Counting down the days until Cuba opens up
Pirat...@aol.com
Cubans line up to buy their first legal PCs
Perhaps the days of looking at Cuba as the island that technology forgot are beginning to wane.
Late last month, President Raul Castro's government lifted the ban on ordinary citizens from owning a cell phone and getting cell service, a right previously limited to executives working for foreign companies or high communist party officials. DVD players, motorbikes, and plug-in pressure cookers also went on sale for the first time.
Now, citizens of the communist-controlled country can for the first time be the proud legal owners of a desktop computer, according to an Associated Press report. More than a dozen prospective buyers were lined up Friday outside Havana's state-run Carlos III shopping center for a chance to buy the tower-style Qtech PC and CRT monitor for $780, according to the report.
However, like the 50-year-old cars that roam Cuba's streets, the PCs are near relics of yesteryear, boasting Intel Celeron processors with a 80GB hard drive and 512MB of RAM and running Microsoft's Windows XP operating system. (However, I know a few people who would call the Cubans lucky for not being subjected to Windows Vista.) The report notes that buyers in the U.S. can buy a computer with twice the memory, a 80GB SATA hard drive, and 22-inch LCD flat-screen monitor for less money.
But don't expect to start surfing Cubans' blogs about what it's like to collect a state monthly salary of about $20 anytime soon; most of these PCs will not be allowed connections to the Internet, according to the report. Only trusted officials and state journalists are allowed access to the Web.
However, like many things forbidden by the state, computers and even e-mail services have been available to Cubans on the black market, according to the report.
--PirateJohn--
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Danny T
Been a while since I posted anything here. Thanks John for keeping the
light on
The thing about Cuba that most people here don't understand is that
the US is bound by a treaty to leave them alone. The only thing they
can legally do to push them around is an embargo (that doesn't make
any since in real life but sounds good to those that don't know Canada
and Germany are in business big time there)
IF anyone wants to go to Cuba and have a great time "legally" they
need to get their congress reps tired about hearing about it. We need
to re-write a treaty to get rid of the old one.
We use to be able to sail over there but those days ended about 5
years ago. YOu can still go to Mexico or The Bahamas and then go to
Cuba from there. The officials stamp a piece of paper and put that in
the passport so it can be removed upon leaving..... THEY don't care.
They love the american dollar!
SInce I am a licensed captain, you know I never actually went there 4
times ;-) because I could lose my license........ (in case any
enforcement agencies are dropping in)
Just thought I'd say hey and help motivate anyone that might want to
help a good cause. Cuba has the nicest real estate in the Caribbean
that I have ever seen! I mean in pictures of course (bite me G-man)
Danny
PS - If you thought the Bahamas had nice beaches......................
and the ron (rum) is most excellent!
> Posted by _Steven Musil_
> (http://www.news.com/8300-10784_3-7.html?authorId=139) | _15 comments_
> (http://www.news.com/5208-10784_3-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=37328&star...)
> Perhaps the days of looking at Cuba as the island that technology forgot are
> beginning to wane.
>
> ordinary citizens from owning a cell phone_
> (http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9905518-7.html) and getting cell service, a right previously limited to
> players, motorbikes, and plug-in pressure cookers also went on sale for the first
> time.
> Now, citizens of the communist-controlled country can for the first time be
> Press report_
> (http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gG4bvAubvtUQd99TVnEOPW_CdpuQD90E1DQO0) . More than a dozen prospective buyers were lined up Friday outside
> tower-style Qtech PC and CRT monitor for $780, according to the report.
> However, like the 50-year-old cars that roam Cuba's streets, the PCs are near
> relics of yesteryear, boasting Intel Celeron processors with a 80GB hard
> drive and 512MB of RAM and running Microsoft's Windows XP operating system.
> (However, I know a few people who would call the Cubans lucky for not being
> subjected to Windows Vista.) The report notes that buyers in the U.S. can buy a
> computer with twice the memory, a 80GB SATA hard drive, and 22-inch LCD
> flat-screen monitor for less money.
> But don't expect to start surfing Cubans' blogs about what it's like to
> collect a state monthly salary of about $20 anytime soon; most of these PCs will
> not be allowed connections to the Internet, according to the report. Only
> trusted officials and state journalists are allowed access to the Web.
> However, like many things forbidden by the state, computers and even e-mail
> services have been available to Cubans on the black market, according to the
> report.
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> --PirateJohn--
> *NEW* blog)
> _http://www.PirateJohn.com_(http://www.PirateJohn.com) (my website)
> _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HumourList/_
> (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HumourList/) (the infamous joke list)
>
> Enjoy!
>
> **************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family
> favorites at AOL Food.
> (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001)