This is Caracas Chronicles’ 5,000th post.
I don’t know what that means, frankly, just like I don’t know what this blog means. I just know I enjoy writing it, reading what you have to say, and commenting on it.
The issues are certainly not the same as they were in the 1st post. Back then, Quico was worried about the surprisingly bizarre trends he was starting to see in chavismo.
You can chuckle now.
These days, we’re more concerned with the nation we have yet to build, the policy choices that should guide what comes next, and the ever-growing need to strengthen the public sphere.
So instead of commenting on the silly news of the day, I want to leave you with a link to my favorite posts: one by Quico, and one by yours truly.
Here’s looking forward to the next 5,000!
Congrats in the accomplishment! It has been a pleasure reading every post
Congrats! Thanks on writing and sharing
Kudos! Hope than 5000 more posts will follow.
Felicitaciones.
A question to all: when do you think Chávez will be gone? Post 5023? Post 6000? Post 10000?
We should set something up on INtrade.
I loved your 2007 post, especialy this part
For example, Mr. El-Troudi outlined why XXIst Century Socialism was different from the XXth Century version, as practiced in the Soviet Union and its satellites. He said Pres. Chavez’s project was different because it was:
a) not based on State capitalism;
b) not averse to popular participation and to putting the people in a starring role;
c) not totalitarian, nor a believer in excessive democratic centralism;
d) not populist, not messianic and not paternalistic;
e) not based on building up armament;
f) not atheist;
g) not a single-party system;
h) not a believer in extrapolating or exporting models.
How many of these beliefs are in force today?
Keep up the good work!!
I guess that’s one value of the blog- keeping track of all the lies and broken promises.
I believe Mr. El Troudi still habors these “thruths” to be self evident. With XXIst Century nuances.
Here’s wishing that in a year or so, the posts will be about criticism and/or advise for a new government!
I know.. I know… but those are my hopes and I’m allowed to dream!
My favorite post is the one Quico wrote about two trains in collision course, or away from eachother, or something about discourse… I dunno but it was good!
This one?
http://caracaschronicles.com/2008/04/08/reality-and-discourse-2/
Yes!
Short but sweet.
That train wreck is relevant to the recent post on poverty at caracaschronicles-ee.com .
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And the 2002 referenced post by Quico of the “slowest motion train wreck……” Wow. Did you ever think the train would still be crashing 9 years later? And Katy’s “the government is broke……” Well the train is still moving and the government is still broke. I think it will take a wooden stake in the heart to stop this saga.
Quico wrote: “The idea would drive a wooden stake through the heart of the petrostate model.”
http://caracaschronicles.blogspot.com/2007/07/torres-in-bethlehem.html
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Congrats! My favorites tend to be the forward looking ones, analizing choices, but I also love the ones that are especially well written. Or should I say, “well edited”? :P
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Oh! The days when Katy was Katy!
I loved her personality, how and why she wrote and the fact that we had a strong woman figure blogging in a (why does it always have be like that?) in the man-dominated micro-cosmos of Venezuelan bloggers (Alek-Miguel-Daniel-Quico).
Sorry Juan, but I really miss Katy. You should try to bring her back once in a while….
Now I pictured Juan in drag writing on his PC.
And Guido knows the real Katy, so he can actually picture the two of us.
She’s way nicer than you are. And you are the nicest right-winger-ish guy that I know and a really outstanding, generous and smart man. So, she is reaaaaaaally nice and charming. I am blessed to know both of you (and blessed to know Quico and Kanako!)
Thanks Guido. The right wing is always generous!
(Rolls eyes) They should hire for PR, then!
Hey! I also had a date with Katy!!!!
http://daniel-venezuela.blogspot.com/2007/10/primero-justicia-does-its-ideological.html
Good times!
BTW, which came first, CC or VNV?
i think the order was cc/vc (i forgot which one first) then d’s e and then vnv, but all within less than a year.
And all started independently! At least, when I started I did not know what a blog was and even less read them. I found out about all of you guys 2 or 3 months into my own writing, once I learned how to use search engines. I know, I know, I am slow….
I didn’t find out about CC until 2003-ish. Didn’t start posting until about 2005 or 2006.
You should try to bring her back once in a while….
too weird … especially after the operations :-O
Besides, she already gave her old wardrobe away.
There’s no turning back.
Though politics was a minor mention in Quico’s post, nothing beats “emotional vampirism”, all the more so now.
And maybe (ojala) Juan’s optimism was justified.
Both posts could have been written today. Congratulations.
