Las Politicas

The Navy has set aside $600,000 to revamp the exterior of a Navy barracks that was, obviously in a moment of complete stupidity, built in the shape of a swastika.  I mean, really, who thought that this was appropriate designing???

Supposedly, the Navy knew of the problem in 1967, but didn’t do anything about it because they didn’t think that anyone would notice.  Thanks to Google Earth, now we can all see this little Freudian slip of architecture…

Spitz pass auf,

Teri

A landmark decision by, Felipe Calderon shortly after taking office is changing the Mexican military for the better. …for the first ever women are now entering the military. Mexico still remains a male dominated society where machismo is still a part of everyday life. This decision is a truly progressive step that I am sure will be met with some resistance.  Women, however… are not allowed to fight in combat. Women are allowed to attend elite military schools where they can then become engineers, pilots and even rise to the rank of general.

 Bolivia, Chile and Guatemala currently allow women to serve in active combat.

From the Associated Press:Agustin Radilla oversees military education  said that, so far, the male cadets have welcomed the women into the new schools, and he credits the changes for a “healthy competition” between the sexes”

The U.S. military has allowed women a much greater role in recent years but still prohibits deploying female infantry members in direct combat. But women often come under fire in Iraq, where frontlines are blurred. At least 82 female U.S. soldiers have been killed in the Iraq war to date.

Women first joined Mexico’s armed forces in 1938 as nurses. By 1973, they could become military doctors, and three years later, dentists. Today, women have access to 17 of the military’s 39 career schools. And with access has come increased interest: 3,326 women applied for military schooling in 2007-2008, up 61 percent from the year before.Currently, women make up only 6,309 of the 191,000 members of Mexico’s military.Radilla predicts that could rise to 8,920 by 2012 — a modest increase, but a sign of the future:

“We believe this will change public opinion by showing that, even in the army, women can achieve the same as men.”Some observers say the change is coming very slowly, and reluctantly.“The reason they made this change, I believe, is that it has become increasingly difficult to keep men in the military,” said Roderic Ai Camp, a Mexico expert at Claremont-McKenna College in California. “By allowing women to fill more positions, and hopefully to become longtime careerists, they can increase the percentage of men in combat operations.”Increasing the number of soldiers on the ground is key to Calderon’s nationwide crackdown on the drug trade, a violent battle that is taxing Mexico’s military resources.Vela believes the military, usually slow to change, is setting an example for Mexican society. “This is huge progress that Mexico really needed, because equality of the sexes is fundamental right now,” Vela said.

Caroline   

And just because:

Seriously though- It must be hard to work one of those while making up words in your head at the same time. 

Tired Teri

It seems as though, Hillary Clinton has now emerged as the front runner for Democratic candidates. She is all over the media and even Republican’s are attacking her views as if she were the nominee. Many seem to believe that this sudden push into the limelight comes after her new proposed healthcare plan. The words Hillary and healthcare reform have since 1993 had a negative connotation. “I have learned and have the scars to prove it” Clinton has said. The unprecedented acts of a First Lady left the healthcare industry in need of complete reform….reform that the former First Lady as President would change.

 http://www.hillaryclinton.com/feature/healthcareplan/?sc=8 

The three key terms are1. Affordability 2. Availability  and 3. Reliability.  

That seemed to be the idea in 1993 except she made employers conform to her healthcare standard. This will be interesting to follow. I have a feeling the next debates will not be as cordial as debates in the past months. The Democratic candidates… I’m sure are preparing an offensive on her universal health care plan. 

Caroline

Perhaps the old boy feels ashamed to show up at the UN and make a spectacle of himself again. We all…I am sure…remember last year when Chavez addressed the United Nations general assembly and proceeded to call Bush “The Devil” and then cross himself. He said his agenda was too full for a visit to the UN. Chavez needed time to meet with people the likes of Kevin Spacey and Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who are or will shortly be visiting Venezuela. 

Chavez did, however…discuss Ahmadinejad’s visit to Colombia and the UN.“I congratulate him, in the name of the Venezuelan people, before a new aggression of the U.S. empire,” Chavez said, adding that it seemed Ahmadinejadwas the subject of “an ambush.”  

Kevin Spacey met with Chavez for over three hours in Caracas, but the subject matter of the discussion was not made public.

Caroline

There might be justice sought in Latin America after all. Peru’s former president Alberto Fujimori is facing extradition from Chile’s highest court for human and civil rights violations which include a death squad formed by Fujimori. I was discussing in recent days how unfair the justice systems are in many Latin American nations. Homicidal psychopaths who were put into positions of power only to kill thousands of innocent  citizens’ who were deemed “dissidents” or “threats to democracy”… were then allowed after the atrocities were discovered  to roam free.  

