Bluetooth: to say without words
They were three meters from each other and pointed their mobile phones—like two cowboys in the middle of a duel—to send the video clip “Decadence” and the latest photos of Carlos Lage. The information traveled through the air and stored itself in the memory of each telephone device. They left no traces of the shipment, not even those around them realized that almost fifty megabytes had crossed the park in a few short minutes. As the night advanced, they passed the “materials” to a dozen friends, who the next day transferred it to another fifty.
Bluetooth technology is the nightmare of the censors. Prohibited books in pdf format, songs you’ll never hear on the radio, blogs blocked inside the Island and every kind of news missing from the official media is transmitted through these radio frequencies. In the capital, it is a growing phenomenon, especially among the young. Some carry a cellphone that they use only to store and share photos, music and videos, unable to afford the high price of mobile service.
The intangible is making its way in this society where to print and distribute a publication could lead us to prison for the crime of “enemy propaganda.” Many newspapers, exclusively virtual, are seeing the light of day, while a digital culture leaves those who think revolutions are made only with weapons and speeches out of the game. For them, these omnidirectional waves are purely boys’ play. It is better that they think so. By the time they realize their importance, wireless will have managed to reconnect all these threads that have been cut, systematically, between citizens.
Septiembre 17th, 2009 at 18:16
Cold & Candido:
I agree the end is near for these bloodsuckers, but what will keep some general from taking over with the army’s support, or even Roque or Lage returning to power? They were soooo close - but it got away from them…..
The power vacuum has to be filled by someone… When the USSR collapsed, The Czech Republic had Václav Havel, a decent man who chose a parliamentary system. On the other hand, Turkmenistan got “Turkmenbashi” who posted his face everywhere and renamed everything after himself, when he died in 2006 - his dentist became the new boss. Yes his personal dentist became the new dictator!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkmenistan
Will Cuba have a Vaclav Havel or a Turkmenbashi after the collapse? I don’t know which one will win, but in Cuba only the decent people suffer. The thugs and communists that own the black market are very rich and I fear that they will just take over after the old men are dead.
Septiembre 17th, 2009 at 16:18
Candido:
Thanks for the info on their age. It is good that Ramiro Valdez is no spring chicken. At 77 he is right up there with the Junior Castro.
What a country!! run by people who should’ve retired long ago, to give the younger generation a chance for on the job training.
Septiembre 17th, 2009 at 16:11
Candido:
I left the Coma-Andante out of the list, since based on the last video, he is mostly brain dead and incapable of ever leading again. But I should’ve shown him below crossed out also.
Here it is:
–F-i-d-e-l–C-a-s-t-r-o–
Raul Castro
–J-u-a-n–A-l-m-e-i-d-a–
Ramiro Valdez
Abelardo Colome
Ricardo Alarcon
It’d be good to have a web page or post, showing these names and faces artistically, each one crossed as they move on. Then below, updated information on their health status, whereabouts and any other relevant information on each.
It should also show the ones that have joined Marx and Lenin in Communist hell.
Septiembre 17th, 2009 at 15:56
Cold:
All those murderers are in their 70s Plus!!!!.
Raul is 78, Colomé 70, Ramiro 77, Machado Ventura 79 and Alarcón 72.
More or less, the chain of command is like that, but don’t forget that Ramiro is the “hidden card”, because, for long time he has been “behind” , but he is a probe murderer, since the very beginning, because is probed that during the attacking to “Cuartel Moncada” in July 26, 1953 right after they get by surprise the guard, Ramiro cut the throats of the guards just right there in front of everybody and after January 1, 1959 he was blood thirsty and power, and was able to create and improve the repression, using any kind of cruel procedures since the torture, until blackmail, while he was the Ministry of the Interior.
He was able to show that in Cuba everybody is monitored and followed,,,he is a mix of Hoover, with Himmler, with Fouche,,,he is a real Evil of the repression and terror.
He has a very high personal ego, always practicing sports, working out a lot to keep his body in good shape, that is something which give him a little advantage with regard to the rest of the others old murderers.
He loves to be with young women, I remember one of them, named Alicia Alonso (like the ballerina) , she was a very pretty woman in her 20 s when he was in his 40 s, she was studying Industrial Engineering and she was a real pain in the neck,,,always with her nose up and looking with contempt on the other, I think that after that woman he had many more more, for sure he did kick her “ass” long time ago (she deserved it!!!!!).
All of them should die more or less one right behind the other!!!!,,, in a row,,,but who knows?,,,for sure, once the main one , the “Murderer in Chief” which must be the first one dying!!!!,,,just right now,,,tomorrow at the latest!!!, then the Robolution will be headless, and that is exactly the right moment where the confusion will invade all those old murderers, trying to get more power and rivaling against each other without having the referee that separates and protects them!!!!, right there will be the moment when the show is going to star and who knows what is going to happen?.
They can escape, because all of them have fortunes in other countries, but if they stay, then, the blood will run!!!!!,,,sooner or later!!!!.
Candido
Septiembre 17th, 2009 at 12:53
Candido:
So it seems to me, if we’re going to hang a score chart somewhere (maybe the refrigerator) the following are the only ones that matter:
Raul Castro (77)
–J-u-a-n-A-l-m-e-i-d-a–
Ramiro Valdez
Abelardo Colome
Ricardo Alarcon
I don’t know the ages of the other ones. It’d be interesting to find out. If I missed any let me know.
Septiembre 17th, 2009 at 11:10
Cold:
If my mind is all right, I think that the following are the main members of the mafia gang still in / or with some kind of power :
1-Raul Castro (the “brother” with his alcoholism problem and low capacity, he can’t go on, long time without his murderer brother).
