It’s my lunch hour. Let’s see how quick we can do this.
People power rattling politics of Latin America
I have a feeling the Mexican media is doing a much better job covering the protests going on throughout this country and throughout Latin America than back home. It’s really pretty amazing to turn on the news every night and see a new, gigantic protests going on in this country and that, forcing out this leader, and that. In a way it feels like the 60’s: lots of noise, but not much actual participation.
I disagree with the article’s author, Danna Harman, that this is some sort of new political development in Latin America. If there’s one thing that Latin Americans know how to do it is protest and there is a long history of it. Maybe only France is ahead. Especially here in Mexico protests are common. A few weeks ago there was a protest by husbands being abused by their wives (it was on women’s day). All of April there has been a semi-continuous protest over gas prices. There are protests against TV stations, protests against neighbors, protests against what happens on telenovelas.
The problem is that the society divides into two halves – those who work for the government and those who work against it. But it only turns into a battle and rarely a solution and almost never participation. I agree with some of what Vinay Jawahar says:
“This is not constructive participation,” argues Vinay Jawahar at the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington. “It is hard to argue that this sort of instability is good for a country.” Mr. Jawahar calls the argument that people have no other recourse “opportunistic.” “The idea that as soon as people are unhappy with the performance of a president they can remove him means that legitimacy begins to rely on popularity, and it is dangerous when the two are confused.”
I certainly wouldn’t call it opportunistic, but there is a lack of accessibility and a lack of understanding in how to affect political change. Here in Mexico it’s so much easier to protest than it is to get involved, to find where the power lies and take ahold of it. There’s no understanding of the institutions and how they work (much like the IMF or World Bank) so people protest instead of try to reform. (Elenita: thoughts?)
The Strange Pleasure of Upgrading Software
I like Verlyn Klinkenborg – the guy writes about everything from why people are leaving Iowa to tidal pools in Belize to upgrading his software. If you read blogs, it’s hard not to read about Apple’s newest release of their operating system OSX called Tiger. They write about it like a poet writing about sex or an art fanatic describing his favorite piece. Of course I’m jealous, but I’m also poor so until someone buys me a powerbook (I’d happily accept an iBook) I’m left in the dark with an operating system released about four years ago.
Bush Social Security Plan Would Cut Future Benefits
No surprise there. I actually have nothing against the idea of personal savings accounts. I say try it out some time. But definitely not now. It’s like trying to start a risky business venture when you’re hovering above bankruptcy.
‘Alcohol makes your brain grow’
I always wondered how Abogado got his smarts. My favorite quote:
“It is well known that alcohol in moderation is good for your body so it’s no surprise it’s also good for your mind. Maybe that is why lots of pub quiz teams are so bright.”
Debate stirs candidates
Cindy, why was “Jake Strom dressed in a chicken suit” and what the hell is the “Bruin Liberation Movement”?
Black leaders call for police officers to be disciplined after handcuffing 5-year-old girl
Yeah, that shit was ridiculous. My lady and I saw that on the news a few days ago and we were like whaa, are you joking? Do you guys think race plays into this? Do you think the cops woulda done the same thing if the girl was white?
Why I left the Catholic Church
I can’t thank Chris enough for introducing me to My American Experience. Canucks are so fucking great. Anyway, catholicism has been a major topic of conversation in our house and in my head. Last week my girlfriend decided she wanted to start going to mass again which was a decision very hard for me to accept. Is still hard for me to accept. But we’ve had some good and respectful talks come out of it.
Other interesting posts as of late about Catholicism:
The Coup in Chile. 1973
I know I already del.icio.us.ed this but it’s worth pointing out again. Marcelo Montecino’s photography from Chile during the coup of 1973 (the other 9/11) is incredible. All of his photography is incredible, but this series especially really captures something from a much more personal perspective than what you see in the usual social documentaries. I would love to one day mean Marcelo.
I’m still addicted to Flickr and love seeing my friends update their photos. It’s such a good way to keep in touch with people. Sometimes pictures really do say a lot more than words. I already feel like I sorta know Vidalia and Shimonkey even though the only way we’ve communicated is through comments. One thing that I can’t keep up with though is the invitation to groups. It feels nice to be invited to a group, just like it’s nice to be invited to a party, but it seems like people are going a little crazy in starting a group for this and a group for that. I think I already belong to something like 15 groups, but the only ones I understand are Monterrey and San Diego.
Well, lunch break over. This thing has gotta me full of typos and doo doos.
We like the breeze flow straight out of our lids
Them they got moved by these hard-rock Brooklyn kids
Us flow a rush when the DJ’s boomin classics
You dig the crew on the fattest hip hop records
He touch the kinks and sinks into the sounds
She frequents the fatter joints called undergrounds
Our funk zooms like you hit the Mary Jane
They flock to booms man boogie had to change
Who freaks the clips with mad amount percussion
Where kinky hair goes to unthought-of dimensions
Why’s it so fly cause hip hop kept some drama
When Butterfly rocked his light blue-suede Pumas
What by the cut we push it off the corner
How was the buzz entire hip hop era?
