The first and most important comment.
One of the readers of this blog, Pulpo, gave invaluable technical assitance in helping to overcome my poor computer skills and make this post possible. Thanks a million dude!!!!!
OW and Pulpo - thanks for this important information. Now we can all see in practical terms that macroeconomic factors eventually work their way through to the micro level after a time lag.
I am waiting for someone from that "other blog" to make a post saying that this is not true and that the country is coming apart at the seams.
Topic Condie Arroz. OW I like the sign off at the end of the article on the OAS but you know that this will not be the end of all this shit we are having to put up with. You'll see. This will all be twisted in El Nacional and El universal tomorrow with the subliminal messsage that - Chavez is governing "undemocratically" and will have to be "monitored".
OW and Pulpo what a great team! 
Numbers on the table for everyone to see. No more bullshit about the "failed revolution".
I think the new approach from the opposition will be to admit that things are going pretty ok (what else can they say?), but they will argue that the disater will come later (again, what else can they say?).
Yes, I know the talking heads of the opposition will never shut up. But thats ok, most people have long since learned how to tune them out. Let me know if you're having problems tuning out and I'll try to give some helpful advice.
OW - you are right. The tactic will be to predict future economic disasters, in the hope that they occur. For media noise reasons.
Just had a foray on to the "other blog" and kicked up some dust. They are really touchy there, when you hit the nail on the head, and take it ever so personally.
Off course they take it personally - all their privalages are slipping away. They are used to when the economy grows 10% their income goes up 20% because everyone below them didn't get shit. Now that the table are turned by Chavez so that it is the poor who disproportionaly benefit from the oil money they are besides themselves.
Too bad for them. Let them cry.
Many Many Thanks to Ambassador Richard Smith for taking the show on the road, your presence is well recieved here im sure. Many Many thanks to Elliv, and to Jim Bob In all his manifestations, indelible in nature, we are glad he is on our side. OW - Great job!
All others, suffer if you must, class E suffers less today at your expense.
Well done charts and graphs--very illustrative.
Hey OW. I am getting worried--have you been hanging out with Daniel D. ?
While such illustrations have their utility for people more acclimated toward spatial representations, I would hope that you don't make a fetish of it.
Figures lie and liars figure--the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
As long as the huge class of people who have been socially excluded eat well, than all is well. This is what matters to me.
Last night I watched a video presentation developed by VTV which was basically a documentary of the events and tumult leading to the coup--and the events leading to the people rising up and forcing the oligarchs out and Chavez back in.
This was a momentous event in the history of the world; indeed, a very unique event. The emotion coming from the Venezuelan masses was very touching==these humans did me proud, they transcended the doubts and the ideology of the elite and decided to have a say in the development of Venezuela.
What is interesting is that, yes, indeed, the oligarchs and empire would love to kill Chavez--but Chavez et al are shrewd enough to up the stakes: if they kill Chavez he is making sure that the empire will never be able to install a stable puppet government, and that oil prices will rise significantly in keeping with the perpetual tumult.
This guy and his cohorts are making history--and the Venezuelan people are leading the way.
Sorry for the digressions, but watching these everyday Latin American, poor people advance humankind forward a knotch is inspiring in a very significant way.
Anyone that has been exploited and endured hardship would immediately identify with the hopes and dreams of the Venezuelan people.
We here in the US could learn a bit about democracy from the Bolivarians' example.
The Venezuela en Videos collection is awessome--but i still can't get a decent link to archived Alo Presidente shows.
When will the opposition realize that Chavez is the Second Coming (just joking)LOL
Che lives
Other things to bear in mind for the ABC classes. The outlawing of indexed credits for mortgages and cars - and the banks will have to reinburse these people. The Mission Vivienda where the top interest rate you can pay for a 20 year mortgage is 11.6% there abouts, and half of that if you earn less than 800.000 bolivares a month and the government will give you a grant of up to 19 million bolivares to get you started.
Home ownership being pushed ahead and this is allegedly a "communist regime". Never mind talking about the hundreds of thousands of property deeds sold for Bs. 1 per m2 to the poor so that they own the land where their homes are built and can never be evicted.
Thus, the ABC classes will vote in their droves for Chavez. Patience. It is all coming together despite ongoing sabotage in public adminitration and go slows etc. etc.
A recent poll showed that classes A and B also shop at Mercal. They must send the housekeepers there to buy the mechandise.
Next time I go to Mercal, I'll copy the bill and compare it with prices in swish supermarkets. Would make a good posting for you, OW.
Btw Pulpo, the name is not "Jim Bo" (althought I value the spirit of comradere that eminates from el Comandante P.)
I am really a function of two very unlikely superheros that have come to save the world.
Yes, "I am all names" and this is hard to understand. I am part of every identity.
What I am saying may appear as part of a confabulation--but one must remember to have faith, to believe in the unbelievable.
Otherwise--the Bolivarian project would never have become viable and strong.
FSq and WTrd are the two superhero entities that direct my actions as a fighter for social justice in the Bolivarian mode.
Shortly i will reveal the story of these two very unlinkley super heros.
No, this is not a gag--this is dead serious.
Keep well compadres--we've got your back.
Now, this dude's gotta hit the sack.
Richard, Ultimas Noticias does that price comparison every week. But by all means anything you want to foward will be gladly received. Doesn't surprise that they would send their servants to shop at Mercal. Hell, have the people at the opposition rallies were servants and employees that these people forced to go. Some point soon I will have to do a housing post. It is getting interesting.
Jim, don't know who Daniel D. is so to my knowledge I'm not hanging out with him. Would that be good or bad? Anyways, I promise I won't make a fetish of the graphics - only when its appropriate to make a point. If you want videos of everything when you go to Caracas just go to Plaza Bolivar. Tons of good political books and videos there. And not any escualidos to ruin the ambience LOL
OW, there is an interesting situation happening in Colombia that clearly illustrates connections between the dominant rightwing of that nation's political class and the paramilitaries.
Clearly, this group, UAC, commits the lion's share of the terrrorist atrocities in Colombia.
Yet, isn't it interesting, the pro-capitalist media don't try to smear Uribe with the brush of being aligned with a terrorist organization.
In fact, the Venezuelan opposition rarely mentions the fact of these ideological and strategical alliances.
OK-the hole is there, drive that Mac truck right through it.
I think that the hypocritical juxtaposition is worth highlighting.
BTW: see the Nuevo Herald for a pretty good synopsis of this conflict.
I find El Nuevo far, far better than its sister paper, The Miami Herald, when it comes to highlighting the happenings in the Americas.
Though both are fairly deplorable as they do function as vehicles of elite/imperial disinformation, manipulation and anti-democratic control.
I think they are registration required papers and I haven't registered. Maybe if there is something good you can e-mail it to me.
Thx
Do you have any information on what has happened to the incomes of people in Groups D, C, B, and A over the last couple years?
Excuse me Jim, but what in specific do you want the US to copy from our "venezuelan democracy"? the leadership? is that what you mean? or you mean the huge corruption and no real separation of powers, people with criminal records (like thievery with armed gun) as judges in the supreme court, just because they are friends with someone in the government. Or you want "obligatory invitation" to a "revolutionary" event or else you get fired from your job? i dont know man, thats heavy stuff
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