On Sunday, President Barack Obama has issued to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. He will address the public tonight his decision to send more troops and outline his new Afghanistan strategy from West Point, the United States Army’s elite military academy.
President Obama faces a difficult task. He must [...]
There are times I really amaze myself and this is just one of them. Earlier this month I predicted Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison was not going to resign from the Senate. I was right.
A week after my post Sen. Hutchison formerly announced she was not resigning her Senate [...]
Hispanic lawmakers are finally waking up to the political fallout over Rep Joe Wilson’s infamous “You Lie!” outburst in September. Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) are now speaking out that the Obama administration increasingly tough stance on undocumented immigrants stems from Rep. Wilson outburst during Obama’s Sept. [...]
Making the rounds in the Latinosphere is former Florida House Speaker and Republican senatorial candidate Marco Rubio and his take on President Ronald Reagan’s immigration policy.
I don’t know if I want to hang my head in shame or die laughing at the irony of it all. One [...]
This week’s season finale of South Park, Matt Stone and Trey Parker tackles, in their own way, extremist views about minorities in America. The general premise of the episode is that the local water park, Pipi’s Splash Town, is no longer what it seems, it has been “taken over” [...]
Victory for people power. Under tremendous pressure from the Basta Dobbs and Drop Dobbs Campaigns, CNN’s Lou Dobbs resigned from CNN.
Never again do we have to hear Lou Dobbs anti-immigrant vitriol. Last night, Dobbs told viewers during his 7pm show, Lou Dobbs Tonight, that he was resigning immediately, [...]
Reporting for the Big Bend Sentinel, Sterry Butcher reported on the US Department of Homeland Security’s new mass deportation program taking place in Presidio, Texas.
On Nov 1, Homeland Security and Border Patrol began transferring 94 undocumented men a day from Tucson, AZ Sector to Presidio under the [...]
There is something about running for public office. Like a game of chess, its all about trying to outsmart your competitor based on his or her moves. Since both parties are placing a priority on nominating candidates who can beat the other’s nominee, activists in each party are likely to [...]
The volatile 2010 Republican Primary race for governor in Texas is starting to play out and it does not look good for Gov, Rick Perry.
This week, it seems like the Republican inner circle is sending Gov. Rick Perry a clear message – he is too much of a liability. [...]
Some readers maybe wondering my sudden absence. As some of you know, I am a big advocate for public health insurance as I am just another one of the millions of uninsured in America that is simply crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. I must say, for those [...]
One thing I learned over the years, there will always be haters. There is not a single thing anyone can do to please everyone. Case in point. Soon after it was announced that President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize, the haters came out to hate, calling the [...]
Last week, Gov. Rick Perry accused his political opponents – mainly Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison – of sabotage for crashing his campaign Web site during a live Web broadcast.
In a statement e-mailed to reporters, Mark Miner, campaign spokesman, said:
“Today’s ‘Talkin’ Texas’ webcast by Gov. Perry was deliberately interrupted by [...]
The Texas Political Alliance hopes that everyone reading this today has ensured they are registered to vote in the November election, as the deadline for doing so is Monday, October 5.
The Texas Cloverleaf reviews proposed changes to the city of Denton’s charter that will be on the November ballot.
CouldBeTrue [...]
Just a reminder since today is election day here in Texas. Vote for Prop 4
Currently, Texas loses more than 10,000 high school graduates per year who leave the state to attend doctoral granting universities in other states, while attracting only about 4,000 students from other states to [...]
Yesterday, I wrote that Gov Rick Perry’s move to deploy the Texas Rangers to the border would only aggravate the public’s inclination to assume its role as vigilantes, enforcing media-fueled conceptions of legal obligations and the public good.
In the latest incident of violent rhetoric against the President, an [...]
The ghosts of Jim Crow and certain infamous Texas Rangers are certainly dancing in their graves with Gov. Rick Perry’s recent move.
Recently, at a news conference, Gov. Rick Perry announced a special team of Texas Rangers will be deployed to the border. He said the effort was [...]
