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Tag: Mexico

  • Google Cloud Will Open First Mexico Region

    Google Cloud Will Open First Mexico Region

    Google Cloud is planning to open its first Mexico region, just days after Oracle did the the same.

    Cloud providers establish data centers in regions to help provide customers faster, more reliable access to their services. Google is now adding a Mexico region, which will be its 35th worldwide.

    “The cloud region in Mexico will unlock new possibilities for the use of cloud technologies by public sector organizations in the country. Different public entities would benefit from interoperating in an efficient and secure way, facilitating access to computing power and information technologies. It is important to mention that the computer developments in Mexico are highly specialized so they can become important references for other Spanish-speaking countries,” stated Dr. Juan Carlos Sarmiento Tovilla, Director General of Information Systems at the Federal Court of Administrative Justice.

    Google’s move comes roughly a month after CEO Sundar Pichai announced the company’s plans to invest $1.2 billion in Latin America.

  • Oracle the First Major Cloud Provider to Open Cloud Region in Mexico

    Oracle the First Major Cloud Provider to Open Cloud Region in Mexico

    Oracle has beat its larger rivals to a significant milestone, becoming the first major cloud provider to open a cloud region in Mexico.

    Cloud providers open data centers in various regions in an effort to improve the speeds and availability of their services to customers in those areas. Despite being in eighth place in the cloud market and well behind AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, Oracle has managed to open a Mexico data region first in the state of Querétaro.

    “We are excited to establish a cloud region in Mexico that will offer public and private organizations, as well as partners and developers, the opportunity to leverage OCI to grow their businesses,” said Maribel Dos Santos, senior vice president and general manager, Oracle Mexico. “The Oracle Cloud Querétaro region offers organizations a wide range of services, including access to emerging technologies, to help improve the customer experience and positively impact the country’s ecosystem of innovation.”

    Oracle also took the opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to transitioning to renewable energy. The company plans to power all of its data centers with renewable energy by 2025, including the new Querétaro location.

  • Kate Del Castillo Threatened By Mexican Authorities For Meeting With ‘El Chapo’

    Kate del Castillo is currently under investigation because of her heavy involvement in the secret meeting with Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, which resulted in an Rolling Stone interview with actor Sean Penn.

    According to Univision, the 43-year-old Mexican-American actress is worried that the Mexican government wants to “destroy her” and that she is being used as a target of a witch hunt.

    After the controversial El Chapo interview,Kate del Castillo is now a primary suspect in a money laundering investigation by Mexican authorities. Attorney General Arely Gomez stated that they are exploring the possibility of El Chapo’s funding of del Castillo’s Tequila Honor del Castillo business.

    The actress has declined to comment on the allegations in order to avoid further scrutiny from the Mexican government. “I have no reason to give explanations to the press. If I don’t talk it’s because my lawyers told me not to because the government wants to destroy me,” said Kate del Castillo in a message addressed to Univision.

    Mexican journalist Lydia Cacho recently came to del Castillo’s defense and confirmed to the media that her friend is indeed being threatened by Mexican authorities.

    In an interview with TVyNovelas, Cacho revealed parts of her conversation with Kate del Castillo and admitted that the actress was “scared” and that “she doesn’t understand why the Mexican Government is attacking her this way.”

    Despite the gravity of her current situation, Kate del Castillo cheerfully stepped out with another good friend Jillian Barberie on Saturday to have dinner at Mexican restaurant El Coyote in Los Angeles.

    When asked by TMZ to comment about the El Chapo scandal, the Muchachitas star said, “You know what? I can’t talk about him.” Barberie then chimed in, “It’s girls night out. We want a little Mexican, a margarita.”

    El Chapo, who was recaptured earlier this month, was said to have agreed to the rare interview because he was interested in meeting with Kate del Castillo to discuss plans of making a film about his life.

  • Amazon Launches Full Operations in Mexico

    Amazon Launches Full Operations in Mexico

    As expected, Amazon has just announced its biggest international launch ever.

    Amazon is expanding its operations in Mexico, launching retail and marketplace offerings in the country. The new hub for Amazon in Mexico is Amazon.com.mx, and there you’ll find a welcome letter from CEO Jeff Bezos.

    “Our mission is to be the most customer-oriented on the planet where you can find a wide selection of products at low prices, fast and efficient shipping, as well as a safe and convenient experience of purchase in the company you can trust. We are eager to fulfill this promise in Mexico,” says Bezos.

    Until now, Amazon only sold e-books in Mexico. Now, Amazon is operating a physical goods store in the country. According to the company, the Amazon Mexico launch features more product categories than any other international launch in the company’s history.

