Obesity and casinos in Puerto Rico (hmm...)

My new online obsession is this blog. Honestly, I think I like it better than mine.

That's probably not a good thing...

Anyways, Renee has two great posts about obesity in Puerto Rico and a guide to casinos in San Juan. Plus more amazingness.

Seriously, go read.

Goodbye, Starbucks!

There's been a lot of attention about a couple of Starbucks on the island closing, and I for one say good riddance. I realize that it's more than just Puerto Rico, seeing as the economy both there and here is in shambles, but I honestly don't know anyone there who likes Starbucks, although I do know lots of people there who despite it very sincerely. And whenever I've been in one on the island (not that I went often or have been to all of them, but still) they're usually half as busy, or less, than American Starbucks.

They're still going to open another one though.

A review of When I Was a Puerto Rican/Cuando Era Puertorriqueña

As promised, here are my thoughts on When I Was a Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago...

Ms. Santiago opens up the book talking about the guayabas in a supermarket. She ties the unripe fruit to her childhood, recounting her departure from Puerto Rico (which involved a guayaba). The sensual description is the first sign that the book to follow is an exercise in exotification. After all, associated/confusing environment with its inhabitants is a common way to establish the exotic, particularly with tropicalization.

She portrays herself, her life, and all of Puerto Rico as both suffering and yet astoundingly exotic--certainly not how Puerto Ricans see themselves. Rather, she's marketing to a specific audience that is seeking out the exotic. Her fate, a combination of Harvard education and broadway shows, is exactly what the audience is looking forward to--it's the tipical "successful immigrant" story, the kind that doesn't point fingers but rather convinces people that if this one person could escape poverty, anyone could do it. Nevermind that the situations experienced by Santiago and others do have a cause and have solutions. But this is a feel-good story for all with an extra pat on the back for being interested in another culture... without having to, you know, change anything or do anything.

The book is a sell-out. Santiago creates an exotic image of Puerto Ricans and sells it to Americans for the cash. It's an old technique used by plenty. That's it, plain and simple.

On a less critical note, the writing is not terrible, and I suppose the book has exposed people a bit more to Puerto Rico. But really, this isn't a book about Puerto Rico. It's a book about what America wants to hear.

Yes! Yes! God, Yes! What I've been thinking forever but in better wording

I happened across this moments ago on El Nuevo Día and I really have no choice but to post the entire thing. A most likely shoddy English translation follows, along with my comments.

26-Junio-2008 | Ángel Collado Scharwz -Fundación Voz del Centro

Un país agrícola sin agricultura

En la década del cuarenta, el último gobernador extranjero en Puerto Rico, Rexford G. Tugwell, exclamó con asombro: “Imagínense, la comida es importada. Han perdido el arte del trópico. Nadie bajo ese sol, con buen terreno y con cuarenta pulgadas de lluvia, debe pasar hambre”. Puerto Rico goza del escenario perfecto para ser autosuficiente en lo que respecta a su capacidad terrestre y marina de satisfacer las necesidades alimentarias de sus ciudadanos.

Hace muchos años la agricultura desempeñó un rol protagónico en nuestra sociedad y nuestra economía. En 1935, el secretario del Interior, Harold Ickes responsabilizó a los Estados Unidos de destruir nuestra agricultura: “Puerto Rico… ha sido víctima de una economía de 'laissez faire' que ha originado el crecimiento rápido de grandes corporaciones azucareras absentistas, las que han acaparado mucha tierra que antes pertenecía a pequeños agricultores independientes, quienes, en consecuencia, se han visto reducidos prácticamente a la servidumbre económica. Si bien es cierto que la inclusión de Puerto Rico dentro de nuestras barreras arancelarias ha sido sumamente beneficiosa para los accionistas de esas corporaciones, los beneficios no han pasado a manos de la masa de puertorriqueños. Éstos, por el contrario, han visto que las tierras en las que antes sembraban cultivos de subsistencia, se han dedicado a la producción de azúcar, mientras ellos han sido empujados gradualmente a importar todos sus alimentos básicos, pagando por éstos los altos precios producidos por el arancel. Hoy día hay más miseria e indigencia y mucho más desempleo en Puerto Rico que en cualquier época previa de su historia”.

Años después, la situación empeoró con la operación Manos a la Obra, la cuál continuó debilitando a la industria agrícola. Se asignó prioridad al programa de industrialización basado en inversiones extranjeras. Se buscaba resultados inmediatos, aunque fuesen temporeros. El propio Teodoro Moscoso me comentó en sus últimos años de vida sobre el grave error que fue abandonar la agricultura.

