con't... (message board 14)

Name:   Cesar Torres
Email:   Cesar1185@aol.com
Date:  12 June 2005

Kan Intoy Tomo Magdadalos:

Ayaw pag tagui hin diri tama nga kahulugan an akon guin surat ha?  Adi an akon guin sering: "...bangin ka masugad hiton aton mga kablas ngan mga inocente nga mga sundalo nga intawon ignorante ngan inocente hiton ira binubuhat nga nahitatabo ha Pilipinas ngan kalibutan."

An akon gadla pagsurat hadto, kay pareho hin guin bibilngan mo kami kon ano an aton nabuhat na, para pag pakita han aton "Gugma Han Samar", ini nga kablas nga Isla, pero dako iton paglaum kay tungod han aton kaisog ngan mga bahandi ha bug-os nga Samar.

Basaha na la denhi, hini nga kan Ray Gaspay susgaranan nga website, upod an iya mga peryodista ha Samar nga diri nahadlok nga guin hahalad nira an ira kinabuhi. Pero maaram hira nga guinkukulba gad ito hira.

Haros magbakho ngan magngoy-ngoy iton mga kababayen-an hiton aton cyberspace group kon nahinunundom nga puede patayan hi Ray Gaspay ngan iton iya mga kaupod ha media tungod hiton ka waray balaud na ha Samar ngan Pilipinas, ngan tungod hiton waray na gamit iton pag respeto hiton kinabuhi hit tawo, labi na ha Samar.

Mayada panahon nga matatalwas kita ha kalibutan, hini nga aton kinabuhi nga puros na la pa-ngandoy ngan pag-ungara. Hinaot unta nga matuman ini nga aton pangamuyo hin kamorayaw. Peace in our lifetime.

In the meantime, pagburublig kita.  Igupod naton han panhuna-huna adton mga sundalo nga diri maaram kon ano nga kinahanglan nira patayon an igkasi nira mga Samarnon ug kablas nga mga Pilipino. Diri gad ini hira mapipirit pagsugad hini kon may-ada nira iba nga pakabuhi.

Ngatanan nga may pag higugma han Samar ngan Pilipinas, adton nasuka na hini nga mga TRAPO, bisan ha Samar, bisan diin ha Pilipinas, ngan bug-os nga kalibutan basta may Pilipino nga minakuri an kinabuhi, pagurosa kita pagtindog hin BAG-O NGA KATIPUNAN, a "Broad Front" (puede guihapon "United Front"), a "Frente Amplio", sugad han binuhat didto han mga rebolusyonaryo ha Uruguay.

Pumahuway hira hin purugsilay.  But they organized themselves to form a powerful political group, the "Frente Amplio". Yana hira na iton nakapot hiton responsibilidad ngan autoridad ha Uruguay: Presidente, Senado, ngan General Assembly.

Pasagadi ito hira ha Este kon magu-unay hira para intawon kan Gloria. Pero hulata naton hiton sunod nga pini-li-ay.

Pag-abot hini nga takna, pagdara kita hin bulo, binalhag, hin kawil, barang, nga Kalashnikov ngan Armalite (nga mulayan).

Of course, pag-andam nga an aton kinabuhi diri igsasak-krifisyo han waray hinungdanan.

(Pssst...ba-a ma-aram ako guihapon magdalos -- diri la ikaw -- mangawil, bisan pag-bari, pagsaka han lubi -- maaram ako kon usa la nga tuktok, an lubi silot o diri -- panlurop ha kadagatan (labi na kon mabaysay an guin lulurop wink, wink.)

Padayon Tomo!

Pagdalos kita hadton mga angay daloson ha Samar ngan Pilipinas!

Name:   Tomo Magdadalos
Email:   RickySamar@yahoo.com
Date:  June 10, 2005

Imo Mano Cesar,

Tama ka kablas gadla ako, ignorate liwat siguro, inocente? Diri ada kay waray nagad ha aton mga idad an inocente!? lalo na kun tugod han mga paghitabo ha Samar and ha Pilippinas.

I'm sure updated ka ha news ha Pilipinas nakita ka han Gov and Congman han eastern Samar busying busy ha mga radio and t.v. program defending GMA. Tikang ako matawo waray pa ada election nga waray limbongan pero yana la magkakamayda maupay nga evedinsia nga an presidente mismo nanlimbong tapos an aton mga taga Samar nga mga Gov official defending her imbis magtrabaho para hit ka upayan hit aton provincia. Kay ano? kay they are protecting thier protector para diri hira makasuhan hit ira pangawat dinhi aton provincia. Dako nga intremis it coming nga independence day June 12, kay mayday kami presidente nga limbogan waray ligitmate mandate, she came into power thru a coup d'etat and nanlimbong han last election.

