Bibliodiversidad 21-09-2010

Cerati, lo mejor/the best

Beef with Beef -part I

Interview by Gareth from Tourist 2 Townie

Baseball: this Saturday! / ¡este sábado!

Come join the Buenos Aires Shankees!
free shuttle from Plaza Italia
¡ Veni a hinchar por los Buenos Aires Shankees !
colectivo gratis desde Plaza Italia

Happy Year 2010 / Feliz Año 2010

Peace and Love for all

/
Amor y Paz para todos

Urbanity

Blog Action Day 2009: Ostriches on the terrace/avestruces en la terraza

I love to watch ostriches on the skyscrapers of Buenos Aires. Some years ago during springtime a female ostrich layed a couple of eggs on a notebook that a writer forgot on a building terrace and a male ostrich decided to nest them right there.

Nobody knows exactly how the birds reached the eleven floor´s terrace of that first building.
My husband says that the bats must have lifted them all the way up. He´s usually right when it comes to immigrants and cooperation.
My mother thinks that they passed by the neighborhood following some gypsies and stayed because they were tired of all the walking.
My brother feels that they came because they wanted to teach their kids to see the world from the urban perspective.
I think it has to be the changes in the Pampa´s lands that brought them here. They´re constantly pushed out of the fertile grasslands that once seemed endless and now they live on most of our buildings.

I love to watch the ones on the terrace across the street from my window...

When the weather is nice some tenants wash their clothes on the terraces. Sometimes one of them forgets a bar of soap and the ostriches come and eat it so that they can talk in bubbles language.

Sometimes the ostriches dance frantically tapping on the roofing tiles jumping and opening their wings. The neighbors don´t like that because think that they´re having tantrums but it´s just their way to call the butterflies.
Ostriches know that butterflies always bring stories and fruits from other lands.

I have to say that these birds are very respectful audiences. When the butterflies come they sit in circles and listen (or eat) without interrupting or making noises.
Some tales are so delicious and some fruits are so funny that the ostriches laugh in bubbles, clap with their toes and take the butterflies for rides on their backs through the roof gardens.

But sometimes the stories and the fruits are scary. Then the ostriches teach their charitos the correct way to hide their heads inside a bucket or a flowerpot.
I saw them many times telling their offspring in bubbles language that it works, that they learned this ancient technique of avoiding problems from us.
The charitos always look at their parents suspiciously. The rule never makes any sense to them but they generally obey like good kids.

Yesterday it was unusually hot for Spring and I saw something different.
A rebel charito was asking the butterflies if it was true that all humans worldwide hide like that to solve the mess they bring to the weather.
The butterflies must have been angry or something because they turned in spirals up and down moving the air so strongly that the explanation uncombed the charito and... judging by the expression on his face the answer must have been very very complicated.

The insects bubbling was too small to read from the distance and they seem to know a lot.
Next time I´ll use my dad´s binoculars.
I bet that the little rebel is going to demand more answers...




Me encanta observar a los avestruces en las azoteas de Buenos Aires.
Una primavera hace algunos años una avestruz puso un par de huevos sobre un anotador que un escritor dejó olvidado en una terraza y un macho decidió anidarlos ahí mismo.
Nadie sabe exactamente cómo pudieron subir los pájaros esos once pisos hasta la terraza de aquel primer edificio.
Mi marido dice que seguramente debieron ser los muciélagos que los ayudaron a subir. Generalmente él sabe bien de lo que habla en cuanto a inmigrantes y a cooperación.
Mi madre piensa que pasaban por el barrio siguiendo a unos gitanos y que se quedaron porque estaban cansados de tanto andar.
Mi hermano siente que vinieron porque querían enseñarle a sus hijos a ver el mundo desde una perspectiva urbana.
Yo creo que los trajeron los cambios en la Pampa. Están siempre corridos fuera de los fértiles campos naturales que alguna vez parecían interminables y ahora viven en la mayoría de nuestros edificios.

