Having read a considerable number of crime books by Anglo and Latin American writers, I believe that the plots of noir genre novels penned south of the Rio Bravo are much more political than the majority of American or British crime books. History shows that all along the 19th and 20th centuries, most British and U.S. …
Category Archives: Blog
Now that it’s over
Having wasted forty-four years of my life under Communism, where only the party-controlled Union is allowed, collective bargaining is nonexistent, and attempting to found an independent Union gets people sent to prison, since my arrival in Canada I read and watch the news about strikes with great interest and certain respect. I don’t know enough about the …
More talent shows—a sales pitch
Contemporary societies require professionals in thousands of disciplines, including those that entertain people. In the last few years we’ve been introduced to born singers, amazing dancers, creative choreographers and other artistically endowed people some of whom shared with us absolutely heart–rending stories. These individuals might’ve remained unbeknownst to millions were it not for several shrewd …
Making a case against price controls
In 2008 the strong popular discontent at the price of gasoline has given rise to numerous demands for price controls.
Many among the malcontents are not well-versed in economics and finance. They seem to have forgotten the essential rule of market economies: prices fluctuate according to supply and demand. These hard-working people are struggling to make ends meet and deserve an explanation in plain words (…)
Letter to prospective Socialists and Communists
Mildly worried about the Americans, Australians, Britons, Canadians, New Zealanders and citizens of other English-speaking countries who, for diverse reasons, have concluded that capitalism and democracy have failed across the board and thus posit that communism might be a better social order, I decided to pen this letter (…)
Learning about democracy
Having spent over forty years of my adulthood under the censorship prevailing in my country of birth, I had never before witnessed political campaigns in well-developed, functioning democracies (…)
Indispensable, yet invisible
Strikes are useful in one respect: They teach the younger generation and remind older adults that some people we take for granted and rarely hear about perform socially important jobs. When garbage collectors stop working for a few days, we realize these folks are essential to our well being. Physicians, nurses, firemen, policemen and public transportation workers also are indispensable, yet invisible.