Let's go to Havana! - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

LUVMBDiesels · #1 06-05-2009, 11:01 AM

http://www.opencuba.org/

The travel industry is trying to get Obama to open the door to Cuba and end the 50 year old travel ban.

I am all for this...

Meet me in Havana for Mojitos on the Malecón

Kuan · #2 06-05-2009, 11:19 AM

Hell no. Not until the locals are allowed to do the same things as tourists.

Honus · #3 06-05-2009, 11:38 AM

Kuan's right, but I still look forward to the day when there is a Major League Baseball team in Havana.

LUVMBDiesels · #4 06-05-2009, 11:51 AM

The embargo has not worked in 50 years. Maybe we need to do something else like encourage investment and travel down there. Give the Cubans McDonalds, Disney, Chevy, and dollars and they will forget the revolution pretty quickly.

I agree that the Castro brothers have to go, but NOTHING we have done has done anything but strengthen their grip on Cuba.

Honus · #5 06-05-2009, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUVMBDiesels

The embargo has not worked in 50 years. Maybe we need to do something else like encourage investment and travel down there. Give the Cubans McDonalds, Disney, Chevy, and dollars and they will forget the revolution pretty quickly.

I agree that the Castro brothers have to go, but NOTHING we have done has done anything but strengthen their grip on Cuba.

OK, I said Kuan was right, but you're also right. I guess I'm flip flopping here.

Fitz · #6 06-05-2009, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUVMBDiesels

The embargo has not worked in 50 years. Maybe we need to do something else like encourage investment and travel down there. Give the Cubans McDonalds, Disney, Chevy, and dollars and they will forget the revolution pretty quickly.

It hasn't worked that way in China.

JonL · #7 06-05-2009, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUVMBDiesels

The embargo has not worked in 50 years. Maybe we need to do something else like encourage investment and travel down there. Give the Cubans McDonalds, Disney, Chevy, and dollars and they will forget the revolution pretty quickly.

I agree that the Castro brothers have to go, but NOTHING we have done has done anything but strengthen their grip on Cuba.

It's really, really unfortunate that McDonalds, Disney, and Chevy are what have come to symbolize the US and are the things we have to offer the world.

Jim B. · #8 06-05-2009, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonL

It's really, really unfortunate that McDonalds, Disney, and Chevy are what have come to symbolize the US and are the things we have to offer the world.

Do you "YAHOO" ?

Carleton Hughes · #9 06-05-2009, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUVMBDiesels

The embargo has not worked in 50 years. Maybe we need to do something else like encourage investment and travel down there. Give the Cubans McDonalds, Disney, Chevy, and dollars and they will forget the revolution pretty quickly.

I agree that the Castro brothers have to go, but NOTHING we have done has done anything but strengthen their grip on Cuba.

I went to cuba as part of "government research team"

a decade ago..my wife works for the Govt.as do some friends of hers,easy enough if you word the visa right.
Had to go thru Honduras.
Now,for any old car buffs,the plain truth is many of the vintage cars being driven are essentially the shells of cars with sometimes Russian and european drivetrains,occasionally just different trannies,rear ends,n*gg*r rigged suspension units,Et,AL.
Saw a nice "20 foot" '39 Packard but the motor was a 6 cyl Bedford truck flathead.
Did manage to snag some really rare trumpets and saxes for cheap and found a fellow sails to Miami and back who would smuggle the stuff out of Havana and mail them to me from a Miami post office,for U.S dollars nonetheless,they're king down there!that's how Rum and Cigars get to these shores.
Going back in 3 months.

LUVMBDiesels · #10 06-05-2009, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carleton Hughes

I went to cuba as part of "government research team"

a decade ago..my wife works for the Govt.as do some friends of hers,easy enough if you word the visa right.
Had to go thru Honduras.
Now,for any old car buffs,the plain truth is many of the vintage cars being driven are essentially the shells of cars with sometimes Russian and european drivetrains,occasionally just different trannies,rear ends,n*gg*r rigged suspension units,Et,AL.
Saw a nice "20 foot" '39 Packard but the motor was a 6 cyl Bedford truck flathead.
Did manage to snag some really rare trumpets and saxes for cheap and found a fellow sails to Miami and back who would smuggle the stuff out of Havana and mail them to me from a Miami post office,for U.S dollars nonetheless,they're king down there!that's how Rum and Cigars get to these shores.
Going back in 3 months.

We actually have an office in Havana to process visas. I have been trying for a year to wrangle a way down there. The list of techs that want to go there to 'fix issues' is 10 pages long... Obviously there is a pent up demand for us to visit Cuba. I think we could really engage the people there and maybe bring about a 'velvet revolution' like they had in Czechoslovakia by going there in droves, spending $$ investing in their country, and by showing the people we are not United Fruit by treating them with respect (while drinking mojitos and seeing the cabaret shows -- hey we are NOT all saints right?)

We should have swept down there as soon as the USSR fell apart and stopped sponsoring them.

EricSilver · #11 06-05-2009, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carleton Hughes

... n*gg*r rigged...

Huh? What does that mean?

EricSilver · #12 06-05-2009, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUVMBDiesels

I agree that the Castro brothers have to go...

This is what's wrong with the American mentality. What right do any people have to Dictate to others how they should live their lives and whom their representatives should be? And how ironic, given this remark made yesterday:

“The fourth issue that I will address is democracy. I know there has been controversy about the promotion of democracy in recent years, and much of this controversy is connected to the war in Iraq. So let me be clear: no system of government can or should be imposed upon one nation by any other”.

“This last point is important because there are some who advocate for democracy only when they are out of power; once in power, they are ruthless in suppressing the rights of others. No matter where it takes hold, government of the people and by the people sets a single standard for all who hold power: you must maintain your power through consent, not coercion; you must respect the rights of minorities, and participate with a spirit of tolerance and compromise; you must place the interests of your people and the legitimate workings of the political process above your party. Without these ingredients, elections alone do not make true democracy”.

President Barack Obama, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt, Africa, June 4, 2009,

I would replace "your people" with "all people."

Mistress · #13 06-06-2009, 06:27 AM

I'm going when I can.....everyone your home work for the weekend is to see the movie "Havana" with Robert Redford, Raul Julia and Lena Hill(?). Great movie. BenzLGB donde estan?