Every Day is Magic: Ada Limón
In her 2015 collection, Bright Dead Things, a National Book Award finalist for poetry, Ada Limón writes of moving to Kentucky: “Confession: I did not want to live here.” It’s perhaps not a surprising sentiment coming from a coastally oriented person who was raised in Northern California, attended college in Seattle, and then spent over a decade in New York City.
But Limón and her husband, Lucas, have been in Lexington for seven years now and the effects of settling into this place are noticeable in her new book, The Carrying (Milkweed, Aug.). It’s a phenomenally lively and attentive collection replete with the trappings of living a little closer to nature. While Bright Dead Things is marked by a preponderance of light, such as images of fireflies and neon signs, The Carrying features numerous appearances by various trees, birds, and beetles. Limón also demonstrates a greater willingness to be explicit in naming colors, particularly green. “It’s crazy green, the whole book,” she says. “Lexington is the greenest place I’ve ever lived.” Similarly, where in Bright Dead Things, Limón tells a lot of stories and anecdotes, in The Carrying she is very present in her thoughts and experiences.
As it turns out, these shifts in focus have another, altogether unexpected source. While putting Bright Dead Things together, Limón was diagnosed with chronic vestibular neuronitis, which can cause bouts of vertigo. “If I’m really having vertigo, it’s pretty intense and I really have to focus,”
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Tesla to build new factory in Mexico
“Tesla is planning to build a new factory in Mexico, joining other carmakers bulking up their presence south of the US border.Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the plant for the electric car firm would be in Monterrey, which is about a three-hour drive from Texas…”
The importance and potential role of services in North American supply chains
“Imagine you are a manufacturing firm in the United States considering locating a stage of your manufacturing process in Mexico. What is the full set of activities you would need to provide or procure to ensure that the operation in Mexico successfully integrates with your operations in the U.S.?…”
https://www.brookings.edu/essay/usmca-forward-2023-chapter-4-services/
Letter to the Editor: UCLA Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences combats racial inequity
“…The medical school includes the development of a Social Medicine Collab that uses human-centered design to bring integrated mental health and primary care to youth-serving organizations in primarily Latino and Black neighborhoods in South LA, using cultural and athletic events as a platform…”
Biden administration unveils broad asylum restrictions at U.S.-Mexico border
“…Under the new rules, migrants who do not schedule an appointment at a U.S. border port of entry or use humanitarian programs available to certain nationalities would be ineligible for asylum except in certain cases. They must also first seek and be denied protection in countries they pass through to be able to claim asylum once in the United States…”
Bárbara Hernández Huerta
“Bárbara Hernández Huerta completed the 20 Bridges Swim around Manhattan Island in 7 hours 59 minutes to achieve the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming and an unprecedented 7.5 km high-altitude swim across Chungará Lake in the Andes Mountains in 10°C water in 2 hours 11 minutes at 4,517 meters in altitude, and a new 9.5 km course across the Beagle Channel in 1 hour 55 minutes in 7.8°C water, and won the 30-39 age group on the International Winter Swimming Association World Cup…”
https://www.openwaterswimming.com/contestants/barbara-hernandez-huerta/
Stark warning Britain may be on brink of becoming a ZOMBIELAND: Experts fear explosion of fentanyl — a drug 50 times stronger than heroin which has ravaged America — as Mexican cartels seek to reap billions from an untapped European market
“Britain faces being gripped by its own fentanyl epidemic, according to experts who fear that the devastating zombie-esque scenes plaguing US cities are coming soon to a high street near you.
EU drug enforcement chiefs believe that Mexican cartels are seeking to expand their billion-dollar empire beyond American shores, putting Europe’s untapped market in their crosshairs…”https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11727627/Is-UK-brink-fentanyl-crisis.html
‘Really proud of our dad’: Family of SSgt Patrick Aguilar presented flag flown over Texas Capitol
“…The veteran was trained as a radio operator. He was transported to England and earned a ribbon as a rifle sharpshooter and carbine expert.
SSgt Aguilar was one of two Mexican Americans in his squadron. He said he never felt any discrimination from his comrades and that they all got along.
That camaraderie was needed in Cherbourg, where the Ninth Air Force was tasked to build an airfield and set up command near the peninsula’s west side. SSgt Aguilar delivered support services to aid squadrons across Europe…”
Restaurant review: Mexican, American, Indian? Sabores has you covered
“Can’t decide what you’re in the mood for?
Burrito? Tacos? Burger? Hot dog? Pasta? BBQ ribs? Salmon? Po’ boy? Gumbo? Curry?
Eduardo Garduno, who for 17 years was the chef at the former Dobhan and Chautara restaurants, makes all of that and more at Sabores Fusion Grill on State Street, which he opened in August.
