Cuba

Wow. How can I capitalize?
Seems like it could be a good time to send over a few container ship loads of Ford F-150's...if I knew how.

It's about time we ended our silly embargo. The business angle very well may be to export old american iron from Cuba back to the U.S. I figure they may want o buy some new cars down there.

Import 50's Chebbies to the US FTW

T.J. wrote: It's about time we ended our silly embargo. The business angle very well may be to export old american iron from Cuba back to the U.S. I figure they may want to buy some new cars down there that aren't Russian or Chinese junk.

FTFY

true is most of those sweet old classic cars will now be gones within 6 months

Love the move, but don't think that "island finds" are going to replace barn finds now

I just hope that eco tourism takes hold opposed to massive resorts and casinos. I haven't been there since 1999 but it's a beautiful, largely unspoiled country. It's not lightly populated by any means and there is pollution, but the development isn't the sprawl that you see through the rest of the Caribbean (sans Dominican and Jamaica). Also it's home to the best fishing in the world, bar none.

http://youtu.be/SNnKnens2xc

very cool video that I can't believe never went viral

Miami Cubans are going nuts- The really loud crazy ones do NOT want the changes. About everybody else in Dade county approves. In Ft. Lauderdale, it's like "What??" As in, so what. Now we try to figure out what we can sell them.

The embargo is not over. And won't be for a while.

JohnRW1621 wrote: Wow. How can I capitalize? Seems like it could be a good time to send over a few container ship loads of Ford F-150's...if I knew how.

It's not that hard, I was helping a guy send parts to Guatemala for a while. It would be a good idea to cut up some trucks and fill the beds of the whole trucks with important bits. The were sending front cuts of Corollas and small trucks because new cars and parts were hard to get.

Kia_Racer wrote: The embargo is not over. And won't be for a while.

^^^ This

The embargo can only be completely lifted by Congress. What has been done is a "relaxation" that may, or may not, lead to other things.

We have similar arrangements with other nations, i.e., China, that have dubious human rights records. It is a bit hard to digest, though, because Cuba is officially listed a state sponsor of terrorism.

I'd love to go diving there as soon as the travel ban is lifted. Will have to brush up on my Espanol.

In reply to oldsaw:

That was back when we thought terrorists were from central america and part of drug cartels instead of middle eastern people with funny hats.

oldsaw wrote:

Kia_Racer wrote: The embargo is not over. And won't be for a while.

^^^ This The embargo can only be completely lifted by Congress. What has been done is a "relaxation" that may, or may not, lead to other things. We have similar arrangements with other nations, i.e., China, that have dubious human rights records. It is a bit hard to digest, though, because Cuba is officially listed a state sponsor of terrorism.

Is Saudi Arabia? I honestly don't know, but I know their human rights record is also pretty bad, but we've never had a problem buying their oil.

I'm in the "It's about time" camp, as well. Whatever goal isolation was supposed to accomplish, it's had more than 50 years to happen. And it's not like we need to worry about Soviet missiles there anymore.....

I’ve long thought the isolation was counterproductive to both countries interests but why now, what changed.

I wonder if sub $60 oil and the crushing effect it’s having on Russia drove the calculus towards improving our relations.

Either way, if this plays out, other Caribbean countries are going to see a reduction in tourism so I bet they’re not happy.

In reply to RX Reven':

Atlantis in the Bahamas is in trouble, Behia Marr is set to open in April and now this.

I hope the government keeps in place some of its authoritarian policies that keep Cuba so safe and 20% of its territory protected.

Maybe some day I'll be able to retire there.

To me this whole thing was a pissing contest that has gone on for far too long. Time to end... I hear they have some absolutely spectacular beaches.

From what i hear no one there has enough money to buy anything from us. I think it's much more likely that when the embargo slacks up (and it will, but may not end completely) the Cubans will be the ones making money off of us as tourists, not the other way around.

Now, if you can figure out how to build a resort there, buy some beachfront land, or run a dive charter service without their government taking all your money - THAT might be a gold mine.

I really do want to go. Every Tony Bourdain - type show I see makes it look like a great place to visit.

I think it's a combination of things. A little reading reveals that Pope Francis and the Canadians have been the negotiators between the sides. Obama being a lame duck is a big one. Both sides have been afraid that anything pro-Cuba would lose them Florida, and that's not really an issue for him. It does put a pretty interesting twist on the R side for the next election as two big names are Jeb Bush and Mark Rubio, both of who are pretty well entrenched as anti-Cuba. I think a major election issue may have just been created. Interesting.
Lastly, Russia is in no shape to muck about with Cuba right now. Their diplomatic reach is pretty short and their economic clout outside of countries that buy oil from them is nonexistent.

captdownshift wrote: In reply to RX Reven': Atlantis in the Bahamas is in trouble, Behia Marr is set to open in April and now this.

The commercials for the Atlantis show a huge swimming pool with statues scattered around on the bottom.

I wonder how many drunk guys get snarled up in that stuff requiring their bodies to be fished out by the grounds keepers.

Check out our pool…it’s like a corn maze only better because you’re hammered and can’t breathe until you find the exit.

Regarding the cars: I am pretty sure 98% of the country could not afford a bottom line KIA much less an F150.

"The average state salary in Cuba rose 1 percent in 2013 to 471 pesos ($20) a month..."

From what I have heard, most of the 50's cars down there are very serious hack jobs. As in anything they can do, very cheaply, to keep them rolling. Converting them to 4 cylinder diesels etc.

I always found it funny (in a sad way) that the haters of Cuba and Castro love the embargo etc. It's not like the communist leaders there are suffering because of it. That sort of thing rolls downhill.

I don't think you'll find much to like about those old 50's cars that are there. There may be a few exceptions, but most were kept because it was the only mode of transportation. With no availability of new parts they've been beat up, rode hard, and jury-rigged to the nth degree. Not sure a 50's Chevy or Chrysler with all the chrome gone or wrinkled, interior made of rattan, a Lada engine, and without a single stretch of straight sheet metal is going to be economically restorable.

im just in it for the cigars

I agree edizzle89, I want cheap, legal Cuban cigars at Walmart.

Seriously, if we're putting an embassy back in Havana, and making it easy to use Amex, M/C and VISA cards in country, and encouraging US tourism, then the hotels and casinos will surely follow, and Barry Manilow's career will be revived. Also, how about an F1 race without fear of the star driver being kidnapped by rebels?