Embarrassment

Yet another random example of what lies ahead with hopeandchange - and it's only been there for six month! Good for him, I guess, that there is always someone willing to pick up the pieces - business as usual.

Job opening:
Math tutor needed, ASAP. Experienced working with brain-challenged students. No record of paid income taxes required; Che-wearing T-shirt individuals are highly preferred. Apply personally at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Please, make sure you bring your credit card to pay for the beer.

Quote of the day: "In government, incompetence is rewarded".

Meanwhile, surprise!, the NYT follows the expected path and tries to hide on page 17 the inconvenient truth discovered, by themselves!

The New York Times/CBS poll shows:
69% of respondents believe Obama's plan will hurt the quality of their own health care.
73% believe it would limit their access to tests and treatment.
62% believe Democrats' proposals would require them to change doctors.
76% believe health care reform will lead to them paying higher taxes.
77% expect their health care costs to rise.

And, since it is Friday, I won't even go to the Machiavellian details...

Of deceptions and contrasts...

Not that I have ever any hope on the Hollywood elite; they have not been able to prove themselves beyond a brainless and easy to manipulate horde of useful idiots whatsoever...

but you can see the contrasts between Álvaro Vargas Llosa's (who, along with his father Mario, are both excellent writers and fighters for liberty) and Andy García (do I need to add any other "obviously biased" detail?) in my previous post and this image of Bill Murray, Robert Duvall and et al having a blast in Cuba.

And the NYT's coverage of the visit? Boy, you've got to love the "US-Cuba thaw" phrase... we should get registered as a trade mark, with copyrights and all that.

H/T to Alberto de la Cruz at Babalú Blog.

An award presentation to Cuban American actor Andy Garcia that I've never seen; and that everybody should see

I didn't know Andy Garcia was awarded, last year, by The Independent Institute, the Alexis de Tocqueville Award (along with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and entrepreneur William K. Bowes, Jr.)

Alvaro Vargas Llosa made an outstanding speech on Cuba, its history, how ended up under the boot of a 50 year long communist dictatorship and Andy's lifetime devotion to spread the word of Cuba's reality.

A history lesson you won't find in your regular college classroom, nor mainstream book.

For any Cuban in exile it is a heartbreaking experience where you'd go back to feel the same wreck of emotions you feel when you see The Lost City and Arturo Sandoval's movie, also starred by Andy.

Grab a box of Kleenex. Or two, or three.
Learn about the value of liberty; and vow your life to never take it for granted.



I was also surprised to learn that after a 16 years ordeal, it was the Telluride Film Festival, right here on my Rocky Mountains backyard, who opened the door to such an excellent film.

Right here, in an area where most people are totally clueless about what's going on 90 miles south of the Florida Keys. Unbelievable.

(Now I have a strong reason to look up for the festival... I can't even remember when was the last time I went to the movies).

The Denver Post, Colorado businesses and the Cuban embargo

(Warning: rant ahead)

Not that I am a big fan, but searching for news on Cuba today I stomped with this Denver Post editorial where they - yet as another member of the useful idiots crowd - support the lifting of the economic embargo against Cuba. [Actually, with the only two provisions that are left of it, they should have added.]

Getting over the nauseated feeling of repeating the same story over and over, the former reporter inside me refuses to let the go the chance charge back with facts, yet one more time.

"Nearly five decades ago, at the height of the Cold War, the U.S. imposed a trade embargo on Cuba, hoping to push Fidel Castro and his communist government from power," says the Post.

History books, please. [ Or Google, at least?]

The embargo was a legislation approved by the US Congress in the early sixties, when Castro expropriated countless American industries and properties without proper payment compensation to their lawful owners, as required by international laws. [FYI, he started with the Americans and every single Cuban business or property owner followed through...]

Nowadays, the embargo is, in a nutshell, a cosmetic measure. Over time, its restrictions have been loosened and the only two in place are:

1- Americans are forbidden to travel directly to Cuba. And I emphasize directly because many, many, many Americans travel to the island every year, using the loopholes of different types of special authorizations issued by the State Department or through a third country.

2- The Cuban government has to pay its transactions in cash to the American buyers. US financial institutions can not issue soft credit to the castros to buy its products in the US.

