Psychosis? We Don't Care. 

Watching your love ones going down because of a mental illness is something that can really push anyone to the limit. Mental disorders are one of the most common illnesses that can create disability, however, governments all around the world seem to think that mental disorders are something that became part of the past. Al Jazeera's article titled "U.S Policy Puts Strain on Mentally Ill" describes this paradigm in the U.S, where the government shirked the budget for mental healthcare. Since the great depression in the 30's the number of beds in psychiatric hospitals have decreased from almost half a million to 35,000 as in 2012. The fact that the government is not longer paying attention to a community that is getting bigger and bigger everyday is worrying. In fact, after the school massacres that have happened in the U.S during the last years, the government should really consider the policies they are creating regarding this ambit. Psychological and Psychiatric treatment, just as other treatments for physical illnesses, is really expensive, and in some cases it is even more expensive than the treatment for body diseases. People who suffer from complicated psychiatric disorders need constant care and observation, which is not cheap either. As we can see, by shortening the aid for mentally ill individuals, the government is encouraging the outbreak of mental disorders. 

Epidemiology in Psychology explains that the individuals around a person with a mental disorder, specially if they are involved in an emotional level with the person who is suffering the disorder, are also vulnerable to developing a mental disorder. This does not happen because mental illnesses can be transferred from one person to another, but because of all the stress and anxiety this causes in the people around a person with a mental disorder. It is incredible to see how a government that has all the facilities and opportunities to help its people prefers to help the industrial and military complexes rather that encouraging welfare among its citizens. Mentally ill people are individuals how had suffer a lot of trauma in their lives. Their situation is not easy, they have to deal with their own problems, and one of these problems is to find an appropriate treatment. If they cannot find a treatment that can help them to find their way to a decent life, how can they find the internal peace they are denied? Sadly, the U.S government thinks that expending billions and billions of dollars in warfare and other kinds of stupid crap is better than helping their own people to find internal peace. 

What can someone do when there is no salvation at sight?

Image taken from the web page www.psychiatry.org 

n.a. "U.S Policy Puts Strain on Mentally Ill." Al Jazeera. Richmond, Virginia. (March 29, 2014). Web. <http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2014/03/us-policy-puts-strain-mentally-ill-2014328224322120970.html> March 31, 2014.

Food is Gross. REALLY GROSS. 

To eat or not to eat, that is the question. Nowadays, consuming food has become one of the most dangerous activities for humans. Food is not food anymore. The majority of products advertised are just a bunch of chemicals mix together with artificial flavor. The idea is revolting. We are being feed by multinationals that try to save money by transforming garbage into "food." But this is not the worst fact. The majority of individuals are buying and consuming that stuff. Why? Because transnational companies and multinationals are hiding the truth from everyone. They don't want people to know how food is being produced and what materials and substances are being added to our food without us knowing.

Companies are trying to fool consumers by creating the image of natural and organic food, when in all reality there is nothing natural in the garbage they sell. They only way to get to know what we eat is to get to know where does our food come from. Food Inc is a 2008 documentary directed by Robert Kenner in which investigators search for the origin of the food Americans consume. What they found is not only disgusting, but incredibly wicked. 

It is sick to find out that what we bring to our tables are products created with genetically modified plants and animals, diseases, animal wastes and more pathogens that can risk not only our health but our life. However it is even more sick to find out that the companies that are in control of this market are in control of politics, propaganda and economics in general. The documentary depicts the relationships created between lobbyists defending the wicked game of these companies, multinationals and the government. One clear example of this idea is how Monsanto, a company that genetically modifies food to create a "better agricultural impact," manages politics to do whatever they want. Monsanto created genetically engineered seeds that they patented. By doing so they were able to claim ownership of seeds. They sell seeds that are both infertile and  resistant to the chemicals they also sell. Farmers who don't buy their seeds are chased like the worst criminals. Why? because their crops are contaminated by genetically modified crops (GMO's) nearby. When this happens, Monsanto can claim the ownership of that crop, even though farmers never desired or bought Monsanto seeds. Farmers are also forbidden from keeping their seeds.

