MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Russian strategic bombers leaving Venezuela this Friday, as anticipated
Russia has told the United States that two of their strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons will leave Venezuela on Friday, the White House said, ending a deployment that angered Washington. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesThe Russians can do nothing to help Venezuela. Nicolás Maduro’s failed economic policies has resulted in Venezuela’s hyperinflation, which has reached 1.29 million percent in November. Inflation rate is projected to jump 10 million percent by 2019, based on estimates from the International Monetary Fund.
Dec 14th, 2018 - 03:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0¡Viva Maduro!
Possibly not, but the USA has always seen your countries as it's own sphere of influence, same as Russia with the Eastern block and even more so the old SSRs like Ukraine. This is a challenge to that similar to Cuba, but Washington hasn't done much about it so far.
Dec 14th, 2018 - 06:10 pm - Link - Report abuse 0DemonTree
Dec 14th, 2018 - 08:30 pm - Link - Report abuse 0First, how was your trip to Chile?
Regarding Venezuela, I have little confidence in the Maduro government, which has proven itself incapable of taking care of its citizens. We have many here now in Chile, including two that I become friends with are in my neighborhood. Both have readjusted and have become successful in Chile.
My trip was really good, I'm just sorry we had such a short time in Chile. If we'd had another day we could have waited and done the hike on a clear day instead of in the rain and cloud that hid the view. But we were mainly visiting Argentina, just drove over the border to Torres del Paine for a couple of days. Have you ever been there?
Dec 14th, 2018 - 11:11 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The roads were pretty awful in both Argentina and Chile, for some reason the one to TdP had alternating paved and unpaved sections of a few hundred metres which was bizarre and almost worse than the totally unpaved roads within the park. The hotels were a lot busier than in Los Glaciares national park, and it seemed a bit more touristy in general, but we stayed in a couple of very nice places. Also, a lot more people seemed to speak English in Chile. I was surprised how few people did in Argentina, the woman at the border post seemed mystified by the country on our passports until we explained it was 'Inglaterra'.
Your government is pretty hot on health, too. All the junk food we bought had stickers warning that it was high in calories, sugar and saturated fat. Maybe we'll go back some day and visit Chile properly, if I'm ever near Chicureo I'll let you know. ;)
RE Vz, I can't imagine how anyone can have any confidence left in Maduro. I just think it's slightly astonishing America is allowing Russia and China to gain so much influence in their 'backyard'.
DemonTree
Dec 15th, 2018 - 02:46 am - Link - Report abuse 0Glad your brief visit to a part of my country went well. I knew the area when I was a young lad, but on a personal vacation I planned with my wife that was cancelled due to weather problems in Punta Arenas. I have had the fortune to know much of Patagonia in both countries. My favorite places are the Southern Lake District and the San Pedro Atacama desert area. So much to see.
You're correctness Chile has become very progressive about food nutrition of commercial products.
Cheers!
(6 minute video of my homeland.)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nHLRRo-zQUI
The central area of Santiago seems full of horrid fast food joints with fat people waddling everywhere. I have the feeling they were Bolivians? But, just a short walk away there are some fine restaurants. In one we were taken to view their awesome underground salt lined wine cellar. San Pedro was awesome lots of fantastic views as was Torres del Paine and the Liverpool of the Pacific.
Dec 15th, 2018 - 11:26 am - Link - Report abuse 0DT did you meet up with your mate Think ? (you might have more luck in Scotland)
Which bit is the southern lake district? The area we visited certainly had a lot of lakes, I want to know why the lake at El Calafate was so blue but the one near El Chalten grey.
Dec 15th, 2018 - 03:39 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Shame you had to cancel your holiday, Chicureo. I'm really glad I went, and have some really amazing pictures to show people. It's going to be hard to adjust back to winter in England, it's bloody freezing today.
What's the Liverpool of the Pacific, TV? And where did you stay in the TdP? There were some cool looking camps and hotels that I wished I had booked early enough to get, we ended up staying just outside the park in a very nice but expensive hotel.
I did not meet Think, I guess he's afraid to meet strangers off the Internet, in case I'm an axe murderer or something.
Before the Panama Canal existed Valpariso was known as the Liverpool of the Pacific. Its a place,I always dreamed of visiting and it didnt disappoint. Home of tbe Chilean Navy its an atmospheric City populated by people from many nations invited to open up southern Chile in the 19th Century.