Hala, pag kaurusa kita mabago ito nga aton sistima han politika ha Samar para pag balik mo gadi diri kana parapamanti at diri na ako mag dinalos, Kinahanglan mayda kita mapa preso nga congressman , Governadora ug hino man hira nga mga KAWATAN (pero "kagalangalang" dont you love that title? PATHETIC!)

Maaram gad ako maupay it imo kasingkasing kay miskan maupay na imo kinabuhi dida han America it imo gugma adi la gihapon ha Samar. I hope that someday magkikita kita and really do something so that we could all have a better Samar to live in.

"All you need is love" is simply not true, we also need the truth we are supposed to have compassion, mercy and forgiveness towards sinners (makakasala liwat ako mano, what I mean those who kill, steal from the people in our province) but we must not use "compassion" as an excuse to deny the existance of sin against our people. JUSTISYA! JUSTISYA! JUSTISYA! an guliat han mga kalag pati han mga kablas.

Maupay nga adlaw ha imo mano Cesar.

Name:    Ian Baldomaro
Address:   Cajurao St., Calbayog, Western Samar  6710, Philippines
Email:    ianbaldomaro@gammaepsilon.com
Date:    June 9, 2005

Calling all ALUMNI Brethren of Gamma Epsilon Fraternity and Gamma Lambda Epsilon Sorority particularly those who came from Samar chapters like Catbalogan, Gandara, San Jorge, Calbayog, Catarman, Borongan and other parts of Samar. There is a move to reorganize the GE & GLE Visayas

Alumni Council and your participation is highly needed for the success of this activity.

For more details, you may reach us at: http://www.phikappa.tk  or send your email at: ianbaldomaro@gammaepsilon.com

Thanking you ahead and may the force be with you!  SOAR HIGH TWO HEADED EAGLES!

Name:   Cesar Torres
Email:   Cesar1185@aol.com
Date:  8 June 2005

Kan Tomo Magdadalos aka Ricky:

Hoy, bangin ka masugad hiton aton mga kablas ngan mga inocente nga mga sundalo nga intawon ignorante ngan inocente hiton ira binubuhat nga nahitatabo ha Pilipinas ngan kalibutan.

Agui, diri gadman kami sugad hiton iba nga Samarnon ngan Pilipino nga sigue la iton fiesta, irignom, ngan hinagpis nga "waray kita mahihimo" kay kanan Diyos, or kan Bush, o kan Osama, o kan Gloria, or kan Rumsfeld ini pagboot ngatanan.

Panginsayod nala dida ha?

Natahod,

Cesar Paropamangti

Name:   Adelbert S. Batica
Address:  207 West 31st St., Minneapolis, Minnesota 55408, USA
Email:   abatica@hotmail.com
Date:  June 6, 2005

Mano Profesór –

Salamat hini nga imo balos han akon mga surat tikang didto ha Argentina. Kon huhuna-hunaon, di gad unta makuri ini nga pagbag-o hit Filipinas, kon tutuyo-on gud. Kon hi kita ngatanan, ang mga Filipino, makakapanhuna-huna hin tuhay, ngan magkakaurusa ha aton pagtuo nga uusa la it aton Iroy: An Iroy Tuna. Unta, asya na gad ini an aton unahon, an aton tagan bis namanla guti-ay nga kalipay ngan kalinaw, nga hingalimtan nala anay an aro-araway. Labaw han ngatanan, makahuna-huna unta kita ngatanan nga damo it nagkukuri nga aton igkasi-Filipino, ngan hira intawon di la haromamay it gin-aantos - ma didto hira ha Sapang Palay, ha Payatas, o kon ha Pingkian ba.

Some I'm led to believe that in the end, it was nationalism that pushed Uruguayans to shape up and wake up and make a commitment to change. It was not an easy process for them, but when they saw an opening - they moved as one body. And for good reason - had they been overcome by apathy, they would have looked forward only to hard times. As ex-Tupamaro and current Senate President Jose Mujica would put it, "If we can't improve the lives of ordinary Uruguayans, then we might as well walk all the way to Africa." If only our leaders would come to realize that, with massive corruption, massive poverty, and massive hopelessness on the part of our citizens - we are only facilitating the "africanization" of our society, characterized by total chaos and disorder. We can't possibly go the way of Rwanda. Somewhere, sometime, and somehow - some resolution should be arrived at.

