Through the Looking Glass

Wow! It's been a while

2009-08-02T15:14:00.000-07:00

Crazy how long I haven't been on here. (Probably because this was a class project and I graduated from the Department over a year ago.)

I finally read all those random and nasty comments from uneducated people against this "piece of shit liberal" with their witless attacks on my "lack of compassion" and yada yada yada.

Please people, i hope you don't think Santa Claus is still real because you seem to believe every bit of gossip you read of hear. way to perpetuate hate! someone even wrote a comment calling me a bitch because I sympathize with Mexicans wanting to become American citizens. Absolutely amazing that there can be so much hate.

Anyway, I never ever spoke out about all the rage, I just let everyone pretend to be me and write hate mail. why? Because whats the point in trying to convince people against something they already seemingly believe? Point is, someone got upset and tried to spread as many vicious lies as possible to make me look like bad person. Well that's just amazing, and quite frankly, I don't care. Don't bring your ignorance and hate to my doorstep and expect me to flinch, sorry you got so upset over a harmless halloween costume, your fault for believing the garbage behind the why, how, and where.

Furthermore, If anyone knew how to read they would know that I had already been a graduate of UA...not ASU, and I continued on the write and cover topics for a national web page and news company. Ever heard of Gannett and Tribune Co?

I have stopped freelancing (Tucson is slow for business) but i will continue to write and hopefully start up a new blog soon. Something uplifting and informational with the hopes that people can read and enjoy and maybe even get to know someone before they judge them.

I'm a liberal and proud of it. I don't bash conservatives with their backwards and obsolete ways of thinking. So next time you get heated and think of threatening someones life, think about the crap you are continually perpetuating through your need to act like a monkey.

The other side of Feliz Navidad

2007-11-25T17:29:00.000-08:00

Santa Claus, the smell of cinnamon and cookies, a big ham, lots of family, twinkling lights of all colors. This is what comes to mind when I think of the winter season and Christmas. At least the images. To me, the holidays, essentially, after you peel away layers of various religions, really, all it is, is tradition and a great excuse to be with beloved family and friends.

How do our neighbors across the border celebrate this wonderful time of the year, what are their traditions? It's no surprise that many people will probably be separated this year from their families, locked away on opposite side of the borders. In light of the holidays being spent with the ones nearest and dearest to us, this itself is a travesty to the holiday.

In Mexico, religion marks the most important aspect of the Christmas holiday, and is taken very seriously. In preparation of Christmas eve, they celebrate the Posadas. These Posadas occur nine days before the 24th of December which is referred to as the "Holy Night" like said Christmas carol.

The Posadas re-enact the events leading up to Christ's birth. this includes Mary and Joseph looking for lodging , the nativity scene, three wise men ect. Almost every home has their own nativity scene in honor of this holiday.

Among other Christmas celebrations in Mexico is the traditional breaking of the pinata for children. although the pinata was invented and became popular in Italy it has become a Mexican tradition for children. The pinata is usually filled with peanuts, oranges, tangerines and sugar canes.

Much like our apple cider, Mexican adult also drinks a hot punch made from seasonal fruit, seasoned with cinnamon and usually with a shot of liqueur added to it. This seasonal beverage is called ponche con piquete.

Unlike most American families, who have long forgotten the religious implications of the holidays they celebrate, Mexican families typically don't open any presents on Christmas day. seeing as how that day represents the day of the birth of their Saviour, no gifts are opened because the day remains holy as a celebration solely to their Lord.

Pot-taaaay-toe, pot-tot-toe, it's all different and all the same. We seem to celebrate our holidays with the same things in mind, however the traditions vary a bit. The important thing to remember this holiday season, is that whether you say "Merry Christmas" or Feliz Navidad" or "Happy Chanukah" try to see that we are all part of the same race, not so different after all.

For more Mexican traditions visit these links!
here
and here!

Sentiments

2007-11-15T11:09:00.000-08:00

This blog is going to vary a bit from the norm of border related/ Mexican culture issues and such. Rather I thought it would be appropriate to address this past semester. Being a part of border beat has been alot of fun. It's odd being a senior and having to question your place in the world Nothing makes sense and the norm is turned upside down as you search for something to hold onto.