Analyzing #1, from a Libertarian point of view, it is true that no government should deny its citizens the right to travel freely wherever they want.

I would be OK with that as long as no useful idiot, trust-fund hippie, organic Subaru driving tree-hugger tries to convince me -from the coziness of his half million dollar house in the People's Republic of Boulder- that by doing that, they will bring freedom and democracy to Cuba.
Give. Me. A. Break.

Since the collapse of the Berlin wall, when castro had no other choice to pocket hard currency, Cuba has been inundated with tourists from all over the world.

I know that first hand because I worked as waitress in several restaurants and hotels reserved, in the most modern apartheid fashion, for foreign tourists only.

Why would be Americans different? I know the people of my adopted homeland are remarkable human beings, but they don't have any special super power that I'm aware of.

How could they be any different from the hordes that have been taking Cuba as an affordable (not necessarily cheap) Caribbean destination where is easy to find cigars, rum and sex - underage and college educated included? (The beaches are gorgeous, though.)

AmeriCorps bringing democracy to Cuba, one mojito at a time? Really?

Cuba is a island that lives on two parallel realities: the tours and destinations orchestrated by the regimen to those who want to be "guided", and the real life of your average Cuban Joe, the one that spends hours of his days without electricity, the one that survives on the rationing card the first two weeks of the months, the one that is being watched over by the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution, the one that is being paid in Cuban pesos but has to buy the chicken imported from the US in the convertible pesos... ultimately, it will be up to the individual which island he or she chooses to meet.

And, how about demanding prince castro II to respect the same right to freedom of travel to the Cuban nationals? I mean, human rights apply to everyone, regardless of nationality, or not?

Going over #2, and I say this as the American citizen and law-abiding taxpayer that I am: Do I really want to end up footing the bill for one of the worst payers in the world? In this situation my adopted homeland is living and with the dark future of inflation and national debt that my children will inherit? Hell no!

A few months ago The Paris Club rated castro's regimen as one of the world's worst creditors, and you only need a quick search online to read about all the problems Spanish and other European companies are having to get their money out of castro's pockets.

Ergo, the requirement to have castro paying in cash is, itself, a safeguard to all those Colorado ag business that are drooling over the dough they could get trading with the gulag. (Good luck on that!)

Ultimately - with the current tides we're surfing, between bailouts, boondogles, porkulus bills and goverment takeovers - it is also a safeguard for my wallet, which I am really trying to keep closed.

On the other hand, vaguely, states the Post: "One issue that will remain problematic, just as it has with other U.S. trading partners, is human rights."

I have an idea! Why don't you include in your editorial the opinion of thousands of Cubans, conservatives, Republicans, Libertarians, myself, you name it, that support lifting the restrictions but not without getting something back from the dictatorship?

How about we concentrate on three: free the political prisoners (not blackmail allowed with the five spies lawfully tried and currently serving prison terms in the US), free elections and allowing Cubans to own private property?

The current US administration has a golden opportunity to make history to help the Cuban people by peaceful means. If they waste it because they are too busy trying to turn this country into socialism... wait a minute, I am not making any sense, am I?

Now, a word or two about the Post comments:

Comparing Cuba and China does not help much. US reinstated trade with China after they both reached a payment agreement on the properties the Chinese confiscated from American lawful owners. That has not happened in Cuba. Please, drop it.

To Daneel O (aka ) 5:01 PM on Tuesday Jul 28: Honorable individuals respect their elders, even if they do not agree with them. Obviously, you know nothing about honor.

FYI, I am a Cuban, born and raised under castro's communist dictatorship, and I am not elder and I VOTE. And no, my values and core principles, those that go beyond party affiliations, have not been kidnapped by the radical left and the progressives.

Credits to Dave C 9:03 PM on Tuesday Jul 28: Florida 27 electoral votes are a powerful piece of the puzzle. We, Cubans, loved our homeland and still bleed for her wounds after 50 years, but we are also Americans, endlessly grateful to our adopted homeland. We have integrated to mainstream society, we get involved, we care and again, we vote.

Finally, to lousy Jimmy (aka ) 7:24 PM on Tuesday Jul 28. Honey, you need to get a life. You're sputtering your nonsense out of ignorance. That usually happens when you have never tasted a good Cuban food and/or have never seen a Cuban woman dancing or... never mind.

