Tony Herrera

I'm now here!

2010-01-25T14:13:00.001-08:00

Subcomandante Marcos' speech on Gaza, given at the World Festival

2009-01-09T14:21:00.001-08:00

Spanish and English Text Versions of Subcomandante Marcos' speech on Gaza, given at the World Festival of Dignified Rage on January 4th, 2009 En Español: De siembras y cosechas.Tal vez lo que voy a decir no venga al caso de lo que es el tema central de esta mesa, o tal vez sí.Hace dos días, el mismo en el que nuestra palabra se refirió a la violencia, la inefable Condoleezza Rice,

McCain's Sunday Morning Rude Awakening

2008-10-19T12:23:00.000-07:00

The end of McCain's campaign is near and his hopes for the U.S. Presidency have all but ended. On November 4th, McCain stands to lose the election to Barack Obama. The GOP has imploded. Once the general election is over and the GOP regroups, McCain will find a new role and important role in saving the GOP from itself. Look for McCain to become a voice of reason within the GOP and see him

Braceros, most well over 80, wait to collect back wages...and wait and wait..

2008-10-16T11:36:00.001-07:00

The New York Times reports that a Settlement Will Allow Thousands of Mexican Laborers in the U.S. to Collect Back Pay. The settlement allows for the return of the 10% of wages that were withheld from Braceros while they worked as farmhands throughout the United States under the Bracero Program. The money was withheld as an incentive for immigrant workers to return to Mexico, but once they

Some Don't Care and Won't Vote! Some Care and Can't Vote!

2008-10-14T13:42:00.000-07:00

If you don't care about the economy, education, the War in Iraq, or any of the multitude of issues affecting Americans, then don't Vote! Many Americans, including myself will be voting on Nov 4th. I for one, am f*#%ing totally excited that my guy is ahead, way ahead, just take a look at the polls. Yet, despite the fact that my candidate is ahead, I'm still nervous about the next three weeks.

42 Days!...and counting...

2008-09-23T11:42:00.000-07:00

Image Credit: Chris Piascik Most everyone I know has already registered to Vote and have strong feelings as to who they will support in this Presidential election. I consider this Presidential election the most important election of my lifetime. I was first eligible to vote in 1980, so I've voted in quite a few elections and I can admit to a few mistakes. I can and will readily admit that I

Obama Ad: Dos Caras

2008-09-18T14:34:00.001-07:00

Update @ 2:39pm: Here is McCain's Ad. Update @ 2:42pm: A piece from the NY Times on McCain's Spanish Ad

Short Film by Hilman Curtis: Soldiers

2008-09-18T08:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, was Constitution Day day in which American commemorate the U.S. Constitution which on September 17, 1787 was signed by thirty-nine visionary men. Constitution Day is supposed to be a time when "continue the legacy and develop habits of citizenship in the new generation of Americans". But, what will the face of the "new generation of American's" look like? A Short Story In 1980 as

Is it Racist to Market Obama Waffles?

2008-09-16T08:52:00.000-07:00

So, these two enterprising business guys and since this post is about race, I'll mention that it's two Caucasian guys from Franklin, Tennessee. The guys, Mark Whitlock and Bob DeMoss decide to sell boxes of waffle mix which featured caricatures of Obama. The caricature is reminiscent of stereotypical racist cartoons. The men claim that their product was merely intended as political satire

Fat Cat Slim Gets a 6% Bite of NY Times

2008-09-11T14:26:00.001-07:00

Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim Helu has acquired ownership stake in The New York Times Company, publisher of one of the most prestigious US newspaper dailies. Slim Helu's investment stake of 6.4% will make him the largest holder of Class A shares, which are in a separate category from those held by members of the controlling family of the company. The total investment by Slim Helu in the New

Harvest of Shame

2008-09-10T12:44:00.001-07:00

California's Harvest of Shame from California Assembly Access on Vimeo. Former Speaker of the California State Assembly Fabian Núñez has released a short documentary film titled "Harvest of Shame". The film is narrated by Núñez and it documents the unsafe and sometimes fatal conditions that farm workers face on a daily basis while harvesting our fruits and vegetables. The film comes at the

The Inconsistencies of the English Language

2008-09-10T10:39:00.001-07:00

(via Kottke.org) I totally dig how 102-year-old Ed Rondhaller spells out the inconsistencies of the English language. The video reminded me of Gallagher's comedy routine, "Messing with Your Mind". English and the inconsistent rules that accompany its pronunciation make it one of the most difficult second languages to learn. The inconsistencies of the language is one of the most common

Is This Your America?

