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Post by Cosmic Wonder on Dec 17, 2014 15:51:23 GMT -5
About time says I.
Mike
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Post by coachdoc on Dec 17, 2014 15:56:37 GMT -5
Interesting. Veerryyyy interesting.
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Post by Cornflake on Dec 17, 2014 16:05:30 GMT -5
Half a century of not speaking to each other is enough.
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Post by Russell Letson on Dec 17, 2014 16:09:35 GMT -5
Wouldn't that be "C-Jam"? We could all play the blues.
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Post by fauxmaha on Dec 17, 2014 16:19:45 GMT -5
Fredo is going to be so pissed.
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Post by RickW on Dec 17, 2014 16:22:38 GMT -5
sounds like the Florida gop boys are not happy. Oh well. Long past time.
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Post by dradtke on Dec 17, 2014 16:34:58 GMT -5
'bout time.
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Post by sekhmet on Dec 17, 2014 16:47:59 GMT -5
I wonder how the Cubans will take this. I agree that a half century of not talking is enough. I certainly hope that visas will be available to Cubans to travel out of the country. Our "friend" in Cuba - a man named Heathcliff if you can believe it (his mother read the book) - spoke at length to us about his opinions on this and that - he said that if the embargo ended, and he did expect that it would under Obama, nothing much would change in Cuba. He had hard things to say about the government of Cuba - hard things to say about the government of the US. He is not overly impressed with Communism nor is he overly impressed with Capitalism. He owns a taxi with his brother and they run the thing 24/7, Heathcliff on the night shift. He is separated but has a 7 year old daughter. He was pretty conservative in his attitudes - he is a lot like us. He works hard, makes a decent living, owns a nicely renovated house, is able to provide a good living for his family. Like most Cubans he is not poor neither is he rich. He is comfortable. He resents that his country has been attacked since the revolution, he resents that ... and I found this the most poignant thing about all the things he told us - that he can't get on a plane and visit his friends around the world. He could afford to take a vacation in Canada. He has strong family ties and loves his country - he has no wish to emigrate in the least. He ventured that the banks run everything everywhere and he likes Obama. He is very well informed and quite well educated. Nevertheless our various conversations about things political took place in very remote places - in the middle of swamps, while walking along deserted roads. He said you can't be too careful. Not once in the time we hung around with Heathcliff did I feel that he would accept more than was fair from us. We paid him standard fares for our various trips; he refused a tip on top of the fare. We took him a few things for his daughter and some things that he admitted he would like - actually a number of very cool hats like the ones Larry wears. He was pleased to bits. Here's a photo of Lars and Heathcliff at Fidel's desk in the Presidential palace in Havana. We had a terrific day there.  |
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Post by drlj on Dec 17, 2014 16:53:53 GMT -5
I find it all interesting. There will be a loud opposition to it, however. Mark Rubio has already announced he will do everything he can to thwart the move. I am sure others will follow.
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Post by sekhmet on Dec 17, 2014 17:12:44 GMT -5
I don't think it's the sort of thing you can just take back. The moat is down and international agreements are signed. Mark Rubio doesn't run the universe.
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Post by dradtke on Dec 17, 2014 17:34:52 GMT -5
As i understand it, we'll set up an embassy and diplomatic relations, but Congress has to end the embargo and I don't think they'll do anything soon.
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Post by Marshall on Dec 17, 2014 17:36:15 GMT -5
Looks like a gold cigar box. Who's the bust? |
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Post by drlj on Dec 17, 2014 17:39:49 GMT -5
I don't think it's the sort of thing you can just take back. The moat is down and international agreements are signed. Mark Rubio doesn't run the universe. I am not saying he does or that I agree with him. I am just saying there will be loud disagreement. |
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Post by Rob Hanesworth on Dec 17, 2014 17:40:20 GMT -5
I've been lucky enough to visit Cuba. It is a shame restrictions have made it so hard. Glad it is changing.
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Post by sekhmet on Dec 17, 2014 18:09:10 GMT -5
David, I think that Congress is going to look like the biggest bunch of morons on the planet if they don't go along. I doubt that Obama has gone this far without being fairly sure that it will happen. This may be first steps, but the entire planet thinks they are good ones.
My god man, Obama actually thanked Canada for our help. And the sky isn't falling.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2014 18:28:44 GMT -5
It will be quite a benefit to let telecommunication providers do business in Cuba, as well as allowing commercial flights from the usa.
Allowable travel includes "family visits, professional meetings and trips involving "support for the Cuban people."
On the down side, I will no longer be able to enjoy blowing Cuban cigar smoke in the faces of my American friends.
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Post by majorminor on Dec 17, 2014 18:32:00 GMT -5
Beautiful women, cigars, and rum. What took so damn long?
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Post by drlj on Dec 17, 2014 18:33:55 GMT -5
I also find it interesting that the news said Pope Francis had a hand in getting both sides together. He supposedly lobbied for the prisoner exchange among other things.
More about that will come out later, or so they say.
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Post by billhammond on Dec 17, 2014 19:01:47 GMT -5
I also find it interesting that the news said Pope Francis had a hand in getting both sides together. He supposedly lobbied for the prisoner exchange among other things. More about that will come out later, or so they say. Yeah, but wait till the pope comes face to face with the infallibility of Marco Rubio. |
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Post by drlj on Dec 17, 2014 19:06:19 GMT -5
I thought it was Marco Polo.
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