How about this Tamron?

On 2011-08-10 09:48:40 -0700, Alan Browne
said:

On 2011-08-10 12:10 , Savageduck wrote:
On 2011-08-10 08:27:01 -0700, Alan Browne
said:

On 2011-08-10 04:44 , Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:
minico ONE wrote:
http://www.adaptall-2.org/lenses/44A.html

Broken website. Page comes up blank.

No problem here.

I got the blank page.
I guess it works for you in Cuba/Canada. How was/is the trip?

I didn't even attempt to use the net in Cuba. My SO went to send an
e-mail but the internet was down that day (in the hotel). Didn't try
again.

Didn't miss it.

Good trip overall, scuba was disappointing (made 10 dives out of 20
desired) and the sites were not great. Some were good. (If not enough
people signed up for a dive the "boat is broken").

Photography was limited opportunity except on excursions. Maybe I'll
look at the collection for a late SI entry from those. (Really didn't
have my heart into it either - was bloody hot).

Beach (at resort) was good (not great). Shore water was warm - had to
swim out 40 metres or more to cool off and then had to watch for boats.

Don't think I'll ever go back - distorted local economics make for a
strange mix of quality destination, mediocre service and poor food
choice and preparation.

Chambermaid service was excellent - but then they make far more than
doctors and lawyers in Cuba.

I guess that was enlightening and disappointing. It just seems sad that
what could have been a great destination in the Caribbean has decayed
to the point of no being considered anymore.

It was a pity the diving din't work out as anticipated.

As far as Cuban doctors go, I understand that quite a few of them have
made the move to South Africa to fill the vacuum left by white South
African doctors emigrating to the USA, UK, Australia, NZ, and Israel.

--
Regards,

Savageduck

On Wed, 10 Aug 2011 10:51:52 -0700, Savageduck
wrote:

As far as Cuban doctors go, I understand that quite a few of them have
made the move to South Africa to fill the vacuum left by white South
African doctors emigrating to the USA, UK, Australia, NZ, and Israel.

That's been going on for years. Cuban medical schools have been
cranking out excellent doctors and nurses for years and sending them
to Africa for both medical and political reasons. Cuba has been
sending out medical personnel to establish a political base in African
countries.

When I was in Cuba in 1979, there were complaints by some Cubans that
all the good doctors and nurses were exported. Still, the medical
care in Cuba was better than most other countries with similar
conditions.

From Wiki:

Cuban medical internationalism is the Cuban programme, since the 1959
Cuban Revolution, of sending Cuban medical personnel overseas,
particularly to Latin America, Africa and, more recently, Oceania,[1]
and of bringing medical students and patients to Cuba. In 2007, "Cuba
has 42,000 workers in international collaborations in 103 different
countries, of whom more than 30,000 are health personnel, including no
fewer than 19,000 physicians."[2] Cuba provides more medical personnel
to the developing world than all the G8 countries combined,[2]
although this comparison does not take into account G8 development aid
spent on developing world healthcare. The Cuban missions have had
substantial positive local impact on the populations served.[3] It is
widely believed that medical workers are Cuba's most important export
commodity.[4]



--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

On 2011-08-10 13:20 , tony cooper wrote:
On Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:48:40 -0400, Alan Browne
wrote:

Beach (at resort) was good (not great). Shore water was warm - had to
swim out 40 metres or more to cool off and then had to watch for boats.

My experience in Cuba was quite different, but it was several years
before yours. One think I particularly noticed was the *absence* of
boats.

All I saw were large vessels, presumably from Eastern Bloc countries,
anchored far off-shore, and government boats on government business.

No small boats, no fishing boats, no pleasure boats. I guess all the
boats had sailed off so escaping Cubans could get "one dry foot".

Most boats (I was told) are not allowed to go further than 1.5 km from
shore. How that is enforced - I have no idea.

The marinas had many boats capable of sea ops - getting to Florida would
be no sweat - where we were is very close to the closest point to the US
(can't recall the name of the town but should be easy to determine).


Also noted was the absence of small planes. A daily commercial
aircraft maybe, and a few military jets. Again, I guess
touch-and-goes were touch-and-gones in Cuba then.

The only small aircraft I saw were a Polish or Russian biplane (local
parachute jumping operation) and a largish helicopter (Mi-8 or -17 perhaps).

The military presence in Cuba (resort area, nearby town and Havana) was
hardly perceptible. Unlike most South American countries. The only
people I saw with weapons were police (rare) and armed guards for
"commercial" armoured car co's).


--
gmail originated posts filtered due to spam.

On Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:21:53 -0400, Alan Browne
wrote:

On 2011-08-10 13:20 , tony cooper wrote:
On Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:48:40 -0400, Alan Browne
wrote:

Beach (at resort) was good (not great). Shore water was warm - had to
swim out 40 metres or more to cool off and then had to watch for boats.

My experience in Cuba was quite different, but it was several years
before yours. One think I particularly noticed was the *absence* of
boats.

