CRITICISM IS A DIRTY WORD

August Caribbean Memo 2013

Date: 01-Aug-2013

From: News Center Publications

 

Venezuela’s government apparently thinks so. When criticism comes, it seems willing to do anything to stop it.

Here are two recent examples.

First, Venezuela’s Supreme Court ordered opposition political leader Henrique Capriles pay a $1,698 fine.

Why?

He had challenged President Nicolas Maduro’s April 14^th narrow election victory over Capriles.  

The election was called following the March 5 death of former President Hugo Chavez.

Two, the government has frozen bank accounts and taken over property owned by Miguel Henrique Otero, editor of the South American country’s privately owned newspaper, El Nacional.       

Why?

The action, according to an Associated Press report, was part of a larger government investigation. It charged Otero’s friend and associate, former Caracas mayor Alfredo Pena, was allegedly corrupt.

In our opinion, Otero asks an obvious question.

Why should the government be critical of his newspaper when it can make its views known without challenge on seven official outlets, five television and two radio stations.

Besides that, Otero says the government uses dozens of Internet Web Pages to be critical of private media positions.

We talk about this conflict because we're interested in telling a story about the Caribbean, Latin America and even the United States.

We think we've done that in six historical-political novels. They can be viewed on our WebSite: natcarnes.com. We're currently working on a seventh.

A Memo collection can also be found on our Website: natcarnes.com. Once there, click News Center Publications and then Caribbean Memo.

Remember, we are interested in your comments, pro and con. In other words, that's how we learn.

And please let us know if you want your name taken off the Caribbean Memo list.

The Editors

 

 

 

 

IT’S ABOUT RACE

July Caribbean Memo 2013

Date: 01-July-2013

From: News Center Publications

Dear Friends:

Unfortunately, it is about RACE. Here are two examples.

One, riots and protests came after George Zimmerman defined largely as white was recently declared innocent by a Sanford, Florida, jury. He had been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin, a black teen-ager.

Al Sharpton and his National Action Network called for protests at federal buildings in 100 cities. The idea, according to Sharpton, is to pressure the federal government to charge Zimmerman with civil rights violations.

The NAACP—on it’s Website—also announced it wanted: “Justice for Trayvon Martin.”

Two, Sharpton and the NAACP have remained quiet, however, about perhaps an even more explosive issue related to President Barack Obama. They have not even called for an investigation to determine the correctness or incorrectness of a book entitled: “Barack Obama and Larry Sinclair.”

We have no idea if the book is good, bad or indifferent, but it should be investigated. Other examples like this one undoubtedly exist and are being kept QUIET for the same reason: RACE.

In conclusion, we believe the COVER-UP of the book example has as much to do with race as the Trayvon Martin case.

Now we have to ask an obvious question and that question is WHY?

In our opinion at least, the inability to look at both examples correctly has to do with a general unawareness of black-slave history. Most don’t want to go there for a simple reason: old stereotypes might have to be reexamined. 

Such a history can be found in our recent novel about Islam.   

These events and opinions are voiced because we're interested in telling a story about the Caribbean, Latin America and even the United States.

We think we've done that in six historical-political novels. They can be viewed on our WebSite: natcarnes.com. We're currently working on a seventh.

A Memo collection can also be found on our Website: natcarnes.com. Once there, click News Center Publications and then Caribbean Memo.

Remember, we are interested in your comments, pro and con. In other words, that's how we learn.

And please let us know if you want your name taken off the Caribbean Memo list.

The Editors

 

 

 

 

THE US AND CUBA MAY START TALKS

June Caribbean Memo 2013

Date: 01-June-2013

From: News Center Publications

Dear Friends:

Recently, the two countries talked about resuming direct mail service. And almost immediately it was announced migration talks were set to start July 17.

That’s all according to an Associated Press news report.

So the question must be asked: Is all that possible?

And the answer is maybe, maybe not, and everything likely has to do with Venezuela, the South American country Cuba depends on for major economic support.

If the recent election of President Nicolás Maduro, the Socialist, holds up, the answer may be NO. The April 14^th vote was held following the March 5^th death of President Hugo Chávez, a close friend of Cuba’s Fidel Castro.

On the other hand, if Henrique Capriles’ challenge to Maduro’s election should hold up, the answer may be YES. A democrat, he favors closer ties with the United States.   

These events and opinions are voiced because we're interested in telling a story about the Caribbean, Latin America and even the United States.

We think we've done that in six historical-political novels. They can be viewed on our WebSite: natcarnes.com. We're currently working on a seventh.

A Memo collection can also be found on our Website: natcarnes.com. Once there, click Caribbean Memo.

Remember, we are interested in your comments, pro and con. In other words, that's how we learn.

And please let us know if you want your name taken off the Caribbean Memo list.

The Editors

 

 

British Soldier Beheaded

Date: 01-May-2013

From: News Center Publications

Dear Friends:

It’s a shocking story.

Two men with butcher knives, a machete and a meat cleaver attacked and killed a British soldier—identified as 25-yearold Lee Rigby, of the 2nd Battalion of The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, who served in Afghanistan in 2009.

The incident occurred near his military barracks in the south London neighborhood of Woolwich.

One of the two men, shot and wounded by police, was identified as Michael Adebolajo, a Christian who converted to Islam around 2003.

Adebolajo gave this reason for his action. "We swear by almighty Allah. We will never stop fighting for you. We must fight them as they fight us."

He added: “I killed him because he killed Muslims and I am fed up with people killing Muslims in Afghanistan. They have nothing to do there.”

Apparently he had forgotten or did not know history.

From the beginning, Muslims have waged war against non-Muslims.

