Cuba's Power Grid Collapses Again After Second Hurricane. And Then an Earthquake Hit (cnn.com) 96
Wednesday Cuba was hit by a major hurricane which took down its entire power grid again, this time for about 24 hours, according to CNN:
Videos of the aftermath showed power infrastructure turned into a mangled mess and power poles down on streets. Hundreds of technicians were mobilized Thursday to reestablish power connections, according to state media... Operations at two electrical plants were partially restored and parts of eastern and central Cuba had electricity back up by Thursday afternoon, state media reported... The country's power grid has collapsed multiple times, including when Hurricane Oscar hit in October and killed at least 7 people.
In the capital of Havana, where 2 million people live, power had been restored to less than 20% of the city by late Friday afternoon, . "Authorities had not yet given an estimate for when power would be fully restored..."
Then tonight, CNN reported: A 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of eastern Cuba on Sunday, causing material damage in several regions as the island continues to recover from widespread blackouts and the impact of two hurricanes over the past few weeks. The earthquake was reported about 39 km (24 miles) south of Bartolomé Masó before noon local time, about an hour after a 5.9 magnitude quake rocked the area, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.
"There have been landslides, damage to homes and power lines," Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said, adding that authorities are evaluating the situation to start recovery efforts.
In the capital of Havana, where 2 million people live, power had been restored to less than 20% of the city by late Friday afternoon, . "Authorities had not yet given an estimate for when power would be fully restored..."
Then tonight, CNN reported: A 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of eastern Cuba on Sunday, causing material damage in several regions as the island continues to recover from widespread blackouts and the impact of two hurricanes over the past few weeks. The earthquake was reported about 39 km (24 miles) south of Bartolomé Masó before noon local time, about an hour after a 5.9 magnitude quake rocked the area, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.
"There have been landslides, damage to homes and power lines," Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said, adding that authorities are evaluating the situation to start recovery efforts.
Re:What a disaster of a country (Score:5, Informative)
Ronald Reagan would get called a woketard today. That’s how much the party moved.
Re: (Score:2)
Fascinating. Based on which of his policies?
Re:What a disaster of a country (Score:5, Informative)
Fascinating. Based on which of his policies?
How about getting of open carry because black people were exercising second amendment rights? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
Reagan defended the law, saying that he saw "no reason why on the street today a citizen should be carrying loaded weapons"
"I believe in the idea of amnesty for those who have put down roots and lived here, even though sometime back they may have entered illegally," Ronald Reagan said in 1984. https://www.npr.org/2010/07/04... [npr.org]
But in 1978, Reagan took an enormous political risk by coming out strongly against the Briggs Initiative. In a powerful statement, the former California governor denounced the measure saying, "[I]t has the potential of infringing on the basic rights of privacy and even constitutional rights." Reagan noted the "undue harm" it could cause, adding: "Whatever it is, homosexuality is not a disease like the measles. Prevailing scientific opinion is that an individual’s sexuality is determined at a very early age and that a child’s teachers do not really influence this."
So even Reagan knew that teachers were never "indoctrinating" children.
Re: What a disaster of a country (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
The argument is over 'with what' and who decides. Recent controversy has been over allegations that activist teachers are deciding to teach against the values of the parents (or a handful of videos with teachers saying
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
How about the immigration amnesty eligibility [npr.org] he signed in 1986 for anyone who had been in the country previous to 1982.
How do you think that would play with modern "conservatives" ?
Re:WRONG!! You're either a fool or a liar. (Score:4, Interesting)
God bless America.
Re: WRONG!! You're either a fool or a liar. (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
It always amuses me seeing someone happy Trump won.
It's hard to convey how profoundly stupid you are, it's like these russians supporting Putin, why do you support him, do you gain something from the corruption ? Do you get a kick out of your country getting destroyed, or of your country being laughed at for having the stupidest leader ? If not, well, maybe one day you'll realize how stupid you were, or maybe you'll get a lobotomy and die in ignorance bliss. Then again you might die sooner than that thanks
Re: (Score:1)
the rest of us will be be optimistic about the return of peace and prosperity for ALL
Yeah, like his plan to pardon all the Jan 6 rioters. What a great example of peace and justice.
