The economic situation in Argentina looks dismal. We are in the middle of a slump, but we are also facing a high inflation rate; a deep recession + inflation, you get stanflation, which is much worse than the American stanflation of the 1970s. It is the incumbent president Mauricio Macri's fault. He is a fool who has been tinkering with the economy without any plan for almost four years. And in order to reduce the state elephantiasis, which is the cause of the big budget deficit, he and his choreographic clowns have created a morass of medieval taxes and regulations that have choked the arteries that feed the economy.
Since 2015, our local currency has been sharply devalued three times due to inflation and the budget deficit, and in 2019 we find ourselves in the doldrums of utter economic cessation. Since Mauricio Macri is an incompetent President, who lacks leadership, common sense, and a good global vision of the macroeconomy, he relies heavily on his favorite adviser: Duran Barba, a guy from Ecuador who is considered the Rasputin of the President's royal court of buffoons and jesters.
Children are suffering from malnutrition in Argentina
Thursday, February 7, 2019
Friday, February 1, 2019
Hundred-Day Offensive (WW1). Summary
As soon the German Army's Spring Offensive had been stopped in its tracks, the Allies almost immediately launched a powerful counterattack, which is known in history as the Hundred Day Offensive. It was set in motion on
August 8, 1918 and its first military engagement was the Battle of Amiens. This attack was carried out by the Fourth British Army on
the left, the First French Army on the right, and the Australian and Canadian
Corps spearheading the offensive in the center through the French town of Harbonnieres. For this assault near Amiens, 414 tanks
of the Mark IV and Mark V type, and 120,000 men were used. As it was an Allied victory, it meant the beginning of Germany's downfall. During September, the
Germans kept fighting strong rear guard actions and launching numerous but ineffective counterattacks on lost positions as towns, villages, heights, trenches,
and outposts of the Hindenburg Line continued to fall in Allies' hands.
British and French attacks on the Hindenburg Line began on September 26, 1918. Right before this offensive, the Allies had been reinforced by 260,000 American soldiers, who would actively take part in the military operations. French units breached the enemy lines at Champagne and closed on the Belgian border. By October, it looked like Germany was unable to put up a successful defense against the Allied offensive. Being increasingly outnumbered, with few new recruits and reduced rations, the Imperial Army began to crumble and wide gaps were being torn in their rear defense lines through which the Allied infantry divisions poured in.
Since it had suffered 4 million casualties, a chaotic Germany decided to start peace talks. Prince Max von Baden, who headed the new government as Chancellor of Germany, contacted the Allies commanders first, then with the French and the British Prime Ministers. Meanwhile negotiations with President Wilson was also initiated. The American President was harsh in his peace terms as he demanded not only the resignation of the Kaiser right away (he did not know he had just abdicated and fled to Holland on November 9, 1918), but also that Germany relinquished part of her territory for the formation of Poland. As a result of losing the war, a Republic would be proclaimed in Germany, replacing the Empire. It was the Weimar Republic, which would not last long.
Tanks that made possible the success of the Hundred Day Offensive
The British deployed the Mark III, IV, and V tank, while the French and American armies used the excellent Renault FT-17, the most widely produced tank in World War I.
British and French attacks on the Hindenburg Line began on September 26, 1918. Right before this offensive, the Allies had been reinforced by 260,000 American soldiers, who would actively take part in the military operations. French units breached the enemy lines at Champagne and closed on the Belgian border. By October, it looked like Germany was unable to put up a successful defense against the Allied offensive. Being increasingly outnumbered, with few new recruits and reduced rations, the Imperial Army began to crumble and wide gaps were being torn in their rear defense lines through which the Allied infantry divisions poured in.
