podcast

looking twice 2009. Part 2, from August to December.

In the last program of FLASHING examine the second half of 2009. We received many excellent suggestions of friends readers and listeners. Due to time constraints, we had to select only some of the events that defined the year. So the program focused on those events that illustrate 1) that Puerto Rico is a country deeply divided, not by parties, ethnicities, races, religions, nationalities and social class. That there is a gulf, a chasm, between a few who have much and ... everyone else. And 2) during 2009, the state and its representatives appear to express a special callousness towards that reality, saying this insensitivity in two main ways: openly hostile policies or superficiality negligent in handling serious issues and very urgent.

In the first segment, we begin with a topic that nicely encapsulates the issue of class division, the existence of extreme poverty, and discomfort that exhibit state representatives to handle, in word and deed, that extreme poverty: the case of Villas del Sol Puerto Rico have, on the one hand, "luxury invaders" in many coastal locations, as well as luxury buildings in the maritime zone. The residents of Villas del Sol, meanwhile, who have illegally occupied an area classified as floodplain, are threatened in the courts and besieged by the police. Your water and electricity service was interrupted in the middle of a flu pandemic against which all recognized experts and government agencies themselves, the best weapon is personal hygiene. And our governor and his spokesmen say, publicly, things like "we can not pretend that these people receive water and electricity paid by others" or that "have been presented as alternatives 8 and residential plan," or that "are there illegally, and have to get out ", or my favorite:" this is a dangerous place and have to get away, for your safety and the rescuers would have to remove them in case of flooding. " Comes a man good people and gives them a land-but then the government argues that it would not be environmentally correct.

The same government that wants to eliminate the Caño Martín Peña Trust, the same government that signed the November directive to remove the Northeast Ecological Corridor Nature Reserve category, now says that the residents of Villas del Sol perpetrate environmental damage if they move the land donated.

Also in August, we had the famous events "such is life", and the "garrapatitas". The gentlemen who issued the expressions were punished, but we suspect not so much thinking as to say, not so much attitude as the gaffe. Both Jaime González and José Madera openly expressed attitudes of contempt and condescension for those who believe less and who, veiled or not, accused of "live off the government." The question to be asked is who will cost more to the public purse? Does the poor who have no home or the "contractor" or "consultant" regular who spends slope, sharp eye, to auction, to the apepé, the opportunity to join the state payroll?

In September, we focus on what he did (and did) the Department of Education. In September, for example, "out of circulation" five books contain "crude and vulgar vocabulary." Much has been spoken in the country about what this implies in terms of literary censorship, or the quality of the books, and that's important. But for purposes of our topic today, what matters is that this action of banning books is flat, superficial, and therefore the perfect complement to the proposed solutions to problems such as domestic violence (budding men sign a piece of paper) , that of unemployment (that dumped visit a website or a kiosk to polish your resume and receive therapeutic caplets to help them achieve happiness), the poor communities (not tick and resign yourself to look at the rich, who might even have fun), crime (do not drink and less on University Avenue), and the moral crisis (to pray, say, to meditate on eight of the ten commandments Christians in schools in the mornings.) Reveals superficiality When working with complex problems. A substitution of depth by using something that agency heads lie a lot and they call "values" simpletons standards where students are murdered outside schools but we solve it with five minutes of morning prayer simpletons, where 17 women were killed by their partner but we solve it with a "promise of man" equally simplistic.

Students graduate from high school without having adequate literacy skills but we worry that the book has bad words. The schools started late, very late, this school year. Now, thanks to layoffs, many do not have janitors. In November pulled Chardon, but not to solve the situation he was not able to attend, but to name an "advisory board" and leave payment of their salaries.

Speaking to continue to develop, in October a judge of the Supreme Court justifies its decision to preserve the "vested right" of ex-governors have personal escort claiming that Puerto Ricans are a people "passionate" and that the passion we "can lead to violence "against an ex-president, with dire consequences for our" collective psyche ". Hernández Colón, in unusual and harmony with your new best friend Romero Barceló, says 'justice was done'. Romero says that the people made a commitment to him, and "that the commitments are not in question ... now people can not be questioning the commitment it made me ...". Both ex-gobes are again "protected" from the possibility of an "attack" while on the streets of the country in the month of October, when came up with the escorts, and 714 people had died and no ex-president.

