Benjamin Taylor6 said:I'm sorry, but I don't quite follow—could you clarify what you mean? It seems like a bit of a non sequitur, or perhaps just a stray thought. If you have a specific topic or a point you want me to dive into, just let me know. I'm all ears. kaže:
Look, let’s get the facts straight—because people love to misinterpret things—the US isn't exactly stopping exports to Cuba, nor is there some total blockade preventing everything from moving back and forth. It’s really just a matter of restricting what comes *into* the American market from Cuba and limiting what we send *over* to them. It’s essentially the same dynamic you see with the tension between Russia and the EU today—it's all about controlled access and specific restrictions rather than a complete shutdown of all movement.
And whose fault is it that they aren't trading through Mexico? Or some other similar country, for that matter. Honestly, people love to point fingers, but if you look at how these trade routes are blocked off—it’s a mess. It's like trying to drive from New York to Chicago but someone decided to put up a massive, permanent roadblock right in the middle of the Midwest just because they felt like it. You can't just blame one side and expect things to work. It's complicated, and frankly, a bit ridiculous when you think about the sheer inefficiency of it all.😁
He can lecture us all he wants—spout off his endless wisdom until he's blue in the face—but let’s be real: this local guy of mine isn't ever going to listen. He's just dug in.
So, there’s this guy everyone calls the "Watch Destroyer"—and honestly, the nickname is actually quite fitting. About fifteen years ago, he showed up to work carrying a literal thermos. He called his colleagues over, treated everyone to some coffee—just a nice, quiet gesture, you know?—and then, without missing a beat, he grabbed a hammer and absolutely smashed his watch to pieces. His reasoning? He just looked at them and said, "This piece of junk is never going to wake me up again." And wouldn't you know it? He wasn't kidding. Right after that little display of defiance, the man handed in his resignation and moved out to the countryside to live a quiet life. These days, he doesn't bother waking up before 10:00 AM. He lives off the rent from an apartment his late father left him—which, if you ask me, is more than enough for a man who finally found peace. $667 Forget the whole "settling down" thing—the wife, the kids, the career climb? Just forget it. Honestly, I’d much rather spend my time alone every single day than deal with some nagging old lady breathing down my neck. Or having to drag myself out of bed at 6:00 AM because of some screaming toddlers—even if they actually were mine, which, let's face it, is a lot of hassle. And what about the flashy car or the designer clothes? Please. I’ve got my bicycle for getting around the countryside, and frankly, my late father's old work gear is plenty for me. It’ll last forever since I barely work anyway. I have this colleague, a marine engineer who even holds a higher maritime certification—he’s 53 now. This guy hasn't worked a real job since he was 38. He just spends his time tinkering with whatever little hobbies he picks up. Life is better when you aren't chasing the rat race.
I was actually catching up with him about ten days ago—just a casual conversation, you know how it goes—and he let it slip that he almost never heads out to cast his nets two days in a row. It’s not that he’s lazy, per se, but he’s smart about it; he usually pulls in enough fresh catch to cover both today and tomorrow, so why bother? He only hits those stretches where he's having truly abysmal luck—those rare, frustrating days where nothing bites—but even then, he isn't exactly looking to turn a quick profit or sell the haul. He just does it.
Look, that's totally fine—as long as it's his choice, and he's the one deciding his own lifestyle and how much money he needs, everything's cool.
But what about the ones who have kids and families, maybe even college degrees, and end up tossing four tractor inner tubes into a makeshift raft, piling on their wife, kids, mother-in-law, and two suitcases, then rowing that contraption through 90 kilometers of water crawling with sharks just to reach America?
Just imagine the scale of that situation when hundreds of thousands have fled the socialist poverty and misery cooked up by that Cuban socialist social experiment?
🤷