www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Cuban's have some great food. If I ever went to Cuba first off I'd talk like one since Cuban's and Puerto Ricans aren't getting any best friend charms soon.

Then I'd eat like a maniac like that one guy did on his first CR trip..

Yucca, rice and beans, and pork..it's some damn good shit.


Cujo

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"Pain is the fuel that fans the flames of my pyre. A battle plan is only as good as the general carrying it out on the field. This is my war son, and I have the biggest bombs and the smallest conscience"...

Bistec encebollado con tostones. Hmmmmm...

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A good chica is like a good carpenter - No wood gets wasted!!!

Addressing an earilier question about diplomatic relations with Cuba:

The Cubans do not have an Embassy in the United States but they do have an interest section which is housed in the Swiss Embassy in Washington, DC.

Likewise, the United States does not have an Embassy in Cuba but we do have an interest section which is housed at the Swiss Embassy in Havana.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-California) who is chair of the Black Congressional Caucus just led a delegation of the Caucus to Cuba. She said on CSPAN tonight (Tuesday, April 07, 2009) that she and her delegation visited with, among others, the 300 American members of the American Interest Section in Cuba. Perhaps I misheard what she said but that is what it sounded like to me. But I am an old fart and somewhat hard of hearing.

I believe the embargo will be lifted when American businesses deem that lifting the embargo is their best interests -- when they can make a lot of money if the embargo is lifted. After all the embargo went into effect because the Castro government confiscated and appropriated U.S. business interests.

The other aspect which would be necessary to lifting the embargo is to mitigate and diminish the critical Cuban-American voting block in Florida which is stridently in favor of the embargo.

One of the first things that Fidel did when he took over governance of Cuba was to put an end to prostitution. Reports I have read stated the penalties were very strict back then. But that was fifty years ago.

You really know what you're talking about it. You're right about that.


Not really. USA will always do what's best for them. Most Cubans are against the embargo because fidel wants it lifted (not true), and you know how it goes, if fidel wants it, he won't get it. Smart devil man, he controls both sides!
I believe that USA has nothing to gain by lifting the embargo, but if they want to do it, it won't bother me.


When there's need, and in Cuba there's plenty of that, there will always be an exchange of pu*sy for something (anything), but then again, free pu*sy was plentiful, so why pay for it? unless you're old and/or ugly.
The problem in Cuba was not to find pu*sy but to find a place to do it, and that's still the problem today!

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The primary reason that the Cuban-American voting bloc in Florida is critical is that winning Florida is vital to electing the president. It is a big state and it is usually up for grabs because it is not locked in as a red or blue state. The Florida vote can swing the presidential election either way.

As we all know, it was the focus of attention back in 2000 presidential election. Also, there are some very powerful and influential members of congress who are Cuban-Americans and strongly in favor of the embargo. They can bottle up legislation so it never sees the light of day.

Congress Member Barbara Lee’s proposed bill to lift the embargo will probably not get past the first committee hearing (IF it gets a hearing) before it is buried deeply never to be heard of again except on some Sunday morning talk show in Oakland, CA. To my knowledge, she has never had a meaning piece of legislation signed into law.

Reading the tea leaves leads me to believe that the Congressional Black Caucus had some encouragement from the administration although there would never be any direct connection.

The lifting will come one day. Raul is very pragmatic as opposed to his brother who is more of a purist ideologue.

One segment of the U.S. economy that can gain from lifting the embargo is agriculture and agricultural products. There is a lot of pressure from the Midwestern farm states. Parts of the embargo have been lifted for them and the farmers want further concessions – further lifting.

The Cuban-American voting bloc in South Florida is not as monolithic as it used to be.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Sta ... ainst_Cuba
i found this pretty informative

Miamiheller, I think you are right. But it is still pretty strong. It is still a major political consideration on the national stage. By your handle, I am led to believe you reside in Miami and thus would be far more knowledgeable than I. My only experience in Miami is that I spent a month there one day (only kidding).

My belief is that by having the Congressional Black Caucus leaders go to Cuba a trial balloon was floated to see how the nation and the Cuban American voters will react, to see how powerful the response will be. I think that most Americans are either ambivalent or in favor of lifting the embargo. By going to Cuba, none of the members of congress who went along are threatened by some type of backlash from conservatives or from Cuban-American voters. They all enjoy very safe seats so there is no threat to them by making the journey or by some of the statements they made.