All I saw were large vessels, presumably from Eastern Bloc countries,
anchored far off-shore, and government boats on government business.

No small boats, no fishing boats, no pleasure boats. I guess all the
boats had sailed off so escaping Cubans could get "one dry foot".

Most boats (I was told) are not allowed to go further than 1.5 km from
shore. How that is enforced - I have no idea.

The marinas had many boats capable of sea ops - getting to Florida would
be no sweat - where we were is very close to the closest point to the US
(can't recall the name of the town but should be easy to determine).


Also noted was the absence of small planes. A daily commercial
aircraft maybe, and a few military jets. Again, I guess
touch-and-goes were touch-and-gones in Cuba then.

The only small aircraft I saw were a Polish or Russian biplane (local
parachute jumping operation) and a largish helicopter (Mi-8 or -17 perhaps).

The military presence in Cuba (resort area, nearby town and Havana) was
hardly perceptible. Unlike most South American countries. The only
people I saw with weapons were police (rare) and armed guards for
"commercial" armoured car co's).


--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

On 2011-08-10 13:51 , Savageduck wrote:
On 2011-08-10 09:48:40 -0700, Alan Browne
said:

On 2011-08-10 12:10 , Savageduck wrote:
On 2011-08-10 08:27:01 -0700, Alan Browne
said:

On 2011-08-10 04:44 , Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:
minico ONE wrote:
http://www.adaptall-2.org/lenses/44A.html

Broken website. Page comes up blank.

No problem here.

I got the blank page.
I guess it works for you in Cuba/Canada. How was/is the trip?

I didn't even attempt to use the net in Cuba. My SO went to send an
e-mail but the internet was down that day (in the hotel). Didn't try
again.

Didn't miss it.

Good trip overall, scuba was disappointing (made 10 dives out of 20
desired) and the sites were not great. Some were good. (If not enough
people signed up for a dive the "boat is broken").

Photography was limited opportunity except on excursions. Maybe I'll
look at the collection for a late SI entry from those. (Really didn't
have my heart into it either - was bloody hot).

Beach (at resort) was good (not great). Shore water was warm - had to
swim out 40 metres or more to cool off and then had to watch for boats.

Don't think I'll ever go back - distorted local economics make for a
strange mix of quality destination, mediocre service and poor food
choice and preparation.

Chambermaid service was excellent - but then they make far more than
doctors and lawyers in Cuba.

I guess that was enlightening and disappointing. It just seems sad that
what could have been a great destination in the Caribbean has decayed to
the point of no being considered anymore.

It's a huge tourist destination, actually. Just not for Americans.
Canadians are the largest contingent followed by Germans, Brits,
Italians, Spaniards, Russians, Poles, Mexicans, South Americans ... long
list.

When Fidel and Raul are no more, it will revert. Hopefully it will
remain socialist ( that does benefit the people v. other SA countries
I've been to ) but wean out its current communist/central control which
is its weakest point.

(They are now liberalizing home ownership laws (you can own a home and a
country home) to allow people to own as many homes (and cars) as they
like. Land ownership is restricted to 65 hectares - about 1/4 sq. mile.
Not bad considering most farming is manual and with horses.)

The average wage of a Cuban is about $25 / month. There is a family
food subsidy but it's _very_ basic and does not provide enough total
calories and is low on micro nutrients. The rest one grows them-self or
buys on the open market.

The resort hotels are great (clean, large rooms, very good plumbing,
good to great amenities - they are built and run by outsiders but 51%
owned by the Cuban government). But the food just isn't up to the 5
star billing. The potential for greater services is enormous - but
without open competition it just is not going to happen.

I met several Americans there who snuck in via Costa Rica (where they
were married) and others (via the Bahamas).


It was a pity the diving din't work out as anticipated.

As far as Cuban doctors go, I understand that quite a few of them have
made the move to South Africa to fill the vacuum left by white South
African doctors emigrating to the USA, UK, Australia, NZ, and Israel.

Cuban doctors go abroad under Cuban government programs to aid the 3rd
world. They are paid more "out there" (by governments, aid societies,
private/public hospitals) and send money home to their families.

The 50's cars still abound - though most have been converted to Hyundai
and Toyota Diesel engines for greater fuel efficiency. The cars
themselves have some sort of government cultural protection (though what
specifically wasn't made clear to me).

--
gmail originated posts filtered due to spam.

On 2011-08-10 14:31 , tony cooper wrote:
On Wed, 10 Aug 2011 10:51:52 -0700, Savageduck
wrote:

As far as Cuban doctors go, I understand that quite a few of them have
made the move to South Africa to fill the vacuum left by white South
African doctors emigrating to the USA, UK, Australia, NZ, and Israel.

That's been going on for years. Cuban medical schools have been
cranking out excellent doctors and nurses for years and sending them
to Africa for both medical and political reasons. Cuba has been
sending out medical personnel to establish a political base in African
countries.

