The reason for this is that it is impossible to fly directly from America to Cuba if you are a US citizen. There are a few chartered flights from Miami and New Jersey but these flights are only for people with treasury permission who normally have familial ties with Cuba.

It is strange that America prides itself on its deregulation and its pro-business mentality. And yet they are grinding a very old and outdated axe by stopping the flow of tourists between America and Cuba. Especially since Cuba is now in a period of transition, and will soon no doubt have a much more benign form of communism in the future.

Instead many North Americans are either going to Central and South America for their sunshine, or they are going farther afield to such South-East Asian paradise islands such as Samui Island or Phuket in Thailand. Here they can find rich culture, cheap hotels and friendly people. What is Cuba’s loss is definitely Thailand’s gain.

Those on the right hate the Cuban government, as do Cuba emigres in the USA. Prior to the revolution America regarded Cuba as a play ground for the rich. The people of Cuba watched how American capitalists and gangsters used Cuba to become rich and have fun while they remained poor. The revolution changed all this. Castro and Che Guevara brought a strict form of socialism to the country. Private property was abolished, private business was abolished and the farms were collectivized. To the credit of the regime everyone had access to higher education and good health care.

These are the achievements that the left use to praise Cuba. However, there is no getting away from the fact that Cuba remains a totalitarian state. There is no democracy. The secret police arrest anyone complaining publicly. The communist party spy on their own people.

The situation is made more complicated by outside interference. Russia famously tried to put nuclear warheads in Cuba. The Americans continue to cripple the economy of Cuba with trade sanctions.

Cuba needs to pursue the middle way. They need to keep the egalitarian health and education systems, but at the same time allow more private business and try to foster an entrepreneurial spirit in the people.

Cuba has great natural resources. It needs foreign investment to increase its solar panel coverage; to switch from incandescent light bulbs to CFLs; to install cost saving thermostats; and to generally start a green revolution to replace its former red one. Even without American help such a course could lead to the future prosperity of the country.

Cancer treatment
Have components in them that combat cancer-causing organisms thus lessening the progression or spread of the cancer cells. The status of the immune system plays a big role in dealing with cancer and Cordyceps play a big role in amending the damaged state of the immune status to a better one. When the immune system is able to adjust to the cancerous conditions, then it is going to come up with mechanisms of dealing with the cancer cells. In cases where tumors are constantly growing, Cordyceps medication plays a big role in causing the tumor cells to reduce in size. What Cordyceps does is that it stimulates apoptosis, which is the systematic cell degeneration, which is an important body and cell function.

As an Aphrodisiac
Some individuals in Cuba have been known to use Cordyceps to up their game when it comes to coitus. Those who have low sexual drive usually take Cordyceps because it acts as an aphrodisiac. Since Cuba is a country that has rich culture in entertainment, they will use Cordyceps as an aphrodisiac in order to have more fun during their leisure time.
Other medicinal uses of Cordyceps
• In some cases in Cuba, Cordyceps is used to attempt to halt further liver damage in most patients.
• Another plus on Cordyceps is that it also helps in treating depression because its mushroom has an anti depressant result.

Cuba, for all we know is a small island situated along the Carribean Sea, Gulf of Mexico. It is considered to be the 17^th biggest island in the world. Cuba’s total land area is 110,860 kilometers square and the main capital is Havana. Pico Real del Turquino is considered to be the highest point in Cuba with an estimate of 2005 meters height.

Cuba boasts of splendid beaches and breathtaking colonial architecture that can truly capture any visitor’s interest to keep coming back to this place again and again. The entire culture of Cuba is widely influenced by Latin and Spanish. Cuba have been colonized by the Spanish government which resulted in using Spanish as their official language and most Spanish architecture can be seen all over the country.

Cuban citizens are lovers of various types of music and dances like Cancion, Zapateo, Bolero, Son and Salsa. Nowadays, just like any neighboring countries, this nation is also composed of different populations. A percentage of Cubans are Chinese, while 11% are black, 37% are white and the others contribute the total of 51% which is a combination of black and white known as “mulatto”. The most observed religion in the area is Christianity. Other religious faiths being practiced are Jews, Islam, Protestants and Bahai. Cuba also observes a religious faith called Santeria which is a combination of African religion and Catholicism.

Cuba is one nation that has been a major contributor to our world history. During the World War II for your information, the Cuban government was an ally of the United States. Until now this amazing country continues to be a favored place to hold major worldwide events. If you are more interested to learn about Cuba, its culture and people and planning to visit this wonderful place someday, do search online for the links of websites offering travel guide to tourists. There are various places worthy to go when you are already in Cuba.

Take your time in finding the perfect accommodations and beautiful sceneries to visit in Cuba. Check for the availability of any tourist guides provided by any travel agencies in Cuba to make your visit worthwhile and truly enjoyable.

President Obama and his government have made steps to loosen the restrictions with Cuba announcing recently that students and some religious groups will be allowed to travel to Cuba,  US airports can now offer charter flights to Cuban airports and Cubans living in America can send money home, as long as it is going into the hands of non communists.

All though this is not a great lead forward in terms of the whole problem, it is a step in the right direction for businesses in the USA and Cuba that may wish to trade sometime in the future.  It may mean that more Cubans will be allowed to prosper under a democratic government and all sorts of things will get cheaper and more widely available, from central heating components to medicine to food.  It could be just what the Cuban people need to deliver themselves from a Communist dictatorship.

