A day in the life

Noir Desir

2011-02-07T14:43:00.000-06:00

Salud!

2010-08-20T17:08:00.000-05:00

Comforting Tiger

Seth Priebatsch: The game layer on top of the world | Video on TED.com

2010-08-20T10:42:00.000-05:00

Seth Priebatsch: The game layer on top of the world | Video on TED.com

And eventually Metagame ...

Jamil Abu-Wardeh: The Axis of Evil Comedy Tour | Video on TED.com

2010-08-19T12:21:00.000-05:00

Jamil Abu-Wardeh: The Axis of Evil Comedy Tour | Video on TED.com

My Morning Jacket - Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Part 2

2009-08-19T13:35:00.001-05:00

Bohemia

2009-08-08T14:07:00.002-05:00

Jerry called yesterday afternoon out of the blue. A bohemian night was in the works at his ranch. I couldn't resist. Two hours later I was at his doorstep with a bottle of Concha de Toro.
Notable new additions to the ranch were a couple of energetic puppies: a German Shepherd and a Giant Schnauzer.
Juan and his son provided the musical performance. The father was a walking encyclopedia of Mexican music knowledge, and to my surprise, even Nicaraguan music. It'd been a while since I'd listened to El Cristo de Palacagüina and he played the guitar and sang like he was possessed while he performed it at my request. His son played more modern music. I specially liked his rendition of "Vendedora de caricias".
Toño was the other guest. As it turned out he is a journalist and was in Nicaragua soon after Somoza's fall. Came thru the Costa Rican border to cover the story and was arrested by Sandinista troops despite being an acredited journalist. In a way he seemed like a Mexican version of SkyKing.
Thanks Jerry. That was very enjoyable.

PANTEON ROCOCO 'Vendedora de Caricias'

2009-08-08T11:43:00.001-05:00

The Secret History of Silicon Valley

2009-06-11T18:48:00.001-05:00

Kutiman-Thru-you - 03 - I'm New

2009-04-03T10:47:00.001-06:00

All in the family

2009-02-02T11:24:00.000-06:00

ALCALDIA MUNICIPAL DE MASATEPE

Ciudadano Ejemplar de Masatepe

El Honorable Concejo Municipal de Masatepe en uso de sus facultades que la ley le confiere en su Artículo No. 53 y 57 del Reglamento de la ley 40, ley de Municipios, por unanimidad acuerda declarar Ciudadano Ejemplar de la
Ciudad de Masatepe a:

Sr. Perfecto de Jesús Ruiz Velásquez

En reconocimiento de su vida ejemplar digna a imitar; por la práctica de buenos valores morales
religiosos y por demostrar una conducta intachable ante la sociedad Masatepina.

Dado en la ciudad de Masatepe, Departamento de Masaya, República de Nicaragua, a los 18 días
de Enero del año 2009.

Ing. Guillermo José Calero Sequeira Lic. Rogelio Blanco Beteta
Alcalde de Masatepe Secretario del Consejo

The Black Angels - Science Killer - Live Paris

2009-01-28T11:39:00.001-06:00

Orchids

2008-12-01T15:54:00.001-06:00

CLINIC - COUNTRY MILE

2008-10-21T11:04:00.001-05:00

Uhmm

2008-10-03T17:17:00.001-05:00

Kudos

2008-09-26T18:20:00.002-05:00

WOMEN’S HEALTH SCHOLARS AWARD WINNERS 2007-08
NAME	CATEGORY	SPONSORING UNIVERSITY
Maria de Lourdes Pena Castillo	Postdoctoral	Banting & Best Dept of Medical Research University of Toronto

MaFer

2008-09-22T15:20:00.002-05:00

Numerati

2008-09-10T13:07:00.005-05:00

Size of the US drug market: $35 billion.
Exxon's 2007 earnings: $40.61 billion.
Proposed Mexican Federal Budget for 2009: 270 billion.
Mexico's 2007 foreign exchange and gold reserves: $85.11 billion.
Cost of Vietnam's second oil refinery: 6.2 billion.
Number of people in the world who survive on $2 a day or less: 2.5 billion.
Estimated cost of the war against Irak and Afghanistan: $604 million to $3 trillion.
Decrease in poverty in China in the period 1981-2005: from 85% to 15.9%, 600 million people.
Mexico's global peace index: 2.191 ( 1 = most peaceful).
3 year budget for the Mérida initiative: $1.4 billion.
Total cost of Plan Colombia: $4.7 billion. Resulting percent reduction in coca production: 0.