Es lamentable que hoy día el único alimento cultivado en nuestra tierra que supera el renglón de las plantas ornamentales sean los plátanos. La venta de estas plantas es cuatro veces mayor que la venta de los mangós.

Más lamentable aún es que los mangós cosechados en la Isla sean desplazados por guineos de Costa Rica y piñas de la República Dominicana en los barcos que llevan los productos a Europa. Recientemente se reseñó en la prensa que los barcos llegaban sin cupo para nuestros furgones de mangós. Esta industria produce 700 empleos y genera $18 millones anuales. Pero las leyes de cabotaje federales, al obligarnos a utilizar los transportes marítimos estadounidenses considerados los más costosos e ineficaces, no sólo perjudican la exportación de nuestra producción agrícola: también aumentan el costo de los alimentos que importamos

La calidad de nuestros productos agrícolas es insuperable. Tres ejemplos de reconocimiento internacional son la piña, la cual es considerada por los expertos como superior a la de Hawai; el café, el cual se ofrece en restaurantes de alta cocina en Europa como un delicatessen; y el mangó, el cual recibe en Europa una aceptación formidable. Experimentos como la siembra de arroz en la década del setenta fueron abandonados ante la incapacidad de los gobiernos de turno para incentivar a empresarios locales.Debemos ver a Israel como nuestro principal modelo de desarrollo agrícola. Han conseguido cultivar en el desierto. Satisfacen toda la demanda alimentaria de sus ciudadanos, más exportan su producto agrícola a Europa. Sin embargo, su economía no se limita a la agricultura: ésta complementa una moderna industria de alta tecnología.En Israel, la agricultura representa un 2% del producto bruto mientras que en Puerto Rico es menos de 1%. Israel tiene el doble de la población de Puerto Rico pero cuatro veces el número de empleados en la industria manufacturera.

Israel, al igual que otras colonias antiguas, ha alcanzado estos éxitos económicos desde una plataforma soberana.

En Puerto Rico, aunque el escenario actual permite mejoras a la industria agrícola, el status político limita su desarrollo y potencial. Las leyes de cabotaje federales y la falta de poder para negociar tratados internacionales constituyen una camisa de fuerza para este desarrollo.

El otro aspecto importante es la mano de obra, la cual es muy limitada, pues es mucho más cómodo depender del mantengo federal. Lo irónico de la situación es que tampoco tenemos el poder para importar mano de obra que cultive nuestras tierras.

26-Junio-2008 | Ángel Collado Scharwz -Fundación Voz del Centro

An Agricultural Country without Agriculture

In the 40's, the last foreign governor in Puerto Rico, Rexford G. Tugwell, exclaimed with astonishment: "Imagine, the food is imported. They've lost the art of the tropic. No one under this sun, with good terrain and 40 inches of rain, should suffer hunger". Puerto Rico enjoys the perfect scenario to be self-sufficient in respect to its terrestrial and marine capacity to satisfy the gastronomical needs of its citizens.

Many years ago agriculture occupied a lead roll in our society and our economy. In 1935, the secretary of the Interior, Harold Ickes blamed the United States for destroying our agriculture: "Puerto Rico... has been victim of a 'laissez faire' economy that has given rise to rapid growth of huge sugar corporations run by absentee business owners, which have seized great quantities of land that belonged to small independent farmers before, who, in consequence, have practically been reduced to economic servitude. If it's true that the inclusion of Puerto Rico in our national boundaries has been extremely beneficial for the shareholders of these corporations, the benefits have not been passed down to the hands of the Puerto Rican masses. They, on the contrary, have seen that the lands in which before they planted subsistence crops have been dedicated to sugar production, while they have been gradually pushed to import all of their basic food, paying for these the high prices produced by customs. Today there is more misery and poverty, and much more unemployment, in Puerto Rico than in any other previous era in its history."

Years later, the situation worsened with the Manos a la Obra operation ("Operation Bootstrap", the nickname for it--and not translation per se--commonly used), which continued debilitating the agricultural industry. It assigned priority to the industrialization program based on foreign investments. It sought out immediate results, even if they were temporary. Teodoro Moscoso himself (the man for whom the large and famous bridge in San Juan, with the Puerto Rican and American flags in pairs, is named) commented to me in the last years of his life on the grave error that was abandoning agriculture.

It's regrettable that the only food cultivated in our land that exceeds ornamental plants in count is the plantain. The sale of these plants is four times greater than the same of mangos.

