Tuesday, July 20, 2010

News roundup (we use three blades that shave you closer than two blades)


Why do we love Setty so much? This is why. Click through to hear about the cold snap we australs are going through right now and the power cuts all over the region too. Fave Settyline is this one, talking about the big cut in northern Peru over the weekend;
"Winning quote from that story is the electric utility saying they have a contingency plan, but they couldn’t implement it because there was no electricity".
Classic. Go read it all, like now.

Venezuela Analysis (aka V-Anal) reports on the Banco de Venezuela nationalization one year on. As the report notes, BdV is now the biggest bank in the country (it was 3rd when taken over) and has been surging in loan deals too. But as it was Chávez that told the world in a presser, it has to be lies, right? Remember folks, don't let the facts get in the way of etc etc.

Jakob at Maladjusted gets his wonk on and does a great job of walking us through the UN's newest methods to (attempt to) measure poverty. Lots of examples, charts, words and the necessary sneering at the correct points. A great post.

Peter Capusotto is back! Last night South America's best funnyguy (by a mile) hit the screen of Argentina again for his new series and, Argies doing good by the world, the first episode is already largely up on youtube. For those conversant in the ways of the language, the sketches linked here with characters Micky Vainilla, Violencia Rivas, Jesús de Laferrere and "Consumo" are unmissable. Knowledge of rock music culture and Argentina underground useful for full enjoyment potential.

UPDATE: Esp the Mick Vainilla one. Watched it 3 times already.