Rafael Román Martel

Union City, NJ- “Big things come in small packages” is probably Vic Darchinyan’s (30-1-1, 24 KOs) least favorite American cliche. After all, as former IBF flyweight (112 lbs.) champion and current IBF champion in the super flyweight (115) division, it pretty accurately describes a career that could very well be the boxing equivalent of a minefield. His fights tend to end in dramatic fashion, whether halting opponent Victor Burgos (39-15-3, 23 KOs) or having his memory erased by current IBF flyweight champ Nonito Donaire (19-1, 12 KOs). And in terms of big fights, his chance at another IBF championship against then incumbent Dimitri Kirilov (29-4-1, 9 KOs) was the most important hurdle since his last and only loss so far. As ever, he refused to break with tradition, asserting himself strikingly in five rounds.

A DEMURE INGMAR BERGMAN TYPE

For those that had never before seen Kirilov in the ring, last Saturday night did not give too many hints as to what style he prefers, since he optimized his defense in a manner that gave little in the way of, well, punching. Nicknamed “The Baby” for his small frame and striking resemblance to the requisite infant that all destitute countrywomen must cling to in Ingmar Bergman films, he appears to be a demure type. He rejects flair for its own sake, replacing it with a much more technical and thought-out manner of inhabiting the ring. For bloodthirst he substitutes will power and slow but sure attacks. Among his fortes he can count a very strong chin and a collectiveness that allows him to stick to the game plan no matter how wild his opponent may be acting. In other words, Kirilov is in almost every way the anti-Darchinyan. Those that picked the Armenian-Australian against him did so ignoring the fact that Kirilov resembles Nonito Donaire in fashion much more than he does any of Darchinyan’s other opponents.

Mientras el partido demócrata se preocupa más de la economía, del beneficio de las clases trabajadoras y de asuntos sociales, los repúblicanos han sido más eficientes en hacer frente al peligro potencial y siempre latente que amenaza la democracia.

Asi se aproximan las elecciones presidenciales y Barack Obama se mantiene al frente en las encuestas, los enemigos de la libertad comienzan sus tenebrosas reuniones y planes. El sueño de apoderarse del botín nunca muere. Sentados en la posibilidad de humillar a los Estados Unidos en un delirante sabroso, sacan los baberos, los palillos de dientes y sueñan en voz alta. Hugo Chávez, el payaso peligroso, y Putin, ex presidente-y ahora algo de eso-de Rusia se reunieron y de esta feliz reunión salieron varios “acuerdos”, uno de los negocios tratados fue el apoyo a Cuba, la restauración de las excelentes relaciones entre Cuba y Rusia cuando la USSR tenía a Cuba como colonia-finca, en la época del dictador Fidel Castro.

Ahora, con los “cambios” que traen alegría para los gays de Cuba, cuando Marielita Castro, hija del oligarca Raúl, hermano de Fidel, ha sido proclamada Compañera Sexo 2008 y se han instalado los 99 Cent Stores, se trata el asunto de colaborar con mayor intensidad con los rusos, hermanos de Hugo Chávez. El problema es que el poder de Russia es más simbólico que otra cosa. Para los que sueñan con Stalin está dificil quitarse la democracia de la cabeza. Putin, con sagacidad característica, maneja al pintoresco Chávez. Chávez lo abraza, gesticula napoleonicamente, tira enormes carcajadas y deja el billete en Russia. En el billete está el meollo de la nueva ideología marxista. Chávez se sienta con Putin y compra, esta vez son armas, pero a Putin le da lo mismo si son tanques de guerra o muñecas rusas. Lo importante es que el “indio” compre y se comprometa-a nombre del la hermandad de los pueblos- a darles pétroleo, galleticas, lo que sea. Es la conquista del capitalismo en el ejercio más brutal de la nueva sociedad de consumo, en pleno ejercicio de sus enemigos

Sale Chávez de Rusia con un saco de promesas. Corre a Raúl Castro y le suena la perorata de que si los rusos le dijeron, que si ahora con Obama se abren las posibilidades, que los rusos van a mandar, que le cambió 100,000 barriles de pétroleo a Putin por un reloj que Stalin se puso en tal reunión y otras boberías. Raúl Castro no es Hugo Chávez y lo escucha atentamente midiendo cuanto le puede sacar a su actual estado de euforia bolivariana. De ahí sale la probabilidad de materializar la promesa de restaurar las relaciones entre Cuba y Rusia. Venezuela es el moderador porque es el que tiene el pétroleo. Sin billete usted no puede jugar al banco. Mientras Chávez pueda dar pétroleo y dinero es un hombre sumamente importante para los zorros de este mundo.

Vladimir Putin: no joke.

Mientras la mayoría del pueblo cubano espera mayores oportunidades económicas, una minoría sufre en las horribles prisiones comunistas el hecho de haber alzado su voz ante la injusticia. Los malos de la película siempre apuestan a la mayoría que es usualmente controlable y sumisa.

Mientras la oligarquía de los Castro gobierne, abuse y manipule al pueblo cubano no habrán cambios en Cuba.

Mientras hayan hombres como Chávez, inspirados en Fidel Castro, zorros como Putin, oportunistas como Correa, Cristina Kishner et al, la maldad prevalecerá en nuestra América.

Existe una gran posibilidad de que Barack Obama gane estas elecciones presidenciales, sino las gana este país tendría que salir de arenas movedizas después de cuatro años de otra administración repúblicana. La política del partido del gran Abraham Lilcoln ha llevado a los Estados Unidos al borde de un ataque de nervios económico gracias a la ambición desmedidad de las grandes compañías como Exxon, que mientras más gana más quiere.

