In Spanish: Egypt - January 2011

TRIBUNA: JAVIER VALENZUELA

Europa y la revolución democrática árabe

La historia late con intensidad en el norte de África, para pasmo y temor del 'establishment' europeo. Unas juventudes urbanas conectadas por Internet luchan por el fin inmediato del despotismo y la corrupción

JAVIER VALENZUELA 29/01/2011  -  El Pais - Madrid   

En el norte de África la historia late en estos momentos con intensidad. La chispa de la inmolación del joven tunecino Mohamed Bouazizi ha prendido en el secarral de paro, autoritarismo y corrupción que se extiende desde el Atlántico al mar Rojo. Las llamas de la protesta juvenil ya han abrasado al dictador tunecino Ben Ali y chamuscan esta semana a su colega egipcio Mubarak. Decenas de miles de personas salieron ayer de nuevo a las calles de El Cairo y otras ciudades para exigir el fin de una autocracia que se prolonga desde hace tres décadas y que pretende perpetuarse desvergonzadamente en la figura de Gamal, el hijo del actual rais, del faraón Mubarak. Desde el balcón septentrional del Mediterráneo, Europa contempla este fuego liberador con estupor y aprensión.

La noticia en otros webs

• webs en español
• en otros idiomas

Obama afina mucho más. Califica de "legítimas" las luchas democráticas de Túnez y Egipto

A la 'realpolitik' europea se le escapan los profundos cambios de los últimos tiempos

Al decir Europa me refiero a su establishment. Sin duda, somos muchos los europeos abochornados por el silencio de nuestros Gobiernos ante movimientos democráticos que podemos ver en vivo y en directo en cadenas de televisión como Al Jazeera, que podemos seguir, y compartir con sus protagonistas, en Twitter y Facebook y que solo cabe saludar con alborozo. No pocos ciudadanos de París, Londres, Berlín, Barcelona, Madrid, Lisboa o Roma compartimos incluso esa sensación que tienen tantos norteafricanos de que Europa ha terminado por convertirse en un obstáculo a la llegada de las libertades al Magreb y el valle del Nilo...mas

Egypt - January 2011

 Egypt Erupts:

Robert Fisk: A people defies its dictator, and a nation's future is in the balance

A brutal regime is fighting, bloodily, for its life. Robert Fisk reports from the streets of Cairo

Saturday, 29 January 2011  - London Independent

...It began at the Istikama mosque on Giza Square: a grim thoroughfare of gaunt concrete apartment blocks and a line of riot police that stretched as far as the Nile. We all knew that Mohamed ElBaradei would be there for midday prayers and, at first, the crowd seemed small. The cops smoked cigarettes. If this was the end of the reign of Mubarak, it was a pretty unimpressive start.

But then, no sooner had the last prayers been uttered than the crowd of worshippers, perched above the highway, turned towards the police. "Mubarak, Mubarak," they shouted. "Saudi Arabia is waiting for you." That's when the water cannons were turned on the crowd – the police had every intention of fighting them even though not a stone had been thrown. The water smashed into the crowd and then the hoses were pointed directly at ElBaradei, who reeled back, drenched.

He had returned from Vienna a few hours earlier and few Egyptians think he will run Egypt – he claims to want to be a negotiator – but this was a disgrace. Egypt's most honoured politician, a Nobel prize winner who had held the post of the UN's top nuclear inspector, was drenched like a street urchin. That's what Mubarak thought of him, I suppose: just another trouble maker with a "hidden agenda" – that really is the language the Egyptian government is using right now.

And then the tear gas burst over the crowds. Perhaps there were a few thousand now, but as I walked beside them, something remarkable happened. From apartment blocks and dingy alleyways, from neighbouring streets, hundreds and then thousands of Egyptians swarmed on to the highway leading to Tahrir Square. This is the one tactic the police had decided to prevent. To have Mubarak's detractors in the very centre of Cairo would suggest that his rule was already over. The government had already cut the internet – slicing off Egypt from the rest of the world – and killed all of the mobile phone signals. It made no difference.

"We want the regime to fall," the crowds screamed. Not perhaps the most memorable cry of revolution but they shouted it again and again until they drowned out the pop of tear gas grenades. From all over Cairo they surged into the city, middle-class youngsters from Gazira, the poor from the slums of Beaulak al-Daqrour, marching steadily across the Nile bridges like an army – which, I guess, was what they were...more

A Visitor from Oaxaca

January 17, 2011, 11:00 pm

Lincoln’s Mexican Visitor

By WILLIAM MOSS WILSON - New York Times

Mexican President Benito Juarez

Disunion follows the Civil War as it unfolded.

