Hi everybody, Joe for JaspeysCaseBreaks.com with some revolution. The revolution is televised right here on this YouTube channel. 21-22, Panini Revolution Basketball, eight box, pick your team number 15, that's an eight box inner case. And each spot that you get gets you three Father's Day packs shipped to you seal. That's pretty nice. All-Cart ship as well.  I appreciate it here on Tuesday the 28th.  So each team that you got three sealed packs, you can sell those packs if you want to. If you choose to rip open those packs and you get something cool, definitely let us know or tag us on Twitter at JaspeysBreaks, that'd be cool. All right, there you go. There is the revolution. See what we got. Everybody, I do enjoy all the different, the autographs are fewer and far between in revolution, but it's those parallels that really, really makes this, all right. Thanks Brandon. Appreciate it man. John Morant on the box, a lot of fun parallels here. What's the, oh yeah, Galactic Parallel. I forget if those are one per master case or one per inner case, I guess we'll find out. I don't even guarantee like that at all. Maybe they're even chore-printed in that, but that's one of the things we'll look out for. Good luck everybody. What's everyone's thoughts on free agency? When does that start? This week? Next week? So Clipper is going big grabbing John Wall. If they've got a healthy Kawhi Leonard and a healthy Paul George, that's going to be kind of a scary team. Nix seemed to be trading away all sorts of assets to get Jalen Brunson on that team. Logan's Utah Jazz finally got their coach. I think that was the last team with the coaching vacancy. Boston Celtics assistant Will Hardy's on that team now. What's up with Kyrie? Nothing now. He has opted in and that is that. Since he's opted in, there's no sign-in trade situation there. That can't happen now. I think just a straight-up trade probably won't happen because the Lakers just don't have enough assets for that. I don't know. Maybe we dogged the bullet there. Astro parallel and Cade Cunningham. Nice. Groove parallel. Those are called Astro and Groover a little bit more common. Cade Cunningham for Detroit, Nicholas, and there's an impact. Those are numbered. D'Angelo Russell to 149. That's for Minnesota. I think these anniversary cards are really cool too. 14 out of 75. That's for Jake Kirby and the Washington Wizards. I think the only real shot that the Lakers had at Kyrie Irving would be if Kyrie opted out and then for some reason decided to put tens of millions of dollars on the table and said that he was going to take the $6 or $7 million mid-level exception, which we know wasn't going to happen. Astro parallel, Jason Tatum, James Harden, Supernova Fractal parallel, Kessler Edwards Fractal parallel, Zach Levine Dikey. Bulls hoping that Zach Levine will re-sign with the Bulls. Now I think for the Nets, that's pretty much it. I think they've got KD. I don't think, if Kyrie went somewhere, I think KD might have assed out of that contract, maybe demanded a trade, but looks like that's not going to happen. So they'll have a full season of Kyrie and obviously it's healthy, but a full season of Kyrie, KD, and maybe a rejuvenated Ben Simmons. I don't know what they did in the draft, if anything, and then whatever they do in a free agency, try to get some other pieces around that group. There you go. T-Wolves and Prince, Torian Prince, not the artist formally knows Prince, but Torian Prince will agree to a $16 million extension, Zubat. The Vita Zubat's got a $33 million extension, I think three years, $33 million. Nix really pushing for Jalen Brunson. I guess his dad has connections to the Nix, so they're really pushing for that. I can't wrap my head around dealing with both Simmons and Kyrie, says Gilo. If they end up winning at all, or maybe finishing on top of the East or something like that, Steve Nash would certainly get coach of the year consideration, considering all the hassle he must have gone through that entire year. From the makers of MLBTradeRumors.com, HoopsRumors.com, check that out when I'm opening up the next box. It's James Harden Fractal, Julius Randall, Groove, Donovan Mitchell, Die Cut, Fresh Face, New Voice in the locker room for the Jazz, let's see how that works out for him. Richard S. with the Jazz, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. There you go, thank you, Anthony. Nix signed to Brunson's dad as an assistant coach in the offseason, and the Nix executive Leon Rose also used to be Brunson's agent, so that's where all those connections are coming in. There's Groove, and our first auto is going to be for the Jazz, Mike Conley. Utah Jazz, Richard, with Utah, and we've got Wanzo Ball, 50 out of 50, Cubic, Parallel for Chicago, Nicholas, and we've got a Westbrook anniversary, 9 out of 75. I guess if Lakers, you Lakers coach, gets something out of Russell Westbrook, just give Darvin Hamm, coach of the year right there.  Moses Moody, Groove, Parallel, not sure what my Lakers are going to be able to do. They're pretty, their hands are kind of tied. Really, they just need first things first, LeBron, and especially AED's got to be healthy. I can't really count on that with AED, I guess or LeBron these days, but definitely AED. Although AED will argue that and has in the offseason is, and it's true that his injuries were sort of freak injuries, Seppin on a dude's foot, you know, this and that, so I guess he's right. But other dudes, you know, go out for a jumper and Seppin on a dude's foot and they're out for a week, AED's out for like a month, LeBron's got to start figuring out a little bit of a load management situation, Westbrook, what is a Westbrook, AED's got to accept a roll off the bench, and then Lakers have to kind of figure out some crafty veteran, some crafty veteran to take the mid-level exception and maybe make a trade or two for somebody else and then hope that youngsters like Townhort and Tucker take it to the next level, you know, you got to hope that Austin Reeves evolves, takes the next step forward, there's no regressions. Get a full season of Kendrick Nunn, that would be nice, I think he opted in, Vortex, Kate Cunningham for Detroit, did not see a single minute of Kendrick Nunn last year, he got a bone bruise, ooh nice Evan Mobley Astro, you got a bone bruise in the pre-season and it must have been really bad because he never showed up, I guess a year of him could be nice, there's Evan Mobley Astro, I like Kendrick Nunn, it's Josh Giddy, rookie revolution, insert for OKC, that'll be for a wheel, no parallel, just standard and Jalen Suggs, Orlando, I think it's got an interesting team, sneaky good team, wait, this actually reminds me of something, did someone mention, I apologize to the person who mentioned this earlier, but was someone mentioning that someone is in on the Orlando Magic sale or I think someone had said that Shaquille O'Neal is part of an investment group that wants to try to buy the Orlando Magic, did I hear that right? Here's TJ Warren, 41 out of 100 fractal autograph for the Pacers, Dominic with that one, apologies to the person who mentioned that earlier, I forgot to respond to that, but I did lock it away in my head, Shaq seems to be has his hand in a little bit of everything, if he buys the Orlando Magic you think Papa Johns will be in there, he'll be selling general insurance in there, will be some sponsorships there, some icy hot at every concession stand, Cosmic, Colin Sexton, 4 out of 99, yeah, Brandon's like not surprised if he is, Shaq does make good investments, Colin Sexton going to Jeff and the Cavs, please stay healthy and I like Anthony, I have no problem with Anthony, I think he's great, seems to be a good guy, doesn't get into trouble, you know, I think people are just so bummed that the injury thing can't be a thing, does he have ring doorbells around the arena, what else would be there, he has a chicken place in Vegas, I did not know that, people don't realize Brandon's reminding everybody that Shaq is a doctor in finance, is that one of those like, you're Shaq and he gets a doctor, do you think he actually worked for it, he's a sheriff too, isn't it, so the Orlando Magic have Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony, Franz Wagner and then they got Paolo Bencero, so they've got guards, they've got Fords and then they still have like, you know, Wendell Carter Jr., Mo Bamba, Moritz Wagner, Robin Lopez, Chumo Keeke to kind of fill in that center spot right there, but a lot of teams play smaller anyway. Then maybe if you can get something out of Markel Foltz, I feel like who was kind of on track before he got re-injured again, they got RJ Hampton, Terence Ross, not too bad, some names on the bench, Jonathan Isaac is still there, you know, so yeah, is Bulbul on that Orlando team, I don't see him on the death trial according to ESPN, but yeah, I kind of like, if they can click a little bit, Orlando Magic could be a surprise team in a short amount of time really. Here's your rookie of the year, Scotty Barnes, oh wow, Shaq actually worked for it, huh? I like that, good job Shaq, I like that guy, and Scotty Barnes will go to Toronto of course, that'll be for Nicholas and the Jalen Green will go to Houston, here's another team, Andrew Song has Houston, here's another team, that could be really fun and exciting. There's Kaminga, world champion, Kaminga goes to Andrew and the Warriors, Houston, they got Kevin Porter Jr., Jalen Green, Jay Sean Tate, Alperin Cengoon is okay too, Dennis Schroeder, and who is the guy that they drafted? And whoever they drafted, here's Kevin Porter Jr. right here, and SGA, Jimmy Butler and Trey Mann, I thought it was going to be Josh Giddy for a second, but here's a rookie Trey Mann for OKC. Wait, who did they draw, am I seeing his name on this list? Jabari Smith is not on this list for some reason, but they've got some guards, right, in Kevin Porter Jr., Jalen Green, and even Dennis Schroeder as a backup, and then they got Jay Sean Tate and Jabari Smith power forward in the front port, so I like that balance there. Yeah, OKC Brandon, you're spot on, that's another team. Take a quick look here, here's