And to those of us who have taken an interest in developments in Uruguay, let's not forget that, even if what we see there is a new face of the Left - let's understand that Frente Amplio is anchored on the high ideals of: Peace, Democracy, and Human Rights. They successfully presented themselves as the moral alternative to an inept and corrupt leadership.

We can only wish them the best of luck. More than that, we hope to learn from their experience. It's never too late to learn.

Name:  Elizabeth Rama Carlson
Address:  Lincoln, Nebraska  68521, USA
Email:  chabeth1@yahoo.com
Date:  June 6, 2005

Karuyag ko ig pasabot ha iyo ngatanan nga mga waraynon nga nag bibiling ako hin sangkay. Gin panganak ako ha Catbalogan, Samar. Bugto ako ni Butch Rama nga aadto na ha Canada. Hi ako naman aadi na ha Nebraska. 10 yrs. na ako dide. Duro nagud akon kamingaw han biko, kurukod, latik og "kinamutay" nga pagkaon han sinugba nga buraw, litson nga may pades nga kamote, og bilanghoy.

Nag papasalamat ako kan Ray Gaspay nga nag kamay ada hin sugad hine nga website. Maiha na ako nag pipinamiling hin mga online nga waraynon labi nagud han mga taga Catbalogan. Kumusta na batch "86" namimingaw na ako ha iyo ngatanan. Kun may ada man igkasi batch ko, pag e-mail ha ak.

Name:  Cesar Torres
Email:  Cesar1185@aol.com
Date:  5 June 2005

Addi,

Everyday that you share something on Latin America, especially on the Uruguayan Experiment, I, and I am pretty sure many others, learn a lot.

In the late 60's and the 70's Che Guevarra was the romantic hero of the oppressed of the world. Of course, there was MTT and his baggy pants and the patrician Lin Pao, and Victor Corpuz, and Ericson Baculinao and Nilo Tayag, and of course the Beloved Warrior.

But what you are sharing with us on the Uruguayan Experiment, on the "Frente Amplio", "the Broad Front", a modified strategy and perhaps the most logical one for "national liberation", of vanguishing hunger and oppression, of doing away with our garbage subsisting Samarnons in Payatas, of the Filipinos who are living on their caritons in Metro Manila, of the Samarnons and other Filipinos residing under the bridges, of the Aetas, our Muslim brothers and sister and the Badjaos who are begging, in short of regaining our pride and dignity as a people is mind-boggling.

I just hope that this will not result again in the killing fields in Mindanao, in Leyte, in Samar, and in the Tagalog regions to determine the "correct political line", and to kill opponents with daggers, tabak, and other types of patalim so that the executioners can save on bullets.

At least, what happened during the "Ahos campaign" and the "Great Kahibangan" nuong mga kawawang naniwala sa kanilang ginagawa ay hindi katulad ng mga psychopaths sa Samar na perhaps nagtotorture and pumupugot ng ulo. Bakit hindi na lang binaril sa dibdib iyong kawawang Samarnon. Marami naman ang bala sa military. Puede pang magbigay ang Pentagon as "foreign aid".

Cesar Torres

++++++++++

In a message dated 6/4/05 5:56:02 PM, basaynon49@yahoo.com writes:

Mano Profesór –

Much as I am elated by your endorsement of Uruguay's Frente Amplio (they have, by the way, published a report on their first 90 days in office), I just have this funny feeling that we're so, so behind. You see, the Frente was founded in 1971, and by 1973 - most of the key player were already behind bars, serving sentences of between 15 years to life. Most of them were released in 1984, at which point they began "rebuilding".

I had initially thought that when BAYAN was formed in 1984, that that was the nucleus of the Philippine version of Frente Amplio. Then it all fell apart shortly thereafter, because nobody wanted to give way. The natdems talked about a "national liberation front" right after EDSA1, and what we saw was a splintering of the Left in the Philippines. But perhaps, all this splintering are just "growing" pains. I should hope so. And yet....

