If all you have to eat is rice and beans you would live longer too, but this is not by choice. CHINA has a long LE too.

Thanks Kevin for keeping a level head as you always do.

This is what's going on in Miami..

"But in Miami, Florida, Cuban exiles are celebrating the news of Mr. Castro's illness, dancing in the streets of the city's Little Havana neighborhood.

Fidel Castro is 79 years old and has appeared increasingly frail in recent years. There have been consistent rumors that he has Parkinson's disease.

President Bush approved an $80 million program earlier this year aimed at fostering democratic change in Cuba. His administration has also pledged support for any post-Castro Cuban government that promises free elections and an end to repression."

I agree it will be interesting.

Zarathustra,
I agree with all of your posts. I spent quite some time in Cuba, as well as studying Fidel and the Cuban Revolution (I also collect original Cuban Revolution photographs). It's been 2 years since I have been back but I will be heading that way again soon to stay for a month or two. I can't wait.

Fidel has my utmost respect as a leader and man of principles. The rest of the world could learn a thing or two from him. I am convinced if the US did not put the embargo into play, Cuba would be one of the greatest countries on earth today. Arguably, it very well may be already.

I wish him a speedy recovery. :thumbsup

The wealthy there are doing more than alight. The rest is not doing so well simply because the embargo is still in place. Blame the US government for this if anyone must take blame. Fidel did his part to bring that country where it needed to be, it was the USA that fucked them and once the former soviet union fell... it was over. They were left holding their asses and never recovered.

But you are correct, it's a hard life there for most. But blame the USA for that.

:1orglaugh

All leaders have people killed. Its just the matter in which they do it. I am assuming by your post that your grandfather spoke out against him or the revolution?

Your nick says it all so I won't get into a debate with you, but I respect your opinion.

I gotta agree with you on this. He's the longest serving leader alive today.

Amazing that one guy could get in a boat with less than 100 fighters, take back a country and despite 40 years of embargos, still manage to provide a good quality of life and amazing quality of education to his people.

Love him or hate him, you gotta respect him

I have been all over Cuba from Pinar del Rio to Pilon and everything in-between. I've spent a total of about a year and 1/2 there, living among them. I don't stay in hotels, I live with Cuban families. I chill with Cubans, sleep with Cubans, party with Cubans, dance with Cubans, eat with Cubans, and quietly discuss politics behind closed doors with Cubans.

Who is the asshole now? :321GFY

Please know who you are dealing with before you call someone an asshole.

Just him and Mandela still alive & kicking!!

Buh bye you commie bastard

While I am not for a second arguing anything you have said, I don't think there is concrete proof of Castro's betrayal of Che. If there is, I would be very interested in looking at it. A lot of Cubans do think Castro did this, so I'm not ruling it out, I would just like to see evidence that would lay fact to it. This is one of those things like the Kennedy assassination... I don't think the truth will ever come out. But if you have something, PLEASE let me see it.

Che was a powerful figure. He could have easily pulled the reigns from Castro had he chosen to.

While you will never hear me say that Castro is perfect, he is far from it. I'm sure he has just as much dirt on his hands as any other leader. However, you will hear my say that I respect him for what he did do to topple Batista, fix the educational system and for what he did for healthcare there. He is one stubborn SOB, and I respect him for that as well.

The US embargo was what crippled Cuba, not Fidel.

Yes, it is not fair that they all make the same wage, but that falls into the peoples hands. His ideas were on point, it was the people who were flawed. As with anyone, it all comes down to money. The people want more money, more money, more money. Buy stuff, more money, buy stuff. If you want to be a doctor, be a doctor. Money should not drive you to become one, or stop you from doing what it is you love to do.

The last time I was there the younger Cubans were so fucking obsessed with brand names it was really sad. They want to be westernized so bad, yet they don't have any idea what's coming for them the day Starbucks and McDonalds opens its doors along the Malecon.

For as bad as shape they are in today, I have a feeling that after the history books are written, the people may regret the mess that is to come of them. Let them get what they want, get paid more money and eat Burger King... and then let them pay for their own medical bills and education. Wait until they see how much it will cost to send their children to school or to have heart surgery. Sadly, there will be no un-doing what is inevitable.

Poor yes. But they should enjoy the super-size-me free bubble they are living in while they can because the glory days of Cuba are probably coming to an end within the next 10 years.

And the King Of Thailand. 60 years!!!!!

Funny you mention the top 2 (Oh I feel bad for the Cubans, I got to check it out towns), They are settled and satisfied in what they know to be life, as do the women in Afghanistan being beat daily. It does not make it right. You may have hung out in the farm land where they do better because of their ability to sell off crop, but did not mention rural cities such as Bauta where they are managed by the government to the extent of being taken out of work and school by buses to attend 5 hour speaches in 90 degree weather.

I do not respect your point of view. If half of your thoughts were correct, mothers and fathers would not be risking their lives on home made rafts trying to get out because...THEY ARE LOCKED IN!!!!