Dec 15th, 2018 - 10:36 pm - Link - Report abuse 0When we visited Torres del Paine we stayed at the Hotel Altiplanico Sur at Puerto Natales, an environmental place with a turf roof.
Did you go into the Park and,see the awesome granite columns? Some great climbing up there but far beyond my modest abilities.
Valparaiso looks cool. It's shame you can only visit so much on a holiday, guess it's nice to be retired and able to stay as long as your budget allows.
Dec 16th, 2018 - 01:42 am - Link - Report abuse 0We drove through the park and stayed here https://i.imgur.com/etEYrVh.jpg and we did see some columns: i.imgur.com/S9XsyU2.jpg . Unfortunately it was raining and cloudy when we did our hike so all we saw at the top was this: i.imgur.com/o0ojH5A.jpg . Just driving around the view was amazing, although the gravel roads broke our shitty hire car. The driver's door fell half-off at the mirador where I took that first picture, luckily I found the pin from the hinge lying in the road so we were able to put it back together again. We wondered why it had been vibrating so ferociously!
Did you see all the Malvinas.. signs. Notice the grafiti on our clock. See the demos in front of the pink palace, get mugged or have stuff pilfered? Get to Patagonia.? Keep a blog, send it to neverloseit? Eat a steak, swig Norton, get tangoed?… Meet a Malvinista… etc
Dec 16th, 2018 - 10:35 am - Link - Report abuse 0Yeah, I saw several Malvinas signs, including one when leaving El Chalten that said how many kilometres away they are. It was a very big number! On the other hand/coast, you can apparently walk into Chile from Laguna del Desierto, but the signs said you must get a permit from both countries first or face dire consequences. I also found a memorial to a scrap between the two countries over that lake: https://imgur.com/a/bx5I9Z6
Dec 16th, 2018 - 01:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0According to Wikipedia there was a dispute between Chile and Argentina over who owned Laguna del Desierto, and Chile sent 4 Carabinieros to try and enforce their claim. But the Argentine military were planning another coup and wanted to show off their patriotism, so they sent ~90 Gendarmes who ended up shooting two of the Chileans and killing one. Not much of a battle, really. Later in arbitration the lake was awarded to Argentina since it drains to the Atlantic, and Nestor Kirchner opened the first (rocky, bumpy, dusty) road to it.
To be honest I'm not sure why either country was so keen on owning these remote and seemingly useless places. But then people have said the same about the Falklands...
As for the rest, I did see demonstrations in the Plaza de Mayo, as well as the big one against the G20 - from behind barricades and riot police. We weren't robbed, but we noticed most people in BA wore their rucksacks on the front, and made sure to do the same, as well as being careful generally. We also used the Subte, although it was closed on the Friday and Saturday for the G20. The fares were extremely cheap, and taxis weren't too pricey either.
My overall impression of RGland was of a fairly polarised society with the rich and the rest, mainly evident in BA. A much bigger and more widespread gap than we have. The Amerindians seem to be the lowest of the low and disregarded. Not a happy place.
Dec 16th, 2018 - 03:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Chile was much nicer with nicer people, more international, more scenically spectacular and not anti British at all, in fact quite the opposite. A place I could live…
@Chicureo & DemonTree
Dec 16th, 2018 - 04:55 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Is Chile as efficient as Brazil in handling crime?
https://www.politicadinamica.com/images/editor/charge-quinho.jpg
In BA I saw a lot of people living on the streets, and they couldn't get our of town for the G20, but we have those here too. There were also people on the Subte trying to sell tat and one performing magic tricks, I presume they resort to such 'jobs' due to poverty.
Dec 16th, 2018 - 06:58 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I'd say the rich people I saw out shopping were 'whiter'/more European looking on average than the ones I saw working, but I don't know if I saw any real Amerindians. It's hard to tell much things from a short visit. I found El Chalten very friendly and a hippyish place, it was definitely my favourite of the ones we visited.
It may have been partly the area we visited, but Chile definitely seemed more set up to cater to international tourists. It was convenient, but more anonymous. A big expensive hotel where everyone speaks English could be anywhere in the world, really. I'd need to visit a town to see what Chileans are really like, but I didn't meet anyone anti-British in Argentina. Plus the scenery was spectacular in both countries, but we happened to have better weather in Arg so I enjoyed the walks there more.