H/T to Face The State and Babalu Blog.

Yoani Sánchez and Generación Y received international journalism award from Columbia University

A break in my blogging hiatus just to share the good news that Yoani Sánchez, the blogger behind "Generación Y", has won the Maria Moors Cabot award issued by Columbia University.

This is one of the highest recognitions in journalism's arena - not that I am very convinced of the good health of journalism in this country AT ALL, but that's a story for another post.

However, any recognition to her or to any other independent blogger and/or journalist in the island it DOES make a huge difference. Too bad The Miami Herald has only a snippet and it is linking directly to the Huffington Post. El Nuevo Herald just posted the story in Spanish and Penúltimos Días has a good summary on it.

The Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas has a news blog covering the awards, and a link roll of their own coverage of Yoani's work, including an interview with her.

Last year, Yoani was included in the Times Magazine's most influential 100 people and received the award Ortega y Gasset, the top recognition to journalists in the Spanish media.

So far, the Cuban government has held her hostage and has never issued her the exit permit needed to travel abroad to receive any of the recognitions. Slaves need authorization to leave their modern XXI century plantation - and have to pay for it in dollars - remember?

It seems Yoani is like the little and cumbersome stone in the regime's shoe, thus, as she said, these recognitions are another protection to her integrity. Because, let's face it, with castro's thugs, you never know...

Go there. Read her posts.
Learn about how is it to be a Cuban, living in Cuba, after 50 years of involution.
Thanks to the work of many people all over the world, her work is being posted in several languages. It's called Generación Y.

More on Honduras...

First course in the table?
Just take a look at Zelaya's supporters in the streets of Honduras, courtesy of this AP photo.

With that image and the fact that Honduran wannabe dictator Zelaya was has been caught in the act with computers holding info on election results on a referendum that never took place... what else would you need for a royal indigestion?

The MSM keeps silent: as of Monday July 20th, 2:30MT, no major news outlet has anything in English about it. An inconvenient truth?

After reading about it at American Thinker, I tracked it back and noticed that Alberto de la Cruz has been on it, over there at Babalu Blog, since Saturday, when he first found it in Spanish.

Hey, news people out there! Need a translator with journalism background?
I'm freelancing! Jeez! I could even volunteer!
(Check the report in Spanish, from the Catalan newspaper on Saturday, here)

Zelaya computers had "certified" results for referendum that was never held

Really?
MSM and POTUS, riiing, riing, Hello?!


American Thinker Blog: Smoking Gun: Zelaya Computers had 'certified' results for referendum that was never held

Shared via AddThis

Oh, boy, I DO second this motion!

Poster of The Year, courtesy of José Reyes, over there at Cubanology.

For our English speaking readers, the sign reads:

"Honduras is the example for the world. We don't have oil nor dollars, but we've got balls".

'nuff said.

PD: Can someone, please, page POTUS and his entourage? Should we extend the message to the Americans still blinded by The One?

Tell me who your friends (or your posters) are...

or whose' face do you wear in your hat, or your T-shirt... and that will say it all.

Honduras has become the last pro-democracy bastion in Latin America.

And, believe it or not, the Obama administration has chosen to side with the Chavez-wannabe that wants to destroyed all the leaps the small country has made towards democracy and the rule of law.

Hondurans are outraged with Obama position - yes, that same president that decided he couldn't "meddle" in Iran's conflict when thousands of civilians were being killed while protesting the stolen presidential elections.

They feel America has betrayed them, and I - personally - can not agree more.

For a very long time the US has been hitting hard Latin America's power grabs, "banana republics" and so on. But now, when it has the chance the side with democracy, what have we got? Shame on you, Mr. President.

Shame on you.

Super H/T to Babalu Blog

My 4th of July's tale

For the first time in my life, I had a close encounter with the symbol of America - the bald eagle. It was on 4th of July's Eve, when I took my kiddo - along with some good friends - to the local zoo. I've never seen bald eagles before; mind you, this Cuban (American) Mom has been so for only a few years.

I am not a huge fan of zoos; although I believe they do great things for animals, specially those that are not fit to live in their natural environments anymore, I can't help the feeling that I rather see those animal living in their natural habitats...

