1000

This post represents a milestone. It is post number 1000 since I started the blog.

Help me with ideas for the blog going forward. Add a comment to this post letting me know what you would like to see in the next 1000 posts. What topics do I pay too little attention to? What would make the blog more useful?

I'm also interested in anyone who wants to be a guest blogger. If you think you would like to contribute to the blog from time to time, please let me know.

You'll start noticing some changes in the right hand column over the next few weeks. Starting today, for example, there is a topical index in addition to the date archive. (Unfortunately I have not yet assigned a topic to a large number of the 1000 posts). I will be creating updated lists of blogs, news sources, and solidarity organizations. I also plan to update some of the pictures on the site.

If you've found part of the last 1000 posts useful, spread the word and let other people know about this blog. A larger community of readers and participants in the comments benefits all of us.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I'm a Salvadorian living in Miami, FL I read it on a regular basis. Your blog often offers a different perspective on news and issues that I find very insightful. Keep up the good work.
expatwizard said…
I am a US Citizen resident of El Salvador, many of my local Salvadorian friends are unable to read English so I should like to see some of your bloq threads come in bi lingual format if and when possible. Thousands here, including professionals and students with Internet accsess know nothing of the bloq. Perhaps you could team up with a native speaking translator, one entry at a time and spread your word locally. To many residing here the bloq, in English is from the US and for "gringos". The bloq is for everyone. When I must compose something in formal Spanish, I use "Google Translator" then I modify the poor Spanish translation the best I am able and take to to a native speaker to refine.
Hodad said…
Tim, put Babel Fish to open in another window, for translate as I have on my sites
maybe a good idea? as the previous poster asked


anyway, your blog rocks!!!!!!
thanks for allowing my participation, ranting as I do sometimes
but at least you know where I stand.
Peace
but...
Viva La Revolucion
El-Visitador said…
Congratulations on this milestone, Tim.
Basta de Casaca said…
Yeah, congratulations Tim.. great job!
Anonymous said…
Resident of Canada. Your blog is my only news on El Salvador and it's a great read. Thanks and congratulations.
Bosque said…
Congrats from a CA in the USA. I tend to keep up on all CA & SA news. I'd like to see more of the "daily grind" you post plus the local and national issues.
Joe said…
Congrats, Tim. I read your blog as a way to remember my visit to El Salvador in 2005. I don't want to forget, or to have it feel like a dream. I still care about the place, and I wish there was something more concrete I could do to help, other than keeping Central America issues in mind when I vote.
Anonymous said…
Tim, guest blogging is something that I've been meaning to approach you about it. It's great that that is one of your ideas. As many readers out there, I check everyday for new stories and understand that you are busy and cannot post something new every single day. I also keep checking because you do cover material from a wide range of topics and sources, which is refreshing. You probably have some ideas on how guest blogging would work but one of mine is that you allow people to submit stories via this website to you so that you can check that they're not inflammatory (profane, racist, etc..,) and close to the writing standard of the blog (grammar, research, npov). The stories that are good can get posted and writers can take pride in their work and strive to contribute more. This would create more of a community, grow readership and visits, as well as continue to make this a blog where more and more people know they can come to get good coverage in English (and Spanish once the previous ideas are implemented) of a country we all love so much.

Thanks and Congrats,
Rick -Chicago
Claudia said…
I am from El Sal and live in Miami. Although I go back and visit almost every year, I enjoy reading your blog because it helps me keep in touch with what's going on "at home".
Laurie said…
Tim,

I read every post of your blog. It is my number one source for reliable news about El Salvador. I love your format, your tone and your dedication to checking references and producing posts that are factual.

Please keep up the good work!
expatwizard said…
Tidbits...street crime is up again in San Salvador as Semana Santa holidays approach...MetroCentro Mall, the largest in San Salvador is now prone to assualt by young and fast on their feet theives..I've viewed twice purse snatchers outrun the middle aged private guards..many Salvadorians are careless, carrying cell phones on their belts or in back pockets, women with purses are of course targets and men often carry wallet in back pocket..."Skimming" stealing of credit/debit card info from magnetic strip is common in stores, employees often work in teams, many here make all purchases $4.00 and up on their credit cards..If you visit use "Cajeras" ATM and pay your small purchases in cash..I'm not unique, I only shop in "Super Selectos" Supermarkets when necessary..my Salvadorian neighbors, middle aged, middle class with kids and two businesses, feel teh same..teh young employees are in general, RUDE..Grosero. Despensa de Don Juan across from MetroSur (150 meters south of MetroCentro) is totally different, the employees are in general friendly and helpful and they greet you, funny, Despensa owned by WalMart, My Mom in States does not like Wal Mart preferring the older and more familaiar stores "Downtown" where she lives, here in San Salvador the Centro "downtown" is a very crowded and very dangerous place yet I like to go and shop once in a while, dressing down, carrying little cash and no cell phone.
Drivers in general are getting more agressive and hostile and for me crossing the streets is the most dangerous thing I do each day..I'm from New York City before I relocated to Central America and explained to my neighbors yesterday what "Street Smarts" are..realize now over 70% of El Salvador's population is under 25, most don't remember the Civil War, many don't care, the majority want to land a good job, most don't have faith in politicans of either political party..nor would I. On line MSN IM Chat is far more popular than political or social bloqs, most people here do not have leisure time to read them anyway..Now Telecom Claro is selling Blackberries..anyway everyone is getting ready to party for Semana Santa and I don't blame them..like their USA cousins to the North the Salvadorians, not so much by choice but by neccesity have become "Workaholics" and many are showing signs of temper and stress, even 10 years ago this was practically unheard of..I have not any "solutions" to any complicated social problems..but I do have my own coping mechanisms and skilled in teh art of self defense. Yesterday asked an economist friend on the Left...Would the FMLN "coddle" criminals if elected? Well, any US bleeding hearts think otherwise, the answer was an emphatic Hell No! Public Safety..Security, Man.. is always number one for native and visitor alike!!! You know, reps from various companies in various countries come here quietly and scout around, keep a very low profile and go home..you know several years ago a foreign investor came to El Salvador, was willing to set up a large manufacturing plant until some baboso (idiot) threw a rock at the window of his Salvadorian assistant's automobile, the man left on the next available flight..all the bloqs and opinions in the world do create jobs. I am thinking with the help of a savvy El Salvadorian associate to give a free seminar once a month on self esteem and empowerment..forget all the political propaganda on both sides..forget the class system, the conformist society, go out and get the job you are qualified for!
If Mauricio Funes wins he is not going to wish to rule over a little isolated North Korean style state nor nationalize everything and penalize those who have invested in the country..When I lived in Poland in 1983 with my family there was a joke "There are more dedicated Marxists in UC, Berkley, California, USA than in all of Poland!"
All is not black and white, my friends here both Salvadorians and resident ex pats are individuals who think for themselves, work hard, honest and sleep well at night.
So my true colors are Conservative (not "right wing" nor extreme right, worse than far left)
A true conservative believes in people, not in institutions.
As a US Citizen I have no faith left in either major party nor do I trust any of their candidates, once elected, along with Congress to fufill their promises now being made to get votes...so I stick with people, and I would be really bored if everyone thought like I did!!!! Called "marching in lockstep"!
Anonymous said…
i'm actually doing som research in el salvador right now and I'd like to know what the government is doing (if anything) to address the growing issue of juvenile delinquency. I know that there are a couple of NGO type organizations that are trying to combat the problem, but most, if not all are located in San Salvador... what about the rest of El Salvador? Thoughts?
expatwizard said…
"Homies Unidos has set up workshops and vocational training for the
purpose of teaching English, marketable art and technical skills.
Improvement of social skills in order to enter the job market. Members
believe that if there were more jobs, there would be less violence. Surely
that is part of the problem, but psychological and moral healing are also
needed. "...Director

The staff, all ex gang members, provide peer counseling and there exist ongoing projects in and out of San Salvador, as in Chalchuapah in Western El Salvador...contact the Director, Luis Romero Gavidia, for more information.

We are located in San Salvador, El Salvador, Central America ....any interested volunteers wishing to travel here to El Salvador are more than welcome to visit us and evaluate our projects..

