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I'm not too sure this will go through, despite the backwardness of this foreign country they do have wireless internet. But I'm sure the current government (not sure if this year's version is a "socialist/fascist" or just an old fashioned reactionary) is probably monitoring every posting that any "evildoer" foreigner (or should I say "feringhee") posts.
Anyway, the crushing taxes and government intervention in everything seems omnipresent. I notice the fuel stations almost all have XYZ (country name) petro on their signs, although there are a few hangers on with old "Esso" signs, and the fuel taxes, oy. The liquor stores (few and far between) all seem to be state run.
Amazingly there don't seem to be too many street beggars or urchins trying to sell me chiclets. Most of the cars are smallish to handle the onerous tax burdens. The trash is being picked up, and I guess the trains (haven't seen one) probably run on time.
Indigenous folks do have outlets for their "artworks" and "crafts" but I'm sure someone, somewhere is exploiting them. The media looks to be a mix of state run and some private, although the "private" newspaper I read today had a definite anti-US slant.
Not too many turbans in evidence, and the one local mosque seems to be in pretty good, almost new looking, shape. From where I'm sitting I see several families/groups cooking over semi-open fires.
Ah well, I'll be back in the US in a few days, if all goes well with our travel and "documents". We definitely got the "fish-eye" the other day, but they did take our word about not having any weapons; wink, wink, say no more!
Oh, we did see a strange sight yesterday, a small group from a neighboring province showed up. Got out of their cars (if you could call them that!) gathered in a group, gave some hard looks to the locals, then got back in and drove off. We saw them (at least we think it was the same group) driving quickly up the "highway" out of town this afternoon. Not sure why they were here, but I did hear that there's some discord among the neighboring provinces concerning tax rates and access to natural resources.
Another amazing thing is that I saw few obviously ill or incapacitated people out and about. Maybe the secret to their "state run" health (??) care is that they "shoot the wounded".
I'll have to go now, not sure how much longer we'll have electricity. I see the locals going inside and drawing their blinds.
Anyway, the crushing taxes and government intervention in everything seems omnipresent. I notice the fuel stations almost all have XYZ (country name) petro on their signs, although there are a few hangers on with old "Esso" signs, and the fuel taxes, oy. The liquor stores (few and far between) all seem to be state run.
Venezuela has a state run oil company (for the last 30-35 years) and you can fill up a small car with about $3.00.
Too bad that Venezuela's oil industry is not controlled by corporations to charge them $20-30 to fill up a small car.
I'm not too sure this will go through, despite the backwardness of this foreign country they do have wireless internet. But I'm sure the current government (not sure if this year's version is a "socialist/fascist" or just an old fashioned reactionary) is probably monitoring every posting that any "evildoer" foreigner (or should I say "feringhee") posts.
Anyway, the crushing taxes and government intervention in everything seems omnipresent. I notice the fuel stations almost all have XYZ (country name) petro on their signs, although there are a few hangers on with old "Esso" signs, and the fuel taxes, oy. The liquor stores (few and far between) all seem to be state run.
Amazingly there don't seem to be too many street beggars or urchins trying to sell me chiclets. Most of the cars are smallish to handle the onerous tax burdens. The trash is being picked up, and I guess the trains (haven't seen one) probably run on time.
Indigenous folks do have outlets for their "artworks" and "crafts" but I'm sure someone, somewhere is exploiting them. The media looks to be a mix of state run and some private, although the "private" newspaper I read today had a definite anti-US slant.
Not too many turbans in evidence, and the one local mosque seems to be in pretty good, almost new looking, shape. From where I'm sitting I see several families/groups cooking over semi-open fires.
Ah well, I'll be back in the US in a few days, if all goes well with our travel and "documents". We definitely got the "fish-eye" the other day, but they did take our word about not having any weapons; wink, wink, say no more!
Oh, we did see a strange sight yesterday, a small group from a neighboring province showed up. Got out of their cars (if you could call them that!) gathered in a group, gave some hard looks to the locals, then got back in and drove off. We saw them (at least we think it was the same group) driving quickly up the "highway" out of town this afternoon. Not sure why they were here, but I did hear that there's some discord among the neighboring provinces concerning tax rates and access to natural resources.
Another amazing thing is that I saw few obviously ill or incapacitated people out and about. Maybe the secret to their "state run" health (??) care is that they "shoot the wounded".
I'll have to go now, not sure how much longer we'll have electricity. I see the locals going inside and drawing their blinds.
golfgod
Ah, I see you found the time machine and visited Los Angeles in 8 years. If I PM you some stock symbols, can you tell me how they have done?
Sounds about right to me. I remember seeing Esso gas pumps in Italy and other parts of Europe when I was stationed in Italy in 1995. Conflicts between communities or provinces go back centuries or even thousands of years in some parts of europe and the middle east. In Italy, the trains ran pretty good until around spring and summer when all the government run transportation workers would suddenly go on strike to head to the beach or to home and it always happened on a beautiful day. Good thing we knew some locals who were connected and could give us an advance warning. Utilities in Italy was pretty good depending on location. Some areas' utilities were spotty at best. At that time people were given a gas rationing card. Use up your ration before the month was up and you didn't get any gas until the next month. No wonder I'd sometimes see a family of 4 on a Vespa.
Got back into the US this evening, it was a pretty nice time in Canada!
The "group from the neighboring province" was the Porsche club from Alberta.
The "almost open fires" were gas fired bar-b-ques.
The "indigenous folk art" is pretty much available at any of the galleries and many of the wineries in the Okanaugan (sp?) Valley.
From what I can gather the local businesses that are doing the best are the Mercedes and BMW dealers. The hospitality business, hotels, restaurants and golf courses are all doing well.
I guess when you listen to the righties about how bad Canada and other "socialist" countries are you can read anything you want into my OP.
BTW, oberon, I've lived in; Germany, Iran and Thailand.
golfgod
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