tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56284882024-03-21T10:20:01.168-04:00XoloitzquintleRandom collection of kvetching.Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.comBlogger1002125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-80493447649465782202013-07-13T21:41:00.001-04:002013-07-13T22:01:23.970-04:00Sol<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">La Ruta de la Amistad</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sol - Japan</span></b><br />
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Kiyoshi Takahashi: 1925-1996</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The Japanese sculpture is made up of two spheres that have two fourth sections removed. They stand 7 meters tall. Their placement is such that an optical illusion is produced when passing automobiles speed past them: it appears that the two spheres are complete and they are rotating on their axis.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;">As a child, I found this effect mesmerizing. However, as often was (and is) the case, traffic often slowed the passing cars so that the effect was lost. I also did not like the fact that they were white. The grime from exhaust became very visible on them and they were often vandalized. I am not sure if they are maintained and cleaned regularly now.</span></div>
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Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-2601250064016227942013-07-12T21:51:00.000-04:002013-07-13T21:44:12.104-04:00Las Tres Gracias <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">La Ruta de la Amistad</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Station #3</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Las Tres Gracias - Czechoslovakia </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Miroslav Chlupac: 1920-2007</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJcIzDtX9HX7lkIWuZGIkPA6NCF8Vw_J4J90SiT8rRTqUP1Je6fz7JZKipeGQxhHch0KmSPttUo1C4C3350Q8ubAox6xS0MFLiMcP7r-HzVIJ6k1HDJMP_U9vknEOEMwmUVl_/s1600/3+Tres+Gracias.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJcIzDtX9HX7lkIWuZGIkPA6NCF8Vw_J4J90SiT8rRTqUP1Je6fz7JZKipeGQxhHch0KmSPttUo1C4C3350Q8ubAox6xS0MFLiMcP7r-HzVIJ6k1HDJMP_U9vknEOEMwmUVl_/s640/3+Tres+Gracias.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQyUx40oG6ZQ890TA-qTFWsbPDPHJWHeVJvXWhoiit7emiXNgrt83rtWV7b5L-QUThw05NYSS79KRTo5j62xJCW03eklDh_x5a5fbcv2SEprgdIRvH9jLS8CVVEZJyNGW3XAa/s1600/3+Tres+Gracias+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQyUx40oG6ZQ890TA-qTFWsbPDPHJWHeVJvXWhoiit7emiXNgrt83rtWV7b5L-QUThw05NYSS79KRTo5j62xJCW03eklDh_x5a5fbcv2SEprgdIRvH9jLS8CVVEZJyNGW3XAa/s400/3+Tres+Gracias+2.jpg" width="300" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The third station is made up by three reinforced concrete columns - two pink and one purple - that stand 12.5 meters tall. Each has a contoured side that contrasts with the straightness of the other three sides. They stand on an elevated median between the main roadway and the frontage road making them quite visible as one drives by. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What I liked about this sculpture is how the two pink columns seem to be interacting because their contoured sides face each other. The lavender one is the odd one out both because of the color and having its contoured side face the smooth side of one of the pink ones. </span></div>
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<br />Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-12783657537487594532013-05-29T19:33:00.001-04:002013-05-29T19:44:18.622-04:00El Ancla - The Anchor<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ruta de la Amistad</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-center;"><b>Station # 2</b></span><br style="line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-center;" /><strong style="line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-center;">El Ancla - Switzerland</strong><br style="line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-center;" /><br style="line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-center;" /><span style="line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-center;">Willi Gutmann: 1927-</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZS0dqdtFBF6yDE6VBLdA5loyti_w3SNPZMdHwUgKhIF5UpTMIfj4gbJw2lr_cyHBRppl83uV1_op-HqPHBQxWiYsSs6_tscWkvLJWkzzJ1Ucg5Jx1ZDjK_WJBkTywXfkkiM4A/s1600/Ancla+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZS0dqdtFBF6yDE6VBLdA5loyti_w3SNPZMdHwUgKhIF5UpTMIfj4gbJw2lr_cyHBRppl83uV1_op-HqPHBQxWiYsSs6_tscWkvLJWkzzJ1Ucg5Jx1ZDjK_WJBkTywXfkkiM4A/s640/Ancla+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-center;">The second installment of the Route of Friendship is The Anchor. It is 7.5 meters tall. Originally it was painted purple with green highlights. In 1997, the artist asked for the color to be changed to blue in order to blend in the completely transformed surroundings from what it was like in 1968. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-center;">Driving past it, I recall liking the shape and how it resembled interlocking puzzle pieces. I did not like the original colors, though. I do think it looks better in blue. But then again, blue is a color I tend to prefer. Sometimes I thought it looked like some sort of cartoonish character. Other times I thought it looked like a snail. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTFViYm6wHzIbkkpWAHHGZHc50MLKewCzZvvtj5NC86CZmiIwKcn7SNRLpfLTiD1aXa6aiYl-ooKH6akp-q-LVul_wkUaGOeLg5Fkc7dgNzKsp3Olz-vnCA8L5rIANuVAxUaq/s1600/Ancla+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTFViYm6wHzIbkkpWAHHGZHc50MLKewCzZvvtj5NC86CZmiIwKcn7SNRLpfLTiD1aXa6aiYl-ooKH6akp-q-LVul_wkUaGOeLg5Fkc7dgNzKsp3Olz-vnCA8L5rIANuVAxUaq/s400/Ancla+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-11259501481695485482013-05-03T19:41:00.000-04:002013-05-03T19:47:47.620-04:00Señales<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="textos3" style="line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-center;">Ruta de la Amistad</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="textos3" style="line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-center;"><b>Station # 1<br />Señales - México</b></span><br style="line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-center;" /><br style="line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-center;" /><span class="textos3" style="line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-center;">Ángela Gurría - 1929-</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBcmGgoF_GchpoCACI0xy-hhOYfO1hwEHbmy53f8GzbY4on-gYD9wYioqkxB3W6BMVMwBaXfeRO-AaiA78GR-Uz3EfnGeujuBYdFKCBUjDnPD_ubAkp7kl0X2rAzs1Mlq5kOB/s1600/Senales+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBcmGgoF_GchpoCACI0xy-hhOYfO1hwEHbmy53f8GzbY4on-gYD9wYioqkxB3W6BMVMwBaXfeRO-AaiA78GR-Uz3EfnGeujuBYdFKCBUjDnPD_ubAkp7kl0X2rAzs1Mlq5kOB/s400/Senales+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="textos3" style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">The first installation in the Route is a 18 meter high sculpture made up of two horn shapes colored black and white. The colors alluded to the fact that the 1968 Olympics were the first to feature the broad participation of countries from Africa. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="textos3" style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">This was the sculpture I saw most frequently, almost every Sunday when we went to my grandparents house. It was placed on the overpass where we would get off the motorway. Seeing it meant that we were close to our destination. At the time, I did not know the name or the meaning of the sculpture, but I would try to figure it out.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="textos3" style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">Sometimes it looked like horns, at others it looked like teeth. A few times I saw something resembling a bird. I found it interesting how the sculpture looked very different depending on the angle you looked at it. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="textos3" style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span></span>Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-43269608821288778762013-05-02T18:27:00.001-04:002013-05-02T18:27:25.547-04:00Ruta de la AmistadIn my last post, I recalled my journeys from my family's home to my grandparents' house on the other side of Mexico City. I also have been reminiscing about my memories of the public art in Mexico.<br />
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As a child, I particularly liked driving to my aunt's house that was further south from my grandparents' house because we drove along <i>la Ruta de la Amistad</i>: a large scale public art project along a 17 km route that followed the ring expressway along the southern perimeter of the city. The project was part of the celebration of the 1968 Olympic games being held in Mexico City, where the notion of including a Cultural Olympiad along with the sporting one was put forth. As part of the project, nineteen large artistic pieces designed and built by renown artist from around the world and measuring from 7 to 22 meters in height were placed along the route every one and a half kilometers. These large sculptures were to be placed either on the lava beds or in the agricultural fields that are found in the area - this part of the city was not developed at that time. Three other installations were to be placed at specific sporting venues, including the nearby Olympic Stadium and the Azteca Soccer Stadium.<br />
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When we would drive by these in the 1970s, the city had begun to expand into this area, but still seemed to be on the fringes of the urban center. Nonetheless, I loved spotting each sculpture, seeing the small sphere that identified the country from which the artist came from, and trying to make sense of the abstract art.<br />
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Over time, these sculptures were neglected and were not cared for. They were vandalized and eroded by the elements. Recently, there have been efforts to restore them by having business, non-profit, and diplomatic entities "adopt" each and fund their rehabilitation. <br />
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Over then next few days I will be posting pictures of each and my memories of them.Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-7274019144762535542013-04-30T19:44:00.000-04:002013-04-30T19:57:10.538-04:00Public Art and Private Architecture. When I was two or so, my family (father, mother, and I) moved to Ciudad Satelite, a northwestern suburb of Mexico City (see the previous post). The rest of my father's relatives lived in the southern suburbs of the city. My grandparents lived in a upscale development development built on the lava beds to the southwest of the city. The area featured modernist architecture that was supposed to live in harmony with the landscape. Gardens incorporated the lava beds rather than removing them (my grandparents' house certainly did - the lava rocks were great to climb on, but also left many a gash on my knees and elbows). Houses featured large windows floor to ceiling windows that offered a direct connection with the nature outside. <br />
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However, most of the houses were surrounded by large and looming ivy covered walls that hid most of the architecture from any passers by.<br />
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Almost every Sunday, we made the trek from the north of the city to my grandparents' house for Sunday comida (a large meal somewhere between lunch and dinner) with the rest of the extended family. The trip was marked by the recongnizable landscape and monuments we passed on the way. These included the unfinished and abandoned bullfighting ring that was supposed to be covered, which marked the boundary between the State of Mexico and the Federal District,<br />
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the Central Military Hospital, the Oilworkers Fountain on an overpass,<br />
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the Chapultepec theme park with its giant rollercoaster that never worked,<br />
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Los Pinos (the President's residence), some random colonial churches,<br />
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a factory with a huge concrete smoke stack,<br />
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the Televisa (the only television network in Mexico) San Angel Studios, an AMC auto dealer with weird futuristic architecture, and then when we finally got off the motorway, the first of seventeen massive public art sculptures commissioned for the Olympics in 1968. More on that later.<br />
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Once entering the development my grandparents lived in, we were welcomed by <i>El Animal del Pedregal</i>, a sculpture carved out of the local stone by Mathias Goeritz that stood by a fountain that was the original entrance to the development. <br />
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I never really knew what El Animal was, but it fascinated me. It had a look of pain and sorrow reaching up into the sky as if calling out, "help me". Sometimes I though it looked thirsty and was asking for someone to pour some water in its mouth. <br />
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As I write this and look for pictures to illustrate my memories, I realize that many of these markers are now gone, transformed, or not visible. The toreo was torn down, a second level was added to the motorway changing the vistas, the fountain at the entrance of the development was replaced by an office building - fortunately El Animal was saved - maybe it is now bemoaning the loss of its old home and wallowing in nostalgia as I am now.. <br />
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<br />Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-68347511021696310042013-04-28T23:04:00.003-04:002013-04-28T23:11:13.869-04:00Nostalgia and Public ArtAn old classmate of mine from when I lived in Mexico posted a old picture of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torres_de_Sat%C3%A9lite" target="_blank">La Torres de Satelite</a> on FB The picture was probably taken in the late 50s or early 60s.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The towers were a public art project by Mexican architect <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Barrag%C3%A1n" title="Luis Barragán" wotsearchprocessed="true">Luis Barragán, painter </a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jes%C3%BAs_Reyes_Ferreira" title="Jesús Reyes Ferreira" wotsearchprocessed="true">Jesús Reyes Ferreira and sculpturer </a>Mathias Goeritz. I grew up in Ciudad Satelite and lived not too far from the towers. As such, they were part of</span> my quotidian landscape and a landmark of home. They also were an iconic marker of the suburban periphery of the ever growing Mexico City. As one can see in the picture, they were built at a time when the area was just being developed. Over then next 30 years, the city expanded to consume the suburb, incorporating it into the sprawling metropolis. <br />
