How often does a hero come out of the mist to save an absolutely incredibly gorgeous and rare forest? Rarely.

I think Tim Sweeney will fall into the category of other heroes such as Ted Turner and Robert Redford.

This is a bit dated, but, it only came to my attention this eveing.

Staying wild: Epic Games founder and CEO Tim Sweeney bought the Box Creek tract and registered it with North Carolina’s Natural Heritage Program — which could lead to making the 3,300-acre property a permanent nature reserve. photos by Lloyd Raleigh, Unique Places

Better late than never. Heroes are hard to find. It is a very precious wildness. It is an extremely rare ecosystem. 

July 3, 2012
By Susan Andrew

Every so often, (click here) wilderness gets a break. Consider the case of the Box Creek Wilderness, a 3,300-acre forest tract straddling the Rutherford/McDowell county line just east of Asheville.

Once slated to become a high-end residential development, the property was acquired late last year by a conservation-minded owner after the developer went bust. Local conservationists watched with bated breath as Tim Sweeney, the founder and CEO of Epic Games, took title to the parcel.

And on June 7, North Carolina's secretary of environment and natural resources signed an agreement with Sweeney allowing the property to be registered with the state’s Natural Heritage Program. Housed within the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the agency administers a registry of significant natural areas....

That is what a real hero looks like.

March 22, 2013
By Brandon Sheffield

Sometimes we reach greatness (click here) by standing on the shoulders of giants -- and anyone who has ever made a game with the Unreal Engine knows that Tim Sweeney is just such a behemoth. He wrote a quarter-million lines of code in the original Unreal Engine, and though he's founder and CTO of Epic Games, he still actively codes every day.

It's a curious exercise to think about where the industry would be today if not for the Tim Sweeneys and John Carmacks of the world. Luckily, we work in an industry where most of our legends are living, working, and still pushing us forward. Many of them are shuttered away from the world, either working diligently on their next project, or shielded from the press by concerned public relations staff....

During her 2008 run for the Presidency, Hillary Clinton self funded $1.3 million. How much of her campaign, especially during the primary, was self-funded?

The Trump Organization had contact with Russia long before the election through a secret cyber link that was illegal at a time when the USA had sanctions against banks and individuals in Russia. Why would it be a surprise that Russia wasn't going help their favorite son in the USA?

Now, realize that the FBI knew all that mess was going on especially during the 2016 elections and Comey sabotaged Hillary Clinton's campaign. Comey treasoned and couped the USA elections of 2016. 

The campaign is over. Donald Trump has no right to propagandize serious demonstrators against his election to the White House. This is the level of juvenile behavior the USA is going to get from the idiot? He really thinks he is a dictator. Well, he ain't! The demonstrators have a right to have their grievances heard through THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT. OMG. He is an idiot. More of an idiot than I thought possible. He has no dignity, except, the expensive suits he buys. He is crude and twitter is going to get a lot of activity, but, the rest of the business of the country won't!!! OMG. OMG. The man is an idiot. Ego. He is the worst egotist in the world. I suppose it is a good distraction to his illegal activity with Russia. 

Twitter will know the nuclear codes. Wait and see. 

The Republicans are not decent people. They have never been decent people. They will sabotage civilization in the USA, just for the hell of it. Just because they want to. They don't care about the country, they don't care about the people and if they want to carry out unthinkable measures with their power they will do it and they have an idiot in the White House that wants to tweet rather than govern. He'll let Congress know what will work for him on twitter. Does McConnell have a twitter account and a Smart Phone? He is going to need it.

"There are administrative mechanisms in place to protect the country from radical idiots?" My words, not anyone else's. Right. Keep your fingers crossed, too. The Republicans will carry out every unthinkable measure for the next two years because they are ZEALOTS!

IT IS STILL 3 MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT (click here)

DoomsdayClock_black_3mins_regmark.jpg

2016: "Last year, the Science and Security Board moved the Doomsday Clock forward to three minutes to midnight, noting: 'The probability of global catastrophe is very high, and the actions needed to reduce the risks of disaster must be taken very soon.' That probability has not been reduced. The Clock ticks. Global danger looms. Wise leaders should act—immediately." See the full statement from the Science and Security Board on the 2016 time of the Doomsday Clock....

In the modern era, there was the best optimism to ending the threat of nuclear war in 1991; the end of the Cold War.

...IT IS 17 MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT

DoomsdayClock_black_17mins_regmark.jpg

1991: With the Cold War officially over, the United States and Russia begin making deep cuts to their nuclear arsenals. The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty greatly reduces the number of strategic nuclear weapons deployed by the two former adversaries. Better still, a series of unilateral initiatives remove most of the intercontinental ballistic missiles and bombers in both countries from hair-trigger alert. "The illusion that tens of thousands of nuclear weapons are a guarantor of national security has been stripped away," the Bulletin declares.

The USA has no will to end the abuses of the climate by the petroleum industry.

There is one sure way of making climate a high priority that inhibits petroleum use; OPEC.

OPEC infrastructure has been established for decades. They don't need bank loans to pump oil and harness methane. There are very honorable men within OPEC that understand what it takes to limit the greenhouse gas emissions. OPEC should be an ally to the climate initiatives. In the past year, Saudi Arabia is introducing a job based economy to it's people. Saudi Arabia is the largest oil producer in OPEC.

I realize most climate scientists are convinced OPEC is the problem; I think not. There are many within royal families within the Middle East that appreciate the problems facing the scientific community vs Wall Street. Dubai celebrates "Earth Hour" along with the global community. There are issues with terrorists and civil unrest in the Middle East, but, wherever possible there are decent men as concerned for their children's future as we are ours.

If the scientific community asked to meet with OPEC a strategy to eliminate greenhouse gases over a specific time frame could be established. They are reasonable men. They also have countries to provide for. There has to be answers and holding OPEC at arms length is not the answer. The IPCC should include scientists affiliated with OPEC that can work together to end this dangerous trend.

OPEC never says "There is no such thing as human induced global warming and carbon dioxide can never be a toxic gas." They are reasonable men and leaders. They may not understand the extent they need this is a direly important paradigm to conquer. The American petroleum industry sees only dollar signs without a moral fiber connected to it. There is a vast difference between American petroleum oil barrons and OPEC. Eons of moral difference.

The IPCC should establish a working relationship with OPEC. It will work.

November 10, 2016

The biggest worry (click here) about a Donald Trump presidency is the threat to the world from climate change, former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer says.

"The Paris Agreement - if that doesn't work [and] we'll have a revival of the petrochemical and fossil fuels industry, and that spells disaster for stopping climate change," Sir Geoffrey told Newstalk ZB.

Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei today said Trump's pledge to take the US out of the Paris Climate Agreement, which took 20 years to negotiate, meant New Zealand and other countries needed to "step up and take the lead" on climate change action.

"The world has a very short window of opportunity to curb emissions and avoid the worst of climate change. We cannot wait the length of a Trump presidency for progress on climate change. The change must start now."...

Figure 1 (click here)

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a group of thirteen countries located in the Middle East, Africa, and also South America (those countries can be viewed in figure 1).  The organization was formed in September of 1960 in Baghdad, Iraq.  OPEC has caused major shifts in economy throughout the years due to the power that they hold over their oil.  Between the years 1960 and 1980 the organization of petroleum exporting countries have changed the price and production levels of their oil many times.  This organization has led to those countries along with many other countries’ economies expanding due to the fact that the OPEC nations were in charge of their own oil.  Through the limitations and agreements that the petroleum exporting countries made, led to us seeing shifts in their economies and also shifts in the industrialization of the countries....

Japan needs to consider developing a better military. It is wrong to oppress the Japanese national defense.

If I thought moving before the World Court would do any good I'd advocate for that. But. Lately, the Philippines was only successful with a complaint against China because China never answered the complaint. China is taking a military profile to be power to contend with that no court order is going to matter.

I think the only way Japan can protest it's sovereign rights is to develop their military and take the circumstances before the UN Security Council. China is a permanent member of the council and would veto any resolution requested by Japan. Even with a vetoed resolution Japan will be on the record.

November 8, 2016

...Tokyo is becoming increasingly concerned (click here) that Beijing could use undersea exploration to extend its reach into Japanese waters, weakening the median line as the defining maritime barrier.

