Fausta's Blog

American and Latin American Politics, Society, and Culture

Archives for October 2009

October 27, 2009 By Fausta

To hell in a hand basket

No Carnival this week, but you may understand why I needed a weekend of tango after reading these headlines:

Brazilian police have seized weapons from the FARC destined to the Rio slums. (link in Portuguse)

As the educational budget in Venezuela is reduced, Chavez increases his budget by 638%.

We seldom hear about the Colombian ELN here in the US, but they are as bad as the FARC: Colombian football team ‘killed’

At least 10 bodies – believed to be those of a kidnapped Colombian football team – have been found across the border in Venezuela.

The bodies, with multiple gunshot wounds, were found in Tachira. One of the team is reported to have survived.

State authorities say they suspect a left-wing Colombian guerrilla group, the ELN, is to blame for the deaths.

The team, kidnapped two weeks ago, was known as Los Maniceros or Peanut Men, as they sold nuts along the border.
…
The most senior official in Tachira state, Leomagno Flores, blamed the violence on the armed wing of the ELN, a group led by a man known El Payaso or the Clown.

Venezuela had denied permission to land to a plane sent to pick up the corpses but the Venezuelans finally came around and are paying for shipping the bodies back to Colombia. The governor of the state of Tachira asserts that the ELN has four guerrilla camps in Venezuela.

Right now I have a cold and will get some rest. Will deal with American politics later today.

And
Don’t know why the BBC had to say ‘killed’; clearly the people were murdered, so why the quotes??

Share

Filed Under: Brazil, Colombia, FARC, Hugo Chavez, Venezuela Tagged With: ELN, Fausta's blog

October 26, 2009 By Fausta

Monday evening tango: Ella es así

John Erban and Clarissa Sánchez at Santiago Steele’s Práctilonga, dancing to Ella es así

Share

Filed Under: entertainment, tango Tagged With: Clarissa Sánchez, Fausta's blog, John Erban

October 26, 2009 By Fausta

Argentina: The war against the media

Mary O’Grady writes on the war against the media in Argentina,
Argentina’s Kirchner Targets the Press
As the state-run economy hits the skids, the government responds with a crackdown on the free press.

Not only is the economy going sour, but according to polls, the nation is growing intolerant of what many consider to be the first couple’s abuse of power.

Four examples serve to make the point: First, when Mrs. Kirchner attacked the farm sector last year because it resisted her plan to impose high export taxes on its harvests, the nation rallied to the defense of the farmers, much to her surprise. Second, her decision to confiscate privately held pension accounts was loudly denounced as a violation of the rule of law. Third, there is a widespread belief that her government is using the state intelligence service to collect information against the president’s “enemies.” Fourth, an overwhelming majority of Argentines resent the privileges and jet-set lifestyle of the first family while national living standards plummet.

This popular dissatisfaction showed up at the polls in the June midterm elections, when Mrs. Kirchner’s wing of the Peronist party lost badly. Even Mr. Kirchner did not manage to prevail in his bid for a house seat representing the province of Buenos Aires, which should have been a stronghold for the first couple.

Mrs. Kirchner and her husband have decided that they lost because of bad press coverage. They are especially upset with the Clarin media company, which though once a supporter, is now an outspoken critic. In public comments Mr. Kirchner often implies that the government is analyzing the company to see if it might not need to be downsized. In September, tax authorities launched a raid on the Buenos Aires offices of its daily newspaper. Tax authorities later issued an apology for the raid, but the paper maintains that it was an act of intimidation.

Could it happen here?

Well, there’s the White House’s “war” against Fox News.

And then there’s the economy: As O’Grady reminds us, in Argentina,

One way a president can boost poll numbers in a bad economy is to wrest control of the central bank and start printing lots of pesos. There’s nothing like cheap financing to restore the market’s enthusiasm for buying all sorts of stuff—from stocks to houses—already on sale at fire sale prices.

The great reflation will make people feel rich again. A weak currency will also be a short-term boon to exporters, whose profits can then be taxed at ever higher rates. Complainers can be denounced for their greed.

It’s a good thing I took up tango. Give it time and it’ll be feeling like Buenos Aires, only here.

——————————

There will be no Carnival of Latin America this week. I just got back from Washington, DC’s Tangosutra and now need to catch up with business and blogging.

The Carnival will be back next week.

Share

Filed Under: Argentina, censorship, media Tagged With: Fausta's blog

October 25, 2009 By Fausta

Mad Men Sunday: The footnotes

tumblr_ks1zij5x9l1qzlum5o1_r1_500

It’s Mad Men time again, and of course, the existential questions come up, such as Is Mad Men hung up on sex?, which is like asking, “Is the Pope Catholic?”

