what is this nonsense???

2005 still looking good

Let's enjoy 2005. Let's.

now I get it! it's in their nature to be pussycats

via escolar.net

Currency markets hate freedom

via The Onion

romántica

Yo sé que existo
porque tú me imaginas.
Soy alto porque tu me crees
alto, y limpio porque tú me miras
con buenos ojos,
con mirada limpia.
Tu pensamiento me hace
inteligente, y en tu sencilla
ternura, yo soy también sencillo
y bondadoso.
Pero si tú me olvidas
quedaré muerto sin que nadie
lo sepa. Verán viva
mi carne, pero será otro hombre
-oscuro, torpe, malo- el que la habita...

Angel González

Una vez más, La Lengua inspira.

hey big spender

I happen to enjoy my holidays shopping-free. It's an immigrant's privilege I embrace whole-heartedly. My family's an ocean away and my friends here are used to the lack of Christmas gifts by now. We're all poor anyway.

BUT if you find yourselves hopelessly swirling in the capitalist tornado, you may want to take the following into account:

Wal-Mart, $467K, 97% to Republicans
KMart, $524K, 86% to Republicans
Home Depot, $298K, 89% to Republicans
Target, $226K, 70% to Republicans
Circuit City Stores, $261K, 95% to Republicans
Hallmark Cards, $319K, 92% to Republicans
Amway, $391K, 100% Republican
B.F. Goodrich (tires), $215K, 97% to Republicans
Proctor & Gamble, $243K, 79% to Republicans
Coors, $174K, 92% to Republicans (also Budweiser)
McDonald's Corp., $197K, 86% Republican

Martha Stewart Living Omni media, $153K, 99% to Democrats
Estee Lauder, $448K, 95% to Democrats
Guess ? Inc., $145K, 98% to Democrats
Calvin Klein, $78K, 100% to Democrats
Liz Claiborne, Inc., $34K, 97% to Democrats
Levi Strauss, $26K, 97% to Democrats
Price Club/Costco donated $225K, of which 99% went to Democrats
Rite Aid, $517K, 60% to Democrats

color-coded at Tale of Two Cities

SORPRESA. El congrio es mayor que el pescador

Un aficionado pesca un congrio de 30,5 kilos desde el cantil de El Musel

"El gijonés José Ramón Fernández, pescador aficionado «desde que nací», logró la pasada semana una espectacular captura, un congrio de 30,5 kilos de peso, cuando pescaba calamar en los muelles del Rendiello, en El Musel.

El congrio, como queda dicho, pesó 30,5 kilos, pero otras magnitudes no fueron menos notables. Midió 2,1 metros de largo y 57 centímetros de diámetro.

José Ramón Fernández dijo a este periódico que ya en otra ocasión pescó un congrio de 20 kilos, pero fue a bordo de una lancha y, en este caso, la diferencia de peso se notó mucho."

José Ramón Fernández, cuyas hazañas previas incluyen haberme dado vida y sobrellevar las consecuencias, pasa a ostentar, de hoy en adelante, el título de "Sandokan de los Mares".

For rough English translation, hit below.

The Liberal Family

Family values is owned by the right wing, but before you jump all over the idea that this is media manipulation, ask yourself - what does a liberal family look like? How does maintain stability and situate itself in a community? Where are the economic, political, and cultural anchors? It's pretty clear where the right sees the family, a man and woman in the suburbs who belong to a church and rely on their church community to provide social and cultural ballast. Negotiations among family members take place through a scripted doctrine, thereby avoiding messy and incoherent situations. The kids are disciplined through corporal and spiritual guidance and punishment, sent off to college, and marry young to anchor themselves.

In following a model like this, the right-wing conquers the three problems of modernity - Where is the community? Where do you get answers and services to common family problems? How do you manage an increasingly chaotic world with complex choices through a source you trust? Church, church, and church. The right-wing has an incredibly well-developped library of life-guides, newsmagazines, and child-rearing manuals. When in doubt, the family should pray. Avoid controversy by going along with your colleagues. Stay away from politics by voting Republican. Relate to the rest of the world through the police, the army, and gated communities/long commutes. Take away alternative lifestyles through ghettos and restrictive government policies.

So how is the liberal family put together?

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