But this trip gave me - among a lot other great sights - the chance to see bald eagles and to witness the singing-barking conversation this lovely couple was having, up close and personal.

What a coincidence, I thought, just in the eve of the 4th of July, which is a dearest celebration for me, way beyond barbecues, friends and fireworks.

And when I told my son "Look, they are bald eagles, they are the symbol of America, the symbol of your homeland", he was really quick to note the obvious: "Mama, pero ellas no son calvas". (Mom, but they are not bald).

They really are magnificent animals. I tried to keep them in my mind as the symbol of this year's 4th of July, specially in the middle of the thunder storms that are loving us way too much this summer.

And when I was ready to start whining about the weather being the single item that didn't work with us and with the fireworks this year, I first read about a father who has lost his son in Afghanistan, right on Independence Day.

What on earth should I complain for, because of the rain on the 4th of July?
In this life, everthing is so relative... depending on the set of eyes you're using to look at them.
Thank you, Aaron.

Yet another proof of POTUS media manipulation

When a liberal columnist like Helen Thomas - which I was quite unfamiliar with until yesterday - refuses to be muzzled by The White House manipulations, well... I guess that says it all, right?

The Media Research Center is congratulating her. And after yesterday's rant, that is flying all over the net, during an interview with CNSNews.com, she blasted:

“Nixon didn’t try to do that,” Thomas said. “They couldn’t control (the media). They didn’t try.“What the hell do they think we are, puppets?” Thomas said. “They’re supposed to stay out of our business. They are our public servants. We pay them.”

Thomas said she was especially concerned about the arrangement between the Obama Administration and a writer from the liberal Huffington Post Web site. The writer was invited by the White House to President Obama’s press conference last week on the understanding that he would ask Obama a question about Iran from among questions that had been sent to him by people in Iran.

“When you call the reporter the night before you know damn well what they are going to ask to control you,” Thomas said.“I’m not saying there has never been managed news before, but this is carried to fare-thee-well--for the town halls, for the press conferences,” she said. “It’s blatant. They don’t give a damn if you know it or not. They ought to be hanging their heads in shame.”

Really? How come nobody have noticed it before we have been having a State Run Media, biased and blindly in bed with the current administration and its cronies, waaaay before election day?

I guess only these crazy, right-wingers Cuban Americans - who, BTW, know a thing or two about censorship and state-run media - and their American conservatives allies were the only ones seeing the fireball that was coming...

Oh, boy... the more one stirs the landfill, the more it stinks.

Slapping POTUS' face; no speeches needed

Sign reads: We are not Chávez's puppets)

This photo says it all. It's from El Nuevo Herald article on the interim government decision to suspend some constitutional guaranties in order to regulate protests.

Rolando Dubon, congressman from the Liberal Party - Manuel Zelaya's own party - explains (my own translation):

"This is being done (because) there is a risk that there are many people from other countries in Honduras, and there is the concern that they could try actions against the citizenry and the new government," although he didn't gave more details about the presence of foreigners.

People I know with relatives in Honduras have been telling me that it's vox populi the fact that many Venezuelans are organizing protests pro-Zelaya in Honduras territory.

And knowing myself who Chávez and his thugs coaches on public demonstrations are ... should I connect the dots?

The Drudge Report posted this Reuter's story on Honduras resisting pressure from everywhere - including the US administration - to allow Zelaya's return. Double standard, anyone?

Crash course notice

Could we forward this crash-course on the events in Honduras to POTUS, please?

IMHO, a little bit of education on the topic wouldn't be harmful...

At least a post it note, delivered via Gibbs, with a summary blurb about this "democratic coup"?

It's like knocking in a stone-deaf's door - maybe they are too busy hiding ACORN scandals, naming Czars and ousting IG's that have discovered the putrid smell of the current administration ways to do business?

Aaaggg!

The country we have become

A few lonely rangers in this former profession of mine still have some ethics and decency - and guts, if I may add.

Gibbs is the worst clown of this circus we've got ourselves into...



May be not every thing is lost?

Not quite sure after seeing this other; a formal declaration on the life that lies ahead under a gangster's government:



I want to keep the faith in the American people, I want to believe that most of us will not allow this administration to take us to the road of destruction, I really want to believe so...

It's just that some days is harder than usual...

H/T to at Babalu Blog