You can read a recap of last week’s episode at the WSJ

Don’t miss also The footnotes of Mad Men.

Share

Filed Under: entertainment, TV Tagged With: AMC, Fausta's blog, Jon Hamm, Mad Men

October 25, 2009 By Fausta

NYT does Malthus

Sunday fun is taking the place of blogging today, but don’t miss Tom Maguire’s Malthus Lives! (But Not Here – Dismal Reporting On The Dismal Science), where he’s chopping, slicing, and dicing Nathan Greenwold’s uncritical article at the NYT, New School of Thought Brings Energy to ‘the Dismal Science’

A small but growing group of academics believe the latter is true, and they are out to prove it. These thinkers say that the neoclassical mantra of constant economic growth is ignoring the world’s diminishing supply of energy at humanity’s peril, failing to take account of the principle of net energy return on investment. They hope that a set of theories they call “biophysical economics” will improve upon neoclassical theory, or even replace it altogether.

The so-called new school is yet another re-incarnation of Malthus, so, yes, everything old is new again… at the School of Rome.

Share

Filed Under: economics, NYT Tagged With: Fausta's blog

October 24, 2009 By Fausta

Idle rich Germans too stupid to start their own charities

Rich Germans demand higher taxes

Rather than become personally involved in their communities and find ways to creatively enrich their lives through charity, these fools can’t wait for the nanny state to do it for them, so they want higher taxes:

A group of rich Germans has launched a petition calling for the government to make wealthy people pay higher taxes.

The group say they have more money than they need, and the extra revenue could fund economic and social programmes to aid Germany’s economic recovery.

Germany could raise 100bn euros (£91bn) if the richest people paid a 5% wealth tax for two years, they say.

The petition has 44 signatories so far, and will be presented to newly re-elected Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The group say the financial crisis is leading to an increase in unemployment, poverty and social inequality.

Forty-four people with too much time and money in their hands, and one one brain among them.

Share

Filed Under: Germany Tagged With: Angela Merkel, Fausta's blog

October 23, 2009 By Fausta

Huge explosion in PR oil refinery

Puerto Rico Refinery Ablaze Following Two Explosions

Caribbean Petroleum Corp.’s refinery and tank farm at Bayamon, Puerto Rico is on fire after two explosions at the site today.

Firefighters are still fighting the blaze, the cause of which is still unknown, according to a spokeswoman for the local Guaynabo police force, who was speaking by telephone and asked to not be identified by name. She said the explosions happened at about 12:30 a.m. local time.

At least 11 tanks at the oil distribution center were ablaze, and firefighters were trying to prevent further explosions at 22 other tanks, local news service Noti Uno reported, citing police superintendent Jose Fugeroa Sancha.

CPC markets the Gulf brand on the island. The Bayamon facility, near the capital city of San Juan, can process 48,000 barrels of crude oil a day, according to the company Web site.

The sour-crude refinery isn’t operating, according to undated information on the Web site. The facility also houses a tank farm and oil-product import terminal.

One of the versions of the story said, Explosion near San Juan, Puerto Rico believed to be Crashed Spirit Airlines Flight 837, but police later confirmed that no aircraft were involved.

Noticias 24 posted a homemade video (in Spanish):

El Nuevo Dia is running news updates (in Spanish). The latest is that the fire is still raging, local schools and businesses are closed, and electricity has been cut off in the neighborhood of the fire. The FBI are already investigating.

This massive fire affects the entire metro area. We’ll see if it has any effect on oil prices, too.

Share

Filed Under: news, oil, Puerto Rico Tagged With: Fausta's blog

October 23, 2009 By Fausta

Networks side with Fox when WH tries to ban Fox

Charles Krauthammer explains,

Then on Thursday, the administration tried to make them complicit in an actual boycott of Fox. The Treasury Department made available Ken Feinberg, the executive pay czar, for interviews with the White House “pool” news organizations — except Fox. The other networks admirably refused, saying they would not interview Feinberg unless Fox was permitted to as well. The administration backed down.

Doug Ross, Dan Riehl, The Hope For America, Moe Lane and Allahpundit have more.

David Frum asks, “Will the Rule of Law Survive Obama?

Chavez and Globovision; Obama and Fox News.

How’s that hope and change working for you?

More
Ed Driscoll:

Obviously bias isn’t the issue with this administration; the direction of the bias is.

Moe’s commenter, however, sees tactics

The white house is trying to distract the media. Get conservatives talking about FOX News instead of health care, while they are lining up the votes for cloture on the public option.

And they now claim to have those votes.

Jennifer Rubin:

it’s disturbing that at a time when we still lack a strategy decision on Afghanistan, unemployment is sky high, and health-care reform is in disarray, this is what consumes the White House.