2008-09-04T14:23:00.000-07:00

Mexico Under Siege

2008-09-02T16:29:00.001-07:00

Click to Play Yesterday, Deborah Bonello of MexicoReporter posted a video along with photos of the "Peace March In Mexico". The post is about the thousands of protesters who have taken to streets across Mexico to express their anger and indignation about the increase in kidnappings and murders in their country. The protests are also a means to call upon the government to take further action

SnagFilms + Valley of Tears

2008-08-31T15:14:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I received a much welcomed email from Richard Matson of SnagFilms. In his email Richard brought my attention to the documentary film "Valley of Tears". The film is about the lives of Mexican-American migrant farm workers in Raymondville, Texas. In 1979, an onion strike broke out in Raymondville in which workers sought higher pay, but equal rights and representation. The

LPGA to Golfers: Learn English...or Else!

2008-08-27T15:55:00.001-07:00

(Via International Herald Tribune) English is the de-facto official language of the United States. It's also the preferred language that business has emraced accross the world. The fact is that few could argue with the opportunities and benefits that are confered upon those individuals who effectively converse and attain proficiency with the English language. Todays sports figures and

PowerPac: "Lo Que Importa"

2008-08-20T20:21:00.000-07:00

Beginning tomorrow PowerPac.org a nonprofit advocacy and political organization based out of California will launched two Pro-Obama TV Ads in the key battleground state of New Mexico. The "What Matters" TV Ads are targeted at Latino voters in New Mexico. The spots will air in both English and Spanish and will run through the Democratic National Convention. You can view high resolution

100 Years in the Back Door, Out the Front

2008-08-18T23:16:00.000-07:00

The New York Times ran an article on May 21, 2006 titled; "100 Years in the Back Door, Out the Front". The story brings to mind the love/hate relationship that the United States has had with migrant workers from Mexico. The article highlights how in 1919, Texas brought in tens of thousands of Mexican migrants to pick its cotton each year. Then it invited them all to leave. The perverse

Laberinto de Miradas

2008-08-15T15:08:00.000-07:00

Deborah Bonello (aka MexicoReporter) posts on an "Laberinto De Miradas" exhibition currently taking place in Mexico City. (Read Full Post) The exhibit is being held at the Cultural Center of Spain and explores migration and immigration as a concept, broadening the common notions about human migration as well as the contributing factors of immigration. Reed Johnson a Staff Writer for the LA

Lawrence G. Hrebiniak: The Mismanagement of America, Inc.

2008-08-14T21:41:00.001-07:00

Do you believe that we as American people have become politically lazy? Do you believe that most people are too busy with our daily lives and don't pay nearly as much attention to the actions of those who govern them? If you answered "Yes" to any of those two questions then Wharton Prof. Lawrence G. Hrebiniak has a message for you on how this nation needs to change the error of its ways. I

Ballad of Esequiel Hernandez

2008-08-11T21:57:00.000-07:00

On May 20, 1997, 18-year old Esequiel Hernández Jr., was shot and killed in Redford, Texas by a Marine squad which had been assigned to perform anti-narcotics patrols on the US-Mexico border.Few of the facts surrounding the death of Hernández' are in dispute. US Military officials claimed that Corporal Clemente Bañuelos, the squad leader fired a single shot from his M-16 rifle only after

Crime and Punishment

2008-08-05T23:21:00.000-07:00

Jose Ernesto Medellin, a Mexican national was executed by Texas authorities in defiance the World Court. Medellin was executed by lethal injection Tuesday evening over the objections of the international judicial body and official requests from neighboring Mexico to stay the execution.The World Court last month had ordered the U.S. government to "take all measures necessary" towards halting the

2008-08-04T16:19:00.001-07:00

Josh Haner/The New York TimesLuis Alberto Jiménez, an illegal immigrant injured in a car accident in Florida, was treatedat a community hospital, which eventually sent him back to Guatemala. He spends most ofhis days inside a one-room house; only the presence of visitors, who can help him into his wheelchair, gives him the rare chance to get out of bed.On Sunday, August 3rd, the NY Times ran an

Building Ties at 3x1

2008-08-01T22:02:00.001-07:00

In El Llano, Mexico, Napa resident Rosario Gonzalez, center, and familymembers wait for friends in El Llano’s plaza during holiday festivitiesin December 2007. Gonzalez’ husband Tony Herrera, who works at SwansonVineyards in Oakville, is at left. Between them are their niece,Jessica Herrera of American Canyon, and their 2-year-old daughterCarolina. Lianne Milton/RegisterThe Napa Valley Register

A Hidden System, A Police Chief and One Hairbrained Idea

2008-07-31T09:53:00.001-07:00

Marisa Treviño posted on the Immigration and Custom's Enforcement (ICE) prison system that has been largely hidden from the public eye. George Gascón, a former assistant chief in the Los Angeles Police Department, is a lawyer and the chief of the police department in Mesa, Arizona writes an Op-Ed in the NY-Times entitled: "The Laws Cops Can't Enforce"Without a national immigration policy, a