What should have been a discussion on health care reform quickly turned into a debate on immigration after the President’s address to congress. In one quick move a little-known Republican Congressman from South Carolina hijacked the issue of health care by shouting two little words, “You lie!”
As President [...]
If you are a movie buff or a music fiend, the NCLR ALMA Awards is just around the corner. “Desperate Housewives” star Eva Longoria Parker and comedian George Lopez will host this year’s ALMA awards, celebrating the outstanding achievements of Latinos in entertainment. The awards ceremony will air Sept. [...]
It is election season again here in Texas and Gov. Rick Perry will do anything in the war for voters. According to the Houston Chronicle, Gov Perry, who openly opposed the federal stimulus package, has no problem accepting “one of the biggest pots” of federal stimulus package – crime [...]
I and several fellow bloggers/friends have submitted two panel proposals for next year’s South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, TX. This year, the organizers of SXSW have moved to a “yes or no” system of voting. Our fate is based on the number of votes that we receive. So [...]
Today is my birthday, and well, I get to be lazy today.
Fixing Health Care Is Good for Business
Gary Locke – Wall Street Journal
You have probably heard the horror stories about President Barack Obama’s health-care proposals leading to rationed care and bankrupt businesses [...]
If you agree that a public option should be part of the health care reform bill, make sure you let your representatives know!
Click here to view the embedded video.
Animated by Andy Lubershane. More comics at Earthly Comics
[...]
To protect the American Empire, the Department of Homeland Security and the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) the unmanned Predator B drone was deployed to Fort Drum as part of Operation Empire Shield in June.
The unmanned aircraft was deployed as part of a month long exercise [...]
And the hits keep on comin’. As you know, last year, I had the opportunity to attend and participate in a panel discussion discussing strategies for communicating both with their Latino and non-Latino audiences. This year I have the fortunate opportunity again to attend Netroots [...]
According to the US Census Bureau, Texas has the highest uninsured rate in the country – nearly one out of every four Texans (26%) is uninsured – over 5.5 million people. Among those, 60.4 percent of Latinos in Texas are uninsured. This would include me.
There is no [...]
The number of US households threatened with the loss of their homes increased 15 percent over the first half of 2009.
That’s according to CA-based RealtyTrac, which tracks foreclosure filings nationwide. In Illinois, more than 63,500 foreclosures were filed in the Chicago-Naperville-Joliet metropolitan area from January through June, [...]
“When one door closes another door opens, but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.”
- Alexander Graham Bell
We are often attached to the past that we oftentimes miss the opportunities that stand [...]
As my esteem colleague Jill Garvey of Imagine2050 highlighted in her post, the Chicago and IL Minutemen did show up to protest the National Council of La Raza’s (NCLR) Annual Conference on Sunday. So Jill, Kyle of Citizen Orange, and I decided to [...]
Guess who? You miss me? I’m back!
Like a street preacher starting out with truth on my side and a voice to be heard, I have taken my word to the National Council of La Raza’s (NCLR) 2009 Annual Conference in Chicago, IL.
On Saturday I participated in a new media [...]
We all have seen the commercial for the anti-depressant medicine Cymbalta. Depression hurts,” said the popular television ads for Cymbalta. The point of the commercial, depression affects everyone around us: spouses, partners, children, parents, co-workers and friends.
Depression creates isolating behaviors, steals our energy and prevents us from being emotionally [...]
Some of you may be wondering where in the world is XP? I am still here, but not all here. Every so often a funk does grab hold of me. Sometimes, when I am in these funks, I feel like the only person who is struggling, when I know I [...]
The Luis Ramirez Murder: A Logical Step in the Process of Establishing a Subhuman Class
by The Sanctuary Editors
Three things immediately shock the conscious soul upon learning about the murder of Luis Ramirez. The simple manner in which he died is the first of those.
Ramirez, a father of [...]
Take two on doing the Texas Progressive Alliance’s round-up. Here is this week’s edition of TPA’s weekly round-up.
The city of DISH, TX is one of several municipalities that have already adopted a resolution calling for the repeal of www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/11/25/9275/6815/621/665532">Big Oil’s exemption to the Safe Drinking Water Act." [...]