2-Ramiro Valdez (probably, the most sinister and abusive of all of them which I -without doubts- classified him as the “Cuban Himmler”.He will not be hesitated to shot against the people, but he loves too much the good life and beautiful women, he is always in very good shape, that is why I think that whenever he saw something wrong, he will land in Europe, perhaps Monaco, Montecarlo, etc,,,he loves that style of life)
3-Guillermo Garcia (he is an old and stupid illiterate peasant that will not be so important)
4-Jose Ramon Machado Ventura ( he is nothing without the support of both Castros)
5-Abelardo Colome Ibarra ( he will be very dangerous - as Concubino stated before, he is the Cuban Fouche- but mainly he will be following Raul or may be Ramiro’s indications)
6-Ricardo AlarcĂłn (he is the real “jackal”, the real vermin behind Castros , may be I would bet that by the moment that something happens, he could be traveling, flying to Timbuctu!!!!!)
7-There are others such as Casas Regueiro, the Castros’s family (the sons, the daughters, etc) that as soon as the ship sink they will try escape like rats.
I hope to be right!!!! and I hope that all happen tomorrow!!!!!
Candido
Septiembre 17th, 2009 at 03:17
Ettore:
The main priority is to get the old ugly warts out. What they’ve done to the country and the population both in terms of the length of time as well as physical and psychological abuse is unprecedented in the Western Hemisphere.
Whatever comes after cannot be any worse. Given the flow of information which is beginning to take place, and the toxicity created by fifty years of dictatorship we are all betting and hoping it will be a democratic system with a revolving door leadership. Two criminal dictatorships in a row - i.e. Batista and Castro, add up to almost sixty years. I don’t think people can take this form of government any longer or ever again.
Hardware, software and other media are already getting into Cuba as we speak by the thousands. The island is porous and more visitors are coming in using all modes of transport every month. The regime is desperate and needs the money to remain viable, following countless hurricanes and world recession.
Septiembre 17th, 2009 at 02:46
Almeida is gone and the rest are not far behind, but what happens after the old men die? Should we not expect more of the same from the younger yes-men who can’t wait for their turn to taste the sweet honey of power? Like the Greek Hydra, there must be 2 more ready to replace each head that gets cut-off….
So how does this generation of Cubans avoid getting tricked by the dictator wannabees that are also waiting for these old men to die? Yoani suggests access to more bluetooth devices and flash memory so people can get real information like Eskuadron’s video….But how do these items get into the island prison???
Septiembre 17th, 2009 at 00:57
The video is like a pill against the pesimism of a broken nationality,thanks so much,brother.
Septiembre 16th, 2009 at 22:50
I think Juanes should have invited EskuadrĂłn Partiota to his concert!
Septiembre 16th, 2009 at 17:05
I firmly believe the Castro dictatorship will disappear when enough of the Cuban people lose their fear. Technologies like Bluetooth help do this because it is harder for the regime to detect people engaged in so-called counter-revolutionary activities. But having courageous people like Yoani who are willing to publicly dissent is still key too. The world has seen the Velvet Revolution and the Orange Revolution. Maybe the next revolution will be the Bluetooth Revolution.
By the way, the ‘talking Cuba’ blog always contains useful insights and anecdotes. Thanks Oscar.
Septiembre 16th, 2009 at 16:17
This was amost hopeful and insipring thought. Keeping the young from the ruling class may come back to haunt the Castro regime. http://talkingcuba.wordpress.com/
Septiembre 16th, 2009 at 11:04
Yes Cold,,,,,let’s toast together!!!!! It is part of the human being nature that feeling,,,I’m saying, when you are released of something that was in your back,,,or something that was in your mind permanently!!!,,,Ho,,man it is incredible,,,, those sensations,,,,the joy,,,etc, etc,,,,.
Once more time,,as I said before,,,we have 3 or 4 more to go!!!!!,,,just few of them,,,and whoever is coming to take them will be very welcome, the point is that we will not be able to see them anymore,,,,,we would remove from our minds all those abusive and oppressive methods, all that stupidity that has been recorded in our bones,,,after so many years!!!!Ho,,,my friend!!!! only Gods knows how much we, the Cubans are praying to reach and close for ever and ever that catastrophic chapter of our history!!!!!.
Whatever as the end comes and if possible the just punishment that Castro and his mafia gang received, any road will be of immense joy and happiness for all Cubans,,,, and for the human race to get rid of vermin like a once and for all.
Candido
Septiembre 15th, 2009 at 17:41
Regarding Almeida’s passing:
I said it before and events are proving me right. The son (Juan Juan) turning on the regime may have been the silver fragment that hit this nasty old thug in the forehead, and knocked out what was left of his brain. He is now dead, boxed up, and gone period. One less off the chart, just a few more to go.
Vishnu, the destroyer of all existances, with its many arms, will soon be paying more visits to the rest of the criminal old lot.
The people will then be able to breathe free…
Candido and Concubino, let’s toast simbolically this evening.
Septiembre 15th, 2009 at 17:26
Great video. What a way to articulate the trauma, suffering and psychological breakdown that the regime imposes on the people.
This is what is needed, let the population speak their mind one way or another. The misery caused by this regime must be brought out and broadcast in and outside the island anyway possible. New technology will sweep the old dictators away once and for all.
Septiembre 15th, 2009 at 13:33
Yoanis, this video is something to be classified as “speechless”!!!,,,no more comments, it is the real and constant situation that our people, our Cuba, has for more than 50 years of cruel repression under the fist of Castro and his mafia gang.
Candido