Tuesday, August 17, 2004
Monday, August 16, 2004
Commentary
Vieques’ Revenge
By Cecil Harris
Puerto Rico Sun
The final score of Puerto Rico 92, United States 73 still shocks those who cling to the outdated notion that U.S. superiority in basketball is a given, somehow part of an American’s birthright. The truth, however, is it doesn’t matter anymore that basketball was created in the mainland U.S.—albeit by a Canadian, Dr. James Naismith—because the days of other teams genuflecting before American squads are long gone.
Finally, the phrase “Dream Team,” as it relates to USA Men’s Olympic Basketball, can be retired for good. The phrase is as anachronistic today as the Soviet Union, amateur athletics and American diplomacy.
On Sunday, August 15, 2004 in Athens, Greece, a team of pampered NBA millionaires with an aversion to defense, perimeter shooting, free-throw shooting and team play was humiliated by a team from Puerto Rico before the eyes of the world. Never before had a U.S. team composed of NBA stars lost in Olympic competition.
But this was no fluke. Puerto Rico exposed the flaws of the U.S. team from start to finish. Led by point guard Carlos Arroyo, who had game-highs with 24 points and 7 assists, Puerto Rico held a 22-point lead at halftime. Despite a plethora of bigger names on Team USA—names like Allen Iverson, Tim Duncan, Lamar Odom, LeBron James and Stephon Marbury—Arroyo, a starter for the NBA’s Utah Jazz, was the best player on the court.
August 15 may be forever celebrated in Puerto Rico as Vieques’ Revenge. Vieques is the island bought by the U.S. Navy in the 1940s after which many families and farmers were forced to leave to make way for decades of bombing runs and military practices. The inhumane policy prompted years of protest, and an occasional tear-gassing response from the Navy. Finally, President George W. Bush announced in June 2001 that the Navy would leave the island. According the Web site viequeslibre.org, May 8, 2003 marked the first day on Vieques in more than 60 years that was free of bombing.
The U.S. Navy pushed the people of Vieques around for generations, and USA Basketball lorded over the sports world for just as long. Yet Puerto Rico brought an athletic superpower to its knees. Puerto Rico’s strategy was to force Team USA team to shoot from outside. As Iverson told NBC television after the game, “We don’t want to shoot (from) outside. We want to get easy baskets and run.”
Yet the well-schooled Puerto Rico squad packed in its defense to limit easy baskets and invite shots from the perimeter. Team USA shot a dreadful 35 percent from the field, including an obscene 3-for-24 from 3-point range. That’s 12.5 percent shooting on 3-point shots, despite a three-point semicircle that is 20 feet, 6 inches away in the Olympics as opposed to 23 feet, 9 inches away in the NBA. Quite simply, Puerto Rico forced Team USA to do what it did not want to do and could not do well—shoot from the perimeter.
Other teams will pick up on Puerto Rico’s strategy, which will make it exceedingly difficult for Team USA to win a fourth straight Olympics basketball gold medal.
Team USA first sent NBA players to the Olympics in 1992 after a squad composed of college stars finished third in the 1988 Games. The 1992 team was the only true Dream Team—Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Karl Malone, John Stockton et al. Every member of that team (except Christian Laettner) is in the Basketball Hall of Fame or soon will be. From the team that Puerto Rico dominated on August 15, only Duncan and Iverson are certain to be Hall of Famers.
At least lazy broadcasters and headline writers should no longer refer to just any U.S. grouping of NBA players as a “Dream Team.” Such laziness should have ceased in 2002 when Team USA finished sixth in the World Championships in Indianapolis and the NBA’s arrogant, showboating, trash-talking style went over like lead-based paint.
Many will look at Puerto Rico 92, USA 73 and say the rest of the world has caught up. But strictly in terms of playing basketball as a five-man unit, other teams have passed the U.S.A. Puerto Rico has only two NBA players on its Olympic squad (Arroyo and forward Jose Ortiz), but it played as a team—not as a motley crew of self-indulgent individuals.
No matter what else happens at the 2004 Olympics, the Puerto Rico men’s basketball team made history, humbling the once-invincible Team USA. Only after 40 minutes of game time did Puerto Rico’s dominance end. Only then could Team USA feel a sense of relief. Now they could be left alone. Finally. The people in Vieques know the feeling.
#
Cecil Harris is a native of Brooklyn, New York, and lives in Yonkers, New York.
Harris is the author of BREAKING THE ICE The Black Experience in Professional Hockey (Insomniac Press, 2003) and the screenplays The Iceman and White Chocolate. Harris worked as a sports journalist for daily newspapers, magazines and an Internet site. Among his many accomplishments in journalism, he covered the National Basketball Association's Indiana Pacers for The Indianapolis Star and the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes for The News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina and the New York Rangers and New York Islanders for Newsday.
Harris has covered such major events as the World Series, the American League Division Series, the American League Championship Series, the NBA Finals, the NBA playoffs, the NCAA men's basketball championships, the NCAA Division I football national championship game, the Stanley Cup finals, the Stanley Cup playoffs, the U.S. Open tennis championships, All Star Games in baseball and hockey, the New York City marathon, the Millrose Games and the 1996 Summer Olympic Games.
Harris contributes to sports columns to Puerto Rico Sun.
Check out Harris' website at www.cecilharris.com.
Vieques’ Revenge
By Cecil Harris
Puerto Rico Sun
The final score of Puerto Rico 92, United States 73 still shocks those who cling to the outdated notion that U.S. superiority in basketball is a given, somehow part of an American’s birthright. The truth, however, is it doesn’t matter anymore that basketball was created in the mainland U.S.—albeit by a Canadian, Dr. James Naismith—because the days of other teams genuflecting before American squads are long gone.