Tags:

abraham lincoln, Mexico, Slavery, the civil war, the Mexican War

Matias Romero arrived in Springfield, Ill. on the evening of Jan. 18, 1861. Though late in the day, he figured it would be easy to find a room in this sleepy midwestern town. But there were no rooms available at his first choice, the American Hotel, or anywhere else: all the hotels in town were full of friends, patronage seekers and the merely curious who had come to meet President-elect Lincoln. Travelers packed into guesthouses three to a room with strangers sharing beds, while others settled for sleeper cars parked in the rail yard.

Matias Romero

Matias Romero

Fortunately, the manager of the American quickly recognized that the 23-year-old Oaxacan was no ordinary petitioner. Romero’s refined manner and dapper three-piece suit distinguished him from the homespun westerners in their hickory shirts and pantaloons tucked into boots. Romero was provided the last “very dirty bed” and the promise of his own room for the next evening. He was thankful just to get some rest; the following day Romero met with Lincoln to deliver the hearty congratulations of his president and an olive branch from the neighboring Republic of Mexico...more

Birthright Citizenship

A few days after my first grandchild is born I begin thinking about birthright citizenship.  I went with his father to "register" the birth.  They live in the UK.  Its not like the U.S. where the hospital and doctor do it for you.  Having the parent actually visit Vital Statistics and give information on the child and his parents gives the birth a monumental feeling.  In what is typical of our global world these days, when the clerk asks the father where the parents are born, the locations given are Bryan, Texas and Buenos Aires, Argentina.  The mother's family immigrated from Italy to Argentina a century and a half ago, so the baby has Italian citizenship - meaning he will be able to obtain a European Union passport, just like his mother.  He will also be an American.

Besides the posibility of Argentine citizenship, he is also eligible to be a Mexican citizen because one of his great grandfathers was born in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico.  Yet the young parents have chosen to stick with the E.U. and the U.S.A. for now.  If they stay in the U.K. long enough they will request British citizenship also.

It's complicated and expensive, the passport applications for the U.S. and E.U. add up.  Yet, as the baby's father told me, in this xenophobic world, the safest thing to do - is for little Tommy to be a citizen as of many First World countries as he can.

P.S. The baby's Italian citizenship has an interesting twist.  While his eligibility is based on his mother's maternal great grandparents, the story goes that his father's ancestors were tailors who came to northern Mexico from Italy - four hundred years ago.

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Is it time to reconsider birthright citizenship?

By Edward Schumacher-Matos

Thursday, January 6, 2011; 5:30 PM

There is nothing sacred about American birthright citizenship. But there also is no pressing reason to change two centuries of constitutional law and tradition.

The Republican-led rebellion rising out of state legislatures to redefine the 14th Amendment and end guaranteed citizenship to anyone born in the country is a distraction of epic proportions.


Instead of helping fix the nation's immigration system, the insurrectionists are recklessly challenging the national government's power to decide who is an American and the system of federalism itself.


The model state citizenship law, plus a novel "compact" creating different types of birth certificates, which were released this week by Republican legislators from Arizona, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Georgia - with legislators in perhaps 40 states said to be in tow - are unprecedented in their coordinated state attack on federal power...more

Arizona DREAMer; Marine; Needs Your Help

From DREAM Activist

Pedro needs your help. He is a DREAM eligible student from Arizona who is being told he has to report to ICE by Tuesday, January 18th.  That is just 4 days from now.  Pedro DREAMs of one day being able to become a United States Marine. Take action to keep Pedro home: 1.  Sign the petition 2.  Click to send a fax to DHS / ICE directly 3.  Forward this alert to your friends and family (at least 5 people) 4.  Follow the action page and make calls on behalf of Pedro Pedro has been living in Arizona since he was 7 years old.  When he was young he was abandoned by his parents and left to be raised by his grandmother.  Because his only known relative has since passed away, if deported, Pedro will literally have no family in Mexico. Pedro has no time to waste, please take action now to halt his deportation. Mohammad Abdollahi Co-founder of DreamActivist.org All of the work we do is volunteer run, consider making a donation to support us.

Gaby Pacheco -- in Houston

Gaby Pacheco

The Hispanic Student Association with the Urban Learning Center at Texas Southern University would like to invite you to join us for

“A Discussion of the DREAM Act with Gaby Pacheco”

In TSU’s Sawyer Auditorium January 27, 2010, from 1pm to 3pm.  The topics to be discussed will be the provisions of the DREAM Act, what it entails and how undocumented students and their families will benefit from it. The Office of Recruitment will provide information for future students on how to register, enroll and attend classes at TSU regardless of immigration status. Specialist immigration attorney Jesus Rios will be in attendance to provide updates on immigration policies and to hold a Q&A session.  We look forward to your joining us at this historic event!