Fujimori was actually not the heaviest hitter in terms of death squads. The people that took the cake for that were in Argentina and Chile. Chile’s Pinochet was put on trial, but the trial was created through an extradition through England for Spanish dissidents who were murdered and tortured. Justice is rarely sought for the citizen’s of Latin American nations. By the time an extradition was sought for Pinochet he was far too old and decrepit to stand trial. Jorge Videla in Argentina is still a high ranking official in the Argentina’s army and lives a life of freedom, though he has the blood of up to 30,000 innocent people on his hands. Evading justice…all too common in Latin America. 

It looked to me that the same was going to occur with Alberto Fujimori. At least an extradition has been sought in Chile. Fujimori committed most of his human rights violations in Peru during the violent uprising of the guerilla group “the shining path”. Fujimori was in power during an incredibly violent time, but the courts are attempting to prove brutally excessive force in maintaining democracy. Towards the end of his tenure the Peruvian economy suffered through rampant corruption that eventually turned most of Peru against him. Perhaps once in Latin America…Peru will attempt to try him for what occurred in their country. Extradition doesn’t mean a guilty sentence. 

Caroline   

I have been chronicling the guerilla attacks on Mexican state run facilities over the past couple of months. The Popular Revolutionary Army recently has been successfully bombing PEMEX gas pipe lines through out the nation. There are, however, some new revelations concerning the Popular Revolutionary Army and the members of their organization. Guerilla warfare…it’s a part of Latin America truly embedded in the fiber of the culture. Unable to pull proper resources…guerilla’s have a knack for causing major disruptions without the sophistication of real army resources.

 The new revelations come in the form or recruitment. The EPR ( as it is known in Spanish) launched itself publicly in Guerrero in 1996, but information recently leaked reveals that the group may have been working clandestinely since the early 1980’s…during the height of the Cold War. They are a Marxist outfit and are fighting the end to social injustices.  There are people in their late 20’s and early 30’s claming that they have not seen their parents for 20 years because they are a part of the EPR. As of recent…one man who has owned an operated a small store that sold candy and refreshments has simply vanished. Friends claim that he left his family and his business and took the mountains surrounding Mexico City. Imagine a Ma and Pa store that you grew up going to and then finding out that the friendly familiar face was the mask of a radical guerilla Marxist. According to these reports it is happening and has been happening for a long time. Many are saying that these instances of inconspicuous membership are the leading causes of the successful attacks on PEMEX.

Since 1996 the rebel group has spilt into several factions through out Mexico. The main headquarters is in Oaxaca. Oaxaca is the powder keg of Mexican rebel movements due in part to the rampant poverty and excessive and often violent governmental control.

Here are a few sentences from the EPR’s first communiqué. 

“Our political constitution is . . . a dead letter. Individual rights are violated every day, and the people are left out of the economic and political decisions of the country. Justice will prevail” 

Above is a picture of the train that was stopped for over an hour…the train that I could not get around due to excessive traffic and that stopped me from getting to work yesterday.  

Caroline

oh oh, oh-oh-oh-oh.  (Sing to the tune of “HammerTime”, for those not in the loop…)

Our favorite Venezuelan has decided to move the clocks back a half hour in Venezuela.  By next Monday.  This makes me happy to not be in IT in Venezuela this week.    Venezuela will now have its own time zone, separate from ANY OTHER COUNTRY.   

Although it will allow for children to actually be greeting with plesant sunshine instead of bleak night when waking for school, most Venezuelans really don’t understand the change. 

Full article here: http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSN1927682520070919?pageNumber=1

Dope on the floor and magic on the mic,

Terita

Seriously, I am ALL OVER THIS. If any of my friends are reading this, I am requesting to not be disturbed during the hours that this show is on. (unless its Kristi and Caro, which I will gladly take your calls during commercial breaks for open discussions about how Blair is going to be a televangelist- and who really names thier boy children Blair these days anyway, and how Migle is going to be the awesome Liberal) 

Check out the site here: http://www.cbs.com/primetime/kid_nation/

The above picture illustrates my joy regarding this program.

Bein’ my own nation,

Teri

UPDATE:  So, I decided to live blog my thoughts on this amazing piece of TV!!! Too bad I decided about halfway through, so…

Beginning: So, I was all Team Anjay at first go.  He seems to rock.  The gentle intellect. 

I love cute Jimmy and his sweet 8 year old innocence, and the two older boys’ are already up to antics and trying to revolt against the much younger, yet obviously more experienced and intelligent Town Council.  Micheal is the town JFK and will be a major factor in the peace talks.  There are some really touching moments, in all seriousness, but man, when lauren decided that she HAS to have the green team based on the fact that she is 100% Irish, I couldn’t help but laugh.   There is then a game played to decide what class each group will be.  Wait until these poor children realize you are simply born into that shiz in the real world.. LOL!

Jared is FREAKING about there being only 1 bathroom in the joint.  He is refusing to poo.  Thank goodness the council is smart and picks toilets over TV…

7:44 -Sophia is tired of being surrounded by dumb people!  The same “dumb people” make the best breakfast, but the beauty queen refuses to do dishes.  Typical.  At least some things transfer into adulthood…

7:45- They need a candy store and a fake bar???  Jared scares me.  He is kinda like ET. 