@DT
Dec 16th, 2018 - 09:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0your mention of “...people on the Subte trying to sell tat and one performing magic tricks”, reminded me of my last visit to BA in 2014....besides people selling all sorts of stuff on the Subte, what impressed me was that on one trip, 3 guys with a guitar, aplifier and drums, got on at one station, set up their instruments in 10 secs and played until the train reached the next station.....where they'd move into another carriage and start off all over again ...it would be quite funny if it weren't the result of difficult times.....
@JB
Dec 16th, 2018 - 11:18 pm - Link - Report abuse 0That's damn impressive, and way more enterprising than our unemployed who prefer to sit on the dole and let Bulgarians take all the jobs, but it's still sad so many people have to resort to that. We also saw two different beggars missing a leg, which is strange as Argentina isn't in a war zone or anything. We gave money to the magic guy since he was pretty good for someone in a train carriage.
RE “Car Wash anti-corruption team...”
“Being punished for defending yourself is nuts”
Oh I agree, and so do most liberals I know. It's just easier for schools as they don't have to bother finding out who did what or who started it. I've even heard of people who didn't defend themselves being punished anyway! It's an American thing, though, not UK.
I don't much know about teenagers today. My generation had games and TV but no social media, we still played outside. I think they are kinda screwed up by it, but what can you do? They have to live in the modern world, with all that entails. People give tablets to toddlers nowadays, my colleague's young kids didn't know how to use a mouse.
As for the daughter with no knickers, I have heard it is common in China to dress toddlers in split-crotch pants, so they can just squat down and 'go' whenever they have the urge. Sounds disgusting and unhygienic for the kids and any everyone else. And letting kids do what they want is impossible as well as stupid. Not even the most rabid dictator can do everything he wants, and kids need to learn that. From what I have heard it doesn't much matter if parents are strict or lenient, as long as they are consistent about the rules so the kid knows where they are.
As for celebrities, the worship of them can't be good for society. I can only think it's a result of people not having enough connections in their own lives that they'd resort to following some stranger's.
Did you know any overprotected kids in luxury condos? I should think they'd be more common at a private school.
DT you obviously didnt venture out after dark. Thats when the poor creep out onto the streets to collect cardboard and plastic, the Cartoneros - mostly Amerindians in BA. If you are black or an Indian you are in the underclass, its a racist country.
Dec 17th, 2018 - 12:25 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Sounds like your trip wasnt much fun. Z
@DT
Dec 17th, 2018 - 03:25 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Don’t know how schools in the UK treat bullying nowadays, but in my time, it usually ended up on the field, in a “ring”. Very rarely did the school interfere. There were quite a few wealthy kids at school, but they knew tt throwing their weight around wouldn't work.
My father was against TV, but in 1962, with World Cup, he gave in…even then, TV was a family affair, time to turn it on, and off.
My first contact with micro-electronic technology was the Sony Walkman in 1980…very impressive. In 1989, I got a computer, at work…a pain in the neck, until Windows appeared abt a year later.
Kids that grow up without limits are going to suffer later on. My cousin lived in one of those luxury condos, with a full club, restaurant, cinema, the whole works, and you could see how some of the kids treated the employees…with no respect whatsoever...arguing, then telling them to shut up, after letting them know that it was their father who paid their salaries ... disgusting. It even happened in my less-than-luxury condo.
My cousin told me that one day, while waiting to cross the entry barrier, he saw his neighbour's 17 year old drive out the other side, in his father's Mercedes. He watched him drive across the street, to a gas station, to fill the tank....the attendant, knowing the kid didn't have a license, refused. Apparently the kid got out the car, and waving his finger in the attendant’s nose, started off with the usual “d’you know who I am ?” crap…reached a point the kid tried to take the hose out of the attendant’s hand, who proceeded to kick the crap out if him.
All hell was raised, the police were called. After listening to a few witnesses, including my cousin, the police called the father, gave him a sermon, and praised the attendant for refusing to contribute to possible disaster.
When the nasty, hidden secrets of some celebrities leak out, you realize that many are just idiots….Agree, those who idolize them, have something missing in their own lives
@TV
Dec 17th, 2018 - 08:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Did you even read my comments?! You have a strange idea of fun if you think it's meeting Malvinistas or prejudiced people.