I admit I have been in a daze for at least two months now, I call it "senioritis"come a tad early, seeing as how I don't graduate till May and am already finding a huge lack of enthusiasm for daily classes. You realize though, at one point,that nothing about your college career is permanent. All of your friends and peers have come from different cities and will soon be flying off to their new cities, myself included. Some will be staying, others going home, others finding jobs god knows where. Will I ever see these people again?

As we enter the "real world" as adults we will no longer be defined by hardcore weekends of costume parties and drinking. We won't be known for our quirks and stunts we may have pulled, or memories of good time past. We go out into the world to be defined by what we do in our careers and not by who we are. I won't be remembered as that "crazy hippie" who spouted debate and philosophy while drinking your boyfriend under the table. Nope, it'll be something like, that weird girl who doesn't seem to be a morning person and isn't enthusiastic about her desk job..yada yada

I think that's going to be the hardest thing for me to come to terms with. Being defined by what I do instead of who I am. People at work don't know the real me, only my peers do. This is hard for me to come to terms with. I find it hard to walk through my day knowing that the world of learning will soon end, and our generation is going to be shoved into an environment that doesn't want our generation of relaxed young workers.

USA Today wrote of our Generation. . . "They're young, smart, brash. They may wear flip-flops to the office or listen to iPods at their desk. They want to work, but they don't want work to be their life." And I completely agree, I don't want work to be my life. I know boo-hoo for me right?

But American is one of the most overworked countries, with the longest workdays and shortest vacation times. Maybe I'll go to France where they fight for higher wages and go on strikes if work days aren't shortened. They realize the importance of family and down-time. After all what is life if you just work it all away and then die? Where do we place our values?

Okay, maybe I have gone astray here but I'm trying to make a point...I think.
The article continues

"Unlike the generations that have gone before them, Gen Y has been pampered, nurtured and programmed with a slew of activities since they were toddlers, meaning they are both high-performance and high-maintenance, Tulgan says. They also believe in their own worth."

"Generation Y is much less likely to respond to the traditional command-and-control type of management still popular in much of today's workforce," says Jordan Kaplan, an associate managerial science professor at Long Island University-Brooklyn in New York. "They've grown up questioning their parents, and now they're questioning their employers. They don't know how to shut up, which is great, but that's aggravating to the 50-year-old manager who says, 'Do it and do it now.' "

Okay, this is definitely true, and while we may be too vain about our own intelligence, maybe there is a point to be made. Chill out , relax and enjoy. Do I have a lot to learn? of course, we all do. Do I plan on freaking out and running random business reports the rest of my life? No.

For more articles on Generation Y visit these links:
USA Today
Reason Magazine
Time Magazine

It's a very interesting topic, will we as a new generation, just by our mindset alone, change the way the American workforce is run? Or will we fall into line like the baby boomers?

When's the last time you wen to Rocky Point?

2007-11-12T11:01:00.000-08:00

Now, it's true, Rocky Point, Mexico is sort of a cliche destination for tourists and college kids alike, just looking to get out of the States for some good old fashioned partying. That's why I go too I guess.

But for me, good old fashioned partying is me showing up at the border around 8 pm, driving another 2 hours to get into town. Hitching a tent at spot at the RV parks that is closest to the ocean or near the banos, whatever is open. and then proceeding to walk to the local bars while dining at the tacos carts paced every couple of buildings apart from each other.

However this local flavor seems to be a bit more overtaken by high rises built by American or wealthy international investors every time I go down to good old Rocky Point. The simple times of sitting on the beach and getting your one dollar taco are being infringed upon by "Luxury Condo's" especially at Sandy Beach, where basically everything costs just as much as the States, except they probably employ their Mexican workers for way cheaper, and then basically strip Mexico of all authenticity to appeal to the high status old white folks just wanting to get away.

I say, Bah Humbug to that, culture is being lost and thrown into the sand as we turn everything desolate and undefined into some corporate getaway full of the usual $10 daiquiri's and $15 taquito appetizer when you could get the same wonderful food on the street for a total of $4, plus you would be supporting local economy instead of putting it into the hands of people who certainly don't need anymore money.

So if you actually feel like visiting Mexico, go the old fashioned way, sit back relax by your tent, with the ocean as your front door, hey! you don't even have to shower for a few days if you don't want to.

For a nice, authentic, relaxing, and economically fiscal trip to Rocky Point, visit these Links.