Even more regrettable is that the mangos harvested in the Island are displaced by bananas from Costa Rica and pinapples from the Dominican Republic in the ships that carry the products to Europe. Recently it was reviewed in the press that the ships arrived without space for our tons of mangos. This industry produces 700 employees and generates $18 million annually. But the federal coastal shipping laws, by obliging us to use the American maritime transportation considered the most costly and ineffective, not only damage the export of our agricultural production; they also increase the cost of the food we import.

The quality of our agricultural products is unsurpassable. Three examples of international recognition include the pineapple, which is considered by experts to be superior to that of Hawaii; coffee, which is offered in gourmet restaurants in Europe as a delicacy; and the mango, which has had formidable levels of success in Europe. Experiments like the planting of rice in the 70's were abandoned thanks to the incapacity of the governments to provide incentives to local businesses.

We should look to Israel as our lead model for agricultural development. They've figured out how to grow food in the desert. They satisfy all the demand of their citizens, plus they export their agricultural products to Europe. Nevertheless, their economy is not limited to agriculture; it compliments a modern industry with advanced technology.

In Israel, agriculture represents 2% of the gross product while in Puerto Rico it's less than 1%. Israel has double the population of Puerto Rico but four times the number of employees in the manufacturing industry.

Israel, like other old colonies, has reached these economic successes from a superb platform.

In Puerto Rico, although the current scenario permits improvements to the agricultural industry, the political status limits its development and potential. The federal coastal trade laws and the lack of power to negotiate international treaties are a straight jacket for this development.

The other aspect is labor, which is very limited, seeing as it's much more comfortable depending on federal welfare. The irony here is that we don't have the power to import labor to cultivate our lands, either.

Did I ever mention how much I love La voz del centro? I do. I think I have over 100 of their podcasts on my iPod, all interviewing fantastic people about fantastic topics. Thank you, Mr. Collado Schwarz!

Anyways, I want to reiterate the message in this article: Puerto Rico, you can do it!

I sincerely believe that one of the most empowering things Puerto Rico could do for itself to shake the chain of dependence it is now living is to turn to its own resources. Food is a huge part of this. As we are asked in the beginning of this article, why is a tropical island with the ideal natural conditions, practically mistakeable for Eden itself at times, importing food? It can't be that processed, old, preservative-loaded Kraft cheese packages are tastier than fresh (and free) avocado from the backyard.

I think Collado Schwarz doesn't quite show the truly devasting effects the American corporations intially had on Puerto Rico. While he does touch on it, it is one of those big deals, a monumental and decisive moment in history that even today still dictates what you find in each grocery store today. Having done my own minimal research on that period, I can promise that the period from the American invasion through the 30's was one of the most tragic moments Puerto Rico lived, only following slavery and the explosive results of the initial Spanish arrival.

Industry changed overnight from coffee (and tobacco to a certain extent) to sugar (Puerto Rican coffee was too strong for American tastes). The conversion from peso to dollar was very poorly managed, seeing as most merchants just changed the currency symbol and not the number next to it, in essence increasing prices by up to 40%, particularly in markets for the poorer sectors of the population. The owners of small farms, due to the change in industry and rising prices, soon had to sell their land and become migrant farmers. The land was bought up by the aforementioned absentee businessmen, who sped up Puerto Rico's path to monoculture with giant sugar cane plantations, all while making the island poorer by funneling the money into the United States rather than Puerto Rico. Within a short time period of this, 75% of all food was imported (practically all from the United States), and rural families, often previous land-owners, spent a whopping 94% of their income on food. Coupled with skyrocketing unemployment and an education that insisted on English even though both the students and the teachers didn't speak the language, opportunities to improve quality of life were few.

I don't really think I need to even say that many of the protests at the time were met with official censorship and state-sponsored violence. It should be obvious.

Now obviously things have improved in Puerto Rico, but looking back in history, we can also see that many haven't. Old habits and impracticalities are about to reach their centennial. It's just sad to see these idiocies that have obviously been harmful survive long past their expiration date.

The blame falls both ways. For one, Puerto Ricans earn some for complacency and an undeserved satisfaction with things how they are. Puerto Rico should be constantly striving for improvement... and no, I don't mean new SUV or widescreen improvement, but a better life for everyone regardless of what they can buy. This can only come about through breaking the chain of dependence. No, I am not calling for the independence movement to suddenly take over the country (although if that's what Puerto Rico wants, so be it). I am talking about a Puerto Rico that concerns itself with Puerto Rico over the United States. Less imports. In regards to this article, I think that the biggest step that Puerto Rico could take would be limiting imports, or, even better, putting tariffs on them (even though it would never be allowed by the U.S. government), and then pumping the money made from tariffs or not wasted on jacked-up import costs into agriculture. Puerto Rico can sustain itself. With the rising costs of both food and gas, hopefully soon it will realize the value of that message.

