Viva
Viva's Journala retort with facts
I do not believe Chavez is perfect, but for many poor people in Venezuela, he at least listen to them.
If I had the opportunity to talk to him, I would definately ask him about these problems. I have the same issue with the US president. Nothing is black and white, but things can get incrementally better.
The previous governments of Venezuela benefited the wealthy over the poor
Some were very wealthy, and many were very poor.
Chavez was elected because of this
Crime could go up, if there is better reporting. I do not know if this is the case, but it is a possibility. Previously, the police could have protected the wealthy over the poor and the perception of a crime free society could be created.
Here is relately fair article about this from the Crisis Group
http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/latin-america/venezuela/38%20Violence%20and%20Politics%20in%20Venezuela.pdf
dependent on oil revenue to maintain social spending,
the system was unable to cope with a prolonged decline in that
revenue; social indicators began to deteriorate markedly in the
1980s. In 1987, 37 per cent of the population lived in poverty,
according to official figures. By 1992 this was 66.5 per cent,
with 27 per cent in extreme poverty. Julia Buxton, The Failure
of Political Reform in Venezuela (Aldershot, 2001), p. 41.
r
A significant part of the problem was inherited from previous
administrations. In 1999, the incoming President
Chávez was faced with a country in which homicide rates
had tripled in less than two decades, and many institutions
were in the process of collapse, eroded by corruption and
impunity.
phone, children die as a result of a stray bullet from one of
the millions of firearms in civilian hands, and youngsters
are victims of police brutality or the settling of accounts
between gangs in poor neighbourhoods.
The last excerpt could be written about this country. There are cities in this country that have similar crime rates and we are allegedly a rich country. I could retort each Venezuelan anecdote with a US one.
I remember 20+ years ago, visiting Mexico and seeing armed guards (Army) at the Pemex station. I thought, "I could not imagine that in the US." Unfortunately this is so common in the US it does not cause people to bat an eye. There are check-points through out the country, under the guise of border control. We live in a police state, and although it has not been the cause of crime rates dropping in the US, if one wanted to spin the statistics that way, a case could be made. Police states have lower crime rates, but I do not argue for that type of governance.
As far as arming the military, Venezuela's spending pales in comparison to that of the US. Venezuela is not attempting to have a military presence in every other country. I would understand if you felt this way and moved to Iceland or Costa Rica or even Germany. But you moved to a more militaristic country than Venezuela. Gone are the days when most US citizens felt safer around police officers.
As far as being friends with and supporting dictators and other corrupt governments, perhaps you should look at the US government also. Mubarak's regime is just one example. There are many who we support, sell weapons to and trade with, who are heinous regimes.
No country is perfect, but I do not think that the opposition in Venezuela would necessarily make the country better. Giving away the countries natural resources to foreign countries is never a good idea. I believe that if Hugo Chavez did not attempt to right this wrong, there would never be articles about this in our papers.
These doctors have to stand up & refuse
There is no one in the room,
they DO NOT have to do this
There is no one making them to do this
Every doctor who does this is complicate.
There were doctors who would do abortions when it was illegal. They did the right thing and disobeyed the law.
Was this done by Arbitration?
More and more when entering into agreements with companies we are agreeing to arbitration, which is basically unregulated courts paid for by one side.
Oddly the supreme court sees no problem with this
Wizard petitions to save city icon
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http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch-earthquake-2011/6592605/Cantabrians-farewell-cathedral
I want every news story to have the phrase "the Wizard told the crowd"
In order to get welfare you have to be broke and Drugs cost money
The chances of being able to afford drugs if you qualify for welfare are slim.
This is stupid
If you want to know who does drugs -- well, it is people with money.
This is about funneling government money to private companies -- those that make and process drug tests.
Also, making people afraid to apply for the help they need. Remember, in most states,only those with children can qualify, and really that is what welfare is now for, assistance to children.
The Inspector and Silence by Hakan Nesser
I really enjoyed it and just as I finished it, I realized that I had a copy of The Return, another book by him, sitting on my bookcase.