RV Parks for Camping
Night Life

Dia de los Muertos, a celebration for the Dead

2007-11-02T09:52:00.000-07:00

A tradition celebrated in Mexican culture, the dead of the dead lasts a couple days and starts on November 1st and runs into November 2nd. The holiday occurs around the same time as All Souls Day and Halloween, and though many may find the reason for celebration morbid. The day of the Dead is actually an ancient tradition that has alot of meaning to Mexican people and their loved ones that have passed.

The whole purpose of the holiday is to celebrate the loves of the people who have died, celebrate their lives and recognize their death. It is also a symbol of eternal life after death, to celebrate their passing into the immortal world.

The Day of the Dead traditions can be traced all the way back to the Mayan and Aztec peoples when "it was common to keep skulls as trophies and display them during the rituals to symbolize death and rebirth." However, on the Aztec calendar, the day of the dead started August 1st and lasted all month long.

The Mexican culture celebrates solely to rejoice that the soul is passing on to another life, the afterlife and rebirth through death. The holiday is celebrated in other Latin American countries and varied spots across the globe making it difficult to pinpoint all the traditions of this holiday.

In Mexico many families will prepare all year long for the festival, gathering food and other material items for their alter of worship. And sugar skulls are traditionally made, sometimes with chocolate and amaretto to add color and ornate design.

Living in Tucson, there is a Dia de Los Muertos Parade held on 4th avenue in honor of this holiday, for more information on Dia De Los Muertos celebration's around the world check out this link.

Music Festival In Vegas breaks Border and Cultural Boundaries

2007-10-24T10:47:00.000-07:00

The Third Annual Vegoose Music Festival went down, once again, in fabulous Las Vegas Nevada, October 26th-28th. A Three-day music festival that never ends as the goer's spend two whole days at Sam Boyd Stadium, just 9 miles from the strip and at night you catch the various Vegoose artists on the strip in local clubs! Our journey was breath taking, magical, and though I don't remember all of it, nor can I promise I won't go Gonzo, but follow me through my journey at the Music festival many are beginning to compare to the likes of Bonnaroo, Coachella, and Burning Man.

The local papers called us "oddities", perhaps thats what we are, the lovers, the dreamers and me. People of a colorful backgrounds were at this culturally appealing festival. tell me, where else can you run into a giant chicken, a parrot, a dozen Hunter S. Thompson's, Drooges from Clockwork Orange, hippies, metal heads, techno robots, gypsies, super heroes, and flower children. Atmosphere performs at the Snake Eyes Stage, Photo by Cassese

Atmosphere, pictured above, was one of the hip-hop artists present. Their lyrics spoke about anti-war campaigns, poverty and the struggle to find identity in a world that pushes us to accept normality. Public Enemy led the crowd in a ten minute F**k George Bush, F**k Dick Cheney chant to incite the people to get up and stick together and fight for change in America. Lord knows we could all use a little change.
Daft Punk, in a rare American show, performs their last Pyramid show ever at Vegoose,
Photo by Nicole Cassese
"Ganga Babe" waits for Michael Franti and Spearhead to hit the stage
I spent most of my morning on Day number two at the Vegoose music festival waiting in the front of the Double Down stage for Michael Franti and Spearhead. The group, with Franti as the lead man, have become quite the activist pushing for global change. Franti sang about re-opening to borders to all people who want to get into America. and at the end of each song would throw his hands up in the air shaking them saying "Can you feel it? Can you feel the energy??" the band uses their music to deliver a message. In a recent interview with Vegoose media Franti said that first and foremost its about the music, making people feel good, then through that you deliver the message. and the message rang loud and clear at Sam Boyd stadium that Sunday afternoon as Franti gave thanks to the mountains and the sunshine and the fresh air.

"The polls reflect that this country doesn't want war" said Franti. Continuing on his crusade to save the world.When are we going to stop the war? "Bring them home" the crowd chanted for the troops in Iraq. They say you can't have peace unless you prepare for war. I say, you can';t have peace unless you truly believe in it.

Congratulations Borderbeat Team!!

2007-10-20T17:16:00.000-07:00

This week my blog is paying homage to my fellow borderbeat reporters and editiors as well as our leader, Professor Jay Rochlin. As you may or may not know our website was up for best Online Publication from the Online Journalism Awards.

