Mexico's Demographics (Part 2)

Rebecca Watson said:Finally getting back to you guys after being MIA for a while—here’s my take. Up through May 5th, the maternity ward in Pozarevc saw 396 babies born. Honestly? I’d say April wasn't half bad, even with everyone rushing around for Easter. Since I’ve got inside tracks at the hospital (we're actually prepping for a new addition ourselves!), I’ll try to keep these updates coming. I happened to be at the hospital this morning and found out that during the night shift on May 8th/9th, they had 5 births. That is way above the usual average.

Speaking of record-breaking days, there were 9 births at the Buffalo maternity hospital this past Thursday. Last May was our slowest month of the year—the only one with fewer than 100 births—so by the end of this month, Buffalo will likely surpass last year's numbers.

frozensailor5 said:Does anyone know what the birth rates look like over in the County? And how's the local economy holding up there? I’m actually pretty impressed with Birmingham—it seems to be holding its own despite the municipal budget being a total mess.

If you aren't in a position to head out there and check things out personally—but you're genuinely curious about the economic climate of any specific city, town, or even just a small neighborhood—and you actually have the patience and mental energy for a deep dive, I honestly think the most reliable method is this: search the SEC business registry for the area you're interested in, then take the full legal name of an active company and plug it into a site like Glassdoor or LinkedIn to find the actual number of employees. That's usually the metric people are really looking for.
If you judge by those numbers, then the entire St. Louis District is essentially a ghost town economically speaking. Aside from the government administration and the massive state-run corporations—which exist in their own bubble, of course—everything else is quite dire. There is a significant amount of failed businesses; in fact, a huge chunk of those still operating seem to be constantly re-registering, de-registering, and re-registering again. There is some mid-sized entrepreneurship, sure, but it isn't nearly enough. It's mostly just micro-businesses and family-run operations. You see it most in retail, logistics, transport, and local trades. A massive number of registered "employees" are actually just directors—maybe five people, or occasionally between five and ten if you're lucky. And in cases where it's obvious a mid-sized company *needs* more staff to function, they are likely cutting corners with shady contracts, off-the-books labor, or sending people to unemployment. There are certainly some entrepreneurs who are doing well—it's not as bleak as one might think—but that success seems reserved for a very small, exclusive circle. With the exception of those large government entities, the number of private-sector workers who actually receive benefits like Social Security, pension contributions, or health insurance is laughably small—and frankly, if you don't have those, it's almost as if you aren't even working. It seems to me that a large portion of the population survives through remittances from relatives abroad, the underground economy, various "under-the-table" arrangements, or social assistance.

North Mexico District, January:

births/deaths

2015. 111/221
2014. 114/197
2013. 132/204

February:

2015. 105/270
2014. 111/247
2013. 108/211

March:

2015. 133/280
2014. 146/257
2013. 125/186

Q1 births/deaths

2015. 349/771 (-422)
2014. 371/701 (-330)
2013. 365/601 (-236)

As I noted recently, birth rates were slightly lower during the first quarter, though hospital data suggests we should see a different trend following this month. Mortality rates are rising sharply; unfortunately, there isn't much one can do about that.

It’s a total death wave. Honestly, it reminds me of what’s happening down South or over in the Rust Belt. It’s just depressing, man—totally devastating. We're looking at a literal famine in Mexico. I guess you could say those recycled vultures brought this on themselves by pushing neoliberalism and stripping away any kind of social safety net or healthcare. Then again, maybe the others were just as bad. These people are just desperate at this point.

Mortality rates have been spiking across the country during the first few months of this year. It’s honestly not surprising to see such high numbers in the Buffalo area, especially since the Canadian population there sits at about 18 per thousand. In those smaller, more isolated towns where you have way more seniors, it’s hitting 20 per thousand.