Laura Gibson - Hands In Pockets - Live

2008-09-03T10:58:00.001-05:00

Secret Machines - Dreaming of Dreaming 2008

2008-08-20T11:06:00.001-05:00

This is the picture

2008-08-13T15:35:00.003-05:00

It wasn't excellent birds but army vehicles (a personnel carrier and an armored vehicle) they were the unexpected companions in this morning's walk in Metlac. Kawa and Jolie didn't think much of them, there were squirrels and birds to chase. I wondered if our governor has finally acquiesced to getting help from the army to improve security.

Given the current climate of national outrage against kidnapping and police corruption, army intervention might be the most viable alternative to get some relief. Legal reform will take too long and will suffer the same execution flaws that brought us to the present situation in the beginning. Poverty and a profound dive in ethics are the root causes of the problem and neither is going to be fixed with army operatives, new laws or new appointments.

Still, the cage needs to be rattled and with upcoming elections the politicians are sure to lend an attentive ear to what the public says.

Great comment by Cuau as to the gall of some government officials that want to join the march that protest their lame performance. Pena de estado, the new phrase I learned today.

Saw Wall-e last weekend and was gratified to listen to Peter Gabriel's newest. Great movie, great music.

"I see pictures of people, rising up
pictures of people, falling down"

Peter Gabriel, Excellent Birds

Vehicular personality

2008-08-07T17:26:00.003-05:00

I'm a Ford Mustang!

You're an American classic -- fast, strong, and bold. You're not snobby or pretentious, but you have what it takes to give anyone a run for their money.

"Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

Perspective

2008-07-25T16:44:00.002-05:00

Movie trivia

2008-07-24T19:21:00.000-05:00

With great power comes great manolo.

Which movie was this quote from?

Dare

2008-07-21T19:03:00.000-05:00

Devendra Banhart Summertime

2008-06-25T13:05:00.001-05:00

Judgement day

2008-06-15T13:06:00.001-05:00

Mexican typography

2008-06-10T17:39:00.002-05:00

Special topics in calamity physics

2008-06-01T20:20:00.002-05:00

Trips to DF usually have an air of impending doom that require my most stoic of attitudes. A good aid in surviving the experience is selecting a new book to hide from reality during the trip (hence the title of this post). Lately and thankfully, a kind of suspended animation state sets upon me as soon as I take my bus seat (driving to or thru DF is reserved for truly especial situations, given my propensity to attract traffic police in search of bribes). This time it was my Dad's cataract surgery that took me to the belly of the beast.

Ever since I missed my aunt Eusebia's funeral, I have been trying to make up with my relatives for my absence in key family moments. I missed that funeral because "I had to work", but in reality her passing away was too hard for me to bear in company. My latest faux pas in family ethics had being my absence during my brother's intestinal crisis last year.

The surgery was to take place last Friday at Conde de Valenciana Hospital. At the very last minute somebody from the hospital called and asked my father to be at the hospital for a checkup Thursday morning. We were there on time, waited for 3 hours, only to be told they needed to check his papers (which, they had issued, so they could have checked them without his presence). 5 minutes later we were on our way. I had managed to read the first few chapters of STICP while standing in reverence of the finest Mexican bureaucracy (Conde de Valenciana is run by UNAM). At least the doctor was kind enough to tell us not to show up at 8am Friday, since my Dad wouldn't processed in until 11am. Ja! As it turns out, we showed up at 11am, he went thru admissions at 1pm and waited until 3pm to be taken to the OR. I knew it was going to be a long day as I overheard a couple of doctors in the elevator give each other courage before calling their supervisor to let him know they they overbooked the OR and many people would have to be rescheduled. Actual surgery took place about 6pm. At 7:30 they informed us my Dad had to stay overnight. Thus I was initiated into the rite of standing guard with a relative in a Mexican hospital. I was ill prepared as the day before we had been very seriously told an overnight stay was very unlikely.

