MexAm's Xanga

Sunday, March 26, 2006

Sun, 26 Mar 2006 05:11:31 GMT

Skypecast Mex-Am

Para todos los interesados en participar para un Skypecast (podcast en skype), dejenme un mensajito y su contacto para empezar con este proyecto, la diferencia con un podcast? mas gente, mas temas, todo en una misma sesion, mas opiniones, more fun..

Saturday, March 04, 2006

Sat, 04 Mar 2006 04:14:11 GMT

wow.. I just blinked, and now we're in March.. is a few weeks I'll have 1 year in my store, 1 years and 9 months in USA, and 1 year and 10 months of being married.. time flies.. does time get faster as you get older?

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vaya, un parpadeo de ojos, y ya es marzo. En unas semanas cumplire 1 año en mi trabajo, 1 año 9 meses en USA, y 1 año 10 meses de casado.. el tiempo vuela.. acaso es mas rapido cuando mas viejo te haces?

Monday, February 06, 2006

Mon, 06 Feb 2006 16:40:11 GMT

Am I wrong??

When I used to smoke in my car, I used to turn the windows down, so my car could 'breath' and not get that awful smoke stink. Here in this area,. 90% of the people drive with their windows upwhen they are smoking, wether its hot, cold or clear. Do they like to smell like burnt cigarrette all day? Or was I wrong to turn the windows down?

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Yo soy el equivocado?

Cuando fumaba en mi carro, siempre, siempre bajaba las ventanas para mantener el olor al minimo en las vestiduras del carro, porque aunque fumaba, no me gusta el olor que desprenden las vestiduras a cigarro viejo. En esta area, 90% de las personas que fuman, lo hacen con las ventanas cerradas, haga calor, frio, o este despejado. Les gusta acaso ese olor de cigarro viejo y apagado? O era yo el que estaba mal

Monday, February 06, 2006

Mon, 06 Feb 2006 16:33:58 GMT

Zapping

Yesterday I was watching the superbowl, and at the same time I was watching 'Who wrote the Bible' in the History Channel, and the news from Noticieros Telemundo. I noticed that I was switching languages withouth having a conscious thought of it. I don't know if I was doing that before and I just noticed until yesterday. So, after a certain time, can your brain process both languages withouth having a conscious zapping of them? Although speaking still is a conscious action, I don't know if it will reach that point, in which I will be able to switch between spanish and english without thinking about it. Is that why the 'pochos' then, 'forget' the spanish? Is there a point in which you don't recognize 'Oh, I am speaking in english or spanish, I am just speaking'? Interesting...

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Cambiando de Canal

Ayer estaba mirando el superbowl, un programa de "Quien escribio la Biblia" en History Channel, y las noticias de Telemundo. Note que cambiar de idiomas era tan facil como cambiar de canal. Es decir, escuchaba las noticias, cambiaba al superbowl y no notaba un esfuerzo consciente en la diferencia de idiomas. Sera que lo he hecho desde algun tiempo atras y no lo notaba? Aunque el hablar todavia representa un esfuerzo consciente al 'traducir', habra un punto en el que igual puedes hablar ingles o español sin registrarlo conscientemente? Un ejemplo, los famosos 'pochos', saben que estan hablando ingles o español? o simplemente saben que estan hablando, y punto? Interesante

Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Tue, 31 Jan 2006 02:29:30 GMT

Holidays!

Booked tickeds to Guadalajara for June the 22th. It's going to be great.

Monday, January 02, 2006

Mon, 02 Jan 2006 04:14:23 GMT

Hispanic Apartheid?

We got this new law several weeks ago, related to illegal immigration, in which illegals are going to be considered criminals, the US government is going to build a huge wall across the border, and there are going to be stricter laws agains employers too. The idea sounds fine, build a huge wall which can stop the illegals from crossing, but also enforce anti-illegal hiring from the employers (which in my opinion it would be a better measure). What not everybody knows, is that this law also affects relatives and people surrounding the illegals. If you as a neighbor of an illegal person, take his/her kid to school, and you get caught, you can be prosecuted for promoting illegal trafficking, or some crazy stuff like that. Also people who provide services to these illegals can be prosecuted for again, helping illegals. This, doesn't sound good anymore.

