K is for Kirchner, K is for Killer, and S is for...

...

Yes, the silly season of Argentine Presidential Elections is upon us and although we all know Cristina wins this thing, we have to have some fun along the way.

Here's a direct translation of this report at La Nacion Argentina about an advert running for Channel 13 of Argentina's new HDTV service. For those unaware, C13 is owned by Kirchner opposition Clarin Group. Under the report, you get to see the advert (and it's really quite good) yourself. No words in it either, pure action/adventure...and stuff.

K Polemic for a Channel 13 Advertisement

A Kirchner psychiatrist analyzed the spot where an attempted assassination of a president is seen. He denounces the large quantity of K letters, a message that suggests "mental manipulation" according to the expert.

Thursday, 21 July

Scandal has erupted due to an advert in which Channel 13 publicizes its High Definition TV (HD) service. In it, a young female killer is seen trying to assassinate a supposed president of a European country who is waving from a balcony. The assassin misses the target and shoots a TV with HD images which is benig watched by a pair of pensioners in an apartment close to the site. 

Up to now, all normal stuff, but the problems start with the inscriptions. Psychiatrist Marcelo Dignani, self-proclaimed "national and popular (i.e. Kirchner) militant, has made an analysis of the advert and found a large quantity of K letters that appear semi-hidden, as in the advert words in Spanish and a supposed East European language appear.

"My duty as a professional in the popular field is to warn (about this)", he said. There arer 120 K letters, between normal Ks, double Ks or reversed Ks", he revealed.

This video analysis was published under the title "Subliminal Anti K (Kirchner) Messages in Channel 13" by the Kirchnerite publicity agency Paco Urondo. They make referense to this advert as a proposal that incites "Magnicide".

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner announces her re-election bid

About five minutes ago, news broke that Cristina has finally got around to telling the world she's officially running for Presidential re-election in October. And in other news:

• The Pope Is Catholic!
• Bear Shits In Wood!
• The Sun Will Rise Tomorrow!
• (etc)

Argentina 2011 elections: "A crucial triumph" for Cristina

Argentina's daily of record, La Nacion, is calling yesterday's win by Lucía Corpacci as just that and who am I to argue?

Argentina's politics is a veritable quagmire that's difficult to escape once you're sucked into it, but however hard it is to explain to outsiders, it's the most fun possible for South American politikwatchers. So to events and putting yesterday into a nutshell, what happened was that Corpacci won the vote to be the next Governor of the province of Catamarca (up Northwest on your map of Argentina), winning out from the incumbent Governor Eduardo Brizuela del Moral.

So, provincial election in way-out-that-waysville and what's the big deal Otto? The big deal is that Corpacci is a staunch Kirchnerite and this vote was seen by one and all as the first real test of Cristina's candidacy strength in the upcoming October 2011 Presidentials. Catamarca yesterday was a sort of New Hampshire Primary, if you like. Not the same because Cristina wasn't up on the ballot explicitly, but be in no doubt that Catamarca knew exactly who they were really voting for by making Corpacci their new Governor.

As thus, let Cristina's opposition tremble even more. She's already way out ahead in the polls and this weekend is yet another strong sign that re-election is the way of 2011. And she hasn't even officially thrown her hat into the ring yet, either.

Argentina: Widow's Peak

With a doff of the cap to top Argy econblog Los Tres Chiflados, here's how the 2011 Presidential election voter intention is looking in Argentina this weekend, according to local pollster CEOP.

Don't tell me you need a translation on that.

Who leads the polls in Argentina?

On the death of Nestor Kirchner there were some weird reactions, with the one that really stands out in the memory being the way Argentine bonds rallied because the market was calling for the end of the "K" era. There was also a lot of speculation about power vacuums and how Klishtina couldn't/wouldn't/shouldn't be able to do the job going forward without Nestor by her side.

I found it all very confusing, frankly. As soon as he died, my reaction to the Argentine politics scene was nailed to this blog for all to see:

"To add my own little dos centavitos, right now I'd make Cristina a red hot favourite for re-election next year..."

Then in other posts recently, the same story. So while watching the (probably Clarín-led) gossip swirl and seeing the EngLang media swallow it whole, I just kept thinking to myself, "Just you wait til you see the next set of opinion polls". And they're now with us, courtesy of Los3Chiflados:

Any questions about the Spanish vocab being used there, dudes? The thing about Argentina is that you can't just watch it to be able to begin to understand it; You need to have lived it.

Silvio Berlusconi and Klishtina's ass

Here's the official G20 photo of attending dignitaries, taken near that FakeLake yesterday.

(click to enlarge)

As you can see, most of them know where to look, but....

....one of them just can't help himself. Jeesh dude, lay off the double Cialis one time, willyaz? My thanks to reader PE who left the breadcrumb trail in this post's comments section.

Klishtina does Lima

Next Monday (22nd) and Tuesday (23rd), President Klishtina Duarte of Argentina is hanging in Peru, meeting Twobreakfasts, his heir apparent (or so Alan desires) Castañeda, attending big banquets, homages to San Martín, the whole nine yards.

Oh...and then there's the trifling matter of the 100 Argentine bizpeeps travelling with her on Tango Zero Uno. The real reason for the trip is to drum up a bit of trade between the two nations, but hey....enjoy the photo-ops.

Kaption Kompetition: The Results

We had a whole hatful of entries for our caption quiz yesterday that had to put words into this picture.

Before we get to the winning entry, deserved shoutouts for:

Bina, getting all political (as usual) with:

Hillary: "Yes, this time we're really sincere...no more imperialism. Really! Hope 'n' change, baby!"
Cristina: "Oh Hill, stop...you're killing me..."

Reader 'J', a dude with a memory for detail (and gossip scandal) for:

Hey Hillary – did you borrow that blue dress from Monica?

Reader 'M' with a taste for current affairs and Argy gossip with:

6 words to my hermana gringa: "carne de cerdo, bueno para todo"

Reader 'JC' who was perhaps the most forthright. I really can't put up his caption here but I can put up the comment he added to it:

(inappropriate for publication, but no doubt true)

Reader 'S', a dude with a taste for the Kafka with:

Klishtina: "And then the pool boy says, `I am running an independent agency and I don't have to do what you say'"
Hillary: "I hope you put him in his place!"
Translator: "Oh did she ever!"

To be honest, reader 'S' nearly won the prize cos he was the only one who put words in the mouth of the translator, but in the end the WINNAH WINNAH CHIKKIN DINNAH GOES TO TWEETIE, surely a human being destined for greatness if the wit and smarts shown here are any guide. Tweetie wins with:

Really excellent, tweetie (and the more you know about Argentina the more you'll appreciate the fine-tuned humour contained in that single line). Congrats on the fine result and thanks to all for the guffaws this end, including the entries that didn't make the finals board. All good stuff.

It's Kaption Kompetition Time!

Oh noes! The esteemed readership of IKN (that means you) is called upon once again to add free content to the blerg. All you need to do is send in to the normal address (or post in the comments section) what's being said in this photo, taken yesterday:

The best entry gets its own post tomorrow evening (to give time for the e-mail readers to have a crack tomorrow morning). And yeah, there's a prize. A big one. Errrr.....I'll think of something.

The UNASUR Bariloche Summit: What you need to know

Happy Birthday, Mrs President

Happy birthday, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. No snark in this post as it matters not what I think about your presidency and administration, I just hope you have a nice day. Eat some cake, put on a party hat, dance the conga.