BREAKING NEWS: Yesterday a.m. I ended the first complete draft of THE LAST GODDESS STANDING. (Random House, NY) Before I had a chance to breathe a sigh of relief or plan a quiet celebration or set the alarm clock so as to go out and watch the predicted meteriorite showers here (where if anywhere you'd see a show) a relentless electrical storm began and kept up until past my bed time.Anyone who knows me will take this as a fortuitous sign from the gods.And with this entry, I end my contribution to the instant gratification and final word on narcissistic, if not just bad writing known to…
Latino
-
Ana Castillo
-
21 Oct 2009 | 11:40 am
21 Oct 2009 | 11:40 am -
18 Oct 2009 | 8:33 am
18 Oct 2009 | 8:33 amJAMES ARTHUR RAY: DISGUSTING.If this year hasn't been tragic enough to everyone in the world for various reasons, in this country to 95% of the population economically to begin with then we have disgusting scam artists like this:I'm talking every area of your life! You've got to learn from this past economic winter, and plant your seeds for the spring in this short window of opportunity! While things have appeared to calm down a bit, right now is your perfect chance... When would NOW be the time to once and for all enjoy total abundance and true wealth financial, relationally, mentally,… -
16 Oct 2009 | 6:53 pm
16 Oct 2009 | 6:53 pmInternet Networking Fatigue Syndrome--below is my favorite paragraph from the Facebook article I entered in the blog earlier. Having said all this and w/ about 10 pages left before I finish the first complete draft of my new novel (!!! The Last Goddess Standing !!!!) that I am sure everyone who reads my blog is going to order at least 10 copies of the day it comes out, adopt for their college courses in hard cover and buy copies for birthdays and holidays for every Facebook friend they have as soon as it is out please see below: A new workshop location has been added: SANTA FE (and a couple… -
16 Oct 2009 | 6:44 pm
16 Oct 2009 | 6:44 pmSanta%20Fe.doc -
16 Oct 2009 | 10:50 am
16 Oct 2009 | 10:50 amSubject: Our Marketing Plan by Ellis Weiner October 19, 2009 KeywordsInterns;Book Publishing;Promotion Department;Blogging;Internet;Authors;Facebook Hi, Ellis—Let me introduce myself. My name is Gineen Klein, and I’ve been brought on as an intern to replace the promotion department here at Propensity Books. First, let me say that I absolutely love “Clancy the Doofus Beagle: A Love Story” and have some excellent ideas for promotion.To start: Do you blog? If not, get in touch with Kris and Christopher from our online department, although at this point I think only Christopher is left.
-
Lorna Dee Cervantes
-
Where In the World is Lorna? Lorna Dee Cervantes Fall Poetry Readings Calendar
6 Nov 2009 | 2:41 pmLorna Dee Cervantes Readings:Nov. 6• Kickoff Extravaganza: “Mission Muralismo: The HEART of the Mission, A Celebration of Art and Community” celebrates Street Art San Francisco: Mission Muralismo, edited by Annice Jacoby with a foreword by Carlos Santana, in partnership with Precita Eyes Muralists; this will be one of the most ambitious book signing events ever hosted by the de Young, featuring many of the artists, photographers, and writers showcased in the book, with live music by Dr. Loco’s Rockin’ Jalepeño Band; poetry and performances by Lorna Dee Cervantes, Stephen Cervantes,… -
15 Years Ago Today...
29 Sep 2009 | 3:31 pm...my one and only baby was born. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! May all your passages be smooth.I'm back in Boulder, feeling odd and strange to be back for a few days after 2 years and a few months away. Looking at my office again, I'm trying not to feel overwhelmed at the task of moving. Just gathering my papers together will take a LONG LONG TIME. (hmm, my capital letters agree.) I might consider looking for a house swap or sublet or house-sitting situation here in Boulder while I pack.I was just going to sell things. But I still like them. Ha, well. Time to get steak and lobster. No internet at the old… -
Susan Cervantes, Master Muralist, Gets Her Own Day In SF. Precita Eyes Muralists Desperately Need A Van!
23 Sep 2009 | 3:54 pmSeptember 19, 2009, Susan Kelk Cervantes Day in San Francisco!My step-mother, Susan Kelk Cervantes, was awarded a proclamation from Mayor Newson Gavin at the Precita Eyes Muralists Gala, "Community Art From the Heart" for her many contributions to the culture and quality of life in San Francisco. You can sign up now for the rare opportunity to take a Master Class from her in mural painting, Oct. 1 - Nov. 1: http://www.precitaeyes.org/cmpw.html. Now, Precita Eyes Muralists and SUSAN CERVANTES DEPERATELY NEEDS A VAN to replace their old one which broke down, never to run again, Saturday… -
100-Word Love Poems to Strangers: Poems for Francisco X. Alarcon On His 20th Anniversary
23 Sep 2009 | 10:48 am100-Word Love Poem to Javier for Francísco X. AlarcónI was alone in shadows,a thief in the shadows,a regiment of one inthe shadow of you onthe night you appeared. Yougrasped me from the shadowslike the migra grabs livesout of the transatlantic water.I am no longer drowningin the shadow of you.I am alive to yourshadow, to your flank andfile. I am no longergroveling in anyone's shadow whileyours lies luxuriously in mysun. I am enormous withshadows until the sum ofyour tongue. You lick upthe galaxies in my me,my confidant, compañero de sí.8-15-09Lorna Dee… -
