Archives for "May 2008":

Amaia Drawings on May 30, 2008 in Humor

I dig the sun with the happy face. The dude with the polka-dot pants is also pretty humorous. The building in the back with the flag is a nice touch.This is actually a collaboration between my daughter and I. She did the head and I did the body. "But what about the gloves!?" she screamed when I finished. So I...

Jorge Ben Giving Daps on May 29, 2008 in Humor

Jorge Ben is one of my favorite Brazilian singers but this album cover is just straight out lame. I think it's quite humorous how he's gettin' love from some white lady while giving daps to one of his homeboys. Hardcore, buddy....

"Fag Lawn" on May 27, 2008 in Humor

Thanks Sarai. Jaja. I can't stop laughing....

Lego Mecha on May 27, 2008 in Personal

The 10 year old boy inside of me jumped for joy when I found this flickr collection of custom Lego mecha. Oh man....

Carajo Puñeta on May 26, 2008 in Humor

Found this in the bowels of the Internet social network. I think the blond boxers, race car, "carajo", and "puñeta" are pretty amusing....

Invisible Subsidies on May 26, 2008 in Economics

A recent Time Magazine article covering Taco Bell's expansion into the Mexican market noted that the stores' taco shells are imported from abroad. Such ironic contradictions are not rare; recently I purchased a set of Puerto Rican Taino statues only to see a "made in China" sticker under each piece. Even avocados, beans, rice, and plantains - important components of...

Willie Colon - Crime Pays on May 26, 2008 in Music

Probably Willie Colon's best album. Via Rapidshare....

Songs of the Day on May 25, 2008 in Music

Gilberto Gil - RodaCitizen Cope - Back TogetherYoshinori Sunahara - Sun Song '70Bossa Nostra - JackieFlora Purim - RezaWillie Colon - Eso se Baila AsiMastretta - El Ultimo Habitante del PlanetaRaul Midon - SunshineDownload the .zip here....

More Funny Kid Drawings on May 23, 2008 in Humor

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Drugs "Are" Bad on May 23, 2008 in Humor

From The Blog Wee Made site. Full of all kinds of fun kid's drawings....

Latin America Photos on May 23, 2008 in Photos

Wonderful Latin American photo essays from Jan Sochor....

Latino Navigation on May 23, 2008 in Latin America , Society

Despite my pride of my Latino ethnicity, there are a number of North American traits that I have retained. One such trait is my concept of location, space, and distance. Growing up in a household with framed maps on walls, I have always had an interest in cartography. Not only can I spend hours looking at historical maps but I...

Cute Pic on May 19, 2008 in Photos

From the bowels of the Internet....

LatAm Fun w/ Flickr on May 19, 2008 in Humor , Photos

Pachy Lee from Venezuela always sends me these crazy photos of bootleg Venezuelan shots. She just hooked me up with the following flickr collection of literally thousands of them. Here are some of my favorites:...

Today's Mix on May 17, 2008 in Music

Click the title to hear the song in imeem (the greatest invention since pirated music). Download it all from Sharebee.Blanquito Man & Control Machete - Cumbra Sobre el Rio - From the Babel Soundtrack. A mix of rap and Mexican cumbia.Herbet - Foreign Bodies - A minimalistic house track made from human body sounds. Kind of cool.White Stripes - Conquest...

Another Odd Dream on May 17, 2008 in Personal

Last night's dream:I had met a very attractive Middle Eastern woman on the Internet. She was absolutely astonishing and had long curly hair. We had been forming a friendship online for quite some time now when I was to meet here in a crowded public area in some distant, Third World country. Everything was very colorful, my surroundings were blurry,...

Nitin Sawhney - Human on May 16, 2008 in Music

Wonderful wonderful downtempo/trip-hop/bhangra album.Available via Rapidshare....

ADH vs Codezero on May 16, 2008 in Humor

This Indian DJ looks a lot like local drum and bass DJ and good friend Melvin (DJ Codezero):...

Gallardo on Google on May 16, 2008 in Humor

I'm always amazed at the search queries that can lead to my site. After rummaging through my visitor stats I've picked out some of the most amusing:enci hammerpictures of ribswww.farmsexadams applefunny lp coversnasty shitlyrics reggaeton mami tu tienes esa cosa que te pone muy loca al bailarmother giving birthwhat happens in puerto rico onthe day of the deadpuertorican democracy myspace...

Odd Dream on May 16, 2008 in Personal

I'm sitting with someone at my cheap K-mart kitchen table. I don't know who. Nor do I notice anything around me. We're in a void. I gesture my hands as stacks of different currencies lay in front of me. I'm explaining the dynamics of foreign currency exchange; using stacks of actual money to demonstrate. I then pull out a slice...

