Cuban exile mother of inaugural poet Richard Blanco now in spotlight




















At first, Geysa Blanco thought her son was kidding.

"He said, ‘Mom, I have news for you,’ " Blanco said, recalling the telephone call from her son a few weeks ago.

"Between English and Spanish, he told me that they had chosen him to write and read a poem at the presidential inauguration,” she said.





But Richard Blanco, a child of exiles who was raised in Miami and graduated from Florida International University, was serious.

The Barack Obama inaugural committee chose the 44-year-old Cuban-American civil engineer and author to recite an original poem at Monday’s inauguration.

Richard Blanco has also been speechless. “It took me 10 minutes to remember what the word for inauguration is in Spanish," he said in a telephone interview Sunday from Washington, D.C., less than 24 hours before taking center stage.

Blanco, who now lives in Maine, will become the first Hispanic inaugural poet and the first openly gay one. He is also only the fifth and youngest poet in the exclusive club of poets.

The first was Robert Frost, who in 1961 wrote a poem for the inauguration of John F. Kennedy.

Then in 1993, Bill Clinton chose the African-American writer Maya Angelou. William Miller was chosen for Clinton’s second inauguration, and Elizabeth Alexander wrote the poem for Obama’s first ceremony.

In a statement, Obama said Blanco’s work represents "the great strength and diversity of the American people."

This diversity and strength could be reflected in the story of the poet’s Cuban exile mother.

"She is a very brave woman and has worked hard all her life for my brother and me," Blanco said.

During an interview at her Westchester home, Geysa Blanco, 75, said that it still seems surreal that a woman who grew up in a sugar refinery in Cienfuegos will stand in front of the National Capitol, watching her son recite a poem for the nation and the president of the United States.

“My son said reporters might want to interview me and I said, ‘Me? What for?’ ” Geysa Blanco said. Indeed, local reporters and TV cameras have come knocking and the proud mother has given several interviews.

Geysa Blanco has also become a celebrity among her neighbors, friends and customers at Regions Bank on Bird Road, where she has worked for more than 30 years.

The roots of Richard Blanco’s writing began in 1968 when his parents fled the Communist island and went into exile in Spain. At the time, Geysa Blanco, a teacher, was pregnant and she and her late husband Carlos, already had an older son, also named Carlos.

"We decided to leave Cuba because the government was becoming more and more difficult to live under," she said. "But it was very painful for me because I left my mother and brothers behind and came here virtually alone and with nothing."

After five months in Spain, where she gave birth to Richard, they emigrated to New York.

As a boy, she said Richard always had an interest in exploring his Cuban roots.

"I always had questions about Cuba, about the family we left there," he said. On his website he refers to himself as being “made in Cuba, assembled in Spain, and imported to the U.S.”

That sense of not belonging and trying to belong seeps through his books of poetry, which often feature his family and their efforts hold on to their traditions.

When Richard was about 5 and Carlos 11, the family moved to the closest place to Cuba – Miami. His mother went to work in a supermarket and later landed her bank job.

"We lived three generations in one house, my husband’s parents, my husband and I, and Charles and Richard," the poet’s mother said. "Sometimes it was hard because grandparents are not accustomed to the modern ways of young people.”

Today, she laments that those family members are gone. “I wish Richard’s father and grandparents were here to enjoy this day,” she said.

Richard Blanco did get to visit the homeland his parents yearned for when he was growing up.

"Everyone thought he wasn’t going to speak Spanish and was going to feel uncomfortable," Geysa Blanco said of her relatives on the island. "But they were surprised because he picked yucca in the fields, jumped in the canals and danced a lot, just like everyone else.”

That trip as a young man would shape the poet’s future work, his mother said. "I think that’s where he caught the bug to write about his roots," she said.





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Atari US files for Ch. 11 to separate from parent






NEW YORK (AP) — Video game maker Atari’s U.S. operations have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in an effort to separate from their French parent company.


In a statement, Atari says the move is necessary to secure investments it needs to grow in mobile and digital gaming.






Atari’s U.S. operations have shifted to focus on digital games and licensing, including developing mobile games, and have become a growth engine for its owner. France’s Infogrames Entertainment first took a stake in Atari in 2000. It acquired the remaining stake in 2008 and changed its name to Atari S.A.


But the U.S. operations have been better performing than the rest of the company. In fiscal 2012 digital and licensing revenue both grew significantly and contributed 70 percent of revenue, while sales in bricks-and-mortar stores declined.


In December, Atari S.A. said a credit agreement it entered into with investor BlueBay would lapse at the end of the year and the company was seeking other ways to raise capital. It added that it expects to report a “significant loss” for fiscal 2012.


Atari, which turned 40 last year, was a videogame pioneer with games like “Pong” and “Centipede,” but has changed owners several times amid financial problems. In its filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of New York, Atari said it had $ 1 million to $ 10 million in assets and $ 10 million to $ 50 million in debt. It is seeking approval for $ 5.25 million in debtor-in-possession financing from private investment firm Tenor Capital Management.


