That Really Doesn't Grind My Gears...Food

So why do I like to eat? Although sometimes I can be a picky eater but generally I like to eat anything. My favorite dish would definitely have to be the bandeja tipica. What sucks is that I have a few allergies which include peanuts, string beans and soy...random I know.

Hopefully one day I'll be able to cook in a good clean kitchen, but until then...free food it will be!

Dia de los Muertos in Philly

Photo by R. Kennedy for GPTMC

So do people really know what Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is all about? I want to assume a lot of mainstream America thinks it's just another Mexican holiday like Cinco de Mayo...negative. Dia de los Muertos is celebrated throughout Mexico and in several regions of the United States. It's not necessarily a mourning holiday but more of a celebration. The celebration occurs on November 1st and 2nd in connection with the Catholic holiday of All Saint's Day which occurs on November 1st and ALl Souls Day which occurs on November 2nd.

According to an article in the Arizona Republic, unlike the Spaniards, who viewed death as the end of life, the natives viewed it as the continuation of life. Instead of fearing death, they embraced it. To them, life was a dream and only in death did they become truly awake.

Here are just a few happenings in Philly you can check out today and tomorrow:

1. Dance Party at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
2. Yummmy specials at Xochitl
3. Folk art at the Eye's Gallery on South Street
4. MÜtter Museum's 2nd Annual Day of the Dead Festival

Fun Facts brought to you by...

none other than the U.S. Census Bureau. Think you know a little bit about Hispanics (Latinos) in the United States? Well the bureau has put together a fun quiz about...yes you guessed it HISPANICS! Questions include "What was the median age of Hispanics in the US in 2000?" and "In 2000, 88% of Non-Hispanic Whites are high school graduates; What percentage of HIspanics high school graduates?"

It's actually a pretty fun quiz to take; don't worry though it's only 5 questions. So why are any of these statistics important? According to the Census2010 web-site: the information the census collects helps to determine how over $400 billion dollars of federal funding each year is spent on infrastructure and services like:

• Hospitals
• Job training centers
• Schools
• Senior centers
• Bridges, tunnels and other-public works projects
• Emergency services

To take the quiz click here.

That Really Grinds My Gears...GMAIL

What is up with GMAIL? How can you people like it so much? I get the conversations and the layout but if you're used to Microsoft Outlook, this is CHANGE! I am all for change but this is drastic. As a good friend would say, "GMAIL is not thinking of the children!"

I am so used to filtering my e-mails by subject, contact, date, etc. but now with Gmail I can't. Again I love technology but when you make things harder for me to find I suggest you fix the problem...especially for work.

To Support or Not Support the Artist

Wow so has it really come to this? In a world of technology where anyone can download ANYTHING on LimeWire or other services, are recording artists doing better or worse than they were 10 years ago? Is this why a lot of singers, rappers, bands, etc are more and more going into other industries like clothing and movies? I must admit I have not purchased a CD but I still support the artist.

Just take a look at this tweet:
If you're album (from a few years ago) is selling for $3.99 then something seems to be wrong. Sometimes even Twitter only deals seem to help out the artist or any other industry. Hopefully 5 years from now Twitter won't start charging users. Although it's a free advertising/communications tool, sometimes we have to be careful of how we relay this messages.

Today is the day...Phillies/Yankees

Today...oh boy today. It's what everyone's been waiting for...but really why? Are we that insecure with ourselves that we have to have a rivalry? Everyone is talking about how Philadelphia is always in New York's shadow...okay well who cares? And didn't you know some of your (NYC) people are moving to Philly and working in NYC? And does it really take 3 people to right a story about how NYC is better than Philadelphia?

To be honest, no matter who wins, the negative aspect of the story will still rise. Sometimes the media just wants a GOSSIP story so people can link, post, etc. In the world we live in today, once you post it on the internet, it's out there forever. And Philadelphia on the other hand is taking a better approach. We have decided to train it up to NYC and give out free cheesesteaks! If/when the Phillies hit a homerun, one lucky fan will win a $100 giftcard to one of Philly's BEST restaurants.

And if you NYC fans plan on visiting Philly for future games, be prepared.

Greek life...you slay me

Every now and then I start wondering what is it about Greek life that keeps us going? By us I mean everyone in general. I've heard of a good number of people just stop supporting their organization. However, when they were NEO's or undergraduates, they were just as hype as their line brother.

However, I am proud of those that stick to it until the end. The brothers and sisters of those orgs (whether black, white, Asian, Latino, etc.) whom continue to represent their organization. Remember, it's an organization...not a club. And if we didn't represent our org's, we wouldn't be able to do cool stuff like unity strolling or event collaborations. Why do I keep doing it? Because I respect Gamma Phi Sigma "Hermanos Unidos" Fraternity, Inc. and everything we do. So who cares we only have 6 chapters? What's it to you? You may have hundreds of chapters but I don't see you working as hard.

Also, don't let this EVER happen to your organization. Now of course there have been rumors of who these "people" are; we cannot assume until the organization makes a statement. Crisis Communications people!

(Picture removed)

Census web-site

As we all know next year we will be getting those important forms in the mail to count none other than US! And to help you navigate throughout this process the Census not only will send you mail, distribute collateral at festivals, advertise during major events but they'll also want you to check out their cool new site! I am a fan of cool web-sites and when I saw their's I was glad to see it's usefulness. If you hover over the people you hear typical questions asked by concerned citizens. You can also read about the importance of the Census, how it works, privacy and how to get involved.

They're also twittering! Follow them @uscensusbureau.