January 1, 2007 marks the first anniversary of the Rice N Peas online magazine. And what a year it has been!

The disintegration of Iraq, resulting in sectarian violence between Shias and Sunnis, and the conflicts between Israel and Palestine, Hamas and Fatah and Islam versus everyone else, dominated world news throughout 2006, punctuated by uprisings in Nepal, the electoral successes of left-wing politicians in Latin America, the destruction of Lebanon, threats and counter-threats regarding Iran and North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, and many more testosterone-fuelled global confrontations.

Saddam Hussein has been consigned to the year 2006, forever, unless he is fortunate enough to be resurrected like Che, Malcolm X, or James Dean as a martyr and an icon by a future generation who shall excuse his sins and reinvent him as a symbol of their discontent with the social order of their time.

Fidel Castro, however, a man who, irrespective of the whims of pop, youth or revisionist culture, is guaranteed international martyrdom, has just barely made it into 2007. Or so the international media would have us believe. Cuban officials would like us to believe otherwise, yet it is in both their interests and dare I say, nature, to deceive the public. Irrespective of who is telling the truth, it is clear that Fidel Castro is seriously ill and Cuba must now ponder its future.

Supporters of Cuba’s revolution are hopeful that the revolution will survive after Fidel’s death and, with the renaissance of populist left-wing politics throughout Latin America, there is a good chance that it may.

We would like to extend a great thank you to all of our international contributors and readers who have helped to make riceNpeas.com a success. We would like to thank all of the patrons who attend our public screenings or who have purchased our DVDs; it is through this overwhelming support that we are able to independently finance and produce our films.

Rice N Peas remains committed to supporting, promoting, and producing independent journalism. We have recently entered post-production on our latest documentary about the effects of war on traditional culture in Northern Uganda. We are in pre-production for the long awaited follow-up to our successful Cuban documentary, Hasta Siempre, and we shall shortly be leaving for Australia where we shall be examining the post-colonial effects on the Aboriginal people. Thanks again for your support. We look forward to another incredible year in 2007.

Ishmahil Blagrove, Jr.
Editor, riceNpeas.com

1st January 2007