Atari said it expects to sell its assets or confirm a restructuring plan within the next three to six months.


Gaming News Headlines – Yahoo! News





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Kelly Clarkson and Beyonce Inauguration Performances

Today's Inauguration of Barack Obama was not only a political Who's Who, but also a musical one as Jay-Z, Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry, James Taylor and John Mayer watched as Obama was sworn in to his second term as president.


PHOTOS - The Best Obama PDA Moments

Clarkson and Beyonce had the additional pleasure of performing for the president, with the Stronger singer tackling My Country 'Tis of Thee and Blue Ivy's momma slaying The Star-Spangled Banner.

In case you missed either, or just want to watch them over and over and over, we've embedded both videos below!

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Obama speech sets stage for looming policy fights








AFP/Getty Images


People attend the 57th Presidential Inauguration today.



WASHINGTON — President Obama has prepared a second inaugural address that broadly lays out his vision for the country's future, setting the stage for looming debates over taxes, guns, immigration and other issues while leaving the details for another day.

The speech, slated right after Obama takes an oath to "faithfully execute the office of the president of the United States" Monday on the Capitol's west front, includes no new policy, aides say. Rather, the president plans to use the moment as it traditionally has been in most of the 56 previous inaugurations — to talk about founding American values and their importance to the country's success today.





AFP/Getty Images



President Obama leaves St. John's Church today.





OBAMA PREPS FOR 2ND SWEARING-NI WITH AM CHURCH SERVICE

PHOTOS: OBAMA'S SECOND INAUGURATION

But his words come at the start of a second term with no shortage of tough battles. Obama may in some way reference the Connecticut elementary school shooting that pushed gun control to the top of his agenda. He may also speak of a need to tackle comprehensive immigration reform, another second-term priority, and a need to bring U.S. troops home from Afghanistan.

White House advisers see the inaugural speech as the opening opportunity for the president to discuss his second-term agenda, but in broad terms. The next major opportunity will be at the State of the Union address Feb. 12, when aides say Obama will discuss specific policy proposals.

Obama adviser David Axelrod told "CBS This Morning" that in the speech, Obama "will be speaking about values and principles, not so much about programs and prescriptions."

Senior adviser Robert Gibbs told CBS Obama will use his address to communicate that "we're going to move beyond what has paralyzed this town for so long."

He said Obama wants members of both parties to "lay aside their partisanship" to solve protracted problems like budget, taxes and spending, gun violence, and immigration. Gibbs, who formerly was Obama's press secretary, said the president will tell the country that much is possible "if we sit down long enough and work together and talk together."

"I think he feels very comfortable with what he's got ... and understands the moment that he and the country are in, and is anxious to get started," Gibbs said.

Inaugural addresses are not typically partisan, and White House aides say Obama doesn't intend to call out his political opponents. But they say he will stand up for his values and vision that were supported by the majority of voters in the November election.

Obama's prepared text notes that spirited debate is a hallmark of a vibrant democracy, aides say, but that the country's leaders can't let disagreement prevent them from finding common ground to move the country forward. The president also plans to encourage Americans to continue making their voices heard to shape the debate as policy is made, aides said.

The inauguration gives Obama the chance to command global attention at a level that's rare even for the leader of the free world.

Aides say he has been working on the speech since early December, and he clearly has an eye toward his place in history. He invited presidential historians to the White House and chose to take his oath on Bibles owned by Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr.










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Series for Miami’s emerging art collectors begins Thursday




















For art enthusiasts interested in bring their interest home, Miami’s Bakehouse Art Complex is hosting a lecture series for emerging collectors. The first panel, slated for Thursday at 6 p.m., features arists and curators who will talk about fine tuning your taste and learning to make informed decisions. The second session, Feb. 7, is oriented to the mechanics of purchasing. The third, on Feb. 21, explores how to manage your collection.

Moderating all three panels will be Denise Gerson, independent curator who served as associate director for the Lowe Museum of Art for 24 years. Cost is $25 per session or $60 for the series. Seating is limited; reservations are recommended.

Information at 305-576-2828; www.bacfl.org.





Jane Wooldridge





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Classroom: Washington, D.C.




















When Sears D’Alemberte was 6, he enjoyed eating over his laminated plastic placemat featuring images of all the U.S. presidents from George Washington to George W. Bush.

One day, Sears looked at his father, Josh D’Alemberte, a history teacher at Ransom Everglades School in Coconut Grove, and asked why all of the presidents were white men.

Seven years later, Sears and his father will travel to Washington, D.C., to watch President Barack Obama’s inauguration for his second term.





“I’m really excited to see him because that is part of history because Obama is the first black president,” said Sears, now 13 and a seventh grader at Ransom.

Sears is one of many South Florida students who will trek to the nation’s capital to watch Obama being sworn in Monday as the nation’s 44th U.S. president. Some have tickets to the seating, others will stand shoulder to shoulder with the thousands at the National Mall. Estimates call for 600,000 to 800,000 to watch the ceremonies from the Mall.

