At Least I Never Refered to Myself in the Third Person

Danilo Di Luca, reminding us when and where the Giro d'Italia finishes, and proving that illeism isn't just for Ricky Henderson, Stalin and Gollum (quoted today in cyclingnews.com):

"I said the Giro does not finish until Milano," Di Luca continued with confidence. "Tomorrow, is another tappone and Sunday is the time trial. It is important not to doubt Di Luca because Di Luca never gives up."

Perhaps DiLuca is preparing for a post-cycling career on the stage and is practicing (aka: "role-playing") his dramatic skillz?

The tendency to refer to oneself in the third person is often viewed by psychologists as a symptom of narcissism. In order to learn how to effectively refer to yourself in the third person, it is often desirable to understand the narcissist mentality, and develop an ability to "role-play" as an actual narcissist. Needless to say, the comedic potential of having this ability cannot be overestimated, but there is also danger, in that you may inadvertently develop strong narcissistic tendencies in yourself without realizing it...

Go Killer!

Chad Hartley Joins the Joe Papp Fan Club

"Hypocrisy aside (about being a hater), I agree with Mike Sayers. Chad Hartley is not a fan of Joe Papp either..."


In light of the fact that Chad Hartley is someone with whom I've never exchanged more than a sentence or two of dialogue [and haven't seen for years], I guess I'm flattered that he would express his disdain by discussing me on his well-written and insightful blog.

This recent deluge of anonymous hate mail and odd references to me by former competitors can only stem from my "exposure" in the recent edition of Outside Magazine, and as such, it really is more of a curiosity than anything else. However, I do take umbrage to quotes like this:

"Adam [Bergman] apologized, David Miller apologized, as far as I know Joe Papp hasn’t and is milking his misfortune for whatever it’s worth."

Who else would Chad have me apologize to, and in what manner? Perhaps my raw, honest analysis of the toll of doping and subsequent warning to youngsters to stay away from it is insufficient for Chad. If he has some constructive feedback, he could always phone in to the Kim West Radio Cycling Show this weekend to share it.

Cuba Blog Meltdown

Though I'm an intrepid commentator and analyst of what I refer to as "the Cuban Situation", the depth and consistency of my writing is put to shame by that of Manuel A.Tellechea.

Read his latest post, The Meltdown at Babalú.

The Collected Works of Mike Dropkin

Mike Dropkin is a guy who I don't know very well - personally or professionally. I met him in the early-1990's through my association with Rob Acciavatti of Morgantown, WV, and I once spent several weeks training with Rob in South Carolina while based out of Dropkin's house.

When I came home to the USA from Italy in 2006, Mike Dropkin - who I hadn't (and still haven't) seen in person for over a decade - offered via email to help me defend against the positive urinalysis I supposedly returned during a stage of the International 42nd Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey. Never having knowingly ingested any substance that would result in the appearance in my urine of the metabolites 6α-OH-androstenedione or 6β-OH-androsterone during said race, I accepted Mike's offer and appreciate the work he facilitated.

Nonetheless, USADA rejected the conclusions reached in a report prepared on my behalf by Mike's friend/colleague that we submitted prior to arbitration, and indicated their intent to pursue a sanction against me for returning a urine sample on May 7, 2006, at the International 42nd Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey that was reported by the World Anti-Doping Agency (“WADA”) accredited Turkish Doping Control Center in Ankara, Turkey as positive for metabolites of testosterone or its precursors (6α-OH-androstenedione 6β-OH-androsterone).

Ultimately, because a lack of financial resources impeded my ability to mount a comprehensive defense, I capitulated and accepted a sanction from USADA. As part of that capitulation, I also discussed publicly the extensive doping regime I undertook from 2001-2006. However, at no point did I ever admit to knowingly ingesting any substance that would have resulted in the appearance in my urine of the metabolites 6α-OH-androstenedione or 6β-OH-androsterone during the International 42nd Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey - because I didn't.

Mike Dropkin has not been able to get on with his own life, however, and he sends me emails monthly in which he rants and raves, wishes me death, spreads patently false accusations and insults my family. Though his emails are automatically filtered into my spam folder, some of what he writes is so "compelling" that I've archived it for publication here.

