 A gorgeous spring day in Vancouver, and Raymond takes a Sunday afternoon walk along Spanish Banks |
Monthly Archives: April 2004
Harder Graft: U.S. Cracks Down on Latin American Corruption
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In the post 9-11 days, following the implementation of the Patriot Act, the United States began a crackdown on corruption in Latin America, arguing that their new anti-corruption policy was long overdue in a region racked by almost endemic public thievery.
Ostensibly, the policy was brought into being in the first place for two reasons. One, for national security reasons, because the U.S. felt that at least a portion of the hundreds of millions of dollars of laundered money that had been embezzled from such countries as Nicaragua and Guatemala might find its way into the hands of terrorists.
And, two, for fiscal reasons, because the Bush admininstration had committed itself to a 50% increase in foreign-aid spending, and didn’t want to see monies wasted on so-called ‘bent regimes’.
Whatever the case, the outcome of the U.S.’ new anti-corruption policy has been to everyone’s benefit (save the grafters and thieves, of course.)
A Dishy New Saturday Night Feature on VanRamblings
(And We’re So, So Sorry … But Then Again, What The Heck)
After a week of righting the wrongs of the world, slagging Dubya (and doesn’t he deserve it), and carrying on about all sorts of the flotsam and jetsam of everyday life on planet Earth, late Saturday evening will be set aside for some good ol’ fashioned scurrilous gossip, stuff that you could really care less about (but care desperately about, anyway … and ain’t that the way of the world). Look for the column each and every Saturday night.
Here to quench your thirst for the down and dirty (okay, admit it, you too glance at the National Enquirer and News of the World, and their ilk, each time you find yourself at the check-out stand at your local grocer’s … fess up now), each Saturday evening VanRamblings will perform a public service beyond compare (and, hey, if the new feature brings a few new visitors to the site, that’s a good thing, too, don’t you think). Then again, maybe not.
Who’s schtupping whom, which celebrity / politician / capitalist war-mongering oinker is in trouble this week? Well, VanRamblings is the place where you’ll find the answers to all of these pressing questions, and oh, so much more. And, as we say, you’ll see it here each Saturday night.
The Entertainment Tonight / News of the World / National Enquirer of the blogging world, each Saturday evening join the party, step up to the table, and take a taste of VanRamblings’ fine Canadian cheese. M-m-m-m, good.
VanRamblings Experiences Crisis (or Not)
 Beckham mistress Sarah Marbeck |
Hey, it’s a slow Saturday night at VanRamblings, the blog is hitting an all-time low in visitors (this damn holiday weekend), and what the heck. Sure, Condi and Bushie may be all over the news, and there are gosh darn important things happening across the globe, but even though you’ll never read anything to do with sports in VanRamblings — I mean, why would I bother, when that particular diversion is covered so well by the conventional media — it seems to me that there must be a huge audience of readers out there who are just dying to know what Posh Spice’s soccer playing hubbie is up to.
Then again, maybe not. But you gotta admit that the photo, from Sunday’s News of the World online, is something provocative, huh? No? Okay.
Oh, so what’s the story (as if you didn’t know)? You’ll have to read all about what Beckie’s been up to here. Poor Posh Spice.
And before the flames begin to roll into the VanRamblings comments section, consider this: If Dylan can sell out to Victoria’s Secret, VanRamblings can certainly afford to publish a little bit of titillating cheese.
Then again, maybe not.