Me encanta observar a los que viven en la terraza de enfrente de mi ventana...
Cuando el tiempo está lindo algunos inquilinos lavan su ropa en la terraza. A veces algunos se olvidan algún jabón y los avestruces vienen y se lo comen para poder hablar en idioma de burbujas.
A veces los avestruces bailan frenéticamente pateando las tejas saltando y batiendo sus alas.
A los vecinos no les gusta porque piensan que los avestruces tienen rabietas pero es solamente porque están llamando a las mariposas.
Los avestruces saben que las mariposas siempre traen historias y frutas de otras partes.
Debo decir que estas aves forman audiencias muy respetuosas. Cuando las mariposas vienen se sientan en círculos a escuchar (o a comer) sin interrumpir ni hacer ruidos molestos.
Algunos cuentos son tan deliciosos y algunas frutas son tan graciosas que los aveztruces se ríen en burbujas, aplauden con sus patas y llevan a las mariposas a dar paseos por los jardines de las terrazas.
Pero a veces las historias y las frutas dan miedo. Entonces los avestruces les enseñan a sus charitos la manera correcta de esconder la cabeza en un balde o una maceta.
Los he visto muchas veces diciéndoles a sus crias en lenguaje de burbujas que eso funciona, que han aprendido de nosotros esa antigua técnica de cómo evitar problemas.
Pero los charitos siempre los miran con cierta sospecha. La regla nunca tiene mucho sentido para ellos pero generalmente la obedecen porque son buenos chicos.

Ayer estuvo increíblemente caluroso para ser primavera y observé algo diferente.
Un charito medio rebelde estaba preguntándole a las mariposas si era cierto que todos los humanos del mundo se escondían así para resolver los líos que ellos mismos hacían con el clima.
Las mariposas debieron estar enojadas o algo así porque se retorcían en espirales subiendo y bajando, moviendo el aire con tanta fuerza para explicarle, que despeinaron al charito y... por la cara que puso, la respuesta debe haber sido muy pero muy complicada.

Las burbujas de los insectos eran demasiado chiquitas para leerlas de lejos y parece que saben un montón.
La próxima vez voy a usar los binoculares de mi viejo.
Apuesto a que el rebeldito va a exigir más respuestas...

Argentina de luto por el Padre de la Democracia

Gracias Dr. Alfonsín por enseñarme valores democráticos que siempre seguirán conmigo.
1. Dos mensajes para el futuro

2. Anoche/Last night

Claro que lo recordamos... yo lo honro cada día

Good Morning Buenos Aires Fiesta!

Click on image for more info or
check at Democrats Abroad Argentina
Haga click en la imagen para más información o
en Democrats Abroad Argentina

DAA Films #1 - Human Rights / Derechos Humanos

“THROUGH THICK & THIN”

STORIES OF LOVE AND DISCRIMINATION FROM SAME-SEX BI-NATIONAL COUPLES IN THE US

Democrats Abroad Argentina (DAA), under the auspices of the National Institute to Combat Discrimination, Xenophobia and Racism (INADI) and in cooperation with the City of Buenos Aires Ministry of Culture, invites the public to attend the screening of the documentary "Through Thick & Thin". The film will be followed by a discussion with a panel of prominent journalists and political figures. The panel will be composed of Flavio Rapisardi, Coordinator for INADI Forums; Mike Skowronek, Chairman of DAA; Diego Trerotola, Cultural Coordinator for Comunidad Homosexual Argentina (CHA); and Osvaldo Bazán, journalist, writer and entertainment critic who will moderate the discussion with audience participation.

As part of its program of outreach and community awareness, DAA has plans for regularly scheduled documentaries targeted toward the local public and US citizens residing in Argentina. Argentine film director, Sebastian Córdoba's award-winning work was chosen as the first of the series which will be screened in The City of Buenos Aires' famous Recoleta Cultural Center. The series is free of admission and open to the public.

"Through Thick & Thin" is a documentary film focusing on issues affecting thousands of same-sex bi-national couples in the United States. The moving portrayal of seven different couples, was filmed in the US, France, UK, Canada, Argentina and Brazil. It premiered in non-commercial circuits and festivals in 2007. Its director, Sebastian Córdoba, is an Argentine living for more than a decade in New York City. His own personal history places him in an excellent position to capture crucial moments in the lives of the seven couples and attest to their efforts to stay together despite legal difficulties and impediments, and wherever possible, in a legal, stable situation. The film also shows, unfortunately, that love sometimes does not conquer all.

