Chinese censorship

This is why we protest today. Click on the Links to read the whole articles and then Protest!

Web curbs for Olympic journalists

The press will be accommodated in a high-tech facility in Beij Journalists covering the Beijing Olympic Games will not have completely uncensored access to the internet, Chinese and Olympic officials say. Sites related to spiritual group Falun Gong would be blocked, officials said. Journalists also found they could not see some news or human rights websites. China enforces tough internet controls, but said when it bid for the Games that journalists would be free to report. China rights 'worsen with Games' In recent protests, Amnesty supporters demanded China respect right The human rights situation in China has deteriorated in the run-up to its hosting of the Olympic Games this year, Amnesty International says. It documents the use of "re-education through labour", the suppression of rights activists and journalists, and the use of arbitrary imprisonment. A spokesman urged world leaders due to attend the Games, opening in 10 days, to speak out against the violations.

Ignorant America: Just How Stupid Are We?

"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." Thomas Jefferson
Just how stupid are we? Pretty stupid, it would seem, when we come across headlines like this: "Homer Simpson, Yes -- 1st Amendment 'Doh,' Survey Finds" (Associated Press 3/1/06).

"About 1 in 4 Americans can name more than one of the five freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment (freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly and petition for redress of grievances.) But more than half of Americans can name at least two members of the fictional cartoon family, according to a survey.

"The study by the new McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum found that 22 percent of Americans could name all five Simpson family members, compared with just 1 in 1,000 people who could name all five First Amendment freedoms."Read on here

If the citizens of the US want a more secure and prosperous nation they (collectively) need to value education and become better informed. Seems simple enough, but instantiating a culture that values learning -- really values it -- takes years, generations and that is in part why an undercurrent of anti-intellectualism persists in the US and large pockets of poverty and ignorance continue to exist or even expand. What I mean by really valuing education is not just paying lip service to education, such as attending university because that is what you need to do to get a good job and earn a lot of money but pursuing learning for its sake. One needs to attend university to become a more well rounded and well educated person who can contribute to society. A well rounded and well educated person gets a better job (in most cases) and earns a respectable living, but the aim is to learn and to improve and collectively everyone benefits.

On Cosmopolitan Dining and Spain

Things have changed in Spain from when I was here in 2002. There is still the ubiquitous cafeteria/bar/restaurantes all over the place with the typical local spanish fare--and it depends on where you are as to what you will find but jamon is always available. But what is new is the proliferation of ethnic restaurants. Back in 2002 there were some various ethnic restaurants in Madrid and Sevilla but they were limited to the cheap chinese and kebap places or the really upscale places. Now you can find all manner of restaurants in the mid price range (there is still the cheap options but even those are more prolific). The big and happy surprise is the Indian restaurants--they are now numerous in Madrid and the ones I've sampled were really good (and they have actual spicy food!!). But there are now lots of Japanese restaurants, a few Thai places, many more Mexican and other Latin American places (I had some awesome Chiles en Nogada!). Oh, there were always a fair number of Italian places and those are still around as well--and some of them are quite good. The other thing that has been a happy find is that some places are now playing with Spanish cuisine, creating new versions of things that are kind what you might call nouveau--que guay. Another happy change is that in stores it is now possible to buy ingredients to make all sorts of things. I made a spicy thai soup for Esther at her apartment recently and was able to buy everything I needed right down to the fish sauce and lemon grass!! [an aside for inside readers--I actually bought the lemon grass in London and brought it back to Madrid--but after I was back in Madrid I found some lemon grass] It was fabulous by the way. So for someone like myself who likes to eat all sorts of foods--someone with a cosmopolitan palate--Spain has made huge leaps forward over the last handful of years, and happily so. Don't get me wrong, I love Spanish food and some of the ingredients they produce here (cheeses, chocolates, olives and oil, jamon, beef, wine) are as good as it gets. But I do like me some variety and after living here for 6 months I'm still a happy camper.

Learning pt. 1

Bored is a state of mind not a function of content

Learning is the goal not grades

A Movie Review

En el punto de mira

This film is a fascinating study in what is wrong with movies but also what is right with them ca. 2007/2008. The movie was of particular interest to me and those with whom I viewed it as the "story" is set in Salamanca, España--my current place of residence.

