A controversial labour reform reached the Mexican senate Monday and will be discussed for the next 30 days. If passed, the bill will be sent to President Felipe Calderon for signature and if not it will return to the House of Representatives.

While the bill is supported by the House of Representatives, the opposition consider it a “robbery” of their rights, according to TeleSur.

President Felipe Calderon said the bill “has the purpose of giving employment to the people who do not have access to work today”. President elect, Enrique Peña Nieto said via Twitter, “My congratulations and appreciation to all legislators committed to the development and progress of Mexico”.

Several unions and citizen groups have been protesting against the bill outside the House of Representatives for over a week.

Workers claim that the bill violates union autonomy and would infringe on their social and worker rights. If passed, the reform would legalize outsourcing contracts, impose training contracts and base promotion on productivity instead of seniority, according to TeleSur.

It has been four decades since the Federal Labour Law has been changed.

It’s Friday ag-!

Ugh.

Fuck it, it’s hot.

This is what you need to know.

• 

  I chose this photo just to piss people off. (Photo/Wikipedia)

  This thing with the Malvinas/Falklands has really become the stupidest bilateral dispute in years, now seemingly spinning out of control. And the worst part is that it’s not even Argentina’s fault this time, since it’s David Cameron who’s behaving like a 5-year old, warning of attacks, invasions and the imminent danger of a new war with Argentina. Uhm. Mr. Cameron, sir? You know how the Argentine Government insists on “engaging in talks” and nothing else? That’s not just because they’re polite. It’s because there is no military force in this country. None. Zero. In fact, “military” is almost a bad word here after the historical disaster and deep wound that the last military dictatorship inflicted on this country more than 30 years ago. So please stop sending nuclear submarines and making empty threats. Nobody cares.

• Also, accusing a Latin American country of “colonialism”? Dumb move, sir. At best all you can say is that it’s being a pain in the ass.

• Did you now there’s a local football club called “Nueva Chicago“? Well, I didn’t. Anyway, apparently this club has some hardcore hooligans who clashed with some other hardcore hooligans from God knows where, leaving one of the Nueva Chicago followers dead. Problem was that, when the victim’s friends heard that the alleged murderer had also been hurt and was being treated at the nearby Santojanni Hospital, they decided it was payback time and attacked the hospital en masse, terrorizing doctors, patients and personnel. They also trashed the place (here’s the footage), because that’s the macho thing to do to prove you’re badass, right? Do us all a favor and go back to watching your stupid game, you uncivilized idiots.

• Remember that cute little train that Cristina and Uruguayan president Jose Mujica inaugurated a few months ago? Remember how everyone was all “Yay, togetherness!” because it united both nations and then it started having logistical problems and was always late and stuff, but the Government said it was just a technical “contretemps” and again everyone was all “Yay, togetherness!”? Well now it’s derailed. To hell with togetherness.

• The Government has finally gone “Fuck this shit!” over idiots who ride the bus or the subway with their cell phones on boombox mode and refuse to give up their seats to pregnant woman. So they have begun an aggressive (and a little tongue-in-cheek) Facebook campaign against them. All you have to do is click share on the many images available at the SUBE card Facebook page and voila. Come on, do it. You know you want to do it. It makes you feel like you belong, no? No? Fuck you then.

• You know how you were really upset about missing David Guetta in Mar
  

  I’d say David Guetta’s show was pretty for-Guetta-ble, right? Right?! Oh please, like you would have come up with a better joke. (Photo/Wikipedia)

  del Plata this week? Well, you should be happy you avoided this. Suddenly listening to “Without You” in the safety of your apartment doesn’t sound so bad does it…

• I’ve got some good news and some bad news. The bad news first: experimental gaucho western Aballay, which includes some memorable performances as good as those seen in an elementary school play, has understandably been rejected as a serious contender in the Oscars’ Foreign Film category. Which is good. I mean, have you seen that trailer? Dear God. Find me an Argentine who talks like that, I’ll give you a lollipop.

• Now onto the good news: Aballay may have been rejected, but the Argentine spirit lives on in “Superclasico,” a Danish film revolving around – you guessed it – a guy who comes to Buenos Aires to witness that vibrant sporting event that I don’t give a shit about. “Superclásico” is apparently a strong contender for the Oscars. And it’s got everything that makes Argentina grand: tango, football, taxis, men yelling like angry Italians and of course, armed robberies. How delightfully mischievous!

• There’s nationwide outrage and the social networks are on fire today after Pagina 12‘s cartoonist Gustavo Sala had the brilliant idea of making fun of the Holocaust and drew Jewish prisoners paling around with Hitler and dancing to the beat of “David Guetto.” There’s even a part in which Hitler says that it’s good to see them dancing because “soap feels a lot better afterwards.” So now Sala has apologized saying he was just trying to poke fun of “Jewish stereotypes” (uh?), but people are still claiming for his head on a pike. See? And you were complaining about my “for-Guetta-ble” joke.

