Fausta's Blog

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Karma is indeed a bitch:
After Repeatedly Mocking Palin for What She’d Do on ‘Jeopardy!’ Matthews Comes In Last

Chris Matthews will take “Abject Humiliation” for $400, Alex

On the liberal side, Chris Matthews.

On the conservative side, James Pethokoukis.

The Indonesian Islamists won’t have her sing, even when Indonesia is supposedly a secular state,

Lady Gaga gagged in Indonesia after Islamic opposition

Pop star Lady Gaga has been refused a permit to perform in the Indonesian capital next month over security concerns, police said on Tuesday, after Islamic groups voiced strong objections to her “vulgar” style.

In other parts of the world, Mark Steyn confronts the truth,

For every independent-minded soul like Senator Bernardi, Lord Pearson of Rannoch, or Baroness Cox (who arranged a screening of Wilders’ film Fitna at the House of Lords), there are a thousand other public figures who get the message: Steer clear of Islam unless you want your life consumed — and steer clear of Wilders if you want to be left in peace.

So, while I don’t like Lady Gaga, must deplore that her concert(s) are cancelled.

DAVID MEIR-LEVI
Radical Islam In Latin America Threatens U.S.

Interview topic: threat posed by our failure to secure the southern border enabling terrorists especially from Iran to easily enter our country.

ARGENTINA
Argentina as No Claims-Nation Revealed in Repsol Losses: Energy

Repsol YPF SA (REP), the Spanish oil explorer seeking $10.5 billion from Argentina for seizing its assets, will line up behind companies from Exxon Mobil Corp. to Unisys Corp. yet to be repaid by the most-sued nation on earth.

There are 26 cases pending against Argentina, more than any other country, at the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes in Washington, the principal arbitration court for claims against sovereign countries. So far, it has refused to pay any of the tribunal’s judgments, according to a Bank of America Merrill Lynch economists’ report.

Argentina’s state-owned firms
So far, not so good
Can YPF avoid the grim fate of other nationalised companies?

BOLIVIA
Bases militares venezolanas: Entrevista a la Diputada Norma Pierola

CHILE
Chile charges suspect with Japanese astronomer murder
A Chilean man has been charged with the murder of Japanese astronomer Koichiro Morita in Santiago earlier this week.

CUBA
Smile, You’re on Candid Camera.

Getting Ready for Life after Castro
Managing the transition to a democratic Cuba: A user’s guide.

More Red Than Cross

ECUADOR
Ecuador seeks answer to riddle of Inca emperor’s tomb

Chevron’s Ecuador Morass
The U.S. oil company charges that the $18 billion judgment against it was secured by fraud.

UPDATE:
MUST-WATCH VIDEO,

EL SALVADOR
Central America’s gangs
A meeting of the maras
Precarious truces between gangs have lowered the murder rate in two of the world’s most violent countries—but for how long?

GUATEMALA
End of times not quite here yet: Mayan art and calendar at Xultun stun archaeologists

“The ancient Maya predicted the world would continue, that 7,000 years from now, things would be exactly like this,” he said.

MEXICO
Maps Show 330 Illegal Aliens Crossing Ariz. Border in One Night in March, Including Ultralight Incursion

Forty-nine headless corpses found in Mexico

Mexico’s presidential election
Political lucha libre

Mexico’s leading presidential candidate is handsome, popular and still a mystery

PERU
‘Mutated’ Shining Path Resurfaces in Peru

Peru ministers resign over Shining Path rebel clashes
Peru’s interior and defence ministers have resigned in the face of a public outcry over a failed security operation against Shining Path rebels.

PUERTO RICO
Puerto Rico Plans to Stop Deficit Borrowing by Fiscal 2014

Puerto Rico plans to offer free Web connections at dozens of centers and public plazas

VENEZUELA
Venezuela’s narcostate

Venezuelan politics
A modest concession to reality, but the weird news continue: Venezuela crossword Chavez assassination plot denied
A Venezuelan crossword compiler has been questioned by intelligence agents after being accused of hiding a coded assassination message in a puzzle.

Venezuela analysts cast doubt on presidential election
Venezuelan analysts in Miami said the Hugo Chávez administration is casting doubts about this year’s presidential election.

Watching Some “Strategic” Companies In Bolivarian Venezuela

The week’s posts:
Saturday tango: CNN version

Cuban slave labor used to build Ikea furniture in the 1980s

The History of Ernesto Che Guevara – A Short Story

Argentina’s Olympic gaffe

Mexico: The boob tube UPDATED with VIDEO

In Defense of Marco Rubio’s Story of His Family’s Exile

halo and all, perhaps in the same way Bill Clinton was the first black president,

He spoke from the presidential playpen:

Considering how lame the speech was, it was lucky anyone stayed to listen,

Pundette:

Apparently he failed to make the sale to Mrs. Keller, who, despite the intimate visit, still isn’t sure who she’ll be voting for in November.

Dave in Texas:

It’s just, sheesh. Who’s going to see this as “connecting with ordinary Americans?” And is that even a good objective. He looks “small”, and looking small doesn’t really help him right now. He’s got all the advantages of an incumbent president. Power. Bully pulpit. Air Force One. The lapdog media.

So standing behind a teensy podium, with a Presidential Seal smaller than the headlights on that Jeep behind him, it just seems to diminish him.

Could have been worse: at least it wasn’t raining.

Nice article on CNN by Migdalia Romero, author of Tango Lover’S Guide To Buenos Aires: Insights And Recommendations,

Dancing to the music of love in Buenos Aires

The prelude to tango begins at the moment that two people stand face to face and listen silently to a few notes of the music, before settling in on the embrace and beginning to dance.
Tango is a dance that stresses elegant walking and close attention to the music. More than anything, if you are new to it, just enjoy the scene. Notice the subtle movements of the dancers, the ways in which they negotiate small spaces and crowded dance floors, and the delicate way they accomplish the seductive invitation to dance.

Master Card has a nice ad on tango tourism,

The ad was filmed on location at Confitería Ideal, also the location of the El flete number of The Tango Lesson,

Sally Potter chose a magnificent group of milongueros for that particular number, among them the brilliant Omar Vega (now deceased) and Carlos Copello.

La Ideal is a great place to dance and to watch dancers. Don’t miss it, if you go to Buenos Aires.

Maybe Clooney’s fundraising motivation comes from that horrible day when Mitt Romney cut his hair. twitter.com/BillWeirABC/st…

— Bill Weir (@BillWeirABC) May 11, 2012

H/t: John Hinderaker.