Sunday, August 19, 2007
A Crash of Titans and the Truth Prevails
Those who missed yesterday's epic fight between Enrique Rubio (aka fantomas & Longfellow) and Alex Hernández (aka "Ya No Más"), which the latter won by knock-out and left fantomas literally crying "¡No más!", can view it at your pleasure by visiting the Madhouse for the Stupid and Obnoxious, where it's playing 24-hours a day for an unlimited engagement. Scroll down to the bottom of the 200+ comments (a long and interesting trek). Never a dull minute (except when fantomas is holding court). Not recommended for those with week stomachs and faint hearts. Can you cut it in The Madhouse? We'll see.
Enrique Rubio (aka "Fantomas") Is "John Longfellow"
Perhaps the most famous personality in the history of Cuban-American blogs is "John Longfellow," who achieved his greatest notoriety at Miami's Cuban Connection, Oscar Corral's un-blog, but who at one time or another pestered practically every Cuban-themed blog before being booted. The Longfellow persona was infantile, anal retentive, bigotted and obsessed with Cuba and Cubans though purporting to be a "100% percent American." At times he presented himself as an admirer of Castro and a defamer of Cuban-Americans, and at other times, far fewer, he pretended to side with the oppressed Cuban people and defended Cuban-Americans. Whatever his political stance on any given day, or, indeed, at any given moment, Longfellow's purpose was always to disrupt discussion and make himself the center of attention. I tangled with him many times and always got the better of him, much as I've always gotten the better of Fantomas here (first clue). Based on my analysis of Longfellow's writing I correctly surmised years ago that he was Puerto Rican. And so he turned out to be. Though Cuban by birth he has lived in Puerto Rico for most of his life and acquired the native's distinctive inflection which was reflected also into his writings (at least to my trained ear). I listened yesterday to Fantomas' sporadic blog radio show where he had invited me to appear (same distinctive Puerto Rican accent). The final clue he himself provided when he threatened to do to RCAB what he had once upon a time done to Miami's Cuban Connection, flood it with propaganda from NAMBLA (the North American Man-Boy Love Association). It was this tactic that brought down Oscar Corral's blog even before it was decimated by fallout from the Miami Moonlighters story.
Nowadays Longfellow (aka Fantomas) moors at Stuck on the Palmetto, where he is the chief attraction and is kept on a much tighter leash than he ever was by Oscar Corral, whose disdain for his once-popular blog is legendary. Indeed, perhaps it would be more correct to say that Corral's indifference killed his blog and Longfellow was the catalyst. I would have left Longfellow to his own devices, wreaking havoc here and elsewhere on the Cuban-American blogosphere, except that last night he threatened to do to this blog what he did last year to Corral's. Under the circumstances I was left no choice but to expose him.
I do not know but strongly suspect that Babalú is complicit with him. This is certainly ironic because as "Longfellow" Fantomas was booted from Babalú more times than he could remember and his personal disdain for Val Prieto, as expressed hundreds of times on Corral's late blog and elsewhere, make everything I've ever said about Val after March 29 sound like gentle chiding. The end of the cat-and-mouse-game that fantomas has been playing with the Babalunians is my only regret in "outing him." Val and Henry are dumb enough to have been fooled forever by him. Having joined BUCL and become Val and Henry's "good friend" and nominal ally — that is, been embraced and co-opted by the Babalunian establishment — one would have supposed that Longfellow (aka Fantomas) would have ceased his efforts to sabotage Babalú blog; but the fifth-columnist continues to challenge them and spout pro-Castro comments as "tango." I guess fantomas (aka Longfellow) was right when he claimed here time and time again that he was not a Babalú "satellite." No, the sun has not been born yet that can trap and neutralize this wayward comet and harbinger of ill.
Last night, fantomas was challenged here by an Anonymous commenter, whom fantomas himself identified as his "New York nemesis" Alex ("Ya No Más). It was quite a contest between the two with me as the reluctant referee. They tore each other apart, but Alex connected with the most punches and at the end fantomas was literally begging him "No más." I cannot vouch for the truth of anything that they said to each other here, although fantomas' threat to turn this blog into an outpost for NAMBLA is certainly no way to refute Alex's accusations of pederasty. I removed most of their comments to The Madhouse, where readers may make up their own minds.
Despite his having threatened to destroy this blog, I have not banned Fantomas (aka Longfellow). Banning, deleting and censoring are Babalú's tools, not mine. But the enemy within has been exposed.
Longfellow is Fantomas. And Fantomas is Enrique Rubio.
Nowadays Longfellow (aka Fantomas) moors at Stuck on the Palmetto, where he is the chief attraction and is kept on a much tighter leash than he ever was by Oscar Corral, whose disdain for his once-popular blog is legendary. Indeed, perhaps it would be more correct to say that Corral's indifference killed his blog and Longfellow was the catalyst. I would have left Longfellow to his own devices, wreaking havoc here and elsewhere on the Cuban-American blogosphere, except that last night he threatened to do to this blog what he did last year to Corral's. Under the circumstances I was left no choice but to expose him.
I do not know but strongly suspect that Babalú is complicit with him. This is certainly ironic because as "Longfellow" Fantomas was booted from Babalú more times than he could remember and his personal disdain for Val Prieto, as expressed hundreds of times on Corral's late blog and elsewhere, make everything I've ever said about Val after March 29 sound like gentle chiding. The end of the cat-and-mouse-game that fantomas has been playing with the Babalunians is my only regret in "outing him." Val and Henry are dumb enough to have been fooled forever by him. Having joined BUCL and become Val and Henry's "good friend" and nominal ally — that is, been embraced and co-opted by the Babalunian establishment — one would have supposed that Longfellow (aka Fantomas) would have ceased his efforts to sabotage Babalú blog; but the fifth-columnist continues to challenge them and spout pro-Castro comments as "tango." I guess fantomas (aka Longfellow) was right when he claimed here time and time again that he was not a Babalú "satellite." No, the sun has not been born yet that can trap and neutralize this wayward comet and harbinger of ill.
Last night, fantomas was challenged here by an Anonymous commenter, whom fantomas himself identified as his "New York nemesis" Alex ("Ya No Más). It was quite a contest between the two with me as the reluctant referee. They tore each other apart, but Alex connected with the most punches and at the end fantomas was literally begging him "No más." I cannot vouch for the truth of anything that they said to each other here, although fantomas' threat to turn this blog into an outpost for NAMBLA is certainly no way to refute Alex's accusations of pederasty. I removed most of their comments to The Madhouse, where readers may make up their own minds.
Despite his having threatened to destroy this blog, I have not banned Fantomas (aka Longfellow). Banning, deleting and censoring are Babalú's tools, not mine. But the enemy within has been exposed.
Longfellow is Fantomas. And Fantomas is Enrique Rubio.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
The Sun-Post's Rebecca Wakefield Polishes Oscar Corral's Apple Again
Beware of the wrath of the gods, but be even more wary of their humor. Their wrath can sometimes be anticipated; it thunders from afar, but it thunders. Their humor, however, flies above our heads and drops copious guano on us when we least expect it. Such was Oscar Corral's unhappy case. The instrument of the gods in Corral's case was the Sun-Post's Rebecca Wakefield, who wrote a worshipful profile of Oscar Corral in her paper just 3 weeks before Corral allegedly directed his charm and $50 at a teenage prostitute, who was no doubt more cautious of Corral's intentions than the gullible Wakefield. I've already summarized Wakefield's story and I don't think I can improve upon it: "Intrepid ace reporter takes on Miami's Cuban extremists and becomes martyr-in-waiting".
Wakefield portrayed Corral as a paragon of journalistic ethics. As it turns out, however, his personal ethics left a lot to be desired; and, of course, what we are as humans impacts what we are as journalists, clowns or salesmen. One would suppose that were Wakefield to write a follow-up of her story she would make that the motiff. But her judgment, like Corral's or anybody else's in the Third Estate, is infallible and not subject to reassessment or second thoughts.