Japan's powerful coast guard retains the upper hand in the East China Sea, for now. But China is quickly closing the gap, and it may not be long before Beijing's naval forces outstrip Tokyo's. Moreover, it was recently disclosed that one of China's platforms is equipped with a military-grade surface radar system, improving China's awareness of activity in the East China Sea. This poses a serious problem for Tokyo: As development of the eastern side of the median line continues to lag, and as Beijing's maritime capabilities improve, Japan may have a harder time stopping China from pushing its territorial bounds eastward.                       

When Congress destroys Dodd-Frank and the Volker Rule investors can divest in bank stocks as a conscience issues.

They fund the petroleum industry, too. Think about that. The petroleum industry is losing ground everyday and the big banks use them for cash flow. Really?

Wall Street is not interested in a strong arm president. They don't know what the direction Congress will pursue, so government bonds have now become speculative.

When people like Hillary Clinton are invited to speak to companies and organizations, whether the talk is current or not, it provides a strong base to understand where the leader is on issues of investment. That provides confidence regardless of the electorate's apprehensions. This is a very good example of that.

Municipal Bonds are the backbone of the local economy. Don't dump the bonds they are not risky. The municipality is as close as the local newspaper and investors can derive security of their investment from knowing the best interests of their local economy. Speculation as with Goldman Sachs does not have that ability to assess every bond they hold, so they are simply dumping them. 

It is my estimate Wall Street will be looking for stalwart stocks such as those of Warren Buffet as a baseline portfolio. Otherwise, the riskier investments will go to countries in Europe and Australia. The foreign component of the investment capital is actually more stable and reassuring then any American investment at this time.

The rules of the future are not written yet.

November 10, 2016
By Tae Kim

Goldman Sachs (click here) told investors to sell government bonds and buy gold as a hedge due to the prospect of future inflation from Donald Trump's economic agenda.

"The implications of a clean Republican sweep of both houses is probably as important for the markets as the unexpected presidential result. ... Market performance indicates a continuation and intensification of the reflation trend since the summer," Goldman's chief global equity strategist, Peter Oppenheimer, wrote in a note to clients Wednesday.

"Following several years of gridlock between the houses, the potential now exists for a number of legislative initiatives to be passed. Our U.S. strategists point to the possibilities of fiscal stimulus/infrastructure spending, corporate tax reform, reducing regulation and addressing rising health-care costs."...

The Bureau of Indian Affairs should be a part of any decisions regarding the land the protesters are protecting. These lands have inherent interests by Native Americans.

November 10, 2016
By The AP

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (click here) says it's trying to defuse tensions between Dakota Access pipeline protesters and law enforcement in North Dakota, but the pipeline's developer isn't cooperating.

The Corps asked Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners Wednesday to stop work in the area where protests against the $3.8 billion pipeline have resulted in more than 400 arrests.

The Corps' similar plea last week was rebuffed. ETP this week said crews were mobilizing equipment in preparation for tunneling under Lake Oahe.

The 1,200-mile pipeline from North Dakota to Illinois is complete except for under that Missouri River reservoir, which has been delayed while the Corps reviews its permitting.

Company spokeswoman Vicki Granado said in an email that work won't be done until the company gets permission to be on Corps property.

Donald Trump is a power broken in the worst sense. Nothing will change his approach because he believes otherwise is weak.

The Trump White House is corrupt before conceived. Donald Trump has no foreign policy. He will pander to Russia and set priorities of the Oval Office according to the influence of Russia. Russia will have an authority in the White House under Trump.

Donald Trump has no foreign policy. He has already stated he intends to use the power and clout of the USA to make other countries bend to his will to achieve a promised policy to the American people. That is not foreign policy or trade, it is isolationism and forcing alliances against the USA.

Donald Trump will compromise the USA's alliances while selling out to Russia. It is treasonous to allow another country to influence USA policy. 

Pence is all about social extremism to convert the USA to a theocracy. We know the Supreme Court has already stated women have the right to health care that includes contraception and abortion.

Pence is an economic lightweight. Basically, he has no clue. He took office in 2012. Do I need to say anymore?

Social issues are all decided in the courts. Basically, the Republicans will try to change the USA to please them. Expect a Marriage Amendment to make it to the states and the infrastructure is already there to force acceptance of such an amendment to ratify. It is time NOW to organize and push back NOW against the return of social and economic isolation of citizens. Russia will love the change.

Try Canada for a real vacation with northern lights over the ski  slopes.

