March 09, 2005
Arroz, que carne no hay! (UPDATED)
You know those time share deals where you get a free weekend stay somewhere with the provision that you have to listen to some presentation for hours?
fidel castro does the same thing:
HAVANA (Reuters) - President Fidel Castro has given Cuban women some good news on International Women's Day: rice cookers are coming to every household.In a five-hour 45-minute speech to cheering women on Tuesday night, the Cuban leader announced 100,000 pressure cookers and rice cookers would be available each month at subsidized prices.
"Those of you who like rice cookers, raise your hands," Castro said to applause from hundreds of women. The 78-year-old leader spent two hours talking about the merits of pressure cookers.
Castro's gesture may have carried some irony, coming on a day commemorating women's battles for equality. But many Cuban women, who do the vast majority of domestic work despite advances toward equality under Castro, were only too happy to hear the Chinese-made rice cookers were on their way.
The electric rice cooker is a treasured appliance in communist-run Cuba, where the basic diet is black beans and rice. The cookers were among appliances banned to save energy a decade ago when Cuba was plunged into economic crisis and power outages due to the loss of Soviet aid and oil.
The cookers could be distributed now, Castro said, because Cuba was emerging from the crisis and had resolved its latest energy crunch, caused by a failure of the island's largest power plant last summer.
With average salaries of $12 (6.24 pounds) a month, most Cubans cannot afford rice cookers that now sell for $60 on the black market.
"They will be received with open arms. When the gas goes, you can make beans, boil vegetables or heat up milk for the baby," said a Cuban housewife.
She said electric rice cookers are vital in rural Cuba, where households cook on wood or coal fires when gas is not available.
Update: Some of us just couldnt resist:
Thanks to CB for the image.
Posted by Val Prieto at March 9, 2005 01:06 PM
Comments
Man, this Fidel bitch really knows how to treat the ladies.
Posted by: Ray at March 9, 2005 04:31 PM
5 hours and 45 MINUTES!?!?
Jeez. I guess no one had to go to work, eh?
Posted by: bryan at March 9, 2005 04:51 PM
I HATE WATING IN LINE (LAS COLAS),
IN THE USA WE HAVE A CHOICE ON WATING IN LINE OR NOT
FIDEL COBARDE, PENDEJO, Y TU MADRE
VIVA CUBA LIBRE! ACTUALLY FIDEL IS NOT EVEN WORTHY OF BEEN MY JAIL BITCH.
FIDEL BE MY TOILET
Posted by: Ed Perez-Pantoja at March 9, 2005 04:53 PM
Wow - rice cookers - now dats progress!
Hey, at least Cuban wymin are more soulful and are mindful that it takes a village to feed da nation on it's brave trek into scientific socialism. Not like those evil Cuban American vain women in Miami who only think of cosmetics, going to spas where 3rd world folk wait on them hand and foot, new cars, and the latest Swedish buff tennis instructor at the Big 5 country club.
I cannot believe it - first the greatness of Cuba came out with da low infant mortality rate, free education, free medicine, and 75 doctors per every 100 Cubans, but now rice cookers - dats da bomb - a true eglitarian society is measured by how many pressure cookers the wymin have.
Power to da peeps y'all!
No justice no Peace!
Posted by: mandingo jones at March 9, 2005 05:26 PM
Best quote ever: "When the gas goes, you can make beans, boil vegetables or heat up milk for the baby," said a Cuban housewife.
Now, they can add "...and make some rice" to that list.
Talk about the land of rich progress!
Posted by: Dan Esparza at March 9, 2005 05:42 PM
"When the gas goes, you can make beans..."
Then you get the gas back!
heh heh
Posted by: Grace at March 9, 2005 07:28 PM
What happens when there's no rice? castro is such a scumbag.
Posted by: A.M Mora y Leon at March 9, 2005 08:05 PM
Ms. Leon, By calling fidel a scumbag, you just insulted scumbags... ;-)
Posted by: George L. Moneo at March 9, 2005 08:11 PM
Actually, on a more serious note than my gas comment, the first thought that popped into my head upon reading this was: "Wow, the guy must be worried".
Posted by: Grace at March 9, 2005 10:41 PM
HEY!
Maybe instead of singing kumbaya with all the lefties while they cook rice in the chinese pots overa charcoal fire (as the electricity will probably be probably out), we can teach them to sing the all time favorite to the tune of "la internacional"
Que vivan todos los Cubanos
Que viva el huevo Y el jamon
Que vivan los Americanos
Y que se muera ese cabron
Porque la invasion, nico!
Posted by: cohetedude at March 9, 2005 10:52 PM
Are these rice cookers battery operated. Cause the last time i checked wasn't there an energy crisis in cuba. Um, no wait most people don't have electricity in cuba.
Posted by: Jorge at March 10, 2005 08:42 AM
When the gas goes, you can (use electricity to) make beans, boil vegetables or heat up milk for the baby,"
So full of absurdities, where does one start to comment? And when the gas AND electric are out?
Posted by: j.scott barnard at March 10, 2005 10:13 AM
I listened to this being talked about on the radio today. They had an interesting spin, it seems that there was quite an underground market for homemade rice cookers. People were actually making some money building and selling them, they were a hot item. Well, Fidel couldn't let something like capitalism creep in to his society so presto, government subsidized rice cookers!
Posted by: Plunge at March 10, 2005 11:43 PM
Lesse .. Cubans went from "two cars in every garage" to
"One rice cooker in every home"
God damn it. And it only took 46 years. You just wait in another 46 years they will get
the rice
the water
the gas
the electricity
and then
WATCH OUT YANKS!
Posted by: KillCastro at March 14, 2005 09:20 PM