2016 Olympics

Well, after hearing about Chicago's unsuccessful bid for the 2016 Olympics, I can't say I'm too saddened by the result.

Watching on Fox News, Chicago's presentation seemed very politically correct. If Glenn Beck's figures are anything to go by, the Olympics would've cost Chicago taxpayers a fortune over the next seven years (and for years to go afterward).

A Rio Olympics will be a lot more interesting than Olympics in any other cities that put in bids - after all, the Brazilians are known to put on a party! Of course, there would be downsides to the Rio Olympics: crime, and trying to get tourists to avoid the infamous favalas.

But the real test for Rio will be to see if they can pull it off without excessive bureaucratic pen-pushing. If they can, I might have to pack my bags!

Hugo Chavez NOT "Dictator Perpetuus"!

In a smart move to combat Hugo Chavez's dictatorial ambitions, the Venezuelan people have voted in a referendum against Hugo Chavez being named "dictator for life" in Venezuela. Even so, those are still his ambitions. But still, a good step away from socialism and the trash heap of the world, in a nation that prefers capitalism more than the US.

I can imagine why. With the country being the incredibly dysfunctional, corrupt and dangerous it is (its murder rate is nearly 7 times that of the US), it's just not a place you want to be.

Nebraska Mall Shooting

Another day, another shooting. Or so it seems.

Hmmm - America is getting knee-deep in shootings and wars, Europe is going down the socialist road to oblivion, South America has a revolution every other month, and Russia is caught in the grips of a fascist government. Most of Asia is still dirt poor, the Middle East is trapped in the Middle Ages, and Africa...says enough. The only places which seems to be making progress towards a rational society and politics is Eastern Europe, and the richest societies of Asia. Here in NZ? It's obvious enough!

With regards to Chinese development: Most Chinese are still poor. The richest and most developed places in China are the Special Economic Zones, where almost complete Capitalism abounds under the eye of a watchful government. Apart from that, the areas that are the richest always have the most private industry, and foreign investment.

Venezuelans...

This will come as a shock to Socialists, but certainly not to any Libertarians. From Investors.com, a Free Market News Source:

"Even in Venezuela, a country whose clueless ruling dictator explicitly seeks to destroy the private sector and rails against capitalism, a stunning 72% of the public support free markets."

...that's even greater than in America, the great Capitalist behemoth of the world.

Funny how the people who most support free markets usually come from Socialist/Communist nations...

(the survey was done by the Pew Research Center)

Recent Riots in Venezuala Just the Beginning

More joys of Socialism have unravelled themselves in the recent riots in Venezuala against shutting down a TV station. As usual, Hugo Chavez is leading Venezuala down the wrong path. Under his reign, the Venezualan economy collapsed-it was once a fairly rich land by comparison to today-and Chavez is ruling by decree, making his country essentially a dictatorship. He is now cutting into his citizen's rights to free speech, and, if this madman continues in Venezuala, the country is just experiencing the calm before the storm.

This isn't the first time there have been large scale riots and demonstrations since Chavez's reign of terror-that's what it has become-started. It looks like another country is going to go through Socialist Hell in years to come.

Oh well.

Hugo Chavez wins Venezualan Election

Monday, 4th December 2006

Hugo Chavez has won the election in Venezuala, claiming it to be "another defeat for the devil who wants to dominate the world", refering to US president George W Bush.

Mr Chavez vowed to start a socialist revolution, and saluted Fidel Castro. "More than 60% voted for the socialist project" Mr Chavez told cheering supports from the balcony of the presidential palace in Caracas, the capital of Venezuala. He said that his supporters "voted for 21st century socialism, this new era of social democracy".

Hugo Chavez became Venezualan president in 1998. Venezualan law prevents him from running again until 2012.