Don’t miss this opportunity to get FREE information on how undocumented students can enroll at TSU and have their DREAM of graduating come true.

Houston moving towards Arizona

Our Governor, Rick Perry, who thinks Texas should secede from the  Union is now pushing to eliminate what he calls "sanctuary cities," cities where immigration enforcement is not as stringent as in, lets say, Tucson....

As the Houston Chronicle rightly notes, he is diverting attention from the much more serious budget issue....

My son who is a banker who works with government entities and evaluates pension plans -  is telling me that I should not depend on my State of Texas pension plan, nor social security if I want to have money when I retire.  He says state pension plans are disappearing.... that to me is much more serious than a gardener living in Houston who has no visa... Yet as many of us know (and unfortunately some don't want to accept), Perry is off on a wild ride.   If he is not careful he could lead Texas into a bloody phase as Arizona is now seeing...

Perhaps the shooter in Arizona knows the person who has left dog feces on my driveway a few times this last couple of years...

Sorry Governor Perry, the violent ones are not the Mexicans living on this side, its some of those white guys who love Sarah Palin.

--

THE 82ND LEGISLATURE

Perry puts priorities on illegal immigration and property rights

By GARY SCHARRER and PEGGY FIKAC - Houston Chronicle - AUSTIN BUREAU

Jan. 11, 2011, 8:52PM

...GOP Gov. Rick Perry, welcoming lawmakers, immediately put a priority on enhancing private property rights and abolishing so-called "sanctuary cities."

He said immigration enforcement is the federal government's responsibility "but we cannot compound their failure by preventing Texas peace officers from doing their jobs."

Perry's emphasis on sanctuary cities is misplaced as it shifts attention away from a $27 billion budget shortfall that threatens to cripple schools, communities and public health, the head of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus said.

"I think law enforcement officials, not the governor, know best how to keep our communities safe," MALC Chairman Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, said. "If Gov. Perry was truly concerned about the safety and security of our citizens, he would never over-burden law enforcement with enforcing federal law instead of investigating and preventing violent crime."...more

Rescue Maggie - if you live around Houston

from Barriodogs.com

Meet Maggie – This beautiful miniature Schnauzer was left off for grooming and the owners never returned.  The owners were contacted several times but said that they are back in Mexico and are not returning for Maggie.  Three months later, these neglected owners abandoned this poor little girl.  Please help us find her a home.

The vet indicates that she is no more than a year old.  She was given all of her vacinnes and will be spayed in a couple of weeks.   Thank goodness she is heartworm negative.  She weighs about 15 lbs. and is a little nervous at first meeting but warms up very fast.

This sweet little girl is looking for a family that will never abandon her.  Please help us by networking her story.  

For further information contact:

email: info@barriodogs.org  

1 in 3 people will be diabetic by the year 2050 - will you be one of those?

http://www.kidney.org/news/ekidney/january11/DiabetesCKD_January11.cfm

The Top 5 Questions about Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease

Recent reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that one in three people in the United States will have diabetes by the year 2050. The number stands now at one in ten. Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, responsible for nearly half of the new cases last year. Yet proper management and treatment of diabetes can help prevent the onset of kidney disease. This month, the National Kidney Foundation answers the top 5 questions about diabetes and chronic kidney disease.


1. What is diabetes and who’s at risk?
Diabetes is a serious disease. It occurs when your body does not make enough insulin or cannot use the insulin it makes. Insulin is a hormone that controls the level of sugar (called glucose) in your blood. A high blood sugar level can cause problems in many parts of your body.


There are two types of diabetes. In Type 1 diabetes your body does not make insulin. It usually starts when you are a child or young adult, but it can occur at any age. It is treated by taking daily insulin shots or using an insulin pump and by following a special meal plan. About 5 to 10 percent of cases of diabetes are type 1.


In type 2 diabetes your body makes some insulin but cannot use it properly. Type 2 is partially preventable and is typically brought on by poor diet and lack of exercise. Very often heredity plays a part, as well. The disease usually occurs in people over 40, although it is becoming more common in younger people, and is particularly prevalent among African Americans, American Indians, Latin Americans and Asian Americans.
2. How can diabetes damage the kidneys?


