8.29.2008

Barack Obama's Acceptance Speech: Thunder in the Rockies!



The political world shook tonight as Barack Obama accepted the Democratic Party's presidential nomination at Denver's Mile High Stadium. His magnificent speech--embued with undeniable strength, keen intelligence and awesome courage--capped a truly historic day and convention.

It was Barack's moment. It was America's victory.

This election should not even be close!

8.13.2008

Sgt. José Enrique Ulloa: R.I.P.

Sgt. José Enrique Ulloa, 23, a native of the Dominican Republic who immigrated to the U.S. at an early age, was killed Aug. 8 when his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device in Sadr City, Iraq.

“Esta es una guerra sin sentido que nos ha quitado mucho más de lo que nos está dando.” Francisca Mármol Ulloa, Sgt. Ulloa's sister
Ulloa is survived by his wife, Nieves Ulloa, and a seven-month-old son.

Related Links:
Otro soldado dominicano cae en la guerra de Irak
Nueva York rinde tributo a vegano caído en Irak
Mannheim servicemember killed in Baghdad

The History of Central Florida's Puerto Ricans

The heritage of Puerto Ricans and their important role in forging Central Florida’s history will be celebrated in a multimedia exhibit being developed by Patricia Silver and Natalie Underberg, researchers with the University of Central Florida's Digital Ethnography Lab.

“Puerto Ricans in Central Florida from the 1940s-1980s: A History” will feature photographs and stories about residents’ daily lives, politics, the economy, the charisma of leaders in the community and more. The project will cover Orange, Osceola, Brevard, Lake, Polk, Seminole and Volusia counties.

The exhibit will be displayed in March and April of 2009 at the Hart Memorial Central Library in Kissimmee and the Winter Park Public Library. Parts of the exhibits also will be viewable on the World Wide Web.

People of Puerto Rican heritage who have lived in Central Florida between the 1940s and 1980s and want to be interviewed or contribute photos can visit the Web site or contact the research team at 407-235-3601 or prcfhistory@mail.ucf.edu.

8.12.2008

W in Beijing: USA's Lead Frat Boy Represents

The USA's lead Frat Boy, George W.Bush, appears to be doing what frat boys do on summer breaks: party hardy. So what that he's president of the United States and leader of the "free" world.










W staggers............................................................while Laura looks away













A dopey and red-faced W.........................................fondles Phelps' metal










Daughter Barbara has had.........................................enough of W's antics










The women are not amused................................but Frat Boy wannabe Mitt is














A red-nosed W tries acting presidential................but loses to the frat boy












W spanks Kerri Walsh.....................................and reveals a scraped elbow

Spain's "Slanty-Eye" Insult

The Spanish men's Olympics basketball team strike a "slanty eye" pose just prior to the Beijing games. The photographed insult was included in Spain's leading sports daily Marca on behalf of a courier company.

BTW: Spain beat China in the men's competition in overtime today; while China edged Spain in the women's tournament Saturday. The Spanish men face the USA on Friday. I'm guessing that the Spanish will not show up in black-face.

Olympics: Spain's eye-catching faux pas

8.10.2008

Beijing Olympics 2008 Blog

The opening ceremony of Beijing Olympics was the most impressive event of its kind I've ever witnessed. It was breath-taking in its technical design, orchestration and beauty. Bravo!

Check the calendar of events, track the medal count and look for updates on the China Olympics 2008 blog.

8.09.2008

Obama in Hawai'i: The Aloha Spirit

In Hawai'i for a respite Barack Obama took time to tell islanders that what America needs in its politics is the Aloha Spirit - i.e., respect and kindness towards others. Amen, brother!

8.08.2008

U.S. "Minority" Population Surpasses 100MM

Update: See Denise Oliver's "Minorities" now the Majority in key States in the US in which she calls DKos progressives to paint Texas and Florida, Arizona, Mississippi and Nevada blue by 2012. It's a great goal. She also questions the labeling of Americans of color as "minorities" .

According to its latest population projections, the so-called "minority" population in the United States reached 102,529,590 as of July 2007 -- a 2.4% increase from the year before. That's fully one-third (34%) of the total U.S. population of 301.6 million (exclusive of the populations of U.S. territories).