When she again mentioned Corral's name, two weeks after his non-alleged arrest, it was on a blog called Urban Squall where she glossed over Corral's conduct and her own shameless puffery and concentrated instead on a peripheral player in the Miami Moonlighters story, the cartoonist José Varela, who had his own name besmirched by Corral's story because he had at one time accepted a $200 honorarium for an appearance on Radio Martí. No doubt this contributed to his later actions at 1 Herald Plaza. His issues with the paper were not precipitated by financial or marital problems, as Wakefield and everybody else speculated at the time; but, rather, had a great deal to do with his disgust at the institutional corruption which he witnessed there. As he revealed in a comment on the Review of Cuban American Blogs:
"Manuel, you are not far from the truth with what you wrote in the last the paragraph ['The only explanation I can find for what amounts to a cover-up by the Miami media is this: perhaps all the media in Miami are replete with adulterers who pay to fornicate, luckier but no less depraved than Oscar Corral, and this was just a can of worms that nobody could afford to open.] They cover up for one another because there is just too much shit going down. An undercover cop caught one of their number masturbating in a public restroom; he's still a bigwig at Diario las Américas. Another character, who's on the State of Florida's Registry of Sexual Predators, was removed as managing editor at the time of my incident for appearances' sake. The editor had moral problems also with two female employees; he is still at the job but one of the women (now his wife) was removed to avoid a conflict of interests. In short, the flawed humans who work in the third estate in Miami are as subject to moral turpitude as the very power that they wield is susceptible to corruption. No-show jobs, the opportunistic assignment of little columns to the favored few, the allocation of funds for overseas assignments that are little more than paid vacations and for conferences and conventions in exotic locales like Brazil — all this is also part of the endemic corruption that prevails there. Corrollo used to tell me when he was mayor that they were all "influence peddlers." And that's only the top of the iceberg; underneath there are even more perverse things to be found. It's hard to say it because it may appear that in doing so I am besmirching Miami's reputation; but, in fact, there is another Miami which is deserving of honor, the Miami to which my grandparents and parents (now deceased) belonged, who eaked out an honest living in factories, tomato canneries and gas stations from dawn to dusk in order to be able to raise their kids and give them an education. Miami is saved by such noble and hardworking people. It's unfortunate that "Granma" uses the other perverse ones to generalize about Miami."
Wakefield's post centered on an ingenious cartoon Varela drew in the wake of Corral's arrest for solicitation, which RCAB also reproduced. The cartoon shows Corral impressing the teenage prostitute by assuring her that he's paying her with money received from The Miami Herald, not Radio Marti or TV Marti, which causes her to exclaim: "Wow, what ethics!" It really is a little masterpiece, encapsulating in a few trenchant words a year's coverage of the Moonlighters story in light of recent revelations about Corral's own extracurricular activities.
Wakefield, however, did not make the message of Varela's cartoon the focus of her blogpost. She ignored the topical story and preferred to concentrate on José Varela's troubles at The Herald in Nov. 2006, which matter has been settled already in the most satisfactory manner imaginable to him. If not a complete vindication of Varela's actions, the two days' probation which he received for barricading himself in a Nuevo Herald editor's office is as close as one can get to judicial vindication short of actual acquittal.
She should, perhaps, have focused on the fact that Corral's arrest on prostitution charges confirms what Varela had been alleging all the while and everybody had been scoffing at, namely, that the deans and doyens of American journalism, who demand the strictest morality and ethics from everybody else, especially politicians, hold themselves above all moral and ethical rules, as a law unto themselves. This is a truth that needed to be said, although it was better illustrated in Varela's cartoon than in his desperate act. Yet we would sooner excuse his desperation than Corral's hypocrisy. It is, of course, otherwise with Corral's apologist Rebecca Wakefield.
http://www.category305.com/media-watch/jose-varela-on-oscar-corral.php
Wakefield portrayed Corral as a paragon of journalistic ethics. As it turns out, however, his personal ethics left a lot to be desired; and, of course, what we are as humans impacts what we are as journalists, clowns or salesmen. One would suppose that were Wakefield to write a follow-up of her story she would make that the motiff. But her judgment, like Corral's or anybody else's in the Third Estate, is infallible and not subject to reassessment or second thoughts.
When she again mentioned Corral's name, two weeks after his non-alleged arrest, it was on a blog called Urban Squall where she glossed over Corral's conduct and her own shameless puffery and concentrated instead on a peripheral player in the Miami Moonlighters story, the cartoonist José Varela, who had his own name besmirched by Corral's story because he had at one time accepted a $200 honorarium for an appearance on Radio Martí. No doubt this contributed to his later actions at 1 Herald Plaza. His issues with the paper were not precipitated by financial or marital problems, as Wakefield and everybody else speculated at the time; but, rather, had a great deal to do with his disgust at the institutional corruption which he witnessed there. As he revealed in a comment on the Review of Cuban American Blogs:
"Manuel, you are not far from the truth with what you wrote in the last the paragraph ['The only explanation I can find for what amounts to a cover-up by the Miami media is this: perhaps all the media in Miami are replete with adulterers who pay to fornicate, luckier but no less depraved than Oscar Corral, and this was just a can of worms that nobody could afford to open.] They cover up for one another because there is just too much shit going down. An undercover cop caught one of their number masturbating in a public restroom; he's still a bigwig at Diario las Américas. Another character, who's on the State of Florida's Registry of Sexual Predators, was removed as managing editor at the time of my incident for appearances' sake. The editor had moral problems also with two female employees; he is still at the job but one of the women (now his wife) was removed to avoid a conflict of interests. In short, the flawed humans who work in the third estate in Miami are as subject to moral turpitude as the very power that they wield is susceptible to corruption. No-show jobs, the opportunistic assignment of little columns to the favored few, the allocation of funds for overseas assignments that are little more than paid vacations and for conferences and conventions in exotic locales like Brazil — all this is also part of the endemic corruption that prevails there. Corrollo used to tell me when he was mayor that they were all "influence peddlers." And that's only the top of the iceberg; underneath there are even more perverse things to be found. It's hard to say it because it may appear that in doing so I am besmirching Miami's reputation; but, in fact, there is another Miami which is deserving of honor, the Miami to which my grandparents and parents (now deceased) belonged, who eaked out an honest living in factories, tomato canneries and gas stations from dawn to dusk in order to be able to raise their kids and give them an education. Miami is saved by such noble and hardworking people. It's unfortunate that "Granma" uses the other perverse ones to generalize about Miami."
Wakefield's post centered on an ingenious cartoon Varela drew in the wake of Corral's arrest for solicitation, which RCAB also reproduced. The cartoon shows Corral impressing the teenage prostitute by assuring her that he's paying her with money received from The Miami Herald, not Radio Marti or TV Marti, which causes her to exclaim: "Wow, what ethics!" It really is a little masterpiece, encapsulating in a few trenchant words a year's coverage of the Moonlighters story in light of recent revelations about Corral's own extracurricular activities.
Wakefield, however, did not make the message of Varela's cartoon the focus of her blogpost. She ignored the topical story and preferred to concentrate on José Varela's troubles at The Herald in Nov. 2006, which matter has been settled already in the most satisfactory manner imaginable to him. If not a complete vindication of Varela's actions, the two days' probation which he received for barricading himself in a Nuevo Herald editor's office is as close as one can get to judicial vindication short of actual acquittal.
She should, perhaps, have focused on the fact that Corral's arrest on prostitution charges confirms what Varela had been alleging all the while and everybody had been scoffing at, namely, that the deans and doyens of American journalism, who demand the strictest morality and ethics from everybody else, especially politicians, hold themselves above all moral and ethical rules, as a law unto themselves. This is a truth that needed to be said, although it was better illustrated in Varela's cartoon than in his desperate act. Yet we would sooner excuse his desperation than Corral's hypocrisy. It is, of course, otherwise with Corral's apologist Rebecca Wakefield.
http://www.category305.com/media-watch/jose-varela-on-oscar-corral.php
Reflection on Fidel Castro's Death
Some day, after he is dead, we shall look back with some appreciation at the fact that we got to see Fidel "die" so many times before he actually did.
In life, he suffered all the deaths of a coward; and in death, he shall suffer all the deaths of a traitor. May the Bible and Dante be right.
In life, he suffered all the deaths of a coward; and in death, he shall suffer all the deaths of a traitor. May the Bible and Dante be right.
Martí and Fidel: The Apostle and the Pharisee
By: José Varela
Fidel: Oh it's you, Martí, the "Intellectual Author" of the Revolution.
