NO BEER DAMNIT!!!

OK, I realize this is an old article, but it really caught my attention, and I implore everyone to read how ludicrous it is.  President Hugo Chavez created another decree that banned the sale of alcohol last weekend for the Holy Week.  Apparently, Venezuela consumes more alcohol than any other Latin American nation, so steps were taken to prevent some more fatalities.  Here is an example of a few quotes within the article that are worth noting.

Authorities also banned liquor sales on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday, while on Saturday bars, restaurants and liquor stores can sell alcohol from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Until Thursday, alcohol can be sold only from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

 This made absolutely no sense considering people can stock up on their booze either before Thursday or after Saturday.  I would think that sales of alcohol actually might boost because people buy a little extra.

Life is worth more than capitalist interests,” Pedro Carreño, the interior minister, told reporters.

Wow. Read this article.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/04/world/americas/04venez.html?ex=1176523200&en=eb45178c97d3cb6b&ei=5070

Oil Politics in Venezuela

   Chavez is at it again, creatingdeadlines for and making accusations against the large oil companies from the United States and Europe and ultimately just complicating things for himself.  The United States imports roughly 60% of our oil, and over 10% of that comes from Venezuela.  On the other hand, we have been importing over half of the oil produced by Venezuela.   Therefore, shaky politics and the worsening ties between the two countries is only going to hurt other countries if something drastic occurs.  While Chavez claims to be diversifying his relations for other people to buy his oil, the main country to fill the American thirst for oil would be China, who is not ready to take that position for a few more years.  As of now, it could appear that Chavez may have the upper hand in the situation, but until he can create more stability in Venezuela, it doesn’t appear like he is ready to take over all oil production in the country (if that were to be his goal), and squander such a vast natural resource like many of the other oil countries.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/10/business/worldbusiness/10showdown.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp