Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Puerto Rico, Fajardo, vista


Puerto Rico, Fajardo, vista
Originally uploaded by docman.
Today's featured photo from the Puerto Rico Sun flickr group pool

Photo by docman

What a vista!

Monday, May 30, 2005

autopista


autopista
Originally uploaded by Jaime Olmo.
Today's featured photo by Jaime Olmo

Sometimes it is great to just take the highway and get away from it all.

Sunday, May 29, 2005

PR Angel


PR Angel
Originally uploaded by MsAnthea.
Today's Featured Photo

Photo by MsAnthea

"Look closely at the detail. This is not an ordinary form of graffiti." -- MsAnthea

Saturday, May 28, 2005

Friday, May 27, 2005

Community Happenings

From prdream.com

A screening of THE KRUTCH at the Harlemwood Film
Festival


THE KRUTCH
Written and directed by Judith Escalona

16mm/DV, 29 minutes

Monday, June 20, 7PM

The Museum of the City of New York
1220 Fifth Avenue
(between East 103rd and East 104th Streets)

"The Krutch" is a surreal narrative about a Puerto Rican psychoanalyst
with a long-suppressed identity problem that erupts with some dire
consequences.
The film is unique in exploring the mental anguish and shame associated
with racism. Stylistically akin to Buñuel with an eye towards Godard,
it occupies an absurdist space that keeps it from descending into the
maudlin cliches of realism. With Jaime Sanchez as the mysterious Dr. Guzman and Cathy Haase as his unsuspecting patient Mrs. Kleist.

I will also be participating in a panel of filmmakers that evening.

======================================
Judith Escalona
Director

PRDREAM.COM
161 East 106th Street
(212)828-0401

http://www.prdream.com
Empowering community through technology
========================================

El Morro in Old San Juan


El Morro in Old San Juan
Originally uploaded by asawaa.
Today's featured photo

Photo by Asawaa

Thursday, May 26, 2005

fisherman


fisherman
Originally uploaded by lapamela.
Featured photo of the day from the Puerto Rico Sun group pool

Photo by lapamela

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Bird's Nest


Bird's Nest
Originally uploaded by MsAnthea.
Photo by MsAnthea

Puerto Rico
Travel The World

Hip Place to Visit: Taiwan

By WARREN WOODBERRY JR.
When you see the words ‘Made in Taiwan’ etched on the back of your television remote control, you probably conjure up visions of factory workers on an assembly line cranking out needless gizmos to flood the American market.
Taiwan’s pretty well-known for being the world’s number one producer of laptop computers, but few people are hip to the island - officially the Republic of China as being one of Asia’s most beautiful lands.
Slightly larger than Massachusetts and Connecticut combined, Taiwan was named by Portuguese explorers as Ihla Formosa meaning, “beautiful island.” With its tropical climate, the temperature is about 70 degrees Fahrenheit most of the year. The island is 36,000 square-miles and includes several off-shore islands.
The heart of Taiwan is Taipei, the capital city. The northern city is a bustling modern international metropolis with a thriving arts and cultural center, and vibrant economy. The people are humble, polite and dress conservatively. For a city of 2.7 million people, it is immaculately clean. One would have to wait till the end of the day to find garbage on the street.
Taipei is a big attraction with the Japanese, drawn by a nightlife with shoppers packing Sogo department store, wannabe stars screeching at the top of their lungs at the t 24-hour Partyworld Karaoke bar, and curb side vendors hocking knock-off designer bags along Fu Xing Rd.
But the city’s main attraction is Taipei 101, the world’s tallest building and Taiwan’s proudest accomplishment. The whole building is erected in the shape of a lotus flower to express the local culture. From the 89th floor, the indoor observatory presents spectacular views of the basin city and the Pacific Ocean.
The modern marvel was designed to protect against earthquakes and typhoons with a 660 metric ton giant steel ball damper in its center to dissipate wind and vibration. The building is as strong as a rock yet flexible as a bamboo. Taipei 101 holds some records such as having the world’s fastest elevators logged in the Guinness Book of Records.
Make a quick get-away from the big city with an hour flight to Hualien where you can set out on a scenic drive along the east coast. With the blue waters crashing on black sandy beaches and clouds covering lavish green mountain tops, Taiwan’s east coast highways of sharp twists and turns atop steep cliffs is just the kind of place where you’d want to put a sports car to the test.
The picturesque drive from Hualien to Hengch’un is a great way to experience the natural beauty that Taiwan has to offer. Along the way there are numerous national park sites to check out, such as Stone Stairs, rocks naturally shaped like steps by ocean erosion, or Bashian Cave, a Buddahist temple in the crack of a mountain side.
In the central mountain range is Taiwan’s version of the Grand Canyon, the famous and stunning marble canyon, Toroko Gorge. Ocean erosion forged the Gorge four million years ago, exposing the marble stone which is compact and resistant.
From the mountain tops to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, view aquatic life at the National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium in Checheng. Watch sharks swim above your head as you walk through large Plexiglass tubes, or experience the bottom of the sea through the coral covered walls of a “ship wreck.” Visitors can explore the ecology of fish through interactive exhibits and audio-visual media.
For those who enjoy such exotic get-a-ways half-a-world away, yet can’t help running to a Starbucks or McDonald’s, don’t worry about leaving your Big Gulp at home. 7-Elevens dot the landscape in Taiwan like bodegas on New York City street corners.
Visitors to Taiwan’s biggest cities won’t frighten the novice tourist either. You’ll find that Taiwan is quite Western-friendly and that many service people speak English. Street signs also reflect the language.
A round-trip ticket to Taiwan on China Airline costs about $1,000 this season. A one-night stay at five star luxury hotel is just $200 U.S. dollars.
Transit visitors to Taiwan may receive a free half-day tour from the Taiwan Visitors Association when making a connecting flight in the country. Transfer passengers may register for a five-hour sightseeing tour of Taipei. Certain conditions apply.
For travel information on vacation trips to Taiwan visit the Taiwan Travel Association at www.taiwan.net.tw.