An equal part of the blame, however, also lands on the United States. The only surviving pretext for the current status is that corporations make a killing importing all that food and other consumer goods. They completely manipulate the market, making it nearly impossible for Puerto Ricans to compete. Do we really continue mantaining colonialism just to make the extra buck?

I am not necessarily against capitalism... it'd be a bit hypocritical, seeing as it's a part of my daily life and the lives of others. I don't want to say that Puerto Ricans don't have a right to want the same things I want, frivolous though they may be. But when the process for acquiring it becomes harmful and inescapable, I think we must find a solution. Clearly colonialism and capitalism are a deadly combination. How many years would it take to resolve this... if an effort is ever made?

Word(s) of the Week: Cucubano and Cucullo, Plus Tony Croatto

Tonight I was outside, enjoying the breezy dusk we were having here. It's summertime, of course, and the cool nights nearly make up for the muggy days. Anyways, I called my friend over to look at the fireflies, which were everywhere. She was pretty impressed with how many there were... enough, I suppose, to call her mom and tell her about it.

"You know, we have these at home," she told me afterward. "I just forgot. They're called cucubanos... Tony Croatto has a song about them that Mom started singing for me. You should write about him."

First things first, cucubanos aren't exactly fireflies, but they are related. They're some kind of click beetle, supposedly. Technically Puerto Rico has its own real fireflies named cucullos. They're pretty similar though, both emitting a green light. Here's a video of cucullos, in case you wanted to see.

They're pretty easy to forget, too. Most live out in the country, since they can't find mates with all the light pollution.

So then who is Tony Croatto? Well... he is an Italian singer who, after having a more or less successful career in other parts of Latin America and Spain, eventually came to Puerto Rico to make country (jíbaro) music. What's most remarkable about him, besides that he was able to take the many rhythms and melodies of all parts of the island and refresh them, was that he truly adopted Puerto Rico and Puerto Rico truly adopted him. Even though he died in 2005, there is still a lot of love for him in the island.

If you want to know more, Wikipedia has a great entry on his life. Worth reading, definitely.

Oh, and here's the link to the song "Cucubano". Really nice.

Summer Reads

Puerto Rico is the perfect place to lie out on the beach and do some summer reading. First off, it's a tiny island with a great number of beaches offering sun, sand, water, and perhaps even tranquility (we are talking about Puerto Rico here). Second, there are plenty of books from which to choose; try some of the bookstores in Río Piedras, San Juan, or, if you can't find an independent one, there are Borders in Plaza Las Américas, Carolina, and Mayagüez... I know, I know, you'd think that there wouldn't be too much Puerto Rican literature there, seeing as it's an American chain, but you'd be surprised. The last time I was there I bought a book of essays on Puerto Rico from the 50's for a dollar. Give it a shot if you'd like.

Anyways, here's a list of books from Puerto Rico that I've read, am reading, or wish I were (I have a lot more academic books on Puerto Rico and a few other subjects that I'll be reading as well, so some will have to wait...). Think of it as a starting point, I suppose.

• La casa de la laguna/The House on the Lagoon - Rosario Ferré... and other books by her (there are quite a few)
• La guaracha de Macho Camacho/Macho Camacho's Beat - Luis Rafael Sánchez
• Poetry by Julia de Burgos (there's a bilingual complete anthology of all her works on amazon.com here--the cover is not as ugly as it seems and the translations are great)
• Felices Días, Tío Sergio/Happy Days, Uncle Sergio - Magali García Ramis
• La Patografía - Ángel Lozada (Spanish only)
  
• When I Was a Puerto Rican/Cuando era una puertorriqueña - Esmeralda Santiago (my thoughts on this book later)
• The Rum Diary - Hunter S. Thompson (English only... as far as I know)
  

Of course, if you want to make this an even more enjoyable experience, pick up a couple of old school salsa CDs (or Marc Anthony, if you are so inclined) and make a pitcher of piña colada before you hit the beach.

May the world be blessed with a relaxing beach visit and a good book!