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Inspired by this picture, I searched for a more contemporary picture of the towers and came across another old one.<br />
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This one shows the promotional billboards for the new housing being built in the area. <br />
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And here is the more recent one, yet it is already dated as the area has grown more and there is now a second level to the motorway.<br />
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Along with the towers, some of the advertisements perched atop the surrounding buildings became essential parts of the landscape. In particular the Corona sign on the left of the picture, which lights up brightly at night.<br />
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These pictures sparked a certain nostalgia in me as I began to remember both the landscape of my childhood and the public art that tickled my imagination when I was young. In particular, the local mall, Plaza Satelite, which was one of the first mall in Mexico City (and probably the country). The logo for the mall was based on the aerial view of the road that swerves to go around the towers. <br />
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The logo was recreated on an immense scale inside the mall in the central area under a glass dome. It rose up from the ground level up past the second level almost reaching the top of the dome.<br />
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I am not sure if it was intended as a form of public art. It certainly was interactive. I remember running around and through the gaps between each of the steel structures, almost like a maze, and occasionally looking up to see the gleaming structure. <br />
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During the holidays, a large tree was brought in (although I am not sure how they got it into the mall) and decorated. It was accompanied by a life-sized nativity scene. <br />
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As I was journeying through these memories, my thoughts came back to other public art that was part of my youth and that I have been thinking of recently. I will write about those soon. Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-81590296124338836272013-04-09T21:24:00.002-04:002013-04-09T21:24:19.715-04:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/316967.Bodega_Dreams" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Bodega Dreams" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320451637m/316967.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/316967.Bodega_Dreams">Bodega Dreams</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/265099.Ernesto_Qui_onez">Ernesto Quiñonez</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/584620294">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Excellent glimpse into the social dynamics of the Puerto Rican community of East Harlem in the 1980s. Quinonez sophisticated character development exposes the protagonists' hopes, fears, desires, and conflicted feelings regarding personal goals and loyalty to the community. He also poses the question whether questionable practices can be justified if the profits are used to better the community. <br /><br />I enjoyed this book.
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5526826-erick">View all my reviews</a>
Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-51790636329136453552013-03-26T20:22:00.001-04:002013-03-26T20:22:51.712-04:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13547180-brain-on-fire" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1353173297m/13547180.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13547180-brain-on-fire">Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5778057.Susannah_Cahalan">Susannah Cahalan</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/561739989">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
As a dynamic, young professional living in New York and working at the New York Post, Cahalan seemed to be living a charmed life. That is until something within her seemed to break. Her personality began to change, her behavior became erratic, and she seemed to lose direction. As she began to look for answers as to why she was experiencing these symptoms, no one seemed to have an answer. Cahalan's fluid prose quickly draws you deeper into the mystery of what might be ailing her and her descent into declining health and her precarious mental state. <br /><br />What is wrong with this woman? <br /><br />The narrative takes you on her trek from a neurologist to a psychiatrist in her quest to determine if her illness is physical or mental until she ends up in the hospital. <br /><br />This book astutely presents both the triumphs and failures of modern medicine. A realm where doctors are continually learning about the complexity of the human body and mind so as to treat people's illnesses, yet concurrently doctors refuse to fully listen to patients, rely on stereotyped assumptions to make diagnoses, and access to competent and reliable health care is limited to those with resources and strong social networks. <br /><br />Calahan's book also forces us to reconsider the mind/body dichotomy, in particular when it comes to health and illness. What is often perceived as two separate realms are in fact intimately interrelated. <br /><br />The beauty of the book is that it tells an engrossing story that features complex medical issues and addresses broad social questions in such an accessible manner.
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5526826-erick">View all my reviews</a>
Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-38492984050539546272013-03-22T19:46:00.002-04:002013-03-22T19:46:48.865-04:00Why Italy is such a mess...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13594084-good-italy-bad-italy" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Good Italy, Bad Italy: Why Italy Must Conquer Its Demons to Face the Future" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344724143m/13594084.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13594084-good-italy-bad-italy">Good Italy, Bad Italy: Why Italy Must Conquer Its Demons to Face the Future</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10151.Bill_Emmott">Bill Emmott</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/562316374">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Good overview of the current political and economic situation in Italy by a journalist. Nothing too dense or detailed. I bit too business focused in parts. Ignores some important cultural issues.
