Can't Even Enjoy A Movie...

[DontMindMe]

I always heard that the protestors receive A$100, a chorizo sausage and a beer for protesting. Sign me up!

Heh, actually, when Néstor Kirchner died and there were a ton of people marching and being generally disruptive in and around the Plaza de Mayo, I was trying to cut through there to meet a friend for lunch in the centro (dumb idea, couldn't get through) because all my classes had suddenly been cancelled. In the midst of all the chaos, there was a choripán stand stand set up. It was not free, but it made me laugh. The guy running it had a shit-eating grin on his face. He knew he'd make a killing that day! Like, okay guys, let's go disrupt the centro to the point that most businesses cancel work for the day, but gee, what are we gonna eat? Oh, good. Now we can stay here all day!

There were a bunch of protests in and near Salta recently when I was there. My husband and I went to sign up for an excursion, and we ended up not choosing the Quebrada de Humahuaca one because the woman was like, "The roads have been cut off a lot recently because of protests so you might not even get to certain destinations. This country has a lot of political and social problems." Her tone was completely nonchalant. We ended up going with a different excursion because paying that much to not get to see everything because of idiot protestors did not sound appealing.

Between this crap, increasing crime, inflation, spending half my life waiting in a line at the bank or rapipago or on the phone getting the amount on a bill corrected, bad service/mala onda/general incompetence everywhere you turn, I am really ready to get out of here. Sorry for my negativity, truly, but I needed to vent. Recently, they changed the lock in my building after the break-in but the old keys still work...it's stuff like this that boggles the mind. How can a locksmith come, spend hours changing the lock and not change it enough so that the old keys stop working?? Sigh...

Good for you for getting a refund, ElQueso!!

 

[cruizes]

Heh, actually, when Néstor Kirchner died and there were a ton of people marching and being generally disruptive in and around the Plaza de Mayo, I was trying to cut through there to meet a friend for lunch in the centro (dumb idea, couldn't get through) because all my classes had suddenly been cancelled. In the midst of all the chaos, there was a choripán stand stand set up. It was not free, but it made me laugh. The guy running it had a shit-eating grin on his face. He knew he'd make a killing that day! Like, okay guys, let's go disrupt the centro to the point that most businesses cancel work for the day, but gee, what are we gonna eat? Oh, good. Now we can stay here all day!

There were a bunch of protests in and near Salta recently when I was there. My husband and I went to sign up for an excursion, and we ended up not choosing the Quebrada de Humahuaca one because the woman was like, "The roads have been cut off a lot recently because of protests so you might not even get to certain destinations. This country has a lot of political and social problems." Her tone was completely nonchalant. We ended up going with a different excursion because paying that much to not get to see everything because of idiot protestors did not sound appealing.

Between this crap, increasing crime, inflation, spending half my life waiting in a line at the bank or rapipago or on the phone getting the amount on a bill corrected, bad service/mala onda/general incompetence everywhere you turn, I am really ready to get out of here. Sorry for my negativity, truly, but I needed to vent. Recently, they changed the lock in my building after the break-in but the old keys still work...it's stuff like this that boggles the mind. How can a locksmith come, spend hours changing the lock and not change it enough so that the old keys stop working?? Sigh...

Good for you for getting a refund, ElQueso!!

Don't forget the rapida line at the super mercado. That is priceless!

 

[Crema Americana]

I don't like protesters and a good lot of them deserve a punch in the face, but thankfully I don't have to deal with them much. It's just one of those things I chalk up to 'living in Argentina' and having to put up with.... like when my water goes out in the middle of washing my hair.

The government has taken the stance of allowing protests in order to appear sympathetic, or not getting in the way of 'democracy.' After the military dictatorship, I can sort of understand where they're coming from, but enough is enough. Protesters shouldn't be allowed to hold the city or certain streets hostage. Instead of democracy is more like democrazy.

 

[Matiasba]

I think the protests are right. When you have a lot of social problems, for example, a lot of people getting poor, and loosing their all life jobs, and all in a short time, like it happened in the 90s when these protests began, and more importantly, when you have the entire society giving their back to these problems, ignoring your situation with individualism as its best, not worrying of the country, of the social problems (but then protesting only when this reality hits them with insecurity, again, individualism) then its ok to make some noise, to make people aware, to spread reality to people that dont give a shit of your problems or anyone problems and pretend that nothing happens and continue his day to day life.
If it was more organised and controlled by the police, it didnt have the effect of making people aware.

