By: Francys Romero   The season of Major League Baseball in 2014 concluded for Cubans. However, players from the Island have signed a year of dramatic stories and individual performances that made it to record books. Five Cubans were included in the All Star Game; they would have been six if José Fernández had not been injured that May night at Petco Park. In total there were 25 Cubans in the big leagues this year, including 8 rookies. We propose a final balance of the Cuban players that dazzled the Majors in 2014 by order of relevance and contribution to the team wins (WAR). We also included those that left traces of talent and will return or debut in 2015. José Dariel Abreu (317/383/581) 36 HR 107 RBI ALL STAR GAME / WAR: 5.5 José Dariel Abreu Just named Rookie of the Year in the American league by Sporting News, and probably with the same outcome in the ¨real¨, scouts predicted Abreu was a 25 HR and 85 RBI player. Abreu showed to be superior to this, a top player. He was second in OPS (964) in the American League second only to Victor Martinez and Rookie of the Month...

By: Raúl Enrique Medina Orama    Singer-songwriter Susana Baca was the center of all questions during the inaugural conference of the 3rd Meeting of Popular Voices, an event that takes place in Havana from October 14 through the 19. On Tuesday, all the eyes at the Capri hotel were for Peruvian artist and researcher, familiar to Cuban audiences for her featuring with Calle 13 in known song Latin America. The work of Susana Baca, of course, is broader and there was recognized with the International Award Cubadisco 2013, specifically the CD De la misma sangre, where she shared credits with the Ecuadorian Dad Roncón. In the event that heads the Cuban singer Algeria Fragoso is  also involved tres player Pancho Amat with his Cabildo del Son; and Adonis Puentes, Cuban musician whose career has developed in important stages in Canada and the United States. Under the program, today Pancho Amat and Cabildo del Son will offer a concert with international guests at the National Art School (4 pm). Thursday at House of the Americas record company Colibri will present new DVDs, and 7 pm the concert Homage to Maria Teresa Vera will begin, where Pancho Amat and Adonis Puentes will perform...

As part of an international tour that includes the United States, Mexico and Europe, the multicultural art project “Up with People" will be for the first time in Cuba scenarios. Approximately 80 young art lovers from around 15 countries are part of the delegation that is in our country to hold exchanges with students and with the Cuban people. As stated by the member of the organizing committee, the Mexican Giselle Kuri, attendees can enjoy a colorful show where traditions with music and typical costumes of different countries are represented. The first tour in Cuba was a stale desire that becomes reality with the support of the Ministry of Culture. The tour includes live performances in Villa Clara and Havana, and will begin today in the Vidal Park in Santa Clara. During the stay in the central province participants will stay at the Professional School of Art (EPA). Misael Oliver told OnCuba they will interact with people through community service projects and also by presenting the show, undoubtedly the most visual part of the organization that nonprofits have visited over sixty countries. "From my point of view to share with people is one of the richest experiences because you can...

By: Diona Espinosa Naranjo   Starting a career in Cuban cinema alongside one of the great documentary makers in the world is a plus, but this does not define the director Ismael Perdomo. At only twenty years of age, he managed to Santiago Álvarez to trust on him to be the assistant director of two of his last documentaries. After the death of the called Third World Chronicler, Perdomo led the team with which Alvarez worked, and completed a trilogy they both had begun on Cuban music. Perdomo has filmed about 40 documentaries with the Cuban Film Institute (ICAIC by its Spanish acronym), although he often has become an independent filmmaker, going through the edges of Cuban official film history due to its limited presence in television and other media. And despite his productions are not widespread in Cuba, they do have attracted the attention of major foreign broadcasters such as French and Spanish Canal Plus, Documanía, Mezzo Channel, BBC, Canal Arte Francia, Canal Encuentro Argentina or Discovery Channel. His films were displayed in more than seventy countries and many of them achieved international recognition. Ismael Perdomo still insists on filming in his country, even though most of his films...

