When I was in Highschool, in the mid and late 90's, the per capita books read was 0.96, less than a book, back in those days I was reading a lot more than that, because of the school, this year the stats say that we (mexicans) read 2.96 books per year, is that bad, yes and no, yes because it is still to little, and no because 10 years ago we read only one book.
How many books do I read... this year in particular, has been my worst, I read like 3 books, and I haven't finish one, when in my days (college), I could read a book per day, now when I have the time I'm tired, or traveling due to work, so when I start to read I felt sleep.
But there is also other stat that says that we are reading more, thanks to the internet, not books, but news, blogs, and other stuff, which is good.
The stat about libraries per capita is also very low, there are cities with over 500,000 people and only one or two libraries, or even none, and book stores, the same, big cities and little to none book stores.
In Queretaro, a 1,100,000 people city (estimated by 2008) has more than 70 book stores, which is little, and still is the mexican city with more book stores per capita.
This is a video of the attack taken from a cellphone. When the people hear the explotion at first they laugh thinking it was the fireworks, later they started to scream, seeing the victims in the floor.
The Mexican government is giving away that amount of money to the person who find out the WORST MOST UNNECESSARY AND ANNOYING BUREAUCRATIC procedure.
The objective is to arrange that nightmare that is the government office.
There are three prizes.
1.- $28,000 usd ($300,000 pesos) for the person who find out the worst procedure of the federal government 2.- $9,400 usd ($100,000 pesos) for the person who find out the worst procedure of the state government 3.- $9,400 usd ($100,000 pesos) for the person who find out the worst procedure of the city (municipal) government.
Nice, I just hope it doesn't just end giving the prize and leaving the problem as it is. The judges will be Transparency International (Mexican delegation) representative.
The idea is that in this way they will find out all the problems and start making solution (I hope so)
Finally Telcel (America Móvil) put the iPhone on sale without a contract, on Sears and Sanborns (both stores propety of Grupo Carso which is also owner of America Móvil)
The price... well thinking of not having a 2 year contract in which you will be paying $70.00 usd per month plus extra charges (more minutes used or sms or data), well as I was saying the price is as follows:
By the way in the post paid plan you can have unlimited data per moth, you have to pay $53 usd to have that, which means, having that credit in your account and sending an SMS (don't remember the number) to activate the data.
I still think the iPhone is overpriced, overvalued, and not worth that. The only innovation it has is the screen, since "full browser" exists since Opera Mobile / Mini and Nokia Browser (actually based in webkit just like safari).
The Samsung Omnia 16gb costs $840.00 usd (in Mexico), and it does so much more than the iPhone and not tied to Apple restrictions in software (just go to handango.com or pocketgear.com to see), also there is the options of N81 and N95 with 8gb each from Nokia, far cheaper, and more powerful than the iPhone, and more software.
I'm keeping my Sony Ericsson W960i (8gb, 3.2mp camera, touch screen, office suite, 3G, Wifi, unlocked, untied, real bluetooth not crap like the iPhone) which by the way now costs $350.00 usd (in Mexico)
Yesterday was my third anniversary working for the marketing department in Sika, three years! so fast, I remember I started this blog little before I work for the first time as a graduate, so my first posts are those of a nex to graduation student, and now I'm three years worker.
I don't know if is good to be so long in a job, as a single guy without debts I have a chance of a life, not forced to stay on any job, also there is a lot of job offers but they pay little money, almost the same as when I worked half time.
It is impressive how fast things happend, three years, and I'm in need of counsel, am I alright? is it good to stay that long in the same company?... I think my doubts are pretty obvious to my bosses (two of them) since I got asked, how much for you not to leave?... also the sales manager of the biggest zone in the country asked me to move with him, but I don't likes sales, I like marketing, and I think I'm good at it.
How long is good long in a job, in a company, and how do you now is time to move on?? I afraid of moving (resign) to search another job and not find anything better, since I truly belive that everything always has to move forward, not backward.
Money is not an issue, I'm more in "experience of life" or profesional progress, I want to learn, to progress in projects, in responsabilities, not money (well not today).
Three years! is shocking for me, so long, I spent in college 4.5 years, almost the same of job!
By the way I went to my college this week, we sponsored an event there, it was nostalgic to see it, to be there, to seat in the Plazas, eat in the cafeteria, was happy and sad at the same time, how many things changed in my school in three years.
For the people visiting the trade shows, this are fun, ful with gifts, sexy booth girls, new products (that can be interesting) In this photo you can see the person in a tequila drinking contest, the longest time drinking directly from the bootle, and the winner got a gift.
In my case, I'm tired of trade shows, is a lot of work, to keep everything working to fight to get the most people in your booth, happy, satisfied and willing to buy products.
Many people believe that I'm the guy drinking, while in reality, I'm the guy preparing everything, cleaning or making sure is everything clean.
I'm the firts to arrive on a trade show, and the last to leave, sometimes I had no chance to eat, and you are on your feet all day, talking, smiling, even if you are sick, tired or angry.
Still somebody has to do it, and do it, innovative, creative, fun and for everybody, with a boss that want everything to be perfect, when perfection is not possible.
At least I can compare my work in the company now and befero I arrived, there is a good change.
Mnu Chao the french musician, great musician, is comming to Queretaro, on October 2nd, a last time change of place, it was planned for other city, but they change it.
Queretaro will be host of the 7th Indigenous and Popular Cultural Encounter, in which different ethnic groups will show their cultural heritage, dance, theater, handcraft, food and more, from September 19th to 28th in different location in the city, starting the Regional Museum in the "Jardín de los Naranjos", also in plazas and other gardens of the city.
Also part of the Cultural Encounter there will be a Ethnic Film Festival.
This event is organized by the city government, so the entrance of most of the events will be free.
You may have heard of the recommendations of the USA government to their citizens to avoid certain parts of the world, among them some parts of my country (Mexico). Well in the terrorist attack in Morelia some Queretanos resulted injured, none dead, but the local government is advising the citizens (of Queretaro) to extreme precautions when leaving the state, my state is the safest in the country.
This may sound funny since it is the same country, but it is real, and people do feel safe in Queretaro than in other states (as tourists) this is so real that some friends that have families from Michoacan receive phone calls asking them to find schools or housing to their cousins or little brothers in Queretaro, just like leaving an unsafe country.
I just hope that the local government do anything to prevent crime rates increase in the city and state.
A few weeks ago in the news some kidnappers attack a local entrepreneur in the city of San Juan del Rio in Queretaro, three hour later he was free (with three of the kidnappers captured), the next day the entire band of kidnappers captured, they where from Mexico city, just like a robbers band capture in the state, they came to rob here, but where capture before, also from Mexico city. This kind of actions increases confidence of the population for the local police.
WIDGETIZE