One Cuban's Reaction to Prince Regent Raul's Speech

during the July 26 celebration speech, Raul admitted Cubans don't make enough (ya think?) and that agriculture is a horror, incapable of providing food for Cubans (ya think?)

some people read a promise of economic reform in his words; others see the same-old-same-old

i fear history is with the later group:

"People feel encouraged. The speech shows that Raul is in charge now. Changes are coming," said a Havana maid who asked not to be named.

Her husband was less optimistic. "We've heard the same story for years. I can only afford vegetables on my pay, never meat," he said before his wife shut him up, saying he could be arrested.

Source

life is hard in a police state, and getting enough to eat is the least of your worries

King Fidel's Recovery Prompts New Exodus

despite what Cuba's official mouthpieces may say, the recovery of King Fidel is causing more and more Cubans to set out for the U.S.

while most Cubans had hoped for changes in the wake of King Fidel's ... well ... wake, those hopes have been dashed by the King's recovery.

facing more of the same, Cubans are taking to the high seas again:


After a lull following Fidel Castro's illness last year, Cubans once again are taking to homemade boats or powerful speedboats manned by smugglers on a trip to the United States that often includes a detour through Mexico.

...

So far this fiscal year, 2,819 Cubans have made it ashore in Florida, compared with 3,076 in all of last year, said U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman Zachary Mann.

The number of Cubans intercepted in the Florida Straits are still below -- but likely to exceed -- last year's 2,810, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

That was the highest number since the 1994 exodus when the Coast Guard picked up more than 35,000 people floating off Cuba in all kinds of rafts when Castro opened the doors briefly.

Source


of course, those Cubans must not have watched Michael Moore's Sicko, or they would know better than to flee a country with such wonderful health care.

Michael Moore Gets it Wrong on Cuba

first, i must say that i more or less like Michael Moore's view on the world. it's a lot better than, say, George W. Bush and company's.

nevertheless, let's call an ace an ace. according to the World Health Organization, the US is ahead of Cuba in health system performance (US 37, Cuba 39)

don't believe me?

http://www.who.int/whr/2000/en/whr00_annex_en.pdf

yes, it is quite a feat that Cuba can be that close to the US. but no, the price is not worth paying. no free press, no free speech, no free elections in 48 years, an abominable standard of living for everybody except the party cadres, journalists in jail for daring to speak their minds

whatever happened to "Live Free or Die?"

in Cuba, it's "Live Safe in Slavery"

and despite all its vaunted claims, the Cuban health system is behind the US.

but don't take it from me. take it from the people who voted with their feet as to where they'd rather be. remember Mariel? remember the balseros? have you seen pictures of the lines at the U.S. Interest section in Havana for exit visas?

King Fidel the Magician

still clinging to power, King Fidel continues to delay Cuba's progress. his death could free his brother Raul to initiate more sensible reforms than Fidel is capable of (don't forget, Raul runs the tourism industry and the Army, the two things that work in Cuba).

instead, Fidel continues to try and cast his almost-half-a-century old magic ... despite several operations and a long convalescence, King Fidel continues to improve (does he seriously believe all Cubans are equal? do all Cubans have access to foreign doctors like he does?)

the reality: Fidel is a military dictator who has ruled over a single-party system in Cuba since 1959 without open and free elections and who has presided over the economic ruin of one of the Caribbean's once-leading economies ...

the magic: from his sick bed, Fidel riles against the US and capitalism ... who can provide their citizens a better standard of living than he can ...

alas ... the old magician fumbles his once impressive tricks