    Amazon is offering free shipping on all orders fulfilled by the company that are over 599 pesos.

    “The expansion of Amazon.com.mx represents Amazon’s biggest international launch ever,” said Juan Carlos García, Country Manager for Amazon Mexico. “With convenient and secure payment options and fast delivery, our goal is to deliver a world-class shopping experience for customers in Mexico.”

    Of course, as this is a full-fledged launch, Amazon has also announced the availability of ‘Selling on Amazon’ and ‘Fulfillment by Amazon’ for businesses in Mexico.

    “Mexican businesses and online sellers can list their merchandise at no cost on Amazon.com.mx and reach customers across Mexico and internationallyFulfillment by Amazon (FBA) service in Mexico will help sellers take advantage of Amazon’s world-class fulfillment and customer service expertise,” says the company.

    “Our goal is to make selling on Amazon.com.mx as simple as possible, whether you’re a local business new to ecommerce or an established business looking to grow sales in a new online channel,” added Pérez-Duarte. “With Fulfillment by Amazon, we do the heavy operational lifting so sellers can grow their business by focusing on core functions like sourcing new products or operating their brick and mortar stores.”

  • ‘Kate Plus 8’ Star Kate Gosselin Turn’s 40, Celebrates In Cancun

    This June 23, Kate Gosselin and her eight kids are back on television. TLC will air a special episode showing how Gosselin celebrated her 40th year of existence. Kate Plus 8 will be airing the vacation of the entire family at a resort in Mexico City at 10 PM June 23 on TLC.

    Gosselin’s family headed to Cancun, Mexico in March to celebrate their mom’s milestone in the episode titled The Big Four-Oh!

    The whole family stayed at the Karisma Hotels & Resorts Generations Riviera Maya where Gosselin got some downtime while her kids stayed busy.

    Based on a preview clip from the show, Gosselin said that her time has been running so fast. “I’m turning 40. I can’t believe it. Please say you can’t either,” said Gosselin.

    “She’s not going to like the fact there’s a 40 on it,” said Leah, one of the sextuplets. “But she can deal with it.”

    In the clip, 14-year-old twins Mady and Cara and 11-year-old sextuplets Aaden, Collin, Joel, Leah, Alexis and Hannah are seen decorating gourmet cakes, snorkeling and having an off-road adventure.

    The family had a private birthday lunch at the Haab restaurant. But afterwards, Gosselin chose to enjoy some kid-free time with a close pal as they cruised into Playa Del Carmen in a stretch Navigator for a night out.

    Over the first few years of Kate Plus 8, the show was being aired on a weekly basis on TLC. However, TLC now opts to just air occasional specials of the show. Supporters of the show have loved seeing Gosselin’s kids grow up.

    According to Gosselin, she would love to have the reality show filmed every day but the mom of eight said that she is blessed to still be connected to TLC.

  • Miley Cyrus Fined For Degrading The Mexican Flag

    Miley Cyrus is being fined for her degrading performance in Mexico.

    On Tuesday, September 16, Cyrus performed at the Arena Monterey in Mexico as a part of her Bangerz tour. Fans expected Miley’s usual tactics of performing including the constant twerking and simulated sex acts. However, they did not expect her to degrade their national symbol … their flag.

    Miley reportedly took to the stage with a fake butt and proceeded to floss the butt with the Mexican flag shocking thousands and infuriating others.

    After reviewing the performances, the Nuevo León state legislature agreed unanimously to require the Secretary of the Interior to fine Cyrus for her lack of respect. Cyrus’ fine is expected to be 16,000 pesos (about $1,200).

    “In the first of two concerts of Miley Cyrus in Monterrey (Nuevo León’s capital), an act of disrespect to our national symbols took place during her show, when one of the dancers hit her on her backside with a Mexican flag,” the lawmakers said.

    Miley is known for her shock factor, but what makes this even worse is that she decided to pull this stunt during the month of September – the month that celebrates Mexico’s independence.

    “It is offensive that this young girl disrespected our flag and that we promote this type of entertainment, on which we lose something that is so engrained in ourselves, our sense of patriotism, respect, what unites us and characterizes us,” the National Union of Parents’ president Consuelo Mendoza Garcia said. “Especially on this month of September,”

    “It is very sad that an artist comes from another country to disrespect our patriotic symbols now that we are so in need of living in a civilized way and take that to the schools,” Mendoza García added.

  • Stacy Keibler Says Choosing a Baby Name Was Easy

    Stacy Keibler recently revealed that picking a name for her baby was quick and simple:

    “We just talked about one name and that was it — easy peasy,” she said.

    Keibler and husband Jared Pobre are expecting a baby girl sometime next month.

    “Everything with us has been easy and effortless,” Keibler said.

    Keibler has nothing but praise for Pobre, whom she married in March:

    “Jared is the most thoughtful, loving, kind person. I couldn’t ask for a better father for my children,” she said in the June/July issue of Fit Pregnancy. “Our bond is so strong and special and getting pregnant has made it even more so.”

    The actress, model, and former professional wrestler has had a high profile pregnancy and hasn’t hesitated to dole out advice to others who are expecting:

    “Pregnancy is a time to be as healthy as you can be and build the foundation for your baby. I think that you should be even more conscious of what you’re doing.”

    When she did her Fit Pregnancy photo shoot, Keibler wanted to focus more on the Pilates moves she’d been doing to stay strong during her pregnancy than on glitz and glamour and fancy clothes.

    It’s obvious from Keibler’s Instagram feed that she’s staying active while pregnant:



    And Keibler has done her fair share of traveling during this pregnancy, from her wedding in Punta Mita, Mexico:

    To St. Barth’s:

    To Yellowstone:

    And a few places in between:


    While Keibler’s last regular gig, Lifetime’s reality cooking show Supermarket Superstar, appears to be languishing, she’s keeping busy pimping products these days. Not surprisingly many of them are pregnancy related, from Baby Jogger strollers to Pea in the Pod maternity clothing.

    Image via Instagram, Stacy Keibler

  • Cheryl Burke Condemns Body Bullies Who Attacked Her on Facebook

    Cheryl Burke recently condemned those who posted rude comments on her Facebook page after she shared photos of herself in Cabo San Lucas.

    Burke began sharing photos from her trip on July 6. It didn’t take long for the weight-related comments to start.

    When Burke posted a photo captioned “First dinner in Cabos,” one fan commented “Eat something good. You don’t look like Cheryl to me.”

    When Burke, who is known for interacting with fans on social media, replied “I don’t look like me?” several fans jumped to her rescue, but one qualified her compliment by admonishing Burke not to lose more weight.

    The comments only got worse from there, with some accusing Burke of having plastic surgery on her face and one commenter asking “What the heck happened to your lips???”

    Post by Cheryl Burke.

    “It’s one thing to see negative comments about yourself in the press, it’s another to be criticized by individual people on your own social media pages,” Burke said. “It’s much more personal. It hurts.”

    “I’ve had some time to think about it all and I’ve found strength in just letting it go. I can’t let myself get hurt by it. I also can’t shut down and not post anything online,” she continued. “There are all different types of people out there who are going to say all kinds of things, online and in real life. The important thing is to know which ones to listen to.”

    It’s not the first time Burke has spoken out about public criticism of her weight. In May she posted a defense of her weight loss on Facebook following an appearance in People’s “Most Talked About Bodies” issue.

    Burke posed in a bikini for the spread, revealing she’d went from 135 pounds to around 120.

    Post by Cheryl Burke.

    Besides eating smaller portions of healthier food, Burke said morning workouts with friend and neighbor Leah Remini have contributed to her slimmer, more defined figure.

    Burke, 30, was the first female professional dancer to win Dancing with the Stars and the first professional to win two consecutive seasons. She won season two with dance partner Drew Lachey of 98 Degrees and followed up with a season three win when she partnered with retired football player Emmitt Smith.

    Burke has danced every ensuing season of the show. Season 19 is set to premiere on ABC in the fall. Cast members haven’t been officially announced.

    Image via Instagram, Cheryl Burke

  • Tijuana Drug Cartel Leader Arrested in Mexico

    Tijuana Drug Cartel Leader Arrested in Mexico

    Since June 12, World Cup fever has swept the entire world, with millions upon millions of people tuning in to watch every match. The fervor has been especially apparent in North America this year as both Mexico and the United States have experienced their own successes. Unfortunately for Fernando Sánchez Arellano, Mexico’s World Cup success proved to be his personal demise.

    Arellano, aka “El Ingeniero”, was the head of an infamous Tijuana drug cartel before the Mexican army invaded his home and arrested him during Mexico’s World Cup match against Croatia on Monday. (To make the story even more pathetic, Arellano was arrested before he had the opportunity to see Mexico win and advance to the round of 16.)

