Jazz for aficionados

****the only place communism exists is in Cuba, and the poor people are doing better in Cuba than they are here. ****

O-10, sorry, but you could not be more mistaken; I would have thought that you would be more aware of what is going on around the world in countries which either still adhere to a Communist ideology or still have leanings in that direction due to their past. Now, some will get hung up on the issue of "at what point does socialism become full-fledged Communism"; personally, I don’t believe that as concerns the move away from the philosophy that made this country (US) the most important force for good on the planet, that the distinction matters.

http://www.pri.org/stories/2013-12-10/can-you-name-five-remaining-communist-countries-world

You really should educate yourself about what is really going on in Cuba. As a Cuban emigre with immediate family still in Cuba I can comfortably say that your statement is dead wrong. Life for the poor in this country is infinitely better than that of the average Cuban. The corruption of that regime is mind boggling. If you would like to learn more and in more detail about what the returning tourists don’t get to see (not allowed) and what the romance of the beauty of the island hides, please contact me privately and I would be glad to offer some facts based on direct experience.

Some things are too important to not discuss, imo; especially at this point in time and even on a music thread. Although it would not surprise me if some of these posts mysteriously disappear.

If the renters I have had are any indication, I would say they almost always had better TV’s, phones, computers, clothes and cars than I did. All I owned was the houses they lived in, till I sold the houses.

The extreme poor, no,

Frogman, you surprised me in a way. So far, you have always tried to put things we discussed about (music) in a wider perspective, and now I find your statements to be very opposite. I consider you as a very educated person so I find your post very biased because of some personal motiv and not because you are not able to name things with their proper names.

But, let me make myself more clear, if somebody else read this.
You have always said that is important to put things into 'context'.
If you are writing only from a perspective of a cuban disident, I could perhaps understand, but still your post is far from truth. It has at least two incorrect generalisations.

Let me ask you hypothetical question, if you are by any chance refugee from Iraq, Syria or Lybia, would you perhaps think that all evil comes from 'western democracy' ?

Or what would you say about this, now very old quote, about 'the most important force for good, on the planet'...from S.D. Butler
' I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902–1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.'

What would you think how the perspective looks from non American point of view? And all that said is ancient history and childs play in comparation from events from ww1  (which by the way is caused by colonial and imperial aspirations of western powers)  ww2  and not the mention recent history  of 20th century and 'export of democracy'.

Bottom line, its all about the money and power.  Hypocricy is the same, no matter do you 'export' 'communism' or democracy'.

But, in the name of truth, all the things should be called by their true meaning. Communism is just a theory, that was never implemented, no matter how it was called by thugs who use it as a poor excuse to rule the people or states.
Same goes for 'western democracy'. If its forced, or used just as excuse for dirty deeds, than its not democracy but agression or tyrany.

Finally, the 'left' or 'right' certainly have different meaning in US than in Europe. But, the most advanced countrys  from old continent, the scandinavin ones, (most of the rest are having the similar policy) are for sure the ones with most developed 'social' states, which does not mean that their citizens are controled by the state, but just that they have very human attitude towards health care, education, employment, housing or about handling the unemployed or homeless people.
In reality often that means 'free' health care and college education, flexible job market and protection of rights of working people.
In fact, if someone would propose the same to the US citizens, no doubt it would be named as 'communist'.

The thing that bothers me is hypocracy, when somebody (individuals, corporations or states) takes the false pretenses and use mass media to spread lies and fears, naming its intentions as a 'good or righteous', when behind is only greed for power or money.

Alex, I am traveling today so will not be able to respond until tomorrow; but I will.  

I hate to spoil everybody's fun, but there is as much insanity at the very highest levels of government as in the movies; phone tap, computer tap, and tap the tap; meaning lets get back to the music.

I know I started this conversation, and I also Know about the insanity that's not suppose to exist; it's just like in the movies, crazy.


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh9UPDjh2H0


How about some more crazy music.