@JB
That sounds great if you're good at fighting, and miserable if you're not. My school took bullying seriously unlike some, but there's only so much they can do.
Against TV... heh, sounds pretty old fashioned now. Parents nowadays are probably relieved when their kids watch TV instead of playing the latest addictive-by-design smartphone game. We had computers at school, but crappy ones. I too remember how much better windows was, with the options visible on screen and consistent between programs instead of having to memorise random keys. And the early internet used to be full of crappy personal websites with clashing fonts and colours, and cat pictures. I guess the cats are still there.
Those condo kids sound like right little shits, why do their parents let them get away with it? Or do they treat the staff that way themselves too and think it's normal? And do these people just never go out, if the condo has everything they need? It's like a different world, I'm glad people in the UK are a bit more equal.
Good on the attendant for stopping that teenager going on a joyride. I wonder if he would have even known how to put the fuel in himself? In Argentina it seems you have to let the attendant do it for you, it was quite nice not to have to get out and faff around.
DT I thought you went to RGland to get under the skin of the place, sounds like you went on a holiday? Cycle trips enable you to meet the people, travelling around in a tin can is no substitute.
Dec 17th, 2018 - 10:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I went on a holiday and I enjoyed it. Getting under the skin of a place is a rather taller order and just not practical for me at this point. I got an impression of the country and that was all I hoped to do.
Dec 18th, 2018 - 12:09 am - Link - Report abuse 0One of the most obvious things was how much was poorly built or in disrepair. Big holes in the pavements. Permanent signs on the roads warning of potholes without any attempt to fix them. Dodgy electrical wiring in all the places we stayed. Shiny new bins in the streets, and people taking cardboard out of them to recycle. The parks were full of fancy statues and people sleeping rough - who kept getting woken by the sirens as the leaders from the G20 went past with their police escort. I was surprised how few people spoke English, but they weren't unfriendly or unhelpful, we never had any problems.
It would have been nice to meet up with someone, but not too many of the posters left on here actually live there, and I don't know anyone else.
Russian strategic bombers [LOADED WITH COCAINE] leaving Venezuela this Friday, as anticipated?
Dec 18th, 2018 - 09:53 am - Link - Report abuse 0I have an RG pen pal I met staying at his b&b place down south. He is an intelligent friendly guy with a sensible world view. Far removed from most of the embarrasing RG morons you meet on here. He thinks for himself untouched by the nauseous propaganda peddled by Think/Voice etc.
Dec 18th, 2018 - 12:17 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Sounds nice. I would have liked to meet Think and see his Patagonian cabin and horses, supposing they're real. But you know, I realised a while back that Voice doesn't really pedal propaganda. He won't go along with the majority view on here and he questions the poor logic and bias of certain posters. But he doesn't support the Malvinistas either.
Dec 18th, 2018 - 12:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I have always believed that Think is an RG ex pat located somewhere is Scotland, all the evidence points to it and I believe the Think/Voice bat and ball thing confirms it.
Dec 18th, 2018 - 02:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0South America is a very interesting place that more and more Brits will visit because of the new direct flights. I have visited 5 of the major countries but I dont think the opportunity will arise for us to add any more. The one I loved the most was Peru which is very colourful, diverse, interesting and spectacular with Ecuador 2nd (the Gallapogas), Chile 3rd for its scenery and people with RGland next and Columbia last. The animal and birdlife of all these places is precious. The running sore created by the Malvinista morons is a great pity but its their loss.
@DT
Dec 18th, 2018 - 06:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 0As they say here “dou um boi para não entrar numa briga, mas dou uma boiada p´ra não sair”, which means “I 'll give a bull to not get in to a fight, but a herd to not run from it”. It really wasn't all that bad, as when I was 12, my father came up with the great idea of boxing classes ; had them for two years. I saw no point in telling people at school about them, but they came in handy when needed. I think that in the 60's, differently to now, the idea was to learn to stand up for yourself, and fight it out, if necessary. Reckon it's very different today.
Regarding the shitty kids, you could see that their truculent attitude was a result of their parent's influence, in that they too thought they were the cat's whiskers, and used to throw their weight around, as if their money entitled them to.
