Archives for "Society":

Brain Juices for Health Care on March 10, 2010 in Society

I am not a health care expert. Nor am I a doctor. I haven't even spent much time in hospitals, pharmacy queues, or clinics. I don't like (or trust) medicines, I usually "duke out" injuries and pains, and I hate - and I mean hate - going to the doctor's office for something. Doctors hate me, as I'm the guy who's...

Digital Abundance on March 7, 2010 in Society

For years I have placed every interesting movie or book I have ever came across into my "to do" pile. My Amazon.com wish list has 541 books in it and I have an additional 93 e-books or professional journal articles on my hard drive. Even my Netflix has 236 movies or television series on my queue (62 of which are stream-able). Not to mention,...

"Puerto Rican" Architecture? on November 6, 2009 in Puerto Rico , Society

I have always had a high respect for Puerto Rican culture. It's food, music, history, language. Unfortunately, I had never stopped to take into account its architecture. Probably because it "doesn't exist". My recent investigation into the possibility of purchasing and rehabilitating a house in Puerto Rico has masturbated my interest in the field.A search for "Puerto Rican architecture" will...

A Different Kind of School Voucher on October 14, 2009 in Society

I like the market. I do. I am fascinated by its ability to "even things out" and I respect its efficiency and versatility. But there have always been a few fields that I feel should not be the subject of solely profit motives. In fields such as health and education, profit motives should not be the primary motive. This is...

Avenida Reform in Action on September 10, 2009 in Puerto Rico , Society

A few months ago I blogged about Puerto Rico's crowded avenidas and suggested that some slight modifications to parking and public sidewalks could result in a much more pleasant, pedestrian-friendly environment. I am pleased to see during a recent trip to Puerto Rico that the City of Caguas has recently implemented such measures. Though you can't see them very well...

Interesting Findings on September 10, 2009 in Society

If you guys would check my delicious links (the link is in the menu bar above), than you'd see all the cool kinds of stuff I post. But if you don't, here's a few articles of interest that I've found in recent weeks:"Cut the Carp: Repelling Invasive Species With Noisy Bubbles""Forgetful by Design," on technology's effect on our memory"Booting Up...

Futurecast, Not on August 27, 2009 in Politics , Society

(From a post on my Health Policy course concerning officials' ability (or in-ability) to "future-cast"):I am aware that I am at a strong disadvantage in regards to this assignment: I have yet to receive my text and am going off simply on the notes that have been uploaded as well as those posts contributed by the students. The notes feature...

Solving Aguas Buenas' Traffic Problems on July 29, 2009 in Puerto Rico , Society

Downtown Aguas Buenas has always been plagued with serious traffic problems. The City's two-century old layout is its biggest obstacle, with the only way to fully solve the situation being to bulldoze the town and build it over again. Thin roads built for horses and carriages, cars pulling in and out of their parallel parking spots, and its "convenient" proximity...

Fake Food, Vegetarianism, and Modern Diets on July 14, 2009 in Society

I'm about one third through "the Paleo Diet" by Loren Cordian. Some of her findings are indeed interesting: Much of today's food is fake, meaning that it was not grown on a field but that it was industrially engineered. This fake food along with other ingredients that our bodies were not made to process (sugar and salt) distort our appetites....

Sex, Race, Sexuality, and Magazine Ads on July 14, 2009 in Society

I receive subscriptions to about a dozen magazines. Whenever I fly on an airline that I know I wont use again, I will use the few hundred frequent flier numbers I accumulate on free magazine subscriptions. One of the magazines that I subscribe to is called "The Advocate" which promotes gay and lesbian interests. My magazine collection ranges from extreme...

Public Hearings, Participation, and Democracy on July 13, 2009 in Society

My workplace subscribes to a variety of housing, urban development, and planning newsletters. These publications would have never fallen in my hands otherwise, as they have ridiculous subscription fees that only a large institution could afford. While there are many bureaucrats who will simply just toss them aside and never read them, I get the back for our (or shall...

"The Caves of Steel" on July 13, 2009 in Society

I finished reading "The Caves of Steel" by Isaac Asimov for my Organizational Theory Behavior course. Below can be found my term paper on the book, where I compare the book's futuristic version of society with a number of popular and significant organizational theories as outlined in two classroom texts. I apologize in advance for the repetitive citations, but this...

Two of my Favorite Books now on PDF on July 11, 2009 in Society

Whenever I meet someone who is on my same page, I usually send buy them a copy of "Beyond Civilization" by Daniel Quinn. I believe so much in the contents of this book that I am willing to spend a few bucks on anybody and everybody who I feel might be touched by it. I was rummaging through the net...

