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New York, 8:41 AM
Sat Nov 28
15 posts in the last 24 hours

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  • posts about #bookclub more →

    The Last Resort: Adventures in the Kitchen of a Failed State

    Perez Hilton's Rumors of Fidel Castro's Death Were Greatly Exaggerated

    Of Murder and Memory: Stephen Elliott's The Adderall Diaries

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    Image of Hiroine Protagonist Hiroine Protagonist
    11/06/09

    In reply to The Last Resort: Adventures in the Kitchen of a Failed State
    Douglas, what a fascinating idea. I wonder though, is there any danger to you or your parents from the publication? Will it draw attention to them? #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Hiroine Protagonist was starred Hiroine Protagonist was unstarred
    Image of Douglas Rogers Douglas Rogers
    11/06/09

    @Hiroine Protagonist: it may do. but they decided long ago to take a stand they wanted their story out there. as did the other people on the farm i write about. #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Treece approved this comment Douglas Rogers was starred Douglas Rogers was unstarred
    Image of resipsaloquacious resipsaloquacious
    11/06/09

    In reply to The Last Resort: Adventures in the Kitchen of a Failed State
    Tell me more about your mother's avocados, please. #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Treece promoted this comment Edited by resipsaloquacious at 11/06/09 2:39 PM resipsaloquacious was starred resipsaloquacious was unstarred
    Image of Douglas Rogers Douglas Rogers
    11/06/09

    @resipsaloquacious: she makes a cracking avocado salad. avocado surprise: tomatos, thyme, onions, lemons. the surprise being you shoudn't be eating this well in zim #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Treece approved this comment Douglas Rogers was starred Douglas Rogers was unstarred
    Image of resipsaloquacious resipsaloquacious
    11/06/09

    @Douglas Rogers: Oh my. #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    resipsaloquacious was starred resipsaloquacious was unstarred
    Image of Douglas Rogers Douglas Rogers
    11/06/09

    @resipsaloquacious: but her best dish is a thai chicken curry that my dad cooks on a wok he made out of a car wheel hubcap. they have to travel 1500 miles to two other countries to get all the ingredients. you really enjoy a thai curry after that #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    resipsaloquacious approved this comment Douglas Rogers was starred Douglas Rogers was unstarred
    Image of Barking Spider Barking Spider
    11/06/09

    @Douglas Rogers: From the sound of it, people usually eat quite well wherever your mother is. Delicious! #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Gabriel Snyder promoted this comment Barking Spider was starred Barking Spider was unstarred
    Image of Douglas Rogers Douglas Rogers
    11/06/09

    In reply to The Last Resort: Adventures in the Kitchen of a Failed State
    Damian, you there? Zimbabwe connections are slow like this.. #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Hiroine Protagonist approved this comment Douglas Rogers was starred Douglas Rogers was unstarred
    Image of swingalinga swingalinga
    11/06/09

    @Douglas Rogers: Well, you won't be boring many people. You grew up in remote Eastern Zimbabwe during the Independence War. Were you always conscious there was a war going on? #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    swingalinga was starred swingalinga was unstarred
    Image of swingalinga swingalinga
    11/06/09

    In reply to The Last Resort: Adventures in the Kitchen of a Failed State
    Well, you won't be boring many people. You grew up in remote Eastern Zimbabwe during the Independence War. Were you always conscious there was a war going on? #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    swingalinga was starred swingalinga was unstarred
    Image of Douglas Rogers Douglas Rogers
    11/06/09

    @Damian Lanigan: the independence war? yes, and as a kid living through that on a farm it's quite exciting. an adventure. after the war farm life just got dull. #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Douglas Rogers was starred Douglas Rogers was unstarred
    Image of swingalinga swingalinga
    11/06/09

    @Douglas Rogers: And after Mugabe came to power in 80, he did a pretty good job for 10-15 years, right? #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    swingalinga was starred swingalinga was unstarred
    Image of Douglas Rogers Douglas Rogers
    11/06/09

    @Damian Lanigan: yes. people were educated. the economy grew. tourism boomed. but he was also ruthless. in the early 1980s the army murdered 20,000 matabeles in the south of the country. the signs of what he would become were always there #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Douglas Rogers was starred Douglas Rogers was unstarred
    Image of swingalinga swingalinga
    11/06/09

