My fellow chilangos have found a creative (if maybe not infallible) way to protect their property in the face of Mexico City’s alarming insecurity levels.
Translation: This truck is protected by Spider Man.
Photo: Periódico Reforma
Talk About No-Nonsense Political Endorsement
Here’s how ImpreMedia-owned El Diario La Prensa chose to show its endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama. A front page editorial on today’s paper calls for change in the face of the nation’s near-collapse.
McCain Thinks Obama is ‘Very Riesgoso’
McCain has just launched a new TV ad in Spanish calling Obama and his friends as very “risky” (un riesgo) for the nation’s small business owners.
I don’t know you guys, but judging from the picture above, I wouldn’t be so sure as to who is the riskiest loco around.
Gringo Food [and Traditions] Can Be Fatal
In an effort to replicate one of America’s most stupid popular eating challenges, a company in Mexicali, Baja California, offered to give away $5,000 pesos ($450) to the person who could eat as many hamburgers possible in 10 minutes.
One of them didn’t make it. According to La Jornada, 37-year-old Samuel Gallego Sánchez died of asphyxia in front of his family while stuffing himself with hamburgers, a contest organized by local eatery Las Calotonas.
Why the obsession with disgusting food challenges? How about how many books can you read in one month? how many hours can you go without using the net? How many companies can we fine for encouraging people to be fat? Anyone?
Does this Look Like an Islamic Extremist to you?
In the latest sign of people’s paranoia (and the fact that some of us just have nothing better to do) a group of enraged New York moms is demanding Fisher Price to pull this doll from the stores’ shelves. Why? Because she is calling the world to convert to Islam!!
Mmmmm, I wonder if they’re going to try to blame the Obamas for this one, too.
Click on the following video and judge it yourself.
‘Marketing y Medios’ is Dead. Again
Continuing a tradition of dumping Hispanic media and marketing coverage down the toilet around Hispanic Heritage Month, Nielsen Media has decided to throw the towel on Marketing & Medios, the online/Special Report hybrid it created upon folding the magazine I founded in July 2004.
The company has not yet made any announcement (and I doubt it will) but its Web site remained suspiciously abandoned for a week or so now. Insiders tell me that the company has eliminated Della delafuente’s position, and that Hispanic media and marketing will be covered on a freelance basis. Whatever.
I am -of course- pissed saddened by all this. It is as if my child was taken hostage, tortured, mutilated, burn and finally thrown to the wolves instead of just killing it already and be done with. As my favorite comedian, Jerry Seinfeld, would say: “You should just do it like a Band-Aid. One motion! Right off!” The company was never committed to covering the Hispanic market with cojones as we naively tried to do. Anyhow, I just hope this time will be for real. Quite frankly I don’t think I have the guts to see this thing die ad Eternum.
Marketing y Medios Requiescat in pace.
You are not the Only One Feeling the Pinch
According to a study released this week by the Spanish Parliament, prostitution is down by between 30 and 40 percent, with Spaniards spending less and less on supporting the world’s “oldest trade.”
Reports the Associated Press: According to figures from Spain’s National Association of Brothel Owners, Spaniards spend around 50 million euros a day on prostitutes.
Wait… There is a National Association of Brothel Owners? Maybe we can suggest Mr. Michael Pinga to apply for a job there if he fails to reach the State Senate.
Just an idea.
Move Over Obama, Here’s Change We Can all Use
And it is no joke, my friends. Mr. Michael Pinga is running for the State Senate District 9, and he even has a Web page for you to go and check it out.
But wait! There is even a whole Pinga family, complete with Mrs. Pinga, two Pinga daughters and the family pet (let me guess: is the poodle’s name Dick?)
Weary of World Financial Crisis, Salma Hayek Makes Peace With Billionaire
An image is worth a thousand words -and a reconciliation might be worth a lot of millions of Euros. According to the Italian edition of Vanity Fair magazine (above) Hayek and Pinault are back together. No mention of the mysterious blond who got into his pants captured his heart so briefly. Times are hard, so if you have a billionaire husband/lover/father of your child, think about giving him a second time.
That is a Whole Lot of Frijoles!
The economy might be going down the toilet but things are looking pretty peachy for Latino-owned Goya Foods, which is on track to generate $1 billion in sales this year.
“People tend to go back to the basics,” he said. “We’ve seen spikes in the sales of rice, beans and cooking oils. People aren’t eating out at restaurants, they’re cooking at home. That’s why we continue to grow,” Evelio Fernández, Goya’s vp told the press.
(So those out there who still blame immigrants for the financial mess should re-consider.) How dare they?
Dear Mr. Laden: Please Don’t Bomb Our Paisanos
If you are remotely familiar with Mexican catholic fervor, you’ve probably seen exvotos adorning a church. An exvoto is an image offered to a deity or saint as a form of prayer or as a thank you for an unanswered prayer.
I’ve seen hundreds of exvotos in my life, but nothing quite like the above one, dated September 30, 2001 and loosely translated as follows:
“Dear Virgin of Guadalupe don’t let this guy Osana vin Laden [sic] attack the United States again, much less with nuclear weapons because I have family working over there, in Los Angeles, California; and may peace reign and not WAR, because we are all your sons. Give them good sense in behalf of humanity.”
Hat tip to the Unfabulous Mr. Badgerous
Spanish-language Media, Too, Thinks Palin is Useless
There is not much to say here, except that New York City’s El Diario La Prensa summed up quite nicely Sarah Palin’s performance during Thursday’s debate.
In other words, she was, well, pretty much useless.
Missing in Mexico: 5,000 Condoms, 800 HIV Tests and Giant, 7-Meter Pink Prophylactic
Ok people. Mexico City’s crime wave is just getting ridiculous. Despite having found the Condomóvil today, (which was stolen a few days ago) cops say a few things are still missing, including a stereo, an iPod, 5,000 condoms, 800 HIV tests and a giant, 7-meter inflatable preservative.
Could the robbers be so kind to give back at least the giant prophylactic? I mean, how far can you go with that thing? It’s pink, for God’s sake!
Anyone?
The Jolie-Pitts Want South American Bundle of Joy
And speaking of brown, adopted babies, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt want to spice up their multi-ethnic, racially-diverse and weirdly-named clan with a bundle of joy hailing from South America.
“They are looking into one of the more impoverished countries, possibly Bolivia or Paraguay,” says New York Post’s Liz Smith about the couple’s intention to adopt a new baby.
That’s cute. I just hope the poor angel will not end up bearing a weird name like those the Pitts are so fond of. How about Pedrito? Lupe? Laurita?
Scandinavian Latinas Land on El Show de Cristina
No matter how much you hear about “brown power” this and that, Hispanic television is here to remind you that those who hold the celebrity power are always the güeritos.
In the photo: Laura Flores, Erika Buenfil and Gaby Spanic show off their kindred on El Show de Cristina (Sept. 29, 2008
Psssst! Don’t be fooled by Laura Flores’ baby… He is adopted.
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