TIGblogs - Yasmary Mora's TIGBlog

TIGblogs - Yasmary Mora's TIGBlog http://Yaz.tigblog.org/ What's on the minds of young leaders from around the globe? en-us Still more to come in MyTIG http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/328031 http://www.tigblog.org/group/tignews/post/327287.

I will however mention a few things again, just because we keep getting the same complaints.

1 - Your groups/projects subscription list. This will be coming back. It will be under "My Content", a new section called Involvement. This is still under construction so for the time being, you can make do by going to the main page of projects and/or groups to view your list.

2 - List of people that recently visited your profile. This will also be coming back. Although right now we're not sure where we're going to put it.

3 - "How do I edit my info?" I think a few people are missing the new tabs along the top. So for example under "Profile" there are 3 subtabs, called "Basics", "Contact", "Personal". You will find these subtabs on a few other sections as well.

As to new features...

- Bulletin Board This is super awesome. If you befriend anyone, you can see their participation on the TIG site.
- Resources For you. It recommends resources based on your city, interests, country, etc.
- Submitted Content. You can view everything you've done, whether its been featured, etc.
- Comments I've Made. This is really cool. You can see if there are new comments after yours.
- Tagging and tagclouds http://www.takingitglobal.org/tags/
- Widget. So if you like this post, rate it UP! :)

That's it for now. If you have any issues, email broken [at] takingitglobal [dot] org. Or go to our discussion boards and post it under "Error Bugs".

So, that's it for now. I hope you truly like it. A lot of hours, effort and thought has gone into this, trying to make it as best as it can be. :)
]]> Mon, 28 Jan 2008 12:35:00 EST http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/328031 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 test http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/324425 http://tigurl.org/kkavau]]> Sun, 20 Jan 2008 13:16:00 EST http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/324425 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 With friends like these.... http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/323473 source]

Geez all this guy does is b!tch about the creators of facebook and how they’re all getting rich.

I find funny how he’s saying people are substituting dancing/talking/going out with facebook. Like really? Haven’t we all at some point or other decided to be solitary by either reading a book, or watching endless tv or playing a game (world of warcraft anyone) for hours on end instead of going out there and ‘socializing’? What is this guy, 10? Can’t you multitask? You can be on facebook, while you read, or watch tv, or you ARE with your friends (facebook mobile…)

I specially love the privacy thing at the end.

1. We will advertise at you: Everyone on the web does this. Did you know that gmail scans your emails to target ads to you?

2. You can’t delete anything: Of course, because they have something called BACKUPS!

3. Anyone can glance at your intimate confessions: because something got cached? Thats not a facebook specific issue!!! Because someone hacked into their database? Again, not something that may only happen to facebook. Because someone downloaded the content to their computer? Not even going to bother explaining that one.

4. Our marketing profile of you will be unbeatable: I think this is great. They created a system that ‘knows’ what I want to see. Amazon does this btw. And they did it first.

I obviously disagree with the article. The only thing I can maybe, possibly agree with is that they have a lot of information about you. What they do with that data is not up to us. But if you think about it for a bit, havn’t you given your information to other websites at some point or other? Amazon has your credit card AND address. Ebay, Paypal, BestBuy, FutureShop… How do we know they’re not showing/selling/giving that data to someone else?

Originally posted here on my blog.]]> Thu, 17 Jan 2008 10:52:00 EST http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/323473 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 Venezuela to Chavez: No No No! http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/300823
Anyway, here's a really good article about yestarday.]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2007 08:58:00 EST http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/300823 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 King of Spain to Chavez: "Shut Up" http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/279679 Read article here

"Why don't you shut up?" the king shouted at Chavez, pointing a finger at the president when he tried to interrupt a speech by Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

Serves him right. For blabbering on and on.

** EDIT **
English dubbed video:

http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2007/11/11/ariosto.chavez.shut.up.cnn]]> Sun, 11 Nov 2007 11:40:00 EST http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/279679 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 @ conference: future of 3d virtual worlds http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/262607
now, same thing is bound to happen in 3d virtual worlds. does your money go with you? your clothes?

i cant help but laugh at the idea of a second life character moving to world of warcraft world...

