I would like a clarification from Canada on their efforts to bring back the Ontario teen that is currently being refused exit from Cuba for his part in a car crash in Camaguey...

The AFP reported that finally the Harper government has gotten on the case that has lingered since April nearly bankrupting this Ontario family. But the article seemed to insinuate that they were also pushing for the release of 6 other Canadians currently being detained in Cuba.

I for one am interested to find out if we're pushing for the release of the 4 Montrealers who are being held for rape. Because pushing for the release of a kid who was involved in an accident where everyone died and no fault was found yet is one thing, but pushing for the release of "alleged" rapists is another...

Theirs VS Ours

Jim Flaherty

There's been a lot of hype around "racy" pictures of the Georgian Economy Minister around the press lately. Well I'd just like to take a second to say a few things.

This chick graduated from BCIT in 2004, so she's educated. She's Canadian raised so she's probably pretty friendly. And lets face it folks she's not hard on the eyes. When you compare her (on looks alone) to our finance minister, I'll take bad news from her over Flaherty any day.

Georgian Economy Minister (to the left of the chick in right)

July 25 and the passing of a Friend.

This morning I woke up and started getting ready for work. I got a message from a friend living in France that one of the nicest people I'd ever met had passed away in Ciego de Avila yesterday.

A big man, a bass player (like myself) and a shameless joker Pino will be fondly remembered as one of the first real friends I'd made in Cuba. He took me into his house, we played music together, we drank 10 peso rum and laughed and ate rancid cheese until we nearly passed out... and all this before I even spoke a single world of Spanish (the only language he spoke). Despite the fact we didn't understand each other on a verbal level for a while, there was always that mutual understanding that come from those who are cut from the same cloth.

I'd like to think that even my cloth was somewhat small and tattered compared to him that we had much more in common than we had differences.

One day in one of my man drunken moments I took out my little Spanish Phrases book and looked at him and very seriously I said: "Donde esta el museo?"... I don't think I've ever heard a man laugh so hard at such an obviously ridiculous question considering we were sitting at his house eating at the time.

And it stuck, after that every time I saw him I could hear him and his friends saying "Oye muchacho donde esta el museo?" And that was that. It's not really funny unless you're there. but honestly it's the most humor I can muster up today.

I can not attend the funeral of my friend, but I will be there in spirit and I will be there for his family as much I can.

So Pino, this one's for you and one day we'll find that pinche museum.