José Gervasio Artigas and Joaquín Lenzina

• 7

In the center of the Plaza Independencia in Montevideo you'll find the monument of José Gervasio Artigas, the national hero of Uruguay. The history of Argentina and Uruguay is closely connected. Both belonged to the Spanish Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. Seizing the opportunity of the Napoleonic Wars in Europe both countries declared their independence from the Spanish crown in the early 19th century. Artigas dedicated his life to the fight for a free, democratic, and federal Uruguay. His remains rest in a mausoleum under the ground of the Independence Place. Noteworthy is Artigas' close friendship with Joaquín Lenzina, called the Black Alsina, who once was captured by Portuguese soldiers and made a slave. Artigas bought him from captivity and released him. Alsina accompanied his savior till his death as a friend and biographer.

Ansina me llaman
Y Ansina yo soy...
Sólo Artigas sabe
Hacia donde me voy.

Ansina they call me
And Ansina I am ...
Only Artigas knows
Where I go.

¡Viva el oriental que ama al Paraguay! Poem by Lenzina (truncated)

• I'm reading: José Gervasio Artigas and Joaquín Lenzina

Border Triangle of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay

• 15

The Misiones area had been a bone of contention for Argentina and Paraguay for decades. The War of the Triple Alliance, a union of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay, against Paraguay eventually clarified the border in 1870. While this war was unimaginably ruinous for Paraguay the other involved parties swung up to the wealthiest nations in South America. The picture was taken from the Argentine side in Puerto Iguazú. You see the border triangle at the confluence of the rivers Iguazú and Paraná. The lights on the left belong to Ciudad del Este in Paraguay, those on the right to the Brazilian city Foz do Iguaçu. Paraguay is separated from Brazil and Argentina by the Paraná River, whereas the Iguazú River forms the natural border between Argentina and Brazil.

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Villa 31 across Retiro Bus Terminal

• 7

Once you have bought your ticket and sit comfortably in the coach you are about to make a strange experience. Right after you have left the Terminal de Ómnibus de Retiro, the first thing you traverse is a so called villa miseria. A villa miseria is the Argentinean version of a slum area. These precarious housings belong to Villa 31 which is just across the huge bus terminal. In the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires there are 21 of these slums, according to estimates several hundreds of these "precarious neighborhoods" exist in Greater Buenos Aires. Public authorities tend to euphemistically call these zones asentamientos (settlements). Well, don't let 'em hornswoggle you!

• I'm reading: Villa 31 across Retiro Bus Terminal

Indigenous Protests in Chaco – Because of Food!

• 7

On Tuesday there was a serious incident in the city of Juan José Castelli in the province of Chaco. Protesters led by the organization MIJD (Movimiento Independiente de Jubilados y Desocupados -- Independent Movement of Retirees and Unemployees) were looting a governmental warehouse where food and clothes are stored. It was a political protest to draw attention to the desperate situation in Chaco. This province is one of the poorest regions in Argentina located in the north of the country. Several native tribes call this region their home. Especially indigenous people are facing a terrible plight in Chaco, many people have died of hunger in the past years and many more are suffering from malnutrition and poverty-related diseases such as tuberculosis and dengue. But the worst part is that their plight receives very little attention from Argentine authorities and national media. Thus it is probably no accident that many Argentines are not aware of a substantial aboriginal community being pushed to the edges of society.

• I'm reading: Indigenous Protests in Chaco – Because of Food!

Cartoneros in Buenos Aires

• 13

A cartonero (lit. cardboard picker) is someone who digs through the trash to collect anything that may be of value. Basically, they are sorting through the garbage set out at the curb, mostly in search for cardboard and other useful remains. The cartoneros work within certain territories in the various neighborhoods of Buenos Aires. Sadly, there are thousands of them out on the streets, many are children. The number of cartoneros has rapidly increased during the last economic crash in 2001. For many people in Argentina, that is the only way to make a living.