At his point I was well into STICP, a book Sarah was kind enough to bring from Berkeley when she came to visit with Ken last November. There were 3 other patients in the same room with Dad. A nurse came in around 9pm and told I had to go get some eye drops. Let me tell you, the Conde de Valenciana is not in a nice neighborhood and at that moment I remembered a conversation I overheard in the waiting room that afternoon as to the deplorable state of the surroundings: "it is in the Colonia Obrera and is full of tugurios, prostitution and sex hotels". It wasn't prostitutes I was worried about as I walked what seemed like a extremely long and dark block to the pharmacy. I returned triumphantly with the eye drops, feeling proud of myself, the way Jolie feels when she catches a mouse.

The guy next to my Dad was from Tabasco. He had been taken to the hospital by a friend, who couldn't or didn't want to stay overnight. Wife dead; sons missing; the poor guy kept sobbing "Mamacita", "Ay Diosito" and gasping for air. We called the nurse and he told her he needed air and wanted a fan but she didn't seem to take him seriously. Eventually, he fell asleep. At which point, the guy in the corner bed started a big speech on why Santos would beat Cruz Azul in the soccer final on Sunday. After a couple of days of Kafkian moments I felt reassured the national invariant expertise in soccer was there to compensate for the bloodiest drug war in our history, oil privatization debates, food crisis, Creel's illegitimate child, etc.

I tried sleeping in all sorts of contortionist positions in my chair but to no avail. Every two hours a nurse would come and I would straighten up and try to look alert in my role of good son. At one point I could not bear it anymore and I stole a little space from the edge of Dad's bed and fell asleep for a couple of hours. As soon as there was enough light I resumed my reading of STICP. At 7am a doctor came to check on the guy from Tabasco, who had kept sobbing and complaining of discomfort all night. Turned out he had a cardiac condition and forgot his medicine. Soon he was on oxygen but there was nobody around to go get his medicine. I was about to volunteer to do it when a nurse came and said my Dad had to go see a doctor, a young guy who was as sleep deprived as myself and who upon inspection cheerfully announced my Dad's eye was in perfect shape. When I returned to the room the missing Tabascan friend was back. While Dad had breakfast I talked to his other neighbor, who turned out to be from Coatzacoalcos. His wife was amazed at how well Dad was recuperating. "They don't make them like that anymore". A few hours later my Dad finally set foot outside the hospital, looking like Tom Cruise with the cheap Ray Ban clones I had bought at a sex shop two blocks away.

Cruz Azul did lose to Santos on Sunday. And I had the most startling discovery too but I cannot talk about it.

Jacques Brel-Ne me quitte pas

2008-04-25T19:30:00.001-05:00

Jeje

2008-04-07T10:03:00.001-05:00

Say what?

2008-03-26T10:41:00.003-06:00

BANDA ANCHA TELCEL
Política de uso de los paquetes ilimitados
Cualquier paquete con servicio ilimitado de datos para navegación por Internet, permitirá por cada período de facturación mensual el uso de los recursos disponibles de red hasta 3GB de consumo; si este límite es superado antes de finalizar el período, la velocidad de navegación será disminuida a un máximo de 128 Kbps por el tiempo restante. Al iniciar el siguiente período de facturación se tendrá nuevamente acceso a los recursos disponibles de red.

Los reencontrados

2008-03-10T16:34:00.001-06:00

Newlyweds

2008-03-10T16:32:00.001-06:00

Manolo's index

2008-02-08T10:15:00.000-06:00

Number of weddings I have been invited to so far this year: 3. (Benji's, Pilar's brother's and Wayi's)
Newborn babies among friends so far this year: 1. (Cuazi's)
Pregnancies among friends so far this year: 1. (Roxy's)
Kernel updates that messed up my computer recently: 1.
Number of days I have to wait to cancel my phone service after having canceled my dsl service (even though they are independent of each other): 5.
Years since I moved the last time: 4.
Number of years in a row my phone line has problems this time of year: 3.
How many times I have worked for a startup in a year when the stock market seems to be going belly up: 2.
Days Banamex has taken to return a bounced check: 41 and counting.
Days since SkyKing has been gone: 375.

