http://blog.tommycuba.com/index.php Copyright 2012, Thomas Thomas en-US SPHPBLOG 0.5.1 http://blog.tommycuba.com/index.php?entry=entry110510-235947
I haven't posted since October last year. There hasn't been any progress to write about...until today. President Raul Castro is allowing Cuban citizens to once again leave the confines of their majestic island and freely travel and explore this magnificent world. I use the term "freely travel' but the experience won't come cheap. Cubans will have to pony up some hard cash to pay for the travel paper-work and documents that will allow them to temporarily leave the island. But I'm thinking that the opportunity will be worth the cost. It's another baby step towards Cuba joining the 21st Century. The world awaits you with open arms...as long as you share with your fellow Cubans your travel adventures. Help build the excitement.


TommyCuba.com]]> http://blog.tommycuba.com/index.php?entry=entry110510-235947 Thomas Wed, 11 May 2011 03:59:47 GMT http://blog.tommycuba.com/index.php?entry=entry101027-155251
The United Nations has once again, in a mostly symbolic measure, voted 187 - 2 for the USA to end her devastating economic, financial and commercial embargo against Cuba. Only the USA and Israel voted to maintain the decades-long status quo.

I'm hoping for some positive action from the USA after the mid-terms.

TommyCuba.com]]> http://blog.tommycuba.com/index.php?entry=entry101027-155251 Thomas Wed, 27 Oct 2010 19:52:51 GMT http://blog.tommycuba.com/index.php?entry=entry100828-150744
I wonder how long big business has been knocking on the bureaucratic door for them to get this nice little tit-bit thrown their way. A new free-market decree, effective immediately, allowing foreign investors secured 99 year land leases. I'm ok with it as long as all the money flows through the Cuban economy before exiting.

But what I really like is this other free-market decree that "reduces state control on small business...signals a major expansion of self-employment rules." I've been a self-employed small-business since 1971. There's nothing like the freedom, happiness and satisfaction in running your own business. My hope is that all Cuban business people will soon get to enjoy business as I do. Honest with no strings.

TommyCuba.com]]> http://blog.tommycuba.com/index.php?entry=entry100828-150744 Thomas Sat, 28 Aug 2010 19:07:44 GMT http://blog.tommycuba.com/index.php?entry=entry100820-124421
Back in May I wrote about the current credible rumors circulating regarding the lifting of travel restrictions between America and Cuba. The results of those rumors are now becoming apparent as Cuba empties her prisons of long suffering opposition voices and America allows more leeway for people-to-people contacts. The winds of change are blowing, albeit just a breeze.

Meanwhile I continue to hear exhilarating stories from excited travelers who have recently returned from Cuba. They gush and marvel at the natural beauty, warmth of the people and value for the travel dollar.

We all know that if Americans were allowed to legally travel to Cuba, the yearly number of visitors to the island would double. And we also know the strength of the American travel dollar as it equates to a nation's economy.

The lifting of the travel ban is a win-win for everyone.

TommyCuba.com]]> http://blog.tommycuba.com/index.php?entry=entry100820-124421 Thomas Fri, 20 Aug 2010 16:44:21 GMT http://blog.tommycuba.com/index.php?entry=entry100605-152030
I was in Italy recently where I met a group of very unusual teenagers who were all attending high school in Rome. They were the sons and daughters of distinguished diplomats and wealthy capitalists from all over the world.

What makes these kids so remarkable is the fact that rather than simply kicking back and enjoying the very comfortable life that their parents have provided, they have instead chosen to combine their families influence, power and connections to advance world peace.

They call themselves The Dipz, the shadow diplomats, and are world-class fixers; problem solvers who prefer toiling behind the scenes and out of the limelight. They know that is where the real work takes place.

I asked if I could write a series of short stories about their unique group and chronicle some of their more exciting adventures. Permission was granted as long as I changed their identities and donated part of the proceeds to one of their preferred charities.

Both conditions I readily agreed to.

So visit TommyBooks.com if you enjoy incredible stories about phenomenal kids. You'll be glad you did.

TommyCuba.com & TommyBooks.com]]> http://blog.tommycuba.com/index.php?entry=entry100605-152030 Thomas Sat, 05 Jun 2010 19:20:30 GMT http://blog.tommycuba.com/index.php?entry=entry100524-153907
After months of hanging limp the banner for lifting travel restrictions is once again flapping in the winds of change. The Cuba blogosphere is hot with rumors of the imminent lifting of all travel restrictions between the USA and Cuba. Though nothing is signed the mood amongst all parties is one of mutual optimism that the multi-generational travel embargo will soon be a distant memory as Cubans happily start surfing the Maverick size waves of American tour and travel dollars.

TommyCuba.com]]> http://blog.tommycuba.com/index.php?entry=entry100524-153907 Thomas Mon, 24 May 2010 19:39:07 GMT http://blog.tommycuba.com/index.php?entry=entry100314-191353
This is my first blog of the new year. The reason it has taken me so long to write is because I've been concentrating on a new website for my 96 year-old mother.

My mother is the consummate people watcher. She has been all of her life. But lately she hasn't been getting out as much as she use to and I could tell that she was missing the peoplewatching action. So I thought about bringing the people to her. I went with my video camera to some of the best peoplewatching neighborhoods of Los Angeles and shot colorful video. I then played the video for my mother...and she absolutely loved it.

We created PeoplewatchingVideos.com because we knew that there are other peolplewatchers around the world who would also enjoy watching these videos.

So click on a neighborhood and play a video for your favorite peoplewatcher. You'll be glad you did.

TommyCuba.com
]]> http://blog.tommycuba.com/index.php?entry=entry100314-191353 Thomas Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:13:53 GMT http://blog.tommycuba.com/index.php?entry=entry091213-165257
Cuba demonstrated her impatience with the progress of the normalization talks between the US and the island nation yesterday by arresting a US contractor who, with the Cuban governments aproval, had been distributing cellphones and laptop computers to Cubans.

I figure that the US has been distracted by Afghanistan and the domestic health care issue and has not been devoting a 100% effort to finalizing a new trade agreement with Cuba. So Cuba arrested this contractor to get the US's attention. Let's see what transpires next. Possibly a new trade agreement?

TommyCuba.com]]> http://blog.tommycuba.com/index.php?entry=entry091213-165257 Thomas Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:52:57 GMT http://blog.tommycuba.com/index.php?entry=entry091209-232443
The Committee To Protect Journalists, an American journalist watchdog group, has called for an end to the harassment of bloggers and journalists in Cuba. The Internet is almost non-existent in Cuba...only 2% of the Cuban population have cell phones; 11% have land lines...so it's remarkable that there's any blogs coming out of the island at all. And then besides the difficulty getting online, the bloggers have to deal with constant government harassment and intimidation. Thus the watchdog group vocally supporting journalistic freedom on the island.

TommyCuba.com]]> http://blog.tommycuba.com/index.php?entry=entry091209-232443 Thomas Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:24:43 GMT http://blog.tommycuba.com/index.php?entry=entry091203-114558
An op-ed piece in the LA Times called on the Obama administration to cancel the four decades old failed US policy of travel and trade restrictions between the US and Cuba. The editor instead proposes a new user-friendly policy based on the time tested Watts riots philosophy of "Can't we all get along?" Dangle a carrot at the end of the stick rather than continuously beating them over the head with the stick (which after 40 plus years hasn't produced the desired result). They say we should try something else...and I couldn't agree more.

TommyCuba.com]]> http://blog.tommycuba.com/index.php?entry=entry091203-114558 Thomas Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:45:58 GMT