Dangling from ropes on the sides of Chicago’s tallest skyscrapers, a crew of immigrant Mexican window washers faces death every working day. That’s why they embrace life. They’re both Paradise (Paraíso.) [Spanish with English subtitles.]
Art ‘Chicano Soul’ Meza loves the ‘Lowriting’ (audio)
POCHO’s favorite photographer — Art Meza AKA Chicano Soul — tells KCRW’s Lisa Napoli about his first book, Lowriting. Lowrider culture, the Echo Park native says, reflects pride in your heritage and pride in your community.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti likes his Art Meza photo of the iconic Sixth Street Bridge:
Brazil team preps for next Winter Olympics (video)
While the rest of the world focuses on Carnaval in Brazil, and the upcoming World Cup, dedicated Brazilian athletes have begun training for the next Winter Games.
How to dance to Norteño wearing pointy boots, Stetson (video)
Botas picudas? Check! Cowboy hat? Check! Norteno music? Check! Let’s dance, but not too much. A minimalist dance.
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Mas…How to dance to Norteño wearing pointy boots, Stetson (video)
John Vargas looks like a Mexican who could disembowel you (video)
Standup comic John Vargas looks Mexican (whatever that means) but he talks funny. [NSFW language.]
So did you hear about George Lopez at the Oscars? (toon)
Based on a Matt Groening toon Tweeted by The Simpsons. [Click on the image to enlarge.]
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Mas…So did you hear about George Lopez at the Oscars? (toon)
Breaking: Drugs disappear from Texas after El Chapo’s arrest
(PNS reporting from McALLEN, TX) Police departments throughout the Rio Grande Valley delivered pink slips en masse this week following news that Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán had been captured by Mexican authorities in the resort town of Mazatlan.
“It’s kind of a mixed bag for us,” Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Treviño said. “On the one hand, illegal drugs are now utterly and completely vanquished from our streets. On the other, (Hidalgo County) Commissioners Court has already cut our budget for next year by 90 percent.”
Treviño, who was reached while fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, responded to Guzmán’s capture like many of his counterparts at all levels of law enforcement nationwide: by quietly folding his office’s entire narcotics unit and slashing the rest of the criminal investigations division from a staff of hundreds down to five full-time deputies.
Mas…Breaking: Drugs disappear from Texas after El Chapo’s arrest
To live outside the law you must be honest: ‘Border Stories’ (video)
“To live outside the law you must be honest,” Bob Dylan wrote. For two guys crossing into the U.S. from Mexico without papers, that’s easier said than done.
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Mas…To live outside the law you must be honest: ‘Border Stories’ (video)
How popcorn (hecho en Peru circa 4700 BCE) pops [video]
Popcorn — palomitas de maíz — was discovered-invented-perfected in Peru circa 4700 BCE, the very first domesticated corn product. Watch how the corn pops, up close and personal.
Chilango hipsters turn trash into music: Orquesta Basura (video)
In Mexico City, the cool kids are making their own instruments — and music — out of discarded items with the Orquesta Basura.
Damn werewolves! Brazilian city sets 9PM curfew (video)
The Brazilian city of Sao Goncalo dos Campos, in the Metropolitan Region of Feira de Santana, set 9 PM curfew last month. Damn werewolves.
Even the government officials are taking it seriously. Apparently, for the last two weeks there’s been a curfew in the town; no one is to be outside after 9 PM. It started when a man identified only as “Pingo” described seeing a five-foot-tall black monster, which ran at him; Pingo turned and fled, escaping (he said) only by the narrowest of margins. At first, the other villagers made fun of him — until others had similar encounters. Locals are calling it a “werewolf….”
Pac-Man puppets in Mexico are ‘Victorioso!’ (video)
What does Pac-Man say? In Mexico, Pac-Man says “Juaca Juaca,” of course.
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NPR Audio: Flaco Jiménez and the Legacy of Conjunto
NPR writes:
Flaco Jiménez is in his seventh decade as a performer. He’s played with Ry Cooder, Dwight Yoakam, and even The Rolling Stones. Jiménez’s newest album, Legends & Legacies, is a collection of songs that illustrate the legacy of the Latin music style for which he is so well known: conjunto.