The awards were held this past Friday and Saturday in Toronto, Canada. Borderbeat was up for best student journalism online publication and we won! We share the honor with our fellow University of Nevada reporters, but nonetheless it was a extreme honor just to be nominated.

Other catagories for the Online Journalism awards saw the like of USA Today as well as the online sites for The New York Times. The Online Journalism Association selected 70 finalists in September and we have long been awaiting the results!

An article online, and the only of which I have been able to locate thus far, shares our accomplishment online and it's a cool article to check out.

Our reporters work hard to bring border issues to a head online, and we manage to do it swiftly while tackling new forms of multimedia to keep things interesting and interactive for you, the reader.

Recently a portion of the Border Beat team went down to Nogales for a day to cover the St. Andrews Children's health clinic in Noglaes that provides healcare to needing children.

So once again congratulations guys! keep up the good work, and see you Monday!

Behind the Scenes: St. Andrew's Lunch

2007-10-14T10:51:00.001-07:00

Now, I love food almost as much as I love people, and spending the majority of my life in Arizona you become accustomed to eating alot of Mexican food.

And after you've begun to eat alot of Mexican food you get very picky, you want only the best, most authentic flavors and freshness when it comes to Mexican food.

The Border-Beaters make their lunch plates
Nicole Cassese

At the St. Andrew's Clinic in Nogales, the volunteers, many of whom in the
kitchen are of Mexican lineage, cook up a fantastic lunch for all the volunteers, doctors and press :). While the doctors are off helping and the people are rushing into the church, the kitchen and grill crew are hard at work too. in fact when the day begins at 10 am, the crew begins their cooking.

Lunch Time!
Nicole Cassese

After 2 hours of cooking, reporting, healing, whatever it is you are doing at the clinic, you work up quite an appetite. By noon the food is ready, smelling delicious and calling your name.

Inside the ladies have prepared about 14 different dishes ranging from crab ceviche, corn and pasta salads, to baked beans, Mexican rice and roasted vegetables.

The lunches at the St. Andrew's Children's Clinic even have a reputation that precedes them!Three weeks before even going down to Nogales I had heard rave reviews from all the volunteers and staff, in fact it made me wonder at one point . . . are these people just in it for the food? ;)

After piling the side dishes and salads up high you move to the outside tables where you find the carne asada, chicken, homemade tortillas and all the fixings.

I piled my plate high and quickly moved with my fellow reporters to a table, anxious to see if this much hyped lunch was truly going to live up to all the great things I had heard.

I basically just started digging in and throwing all types of combinations in my mouth. Let me tell you, right here, on the record, best Mexican food I have ever had in my short lived life!
T
he crew outside begins preparing their carne asada and chicken
Nicole Cassese
Honest to god, it was all fresh, perfectly crafted, and delicious in everyday. The meat was tender, the rice was spiced to a t, the pasta salads made me swoon.

the crew gets ready to handle the chicken
Nicole Cassese

Marinated chicken gets thrown on the grill
Nicole Cassese
After having my fill, I'm delighted to tell you, yes, there were desserts!! Pineapple empenadas,
chocolate flan cake ( a thick chocolate bunt cake with a layer of caramel flan on top on it) , pineapple upside down cake, and a yellow cake with what tasted like a homemade butter toffee icing of sorts.

If your the type who likes to volunteer, this clinic may just be for you. if your a food enthusiast? even more so!
The clinic runs on the first Thursday of every month, for more information visit their website, and if you see the kitchen crew...send my love.
ooh and mail me some burritos.

Spiritual Healing at St. Andrews

2007-10-07T14:16:00.001-07:00

Left: The Bisbee Wellness Initiative:
alternative therapies clinic at the St. Andrews Clinic in Nogales

Cheyenne MacMasters is the head of the team

Last week I found something rather unique going on at the St. Andrew's Children’s clinic in Nogales. While doctors were on site sharing their expertise, so to were the Reiki specialists, helping out in anyway they could. Bill Johnson and Cheyenne MacMasters are part of the team of Reiki specialists and are the group members who have been doing this special Japanese/Buddhist tradition for the longest out of all the members of the group.

Reiki, as I said, stems from Japanese and Buddhist traditions. It is an energy-touch therapy. There are seven chakras, and centers of energy within the body. The Reiki specialists place their hands on or around these chakras in order to "get the energy flowing properly again" through the clients, said MacMasters. When done correctly, and the chakras are in balance, then the energy of these points can run freely through your body and the flow of this energy is necessary to proper bodily function.