Mayoketchup

If you have ever had tostones, fries, whatever in Puerto Rico, you will have experienced mayoketchup, which is basically a mixture of mayonnaise, ketchup, and a bit of garlic. A great example of fine Puerto Rican cuisine. Anyways, Renee in all her fabulousness has a great explanation of mayoketchup and all the associated horrors, which I suggest you read here. Definitely worth it. Well, I laughed anyways.

A visit from Africa

Not only is the island nearing the dreaded hurricane season, there also has appeared a cloud of dust from the Sahara desert spreading across the island. This generally happens around this time every year, so, if you have asthma and you were thinking about saving some money by coming in the off-season, you may want to rethink that. Its effects don't last too long though.

3rd Grade History Report on Puerto Rico

'Nough said.

Daddy Yankee: de calle? Well...

Daddy Yankee has had quite a lucrative career so far. He basically introduced reggaetón to North America and, consequently, the world with his collaboration in "Oye Mi Canto" and, of course, "Gasolina". And then there's this...



It's been really interesting to watch him grope for the solution to the reggaetón vacuum. He's already in a tough position, seeing as reggaetón, especially outside the island, has lost most of its muster. Now he's trying to make a movie ("Talento de Barrio": Talent from the Barrio/Hood) intended to draw viewers precisely because of the fast-fading genre.

But his answer to this is even more problematic. He's effectively moving on from reggaetón into hip hop, with lack-luster results.

I'm not sure it's occurred to him that he is the face of reggaetón and no matter how he says he's revolutionizing the genre, his face will always be associated with the repetitive beats that garnered him the title "king of reggaetón". After all, look at "Rompe". The lyrics were horrible but because of the reggaetón it did incredibly well. Meanwhile, his latest CD, El Cartel: The Big Boss, did not do nearly as well as was expected because it was practically entirely hip hop over-polished production that lost its Puerto Rican audience without attracting many Americans to what was essentially bland hip hop.

Despite that fiasco (and ignoring the only truly successful single "Ella Me Levantó"), Daddy Yankee returns to hip hop in order to advertise a movie about his reggaetón roots. Sound strange yet?

The video then follows up with him and his "posse" of actors, him in a golf cart, him with a nice car, all while rapping about how great he is. It's as if he stole it from a checklist of what to put in an American hip hop video. Or maybe it's just a watered-down "8 Mile". There is nothing original at all.

The song is just not catchy, either. Probably the most disappointing part.

I feel sorry for him, really. I do think he'll have some success with the movie just because his name's on it, but I can imagine it flopping quite easily. He's basically crossing genres without much of an audience waiting for him and then risking it on a film he's been working on for years. I can't see this helping him.

¡Bendito! Get it together, man!

A quick thought...

I've written about this before , so maybe read this post before I get started.

Today I went out to eat with my family to a Mexican restaurant, which I'm pretty sure is a chain, and in their overly enthusiastic attempts to be authentic, with photos and signs with the giant word "Hola" (not even kidding... I laughed), perhaps they overlooked the music. Nearly all of it was Puerto Rican salsa. That which wasn't included Thalía (who is actually Mexican) and Juanes (Colombian). But nearly all the music was Puerto Rican.

Mexico has a very large and diverse music industry that often gets swept aside in the U.S. for the more visible and recognizable salsa trumpets. Not that Puerto Rican music doesn't deserve it, but again Puerto Rican music is standing in for all of the music of Latin America.

Good news for gay Puerto Rico

The infamous Resolución 99 didn't get passed. The goals of it were to restrict all marriage to unions between a man and a woman... you know, the usual. Here is gay.com's article.

On the other hand, according to El Vocero there is a great possibility of it returning next year. Jorge de Castro Font seems determined to bring it back. We'll see if he's saying that mostly to get reelected or if it'll really happen.

The Resolution drew a lot of attention a few months ago with large protests in Old San Juan against it.

I've written a little bit about homosexuality in Puerto Rico in this post but I'm due for a more complete description later.

Wait... what?

The Decolonization Committee unanimously agreed to approve Aníbal's request for a revision of the UN's view of the status.

Huh?

I don't really know what this means for Puerto Rico (the consequences, if any, are unclear) but I do know at least for Aníbal and his cohorts this is kind of a change in party ideology. I wonder if the party will move more towards independence now.

Here's a BBC article in English, which is pretty vague but I couldn't find many more reliable English-language news sources, here's a real technical blog post on it along with some other official stuff, and here is the Spanish version.

Hm.

Word(s) of the Week: Fruits

And now for something completely different (I'm sick of this elections stuff).

I wrote a post earlier about bananas on the island (and how they're called guineos rather than plátanos amarillos or bananos or what-have-you from other countries). I've been meaning to follow that up with some more (emphasis on "meaning to"; I'm a bit forgetful I suppose). Anyways... fruit!

