<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <title></title> </head> <body> Actually, I was thinking of spending my retirement in Cuba, assuming it remains a socialist country. I have no ticket at the moment because my "free" country will fine me upward of $75,000 for going. Joanna Szechuan Death wrote: <blockquote type="cite" cite="mid43AABFF3.10307@sdeath.net"> <pre wrap="">joanna wrote: </pre> <blockquote type="cite"> <pre wrap="">Yes. Interesting. I could ask Mr. Death how it is that leftist statist Cuba manages to get through Hurricanes with minimal deaths or injuries...but never mind. </pre> </blockquote> <pre wrap=""> Indeed, I agree that Cuba's record of hurricane safety is excellent, with its evacuations of affected social subunits thoroughly efficient and unmarred by any messy individual concerns, and without death or injury (naturally). Of course, hurricane damage and death has nothing to do with the relative number of hurricanes striking Cuba versus, say, the entire Gulf Coast of the United States. I also expect that this is why I just read about the massive emigration push to Cuba from stricken areas in Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas; people have just finally gotten tired of living in an uncaring shithole and have decided to move to a paradise where they will be taken care of properly. Why, that marvelous engine of human progress has been prosperously self-sufficient for decades, so it will be a remarkably good deal for those who move. (Ignore those 1500 attempted boat crossings from Cuba to Florida in 2004; those are, of course, evil propaganda lies fabricated to make Fidel look bad. Che lives!) Well? I'm curious - what's the date on *your* airline ticket to Havana? Does anybody here have such a ticket? A voucher for entry into a state-owned retirement home, or an invitation to a cushy job in a state work camp? Why, if it's Shangri-La, then... why not? That would certainly make a statement, don't you think? "Screw you guys, I'm going home"? "I do not want to move to Cuba because: __________." What goes in that blank? </pre> </blockquote> </body> </html>