YEAR IN REVIEW: FROM INSURRECTION TO WRITE-IN

Community /

YEAR IN REVIEW: FROM INSURRECTION TO WRITE-IN As we’re coming to the end of the year 2021, I wanted to do a quick year in review.  Insurrection at the Capitol Building, Murder Hornets, COVID-19 Vaccines and the delayed 2020 Olympic Games were just a few of this year’s headlines. With each passing month this year, there seemed to be a new “threat” or top story that was going to be a paradigm shift of sorts. January: On Three Kings Day, with the incoming inauguration of President Biden, Agent Orange’s cult members stormed the Capitol and thought they would overthrow the government in a desperate act of insurrection. Thankfully, the republic stood, and these traitors are now being held accountable for their actions. February: With the sad one-year anniversary of COVID-19 making its way to the United States, the country recognized the grim mark of 500,000 deaths due to the pandemic. If only Agent Orange and his administration took the warning signs the year earlier more seriously. March: COVID-19 Vaccines begin being made available in the US as those at the highest risk groups are given priority. The Biden Administration sets forth some pretty high expectations for the roll out of the vaccine as well as goals they would like to hit by July. Additionally. March 2021 also gave us the world’s largest traffic jam in the Suez Canal where one of the world’s largest container ships ran aground and got stuck for several days, delaying shipments throughout Europe, and causing all kinds of headaches to the world’s economy. April: Raul Castro, brother of the late Fidel Castro steps down as president of Cuba, bringing an end to the 62-year rule of the Castro brothers on the island. May: Violence breaks out in Israel and Palestine as their ever-ongoing crisis continues. Israel hits the Gaza Strip with airstrikes after violent protest  break out due to Israel’s continued push into Palestinian territories and displacing the Palestinian population.  June: Little known India Walton, self-identified Democratic Socialist wins primary for the mayor’s race in Buffalo, seemingly shocking the country and longtime Mayor and incumbent, Byron Brown.  July: Food and Medicine shortages force thousands of Cubans to the streets in Anti-Government protests. The delayed 2020 Olympic Games finally kicked off in Tokyo. Puerto Rico wins its second Gold Medal, its first in Track and Field.  August: After many months of guest hosts filling in for long-time host Alex Trebek who passed away the year prior, television game show “Jeopardy” announced its new host, Mike Richards. Richards acted as an executive producer on the show. Weeks later of course, Richards is forced to step down as host of Jeopardy due to problematic sexist language he used on podcasts from a few years ago resurfacing. Also in August, the United States ends the twenty-year war in Afghanistan as it pulls all troops out, creating panic in the war-torn country whose government fell to the Taliban within a few days after the US announcement.  September: El Salvador becomes the first country in the world to adopt Crypto Currency (Bitcoin) as legal tender. Bitcoin prices soar. COVID-19 Delta variant spreads and causes panic. October: The Atlanta Braves face the Houston Astros in the 2021 World Series. It is the first World Series the Braves have made since the 1999 season. November: Byron Brown seemingly holds onto his seat as Mayor of Buffalo, winning as a write-in candidate over Democratic Primary winner India Walton.  December: Still to be determined. These were just a few of this year’s headlines that stood out to me. With that said, I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and safe and Happy New Year. Read More From This Writer All Post Business Culture Food Government Health Interviews Lower West Side Business & Economic Development Medical Music Our Community Peace People Sports YEAR IN REVIEW: FROM INSURRECTION TO WRITE-IN December 18, 2021/No Comments POST TITLE (CAPITAL) Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus Read More FROM LOWER WEST SIDE TO CENTER STAGE November 18, 2021/No Comments FROM LOWER WEST SIDE TO CENTER STAGE As I’m celebrating the first year as a columnist with the Buffalo Latino Read More OUR CULTURE IS NOT A COSTUME October 18, 2021/No Comments OUR CULTURE IS NOT A COSTUME By the time you’re reading this month’s issue of The Buffalo Latin Village, we Read More Load More End of Content.

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OH NOEL!

