Saturday, December 26, 2009

Herpes Affect Kidneys

the omni friends



Just for fun, to share the fantasy and joy of the Omni , their friendship and generous talent for improvising every moment, these short videos filmed on the anniversary of Nilo, a Members of the group in spring 2007. We had
found between the apartment blocks of Alamar, on a piece of waste ground between rows of garages. There were banana, a pot full of simmering caldos in a corner, a few boards as a bench, a long thread to get a little electricity, music, the starry sky above.
David sang and rapped (a song dedicated to Alamar, another below, Amor as a provocation against intolerance), Amaury had danced, joyous and exuberant as usual, we had eaten a cake azul kitsch we had to share it 20 a bottle of rum I guess.



Earlier this month, the Omni were evicted from their studio, a bare room with a kiln, a painted concrete floor, and drawings everywhere. The room was part of the Culture House of Alamar (al lado del doce plantas "next to the building of 12 floors, that's how we gave the address - street names lost long).
past fifteen years, they worked , created " performance, keeping the institutional linkage, both inside and outside, with a contagious energy and inventiveness. Originally
of expulsion, the stigma of their links with Yoani , they have known for several years, and with whom they share a concern for participation and expression for all. Its possible presence in their festival upset, obviously.
To gain understanding, Vice Minister of Culture Fernando Rojas, has warned: "If Yoani comes, I will give myself shots latte." Very
elegant for a minister, striking summary of the high-flying political debate in Cuba ( here, a small example of Teke de Rojas, history to better understand who are the revolutionaries and reactionaries who are, in Cuba for years zero).

I remember once found in an impromptu party at the gentleman Rojas. It was in Nuevo Vedado neighborhood of senior officials, across from Carlos Lage, vice-president since fallen. At the end of a peña, I had been dragged by some friends who were also friends of Reinaldo and Yoani precisely artists, trovadores, etc..
Sometimes friends of friends of my friends are not my friends ...
comfortable house, drinks in abundance, laughter, jokes about Castro (we're talking about a vice-minister): perfect illustration of the double standard that undermines Cuba. And to protect this situation, comfort cynical, a man can not find it abnormal that a woman will hit because she writes a blog (also beaten by plainclothes cops a few weeks earlier).
Not to contradict, not invite him to debate.
No, no, strike, simply.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Rite Temp Thermostat Touch Screen Dont Work

attacks here and there


Acto repudio cons of Reinaldo Escobar, 20 November 2009.
Photo: Sven Creutzmann / Mambo

last night in a deserted street, assaulted by three guys who wanted to steal my bag. They dragged me to the ground, beaten, threatened me "plant" with a knife that I have not seen. They finally fled without the bag, I do not let go despite their kicks.
sudden irruption of violence is the first time it hit me. I was afraid, afraid physically, I felt weak, I did not know how it would end. At the same time, I thought it was unjust, unfair , I do not want these three guys who were bent on the ground against a girl to win anything, and I resisted.
short, nothing serious eventually, but a diffuse sense of insecurity and persistent, distressing impression that the street is a rather threatening. However, I went to the police complaint, an officer listened to me, took my statement and I am left with the comforting illusion that even the guilty would be punished if they were caught. And soon I'll get my usual confidence.
This outburst of fear, and that comfort of being defended by laws, remind me to violence and actos de repudio which follow diligently the last few weeks in Cuba - in front of Vladimiro Roca, cons Yoani then cons Reinaldo in downtown against the Ladies in White before yesterday, the Omni cons who write that they were dislodged yesterday their workshop by rapid response brigades. Or last May against writer Angel Santiesteban, who has two broken arms in the street dealing with cons-revolutionary.
There is no loss of life, it's true, there are no weapons that circulate in these heinous custom events, but there is the essential detail that this violence with impunity. For those who are victims of physical fear, instinctive, is all the stronger they know they are helpless, out of state protection. Worse: the intimidation is part of the state policy *.
Imagine for a moment whether you the target of this policy, you who say, keep a blog where you criticize what you feel is objectionable and that, whenever you leave home you may be suddenly surrounded by people screaming and furious, ready to strike you without qualms and without consequences. You
hit you, not someone else, not by chance.
And all these people who attack you without knowing you, you can not even consider the reasoning: the more they will be aggressive, the better for them, they are just for that. Limits are surely set somewhere, but you do not know - you just know that you have no possible shelter. This perspective permeates agonizing
your days and nights, it does not happen naturally, not every day, but it is latent. And you, the target of attacks, stay alone with the certainty of your vulnerability, indefenso , every minute. Unabated.
So yes, seen from afar and from above, it just seems wrong direction which is repeated more or less predictable. But there, amid the fray, the fear must be all-consuming.
It is against this fear that is also measured by the determination to speak, when it is so simple to be quiet.

* Fidel Castro's speech July 26, 2005:
"Envalentonados por la aparente impunidad sus aventuras, el pasado viernes 22 de julio, cuando todo effort is focused on rebuilding the country, the "defenders of civil society," encouraged by the U.S. Interests Section and greatly encouraged by the flights and broadcasts almost daily military aircraft and subversive messages, coupled with belief spread by the Miami mob that they were on the bags to an imminent collapse of the revolution, were encouraged to implement a new challenge, but this time the people, indignant over such barefaced acts of treason, intervened with patriotic fervor and not allowed to move to a single mercenary (Applause). And so will many times as necessary (Applause) as traitors and mercenaries exceed one millimeter beyond what the revolutionary people, whose fate, whose lives are at stake against the voracious empire, most inhuman and bloody history, is willing to allow. "