The Magic of the Cities.

Zen promotes the rediscovery of the obvious, which is so often lost in its familiarity and simplicity. It sees the miraculous in the common and magic in our everyday surroundings. When we are not rushed, and our minds are unclouded by conceptualizations, a veil will sometimes drop, introducing the viewer to a world unseen since childhood. ~ John Greer

Friday, November 7, 2008

The Change


Bethesda Fountain: The Angel of The Waters by Emma Stebbins. (1868) Central Park, NYC.
[As a symbol of Hope and Change]

"An African American has been elected President of the United States! Anything is possible! We can wrestle our economy out of the hands of the reckless rich and return it to the people. Anything is possible! Every citizen can be guaranteed health care. Anything is possible! We can stop melting the polar ice caps. Anything is possible! Those who have committed war crimes will be brought to justice. Anything is possible.

We really don't have much time. There is big work to do. But this is the week for all of us to revel in this great moment. Be humble about it. Do not treat the Republicans in your life the way they have treated you the past eight years. Show them the grace and goodness that Barack Obama exuded throughout the campaign. Though called every name in the book, he refused to lower himself to the gutter and sling the mud back. Can we follow his example? I know, it will be hard.

I want to thank everyone who gave of their time and resources to make this victory happen. It's been a long road, and huge damage has been done to this great country, not to mention to many of you who have lost your jobs, gone bankrupt from medical bills, or suffered through a loved one being shipped off to Iraq. We will now work to repair this damage, and it won't be easy.

But what a way to start! Barack Hussein Obama, the 44th President of the United States. Wow. Seriously, wow."

Yours,
Michael Moore
MichaelMoore.com

¡Un Afro Americano elegido Presidente de los Estados Unidos! ¡Cualquier Cosa Es Posible! Podemos arrancar nuestra economía de las manos de los ricos irresponsables y temerarios y devolvérsela al pueblo. ¡Cualquier Cosa Es Posible! A cada ciudadano se le podrán garantizar cuidados médicos gratuitos. ¡Cualquier Cosa Es Posible! Podemos detener el derretimiento de los casquetes polares. ¡Cualquier Cosa Es Posible! Aquellos que han cometido crímenes de guerra serán llevados ante la justicia. Cualquier Cosa Es Posible.

Realmente no tenemos mucho tiempo. Hay un gran trabajo por delante. Pero esta es la semana, para todos nosotros, de celebrar en grande este gran momento. Pero seamos humildes. No tratemos a los republicanos de la forma en que ellos nos trataron a nosotros los últimos ocho años. Mostrémosles a ellos la gracia y la bondad que Barack Obama exudó durante toda su campaña. Aunque le dijeron todos los insultos que salen en el diccionario, Obama rehusó rebajarse a si mismo para agacharse a la cuneta de la autopista y devolver las inmundas pelotas de barro. ¿Podremos seguir su ejemplo? Será difícil, lo se.

Quiero dar las gracias a todos los que dieron de su tiempo y sus recursos para hacer que esta victoria fuese posible. Ha sido un largo camino, y hay daños enormes que se le han ocasionado a este gran país, sin mencionar a tantos de ustedes que han perdido sus trabajos, que han ido a la quiebra por culpa de las facturas de las clínicas privadas, o que han sufrido a través de un ser querido que ha sido enviado a la guerra en Iraq. Ahora tendremos que trabajar todos juntos para reparar todos esos daños, y créanme que no será fácil.

Pero ¡qué gran manera de empezar! Barack Hussein Obama, 44º Presidente de los Estados Unidos. ¡Guao! Totalmente en serio, ¡Guao!

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Gracias por su visita / Thanks for visiting.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Colorful Day


Democracy doesn't require a whole lot of work of its citizens, but it requires some: It requires taking a good look outside once in a while, and considering the bad news and what it might mean, and making the occasional tough choice, and soberly taking stock of what your real interests are.