Food & Culture /

OH NOEL! Oh Noel!   I’ll “Not Tell” of; I’ll “Not Dwell” on past spells of discouragement and disappoints. This is the month for LIGHTING UP our streets and windows to remind each other of the promise for the coming of a new world order: full peace, love, and joy to share hopes and dreams for “MORE”; not just for honoring the Bethlehem manger or ornamenting the Tree for a night and day of treats! This is a month to Dwell and Tell, loud and clear, for all to hear: This is the land that inscribed: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” (Quoted from Emma Lazarus’ sonnet, New Colossus, which she wrote for a fundraiser auction to raise money for the pedestal upon which the Statue of Liberty still sits.) It’s Christmas! Christ “Mas” (meaning more). This month is an opportunity to let go the hording fear of not enough time to share, not just stuff that will perish, but “MORE”! Wrapped inside those presents we run all over to find for that special someone is a statement saying, “THIS IS BECAUSE I CARE TO REMEMBER”.  So, as God so loved the world that he freely gave his own begotten son, GIVE! Care about those less fortunate contemplating, “I wish someone would remember – Me Too!  One of those others in the human family of different mothers but same Father.” And, like Latinos that at least use to celebrate Three Kings Day, spread the butter all through the hood. Oh Yea! That was real when I was growing up. Crusita was a woman who, throughout the year; took advantage of all sales and deals, turned her bedroom into a warehouse, and on Three Kings Day, dressed some of us in wardrobes of kings, shepherds, and angels to go marching throughout, at least her hood, collecting kids waiting to join the line of kids that would end up at her door to receive a gift. Imagine that! It didn’t matter who got what. What mattered was everyone being pulled together into one family, one community of people from different mothers, but same Father. Imagine adding One Nation to the thought: Especially during these times of seemingly growing famine of all sorts. OH NOEL! Do come this month for us to gather round to light the social tree of life; to “Do Dwell on,” and “Do Tell of” how better years for all can be brought about with SOMETHING (if you see something say something, and if you have the nerve to say something, have the courage to do something beyond self), deemed ESSENTIAL (to negotiate regardless of compromise and sacrifice) to CO-EXISTENCE (before we fall, fooled by gentrification toward genocide and eventual mass extinction). Oh Noel, do tell us all to dwell on the thought one person, one family, one community, one nation, one planet sharing beyond one day called Christmas. Consider: while Christ/Mas – “MAS meaning MORE”! More than one day! More than an immediate close few! Being Christlike means being chosen, atoned for, and equipped to love! To always seek Loving God and your neighbor as yourself; Problem Solved! Continue to read all of my columns:  https://2bspoken.blogspot.com Read More From This Writer All Post Food Government Health Interviews Lower West Side Business & Economic Development Peace People OH NOEL! December 17, 2021/No Comments POST TITLE (CAPITAL) Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus Read More THE HOUSING TREE November 17, 2021/No Comments THE HOUSING TREE “If you don’t use it – You lose it!” There are dangerous implications and consequences when the Read More STIRRING THE POT October 17, 2021/No Comments STIRRING THE POT Consider the statement “If God is with us, who can stand against us” or better “if we’re Read More Load More End of Content. Meet Our Columnists / Writers

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GREAT RESIGNATION

Politics /

GREAT RESIGNATION The word, “Great Resignation”, has been going around recently, referencing a recent economic phenomenon where people would, en masse, resign from their place of employment to look for better opportunities in employment place. Some see it as an extraordinary event, some are upset, and others are just happy that people are finally moving or pushing the employment market in the right direction. The Great Resignation, also known as the Big Quit, is the ongoing trend of employees voluntarily leaving their jobs, from spring 2021 to the present, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the American government refusing to provide necessary worker protection, and wage stagnation despite rising costs of living. Some economists described the Great Resignation as a general strike while discussing Striketober, a strike wave that began in October 2021. One thing that I have not seen in all the Forbes and other Journal articles, however, is how can Economics explain this. Is this as extraordinary as it sounds? The answer is simple, this is covered in the Neo Keynesian School of Economics, under Sticky prices of Labor (The sticky wage theory is an economic concept describing how wages adjust slowly to changes in labor market conditions). New Keynesian economics is a modern macroeconomic school of thought that evolved from classical Keynesian economics. This revised theory differs from classical Keynesian thinking in terms of how quickly prices and wages adjust. New Keynesian advocates maintain that prices and wages are “sticky,” meaning they adjust more slowly to short-term economic fluctuations. This, in turn, explains such economic factors as involuntary unemployment and the impact of federal monetary policies. Unlike other markets where prices are dictated by supply and demand, wages tend to remain above equilibrium as employees resist wage cuts. Let me briefly elaborate. The Keynesian part, in this school of thought — while markets are indeed the best-known way to allocate resources — cannot reach equilibrium, or even get out of crises properly, without government intervention. Neo Keynesian school focuses on the real and observed economic phenomena to the original thought and proposes the concept of wage rigidity, where companies are not updating the wages to the current market rates and living conditions. What we have seen now, with the market disruptions and the information being able to spread quickly, employees demanding these sticky prices to get more in line with more recent market demands, in terms of both finances and benefits wisely. This shows that sometimes, markets need a little push to update their equilibrium conditions. How does knowing this information benefit you on an individual level? Being able to explain this phenomenon, hopefully, will protect you from all the propaganda going around on both sides (looking at your Forbes contributors and Reddit); but even more, allow you to see your career position in line with the greater picture, to hopefully, let you direct your career better. Information like this is our eyes and ears in the world at large. Read More From This Writer All Post Art Books Business Culture Education Entertainment Food Government Health Interviews Lower West Side Business & Economic Development Medical Military & Veterans Our Community Peace People Sports Who We Are GREAT RESIGNATION December 13, 2021/No Comments POST TITLE (CAPITAL) Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus Read More AN INTERVIEW WITH AN EDUCATOR: SAMANTHA DIDRICHSEN October 13, 2021/No Comments AN INTERVIEW WITH AN EDUCATOR: SAMANTHA DIDRICHSEN I had the privilege of meeting a former teacher/educator from the Bronx, NY, Read More EDUCATION: HOW WE GOT IT BACKWARDS September 13, 2021/No Comments EDUCATION: HOW WE GOT IT BACKWARDS I am yet to see a politician that will not preach the importance of Read More Load More End of Content.

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