Letter to the Editor of the New York Times, unpublished, 27 September 2009
Re: “In Honduras, Talking, Takeout, but No Accord” (International, September 27):
Clarity from Washington is urgent. The Times reports the State Department’s ambiguity: “it might not accept the election result if the Micheletti government remained in power to administer them.” Acceptance would endorse the use of a coup d’etat and the use of force against the Honduran people who have valiantly opposed the coup government. Reinstatement of elected and forcefully deposed President Zelaya is a necessary step to revive democratic process. Washington should act on their promise of a new era of U.S. – Latin America relations, eloquently posed by Mr. Obama to the April Summit of the Americas. Continued ambiguity from the State Department is de facto support for the coup, a position that revives Washington’s horrific history of support for military regimes in Honduras and leaves the Honduran people under a government instated by the military whose repeated use of violence and repression against them suggest a bleak future.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
no need for typecasting
Letter to the Editor of the New York Times, 27 September 2009, Unpublished
Re “With a Receptive White House, Labor Begins to Line Up Battles”
Stereotyping and theoretical propositions are disservice. The U.S. Government placed tariffs placed on tires made in China in full compliance with international trade law, specifically the WTO provisions accepted by China upon its joining the regulatory institution. The United Steelworkers supported the decision of the U.S. Government to use international law to support their membership. The article cites the “risk” of protectionist outbreak and pain inflicted on other North American workers, both speculations based on theory. In reality there is no commerce that fits the economic models underlying those statements. It also frames the union’s action as “battles”, messaging not so loosely charged against corporations whose lobbying efforts reach the absurd. Tagging the union reinforces a stereotype that prevents progress towards mature industrial relations in the U.S. It would be a service to readers to replace conjecture with more news, perhaps the United Steelworkers campaign for greener energy jobs.
Re “With a Receptive White House, Labor Begins to Line Up Battles”
Stereotyping and theoretical propositions are disservice. The U.S. Government placed tariffs placed on tires made in China in full compliance with international trade law, specifically the WTO provisions accepted by China upon its joining the regulatory institution. The United Steelworkers supported the decision of the U.S. Government to use international law to support their membership. The article cites the “risk” of protectionist outbreak and pain inflicted on other North American workers, both speculations based on theory. In reality there is no commerce that fits the economic models underlying those statements. It also frames the union’s action as “battles”, messaging not so loosely charged against corporations whose lobbying efforts reach the absurd. Tagging the union reinforces a stereotype that prevents progress towards mature industrial relations in the U.S. It would be a service to readers to replace conjecture with more news, perhaps the United Steelworkers campaign for greener energy jobs.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
People, Pies, and Puppies
Its been way to long since either of us have added blogs about everything and nothing. Since my trip to Costa Rica we had a few other visitors. Matt’s cousin and a wonderful friend from Mexico came for a few days, following that Matt’s dad came for a short visit as well. This was all during Samana Santa. We went to Leon and Granada, colorful colonial cities and enjoyed Good Friday processions and colorful sawdust carpets in the streets. We also showed our guests Volcano Masaya and Nindiri, the volcanoes we like to run up now and again. We walked around the craters as the sulfur created clouds in the sky. After that we took them to relax and go for a swim at one of our favorite weekend spots, Laguna de Apoyo. It was really nice to have some family come to see where we live and some highlights of visiting Nicaragua.
We just finished the mango season and are missing a fridge full of mangos. We became creative with the things we made, mango ice, mango juice, and for our guests I made mango pie. Of course there are no pre-made pie crusts to be had . . . .so thanks to Bittman I learned how to make pie crust. I can’t wait to try it with fresh berries (not to be found in these parts)
Nika is also missing those mangos so now opts for the pits laying in the street. She did enjoy meeting our guests. I think Matt’s dad actually took a liking to her. She just recently bounced back from her surgery.