Interpreting and Defending Migrants

2008-07-11T00:58:00.000-07:00

The story that follows was first reported on here by Duke of MigraMatters on a post at The Sanctuary blog. Kyle at CitizenOrange also weighed in here.The story has now made it to the front page of the The New York Times. In plea agreements offered by Mr. Dummermuth, the immigrants could plead guilty to a document fraud charge and serve five months in prison. Otherwise, prosecutors would try them

Illegally Celebrating Independence Day Amongst US

2008-07-05T12:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday night, our family celebrated the Fourth of July with friends. Our celebration included the usual ingredients that traditionally mark such celebrations; family, friends, food, drink and fireworks. Our celebration for the most part was typical of those held by families across the nation, with the exception that ours included a few undocumented immigrants.As we celebrated several things

2008-07-01T23:38:00.000-07:00

Delivered in rapid fire mode ala Ze Frank, this has got to be the best video that debunks most myths about illegal immigration. Gracias, Ray William Johnson.Thanks! to Kyle Hussein de Beausset for turning me onto this video.

The Mayans and Ladinos of New Bedford

2008-07-01T15:12:00.000-07:00

Are the newly arrived Central American immigrants of New Bedford, Mayans? or are they Ladinos? Some of them would prefer to be referred to as, "Guatemalan Mayan's".An investigative four part series being published by The Standard-Times titled; "The New Immigrants" highlights some of the unique differences.In case you are wondering, Ladinos, are people of Mayan and mixed European heritage.

Pedro, Come Get Your Money.

2008-06-28T19:50:00.000-07:00

In 2005 Pedro Zapeta was stopped at a security checkpoint at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Zapeta was getting ready to board a flight bound for his native Guatemala. He was returning home, to his native Guatemala after 11 years of living and worked in the US, as an undocumented worker.Zapeta reportedly worked most of those years as a Dish Washer earning no more than

Pablo and Pangea Cinema Day

2008-05-06T09:13:00.000-07:00

Back on May 22, 2007 I posted this piece about the short film "El Escondite" by Pablo Olmos Arrayales. That short film and it's powerful message was my first glimpse of the work of this talented director.May 10, 2008 is Pangea Cinema Day: a day of global acceptance of diversity, mediated through the power of film. Pangea was conceived by Jehane Noujaim and her wish for: a global acceptance of

What do Starbucks Baristas have in common with Undocumented Workers?

2008-03-21T14:47:00.000-07:00

Ever tipped a Barista, a -coffee-maker- at Starbucks? How about you waiter at your local Mexican restaurant? or a Car Wash Attendant? Sure, most of us have, but few of us ever considered if that tip would have to be shared.Starbuck's baristas have for sometime shared their tips with their managers and that practice eventually led to a class action suit initiatedin 2004 by former Starbucks

Fox News and Race

2008-03-21T11:11:00.000-07:00

Technorati Tags: race, fox news, obama, chris wallace

Viva OBAMA 2008

2008-02-21T14:02:00.000-08:00

I'm a serious Mariachi fan, so this video "me enchino el cuero", the English translation is "gave me the goose bumps". It helps if you yell out a hearty "Aahhhuuuaaa! at the end. Enjoy! I certainly did.(h/t Alisa Valdes)

Costa Mesa's case against immigrant advocate dismissed

2007-10-06T20:32:00.000-07:00

(Via L.A. Times) Costa Mesa's high-profile prosecution of an immigrant advocate ejected by police from a 2006 City Council meeting was dismissed by an Orange County judge Monday. (Full Story)The dismissal was handed down because the Costa Mesa prosecutor Danny Peelman did not meet the requirements to be a city prosecutor. The judge dismissed the charges because Peelman had not been properly

Death of an Immigration Bill

2007-06-29T01:11:00.001-07:00

The wide-ranging immigration bill died earlier today. Let's all pause for a moment of silence.Honestly, I'm not at all sad, nor am I at all surprised. This immigration bill was after all a pretty badly written bill. A bill mired with countless penalties and fines against immigrants not to mention that it broke a tradition and the tenet of our immigration policy that of family reunification.