Martí: Cut that out, Fidel, or I am going to sue you.http://varela1.blogspot.com/
Friday, August 17, 2007
Val Prieto Wants to Give Raúl Castro the Business
[I have a big backlog of posts; the Oscar Corral story pretty much knocked Val & Henry off my front page. It's not that I haven't been writing about their foibles. I have, of course. There just wasn't room to insert them in the prominent position that they deserve. I hope over this week-end to catch-up and publish the lot of them. Here's the most recent one commenting on Val's suggestion of yesterday about rewarding Raúl after Fidel's death in the hope he will abandon communism. A similar idea was floated around 1959 and for some years later and some apologists for Fidel still blame Eisenhower and Kennedy for not trying hard enough or at all to "ween" Castro away from Communism by giving him whatever he asked for and then some. But, really, what more could the U.S. have given him than what it in fact gave him — a solemn pledge, enshrined in a treaty, to do everything in its power to see that he died in office? Here's Val still parroting the "appeasement at all costs" or "surrender without defeat" philosophy made famous by Neville Chamberlain 70 years ago:]
In a post entitled "Buenos Dias, ... grrmmphh" (I guessed he titled it thusly so that nobody in the future would ever be able to find it and call him up it), Val informed his readers that he was up into the wee hours of the night grappling with an idea that had "pitched a tent and a residence" in his mind. It must have been quite a narrow but lithesome idea to have been able to pitch a tent and a residence in the short expanse of land that is Val's brain.
What was this remarkably self-accommodating idea that so tantalized him? "Fidel is the revolution and the revolution is Fidel." I must say that I'm impressed, and I am not being sarcastic. Sure it's a cliché, a very old and oft-repeated cliché, but at least it is true (not the whole truth but a substantial part of it). Val then goes on to expound that no real transition in Cuba will take place until Fidel is actually dead. Now Val has been saying that Fidel is dead for the longest time. I suppose that what he really means is that without Fidel's presence (real or not) an explosion of discontent will erupt on the island which would threaten the foundations of the regime.
And what does Val believe should be the U.S. reaction to widespread discontent in Cuba? Well, we might expect his answer to be that it should tighten the pressure cooker, after all that's what Val has always advocated in respect to exiles providing assistance to their starving relatives in Cuba. But, no, for once Val doesn't want to implode his countrymen in that pressure cooker, but to release the steam. Val proposes that upon the announcement of Fidel's death the U.S. immediately lift the trade embargo and "all restrictions vis-a vis-Cuba." Let us humor him and suppose that such a thing were legally possible (which it is not).
This then begs the question: Was our beef just with Fidel, not with the Revolution, not with Communism, not with Raúl? We were right not to reward Fidel, but would be justified in rewarding Raul for 48 years of tyranny at home and enmity to the United States? Just so long as it is not done in Castro's lifetime (official or otherwise), Val would not hesitate in recognizing and rewarding the monument to political reppression and economic lunacy that Fidel created in Cuba.
Ironically, Val may be right: not in the sense that the U.S. would be justified so to act but that it may act even without justification. Its foreign policy towards Cuba is in fact founded on Val's pressure cooker analogy. It wants to let off just enough steam to reduce the pressure on the regime so that it will not implode. It doesn't matter to Bush, just as it did not matter to Clinton, whether Cuba regains her freedom or not, just as long as whomever is in charge can keep the peace on the island, even if it is the peace of the grave; and, above all else, the U.S. wants someone in charge powerful enough to prevent another (much greater) Mariel in an election year. Whoever can manage that, even Raúl, is America's "Man in Havana." This should come as no surprise to anyone because the U.S. has maintained an attitude inimical to Cuban freedom since the first days of the Revolution and done everything to thwart it even when, as in the Bay of Pigs, it seemed to be supporting it.
In a post entitled "Buenos Dias, ... grrmmphh" (I guessed he titled it thusly so that nobody in the future would ever be able to find it and call him up it), Val informed his readers that he was up into the wee hours of the night grappling with an idea that had "pitched a tent and a residence" in his mind. It must have been quite a narrow but lithesome idea to have been able to pitch a tent and a residence in the short expanse of land that is Val's brain.
What was this remarkably self-accommodating idea that so tantalized him? "Fidel is the revolution and the revolution is Fidel." I must say that I'm impressed, and I am not being sarcastic. Sure it's a cliché, a very old and oft-repeated cliché, but at least it is true (not the whole truth but a substantial part of it). Val then goes on to expound that no real transition in Cuba will take place until Fidel is actually dead. Now Val has been saying that Fidel is dead for the longest time. I suppose that what he really means is that without Fidel's presence (real or not) an explosion of discontent will erupt on the island which would threaten the foundations of the regime.
And what does Val believe should be the U.S. reaction to widespread discontent in Cuba? Well, we might expect his answer to be that it should tighten the pressure cooker, after all that's what Val has always advocated in respect to exiles providing assistance to their starving relatives in Cuba. But, no, for once Val doesn't want to implode his countrymen in that pressure cooker, but to release the steam. Val proposes that upon the announcement of Fidel's death the U.S. immediately lift the trade embargo and "all restrictions vis-a vis-Cuba." Let us humor him and suppose that such a thing were legally possible (which it is not).
This then begs the question: Was our beef just with Fidel, not with the Revolution, not with Communism, not with Raúl? We were right not to reward Fidel, but would be justified in rewarding Raul for 48 years of tyranny at home and enmity to the United States? Just so long as it is not done in Castro's lifetime (official or otherwise), Val would not hesitate in recognizing and rewarding the monument to political reppression and economic lunacy that Fidel created in Cuba.
Ironically, Val may be right: not in the sense that the U.S. would be justified so to act but that it may act even without justification. Its foreign policy towards Cuba is in fact founded on Val's pressure cooker analogy. It wants to let off just enough steam to reduce the pressure on the regime so that it will not implode. It doesn't matter to Bush, just as it did not matter to Clinton, whether Cuba regains her freedom or not, just as long as whomever is in charge can keep the peace on the island, even if it is the peace of the grave; and, above all else, the U.S. wants someone in charge powerful enough to prevent another (much greater) Mariel in an election year. Whoever can manage that, even Raúl, is America's "Man in Havana." This should come as no surprise to anyone because the U.S. has maintained an attitude inimical to Cuban freedom since the first days of the Revolution and done everything to thwart it even when, as in the Bay of Pigs, it seemed to be supporting it.
The World Awaits With Bated Breath: "The Tellechea Hour" on the Fantomas Blog Radio Show
Fantomas said...
Oye estoy pensando hacer un blogtalkradio y quiero que seas mi invitado de honor... daría por cualquier cosa de escuchar tu tono de voz en inglés y en español.
¿Que te parece hoy a las 9 pm EST?
8/16/2007 3:34 PM
Manuel A.Tellechea said...
Fantomas:
A great many people would like me to appear on their faux radio shows. You must be on your best behavior all of next week to earn that privilege. If you do, you must announce my visit every day on your blog and every other blog for another week. Only if you faithfully fulfill these requirements can you hope to have me as a guest, which would guarantee you the biggest audience in the history of Cuban-American blog radio. Your ratings could only be topped if I appeared on The Babalu [Faux] Radio Hour, and that, of course, will never happen.
8/16/2007 7:42 PM
Fantomas said...
Che che me la pusistes dura pero no podía esperar menos de ti.
Me extraña que quieras participar con Fantomas en un radio show ...
Pero como ya has aceptado a comparecer entonces we got a deal...
Lo único que te digo es que estas pidiendo mucho, I don't have a problem with announcing your royal appearance on the Fantomas Radio Show on my blog one week in advance.
Solo te advierto algo: si me cancelas después de haberte hecho la promoción te juro por mi madre que te envío los fantomas thugs que tengo en el east coast para que te den una senda paliza.
Así que mira a ver que vas a hacer.
Tell me the date and the time so that I can properly select the show at once...
The radio show will be done in both languages English and Spanish.
8/16/2007 8:33 PM
Manuel A.Tellechea said...
fantomas:
My appearance is contingent on your good behavior for one week here. This does not mean that you should vanish for one week from this blog or agree with everything I say, but, rather, that you will comport yourself with dignity and sanity here. I know it is a tall order, and, frankly, I don't believe you can do it. But we will see. Only after you have successfully completed your probation will I consent to appear on your show. You should know by now that I am a man of my word. Of course, there will be no other guests or callers to your show. Just you and I and the biggest audience in the history of Cuban-American blog radio. If you attempt any unwelcomed "reunions" with Val or other unpleasant people (and you know who they are) I will immediately leave the show.
Now, those are my rules and you either play by them or we don't play at all.
8/16/2007 8:53 PM
Fantomas said...
Agreed 100%
Remember just one thing:
I AM NOT A SATELLITE, NEVER BEEN, NEVER WILL BE!
METETELO IN YOUR HEAD.
8/16/2007 9:05 PM
Manuel A.Tellechea said...
fantomas:
You may not remember that we tried this experiment before and that you failed miserably to live up to your part of the agreement. I wish you better luck this time. Certainly you have every incentive to succeed. During next week I expect you to dazzle us all with your erudition (smartness) on the RCAB.
