News (Noticias) for September 27th, 2006

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“You are a spokesperson for your company, representing it for public speaking and media interviews. You are going about your everyday affairs, granting media interviews on a new product or service your company launched or a timely topic of general interest. All is going well and a Hispanic media representative calls. What should you do?

Should you respond to the request as you do with other general market requests? If you are wondering about the reach and importance of Latino media and Latino audiences nationwide, note that Hispanic buying power is estimated at around $700 billion a year and increasing rapidly. At the risk of stereotyping, remember Latinos are loyal buyers, especially for high ticket items, spend more than mainstream and other minority market buyers on basic products and like to purchase the best they can afford.”

“One of the largest growing sectors of the Latino population in the United States isn’t coming in from Mexico as Pat Buchanan and friends would like you to believe, but rather are U.S. citizens.”

“In story after story after story, reporters, experts and critics, of the 700-mile fence approved by House Republicans, point out how futile and a waste of money this “symbolic” monument to border security really is.

But, hey. It makes House Republicans feel good and that’s what it’s all about in the end anyway.

What do they care if they waste taxpayer’s money? After all, this is the same group that spent untold hundreds or thousands of dollars and man-hours on the so-called “fact-finding” mission over the summer.”

“Magda’s Tortillas is the story of Magda Madrigal who is celebrating her seventh birthday. She has waited for this day with great anticipation because this is the day that her abuela will teach her to make tortillas for the first time. Magda is excited and can’t wait to get started.

The book describes in wonderful detail a day spent in the kitchen with a beloved grandmother learning el gran tradicí­on of making tortillas and the quest to make them perfectly round. You could almost smell those tortillas on the comal!”

“Peopleenespanol.com reports Cruz Martinez and Alicia Villarreal have reinforced their personal security. According to the news report, the main reason is the ongoing feud between Martinez of Los Kumbia Kings and A.B. Quintanilla of the Kumbia All Starz.

What!?!”

“Heineken, Clinique, Univision Radio, Univision.com, Verizon Wireless, Wal-Mart, Washington Mutual, McDonald’s, Bally Total Fitness and Pepsi-Cola Co. will join together for support of the musical event, whose financial impact will be more than $30 million for New York, according to the city’s Economic Development Corp.”

“Immigrants “want a U.S.-born baby,” and they know emergency room staffers don’t collect any money up front, said Dr. Mario Rodriguez, an obstetrician in Starr County.

“The word is out: Come to Starr County and get delivered for free. Why pay $1,000 in Mexico when you can get it for free?” Rodriguez said.”

“The congressional pre-election ploy of pushing construction of a border fence to make voters believe something is being done about immigration reform is a farce.

Leaders of the Tohono O’odham Nation oppose a fence. Others deride it as an environmental nightmare. And still others with experience along the border say a fence simply will not work.”

“Foster Farms announced today the return of the company’s popular Foster Imposters® in a new advertising campaign developed specifically for the Latino community. The Foster Imposters are two out-of-state, junk food-eating chickens who, in their repeatedly failed attempts to impersonate Foster Farms chickens, highlight the superior qualities of the always fresh, always natural, locally-grown Foster Farms birds. The birds meet their match when they are heralded by hot Mexican recording artists, Los Tucanes de Tijuana.”

“Hispanic local elected officials will meet in Santa Fe, N.M., this week to discuss immigration, strengthening economic vitality, affordable housing, municipal leadership and other issues of concern during the HELO (Hispanic Elected Local Officials) Summit, Sept. 28 to 30 at the Hilton Santa Fe Historic Plaza, Santa Fe, N.M. Espanola Mayor and HELO President Joseph Maestas will lead the meeting of state, federal and local elected officials. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson is expected to speak on Thursday evening.

“The HELO Summit offers Hispanic municipal leaders throughout the country a unique opportunity to come together and learn from one another. Additionally, it is a special way for us, as civic leaders, to honor Hispanic Heritage Month,” said Mayor Maestas. “We are excited by the opportunity to discuss and share ideas about effective responses to the important municipal, legislative and policy issues facing our communities, especially those affecting our Latino communities, such as immigration reform.”"

“One highlight of popular music so far this year has been the bumper crop of new recordings from singer-songwriters. Performers ranging from newcomers like Bird York and Syd Matters to legends such as Paul Simon have released discs that stretch the form, using highly textured productions and often employing electronic instruments to conduct an intimate conversation through music.

Some of the most innovative recent recordings in that style are to be found in retailers’ world music sections. In the past few weeks, three South American women — Peru’s Susana Baca, Argentina’s Juana Molina and Brazil’s Cibelle — have released stellar …”

“The border crackdown on illegal immigration from Mexico is creating a black market in workers who are vulnerable to violence and exploitation, a high-ranking Mexican diplomat said Tuesday.

“We have a moral obligation to prevent unnecessary death and exploitation of hard-working people,” Alfonso de Maria y Campos told an audience gathered at Ohlone College to hear the diplomat address U.S.-Mexico relations.”

So did you know this? If you didn’t, perhaps you could send it to someone you know to help spread the knowledge and please tell them about HispanicTips.

View more “Did You Know?” facts in our “Did You Know?” section

“Lionsgate has acquired worldwide rights to Mexican urban crime drama “Fuera Del Cielo” (Beyond the Sky).

Set in Mexico City, the film stars Demian Bichir as a hood just out of prison who exacts revenge on a corrupt cop played by Damian Alcazar”

“Complaining that no other country’s flag should be flown in Douglas, a Bisbee man was arrested in Douglas for stealing a Mexican flag from the Downtown Gas Center.

David Hubacher, 49, shortly after turned himself in at the Douglas Police Station, where an officer there told him the gas station owner was pressing charges of theft, a police reported stated.”

So did you know this? If you didn’t, perhaps you could send it to someone you know to help spread the knowledge and please tell them about HispanicTips.

View more “Did You Know?” facts in our “Did You Know?” section

“Mexico’s president-elect says murder and mayhem fueled by drug smuggling have overwhelmed the governments of the nation’s capital and key states across the country.

Felipe Calderon said the wave of bloodshed is ravaging state governments controlled by each of Mexico’s three major parties. He singled out Mexico City, the northern states of Sinaloa and Tamaulipas, the southern state of Guerrero and his home state of Michoacan, as being especially hard-hit.”

“A little Peruvian girl who was born with her legs stuck together finally took her first steps after a series of surgeries. The two-year-old Milagritos Cerron, nicknamed “Sirena” (mermaid in Spanish), appeared on television this week as she took small though clumsy steps.

The doctors who carried out several operations to separate the little girl’s legs indicated that she will get better at walking as she gets older. “

“Carthage Veterinary Service Ltd., an internationally-recognized swine veterinary consulting practice, has developed a compact disc series to help eliminate language barriers on swine farms and increase production. The “Swine Farm Language Guide” provides both English-to-Spanish and Spanish-to-English audio translations for words and phrases commonly used in swine production. A tear-free, durable flip-book gives written translations of all information contained on the CDs.”

“Teachers like Fiskars are also taking part in a Duke University-funded learning program called The Spanish Leap, which equips teachers how to better communicate with the growing Hispanic populations at their schools. The free program is part of the Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership, which was formed in 1996.

Fiskars is one of about 30 Durham teachers that meet for classes once a week at Duke after school. They have access to the university’s online instructional resources and its language-learning lab. The program culminates in June with a weeklong trip to Guatemala, where the teachers will also study the culture.”

“Google’s bid to make every book in print searchable on the Internet has received a boost with a top Spanish university library becoming the first in the non-English speaking world to join the controversial project.

The Complutense University of Madrid library, the country’s second largest behind the National Library, houses three million works, including by Cervantes, Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz and thousands of other Spanish-language titles in the public domain.”

“It’s known by the not-so-glamorous name of “the 287(g) program,” but Mecklenburg County Sheriff Jim Pendergraph said a database system connecting his office with the Office of Homeland Security is helping deal with the problem of illegal immigrants who break the law.

Pendergraph said a computer system that went into operation May 1 in Mecklenburg has resulted in more than 550 illegal immigrants charged with crimes in Mecklenburg County being sent to an Atlanta immigration court for probable deportation.”

“Federal officials on Monday said they arrested 109 immigration violators from Sacramento to Stockton last week, including at least seven who had criminal records.

By Monday, 98 had been deported, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Many had ignored final deportation orders already issued by immigration judges and can be sent home without further hearings.”

“Latino Sports Marketing, LLCTM today announced a major rebranding initiative that includes the introduction of its new name, Latino Sports & Entertainment Marketing, LLC(TM) (LSE). LSE is a culturally-relevant, Latino sports and entertainment marketing, event management, experiential marketing and consulting firm that creates vital relationships between companies and Latinos via sports and entertainment. The rebranding initiative is designed to highlight the company’s expanding role in Latino entertainment marketing and represents the first major rebranding initiative in the company’s 11-year history.

“Incorporating entertainment into our name better represents the capacity of our business capabilities to effectively impact Latinos,” said Anthony Eros, president of LSE. “Latinos have consistently demonstrated loyalty toward sports, music, movies and more, and brands can effectively utilize these channels to target their Latino customer base. It is natural to utilize these strategically complementary cultural passions when designing and delivering programs for our clients.”

A key component to LSE’s rebranding initiative is the launch of a redesigned Web site (http://www.LSELLC.com) that reflects the company’s new corporate image. The Web site features a new look that provides information about LSE and its extensive experience in the Latino sports and entertainment marketing industry. “