"Hot Deals and Packages" (click here)

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is only one of many great resorts in Canada.

There is real snow at Kicking Horse Resort with one centimeter of snow in the last 24 hours. One centimeters is under one half inch or snow. The total snowfall so far this season is 181cm or 71 inches. Seventy one inches is a shade less than six feet. 

When thinking snow, think Canada under the Northern Lights.

As I previously stated, Europe will need NATO to maintain national security.

November 6, 2016

By Nicholas Coleman

In an effort to retake the city of Mosul from ISIS, (click here) a coalition of forces consisting of various governments has begun the grueling task of flushing insurgents out of the city. While many of the terrorist organization’s leaders fled the city before the fighting began, ISIS has retained roughly 4,000 to 8,000 fighters within the sizable Iraqi town. Yet, as forces from Iraq, Kurdistan, Australia, and the United States converge, an unbeknownst threat has emerged — the possibility for external violence within bordering E.U. nations.

Although retaking Mosul is pivotal in reducing the regional power of ISIS in Iraq, a significant dilemma facing leaders is the risk of terrorists fleeing elsewhere within the region. While there has been increased surveillance to prevent radical fighters from leaving the town freely, there are thousands of refugees desperately departing Mosul each day. The repeated bombardment of ISIS strongholds within the city creates humanitarian issues, an avenue through which many fighters could escape undetected. According to a report by NBC, “…About one-fifth of ISIS’s total number of fighters, or 3,700 people, are residents or nationals of Western Europe, including 1,200 from France alone.” This means that fighters within Mosul could use their documents to stream back across the open European Union borders....

Oussama Atar is believed to be the leader of the 'at large' ISIS recruiters. Oussama Atar is not yet captured. He is wanted by France.

France was attacked on November 13, 2015. (click here)

November 9, 2016
By News Wires

Oussama Atar, 32, (click here) believed to be a member of the Islamic State group, was already a suspect in the March 22 attacks on Brussels but has now been linked to the Nov. 13 atrocities in Paris last year.
"He's the only coordinator from Syria to have been identified during the investigations," one of the sources told the AFP.
French investigators have long suspected that the Paris attacks, in which teams of militants killed 130 people, were coordinated by one or several people from Syria, but they have not named anyone before now.

Atar, believed to use the pseudonym Abou Ahmad, is a cousin of the El Bakraoui brothers who blew themselves up in the Brussels airport and metro attacks.

Another two cousins, Moustapha and Jawad Benhattal, were arrested on June 18 on suspicion of planning an attack in Belgium during a public screening of a Euro 2016 football match, Belgian media reported at the time.
France is preparing this weekend to mark the anniversary of the Paris attack....

Be grateful for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He needs our support as does the governance in Alberta.

The conservation community of the USA has made some very good friends in Canada. We need to appreciate them and continue to build that relationship.

This is no different than the time of "W" and Cheney. The international community is vital to uphold the moral values we all know are best.

This is the bizarre nature of the American democracy. With only a few hundred people in the federal government the fate of the rest of the world hangs in the balance. It is outrageous to think about. Primarily Republican men that know nothing about the suffering within other countries make decisions adverse to them while they are helpless to change the course.

We are once again faced with another bizarre set of Republicans that have no desire to relate to other governments or people regardless of the impact of their decisions. We have learned a good deal about the heartless and profit driven Republican administration under "W" and Cheney. There is no reason to think differently about the burgeoning power of the Tea Party in the USA. If anything, we need to think less of them and protect more from them.

The United Nations has never been more important while the representation of the USA will dwindle into petty priorities within that global governing body. The path for peace and a benevolent Earth climate must remain on track.

I am concerned about the outrageous interference of the USA elections of 2016 by the FBI. Who's side are they on? I am concerned for the quality of intelligence in the USA and it's direction forward. Other international intelligence agencies affiliated with The West need to be high profile to stunt any wayward paths by lies within USA intelligence. I don't trust Director Comey and never will again. More than that, I don't trust the anarchy that runs rampant in the FBI and quite possibly more intelligence agencies. This disruption of the USA elections was no mistake. I suspect the anarchy of leaks within the USA intelligence community is driven by politics. Here we go again.

