ALMODOVAR'S NEWEST: " I'M SO EXCITED! "

 


 FROM "THE GUARDIAN" 
Philip FrenchThe Observer, Saturday 4 May 201

"I'm So Excited!" is more of an Almodóvar film than a pastiche of anyone else's and begins with a brief prologue on the ground beside the emblematically named Peninsula Airways' airbus.

 The movie's only major stars, Penélope Cruz and Antonio Banderas, make cameo appearances as a pregnant wife and her uxorious husband, working respectively as a baggage truck driver and chocks inspector. They're involved in a minor accident beside the shiny, pristine plane before cheerfully leaving another ground staff member to clear up.

This innocent negligence leaves the undercarriage seriously damaged and Peninsula flight 2549 from Madrid to Mexico City is on the route to disaster. Fifty years ago last month, in my first Observer film column, I reviewed a Hollywood movie about the adventures of three airline hostesses called Come Fly With Me, taking its name from the Sinatra number sung over the opening credits. I'm So Excited! might well be called "Come Die With Me".

Shortly after take-off, the discovery of the undercarriage problem is covered up and the passengers in the packed economy class are drugged into a deep sleep. The theatrical red curtain between them and the business class passengers is kept drawn. There are only seven people in business class – a famous dominatrix (the Argentinian Cecilia Roth), a rich lothario, a honeymoon couple, a clairvoyant (Lola Dueñas), a mysterious Mexican and the inevitable decamping financier. They soon get to know of the plane's problems because the chief steward is incapable of telling a lie, having been traumatized some years before by helping conceal the accidental killing of a deranged passenger..."

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY-"DOODLE GOOGLE" WINNER

Today's Google Doodle may be the most moving logo Google has ever posted.

The Doodle was created by a 12th grade Wisconsin student in honor of her best day: the day she was reunited with her father who returned home from Iraq after 18 months of military service. She is the winner of the sixth annual U.S. Doodle 4 Google competition.

"When I was 10 years old, my dad came home from war. This was my best day ever," according to Sabrina Brady of Sparta, Wisconsin.

"Her creative use of the Google letters to illustrate this heartfelt moment clearly resonated with voters across the country and all of us at Google," Ryan Germick, Doodle Team Lead, wrote in a blog post.

But the appearance of her Doodle, titled "Coming Home," on Google's home page all day today is just the beginning for Sabrina. She also won a $30,000 college scholarship (she plans to attend the Minneapolis College of Art and Design this coming fall), a Chromebook computer, and a $50,000 technology grant for her school.

Google also handed out four $5,000 scholarships to four other National Finalists in the Doodle 4 Google competition.

(BTW, REMEMBER ON MONDAY AT 3PM TO HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THOSE STILL FIGHTING & THOSE WHO HAVE DIED FOR OUR FREEDOM--TAKE TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR VETERANS--REMEMBER MONDAY AT 3PM...trivia: it's actually a Congressional law--who knew??? lolol)

LORENZO & MARIA'S RESTAURANT - NYC -SUED FOR ABUSE

( A VERY GOOD FRIEND HAD CONVEYED THIS WOMAN'S BEHAVIOR A WHILE BACK & I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. HE SUFFERED SIMILAR ABUSES BY ARMANDARIZ. THIS LAWSUIT CONFIRMS OUR CONVERSATION ).

SOME NOTABLE, LOCAL CELEBRITIES BUY FROM HER DAILY.

I THINK A BOYCOTT IS IN ORDER.
 THIS WOMAN NEEDS TO LEARN A LESSON WHERE IT MOST HURTS HER--SINCE SHE DOESN'T APPEAR TO HAVE A HEART--IN HER POCKET!!!

 HOW DARE SHE?


UPPER EAST SIDE EATERY SUED (WTF???):

Address: 1418 3rd Ave, Manhattan, NY 10028

Phone:(212) 794-1080

 "The proprietress of a popular neighborhood catering company hit workers and called them "dirty Mexicans" and "whores" — and reprimanded these employees when her boyfriend exposed himself to them, a recently filed lawsuit claims.

Maria A. Armendariz, who owns and operates Lorenzo & Maria's Kitchen at 1418 Third Ave., not only abused her workers with racial and sexual epitets, but also failed to pay now ex-employees Enriqueta Luna and Inelia Gabriela Ortega wage and overtime, the civil complaint states.

According to the March 8 court filings in U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York and telephone interviews with DNAinfo.com New York, trouble started for these women almost as soon as they took jobs with Armendariz.

Luna, whose tenure at the Kitchen lasted 12 years, said she worked for approximately 14 hours per day, six days per week from the get-go, never receiving overtime, the filings state.

Meanwhile, Armendariz and Nicodemus Pedraza — a co-defendant described as Armendariz' boyfriend in the filings — racially and sexually harassed Luna.

"She told me everyday that I was a 'Mexican whore. She told me I was a prostitute. She told me I was an 'a-- -faced Mexican,' and that I came to the U.S. to rob Americans' money," Luna, 48, said in Spanish.

"I never robbed anyone of anything. I didn't come here to rob anyone. It offended me a lot."
The complaint papers also claim that Armendariz, "who is light-skinned and is from Uruguay, would regularly call Luna a 'dirty Mexican'" and "also yelled at Luna and told her that she was an old, fat woman with a 'big a--' that was 'darker than a donkey.'"

On several occasions, Luna added, Pedraza "lowered his pants and showed me his [penis.]"...

Read more: http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20130318/upper-east-side/upper-east-side-caterer-called-her-workers-dirty-mexicans-lawsuit-says?fb_comment_id=fbc_162789493879625_486766_162962987195609#f1a2e6454a60224#ixzz2NvDMNy00

JULIAN CASTRO-SAN ANTONIO MAYOR-WOW!