Lorna Dee Cervantes: Top Poetry Blog Award
23 Sep 2009 | 10:44 amTop poetry BlogsThanks to The Daily Reviewer and all who nominated me and voted.
-
Column of the Americas 2008-1994
-
Leticia X is Human
23 Oct 2009 | 9:14 pmColumn of the AmericasOct 23, 2009Leticia X is HumanBy Roberto Dr. Cintli RodriguezI’ll refer to her as Leticia X.She is undocumented but has been in this country since the age ofthree and is a top student at her high school. Yet, unless the lawchanges soon, she will be unable to continue with her studies. Ingripping testimony, she tells my students at the University of Arizonathat it is wrong that she will not be able to attend college nextyear: “I consider myself a U.S. citizen. It’s the only country I’veever known.”Her symbolic mother is Leticia A. -- a student who set the… -
Health, War-Peace, Hypocrisy & Taxes
9 Oct 2009 | 8:39 amBy Roberto Dr. Cintli RodriguezOver the past several months, conservatives seemingly made headway convincing a good portion of the U.S. public that Congress may not be able to produce a national health care plan that will not bust the budget – something that president Barack Obama has promised not to sign. And then came Afghanistan.Conservatives almost had the nation convinced that despite the laudable goal of improving the overall health of the nation, insuring everyone is simply too costly. There’s no money to save lives, to prolong life or to heal those who would otherwise die or live… -
Neither walls or moats can hold them back…
15 Sep 2009 | 8:07 amColumn of the AmericasBy Roberto RodriguezCongressman Joe “You Lie” Wilson has touched a raw nerve. Yet he may have also opened wide the proverbial Pandora’s Box regarding “illegals.” Not dealt with properly by the president and the Democratic Party, Wilson’s incivility could end up unleashing a new and more rabid anti-immigrant movement comparable to those seen in Europe.Played out to its logical conclusion, this dynamic of not providing health care for migrants, in the event of a pandemic, could lead to calls for widespread quarantines and calls for massive dragnet raids,… -
Fear: It’s What’s Behind Door #2
26 Aug 2009 | 9:04 amColumn of the AmericasFear: It’s What’s Behind Door #221st Century Indian RemovalBy Roberto Rodriguez Upon arrival recently from Mexico City, after inspecting my passport, a U.S. immigration official at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport instructed me to “Please go to door number 2.”When the same thing first happened to me at DFW several years ago, I replied: “Did I win a prize?”This time, it was on the same day that Bollywood Superstar, Shah Rukh Khan was detained at Newark’s Liberty International Airport. Officially, Kahn was “not detained” for 66 minutes. His… -
President Obama is no Dobbs or Arpaio…
18 Aug 2009 | 7:39 pmBy Roberto Dr. Cintli Rodriguez On the issue of immigration, President Obama is no Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio – the face of racial profiling. Neither is he CNN’s resident xenophobe, Lou Dobbs, whose mission in life seems to be to lead the nation into an ethnic cleansing frenzy. Yet up to this point, President Obama’s immigration policies simply appear to be enhanced versions of President Bush’s anti-immigrant policies. Ironically, despite the hype regarding Sen. John McCain being a friend to migrants and to Mexicans/Latinos – most peoples from these communities overwhelmingly…
-
La Bloga
-
La Bloga Redux
5 Nov 2009 | 11:01 pmLa Bloga approaches its fifth birthday this month -- we had our first baby post on November 28, 2004. For that reason, and because I've been on the road (that Pacific Coast Highway is all that it's cracked up to be), working on two books, and sometimes without Internet, this week I re-post a column from the past -- thanks for indulging me.Here's some dark beatnik poetry that I hope is not too dated -- first posted around Thanksgiving. This poem was written during a pre-apocalyptic stage I was enduring that had been fueled by the nightmare of unending wars and Bush poliltics and other events… -
PUERTO RICO FEST
5 Nov 2009 | 6:18 amPuerto Rico Fest 2009sNYCEVENTS:Arte VisualSpecial K: Welcome to Zintar: Homage to Clemente Soto VélezNoviembre 5 • 7pmAdmisión: FREEClemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center, 107 Suffolk Street, NYCExhibición de arte original inspirada en la vida y obra de Clemente Soto Veléz y objetos personales del poeta y su esposa pertenecientes a la colección del Centro de Estudios Puertorriqueños de Hunter College.TallerFrom the Script to the ScreenNoviembre 9 • 7pmAdmisión: $10Teatro SEA, 107 Suffolk Street, 2nd Floor, NYC (646) 454-0664 para reservaciones.Un taller en donde el… -
Children's Book Press
4 Nov 2009 | 9:25 pmFrom Lorraine García-NakataPublisher & Executive DirectorAll children’s books are created equal…right?An overwhelming number of studies point to the importance of the early reading experience, which can greatly increase a child’s future success in school and provides significant intellectual, economic, and social advantages. It fosters cultural literacy, passing on community values, history, and traditions, while encouraging fortitude and diversity, teamwork and independence.The dilemma is this: how do you inspire a child to read when that child’s world simply does not exist in… -
Guest Columnist: Sergio Troncoso. Is the Texas Library Association excluding Latino writers?
2 Nov 2009 | 11:01 pmBlogmeister's Note: Michael Sedano's Tuesday column returns next week with a review of Literary El Paso. Today, La Bloga shares Sergio Troncoso's essay from his own blog Chico Lingo. Troncoso raises critical issues that require awareness and conversation.NOTE: Revised to include link and small edits.I had a wonderful time at the Texas Book Festival, which was well-organized and full of lively literary parties.On Saturday, I walked through the white tents next to the state capitol, gathering handouts from commercial publishers, lit organizations, and university presses.My panel was not until… -
Juana
1 Nov 2009 | 11:01 pmA short story of murder and betrayal by Daniel OlivasJuana told me to meet her at El Museo de Arte Moderno. Right by “The Two Fridas” at noon she said. Juana knew that I despised Frida Kahlo’s obsession with herself and that it would have been just as easy for us to get together at the Colón Misión Reforma where she’s staying. And she also knew that she would arouse my suspicions by keeping me away from her hotel. But she always liked to tweak me, get my goat as they say in the United States. I couldn’t refuse Juana, of course. And she knew that, too.It’d rained all morning but…
-
UMX | El Machete
-
Multi-Racial is Multi-Beautiful!
6 Nov 2009 | 4:07 pmNOTE TO THOSE IN NEED OF ONE: Imagining that being bi-racial or multi-racial, a blend, un mestizo, a mullato, etc is a bad, wrong, painful, or “hard” thing in and of itself is a racist frame. It is the very same lens that looks down on the brown, on the gold, on the black. To the judge who recently recused himself from the sane modern day by casting his hate-turned-inside-out-pity upon the interracial children that might one day be, and refusing to marry two people in love; to those who mock President Obama as a “Halfrican”, to those who think it is not fair to put… -
La Raza Youth Leadership Program
6 Nov 2009 | 8:38 amOutgoing? Dynamic? Committed? If you want to improve your leadership skills and give back to the Latino community APPLY TODAY La Raza youth leadership program believes in social justice, quality education, human rights, environmental justice and advancement of the Latino community. Workshop Themes • Leadership Skills • Public Speaking • Latino/Mexicano/Chicano History • Immigration • Art/Culture • Health • Community Organizing • Higher Education • Critical Thinking • Institutional Racism Program Information • Application deadline – Nov. 20, 2009 • Program start date… -
Remembering Marcelo One Year Later
5 Nov 2009 | 5:17 pmMARCELO LUCERO’s is one of those stories that haunts you. Stories that become iconic because of how terribly well they illustrate great wrongs that our human society has yet to escape. Marcelo’s story is very plain, the truth very ugly, the loss permanent. I shudder to think of what it means to die in such a way. It should happen to nobody. That’s one of the parts that haunt me. I know what it’s like to be set upon by many hands. But to never make it home? To die there, bleeding to death in the dark. Because someone decided that you are a spic. Because you were on… -
México: She Welcomes the Opportunity!
5 Nov 2009 | 9:57 amAND OFFERS FULL AMNESTY TO ALL ILLEGAL US IMMIGRANTS! As well as to undocumented immigrants from all nations! Juan Ignacio Pedroza, Migratory Regulations Official for México says that the government of México wants to have “an open arms policy;” all foreigners who want to contribute should be allowed to and are welcome. México simply wants them documented. No prosecutions, no jail, no problem. This move will offer them a path to citizenship. According to the video, México has “changed its approach toward immigrants” to simplify the process of becoming a citizen:… -
Weekly Diaspora: Immigration Issue Always in Play
5 Nov 2009 | 9:35 am[For those new to UMX, The Weekly Diaspora is a (paid) article I write for The Media Consortium. It is a column that runs on a few other sites, as well. (Linked at end of post.)] By Nezua, Media Consortium Blogger [Non-UMX Title: Immigration Impacts Everything] While many pundits and political analysts are musing about what Tuesday’s mixed bag election results mean for Obama administration, New America Media reports that “there’s another trend to watch; the surprising prominence of immigration politics.” Even in states where other concerns “like small farms and…
-
chicanonews.net
-
U.S. Settles With 5 Immigrants In Post-9/11 Sweep
3 Nov 2009 | 1:52 pmThe men were among more than 170 Arab and Muslim men jailed for immigration law violations in New York and eventually deported following the terrorist attacks. The suit claimed that former Attorney General John Ashcroft and other officials violated their rights by imprisoning them on the basis of their race and religion.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us Click Here for the full article -
Despite Recession, Startup Hispanic Endeavors Grow
1 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pmNEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Despite the tough economy, new U.S. Hispanic ventures keep opening, and established agencies are raiding general-market shops...Click Here for the full article -
P;G Adapts Its Web Fashion Show for Hispanic Women
1 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pmNEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- In October Procter & Gamble debuted "De Moda," a U.S. Hispanic version of "The Thread," both designed to showcase about halfClick Here for the full article -
Mexican congress passes tax hikes, some changes
1 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pmThe Mexican congress has approved a bill to boost the nationwide value-added tax from 15 to 16 percent and increase income tax rates from 28...Click Here for the full article -
NSC seeks more time in immigrant cases
1 Nov 2009 | 2:10 pmThe National Security Council will tomorrow ask the Cabinet for two more years to complete its illegal migrant registration drive.Click Here for the full article
-
Soy Chicano! blogs
-
wats up
15 Oct 2009 | 8:39 amwats up everybody im kinda bored with nothing to do hit me up i need some entertainment hahaha -
WAtS gOOd?
