Cuba - the new Paris

[nitro]

http://www.cnbc.com/id/100896610

Not just artists, but chess players (which in my mind are artists anyway)

"The Open tournament saw many top grandmasters play. The Cuban Federation is finally sending their players to play in America, and as such Lazaro Bruzon was the top seed of the event...."

http://www.chessbase.com/Home/TabId...-the-top-of-americas-biggest-open-140713.aspx

 

[nitro]

Will we be seeing the Tour de Cuba soon? That woud be a spectacle.

 

[nitro]

I actually hope that Cuba becomes a hybrid of Paris and Israel, mixing artistry and technological saavy.

There is no reason there can't be a TEVA in Cuba.

 

[peilthetraveler]

I don't think doing anything to support Cuba is a good idea. We need to go in there and conquer that country and make it our 51st state before we start doing anything that helps their economy.

Remember that Cuba is our enemy. They are trading weapons with North Korea and you can't feel safe about a North Korean ally being 25 miles from our border.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2013/07/20137170581445650.html

 

[Brighton]

I don't think we want to conquer it or make it the 51st state. Look at Puerto Rico: They've had who knows how many hundreds of millions (billions?) in pharma-related tax subsidies and other federal largesse and they're still quite poor, corrupt and a capital of disability fraud. What makes you think Cuba would turn out any better?

http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/08/americas-fiscal-union

 

[peilthetraveler]

Quote from Brighton:

I don't think we want to conquer it or make it the 51st state. Look at Puerto Rico: They've had who knows how many hundreds of millions (billions?) in pharma-related tax subsidies and other federal largesse and they're still quite poor, corrupt and a capital of disability fraud. What makes you think Cuba would turn out any better?

http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/08/americas-fiscal-union

Cuba has managed to keep a GDP per capital of about $10k (vs. puerto ricos $16k) and thats with us doing everything to financially cripple them(the embargo). Thats actually more than their southern counterparts Haiti and the Dominican republic which are allowed to trade with us. Don't forget we also stop other countries from trading with them, and we make it illegal for US citizens to go there. GDP would likely skyrocket much higher than puerto rico.

The main benefit though would be that we no longer have an enemy 25 miles from our border which is probably worth the expense.

 

[toolazy]

Quote from peilthetraveler:

Cuba has managed to keep a GDP per capital of about $10k (vs. puerto ricos $16k) and thats with us doing everything to financially cripple them(the embargo). Thats actually more than their southern counterparts Haiti and the Dominican republic which are allowed to trade with us. Don't forget we also stop other countries from trading with them, and we make it illegal for US citizens to go there. GDP would likely skyrocket much higher than puerto rico.

The main benefit though would be that we no longer have an enemy 25 miles from our border which is probably worth the expense.

you must be anglo origin.

I finally understand you guys after watching 'Game of Thrones'

Everyone wants to rob and be king and torture and no one wants to work.

that also explains UK politics with manufacturing.

 

[Lucrum]

I watched a BBC documentary on Cuba just last night. I don't think it was very old. There are some serious notable changes taking place. But they've got a long way to go to make me want to visit.

Personally I think we should stop our economic embargo.

 

[nitro]

Quote from Lucrum:

...
Personally I think we should stop our economic embargo.

The have the EXACT opposite effect as designed, entrenching dictators even more and giving them "evidence" to their people how evil the US is. Jeans and american music do faaaaar more than any embargo ever can.

"Four Decades [now going on five] of Failure: The U.S. Embargo against Cuba"

http://www.cato.org/publications/speeches/four-decades-failure-us-embargo-against-cuba

Same thing in North Korea.

 

[nitro]

Cuba should model itself using Switzerland politically and economically, Israel technologically and economically, Paris artistically, and the US in markets, infrastructure, and body of laws. Itself in soul and spirit.

Just avoid becoming a resort town and going back to the days of Castro or Batista.