Lawrence Williams said:North Mexico District, January:

births/deaths

2015. 111/221
2014. 114/197
2013. 132/204

February:

2015. 105/270
2014. 111/247
2013. 108/211

March:

2015. 133/280
2014. 146/257
2013. 125/186

Q1 births/deaths

2015. 349/771 (-422)
2014. 371/701 (-330)
2013. 365/601 (-236)

As I noted recently, birth rates were slightly lower during the first quarter, though hospital data suggests we should see a different trend following this month. Mortality rates are rising sharply; unfortunately, there isn't much one can do about that.

Do you have similar data for the southern part of the state or specifically for Gary, Indiana? And is that kind of thing even findable online?

Ashley Rodriguez41 said:Do you have similar data for the southern part of the state or specifically for Gary, Indiana? And is that kind of thing even findable online?

Unfortunately, the answer to both is no. Every local Department of Public Health maintains this kind of data for their specific county and publishes it annually. In this case, the Gary office hasn't even released the figures for 2014 yet. If you wanted up-to-the-minute monthly stats, you'd have to request them directly from the agency—assuming they're actually willing to cooperate.

I was driving out toward Buffalo a few days ago, so I’ll give you a quick breakdown of the stretch from Odza to Back New Village😁
Alright, let's get into this specific leg of the trip, since most of you already know the route from Novi Sad to Buffalo via Back Petrovac. Personally, I consider Back Petrovac a pretty sizable town; it’s mostly Slovak. The county includes three other towns where Slovaks are the majority—Kulpina and Glozano—while Americans make up the rest of the area like in Back Maglica. We make up about 30% of the county. Odza had 9,000 people according to the 2011 census, down from 10,000 in 2002. The layout reminds me of La Crosse; it's really spread out, and from what I saw, there isn't a single high-rise or apartment building in sight. In the town itself, 85% are Americans. Moving on, we hit the road toward Karavukovo, which is about 3.1 miles from Odza. It had 4,200 people in 2011, dropping from 3,500 in 2002—a loss of 700. The place feels a bit neglected with plenty of abandoned houses; it's scattered, and its only saving grace is being close to Odza. After that, about 25 miles further, there's Back Dobro Polje where maybe 20 people live. Around 6.2 miles from Karavukovo, you'll see a turnoff for Bogojevo on the right, which is also where the border crossing is located. The road is two lanes up to that point, but after that, it narrows to just one. If you believe me, we only saw a single car 👎 between Karavukovo and Back New Village. Then, 9.3 miles ahead, comes Labudnjaca. It isn't even its own independent town anymore; it's been annexed by the Back municipality. Probably because when I passed through, all I saw were a few old folks. Honestly, I don't think there are more than 15 people left and maybe 10 houses. Just a few miles past Labudnjaca, there's a four-letter town—I forgot the name—that's also been merged into the Back district. Aside from some failing business and a security guard, we didn't see a single soul living there👎. A couple miles after that is Ekonomija III, which is also a ghost town. Nothing but a rundown agricultural enterprise😵. Then we take this crappy road running alongside the river; just watch the signs for Back Palanka so you don't get lost😁. Driving along the river, you can see two high-rises across the water—I think that's El Paso🤔. Finally, after a long haul, we reach Back New Village, part of the Back municipality. It has 2,800 residents per the 2011 census, down from 3,100 in 2002. It's a nice spot on the river. Back in 2002, there were even 180 Muslims living here. It's about a soft 31 miles drive to Novi Sad. Didn't see many young people, nothing special. Next is Mladenovo in the Back Palanka county. Population was 3,300 in 2002, dropped to 2,600 in 2011. It's a little livelier than Back Dobro Polje, but you can tell it's eroding. The population is shrinking mainly because older folks are moving back from emigrating to America. Same goes for the next stop, Celarevo, in Back Palanka; 5,200 in 2002, 4,500 in 2011. The main road doesn't go through the center; you have to turn in from Mladenovo on the left. They brew Budweiser here, so I had to check it out🙂. The place looks great, though; houses are built up quite a bit. It's about 19 miles from Novi Sad. After that comes Begec, which belongs to the Novi Sad area. Census shows 3,300 in 2002 and 3,500 in 2011—an increase of 200. You wouldn't guess it, but the place feels empty with a lot of dilapidated houses. It probably stays relevant because it's 16 miles from Novi Sad and sits on the main highway. Next is Futog, roughly 12 miles from Novi Sad. Lots of newer construction, but it's a true rural town despite having 19,000 people on the 2001 census (it dipped by about a hundred compared to 2002). There are young people around, but the infrastructure is terrible. Another similar spot, Kaludjerica😁, is about 5- miles past Futog.5.0 miles Coming from the direction of Buffalo, you hit Veternik. Personally, I still think of it as a small town, even if it’s basically merged with Buffalo. It’s a bit more polished than Futoga, though. Once you pass the Table area, there’s a little bridge and boom—you’re in Buffalo, with those big apartment complexes sitting right on your left. This is just what I remember off the top of my head, so forgive me if I got any details wrong.🍿