With the condos offering most of everyday needs, other than school, they didn't need to leave it very often, so they don't realize that on the 'outside' it's different. But it stems from the culture, where those with money really think they are better than the others, and expect to be treated with deference by the rest. Instead of the “macho” approach and the “do you know who you are speaking to”, the question, by the the others should be “who the hell do you think you are ?”
But having seen filling the tank 100s of times, it would be easy.
@TV
Dec 18th, 2018 - 07:10 pm - Link - Report abuse 0It's possible. Some people on here use their real names, but the rest of us could be anyone, really. But I dunno, I'm not sure he would have gloated so much about Brexit if he did live here.
I'd like to visit Peru, too, it seems like interesting country with all the history, and of course the Galapagos. Did you see the famous finches? And are there still giant tortoises there? It's a pity it's all so far away and expensive to get there.
@JB
Sounds like you had a secret weapon. :) Plus you played rugby so I doubt you were the smallest in the class. But yeah, things are very different today. Fighting and physical bullying are pretty much not tolerated, but kids are still little shits who know how to make other people's lives a misery. Nowadays it's all about cyberbullying, and how do you fight that? At least when I was young kids could escape when they weren't in school.
And I guess some rich people really do have contempt for the poor, or 'ordinary' people. Not surprising they'd object to 'their' money being spent on them by the government, as well as treating them like shit. I don't see the point of all the attitude, what's wrong with just being polite to everyone?
When did you first fill your own petrol tank?
Yes, we went in 2000 I think, all the prices plumetted when there was an oil slick, but it was only light fuel oil so I knew it would quickly disperse.
Dec 19th, 2018 - 12:07 pm - Link - Report abuse 0We met Lonesome George the unique survivor of the species of Giant Tortoise was still alive and there were lots of others. We saw the finches, blue footed boobies, marine iguanas etc There was many fewer tourists back then. I am surprised they allow so many now after what they were saying then.
After that we went into the Ecuadorian rainforest for a week. The birds insects and fauna were amazing. Highway One was terrifying!
In Peru we had a week in a remote camp on an Amazon tributary, which was amazing too. The Inca constructions are jaw dropping. Costa Rica is the place for birds and jungle rivers.
@DT
Dec 19th, 2018 - 03:16 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Don't know about a secret weapon, but it prevented me from getting beaten up. I'm only average in size, but my speed, as well as a stubborn trait - most likely inherited from my Scottish grandfather - made up for it.
The rich in this country (obviously with exceptions) believe they are better than the rest, as is seen by their truculent attitudes when caught with their pants down....they first try the “carteirada” which is the “do you know who you are speaking to”, then bribery (if it's the indicated action to make the problem disappear), and if that doesn't work, then they lose their composure....a few years back, Aécio Neves was caught driving while drunk...he followed the script perfectly, but was carted off the the police station where his lawyers were waiting for him....nothing came of it. Those who can pay for good lawyers, usually get off.
The first time I had to fill my own tank, was in 1983, while driving around Southern USA.....stopped at a gas station, waited for the attendant to come out - never did, so after a while I got out the car and went in to see what was going on - soon realized the system was different to NE USA, so I bought USD 20 worth of gas then was told to go to the pump and fill up...as the dial hit 20, gas stopped flowing....managed to avoid spilling any gas, and drove off feeling satisfied at having learned something new.
In Brazil I've never seen this self-help system, but at the local gas station, where I know the owner and the attendants, many a time, when they are all occupied, I've filled the tank myself then charged it to my credit card. In the immediate surroundings where I live, most people know each other, so if you had to, you can shop without cash and pay later.
It's like an oasis in the middle of a crazy city.
Have a reply for you rgdng “Lula tells BBC..”, in which I've mentioned two posts which I think you didn't find.
@TV
Dec 19th, 2018 - 05:29 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Poor George.
You're lucky having the time and money to go so many interesting places. And it's ironic how much other tourists ruin tourism. Whenever I go somewhere I know I'm contributing to the problem which sucks, but most tourist areas just want the money.
Costa Rica is where I spent most time when I visited Central America a decade ago. It's a nice country and hasn't suffered nearly as much war and other crap as it's neighbours. Abolishing their army was definitely a smart move. Monteverde was my favourite place there, really magical. I remember there were giant blue butterflies, and we also saw turtles nesting on the Caribbean coast, and flamingos in a huge lagoon, although that might have been a different country. Actually there were flamingos right in the town in El Calafate; there's a small reserve on the edge of the lake.