By: Duanys Hernández Torres   The National Baseball Series has a very questionable quality. One of the fundamental causes beyond the exodus of players is the large number of teams making the tournament structure. Each province is represented in the Cuban baseball national tournament. The transfer of players from one province to another is one of the current phenomena of the greatest sporting event in the country. The province gives more players is Havana because the abolition of Metropolitanos it has only one team for more than two million inhabitants. It is acceptable that men like Víctor Muñoz, Jorge Luis Barcelán, Yoel Mestre, Yanier Herrera, Rigoberto Gómez and Maikel Hidalgo develop their skills with other provinces. The capital can even afford to "export" good prospect short-stops as Yamil Rivalta, now playing with Villa Clara and Jorge Alomá, who does it with Sancti Spiritus. However, Industriales doesn’t escape the flashy 'signings'. After the immense saga referred to the Gourriel brothers now they painted blue two pitchers who were reinforcements in the last series: Cienfuegos Noelvis Entenza and Alexander Rodriguez, from Baracoa. Not to mention Irandy Castro and Michel Martinez Pozo from Pinar del Rio, with several series among the disciples of...

The Irish company ding *, one of the largest in the world for recharging service to cell phones , has just entered the Cuban market after buying the site RecargasaCuba.com, according to The Independent, a newspaper of that European nation. Mark Roden, CEO of the Irish firm, said the acquisition of reacargasacuba.com will bring them invaluable insight of the Cuban market, which will allow them to increase their business in this region. With its head office in Dublin, capital of Ireland, the company has contracts with more than 300 mobile operators in about 130 countries, giving them access to 3 500 billion users, which allows them instant recharge at any time, from anywhere, as its motto reads. It has offices in Miami , Dubai, San Salvador, Bucharest and Dhaka and currently employs about 200 people. Its web site https://www.ding.com/ in English and Spanish enables quick and easy interaction with the provider. Luis Flores, who belongs to recargasacuba.com, noted that the union with ding * shows the commitment of both companies to help Cubans living abroad to keep in touch with their relatives on the island. The information in The Independent did not mention any data on the amount of the...

By: Francys Romero.   Always, when it comes to baseball, there is something we do not see and do not know about it. It might be a simple statistic that we cannot read or a light movement that we do not appreciate in time. Everything will always have a secret side. Perhaps this is the explanation to the season that Cuban Leonys Martín has had the in the majors in this 2014. Leonys, born in Corralillo, Villa Clara, came to the MLB system in 2011 and in the same season he transited from the A subsidiary to the great Texas Rangers team with which he signed for 5 years and 15.5 million dollars. In that season he only had 8 at-bats. The scout reports on Leonys recorded him as a potential leadoff hitter in the majors, a runner and defender above average with occasional power. The next year he had to continue working from the minors where he had an impressive offensive line 359/422/610 and was promoted to the majors again accumulating 46 at bats. The Rangers cataloged it as the prospect 4 throughout the franchise in 2012. After a 2013 with good records and playing most of the time...

By: Gerson Legrand   If I tell you that Elmer Figueroa and Camilo Blanes have played some of the most lamentable ballads of history, surely you shrug your shoulders and wonder who these strange characters are. But if I tell you that I just referred to Camilo Sesto and Chayanne, you, agreeing or not with me, will know exactly whom I am referring to That is how pseudonyms work. So many artists have used them throughout history; the list could fill countless pages. Some have done so for the sake of originality; others, to simplify the entangled, bland or stilted names they came to this world with; some, to get a good safety from political or religious persecution. In the end, in every nickname there is effort-at least, initially an effort to conceal the true identity. Overall it is a lawful attempt and, in some cases, absolutely valid. I already wrote once: it would have been difficult to approach the first books by Pablo Neruda if he had kept the brutal Neftali Reyes displayed on his baptismal certificate and perhaps Pancho Villa would not have been respected the same if he had carried forever that Doroteo Arango he was given...