Maria Lira, 16, receives the Reiki therapy from the team every time she visits the clinic. As I come upon her I notice the team’s hands on the chakras of her body, and I watch as with each moment that passes, she falls into a deeper state of relaxation and peace. "She's going to be 17 next month" said Bill Johnson, "and when she first comes in to see us she is usually much clenched up. After we work with her for as bit she relaxes and unfolds like you see here now". Maria is usually in a wheelchair, unable to walk on her own and hunched over. After the therapy she looks like a new person, sitting in her chair.

Maria has Rett syndrome, the IRSA website for Rett syndrome explains that "Rett Syndrome (RS) is a unique neuro developmental disorder which begins to show its affects in infancy or early childhood. It is seen almost exclusively in females, although it can occur rarely in boys. It is found in all racial and ethnic groups throughout the world".

"Rett syndrome is caused by a mutation in the MECP2 gene on the X chromosome. So, RS is a genetic disorder of developmental arrest or failure of brain maturation. This is thought to occur when subsets of neurons and their connections (synapses) are disrupted during a very dynamic phase of brain development. This deviation occurs at the end of pregnancy or in the first few months of life during the critical phases of synapse development," explains the Rett Syndrome website.

Maria’s developed 18 months after she was born. And it is easy to see how the disease has changed what would have been a normal life for her. Her growth is abnormal and she looks much younger than she should. Her ability to walk and speak is also impaired because of Rett’s.

This, unfortunately is part of Maria's life, but the Reiki people at the clinic do much to help her relax and enjoy her life. "See that boy over there?" MacMasters asks me. "Three months ago he stopped using his walker thanks to our therapies." He hasn't used one since and now walks on his own.

Everyday more people are beginning to see the power of spiritual healing, and give it more credit. I am now a believer.

For more inforation on this group and Reiki therapies please visit their website

Across The Universe - Trailer

2007-09-29T02:26:00.001-07:00

Check out this Trailer!

The movie is only playing at Park Place mall.

The movie times this week are: 12:50, 3:55, 7:05 and 10:10

Please check it out!

All You Need is Love

2007-09-29T01:32:00.001-07:00

After 8 long months of waiting from the first time I heard about this movie, I finally saw this masterpiece once it was released in Tucson this past week. Across the Universe is an inspiring movie, from director Julie Taymor, taking you back into the culture of the 60's when the hippies were fighting against the war, living for peace and love, protesting for civil rights and fighting against hate, discrimination, and anti-immigration laws.

A rock musical, the movie revolves around the music of the Beatles, very important to the time of the revolution, and each actor performs their songs with no lip-syncing and amazing talent.

Director Taymor, told the Arizona Daily Wildcat in a conference call that " "It's my hope that the movie will initiate discussion about how youth initiated change (in the '60s),"
And rightly so, with many of the issues we face today having been what the children of 60's went through themselves. War, anti immigration and civil rights issues that our so prevalent in our society today.
After watching this film I hope Julie is right. When will we as people ban together and stand up for our beliefs and put and end to this ridiculous war, our hate and prejudices against each other. When will we fight once again for the human race as whole, and the ability to live our lives as freely as we choose?

This film is powerful and raw, as it strips away the layers of the nature of our very souls to reveal the simplicity of the human nature and human heart, soul, and mind. Love is seen as the greatest truth, music as the tool to deliver us from all our fears and light our ways in our darkest hours, and our kinsmen; the glue that holds our world together and is there to support us with a helping hand in our time of need.

"Why do I have to do something with my life. Why isn't it important just being who I am?" asks Max, a character in the film. Any ivy league student who disagree with how he is forced to live and enjoy his life. His family is well of and disagree with his choices.He meets Jude and off the go to New York city to be a part of the magic there. Electric cool-aid acid tests, the Grateful dead, the Beatles, Timothy Leary, love and peace, FREEDOM. Unfortunately, dropping out of college gets him drafted into the Vietnam war, where his mind slowly unravels and changes him until he can get back home and be surrounded by the people who he loves.
Jude, Lucy and Max, in a scene from Across the Universe

I hope one day we can look at each other and see not our differences, but our similarities. This movie also taught me something that is significant to remember. Don;t just stand up for your beliefs, remember not to judge or harm others because of theirs. As soon as we take arms against those opposing forces to us, even as defense, is when we are no better than our enemies.

