User talk:MichaelW: Difference between revisions

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Welcome!

Hello, MichaelW, and welcome to Wikipedia. Thank you for your contributions. I hope you like the place and decide to stay.

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If you have any questions, see the help pages, ask a question at the village pump or ask me on my Talk page. Again, welcome, and good luck!

Kirill Lokshin | Talk 13:57, August 16, 2005 (UTC)

Por favor no me odia. Yo namas que quiero es paz. Yo se que yo to offendi. Por favor, vamos as ser amigos.--Antispammer 02:11, 12 January 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Cuban votes

Dear MichaelW:

I live inside the island for almost 28th years I was born in Havana went the airplanes where dropping bomb. My father was one of Castro’s Men. If I wanted I was able to scale inside the government to higher position. But one thing past through my brain all the time Do I really deserve? Clearly no. Michael w went I was on high school the government choose for me what I was suppose to study on the university. Just because I was a revel.

 Before I leave the country I ask to my dear father (Communists) Dad you fought Batista because hi was a dictator what will you do in my place now? Castro will

be remember probably in a 100 year as the dictator who destroy the hall country on the side of others like

Hitler , Stalin , Mao, Machado, Batista and others

I'm agree with my dear brother silent voice: we the another side of Cuba should have the space to speak out and right our POV without any sensorship from you or other

POV like your about Castro should be respected the same way.
if not i fill pity for wiki where sensorship will be usual whent someone do no agree w/our POV.

then wiki will past thought history like Castro. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Silent strike (talk • contribs) 23:28, 4 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Why the story that there are votes in Cuba is any better than mine? What is your moral motivation to cancel my contribution? Xx236 12:54, 18 January 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Why do so many Cuban people run away from Cuba if they can vote and change their lives? A number of useful activists visited Communist countries till 1991 and saw what they were to see. I doubt in your ability to understand non-Western reality. 156.17.5.73 14:36, 18 January 2006 (UTC)[reply]

What defines fair elections? (Gibby 18:04, 11 February 2006 (UTC))

Their reesults are know after, not before. Xx236 10:31, 14 February 2006 (UTC)[reply]

If you want a debate please take it to the Cuba talk pages. MichaelW 21:36, 15 February 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I have tried but there is no debate there, rather censorship. Xx236 09:28, 19 February 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Then you haven't tried hard enough. You are one of the many capitalist fanboys who claim, if you don't get your own way, that Wikipedia has a left wing bias. Have you considered the possibility that your understanding is faulty, not the arena, Wikipedia, in which it's being aired? MichaelW 13:46, 19 February 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Michael, I find it unfair to use freedom of the non-Communist world to advertise lack of freedom. Xx236 11:16, 27 February 2006 (UTC)[reply]

You do exactly the same what I do - you have your point of view. The difference is that you have some authority in Wikipedia, you censor and criticise me. If Cuban people are so happy, why are they so controlled? From my point of view - you have too little of life experience, especially of living in non-democratic states, to impose you point as better than mine. The Cuban system will fail sooner or later, probably after the death of Fidel Castro. The world should prepare a mild way to democracy, instead to accept Soviet-type propaganda. Xx236 14:12, 27 February 2006 (UTC) Xx236 14:12, 27 February 2006 (UTC)[reply]

The exchange of a leader is always a problem in Communist countries. Cuba is very special, because of double leadership (Fidel+Raul) and Miami Cubans. I doubt very much that Raul were able to rule alone and they have removed any strong personality to replace Fidel. Xx236 13:27, 28 February 2006 (UTC)[reply]

According to you I believe in anti-Castro propaganda (I base on my life experience of Soviet Communism, my last source on Cuba is an article of a respected journalist and writer) and you are independent of Cuban propaganda (which you quote). Tell me why the Cuban people, who allegedly love the system, don't have the right to be informed (state media, censorship, terrror against independent librarians, jamming of foreign media)? Can a news be dangerous for a respected government? Second question - what about army officers influence in cuban economy, e.g. services for European tourists? Is this "propaganda"? I can believe that the USA is hostile to Cuba. But some EU countries are eager to cooperate with Cuba, especially Zapatero's Spain. Why is the Cuban government aftraid of the EU? Xx236 08:07, 1 March 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Michael why did you revert me change from describing Catro's Cuba as a dictatorship. Wilkipedia's own defintion is a goverment determined by the people, Cuba does not fit that criteria.