From the NYT review "“Vantage Point,” a gimmick in search of a point, is nothing if not, er, timely. Set in the picturesque Spanish city of Salamanca (otherwise known as Mexico City), this jigsaw puzzle exploits a repellent conceit — the shooting of an American president (William Hurt, effectively insincere) — in a vague attempt to explore questions of narrative and subjectivity (like “Rashomon”) through the box-office-friendly form of a thriller"

This film has done big box office in the US which goes to part of my point. More on that later. The film was mostly shot in Mexico as the city of Salamanca refused to allow the film maker to take over the Plaza Mayor for 3 months in order to film. This is the heart of the city and would effectively shut down the commercial core of the city for months. So the crew shot some scenic shots and did some ariel filming as well and then meticulously reconstructed the Plaza Mayor in Mexico. The effect in the movie was very good. . . . but once the film moves outside of the Plaza it is evident to anyone who has been to Salamanca or Spain for that matter this the film was not shot in Spain. The streets and shops are all wrong--even the cars are wrong. And in the film's climax there is a chase in and around an autopista -- and there is no autopista in Salamanca! These are mostly esthetic complaints that would slide right past most US viewers. The big problem with the film is there is no story or character development in the film. The plot (what there is of it) is the US president visits Salamanca to make a speech about terrorism signaling new cooperation etc. He gets shot as he is giving the speech and then there are several timed explosions. The tale is unraveled for the audience through numerous retellings from different vantage points (thus the title) so that a different version is seen each time. We come to find out that the president wasn't actually the one who was shot but rather a double who was a stand in. But . . . the killers knew this and actually also attack the hotel where the real president is and kidnap him. It was partially an inside job and one of the Secret Service guys figures out what is going on and chase the rogue agent and subsequently rescues the president. The problem is that we have no investment in any of these characters and there is no ( I repeat no) explanation as to why the terrorists are trying to kill and/or capture the US president. Why the terrorists are Spanish/Latino (who are these guys? and who are they supposed to represent? ETA is the implication but it is never articulated. They have never engaged in this kind of action either so . . . . ). Why did the US plant a phony president? why is the real president there also? why did the "terrorists" kill the fake president if they new the real one was nearby and they were going to capture him any way? It is all left to the imagination. There is some merit to the idea of exploring narrative and subjectivity but this film leaves much of the narrative up to the audience and the motives are left to our subjective view as well. This is yet another example of recent film failings in my view. If you keep the pace fast and the visuals exciting it will work at a visceral level and make money. The film maker got that part right as he was able to turn one big explosion (blowing up the Plaza Mayor) and 5 minutes worth of plot in to millions of dollars at the box office.

A view of an older part of Salamanca in the pedestrian mall area.

The first real post!

Bienvenidos a todos,

Well I arrived in Spain this past Sunday after some flight delays and was then unable to connect with my ride to Salamanca. I ended up hanging out in Barajas for several hours waiting and trying to contact my contact person to little avail and finally gave up and got a hotel. Shortly after that I was got a hold of my contact in Salamanca (thanks to help from una amiga buena in EEUU)
and arranged for transport on Monday morning. I had a nice meal and a couple of cervezas and called it a day. Monday I arrived in the lovely city of Salamanca and met people and was shown around and moved in to my apartment. Tuesday was a sick day---the travel and stress caught up with me. I have subsequently been doing a little work and a little orientation every day until today (Friday). Today the students arrived and we took the charter bus to Barajas airport in Madrid to collect all of them and bring them to Salamanca . . . easier said than done. Due to snow back in the states and a plane crash on thursday in London many flights were disrupted. 25 of the group had arrived by 2 so around 2:30 we sent them back to Salamanca on the bus and we waited for the other 6 arrive. Esperamos . . . . esperamos . . . . and finally by 7 the last two were here. We rented two cars and drove them back to nuestro ciudad and delivered them to their new familias and I got back to my apartment by midnight . . . a long day for all involved. But they are here now with the exception of one who arrives tomorrow. Mañana comencemos la orientación.