I retract the asshole thing, not like me.

what a load of rubbish. If it wasn't for Castro Cube would be like Jamaica or Guatemala or something, not safe to walk around day or night...
Only reason Cuba has suffered is because USA put a trade embarco on them, perhaps undestandable at first but not really understandable for the last 15-20 years. Only reason they've kept it going is because if they didn't it would've proofed communism could work.

And with some of the laws in America and recent happenings they are on their way to be as limeted in relations to freedom as Cuba :2 cents:

I knew that he was speaking from a "Elite Cuban Exile" point of view and I was going to state that after I read the thread...But this statement did it for me.

I hope the new leader will be like Bush....That will do good for democracy, stable economy and freedom of speech

Andre

Nowhere do I say Cuba is perfect. It has it's faults as does any country. For every negative issue someone brings up about Cuba, you could find just as absurd of an issue in the USA.

For every Cuban that made that risk to come to the USA, there are 1000 that did not. I DO NOT think it is right that the Cubas are not allowed to leave, and respect those who have made that risk, as I do anyone who chooses to leave their own country.

We both know Cuba is a mess. Fidel started with the best of intentions, and the USA did cripple them with the embargo, but Cuba is going to be a lot worse off when he is gone. What you will have is a country that will not be able to pay for medical care or education, many will lose their property, the crime rate is going to skyrocket, and the USA and Europe is going to waltz in there and buy it all up.

The Cubans will be still be dirt fucking poor with no ration books, no salary, no education, no medical care and no money. BUT... they will be free to leave. Which is the lesser of two evils?

wow.. and it's amazing how popular & loved he is too.. mad props to him :thumbsup

I've never been to Cuba, but one of my friends has. He said the resort was awesome, but they were specifically told to stay out of certain areas when they went sightseeing, or they would be swarmed by gangs of kids and robbed.

Bah. the kids, yea... they bother you but you tell them to go away. Robbed? Doubt it unless they go looking for trouble or are wearing bling, as many black idiots do in poor countries.

This place has been King happy for the past few months. Everyone wearing yellow shirts, King pics EVERYWHERE... its very cool to see how much love they have for him.

I have seen him TWICE!!! Both times were a fluke and he was driving by in his car. The Thai's say it's good luck to see the King as many have never seen him at all. Don't know of all that but it was cool to catch a glimps of someone worthy of royality.

Damn I wonder why if it's so good there why do so many Cubans end up washing up on our Florida beaches? Hell there are probably more Cubans in Miami than in Cuba.

Not saying Cuba is the best country in the world...But I always wonder why the US government always look at other countries, while they have so many problems themselves...Crime, unemployment etc etc

^^^ exactly, tell everyone else what is wrong with them, while they think everything they do is perect.

Very classy wishing death on someone.

-been brought up with it..

- After hearing over and over how " evil " he is, they do believe it and not even question it ....
And let's not forget, if you are not with us, you are a terrorist ...

Punishing his country is our way of making Fidel pay for his "sin" of kicking out prostitution, gambling, whoring, drugs, and corruption. We had to show our own citizens and the world that any other form of government other than our own cannot work; so the wealthiest and most powerful nation on earth strong-armed a small weak country for 50 consecutive years :2 cents:

.. Shit.. they must be terrorists ... they dance in the street ...

Please start ' Operation Enduring Little Havana " ....

How else do you feed the war machine and keep it happy?

Embargos only hurt citizens, never those in power, as evidenced by North Korea, Iraq, and so forth.

:1orglaugh :1orglaugh

That happens everyday in Milan, in front of the Duce train station.... ( gypse kids )
Same at the Carlton Hotel in Cannes (gypse amateur photographers )
And I know of quite a few places that you don't go when in NY ....

There is also more Jews in the US than in Israel ....

And more Jamaicans in America/Canada than in Jamaica.

I went to USA and was told not togo to the Bronx...

What are you trying to tell us?

so true. Same can be said for Wars as well

That's why you gotta respect Castro, he actually led an invasion to liberate Cuba, I don't know too many other leaders who have put themselves on the line for their country to the same degree Castro has

Well think about that for a second.. Israel only came into existence this century. Up until then they had no country.. So don't yea think it's likely that they would be spread out around the world? I'm sure there are quite a few of them in Europe as well.

Probably because of all the Cubans that are there..










lol j/k

Please...I am tired of the silly posts. DONE. If he dies I'll come back.

http://www.be.wvu.edu/divecon/econ/t...cuba/whore.jpg

http://www.byrum.org/the.web.walker/...ess/elian1.jpg

:1orglaugh :1orglaugh :1orglaugh
Scary place ... I went with a french guide that actually lived there ... At 107th/108th street, you see all the yellow cabs turn left or right to head back to Manhattan ...
Drug pushers own each their corner street ...

Cubans are way better off there ...( j/k also ...)

Fidel is a murderer, but his brother Raul may be worst.