Oh, fantomas, how you are going to be the envy of all your fellow Babalunian satellites! Be sure to use protection for your own sake: they do not love you well.
One last thing: I could have auctioned this honor for a king's ransom and instead I bestow this it on you. Think deeply on that, fantomas, or as deeply as you can, and learn the meaning of gratitude.
8/16/2007 9:47 PM
Fantomas said...
Tranquilo Manny, I got your point.
Te lo dice a "kinder, gentler Fantomas" for 1 week only.
8/16/2007 9:50 PM
Manuel A.Tellechea said...
P.S.: And, yes, fantomas, I will be giving you demerits for improper conduct (well, not that kind of improper conduct). On the third demerit you will be disqualified from the honor of entertaining me as your guest on your [faux] radio show.
8/16/2007 9:52 PM
Manuel A.Tellechea said...
P.S.S: And I myself will not necessarily be nice next week. Be warned. This is not going to be a cakewalk for you. You will earn all 60 minutes of my valuable time.
8/16/2007 9:56 PM
Fantomas said...
I am ready for the opportunity to have such a great guest in my humble and seldom used The Fantomas Radio Blogtalk show.
Next week will be a piece of cake for me in regards to my behavior... no matter what you do to entice me to get disqualified or sent to the madhouse...
I got your number now.
Again, who is your internet nemesis? You have not answered me that one.
8/16/2007 10:30 PM
Manuel A.Tellechea said...
Fantomas:
Well, you seem to be in a good frame of mind and if you keep your cool under fire you may be able to carry the day.
As I said, you have nothing to fear from me. It is your friends and allies in the Cuban blogosphere who now envy you in addition to hating your guts (which they always have). I hope that you can survive their spite, not to mention the coconuts and dead chickens on your lawn. Be of strong heart. Other men have chanced more for less.
8/16/2007 11:26 PM
Fantomas said...
Manny just answer me this one...
Why do you say the Cuban-American blogosphere hates fantomas?
What have I done to any of them?
Yo pense que ellos me querían mucho.
8/16/2007 11:54 PM
Anonymous said...
What is the date and time of that show? Shit... can't wait for this one. Buying my popcorn already!
Signed,
A Prudent But Not Cowardly "Anonymous."
8/17/2007 1:41 AM
Fantomas said...
Manny, like you said before, this is not a popularity contest...
Anyways for the people who love me silly and for my detractors:
I want you all to think of fantomas as if I were Alex from Clockwork Orange... here is my favourite part...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxrfVFBZWL4
I am a good friend after all, right Mr. Manuel?
8/17/2007 2:09 AM
Manuel A.Tellechea said...
fantomas:
You can see for yourself the excitement that is building in every corner of the Cuban-American blogosphere at my prospective appearance on your show. Never has the dead medium of radio been more alive. The air literally cracks at the anticipation of our meeting. Men who would never have given you the time of day are begging you now for your show's URL. Oh happy inspiring spectacle of the redemptive power of genius!
8/17/2007 3:08 AM
Fantomas said...
It is going to be bigger than Imus vs Sharpton... Even the king of all media is interested in the outcome...
Remember it is going to be just you and me... inside the ring... no phone calls allowed.
No referees...
The world will be listening...
Che Che in español... I can't wait...
8/17/2007 3:14 AM
Fantomas said...
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hostpage.aspx?host_id=1699
8/17/2007 3:16 AM
Anonymous said...
Lol "the air literally cracks: pffftt ... I just have one question — what time is this show? I CAN'T EVEN SLEEP BECAUSE OF THE SUSPENSE! Well, not really, but I thought I'd add to the excitement. This is going to be one hell of a show! Be there or be square!
8/17/2007 3:47 AM
Anonymous said...
Cubans are Awesome!!!
8/17/2007 3:48 AM
Anonymous said...
I'm feeling it baby! I'm feeling it! The suspense is GROWING! Start the show!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOO HOOO!
8/17/2007 3:53 AM
Fantomas said...
Manuel people are lining up already... this is amazing...
Se me ha prendido el bombillo... si cierras el Madhouse, si dejas de atacar a otros Cuban blogs por gusto y si te portas bien next week ... estoy considerando invitarte once a week to the "Tellechea Hour at Fantomas Radio" where we can both cohost a show and talk about the previous week's acontecimientos en Cuba and the blogosphere...
¿Que te parece la idea, chamaco?
[Then] successful People will start hating us for sure.
8/17/2007 3:53 AM
Anonymous said...
:)
8/17/2007 3:53 AM
Anonymous said...
Fanto, you're dreaming now.
8/17/2007 3:55 AM
Anonymous said...
:0)
8/17/2007 3:56 AM
Fantomas said...
Not really, I am awake just as you are.
Who are you? Why the disguise?
8/17/2007 3:57 AM
Fantomas said...
Una musiquita cortesía de Fanto:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hostpage.aspx?show_id=23261
8/17/2007 4:00 AM
Anonymous said...
lol why not? Good luck to both of you ;)
8/17/2007 4:02 AM
Manuel A.Tellechea said...
fantomas:
I don't know if the whole world will be listening, but certainly everyone in the Babalunian empire will be listening. If your show aired at the same time as The Babalu Radio Hour, they would literally be listening live to your show. That is why I tell you that you must protect yourself against the effects of their envy. Because, for once, they do envy you. No longer are you just a tool for them to use against me, the court jester that the Emperor ValentÃn kicks and jabs at pleasure. No! Now you shall have risen above him, and he shall grovel at your feet. I am delighted to empower you, fantomas. I have long thought that by virtue of your superior intellect (superior to Val's, anyway) it is you who should lead the Babalunian legions. For you, this is merely an opportunity to become the king of Cuban blog radio. Your vision is not as wide and far-reaching as mine (whose is?) To me, it is evident that this will precipitate a revolution in your favor among the Babalunians. I am even prepared to crown you symbolically on the air. You were nothing, fantomas; but you can and will be everything!
8/17/2007 5:47 AM
fantomas said...
"You were nothing"
According to you?
That was a low blow...
8/17/2007 6:41 AM
Manuel A.Tellechea said...
Fantomas:
"Nothing" compared to what you will be!
8/17/2007 7:50 AM
Oye estoy pensando hacer un blogtalkradio y quiero que seas mi invitado de honor... daría por cualquier cosa de escuchar tu tono de voz en inglés y en español.
¿Que te parece hoy a las 9 pm EST?
8/16/2007 3:34 PM
Manuel A.Tellechea said...
Fantomas:
A great many people would like me to appear on their faux radio shows. You must be on your best behavior all of next week to earn that privilege. If you do, you must announce my visit every day on your blog and every other blog for another week. Only if you faithfully fulfill these requirements can you hope to have me as a guest, which would guarantee you the biggest audience in the history of Cuban-American blog radio. Your ratings could only be topped if I appeared on The Babalu [Faux] Radio Hour, and that, of course, will never happen.
8/16/2007 7:42 PM
Fantomas said...
Che che me la pusistes dura pero no podía esperar menos de ti.
Me extraña que quieras participar con Fantomas en un radio show ...
Pero como ya has aceptado a comparecer entonces we got a deal...
Lo único que te digo es que estas pidiendo mucho, I don't have a problem with announcing your royal appearance on the Fantomas Radio Show on my blog one week in advance.
Solo te advierto algo: si me cancelas después de haberte hecho la promoción te juro por mi madre que te envío los fantomas thugs que tengo en el east coast para que te den una senda paliza.
Así que mira a ver que vas a hacer.
Tell me the date and the time so that I can properly select the show at once...
The radio show will be done in both languages English and Spanish.
8/16/2007 8:33 PM
Manuel A.Tellechea said...
fantomas:
My appearance is contingent on your good behavior for one week here. This does not mean that you should vanish for one week from this blog or agree with everything I say, but, rather, that you will comport yourself with dignity and sanity here. I know it is a tall order, and, frankly, I don't believe you can do it. But we will see. Only after you have successfully completed your probation will I consent to appear on your show. You should know by now that I am a man of my word. Of course, there will be no other guests or callers to your show. Just you and I and the biggest audience in the history of Cuban-American blog radio. If you attempt any unwelcomed "reunions" with Val or other unpleasant people (and you know who they are) I will immediately leave the show.
Now, those are my rules and you either play by them or we don't play at all.
8/16/2007 8:53 PM
Fantomas said...