30 Aug 2009 | 5:36 pmdamn havnt been on here in a long min.. whats good wit everyone?? -
Fuck it, its just BS♥
12 Aug 2009 | 2:28 pmS0 Here I am again... And really im not sure why? I hate this feeling,This is so stupid and i realize that and i wonder why im still around. read more -
BS♥
29 Jul 2009 | 8:37 pmMy stomach hurt because of it. Im tired of the drama and im tired of that bitch and that something you dont seem to get thru your fucking brain read more -
my reply
24 Jul 2009 | 11:58 pmThey asked me if I would ever go back there I replied no, I would never go back to the hood The place I once called home There been to many killed and I cant look in the eyes of a child read more
-
Immigration Talk with a Mexican American
-
STOP HATE CRIMES! Sunday Marks One Year Anniversary of Marcelo Lucero's Murder!
6 Nov 2009 | 7:40 amThe FBI has reported Hate Crimes against Latinos have increased by over 40 percent. It is critical we hold the perpetrators of these crimes accountable. My blog's mission in 2009 is to bring attention to these hate crimes so we can stop them from occurring. There are several Hate Crimes that occurred over the last year that I am focusing on until the perpetrators are held accountable. These Hate crimes are: 1. Kick in the Head Murder of Luis Ramirez - Shenandoah, PA 2. Beaner Jumping of Marcelo Lucero - Patchogue, NY 3. Student Murderers of Chilean Students by Dannie Baker - NW Florida 4. -
Breaking News: Fort Hood Soldiers Murdered by Insane Military Officer! Army says Isolated Incident! Let the Military/Police complete Investigation!
5 Nov 2009 | 3:33 pmTragic, Breaking News:Thirteen people have been killed and 30 wounded in a shooting spree at the Fort Hood military base near sleepy Killeen, Texas. Our thoughts and prayers go to the families. Let's all take a moment and offer our condolences to the stricken families. Now, let's attempt to understand what happened. The suspected gunman in the Fort Hood shooting has been identified as Major Malik Nadal Hasan, a U.S. born American Citizen, only 39 years old, born in Virginia. The shooter was initially reported to have been killed, but Lt. Gen. Robert W. Cone told a late night news conference… -
This Dog Dances Better Than You Do! (Watch the Whole Thing!)
5 Nov 2009 | 7:44 am -
True American Meb Keflezighi Wins the New York City Marathon -- Except to Far Right Extremists
3 Nov 2009 | 1:31 pmAccording to some pundits, YOU don't count as an American unless THEY say so. Over the weekend, Meb Keflezighi became the first American to win the New York City Marathon since 1982. But CNBC's Darren Rovell wan't impressed. Darren Rovell doesn't think Meb is really an American. Rovell sees that Meb is NOT White. He is NOT of Northern European Descent. Therefore, Rovell twittered and wrote on his Blog: "Meb Keflezighi, who won yesterday in New York, is technically American by virtue of him becoming a citizen in 1998, but the fact that he's not American-born takes away from the magnitude of… -
Arrogant Arpaio Deputies Violate Constitution/Attorney-Client Privilege in this Blatant Abuse of Power IN COURT!
1 Nov 2009 | 12:59 pmThe ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE is an evidentiary rule that protects both attorneys and their clients from being compelled to disclose confidential communications between them made for the purpose of furnishing or obtaining legal advice or assistance. The American colonies adopted this approach to the attorney-client privilege, and Delaware codified the privilege in its first constitution in 1776.In this video, you will see Joe Arpaio and his goons spit on the Constitution as one of Maricopa County's deputies blatantly VIOLATE Attorney Client Privilege in Open Court proceedings as the Trial is…
-
The Mex Files
-
¿Porque no, mon?
6 Nov 2009 | 7:52 pmPer EFE (via Latin American Herald Tribune, Caracas): Jamaica’s foreign minister says his country should adopt Spanish as a second official language to foster expanded trade and cooperation with its neighbors in the Caribbean and Central America. Growing ties between the Caribbean Community and Latin America, the Dominican Republic’s desire to join Caricom and the fact that Jamaica is surrounded by Spanish-speaking countries make it imperative for Jamaicans to become proficient in Spanish, Kenneth Baugh said. … “One has got to accept that the wider horizon of Latin America and the… -
WE kill the criminals?
6 Nov 2009 | 1:12 pmThe following editorial (my translation) appeared in today’s El Universal and was read on the radio: The massive uproar over the mayor of San Pedro Garza Garcia’s announcement that he would create an anti-crime “cleaning squad” is compounded by his revelation of a suspected drug trafficker’s execution in Mexico City, before Capital officials had confirmed the event. Death squads in Mexico? A grave development, but the evidence has been there for some time. The real problem is that people do not seem angry that discretionary authorities are promoting the… -
Lucha Reyes: the Janis Joplin of Mexico
5 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amLucha Reyes, born Maria de la Luz Flores 23 or 28 May (different sources use different birth dates) 1906 in Guadalajara, was one of the earliest of Mexican recording artists, and though recordings in the 1920s, introduced European audiences to Mexican music. Due to her European success, her difficult personal life and her apparent vulnerability, she has been called “the Mexican Piaf” — and her voice does have some similarities to the French singer — although her throaty renditions of lower class and generally masculine popular music form, as well as her… -
Evidence of more deaths foretold
5 Nov 2009 | 4:00 amEarly on in the Calderón Adminstration’s “War on Drugs” the Army was sent into Zapatista controlled communities, allegedly to search for marijuana plantations. Given that the Zapatistas are many things (many of which I disapprove of) but are certainly not drug dealers (if anything, they’re more like the Taliban when it comes to narcotics) it was a warning that a military/police crusade against one group of social deviants could easily be used to wipe out other opponents of the regime. While so far, political and social discourse has not been completely destroyed… -
Progress not perfection: coups and resistance
4 Nov 2009 | 4:00 amLaura Carlsen — if not the best informed, then certainly in the top five, of well-informed foreign political correspondents writing about Mexico and Central America, questions the so-called “Guaymuras Accords” that either do … or don’t… end the coup in Honduras: … from this observer’s view, negotiation and dialogue played a minor role in the apparent resolution of this phase of the crisis. In the end, the mobilization of Honduran society sent a clear message that “normal” government would not be possible and even more widespread…
-
Chicana on the Edge
-
You put THIS in the dryer?