But how can authorities allow this violation of human and property rights? The answer to this is easy. The ones that own these companies and violate these rights are the ones that control national and international authorities. This is a direct effect of capitalism acting over human life. This is an example of the way that corporatocracy controls and runs the world. 

But Monsanto is not the only corporation doing this. Multiple companies all over the world are doing exactly the same thing. Their only goal is to gather as much money as possible. They don't care for the welfare of the world. Not even the welfare of their own nation. Other example of this politic management of the food corporations is the corn industry in the U.S. The amount of corn produced is ridicule. Mountains and mountains of corn are produced in the U.S everyday and this corn is not only used for feeding people. Nowadays corn is used for multiple purposes, including feeding cows and other animals who are not used to consume corn and for industrial complex. We can find corn everywhere, in cereal, sodas, in diapers, batteries and even politics. Companies pay individuals that have political power to pass laws that give them the results they want. 

As seen, the food industry more than industry is a mafia. They own nature, resources and have the power to do whatever they want. The only want to try to escape this ridicule is to go back to where the real food is produced. My only advice is to get to know what you are eating, and if it is possible, to buy the least contaminated food possible. By doing so, we stop contributing to the growth of these companies, sick for power.

Image taken form the web page pijamasurf.com

Kenner, Robert. "Food Inc." Magnolia Pictures. 2008. Film

The Economic Hitman: The Sickness of the Corporatocracy.

During these last weeks I've had the opportunity to get to know a great written work that illustrates how the world is being fooled by the biggest corporations without knowing anything about it. The game is easy, they offer money to countries, and then a little bit more, and the some more. Poor countries see in this the solution for all of their problems. However, this is not the entire game; otherwise it would be very boring. The corporations start their turn by increasing the interests' rates, in order to dominate for centuries the economic ambit of the countries. And in just two turns they win. The work of these Economic Hitmen is to corrupt the leaders of countries in order to obtain the most out of them. They enrich the most powerful sectors of the country by sucking all of the economic resources of the poorest peoples.

The book reveals how Economic Hitmen are the first stages of the game. If the leader of a country does not accept their "deal," the corporations send the "jackals" to finish up the game. Their job is to murder the leaders who denied them what they wanted. If this fails too, the last resource is the most feared of all: The U.S army. This means that there is absolutely nothing one can do to avoid the total dominance of these companies who love power and money. No one is exempted, and one the continents that is more affected by this sick game is Latin America.

The author explains the cases of Ecuador and Panama, and the assassination of Roldós and Torrijos, who refused to accept the "solutions" that these companies were offering them. However, the book only mentions Colombia once, and this country is the most connected with the Corporatocracy in my opinion. Colombia is the Latin-american country that is more connected to the U.S. The T.L.C, the embassies, the deals, the interconnections, the "Americanization," and the political and economic programs that connect these to countries show how bounded they are. However, this relationship does not work as it is depicted in the news; Colombia is the slave of the U.S.

There are multiple reasons to argue this. Colombia exports a lot of materials and resources to the U.S, however, the prices of these materials are so low that Colombian workers lose money most of the times. Colombia if forced to accept international programs that the U.S designs, and this has created a negative effect in the region. The country is now alienated from the rest because it is perceived as an enemy because of its close relation with the United States. This situation was more obvious when Venezuela argued that the U.S military bases in Colombia were designed to threaten the countries next to it. Even though this is partially right (by having military bases in Colombia, the U.S is able to spy on the governments of regions next to it) the more threatened population of all is the Colombian one. Colombians are being subjugated to the desires of Washington. The government is acting as the best friend of the White House, when in all reality is the dog. 

Sadly, not everyone knows about this, and they believe that the only acceptable way to do things is "The American Way." When the Corporatocracy decides to finally "close the deal" it is going to be very late for every one of us. No salvation. 

Image taken from the page: www.opsecnews.com

Perkins, John. "Cofessions of an Economic Hitman." San Francisco. B.K. 2004. Print.

