Couple videos

A couple videos I recently came across with. They are not very connected to history, but I thought they showed the kind of world we created for us...
They are about women, however, I think they cold be applied to both sexes.

And the second http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U

Hope you enjoy them!

The lost of Cuba

Knowing very little  History , I found myself wondering what event in History I could choose.  I then remembered one of my mother´s favorite sayings: “More was lost in Cuba”. When things went wrong and there was no going back, it was some sort of consolation to know that, as catastrophic as it seemed, there were worse things in life.

So, the lost of Cuba. As in any historical event it is important to know a little bit of its context, a little background. After the Industrial Revolution great amounts of goods flooded the European markets creating the need to expand to new markets. That was accomplished by the European nations by dividing the world among then though different agreements and treaties such as the one signed in the Berlin Conference witch divided Africa or others about Asia, China… That avoided open conflict, although not without some clashes.

However, during this period USA didn´t expand on Africa or Asia, but on the Pacific and Caribbean Sea; and it is in that expansion that we can find the ground for the Spanish lost of Cuba, since Spain had colonies in those seas ( Cuba and Puerto Rico in the Pacific, and Philippines, las Carolinas and the Marianas in the Caribbean) .

In fact, several North American presidents had expressed an interest on buying those territories before the lost of the island.

The events unchained on the 15^th of February 1898, when the battleship Maine blew up in the port of La Habana. This fact was blamed on Spain by the USA authorities and taken as an excuse to demand the liberation of Cuba which the Spanish government refused to do.

Taking those demand as a provocation the Spanish government declared war to USA; little did they know that previously to this declaration USA had positioned battleships in The Philippines and Guam, or that a naval blockade had been declared in Cuba three month prior to the war.

Looking at this context we can understand this war was lost from the beginning. Our most important question is, in any case, “Why was this so significant?”

As a matter of fact, this was for many historians the beginning of the North American empire.  Spain had to turn Cuba, Puerto Rico and Guam to the United States and had to sell almost all its colonies; but the old beast had long been crumbling,. A new colossus was being born, as eager of power as its predecessor.

To start preparing for Thursday!!

Here is an article of all the advantages of doing Yoga. That´s an investigation I wouldn´t mind being a Guinei- pig in!!!
http://theconversation.edu.au/beyond-spirituality-the-role-of-meditation-in-mental-health-4326

On Mandela´s way

What have I learned reading this book? Such a difficult question when the book makes you analyze your own life in so many aspects. Each of the fifteen chapters comes very close to home in some way. However, and having to choose what I  will carry with me, I think some of my favorite ideas were the one about leading from the back, looking or playing the part and finding and taking care of your garden (which I think is extremely related to knowing when to say no).

Concernig leading from the back I very often find myself in situations where one wanders how those words came out of one´s mouth. leading from the back is a great way to control myself since it takes more thought to lead than to act in many an occation.

Related to playing the part humans tend to see and understad better the information that already fits on previous structures, and this is the case here. I am the kind of person who thinks what she is going to wear to battle her boss, to pass an exam or to a demonstration, when the occation calls for it and I can find the energy... Mandela´s acquiescence on the point made me feel a little less superficial?

Finaly, looking for and taking care of your garden reminded me that it is important to take care of one´s self and look for a retrieve. I very often forget about this and find myself in the middle of the chaos with no place or time to consider where things are heading.

All in all, out of the individual lessons from some chapters however, the book gave me and overall positive feeling and a great lesson on humbleness; there is that man who is one of the icons of our century allways thinking about what he could learn from others and getting closer to those he thought could teach him. It is the person, at the end, that leaves me at an awe!

Stereotypes!

Talking about racism I think stereotypes play a big part on how we see each other. I thought this show did a good job at ridiculizing all cliches laughing at all stereotypes by using all stereotypes. A caustic, unpropper , unpolite, politicaly incorrect show. If you have 30 minutes to spare... Boondocks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmBc8_uD5Nw

Song by the Blue Scholars

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afgHqFOPDN0

 I think this song  pictures very well what has been happening globally. How people have decided to take control. 


Lyrics for Thousand Deep:

November 30th, 1999
No sunshine

The body rock stopped, probably got caught by the cops
Nearby, somebody got shot
But parties don't stop and the parties don't care
It's a stick-up, it's why we got our hands in the air

Still demanding a share, refrigerators bare
'Cause they wanna see trade get free and not fair
But we are not blind, we are not there
We don't got time left to spare to not care

On the last day of November, swellin' in ranks
Went to chant down the mighty IMF and World Bank
A gathering of people in peaceful assembly
Onward to Westlake to disrupt the entry

Walk along steady, riot squad ready
To protect every last dignitary's ass
But this started when they herded us like cattle in a fence
Protesters gettin' restless without an exit

They threatened to arrest us, we pushed back and then
A hail of rubber bullets hit teens and old men
I admit, had to split when the first gas canisters hit
Felt it burn in my eyes, nose, and lips

They tried to blame it on the anarchists, garbage
I was there, I'll tell you right now the pigs started it
But they distort it in the news
Talkin' bout stompin' down Niketown wearing their shoes

But the body rock stopped, probably got caught by the cops
Nearby, somebody got shot
But the parties don't stop and the parties don't care
It's a stick-up, it's why we got our hands in the air

50,000 deep, and it sound like thunder when our feet pound streets
50,000 deep, and it sound like thunder when our feet pound streets
50,000 deep, and it sound like thunder when our feet pound streets
50,000 deep, 50,000 deep

Yeah, now, the body rock stopped, probably got caught by the cops
Nearby, somebody got shot
But parties don't stop in the south
So take your shoes off when you come into my house

I had to duck out 'cause I knew I stuck out in the crowd
After many years growin' up brown in this town
Now this is what democracy looks like
Not what you all had in mind for tonight

Mr. Mayor, shell-shocked for 5 days straight
Press conference, lookin' constipated and pale
Tossed a homie in jail, wasn't even protesting
Wrong place, wrong time, learned a quick lesson

But this is not a question what we did to deserve this
Rich kids went and got arrested on purpose
But was it worth it? My first inclination
Globalization is the root of the pain

Made the reason that they left and the reason that we came
Catch my breath, blood pulsates my brain
And they called it a riot?
Huh, I call it an uprising

And they call this a riot?
But nah, I call it a uprising
And they call this a riot? Nah man, fuck that
I'm a call it a uprising

50,000 deep, and it sound like thunder when our feet pound streets, yo
50,000 deep, and it sound like thunder when our feet pound streets, come on y'all
50,000 deep, and it sound like thunder when our feet pound streets, yeah
50,000 deep, and it sound like thunder when our feet pound streets

Hope you enjoy it!!

Difficult to jump in...

http://whatthefuckhasobamadonesofar.com/
Here is a link to things that the Obama Administration has accomplished. I know we all spected Jesus´second coming, but I think saying he´s donne nothing is quite unfair. However, those who say that have their reasons; I´m sure.