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5526826-erick">View all my reviews</a>
Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-20072535387212057762013-03-15T10:02:00.002-04:002013-03-15T10:02:52.558-04:00Jerusalem<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9477628-jerusalem" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Jerusalem: The Biography" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327403922m/9477628.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9477628-jerusalem">Jerusalem: The Biography</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/371093.Simon_Sebag_Montefiore">Simon Sebag Montefiore</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/261398425">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
A fascinating journey through the long history of Jerusalem - the city revered by so many religions and sects. Montefiore highlights the major events and individuals through the different historical eras. He also presents the broader historical, political, and social contexts that have influenced the fate of the city. Given the ambitious nature of this project, it is only natural that he is forced to cover issues, events, and descriptions of individuals in a cursory way. At times this leaves the reader thirsting for more detail. However, it also allows the author to keep the narrative moving forwards without getting bogged down in details or going off on tangents, which would be all to easy to do. As the book progresses, Montefiore reveals the brutal and bloody history that is so gruesome that at times it borders on the farcical. For example, there were several occasions the Jews lost control of the city and ended up being slaughtered because the enemy attacked on the Sabbath when the Jews would refuse to fight. In a different instance, an incompetent invader tried to behead a resident, ineptly hacking at a prisoners neck who complained, "Ow, you are hurting me!" <br /><br />The few illustrations provide vivid visuals of the places and characters involved in the city's history. Montefiore also provides key genealogies of the major families that controlled the city that I often referred to.
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5526826-erick">View all my reviews</a>
Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-77885819850606463992013-02-21T18:28:00.000-05:002013-02-21T18:28:24.480-05:00StrugglingThe past weeks have been difficult. It has been one thing after another beating my psyche down - and I wasn't doing too well to begin with.<br />
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As if our financial situation wasn't difficult enough, we got a bill from New York State for $1400. Apparently I miscalculated the taxes we owed; a mistake that stems from having income and having to pay taxes in multiple states. I am not sure how we are going to manage to pay that, but I've added it to the pile of bills that are suffocating us. <br />
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Then came news that one of my best students tried to commit suicide. I already wrote about that, but it hit me pretty hard. It turns out that she is ok. I talked to her mother, which was very difficult as she was crying and freaking out. I know that there is only so much I can do, but the feelings of helplessness remain. <br />
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As I was to begin my weekend, hoping for a break from it all, I got an email telling me that I was not awarded a Fulbright for next year. That application was one of the few things I had been optimistic about - wrongly so, apparently. I had gotten a bad vibe from one of the people who interviewed me via Skype. She seemed resentful that I had arranged to teach at a private university (one that many consider snooty) and not at la UNAM. I have nothing against teaching at la UNAM, however, I chose La Ibero because that is where my network of contacts led me to. It also seemed to be a good fit. Oh well...<br />
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I am still waiting to hear whether I get sabbatical or not. It's a bit moot, since I really can't afford to go to Mexico without the extra financial support. A colleague told me that if I get the sabbatical, I can postpone it for a year. So maybe I can re-apply and go next academic year. If I reapply, I will probably apply for some other grants as well and apply to be in some place other than Mexico City. <br />
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As I was wallowing in this bad news, I heard that one of my mother's dogs, Zena, passed away. She was a very sweet dog, one that Zeus spent a year with when we were in Italy. It also brought home the fact that Zeus is pretty old. There are daily reminders: his back hips are slouching more and more, he has accidents in the house several times a week, and he is going deaf. Zena's passing just brought it all into focus. <br />
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On top of this all, it has been a long and cold winter that is sapping me. <br />
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I feel overwhelmed and lost. I have lost all optimism. So even when spring arrives, I feel like I will still be drowning in the debts and problems I face, with the tentacles of even more issues grasping at me from the depths to drag me down even further. I'm looking for a lifeline, but I can't find one. <br />
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<br />Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-52088646033784025032013-02-17T11:52:00.000-05:002013-02-17T11:52:06.287-05:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10357575-1q84" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="1Q84 " border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1359439026m/10357575.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10357575-1q84">1Q84</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3354.Haruki_Murakami">Haruki Murakami</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/242298148">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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Intrigue and romance in a surreal alternate world. Murakami characters are well-developed and fascinating. The alternating narratives between the two main characters as they search for one another keep the rather lengthy story moving. Despite the suspension of logic that Murakami asks of us, some of the plot becomes too convoluted, leaving one not fully satisfied. There is probably some deeper social commentary on Japanese society that as a foreigner I missed. Overall, it is an enjoyable voyage into an unknown yet familiar place.