The filtering units of the kidney are filled with tiny blood vessels. Over time, high sugar levels in the blood can cause these vessels to become scarred and clogged. Without enough blood, the kidneys become damaged and albumin (a type of protein) passes through these filters and ends up in the urine where it should not be.
Diabetes can also cause damage to the nerves in your body. Nerves carry messages between your brain and all other parts of your body, including your bladder. They let your brain know when your bladder is full. But if the nerves of the bladder are damaged, you may not be able to feel when your bladder is full. The pressure from a full bladder can damage your kidneys. If urine stays in your bladder for a long time, you may get a urinary tract infection (http://www.kidney.org/kidneyDisease/uti/index.html) through the buildup of bacteria.


3. What can diabetics do to prevent or delay chronic kidney disease (CKD)?
The best way protect the kidneys from being damaged is by controlling blood sugar. This is usually done with diet, exercise, and, if needed, insulin shots or hypoglycemic pills. Daily monitoring of your blood sugar should be done at home, as well as regular A1C tests performed by your doctor which tell you average blood sugar levels over 6 to 8 weeks. Diabetics should also monitor their blood pressure and cholesterol levels.


4. What are the signs of diabetic kidney disease?
Often kidney disease develops without noticeable symptoms, however it can be diagnosed with 3 simple tests blood pressure, urinalysis and GFR. You can receive these tests at your doctor’s office or at a National Kidney Foundation KEEP Screening .


Some symptoms that may occur include weight gain, ankle swelling, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, weakness, fatigue, itching and muscle cramps. You may also find you need less insulin because diseased kidneys cause less breakdown of insulin.


5. What is kidney failure and how is it treated?
Kidney failure means your kidneys have stopped working well enough to keep you alive. Harmful wastes and fluid begin to build up in your body, blood pressure may rise and your body cannot make enough red blood cells.


When this happens, you need treatment to replace the work of your failed kidneys. There is no cure for kidney failure. A person with kidney failure needs treatment to live. Three types of treatment can be used if your kidneys have failed: hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis or kidney transplantation .


Your health care team will help you choose the best treatment for you based on your general health, lifestyle and treatment preference. Your decision does not need to be a final decision. Many people have used each one of these treatments at different times.

In Spanish: Conservatives Revive the DREAM Act?

Mi amiga me dijo hace dias que los Republicanos iban a pasar el DREAM Act para poder decir que ellos lo hicieron y no los Democratas....

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Conservadores impulsan versión de DREAM Act

Surgen opiniones para considerar algunos casos bajo ciertas condiciones

• Pilar Marrero/pilar.marrero@laopinion.com |
• 2011-01-09
• | La Opinión

In Spanish: Gifford's Condition on 1 9 2011

Congresista se 'comunica' por gestos

WASHINGTON - La congresista Gabrielle Giffords, quien ayer fue atacada por un joven que le disparó en la cabeza, sigue en estado grave, pero es capaz de responder con gestos cuando se le habla, dijeron hoy los médicos que la atienden.

En una conferencia de prensa en el Centro Médico de la Universidad de Arizona, el jefe de traumatología, Peter Rhee, indicó que debido a la operación que se le realizó tras el disparo en la cabeza y a que está con ventilación asistida, no puede hablar, aunque sí es capaz de “comunicarse, de responder a órdenes simples"....mas

Bloody Arizona

Gabrielle Gifford at her wedding

Sheriff Dupnik is Right About Arizona

Editor's note: Ruben Navarrette Jr. is a nationally syndicated columnist, an NPR commentator, and a CNN.com contributor.

San Diego, California (CNN) -- Arizona is broken.


In the wake of the shooting of a congresswoman and 19 other people, Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik told the news media Saturday that he blamed "the vitriolic rhetoric that we hear day in and day out from people in the radio business and some people in the TV business."


"The bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous," he said. "And unfortunately, Arizona, I think, has become sort of the capital. We have become the mecca for prejudice and bigotry."


Bingo. Take it from me. I lived in Phoenix in the late 1990s while writing for The Arizona Republic. Dupnik got it exactly right.


Raise your hand if you have had it with the drama capital of America, which seems to spend more time on the front page than the other 49 states combined. Or if you think the Grand Canyon State has become, in recent years, more trouble than it's worth. Or if you feel like saying, to paraphrase what folk singer Phil Ochs said about Mississippi in the 1960s: "Here's to the people you've torn out the heart of. Arizona, find yourself another country to be part of."


The latest heartbreak comes from Saturday's horrific shooting rampage in Tucson. What authorities believe started as the attempted assassination of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords at an outdoor constituent meeting turned into a mass shooting that killed six people and wounded more than a dozen, including Giffords...more