• Bananas are guineos. Like I mentioned before.
  
• Mango is mangó. For some reason Puerto Rico is (I'm pretty sure) the only Spanish-speaking country to throw an accent on that o. Something to do with confusing it with "mango" (handle) I'd assume. I... don't know.
  
• Naranja (orange) is china. From "naranja china". You can get around with using naranja, of course, but you'll stick out. Naranja does show up on occasions. But even things like Fanta are marketed as china-flavored.
  
• Passionfruit is parcha. For some reason I have it stuck in my head that the name is different from the regular Spanish name (which is a literal translation I think).
  
• Strawberry is ejtroberi. No joke. You hear a Spanish-version of the English word much more than you hear the real Spanish word (fresa). Other berries tend to follow the same pattern (rajberi, for example), as well as cherry (which is often a sexual euphemism too). If you want an example, here's a video of Wisin y Yandel's song "Hey Mami", which starts using those words (and a couple others) in the chorus, conveniently transcribed in the comments.
  
• Watermelon is just melón. The real name for it in Spanish is sandía, of course, but most of the island will look at you a little funny if you say it.
  
• Quenepas are awesome! So is guayaba (guava). Acerola too. Other delicious fruits available on the island include piña (pineapple), papaya, coco (coconut), toronja (grapefruit), and more. Some of these, like acerola* and quenepas, are nearly impossible to sample in the States or Europe. Be sure to get some while you're there, or you'll be missing out!
  

There are even more vegetables to get to, so look out for that.

*I just wanted to add that nutritionally acerola cherries are fascinating. A single cherry has only 2 Calories, no sugar, and yet has 133% of your daily need for Vitamin C. 20 of them only ends up being 32 Calories, 7 grams of sugar, and about 2800% of your Vitamin C. The same amount of orange, in comparison, has only 75% of your daily need with more Calories and more sugar. Interesting, isn't it?

Whoops... we missed it

What with the heat, thunderstorms, and lack of technology (I broke free of my chains for the weekend, in case you didn't notice), I didn't even realize that NYC's world-famous Puerto Rican Parade came and left. Then again, I can't imagine it was that much fun, seeing as it was blazing outside. Anyone reading this go to it? How was it? Any stories?

If you're like me and trying to avoid the weather, here's some reading:

• Apparently during my blackout I also missed Top Chef in Puerto Rico making Puerto Rican food. Check out a pretty funny description of the episode here. Another interesting look at it (along with vegetarian versions of some of the recipes) is right here.
  
• A couple things on tourism--well, one is partly tourism and the rest just migration... yep, I'm talking about Puerto Ricans in Florida. Apparently they've beat New York for flights to and from the state. Hmm. The other one is about JetBlue, who is adding more flights from JFK, Orlando, and adding flights early (starting September) from Boston. Good news after AA's announcement; Puerto Rico needs it.
• And now... politics, that inescapable topic. But this time I have decent reading about it (or at least I enjoyed it!). Check these out:
• An interview with Aníbal about why he's petitioning the UN to review Puerto Rico's status:

Many things have [caused us to change our stance]. Instead of getting more autonomy and powers, we have less than in 1952 because the federal government has grown exponentially and aggressively and now controls things that in the past were left up to the states. . . .

For instance, we have a strong dairy industry in Puerto Rico. For the last 50 or 60 years, the government of Puerto Rico has regulated the industry. Last year, a federal judge decided they were the ones that would regulate prices. This is something that affects the pockets of every Puerto Rican, our farmers, our agricultural sector, a whole industry in Puerto Rico, and from now on we have to go before a federal judge for changes.

Another example is we don't believe in the death penalty. Our constitution, which was approved by Congress, specifically bans it. . . . But under the Bush administration, we have seen the district attorney [in San Juan] very aggressively seeking death-penalty convictions. .

• A slightly less political and more cultural look at some of the same thing, Americanization in Puerto Rico (it's not too well written but is a decent introduction to the issue):
  

In assessing the effects of the “Americanization” of the island of Puerto Rico, it is important to ascertain whether industrial progress is always beneficial to the people’s to which it is brought. Through the American perception of the ideal, one would believe that suburbanization and industrialization is akin to progress and success; however, Puerto Rico proves this to be a fallacy. The people of Puerto Rico, hard working individuals with a strong work and family ethic became so immersed in “Americanization” that no price was too big to pay to achieve that “ideal.” Such prices included the dissolving of the patriarchal society, the sterilization of one-third of the country’s women of child bearing years, and the loss of pride in one’s ability to provide not only for himself but for his family. Now, this society is rapidly becoming matriarchal with 20 percent of the males unemployed and living off of American handouts. But how did this happen?