]]> Wed, 03 Oct 2007 13:43:00 EDT http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/262607 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 @ OECD Conference http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/262501
They 'think' the same thing will happen to TV.

Agree y/n? (with both the flat fee and the same thing happening on TV?)]]> Wed, 03 Oct 2007 09:35:00 EDT http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/262501 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 Venezuela assembly approves term-limit removal http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/243085
Great. Now he'll never leave.

source]]> Wed, 22 Aug 2007 11:36:00 EDT http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/243085 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 Harry Potter Leaked http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/243123
I am going to stay away from anything that remotely tells me the ending of the book, because I, a loyal fan, will be out there to buy the book (and will have it read by Monday). Apparently I'm not the only one, with 2 million pre-orders alone in amazon.com, and people all over the place getting ready to stand in line at midnight on friday.

How is it that a book can possibly have so much impact on our culture? It seems that Harry Potter has only been carrying momentum for the last few years. The movies I think, had a huge part in it. It a great job of bringing a world to life that until then only existed in your imagination. Then there's also the fact that the books took so long to come out, and that each year you saw them struggle through similar things you had to struggle through as you were growing up. Who didn't have a goofy friend like Ron? or a smart-ass friend like Hermione?

Suddenly these characters, that we've grown up with and have become part of our popular culture, are in the hands of 700+ pages, in a book that is set to be released at midnight, worldwide. Everyone wants to know what happens. How can you not? This is more part of you than barbies, or GI Joes (or whatever kids are playing with these days).

But then some stupid distributor screws up, book gets released 3 days early. How do you get away from learning of the fates of your favourite characters when there is such a thing as the internetz out there? You don't know if when you click on a link, there will be the ending of the book clearly laid out there for you to see.

Which is why, by Monday, it will be impossible to not know how the book ends. If its this difficult this far (with a day to go), when Monday comes around, there is nothing in place to prevent you from hearing about it.

Problem is, will I be able to get a book this weekend?]]> Thu, 19 Jul 2007 10:31:00 EDT http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/243123 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/243121
"Rowling has warned readers to expect at least two deaths, but the version online is a bloodbath, according to people who have read it."

A bloodbath? What does that mean? more than 2 characters? All characters? ]]> Thu, 19 Jul 2007 10:30:00 EDT http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/243121 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 Venezuelan TV station shut down http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/211365
I'm so sad. I mean its just so... wrong.

A president shouldn't have the power to do this.

Source http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN2825744120070528

]]> Mon, 28 May 2007 12:47:00 EDT http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/211365 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 video - tiroteo en margarita http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/190961
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKuOTl2Fkqs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fM4KdCNI98k

Es este momento en el que me da pena ser venezolana. Pero al mismo tiempo, vean y aprendan. La violencia nunca llega a nada.

Edicion: no me fije, pero los primeros 2 segundos del video 2, muestran a un tipo con una pistola en la mano.]]> Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:50:00 EDT http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/190961 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 virginia tech shootings http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/184123
The media usually takes the entire ordeal so much further than it should be allowed to go. Even reading about it its morbid. Usually you read about how they were bullied, or how something made them snap, or some sort of excuse that humanizes them.

But this time, I'm not seeing it.

I am reading a lot of "shooter was a South Korean student" headlines. I actually read one article where it said "...student Cho Seung-Hui, a 23-year-old South Korean national and resident alien." (source).

There are lot of these headings.

The fact that a shooting happened, again, makes me really sad; that the media is blaming the entire incident on the fact that he was not a US citizen, makes me angry.

Funny thing though, he was a US resident, and he had been in the US for 14 years (source) , he actually had legal right to buy that gun.

But no, lets blame it on the 'resident alien', and prejudice people from South Korea. Same thing happened in 9/11 with people from the middle east right?

Lets not look at the deeper issue here, that the kid was troubled, and that with those troubles, he was allowed to walk in a store, and buy a gun.