Unintended Consequences of a River

2007-06-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

I read somewhere most of the future world conflicts will center around water, specifically who has access to it and who controls it, for as they say "Water is Life". Since man has had the ability to claim water he has devised ways to store it for human use. The Colorado River has no less than 20 dams, before a drop reaches the Gulf of California on the Mexican side of the border. State and

Message from Hutchinson to Migrants: Pay US Now and Maybe You Can Collect Later

2007-05-25T01:18:00.001-07:00

Kay Bailey Hutchinson a Texas senator has been participating in the marathon bargaining negotiations on controversial bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill. Yesterday, she proposed an amendment to the bill.Hutchison's amendment seeks to ensure that illegal immigrants who are granted visas do not accrue Social Security benefits for any of the time they were in US illegally.She also does

Restraining Order Issued on Farmers Branch

2007-05-22T13:23:00.001-07:00

A federal judge Monday blocked the Dallas suburb of Farmers Branch from enforcing a controversial ordinance that the City Council passed by a 2-1 margin. The ordinance would have barred illegal immigrants from renting apartments in Farmers Branch.The 20 page ruling, essentially a restraining order on the city by U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay is available as a PDF download here.Judge Lindsay

Las Escondidas (Hide and Seek)

2007-05-22T01:50:00.001-07:00

Speak to any undocumented immigrants about their border crossing experience and they will bring up the hunger they endured. Yes, they will also speak about the physical pain and suffering, but most will tell you that they easily endured the fear, dealt with the pain and suffering, but what stayed with them, what makes them sadly reflect on their experience was hunger.Houtlust one of my favorite

Tres-Por-Uno & HTAs

2007-05-19T23:37:00.000-07:00

The steady flow of remittances has help keep Mexican families from descending into abject poverty. According to various studies as well as those conducted by the Pew Charitable Foundation the remittances are sent in amounts that average between $200-$300 and are sent on a monthly basis. The money by immigrants working in many sectors of the the United States economy has long drawn the attention

Major Provisions

2007-05-18T01:36:00.000-07:00

The following is a list of the major provisions of the bill, the compromise reached by Senate Democrats and Republicans and Bush Administration officials. The bill faces threats of a torpedo by dissident House and Senate leaders. Nonetheless, it appears that both Senate and House members are ready to craft legislation that brings an estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants out of the dark.

Two Aspects of Immigration

2007-05-18T01:10:00.000-07:00

Farmers Branch, Planting Seeds of Fear

2007-05-14T16:24:00.000-07:00

Farmers Branch located in the suburbs of Dallas, Texas has voted and passed a measure to fight illegal immigration. The racial makeup of the city, as per the 2000 census was 78.38% White, 2.40% African American, 0.55% Native American, 2.92% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 13.01% from other races, and 2.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 37.23% of the population.The

Univision Citizenship Drive

2007-05-10T11:33:00.001-07:00

The United States has an estimated eight million green-card holders (legal permanent residents) whom are eligible to become U.S. Citizens, and the majority are Latino immigrants, this according to the U.S. government data.The Wall Street Journal reports here on a campaign by Spanish Broadcaster Univision wants to change that and has begun to utilize it's regional stations to promote citizenship

Farmworker to Surgeon: Immigrant Lives Dream

2007-05-08T21:10:00.000-07:00

As the topic of immigration continues to further divide us and we are bombarded with statistics from experts that pretend to offer us quantifiable date on whether undocumented immigrants are either good or bad for this nation, NPR delivers us the story of Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa, a former illegal immigrant and now a neurosurgeon at John Hopkins University."Twenty years ago, he hopped a border

Tunick @ El Zocalo

2007-05-08T15:02:00.000-07:00

Sunning Naked at El Zocalo

2007-05-05T12:11:00.001-07:00

Famous photographer Spencer Tunick will be taking over "El Zocalo" Mexico City's town square for a historic photo shoot tomorrow morning, May 6, 2007. The town square is know as simply El Zocalo but officially named Plaza de la Constitución. The site measures some 5.7 hectares, well over 10 acres and reportedly can fit some 85,000 standing people.It's the center of Mexico City and the site of

Thousands Protest on behalf of Millions

2007-05-01T21:40:00.000-07:00

Thousands protested across the nation for a Path to Citizenship for Millions of Undocumented Immigrants. In Los Angeles crowds paled in comparison to last years numbers, an estimated 25,000 compared to some 500,000 on March 25, 2006.In Los Angeles organizers had billed the planned May 1st

Low Pay and Broken Promises

2007-04-30T14:19:00.001-07:00

(Via New York Times)“The business community supports the idea that these temporary workers should have the exact same employment protections as American workers,” said Randel Johnson, co-chairman of the Essential Worker Immigration Coalition."Full StoryTomorrow will mark a new round of immigration rallies across the nation. The always informative Migra Matters has compiled a good list here.So,

Border Dash

2007-04-28T20:26:00.000-07:00

This is bound to give you a laugh. Enjoy!Technorati Tags: immigration comedyPowered by ScribeFire.

Pobreza

2007-04-21T19:19:00.001-07:00

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } Pobreza, originally uploaded by Memo Vasquez. "Poverty" reads the title.The text reads:Poor amongst the poor.....A child, at his age, alone at his home, waiting for a mother to return with something in her hands to eat.