What is so strange about the Frente is that it is a coalition of 8 leftwing parties, and although the Tupamaros form the largest bloc, they don't seem to have absolute control over the Frente. The Tupas have reinvented themselves as the "Movimiento Nacionál de Liberación" or National Liberation Movement. But people still refer to them as Tupamaros, because some titles stick. Anyway, the President, who belongs to the smaller Socialist Party - is the big cheese as head of state and Frente Amplio chairman. Some Tupamaros (at least those who don't hold elective positions) are in cabinet positions. The communists, who are also part of the Frente, have been given the rural development and social services portfolios. The christian and social democrats have finance and foreign affairs. But it seems to me that all the members of the coalition are happy with what they have.

Can such harmony take place in a Filipino version of Frente? I really don't know. As late as 2000, or 4 years before the Frente was catapulted to power, they were actually facing major problems, there was divisiveness within their ranks. Luckily enough for them, they were able to regroup and re-strategize. Perhaps there was something that was working in their favor: in 2003, the incumbent government (headed by neoliberal and free market advocate Jorge Batlle), sponsored a referendum involving the privatization of water and petroleum resources. At that point, the Frente Amplio saw and opening and campaigned hard against privatization. The proposal was rejected by 72% of the electorate. So, by 2004 - the Frente was already smelling like roses. Lucky guys, they were in the right place at the right time.

Did you know that the Philippines copied the Uruguayan "model" for the GATT in 1996 (which our Senate passed!), you know the legislative proposal whose prime mover was GMA? Well, some Uruguayans in Batlle's government even visited the Philippines to "sell" this "brilliant" idea. And did you that because of Batlle's policies, including a GATT (whose model the Philippines bought - hook, line, and sinker!) threw Uruguay into a massive economic crisis, giving Frente Amplio an opening?

So, we do have an Uruguayan connection, only thing is - it's the GATT connection. If our dream is to undo the massive poverty that's engulfing the Philippines, perhaps it's time to try another Uruguayan model – the Frente Amplio. But how? At least in Uruguayan, the Frente just wouldn't stop ranting and raving about the neoliberal and free trade policies of the Batlle government. And as they ranted and raved, they just gained ground. Can a reborn and reinvigorated Left generate massive support that cuts across all strata of society - as the Frente Amplio did in Uruguay? And without an armed "component" at that?

Ah, I'm just raising too many issues here. But you know what - Unity is still something that eludes us. Asya naman gud ini an aton problema tikang han hadto pa. There were splits within La Solidaridad, splits within the Katipunan, even splits within the guerrilla movement against Japan.

Honestly, I don't have the answers, as I'm merely a student of history who refuses to give up the learning process. If things get tough, I'll try retreat to my world of books. It's obvious to us by now, that we face gargantuan challenges, even more challenges than the Frente faced in Uruguay.

Name:  Phill
Address:   Kansas City, Missouri, USA
Email:  koyamaguam@yahoo.com
Date:  June 5, 2005

I will be in Catbalogan and staying on Daram Island in July. If you see a tall foreigner on the Seawall in Catbalogan, say hello to me. Can't wait to eat the food there and drink a few Mucho Beers. I love that place.

Name:  Addi Batica
Email:   basaynon49@yahoo.com
Date:  4 June 2004

Postcript on Latin America -

Just so you know, if you go into "Search" and key in "Uruguay", you'll come across some of our discussions that were published in Samarnews. People in that part of the world must be wondering what's going, why this interest in Uruguay.

This shouldn't come as a surprise, that there's a strong interest in Frente Amplio. When we were in Buenos Aires, we shared a tour with travelers from Bolivia, Ecuador, and Mexico who were attending a conference on Uruguay. A few days ago, some activists in Buenos Aires were calling for the creation of a Frente Amplio in Argentina, as an alternative to the traditional parties. You see, in theory – the Peronist movement (or Partido Justicialista) is supposed to be a working class phenomenon. But the truth is, it has a leftwing and a rightwing (neoliberal, pro-free market). And even the leftwing (represented by the current President) - does not have the cojones to make bold moves. So, there is a growing consensus in Argentina to really set up a Frente Amplio, as an alternative to worn-out trapo ideas.

In Mexico, where presidential elections are will be held in 2006 (or a year from now, to be exact), the left is trying to regroup. There is a progressive movement headed by Cardenas, the son of a former president who was considered Mexico's most progressive head of state. However, the "young" Cardenas is now in his '70s and most of what he has to offer is worn-out leftie rhetoric. Again, the "new blood" are calling for new directions, new pathways to change, and...are discussing Frente Amplio.

