Topic: Philly | VivirLatino http://vivirlatino.com/ US Latino life in blog form. en Copyright 2008 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:35:10 -0500 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.2 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss I Am Latino...Ask Me: Americanos ask about the power of the Chancleta...

Askalatino 


Dear Urban Jibaro,


I work in the toy department of a major retailer in a pretty diverse part of Pennsylvania. I see a lot of Latino families and I am curious about something. Whenever a kid throw a tantrum in my department, I hear their mothers threaten them with "John Kletter" and they immediately start behaving in most cases.


I have 3 kids myself and I would love to know how John Kletter can help me when they act up.


My question is "Who is John Kletter, and why are Latino children so afraid of him?


"Gracias" (thats all the Spanish I know)


Misty (Lancaster PA)


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Ok...so being that fact that I am completely new at this, I honestly did not know what the hell Misty was talking about. I googled "John Kletter" and did not find much...and was about to move on to our next submission...that is until I mentioned the question to one of my friends (she made me swear not to reveal her name) who has a thick accent and she said "que eso de jon kleta?"and then it hit me me like a ton of bricks...we had a phonetic translation issue here....John Kletter doesn't exist...at least not in the Latino universe what Misty actually witnessed was the power of the almighty "CHANCLETA".


This whole ASK A LATINO thing is gonna be fun...


So now that we got that squared away...Click below to read my official response to the first "ASK A LATINO" question.

]]> http://vivirlatino.com/2008/07/23/i-am-latinoask-me-americanos-ask-about-the-power-of-the-chancleta.php http://vivirlatino.com/2008/07/23/i-am-latinoask-me-americanos-ask-about-the-power-of-the-chancleta.php Bilingualism Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:35:10 -0500 Hillary and Obama Tackle the Important Issues at Philly Debate : Flag Pins 78c806ca-a5a2-44f8-8e85-175a48bb7786.jpgI seriously couldn't stomach the whole debate last night. I think I lost it when ABC played the video of the woman who asked if Barack Obama believes in the American flag. What does that question mean? Like does the flag exist? Was that a philosophical question, like if a flag waves in the wind but no one sees it, does it exist? Or maybe she meant if Obama believed in the flag like kids believe in Santa, the Easter bunny, and the tooth fairy (if I put an American flag pin under my pillow will the flag fairy leave me justice?).
Of course I know that despite the woman saying she wasn't questioning Obama's patriotism, she was. After all wearing a flag pin while killing soldiers and civilians in Iraq is uber-patriotic.

]]> http://vivirlatino.com/2008/04/17/hillary-and-obama-tackle-the-important-issues-at-philly-debate-flag-pins.php http://vivirlatino.com/2008/04/17/hillary-and-obama-tackle-the-important-issues-at-philly-debate-flag-pins.php Philly Thu, 17 Apr 2008 09:30:02 -0500 Philly English Only Not Discriminatory But Maybe Offensive phillyracist.jpgGeno's Famous Philly Cheesesteaks caused a stir when owner Joey Vento put a sign up saying "This is America. When ordering, please speak English.", implying that those that didn't speak English would be refused service. Yesterday there was a six-hour public hearing held by Philadelphia Human Relations Commission trying to determine if that sign violates the city's Fair Practices Ordinance by discriminating against immigrants and non-English speakers. Vento refuses to take the sign down saying it's a political statement and it's meant to keep the line moving.


]]> http://vivirlatino.com/2007/12/17/philly-english-only-not-discriminatory-but-maybe-offensive.php http://vivirlatino.com/2007/12/17/philly-english-only-not-discriminatory-but-maybe-offensive.php Philly Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:35:04 -0500