gdp's Comments

Caracas Chronicles : Mental Health View From Quico\'s Window

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:40:34 +0000

Nor'easter is the correct term, not northeastern.

Caracas Chronicles : Mental Health View From Quico\'s Window

Wed, 9 Dec 2009 18:47:15 +0000

Buenisimo! Gracias por la risa, Omar! Que viva El Saladillo Carajo!

Caracas Chronicles : Mental Health View From Quico\'s Window

Wed, 9 Dec 2009 17:02:02 +0000

Echalo pues!~ No te limites!

Caracas Chronicles : Mental Health View From Quico\'s Window

Wed, 9 Dec 2009 17:01:39 +0000

We ended up with about 4 inches out in my area. THen the rain came today and washed it all away! THis winter looks like we'll get more snow than usual, FP, you might even get more in your neck of the woods as a result. It usually doesn't snow here til after the new year.

Caracas Chronicles : Dictatorship means never having to say \"the reason is...\"

Wed, 9 Dec 2009 11:49:16 +0000

And it is your belief that the 920,000 tons has been enough to satisfy demand? So that's why we're importing more chicken? And we're so honest, aren't we? Selling Mercal chicken in non Mercal venues? Double Dipping all the way.....Woo Hooo, asi se construye un pais!!!

Caracas Chronicles : Subverting Chavismo\'s Discursive Standard

Wed, 9 Dec 2009 10:32:13 +0000

Quico: I think LuisF has a few points. I respect your opinion, but disagree only on one thing. Someone must engage the "unengagble". It is not rewarding work, and may not be for you, but it should be a part of the subversion. This is going to take many approaches, all of which will have their effect on the whole.

Caracas Chronicles : Dictatorship means never having to say \"the reason is...\"

Wed, 9 Dec 2009 00:45:35 +0000

At what expense, Padre? You mean the imported chickens that are past their expiration date? The ones bought at $0.19, invoiced at $2.20, paid at Bs.F2.15 , said dollars then sold at the "Voldemort" rate? Those chickens? Just like I offered Mr. W a few posts up, you want to debate us, come prepared with valid arguments.

Caracas Chronicles : Dictatorship means never having to say \"the reason is...\"

Tue, 8 Dec 2009 19:56:25 +0000

I'm willing to debate and defend my position vis a vis what I believe is best for Venezuela with you , Mr. W, or anyone else interested in a frank exchange of ideas. Anytime.

Caracas Chronicles : The three-legged stool

Tue, 8 Dec 2009 08:07:15 +0000

I came up with 17. Is that the right answer?

Caracas Chronicles : Rules for Subversives

Sat, 5 Dec 2009 14:26:07 +0000

Much like we should know when a priest goes beyond the bounds, right Hector?

Caracas Chronicles : Rules for Subversives

Fri, 4 Dec 2009 19:18:32 +0000

I would start spray painting the walls everywhere with "DONDE ESTAN LOS REALES?" "CHAVEZ< DEVUELVEME MI DINERO!" It worked for Luis Herrera, and will work now too.

Caracas Chronicles : Words to live by

Thu, 3 Dec 2009 16:31:18 +0000

The last time my mother voted in Florida, they had electronic machines. Her vote, and thousands of others came up exactly the opposite of what they punched in. If memory serves, last election we had in Venezuela, a smaller number of machines were audited, and they were not chosen at random, they were chosen by the CNE. That leaves room for a lot of doubt.

Caracas Chronicles : Picking up on new memes

Wed, 2 Dec 2009 19:34:29 +0000

No shit, JC. Maybe now the bankers will stop playing both ends against the middle.

Caracas Chronicles : A useful illussion?

Wed, 2 Dec 2009 15:30:16 +0000

The Ad: Is good because it highlights how far off the reservation Chavez is in terms of respecting the Constitution. While it is not the be all and end all of all ads, it is part of a message that needs to be disseminated widely. Alone it is not effective, as part of a wider campaign, it is necesary. Why does Chavez need a militia under his direct control? IS he not the Commander in Chief already? Or is it a good excuse to "legalize" the action s of La Piedrita and other goon squads?

Caracas Chronicles : Fun with Skype

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:48:50 +0000

Well, it's good to know I wasn't alone! "Chavez is the terminal phase of a grave Venezuelan disease, and that disease won't go away even if Chavez do. The main problem with Chavez is that he is making the problem a lot worser, a lot faster." And all we can hope for is that the patient recovers and the correct therapy is applied. Helping apply the therapy is going to be a job for all of us.

Caracas Chronicles : Fun with Skype

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:20:58 +0000

Tienes razon, pero vas preso igualito. The "problem" is both our innate, "viveza criolla" AND Mr. Chavez' vision of what Venezuela should or should not be. I believe I am one of the few to actually stand in line for a drivers license, take the exams without paying for the answers and then waiting for months until a special "operativo" came about to get my hard copy license. I did it because I was stubborn and was fed up with"la matraca". I also believe I hold one of the only speeding tickets ever written in Venezuela, because I refused to give the cop something for "un cafecito". And you may find this hard to believe, but I actually paid the fine. However, I did give in when it came time to obtain my gun permits, otherwise I'd still be waiting! Chavez has done nothing to disabuse Venezuela of the viveza criolla, ergo he is a problem too (on top of all the other crap he's foisted/is foisting/will foist upon us) For Venezuela to get anywhere in the future, that viveza is going to have to be expressed in a more positive, constructive manner.

Caracas Chronicles : Q-atharsis

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:32:37 +0000

I never meant to hark back to the rotten IVth as some oasis of utopia either, Capa, I just had a different viewpoint about this being a hybrid regime. I think it is a slow motion train wreck, as someone at the NYT recently pointed out. We've always had caudillos, we can't seem to shake that tradition. Hell, we STILL are looking for one! WE are expecting the alternative to come up with some magical figure that will stand up for our rights and so on, when the ones who have to stand up are each and every one of us. Of course a country needs leadership, and of course this will traditionally come from established political parties, but I've always felt that it is the electorate that defines the leader, not the other way around.

Caracas Chronicles : Q-atharsis

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 11:24:12 +0000

I'm sorry, but no. I disagree with you regarding what type of regime this is. There may not be mountains of corpses to mark it's establishment, but there are millions of "half" corpses that live on thanks to its policies. I don't recall official government takeovers of private property during any COPEI-AD term. I don't recall active government involvement in using labor to shut down manufacturing. I don't recall massive shutdowns of media by decree. Among other things. Now the whole clientelism thing, THAT they've copied lock, stock and barrel. The alternative (which is what I'd hope everybody starts calling it, instead of opposition) needs to allow new leadership come forth now. Unfortunately, that young leadership is probably hearing versions of what Salas Romer said along the lines of "this (the elections) is too serious for kids to have a go of it"

Caracas Chronicles : The people get shoved under the table

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:14:06 +0000

And you go this from your source at Langley, eh? Wow, good source! Want me to confirm? I live right next to the CIA.

Caracas Chronicles : Chávez's achievement

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:06:44 +0000

So that you can do what, JOhn? Arrest them?