Professor at Supreme Court

My Civil Procedure professor, Joaquin Avila, will be in front of the Supreme Court tomorrow as they listen to arguments in regard to the Texas Redistricting Case. He's 2nd chairing, so he won't really speak, but this is his 3rd time before the Supreme Court. He sent us an email telling us that he would "take a pass" if they asked him any questions. It was pretty damn funny.

The folks from Texas handling the case, hired him to be their coach. We'll see what happens. Also, here's how Texas Redistricting is affecting the Valley.

Another Valley Soldier Dies

Jessie Davila, 29, originally from Raymondville, died in Iraq this week.

Descriptive Words for Texas Olympians

There are at least two Texas Olympians being profiled on NBC. It seems that everytime I hear one of the announcers describe these Olympians they use words as: brash, tough, passionate, fiery. As in, the brash Texan or the Tough Texan.

So I'm wondering, is nobody else in this country tough, passionate, brash? What's the deal.

Chad Hedrick, the speed skater from near Houston, has definitely lived up to those words. He's made the news for having disputes with another skater.

Todd Hays, is actually from South Texas - Del Rio. Today's story talked about him playing high school football and growing up in a small town.

I'm glad Texas is representing at the Olympics. I guess I should be happy the announcers are using these other words rather than "These Death Row Lovers from Texas," or something like that.

Working w/in The Political System

Our latest post is up at Blogeros Garcia.

Carlos:

If we want water for the Colonias, we have to lobby. If we want health insurance for our kids, we have to vote. If we want to stop the War, we have to get this President out. That's the way I see it.

Cesar:

But organizing work doesn’t happen inside a political party or around an election. It happens at the community level on a daily basis. It happens by constructing sustainable institutions that empower people on an individual level. A community comprised of individuals who are confident enough to speak out, make demands, and organized enough to create the world they want to live in, even if on a small and temporary scale, is a community that stops taking crap from other people. A chain of such communities would not be beholden to any political party. Nonetheless, it would wield political power because it could mobilize people to vote and when voting didn’t work it could mobilize people to take things into their own hands.

A Day In Court & The Mexican Comes Out

Well, not a real court. My law school competition partner, Canadian Rob and I, participated in our first Moot Court competition last night. It was a blast. We didn't have much time to prepare, but it was fun to get feedback. We go into these competitions (we've done several Dispute Resolution competitions) with the understanding that we probably won't win (we have an understanding that we'll only prepare as much as won't take away from other priorities), but as a platform for learning. You would think Canadian Rob was a Mexican with how laid back he is.

So, here's the deal. My Mexicano-ness came out last night and I've been noticing it's been creeping in during classes too. I pronounced two words in a familiar, but distinctive way, during my closing arguments: Cheating, I pronounced "Sheeting"; and Precarious, I pronounced "Pricarious."

Now, I'm wondering if I'm only noticing that this is happening now. I think I've mentioned before that I never thought I had that strong of an accent, however, even my friends from Texas told me I did. Could they be right? I was on t.v. for crying out loud. I never noticied myself pronouncing words like that then. Maybe I was more conscious of how I spoke back then, since I was working with my voice everyday?

Nonetheless, I thought it was pretty funny that I pronounced those words like that. It made me laugh (inside, considering that I was giving my closing argument) and probably made me more comfortable as well.

Now I'm off to work on my memo. I don't want to have to sheet (my physics teacher in h.s. would have pronounced it "shit") to get a good grade.

Maneja Beto & SXSW

Maneja Beto makes it to the SXSW stage, once again. If I can make it to Austin on the days they're playing, I can be a roadie again!!! Whoooo Hooo! I'm going to try. It was a blast last year. I'll definitely be in Texas then, pero probably in el Valle, so aver que pasa.

Congrats MB!

Cholo Word of the Day - A Huevo

It seems that I'm taking special requests now. El amigo y chingon blogero Oso has requested a huevo. And I, a huevo have to do it. Aunque me da la hueva, sometimes. Pero, me faltarian hu... (you get it), if I didn't do it.

There are so many different ways of using this. I'll try to capture some. Oh man, this is tough.

Word:
A Huevo

Meaning According To DT:
Right (answer in the affirmative), by force, Yes.

Used in a sentence:
"Refugio, a huevo me vas hacer que me coma este chorizo con huevo?"

"A huevo, Reyes. Yo a huevo me como chorizo con huevo, frijoles con huevo, y hasta el huevo -- a huevo."

Translation according to DT:
"Refugee, do you truly insist on forcing me to eat these exquisite sausage and eggs?"

"Why, yes Mr. King. I would often eat the scrumptious bisquits and jam."

La Bandera - Uh Oh!

A Chicano in Dallas has decided to protest the war in Iraq by flying the Mexican Flag above the American Flag. It's a pretty interesting story.