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Babalú Blog

• Cuba “Experts,” Then and Now

  
  Maurice Halperin

  From the Hispanic American Historical Review, 1995:
  

  A noted expert on Latin American affairs, Maurice Halperin, passed away in February 1995. Halperin was born in Boston in 1906 in an immigrant family. His scholarly interest in Latin America began at the University of Oklahoma.

  From the [...]

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• The Butcher of Germantown, a Hero of Hollywood and Sundance, Loses Another Patient

  Number of comments: 8
  

  Does the world seem greatly overshadowed by evil ... upside down, inside out, and twisted in a painful contortion upon itself?

  As soon as the great leap for gun control in this country erupted a couple months ago after the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting, there came the outcry to [...]

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• PSA: Seeking California Balseros

  Twenty years ago this coming November, they left from Puerto Padre, Oriente, expecting a 15-20 hour journey to the Bahamas or the Florida Keys. Instead, their 16 ft. boat began taking on water, and threatened by high waves, they struggled to survive at the mercy of the sea. Happily, their [...]

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• The struggle for freedom in Cuba: Strength in Unity

  Via Pedazos de la Isla:

  Strength in Unity: Diverse pro-freedom groups protest in Holguin “Change”, a popular message written on anti-regime signs hung in Cuba

  The pro-freedom groups Independent and Democratic Cuba (CID), Claridad, the Pedro Luis Boitel Movement, the Eastern Democratic Alliance (ADO), the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) and the LGBTA [...]

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• Yoani Sanchez to visit Georgetown Univ., CATO Institute and New York Times (wonder if the “embargo” will come up?)

  Number of comments: 7
  

  According to Cuba "Expert" Ted Henken Yoani Sanchez will visit Georgetown Univ. and the CATO Institute next month, along with the offices of The New York Times.

  So what's been the Castro regime's priority for over a decade?--and getting more and more crucial as month chases month? [...]

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• Cuban defector impresses the Marlins

  Via the Palm Beach Post:

  Cuban defector Raudel Lazo opening eyes at Marlins camp

  by Joe Capozzi

  Among the young pitchers the Marlins are excited to see in spring training is left-hander Raudel Lazo.

  Lazo, 23, defected from Cuba in 2011 and made strides in 2012 in his first professional season. He [...]

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• Chavez Death Watch: Spin hijinks in Caracastan?

  Number of comments: 1
  

  ABC Spain confirms that Hugo Chavez did indeed return to Venenozuela today.  It also reports that he flew in an "air ambulance" rather than the presidential plane.

  But the subtext in this story by ABC is very different from that of the Chavistas in Caracastan, who are proclaiming this a [...]

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• Fidel the devil, Fidel the angel

  The humor of Garrincha:

  [...]
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• Significant tax increase for artists in Cuba

  The economic "reforms" of the Castro dictatorship keep getting more expensive and more onerous as the government will soon put in place a significant increase in the tax rate Cuban artists must pay the dictatorship on the works they sell.

  Via Penúltimos Días (my translation):

  More taxes for the Cuban artist

  [...]

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• Demand Supply

  The stores are restricting ammunition sales of 1-3 boxes per customer. That's if you can find anything on the shelf...

  Retailers say much of the demand is from gun owners who are stockpiling in case certain weapons are banned.

  Gun shops are running low on ammunition from a run by [...]

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