This movie truly is the epitome of what the 60's were a symbol of. Everything human nature tells us to fight for, was fought for. Ideals beat out prudence and "practicality". The flower children thought with their hearts and not their minds, maybe it is time for a revolution, and a simpler mind set on life.

Opa!!

2007-09-23T14:18:00.000-07:00

A touch of Greece swept Tucson this weekend as the annual Greek Festival took up at the Greek orthodox church over on Mountain and Ft. Lowell. It cost three dollars to get in and children 12 and under were free!

"I love working the festival every year," said Chuck Vinzant, who helps monitor the entrances and exits and id's those who look underage. Vinzant used to be a tucson local until he moved to Arkansas this summer to continue his formal education. "The guy who runs the festival likes me, so he called me up and asked me to work again this year. Is the pay great? Eh, not so much, it's just a really fun event," said Vinzant.

People of all ethnic backgrounds showed up for this event which started at 4 in the afternoon into the late evening. The lines were long but they moved very swiftly.

First thing my small group and I did when we entered the Greek Festival was head towards the smell of food. Gyro's, a spied lamb with tzatziki sauce and tomatoes and onions in a grilled fluffy pita, sausage marinated in a red sauce and cooked with peppers and onions...and of course, no meal would be complete without the customary ouzo shots and bottles of imported red wine.

There was traditional music being played as well as the Greek youth dancing in the back area of the church. Little booths all over the place filled with Greek souvenirs and bakery tables with Baklava, a sweet pastry desert made with a magical honey syrup, crushed walnuts and cinnamon, delicately layered between phyllo dough crust.

We found ourselves wandering into the back area of the church setup after pigging out on food. There was a large stage in the back when people were dancing and making announcements. We took a seat on the back steps and observed the crowds that had gathered for this festival.

Usually I am frowned up when walking out in public with my own personal bottle of wine and Dixie cup. At the Greek festival, it is quite the norm. The rest of the festival, was . . . well it was hard to remember, all the uozo and wine kicked in after bottle numero due, and all the can say is this. Good food, great people, wonderful times, at the Tucson Greek Festival.

Earthdance 2007 Sydney Australia

2007-09-17T11:55:00.001-07:00

Sydney Australia! Its amazing to see how laid back Earthdance is in other countries. America is so scared of letting any group that isn't religious, organize and throw events. It's nice to see people going crazy all over the world, without restriction like the Tucson earthdance

Earth Dance 2007

2007-09-17T11:51:00.001-07:00

A short dark clip from Earthdance Tucson 2007

"We Dance for Peace"

2007-09-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

Last night, on September 15th and well into Sunday morning, Earthdance International 2007 was happening all over the world. Taking place in over 368 cities in 57 different countries around the globe, this event was a rave for peace, to unite all nations together. The group supports the 30 days of peace during the month of September and is an international organization.

This was it, the event I had been waiting all week long for. After hearing about this elusive event from a friend with mutual interests I proceeded to contact the head of the Tucson Earthdance Festival by email, who gave me the link to their myspace page. The page then directed me to a watch and jewelry repair shop in a tucson mall, where a man in the back came out, looked my friend Andrew and I from head to toe before asking what we needed. After we inquired about the tickets he brought them to us, and proceeded to write our names down in a black notebook.

"Hey man," I said as he turned to walk back behind the store, "where do I find out how to get there?" "Same place as last year," he replies. My blank look gives away my confusion, as he adds "you didn't go last year?" I shake my head as he gives a look around the store "Just mapquest mile wide and Trico...but you didn't hear it from me."

Great, I think, what did we get ourselves into? We didn't understand the vagueness of it all, but nonetheless the day of we found out the exact location from our friends, and understood, finally, why a veil of secrecy was needed.

We ended up driving 45 minutes from the campus area and out into the middle of nowhere. . . never before has "nowhere" been such a perfect place. We parked the car and started our mile hike towards the giant flood lights and music. Making our way to the front we saw a battalion of security guards, some with 12 gauge shotguns. "Hey man, did you take that off someone or is it yours?" Our friend Jon asks the huge man at the front of the entrance. "No, its mine," the burly man replies. "You ever shoot someone with that before???" he tries to ask as we get rushed inside with no response from the man.

