Archives for "March 2008":

The Recession and Infinite Economics on March 30, 2008 in Economics

The United States and its territories are currently going through a recession. Puerto Rico is going through a "criollo" recession itself, as Caribbean Business and the opposition PNP calls it. Puerto Rican economist Jose Villamil (whom I've had the honor to work with) blasts the state for its lack of government investment in public works. "The economy can't recover if...

Ocho - Ocho on March 30, 2008 in Music

Great Nuyorican class. Download it via Sharebee....

Yet Another Funny Dream on March 30, 2008 in Humor

I had a dream that I was driving through a highway toll. As the woman gave me my change she said, "here's your change, pelu."  (Pelu being a word for hairy people, or someone who needs a haircut.) I haven't cut my hair in quite a while so I'm supposing it was a subliminal message, or something....

Today's Super Cool Mix on March 30, 2008 in Music

I got some good stuff for you guys this morning. Don't let the Spanish titles fool you - the tracks are variable with jazz, Balkan tunes, soul, and rock. You can listen to each track individually on imeem by clicking on the song title, or you can download the .ZIP file below via Sharebee. Enjoy.Willie Bobo - LisaShantel - BucovinaLos...

Barriomulas on Acevedo Vila II on March 29, 2008 in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico Governor Anibal Acevedo Vila had turned himself into authorities yesterday morning and was release with no bail. Though he leads the list of the 13 charged PPD members (see a scan of the original charges here), he was not publically arrested, handcuffed, or charged bail. His associated, on the other hand, were charged $100,000 bail (El Nuevo Dia,...

Barriomulas on Acevedo Vila on March 27, 2008 in Puerto Rico

Chaos in Puerto Rico. The office, the hallways, and the radio is buzzing with rumors, speculation, and newspaper headlines. The Feds have filed 19 charges against Puerto Rican Governor Anibal Acevedo Vila for corruption and conspiracy against electoral and campaign reporting laws.Most PPD are making claims of political persecution on behalf of the Federal Investigators, citing the three year long...

Un Peo Mental on Private vs. Public Sector on March 26, 2008 in Society

If there's one thing that I've learned from the school of economic libertarians, it's that competition is good. That cannot be refuted. But to me, the public and private sector themselves are both necessary in order to assure competition. Both compete against each other and both can do just as much good as the other. A corrupt politician can be...

Things That Make You Go "Mm?" on March 26, 2008 in Humor

This morning I was dreaming that I was brooming my kitchen floor. Upon waking up, I hit the alarm clock's snooze button so that I could go back to sleep and finish the floor.The things people do, eh?...

Champions, Empowerment, and Reform on March 23, 2008 in Society

Two of the many scholars that have had profound impact on my political perceptions are Jack Powelson, author of "Facin Social Revolution" and Rosa Luxemburg, specifically with her writings on revolutionary spontaneity. Powelson distinguished between "reforms by grace", handed down to the masses from "champions" who sympathize for the poor and "reforms by leverage", negotiated by the poor themselves. Powelson...

Third Parties and Mainstream Policy on March 23, 2008 in Society

People like Ralph Nader and Ruben Berrios get a lot of shit for being so called "spoilers". While it is quite true that the few percentage that they pull might can replace a Gore with a Bush or an Acevedo Vila with a Rossello, they are quite necessary in keeping mainstream parties in check. Though I think Nader would be...

ESP's Guide to Funk Soul and Jazz on March 20, 2008 in Music

A few days ago I wrote about a "mysterious mix CD" that I had gotten a hold of. The mix is titled "ESP Guide to Funky Soul and Jazz", though very little of its content can be classified as either funk, soul, or jazz. Most of it would be obscure rock, folk, with a pinch of bluegrass. Either way, it's...

Willie on Federal Dependency on March 20, 2008 in Puerto Rico

Caguas Mayor and potential future candidate for Governor Willie Miranda Marin has recently proposed a fascinating course of action towards Puerto Rican autonomy and economic self sufficiency. Miranda Marin proposes the creation of the "Self-Sufficient Puerto Rican Permanent Escrow", an agreement between the U.S. and Puerto Rico where the $6 billion spent on federal funds would be re-channeled towards a...

Songs of the Day on March 20, 2008 in Music

You can download them all as a .zip here....

Public Layoffs and How to Go About It on March 20, 2008 in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico's monstrous bureaucracy is over-staffed. There are few public officials and citizens that debate this. Though there exists a consensus on the issue, few have suggested any initiatives other than early retirement programs. Nobody has dared to suggest layoff - a word that would quickly incite rebellion among the public sector's well organized unions.As hard as it is to...

Free Culture & The Economics of Piracy on March 20, 2008 in Economics

I have been into hip hop and downtempo production for almost a decade now. Though it is one of my passions, I have approached it more as a side hobby and not a means to earn me my daily bread. My daily bread comes from another passion - public administration - thus I feel at the liberty to say some...

Some More Smart Articles on March 19, 2008 in Economics

"Citizen Soldiers" by Amanda Ripley in Time's March 10, 2008 issueAfter Hurricane Katrina, the secret was out that government alone would never be able to manage big disasters. First responders like firefighters and police make up less than 1% of the population. They cannot be everywhere--or even most places. So the vast majority of rescues are done by regular people....

Bored at Work on March 19, 2008 in Humor

"Why God WHY!?!?! WHY ME!?!?!" Jaja....

