RON MADER'S UNUSUAL MEXICO LINKS
(Mexico on the Web)Journalist and savvy webmaster Ron Mader sifts through the web to find the most interesting and unusual Mexico-related websites. Ron is the webhost of the popular Planeta.com: Eco Travels in Latin America website -- http://www.planeta.com -- and has written about the internet since the early 1990s.
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Bulletin Boards & Forums about Mexico
Get the scoop and speak your mind on Mexico's on-line bulletin boards.Electronic bulletin boards are the digital-age equivalent of cork message boards. Instead of thumbtacks, all that is required is a click of a mouse to post a question or announce an event. Many of the Mexico-related bulletin boards are linked to traditional websites. The bulletin board, however, empowers the reader and facilitates greater interaction between news "producers" and "consumers." You can even create your own free bulletin board by visiting Insidetheweb.com. The following are just a fraction of the bulletin boards on the Web that deal with Mexico.
Alegria: Mexican Folk Dance Bulletin Board
www.alegria.org/wwwboard.html
/5 Stars
Created by Los Danzantes de Alegrķa, a California-based, non-profit Mexican folk dance company, this is an exceptional site with forums on art and culture, costumes, songs, news, and regional dances. The board is useful not only to dancers, but also to those who want to understand the folklore behind Mexican dance. Kudos to Patricia Luisa Torres-Salvador, who organized the troop and put it online. Email contact: alegria@alegria.org
Mexico Online
www.mexonline.com/amigobbs.htm
One of the pioneering Mexico websites - dating back to 1993 - the California-based Mexico Online (or Mexico Amigo) boasts a lively bulletin board system with sections focusing on Baja California, business, legal issues, living in Mexico, Mundo Maya, and travel. Moderated by website owner Rolf Metzger, the discussions are always lively and on-track. The Baja board is one of the better sections. Registration is required. Email contact: rolf@mexonline.com
Mexico Connect
www.mexconnected.com/forumsindex.html
A stellar site that just keeps getting better, the Lake Chapala-based Mexico Connect boasts a series of superb message boards, including one General Forum: www.mexconnected.com/wwwboard/index.html;
Food and Mexican recipes: www.mexconnected.com/foodboard/index.html;
Business-related topics: www.mexconnected.com/mexbusboard/index.html;
as well as Living, Working & Retiring in Mexico: www.mexconnected.com/liveboard/wwwboard.shtml.
I've bookmarked the General Forum and visit it at least once a week because the discussion is always interesting and ranges from general travel questions to Mexican news and legal matters for foreigners. I have to hand it to webmaster David McLaughlin & Moderator jennifer rose for moderating the boards in a manner that enhances the usefulness of the site. Email contact: davidmcl@mexconnected.comOaxaca Forum
bbs.oaxaca.com/index.php3?lang=us
Perhaps the best bulletin-board focused on a particular state, this forum has it all. I'm sure there are some trivial matters that are not referred to on this site, but they would be hard to find. The comprehensive bulletin board assists travelers, residents, and investors alike. Part of the Oaxaca tourism website (oaxaca-travel.com/), the forum provides a selection of bulletin boards to post queries and read messages about current events, lodging and rentals, transportation, and separate places for personal and commercial messages. This is a highly recommended site for anyone intrigued by Oaxaca. Email contact: webmaster@oaxaca.com
Other bulletin boards in Mexico
InterPlanet Foros
www.planet.com.mx/foros/mainforos.htm
Spanish-language bulletin boards on topics such as diving, literature, and photography.Mexico City Bulletin Board
www.df.gob.mx/cgi-bin//Ultimate.cgi
The Federal District government often responds to questions more promptly when they are posted on this site.Nayarit Online
www.InsideTheWeb.com/messageboard/mbs.cgi/mb37290
A terrific forum for all things Nayarit.Yahoo Mexico
post.messages.yahoo.com/bbs?action=topics&board=yahoo.36.05.7785627&type=r
Rather superficial coverage, but worth checking out.
