Después de poco más de 30 días de aquella tragedia ocurrida en mi ciudad, apenas hoy hace unas horas se realiza la comparecencia del Dr. Daniel Káram Toumeh, Director General del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), ante la Primera Comisión de la Comisión Permanente del Congreso de la Unión. En un evento de cuatro horas y media de duración, parte de la conclusión fue que de ahora en adelante se trabajará en el tema de la transparencia y se crearán nuevas normas para la licitación y el ejercicio de todas las guarderías en el país. Los miembros de la comisión externaron su preocupación porque hay varias guarderías en operación de manera ilegal, hay guarderías que no son parte de la nueva licitación que comenzó a finales del 2008, el titular está laborando con dudosa competencia en su cargo, existiría tráfico de influencias (negocio fácil), se debió haber tenido la presencia de los Procuradores General de Justicia a nivel Federal y Estatal (Sonora), y por lo mismo haber enfatizado el tema de la seguridad; entre otros. Uno de los padres de familia, representante también de otros afectados (Movimiento 5 de junio), expresó su voz por medio de una hoja en la que se lee la frase "Daniel Káram exigimos su RENUNCIA por encubrimiento e incompetencia". A partir de hoy día en la tarde se pone a disposición del público la lista de guarderías subrogadas, en la página electrónica del IMSS http://aplicaciones.imss.gob.mx/guarderias/principal.htm

Qué casualidad que en plenas elecciones, sobre todo a nivel local y estatal, se haya manejado tan mal la información. Claramente, se politizó todo y, no es sólo dicho por mí; se dice además fue parte del pleito personal del Presidente de la República contra el Gobernador de Sonora saliente, Eduardo Bours Castelo... independientemente de si es verdad o no, el hecho es que fallecieron niños en circunstancias evitables y se exige justicia. La bodega que se incendió y la guardería se encontraban a escasos metros de una gasolinera (eso no está permitido y poco se menciona en los medios de comunicación). Tengo una opinión muy particular, pero está de más mencionarla.

Asimismo, se están realizando brigadas por personal de la Secretaría de Salud y voluntarios, tengo entendido se canaliza actualmente para servicio psicológico a la Unidad de Terapia Infantil del municipio. De hecho, me capacité el fin de semana del suceso e hice guardia un día en uno de los hospitales con familias ya en fase de duelo (primero es de shock).

¿Qué es lo que piensan ustedes lectores?

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Publicado en Sábado 9 de mayo en otro blog personal
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Hace tiempo... ¿verdad?
He andado muy ocupada con varios proyectos (virtuales y presenciales), pero sobre todo con la familia y mi culminación-defensa de tesis para obtener el grado de Licenciada.

Para aclarar lo que en un principio dejé para un mañana:
El nombre de este blog surgió a manera de expresar, por medio de la música o de las palabras, ciertas cuestiones no tan triviales... ésas a las que relativamente pocos le dedican tiempo y menos, de calidad.

Nos quejamos de las cosas que nos pasan diariamente, pero no tenemos una actitud crítica para corregir o solucionar ello en la medida posible. Si se tiene tal actitud, con frecuencia no avanza de expresarla "sentado en un sillón".
¿Qué falta para concretar nuestras ideas? Digamos que la chispa, la inspiración, el dinero y la habilidad están en nuestro repertorio, a nuestro alcance. ¿Será la competencia? ¿El ambiente nos limita?

Uno no tiene que ser el más brillante, tener riqueza monetaria, ser un adulto mayor o ser hijo de una persona famosa para "hacerle el día" a alguien, cambiar el mundo aun con pequeños detalles.

"I believe that all people have something to offer to the place they are and/or to the people around them...everybody has a story and everybody has their opinion based on that reality... as ignorant as it may be at times... I believe that you are where you are for a reason and you must take full advantage of that position... I believe that we all have an obligation to give back to the community in some form... we must use the talents and privileges afforded to us to make our families, communities, schools, government and world better..."
-Isaiah (amigo)

"And in the end, it isnt the years in your life that count, but the life in your years"
"Ideas are weapons too"
-Dan (amigo)

In honour of Dubya's last official press conference as President of the United States of America I thought I'd try to generate a list of his accomplishments (never accomplished alone, of course, but with lots of help), since during the press conference that took place today he discussed his legacy.

