Here is a great read about the *Jineteras*, the women of Cuba who are forced into prostitution out of necessity. A *Jinetera *makes in a week what a government paid doctor makes in a year.
http://www.globalpolicy.org/component/content/article/211/44367.html On Thu, Aug 20, 2009 at 2:58 PM, Chris Jenkins <[email protected]>wrote: > They were the children and young adults who lived in the country, from 1981 > and on. Not a special case, but the average populace. Do you know anything > about the average populace or economy of Cuba? Have you traveled there > anytime in the last 30 years, or met anyone from there within the last 30 > years? Do you know anything about the modern economy there? Based on your > arguments, it really doesn't seem so. Cuba has a booming economy, and it is > ONLY governmental policies which keep the average Cuban citizen starving. > The Cuban government is the primary employer, and pays in pesos. However, > since the Dollarization, Dollars and Euros are accepted, and preferred, and > the pesos hold little value. The government encourages and accepts foreign > currency, but does not pass that value on to its citizens. Additionally, the > wealth that it generates from foreign business is throttled to its > leadership, and not passed down to its citizens, to the point where > its people are starving, and the number one job for a woman to have to > support her family is PROSTITUTE. No matter what you might care to say about > America, that's something you can't lay at our government's feet. Read on > for an education about modern Cuba. > > " Between 1990 and 2000, more than $3.5 billion was invested in the tourist > industry. The number of rooms available to international tourists grew from > 12,000 to > 35,000,[8]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Cuba#cite_note-Rockefeller-7>and > the country received a total of 10 million visitors over that period. > [5] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Cuba#cite_note-Miguel-4> By > 1995 the industry had surpassed sugar as Cuba's chief earner. > > Today, Cuba welcomes travelers from around the world, and especially > Canada, Germany <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany>, the United > Kingdom<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom>, > Spain <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spain>, > Italy<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy>, > France <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France> and > Mexico<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico>. > In recent years, more than 600,000 Canadians, 200,000 British, 153,197 > Spanish [9] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Cuba#cite_note-8> and > 114,000 Germans have visited Cuba annually. > > Foreign investment in the Cuban tourism sector has increased steadily since > the tourism drive. This has been made possible due to constitutional changes > to Cuba's socialist command > economy<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command_economy>, > to allow for the recognition of foreign held capital. > > By the late 1990s, twenty five joint foreign and domestic venture companies > were working within Cuba's tourist industry. Foreign investors and hoteliers > from market based economies have found that Cuba's centralized economy and > bureaucracy has created particular staffing issues and higher costs then > normal. An additional factor cited by foreign investors is the degree of > state involvement at the executive level, which is far higher than average. > > The influx of foreign capital, and associated capitalist management > methods, led outside observers to question whether Cuba's socialist system > could survive the resulting transformation. Fidel Castro responsed in 1991, > > "In the conditions of a small country like Cuba... It is very difficult to > develop... relying on one's own resources. It is for this reason that we > have no alternative but to associate ourselves with those foreign > enterprises that can supply capital, technology, and markets." > > Castro was also of the belief that despite the undeniable influence of > "capitalist ideology", socialism would prevail both in Cuba and the wider > "battle of ideas". > > As well as receiving traditional tourism revenues, Cuba attracts health > tourists <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_tourists>, generating > revenues of around $40m a year for the Cuban economy. Cuba has been a > popular health tourism destination for more than 20 years. In 2005 more than > 19,600 foreign patients traveled to Cuba for a wide range of treatments > including eye-surgery <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye-surgery>, > neurological <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurological> disorders such as > multiple sclerosis <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_sclerosis> and > Parkinsons > disease <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinsons_disease>, and > orthopaedics <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthopaedics>. Many patients > are from Latin America although medical treatment for retinitis > pigmentosa<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retinitis_pigmentosa>, > often known as night blindness<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_blindness>, > has attracted many patients from Europe and North America. > > An Oct 2007 Miami Herald story addressed the high quality of health care > that Canadian and American medical > tourism<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_tourism>patients receive in Cuba. > > Some complaints have arisen that foreign "health tourists" paying with > dollars receive a higher quality of care than Cuban citizens. Former leading > Cuban neurosurgeon <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurosurgeon> and > dissident <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissident> Dr. Hilda > Molina<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilda_Molina>asserts that the central > revolutionary objective of free, quality medical > care for all has been eroded by Cuba's need for foreign currency. Molina > says that following the economic collapse known in Cuba as the Special > Period <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Period>, the