The Paleo-Diet on July 11, 2009 in Society

My mother was a health nut. Not only was she a vegetarian, but she made various attempts at growing her own food. She even dedicated a room in our house to her wheatgrass seedlings. She would always make statements like "meat is unhealthy" or "drinking milk is bad", followed by a lengthy explanation as to why. Though what she said...

Hetzberg, Motivation, and Lame Employees on July 9, 2009 in Society

My "Organizational Behavior" class recently assigned to us a lecture by Frederick Hertzberg; a cat who looks like he stepped out of a 1970s porno. With his thick curly hair, his Vietnam-era liberalism, and his unfiltered cigarette in hand, it was difficult at first to focus on his message. You can see the wikipedia article on his "Two-factor Thoery" here...

Organization and "Start Up" Anarchy on July 8, 2009 in Society

In my Foundations of Public Administration course we are discussing POSDCORB - a concept coined during the depression era to sum up the activities needed for "good" administration. POSDCORB stands for planning, organization, staffing, directing, coordination, reporting, and budgeting, in that order. The concept fits in well with the era's fascination with technical planning and efficiency; causing me to make...

Barriomulas on Organization on June 28, 2009 in Society

From the same Organizational Behavior class:Marshall Ganz of the Kennedy School of Government quoted Alexis de Tocqueville in stating that Democracy required "knowledge of how to combine". This transformation from individual ideas to collective thought, Ganz believes, is carried out through organization. In order to achieve this organization, it is required for a group of individuals to share common values,...

Barriomulas on Organization on June 5, 2009 in Society

A recent post from one of my Public Administration discussion threads. In response to this video and a number of students who attempted to relate it to public agencia.Marshall Ganz of the Kennedy School of Government quoted Alexis de Tocqueville in stating that Democracy required "knowledge of how to combine". This transformation from individual ideas to collective thought, Ganz believes,...

A Drive Through Atlanta on May 6, 2009 in Society

While in Atlanta a few days ago, I decided to take a couple shots of some recent development occurring near the City's Loring Heights and Home Park districts. I've seen my share of housing development but it has been the first time that I've ever seen a project with a scope and design such as this.It's obvious that the designers...

The Puerto Rican "Avenida" on April 27, 2009 in Puerto Rico , Society

Anybody who has lived or extensively traveled Puerto Rico is familiar with urban designs pictured above. Throughout many urbanized areas one can see congested and lengthy Avenues with private parking setbacks  pressed right against the street. Backing up to pull out of a parking spot requires obstructing not only one, but sometimes two lanes. The side lane tends to function...

Interesting Article Findings on April 19, 2009 in Society

Forbes article on the economics of underground workers.Fortune article on the true cost of layoffs.Economist article on public service TV channels.Wired article on blog comment control.Wired article on the evolution of office design.Wired article on the proliferation of comedy via internet facilitation.Inc. article on one particular manager's method of distributing pay raises.Economist article on the Asian market practice of giving...

The Drug "Problem" on April 3, 2009 in Society

Drugs. Particularly heroine and crack. Whether you are pro- or anti-legalization, we all admit that in one way or another the whole shebang is a "problem". Crack heads on streets, drug dealers shooting it out in play grounds, heroine needles thrown around play grounds, beggars; whether you sympathize or demonize these folks, there are plenty of innocent bystanders and families...

A Note on Piracy on February 26, 2009 in Society

The market has become a completely useless way to distribute these various forms of information (music, software, scientific research). The market does not facilitate the distribution or production of this information but instead impedes it, and the attempts to keep labor's productive powers within the confines of market relations and bourgeois property relations is a significant fetter on further development.The...

A Solution to Ugly Signs on January 28, 2009 in Society

Of all of modern civilization's unattractive architecture, towering billboards and fast food signs are some of the nastiest aspects of today's landscapes. Along with gas stations, heavy-traffic pedestrian cement (take a look at any of Puerto Rico's grit-stained sidewalks), and big box retailer buildings are also unnecessary evils that we must look at every day. I used to think that...

The Ritmo on Gitmo on January 27, 2009 in Society

Lots of talk lately concerning the proposed closing of Guantanamo Bay's detention center. Opposition to President Obama's order to close the base is centered on the point that some of the detainees if released could end up back on the battle field.First of all, my position on foreign policy and the war on terror resemble that of Ron Paul. Middle...

A Religious Education on January 26, 2009 in Society

I do not oppose of teaching religion in schools. Especially in communities where religion plays such a big role. If a parent wishes for their child to have a Christian upbringing, for example, I believe that they should be able to do so without having to dish out their hard earned dollars over to expensive private schools. A non-religious parent...