Share

Filed Under: Barack Obama, media, news Tagged With: Fausta's blog

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • …
  • 15
  • Next Page »
Tweets by @Fausta
retirees_raise-2015_300x250

Pages

  • About
  • Email

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Previous Posts

  • Mrs. Maisel goes full Alinsky on Mrs. Schlafly
  • Venezuela: Did the Minister of Defense back out at the last minute?
  • You need to unfriend me
  • Go ahead and Kiss the Girl, if you dare
  • Ashamed

Recent Comments

  • John on Mrs. Maisel goes full Alinsky on Mrs. Schlafly
  • Today’s hot topics: Democrats’ collusion shift, tax-return rift, Venezuela drift, and more! – PoliticalWitchDoctor.com on Venezuela: Did the Minister of Defense back out at the last minute?
  • Today’s hot topics: Democrats’ collusion shift, tax-return rift, Venezuela drift, and more! - AmericanTruthToday on Venezuela: Did the Minister of Defense back out at the last minute?
  • Did Venezuela’s Minister of Defense Back Out At The Last Minute? on Venezuela: Did the Minister of Defense back out at the last minute?
  • Roseanne Not Back, Khan not Invited, Operaman’s back, Jobs back, Fausta’s back (but not here yet) Thoughts under the fedora – Da Tech Guy Blog on Venezuela: Did the Minister of Defense back out at the last minute?

Archives

  • 2019
    • December 2019
    • May 2019
    • January 2019
  • 2018
    • December 2018
    • October 2018
    • July 2018
    • June 2018
    • April 2018
    • March 2018
    • February 2018
    • January 2018
  • 2017
    • December 2017
    • November 2017
    • October 2017
    • September 2017
    • August 2017
    • July 2017
    • June 2017
    • May 2017
    • April 2017
    • March 2017
    • February 2017
    • January 2017
  • 2016
    • December 2016
    • November 2016
    • October 2016
    • September 2016
    • August 2016
    • July 2016
    • June 2016
    • May 2016
    • April 2016
    • March 2016
    • February 2016
    • January 2016
  • 2015
    • December 2015
    • November 2015
    • October 2015
    • September 2015
    • August 2015
    • July 2015
    • June 2015
    • May 2015
    • April 2015
    • March 2015
    • February 2015
    • January 2015
  • 2014
    • December 2014
    • November 2014
    • October 2014
    • September 2014
    • August 2014
    • July 2014
    • June 2014
    • May 2014
    • April 2014
    • March 2014
    • February 2014
    • January 2014
  • 2013
    • December 2013
    • November 2013
    • October 2013
    • September 2013
    • August 2013
    • July 2013
    • June 2013
    • May 2013
    • April 2013
    • March 2013
    • February 2013
    • January 2013
  • 2012
    • December 2012
    • November 2012
    • October 2012
    • September 2012
    • August 2012
    • July 2012
    • June 2012
    • May 2012
    • April 2012
    • March 2012
    • February 2012
    • January 2012
  • 2011
    • December 2011
    • November 2011
    • October 2011
    • September 2011
    • August 2011
    • July 2011
    • June 2011
    • May 2011
    • April 2011
    • March 2011
    • February 2011
    • January 2011
  • 2010
    • December 2010
    • November 2010
    • October 2010
    • September 2010
    • August 2010
    • July 2010
    • June 2010
    • May 2010
    • April 2010
    • March 2010
    • February 2010
    • January 2010
  • 2009
    • December 2009
    • November 2009
    • October 2009
    • September 2009
    • August 2009
    • July 2009
    • June 2009
    • May 2009
    • April 2009
    • March 2009
    • February 2009
    • January 2009
  • 2008
    • December 2008
    • November 2008
    • October 2008
    • September 2008
    • August 2008
    • July 2008
    • June 2008
    • May 2008
    • April 2008
    • March 2008
    • February 2008
    • January 2008
  • 2007
    • December 2007
    • November 2007
    • October 2007
    • September 2007
    • August 2007
    • July 2007
    • June 2007
    • May 2007
    • April 2007
    • March 2007
    • February 2007
    • January 2007
  • 2006
    • December 2006
    • November 2006
    • October 2006
    • September 2006
    • August 2006
    • July 2006
    • June 2006
    • May 2006
    • April 2006
    • March 2006
    • February 2006
    • January 2006
  • 2005
    • December 2005
    • November 2005
    • October 2005
    • September 2005
    • August 2005
    • July 2005
    • June 2005
    • May 2005
    • April 2005
    • March 2005
    • February 2005
    • January 2005
  • 2004
    • December 2004
    • November 2004
    • October 2004
    • September 2004
    • August 2004
    • July 2004
    • June 2004
    • May 2004
    • April 2004
    • March 2004
Content Copyright Fausta's Blog

Site Developed and Managed by 300m.com