The Aftermath of the Colombian Socialist Party Extermination.

Almost 30 years after its foundation and the continuous extermination of its members, representatives of the U.P (Unión Patriótica - Patriotic Union), a Socialist party founded in Colombia in 1985, are seeking justice after the systematic assassination of the majority of its leaders in the 80's and 90's. The politic movement was created by multiple ex-guerrilla members that wanted to participate democratically in order to end the civil war in which the country was immersed. However, there was to much hatred between the multiple parts of this conflict that made the U.P dream just an illusion. During this violent era of the Colombian history it was a common to see in the news that politic leaders were assassinated by either the Colombian government, the multiple guerrillas or the paramilitares. The U.P became the target of this dirty warfare, and the party was nearly exterminated. When the trials for the murdering of these leaders started, the government and the Colombian court system denied the participation of governmental members and the use of national resources in these killings. They blamed the guerrillas and the narco-traffic cartels.
Even though these organizations had some responsibility and were obviously involved, the reality was that the Colombian government had the biggest motives for murdering the leaders of the U.P. The members of the U.P were revealing some of the dirty games of the government, showing the alliances between the drug cartels, the paramilitares, the guerrillas and the government. Furthermore, they illustrated the mechanics that the government was using to control the country.
Now, the representatives of the U.P are in Washington, in the CIDH (Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos- Interamerican Court of Human Rights) seeking for a definitive solution in order to bring peace and justice for the family members of those who were assassinated. The government response was to send a representative in order to find a "peaceful" way to solve the conflict, some sort of conciliation. However, the reality behind this tactic is to avoid a sanction of the CIDH. If the CIDH considers that the rights of the representatives of the U.P are being violated, or that there was not a correct judicial process regarding the deaths of the U.P leaders, the court is able to emit a judgment that forces the government to do whatever the CIDH considers. That is what the government is trying to avoid. However, in my opinion, the legal representatives of the U.P should not accept the offer of the government. The government should be punished because of the sick and twisted tactics they use for keeping their interests protected. There is no other solution that showing the world what this government is capable of. 

Image taken form the web page www.radiomacondo.fm

Maseri, Sergio. "Colombia Pide en la CIDH conciliar en caso Unión Patiótica." El Tiempo. March 24, 2014. Web<http://www.eltiempo.com/justicia/colombia-pide-en-la-cidh-conciliar-en-caso-union-patriotica_13717235-4> March 24, 2014.

Colombian Idiosyncrasy.

Maybe, just maybe, what I'm going to explain in the next few lines would be perceived by many as plain and simple craziness, but I think something like this deserves a short analysis. 

One of the first book I read when I was little was a book titled "La Bruja" (The Witch) by a Colombian writer and journalist named German Castro Caycedo. In this book, Caycedo explained different factors of the Colombian idiosyncrasy. As many people know, Colombia is a territory full of economic and social differences and inequalities, and this causes that in different regions education becomes a "not so important" issue. This lack of education creates a lack of critical thinking, and fantastic ideas take over scientific and logical knowledge. One of these fantastic ideas is the belief in supernatural forces. The book was some kind of a long interview with a very famous witch from the region of Antioquia. In the report she argued that black magic was used by many individuals who wanted to obtain benefits by injuring others, and causing them multiple harms. Amanda, the witch, said that she also helped politicians and drug dealers by protecting them and harming their enemies. The book was, in conclusion a journalistic chronicle of the life of this woman.

However, last week I discovered an article titled "La Bruja Más Famosa de Colombia es Ahora un Apostol de Dios" that said that this same woman, who was previously a witch, now belongs to a religious group. For me there is absolutely no problem in this. For me the real issue is the reason why she decided to take this controversial turn. Some may say that this new life style is the correct "path," but, what is right and what is wrong? what is above, and what is below? The real issue for me is why Colombians are making such a huge deal out of this. In my mind, there is no other answer for this than saying that Colombians feel more puzzled by things and events that they cannot explain rather than feeling interested in logical and scientific events. In many cases and in many occasions I've seen how Colombians refuse to become educated, and by this I am talking about the fact of attending school, or even questioning if what they are told is truth or not. For me, and I'm being biased here, education and knowledge are the most valuable resources that one can obtain in this life. I cannot understand how an individual prefers a gun or a bottle of liquor rather than a book. Colombians are full of magical ideas, and when one question them about those magical ideas, they become furious. I wonder, is it fear, or just simple conformism? And this hurts me, my soul is harmed every time I observe something like this. But how can one help someone that does not want to be helped?