• A deeper look at why Hillary "swept" Puerto Rico:

Regardless its unexpected exposure to CNN's limelight, the primary event in Puerto Rico failed, once more, to engage in the potent issues that with some frequency rear their heads in the mainland campaigns. If politics is always local, in Puerto Rico, a superpopulated Island (with one of the highest population densities in the world, despite the fact that a full half of Puerto Ricans live in the United States) it is really a bizarre mirror labyrinth in which the colonial status is the overriding issue. Other social, economic and cultural contents revolve around the question of whether Puerto Rico will continue its colonial status (since 1898), or achieve some kind of resolution, any time soon.

• Did racism in Puerto Rico affect the election? A quick glance...

"On the mainland, Obama is black, but not in Puerto Rico," said Juan Manuel Garcia Passalacqua, the island's most distinguished political commentator. "Here, he is a mulatto, and this is a mulatto society. People here are perfectly prepared to vote for someone who looks like them for president of the United States."

This is of course the party line on the island and is used frequently to say why the island does not need a black movement. However, a mulatto ran on Sunday and race was an issue and not in his favor.

I would argue, though, that when the author says that Black island populations are consistently poorer and less educated and White populations are not does not add up to the same wide discrepancies in Puerto Rico that may be found in other Latin America. Undeniably it exists in PR, but to the same extent as in neighboring countries? That is a very strong statement to make for an island that tends to share its poverties with the entire population. Blacks do tend to be poorer on average, but the margin is smaller than it is in other Latin American countries if I'm not mistaken.

• Finally, an article about racism between Puerto Ricans and Nuyoricans, who are seen by islanders as Blacker and therefore are subject to various ugly stereotypes, including overly sexual. Highly recommended.

Photographs in a controversial video feature smiling fair-skinned beauty contest winners and fashion models contrasted with images of scantily dressed, full-bodied, dark-skinned women in public spaces ---"evidence" of the cultural and aesthetic differences between "real" Puerto Ricans and those who make illegitimate claims on that identity.

These are the verbal and visual claims of a controversial video making recent rounds on the Internet, explaining the alleged differences between Puerto Ricans on the Island and those in the United States. The two-minute video, which has repeatedly been yanked from YouTube, informs the viewer that “Puerto Ricans come from the island,” are overwhelmingly “blancos” or mestizos of Taíno and European ancestry, and “typically VERY classy and/or preppy or as we say in Puerto Rico ‘fino’.” Island Puerto Ricans are also highly educated, the video asserts. In contrast, Nuyoricans are “3rd or 4th generation Puerto Ricans that are usually mixed with African Americans, CAN NOT speak Spanish or speak it very badly!!! They act very, very trashy and ghetto or as we say in Puerto Rico cafre!!!” Nuyoricans are Afrocentric and one is more likely to find them “in prison than in college.” Indeed, Nuyoricans—a misnomer since it encompasses the entire Puerto Rican diaspora—often seem to be a target in this video and beyond for anti-Afro-Latino sentiment. Nuyoricans come under fire for their apparent obsession with race and racism and, most particularly, their identification with African-Americans and blackness.

I really just can't believe it

So Walter Mercado, the Latin world's favorite astrologist, is apparently releasing a CD and going on a 23-city tour.

If you don't know who Walter Mercado is (he's on Univisión nearly every day I think), I think his webpage will give you a good idea (warning, there's music).

Anyways, the CD is going to be called "El secreto de los ángeles" and the shows are going to be Cirque de Soleil-like. Supposedly.

Honestly the whole Walter Mercado empire scares me a little and I don't understand why he had to do this. But...

Quick! Go to San Juan TOMORROW!

It's probably too late for this, but for those of you who have the opportunity, the tren urbano (metro) is going to be free tomorrow in honor of the 3 year anniversary of the ATI (Integrated Transportation Alternative), or at least so says the paper. That's in comparison to a normal $1.50-per-ride fare. Sounds good to me.