"Smash, riot, punch, storm the capitol. I'm Prez Trump and I approve of this message."
Re: What a disaster of a country (Score:2)
Re:What a disaster of a country (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:1)
Oh, they’re not helping? What a surprise.
Re:What a disaster of a country (Score:5, Informative)
Russia, Mexico, and Slovakia, and other countries are helping. Maybe you should diversify your news sources?
https://www.reuters.com/world/... [reuters.com]
https://al24news.com/en/mexico... [al24news.com]
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news... [msn.com]
https://en.cibercuba.com/notic... [cibercuba.com]
Hell, 3% of what we give Israel every year would get Cuba fixed up in no time. https://www.reuters.com/world/... [reuters.com]
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Great, so with so much global assistance there is no need for the US to aid a country whose leadership hates us.
I'm glad that got settled out so quickly and Cuba is back on her feet again.
Re: (Score:2)
Great, so with so much global assistance there is no need for the US to aid a country whose leadership hates us.
You're basing that opinion on...?
Their user name? /s
Re: (Score:3)
Nothing except the most powerful country (Score:2)
Re: Nothing except the most powerful country (Score:3)
Lots of countries have normalised relations with Cuba. The UK sent its now head of government there in 2019 for an official visit. Canadians can visit without any consequences. Etc. The Cuban economy is tiny so thereâ(TM)s probably not much benefit though.
Re:What a disaster of a country (Score:5, Informative)
The main problem is basically getting there - being the US bars flights to/form Cuba over its airspace, and bars flights to/from Cuba from US soil as well. This means most flights either have to start in South America or Canada.
Of course, aid is a very touchy subject - Cuba has very little that any country wants other than maybe cigars, so any aid has to be humanitarian based. And it's also up to the country itself to declare they want it - because you cannot just send food there - it will get seized.
So the most basic form of aid is really just tourism - like I said, Canada is mentioned because they're a large tourist base for Cuba, and Cuban cigars are perfectly legal in Canada.
I've seen some tourist guides to Cuba and many start off with "If you're expecting unspoiled lands, forget it. Selfie sticks are everywhere - while American s might be starting to vacation in Cuba, the rest of the world has been doing it for 50 years already.".
And while Cuba has access to more modern (non-American) cars, the whole classic car charms of riding in a 55 Chevy Bel-Air taxi is the schtick of the country, which is why they hang around. People want them and expect them.
Re: (Score:2)
Cuba has a tourism industry and cane sugar. Both industries are struggling.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: What a disaster of a country (Score:2)
There is another North American country with flights to Cuba. I know, because Iâ(TM)ve flown Havana to Cancun. I have the impression that Bolivia is harder to reach.
Re: What a disaster of a country (Score:1)
There are direct flights from the US to Cuba
Utter Horseshit! (Score:2)
The main problem is basically getting there - being the US bars flights to/form Cuba over its airspace, and bars flights to/from Cuba from US soil as well.
This is utter horseshit!
Southwest Airlines alone has flights 5 days per week from the U.S. to Havana. Flights priced similarly to those of other nearby island destinations.
Almost anyone in the U.S. can board a flight from the U.S. to Cuba. Those that should be barred can go with minimal fibbing about the purpose of the visit. There are also other U.S. airlines with even fewer restrictions. Canadian airlines, British airlines, Mexican airlines, Caribbean island airlines...
Despite the propaganda, fake news, a
Re: (Score:3)
The US embargos limit aid pretty effectively by blocking off the nearest ports.
Re: (Score:1)
Why isn't your country sending them aid?
Re: (Score:1)
Re:What a disaster of a country (Score:4, Insightful)
odd?