So, with no further ado, please enjoy The Collected Works of Mike Dropkin:

--

“you let a suburban middle class house wife just bitch slap you all over the internet

I can't help you buddy. You're a waste of skin, and you and Joe Papp should room together at his mom's house, in dear old Bethel Park.

When Yuliet the Yuicer gets in, you can change the babies diaps. I mean, before Joe does the DNA test and all that."

--

"If the kid is yours, I'll send you a fucking C-note. We can start a lottery, all taking bets on the DNA. You'll be rich. That's what you want, after all.”

--

“Bill,
You're one of those people. It's fucking sad. Your whole ego is built on this concept that "being tough" by not making a deal out of anything that comes up. What the fuck? You think when you're on your death bed, you're going to pronounce that "not giving a shit" was the highest aspiration of your life? That anyone will look at you with any fucking meaning as to your existence?”

--

“you're not even remotely funny Adam

Dawn kicked your fucking ass.

Now you're in the Joe Papp bin of dysfunctional.”

--

“I wonder who is worse on the "Scale of Evaluation to Get into Heaven"

Lance Armstrong, or Joe Papp.

Armstrong:
1) had teammates dope to ensure his team support
2) helped dump Floyd's extra blood packet down the drain
3) Took a heretofore unheralded amount of fucking drugs. EPO, HGH, testosterone, blood doping
4) Had Frankie fired, chased down Simoni and punished him for "spitting in the soup", screwed over a whole bunch of bike racers.
5) Employed Chris Carmichael, who injected fucking Juniors for fuck's sake.

Joe Papp
1) Big history of taking <> PEDs.
2) <>.
3) Always trying to scam his friends and associates
4) Strong advocate of <>. Vids, Pics, and so on.
5) Won't seek help for his clear narcissist personality disorder.

Hmmm .... which one is going to burn hotter in hell ... that's a tough one ...

Of course Fuentes is doping. If you can get his blood after a race, his heme will be way up, and you'll find other goodies in there. What you need in the states, is a Sporting Fraud law. If they cheat and win, you can sue them for their house, car, and all assets.”

--

“put time and energy and recruited professional friends to help him with his doping defense. Those people in turn made phone calls and contacts to other professionals.

Instead Joe Papp flipped to WADA and USADA and whatever, and never bothered to tell me or my friends working on his case, to cease, to apologize, to do anything.

I have friends who were not only personally embarrassed, but professionally embarrassed. That is a big, big, big fucking deal for these people, as it should be. They live by their professional reputations.

Joe Papp fucked me over, and fucked my friends over. Not by flipping, but by not even having the common courtesy to tell us what was going on at any point. He compromised my friends, in a deep and dangerous way.

Joe Papp is a scumbag. His lawyer is also a total fucking scumbag. Neither of these two fuckers have the slightest clue about professional responsibility or ethics.

Joe Papp is a evil, scheming, piece of shit. I hope to fuck he kills himself. I encourage him strongly to do so. Anybody who knows who his employers or friends are, let me know. So I can tell them about Joe's long history as <>, scam artist, and lying behavior.

Mike Dropkin
Salt Lake City, Utah”

--

“I am sure he had his hand in it.

It will be the perfect capping drama to his made for TV story of tragedy and redemption.

It's just surprising that all the people he has scammed, <>, that one of them haven't put a fucking cap in his head.

Hey, did you know that Joe graduated summa cum laude?”

--

“I am ambivalent about it.

Part of me hopes he is fucking dead.
Part of me thinks, oh, it's not good to think that.”

--

“little defensive aren't you Dawn?

everybody is plotting with, against, and for Joe all at the same time

He's the Ringmaster of this Circus.”

--

“That abstract says fucking nothing.

Produce some fucking reality or join Joe Papp and Dawn "Teabag" Richardson in the Lake of Fire.

Have you always been an officious, gray world, file clerk mentality sycophant? "Dr. Richardson", "risk adverse", "stringent".

Maybe Joe is joining you in pharma sales??? You've got the cock sucking fawning down !pat! mother fucker.”