Article Finds on January 15, 2009 in Society

Quite a few article finds here. Enjoy:Time article (point 2) on how Hawaii is building 70,000 recharging stations for electric vehicles.Wired article on modern day street lamp posts.Wired article on a new skateboard-friendly building in Oslo.Wired article on the selling of World of Warcraft items for real-life dollars.Economist article on the property crash in upper class Florida.Economist article on Latin...

Throne Finds on December 29, 2008 in Society

My bathroom magazine rack (or Crystal's magazine rack, to be correct) is stuffed to the limit with months-worth of magazines. Every so often I will read through the pages, fold the articles of interest, and move on with the next. Below are a couple interesting "throne finds":Wired article on the future of food.Wired article on Indian property issues.Economist article on...

American vs. Puerto Rican Leisure on December 13, 2008 in Puerto Rico , Society

The concepts of leisure held by Americans and Puerto Ricans (and Latinos in general) are quite different. When I moved to Puerto Rico I went through the process of "loosening up"; adopting Latino time and the Latino lax. This transition was really not difficult, though it did take time for me to feel comfortable with arriving to locations a few...

From Graffiti to the Gallery on December 13, 2008 in Society

I've always been a little cautious towards art galleries and art museums. Art to me is a popular median that must be spilled out onto the streets and walls of our neighborhoods. I guess that you can say my perspective on art has been influenced greatly by Latin American mural art, hip-hop graffiti culture, and culture jamming.Gallery art for me...

Parking Lots are Ugly on November 9, 2008 in Society

Cars are ugly. Sure, a car might look nice, but when you conglomerate a mass of cars - each with different sizes, colors, and shapes - the result looks unattractive. Hiding parking lots from public few and minimizing their ugliness is a planner's worst nightmare. They may try to hide them with trees, limit parking to alleyways or off-site lots,...

Can't Catch Me Now, Suckas! on November 2, 2008 in Society

Now this was so interesting I just had to rip it off of a friend's blog. Graffiti in the form of selective cleaning, my friends. Some soap, water, and sock will liberate your design or message from any dirty wall. Fascinating!From albizu.com.Read more about the artist here....

Not so Bad Bad Guys on November 1, 2008 in Society

I always find comic book and movie characters such as the Punisher and Magneto as quite fascinating. Though they are viewed as "bad guys" within their respective societies, they have a sort of righteous mission that wishes to set right wrongs that have slip through the fingers of the formal legal system. Even when they don't have any social mission,...

Article Finds on November 1, 2008 in Society

I have a stack of "to read" magazines that reach my knee. Every once and a while I'll find a few moments to sit around and read a couple. Here's some recent finds:An Economist article on medieval and nomadic "common" property and its relevance in today's economics.Wired article on radical design and building cities from scratch.Wired article on tweaking human...

Army of Meaningless on October 19, 2008 in Society

This hit the spot:People are fed up with visual pollution, and they are fed up with urban spam. We have all arrived at a pleasant country crossroads to be greeted by an army of meaningless signs. Go here, do this, do not do that, visit this, beware of that. Cities are worse - every building is adorned by signs warning...

Wisdom Teeth Wisdom on October 11, 2008 in Society

I was always confused about wisdom teeth. Are they an evolutionary fluke or is there a practical need for them. After doing some online research I've found the following information:space in the back of the jaws smaller and smaller for the eruption and proper positioning in the bite for third molars, also known as wisdom teeth.'Dr Cuozzo believes the reason...

The Drug Manifesto on October 10, 2008 in Society

The drug issue.Rarely do I touch the topic but due to the recent debates between candidates for Puerto Rico Governor I've felt an impulse to put my opinion in writing. (So that I won't forget it later, of course). As you guys know, since I was a child I'd sit around thinking of ways to "better" many of our social...

Article Finds on October 5, 2008 in Society

Had some time to catch up on some of my magazine subscription reads. Here's some findings:Caribbean Business article on how "one in four Puerto Ricans seriosuly considering leaving the island."Time article on replacing race-based affirmative action with a class-based affirmative action.Wired article on new pistol cameras that can be used by police officers.Wired interview on the origin of humor.Wired article...

The Dirty South on September 24, 2008 in Society

My father was military so I was raised in a diversity of locations ranging from Kansas to Germany and Albany, New York. Germany deprived me of the latest Ninja Turtles and Kansas of any action beyond a local Buffalo park - but the most traumatizing to me was the location where my parents decided to retire; Columbus, Georgia. Georgia was...

Animal Sounds on September 13, 2008 in Society

Carolina sent me the following link in regards to the article that I posted this morning concerning the effect of man-made sounds on nature. Quite impressive, I must say: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjE0Kdfos4YProps to Cali-Carolina.I wonder whether or not individual animals of this species influenced by such sounds have lower or higher procreation rates....

