Fidel Castro Resigns

[Mistress M]

I really though that he'd die in power. http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/international-cuba-castro-text.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

I know this sounds weird, and I'm not a supporter of Castro, but it feels like an era has ended. Even if his brother or a crony takes over, Castro himself represented the last standing Communist revolutionary. I guess it's the same feeling I had when the wall came down. Sure, there was still a USSR after that, but it no longer mattered in the way it had.

It's the complete and total end of the Cold War.

[wendyful04]

I wonder when it will make a difference, this fool resigning.

[Cozmo D]

I wonder when it will make a difference, this fool resigning.

He is MANY things, but a fool is not one of them.

[Louis85]

I wonder if some of the Cuban people that live in America will actually try and go back to Cuba now that he's out of power? Or does he need to die first?

His brother is no spring chicken himself.

My fondest memory of Castro (if one can have a fond memory of a communist dictator) is him doing the wave in the crowd at one of the Pan-Am games.

[wendyful04]

Did I say "fool"? I meant "fooler".

[Brian221]

I got $20 that says he's actually dead...why the hell else would they announce this at 3am?

[wendyful04]

I'll take that bet. As of today, he's alive.

[Wheeljak]

With the retirement of Fidel Castro, I'm a bit concerned about the future of my part-time job. I substitute at an adult-ed program that teaches English at no charge to recent immigrants; mainly Cuban refugees. For the refugees to get a particular benefit package available to them, they have to attend an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) program, to satisfy the program's overseers that they are making an effort to learn English. The gov't funding for this program is largely stimulated by the loud cries of Cuban-Americans, who think that the best way to get back at Castro is to offer Cubans a host of cushy incentives to defect to the United States. Since Castro is no longer in power, I'm wondering if funding is going to be cut for this program. If it is, it's a real shame. Although there are some goldbricks in the program who are only putting in time so they can get their check, there are some serious, mature people who want to learn English so they can pursue the American Dream, and realize their full potential. These are people in that program who want to be us, and become Americans. That's the kind of people that I like to see coming here from around the world-- people who want to become a part of us; not to sequester themselves in Little Havanas and Chinatowns. For the sake of these people, I hope this program continues.

[Louis85]

Sometimes I wonder if "us" are all that?

[Mistress M]

You know, it's a side tangent, but when I woke up today, I was really mad at Europe. Because we're always being put on par and treated as euals to Europe, but we're not -- we're a product of European colonization. They came in and made the mess in North America, South America, and we've got to clean it up. Race issues from slavery, poverty issues from raping continents of gold and silver and resources.

They did a study about social welfare and found that the reason why it's more successful in Europe is because people may be biologically programmed to be more willing to help those who look like them (ie of the same ethnicity) than those who don't, because we identify those who look like us as potential gene-sharers and family. North and South America are the most racially and ethnically mixed regions in the world because we're the result of European imperialism and greed. And 400 years just isn't enough time to sort all that out, intermix enough to eradicate these problems.

I guess it's that sometimes, I'm tired of blaming "us." I think we're doing the best we can with the mess we were handed.

[wendyful04]

geez! How much information do you have in that brain of yours?

[xtristessax]

You know, it's a side tangent, but when I woke up today, I was really mad at Europe. Because we're always being put on par and treated as euals to Europe, but we're not -- we're a product of European colonization. They came in and made the mess in North America, South America, and we've got to clean it up. Race issues from slavery, poverty issues from raping continents of gold and silver and resources.

They did a study about social welfare and found that the reason why it's more successful in Europe is because people may be biologically programmed to be more willing to help those who look like them (ie of the same ethnicity) than those who don't, because we identify those who look like us as potential gene-sharers and family. North and South America are the most racially and ethnically mixed regions in the world because we're the result of European imperialism and greed. And 400 years just isn't enough time to sort all that out, intermix enough to eradicate these problems.

I guess it's that sometimes, I'm tired of blaming "us." I think we're doing the best we can with the mess we were handed.

i've always felt this way about Africa and the struggles of it's nations, that it was unfair to blame them for the majority of difficulties and strife each country faces.

however, it never occurred to me to think this way about the US. i suppose its because this country held on to slavery for so long. of course its been argued that if there would have been a better niche for it in Europe, it would have taken better hold there as well.

as far as Castro goes, i think he's been dead for at least 6 months, and they're doing the whole Lenin preserving the body type thing.

[wendyful04]

With the retirement of Fidel Castro, I'm a bit concerned about the future of my part-time job. I substitute at an adult-ed program that teaches English at no charge to recent immigrants; mainly Cuban refugees. For the refugees to get a particular benefit package available to them, they have to attend an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) program, to satisfy the program's overseers that they are making an effort to learn English. The gov't funding for this program is largely stimulated by the loud cries of Cuban-Americans, who think that the best way to get back at Castro is to offer Cubans a host of cushy incentives to defect to the United States. Since Castro is no longer in power, I'm wondering if funding is going to be cut for this program. If it is, it's a real shame. Although there are some goldbricks in the program who are only putting in time so they can get their check, there are some serious, mature people who want to learn English so they can pursue the American Dream, and realize their full potential. These are people in that program who want to be us, and become Americans. That's the kind of people that I like to see coming here from around the world-- people who want to become a part of us; not to sequester themselves in Little Havanas and Chinatowns. For the sake of these people, I hope this program continues.

How empathetic you've become, to the plight of those around us..
So, immersion has become the way to your heart.
Que cute.

[Wheeljak]

Sometimes I wonder if "us" are all that?

we are

[Mistress M]

geez! How much information do you have in that brain of yours?

Enough to drive one mad, really...:haha:

[Chief]

bwhahahahahahahhahahahhahahhahhahhahhahhah

[ElizabethX]

With the retirement of Fidel Castro, I'm a bit concerned about the future of my part-time job. I substitute at an adult-ed program that teaches English at no charge to recent immigrants; mainly Cuban refugees. For the refugees to get a particular benefit package available to them, they have to attend an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) program, to satisfy the program's overseers that they are making an effort to learn English. The gov't funding for this program is largely stimulated by the loud cries of Cuban-Americans, who think that the best way to get back at Castro is to offer Cubans a host of cushy incentives to defect to the United States. Since Castro is no longer in power, I'm wondering if funding is going to be cut for this program. If it is, it's a real shame. Although there are some goldbricks in the program who are only putting in time so they can get their check, there are some serious, mature people who want to learn English so they can pursue the American Dream, and realize their full potential. These are people in that program who want to be us, and become Americans. That's the kind of people that I like to see coming here from around the world-- people who want to become a part of us; not to sequester themselves in Little Havanas and Chinatowns. For the sake of these people, I hope this program continues.

Sequester themselves in Little Havanas and Chinatowns??? :eek:

:rolleyes:

[ElizabethX]

Oh, my bad. I misunderstood you. I get you.