He defied the yanks for half a century having kicked out the thugs they supported (so what's new?), and, if only I could stop there, it would almost amount to a mini-hagiography. But he could be ruthless and was no democrat. Good things happened in Cuba with regard to health care, agriculture and education, even in the teeth of the spiteful embargo. So maybe I'll have to overlook the fact that he had the superpowers putting the shits up all of us and wasn't too nice to his adversaries. I'll raise half a glass to him tonight!