How can we improve Argentina?

[GGC]

There is a fundraiser for the Britanico Hospital which is a local Hospital in Buenos Aires. They treat everyone and foreigner are always welcome. I met with their Board of Directors they are sincere about there commitment. So if you would like to help here is there website about the Event. http://www.hospitalbritanico.org.ar/sitio/eng/secciones/institucional/torneo_golf_2009.php
This is one way to give back and make a difference. Gary

 

[nikad]

There is a fundraiser for the Britanico Hospital which is a local Hospital in Buenos Aires. They treat everyone and foreigner are always welcome. I met with their Board of Directors they are sincere about there commitment. So if you would like to help here is there website about the Event. http://www.hospitalbritanico.org.ar/sitio/eng/secciones/institucional/torneo_golf_2009.php
This is one way to give back and make a difference. Gary

As far as I understand Hospital Britanico is private and treats everyone if they pay their fees, it is not a public hospital where you can go for free ( whether you are Argentine or foreigner ). They have their own health insurance plan as well. I would help a hospital that has no resources, but then again that is up to each one

 

[John.St]

Yes I know this is the way the Obamatards, the McCain bots, the whole Demican Republicrat establishment is trying to brainwash the American people into accepting their own demographic suicide...but 30 million peasants streaming across the border from Oaxaca are not and never will be American just because Kennedy, McCain, Barney Frank, Wall Street, and the ACLU say so. The American people have their own history and identity, as do the Argentinians. It's cynical of you to talk about the (devious) plans of the Federal govt. and the corrupt political elite in the US as if it is identical with America.

One of the socalled Gruk, written by the Dane Piet Hein goes something like this in English:

What is it to him
who is sure of himself
that the rest of the world
is out of step (está desfasado)

 

[gusgutier]

I'm a guest here and it's presumptuous for me to ask if I can "improve" Argentina. If you invite someone in your house, do you want them to ask if they can "improve" it?

As a local, let me tell you that there are Argies that knows what the problems are, and also how to fix them, but it is not so easy. If you consider this country as a home, it is one of a middle, or low middle, class family. Rich ? Only some members are. As a group, we haven´t had a single decade in 100 years of economical relief. We haven´t achieved between us ( individuals, economical sectors, Provinces, etc) an equilibrium for living together with less conflicts. So, we live in a kind of survivor logic fighting for stand in our feet. In this scenario, it is useless a goal for no littering in the streets (however important). It is like to tell a poor family how good is to eat vegetarian when they doesn´t know if they can eat that night. With fullfilled stomach, and no worry if I´ll be living tomorrow, I can get Swedish worries (any Swedish round here, sorry). I will care about oiled penguins (the Kirchners?) or the whales on the shore. More than this, I¨ll be able to plan the future, how to improve my house or my next vacation. But mean while, I`ll be trying to fill all the holes that appears in the horizon with just two hands, wishing being an octopus.
Is this writtng intended to dynamite this thread? Of course not. We are the only species (the homo sapiens, not the argies) that can actually modify its environment. It is like an instinct.. I can´t doubt that stone age ladies decorated their caverns. We can´t just leave the things as they stand around us. So, it´s expected if you are here, no matter if is for 15 minutes, but if you consider it as of your own, you must try to improve it.
But only if you consider of your own. If you stand like in the zoo saying how bad is to be a zebra here, just keep walking and enjoy the show feeling the relief of not having this situation. It,s not polite going to some guy house saying “ Your carpet is s…”. But if someone says “I don´t know what to do with my floor”, we can say “You can polish it.. Sometime ago I saw it looks fine and if you want, I can help you”
This way, feel free to consider this place as your own and doing whatever you consider to improve it, no matter your passport or migration status.

 

[perry]

You're not Argentinian even if you move here for good, just like an Argentinian doesn't just become American with US citizenship or French with French citizenship. The Argentinian people have their own history, identity, etc., and you can't be anything more than a guest here...you don't become part of a people just by kissing a piece of paper.

As for me, you don't know me...I'm not bourgeois...the Salvation Army is the typical bourgeois do-gooding organization, going around the world with its cloying moralism out to "really help someone."

This whole thread is dripping with American Woodrow Wilson-style condescension, the Argentinian people don't need your help, they have their own history.

People who move to another country and take up citizenship are equal as the rest of the society.
Are you saying Hyperborean that we have no voice in Argentina where many of us have made a new life in with passion and hopes?

