quote:

---

There is no danger greater than that related to age and to a state of health which I abused during some of the hazardous times I lived through. Nowadays I do what I should be doing, especially reflecting and writing about issues which, to my mind, have some importance and transcendence. I have a lot pending. ... I cannot say or criticize everything that I know, because if I did so, human and international relations would be impossible, and our country cannot do without them. But I shall be true to the motto of never writing a lie.

---

quote:

---

For the present, I do not have time for films and photos that require me to constantly trim my hair, beard, and moustache, and to get dressed up every day.

---

So there won't be any film for people to look at to assess his state of health.

quote:

---

Beijing Declaration 2004
In fact the shocking reality is that the situation has deteriorated further with increasing numbers of people and communities becoming hungry and malnourished. More and more people are threatened by food insecurity. As the ADG and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific Region of FAO underlined in his speech to the NGO/CSO consultation, it is not the lack of food but a question of the poor not having access to food, land and resources. Countries with large numbers of people suffering from hunger and malnutrition are the very countries exporting food in large quantities or storing them in godowns.

This is a direct result of the trade liberalization regime. The emphasis and focus has been food grown for export and not for communities. Furthermore, increased militarization, armed conflicts and wars have devastated the lives of people and aggravated their food insecurity.

---

Capitalism is planned and enforced genocide.

[ 26 May 2007: Message edited by: Fidel ]

quote:

---

For the present, I do not have time for films and photos that require me to constantly trim my hair, beard, and moustache, and to get dressed up every day.

---

I got a bit of a chuckle about this line. If Fidel really were as omnipotent as his enemies make out, shouldn't he be able to say "Hey, I'M the Maximum Leader around here! I ain't gonna trim my beard this week. And I'm sick of this freakin' track suit! Deal with it"?

[ 26 May 2007: Message edited by: Ken Burch ]

[ 26 May 2007: Message edited by: Ken Burch ]

quote:

---

Originally posted by jeff house:
Wow, Fidel-of-Babble!

That was a world-championship change of topic there!

---

What in hell are you on about now ?. Go read Fidel's summary of the FAO report, paragraph one, and get a frigging clue yourself. Are you both "deaf" and abrasive naturally, or does it take practice ?.

[ 26 May 2007: Message edited by: Fidel ]

No need to call names, though. Correcting the mistake would have been sufficient.

[ 26 May 2007: Message edited by: Michelle ]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Fidel:
Well I apologize for the reverse sniping, but it wears thin after a while.

---

So you post his Deep Thoughts, and then we should bother?

Is Fidel Castro's writing required reading? Definitely not.

quote:

---

"Why should we bother?" you ask. Who says you should?

---

Fidel-the-Babbler does, when he begins a thread which simply links to the thoughts of Glorious Leader.

No commentary, just the Leader's thoughts.

And here's a headsup: if anyone posts a thread titled "Kim Il Jong Agrees North Korea is Perfect", I'll consider it an invitation to point out the obvious.

Feel free any time to criticize Fidel Castro on babble.

quote:

---

Originally posted by jeff house:

Fidel-the-Babbler does, when he begins a thread which simply links to the thoughts of Glorious Leader.

---

But can you imagine them - nay, anyone - reading an article by George W. Bush or Stephen Harper?

Fidel Castro's obituary was written almost a year ago by his enemies, impatient for his passing. But he still manages to give them conniptions, while inspiring his compatriots to defend their revolution.

It goes without saying that, for much of the past forty-seven years, the overthrow of Fidel would have mainly made life worse in Cuba, since the U.S. would have insisted on using this overthrow to reimpose the "good ol' days".
Forty-seven years later, MY country's leaders' still haven't given up on this despicable goal.

I'm just saying, it isn't a straight-up Fidel bad/bourgeois elections good proposition.

There's a lot of ambiguity here.

[ 28 May 2007: Message edited by: Ken Burch ]

Jeff, they need democratizing in the Maldives, another imperialist shithole you're far too shy about mentioning let alone the banana republics. Why so focused on Cuba, btw ?. Cubans can see a doctor if they need one, Jeff. And Cubans can afford to see an ophthalmologist and even an audiologist when necessary. Cubans can read and write, too.

quote:

---

Originally posted by HeywoodFloyd:
The thread isn't directly about the FAO report that the Cuban Fidel was talking about in his article. It's about Cuban Fidel talking about himself in his article.

---

Go back and read it again, Evelyn Woods. Fidel mentions his health farther down the page and only because the CIA spooks and front news agencies suck at their jobs. Fidel's mainly concerned with the colossal failure of global capitalism to deliver even one square meal a day to several hundred million human beings and isn't nearly the narcissist you imagine him to be.

[ 29 May 2007: Message edited by: Fidel ]

I like his remark about "reflecting and writing about issues which, to my mind, have some importance and transcendence". This is in contrast to a number of politicians in our part of the world (Lloyd Axeworthy, Jimmy Carter, hell! Even Richard Nixon made some interesting and progressive public statements once he was out of office) who don't seem to be able to find time for such issues until after they leave office.

I expect nothing less than great things from Castro right up until the day he falls over dead.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Fidel:

Go back and read it again, Evelyn Woods. Fidel mentions his health farther down the page and only because the CIA spooks and front news agencies suck at their jobs. Fidel's mainly concerned with the colossal failure of global capitalism to deliver even one square meal a day to several hundred million human beings and isn't nearly the narcissist you imagine him to be.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Michelle:
Jeff is talking about Cuba because the thread is about Cuba. If you want to talk about the Maldives, start a thread about it.

---

Close but no cigar. I have no idea what Jeff's alternate topic of discussion is about, but it has nothing to do with the original post. Jeff started out discussing the secondary subject matter of Fidel's letter, his personal health. But then Jeff veered off into the rhubarb by stating his personal dissatisfaction with the thread topic entirely. My ten year-old nephew sometimes does this, and that's okay, because he has not yet developed an ability to converse on an adult level. His interests are wide and varied. We expect great things from him though.

And if we want to be technical about it, the thread topic is not about Cuba. Not really. N. Beltov's tongue-in-cheek thread title says it all. A few of us are "listening" to what Fidel has to say.

[ 29 May 2007: Message edited by: Fidel ]