Finally, the phrase “Dream Team,” as it relates to USA Men’s Olympic Basketball, can be retired for good. The phrase is as anachronistic today as the Soviet Union, amateur athletics and American diplomacy.
On Sunday, August 15, 2004 in Athens, Greece, a team of pampered NBA millionaires with an aversion to defense, perimeter shooting, free-throw shooting and team play was humiliated by a team from Puerto Rico before the eyes of the world. Never before had a U.S. team composed of NBA stars lost in Olympic competition.
But this was no fluke. Puerto Rico exposed the flaws of the U.S. team from start to finish. Led by point guard Carlos Arroyo, who had game-highs with 24 points and 7 assists, Puerto Rico held a 22-point lead at halftime. Despite a plethora of bigger names on Team USA—names like Allen Iverson, Tim Duncan, Lamar Odom, LeBron James and Stephon Marbury—Arroyo, a starter for the NBA’s Utah Jazz, was the best player on the court.
August 15 may be forever celebrated in Puerto Rico as Vieques’ Revenge. Vieques is the island bought by the U.S. Navy in the 1940s after which many families and farmers were forced to leave to make way for decades of bombing runs and military practices. The inhumane policy prompted years of protest, and an occasional tear-gassing response from the Navy. Finally, President George W. Bush announced in June 2001 that the Navy would leave the island. According the Web site viequeslibre.org, May 8, 2003 marked the first day on Vieques in more than 60 years that was free of bombing.
The U.S. Navy pushed the people of Vieques around for generations, and USA Basketball lorded over the sports world for just as long. Yet Puerto Rico brought an athletic superpower to its knees. Puerto Rico’s strategy was to force Team USA team to shoot from outside. As Iverson told NBC television after the game, “We don’t want to shoot (from) outside. We want to get easy baskets and run.”
Yet the well-schooled Puerto Rico squad packed in its defense to limit easy baskets and invite shots from the perimeter. Team USA shot a dreadful 35 percent from the field, including an obscene 3-for-24 from 3-point range. That’s 12.5 percent shooting on 3-point shots, despite a three-point semicircle that is 20 feet, 6 inches away in the Olympics as opposed to 23 feet, 9 inches away in the NBA. Quite simply, Puerto Rico forced Team USA to do what it did not want to do and could not do well—shoot from the perimeter.
Other teams will pick up on Puerto Rico’s strategy, which will make it exceedingly difficult for Team USA to win a fourth straight Olympics basketball gold medal.
Team USA first sent NBA players to the Olympics in 1992 after a squad composed of college stars finished third in the 1988 Games. The 1992 team was the only true Dream Team—Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Karl Malone, John Stockton et al. Every member of that team (except Christian Laettner) is in the Basketball Hall of Fame or soon will be. From the team that Puerto Rico dominated on August 15, only Duncan and Iverson are certain to be Hall of Famers.
At least lazy broadcasters and headline writers should no longer refer to just any U.S. grouping of NBA players as a “Dream Team.” Such laziness should have ceased in 2002 when Team USA finished sixth in the World Championships in Indianapolis and the NBA’s arrogant, showboating, trash-talking style went over like lead-based paint.
Many will look at Puerto Rico 92, USA 73 and say the rest of the world has caught up. But strictly in terms of playing basketball as a five-man unit, other teams have passed the U.S.A. Puerto Rico has only two NBA players on its Olympic squad (Arroyo and forward Jose Ortiz), but it played as a team—not as a motley crew of self-indulgent individuals.
No matter what else happens at the 2004 Olympics, the Puerto Rico men’s basketball team made history, humbling the once-invincible Team USA. Only after 40 minutes of game time did Puerto Rico’s dominance end. Only then could Team USA feel a sense of relief. Now they could be left alone. Finally. The people in Vieques know the feeling.
#
Cecil Harris is a native of Brooklyn, New York, and lives in Yonkers, New York.
Harris is the author of BREAKING THE ICE The Black Experience in Professional Hockey (Insomniac Press, 2003) and the screenplays The Iceman and White Chocolate. Harris worked as a sports journalist for daily newspapers, magazines and an Internet site. Among his many accomplishments in journalism, he covered the National Basketball Association's Indiana Pacers for The Indianapolis Star and the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes for The News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina and the New York Rangers and New York Islanders for Newsday.
Harris has covered such major events as the World Series, the American League Division Series, the American League Championship Series, the NBA Finals, the NBA playoffs, the NCAA men's basketball championships, the NCAA Division I football national championship game, the Stanley Cup finals, the Stanley Cup playoffs, the U.S. Open tennis championships, All Star Games in baseball and hockey, the New York City marathon, the Millrose Games and the 1996 Summer Olympic Games.
Harris contributes to sports columns to Puerto Rico Sun.
Check out Harris' website at www.cecilharris.com.
A Letter to the Editor
Re: News -- The U.S.A. men's Olympic basketball team lost 92-73 to Puerto Rico in Athens on Aug. 15.
Shaggy Flores - New Generation Nuyorican Poeta wrote in an Aug. 15 e-mail:
Familia,
Remember that movie Miracle, that opened last year where the under dog U.S. Hockey team beats the USSR? Remember how everyone went ballistic when the U.S. won?
There's nothing better then waking up this afternoon to see a bunch of overpaid prima-donna's get their butts handed to them by some Boricuas from the island. Not just beat them but I mean, beat them from the very beginning of the game. Outplay them in every way. The Olympics are great!!!