]]> http://www.encasa-us-cuba.org/is-trade-likely-between-the-us-and-cuba-any-time-soon.html/feed 0 http://www.encasa-us-cuba.org/how-soccer-can-bring-nations-together.html http://www.encasa-us-cuba.org/how-soccer-can-bring-nations-together.html#comments Sun, 15 Jan 2012 03:19:26 +0000 bbbshome http://www.encasa-us-cuba.org/?p=82 Although relations between the US and Cuba are still not always very clear, reasonable or even very easy for most people outside of the world of politics to understand, there is one occasion where representatives from both nations do get to meet, mingle and perhaps even exchange ideas and that is over a soccer ball at the Copa de Oro.

The Copa de Oro is played every 2 years, basically providing a dose of international competition between FIFA World Cup tournaments, which are played every two years. A number of nations from all over the world participate, including Cuba and the US with all the participants basically coming from North America, Central America and the Caribbean. That does mean that South American powerhouses like Argentina and Brazil are not participants at the Copa de Oro and the weaker teams on the international scene get the chance to shine a little and show the world what they can do.

Cuba is not particularly a soccer loving nation, baseball is the real national pastime. However it is not the chosen sport of many US sports fans either, although it has grown in popularity over the last decade or so with the introduction of a national soccer league, the MLS and an improved national team that can now compete with some of the biggest names in the world.

Soccer in Cuba is also developing but at a slower rate. Once more women played the sport than men did but gradually the gentlemen are catching up. Encouragingly their male youth sides, especially their under seventeen side, are doing very well in international competitions, holding their own against “stronger” teams. Therefore the chances are that not too long from now a US/Cuba match up in the Copa de Oro could turn out to be a very interesting meeting indeed.

To get into entry level jobs as an aid worker in Cuba, one must first know that there are 11 million people inhabiting Cuba. With such number of people, it is considered the most populated island in the Caribbean. The people are so diverse with their origins; they consist of the Taino and Ciboney aborigines and the African slaves. Its geographical nearness to the United States and being a former colony of Spain adds to its diversified cultural heritage and customs. It would help for an entry level job aspirant as an aid worker in Cuba to know that the nation has a literacy rate of 99.8% and has a life expectancy (average) of 77.64.

An entry level job aid worker aspirant to Cuba must possess these qualities, among others;

• Focused motivation towards aid work
• Attributes of adaptability and ability to learn quickly

A focused motivation in aid work requires a strong conviction to be separated from one’s family, friends and home to be part of doing aid work in Cuba. Knowing that its government has been accused of a number of human rights violations, including, but not limited to torture, unfair trials, arbitrary detentions and imprisonment as well as extrajudicial executions, which had become famous and known as ‘El Paredon’ should also be considered. It is well-known that, in the nation, citizens are prohibited from leaving or returning without official permission from the government.

Adaptability and ability to learn quickly attributes are an absolute necessity in aid work in Cuba. With its literacy rate of close to a hundred percent and a diverse cultural heritage, one is expected to have a high-level of patience to adapt to the prevailing conditions thereat. In the 1990’s. a report was made by human rights  watch that Cuba has an extensive Jail system consisting of no less than forty maximum security jailhouses and more than two hundred camps for workers. Adaptability and learning quickly of measures to avoid ending up in the jailhouse facility in Cuba are primary requirements in doing entry level aid work in the nation.

As an owner of a website for a hair care product, I am frequently asked, “where can I buy mira hair oil in Cuba?”  Unfortunately, the product is not available in stores so the only delivery option is through the mail, thus making it extremely difficult for Cubans to get a hold of.  One can only hope that shipping between the two countries will improve in the future.

It may not surprise you too much that the idea of a pizza chain was dreamt up by two college kids, brothers Frank and Dan Carney. Together with another friend John Bender, and $600 borrowed from their mother they opened their first pizza store in Wichita, Kansas in 1958. they were so successful that they by 1959 they were able to offer the first Pizza hut franchise opportunities in their home state.

These days there are Pizza Hut restaurants all over the world and in some counties it was Pizza Hut that brought the nation their first taste of American pizza.

Over a quarter of million Cuban households are replacing their inefficient refrigeration appliances with Chinese built Haier fridges.  Unsurprisingly, these exchanges are mandatory. But also worthy of note is that they are not free.

Poor households – of which there is no shortage in Cuba – are being ordered to take out loans from the government in order to pay for their new appliances.  For some people the sums involved are close to a year’s pay.

The reason for this exchange is nominally to improve energy efficiency in the country, which is well known for is ailing power systems. Rolling blackouts are common, and this is one of the methods the government is pursuing to attempt to alleviate the problems.

Comrade Citizens are not all happy with the changes, and the refrigerator reviews are not exactly positive.  The older models – while energy hogs – were very durable, with some households having seen decades of use from them.   Another common complaint is that the newer refrigerators are smaller.  People are upset that they can no longer preserve as much food as they were previously accustomed to.

The old refrigerators are being taken away by the government and turned into another revenue scheme – scrap metal to be sold overseas.  Some find it particularly galling that they are forced to pay for these new refrigerators while the state profits from their old ones.

While the great refrigerator invasion is no Bay of Pigs, it does symptomize the ongoing weakness of the Cuban economy and its utter dependency on sympathetic – and richer – nations in so many different ways.