Unfortunately, the theory is really far far away from reality. In real life, John E. Whitey would never think of a german or a french person as an illegal. Who would they think of? Of course, that guy called Jose that mows the lawn, or those 'cholos' who hang out in the mexican store next block. Unfortunately, ignorance still dominates the country, and people only see the hispanics as the only illegals around. Maybe there's a reason for it, due to the high number of, indeed, illegals that are from latinamerican countries, but, that doesn't give the right to anybody to generalize and use the typical fallacy of 'all hispanics are illegal'.

Why do I talk about this? Curiously, after this law got approved, several people started asking me about my legal status, my green card, compared to a year in which nobody asked me that. I would think they have the right to ask, as I have the right to tell them "Fuck you, you're not a Homeland Security Guard". Have to say, these persons haven't asked me in an offensive or rude way, but it's rather annoying.

It is true, all legal foreigners have to carry the so famous Green Card (which actually is not green) in their wallets, because not doing so can be considered a misdemeanor and you can be fined with $100. My problem here is, as I said before, people just think of hispanics as illegals, so, what effect will this law have around hispanics and the population they are surrounded by? Are people who provide services going to be cautious when helping a hispanic customer? Are bus drivers going to ask for a green card before selling a ticket? Are neighbors going to ask for legal status before making friends with the Latino family next door? There's a big difference when an employer asks you for legal documents, rather than a nobody neighbor or a nosy old guy asking too.

What about the legal hispanics? Are we going to have a tattoo, or sow a sign in our clothing, indicating that we have our papers in order so people can trust us? These examples might sound a little exaggerated. But I can also see, a crazy xenophobic neighbor calling the cops because 'them illegal mexicans next door are having a party", and since it's going to be a crime, police has to be there. So, is Homeland security aware too of all the possible lawsuits because of racial profiling? Or are they prepared to educate all people about "Not all hispanics are illegal? Or, are they going to care?

Who knows, this might happen, maybe I'm just being too paranoic. I just can tell, they messed up a law that could have been good. They messed up this law, with a 'hidden' hatred strategy agains illegals, which, again, due to the ignorance, will possibly mean hatred against hispanics.

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Apartheid Hispano?

Todo empezo con una ley. La ley anti-immigrantes. Estan construyendo un trenemendo muro, ahora los ilegales son criminales, y las leyes contra los empleadores de estos mismos ilegales son penalizados mas fuertemente. En teoria, suena bien. Lo que no dijeron, dar servicios o ayudar de alguna manera - Llevar a la hija de un vecino ilegal- constituye tambien un crimen. Esto, ya no suena tan bien.

La teoria esta muy muy lejos de la realidad norteamericana. John E. Gringo no piensa que un aleman o un frances que ve en la calle pueda ser ilegal. Sin embargo, piensa que Jose el que le corta el pasto, o esos cholos que se la pasan afuera de la tienda mexicana de la siguiente cuadra si lo pueden ser. Desgraciadamente, la asociacion de hispano=ilegal sigue muy arraigada en las mentes americanas. Quiza tenga una razon de ser, los millones de latinos que viven en este pais. Pero eso no da NINGUN derecho a generalizar y utilizar esa trillada frase de que todos los hispanos son ilegales.

Esto a que viene? Desde hace unas semanas que esta ley se aprobo, varias personas me han preguntando de mi estatus legal, si tengo o no Green Card. Lo curioso es que en este año que llevo en USA, nunca nadie me habia preguntado antes de la aprobacion de esta nueva ley. Creo que hasta cierto punto tienen un derecho a preguntar, al mismo tiempo tengo el derecho de decirles 'que chingados te importa, no eres oficial de immigracion'. Estas gentes no me lo han preguntado de una manera ofensiva o ruda, simplemente, es hartante.

Es un hecho que todo immigrante de cualquier nacionalidad tiene la obligacion de portar su Green Card (que no es verde por cierto) ya que no portarla constituye un delito menor y tiene una multa de $100. Mi problema aqui es, que pasara con las comunidades hispanas, y el ambiente que los rodea? Acaso la gente va a ser mas cautelosa con los hispanos dado a su todavia ignorante pensamiento de illegal=hispano? Van acaso los conductores de autobus preguntar por una Green Card a un hispano como precaucion? Va una familia americana a preguntar por el estatus migratorio de sus vecinos latinos antes de hacerlos amigos?