Agreed 100%
Remember just one thing:
I AM NOT A SATELLITE, NEVER BEEN, NEVER WILL BE!
METETELO IN YOUR HEAD.
8/16/2007 9:05 PM
Manuel A.Tellechea said...
fantomas:
You may not remember that we tried this experiment before and that you failed miserably to live up to your part of the agreement. I wish you better luck this time. Certainly you have every incentive to succeed. During next week I expect you to dazzle us all with your erudition (smartness) on the RCAB.
Oh, fantomas, how you are going to be the envy of all your fellow Babalunian satellites! Be sure to use protection for your own sake: they do not love you well.
One last thing: I could have auctioned this honor for a king's ransom and instead I bestow this it on you. Think deeply on that, fantomas, or as deeply as you can, and learn the meaning of gratitude.
8/16/2007 9:47 PM
Fantomas said...
Tranquilo Manny, I got your point.
Te lo dice a "kinder, gentler Fantomas" for 1 week only.
8/16/2007 9:50 PM
Manuel A.Tellechea said...
P.S.: And, yes, fantomas, I will be giving you demerits for improper conduct (well, not that kind of improper conduct). On the third demerit you will be disqualified from the honor of entertaining me as your guest on your [faux] radio show.
8/16/2007 9:52 PM
Manuel A.Tellechea said...
P.S.S: And I myself will not necessarily be nice next week. Be warned. This is not going to be a cakewalk for you. You will earn all 60 minutes of my valuable time.
8/16/2007 9:56 PM
Fantomas said...
I am ready for the opportunity to have such a great guest in my humble and seldom used The Fantomas Radio Blogtalk show.
Next week will be a piece of cake for me in regards to my behavior... no matter what you do to entice me to get disqualified or sent to the madhouse...
I got your number now.
Again, who is your internet nemesis? You have not answered me that one.
8/16/2007 10:30 PM
Manuel A.Tellechea said...
Fantomas:
Well, you seem to be in a good frame of mind and if you keep your cool under fire you may be able to carry the day.
As I said, you have nothing to fear from me. It is your friends and allies in the Cuban blogosphere who now envy you in addition to hating your guts (which they always have). I hope that you can survive their spite, not to mention the coconuts and dead chickens on your lawn. Be of strong heart. Other men have chanced more for less.
8/16/2007 11:26 PM
Fantomas said...
Manny just answer me this one...
Why do you say the Cuban-American blogosphere hates fantomas?
What have I done to any of them?
Yo pense que ellos me querían mucho.
8/16/2007 11:54 PM
Anonymous said...
What is the date and time of that show? Shit... can't wait for this one. Buying my popcorn already!
Signed,
A Prudent But Not Cowardly "Anonymous."
8/17/2007 1:41 AM
Fantomas said...
Manny, like you said before, this is not a popularity contest...
Anyways for the people who love me silly and for my detractors:
I want you all to think of fantomas as if I were Alex from Clockwork Orange... here is my favourite part...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxrfVFBZWL4
I am a good friend after all, right Mr. Manuel?
8/17/2007 2:09 AM
Manuel A.Tellechea said...
fantomas:
You can see for yourself the excitement that is building in every corner of the Cuban-American blogosphere at my prospective appearance on your show. Never has the dead medium of radio been more alive. The air literally cracks at the anticipation of our meeting. Men who would never have given you the time of day are begging you now for your show's URL. Oh happy inspiring spectacle of the redemptive power of genius!
8/17/2007 3:08 AM
Fantomas said...
It is going to be bigger than Imus vs Sharpton... Even the king of all media is interested in the outcome...
Remember it is going to be just you and me... inside the ring... no phone calls allowed.
No referees...
The world will be listening...
Che Che in español... I can't wait...
8/17/2007 3:14 AM
Fantomas said...
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hostpage.aspx?host_id=1699
8/17/2007 3:16 AM
Anonymous said...
Lol "the air literally cracks: pffftt ... I just have one question — what time is this show? I CAN'T EVEN SLEEP BECAUSE OF THE SUSPENSE! Well, not really, but I thought I'd add to the excitement. This is going to be one hell of a show! Be there or be square!
8/17/2007 3:47 AM
Anonymous said...
Cubans are Awesome!!!
8/17/2007 3:48 AM
Anonymous said...
I'm feeling it baby! I'm feeling it! The suspense is GROWING! Start the show!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOO HOOO!
8/17/2007 3:53 AM
Fantomas said...
Manuel people are lining up already... this is amazing...
Se me ha prendido el bombillo... si cierras el Madhouse, si dejas de atacar a otros Cuban blogs por gusto y si te portas bien next week ... estoy considerando invitarte once a week to the "Tellechea Hour at Fantomas Radio" where we can both cohost a show and talk about the previous week's acontecimientos en Cuba and the blogosphere...
¿Que te parece la idea, chamaco?
[Then] successful People will start hating us for sure.
8/17/2007 3:53 AM
Anonymous said...
:)
8/17/2007 3:53 AM
Anonymous said...
Fanto, you're dreaming now.
8/17/2007 3:55 AM
Anonymous said...
:0)
8/17/2007 3:56 AM
Fantomas said...
Not really, I am awake just as you are.
Who are you? Why the disguise?
8/17/2007 3:57 AM
Fantomas said...
Una musiquita cortesía de Fanto:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hostpage.aspx?show_id=23261
8/17/2007 4:00 AM
Anonymous said...
lol why not? Good luck to both of you ;)
8/17/2007 4:02 AM
Manuel A.Tellechea said...
fantomas:
I don't know if the whole world will be listening, but certainly everyone in the Babalunian empire will be listening. If your show aired at the same time as The Babalu Radio Hour, they would literally be listening live to your show. That is why I tell you that you must protect yourself against the effects of their envy. Because, for once, they do envy you. No longer are you just a tool for them to use against me, the court jester that the Emperor ValentÃn kicks and jabs at pleasure. No! Now you shall have risen above him, and he shall grovel at your feet. I am delighted to empower you, fantomas. I have long thought that by virtue of your superior intellect (superior to Val's, anyway) it is you who should lead the Babalunian legions. For you, this is merely an opportunity to become the king of Cuban blog radio. Your vision is not as wide and far-reaching as mine (whose is?) To me, it is evident that this will precipitate a revolution in your favor among the Babalunians. I am even prepared to crown you symbolically on the air. You were nothing, fantomas; but you can and will be everything!
8/17/2007 5:47 AM
fantomas said...
"You were nothing"
According to you?
That was a low blow...
8/17/2007 6:41 AM
Manuel A.Tellechea said...
Fantomas:
"Nothing" compared to what you will be!
8/17/2007 7:50 AM
Thursday, August 16, 2007
All You Ever Wanted to Know About Oscar Corral But Didn't Know Where To Ask
Included here are all the posts, from the newest to the oldest, which we have devoted to Oscar Corral on the RCAB, the most comprehensive archive on the web of his recent meretricious conduct:
The Sun-Post's Rebecca Wakefield Polishes Oscar Corral's Apple Again
Deserving of the Pulitzer for Best Cartoonist
The Miami Media's Reaction to the Oscar Corral Affaire
Ah, Poor Henry Misses Me at Herald Watch
RCAB News: Cornering the Market on Oscar Corral
El Nuevo Herald Buckles to The Miami Herald While Granma Comes to Oscar Corral's Defense
Discussion of Oscar Corral Affaire Banned at Babalú Blog
Corgiguy Protests RCAB's Treatment of Oscar Corral
Oscar Corral: Rescuer of Lost Souls
Schadenfreude: Oscar Corral Gloats About Arthur Teele Jr.'s Downfall
Yamilet López: The Girl Whom Oscar Corral Propositioned
Oscar Corral's Alleged Homosexuality: Slander or Libel?
Oscar Corral Deletes Comments Critical of Him at "Miami's Cuban Connection"
Re Oscar Corral: Is Prostitution a "Victimless Crime?"
Oscar Corral and the Divine Finger
"In Miami's Fair City/Where the Girls Are So Pretty..."
New Times Names Oscar Corral "Best Commie Spy" in "Best of 2007" Issue
The Wrong Reporter For the Posada Story
Oscar Corral: The Man Without Principles
The Sun-Post's Rebecca Wakefield Polishes Oscar Corral's Apple Again
Deserving of the Pulitzer for Best Cartoonist
The Miami Media's Reaction to the Oscar Corral Affaire
Ah, Poor Henry Misses Me at Herald Watch
RCAB News: Cornering the Market on Oscar Corral
El Nuevo Herald Buckles to The Miami Herald While Granma Comes to Oscar Corral's Defense
Discussion of Oscar Corral Affaire Banned at Babalú Blog
Corgiguy Protests RCAB's Treatment of Oscar Corral
Oscar Corral: Rescuer of Lost Souls
Schadenfreude: Oscar Corral Gloats About Arthur Teele Jr.'s Downfall
Yamilet López: The Girl Whom Oscar Corral Propositioned
Oscar Corral's Alleged Homosexuality: Slander or Libel?