The issue of immigration rights of same-sex couples is a highly sensitive issue and features highly on the political agendas of numerous civic organizations in the United States. Presently, more than 100 members on Capitol Hill support the "Uniting American Families Act." (UAFA, H.R. 2221, S. 1328) a U.S. bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act in order to eliminate discrimination in the immigration laws. It would permit permanent partners of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents to obtain lawful permanent resident status in the same manner as spouses of citizens and lawful permanent residents. The bill would also penalize immigration fraud in connection with permanent partnerships.

The UAFA was introduced in the United States House of Representatives on May 8, 2007 by New York Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY). There are currently 99 Co-sponsors of this bill in the United States House of Representatives. It was introduced in the United States Senate on May 8, 2007 by Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT). The initiative has been presented before the US Congress annually since 2000.

"Through Thick & Thin" has won awards in the most prestigious Latino, LGBT, and human rights film festivals in the United States, Spain and Latin America, including the "Big Three": the Frameline Film Festival, the San Francisco Film Festival, and New York's NewFest, among others.

The documentary also has the backing and support of many grassroots organizations and media, such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) www.aclu.org Out4Inmigration www.o4i.org GLA www.glaad.org Love Exiles www.loveexiles.org , www.immigrationequality.org , Immigration Equality and Human Rights Campaign www.hrc.org , all of which have played an important part in the acclaim the film has achieved in Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Fresno, Washington DC, Austin, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Bilbao, and in the last Melbourne Queer Film Festival.

As always, DAA will have volunteers helping to register new voters and answering questions about the US election process. In this case, US legislative processes will also be discussed.

“CONTRA VIENTO Y MAREA”
HISTORIAS DE AMOR Y DISCRIMINACION DE PAREJAS BINACIONALES DEL MISMO SEXO EN EEUU

La agrupación Demócratas en el Exterior de Argentina, Democrats Abroad Argentina (DAA), con el auspicio del Instituto Nacional contra la Discriminación, la Xenofobia y el Racismo, INADI invita a asistir a la proyección del documental “Contra Viento y Marea”(“Through Thick & Thin”) y su posterior debate con un panel de personalidades. Contaremos con la presencia de Mike Skowronek, Presidente de DAA; Flavio Rapisardi, Coordinador de Foros del INADI; Diego Trerotola, Coordinador del Área Cultura de la CHA y Osvaldo Bazán periodista, escritor y crítico de espectáculos quién moderará el debate.

En el marco de sus actividades de divulgación y de concientización, DAA ha ideado una muestra mensual libre y gratuita de documentales destinada a público en general y a ciudadanos americanos residentes en Argentina. Para ello ha elegido dar el puntapié inicial con la película de un director argentino.

“Contra Viento y Marea”(“Through Thick & Thin”) es un film documental que se centra en la problemática que afecta en los Estados Unidos a miles de parejas binacionales del mismo sexo. Haciendo foco en siete conmovedores casos, fue filmado en territorio estadounidense, Francia, el Reino Unido, Canadá, Argentina y Brasil y estrenado en circuitos no comerciales y festivales en 2007. Su Director, Sebastián Córdoba, es argentino y reside desde hace más de una década en la ciudad de Nueva York. Su propia historia personal lo ha situado en una inmejorable posición para captar los momentos decisivos en la vida de las siete parejas que en el film dan testimonio de sus esfuerzos por permanecer juntas a pesar de todas las dificultades e impedimentos legales y, dentro de lo posible, en una situación de derecho y estabilidad. Sin embargo, el film demuestra que, a pesar de todo, el amor no siempre todo lo puede.

El tema de los derechos de inmigración de las parejas del mismo sexo es un conflicto de alta sensibilidad, instalado en las agendas políticas de numerosas organizaciones civiles de los Estados Unidos. Más de cien legisladores impulsan actualmente en el Capitolio de los EEUU el proyecto de ley para unir familias, “Uniting American Families Act”. Dicho proyecto busca otorgar a las parejas del mismo sexo derechos similares a los que ya gozan las parejas heterosexuales. El proyecto de ley, presentado por el congresista demócrata por Nueva York Jerrold Nadler, reemplazará el término “esposo/a” por el de “pareja estable” en toda la normativa relacionada con los procedimientos, reglamentos y leyes relacionadas con la inmigración en este país. La iniciativa se ha estado presentando cada año desde 2000.