Article Finds on September 13, 2008 in Society

It's the weekend again. Catching up on some magazines that I've had laying around:Wired article on how man-made noises are altering Earth's ecology.Wired article with a few interesting points on music.Wired article on pre-constructed homes.Wired article on a biologist and his possible 14 year prison term.Wired article debunking many environmentalist myths.An Economist discussion with the creator of Wikipedia.Economist article on...

Terrorism Karma on September 12, 2008 in Society

September 11, 1973. U.S. assists Chilean General Agosto Pinochet overtake a democratic government. 3,000 dead.September 11, 2001. Disgruntled terrorists from the Third World carry out attacks on U.S. soil. 2,749 dead.Karma is a bitch....

Article Finds on September 6, 2008 in Personal , Society

Catching up on old magazines laying around my magazine racks again. Here's my finds:April 5, 2008 Economist article on Capitalism's "last frontier" in the Navajo Nation.March 27, 2008 Economist article on nationalism in the EU.Economist video of Creative Commoner Lawrence Lessig on U.S. politics.March 29, 2008 Economist article on why conservatives are happier than liberals.Interesting young female blogger from Cuba...

Interesting Finds on August 31, 2008 in Society

Did some more article hunting. Enjoy:Time article on measuring happiness via economics.Men's Vogue article on an architect who turns front lawns into farms.Men's Vogue article on revolutionary Chinese artist.Economist article on developing countries and drug companies.Economist article on how 8-10% of food on American super market shelves is thrown away.Economist article on Malthus, 18th century thinker who suggested that plagues...

Ocean Cities on August 31, 2008 in Society

Neat collection of ocean cities. Click here. Here's some more land-based ones....

Interesting Finds on August 24, 2008 in Society

Caught up on some old magazines that I had laying around. Here's some interesting finds:Economist article on how piracy can help sales.Wired article on a new epoch starting during the Industrial Revolution, "Anthropocene", or the epoch affected by people.Economist article on the evolution of English spelling. I find it fascinating that French, Italian, and Spanish languages were regulated by...

Hunter-Gatherers with ADD on August 6, 2008 in Society

Fascinating article from The Economist. Those of you interested in things like primitivism and hunter-gatherism, enjoy:ABOUT one in 20 children (those under 18) have a group of symptoms that has come to be known as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). About 60% of them carry those symptoms into adulthood. For what is, at root, a genetic phenomenon, that is a lot--yet...

The Electronic Disturbance on July 12, 2008 in Society

I love modern anarchist texts. They're crazy and obscure. At first you don't understand what your reading but within a matter of minutes everything seems to fall into place. One group of writers that I especially enjoy is the Critical Art Ensemble. I first read "Electronic Civil Disobedience" and was so pleased with it that I hunted down an electronic...

Has Affirmative Action Outlived Its Usefulness? on June 30, 2008 in Society

(From a recent school assignment)YES, as argued in the classroom test by Curtis Crawford. As a minority myself I must say that I believe that affirmative action is counter productive. Not only, in theory, does it perpetuate discrimination (now against non-Blacks), but, as Crawford notes, has "developed into programs conferring special treatment based on race". Racial preference, be it for...

Stay Home Moms? on June 23, 2008 in Society

Class assignment:Should Mothers Stay Home With Their Children?No. I think that it can be dangerously sexist and chauvinist to state that specifically mothers should stay home with their children. Mothers should have just as much right as fathers to pursue education, work careers, and economic autonomy. Though it would be ideal for at least one parent to directly bring up...

Why I Dislike the Television on June 22, 2008 in Society

Like many youth, I spent many hours a day of my Childhood glued to a television set. At first it was Nickelodeon and Fox that provided my daily entertainment, and then MTV and prime-time television. For a child living in suburban America, the boob tube is often one's only window into foreign cultures, social issues, and current events. It wasn't...

Is Third World Immigration a Threat to America's Way of Life? on June 16, 2008 in Society

(From another class assignment)My position on the above question would probably be received by my classmates with much criticism and confusion if it were to be a discussion board topic. Being the descendent of immigrants who arrived from a poverty striken country many years ago, one would suppose that I would back up the "No" argument on the above question....

Traditional Family and "National Crisis" on June 15, 2008 in Society

I am taking an online course during the summer at Alabama's Troy University and am pleased to see that many of the assignments are based around forming an opinion and defending it on a number of weekly subjects. Today's question is: "Is the decline of the traditional family a national crises?"And my answer:The traditional model of a nuclear family -...