Posted originally on http://sikodelika.livejournal.com/11020.html]]> Tue, 17 Apr 2007 14:07:00 EDT http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/184123 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 Dear Spam, http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/177085
Would love to hear from you,

Yaz]]> Thu, 05 Apr 2007 11:12:00 EDT http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/177085 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 Venezuela leads alcohol consumption in latin america. http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/176637
So when the president passed a law that says no alcohol during easter week (to diminish car accident fatalities --which are super high during easter), then venezuelans complain. But when injustices like political kidnappings, firings for political bias, scarseness of food, to name a few, when those happen, then nobody really cares.

But hells no, you mess with their alcohol, and they freak out. Perfect example to show where Venezuelan's priorities lay.

Source
]]> Wed, 04 Apr 2007 14:43:00 EDT http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/176637 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 A kinda journal while in Venezuela. http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/85513
They're all here:

http://sikodelika.livejournal.com/

I'll post more later. Same with the pictures. We've taken more than 1000 pics. So we have to sort through them.

Miss home. Amazing that now I call Toronto home. And we miss our friends. Not missing the cold though. :D]]> Thu, 04 Jan 2007 18:33:00 EST http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/85513 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 Smoke Cloud http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/82071
So I'm walking west on King St, watching from my sidewalk the the line of tightly-packed restaurants and all the people stopping to see what each has to offer. This is my favourite part of the walk home. There are so many colors and so many people exploring. While they are excited to be spending the night out with some friends or family, I am quite exhausted, but enjoying their excitement all the same.

But then, as I'm enjoying all that stuff, I walk into a smoke cloud. The smell of cigarettes smoke is disgusting enough as it is, but this is repulsive. I really have no way of avoiding this cancer-giving-far-reaching thing, since I can't see it, and I can't really tell how far it spreads. The only thing I can do is hold my breath --which I do every single time I smell cigarette smoke.

I look to the front, to gage the situation. There are a few scenarios (all of these scenarios can get better/worst with wind direction):

Scenario 1: a Smoker is standing on the sidewalk smoking, to which I can simply just walk past and forget it ever happened.

Scenario 2: the Smoker is walking towards me, and quite rudely blew smoke near or around my personal space, to which I can just be pissed, hold my breath and move forward towards cleaner air.

Scenario 3: a Smoker is walking ahead of me, and is smoking as if there is nothing absolutely wrong with it, and the lingering smoke is being left behind for me to filter it back into CO2. This is the most hated scenario, because even though I have more options, there are more chances of inhaling the disgusting smell/cancer-giving-smoke. So I can either a) walk past him or b)take another route towards my final destination or c) altogether stop and wait for them to get really ahead of you (note: this solution is not as great, because there are chances of you catching up to them then you are stuck in scenario 3 again).

I'm faced with Scenario 3. The Smoker and his friend, are about 30 feet ahead of me, and even though the distance is usually quite far, the wind is not in my favour. I can't walk past them, because they are too far, I can't really take another route until I get to the corner. So instead of stopping, I decide to shift to the left a few steps. I start walking on the edge of the sidewalk, but I can still smell 'it'. Throughout this, I'm still trying to hold my breath, because as much as I can, because I know that if I breathe the contaminated air, that's all I will taste for the next half hour. So I shift to the right, almost walking into a pole, and nothing.

I try to breath a little, but to my disgust, I seem to have inhaled half a cigarette with that breath. I have very few options here, if I stop for no apparent reason, it will look rather stupid. try to scape this cloud as much as I can, but no success. We're almost at the Holiday Inn by now, I've walked almost a block with this people ahead of me. I have no other choice, so I stop to the side of the building.

I take a breath.... and its clean. I walk out of the litle nudge I had hidden in, and start walking home again, and what do I find ahead of me? Scenario 1. The Smoker decided to stop and finish his cancer-giving-stick-of-disgusting.

I speed up to try to get ahead. The whole time I'm thinking, why is this allowed? They should be wearing stamps on their foreheads -a la Scarlett Letter!- that say "Smoker", this way people can point and laugh and look at them like the are the low life of the modern world. Smokers should be treated the same way as druggies, let them go ahead and get high in some back alley where you have to be ashamed of what your doing, instead of forcing the entire fuck!ng world to it.

After all, I have to modify MY life to fit you (Smoker) in it. When really, it should be the other way around. YOU are the one causing all the problems, YOU are the one giving yourself a slow suicide.