Sadeek Bay, Detroit, 41 out of 99, that plaid parallel is a sharp looking one, Nicholas with the pistons, that is cosmic, that's 41 out of 99. What's cool about this Revolution basketball break is that it's not overloaded with just random autographs, so they're kind of stingy with the autographs, which ends up making the autographs more valuable, and a lot of fun parallel hunting here. If you get the right guys, just like any other break, but if you get the right rookies with the right parallels, you'd be surprised at how much some of this could go for. All right, now let's take a look at the OKC, right, they got Shea Gilgis Alexander, they got Josh Giddy, Lugans, SGA, Josh Giddy in the backcourt, those are your guards, right, got Theo Maladon off the bench, Trey Mann in the mix too, and the frontcourt, your forwards, Lugans Dort, small forward, Darius Basely, power forward, you can even mix in some, oh remember they got Usmane D'Ang from the Knicks, I think, right, so they got another first rounder, you know, that can play as a forward, they got Alexi Pokhasevsky, who a lot of people like from last year, so he could be a project, and then yeah, Chet Holger, who yeah, I think the general consensus is he needs to, he needs to bulk up a little bit, but I mean I would imagine he's getting starts day one on that team, right, so could be a work in progress in the first year or two, but after he put some LBS's on, I mean that could be, yeah, I mentioned Trey Mann too, so I mean, and they still have draft picks, I feel like they still have a zillion draft picks in the next handful of years, so if this team's looking good, there's SGA right there, 99 out of 99, who's to say that they don't move some picks and strike while the iron is hot and get like some expiring contract or something like that, or a solid player that making a lot of money for a bad team to put together with this team right here, and then, who knows, they could be a surprise, they could be a buyer by the trading deadline, which could be really interesting, right, three lottery picks, oh Williams too, Jalen Williams, they got three picks in that first round, three lottery picks in the first round, Chet D'Ang, Williams, I mean they could technically package any of those guys with a pick to get someone back in return or something like that, especially if they're having a good season, if playoffs are expanded now, so they may be in a good position to be buying, it's gonna be, that's gonna be a fun team to watch, which, you know, makes it all the harder for my Lakers, but Gilo says Russell Westbrook needs to go back, I would love for him to go back there, I would love to get some draft picks back, I would love to get someone else back, you know, I'll take a, I don't know, what are the, Jalen Williams is the guard, right, maybe a guard forward, I'll take a Jalen Williams, I'll take a Josh Giddy, they'd never do it, OKC would never do it, yeah, meanwhile the Lakers are stuck Brandon, yeah, that's a little frustrating, hoops rumors, brought to you by the makers of MLB trade rumors.com, Nix are expected to offer Jalen Brunton $110 million, Torian Prince's extension was two years, Heat willing to give Tucker a guaranteed three-year deal, and this is declining options on Garza and Edwards, not too much crazy news, right, a lot of speculation right now, but speculation on what people should and shouldn't do, redemption, where the redemption's in this set, I forget, there are a couple big rookies that are redemptions, here's world champion, Jonathan Kaminga, the Warriors, here's Mo Bamba, and that anniversary parallel that I really like, Orlando, that's going to go to Nicholas, shockwave, Luka Donchich, he's pretty good, Dallas, so if Jalen Brunson, I mean Nix are making a huge push for Jalen Brunson, who do you pair with this guy, I mean Luka Donchich can't be happy about losing Jalen Brunson, you gotta do something, you don't want to waste Luka Donchich, right?  Any Dallas Mavericks fans here with any idea? It's Jalen Green, Supernova Fractal for Houston, that'll be for Andrew, Luka Garza, option decline, KD, it's got Kyrie back, all right, Redemption is Jaumarant, wow, Jaumarant autographs, that's going to go to manual with the Grizzlies, congrats, really like that Grizzlies team too, Memphis, plenty of time to redeem that, you got until October 2023, plenty of time to redeem it, plenty of time for Ja, come on man, sign your cards please, thank you, thanks Jaumarant, if you're watching, gotta like that Memphis team, they got, did they have a draft pick? No, I think they did, but it was traded to Houston via Miami. Oh, Houston also has Tyrone Lewis, Washington, Jr., by the way. Yeah, Memphis, pretty good team here too. Jaumarant is awesome, Desmond Bain, Dylan Brooks, Jaren Jackson, Xavier Tillman, some Brandon Clark, they got to make some moves too though, they got to make some moves too, I don't know who they added in the draft, oh I think they got Jake Loravia, a small forward, all right, from a trade with the Timberwolves, I don't know, it'd be cool if the Grizzlies I think need to extend some guys too, but I think, you know, keep some guys on their team, but I hope that they can kind of put together a, you know, if they can get a free agent or two to add to that team, I'd like to see what they can do with that. Any word on Lamello signing Panini Prism? No, none yet, but we are going to be at the National, there's Dehunta Murray to 99 at the end of July, and usually that's when we get a little FaceTime with some Panini execs, some higher-ups, try to ask them about that, and it was around that time last year when, I forget what product was coming up, but one thing was like NT or Immaculator basketball or something like that, where one of our, the execs at Panini got a hold of them was like, so are we going to get some on-cards for this upcoming set, and he was like, yes, and it was true, and it happened, we were happy, Davion Mitchell, Kevin M with the Sacramento Kings, gets the Vortex insert, so if you don't get any, any news from them beforehand, we'll try to, we'll try our best to flag someone down and see if we can get some straight from the horse's mouth kind of information. All right, eighth and final box, good luck everybody.  All right, final box, thanks everybody, good luck, appreciate everybody working on this and making it happen. Ooh, is that the galactic? I think it is. Wow, there it is. Jonathan Kaminga, Vortex Insert Galactic Parallel, a super short print. That's for Andrew Song. Congrats Andrew, that is nice. World champion, and there's a Cade Cunningham as well. Kevin, new here, just wondering if you just, sometimes in this break, yes, but we usually write in the product description either way. And we got a Jeremiah Robinson Earl, 71 out of 75. Seventy-fifth anniversary parallel to 75. Supernova Jalen Green, Joel Embiid Groove Parallel, Reggie Jackson, Astro Parallel, and a Chris Middleton, Cosmic Parallel, 34 out of 99. What could have, could have been? Chris Middleton was healthy. That's for, for the duration of the playoffs, Milwaukee, Eddie H. Got a Trey Mann, Fractal, and a second galactic in the same box. RJ Barrett, New York Knicks, Nick with the Knicks, Last Spot Mojo. I couldn't believe my eyes. I saw that parallel, I saw the pattern and I was like, no, can't be. That is nice. RJ Barrett really had a, really had a nice year, really had a nice year. And there you go. And there's Isaiah Todd right here. People were beginning to think, is he, is he getting close to like Bustsville? But, but no, he really showed out last season. Hopefully that continues. All right. Quick little recap. There's the John Moran autograph from Memphis. Plenty of time to redeem that. Love the 75. The anniversary parallels are great.  And the Kaminga galactic and the RJ Barrett galactic. That's nice. There you go, ladies and gentlemen. That was 21-22 Panini Revolution basketball eight box picker team. Number 15 from jaskyscasebrakes.com. Appreciate everybody making this happen. And I will see you next time for the next one. Bye.


In general, labeling is the process that associates and groups data that identify a specific class. In our example, the labeling task can be completed easily with the MLC tab. Data can be loaded from the GUI and labels can be specified in the text field. We are going to import all the data we just collected and specify for each group a label that identify the class. The actual feature selection is preceded by the MLC configuration. In this section, we are going to select ODR of the MLC block, which sensor should be used and what full-scale and ODRs will be set in the real application and how many device trees we decide to use. One important parameter that needs to be configured is the window length. This parameter represents the number of samples that will be used to calculate the features and execute the MLC. In our example, we will use 26 samples. This value, if we consider MLC ODR of 26 hertz, corresponds to a time window of one second. So, every second, our machine learning core will be calculating features and generate an output. Features are calculated not only from raw sensors data but can also be calculated from filters. In this section, filters can be enabled and will be available as input to the features generation block. For our example, we are going to select IPAS filter for accelerometer data and IPAS filter for gyroscope module square. Now, the features configuration can begin. With the GUI, as you can see, it's pretty easy to select the features. Select the one you think could more characterize the signal. Normally, mean, energy, variance, and peak-to-peak can be enabled by default. Do not worry to enable too many features. Training process will get rid of the ones that they are considered useless. For our example, we are going to select mean, variance, energy, and peak-to-peak. This concludes the feature selection. We are now able to generate the ARFF file that can be used by WACA, for instance, for the training process.


The train now approaches platform 4 does not stop here. Please stand clear of the edge of the platform as the approaching train does not stop here.