Since it had suffered 4 million casualties, a chaotic Germany decided to start peace talks. Prince Max von Baden, who headed the new government as Chancellor of Germany, contacted the Allies commanders first, then with the French and the British Prime Ministers. Meanwhile negotiations with President Wilson was also initiated. The American President was harsh in his peace terms as he demanded not only the resignation of the Kaiser right away (he did not know he had just abdicated and fled to Holland on November 9, 1918), but also that Germany relinquished part of her territory for the formation of Poland. As a result of losing the war, a Republic would be proclaimed in Germany, replacing the Empire. It was the Weimar Republic, which would not last long.
Tanks that made possible the success of the Hundred Day Offensive
The British deployed the Mark III, IV, and V tank, while the French and American armies used the excellent Renault FT-17, the most widely produced tank in World War I.
Renault FT-17, the first tank in history to mount a modern rotating turret. It would be the pattern upon which all modern tanks would be based. In the picture, American Expeditionary Army troops carrying out an attack.
German Spring Offensive (WW1)
The Spring Offensive, also known as the Kaiserschlacht, was a WW1, German, massive military operation on the Western Front. It consisted in a series of three powerful and surprise attacks carried out against the British and French positions. Thus, there were three
separate German assaults, codenamed Michael, Georgette and Blucher-Yorck.
The Michael was launched on March 21, 1918, with an attack on British forces near Amiens. The German army advanced 60 kilometers on this first attack. By this stage of the war, Germany had refined its tactics and developed stormtroopers to infiltrate and bypass enemy front line units, leaving these strong points to be attacked by follow-up waves of friendly infantry troops. The stormtroopers' objective was to assault and disrupt enemy headquarters, communication centers, artillery units, and supply depots in the rear areas, as well as to rapidly occupy territory. This new infiltration strategy was called Hutier tactics, after General Oskar von Hutier.
As a result of the first offensive (Michael), the front advanced to within 120 kilometers of Paris. It had been backed up by three heavy Krupp railway guns that fired 183 shells on the capital, causing many Parisians to flee. The initial offensive was so successful that Kaiser Wilhelm II declared March 24 a national holiday. Many Germans thought they would win the war soon. However, as the Imperial Army advanced, the Allied resistance became stiffer as it had been beefed up by four Australian infantry divisions, and the offensive was eventually halted. Lacking tanks or motorized artillery, the Germans were unable to consolidate their gains.
As soon as Operation Michael was over, Germany launched Operation Georgette against the northern channel ports held by the English. Nevertheless, once again, the Allies were able to hold off the enemy assault with limited territorial gains for Germany. Almost immediately, the Kaiser's Army conducted Operations Blucher and Yorck, which was an offensive towards Paris. Operation Marne was launched on July 15, attempting to encircle Reims and beginning the Second Battle of the Marne. The resulting Allied counterattack marked their first successful offensive of the war.
Thus, by July 20, the Germans had been pushed back to their Kaiserschlacht starting lines. Following this last phase of the war in the West, the Imperial Army would never again launch a military offensive. German casualties between March and April 1918 amounted to 270,000 men, including many highly trained stormtroopers. Meanwhile, at home Germany was falling apart as leftist ideologies were dividing the country. Anti-war marches become frequent as morale in the army fell. Industrial output had been reduced 53% of the 1913 levels. German reserves were inadequate to keep financing the war, and the German High Command advised their government to surrender.
The Michael was launched on March 21, 1918, with an attack on British forces near Amiens. The German army advanced 60 kilometers on this first attack. By this stage of the war, Germany had refined its tactics and developed stormtroopers to infiltrate and bypass enemy front line units, leaving these strong points to be attacked by follow-up waves of friendly infantry troops. The stormtroopers' objective was to assault and disrupt enemy headquarters, communication centers, artillery units, and supply depots in the rear areas, as well as to rapidly occupy territory. This new infiltration strategy was called Hutier tactics, after General Oskar von Hutier.
As a result of the first offensive (Michael), the front advanced to within 120 kilometers of Paris. It had been backed up by three heavy Krupp railway guns that fired 183 shells on the capital, causing many Parisians to flee. The initial offensive was so successful that Kaiser Wilhelm II declared March 24 a national holiday. Many Germans thought they would win the war soon. However, as the Imperial Army advanced, the Allied resistance became stiffer as it had been beefed up by four Australian infantry divisions, and the offensive was eventually halted. Lacking tanks or motorized artillery, the Germans were unable to consolidate their gains.
As soon as Operation Michael was over, Germany launched Operation Georgette against the northern channel ports held by the English. Nevertheless, once again, the Allies were able to hold off the enemy assault with limited territorial gains for Germany. Almost immediately, the Kaiser's Army conducted Operations Blucher and Yorck, which was an offensive towards Paris. Operation Marne was launched on July 15, attempting to encircle Reims and beginning the Second Battle of the Marne. The resulting Allied counterattack marked their first successful offensive of the war.
Thus, by July 20, the Germans had been pushed back to their Kaiserschlacht starting lines. Following this last phase of the war in the West, the Imperial Army would never again launch a military offensive. German casualties between March and April 1918 amounted to 270,000 men, including many highly trained stormtroopers. Meanwhile, at home Germany was falling apart as leftist ideologies were dividing the country. Anti-war marches become frequent as morale in the army fell. Industrial output had been reduced 53% of the 1913 levels. German reserves were inadequate to keep financing the war, and the German High Command advised their government to surrender.
Friday, January 25, 2019
Most powerful navy ship in WW2
The aircraft carrier turned out to be the most effective and deadliest
warship in World War II, surpassing and dwarfing the mighty battleship. What an
aircraft carrier could do during World War II was to project fire power far
beyond the range of the battleship naval guns, thanks to its squadrons of
fighters and dive bombers on board. However, the overwhelming importance of the
aircraft carrier as power projection in warfare at sea was only dimly foreseen
in the years which led up to World War II. Historically, it had been the
battleship and the naval gunnery which had dominated the oceans ever since the
days of the Spanish Armada right up to the Battle of Jutland. In addition,
battleships considerably outnumbered carriers in navies throughout the world. Nevertheless,
the 1930s saw the evolution of the methods and tactics that were to dominate
the Pacific Theater of Operations and which were also to contribute greatly to
the successful conclusion of the war in the Atlantic. It was the US Navy that
was eventually to become the master of carrier warfare; however, both the Royal
Navy and the Imperial Japanese navy were able to make significant
contributions.
Carrier-borne air power reached such a peak in World War II that several battles which took place over the Pacific were fought solely with carrier-borne aircraft. Elsewhere the carriers were protecting convoys, fighting submarines and covering beach assaults. The demands made by this new form of warfare were considerable, especially upon the aircraft used and upon the young pilots who flew them. The controlled crash of a carrier landing demanded strong nerves and a strong aircraft. If the sea itself was anything other than calm (which unfortunately it so often was), the motion of the waves would cause the deck to pitch and roll alarmingly, making landings rather tricky.
Generally, carrier-based aircraft had inferior performance when compared to their land-based contemporaries - although this did not prevent the Fairey Swordfish from amassing a war record which was second to none - while conversions of land-based planes, such as the Supermarine Spitfire produced performance - at the expense of durability. Instead, it was left to the Japanese to show that the carrier aircraft, in the shape of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, could outfly and outfight its land-based opponents. It was, however, the swarm of big, beefy US Navy aircraft, which were based upon the navy's massive American carrier force, that was to prove decisive in the Pacific. Led by the Grumman F6F Hellcat and the Vought F4U Corsair, US and Allied naval aircraft in their thousands ranged the skies over Japan during the final months of the war, in a display of naval air power undreamed of only five years before.
The power of aircraft carriers (video footage)
Carrier-borne air power reached such a peak in World War II that several battles which took place over the Pacific were fought solely with carrier-borne aircraft. Elsewhere the carriers were protecting convoys, fighting submarines and covering beach assaults. The demands made by this new form of warfare were considerable, especially upon the aircraft used and upon the young pilots who flew them. The controlled crash of a carrier landing demanded strong nerves and a strong aircraft. If the sea itself was anything other than calm (which unfortunately it so often was), the motion of the waves would cause the deck to pitch and roll alarmingly, making landings rather tricky.
