In These Times (Update)

A quick update to let readers know that the on-line version of December's "Cuba Issue" of the magazine, In These Times, that I announced in a post last week is now available in its cyber-entirety. Articles that were "embargoed" for a week or two so the publishers could actually sell some magazines are now on-line. (Note to editors: I went to three or four of those mega-kiosks in Manhattan that seem to have every magazine under the sun and could not find In These Times. One guy actually told me, "Hey, a lot of these magazines are only printing for subscribers now. Just go on line and read it for free!" The times they are a-changin' indeed!)

As a fellow blogger myself, I'd be remiss if I did not give special mention to Orlando Lius Pardo and his article, "Guerrilla Blogging: A Virtual Democracy Against All Odds" (he is pictured here to the left and below in living color!) His is one of the best, most comprehensive snapshots of the blogosfera cubana I have yet read. His article is full of insider war stories and anecdotes and, like a good blogger (he has two blogs of his own here and here), replete with hypertext links to many Cuban blogs and blogger portals.

While all the articles in the special issue are worth your time, you should not miss the brief history of Cuban rock by the one-and-only Cuban writer Yoss (Jose Miguel Sanchez Gomez - pictured below with is signature "look"). We get a bit of everything here from a guy who has lived through it.

Back in August of 2008, I attended an unforgettable death metal party at his apartment in Havana (one that he shares with his mother no less!). Like any such party worth its salt both the cops and his mother were tossing people out by the end! Also, where else can you go to learn the definitions of and fine-tuned differences between repas, frikis, mikis, emos, and metaleros. Que viva la diferencia!

Achy Obejas: In These Times - Worth Reading (II)

You know something about Cuba is "worth reading" when you get recommendations for it from both the strident critic of the Cuban government Ernesto Hernandez Busto at his blog Penultimos Dias, and from the self-described American-Cuban (para no decir Cubano-Americano) and passionate defender of the revolution, Walter Lippmann, who runs the CubaNews Yahoo news group. (Still, Val Prieto over at Babalu doesn't seem too thrilled about it - but what else is new!)

Enter Achy Obejas and "Inside Cuba: Voices from the Island."

Going "live" next week on its website (though some articles are available on-line now) is the special December "Cuba" edition of the alternative monthly magazine, In these Times. (I went to three different magazine kiosks here in Manhattan yesterday and still haven't yet found a hard copy - I guess it's tough times for independent meida both in Cuba and the U.S. - remember A.J. Leibling's wise words: "Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one.")