Apparently it's stupid shit season
[QUOTE=Elvis2008;2362640]Are you really quoting a guy who misquoted me? Seriously? Don't let the fact that I didn't lose the girl to a guy with more money or a better body get in the way of your opinion though.[/QUOTE]Half my time is spent explaining simple sentences to people with no reading comprehension skills.
According to you, you were worried about losing your girl to some guy with perfect abs, or some guy who would pay her more than you. Is there any misconception there? How you "lost" her is irrelevant.
[B]If you are paying a girl to be with you, you don't have her to lose. She's a rental.[/B]
Did you understand it this time? If not, I'm at a loss. I don't know how to use crayons to explain things on the forum.
[QUOTE]Then why would you post anything else?[/QUOTE]Here's a word you should get someone to explain to you: "superlative."
When you say "all Venezuelans" or "every Venezuelan" you're using a superlative. It's a logical fallacy. Sorry to create more work for whoever needs to simplify these things for you.
I have not met all Venezuelans. You have not met all Venezuelans. I can't speak for all Venezuelans. However, you feel your experience with 1 Venezuelan makes you the spokesman for all 32 million.
That's why I posted something else, because my Venezuelan experience has been different than your Venezuelan experience. The biggest difference is, I don't try to claim all Venezuelans are exactly the same.
[QUOTE]Let me ask you and ME this question then given your incredible "knowledge" on Venezuela.
Venezuela has larger oil reserves than Saudi Arabia so why is Saudi Arabia a rich country and Venezuela a poor one?[/QUOTE]I'm assuming "ME" is referring to Mr Enternational.
Did someone replace the "Kick me" sign on my back with a "show me you're incapable of reason" sign?
Time for a history lesson. Let's start with Iran. In the early 1900's Great Britain gained the rights to Iran's oil reserves. Iran was getting screwed in the deal and in 1950, tried to take their petroleum industry back. With the help of British and US intelligence forces, the government was overthrown and placed in the hands of a sympathetic leader. This got Iran a better deal, but still allowed plenty of profit for US and British petroleum.
Iran profited. The Shah profited even more. Then came the student revolution. Our oil companies got the boot and they've been our enemy ever since. As a result, their economy has suffered.
Now we move to Saudi Arabia. The kingdom instigated the search for oil, brought in the experts and controlled the agreements. This allowed them to strike a better deal from the start. As the need for oil grew, their wealth grew. After the 1973 oil embargo forced oil prices higher, their wealth grew faster. Since the US oil companies benefit from the arrangement, Saudi Arabia became our fair haired (although swarthy and dark haired) child in the region. They can do no wrong as long as our companies get their share.
Next stop, Venezuela.
Are you beginning to notice a trend? From 1943-1976 Venezuela received 50% of oil revenues. They prospered. In 1976 they nationalized the oil industry. They still prospered, although there were problems.
Then in 1999 Chavez took over. Instead of continuing investment in the oil industry, he used the profits for social programs. He also used the money that should have been reinvested in the oil industry.
When you stop feeding your cash cow, the cow dies. This led to runaway inflation. A contributing factor was the animosity between Chavez and the US. Losing out on such a convenient market made the situation worse. Maduro has done nothing to reverse Chavez's policies. The inflation continues. The collapse continues. The US is happy because once the Maduro government falls, our companies can go back to Venezuela and start reaping the profits again.
The more important question is, what does any of that have to do with the attitudes of all Venezuelans? What does it have to do with their understanding of capitalism? They've been going to the stores to buy their goods their whole life. They've been selling the products they make their whole life. There has never been some magical Venezuelan fairy who pops up and brings people masarepa, beans, rice, eggs and chicken whenever they say "Hail Chavez. " Their lives have been, until the recent problems, almost indistinguishable from the lives of Colombians.
Some are good. Some are bad. Some are sweet and loving. Some are cold and calculating. Some are intelligent. Some aren't.
It's too bad you hooked up with one and it didn't turn out the way you wanted. But it's time to accept some of the blame, instead of trying to blame your failure on the entire population of Venezuela.
Very funny and not only for L. A.
[QUOTE=SpiderRider;2415047]Although I used to adore the place years ago, I rarely go to Parque Lleras anymore. Either it has changed, my point of view has changed, or the place's warts have become exposed. Probably a combination of all 3. I was bored on Sunday, I ventured over there. It has been at least 18 months since I was there, and probably more than a year before that.
Although there have been some upgrades since 10 years ago, it appears to me mildly more rundown and dirty than the old days. For me, clearly its most glorious days are behind. Divina Cielo for example was once a fair restaurant. Good memories there. I see now it is just a beer and hotdog stand.
Its so very overrun by foreigners now, mostly from the US. There are (I'll try to say this kindly) displaced African men raised in the US by their displaced African ancestors. I suspect on the East Coast and Southern regions. They run in packs of 3-12. This is new in the past 2-3 years. Do they have their own airline and hotel now?? They speak a corrupt form of English, largely recognizable and functional only to their group. Spanish is out of the question for most of them. Strangely, there are often no women tagging along. You might also see these huddles in strip clubs or even casas. Most of them dress in a manner that fits in here.
The geezer gringos tend to fly solo or in pairs at most. They are distinguished by their sloppy or ill-advised clothes and white sneakers. They're seen also struggling through the learning curve of Whatsapp and translator apps. I saw no clumsy Chinese this visit..[/QUOTE]Funny post and, unlike many posts on this board, it's honest. Same could be said, except for the Black groups of the Philippines. But it takes a long time to catch on to this because you just a stupid foreigner here at least for the first few years. Do not waste money on meals, etc. Unless you already have a loving relationship with them which usually only occurs with women close to your age and with whom you have a good personality match and speak their language. There is no point in dressing up a pig and putting on lipstick, it's still a pig metaphorically speaking of such "relationships."