To view Luis Romero on video or podcast go to CNN Heroes, where we were featured on the 24-25 July 2007

http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2007/07/24/cnn.heroes.romero.cnn

www.cnn.com/heroes



****If residing in the USA or Canada go to the website www.homiesunidos.org/ and contact Homies Unidos via The Los Angeles, California office, donations for El Salvador offices accepted online.
Le esperamos........

If doing research best travel to El Salvador and view ongoing projects for yourself, staff members have little time between "fundraising", "meetings" and emergency situations to answer e mail inquiries from abroad, visitors are expected to pay fuel costs and daily expenses for any transportation the organization provides to them..Gasoline is nearly $4.00 US gallon in El Salvador.

E mail the Director Luis Ernesto Romero luisromerogavidia at yahoo.com

Tell him "pato loco" sent you.

Information is difficult to come by in third world countries and suggest those doing research or hoping to volunteer to visit in person and look around.
Anonymous said…
I'd love to hear more about the affect that many of the topics you approach have on the children of El Salvador. How does it all trickle down? According to UNICEF, there are over 150,000 orphans in the country. I'd like to see a spotlight on examples of specific work that's being done to assist and change.

Thanks for being a great resource!
-Sharon (US reader)
Anonymous said…
I enjoy read every post in your blog.
Congratulations Tim.
Anonymous said…
Last comment was mine.

Greetings.
Tim said…
Thanks for all the comments.

Following up on some of the suggestions, I have put a new link at the bottom of each post which will generate an auto-translation to Spanish by Google Translator. Obviously it's not as good as an actual person doing the translation, but it conveys the basic concepts of the post. I don't have the time or energy to write all the posts in both languages, and my target audience has always been English speakers who don't have many other sources of news about ES.

In response to one of the suggestions, I will be doing an upcoming series of posts on the children of El Salvador. That was a great idea.

Rick (and others who might want to guest blog) send me something by e-mail that you want me to consider posting. While I reserve all editorial rights, I would be happy to publish thoughtful posts. (For those of you who don't want editing , the comment section will continue to be a free forum where the only things I edit or delete are spam or truly offensive materials.
CJ Squirrel said…
Tim, you are doing a fabulous job and I know this takes much time and energy and dedication. Those of us in solidarity with the people of El Salvador especially appreciate your work! Thank you.

I'm wondering if we can't get some solid input/information on the blog from those organizations(e.g., churches, cities, citizen groups) that have formal sistering relationships with El Salvador? I'd love to find out who these folks are and their specific connections with El Salvador and what their various activities/projects/works are in their sistering efforts. In other words, is there some way we can use the blog to strengthen the various solidarity efforts and connections that many of us are a part of?

Secondly, 2009 is a major election year in El Salvador with elections in January and then the presidential in March. My wonderful USA government, which likes to impose democracy on everyone everywhere, also seems to like to influence elections in places like El Salvador. We are already seeing signs of such pressure for the 2009 elections. I served as an Official Election Observer in two prior presidential elections in El Salvador and I witnessed the pressure and influence wielded by our government to sway and intimidate voters there. I don't want that to happen this next time around. Is there some way we can use the blog to first, keep us very informed of how our government is acting/involved in their election process; and second, teach us/give us a concerted strategy to tell our representatives in a loud and clear voice that we demand neutrality and a hands-off policy on our part?

En solidaridad,
Carlitos Malischke
Sistering with Guarjila, Chalatenango.
With special affection for friends in Communidad Ignacio Ellacuria and Teosinte.
I'm at cjsquirrel@earthlink.net
expatwizard said…
Start with http://www.elsalvadorsolidarity.org/joomla/index.php lists twenty "sister cities" in USA.

also view the bloq in Spanish and English http://fmlnminnesota.blogspot.com/2007/10/ciudades-hermanas-informa.html
Unknown said…
Tim, I am Canadian and have just come back from my first trip to El Salvador a few days ago. I found this by serendipity. It is outstanding! As others have have said your tone, balance, breadth, depth and most of all your commitment are phenomenal. I like some of the suggestions about Babblefish and some guest bloggers. I ask you what other help and assistance do you need from us? I look very forward to reading your next 1,000 posts.

Again outstanding work

Cam from Canada
Misty Cee said…
I visited El Salvador once. I don't speak Spanish so I had a really hard time understanding the people. I should have had some sort of translator with me. :)