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Blog Action Day - Climate Change

• 8

Today is Blog Action Day, an annual event that unites the world's bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day on their own blogs with the aim of sparking discussion around an issue of global importance. This year's subject is climate change.

There's is absolutely no doubt that saving energy and reducing carbon footprints are a must, not a choice. However, we must not stop thinking for ourselves. The ongoing debate about global warming and climate change is highly emotive and often dominated by a doctrinaire approach. Sadly, the controversy has become a one-way ideology, a question of believe rather than a matter of facts and knowledge which makes the exchange of arguments in a public discourse almost impossible.
The history of climate change is as old as the earth itself. There are serious reasons to think of global warming as a natural process or, in other words, the periodic cycles of cooling and warming alternate over time. It is most likely that the sun has a much greater impact on our climate than mankind. In fact, the earth is not the only planet that experiences a permanent climate change. Another fact is that after World War II the earth experienced a cold period while the carbon dioxide exhaustion exploded. Why are these and many other facts and data stubbornly ignored? Moreover, why are serious scientists who submit critiques and rebuttals attacked? I think a hysteric debate won't solve anything. What is your opinion?

PS: The picture was taken in the Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve in Buenos Aires. The damage was a result of a bush fire in 2009. The area is already recovering. Climate change has nothing to do with it.

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Empty Billboard - No Logo Buenos Aires?

• 11

After the Brazilian city of São Paulo has created precedents in 2006 with banning all outdoor advertising, including shop fronts, the debate spilled over to Argentina. The city of Buenos Aires has considered a similar measure to reduce visual pollution and thereby making the public landscape more enjoyable. Since then BsAs is keeping an eye on outdoor advertisements especially those infracting the city's new advertising codex. In 2008 it was decided to remove 40,000 illegal signs and billboards which is roughly 60% of the total amount of advertising signs and posters. So, is this empty billboard structure at the top of the building a sign of things to come?
Would you support an outdoor advertising ban in your city?

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Flying Flags of Argentina and Buenos Aires

• 6

The Buenos Aires city flag bears the city coat of arms on a white banner. The original design of the coat of arms dates back to 1580 when it was created by the Spaniard Don Juan de Garay, the city's second founder. The city coat of arms consists of a crowned black full-fledged eagle holding the red cross of Calatrava in his right leg. At his feet are four little eaglets symbolizing the four settlements that were to be founded in the Río de la Plata colony according to an agreement between the Conquistador Juan Ortiz de Zárate and the Spanish King Philip II. Especially noteworthy are two oddities in the design. First, the eagle looks to his left whereas the default position for heraldic animals is right from the shield-bearer's point of view. Second, the eagle wears the royal crown which was a reserved symbol only for the highest nobility. Despite the alleged errors the coat of arms was finally officially approved in 1596.

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Capitalism is Egoism

• 10

I found this message written on one side of an advertising light box in the city center of Buenos Aires. This picture is rich in both, high contrast and expressiveness. The Scot Adam Smith (*1723 in Kirkcaldy, †1790 in Edinburgh) believed that rational self interest or egoism as the motive of our actions leads to wealth and prosperity. Thus, he is often referred to as one of the fathers of capitalism, although he never used that term himself. In fact, capitalism is the domination of capital over people, which is just confused with free market economy. Unbridled capitalism, in contrast, makes a few rich and many poor. Argentina is one of the best examples to illustrate that. Adam Smith already pointed out, "No society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable" (The Wealth of Nations, 1776, Book I Chapter VIII).
What are your thoughts?

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants of the City Daily Photo Community and see their interpretation of the October's theme day: Contrast.