    Arellano took control of the Arellano Felix cartel following a series of bad events which saw his uncle, Javier Arellano Felix, arrested in international waters by the United States Coast Guard while fishing in 2006 and another uncle captured by police in 2008.

    Since 2010, Arellano’s control over the Tijuana drug trade has weakened dramatically due to the rise of a new rival cartel, the Sinaloa cartel, which filled the hole left after the arrest of the Arellano’s rival cartel.

    In May 2013, Arellano was listed as one of the six most influential drug traffickers in North America, despite the fact that US authorities were more concerned with the Sinaloa cartel. As one DEA official put it, Arellano was “almost like a ghost. He has no control, no power.”

    Considering the efficiency and efficacy of raiding Arellano’s house during the World Cup, perhaps federal authorities should employ the tactic of attacking during vulnerable moments more often. Prior to Arellano’s arrest, one of the cartel’s former leaders was killed at his birthday party by a clown.

    Image via YouTube

  • Tropical Storm Cristina May Become Hurricane

    Tropical Storm Cristina will transform into a hurricane by Thursday, say forecasters.

    The storm formed late Monday 115 miles off the Pacific coast of Mexico and as of 2:00 AM EST was moving west.

    Thus far, the storm has only brought strong winds and heavy waves along the coastline with no reports of damage though gusts of 45 mph have been recorded.

    The National Hurricane Center reports the storm will slowly gain strength over the next two days however there are currently no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

    The increased strength of the storm may manifest in larger waves and heavier rain on the central and southern Pacific coasts but the center of the storm is expected to remain off-coast.

    If the storm does become a hurricane, it will the second of the season after hurricane Amanda in May.

    Interestingly, the news of this likely non-deadly hurricane comes after a report last month showing hurricanes with traditionally female names are deadlier than those with male names.

    This could be attributed to the fact that hurricanes were exclusively labeled with female names up until 1979, and the increased knowledge of safety and improvements in technology cause all hurricanes after that date to naturally skew safer (including those with male names).

    Or it could be that people are more likely to take a male-named hurricane seriously and are more cautious, consequently lowering the death toll.

    Lady-named though she be, Tropical Storm Cristina has thus far claimed no lives, and will likely remain raging in ocean without causing any damage or casualties.

    Image via YouTube

  • Manuel Uribe, Once World’s Heaviest Man, Dies at 48

    In 2008, Manuel Uribe had just one wish – to be able to walk down the aisle during his wedding to Claudia Solis. At the time, Uribe weighed approximately 700 pounds, down 535 pounds from his Guinness World Record weight of 1,235 pounds.

    Born in Mexico in 1965, Manuel Uribe always suffered from weight problems. As a teen, Uribe weighed nearly 250 pounds. By the time of his first marriage, Uribe weighed in at a solid 280 pounds and felt as if his diet was the same as most other Mexicans of the time: “I used to eat normal, just like all Mexicans do … beans, rice, flour tortilla, corn tortilla, french fries, hamburgers, subs and pizzas, whatever regular people eat.”

    Despite the belief that his eating habits were no different than the average person, Uribe began gaining weight quickly. He blamed the sudden gains on his sedentary lifestyle: “I worked as a technician, repairing typewriters, electronic calculators and computers. So I worked on a chair. It was a sedentary life.”

    Soon Uribe’s eating and depression spiraled out of control, though, following his wife’s request for a divorce.

    “I was very depressed. … Everything ended on account of my obesity, because I spent a lot of money trying to see doctors, going on diets, and I just gained more weight.”

    Uribe’s obesity was worsened due to a botched liposuction procedure which damaged the lymph nodes in his legs, leaving him with massive tumors weighing 220 pounds. These tumors are a large part of the reason Uribe was not able to leave his bed after 2002.

    In an odd twist of events, it was Uribe’s extreme weight which may have prolonged his life as long as it did. Being the Guinness World Record holder as the world’s heaviest man, Uribe began drawing much attention from media outlets. In 2007 he became the main subject of the documentary, “The World’s Heaviest Man”.

    Soon afterwards, Uribe went on national television in Mexico to plea for help to lose weight. A team of doctors from Italy, the United States, and Mexico came to his aid and helped Uribe drop from 1,235 pounds to nearly 700.

    By the time of his death, Uribe weighed 867 pounds.

    While the cause of death is still unknown, speculation is that Uribe died due to cardiac and liver issues. He was 48 years old.

    Image via YouTube

  • Elizabeth Smart Talks California Woman’s Kidnapping

    Elizabeth Smart is speaking out about the kidnapped California woman who came forward to authorities on Monday, saying she had been kidnapped and held for the past ten years. While many people question why the as-yet unidentified woman never tried escaping her captor, Smart says there is no way to know the kind of mental stronghold the kidnapper likely had on her.