Por:  Mauricio Escuela   -¡Push, it is open! one of the characters in the story "Beware of damp walls," winner of the 2014 La Gaceta Contest says from inside the apartment. Water had flooded the room, but there I was with my swimsuit and willing to talk with Julio Cesar Castellon, author of that fiction. 'I told them to give you a lifeline in case you will need to cross the hall, the writer surprised me with that phrase, as I sat down on tip of gallons of accumulated water. Not every day somebody wins the La Gaceta Award, yet few have been to interview me in my remote village where apparently did not stop raining. I tried to tell Julio the water problem was only in his apartment and specifically in a story whose threat and feelings of loneliness are mixed with superb story telling. Don’t try to explain me; he interrupted me, my own work I know exactly what it is about. When I started writing, I felt comfortable with the central character of the frustrated engineer. He is a guy that undoubtedly I have similarities with. It was a subconscious thing; the story just came out, in...

By: Alexis Pérez Rúa   A little over a month after arriving in the land of the rising sun, with the signing of a contract to play for the organization of the Yomiuri Giants, Hector Manuel Mendoza Ripoll sees his horizon populated with dreams, with one way, work and daily effort. The promising pitcher from the Isle of Youth was presented along with other Cuban athletes to a group of Japanese specialists just about 3 months ago and without wasting much time the board of the franchise wanted to have him in their ranks, due to his remarkable condition. As a novel detail and the long-term intentions of the Japanese with Mendoza, Carlos Soto Soto, his head coach in Cuba, was also transferred to work in conjunction with the boy and technicians of the Yomiuri, a decision that leaves even greater dividends for Cuban baseball. After a long day of practice Hector spoke to OnCuba about his experiences in Japanese baseball. "The level is very high, all players are well prepared and know what they have to do at all times, as the tactical technical thinking and concentrating here are a priority in the preparation. "Discipline is the other aspect...

By: Lis García Arango   He is not sitting in a chair, as in the song by Silvio Rodriguez. Yes I'm standing. He's not naked, although surrounded by umbrellas. Each morning, Monday through Saturday, he repeats the routine: arrives, opens his briefcase and sits waiting for customers. His tools are reduced to two old pliers, wire, and a cemetery of redeemable linings of metal rods of all sizes. When no one can resurrect them, he recovers and recycles the bodies of nylon and plastic fibers. Nobody knows Fidel Diaz Pedroso by name. Everybody in Matanzas calls him the Umbrella Man. He learned the trade from his grandfather Roman, and now, at 54, he doesn’t remember the total of umbrellas that have passed through his hands. For him the only completely certain that he wants to devote the rest of his life to repairing umbrellas. He learned the trade from his grandfather Roman / Photo: Courtesy of the author "There's nothing like helping people with my own efforts," Fidel Díaz Pedroso said. He knows in advance what the problem with the umbrella might be by the make, model or country of manufacture; he also automatically guesses the remedy for each. People...

The Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV-2016) Program opened at noon today, the October first, 2014 and will close at the same time on November 3rd. In a press release, issued by the spokesman of the office of the Department of State, based in Washington, it specifies that people interested can apply for visas through the Electronic Diversity Visa (E-DV) website at www.dvlottery.state.gov. The Diversity Immigrant Visa, according to the Office of Interests of the United States in Havana, was approved by the Congress of the United States and offers 55,000 visas (DV's). It is designed for a random selection among those who meet the eligibility requirements. There is no fee to register for the drawing. "The Department of State implemented the electronic registration system from the DV-2005 in order to make the process most efficient and safe. We use special technology and other means to identify those who commit fraud for the purpose of emigrating illegally or those with multiple entries for the draw, "says the statement. Cubans have access to this program since 1990.Last November 2013 concluded the previous call whose results were announced in May 2014 with a total of 1480 visas granted to persons resident in the Island....

The most recent figures on tourist arrivals in Cuba, published by the National Statistics Office (ONE) appear as a good sign following a 6.7 percent increase for August, if compared to the same month of 2013. Following a two-month consecutive slump in arrivals, which could have thwarted the country’s goal of receiving three million foreign visitors this year, a total 199 thousand 789 arrivals in August could mean a change in the lowering trend registered previously. Cuba has already received 2 million 071 thousand 533 vacationers, which translates into a 3.7 percent growth with respect to 2013, while the high tourist season is already at the doors with possibilities to help reach the 3-million-visit goal thanks, to a large extent, to promotional campaigns undertaken in Latin America and Europe. Canada continues to rank Cuba’s major tourist source nearly surpassing 850 thousand visitors, followed by Germany, the U.K. and Italy. This latter country was reported as the fastest to increase its dispatches of tourist to Cuba in August, with over 12 thousand arrivals. France and Spain were also reported with significant growth up to date, with 7.6 and 5.1 percent respectively over the figures released last year. And in Latin America,...