Marriage, Discrimination, and the State on June 15, 2008 in Society

Marriage is a universal social institution that has existed for as long as human culture itself. Though love-based marriage and the male breadwinner model is a more recent invention, marriage is practiced by every culture, both primitive and civilized. Evidence of biological impulses towards long-term relationships are present within humans as in many other animal species. Women's lack of the...

Media Bias on June 4, 2008 in Society

(In response to a question on one of my online courses, "Is there a liberal bias in the media?"I don't think one could necessarily say that there is a "liberal" bias - there can be a conservative bias just as much as a liberal one. But yes; I feel it impossible to receive, register, process, interpret, and disseminate any knowledge...

The Three Levels of Bueaucratic Evasion on June 4, 2008 in Puerto Rico , Society

Yesterday evening at the Economic Assistance Office at my University:Me: "Hello. I'm curious to know if you guys have any economic assistance available for the June courses."Woman: "No. We just ran out. But I recommend that you come tomorrow since we always have students who cancel courses last minute. Come early."This morning via telephone (since I was working "early"):<<After hearing...

Das Energi on June 3, 2008 in Society

I am reading "Das Energi". The following few lines caught my attention:Efficiency the destroyer, millions upon millions ofliving dead, done in by the electric can-openerand the automobile.Progress is our most important product,babies are our business,time is money,life is cheap.Modern technology, modern business, the modern stategive us everything we needexcept breathable air, drinkable water, edible food,meaningful work, freedom from fear, freedom...

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...

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...

John B. Egger on Education on April 21, 2008 in Economics , Society

I recently stated "Schooling is aimed towards discipline, following orders, getting a job and keeping it instead of creating jobs of your own."John B. Egger in "The Free Market" notes along similar lines:The whole educational process... seems designed to keep young people from ever learning what freedom is. The student forgets his force-fed semester of Civics but is unceasingly drilled...

No Option but the Pyramid on April 21, 2008 in Economics , Society

John B. Egger in "The Free Market" stated the following in a critique of trade unions: "It is tautology that when the worker punches in he proves that he considers work his best alternative; it doesn't follow that he likes it... Why does he do what he doesn't like? He is free to go elsewhere; the market allows him to...

On "Freedom of Press" on April 20, 2008 in Economics , Society

John H. Beck states in "The Free Market" that "Even a socialist state desiring to allow the publication of all views must impose censorship in the sense of not publishing everything that somebody might wish published. Scarcity imposes the same restraint on publication in a market economy, but, while in the centrally directed socialist state the one state authority...

Whitey on the Moon on April 6, 2008 in Society

    A rat done bit my sister Nell with Whitey on the moon.    Her face and arms began to swell and Whitey's on the moon.    I can't pay no doctor bills but Whitey's on the moon.    Ten years from now I'll be payin' still while Whitey's on the moon.    The man just upped my rent last night cuz Whitey's on...

Quote of the Day on April 5, 2008 in Society

"The revolution enlightens, we repeat, with fabulous rapidity."-Lenin, "Revoliutsionaia demokraticheskaia diktatura proletariata i krest'ianstva, in Sochineniia, VIII, Moscow, 1923, pp. 262-263...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Me on Hobbes; The Popular Organization Model on February 20, 2008 in Society

Recently I have grown to become quite a critic of British philosopher Thomas Hobbes - something I'll try to cut back on starting this present moment until I actually read his famed book "Leviathan". Hobbes was best known for his theory that men in their natural state are rugged social Darwinists; trapped in a battle for survival of the fittest....

Engineers for Osama on February 18, 2008 in Society

Interesting tidbit from The Atlantic:Now that the stereotype of the poverty-stricken terrorist has been dispelled by studies showing that militancy and high levels of education go hand in hand, a new Oxford study tries to explain why so many violent Islamic radicals are ... engineers...The authors couldn't find evidence to support the idea that radical groups seek out engineers for...

The Double Subsity of R&D on February 14, 2008 in Society

I have always been suspicious of publicly funded research and development, funding for AIDS, cancer, and other terminal disease research, cloning, stem-cell research, and any other sort of miracle investigation funded with public dollars. It's not that I have anything against new technology, a cure for cancer (my mother actually feel victim to cancer), or revolutionary medicine - I'm simply...

To Each Nation, A State on February 6, 2008 in Society

As a strong believe in the nation state, I always thought that the "conflict" in Iraq was a simple one to resolve. Simply gut up the country borders and break it up into three separate states. Iraq is nowhere near the "melting pot" some American liberals take advantage of, and history shows us that these waring groups will never be...

Hobbes Shlobbes on February 2, 2008 in Society

One of my most notable professors is Hector Luis Acevedo, former Mayor of San Juan, former President of the PPD, and one time candidate for Governor of Puerto Rico. His humor, teaching methods, and experience in politics is unmatched. It was interesting being taught about him during my early university years only to be taking courses with him during the...

