Very funny

From a Yahoo! News story: “CARACAS, Venezuela – Prominent Venezuelan non-governmental organizations warned Thursday that a bill being drafted by lawmakers loyal to President Hugo Chavez could be used to financially strangle groups that criticize the government. Ruling-party lawmakers argue the proposed law is necessary to increase oversight of foreign funding destined for NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations), although they've promised to hear concerns from critics before taking up the bill for likely approval in the coming months. A draft of the bill says foreign donations for NGOs would no longer be sent directly to organizations but instead would be deposited in a government-controlled fund. Officials would dole out the money at their discretion.” This is really funny. As the saying goes, “He who has the gold makes the rules,” no? Once the government gets its hands on the money, it will be next to impossible to shake it loose. Who knows?

Hugo Chavez again

From a Yahoo! News story: “CARACAS, Venezuela – A nation built atop a sea of energy is struggling to keep the lights on. Hugo Chavez, the leftist leader is using his near daily televised speeches to urge Venezuelans to turn down their air conditioners and abandon their swimming pools. "It's El Nino," he said, referring to the periodic phenomenon in which warming of the tropical Pacific Ocean creates unusual weather patterns. Blackouts at hospitals have interrupted surgeries. Several major outages in Caracas this year have shut down the subway and street lights.” This is hilarious – it’s El Nino? This is what happens under Socialism and Communism – productivity plummets. Even this topless woman knows this. Politicians blame everything except themselves. Beware.

Very funny

From a Yahoo! News story: “CARACAS, Venezuela – Prominent Venezuelan nongovernmental organizations warned Thursday that a bill being drafted by lawmakers loyal to President Hugo Chavez could be used to financially strangle groups that criticize the government. Ruling-party lawmakers argue the proposed law is necessary to increase oversight of foreign funding destined for NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations), although they've promised to hear concerns from critics before taking up the bill for likely approval in the coming months. A draft of the bill says foreign donations for NGOs would no longer be sent directly to organizations but instead would be deposited in a government-controlled fund. Officials would dole out the money at their discretion.” This is really funny. As the saying goes, “He who has the gold makes the rules,” no? Once the government gets its hands on the money, it will be next to impossible to shake it loose. Who knows?

Charity from Venezuela

From a Yahoo! News story: CARACAS, Venezuela — “The Venezuelan government reversed course on Wednesday, announcing that its U.S. oil subsidiary (Citgo) will continue to provide free home heating oil to poor Americans. Critics of President Hugo Chavez had pummeled him for suspending the program. Among the beneficiaries of the 100 gallons of heating oil were 65 Indian tribes, including those in Alaska, Montana and South Dakota.” Perhaps Russia should do the same. The U.S. is not so proud that it would not accept foreign aid from them also. I’m sure of it.

Cuban Revolution

On January 1, 1959, Cuban dictator Batista was overthrown by Fidel Castro’s communist rebels. The scene is depicted in Marlon Brando’s famous movie – The Godfather. In the movie, Batista makes a farewell speech, says goodbye, then leaves. Political leaders who make a mess of things have a habit of just leaving – I hate to think what happened to all the subordinates Batista left behind. Anyway, that’s water gone past the Cuban shoreline and back. Now, the Cuban people are hoping the U.S. can reinstate normal relations with their island. That would probably boost not only the Cuban but the U.S. economy as well. I read somewhere that Cuba imports lots of processed chicken meat. I have no way of knowing – I don’t live there. In order to benefit from the coming change, I could buy shares in meat processing companies. I just hope the Cubans don’t all become vegetarians overnight.

They own us

From Yahoo! News: Dec. 29 (Bloomberg) – “The global recession is re-exposing fissures in U.S.-China relations that Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson spent more than two years smoothing over. Heightened tensions between China and the U.S. may worsen a contraction in world trade that already threatens to deepen and prolong the economic downturn. The friction comes as President-elect Barack Obama readies a two-year stimulus package worth as much as $850 billion that will require the U.S. to borrow more than ever from China, the largest buyer of Treasury securities.” Tell me something I don’t already know. I said this was the situation two months ago. I think Bloomberg is stealing from my blog!!!! Please. No matter what, the woman at left is optimistic. You can tell by the hemline.

El Sistema

A little bit of data on El Sistema for my eight readers. All of it is from Wiki: In 1975, Venezuelan economist and amateur musician Jose Abreu founded Social Action for Music and became its director. Its network of 102 youth and 55 children's orchestras (numbering approximately 100,000 youngsters) later came under the supervision of the Ministry of Family, Health and Sports. As El Sistema, its goal is to use music for the protection of childhood through training, rehabilitation and prevention of criminal behavior. The program is known for rescuing young people in extremely impoverished circumstances from the environment of drug abuse and crime which they would likely otherwise be drawn into. Participants of the program who have begun international careers include L.A. Philharmonic conductor Gustavo Dudamel.
A documentary film has been produced on the subject of El Sistema, entitled Tocar y Luchar, ("Play and Fight", 2004). The film has won several awards, including "best documentary" at the Cine Las Americas International Film Festival and also the Albuquerque Latino Film Festival. In 2008 another documentary made by Paul Smaczny and Maria Stodtmeier about the system will appear. El Sistema has also been featured on news programs such as 60 Minutes.
Drew McManus wrote a four-part series about El Sistema: The Future of Classical Music is in Venezuela. Composer John Williams was quoted in the Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional on 5 November 2007: "This is something unique that has to be seen by the whole world.... which we urgently need in the U.S."
On 22 November 2007, Julian Lloyd Webber said this about the UK's announcement of an infusion of £332 million just for music-education: "We also have an impoverished South American nation to thank. Last August, in the midst of school holidays, when an uncomfortable number of British children seemed even more disaffected than usual, the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra arrived from Venezuela to deliver performances at the Edinburgh Festival and the London Proms that were miraculous."
There is also a project in Scotland. El Sistema is being imported into Scotland for the purpose of breaking the cycle of poverty in an economically depressed area where male life expectancy is less than 63 years.
On 14 February 2008, El Sistema founder José Antonio Abreu was awarded the Glenn Gould Prize. On 21 May 2008, El Sistema was awarded the Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts. On 13 June 2008, El Sistema founder Maestro Abreu was a guest speaker at the National Performing Arts Convention-2008 in Denver, Colorado. Brian Levine, Managing Director, Glenn Gould Foundation, wrote an account of his recent (2008) visit to Caracas; in part he wrote: "El Sistema has demonstrated conclusively that music education is the gateway to lifelong learning and a better future."