Whoopee!

My goodness the "transition" is begining. Tropical Perestroika is in full bloom in Havana.

There’s a news story going around that Raúl is going to allow the purchase of computers and dvd’s.

Whoopee!

Computers?

Let’s see, there’s only one official importer, seller and price setter on the island: Raúl. And according to the above referenced news article, the markup for a computer would be set by law at 240%-thank God they're communists and not bloodsucking, protalitarian exploiting capitalists becuase Wal-Mart, a bloodsucking, protalitarian exploiting capitalist company, for example, would charge something like $750 for a decent no frills home system. Plus a 240% markup, that would run it up to $1,800. That’s 10.71 times the average ANNUAL salary of an ordinary Cuban with no access to hard currency. That means a person would have to work almost 11 years – without spending anything on room and board, clothes or personal hygene , just to buy a computer. Forget having a love interest-that’s expensive and impossible if you're not spending anything on hygene and you live in Cuba-Cubanas don't play that.

In the US, it would be the equivalent of a $321,000 machine. I have on a those-a house.

But let’s assume that your tia Cuca in Hialeah sends you $1,800 she won in a beauty contest, (She's Hot-looks like your Dad but with curves and hair), and you get a new computer. What are you going to do with it? Run personal finance software? Play Call of Duty III? Play Doom?-wait, that’s not a game-that’s your reality. There’s no internet access because Raúl, (remember him?), is the only ISP on the island and he and his pal Ramiro don’t want you surfing the web and being deceived and tempted by the siren song of a bunch of bloodsucking, protalitarian exploiting capitalists who are only interested in tricking you into spending $14 monthly salary on bad porno and assorted hiny things.

And how about software? You can’t buy American software, like Windows, down there because of the embargo. Oh, what am I thinking? Raúl, (remember him?), is the law and he’s OK with piracy and violating intellectual property laws as long as he can sell it to you for a 240% markup to prevent you from being exploited by the bloodsucking, protalitarian exploiting capitalist, Bill Gates.

Like I said, Whoopee!

Oh and get a surge protector a real good one-a UPS- that's another year of work.

sorry for the "descarga".

Tomorrow is Friday and I will try to post something positive.