Hi, my name is Sandy Barrett and I'm here with the Cuban American Friendship Society to report on our recent trip to Cuba where we were from for about a week taking some Teachers to Cuba to look at their educational system to compare our educational system with theirs and also just to visit the Island and the people there. I As I said, my name is Sandy Barrett and I've been going to Cuba since 1981 when and then in the 90s I established a group called the Cuban American Friendship Friendship Society because I wanted to extend friendship to the Cuban people Since 1959 until the present our government has not been such a friend to Cuba and in fact has been seeing Cuba and its people as adversaries have made life very difficult for the Cuban people in terms of trade and credit and In fact the Cubans say that there is a blockade Against the Cuban people and against the island by the United States So in my heart of hearts I want to extend friendship to the people of Cuba who have always been warm Hospital and great friends of us here in the United States So I have other people with me who were on that trip. I'm the president of the Cuban American Friendship Society Armando Villaseca who is also our secretary of education in Montpelier for a number of years and Also Al our teacher buddy who came with us to Cuba first first time right and Eric Agnero who also was with us and we are going to talk about our impressions of what's going on in Cuba today Okay, so take it away. I guess Armando. What did what did you think? Okay What we saw over there the rebellious island So rebellious We have it. It's always so thrilling when they say welcome to Havana In an American book or American news story, I'm hearing the American perspective on the Cuban story But if I come to Cuba I begin to understand The Cuban story From their perspective The the question was whose story do you not hear? Well, I don't hear the Cuban story unless I come Voila, okay, so I Begin the conversation with talking to Armando Villaseca who also was born in Cuba came here When he was a very young boy and then has gone back over the years and have also seen Cuba After of course after he left he did well It's one of those Cubans who went back with an open mind, right? So, uh, what what were your findings Armando? Well, I mean sandy I've been going back to Cuba now Both with CAFs and prior CAFs since 1999 Right at the end of the special period and for those who don't know the special period was the 10 years following the fall Of the soviet empire where Cuba lost a lot of their income but Just talking were you there during the special period just a night in at the very end Yeah, and I think that was no longer. Maybe the special period anymore Uh, but you know with CAFs, we've been bringing groups to Cuba for the past 15 years We just have another group going in in a couple of weeks plus the group that just went We work with Vermont law school We work with many organizations and have seen Cuba evolve And the best years to cut it short were the obama years When president obama was opening up the number one tourism increased trade Educational activities Exchanges there was a lot more exchange going on the cuban saw that as the beginning of the future They they love obama if anybody obviously obama spoke to the people of Cuba live on tv Uncensored which is unheard of And and he was again he was the hope and then unfortunately we had president Trump who came in and changed everything and made things considerably worse for the cubans Including his final act which was placing cuba on the terrorist watch state sponsored service watch list Which denies cuba all kinds of opportunities for financial investments for trade with other countries And right now cuba is Is a mess People are food is in shortages Inflation is really high. It doesn't impact us.  That's a third of your salary just for eggs So for us as americans, which is very helpful to cuba when we go because we're supporting the economy Alan and his uh, the teachers stayed at Private homes. We only eat at private restaurants. We we take private cabs whenever possible So we try to do everything where the money goes directly to the people and not to the government Obviously, there are times you can't you know, you can't you gotta you can't avoid it But that's our goal and as an organization our goal is one of bring friendship Support trying to change people's hope Trying to change people's minds here Senator lehi was an incredible supporter of cuba right the senator welts is also a huge supporter of cuba I'm sure new representative ballant will also become a big supporter of cuba better talk to her We don't know we have to talk to her and senator sanders, of course Is also a supporter of changing the policy we have towards cuba And and that's really where I see it where things right now have gotten worse over the years But there's hope as the cuban government And the u.s. Government have more Discussions that are on the way to allow for more normalization of our of our two countries Mm-hmm Well, I want to ask you what you thought too, but before I just want to mention a few things of why the united states has been harsh on cuba at least in my opinion Maybe we would have some discussion about that But in 1959 fidel castro came into havana and made and changed cuba During what the cubans call and what historians will call this a cuban revolution and established a socialist government in cuba A government with hopes that it would eventually be also a communist government And the united states Because of its attitudes toward all of latin america, but particularly toward cuba which became and not Not uh with treaties an ally of soya union, but cuba played into the cold war Of course by becoming very friendly with the soya union And so the united states since that point has said we will try essentially For regime change in cuba that we really don't want a socialist or a communist government 90 miles from florida So since that time the united states has established first at embargo And and what the cubans call a blockade against cuban government Many americans also probably would not agree with the cuban government either However, this blockade has acted harshly And with a great deal of cruelty toward the cuban people the very people that we would try to be We should be in my mind trying to help because they're neighbors and friends So that I think is the reason unless other people have other No, i'm just waiting i want to hear from him Anyway, so al how did you find cuba? This is your first visit right first visit You're a teacher where i'm a special educator at the burlington high school. Okay, and um, I've been privileged to travel quite a bit all around the world and cuba was one of those places that I Never really thought i'd get to and when the opportunity presented itself Through the burlington school district I jumped in the chance to to head on down and I read up on cuba. I I learned as much as I could you know the history is um Sad and fascinating. I mean it's really been kind of bandied about with the colonial powers and Everything and I and unfortunately a lot of that hasn't really changed I got down there and I my mind was blown honestly. I wasn't Uh, I wasn't sure what to quite expect And it was impressive and sad and amazing and awful all kind of rolled up into one it was You visited school processing at all. I don't really why I I just I it's just so different. Uh, you know, there's not a ton of stores on every street No stores. Yeah, it's the first time I've gone to a country and not had a chance to check out what The inside of a of a grocery store looks like So it was very different from past travel experiences Um Going to all of the different schools and we had the opportunity to visit elementary schools middle schools High school And other things as well, but in all of them I had Kind of in my head certain expectations and uh, like I just I thought that I would be seeing a ton of kids crammed into classrooms, which was kind of the case Yeah, but the behaviors of the students were Incredible I can honestly say is as an educator who's taught for almost 20 years in the american system You're kind of used to some of that more individualistic kind of take on school and sometimes you get some behaviors that really flare up I didn't see any of that there and and to that point. I actually asked our guide at one point Is this just kind of a show because the american teachers are here and she said no This is a cultural expectation. You go to school to learn you You know don't act up in class. You respect the teachers and I thought This is where We as americans could learn from our cuban counterpoints counterpart. Sorry Um, so it was overall a fantastic trip. I would make the the journey back to cuba Because I really just got a taste of it. Mm-hmm. So So what did but you said there were some awful parts too, right? Well, certainly you see a lot of you see some folks on the streets and you have to wonder where they're getting help Our guide told me at one point I became pretty close with her that she makes about 4 000 cuban pesos a month, which you mentioned but to our audience out there That's about 24 us a month So You hear those kinds of statistics and you're like, how the heck do you live? You know I think when we left toilet paper was like three About three dollars us per roll And you just have to wonder how do these people Put food on the table and and have the other basic amenities that you need Um toilet paper was sold on the black market or is being sold in the black market So that that was one of maybe the but I will say that overall like the spirit of the people is what would draw me back to cuba We we really met a lot of amazing folks They were curious about the americans that were visiting They were super sweet super nice. So They really like us to be there. Don't they they do. Yeah, I think and I mean, you know It takes a bit of an effort and they know it it does And let's not mince words, you know, they they're there to like they probably like seeing our tourist dollars to some degree as well Of course, I thought that they were very authentically engaging and very nice And I love the Palo deris, is that the palo deris the private restaurants little private restaurants were were wonderful They look like regular restaurants, but they run all yeah, they're totally family family So that was great. Yeah, so that was and that was another like experience Like a lot of these little private smaller like family Kind of like almost like in a family's home. Yeah. Yeah meeting Us american, you know teachers and other folks was pretty interesting. So and very different again from Did you did you think of it as a A poor country with a lot of poverty or what was that maybe you could comment on that Eric as well, but let's hear from Mel Again, I didn't I only got to see like Some sections of hirvana. I didn't get a chance to go out and really better parts I didn't get to see yeah other parts in central They I mean they went through central but central is not bad compared to the outer Yeah, yeah, yeah, we stayed in the nice area. We stayed kind of on embassy row So I don't think I'm really probably the one to maybe speak to that I do think we did see poverty. We saw you know folks that were out like asking for money But we never really we weren't able to venture too far outside of Havana either so I don't have any kind of a I don't know what it looks like in the rural parts or the even of the other cities. So But I would say poverty seems like it's pretty pretty prevalent The thing with poverty in Cuba is that everybody's poor So that's one of the that's one and that and when I say poor, I don't mean poor as in that They're starving because really most people aren't starving in Cuba. Even now, you know, even now What we have seen for the first time ever was street people. I've never seen street people before I mean living on the street living on the street sleeping on the street. I'd never seen them before because the communist government always Would institutionalize them or put them someplace, but that you know the government itself You really you saw that yeah, yeah, I mean now you see it I saw more than ever before But the thing with cuba is for example, there's they still have a ration coupon book So every cuban gets, you know, like two pounds of rice a pound of sugar per month A little bit a certain amount of meat which is Only supplements the you know their ability for for food And even that isn't enough and that right now if you can believe it Cuba Which was a sugar producing country one of the top in the world is now importing sugar from France Because the sugar the sugar Production has dropped dramatically because they closed It's a whole long story. But basically it's what it is It's incompetent communist government that causes