2009 January 13 | VivirLatino

Archive for January 13th, 2009

Israel : What is the Purpose…..

9:49 pm By Maegan La Mala · Palestine| israel · 6 Comments

13 Jan 2009

…in bombing a neonatal clinic? So that Palestinian babies who need medical care can’t get it. So that will die and not tell the story of you are doing?

The charity Christian Aid says a clinic for mothers and babies in Gaza, which it funds along with the EU, has been destroyed in an Israeli air strike.

The clinic, which was run by the Near East Council of Churches, was struck by a missile after a 15-minute warning was sent to the building’s owners.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of medical equipment was destroyed by the strike, which happened on Saturday.

Christian Aid said the destroyed clinic, which was located in a two-storey building in the Shujaiya district of Gaza City, provided free primary healthcare to the local community, including mother and child clinics, neo-natal care, family planning.

The family living in the apartment on the floor above the clinic managed to get out just before a warning shot was fired by an Israeli air force jet, it added.

Moments later, the building - which the charity said was clearly marked with the insignia of the Red Cross and had ambulances parked outside - was struck by a missile fired by the aircraft.

The clinic was completely destroyed in the attack, along with valuable medical equipment, including ultrasound machines, laboratory apparatus, and computers, which are not freely available in Gaza.

Constantine Dabbagh, executive director of the NECC in Gaza, said another of its clinics had been closed for two weeks because the owners of a neighbouring building had received repeated warnings from the Israeli military that it was about to be bombed.

Via / The Philistine

They’re wiping out entire families

4:43 pm By la Macha · Gaza · 1 Comment

13 Jan 2009

The horrors in Gaza continue unabated. The following is a segment from an interview a Palestinian professor who is living in Gaza right now gave:

I STRONGLY believe the United Nations, the European Union, the Arab League–really, the international community at large–have failed the Palestinian people.

I think the example of the United Nations Security Council resolution issued yesterday, that called for a durable and respected cease-fire, is a good example. It treats the whole issue as if there are two sides–as if you have two equal armies at war.

Israel has killed more than 830 people and injured more than 3,000 people so far. Israel is a colonizing power. It is based on deep-rooted racism, and it has reoccupied parts of the Gaza Strip. And the Security Council acts as if there are two equal parties that have to declare a cease-fire.

That is why I strongly believe we can’t count on the international community any longer. I think the UN Security Council and the international community in general reflect the balance of power, and that balance of power is still in favor of the U.S. and Israel.

I can’t separate the United States and American imperialism from Israel and Zionism. And that’s why I see the war conducted against us now as part of the Bush Doctrine. This is part of what Condoleezza Rice called “the birth pangs of a Middle East” out of what she called “creative destruction.” I think that’s exactly what is happening right now.

Read the whole thing here

Will Smith Gets Spanish

13 Jan 2009

Actor Will Smith was in Spain and stopped by a ridiculous show called El Hormiguero to promote his new movie, which I have no idea what it’s called in English, but is apparently titled “7 Almas” in Spanish. In the video above you’ll see Smith follow the conversation of the host via simultaneous translation, answer a couple questions in Spanish, cry about the Obama victory, and sing a flamenco song en español. Too much weird content for me here folks! I have to admit I pretty much despise him in his natural state, but since he’s so good-natured in Spanish he seems almost…ALMOST palatable.

Via / TV y Espectaculos

Michelle Obama has an interesting body

3:45 pm By la Macha · Politics| US Presidential Race 2008| Women| society · No Comments

13 Jan 2009

Michelle Obama’s body has been the subject of dicussions all over the web since her husband became the Democrat’s nomination for president. Is her booty too big, does she cover it up, is she too black, does she wear her blackness well, etc etc.

The following video is a follow up video to this essay which leads off with the opening sentence, “The first time I saw Michelle Obama in the flesh, I almost took her for white.”

Now besides the fact that I have a problem with the way the men open this segment, stumbling around a way to talk about Michelle’s ass in a non-piggy way and I’m getting rather sick of Michelle’s body being subject for discussion as if her body doesn’t deserve a little damn privacy every once in a while, I think that the post and the video are both interesting–they actually discuss class as it interacts with blackness.

An interesting line from the essay:

When I saw Obama in Chicago and took her for white, it was not because of her cadences, mannerisms, or dress, but because of the radical proposition she put forth—a black community fully vested, no DuBoisian veil, in the country at large. A buddy of mine once remarked that Michelle “makes Barack black.” But that understates things. She doesn’t simply make Barack black—she makes him American.

It’s an interesting idea–the idea that how Michelle carries herself makes Barack–but one that however interesting it is, I still rebell at.

Can a woman’s body really make a man what he is? And if it does-should it?

via NPR

Gael Has a Son!

3:32 pm By Maegan La Mala · Celebrities| Chismes · No Comments

13 Jan 2009

0110_dolores_fonzi_468.jpg_687088226.jpg After much speculation, the rumor ended up being true. Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal and his consort (girlfriend? no sé…) Dolores Fonzi actually were expecting a child and it’s finally been born:

…Gael García Bernal and his partner, Argentinian actress Dolores Fonzi, became the parents of a boy last Thursday, and according to a statement released by the couple, they’ve named him Lázado. “The three are very happy and tired, and in great health. We appreciate the attention and the respect that has been shown in the welcome given to this new member of planet Earth,” said Icunacury Acosta, the actor’s representative.

Little Lázaro was born in a hospital in Madrid, delivered 20 days late by C-Section.

Via / Hola!

More Latin Americans Logging onto the Internet

11:52 am By Maegan La Mala · Latin America| Tech · No Comments

13 Jan 2009

Access to the internet in parts of Latin America is growing. According to a survey conducted by Pyramid Research for Google, the reasons include more affordable computers and an expanding broadband network.

In 2007, for example, Colombia added 5.4 million Internet users, or about 12% of its population of 45 million — an 80% increase in the number of Colombia’s Internet users that year.

Brazil added 7.4 million Internet users in 2007 (17% growth), Mexico more than 2.2 million (an 11% increase) and Venezuela 1.58 million (38% growth).

Shamless Self-Promotion : VL’s Own la Macha at Bitch

9:30 am By Maegan La Mala · Internet| Magazines| VivirLatino · No Comments

13 Jan 2009

Because we are a multi-talented groups of mujeres here at VivirLatino, we represent our skills in many places.

la Macha is writing some guest posts over at Bitch magazine’s blog.

Go over and represent and support independent Latina voices. Her latest post is on nationalism and sports.

Feds Open Investigation on Pattern of Suffolk County Hate Crimes and Practice of Local Enforcement Doing Nada

7:20 am By Maegan La Mala · Justice| New York · No Comments

13 Jan 2009

It only took the death of Marcelo Lucero, a pattern of attacks on immigrants and those that look liked immigrants (read Latinos). It only took the action, anger and sadness of a community tired of the same old happening under the selectively watchful eyes of those vowing to protect and serve everyone except people like us.

The U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI and the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District today announced the launching of a joint probe of Suffolk County’s handling of hate crimes against Latinos.

The investigation is in response to this complaint filed by the Manhattan-based LatinoJustice in the wake of the hate murder of Marcelo Lucero documenting a climate of hate and neglect towards Latino victims promoted and/or tolerated by Suffolk County officials.