This is a very different thing from shopping, which involves passively letting sitcoms melt your brain all day long and then jumping straight into the TV screen to buy a Southern Style Chicken Sandwich because the slob singing "I'm Lovin' It!" during the commercial break looks just like you. The joy of being a consumer is that it doesn't require thought, responsibility, self-awareness or shame: All you have to do is obey the first urge that gurgles up from your stomach. And then obey the next. And the next. And the next.

And when it comes time to vote, all you have to do is put your Country First — just like that lady on TV who reminds you of your cousin.

[From Rolling Stone - Issue 1062 — October 2, 2008]

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Gracias por su visita / Thanks for visiting.

Monday, November 3, 2008

La Polar


LA POLAR , LA CASA DE LA BUENA BIRRIA inicia a principios de los años treinta como negocio familiar y gracias a su fundadora, originaria de Ocotlán Jalisco, y a un sin número de colaboradores, quienes a base de trabajo, lucha y sacrificios, han hecho de LA POLAR una empresa sólida y líder en el mercado de la comida mexicana.
LA POLAR , se localiza en la Colonia San Rafael en la Ciudad de México. Comenzó con una pequeña parte de lo que entonces era sólo una cervecería y para el año de 1986 adquiere el giro de RESTAURANTE BAR. En LA POLAR , se elabora LA MEJOR BIRRIA DE MÉXICO al estilo JALISCO, con una receta original, singular y sabrosa, la cual ha colocado a LA POLAR entre los restaurantes favoritos de los paladares más exigentes, y uno de los mejores de esta ciudad y del país.

Birria (accent on the first syllable) is a spicy Mexican meat stew usually made with goat, lamb, or mutton, often served during festive periods, such as Christmas, New Year's Eve, Mother's Day, and weddings. Originally from Jalisco, it is a common dish in some Mexican food establishments. It is served with corn tortillas, onion, cilantro, and lime.

Birria is made using a base of dried roasted peppers. This gives birria both its characteristic savoriness as well as its remarkable variety, as different cooks will chose different peppers to use for the broth base. Birria is served by combining a bowl of broth with freshly chopped roasted meat of the customer's choice. One eats it by filling a corn tortilla with meat, onions and cilantro, seasoning with fresh squeezed lime juice, and then dipping it into the broth before eating it. The broth itself is also eaten with a spoon. [Wiki]

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Gracias por su visita / Thanks for visiting.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Dia de Muertos



Las Calacas



Tequila for The Dead


The Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos in Spanish) is a holiday celebrated mainly in Mexico and by people of Mexican heritage (and others) living in the United States and Canada. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and relatives who have died. The celebration occurs on the 1st and 2nd of November, in connection with the Catholic holy days of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day which take place on those days. Traditions include building private altars honoring the deceased, using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these as gifts. Observance of the holiday in Mexican-American communities in the United States has become more important and widespread as the community grows numerically and economically. [Wiki.]

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Gracias por su visita / Thanks for visiting.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

November 2008 Theme Day: Books


Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

An altar on a bookstore shop window at Roma borough.

The Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos in Spanish) is a holiday celebrated mainly in Mexico and by people of Mexican heritage (and others) living in the United States and Canada. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and relatives who have died. The celebration occurs on the 1st and 2nd of November, in connection with the Catholic holy days of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day which take place on those days. Traditions include building private altars honoring the deceased, using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these as gifts. Observance of the holiday in Mexican-American communities in the United States has become more important and widespread as the community grows numerically and economically.

Similar holidays are celebrated in many parts of the world; for example, it is a public holiday in Brazil, where many Brazilians celebrate by visiting cemeteries and churches. In Spain, there are festivals and parades, and at the end of the day, people gather at cemeteries and pray to their loved ones who have died. Similar observances occur elsewhere in Europe and in the Philippines, and similarly-themed celebrations appear in many Asian and African cultures. [Wiki.]

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Gracias por su visita / Thanks for visiting.