And speaking of protection of a passionate people, Plaza las Americas cover your doors and windows with shutters, and announces that the day of the arrest of the people, October 15, would wake closed for reasons of "security". Closed square at least only one day. The interim president of the University of Puerto Rico, opts to close all campuses for a week to "protect student safety" and "the right to freedom of expression" (?!), And the rector of Mayagüez scolds teachers who choose to teach, for "endangering the safety of students." Rodríguez Ema, meanwhile, characterized the grumblers as "terrorists". Shortly failed to tell them tick, or rakes, and to remind us that "such is life." Unemployed in the village gathered 150,000 people, the media said. 15,000, said the secretary of state, Kenneth McClintock, who also claimed to have based its estimate on ... using google earth. By the way, Kenneth McClintock is also on the advisory board that education, accompanying Chardon. And in the restructuring committee of government agencies. And in the department of Be ... no, there seems not, because I was calling there, during working hours, to management, to all telephones in the box and never told me a human side. There does not seem to be anyone.

What is unemployment?, A reader asked me. It would take an entire program on this, and actually I'm not sure, but some things we can say, means you can join many Puerto Ricans around not a party, but a cause, that there is some reason for optimism. But it also means that things are bad. That the government of the day, calling for a "fiscal emergency" has created a national emergency. Unemployment rose to dismissals, and how crazy, stacked, carefully cluttered with which they take measures such as layoffs makes it unlikely, or at least difficult, that people organize themselves to achieve massive and organized. But in connection with our subject today, it must be emphasized in these events the total lack of concern of a government response to the demands and needs of the majority and especially a particularly poor and / or marginalized.

And that trend continues, in small and large events during the month of November. Lornna Senator Soto had the brilliant idea of legislating for the family of the homeless (ie homeless, without basic services, without food) served by nonprofit entities, have to pay for the services they are homeless. In November the government also advanced the Christmas bonus. Perhaps to distract the masses of layoffs, or to revive the economy by putting people to buy on black friday, or both. Do not we want to use, but you want to spend, is the message, especially anti-citizen, pro-megastore if we put in the context of closing the new law, also passed during those days.

Another interesting event in November that nicely exemplifies ignorance, discomfort showing our agencies to deal with marginality and its consequences: a group of children and adolescents in a gated Ponce made a video (much earlier, but came to light in November) with bad words, shootings, drug trafficking ... well, with those things that are a daily part of life in marginal spaces. Does the attitude of government agencies? Again, the disconnection, the sale of that other country that inhabits a large portion of Puerto Ricans. The secretary of the Family, worried, lamented the lack of "values" and cheered when the kids said they were going to film more positive things. Representatives of the various agencies quickly blamed not the social structure, or marginalization, but the families of the kids. The country lost an opportunity for a serious discussion on drugs and marginalization. Instead, scolded the kids. And the parents of the kids.

In December Andujar pulled the race for secretary of education, not by anything that had to do with ... well, with education, but because he said something in a different blog where someone criticized Rivera Schatz. Education, this space as crucial to overcome the crisis in the country, has been perhaps the one that has been treated more and more blatant superficiality by the state apparatus is disconnected. In December also, Antonio M. Sagardía rumors became reality as it left the Justice Department when he handed his resignation letter to Governor Luis Fortuño, who without thinking twice is accepted. Clarity reminds us several things about Sagardía, quote some of them: his volatile temper, which led him to call the legislature Vega Ramos' lawyer pigeon "and" intellectual dwarf "; pressures Fortuño advisers in favor of insurer Reform, the investigation into the incident known as "Betsy-gate" involving the Mayor of San Juan; And finally, what appears to have sealed the fate of Sagardía, bloody massacre occurred in the business The Tombola, in Toa Baja , after which we learned that the prime suspect of those facts, Alexis Candelario Santana was Sagardía client in 2003, and it got him Sagardía reduced to six years in prison sentenced to 12 years for five murders.

They left out many important events. The CAPECO fire, the events of University Avenue, the emergence of documents suggesting that the FBI knew of the attacks against Juan Mari Brás, nominations, the most nominations, non-appointment, follies several in the legislature, etc.. Someone told me, quite rightly, that we could also have talked about non-events. What? How about Non-Government united, hope many who cracked the blue ballot rather than risk a legislature and an executive quarreling again?

But here we have included a good set that demonstrates the existence of two countries in the same little island, the deep divisions of class, and the state's total disconnection with the middle class, the working class and especially for the poorest for whom the current government shows contempt, ignorance, condescension and private well.

A country that marginalizes and ignores that justifies or marginalization, is a country that is on the wrong path. For we are not sinking the country at all and all, it is necessary that 2010 brings us a new sync with the needs of all Puerto Ricans and renew us solidarity and understanding. In this, last speech, at least for now, the blog FLASHING on the airwaves, we use to wish to hear many good things and great clarity of thought in the new year 2010. Continue writing in this space, and pending comments, criticisms and ideas of readers. Merry Christmas.