--

“I'll tell you what.

You give Gunnar an intrusive Rectal Exam, with the Abner Louima probing device, at his next race, in front of all the spectators and participants, video it, and post it on youtube, and I will take back everything I ever said when you were blowing and tea bagging Joe Papp, and screaming "Joe, with your drug use, and my reporting, we will BOTH be famous!"

I promise Dawn. I really, really, really fucking promise.”

--

“you got any stats, or is that just your Joe Papp type expertise on that one? Maybe you're as good a doc as Joe Papp was a cyclist?

Hard to conceive that since some chemos so fuck up kidney function and EPO allows higher heme during the course that what you say can be true.”

--

“I can't wait till you put the little rubber ball with the strap in his mouth and shut the fucker up.”

--

Mike Dropkin...madman.

Burt Friggin' Hoovis

Thanks are extended to Burt Friggin' Hoovis for making me aware of The 9 Most Devastating Insults From Around the World.

This is the kind of weird email I receive on my Birthday

"...I think Joe Papp would make a great head of USADA. . .talk about a comeback story! he's risen from the depths to lead the anti-doping fight into a new and better century. I think Joe Papp likely has his narrative already written and committed to memory. ya'll do realize that he's got a Anti-Doping SUV (Yukon, right?) already in mind with all sorts of positive message decals, somehow appropriated from DHS funds. . .life is so much better after a shot of espresso in the morning..."

Mike Sayers

A friend forwarded me a link to a blog entry written by Mike Sayers, someone who I always thought was a complete douche and who I studiously avoided, even when my then friend and ex-teammate Todd Herriott was racing with him on HealthNet. Anyway, Mike, who rides on The BMC Professional Cycling Team, wrote:

"...With this all being laid out, I will make this clear; Joe Papp, I am going to offend you. I am going to deeply offend you. I am going to offend you so bad that the state of Pennsylvania and most of the Eastern Seaboard are going to feel it..."

Um, actually - no. Mike, I'm not offended, because to be offended I would have had to have once allocated you some import. And I didn't, don't and won't. But I am taking the time to respond to your blog post with this brief entry of my own, because it's the polite thing to do.

I've often thought that those people who are the most relentless in attacking me are those who most fear being exposed for something, or otherwise feel threatened and are reacting instinctively. Not sure which it is with Mike Sayers, to whom I say, "Vattelo a pigliare nel culo!"

Kim West Radio Cycling Show - June 1

I will be appearing as a guest on the Kim West Radio Cycling Show (1460AM KXNO Des Moines' Sports Station, UH!) on Sunday, June 1 from 6-7pm (CST). The topic(s) for discussion will be related to - surprise - doping...

The interview concept, as sent over by Kim:

"here's the deal with my show: they pretty much let me do what i want, because they don't think cycling is that big a deal, so the guests and format is up to me.
when i began thinking about having a cycling show, one of the things i wanted to do, on an on-going basis, is have a conversation about doping in cycling. even as an amateur in the Midwest, I've dealt with guys who suddenly began riding phenomenally well, and then later got busted. with you, I'd like to get to that, but I'd like to start at the very beginning: what pressures did you encounter just as you were starting, what hopes, aspirations, goals and such did you have, and how did the situations change as you progressed through cycling..."

To listen live via streaming audio, go to http://kxno.com/cc-common/streaming_new/index.html.

To listen to archived shows, click here.

Now, I fully expect some of the more jackass-like folks who've taken the time to express their displeasure with me during the past year to call in to the show and attempt to bust my balls *live*. While I'll be eagerly anticipating a call from Burt Hoovis, I won't be entertaining questions on Cuba, the naming of names, or anything else that my counsel (or any other rational individual) would find inappropriate or offensive. In fact, if you call in and act like an asshole (i.e. Mike Sayers) you'll just be generating dead air prior to being disconnected. So why bother?

I'm sure some of you will bother, however, in which case you'll probably achieve nothing more than embarrassing yourself and annoying anyone hoping to actually discuss the topics referenced by Kim above.

Talk to you on 1 June!

