DAILY LINKS
The Nation has a long, wonky, wonderful article on Mexican maize cultivation, the effects of NAFTA, and the dangers of genetically-modified seeds. Author Peter Canby backs up his excellent writing with piles and piles of meticulous research. Not to be missed. [link, via SM] (Image from Joel Penner.)
Cuban dissident Guillermo Farinas ended his hunger strike yesterday after 134 days. Farinas decided to end his strike after the Cuban government said it would release political prisoners rounded up in the "Black Spring" crackdown of 2003. Get well soon. [link]
The Uruguayan selection, which has made it to the quarter finals of the World Cup, just received a shipment of half a ton of fine cuts of beef for the mother of all asados in preparation for a contest against Ghana on Friday: "450 kilos of lomo, 200 of entrecot, 75 of vacío, 75 of colita de cuadril, 150 of ojo de bife and 50 kg of picaña." [link]
Hitmen have assassinated the PRI candidate for governor of Tamaulipas State, Rodolfo Torre Cantú. Torre was gunned down along with six others at about 10:30 this morning on a highway on the way to a campaign event. Drug mafias are assumed to be responsible. [link]
From the days when coups were something of a regional sport, new documents detail a famous British ballerina's role in a plot to topple the government of Panama. The plan was to use her yacht to gather men and arms, then "land somewhere and collect in the hills." It didn't work. [link]
Mexico's Attorney General's Office has posted on its web site irrefutable evidence that gold-plated AR-15s and diamond-studded pistol grips are not nearly as cool-looking as they sound. The deadly knick-knack collection is said to belong to Valencia Cartel leader El Lobo. [link]
Two Brazilian ranchers were sentenced to 30 years in prison apiece for ordering the killing of an environmentalist nun: "Prosecutors said the pair offered to pay a gunman $25,000 to kill the 73-year-old [Dorothy] Stang because she had prevented them from stealing a piece of land that the government had granted to a group of poor farmers." [link]
This video of a kidnapping and car chase in Mexico is notable mainly for the bad-assitude of the TV journalists who were on this like white on rice. Well done, gentlemen.
The Economist takes a peak at the Mockus phenomenon in Colombia: "His moustacheless beard gives him the air of a Baltic pastor... He is financing his campaign with a bank overdraft. His supporters rely on Facebook and make their own posters; street vendors sell unofficial campaign T-shirts." [link]
Some cruise lines will cease traveling to Antarctica after this cruise season, as a ban on the use and carriage of heavy fuel oil goes into effect next year. The ban came after a 2007 incident when a Gap Adventures ship got punctured by ice and sank, causing a mess. [link]
Category Archives: Odd
The second episode of El Chigüire Bipolar‘s Isla Presidencial. Frankly, not that good. And kind of… racist? Episode I was much more fun.
Also posted in Arts and Culture, Side notes Leave a comment
Mexican authorities round up criminals
As if they didn’t have anything better to do, yesterday Mexico’s federal police arrested two foreign journalist for public urination. NPR journalist John Burnett and CBC journalist Bruce Livesey were on their way back to Juárez to continue covering the ceaseless killing and violence and lawlessness when they allegedly stopped to partake in some of [...]
Animal rescue in Colombia
A short NYT video on the largest animal refuge in Colombia, built in a residential area of Cali. Many of the animals come from drug lord menageries. The full article on the refuge is here.
Colombian wunderkid preacher Josué David Parra is only 13 years old, but he’s been traveling the continent, preaching whatever it is he preaches, since he was four. He can also heal folks, and he’s a snappy dresser. [link]
Also posted in Colombia, Side notes Leave a comment
Good for a laugh
I give you, the Venezuelan version of People of Wal-Mart, Solo en Venezuela (Only in Venezuela). “The door bell doesn’t work, please knock with the hose.” OK, fine, one more:
Not your grandma’s country club
A group of country folk in Colombia’s Boyacá municipality maybe didn’t quite grasp the idea behind water polo, so they’re just going ahead and playing polo, in the water. Basically, to play, the townspeople set up goal posts in a river bed and then have at, riding horses in the shallow water and using clubs [...]
And now, for something totally different…
… a surfing alpaca. Well, it’s getting late.
My inner kid is jealous
I’ve seen people do some pretty dangerous things to get around in remote areas, but this probably takes the cake: Kids in Colombia going to school on a zip line 400m above a ravine. Of course, if you’re the kid this is probably the best part of your day, but still. Here’s an obnoxiously-breathless video [...]
Snip snip
This week was a tough call for Creepy Colombia Story of the Week. I almost went with The Farmer who Fathered Seven of his 17 Children Via his Daughter, but instead I think I’ll stick with similarly- yet opposite-themed Rich Guy who Pays Peasants To Get Sterilized. The former story almost argues for the latter’s [...]
Also posted in Colombia, Human Rights Leave a comment
Coca soft drink goes on sale in Bolivia