0sit0 Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 Hey there! well if you know me, you know im cuban and that ive been here in Miami for about... 5 years. Well I just read this article and wanted to share it with you. I remember when i lived in Cuba, sometimes i could see channels from Miami and Puerto Rico, it was awesome cuz Cuba has only 3 channels which work some hours in the morning and some hours in the night, and 95% of the things they put there is political stuff, very very very boring and BORING hehe. When i read the part of the woman that says she saw the ads of Pizza delieved to your door, and the restarurants part i almost cried, cuz is true, in Cuba they dont know what is a McDonalds, Burguer King or anything like that, they are even forbidden to use the internet or have a computer at home :( so now you see why i came here ? Anyway, i want you to read the article and comment about it! Cubans surprised by U.S. TV access - by fluke or by designBY TRACEY EATON The Dallas Morning News HAVANA, Cuba - (KRT) - At the end of May, Rosa Hernandez made an astounding discovery: She turned on her television and saw that she suddenly had access to nearly 70 American television channels. "I'm happy," the 56-year-old homemaker said. "There are so many interesting programs. But I haven't been getting much sleep. "(The next day) I went to bed at 6 in the morning." She's not alone. In parts of Havana and along the northern coast, the unexpected appearance of American television programs is turning Cubans into devoted couch potatoes who spend marathon sessions in front of the tube. Some Cubans say unusually clear weather triggered the phenomenon. Others, after hearing last month that George Bush was stepping up plans to try to topple Fidel Castro, say the U.S. president must be to blame. Whatever the cause, Cubans don't want the TV bonanza to end. "I get 127 channels," said Alicia Espinosa, 31, a homemaker in Alamar, a sprawling jumble of concrete-block apartments east of Havana. "I watch all the shows I want." One of her favorites is "Cristina," a popular Spanish-language talk show hosted by Cuban-born Cristina Saralegui. Others like to watch "Sabado Gigante," or "Giant Saturday," a long-running Spanish-language variety show featuring Don Francisco. The Chilean show, popular all over Latin America, features scantily clad women, comedy, songs and amateur acts. It's a lot more alluring than typical Cuban fare, many viewers say. The socialist government operates just four tightly controlled TV channels, which often broadcast tedious political discussions and speeches, black-and-white documentaries on the Cuban revolution, and language, math and geography lessons. Castro supporters say Cuban TV is more enlightening than American television because it tries to educate viewers about not only politics, but also culture, music, sports and health. But many Cubans want more than that, said Camila Ruiz, Washington, D.C., director of the Cuban American National Foundation, an influential anti-Castro lobbying group. "Cubans have a thirst for information," she said. "They've been censored so much. So when they get a window like that, they take advantage of it." Some Cubans are convinced that the sudden deluge of American television programming is the handiwork of the Bush administration, which last month announced tough new measures aimed at toppling Fidel Castro. One of those measures involves deploying a C-130 Commando Solo, a $70 million plane and airborne platform that will send radio and television transmissions into Cuba. U.S. officials denied Thursday that C-130 flights had allowed Cubans to see the American television shows. They wouldn't comment on whether or when the plane will be deployed. Two Cuban officials who requested anonymity said freakishly clear weather in recent days - and not the C-130 - allowed Cubans to watch American programs. And it has happened in years past, they said, but they couldn't recall such a long string of days with steady access to Americana. Lina Jimenez, 45, an economist in Alamar, says she doesn't care about the cause. She wants to be entertained. "Friday and Saturday I spent all day in bed watching television," she said. "I love the soap operas. "But I've been watching everything. I've seen game shows where people win $1,000 for answering easy questions. I've seen commercials for pizza delivered right to your house. Restaurants that sell huge cups of refreshments and French fries for just 99 cents." Down a few floors was her neighbor, Edith Lauzao, 63, a homemaker. "I like action movies," she said. "And I like seeing all the beautiful things, pretty cars, new houses. You see things on American television that you don't see here." She flipped through the channels, skipping past "The Young and the Restless" and settling for a moment on a Denny's commercial for its $4.99 special. "There are too many ads," she said. "They come on all the time and interrupt the show. But I watch them anyway." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laz45 Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 Cool man im cuban too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0sit0 Posted June 5, 2004 Author Share Posted June 5, 2004 cool ive seen some cubans around the board also :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JorgeIvan Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 Soy De Puerto Rico!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laz45 Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 Alot of people i know in Havana use satellite dishes with Directv receivers to get american channels too and they get like 800 channels :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Projectile Vomit Chick Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 i've been to Cuba. beautiful place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivand Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 I've been there too, beautiful but only if you are a tourist. The country is so opressed and censored, I feel bad for them, Thanks god you get out from there XP-RTM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt74441 Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 [Removed] :ninja: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 Wow, very very interesting..!! :D I wonder how did you manage to get out of Cuba, XP-RTM? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cubano Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 Hey I am Cuban also, nice article. And laz, yeah, they sure do use sine dishes out there, and all with stolen cards, its pretty funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiegel Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 im spanish, but not from cuba or puerto rico im from a country in south america ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soviet Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 My uncle was from Cuba.. Married into the family. No idea what happend to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CuI3aNo Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 Hey I am Cuban also, nice article. And laz, yeah, they sure do use sine dishes out there, and all with stolen cards, its pretty funny. YOU!!! TU TIENES MI NOMBRE!!! ARRHHH!!! PINGA!!! menos mal que ello no pueden leer esto lol. Any ways, what I hear from my family in cuba now is that they only got 2 channels. And Channel one is Fidel, and when you flip guess WHAT! its FIDEL!! yeah. I remember i was like 5 and all i watched was cartoons. then at 12 the TVs went into static untill 6 or 7 in the morning. And the electricity went out. City wide every once or twice in a week. We as cubans don't watch much TV becuase we're more physical people. ALWAYS OUTSIDE. Go to Miami and you'll see. And we love the liquor, even though I'm not legal to drink, when I visit Cuba, age doesn't matter. Parties everynight and work in the morning. I'm getting off topic here, O well. I was reading the other day about Cuban scientist finding cures for Cancer, HIV/AIDS etc... Tuesday, Jun 1, 2004, 12:22 pm ESTCuba`s Biotechnology Success a Showcase to The World Bernama ----------------------------- KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 (Bernama) -- Cuba, which gives the world marvellous cigars and Salsa music that mesmerized music lovers for decades,is now offering vaccines to heal the sick. The Caribbean nation is now exporting sophisticated medical drugs produced using genetic engineering to cure fatal and infectious tropical diseases, common in Third World countries. Despite the United States (US) Helms-Burton Act that imposes trade sanctions for more than 40 years, Fidel Castro`s Communist Cuba circumvented to make major breakthroughs in bio-technology -- largely using homegrown technologies and expertise. Since Castro came to power in 1959, he made free healthcare as the country`s main priority and later pushed the cutting-edge biotechnology industry to support the nation`s vision, said Cuban scientist Manuel Raices from the Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology. Cubans kick-started their biotechnology programme in 1980 with only six scientists working from a bungalow-based research center with limited facilities. During the 90s, Castro`s government injected more than US$1 billion to spur development in the biotechnology industry, which is beginning to bear fruits now, and some two decades later Cuba prides itself as a showcase to the world in producing genetically-engineered vaccines and drugs. "In 1981, we only had 10 scientists and one bio-technology research centre but now there are 15,000 scientists in Cuba," said Raices. It was a real testimony how Cuba, with merely 11 million people living under severe economic constraints, successfully produced 12 major vaccines and working on at least half-a-dozen new drugs to cure cancer, Hepatitis B,stomach ulcer and HIV/Aids. Cuban Ambassador to Malaysia Pedro Monzon Barata said the blooming sector, besides providing treatment for the country`s own people, would help poor patients who have little or no access to expensive Western drugs. "We look at the needs of humanity and at the same time at our own survival. It will (also) enhance the South-South Cooperation," Barata told Bernama. Barata may be right. Cuba managed to eradicate malaria and believed to be the first nation in the Americas to wipe out polio, while dengue outbreaks had been minimized. And it aims to prevent deaths resulting from cancer by 2020. Vaccines were initially produced for domestic use as tropical diseases threatened Cubans but the US embargo deprived the much-needed drugs from reaching them. "We keep working to protect Cuban kids from infectious diseases and they are the most protected kids in the world. Kids are vaccinated against 13 different diseases," said Raices. Later Cuba exported its discoveries, mainly to poor economies. Today Uruguayan meningitis patients rely on powerful but cheap Cuban vaccines for a cure, while Brazilian and Colombian hospitals use Cuban-made group-B meningococcal vaccine. Meanwhile, an array of Cuban indigenous drugs like interferon -- a hepatitis B vaccine and streptokinase drug which helps remove coronary clots -- reach nearly 35 countries. Mostly, these are markets where tropical diseases such as malaria,tuberculosis and cholera are still prevalent. Cuba also signed nearly 10 memoranda of understanding (MoU) with local universities to produce human vaccines and collaborated with Malaysian companies to produce "halal" meningitis vaccines for pilgrims bound for Saudi Arabia to perform the Haj. By exporting pharmaceutical products, the island-nation earns about US$1 billion annually which helps to fuel its sagging economy and the burgeoning biotechnology sector is likely to supersede tobacco, sugar,tourism and nickel exports in years to come. But what is the secret of an economically-isolated nation to succeed in the complex biotechnology industry, widely dominated by Western multinationals? "When someone tries to choke you (economically), then the only way to survive is to develop your own technology. "Sense of pride and a strong political will is important. If there is no political will, it will not happen," said Barata. But Cuba`s success is not free from criticism as accusations surfaced that Castro`s regime is developing biological warfare agents, which Barata vehemently denied. "The American machinery of propaganda is behind this. It is stupid for us to do this (produce biological warfare agents). It is suicidal for us. The essential reason is for the population`s healthcare and to help humanity. "Healthcare is a human right and not a privilege and people of Cuba have the right to free medicine and treatment and this is why we are doing these," he said. Although Most people think Fidel Castro is a dumbass hes not (I think he is). The guy is a lawyer, and knows about 6 different languages. O well! Cuba para siempre! And if in my life time Cuba becomes part of the US THATS WHERE IM GOING!