So, please. In my presence, don't be offended if I look at you in a mean way, after all, person that smokes is no person at all. At least while they are smoking.

Originally posted in my personal blog]]> Thu, 21 Dec 2006 00:14:00 EST http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/82071 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 Chavez wins. http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/74981
There was an air of despair around everyone I talked to. Mom didn't take it so well. A lot of people in my family are shocked and angry. Now, a day later, everyone just gave up. My brothers think dad is going to send them to the US to scape the regime the president is establishing.

Thankfully the country didn't go up in flames thanks to one side wining over another. There was a lot of fear and tension, people thinking that a civil war was going to be started, that blood was going to run.

Pretty sad.

]]> Mon, 04 Dec 2006 13:30:00 EST http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/74981 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 Venezuela votes: the weirdness starts http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/74869 Source

Telemundo: Venezuelan authorities halt its election transmission. Source
]]> Sun, 03 Dec 2006 18:54:00 EST http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/74869 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 remember remember the third of december... http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/74853
I voted today at the Toronto consulate, stood in line for almost 2 hours, in -1 degree weather. Millions of other Venezuelans are doing the same back home. Lets hope today is the day the future of our country will change.

So, remember remember the 3rd of December. Because today, today everything can change. ]]> Sun, 03 Dec 2006 14:10:00 EST http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/74853 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 Venezuela: 13 million people unemployed http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/70193
Venezuela's social security figures: 13 million people unemployed, on a country of 26 million.

Guanare 19.11.06 | Outstanding collaborator Adolfo Fabregat just finished crossing the National Electoral (CNE) roll and Venezuela's Institute of Social Security (IVSS) databases. The results, beyond pointing out mere electoral rigging -such as roughly 1,000,000 new voters since January this year-, are gobsmacking: of 16,082,374 registered voters 8,166,790 have no record with the IVSS, that is to say, officially, they have never been employed. Worse still, an additional 4,765,973 are unemployed (cesantes). This is to say that according to Venezuela's social security database 12,932,763 people are unemployed or put another way 80.41% of people registered to vote do not have a regular job or regular income associated with employment.

This, aside from being the clearest example of how dysfunctional the Venezuelan economy has become under the militaristic caudillo's rule, is unbelievable for how could one rationally explain that more than 8 million Venezuelans in working age have never had a job, have never paid social security contributions? How can it be explained that no record of them exist or could it be that, in the frantic drive to inflate the roll, the Chavez regime simply forgot to create employment records for millions of 'new voters'? Echoing the official nonsense many analysts have said that the economy is doing great, but how can that be, considering that nearly 13 million Venezuelans are unemployed? Who's making the economy's engine turn here? Could it be that Chavez has reinvented economic principles whereby is not required to count on the labor force to showcase alleged sustained levels of growth, or is the efficiency of 3,088,184 Venezuelans with formal employment such that the 'current boom' is attributable to their extraordinary performance?

Miguel has got some posts on the real shape of Venezuela's economy. In a country of 26 million 13 million are unemployed... Will they vote for change?

Source: http://vcrisis.com/index.php?content=letters/200611191907]]> Thu, 23 Nov 2006 17:29:00 EST http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/70193 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 Venezuelan' Elections http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/60549
Either way, its good to see people still have hope. Here are some pictures of the Opposition Candidate doing the rounds, by Aleksander Boyd. (All photos are his).

]]> Wed, 01 Nov 2006 11:38:00 EST http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/60549 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 Time rant. http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/58101

Back when I was in high school, time used to craaaaawl by with the endless classes, the droning of teachers, the same classrooms everyday. Now I look back, and cant help but think those were the greatest years, there was almost complete freedom. That feels so long ago.

They say --they as in whoemever invited sayings-- that time goes by fast when your having fun. Well, fun I've had, but now, its almost 2007 and I guess I've been having fun for 6 years.