A huge number of Americans rarely or never vote. COVID got everybody's attention so more people voted and they went against a moron with leadership skills even worse than a teenager (definition of moron) and more like a mentally ill person...
We're talking about people who don't care except when it's a crisis that impacts them or too slow to know what is going on normally. But not too stupid because those went to Trump.
Re: What a disaster of a country (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
And Uncle Trump is a criminal who likes to piss on women for kicks. You reached the moral rock bottom yet?
Re: (Score:2)
Why doesn't anyone send them aid?
Perhaps Cuba's routine joint exercises with the Russian military?
Or support of Maduro's destruction of democracy in Venezuela?
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Obama started working with Cuba. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
Trump of course undid it. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/0... [nytimes.com]
Re:What a disaster of a country (Score:5, Interesting)
Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:What a disaster of a country (Score:4, Informative)
Viet Nam has always been more Western aligned than otherwise, with their history as a French colony. They've always been friendly with the West but didn't want to get the full colonial treatment, with puppet governments that grow more corrupt each iteration, so the more aggressive hooked up with the communists in the 60s, thus the war. The aftermath didn't work out as well as they'd hoped so they're doing their own version of Communist government/Capitalist relationships, like China. Their government is quite friendly with the US but wants to keep an arm's length on policy. Quite understandable and quite workable from an economic stance.
Cuba got the shitty end of the stick in the mid 1900s with corporate and mafia entanglements that were propping up Batista so turned to the Russians, who really just fuck up everyone. The confiscation by Cuba of US interests (assets) when Castro took over, plus the Russian military presence, slammed the door on any real relationship with the US. Until Cuba's attitude changes, the US really has no reason to do anything special for them. Obama thought that he could get the Cuban people behind him. He forgot that Cuba's authoritarian and tries to be alert to any attempts to build organic popular support for a regime change. So...the leaders of Cuba choose to slit their country's throats, slowly.
Re: (Score:3)
Look, all the old leaders in Cuba want it to be "great" again like back in the cold war but it ain't happening. They keep gong full anti
Re: (Score:1)
What do you expect?
From the point of view of a Cuban, you are THE ENEMY.
You deny them everything!
Why not just leave them in peace? Can not be so hard.
Re: (Score:3)
Vietnam fucking hates China.
China has invaded Vietnam multiple times throughout history, including in 1979 when China invaded Vietnam because Vietnam invaded and kicked the brutal Chinese- backed murderous Khmer Rouge regime out of Cambodia.
Re: (Score:2)
Obama made very few mistakes, but that was a geopolitical risk he took that didn’t pay off
Obama made a lot of mistakes on foreign policy, it's just that he looked like an allstar superstar compared his predecessor. Not even in the same league, Bush was in the headbrick league.
Re: (Score:2)
See, what Cuba needs to do is start talking to Trump about building something in Havana. Watch him turn around and send in the US Army Corps of Engineers.
A country that just elected a president (Score:3)
Realistically the reason we don't normalize relations with Cuba is because Florida has been a swing state for a while and is now a red state and that's largely because of a large population of Cuban immigrants that the Republican party caters to by maintaining sanctions against the country.
It doesn't make sense to keep an antagonistic position with Cuba given that it
Re: (Score:2)
Who has repeatedly threatened to use the military against his political opponents probably shouldn't throw stones in their glass house.
Whataboutism isn't a valid argument.
America's stupid misadventures don't justify Cuba's behavior.
Florida has been a swing state ... large population of Cuban immigrants
Florida is no longer a swing state. Trump won by 13 points.
Young Cubans in Florida (those born after the 1950s) don't care much about Cuba policy.
sends them into Russia's arms.
Russia is broke and kinda busy in Ukraine.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
And the legacy of extremely conservative, wealthy, politically powerful expatriates in Miami have an effect. Florida has many interesting liberal residents, but the older residents are very conservative and very anti-Marxist indeed. The links of modern gender ideology with Marxism are one of the reasons Florida is so harsh on gender identity related policy, the old Catholic, Cuban anti-Marxists _loathe_ any hint of Marxism. Visit Little Havana in Miami to get a handle on resentment of the older generations.