Cuban Government > established mechanisms designed to turn the medical system into a > profit-making enterprise, thus creating a disparity in the quality of > healthcare services between Cubans and foreigners. > On Thu, Aug 20, 2009 at 2:25 PM, ornamentalmind < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> >> Perhaps you present the fallacy of a special case? Truth is, >> 'it' (Cuban issues) as it is today, started long ago. The roots are >> firm and deep. The causes complex. And, the schoolmate of Fidel was >> the daughter (not an 'old man' today) of the top dentist in >> Havana...they were well placed and moneyed. >> >> Yes, perhaps some of your friends from Cuba weren’t able to have a >> cell phone. [fake tears] >> >> Perhaps they were among those let out of prison or the mental >> institutions. Neither you nor I know for sure. And, if anything, being >> younger just serves to be ignorant of the past in general. In this >> case, I wonder just how well educated they are on the US embargo? >> Also, it does sound like they have come to the right place for their >> proclivities. >> >> Overall, both countries can hold claim to having governments that are >> of the oligarchy class. >> >> On Aug 20, 9:42 am, Chris Jenkins <[email protected]> wrote: >> > Orn, Fallacy of Division? >> > >> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallacy_of_division >> > >> > Really. >> > >> > The vast majority of the folks whom you refer to are old men. I'm >> talking >> > about people in MY age group, kids who came across starting with the >> Mariel >> > boat lift, and since then. They have no vested interest, except fleeing >> a >> > starving and oppressed country for a land of opportunity. >> > >> > Bay of Pigs, really? This isn't the sixties. We're talking about modern >> > times here. >> > >> > On Thu, Aug 20, 2009 at 12:24 PM, ornamentalmind >> > <[email protected]>wrote: >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > > Having lived in Florida, known gun runners for the Bay of Pigs as well >> > > as a woman who went to school with Fidel, it is easy to see why those >> > > thrown out by Fidel and/or those who had their businesses socialized >> > > would be anti-Cuban government. It is similar to corporations being >> > > anti-socialized medicine. There is a vested interest, period. >> > >> > > On Aug 20, 8:24 am, Chris Jenkins <[email protected]> wrote: >> > > > Having been born in and spent much time in Miami, I've been exposed >> to >> > > many >> > > > Cuban expatriates who lived under Fidel, and they are extremely >> > > > pro-American, and anti-Fidel. They describe a life of poverty and >> > > oppression >> > > > that in their experience, was caused not by '*El Bloqueo'*, but by >> the >> > > > policies of Fidel's government. Dissent is punishable by death. The >> > > average >> > > > citizen of Cuba is not allowed a cell phone, but governmental >> officials >> > > are. >> > > > The average citizen of Cuba is not allowed internet access, but >> > > governmental >> > > > officials are. Etc. Etc. Etc. Some of these things are beginning to >> > > change >> > > > now that Raoul is taking over day to day management of the country, >> and I >> > > > think you will find that *'El Bloqueo'* will be quick to go away >> with >> > > those >> > > > changes. >> > >> > > > There has been a healthy commerce market in Cuba for this entire >> time >> > > > despite the blockade, if you were a member of power. German tourists >> had >> > > no >> > > > problem at all bringing their money there to spend, savoring the >> local * >> > > > jineteras*, and throwing currency around freely. I know a half dozen >> > > people >> > > > who can provide me with "Dominican" cigars, picked up in Havana and >> > > routed >> > > > through D.R. to be banded, avoiding the blockade. The Party lives in >> > > > comfort, and allows its citizens to starve, and blames it on the US >> in >> > > order >> > > > to stir up anti-American sentiment. It doesn't work. The citizens, >> for >> > > the >> > > > most part, know better, and still come here in droves. >> > >> > > > It's a shame you didn't make it down to Florida in your trip here. >> > > *Havanita >> > > > * would have provided you with an education from Cubans fresh off >> the >> > > tire. >> > >> > > > On Thu, Aug 20, 2009 at 9:46 AM, Ian Pollard <[email protected] >> > >> > > wrote: >> > >> > > > > Chris, >> > >> > > > > I don't know that I'm using hyperbole, but surely it's rather >> difficult >> > > to >> > > > > talk about Cuba and not be anti-American? I'm not defending acts >> of >> > > murder, >> > > > > but America is deeply culpable for the mess Cuba is in. >> > >> > > > > Ian >> > >> > > > > 2009/8/20 Chris Jenkins <[email protected]> >> > >> > > > > That, and the fact that the current government there will shoot >> their >> > > whole >> > > > >> family for political dissent. >> > > > >> Let's not make it SOLELY anti-american hyperbole in your post, >> eh, >> > > Ian? >> > >> > > > >> On Thu, Aug 20, 2009 at 3:04 AM, Ian Pollard < >> [email protected] >> > > >wrote: >> > >> > > > >>> 2009/8/19 BB47 <[email protected]> >> > >> > > > >>>> Differences between people often come down to core >> philosophical >> > > > >>>> issues. Simple ideas with vast implications. These issues are >> often >> > > > >>>> ignored or not seen. Let me take the example of Cuba, just as >> an >> > > > >>>> illustration. They have free health care and free university >> > > > >>>> education yet there are many of those people that decided to >> risk >> > > > >>>> their very LIVES on a piece of wood through shark infested >> waters >> > > to >> > > > >>>> get here, where there is no government health care. >> > >> > > > >>> You love your strawmen, BB. :) Just to be clear on a point of >> fact: >> > > > >>> Cuban's are not risking their lives to escape free health care >> and >> > > education >> > > > >>> because they reeeeally want to pay for these services. They risk >> > > their lives >> > > > >>> to earn money for their families which is otherwise unattainable >> > > because of >> > > > >>> the isolation caused by el bloqueo. >> > >> > > > >>> Ian- Hide quoted text - >> > >> > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - >> > >> > - Show quoted text - >> >> >> > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
