Archive for January, 2008
Heath Ledger Dead at 28
5:31 pm By Maegan La Mala · Celebrities|Entertainment · Comments Off
22 Jan 2008
In the wake of Oscar buzz, some sad news about a great Oscar-nominated actor:
At 3:31 p.m., a masseuse arrived at Apartment 5A in the building, at 421 Broome Street in SoHo, for an appointment with Mr. Ledger, the police said. The masseuse was let in to the home by a housekeeper, who then knocked on the door of the bedroom Mr. Ledger was in. When no one answered, the housekeeper and the masseuse opened the bedroom and found Mr. Ledger naked and unconscious on a bed, with pills scattered around his body. They shook him, but he did not respond. They immediately called the authorities.
Apparently ledger wasn’t found in his own apartment but rather that of actress Mary Kate Olsen (of the Olsen twins).
The New York Times’ City Room blog is currently treating this is as breaking news, so check back there for updates on how the story develops.
Truly shocking and very sad. What a loss.
Update: City Room has updated the story with comments from Olsen’s publicist, who says the apartment does not belong to Mary Kate.
Via / City Room
Latinas and Choice
11:00 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Activism|Blogs|Health|Latin America|Politics|Religion|Women · 1 Comment
22 Jan 2008
Today is the 35th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision, which basically overturned all state and federal laws outlawing or restricting abortion and allowed abortions for any reason a woman chooses up until the fetus is potentially able to live outside the womb. ‘Viable,’ that is, potentially able to live outside the mother’s womb. As a woman of color, more specifically a Puerto Rican/Latina, the debate is a little more complicated. My choice is about choosing to have a child and how, as much as it is about choosing not to have a child.
And the Nominees Are…Not Latino
10:58 am By Maegan La Mala · Entertainment|Movies · 1 Comment
22 Jan 2008
Folks, this isn’t 2007, when Latino representation on the list of Oscar nominees — and ultimately winners — was in full effect. Indeed, this year it comes down to a documentary short from Colombia and props to our friend Javier Bardem (while not Latino, a VL fave). The official nominees for the little golden men have been announced, and without further ado, we give them to you:
Best Picture: “Atonement,” “Juno,” “Michael Clayton,” “No Country for Old Men,” “There Will Be Blood.”
Actor: George Clooney, “Michael Clayton”; Daniel Day-Lewis, “There Will Be Blood”; Johnny Depp, “Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street”; Tommy Lee Jones, “In the Valley of Elah”; Viggo Mortensen, “Eastern Promises.”
Actress: Cate Blanchett, “Elizabeth: The Golden Age”; Julie Christie, “Away From Her”; Marion Cotillard, “La Vie en Rose”; Laura Linney, “The Savages”; Ellen Page, “Juno.”
Supporting Actor: Casey Affleck, “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”; Javier Bardem, “No Country for Old Men”; Hal Holbrook, “Into the Wild”; Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Charlie Wilson’s War”; Tom Wilkinson, “Michael Clayton.”
Supporting Actress: Cate Blanchett, “I’m Not There”; Ruby Dee, “American Gangster”; Saoirse Ronan, “Atonement”; Amy Ryan, “Gone Baby Gone”; Tilda Swinton, “Michael Clayton.”
Director: Julian Schnabel, “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”; Jason Reitman, “Juno”; Tony Gilroy, “Michael Clayton”; Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, “No Country for Old Men”; Paul Thomas Anderson, “There Will Be Blood.”
Foreign Film: “Beaufort,” Israel; “The Counterfeiters,” Austria; “Katyn,” Poland; “Mongol,” Kazakhstan; “12,” Russia.
Adapted Screenplay: Christopher Hampton, “Atonement”; Sarah Polley, “Away from Her”; Ronald Harwood, “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”; Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, “No Country for Old Men”; Paul Thomas Anderson, “There Will Be Blood.”
Original Screenplay: Diablo Cody, “Juno”; Nancy Oliver, “Lars and the Real Girl”; Tony Gilroy, “Michael Clayton”; Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava and Jim Capobianco, “Ratatouille”; Tamara Jenkins, “The Savages.”
Animated Feature Film: “Persepolis”; “Ratatouille”; “Surf’s Up.”
