Tuesday, April 27, 2004

Corruption in CADIVI back in the news Today the charges of corruption at CADIVI picked up. Tal Cual’ Editorial is on the subject, a lot like what I discussed a couple of days ago. Adina Bastidas was definitely on the offensive again yesterday (El Nacional by subscription only). She charged that fifty (50!) CADIVI workers were caught charging a commission for speeding up handing out foreign currency. Of course, she said little about what has been done about it. What use it to know about it and not charge them? I did find surprising that she says that private debt is not being approved yet, when it is the second largest item for which foreign currency ahs been given out. Meanwhile the Head of the exchange office Mr. Hernandez Behrens has been extremely quiet on the issue, which we find disturbing. You have to give credit to former Vice-President Bastidas; at least she is going public with it!! 11:19:32 PM    comment []

The Religious Policeman It’s not easy to find a blog that is so fascinating that you go back and read the whole thing from the beginning, but Saudi blogger The Religious Policeman certainly fits that category. Absolutely fascinating stuff, the culture, the Government, the religion, as well as the fact that the blogger is so far removed, but so much alike any of us at the same time. I loved the parts about how technology is being used to skirt the rules or how technology is changing the rules. Read it! You will enjoy it. 10:59:33 PM    comment []

Of spooks and blogs Via Lucienne.com, a news site, I learn about the article in Investors Business Daily (which I usually read, but had not looked at today) about  “blog tracking” by US intelligence agencies. Some highlights: “Some analysts say U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials might be starting to track blogs for important bits of information. This interest is a sign of how far Web media such as blogs have come in reshaping the data-collection habits of intelligence professionals and others" The CIA and FBI haven't publicly commented about use of blogs in their work, but many D.C. observers believe both agencies monitor certain blogs. At least one nation, China, is actively tracking blogs. It's also reportedly trying to block blogs. Several press reports earlier this year said the government shut two blogging services and banned access to all Web logs by Chinese citizens.”   Even more interesting (and surprising!), the link to the article says:   “If anything, this is an understatement. Check out the blog situation on Venezuela - the information not covered by the media is just incredible. If spies are not tracking this, they are missing out big-time. Long live blogs!”   Which is followed up by a comment with advertising for the usual suspects as well as yours truly:   “We can post links to our favorite blogs any time we like to add background. Here are my favorite Venezuelan blogs in English. Boy do they dish the dirt: Caracas Chronicles Daniel's Venezuelan Blog VCrisis Devil's Excrement Gustavo Coronel's Blog Militares Democraticos “   From Caracas I say hi to all the spooks from both sides. I mean you guys from the .mil and the .cu’s of the world, we know you are watching…and we find it soooo cool!. 10:42:47 PM    comment []

No democracy for Hong Kong either Just to keep things in perspective, China has just announced that there will be no elections for Hong Kong’s Chief Executive in 2007 and no legislative elections in 2008. I guess here we can still hope or dream we will have something even earlier than that. Over there it is simply a resounding no from a higher authority. Maybe I should just move to Kowloon, start a blog (The Dragon’s Excrement?) and help out there while things settle down here. I could even learn Chinese in the process. 12:26:29 AM    comment []