• The ratings of our non-favorite reality show Soñando por Bailar 2 (Dancing for a Dream 2) continue to rise as producers keep exploiting the misadventures of dangerously-insane contestant Mariano de la Canal, a chubby fiend who rose to ephemeral fame after his unhealthy obsession for current housewife and former blowjob queen (no joke) Wanda Nara was televised before millions of people. Just like that he went from creepy celebrity stalker to cute ugly-guy-in-love, and since he is a clearly disturbed individual, the powers that be found the perfect place for him: a reality show, of course! So now you have a mentally unstable – and potential serial killer- contestant running around an isolated farm that barely gets any cell phone reception and is filled with hot girls giggling in their bikinis. Sounds more like Friday the 13th, doesn’t it. Well, when he finally grabs a machete and a hockey mask and starts offing people, I’ll let you know. For now, here’s a video of him allegedly fainting on live television after one of his many freakouts.

• Meanwhile, and even though many are wondering why it’s still on the air, Big Brother may have caught a break after this week (finally!) two people had sex. It was simple: two of the contestants who became romantically involved in the game asked the production team for a night “alone” (heh) in the small house located right next to the main house. The network, desperate for anything controversial that may help their decadent ratings reach a double digit number, said “yes please, fuck like it’s the end of the world.” And boy, they did! Wait for the 3:17 mark to go “Holy shit! They showed that on television?!” Yes. Yes they did.

• Hey! Stop being such a dramatic prude. These are two people in heat engaged in a beautiful act of love. At least the show isn’t like its Brazilian perverted cousin, Big Brother Brazil, where last week they removed one of the contestants from the house after accusations surfaced that he had raped a fellow housemate. See what I mean? It’s all about perspective.

• Some guy from Real Madrid I never heard of (he apparently goes by the ridiculous name “Pepe”), decided it would be a neat idea to stomp on the hand of sport’s wunderkind Lionel Messi. For those in the Maradonian Church, this offense is the football equivalent of drawing a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad and then spiting on it. “Pepe” is gonna be stoned to death, is what I’m trying to say.

Have a great weekend everyone!

A proposal for a new marriage license in Mexico is being discussed by legislators. If approved, the bill will entitle newlyweds to a 2-year marriage trial before signing the traditional contract.

The new contract would be a temporary commitment that allows a couple to terminate the marriage after two years if they wish to. If the couple decide to stay together after this period they can renew their licenses indefinitely.

The argument for the proposed legislation is to decrease divorce rates.

Although the marriage license is temporary, the couples that wish to dissolve their union before the 2 years will have to go through standard divorce proceedings.

The bill would also regulate childcare, schooling and budgeting, among other marital duties.

“Two years is the minimum amount of time it takes to know and appreciate what life is like as a couple,” says Lizbeth Rosas, legislator of the bill and member of the Party of Democratic Revolution (PRD).

“If you renew, that means you have an understanding with your partner, and that you are clear on the rules of the relationship,” he adds.

The conservative politicians of the Mexican capital, who failed to prevent gay marriage, are criticising the bill. Consuelo Mendoza, of the National Union of Parents declared that “these initiatives create a culture of disposability within important social values.”

“This reform is absurd. It contradicts the nature of marriage,” the spokesman for the Mexican archdiocese, Hugo Valdemar states.

A new ‘Law for Regulation and Control of Market Power’ was created to regulate markets and economic concentration in Ecuador. The law intends, amongst other things, to create a regulatory board and a superintendent to control prices and competition.

The new law will settle on reference prices for food products and new public policies will be created to preserve the sovereignty of small and medium sized food companies. The minister of coordination of the economic policy, Katiuska King, stated that “there is a high concentration of economic activity in a very few large enterprises”. Adding that according to the 2010 Census there is a need to accelerate the process of production of Ecuadorian industry.

The bill is controversial because it will create an insecure environment for investment and business. The law also forbids financial institutions and broadcasting companies’ shareholders, partners and directors to have investments outside their area of work.

On 24th August, President Kirchner spoke for over an hour to legislators, government officials, corporate executives and the like concerning the Papel Prensa scandal. The attendees were specially called by Secretary of the Interior Guillermo Moreno and their names are not being released to the press.

It is Kirchner’s contention that there was wrongdoing committed during the sale of Papel Prensa, which was sold by the Graiver family in 1976. Lidia Papaleo, widow of David Graiver, was allegedly tortured in order for newspapers Clarin, La Nacion and La Razon to take stake in Papel Prensa. Clarin maintains that these allegations are untrue.

Kirchner said the Treasury will instruct the attorney general’s chief-of-state lawyers to activate “the court filings that apply to try and give a boost to 33 years of handling obscurantist” Papel Prensa. It also announced it will send to Congress a bill to declare “the production of pulp and paper daily in Argentina a “public interest” and regulate its distribution and marketing.