    @Douglas Rogers: So when did your folks start sensing that things were really changing for the worse? #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    swingalinga was starred swingalinga was unstarred
    Image of Douglas Rogers Douglas Rogers
    11/06/09

    @Damian Lanigan: in 2000 when the farm invasions started they thought they could ride through it. but by 2003 when their business had collpased, they had no income, their friends were leaving. that was when my dad got suicidal. #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Douglas Rogers was starred Douglas Rogers was unstarred
    Image of swingalinga swingalinga
    11/06/09

    @Douglas Rogers: But they seem to have boundless reserves of reslience. They're the stars of the book - all that gallows humor. Probably made it easier for them to accept that they'd become brothel owners... #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    swingalinga was starred swingalinga was unstarred
    Image of Douglas Rogers Douglas Rogers
    11/06/09

    @Damian Lanigan: ha - yes. my mom says: "if we didn't laugh we would all have heart attacks." which helped her cope with the fact that by 2005 their beloved lodge was now a bordello. well, that and the income they were getting from their new 'game'. #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Douglas Rogers was starred Douglas Rogers was unstarred
    Image of swingalinga swingalinga
    11/06/09

    @Douglas Rogers: How long did they keep from you the fact they were running a knocking shop? #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    swingalinga was starred swingalinga was unstarred
    Image of Douglas Rogers Douglas Rogers
    11/06/09

    @Damian Lanigan: it had been going on for about six months without my knowledge. i think they were embarrassed to tell their kids. i mean my dad's a club man, mom plays bridge. pillars of the community. but now they're hosting hookers to get by? i found out one night when i got propositioned by one of the ladies. i told my folks and they came clean. i was horrified. #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Douglas Rogers was starred Douglas Rogers was unstarred
    Image of swingalinga swingalinga
    11/06/09

    @Douglas Rogers: Then there was the weed..... #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    swingalinga was starred swingalinga was unstarred
    Image of Douglas Rogers Douglas Rogers
    11/06/09

    @Damian Lanigan: that was even more of a jolt. i go down to the camp to hang out with the logde staff and the hookers, and one night Muranda - he is the man in charge down there, the brothel keeper - he lights up this huge joint. we're smoking the stuff and i ask him where he got it. he tells me he gets it from 'youfada'! "youfada?' i eventually work out he means my father. he has taught my dad to grow weed and my old man now has a huge crop in my mom's veggie garden. #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Douglas Rogers was starred Douglas Rogers was unstarred
    Image of swingalinga swingalinga
    11/06/09

    @Douglas Rogers: Your parents rock so hard. #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    swingalinga was starred swingalinga was unstarred
    Image of swingalinga swingalinga
    11/06/09

    @Douglas Rogers: One of my favorite bits of the book is in the post-bordello period when the lodge becomes home to whites who have nowhere else to go. Some of the characters are tremendous. #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    swingalinga was starred swingalinga was unstarred
    Image of Douglas Rogers Douglas Rogers
    11/06/09

    @Damian Lanigan: yes. that came as a jolt. i go down to the camp at night to hang out with the staff and the hookers, and this Muranda - he's the old man in charge down there, the brothel keeper - he lights up a huge joint. it strong stuff and i ask him where he gets it. he says 'youfada!" 'youfad?' i work out he means my father. sure enough my old man has a huge weed crop growing in my mom's veggie garden. i mean really. #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Gabriel Snyder approved this comment Douglas Rogers was starred Douglas Rogers was unstarred
    Image of Douglas Rogers Douglas Rogers
    11/06/09

    @Damian Lanigan: yes, these white farmers who lost their homes in violent circumstances start turning up at the camp and my parents take them in. this one Afrikaner woman, Unita, 72 years old, hard as nails is among them. she has all these old guns with her which she's trying to sell to get money to get back to south africa. she's a boer version of annie oakley. and quite an actress, too. i taped her and she kept saying things like: 'let me say that bit again, i can do it much better.' she's back in south africa now. living in a small apartment on the coast and still missing zimbabwe, despite what happened to her. #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Douglas Rogers was starred Douglas Rogers was unstarred
    Image of swingalinga swingalinga
    11/06/09