- Warren Woodberry Jr. is a staff writer at the New York Daily News.
Community Happenings

Source: The Hispanic Professional Network

CT ASSOCIATION OF LATINOS IN
HIGHER EDUCATION (CALAHE)
23rd ANNUAL CONFERENCE


"Higher Education and Politics:
The Impact on Latinos"


Friday, June 10th, 2005

9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Central Connecticut State University
New Britain, CT


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CALAHE invites you join us at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, CT on Friday, June 10, 2005 for our 23rd Annual Conference.
Since its establishment in 1978, CALAHE has promoted and advocated for the full access, participation, and retention of Latinas/os throughout Connecticut higher education. This year's conference theme is "Higher Education and Politics: The Impact on Latinos."
CALAHE has invited two widely respected speakers in the field of higher education to address conference participants. Dr. Margarita Benitez, who coordinates academic initiatives in the United States for the University of Puerto Rico and Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President of the Educational Policy Institute which is a non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to policy-based research on educational opportunity for all students.
The conference will provide ten concurrent workshops, a Latino cuisine luncheon, and a networking reception at the conclusion of the conference.
Additional information including on-line registration and payment can be obtained by visiting www.calahe.org and clicking on Annual Conference.
Join CALAHE at its 23rd Annual Conference as it explores the issues impacting the Latino experience in higher education.
If you have any questions, please contact Maria D. Martinez at (860)486-4040, maria.d.martinez@uconn.edu or Walter Diaz, at (860)465-5244, walter.diaz@calahe.org . We look forward to your participation.

Jack in the Park


Jack in the Park
Originally uploaded by clarisel.

Sunday, May 22, 2005

Doors


Doors
Originally uploaded by MsAnthea.
Beautiful Puerto Rico photo by MsAnthea

Her photostream at flickr is
http://www.flickr.com/photos/anthea

View


View
Originally uploaded by MsAnthea.
Photo by MsAnthea

Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Education Corner

May 18, 2005

NCLR REPORT HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE HEAD START PROGRAM FOR HISPANIC CHILDREN
Washington, DC - Today, the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., released a white paper entitled Head Start Reauthorization: Promoting School Readiness for Hispanic Children. Head Start is the federal program that provides low-income children with a high-quality early education. The report found that while Head Start is a widely successful program overall, it can be improved to better meet the needs of Hispanic children who represent a large share (34%) of the eligible Head Start child population.

"One of the most successful education programs ever created, Head Start has a long history of preparing children for the first day of school. It is critically important that Congress make Head Start more accessible to Latino families and more effective in addressing the school readiness needs of Latino children," said Janet Murguia, NCLR President and CEO.

Head Start Reauthorization points out that the number of children enrolled in Head Start who do not speak English as their first language has grown dramatically in the last decade, particularly in southeastern and midwestern states. Approximately 28% of Head Start children have limited English proficiency (LEP), with the vast majority of these children identified as Spanish-speakers. Further, the report noted that these children and their families face language differences that serve as barriers to meaningful participation in the broad array of Head Start education and family services.

In its report, NCLR provides recommendations for ways to strengthen the program and calls on Congress to address program improvements for Hispanic children in the pending renewal of the Head Start Act. "For Head Start to remain a model program for early education, it must be responsive to the needs of our nation's increasingly diverse families. Increasing the number of well-trained bilingual teachers who can implement research-based instructional strategies in the classroom and support parents as their children's first teacher is a good first step," noted Murguia.

"Latinos believe that education is the key to the American dream and a better future. There is perhaps no greater federal program that can help Latinos succeed in school and in life than Head Start. I urge Congress to make strengthening Head Start for Latinos a priority in this reauthorization," concluded Murguia.

The report can be downloaded free of charge on NCLR's website at www.nclr.org.

###

Source: NCLR

Monday, May 16, 2005

Community Happenings

May 20th and May 21st

“Appraising Puerto Rican, Latino and Hispanic Caribbean Art”

Art Conference at Hunter College’s School of Social Work Auditorium
(79th Street & Lexington Avenue)

Please visit: www.centropr.org for information.


For more information on Centro Events, please visit
http://centropr.org/events/index.html or call (212)772-5714.

Thursday, May 12, 2005

de colores


de colores
Originally uploaded by lapamela.
Photo by lapamela

Lapamela's photos are featured as part of the Puerto Rico Sun photo pool at flickr.

New to this PR Sun blog: Yellow Flickr badge of photos showcased in the Puerto Rico Sun photo pool. Just click on more Puerto Rico Sun photos. It's a beautiful collection.