Japanese Fun on May 16, 2008 in Humor , Videos

This gave me some serious laughs:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GruLMqy_wn0Thanks Sonaris....

Naked Streets on May 15, 2008 in Society

I'm quoting the whole thing since I hope to use it soon for another writing of mine:Pulling up to an intersection where the traffic lights aren't working is confusing. Whose turn is it to go? Who has the right-of-way? Inevitably, you have to negotiate the intersection by interacting--you look around for pedestrians, then, making eye contact with other drivers, slowly...

Rossello the Leftist on May 14, 2008 in Puerto Rico

I have always complained that the PPD is a right wing party and often beats the PNP at being the most conservative of the two. Though both Rossello and Acevedo Vila believe in things such as privatization and market subsidies, Rossello believes in universal health and education. Rossello also has suggested the passing of a constitutional amendment which guarantees a...

Craziest Dream I've Ever Had on May 14, 2008 in Humor

Part 1:I was a schoolboy dressed in a maroon-colored school uniform. The uniform looks much like those worn by British students. I was about twelve years old, my hair was much longer than it is now, and I was accompanied by dozens of similar looking boys. Our school was in a large square-shaped building made up of about four floors....

Last Week's Ultra Cool Mix on May 13, 2008 in Music

Here's a mix I made about a week ago but forgot to post. Enjoy:Los Zafiros - Bossa CubanaJohn Ruben - Do NotJamiroquai - Corner of the EarthLittle Richard - Rip It UpSonny Rollins - Alfie's Theme DifferentlyJamiroquai - Picture of my LifeJames Taylor - When In RomeMorcheeba - End ThemeNatalie Lafourcade - Elefantes (Acustica)Joe Quijano - Historia de un CondenadoJohn...

Hezbollah and U.S. Foreign Policy on May 13, 2008 in Politics

Hezbollah is a political and resistance movement in Lebanon. It is a formal political party and maintains an armed wing of the organization meant on opposing foreign colonialism and Jewish occupation. The organization receives its operating funds from donations and from the Iranian government (the U.S. too pumps millions of dollars into Lebanese politics and military (USAID, Washington Post). The...

Bucked-toothed Bridgitte on May 12, 2008 in Humor

Vinyl surfing when I found this. Nasty bucked-toothed woman....

Fanny Pack - So Stylistic on May 11, 2008 in Music

"Organizing my music collection" is one of my hobbies, you can say. My collection's sheer size (6,000 albums and growing) requires a tremendous effort of cataloging and ordering. Since I'm in the process of digitalizing all of it, things like track names and album cover art are a must. Sure, I might have to labor many hours to organize my...

Boomboxx - Меломанія on May 11, 2008 in Music

I stumbled upon this album about a year ago. I can't recall how I found it considering how all of the song titles are in a language that my keyboard lacks characters for. Anyways, from what I can figure out this group - "Boomboxx" is a trio from Ukraine composed of a guitar player, vocalist, and DJ.Available via Rapidshare. Password:...

Peter Beard on May 11, 2008 in Photos

I'm diggin' this. By Peter Beard....

From Sesame Street to Salsa on May 11, 2008 in Music

Since my childhood I've been doo-wopin' the "doo doo da doo doo" song from Sesame Street. Great tune, if I must say for myself. Any fan of jazz can appreciate it.Anyways; a few days ago I was rummaging through some old Ismael Rivera albums when I came across a salsa interpretation of the track called "Maña Maña". I'm still kind...

Father-Daughter Moments on May 11, 2008 in Humor

"Hey Amaia... do you know what a beat box is?" I ask shortly after picking her up. "Umm.. no."::I start to beat box:: "Yea! I remember!", as she recalled previous instances where I've beat boxed around her."Do you know how to rap?" I ask Amaia, curious to know if she's been exposed to such at her young age."Yea. I know...

Some More Amaia Pics on May 11, 2008 in Photos

If you notice, she's coloring thick, wet lines on the napkin in order to rip it with ease. Genius! I didn't even ask her to do that. She digs riding planes cause she can chew all the gum she wants (to avoid having her ears pop). I just had to snap this one....

Knol vs Wikipedia on May 11, 2008 in Personal

I am quite a big fan of Wikipedia, often making it my first stop for information. Usually while watching movies I will have my laptop open as I continuously search Wikipedia articles on subjects related to the storyline. Wikipedia has greatly enhanced my music, movie, and book entertainment by allowing me to grasp the greater picture around whatever subjects or...