Clinton Vs. Obama (and Sometimes Edwards) in South Carolina Debate Last Night
8:43 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · US Presidential Race 2008 · Comments Off
22 Jan 2008
In what felt like the longest debate ever, the three top contenders among the Democrats debated last night in South Carolina. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama went back and forth on each other with John Edwards struggling to get a word in edgewise.
Betancourt’s Family to Put the Pressure on FARC
6:47 pm By Maegan La Mala · Colombia|Latin America|Politics · Comments Off
21 Jan 2008
Members of FARC hostage Ingrid Betancourt‘s family say they will not let up on pressuring the Colombian government and the international community to push for more liberations.
Lorenzo Delloye [pictured above with his sister], son of the ex-politician kidnapped 6 years ago told Radio Caracol that the family has hope that FARC will facilitate a new humanitarian agreement which would open up the possibility of the return of those being held.“We are going to seek out all of the international pressure necessary to support the European emissaries and the Church, and to ask FARC to accept a dialogue. We need for them to say where they want to negotiate,” he said.
Delloye made the statement after the FARC denied the Colombian government’s offer to provide the hostages with medical services. FARC leaders said they denied the visit because it would put the lives of the hostages at risk.
Via / Crónica
Brazil Arrives at Sundance Thanks to YouTube
2:37 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Brazil|Internet|Movies · Comments Off
21 Jan 2008
This film by Adriana got her a nine-day expenses paid stay here at the Sundance Film Festival. At the festival, a launching ground for many indie filmmakers, she’ll have the chance to meet with Fox Searchlight Pictures production executives.
Cuba May Legalize Same-Sex Unions
12:32 pm By Maegan La Mala · Cuba|GLBT|Justice|Politics|society · 1 Comment
21 Jan 2008
As hinted at last month, the Cuban government has announced — via Raul Castro’s daughter — that it’s looking into the possibility of legalizing same-sex unions in the island nation.
“The topic of homosexuality has to be touched on the Family Code, a civil law. There is a modification project for many things that are important to Cuban families, and this is one of them: giving rights to gay and transsexual people,” explained the psychologist.In 2006, Cenesex [the National Center for Sex Education] presented a proposal to recognize the rights of homosexuals and transsexuals which included a reform to the Family Code — included in the code since 1975 — which will be analyzed by the Parliament before being submitted to other institutions for review.
[Castro] states that she can’t say exactly when it will be submitted for approval to the Parliament, though she is working to “try to convince that it be done as soon as possible.”
Cuba still has many other issues (some would say that is a gross understatement) but this at least sounds like a step in the right direction. I wonder if it’s a result of a lot of LGBT Cubans leaving because of persecution?
Via / 20 Minutos
Chavez Vs. Food and Farmers
11:28 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Controversia|Food|Politics|Venezuela · Comments Off
21 Jan 2008
With the focus off Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his role in the liberation of two FARC hostages, attention is drawn back internally and to reports of food shortages. The shortages on staples such as milk,bread,eggs and meat are being linked to government controls on prices. These controls are set to insure that all residents can afford these staples. However, some farmers are choosing to sell their wares outside of Venezuela, where they can get higher prices. This has caused one of the scariest words (at least in the US) to be thrown around : nationalization.
It’s a Holiday : King Holiday
9:28 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Activism|Celebrities|history|Music|Politics · Comments Off
21 Jan 2008Brazil Gripped by Yellow Fever
2:29 pm By Maegan La Mala · Brazil|Health|Latin America · Comments Off
18 Jan 2008Yellow Fever might sound like a disease from 100 years ago, but it is alive and well and causing panic and death in Brazil. At least seven people have died from Yellow Fever this year, and the government is investigating additional cases. Meanwhile, Brazilians in the most affected areas are lining up get vaccinated. The most recent victims say they weren’t vaccinated against the acute viral disease.
The video above, though only available in Portuguese, will give you an idea of the mood in Brazil will this current outbreak, including which geographical areas are most at risk. A recurring theme in the video is “there’s no reason to panic”, but I’m sure people in those regions aren’t very consoled by that message.
Via / YouTube
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VivirLatino is a daily publication published by Mamita Mala Media, dedicated to featuring all the latest politics, culture, entertainment of interest to the diverse Latin@ diaspora.
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