1 Nov 2009 | 2:19 pmSo, in 2007 the spinster and the bachelor moved in together. I was 40, he was 44. I had spent 12 years living alone, he had spent even longer. Because I knew I'd need plenty of space (and patience) as I adapted to life in a couple, we deliberately melded our lives in a spacious two-bedroom apartment with a sunroom.We divided the chores, which we've gradually adjusted and settled into over time. Bob logs our expenses and pays bills, cleans ours acres of hardwood floors and takes out the garbage. I do the grocery shopping, clean the bathroom and the kitchen and do most of the dishes, although… -
2009 Goals Group
24 Oct 2009 | 5:51 amCranky Pumpkin (I made this for work this past week)That's my gratuitious cake photo for the month. It was devil's food inside.Last March I blogged about a goals group I started so I could have help with my 2009 resolutions. It started out great, with nine women meeting monthly to discuss our intentions and accomplishments. Some goals were about fitness or nutrition, some were about personal relationships and as the year went on, an increasing number were about job-hunting. I want to report that the experiment went very well. Although the number of attendees has ebbed and flowed (and ebbed),… -
Rogers Park and how I feel about it
12 Sep 2009 | 7:54 pmThis is for Rudy, who asked a couple of questions about the place where I live.Rogers Park, which is on the far northside and borders the next town, is one of the most racially integrated neighborhoods in Chicago and I moved here in 1995. I love being a 50-minute train ride from downtown. I also like the rents, the friends I've made here, the proximity to the lakefront and the little restaurants nearby. Rogers Park has some great neighborhood bars and cafes and it's definitely home for me. In terms of safety, I find it a patchy neighborhood. I walk down one block and feel perfectly safe, but… -
Bob went on vacation
29 Aug 2009 | 8:14 pmSo my husband went on vacation in August, all by himself. I enjoyed very much having the apartment to myself, eating whenever I wanted and falling asleep without the white noise machine blaring to drown out his snoring.It reminded me of my old spinster days when I lived alone and hop scotched from relationship to relationship, unable to relax into intimacy, unable to trust, unwilling to let anyone know what was really going on inside here. The week alone also helped me realize that I have managed what I didn't used to think was possible: I have initiated a legal marriage with a real, live man… -
Welcome, Winter!
29 Aug 2009 | 8:10 pmWe didn't get much of a summer in Chicago this year. Temperatures stayed surprisingly cool through most of it and, although we got a few days that were above 85 degrees, I think most Chicagoans agree that this was a non-summer. That was particularly crappy for people who were recently unemployed and experiencing their first summer off in years. They were totally entitled to beautiful weather that could have offered some tiny compensation for not being employed, but no. This summer just sucked for them. These days fall is in the air, which is making many people unhappy, but not me. I like…
-
CHANFLES!
-
GDL: Some Pics
27 Oct 2009 | 10:48 pmI’m down South for a lil’ spell, escaping my obligations, checking out new places, and recharging the batteries. Of this laptop and my own I suppose. I’m taking a few pictures just cuz. So here goes a few, just to keep on the general theme of this blog. That being the blog that makes no sense! Jaja! Dia de las Brujas is getting mixed up nicely with Dia de Muertos, as you can see from some of the items available at a papeleria. Some man at a plaza seems to like having pigeons all over him. Kinda cool, kinda asco. Muscle man with child photographer. Muscle-less man with child… -
Huevos Rancheros: Camilo’s
16 Oct 2009 | 5:33 pmI like Camilo’s in Eagle Rock, it’s a good spot for a weekend meal. But unless you really, really, really like cumin, avoid the HR’s. Oof. Camilo’s Bistro 323.478.2644 2128 Colorado Blvd. 90041 http://www.camilosbistro.com -
Smart & Final Extra - Now Open
16 Oct 2009 | 12:04 amAll signs of the old Vons are gone, the only thing that remains are the bad memories. And in its place: yet another corporate market. Will it be better? Can we expect something else besides Cup o’ Noodles sales? Hmm, I’m gonna speculate no. Still, I know I will end up shopping here just out of convenience, so might as well go take a look at what’s happening. They had the Grand Opening on Wednesday, so this market is fresh! Let’s see something else. I thought nobody did this style of sign decoration anymore. Thumbs up! Damn, it was packed in the parking lot. People were… -
Yard Sale?
14 Oct 2009 | 6:00 pmWhen is a yard sale not a yard sale? When there’s no yard? When it’s indoors? It is curious that a storefront with many booths inside (aka indoor swapmeet) would start using the term yard sale for their method of selling consumer goods. Maybe its because in Lincoln Heights the daily yard sale reigns supreme, for both those looking to score some deals and those hoping to unload some stuff while they make some cash. It’s Big. Just teasing us to go in, with those bikes and sign for computer repair. What the? They also call it an indoor swap meet. There goes my 2 minute theory. -
Circa Oct 2, 2009 4pm
3 Oct 2009 | 12:03 amA man on a go-cart waves to a man in a car. A parade of one for an interesting October afternoon.
-
Elenamary
-
Equal Rights
25 Oct 2009 | 4:32 pmI wonder what future generations will think about the fact we ever even debated this. -
All are welcome, as long as you aren’t the public
22 Sep 2009 | 6:27 amI live very close to my “Neighborhood Pride Center“. It is a pretty cool idea I think, to house community space, the police, university safety patrol and basic city services all in one place. I’d like to make a recommendation to the City and the University who are joint partners in sharing the space and in trying to bring communities together, please take down the sign at the entrance that says “NO PUBLIC RESTROOM” and replace it with a sign that says “ALL ARE WELCOME!” Northside Neighborhood Pride Center -
why suffer?
27 Aug 2009 | 5:48 amLast night I was at one of my favorite hangouts, CaraBar, with my aunt (from my Mexican side), and my friends Tony from the Bahamas, and Jason. My aunt doesn’t speak English and so I spent a good deal of the time doing simultaneous interpretation of our conversation. We talked about missing food from home countries, and cultural differences of people in our lives in the US compared to back in Mexico or Bahamas. Then my aunt asked, what Tony’s document status was, and what was it like for those in the Bahamas to immigrate to the United States. Tony explained, which I had never… -
Workers in Texas
3 Aug 2009 | 5:08 pmMy little sister Cristina Tzintzun, is the director of a Non-Profit, Workers Defense Project/ Proyecto Defensa Laboral, that recently teamed up with the University of Texas to do a study on working conditions for laborers in Austin. Shortly after the study was published my sister recieved a call from an OSHA representative, that due to the study, they were going to increase their number of federal agents investigating the high number of on work site deaths in Texas. For more information regarding the report, please check here. Or to see a video clip of my sister talking about a worker… -
Triathlon
27 Jul 2009 | 6:14 pmI did my first triathlon on Saturday. I am proud of myself. I’m looking forward to doing better and actually training. Setting goals for myself and hoping to keep better track on www.dailyburn.com come join me there. A big thanks to my little brother who got me ino the triathlon…he placed first for his age group/gender.