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5526826-erick">View all my reviews</a>
Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-62636268466134409272013-02-13T20:52:00.001-05:002013-02-13T20:52:14.245-05:00Students & TragedyAs a professor, odds probably are that one will encounter tragedy among his or her students.<div>
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Last semester, a former student died after a skateboarding accident. I had gotten to know him because he was in my Urban Anthropology class where we go on fieldtrips and I have the chance to interact with the students more than in the classroom. </div>
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Today, I found out that another of my students tried to commit suicide. All I know is that she is in the hospital. She is an excellent student - very intelligent and hard working. She was also very active in our program, which is how I really have gotten to know her. However, last semester she began to miss class and failed to complete her assignments. Towards the end of the semester, she came to see me and explained that she had been having problems with depression. I told her that the important thing before trying to make up the work she missed was for her to heal and get to a point where she was healthy enough to focus on her work. She assured me that she was doing better and that she was looking forward to getting back on track in the Spring.</div>
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She was enrolled in one of my classes this semester. She showed up to the first class, but then disappeared. Yesterday, after she missed yet again, I sent her a message saying that I was worried about her and that I hoped she was doing ok. I let her know that I was available if she needed someone to talk to. I also suggested that she consider withdrawing from school since it seemed that she needed time to deal with her medical issues. I pointed out that there was no shame in this. I ended by saying that I missed having her in class and the great contributions she always had to offer.</div>
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Then today, a colleague called me and told me the news. I had feared that this might happen - it was not a strong fear or else I would have let someone at the college know, but it did cross my mind. I then had a panicked thought, what if my email contributed to her actions? My colleague assured me that she had been in the hospital since Monday. My thought, as probably is the case in most of these situations, was why did I not reach out earlier? While I know there was probably little I could have done, there is still the feeling of maybe I could have done something. </div>
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When we had talked at the end of last semester, she had explained how she had found it hard to get help. The college's services didn't seem adequate. She had a therapist at home, but she had to pay for the sessions out of pocket and could not afford them. Last, it seemed like her parents were against her getting psychiatric help. I know first hand the frustration of not being able to get the help you need, whether because a lack of resources, the difficult access, or the stigma of getting help. </div>
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I have no answers here. Just sadness and a flickering hope that she gets better, receives the help she needs, and gets to a point where she can (and wants to) return to be in my classes and she can pick up where she left off - being one of those students that make teaching worthwhile. </div>
Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-58962202427803249822013-01-16T21:27:00.001-05:002013-01-16T21:27:15.176-05:00BlueThe interview? It's over. It started on Mexican time - half an hour late. There were two interviewers: one was a woman whose questioning was a bit aggressive and the other was an old guy who just seemed tired. My Spanish held up - a slip into Italian here and not remembering the word for counterpart were a couple of the mistakes. Overall, I don't think I could have done anything differently or better. <br />
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Now I wait.<br />
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These days I find myself struggling, questioning, and just feeling rather blue. It seems like I can't get my feet planted without challenge after challenge coming up. It is rather overwhelming and taxing. <br />
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Nothing much more to say right now.<br />
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. Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-36597529925371009682013-01-08T22:35:00.002-05:002013-01-08T22:48:05.631-05:00EntrevistaLast summer I applied for a Fulbright fellowship to go to Mexico. I would like to go there for a year to teach and do research.<br />
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I found out in November that my application was forwarded to Mexico following the peer review process in the U.S. Then last month I was contacted by the Mexican Fulbright commission to schedule a skype interview. That interview is tomorrow - and it is in Spanish. Now this should not be a problem, but I will be nervous and it is quite a different thing to chat in Spanish and talk about your teaching philosophy and research plan.</div>
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Por lo tanto deberia estar escribiendo en espanol. Un problema es que en esta computadora (es PC) no es facil poner los acentos. En mi Mac, es mucho mas facil, pero no estoy usando mi Mac ahora. </div>
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Pero bien, la entrevista. No me gusta usar skype porque no me gusta verme en la pantalla. Me distrae. Siempre me pongo a pensar, de veras soy tan feo? Ay, que pelon me estoy quedando. Y luego me olvido de lo que tengo que decir. Sin embargo, no hay de otra. </div>
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Creo que se lo que me van a preguntar. Porque quieres hacer este programa? Como sera parte de tu formacion profesional? Que cursos piensas ofrecer? Seguramente habran preguntas que no puedo anticipar. Deberia haber practicado mas para la entrevista, pero ahora ya es demasiado tarde. Ni modo. </div>
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Ademas de la solicitud a la beca Fulbright, he tenido que hacer mi solicitud para obtener sabatico de mi universidad. En casi todas la universidades, un periodo sabatico es automatico despues de ciertos anos de empleo, pero en la mia no. Solo hay un cierto numero de espacios y uno tiene que hacer la solicitud. Este ano hay mas candidatos porque el ano pasado no se ortogaron ningun sabatico porque estabamos trabajando sin contrato. El colmo sera si me gano la beca pero no me otorgan el sabatico. Bueno, no puedo pensar en esto, tengo que concentrarme en la entrevista. </div>
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Ya veremos como sale. Sera muy breve - solo veinte minutos. Pasara lo que pasara.</div>
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Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-15195826959834834482013-01-03T10:11:00.001-05:002013-01-03T10:11:05.639-05:00<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7092772-los-detectives-salvajes" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Los Detectives Salvajes" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320543989m/7092772.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7092772-los-detectives-salvajes">Los Detectives Salvajes</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/72039.Roberto_Bola_o">Roberto Bolaño</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/242293533">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Strange book with a very different structure. The story about the two main characters is told through a collection of narratives collected from other 50 or so characters who interacted with the characters. These narratives are book ended by the journal of a different character who really does not appear in the middle part of the book. At times, the structure could be disorienting, but overall I liked it.<br /><br />There is a lot of social and literary commentary embedded in the story, some of it which was beyond my expertise (the literary part).<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5526826-erick">View all my reviews</a><br />