Here it goes:

1. Not reading enough into intelligence that predicted 9/11. (Or is that Clinton's bad?)
2. Reading too much into intelligence that predicted Iraq had 'weapons of mass destruction' and had something to do with 9/11.
3. Reducing Iraq to a burned out shell.
4. Trying to build a stable democracy inside that burned out shell.
5. Not admitting to reading too much into intelligence that predicted Iraq had 'weapons of mass destruction' and continuing to look for those weapons and talk about them until the rest of the world called him on it.
6. Not paying enough attention to Afghanistan.
7. Really pissing off everyone in New Orleans.

Feel free to add to the list ... I know there's more but I don't have enough time to think of it all.

My favourite quote from his press conference today?
I think that would be this one. In reference to the current situation in Iraq:
Pres. George Bush: "Will the democracy survive? ... That's going to be a challenge for future presidents."
Translation: "You're welcome, Obama. Enjoy."

TakingITGlobal hosted a Live Chat just before the holidays on Youth Migration, which turned out to provide an interesting portrait of just what youth are facing when they attempt to take advantage of the 'shrinking world' and 'increasing connectivity' we're all meant to be benefiting from as a consequence of globalization. If the sarcasm in that last sentence wasn't obvious then I should explain that what we all understood from the portrait drawn by our speakers of Youth Migration in our day and age was that it is not necessarily made easier by 'globalization' and that it is in fact often a dangerous, disappointing and victimizing experience.

Migration is one of those issues that is especially relevant to youth but for some reason is not readily recognized as a youth issue, or is not often associated with youth when it is discussed at higher levels. Migration is a youth issue because youth are the largest group affected by, participating in and victimized by migration. It is similar in this way to an issue like HIV/AIDS, which is affecting youth more than anyone else, and yet youth are so often left out of the processes and policies addressing it.

Youth decide to migrate to another country for countless reasons - education, work, living conditions, etc - and you might think that now it must be easier than ever for this to happen. Thanks to new communication technology youth are more aware than any other generation of what is going on in the world around them, the internet lets us learn about opportunities in distant places and increasing international travel makes it more likely that we can get to those opportunities. I think most of us will have heard at one time or another how globalization and communication technology are bringing us all closer together and breaking down the geographical, political and technological barriers that used to separate us - right?

The opposite is happening for the majority of youth migrants. What we learned during the Live Chat is that globalization has created new barriers to keep people out, rather than breaking down the old ones. It seems that the greater connectivity globalization has created amongst economies and industries has increased the dangers of migration, because it has narrowed the channels for legal migration, therefore forcing more and more youth to attempt illegal migration. The global free market economy, Naomi Onaga (Director of Migrants Rights International) explained, makes keeping certain people in their countries working for low wages attractive and therefore channels for legal migration narrow except in the case of temporary labourers. Temporary labourers are denied citizenship, job freedom, and residency. They become vulnerable to abuse by employers because of this. The type of low-wage labour they are allowed to participate in means that they will bring little skill or knowledge back to their native communities.

It all makes for a pretty bleak picture, made worse by the dangerous journeys ahead of those who attempt to illegally migrate. Migrants - most often youth - are drowning while attempting to cross from North Africa to Spain or Italy, dying in the desert attempting to enter the USA, or are becoming victims of forced migration. If they make it to their destinations they will likely be greeted by a population that is mostly hostile to them, and sees them as dangerous.

The whole discussion had a special relevancy for me, because I will soon be a migrant myself. Leaving Canada for an overseas opportunity, but I'm lucky, because I will be migrating legally, will enjoy all of my rights and be relatively safe while doing it - or as safe as anyone can expect to be on an international flight these days. The Live Chat really sharpened those inequalities that mean that I will be able to take advantage of an opportunity in a different country, and others will face nothing but misery for trying to do the same.

To try and not end on a bad note, there are those working towards international recognition of migrants, more opportunities for legal, safe migration and, maybe most importantly, opportunities for work, education and a better life for youth in their home countries and communities. These people include the speakers who took time out of their busy schedules on December 18 - International Migrants Day - to join our Live Chat.

The biggest hurdle of all might be to change people's perception of migration and migrants themselves. I thought the image above was a great way to think about that issue. Of course, technically refugees and migrants are considered to be in different categories, but I think it speaks to the same fear of foreigners, immigrants, migrants or refugees being 'dangerous' or 'bad'. In fact, communities that welcome these people and make the best use of their skills benefit from them. Einstein is a pretty good example.

These are the organizations that supported our Live Chat on Youth Migration:

Migrants Right International
December 18
Young People We Care

Society dictates
How it irritates
They claim they know
What I can and cannot do
They say they know
What I should and should not have
Ati they even decide
Who I should and should not be?!