Oscar Corral Deletes Comments Critical of Him at "Miami's Cuban Connection"
Re Oscar Corral: Is Prostitution a "Victimless Crime?"
Oscar Corral and the Divine Finger
"In Miami's Fair City/Where the Girls Are So Pretty..."
New Times Names Oscar Corral "Best Commie Spy" in "Best of 2007" Issue
The Wrong Reporter For the Posada Story
Oscar Corral: The Man Without Principles
Deserving of the Pulitzer for Best Cartoonist
By: José Varela
Corral: I want you to know that I'm paying you with money from The Miami Herald, not Radio Martí or TV Martí.
Teenage prostitute: Wow! What ethics!
http://varela1.blogspot.com/
The Miami Media's Reaction to the Oscar Corral Affaire
Although it is hardly admirable we cannot but be impressed by the spirit de corps that exists and flourishes among Miami's journalistic community, although it is, after all, a one newspaper town, for all intents and purposes. The only other English-language newspaper is the alternative weekly Miami New Times, which is what one would expect it to be. The two Spanish-language daily newspapers, El Nuevo Herald, which is an offshoot of The Miami Herald, and El Diario Las Américas, which exists in its own mileau and almost in its own time and space, are not rivals of The Herald in any way, though occasional antagonists (El Herald, ironically, more than El Diario).
So the silence decreed by The Miami Herald on the Oscar Corral Affaire has not been challenged in any way by other Miami papers, nor, for that matter, by any papers that border its circulation area, not even the Sun-Post, which had profiled Corral only 3 weeks earlier in an embarrassing puff piece that only seems more embarrassing now (intrepid ace reporter takes on Miami's Cuban extremists and becomes martyr-in-waiting).
The Corral story provided an excellent opportunity for the other local papers to assert their independence and forge a distinct character, and, yes, for their circulations to grow. But even the contrarian New Times — aren't alternative newspapers supposed to be? — limited its coverage to its webpages, where it squandered real scoops and diluted the story with the usual attacks on the Cuban-American community, which is the daily bread of their blogs. Worst still, with the exception of Herald Watch and the RCAB, which have covered the story in-depth within the measure of their resources, it did not even merit a mention on most Cuban-American blogs and only derivative and quickly cut-off discussion on Babalú.
We must really ask ourselves why this is so, since this was the week's big story in any venue which did chose to cover it, such as Miami's Spanish-language talk radio. Although its leftwing critics chide it for a thousand so-called sins, it is not guilty of the sin of omission. Its coverage of the Oscar Corral Affaire could have been emulated by all media in Miami. It was not, which is to their very great discredit.
It says a lot that Granma, official organ of Cuba's Communist Party, covered the Corral story more exhaustively than any Miami newspaper, and being alone and unchallenged in in its "reportage," foisted more lies and propaganda into the discussion than would otherwise have been possible if any other outlet had bothered to report on this story. The lavish praise which Granma heaped on Corral, unseen since the death of Herbert Matthews, was itself worthy of notice by the Miami media, which, of course, noticed nothing.
The only explanation I can find for what amounts to a cover-up by the Miami media is this: perhaps all the media in Miami are replete with adulterers who pay to be fellated, luckier but no less depraved than Oscar Corral, and this was just a can of worms that nobody could afford to open.
So the silence decreed by The Miami Herald on the Oscar Corral Affaire has not been challenged in any way by other Miami papers, nor, for that matter, by any papers that border its circulation area, not even the Sun-Post, which had profiled Corral only 3 weeks earlier in an embarrassing puff piece that only seems more embarrassing now (intrepid ace reporter takes on Miami's Cuban extremists and becomes martyr-in-waiting).
The Corral story provided an excellent opportunity for the other local papers to assert their independence and forge a distinct character, and, yes, for their circulations to grow. But even the contrarian New Times — aren't alternative newspapers supposed to be? — limited its coverage to its webpages, where it squandered real scoops and diluted the story with the usual attacks on the Cuban-American community, which is the daily bread of their blogs. Worst still, with the exception of Herald Watch and the RCAB, which have covered the story in-depth within the measure of their resources, it did not even merit a mention on most Cuban-American blogs and only derivative and quickly cut-off discussion on Babalú.
We must really ask ourselves why this is so, since this was the week's big story in any venue which did chose to cover it, such as Miami's Spanish-language talk radio. Although its leftwing critics chide it for a thousand so-called sins, it is not guilty of the sin of omission. Its coverage of the Oscar Corral Affaire could have been emulated by all media in Miami. It was not, which is to their very great discredit.
It says a lot that Granma, official organ of Cuba's Communist Party, covered the Corral story more exhaustively than any Miami newspaper, and being alone and unchallenged in in its "reportage," foisted more lies and propaganda into the discussion than would otherwise have been possible if any other outlet had bothered to report on this story. The lavish praise which Granma heaped on Corral, unseen since the death of Herbert Matthews, was itself worthy of notice by the Miami media, which, of course, noticed nothing.
The only explanation I can find for what amounts to a cover-up by the Miami media is this: perhaps all the media in Miami are replete with adulterers who pay to be fellated, luckier but no less depraved than Oscar Corral, and this was just a can of worms that nobody could afford to open.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
"Che" Guevara's Progeny to Fly Argentine Way
No rafts for them, but the descendents of Ernesto "Che" Guevara, artifex with Fidel Castro of the destruction of Cuba, are scrambling out, rodent-like, from Fidel Castro's sinking ship of state. His daughter, Celia Guevara March, age 44, the most rabid Castroite of the tribe, has applied for and been granted Argentine citizenship on the basis of her father's nationality and will be relocating there with her family on Fidel Castro's death. It means nothing but it is curious nonetheless that this woman's matronym is "March" and her father's was "Lynch." Why she should have remained in Cuba for so long and is only now preparing to leave it on Castro's demise is one of those imponderables that can only be explained by the innate hypocrisy of Communism.
The man she calls a "surrogate father" murdered her own father as surely as if he had pulled the trigger: Castro exiled him to Bolivia, knowing that there was no possibility of inciting a revolution among that country's highly sensible Indians, who would and did flee from Guevara as from any conquistador; but to make 100% certain that he would fail, Castro instructed Bolivia's Communists to provide him with no material assistance or cooperation, not even with the asthma medicine that he needed to survive; and it may even have been a Castro agent who betrayed Guevara's location to the Bolivian military who were tracking him with the assistance of Cuban-exile CIA operatives (that's kind, it should be the other way around).
Even after he was dead, Castro did not canonize him without reservations and even concocted a posthumous letter wherein Guevara supposedly confesses that he had been wrong and Fidel always right in respect to the revolutionary process and berates himself for not having recognized Castro's supreme greatness before.
How Guevara's widow could have raised her children under the "protection" of the man who killed her husband and their father boggles the mind. How his children should have remained so tenaciously loyal to a man who had shown no loyalty to their wretched father is another imponderable, the kind of grotesquerie that one only encounters in a society as perverse and irrational as the one that Castro and Guevara foisted on Cuba.
Celia Guevara, a veterinary at the Havana Aquarium, has been endeavoring lately to trademark her father's likeness and name, as Martin Luther King Jr.'s children have done with their father's. No one can reprint or even recite their father's speeches in public without paying a royalty to the King estate or facing a lawsuit. No doubt Celia and her siblings have equally high hopes of exploiting their father's legacy. Already they have lost at least $50 million in royalties from T-shirt sales. As for the copyrights to their father's published works, Castro controls those and no doubt they will endeavor to recover title to Guevara's "intellectual property" once Castro is gone. So, in effect, "Che" Guevara's heirs will continue to profit for many years in the future from their father's murder of 14,000 Cubans, which his legend and celebrity is founded on.
After Mussolini's death, Italy passed a law that forbade his progeny from living in Italy. Eventually, after three decades, the law was eliminated and they were allowed to return. His daughter Alessandra Mussolini now leads a neo-fascist party in parliament. But fascism is now an irrelevancy in Italy. Not until fidelismo becomes one also in Cuba should the heirs of its founders be allowed to return to the country that their fathers' despoiled and from whose predations they have lived all their lives and will continue to live in the future.