Generally, carrier-based aircraft had inferior performance when compared to their land-based contemporaries - although this did not prevent the Fairey Swordfish from amassing a war record which was second to none - while conversions of land-based planes, such as the Supermarine Spitfire produced performance - at the expense of durability. Instead, it was left to the Japanese to show that the carrier aircraft, in the shape of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, could outfly and outfight its land-based opponents. It was, however, the swarm of big, beefy US Navy aircraft, which were based upon the navy's massive American carrier force, that was to prove decisive in the Pacific. Led by the Grumman F6F Hellcat and the Vought F4U Corsair, US and Allied naval aircraft in their thousands ranged the skies over Japan during the final months of the war, in a display of naval air power undreamed of only five years before.
The power of aircraft carriers (video footage)
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
Mauricio y la recuperación de los bienes (extinción del dominio)
El decreto de necesidad y urgencia de extinción de bienes que firmó el presidente Macri a pedido de Elisa Carrió, le va a servir al macrismo hacerse de mucho dinero para luego dilapidarlo en la campaña presidencial y en el aparato político de Cambiemos, y, quién sabe, también enriquecerse. Después van a ir por todos aquellos que ellos que, desde el poder, consideren en forma arbitraria corrupto.
La propiedad privada es un derecho constitucional (Art 17) y es absoluto según el código civil, y para que legalmente le puedan privar de sus bienes a un ciudadano tiene que haber condena firme por los supuestos ilícitos que te llevaron a aquirir dichos bienes y NUNCA antes, de lo contrario es totalmente inconstitucional, violando también el Art 18 de la Constitución Nacional argentina.
Yo voté a Cambiemos, pero sin embargo debo defender el derecho y la ley. Y aqui, este DNU deja un precedente que da miedo, porque desde el poder, cualquier tirano te puede privar de tu propiedad privada acusándote de cualquier delito, que tal vez uno nunca cometió.
La propiedad privada es un derecho constitucional (Art 17) y es absoluto según el código civil, y para que legalmente le puedan privar de sus bienes a un ciudadano tiene que haber condena firme por los supuestos ilícitos que te llevaron a aquirir dichos bienes y NUNCA antes, de lo contrario es totalmente inconstitucional, violando también el Art 18 de la Constitución Nacional argentina.
Yo voté a Cambiemos, pero sin embargo debo defender el derecho y la ley. Y aqui, este DNU deja un precedente que da miedo, porque desde el poder, cualquier tirano te puede privar de tu propiedad privada acusándote de cualquier delito, que tal vez uno nunca cometió.
Monday, January 21, 2019
Inflación (explicación)
He aquí una somera explicación de lo que es inflación y cómo hacen los gobiernos en Argentina cuando hay desequilibrio fiscal. No es copia de algun diario sino lo que yo, Carlos Benito Camacho, entiendo con respecto al tema:
Cuando el dinero en circulación va aumentando porque el gobierno imprime para cubrir su déficit o para hacer demagogia, éste pierde su valor si la oferta de productos de consumo en el mercado no aumentan también en igual proporción. En otras palabras, el aumento de la masa monetaria siempre debe ir acompañada del aumento de la producción (alimentos, autos, electrodomésticos, etc). Este exceso de papel moneda con relación a la cantidad de productos en el mercado interno es lo que crea el llamado "brote inflacionario", el cual es el aumento descontrolado de los precios. En este sentido, al haber sobreoferta de papelmoneda (como en la ley de la oferta y la demanda) éste pierde automáticamente su valor no solamente en relación a los productos del mercado, sino que también se desvalúa en relación a las monedas de otros paises.
