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 Feeling sad... On 2006-03-24 15:06 HAVANA (AFP) - Singer Wilfredo "Pio" Leyva, a pillar of the Grammy-winning Buena Vista Social Club and one of Cuba's masters of 'son,' died in Havana aged 88, his family said.
Leyva died of a heart attack, his daughter Rosalinda Leyva said. He started out singing and playing the bongo at the tender age of eight, and Leyva's big break as a musician came in 1932 in his native Camaguey province, with the Juanito Blez orchestra. In 1953 he moved to Havana and launched a fast-track career singing with many of the country's greatest performers of the 20th century -- Roberto Faz, and his good friend Francisco Repilado, better known as Compay Segundo, with whom he recorded his first hit, "Chan Chan." In 1996 he got an unexpected boost to international renown with the Buena Vista Social Club, which brought together Cuba's top senior musical talent, produced a CD that became a Grammy winner and an international smash hit. UEFA, FIFA and Co On 2006-03-23 17:01 For years and years, players paid by clubs have been injured while playing for their national teams. When the clubs finally get strong enough to complain about this situation by grouping into the G14, UEFA threaten them to "not accept them" in the future UEFA competitions (ie Champions league) if they don't sign a document saying "They completely agree with the rules of FIFA and UEFA". Everyone can have his own opinion about the juridical fight they are having at the moment. What I don't understand is how FIFA and UEFA can say that they won't let a few rich teams destroy the football and its values ?. I don't understand why they say teams like Lyon, Madrid, Manchester, Juventus, etc.. are only doing this for business cause "HELLO", this is FIFA's business. The whole point of this story is FIFA not wanting to give a bit of money to the teams who send their players for free to play with their national teams. They make billions of euros each year and they talk about the business done by the clubs.... The trial is obviously going to end up by the clubs getting their money. What sucks is that UEFA is pushing the rich teams to create that "private league" like NBA in the US by forcing them to sign theses documents to enter their competitions. They don't even realize that by creating these documents, they are creating their own "private" league.... Is France burning ? On 2006-03-22 11:55 I think if I was in high school or college at the moment, I would probably be on the streets with pretty much all french students. For those who don't know what is going on, a new type of contract have been proposed by Mr de Villepin, our prime minister and his government. The concept of this new contract is simple. It is for under 26 years old people who are unemployed. It is a classic contract, except that it gives the opportunity for the employee (and the employer !!) to break it at any time during the first two years or employment. Sounds pretty much like what the situation is like in the US and many other countries, except that there almost all contracts are like this. At first, there was only a few people here and there, students blocking access to universities but recently, the CRS (french anti-riots police) took students from the mythical "Sorbonne" university in Paris using the force and people really didn't like it here. It keeps growing and will of course end up with the Prime Minister quitting and the law being forgotten but at the moment, it is just turning bad there on the streets with one guy being hit by those CRS who is actually in the coma at the hospital. Beside the fact that people would never know if they are going to have a job the next day, such a contract takes away from employees one fundamental right (or habit) in france. The opportunity to contest when they disagree. There are not so many strikes in the US. Why ? Just because people would get fired if they'd go on strike. That is one of the major things people don't want to lose with this story.... Of course there are some interresting options with that type of contract, especially for small business, but in its actual form, it is way too dangerous for the social situation in france.  Dear blog On 2006-03-17 17:21 A long time passed since the last time I wrote you. I have to apologize for the delay, but as I didn't get any news from you either, I thought maybe you were dead or something... Anyway, here I am now to tell you all about my life. As you might now already from Scott who seems to visit you regularly, I have been to London twice recently, enjoying Easyjet sales by myself and then with my familly. Tickets were only 45 Euros return so that was a bloody good deal. First time I just stayed with Jon and Scott and had a cool weekend with an impressive "Anti Valentine's day" party at Feeling Gloomy. The second time I came with my parents who stayed at the very clean Allandale Hotel. We had a good time visiting litterally everything major in london. My mom's feet was not feeling so good though. Went to Greenwich, british museum and the other big sights in london. Scott also probably told you about the good results of OL especially in the Champions League where they got their revenge on dutchies from PSV. Next round they'll play Milan AC. It is getting hard. Apart from this, nothing really new happened, I made a little change in my apartment (I will post pictures soon), and am really looking forward to the coming of Gula next week and to the trip to amsterdam for Martijn's wedding. Should be fun. I am also trying to plan summer holidays but it is tough as the plane tickets' price goes way up in July/August and HO doesn't want me to take more than a week in June. We'll see. It is now 5:30 on Friday so it is weekend time. Have a good weekend my very good friend the blog and I'll talk to you soon hopefully. Biz. Seb |