Life Transplanet

I just happened upon this Christmas card from the mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Jorge Santini, with his family…and a leopard/cheetah eating a gazelle of some type. I thought it was a joke. I mean, Puerto Rico doesn’t even have those types of creatures, and it’s a pretty strange Christmas greeting. Check it out:

After looking into it, I found out that he is apparently trying to promote some sort of Wildlife Museum in San Juan…although others say he is sending a message to his political opponents. I just thought this was the strangest and yet oddly cool Christmas card I have ever seen. If a huge wildcat were devouring its prey right in front of you I don’t think you would smile so calmly and pleasantly. And check out the little girl on the left- she is just the cutest smug thing.

Original Video – More videos at TinyPic

In this video he explains how it was part of the Museum promotion (although nowhere on the card does it say that) and how so many people have been superimposing themselves on the Internet with the killing scene. He said it is because Boricuas (Puerto Ricans) have limitless imagination. I do have to say that it is one of the most unique holiday greetings and they say that there is no such thing as bad publicity. So kudos to that.

In other odd holiday cheer closer to home (in our home), check out Schnoodle with really long arms. haha

Have a bizarre (and fun) Christmas one and all!

I’ve heard about the new law, the Impulso a la Vivienda or Puerto Rico Housing Stimulus, that Governor Fortuño recently passed. Basically it sounds like they are trying to spur growth in the housing sector by encouraging more construction and more sales of existing houses. It seems the thinking is similar to the U.S. mainland use of the tax credits to spur more home buying.

I am not sure how much CRIM, sellos y estampillas (property taxes, seals and stamps) normally cost, but it sounds like with this program they will be waived for a period of 5 years if you buy a house between September 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011! 

We’ve received conflicting information about property taxes in Puerto Rico and housing in general. It’s hard to find accurate information as every person we talk to has a different interpretation. Some people have even told us there is no property tax!? In any case, it sounds like good news for people like us who may buy a Puerto Rican house within this time period.

To read more about this new law check out this Caribbean Business article or this blog post.

So it looks like the government needs to step in and protect us from eggs now.  From CNN:

“The fresh eggs from the recalled firms are being diverted to USDA-approved facilities for pasteurization,” Food and Drug Administration spokeswoman Patricia El-Hinnawy said Wednesday.

Well honestly, that is about the expected result.  Instead of fixing the problem (large scale centralized food production) we come up with another quick fix.

I just find it amusing (especially after raising a few hens in our backyard) that there is all this hoorah about some eggs.  People really should just take matters into their own hands and raise a few themselves.  But as we’ve seen, the government does NOT want that. 

I mean just think.  People could be responsible for themselves and there wouldn’t be a need for a .gov agency to oversee EVERY single egg this country produces and consumes.  It really is laughable the lengths we Americans go to in order to feel safe.

Show me your papers

This picture was on the front page. Kitty and the Hens. 

Britton and I have been thinking that life is like that Talking Heads song, Once in a Lifetime. “You may ask yourself, well, how did I get here?” Sometimes Britton and I just look at each other and smile knowing that life is but a dream. You never know how one moment will lead to another. Yesterday, for instance, our cat and chickens were on the front page of the news.

It is sad, really how the whole chicken debate turned out. Mostly for people who will continue to live here and try to make this city a better place. I have tried, and believe me, it can be done, but it is HARD work. It is underappreciated work.

But Britton and I are ready to move on both literally and figuratively. We booked our next trip to Puerto Rico in mid-March! We are going to find a house! We are super excited. I can’t wait for the next moment when I look up and ask myself, “how did I get here?”, and then I’ll remember; what a strange life it is going gently down this stream.  

Greeley is an interesting place to live I’ll say that much. This time not interesting in a good way.

At the council meeting there was a large group that showed support for changing the ordinance in regards to backyard hens. A veterinarian, several well educated folks and basic hard working people. There were a few people who were against this change and they were against it for reasons of commercial scale operations, disease and one because she was allergic to feathers. One lady (this was the best one) was against it because chickens can be used to smuggle drugs. Yes once again, they are the root of all evil.

When it came time to vote the council members in support Mike Finn, Donna Sapienza and Sandy Elder provided the reasons for their support and I do appreciate that. The council members who voted no didn’t provide any rhyme or reason to their decision. They had no valid reason except that they didn’t agree with what I am doing in my backyard even if it has no effect on them. Since the vote was a tie, it didn’t pass.

I’m disappointed in our local governments ability to listen to the public and make a decision that empowers the individual.