During two recent visits, my favorite thing was the smash burger ($10.99). I didn’t expect two patties, and they were particularly juicy and flavorful. The bun held up to the substantial amount of meat plus cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles and white onion. The menu mentioned special sauce, but it was hard to detect…”
Accounting Firms Have Begun to See Mexico As a Goldmine for Accounting and Finance Talent, Says Guy
“…The U.S. isn’t the only country in the world with talent. For example, our neighbor to the south is rife with bright, bilingual individuals often with the same (if not better) qualifications as their U.S. counterparts. As of the second quarter of 2022, there were more than 466,000 accountants and auditors in Mexico while the U.S., despite having more than double the population, has just over 665,000 actively licensed CPAs. With a shared border, strong cultural familiarity and other benefits, I’ve noticed many multinational accounting firms have begun to see Mexico as a goldmine for accounting and finance talent…”
UCLA alumnus’ friends, family urge release from wrongful detainment in Venezuela
“…Eyvin Hernandez, a double alumnus and a Los Angeles County public defender, went missing in late March 2022 following a vacation in Colombia after he accompanied a friend to the Venezuelan border, according to the LA Times. Martinez said Hernandez had no intentions of entering the country, but in April, he was confirmed to be arrested, charged with criminal association and conspiracy, and detained in Venezuela, according to NBC…”
Study finds Mexican American stroke survivors were less likely to receive intensive rehab
“Mexican American stroke survivors in a South Texas study, were more likely to use less intensive forms of rehabilitation services than their non-Hispanic white peers, and nearly one-third of all the stroke survivors did not receive any rehabilitation within 90 days of their stroke, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2023. The meeting, to be held in person in Dallas and virtually Feb. 8-10, 2023, is a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health…”
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-02-mexican-american-survivors-intensive-rehab.html
Experts: Death of DPS agent at Texas-Mexico border was preventable
“At the top, the driver took a wide turn and ran off the road into a 3-foot ditch obscured by plants. As the truck tipped over, Salas slid and the vehicle landed on him. Several of the migrants were injured. Salas was airlifted to a San Antonio hospital where he died the next day…”
Bad Bunny Kisses Actor Gael Garcia Bernal in New Film ‘Cassandro’
“…A new kiss between Bad Bunny and another man is going viral.
Unfortunately for fans hoping that the Puerto Rican singer and rapper has come out, the steamy kiss is from a leaked scene of an upcoming movie. Fortunately, it means that the man he’s kissing is Mexican actor Gael García Bernal!
The movie, titled Cassandro, is currently making its debut at the Sundance Film Festival, and now a scene from the film has leaked.
In a series of leaked photos from the film, García Bernal’s character can be seen making out with a character played by Bad Bunny in what looks like a bar…”
To advance ‘North American Idea,’ fortify bond between Canada, Mexico, experts say
“…Canada could also be taking a more active role in working with Mexico to protect against some of the threats to democracy that exist in Latin American countries like Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba, Boehm added.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s last day in Mexico City was dedicated entirely to reinforcing ties with Mexico, beginning with a speech to business leaders that portrayed Canada as a free-trade champion and a wise place to invest.
Already, foreign direct investment in Canada in the last year has fuelled the growth of electric vehicle manufacturing and critical minerals development that has created some 17,000 jobs, Trudeau told his audience…”
Furnace professionals form Mexican alliance
“Furnace specialists M-Glass Factory Services (MGFS) and Excelsius have formed an alliance for the Mexican and South American glass production markets.
The two companies, which specialise in furnace draining, drilling, controlled cooling down, controlled heating up, cullet fill and thermal cleaning of regenerators.
The Excelsius-MGFS team is capable of heating up a furnace, with expansion control, bolt adjustment, cullet fill and furnace operation until glass reaches the machines, all in one hand.
The partnership has equipment domestically in Mexico as well as qualified staff based in the country…”
https://www.glass-international.com/news/furnace-professionals-form-mexican-alliance
Monthly encounters with migrants at U.S.-Mexico border remain near record highs
“The number of monthly migrant encounters had fallen to 16,182 – the second-lowest total in more than 20 years – in April 2020, shortly after the coronavirus outbreak forced the closure of the southwestern border and slowed migration across much of the world.
But encounters with migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border have soared since then, with 206,239 reported in November 2022, according to the latest available monthly data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the federal agency that encompasses the Border Patrol. Recent monthly totals far exceed the peak reached during the last major wave of migration at the U.S.-Mexico border in May 2019 and are roughly on par with the previous peak reached in March 2000…”
Mexico City, “fragile sanctuary” for South American journalists threatened with death
“On the fourth floor of a discreet building in southern Mexico, a door opens: “My life depends on your silence”warns Ezequiel Flores Contreras, inviting The world to enter this apartment without stamp. The tense smile, this reporter for the investigative weekly Process firmly holds the collar of a large, short-haired St. Hubert who serves as her guard dog. Like him, dozens of journalists threatened with death across Mexico took refuge in the capital. The gigantism of this megalopolis of more than 22 million inhabitants offers, at first sight, a form of protective anonymity in the deadliest country in the world for media professionals…”
What’s behind the Mexican wave of optimism?
“Mexico’s economy was relatively robust in 2022, while its equity market comfortably outperformed the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.
In many ways the backdrop for 2023 looks considerably less favourable, yet there is optimism regarding Mexico’s outlook. Amid increased geopolitical concerns and a fundamental shift in global supply chains, Mexico stands to be a potential winner…”
As ‘Three Amigos’ meet in Mexico, experts call on leaders for North American vision
“With Canadian and Mexican manufacturers added in the 11th hour to Biden’s plan to encourage the sale of climate-friendly electric vehicles, there will be room to talk about more familiar irritants like trade disputes and U.S. protectionism…
…As a country that’s not immune to the influences of irregular migration and the flow of fentanyl at the U.S.-Mexico border, Canada will need to be part of that conversation as well, one that’s widely expected to dominate the agenda…”
Lawsuit says Kia benefited from labor of misled Mexican migrants
“…In the class-action lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Atlanta and amended late last month, lawyers representing the Mexican workers accused the Korean car maker of benefiting from “exploited” workers. The plaintiffs say they were lured to Georgia through a visa program meant for white-collar immigrants, but then ordered to work low-paid assembly line jobs…”
