Pluto and Discrimination (Spoilers)

As November 16th of 2023 there has been a lot of buzz about Pluto, a manga created by Naoki Urasawa and with a series in Netflix there has been plenty of conversation about Pluto due the contemporary issues that border around discrimination, equity and equal rights that match the civil rights to a marginalized group which in-universe are robots to the Civil Rights movement or even Pride.

We need to think that is just a reinterpretation of The Greatest Robot on Earth arc that was in Astro Boy back in the 1960's and many other reinterpretations in the last five decades. Pluto is a complete juxtaposition of the original material, it's gritty and it has some essence that transcendent in to current world issues that are linked to discrimination and system race.

You as a viewer can see it on how the world deals with robots, is not that difficult to compare it to how systemic racism has pushed people of color down the rug in States with little to no development in the infrastructure of their people and how that lack of investment reflects in the culture and people life development. Is not difficult to see robots as a marginalized groups where their basic rights are constantly placed in danger.

Episode 1 and episode 5 have moments in which we can see how robots are threated, when they die they are handled as mere junk instead of acknowledging they are gone and there's no way to bring them back much as a person would be when they are declared dead, but even when they are gone there are comments by minor characters that their bodies are just junk which mimics a similar state when police and other public official mention when a transgender or genderqueer person is killed, the officials just mentions their lives were a mess and they got what they deserved.

The point that got my attention is within episode 5 which reveals how Gesicht  learned about rage and gained a motivation that made his AI to act beyond the robot laws and kill a human which was the brother of Adolf Haas who was murdering robot children. Similar situation goes with the general premise of the series which on some extent equals the gay panic defense which diminish the life of the people who were murdered.

Within the intricate narrative tapestry of Pluto, the exploration of discrimination goes beyond the realm of robotic rights and delves into the depths of racial inequality. The parallels drawn between the plight of robots and the systemic racism faced by people of color offer a poignant commentary on the shared struggles of marginalized communities.

The juxtaposition of how society deals with robots in the series mirrors the historical and ongoing challenges faced by communities of color, particularly in the United States. The narrative underscores the stark reality of systemic racism, where communities with little to no investment in their infrastructure find themselves pushed to the margins. The lack of development and support for these communities has a profound impact on culture and individual life trajectories, echoing the deeply entrenched racial disparities witnessed in society.

Episodes 1 and 5 provide crucial moments that amplify the social commentary. The dehumanizing treatment of robots when they meet their demise reflects a callousness akin to the dismissal of lives in marginalized communities. The dialogue surrounding robot "bodies" as mere junk echoes the troubling rhetoric employed by authorities when addressing the deaths of individuals from racial or ethnic minorities, perpetuating harmful stereotypes and reinforcing systemic biases.

In Episode 5, Gesicht's journey becomes a microcosm of the broader societal struggles against discrimination. His discovery of rage and his subsequent deviation from established robot laws to confront the human perpetrator draws an unsettling parallel to real-world scenarios where individuals, driven to the brink by systemic injustices, act outside established norms. This mirrors instances where marginalized communities, in the face of adversity, are compelled to challenge oppressive systems.

The series delves into the complexities of Gesicht's motivations, portraying the blurred lines between right and wrong, much like the gray areas that characterize discussions around racism and discrimination. The narrative prompts viewers to reflect on the cyclical nature of injustice and the repercussions of historical traumas, drawing connections to the deep-rooted struggles against racism that persist today.

Pluto's exploration of discrimination and racism extends beyond a mere reflection of societal issues; it serves as a compelling call to action. By weaving these themes into the narrative, the series challenges viewers to confront uncomfortable truths and actively engage in dismantling discriminatory systems. In doing so, Pluto transcends its robotic facade, emerging as a powerful and thought-provoking exploration of the interconnected struggles for racial and social justice in our contemporary world.

Champeta de Las Saylor Moon un Breve Recuento de la Cancion Original

Han pasado casi tres años desde que empece a escribir esto, y la he mantenido en stand by debido a problemas de salud pero con el tiempo he vuelto a ver la parte investigativa que le habia cogido fastidio a lo largo de los años. De todas la canciones del genero Terapia Criolla, Las Sailor Moon es una cancion que me llego al alma ya que a principio y mediados de la decada de los 90 no habian mujeres que representaran la champeta criolla.

El nombre de la autora es Shirley Perez Herrera, que su padre es Melchor Perez el cantante que popularizo el Vacile del Gago a principio de los 90. La historia de por si de la cancion original es unica ya que en ese momento no habia artistas feminos que predominaran en el genero y Shirley esencialmente abrio las puertas. 