Hey, wait a minute, aren't the players on the U.S. team getting paid a whole bunch of dinero just to dribble the ball and make shots at the NBA for a living. Now we know why the NBA doesn't want other teams in other countries to join the action.
Not too long ago T-Mac got into a confrontation with a player from P.R. named Casiano because of remarks that the NBA players were spoiled and overpaid. Fast forward to today and Casiano was schooling the higher paid and sponsorship endorsed team. Did you see the 3 pointer that Casiano shot from far away in the last seconds? Man, this was as good as seeing the Italians stomp on the U.S.
Don't get me wrong, I like watching the NBA since growing up watching Dr. J, Jordan, Spud Webb, Wilkins, Jabbar, Lakers, Celtics when real players put their heart and soul on the floor. This olympic team is a joke, how are you going to represent us nationally and play like a bunch of scrubs.
Sure, I know that might hurt some sports fans out there but truth is truth, if your only job is to play ball then you might as well be nice at what you do. This is why I like watching Street Ball where everyday cats are playing the game not just for the money, but also for respect and love.
Anyway, today was sheer poetry and a wake up call that Boricuas are in the house!!!! Might just have to write a poem about the experience!!!
Pa'lante Arroyo! Pa'lante Casiano! Puerto Rico, Ho!!!!!!
Shaggy Flores
nuyorican poeta
www.shaggyflores.com
Re: News -- The U.S.A. men's Olympic basketball team lost 92-73 to Puerto Rico in Athens on Aug. 15.
Shaggy Flores - New Generation Nuyorican Poeta
Familia,
Remember that movie Miracle, that opened last year where the under dog U.S. Hockey team beats the USSR? Remember how everyone went ballistic when the U.S. won?
There's nothing better then waking up this afternoon to see a bunch of overpaid prima-donna's get their butts handed to them by some Boricuas from the island. Not just beat them but I mean, beat them from the very beginning of the game. Outplay them in every way. The Olympics are great!!!
Hey, wait a minute, aren't the players on the U.S. team getting paid a whole bunch of dinero just to dribble the ball and make shots at the NBA for a living. Now we know why the NBA doesn't want other teams in other countries to join the action.
Not too long ago T-Mac got into a confrontation with a player from P.R. named Casiano because of remarks that the NBA players were spoiled and overpaid. Fast forward to today and Casiano was schooling the higher paid and sponsorship endorsed team. Did you see the 3 pointer that Casiano shot from far away in the last seconds? Man, this was as good as seeing the Italians stomp on the U.S.
Don't get me wrong, I like watching the NBA since growing up watching Dr. J, Jordan, Spud Webb, Wilkins, Jabbar, Lakers, Celtics when real players put their heart and soul on the floor. This olympic team is a joke, how are you going to represent us nationally and play like a bunch of scrubs.
Sure, I know that might hurt some sports fans out there but truth is truth, if your only job is to play ball then you might as well be nice at what you do. This is why I like watching Street Ball where everyday cats are playing the game not just for the money, but also for respect and love.
Anyway, today was sheer poetry and a wake up call that Boricuas are in the house!!!! Might just have to write a poem about the experience!!!
Pa'lante Arroyo! Pa'lante Casiano! Puerto Rico, Ho!!!!!!
Shaggy Flores
nuyorican poeta
www.shaggyflores.com
Saturday, August 14, 2004
Sol
This is Sol, the Spanish name for sun.
Sol is Puerto Rico Sun's mascot. Sol lost part of her ear and tail in a car accident when she lived in the streets. We thought she was going to die, but she fought for her life. She showed me a lot about strength and lived up to her name. She is a beautiful, energetic, feisty sata and currently lives with me.
Sol was born in San Juan.
Sol is Puerto Rico Sun's mascot. Sol lost part of her ear and tail in a car accident when she lived in the streets. We thought she was going to die, but she fought for her life. She showed me a lot about strength and lived up to her name. She is a beautiful, energetic, feisty sata and currently lives with me.
Sol was born in San Juan.
Friday, August 13, 2004
Featured site:
our culture, our history
If you are interested in quality TV programming on boricuas, a site worth visiting is www.tutv.puertorico.pr, the site of TUTV Universo Television.
One of the best features of the site is that you could watch quality cultural TV programming online. The programming is largely in Spanish.
Among the cultural shows featured include such programs as "Cultura Viva," "Asi Canta Puerto Rico," "De Pura Cepa" and "Prohibido Olvidar."
It's worth a visit.
our culture, our history
If you are interested in quality TV programming on boricuas, a site worth visiting is www.tutv.puertorico.pr, the site of TUTV Universo Television.
One of the best features of the site is that you could watch quality cultural TV programming online. The programming is largely in Spanish.
Among the cultural shows featured include such programs as "Cultura Viva," "Asi Canta Puerto Rico," "De Pura Cepa" and "Prohibido Olvidar."
It's worth a visit.
Thursday, August 12, 2004
Education Corner
Essay
A Vision in Education
By Manuel Hernández
Thanks to the National Democratic and Republic Conventions, the two major political candidates for the Presidential position outlined their proposals of a vision in education. The educational challenges experienced in the United States have usually been identified with the fluctuating political circumstances of the government of tenure. Whether it is one or the other the political party in power, the educational policies and strategies implemented take a 360-degree U-turn every four or eight years. These on-going and neverending changes have proven to be a disservice to our children who are the ones mostly affected by the everlasting transitional stages of those in power. That is why a specific, concise and definable vision in education must be established by the educational community (parents, students, teachers, counselors and administrators) with the input, feedback and support of the government but without the intrusion of sorts.
