If you live in Virginia, Maryland or DC, the Washington Post thinks this guy could poop you out. (cc photo: JJ Harrison/Wikimedia)
The second paragraph of the Washington Post‘s news story (12/17/14) on President Obama normalizing relations with Cuba begins:
Cuba is a flyspeck of an island that long ago ceased to be a threat to the United States.
I suppose you could argue that Cuba was a threat to the United States during 1962’s Cuban missile crisis—which was very long ago indeed. I’m more struck by Post reporters Juliet Eilperin and Greg Jaffe‘s little geography lesson, comparing Cuba to a “flyspeck”—or, in other words, insect excrement.
Cuba, as it happens, is 42,426 square miles in area—making it bigger than Iceland or Ireland, neither of which would probably like to be compared to fly poop.
Closer to home for the Washington Post, Cuba is roughly the same size as Virginia (42,775 square miles), about three and a half times as big as Maryland (12,406 square miles) and more than 600 times the size of the District of Columbia (68 square miles). Somehow I doubt, though, that the Post would ever refer to the places where most of its readers live as “flyspecks.”
Cuba is indeed so much bigger than most Americans realize. By chance a few years ago I was on a flight from Guatemala City to Miami, which meant flying over the entire island, and I sat absolutely glued to the window, in awe of the vast & beautiful Cuba below. One can only hope their wise leaders can take advantage of this new era with strategic economic development not overwhelming American capitalism.
This ‘flyspeck’ of an island is remarkably free of strip malls, flashy advertising, McDonald’s, Arby’s, etc. It’s also remarkably green and relatively free of pesticides and herbicides. No doubt ‘civilization’ awaits.
Well the Kockroaches of Commerce are just eagerly vibrating their antenna’s, waiting to turn it into another wasted piece of Kockroach specks.
The fine comments are part of the enjoyment of reading these media critiques.
Cuba, as it happens, is 42,426 square miles in area that doesn’t include territorial waters and economic zones offshore. Something that Virginia doesn’t have.
Obama has NO intention of dissolving Cuban Sanctions, His only intention is regime change. Best way to get regime change is open US EMBASSY in Havana staffed with CIA and NGO spies bringing in opium to create an addicted pro American subculture that will overthrow Castro.
What Cuba is, is one more avenue of obtrusion for the illegal invasion of all forms of anti-american aliens, how far will the American people follow this NWO president???
I agree, Greg… comments that even include some comic relief!
^..^
I believe that Cuba is 700 miles from end to end. I wonder if they have a tradition of road trip in their film and literature like the US.