Balladeer’s Blog’s latest look at silent films covers Cuba’s early cinematic efforts.
FIRE DRILL aka Simulacro de Incendio (1897) – On January 24th of this year, Gabriel Veyre (at left) held the very first exhibition of silent film shorts in Cuban history at a theater in Havana.
Veyre was the Lumiere Film Company representative to Central America, and he parlayed the popular reaction to the Havana exhibition into financial support for Fire Drill, the first movie made in Cuba. That 1-minute film short from February 1897 was a documentary look at firefighting in Havana. Actual firefighters of the Central Fire Station of the City of Havana played themselves.
FILM COMMERCIAL FOR LA TROPICAL BEER aka the Missing Sorcerer (1898) – This was the very first film directed by a native Cuban – Jose Esteban Casasús, a noted pioneer of Cuban Cinema. Lasting just under a minute, this short advertised the brewery & product of La Tropical beer and was produced by Cinemataca de Cuba.
CONSTITUTIONAL ASSEMBLY (1901) – A film capturing the 1901 assembly, the equivalent of our Constitutional Convention. Following the defeat of Spain in the Spanish-American War, Cuba produced its first constitution a few years later. That document was openly based on the United States Constitution but had 115 articles instead of America’s 7.
The three branches were Executive, Legislative (bicameral) and judicial. Cuban presidents were to be elected for terms of 4 years, while Senators were elected for an initial term of 8 years, following which they could run for additional terms of 4 years each. The lower house members were elected for an initial term of 4 years, following which they could run for additional terms of 2 years each. Continue reading
*** LET’S CUT THROUGH THE POLITICAL THEATER – The European politicians talking tough about standing with Ukraine are just voguing for attention. We’ve all seen the wording in their agreements that none of them will take any action unless the U.S. is on board with it and pays for it. 
*** DEMOCRATS PRETEND TO BE ALL-IN FOR UKRAINE SIMPLY AS A MEANS OF ATTACKING PRESIDENT TRUMP. Democrats pretend the only way to support Ukraine is to mindlessly support the crooked failure Zelensky. Ukraine is NOT equivalent to one person. The pathetic, cosplaying little man Zelensky is a corrupt authoritarian.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The last teams standing in this tournament were the 2nd seeded UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE PENMEN and the 5 seeds – the PACE UNIVERSITY SETTERS (Irish Setters). The Setters were up 35-33 at the Half, but after the break the Penmen forced Overtime with a 64-64 tie. USNH edged Pace 72-71. Royce Williams led the Penmen with 21 points and teammate Paul Greene got a Double Double of 18 points & 13 rebounds. 
FIRST SEMIFINAL – The 4 seeds – the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT BEAUFORT SAND SHARKS – took the court against the top seeded COLUMBUS STATE COUGARS. The score was knotted up at 41-41 come Halftime, but from there the Sand Sharks managed enough separation for a 91-87 Upset win. Hudson Norton tossed in 18 points to lead USC-Beaufort. 
SPIDER-MAN Vol 1 #36 (May 1966) 
She makes a point of showing up at an astro-science exhibit that Peter is visiting and is exasperated once again as the fragments of meteorites and other displays capture Peter’s attention instead of her blonde hotness. (Save your own life and just walk away, Gwen!) 
A TRIP TO THE NORTH POLE or DISCOVERY OF THE TEN TRIBES AS FOUND IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN (1903) – Written by Otte Julius Swenson Lindelof.
STANISLAV SZUKALSKI (1893-1987) – Just as L. Ron Hubbard went from being a pulp story writer to founder of a nutzoid religion, Stanislav Szukalski went from being a celebrated, even brilliant, artist to founder of an equally irrational belief system. 
The topic of this blog post, however, is Zermatism, the insane philosophy that Szukalski founded in 1940. He named it after the city of Zermatt, where he was convinced that survivors of a pre-deluge civilization settled. 
FIRST SEMIFINAL – The HERKIMER COLLEGE GENERALS took the court against the GENESEE COLLEGE COUGARS. The Generals were on top 36-30 by Halftime, and from there they floored it. Herkimer College left the Cougars further and further behind as they won the game 86-65. Kenny Freeman and Jayson McGhee led the Generals with 20 points each, while teammate Oladele Oladitan logged a Double Double of 19 points & 10 rebounds. 
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