REAL Immigration Proposals

2007-03-31T11:48:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite blogs is Working Immigrants written by Peter Rousmaniere (Roo-man-ear). Peter writes about the "business of immigrant work: employment,compensation, legal protections, education, mobility, and public policy".I long ago subscribed to his feed and highly recommend reading his posts if you are interested in thoughtful and well balanced analysis on immigration and the sometimes

Super Bowl Full of Avocados

2007-02-04T20:28:00.000-08:00

Mexican AvocadosSuper Bowl Sunday is a second day in which Americans consume the most avocados, some 49.5 million pounds during the 2006 Super Bowl, this according to California Avocado Commission. Just in in case you are wondering which is the day that Americans consume the most avocados? Well it's none other than Cinco de Mayo. This coming Thursday will mark the day in which Californian

Cold as ICE

2006-12-19T18:09:00.000-08:00

(Via: Migra Matters)Whether it was planned or mere coincidence the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids on the Swift & Co's, meat packing plant in Greeley, Colorado, which occurred on Tuesday, December 12, 2006, the day in which for Mexicans celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe the most revered religious and cultural figure to Mexican Catholics around the world is likely to be considered an

Got Illegal Workers?

2006-12-02T15:57:00.000-08:00

The Washington Post has this article on Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney a potential Presidential candidate and a strong advocate of border fencing as well as imposing penalties on employers who hire illegal immigrants. In a classic "do as I say, not as I do" scenario Gov. Romney was reportedly unaware that the lawn of his suburban home was being cut by illegal immigrants. Eric Fehrnstrom,

Immigration and Video

2006-10-14T01:56:00.000-07:00

Type "immigration" and click search on YouTube and you will find over 2600 videos on the subject. A similar search on Google Video will net you just 581 videos. YouTube provides various tools to sort the results by date added, view counts and user ratings. The most viewed immigration video on YouTube is an animation video which places the current immigration debate during the time of the

Pickers Are Few, and Growers Blame Congress

2006-09-26T20:41:00.000-07:00

(Via: New York Times)"As they sum up this season’s losses, estimated to be at least $10million for California pear farmers alone, growers in the state mainlyblame Republican lawmakers in Washington for stalling immigrationlegislation that would have addressed the shortage by authorizing aguest-worker program for agriculture. Many growers, a dependablyRepublican group, said they felt betrayed. “

GOP Posturing for Immigration Win prior to Elections

2006-09-26T18:02:00.000-07:00

National Public Radio (NPR) posted an article about how faced with tough midterm elections Republicans are seeking a small victory with another enforcement only bill. The small victory would come in the 700 mile double-fence along the Mexico border. The GOP concerned about projecting a policy of strict border enforcement could tout the 700 mile wall as a small victory this November. Democrats

America's Great Wall: With a Few Gaps

2006-09-23T13:14:00.000-07:00

Jon Coppelman of WorkCompInsider writes a humorous post on the 700 mile wall our US House of Representatives recently passed by a vote of 283-138. Coppelman does a good job at poking fun on the US House of Representatives foolish wisdom and it's inablility to resolve our illegal immigration crisis. The truth unfortunately is no laughing matter and both Republicans and Democrats are equally to

The Summer of the Death of Hilario Guzman

2006-09-03T11:30:00.000-07:00

(via: L.A. Times) And so I tried to fit into my puzzle the solution of a guest worker program. Not the bracero program that Latino activists railed against, as if we couldn't improve on a model 60 years old, but a version more efficient and less brutal. It would be premised on the notion that families remain behind as anchors to build rural Mexico. This would gut the underground of

Castaneda on Mexicos Presidential Election Results

2006-07-11T01:31:00.000-07:00

Mexico's former Foreign Minister and presidential contender Jorge Castañeda spoke at the Center for American Progress and provided thoughtful analysis of the bruttal presidential campaign of Lopez Obrador and Felipe Calderon. If you are interested in how Mexico's elections may impact on the US Watch the Video. technorati tags:politics, mexicoBlogged with Flock

$206-$230 Billion is the Estimate on Total Deportation Costs.

2006-07-10T23:23:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what it would cost to actually deport the 10+ Million undocumented immigrants currently in this nation? The Center for American Progress has come up with an estimate. The estimate is here: Using publicly available data, we estimate the costs of a mass deportation effort to be at least $206 billion over five years ($41.2 billion annually), and could be as high as $230 billion or

Emotional Immigration

2006-07-10T22:28:00.000-07:00

Gen. Peter Pace, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, chokes up at the hearing. (By Joe Raedle -- Getty Images) July 10 -- The Washington Post ran a story about the congressional hearings on immigration currently being held in Miami, Florida. The highlight of the hearing was the dramatic testimony provided by General Peter Pace, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman as he choked up at the hearings when

3rd World Farming. A Deadly Game.

