I’ve a full plate this morning plus a whole heckova lot of reading to do with the comments in the “Let’s lift the embargo!” post, so consider this a Friday morning Val-is-up-to-his-ears open thread. Post any interesting links, thoughts, stories or what youre going to get me for Christmas in the comments section.
Photo of the Independent Libraries in Congress for Democracy courtesy of Stefania.
i happen to be a big chess fan.. cuba has produced numerous top level players.. currently lazaro bruzon and lenier dominguez are the best players out of there right now.. blas lugo defected years back and opened the miami chess academy.. julio becerra is one of the highest rated players right now who also defected.. of course, the greatest cuban player of all time was jose raul capablanca.. ask anyone who follows chess, they will rank jr capablanca among the best, somne may even say he was the best tournament player ever.. jr capablanca had another side many people never knew.. here is a letter he wrote to his son.. fatherly advice, priceless…
http://chessforblood.blogspot.com/2006/08/wisdom-humanity-of-jr-capablanca.html
‘Union Club, Havana, 7 October 1925
My dearest son,
You must keep this letter to read it again when you are 21 because things that you do not know and understand now you will know and understand then. First of all, you must always respect and love your mother above all else. Try never to tell her lies; always tell her the truth. Your father, writing these lines, has a reputation throughout the whole world for being a very honest man – very truthful and honourable. Try to imitate me in all this. Be studious and strong so that you can defend your mother and your sister with your head as well as with your hands. Whatever wishes you may have to study a particular thing, remember that in any case you must become a lawyer before anything else, so that you can defend your own interests and those of your family. After you have become a lawyer you can, if you prefer something else, concentrate on whatever you like. Don’t forget that the best period of a man’s life is when he is a student. As a boy this will not seem so to you, but when you have gone through that stage and reached the age of 40 you will see the truth of what I am telling you. On the physical side, there are two things you must know how to do well – swim and box, so that you can defend yourself at sea as well as on land. This does not mean that you should often fight, but that you must be prepared to do so if necessary.
Try to be a man of wide culture. There is nothing in the world as entertaining as books. It is also necessary to be useful to humanity. If you can avoid it, never play cards, smoke or drink alcohol of any kind. These are bad habits which greatly shorten life and weaken men physically as well as intellectually and morally.
Be an honest and good man.
Your father embraces you with all his love.
J.R. Capablanca.’
(emphasis added)
I posted a new thread on my blog today in the wake of the unelected Senator, Bob Menendez’s flip flop on his endorsement of Ned Lamont, then Joe Lieberman and Ned Lamont again at a candidate’s forum in Livingston, New Jersey sponsored by the MetroWest Jewish Federation.
Both Menendez and the New York Times who tried to spin the story in favor of Menendez before getting all of the facts choked on this huge blunder!
Gotta love the New York Times!