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Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-10883760993222552382013-01-03T09:38:00.002-05:002013-01-03T09:38:31.278-05:00<b><u>New Year</u></b><b></b><br />
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Blogs seem to be a thing of the past. There are a few troopers that carry on, but the wonderful community that existed some eight to ten years ago is long gone. </div>
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But I think I will come back and do my own little thing here. Maybe its old school , retro, classic...etc.</div>
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Life continues to be a struggle - mostly because of finances. Some due to mental issues. Things change, yet they stay the same. </div>
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Moving on.</div>
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Random thought - first of the year. What's with the new toilet paper commercials? "Enjoy the go"? "Are you getting everything you want from your toilet paper"? </div>
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It reminds me of when I was in middle school, we had a drama class. For the class we were broke up into groups supposed to come up with different sketches. The small auditorium was mostly empty save for a few random things left laying about. One day, our sketch was supposed to be some type of television commercial. My friend Fred, the most outgoing and charismatic of my friends, found a light socket with a light bulb with a three foot wire attached to it. I am not sure why that was laying about in the auditorium but it was. For some reason, we thought we would do a toilet paper commercial. Fred was going to be the announcer. We got Chris, the kid that usually got pushed around - mostly by Fred, to be the tester. I think I was the assistant. The commercial went as follows: Chris would do his business and then use toilet paper A. After which he would bend over and Fred would hold the light bulb on the wire up to his butt. He would indicate how toilet paper A had left scratches and not done a good job at cleaning. Then Chris would do some doo again and use brand B. Again he would bend over while Fred used the bulb to illuminate his rear showing how this time he was clean and had no scratches. </div>
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The students all found this hilarious, especially because Fred could really sell it. The teacher, however, was horrified. She was also a friend of my mother, who got a call that evening. All my mom could say to me was, "Why?" </div>
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We were middle school boys - similar to the ones who now are apparently writing toilet paper commercials.</div>
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Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-8497402796342377922011-07-05T16:50:00.001-04:002011-07-05T16:50:05.171-04:00Review<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6433752-the-lacuna" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="The Lacuna" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255571578m/6433752.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6433752-the-lacuna">The Lacuna</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3541.Barbara_Kingsolver">Barbara Kingsolver</a><br/><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/171877413">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />
Interesting read and set up. The power of the book is that it made me want to learn more about Trotsky, Rivera, and Kahlo. It didn't draw me in during the second part of the book where it engages the issue of the Red Scare and witch hunt. The ending was hokey and predictable. <br/><br/><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5526826-erick">View all my reviews</a>Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-66343271150409201062011-06-25T10:49:00.001-04:002011-06-25T10:51:44.289-04:00PoliticsIt's been a couple of busy days around me in the political field.<br />
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There is a stark contrast between the state I live in (NY) and the state I work in (NJ).<br />
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<u><b>Getting screwed twice</b></u><br />
As if not getting promoted weren't enough, the state of New Jersey has moved to stick it to me (and all state workers). The legislature, both controlled by so-called-Democrats, voted to support a plan by Republican governor Christie, to cut state worker benefits, especially health and pension, and deny our right to collective bargaining. Of course this comes at the very moment that many of the unions are in the process of negotiating their contract renewals.<br />
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I attended a rally two days ago in Trenton to protest these changes. It was an interesting experience, although it was hot and extremely muggy. It was my first collective action as a member of a union. There was a lot of noise, a lot of rhetoric, and a lot of people. I was sorely disappointed that only a couple of my colleagues from the college went. A few I knew had legitimate reasons for not being there, but some just do not prioritize fighting for their rights. It's easy to let others do the fighting for you. I know because I have been guilty of that before. <br />
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Sara asked whether the rally made any difference. The rally didn't change the outcome. The bill passed and our future, both in terms of our well-being (income, benefits, etc.) and our rights, looks glum. However, the rally might hold hope if it catalyzes action. Will it motivate people to go vote? Will those Democrats that sold the unions out be challenged in the next election? Will the ones that voted against the bill be supported and given the resources to continue the fight? <br />
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In this sense, I feel somewhat impotent in the matter because I am not a resident of New Jersey and I cannot directly participate in the electoral system. I am also happy that I do not live in a state where cronyism and corruptions are rampant and where the system allows politicians to hold to positions concurrently, such as mayor of city and a seat in the state legislature. <br />
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Those who claim that the bill is part of the "shared sacrifice" that the current economic conditions dictate must be had refuse to see the reality of the matter. This is not shared sacrifice, it is targeting a group of people, demonizing them through demagoguery, and extolling resources from them. Where is the "shared sacrifice" of those who are succeeding in, and probably because of, the economic conditions? Why is the state decreasing the taxes of those whose incomes have actually gone up - both individuals and corporations? <br />
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The result of what just happened in NJ is predictable: public services will get worse as resources for them go down, fewer employees will provide them, and those who do will be disgruntled. This will create animosity among the public who will blame the employees and think that they still get paid too much. Meanwhile, the promise that this action will help keep taxes in check or even lower them will go unfulfilled. The attack on public employees does not address the big issues of the state and hence the demand for revenue will continue to go up - meaning more taxes. <br />
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What, higher taxes for worse services? And who will get the blame? The pols? Those who have benefited from the reallocation of resources? No. It will be the beleaguered state employees. And the mantra that will follow is: privatize - which means those who will own the schools, the security forces, etc. will make more money.<br />
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Meanwhile those with the resources will not care that services are poor. They send their children to private schools, they live in gated communities with their own security service, they can afford to pay for their own healthcare. <br />