-
Dialectical Migrations
-
6 Nov 2009 | 2:22 pm
6 Nov 2009 | 2:22 pmI'm in love. I'm learning. I'm growing.Today we'll head to Tattered Cover bookstore. I'm alive. I will focus on this rather than the bad things that continually want my attention. Labyrinths lead to peace. I've never walked a labyrinth, but maybe that's what life is, a labyrinth. Where we're going to is a mystery and where we've been is no longer visible. They key is to keep moving through the mystery.from "This is My Heart" by Joy Harjo"This is my heart. It is a good heart.Bones and a membrane of mist and fireare the woven cover.When we make love in the flower worldmy heart is close enough… -
5 Nov 2009 | 11:50 am
5 Nov 2009 | 11:50 amFor my lost friend, E. -
5 Nov 2009 | 11:08 am
5 Nov 2009 | 11:08 amI once asked S if she believed we existed in some form after death and she said, "Yes, the energy has to go somewhere."I have A LOT of papers to grade :(I mean I really have A LOT of papers to grade :(I received my copy of LITERARY EL PASO (T.C.U. Press) in the mail today. It's a nice hard back book. I'm impressed. I am of course lucky to have two of my poems included.I am at a coffee shop in old town Arvada and hope to get some grading done today. I will work out tonight since P has a meeting. My working out consists of walking. It's sad, I know. But I do swim too sometimes. Slowly.I have… -
4 Nov 2009 | 9:09 am
4 Nov 2009 | 9:09 amThe universe without and the universe within"Learn to become still, and to take your attention away from what you don't want, and all the emotional charge around it, and place the attention on what you wish to experience...Energy flows where attention goes."-- Michael B. BeckwithI want to apply for another job today and grade some papers. S loved Depak Chopra. I find some of the videos a bit jargony for some reason but may post some as I am looking for anything that can help me live better. I really like the one above. This was a Romantic idea I think, re: the internal universe mirroring the… -
3 Nov 2009 | 2:13 pm
3 Nov 2009 | 2:13 pmIt's hard to find a Van Morrison tune that allows embedding, but I really like this guy's cover. I like that he's just playing some music out in the street. In any case, it's a good day. I applied for one job. Papers sit on the couch ungraded. I have to grade some this evening. I have another job I hope to apply for in the next day or so.The SECRET instructs us towards Gratitude. I am grateful for this lovely day. I swam for thirty minutes this morning which was terrific. I am grateful that I've had time to send out a number of applications. I am grateful for this desk, this computer and the…
-
My Word is My Weapon
-
Chiapas Government Tries to Pin Narco Arsenal on Peasant Leader
6 Nov 2009 | 6:27 pmConflicting Press Releases Cast Doubt on Government ClaimsThis past October 16, the Mexican Federal Police transferred Chiapan peasant leader Jose Manuel “Don Chema” Hernandez Martinez to a maximum-security federal prison located in Nayarit, 26 hours from his home. Don Chema is a leader of the Emiliano Zapata Peasant Organization (OCEZ). The government claims that it transferred him “for his own safety.”On October 9, the government claims to have uncovered a massive weapons stockpile—reportedly the largest weapons seizure in the history of Chiapas, and the biggest weapons seizure in… -
Detained Chiapan Peasant Leader Treated Worse Than a Drug Kingpin
24 Oct 2009 | 1:40 pmGovernment Transferred “Don Chema” to a Federal Maximum-Security Prisonreprinted from Narco NewsThe way the government is treating Jose Manuel Hernandez Martinez, also known as “Don Chema,” one would think he’s the head of a drug cartel.According to witnesses, on September 30, at least eighteen police officers—many disguised as electrical workers—kidnapped Don Chema from his home in the 28 de Junio community in Chiapas. The operation included state and federal police officers working together in a “joint” or “mixed” operation—the sort of operation that characterizes… -
Privatization Behind Calderon's Attack on Electricians Union
21 Oct 2009 | 10:40 pmA Spanish Company and National Action Party Members Hope to Exploit Luz y Fuerza's Fiber Optic Networkreposted from Narco NewsMexican Electrical Workers Union (SME) Secretary General Martin Esparza claims that President Felipe Calderon busted his union in order to take control of a 1,100-kilometer fiber optic network. The fiber optic network in question was built with public money and was the property of Luz y Fuerza del Centro, the government-owned electricity company that the military and federal police shut down this past weekend. The union's opposition to Calderon's agenda of cronyism and… -
Military and Federal Police "Kidnap" Electricians to Put them to Work
21 Oct 2009 | 10:37 pmFederal Agents Take Them By Force to Power Stations with Problemsby Patricia Muñoz and Fabiola Martinez, La Jornadareposted from Narco NewsWorkers "are being kidnapped" by federal forces in order to force them to "cooperate" with the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) in power stations that have problems providing electricity to customers, denounced the Mexican Electrical Workers Union (SME)."The federal government's disgrace and desperation has become intolerable, and our patience is wearing thin" because the Federal Police (PF) and the Military go to workers' homes to "detain them and… -
Military, Federal Police Bust Mexican Electrical Workers Union
14 Oct 2009 | 2:01 pmCalderon Uses 6,000 Federal Agents to Fire Over 44,000 Luz y Fuerza Workers source: Narco NewsMexican Electrical Workers Union members protest the summary firing of 44,000 members. Photo: La Jornada In the middle of the night last Saturday, President Felipe Calderon sent six thousand soldiers and militarized Federal Police to take over state power company Luz y Fuerza installations in Mexico City and the states of Mexico, Puebla, Morelos, and Hidalgo. Immediately following the takeover, Calderon issued an executive order closing Luz y Fuerza. Because no law or decree can go into effect until…
-
¿Chicano y que?
-
Off target
6 Nov 2009 | 8:33 amA new show at the Colorado Springs, Colorado Sangre de Cristo Arts Center unveils the importance of fact-checking ... or notby Edie AdelsteinMaria Lopez's upcoming exhibit at the Sangre de Cristo Arts & Conference Center features colorful, abstract works depicting Christian scenes. But the most eye-catching aspect of the Pueblo artist's self-titled show came within a press release."Her works," the Sangre wrote of Lopez, "are currently in the art collections of celebrities such as: Barack Obama, Dane Cook, Cheech Marin, George Lopez, Carlos Mencia, Chris Rock, David Letterman, Martha… -
Photography Studio Flash Choice
28 Oct 2009 | 8:41 am[Click photo of Profoto D1 Air kit to enlarge]Recently I have been researching various brands of portable studio strobes for purchase. I need something that is rugged and easily transportable from location to location. The units I've been looking at vary in price from $99 to thousands.I need a strobe that gives me plenty of bang for my buck. Here is what I am looking for; repeatable color temperature, high quality build, radio and/or light synchronization, low weight, medium power output, fast recycle time, quality accessories and of course a great price. In the past I have used Norman,… -
UFW Photographer George E. Ballis Fights Cancer
27 Oct 2009 | 8:20 amGeorge Elfie Ballis has been dealing with jaundice from a blocked liver and gall bladder from pancreatic cancer the past month and a half and may not live much longer.MAIA’s REQUESTPlease do not call here to ask questions, express love or sympathy as we need to focus on caring for George. E-mails are preferable.If you are in the Bay Area, please let us know if you are available to help Maia get back and forth from Oakland (Montclair district) at her sister’s home to the Veteran’s Hospital in SF in the AM and home in the PM Mon. and Tues. Oakland phone: 510-339-3587For those of you who… -
Steve Anchell's Route 66 Photography Exhibition
20 Oct 2009 | 11:05 pm[Click photo of Steve Anchell to enlarge.Photo and text copyright 2009 Jesús Manuel Mena Garza. All rights reserved.]Wearing a Leica M7 named “Sonny” around his neck, Steven Anchell strolled into the Gallery at the Creative Center for Photography in Los Angeles for the opening of his exhibition titled, Route 66. The photographer and author, noticeably late, was cordial and available to discuss his work with the modest gathering. Anchell is a photographer with an international reputation. He leads numerous photography workshops including one scheduled for Cuba in 2010. He is the author of… -
I Wish More Colleges Offered These Courses
14 Oct 2009 | 3:33 pm[Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales by Jesus Manuel Mena Garza]UCSB Chicano Studies CoursesLOWER DIVISION1A-B-C. Introduction to Chicano Studies (4-4-4) StaffAn introduction to the historical and contemporary development of the Chicano community, interdisciplinary in nature, and focusing upon such components as the educational, sociological, and political. The course will critically analyze the societal context in which La Raza has sought to maintain and develop its culture.10. Introduction to Chicano History (4) GarciaPrerequisite: lower-division standing. Same course as History 10. Students who have…
-
i exist. aquí. contigo.