Thanks God we found the way to forget about all of this crap. Lets drink, pray and forget. After all, it is the Colombian way to do things. 

Image taken from the web site "La Bruja-Germán Castro Caycedo."

Mojica, Jose Alberto. "La Bruja Más Famosa de Colombia es Ahora un Apostol de Dios." El Tiempo. Bogota: March 15, 2024. Web. http://www.eltiempo.com/vida-de-hoy/religion/ARTICULO-WEB-NEW_NOTA_INTERIOR-13663195.html. March 16, 2014.

Race, The Biggest Lie of our Time.

It seems easy, you may think, to define what race is. But before you, my dear reader, say something regarding this topic, let me ask you one question: What is your race? Not so easy, don't you think? During these last days I've been asking myself the question of what is race, and I've come to the conclusion that I don't really understand what is race anymore. For many years I was told that race comes from the different physical differences between different groups of individuals. These physical traits were supposedly coded by genes, which carried all of our genetic information in our DNA. Therefore, race was nothing more than the "scientific" stratification of the physical differences among humans. I could not have been more wrong.

This revelation came to me thanks to an amazing documentary by California Newsreel titled "Race: The Power of an Illusion." This documentary gathered different sets of evidence that showed that race was not a scientific concept, but rather a biological myth. The documentary showed that scientist were unable to find any sort of genetic marks that defined race. According to it, humans were more similar between them than any other specie in the planet. Furthermore, the documentary proved that science and genetics have proved that variation in physical traits include very few genes and that more complex traits, such as intelligence, strength, and physical aptitude have no correlation with genetic material. This well supported evidence made me come to the realization that race is just the way to justify false ideas and concepts that are held as true by many, including me. But the documentary did not stop there, it went further. 

Race, as we understand it is nothing more than a cultural classification. It is based on false ideas that were spread by individuals who saw it as a form of justifying social hierarchy for the sole intention of obtaining both economic and social benefits. When one thinks about this and tries to connect it back to historical evidence one can see multiple connections. Events such as the Holocaust, American racism era, multiple genocides and the Apartheid in South Africa are examples of how race has been used as a method for obtaining power at any cost. The idea that my genetic material can be more alike to the genetic material of someone who does not belong to "my race" is mind-blowing. That is why I recommend everyone who has an opportunity to see this documentary to do so. It is time for everyone to realize that we are living a lie, we are living an illusion. 

Image taken from the web site US Slave.

Adelman, Larry. "Race: The Power of an Illusion." California Newsreel. 2003. Ford Foundation. Film.   

Venezuela: How to Communicate the "Thuth?"

Being so close to the Venezuelan conflict forces you to be continuously watching and reading news that contemplate and capture what is happening after almost to months of protests. The government is constantly repeating that all of the problems in Venezuela are not caused or have an origin in the governmental policies, but they are caused because of external factors. The government, and especially Nicolas Maduro, the president, and Diosdado Cabello, the president of the national assembly, blame all sorts of outsider entities. They have blamed the U.S and their policies, the Colombian Army, the Colombian Government and Alvaro Uribe Velez, the Colombian ex-president. However,  one of their major enemies is the press. 