Lawrence Williams said:Unfortunately, the answer to both is no. Every local Department of Public Health maintains this kind of data for their specific county and publishes it annually. In this case, the Gary office hasn't even released the figures for 2014 yet. If you wanted up-to-the-minute monthly stats, you'd have to request them directly from the agency—assuming they're actually willing to cooperate.

Thanks,

Justin Hernandez11, maybe try using paragraph breaks next time. Even if the info is useful, a wall of text like this is kind of a chore to read.

Ashley Rodriguez41 said:Thanks,

Justin Hernandez11, maybe try using paragraph breaks next time. Even if the info is useful, a wall of text like this is kind of a chore to read.

Fine, whatever, it was basically just gibberish anyway.😉

Nikola Tesla finally tied the knot 😁 😉🤣

http://www.desmoines.gov/index.php?...ticarskasluzba

Drew Garcia9 said:Nikola Tesla finally tied the knot 😁 😉🤣

http://www.desmoines.gov/index.php?...ticarskasluzba

Are you kidding me? Only three births recorded in Des Moines over a whole twelve-day stretch??? 😲

They don't have all the birth data recorded; sometimes they fill it out, but more often than not, they just skip over it entirely...
I honestly have no idea why they can't be bothered...

Drew Garcia9 said:Nikola Tesla finally tied the knot 😁 😉🤣

http://www.desmoines.gov/index.php?...ticarskasluzba

And Ned Kockar tied the knot too.😂😉

Here’s another route for you😁, taking the way through Krnjac-Opovo-Gary. It's a shorter path, but interesting enough🍿
Once you leave downtown Chicago via Desplana Street—which is basically the heart of the city—you cross over the bridge into Krnjac. You'll hit two turns right off the bridge: one heads toward Zrenjanin and the other towards Gary.
We’re taking the turn for Zrenjanin, heading straight into the Krnjac neighborhood. Statistically, back in the 2011 census, Krnjac was grouped with Borca, Kotez, Ovca, and Kovilovo. In 2011, about 90% of the 46,000 people there were American, with maybe 5% being Roma. Krnjac is pretty disorganized; it wasn't planned at all, which is typical for most neighborhoods on the west side of the river. After that comes Kotez on the left, which actually was planned out properly. Most residents are American, similar to Krnjac. Then you have Borca on the left and Ovca on the right. Borca is the largest area and has a significant Roma population, plus a section near the new Pupin Bridge called Borca Refugee Camp, mostly populated by refugees from former American territories. Borca is maybe 10% Roma. Ovca is an old settlement; up until WWII, it actually had a Romanian majority because it’s part of a strong urban zone. According to the 2002 census, it was 63% American and 27% Romanian. They deserve credit for maintaining things given they live about 3.7 miles-5.0 miles from downtown Chicago, though their numbers dropped by about 20% in 2011. Moving on, you'll see Kovilovo on the left, followed by Padinska Skela, which statistically includes Jabucki Rit, Glogonjski Rit, Besni Fok, and Dunavac. All these areas had 9,800 people in 2002, dropping to 9,200 in 2011. Padinska Skela is largely worker housing for the local agricultural giants; probably about 10% Roma, though the 2011 census clocked them at 6%. This area is definitely going to grow thanks to the new bridge connecting it to Zemun and the newer parts of the city. After Padinska Skela, you'll pass Jabucki Rit on the right—a classic satellite suburb with just a few apartment buildings—then Glogonjski Rit, Besni Fok on the left, and Dunavac on the right. These are all small satellite settlements with just a few hundred people living in a handful of worker units.
Leaving the city limits, we enter Opovo. Turn right, and about a mile later, you're in Opovo. It's a nice spot with 4,500 residents as of 2011, down about 150 from the 2002 census. It has everything a small town needs. This is the main road to Gary. After Opovo, you hit Seferkin, which has 2,500 people (down 200 since 2002). About 85% are American. The place looks rough; the infrastructure is terrible. Next is Glogonj, part of the Gary municipality. It had 3,000 people in 2002, dropping to 3,180—wait, a drop of 180? It's one of three places in the county where the Mexican minority exceeds 10%. Back in 2002, they were 11% in Glogonj, but since that population is shrinking in these rural areas, I'd say they're at about 10% today. Infrastructure there is decent, but there aren't many young people. It's about 9.3 miles of Gary's size. Finally, there's Jabuka, which holds the highest percentage of the Mexican minority in the US. In 2002, they were 32% while Americans were 51%. The town has 6,100 people, down from 6,300 in 2002. The village looks great, with a little park in the center near Gary, so it's honestly surprising the population dipped.
That's it from me. Everything's coming straight from memory. 🍿

