Odds and ends

· Attempts at undocumented immigration from Cuba are down sharply in the past 12 months, the Herald reports: “Figures compiled by El Nuevo Herald from the Homeland Security agencies that track Cuban migrants show that fewer than 7,000 undocumented Cubans were interdicted or arrived at the border during the 12-month period that ended Sept. 30 -- a huge drop from the peak of almost 20,000 in 2007.”

· USA Today: Three Cuban pitchers – Contreras, Baez, Chapman – in the Phillies-Reds division playoff series. And the New York Times explores Chapman’s fastball.

· The New York Times blogs on the Havana visit of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.