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The system is broke, though, and this is the only solution, they claim. Unions are only out for themselves and they never give up anything, they claim. The state had no other choice.<br />
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Wrong. Take a look just north to New York.<br />
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<u><b>Civility, Compromise, and Making things Work</b></u><br />
While the legislature and the governor in New Jersey were busy screwing state employees, events in New York illustrate that it need not be so. Governor Cuomo and the state worker unions acted like adults, negotiated, and came up with a compromise. The unions recognizes that there are financial constraints the state faces and was willing to give up raises, work days, and some benefits to help the state out while avoiding having any of their members lose their jobs. <br />
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There was no need for demagoguery and vilification. Collective bargaining rights went kept and were even effective in coming up with a tenable solution. <br />
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At the very same time, a deal was reached that recognizes the importance of public higher education and the need to fund it. There is a commitment to try to increase funding for it and at the very least a promise to not decrease the funding. This will allow schools to hire new faculty and have some stability. It is true that some of the burden is places on students by increasing tuition. The increases are modest - $300/year for 5 years - but they are also planned. This means students can plan for the increases they know are coming, rather than be hit by an increase that might have been bigger than they expected. <br />
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I know New York is not perfect and that there is enough corruption and cronyism to go around here too. It is, however, an example how things can proceed in a cooperative way where there is a respect for workers and public institutions. And when treated respectfully and their rights are not attacked, workers are willing to compromise for the benefit of all.<br />
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Oh, and yes, in the midst of all of this, New York was able to address a civil injustice that had gone on too long by allowing gays and lesbians to marry. Rather than call it gay marriage, I like to think of it as marriage equality because rather than giving homosexuals the right to marry, it is the end of denying them the right they always have had. <br />
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As far as how it impacts my own heterosexual marriage, it makes it better and stronger. Why? Because now it is no longer a privileged union that is restricted, but a right/rite that is shared by all.<br />
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Civility and respect. If only the politicians and some of the residents of state just south from here could learn that. Either that or if Ramapo and Mahwah (the town the college is in) could secede and join NY - it's right on the border and I think the only thing people would notice would be that you would have to pump your own gas at higher prices.Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-64314579072487117232011-06-16T14:39:00.000-04:002011-06-16T14:39:26.463-04:00Appeal Denied.I received the letter today from the Provost.<br />
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No explanation. <br />
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I am considering my options. To fight or not?Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-53732288233479318972011-06-02T19:17:00.000-04:002011-06-02T19:17:41.872-04:00Professional RoadblockMy application for promotion was denied.<br />
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According to the letter from the president of the college, he could not nominate me to the board of trustees for promotion because of budgetary constraints. <br />
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This means that I am an assistant professor with tenure - if that make sense. <br />
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My response: sadness, anger, disappointment, disillusionment.<br />
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The process for promotion is that one puts together the application which is reviewed by the "unit personnel committee". Our college is broken down into schools (a whole other complex explanation is needed for that into which I do not wish to engage in at the moment) that are referred to as units. The committee makes a recommendation (strongly recommend, recommend, do not recommend) which is endorsed or not endorsed by all the faculty of the unit. The dean of the school reviews the application, the recommendation, and the endorsement and forwards the application to an all-college personnel committee for review. The all-college committee then makes its recommendation (with the three distinct levels as well). The application then goes to the Provost and then to the President. Ultimately, the President makes a decision whether to nominate the candidate to the board of trustees who usually vote to approve the President's nominations. <br />
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This long explanation is needed to try to understand where things went wrong. My unit personnel committee strongly recommended me for promotion, which was endorsed by the unit. The dean enthusiastically recommended me for promotion. It was at the all-college level where my application took a nose dive. That committee knew that there were five slots for promotion alloted by the administration. They ranked the applications and the top five were strongly recommended, all the rest deemed qualified were just recommended. They could also not recommend. I was only recommended. <br />
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The President gets all the recommendations, but he is to review all the applications and make a decision taking the committee's recommendation into consideration. He also has the ability to take other issues into consideration, such as seniority, programmatic need, and affirmative action, before making his nominations. He can also increase (or decrease) the number of slots available. <br />
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Problems occurred in the process:<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The rules state that if the all-college committee's recommendation differs from the unit level's, the chair of the unit level committee and the dean of the school are to be notified. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Problem 1: They weren't.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Also the candidate has a right to appeal within 10 days of receiving the letter informing him/her of the committee's decision. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Problem 2: My letter was sent to the wrong address. The person who wrote the address on the envelope just put the wrong number on it. Moreover, the letter did not state that I had a right to appeal. In any case, I was not able to file an appeal.</div><br />
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It took some detective work to find out what my recourse was. I discovered that the President can consider appeals, so I contacted head of the union at the college, explained the situation, and stated that I wanted to file an appeal. She arranged for a meeting with the Provost (acting for the President who is away). I put together my appeal and presented it to her, followed up with a written letter.<br />
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Now I wait.<br />
<br />
How did it come to this? <br />
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In putting together my appeal, I realized how strong my application is and how strongly my unit and dean supported me. In the three criteria under consideration, I did extremely well.<br />
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Teaching: If there is one thing I do well in this world, it is teaching. I am one of the best and most innovative teachers on that campus. My classes are always full, my reviews are outstanding, the anthropology minor more than doubled in size after I arrived. I work individually with students. I supervise internships. <br />