Research and statistics have supported the fact that a quality education is much more than a fixed set of norms, rules and regulations. A vision in education begins in the heart. It has to be written in the hearts of all those involved in the process. Once upon a time, there was a teacher who lived, loved and gave his life for his students. In a far and distant land, another teacher changed the course of a nation by defying violence with non-violence and peace. In the United States of America, a Southern Baptist preacher and teacher revolutionized the heartbeat of America with his struggle for liberty and justice for all. It is a profound sense of commitment that goes beyond petty social, political, cultural and religious differences and elevates objectives to stimulate critical and creative thinking. Prior knowledge and past experiences are stored in the heart. Love is the element that inspires them to come out. As a consequence, a healing stage flourishes and enables students to express themselves academically and become excellent pro-active participants in society.
Authority, grace, character, family, service, creativity and excellence are seven of the twelve values of the vision. Many of our students have fallen prey to adversity. The national high school school dropout rate, low national testing scores and teenage pregnancy are just three of the dilemmas that our children face today. A vision teaches them how to react and respond in times of testing, trials and tribulations. It is the development of character with identity and dignity. Finally, a vision recognizes that all students are a valuable resource, and it is up to educators to develop the potential that exists in them.
How do we define a vision in education? First, we must restore faith in ourselves. This is a process in itself. In many aspects, the American culture promotes negativism. From prime time gossip, to gibberish talk shows on the radio to the exploitation of young and beautiful women on television, our children have been fed with bad news, crime and rumors, but we can overcome these negatives by overwhelming ourselves with “positives”. Second, we must do it ourselves. John F. Kennedy said, “Ask not what the government can do for you but what you can do for your country.” The vision is much more than institutional; it is individual. Third, we must impart it to others. Share by grace what by grace you have received. Make time to write, design, create and share; no strings attached. Last, deeply believe that you were called to carry out the vision. As you share it with others, its consequences will generate supernatural blessings for you and your loved ones.
(Manuel Hernandez is the author of Latino/a Literature in The English Classroom, Editorial Plaza Mayor, which is available for purchase. For more information, contact Hernandez.)
Hernandez contributes essays about education issues to Puerto Rico Sun. Hernandez may be reached at mannyh32@yahoo.com.
Essay
A Vision in Education
By Manuel Hernández
Thanks to the National Democratic and Republic Conventions, the two major political candidates for the Presidential position outlined their proposals of a vision in education. The educational challenges experienced in the United States have usually been identified with the fluctuating political circumstances of the government of tenure. Whether it is one or the other the political party in power, the educational policies and strategies implemented take a 360-degree U-turn every four or eight years. These on-going and neverending changes have proven to be a disservice to our children who are the ones mostly affected by the everlasting transitional stages of those in power. That is why a specific, concise and definable vision in education must be established by the educational community (parents, students, teachers, counselors and administrators) with the input, feedback and support of the government but without the intrusion of sorts.
Research and statistics have supported the fact that a quality education is much more than a fixed set of norms, rules and regulations. A vision in education begins in the heart. It has to be written in the hearts of all those involved in the process. Once upon a time, there was a teacher who lived, loved and gave his life for his students. In a far and distant land, another teacher changed the course of a nation by defying violence with non-violence and peace. In the United States of America, a Southern Baptist preacher and teacher revolutionized the heartbeat of America with his struggle for liberty and justice for all. It is a profound sense of commitment that goes beyond petty social, political, cultural and religious differences and elevates objectives to stimulate critical and creative thinking. Prior knowledge and past experiences are stored in the heart. Love is the element that inspires them to come out. As a consequence, a healing stage flourishes and enables students to express themselves academically and become excellent pro-active participants in society.
Authority, grace, character, family, service, creativity and excellence are seven of the twelve values of the vision. Many of our students have fallen prey to adversity. The national high school school dropout rate, low national testing scores and teenage pregnancy are just three of the dilemmas that our children face today. A vision teaches them how to react and respond in times of testing, trials and tribulations. It is the development of character with identity and dignity. Finally, a vision recognizes that all students are a valuable resource, and it is up to educators to develop the potential that exists in them.
How do we define a vision in education? First, we must restore faith in ourselves. This is a process in itself. In many aspects, the American culture promotes negativism. From prime time gossip, to gibberish talk shows on the radio to the exploitation of young and beautiful women on television, our children have been fed with bad news, crime and rumors, but we can overcome these negatives by overwhelming ourselves with “positives”. Second, we must do it ourselves. John F. Kennedy said, “Ask not what the government can do for you but what you can do for your country.” The vision is much more than institutional; it is individual. Third, we must impart it to others. Share by grace what by grace you have received. Make time to write, design, create and share; no strings attached. Last, deeply believe that you were called to carry out the vision. As you share it with others, its consequences will generate supernatural blessings for you and your loved ones.
(Manuel Hernandez is the author of Latino/a Literature in The English Classroom, Editorial Plaza Mayor, which is available for purchase. For more information, contact Hernandez.)
Hernandez contributes essays about education issues to Puerto Rico Sun. Hernandez may be reached at mannyh32@yahoo.com.
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
2004 AmericArtes Festival - Espíritu De Puerto Rico
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
presents the 2004 AmericArtes Festival
Espíritu De Puerto Rico
AmericArtes! is a multi-year Latin American festival weaving together the movement and the metaphor of the vibrant cultures of Latin America in a host of music, dance, theater, film, visual, and literary arts programs. Performances and events on the Center’s main stages, Millennium Stage, and in the Terrace Gallery showcase the eclectic mix of regional cultures in Latin America, reflecting the indigenous African, Spanish, and Portuguese influences that flavor the unique arts of the Americas.