Was fresh and fat since they started sayin outie
Cause funks made fat from right beneath my hoodie
The puba of the styles like miles and shit
Like sixties funky worms with waves and perms
Just sendin chunky rhythms right down ya block
We be to rap what key be to lock
Whoa, awesome post. Lots of thoughts don’t even know where to begin. In my opinion most Latin American countries do cover protesting much better than American media does. American media doesn’t show you what happens out there–the Internet (IndyMedia) does.
I drank too much the other night and all I got was a lousy hang over. I don’t know about elevating your mind. But gotta love the Jack.
Handcuffing a child of any color is fucking wrong.
I’m Catholic. I’m religious, but I don’t go about making my non-Catholic friends into converts. I’m new to your blog so I don’t know much about your background. My girlfriend’s best friend is Catholic (she’s white) and her husband is hispanic and he’s Adventist. That itself is interesting to me. Religion (to many) is an important part of life the way writing, eating, and running is for me. I hope all goes well.
Oso, you seem like a huge bookworm. You ever heard of Daniel Alarcon?
I’ve been a Mac user since I was 18. I worked at as a web designer and used primarily Macs. In my opinion they are superior, but those fuckers are expensive. I got my little “manzanita” off of craigslist, brand new iBook, 40 gig iPod (that I broke and recently got fixed), and a three year warranty. I still work with PCs tho, at work.
Write on,
Cez
I’ve got a half-written entry in the waiting queue titled “Et super hanc petram”, which deals with my own post-elevation struggle with Catholicism. (Yes, I used to quite frequently to Latin mass, by my own choice.) We’ll see if it gets anywhere.
And re: protest versus participation; I’ll give it some thought. I ‘m planning to install Tiger on Sunday (t-storms are predicted here tonight and tomorrow, and I refuse to stand in line in front of the Apple Store tonight and make myself sick again), so hopefully I’ll manage to develop some coherent thoughts about it before Spotlight and Dashboard eat my brain cycles.
And one more thing: if you’re looking for new reading material, check out Herni Bernard-Levy’s new series in the Atlantic Monthly. It seems the sort of thing that would appeal to you.
Nice photo link on Chile’s tragic confluence of evils.
Good god man. Some really good points here. And some beautiful xhtml formatting … I’m so proud. Just because of that good code, I’ll write out a thoughtful response soon. There’s a lot of misunderstanding about the catholicism thing that I want to clear up. (there are no sides and no rooting) But I think you’re very right about tradition. Did you read Daily Texican’s post – Kung Fu Catholics?
How the Church handled it, and the priests that did it…same difference, scandalous.
shame on you for not having a mac. i shocked. flumoxed. we should start a fundraiser!
Damn, I feel bad now. Re-reading what I wrote, I see that it came off rather harshly. I was in a bad mood, some test equipment issue at work that didn’t allow me to finish what I wanted to finish up for the week. So I used my response to vent a bit…
With that said, I really need to back away from discussions involving the Catholic Church. I certainly don’t want to give the impression that I am a good upstanding Catholic. God knows I am not. I was defending her primarily on Mexican heritage and conservative grounds, but it probably didn’t come across that way.
So with that said, I will let you have the last word on this topic, and consider me out of future Catholic discussions.
I already installed Tiger, LERO LERO!
But really, who doesn’t?
Where do I sign up?
Damn … so many thoughts, so many comments I’d like to make, but la suegra is in town (fun, fun) so it’s gonna have to wait until Monday.
Elenita,
What I was really asking you is what you thought about the inaccessibility of institutions like the IMF and World Bank and how there needs to be greater transparency for people to get involved instead of just protest. I guess I was trying to coax you into spilling the beans on the project of yours you told me about ’cause I think it’s a fantastic idea.
Wish me luck y’all. Sympathy is very much accepted.
Hugs, kisses, and a big bottle of painkillers are right here should you need them.
And, as to the project: I need to have something concrete to actually spill the beans about. Right now, I’ve got nothing but an idea and a vague plan, and those aren’t worth much save inside my head. But feel free to spread the word if you want.
Holy fuck HP! Damn you’ve got some crazy shit going on here Oso!
Oh yeah, I meant to also say thanks for not taking my other post personal, you know I see you as the exception not the norm…You know you my boy.
It’s funny because if I remember your essential characterization of liberals versus conservatives it was that liberals believe people are good but dumb while conservatives believe they’re (evil?) and smart.
I agree, not everyone has the desire to reflect on their beliefs, but I do believe that everyone (or nearly everyone) has the capacity. It’s what makes us human.
I have a tough time buying the argument though that people should be told how to behave because they don’t have the desire to decide for themselves.
I know we’re trying to keep this impersonal, but if we weren’t I would ask you why you choose to behave differently from how the catholic church tells you to.
Where in the heck do you get handcuffs small enough not to slip right off the wrists of a five-year-old?
Good point. I hadn’t thought about that. Pre-meditated … those bastards.