Economists to blame
If inflation is caused by economists, are deaths caused by doctors? I love it! I love it! Tucumán Governor José Alperovich, a K-man, has declared that inflation is caused by economists. (As reported by an Internet news service, run by Jorge Héctor Santos, published on October 5.)
Following his solid reasoning, sickness is caused by doctors, leaky taps are the plumbers’ fault, and being broke would seem to be the responsibility of the stores where we do our shopping.
Henry C. Whitney
henry@marketeck.com.ar
Investors dissuaded
In the front page article, How to lose investment (October 3), Michael Soltys wrote that losses endured took place during an unfortunate period for Argentina. However, losses started even earlier! I represent a number of investors who would like to invest in Argentina, but are turned away by the difficulties in getting foreign investments into the country. In addition, the Foreign Ministry’s representations abroad are so poor in advising potential investors that the funds go elsewhere.
Shanghai
Dr. Per V. Jenster
pjenster@ceibs.edu
Family search
I am searching for decendands of a family called Hoogland, that migrated from Holland late in the 1800s and some names are known to me: Bernardo, Ventura, Francisco and Carolina. Around 1940 they were all residing in the Rosario District, the latter Francisco and Caroline made their abode in Buenos Aires at that time. Francisco then was married and had three or four children. Can any Herald readers advise me as to where I can get more information about these people. Thank you.
Jacob Wielstra
jwielstra@dodo.com.au
Iraq and the USA
Our troubles in Iraq will be over soon, thanks to the USA. See y’all soon when ’ole Ted Turner gives back the estancia La Primavera to its rightful owners.
Lucius Olen Crosby Gammill
locrosby@hotmail.com
Pollution and incompetence
Given the “debate” over the environmental issues related to the Fray Bentos pulp mill, and the often referred to pollution of the river Paraná, as a result of the Argentine pulp mills on that river, a piece of “investigative journalism” by the Herald seems necessary.
Look at the concerns of Paraguay up river, look at the toxic discharges from these mills and compare them to the Fray Bentos mill, look at the treatment of effluents on both rivers. It seems that for the public to understand the technology that is present at Fray Bentos, they should have information on the technology that “is not present” in the river Paraná mills.
Kirchner and his incompetent environmental ministry point accusatory fingers at Botnia, but conveniently ignore the toxic problems of their own pulp mills. Have a reporter look into this, if you have the nerve to confront your government’s position on the pulp mills.
Canada
Dr Wayne Dwernychuk
lwd347@gmail.com
Beware of street crossings
Four of us recently spent a week in Buenos Aires and we really enjoyed your wonderful city... albeit with one exception. As we traversed the city to see all the sights, enjoy your restarants and do some serious shopping, we were very often almost run over by taxis, private autos and city buses. We waited patiently at street corners for the signal to allow us to cross, but then had to run for our lives because the taxis, cars and buses were careening around the corners and barreling down the streets as fast as they could go.
On several occasions it seemed that the taxis and cars would actually speed up when they saw us crossing the street, and one poor woman with a baby stroller came very close to being hit by a car.
So, drivers, please take care. Watch out for those pedestrians and yield the right of way!
Fort Worth
Texas, USA
(Mrs) Sterling Lauer
sterlingtx@hotmail.com
RATES FOR TOURISTS
An addendum to Joan Spry’s recent comments regarding differential tourist pricing:
While many Argentine hotels (and other service providers, including petrol stations as dictated by Argentina’s federal government) overcharge foreign visitors, neighbouring Chile gives tourists a break. Non-residents of Chile are exempt from the 19 percent IVA (VAT) on hotel rooms, making a US$100 accommodation closer to US$80, for instance.
In my opinion, as a guidebook writer who spends several months in both countries every year, both approaches are wrong-headed. I would sooner see predictable prices than either opportunistic gougers or state-approved discounts at the expense of everyday patrons.
In any event, if Argentines want to argue that the present weakness of the peso justifies domestic discounts, they should be willing to grant far greater favours to visitors from Paraguay or even, say, Zimbabwe.
Wayne Bernhardson
southerncone@mac.com
Greeting for Pumas
In the wake of our defeat in the pool stages of the RWC 2007 two weeks ago at the hands of the Pumas, and now that the depression and gloom has started to lift, I’d like to share some personal thoughts with you.
First, I’d like to say congratulations on a great win to a really fantastic team. What is so impressive, apart from their obvious skill in both backs and forwards, is the sheer passion, commitment to the cause and honesty of effort.
To think these guys don’t even play in a formal competition like the 6N is incredible. All Argentines should be very proud but not just on a sporting level. Felipe Contepomi, so well known in these parts, is so articulate and intelligent even before the match in an interview he is impossible to dislike!
I sincerely hope the Pumas now go all the way! Best regards from Ireland!
Brian Cullinane
brian.cullinane@orf.ie
The misuse of English
I have written several times in the past to complain of the common misuse of “steal” and “rob” which frequently occurs in your local news page. However, today you have really gone over the limit in your editorial, where the word “rob” and its derivations has been misused not once, but no less than four times:
Paragraph: 1, Lines 2 & 8 - the word should have been “theft.” Line 13 - the word should have been “stealing”
Paragraph 2: Line 5 - the word should have been “stolen”
One can forgive the local news writers on the grounds that their knowledge of English is limited, but the editorial should be sacrosanct, firstly because one presumes that your editorial writers have a very sound knowledge of the English language.
What’s going on? And secondly, what are your proofreaders doing?
Geoffrey Pratt
gpratt@fibertel.com.ar
More mistakes
I bought the Herald last Sunday and as I was reading the first page I thought that I had been sold an old newspaper because the date on its cover said Saturday. I believe you should be more careful with these things. Besides, it was the date on the first page. Too noticeable.
Micaela Bertoya
micbertoya@yahoo.com.ar
(Thank you, and apologies. We have explained, and apologised for these recurrent mistakes which happen without notice in the change of system. Ed.)
Rodin and Franklin
Will somebody at the Herald please explain how Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) could have possibly prepared some potatoes, or any thing else for that matter, for Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), with or without friends? Where do you pick up this sort of trivia? By the way, the dish sounds delicious, and appears on page 9 of Food and Drink in Sunday’s supplement.
City
Christina Reese
(A little imagination always helps in the kitchen. Ed.)
Thursday howler
Tenjooberrymuds for the howler (October 4), you made my day!
City
Isabella Berczely
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