Comments for Journalism Without Walls: Cuba 2012

Comment on U.S. students attend free med school, learn value of community medicine by Marcela

Marcela — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 18:38:52 +0000

Perhaps some of what you are discussing here reletas to what society, or politicians, have come to value as quality education. As Professor X argued in The Atlantic, a heck of a lot of people are not cut out for university or college, not because they are failed people, but because what is expected of those attending college and university falls within a certain skill set, a skill set not equally shared by everyone. Likewise, in high school, where there is an overlarge focus being placed on math, science, and high end academic language skills, again a large percentage of students are left by the wayside. School boards across North America decided to cut home economics programs, music programs, shop classes, phys ed programs, art programs, etc, and the tragedy is that this is all a result of the narrowing of the concept of what an education is. While I hated high school in some respects (the social dynamics in particular), I also loved high school for the bands I was able to play in, the musicals I performed in, my art and photography classes, my creative writing classes, playing football, rugby and basketball, and having the chance to delve into politics. I loved high school so much that I failed some courses on purpose, just so I would have to stay another year to fulfill my graduation requirements. But none of what I loved about high school had anything to do with academics whatsoever, and of the purely academic courses I studied, very little of what I spent inordinate amounts of time on has played any part at all in my life since graduation.Really, it just makes you want to sigh. When you stop to think about it, what really is the percentage of people in our society whose knowledge of high end maths, science, or academic scholarship factors into their day to day lives? Do doctors, lawyers, scientists, and engineers make up the majority of those employed? It is as if, collectively, in North America we have chosen to push the great mass of youth through a teeny tiny bottleneck towards a few rarefied professions, while devaluing and even denigrating everything else.The answers to the problems of demotivated students are not that hard to solve. What is hard to deal with are the politics, and the collectively held, ideologically rooted, and idealized notions of what the word “education” means.

Comment on U.S. Interests Section: A place of confrontation and dreams by Joshua

Joshua — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 18:08:34 +0000

I’m assuming you mean dacimel supplies. Contact not just tourists toronto or wherever in canada. They can locate any Hospital, clinic,you name it, close to whatever resort you are staying at. and any procedure you need.Otherwise you can just bring any thing you want. Practically anybody knows about this stuff. We have been doing it for years . The only problem is that it doesn’t get in the hands of the black market.If you are bringing metal that is sufficient to set off metal detectors or be found on x-ray at the airports they will want to check your bag and you don’t have paperwork you have to be cautious what you say or they will confiscate whatever you have.Many people have brought some of the craziest things to Cuba in their suitcase. Depending on what you are bringing njt.toronto will know what to do.If all else fails bring it anyway, everybody in Cuba knows their local doctor, clinic, hospital and you personally can deliver it.

Comment on The U.S. embargo guessing game by Bruna

Bruna — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 13:53:51 +0000

I strongly ospope the lifting of the embargo because Cuba is still a place where the medical needs of it’s people are not met, their best interests are not served, their voices are not heard, the leader is a dictatator who uses imprisonment and torture (ignoring civil and human rights) and uh, never mind.

Comment on Despite a suffering economy, Cuba boasts a successful health care system by Badru

Badru — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:51:13 +0000

Can’t your friend read? Everyone that apleips for insruance gets a policy. This will tell you what is and is not covered. Or is your friend cheap and didn’t want to purchase a policy that covered anything because he didn’t think he would ever need it never been to the doctor .that sort of thing. You get what you pay for and being in the insurance industry we see it a lot. I don’t need that coverage. Its the same way with life insurance. I’m not going to die. Well how stupid are you? The only thing that the Omaba health care reform is going to do is give more to the poor and take away from the middle class. Soon there will not be a middle class because everything that they have worked for will be stripped from them and given to the poor. The poor need to step up to the plate and work hard just like the middle class has to get them to the middle class. We see people all the time .their fat, lazy, baby makers and just don’t want to do anything but sit on the couch and watch tv and eat tater chips. They don’t take care of their possessions or their kids or even their own bodies. Sure so lets give them more reason to just sit there and do nothing. Their mentality is if I just sit here someone will GIVE me something. It is DUE me because I’m fat and lazy. Then there is the illegal aliens. Okay lets give to them also. Why not? They live here .don’t pay any taxes .the money they make goes back to their families in their home country .but why not GIVE to them too. What do they contribute to society? They don’t speak the language so we have to hire special people for them in the schools so they are not left out. When they get sick they run to the emergency room. In my household if your sick unless it is life threatening you’ll get better. A cold is no reason to run to the emergency room. But the illegals do because guess what we GIVE it to them. Healthcare reform is not the answer. GIVING to everyone all the time will not solve the problems. Taking from those that work hard to give to those who choose not to only takes away from those who choose to work. This country is in the toliet and it is swirling faster and faster because Obama keeps spending all this money. Have you ever thought where is all this money coming from? Hmmmm the middle class? No more bale outs. If you spend all your money and can’t make your business run then you should close your doors. Send the illeglas home to make it on their own in their own country where everyone speaks their language. Make those that don’t want to work get a job. I don’t care if it is digging ditches. All we have done is enable this whole country. And what does the future hold? Look around. A bunch of fat lazy kids following in their poor parents footsteps. Their has to be change but healthcare reform is NOT the answer.

