[Chicago] Pycon / Havana (hijacked GIL thread)

[kirby urner]

>
> > I have no idea how long it would take a USArian to get permission to
> > travel to Cuba, but it is not entirely true that we are forbidden to
> > visit.
> >
> >
> http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1097.html#entry_requirements
> >
> > Looks like attendees could travel under some of the categories such as
> > the ones for journalist, videographers, researchers, instructors, or
> > professionals traveling to conferences.
> >
>
> Yes, my associate Glenn Baker has helped lead a number
of groups to Cuba consisting of retired US military brass
interested in meeting Castro etc.  (cdi.org was the organization
behind these tours).

University of Havana participated in the Pi Challenge held
last Pi Day (3.14), which was to compute pi to 1000 places
using a specific convergent series invented by Ramanujan.

A lot of the themes concern open source more generally.
Before we do a Pycon, we might have a more OSCON-like
event with a Python track.

The PSF snake is huddled with the Perl Foundation camel
in the OSCON exhibit hall this year.  I'll have some pictures.

Not sure of Unilever will be a sponsor but maybe (owner
of Liptons and Ben & Jerry's, already has operations in
Cuba.  As Anglo-Dutch, they're not under the same
restrictions that keep out rival Procter & Gamble).

Small Cuban IT shops and start ups are a phenomenon
these days.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17190349/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/t/cuba-embraces-open-source-software/
(chronicles Richard Stallman's visit in 2007)

http://publicintelligence.net/ufouo-open-source-center-cuban-independent-blogging-political-activism-grows/
(regarding Cuban blogosphere, 2010)

Kirby
from OSCON
@thekirbster
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