Here's Another Crime Story.

[Jose Negro]

"The U.S. was founded by people fleeing so they could practice their religion. Argentina was founded by pirates!" So I passed that to another Argentina friend and she laughed and said, "Yes and they are still here; they just came ashore!"


Yes, but many of those who came to America were the religious folks who were part of the crazier religious sects of Europe who came to do things like burn their woman as witches... Let her know also that England emptied its prisons, sending most to Georgia and South Carolina... I suspect a few pirates swam ashore, too.... So, for every Lord, Lady and entrepreneur who came to America, there was a boat load of crazies....

 

[arlean]

Jose Negro, I think it's a joke! When I tell them what I heard they just grin and add something else to it! Of course I think it's funny myself.

 

[expatinowncountry]

....
So I asked a young woman who manages an office complex here, "Is it true that everyone will steal here, even from friends?" She thought a minute and said, "Yes." Then she told me she was going to translate for me the most popular song ever in Argentina, "If you don't lie and you don't steal, you are stupid."
....

A quick culture note here. Your friend is probably refering to the phrase "El que no llora no mama y el que no afana es un gil!" in Cambalache, one of the most famous Argentine Tangos. However your friend missed an important point... the lyrics it is not refering to Argentina in particular but to the XXth Century. This tango is a very good social critique of the values (or lack of) of the (then) new century. The tango was written in 1934, just after the big crash, during the first military governments in Argentina (the "infamous decade" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infamous_Decade) and while in Europe you have totalitarian regimes increasing their power.

The lyrics can be found here http://www.todotango.com/Spanish/las_obras/Tema.aspx?id=T9lldaeHiig=

You can listen it here in the voice of one of the best ever tango singers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0kTiKCC3UI

 

[arlean]

Very interesting. Thank you "expat in own country." She isn't my friend, she's just an Argentina woman who manages an office complex. I am not shy about comparing notes with other Argentines to see what they say. I'd never heard of that song until she told me. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

Multiple Defensive Perimeters - work from the outside in:

1. Building security: Only as good as the thieves who man it or as good as your neighbors closing the door.
2. Apartment doors and windows: Bars and strong doors with deadbolts into the steel frame and floor as cbonnani said..
3. Motion alarms: Personally, I wouldn't trust having my alarm "monitored." Have muliple sirens including one outside where they can't smash it or cut the cables.
4. Big, loud, mean looking dog: Eats lots of food, requires daily exercise, free hugs and sloppy kisses, loyal to the death. Good money spent.
5. Personal defense: Elbows, knees, heels, handgun, shotgun, pepper spray, etc. Whatever you are proficient with and are comfortable and trained to use.
6. Online Back up things like photos, documents, music, etc.
7. Let go of the attachment to things.

Just my .02

 

[mariposa]

Reading this thread makes me less sad about having just sold my house.....

 

[germano]

4. Big, loud, mean looking dog: Eats lots of food, requires daily exercise, free hugs and sloppy kisses, loyal to the death. Good money spent.

Before I bought my alarm system I was reading through all kinds of security related forums and blogs to see what works and what doesn't - and many wrote that a (big) dog is actually very effective in scaring away possible intruders. I have a big black dog myself and so far nobody attempted to break in where I live, while there were break ins in other houses in the neighborhood where I lived before.

 

[AngelinBA]

All of this is very timely for me. About a month ago, my husband came home and said something like "be extra careful, a whole lot of Colombians have moved into the building." I told him off severely for being so racist (and I still think he was! I like Colombians, they have a great accent and are generally very friendly). Anyway, back on topic. Last night the police came and arrested them for breaking and entering. Obviously not in our building or we would have heard about it. Anyway, no matter what nationality they are, the police have now finished with them and they are back living in the building as of midday. So, all of the building security we have -which is quite good - doesn't help much when the professional house robbers live on the 8th floor.

 

[Farenheit]

Sorry to hear about your break-in, Arlean. Glad you weren't there when it happened.
Re alarms, our break-in was at lunchtime so obv the alarm wasn't on. I managed to grab the panic button but I didn't press it till the guy left as I thought if the police turned up while he was there, he might grab my son as hostage.
We never found out if our cleaner was involved, she left one week after. It all makes one very paranoid.

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

I've made sure our cleaning lady (whom we love) has seen me clean my weapons (aka guns). Seriously!

I didn't think this way before I moved to Argentina. We still love it here, though.