all of this on top of the fact that they have an embargo that's killing them So they have the cubans will say we have the external blockade Which is the us and then we have the internal blockade which is the government Which is very centralized and tries not to Allow so decisions are made up here that have no relation to what's actually happened on the ground. So a lot of times bad decisions are made So, you know, there's a there's enough blame to go around and a lot of blame lies with cuban americans in this country Why because they have a lot of power and are able to influence politicians in washington To continue to vote against anything with cuba Why is it that we still have a system in place for over 60 years? That's obviously a failed system You know one little country That has you know, no authority to to you know to hurt anyone No ability to hurt anybody else So not a terrorist country not a terrorist country and we're you know If it was a true embargo like what we did with apartheid in south africa every country in the world This is not this is only cuba and the only two countries that vote to continue to Keep this at the u.m. Is the u.s. And israel interesting enough israel votes with that way But they trade heavily with cuba and actually I just saw some israeli Visitors when I was there last time So we're the only country that is punishing this poor little country because people like senator menendez from new jersey Who's a cuban democrat but goes along with marco rubio? Right when republican on only one thing keeping the embargo on cuba And and initially was get rid of casserole. Well, casserole died then get rid of his brother Well, his brother left now they want left. He's still alive though. Yeah, he's still alive But he's theoretically you know, I know he he accepted term limits But he still runs things he's still and that's the other problem the cuba has You know all these 85 plus year old men Who are still really living the revolution of 1959? Is that true of the current president kanal dias? You think was he one of the part of the world? He's young but I think but the the people in charge these You know these politicians who are former military who are now in their 80s and they're still looking at the world through the lens of 1960 Not 20, you know, what which is why cuba said why? 2 of the population has left in the past year Q and you know, thank god That now we're doing something to try to help it by allowing 20 000 cubans to come every month through a parole system That the president has has initiated and it's not just for cuba. Sandy, you know, it's with venezuela Nicaragua haiti and cuba, right? We have a gram gram. Are you with us?  Oh, he's in the bottom. Is the bar. No, he's at the bottom. I think Can we hear him? Yes, hi Oh, yeah, okay Hey, did you want to say something go ahead? Yeah, my observation following the world baseball classic, but every So I went down in last month And about every couple days, I'll just sort of went into google like cuba news And the latest cuba news was all about the baseball game, but it wasn't about cuba. It was about the so Freedom of the press well in the other states all the press is free to report the same story That the state department would kind of have you enjoy And in cuba, it's you know freedom of the press doesn't really exist at all Oh, we lost him we lost him lost him. Yeah, we lost him Talking about freedom of the press. Yeah, I I I'm quite surprised I mean, I wasn't surprised because you know The revolution wouldn't last that long if there was freedom of speech But concerning cuba, it's always important to talk about cuba vis-à-vis The position of the u.s. And the extreme Violence with which you know the u.s. And you know, it's allies that are Complying with this blockade, you know force cuba to be in that position I really wanted to see if cuba would be like this if there wasn't that embargo and then I will turn to uh To armando to To try to answer this question. Is it only about, you know, the embargo is or you know, they are, you know Uh Causes that are intersect to uh, well, I mean, I think that Part of the issue is that the cubans in miami who are the ones demonstrating before the miami And before the cuba u.s. Game Are the people who are, you know, many of those were in power probably not them but people in power like them So when you look at the miami cubans, I'm going to use them use them as sort of a generality They want to repress You know, they want to repress cuba. They want to repress speech because they want only their position So they're just as bad as the count as the government on the island, you know Who represses the the rights of people as they've jailed many many artists in the past year But I mean, I don't know what the answer is But the the the goal that everybody had when batista was overthrown by casseroe including my family and others who were supportive Was that it would eventually become a democracy of some sort whatever democracy means It never they never thought that it would turn into a not, you know, again Dictatorship is what it was a communist dictatorship That never had a chance to become what everybody was expecting They did a lot of good things around education health care But at what cost and was as a result of the us embargo or the us position maybe was a part of it of the greed and the The selfishness of people in power to maintain control and constraint. There's probably a combination of those things But you know cuba is where it is today By its own doing as well as by the us You know, there's a common enough to go around we have different positions I grew up in a cuban community that even what i'm talking about right now would not be allowed Would not be allowed. I would be considered a communist, you know, and what I am as a realist is that you know, there's enough blame to go around um I am too and I what I have always been well, I'm surprised um Recently that there have been so many protests in cuba um, and I believe it is because the Revolutionary government of the castros is gone and there's now another new president who probably has not the charisma nor the Um attractiveness that the castros had in the first place But also I thought that the situation at least economically seemed really much worse And that I certainly have always Thought people have the right to protest and so I support those protests I also that that's I think you're absolutely right and that blame is on the us I think that the fact that the economy is as bad as it is Yes, right and but not only Is it it also is something the us seems to want they want to starve these people to the cuban people That's what I don't understand. No, it seems now. Look at I don't support The cuba. It's not my government. So i'm not cruelty that it is it is to me. It's a crime against humanity I don't see any Reason that that helps anybody. It's not going to overthrow that government Never and with speaking with lorraine from you know our guide down there She said that protesting comes at a real cost if you are caught. Yes. It's like an automatic like 10 years So, you know these things that we take for granted here, maybe in the u.s. Well, I wonder now Yeah, but you're right. You're right, you know people people can get and particularly young people some of the and again right now the vatican actually the us and A couple of other countries have really been appealing to The government no, yeah the us to let to release the the The j-16, you know the kids that were arrested and given like 10 year terms of prison for 19 20 year olds for demonstrating these are on the arts Um Demonstration where the government has now passed laws that everything Things have to be approved by then art has to be approved by the government before it can be and now it was relatively It always has been censored, but not like this. Yeah, you know, um, and so Anyway, I believe in everybody's right to protest against their own government But I don't love the support either that the u.s. Gives to those to many of those protests as well um, and I just I just wish cuba well and I I My government is what I'm targeting is my government They have to lift these terrible things and it's not only against cuba Although I think the sanctions against cuba and the bargain bargain blockade are the longest Against cuba of anywhere in this island and that's 90 miles away in hopes that there would be regime change And of course that's not going to happen. That's not going to happen. I don't think but anyway But like if I can go back to the educational side of things like you see the resilience of like the cuban people Um with just how successful they've been with their education I can remember some of the statistics when we went and visited schools where The after they're the first year after fidel took power Something like 25 of the the people in cuba were illiterate higher higher than 25 26% anyway And then after a year because fidel said no, we're we're going to have these folks educated They are going to learn how to read and a year later you have a population that is under Was it under 1%? Yeah, I think that eventually got that way but now you're talking about the literacy. Yeah, that's right Right successful. Yeah, and uh, I thought that was pretty amazing I always thought when I was first in cuba, there were signs all over the place that said six Meaning they wanted to get to sixth grade level two years later. I went back was nine Ninth grade and now it's close to 100% literacy, isn't it? And I've always thought that that was one thing when you teach people how to read and write that They're not going to be slaves anymore. Yeah, you know But anyway, so but the education is one of those areas that cuba is very successful Yeah, and again the and the Again the problem is you have this educated population that sees no future Right, and that's that and that's the piece that the government quite hasn't figured out And and part of it they can't figure out because they have an embargo that doesn't allow them to do certain things At the same time trying to maintain control is also their Sort of Achilles heel on the on the island about how you know Why does why doesn't it just allow the people like what they what they try to do is to have a The a chinese or vietnamese economic model with a with With the current government so you can have a communist government a single party, but you could still have the Economy that's going to be humming along Cuba has chosen and they've been Recommended to do that by china and vietnam and others But they've chosen not to do they still want to maintain that centralized in order for that to happen You have to let go and let people go off. You think that they Then don't have any private enterprise They have private enterprise some small right small they have now small medium and large, but they're but they're really they're very limited in what they can do Limited to the employees they can hire to limited to the number of employees they can hire limited to You know if you want if you want to have a farm I still have to sell you like at the government at the government price even though it might cost me more So people stop selling it or stop growing things So again the issue is let the economy sort of grow as a natural economy of people Making things selling things on their own not being forced to give 75 percent of their crops to the government But again, that's all part of a growing process for for the Cuban government Because they've been you know under under a system that has been very very centralized And these are growing pains and instead of us being there to help them with these growing pains We keep kicking sand in their face. So what's really is you know It's a tragedy Yeah, it is so you ask you asked about freedom of the press, right? Like coming from Africa, I look at Cuba differently than you know people from the u.s. Because you know My country for example, the Ivory Coast Côte d'Ivoire is the best, you know students from the IMF the World Bank We have like all the buildings and fancy things But 40 of the population doesn't know how to read and write People still live with like one or two dollars per day, but they can work in huge, you know, uh, french-owned Supermarkets american-owned businesses Nothing belongs to them But you know, they have the best numbers when it comes to you know Economics, you know according to the IMF the international monetary fund or you know, and no Real politically political freedom Most of the countries in west africa that are under the influence of france have they the the leaders chosen by paris You know at some point you ask yourself, okay What do I sacrifice for just to have some toilet paper? Or you know or not I I am still hopeful that you know as the u.s. Influence is diminishing across the the planet that other powers are emerging. Maybe