    This California woman was drugged and kidnapped by her mom’s former boyfriend at the age of 15. An illegal immigrant from Mexico, he apparently told her frequently that going to authorities would result in her deportation. He managed to change both his and her names and birth dates frequently and married her under an assumed name. He fathered a child with her a couple of years ago. The alleged kidnapper, Isidro Garcia, was taken into custody and charged.

    Elizabeth Smart was held captive against her will for nine months when she, too, was just a teenager. She had the following to say about this California woman and her ordeal.

    “I’m praying for her,” Smart said during a recent interview. “I’m hoping the very best for her and just very, very happy to hear some good news.”

    “We don’t know what these evil people are holding over them— whether it’s their families’ lives, their lives, whatever it is,” she added. “We just don’t know.”

    Following her kidnapping ordeal, Elizabeth Smart faced questions about why she didn’t escape despite several opportunities to have done so.

    “People just didn’t understand what I was going through, and that is true of all of these other strong women who are survivors,” Smart said, as she referenced the case of three women freed in Ohio last year after more than a decade in captivity at the hands of Ariel Castro.

    It is certainly unfathomable that someone can be held against their will for a decade. It is testament to the power of the human mind which is often stronger than the human body. Our minds can hold us captive through fear, which was no doubt at the root of this woman remaining under her captive’s spell for so many years.

    Image via YouTube

  • ‘Lost’ Snake Rediscovered on Mexico Island

    A species of snake not seen for almost 80 years was found on a remote island off of the Pacific coast of Mexico.

    Hypsiglena unaocularis, commonly known as the Clarión nightsnake, was first described by American naturalist William Beebe during his voyage to Clarión Island in 1936. Beebe encountered a single specimen, and the snake was not seen again in decades. Now researchers have confirmed the existence of the species, after collecting DNA samples from snakes on Clarión, which is part of the Revillagigedo Islands group.

    Daniel Mulcahy, a researcher for the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, was convinced that the snake might still exist, and he and Juan Martinez Gomez of Mexico’s Ecology Institute planned an expedition to the Revillagigedo Islands to find it. Martinez Gomez, an expert on the Revillagigedos, helped to form a plan for locating the nightsnake, using Beebe’s original field notes as a guide.

    Martinez Gomez commented, “Basically, following those directions, we essentially put ourselves in his place.” One of Martinez Gomez’ graduate students spotted the snake, the first seen alive since 1936. The team performed a DNA analysis to declare the animal as its own species, which revealed that it closely resembles snakes from Mexico’s Sonora-Sinaloa coast more than 500 miles away. Martinez Gomez thinks that the snakes may have floated on a tree trunk from the Mexican mainland to the island.

    Clarión Island is currently occupied by a small outfit of Mexican marines, and civilian visits to the area require a military escort, which has made it difficult to document the wildlife native to the region. This, along with a lack of sightings since Beebe’s 1936 find, caused scientists to presume that Beebe had provided an incorrect locality for the specimen

    Here is an old-school documentary on the wildlife of Clarión Island, with native species include the Clarión Burrowing Owl, the Clarión Wren, the Clarión Mourning Dove and the Clarion Island Whipsnake:

    The National Museum of Natural History commented that Mulcahy “uncovered the controversy surrounding the inclusion of this snake in the scientific record, and found that it appears to be the only species ever to be discarded due to a presumed locality error.”

    Image via YouTube

  • Mexican World Cup Players Banned From Beef, Chemical In Meat Could Trigger Drug Tests

    Mexican world cup players were recently banned from eating beef. Why? As it turns out, red meat has a lot to do with doping.

    Mexico’s world cup coach Miguel Herrera says that he has banned his players from eating red meat until the World Cup is over. The team is being cautious ever since some players tested positive for clenbuterol during the 2011 Gold Cup. As it turns out, clenbuterol is a muscle-building drug used in people and animals. When red meat is eaten, it can trigger the drug tests that look for the drug.

    The USDA has banned the use of clenbuterol in animals, and most other civilized nations have followed suit. Mexico is not one of those nations though. The country says it uses the drug to fatten up its cattle. It’s also frequently used as a performance enhancing drug in the sports world which is where the current concern stems from. A number of athletes over the years have been barred from competing after it was found they used clenbuterol to build muscle.