Good riddance to the whole tribe of them! Let them take their name to market and see what it will get them in their father's homehand. We have had enough of them.
The man she calls a "surrogate father" murdered her own father as surely as if he had pulled the trigger: Castro exiled him to Bolivia, knowing that there was no possibility of inciting a revolution among that country's highly sensible Indians, who would and did flee from Guevara as from any conquistador; but to make 100% certain that he would fail, Castro instructed Bolivia's Communists to provide him with no material assistance or cooperation, not even with the asthma medicine that he needed to survive; and it may even have been a Castro agent who betrayed Guevara's location to the Bolivian military who were tracking him with the assistance of Cuban-exile CIA operatives (that's kind, it should be the other way around).
Even after he was dead, Castro did not canonize him without reservations and even concocted a posthumous letter wherein Guevara supposedly confesses that he had been wrong and Fidel always right in respect to the revolutionary process and berates himself for not having recognized Castro's supreme greatness before.
How Guevara's widow could have raised her children under the "protection" of the man who killed her husband and their father boggles the mind. How his children should have remained so tenaciously loyal to a man who had shown no loyalty to their wretched father is another imponderable, the kind of grotesquerie that one only encounters in a society as perverse and irrational as the one that Castro and Guevara foisted on Cuba.
Celia Guevara, a veterinary at the Havana Aquarium, has been endeavoring lately to trademark her father's likeness and name, as Martin Luther King Jr.'s children have done with their father's. No one can reprint or even recite their father's speeches in public without paying a royalty to the King estate or facing a lawsuit. No doubt Celia and her siblings have equally high hopes of exploiting their father's legacy. Already they have lost at least $50 million in royalties from T-shirt sales. As for the copyrights to their father's published works, Castro controls those and no doubt they will endeavor to recover title to Guevara's "intellectual property" once Castro is gone. So, in effect, "Che" Guevara's heirs will continue to profit for many years in the future from their father's murder of 14,000 Cubans, which his legend and celebrity is founded on.
After Mussolini's death, Italy passed a law that forbade his progeny from living in Italy. Eventually, after three decades, the law was eliminated and they were allowed to return. His daughter Alessandra Mussolini now leads a neo-fascist party in parliament. But fascism is now an irrelevancy in Italy. Not until fidelismo becomes one also in Cuba should the heirs of its founders be allowed to return to the country that their fathers' despoiled and from whose predations they have lived all their lives and will continue to live in the future.
Good riddance to the whole tribe of them! Let them take their name to market and see what it will get them in their father's homehand. We have had enough of them.
RCAB News: The U.S. Coast Guard Makes the RCAB a Port of Call
Today we were visited by the uscg.mil (Military), otherwise known as the U.S. Coast Guard. That is the domain name; the ISP belongs to the Department of Transportation, in Washington, D.C. The search words that they googled were: "money paid to Cuban smugglers." The post to which they were referred was Angels Who Smuggle Men to Freedom. We trust they learned something. There is so much for them to learn and unlearn.
I visited the United States Coast Guard webpage, which proudly proclaims "Happy 217th Birthday to the Coast Guard, More than 1,000,000 Lives Saved Since 1790." No mention of how many lives it has not saved or was responsible for ending, or do they just detract that from the number of lives saved? H/T to Bill Clinton and George Bush.
POSTSCRIPT:
Has the Review of Cuban-American Blogs been placed on some official Resource List for the U.S. military? For no sooner had we finished writing about the U.S. Coast Guard's unexpected visit to these precincts, we received a visit from army.mil (Military), U.S. Army Research Laboratory, based in Hyattsville, Maryland. The Coast Guard visited us at 12:59:07pm and the U.S. Army at 1:54:01pm. We'll keep you apprised if the Navy or the Marines are next.
I visited the United States Coast Guard webpage, which proudly proclaims "Happy 217th Birthday to the Coast Guard, More than 1,000,000 Lives Saved Since 1790." No mention of how many lives it has not saved or was responsible for ending, or do they just detract that from the number of lives saved? H/T to Bill Clinton and George Bush.
POSTSCRIPT:
Has the Review of Cuban-American Blogs been placed on some official Resource List for the U.S. military? For no sooner had we finished writing about the U.S. Coast Guard's unexpected visit to these precincts, we received a visit from army.mil (Military), U.S. Army Research Laboratory, based in Hyattsville, Maryland. The Coast Guard visited us at 12:59:07pm and the U.S. Army at 1:54:01pm. We'll keep you apprised if the Navy or the Marines are next.
Fidel Castro's Double in the Time of His Moribundity
Fidel Castro's double lived a charmed life and was an important man in his own right. Of course, his relevancy hinged on Fidel's and it is never a safe thing to live in the shadow of another man, especially one as hated as Fidel Castro. In a sense, he was an uber-bodyguard. If he died in the line of service it would not be because he intercepted a bullet for Fidel, willingly or accidentally, because the two, of course, were never seen together in public. If he took a bullet for the Maximum Leader, or swallowed poison for him, or performed any other of those small offices, it would be because he himself was the target by proxy for the assassin, the magnet for bullets intended for Fidel. There would be no posthumous glory for him as Fidel's "savior" because, of course, he did not officially exist. The double also had "bodyguards" in his escort, but they did not serve the purposes of normal bodyguards, that is, they were not there to actually protect his life but to assure everyone after he had been killed that it was not really Fidel lying in a pool of blood. They even carried signed letters from Fidel to that effect with all other documentation certifying that Fidel's double was not Fidel. This was never directly told to him, but he must have supposed it unless he had actually convinced himself that he was anything but expendable anywhere and at all times.
His duties were at first those of a decoy, but when it became known that he had a flare for impersonating Fidel and did no discredit to him in the process, he began to be used as a double, who could fill-in for him at minor appearances at factories and schools where little more than a few encouraging remarks and backpatting was required. He enjoyed these little excursions, how grown men would weep from emotion in his presence or women swoon. Well, Fidel was their god, with absolute control over their lives for all of their lives, and, of course, with the power of life or death over them. The Romans too would have quaked in the presence of the God Caligula or the God Nero. The double knew that he was just a man, and even that the man that he impersonated was also just a man, and a frightened man at that: why else would he have need of his services?
The double's job entailed more than donning the comandante's uniform; yes, literally his uniform, for Fidel's tailor also outfitted him. Of course, his measurements were never taken; he was expected to maintain the same weight and general contours as Fidel. He was probably the only man in Cuba who actually had to worry about losing weight. Fortunately, the regime provided him with unlimited supplies of condensed milk and a good quantity of beef — yes, beef — so that he would be able to maintain Fidel's fornido appearance.
Of course, he was allowed no family of his own and had little to do with families of his siblings. His resemblance to Fidel had always been a joke in his family and it would not have required much intuition to figure out the rest. Officially, he had a botella (sinecure) at the Ministry of Communications (unintentional irony?), but was never seen there. In fact, he had been ordered never to present himself there. He wondered sometimes if the double might not have a double himself. He had seen enough strange things to make that entirely plausible. He was tempted at times to inquire into the matter but thought the better of it. If he had subsumed his personality into Fidel's, why should it matter that another man might be willing to be his stand-in? The thought even flattered him in a way; perhaps he had more in common with the chief than he had ever imagined. In any case, nothing seemed more pathetic to him than the life of the man who impersonated him.
There was only one thing that he feared; well, actually, two. First, of course, that Fidel would die and his own utility end. He had heard of pharaohs who had their entire retinues buried alive with them. He knew that he was more than just a water carrier and that it might be better to suppress his existence after Castro's death, which would be, in a maccabre way, the ultimate homage to him. He hoped this "suppression" would involve no more than an order to shave his beard, return the uniforms and forget he had ever impersonated Castro, a story which, he thought, few would believe anyway. Perhaps he would be reassigned to the botella at the Ministry of Communications and the guy presently holding his job returned to whatever job he held before becoming his understudy.
The first shock of his life came when Fidel fell in public and fractured his knee. His own mortality which, given his job, had never lurked too far from his consciousness he could accept well enough, but the sudden realization that Castro could die and undermine completely his settled life filled him with terror. He didn't want to return to his old life or assume his old identity. The insufferable boredom of it was more than he could take. How could a man who had been adulated as much as him, even by proxy, give all that up at a moment's notice and retire to what would surely be a hermetic life. The thought was too much to bear. Truly it may be said that no man more sincerely wished health and long life to Fidel than his double.