Que hay de los hispanos legales? Vamos a tener que usar un tatuaje en la frente, o de una manera muy hitleresca, tener cosido algun parche en nuestra ropa, que nos identifique como hispanos legales? Estos ejemplos pueden sonar exagerados. Pero que hay del vecino xenofobico que llama a la policia porque 'esos mexicanos ilegales no dejan de hacer ruido'? Ser ilegal va a ser un crimen, los policias van a tener que ir. Esta preparada inmigracion para hacer frente a posibles demandas por 'racial profiling'? Estan dispuestas las autoridades a educar a la poblacion de que no por ser hispano somos ilegales? O acaso les importa?

Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Tue, 27 Dec 2005 14:09:46 GMT

Back to normal.

Christmas season is over. If you work in retail as I do, then you are also relieved, and back to normal hours. Being in this side of the counter, I only can say, man.. Americans buy a lot of stuff for Christmas. Is that why they want the 'Christmas' name back into the stores? To feel less guilty for they excessive consumism? Don't get me wrong, I bought stuff for Christmas too, in Mexico my folks bought stuff for Christmas (well, actually my Dad used to give my brother and I some money instead of gifts), is just that it was a frenzy, to find the perfect gift for the perfect price. The hot item were the mp3 players, but a lot of people are unaware of the prices of these gizmos, so it was pretty frustrating when I gave the best presentation ever on an Ipod, to hear 'I ain't paying 200 dollars for this thing' (added to when we had the Ipods on stock, we told everybody 'get your Ipod now because there are gonna be none 2 weeks before Christmas, which of course happened).

Merry Christmas, Channukah and Kwanzaa to everybody!

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There's no spanish today, I'm ashamed of all the hispanic media in Mexico and Latin America, for the twist they have given to the 'wall of shame' USA is building in its border. I won't comment anything about 'America needs the illegals' or 'Illegals are stealing American jobs', but, when did we signed something stating that USA had the moral responsibility of welcoming illegals from all countries. I just can say, they have the right to do it, and please, build the wall a mile high, so Mexico, my beloved country, can start doing things for itself, and not depending on other countries.

Friday, December 16, 2005

Fri, 16 Dec 2005 13:53:52 GMT

Attached to wireless?

Yesterday I came to work without my cell phone. I took my break, when I came back to the store the manager and another associate told me 'Man! we called you like 3 times, why didn't you answer?" I don't know why the assume I had my phone with me, and I told them I wasn't carrying my phone for that day. Personally I can live without my cellphone for several days. My wife knows if I'm not at work, I'm at home watching TV. Then one associate asked me "How can you go out your house without it?". Well, I lived more than 15 years without a cellphone, I like the fancy things they have, music, bluetooth, etc, BUT, they are not a necessary part of my life.

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Cableado al celular?

Ayer me vine a trabajar sin mi celular. Me fui a comer, regrese y el manager y una asociada me decian airadamenete "Porque no contestaste tu cel? te llamamos 3 veces!"(para que les ayudara con una traduccion). No se porque asumieron que cargaba mi cel conmigo. Personalmente, puedo vivir varios dias sin traer mi cel. Mi esposa sabe que si no estoy en la chamba, estoy en la casa viendo la tele. Una asociada me pregunto "Como puedes salir de tu casa sin el celular?". Vivi 15 años sin un cel, no es una gran pregunta. Si, me gustan las funciones que traen, musica, bluetooth, etc, pero no es una parte de mi vida.

y, citando a los Tigres del Norte "Voy con mi celular en la mano, parezco romano, de la antiguedad, porque un ejecutivo de altura, no tiene figura, sin su celular"

Saturday, December 10, 2005

Sat, 10 Dec 2005 02:30:52 GMT

Bad Spanish

Today I read this new concerning a student suspended in Kansas for speaking spanish in the high school halls . It's one of the most dumb things I've read in my life, and I've read some stupid things since I came to the US. I agree that in the classrooms to avoid any disruptions and that stupid american egocentrism ('when them mexicans talk spanish they're talking trash about me') foreign languages should be disencouraged, not to say forbidden, because, even if its not convenient, I don't see the violation of a rule or law demanding the sole use of english in a public or government area. As the text said, shouldn't a bilingual person be considered an important asset in a latino growing country as USA? Now, I don't mean to say hell yeah spanish is taking all over the states and you americans will have to take SSL classes, but, if Mexico teaches english to the kids, if in Europe people at least know the language of 1 border country they have, why American's think that learning or allowing spanish is so offensive to the American patriotism and the oh blessed English? (as if all Americans spoke a perfect english, I have found immigrants with a better english than Amurkins).