    This puts Mexico in a unique position. The country is one of the only major nations that uses the drug in its food supply and yet it’s use is banned by all the major sports associations. Back in 2011, FIFA found that over 100 competitors at the Under-17 World Cup in Mexico tested positive for the drug after consuming meat in the country.

    While players haven’t been eating beef for a few weeks, one of the players may be flagged. Miguel Ponce was called in to replace the injured Juan Carlos Medina. Since he wasn’t originally going to play, he wasn’t banned from eating meat. He claims to have eaten a few tacos before he was placed on the team, but he hopes he doesn’t get flagged for the drug before the game.

    Besides Ponce, the Mexican World Cup players should be fine as they prepare for their first match against Cameroon on June 13. The team will then play against Brazil on June 17 and Croatia on June 23.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons
    [h/t: USA Today]

  • Stacy Keibler Celebrates Mother’s Day with Baby Bump Photo

    Stacy Keibler is showing off her baby bump again, this time in celebration of what she’s calling her first Mother’s Day.

    The actress, model, and former professional wrestler posted a photo on Instagram, captioning it “Can’t wait to spend next #MothersDay with this little angel in my arms #happymama #babybump.”

    Keibler, who is expecting her first child with husband Jared Pobre this summer, is looking tanned and happy in the photo, clad in a white bikini, crochet tank top, fedora, and aviator sunglasses.

    Rumor has it the baby is a girl.

    The combination of impending motherhood and the recent holiday celebrating mothers appears to have put Keibler in a family-centered frame of mind, as evidenced by her Instagram feed.

    On Sunday she also posted a photo of her and her mother that appears to have been taken at Keibler and Pobre’s March 8 wedding in Punta Mita, Mexico.

    The caption consisted simply of two hashtags: #HappyMothersDay and #ILoveYou.

    Another photo, featuring Keibler with her mother and two other women was captioned “Spending my first #MothersDay with my #Mommas #desertliving #happy #family #Poblers.”

    Pregnancy hasn’t slowed Keibler down. In addition to celebrating her new role as wife to Pobre, a successful tech entrepreneur, she recently hit up Coachella and traveled to St. Barth’s to attend a wedding.

    Prior to taking her relationship with Pobre from longtime friendship to romance, Keibler famously dated actor and philanthropist George Clooney. The two called it quits in July 2013.

    The public eye turned to Keibler for her reaction when news broke two weeks ago that Clooney and international attorney and human rights activist Amal Alamuddin were engaged to be married.

    One source claimed Keibler was “irked,” because Clooney had led her to believe she’d be the one to convince him to end his well-known and strongly-held commitment to bachelorhood.

    Another source, however, disagreed: “Stacy’s happy for George … She is glad he was able to find true love.”

    Image via Stacy Keibler, Instagram

  • Mexico Earthquake Hits Coast And Capital City

    Mexico Earthquake Hits Coast And Capital City

    An earthquake hit the pacific coast of Mexico at 1:00 PM EST on Thursday, leaving residents of Mexico City startled but unharmed.

    The earthquake registered a 6.4 on the Richter scale with an epicenter located in the state of Guerrero, 117 miles north of Mexico City — but city residents still felt the impact.

    Mayor Crisoforo Otero Heredia of Tecpan de Galeana, only 9 miles north of the epicenter, said the quake caused “a wave of panic” and damaged roads and houses in Tecpan.

    According to the U.S. Geological Survey, this quake was an aftershock of another that hit Mexico in April.
    “The earthquake is indeed within the Guerrero Seismic Gap,” said USGS research geophysicist William Barnhart, “but since it is consistent with being an aftershock of the magnitude-7.2, it is neither an abnormal event, nor does it significantly reduce the remaining stored stress in the seismic gap.”

    While there have been no reports of casualties, Tecpan has seen the most damage. A 30-yard section of highway bridge that had been under repair from April’s earthquake collapsed, and the federal highway between Acapulco and Zihuatanejo was closed due to flooding. 20 homes have been reported damaged in Zijuatanejo according to Guerrero Governor Angel Aguirre, in addition to the dozens of adobe homes Guerrero officials say have collapsed. There have also been reports of several mudslides on major highways.

    While there was no structural damage in Mexico City, residents were evacuated from buildings and homes by the thousands to designated safe areas. Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera of Mexico City stated that all city services were up and running after the quake.

    Mexico City is built on unstable drained lake beds, which makes the area prone to damage from surrounding earthquakes. According to the USGS, there is potential for earthquakes of even bigger magnitudes in Guerrero Gap that could cause more damage than that of the April earthquake or the 1985 earthquake that killed 9,500 in Mexico City.