Honestly, I don't know whether a Frente Amplio framework would be workable in the Philippines, given the fossilized positions of many left and progressive groups. Takay, asay pa it mga NatDems. These left and progressive groups can't possibly be harping on models and frameworks that are vintage 30's, 40's, 50's, or even '60s. We are now in the Information Age, and we have to get a handle, and be catapulted to the 21st Century. Some of the left rhetoric may sound good, but they'd be better off being confined in a museum.

I'm even part of a progressive list serve based in Manila, the Phil-Cuba Solidarity Group, but some in the group have yet to come out of their hardened socialist shells. No, these aren't nat-dems, but I find it incredible that some of them would still be thinking as if we were in the 1970's. Maupay gad it rhetoric, pero kon pirme ka liwat perdi, ano man it gamit hiton. People are already sick and tired of rhetoric and promises, they want concrete action.

And as hard as it is for us to translate many of the ideas that we've been floating in cyberspace -we have no choice but to concretize them. Otherwise, people will think that we are all puro hangin. So, if we could just get started with some of our small programs, we can show to the world that we really mean business. Then, as our programs continued to pick up steam, I can focus on doing more research on the Uruguayan Experiment and on other developments taking place in other parts of Latin America.

Name:   Niño Ver Donaire Hermosa
Address:  Sydney, Australia
Email:   dj.hightek@gmail.com
Date:  31/May/2005

Hello po! Kumusta na po mga samarnon? Just wanna say hello to all samarnon lalo na ha San Isidro Zumarraga Samar nga nag celebrate han Fiesta May 19 & 20 and nag enjoy ako eventhough 10 days lang me sa pinas. San isidro's website will be updated pag hindi na ako busy. Regards to all ma relatives in pinas. God bless.

Name:   Tomo Magdadalos
Address:   487 Mindanao Ave., Brgy. Pasong Tamo, Quezon City 1102, Philippines
Email:   RickySamar@yahoo.com
Date:  May 29, 2005

CONGRATULATION!!! Samar News! for the courage to report and to make known of the horrible atrocities being done in our home land of the Eastern Visayas. I heard that everyone is scared of Mr. Palparan. I was told that we should be kasi this guy is CRAZY.

SAMARNOON! Let us not allow this dictator to trample our basic human right, we must stand for what is morally right and just and fight against what is wrong, oppressive and murders. Damo aton kababayan namatay para mayda kita demokrasia let us not allow this devil in Maulong to terrorize us again, matagal na kaming takot. Enough please.

Name:   Adelbert S. Batica
Address:  207 West 31st St., Minneapolis, Minnesota 55408, USA
Email:   abatica@hotmail.com
Date:  28 May 2005 10:05:11 -0400

We are still here in Buenos Aires, we spent a day yesterday in La Colonia, the oldest settlement in Uruguay. Finally, I made good on a promise I made to Prof. Torres - to set foot in Uruguay, where many interesting socio-economic-political developments are taking place. One can't learn a lot of things about Uruguay via a brief visit, especially, not from a guided tour. But here are a few things about this small country that might interest Filipinos:  the total population is 3.5 million, population density is about 9 people per 1 square kilometer, the literacy rate is 98%. Their foreign debt is about $36 million (not billion), but the citizens are already and the foreign debt was a major issue during the presidential campaign that culminated in October, 2005 and catapulted the Uruguayan Left (including the ex-Tupamaros) to power. Public buses in this country are 100% "worker managed". Military service is voluntary, not compulsory, and the focus of military is on peacekeeping missions around the world (if requested by the UN) and – civic action and social services. In fact, during our brief visit, we saw many men in army fatigues who were not carrying firearms, but rather - were busy maintaining parks and streets. This is the new image of the Uruguayan military, they've been transformed into some sort of "Serve The People Brigade". Finally, in this small country - there is strict separation of Church and State, unlike in many Latin American countries where the Church gets involved in many things that are the realm of the State.

On a more trivial note:  a more popular item coming from Uruguay which we Filipinos love, is carne norte. I must admit Uruguayan and Argentinian corned beef is the best in the world. If only to get a better deal on corned beef, I wouldn't mind making more friends in this part of the world. But it's interesting to note that over here, corned beef is not a common sight, as people prefer to eat steak or "asado". Corned beef is more of an export item, their foreign currency exchange earner.

Have a good weekend, friends!