Culture Matters on May 11, 2008 in Economics

The Economist recently published an article on Brazilian businessmen, noting that "Brazilian entrepreneurs seem to have a much lower appetite for risk... Perhaps this lack of staying power is because there are many more pleasant things to do in Brazil than work."Though the article does cite bureaucratic red tape as one obstacle, such cultural traits must be taken into consideration...

You Gotta Check This on May 10, 2008 in Humor , Videos

McCain Vows To Replace Secret Service With His Own Bare FistsHere's another one....

A Casualty of Nature on May 10, 2008 in Personal

So a few weeks ago I'm driving through the mountainous town of Barranquitas when I spot a 6 foot tall cactus-like plant laying on the side of the road. I pull over to inspect the scene and concluded that the plant must have been growing on the side of the hill and had gotten too big for gravity to hold....

Forward Fun on May 10, 2008 in Humor

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"I'll Be Back" on May 9, 2008 in Humor , Personal

I often drive past the paid parking lots as if they didn't even exist. "Dammit, there's no parking" I'll think to myself as I inch past dozens of private lots and multi-pisos. "Ha! A space!" I jump, as I squeeze my car into a long line of vehicles parked on a yellow line. "There's like a hundred cars before and...

Mm... Food on May 9, 2008 in Personal

An average compra. Bread, chicken, vegetables (to put the chicken in), beef (for pasta and burgers), pasta sauce mix, and a variety of sauces and oils.Dave and Derek are actually the ones who got me preparing my own food now. Damn you Dave for making burgers that smell so good. Damn you for Derek for getting me to buy a...

Plena from YouTube on May 9, 2008 in Videos

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Today's Turbo Mix on May 9, 2008 in Music

A jammin' mix for the day.Please don't hate on Voltio's "Pónmela". Even the most basic Electro Clash fan can pick up signs of Afrika Bambaata in the track. Click the track to hear it on imeem.Ismael Rivera -  El NazareñoCarlos Vives - Fruta FrescaJehro - Long is the WayStaind - It's Been a WhileJulio Voltio - Pónmela f/ Jowell y...

Department of Ideas on May 8, 2008 in Humor

So I call the Environmental Quality Board to get a fax number. "Thank you for calling the Environmental Quality Board. Please listen closely for a list of our Departments. For the Department of Finances please press 1. For Community Affairs, 2. For the Office of the Director, 3. For Ideas, 4.Ideas? The Department of Ideas? I imagine an air conditioned...

Dr. Strangelove on May 7, 2008 in Personal

I made myself some pasta and watched Dr. Strangelove last night. One of the greatest movies I have ever seen, if I must say. I was inspired to watch the movie after reading an article about Nixon's nuclear strategy in Wired Magazine and had no idea concerning its contents. I didn't even notice that the same actor played three separate...

Really Bootleg on May 6, 2008 in Humor

More funny Venezuela pics from Pachy....

Florescent Fun on May 5, 2008 in Photos

I just noticed how clean and clear photos can be under those new florescent light bulbs. Kinda' makes me wanna change all the bulbs in my house and walk around looking through my digital camera screen....

Fury at the Tire Shop on May 5, 2008 in Humor

So I needed to buy two new tires, right? Simple, one would think.I head out after a long, tiring day of work to my nearest tire shop. No deal; the store didn't have any in stock. I drove a few blocks down the street to another tire shop. Only two people in line. Great.So I stand in line. The cashier...

From the Cybersphere on May 5, 2008 in Humor

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Luis vs Dogs on May 5, 2008 in Humor

Damn dogs.About four of them - from the sounds of it - have found their way onto this little plot of land. Yesterday one tried to attack my grandmother. If it wasn't for her water hose it would have bit her. This morning about half an hour before I was scheduled to wake up a couple of them attacked a...

Bootleg on May 5, 2008 in Humor

From Pachy Lee of Venezuela:DirecTV...

Will Walk for Food on May 5, 2008 in Environment

A number of publications have recently ran critical articles on bio-fuel. The April 7, 2008 issue of Time referred to the industry as the "clean energy scam." "Ethanol increases global warming, destroyed forests and inflates food prices. So why are we subsidizing it?" states the article. The U.S. ethanol mix - composed of corn - makes up about 30% of...

My Environental Manifesto on May 4, 2008 in Environment

The environment has an impressive ability to manage itself without the need of humans, government work crews, or intervention. The invisible hand of nature will carve the most efficient waterways, provide sufficient food for the its wild life, and maintain a balance that will last for eternity. Even our "improved vision of nature" as referred to by "The World Without...