Cuando los gobiernos tienen déficit (gastan más de lo que recaudan) tienen dos formas de cubrir este desfasaje o desequilibrio fiscal: 1) tomando dinero prestado; 2) imprimiendo más papel moneda para pagar las deudas con sobreemision monetaria; es decir, dinero espurio. Lo primero puede llevar a una implosión y default por el gran endeudamiento y la incapacidad de pago de los intereses de la deuda; mientras que lo segundo nos lleva a una espiral inflacionaria o hiperinflación, que la vivimos durante los gobiernos Maria Estela Martinez de Perón, Raul Alfonsin (11.000% anual), y actualmente con una inflación de unos 100% con el gobierno de Mauricio Macri.
En nuestra historia, las dos formas nos llevaron al caos por pura irresponsabilidad de demagogos (eternos adolescentes enfermos por el poder mismo). El dinero en si mismo no tiene valor intrínsico, sino el valor que le da el respaldo de un sistema económico estable y a largo plazo y la seriedad de las instituciones de una nación, siendo su precio, el precio que le da el mercado de divisas. La seriedad y previsibilidad dan confianza a la moneda y la hace circular, pero cuando todo es imprevisible e incierto hay desconfianza y, por lo tanto, especulación.
No se debe nunca apuntar a poner masa monetaria excesiva en la calle sino a que aumente la producción y la infraestructura, que transforma la materia prima en materia elaborada y su colocación en los centros de consumo. Los que los gobiernos tienen que hacer es: 1) incentivar el aumento de la producción a través de nuevos emprendimientos de inversiones reales y productivas, bajando el costo de la producción con mermas y quita de impuestos distorsivos y trabas burocráticas; 2) fomentar el préstamo con bajos intereses y a largo plazo para las PYMES y la clase media (para el consumo); 3) abrirse al mundo, quitando aranceles a las importaciones de tecnología o productos tecnológicos que no se fabrican en el país para la modernización y la competitivadidad de los productos fabricados en el país.
Me dirán ustedes: "si bajas los impuestos, se va a recaudar menos y aumentará el déficit". Pues, yo les digo que se recauda menos por individuo, pero aumenta la recaudación total porque la base de la pirámide de consumo y productiva aumenta al haber mucho menos trabas. Esto se hizo exitosamente en los gobiernos de Ronald Reagan, George Bush (padre) y ahora Donald Trump, cuyo gobierno bajo sensiblemente muchos impuestos a la clase media y a los inversores y quitó más de 100 regulaciones. Es por ello que el gobierno de Trump está registrando las tasas de desempleo más baja de la historia de ese país.
Carlos Benito Camacho (antropólogo, historiador, y guía de turismo Tucumán). Nro cel 3814448442
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
El "Yo" fragmentado. Personalidad esquizoide en nuestra sociedad moderna
Para entender cabalmente el porqué, en
la mayoría de los casos, a los que consideramos nuestros "buenos amigos”
son en realidad nuestros enemigos y peores detractores, debemos entender primero
la naturaleza de nuestro ser; es decir de nuestro "yo", lo que en
gramática es la primera persona del singular. En un estado ideal de salud
mental, en un adulto el "yo" es la parte consciente de nuestra mente,
desde donde emana la inteligencia y el pensamiento objetivo y racional; es la
entidad psicológica de adaptación al medio. El "yo" maduro es esa parte
de nosotros que observa la realidad concreta para sacar conclusiones coherentes
y poder desarrollar una estrategia para resolver un problema o sortear un
obstáculo en nuestro mundo concreto.
Anatómicamente, el "yo" adulto
es el resultado del desarrollo completo de los fascículos cerebrales (el cableado
interno) que posibilita la interconexión de todas las áreas del cerebro. Esto
nos da integridad total y, por ende, aplomo, objetividad y la capacidad de
interrelacionarnos con los demás empáticamente. El "yo" de un hombre
íntegro puede diferenciar las emociones primitivas (como la ira, la envidia, el
odio, el fanatismo) de los sentimientos humanos superiores (como la empatía, la
comprensión y el amor); puede superar los prejuicios culturales, pensando y
actuando de una manera magnánima. Por lo tanto, el “yo” también puede expresar
genuinamente lo que piensa, sin ser influido por el pensamiento grupal. De esta
manera, el "yo" íntegro lidera y es impermeable al comportamiento de
la masa.