Name:   Adelbert S. Batica
Address:  207 West 31st Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota  55404, USA
Email:  abatica@hotmail.com
Date:   May 26, 2005

Gugmasans –

(Buenos Aires, Argentina)  - We are still enjoying our brief visit to Argentina. Last night (Wednesday) we enjoyed ourselves at a Tango Show in one of Buenos Aires oldest tango houses...but not before taking free tango lessons before we escorted to the dinner-show. We were told it was SOP to give customers tango lessons. Needless to say, the food and the show were incredible. "Food" in Argentina means beef, which thrives on their grasslands (but which costs $6 or more per kilo). When it was time for the real McCoy, our eyes were glued to the stage - the tango moves were out of this world. There was also a Gaucho (cowboy) dance. Then -Andean pipe music, including El Condor Pasa (which many mistakenly think was composed by Simon & Garfunkel. El Condor is an old Andean tune, hundreds of years old.)

As the show went on, some things began occurring to me: cultural symbols identified with Argentina such as the Tango (the dance step was born in Argentina's oldest neighborhood), the Gaucho (cowboy), and yerba mate - the herbal tea that's intricately prepared and drank through a silver straw – are all working class symbols. Were it not for the working class, whether urban or rural - the outside world would not have become familiar with these symbols that are definitely Argentinian.

Today, we did a working class tour, visited the barrio of San Telmo where the tango was born. The ruling elite actually frowned on the dance because of its proletarian origins. But over the years, the ilustrados were able to ride on this working class invention (sounds familiar, just like the way the ilustrados rode on the Phil. revolution). We were told that the dancesteps originated in an old building, where the men ad-libbed steps, dancing among themselves -as they waited for a girl to pick up. And in the old days, a pick-up girl was one who practiced the oldest profession - another reason why the elite and the Church frowned on this proletarian "artform". But as you and I know, it was a simple case of the pot calling the kettle black, after all, the pretend-pure are not spotless, either.

After San Telmo, we visited the barrio of LaBoca, located at the mouth of the river (hence the name "La Boca"), where newly-arrived immigrants (mostly Italians) landed. These two places are still some of Argentina`s poorest neighborhood, however, there are things they can be proud of - La Boca has produced a world-famous soccer player in the person of Diego Maradona (in the same league as Brazilian Pele), has also produced world-class artists and poets. San Telmo, of course, produced a world-class dance. Since we Pinoys have been used to listening only to the instrumental tango music, we didn’t have the faintest idea of what the core of the music was really all about. At the Tango show, they did have singers plus musicians – so I could follow the songs. Tango music can be called "Argentinian Blues", it's a harana that can be dance, because of the faster tempo. Almost all tango songs harken about the three stories that keep repeating themselves in the human experience (including yours and mine): Love (that's Gugma, folks), Betrayal, and Redemption. If you want to be profound tonight, reflect on your own life and ask yourself if these Three Stories haven't been repeated in your own life. Chances are - you'll agree with me.

We also went on an "Evita Tour",to hear Evita's story from a truly Argentinian (and not a Hollywood or Broadway) - perspective. However, I believe the details will have to come later, sering pa ni Sangkay Quint.

I'm about to head to bed as I had only a couple hours sleep last night. Besides, we are crossing the Rio Plata tomorrow - to get to Uruguay via hydrofoil. Sorry, Mano Profesór - we don't have time to go to MOntevideo, this will have to come later. Ay la pagturaw ha akon, kay manininguha gad ako pag-"intern" didto. For now, we will just have to content ourselves with visiting the oldest Portuguese settlement in Uruguay - Colonia del Santissimo Sacramento. Uruguay used to be part of Brazil, then proclaimed its independence in the 1820's. It serves a good purpose - it is a "buffer zone" between two of South America's largest countries -Argentina and Brazil. Uruguayans are very independent-minded, but this small country does get along well with both Brazil and Argentina. In fact, a traveler can use Argentinian or Brazilian when visiting. Needless to say, hilapad gihap it ira kamot pagkarawat hin dolyar. Now, that's "pragmatic nationalism".

We are so excited about the short visit to Uruguay. I don't know who I can interview once we get. But trust me, I'll be fishing for information here and there, even if La Colonia is a favorite tourist destination. Wish us luck. When we get back, we'll be gallivanting one more in Buenos Aires' working class neighborhoods, which some locals have told us are not "safe". Heck, one can get mugged in New York, LA, Chicago, even San Francisco. Or try Dade County, Florida. But.....it doesn't hurt to be careful.

As Quint would put it, "More later".