Bye Bye 2007

I was glad to see 2006 go and embraced 2007 as a good year. Well it really wasn't good but it wasn't bad; so that leaves me once again embracing 2008 as THE year.

It's been a year since Papi died, and it only seems like yesterday. Papi was never a Holidays man, yet I find myself fighting lumps and tears taken aback by the surge in emotions. We put up a tree this year; or at least half a tree. For the first time in my life I only decorated the "good side" of the tree; that's how far I could go.

Our plans on family are on hold; my degree is one year behind and everything is more of a struggle than it should be. This time in 2006 I thought I'd be better off in 2007. Today I believe this time 2008 I'll look back and find that I have to squint to remember who I am today.

So, as I write this end of 2007 blog post, I look forward and not back; rationally I know I'm in control of my life while emotionally I'm barely an adolescent. Yet I look to my right, and see a wonderful man that supports me 100% and who will make sure I don't falter. I look to my left and I see his love. I still wonder what I ever did to deserve this man in my life. I look back and I see Jesus and God waving me along; I look ahead and I again see them in front of me leading the way.

I'm holding very hard to my husband's hand and never letting go. See you all in 2008!

From the WTF department

I read this today and couldn't believe it. I still can't believe it; how they could do this is beyond me.

Ignorance is Bliss

I've been following with great interest the "valijagate" story out of Miami, Venezuela and Argentina, because I love when those who point their fingers get caught in the same crimes they accuse others of.

Yesterday there was a great editorial in The Washington Post, that after I read it found it had been somewhat misquoted in the Hispanic presses.

For those of you not aware of this whole "valijagate" thing here is the short short version: a venezuelan with US Citizenship gets caught by Argentinian custom agents with a briefcase containing $800K in cash. He is investigated by US authorities who find some undeclared "foreign" venezuelan agents offering this guy $2 million for his silence. What's to keep quiet? That the $800K were a "gift" from Chavez to Cristina's campaign.

Argentina's reaction? The same old rhetoric: Bush is trying to subjugate Argentina b/c of its relation with Chavez. Venezuela's reaction? Same as Argentina. Add to that the whole US wants to take over the world a lá Pinky and the Brain, and you get the picture. Oh and let's not forget Morales, who also joins the chorus as another suitcase with money is suspected in Bolivia. Smokes and mirrors, the most recent being linked to the role of Venezuela and Kirchner in the FARC negotiations.

Would it be too much to have reacted just saying that this is not true and that the evidence will demonstrate their innocence? That the guy with the suitcase is lying? Of course; that doesn't fit into their populist rhetorice; it is much easier to put the blame on the big bad Yankee empire, and squarely on its hated leader - Bush. Which of course, keeps their real problems entertained.

Never mind that as the Washington Post rightly points out, Venezuela owns $4 million in Argentinian bonds; they basically own the Argentinian economy. But what I liked best on the editorial is how they point out the ignorance of other countries as to how our judicial system works; after all as we say in Spanish el ladrón juzga por su condición. They claim this as a Bush maneuver, because this is what they would do, never realizing that it's much harder to do in our system. And of course never mind the evidence, which news stories point to the Feds having recordings of the conversations.

If Bush was half as smart as his enemies outside the US, and some leftist loonies in the US, give him credit for - we would've already taken over the world.

Guess...

..what I got for Christmas?

Signs of "Democracy" in Cuba

Ever since Raulito took over, there has been much balihoo that things are "better" with Raul; that he is willing to be a "softer" ruler if such a thing exists.

Apparently, one dissident thought it would be a good idea to try out just how receptive Raulito is and submitted a request to parliamient to issue amnesty to political prisoners and take down the exit permit doctrine.

This in the same week that Cuba accuses another dissident of being a "mercenary" and making up numbers. Yet they didn't deny the existence of political prisoners.

Interesting.

Who is Mike Huckabee?

I've been asking myself the same question since his name started rising on the polls - and he is the second candidate we will profile here at La Ventanita.

He is a Republican former governor of the state that gave us former President Bill Clinton - Arkansas. Meet Mike Huckabee - the Republican that has many in the right wing (at least the hard right wing) comparing him to Jimmy Carter.

Going through his website I find it to be a lot of fluff; excellent ideas such as "we will achieve energy independence" but no clear strategy on how this will happen or how we will get there.

Two things I liked - immigration focusing on the businesses and health reform focusing on rising health costs.

I also liked the idea of the FairTax, except I don't really understand how corporations will be taxed and how the government will be able to verify my purchases for the rebate - and he doesn't really explain them very well.

Cambio

If you are in any of these cities (Havana, Miami, Los Angeles) please participate in the CAMBIO movement. Speak now, when even the parrots of the regime are afraid enough to ridiculize these dissidents as mercenaries.

Dr. Ferrer states, “The current constitution supposedly recognizes the rights and freedoms of the Cuban people. The penal code characterizes apartheid as a felony. In practice, both are systematically violated by the established public policy.”

Dr. Ferrer continued, "People around the world were horrified with the ghettos of South Africa. It is time to condemn the apartheid suffered by the Cuban people.”

Protest marches will be held in Havana at the park on Calzada between D and E (Vedado), in Miami at the Graham Center at Florida International University (FIU), and in Los Angeles at 202 West First Street. The marches will begin at 11:00 am EST (8:00 am PST).

Apartheid in Cuba

Because, you know, us the Cuban Hardliners make this stuff up about there being apartheid in Cuba in regards to tourism.

Henry over at Babalu, has video sent in by Darsi from Cuba of this "non existent" apartheid.

Syrians and Facebook

It would seem that the Syrian government would like nothing better than to ban their citizens from socializing with Israeli's; and this is no joke.

The Syrian govenment has banned Facebook out of fear of "Israeli infiltration". And what is this infiltration you ask? Israeli's who join Syrian based groups.

Bias, What Bias?

The Jena 6 have made news a year after the fact, b/c the sentences were too harsh for beating up a white kid, after said white kid had made some sort of racist remarks. It is not considered a hate crime, and Sharpton and Jackson are spearheading the movement.

In a similar story, 9 middle schoolers aged 14-15 jumped a 26 year old woman, because they didn't want her seating in the bus. Had you heard the story? Are the Sharpton and Jackson's of the world going to jump on this bandwagon as well if the juvies are judged as adults?

I can't help but wonder, as posted by Michelle, how much different the coverage of this story would be if the races had been reversed. For starters, it would be called a hate crime, isn't it?

But you know, there is no media bias in news coverage - other than Fox, some Baltimore papers and smaller papers this has received no coverage.