuff that has been answered before but if someone needs a answer then answer it, if you can.

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