Stage one at Earthdance Tucson
Photo taken by Nicole Cassese

I felt at home among the others, in my neon pink tights, knee high striped socks, green sneakers, a tye dye shirt and glow bracelets and "candy" adorning my arms. That's right, this is raver country. and we had arrived in true fashion, ready to dance peace,along with every other nation in the world.

Nicole and Andrew, Pre-Earthdance
Photo taken by Angela Dilello

There was a female security guard who called me over to the searching table, and the rest of our group was ushered to go through security as well. She was in a rasta hat and of African American decent, and told me to dump my bag out on the table. I looked up, tired, already with a headache and waiting for my second wind to kick in, and tell her to "do whatever you want with it". With those words she smiles at me and says "I can do whatever with it? girl, go on in," she adds as she gives me back my things. Right on, I think, and I head in as I watch most of my male companions get a thorough search. It must have been my darn cute innocent face, (or the utter compliance she wanted to see).

(Check out this video!!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvprHoOvGOs

Their motto is "We are one global family, all colors, all races one world united. We dance for peace and the healing of our planet earth. Peace for all nations. Peace for our communities. and peace within ourselves. As we join together across the world, let us connect heart to heart. Through our diversity we recognize unity. Through our compassion we recognize peace. Our love is, our power to transform our world. Let us send it out . . . NOW"

There were seven different stages that played different genres of techno and trance music, and the dj's rotated every hour on each stage, making for a nice variation of music. There were vendors selling their music, glow in the dark toys, a hookah lounge inside of a lit up tent, and people watching all around. People would just walk up to you and start a friendly conversation only to be taken away by the wind as they fluttered on to the next person, sharing the good vibrations.

I met people from many different places, especially border towns, who came to the closest Earthdance location nearest them, (thank you tucson for being a hosting city every year!). Everyone was sending out their love and it made for an awesome group of people to come together in support of this amazing cause.

A crowd gathers by stage one
Photo courtesy of Nicole Cassese

The hippies were there with their dogs and big vans. The ravers and ecstasy kids were there with their glow toys and lit up pacifiers and bottles of water. The kids on acid we seen staring into the glow lights radiating from stages. Rasafarians, goths, dance enthusiasts. peace activists, they were all there, together.

Unfortunately, no matter how secluded we were, I think the hundreds of cars and raging music gave us away. At midnight we were told the sheriffs department had shut us down and it was time to go. Well, to that I say bah. We were dancing for peace, in the middle of nowhere, causing no problems. I hope our message was loud and clear either way.

I have to say, you feel home in a group of people with a positive energy like that. I have never before had I gotten compliments on my Grateful dead tye dye until that night, and that alone makes a deadhead damn well proud. Everyone was there for the same reasons and that united us as a whole as we sent out our energy into the night, hoping to touch the lives of our millions of brothers in sisters in their home countries and cities and we danced into the night off into the spaces of our minds.... we danced . . for PEACE.

Photo taken from the Official Earthdance webpage

http://www.earthdance.org/

SIAC and Los Fresnos

2007-09-10T09:52:00.001-07:00

SIAC, Students Integrating Academics and Conservation, is a group that has been funded since the spring of 2006 by various UA affiliates in order for them conduct and carry out their research in the surveying of various flora and fauna.

The group, has taken eight trips since receiving more that $5 thousand dollars from the UA Foundation, to Los Fresnos preserve in Sonora, Mexico. Los Fresnos is located on the Arizona-Sonora border and has provided a unique experience for students to study diversity of organisms in different habitats.

The group usually stays in a fifteen person ranch house when down in this border town conducting their studies.

Emilie Snell-Rood is the head member of this project and is the person who applied for funding, came up with the ideas, and has kept the group running. “I did come up with everything, I kinda came up with the idea about 2 and a half years ago” said Snell. Her responsibilities range from surveying work of birds and insects in the area, to the initial organization of the people in the group, as well as contacting other conservation groups in the area, finding money for the research, and organizing trips that would eventually lead to over 50 researchers traveling to Los Fresnos over the past two years.

“I had to peak the interest of students and other conservation groups in the area at first, and that was difficult” said Snell, who is leaving Arizona soon for a post-doctoral position in Indiana.