-
Our traviesos
11 Oct 2009 | 10:26 amCeleste and Leonardo are growing so much! My 30th birthday is around the corner, can’t wait for the pachanga. Time does fly. Leonardo wearing his jester hat, he is un travieso. People say he looks like me. Maybe, but he is way more adorable. Reminds me of Celeste when she was a baby. Can you tell who is the real child? Luna Park in San Jose had a sidewalk chalk art day. One of the artists created this cool 3D drawing. It looks like Celeste is playing with other kids. Here’s Celeste’s chalk art, her mom helped out a bit. -
La Santa de Cabora
23 Sep 2009 | 10:47 amLa Santa de Cabora, Teresa Urrea (1873 - 1906). We began discussing Luis Alberto Urrea’s The Hummingbird’s Daughter in my Chicano/a Literature class. We had a class writing exercised, actually inspired by Gloria Anzaldua’s Borderlands/La Frontera, and one of my students wrote about the power of faith. In the same breath, she spoke about the strength she draws from her faith and about her mother saying that “I believe in you.” I thought about my own understanding of faith, as an energy that come from us. I am not religious, I don’t believe priests. But I do… -
Alisal High’s 11th year Reunion
9 Aug 2009 | 10:23 pmFrom left to right: José, Alicia, Rudy, Alejandra, Agustín. It was a small, but great gathering. We all got really drunk, or as my folks say, bien pedos! -
Talk To Your Children About Racism And Sexism. A Red and Black Column by Agustín Palacios
4 Aug 2009 | 5:40 pmIt’s a matter of good health to teach our children about racism, sexism, and other forms of injustice; because once they experience it themselves they’ll have the skills to understand what happened. Those that have a framework to understand racism and sexism will not be as vulnerable to its negative psychological effects, such as a low self-esteem. I have helped high school student’s with their personal statements (for college application) for a few years now, and I have realized that a good number of them have no critical class or race awareness. While I do find a critique… -
July in Pictures
28 Jul 2009 | 12:04 pmI found the longest burrito I have ever seen. It’s from a Mexican restaurant near the college. Wow, I was impressed. I was only able to finish half of it. I am not sure if I am coming back, it was good, but I don’t want to be wasteful. Maybe I’ll have 1/2 for lunch, and the rest for dinner. The price was good, $7. I forgot the name, but I’ll come back to it later. I also saw a Pupusa place on 23rd st. in Richmond. I once had some real good food at “PortuMex,” a Portuguese-Mexican food restaurant. I was happy to learn that is not far from the college. Man, I…
-
¡Para Justicia y Libertad!
-
Homeland Security’s Mass Deportation Program
5 Nov 2009 | 10:11 pmReporting for the Big Bend Sentinel, Sterry Butcher reported on the US Department of Homeland Security’s new mass deportation program taking place in Presidio, Texas. On Nov 1, Homeland Security and Border Patrol began transferring 94 undocumented men a day from Tucson, AZ Sector to Presidio under the guise of cracking down on human smuggling. The Alien Transfer and Exit Program (ATEP) is an effort by Border Patrol to disrupt human smuggling in the Tucson Sector. The program will bus Mexican men ages 20 to 60 from Arizona to Presidio and force them to cross the Presidio–Ojinaga… -
Will Kay Bailey Hutchison Resign: Not Likely
3 Nov 2009 | 11:25 amThere is something about running for public office. Like a game of chess, its all about trying to outsmart your competitor based on his or her moves. Since both parties are placing a priority on nominating candidates who can beat the other’s nominee, activists in each party are likely to base their decisions on what the other party seems to be doing. In my last post, I mentioned that Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison decided to delay her resignation from the Senate as she pursues her gubernatorial campaign against incumbent Gov Rick Perry in the Republican Primary. When Senator Hutchison… -
End the Brain Drain: Vote for Prop 4
3 Nov 2009 | 4:06 amJust a reminder since today is election day here in Texas. Vote for Prop 4 Currently, Texas loses more than 10,000 high school graduates per year who leave the state to attend doctoral granting universities in other states, while attracting only about 4,000 students from other states to attend doctoral granting universities in Texas. This brain drain represents a significant loss of critical young talent for Texas. During the 2009 legislative session, the Texas Legislature passed a bill that proposes a constitutional amendment to take existing funds, Higher Education Fund (HEF), and make them… -
Has Rick Perry Become A Liability To The GOP?
30 Oct 2009 | 3:03 pmThe volatile 2010 Republican Primary race for governor in Texas is starting to play out and it does not look good for Gov, Rick Perry. This week, it seems like the Republican inner circle is sending Gov. Rick Perry a clear message – he is too much of a liability. This week, former Vice President Dick Cheney has endorsed and will campaign for Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s bid to unseat Perry in the Republican Primary. Cheney will officially endorse Hutchison at a Houston fundraiser on Nov. 17. Cheney’s endorsement comes right after Rick Perry has come under fire for a 2004… -
Tales From The Uninsured: A Paradoxical Reality
28 Oct 2009 | 8:15 amSome readers maybe wondering my sudden absence. As some of you know, I am a big advocate for public health insurance as I am just another one of the millions of uninsured in America that is simply crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. I must say, for those who believe we have guardian angles watching over us, mine must be working in over time. Brush with the H1N1/Bronchitis Combo It started two weeks ago. I woke up with a very deep sore throat that felt like strep throat and as the day went on it turned into constant chest congestion with an occasional cough. There were also bouts of…
-
Wild Chihuahuas
-
The Rape of America
30 Oct 2009 | 1:26 pmIf you're like me, you sorta do and you sorta don't understand why Wall Street and significant parts of corporate America are implicated in the destruction of the American middle class. You sorta get what all these high-level finance shell games have to do with unemployment, home foreclosures, closed schools and hospitals, but you couldn't really point to anything to explain it. Well, rejoice. Voila la explanation.This should clarify a few things, and scare the hell out of you. (Shortly after reading it, I sent $25 to Alternet for its fall fundraising campaign. Reason why? I don't recall… -
Republicans for Rape
27 Oct 2009 | 8:38 amYa, so I'm a little late with this, but surely there's somebody besides me who missed this latest GOP marvel.Check out TYT for some background.So let me get this right. The party of law 'n order is for law 'n order except when they interfere with bidness. That about it?Why does ANYBODY sane vote Republican? Oh. Wait....http://www.wildchihuahuas.blogspot.com -
AZ Republican Rep Calls Obama "Enemy of Humanity"
29 Sep 2009 | 9:52 amFrom Salon's War Room today:Republican congressman: Obama "enemy of humanity""Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., has always been a little skeptical of President Obama. Skeptical enough, in fact, that he flirted with the Birther movement for a while, and even considered filing a lawsuit before the election in order to seek proof that the then-senator was eligible, under the Constitution's guidelines, to be president. He's moved past that -- mostly -- but he hasn't exactly embraced Obama, either."This past weekend, Franks spoke at the How to Take Back America Conference, an event co-chaired by Phyllis… -
Uninsured Texas Fill Free Houston Health Clinic
28 Sep 2009 | 1:57 pmThis is evil funny. Texas is probably the reddest state in the Union, and lookee here: "One out of every three adults in Harris County is now uninsured and Texas ranks the worst among the 50 states in healthcare coverage, according to the U.S. Census. The National Association of Free Clinics decided it was time to hold a massive free clinic at Houston's Reliant Center." Good thing it wasn't "socialized medicine."There they were, all lined up like villagers come to Port au Prince. It's a live, 3-D, walking-around prognostication, a glimpse of the future in the here-and-now if the GOP has its… -
"I don't need you to tell me that I'm amazing!"