His immediate concern was whether he would be able to feign a limp and how convincingly. He even began to practice and found it more difficult and uncomfortable than he had supposed, which made him more determined to master it. For him posing as Castro's double was more than a job — it was an art, and he was not wrong; specifically, the magician's art of illusion, though he thought more highly of it. So while Fidel was in rehab learning how to walk without a limp his double was in training learning how to. Nonetheless, he was not called upon to perform his latest trick and got the opportunity to "convalesce" during Fidel's period of recovery.
To be continued...
His duties were at first those of a decoy, but when it became known that he had a flare for impersonating Fidel and did no discredit to him in the process, he began to be used as a double, who could fill-in for him at minor appearances at factories and schools where little more than a few encouraging remarks and backpatting was required. He enjoyed these little excursions, how grown men would weep from emotion in his presence or women swoon. Well, Fidel was their god, with absolute control over their lives for all of their lives, and, of course, with the power of life or death over them. The Romans too would have quaked in the presence of the God Caligula or the God Nero. The double knew that he was just a man, and even that the man that he impersonated was also just a man, and a frightened man at that: why else would he have need of his services?
The double's job entailed more than donning the comandante's uniform; yes, literally his uniform, for Fidel's tailor also outfitted him. Of course, his measurements were never taken; he was expected to maintain the same weight and general contours as Fidel. He was probably the only man in Cuba who actually had to worry about losing weight. Fortunately, the regime provided him with unlimited supplies of condensed milk and a good quantity of beef — yes, beef — so that he would be able to maintain Fidel's fornido appearance.
Of course, he was allowed no family of his own and had little to do with families of his siblings. His resemblance to Fidel had always been a joke in his family and it would not have required much intuition to figure out the rest. Officially, he had a botella (sinecure) at the Ministry of Communications (unintentional irony?), but was never seen there. In fact, he had been ordered never to present himself there. He wondered sometimes if the double might not have a double himself. He had seen enough strange things to make that entirely plausible. He was tempted at times to inquire into the matter but thought the better of it. If he had subsumed his personality into Fidel's, why should it matter that another man might be willing to be his stand-in? The thought even flattered him in a way; perhaps he had more in common with the chief than he had ever imagined. In any case, nothing seemed more pathetic to him than the life of the man who impersonated him.
There was only one thing that he feared; well, actually, two. First, of course, that Fidel would die and his own utility end. He had heard of pharaohs who had their entire retinues buried alive with them. He knew that he was more than just a water carrier and that it might be better to suppress his existence after Castro's death, which would be, in a maccabre way, the ultimate homage to him. He hoped this "suppression" would involve no more than an order to shave his beard, return the uniforms and forget he had ever impersonated Castro, a story which, he thought, few would believe anyway. Perhaps he would be reassigned to the botella at the Ministry of Communications and the guy presently holding his job returned to whatever job he held before becoming his understudy.
The first shock of his life came when Fidel fell in public and fractured his knee. His own mortality which, given his job, had never lurked too far from his consciousness he could accept well enough, but the sudden realization that Castro could die and undermine completely his settled life filled him with terror. He didn't want to return to his old life or assume his old identity. The insufferable boredom of it was more than he could take. How could a man who had been adulated as much as him, even by proxy, give all that up at a moment's notice and retire to what would surely be a hermetic life. The thought was too much to bear. Truly it may be said that no man more sincerely wished health and long life to Fidel than his double.
His immediate concern was whether he would be able to feign a limp and how convincingly. He even began to practice and found it more difficult and uncomfortable than he had supposed, which made him more determined to master it. For him posing as Castro's double was more than a job — it was an art, and he was not wrong; specifically, the magician's art of illusion, though he thought more highly of it. So while Fidel was in rehab learning how to walk without a limp his double was in training learning how to. Nonetheless, he was not called upon to perform his latest trick and got the opportunity to "convalesce" during Fidel's period of recovery.
To be continued...
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Fidel Castro Awarded Nobel Prize for Literature
Gee, he just started blogging and he's already winning awards! Fidel Castro, Renaissance man, called by Gabriel García Márquez the greatest master of the Spanish tongue since Cervantes, has been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, Sweden's leading literary prize. Well, not quite, but just as relevant. The Union of Cuban Journalists (who are neither journalists nor a union) has awarded the Not-Quite-So-Maximum Leader its "Dignity Prize" (it must be a very little award) "in recognition of his exceptional merits and work in favor of the press and the homeland." The president of this un-union of un-journalists, Tubal Paez, said Fidel Castro "represents a synthesis of the dignity of all Cubans, the homeland and humankind." Throw in some implements of torture, a handful of chícharos and enough shit for blending and you shall have your synthesis, though surely it will bear no relation to "dignity."
No doubt all other Cuban "unions" will follow suit in honoring the man who outlawed independent unions in Cuba and strikes, replaced the 35-hour work-week (for which workers were entitled to 40 hours' compensation) with a 60-70 hour work-week during which workers pretend to work and the state pretends to pay them, eliminated the "13th month" bonus (which all Cuban workers received at Christmas), brought back child labor (abolished in Cuba in 1878), repealed minimum wage laws, abolished collective bargaining, made "volunteer" work for the state compulsory and authorized the payment of wages in script or non-convertible currency.
No doubt all other Cuban "unions" will follow suit in honoring the man who outlawed independent unions in Cuba and strikes, replaced the 35-hour work-week (for which workers were entitled to 40 hours' compensation) with a 60-70 hour work-week during which workers pretend to work and the state pretends to pay them, eliminated the "13th month" bonus (which all Cuban workers received at Christmas), brought back child labor (abolished in Cuba in 1878), repealed minimum wage laws, abolished collective bargaining, made "volunteer" work for the state compulsory and authorized the payment of wages in script or non-convertible currency.
RCAB News: What the Hell? "Knight-Ridder?"
Is there a "Knight-Ridder" anymore? Doesn't the McClatchy corporation own The Miami Herald and all the former Knight-Ridder papers that it hasn't unloaded yet? Well, nobody apparently has bothered to change the IP addresses of the newspaper's computers to McClatchy, because the Review of Cuban-American Blogs was visited at 4:54:35pm by someone from "Knight-Ridder," located in Miami, FL, who had done a google search for "granma, oscar corral." That person (and you know on whom suspicion falls first) stayed logged-in for 42 minutes an 23 seconds and viewed 15 pages, specifically all the posts on Oscar Corral.
Ah, Poor Henry Misses Me at Herald Watch
There was a time when Henry and I were allies, back in the heyday of Herald Watch, when we were both combatting Oscar Corral and his abetters at The Miami Herald at the height of the controversy about the Moonlighters story. He obviously misses those days. They were memorable days, and I have always acknowledged Henry's leading role in securing justice for the wronged Cuban journalists and hastening the departure of Jesús Díaz and Tom Fiedler from The Herald. I believe I said it was the greatest public service ever performed by a Cuban-American blogger. [Where did he go wrong?]
Henry remembers those heady days fondly, too, because yesterday he thanked me on Herald Watch for an "Anonymous" comment I did not make. His exact words: "Thank you for your comment anonymous, err I mean Manuel." Yes, you "err," Henry. I don't make anonymous comments. I value my thoughts and my prose style too much to leave them orphans in the world. I have never — not even once — left an anonymous comment on any blog. Is that understood, Cuban Patriot? Or should I repeat it again?
Now, I will admit that a really good writer who sometimes styles himself "Anonymous" and at other times "asombra" has landed at Herald Watch and that his opinions and (more remarkably) his prose style greatly resemble mine. So, at least, I understand why Henry was fooled. But it is not me. However, if it gladdens Henry's heart to think so and helps him relive old memories, he is free to continue cherishing that illusion. The association, even though incorrect, does not embarrass me.
Henry remembers those heady days fondly, too, because yesterday he thanked me on Herald Watch for an "Anonymous" comment I did not make. His exact words: "Thank you for your comment anonymous, err I mean Manuel." Yes, you "err," Henry. I don't make anonymous comments. I value my thoughts and my prose style too much to leave them orphans in the world. I have never — not even once — left an anonymous comment on any blog. Is that understood, Cuban Patriot? Or should I repeat it again?
Now, I will admit that a really good writer who sometimes styles himself "Anonymous" and at other times "asombra" has landed at Herald Watch and that his opinions and (more remarkably) his prose style greatly resemble mine. So, at least, I understand why Henry was fooled. But it is not me. However, if it gladdens Henry's heart to think so and helps him relive old memories, he is free to continue cherishing that illusion. The association, even though incorrect, does not embarrass me.
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