Jacksonville, Florida is the largest city in the continental U.S. – about 900-square miles.  As a result, there’s not a lot of city-wide activities.  Most things are handled at what I would call a community level.

Last night, I attended a writer’s group meeting at a public library that serves the Southside area of town.  I could hardly hear the speaker because of the noise coming from the next room – it was a rally of Huckabee supporters.  There appeared to be about 100 folks in the room, and they were very enthusiastic.

What will they do when they realize the RNC won’t recognize all of Florida’s delegates?

That’s the headline on a story from Saskatchewan. It seems a snowbound Canadian wants to go on a tropical vacation – which means Cuba – but, sigh, there are concerns.

But there are important considerations involved in deciding to pour one’s vacation dollars into a country with such a despicable human-rights record. For me, this is a serious issue. My Tri-City News debating opponent Mary Woo Sims, however, seems more concerned about the U.S. embargo on the country than about the scores of Cubans rotting in jail because they dared criticize the communist regime.

As usual, the comments are the most interesting thing – read it all.

Update – there’s more at Babalublog.

A lot of folks believe there is really an effective embargo against Cuba.  Some even follow fidel’s assertion and call it a blockade.  Look, then, at this from the International Herald Tribune.

Wearing a Santa suit and a wide grin, a wealthy Florida rancher doled out sneakers and sweets to Cuban children on Sunday, bringing holiday cheer to this communist-run island where the Christmas season goes largely unobserved.

About 150 kids ages 5 to 15 shrieked with pleasure, applauded and shouted “Viva Santa Claus!” as John Parke Wright tottered into an auditorium at a Roman Catholic convent on Havana’s eastern outskirts.

“Feliz Navidad!” he bellowed, Spanish for “Merry Christmas!”

My emotions were mixed as I read this.  I was glad a group of Cuban kids learned the joys of Santa, but I suspected something else was up.  And, of course it was.

Washington’s embargo prohibits most U.S.-Cuba trade but allows some sales of U.S. agricultural products, and Wright travels to the island several times a year to represent his cattle business.

An outspoken critic of the embargo, Wright paid for the goodies he gave away and also donated baseball gloves, balls and caps to players for two little league teams he organized. His visit was not officially sanctioned by Havana, but ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro’s nephew Angel Ramon Castro was on hand for the giveaway.

So an embargo critic is visiting Cuba – I’m sure with the idea that he can drive up demand for his products.  Well, he won’t in the way we would think.  Cuba is a communist dictatorship that pays no attention to market forces and the demands of consumers.  Wright’s mission was obviously to gain favor with the regime, as it is the regime that determines what products are imported.

In fact, Robert has written extensively on the antics of Mr. Wright over at Babalublog. Take a look. 

On the old site, I made numerous posts on the embargo and how it is full of holes that actually help prop up the dictatorship.  On this new site, I can make the embargo a category, so here is a list of the old posts for your review.

So, You Still Think There’s An Embargo, XXXII
Political parties don’t matter – it’s all about buying your constituents’ votes   Tuesday, March 27, 2007   By: Juan Paxety

So, You Still Think There’s An Embargo – XXXI
Some folks in Washington think there is   Friday, December 22, 2006   By: Juan Paxety

So, You Still Think There’s An Embargo, XXX
Calls for its end from a fidel apologist   Monday, November 20, 2006   By: Juan Paxety

So, You Still Think There’s An Embargo – XXIX
raul offers the embargo busters hope   Wednesday, August 23, 2006   By: Juan Paxety

So, You Still Think There’s An Embargo, XXVIII
Nebraska goes back for more – this time selling pork   Thursday, April 20, 2006   By: Juan Paxety

So, You Still Think There’s An Embargo Of Cuba – XXVIII
US-Cuba Trade Association wants regional chapters across Florida   Monday, April 10, 2006   By: Juan Paxety

So, You Still Think There’s An Embargo – XXVII
US-Cuba Trade Association still trying harder   Tuesday, April 04, 2006   By: Juan Paxety

So, you still think there’s an embargo of Cuba – XXVI
Southern Illinios University makes a trip   Monday, March 13, 2006   By: Juan Paxety

Kirby Jones – Portrait Of An Appeaser
The president of Alamar and the US-Cuba Trade Association has a long history   Friday, February 03, 2006   By: Juan Paxety

So, You Still Think There’s An Embargo – XXIV
Now the oil companies stake their claim   Thursday, February 02, 2006   By: Juan Paxety

So, You Still Think There’s An Embargo – XXIII
Maine’s Governor visits the island paradise   Monday, December 12, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

So, You Still Think There’s An Embargo – XXII
Now it’s Maine – plus a couple of New York women think there’s a blockade   Tuesday, December 06, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

So, You Still Think There’s An Embargo – XXI
Cuba holds a trade fair   Monday, November 21, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

So, You Still Think There’s An Embargo – XX
Transportation bill stalls over Cuba   Friday, November 11, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

So, You Still Think There’s An Embargo – XIX
Now it’s North Dakota joining in   Monday, November 07, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

So, You Still Think There’s An Embargo, XVIII
The return of Heineman   Tuesday, October 25, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

So, You Still Think There’s An Embargo – XVII
$17-million for Nebraska   Wednesday, August 17, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

So, You Still Think There’s An Embargo – XVI
More on those Vermont cows   Tuesday, August 09, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

So, You Still Think There’s An Embargo – XV
More on Nebraska’s upcoming trade trip   Monday, August 08, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

So You Still Think There’s An Embargo – XIV
Vermont cows to Cuba   Wednesday, August 03, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

So, You Still Think There’s An Embargo, XIII
Now its Nebraska’s turn   Tuesday, July 26, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

So, You Still Think There’s An Embarbo, XII
Another Louisiana trip   Tuesday, July 19, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

So You Still Think There’s An Embargo – XI
Now it’s Texas   Wednesday, July 06, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

So You Still Think There’s An Embargo, X
More corporate welfare on the horizon   Thursday, June 23, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

So You Still Think There’s An Embargo, IX
Congressional Committee Acts   Wednesday, June 22, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

So, You Still Think There’s An Embargo,VIII
Farm Aid for fidel   Monday, June 06, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

So, You Still Think There’s An Embargo – VII
Canoer on rafters   Friday, May 27, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

So You Still Think There’s An Embargo, VI
Now there’s Vermont   Thursday, May 05, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

So You Still Think There’s An Embargo, V
The U.S.- Cuba Trade Association   Wednesday, April 27, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

So, You Still Think There’s An Embarbo, IV
Now California joins the herd   Thursday, March 03, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

So You Still Think There’s An Embargo, III
Complaints from Indiana   Monday, February 28, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

So You Still Think There’s An Embargo, II
   Friday, February 18, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

So You Still Think There’s An Embargo
Cuba is now 25th   Wednesday, February 16, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

Meanwhile, all the old posts on Cuba are archived here. 

One wonderful thing about moving to WordPress is that hate mail has increased. For instance, my post on Cuba’s energy shortages here.

I pointed out that Carlos Lege spent Christmas touring oil facilities and complaining that Cuba lacked enough energy. I pointed out that Cuba sent its doctors to Venezuela in exchange for oil – made deals with the Indians, Chinese and Canadians for exploiting it’s own oil – and still there is not enough energy.

Reader Russell Tarbet responded from Australia, and in the manner of dictator appeasers everywhere he begins his reply this way:

How sad, HOW VERY SAD, that u are so stupid, ignorant and plain and simple mind-fucked that you beleive, I mean honestly beleive that Lege is not concerned with “Normal life.”

Name calling rather than examples – invectives rather than argument. Thank you for reading, Russell, and please come back.