The Last Word About Ozzie Guillen

The recent article of Halt Weitzman published in the Thursday, April 12 edition of the Chicago Tribune about this debated subject, is to say in the least, is rather tepid. The real truth is that “Blabber mouth” Guillen has fallen once more into his own trap of impromptus opinionated epithets. His suspension for five days was only a gift from the owners of the White sox baseball team. The plea from Mr. Weitzman to reconsider the economic embargo of Cuba is a phrase used by those who ignore the deep and real tragedy of Communism in Cuba under the cruel Castro (both brothers) regime.

We should never forget that, Dictator Castro, in the early 60’s, boisterously proclaimed that he did not need the U.S. to tender financial aid to Cuba and that he was tying Cuba’s future to the then powerful Soviet Union. Cuba, he declared, was a Communist country and did not need to maintain relations with “imperialist” USA. Immediately, he proceeded to expel all Americans from Cuba, including the diplomatic corps, severing all ties with the U.S. and expropriating without compensation all U.S. and Cuban properties, businesses and corporate and personal bank accounts. Cuba was previously a very economically prosperous country in spite of political failures of the past.

We all know what happened to the Soviet empire and the subsidies of billions of dollars a year that they poured into Cuba to maintain a satellite in the western Hemisphere only a few miles from the U.S. When it all disintegrated and the subsidies stopped Castro became an international beggar.

For some time now the Communist regime in Cuba has been imploring for the lifting of the embargo and recruiting “useful fools” to back the Cuban dictatorship on the effort. However, the ruthless tyranny continues to maintain a perverse totalitarian system that enslaves an entire population under a repressive police state.

Misery, human rights abuses, incarceration and a rigid one party system persists in the country with no hope for real change. The changes announced by Raul Castro are nothing but a trap to exploit, tax, and supervise those who had been conducting small businesses and transactions under the table for many years under the constant threat of being caught and getting jail terms. These changes are nothing but a truculent gimmick.

Over two million people have exited the island under the most daring and difficult and perilous circumstances. To lift the embargo all is needed from the Cuban dictatorial system is to re-establish democracy and freedom. The plea of the oppressed Cuban people should be heard, and the excuses of an ignorant dummy like “Ozzie” should not be considered as a renunciation of his stupid and unforgivable statement about his love for the monster Fidel Castro. He had to beg for forgiveness, but truly he deserves to be fired for good from baseball.

Romney’s Potential Running Mate

Now that the primary elections are shaping up with the almost certain nomination of Mitt Romney as the Presidential candidate for the GOP, the rumors and conjectures about his potential pick for the vice presidential spot are beginning to surface.

There are indeed a number of distinguished public figures attracting the attention of the pundits, namely Chris Christie, Paul Ryan, Marco Rubio and Allen West among the most mentioned. They are all formidable candidates. However, the fact that Sarah Palin seems to favor Allen West is a setback rather than a plus for him. Palin continues on her attempt to become relevant at a time when she is completely discredited.

She has demonstrated over and over again to be a disaster, a loose cannon, a quitter and a doubtful conservative in many aspects of her life. The best thing she can do is to become a comedian and stay away from politics. She is damaged merchandise. The potential Republican VP candidates should tell Sarah Palin to stay in Alaska as she was wisely advised sometime ago by former and illustrious First Lady Barbara Bush.

Mitt Romney Under Attack by the Extreme Left and Right

The extreme right has been constantly on the attack against Mitt Romney. They would want to have a Republican candidate oriented toward an extremist position in his pronouncements. This would be tantamount to committing political suicide. It would not fit well in today’s American Society where a large segment of independent voters may well be the deciders in the next presidential election.

Both, the radical left and the radical right can go so far on each opposite pole of the ideological spectrum that they fuse with each other on their destructive cycle.

