La Plaza Central

Wouldn’t this be something?  Unfortunately, still just a dream for time being.

UPDATE: Nevermind.  It looks like the University of Nebraska said thanks, but no thanks.

Here is an L.A. Times article profiling a young woman in her trying first semester at UCLA…I’m rarely mushy, but it reminds me of how easy some of us have it and why we should help those who don’t:

read it

Here is an article in the Associated Press about the incremental improvements in the U.S. immigration system for children.  The article cites statistics that indicate of the 90,000 children apprehended on the border between the U.S. and Mexico in 2007  most are returned to their country of origin, but 8,000 enter U.S. custody.  One can’t but hope for improvements in this system as the children are largely caught up in the mix of problems that are neither their doing nor their fault.

Cindy Gonzalez of the Omaha World-Herald wrote an article yesterday about doctors and other medical professionals learning Spanish to assist them in their work.  The University if Nebraska Medical Center has programs in Guatemala and Nicaragua.  My favorite quote from the article comes from the coordinator of the  International Studies and Programs who says, “The students pick up on the culture and become less judgmental, more sensitive about things.”  The article also discusses the changing role of the interpreter as more and more medical facilities seek out translation services.  I have a friend who is a lawyer in Grand Island, and every time I see him we talk about how he could drastically increase his business if he knew Spanish.  Maybe some day he’ll have the energy to finally do it.

Landon Donovan and the boys are preparing for their match against Mexico on Wednesday.  My initial thoughts after seeing the lineup are not many surprises, save for the absence of Freddy Adu.  Also noteworthy is the international makeup of an American team who has a captain named Carlos Bocanegra and other players with names like Frankie Hejduk, Oguchi Onyewu, and Sacha Kljestan.  It should be fine match.

The 2010 World Cup in South Africa is just around the corner (a la vuelta de la esquina), and the United States will play Mexico in a qualifying match next Wednesday, February 11th, in Columbus, Ohio.  The U.S. has given Mexico fits in home games as Los Tricolores (Three-colors, for the three colors in Mexico’s flag) haven’t won a game in the U.S. for 10 years.  Don’t fault their fans, though, who are pulling out all the stops.  I know the game probably won’t receive the same attention here in the States, but rest assured my TV will be on Univison that night.