“Contra Viento y Marea”(“Through Thick & Thin”) ha sido premiado en los más prestigiosos festivales de cine latino, de derechos humanos y LGBT de los Estados Unidos, España y Latinoamérica, incluyendo el “Big Three” Frameline de San Francisco y el New York’s NewFest, entre otros.

El film cuenta además con el respaldo y apoyo de numerosas organizaciones de base y medios de prensa, entre los que se destacan la American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) www.aclu.org , Out4Inmigration www.o4i.org , GLAAD www.glaad.org, Love Exiles www.loveexiles.org , Inmigration Equality www.immigrationequality.org y Human Rights Campaign www.hrc.org , las cuales han tenido un importante papel en la convocatoria que el film ha logrado en las salas donde hasta ahora se ha proyectado, con funciones especiales en las ciudades estadounidenses de Filadelfia, Nueva York, Los Ángeles, San Francisco, Fresno, Washington DC y Austin, en San Pablo y Río de Janeiro (Brasil), en Bilbao (España) y en el último Melbourne Queer Film Festival (Australia).

Como es habitual en cada actividad que realiza DAA habrá voluntarios ayudando a registrar a nuevos votantes y respondiendo preguntas acerca del proceso eleccionario. En este caso además se acercarán los conceptos de la legislación.

4th of July - 4 de Julio

Come join us! Vení a celebrar con nosotros!


Click here for the slide show at Puente de La Mujer on the 28th

"Yes we Span" & "Unite for Change" in Buenos Aires

If you´re tired and ashamed of the Bush administration,
Come join us, TODAY!!
Puente de La Mujer, 1pm, Buenos Aires!
Click here for more info

The Lone Ranger Creed

Was DNCC spokeswoman Natalie Wyeth having something else in mind...? mmm...
Why is it that the Lone Blogger reminds me of the Lone Ranger?
Let´s see...

photo: viewimages

In every incarnation of the character, the Lone Ranger has conducted himself by a strict moral code. This code was put in place by writer Fran Striker and actors Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels, taking their positions as role models to children very seriously (I was one of them) also tried their best to live by this creed:

"I believe.....
That to have a friend, a man must be one.
That all men are created equal and that everyone has within himself the power to make this a better world.
That God put the firewood there, but that every man must gather and light it himself.
In being prepared physically, mentally, and morally to fight when necessary for that which is right.
That a man should make the most of what equipment he has.
That 'this government of the people, by the people, and for the people' shall live always.
That men should live by the rule of what is best for the greatest number.
That sooner or later...somewhere...somehow...we must settle with the world and make payment for what we have taken.
That all things change but truth, and that truth alone, lives on forever.
In my Creator, my country, my fellow man."

So?

From very down-South in the planet, from the Pampas gaucho-land, from Democrats Abroad Argentina, the Lone Blogger YanquiMike was chosen to be the eyes and ears of local audiences online around the world.

The Lone Blogger is going to the 2008 Democrats Convention to blog for the worldwide
community of US Democrats living abroad.

YM says: "... and I guarantee you that if I have something to say from the floor, I will say it."

LR says: "... all things change but truth, and truth alone, lives on forever."

Ok.

Now I see why YanquiMike reminds me of the Lone Ranger.

Except that he´s not alone; members in 164 countries, with 37 official country committees in the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania are going to be able to feedback comments and thoughts through his blog online and while things happen at the floor.

Me too!

Sorry, Lone Ranger, I´m madly in love with somebody else now... things change... you know... as you said...

Super Tuesday in Buenos Aires

photos by Expat Connection
check for updates also at Democrats Abroad Argentina

SUPER

We The People, Democrats, Republicans, Libertarian, Expats, Argentineans, Americans, Observers from different countries living in Buenos Aires are joining on:

5th of February, 8pm to whenevah,
at TAZZ in Palermo, Armenia 1744,

to watch all the American election returns on the big screen with a slingbox hookup to a US television station.

We The People, have got the whole 3rd floor (2° piso) complete with elevator all to ourselves because of the tremendous efforts of the good people at:

No cover. No minimum. Cash bar. Cash menu

We The People, also thank the network and idea of inviting everybody, regardless the political or nationality backgrounds from:

LET´S MAKE HISTORY TOGETHER, COME!

