Video: China vs US: The Battle for Oil

This video was forwarded to me by the editor the Huntermania blog. I think this video sheds some light on the increasingly contentious race for the dwindling supplies of global oil.

The African Dilemma

Video Description from TEDtalks: "In this provocative talk, journalist Andrew Mwenda asks us to reframe the "African question" -- to look beyond the media's stories of poverty, civil war and helplessness and see the opportunities for creating wealth and happiness throughout the continent. Most important, he says, the solution to Africa's problems is not more aid."

Proyecto Caribeño Mobilizes Against American Militarism

On Friday, August 24 Projecto Caribeño placed 75 pairs of Army boots on the steps of San Juan's Cathedral on Calle Cristo. Each pair served to remind everyone, including tourists, of the 75 Puerto Rican soldiers now dead due to America's wars halfway around the world.

For a clear comparison look at the list of coalition deaths below:

Australia 2
Bulgaria 13
Czech Republic 1
Denmark 7
El Salvador 5
Estonia 2
Hungary 1
Italy 33
Kazakhstan 1
Latvia 3
Netherlands 2
Poland 21
Romania 2
Slovakia 4
South Korea 1
Spain 11
Thailand 2
Ukraine 18
United Kingdom 168
United States 3733
-Source: Iraq Coalition Casualties

That means that the Puerto Rican sacrifice for the Bush/Blair war has been greater than that of all but two coalition members, Bush's United States and Blair's United Kingdom. Oh and lets not forget the 27,186 wounded among just the American service men, about 50 % of which with wounds severe enough to have never returned to duty.

I also would like everyone to keep in mind the deaths of over 300,000 Iraqis.

To find out more check out http://pcjp.blogspot.com/

To be or not to be. That is the question.

"Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune...or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing, end them."

Shakespeare wasn't talking about Puerto Rico, but he might have just as well. Because that is the question. But the classic Shakespearian drama pales in comparison with the reality lived on this island. Survival is part of the drama here, to make it to tomorrow, to pay the bills at the end of the week, to provide for those who depend on your labor. But while survival remains the priority, no one has time to philosophize about the future.

Anyone caught contemplating this most important of questions is ridiculed and shunned as out of touch and the politicians play on this and prey upon the people's fears. Fear of what? The fear that only a people living in a tiny island could imagine, from hurricanes to tsunamis to foreign invasions, but more salient still is the fear that tomorrow their labor may have been for naught. The people live in fear here, the politicians thrive on that fear. And the thinkers are called stupid for refusing to be afraid. Shakespeare said it best out of Hamlet's mouth:

"Conscience does make cowards of us all"

Sanjuaneros Somos

On August 4th, 2007 I moved to Puerto Rico after 18 years of living in the United States. I was ten when I left, guided by the hand by my mother, my brother, and my sister. As my studies progressed through high school, college, and graduate school, I have never regretted the decision to move to the United States, but slowly the need to return overcame any other desire. Now I find myself here, living in el Viejo San Juan and looking at life from a different perspective.

For those uninitiated with life in Puerto Rico, I should first explain how similar everything is to the United States. similar however does not mean "same". I am typing this at a Starbucks, on a city square called La Plaza de Armas. In one corner there is a Marshalls, in another a Wendy's, a Subway, a Walgreens, and a Howard Johnson Hotel. It was not always like this mind you. I can't remember exactly how everything used to look, but where the Marshall's is there used to be a Gonzalez Padin. That was the Bloomingdales of Puerto Rico. Every Christmas they would arrange the most spectacular store window with every imaginable Christmas scene you could think of. Now its gone. Somehow, I don't expect the same attention to detail from Marshall's.

There are other businesses, Puerto Rican based businesses like Mundo Taino, which carry Taino inspired artworks at very good prices, I bought a cemi there. Unfortunately this store is one in a sea of souvenir shops hocking everything that China could mass produce with the name of Puerto Rico on it.

But el Viejo San Juan, still belongs to the people. The Piragua carts are still here and the pigeons still have there way with your empanadilla if you get too close. If the world ended tomorrow in a combined hostile takeover by Wal-Mart and McDonald's, I suspect that el Viejo San Juan would be the last bastion of culture left in the world. Because its not for the weak hearted, nor the timid. Its the place where you can still stand in the middle of the street and force the cars to go around you. Its the place where any revolutionary can stand on a park bench and decry all injustices and find an audience to entertain.

Some may ask, what about New York? Fuck New York. I love New York, but this isn't a city built by corporate power or industrial might. El Viejo San Juan is a city built for defense. Encircled by walls at whose ends stand castles, sentinels waiting for the next invasion. This is a city that was never conquered, a city whose only crime has been to allow itself to look like a tourist attraction, when it is in fact the greatest monument to everything that Puerto Rico was, is, and could be.

Let the tourists roam, we will accomodate their needs, but people live here, and here is where the people will always find refuge, whether facing the cannons of Francis Drake or the battleships of the American Navy. This city stands because its people will tell you that they would rather die than live anywhere else, these are the Sanjuaneros.

