Thanks again for your concern, friends. I think that the most positive attitude that US and European people can do for Argentina and other troubled countries, is just to defend their own rights as taxpayers, because each dollar stolen in an international operation through the IMF or the World Bank, and even through private banks, is a dollar taken from the US and European workers and honest companies, transferring wealth from the large excess product of their work to the pockets of international large capitals. Then each dollar generates another dollar that is stolen directly from poor countries' work, but remember that the first dollar was yours. Was that excess put to work in peaceful projects, for the benefit of their own workers, the entire world would be better.

Things not affordable or not manageable by poor countries, like advanced technology, accessible information, good education, culture and arts, would be less and less expensive as a result of the law of supply and demand, and would reach all people in the world much more easily.

The other two main issues (may be there are many "main" issues) are 1) defend PEACE by all means. There's no conflict that can't be resolved by an adequate amount of money, and there are enormous amounts of money generating conflicts because their owners don't know how to multiply them even more. And 2) Defend the ENVIRONMENT. Large capitals will NOT respect the Earth, since they don't respect their own mothers.

(And defend the arts, too! What would be the world like, without musicians, actors, writers?)

Yes McGrath, it's incredible that kids are hungry in the land of food. In 1910, when the multitude of luxury palaces were built in Buenos Aires and other cities, those which are said to resemble the landscape of Paris, Argentina was rated 8th among the richest countries of the world. The decay started some years past the end of WWII, when the strong populist leadership of Perón degraded, and a long series of military governemnts associated with large foreign capitals took the reins.

Thanks Spaw for writing to Mariano, I'll recall to that SOB (son of a bigot) to reply his correspondence. He's not much better to reply to us. At least we know he is OK, working well as a teacher, and learning something too.

Last news: President(?) Duhalde is now in a meeting with the province governors (his last friends) where he will explain the alternatives of strict fulfillment of the IMF requirements (and supposed new loans) or his own resignment. We expect the resignment of them all, no loans, and the foundation of a new republic.

Colombians bet for democracy again. There's always someone who is worse than we are. Our thoughts are with those brothers.

Un abrazo - Andrés