From September 27 the United States Interests Section in Havana (USINT) will implement a new system for the coordination of visitors and fiancés visas that will reduce costs and improve information services for interested persons. According to a press release issued by USINT, Type B-1, B-2, J, F and P, fiancé (e) (K-1 and K-2) visa applicants may make appointments through site in English: http://www.ustraveldocs.com/cu, and in Spanish: http://www.ustraveldocs.com/cu_es or by phone in the United States through the number ( 786) 408-5995. Both sites will allow applicants to use an interactive calendar that will enable them to choose time and date of the interviews at their convenience. This procedure will now be free, and if the applicant makes it ​​by phone must only pay the normal cost of the call. Current rates for applications may be paid in cash at any establishment of the chains Family Dollar, 7-Eleven or ACE Cash Express in the United States or by debit cards in the aforementioned sites. The note clarifies that concerted appointments to date remain as before and the changes only apply to those from September26th. The steps to follow are only three: fill DS-160 chart online, issue the payment in approved...

The Ministry of Transportation will invest in a modern cruise terminal at the port of Cienfuegos, which is thought of as "something big, something at world level," announced José Enrique Gonzalez, an officer at the Ministry of Tourism (MINTUR) in the Pearl of the South. In August, more than 30 luxury ships had called at the ports of the center and south of Cuba, which means the largest number of cruise ship arrivals since the start of this type of tourism on the island in 1996. Fifty-three boats are expected to arrive in Cienfuegos as part of the arrival plan for next season. The rise shows the revitalization of the cruise services in Cienfuegos, 250 kilometers southeast of Havana. Out of them, 37 of them will dock in port facilities nearby the historic center of the city, which is the place of location of the future terminal. Meanwhile, the remaining 16 arrivals will operate in open waters of the Caribbean Sea near the Faro Luna hotel, on the beach at Rancho Luna. The number of stops in Cuban ports, administered by the Ministry of Transport, was about 125 last season. Of these, 28 docked at the Olimpia Medina pier, in...

OnCuba suggests the article: Institutional Changes of Cuba’s Economic Social Reforms: State and Market Roles, Progress, Hurdles, Comparisons, Monitoring and Effects, by Carmelo Mesa-Lago, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Economic and Latin American Studies at the University of Pittsburgh . In the article, Mesa-Lago evaluates the pros and cons of economic reform plans of Cuba in relation to institutional changes. Essentially, he concludes that institutional reforms in Cuba are moving in a positive direction, albeit slowly. The most important thing so far, according to the professor, has been the establishment of micro-credit, bank accounts, sales and property inheritance rights for beneficial owners and homeowners, among others. Still, he points key and structural changes that are still pending: a comprehensive price reform, the elimination of the dual currency, a realistic exchange rate and a restructuring of the banking system. The author believes that if the economic model for Cuba would be out of "market socialism" adapted or mixed, as China and Vietnam, which have private sector, open markets and foreign investment, combined with tentative plans and decentralization of decision making, the economic growth would reach higher standards. For this reason, he proposed that the state should allow self-employment in professional sectors, generating...

By: Deydri Delgado Avila   "Dance was born with the beat and rhythm-in the man, with the first beat of the heart; is as old as man himself ". It seems that this phrase by prima ballerina Alicia Alonso marks, from the first minutes, the work Showroom of the Danza Abierta Company, which is presented these days as part of Habanarte Festival. This creation was part of the shows of the new headquarters of El ciervo encantado Theatre located on 18th Street between the 9th and 11, Vedado neighborhood. The aforementioned dance group, founded by Marianela Boan and currently directed by Guido Gali, has earned the appreciation of national and foreign public with pieces like Chorus Perpetuus, What to Expect When You're Expecting and Malson. The reposition last weekend of Showroom, by Susana Pous, was no exception. The work recycles and honors the Cuban cabaret show; this attitude of choreographer probing roots in traditional Cuban music had already been expressed in an earlier reinterpretation of the son. The title of the work recently retaken announces the bipolarity that will mark the staging. Show acts concomitantly with the visible, the grounds, the public, the tinsel, the din. On the other hand,...

