L.A.Times: Would Sotomayor be 1st Latina? Questions stem from idiotic US categorization of Latins.

"If that sounds confusing, consider the fact that "Hispanic" is a word made up by federal bureaucrats preparing for the 1980 U.S. census, in an attempt to categorize what was becoming an increasingly diverse population of residents with roots in "Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico" and other Spanish-speaking places, according to the Pew report.

" http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-sotomayor-latino31-2009may31,0,6194995.story

LA Times: Few pharmacies can help in Spanish.

Of 764 pharmacies, only 43.3% could solidly offer instructions in Spanish, 21.7% offered some translation services and 34.9% offered no such services.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/05/if-you-speak-only-spanish-best-of-luck-with-that-prescription-drug.html

WashPost: Pew study shows most Latino children US born of immigrant parents.

"A majority of Hispanic children are now U.S.-born children of immigrants, primarily Mexicans who came to this country in an immigration wave that began about 1980, according to a report released yesterday."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/28/AR2009052801506.html

Lalo Alcaraz carton on Sotomayor

NAHJ rightly scolds anglo reporters for calling Sotomayor's parents immigrants.

The National Association of Hispanic Journalists would encourage news organizations to avoid any confusion over Judge Sotomayor's ethnic background. To be factually correct, her Puerto Rican parents are not immigrants, as some journalists have reported, since island-born residents are U.S. citizens conferred by an act of Congress in 1917. People who move to the U.S. mainland from Puerto Rico are no more immigrants than those who move from Nebraska to New York.

http://www.nahj.org

NPR predicts Obama to pick Sotomayor for Supreme Court

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104530389&sc=fb&cc=fp

Reuters: Televisa tries new ad sales program in Mexico to counter economic downturn

Televisa's broadcasting business has faced hard times in recent quarters as national and regional advertisers cut spending because of the economic slowdown.

Jean said regional sales have met budget targets "but with twice the effort. We have struggled."

http://www.reuters.com/article/industryNews/idUSTRE54H62I20090518

LATimes: Cooperstown honors beisbol's Latino heritage!

Certainly no area outside the U.S. has produced more talent. Since 1980, Mexico, for example, has sent more players (72) to the major leagues than Canada (65), while Cuba (40) has produced nearly as many as Japan (46), though the Dominican Republic still beats them all (417).

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-latino-baseball23-2009may23,0,6642226.story

MediaPost: MasterCard dances in a new Latino campaign

MasterCard Worldwide is launching a marketing and consumer education campaign for the U.S. Hispanic market that makes dance a metaphor for flexible payment options.

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=106466

NYDailyNews: Poll again shows voting Latinos ignited about immigration

To make matters even more worrisome for the flagbearers of nativism and intolerance, the survey found that the number of Hispanics who exercise their right to vote has dramatically increased since the 2006 midterm elections.

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/05/21/2009-05-21_hispanic_voters_say_immigrations_no_1.html#ixzz0G9zWl8WT&A

WSJ; tough times despite Latino audience growth for Univision

However, in a daunting sign of the financial hurdles facing the company, Univision's first-quarter interest expense of $157.1 million surpassed its operating income for the period of $102.7 million and its cash flow from operations of $149.9 million. Its cash reserves dwindled by nearly a third to $473.1 million during the quarter.

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090515-713197.html

IAB Mexico: 87 increase in online advertising year over year

"Crece 87% la inversión publicitaria en Internet en el país; el IAB México presenta el 'Estudio de Inversión Publicitaria Online 2008'"

http://www2.esmas.com/061900/iab-mexico-crece-87-inversion-publicitaria-internet

StPeteTimes: Could Cuba go back to the future and become a gambling den of sin?

"Could Cuba ever regain its place as the Monte Carlo of the Caribbean? (Assuming, of course, the demise of the very antigambling Fidel Castro.)

"I seriously doubt it because there is so much more competition today," says Michael Pollock, publisher of the Gaming Industry Observer."

http://www.tampabay.com/news/perspective/article999628.ece

WashintonPost: Obama reaches out to Latinos in Spanish-language town hall

"The biggest test of Obama's commitment to the Latino community, however, may well come over the next few months as he chooses the next Supreme Court justice and decides how hard to push a comprehensive immigration reform proposal -- both issues of critical importance to the Hispanic community."

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/cheat-sheet/050809white-house-cheat-sheet.html?wprss=thefix

NYT: The marketing of Mark Sanchez

"Sánchez has become extremely popular among Hispanics in Southern California, in particular Mexican-Americans who have embraced him as one of their own. In many ways Sánchez has already reached the level of support from the Latino community in Los Angeles that Oscar de la Hoya enjoyed at the height of his popularity. Granted, being a USC quarterback — and a successful one at that — is a big plus. But the Jets have a tremendous opportunity to capitalize on his popularity already by making the Jets the team of Latino America."

http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/08/the-marketing-of-mark-sanchez-to-hispanic-fans/

comScore: Among the top 100 online destinations for Latinos, only four are dedicated Latino sites.

In the April 2008 Comscore release, there were only four purely Hispanic oriented websites among the top 200 Websites. They were Univision.com, Batanga, Terra and Televisa Digital.

http://www.portada-online.com/html/website/paid/2009/042709/Analysis-Univision-Interactives-latest-Moves.aspx

Five Reasons why every American should enjoy Cinco de Mayo

Last Tuesday I tepidly celebrated Cinco de Mayo. A meet up group called Latin VIP invited a bunch of folks to a dance club with a largely African-American clientèle. The bar offered a drink special on Mexican beers, had a few balloons in the shape of cacti and hung up a couple of piñatas. The four-story place was packed on all four levels. This on a Tuesday night.