Everyday they strip me
With their haughty eyes
Tagging me
Judging me
Confining me
C’mon Society
What’s wrong with you?

As I questioned,
I realized
Society is you
My friends
Society is you
My family
Society is me
Tis therefore under our control
We can change if we choose
We can make it better
If we realize
The universe is ample enough
For us all to flourish
In our unique unlimited selves
Let’s set ourselves free
Let’s delight in our diversity
Let’s delight in our individuality
As society dictates
Let’s hesitate
Live and let live
Be and let be

On the other side of the divide
As society dictates
What you can and cannot do
What you should and should not have
Who you should and should not be
Hesitate
Realize your place in the universe is
Guaranteed
Realize you are your own gravity
Your rise, your fall
Answers only to your call

Cling onto your true self-worth
Uncover the sea of possibilities
Meandering within you
Then cruise in the magic of life with
The greatest in history
As you realize that
The stream of supremacy
Inscribed within you
Surpasses
The perceived ocean of power
That’s in the outside world.

Yes hun’
You can do, have, be
Anything you set your mind to
So be true to your core
Your heart, your soul
And as society dictates
Hesitate
Don’t just imitate
Meditate
Find you, Free you, Be you.

It's not very often that there can be a blog title like this one. Canadian politics = exciting? What? Where am I? But for once - we've got something going on. I think what is happening now in Ottawa might actually be more exciting than what is happening right now in American politics. What is happening right now in American politics is Obama naming Hilary Clinton his Secretary of State which isn't exciting because everybody already knew it was happening two weeks ago.

Whereas no one in Canada saw this one coming. Bam! The Liberals, NDP and Bloc have all been secretly scheming against our latest Harper government since they all 'lost' to him during an election featuring one of the worst voter turnouts of all time.

If Harper's government tries to pass a budget that includes no stimulus package for the Canadian economy and cuts public funding for political parties they are going to pounce! If Harper's government presents a revised budget they will probably pounce anyways! Bringing down the government in a no-confidence vote and then asking to create a government made up of a coalition of Liberal, NDP and the Bloc when they feel like it.

This is pretty exciting for people who like watching Harper's sneaky plans to establish a Conservative monopoly within Canadian politics blow up in his face.

I like the coalition idea because it's a risk, it's new, it's sticking it to Harper, and it feels more like real politics than anything I've seen in Canada in a long time.

I don't like the coalition idea because it will make Stephane Dion Prime Minister, it will give the Bloc a lot of power to decide which coalition legislation goes through and which doesn't, and it will be unstable in a period where stability would be good.

So it's more like choosing the lesser evil. The stability of knowing you have a sneaky grinch as your Prime Minister. Or the potential of having five bickering 'Prime Ministers' (Dion, Ignatieff, Rae, Layton and Duceppe) and then a swift return to the grinch.

¿Sabías que del 2 de Octubre de 2009 al 2 de Enero de 2010 se realizará la Marcha Mundial Por la Paz y la No-Violencia?
Con un recorrido de + de 90 países y 100 ciudades del planeta, sé partícipe del evento creado por la organización "Mundo sin guerras" (World without wars). Puedes hacerlo a través de tu organización, universidad, gobierno, empresa o como individuo.
¿Tienes ideas o algún proyecto en desarrollo con los que puedas colaborar de modo virtual o en tu ciudad origen, aun sin que la marcha pase por allí? Expónlo al coordinador representante de tu país.

Para más información, visita http://marchamundial.org ...disponible también en idioma inglés.

¿Sabías que del 2 de Octubre de 2009 al 2 de Enero de 2010 se realizará la Marcha Mundial Por la Paz y la No-Violencia?
Con un recorrido de + de 90 países y 100 ciudades del planeta, sé partícipe del evento creado por la organización "Mundo sin guerras" (World without wars). Puedes hacerlo a través de tu organización, universidad, gobierno, empresa o como individuo.
¿Tienes ideas o algún proyecto en desarrollo con los que puedas colaborar de modo virtual o en tu ciudad origen, aun sin que la marcha pase por allí? Expónlo al coordinador representante de tu país.

Para más información, visita marchamundial.org ...disponible también en idioma inglés.

New dates: from march 17 to march 19, 2009.
Event location: Expo Forum.