The "Asshole Effect" on January 22, 2008 in Society

One aspect of U.S. life that I had forgotten about until visiting a few years after my move to Puerto Rico is what I call the "asshole effect". A trip to Georgia for 8 days will present me more "asshole effect" situations than the 8 years that I have spent in Puerto Rico. Growing up in Georgia, I had gotten...

America Lite on January 1, 2008 in Society

In response to a comment telling me that I should go to Europe to experience new cultures:Other culture? If I wanted another culture I'd go to Africa or Asia. Wester Europe is like America Lite. Cities built with the brick and slave work of the rest of the world. Puerto Rico and the Caribbean are poor today so that Spain...

Democratic Education on December 8, 2007 in Society

More fights over education and teacher salaries in PRwow. ... W :-o W (it's funnier when I do it in person, opening my mouth like an "O" and throwing up two "Westside" symbols as the "W"s.)I always thought that schools should be governed in the following manner:Each school has its individual and autonomous Board of members. The Board is comprised...

Black Friday on MTV on November 22, 2007 in Society

Boy, I must sound like a scrooge today, but check out Adbuster's efforts to unsuccessfully air a Black Friday blackout commercial on MTV here.Don't get me wrong; I'll take advantage of any opportunity to see my child, enjoy a few days off, and eat a large meal, I just think it's important to know why is it that we do...

Thanksgiving on November 22, 2007 in Society

Thanksgiving...The day the gringos took the Native Americans as pendejos.I suggest you guys read the Wikipedia articles on Squanto, the famous Indian who acted as diplomat towards the Pilgrims, along with the wiki on Thanksgiving itself....

Left vs Right, Top vs Bottom on November 10, 2007 in Society

Since I began reading books on public policy, all of them praised the state, the market, or a mixture of both as the solution to our social problems. It was not until I stumbled upon the a website by the Architectural League of New York on the shanties of Caracas, Venezuela that I began to understand that power and...

The Simple Life? on November 7, 2007 in Society

I was in the mall the other day (yea; I know what you're thinking; "Luis in the mall?) when I stumbled upon a curious book title on the display shelf of a local book store. "How to make your life simpler." Taking into account the cover, the reviews on the back sleeve, and the other surrounding books, I concluded that...

Revolution, Reform, and the Vanguard on October 28, 2007 in Society

During the later years of my high school era I considered myself a revolutionary. My walls were adorned with Che Guevera and Vladamir Lenin photos and my book collections were littered with titles such as "Guerilla Warfare" and "How to Take Out Big Brother's Weapons". It wasn't until I moved to Puerto Rico and began studying the history of...

Puerto Rican Development, Federal Funds, and "El Mantengo" on October 23, 2007 in Puerto Rico , Society

The speedy transformation of Puerto Rico from a rural agrarian society to a powerhouse of the Caribbean has always been a subject of my interest. I have studied the subject quite seriously and always remain keen to changes in the economy, politics, and social tendencies that effect our overall development. The fact that I work with numerous local, state, and...

Read-Only Culture on October 22, 2007 in Society

Most of what we think, see, eat, consume, and do is pre-packaged, mass-produced, processed, pre-planned, and distributed by rigid hierarchal institutions that have no interest what so ever in fomenting creativity, innovation, or critical thinking. The products that we buy everyday have been chosen for us by massive guerilla ad campaigns, our ideologies extracted of controversy, and boardroom editing processes....

Barriomulas.com on the South on October 21, 2007 in Society

I grew up in the military. Not only had my father been in the U.S. Army, but also so had my maternal grandfather, thus the tradition had been embedded back a few generations deep. Spending the crucial age of 5-7 in Albany, New York, it was quite traumatizing for me to move to cold, grey, and foreign Germany. After...

Intellectual Property, Piracy, and Free Culture on October 15, 2007 in Society

"Free Culture" by Lawrence Lessig will go down as one of my most favorite books of all time. Not only does Lessig touch the topic of intellectual property in a way that few ex-Republicans would dare, but the simple fact that the book was simultaneously released for free online goes to show that Lessig practices what he preaches. Almost...

Compliance by Design on September 3, 2007 in Society

Wired Magazine (which I have been subscribing to for the last few years) has recently featured an interesting article on a new Chicago building which is to be built in following years. The building features an array of intricate tilted windows and walls that allow for the entrance of sun rays during winter and their blocking during summer.  With the...

