Babalu Turns Two
Gracias Val for your hard work and dedication.
Thoughts On a Wide Range of Topics Affecting South Florida and Elsewhere, From a Conservative Viewpoint
Dedicado a F.C.R.
Profecía
Cuando el tiempo se esfume en un segundo,
como el sueño que acunado entre las sierras,
se anegó de puños yertos, vil cosecha,
enrejando la esperanza en mar profundo.
Cuando el aire escape de tu boca,
con el tiempo poderoso derrotando,
tus mentiras descompuestas de tirano,
tus decrépitas arengas, viejas, rotas.
Cuando rompa la luz en Santa Clara,
y puntual tu muerte cierta descerraje,
la condena inexorable de la historia,
en las calles destrozadas de La Habana,
danzará la esperanza en albo traje,
y cantará la libertad tu fin sin gloria.
Ricardo Ayestarán
Montevideo, junio de 2005
CONGRESSWOMANI'm sure the approach of Tropical Storm Arlene had a lot to do with the poor attendance, but hey...looks like the weather gods got it right!
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN
FLORIDA 18TH DISTRICT
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
June 14, 2005
CASTRO'S LOVEFEST IN SPRING HILL COLLEGE CANCELLED
Although we don't know if it was the intense pressure from the
Cuban-American alumni community or due to the approaching hurricane,
we applaud the cancellation of the National Summit on Cuba at
Spring Hill College.
The summit originally planned to have approximately 100 guests
attending, but was only able to host about 40 visitors. They met in a
lounge of the Riverview Plaza, the hotel where summit speakers and
organizers were staying. We will attempt to approach the President of
Spring Hill, Fr. George Lucey, S.J., Archbishop of Mobile Oscar
Lipscomp and Fr. Christopher Viscardi, S.J. to educate them on the fact
that the Castro regime is a repressive regime.
"It is naive for anyone to believe that by engaging in a dialogue with
Castro's supporters in the United States that they, in turn, will
convince Castro to become a nice dictator after more than 46 years of
oppressing the Cuban people." said Arthur Estopinan, class of 1987 and
Chief of Staff to Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. "The lifting of the
Cuban embargo and the easing of the U.S. travel restrictions to Cuba
represents millions of dollars for the folks who participated in the Cuban
Summit in Mobile, AL. They are willing to look the other way and ignore
Castro's despicable dictatorship for a quick buck".
All of the members hosting the conference were Castro apologists who
want to economically benefit from the misery and suffering from Castro's
inhumane conditions towards the Cuban people.
In addition, Eddy Acevedo, class of 2005 and Staff Assistant to
Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, said, “ It is our job now to
educate the administration of Spring Hill College on the realities that
are going on in Cuba and the injustices in the country.”
So much for love thy neighbor.
In the latest road spat between Southwest Ranches and Pembroke Pines, the town has given permission for a couple to close off Hancock Road in front of their house every Sunday this summer for an old-fashioned block party complete with watermelon and roasted wieners.
Here's why: That will force more than 1,000 churchgoers at Abundant Living Ministries to use other roads to get to get to the church, which is in Pembroke Pines on the Southwest Ranches border.
Homeowners in Southwest Ranches say they are tired of the church traffic interfering with their rural lifestyle (Ed. if you want a rural lifestyle, don't except to find it in South Florida).
Horseback riders now avoid the road on Sundays, said Rachel Greene, who has lived at Hancock Road and Mustang Trail since 1974.
''I can't get out of my driveway,'' said Greene, who owns a tree nursery with her husband Bill. ``Children are afraid to get out in the street and play.''
Church officials say they just want to use public roads to get to their building, while Pines officials say this is another attempt by Ranches to close off public streets in an effort to cut themselves off from their bigger neighbor.
''There would be bedlam if cities just decided, as this city has, for no reason, or next to no good reason, to close roads on one another,'' City Commissioner Angelo Castillo said. ``It sounds like they want public dollars for their roads but don't want to share the roads with the public.''
Last year, officials from the church, Southwest Ranches and Pembroke Pines talked about a possible solution: building a bridge directly from the church to Sheridan Street so churchgoers wouldn't have to wind through Ranches. But they have been squabbling about who should pay for the $200,000 project.
In an effort to speed up negotiations, Ranches residents decided to close the road on Sundays.
The town gave the Greenes the go-ahead last week to close 300 feet of Hancock between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. every Sunday. They started this past weekend through September.
''They wanted relief from traffic and speeding on their street,'' Ranches Councilman Donald Maines said. ``Move it to another street for awhile.''
The Greenes paid $383 for liability insurance -- a cost they will have to pay every couple of weeks -- and are collecting donations to help foot the bill. The Sunshine Ranches Homeowners Association executive board will likely agree to chip in some money.
This past weekend, residents used RVs and orange cones to block off the road. Neighbors enjoyed doughnuts, baked beans and grilled burgers at a ''good old-fashioned countrified block party,'' said Susan Winn, homeowner association president.
Churchgoers can still get to Abundant Living Ministries. Rather than take the most direct route, they now have to loop around.
''It's just an inconvenience,'' said Rev. Ken Albin of Abundant Living Ministries. ``It's just harassment. Our people are going to find a way to go to church.''
Church members say they want to be good neighbors but they think they should be able to use public roads.
''Is a public road only designated to be used for certain people in certain homes or is it to be used by all people?'' asked Butch Stark, church member and Ranches resident. ``I understand remaining rural but I also don't believe you should start shutting down roads and make it harder for everybody in other communities. We are not an island unto ourselves.''
For the Sun-Sentinel's take, click here.
I found this story absolutely ridiculous and a prime example of how selfish people can be. Southwest Ranches city officials are the villians in this story.
1) they can't agree with their neighboring city Pembroke Pines to build a bridge that would ease the traffic to the church, and
2) they encourage and support the blocking off of a public right of way.
The residents who are throwing the "block party" aren't blame-free either.
All the (Cuban) government institutions today are controlled by the Communist Party, we can not work with them, we are striving instead to develop organizations independent of the state,'' said Rene Gomez Manzano, one of the three organizers of the Assembly (to Promote Civil Society), along with (Martha Beatriz) Roque and Felix Bonne Carcasses. ``We want to develop independent libraries, an independent press and independent drug stores. We want these things to be closer to the people.
''We are not against national reconciliation,'' Gomez Manzano said. ``But it is the regime that exerts totalitarian control of the state and it is the regime which puts people in jail for speaking their minds and therefore it is for the regime to come forward and ask for dialogue with the people, and not for the dissidents to do so.''