Fees (for the three days):
General.-
Until December 31, 2008 --> $75.00 Dlls
January-February 2009 --> $125.00 Dlls
From March 1, 2009 --> $175.00 Dlls
Students.-
Until December 31, 2008 --> $30.00 Dlls
January-February 2009 --> $50.00 Dlls
From March 1, 2009 --> $75.00 Dlls

Deadline for abstracts reception: December 15, 2008.

Más de 38,300 jinetes en las 10 cabalgatas que se han celebrado desde hace 5 años en el Estado de Sonora.
Casi 9,000 jinetes participan en esta décima cabalgata con fecha de 16 de noviembre (y probablemente última, por acabarse pronto el sexenio) del Gobierno del Estado; más de 77 km recorridos de Ures a Hermosillo (la capital).
La caravana siempre la encabeza el actual gobernador Eduardo Bours Castelo.
El punto de partida fue el municipio de Ures-Molino de Camou y el de desenlace, la zona de Vado del Río y específicamente, conocida como La Sauceda (por el centro recreativo de igual nombre ubicado) del municipio de Hermosillo.
No sólo integrantes de la Unión Ganadera Regional de Sonora (organizadores) estuvieron presentes montando burros, ponys o caballos, sino autoridades y comunidad en general proveniente Arizona, Nuevo México, California (Estados Unidos), los Estados de Baja California, Sinaloa y Chihuahua de la República Mexicana.
La fiesta continuará a lo largo del día e incluye la interpretación en un concierto de José Manuel Figueroa y la degustación de los famosísimos tacos de carne asada...
Cabe mencionar este acontecimiento presenta de manera algo informal a los aspirantes a la candidatura a Gobernador, en este caso, por el partido del PRI (Partido Revolucionario Institucional).

Antes cabalgó, con alrededor de 400 elementos el senador aspirante del PAN (Partido Acción Nacional) Guillermo Padrés.


Informo, pero no tengo la dicha de saber montar a caballo ni de presenciar de cerca el evento.

Soon-to-be no longer President of the United States of America. You know you'll miss him.

I write

To exhale all this

Exhausting rush in the world

This confused hurry

Everyone seems to be in

Like our stars Paul Tergat

Tegla Lorupe

Catherine Ndereba

Towards the finishing line

With focus, determination, speed

I write my way away from

All this mayhem to

The serenity within me



I write

Because it’s

A nutritious delicacy

Minerals to my mind

Refreshing me to unwind

Vitamins to my soul

Nourishing me to be whole

I write to see the light

To be the light that shines

Like the Day Star

In a glow that blows you away like a

Motivated typhoon at the top of

Donald Trump’s, Richard Brunson’s

Bill Gates’

Payrolls



I write

To eternally liberate

This ocean of emotions

Surfing inside of me

When tis not enough to cry

Words like tears

Wash away my fears

When laughter plays hard

My pen on my pad

Spells out the cheers

When confused, afraid, perturbed

In my words I can be

‘Conje’ or even Leila Ali

And box the uncertainties away



I write

Because my word is mighty

A weighty gift

From the Almighty

I write to be

The voice of my time

A revered record

The future will love to flaunt

I write to

Roar with the lions

Soar with the eagles

Flow with the rivers

I write

To be free

To be ME

A few years ago when researching for an essay, whose topic I can't remember anymore, I happened across this passage from a book introduction by Russian sociologist Boris Kagarlitsky and economist Alan Freeman:

"... The globalised world is an imperial one: this fact simply conforms to direct daily experience outside the charmed circles of Western economic fortresses."

It really struck me at the time because it seemed like such a fitting description of the state of things. Instead of classic imperialism there is economic imperialism. And the imagery used in the passage - a 'fortress' - really stuck with me. It seemed to describe a world where there are walls dividing those people who belong to 'charmed circles' - and who are safe and certain within these 'economic fortresses' - and those who live outside the walls, with constant uncertainty and no guarantees. At the time I was particularly obsessed with the fact that it seemed to describe me: a relatively safe and happy person with little idea of what daily life is like for those who aren't lucky enough to be a member of the middle-class in a prosperous country like Canada. And today - Blog Action Day - this passage came back to me again, because today thousands of bloggers will be talking about the 'state of things' described by Kagarlitsky and Freeman: the inequality that exists in our world and the extreme poverty that it produces.