Comment on Day one by Nss

Nss — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:15:18 +0000

Hi Walter, thanks for the mgsease and the information! I think we’re all hoping that things change in the near future between the U.S. and Cuba.

Comment on Reporting on Cuba’s historic changes by Louise

Louise — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 11:19:36 +0000

Helen -You were a witness to hitsory. Perhaps one day you will get to revisit Cuba. I hope so. Theresjustlife-I, too, saw such pride in the Cuban people, even from those who saw room for change in their system. It is the currency of that country, more than any peso. Sciarda and RL thanks more to come Delia Agree I think I was speaking more to the fact that the Cuban people are being fed, not that the food itself is always great the phrase “some kind of beef” comes to mind.. (see my upcoming post about the food .). And you are correct that milk rations are restricted to children, pregnant women, the ill and the elderly. But given what I understand were terrific food shortages after Russia pulled out in the 90′s, there is much to applaud in the Cuban response to that “special period” as they call it. I’ll be posting more about this later, and would appreciate your comments then as well.

Comment on A hero of a reporter, who covered wars, 80 years old and still writing by Fernando

Fernando — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 11:00:49 +0000

“Given that the right has rewritten ihstory to credit Reagan with the collapse of the USSR (something he was only nominally involved in)”Just who’s rewriting ihstory here? When Reagan came into office, the Soviets were very powerful and they were attempting to advance worldwide. As Reagan left office, the Soviets were already collapsing internally and were on the brink of total disintegration. Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s true: President Reagan, with the help of our allies, really DID bring down the Soviet Union! You see, as a Cold War Veteran, I WATCHED Reagan outmaneuver and outwit the Soviets. I was stationed in Germany just prior to when Reagan gave his famous “Tear down this wall!” speech. I saw the Soviets trying to match our massive increase in military spending and how it negatively affected their economy. I took part in the REFORGER (Return of Forces to Europe ) military exercises that were a part of Reagan’s policies and I saw firsthand how the Soviets would spent massive amounts of money they couldn’t afford trying to run matching exercises. Every time we shifted troops in Europe, the Soviets would shift THEIR troops in response. Every time our Navy ran an exercise, the Soviets would move THEIR fleets to match. The same was true of the two Air Forces. When Reagan announced the creation of SDI, also known as Star Wars, the Soviets went crazy and spent BILLIONS trying to counter a threat that never even existed! That was a brilliant ploy as we never really did anything with SDI other than make announcements about what it will be comprised of. That didn’t prevent the Soviets from wasting billions trying to counter it though, the threat alone was enough. The Soviets destroyed their own economy and their own government trying to match the military “threat” of NATO while the US and the rest of Europe continued with the longest and largest economical expansion in ihstory. Who, other than President Reagan, can be given credit for that?

Comment on Cigar making at Casa del Habano by Nadeen

Nadeen — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 07:09:53 +0000

>I agree that it’s time to give up our no access to Cuba plcoiy. Technically U.S. citizens can travel there legally just not spend money. U.S. gov’t logic at its best.What the embargo is is a 47 year long personal vendetta against Fidel Castro on the part of our gov’t. As far as communist nations go, China has much greater humans rights violations than little Cuba and yet the U.S. gov’t falls all over itself to maintain cozy relations with Beijing.

Comment on Day two by Auth

Auth — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 05:07:13 +0000

the risk are you can be fined 25.000 dollars and a year in jail and loss of your psoapsrt, the chances being denied are ultra slim. i spent 8 days there , dont use a credit card brings lots of new bills small notes, dont buy cigars off the street they are duds only frrom the factory outlet direct

Comment on Turning an aging, crumbling community into a work of art by Isabel

Isabel — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 04:24:54 +0000

It really nanoys me that you guys really are that shallow to believe that Cuba even needs iPads?! I mean it’s probably one of the most respected place on earth in my opinion . And to judge Cuba because of its unpainted buildings and lack of supplies is the outcome of the ignorance and ugliness of america and England and Britain and new Zealand . All of those places are so unhappy that their bad attitudes are like illnesses. Cuba lack material because of the damned embargo, if America could just stand up and actually be the super hero country it calls itself maybe Cuba’s environment could change. But that doesn’t mean try to change the culture or perspectives of people living there. Plus it’s way worse in the ghettos in America then in Cuba. I believe Cuba is so beautiful and amazing that it makes you want to cry and ask whats happen to the rest of the world?! So for once in your life stop judging and do something worthy of yourself. And the worst part is that I’m not even Cuban , I’m from England.