@JB
“I'm only average in size”
That makes a change, seems like everyone else on this website loves to boast about how tall they are. I wasn't actually the smallest in the class, but close, until I finally had a growth spurt near the end of school. I also have a stubborn streak, but since I never learned to fight, it would probably just lead to me getting beaten up if it came down to it. :/
“ Aécio Neves was caught driving while drunk...he followed the script perfectly, but was carted off the the police station...”
Lol.
“...nothing came of it.”
Damnit, these people always get away with things! Our politicians couldn't do that, one even went to jail for persuading his wife to take penalty points for him.
The first time I had the tank filled by an attendant was two weeks ago. :) I wonder why there're no self-service stations in Brazil or Argentina? But here you put the petrol in first and pay afterwards. Would be nice to have a way to stop on a certain number sometimes but I usually just fill it all the way.
And it's cool that there are tight-knit neighbourhoods even in a huge city, I wouldn't have guessed it.
@DT
Dec 19th, 2018 - 07:06 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Around here, back in the 60's, you'd be considered tall at 6 ft......very rarely would you see anyone 6' 3” or over ...'n at school, out of abt 30 last year students (16 or 17 yrs old), some were hefty and only 2 or 3 around 6'. Had 6 cousins in BA, 5 were tall :2 @ 6' 5“, 1 @ 6' 2”, 1 @ 6', and one girl, of 6'....must've been the meat 'n the water.
Obviously now, it's best to avoid getting into fights, especially in traffick, as you never know who might be carrying a gun.
If the station only offered gas, then self-service would make sense (for the owner) but here they offer a range of services, such as oil change, filters, pumping tyres, washing cars etc, so the employees, who don't earn all that much, are needed.
When you fill the tank, it's best to fill it up all the way, as that leaves a smaller surface for evaporation.
Continuation of “Lula tells BBC why he was jailed”...
Ok, you don’t see much difference…I do. One thing is to teach that some specific, ‘n polemic issue in today’s society is OK, another, to teach people they should, generally speaking, be tolerant of other’s sexual preferences. Why teach “A” is ok, without mentioning “B” ? sounds like indoctrination. Differences exist, they aren’t going away, so accept them.
I couldn’t care less if someone belongs to the LGBT crowd, just don’t appreciate their flaunting their preferences in public, trying to attract attention. Same goes for heterosexuals. Just learn to behave in public.
I don’t like religion when it takes on characteristics of a cult, trying to make it a way of life. It should be a source of comfort, of spiritual orientation, when/if looked for, without impositions. I believe in live & let live.
Those that ban teaching ‘certain’ science, imo are backward, ‘n afraid of what it might reveal…If they rely on mystification to survive, or obvious bs, doesn't say much for them.
You may not have seen posts under “Bolsonaro recommends prudence” & “Theresa May in BAires” (end posts).
DT, unwittingly I seem to have inspired several friends to visit Antarctica. I believe the Treaty does limit the number of visitors. I dont buy the guilt, we are folk of our time. My No 2 destination after Antarctica is Namibia which we drove ourselves around, an astounding desert destination which can be combined with a visit to South Africa before it inevitably descends into chaos. Anyway we have been everywhere we want to now, cruise ships for us together for now, but I shall still carry on cycle touring alone abroad.
Dec 19th, 2018 - 10:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Russian strategic bombers leaving Venezuela [Loaded with Cocaine? en route to the USA &/or Europe?]
Dec 20th, 2018 - 10:54 am - Link - Report abuse 0@TV
Dec 20th, 2018 - 07:43 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I'd love to visit Antarctica but it just doesn't seem worth the cost. And it's not guilt, but more recognising that all the other annoying tourists ruining the attraction have as much right to see it as I do, and if they weren't there then almost certainly neither would I be.
@JB
6'5” is definitely unusual, and so is 6' for a woman. But 6' for a man is still tall, though pretty common now. And it's true you'd want to be careful getting in a fight in Brazil. In the UK they wouldn't have a gun, but many young people carry knives according to the news. The murder rate has shot up this year, probably due to police cuts.
As for the service stations, I suppose labour is cheap in Brazil. Here you'd have just one or two employees behind the counter, and you put in your own fuel, air and water, with an automatic car wash, or sometimes a jet wash you use yourself. There are places you can get a hand car wash though. And I always heard you shouldn't fill the tank up because the extra weight lowers your fuel efficiency. If you fill up won't it just evaporate later when you get down to half full?
Re schools, think I see what you mean now, but if it's a choice between teaching it's okay and encouraging intolerance I'd prefer the former. And what are the things 'B' they are not mentioning?
I'm assuming you don't think stuff like getting married or doing normal couple things is 'flaunting their preferences'? Can't say I enjoy watching PDAs either.
Those religions try to ban certain science because it conflicts with their 'inerrant' doctrine, but they're hostile to it in general because it encourages people to think for themselves and follow the evidence. It's not just religions, though, any leader or philosophy that wants unquestioning obedience is going to have the same issue.
@DT
Dec 21st, 2018 - 02:50 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Brazilians on the whole, are very attached to their cars, and looking after the appearance of them is almost more important than anything else, which makes car washes pretty popular...made me think of the origin of Operation Car Wash....just imagine the possible name of the operation, if the crooks' meeting place were a whorehouse ? in hindsight, might even have been a more appropriate name for the investigation...
Ok, you can't have a full tank all the time, but when you do fill up, fill to the top. If the extra weight, of 20 or 30 litres, reduces fuel efficiency, sounds like it's got to be a pretty weak engine...anyway, aren't cars projected to carry a full load / tank ?
Re 'A' and 'B', 'B' might be that it's ok to be a heterosexual ....sounds silly to me, to actually have to go to the extreme of teaching it's ok to be this, or that ....teaching plain and simple tolerance, covers everything, without singling out differences, and then having to justify them. IMO, the more people harp on the differences, they are contributing to making them more evident, causing divisiveness.
If a gay couple wants to live together, or get married, go right ahead....what difference does it make to society ?
By flaunting their preferences, I mean stuff like a couple dressing up like drag queens and sticking their tongues down each other's throats, while in public...There's a relatively small shopping mall here in São Paulo, just beside the downtown area, called Frei (Father) Caneca, and it's known as Gay (rhymes with 'Frei') Caneca, because it's a meeting point for LGBT's, who seem to think they own the place. Security is even reluctant to curb excessive PDA, for fear of being prosecuted.
When religions discourage people to think for themselves, implies they want their followers to be no more than sheep......just like in all cults, where people dare nor express a contrary opinion, far less question the 'wisdom' of their leaders. Nuts
@JB
Dec 22nd, 2018 - 03:51 pm - Link - Report abuse 0REF: “Brazilians on the whole, are very attached to their cars”
I beg to differ; I observed that they CRAVE whining + bickering + gossiping; instead of uniting, finding practical solutions to their day-to-day problems. For them; it's perfectly NORMAL:
- if they are robbed by the politicians
- if the corrupt become the leaders [or vice versa]
- if their hardships keep increasing year-after-year.
IN FACT; being practical, what Brazil really need; are:
- Lesser population; get rid of the poor: export them or:
- Slavery [legal] - no one gets beyond complaining anyway
- Corruption [legal] avoiding a waste of time+money+efforts
- LESSER education [more Nº of uneducated population is easier to manage]
- MORE suffering [the more is the suffering; lesser is the energy to fight back]
@JB
Dec 23rd, 2018 - 05:48 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“might even have been a more appropriate name for the investigation”
Heh, yes.
And I do fill up my tank each time, not because I think it's better in some way, just because I don't want to do it more than necessary.
“'B' might be that it's ok to be a heterosexual”
It would be a strange society where you needed to teach that. But maybe some people do need to be told that you don't have to try something just because it's trendy, or someone else wants you too. Not that they'll listen, teenagers are very susceptible to peer pressure (and hormones, reason the abstinence only 'education' they have in America isn't too effective).
And lol at Gay Caneca. Assuming the law is similar to here, they should be able to ban PDAs, as long as they enforce it equally on everyone. Ditto certain clothes, though judging from TV Brazilians aren't exactly conservative dressers anyway. It depends whether the extra custom they get makes up for those people who are put off coming.
It's a funny thing that the crazier and stricter the religion, the faster it seems to grow. The ones with preachers who have 3 sports cars and tell their followers the bible is literally true get more and more popular, while the more traditional versions of Christianity are shrinking. The same seems to be happening with Islam. Maybe if they don't demand their followers believe only them and deny all reality people don't see the point.
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