Luis Gallardo - Break Up Breaks on March 19, 2008 in Music

Here's the follow-up to Music for People Who Like Music. "Break Up Beats" was dropped in the summer of 2007. Enjoy.Track listing:1. Magnolia Scratch f/ scratched by Rype (Maxrhymes) 2. Tanning Booths are Stupid3. Mikata Rice > Shogun's4. Reggae Break, Cuban Flute5. La Vida Plena f/ rhyme by Rype (Maxrhymes)6. No Snare Here7. Zat's Intermission8. Africans Don't Jazz f/ slamming by Zatyr One...

Barriomulas on Hillary on Puerto Rico on March 18, 2008 in Puerto Rico

Hillary Clinton just released her platform for Puerto Rico. (You can read about it in El Nuevo Dia). Though not any better than Obama's plan, here's my critique:I would like to see Puerto Rico excluded from more federal funds. Federal funds are causing more damage than good. $2 billion more would be chaotic and only further fuel our dependency...

Barriomulas on "Into the Wild" on March 16, 2008 in Society

Not too long ago I was told by Crystal to watch the movie "Into the Wild". I try to see every movie that Crystal suggests, considering that she knows well that I am quite picky with my "things"; from music to film. I must say that the movie is great and thus I suggest it for my readers.The movie is...

Random iPod Tracks on March 15, 2008 in Music

Tajai - DedicationSystem of a Down - Prison SongPsiglo - SientemeMickey Avalon - Roll Up Your SleevesThe Roots - WebMissy Ellior - Beep Me 911Strange Fruit Project - MaintainThe Ogyatanaa Show Band - Disco AfricaJustin Timberlake - What Goes AroundChemical Brothers - Hey Boy Hey Girl...

Stella Levitt - Notes So High on March 15, 2008 in Videos

For years I've owned a copy of a mysterious mix CD with no track listing. Interestingly enough, today I stumbled upon the follow youtube video which features one of the songs from the mix. Boy, was I delighted. The mp3 is available here....

Shareholder Citizenship on March 15, 2008 in Economics

As much as the traditionally conservative pro-military sector criticizes socialist economics there is one socialist institution that is never mentioned: the Post Exchange. A for-profit business found on each military base, the Post Exchange acts as a normal department store for military personal. Salaries are paid from revenue and not from Congressional appropriations, operation maintains efficiency similar to private department...

I'm Lovin' It! on March 13, 2008 in Humor

From Flickr:...

Socialism + Capitalism on March 13, 2008 in Economics

I'm as socialist as I am capitalist, I tell folks. I am a supporter of an entrepreneurial economy, an admirer of the invisible hand, and a proponent of competition. I am one to believe in the battle of ideas and the superiority of products and services and not marketing schemes and manipulative marketing. And finally, I maintain a tremendous respect...

Interesting Tidbits on March 12, 2008 in Society

I've been pretty busy lately and have a stack of magazines almost a foot tall on my coffee table to read. I've had a chance to chop through a couple of them in the past few days and wish to point out the following nifty links:"Free! Why $0.00 Is the Future of Business" by Chris Anderson in Wired's March 2008...

Higher Education and Corporate Welfare on March 12, 2008 in Economics

The Higher Education Act of 1965 and its subsequent amendments paved the way for massive federal scholarship and guaranteed loans. Even today, the vast majority of Puerto Rican students go to school (and buy their groceries and cars) with funds provided by the Pell Grant. The abundance of federal grants has provoked private universities to hike their prices as...

Acevedo vs. Bishop on March 11, 2008 in Puerto Rico

I found the following quote from Governor Acevedo Vila from the PPD website:Interestingly enough, it was Grenada President (and U.S.-branded Dictator) Maurice Bishop who said that first. Just read here. First paragraph....

Yesterday's Primaries on March 10, 2008 in Puerto Rico

53% of votes submitted in the at-Large senatorial race were for well known leftist or autonomist candidates. This is a very very good number for me. Of the 6 at-large senators that will move on to the November elections (of which anywhere from 4 to all of them will be default move onto win the elections due to the Constitution's...

Homosexuality, Marriage, and the State on March 8, 2008 in Society

Legislators in Puerto Rico have recently attempted to pass Resolution 99, which would have defined marriage as an exclusive union between a man and woman. Previous administrations have chosen not to touch the subject, with the former President of the House stating that "Puerto Rican wasn't ready for it yet". The Resolution causes me some conflict, for I've felt that...

From Cadiz to San Juan: Me on Revolutionary Spain on March 8, 2008 in Latin America

I had spent the first two weeks of February carrying out an intensive investigation for a course of mine on Puerto Rican history. The topic of discussion was the Peninsular War in Spain, the liberal 1812 Constitution that it gave birth to, and its effect on Spain's colonies. It has already been a week or so since I gave my...

Tomorrow's Primaries on March 8, 2008 in Puerto Rico

Tomorrow are the primaries for the 2008 Puerto Rico elections. My candidates for Representative are the following. (You can choose up to 6).Angel Ortiz. Former President of the autonomist organization PROELA.Luis Vega Ramos. Former President of PROELA and current member of the Autonomist Socialdemocrat Movement. Vega Ramos supported the "Free Association" option during the famous "5th Column Referendum".Jorge Colberg Toro....

Corruption and Culture on March 7, 2008 in Latin America

The February 2nd issue of the Economist featured a story on Mexico's drug war and its government's difficulty in tackling the problem. Mention is made of an initiative from Mexico's Congress that would convert the "country's legal arrangements from a Napoleonic-style inquisitorial system to an Anglo-American-style adversial system." Despite such, one expert notes that "It is a problem of corruption,...