# Castro absent from his own birthday party **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 4, 2006, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-absent-from-his-own-birthday-party/382773 "2006-12-04T01:19:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-absent-from-his-own-birthday-party/382773/1 "2006-12-04T01:19:17Z")
There was a big public celebration in Cuba of Castro’s 80th birthday, but Fidel [failed to show.](http://www.abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=2696829&page=1) How much longer has he got, I wonder? And what then? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-absent-from-his-own-birthday-party/382773/2 "2006-12-04T01:34:10Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] There was a big public celebration in Cuba of Castro’s 80th birthday, but Fidel [failed to show.](http://www.abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=2696829&page=1) How much longer has he got, I wonder? And what then? [/QUOTE] My _hope_ is that when Fidel kicks the bucket, Cuba will (a) make a nonviolent transition to democracy, and (b) only gradually move away from a socialist system. The former, because one thing Cuba does have going for it is 100% literacy, and that’s a healthy base for a fledgling democracy. And the latter, because Cuba’s economic system is hanging together with spit and baling wire, and a sudden transition to a much more laissez-faire system would almost surely leave a lot of Cubans in genuine poverty. Our current Administration would surely like to push them directly from socialism to social Darwinism, given the chance, but I hope and pray they don’t get the chance. My WAG is that Fidel’s not likely to see another birthday, though. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-absent-from-his-own-birthday-party/382773/3 "2006-12-04T01:48:06Z")
When I was 7 or 8, I had a birthday party, and I ended up hiding in the bathroom. Maybe Castro did the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-absent-from-his-own-birthday-party/382773/4 "2006-12-04T01:50:30Z")
[QUOTE=Revtim] When I was 7 or 8, I had a birthday party, and I ended up hiding in the bathroom. Maybe Castro did the same thing. [/QUOTE] Well, Raul shouldn’t have hired that scary clown! ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-absent-from-his-own-birthday-party/382773/5 "2006-12-04T08:07:25Z")
[QUOTE=Revtim] When I was 7 or 8, I had a birthday party, and I ended up hiding in the bathroom. Maybe Castro did the same thing. [/QUOTE] When I was 14 I ran away from home to join the Revolution. Which reminds me, I wish people would keep me informed about Castro’s whereabouts. I don’t expect to have to get my news from an internet message board. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-absent-from-his-own-birthday-party/382773/6 "2006-12-04T12:32:11Z")
Well, i hope its finally cutains for the old bastard at last! I hopr there is a nice warm spot being reserved for him! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2006, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-absent-from-his-own-birthday-party/382773/7 "2006-12-07T15:56:04Z")
In other news, the U.S. has spurned [Raul’s](http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyID=2006-12-04T204808Z_01_N04194251_RTRUKOC_0_US-CUBA-USA-CASTRO.xml&WTmodLoc=NewsHome-C3-politicsNews-3) offer of talks. > [@](#): > > “The dialogue that should be taking place is not between Raul Castro and any group outside or any country outside of Cuba. It’s the regime, with the Cuban people, talking about a transition to a democratic form of governance in that country,” State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters. :rolleyes: This guy is a **diplomat?!** ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2006, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-absent-from-his-own-birthday-party/382773/8 "2006-12-07T16:17:40Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] :rolleyes: This guy is a **diplomat?!** [/QUOTE] He’s the Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2006, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-absent-from-his-own-birthday-party/382773/9 "2006-12-09T01:53:44Z")
[QUOTE=ralph124c] Well, i hope its finally cutains for the old bastard at last! I hopr there is a nice warm spot being reserved for him! [/QUOTE] If so, he can keep Jeane Kirkpatrick company. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2006, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-absent-from-his-own-birthday-party/382773/10 "2006-12-09T05:59:42Z")
Poor Fidel. I hope someone brought a slice up cake up to his room, at least. ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2006, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-absent-from-his-own-birthday-party/382773/11 "2006-12-09T14:36:26Z")
[Happy Birthday](http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/The-Happy-Happy-Birthday-Song-lyrics-The-Arrogant-Worms/09F6EAAB24C52CD248256B260027D214)! > [@](#): > > But instead your time is set > This is the only life you get > And though it hasn’t ended yet > Sometimes you wish it might > > Happy birthday! > You wish you had more money > Happy birthday! > Your life’s so sad it’s funny > Happy birthday! > How much more can you take? > But your friends are hungry now > So cut the stupid cake! ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2006, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-absent-from-his-own-birthday-party/382773/12 "2006-12-11T17:13:36Z")
Happy Birthday! (UHH!) Happy Birthday! (UHH!) Death and gloom and black despair People dying everywhere Happy Birthday! (UHH!) Happy Birthday! (UHH!) Happy Birthday! (UHH!) Happy Birthday! (UHH!) Now you are the age you are Your demise cannot be far Happy Birthday! (UHH!) Happy Birthday! (UHH!)