24 Sep 2009 | 9:54 pmThis is Brava. This is her history. Her story is triumph over every adversity, with a loving heart.http://www.wildchihuahuas.blogspot.com
-
South Texas Chisme
-
Food stamp workers share frustrations
6 Nov 2009 | 8:45 amWhen the new head of the agency responsible for the state's backlogged foodstamp applications sent an e-mail to employees asking for feedback about theagency, he got it.About 500 state workers replied to Health and HumanServices Executive Commissioner Tom Suehs, telling him about low morale and lowpay, poor management, technology problems, insufficient training, long hoursaway from their families. They wrote about feeling frazzled, cryingThecommission has struggled since experienced state employees started leaving inadvance of a major privatization effort in 2005. And the current… -
Cornyn rips White House over H1N1 vaccine
6 Nov 2009 | 8:15 amWASHINGTON — Sen. John Cornyn joined fellow Republicans and conservativegroups who attacked the Obama administration Thursday for shortages of the swineflu vaccine in Texas and other states.Cornyn stepped up his criticismas Iowa-based American Future Fund, a conservative group, launched a TV adcampaign questioning whether the government can run a national health caresystem if it can't provide enough vaccine.Obama administrationofficials blame shortages and delays on the production of the vaccine bymanufacturers.Business as usual. . . must protect the companies that provide contributions. -
TABC says its agents did not use excessive force
5 Nov 2009 | 6:51 amAUSTIN — An investigation by the Texas liquor board has cleared its agentsof wrongdoing in a raid of a gay bar in Fort Worth that left a customer injuredand led to protests.The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission saidThursday that it didn’t find the Rainbow Lounge was targeted because of its gayand lesbian customers. The agency also says agents didn’t use force beyond whatwas necessary and reasonable during the bar check operation June 28.TABC Administrator Alan Steen says that although evidence didn’t showagents targeted the bar or used excessive force, they did violate… -
Bilingual program avoids state takeover
5 Nov 2009 | 6:33 amAfter two years, the public school system has pulled its bilingualeducation programs away from the brink of state takeover.“We were citedfor everything under the sun,” says Director of English Language Acquisition Dr.Sally Zuniga-Barrera “We were, literally, on the verge of being taken over bythe state.”Along with the hiring of Zuniga-Barrera, former districtadministration hired additional staff members, gave the department needed toolsand provided much needed support and guidance.With the help of newsuperintendent, Kelt L. Cooper, Zuniga-Barrera says the district has created amodel… -
City pays nearly $7,000 for tree and more to plant it
5 Nov 2009 | 6:19 amAn approximately 25-foot-tall live oak tree has taken center stage at theBrownsville Public Library on Central Boulevard and it temporarily took thestage at Tuesday’s City Commission meeting.The tree raised eyebrowswhen a resident complained to the commission about the tree’s purported $25,000price tag. However, the tree’s actual cost was just under $6,850, Assistant CityManager Jeff Johnston said on Wednesday.The live oak was planted in thelibrary’s courtyard, replacing the massive, and historic mesquite tree that"passed away on its own," City Manager Charlie Cabler said.The…
-
Man Eegee's Latino Politico
-
Arpaio's Policies Include Shackling During Birth
22 Oct 2009 | 2:33 pmLast summer, I covered the horrific story of Juana de la Paz being shackled during labor and, after the birth of her child, prevented from breastfeeding. That outrageous human rights abuse occured in Tennessee.Well, Sheriff Joe Arpaio has brought this scourge of inhumane policy to Maricopa County:During her second night behind bars, the bleeding started. On the morning of October 14, she felt contractions. Her hands and feet shackled, she was in labor and ushered into a paramedic's van by a detention officer who restrained her to the stretcher. "That's not necessary," the paramedic told the… -
Kyl Must've Been Delivered by Stork
25 Sep 2009 | 3:04 pmThe general rule is that if Senator Kyl is speaking, Arizona is being embarrassed. Even by those standards, though, this is nuts:"I don't need maternity care," Kyl said. "So requiring that on my insurance policy is something that I don't need and will make the policy more expensive." Stabenow interrupted: "I think your mom probably did." It's bad enough that the Senate doesn't reflect gender or ethnic parity found throughout the country, even worse that it retains a neanderthal like Kyl who is so devoid of empathy that the question must be asked if he was delivered by stork.Maternity care is… -
Arizona Schools Getting Screwed on Tuesday
11 Sep 2009 | 9:34 amArizona districts and charters operate on an equalization payment that arrives monthly on or around the 15th from the Arizona Department of Education. There has been a lot of fear recently that the state legislature would be irresponsible and do one of two things since those who call the shots are anti-government conservatives: 1) education budgets would be gutted or 2) refuse to protect current funding levels by kicking shortfalls down the road.Well, the GOP leaders picked the "all of the above option" and as a result, the following memo was issued to schools YESTERDAY at 5:55pmSeptember 10,… -
Una Identidad Sin Fronteras: Piedras
27 Aug 2009 | 7:40 pmThis site has been quiet for the past few months, but not without reason. Something snapped in me around the inauguration. My life felt stagnant and I was ready for a major change beyond the Change that was bandied about during the Presidential campaign. I made the decision to put my social life on hold and save money like there was no tomorrow in order to invest in buying a roof over my head. Well, that day came on Friday, August 14th, 2009 at approximately 2pm. I have joined the ranks of home ownership.What's been amazing is the support from my family and friends, most of whom live over 100… -
Vaya Con Dios, Senator
26 Aug 2009 | 8:34 amSenator Edward "Ted" Kennedy2.22.32 - 8.25.09
-
Latina Lista
-
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus took the right stand on threatening to withhold healthcare votes
6 Nov 2009 | 2:53 pmYesterday, members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) met with President Obama to discuss their concerns that punitive language targeting undocumented immigrants in the Senate healthcare plan would be repeated in the House version that is supposed to be voted on this weekend. If that's the case, CHC members have vowed to vote against the bill. The (CHC) lawmakers said they opposed a provision from the Senate health care bill that would prohibit illegal immigrants from buying private insurance plans on the new health insurance exchanges to be created, even with their own money. The… -
The memory of Marcelo's death still horrifies but the atmosphere that created it still exists
5 Nov 2009 | 3:02 pmToday's defeat of the Republican-authored amendment that would have forced federal officials to discount the presence of non-citizens in the 2010 US Census seems like a small tribute to the memory of Marcelo Lucero. Defeating that amendment recognizes that people like Marcelo Lucero are a part of this country and their presence should not be overlooked, or in Marcelo's case forgotten. Marcelo was an Ecuadorian immigrant whose American Dream ended in a nightmare. It was a year ago that the country discovered the awful truth of what some boys in Suffolk County, New York do for fun. By their own… -
Low Latino voter turnout in NJ and VA elections reveal a return to the old ways
4 Nov 2009 | 3:24 pmSomething happened in yesterday's governor elections in New Jersey and Virginia that everyone was afraid would happen. No, it's not the fact that a Republican won in each race. It's the fact that voters of color and young people could have cared less about who would win. There's no denying that the 2008 presidential election was unlike any other and it awakened the proverbial sleeping giant of young and multicultural voters. Yet, there were many who worried that once the presidential election was over if the same momentum could be sustained with each "lesser" election. It's obvious now… -
Child welfare workers too quick to remove Latino children from their families
3 Nov 2009 | 12:59 pmNo state child protection agency wants a label of "dereliction of duty" hanging over their heads if a child under their supervision turns up abused, or worse, can't be found as happened in Florida with foster child Rilya Wilson. Maybe that's the reason why too many child protective services around the country are prone to remove the children from Latino and black households rather than work with families. "In the United States, children of color represent approximately one third of the U.S. population but 60% of children in foster care." In an article by the Morris News Service, it was found… -
In these times, cities need to do more to help day laborers
2 Nov 2009 | 2:35 pmThough 80% of economists are saying the recession is over, for the thousands of people out of work that declaration is nothing more than wishful thinking. Since layoffs began, we saw people with college degrees and professional careers band together in designated meeting spaces every morning to hear motivational keep-your-chin-up speeches, share a pot of coffee, network with their newfound friends and pour over job listings in the newspaper or want ads online. For people without a college degree, and some without even U.S. citizenship, they do the same thing -- get up, go to a central…
-
Hasta Los Gatos Quieren Zapatos
-
"Gotta go, gotta go!"
6 Nov 2009 | 9:30 amA perfect stocking stuffer for active women, GoGirl allows the simple convenience of taking bathroom breaks standing up in situations where restrooms are unfit or nonexistent.GoGirl is easy to use. Just lower your panties, and put GoGirl against your body, forming a seal. Aim and, well, pee. Pretty simple, huh?It fits easily in your purse, pocket, or glove compartment. It’s a must for travel and sports. And it’s great for everyday––no more crouching over or trying to cover up an unsanitary public toilet.Good luck lowering your panties discreetly if you're wearing tight jeans. You… -
Blogs of note...