• I'm reading: Capitalism is Egoism

Argentines Keep 50 Billion US Dollars of Savings under the Mattress

• 7

Argentina is a country with extreme swings in economic performance. Due to the many crises that have shaken the country everyone does his best to take precautions for the next crisis. The gross national savings rate in Argentina has almost doubled since the economic disaster in 2000-2001. It has reached 27% of GDP in 2008 which is one of the highest compared to many other Latin-American countries. For the USA it is 12% of GDP, just to give you a number. But how to save money when people have absolutely no trust in inland banks, nor in the government anymore? While rich people get assistance by American or Swiss bankers with bringing money abroad, the ordinary middle-class Argentinean is hoarding cash in dollar bills under his proverbial mattress. The mound of cash in Argentina is estimated to USD 50 billion, which is about 1,300 dollars per capita. This makes Argentina by far the number one in US dollar bill hoarding nations in the world. The second place goes to Russia with about USD 550 per capita.

• I'm reading: Argentines Keep 50 Billion US Dollars of Savings under the Mattress

Chess and the City

• 7

Besides football, chess is a very popular leisure activity in Argentina. For those who love to do this mental sport in public places, there are plenty of possibilities in Buenos Aires. In many parks you will find chess boards placed on park benches or tables. So all you need to play this subtle game of kings and pawns are the chess pieces, a ruthless strategy and tactics and most importantly a chess mate. Also worth mentioning is that Argentina has spawned several notable world class chess players like grandmasters Oscar Panno and Julio Bolbochán that brought fame to the country and popularity to chess.

• I'm reading: Chess and the City

The Frugal Society

• 9

I suppose the frugal society is an ideal breeding ground for sustainability. Sustainability, in a nutshell, is the principle of an economic system that suits the demands of today without burdening future generations. In most high-tech societies where the maximization of revenue is the strongest economic impetus the buy and trash cycles become shorter and shorter. Hence, times are tough for the traditional gadgets. Not so in Argentina. It is truly fascinating what large numbers of old machinery you can find in daily life in Buenos Aires. Traditional machines that surely have seen better days which are still kept functioning and resilient like this old printing press. For sure, a certain adversity has unintentionally built a frugal society and forces people to be more prudent and more rational in their planning and spending.

• I'm reading: The Frugal Society

Homeless in Buenos Aires

• 12

Shameful enough, taking photos of homeless people is easy in Buenos Aires because they are so many. Their sheer number is scary and growing relentlessly. Even middle class people are highly threatened with pauperization and homelessness. While only two out of ten Argentinean families are able to put money aside, the rest of the society is living from hand to mouth. Why is all this happening? Well, besides the obvious reasons like the crony economy, huge foreign debts, and four currency reforms within 40 years, it is happening because we don't care enough. We just hope that we will never ever find ourselves in such a dead-end situation. But isn't this like closing the eyes to the reality around us? Isn't homelessness a crime committed by our society against their weakest and poorest? Homelessness is not the problem; it is a symptom of an uncivilized world.

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Open Wounds That Would Not Fade

• 6

It's been a while since I've seen Ausencias (Absences), a sadly beautiful photo exhibition at the Centro Cultural Recoleta. The pictures of Gustavo Germano were touching, telling and full of tender melancholy. He is visualizing the everlasting absence of family members and friends that disappeared during the Argentine military dictatorship. In his portraits he reestablishes the situation of old family pictures and snapshots. The gaps generated by the desaparecidos outline the open wounds. Thereby he created an unique before and after gallery. The picture above is showing Gustavo Germano and his brothers then and now.
I certainly would recommend a visit to Gustavo's blog and his official website.

• I'm reading: Open Wounds That Would Not Fade

Dock Worker Protest

• 11

This is evidentially another shot from the demonstration against resolution 041. Some of you may remember my post in June about the 'disobedient' rebels. The dock workers were campaigning for the restitution of their pension rights. The government is facing a classical dilemma here. In search of ways to save money, Argentina is urged to cut government spending. Often the cutbacks result in reduced social security benefits.
So, this is how the 'structural adjustment program' reduces poverty?

