This Saturday in New York City, a couple hundred people gathered to coat their gullets with thick, rich Christmas Joy, in the Eighth Annual Coquito Masters Contest. Interested in trying a Coquito (aka Puerto Rico's version of egg nog)? Here's some recipes! LET'S GET CREAMY!
posted by Greg Nog on Dec 21, 2009 - 30 comments

With all the dust that's been* riled up by Obama's nomination of Sonia Sotomayor (previously), everyone is suddenly taking an interest in Puerto Rico. A basic question that may come up is why we're there in the first place. Understanding that, we can see how the complicated relationship has played out between Puerto Rico, the US, and, most recently, the United Nations. Although the UN has urged the US to take steps towards establishing Puerto Rico's sovereignty, referendums held on the island have overwhelmingly preferred the status quo and the US has been indifferent at best. But independence activists, after a twenty-year decline, may be on the rise. The island's current governor, Luis Fortuño, is pro-statehood. But the whole issue has taken a back seat since plans have been made to fire 30,000 government workers, privatize some public services, and sell some the the government's US$3.2 billion debt. [more inside]
posted by krikkit261 on Jun 10, 2009 - 26 comments

While the first pioneering forays into atonality and free chromaticism were starting to occur in Western European music, the talents of Latin and South America were discovering the Romantic beauty of re-interpreting the past. [much, much more inside!]
posted by invitapriore on Jun 3, 2007 - 6 comments

What happened to 16 Dominicans lost a sea when their compass broke while trying to sail to Puerto Rico? They were saved by the gift of Faustina Mercedes breasts. Eight men and seven women took turns suckling for just a few seconds each day. Now know as a the "Little Angel of the Sea", Mercedes and the 17 others were safely returned to the Dominican Republic after 12 days.
posted by Zebulun on Feb 8, 2001 - 21 comments