Chavez has cancer

[zack]

Hugo Chavez is in a hospital in Cuba being treated for prostate cancer. They said that they "successfully removed a tumor from his pelvic area." They are optimistic but he is by no means out of the woods yet. I wouldn't wish cancer on anyone, but I can't help but wonder is his bad karma is coming back to him.


http://ca.news.yahoo.com/chavez-reveals-fighting-cancer-injecting-uncertainty-venezuelas-political-224259494.html

[no comment]

Some recent studies suggested that heavy coffee consumption cut risk of prostate cancer:
http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=180628
Chavez was known as a heavy coffee drinker, apparently that didn't save him.  My ounce of prevention is saw palmetto, pygeum and flax seed lignans.

[robert angel]

Even if they cure that wacko's cancer, in a way, it's already spread about his nation from his bizzare actions. If they didn't have oil, I don't think many nations would pay them even lip service these days.

[Gato4Astrid]

Some recent studies suggested that heavy coffee consumption cut risk of prostate cancer:

Good news for Dennis Levy !!

[dennislevy]

And not only does heavy coffee consumption cut down the risks of prostrate cancer. buT REGULAR PLENTIFUL SEX helps one s mental health....

A Venezuela without Chavez...now thats something to think aobut! .

Myvbe I could go to Venezuela and meet some women there.....

jejejeje

seriously a Venezuela without Chavez would make Colombia a stronger nation....

 

[El flaco]

And not only does heavy coffee consumption cut down the risks of prostrate cancer. buT REGULAR PLENTIFUL SEX helps one s mental health....

A Venezuela without Chavez...now thats something to think aobut! .

Myvbe I could go to Venezuela and meet some women there.....

jejejeje

seriously a Venezuela without Chavez would make Colombia a stronger nation....

The Obama administration would disagree with you.  One of his czar's Mark Lloyd described what Chavez has done in Venezuela an "incredible revolution".  Chavez has complimented Obama for his moves toward socialism and encouraged him to ignore internal criticism and continue pushing his policies.

[benjio]

I've often wondered if Chavez's demise would be the end of socialism in Venezuela, or would another "dictator" just pick up the stick and keep running with it. Regardless of what most people outside of Venezuela think, there are a lot of people that support Chavez there. You all have to realize, if someone lives in $#!T all their lives and then you tell them you're going to upgrade them to mud, they're usually very happy about the upgrade. Craziest thing about socialist and communist nations, the average citizens are supposedly equal, but I've never heard of one nation under a communist/socialist government where the politicians didn't enjoy an exponentially better quality of life than their constituents. And that is what perpetuates the cycle of economic oppresion, politicians with entirely too much money and power and their unwillingness to let it go. Mmmmmmmmm....I know of another country that's beginning to look that way. Scary stuff... 

[JimD]

Chavez returned to Venezuela today in the nick of time to celebrate the countries two hundredth year of independence. He is certainly not down for the count.

[no comment]

A tumor in the pelvic region may have been colorectal cancer.

[zack]

Benjio-

You bring up some good points. Yes, Chavez currently has a high approval rating among the Venezuelan citizens. But if memory serves, Hitler also had a high approval rating among the German citizens, (at least in the beginning of WWII). The German economy was in shambles before WWII and Hitler basically said to his people "Follow me and I will take you to the promise land." When a country is severely struggling economically, it's citizens are vulnerable and desperate for change and hence are more willing to follow someone who charismatically makes strong promises for change and appears  to be "the man" (when he really isn't), and this charisma combined with good speaking skills can make many people blind to the dark side of such a leader.

I'm not equating Hitler with Chavez. Hitler makes Chavez look like Mother Theresa. But the concept that I was explaining is very similar between the two. Chavez has a darker, crazy side to him that most of his citizens don't seem to recognize because they are "blinded" by his positive qualities (in my opinion), and their economic struggles and desperation for change only enhance their willingness to give their charismatic leader good approval rating based on his promises and at least some fulfillment of those promises. Personally, I don't think Chavez deserves a good approval rating. Just my opinion.

Zack

[chameleon]

Benjio-

You bring up some good points. Yes, Chavez currently has a high approval rating among the Venezuelan citizens. But if memory serves, Hitler also had a high approval rating among the German citizens, (at least in the beginning of WWII). The German economy was in shambles before WWII and Hitler basically said to his people "Follow me and I will take you to the promise land." When a country is severely struggling economically, it's citizens are vulnerable and desperate for change and hence are more willing to follow someone who charismatically makes strong promises for change and appears  to be "the man" (when he really isn't), and this charisma combined with good speaking skills can make many people blind to the dark side of such a leader.

I'm not equating Hitler with Chavez. Hitler makes Chavez look like Mother Theresa. But the concept that I was explaining is very similar between the two. Chavez has a darker, crazy side to him that most of his citizens don't seem to recognize because they are "blinded" by his positive qualities (in my opinion), and their economic struggles and desperation for change only enhance their willingness to give their charismatic leader good approval rating based on his promises and at least some fulfillment of those promises. Personally, I don't think Chavez deserves a good approval rating. Just my opinion.

Zack

It's not just zee Germans..


You can go back to Greek and Roman times and find the same thing. A good way to become consul (the leader) was first through conquest to build your coffers, and then through massive hand-outs to the poor in the form of food, free games, etc. Then they tend to forgive minor indiscretions like staying beyond your term.


The original tyrants of greece came to power by making promises to enrich the comman man. The term wasn't even meant in a bad way until much later on.


Thankfully, the people of Venezuela at least  had the good sense to deny Chavez the elimination of the term limit, because once the term limit is gone, what good behavior he exhibits will probably go with it.


I see the same thing happening in Russia with Putin. A week country is made to feel strong again, partly through his bravado and partly because  it did improve economically under his tenure, and the people love him, but the man is entirely self-serving and wouldn't think twice about having large numbers of people murdered so that he could have his way.