Libyan leader Gaddafi files motion to partition Switzerland at UN

[Valmy]

I'm not aware of any dispute over whether or not we ousted Arbenz.... in fact hasn't the US gov't subsequently admitted to it?

We I never heard there was any dispute over whether or not we ousted Allende either until I started learning about it.

[Sheilbh]

The thing I find weird is the American focus on Chavez, which I just don't understand.  I think it's because he's colourful and stridently anti-American but he's not even the worst guy in Latin America.  In terms of international dictatorships the guy's a pussycat.

[Valmy]

The thing I find weird is the American focus on Chavez, which I just don't understand.  I think it's because he's colourful and stridently anti-American but he's not even the worst guy in Latin America.  In terms of international dictatorships the guy's a pussycat.

Venezuela is one of the richest and most important countries in Latin America.  The bigger countries get more attention.  And we do not really talk about him all that much he just pops up in Languish threads alot.

It just saddens me to see yet another fucking South American populist setting his country back decades.  It gets really tiresome and makes you despair a bit if the continent will ever sort itself out.

[grumbler]

The thing I find weird is the American focus on Chavez, which I just don't understand.  I think it's because he's colourful and stridently anti-American but he's not even the worst guy in Latin America.  In terms of international dictatorships the guy's a pussycat.

He's weird and he is very good at saying the kinds of things that wilol get him into the news.  I find it weird that so many Euros think that, because somebody is good at getting into the US news, there is some kind of "American focus" on him.  What you don't understand is that news organizations report on what they think viewers/readers will pay attention to, so those same viewers or readers will also view/read the ads that pay for the news in the US.  Chavez is less interesting to European news organizations because he isn't talking about European countries as his great enemy, by and large, and also he is far away from you and so of inherently less interest.

[grumbler]

It just saddens me to see yet another fucking South American populist setting his country back decades.  It gets really tiresome and makes you despair a bit if the continent will ever sort itself out.

[Euro]That's all America's fault! [/Euro]

[The Minsky Moment]

The thing I find weird is the American focus on Chavez, which I just don't understand.  I think it's because he's colourful and stridently anti-American but he's not even the worst guy in Latin America.  In terms of international dictatorships the guy's a pussycat.

I can think of 3 million barrels a day of reasons why.

Except of course that now it is more like 2.4 million.

[Sheilbh]

It just saddens me to see yet another fucking South American populist setting his country back decades.  It gets really tiresome and makes you despair a bit if the continent will ever sort itself out.

But Brazil the biggest and the most important Latin American country has had a hugely successful past 15 years.  In the wider context that looks more like what's happening in the rest of Latin America, not Chavezismo.

In other words, why not show Lula some love?

What you don't understand is that news organizations report on what they think viewers/readers will pay attention to, so those same viewers or readers will also view/read the ads that pay for the news in the US.  Chavez is less interesting to European news organizations because he isn't talking about European countries as his great enemy, by and large, and also he is far away from you and so of inherently less interest.

I think that's what I've said.  He's colourful and stridently anti-American so more interesting, but not any more important or egregiously tyrannical. 

[Caliga]

I wish there was more news about Brazil.  I like Brazil better than Venezuela.  Can't that LuLu guy say some funny shit, but only harmless funny like Silvio does?

[The Minsky Moment]

Silvio is not harmless. 

[Ed Anger]

Silvio is not harmless.

Commie.

[Ed Anger]

I wish there was more news about Brazil.  I like Brazil better than Venezuela.  Can't that LuLu guy say some funny shit, but only harmless funny like Silvio does?

Maybe he'll have the golf courses closed like Hugo. 

[Sheilbh]

Silvio is not harmless.

No Silvio reminds me of an early draft of Chavez in a developed country.

[The Minsky Moment]

Silvio is not harmless.

Commie.

He's not that either although with the head of government controlling all the media it might look that way.

[Caliga]

Silvio is not harmless.

As an Italian leader, he is by definition harmless.

[Razgovory]

The thing I find weird is the American focus on Chavez, which I just don't understand.  I think it's because he's colourful and stridently anti-American but he's not even the worst guy in Latin America.  In terms of international dictatorships the guy's a pussycat.

Venezuela is one of the richest and most important countries in Latin America.  The bigger countries get more attention.  And we do not really talk about him all that much he just pops up in Languish threads alot.

It just saddens me to see yet another fucking South American populist setting his country back decades.  It gets really tiresome and makes you despair a bit if the continent will ever sort itself out.

Every politician is a populist.