    @Douglas Rogers: That's another remarkable element of the book: the extent to which, despite the extreme privations, your parents and their friends love the country.
     Reply
    Edited by swingalinga at 11/06/09 3:59 PM swingalinga was starred swingalinga was unstarred
    Image of Douglas Rogers Douglas Rogers
    11/06/09

    @Damian Lanigan: yes, love their country and refuse to leave. if there is one good thing to have come out of all that's happened it's the great paradox: mugabe has bought white and black zimbabweans closer together. i find my parents pretty heroic, but they will say it's nothing compared to what black zimbabweans have done in standing up to mugabe. there's this inspiring cameraderie in zimbabwe among those involved in the opposition. #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Douglas Rogers was starred Douglas Rogers was unstarred
    Image of swingalinga swingalinga
    11/06/09

    @Douglas Rogers: Talking of the opposition, it seems as if Tsvangirai's been co-opted by Mugabe. How do your folks, as MDC supporters, feel about this? #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    swingalinga was starred swingalinga was unstarred
    Image of Douglas Rogers Douglas Rogers
    11/06/09

    @Damian Lanigan: my parents and other people in zimbabwe often seem to more optimistic about things than those of us outside. I don't think MT has been co-opted although that is Mugabe's plan. To weaken the opposition and make them part of the Zanu system, which is essentially a mafia. They all know Tsvangirai is dealing with a terrible hand: he does not trust Mugabe but was forced into the power sharing govt by South Africa, believing they would finally stand up to their end of the bargain and keep Mugabe in line, which they have not done. My parents would say that ordinary Zimbabweans, the people in the heartland of the country, all know the games Mugabe plays, and that they will keep the MDC honest. I don't always share that optimism. #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Douglas Rogers was starred Douglas Rogers was unstarred
    Image of swingalinga swingalinga
    11/06/09

    @Douglas Rogers: Well, the old bastard has to die one day...The book made me want to go to Zimbabwe. Not quite yet? #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    swingalinga was starred swingalinga was unstarred
    Image of Douglas Rogers Douglas Rogers
    11/06/09

    @Damian Lanigan: heh - actually you should go. I know a place you can stay at... Seriously i'm trying to interest some friends who are going to SA for the 2010 World Cup to come to Drifters for a week. The White Frog Tour. The current tenant at Drifters has this plan to install a flat screen TV. All we need is for the electricity to work... Oh, Christ, imagine being there for the final and not being able to watch the game... #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Douglas Rogers was starred Douglas Rogers was unstarred
    Image of swingalinga swingalinga
    11/06/09

    @Douglas Rogers: Best of luck with that, and with the book, which is terrific. I apologize for showing the technological skills of a Matabele goatherd in the early part of our chat, and thanks for stopping by.
     Reply
    Edited by swingalinga at 11/06/09 4:51 PM swingalinga was starred swingalinga was unstarred
    Image of Douglas Rogers Douglas Rogers
    11/06/09

    @Damian Lanigan: A Matebele goat herd being strafed by machine gun fire. Thanks Damian, much appreciated. #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Douglas Rogers was starred Douglas Rogers was unstarred
    Image of Douglas Rogers Douglas Rogers
    11/06/09

    In reply to The Last Resort: Adventures in the Kitchen of a Failed State
    I didn't want to bore people with another depressing story about africa #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Gabriel Snyder promoted this comment Douglas Rogers was starred Douglas Rogers was unstarred
    Image of Douglas Rogers Douglas Rogers
    11/06/09

    In reply to The Last Resort: Adventures in the Kitchen of a Failed State
    Thanks Damian. A funny book about a terrible situation. #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Gabriel Snyder promoted this comment Douglas Rogers was starred Douglas Rogers was unstarred
    Image of swingalinga swingalinga
    11/06/09

    In reply to The Last Resort: Adventures in the Kitchen of a Failed State
    Congrats on the book, Douglas - a terrific read. And so refreshing to read a funny book about Africa for once #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    swingalinga was starred swingalinga was unstarred
    Image of swingalinga swingalinga
    11/06/09