    Image via Instagram

  • Mexico Earthquake Was Aftershock From April 18 Quake

    An earthquake that struck Mexico City and surrounding areas has been measured at magnitude 6.4, and has been determined to be an after shock from the April 18th quake that measured 7.2 and was centered about 40 miles away.

    Thursday’s quake was centered 9 miles north of Tecpan de Galeana, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was felt about 171 miles away in Mexico City and in many surrounding communities. The sudden shaking sent people running out into sheets of rain that had been pummeling the area.

    There was a “wave of panic” and some roofs to caved in, Mayor Crisoforo Otero Heredia said, but luckily there were no injuries.

    The quake came from the Guerrero Seismic Gap. The GSG is a 125-mile section on Mexico’s Pacific coast where tectonic plates come together and have now been locked. This lock has been causing huge amounts of energy to be stored up with potentially devastating effects, the USGS said.

    “The earthquake is indeed within the Guerrero Seismic Gap,” USGS research geophysicist William Barnhart said. “But since it is consistent with being an aftershock of the magnitude-7.2, it is neither an abnormal event, nor does it significantly reduce the remaining stored stress in the seismic gap.”

    Apparently Mexico City is exceedingly vulnerable to large earthquakes because of its location. Construction of the city sits on top of muddy sediment from drained lake beds. They are said to shake like jelly when earthquakes hit.

    Luckily, this quake wasn’t too destructive and no lives were lost. The Guerrero Seismic Gap has the potential, according to scientists, to produce much stronger earthquakes. Some could be in the 8.1-8.4 range, which would be like the one that killed 9,500 people and devastated large sections of Mexico City in 1985.

    Hopefully they won’t see quakes of that magnitude anytime soon.

    Image Via YouTube

  • Stacy Keibler Shows Off Baby Bump on Red Carpet

    Stacy Keibler hit the red carpet Tuesday night in a black cut-out gown that clearly displayed her growing baby bump.

    The pregnant actress, model, and former professional wrestler attended Elle magazine’s annual Women in Music Celebration at the historic Avalon Theater in Hollywood.

    Keibler’s floor-length black gown featured cut out sides that left no doubt about the pregnancy she announced in late March.

    Several red carpet photos from the evening show a glowing Keibler cradling her stomach.

    On March 24 Keibler posted her happy news on Instagram and Twitter.

    The announcement came a few weeks after Keibler’s March 8 marriage to tech entrepreneur Jared Pobre.

    Keibler began dating Pobre in 2013, just a few months after her relationship with actor George Clooney ended.

    Keibler and Pobre had known each other for years, according to a friend, and suddenly “sparks flew.”

    In September, Keibler posted a photo of her and Pobre drinking wine in Paris.

    Their wedding less than six months later was a relative surprise to family and friends.

    Their parents, immediate family, and Keibler’s “soul sister” Kelly Turk were invited to accompany them on a vacation in Punta Mita, Mexico. Once there, Keibler and Pobre announced they would be married on the beach in a few days.

    “Everyone was screaming and hugging and over the moon,” Keibler said.

    “We both enjoy a great party celebration but we felt strongly that our ‘love day’ should be intimately special,” the bride explained. “We didn’t want the experience of creating a wedding to take away from our own thoughtful meaning.”

    Pobre is CEO of Future Ads LLC, an Orange County, CA tech company he started in 2001 with a mere $500 investment. By 2009 Future Ads had brought in close to $50 million in revenue, earning Pobre a slew of awards and recognition in the business world.

    After ending her professional wrestling career in 2006, Keibler has done a little bit of everything, from acting to modeling to writing.

    From 2005 to 2006 she was Fitness Editor for Stuff magazine. Also in 2006 she was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars, ending the season in third place.

    In 2007 Keibler landed her first major acting role on the short-lived ABC series What About Brian. Since July 2013 she has hosted the Lifetime reality cooking competition series Supermarket Superstar.

    Image via Stacy Keibler, Instagram

  • Heidi Klum Goes Topless in Mexico

    Heidi Klum Goes Topless in Mexico

    German supermodel Heidi Klum was recently spotted on a beach in Tulum, Mexico while vacationing with her latest boyfriend, 27-year-old Vito Schnabel. Klum, 40, has been dating Schnabel, a New York art dealer, since February, and took a topless dip while in the Caribbean.

    Klum, a mother of four, was also seen last month with Schnabel in Paris, not long after splitting from her bodyguard boyfriend Martin Kirsten in January. Kirsten had been the rebound for Klum’s ex-husband of seven years, the pop-singer Seal.

