Matie's Corner

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Thursday, August 16, 2007

News tidbits

- When Argentinean First Lady and actual presidential candidate, Cristina Kirchner, found out that her husband's mistress was in the private jet with Guido Antonini, the man carrying the suitcase with 800,000 dollars in cash, she broke three ashtrays and two cups of glass against the wall and yelled... Sign in to see full entry.

Caracas’ Misery belt

There’s really no other way to call it. Hundreds and hundreds of sub-standard, improvised little houses that the poor have built over the lapse of 40 years, filling the Caracas Valley. And the number goes up with Chavez' government. While Chavez’ government spends all the oil incomes, all the... Sign in to see full entry.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Key tidbits and facts about Costa Rica

-Costa Rica is a democratic republic with a strong constitution. The country has had at least 59 years of uninterrupted democracy, which is by far the longest in Latin America, making it one of the most stable countries in the region. -The economy has been slowly expanding in part because Costa... Sign in to see full entry.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

The (almost) perfect Chilean democracy: a brief chronology. Part one.

Chile had a brutal dictatorship period from 1973 to 1989 under the military rule of Augusto Pinochet. Strongly dependent of copper industry incomes, it was really hard to believe at the time that the country’s economy would develop or improve, even less the political system. Everything led to... Sign in to see full entry.

Monday, August 13, 2007

Key tidbits and facts about Panama

-It is estimated that this country will have around more than 8% of economic growth this year. -Population: 3,320,000. -Inflation: 2 % in 2006. -Unemployment rate: descended to 7, 3% this year. - 36% of its population lived below poverty levels by 1999. -The Panamanian currency is the balboa, fixed... Sign in to see full entry.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Venezuelan pancakes: a recipe

I decided to take it a bit lighter today and recommend you this excellent recipe of traditional Venezuelan cuisine. They’re known here as ‘ cachapas ’ and it can be part of a perfectly healthy and balanced breakfast or dinner. Venezuelan pancakes or ‘cachapas’ Ingredients: (from 8 to 10 pancakes) 4... Sign in to see full entry.

Saturday, August 11, 2007

The issue of overpopulation and poverty in Mexico: who must be blamed?

Should the Mexican government dedicate, for once and for all, to solve its country’s problems in order to ensure the decreasing of massive immigration (both legal and illegal to the States)? Or should the U.S, as the torch of Freedom, Democracy and Opportunities give Mexican immigrants, who come... Sign in to see full entry.

Friday, August 10, 2007

A little tale about a certain suitcase containing 800,000 dollars IN CASH

Caracas, Venezuela.- This has been on the local news for a while now. And it’s certainly becoming a gigantic snowball as more and more information pops up so I inevitably have to tell you about it. In the meantime, you can file this under the ‘usual corruption case that goes unpunished as media... Sign in to see full entry.

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Communism and Christianism in Latin America: Camilo Torres

"If Jesus were alive today, He would be a guerrillero." -Camilo Torres The understanding of the very core of Latin American culture goes through two things: the influence of Marxism and/or Communism over the region during all of the Twentieth century and how Latin Americans can’t get over their... Sign in to see full entry.

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Dengue fever surging in Puerto Rico may expand to South America

Right on from MSNBC: The Aedes Aegypti mosquito, the dengue fever trasmitter SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Puerto Rican health authorities warned Wednesday that the potentially deadly disease dengue fever was reaching epidemic proportions and called for a territory-wide campaign to eliminate breeding... Sign in to see full entry.

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