Not everyone has this "I would kill them" attitude

 

[ajoknoblauch]

I think the protests are right. When you have a lot of social problems, for example, a lot of people getting poor, and loosing their all life jobs, and all in a short time, like it happened in the 90s when these protests began, and more importantly, when you have the entire society giving their back to these problems, ignoring your situation with individualism as its best, not worrying of the country, of the social problems (but then protesting only when this reality hits them with insecurity, again, individualism) then its ok to make some noise, to make people aware, to spread reality to people that dont give a shit of your problems or anyone problems and pretend that nothing happens and continue his day to day life.
If it was more organised and controlled by the police, it didnt have the effect of making people aware.

Not everyone has this "I would kill them" attitude

Perhaps the protestors should communicate with their elected legislators to solve their problems...

 

[French jurist]

Waiting lines are indeed a big problem here. I wonder how many working hours are lost across the population (hiring an additional clerk 8 hours a day could likely save 20/30/40 working hours of other people?).

I'm rather patient with those protests, because France is really the champion of those. That's a cultural thing, but I also find it a bit ridiculous to protest on the sidewalk between barriers. After all, if women have the right of vote, if blacks are not slaves anymore, if gays are not considered anymore as delinquents or worst, if our ancestors don't have to serve a lords anymore, etc. It's because some people said enough, often breaking the law and going against what seemed to be the established order.

A balance should be found (protestors too often harm the economy = that's how the port of Marseille died as a shipping hub... Plain stupid)

 

[Matiasba]

Waiting lines are indeed a big problem here. I wonder how many working hours are lost across the population (hiring an additional clerk 8 hours a day could likely save 20/30/40 working hours of other people?).

I'm rather patient with those protests, because France is really the champion of those. That's a cultural thing, but I also find it a bit ridiculous to protest on the sidewalk between barriers. After all, if women have the right of vote, if blacks are not slaves anymore, if gays are not considered anymore as delinquents or worst, if our ancestors don't have to serve a lords anymore, etc. It's because some people said enough, often breaking the law and going against what seemed to be the established order.

A balance should be found (protestors too often harm the economy = that's how the port of Marseille died as a shipping hub... Plain stupid)

Thats right, when the officials channels dont work, the right to protest is totally legitimate and pretty much the only way to get things. Like the anti Ks with their several pan marchs, or the anti war, or occupy wall street, or for the republic in Spain. They do have legitimacy, and a lot of people not directly involved support them.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Thats right, when the officials channels dont work, the right to protest is totally legitimate and pretty much the only way to get things. Like the anti Ks with their several pan marchs, or the anti war, or occupy wall street, or for the republic in Spain. They do have legitimacy, and a lot of people not directly involved support them.

They also alienate a lot of people who might otherwise agree with them. If Argentina had functional institutions, might that make a difference?

 

[nlaruccia]

I think the protests are right. When you have a lot of social problems, for example, a lot of people getting poor, and loosing their all life jobs, and all in a short time, like it happened in the 90s when these protests began, and more importantly, when you have the entire society giving their back to these problems, ignoring your situation with individualism as its best, not worrying of the country, of the social problems (but then protesting only when this reality hits them with insecurity, again, individualism) then its ok to make some noise, to make people aware, to spread reality to people that dont give a shit of your problems or anyone problems and pretend that nothing happens and continue his day to day life.
If it was more organised and controlled by the police, it didnt have the effect of making people aware.

Not everyone has this "I would kill them" attitude

But many of the protesters are paid and aren't truly interested in a cause. In stead of blocking main avenues and highways, why don't they protest in front of the president's house in Olivos? How about instead of decade after decade of useless protesting that the government simply ignores, why not try to get honest politicians in office, and educate our children and teach them how to respect people and not throw trash in the street?

 

[ajoknoblauch]

But many of the protesters are paid and aren't truly interested in a cause. In stead of blocking main avenues and highways, why don't they protest in front of the president's house in Olivos? How about instead of decade after decade of useless protesting that the government simply ignores, why not try to get honest politicians in office, and educate our children and teach them how to respect people and not throw trash in the street?

This government does not ignore useless protests. It promotes them.