January 30, 2016
By Christopher Guly

It's getting harder to build an oil pipeline in Canada. (click here)

In 2013, when TransCanada Corp. proposed a cross-country pipeline that would be among the longest in the world, the Conservative Party was in power and the project's approval seemed a given.

But the new Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is now requiring pipeline projects to pass a more stringent environmental review, including a climate test to determine how it would affect greenhouse gas emissions.


That change represents a major shift in environmental policy in Canada following nearly a decade of Conservative rule under Prime Minister Stephen Harper....

The man that pushed for the repel of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and placed women in combat is retiring.

October 20, 2016
By Erika I. Richie

Camp Pendelton – Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus (click here) – an often criticized but progressive leader of the Navy and Marine Corps – visited the seaside base Wednesday for the last time in his nearly eight-year career.

“For me, leading the Department of the Navy is the greatest honor of my life,” Mabus, who announced his plans to retire earlier this year, told the several hundred Marines gathered around him on the parade field.

During a sometimes contentious tenure, Mabus focused on social change and environmental issues. He led a series of energy-saving initiatives for the Marine Corps and Navy, implemented uniform changes to make males and females look more similar, created gender-neutral job titles and extended maternity leave for female service members.

Mabus, 68, talked Wednesday about changes he has seen in the Marine Corps and Navy. And he said he is focused on four key priorities that set the foundation to enable the Navy and Marine Corps to maintain a global presence....

Slide show (click here)

There are storm and gale warnings along the entire south shoreline of Alaska.

10 November 2016
0030.19z
UNISYS North and West Hemisphere Water Vapor (click here)

There is a freezing rain alert over the land under the vortex. Freezing rain. Amazing. Not snow, not accumulation, but, freezing rain.

Freezing Rain Advisory (click here)

Issued: 3:57 PM AKST Nov. 9, 2016 – National Weather Service

I am not saying freezing rain is not a serious concern, but, this is Alaska. The wind is causing more of a problem at sea than any impact over land. That vortex has loft, too. Similar to the loft one would find with a hurricane.

November 10, 2016
0130.20z
UNISYS Goes West water vapor satellite (click here for 12 hour loop). Thank you.

The water vapor entering the vortex will probably increase it's velocity, hence, winds over water.

The USA is now going to blow billions of $US on a wall with a gorgeous big door.

Stop living in denial, Comey threw the election!

Donald Trump's America is an isolationist country. This is going to be amusing. It will be a laugh a minute. This is the extremist right wing Tea Party. They are going to trash the country.

November 8, 2016
By DP Opinion

President Obama (click here) can and should fire FBI Director James Comey. He’s already publicly supported Comey’s behavior as being well-intentioned and non-partisan, but now the time’s come for Obama to acknowledge the damage Comey’s bad judgment has caused to the institution of the FBI. And now that the whole kerfuffle has revealed that there are several agents (many? dozens? hundreds?) within the New York offices who are dedicated to pursuing evidence and indictment of a presidential nominee, Comey has demonstrated his inability to bring a halt to that investigation. The “rogue” agents simply refused to accept his directives and those of the Justice Department. In short, Comey has lost control of his organization.

George Luce, Denver

They are clueless about government.

November 9, 2016
By Ben Mathis-Lilley

Meanwhile, (click here) a person who spoke to the Trump campaign told POLITICO that the aides have also discussed tapping Sarah Palin for Interior secretary. Trump has said he’d like to put Palin in his cabinet, and Palin has made no secret of her interest.

This is what the Trump campaign. THE CAMPAIGN. Was doing while the election was progressing and they were laughed out of the court. It is the courts that will mitigate this administration, not Mitch McConnell no matter how scared he is right now.

2:47 PM - 8 Nov 2016 (click here)
The Trump campaign wants to make names of Nevada poll workers public. Judge's response.

Donald Trump should not attempt to demonize Pope Francis for any criticism.

Pope Francis was celebrated in the USA by Roman Catholics that sought his wisdom.

While he was visiting the USA, Pope Francis held a ceremony of faiths. There is a reason for that. There is a aspect to the Roman Catholic faith that accepts what is called the "ecumenism of blood." This strengthens the basis of Roman Catholic reach to bring about strength of the faithful and peace.