“I don’t know what it means…” and then you go on to tell us what it actually means, namely, that writing an articulate commentary, from a personal viewpoint, is ‘good for the soul’ [" I enjoy writing it"] and you correctly take it that such commenatry has a place in the public square, today, no longer the piazza but epitomised but the blogoshpere. Articulacy shared is like enjoyment shared and, to stretch a point possibly, not divorced from ‘good works’ either. Go to it Sir, and strength to your arm!
Congrats!
JC: re your “sample” post, it seems somehow ironic that you came out of that meeting quite optimistic about the non-sustainability of the 21st century socialism, yet today, 4 years+ later, it’s alive and kicking.
We all have predicted the end of the regime more than once over the say, last 5 years, with strong supporting economic and finacial numbers and arguments such as “more and more chavistas see the light and are tired of…..(fill in the blanc)” and what not, yet it never comes true.
Of course presently, driven by Chavez’ illness and again combined with supporting data and events (e.g. unsustainable relationship with China) as well as ludicrous lies (e.g. housing), we are again at a crossroad, predicting the death of the regime to happen “soon”. And of course if everything else fails, elections, that we will win, are coming up in about a year. I hope for once we are right, but I’m not optimistic.
I guess my point is, you could have written this post yesterday, not 4 years ago, and everything in it is as true as ever.
I still think it’s non-sustainable. Patience, Mike, patience.
Electric crisis keeps becoming worse and worse, and supposedly, people back at home are annoyed because of inflation. Three different people from three different places have told me that.
Somebody has to be the Grinch… :)
First, who has the time to read 5000 more posts?…….
Second, you were two….
Third, you had those gimmicks of so many posts in so many days….
This being said, I actually know what an achievement it is even though I am barely into my 3000 something post and thus I am duly admirative of the scope even though more than once I cringed.
Keep it up, the best is yet to come and sooner than we may be expecting.
Well, it wasn’t pretty, but we made it. We had to mark the milestone somehow, right?
We were actually thinking of celebrating the 5,000th post with an endorsement for the primary, but Quico wants us to hold off on doing that and let things develop some more.
Abrazos Daniel.
I love the simplicity and sincerity of the writing, if not the subject, in Quico’s fave post. And I miss Katy, especially knowing who she really was, at a time when PSFs enjoyed disrupting the banter. But I think that after she started taking testosterone, her writing really improved. Or so it seems to me.
Thanks Syd, one of the few who also knows Katy personally!
For the record Juan, I knew you were a man and Katy was your wife’s name. It was very funny at the time :)
Masochism is wanting to write another 5,000 posts…
I love masochists! Congratulations!
Quico and Juan Cristobal: You guys have made the “via crucis” of following public life in Venezuela all the more bearable, and gave us all hope that smart, honest and capable people may lead the country someday. I know the insane amount of work that goes into. I am looking forward to the next 5000 posts! Hopefully, post #10.000 would be about the heated debate over the decision by the second Radonski administration to raise taxes on the top 1% earners in Venezuela. LOL
Or post #10,000 about normalizing the price of gasoline and gasoil to sell at costs! It will take that long but that’s ok as long as it’s on the horizon.
Congrats, Quico and Juan (erh…Katy)! And in the meantime, “no te metas con mi MCDonald”, LOL.
Congrats!!!
Looooooved briceño guerrero post, really nice.
And by the way congrats…..I’ve been following the two of you since the beginning. This may sound sick, but there has probably not been a day go by when if I was in front of my computer I pulled up CC, VNV and DE since the very early days. I really appreciate all of the work you folks do in informing the world.
Dear Quico and Juan Cristobal,
I found your blog way too late, but it’s become a part of my daily fix, before I read the rest of the Venezuelan press. Heartfelt congratulations on this thankless and non-ego-driven effort, which I distribute via e-mail for lest internet-savvy, or forum-shy, colleagues.
And we’re all the richer for it. Thanks for spreading the word!
Thanks for so many splendid posts that keeps us in awe, and of course for the not so splendid posts, that keeps you human.
Have a good next 5.000!
Congratulations.
You enjoy writing and we enjoy reading. Perfect fit.
The kind of comments and opinions (Including the reader’s comments !!) that I find here are somewhat different.
I will write again (Hope so because I do not share patria etc. ETC.) on the 10000 post.
Thank you all.
As an habitué of this corner of the web since 2004 (maybe 05), I really thank you guys for what you´ve achieved during these years. Keep up the good job, and see you in the real fight, the one that will begin when we start pushing for the implementation of the vision and dreams we have had the privilege to discuss along 5000 posts…
Guys
A little late to the party, as usual this year (motherhood will do that to you). Nonetheless, I want to say congratulations for your extraordinary effort, may you write 5,000 more posts. tAlso, thank you for helping me keep track of the political affairs of my adoptive country and for trying to make PSF open their eyes.
Cheers,
Caterina