 Word of Mayor Julian Castro's  keynote speech is being treated with praised anticipation for the upcoming Democratic convention in Charlotte, North Carolina (the first Latino to be given this honor). This is great news for a potential presidential  candidate to watch out for in 2016.

 He has been handed the golden ticket that was eight years ago given to Barack Obama. This is his chance to make America fall in love with him, draw scores of new contributors from around the country and position himself for the next rung on the political ladder. Look for Castro to try to move up in 2014. The high-achiever may soon make more history by becoming the first Latino governor of Texas.

UPDATE SEPTEMBER5, 2012: RIVETING SPEECH-FROM THE HEART- AS KEYNOTE SPEAKER. HIS ADORABLE TWIN BROTHER INTRODUCED HIM. HIS MOTHER , WIFE AND  3 YR. OLD DAUGHTER (WHO STOLE THE SPOTLIGHT) WERE ALSO IN ATTENDANCE. I WAS PROUD TO BE HISPANIC!

"MUNDO FOX"-SPANISH TELEVISION ON FOX

MundoFox is an over-the-air Spanish language American television network set to launch on August 13, 2012. The network is a joint venture between News Corporation's Fox International Channels and Colombian broadcaster RCN Televisión.
The launch of MundoFox was announced on January 23, 2012. Hernan Lopez, president and CEO of Fox International Channels, said the network will cater to "an increasing demand for quality Spanish-language content in the U.S. from  both viewers and advertisers.
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 Now my parents can find a Spanish channel in my house easily, "Mom, Dad turn to channel 5".
(FOX IS CHANNEL 5 IN NORTHERN NJ & NY)
Mostly Spanish series but some shows such as "BONES" will be dubbed.
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A signature format on MundoFox will be "teleseries," which compared to traditional Spanish TV telenovelas have fewer episodes (80 versus 120) but emphasize action-oriented storylines, diverse locations, and increased production values. Two such teleseries that will appear on MundoFox include  El Capo and Corazones Blindados. Once-a-week series will also be featured, including Kdabra and Tiempo Final. MundoFox will also include movies and already existing Fox series.


Many of the initial original scripted series that will air on MundoFox  are produced in Colombia, though the network hopes to produce US-based series by its second year at the latest.


NEWS:
MundoFox will have its own news division, Noticias MundoFox, which will produce a weekday evening news program that will be anchored by Rolando Nichols of KWHY-TV. Two live half-hour newscasts will be produced every weekday, one for the east coast and the other for the west coast.


 

GYMNAST(2 TOP), OROZCO & LEYVA--HISPANIC/UPDATES:(

DANELL LEYVA # 2 & JOHN OROZCO # 1-- READY FOR LONDON !!


TODAY(AUGUST 1, 2012) WAS HIS DAY!!! CUBAN BORN, DANELL LEYVA, WINS BRONZE AT THE OLYMPICS!!!!


WAY TO GO MY CUBAN BOY!!!---
Danell Leyva of Miami won the all-around Bronze medal for US Men’s Gymnastics on day six of the 2012 London Olympics. Leyva joins 2004 champion Paul Hamm as the only U.S. men to win Olympic all-around medals since 1984.





As a Cuban/ American myself I could not be prouder of this handsome, determined young man. GO DANELL!!!!

His stepfather and coach, Yin Alvarez ( one of the most animated coaches I have ever seen) and mother, Maria Gonzalez, were both members of Cuba's national gymnastics team. Gonzalez and Leyva defected to Miami when Leyva was a year old.

Danell's journey to the USA parallels a lot of people I know & grew up with (mine included).
Most Cubans are grateful, patriotic citizens proud to represent the US anytime we can, in all walks of life.

 Danell Leyva He is the 2011 U.S national all-around gold medalist and the 2011 world champion on the parallel bars.
In 2010, he was the U.S. gold medalist on the parallel bars and the all-around silver medalist. In 2009, he became the youngest member of the U.S. national Senior team at age 17, and won the gold medal on the horizontal bar and the silver medal on the parallel bars.
Today in St Louis he came in first!
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Yesterday I was watching a special "Piers Morgan Tonight" and I was highly impressed with the 4 young athletes-2 boys/2girls who will potentially go to London. Of course being from the New York area & Hispanic I was so impressed with John Orozco. A Bronx boy whose father found a flyer for a free gymnastic lesson while working sanitation in NY. The rest is inspirational history . The young man is modest & resolute. LOVED HIM! There was a zen quality to his determination that was infectious!

Today he is came in FIRST to Danell...YOU GO BOYS!!!!!

JULY 1, 2012 UPDATE:
 While Leyva said he "very badly" wanted to win, the final results aren't all that important. Both are heading to London, along with three more team members and up to three alternates...

UPDATE JULY 30, 2012
 The United States men's gymnastics squad suffered a major letdown in the all-around team competition, going from first in qualifying to fifth in the medal round, but they have plenty of chances at redemption in the coming days.
After scoring 275.342 in qualifying, a score that made them the team to beat in the finals, the Americans came back on Monday and absolutely laid an egg. John Orozco was horrendous and Danell Leyva was far from his normally standout self. They cam is fifth. So sad but fifth is still amazing (so many wished they would come in fifth)-- but sadly no medals.

HOWEVER , OUR BOY & GOLD MEDAL WINNER IN SWIMMING RYAN LOCHTE was born in Rochester, New York, to Steven Lochte and his Cuban-born wife, Ileana "Ike" Lochte.^[1] His mother is Cuban and was born and raised in Havana, while his father is of Geramn descent.