In September, AmericArtes will highlight the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in Espíritu de Puerto Rico, featuring the best in Puerto Rican classical music with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra; popular singers such as Ednita Nazario, Olga Tañón, and Gilberto Santa Rosa; dance with performances by Andanza, theater; and literature. Literary highlights include En Voz Alta: A Performance by Nuyorican Poets and “Puerto Rico in the Female Imagination,” a discussion by scheherazades, a group of women novelists and poets. In addition, the Center will display installations by one of the most versatile artists in Puerto Rico, Antonio Martorell, and acclaimed visual artist Jaime Suárez.
The AmericArtes Festival is presented with the support of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, through funding from the Puerto Rico Tourism Company and Rums of Puerto Rico. Additional support provided by Juan and Marianna Sabater, The Honorable and Mrs. Thomas F. McLarty, III, Delta, and the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration. International Programming at the Kennedy Center is supported by the
Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts.
For more information on the supporters, visit www.gotopuertorico.com, www.rumcapital.com, and www.prfaa.com.
source: PRFAA website
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
presents the 2004 AmericArtes Festival
Espíritu De Puerto Rico
AmericArtes! is a multi-year Latin American festival weaving together the movement and the metaphor of the vibrant cultures of Latin America in a host of music, dance, theater, film, visual, and literary arts programs. Performances and events on the Center’s main stages, Millennium Stage, and in the Terrace Gallery showcase the eclectic mix of regional cultures in Latin America, reflecting the indigenous African, Spanish, and Portuguese influences that flavor the unique arts of the Americas.
In September, AmericArtes will highlight the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in Espíritu de Puerto Rico, featuring the best in Puerto Rican classical music with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra; popular singers such as Ednita Nazario, Olga Tañón, and Gilberto Santa Rosa; dance with performances by Andanza, theater; and literature. Literary highlights include En Voz Alta: A Performance by Nuyorican Poets and “Puerto Rico in the Female Imagination,” a discussion by scheherazades, a group of women novelists and poets. In addition, the Center will display installations by one of the most versatile artists in Puerto Rico, Antonio Martorell, and acclaimed visual artist Jaime Suárez.
The AmericArtes Festival is presented with the support of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, through funding from the Puerto Rico Tourism Company and Rums of Puerto Rico. Additional support provided by Juan and Marianna Sabater, The Honorable and Mrs. Thomas F. McLarty, III, Delta, and the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration. International Programming at the Kennedy Center is supported by the
Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts.
For more information on the supporters, visit www.gotopuertorico.com, www.rumcapital.com, and www.prfaa.com.
source: PRFAA website
Monday, August 09, 2004
Curtain to Rise on Manhattan's Only All Latin Movie Theatre - Clearview Cinemas Announces the Grand Opening of Cinema Latino
Cinema Latino To Open On Friday, August 27 with 'Vidas Privadas' (Private Lives) Starring Gael Garcia Bernal and Cecilia Ruth
NEW YORK, Aug. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Clearview Cinemas today announced that on Friday, August 27 its movie theatre at 62nd and Broadway will open as Cinema Latino -- the only all Latino movie house in Manhattan. The single-screen, 300-seat theatre will exclusively show first run Latin American, Spanish and Portuguese films with English subtitles imported from 20 different countries.
"Opening Cinema Latino as the first and only exclusive Latin film house in Manhattan clearly places Clearview Cinemas at the forefront in bringing these exceptional films to audiences here in Manhattan," Morten Gotterup, senior vice president and general manager of Clearview Cinemas, said. "In addition to appealing to the significant Latino community in the New York area -- that is over 2 million strong in Manhattan alone -- we believe this format will resonate with film lovers of all backgrounds looking for important new films by talented film makers that depict the diverse cultures, lives and stories from around the world."
Clearview Cinemas is working with Armando Guareno, founder and executive director of La CinemaFe Film Festival, to acquire films directly from studios around the world. Through this partnership Clearview Cinemas will be able to share exclusive high-end Latino films not available today at any other New York area theatre with Cinema Latino audiences.
"LaCinemaFe's mission is to promote a wider and deeper understanding of the roots, lives and diverse cultures of the Spanish and Portuguese speaking communities in Latin America, the United States, Spain and Portugal through our annual film festival and projects including our work with Clearview on Cinema Latino," Armando Guareno, founder and executive director of LaCinemaFe, said. "By creating a space in Manhattan to showcase these films we hope to strengthen the cultural and economic ties among these countries."
Starting Wednesday, August 11 through Sunday, August 23 the soon to be re-named Cinema Latino theatre will host the third annual LaCinemaFe Film Festival as the kick off event for opening the new all Latin film format on August 27. More information about this Film Festival and the opening of Cinema Latino can be found at http://www.clearviewcinemas.com/.
Ticket prices at the theatre remain $10.25 for adults and $6.75 for senior citizens and children under 12. For information on films and showtimes visit http://www.clearviewcinemas.com/, check local newspaper listings or call Cinema Latino at (212) 265-7466.
A subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation since 1998, Clearview Cinemas was formed in 1994 and currently operates 54 movie theatres with 266 screens in the New York metropolitan area, including the famous Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. Clearview Cinemas operates theatres in New Jersey, Manhattan, Westchester, Rockland County, Long Island and Pennsylvania.
Source: Clearview Cinemas
Cinema Latino To Open On Friday, August 27 with 'Vidas Privadas' (Private Lives) Starring Gael Garcia Bernal and Cecilia Ruth
NEW YORK, Aug. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Clearview Cinemas today announced that on Friday, August 27 its movie theatre at 62nd and Broadway will open as Cinema Latino -- the only all Latino movie house in Manhattan. The single-screen, 300-seat theatre will exclusively show first run Latin American, Spanish and Portuguese films with English subtitles imported from 20 different countries.