The "ecumenism of blood" is defined as a joining of Christians. It can also include members of other faiths without the traditional religious requirements of baptism, communion and the rest of the sacraments. The "ecumenism of blood" acts to join Christian faiths, Muslims and other faiths in rebuking and end religious prosecution of any kind.

Recently, the global community came together to end the charismatic movement of a death cult called Daesh/ISIS. The "ecumenism of blood" brought the faiths of all those countries under one roof, if you will? It is a joining of a common understanding of the suffering of people.

The idea that a wall at the southern border of the USA won't fall under scrutiny and potential retribution by the global community is being very naive and foolish. But, no one ever said the Republicans care about any other faith than their own political dogma.

Pope Francis does not have a favorite political dogma, he answers to a higher power. So, if he states Donald Trump is not a Christian within the understanding Jesus Christ left the world by witnessing God in his death, he really means it.

January 26, 2016
By Staff Reporter

Pope Francis (click here) has said religious persecution is uniting Christians around the world – a development that the Pontiff went on to describe as an “ecumenism of blood”.
The Pope was speaking to members of a number of Christian Churches gathered in the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls on Sunday evening to celebrate Vespers and mark the conclusion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
“In this moment of prayer for unity, I would also like to remember our martyrs, the martyrs of today,” he said.
“They are witnesses to Jesus Christ, and they are persecuted and killed because they are Christians. Those who persecute them make no distinction between the religious communities to which they belong. They are Christians and for that they are persecuted. This, brothers and sisters, is the ecumenism of blood.”
During his homily Pope Francis called on Christians to look to the example of Jesus Christ and work together to spread the Gospel in the modern world....

The relationship between the USA and the Holy See will be based in the people.

11.9.2016
By Philip Pullella

Reuters (click here)

"One of the candidates for the White House, Republican Donald Trump, stated in a recent interview that the pope is a politician and maybe even a pawn, a tool for the Mexican government for  immigration policy. He said that if elected, he wants to build a wall more than 1,550 miles long along the border. He wants to deport 11 million illegal immigrants, separating families, etc. Then I would first ask you what do you think about these allegations against him and if an American Catholic can vote for such a person?'”

POPE FRANCIS

"Well, thank God that he said, 'I am a political person,' because Aristotle defined the human being as a 'political animal:' so at least, I am human! And that 'I am a pawn...' well, perhaps, I don’t know... I’ll leave that to your judgment and that of the people... However, a person who only thinks about building walls, wherever they may be, and does not focus on building bridges is not a Christian. This is not the Gospel. In regards to voting and not voting, I will not get involved. I'm just saying that a man that is saying this is not a Christian, if he has really said all of these things. Until then, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.”

Pope Francis should build strong relationships with Europe and his friends from South America. Other than those countries the West is not interested in traditional Christian values. The Christianity of the Trump electorate is void of the principles of peace and humanity. The question has to be asked is there a regime within the Trump victory that is a much larger concern than years past?

The electorate of the Cuban population in Florida was a legitimate surprise given their faith.

17 December 2014
By Dan Roberts and Rory Carroll

Dan Roberts in Washington and Rory Carroll in Los Angeles

Wednesday 17 December 2014 14.57 ESTLast modified on Wednesday 9 November 2016 10.22 EST

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Barack Obama and Raúl Castro (click here) have thanked Pope Francis for helping broker a historic deal to begin normalising relations between the United States and Cuba, after 18 months of secret talks over prisoner releases brought a sudden end to decades of cold war hostility.

The two presidents spoke simultaneously on Wednesday to confirm the surprise reversal of a long-running US policy of isolating Cuba, detailing a series of White House steps that will relax travel, commercial and diplomatic restrictions in exchange for the release of Americans and dissidents held in Havana.

Though a formal end to the US trade embargo requires legislation in Congress, both Obama and Castro said they believed such executive action was sufficient to significantly open up relations between the two countries and allow travellers and trade to flow relatively freely.

“In the most significant changes in our policy in more than fifty years, we will end an outdated approach that, for decades, has failed to advance our interests, and instead we will begin to normalise relations between our two countries,” said Obama in an address from the White House cabinet room. “Through these changes, we intend to create more opportunities for the American and Cuban people, and begin a new chapter among the nations of the Americas.”...

The Cuban citizens of the USA is not about faith, it is about money and the political power that brings. Immigration reform is out of reach for at least the next four years.