Because I can't resist...WEEKLY round up

...and though I am often procrastinating writing my paper during the day, at night I am up, still procrastinating, but I read articles...

These two are awesome stories...one from the Los Angeles Times (I LOVE LATIMES.COM) about the Shiva Sisters. And the AP never ceases to amaze me in that they are still REPORTING... gosh, what a concept. This is a piece about Native American teenagers and suicide, though we have had a bit of reporting here in NM about the issue, is one focuses on a reservation in Montana. I am giving you the link to the Sacramento Bee because I think it will last longer. My little AP mobile app gives me access to the stories for just one day or so...

I hate the misuse and overuse of the word gang. I think it is a convenient catchall condemnation. (of course I have more to say about this, but this is not the post for this...just the background) So, I was intrigued to read this article about "gangs" of deputies at the jail. I am also interested in exactly who these folks who are getting dismissed are... as in, what color, and how the other "gangs" were dealt with at the prison. Where is the union? What do they have to say about this. FASCINATING...

Also loved the style of this piece on Amazon.com and sales tax in California... It is a very interesting article. I wish it had gone a little farther and wondered aloud if taxing Amazon.com could be promoted as "buying local" -- Drew alludes to it but doesn't draw straight lines. In an era where ABC NEWS spent an entire week in an *investigative* series on "MADE IN AMERICA," there seems to be room to question and speculate about how citizens' cost saving measures are *damaging* the economy. There is still no signs pointing to who might rightfully pay their fair share ... still always gazing at the middle or lower to pay more...ugh.

I read a really confusing article on the growth of the "Hispanic population" on the AP Wire... and I am not posting it here, and then I read this one at the LA TIMES. While not as confusing ... it fails to address some of the issues I think were at play in this particular census ... such as what race did "HISPANICS" choose given they were forced to choose between WHITE, BLACK, NATIVE AMERICAN, JAPANESE, CHINESE, OTHER ASIAN... yes, note the irony. This one was meant to discuss the rise in the Hispanic Population and mark the 50% mark of the total population of the US... just to really scare the rabid racists who are calling for us to all be denied status and rounded up to be sent "home." However, it fails to even address where "Hispanics" are in relation to Blacks and Asians -- a point that the AP piece tried and failed to do because it was so confusing...or maybe it was too early in the morning when I read it? Whatever... this shit is all made up anyway...I think next time around I am going to *choose* to be Japanese for census purposes. What about you?

In a somewhat related article ... the pacific ocean as immigration frontier...funny the same day this article hit the paper, I was watching a prof talk about this very issue... and it was the day after the article of the undocumented caught at the border dressed in marine outfits. I am not posting that one, but you can look for it on latimes.com. It would make for an interesting paper... this is all I can think about now ... how anything relates to a paper topic. YUCK!

Talk amongst yourselves...my draft is still calling my name LOUDLY.