Forget Los Oscars: Mira Los Hectors©! POCHO’s Annual Awards
Behold, The Hectors©, bestowed for Excellence in Mockability.
The Hectors© are named for POCHO Jefe-in-Chief Lalo Alcaraz’ cousin Hector (photo), who is excellent at ruining family gatherings, especially when he has downed his third 12-pack. He hasn’t seen a film since Blood In, Blood Out.
And the Hector© goes to:
Mas…Forget Los Oscars: Mira Los Hectors©! POCHO’s Annual Awards
Grandmother: What a big beatbox you have! (video)
When this Mexican abuelita gets to beatboxing, no one is safe!
Where in the US is Carmen Sandiego? And WTF is she saying?
Courtesy of Tio Sam’s United States Census.gov is this screen capture of Mexican-American distribution in the USA. Click here for an interactive map of other “Latino/Hispanic” ethnicities. Spoiler: Most Cuban-Americans are in Florida. [Click image to enlarge.]
Mas…Where in the US is Carmen Sandiego? And WTF is she saying?
Search and email aren’t free when ‘Google comes to collect’ (video)
Oh, sure! Google is the best place to search and Google’s Gmail service certainly rocks and stuff but all that Googliciousness isn’t free, tu sabes. Tonight, Google comes to collect. [Video by Heather Fink.]
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Mas…Search and email aren’t free when ‘Google comes to collect’ (video)
Paco De Lucia: ‘Tico Tico’ (video)
Famed Spanish flamenco guitarist Paco De Lucia just shreds in this version of the classic Tico Tico. RIP.
And now a word from Han Zapata: ‘Don’t Tread On Me!’ (toons)
Image by Alex “El Indio” Garcia De Aztlan. Here’s another one by Alex:
Mas…And now a word from Han Zapata: ‘Don’t Tread On Me!’ (toons)
Everything is possible ‘En Tus Brazos’ (video)
He was El Rey de Tango until the tragic accident. Will he ever dance again?
¡Hasta luego, El Chapo! (toon)
(Based on a stunning World War II American government propaganda poster, Americanos Todos, by Luis Helguera. Click on the image for the full-sized hi-res version.)
Chicanos: How did we become America’s new slave culture?
Who are we?
In my journey as a community activist and Chicano advocate, I’ve experienced many fascinating elements that have inspired me but also scarred me to my very soul.
I have fought the Chicano politician who capitulated in the selling out of his community, broke bread with the “Old Man” whom lent the little he had but gave unselfishly of his wisdom, and have shared space with our sons who have fallen victim to a privatized prison system.
I have fought the white dragon of racism and today… today will begin the telling of those many travels.
There are many obstacles preventing the Chicano people from achieving American uni-culturalism, but none more profound than the many differing points of view available within the Chicano community itself on what it means to be Chicano.
Mas…Chicanos: How did we become America’s new slave culture?
The man who turned into an ‘Elefante’ (video)
That awkward moment when you turn into an elephant. I hate when that happens! [Spanish with English captions.]
Melania Benítez hasn’t cut her hair for 20 years (video)
Melania Benítez hasn’t cut her hair for 20 years and now it’s eight feet long!
La joven hace 20 años que no se lo corta porque dice que una vez que se lo cortó se arrepintió porque según dice no le quedaba bien y desde entonces optó por dejárselo crecer.
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Mas…Melania Benítez hasn’t cut her hair for 20 years (video)
Will the wolves survive? (Yellowstone, Los Lobos videos)
The survival of the wolves is a critical for Yellowstone National Park
…and Los Lobos:
Mas…Will the wolves survive? (Yellowstone, Los Lobos videos)
Popular Kids: It doesn’t get any better (video)
A special PSA for popular high school kids who are on top of the world: enjoy it, because it won’t last.
It doesn’t get better.
Take note, be warned and good luck!