Iraq: The coming non-war against a non-enemy

Just so you don't think this blog is all Venezuela all the time, we are also aware of the criminal stupidity the White House is directing toward Iraq. Thanks to journalist and media savant Daniel del Solar for forwarding this wonderfully clear and irrefutable argument, Happy Imbeciles At War, by Mark Morford. Daniel writes, "happy, mindless cretins move towards war, waste scarce planetary resources and threaten to poison a significant portion of the earth in the course of a "war" to test new war toys and annex East Texas (aka Iraq) happy new year (dont forget to march on January 18th)."

Venezuela opposition goes over the top--Now they're calling for assassination! A friend who knows and loves Venezuela well forwarded this web page. She writes: "This is outrageous and disgusting. A genuine opposition exists, and in large numbers, to the leadership of Hugo Chávez, mostly because he cannot or will not function in the confines of democratic accountability to further much needed changes in Venezuelan society. However, reactionary elements, apparently controlling opposition policy for their own agendas, have 'outclassed' President Chavez with their own arrogant ways. This is too bad. There can be no meeting of the minds with mindless behaviour rampant all 'round, i.e. mindless of the greater good. It looks like nothing more than spoiled brats squaring off, each with the attitude of 'if it can't be mine, there's going to be nothing left for you'. God help us."

Venezuela again--Here's a quick-reading piece that sounds about right: Hugo Chavez - the boxer.

Website emergency service--As noted yesterday (see below), I had to thank a real expert who came to my rescue to make this weblog work. Highly recommended. David Wheaton writes: "No Problem Geoff, glad to be able to help! My website is http://www.syndicate.net/ - we specialize in e-commerce and consulting services. If you want to put us up there that'd be fine with us =). Our contact email address is info@syndicate.net."

For women: Healing the cuts of the Bush administration

"From the moment Bush was sworn into office, his administration sacrificed international family planning to the farthest tip of the right wing of his party," writes Ellen Goodman in a scathing article in the Boston Globe. Read it to see what the costs to women have been, and what some women are doing about it.

Venzuela: politics vs. policy

Regarding my note Jan. 8 (see below), Emelio Betances of the University of Gettysburg writes:

"Your ideas certainly make sense, but they need to be developed more deeply. I am sure you know about Steve Ellner and Daniel Hellinger's edited book that just came out: Venezuelan Politics in the Chavez Era. Class, Polarization and Conflict (Lynne Rienner, 2003) where some of these ideas are expanded on. What I like about your idea is that you tried to provide a explanation which is above the simplistic version that both the Venezuelan and U.S. press feed us. What do you think of Chavez current efforts to restructure the oil industry into two sectors? Is this an effort to resolve the immediate political problem or is it a well thought-out plan to consolidate government control of the vital oil industry and prevent privatization?"

I don't know, Emelio, but my guess is both--although "well thought-out" might be an exaggeration. In times like these, politics take command.

Gulf War II

This is all that needs to be said. For an alternative view, see this lovely site, "Faces of Iraq."

City and Anti-City, 3

My current writing project is a book titled Latin American Architecture and Urbanism: A Critical History, co-written with architect and designer Susana Torre and to be published by W. W. Norton. You can view a partial bibliography of one aspect of the book, originally worked up for a course for New York University's Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. Comments and suggestions welcome. If you are as keenly interested in the topic as I am, and if you read Portuguese, check out "Urban Data", especially (but not only) for new studies on Brazil's urbanism.

City and Anti-City, 2

Speaking of 9/11 (see below), to read my account of living through that day, go to my five-day journal. My accomplice and I were only a few blocks way when we heard the first plane hit, and -- well, it's all there in the journal.

City and Anti-City

On Saturday, January 25, at 8 p.m., I shall be reading the opening chapters of my new novel, A Gift for the Sultan. In it, the greatest city in the Western world and its culture are under attack by intransigent Muslim warriors originally from Central Asia. The city is Constantinople, the attackers are (mainly) Ottoman Turks, the year is 1402. The conflict still reverberates down to our day, right through the events of 9/11. To hear the beginning of the story of the 15-year old Byzantine princess and the Ottoman war chief who is charged with delivering her to the sultan, come to Brooklyn Arts Exchange, 421 Fifth Avenue (near corner of 8th Street), Brooklyn NY.