Sunday, March 01, 2009
Cuba Re-re-visited
A visitor found the old post of mine (below) - and liked it, so I re-read it and discovered that I like it too. At the risk of being both vain and lazy, I re-post it today. Now if any of you have President Obama's ear, pass it along to him and don't forget the bit about Jimmy Carter...
Okay, just to make it really new I'll add a photo of Anna and I on Kauai a month ago - which has nothing to do with Cuba directly (other than the latitude and the Obama reference).
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Okay, just to make it really new I'll add a photo of Anna and I on Kauai a month ago - which has nothing to do with Cuba directly (other than the latitude and the Obama reference).
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Canada and Cuba celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations
Many of my friends (and my mother recently) go to Cuba for winter vacations - it's perfect. Canada cold in winter - even in BC...Cuba warm always = vacation. In addition, it's reasonably inexpensive and the people are friendly, well-educated, articulate and seem to enjoy Canadians. Good health care too. One of my friends stays in the Trinidad area regularly and has a circle of friends there.
I smoke a nice Habana cigar with 2 pals every so often as well (goes well with a smooth single malt whisky). These tobacco gems are brought back from Cuba vacationers or purchased locally here in Nelson.
Our government talks to their government - there are investments, development opportunities, cultural exchanges. Hey, Prime Minister Trudeau and Fidel were pals (see above).
Okay now - I know the US/Cuba history thing... even lived in Miami for two years, so I know the Cuban American vote thing too. I also work on behalf of some Cuban prisoners of conscience through Amnesty. It's not perfect there (although US rented Gitmo has even more illegal prisoners than Fidel does).
So what's with the cold war, the embargo, the propaganda, the imposed hardship on Cubans, the military threats? Why not thaw things out, normalize it? How long do you think it would take for people power, trade and investment to bring down the cafe-leche wall?
I fear for the Cubans when fast food, bullshit entertainment, free market etc. arrive, but something must change. Put President Carter on the job and things would change in a few years. I think he gets it.
Meanwhile, those Canadian winters will continue to be moderated with Cuban beaches, nasty big lovely cigars, rum and good food.
I smoke a nice Habana cigar with 2 pals every so often as well (goes well with a smooth single malt whisky). These tobacco gems are brought back from Cuba vacationers or purchased locally here in Nelson.
Our government talks to their government - there are investments, development opportunities, cultural exchanges. Hey, Prime Minister Trudeau and Fidel were pals (see above).
Okay now - I know the US/Cuba history thing... even lived in Miami for two years, so I know the Cuban American vote thing too. I also work on behalf of some Cuban prisoners of conscience through Amnesty. It's not perfect there (although US rented Gitmo has even more illegal prisoners than Fidel does).
So what's with the cold war, the embargo, the propaganda, the imposed hardship on Cubans, the military threats? Why not thaw things out, normalize it? How long do you think it would take for people power, trade and investment to bring down the cafe-leche wall?
I fear for the Cubans when fast food, bullshit entertainment, free market etc. arrive, but something must change. Put President Carter on the job and things would change in a few years. I think he gets it.
Meanwhile, those Canadian winters will continue to be moderated with Cuban beaches, nasty big lovely cigars, rum and good food.
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Worth re-posting during these changing times. (Middle son heading to Cuba in the March Break.)
Wonderful picture of you and Anna. Anna is beautiful!
Wonderful picture of you and Anna. Anna is beautiful!
you look awfully happy with anna. she's beautiful, even with the sun bright in her face.
i wish the united states could be friends with cuba. maybe obama will be the one to "open" relations with them. it seems sometimes the world has forgotten the benefits of old-fashioned diplomacy and negotiation in settling disputes.
but if it means cigars coming into vogue, forget it!
i wish the united states could be friends with cuba. maybe obama will be the one to "open" relations with them. it seems sometimes the world has forgotten the benefits of old-fashioned diplomacy and negotiation in settling disputes.
but if it means cigars coming into vogue, forget it!
# posted by 
: 9:40 pm
: 9:40 pm
Cigars are cool Sera, in moderation.
Gary and Anna, you are fabulous, fantastic and whatever not. Enjoy the honeymoon while it lasts. Later it will be all dirty work again, the stuff you were used to way back when. But that's all right. Kindred spirits will endure and thrive.
Gary and Anna, you are fabulous, fantastic and whatever not. Enjoy the honeymoon while it lasts. Later it will be all dirty work again, the stuff you were used to way back when. But that's all right. Kindred spirits will endure and thrive.
Hi Gary
Barack Obama could easily change the previous hostility; to mark a turning point with Cuba’s 50th anniversary of its Communist revolution, an event that dates way back to Jan 1959 when revolutionaries led by Fidel Castro overthrew the U.S.-backed government of President Fulgencio Batista.
Its time to end the economic embargo (which now serves no purpose) which was implemented soon after the change to communism and which has underwritten U.S. relationship with Cuba ever since.
I hope to see you both sometime in December when you visit Oz land?
Best wishes
Barack Obama could easily change the previous hostility; to mark a turning point with Cuba’s 50th anniversary of its Communist revolution, an event that dates way back to Jan 1959 when revolutionaries led by Fidel Castro overthrew the U.S.-backed government of President Fulgencio Batista.
Its time to end the economic embargo (which now serves no purpose) which was implemented soon after the change to communism and which has underwritten U.S. relationship with Cuba ever since.
I hope to see you both sometime in December when you visit Oz land?
Best wishes
Cheri - thanks for getting right to the point!
Beth - I've yet to go to Cuba and would love to before it melts into American culture in the future. HOpe your son enjoys it.
Seraphine - yes, what has the embargo/cutoff relations accomplished so far with Cuba - nada...
Zee - ahhh, you're such a romantic.
Lindsay - I agree - Obama could establish relations with Cuba and within a few years things would change greatly there I think.
Beth - I've yet to go to Cuba and would love to before it melts into American culture in the future. HOpe your son enjoys it.
Seraphine - yes, what has the embargo/cutoff relations accomplished so far with Cuba - nada...
Zee - ahhh, you're such a romantic.
Lindsay - I agree - Obama could establish relations with Cuba and within a few years things would change greatly there I think.
Romantic????????????????
How about a cynic old fart that sweetens the morning coffee with a pinch of dust, the left over idealism randomly salvaged out of creases on my dirty floor. That's more like it, closer to reality for sure.
But beware, I sill have hopes for the betterment of society and humankind. Maybe that's a bit romantic ... maybe!
How about a cynic old fart that sweetens the morning coffee with a pinch of dust, the left over idealism randomly salvaged out of creases on my dirty floor. That's more like it, closer to reality for sure.
But beware, I sill have hopes for the betterment of society and humankind. Maybe that's a bit romantic ... maybe!
Oh, I forgot Gary read my latest post sunburst, musings on the go: school demises and other collapses
You don't have to leave a comment since my narcissistic days are being outnumbered by other stuff I got to do. My ego does not need "feedback" anymore and I start to dislike meat, which truthfully has nothing to do with anything above. Just so you know - ah, just read the thing, it is short and not brilliant, and I will save the longer version, the rational thought through concept, the well edited version for an article or a book, if it comes to that...
You don't have to leave a comment since my narcissistic days are being outnumbered by other stuff I got to do. My ego does not need "feedback" anymore and I start to dislike meat, which truthfully has nothing to do with anything above. Just so you know - ah, just read the thing, it is short and not brilliant, and I will save the longer version, the rational thought through concept, the well edited version for an article or a book, if it comes to that...
Very nice picture which makes me glad to see you looking so well and happy. Love is a treasure.
I think in a lot of ways Cuba has been well off without the pressure the US brings to bear. Everybody else gets to go to a warm and wonderful place without having to endure American tourists. I hope the embargo will end but it has had some advantages.
I think in a lot of ways Cuba has been well off without the pressure the US brings to bear. Everybody else gets to go to a warm and wonderful place without having to endure American tourists. I hope the embargo will end but it has had some advantages.
ah, young love..... ;0)
really is a great photo. real people can look fab too! and maybe i should stop thinking that all the good guys are gone.... Anna found one. blessings
really is a great photo. real people can look fab too! and maybe i should stop thinking that all the good guys are gone.... Anna found one. blessings
so many american tourists would go to cuba, maybe cuba doesn't really want to 'normalize' relations with the u.s.
# posted by : 9:31 pm
: 9:31 pm << Home
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