Comments on: Half-spring forward http://www.latamdaily.com/2010/03/10/venezuela-wacky-half-hour-time-difference/ Interesting bits and pieces from all over Latin America Sat, 04 Sep 2010 18:37:03 +0000 hourly 1 By: Peter Krupa http://www.latamdaily.com/2010/03/10/venezuela-wacky-half-hour-time-difference/comment-page-1/#comment-114 Peter Krupa Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:01:03 +0000 http://www.latamdaily.com/?p=544#comment-114 yeah, you know a couple years ago I would have agreed with you about the dictator thing, but I don't anymore... totally compromised judiciary, unlimited spending of oil wealth by the ruling party on campaign material, shamelessly gerrymandered congressional districts, punishment of those with differing political opinions, decrees that remove power from opposition politicians elected to regional posts, criminal prosecution of street demonstrators, constant harassment of opposition media, to the point of closing down a dozen radio stations last year...hell, if you want more, just look at the IACHR's 319-page report they released last year. http://www.cidh.org/countryrep/Venezuela2009eng/VE09.TOC.eng.htm dictator/not a dictator is by this point an argument over semantics, not substance. And yeah, maybe the time-change thing is not the best example, but come on, you gotta admit that video is hilarious. yeah, you know a couple years ago I would have agreed with you about the dictator thing, but I don’t anymore… totally compromised judiciary, unlimited spending of oil wealth by the ruling party on campaign material, shamelessly gerrymandered congressional districts, punishment of those with differing political opinions, decrees that remove power from opposition politicians elected to regional posts, criminal prosecution of street demonstrators, constant harassment of opposition media, to the point of closing down a dozen radio stations last year…hell, if you want more, just look at the IACHR’s 319-page report they released last year.

http://www.cidh.org/countryrep/Venezuela2009eng/VE09.TOC.eng.htm

dictator/not a dictator is by this point an argument over semantics, not substance.

And yeah, maybe the time-change thing is not the best example, but come on, you gotta admit that video is hilarious.

]]> By: Richard Grabman http://www.latamdaily.com/2010/03/10/venezuela-wacky-half-hour-time-difference/comment-page-1/#comment-113 Richard Grabman Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:31:44 +0000 http://www.latamdaily.com/?p=544#comment-113 India, as well as Newfoundland and Labrador, also set their clocks a half hour off to put their entire territory on a single time zone. Whimsical too? I'm not a knee-jerk Chavista, it's silly to see a Latin American site going out of its way to paint everything done by the Venezuelan government as a whim of Hugo Chavez, or to repeat the nonsense about an elected president with a broad parliamentary majority being a "dictator". India, as well as Newfoundland and Labrador, also set their clocks a half hour off to put their entire territory on a single time zone. Whimsical too?

I’m not a knee-jerk Chavista, it’s silly to see a Latin American site going out of its way to paint everything done by the Venezuelan government as a whim of Hugo Chavez, or to repeat the nonsense about an elected president with a broad parliamentary majority being a “dictator”.

]]> By: Peter Krupa http://www.latamdaily.com/2010/03/10/venezuela-wacky-half-hour-time-difference/comment-page-1/#comment-112 Peter Krupa Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:35:55 +0000 http://www.latamdaily.com/?p=544#comment-112 Right, like I said in the post, it's been off for several years (since 2007), which was whimsical/dictatorial when Chávez did it at the time. Putting it back to GMT -4 (which is what the business folks want now) would make sense. Right, like I said in the post, it’s been off for several years (since 2007), which was whimsical/dictatorial when Chávez did it at the time. Putting it back to GMT -4 (which is what the business folks want now) would make sense.

]]> By: Richard Grabman http://www.latamdaily.com/2010/03/10/venezuela-wacky-half-hour-time-difference/comment-page-1/#comment-110 Richard Grabman Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:15:39 +0000 http://www.latamdaily.com/?p=544#comment-110 HUH? Venezuela, stradding two time zones, has been a half hour off standard GMT -4 for several years. All this does is coordinate with world clocks (and the Atlantic Time Zone). It's been under discussion for some time, and hardly whimsical or dictatorial. HUH? Venezuela, stradding two time zones, has been a half hour off standard GMT -4 for several years. All this does is coordinate with world clocks (and the Atlantic Time Zone). It’s been under discussion for some time, and hardly whimsical or dictatorial.

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