After many year of trying to nationalize the entire country, the government has accomplished the domination of most of the things and events that get to be communicated. The government is able to determine what Venezuelans can know, and what should be kept away from the public. Even though most of the national press agencies are dominated by the officialist, the international press is still free to communicate whatever they think is worth of it. At least that was until some weeks ago. Maduro, in one of his public (and pathetic) speeches determined that NTN24, a Colombian news channel, was instigating the violence in the protest, by communicating all of the violations to the human rights that have been committed by the Venezuelan government. This news channel was taken out of the air, and their broadcast was cancelled. According to the Miami's Herald article "In Venezuela it's the President who Changes the Channels": "The government accused NTN24 of being alarmist and opening its microphones to the 'coup plotting' opposition" (Wyss 2014). This illustrates how the government is trying to blind the entire country by hiding what is really happening. Maduro knows what he is doing, he is not paranoiac, he is sick for power and control.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/02/21/3952191/in-venezuela-its-the-president.html#storylink=cpy

But this not only happened with NN24, CNN was also censored by the government. The reasons? Exactly the same. The government can't allow Venezuelans to get to know that their protests are causing a real effect. The main purpose of this dirty tactic is to debilitate the opposition's forces and demoralize their effort. However, and as History has shown us, when people fight for what is fair for everyone, at the end they will obtain their reward.

I just hope that the international community notice what is happening, and act in order to avoid more deaths of innocent people. We, the ones who are outside Venezuela, are not blinded. The least we can do is to communicate what is really happening in there. That's is why I encourage you, whoever is reading this, to post once in a while, if not everyday, something that helps to explain what is happening in Venezuela. We can't help the Venezuelan government to blind the rest of the world.

Photo taken from the Article: "Venezuela Revokes CNN Pres Credentials."

Wyss, Jim. "In Venezuela it's the President who Changes the Channels." Miami Herald. Miami Herald Media Co, Feb 21, 2014. Web. http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/02/21/3952191/in-venezuela-its-the-president.html. March 5, 2014.

Lemon Tree: An X-Ray Analysis of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.

Lemon Tree is more than a movie, is an experience. This 2008 Israeli drama movie shows the secret ambit of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: the everyday life. We are used to see news reports about bombings, terrorists attacks, and government retaliations; but we are not used to see how Palestinians try to survive everyday under the Israeli regime. The conflict, which started in 1948, forced Palestinians to migrate inside and outside the newly created territory called "Israel." Palestinians, who were the majority of the population, became a minority, and many of the Israeli leaders tried to deny the existence of Palestinians. 

The conflict has been developed in multiple stages, but after almost 70 years of fighting, these two groups have become mortal enemies. This hatred is not always shown through violent means, but discrimination is a general rule. Palestinians believe that they have the right to own the land, because they were in the territory before Israel was created. Israelis believe they have the divine right to own this biblical land. There is no way to determine who is right and who is wrong. The most logical solution is find the way in which these two ethinc, religious and cultural groups live peacefully with each other. However, after many years of conflict, this is nearly impossible. 

Israelis became the strongest force in the territory. They have control over all the Palestinians. Israel determines each detail of the Palestinians' lives. And this paradigm is shown in the movie. Salma is a Palestinian widow that is forced to renounce to her lemon trees when an Israeli minister moves next to her. According to the Israeli Secret Service, her trees represented a threat for the minister's security. Salma trys to fight this injustice, however, she is forced to cut her threes down to 30 centimeters. 

It did not matter that the lemon trees represented her way to achieve some sort of economic welfare, the Israeli Supreme Court determined, in a wider general sense, that the minister's interests were more important than hers. This cannot be more true. Today in Israel, and after the invation and control of the West Bank and Gaza, Palestinians are forced to do whatever the Israelis tell them to do. Their lives are the result of a detrimental and unfair way to gain power at any cost. The lemons in this movie are the representation of all that has been lost by the Palestines because of the harsh Israeli policies.

I truly recommend to watch this movie, It is the summary of the social tragedy in this zone of the world.

Image taken from: "Lemon Tree: Extra Large Review."

Lemon Tree. Dir. Eran Riklins. Perf. Haim Abbass, Ali Suliman, Rona Lipaz-Michael, Doron Tavory. IFC Films, 2008. Film.

Advice:

http://eldadodelarte.blogspot.com excellent blog, a real pleasure to the eyes.