7:47-Sophia needs to teach me her dance moves!

7:48- Time to discuss the gold star… rewarding the dancer???  Does Kid Nation mimic society’s manner of highly rewarding those who entertain and selfishness over intellect and tireless work?

7:53- MAN DAY???  Jackrabbit hunting?  Animal brutality and misogyny all in one!

7:54- First council meeting and Sophia is pissed about the dished not being done.  Imagine that, government not cleaning up the messes.

7:55- Tension mounting… AND GABE COMES IN AND RUINS THE LEAVING OF THE FIRST CHILD!!!!!!!!!

7:57- Tears.

7:58- Gold star rewarded.  20K for college for a kid.  More tears for Sophia, those dance moves obviously rocked, and she deserved it.  I redact what I said about her earlier.

8:04- Man, next week, the gang goes NUTS!!!  Sophia launches a plan for revolutionary action and the council discusses killing chicken!  Who knew that there were animal rights activists in Jr. High???

UNTIL NEXT WEEK… 

Warning:  This is pretty graphic.  Or at least it is to me.   

From The Independent Alligator

A UF student was shot with a Taser gun, arrested and charged with a felony Monday because police said he started a riot during Sen. John Kerry’s on-campus speech.Andrew Meyer, a telecommunication senior and former Alligator columnist, was charged with a third-degree felony for resisting arrest with violence, according to a University Police Department report.

A third-degree felony could mean up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000, according to a UF Web site.

Meyer attempted to ask Kerry, a Democrat from Massachusetts, about his involvement in Skull and Bones, a secret society at Yale University, at the end of the speech’s question-and-answer session.But when his microphone was cut off, Meyer began to scream in protest. Members of Accent, Student Government’s speakers bureau, cut off the microphone because Meyer used profanity, said Steven Blank, Accent chairman. Accent sponsored the forum, which was held at the University Auditorium.

Several officers attempted to remove Meyer from the microphone when he began “acting in a violent manner” and “pushing the officers,” according to the report.

Police said Meyer was told to comply with the officers, but he continued to resist.

“Don’t Tase me, bro!” Meyer screamed as officers attempted to drag him outside the University Auditorium. “I didn’t do anything.”

Steve Orlando, UF’s spokesman, said police then shot Meyer with a Taser gun.

Meyer was booked into the Alachua County Jail just after 2 p.m., where he remained until at least 9 p.m. Monday, according to jail records. He could not be reached for comment.

Matthew Howland, a UF history senior who also attended the speech and videotaped the incident on his cell phone, said police held the Taser gun on Meyer for about seven seconds.

Howland said he thought Meyer was behaving inappropriately, but the officers’ actions left most of the audience members stunned.

“How can you say a student created a riot when it was clearly the officers who elevated the situation to a level it did not need to go?” Howland said.

He said Meyer’s frantic reaction seemed understandable. “How are you supposed to react if you have six officers hopping on you and yelling at you?” he asked.

“I don’t want to say it was police brutality because that term should be saved for more obvious events, but it was damn close,” he added.

Jeff Holcomb, UPD spokesman, could not be reached for comment.

While Meyer wrestled with officers at the back of the auditorium, Howland said Kerry remained on stage, trying to keep the rest of the crowd calm and answering more questions.

A spokesman for Kerry would not comment.

Asia Johnson, a UF advertising senior who was also at the speech, said Kerry was trying to answer Meyer’s question as police started grabbing him.

Johnson said as police pinned Meyer to the ground, she heard him yell, “Just get off of me and I’ll walk out of here.”

She created a Facebook group later that day about the incident called “John Kerry conference at UF! A fiasco!!! Needs to be known!” and outlined her account of the event.

“If the police are considered to be the ‘good’ side of this world, I did not see that today,” Johnson wrote. “Today I saw fear, confusion and ignorance.”

Johnson said she planned to write a letter to UPD administrators, urging them to reprimand the officers at the speech and issue a formal apology to Meyer.

Johnson struggled to catch her breath during a telephone interview that night, explaining that she was still shaken up about the incident.

“His cries of help were absolutely horrifying,” she said. “It’s going to stick with me for a long time. It’s going to stick with him even longer.”

A group of UF students will stage a march today from noon to 1 p.m. on the Plaza of the Americas, said Tina Steiger, an international relations junior who helped organize the march.

Steiger said students would demand that UPD drop all charges against Meyer, immediately suspend the officers involved in his arrest and remove all Taser guns from campus.

Alligator Staff Writer Andrew Tan contributed to this report.

Craziness.  Although the guy was clearly resisting, the situation could have been handled differently.   I am never  a proponent of violence, especially when its many armed police against an unarmed college journalist.   

Trying to get that scene and Peter Gabriel’s “Shock the Monkey” out of my head,

Teri