Thread: An alternative view of the USA & some other countries

Originally Posted by it-ogo

Maybe but USA undoubtedly always had much more influence on Cuba and its fate than USSR anyway. BTW Cuba is not so bad place now. Many people say that it is much better than it was before Castro's revolution.

Having lived in "North Cuba" (South Florida), I've met people from the Cuban Yacht Club that came to the US on rafts. Something about having to leave a country in such a fashion makes me think things aren't all rosy there. I know people that left during the revolution that hate Castro with every fiber of their being.
They have lovely tourist beaches there, but the locals can't go to them. They have a lot of lovely things the average Cuban never sees but is wonderful window dressing. I can count the number of present Cubans on this board with both hands behind my back (read: no internet). Satellite television is a criminal offense for most people there. Hell, Fidel took his family's farm (his mother never forgave him), and his sister spied for the CIA refusing payment. Cuba si, Castro no.

Central and South America are screwed up because of the Spanish and Portuguese. WAY before the Colonies became the USA.

Originally Posted by capecoddah

Having lived in "North Cuba" (South Florida), I've met people from the Cuban Yacht Club that came to the US on rafts. Something about having to leave a country in such a fashion makes me think things aren't all rosy there. I know people that left during the revolution that hate Castro with every fiber of their being.
They have lovely tourist beaches there, but the locals can't go to them. They have a lot of lovely things the average Cuban never sees but is wonderful window dressing. I can count the number of present Cubans on this board with both hands behind my back (read: no internet). Satellite television is a criminal offense for most people there. Hell, Fidel took his family's farm (his mother never forgave him), and his sister spied for the CIA refusing payment. Cuba si, Castro no.

So you listened to Castro's enemies (including US politicians) and did not listen to Castro's friends. You really expect your idea of Cuba to be adequate? According to some sources, before Castro there was a small class of relatively rich people, all the rest were extremely poor. Those formerly rich people are enough to hate but not enough to make noticeable resistance with all US help. Now poor people are still poor but they have relatively good medicine, education, sport etc. According to UN Human Development Index Cuba is about 4-5th place in Latin America, which is not so bad (remember that income is taken into account in this index). Maybe if they were able to sell to USA their cigars, they were 1st?

As for Yacht Club, yes, people always look for better life, especially when they expect some privileges because of the politics. And for those privileges they are ready to say whatever you like to hear. You know, how many people from democratic NATO Turkey moved to Germany? I don't speak about Mexico...

Central and South America are screwed up because of the Spanish and Portuguese. WAY before the Colonies became the USA.

Err... What is "screwed up"?

Spanish and Portuguese Empires provided Latin America with its contemporary population. Now they are no more for a long time. USA is still there, has great influence - political, economical, military - and use it, so USA is responsible for everything happened there in much bigger measure than USSR (which is BTW also no more). There is "white man's burden" and "white man's" responsibility whether you like it or not. Castro did not want USA people to use Cuba as a cheap brothel any more. He can be understood.

Agree with it-ogo and in addition:

Didn't South Americans invent the expression "Yankee go home"? They kicked out the Spanish several hundred years ago and it's old news.. But where the Spaniards stopped, the USA took over!

Originally Posted by Hanna

Didn't South Americans invent the expression "Yankee go home"?

I thought it was invented in Virginia.

Originally Posted by it-ogo

I thought it was invented in Virginia.

Depends what the home of a Yankee is:

To foreigners, a Yankee is an American.
To Americans, a Yankee is a Northerner.
To Northerners, a Yankee is an Easterner.
To Easterners, a Yankee is a New Englander.
To New Englanders, a Yankee is a Vermonter.
And in Vermont, a Yankee is somebody who eats pie for breakfast.

And there must be someone who Yankee is for those who eat pie for breakfast in Vermont.

Yeah! I'm back. Been to some village up north for a short vacation. This discussion has moved way ahead, but I'll catch up. Нужно время!

@ Misha: Sounds good! Have you got any pictures?

@Croc: Yeah, maybe you are not entirely innocent of trolling....

Originally Posted by Hanna

In general I think that people who say they are Christians should at least TRY to believe in the Bible.

Mat. 13:34 '...and without a parable spake he not unto them.'
Isaiah 29:11 & 12 And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which [men] deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it [is] sealed: And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.'
Isaiah 44:18 They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; [and] their hearts, that they cannot understand.

Originally Posted by Hanna

...@Croc: Yeah, maybe you are not entirely innocent of trolling....

I think that oldtimers are allowed to troll... a little. A we can call it differently. Ranting? Venting?

Originally Posted by Lampada

I think that oldtimers are allowed to troll... a little. A we can call it differently. Ranting? Venting?

Let's settle with hunting.

Originally Posted by Hanna

@ Misha: Sounds good! Have you got any pictures?

Very few of them are "postable"! For some of the things I've said on this forum, I don't think it's a good idea to post photos of myself (or other "gang members"). This one will give you an idea of what it was like (none of the guys you see there are members of our gang...):

IMG_0281.jpg

Originally Posted by Misha Tal

...I don't think it's a good idea to post photos of myself (or other "gang members").

I agree.

You just don't get it. Che Guevara shirt wearing college freshmen. Cuba "Enemies" are 99%, friends are 1%. Grow up... I'll toss you out to Calle Ocho (8th Avenue), Miami and see if you last more than a day. Castro is an idiot, so is Chavez. If they are so damn smart, why are their citizens coming to USA? South Americans going to Russia? The few that show up are treated how well?

I love my J-1 visa Russian, Belorussian, Ukrainian and other Eastern European workers. They complain when they arrive, then cry when they have to go home.. You have a failed economy. Sorry, you got a fail.

Oh, man! Looks like Soviet brainwashing was baby talk in comparison to American one. At least I am sure that it was unable to put human being into such a condition.

Originally Posted by it-ogo

Oh, man! Looks like Soviet brainwashing was baby talk in comparison to American one. At least I am sure that it was unable to put human being into such a condition.

Judging by your comment it was not.

Originally Posted by Lampada

Judging by your comment it was not.

Um?

Originally Posted by it-ogo

Oh, man! Looks like Soviet brainwashing was baby talk in comparison to American one.

Exactly!

Originally Posted by capecoddah

You have a failed economy. Sorry, you got a fail.

By your definitions, but you are comparing apples with pears here.
They started of from a feudal state, much later than the USA, and their aim was to create something fair for everyone.
They didn't get their wealth exploiting the third world etc.
Plus if the USA is so great, what about the terrible murder rates, the black ghettos, white trash....

Originally Posted by Hanna

They started of from a feudal state, much later than the USA

The feudal Russia was much wealthier than the USA at the time.

Originally Posted by Hanna

and their aim was to create something fair for everyone.

No comments as they would be perceived as a pure trolling.

Originally Posted by Hanna

They didn't get their wealth exploiting the third world etc.

Exploiting, exploiting, exploiting ... Do you really think the biggest issue of the third world is being exploited by the US?

Originally Posted by Hanna

Plus if the USA is so great, what about the terrible murder rates, the black ghettos, white trash....

Ah, so let's compare apples with apples now. Do you feel like comparing the murder/poverty rates globally?