During Katrina, Cuba offered to send 1100 medical personnel and medical
supplies. The US, passively (no reply), declined. That would have been
one hell of an olive branch in both directions.

--
gmail originated posts filtered due to spam.

On Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:40:31 -0400, tony cooper
wrote:

On Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:21:53 -0400, Alan Browne
wrote:

On 2011-08-10 13:20 , tony cooper wrote:
On Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:48:40 -0400, Alan Browne
wrote:

Beach (at resort) was good (not great). Shore water was warm - had to
swim out 40 metres or more to cool off and then had to watch for boats.

My experience in Cuba was quite different, but it was several years
before yours. One think I particularly noticed was the *absence* of
boats.

All I saw were large vessels, presumably from Eastern Bloc countries,
anchored far off-shore, and government boats on government business.

No small boats, no fishing boats, no pleasure boats. I guess all the
boats had sailed off so escaping Cubans could get "one dry foot".

Most boats (I was told) are not allowed to go further than 1.5 km from
shore. How that is enforced - I have no idea.

The marinas had many boats capable of sea ops - getting to Florida would
be no sweat - where we were is very close to the closest point to the US
(can't recall the name of the town but should be easy to determine).


Also noted was the absence of small planes. A daily commercial
aircraft maybe, and a few military jets. Again, I guess
touch-and-goes were touch-and-gones in Cuba then.

The only small aircraft I saw were a Polish or Russian biplane (local
parachute jumping operation) and a largish helicopter (Mi-8 or -17 perhaps).

The military presence in Cuba (resort area, nearby town and Havana) was
hardly perceptible. Unlike most South American countries. The only
people I saw with weapons were police (rare) and armed guards for
"commercial" armoured car co's).

Sorry, hit reply too quickly.

The closest US city to Cuba is Key West, but most Cubans who enter
illegally on boats touch down further up the east coast of Florida.
Something to with currents, I think.

The "one dry foot" rule is that the US Coast Guard will turn back any
boats any boats discovered at sea in our waters, and turn back any
Cubans swimming towards our coast from a boat, but once the person has
one foot on dry land they can remain in the US and can later qualify
for legal permanent residency. It can turn into a scramble.

The proper designation is "Wet foot, dry foot" written into the Cuban
Adjustment Act of 1966.

The military that I saw were all in fatigues without military flashes
or badges. If the Cuban military has a formal uniform, I never saw
anyone in one. I only saw them in trucks passing by.

I saw a few policemen, but they were on some traffic detail. I didn't
see any patrol cars or anything like that.



--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

On Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:41:08 -0400, Alan Browne
wrote:

The average wage of a Cuban is about $25 / month. There is a family
food subsidy but it's _very_ basic and does not provide enough total
calories and is low on micro nutrients. The rest one grows them-self or
buys on the open market.

When I was there we were told that rent was a percentage of income and
dictated by the government. The luxury private homes in Havana
formerly owned by Cubans who had left the country were taken over by
the government and divided up into flats. One Cuban official who was
attached to our group said he paid $6 (Cuban) a month in rent.

They were building apartment building then, and people who wanted to
be assigned to units in the building were required to be part of labor
crew building them. The tour guide mentioned this with great pride,
but some of the Cubans I talked to thought this produced shoddy
workmanship because people without, say, carpenter skills were
assigned to be carpenters.

One aspect that I thought was rather sensible is that out-of-work
Cubans could receive government compensation, but they had to report
to a center every week day for a full working day. If there wasn't
anything to do, they just sat around. No lazing around the house and
getting an unemployment check in the mail.







--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

On 2011-08-10 19:54 , tony cooper wrote:
On Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:40:31 -0400, tony cooper
wrote:

On Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:21:53 -0400, Alan Browne

The marinas had many boats capable of sea ops - getting to Florida would
be no sweat - where we were is very close to the closest point to the US
(can't recall the name of the town but should be easy to determine).


The closest US city to Cuba is Key West, but most Cubans who enter
illegally on boats touch down further up the east coast of Florida.
Something to with currents, I think.

I meant the town in Cuba closest to KW which is at about 23.1853,
-82.0156 (lat, long - just plug into Maps or Earth) - can't remember the
name.

--
gmail originated posts filtered due to spam.

On Wed, 10 Aug 2011 20:25:29 -0400, Alan Browne
wrote:

On 2011-08-10 19:54 , tony cooper wrote:
On Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:40:31 -0400, tony cooper
wrote:

On Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:21:53 -0400, Alan Browne

The marinas had many boats capable of sea ops - getting to Florida would
be no sweat - where we were is very close to the closest point to the US
(can't recall the name of the town but should be easy to determine).


The closest US city to Cuba is Key West, but most Cubans who enter
illegally on boats touch down further up the east coast of Florida.
Something to with currents, I think.

I meant the town in Cuba closest to KW which is at about 23.1853,
-82.0156 (lat, long - just plug into Maps or Earth) - can't remember the
name.

I wondered about that, and should have read "to the US" meaning "not
in the US".
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida