Banana Republic Newsflash

[Sigma_Orionis]

Ok, how long till I hear a "Bravo Fox Delta"?

How about now... Bravo Foxtrot Delta.

Took you long enough

[Sigma_Orionis]

I'd laugh about this, but I'm too pissed off at the moment.....

[Sigma_Orionis]

this is so surreal I am not sure I can believe it

[Sigma_Orionis]

Aporrea.org, once again upholding the standards of publishing held by the Weekly World News

Yesterday they posted this piece of crap (a rehashed piece published by Russia Today) where they claim that China is about to do a checkmate on the US dolar and turn the Renminbi as the world's reserve currency.

And what does this piece of crap cite as a source?

This: a blog post by one Michael T. Snyder, who seems to be a bona-fide crank.

'nuff said.

[Sigma_Orionis]

NPR should REALLY moderate its comments section....




Edited for Clarity

[Rommie]

And how are you faring in all this Sigma? Whenever I read these things I can't help but worry about you.

Btw, my brother and sister (who was in town for business) went to a Venezuelan restaurant in Miami for dinner this past weekend. Polar beer was enjoyed!

[Sigma_Orionis]

How am I faring? could be doing worse, the cost of living continues to go up and there's no sign is going to level off, scarcity so far still remains more of an annoyance than a critical problem though. The most shallow complaint around is that McDonalds is using Cassava instead of potatoes for their fries and that they're not all that good. At least we still have TP......

My brother who lives in the eastern side of the country has it worse, he's got a wife and two kids and reports are that the scarcity problem there is worse than here, apparently blackouts have eased somewhat though.

But the main problem is uncertainty, as in: when is the damned house of cards going to collapse?

Everyone here is waiting for the September General Assembly elections, conventional wisdom says that there's no way the government will win. And that they will not be able to credibly do a massive electoral fraud. Some people say that they'll declare a state of emergency and suspend them. The government says that there will be elections as planned and that they will win. Go figure.

I am of the opinion that if they lose, the last act of the current assembly will be to grant special powers to Nicky and probably find a way to throw a monkey wrench into next year's possible referendum.

So, we wait and see, there's nothing else to do. In the meantime the good ship Titanic continues sinking.

There have been jokes that one of these days Nicky and his entourage will simply run away to Cuba and leave this mess as it is. If you ask me, that would be the best possible outcome of this mess.

In the meantime Nicky is in outrage because the Evil Gringo HNIC just approved extra sanctions and called us "an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States".

Aporrea.org is lit up and it's actually quite amusing how the revolutionary idiots are throwing a hissy fit

Here (in Spanish as usual) Nicky says that the HNIC made a big mistake and that he'll go down in the "Sinkhole of History" like Nixon and Bush jr.

Here there's some talk about the current fit our patriotic socialist revolutionaries are having.

ETA: Forgot to say: Thanks for asking Rommie

[Sigma_Orionis]

The New York Times discovers that the Grass is Green and the Sun is Big and Hot

For now, the showdown stands to provide Mr. Maduro with political cover and excuses amid a widening economic crisis that is largely his fault. To shore up his flagging popular support, he accuses the United States of waging an economic war against his country to drive him out of power.

[Sigma_Orionis]

And now you gringos can see our traditional Latin American Insecurity complex at its finest

[Sigma_Orionis]

The only source in english I found for this is TeleSur. (aka Fox News, Latin America version)

US General Says Venezuela Coup Possible, Denies Involvement

“A coup? You know, I don't know anyone that would want to take that mess over, but it might be that we see, whether it's at the end of his term or whatever, I wouldn't say -- I wouldn't (say) necessarily a coup, but there might be with -- the same ruling party … some arrangements to change leadership,” said Marine General John Kelly, Commander of U.S. Southern Command.

(bolding mine)

'nuff said

[Sigma_Orionis]

Well, that didn't take long....

Venezuela: President Maduro granted power to govern by decree

"They may have the power of the dollar and the power of the media, but we something they don't have: the power of integrity," said Mr Maduro.

"This legislation gives me the power to defend peace and sovereignty."

[Cyborg Girl]

Wonderfu, just wonderful. Try to stay safe.

[Sigma_Orionis]

It's not the first time Nicky has ruled by decree, (nor Chavez for that matter) What makes it "interesting" is how that is going to impact the Assembly elections.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Ahhhh the Comedy of Errors Continues

[Sigma_Orionis]

Cower in fear Gringos!, ALBA is displeased because of your imperial imperialist meddling with our glorious revolution

[SciFiFisher]

Cower in fear Gringos!, ALBA is displeased because of your imperial imperialist meddling with our glorious revolution

Yes. Yes. The Cabana boy visa application process is very tiring.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Yeah, yeah, the white man's burden, sooooo unbearable

[Sigma_Orionis]

Now THIS is what I call a PSF

Can you comment on your arrest and on the videos of you on the plane that are circulating?
I do have a comment. I know that I expressed an act of civil disobedience. But that act was necessary.

Why so?
I'm very knowledgable about that part of the world. I teach about U.S. imperialism in Latin America. And the U.S. has declared war against Venezuela. That means military aggression. They tried to take out Hugo with a coup, and then they took him out with cancer.

Oh?
It is my opinion — and Fidel agrees with me …

As in Castro?
Yes, Fidel agrees with me that the CIA had some involvement in giving him cancer, and so he died very sadly. And now Nicolas Maduro is the president and the U.S. somehow thinks this is a better position for the U.S. now.

It's not?
No, what they don't realize is that Maduro is carrying on the revolution. It's not like Raul in Cuba. There is every intention of carrying on the revolution. Fifty more years.

Arrogant Bimbo.

[SciFiFisher]

[code monkey]

Now ...THIS is what I call a PSF
Arrogant Bimbo.

more likely drunk bimbo. (the fact that she holds an academic chair is not at all encouraging.)

i'm probably going to regret this but what does psf stand for?

(sigma, please be kind. remember that i'm still recovering from having gone under the knife. and that i could smooth the way for you with the president of cascadia analytics, ltd.)

[Sigma_Orionis]

PSF= Pendejo Sans Frontiers

"Pendejo" here in Venezuela is a rather mild way to call someone "dumb". In Mexico is quite insulting. So, I suspect it makes a more fun bilingual Double Entendre than originally intended

[code monkey]

PSF= Pendejo Sans Frontiers

"Pendejo" here in Venezuela is a rather mild way to call someone "dumb". In Mexico is quite insulting. So, I suspect it makes a more fun bilingual Double Entendre than originally intended

so idiots without borders? thanks!

[Sigma_Orionis]

Yup, now that didn't hurt too much did it?

[Sigma_Orionis]

Euphemisms can't adequately describe this, so I will dispense with them.

What the Fuck?

[Sigma_Orionis]

This is why the opposition fails.

Chronicles of an eighteen-hour working Sunday

Ever since the referendum of 2004, A fair number of people in the opposition has been spreading rumors of voting machine fraud.

I personally never believed them, and IMHO the opposition's standing progressively fell because of it.

In the link above, an opposition member that has done several stints as an electoral table volunteer, explains in no uncertain terms that when the government cheats, IT'S NOT IN THE VOTING PROCESS (particularly since 2007),

The opposition seems to be still stuck on this. Despite it all.

No wonder they'll never win.