Work and the 40 Hour Work-Week on August 15, 2007 in Society

SAN JUAN (AP) - The government should consult workers to see if they agree with establishing a 40-hour week in only four days, Popular Democratic Party (PDP) Rep. Héctor Ferrer said after Labor Secretary Román Velasco rejected the proposal because it does not follow public policy, which regulates the work day in order to protect his or her health, security...

Authoritarian Neighborhoods on July 30, 2007 in Society

"Since I didn't know your house's address number I was looking out for a Puerto Rican flag on your front lawn," I said to some friends in a visit to Florida a few days ago. "Oh, they don't let me put up stuff like that."I go on to learn about these "deed restricted communities" that are popping up all over...

Nasty Shit on July 5, 2007 in Society

I found this photo in the editorial of a local newsletter. The woman in the photo is a Brazilian model.What's truly upsetting is the fact that there are people who look like that all over the world not because they think it's beautiful but because they are starving to death....

Metro-Monotonoy on July 2, 2007 in Society

After spending a week in Washington D.C. I quickly grew tired of the monotony that I am starting to notice in the major U.S. cities that I have visited (including Seattle, Denver, and Chicago - which I highly praise). While the universal McDonalds and Burger Kings still litter the landscape, there are Starbucks, Cosi Restaurants, and CVS Pharmacies on every...

PANECO on June 13, 2007 in Society

The State Family Department has recently inaugurated a new "sub-program" (I get it, but it's the first time I ever heard of a "sub" program before) called "PANECO". A "mascot" was created (pictured to the left), I suppose as an effort to get children pumped up about it. The program (which I suppose is a spin off of the...

Law 244 & Puerto Rico's Priorities Towards the Elderly on June 13, 2007 in Society

I spent the morning in Carolina at an orientation held by a joint grouping of the State Department of Family, the Office of the Ombudsman for Elderly People (OPPEA), and the Department of Housing concerning recently available funds for projects aimed towards housing for the elderly. While the law implementing such a program has been around for a few years...

1,000 Men After the Industrial Revolution on June 7, 2007 in Economics , Society

The Luddites destroyed their factories' machines in protest against the side effects of the industrial revolution: the replacement of man by machine. Fearful of loosing their jobs due to the introduction of machines that could do the world of a thousand men, workers carried out a failed industrial counter-revolution. Those who oppose outsourcing and globalism are often referred to...

Homosexuality According to Latin Americans on May 22, 2007 in Latin America , Society

Don Kulick carried out a detailed study in 1997 of transvestites in Brazil. Kulick's findings were interesting, as they enforced and revealed a number of cultural perceptions existing in Latin America towards sexuality and homosexuality in specific. "the entire conceptual ordering of sexuality in Latin America differs significantly from North American world-views," states Anthropologist Sheldon Smith. "It is the person...

My Manifesto on Iraq on May 16, 2007 in Society

Iraq was invaded under the justification that dictator Saddam Hussein was arming himself with weapons of mass destruction. It was obvious that the wave of American patriotism due to 9-11 was taken advantage of, as it was hard for any American at the time to distinguish between Hussein's Baath party and Osaba Bin Laden's Al-Qaeda. Anybody with the willingness to...

Review of "In the Soviet House of Culture" on April 9, 2007 in Books , Society

I really wish books would be a little more specific with their titles. While I thought that the book would be based on general U.S.S.R. cultural policy towards it's citizens, it turned out to be an account of Soviet cultural imperialism towards the indigenous and ethnic groups living in Siberia. The book does an excellent job at documenting a...

Review of "Primitive Government" by Lucy Mair on March 30, 2007 in Books , Society

I picked up title in a used bookstore in the outskirts of Denver. After finishing "Affluent Society" one morning, I read through this baby that same afternoon and evening. Concentrating solely on African societies effected by colonization, I was quite upset to see that the tribes of the Americas and Asia were not mentioned. Also, the groups mentioned in...

Lineage, the State, and Punishment on March 30, 2007 in Politics , Society

<br>While not living up to the expectations of its title, "Primitive Government" by Lucy Mair did succeed in bringing up a primitive concept that is often forgotten in the face of modern political debate; that of lineages. Mair states that "Lineages have corporate rights in property; they consider themselves to be injured as a body if one of their members...

Some More Eye Candy on January 9, 2007 in Society

Michael Kenna (born 1953) is an English photographer known for his moody landscapes. Writers have described his photographs as romantic, surreal, haunting, and jewel-like... Kenna's body of work focuses on a variety of subjects, but usually features etheral light achieved by photographing at dawn or in the nighttime with long exposures of up to 10 hours in length. Kenna's...

Ecology, Culture, and Style on January 4, 2007 in Society

Many modern graphic artists and the vast majority of interior designers have become automated recitalists; converting empty or ugly areas into soulless and cookie-cutter space. Tradition and history have been eliminated from their craft and and replaced by a contemporary standard that often lacks diversity or native touch no matter where the artist is from. "Culture" when incorporated, often lacks...