The 9 Most Devastating Insults From Around the World

By Ian Cheesman

"A responsible traveler won't set foot in another country without knowing how to viciously insult the people in their native language. Odds are, you won't even make it out of the airport before a situation arises that requires obscenities..."

Read more here.

Secretsofthepeloton.com

Thanks to Anthony Pope at Secretsofthepeloton.com for giving some space to my report on the personal "Toll of Doping"... You can re-read the piece, with Anthony's commentary, here.

While at Secrets, be sure to check out the Plastic Peloton People, especially those from the early years (2001-2)...

My New Haircut: Asian Edition

"Sexi Lexi" - Distorted Penguins

"Love"

Lingering, lingering,
Pulsating, pulsating
Two hearts beat in one.
Fine as gossamer,
Vast as the waves,
Inconstant as the moon,
Frail as a flower,
This strange thing we call love,
What a prolific source of sorrows it is!

-Wu Yung
T'ang Dynasty

Outside Fall-out

I still haven't read the article yet, but apparently others have, and I'd like to thank those kind souls who've actually sent me positive comments or words of encouragement since "Vanishing" appeared in Outside Magazine.

I read the article, and as suspected the it is a classic hatchet job, which included taking three words out of a two sentence quote and completely misrepresenting the context in which they were uttered. A strange combination of truth and manipulation in an attempt by the author to fit my interview into his pre-ordained story line.

Nonetheless, I don't get why people are focusing on my sanity or whether or not I rode the Tour de France. My roommate rode four Tours of Italy, another teammate won a stage in the Vuelta...it's not like this shit isn't real, people.

Follow the money trail.....

Well, after the infamous Philip the Sixth scandal in Washington DC, where the former protégé of the hyphenated elite was caught with money coming out of his pockets, we now have a new one; the Cuban American National Foundation is calling for an investigation on where the hell is the money destined to support the Cuban dissidents in their fight.
(See articles Official Policy, May 8 2008 and Sticky fingers, March 29, 2008, or read this whole blog)

According to CANF, 83% of that money has been spent in Miami, not in Cuba.
The questions, to put it in a blunt manner, are:

1- Where's the money?
2- Who took it?
3- In where was that money spent?
4- Why didn't it make it to the dissidents?
5- Is somebody going to be punished for this?

Of course, that money appears to have diluted in thin air, vanished in front of the sight of everybody.
There's only one industry that rivals the industry of Anti Castroism, the industry of Castroism itself, and both are the product of the wheeling and dealings of members of the same family.

Isn't this time that we stop, catch, and never release those who have been stealing from the cause of a free Cuba, and therefore sabotaging it to keep castro afloat and their cottage industry alive and afloat?

Is this the right time to denounce all of those profiteering gangsters who are pocketing the help that should go to the Cuban dissidents?

Well, many people complain about the lack of effectiveness of the Cuban dissidents, they accuse them of not revolting and of not being willing to die under the treads of Raul's tanks. They accuse Cubans for willing to go back to Cuba and see -and help!- their families, and for sending them cash. They have no qualms, or have not pointed their tireless accusative finger to the ones who are stealing from the Cuban freedom fighters. C'mon, recognize it. We are sandwiched and stonewalled between tyranny and corruption, and still, the self appointed police of thought -yes, this side we have it too- cringes every time we mention this.

The "freedom for Cuba" motto is just the fake motto inscribed on these robbers jolly roger. They do not want the freedom of Cuba, this is very clear, it would just do away with their generous -and illegal- source of cash.

Will the government unleash the FBI and the IRS after the culprits? Will the government ever find the culprits?

Think about all the political prisoners (one never becomes and ex-political prisoner) who lived destitute and died in poverty in anonymous nursing homes. Think of all the dignified men abandoned to their -lethal- fate, and think of the empty promises made to the Cuban dissidents.

Thieves, how can you sleep?

The Toll of Doping - was it worth it?

Were the experiences and competitive results I obtained with the help of doping worth the physical and mental anguish I’ve suffered during the past two years? The simple answer is “no”. While this probably seems like a no-brainer to the casual fan or weekend racer, it was not a conclusion I ever foresaw during those long nights spent hooked up to an IV or smarting from an intramuscular injection. Doping can ruin your life – and that’s the message I have for young athletes who might face similar choices.