Cuban singer Raul Paz presents live today starting at 11:00 pm, at the nightclub "Steam Miami" located at 30 NE 14th Street. The show will be a preview of his latest album titled Ven Ven and the will inaugurate this club the project Vedado Social Club (VSC) will make available to many artists soon. "I felt privileged to be invited by this cultural initiative to the Cuba NU-WAVE Festival in September 2013: I am back a year later, happy to rediscover the public of this beautiful city. I invite you to hear songs from the new phonogram like Ven Ven, Hace falta y Nadie sabe, in addition to classics of my repertoire that always accompany me. Thanks to Vedado Social Club for the opportunity to promote the work of talented Cuban composers and performers, “Raul Paz said. The new musical space is specially designed for an American audience and organizers announced upcoming concerts by Carlos Varela, Qva Libre and Nube Roja. Previously, under the aegis of the cultural project that proposes arts, culture and style from its slogan Cuban musicians Telmary Diaz, Danay Suarez, Descemer Bueno, Kelvis Ochoa, David Torrens and William Vivanco, among others, have performed here. "Raul Paz...

From across the Yucatan Strait, the government of Enrique Peña Nieto is "very attentive to the process of updating the economic and social model promoted in Cuba and has expressed its full readiness to support it. There is growing interest in the Mexican private sector to be part of the changes taking place on the Island, "said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of that country, José Antonio Meade Kuribreña, during his recent visit to Havana. The visit leaves the certainty that Mexico is about to become, along with Venezuela, Brazil, China and Russia, a big business partner of the economy of the island. Cuba represents for Mexican entrepreneurs a nearby market of 11 million people, a place full of opportunities and eager for foreign investment. The interest in strengthening relations is evident. Meade said, referring to the possibilities offered by the new Foreign Investment Law, that they "have been found attractive areas for investment in various sectors and cooperation on cultural issues." During his visit, he met with President Raul Castro and with Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, Vice President of Council of Ministers, with whom addressed, among other issues, diversification of the areas of economic exchange. Also he gave a lecture...

Starting this 2014, the day of the Virgin of the Charity of El Cobre will be celebrated as "solemnity" according to a notification sent by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments from the Vatican to the President of the Episcopal Conference of Cuba (CEC) Monsignor Dionisio García Ibáñez. Meanwhile, Pope Francis sent the first message of a pope in history addressing the Cubans due to the anniversary of the discovery of the image of the Virgin also named Mambisa, where he urged them to "rejoice, stand up and persevere." In the letter, published Saturday on the website of the CEC, the Pope advised Cubans "to have joy and share it with those around us, lift the heart and not succumb to adversity and stay on the right path, helping tirelessly to they are oppressed by sorrows and troubles: these are the important lessons taught by the Virgin of the Charity of El Cobre, useful for today and tomorrow. " The Pope also noted the recent placement of an image of the Virgin in the Vatican Gardens: "Her presence there is an evocative reminder of affection and vitality of the Church making a pilgrimage in those...

The popular Cuban duo Buena Fe will give a concert in Miami Dade County Auditorium, on September 18th, in which they will pay homage to Cuban cinema. For the first time the duo of Israel Rojas and Yoel Martinez, composer and lead vocals and acoustic guitar and vocals, respectively, will perform in this city by including trumpet, trombone and saxophone in their band format. Our music, Israel says on their official website, go with those pictures of Memories of Underdevelopment, The Death of a Bureaucrat, the great Consuelito Vidal, our Miravalles (Melesio); Juan Padrón's cartoons with his "filthy rat " and Vampires in Havana. The audience will hear unreleased tracks, and enliven the human longing that always brings us back to the land where we were born: Cubans, who have never gone away completely, it will be a pleasure to meet again, the artist said. The musicians accompanied by their band, made up by Dairon Rodriguez (electric guitar), Maikel Perez (drums), Ernesto Cisneros (keyboards), Israel Lopez (bass), and Adolfo (Fito) Martinez (sound), there have been other times in the city of Miami and always successful, especially since the new generations know their job pretty well. The duo emerged in 1999,...