2006-06-10T22:41:00.000-07:00

Imagine how difficulty it would be to try to earn a living and raise a family as a farmer in the Third World. Do you fancy yourself to be educated, smarth and resourcefull? You think it's really not all that difficult? If so, then give the 3rd World Farmer game a shot. Lets see how well and how long you and your family lasts. How many seasons will Mr./Mrs./Miss Farmer John endure? How

"Wink Wink"

2006-06-06T14:49:00.000-07:00

The Economics of Amnesty: A "Wink Wink" for the (Unacceptable) Status QuoWorkers Comp Insider -The Economics of Amnesty: A "Wink Wink" for the (Unacceptable) Status Quo

Can I Swim in Your Pool?

2006-06-04T15:30:00.000-07:00

The weather is getting hotter in L.A. and this has led to more frequent visits to our sisters home in Norwalk, CA. My sisters home has a very large yard with a faboulous pool. Our family has an unspoken policy which allows sisters and brothers the ability to show up unannounced, provided they bring food and drink, and partake of the pool. The "unspoken policy" generally results in what

Fat Cat Slim

2006-06-04T12:51:00.000-07:00

Mexico's Carlos Slim Helu is now ranked as the 3rd richest man in the world according to Forbes. Slim Helu's Wikipedia page is here and his fortune is an estimated 30 billion Dollars. This year Slim Helu's fortune increased by an incredible $10 billion, thanks to a growing and diverse empire that includes mostly TelMex holdings, as well as a host of retail, banking insurance, and auto parts

Help Wanted, Will Pay $0.69 Per Hour

2006-05-24T15:34:00.000-07:00

About six months ago I had a discussion with my friend Emerson Quevedo a Los Angeles based blogger and podcaster. Emerson who is from Guatemala creates podcasts and writes blog posts on technology in Spanish.We touched on the digital divide and how both of us derive some level of income from using the internet. We considered how webservices such as Amazon's Mechanical Turk could

Infinite Interactive Visual Cycle (IIVC)

2006-05-24T03:59:00.000-07:00

Via: Hector Milla: Visual infinito cíclico interactivoSpanish: Dime si solo puedes hacer unos cuantos clicks?English: Tell me if you can do only a few clicks?powered by performancing firefox

Got Bricks!

2006-05-24T02:42:00.000-07:00

While looking at my RSS feeds on "Immigration" today they led me to an National Public Radio on border fences which addressed the issue of whether such fences actually curb illegal immigration. The links then led me to Send A Brick group which claims that thus far some 8487 bricks have been ordered. This led me to wonder how much fence one could you possibly build with 8487 bricks?Hmm....I'll

Lo Que Tu Quieras Oir + YouTube = 10 Mil Views

2006-05-22T13:33:00.000-07:00

(Via David Bravo de Filmica.com)David Bravo tiene un buen post sobre "Creative Commons" y su poder cuando se utilizan los blogs para distribuir contenido a "boca-oido". Un resultado es que un cortometraje de el Director Guillermo Zapata cual fue puesto en YouTube en Marzo 26, 2006, hoy tiene mas de 10,608 personas que la han visto este buen corto. Aqui esta el enclace para ver el corto en

Alberto is "Unclear"

2006-05-22T01:58:00.000-07:00

Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that he is "unclear" whether his Grandparents legally or illegally entered the United States.I propose that we promptly begin to torture the "truth " out of him. No, but seriously, if it is determined that the Gonzalez family were in fact "undocumented immigrants", then Congress should expedite a comprehensive immigration reform bill and

Border Deaths

2006-05-20T03:22:00.000-07:00

Oscar Abraham Garcia, 22, of Tijuana, Mexico, was pronounced dead at the scene.Two deaths occurred within days of each other which have involved immigrants trying to cross the US and Mexico border.One death occurred Thursday in the San Diego border region and it involved an alleged smuggler of illegals. The incident resulted in the death of suspected smuggler Oscar Abraham Garcia. A local NBC

Stephen Colbert on Immigration

2006-05-19T17:15:00.000-07:00

Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central does a piece on immigration. The piece shows a few members of the Minuteman Project speaking about their efforts in building a fence at the US/Mexico border.The comments from members of the Minuteman Project on immigration and the fence are always revealing, sometimes shocking and occassionally, I must admit, disturbingly funny.

Dani. My Favorite American Tourist!

2006-05-17T11:10:00.000-07:00

Although I was born in Mexico, I've lived in the US since turning 8 years old and consider myself an American. I've always held my birth country and heritage close at heart and fortunately my work has provided me an opportunity to visit some 28 states in the Republic of Mexico, as well as all of Central America.Aside from the wonderful friendships and memories that these trips have provided me,

Hurt My Hand, I Can't Play Baseball!