"Opening Cinema Latino as the first and only exclusive Latin film house in Manhattan clearly places Clearview Cinemas at the forefront in bringing these exceptional films to audiences here in Manhattan," Morten Gotterup, senior vice president and general manager of Clearview Cinemas, said. "In addition to appealing to the significant Latino community in the New York area -- that is over 2 million strong in Manhattan alone -- we believe this format will resonate with film lovers of all backgrounds looking for important new films by talented film makers that depict the diverse cultures, lives and stories from around the world."
Clearview Cinemas is working with Armando Guareno, founder and executive director of La CinemaFe Film Festival, to acquire films directly from studios around the world. Through this partnership Clearview Cinemas will be able to share exclusive high-end Latino films not available today at any other New York area theatre with Cinema Latino audiences.
"LaCinemaFe's mission is to promote a wider and deeper understanding of the roots, lives and diverse cultures of the Spanish and Portuguese speaking communities in Latin America, the United States, Spain and Portugal through our annual film festival and projects including our work with Clearview on Cinema Latino," Armando Guareno, founder and executive director of LaCinemaFe, said. "By creating a space in Manhattan to showcase these films we hope to strengthen the cultural and economic ties among these countries."
Starting Wednesday, August 11 through Sunday, August 23 the soon to be re-named Cinema Latino theatre will host the third annual LaCinemaFe Film Festival as the kick off event for opening the new all Latin film format on August 27. More information about this Film Festival and the opening of Cinema Latino can be found at http://www.clearviewcinemas.com/.
Ticket prices at the theatre remain $10.25 for adults and $6.75 for senior citizens and children under 12. For information on films and showtimes visit http://www.clearviewcinemas.com/, check local newspaper listings or call Cinema Latino at (212) 265-7466.
A subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation since 1998, Clearview Cinemas was formed in 1994 and currently operates 54 movie theatres with 266 screens in the New York metropolitan area, including the famous Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. Clearview Cinemas operates theatres in New Jersey, Manhattan, Westchester, Rockland County, Long Island and Pennsylvania.
Source: Clearview Cinemas
Commentary
Saving a Life Matters Even If It Is a Cat
By Clarisel Gonzalez
Puerto Rico Sun
SAN JUAN -- "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress may be judged according to the way its animals are treated."
That's a quote from Ghandi.
Unfortunately, Puerto Rico is simply not doing a good job at caring for its cats and dogs. That is obvious in the strays all over the San Juan metro area and everywhere on the island. The animal overpopulation is a serious problem, largely because people dump the responsibility on someone else, leaving cats and dogs to fend for themselves on the streets.
So, don't be surprised if you see a dead cat or dog on a corner as you walk on the street or drive around one on a highway as you head to your favorite tourist destination. Don't be surprised to see hungry dogs breaking garbage bags open in the middle of the day as you wait for a bus. Don't be surprised to see cats and dogs, dodging cars and buses as they try to cross busy streets. It's all part of the local attraction.
When I first arrived to the island four years ago from Massachusetts, I moved my two cats, Kris and Annie, with me. I had rescued Kris, a yellow cat I met meowing for food on a bitter cold Christmas night in the north Bronx. I drove him home with me to Springfield, MA, and a year later Annie, my Maine Coon, was given to me as a gift.
The pair was complete. Annie and Kris were sterilized. When I decided to move to the island, I brought my cats with me because they are part of my family. Even though several heartless people told me to "open the door and let them leave," I couldn't leave them behind, so I paid for their airfare and vet bills to move them. I couldn't abandon them because you don't do that to family.
What I didn't realize then was that I was going to inherit a cat problem here up close and personal. Today, I, with the help of my mother, care for five more cats. This is thanks to an irresponsible pet owner (a police officer) who adopted a female cat and then just dumped the cat to make more cats.
The pet owner was so irresponsible that she moved out the neighborhood and left her cat with kittens behind. It was not the pet owner's responsibility to make sure to get her cat a home or take her to a shelter. She just walked out.
Careless pet owners think it is OK to dump their cats and dogs on the streets because they are "animals" and survivors. The truth is that animals face many dangers on the streets, ranging from being hit by cars to heartless neighbors who poison and kill them.
Pinta, the name we gave the beautiful young Calico cat, was simply the victim of a careless pet owner. She became pregnant twice. One pregnancy after the other.
Pinta had a total of six cats. Thankfully, one of Pinta's kittens (from her second pregnancy) was adopted by a neighbor's friend.
I have since adopted or care for the other five cats, seeking loving homes for them. It isn't easy. It isn't cheap.
I also have a dog, a stray that showed up at my door on New Year's Day, running away from the sounds of fireworks and bullets.
It costs money to care for so many pets, but the joy they bring makes the sacrifices worthwhile.
Some of my friends joke, saying I am becoming a "cat lady." But I fell into this mission completely by the circumstances. Although I always wanted to adopt a boricua cat, I didn't expect to have so many.
I saw a cat who was abandoned and the things she went through: two pregnancies and an attack by a group of dogs that nearly killed her. Pinta proved to be a real fighter for her and her cats. She doesn't deserve to be killed on the streets and neither do her cats.
According to The Humane Society of Puerto Rico website, animal overpopulation is a serious problem with too many pets and not enough homes. The local shelter is receiving about 40 to 60 animals a day, and one of the most common excuses why people abandon or relinquish their pets is because they are moving, states the society's website.
While taking a cat or a dog to a shelter should be a last resort, it is preferred than dumping the cat or dog on the streets to fend for itself. Citizens are actually urged by the humane society not to abandon their pets on the streets because "this is extremely cruel and illegal."