I also believe that if there is not a strong response or if the response is muted by the younger Cubans who are two generations removed from the Island and see themselves as Americans whose parents or grandparents came from Cuba -- not as Cubans living in America waiting to return to a free Cuba - it will send a sign to politicians that it is okay to continue to move slowly toward undoing the embargo.

There may be some easing on the restrictions but there will probably be no significant movement until after FC passes on to the great Marxist-Leninist podium in the sky where he will spend eternity listening to others droning speechifying -- not my idea of heaven.

I went to Shanghai when it was still in the time warp between its hey-day, prior to the Japanese invasion, and the rebuilding of the city in the mid-90s. The Soviets were still in business and their presence was pretty strong. An unabashed member of the CP was our chaperone and there were several other shadowy figures making sure we did not stray off the beaten path. If you did, you got to see an AK-47 up close and very personal. They did not point it at me but they made sure I understood that I was going down the wrong path. Didn't need a translator for that!

For me the most interesting part of the time warp was the incredible architecture which just seemed to have stood still for -- at that time – for some forty odd years. That is how I imagine Cuba – a land caught in a time warp - beautiful historic architecture albeit deteriorating. I would love to see it while it is still a kind of living museum.

Of course the other sights, sounds, smells and activities are timeless. I would take Canadian money and rent some of it.

Everything you said in this post is spot on. Couldn't agree more. Even with the "spend a month in Miami in one day" part.

The usual suspects are still making their expected pronouncements deploring the Congressional delegation visit. But the average Cuban American in the street is looking past the "CUBA LIBRE" rhetoric and wondering about their jobs and homes here in the States.

The embargo has lasted 50 years and it hasn't done much to topple the Castros while making the Cuban people suffer tremendously. I have to believe the influx of US dollars resulting from lifting the embargo would go a long way to improving the average Cuban's situation. Not to mention I could fly to Havana in less than an hour and enjoy the beautiful jineteras...

I've lived here since 1995. I relocated from LA. Still getting over the culture shock .

Anybody that thinks CRT is just a bunch of mindless mongers needs to read this thread--a case study in discussing a sometimes volatile topic in gentlemanly fashion. Bravo to both sides. This is a prime reason I went Lifetime here.

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

I agree Jazzbo.

Personally, I hope Cuba opens up to us. Being in S. Florida, and having a boat big enough to go there for an extended period of time, I am waiting for things to play out. I'm sure it'll be a little "dicey" at first, but once they iron everything out, I got a feeling that it's going to be a great choice for a nice, spur of the moment get-a-way!

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

yea just like the movie Guys and Dolls, except don't bother bringing a gringa.

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Enzo

Now in High Definition!

The average Cuban people are the ones to benefit from lifting of the embargo. When they find out how the rest of the world lives then the loyalty to the FIDEL'S REVOLUTION will quickly disappear.

And that's why "the revolution" don't want the embargo lifted, and like in the past, they will do "something" to sabotage it. They're not really that stupid to allow something that would compromise their power.

Loyalty to the revolution in Cuba is not based on ignorance, on the contrary, it's based on the knowledge that somebody is watching you and if you straight too far from the line, you'll go to jail, and there's plenty of horny hardened criminal in jail just waiting for "fresh meat", as they call it.

By the way, Cubans know how we live on this side of the world, as a matter of fact, when they ask us (family) for something, they tell us the brand they want and even where to buy it (hint: expensive brands and expensive stores).

Yes, it'd be nice to see USA lifting all restrictions just to see what happens.

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6 Hours ago
CNN) -- A new poll shows that two-thirds of Americans surveyed think the U.S. should lift its travel ban on Cuba, and three-quarters think the U.S. should end its five-decade estrangement with the country.

According to the CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll conducted April 3 to 5, 64 percent of the 1,023 Americans surveyed by telephone thought the U.S. government should allow citizens to travel to Cuba.

But , I sure you guys are right, it will not be the will of the People that will cause the change, but when Business can make more money down there then here

Maybe with Ethanol for our gas tanks will be the lever to start business looking ? They got lots of sugar cane ( 2-3 crops a year ), and water to make the stuff, and short pipe line to FL. Far better that then using our corn ( one crop a year) IMHO--- But that is a whole other discussion then Cuba.
I am on the 64% side and love to see the sights before The Big Corps take over and turn it into a giant toursit trap> Saw Eastern Russia and thats like stepping back to 1880's , And I love to see the 1950's before I die