Sin embargo, la mayoría de las personas
que no han logrado adquirir la integridad o adultez, tienen una personalidad
esquizoide (quasi-esquizofrénica); es decir, su "yo" está fragmentado
en dos. Por lo tanto, tienen un "yo" social, por un lado, y un
"yo" íntimo o privado, por el otro. El primero es la fachada social
con la cual la persona se relaciona públicamente en sociedad y, por ende, con
el grupo de "amigos" a través de las normas y convenciones sociales
de la cultura que la masa impone al individuo; el "yo" íntimo, en cambio, es el que reflexiona cuando la persona está a solas consigo misma, pero como es débil no se atreve a ser y no lograr desarrollar proyectos de vida concretos, sino más bien estrategias pobres que solo sirven para adaptarse a la masa de amigos o llamar su atención.
Las normas de conductas que rigen el comportamiento de la masa se aprende, echa raíces y actúan desde el subconsciente. Aunque en épocas primitivas, estas convenciones sociales eran reglas lógicas de comportamiento cuyo único fin era la supervivencia del individuo y el grupo humano en un medio hostil, hoy en día, en cambio, pueden emanar de doctrinas religiosas o simplemente de hábitos sociales repetitivos que imperan por un tiempo como una moda a la manera de un atuendo o indumentaria que la industria textil impone en la pasarela del modelaje.
Las normas de conductas que rigen el comportamiento de la masa se aprende, echa raíces y actúan desde el subconsciente. Aunque en épocas primitivas, estas convenciones sociales eran reglas lógicas de comportamiento cuyo único fin era la supervivencia del individuo y el grupo humano en un medio hostil, hoy en día, en cambio, pueden emanar de doctrinas religiosas o simplemente de hábitos sociales repetitivos que imperan por un tiempo como una moda a la manera de un atuendo o indumentaria que la industria textil impone en la pasarela del modelaje.
En la relativa seguridad del mundo
industrial y sedentario, estos patrones de conductas o formas de
interrelacionarse entre los individuos no tienen ningún carácter estratégico de
supervivencia, y son simplemente arbitrarios, irracionales y fuertemente
coercitivos: aceptación o rechazo por el grupo de "amigos". Por lo
tanto, el "yo" social se siente obligado a seguirlas o acatarlas para
ser aceptado por la masa y no ser rechazado y quedar de esta manera naufrago en
el ostracismo de la discriminación social. Si bien la persona inmadura, que no
ha desarrollado su personalidad, es la que más sufre la extorsión de la masa,
es a su vez, cuando actúa desde la jauría de "amigos", la más
tiránica. De esta manera, el “yo” inmaduro es débil y depende de la masa para
desahogar sus frustraciones y complejo de inferioridad.
Son nuestros adolescentes y personas inmaduras
los más expuestos a estas nuevas convenciones sociales o patrones de conductas
destructivos, donde el individuo debe consumir lo que el grupo de “amigos” (la masa) consume y,
quizá también, del mismo tipo y marca de bebida y, en caso de la droga, de un determinado cartel. El que no consume lo que todos consumen queda fuera del grupo y pierde sus
“favores” y su apoyo, sintiéndose el "yo" interno de la persona inmadura marginado e incapaz de
desarrollar e iniciar sus propios planes de vida; es decir sus proyectos
particular para triunfar; no ya en la sociedad de grupo de “buenos amigos”,
sino más bien triunfar en la sociedad de seres humanos adultos y racionales que
apoyan la vida y la estabilidad emocional.
Por Carlos Benito Camacho (antropólogo)
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