Panderer

Paul Ryan goes to Little Havana. From the Miami Herald:

"The Republican vice presidential candidate did not mention that he once opposed the U.S. trade embargo against the island, but he pointed to his change of heart — prompted by Miami’s current and former Cuban-American Republicans in Congress, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart.

“They’ve given me a great education — lots of us in Congress — about how we need to clamp down on the Castro regime,” Ryan told supporters at the Versailles restaurant. “We will be tough on Castro, tough on Chávez.”

Ryan, a Wisconsin congressman, has voted against the embargo at least three times. The Midwest tends to see trade opportunities in agriculture with Cuba."

News Headlines from the Near-Future: "Obama Reelected with 70% of the Latino Vote"

"Experts attribute margin to this moment captured at PHX Airport."

Ricardo Legorreta dies at 80

I have a troubled relationship with the work of Ricardo Legorreta. The Mexican architect designed fascinating buildings all over the world and I've walked through his El Camino Real Hotel on Reforma in Mexico City on several occasions, mesmerized.

But he also is responsible for the latest (circa-1993) iteration of Pershing Square, a 1-minute walk from our apartment in DTLA. This may be my single least favorite public space in the neighborhood because of the amazing potential that it had due to its strategic location and the high-pedigree of its designer. To be fair, the city has not invested in the square with the upkeep and occasional new paint that it deserves, and hopping on to the dirt track on NE corner can make life in the big city seem a little more peaceful, at least for a few steps. I'll just say that the relative lack of grass, faded paint, and fortress-like walls, which cut it off from the city, are in need of new thinking.

But the rest of his work, from private homes to hotels to shopping centers, is by and large awesome. In these other designs, his thick walls, recessed windows which cast angular shadows all day long, and bright colors perfectly blend Mexican modernism with its past.

Get this Article to the President

The Economist, of all publications, has suggested a solution to the Posada Carriles issue that would send the admitted terrorist to Venezuela to face trial in exchange for the USAID subcontractor, Alan Gross. Gross was sentenced in Cuba last month to 15 years in prison for delivering video phones to the island's Jewish community. President Jimmy Carter returned from Havana empty-handed shortly after his conviction.

The article doesn't address the all but certain certain fallout in Little Havana, where Elián pt. II could ensue, but does point out that the initial extradition order issued by Venezuela was blocked by a Florida judge for specious reasons. The judge cited fear of torture in Venezuela, which the author claims, despite its many other problems, doesn't have a significant track record of torture.   

The Cubana flight 455 that Posada Carriles has admitted to bombing was headed from Barbados to Jamaica, could President Obama broker a deal where one of these two nations would put him on trial?

Cuba Travel Deferred

It appeared, for a brief moment, this summer that lifting the travel ban on US citizens to Cuba might just be the legislative dark horse in this feeble Democratic-led Congress and make it through. Not so after all. Howard Berman, the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, had this to say:

"For a very long time, I have either led or supported efforts to repeal restrictions on the freedom of Americans to travel. The current prohibition on Americans traveling to Cuba is the last obstacle to the full enjoyment of this right. I strongly support H.R.4645, the Travel Restriction Reform and Export Enhancement Act, which would eliminate the Cuba travel restrictions.

"The Committee had been scheduled to consider this legislation tomorrow, but it now appears that Wednesday will be the last day that Congress is in session before an extended district work period. That makes it increasingly likely that our discussion of the bill will be disrupted or cut short by votes or other activity on the House floor. Accordingly, I am postponing consideration of H.R. 4645 until a time when the Committee will be able to hold the robust and uninterrupted debate this important issue deserves. I firmly believe that when we debate and vote on the merits of this legislation, and I intend for it to be soon, the right to travel will be restored to all Americans."

They'll get another chance after the midterms, but don't hold your breath. Until then, most of us will have to observe from afar how "privatization" or as it's known in Granma, "the great victory of socialism", plays out on the island.

America's Cup

It's early still but this has been quite a World Cup for the Western Hemisphere. Already through to the Round of 16 are the US, Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina. Chile also have a very clear path to advance on Friday. That leaves out Honduras, who was actually beaten first by Chile in the junior grupo de la muerte.

A fact; only Chile, Brazil, Argentina, and the Netherlands have won their first two matches in South Africa. With this many teams surging forward, more than a couple should advance pretty far.