De nada

2008-01-27T13:15:00.000-06:00

(08:14:16 AM) Jorge Alberto: buenos dias profesor
(08:18:00 AM) Jorge Alberto: a lo mejor no me recuerde, pero gracias a usted me gradue aunk nadie lo pueda creer. No tiene k responderme nada pero en vdd le agradezco mucho sin embargo ...
(08:19:06 AM) Jorge Alberto: si no hubiera sido por usted ingeniero yo no me estuviera graduando en este momento...
(08:19:40 AM) Jorge Alberto: muchas gracias por todo

Reflexión

2008-01-21T08:54:00.000-06:00

Thus quoth the raven, nevermore

2008-01-16T11:44:00.000-06:00

Jurassic Office

2007-10-12T12:58:00.000-05:00

Dust in the wind

2007-10-09T15:32:00.000-05:00

Las cúpulas

2007-08-27T08:31:00.000-05:00

Jolie & family

2007-07-20T12:45:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the machine

2007-06-25T12:31:00.000-05:00

Cool

2007-06-15T19:58:00.000-05:00

Love is in the air

2007-04-20T09:41:00.000-05:00

Echoes of the very first cry

2007-03-08T22:13:00.000-06:00

Listening to Scatterlings of Africa was most def an aha! experience back in the Chico days. Way before being blown away again by listening to Paul Simon´s Graceland. I remember choosing the LP (yes, I did vinyl) because of the beautiful cover, and the enigmatic name of the band: Juluka. CJ, at the time my most admired musical expert, approved, same as my Lone Justice acquisition. This video is also interesting, kind of a meta Train Spotting thing. Spirit is indeed the journey.

The chicken crossing the road

2007-03-08T13:49:00.000-06:00

Engagement

2007-02-26T13:17:00.000-06:00

Mau & Ana are officially engaged. The wedding is scheduled for March of next year in Costa Esmeralda. Congratulations

The point of snow return

2007-02-06T14:19:00.000-06:00

Baseball

2007-02-02T16:40:00.000-06:00

EFQ 16:3 - Summer, 1999
Cover: Bobby Brown

Paul Rogers' lengthy, insightful interview with former A.L. President Bobby Brown and Peter Bjarkman's exploding the myth of Fidel Castro as big league pitching prospect highlight another fine issue, which also includes editor Steve Lehman's review of baseball's ignorance about addiction; Paul Chaplin's review of Bud Selig's afflictions; Chris Christensen's disenchantment with baseball's homerun derby; and Rick Wilber's enchantment with baseball in Tampa Bay. Two poignant memoirs include Dan Stoneking on an afternoon spent talking and fishing with the great Joe DiMaggio and EFQ founder Ken LaZebnik's remembrance of a baseball fan and friend who recently lost a battle with ALS. Joseph Connolly's "Heinie Manush Tries for Third" is a wonderful story of an elderly man coping with grief and separation, while John Rosengren's "Couldfield" relates a country ballplayer with a knack for the HBP. More fine poetry from John Poff, Edward Rielly, Lynn Rigney Schott, and others, and book reviews of Take Two and Hit to Right, Baseball's Pivotal Era, and Underworld.

http://www.efqreview.com/NewFiles/marketplace/backissues.html

Skyking RIP

2007-01-29T20:01:00.000-06:00

We'll meet on the 19th hole and share a Bushmill's and a Guinness.

Turkish Star Wars (1982) (eng. subtitles)

2007-01-26T16:55:00.000-06:00

Turkish-made film commonly known as Turkish Star Wars because of its notorious bootlegging of Star Wars film clips worked into the film. Released in 1982, Dünyay? Kurtaran Adam was created in Turkey caught in the midst of massive political upheaval. As a result, American-made films were not easily acquired and were often remade with a Turkish cast and setting. The musical soundtrack is entirely lifted from Western film hits of the time, primarily using Raiders of the Lost Ark. There are also scenes incorporating the music of Moonraker, Flash Gordon, Battlestar Galactica, Planet of the Apes and Disney's The Black Hole. Films considered the worst ever.