2006-05-08T14:41:00.000-07:00

My work as a Workers Compensation Consultant in California has me working with workers who are injured performing some of the most labor intensive and back breaking type of occupations. Trust me when I say that none of my injured workers want to be off of work, where the maximum benefits they can receive while on disability is $336 per week. Once they are medically released the can receive $246

De La Hoya and Swiss Banker look to KO Arum and King

2006-05-07T00:44:00.000-07:00

De La Hoya unleashed a barrage of shots to knock out Ricardo Mayorga at 1:25 ofthe sixth round Saturday night and capture the WBC super welterweight title. De La Hoya will now look to towards one last fight before finally retiring from boxing. He looks to face Floyd Mayweather, Jr.,the top pound-for-poundfighter whose father trains De La Hoya. Mayweather, the welterweight champion (147 lbs.)

Fat Tax

2006-05-06T18:23:00.000-07:00

The man pictured is Irwin Leba. If this man could have his way, every year the cigar-chompin-big-as-they-get-Texan millionaire would have you step into a government sponsored weigh station and submit to a BMI (Body Mass Index). According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) your "BMIprovides a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people and is used to screen for weight

Cincinnati Beacon + YouTube = 1 May Day Protest Video

2006-05-06T12:40:00.000-07:00

The Cincinnati Beacon posted a video on YouTube that provides footage of the May 1st immigration protest that took place in Cincinnati, Ohio and accross the country. As Andrew Warner posted the video footage is both "telling and touching" and sheds further light on how some on the anti-immigrantion front are simply out of touch. One anti-immigrant protester states he is still waiting for a

Day Laborers -vs- Minutemen - The Battle continues.

2006-05-05T02:44:00.000-07:00

California is the national battleground on the issue of immigration and anti-immigrant groups seem to crop up on a weekly basis to battle it out with pro-immigrant groups. Suddenly there are the Mothers against illegals who collaborate with the Watchdog. In the meantime the Minutemen set out on a caravan to DC and set out battle cry to "Build a Fence"! Day Laborers recently won a legal

Gran Marcha II - May 1, 2006

2006-05-01T22:57:00.000-07:00

These immigrants just want to be Americans.

Mexico Drug Tourism

2006-04-30T07:49:00.000-07:00

An unidentified man rolls a marijuana cigarette during demonstrations to celebrate International Day for the Liberation of Marijuana in Mexico City, Sunday, May 2, 2004. Mexicans would be allowed to possess small amounts of cocaine, heroin, even ecstasy for their personal use under a bill approved by lawmakers that some worry could prove to be a lure to young Americans. The bill now only needs

Finding Beauty

2006-04-28T00:55:00.000-07:00

(This post inspired by the beautiful Zadi Diaz)Although most of my work as a Consultant involves interpreting complex but mundane sets of rules and regulations that pertain to the Workers' Compensation industry in California, that fact is sometimes lost on a few long term clients. These clients will often seek my opinion in areas in which I'm not quite so comfortable interpreting or

The Economist Likes Mariachi Music

2006-04-25T09:54:00.000-07:00

The April 20th issue of The Economist published an opinion piece on American Politics. The picture has a group of Democratic leaders dressed in Mariachi suits and carrying assorted musical instruments. The image includes actor George Clooney.At the front we see Al Gore carrying a guitar which is a traditional instrument in Mariachi music, but what about Kerry with a banjo? Towards the back we

Border Patrol a Sept. 12th Response to Illegal Immigration

2006-04-21T01:27:00.000-07:00

A new Flash based game titled Border Patrol is making the rounds on the racist blogs and websites as well as making it onto the local news. If it were not for the current debate on illegal immigration the shooter type game would not be garnering this much attention. The objective in Border Patrol game simply says: "Keep them out....at any cost!".The player then proceeds to try to shoot as many

The Minutemen and Illegal Immigrants

2006-04-20T00:30:00.000-07:00

Next week the Senate and Congressional leaders will return to the drawing board and attempt a fix to illegal immigration. It is doubtful that during an election year coupled with partisan bickering that this important, yet divisive issue will be resolved.In the meantime Latino organizers are divided as to how to proceed with the May 1, 2006, conomic boycott. Immigrants are being asked to stay

The Immigration Saga in Costa Mesa

2006-04-17T18:47:00.000-07:00

How much longer before can Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor continue to put his city through the Immigration Saga?Mayor Mansoor has still yet to announce whether he will seek a second term as Mayor of Costa Mesa. Will his bold stance on illegal immigration be the end of his political career?Costa Mesa's Pioneering Migrant Stance Is Costly - Los Angeles Times"For some city officials, several hours

Costa Mesa Police Chief John D. Hensley

2006-04-09T16:38:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back I wrote a post about Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor. The post was about how Mayor Mansoor was seeking to have Costa Mesa, California become the first city to enforce federal immigration laws at the local level.This is a related post because the individual who would have been tasked with implementing Mayor Mansoor's controversial proposal has just decided to step down. Mayor