Por otra parte la esperanza de Obama es una cuchilla de dos filos. Los enemigos de América se afilan los colmillos hacia el lado liberal del senador de Illinois y la tradición demócrata de aflojar en el campo internacional. Y el pueblo americano necesita un cambio que estabilize el desenfreno de un capitalismo arrazante como el que acabamos de ver en las ganancias de Exxon, a costa del duro trabajo y el bolsillo de los norteamericanos. Un cambio generacional es también necesario.

McCain, the Republican presidential candidate, said last week that his campaign ad mocking Democrat Barack Obama with images of Hilton and singer Britney Spears was part of an attempt to inject humor into the presidential race.

On Sunday, Hilton’s mother, Kathy Hilton, a McCain donor, registered her disapproval.

“It is a complete waste of the country’s time and attention at the very moment when millions of people are losing their homes and their jobs,” Kathy Hilton said in a short article posted on the liberal Huffington Post Web site. “And it is a completely frivolous way to choose the next president of the United States.”

The ad plays on Obama’s popularity by dismissing him as a mere celebrity, like Hilton and Spears. The Obama campaign has said the ad is proof that McCain would rather launch negative attacks than debate important issues.

McCain on Friday denied that his campaign had taken a negative turn, saying, “We think it’s got a lot of humor in it, we’re having fun and enjoying it.”

The Democratic presidential candidate is putting money and manpower in all seven of these states — at levels unmatched by Republican rival John McCain.

For decades, these states have almost exclusively voted for Republican presidential candidates and have rarely seen any campaign action. Now, thanks in part to demographic and political shifts, they are emerging as new battlegrounds.

“We have the organizational ability and the financial ability to compete there,” Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said recently. “There is not a head fake among them.”

Totalitarian regimes use sports as a political platform to support the one-party system’s “achievements” in exchange for the slavery of millions of its citizens, who look up to their athletes in a different way than we do in the United States. In totalitarian countries, where daily struggle for the most basic needs is a constant worry, people see their athletes as a sign of hope, a false sense of hope that maybe, just maybe, in the midst of the leader’s rejoicing in the euphoria of victory, their situation could take a turn for the better, even if it’s only temporary.

In less than a week the Games will start amidst controversy and political upheaval. Most athletes are apolitical. In Cuba’s case there have been political manifestations from athletes yet, under the pressure, vigilance and the constant reminder that their families were left behind as a form of psychological kidnapping, only they know how sincere their comments are. Still they keep on defecting from the national team every time they get a chance.We can only trust the word of people who are not afraid to speak. In Communist countries most people are afraid to speak. It’s not just a paranoia, bad things might happen to you if your opinion differs from the Communist Party’s doctrine.

China will sell its best face to the world. Significant changes have taken place since the days of Mao’s radical purges. Today the human rights issues many of its citizens confront taint these Olympics, and the Tibetan situation, among others, will most probably politicize the Games in a very different way than if they were celebrated in a free country.

The open door policy started by President Richard Nixon in February of 1972 has paid its dividends. These Olympics will be the most diverse, and also one where most participating countries have joined the Democratic Revolution. In an era where Hope is the overriding sentiment and Change a real possibility, let’s hope for the best in China 2008.

Stepan Solzhenitsyn told The Associated Press his father died late Sunday of heart failure, but declined further comment. Solzhenitsyn’s unflinching accounts of torment and survival in the Soviet Union’s slave labor camps riveted his countrymen, whose secret history he exposed. They earned him 20 years of bitter exile, but international renown.

And they inspired millions, perhaps, with the knowledge that one person’s courage and integrity could, in the end, defeat the totalitarian machinery of an empire.

“Herrera’s current state of health is grounds for suspending his sentence on humanitarian grounds,” Reporters Without Borders said. “It is vital that he should receive medical treatment as soon as possible. We urge the Cuban authorities to show some consideration towards this prisoner, who is in danger of dying. We point out that a total of 23 journalists are imprisoned in Cuba, 20 of whom were, like Herrera, arrested during the ‘Black Spring’ of 2003.”

Write a prayer for this exemplary man of Peace HERE.

El Blog Mirando a Cuba También está denunciando esta violación a los derechos de Juan Carlos Herrera.

Herrera se cosió los labios dos días después de comenzar la huelga, en demanda de mejores condiciones de confinamiento y atención médica, pero ya no tiene los puntos en la boca y está siendo alimentado con suero en la penitenciaría de Holguín, donde cumple una condena de 20 años de cárcel, según la esposa.

Se sumaron a la huelga de hambre el día 19 Alfredo Domínguez Batista, al igual que Herrera del grupo de 75 disidentes condenados en juicios sumarísimos en la primavera del 2003, y los opositores Luis Mariano Deliz y Orlando Zapata.

Herrera ”habló con mi mamá, afirmó que estaba bien, que había adelgazado bastante y le habían puesto suero porque estaba muy débil”, indicó Danger telefónicamente desde Guantánamo. Danger señaló que Herrera ”no le explicó muy bien” a su madre si sigue en huelga de hambre, aunque, en su opinión, ‘’se supone que él haya dejado” esa protesta. Agregó que ”está débil, porque tiene unas cuantas patologías”, entre ellas hipertensión y problemas cardíacos.

Martha Beatriz Roque, del secretariado de la organización opositora Agenda para la Transición, indicó ayer que Herrera “sigue en huelga de hambre, todos siguen en huelga de hambre”.

In 2004, in Istanbul, the Greek singer represented his country successfully with Shake It, and reached a third place. Months later, he performed at the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games. In 2006, when Athens hosted the Eurovision Song Contest, Rouvas presented the competition together with Maria Menounos.