Castro Steps Down

I am back to work but struggle to use my voice on the 911 phone and over the radio. It croaks mostly, barely above a raspy whisper and I am prone to fits of deep chested coughing. I sound much worse than I feel. Half the radio room is out sick. I know it's because our room is enclosed, air re-circulating without benefit of fresh, and even with the precautions of Clorox Wipes, hand sanitizers etc. this viral crap is vicious, and unrelenting! I have a miriad of soothers with me, cough drops, Day Quil, Tea w/honey. I've been sucking down water as fast as I can to see if I can drown it out! Each day that goes by seems to bring some small improvement, but I am still having trouble getting actual "sleep". I just have to remind myself that I never really did sleep well before all this anyhow!
Breaking News....
Now that Castro is no longer in charge of Cuba, what will that mean to us? Raul Castro had long been his brother's designated successor. The longtime defense minister had been in his brother's rebel movements since 1953 and spent decades as No. 2 in Cuba's power structure.
The United States, determined to keep Castro's brother out of the power structure, built a detailed plan in 2005 for American assistance to ensure a democratic transition on the island of 11.2 million people after Fidel Castro's death. But Cuban officials insisted there would be no transition, saying the island's socialist political and economic systems would outlive Castro. So there you have it. It's soooo great there, they don't want to change a thing! Raul will run the country just like his brother did. End of story. Here's a little excerpt from the State Dept. website giving us a little insight on what lovely little Cuba is like....

"COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: Cuba is a totalitarian police state, which relies on repressive methods to maintain control. These methods, including intense physical and electronic surveillance of Cubans, are also extended to foreign travelers. Americans visiting Cuba should be aware that any encounter with a Cuban could be subject to surreptitious scrutiny by the Castro regime's secret police, the General Directorate for State Security (DGSE). Also, any interactions with average Cubans, regardless how well intentioned the American is, can subject that Cuban to harassment and/or detention, and other forms of repressive actions, by state security elements. The regime is strongly anti-American yet desperate for U.S. dollars to prop itself up."

Oh yeah... book my reservations today!