The Prof
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Reuters, Nov 11
1. Castro's Chimera has always been dependent on the kindness of strangers.
2. Following the Reagan-precipitated collapse of the USSR, Cuba in 1991 suffered energy blackouts of epic proportions.
3. The island still cringes at the memory, so great was the trauma.
4. Brother Raul has ordered the immediate closure of all govt operated factories deemed non-essential.
5. As if many factories in Castro's country aren't govt-run.
6. Air conditioners, refrigerators---also unplugged.
7. It sounds pretty bad and looks pretty dark.
8. "Extreme measures" or "planned blackouts," offers the Council of Ministers, a real Hobson's choice.
9. Last summer Raul warned his la raza that they were wasting AC and leaving the lights on en casa when they went to the Olive Garden and the lastest blockbuster pelicula.
10. Apparently, la raza didn't escuchar.
11. They just never know the right things to do.
12. Gracia a Dios we have Raul to tell us.
13. Yet another communist domino teeters.
14. Were the US to go the direction of cap and trade (which we aren't, it has no chance in the Senate), we'd be soon behind.
15. As it is, it's gonna take a little longer.
Reuters AlertNet - Cuba orders extreme measures to cut energy use
The Prof
1. Castro's Chimera has always been dependent on the kindness of strangers.
2. Following the Reagan-precipitated collapse of the USSR, Cuba in 1991 suffered energy blackouts of epic proportions.
3. The island still cringes at the memory, so great was the trauma.
4. Brother Raul has ordered the immediate closure of all govt operated factories deemed non-essential.
5. As if many factories in Castro's country aren't govt-run.
6. Air conditioners, refrigerators---also unplugged.
7. It sounds pretty bad and looks pretty dark.
8. "Extreme measures" or "planned blackouts," offers the Council of Ministers, a real Hobson's choice.
9. Last summer Raul warned his la raza that they were wasting AC and leaving the lights on en casa when they went to the Olive Garden and the lastest blockbuster pelicula.
10. Apparently, la raza didn't escuchar.
11. They just never know the right things to do.
12. Gracia a Dios we have Raul to tell us.
13. Yet another communist domino teeters.
14. Were the US to go the direction of cap and trade (which we aren't, it has no chance in the Senate), we'd be soon behind.
15. As it is, it's gonna take a little longer.
Cuba has ordered all state enterprises to adopt "extreme measures" to cut energy usage through the end of the year in hopes of avoiding the dreaded blackouts that plagued the country following the 1991 collapse of its then-top ally, the Soviet Union.
In documents seen by Reuters, government officials have been warned that the island is facing a "critical" energy shortage that requires the closing of non-essential factories and workshops and the shutting down of air conditioners and refrigerators not needed to preserve food and medicine.
Cuba has cut government spending and slashed imports after being hit hard by the global financial crisis and the cost of recovering from three hurricanes that struck last year.
"The energy situation we face is critical and if we do not adopt extreme measures we will have to revert to planned blackouts affecting the population," said a recently circulated message from the Council of Ministers.
The directives follow government warnings in the summer that too much energy was being used and blackouts would follow if consumption was not reduced.
All provincial governments and most state-run offices and factories, which encompasses 90 percent of Cuba's economic activity, were ordered in June to reduce energy use by a minimum of 12 percent or face mandatory electricity cuts.
The measures appeared to resolve the crisis as state-run press published stories about the amount of energy that had been saved and the dire warnings died down. The only explanation given for the earlier warnings was that Cuba was consuming more fuel than the government had money to pay for.
Reuters AlertNet - Cuba orders extreme measures to cut energy use
The Prof