• I'm reading: Dock Worker Protest

In Commemoration of the 57th Anniversary of the Death of Evita Perón

• 7

Today is the 57th anniversary of María Eva Duarte de Perón's death. The principal remembrance plate to honor her was attached to the mausoleum of her family in 1982; 30 years after Evita had died. It says (roughly translated):

EVA PERON
Q.E.P.D. (Que En Paz Descanse)
1952, 26 de Julio - 1982
No me llores perdida ni lejana,
yo soy parte esencial de tu existencia,
todo amor y dolor me fue previsto,
cumplí mi humilde imitación de Cristo,
quien anduvo en mi senda que la siga.
SUS DISCIPULAS

EVA PERON
RIP (Rest in Peace)
1952, 26 of July - 1982
Don't cry for me being lost and distant,
I'm an essential part of your existence.
All love and pain for me were predetermined,
I accomplished my humble emulation of Christ.
Who pursued my example shall carry on!
Her Disciples

• I'm reading: In Commemoration of the 57th Anniversary of the Death of Evita Perón

Offshore Silicon Valley in Buenos Aires

• 10

Offshore outsourcing is the controversial practice of moving jobs overseas, to countries where labor costs less. After the peso devaluation in 2002 Argentina has become more and more attractive for companies that seek to move work to offshore locations in order to cut costs and maximize profits. Especially IT companies that operate in software development and maintenance services have discovered the geographical advantages of Buenos Aires over traditional destinations in Asia and appreciate the close proximity to the US. The list of firms forming this offshore Silicon Valley in downtown Buenos Aires reads like the who's who in information technology and software engineering such as IBM, Microsoft, Cisco and Sun Microsystems.
Is offshoring a job machine or a job killer?

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The Beautiful Women of Buenos Aires

• 7

Beauty is indeed relative and is truly in the eye of the beholder. It is said that Argentina, specifically Buenos Aires, has the most beautiful women in the world. Surely this big reputation creates a temptation to perfection. Argentina is also known for its relatively large number of cosmetic surgery. Is this just a coincidence? I guess it must be hard to resist. Even the president, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, is not immune to this temptation. She is always dressed up and well-known for her fashion expenses.
What do you think is beauty a blessing or a curse?

• I'm reading: The Beautiful Women of Buenos Aires

Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo Memory March

• 9

Every week, always on Thursday 3:30 PM, the Madres de Plaza de Mayo come together to protest silently for a sad cause. They gather in front of the Casa Rosada presidential palace in the center of Buenos Aires to remind people of a painful period in Argentine history that today is known as the Dirty War. The women march in memory and remembrance of their children and grandchildren who had been "disappeared" during the military dictatorship between 1976 and 1983. Every mother wears a white head scarf with the names of their abducted children and family members embroidered in blue letters. The mothers and their supporters demand information from the government about the whereabouts of the desaparecidos. The white head scarf has become the unique symbol for this political movement which is by now over 30 years old. I adore their unbending courage and the never ending endurance in this fight for justice.

There is another picture post on this matter:
Stumble Stones Mark Painful Junta Past

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Empty Words, Empty Phrases, Empty Promises

• 9

Some of you might have thought yesterday's post were already my contribution to the July's theme day "empty", it was not. An empty beach would have been so obvious, easy, though, but not creative.
My interpretation of "empty" is an old campaign poster for Cristina Kirchner calling for a march toward Plaza de Mayo. "For an Argentina for all" The slogan sounds really great and worthwhile but it is nothing more than a shallow, empty promise. Politicians in general, tend to come out with a lot of empty speeches with even more empty words. They promise you everything until they get (re)elected, and the very next day they don't give a hoot about you. I really wonder who buys these hollow phrases anymore. In Cristina's case, the legislative elections last Sunday have put an end to her style of politics.
Don't get me wrong, I'm neither for nor against the Kirchners. I don't give a s**t about politics, politicians are obsolete and all I just said are empty phrases...

If you like to see more contributions from other members of the CDP community: Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

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