Listen to the Podcast ...

In the last program of FLASHING examine the second half of 2009. We received many excellent suggestions of friends readers and listeners. Due to time constraints, we had to select only some of the events that defined the year. So the program focused on those events that illustrate 1) that Puerto Rico is a country deeply divided, not by parties, ethnicities, races, religions, nationalities and social class. And 2) during 2009, the state and its representatives expressed particular insensitivity to that reality, and openly hostile policies expressed in a superficial or negligent in handling serious issues and very urgent.

We begin with a theme that illustrates the existence of extreme poverty, and discomfort that exhibit state representatives to handle, in word and deed, that poverty: the case of Villas del So l. In Puerto Rico we have, on the one hand, "Luxury invaders" in many coastal locations, as well as luxury buildings in the maritime zone. The residents of Villas del Sol, meanwhile, who have illegally occupied an area classified as floodplain, are threatened in the courts and besieged by the police. Your water and electricity service was interrupted in the middle of a flu pandemic against which all recognized experts and government agencies themselves, the best weapon is personal hygiene. Comes a man good people and donates them terren o-but then the government argues that it would not be environmentally correct.

The same government that wants to eliminate the Fideicomiso del Caño Martín Peña, the same government that signed the November directive to take ecological Corridor Northeast co category Nature Reserve, now says that the residents of Villas del Sol perpetrate environmental damage if move to the land donated.

Also in August, we had the famous events "such is life", and the "garrapatitas ". The gentlemen who issued the expressions were punished, but we suspect not so much thinking as to say, not so much attitude as the gaffe. Both Gonzalez and Wood openly expressed attitudes of contempt and condescension for those who, veiled or not, accused of "live off the government." The question to be asked is who will cost more to the public purse? Does the poor who have no home or the "contractor" or "consultant" regular who spends slope, sharp eye, to auction, to the apepé, the opportunity to join the state payroll?

Then we went to the Department of Education. In September, for example, "out of circulation" five lib ros contain "crude and vulgar vocabulary." Much has been spoken in the country about what this means in terms of literary censorship , or the quality of the books, and that's important. But for purposes of our topic today, what matters is that this action of banning books is flat, superficial, and therefore the perfect complement to the proposed solutions to problems such as domestic violence ( men sign a papelit budding or ), the unemployment ( that dumped visit a website or a kiosk to polish your resume and receive therapeutic caplets to help them achieve happiness ), the poor communities (not tick and resign yourself to look at the rich, you might even have fun), crime (do not drink and less on Avenida Universities d), and the moral crisis (to pray, say, to meditate on eight of the ten commandments Christians in schools in the mornings.) reveals superficiality when working with complex problems. A substitution of depth by using something that agency heads lie a lot and they call "values" simpletons standards where students are murdered outside schools but we solve it with five minutes of morning prayer simpletons, where 17 women were killed by their partner but we solve it with a "promise of man" equally simplistic.

Speaking to continue to develop, in October a judge of the Supreme Court justifies its decision to preserve the "vested right" of ex-governors have personal escort claiming that Puerto Ricans are a people "passionate" and that the passion we "can lead to violence "against an ex-president, with dire consequences for our" collective psyche ". Hernandez Colon said that 'justice has been done, and Romero says "that the commitments are not in question ... now people can not be questioning the commitment it made me ...". Both ex-gobes are again "protected" from the possibility of an "attack" while on the streets of the country in the month of October, when came up with the escorts, and 714 people had died and no ex-president.

What does this mean? That the government of the day, calling for a "fiscal emergency" has created a national emergency. Unemployment rose to the firing s, and how crazy, stacked, carefully cluttered with which they take measures such as layoffs makes it unlikely, or at least difficult, that people organize themselves to achieve massive and organized. It should be emphasized in these events the total lack of concern of a government response to the demands and needs of the majority and especially a particularly poor and / or marginalized.

And that trend continues, in small and large events during the month of November. Lornna Senator Soto had the brilliant idea of legislating for the family of the homeless (ie homeless, without basic services, without food) served by nonprofit entities, t deceit to pay for the services they are homeless. In November the government also advanced the Christmas bonus. Perhaps to distract the masses of layoffs, or to revive the economy by putting people to buy on black friday , or both. Do not we want to use, but you want to spend, is the message, especially anti-citizen, pro-megastore if we put in the context of the new closure law , also passed during those days.

