BA Update: Will Smith and 40 ouncers

No, this is not some socially un-PC missive, just 2 silly observations about Argentina... 8-)

(background) Not sure if you know, but to say "I'' as in "me" in spanish, the word is "yo". (/background)
So we were renting a movie at the video store across the street, and I noticed the poster for Will Smith's movie based on Asimov's I, Robot story. In Spanish, the title is "Yo, Robot"... much more appropriate for a Will Smith movie I think, eh? 8-) Okay, I think it's funny... heh.

Second, is that I find it tough to get used to that most beer here is sold in 1 liter bottles, which basically look like 40 ouncers. Not having the social stigma that 40's have in the states, it's just a normal beer here... usually shared between several friends. People have them at their houses on dinner tables, at bar and restraunt tables etc... and no, they don't "spill a little for their homies"... Okay, so I think it's an amusing change to see them everywhere... 8-)

Got some great little video clips of some Capoeira folks practicing in the park on Sunday... I'll try to post them soon. Pretty amazing... dem boys and girls are in shape!

Charlie

I got this email today... and I sorta liked the sound of it...

Dear Fellow Texan,

Thank you for signing up with my campaign! Today, Texans have no choice for their leadership except paper or plastic. Political parties are for sale to the highest bidder, and lobbyists control the Texas Legislative agenda. A fool and his money are soon elected.

Please forward this email on to your friends and family and tell them that you're supporting my Independent Campaign for Governor. Ask them to sign up to restore real representation to the Texas Governor's office here: http://www.kinkyfriedman.com/volunteer.html

Current Texas election laws make it nearly impossible for a non-party candidate to get on the ballot. Perhaps this explains why only 25 percent of eligible Texas voters participated in the last gubernatorial election. The career politicians are keeping the elevator at the penthouse floor and not sending it down for the rest of us.

Texas was founded by independent, courageous, honorable citizens. The last great Independent elected governor of Texas was Sam Houston, over a hundred and fifty years ago. Texas needs a strong independent voice, if it is ever to regain its greatness. If you elect me, I’ll be the first Governor in Texas history with a listed phone number.

Please spread the word, we're just getting started.
Thank you,
Kinky Friedman

BA Update: a few shots from Buenos Aires

Hey all,

Been enjoying our time here in BA, some good chill time, and lots of working on setting up the office and communications... finally got cable/broadband installed... nice!

Been enjoying the great food here. There is a great "all you can eat" place... now, it's not at all like a US all you can eat, it's a gormet place with stations for seafood, steaks, pasta, pizza, appitizers and dessert. They'll make a custom plate for you, and it's all absolutely brilliant! One of the best parts is that it's only about $9 bucks per person... absolutely excellent!

A few pictures...

Having a great time...

Charlie

Bush is still trying to cut Veteran's Funding while sending more off to war

I can NOT believe this... regardless of whether you think Iraq, or other US policies are correct, this is one thing that should never be up for debate. These kids are coming back with a leg missing, or a head wound and Bush is proposing to CUT their aid????
This is just morally wrong. How can a supposed "born-again Christian" suggest this?

Charlie
------
"During this time of war, it is absolutely the wrong time for our federal government to step back from any of its commitments to our veterans. To do so would be penny wise but pound foolish," said Gov. Ed Rendell in the weekly Democratic radio address.

"In today's parlance, the cost of health care for these vets may be half a billion dollars but their sacrifice for our nation, priceless," he said.

"While we the governors do all we can for our vets and our returning soldiers, our federal government still has the primary responsibility for meeting the needs of our veterans. And that's why I find the president's budget cuts for critical veteran services to be unconscionable."

He maintained that budget cuts include "a $350 million reduction in veterans home funding, which wipes out at least 5,000 veterans' nursing home beds."

"If the president's proposed budget cuts are enacted, nearly 60 percent of the 1,600 veterans will lose their daily stipend that allows them to stay in our state's nursing homes, literally forcing them out into the cold."

Vet co-payments for prescription drugs were tripled two years ago, Rendell said, and "now the president is proposing to again double those increased co-pays."

"In the midst of a war, when many new men and women will join the legion of veterans, does it really make sense for the president to increase the cost of vets' prescriptions by 100 percent?"

Rendell criticized a proposal calling for a $250 fee "to be paid by every vet wishing to participate in the Veterans Administration health care program. "

"There may well be some veterans who can afford to do so, but can all vets come up with an extra $250 a year to pay for health care? I doubt it."

He urged "every patriotic American" to contact their legislators and protest budget cuts for veteran services.

Also, Rendell praised the thousands of returning troops who "put their lives on the line" in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Unlike any war in recent history, citizen-soldiers are fighting this war. Forty percent of all the troops are from National Guard units or reservists,"

BA Update - Getting here

Hola Amigos, from Buenos Aires!

So we got after an interesting stop in Sao Paulo, Brazil. It's fun to hear the brazillians speak, Marcela could understand much of it, but she was laughing that she ordered a sandwich she used a mix of Portuguese, Spanish and English with the clerk... and she got it. 8-) Here's a toast to multi-lingual people!

Marcela's mom Noemi, and her sister Agustina picked us up from the airport, frantically waving outside of customs for us... it was so fun to see them there!