While have been trying to keep up with the dizzying array of events unfolding around us on t, but we have allowed the activities of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) fly bellow the radar. Over the weekend, the Washington Post reported that the “Pentagon and Homeland Security Department [...]
Like a street preacher starting out with truth on my side and a voice to be heard, I created this digital soapbox for anybody willing to listen to me on the issues affecting the Latino/a community. The intention of this blog is to help people navigate through the [...]
Last month, I wrote that Chuck Norris was advocating that Texas should secede from the Union on the Glen Beck Show and later on the conservative news website WorldNetDaily. On that post, it said people like Chuck Norris and Todd Palin get a pass from the same right wing [...]
Beginning with the Netroots Nation convention in Austin, TX, then a small gig during the Democrat National Convention in Denver, CO and now I will be spreading the Gospel of XP tomorrow at the Hispanic Male Summit.
Lone Star College System is hosting a Hispanic Male [...]
Caning the Border Patrol
By Char Miller
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world,” anthropologist Margaret Mead once asserted. “Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
One such micro organization, Barrio de Colores, may not have changed the world when it took [...]
If you recall, a couple of weeks ago, US Customs and Border Protection wanted to use the herbicide imazapyr, Habitat, to defoliate the carrizo cane along a 1.1-mile stretch of the Rio Grande riverbank. Once news spread like wildfire, Mexican government and Texas border officials and environmentalists began protesting [...]
Last week, a Colorado jury found that Ward Churchill had been improperly fired, and awarded him $1 in damages. Churchill was the professor who wrote the essay that described the financial workers who died in the World Trade Center on 9/11 as “little Eichmanns inhabiting the sterile sanctuary [...]
Twelve to 13 people were killed and another 26 were left wounded when a gunman walked into an immigrant services center, American Civic Association, and opened fire in Binghamton, NY.
The gunman carried identification that said he was 42 and from upstate New York, according to CNN. A man [...]
Generally, truth commissions are bodies established to research and report on human rights abuses over a certain period of time in a particular country or in relation to a particular conflict. I recently post that Sen Patrick Leahy has been trying to create one. Unfortunately, it seems unlikely [...]
As I mentioned, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has stopped the aerial spraying of the herbicide, imazapyr, on the Carrizo cane along a 1.1-mile stretch of the Rio Grande riverbank, according to the Laredo Morning Times.
Border Patrol was hoping to eliminate the invasive Carrizo cane to improve the visibility [...]
Along the border, rhetoric is high. As if there were not enough things to worry about here at home US, there is however, one more issue that may create the final perfect storm: Mexico.
The violence in Mexico that has spun out of control so quickly in 2008 has created [...]
Welcome Daily Kos and Jack and Jill readers.
There is always a touch of irony when a citizen of the United States complains about immigration. But now. As a Latino and a person of color, we no longer have to worry about [...]
Two years ago, Michael Moore took on the health care industry in his documentary movie, “SiCKO.” In the movie, Moore includes a security video showing a disoriented elderly woman in a hospital gown and slippers wandering in the gutter of a busy Los Angeles street. Kaiser Permanente Bellflower Medical [...]
At least that is what Chuck Norris is calling for. In a radio interview with Glenn Beck, Norris told Beck that if things get any worse from his point of view he “may run for president of Texas.”
GLENN: Somebody asked me this morning, they said, you really believe [...]
Over the past week, it is hard to escape the political soap opera involving Republican Committee Chair Michael Steele and conservative radio jock and pill-popper Rush Limbaugh.
To provide a brief background, this all began when Steele appeared recently on CNN’s D.L. Hughley Breaks the News and disagreed when [...]
Jon Stewart runs through old clips of CNBC getting everything wrong about the economy at every possible turn in the road. Remember when John McCain canceled on David Letterman and how he suffered three weeks of Letterman’s wrath for abruptly canceling an appearance under false pretenses only to head [...]
Long time readers of this blog would know I’ve been a staunch supporter for the impeachment of the Bush-Cheney Administration. I firmly believe when high crimes and misdemeanors have been perpetrated against the American people and the global community, it is Congress’ constitutional duty to impeach. Selective prosecution of the [...]
