...after all, your life stops being in danger after you die.
Posted on 09/02/2007 4:06:40 PM PDT by freedom44
HAVANA (AFP) — There is no reason to believe that Cuban President Fidel Castro's life is in danger as he convalesces, Culture Minister Abel Prieto said late Friday.
The statement came amid a wave of rumors, especially among the Cuban-American community in Florida, that Cuba's long-time communist leader, who has not been seen in public since undergoing surgery over a year ago, is either dead or on his deathbed.
"I have no element that leads me to believe that the life of Fidel is in danger," Prieto told reporters during the presentation of a book on Castro's speeches on the environment.
Prieto said that he did not have direct news about Castro's health, but pointed to a series of newspaper opinion articles signed by the Cuban leader to say that he is is "very active intellectually."
Castro, who turned 81 on August 13 with little fanfare in Cuba, underwent intestinal surgery in July 2006 and handed power over temporarily to his younger brother Raul, 76.
He has not been seen in public since before the operation, though he has appeared in photographs and eight videos, the last of which aired on June 5.
Forty-one opinion articles attributed to Castro have also appeared in the government-run newspapers, the most recent on August 26.
"As far as I know Fidel is working, is writing, is publishing articles that I believe are not from a person that is in a state of delicate health," Prieto said.
"Evidently Fidel is very active intellectually and I, although I do not have direct news about how he feels, believe that undoubtedly he is a person that is engaged in intellectual activity and leaving material of great value," Prieto said.
Speculation on Castro's health has gone through cycles since he handed power over to Raul, the commander of the Cuban armed forces.
Rumors intensified when Castro's birthday went by with no photographs or even a visit by his friend the president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, as happened in 2006.
Cuban officials say that they treat news on Castro's health as a state secret.
Did Baghdad Bob move to Havana??
...after all, your life stops being in danger after you die.
It’s only a matter of time. We all go eventually.
In other news, Egypt announced today that the reports of Tutankamin’s demise were premature. “He is still recouperating well and we’re confident he will be seen in public soon.”
The whereabouts of Baghdad Bob are still unknown...
“...and this just handed me...Comandante en Jefe Fidel Castro is still dead.”
Well, we were so intent on invading Iraq and freeing the Iraqi people from a tyrannical dictatorship....why have we not done so for Cuba???
Starting to remind me of the Monty Python dead parrot skit.
I believe that last one endorsed Hillary for President and Obama for Vice President.
I don't think even the Communist Party USA has issued their usual endorsement for the Democrats.
“Fidel Not In Danger as He Convalesces: Minister”
A missed opportunity
Lovely plumage, Fidel...
Ready to roll. - Where are our leaders?
Dead Parrot Sketch
The cast:
MR. PRALINE
John Cleese
SHOP OWNER
Michael Palin
The sketch:
A customer enters a pet shop.
Mr. Praline: ‘Ello, I wish to register a complaint.
(The owner does not respond.)
Mr. Praline: ‘Ello, Miss?
Owner: What do you mean “miss”?
Mr. Praline: I’m sorry, I have a cold. I wish to make a complaint!
Owner: We’re closin’ for lunch.
Mr. Praline: Never mind that, my lad. I wish to complain about this parrot what I purchased not half an hour ago from this very boutique.
Owner: Oh yes, the, uh, the Norwegian Blue...What’s,uh...What’s wrong with it?
Mr. Praline: I’ll tell you what’s wrong with it, my lad. ‘E’s dead, that’s what’s wrong with it!
Owner: No, no, ‘e’s uh,...he’s resting.
Mr. Praline: Look, matey, I know a dead parrot when I see one, and I’m looking at one right now.
Owner: No no he’s not dead, he’s, he’s restin’! Remarkable bird, the Norwegian Blue, idn’it, ay? Beautiful plumage!
Mr. Praline: The plumage don’t enter into it. It’s stone dead.
Owner: Nononono, no, no! ‘E’s resting!
Mr. Praline: All right then, if he’s restin’, I’ll wake him up! (shouting at the cage) ‘Ello, Mister Polly Parrot! I’ve got a lovely fresh cuttle fish for you if you
show...
(owner hits the cage)
Owner: There, he moved!
Mr. Praline: No, he didn’t, that was you hitting the cage!
Owner: I never!!
Mr. Praline: Yes, you did!
Owner: I never, never did anything...
Mr. Praline: (yelling and hitting the cage repeatedly) ‘ELLO POLLY!!!!! Testing! Testing! Testing! Testing! This is your nine o’clock alarm call!
(Takes parrot out of the cage and thumps its head on the counter. Throws it up in the air and watches it plummet to the floor.)
Mr. Praline: Now that’s what I call a dead parrot.
Owner: No, no.....No, ‘e’s stunned!
Mr. Praline: STUNNED?!?
Owner: Yeah! You stunned him, just as he was wakin’ up! Norwegian Blues stun easily, major.
Mr. Praline: Um...now look...now look, mate, I’ve definitely ‘ad enough of this. That parrot is definitely deceased, and when I purchased it not ‘alf an hour
ago, you assured me that its total lack of movement was due to it bein’ tired and shagged out following a prolonged squawk.
Owner: Well, he’s...he’s, ah...probably pining for the fjords.
Mr. Praline: PININ’ for the FJORDS?!?!?!? What kind of talk is that?, look, why did he fall flat on his back the moment I got ‘im home?
Owner: The Norwegian Blue prefers keepin’ on it’s back! Remarkable bird, id’nit, squire? Lovely plumage!
Mr. Praline: Look, I took the liberty of examining that parrot when I got it home, and I discovered the only reason that it had been sitting on its perch in the
first place was that it had been NAILED there.
(pause)
Owner: Well, o’course it was nailed there! If I hadn’t nailed that bird down, it would have nuzzled up to those bars, bent ‘em apart with its beak, and
VOOM! Feeweeweewee!
Mr. Praline: “VOOM”?!? Mate, this bird wouldn’t “voom” if you put four million volts through it! ‘E’s bleedin’ demised!
Owner: No no! ‘E’s pining!
Mr. Praline: ‘E’s not pinin’! ‘E’s passed on! This parrot is no more! He has ceased to be! ‘E’s expired and gone to meet ‘is maker! ‘E’s a stiff! Bereft of life, ‘e
rests in peace! If you hadn’t nailed ‘im to the perch ‘e’d be pushing up the daisies! ‘Is metabolic processes are now ‘istory! ‘E’s off the twig! ‘E’s kicked the
bucket, ‘e’s shuffled off ‘is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin’ choir invisibile!! THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!
(pause)
Owner: Well, I’d better replace it, then. (he takes a quick peek behind the counter) Sorry squire, I’ve had a look ‘round the back of the shop, and uh,
we’re right out of parrots.
Mr. Praline: I see. I see, I get the picture.
Owner: I got a slug.
(pause)
Mr. Praline: Pray, does it talk?
Owner: Nnnnot really.
Mr. Praline: WELL IT’S HARDLY A BLOODY REPLACEMENT, IS IT?!!???!!?
Owner: N-no, I guess not. (gets ashamed, looks at his feet)
Mr. Praline: Well.
(pause)
Owner: (quietly) D’you.... d’you want to come back to my place?
Mr. Praline: (looks around) Yeah, all right, sure.
I think he recently visited El Taxidermiste.
Never fails to get a laugh. Classic stuff. ;-)
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