After the conquest of North Africa and the conversion of the Berbers to Islam, the Arabs decided to dominate Europe. Their first attempt was a success with the invasion of Spain  [710-711],  but their goal ended in failure with the end of the Battle of Tours near Paris.

French general Charles Martel set a trap for the over-confident Arabs. Their dream officially ended on Oct. 10, 732.

It was a defeat Islamic extremists would never forget. And it was the main reason for the Sept. 11, 2001 attack in New York City. In short, they want to make up for that long-ago loss and more on to rule the world.

We say these things because we're interested in telling a story largely centered on the Caribbean and Latin America.

And we think we've done that in six historical-political novels. They can be viewed on our WebSite:natcarnes.com.

One of our six novels, ‘Al-Maghred, the Barbary Lion’ is A  Look at Islam.

A Caribbean Memo collection can also be viewed on the Website by clicking ‘Memo’.

Remember, we are interested in your comments, pro and con. In other words, that's how we learn.

And please let us know if you want your name taken off the Caribbean Memo list.

The Editors

VENEZUELA'S CLOSE ELECTION

April Caribbean Memo 2013

Date: 01-April-2013

From: News Center Publications

Dear Friends,

 

It may be that opposition leader Henrique Capriles won the April 14^th presidential election in Venezuela and not Nicolas Maduro.

 

We’ll never know after calls for a recount and an investigation into possible election fraud complaints were  turned down by government election officials.

 

Even with those doubts about election results following the death of Socialist President Hugo Chavez last month, government officials did announce the results of a surprisingly close election race.

 

Of the 14.9 million votes cast, Maduro was declared winner by 267,000 votes or a percentage win of less than two percent.

 

After government officials refused to investigate fraud  charges, they announced instead all votes would be audited, nothing more.

 

So with that officially settled by the government, Maduro was sworn into office.    

We talk about these matters because of our interest in the Caribbean, Latin American and its extension to other parts of the world.

As a result, we have six novels backing up the point and they can be found quickly. To find them, click News Center Publications after reaching the Web address ‘www.natcarnes.com.’ Once there click: Amazon.com.     

This Caribbean Memo and a Memo collection can also be found on the same site by clicking Caribbean Memo.

Remember, we are interested in your comments, pro and con. In other words, that's how we learn.

And please let us know if you want your name taken off the Caribbean Memo list.

The Editors

 

 

VENEZUELA TO ELECT A NEW PRESIDENT

March Caribbean Memo 2013

Date: 01-March-2013

From: News Center Publications

Dear Friends,

President Hugo Chavez is dead after 14 years in office and his successor will be elected April 14^th.

Here is the basic decision to be made by voters in this northern South American country with a population of 28 million.

Elect Chavez’s vice president and currently appointed acting President Nicolas Maduro to continue current leftist and socialist programs.

Or elect Henrique Capriles, who would move to end leftist control of the nation. Chavez wanted Venezuela to be a Fidel Castro-type Cuba.  

A major problem, Capriles says, is crime. He claims daily murders, armed robberies and kidnappings have made the country one of the most dangerous in the world.

Maduro has pledged to continue providing free health care clinics and subsidized food stores for the poor.

Chavez paid for those programs with oil money earned by a state-owned oil and natural gas company, PDVSA or Petróleos de Venezuela, meaning Petroleum of Venezuela. As South America’s largest oil producer, it is the world's fifth largest oil exporter.

After Chavez took over PDVSA following a 2002-2003 oil strike, thousands of oil engineers emigrated to Canada, Colombia, Saudi Arabia and the United States.

We talk about these matters because of our interest in the Caribbean, Latin American and its extension to other parts of the world.

As a result, we have six novels backing up the point and they can be found quickly. To find them, click News Center Publications after reaching the Web address ‘www.natcarnes.com.’ Once there click: Amazon.com.     

This Caribbean Memo and a Memo collection can also be found on the same site by clicking Caribbean Memo.

Remember, we are interested in your comments, pro and con. In other words, that's how we learn.

And please let us know if you want your name taken off the Caribbean Memo list.

The Editors

 

 

POSSIBLE STATEHOOD FOR PUERTO RICO

February Caribbean Memo 2013
Date: 01-February-2013
From: News Center Publications

Dear Friends,

A Southern Baptist religious leader had something interesting and perhaps very important to say about Puerto Rico in late January.

Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, said he favored U.S. statehood for the island during a Washington, DC, news conference.

Land called “statehood for Puerto Rico a moral and human rights issue.”

Former island Gov. Luis Fortuno, with Land when he made the statement, called the issue a "moral imperative."

Their comments came after 61 percent of islanders voting last November on a non-binding resolution said they favored U.S. statehood.

Another 33 percent said they wanted to become a free associated state of the United States. Five percent said Puerto Rico should be politically independent like Cuba and the Philippines.

For a final political decision to be made, the U.S. Congress would have to pass legislation calling on the island of 3.7 million residents to vote for or against statehood. 

Puerto Rico, along with Cuba and the Philippines, became part of the United States at the end of the Spanish-American War in 1898. Islanders have been U.S. citizens since 1917.

Currently, the island is a U.S. Commonwealth.

We talk about these matters because of our interest in the Caribbean, Latin American and its extension to other parts of the world.

As a result, we have six novels backing up the point and they can be found quickly. To find them, click News Center Publications after reaching the Web address ‘www.natcarnes.com.’ Once there click: Amazon.com.     

This Caribbean Memo and a Memo collection can also be found on the same site by clicking Caribbean Memo.

Remember, we are interested in your comments, pro and con. In other words, that's how we learn.

And please let us know if you want your name taken off the Caribbean Memo list.

The Editors