Posted on 12/09/2007 9:14:19 AM PST by blam
Hugo Chavez invents new half-hour time zone
By Jeremy McDermott, Latin America Correspondent
Last Updated: 3:35pm GMT 09/12/2007
Venezuela has created its own, unique time zone on the orders of President Hugo Chavez, setting clocks back half an hour and putting the oil-rich nation out of step with its neighbours.
"I don't care if they call me crazy, the new time will go ahead," said Mr Chavez.
Hugo Chavez has already changed the national flag and coat of arms
The president said the change would improve health, as the sun will rise before most Venezuelans get up ensuring all go to work or school in daylight.
"These children have to get up at five in the morning... they arrive at school dead tired," said Mr Chavez. "And why? Because of our time."
Government ministers lined up to support the president's theory.
"The human brain is conditioned by the light of the sun," offered Hector Navarro, the Minister of Science and Technology, assuring that the health and productivity of the nation will improve thanks to the change.
Many Venezuelans were not impressed with the change or bamboozled by the technical jargon coming out of the Science and Technology Ministry.
"The only thing this will do is inject yet more chaos into our lives," said John Marulanda, a young executive. "This president believes in change for change's sake." President Chavez has now changed the flag, the national coat of arms, the salute of the armed forces and the constitution.
He sought to change Venezuela's political system on Dec 2, when he proposed a referendum to enshrine socialism in the constitution and grant the president indefinite re-election and even greater powers.
Fifty-one per cent of Venezuelans said no, delivering Mr Chavez his first electoral defeat in nine years.
However the president has vowed to press ahead with his changes and has enough power through his control of the armed forces, the National Assembly, the judicial system, the Central bank and increasingly of the media, to introduce change without recourse to another referendum.
(The Simpsons) Principal Skinner: Not only are the trains now running on time, they’re running on metric time. Remember this moment, people: 80 past 2 on April 47th!
You know, at the time I thought I heard a reporter say that, but I thought, “Nah, they couldn’t be that dumb.”
Well, I guess stupidity is just rampant.
In a Bible passage in Daniel, speaking of the ultimate antichrist, speaks of him as one who changes the times... just a thought... Hugo just has the spirit of antichrist...
Dan 7:25 And he shall speak [great] words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Once again life imitates art.
In Woody Allen’s movie Bananas Woody’s character becomes president of a banana republic when the communist rebel leader loses his mind, decreeing that the official language is now Swedish and that everyone must wear their underpants on the outside of their clothes.
Chavez has become that commy revolutionary nitwit.
“makes one as mad as a rat in a coffe can.”
Or as a cop friend of my son’s said about a guy during a domestic disturbance call, “He’s crazier than a s***house rat.”
"Don't say anything about his scar . . . You'll see it but don't say it, you follow my drift? The other thing, be sure to compliment his art collection."
Last night I was watching a spanish talk show which had a guest on who met Chavez back in ‘97. He said that Chavez came on another talk show and told a story about how would sit every morning at the breakfast table with am empty chair beside him because he felt that Bolivar’s spirit was with him eating breakfast. The audience was laughing along but this guy knew that he was just plain crazy.
Common time zones for large regions was necessary. Chaos reigned before the change.
"Rebels are we! Born to be free! Just like the fish in the sea!
Half hour time zones are nothing new. If he really wanted to raise a ruckus, he’d offset by 22 minutes or some other such nonsense.
Shades of a Steve Martin skit.
I used to have one of those, but it kept running fast.
So, uh, why doesn't he have school start a half hour later?
Venezuela sets it clocks back half an hour and a century and a half.
That was my point.
Really, why not just change the time they go to school? He’s squirrelly.
Why not just remove the minute hand from all clocks.Pres.dingbat
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