I enjoyed a few Tecates, but I can't say it felt particularly Hispanic.


Does anyone remember the band War, those 70s Latino rockers and their song Cinco De Mayo? I've never heard it. I kind of dig Liz Phair's song of the same name, Cinco de Mayo. I kinda wanted to hear either of those songs; they played some great salsa, but no one wanted to dance. Maybe its just me.


As Cinco de Mayos go, it was particularly uneventful.


As a young reporter, I once attended a Cinco de Mayo ceremony at the White House. The first George Bush, the senior, presided. I felt like a prop for a photo op. But that was kind of cool, the White House.


So why Cinco De Mayo?


Few know what it is:


Tuesday morning, I heard a dj from WAMU, the local NPR affiliate, call it “Mexican Independence Day.” Sorry, wrong. That's September 16th.


I think the funniest depiction of Cinco de Mayo I've ever seen was on a TV sit com – Girlfriends, a show about four African-American women and their trials and tribulations.


Joan, the leader of the band of girls, volunteered to a do a school play about the event. She dressed in a peasant costume, rode a fake horse and actually got some of the history right.


The day commemorates a successful battle in Mexico over the French on May 5th, 1862 in the Mexican state of Puebla. A rag tag group of Mexicans beat back the greatest military force at the time – an arm of Napoleon's army.


In Mexico, it is known as the Battle of Puebla.


Ok, so why Cinco de Mayo.


A lot of people have asked that question.


Here's one person who recently wrote into the Kansas City Star's “Diversity Diva.”


“Not to be funny, but I’m trying to figure out why people in America celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Is it even a holiday that has anything to do with our country? The company I work for has been having Cinco de Mayo activities for a few years. — Figuring Out Festivities “


So why should “figuring out festivities” celebrate Cinco de Mayo.


But what about other Latinos, ones who are not Mexican.


The AP ran a story this week quoting Latinos who complained the holiday favored Mexicans over all other Latinos.


A Salvadoran man in Seattle said: "Our kids go to this school system, and the school system is more preoccupied with Mexico's history, and not the rest of Latin America's, much less El Salvador's. They “the kids” came back celebrating Cinco De Mayo. That holiday means nothing to us."


Well in Mexico it's no big deal either.


In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is not a federal holiday. It's celebrated only in the state where the battle took place – Puebla. But even there it's done with limited fanfare.


So why Cinco de Mayo.


It is a really just to market beer? Or give Anglo politicians a license to claim they recognize Hispanics. Or an exercise at schools on diversity?


Well no.


Historians have traced the 1st cinco de mayo celebrations in Los Angeles back to 1863, the year after the battle, at a time when California was firmly part of the United States.


As a reporter for the Austin American Statesman, I traced it back to a little town in south Texas called Goliad. The locals there believe they started cinco de Mayo. You see the general who led the battle of Puebla – Ignacio Zaragoza – was born there.


The Mexican-American community there - for all intents and purposes the community there – decided to celebrate a native son. They renamed the local social group from Sociadad Cuahtemoc, named after an Aztec general, to Sociedad Zaragoza, named after one of their own. From thence on, they celebrated Cinco de Mayo.


It became point of pride in this little south Texas town; a civic celebration of the local boy.


So I suggested by the title of speech that I'd give you five reasons to celebrate Cinco de Mayo; well I lied. There's only one; this is an American holiday.


Cinco de Mayo is as Mexican as Thanksgiving is English. Or St. Patrick's Day is Irish.


It's really about Americans who in the face of adversity took pride in their identity, but contributed to what is the United States.


So I give you one reason: Cinco de Mayo is an American holiday and its' about how all of us have become American, taking parts of our heritage and adding it to the fabric of the American experience.


Blessed few of us can claim heritage that traces to the native Americans from the United States. Each of us has ancestors who have taken their unique heritages and reshaped them into part of what it means to be part of the United States.


So with that, I say again, Cinco de Mayo is an American holiday.

AP story
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hczDUaNYq9WO0oxiheFVH6UaOH9AD980AVLO0

Kansas City Star
Diversity Diva story
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinco_de_mayo

Wikipedia reference
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinco_de_mayo

NYT: comScore says Latino audience online grows

“The Hispanic market is a very attractive one for prospective marketers,” he said. “They know where to reach them, and those categories exhibit the highest level of engagement and interactivity.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/04/technology/internet/04drill.html?_r=1

AdAge: Univision exec explains growth in of all years - 2009

David Lawenda, Univision's president-ad sales and marketing, said, "We want to start with a word you hardly hear any more: growth."

• Latinos account for more than one-half of all U.S. population growth
  
• In New York, Latinos make up 26% of young adults and one-third of all mothers.
  
• 77% of Hispanics speak Spanish at home
  
• Univision ranks ahead of CBS among adults ages 18 to 34.
  
• Latinos made up 46% of ticket sales on the opening weekend of the movie "Fast & Furious".

http://adage.com/hispanic/article?article_id=136397

WSJ: Profit at Televisa - Mexican media conglomerate - down 7.2% in q1

Mexican media company Grupo Televisa SAB (TV) said Thursday its net profit fell 7.2% in the first quarter on higher financial and other expenses, while sales rose on acquisitions and higher broadcast revenue.

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090430-711122.html