Don’t get me wrong – save from a few brief moments of clarity when I recoiled in disgust from my participation in systematic doping – I understand that I was willing to follow “the program” if it meant I could keep racing and practicing the sport I loved in an environment that seemed intoxicating to me. Unbeknown to most, I had two significant opportunities to escape the system – one in the aftermath of a terrible crash in 2003 that almost cost me my left leg, and later in early 2006 after it was revealed publicly that a former teammate of mine had tested positive for EPO. And though both times I took baby steps towards the door of mental and physical freedom from cheating, I lacked sufficient willpower, confidence and hope for a future without competitive cycling to break free. Maybe things would have been different if I’d had a stronger outside influence, or a better-calibrated moral compass, but the reality is that I didn’t, and I’m reminded of this each and every day of my life.

I don’t ask for sympathy from those of you who could never understand how a good person can make a fundamentally bad decision – or even a series of major mistakes – but I was amazed by the venomous hostility that characterized so much of the anonymous email sent to me care of my website www.joepapp.com. I never realized that so many people felt so let down or angry with me for my own failings. I do offer my sincerest apologies to those people I directly harmed – my competitors who raced without the aid of performance enhancing drugs. Though I met more dopers than clean professional cyclists during my time with a UCI license, I know you’re out there and I took food from your plate.

Without cataloging the entire collection of woes that have befallen me as a result of doping, there are four that bear mentioning (in addition to almost having died after my last race), and which future professionals tempted by the needle should acknowledge: the poisoning of personal and professional relationships that were incredibly important to me; separation from my family; my inability to secure post-cycling work in the professional field for which I’d trained and my subsequent financial ruin; and the dual physical and mental anguish I’ve endured since being cast out of the sport I loved, which formed such a dominant part of my identity and sense of self.

I started cycling on May 25, 1989 – my 14th birthday, one day after the death of my father. Cycling was an escape from a shattered childhood, but also a means to supercharge my existence – to travel to exotic parts of the world, immerse myself in foreign cultures, represent my country, test myself physically and mentally and generally collect experiences that I thought would form a life tapestry rivaling that of my peers. In the end though, that tapestry is shredded. It hangs in tatters, and I’m left with little more than a few dusty trophies, fading stamps in my passport and vague notions of “what could have been”.

Unlike the authors of more than a few melodramatic letters that appeared in major cycling publications, I would never dissuade a young athlete from following his sporting dreams. I would, however, strongly encourage anyone choosing to pursue sport as a career to relentlessly analyze the long-term costs of his participation against the short-term benefits. Ruin lies in wait for dopers who are caught, but even clean sport can exact a significant toll. There are two questions I wish I’d prepared answers for prior to leaving grad school to return to racing: 1) What would I choose to do if I couldn’t race a bicycle and 2) How would I support myself doing something I loved and construct an enjoyable life if professional cycling couldn’t be a part of it?

I’ve been forced to confront the fact that my answers to both questions are still incomplete, and that I’m running out of time to respond appropriately. I am humbled and contrite, and implore you young athletes to avoid making the same mistakes that have consigned me to my present state.

RIP - John O. Chadwick

Upper St. Clair FBI agent enjoyed every aspect of his work

By Brian C. Rittmeyer
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, May 12, 2008

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/obituaries/s_567031.html

In an understatement full of meaning, John O. Chadwick was known around the Pittsburgh FBI office as a "good guy" other agents enjoyed working with, his son said.

"Even though it seems like an off-hand comment, it's actually a true compliment, because in the law enforcement world, that means that they absolutely trust that person with their lives," said son David Chadwick, 35, of Quakertown, Pa.

John O. Chadwick of Upper St. Clair died Friday, May 9, 2008 at home from pancreatic cancer. He was 65.

A native of Columbus, Ga. who was raised in Alexandria, Va., Mr. Chadwick joined the FBI in 1969 as a special agent and retired in 2000. He served in New Haven, Conn. before being transferred to Pittsburgh in 1971. He lived in Mt. Lebanon before moving to Upper St. Clair in 1979.