I did not say that the CIA is not a reputable source, please pay attention. I said drawing two conclusions that the source is not stating is Original research. The CIA factbook gives data on life expectancy and child mortality rate. 1. From this the editor drew the conclusion that Cuba has an excellent healthcare system...that is pov and original research as cia factbook does not make this claim. 2. From this conclusion the editor draws another conclusion that the citation claiming that cuba runs a two tiered segregated medical system MUST be wrong...this is also a pov and original research.(Gibby 04:53, 11 March 2006 (UTC))[reply]

Heat in Cuba

You recently wrote to me "If you don't like the heat perhaps you should go somewhere cooler ;-) ". Well, the other Wikipedia space I hang out in is Second Amendment and Gun politics in the United States, and believe it or not, both of those places are (presently) more civil than Cuba, though I have hope that we can find civility in Cuba. BruceHallman 20:26, 10 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

You recently wrote: ". I do feel strongly that invoking Wiki standards/mediation/etc is a real waste of time." Perhaps you are correct, though my recent experience with the Second Amendment Wiki article, which too has a lot of passion and partisianship, is that there are enough people of good faith in the middle that can rally together and make it work. I do believe that for the people that simply refuse to cooperate with Wikipedia policies, that unless they are banned (after due process), yes it will fail. I presently see about three people (two on one side, one on the other) who in my opinion should be banned if they don't change their ways. The process of banning/blocking people is new to me, so I don't know. In your experience is that process doomed? If yes, then the Cuba Wiki page is doomed. BruceHallman 18:15, 11 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

{{unblock|[[User:PMA|PMA]] abusing admin privileges, blocking my participation in discussion with spurious reasons}}

Your user name or IP address has been blocked from editing. You were blocked by PMA for the following reason (see our blocking policy): "Autoblocked because your IP address has been recently used by "MichaelW". The reason given for MichaelW's block is: "POV edits, article degradation, POV pushing, abuse of other editors, lack of good faith"."

See Cuba discussion page /*Civility*/ for block history. [1] MichaelW 09:18, 21 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

unblock request

The account was already unblocked by User:PMA --pgk^(talk) 17:24, 21 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Michael, would you please contact me by email? bruce@hallman.org BruceHallman 00:58, 22 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Hi Michael, I've sent you an email --Zleitzen 07:05, 22 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Ignoring the Truth

I suppose this message in the Cuba talk pages is the only way to keep your ignorance in tact:

"Cuba is no more a 'country of apartheid' than any other where having money will buy you things others can't afford." Arguing with you is simply proving to be a source of personal pain. This is an insulting statement that is consuming my very last shred of civility. Even if Cubans were lucky enough to receive money from exiled family members, CUBANS CANNOT USE THE QUALITY HEALTH CARE SERVICES, CANNOT STAY AT THE NICE HOTELS, CANNOT SHOP AT THE NICE STORES OR SUPERMARKETS, THERE ARE EVEN SOME PARKS THEY CANNOT ENTER. The situation in Cuba is PURE UNADULTERATED APARTHEID, and if a tourist asks a government official why a Cuban cannot join him for lunch, the official will say it is for the tourist's safety.

Pre 1990 (and it has been this way since roughly the early 60's), Cubans have used bicycles as their primary source of transportation. What can I site other than my own memories and the accounts of my family? Do you think a household that makes a handful of money a month can afford anything other than a bicycle? When my cousin soaked a mop in a pressure cooker filled with water, salt and a small ration of government chicken - just to stretch the food out an extra day or two to feed his hungry family - Do you think my cousin would do that and still think about saving for a car, just to keep his "cuban pride" intact?? Or how about a friend who tried to stay at a tourist hotel for his honeymoon - he had collected enough money from relatives for one night - who had been denied stay simply for being Cuban. No Cubans allowed at that hotel... Or explain to me how when my uncle was diagnosed with cancer, he stayed on a stained bed and was denied medicines that are easily accessible in clean, sanitized beds in the "tourist hospitals"? That, sir, is APARTHEID at its truest and cruelest. And it is one thing to not realize it exists, but it is something else to deny its existense after being informed. --Mcmachete 01:04, 6 May 2006 (UTC)