By your terminology We can say that all of South America should be left to the original inhabitants the Incas, Quechua, Mapuche, Octavalos and many other tribes who also have their own history and do no need others coming here into their lives.

 

[John.St]

I'm a guest here and it's presumptuous for me to ask if I can "improve" Argentina. If you invite someone in your house, do you want them to ask if they can "improve" it?

Your analogy doesn't hold.

Who invited you here?

A better analogy is:

One sunny morning you open your door to find George, your half-cousin seven times removed, standing outside, asking: "Mind if I stay in your home for a couple of days?"

You answer: "Sure, you can stay until Saturday".

Saturday morning cousin George drives to the post office, buys a 'Ducks Unlimited' stamp, which he glues on his car (BuqueBus to Colónia, or trip to Santiago), then returns to your home.

Next saturday, and every Saturday month after month, George buys duck stamps and stays in your home.

Do you find it presumptuous of George if he suggests he helps mowe the lawn, do the dishes, fix the loose bricks on the roof, wash the floor, buy some of the food, set out the trash bin, <whatever to assist> ...?

 

[RWS]

A former historian, I find an ominous parallel between the United States today and the Roman empire in the West, sixteen hundred years ago. Despite occasional brave talk as more and more Teutonic tribesmen walked, rode, and drove across the northern borders of the empire, despite resentment (and, it seems, some evasion) by Roman citizens and subjects of increased taxes (and its ancient near equivalent, governmental confiscation of property) to accommodate these early "illegal immigrants", in the end, nothing of significance was done to oppose, let alone prevent, the collapse of that empire: and Rome died, "not with a bang, but a whimper". The West passed into centuries-long Dark Ages.

After that, the West reached heights of culture widerspread (if not as long-lasting) than attained in antiquity, and developed a material civilization far more advanced technologically. Both modern -- post-Dark-Age -- culture and modern technology were established and developed largely by descendants of those same rough invaders who'd destroyed the culture and civilization of antiquity.

So, perhaps, we've only to wait a bit more than a millennium.

I don't know how much you know about the US...but most people there think like me...not like the media and government elites...we all know they are in the pocket of nefarious interests and working against us, trying to flood us with third world "immigrants"...Obama and McCain are both paid gangsters, them and the whole media-govt. establishment...and their day of judgment is coming.

 

[dageeza]

I've been teaching Argentino politicians for close to 25 years now, classes in "How to clean out public funds without getting cought" and similar subjects.

Menem, that miser, was unwilling to pay my 9,000 Euro/hour fee and look where that got him! The Kirschners did attend but keep forgetting the "without getting cought" part.

Did it include "Where to position the helicoptor in case the picateros decide to burn down the building you are currently in ?" (just curious)

 

[dageeza]

When I first visited Bs As in 2000 there was nowhere near the level of degradation (destroyed pavements/roads, dog crap EVERYWHERE and high rise buildings taking the light of the traditional Spanish architecture houses originally sited next door etc) that there was when I was there early this year. Maybe if there had been no corralito, this would not be the case now, but it is, and the reasons behind this are obvious to see. Lets take the argument of the dog crap. Why has this increased so drammatically ? This has to be either the population with x average dogs per household has gone to x+1 dogs, or, more likely, that the population has suffered a massive increase, and dogs a similar increase as a result. So what do you do, bring in a fine for those caught not cleaning after them ? OK so who will enforce this - police - already nowehre near enough to police the city effectively, so new Government paid "wardens". Great, so if they get paid a salary (i.e. not commission) what incentive will they have for doing their job - risking violence for the sake of a few pesos - I don't think so. OK so do it on commission, now you have to have a way that they earn that commission, so a percentage of the fine - great - say the fine is 100 pesos, they get 10 pesos. Maybe if you know Argentina you can see where this is leading. So they catch someone, either the person offers 30 pesos, or they ask for it to keep shtum. If the person agrees, the crap is cleaned, if they don't, the crap still stays BUT they will be fined. So if you then start fining the population, before long people simply refuse to pay, march through Congreso - this is against our constitution etc. The issue is yes, you can come up with all kinds of wonderful schemes but unless there is either a direct benefit or a financial loss, the Argentines will not even pay it lip service. As my (Argentine) wife says, the problem with Argentina is that it is populated by Argentineans. If you believe you can change this go ahead, for me I won't hold my breath.

 

[John.St]

Did it include "Where to position the helicoptor in case the picateros decide to burn down the building you are currently in ?" (just curious)

Nope, the whole point is: without getting caught.

Getting caught is as easy as falling off a chair