Born in a poor rural area, Mr. Chadwick believed education was the key to furthering himself and embarked on a career as a history teacher in Fairfax County, Va. Public Schools before a high school friend recruited him to the FBI.

"That was not something he had considered prior to that. I guess his friend kind of sold him on some of the missions and goals of the FBI," David Chadwick said. "One of the best parts of his job was he got to meet new people every day. Some of them were bad guys, others were just regular, everyday people he would have to go interview for various cases he was working."

Mr. Chadwick first worked in fugitives, later transferring to counterintelligence.

"I really don't know a whole lot about that work because most of that work is still classified," David Chadwick said.

While in Connecticut as a first-year agent, Mr. Chadwick arrested a suspect then on the FBI's 10 most wanted list. In Pittsburgh, he served on the Special Weapons and Tactics Team for more than 20 years and was a firearms instructor and fitness coordinator.

At 6 foot 7, Mr. Chadwick was an imposing man, but he had a thoughtful and gentle personality, said his co-worker and friend, Jerry Pino, 66, of Shaler. Both were officers in the Pittsburgh chapter of the Society of Former Agents of the FBI.

"He enjoyed his work. He had a variety of work and enjoyed 99 percent of it, and looked forward to going to work as most agents do. He looked at is as one of the better jobs people paid you to do. It's something you could be proud of," Pino said.

Mr. Chadwick was proud of his work and disappointed at having to leave at the mandatory retirement age, relatives and friends said. After retiring, Mr. Chadwick, a father of three boys, worked until last year selling uniforms to police, fire and ambulance departments just to stay in touch with law enforcement.

"He was a good father. He always took an interest in what the boys were doing. He took us to our soccer games and Little League games," David Chadwick said. "He was always aware of the criminal element. He was always aware and cautious of things and taught us boys to be that way also."

In addition to his son, Mr. Chadwick is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Chadwick, of Upper St. Clair; two other sons, Michael Chadwick of Swedesboro, N.J., and Andrew Chadwick of Silver Spring, Md.; his mother, Lydia Chadwick of Alexandria, Va.; and three grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his father, Jack B. Chadwick, and a brother, Conrad Chadwick.

Visitation will be from 3 p.m. until a brief memorial service at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home, 301 Curry Hollow Road, Pleasant Hills. Another service will be at 5 p.m. Thursday at St. John's Lutheran Church, 1802 Skippack Pike, Center Square, Montgomery County.

The family asks that memorials be in the form of contributions to Family Hospice and Palliative Care, 50 Moffett St., Pittsburgh, PA 15243 or the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, 2141 Rosecrans Ave., Suite 7000, El Segundo, CA 90245.

Brian C. Rittmeyer can be reached at brittmeyer@tribweb.com or 724-779-7108.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/obituaries/s_567031.html

Betrayal

Tonight, in part resulting from the machinations of someone I once considered to be a neutral acquaintance - if not a friend - a relationship that was profoundly important to me was sabotaged and irreparably harmed.

I'm a passionate guy, and I enjoy an element risk in my daily life. Sometimes I've carried that too far, however, and played fast and loose with the rules, or other people's feelings.

Most times I've righted my ship before it could sink, though occasionally - such as with doping in sport - only smashing against the rocky shore of life ended an otherwise cursed voyage.

In this instance, however, I was truly trying to do right by my friend, only to have another "friend" manipulate the situation with tragic results. Because of my own strained credibility, I couldn't even talk my way out of this fuck-up.

I once tried to explain away having cheated at sport by quipping that "people make mistakes," only to have it thrown back in my face by someone accusing me of being sociopathic. Ugh. While Burt Hoovis would probably argue the same ( that I was sociopathic), this is another example of how doping will fuck up your life outside of sport. Not only do I have to deal with scary hate mail from people like Mike Droopkin, I've also put myself into the position of not being able to convey the true, legitimate motivation for my actions.

A loyal friend once told me, "Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear." True true.

---

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device.

Fake Interview

Fake Interview "conducted" with "me"...

Excerpt:

"MW: Thank you for granting this interview, Joe. It seems congratulations are in order – you now have your very own Wikipedia entry.