This is the second part of the two part series on the home foreclosure crises affecting the Latino community. Although this crisis plagues every ethnic/racial community, I am only focusing one group.
Subprime loans are at the center of the debate because they are the central cause of the recent foreclosure [...]
Delivering the GOP response to President Obama’s speech to Congress, Louisiana’s Governor Bobby Jindal had his first chance to impress a national audience. Did he do it? No! He didn’t even go down in a blaze of glory. I wish I could say he crashed and burned, but can’t. It [...]
Back in December, I publicly addressed my concerns about being overcharged from Amigo Energy. Never in my wildest dreams did I think my little post would get so many hits in such a short time. To date the post has been visited 546 times from [...]
Netroots activists from across Texas have joined forces to launch CensureLeo.com, urging the Texas House of Representatives to censure State Rep. Leo Berman (R-Tyler) for his conduct following an immigration summit last week.
CensureLeo.com urges Texans to contact their State Representative, House Speaker Joe Straus, and House [...]
I am still putting the finishing touches to my series, I decided to report on the latest Wall Street scandal involving Texas billionaire and cricket entrepreneur, Sir R. Allen Stanford.
The Securities and Exchange Commission filed civil charges against Texas billionaire Sir Robert Allen Stanford, his offshore bank, [...]
The is a two part series on the home foreclosure crises affecting the Latino community.
In 2008, more than 2.3 million American homeowners who thought they had attained the “American Dream,” saw it shatter into a nightmare once they began defaulting on their loans. In American society, home ownership has [...]
It’s with a heavy heart that I begin this entry. On Wednesday, Houston’s first Latino Superintendent for the Houston Independent School District, Dr. Abelardo (Abe) Saavedra, announced he will be stepping down by the spring of 2010.
“I have recently informed the school board of my [...]
The following is a topic most men often keep to themselves due to the gender roles that society assigns to men and women.
I know most of you are probably wondering what is going on considering my blog posting is almost nil. One might assume I am suffering from writers block. [...]
Today is the beginning of a new era and a day history is made. Today, Barack Hussein Obama will take the oath of office as this country’s first African-American president, elected by a generation that included these kids’ parents. Who could have foretold that in 2009 [...]
Wang Guiying, would-be bride, 107, is now seeking her first husband. After years of being afraid to get married, she finally decided the time was ripe to look for her first husband.
“I’m already 107 and I still haven’t got married,” the Chongqing Commercial Times quoted [...]
Since the birth of my niece, my blogging seems to have suffered greatly. If you have emailed me and I have not replied, I apologize. What I thought would be a one or two week vacation, turned out to be a short hiatus. However, before moving on, I felt I [...]
Like it or not, we are at the mercy of the power companies if we want to function day-to-day. Since deregulation in Texas, we were told we had the power to choose. That is what I did. At the time I need to choose my electric [...]
Here are some pictures I took one hour after she was born. My poor sister had it rough. She was admitted to the hospital on Monday and ended up giving birth at 2:05 AM today.
I finally understand what Texano78704 meant he said “Counting up the ten tiny fingers and [...]
Please excuse the lack of post these past few weeks. Right after Thanksgiving, my little sister (she will always be my little sister) is soon to be a mom. It is funny, I knew she was pregnant but it still did not sink in. Here she is at her baby [...]
Normally, I don’t reply hate mail or comments, but sometimes receiving hate mail from slow-witted boorish morons can be amusing. All hate mail is unedited and presented in its entirety, unless noted otherwise.
Love Mail #1
From: SUPERAMERICANBLONDE
Subject: IT’S A SHAME mexicans ARE SO SMELLY !!!
….don’t they have [...]
I think the late columnist and best-selling author Molly Ivins would have had a field day with the recent news of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The first time I saw him in the news, the first thing that popped into my head was our very own “Governor Good [...]
I have been noticing I have been getting a lot hits for this YouTube video, however, it seems video I linked to two years ago is no longer up. Back popular demand, here is Cheech and Chong’s Santa and his old lady skit.