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapiChuloNica Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 soy de Nicaragua :) i wonder how many hispanic we have in Neowin...i hope alot :shifty: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demorgoron Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 thats like some kind of improvement maybe fidel is starting to get good now so their relations with the US would prosper ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cubano Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 thats like some kind of improvementmaybe fidel is starting to get good now so their relations with the US would prosper ;) Haha, lol, I wish. He is smart, but hard headed. The man will die getting it his way, and with him he will take a few. He has parkisons anyway, everytime he gives a speech, he shakes all over. Pretty soon some crazy crap should happen, we'll see. And when it comes to TV, there is nothing to watch. Two channels is all they get, and its communist propaganda all over. The liquor, who doesn't love Cuban rum, so much more better than Bacardi, specially the spiced rum, does not compare at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiegel Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 soy de Nicaragua :) i wonder how many hispanic we have in Neowin...i hope alot :shifty: neowin is prolly about a bunch of engineers computer admins, and anything that deals with pc's i dont think so :blink: btw: yo soy de colombia :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naap51stang Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 Once the wall of secrecy is cracked, it will just be a matter of time until what happened in eastern europe and in the former soviet union will happen to Cuba. The world (thanks in part to the explosion of information via the internet) is allowing other points of view to get into opressed areas. Thats the nice thing about the #1 item on the USA constition......freedom of speech. Do I like some of the crap on radio, or TV? Nope, but I have the RIGHT not to listen to it. Do they have the right to say it? You bet! I can't stand some of the filth on radio or TV, but if push came to shove, I'd defend their right to say it. Eventually, Cuba, North Korea, China etc will have to resolve their dim witted tight reigns on their people. Freedom, is a GOD given right. All people, no matter where they live, have a right to live how they want, and should be allowed to speak out against their government, without fear of being shot, or taken away to prison without some sort of due process. Sorry to hear that they are becoming couch potatos though, that can't be healthy........just look at the waistlines of the average "joe 6pack: :p :alien: :alien: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G4M3R Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 Cuba is one place I would love to visit. Cubian cigars are the best :yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laz45 Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 XP-RTM one more thing this happengs almost every year around June when the clouds are gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CuI3aNo Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 XP-RTM one more thing this happengs almost every year around June when the clouds are gone. A hurricane? Mi casa todavia esta parad. Y la de mis tios, tias, y otras familias. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0sit0 Posted June 5, 2004 Author Share Posted June 5, 2004 No he's talking about the US channels, yea i remember it was about this time when i started to see channels from here cuz is hot i guess :cool: and Kurt i managed to get out of cuba cuz my father won the Visa Lottery :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ECEGatorTuro Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 Hey! I'm Cuban too!! VIVA CUBA!!!! :laugh: My girlfriend came from Cuba about 6 years ago through the lottery as well. You would never beleive how well she learned English in one year. She spoke better than half of Miami (people that have been ni the US for many many years!). Anyways, I personally think Fidel is an ###### but that's because I grew up in a household of Cuban exiles, my parents! But I do know he is a very smart man and he has done a lot for Cuba in the since of litteracy (they have the best litteracy rate in the entire world!) and also its medical program (unfortunarely drugs aren't that easy to come by though). It's a shame that the island has deteriorated to its present state. If you visit Cuba as a tourist, you will ONLY see the best parts and be treated like royalty. Unfortunately, the people of Cuba can't even go to the tourist beaches because they are prohibitted. Next time one of you visits Cuba, head to the old parts of Habana and you'll see how bad it is. :no: Maybe one day, the people of Cuba will be totaly free... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivand Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 soy de Nicaragua :) i wonder how many hispanic we have in Neowin...i hope alot :shifty: I'm hispanic too :D Dominican Republic :happy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spartan_X Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 neowin is prolly about a bunch of engineers computer admins, and anything that deals with pc'si dont think so :blink: btw: yo soy de colombia :D Yeah, like product managers or regional support managers and so... ;) BTW, I'm Costarican/Spanish :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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