Venezuela In Turmoil For Lack Of Flour, Milk And Diapers

[Bacchus4.0]

http://www.npr.org/2014/03/16/290516431/venezuela-in-turmoil-for-lack-of-flour-milk-and-diapers

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"The things that are the scarcest are actually what we need the most," Nello says. "Flour, cooking oil, butter, milk, diapers. I spent last week hunting for diapers everywhere. The situation is really tough for basic goods."


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The list of grievances — rising crime, inflation — is long, but the main one for many is the scarcity of basic foodstuffs.

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All supermarkets these days have security to make sure that customers stay in line and obey government-imposed limits on what they can buy, and that no one causes a riot.

In the slum of Antimano, women are standing in line in front of a shop. They say they don't know what's on offer, but they are queuing anyway, a sign of how worried people are that they won't get what they need.

[MADem]

1. They can use the worthless money for toilet paper...!

Anonymous Criollo ‏@AnonymousVENEZL 45m
Supermecado Central Madeirense de Bello Monte Hoy Lunes 17 pic.twitter.com/zlv8pilV9n"

[Bacchus4.0]

3. looks like a good place to shop if you are on a diet n/t

[uncommonlink]

2. Reminds me of the now gone Soviet Union.

People would queue up in front of stores, not knowing what they were standing in line for but figuring if others were there, then something must be worth it.

[Bacchus4.0]

4. its the "progressive" thing to do according to our chavistas n/t

[MADem]

5. They probably wouldn't, in actuality, queue for three minutes, never mind three hours. nt

[Bacchus4.0]

10. of course not, they would never travel to Venezuela, they never have

funny how none of them have never set foot in Venezuela.

[MADem]

11. I am astounded at how many of these champions cannot read or speak Spanish.

It's a bit crazy to cheerlead someone when one doesn't know what the hell he's saying!

[Bacchus4.0]

13. I am not aware of a single DU chavista who has set foot in the country

Certainly none of the active personas. Some of the previous members may have in the pre-Chavez era.

On the other hand, those more independent minded and critical of the goverment appear well traveled.

I think the virtual chavistas depend on an equal level of ignorance among the general population who don't have the same level of interest in the region. Ignorance is bliss so they can imagine a utopia without ever having to be burdened by reality.

Knowledgeable members, particularly those of Venezuelan origin, really confound them.

[MADem]

14. It makes me wonder, sometimes, if the enthusiasm is more to the point of a naive

"Fight the power!" meme, where any sharp stick in the USA's eye is regarded as a "good thing," regardless of the facts on the ground. Cuba is a paradise, everyone in VZ is a happy worker in a red shirt (never mind that red will hide the blood if you're shot on your way to your job where, unless you're directly associated with propping up the present regime, you might not get a timely paycheck), and, of course, anyone that points out any difficulties is a "fascist!"

I get the idea a lot of these folks are terribly sad that they "missed out" on the sixties. I can't understand the nostalgia, really--those were times that were fraught with unrest, tension and a real divide between elders and students (kind of like VZ today, in some respects). The theme, really, was "anxiety." Those unsettled times set the stage for a lot of stuff that followed, including the "greed is good" eighties, where everyone felt they had to "get theirs" before someone took it from them.

[Bacchus4.0]

22. I agree with your assessment, they resent the US but not enough to do anything about it

like leave.

[Zorro]

7. I wonder...will pottymouth try for a threepeat?

[Bacchus4.0]

8. I would just point out that there is no asswipe scarcity

around these parts if you know what I mean.

[Marksman_91]

9. Hopefully he'll get banned

Pottymouth really doesn't contribute at all to any of the discussions in this forum, and the site would benefit from the lack of his presence.

[MADem]

12. I think he thinks that swearing and insults are somehow an acceptable substitute for facts.

It's sad, really.

Can you imagine what kind of life a person has that they'd have to find their "empowerment" from going on the internet and calling people names? My imagery is of someone who is constantly bullied and hectored in his home, school or work life, who grabs his keyboard and pounds out invective to "get back" at the people who are mean to him in RL. A classic "internet tough guy," if you will. The poor thing must be terribly abused, judging by his need to lash out with inanities here, without ever contributing facts or advancing the conversation in any way. He does need to get off the computer and get some help, because that kind of conduct is pathological.

[Flatulo]

15. There are a lot of terribly angry people on DU these days.

The level of civility has been on the decline for some time now, but I really see a lot of hate and invective spewed in this forum.

Maybe it's my age, but I just can't seem to get that worked up these days.

[MADem]

16. Yes...all the whining, spitting and swearing just gets in the way of conversation and exchange of

views. It's so ... juvenile!

[Bacchus4.0]

17. angry and unhappy. I don't see how living vicariously through a failed inept government

helps in anyway.

[joshcryer]

19. Yeah and I admit I've fallen for it.

I think I am going to stay out of GD. The spew is just a seppo river of scrum. It's really not something I want to be a part of.

[Flatulo]

20. Josh, I've always regarded your posts as well-informed and well-sourced. You are appreciated. nt

[Bacchus4.0]

23. I haven't heard from that person lately n/t

[mecherosegarden]

18. And for things like this

Hospital Perez Carreno

[Bacchus4.0]

21. is that a self service facility? Now that really is family practice n/t