6 Nov 2009 | 9:00 amIt's Friday and that means blogs of note day!Here is a new blog, well, new to me, and it's very different, it's stylish and thoughtful.Nice to read and to look and and he links to various artists so that we may can enjoy the beautiful links.Ombligo Sereno de la LunaFrom the hills of El Sereno to the mountains of Chiapas, the poetry of moontide gravity and the eternal pull exerted by the womb of our history and the birthplace of mestizaje are gathered here in a trajectory that runs from East Los to Neza, with pit stops along Interstate 10 from Texas to the Santa Monica pier thrown in for good… -
The insanity doesn't seem to stop
6 Nov 2009 | 8:30 amAnother shooting rampage. This time at a U.S. military base, the Soldier Readiness Center at Fort Hood. The shooter? A military mental health doctor facing deployment overseas. He managed to kill 12 people and wound 31 before being shot.The gunman was identified as Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan, a psychiatrist. He's been listed in stable condition at a hospital.Hasan, 39, was a psychiatrist at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for six years before being transferred to the Texas base in July. The officials, who had access to Hasan's military record, said he received a poor performance evaluation… -
Is there ever an excuse good enough to explain incompetence?
6 Nov 2009 | 8:00 amVisit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the EconomyI would think not.Probabtion agents have too many cases, they spend too much time busting people for drugs and other non violent offenses so they don't have enough to to keep tabs on the real creeps.Sexual predators are a bigger concern than murderers.Unless of course they're serial killers, then it goes without saying.This vile piece of garbage should have been locked up forever, some people can't handle freedom.So yes the Parole Board fucked up and they were not doing their jobs properly, I say fire the idiots. -
Folk Hero or Criminal?
6 Nov 2009 | 7:30 amColton Harris-Moore, all of 18 years old has become an Internet sensation. He happens to be the prime suspect in about 50 burglaries around the Seattle metropolitan area. He's also a fugitive after escaping from a halfway house after one of his many convictions. Whenever a burglary victim or the police spot Colton, he runs barefoot into the woods and disappears. Word is that he grew up in the woods, and apparently knows how to hide in them. Police are especially worried about a new crime trend, which they think Colton is responsible for. Airplane theft. Several small planes have been taken in…
-
Migra Matters
-
Immigration Reform is a Crucial Part of the Movement for Change
13 Oct 2009 | 10:55 pmYesterday, thousands of immigration reform advocates converged on Washington to demand that Congress and the Administration live up to their promises to take up reform, and repair our broken immigration system. And while news of this gathering of pro-reform advocates was overshadowed by the events surrounding the health care debate, it should be remembered that both of these causes are part and parcel of the greater struggle for change that brought so many together last November in the hope of setting a new agenda for the 21st century. Despite what some claim, support for some sort of… -
You can't have it both ways, CNN
13 Oct 2009 | 9:04 amTo let CNN know they can no longer hypocritically distance themselves from Dobbs' anti-Latino and anti-immigrant hatred with appeals to Latino viewers, join the BastaDobbs campaign today and let your voice join the 50,000 others, who've in the last four weeks, told CNN "Enough!!!" -
Gutierrez to release his principles for new immigration reform bill … we've got a few of our own.
12 Oct 2009 | 10:43 amOn Tuesday Oct 13th, members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus led by Rep. Luis Gutierrez(Il-D), will be joined in Washington by 2,500 representatives of labor, immigrant advocacy and civil rights groups, and faith-based communities from across the country to unveil what is being touted as a list fundamental principles behind a new progressive, comprehensive immigration bill to be introduced before the end of the month."I am overwhelmed by the support of immigrant, faith-based and community-based organizations in urging me to introduce comprehensive immigration legislation. I look forward… -
Groups To Finally Take On Dobbs
15 Sep 2009 | 1:49 pmAfter years of peddling some of the most radical right-wing conspiracy theories, giving a platform to white nationalists and other extremists, and resorting to outright lies to further his cause as an "advocacy journalist," a coalition of human and civil-rights organizations today announced the launch of a coordinated effort to finally hold Dobbs accountable for his divisive rhetoric.Dobbs' long history of fueling anti-immigrant and anti-Latino sentiments and using his daily news and talk-radio programs as a platform to spew hate and misinformation is well documented. From discredited claims… -
Words Do Matter Mr. Obama
10 Sep 2009 | 11:20 pmDuring the last ten minutes of President Obama's address to Congress on health care reform Wednesday, we witnessed perhaps one of the most stirring defenses of liberalism we've heard in years from any politician. Evoking the words and memory of the late Senator Edward Kennedy, Obama demonstrated once again the substantial oratory skills that helped put him in office. As a rhetorical exercise, his closing remarks were about as pitch perfect as it gets. I received one of those letters a few days ago. It was from our beloved friend and colleague, Ted Kennedy. He had written it back in May,…
-
Viva la Feminista
-
Book Review: Flow: The Cultural Story of Menstruation by Elissa Stein and Susan Kim
3 Nov 2009 | 6:50 pmThe first real job I had out of college was working for one of the founders for the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research. Which is ironic since I was not the "Woo, I'm woman, let me menstruate!" gal back then. And honestly I'm still not. That said... Flow: The Cultural Story of Menstruation by Elissa Stein and Susan Kim is a riot. My period was a mystery to me until about college when I found women who pointed me in the direction of books and resources. No, I wasn't a lucky gal who grew up coveting her mom's worn copy of Our Bodies Ourselves, oh how I wish! Instead I was like Nancy Drew… -
Want diversity? Start with diversity.
3 Nov 2009 | 4:07 pmDon't ask me to bring diversity to your organization, ask me to join your organization for my skills, my knowledge or because you just love me. Don't think that I'm the pepper to your bland mashed potatoes. I am the garlic to those potatoes - the first thing you put on the skillet after you start to boil the water. Where you dash on pepper, throw in some onion and make me a vital part of the dish....Not the afterthought. *** Media itself is changing rapidly and in Chicago we have a new player in the game, the Chicago News Cooperative. Laura Washington gave them a tongue lashing for the… -
Good riddance to Breast Cancer Awareness Month!
29 Oct 2009 | 10:20 pmI hate it because it is all about the million pieces of junk we can buy that are pink. The pink ribbon is everywhere. Ironically it is on things that just might cause breast cancer! Breast Cancer Action calls these companies "pinkwashers." BMW, for example, gives $1 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure each time you test-drive one of their cars, even though pollutants found in car exhaust are linked to breast cancer. Breast cancer is far too dangerous and serious of an enemy to be defeated by pink cleaning rags. From the earliest record of how a breast cancer patient feels to today's survivors who… -
Fundraiser: The Advantage and Disadvantage of Zine, a funding proposal
29 Oct 2009 | 9:34 pmIf you read my blog at my blog, you may have noticed a little box over there >>>> That is a ChipIn widget for fellow Chicagoan, feminist and in her own right, total bad ass, Anne Elizabeth Moore. So it's not me asking for your dollars for me or my own sake, but rather for Ms. Bad Ass. Here's what she's fundraising for: Advantage and Disadvantage of Zine is a long-term, multifaceted collaboration with a group of young women college students in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I first met these young women when I was offered a residency in their dormitory, where I lived for two months during… -
Where to send the girls who do like computer science
29 Oct 2009 | 8:21 pmOriginally posted at AWEARNESS WOW! I can't believe the response my post about girls and computer science on Wednesday received on Twitter. Thanks. Many of the retweets were of "don't forget us too!" variety, so to follow up on the popular post, here is a quick run down of just a handful of the amazing groups working to recruit girls to computer science and keep them interested. Please, please add additional ones in the comments! Anita Borg: This is a powerhouse organization that works to connect tech companies to women. ABI offers workshops, publications and information aimed to develop…