It fits perfectly with these last throws of winter (Perhaps I am being overly optimist about winter ending...)
Dorothea Tanning, painter, sculptor and poet, born 25 August 1910; died 31 January 2012
It seems that more and more of those that have inspired me are dying -- perhaps this is the real tragedy of aging. I hope that like Dorothea, I can make it to 101.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2012/feb/02/dorothea-tanning-obituary
from a great interview back in 2002
http://www.salon.com/2002/02/11/tanning/
Antoni Tąpies, 1923-2012
Antoni Tàpies, 1923-2012
The Spanish abstract painter died in Barcelona, aged 88
Tàpies started painting as a teenager, when he was recovering from tuberculosis. While studying for a law degree, to please his father, the artist attended drawing classes at the Academia Valls in Barcelona. He was influenced by artists such as Paul Klee and Joan Miró, and would go on to found the short-lived surrealist movement Dau al Set (the seven-spotted die) with the poet Joan Brossa.
Tàpies is said to have painted around 8,000 works, and a foundation dedicated to modern art was opened in his name in 1990. In honour of the artist, the Fundació Antoni Tàpies in Barcelona is open to the public free of charge on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
According to his New York gallery, Pace, Tàpies has been the subject of hundreds of solo exhibitions at museums and institutions worldwide, including the Guggenheim Museum, New York; Kunsthaus Zürich; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; Serpentine Gallery, London; Jeu de Paume, Paris; Museum of Modern Art, New York; Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid; Haus der Kunst, Munich; MACBA, Barcelona; and Dia:Beacon, New York. A retrospective of his work is on show at the Museum für Gegenwartskunst Siegen in Germany (until February 19).
Tàpies represented Spain at the Venice Biennale in 1993 and was awarded the Golden Lion prize. He was also awarded Spain's top honour for artists, the Velazquez Prize, in 2003. Spain’s King Juan Carlos I awarded him the title of Marqués de Tàpies in 2010.
http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Antoni-T-pies-1923-2012/25670
Private prisons may be costing Idaho more; state hasnt checked
I would comment on this story, but I can't stop banging my head against the wall.
Idaho officials will tell you that the state's largest private prison, the Idaho Correctional Center, saves $12 per inmate, per day compared to a similar state prison. But adjusting for known system-wide expenses and the cost of overseeing the contract for the private lockup bring the per diems to just $5 apart.
The comparable state prison also houses all of the sick and geriatric inmates, is the oldest facility in the state and spans multiple buildings on a 65-acre campus, requiring a high guard-to-inmate ratio to patrol. The private prison, meanwhile, is relatively new and compact and only accepts inmates without chronic medical or mental health needs, factors that allow it to operate with a lower staff-to-inmate ratio. Those factors make it likely that the state could operate the facility for no more than it pays the private company.
State leaders have refused to examine the issue. About four years ago, Idaho Department of Correction Director Brent Reinke asked the Board of Correction and Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter's office if his department could bid for the contract to run the Idaho Correctional Center — a move that would have given Idaho a firm idea of how much it would cost to make the facility public. The board responded with a firm “no,” and the governor's office simply deflected the matter back to the board.
“We just decided we'd stay with what we're doing,” said board member Jay L. Nielsen...
http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/boise/2012/mar/05/ap-private-prisons-may-be-costing-idaho-more-state-hasnt-checked/
I am sure that there are some real repub areas in Idaho
But here in Moscow, it is the same tension as the rest of the country. Ron Paul is on campus today for the second time. Last time there was thousands would could not fit in the SU building. The local member of the house (Raul Labrador) does not visit, he sends his staff. But Mr Paul visits twice! The humanists don't have a billboard anymore (maybe Christopher Hitchins was paying for it) and the tea party has not had but one rally in the last year.
I think tomorrow we will find out just how what percentage of the Idaho republicans are Mormon.
Here is a video of Ron Paul's first visit
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Gender: Do not displayCurrent location: Moscow, Idaho
Member since: Mon Dec 12, 2011, 08:02 PM
Number of posts: 39