Victory

2007-01-25T16:32:00.000-06:00

C.R.A.P

2007-01-11T10:48:00.000-06:00

2006-12-24T12:47:00.000-06:00

Feliz Navidad

7 Leguas

2006-12-24T11:53:00.000-06:00

It is the season to be jolly.
Graduation at the Tec was emotional. Camacho, Alfredo, Erika, Héctor y Víctor graduated. Also Mariana Sánchez, Mariana Ramírez, Caro, Cristina, Wayi, Madaí, Gaby Barreda. Had lunch with Cristina and her family. At night, celebrated with Alfredo and his father. Interesting talk about education in Mexico.
Giselle's b-day party was a blast. The little elves were very cute. I had the unconfortable feeling somebody at the party knew me but I could not remember her name. Diplomatic chat with MALM. Juan is a big boy now. How time flies.
Missed Santa Fe's inauguration. Remember to schedule a exploratory visit.
Pollo's arrival was celebrated at El Rodeo with Nochebuenas and 7 Leguas. Celebration continued but not everybody remembers everything. His new girlfriend went to Chico State briefly so we feel we have a bond. Skyking phoned again from DaNang. His health is not improving. I offered to fly over to see him but he tried to convince me otherwise.
Xmas dinner with Rosy, Paty and the gang at El Herradero. Good mollejas.
I bought my sister a Compaq notebook for Xmas and a Vaio for myself. Holding on the LCD tv and pool table.
Diner at Pilar's was delightful. Her father is very entertaining in a very traditional Spanish style and he did a good job of keeping us laughing.
Sadly, Memo's mother has been given the last rites so our Xmas dinner will be accordingly sombre.
Peace on earth.

The dream

2006-12-21T07:45:00.000-06:00

"The whole dream of democracy is to raise the proletarian to the level of stupidity attained by the bourgeois."
- Gustave Flaubert

Orbis Tertius

2006-12-11T09:06:00.000-06:00

Busy social calendar. Great celebration of Paty´s birthday.
Good movies. Broken roses, Babel, Shopgirl, and Pan´s Labirynth. In a way, all four deal with failed relationships. I liked Broken Roses´s soundtrack. Hope to fare better in returning to old girlfriends.
Skyking phoned from Vietnam. Still running a fever. Willie accidentally killed one of the little ones, Caesar. She will be under my care if anything happens to SK.
Alex and Alba are gone, we need a new poker player for Wednesdays.
Great meal with Eva and John. Everybody cooked while I sipped tequila and watched Chivas become champion.
Narcopolio is out of the gate. It feels good.

Why did I blog this?

2006-12-09T13:08:00.000-06:00

High times for memory: cannabis disrupts temporal coordination among hippocampal neurons - Nature Neuroscience: "Exogenous cannabinoid receptor agonists impair hippocampus-dependent learning and decrease the power of hippocampal electroencephalographic activity. A new paper shows that cannabinoids desynchronize neuronal assemblies without affecting average firing rates, and that this effect correlates with memory deficits in individuals.
"

Roboexotica

2006-12-07T09:39:00.000-06:00

We need one of these for the office. Anything built with Legos?

2006-12-04T15:57:00.000-06:00

Je n'ai pas oublié

2006-12-04T15:54:00.000-06:00

Layla

2006-12-04T15:42:00.000-06:00

What It Is

Carpe diem

2006-11-21T08:39:00.000-06:00

The Greenhornes :: There Is An End :
(featuring: Holly Golightly)

(From Broken Flowers Soundtrack)

Words disappear,
Words weren't so clear,
Only echoes passing through the night.

The lines on my face,
Your fingers once traced,
Fading reflection of what was.

Thoughts re-arrange,
Familiar now strange,
All my skin is drifting on the wind.

Spring brings the rain,
With winter comes pain,
Every season has an end.

I try to see through the disguise,
But the clouds were there,
Blocking out the sun (the sun).

Thoughts re-arrange,
Familiar now strange,
All my skin is drifting on the wind.

Spring brings the rain,
With winter comes pain,
Every season has an end.

There's an end,
There's an end,
There's an end,
There's an end,
There's an end.

---------------
http://www.absolutelyrics.com/lyrics/view/the_greenhornes/there_is_an_end/

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

2006-11-15T10:44:00.000-06:00

SmartClassroom: "A bit about Pzizz. The software generates naps to your specifications from a combination of words, music, and sounds. You can control the mix, but the default settings are just fine for me. Each time a nap is generated, it is doing so from millions of combinations of these three elements. When generating a nap, this means that no two naps are the same. The program uses Neuro Linguistic Programming for the spoken portion, and that enhances the impact on the brain."