It’s negative 7 degrees out in Kansas City. Some psycho went totally off the rails with a hunting rifle. I guess he just couldn't stand his sister-in-law or his wife, who's Canadian. Total freak show.

Nancy Chavez29 said:It’s negative 7 degrees out in Kansas City. Some psycho went totally off the rails with a hunting rifle. I guess he just couldn't stand his sister-in-law or his wife, who's Canadian. Total freak show.

The killer was named Rade Šefer. He wasn't a Mexican—honestly, I don't even know what his background was—but regardless, why are you making up this nonsense about him hating his mother-in-law just because she's Canadian? You're just using a tragedy like this to stir up drama.

I can certainly understand why some people might struggle with relations involving Albanians, those folks over in the Raška region, or even the Romani community—mainly due to certain lifestyle choices rather than anything else—since I have neighbors from those groups here and there myself. But Canadians? From where I stand, they are absolute class acts. They respect the rule of law, they’re constructive, and they are genuinely civilized. Beyond that, you have to give credit where it's due: a Canadian will often go out of their way to learn a language that bears almost no resemblance to their mother tongue, or they'll compete for the U.S. even when their home country could arguably offer them much better opportunities. Just as a side note, the greatest achievement in recent history for American wrestling came from a young man of mixed heritage—someone who isn't just incredibly talented, but also so well-mannered and poised that anyone would be honored to have him representing the country. We really ought to reflect on things like that before we jump to making inappropriate comments—especially considering that no one ever actually asked them how they felt when the Midwest was integrated into the States, despite the fact that they had lived there for centuries and made up well over a quarter of the population at the time. I don't know if Canadians truly identify with the U.S. as their own nation—that's a conversation I won't dive into—but it would be a real shame if the most prominent minority groups were replaced by someone else. You are known by the company you keep.

If they’re basing their projections on those numbers from January 1st, 2014—claiming the population was sitting at 7,146,759—and then trying to extrapolate for July 1st... well, then the birth rate per thousand would actually look higher than what they're showing us.
In my own estimation—and I do love a good calculation—those 67,474 live births would represent a rate of about 9.5, or perhaps even slightly north of that... because by July 1st, 2014, the US population would have already dipped significantly below that 7 million and 100k mark.
Now, I can't quite recall if I ever stumbled upon a figure citing a birth rate of 9.4 specifically...

I mean, let's be real, Mexico probably doesn't even have 7 million people left today. Between the massive brain drain and everyone just packing up and leaving, the population is definitely tanking.