Big Brother at WalMart and Sam's Club

2006-04-04T11:06:00.000-07:00

At a time of war and while the civil liberties of our citizenry are threatened. At a time when the Bush Administration continues to insist that warrantless wiretaps are constitutional a bizarre story on the unintended consequences of "spying" comes to us by way of Pennsylvania.This story involves Glenn Harcsar an English Teacher and his eight-months pregnant wife. Harcsar and his wife were

Abuelo Juan

2006-03-30T01:07:00.000-08:00

La gente lo conoce como el Abuelo Juan.Cuando hablamos de el, decimos "Mi Abuelo".Nosotros los Mexicanos hacemos eso, hablamos de nuestros padres y nuestros abuelos, diciendo "mi mama o mi abuela". No es nada en contra de nuestros queridos hermanos, para quien claramente, tambien es, pues "nuestra mama o nuestro papa". Solo, es una cosa cultural, es la manera que nosotros usamos nuestro

Abuelo Juan

2006-03-30T00:15:00.000-08:00

He is known as el Abuelo Juan.We refer to him as, "Mi Abuelo"Mexicans do that, we refer to our parents, grandmothers, grandfathers as "my mother, my grandfather". We don't mean to be inconsiderate of our brothers or sisters. Its just a cultural thing, its a quirk in our use of language.I worry about Mi Abuelo. I worry about his health, does he eat right, does have and take his medicine. I worry

California High School Walkouts Continue

2006-03-28T10:35:00.000-08:00

Despite rain and an ordered lockdown by the Superintedent of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) groups of students continued to protest proposed immigration reforms. The lockdowns probably contributed to many students seizing the opportunity to continue their protests and skip another day of school. Although for the most part the marches have been peaceful a few incidents of

Local Business to Mayor: Our Business is Down!

2006-03-27T01:18:00.000-08:00

From the California Chronicle:About 50 business owners gathered in front of Costa Mesa City Hall on Thursday, March 23, 2006 to voice their opposition to the City Councils policy which would allow police to check the legal status of immigrants. A link to a video of Mayor Allan Mansoor defending his policy is here.The policy was spearheaded by the Mayor Allan Mansoor and passed by the council in

500,000 Angelenos Protest Immigration Bill

2006-03-26T17:54:00.000-08:00

An estimated 500,000 protesters took to the streets of Downtown Los Angeles, Saturday, March 25th, 2006 to protest of the provisions of the HR 4437. The immigration bill authored by Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner [R-WI] has caused much concern among immigrants because the new law effectively criminality illegal immigration. Any immigrant who illegally entered the country would be subject to a

"U.S. to Illegal Immigrants: Drop Dead."

2006-03-22T22:28:00.000-08:00

As Spring arrives and the days become warmer my mind begins to focus on Summer. I think of Summer and the promise of scorching 100+ degree days in our deserts of Arizona. While the heat begins to rise in our deserts our Congress is involved in its own intense and heated debate over illegal immigration. No matter what position one might take on the issue of illegal immigration the fact remains

Deconstructing The OBRA School Fair

2006-03-18T18:01:00.000-08:00

This past Thursday evening I decided to attend the OBRA School Fair. The event was held at Stevens Steak House in the City of Commerce, CA. I should mention that I only attend the school fair out of....well...."morbid curiosity"...I wanted to see which schools would actually feel that it was important that they exhibit given the state of the Vocational Rehabilitation industry. I figured since I

Gotta Get This Faucet

2006-03-16T00:12:00.000-08:00

If you dig the electric blue color of your favorite mouthwash, then ThinkGeek has an amazing product for you. For just $14.99 you can get a Blue LED Faucet Light attachment that will give plain old water a revitalized look. Who knows you may experience an additional soothing effect while making that midnight run to the bathroom as you experience the gleaming liquid blue pouring from your bathoom

Fencing in Illegal Immigration

2006-03-11T00:20:00.000-08:00

While Congress nears its deadline of March 27 to complete its debates on several bills that seek to resolve the illegal immigration crisis in the U.S., the Pew Hispanic Center released an update to their report of March 2005. The Pew’s recent report extrapolates previous estimates on the number of illegal immigrants believed to be living in the U.S. The Pew report concluded that approximately 10

Workplace Watchdog Group Protests Day Labor Centers

2006-03-04T02:17:00.000-08:00

The debate on Illegal Immigration will deepen as Congress considers several bills that seek to reform our broken immigration policy. The views and opinions have begun to surface in the blogosphere and there is no shortage of commentary and videos on both sides of the issue. I came accross a group that caught my attention because the posted a few videos on YouTube on what they bill as, " We