Flaming telepathic artists of silence

2006-11-13T08:59:00.000-06:00

Camacho incited a cosmonautic inauguration of our new offices last Thursday. We were supposed to go to Expori that night but cancelled so we could celebrate Pilar's b-day at La Tavola at Chalo's request. We had a team vision of the layout of our new offices. All agreed the balcony needs a Denny Crane and an Alan Shore. We decided I´ll play Denny Crane and Chalo will be Alan Shore. And we need a pool table. Pilar missed her b-day dinner but we had an Absolut blast at La Tavola. Minor break in my diet (well, 2 kilos worth this week).
Travelled to Tepeji to be with the family and celebrate JCs b-day. Everybody is fine. My Dad keeps fixing things around the house. It takes him longer now and more often than not he has to end up hiring somebody to finnish the job. He is happy and in excellent shape.
My social calendar is getting busy with Thanksgivings dinner, Alex & Alba's farewell party, graduation celebrations, visiting uncle Robert in Florida, etc. I also have been designated as little Franco's godfather and the baptism is planned for December.
Read a good article by Jorgue Volpi about Juan Rulfo, allegedly on of hiw own inluences. Writing fiction in Mexico comes easily. One just has to look around and listen. Take the bombings in DF last Monday. Skyking, now in Tibet, takes them to be validation the revolution is just around the corner and 4 years early. 5 different guerilla groups claimed responsibility, but APPO didn´t want any of it. Those familiar with PRIs traditional undercover tactics claim former Oaxaca governor Murat is behind several of those guerilla groups. Others see CIA inspired Contra-style paramilitary actions in the Oaxaca affair. Even the Zapatistas were allegedly funded by Carlos Salinas at one point. Such richness of plots could fuel a Mexican version of 24 or Vanished. Note to self: buy Volpi´s new book, write Mexican thriller.

Hyundai Veracruz

2006-11-07T17:00:00.000-06:00

64

2006-11-06T10:09:00.000-06:00

"Will you still need me
Will you still feed me
When I'm sixty-four "

The Beatles, When I'm Sixty-Four

A couple of cold fronts have heralded the beginning of the end of 2006. The Day of the Dead confirmed it. My sabbatical is coming to an end (can I afford an extension?).
Teaching a Computer Security course took me to Tapachula for the second time this year a couple of weeks ago. This time I got to explore more of the city than just the ADO terminal and surrounding areas. On the plane there I met one of Maria Shriver´s personal assistants. She was reading a bunch of stuff about Tapachula, migrants and the Zapatistas. First I thought she was an academic. As it turns out she was sent on a mission to prepare a visit by the first lady of California to the famous Albergue Jesus El Buen Pastor y Casa del Pobre run in Tapachula by Olga Sánchez. Frankly, I hadn´t heard about it so I was a little ashamed by my ignorance. She compounded my guilt when she mentioned Enrique´s Journey and I went blank again. I remembered El Norte from the good old Chico State days. The feeling that I have become insensitive over the years hit me like a brick.
Skyking turned 64 this weekend. He called from Phuket. The humidity affected his voice vox batteries, giving his voice a disconcerting effect. Feline count is 35 now. His puppy Willie is providing the kind of unconditional love he hasn´t been able to find in friends and family. His stories could be turned into a big contender for Big Fish. The latest include repelling two pirate attacks (the first in the Solomon Islands, the second near Indonesia). RPGs, AK-47s and the whole thing. He had called me on the phone as he watched the second pirate ship disappear into the sea. I think he was playing The End on the stereo.
One thing we have been arguing back and forth lately is his theory that Mexico is due for a revolution in 2010, most likely instrumented by Marcos. The basis for this? Well, according to him we had revolutions in 1810 and 1910, so 2010 will continue the cycle. The mayas believed in cycles. And of course, our diversity sadly includes economic conditions ranging from the stone age to the 21st century. As the Mexican stock exchange reaches historical new heights and the country´s macroeconomic picture looks solidly rosy, Oaxaca, Chiapas and Guerrero continue to be hotspots. Oil revenues and migrant money sent home help alleviate the underlying crisis. But for how long?
AMLO´s appeal in the last election really scared the powers that be. (Un)fortunately, he self destructed. Not even APPO wants to have anything to do with him. The left has gained in Latin America recently: Lula in Brazil, Bachelet in Chile, Ortega in Nicaragua, etc. And for good reasons. Poverty is prevalent. The gap between rich and poor widens more and more everyday. Is there a real solution to poverty? The government is not the answer, specially not the Mexican government, inefficient and corrupt as it is. Building a strong micro economy requires more than campaign promises. All this is certainly fertile ground for revolution (the EPR is active in Oaxaca) and violence (PRIs paramilitary forces also active in Oaxaca). Can the PRI redefine itself or will it be the reminder of one of many revolutions gone wrong before it dies? Can private enterprise become socially conscious? Can Mexico be truly a state of law or just the playground for global bandidos?
As bad as the current picture might be, Mexico has made progress and I don´t see a revolution erupting soon. Skyking begs to differ. I hope he is wrong.