By: Francys Romero   On Saturday, August 30th, at the Angel Stadium of Anaheim, California, Yoslan Herrera, a Pinar del Rio pitcher, 33, won a baseball game in the major leagues. Herrera pitched 0.2 innings in a win over Oakland Anaheim 2 x 0. Yoslan suffered around about 7 long years in exile before returning to climb a mound in MLB and win a game. His story is a story about the recovery of hope and strength in sport, and on how not to be overcome by adversity. Yoslan worked in Cuba for 18 wins and 7 losses and ERA of 3.72 in 3 seasons; he was a bullpen pitcher of Pinar del Rio, his home province team. In addition to integrating the ranks of his team, Herrera participated in two Super Leagues and was called several times to the national pre-selection. In 2006 he left the island and after a landing a little rough on American soil, the Pittsburgh Pirates signed Herrera for a minor league contract. He began to overcome defects in AA Altoona Curve and according to his pitching coach, Brad Holdren, Yoslan never had it easy: "This guy has managed to come out some adversities in...

The first baseman of the Chicago White Sox, Jose ¨ Pito ¨ Abreu, continues to collect awards in his still budding career in American Major League, just four months, and inscribing his name in the record books. The Cienfuegos slugger was named Rookie of the month on Monday in the American League, third time, and Player of the month, second. The feat becomes something of a legend because in major league history no one had been awarded both awards twice in the same season. In addition, Abreu became the fourth rookie to win this monthly distinction more than once, since its inception in 2001. Prior had been Ichiro Suzuki (4 times in 2001), Jason Bay (3 times in 2004) and Mike Trout (4 in 2012). Last July Abreu hit .375 with 11 doubles, six homers and 19 RBIs, despite finishing the month with back pain. Moreover, in 24 of those games he managed to connect at least a hit, and led the American league in OPS (1.099), extra-base hits (17) and total bases (66). With his characteristic modesty, when receiving the awards Abreu said ¨ I do not like talking about myself, but I'm surprised. I didn’t expect to have...

The video clip Ojos Color Sol, linking the poetics of Puerto Rican duo Calle 13 and the Cuban troubadour Silvio Rodríguez was released today on Youtube and was directed by René (Residente) Pérez, lead singer of Calle 13, and his countryman Kacho López. The single that gives name to this clip came from collaboration with Silvio Rodríguez after the Cuban expressed interest in Mexico in collaborating with Calle 13 for its "creative and nonconformist spirit." Before recording the single and the video Silvio was already a big fan of Puerto Rican group "not only for their ideological positions, but also by demonstrating creativity in their albums; (...) I have been a bit like it, I've never settled for the first thing that comes to mind, but after exploring other regions I return to the beginning, sometimes that happens.” For the duo of brothers (Resident and Visitor) Silvio´s collaboration in one of their albums was "almost impossible", and a current source of pride, because for them “he is someone we greatly admired, as we listened to him since we were kids." "I rapped what he had written. Then he read it and smiled. We had no music yet. He recorded something...

The Villa Manuela Art Gallery emerged more than a decade ago with the purpose of covering the promotional demands by the members of the Plastic Arts Association on the Cuban Association of Cuban Artists and Writers (UNEAC by its acronym in Spanish). The Gallery lays in an eclectic big house from the 20’s, carefully restored and located in H Street between 17 and 19 in Vedado, in the Cuban capital. Many people say it reproduces the environment of a gallery in the first world. Its halls exhibit pieces by Cuban creators from different trends, generations and plastic art expressions. In order to celebrate its tenth anniversary, specialists have organized a sample with 19 contemporary Cuban artists that have been part of the history of the gallery. Villa Manuela has become one of the most efficient galleries nationally due to the degree of specialization and competitiveness of its staff. “We must not forget the gallery has given room for theoretical discussions when that practice was barely null in official spaces. Almost all artists that have exhibited their work in the gallery has had an audiovisual spot and a color catalogue”, noted David Mateo, who worked as its director for many years,...