The "Informal" economy

"Fredo, you're my older brother, and I love you...but don't ever take sides against the family again."- The Godfather Part 1

This evening Joy is watching The Godfather series for the Tenth time. Every so often I peak over and watch it too.

I am supposed to be working on one of my finals, but one needs to take a Godfather break now and then.

Yes,it's addicting.

Speaking of finals, one of the lectures given addressed the "Informal" part of the economy. One aspect discussed was organized crime. So, in all relativity it applies to my class.

Yea...right.

Another "informal" aspect we discussed in detail was the Domestic Workers here in the United States, and the dynamics driving them. Not exactly in the same sub-category as organized crime, but is still a sizable contender in the US economy.

Driving throughout West LA and Brentwood in the early morning hours, one may often see clusters of Latino women of varying ages waiting at the many bus stops along the way. One of my co-workers who rides the bus says many, if not most of them are domestic workers on their way to clean the homes of the affluent.

I never really though much about these domestic workers until I read the book "Domesticas" by Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo. It gives a clear and concise picture of this unseen but complex aspect of our economy. To even get a better understanding of their migration dynamics,(why they come to the US) one needs to understand the history of US foreign policy (NAFTA, CAFTA, government influence, etc...)and its affect on their countries of origin.

While a extremely small number of them may come for the free social services, it is not the predominant driving factor for the majority.

Once Reed is old enough, I will try to explain all of this to him, so he has an understanding that there are two side to every coin.

Hopefully I can do it without boring him to death.

Then I just may let him watch The Godfather...

A New Halloween

Forgive me father, it's been almost two months since my last blog...

Yes, I know, if you really want to do something bad enough, you will make the time.

Bla, bla, bla...

I am normally not really big on Halloween, but this year things have changed. After witnessing my son on his first journey around the block, I now have a new soft spot for the little ghouls, goblins, animals, fairies, vampires and hookers roaming our neighborhoods on this very special night.

Joy and I had dressed Reed up in a pretty fancy lion costume she had picked up at one of our regularly frequented second-hand childrens clothing shops. It had a full head, big, bushy mane and long tail complete with the little tuft of hair on the end.

While standing at each of the doors he and his cousins dared to brave, he seemed both confused and amazed as he watched each respective owner place the wrapped globs of sugar in each of the bags.

He also seemed to wonder why we kept going to different houses and would never go in. But in his determined little way, he tried to enter a few anyway.

That paled in comparison to what happed at one of the first few doors we knocked on. As we were leaving the second house of the night, Reed suddenly turned around to the owner, gave a half-wave, and said "Bye, Bye."

Needless to say all the adults stood there in amazement. That was the first time we had ever heard him say it.

And to make things even more special, it was his aunt Leung's first time experiencing Halloween also.