Con el tiempo he aprendido apreciar la version mas popera de Yuranis ya que retomo un tema que estaba desaparecido y lo puso a una generacion nueva, la version mas reciente no trae los temas de la calle y la inferencia a bandas criminales de Cartagena y barrios populares pero pone como un tema bailable y para hacer desorden lo que hace un tema de por si chevere que va con los tiempos de la Costa Caribe.

Mientras buscaba informacion para esta entranda, encontre pocos articulos, pero fueron bastante substanciosos ya que por años me pregunte en donde el tema original fue grabado? Y mi sorpresa fue en un estudio casero en El Pie de la Popa en el año 96 - en las fuentes deje un enlace para los diferentes articulos, que encontre con respecto a la version original y asumo que en un punto de la historia como Cartagena es una ciudad pequeña y la mayoria de la gente se conoce entre si y mas en la parte de las artes, el esposo de Yuranis que es El Mr Black habra contactado a Shirley y pidio permiso en nombre de su esposa para hacer un remix y una nueva version de la cancion en 20 años desde su estreno.

La parte que me llama la atencion es como tambien YouTube ha mantenido la historia de la musica Cartagenera, la cancion ha estado en pie por mas de 10 años en diferentes perfiles al igual que otras de hace 35 años como la de Las Tortugas Ninja, Los Caballeros del Zodiaco, El Vacile del Pato para nombrar tres de las tantas.

La version original refleja la realidad popular en Cartagena, que en un punto va con dos ciudades en una, lo que es El Balneario Turistico contra el resto del pueblo Cartagenero. Las cancion habla del barrio Nariño; de Las Sailor Moon que es una banda que va por los barrios de Nariño, el 20 de Julio, Sampayo y van marcando el territorio pero es dificil saber si en verdad hubo una banda criminal en ese entonces, en si han habido varias bandas a nicel nacional que han usado el codigo de Las Sailor Moon.

Si estas leytendo y te preguntas porque use el pronombre plural Las para mencionar a Sailor Moon, estoy mencionado a un grupo y es el calificativo plural que es bastante comun en la Costa Caribe en darle a singulares signifcados plurales.

La historia de la cancion original es interesante porque no fue Shirley la que grabo el tema aunque es la autora y compositora, pero la voz es de la artista Cristiana - Rosalba Santana Guerrero - que ocupo el lugar de Shirley despues que la autora fue a cantar en un pick-up (punto de musica en la Costa donde diferentes cantantes van a promover su musica) Barranquillero con su novio que era competencia de su padre Melchor y Melchor de por si no la dejo grabar el tema como castigo por desobediencia.

Hay mucha realidad popular en las letras de la cancion, tambien hay referencia al show como El Principe Endemion, Sailor Mars y Mercury y la Reina Beryl si estuvieran en Cartagena y fueran parte de una banda pero como toda cancion popular Colombiana tambien hay referencias a barrios y gente conocida de la autora.

Referencias:

https://primeralinea.com.co/la-historia-de-la-sailor-moon-y-el-ay-me-transformaste-de-yuranis-leon/

www.facebook.com/citytv.com.co/videos/capturan-a-las-'sailor-moon'/10153985852519475/

https://www.elheraldo.co/entretenimiento/las-sailor-moon-un-grito-femenino-en-la-champeta-669413

https://www.colombia.com/musica/noticias/asi-nacio-sailor-moon-la-champeta-que-es-viral-en-redes-242740

Working alongside my Disabilities

 Short entry today, at least short entry for the day.

Somedays is easier, somedays is harder. Today has been easier, walking has become an issue as time pass by, speaking has become another issue - I can't really speak for around 20 minutes during lectures without gasping for air - For some reason the memories of Yolanda saying I was lazy comes through my head over and over when I have a flare. "Weird" how it was valid when she had it while been alive but I wasn't allowed because I was young. -

Today has been easier, with time has been easier, I can't see myself working in retail as I used to; it was already difficult without any accommodations, plus working a job that is not unionized as a main source of income is not an option anymore.

Same in my current position, I am happy here, I been happier where I work because I get threated as a human being instead of a product and I don't see myself going back to retail again. I am in my little happy place, enjoying the morning and knowing I can adapt to my surroundings without feeling less human. 

Learning and studying constantly have become a joy, being alive has become one joy even with the difficulties.

Rediscovering My Voice: A Decade-Long Journey of Change, Ambition, and Hope

 I haven't wrote in a while, a little over a decade. I guess things change, almost 40 at this moment and finally fulfilling my job ambition in academics (even if is only been three years - four in January of 2024) since day one. A lot has changed even with the difficulties as  I have my own voice fully to express myself and I have a solid network of friends who are more like family and family members that are close to me as wheel.

