Children love the beach. Years ago, I took a rather enjoyable trip to one named Jibacoa, located in what was formerly referred to as “Habana campo” (“the Havana countryside”). It looked like a paradise for children. Every morning, a fleet of large, old American-made trucks loaded with bathers from nearby towns would arrive at the coast. (13 photos)

It looks as though one does not need the violence of capitalism or a neo-liberal government to deliver the nation’s resources to private interests, through the mediation of a mob of bureaucrats. Apparently, it does not matter if the quality of a whole city’s drinking water is what’s at stake.

In these days the earth has aligned itself with the sun in a similar position to that of the day when I first poked my head out from the maternal womb. How badly I take birthdays!

Speaking of Chavez’s death, I was reading some articles on the Internet. Most of them were no more than boring caricatures. Luckily there are others that are better balanced, such as the one by Boaventura Sousa Dos Santos, titled “Chavez: The Legacy and the Challenges” (Chavez, el legado y los desafíos).

This is another post about drugs. No, don’t raise your eyebrows or huff. I’ll be raising the issue at least until they’re legalized and decent information on them can be found in bookstores and libraries here.

Yesterday, when Chavez’s death was announced, I was in the heart of the city and was able to pick up some of the spirit felt by people over the departure of the president.

I love old people. Not always of course, but they usually transmit a sense of tranquility and serenity to me. That’s why I relaxed when I found out who would be the head of the Employment Justice Council – the entity that would serve as the arbiter in the case leveled against me by my employer four years ago.

If I were to tell you — my friend — that we Cubans are pigs and chickens, would you be offended and get upset? You probably would. Or maybe not. You might think “chicken” is a fitting adjective for those who’ve endured a half century without raising their voices, and the term “swinish” could come in handy when describing the hygiene of our cities.

An energy crisis is looming over the world, and Cuba’s not exempt. Basic commodities and food will become scarce — like during the Special Period crisis of the ‘90s — but there will also be crises related to politics, climate, health conditions, ethics and with our mental patterns of behavior.

From an intellectual perspective, it’s commonly assumed that reggaeton is a negative phenomenon…regression from what has been achieved musically and culturally…a symptom of the degradation of taste and morality. And there’s no lack of people who suggest that many such evils originate with (or are caused by) the “revolutionary” process.