I remember in high school we used to talk about what we would do 5 years down the road, or 10. I definetly didnt see myself where I am. In 1996, the year 2006 was so far away. we used to talk about our carreers, about where we would live, where we would go on vacation. None of the stuff I predicted for me has happened. Here's a list:

1. Wanted to study Marine Biology = not happened. I sucked at Biology in high school, which really put a stop on a dream I had since i was 8. But no worries, I ended up being a scuba diver instead.

2. Go to the Amazons with a bunch of friends in 4x4's for 2 weeks? Nop. Canada doesnt have an Amazon, and I havnt been back in Venezuela long enough to do so.

3. Own a boat. Well, this one is tricky. I owned a boat, a small one, when I left Venezuela in 2000. It got stolen. My dad bought another one, but its my brother's in all fairness. I wanted a power boat, a 21 footer with a 150 outboard engine. So, no, this one didnt happen neither.

4. Become a Scuba Diver instructor. Nop. Too cold in the waters of Canada for that.

So what do I get instead, I get amazing winters (not really being sarcastic, I really love snow). Get to go skiing. I get my own apartment. Only 2 years of college instead of 4. A job that helps me pay for everything, including those trips to Venezuela once in a while.

So yeah, I'm happy life took this turn. Even if its going too damn fast. :o)

PS: This was a really really long rant, and really I just needed to test a feature on blogs. hehe. :D

PS2: This is in Cayo Sombrero, Morrocoy, Venezuela. In June 2006. That boat at the back is my dad's (the one I was hoping to own someday), and those two kids there by the beach are my brothers.

]]> Fri, 27 Oct 2006 11:01:00 EDT http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/58101 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 Venezuela y la injusticia http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/42878
-Kidnaps have increased 426% in Venezuela for the period 1998-2005.
-Deaths by shootings have risen 253% in Venezuela for the period 1998-2005
-44 homicides take place every day in Venezuela, that is 1 every half an hour.
-in 2004 only 7% of those involved in homicides have been sentenced.

[Source]

Me da dolor escuchar de estatisticas como estas. Especialmente cuando se refiere a tu pais natal. Venezuela es un pais espectacular donde seria divino vivir, si no fuera por estas estatisticas claro.

Lo mas frustrante, es que no hay NADA que la gente del pais pueda hacer sobre esto, excepto talves dejar la peleadera entre lados politicos, pero la verdad es, esta es una de esas situaciones en las que el gobierno tiene que interferir.

Como es posible que no se haga nada al respecto?

]]> Tue, 05 Sep 2006 12:17:00 EDT http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/42878 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667 Venezuela is building a civilian militia http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/37806
-President Hugo Chávez constantly warns Venezuelans a U.S. invasion is imminent.

-Chávez wants 1 million armed men and women in the army reserve

-Venezuelans are also organizing neighborhood-based militia units for Chávez's Territorial Guard. Thousands of Territorial Guard volunteers — housewives, students, construction workers — are undergoing training, earning $7.45 per session.

-Chávez on Wednesday told other South American leaders his government would blow up his country's oil fields if the United States should ever attack Venezuela

This entire thing makes me angry. First, with the excuse that the US will invade Venezuela, he scares people into believing that those 'rich white people' are going to come and take over your country. Then he tells you that the best possible solution is to train with your neighbors, so that you are prepared in case that happens. Never far off is the promise that you might get to carry a weapon.

Sounds pretty good in theory, defend your country and your people from opportunistics that want to exploit your resources and give you none of the rewards. Which has basically been the history of Veneezuela in the last 40 years. But the truth is that giving people in the streets the means to shoot other people, when the country is divided in its beliefs, thats just asking for a blood bath. Its giving power to people that are not ready to have power in their hands. Its bad enough to have a corrupt police force (Faddoul brothers murder), and judicial system, now you also give power to people in the streets???

Not to mention that those guns will probably end up in the hands of criminals, or will make more criminals out of people. People need jobs, and peace of mind, not more violence.

However Venezuela and Chavez are viewed within the international community, the reality is that IN Venezuela, things are worst than ever. Rampant corruption, violence, unnemployment, and on top of it all, hate and rage towards each other.

Source]]> Fri, 21 Apr 2006 12:20:00 EDT http://Yaz.tigblog.org/post/37806 43.6666667 -79.416666743.6666667-79.4166667