Archive for May 20th, 2008
Summer Musica 2008 : Sonantes
2:30 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Brazil|Music · Comments Off
20 May 2008
I was marveling that next week is the unofficial start of summer (it doesn’t feel like it yet). With the summer comes new, good musica to listen to at the beach, pool, or bbq. Today Six Degrees Records released the debut album Sonantes. This year Brazil celebrates 50 years of bossa nova and the debut album of this Såo Paolo musical collective features some of the newer well known voices of the genre like Céu The album was recorded not in a traditional studio setting, but rather mostly at home and the entire 10 track cd overall is sexy, in a moody languorous way, one that reminds me of sitting with a caipiriña, thinking of a lost love or plotting my next conquest.
It’s a low key album that doesn’t scream “listen to me” but rather serves as the perfect soundtrack for lazy summer days and nights. Some of the songs like, Miopia and Toque de Coito featuring Siba, sound sad, as if full of longing, even with it’s electric guitar and synthesizer sounds.
One of the most fun tracks on the album is Mambobit, which is “poppy” and nostalgic and I dare you to try and not move with Quilombo Te Espera.
Start your summer 2008 playlist with Sonantes.
U.S. Family Values : Immigrant Children Beaten in Detention
12:30 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · children|Immigration|Justice · Comments Off
20 May 2008
Earlier today I wrote about the U.S. is itching to build more immigrant family detention facilities. Besides the denying of basic rights that we have seen going on in such facilities, not surprisingly there is outright physical violence on top of the violence of detention, with minors as the victims.
A new lawsuit filed against a private contractor who runs an immigrant child detention center claims nine teenagers were beaten and abused by employees who work for Cornell Companies. The company has been cited by immigration officials for safety problems in the past. The Hector Garza facility in San Antonio handles young immigrant “males with serious behavioral and psychological impairments”.
“I think the general American has no idea these kids even exist,” said Susan Watson, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid attorney for the nine plaintiffs, “When our own government treats them this way, they deserve their day in court,” she said.
Massive Inflation Changes the Mexican Diet
11:18 am By Maegan La Mala · Food|Lifestyle|mexico|Money|society · Comments Off
20 May 2008
The massive price increases that have been affecting Mexico since last year are changing the way some Mexicans — particularly those in the capital city — eat. La Jornada reports that inflation is up 60% on staple products, forcing many to have to change their diet for the worse.
The rise in prices is affecting at least 2 million people in Mexico City who barely scrape by economically, and forcing them to give up meat, chicken and fish, replacing them with tortillas and bread because half of their income is spent on food. It just isn’t enough to afford these items.
The Mexican Secretary of Development is worried that this will eventually take its toll on health, especially that of children, and expects to see a decline in school performance, as well as failing health in the elderly.
And the situation isn’t getting better. Just when you think you can turn to bread as a cheap food option, La Jornada reports that wheat flower has gone up 100%. Other staples like rice have increased in price by 80%.
Via / La Jornada
Image via Rageforst on Flickr
Did President Bush Do Good By Signing Legislation for National Museum of the American Latino?
10:30 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Culture|history|Politics · Comments Off
20 May 2008California Congressman Xavier Becerra and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen co-sponsored bill H.R.512, that was signed by President Bush. The bill establishes a commission to study the feasibility of a National Museum of the American Latino. That’s a good thing no? I mean wouldn’t it be great if I could take my daughters to a museum was about the different Latino groups in the U.S., including their own Chile, Mapuche-Rican heritage and social movements? I mean there is a Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture coming soon , and the National Museum of the American Indian. Why not a Latino museum documenting and celebrating us? And anyway maybe some history, showing that some of our ancestors have been on the North American continent and in U.S. territory for a long time would give some anti-immigration activists a new perspective?
From the website of the National Museum of the American Latino:
Latinos were present on the American continent for more than two centuries prior to the Declaration of Independence. The first permanent European settlement in 1565 was St. Augustine, Florida, 41 years before the establishment of Jamestown. Spaniards mapped an explored a large portion of the continent, from California to the Southwest; up the Mississippi and the east coast. They named many of the areas and those names still are part of this country: Florida, Colorado, California, Nevada, Montaña, San Francisco, Los Angeles, El Paso and Santa Fe.
Is the U.S. Trying to Provoke War In Latin America?
8:30 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Latin America|Politics|Venezuela · Comments Off
20 May 2008
Apparently learning nothing from Colombia entering Ecuador’s territory to go after the FARC, or maybe taking a page from that incident and the diplomatic crisis it sparked, there are allegations that the U.S. violated Venezuela’s airspace. US officials admitted a naval plane on a counter-narcotics mission had “navigational problems” that led it to briefly enter Venezuelan airspace.
[Venezuelan Defense Minister] Mr Rangel told a news conference that the US aircraft “practically flew over” La Orchila – where Venezuela has a military base and President Hugo Chavez has a residence – and another island before turning back.
“This is just the latest step in a series of provocations,” he said.
So what do you all think? Was this an “accident” or something more sinister?
The plane was a U.S. Navy plane. You’ll remember that about a month ago the U.S. Navy reestablished an fleet in the Caribbean.
Via / BBC
ICE Planning to Build Three More Family Detention Centers
6:30 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · children|Family|Immigration|Justice · Comments Off
20 May 2008Who said the U.S. government isn’t listening when the community demands that immigrant families not be broken up, that parents and children shouldn’t be separated?
Anna Gorman of the Los Angeles Times reports that ICE has solicited bids for three more family detention centers, to house 600 men, women, and children:
“Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued a call for proposals last month and set June 16 as the deadline. New facilities are being considered on both coasts and on the Southwestern border. The agency calls for minimum-security residential facilities that would provide a ‘least restrictive, nonsecure setting’ and provide schooling for children, recreational activities and access to religious
services.”
From the mouths of babes: My 10 year old, the MapucheRican wondered if it wouldn’t be a better use of money to build more schools, to keep children out of jails instead of locking them up.
Via / T Don Hutto
Hola!
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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