US President Obama to Visit Cuba

[DoubleDD]

Good for him....he deserves a good vacation! Doesn't get enough.

[PigFish]

i read the first line/sentence of this and thought, oh yes, with all those hookers the SS might be in real strife.

but i see we are on different tracks. ad i am going away before mine is derailed.

... being Robs BBF I figured you could get away with the comment, don't think for one minute that I did not consider this as part of the post... -LOL But thought better of it!

[PigFish]

Given the "more hardcore side of the military" now run every part of Cubas money making machines (tourism/investment etal) .....

Come to mama .....they are looking for the gravy train baby.

Yeah, these guys don't reject our food or our drugs... do they? I fully understand the 'real' meaning of being a Cuban communist...! What you said was my first position, but thinking on it some I still have to wonder if there are some of these guys that will be uncomfortable over the event.

-R

[JohnS]

I just saw an interview with William LeoGrande, an expert on Latin American affairs from American University on PBS NewsHour. He likens the upcoming visit to Cuba by President Obama as historical as Nixon's visit to China in 1972. Hmmm...interesting.

[PigFish]

I just saw an interview with William LeoGrande, an expert on Latin American affairs from American University on PBS NewsHour. He likens the upcoming visit to Cuba by President Obama as historical as Nixon's visit to China in 1972. Hmmm...interesting.

Whether you like the 'idea' of it or not, it is a historical event from any perspective. There is no doubt about it. -Piggy

[El Presidente]

Yeah, these guys don't reject our food or our drugs... do they? I fully understand the 'real' meaning of being a Cuban communist...! What you said was my first position, but thinking on it some I still have to wonder if there are some of these guys that will be uncomfortable over the event.

-R

No doubt there will be.

They will be drowned out by their superiors at all political and industry levels.

Whether it is Havanatur or HSA (Cuban side) etc, you will find ex military or Interior ministy people at the lead who answer to the Government controlled by ex military of Interior ministry people.

The Cuban Govt (as far as I can tell) have given up nothing so far to this point in time. They just need to hold the line and the embargo will be lifted in total...or as good as being so.

That is not a criticism of US administration. People change governments/political systems.

Every dollar into a Cuban Citizens pocket, every opportunity that they see, every interaction with a foreign business, will put pressure on the Govt to change.

No timetables. No big stick. Opportunity is like an ember. It will take to flame and then it is very difficult to control by those who seek to do so.

[Ken Gargett]

A few days ago they announced an American company would build a new factory in Cuba. Making tractors. Which is exactly what Habanos needs.

From the multitude of Cuban tobacco farmer pics I have seen, where they are still using a goddamn ox and plow, I would think production will increase manyfold once they get even the least bit modernized.

Now, they still only have so much arable land that can support good tobacco... but I am guessing a tractor can create farmland that an ox can't!

i am not so certain on this specific issue. sadly, i think that they will grab the opportunity to move from horses to tractors but don't expect this to improve the quality of the tobacco. this has 70s burgundy written all over it.

i remember talking with one of the habanos officials some years ago. he claimed that they deliberately stuck to horses to avoid the problems of the tractor, of which compaction of the soil is a major one. i remember thinking at the time that i suspected the real reason was economical/commercial but that it had the unintended benefit of not damaging the soil in the manner tractors etc do.

it reminded me so much of the better wine estates which had moved away from tractors and were returning to using horses for ploughing etc. the reason simply that the horses did nowhere the same damage to the soil that the tractors cause.

among the problems the wines of burgundy suffered in the 70s especially, was the damage to the soil in the vineyards. partly pesticides but also the use of tractors and the resulting compaction. a large number of the best wineries have reverted to horses and the results are huge improvements in the wines. not just in burgundy of course.

on the other hand, for the production of food etc, i'm sure it is a great step forward.

[Ken Gargett]

... being Robs BBF I figured you could get away with the comment, don't think for one minute that I did not consider this as part of the post... -LOL But thought better of it!

piggy, if only that were true.

i am the most scrutinised person on this forum by his royal funpolice.

didn't you know, i outed one undesirable and i'm still banned from mod'ing. just one of the sacrifices one makes for the greater good.

[JohnInCleveland]

Happens to coincide with my visit next month, wondering if it would even be possible to get in the crowd at any potential speech.

Would gladly settle for seeing the Crypto Rolling Stones the day before if that show comes to fruition.

[wade1979]

Just back from my local cigar permitted watering hole and the whole establishment was speaking of Obama's recent visit and the possibility of economic detente. Many interesting conversations and view points about the forbidden island but the majority was filled with anxiety and odd fear about that change. Fear of the unknown? Fear of change? Fear of the everybody else having access to these wonderful products we all pursue? Who knows.....Just reporting a small sampling. Never been, and desperately want to go. Just wondering if i'm missing the boat if iI don't go soon before some sort of view is knocked off or maybe i'm over romanticizing the whole concept.

[JohnS]

I just saw an interview with William LeoGrande, an expert on Latin American affairs from American University on PBS NewsHour. He likens the upcoming visit to Cuba by President Obama as historical as Nixon's visit to China in 1972. Hmmm...interesting.

Whether you like the 'idea' of it or not, it is a historical event from any perspective. There is no doubt about it. -Piggy

Definitely agreed. I think Dr. LeoGrande was suggesting that the first visit by a U.S president to Cuba since 1928 will forever change US-Cuban diplomatic relations in a similar way that US-Sino diplomatic relations changed since '72.

[anacostiakat]

One of a couple articles in today's Washington Post paper comparing the opening to Burma with Cuba.

Article

I would really like to revisit the U S opening to China as regards Cuba as well.

[TheMonk]

Things are definitely changing... I do hope it's in the best interest of the Cubans.

[pbibby]

Things are definitely changing... I do hope it's in the best interest of the Cubans.

This and half. As much as I love CCs I am hoping that no matter what happens, that the Cuban people (not just those at the top of government) benefit from this. My fear is that the wonderful culture that makes Cuba (and the products we love) so great will be drowned in a sea of Americanization.

[mcease022]

This and half. As much as I love CCs I am hoping that no matter what happens, that the Cuban people (not just those at the top of government) benefit from this. My fear is that the wonderful culture that makes Cuba (and the products we love) so great will be drowned in a sea of Americanization.

My Thoughts exactly.