I been in my own classroom for the last year an half, not necessarily per se my own classroom as I am a lab monitor but I have my space, my rules and my own kids which is something I treasure. I had the chance for the last two years to shadow other teachers, sub and learn from them. I am writing because today I finally reached that point in life that I am comfortable with my own skin, even in times that is difficult to be happy with yourself.

What is happiness? I don't know, it change from everyone to everyone, for me "Is to be able to live and be myself without having to hide myself to fit in the societal expectations" is simple and is something I pass to the students. Is quite surreal even a year and half later to have my own space and is something that daily I am proud of.

Albeit, within those expectations from society we forget that we were kids once and we grow old to become just part of an engine that keeps a difficult time for younger generations. I am not going to go in an analysis of self by systemic approach because that is an eternity, an eternity that last in the blink of an eye. I learned in that concept of eternity that we kindness can bring a lot to the table of expectations, same with boundaries because are linked to our well-beings in an individual and social levels.

Social levels that are interlinked within the different classrooms around the globe, one person in the entire campus in the thousands that are around the globe can make a difference in someone's life, someone's who is young and probably have no support at home - we essentially become some sort of extended family for the kids, a lease family for the time they are in the school but an impression that can last forever, for good or bad - 

It breaks my heart and soul daily to know how difficult a lot of the demographics I proctor have and will have in life; I can't be mean to them at all, just myself without putting a facade who is not who I am, myself who can reach them and can help to create a change.

I will write more, little by little as I paint. I haven't wrote consistently in 12 years because I couldn't find myself, I couldn't find a new voice that wasn't linked in sorrow and now is a voice linked to hope.

Brief Essay of President of Colombia - Gustavo Petro

Gustavo Petro is a prominent Colombian politician who has made a significant impact on the country's political landscape. As a former guerrilla fighter, union leader, and senator, Petro has been a vocal advocate for social justice and political reform. In this essay, I will explore Petro's political career, his policies and ideas, and his impact on Colombian politics.

Gustavo Petro was born on April 19, 1960, in Ciénaga de Oro, a small town in the department of Córdoba, Colombia. He grew up in poverty and experienced first-hand the injustices of Colombia's unequal society. At the age of 16, Petro joined the guerrilla group M-19, which fought against the Colombian government in the 1980s. After the demobilization of M-19 in 1990, Petro became a union leader and was elected to the Colombian Senate in 2006.

As a senator, Petro was known for his fierce criticism of Colombia's political establishment, which he accused of corruption, clientelism, and human rights abuses. He also championed causes such as workers' rights, environmental protection, and peace negotiations with guerrilla groups. In 2010, Petro ran for president as the candidate of the Alternative Democratic Pole (PDA), a left-wing coalition of parties. Although he did not win the election, Petro's campaign attracted significant support from young people, social movements, and progressive intellectuals.

After his presidential bid, Petro returned to the Senate, where he continued to push for political reform and social justice. In 2014, he was elected mayor of Bogotá, Colombia's capital and largest city. As mayor, Petro implemented a series of policies aimed at reducing inequality, promoting sustainable development, and fighting corruption. Some of his most notable achievements include:

• The implementation of a subsidized public transportation system for low-income residents, which reduced travel costs by up to 70%
• The establishment of a public healthcare system that provided free medical services to over 2 million people
• The creation of an anti-corruption agency that investigated and prosecuted corrupt officials
• The promotion of urban agriculture and renewable energy projects to reduce Bogotá's carbon footprint

Despite his popularity among some sectors of Colombian society, Petro also faced fierce opposition from conservative politicians, business groups, and the media. His policies were often criticized as too radical, too expensive, or simply unrealistic. In 2018, Petro ran for president again, this time as an independent candidate. Although he made it to the second round of the election, he was ultimately defeated by the right-wing candidate Iván Duque.

Petro's impact on Colombian politics goes beyond his electoral results. He has been instrumental in shifting the country's political discourse towards the left, and in challenging the traditional parties' monopoly on power. He has also inspired a new generation of progressive leaders and activists who are fighting for social and environmental justice in Colombia.

In conclusion, Gustavo Petro is a key figure in Colombian politics who has played a significant role in the country's recent history. His political career has been marked by his commitment to social justice, political reform, and environmental sustainability. Although he has faced significant opposition and criticism, Petro's ideas and policies have resonated with millions of Colombians who are demanding a more equitable and democratic society.

Sources:

• Biography of Gustavo Petro on the official website of the Colombian Senate: https://www.senado.gov.co/el-senado/senadores/213-gustavo-petro-urrutia
• Gustavo Petro's platform for the 2018 presidential elections: https://www.gustavopetro.com/programa-de-gobierno/

Ducktales 2017 a Retroactive Entry

    I finally had the opportunity to start watching the reboot of Ducktales after the cancellation of the show a year later. Part of it came with using the student discounts I have access to some services, and I decided to use it with audiovisual entertainment, so I got the bundle with Hulu and Disney + which I have no complains.