Cheech & Chong’s Santa Clause And His Old [...]With the conclusion of this election, the number crunching started, Greg of Greg’s Opinion and Kuff of Off the Kuff has provided some precinct data analysis on this issue. I am writing because I am disturbed how some people within the Harris County Democratic Party are suggesting [...]
One of Houston’s sports franchise is no more. I was sadden to hear this morning that the Houston Comets, which won the first four consecutive championships, from 1997-2000, will be dissolved by the Women’s National Basketball Association.
The WNBA president says the franchise that won the league’s first [...]
The economic news lately has not been good. With the election behind us, our country turns hopeful eyes to the future. For many, it can’t come soon enough. As the economic crisis widens, we have heard about layoffs from such giants as Circuit City and Citi Group. Recently, the [...]
Today, Americans celebrate this day with certain kinds of food are served. For my family, we had turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, cranberry sauce, corn, rolls, lemon pie and pumpkin pie. I know, some readers might have problems because we are giving into the dominate culture’s attempts to [...]
Last week, seven teenagers went out on a modern-day lynching because they had an urge “to beat up some Mexicans.” Ecuadorian immigrant, Marcello Lucero, was killed in what Suffolk Police are calling a hate crime. He was murdered at the hands of of seven high school students in [...]
A South Texas grand jury has indicted Vice President Dick Cheney and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on state charges related to the alleged abuse of prisoners at the Willacy County Detention Center in Raymondville, TX. Other people who were indicted were, Cameron County’s [...]
A study released by the Center for Public Policy Priorities (CPPP) found that more than 43,000 undocumented, unaccompanied children have been mistreated while in custody and denied access to representation by Customs and Border Protection (Border Patrol) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and then transported home unsafely.
According to [...]
There is a lot to be excited about the presidential election, but if you are a Democrat in Texas, Barack Obama’s victory is bittersweet. Obama won the election, but lost Texas by eleven points. That’s why my state will continue to be an afterthought in presidential politics and [...]
The folks at Twitter The Vote have created a great project to track lines at polling places and more on Election Day. I encourage everybody to participate. Instructions are below:
How to participate
Yep, I Twitter. Now What Do I Do?
It’s simple. We voters are using Twitter and other texting [...]
In the past eight years, people have forgotten their basic principles and have joined the blind race for money, power and position. The rich have been getting richer and the poor are still poor. We have suddenly become obsessed with lives of the celebrities, while the plight of the American [...]
Tomorrow night is going to be a big night, not only nationally, but here in Texas. Making one last push are the H-Town All Stars - Bun B, Chamillionaire, Paul Wall, Cory Mo and Trae. They just released a new rap, Obama 08, where they combine clips of Barack Obama [...]
With less than a day left till the election, many Republicans are seeing the writing on the wall. Their days are numbered or are they? If you are Karl Rove, it is not over until the last dirty trick is played.
Recently, a story broke out about [...]
This is in response to a comment made on the post, How Red is Texas? Not much. It seems my post hit a raw nerve, who happens to be a red dog Republican. If Democrats are considered yellow dogs, I think reg dog label suits them well. According to [...]
With all the excitement of this historic election, it is normal to overlook other news that normally would not have been missed; especially, the flagrant abuse of power by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Throughout Chertoff’s tenure as Homeland Secretary, I [...]
How red is Texas? After this election we might actually surprise everybody and turn this state blue. It looks like everything is in perfect alignment for change to actually occur here in Texas. I have been noticing that the state GOP has decided to bring in the big guns, the [...]
Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, the only other state that values secession as much as Texas, was convicted on all seven charges of making false statements on Senate financial documents about gifts he received from contractor Bill Allen, oil services company VECO Corp, and [...]
Well hell, this explains a lot.
For those men who are seeking a love-interest, for their their Miss Right. Not only is navigating through the dating scene complex, but it also looks like finding her will be difficult because it seems single men tend to outnumber single women in [...]