    In reply to The Last Resort: Adventures in the Kitchen of a Failed State
    Hey Douglas. Congrats on the book, it's a terrific read: a funny book about Africa for once #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Gabriel Snyder approved this comment swingalinga was starred swingalinga was unstarred
    Image of Douglas Rogers Douglas Rogers
    11/06/09

    @Douglas Rogers: I didn't want to bore people with another depressing story about africa #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Hiroine Protagonist approved this comment Douglas Rogers was starred Douglas Rogers was unstarred
    Image of Douglas Rogers Douglas Rogers
    11/06/09

    @Damian Lanigan: Thanks Damian. A funny book about a terrible situation. #gawkerbookclub
     Reply
    Douglas Rogers was starred Douglas Rogers was unstarred
    Image of Ryan Tate Ryan Tate
    11/02/09

    In reply to Perez Hilton's Rumors of Fidel Castro's Death Were Greatly Exaggerated
    When Castro actually does kick the bucket, heavens knows when, how is the news most likely to emerge?

    People listened to Perez Hilton in part because it seemed plausible that the Cuban regime might try and keep the news hushed up and word would have to leak out through back-channels. On the other hand, the regime has had plenty of time to plan, so maybe Castro's successor(s) would try to put out a statement quickly as a show of strength. #annlouisebardach
     Reply
    Ryan Tate was starred Ryan Tate was unstarred
    Image of Ann Louise Bardach Ann Louise Bardach
    11/02/09

    @Ryan Tate:
    You have a point.
    And actually so did PerezHilton - to some degree- in his Sept. 22, 2007 post when he said "We're not going to believe he's still alive until he takes a nice stroll through Havana. Live. Not in some pre-taped video. And only if he's accompanied by an independent news organization, like the Associated Press."

    Without reliable information from the Cuban government, independent confirmation from trusted sources is needed regarding all Castro health and personal matters.

    In fact, we have had no live, public sightings of Castro since July 26, 2006 though we know he's alive and seemingly okay because of private meetings he's had with friends and foreign leaders... most notably Oliver Stone in late August and Harry Belafonte a few weeks ago, among others.

    And of course, Castro himself appeared on taped Cuban TV the very night of the PerezHilton rumor saga. #annlouisebardach
     Reply
    Ann Louise Bardach was starred Ann Louise Bardach was unstarred
    Image of dreweverett dreweverett
    11/02/09

    In reply to Perez Hilton's Rumors of Fidel Castro's Death Were Greatly Exaggerated
    There was a time when I would have questioned any "news" organization that would source Perez. But let's look at a few things. The Enquirer got the John Edwards story right before anyone else. And TMZ does have some sort of relationship with the LAPD, as they got Jackson's death before anyone. TMZ also got the details on Mel Gibson's drunk driving rant before anyone else. Though I, of course, hold Gawker to the highest level of journalistic standards, Gawker has also broken some stories - recently with some damning information on Balloon Boy (yes, they paid for it, but still). And let's not forget that Drudge was a nobody before he broke some of the Monica stories (I think that was his claim to fame). There is a legitimate place for all of these "new" media types for original reporting and overall I think it is a good thing. You just have to look at their track record (Perez's isn't that great) and remember that track record when forming your conclusions. However, I do think there is news to be found in non-traditional sources - just remember "buyer be warned." Don't really have a question, just more of a comment. #annlouisebardach
     Reply
    Gabriel Snyder approved this comment dreweverett was starred dreweverett was unstarred
    Image of Uncle_Billy_Slumming Uncle_Billy_Slumming
    11/02/09

    In reply to Perez Hilton's Rumors of Fidel Castro's Death Were Greatly Exaggerated
    Let's get down to the real nitty gritty... were cuban cigars ever really rolled on the thighs of young cuban ladies during their manufacture? #annlouisebardach
     Reply
    Uncle_Billy_Slumming was starred Uncle_Billy_Slumming was unstarred
    Image of Gabriel Snyder Gabriel Snyder
    11/02/09

    In reply to Perez Hilton's Rumors of Fidel Castro's Death Were Greatly Exaggerated
    Okay, so Perez showed everyone how to pretend how to be a Cuban reporter. But given how closely the Castro regime guards information, how do you go about sifting through the rumors? I'm sure you've heard your share by now. What are the red flags that make your ears perk up? #annlouisebardach
     Reply
    Gabriel Snyder was starred Gabriel Snyder was unstarred
    Image of Ann Louise Bardach Ann Louise Bardach
    11/02/09

    @Gabriel Snyder:
    The one thing we know for sure is that we will not get confirmation of Castro's death until he is well in the ground or, as is likely to be the case, his ashes are sprayed over Pico Turquino, his favorite haunt in the Sierra Maestra.