“It was interesting doing a lot of our field work on the border. We got to interact with a lot of students, as well as Mexican conservation groups working along the border. It was just a really interesting experience. Driving around on the ranch you would constantly see patrol or trucks dropping off or picking people up,” said Snell.

“It changed the work we did in a couple of ways. Completely independent from our research it was just interesting to see the Mexican side of the border and watch migrants get dropped off at night, and walking through the ranch during the day. People along the ranch seemed much more sympathetic to the cause,” said Snell.

She continued, “as far as our work it was interesting to see the cross border conservation. It’s a totally different view, like we are interested in things that are rare in Arizona, but a lot of those things (flora and fauna) are common in Sonora, Mexico. And its reverse in Mexico, they’re really excited about things like a red breasted nut hutch, which are really common in the US but they only have about four records of them in Sonora.”

“This one line (the border) just seems to create all these different priorities for the different groups, we are looking for different things based on their rarities,” said Snell.

Even with Snell-Rood leaving soon, her responsibilities’ will be passed on to a younger generation of conservationists.

To learn more about the group and their mission, visit their website at: www.eebweb.arizona.edu/SIAC

All photo's courtesy of SIAC and Emilie Snell-Rood,
given with permission to publish

All food aside . . .take a drive

2007-09-03T14:33:00.000-07:00

The culture of Mexico, specifically in Nogales, doesn't just have to be about the food and dancing. There's always nature to consider. I'm talking about the historic Anza trail that takes the driver on a scenic route from Mexico and even up into San Fransisco!

The trail starts in Tubac, Arizona which is just south of Tucson and stretches into California.
The trail is over 1,200 miles but the fascinating part is that, while the drives are scenic and beautiful, you are also getting a dose of history when you drive the Anza Trail. The Anza trail was used by Spanish conquistadors and colonists and they came to inhabit the west and shape the culture surrounding these areas.

The Spanish used the trail from 1775-1776. Now the trail starts in Nogales, so for a perfect trip back into history I recommend taking the route from Tucson, down to Tubac and then into Nogales. What a better way to get a taste of Mexican culture than to relive it? And in an air conditioned vehicle...yea...way cooler :)

For more information on the trail, and for guide maps visit this link.

Photograph courtesy of the Juan Batista de Anza National Homepage.

Pleasing the palate is key . . .

2007-08-27T11:58:00.000-07:00

Nogales is the border town between Arizona and Mexico, that was connected by the American railroads in the early 1880's. Because of this, international trade became of utmost importance to flourishing city life of Nogales,Sonora. Due to it's being a border city, many traditional values can be found in this town. The culture runs deep so as to appeal to the influx of tourists and visitors of this border town every year. For more information on tourist spots for food and places to stay, check out this link.

I am naturally a food lover and Mexican food is extremely appealing to my palate sometimes. Having not yet gone to Nogi to search for the best Mexican food, I looked around Tucson (About seven different places) too see what I could find and try to label as the "best Mexican food in tucson".

After some hard times, and bad places (like El Parador, and the La Parilla Suiza on Oracle) I struck gold at the El Minuto Cafe. The cafe boasts being "The best Mexican food in Tucson since 1939" so I gave it the good ol' college try. A small little place on South Main, it did not disappoint.
Traditional chips and salsa are brought to the table, and although a simple plate of two tacos, rice and beans will hit up your wallet at around $9-10, its a well worth it meal.

So if you find yourself in need of some delicious Mexican food I suggest El Minuto Cafe or you could always try and experiment yourself, I hear the place on 4th Ave is amazing. For more info on El Minuto visit their site here.

Travel and Culture

2007-08-26T20:02:00.000-07:00

I believe I have a better idea of what the blog will be covering over the semester.
I am going to be looking at Mexican tourism, i.e. where to get the best authentic taste of Mexico, for food, music, dancing, and other Mexican traditions. Also, I will be taking a look at local travel publications and giving you a view on how other people are covering hot spots at the border, how they rate up, and investigating if something just isn't up to par with what I find on my own.

My very first post!

2007-08-18T17:57:00.000-07:00

Hello bloggers,

This is my class oriented blog. I'm not sure where the semester will take me on this writing journey, but the topics will be surrounding border issues. Maybe it will be serious, like racial and immigration issues. Or maybe just a good time where we pick apart why tourists love to go to Mexico and which tequila rates best among college students.

Who knows! Stayed tuned!

-Nicole