Today the 'Western economic fortresses' seem an especially relevant topic, because the fortresses seem to be shaking - stock markets in New York, London, Tokyo, Moscow, Toronto and elsewhere have spent the last week fluctuating at rates that have never been seen before. This doesn't necessarily mean that the sun is going to stop shining on any of the 'charmed circles' described by Kagarlitsky and Freeman- actually those most affected and hardest hit by an 'economic slowdown', or 'global recession', or 'global financial heart attack', will most likely be those already living with poverty. The same answer applies to the global problems of rising food prices, climate change, and global health threats - like HIV and AIDS, malaria or TB. [Of course calling them 'Western' economic fortresses ignores the poverty that exists inside what are traditionally referred to as 'Western' countries, and there are definitely those living with poverty in both rich and poor countries alike.]

I don't have a particular solution to propose, or action that I think everyone should take, except - if you haven't already - recognizing which side of that divide you might be on. For me, recognizing that was a big step towards getting more informed on the causes of poverty, the proposed solutions, and the biggest threats. Obviously there isn't any big miraculous solution to the issue, but there is always something you can do as an individual, even if it is as simple as recognizing your place within the greater state of things. I think the more you understand about a topic like poverty - not just globally, but within your own community - the more you'll be able to effectively contribute when that opportunity comes along for you to be part of a solution.

[The passage I quoted is from the book 'The Politics of Empire: Globalization in Crisis', pg 27 of the Introduction by Boris Kagarlitsky and Alan Freeman]

Muchos programas comunitarios tanto gubernamentales como no gubernamentales, así como los autogestionados, tienen como actor y receptor a comunidades con necesidades y aun excluidas de todos o de gran parte de los beneficios sociales. Los pobres, desde la perspectiva de que carecen de poder, son vistos como débiles o privados de transformar su forma de vida (Maritza Montero, 2003).

OJO...
El carecer de recursos económicos o bienes materiales no significa que se sea incapaz de decidir, una persona ignorante o alguien inservible. Las personas de escasos recursos no debieran "bajar la cabeza" o "agacharse" cuando una persona con alto poder adquisitivo se presente frente a ellas, así mismo se mantiene la división de clases con creencias de un yo superior.
A la par de trabajar para la erradicación de la pobreza extrema (en la que ni el salario mínimo establecido aplica y la mortalidad por hambruna está a la orden del día), se puede incitar a no discriminar a las personas cuando se está en el contexto laboral, en la escuela o ciertos establecimientos. Es la misma discriminación la que genera que un individuo no pueda prosperar para lograr una vida productiva y posea un bajo autoconcepto, lo cual contribuye a que el estatus de pobre sea permanente ...las oportunidades se presentan, pero la satisfacción y calidad que conllevan son casi nulas.

Creemos un cielo despejado, no nublado.

Cuánto se ha hablado de pobreza: pobreza espiritual, pobreza de conocimiento y pobreza al no contar con las necesidades básicas para tener una vida digna (agua potable, vivienda, drenaje, alimento...).
En esta ocasión, me gustaría comenzar con lo más básico que es el tema de la carencia de necesidades básicas, ya que con ésta es probable no podamos evitar las otras mencionadas.
Para dar un panorama en materia alimentaria:
- Las mujeres embarazadas ciertamente requieren de nutrientes extraordinarios para estar saludables.
Un feto que no recibe el aporte energético suficiente es posible no termine de desarrollarse en el vientre, es decir, muera; en otros casos, el parto de la madre tendría complicaciones o, el bebé recién nacido sufriría de lesiones cerebrales o de tipo de necesidad especial. Todo lo anterior, con mucha frecuencia se debe a la carencia económica en que se vive, donde también no se pudiera producir leche materna, no se contara con los alimentos necesarios para que el niño pueda madurar sanamente, pueda poseer dientes sin caries, pueda poseer huesos fuertes para que se desempeñe en actividades de esfuerzo físico, etcétera.
Ahora, la "pobreza de conocimiento", en este sentido, fuera un efecto posiblemente directo de la carencia de alimento. Quien no desayuna o lo hace sin incluir los debidos nutrientes, con gran razón sufre intensos dolores de cabeza y fatiga, que repercuten en lo que se conoce como bajo rendimiento académico (incluyendo notas bajas y deserción escolar).

Aquí habría espacio para las organizaciones no lucrativas y organismos
gubernamentales que pudieran ayudar a suplir estas necesidades. Mas sin embargo,
la población mundial es muy grande y no toda tiene acceso a dichos servicios

De la pobreza crítica se describe.




Aún existe otro tipo de pobreza que dura décadas y falta por considerar: la pobreza extrema.
Lo mejor es dedicar, merecidamente, una entrada aparte para hacer extensión de sus características.