The U.S. population included 45.5 million Latinos (excluding the 4MM residents of Puerto Rico), or 15.1% of the total population; 40.7 million African Americans (13.5%); 15.2 million Asian Americans (5.0%); 4.5 million Native Americans (1.5%); and 1 million Pacific Islanders.

California (20.9 million) and Texas (12.5 million) alone accounted for 32% of all the U.S. minority population.

Hawaii (75.3%), California (57.3%), Texas (52.1%) and New Mexico (57.7), plus the District of Columbia (67.5%), are now majority minority states.

Additionally, minorities comprised 31-42% of the population in sixteen (16) other states.

States with the fatest growing minority populations were Utah (6.1%), Idaho (5.9), Nevada (5.7%), Wyoming (4.9%), Arizona (4.7%) and Oregon (4.2%).

States with the slowest minority growth rates were the District of Columbia (-0.8%), Michigan (0.4%), Hawaii (0.5%), New York (0.9%) and Ohio (1.1%).

Below is the percentage of the minority population for all 50 states.

60%+
_________________________
75.3 Hawaii
67.5 District of Columbia

50-59.9%
_________________________
57.7 New Mexico
57.3 California
52.1 Texas

40-49.9%
_________________________
42.0 Nevada
41.9 Maryland
41.5 Georgia
41.1 Mississippi
40.9 Arizona

30-39.9%
_________________________
39.7 New York
39.2 Florida
37.8 New Jersey
37.7 Louisiana
35.0 Illinois
34.7 South Carolina
34.0 Alabama
33.9 Alaska
32.7 Virginia
32.5 North Carolina
31.3 Delaware
20-29.9%
_________________________
28.7 Colorado
28.2 Oklahoma
25.6 Connecticut
24.0 Arkansas
23.9 Washington
22.8 Tennessee
22.4 Michigan
20.7 Rhode Island
20.3 Massachusetts

10-19.9%
_________________________
19.5 Oregon
19.3 Kansas
18.2 Pennsylvania
17.7 Missouri
17.7 Utah
17.3 Ohio
16.5 Indiana
15.5 Nebraska
14.6 Wisconsin
14.4 Idaho
14.3 Minnesota
13.6 South Dakota
12.7 Wyoming
12.0 Kentucky
11.8 Montana
10.1 North Dakota

under 9.9%
_________________________
9.4 Iowa
6.6 New Hampshire
6.4 West Virginia
4.7 Vermont
4.5 Maine

Indigenous Peoples Day at The American Museum of Natural History

The American Museum of Natural History
presents

Indigenous Peoples Day
Saturday, August 9
12 noon-5:00 p.m.

Kaufmann Theater, first floor
Free with Museum admission

In recognition of the United Nations' International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, this afternoon features a special concert performance with Halau I Ka Wekiu from Hawai'i as well as an indigenous Caribbean cultural presentation by members of the Cacibajagua Taino Cultural Society.

"Yarning Up", a short film series focusing on Northern Australian
Aboriginal stories, will also be featured.

An Indigenous Artisan Showcase will take place in the Museum's Grand Gallery.

This program is cosponsored with the Secretariat of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the NGO Committee on the United Nations International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, the Tribal Link Foundation and the United Confederation of
Taino People.

1:00 p.m. - Halau I Ka Wekiu
Hawaiian Hula School Performance

2:00 p.m. - "Yarning Up: 4 Short Stories from the Top End"
Australian Aboriginal Short Films
Screening with introduction and Q&A by Producer Penny Smallacombe

3:00 p.m. - Halau I Ka Wekiu
Hawaiian Hula School Performance

4:30 p.m. - Cacibajagua Taino Cultural Society

12noon – 5:30pm: An Indigenous Artisan Showcase, Grand Gallery, First Floor
Several indigenous artists including Jude Norris (Cree) and Taino Spirit will display their works throughout the day.

8.07.2008

'The Border Wall' Film Preview



The Border Wall is a new documentary from filmmaker Wayne Ewing about the attempt by the Bush administration to erect 670 miles of walls along the 2000 mile U.S.-Mexico border.

Environmentalists are outraged. Even the US Government’s Fish & Wildlife Service objects to the wall after spending $100 million dollars and 40 years to create a wildlife corridor along the Rio Grande River. And towns and cities along the Rio Grande from Brownsville to El Paso are doing everything legally within their power to stop the wall.

However, the border wall--or as some prefer, the Wall of Shame--continues its destructive march as does our national nativist nightmare.