there will be less Burden on cuba coming from from from from washington So we can see at least what the model of cuba can produce because it's like In symphony in a chevet like we say in french Uh a symphony that is not, you know achieved is not Did not go to the end So I really would like to see cuba free of that Major major blockade and see how it will it it it will it will go but uh I also would like to see the cuban government Put some water in their wine as as we say to because you can't leave Isolated you live in a world with like the villains with you know those who are against you and you try to maneuver So it's it's difficult if you go for example with china china has the means to do what they they do China is a communist country Well, yeah, they do business But because the u.s. Cannot go there and dictate whatever they want China is successful, but imagine if china was crippled by the west Can't pay it's too big. It's too big right cuba is small and cuba is like facing You know, you know a huge amount of hostility from from from from washington from other other, you know, european countries, so They did what they could with what they had it's not perfect because even here, you know I heard that, you know, the literacy rate is going down here. Yeah, you know people in the mightiest country My daughter has to pay 60 thousand 65 thousand dollars for a semester or a year to go to college while, you know Anybody in cuba can go to college as soon as you're done with high school. You have a place that is waiting for you in college It's also The opportunity to ask what makes you happy Yeah, we saw people. I mean it's tough. It's very very tough over there, but we we still see people that are trying to Yes That's the spirit part that I was talking about. It's like these people have nothing compared to us But uh Yeah, this this was at the uh at the ludwig foundation, but you know, let's let's go back to our So what's next for cuba? I'm worried about cuba for the first time Anyway, how about what do you think? The reason i'm worried is that I see um I've been there since 1981 and this was the first time Second time last may also that I saw real hardship Even in 81 when the soviets were there with all the problems probably the soviets brought to cuba There was always enough to eat. There was always Good schools good health care system and so forth This time I I heard also talk of real hunger didn't you? I mean Lorraine our guide said that she didn't frankly get enough to eat and she even has access to to money Yeah That is worrisome to me And I'm not certain that the government has the Loyalty that the castros had And there is it was a lot of criticism of the government. There was a lot of criticism Also that crime was increasing Did you you heard that and that's unheard of in cuba that was simply unheard of when I was been there before so I I'm But the world is in crisis And there's one in here in the u.s. No kidding. I mean I mean there are people who can't eat here I know and there you know what else we have here that is probably not as true in cuba We have a whole massive incarceration rate too of people in prison We have a lot of I'm not certain the united states is going to survive this much to europe I was in europe recently europe is like A mess I mean it's not working.  So small feathers like You know light feathers like cuba will will fill it But europe is filling that crisis as well but europe has like Centuries of exploitation of the third world. I know I agree cash and reserves of gold that were taken from you know You know so so they can they can they have it. I mean less You know difficult than you know the the countries if you go to to africa, you know, you see all these big investments from International companies and corporates nothing belongs to the people over there So what is it you give everything all your resources the konglees are dying they're sitting on you know gold manganese all these resources And they're dying every day 700,000 people died in iraq Just because we we we we we we we wanted to you know, uh, you know, uh toppled down saddam is saying It's not a world that is fair It's not fair for cuba as well No, but But the fact is that cuba is part of that developing world that has been crushed by colonial powers Especially by its colonial imperial power by the united states That's that's interesting because With everything we're saying about the demise of cuba or not and the demise of the united states as not as the united states loses power Perhaps the colonial world And will rise who knows, you know I but i don't like the idea necessarily of the demise of my own country either You know I think i'm gonna give a little credit to the cuban people. Yeah, right exactly. I've read about them like These are people that have been pushed around, uh, since columbus first got there and you know, they're still They're still here today. They've been pushed around. They've been Um, you know punched in the gut so to speak by many different european powers And yet they're still here They have a lot of tough things ahead of them right now Yeah, but they've weathered this stuff before as as a people I would be more concerned about like the united states or something where they really haven't had to weather Something that's lasted for say something as long as like an embargo. That's an it's 60 second year or whatever And yet the the cuban people push on. I mean they somehow get through it. Well I'm not saying I am not diminishing what they are going through and certainly we met a lot of people that are going through a tough time there but They the ones I met at least we're doing it with a smile on their face and they were getting I mean Yeah, I don't know. I smile a lot more than we do. I just felt like I saw a lot of happy people that I mean I mean compared to their u.s counterparts Seemed a lot happier and you know and we have a lot more than the cuban people so to speak So I I'm not sure why that is but again I think it's maybe it's just built into that history where they've been Pushed around and they've just developed this resilience uh and reliance upon themselves to get through it This is what's the most worrisome to me is that every A lot of people want to leave A lot and that as young people people with skills Sure, um, and they are because of the cold war mentality in the united states the cubans are also Welcome here Sandy, you know what? What could be why is the best student from the eye with me? You know what everybody wants to leave? Of course, I know they all every right most of the kids that are dying You know in the oceans trying to reach the european shores are from ivory coast Ivory code diva code diva is the locomotive of the economy in west africa yet The people don't get the proceeds from you know You know what the the the the the country sells cacao Codiva is number one producer of cacao But how many ivorian can you know have the luxury to eat some chocolate in their life So the whole the whole system has to come to I mean we we need to find a middle ground not the extreme of maybe Socialist revolution that will anyway face the resistance of either the people themselves or you know, you know the countries that abhor Socialism look even you know the senator from from bemont as soon as he says he's a socialist You know people want to put him in jail. I don't know So so we have to find a middle ground because people don't know the difference between socialism communism, you know No, but bernie got really hammered because he was he says something decent about cuba specifically, didn't he? Yeah, I can't even remember what it was all the way to moscow Right, he went to moscow on his honeymoon. Do you think that lehi went to cuba? Not knowing that maybe the system is a little bit extreme, but lehi learned a lot from cuba and brought it here So maybe we can meet halfway he didn't get punished about it either lehi never was because because he lives in vermont who was a florida He was in florida. He wouldn't have been senator. I mean that's the difference It's easy when we live in vermont to be able to be liberal and to say these things If you were saying he was not running for president and he wasn't running for president But also he was he wasn't running for senator in florida or in new jersey But again, I think that you know senator lehi did a lot of things he helped, you know with allen gross He was the one that helped get allen gross. He was a prisoner. I'm not going to get into it Held by the cubans and they were exchanged for the cuba five And he was he was very much involved with us. He's very much lehi's been very much a player in this So when he left besides vermont losing all kinds of influence in washington It was a big influence in with cuba And you know what happens with cuba is up to the cubans really because everything that happened you talk about all these countries Yes, the europeans, you know went to cuba But there were cubans themselves who who Who you know worked with all the foreigners and still do you know in 1959 batista, you know by that point He was working with the americans. So the wealthy are still working with with With these corporations except the castros didn't except castros didn't because he kicked them all out Yeah, right and and again was the right thing to do I obviously think it was the wrong thing to do it could have he could have come up with a way That didn't require nationalizing everybody's property. I don't care where you are if you're in the u.s They nationalize my property. You kidding me.  You're gonna take my property No, of course people reacted badly to it. He was a young he was dissed by the americans He was dissed by kennedy. He was dissed by eisenhower when he came to the u.s You know he ended up having to stay in harlem because the hotel in manhattan But that made him a hero made him a hero.  Oh my god. They supported cuba. Yeah, right You know, that's why the special period Right. It wasn't just russia. It was the whole eastern bloc. Yeah. Yeah, yeah It was all of the you know, eastern europeans as well But the other but the european powers have never had an embargo against cuba. It's only the united states, right? The united state Doesn't allow the european to do freely business with cuba, right? Because it's a because it's a blockade It's not just an embargo. It extends to third countries. So it makes it into a blockade, right? But it's also True that the united states has always had a special interest in controlling lat all of latin america I mean right now for instance our relationships With venezuela are really broken because we perceive the leader of venezuela to be a socialist also, right? Yeah, but that goes back to xava's day. I know I know I know well now not as far back as cuba Not as go back not as far back as cuba because because again venezuela's government was a corrupt Mess before that, you know, not that xavas did anything bad or good. He was something different He gave money to the people He spent a lot of the oil revenues to give money to the people not in a smart way There wasn't investments in the for the for them people to make money in the future So he was very popular, you know, uh, the guy now is doesn't have the charisma Right madoro. Yeah, doesn't have the charisma and you know, we did the same thing to haydee to the united states When it when it had its revolution in 1804 was the same kind of embargo and blockade of haydee because it had overthrown A white french government in favor of a black Government and the french charge the french charge them a debt on the slaves bodies Same thing for the 14 or 15 countries that have Have to use a currency that is like like it's like we call it I mean monkey's money You know controlled by the bank of france france, you know, when france was obliged Because everybody in the world was liberating the peoples and the countries that were under, you know, colonization france has to give A pseudo independence to these countries, but with strings attached Like our countries signed like documents that are, you know, you know, that give France preference on the resources france has to say, okay, i'm not interested for another country to come 60 percent of our, you know The hard currency the foreign currency that we get dollars euros We are we are obliged to put that in the bank of france for france to give us that phony money That we can only use among ourselves. So I mean yet, you know, ivorians have nice bridges.  