September 29, 2005

Babalú Revisions

I have made some minor changes to the sidebar that Ive been meaning to make for some time now. First, and most importantly, I added a graphic and link for Ya No Mas!, George Moneo's brilliant meme that is more than deserving of top billing on this site.

I have also added the sidetitle "Cubiches" where all blogs by bloggers of Cuban descent, in exile here in the states and elsewhere, are prominently displayed. There are no blogs linked from Cuba for obvious reasons. When I first started Babalú, I was basically the only blogger in the blogosphere writing about Cuba and Cuban issues. You have no idea how proud I am now to have seen that list grow from infancy to where it is now. Es un privilegio - a privilege - to be among such fine company. There are some new blogs there that I have been remiss in adding to the old blogroll before. Please make sure you drop by and lend them your support. And if I have missed someone, please email me and let me know.

I've changed the "links" sidetitle to Honorarios Cubiches - Honorary Cubans - because each and every blog linked there has offered support for the cause of a free Cuba and most if not all have written and linked and helped this blog gain readership and with that and through their blogs helped many more people become aware of the plight of the Cuban people.

I am currently behind in responding to my emails - I have about 400 new emails that I havent even opened yet - and am doing my best to get to each and every one. So, if you've emailed me and havent heard from me, please dont think it's because I havent wanted to respond, I just havent had the time with so much work and the damn vertigo and its associated doctors visits.

I know I havent been posting as much as usual, another side effect of the vertigo and its domino effect, but I expect to be up and kicking ass at 100% once I get the dizziness shit and cholesterol shit and triglycerides shit squared away. A big thanks to Mora, Robert and George for keeping Babalú afloat these past couple of weeks and to all of you out there that send links and news items of interest.

One thing of note, as Mora noted in a post below and also written up by Jorge of The Real Cuba (with more photos), today marks the anniversary of the birth of the Commitee for the Defense of the Revolution, fidel castro's infamous CDR's. These are the rats of the revolution. The snitches. The lowest of the lowest of the lowest of humanity. Los Mea Postes as reader Luis comments in Mora's post. These are the people that turn in their neighbors for even the smallest of things: having an extra chicken, an extra pint of milk, new shoes, a satellite dish, soap... you name it. Anything that you could have in Cuba that was not provided you by the government is fair game for these CDR bastards. They inform the state on you and then reap the rewards of keeping said chicken and soap and milk and shoes.

Today is truly a sad day in Cuba as it is the birthday of the slow death of the independent Cuban.

But I will not dwell on that birthday. Today I will dwell on another birthday. Today makes 45 years that my wife and her family exiled to Miami. On this day 45 years ago, freedom for my wife and her family was born. Gracias, Tio Sam, for this big, wonderful birthday cake of liberty.

Posted by Val Prieto at September 29, 2005 10:47 AM



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Comments

Thanks to you Val, from the whole krewe at KillCastro, for being the first opening the trail, that is now blazing.
Big congratulations to Maggie and family, and that includes you dude!

Posted by: CB at September 29, 2005 11:15 AM

I LOVE YOU MIAMI!! WELCOME TO LA YUMA A ESE BELLO FAMILION.

Posted by: yamy at September 29, 2005 11:16 AM

Val, thank you for the honor of letting me post on Babalú. You will never know how much it means to me to have a forum from which I can rant and post my observations on the world. I also want to thank you for being a good friend. You and Maggie open your hearts and home to all, and that, my brother, is rare in these crazy times...

Posted by: George L. Moneo at September 29, 2005 11:28 AM

And on the CDRs I will say this: Calling them "scum of the Earth" is an insult to scum. Snitches and rats are the lowest form of life and they will sow what they have reaped after fidel falls.

Posted by: George L. Moneo at September 29, 2005 11:32 AM

Ditto, all of the above, gracias Val.

Posted by: Kathleen at September 29, 2005 11:51 AM

Felicidades all around, and to Mrs. Prieto and family - our 45th Freedom Anniversary will be in November. No regrets in leaving the darkness behind. Y gracias, Tio Sam...I shudder to think what kind of "life" we would have had if we'd been trapped in kaSStrolandia with the Mea Postes.
We had already gotten an unpleasant glimpse at these type creatures, which helped solidify our exit strategy.

And thanks for putting up with my semi-daily rantings and providing a forum for us to band together, even if only in a digital sense, for a common cause.

Y cuidate mucho, hermano.

Posted by: Alberto Quiroga at September 29, 2005 11:54 AM

Val we are so bless that we where able to get out of that hell hole called Cuba.
Few of the millions that are still enduring the excruciating pain of slavery.
I remember with a sweet and sour feeling the day that plane took to the sky and
Me with tears in my eyes a was finally realizing that I was breaking away from the oppression that torture my life for so many years.
I said good bye to my beloved island not knowing when I was going to able to walk again
Under that sunshine that gave me life
I’m still waiting for that day to come buy …
A big thank you to Uncle Sam for giving the opportunity to be free.

Tocororo libre

Posted by: tocororo at September 29, 2005 01:12 PM

first day of freedom
december 31 1989
celebre el ańo nuevo en tierra libre
QUE VIVA LA YUMA!!!!!!

Posted by: tocororo at September 29, 2005 01:17 PM

Congratulations, Val. And like George, I thank you for the privilege of posting on your treasured blog.

I am much more in the mood to celebrate your wife's family's 45 years of freedom. How very marvellous that they never had to endure the accelerating atrocities of the castro regime, a regime that warped so many, ruined others, and harmed everyone - but instead lived to become fully free-thinking developed persons in an atmosphere that only freedom's blessing can bring.

Posted by: A.M. Mora y Leon at September 29, 2005 01:48 PM

Thanks Val for "adopting" me as your blogson and for letting me contribute to your wonderful and inspirational blog.

I am sincerely honored and flattered to be part of the team that helps to spread the truth about our heritage and our brothers and sisters in Cuba.

Posted by: Robert at September 29, 2005 04:48 PM

Jeez, Robert, I forgot all about that "blogson" business. I am... let me see if I remember... oh yeah: I'm the "crazy old coot of an uncle."

Posted by: George L. Moneo at September 29, 2005 11:29 PM