Cuban Cinema

Hi Mike, you wouldn't mind taking a look at this article for deletion Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Clase Z "Tropical". It's a Cuban short film which has some notability, yet users apparently deem this not appropriate for wikipedia - citing spurious google searches as evidence. Personally I think this is wrong, as the subject has much more interest to me (I studied Cuban cinema for a year) than the acres of articles on fictional characters from Star Wars. What's more, the editor who has been creating a number of articles on Cuban cinema is treated with the following comment - "Very likely a vanity article, as article author has only made edits promoting this filmmaker".--Zleitzen 12:25, 3 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

voice from the past

Hi Mike Always nice to hear from voices of the past... I find that revolution does keep one young :=) But you may have to help me out : Michael Waite ? Or another Michael W whose name had temporarily slipped my mind ? John

El Jigue

Hello, Mike. I see you've met 'El Jigue' and his refusal to abide by Wikipedia rules & policies. I've currently re-warned him about his blogging up of talk pages (with his pro-democracy Cuba blogs). He's even givin' me a unflattering nickname Colonel Buendia, I'm thinking of reporting him again to the Administrators. GoodDay 23:23, 28 November 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I wunder, would a Permanent Ban on EJ, be the answer. Further more, if he keeps calling me Colonel Buendia; I'll start calling him Little Fidel. GoodDay 16:02, 29 November 2006 (UTC)[reply]

El Jigue Amendment

See Beardo, thinking of proposing to Administrators an 'El Jigue' amendment (allowing blogging on public Discussion (talk) pages, for all users). GoodDay 21:22, 17 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Have decided, to respect the Consensus of interpretations of rules concerning 'Blogging' Discussion pages. The Debate has ended, they'll be no proposal to Administrators. Furthermore, have apologies for badgering 'El Jigue' on blogging. GoodDay 01:43, 18 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Cuba solidarity

On the subject of Cuba solidarity, I don't believe there is one page covering that, here is the category Category:Cuba solidarity groups. Perhaps you could consider creating a page? By the way, are you interested in participating in Wikipedia:WikiProject Cuba? --Zleitzen 12:59, 24 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]

NUWM

Hi, Michael. Sorry I haven't replied to your post re. NUWM sooner - been busy, and may be for next while. I have used as my reference "No Mean Fighter" by Harry McShane and "Unemployed Struggles 1919-1936" by Wal Hannington. If you need any details from those books, let me know, although, as I say, I am busy with work at moment and it might be a while. Camillus (talk) 21:13, 13 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Fellow Fidel Castro editor

Holy smokes, did you observe SilentVoice's user page? He's described us all (Castro editors) as Fidel Castro lovers. GoodDay 23:28, 8 July 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I read it, love it. GoodDay 19:06, 9 July 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I've left him a note, aswell. I'm a little ticked off, with his User page. GoodDay 18:12, 12 July 2007 (UTC)[reply]

From Silent Voice to the Castro idolatries

I see this is the meeting place of all of you. Since you all happen to like Castro so much why don't you sell everything you have or own and give as gift to the Cuban revolution or Castro the same thing and ask if he can take you in. :-) It is nice to be able to voice your opinion in a free society like ours. Imagine a dictator all the way to the right searching thru IPs etc trying to locate you guys to put you in prison just because you happen to like Fidel Castro! My beef is not with Fidel Castro is with the fact that he had to hold on to power for so long about Cubans not being able to choose their leaders. But you guys know that. I may not agree with what you guys think but I do not think but I still believe in a free society everyone is entitle to their opinions. Enjoy freedom why you still have it! Is sad that for less things things that you guys are allow to do here many people are in prison or die back in Cuba.

SilentVoice 04:52, 12 July 2007 (UTC).[reply]

Michael my point is that a simple dialog like you and I are having here at wikipedia would have landed me in prison if I was back in Cuba. When you visit Cuba again please try to live with those people that do not like Castro try to visit especially the ones in prison see why they do not like the system.