Okay, you got an embargo That's life How do you manage it with internally? Is the issue that I think has to be addressed, you know, we can take away the embargo of the internal operations don't change Things aren't going to get that much better I think what eric was asking is a question. I don't ask don't you do you think I and you're this is totally speculation I would guess if the embargo were lifted that the cuban government would have to change In a way the cuban government would change because it would no longer You would no longer be able to say it's it's washington and it's not prevalent anymore But up up until probably about 10 years ago if you drove around the city around the countryside you'd see billboards Huge billboards blaming the u.s. It would be bush You know holding a gun to cuba would be I mean really wasn't obama No, it wasn't obama and then it was during obama. They started taking all those down So, you know, we're if you take it as the cuban say if you take away the embargo The government's going to change because they can no longer blame the u.s. And you know, and then there would be enough wealth If the model stays there we know that worried about Somebody taking full advantage of the cuban people at that point too. I would be worried about I mean I I could a lot like so I was thinking about this when I was down there We saw a lot of beautiful older cars And at one point somebody said that those cars I wrote around for half a day in a 1957 ford fair lane Beautiful car. I had so fun. Yeah, right and all I could think of was wish I had one now to open up what's to prevent uh America I actually buying cars I said I said what's what's to stop j lino I brought him up because he's kind of a famous like carbiscianato From going down there with a huge boat And saying i'm going to help the cuban people out and instead of paying a thousand dollars for one of these beautiful old restored cars I'll give them two thousand. Yeah, but so what that's what they'll ask for 20 because they're expensive But even i'm just saying like he just like he gets to go down there and and and just Fleece all these beautiful cars for next to nothing or the properties or some of the old some of the old houses Beautiful old houses. So that's their business Well, like I think so, but i'm just worried that like well, of course full advantage I wouldn't want cuba also to have a bunch of even though I like mcdonald's kind of I don't want cuba to have a bunch of mcdonald's or starbucks Russians have they all you know, I know let the people do Yeah, let's see and then we'll see that government we can judge what the government has to do is I mean, I think that what alan you're talking about is something that I fear is that maybe it's not cars But it's corporations coming in and you know, that's going to happen people buying real estate at prices Right and the cuban would be the first to rebel and then to you know to be unhappy about you know big corporates coming They would so it they haven't rebelled now. I see it around the you know, the war What can they do When the things are worse things are bad I think that I think that the government itself has to have You know how my ownership has to be 51 cuban ownership. It has I mean there has to be sure That's what they do when I was in the middle east same thing But whatever it is it can't be a free-for-all just because I have the money I can buy everything There has to be some limits as to what you can buy how much you can buy Can you imagine if somebody was able to go in unfettered and buy up all the real estate next to the mallicon? Oh, yeah, you'd have another Miami and people would sell you have these gigantic resorts blocking out the view of all the cuban people Maybe that's the idea of wealth, right? Because you know to me The way some countries in the world are Tragically wealthy is because they're making other people poor. Yes. There's no such thing like exponential Growth it doesn't exist people like amazon are make like it's interesting. We like to celebrate, you know wealth But we don't want to look at what creates wealth That that that kind of wealth, you know, I mean it has to be balanced, you know Free market you cannot put light feathers and heavy, you know weight in the same basket They won't be able to compete.  I don't know. Okay. So let's talk about the future for cuba. What do you think hermano? I mean, I think the future for cuba is pretty it's not very positive. I mean unless again Forgetting about the embargo not the embargo has to change But also the internal politics have to change You know one person can't be making decisions all the way down the line. There has to be more freedom for people to operate whether it's politically Business wise And again, most of the people coming into the u.s right now are not political refugees. They're economic refugees Yeah, yeah, yeah, so fix the economy then then work on the other stuff But again, I think that you know look at the investments the roads are a mess in the whole island Having driven across the island several times. It's a mess infrastructure. How is it kind of worse, isn't it? Well, depends. I mean I drove to New jersey Yeah, but then I drove in New Jersey and it's no it's way better than cuba.  Can it survive is my point. Yeah That's got no choice to survive. I don't know that question is it's gonna survive.  It's gonna survive. Well, you know, well, there are countries that aren't surviving like Haiti, right? Right, there's Katie me now. He Q is not going to do be that. Are you are you with us? Oh, yes. All right. So you'll take on the the future of cuba That's not the question he wanted. He's in Puerto Rico. I think he wanted something a little lighter No, no, so, uh I was talking to a guy about how bizarre it was that people Seemed happy which didn't mean they were content or right? And good point. Yeah, well When you have hope and it doesn't come through you get angry and we see that in our country all the younger That's true. Um, you know doesn't seem to be a lot of hope and and so people I don't know that was an interesting way of Of looking at it. Um Do they not I mean all we saw was Havana Yeah, if if you go to the old north end, you're not seeing Vermont. So we're really talking about A period of time a short period of time in a small section of a big city, but um No, my my thing was Around the baseball, I couldn't believe all the u.s coverage was the same and To me it was a story of you know, national Cuban team Plays in the united states plays in miami plays in little hud banner. Wow And a couple a hundred people show up to protest, which is For burlington, it would be like if three or four people showed up to protest Maybe that's high. Maybe it'd be Uh one person And it that's not its news story in burlington, but Oh, there's a couple of does one place that a couple of dozen protesters slamming the baseball players because they're communist, you know players And the story wasn't Thousands of people are are rooting for the Cuban team inside the stadium You know, where's it was that true? Was that accurate? Yeah, oh great. Yeah, there were people people rooting for it against them, you know And the majority of people were cheering for the u.s baseball team But when you're cheering for the Cuban team, you're recognizing the Cuban government because they are You know, they were And they know and the other group was saying we hate the baseball players because They're supporting the communists so but they they were a couple dozen people but that became The whole story See, I I mean that I was reading the Miami Herald That was a story in the Miami Herald But then the other like the new york times and stuff didn't have it. Did it graham? I didn't see much about the I didn't see anything about it I wanted to Seven stories that I read there were seven stories that I read But he is in Puerto Rico and a Shitty bullpen catcher who you know a bullpen catcher wears a uniform. They're not a player They don't go into the game.  What is then the future? Just the last point around Is that Okay, so the the free press which is what was it today? Maybe eight pages or 10 pages. Yeah, horrible. They didn't run that they didn't run that story, but The reason you go down with Educators and anyone else and they're all blown away Is we just get this constant drift if you would have seen that story That would have been the line Because that was the only line the u.s. Press was covering You know, it wasn't A story about cuba. It was a story about u.s. Foreign policy Through the lens of a baseball game because everything is everything's about politics The cubans make it about politics frame that's been their strategy for the last 60 years Everything is about politics. Everything is about cuba the future of then the stance of the u.s. Towards cuba Are we can we expect any change? I don't expect any change because briefly we had changed from obama The reason I think obama was at least friendly toward cuba obama recognized something that almost no other americans recognize cuba is a largely black Country and cuba. I think i mean obama has sympathy for it Oh, but beyond that, you know obama beyond that beyond that it will never to me it will never change What i've what i've what i've seen i saw in cuba is like obama brought hope. Yes, and then to all of us No, no, but there were like some Clear, you know You know advantages. Yeah advantages of you know people started building New hotels, you know, they were hoping that you know the situation will get better And then even the economy was a little, you know Oh, the economy was much better. Yeah, so there is a correlation. There is a direct relation between the embargo And the wealth of cuba. I mean the well-being the well-being of cuba. So if it's changed if it changes, maybe Well, if we see like right now, we have a trickle of americans going down there. Yeah checking things out and travel We're trying every all the time to increase it travel busts down ignorance So if we can if we can build on that trickle and get more and more americans going down there and seeing the effects of The embargo and things like that then maybe we can affect positive change for cuba and the cuban people So, you know this this trip was wonderful Yeah, just on that point out there was this story i've forwarded to you folks today that The amount of dialogue between the two embassies has Really picked up significantly and here we go. So the u.s. Government and the cuban government Were supporting uh, two american musicians at the havana jazz fest last month There were three other festivals that had the two governments supporting cultural exchange, so they're they're saying it's the biggest thought in cultural exchange in six years and we'll say I think it's i mean i do i agree that's true and until the prisoners Yep are released from july of 2021 by well Probably do anything about taking them by the terrorist list. Yep. Yeah, okay But then you know what grim then they'll come up with another i know they will i agree with you You know, they'll come up with something else. Yeah, okay. I think we're just about out of time Thank you all for joining us And um, we'll be back in a month or so. Great. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Nice to hear everyone's voice come back. I'm good to hear you grim when you come back First of week of april he thought Okay, so then i'll wait for him to come back to have our next caps meeting. Yeah, okay. Sure. Because joanne's gone too. Yeah, sure