Miami Country Day School will send 22 of its high school students to a program organized by the Close Up Foundation, a non-profit that brings students and teachers to Washington, D.C., to see the inner workings of the government.

The group left from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Thursday accompanied by Mari Conea, a U.S. history and AP teacher, and Dan Bronish, chair of the math and science department. They will be there for six days, attending political workshops and seminars, as well as attending the inauguration.

Ana Lis Garcia, 15, a sophomore at Country Day, has never been to D.C. She is excited about seeing the president, if only from afar on the National Mall.

“He’s a really cool guy,” she said. “He’s one of the most famous people in history just like Abraham Lincoln, George Washington and Teddy Roosevelt and all those great presidents. He’s probably one of them and I want to be part of that.”

Students from Monsignor Edward Pace High School, Doctors Charter School and the MAST Academy in Miami-Dade, and Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory and St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Broward will also participate in the Close Up program.

A dozen students from other South Florida high schools will join about 1,900 students from across the country for the High School Presidential Inaugural Conference, an event held every four years by Envision EMI, an education company based in the Washington, D.C. area.

Students at the five-day conference will meet Condoleezza Rice, former U.S. secretary of state; design and simulate a presidential campaign; and will view the inaugural parade from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall.

Emily Riemer, 18, a student at Gulliver Preparatory School in Pinecrest, received the invitation for the conference in August and decided to go before she knew the results of the election. She had attended a leadership program in Washington last summer.

Riemer was one of the few students at Gulliver who could vote. She volunteered for the Obama campaign, watched the debates with her family and was proud to cast her first vote for the president.

“I had just turned 18 and I was ready. I was waiting for it for a long time,” Riemer said. “Maybe that one person I signed up or that one phone call I made was another vote for him.”





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Galaxy S IV benchmarks may confirm 1.8GHz CPU and Android 4.2






Apple needs a new product targeting its next generation of customers which will be fueled by this newly announced product


“iPotty: Brilliant, or worst idea ever? Experts weigh in on new potty training device – Unveiled last week at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the base of the iPotty looks like a regular ol’ plastic toilet with removable bowl— but there’s an adjustable stand attached, specifically for an iPad.”






Something easy to clean which will survive toddlers dropping them into their training potty.


Wireless News Headlines – Yahoo! News





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The Wanted I Found You Music Video Teaser

ET is bringing you the latest sneak peek of The Wanted's highly anticipated music video for I Found You, and this brand-new, exclusive clip stars the youngest member of the group, 19-year-old Nathan Sykes.

Video: Sexy Siva Stars in The Wanted's 'I Found You'

The black-and-white clip shows the talented singer on the keyboards doing what The Wanted does best -- driving the ladies wild.

Video: The Wanted Teases 'I Found You' Video

The group's latest single is off their upcoming album Third Strike, out later this year. ET will premiere the full music video for I Found You Tuesday, January 22nd, and you can catch the full video on Vevo.com and ETonline.com Tuesday night.

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Teenage boy shoots five people dead in New Mexico home








ALBUQUERQUE, NM — Authorities in New Mexico say a teenage boy has fatally shot two adults and three children inside an Albuquerque home.

The boy has been booked on murder and other charges.

Bernalillo County sheriff's spokesman Aaron Williamson says the boy's motive and connection to the five victims aren't immediately unknown.

Williamson says investigators who received a report of the shooting Saturday night are trying to determine whether the victims were related.

The victims' identities haven't been released.











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Investors await word from Apple




















No company today elicits such devotion and dedication among its customers and shareholders like Apple. The fervor felt by Apple fans for its products, its leaders and its business underscore the company’s technological eco-centric strategy. While that loyalty has made for rich rewards over the long term, it will mean very little to a myopic stock market when Apple reports its latest financial results Wednesday.

When a company so dominates a business like Apple does, it is subject to plenty of rumors, especially when that company, like Apple, is disciplined to not respond to speculation. There have been a series of anonymous and Wall Street analyst worries floated in the past quarter centered on the iPhone 5. First were concerns Apple couldn’t get enough supplies to build the phones fast enough. Then there were hints Apple cut its supply orders, suggesting slower sales.

Apple optimists have been quick to defend the company even as its stock has fallen from $700 to around $500 per share since September. The stock drop has come even as Apple probably sold a record number of iPhones and iPads during the holiday quarter.





No doubt Apple will trumpet its financial prowess on Wednesday. And it should. After all it generates more than $500 million dollars a day. But the short-sighted stock market has been conditioned to expect big numbers. Therein is the challenge for Apple: incubating such devotion without inflating expectations.

Tom Hudson is anchor and managing editor of Nightly Business Report, produced by NBR Worldwide and distributed nationally by American Public Television. In South Florida, the show is broadcast at 7 p.m. weekdays on Channel 2. Follow him on Twitter, @HudsonNBR.





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