    The reason for my interest in Ducktales 2017 was mostly Nostalgia, but also because a lot of mid-thirty something Millennial's and Gen X were saying the show was too woke, without even thinking on how the 1980's where made exclusively to sell merchandise instead of focusing on the writing of the show, I guess is the same applied to the Nickelodeon teen aimed comedies and even so the ones that were in ABC and NBC every Saturday morning like California Dreamin' and Saved by The Bell.

    Looking at the episodes through Disney Plus, is interesting to see more closely related aspects of the characters that were in the original Barks/Rosa works in which the family were dynamic and less television archetypes of infantilized version of their own selves which is refreshing to see a product that is more focused in the writing and less in the idea of selling merchandise.

    The departure of what the 1980's was it's clearly there but it brings elements from the old version adapted to contemporary times such as the evolution of Gizmo Duck or even Gyro as a character with more depth than the absent minded professor from the 1980's. It's easy to see that the generation that grew watching the 87's version brought their own ideas tot he reboot for 3 seasons and that's what make the show fascinating.

     It's interesting to see the characters re-imagined but also adapted to contemporary times in which there is an emphasis in the scripts instead of selling toys, and that change gives a depth to the characters such as Webby in which she wasn't the damsel in distress but an assertive character that had depth, same with the triplets in which each weren't a carbon copy of each other but overall it was so cool to see Donald and a connection to the comics that wasn't able in the 1980's show.

    Going on the writing the nods to the original they were everywhere, even with Gene the Genie in the Donald's fantasy episode where everyone is transported to a sitcom setting after being trapped in an scenario that looks extremely similar to the 1990's movie, but been able to keep the series own pace and own mythos such as introducing the Rescue Rangers as a science experiment and Darwing Duck been an actor turned vigilante.

    Which all of that add a component of dimensional within the characters and the show itself. Good writing is the key within making a show interesting regards if the animation is avant-garde or Hannah Barbera style. Writing where there is representation lays, when there is a well written show even if is on a superficial level, it can bring fans and amass fans from different generations.

A Letter to Frans

     This has been the hobby I had taken the longest to recover, my blog, my writing, the first thing that ever made me happy; I been happy again with my hobbies and they usually involve audiovisual but writting is the one that has taken me the longest to recover. A while ago I started to write more throughly and thoughtfully, quality over quantitty which it reached me better and same is applied to my photos and illustrations which is better to do something that is deeply personal and meanigful than to lose yourself within the mass commercial market.

    During the last six months I've been back in somewhat of the instructional side of education as a substitute and a paraprofessional and my goal still the same, I will get my own classroom one day, working within the academics side has fullfilled once that void that I felt it was a darkness that I wasn't comfortable with, a void in which I couldn't find myself, why I said that phrase? Because as humans we have to be at peace even within the void in our personalities, is an inherent side of humanity and I am peace with that now.

    Being creative is an essential part of my persona and working in that academic side has helped me to reconnect with that creativity but it took certain steps to work in the parts that were missing which were the literacy ones. Since we are moving out and it will be more restrictive with my connectivity since will be in the countryside, I thought that it would be an enjoyable time to start writing again and postpone videos until we get a booster and the Internet lines go to the county we are moving it make me think maybe I should restart the idea of getting published and finish my manuscripts.

    Writing is always my first joy, it helped me to communicate and I extend it to the blog which became a release when I need it to speak during the moments I was being silenced but I lost it the moment I wasn't being silenced by anyone but by my own self, part of maturing as a writer and as a creative person in general is to understand the environment mold us, but also that we are our own personas, of course nobody can't let us dictate on how to live our lives that's up to us and is up to us if we see beyond the veil of madness.

    The world needs art and I don't know on what generation artist will have a comfortable living, in the meantime we need to keep expressing ourselves because we need art, art is a tool of communication and a tool to reach people, art itself is language and language is art. I am probably going to write more often, mostly one article every month minimum, one entry every two weeks, mostly whenever I am off from school and from work which at this moment they have become one and the same.

    I can't shoo your darkness away, nobody can't, is you only who can work through it, much like I did with mine. We can't change the world, we can help reaching one person at a time. I know the family isn't perfect, far from perfect or even remotly ideally accepting but there are people there who can listen and they are nice to speak with too because is always good to have someone who we know for a long time.

    People change, sometimes is hard to accept after any sense of agression, sometimes some people don't change and we have to accept that, we need to accept that a lot of times we are not going to see them again and know the wound can open sometimes and will never close.

    I will write something later, it just feels better to have written something that is not for work or school after a while.