But the truth is that shelters are overburdened with the amount of cats and dogs needing homes that outnumber the families looking to adopt them. Many of these animals are not adopted and are put to sleep.
The best way to save lives and cut down on the overpopulation problem is by helping to reduce the number of puppies and kittens actually born. The best way to do that is by neutering and spaying cats and dogs.
The good news is that I know there are people here trying to promote this message and helping to save lives.
Among them is my friend Gilda Padilla, a school teacher and an animal activist with her own "colony of cats and dogs."
Recently, Padilla was among four animal advocacy organizations who were profiled in the local Spanish newspaper "Primera Hora" for their work in rescuing and helping to find homes for cats and dogs.
Padilla, who is also studying to be a veterinarian assistant, runs "Rescate y Adopcion de Animales Realengos, Inc.," a nonprofit staffed by four volunteers who visit neighborhoods to help rescue, cure and sterilize as many stray animals as possible. The group's goal is to promote the adoption of cats and dogs. They do this work without any financial help.
Among the things they aim to do is help provide food and medical care for dogs and cats, especially cats in the San Juan metropolitan area.
But government sadly does little to support organizations like Padilla's and the three others profiled in the article.
According to the "Primera Hora" article published July 31 and written by Adela Davila Estelritz: "The good news is that in Puerto Rico there are many who defend animal rights; the bad news is that practically none of them receives government support.
"If it weren't for the volunteers, the donations...these nonprofit entities would not be able to sustain themselves," Davila wrote in the article titled "Entre angeles y verdugos" ("Between angels and tyrants").
No wonder locals treat animals the way they do! Government is not doing enough to help support people who are trying to save animals from being killed on the streets or euthanized at the shelter.
And, I know from personal experience that people like Padilla are making a real difference. Every little bit helps, as they say.
With Padilla's help, I am slowly but surely taking in the rest of my cats for sterilization. Padilla made contact with the folks at The Save a Sato Foundation, a local non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of life for homeless and abused animals on the island, and then she made an appointment for Pinta at the vet. Thanks to the generosity of Save a Sato and Dr. Ernesto R. Casta, Pinta was sterilized in June at the Hospital Veterinario de San Juan.
Pinta's daughter Sol, who lost part of her ear and her tail in a car accident when she lived on the streets, is next on line to be spayed. My dog Brownie is also on line. While I have a coupon from Save a Sato to sterilize the two of them for free, I have to find a vet to do the job.
Meanwhile, my mother and I continue to care for the cats and dog as part of the family. But I am hoping to find homes for Pinta's cats, especially because I may have to relocate to New York City. And, I'd prefer not to take them to the shelter because there is no guarantee they will be adopted, especially my Sol, a pretty yellow and white cat who is playful, curious and feisty.
They all deserve to live with loving families. For now, I am blessed to have them home with me.
"If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow man," St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals.
Saving a Life Matters Even If It Is a Cat
By Clarisel Gonzalez
Puerto Rico Sun
SAN JUAN -- "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress may be judged according to the way its animals are treated."
That's a quote from Ghandi.
Unfortunately, Puerto Rico is simply not doing a good job at caring for its cats and dogs. That is obvious in the strays all over the San Juan metro area and everywhere on the island. The animal overpopulation is a serious problem, largely because people dump the responsibility on someone else, leaving cats and dogs to fend for themselves on the streets.
So, don't be surprised if you see a dead cat or dog on a corner as you walk on the street or drive around one on a highway as you head to your favorite tourist destination. Don't be surprised to see hungry dogs breaking garbage bags open in the middle of the day as you wait for a bus. Don't be surprised to see cats and dogs, dodging cars and buses as they try to cross busy streets. It's all part of the local attraction.
When I first arrived to the island four years ago from Massachusetts, I moved my two cats, Kris and Annie, with me. I had rescued Kris, a yellow cat I met meowing for food on a bitter cold Christmas night in the north Bronx. I drove him home with me to Springfield, MA, and a year later Annie, my Maine Coon, was given to me as a gift.
The pair was complete. Annie and Kris were sterilized. When I decided to move to the island, I brought my cats with me because they are part of my family. Even though several heartless people told me to "open the door and let them leave," I couldn't leave them behind, so I paid for their airfare and vet bills to move them. I couldn't abandon them because you don't do that to family.
What I didn't realize then was that I was going to inherit a cat problem here up close and personal. Today, I, with the help of my mother, care for five more cats. This is thanks to an irresponsible pet owner (a police officer) who adopted a female cat and then just dumped the cat to make more cats.
The pet owner was so irresponsible that she moved out the neighborhood and left her cat with kittens behind. It was not the pet owner's responsibility to make sure to get her cat a home or take her to a shelter. She just walked out.
Careless pet owners think it is OK to dump their cats and dogs on the streets because they are "animals" and survivors. The truth is that animals face many dangers on the streets, ranging from being hit by cars to heartless neighbors who poison and kill them.
Pinta, the name we gave the beautiful young Calico cat, was simply the victim of a careless pet owner. She became pregnant twice. One pregnancy after the other.
Pinta had a total of six cats. Thankfully, one of Pinta's kittens (from her second pregnancy) was adopted by a neighbor's friend.
I have since adopted or care for the other five cats, seeking loving homes for them. It isn't easy. It isn't cheap.
I also have a dog, a stray that showed up at my door on New Year's Day, running away from the sounds of fireworks and bullets.
It costs money to care for so many pets, but the joy they bring makes the sacrifices worthwhile.
