[ATrain]

An ailing, 81-year-old Fidel Castro resigned as Cuba's president Tuesday after nearly a half-century in power, saying he will not accept a new term when parliament meets Sunday.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080219/D8UTDPT00.html

It'll be interesting to see what Raul does, and with little bro being 76, we may see another leadership change down there in a few years.

[LUconn]

I wonder how much money he's gonna make with this new contract? Cuba is insane for re-signing a guy at his age. I hear the terms of the contract are 2 years for 250 million pesos, the country has an option for a 3rd year at 120 million pesos. They probably should have just let him walk to Costa Rica via free agency. Dude's on the backside of his career in my opinion.

[RagingTireFire]

[Knucklehead]

RTF, are you OK?

[Cider Jim]

I would have guessed Castro would have been old school and used a wooden bat. Is he righty only or a switch hitter?

[Knucklehead]

I'm available should they need an angry dictator replacement.

[jcmanson]

A couple co-workers and I were just wondering, how do they go about picking a replacement?

[olldflame]

His brother Raul is replacing him for now. He has been running day to day operation of the country for over a year, since Fidel almost died from a botched surgery for an intestinal blockage. Raul will try to keep things just the way they were, but he doesn't inspire the loyalty that Fidel does in the masses, and especially the military. Probably still no big change as long as Fidel is alive, because people will think if he doesn't like what's happening he will take charge again.

[RagingTireFire]

A couple co-workers and I were just wondering, how do they go about picking a replacement?

Find the five guys he hasn't lined up in front of a firing squad yet and shoot four of them.

[jcmanson]

His brother Raul is replacing him for now.

Yeah, but who chose that?

[LUconn]

A couple co-workers and I were just wondering, how do they go about picking a replacement?

Do you work for the CIA? I figure this is how they gather their intel.

[Rocketfan]

His brother Raul is replacing him for now.

Yeah, but who chose that?

They have a rigged election on Sunday from what ive read. His bro is 76....and then there is a guy who they are rumored to be grooming after that as well...

Castro did not say who he thought should be his successor. Any member of his inner circle is arguably a contender, although many Cuba-watchers believe Raul Castro, who has been serving as interim president, is the leading choice.

However, the elder Castro's reference in his on-line letter to a "middle generation" suggests that younger leaders such as Vice President Carlos Lage, 56, should not be ruled out.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id ... _article=1

[jcmanson]

An election, yeah got it.

That's what we thought as well.