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Archive for May, 2007

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Heading Off Another Year Of Unrest?

Monday, May 28th, 2007

This morning’s news…for the benefit of the English-speaking reader…
El Universal
Lunes 28 de mayo de 2007

High ranking judge calls for inquiry

Federal, state and municipal authorities committed grave violations against fundamental civil rights during the Oaxaca conflict that began in May 2006, Supreme Court Justice minister Juan Silva Meza said Sunday.

Silva Meza recommended that the Court create a committe to investigate the public officials responsible for the violations.

Among the high-ranking public officials who could be investigated are former President Vicente Fox, Oaxaca Gov. Ulises Ruiz and Attorney General Eduardo Medina Mora, who served as Secretary of Public Safety in 2006.
[read on]

An Old Friend Visits

Sunday, May 27th, 2007

My friend Barbara and I hitch-hiked Europe the summer of 1965. Then I didn’t see her for thirty years. Then I found her on google about ten years ago…living 30 minutes from my house in Oregon. She has been here four days.

Today she, Mica, the kids and I drove to the Tlacalula market to pick up some hippy headbands for Charly to sell in Canada. Barbara had her first chivo (goat) barbecoa con consumme which she loved. The goat is cooked underground under hot rocks overnight.

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Walked by the colorful indigenous vendors from all over the mountains who come down on sundays for the market, bought some more alebrijes, surveyed the live pavo (turkeys) lying on the ground with feet tied together and picked up some fruit and flores (flowers.) It was hot so we dragged ourselves back to the car early in the afternoon to take off for Huayapam where we ate again…delicious caldo de res, (beef bone soup) that Bardo had waiting for us. A man that Bardo sells coffee to was there…owns a coffee finca (farm) in Pluma Hildalgo, south of here. Pluma Hildalgo is considered the primo coffee of Mexico. Bardo’s nephew was there too…from Teotitlan del Camino. Then a mescal vendor from Miahuatlan came by with plastic barrels of pechuga (chicken breast) mescal. We bought five liters to fill Bardo’s mescal barrel.
[read on]

The News We Get

Wednesday, May 23rd, 2007
I am still thinking about the information we get and how to think critically about it. After reading the lead stories I love to go to The Daily Show on Comedy Central and get Jon Stewart's satiric take. "Stewart ... [Continue reading this entry]

Aung San Suu Kyi

Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007
18016136-Dassk4.jpeg In August of 2002, next door to a restaurant in the small village of Taunggy, Burma, I struck up a conversation with a young university student who was tending a small bookstore. "Can everyone speak (out) ... [Continue reading this entry]

Abastos Market

Friday, May 18th, 2007
DSC_0155.JPG Yesterday Sharon and I went shopping for furniture for her new digs when we came across this tired fruit vendor who had probably been up before sun-up. Sharon is moving from a third-floor bird's-nest apartment ... [Continue reading this entry]

URO Visits The Zocalo

Friday, May 18th, 2007
DSC_0171.JPG Last tuesday the teachers kicked off their usual June strike with a march to the Zocalo. It was pretty low key with teachers entering in small groups and with a few speeches and songs in ... [Continue reading this entry]

“Oaxacans Like To Work Bent Over”

Tuesday, May 15th, 2007
This is the title of a paper issued this month by Seth Holmes with an M.D. from the University of California at San Francisco, and a Ph.D. in cultural and medical anthropology from UCSF and U.C. Berkeley. His paper, "'Oaxacans ... [Continue reading this entry]

Writing From The Ground

Monday, May 14th, 2007
New York Times columnist, Nicholas Kristof (incidentally from my home state of Oregon) has written an excellent review of William T. Vollman's book entitled "Poor People" that reflects a deep understanding of the issues underlying poverty. From my 30 years ... [Continue reading this entry]

Comics…A New Way Of Thinking?

Sunday, May 13th, 2007
Have been thinking that I need a new way of thinking. Like comics. Not Donald Duck or the Road Runner although those have their virtues. In Salon.com I came across an interview of Alan Moore, who the author, ... [Continue reading this entry]

Family In Thailand

Friday, May 11th, 2007
My sons and daughters-in-law, Luk, Doug, Josh and Amy on Koh Samui in Thailand for a week. Bob, their dad, took the picture. Doug and Luk live on Koh Samui. Greg, in Las Vegas, and I, of course, ... [Continue reading this entry]

Best Travel Video I’ve Ever Seen

Monday, May 7th, 2007
Found this video on Bootsnall.com web site. It takes a while to preload so be patient. Turn the volume up and enjoy. And may it inspire you.

Thousands Bare All In Mexico City

Monday, May 7th, 2007
18,000 people disrobed (from a distance) in the Zocalo in Mexico City. PH2007050601154.jpg Photo Washington Post by Claudio Cruz -- Associated Press

Worker’s Day May 1

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2007
International Workers Day is traditionally a big holiday in Mexico with workers getting the day off to celebrate. Oaxaca had a huge march...thousand walking to and out of the Zocalo. The APPO contingent showed up about noon...a few ... [Continue reading this entry]