As we approach this historic election, I have to applaud local CBS affiliate KHOU’s 11 News investigative reporter Mark Greenblatt for his excellent work in tackling the controversial issue of voter suppression here in Harris County. As Latinos/as, African Americans, and the youth vote in unprecedented [...]
Today was the fourth of an on going series of NCLR sponsored blogger calls. NCLR will be partnering with the Immigration Policy Center for this fourth blogger call where we will be discussing a forthcoming report prepared for the Immigration Policy Center by the consulting firm of Rob [...]
Recently, the nation’s largest community organization, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) has come under fire with John McCain campaign, the Republican National Committee and the right wing media over bogus allegations of voter fraud.
In jeopardy of losing its eight year grasp on the [...]
It’s time for another edition of the Texas Progressive Alliance’s weekly round-up. This week’s round-up is compiled by Vince from Capitol Annex.
The Texas Cloverleaf took part in Blog Action Day this past Wednesday. Find out how you can combat poverty in your neck of the woods.
Bay Area Houston listed [...]
In a time of war and economic meltdown, what is the corporate media ignoring? Where can you turn for grassroots information and analysis, and to connect with movements for justice?
7:30pm Saturday October 18th
Rice Media Center
Entrance #8 to the Rice University Campus
University and Stockton
Featuring:
- Tables by more [...]
Blogger Call Agenda, 10/17/08, 12pm EDT
In the National Council La Raza effort to reach out to the blogging community, tomorrow will be their third in a series four conference calls with the blogging community.
The agenda for this conference has to deal with health care and the group invited to this [...]
Today is 2008 Blog Action Day, where over 10,000 blogs reach out at once to raise awareness on a certain issue. With our current financial crisis, there’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that these are shaky times for the US economy. The problems facing struggling Americans have been intensified [...]
This Wednesday, October 15th, is Blog Action Day, which means thousands of blogs around the world will post about poverty. Blog Action Day is a nonprofit, grassroots movement of thousands of individual bloggers coming together for one cause. The purpose is to start a global discussion and add momentum [...]
This election is too important to stay at home. For democracy to mean anything it needs to be defined by the people. There was ample warning, as early as March, this financial crisis was coming.
One UK economist warned that the world is now close to a 1930s-like Great Depression, [...]
Blogger Call Agenda, 10/09/08, 12pm EDT
Topic: Voter Engagement
Speakers:
Kety Esquivel (NCLR) - moderator
Clarissa Martinez (NCLR),
Efrain Escobedo (NALEO),
Ben Monteroso (Mi Familia Vota),
Lindsay Daniels (We Are America Alliance)
Agenda
I. Welcome
II. Misinformation on Immigrant Voting
III. NALEO poll
IV. Efforts to mobilize Latino Voters
- Ya Es [...]
Dear Steve Ballmer, Bill Gates, and Sony Corp
I am not a PC, and I would like to thank you for opening my eyes why I should not be a defender for the PC market. For the last week in a half, I have been in PC hell trying to recover [...]
Kety Esquivel, National Council of La Raza’s New Media Manager and founder of [promigrant.org] just began a new initiative between NCLR and bloggers.
Agenda
I. Welcome & Overview
II. North Carolina/Wave of Hope/www.WeCanStoptheHate.org
III. The Financial Crisis & the Latino Blame Game
IV. Next Call
V. Questions/Suggestions, etc.
You can follow upcoming [...]
There has been a lot of talk about immigrants cleaning up Houston. Ask Kevin Johnson from ImmigrationProf Blog points out as Houston/Galveston area rebuilds in the wake of Hurricane Ike, people are calling on FEMA, not the federal agency, but “Find Every Mexican Available.” (h/t to symsess of [...]
With the presidential election only six weeks away, hot-button issues such as immigration, NAFTA and the economy are taking center stage in this presidential election. It is expected that 13 million Latinos will be going to the polls this year, up from 9 million in 2004. Now is the time [...]
With more than a quarter of CenterPoint Energy’s electric customers still electric power 10 days after Hurricane Ike turned off the lights, it seems CenterPoint is deciding they will increase it’s rates to cover the cost of repairs.
According to the Houston Chronicle:
In a filing with the Securities Exchange [...]