Nos Los Representantes del Pueblo, Demócratas, Republicanos, Libertarianos, Expats, Argentinos, Americanos, Observadores de distintos países, nos reunimos el:

5 de Febrero, desde las 8pm hasta la hora que sea,
en TAZZ de Palermo, Armenia 1744,

para seguir los resultados de las elecciones americanas en una superpantalla conectada a un slingbox a una estación de TV yanqui.

Nos Los Representantes del Pueblo, tenemos el 2° piso entero (hasta con ascensor) exclusivamente para la reunión, gracias a la gestión de:

Sin pagar entrada. Sin consumisión mínima.
Vos elegís lo que quieras del bar y del menú.

Nos Los Representantes del Pueblo, agradecemos también a la red de gente y la idea de invitar a todos, sin distinción de partidos o nacionalidades de:

HAGAMOS HISTORIA JUNTOS, VENITE!

NIMBY, BANANA

I´ve come across a couple of acronyms I didn´t know before. Just in time. Because I didn´t know how to express my feelings in English for the imminent installation of the huge contaminant pulp mill just in front of my city.

My beloved Buenos Aires

The acronyms simply flew to me yesterday. In a lovely afternoon with some American friends and while talking under the sweet and thick breeze that gives the name to the city, I discovered "NIMBY".
Very much of a syntheses... although not enough...
I understand that NIMBY has been used in some radical non rational oppositions in the past

but picture this:

The Río de La Plata bathes my town (some people call it the Paris of South America) and the worldwide known beautiful Uruguayan beaches. We are all simple people living in both sides of a Sweet Sea (very accurate and original name for the river). In addition the Río de La Plata sits on one of the biggest water reservoirs of the world, the Guaraní Aquifer. No piranhas.

So, are there any ingredients for a recipe for a disaster? Yes:

1. Careless politicians.
2. Imported sharks.

The results? Pulp mills and their poisoning byproducts. Companies that don´t even dare installing these kind of kraft processes in their home countries anymore, that had even been condemned and evicted for doing so (ENCE) are here to shark out the region. (Pontevedra, Spain-video1-sp Pontevedra, Spain-video2-sp)

Then this morning I found the acronym "BANANA". Well, that says it all for me.

Build Absolutely Nothing like a pulp mill Anywhere Near Anyone

please take a few minutes to see the following video
(Spanish language with English subtitles)

Both Argentina and Uruguay are big leaders in the soccer (football/fútbol) leagues.

Maybe it´s time we play other game with the same passion.
Less banana-republics and more BANANA leaders

buenos airesargentina

Foundation

also special thanks to Frank from Sugar&Spice who brought in support and great cookies

Democrats Abroad, Argentina

Democrats Abroad, Argentina

Don't just be a member... be a founder


CHECK HERE ON HOW TO BECOME A FOUNDER

Fuera Botnia!

NO A LAS PAPELERAS
Uruguay cerró la frontera con Argentina
FUERA BOTNIA!

leé lo ocurrido ayer acá

read what happened yesterday here
BOTNIA GO HOME!

Sí a la vida

MANIFIESTO PÚBLICO

Ante la situación existente en torno a la inminente puesta en marcha de la pastera finlandesa Botnia, la Asamblea Ciudadana Ambiental de Gualeguaychú expresa:

1. Que le recuerda al Sr. Presidente de la Nación, ante el compromiso contraído públicamente con la lucha del pueblo de Gualeguaychu, en el marco de la Causa Nacional, y en honor de las convicciones por él declamadas, que no asuma ninguna medida que implique avalar o confirmar acuerdos que se aparten del objetivo de la relocalización de Botnia fuera de la Cuenca del Río Uruguay.

2. Qué el fin último consistente en que Botnia se retire de nuestra región es parte de las acciones diplomáticas y jurídicas implementadas por la Cancillería Argentina, razón por la que constituye un camino irrenunciable.

3. Que en procura de lograr esa meta, reiteramos que la ASAMBLEA CIUDADANA AMBIENTAL DE GUALEGUAYCHÚ SE DECLARA EN ESTADO DE ALERTA MÁXIMA, VIGILIA Y MOVILIZACIÓN PERMANENTE, para evitar todo intento de presión o acción que burle la soberana voluntad de nuestro pueblo, de vivir en un ambiente sano.

SÍ A LA VIDA!!

San José de Gualeguaychú, 3 de noviembre de 2007.
Provincia de Entre Ríos.
República Argentina