    So all reporters covering Cuba know to expect precious little information from the Cuban government.

    That said, the national pasttime of Cuba is gossip - from the highest echelons in the government to jineteras - or hustlers - on the Malecon. This informal information network is known as Radio Bemba and has sometimes been quite reliable.

    The key is having good sources in the right places at the right time. In tracking Fidel's health, I've had some nice assists from staffers in in the hospital where his surgery took place and from some employees in the Ministry of Health and also from the odd indiscretion of family members confiding to friends.

    But discussing Fidel's health publicly is a very tricky business -and those who do, do so at some risk and peril. #annlouisebardach
     Reply
    Ann Louise Bardach was starred Ann Louise Bardach was unstarred
    Image of Foster Kamer Foster Kamer
    11/02/09

    In reply to Perez Hilton's Rumors of Fidel Castro's Death Were Greatly Exaggerated
    Does Little Havana listen to Perez? Does he hold any credibility with them? If not him, than who? #annlouisebardach
     Reply
    Brian Moylan promoted this comment Foster Kamer was starred Foster Kamer was unstarred
    Image of Ann Louise Bardach Ann Louise Bardach
    11/02/09

    @Foster Kamer:
    Not really- the old guard known as el exilio historico is more likely tuned into Spanish language radio like Radio Mambi,- which often traffics in their own Fidel is Dead rumors. Teens are more likely to be reading him and perhaps some web hounds in Miami. #annlouisebardach
     Reply
    Ann Louise Bardach was starred Ann Louise Bardach was unstarred
    Image of Matt Cherette Matt Cherette
    11/02/09

    In reply to Perez Hilton's Rumors of Fidel Castro's Death Were Greatly Exaggerated
    Hi Ann,

    Great excerpt. As someone who has had the displeasure of dealing with Perez Hilton on both a "professional" (read: blogosphere) and personal level, I always find others' assessments of him to be fascinating.

    My question: Did you attempt to interview Perez for your book and/or get a statement from him related to his false reporting? If so, what was the result?

    From what I've seen/heard, he stood by the story for another month or so -- judging by this post on September 22, 2007 -- and then never mentioned it again until February 19, 2008 with this post about Castro's resignation. Even in the second post, he didn't offer anything beyond "He may still be alive, but he's definitely no longer dictator of Cuba!" as an indication that his previous reports were inaccurate.

    As you mentioned in the excerpt, this wasn't just another trivial story about a Hollywood fame whore, and his false reporting had actual implications. Have you challenged him on any of this? Have you, -- or has anyone -- tried to force him to admit that he was just plain wrong?

    Again, thanks for participating! I look forward to reading more from your book.

    Matt #annlouisebardach
     Reply
    Matt Cherette was starred Matt Cherette was unstarred
    Image of Ann Louise Bardach Ann Louise Bardach
    11/02/09

    @mattchew03:

    For the purpose of this book- which deals with the nexis of Cuban/Miami/Washington politics, I simply tracked and quoted from his blog. It seemed to say it all. Then I followed the trail through the mainstream media as they followed his scent. #annlouisebardach
     Reply
    Ann Louise Bardach was starred Ann Louise Bardach was unstarred
    Image of Gabriel Snyder Gabriel Snyder
    11/02/09

    In reply to Perez Hilton's Rumors of Fidel Castro's Death Were Greatly Exaggerated
    Do you have any idea how much this cost Miami? #annlouisebardach
     Reply
    Gabriel Snyder was starred Gabriel Snyder was unstarred
    Image of Ann Louise Bardach Ann Louise Bardach
    11/02/09

    @Gabriel Snyder:
    I would guess in the thousands in overtime etc. as the Miami Dade PD probably ramped up patrols for a few days in and around Calle Ocho. #annlouisebardach
     Reply
    Ann Louise Bardach was starred Ann Louise Bardach was unstarred
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