New toys, old tricks

2006-11-06T10:05:00.000-06:00

Hacking Democracy (HBO Special)

2006-10-31T10:33:00.000-06:00

Oaxaca de mis Dolores (IV Parte)

2006-10-31T10:32:00.000-06:00

Oaxaca de mis Dolores (III Parte)

2006-10-31T10:26:00.000-06:00

Oaxaca de mis Dolores (II Parte)

2006-10-31T08:22:00.000-06:00

Oaxaca de mis Dolores (I Parte)

Old Gringo

2006-10-27T17:00:00.000-05:00

Ambrose Bierce - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "'Good-by ? if you hear of my being stood up against a Mexican stone wall and shot to rags please know that I think that a pretty good way to depart this life. It beats old age, disease, or falling down the cellar stairs. To be a Gringo in Mexico ? ah, that is euthanasia'."

Future love

2006-10-13T11:56:00.000-05:00

Harper's Index for September 2006 (Harpers.org): "Year by which humans will ?be having sex with robots,? according to the head of the European Robotics Research Network: 2011"

¿Qué será?

2006-10-09T09:06:00.000-05:00

Reprobados cuestan a la SEP más de 48 mmdp - El Universal - México: "La mayor tasa de reprobados en primaria se presentó en Oaxaca, seguido de Guerrero y Chiapas, mientras que en secundaria el primer lugar lo obtuvo Campeche, y luego Yucatán y Sinaloa."

My birthday present

2006-10-05T10:24:00.000-05:00

Picasa Web Albums - Carolina - Baby Caro

2006-10-05T02:04:00.000-05:00

Artistry

Keep an eye on these two.

Quote of the day

2006-09-22T10:59:00.000-05:00

"'Cunt is an acronym.' 'For what?' 'For can't-understand-normal-thinking.'"

Rolling Stone : COVER STORY -- Jack Nicholson: Secrets of the Great Seducer:

2006-09-21T14:45:00.000-05:00

Black Cat John Brown

Dutch blues.

Nada personal

2006-09-18T11:47:00.000-05:00

CTL-ALT-DEL

2006-09-18T10:51:00.000-05:00

The Oaxaca affair

2006-09-13T12:21:00.000-05:00

Granito de Arena | Corrugated Films

Caminata en Metlac

2006-09-08T10:50:00.000-05:00

Metlactón

Sep 8, 2006 - 42 Photos

Caminata en Ixtac

2006-09-08T10:48:00.000-05:00

Los Sifones

Sep 5, 2006 - 10 Photos

Celebración de Los Tratados de Córdoba

2006-08-25T11:49:00.000-05:00

Edgar Dorantes y la Orquesta Juvenil "Daniel Ayala" interpretando Rhapsody in Blue.
Agosto 24, Teatro Pedro Díaz.

In suspense

2006-08-24T13:50:00.000-05:00

The country remains in suspense, electoriallywise. Civil resistance mexican style in the camps gets a lot of press. Few supporters outside DF. The ones in front of the IFE in Córdoba are long gone, their commitment dissolved by rain or the realization of a lost cause.

I have resumed my "normal" life after Robert´s visit ended. Good friends bring such a joy to life.

Poker last night included a just-in-case farewell for Anna, who might be retiring to Canada soon. Alex is bailing in December, followed by John. Frank, Tim and I will have to find new players. Max is coming for a visit in a couple of weeks. Having girls on poker night brings interesting tidbits like Tamarás theoretical link between eating hormone-fed-chickens and homosexuality.

Picky has turned a new leaf laborwise. On the bright side, we get to walk daily with Betito and he might be joinning Elisa´s crew for a Return of The Veratecos. Kawa & Jolie have enjoyed our change of ambulatory venue to Metlac and Las Antenas.

Today at Metlac we met the young German shepherd who lives on the route to the cane fields that go to the Tec. Kawa wanted to play but he wasn´t amused. Almost at the end of our walk, we were greeted by a guy that turned out to be the Vice Rector of the Ixtac Campus of the UV. and who works with a non-profit group called "Vecinos y Amigos del Metlac". He invited us for a walk along the railroad tracks to the new library at the Ixtac Campus on September 8th. In addition to informational activities, building and maintaining walking rails is in their agenda.