Latino Insurgent is moving to Puerto Rico

Dear readers,

First, let me apologize for not providing updates in a timely basis lately. The reason is that I am moving back to Puerto Rico. It should take me a week or so to get settled and then we'll get started again with the goings and ongoings of our world today. Also, I will post stories in Spanish in a separate blog which will also go online soon after I get settled in the island, "porque necesito la practica".

Well, keep up the fight and we'll meet again on the other side.

Mike Deliz
Latino Insurgent Editor

The Future of the GOP, not much different from today's GOP

Max Blumenthal visits the College Republican National Convention :


Untitled from huffpost and Vimeo.
See full Report from the Huffungton Post

Bush declares July 15 - 21, "Captive Nations Week", --World chuckles in unison--

Here is the official proclamation:

A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

Liberty is the path to lasting peace and the unalienable right of every man, woman, and child. During Captive Nations Week, we underscore our commitment to protecting human rights, advancing democracy and freedom, and ending tyranny across the globe.

Expanding freedom is a moral imperative, and today more people are free than ever before. Freedom is reaching around the world, and America is working side-by-side with new democracies in Liberia, Mauritania, Ukraine, Georgia, and Kyrgyzstan. The people of Kuwait held elections in which women were able to vote and run for office for the first time, and the elected parliament is exercising real influence with the government. We continue to stand firmly behind the citizens of Lebanon, Afghanistan, and Iraq as they defend their democratic gains against extremist enemies. Many are making great sacrifices for liberty, and they deserve our steadfast support.

While there is progress in freedom's advance, nations such as Belarus, Burma, Cuba, North Korea, Syria, Iran, Sudan, and Zimbabwe still oppress their citizens. My Administration recently created the Human Rights Defenders Fund to provide grants for the legal defense and medical expenses of democratic dissidents arrested or beaten by repressive governments. In addition, we have nearly doubled funding for democracy projects throughout the world. The American people believe that the flame for freedom burns in every human heart, and that light cannot be extinguished by governments, terrorists, or tyrants. During Captive Nations Week, we remember that human freedom is the key to achieving respect for all human rights.

The Congress, by Joint Resolution approved July 17, 1959 (73 Stat. 212), has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation designating the third week in July of each year as "Captive Nations Week."

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim July 15 through 21, 2007, as Captive Nations Week. I call upon the people of the United States to reaffirm our commitment to all those seeking liberty, justice, and self-determination.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of July, in the year of our Lord two thousand seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-second.

GEORGE W. BUSH

Interesting, I guess Iraq doesn't count as a "Captive Nation", nor for that matter does Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. I also find it interesting that there is no mention of Chechnya, Palestine, Chiapas, Oaxaca, or Tibet. How about Taiwan? Hmm... I guess those didn't make the final draft of the speech. Oh, of course, Iran made the list... but not Kurdistan. What about Kashmir?

Now if your going to list Syria and Iran, what about Saudi Arabia? And if you are listing Cuba, then why not Pakistan?

Hypocrisy at its finest.

[UPDATE:A brother or sister of the struggle commented that I left out Aztlan, thank you for pointing it out and for good measure we should include all indigenous groups currently living in reservations across the world as "Captive Nations". If you can think of others please leave me a comment and we'll try to make a comprehensive list to hand to Mr. Bush.]

A Trip to Nigeria Anyone?

My friend Julie went on a trip to Nigeria check out her blog for some first hand accounts of traveling in this part of Africa.
http://yomamayodaddyandyowholegeneration.blogspot.com/

American indoctrination attempt fails at U.S. Virgin Islands

Challenge cadets in formation

The U.S. Virgin Islands ( a.k.a St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix) are colonies of the American Empire, I hope that doesn't come as new information. In this colony there are many problems, such as unemployment, healthcare, crime, drugs, and corruption, really nothing that different from any other colony and often worse than what you will find in the U.S.

These problems have been around for years, about 90 years to be more accurate, and on any given day the problems of these islands are largely ignored by Washington, DC , except that recently the National Guard decided to do something about it (you can almost feel the rumble of the cavalry coming to the rescue). Except that this is their solution:

The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program... "a co-educational, 17-month program for 16-18 year old high school dropouts. Currently, there are 34 ChalleNGe programs in 29 states and the territory of Puerto Rico. Cadets must be drug-free, not in trouble with the law and high school dropouts. The program consists of a 5 1/2-month quasi-military Residential Phase and is followed by a 12-month Post-Residential Phase."

I find it particularly interesting that while the United States is having trouble filling the rank and file of its regular military, and increasingly relies on National Guard troops to complete the needed numbers, that the Guard would seek to expand what is their most successful recruitment tool into the Virgin Islands. Also interesting is that the vote on the matter would come just two days after the nationalistic rituals of the July 4th holiday.

To the credit of the Senate of the Virgin Islands, the program has been voted down as the bill in which it was introduced would have handed over to the "quasi-military" program the right to determine who is considered at-risk and would give it authority to grant high school diplomas and GEDs. Senators chaffed at the idea of handing over so much power to the National Guard, whose spokesperson played down the concerns about indoctrination and using the poor as cannon fodder to no avail. The Senate voted against the bill on Friday July 6, two days after celebrating American militarism on July 4th.