Gay Notes on June 30, 2006 in Society

Quotes of mine from an e-mail to a friend concerning gay marriage:Citizens should be able to delegate visitation rights, inheritance rights, custody rights, etc. to anybody they wish, be it their wife, their alter-ego, their brother, son, neighbor, or pet. Neither do I think that legally married couples should have more "rights" than non-married couples. Eliminating restrictions to such things...

Piracy Until Open Source on May 30, 2006 in Society

SAN JUAN (EFE) - An annual report presented by the Business Software Alliance (BSA) on Tuesday revealed that 47% of the software installed on the island during 2005 was illegal. In that same year, software piracy also cost local businesses $12 million. PrWow But saved local consumers $24 million. ..."Approximately half of all PC programs installed in 2005 in...

Latinos on AOL's City Guide on May 30, 2006 in Society

The first result on a recent query for "Denver Latino" on Google took me to "Latino Scene" from AOL's City Guide. Interestingly enough, the main photo for the website depicted a bunch of dark-hair Latinos apparently dancing Salsa. It's interesting to see how Latinos are stereotypically depicted with bald-man in the middle beating a conga, chick on the bottom...

Culture Jamming and Poetic Terrorism on March 19, 2006 in Society

In Washington DC I picked up a copy of "Temporary Autonomist Zone" by Hakim Bey at a trendy lounge/book shop. The subtitle of the book - "Ontological Anarchy, Poetic Terrorism" - quickly caught my attention. I am a fervent reader, so as I read any given book I automatically tend to link them to books that I've read in the...

My Fascination with Zombies on July 10, 2005 in Humor , Society

Zombies. I love them. The whole zombie-plague-apocalypse-survival theme tickles me. From my introduction to the zombie-craze of Resident Evil to my engulfment in Image comic's Walking Dead to my recent viewing of the remake of Dawn of the Dead, I have to say that zombie media is both entertaining and educational. The simple fact that flicks like 28 Days pits...

Urban Decay and the State on July 10, 2005 in Society

Many small municipalities throughout Puerto Rico suffer from urban decay. As shopping centers and department stores pop up in surrounding towns, the town's public plaza begins to rot away as buildings are left abandoned and townsmen leave the pueblo to do their shopping. Fortunately, despite the fact that a degree of urban decay exists in Aguas Buenas, at least it...

Blacks and Tipping on July 3, 2005 in Society

We collected data on over 1000 taxicab rides in New Haven, CT in 2001. After controlling for a host of other variables, we find two potential racial disparities in tipping: (1) African-American cab drivers were tipped approximately one-third less than white cab drivers; and (2) African-American passengers tipped approximately one-half the amount of white passengers (African-American passengers are 3.7 times...

Puerto Rican Trans-Gender on July 3, 2005 in Society

The Human Rights Foundation on Sunday denounced that the Puerto Rico Supreme Court's decision to uphold a ruling that prevented a transgender citizen from altering his birth certificate goes against the Bill of Rights of the Commonwealth Constitution-.After a sex-reassignment surgery, Alexis Delgado Hernandez tried to change his sex status on his birth certificate, from male to female. PRWowYou thought...

Pop Culture in Childrens' Movies on July 3, 2005 in Society

Most of the movies played during air plane flights tend to be lame. This last week I had a bit of luck as I had a chance to watch Hitched, Robots, Fever Pitch, and In Good Company almost consecutively. Robots especially stood out for its comedy and creativity.Most of these post-Disney-slash-Pixtar type movies such as Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and...

Me on Housing on May 10, 2005 in Politics , Society

I work in housing; so it's only natural for my eyebrow to rise every time I hear someone casually mention a caserio, housing subsidies, or urban development. I work with a number of programs that I agree with and even a larger number of programs that I don't agree with; either way, it's my job to help administer them with...

Puerto Rico's Protected Classes on July 3, 2004 in Puerto Rico , Society

I have frequently vented on the subject of my dislike for Puerto Rico's "protected classes" system where doctors and lawyers are guaranteed their status. One can become a lawyer only rarely represent anybody. Instead they sit in a chair while placing their official stamp on the dozens of public applications and forms that need to be signed by a lawyer....

The War on Iraq on July 3, 2003 in Society

This war greatly upsets me. It's also coming at a very bad time for me, man.I totally oppose it (duh.) "We want to replace Saddam with a government that can participate in the world in a much better way." I.e. they want a regime which isn't fueled on Arab nationalism and regional isolationism.I'm not really concerned about war casualties and...