We had a fun time at the airport pick up spot, when Agustina's car alarm went off and wouldn't stop. It was sorta funny/annoying... but the amusing part was that at least 5 Argentine guys gathered around and started discussing ways to stop/fix it... of course I couldn't participate in their chatting about the best course of action to take, so I just popped the hood, found the alarm horn and ripped out the ground wire. Presto! Sweet silence... at least no car alarm.

When we were discussing it later at a cafe, Marcela was laughing that so many Argentine men are that way...Chat, discuss, argue, but take forever to act. I did think it was a little funny. But I really don't want to start disparaging/insulting half of the country that I just came to... 8-)

Anyway, the next big adventure is a delay in cable/broadband for about a week and a half after it was scheduled. Luckily, some neighbors have an open linksys wifi, so I can leech access when I go into the laundry room... 8-) Argentine schedules are like a 12 year old chinese national gymnast... quite flexible. A refrigerator service tech was supposed to come today at 10:30, then 3:30, then 5:30, then monday, then tomorrow (after some cajoling I hear). I just find it amusing.

Living in a big city is pretty interesting too, everyone walks so much. It must be one of the big reasons that few people are overweight here. Lots of walking. I enjoy seeing the school age kids walk around... they all wear little white lab coats over their clothes. I guess it's 1. a class equalizer, and 2. a lot cheaper when kids get their clothes dirty. Marcela said that schools here don't have lockers either, so they carry their books all day in little wheeled "luggage". Many have the bright colors of super-hero themes too. Generally, they look like little traveling scientists walking the streets in groups. Heh. I'll share some pix later.

Agustina is making us dinner tonite, we'll get to see Martin for the first time since we got here. When Marcela and I came down last year in March, it was for their wedding, so it'll be good to see them again. I guess Martin's father owns a small company that makes those internally-lit, translucent plastic beer/soda/etc signs for shops, and he works there. Sounds interesting... I wonder how much knowledge they have on demographics of the city and the visual elements of the signs and how they effect sales. (crikey, i'm a geek)

Anyway, more soon my friends, I'll take some photos of the apartment, off the balcony and around the neighborhood.

Have a great day, and be safe!
Charlie y Marcela

BA Update - Moving help...

After a mess of packing and moving, with LOTS of help from friends, we finally got all packed up, on the plane, and finally into Buenos Aires Wed about noon. I discovered after a emergency room visit on sunday that I have a nasty brochitis... making it tough to breath, no energy, sore throat, fever etc. but that couldn't slow down the packing and moving! 8-)

We had a lot of help in this wacky move from some great friends...

There are a few heros of our move, first among them are Nick and Kelvin who helped move all of our stuff to the Dover House where we are renting a room. Nick is redoing the place, and Kelvin, his brother is over from the UK for a few weeks for some fun and work time in Austin. We truly could NOT have gotten things done without them, nor fit everything in the space without Kelvin's masterfull, UK Navy-trained storage/organizational skills.

Rachel was another hero for us, helping clear out the apartment and turn in keys. Of course, she's the main architect of the idea that gives us a place for our stuff, and her a few bucks rent for her renovation project. Thanks so much Rachel!!!

Ross and Sharon are due in a few weeks with twins... Ross is frantically working on putting baby supplies/apparatus together and comforting his wife. He also found time to make 2 loads of my paintings and a few other things to the Dover house... as well as take us to the airport. Ross, you rock! and of course, thanks to Sharon for loaning him out... 8-)

My friend Yvette, who's grandson Brad you may remember from Marcela and my wedding as our groovin' ring bearer, also helped us out with some final cleaning of the apartment... but then, Yvette is always sooooo helpful! Gracias!

Charlie & Marcela

Crazed kick dance

Crazed kick dance?

Chimp Chomp & Postal Pussy

Synopsis: St. James and LaDonnna bring Moe cake, Buddy and Ollie get jeleous and take several bites out of St. James. Then Fluffy shoots Joseph days later.

http://ap.washingtontimes.com/dynamic/stories/C/CAT_SHOOTS_OWNER?SITE=DCTMS&SECTION=HOME

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/03/04/chimp.attack.ap/index.html

1 MILLION OF 20 MILLION IN TEN YEARS?

Are we ready to sacrifice the last undisturbed wilderness in the US for the sake of supplementing 5% of our daily oil consumption? The US Senate seems to think we're ready. Even though we met worse energy shortages during the Carter administration and we conserved enough oil to nearly stop our dependence on oil from the Persian Gulf by raising, not lowering, the mileage standards for automobiles. We did it once then, and can do it better now with advancements in computer and engine technology.

The trickle of oil coming though the pipeline won't belong to the US or Alaska, it will belong to the oil companies that provide the WORLD'S oil supply, not just ours. The drilling of this Wildlife Refuge will turn into usable energy about the same time that China will become a leading consumer-based society in about ten years.

Alaska's need for jobs and money cannot come at the cost of another permanent ecological stain on it's beautiful coastline. The long-term damage is too great a cost.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/17/politics/17arctic.html?th=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1111070542-XloZ/q8ebqe9JS5hOLVy8g&oref=login