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Post by blindbeetle on Feb 16, 2011 11:13:56 GMT -8
I have trouble receiving packages from Cameroon and elsewhere in Africa. My sender says the P.O. in the capital keeps them until enough accumulate to justify his trouble in shipping, which can be a week or a month apparently,
Jim Cornell
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Post by jshuey on Feb 16, 2011 12:12:02 GMT -8
Despite the embargo with Cuba being ridiculous, it has managed to save that island from being turned into a tourist zoo. There was a spectacular documentary on PBS not too long ago "Cuba, the accidental eden" (google it and watch it online for free). Sadly, if Cuba is opened to US tourism and dollars, then it might prove to be fatal to the relatively intact ecosystem. I'd love to visit... but I'm happy just looking at pictures as long as it's preserved. I think your documentary was biased. I know lots of people who have visited the interior – and it’s dominated by old fashion agriculture using methods from the 1940’s – very hard on the land and rivers. I’ve flown over the country many times – and from the air – it looks blitzed. The Dominican Republic looks much better from the air than does Cuba. (take a look on Google Earth – the countryside looks a lot like Haiti in many places). And finally, I work with people who assessed the habitats of the Guantanamo Bay facility about 12 years ago for biodiversity values. Their take was that because of the US Military presence – it was the only high quality habitat in that region of the island – and that it should become a national park if we ever leave. One of the things they noted – you see almost no reptiles in the general countryside of Cuba – but at Guantanamo – big four-foot iguanas were common. In one of the stupider moves in my life, I turned down a chance to assess butterflies at the base. I was too busy (I thought). Really stupid on my part. I think the one thing the embargo has preserved has been authentic culture – but at what price of human suffering? John |
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Post by jackblack on Jun 9, 2011 17:27:59 GMT -8
I send parcels to US with my new buisiness www.ausinsales.com no problem , I send registered airmail with confirmed delivery , from Australia there is a $9.00 holding fee , something to do with anti terrorism recently brought in over there , put dried preserved insects and state full value and parcels get there pronto. |
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Post by mikelock34 on Jun 10, 2011 3:58:31 GMT -8
I have visited and collected in Cuba with permission from the usa government. Cuba is a beautiful place. I have not really seen all the human suffering that you mention.
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Post by starlightcriminal on Jun 10, 2011 9:40:15 GMT -8
jshuey is right, it has kept Cuba from becoming another Caribbean tourist dump. Suffering is relative, most people adjust to the day to day. I do think it is safe to say that most people prefer having access to potable water and regular electricity when given the option and that Cubans are quite aware of what they are missing out on as a result of the political stress- generally people will give up beautiful, healthy ecology for cell phones and television and shopping malls unfortunately. The most common medical ailments treated in Cuba are parasite related. Contrary to popular belief, you don't get used to the water because you live there, you just get used to sharing a bit of your caloric intake with the critters in your gut. But it's not a like a genocide or anything; it's like living in any other resource-poor, under-invested country with corrupt dictatorial leadership. I do know from personal experience that people metaphorically speak softly there so as to avoid being heard by the wrong kind of ears. In that way, it is not unlike Iran. It's certainly not optimal, but it's also not the Sudan. I guess it really depends on how you strictly define suffering.
Is it completely protected? Of course not. But is it ecologically better off than Hispaniola (even the Dominican half, which is also mostly farm land or arid- the few remaining forests are mostly just coffee plantations in disguise and where they are not they are blankets of invasive garden plants like impatiens and such, I've done extensive work on Hispaniola) and the remaining Antilles? Sure. It will be very interesting to watch course development takes there as the Castro era fades. I wish the nation the best and hope it can find some middle ground where both the nature and natives benefit. Something most of our respective other countries have had lots of trouble with.
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