My big question is, if that happened already, why is the principal still in charge of that school? Does the Kansas educational system wants to keep a xenophobe image for the people? Or they just don't give a shit?
I can just conclude with a quote from the father of the kid:
Punished for speaking Spanish? Somebody has to stand up and say: This is wrong

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Maldito Español

Salio una noticia (link arriba) sobre un estudiante suspendido en Kansas City por hablar español en los pasillos de su prepa. Es de las noticias mas estupidas que he leido en USA, y vaya que hay varias cosas estupidas que leer. Puedo hasta cierto punto apoyar que en las aulas de clase se trate de estandarizar el ingles como idioma para mantener el orden y evitar ese complejillo de los americanos de que piensan que cuando alguien habla en otro idioma piensan que hablan mal de ellos, pero, afuera de las aulas? ahora si que no me hagan el fabron cavor. Que no el deberia ser considerado una pieza importante para la union de las sociedades americanas e hispanas? que siguen diferenciadas por complejos de superioridad o inferioridad, o simplemenent indiferencia?

Algo que me preocupa mas, es el porque la razon de que el director siga en esa escuela, ya que es la segunda vez que pasa. Que acaso el sistema educativo estatal de Kansas quiere mantener una imagen xenofoba? O de plano, les vale madre? En fin, que mas se puede esperar de un estado donde enseñan el creacionismo como teoria de la vida en la tierra.

Solo puedo concluir parafraseando al padre del alumno castigado:

"Castigado por hablar español? NO MAMEN"
(Que seguramente es lo que quiso decir)

Monday, December 05, 2005

Mon, 05 Dec 2005 11:26:02 GMT

Fruta

Yesterday I ate a mango. It's been a while since I ate such a delicacy. American's aren't big fans of this tropical fruit, which, as any other standard fruit, is very hard to get in the US, as it is also expensive. When I was in Guadalajara, I used to go with my mother to the Mercado, to buy the freshest fruit and veggies possible. I'd go to the 'Jugos and Chocomiles' (juices and milkshakes) place, where I could buy almost a pint of fresh squeezed orange juice mixed with carrot juice, for approximatley 60 cents of a dollar. Here in NC a single orange costs 30 cents, so making a pint of juice would be at least 4 oranges. Buying any other kind of fruit is a hard task, because they don't bring fruit at the exact point. They either bring it too green, or too ripe (especially with mangoes and plantains). Fortunately there are these organic juices with no-sugar added like Naked Juice, that they taste like real fruit, and don't have corn syrup or any other crazy chemical in them. Yeah they are a little more expensive, but they are at least healthy (to a certain degree).

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Fruta

Ayer me comi un mango con chamoy, no lo explique arriba porque me tomaria varios renglones explicar que es el chamoy, je. Tenia varias semanas sin comer fruta. Los americanos no son especialmente fans de los mangos, aunque las tiendas los pongan en puntos especiales. El problema es que los traen ya muy maduros, o bien verdes, y valen como 1 dolar cada uno (y no es el mejor mango que puedes encontrar), entonces, es riesgoso comprar fruta, como cualquier otra, ya sean platano macho (o como le digan al platano grande en tu pais), o hasta manzanas o peras, las traen muy verdes, o muy maduras. Cuando vivia en Guadalajara, iba con mi mama al mercado, a comprar fruta y verdura lo mas fresca posible. Recuerdo ir al puesto de jugos y chocomiles, a comprar mi bolsita de jugo de naranja con zanahoria, que costaba unos 6 pesos, y era como medio litro. Aqui una naranja vale como 3 pesos, hacer medio litro de jugo, me saldria bastante caro. Si, extraño mucho la fruta, es algo que aunque mis papas me decian que necesitaba comer mas, no lo hacia tanto, y aun asi, se extraña.
Afortunadamente esta de moda la onda organica, y puedes encontrar algunas variedades de jugos con fruta real, sin conservadores, y sobre todo, sin azucar o corn syrup. Lean la parte en ingles para el comercial, jaja.

MexAm's Xanga

Sunday, March 26, 2006

Saturday, March 04, 2006

Monday, February 06, 2006

Monday, February 06, 2006

Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Monday, January 02, 2006

Hispanic Apartheid?

Apartheid Hispano?

Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Friday, December 16, 2005

Attached to wireless?

----------Cableado al celular?

Saturday, December 10, 2005

Monday, December 05, 2005

Fruta

Fruta

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Cableado al celular?