More Forward Fun on May 4, 2008 in Humor

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Comunidades Especiales as Small Republics on May 4, 2008 in Puerto Rico

I had much hope for the Comunidades Especiales program when it was initiated almost a decade ago by former Governor Sila Calderon. The project had aims to empower poor and disadvantaged communities by allowing them to create formal resident juntas who in turn would coordinate with the Comunidades Especiales agency to decide which projects are a priority for the residents....

One of those Silly Quizes on May 4, 2008 in Humor

Last time you consumed alcohol?I've never consumed alcohol in my life.What were you doing at 8:00 this morning?I was sleeping.What were you doing 30 minutes ago?I was dropping my friend Pablo off after a night at the movies.How do you feel about the person who texted you last?King of annoyed, but I was over it until you reminded me.How does...

"Faaca Reshuffle" on May 3, 2008 in Music

Here's another remix/reshuffle/extended version. The track is spawned off of the first few seconds of a track from Brazilian rock band "Mombojo".Download here....

Taino Tattoo on May 3, 2008 in Puerto Rico

Very dope....

Rafael Cortijo - "Maquina de Tiempo" on May 3, 2008 in Music

I forgot I even had this. This album is composed of curious soul, funk, and Latin jazz interpretation of Rafael Cortijo songs. If your into anything funky at all, I suggest you check it out. Very rare.Via Sharebee....

More Forward Fun on May 3, 2008 in Humor

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"Pac Bell Reshuffle" on May 3, 2008 in Music

I was organizing my iTunes collection when I stumbled upon "Pac Bell" by rock band Hed P.E. The first few seconds of the track were completely bananas, but the song quickly switched over into some lame cliche rock track. So I loaded up the track in my WAV editor, cut it up into a dozen pieces, loaded them up into...

Thank God It's... on May 2, 2008 in Humor

I'm horrible with weekends. Come Friday and I don't even register that it's Friday until 4:00pm when I tell my employees, "see you guys tomorrow". Sometimes it'll hit me a little earlier, when I wonder to myself why it is that so many employees are absent that day....

Forward Fun on May 2, 2008 in Humor

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Mussings on Bornstein's "Compartivie Economic Systems" on May 2, 2008 in Economics

My writing compliments my reading. All of my books feature scrabbled notes on the margin, on the front and rear blank pages, in the headers and foots, and even in the bend of the book. Arrows, lines, and even bootleg charts little the pages. Below are notes from a title that I recently finished reading "Comparative Economic Systems: Models and...

W/ Amaia at the Agropolis on May 1, 2008 in Photos

Amaia coming to me because she hurt her eye. She opted for ketchup on the side and proceeded to de-construct and dissect her hotdog. She thought the walkway was the coolest thing. She dug the goats. Chomp....

Me on the Democratic Primaries on May 1, 2008 in Politics

(Current song: "Watch Out Now" by Beatnuts. Feel free to open the links in a new tab and jam away)I have refrained from making posts on the Presidential elections. In fact, I'm pretty sure that this is my first one. Due to the coming Democratic Presidential primary I have been stopped in the halls of my office building with frequent...

Books and More Books on May 1, 2008 in Personal

The Books needed to write my recent paper on the Courts of Cadiz during the Spanish War of Independence. It hurts my eyes just thinking about it again....

Last Month's Swollen Eye on May 1, 2008 in Personal

I hate doctors. I really do. I try to refrain from visiting them unless I'm coughing up blood, my finger is falling off, or I'm on the verge of loosing an eye (as in this case). I don't know what it is but despite constant application of hydrogen peroxide to cuts and frequent hand washing I seem to catch these...

The Privatization Consensus on May 1, 2008 in Puerto Rico

I feel the same about Anibal Acevedo Vila winning as I do Luis Fortuño. The only difference between the two is found solely in the bureaucrats that they stuff into their agencies. Either way, bureaucrats are bureaucrats and overall policy would remain the same no matter which of the two wins. Both are monga; lacking the charisma of their party's...

More Amaia Drawings on May 1, 2008 in Personal

Another drawing by Amaia. She drew this one when she was angry at me for scolding her shortly before heading out to the Agropolis Fair in Caguas last weekend. "Who's that?" I ask. "You! For being mean!" She later scratched out the face (I'm guessing she got angry at me again) but it originally had red bulging eyes, sharp teeth,...

Li Wei the G-Way on May 1, 2008 in Photos

Amazing photos from Chinese artist Li Wei. Click here for more....