and sisters in Islam, here we are live and you know what it is and you know what time it is right now. It's 10.30 PM Karbala time. That means it's time for hashtag LNT live from the holy city of Karbala. Now I know that this show you guys never get tired of it so that's why you're joining us again for episode 14 of the second season of hashtag LNT. Now tonight we're talking about I mean how do I explain it we're talking about how you're watching me right now that's as basic as I can put it and I mean but we'll go jump into a trendy and come back to you guys in a few moments. Once again welcome everyone who's joining us tonight. Now India, India's top court has ruled out adultery from its crime list striking down 158 year old colonial era law which said that women treated women as male property.  Now a petitioner had challenged the law saying that it was arbitrary and discriminated against women men and women alike. Now it's clear that how many women it's not clear enough how many men have actually been persecuted so far for this crime adultery before this bill was filed or ruled as there's no data for that but this comes as the second colonial era law that has been ruled out by India's higher court you know just in the same month. This same month it also out turned 157 year old law which effectively criminalized gay marriage in India so we see two laws in one month which are over a century old being taken down. What's going on that's what the world is talking about and that's what trending is all about so let's go jump into tonight's topic. I just have one question for you guys before we jump into tonight's topic what are you watching me through right now if I was to break it down to you or break it down for you you're watching hashtag LNT through a television channel called Imam Hossein TV3 now that's the least we can say about it. Now TV channels in general are a medium to convey a certain message to audience basically viewers aka you guys now another medium for another medium that would also convey a message are newsletters for example we have the independent where most of you guys read it skim through it just to get information of what's happening around the world. Now this is just a small part of the world of media another huge example that we use on hourly basis or sometimes some of us aka Al-Jasim use it on a minute basis in social media. Now we all love sitting on a couch or laying down in bed with our smartphones whether iPhones or Samsung's I don't want to get into the rivalry because iPhones are too expensive now so I might jump to Samsung who knows but you know just your smartphone you know texting your boys and girls texting their sisters of course you know what we you can text a sister but she has to be you know mahram to you or we don't want to get into that as well. Now the world nowadays greatly depends on interacting or communicating with friends and family from abroad especially now nowadays the world has expanded people have traveled abroad they have lived abroad they're not living in their home country home countries anymore so this medium so to speak has brought people together such as friends and family. Now tonight on hashtag LNT as we're using a pretty good medium which exists in every home we're trying to ask that every home the question of episode 14 what are the pros and cons of media and that's your question for tonight so get your phones ready just like how I'm getting it ready and dial that phone number right there quick before it goes off the show and if you don't cast the last two numbers or three numbers you can get them right after the break but it's plus nine six four seven seven four zero six seven eighteen thirty six and that's I got my phone ready I just put it on silent just in case I didn't get a text message but just like how I got a text message you can show the text message to that number right there I'll give us a phone call live free on WhatsApp which is Alhamdulillah and you can send the voice note as well let's go jump into a quick break and come back to you guys in a few moments welcome back dear viewers hope everyone is somewhat enjoying the night however tonight is the seventh night after Muharram Sabah al Imam it's a tradition that seven days after people continue to mourn Imam al-Hussain as we were having a few processions going by the channel Alhamdulillah before the show not during now we are live on Facebook so you can go comment yeah Hussain and say Salam yeah I'm just kidding go actually answer the question which is what are the pros and cons of media Salami al-Hussain and the bake yeah Hussain and please send my Salams to Hussain that's all for my brother Mustafa al-Khateeb aka Mustafa Zurghanian who is hosting welcome to Karbala so those comments are for that show so leave those for that show and do answer the question for tonight what are the pros and cons of media very simple question cons you can just name them off your head as our pros you can name them off your head but let's see how many people actually think of the cons let's see that but as I mentioned question what are the pros and cons of media the number to call in is right at the bottom you can call us via WhatsApp toll free plus nine six four seven seven four zero six seven eighteen thirty six right at the bottom of the screen right at below the question now as we were mentioning before that break and as we mentioned before I gave a long reduction on how to call the show mass media today are mostly divided into two main parts now number one first there's the print media where you have your books journals magazines and newspapers and then you have the second part which comes to electronics or audio visuals just like the internet just like social media radio and television and of course the internet now in recent years the mass media has been thriving growing in four main parts or four main ways so to speak the increase in number of TV channels radio stations and print titles and the intake of social content now this has drastically increased over the past few decades now as well as we all know that each masked me each mass media has own policy and its own goals to reach the largest number of viewers and audience and of course subscribers now a brief history of social media up until juanis Gutenberg in the 15th century where he invented the movable type printing press the first newsletter there's a guy right there you know books and write handwritings which both copies you know they're the same practically almost the same but the printing press ever since that made the mass production print of media very possible everyone was looking at it as like wow this is something new you know I'm getting it delivered to my door or not there yet we're not there yet but you know as printing we go pick it off instead of you know someone telling you a story or something and you have to write it down so it's it's a book handwritten or printed and it gives out to you now then gradually the new transportation methods got in where the book or newsletter now the newsletters were introduced now they're sent to your home based on the address you provide now moving along to the big part that we all use social media sometimes are watching us you know people watching us right now Facebook and you know sometimes following us on Instagram which you both you have to do so go do that during the show just pause it go do that come back but tonight we're trying to talk about the different forms of media but we'll do that but if we can just take a few a few moments as a break and we can come back to you very very very short inshallah to continue talking about social media and media in general if you got that name imprinted on your head you know I just took that break just to get it you know a sip of water so it was good three loops of hashtag in tea break but as I mentioned tonight we're trying to talk about the importance and the pros and cons of media now according to a few research done 76% of American adults online use social media sites just like Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn and Pinterest as of July 2015 which is you know I went up from 26 in 2008 now nowadays most people get their news updates and what's going on around the world from Facebook Twitter and Instagram it's it's much easier for a lot of people it's not just for you know snapping selfies and posting it you know the old selfies that people even now they still take in the bathroom with the stall behind them I still don't get the idea of you guys doing that so I I think I should stop that you know because because I think we're over you know high school days yes you can probably take that picture and get away with it because maybe stalls were the thing back then I don't know but it's not just for snapping selfies and putting it on or you know praying to God that you get you know so many likes and so many comments on your post it's much more than that social media has changed people's lives in so many ways as we'll get to talk about that inshallah later on the episode but before we do that let's take this text message so Jabbar from the USA he says a pro keeps everyone updated with what is happening in the world a con it can help spread false news quickly and absolutely thank you very much Jabbar from the United States of America Jabbar I had a friend named Jabbar he was in Texas so maybe that's him shout out to him if he's watching the show now as we were saying a few research that was done saying that 76% of ad American adults use social media websites such as Facebook Twitter Instagram so on and so forth however a lot of people sometimes tend to misuse it which we'll get to talk about the as well now we can say that there are hundreds hundreds maybe tens of thousands of TV channels radio stations out in the world right now you know from TV channels and radio stations to newspapers magazines journals all of them having one motive printing all kinds you know or targeting all kinds of readers and of course the immeasurable platform or range that the internet provides yes maybe the newspapers delivered to you on a daily basis except maybe Saturday and Sunday maybe what it is seven days a week but at the same time you might not read or the news in there might not catch your attention because newspapers are so huge last time I read newspaper was back in like 2013 or 2014 now it's open a Facebook and you can get that newspaper just follow them on Facebook and you'll see the news coming up so you don't have to spend that much money you don't have to waste paper and you know at the same time you're getting what's good in the world you're knowing everything that's happening in the world now all told we have more ways to reach people out in the world then we had you know a few decades or a few centuries ago you know back then people used to send letters you know thousands of miles or even just ten miles away they would have to send a letter to someone write it down and then take like a day to get there day back and then wait for that person to reply which is another day and as if they reply right away but if they reply with like an LOL or a K then I don't know how they replied with like those kind of words or terms but you are subhan Allah as we just got it right now subhan Allah someone around the world texted us and we just got it in a few seconds who is it from Zidjvi Zidj Zidjavi from Tanzania he says we all use media on a daily basis and I think the pros outweigh the cons yes maybe as we'll get to find out in a few moments inshallah but thank you Zidj Zidjavi from I think it's not like a Russian Russian name maybe like a never mind but Zidjavi thank you very much from Tanzania for joining us tonight now I want to take a few moments to check out the pros and cons as the brother from Tanzania message I hope it's a brother sorry if it's a sister but for joining us tonight now one pro will be able to pose one pro that is affiliated to social media or media in general is that before mass media as I mentioned people used to take a lot of effort to write the message down on on you know like skins and then roll that up with a stamp and then send it somewhere and it takes forever for them to reply or you know just the distance distances sometimes if something happens on the other side of the world you won't know about it but now because social media is so available everywhere every country has social media now especially internet you need internet for social media but it keeps everyone connected everyone knows you know for example when the the law that out ruled adultery or that you that removed adults from being a crime reach CNN and Fox News and everywhere just in a few moments as that rule was was billed as you can see right there it brings everyone across the world whether you're living in Africa North America South America wherever wherever it brings everyone together as we saw in the World Cup everyone was watching and supporting their own team another pro of media is business expansion you can expand your business you know now imagine you starting up your business but absolutely no advertisement absolutely no flyers going out you're not telling anyone what you have in the store so you're probably the only one you're the only consumer of the products you sell you probably take you know this grocery shopping you know a cart and you just pile up stuff take it home however on media now you can post ads you can post so many things on there that a lot of people might be attracted to so what happens then is that your business starts to expand and that's one of the pros of media and social media another one is that it spreads education and culture and this is very important one of the main objectives of IH TV 3 is spreading education and culture it shows you know we're not limiting it just because I work for the channel but what I'm trying to say is that TV channels in general if you were to go to you know Abu Dhabi Discovery Channel you know probably see their ads on you know the culture in Africa what's found in Africa what people know about Africa and different countries as well people living in the West don't really know what's happening in the East don't know the cultures you can basically go write something quickly on the Internet what are the cultures of Iraqi or what are the cultures present in Iraq and you can find a hundred thousands of websites that give you the cultures in Iraq you ask about who is Hussein who is Hussein what are the Hussein the cultures so to speak you can just type that into Google and it comes out to you so in a way social media and media put together they're a