    Schnabel, son of film director Julian Schnabel, appears to enjoy the company of older women, and has been previously linked to cougars that include Demi Moore and Elle Macpherson.

    Klum snapped some shots of her Tulum stay for Instagram:


    Aside from her work as a model, Klum has seen gigs as a fashion designer and a television host, producer and actress. She’s well-known as a former member of the judges’ panel and as an executive producer on Lifetime’s successful Project Runway. Klum first achieved fame after being featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, and became the first German model to become a Victoria’s Secret Angel.

    In 2011, Forbes reported that Klum earned roughly $20 million, making her the second highest-paid model, behind Gisele Bundchen. As an actress, Klum played small roles in films including Ella Enchanted, The Devil Wears Prada and Perfect Stranger. Klum has also made appearances on the television shows Sex and the City, How I Met Your Mother and Parks and Recreation, and is presently a judge on the NBC reality show America’s Got Talent.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Beltran-Leyva Gang’s Second in Command Captured by Mexican Police

    The Mexican government announced the capture of Arnoldo Villa Sanchez, the second in command of Mexico’s most dangerous drug cartel, the Beltran-Leyva Gang. According to Reuters, Mexican federal police captured Villa yesterday in Mexico City. “The center of his operations was in Mexico City,” national security commissioner Alejandro Rubido explained, “with presence also in the states of Mexico, Chiapas, Guerrero, Puebla and Tlaxcala.” The commissioner added that Villa preferred high-rise hotels and other expensive areas of the city.

    The arrest may come as a shock to some city officials who have long denied any drug cartels operated within city limits. The Associated Press reported that many have now acknowledged cartels use Mexico City as a sale and transit point. Villa answered only to cartel leader Hector Beltran Leyva and acted as his head of security.

    The Beltran-Leyva Gang has become associated with grizzly drug violence in Mexico. Back in March, former head of the United States Drug Enforcement Agency Anthony Coulson told the Associated Press that he suspected the gang to be involved in a massacre along the Arizona-Mexican border. “My best guess is this is the Beltran Leyvas trying to re-establish control in Sonora,” he said adding that the area was “a key strategic point, because of such a huge uptick of trafficking into Southern California.”

    In 2009, the gang suffered a serious blow when kingpin, founder, and brother of the current leader Arturo Beltran Leyva was killed in a shootout. He was considered one of Mexico’s most wanted men, with a price tag on his head worth over two million dollars. The BBC called him “the boss of bosses”. Footage of his death was released on LiveLeak:

    His brother Hector has lead the gang since Arturo Beltran Leyva’s death. The United States Department of State has placed a reward of five million dollars for information leading to his conviction or capture.

    Beltran Leyva’s lieutenants, like the now captured Villia, were also of interest to the United States. The Department of the Treasury designated Villa a narcotics trafficker under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. The Mexican government had offered thirty million pesos for his arrest. It is unknown if anyone collected.

    Image via ExcélsiorTv, YouTube

  • Teen Stabs Friend 65 Times Over Nude Facebook Selfies

    In well-that’s-just-a-horrible-turn-of-events news, a Mexican teen was stabbed 65 times after posting racy photos of herself and her best friend on Facebook, according to police in Guamúchil, Sinaloa.

    The NY Daily News reports that Erandy Gutierrez, 16, fatally stabbed Anel Baez, also 16, on March 19th. Apparently, nude Facebook selfies prompted the attack. Baez reportedly made the post, which infuriated Gutierrez.

    When Baez tried to make things right by inviting Gutierrez over to her home, things got violent. Police say Gutierrez grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed Baez a sickening 65 times. Baez died from her injuries.

    As if this story couldn’t get any stranger, Gutierrez was only apprehended when she attended Baez’s funeral.

    Post by Anel Baez.

    Notus provides an account of some menacing tweets Gutierrez sent before the fatal attacks.

    “Pueda que parezca muy calmada, pero en mi cabeza, te he hatado al meno tres veces,” she tweeted. In English, this roughly translates to “I may seem very calm, but in my head, I’ve killed you at least three times.”

    According to Notus, Gutierrez also confessed on Twitter after the murder.

    “I am an asshole…OMG I did,” she reportedly tweeted.

    Gutierrez’s Twitter and Facebook accounts have both been deactivated. The image of the two girls you see above is from Baez’s Facebook account.

    Gutierrez will be charged with murder, but her age could mean she’ll serve a reduced sentence, possibly seven years.

    Just brutal.

    Images via Facebook, h/t Gawker