JP: Thank you. It really is an impressive profile and an excellent way of showcasing my distinguished palmares. I must say, it was deeply gratifying to be recognized for my accomplishments. Here’s the link, for the benefit of anyone who missed it."

Update

1. I'm not dead yet, despite what Mike Dropkin wishes (quote from an email received from Mike on 5/8/08: "Joe Papp is a evil, scheming, piece of sh*t. I hope to f*ck he kills himself. I encourage him strongly to do so.").

2. The Outside Magazine article was published in the June issue, which has yet to hit newsstands, though it was delivered to subscribers this past week. I haven't seen the article yet, though I suspect that it could misrepresent the reality of my situation, given what I consider to be the devious behavior of the freelancer who wrote the piece took.

3. Stupid comments that are laced with profanity and generally foul won't be published as part of the post they were directed towards. Rather, someone will cut and paste them into the Madhouse.

For Everyone with a Broken Cuban Heart

Will it Mend?

You're a complicated man, Joe

Joe-thanks for inviting me to guest blog.

I like you better since you've come clean, but you've paid too heavy a price for your recklessness. It comes as a surprise to everyone who has been in your shoes how long it can take to sort it all out. These are the baby steps in overcoming being your own worst enemy. My more recent heroes are ordinary people who don't want for anything, and I think this is something worth achieving.

Please take care of yourself. You deserve to be happy and it will come.

Thanks Joe....

Our friend Joe has a good way to go about things.
Instead of addressing ugly rumors and giving gossip fodder to people, he just sent a quick message inviting me -for which I am humbled- to write a guest post in his blog. And of course, his concise message proves that he's doing well, as wished.

Most of you know a lot of the life of Joe.
Said like this, "the life of Joe" it sounds like the story of a man who does something extraordinary, without having ever wanted it. And it's exactly like that.

Joe, a man with ups and downs like all of us, takes turns, rides in sharp straight lines, climbs hills, speeds, tumbles, falls, and rises up back again.

For a man, to rise back up is much more important than to fall.
The fall is an easy fact, just leave gravity to take its course, and hell, you will fall. Now, to go against all odds and rise and shine, even when a tyranny tries to steal your loves ones from you, that's just a labor of courage.

I've been following Joe's adventures for a good three or four years, and I am just one more of the people who supported him on his quest for freedom. Joe -who is as American as apple pie, rock'n roll, and checkered cabs- made himself also Cuban by choice and adoption, as many of us became American.

And going back to the title of this guest post, thanks Joe, for fighting for the freedom of Cuba.

Why There Has Been No Successful Revolution to Overthrow Castro in 49 Years

Appears at Review of Cuban-American Blogs, by Manuel A.Tellechea.

"Why hasn't there been a revolution in Cuba to topple Fidel Castro? That question is often posed in defense of the Cuban dictator as if the absence of such a revolution argued against the need for one or represented a silent — very silent — referendum on Castro's continuation in power. Of course, there have been many foiled revolutions against the Castro regime over the last 49 years, more, in fact, than we know or will know until the mass graves are excavated and the witnesses can at last break their silence.

In the early years of the regime it was more difficult to conceal popular uprisings: the anti-Castro rebels in the Escambray Mountains, who waged a real revolution as opposed to Castro's operetta revolution in the Sierra Maestra Mountains, were too numerous and successful over too protracted a time to be ignored, and were not, ultimately, defeated by Castro but abandoned by the the Americans, as the freedom fighters of the Brigade 2506 had been abandoned before them. The fact remains, however, that all these attempts to topple Castro, known and unknown, great and small, have failed. Putting aside for the moment U.S. duplicity as a factor, why has no revolution succeeded in toppling a regime which only the greatest disdain for the Cuban people could suppose is acceptable to them or worthy of them?..."

Full Post - http://reviewofcuban-americanblogs.blogspot.com/2008/05/why-there-has-been-no-successful.html

Thanks, reviewofcuban-americanblogs

Thanks to MaT for writing about what he describes as my "Cuban Odyssey" at his brilliant blog, "Review of Cuban-American Blogs". Definitely check it out.