Some of my friends joke, saying I am becoming a "cat lady." But I fell into this mission completely by the circumstances. Although I always wanted to adopt a boricua cat, I didn't expect to have so many.
I saw a cat who was abandoned and the things she went through: two pregnancies and an attack by a group of dogs that nearly killed her. Pinta proved to be a real fighter for her and her cats. She doesn't deserve to be killed on the streets and neither do her cats.
According to The Humane Society of Puerto Rico website, animal overpopulation is a serious problem with too many pets and not enough homes. The local shelter is receiving about 40 to 60 animals a day, and one of the most common excuses why people abandon or relinquish their pets is because they are moving, states the society's website.
While taking a cat or a dog to a shelter should be a last resort, it is preferred than dumping the cat or dog on the streets to fend for itself. Citizens are actually urged by the humane society not to abandon their pets on the streets because "this is extremely cruel and illegal."
But the truth is that shelters are overburdened with the amount of cats and dogs needing homes that outnumber the families looking to adopt them. Many of these animals are not adopted and are put to sleep.
The best way to save lives and cut down on the overpopulation problem is by helping to reduce the number of puppies and kittens actually born. The best way to do that is by neutering and spaying cats and dogs.
The good news is that I know there are people here trying to promote this message and helping to save lives.
Among them is my friend Gilda Padilla, a school teacher and an animal activist with her own "colony of cats and dogs."
Recently, Padilla was among four animal advocacy organizations who were profiled in the local Spanish newspaper "Primera Hora" for their work in rescuing and helping to find homes for cats and dogs.
Padilla, who is also studying to be a veterinarian assistant, runs "Rescate y Adopcion de Animales Realengos, Inc.," a nonprofit staffed by four volunteers who visit neighborhoods to help rescue, cure and sterilize as many stray animals as possible. The group's goal is to promote the adoption of cats and dogs. They do this work without any financial help.
Among the things they aim to do is help provide food and medical care for dogs and cats, especially cats in the San Juan metropolitan area.
But government sadly does little to support organizations like Padilla's and the three others profiled in the article.
According to the "Primera Hora" article published July 31 and written by Adela Davila Estelritz: "The good news is that in Puerto Rico there are many who defend animal rights; the bad news is that practically none of them receives government support.
"If it weren't for the volunteers, the donations...these nonprofit entities would not be able to sustain themselves," Davila wrote in the article titled "Entre angeles y verdugos" ("Between angels and tyrants").
No wonder locals treat animals the way they do! Government is not doing enough to help support people who are trying to save animals from being killed on the streets or euthanized at the shelter.
And, I know from personal experience that people like Padilla are making a real difference. Every little bit helps, as they say.
With Padilla's help, I am slowly but surely taking in the rest of my cats for sterilization. Padilla made contact with the folks at The Save a Sato Foundation, a local non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of life for homeless and abused animals on the island, and then she made an appointment for Pinta at the vet. Thanks to the generosity of Save a Sato and Dr. Ernesto R. Casta, Pinta was sterilized in June at the Hospital Veterinario de San Juan.
Pinta's daughter Sol, who lost part of her ear and her tail in a car accident when she lived on the streets, is next on line to be spayed. My dog Brownie is also on line. While I have a coupon from Save a Sato to sterilize the two of them for free, I have to find a vet to do the job.
Meanwhile, my mother and I continue to care for the cats and dog as part of the family. But I am hoping to find homes for Pinta's cats, especially because I may have to relocate to New York City. And, I'd prefer not to take them to the shelter because there is no guarantee they will be adopted, especially my Sol, a pretty yellow and white cat who is playful, curious and feisty.
They all deserve to live with loving families. For now, I am blessed to have them home with me.
"If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow man," St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals.
Sunday, August 08, 2004
Saturday, August 07, 2004
poetry
JUST A FEATHER
By FERNANDO A. ZAPATER
Once your feather had blown unto me
I wondered the beautiful happenings
Became restless and watched the sky
Overall our marvelous migrations above thy
The skies told me it was time to fly
As I set my eyes upon the cottoned clouds
The horizon appeared, and a goose flied
Throwing a feather upon earthly lives
As it floated towards ground under above
You smiled towards land and said to me
A feather, a feather, a feather as gift to you
Adonais my love, a gift from above
The feather, regarded, as the Indian in you
Saw the pureness in the lonesome gift
And its whiteness was bestowed upon me
Graciously to give my soul the needed lift
The Indian in you gave the poet in me
The most beautiful gift in a feather
For it will not matter day, night or weather
We shall find the universal truth together.
c 2004 Fernando A. Zapater
Fernando A. Zapater contributes his poetry to Puerto Rico Sun. Zapater is from Ponce and currently lives in Florida.
JUST A FEATHER
By FERNANDO A. ZAPATER
Once your feather had blown unto me
I wondered the beautiful happenings
Became restless and watched the sky
Overall our marvelous migrations above thy
The skies told me it was time to fly
As I set my eyes upon the cottoned clouds
The horizon appeared, and a goose flied
Throwing a feather upon earthly lives
As it floated towards ground under above
You smiled towards land and said to me
A feather, a feather, a feather as gift to you
Adonais my love, a gift from above
The feather, regarded, as the Indian in you
Saw the pureness in the lonesome gift
And its whiteness was bestowed upon me
Graciously to give my soul the needed lift
The Indian in you gave the poet in me
The most beautiful gift in a feather
For it will not matter day, night or weather
We shall find the universal truth together.
c 2004 Fernando A. Zapater
Fernando A. Zapater contributes his poetry to Puerto Rico Sun. Zapater is from Ponce and currently lives in Florida.
Thursday, August 05, 2004
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