Another interesting event in November that nicely exemplifies ignorance, discomfort showing our agencies to deal with marginality and its consequent al ias: a group of children and adolescents in a gated Ponce made a video (much earlier, but came to light in November) with bad words, shootings, drug trafficking ... well, with those things that are a daily part of life in marginal spaces. Does the attitude of government agencies? Again, the disconnection, the sale of that other country that inhabits a large portion of Puerto Ricans. The secretary of the Family, worried, lamented the lack of "values", representatives of the various agencies quickly blamed not the social structure, or marginalization, but the families of the kids, and the country lost a opportunity for a serious discussion about the marginalization drug trafficking and dad.

In December Andujar pulled the race for secretary of education, not by anything that had to do with ... well, with education, but because he said something in a different blog where someone criticized Rivera Schatz, and Antonio M. Sagardía rumors became reality as it left the Department of Justice when resigned delivered his letter to Gov. Luis Fortuño, who without thinking twice is accepted. Clarity reminds us several things about Sagardía, quote some of them: his volatile temper, which led him to call the legislature Vega Ramos' lawyer pigeon "and" intellectual dwarf "; pressures Fortuño advisers in favor of insurer Reform, the investigation into the incident known as "Betsy-gate" involving the Mayor of San Juan; And finally, what appears to have sealed the fate of Sagardía, bloody massacre occurred in the business The Tombola, in Toa Baja , after which we learned that the prime suspect of those facts, Alexis Candelario Santana was Sagardía client in 2003, and it got him Sagardía reduced to six years in prison sentenced to 12 years for five murders.

They left out many important events. The CAPECO fire, the events of University Avenue, the emergence of documents suggesting that the FBI knew of the attacks against Juan Mari Brás, nominations, the most nominations, non-appointment, follies several in the legislature, etc.. Someone told me, quite rightly, that we could also have talked about non-events. What? How about Non-Government united, we hope many of which cracked the ballot s blue rather than risk a legislature and an executive quarreling again?

Note: Listen to the podcast by pressing "play". You can also subscribe to the podcast looking "flashing" on the iTunes Music Store or by visiting the following direct link: Blinking Podcasts .

Dec 29, 2009 | Categories: podcast | 2 Comments »

looking twice ... 2009. Part 1.

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The radio program today, December 21 and the next, we dedicate to examine events of 2009. Thanks to everyone who sent us their recommendations through Facebook!

FLASHING Today we talk about the first half of the year, two months for each of the three segments of the program. They are of course many noteworthy events and commentary, and the selection difficult. As always, we try to look for any unusual or interesting angle to be argued.

In the first segment: Smoke Signals. The 2009 opened with a strongly attacked Gaza by the Israeli army. What this unequal battle between Palestinians and Israelis seemed evident worldwide. The United Nations and the Red Cross press took separate statements condemning the Israeli military violence and humanitarian crisis in Gaz generated a - where besides killed and wounded by the bombings and famine epidemics broke locks product. So characteristically conservative Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Dia expressed in editorials l asking for a cease-fire, which at that time had already claimed 600 Palestinian victims. Not so our governor, who in a press release (written in English, by the way) condemned the "terrorism" of the Palestinians. The word "terrorism" was another sign - the would hear again in October, to condemn a priori possible actions to protest the Law 7.

During January and February 2009, political players in the legislature and the Fortress said or did things that suggested the general tone of his execution for the rest of the year. January was the month that brought us the resolution where Sen. Humacao region ordered an investigation into the lack of a blue boy in the logo of the Department of Family, and it was in February that Rivera Schatz expressed the importance of the judiciary defend "the values of true Puerto Rican family" family which contrasted with "twisted family" (read - not built around a heterosexual couple) "that some want to implement. In February was also the senator proposed Mayaguez discovered a galleon lost and hypothetical use their treasures to fund Central American Games, and incidentally suggested that the people of the Dominican Republic were not "very bright". Very early in the year and so we saw the triviality, the bungling and homophobia, three features designed to be repeated.

The second segment brought events of March and April. Seek the message of a judgment, and judgment passed on a message. Examined a particular angle of the court case against Anibal Acevedo Vila- otherness assigned by statesmen alike estadolibristas and independence , to "the feds". Then we review the governor's budget message Fort One, in which reaffirmed on dismissals and announced two new initiatives: the Promise of Man , to prevent domestic violence, and the return of the five-minute morning reflection in public schools country.

In the segment devoted to May and June, we review legislative and executive activity in regard to the Land Trust of Caño Martín P and ña, located in the heart of Golden Mile Who represents you legislature? The Trust, established to protect the integrity of communities and prevent speculation by collective ownership, is under siege. First for two projects in the House and Senate (May) which resulted in the signing of the law Fortuño 23 which retroactively intends to return to the idea of individual ownership to expose residents to the fluctuations and market speculation. It is the confrontation of the unequal struggle between two very different ways of conceptualizing the landscape and the earth . As private property or common good.