We just finished the mango season and are missing a fridge full of mangos. We became creative with the things we made, mango ice, mango juice, and for our guests I made mango pie. Of course there are no pre-made pie crusts to be had . . . .so thanks to Bittman I learned how to make pie crust. I can’t wait to try it with fresh berries (not to be found in these parts)
Nika is also missing those mangos so now opts for the pits laying in the street. She did enjoy meeting our guests. I think Matt’s dad actually took a liking to her. She just recently bounced back from her surgery.
 |
| SemanaSanta2009 |
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Costa Rica with the Folks
Click below for all CR pics
It has been a while since I have written. Nika is growing so fast that she doesn’t quite know how big her body actually is, so much so that she tried to jump over a table . . .knocked a cup of water onto the computer . . .and that was that. Thus I am now computerless.
I recently got back from traveling to Costa Rica with my parents. It was really nice to get out of the heat of Nicaragua for a bit into some cooler, fresher air and be with my parents. We first went to a Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio on the Pacific coast for 2 days where we saw white faced monkeys and a few 3 toed sloths while relaxing on a beautiful white sand beach. Then up to a Parque Nacional Volcan Arenal more north which had a huge active volcano in the middle of a thick rainforest. I saw such great birds, a bunch of really colorful tanagers, toucans, and when I went on a hike one day, I saw a cat called a Tigrillo (I think ocelot in English) - it looked like a baby cheetah. It is the 3rd most endangered species in CR with only 40 left in the country. That of course was such a treat. Our last stop was at a park in the cloud forest in Monteverde. There I saw a Quetzal - again a super big treat. I also did a canopy tour on a zip line which was fun. After 9 days we took the bus back here and I showed my folks a bit of Nicaragua. We did a bunch of day trips outside of Managua. It was nice to have familiar faces around and show them where/how we live and introduce them to Nika.
 |
| Costa Rica with the Folks |
It has been a while since I have written. Nika is growing so fast that she doesn’t quite know how big her body actually is, so much so that she tried to jump over a table . . .knocked a cup of water onto the computer . . .and that was that. Thus I am now computerless.
I recently got back from traveling to Costa Rica with my parents. It was really nice to get out of the heat of Nicaragua for a bit into some cooler, fresher air and be with my parents. We first went to a Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio on the Pacific coast for 2 days where we saw white faced monkeys and a few 3 toed sloths while relaxing on a beautiful white sand beach. Then up to a Parque Nacional Volcan Arenal more north which had a huge active volcano in the middle of a thick rainforest. I saw such great birds, a bunch of really colorful tanagers, toucans, and when I went on a hike one day, I saw a cat called a Tigrillo (I think ocelot in English) - it looked like a baby cheetah. It is the 3rd most endangered species in CR with only 40 left in the country. That of course was such a treat. Our last stop was at a park in the cloud forest in Monteverde. There I saw a Quetzal - again a super big treat. I also did a canopy tour on a zip line which was fun. After 9 days we took the bus back here and I showed my folks a bit of Nicaragua. We did a bunch of day trips outside of Managua. It was nice to have familiar faces around and show them where/how we live and introduce them to Nika.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Getting Big
Getting big . . . okay so I sound like a first time mom . . .but Nika is growing so fast! What once was a little ball of Nika is now a big puppy.
It's raining Mangos!
Its mango season! We have a great big mango tree in our front parking area and it has so many mangos that the branches are being weighed down. Most are quite green but when a gust of wind blows the ripe ones fall from the sky. Nika finds them in our back patio area and likes to play with them. Sometimes she comes running inside excited that she found a good one. I take them away, wash them, and put them in the fridge. Other times I hear them hit the car or the pavement in the front and I quietly go outside and snatch them before the guard does and put them in the fridge with the others. In the morning I make a great mango smoothie breakfast.
My friend Lia once said when she eats these types of mangos, its like a mango milkshake in her mouth . . . .I couldn’t have put it better myself.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