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Research: I have multiple research projects that are ongoing. It is true that my publishing record is not as strong as it could be, but in the context of the college it is on par with everyone else. I engage in innovative and applied research.<br />
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Service: I am extremely involved on campus. I work with student clubs, I advise honor societies, I am on numerous committees. I took a group of students to Guatemala during MY vacation.<br />
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Now, the process is completely transparent all the way up until the all-college committee. You receive feedback and information about your application and even have a chance to make minor changes. The all-college committee is a black box from which no information escapes. The ranking votes are secret. The criteria is supposed to be 40% teaching, 30% research, and 30% service to the college. <br />
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Something happened in that black box.<br />
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The message: they do not recognize my performance and efforts, they don't value what I do for the students and the college, and they don't understand what it is that I do.<br />
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What became even more irritating is that I heard that at least one person without tenure applied and was ranked above me. Yet another messed up thing about the college is the ability to apply for promotion at any point - without any negative consequence. I was strongly discouraged from doing so, but now I understand that I should have. If the rumor I heard is correct, one of the people without tenure started THIS YEAR. Given application were due in December, my question is how can the committee truly evaluate that candidate's teaching abilities and level of service after one semester? How productive could he (I heard it was a he) have been in those four months? <br />
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In any case, I am irritated at the black box and the people who operated in it. I am also irritated at the Provost and the President who just rubber stamped the recommendations from the committee. I am more irritated that they held firmly to the five slots for promotion. I have come to learn that 7 people were recommended in total: 5 strongly and 2 just recommended. They could have just as easily added to more promotions. What is the cost to the college relative to its overall expenses? Is alienating faculty really worth that much?<br />
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I met with my dean yesterday. I had been somewhat irritated with him for not being more assertive and pushing my case with the administration. He told me he was shocked and was left feeling somewhat naive from this. I came to see that he does recognize my efforts and my contributions. In ending, he stated that he hoped that this situation has not soured me towards to college.<br />
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My response was that unfortunately it has. I do feel a strong camaraderie towards the faculty in my unit and the colleagues in my department who have been extremely supportive. However, the other faculty and the administration have led me to feel like there is a lack of recognition of what I do and who I am. The college is moving away from the liberal arts and its stated mission of providing an international, intercultural, interdisciplinary, and experiential education. The professional programs are being expanded: business, communications, nursing - at the expense of the humanities and interdisciplinary social sciences. <br />
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Moreover, I am left to feel that institutional racism is alive and well. Who knows whether my last name, my research areas of migration and Latinos, my activism influenced the ranking? It could have. It might have. It still happens. What is clearer, though, is that my role as a Mexican/Latino scholar and educator is not being recognized. The fact that I mentor and advise Latino (and other students from under-represented groups), that I serve as a role model for them, and that I bring a different perspective to the classroom and to the college means nothing to them. So while I am sure they are quick to espouse that they think affirmative action is probably a good thing, they do not understand what that means. It is not promoting me because I am Mexican, but recognizing that as a Mexican I make unique contributions to the college that need to be recognized <br />
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There is a lot that needs to be fixed at my institution. Once this is over it will be on my agenda to at least try to address it - it may be beyond fixing. I have no right to complain, though, if I do not try. <br />
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But for now, I wait - and hope that my appeal is heard and acted on.Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-39156592228331774362011-05-26T19:18:00.001-04:002011-05-26T19:18:58.866-04:00Time to Start (again)Life has been throwing all sorts of challenges my way. <br />
<br />
Perhaps I need to come back to this venue as a place to vent. Perhaps it can be cathartic or therapeutic. <br />
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There are also some experiences I want to reflect on. <br />
<br />
Time to start...<br />
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Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-16497664243410411512011-02-03T20:18:00.000-05:002011-02-03T20:18:52.405-05:00RefrigeratorsI don't know what it is about me and refrigerators, but they always seem to crap out on me. Maybe it is because everywhere I have lived has had an old crappy one. <br />
<br />
Our current fridge came with the house when we bought it and it seems pretty old. I figured out what the problem is, but I think it is beyond my capabilities for repair (plus I don't have the equipment). <br />
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Getting a repair person would probably cost about $350, getting a cheap replacement would be about $600, getting a nicer one would be about $800, and getting a nice one would be about $1100. Problem being, we don't have any of it on hand. It doesn't seem worthwhile to get it repaired. But if we replace it, should we just get something cheap or should we aim for something better. <br />
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Ah, dilemmas. <br />
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And the joy of home-ownership.Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628488.post-43536029954973955822011-01-29T23:02:00.005-05:002011-01-29T23:08:03.520-05:00Thoughts on Egypt<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
In looking at pictures of the events in Egypt, I am struck by the absence of anti-Americanism. Maybe they are there, but just haven't been captured on film. However, I find this unlikely as the burning of American flags and effigies are usually what the media likes to seize on.<br />
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I find the absence of the anti-American rhetoric fascinating because:<br />
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- The US is a powerful symbol to rail against in any protest, but especially in the middle east<br />
- The US provides copious amounts of assistance to the Egyptian government that the people are intent on bringing down<br />
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The only image I saw that had any reference to the US was some protesters pointing out that a tear gas canister had "made in the USA" written on it.<br />
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I guess sometimes it is not all about us.<br />
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It uneases me that the future of the country (and perhaps the region) hinges on the wisdom of a leader who has clearly lost touch with the world around him. Hopefully he will recognize that he must move on and that a peaceful transition of power can be achieved.<br />
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I'm not holding my breath.</span>Xolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897633151120651736noreply@blogger.com2