way to spread education and culture and nowadays if you if you're stuck in in mathematics and calculus or functions you can probably go on or you know biology or whatever I remember in university I used to do that every time I'm stuck on something I don't go to the tutor or the professor I just go online write the the question that I have and the solution comes up so education is at your fingertips another one is that it gives a voice to the voiceless and that's one of the most beautiful parts I love about social media and media a lot of people are on the world right now don't have a voice a lot of people view others and look at how successful they become and look how rich and wealthy they've become based on you know maybe poverty or something else a lot of people right now don't have voices they're poor they can't you know bring out their voice they live in a remote village somewhere out of the city you know the probably the most advanced thing is they have a small cell phone and that's it where they can call however when media came in the tribes in Africa and and safari they were explored the tribes in Iraq they were explored the tribes everywhere cultures everywhere were explored if there was a poor village a reporter would go there do some interviews bring it in back to the back to the agency and they would write something about it to get help for those individuals how do you think that the Arab Spring came about yes it started from you know maybe hundreds of people who began to you know to protest against the government but the same time if it wasn't for the media to boost whatever was happening in Egypt or Libya or Syria or wherever it boosted up so much that a lot of people started supporting the cause of those who wanted freedom and justice for their country but I believe we should take a break very quick break and come back to you guys in a few moments to continue talking about the pros of social media you don't think I was trying to get another quick water break as I was actually was but thanks to social media I was able to tell the guys to bring me some water because you know technology is a type of some sort of media but anyways now we got over the pros of media and social media and we ended it off with giving voice to the voiceless another one if we were to move on we would move on to the cons there are a lot of pros but we just a quick summary one of the pros or the first sorry one of the cons or first con of media is that empower the already powerful what do I mean by that right now a lot of agencies a lot of channels and everyone knows this especially in the Arab world and in the West as well the people in power tend to have influence and heavy influence on TV channels in Iraq majority if not 99 percent of the channels are run by politicians each politician has his own channel where he brought you know sends propaganda you know in favor of his channel same in the world right now whatever we see on channel as news has another story to it why because that story is biased to that channel or bias to that group that supports this channel so you have to always look at it from different angles even the news nowadays people have you know the analysts going through and analyzing each news that comes out to see the different ways that the story is put forth whether it's right whether it's wrong sending people to check out if this information is right or wrong another con of media is that it can be used for discrimination now what's happening it's unfortunate what's happening in Syria what's happening in Yemen is a form of discrimination the news isn't really showing the world what's actually going on in Yemen and who are the ones being killed in Yemen the ones being killed in Yemen are children Saudi Arabia is only targeting hospitals schools and villages where children are in just like what we saw a few a few weeks ago with the school bus so the media is showing that you know what some rebels are in this city and then you the city got bombed and so on and so forth there always has to be another story to that and that's what social media what media is somehow right now it's unfortunate to see it is sending discriminative propaganda where others you know they might understand the wrong story about someone just like how Islamophobia right now a lot of people are are Islamophobic why because media and YouTube videos and YouTube channels and people going out speaking against Islam not knowing what Islam has to offer are putting up these videos and putting up these statements and people as a result of that people now are Islamophobic at the end of the day is discrimination another one the other con of media or social media is it's harmful if overused now those people who spend you know their their their whole life watching TV playing games on social media you know as I mentioned earlier sleeping on the bed you know being a couch potato not going outside you know actually achieving something spending time on social media can can be dangerous you know and it can why because not have not everything on there should be read it should be viewed that's why there's there's the disclaimers there's the warnings out there that's telling you this is not this content may not be right for you you know that's why YouTube has age restrictions why because if a lot of people use social media and use the media overuse of it can cause irritation to the eye sometimes diseases to the eye and sometimes even worse things that we don't want to get into that but let's get this text message Zahra from the UK says there are pros and cons for media it just depends on how we use it thank you very much Zahra from the UK for letting us know that yes it does depend on how you use it now and we'll tell you right now what the correct way of using it right now one beautiful way and I mentioned it in the last episode of season one if you guys want to go check it out you can go view all the episodes of hashtag LNT as they are uploaded to YouTube inshallah you can just type hashtag LNT and the episodes will come out now one beautiful way where you can take advantage of social media and media in general through TV channels through radio stations through newspapers through social media websites through everything you know everything documentary films the way to take advantage of those is disseminating the right knowledge you know for every story you know there's another side to it but there's one story that everyone needs to focus on and that's the story of al-bayt the biographies the information the knowledge of al-bayt that needs to be disseminated a lot of people are sitting and watching us right now thinking that you know what why are they focusing on you know always mentioned disseminate knowledge of al-bayt disseminate knowledge of al-bayt right now the world needs to understand who the ahl al-bayt are because she right now are not only in the middle east they're everywhere sometimes people discriminate against them not knowing who they actually are who they follow what teachings are in their books and Muslims in general not just Muslims in general so the best way is to disseminate the Islamic knowledge derived from the al-bayt piece of blessings be upon them so one of the best ways is to always remember al-bayt in a post you know you can share you can do whatever but at the same time use these platforms that are provided to you at your fingertips everyone has a smartphone now your fingertips spread something about Imam al-Hussain one quote a day one lesson that you've learned from Imam al-Hussain once a day once every three four days once every month or week do it for the sake of Imam al-Hussain because trust me everyone gains from the post you post thank you very much for joining us do stay tuned for the upcoming episodes wassalaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakat


Yeah, yeah, look I notice I know what there's loads to do. I'm just gonna go and say good morning to Jack. It's Christmas We'll get it done. It's all right mate Merry Christmas What's that awkward? Why can't you just give me a proper hug on Christmas day? Good morning Tim awkward Oh, hang on a minute don't You had that whole box Couldn't save us anyway, you were supposed to start that 25 days ago It's not it's not an advent calendar on Christmas Day, but anyway, how are you anywhere? I'm very good, and I hope and Merry Christmas everybody Christmas Tim is a time of giving and receiving I've got a present for you. You will notice that I have got Christmas socks for you. Oh, hang on a minute for you Santa Claus I'll get them on my feet are freezing. Look at these. Yep. There we go. There we go gift of Christmas Socks in the Christmas spirit beautiful and then so what's your present for me? Well, I've got you something actually Jacko and to be honest We're gonna try and kill two birds with one stone. Oh, he's getting busy in there a little bit feisty in the kitchen They want him to get on with Christmas dinner and I do appreciate on Christmas Day There's quite a lot to get done and if I go in there now and say Maybe we're gonna go and do a workout Just crack on and we'll get did on a table a bit later. Probably not gonna go down that well So what I thought we could do is get a workout done get a few calories in the calorie bank taking care of for the later Indulgence Because I have already had mine you've done that selection box for breakfast as ritual on Christmas Day So this sounds like What's in there doing probably about 50 calories total? I could probably tell you But I'm not going to because it would take me a while to figure it out. It's quite a lot Okay, so we need to get a workout. Yes.  We're gonna peel the vegetables At the same time. So this little workout challenge. Jacko is gonna be 20 burpees right 20 squats 20 push-ups Whilst peeling the vegetables the first one to completely work out and peel their vegetables wins sweaty and Do the vegetable medley for the Christmas dinner. I don't know who's coming for dinner with Two potatoes and two parsnips. Yeah, so roll with it. I think what we're gonna do. It's not actually Christmas Day We're gonna go potato fill the squats potato the squats parsnips for the burpees burpees and then five brussels sprouts for Push-ups squats burpees push up first one to get all their food veg in the box, but we're gonna create some we're gonna create some space Let's go so you can do whichever vegetable in whatever order You just got to be first pass a post to win. Right. Is there any time? What are you going for first? I think I'm gonna attack the Potato first and that squats squats burpees push ups push ups Peers at the ready in three two One, let's go. Yeah, Timbo. I believe We was it actually a draw. I don't know before we before we set the final results Let's have a quick quality inspection. I'll see I'm not sure Well, I mean you've never come to my house for Christmas day before this is how all the goodness is in the skin team You don't even feel these. I have that's how I do my sprouts and Anyway, I if you watch the video about your native that whilst I was doing my potato I was squatting in sync with my feeling with my feeling. It was nice. I enjoyed it great So don't get aside Christmas is a day to spend some time with your family Reflects on what's important. Let's do the fluffy bit. Yeah Do you need to work on Christmas day? I was gonna say the reality is after all of that Messages probably enjoy Christmas day. Don't worry about training. I'll see about for a run or something if that's gonna make you Let's get out of value today. Do it. Don't be here in the pressure of Christmas and if you think this is a good way to To peel your veg then let us know that goes down if you like Tim's socks Put in the comments below Make sure you subscribe as well. I haven't done yet But from all of us at the school of Calisthenics have a great Christmas. Thanks for being part of our 2019 not quite the end of the year yet, but it's a nice opportunity to sit back Reflects on what has been and what is to come and we massively appreciate every single one of you Merry Christmas


When you give someone guidance, you generally have two choices. You can provide directions or you can provide a map. Directions are linear and singular. Start here, turn there, go this way and here. Maps on the other hand are bounded but open-ended. You start at point A and you go to point B. What's decided about the path to follow is up to the follower. With directions, even good directions, there's little room for judgment. There's no big picture. And sometimes that's exactly what's necessary. For long-term leader development, the map is a far more productive tool. Yes, it's a tool that has room for error, but isn't that how we learn? This post was inspired by Naval War College alum Major Joe Byerly from his November article on the Modern War Institute website. Lead well this week.