So much for the US being belligerent towards Cuba and the fact is that the Cuban revolution is still there! Do you think we (US) does not have the military power to obliterate and make dust out of Castro and his followers? You have become the voice of the Cuban government propaganda! to justify their failures! to justify the repression! Regards SilentVoice 14:24, 12 July 2007 (UTC).[reply]

Thanks Michael for caring

Michael, first of all thank you for caring about Cuba and Cubans. Many people in this country (US) and many other countries do not care about anything outside their sight! As to your comments ... Michael every foreigner in Cuba is watched very carefully I am betting they had handlers for you to follow you on every place you go. Even if you seem friendly to them they will never trust you. Plus they will never show you the real Cuba. You like to test an Idea? Next time you go, tell them to take you to a prison where they keep any of this people that are against the system and that you like to talk to them. But warning! I am sure that may get you boot out of the country just for asking to do that! I am really sure they will not let you in one of those places since when the UN commissioner for Human Rights was not able to do it! or human rights groups!

Re:I think it depends in what company you had the discussion. And that is my point. There is not guaranty freedom where people can talk as much as they want to criticizing the system. How can you improve on something if you execute all your critics? What are yo left with? Only the adulators and people without light people that are not creators of Ideas but just shadows. The followers! all the leaders are either dead or gone out of the country!

The biggest beef I had from my time in Cuba other than not being allow to speak my mind, is the lot of people that portrait themself as with the revolution and we all knew they were just putting in a show just to get somewhere. We saw that time and time again people using the system where the policemen should confiscate food on the black market but keep it for himself and his family! lots of corruption obviously that is not unique of a system like that. But it get aggravated when the ones enforcing the law have the power to totally destroy you and your family by claiming you are and enemy no proof required unlike here where your innocent until proven guilty. And there is no way to get them out of power and change the corruption or change the rules or solution! Not even a free press that can publish things like that!

RE:I'm sure you do, but you'd kill an awful lot of patriotic Cubans just to get to their evil masters. I agree with you there. I am sure that there is a lot of Cubans in Cuba that will like a change just because they are tired of listening to the same old song. Probably the wrong reason for the change. I knew and had some people I still consider my friends and will probably always consider my friends and that even I help and they were part of the system! but you know why I did it! Because they were honest people. People trying to make a living in a system that was using them. Even they saw that and they still believe there was something in it, this people had principles something the Commander does not have.

Re:Can't you understand that it is that potential which keeps Cuban society locked into a defensive militarized position, incapable of separating honest critics from enemy sympathizers.

That's always being Castro's excuse as to why he does not allow critics of the system. The real reason why is because he is used to do whatever he wants and is a lot easier to govern by decree where is your way all the time. The issue I have with that is that he also does not tolerate critics. Any one doing it is enemy of the revolution and CIA train or whatever they can think of. If whatever policy he creates is a failure then someone will get blame for the failure most of the time is the US government. Read the speeches.

I wish the American government would change ways for once and drop the blockade! I saw somewhere in the net something about a senator going to Cuba or maybe here and saying jokingly that if Castro did not behave they will drop the blockade! Is beyond me why American citizens are not allow to go there and visit. I know they say here is got to do with giving money to the system. If the Cuban community here was a little bit more open maybe he would not be so stuburn but then maybe that is what he wants and maybe what some people here also want. I remember the American government had secret conversations with the Cuban government and my impression was that they were planing to normalize relations with Cuba (speculation on my part, I admit) and then all of the sudden Cuba shut down the plane from (Hermanos al Rescate)! So the negotiations were drop right there. Neither the American government or the Cuban government ever mentioned what they were talking about. If my speculation is correct then it actually means that the shutting down of the plane was a maneuver by the Cuban government to sabotage the negotiations going on. You may asked why will they do such a thing? I say because then he has loss the most precious thing he had all this years someone to blame for everything wrong with the revolution.

I had to admit there is a softening on the regime part of late. they have become a bit more open to critics. I have seen people in Cuba say things that I would have never dare to say before I left for fear to loose my job or being place in prison. Just remember pretty much everyone there works for the government. So they will be very reluctant to open up to you and tell you what they really think.

There is a very Interesting publication from the western most province in Cuba from Cubans inside Cuba that is very illuminating as to the kind of problems they faced you may like to read it (The editorials and many articles are in English) here is the link

http://www.vitral.org/

Regards SilentVoice 23:32, 12 July 2007 (UTC).[reply]