As truly conservative Republicans, we must be very careful to select a presidential candidate based on integrity, accomplishments, honesty, family values and political philosophy. We cannot afford to be destructive by adopting a fanatical ideological position. The left is bemused by Romney’s humane and balanced stance on the various campaign topics being discussed. Whereas, the extreme right, is attacking Romney, with innuendos and fabrications, for his sensible approach to resolve the serious problems confronting our nation.

There is no question that Romney is a conservative intellectual with prestige and an impressive record of private and public life. He has all the qualities that make him an outstanding citizen. Let us defeat both, the extreme right and the extreme left by supporting and electing Romney as the most qualified person to rescue our country from the hands of those who are gradually destroying our free enterprise system, our economy, our constitutional rights and the fundamental principles upon which our great country was founded.

The Practice of Tattooing May be Dangerous to Your Health

The Practice of Tattooing May be Dangerous to Your Health

By Dr. Rafael R. Pedraja

The painting of tattoos on the human skin has become very popular in the United States during the last few years. It has spread like an epidemic misfortune. Some people, both men and women, receive tattoos on practically their entire body including hands, arms, legs, feet, neck, chest, back, buttocks, face and event the top of the head. They think that it is ‘cool’ or ‘cute’ to have such defacing procedure. Maybe they want to be different or more appealing or attractive. Whatever the reason, I still cannot comprehend it. It has developed into a fancy of major proportions. In my opinion, it is not only retrograde and distasteful but also unhealthy.

The practice of tattooing was originated in ancient Egypt and among early tribal cultures of Oceania. They practiced it as part of their rituals and renditions to their primitive Gods and idols, as well as for tribal membership identification. Later, it was adapted by sailors travelling to the Pacific shores and it became popular and persisted among seamen. Consider that the skin is the largest organ in a person’s body and shall be protected like any other organ. It should not be used as merely a canvas to inscribe all kinds of stupid renditions. A parallel could be made of the practice of smoking. We all know that smoking causes cancer, particularly of the lungs, although it may affect other organs. The carcinogenic effects of smoking have been well documented and submitted to extensive medical research as well as numerous statistical studies. I had many friends and even members of the family that unfortunately died at a relatively young age because of their smoking habits. They all had one thing in common: they refused to accept the facts and advice to quit smoking before it was too late.

Tattooing is similarly bad for the health of individuals, however, I have yet to see a research study or simply an article regarding the danger to one’s health caused by tattoos. Unfortunately, tattooing has spread, particularly among the young population because of ignorance on its detrimental effects.

Tattoo inks contain dangerous and poisonous chemicals. The skin cells gradually absorb the chemicals during a slow process of deeper penetration into the subcutaneous layers of tissues. The skin tissues transfer the chemicals by absorption into the lymphatic system and the blood vessels. Lymph fluid containing the harmful chemicals circulate into the lymphatic vessels and nodules and into the bloodstream which continues to distribute these substances to the various parts of the body, reaching practically every organ, thus creating havoc by the gradual destruction or metastasis of the organ cells, thus causing potentially cancerous tumors.

My question at this point: why is it that the medical and scientific community has not given much thought to this cultural phenomenon? I have to confess that as a scientist I never thought of it before, but seeing the near epidemic use of this insane practice I am bringing it to the forefront with the hope that it will resonate. We all must do our best – government, health protection institutions, the medical and scientific community, and the press to alert the public about the hazardous substances in tattooing ink.

Romney's Position

The critics of Mitt Romney from the left as well as from the extreme right have lost their sense of balance and fairness. During Romney's speech before the recent Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) he was criticized by some of both ends of the political spectrum for using the term "severely conservative" referring to his conservative credentials. The fact is that his grammatic construction and correct use of the term was factually right.

The adjective "severe" according to Webster means intense, disciplined, uncompromising, unyielding, austere, all synonyms with the same relative connotation. He was absolutely correct in his selection of the adverb "severely" to define exactly his political persuasion. Any attempt to deviate or ridicule its meaning is simply an ignorance of the English language on the part of those who try to diminish Romney's magnificent speech before CPAC. No wonder he won the straw poll of those attending the very successful conference of conservative activists.