Concert tonight at the Pedro Díaz Theater. Venturing into Custom Brew UI Control Development.

Web 2.0 logo generator

2006-08-17T08:12:00.000-05:00

http://msig.info/web2.php

Another Mexican gift to the world

2006-08-16T07:35:00.000-05:00

"The Pirate Bay was born in the late summer of 2003, in a plain motherboard box in Mexico with a slow radio uplink to the net."
Wired News: Secrets of the Pirate Bay

La gran aventura de Manolo y el tío Robert

2006-08-09T08:33:00.000-05:00

Una boda y algunos mundos perdidos

Aug 8, 2006 - 394 Photos

Infancia

2006-07-25T19:03:00.000-05:00

Figures lie and liers figure

2006-07-23T08:12:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Dan I found some interesting mathematical analysis of our recent elections. Such interest in mathematics seems to me a positive result of the debate over the alleged electoral fraud and a refreshing alternative to the aggressively insulting approach chosen by some to achieve a complete vote by vote recount.
Miguel de Icaza shows how a histogram of vote counts can detect suspicious anomalies and points to a very complete site full of statistical analysis of the election. Of course, the example of a "good" distribution is DF, where PRD won.
With a long history of electoral fraud in Mexico, it is naive to think there was no fraud at all. My experience as an observer was that many errors were possible as people were tired and not exactly very well trained, but I observed no fraud. Both effects effectively render the elections results unreliable given the narrow margin of victory. For peace of mind, a vote recount (as prescribed by law) is in order. The question of whether or not is legal to have a total recount is unclear. Certainly, after reading this (an instrument ironically authored by Muñoz Ledo).
Apparently, the claims of fraud via the software used in the election has been withdrawn. I am curious as to what measures were used to guarantee software integrity. Maybe something like this could be used next time.
I´d be curious to find out more refined explanations of how the alleged state-of-the-art fraud was perpetrated by people who apparently can´t add and substract.

Welkom Teun

2006-07-18T07:50:00.000-05:00

Lisa's second baby arrived July 16th. Congratulations!

Robert Newman's History of oil

2006-07-17T14:47:00.000-05:00


Conspiracy comedy.

Señales

2006-07-17T07:38:00.000-05:00

"Para la estabilidad política, económica y financiera del país; para contribuir a la paz social; para alejar la confrontación irracional, es necesario el recuento voto por voto, casilla por casilla".

AMLO.

O sea, que admite que su confrontación es irracional y amenaza con inestabilidad y menor paz social.

Crack

2006-07-04T09:40:00.000-05:00

Santa Elena

2006-07-03T21:02:00.000-05:00

Elección 2006 002

Yesterday was the first time I have voted for president in Mexico. As a favor to Paty I had volunteered to be represent the PRI at a voting place and was assigned to Santa Elena, a rural community 20 minutes from Córdoba.
The election was very peaceful and clean. It was a good experience to be part of the process.

More pictures here.

Take a mulligan

2006-07-03T20:42:00.000-05:00

Summer fun: elections and World Cup action. Positively harmful to productivity. Beta testing started on Narcopolio. The Bernabeu has been a new venue for watching soccer. Mexico is out, not ready for prime time again.
Then Murphy reared its ugly head: the HD in the Toshiba crashed. Knoppix and my external Seagate saved the day. Luckily I found a replacement HD in Córdoba and two days later I was happily restored. Just then I got an invitation from Alex to go play golf at the Campestre. Borrowing some clubs from Frank I was ready and we played under the rain. Leonardo was my caddy and I didn´t do half bad considering I haven´t played since before Skyking left.
Who will win the election? Who will win the World Cup? Will they ever have draft beer back at Rodeo?

Semiótica política

2006-06-26T10:46:00.000-05:00

Flora

2006-06-24T11:55:00.000-05:00

Audionerd trivia

2006-06-22T16:27:00.000-05:00

Brian Eno - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "In 1994 Eno was approached by Mark Malamud and Erik Gavriluk, senior designers at Microsoft on the Cairo project. The result was the start-up sound for the Windows 95 operating system (which Eno created on his Apple Macintosh)."