Here's a list of the stops, courtesy of Wikipedia:

* Sagrado Corazón (Sagrado Corazón)
* Hato Rey (Golden Mile / José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum)
* Roosevelt (Golden Mile)
Tren Urbano at the Roosevelt Station.
Tren Urbano at the Roosevelt Station.
* Domenech (Hato Rey)
* Piñero (Hato Rey)
* Universidad (Río Piedras / University of Puerto Rico)
* Río Piedras (Río Piedras)
* Cupey
* Centro Médico (University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus)
* San Francisco
* Las Lomas
* Martínez Nadal
* Torrimar (Guaynabo)
Torrimar Station
Torrimar Station
* Jardines
* Deportivo (Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium)
* Bayamón (Bayamón)

Word of the Week: Tapón

I've talked about driving a little bit before but El Nuevo Día (with some help from the Associated Press) has provided a bit more fodder. Supposedly they've figured out that Puerto Rico is the country with the highest density of vehicles per squared mile in the world. I could have told them that...

Los puertorriqueños, especialmente los que transitan por el área metropolitana, conocen muy bien lo que significa “tapón” en el argot boricua.
Eso se debe a que, con 150 autos por milla pavimentada, Puerto Rico es el país con la más alta densidad de vehículos por milla cuadrada en el mundo, según datos del Departamento de Transportación y Obras Públicas (DTOP).
En la zona metropolitana hay cerca de 4,300 autos por milla cuadrada, también la proporción más alta a nivel mundial.
Puerto Ricans, especially those who travel through the metropolitan area, know really well what the word "tapón" means in Boricua slang.
This is due to that, with 150 autos per pavemented mile, Puerto Rico is the country with the highest density of vehicles per squared mile in the world, according to the Department of Transportation and Public Repairs (DTOP).
In the metropolitan zone there are nearly 4,300 cars per square mile, also the highest proportion at the global level.

According to the rest of the article, they're actively seeking solutions involving public transportation, hoping to siphon some ideas from Europe and Latin America.

In honor of the breath-catchingly high 4,300 cars per square mile, something that unfortunately I all too readily believe, I offer to you the word of the day, tapón. While it can refer to plenty of things, particularly corks, plugs, et cetera, tapón also is a traffic jam. And boy is that one overused word in Puerto Rico. I'm pretty sure it's used in other countries too, but looking at today's article, I feel pretty safe guessing that it's uttered the most on the island. Just a hunch.

What was I thinking--as if I could really get away from politics!

I'm not really going to go into huge detail here, because I... just won't, but remember how I mentioned yesterday that Aníbal claimed the primaries were a huge boost for the Commonwealth (and his party)? Now the independentistas and--now this one surprised me a little--the socialistas are following suit. I didn't know there was enough of a socialist presence in the island to even make the paper. I mean, I was sure there were some, but I thought they'd be just a couple of people. Well, you learn things every day.

I'm still waiting for the estadistas to figure out a way to jump in on this too.

Moving on...

I just wanted to mention that I wrote a review of a book called "Puerto Rican Poetry: An Anthology from Aboriginal to Contemporary Times", up on the Latin American Review of Books page right here. Go check it out!

Hillary won... duh

So not surprisingly Hillary has completely dominated the Puerto Rican primaries. My goodness, the excitement is killing me.

I did find it interesting, though, that only about 15% of the island showed up to vote, which is a remarkably low turnout. Plus the independentistas pulled off a 2000-people protest in San Juan--pretty impressive considering school was out (UPR in Río Piedras is notorious for having large protests for just about anything, either for political motives or because it cancels classes for a couple of days). I feel as if it were all for a lost cause, however, since American media didn't even bat an eyelash (I checked).

Also, a certain pompous governor has claimed the victory for the status he supports and his own political motives, rather than for Hillary. I found this a little strange...

"Felicito a la senadora Clinton por su victoria de hoy, pero el verdadero triunfador de estas primarias en Puerto Rico fue el Estado Libre Asociado, porque tanto la senadora por Nueva York como el también aspirante a la nominación presidencial demócrata, Barack Obama, asumieron compromisos firmes con Puerto Rico sin condicionarlos a un cambio de status”, dijo Acevedo Vilá.
"I congratulate Senator Clinton for her victory today, but the real winner of these primaries in Puerto Rico was the Free Associated State (Commonwealth), because both the New York Senator as well as the additional candidate to the Democratic presidential nomination, Barack Obama, made firm commitments with Puerto Rico without determining those to be a change in status," said Acevedo Vilá.

So... this entire primary lunacy has actually just been about the preservation of your political agenda? Wow. Nevermind that both candidates offered up statehood (or as close as they could get to describing it without straying away from please-everyone-middle-of-the-road politics) as a viable alternative to the current status. Well, I'm impressed.

Tomorrow: something other than politics. I know, I'm thrilled too.