Re: What a disaster of a country (Score:2)
Re: What a disaster of a country (Score:2)
Coming soon- (Score:4, Funny)
They're doing it wrong. (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Or Miami.
Re: They're doing it wrong. (Score:2)
Cuba vs Gaza vs Ukraine #1 (Score:1)
Since the embargo on Cuba in the 1960s more people have died than have in Ukraine or in Gaza.
Where are the "student" protests? Human Life is SO PRECIOUS we must make pregnant woman carry all babies to term regardless of incest or rape... but it's ok to keep an island nation so isolated people die in droves. Oh and protest gaza. But no it's ok to kill Ukranians.
If it's ok to kill any of us... we're lower than the scummiest of scum.
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
Cuba can pay back the billions of US assets that were illegally seized during the revolution
The Mob is still waiting for its money.
Re: (Score:2)
It is most certainly not illegal to seize property from enemies that illegally occupy your country. Especially if most is just MAFIA.
Get a damn clue, idiot.
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Because there are finite resources and helping enemy States that would happily kill you and take everything you have is not a good policy.
Millions have died in NK of starvation and State executions. China? Africa? Iran? Those places don't want help and wouldn't use it correctly even if they had every resource in the World.
Ukraine wants help and uses it to combat an enemy State that wants to subjugate the entire World at one man's whim. Palestine is a country ruled by literal terrorists.
At least the earthquake is not climate change (Score:2)
I think. But we may get these as well from the ocean weight changing.
Beginning to look like (Score:2)
Somebody really angered Quetzalcoatl.
Need some blood sacrifices stat!
Preferably virgins.
Re: (Score:2)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wik... [wikipedia.org]
Wrong culture/religion.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Cuba had many decades to develop. (Score:3)
Communism was more important.
Haiti (Score:5, Insightful)
Case in point? The USA would choose to let a country with a population of nearly twelve million people 90 miles from Florida collapse into a failed state like Haiti or Somalia instead of instituting some modest policy changes that could turn them into the Dominican Republic.
Makes zero sense.
Re: (Score:2)
Dogma is a hell of a drug.
Re: (Score:3)
Well, you see: the only politician that can really institute that kind of change needs cuban exiles in Florida to vote for them, and the exiles don't want to see any help sent there.
And if, by some miracle, the sitting President decided they wanted to change it, it could just be reversed by their successor. You know, like exactly what happened when Obama tried to thaw relations a bit and Trump reversed it.
If you haven't learned that there are serious structural issues with how our federal government operat
Re: (Score:3)
There also might be serious structural issues with how the Cuban government operates.
Re: (Score:2)
Nobody ever said otherwise.
black-start experience (Score:3)
looking on the bright side... power companies, power plant managers, and technicians really never get a chance to practice their black starts. They can plan and do drills, but the public just wouldn't tolerate a live practice at any time. It's like being a pilot with hundreds of hours in the simulator but not a single hour logged flying an actual plane.
Cuba is in the (unenviable?) position of getting LOTS of opportunities to test their black-start procedures. When this is all over, I'd be willing to bet being a power technician from Cuba is going to be an incredibly lucrative entry on your resume as a line worker.
This is the kind of experience you literally cannot get anywhere else. Any power technician that's able to go down there and help out will get a serious boost to their career.
Still awestruck (Score:3)
How the 2010 earthquake in Haiti cost from 100,000 to over 300,000 lives (depending on which is to be believed)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wik... [wikipedia.org]
ATTENTION LIBTARDS (Score:2, Funny)
TRUMP has seized the liberals' weather generator!! Soon "climate change" will end and communists will be punished!!
"Cuba's Power Grid Collapses Again After Second Hu (Score:1)
Should've had a better country. (Score:2)
Turn off Natural Disasters (Score:1)
Probably want to check if monster attacks are enabled too.