In May there were also many bloopers in the legislature, but we focus on two of them: 1) the complaint Crespo and Navarr representatives or, which outraged press conference called to demand immediate compliance with a bill of his own which proved to be unenforceable because it was poorly written and 2) and in July, blue again, this time because Senator Luis "Tato" Lion cele objected color ste some claim to use the flag and demanded the use of blue Marine because "our lands are washed by the sea, not the sky ... these waters are blue."

We recommend today, especially to keep the case del Caño, reading blogs maintained by colleagues from law school at UPR: derechoalderecho and power, environmental space and you. avail the blog for adding others plan Hiram Melendez John rbe and Garcia Zapata blog .

Note: Listen to the podcast by pressing "play". You can also subscribe to the podcast looking "flashing" on the iTunes Music Store or by visiting the following direct link: Blinking Podcasts . Remember that you can access the radio broadcast Blinking, live every Monday from 1:00 to 2:00 PM in www.wpra990.com.

Dec 21, 2009 | Categories: podcast | 2 Comments »

teeny applause, big corruption and a "just" war. (Podcast, 14/dic)

parp50-150x150 Listen to the podcast ...

In the radio program on Monday December 14:

The applause was for teeny ... Alvaro Pilar, executive director of the Port Authority. No, I'm not being sarcastic. The man deserves applause because he accepted responsibility for the much talked about cruise disaster could not reach. I mean, that confronted with the sad reality of the ship that did not fit and had to go to the Dominican Republic , Pilar not blamed or the previous government, or the opposition party, or Carnival. She took it and began to look for solutions. Very different that reaction of his boss the governor, which immediately followed the algorithm used whenever something goes wrong: A) say "not our fault, we did not", followed by B) is the fault of the administration of (Sulla, Hannibal) and C) will solve it with a Public Private Partnership. Fortuño Let's quote:

"That we submit it as a problem that we design, especially in the spring 3 that was made in the last years. Design is a very serious problem, because the larger ships have outgrown there. We know we have a big problem on the docks design that were made in recent years. We have to plow with oxen have at the moment, but we know we have to change some of our piers and for that are included in our list of Public-Private Partnership, "said the governor in a radio interview (WKAQ).

In the first segment criticize Alvaro Pilar history (especially the planned privatization of the airport), and cautiously applaud the refreshing acceptance of responsibility with the subject of the cruise.

In the second segment we talk about Jorge de Castro Font, former senator recently charged with 182 counts of corruption. Without losing sight of the importance of prosecuting those who illegally and immorally enrich themselves at the expense of the people, we review the continuum of practices, many culturally or legally accepted, culminating with the unlawful practices in the bill of indictment of Castro Font.

And in the third section, we review the great oxymoron - a president who in the midst of two wars and having recently climbed one, not only accepts the Nobel Peace Prize but also does it with a discourse of war " fair "and" necessary ".

In preparing the program, plus news and academic sources, we use as usual the rich content of the Puerto Rican blogosphere, and now the third segment mentioned blogs paísciego.blogspot.com and madrescontralaguerra.blogspot.com .

the fault of the blame

viagra for Afghans

troubled waters

the discomfort of John Woo

Dec 16, 2009 | Categories: Podcast | Tags: Beyond , blogs , education , ethnology , militarism , politics | Comments Off

FLASHING AM, December 7: Education and representative democracy

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In the program on Monday December 7 as a starting point we take the recent case of the nomination, apparently frustrated, psychologist Carlos Andujar to the Secretariat of Education, vacant by the resignation of Carlos Chardon. In the first segment, we outline the order of events: Andujar wrote a comment on the blog Digizen, authored by Mario Nunez. The input Nunez (written several months ago) criticized Rivera Schatz expressions Pedro Julio Serrano on whom the Senate President had called "insanity case" he needed "collected a good living." Digizen not only denounced homophobia evident in the comment of Rivera Schatz but inviting the senator to reflect on their own and assumed "healing", keeping an eye to the clinical definition of narcissistic personality disorder.

And what is the lack of Andújar? For comment on the post, saying what they have called in the blogosphere a "truth bigger than the sky" , which is quite evident to anyone who recognizes some minimum requirements for a well-run democracy: that the rulers must govern for all citizens , not just for some. Apparently, once "discovered" the comment by the media and discussed, wide and sometimes wildly, the matter, the appointment of Andújar has been "dead".

Andujar's merits were never clear, nor were discussed. Seem not to matter in public discussion. So we spent the rest of the program to describe some of the most urgent and overwhelming problems facing not only the Department of Education but in general, the public education system of the country, and established the need to give serious questions nominees . Questions for their vision about the connection between poverty and educational problem, on the famous or infamous NCLB, on repeated testing failure Puerto Rican, and the importance of providing access to higher education. Questions that have to do not only with that agency but at the end of the day, any chance for a decent future for the country. Questions aimed to discover if they recognize the problems and what their vision beyond their tactics, their strategies, and above all, regardless of whether you like them or not any senator in the country.

From the blogosphere: Digizen addition, we resorted to covering blogging colleagues in Poder5 , DesahogoBoricua , Loading and Unloading , and ElColao . Special thanks to Colao for keeping up to date on the matter while I was traveling.

the fault of the blame

Devil books

eyes sting, edition colored noise

Dec 09, 2009 | Categories: Podcast | Tags: blogs , education , politics | 2 Comments »

FLASHING AM, November 30: Consumption and love.

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Today FLASHING AM, Talking program section of the station WPRA 990 , we use the latest issue of Black Friday as stand forced to discuss consumption. We start from a position of "curious innocence," where, although we have a review done, anyway try to understand all possible aspects of a phenomenon and preserve the capacity for surprise.

Summary:

We begin by looking at Black Friday coverage in newspapers, concluding that there are three basic types of reactions to this event. 1) the attitude of "I do not look over there" that exhibit (or exhibit) which stores did not attend that day, 2) to "we buy, but with restraint" that seemed to predominate in the media, and 3) of "I pa'lla" that articulate those waiting in line outside stores anticipating great savings. The first of these predominated among lawmakers interviewed by The New Day on Friday, not because they were going to buy but because they preferred to avoid the mass of people. "The early bird sales? No. We started buying very early in October and November to get things done, "said a lawmaker told reporters.

The second predominant in the opinion columns. And we posed to air the idea of buying, but with "moderation" expressed in the media is somewhat unfair - place fiscal responsibility and moral weight on the consumer, but not on the market, although the market is who decides what is sold, and when. Increasingly, it is supply that demand seems determined - people want to have the object indicates that the market exists and is fashionable, and arrives on Friday morning to the store not because they prefer it because then the market indicates.

The third is the one that most interested me examine. The spectacle of hordes of shoppers was labeled by the press as "chaos", "madness" and "frenzy", "consumer", "individualistic" and "materialistic". I decided to find the inevitable cultural logic then at least those whose behavior resembled mine (I stayed in my house and I generally buy as little as possible.) Heard testimonies of buyers, and found that a large number of them buy 1 ) for children and grandchildren and buying 2) relatively expensive electronic devices.

So we concentrate, to deepen, in the consumption of this type of object for that type of clientele to find explanations. The result is a look at the connection between commodity fetishism ( Marx) and expressed the need to belong through the consumption of some type of object ( Pugh) . At the end of the day, do not buy that we seem to buy more than we thought. As described by Marx fetish, the Wii and Barbie house are not objects - are symbols of a fondness of social relations, of a concern because the baby "belongs". The same logic can be attributed to objects more "selfish", gifts for yourself. Did not enclosing a self gift market trick implicit in the "I deserve" from a famous hair dye ?

But regardless of the good intentions, the consumer has a dark side on which we must work. The segment concludes with the description of the imaginary city of Leonia, from the novel by Italo Calvino , where every day the inhabitants dawn in a clean, full of shiny new things - and where each day growing garbage mountains that trap Leonia in a world of unsustainability.

Recommended Blogs Today: Blogs related to sustainable agriculture. Outdoor mention both. Conuco of Coto and Planting Tres Vidas .

Dec 01, 2009 | Categories: Podcast | Tags: ARTIFACTS | 1 Comment »

AM: homophobia kills, black friday and brain drain

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Note: Listen to the podcast by pressing "play". You can also subscribe to the podcast looking "flashing" on the iTunes Music Store or by visiting the following direct link: Blinking Podcasts . Remember that you can access the radio broadcast Blinking, live every Monday from 1:00 to 2:00 PM in www.wpra990.com.

Today, November 23, 2009, in FLASHING, the comment section within the program Talking of WPRA990 :

Homophobia Kills. During the first segment, we talk about the murder of Jorge Steven, a young gay man of 19. The gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in Puerto Rico, as well as many straight people who support them, require that qualifies and process this act as a "hate crime". Why do we refer to the crime as a "hate crime?" What is the legal and social importance of that category? On the first part of the program, we distinguish the hate crime from other crimes because it is a kind of micro- genocide. To the extent that it is a crime based on characteristics linking the victim with a group, a minority, hate crime undermines the very essence of democracy, the basic equality of all citizens.

Black Friday. During the second segment, tie ropes: The legislature times expands with the new Sunday Closing Law, The DACO advises us to buy, but within a budget and orderly manner, and the governor announced that the Christmas bonus will be given to public employees not the second week of December, as usual, but this week of 23 November. Just in time, murmurs Puerto Rico, for shopping the famous "Black Friday". In this segment we remember George Bush, who asked Americans to exercise their patriotism spending in stores after the tragedy of September 11, 2001, and discuss the big chain linking the various links in the world economy: extraction, production, distribution and consumption. Ended up supporting the suggestion of the blogger "Enfogoná" , the blog "Customers Furious", which urges us to avoid the mega store things here and give this Christmas.

And speaking of economics, in the third segment we attended a question from a listener who asked us we discussed the "brain drain". This phrase refers to the external migration of Puerto Ricans with university degrees (typically the U.S.), and playing in Puerto Rico all the time, but it sounds especially in periods of economic crisis. To answer, we spoke with Dr. Joseph L. Cruz-Rivera, former Vice President of Student Affairs of the UPR, who explained that "the brain drain is like cholesterol. There is a bad and another good. "In the good, talents positively influence the economic future of the country, whether acting as ambassadors of Puerto Rico in other parts of the world, or returning with new experiences. "Actually I would not talk so much about" brain drain "as" brain circulation "... Far from being an individual problem, where each citizen must agonize over the decision to stay or go, it's a state issue. That is, it is up to the state to worry about this issue and develop strategies that allow the net balance of brains and brains will represent returning a profit for the socioeconomic development of the country. "

sustainability clandestine

vote, buy, think

drug and marginalization

vente-me

tapafaltas

steven

November 23, 2009 | Categories: Podcast | Tags: environment , consumption , economy , homophobia , stuff | 2 Comments »

Jeeps, home movies, and "values"

Today, November 16, 2009, in FLASHING AM, the comment section within the program Talking of WPRA990 :

1. In the headlines: The Shipping News. Using as a starting point the lengthy caravan 4 × 4's on Sunday, talked about words and practices surrounding environmental issues in Puerto Rico. Trust talked Caño Northeast Ecological Corridor of Villas del Sol, and the International Summit on the environment comes around in December. We conclude that although a 7000 soap opera 4 × 4 vehicles and over 60 miles long is one thing quite obscene in terms of environmental impact, there are worse things. Some local examples: The House Joint Resolution 632, as quoted by Atty. Fontanez on your blog and defeated by a narrow margin of 26-24, which sought to unprotect the karst, and the elimination of the classification of "natural reserve" for the Northeast Ecological Corridor, discussed last week. We also discussed how the environment is ignored by the state - until it comes to the poor take their homes or control over physical spaces. Examples include the dismantling of the Land Trust Cano, also outlined in blog Fontanez and during which some residents complained that the Caño degraded, and the sudden concern of state and Rodríguez Ema with the ecological value of the land provided by Dr. Ibarra. So the moral weight of caring for the environment lies, disproportionately on the poor. In December the International Summit in Copenhagen, Naomi Klein tells us that we will discuss a radical proposal - what if the richest countries, which produce most of the environmental damage and suffer less than other effects, coasts necessary environmental reform to save the planet?

Two. In the blogosphere: Bloggers reflect on the video "fate, betrayal and death", produced, directed and acted by children and youth residential Chavier Aristides, Ponce. Agencies talk about custody, responsible parenthood and on the distinction between "good" and "bad". What does that video over residential, about the country, about children, and state representatives? We describe the video, and we refer to the experience of The Colao , which after passing through two hours of violent television tells us about the news coverage of the video. "The curious thing about this" report "are the words of the journalist, who says tersely:" Police are investigating, because before I investigated social workers, psychologists, teachers ... "... I mean, I took TWO HOURS BLOOD dose by WAPA TV, and on WAPA TV newscast say that some children of a village of Ponce act in a home movie as murderers because "social workers, psychologists, teachers" did not investigate ... ". The news tells us something about what they think the representatives of the agencies involved, the Police and Family - the fault of the parents and probably actionable as such. The journalists, rightly, show a different picture - the parents were aware, arms were lying, and most importantly, the children were using their creativity to report what happens in the other country that sometimes citizens and authorities wanted ignore - the Puerto Rico of the plot, the village, the land occupied. Plus we review the entry into Digital Ink , where we got through without jaws , and where the author rightly says that "the video already has accomplished something that the country needed, lift the veil from the ghettos and force the rest of the country to look about the climate of violence that exists in many of these places, "and suggests that it is social marginalization ignoring the subaltern.

Three. Thinking a bit: no 'values' and there values.'s Colao talked about the double standards, hypocrisy, disconnection, evident in television coverage. The reaction of many agencies and citizens is full of allusions to the subject of "values." But we require the values to the village and not institutions or corporations. Some examples: The Catholic Church in Washington DC rejected a bill to legalize gay marriage and threatening to stop providing social services in that city; Goldman Sachs analyzes the health reform bills and indicates to the five major insurance that the best way to protect or increase the value of their shares is - do nothing. Above all, do not provide more coverage. And finally, a young gay man is killed in a horrific in Puerto Rico, and his death does not cause even half the outrage among the authorities that the home video of the kids.

November 16, 2009 | Categories: podcast | 2 Comments »

Blinking AM

The radio program is an expression FLASHING radio what the blog of the same name: Discuss current events and daily news in Puerto Rico and beyond, paying attention to the contents of the (mis) called "common sense", questioning what "normal" and "natural," making the familiar strange and the strange familiar. It is about an hour long (35 minutes without commercials, in his version of "podcast") and is divided into four segments which treats each Monday, March topics.

The November 9 program included the following topics:

In the Headlines: Dr. Ibarra has 17 strings gives the residents of Villas del Sol Great news for the community, which was established there since the nineties but was threatened recently, with renewed vigor, by the orders of eviction of the current administration. Ibarra congratulate for having the heart properly finished, and we take your gesture to look further for this community, and what it means.

Tickets on FLASHING topic, the blog: Two countries under the sun, gift or justice.

Far away but close: Two recent attacks with guns, one in Orlando and another in Texas. In Orlando, a man comes to the place of his old job, killing one person and injuring five others. In Texas, a man kills 12 and wounds 31 at Fort Hood, a military base. One of the victims is Puerto Rican, one of the perpetrators as well. This segment emphasized the importance of understanding things as militarization, war, and unemployment in explaining events that too often we settle in branded as "monstrous" without understanding. If passed, it is by definition possible.

FLASHING entries on the subject of war: Disaster Capitalism 1 Scrambled River.

In the blogosphere: bloggers Bloqueros in Puerto Rico and discuss the recent directive, signed by Fortuño, to remove the title Nature Reserve that the previous administration had given, by executive order, the Northeast Ecological Corridor, and instead designate it as Special Planning Area.

Some blogs mentioned in the discussion about what blogs are and their importance, for example: Anthropic, Loading and Unloading, Power, Space and Environment, Power 5.

Blogs with recent entries on the Corridor discussed on air: No Jaws, The World of Luis Beltran.

Listen to the podcast ...

The radio program is an expression FLASHING radio what the blog of the same name: Discuss current events and daily news in Puerto Rico and beyond, paying attention to the contents of the (mis) called "common sense", questioning what "normal" and "natural," making the familiar strange and the strange familiar. It is approximately one hour in its live version through WPRA990 (35 minutes without commercials, in his version of "podcast") and is divided into four segments which treats every Monday, three themes.

The program November 9 included the following topics:

In the Headlines: Dr. Ibarra has 17 strings gives the residents of Villas del Sol Great news for the community, which was established there since the nineties but was threatened recently, with renewed vigor, by the orders of eviction of the current administration. Ibarra congratulate for having the heart properly finished, and we take your gesture to look further for this community, and what it means. Tickets on FLASHING topic, the blog: Two countries under the sun , justice Act .

Far away but close: Two recent attacks with guns, one in Orlando and another in Texas. In Orlando, a man comes to the place of his old job, killing one person and injuring five others. In Texas, a man kills 12 and wounds 31 at Fort Hood, a military base. One of the victims is Puerto Rican, one of the perpetrators as well. This segment emphasized the importance of understanding things as militarization, war, and unemployment in explaining events that too often we settle in branded as "monstrous" without understanding. If passed, it is by definition possible. FLASHING entries on the subject of war: Disaster Capitalism January and Scrambled River .

In the blogosphere: bloggers Bloqueros in Puerto Rico and discuss the recent directive, signed by Fortuño, to remove the title Nature Reserve that the previous administration had given, by executive order, the Northeast Ecological Corridor, and instead designate it as Special Planning Area. Some blogs mentioned in the discussion about what blogs are and their importance, for example: Anthropic , Loading and Unloading , Power, Space and Environment , Power 5 . Blogs with recent entries on the Corridor discussed on air: No Jaws , The World of Luis Beltran .

Enhanced Podcast

November 11, 2009 | Categories: culture and society , podcast | 7 Comments »