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Fruits of Socialism: Whole country runs out of toilet paper
Posted: Thu May 16, 2013 3:51 pm
by _bcspace
First milk, butter, coffee and cornmeal ran short. Now Venezuela is running out of the most basic of necessities – toilet paper.
Blaming political opponents for the shortfall, as it does for other shortages, the government says it will import 50m rolls to boost supplies.
That was little comfort to consumers struggling to find toilet paper on Wednesday.
"This is the last straw," said Manuel Fagundes, a shopper hunting for tissue in Caracas. "I'm 71 years old and this is the first time I've seen this."
One supermarket visited by the Associated Press in the capital on Wednesday was out of toilet paper. Another had just received a fresh batch, and it quickly filled up with shoppers as the word spread.
"I've been looking for it for two weeks," said Cristina Ramos. "I was told that they had some here
and now I'm in line."
Economists say Venezuela's shortages stem from price controls meant to make basic goods available to the poorest parts of society and the government's controls on foreign currency.
"
State-controlled prices – prices that are set below market-clearing price – always result in shortages. The shortage problem will only get worse, as it did over the years in the Soviet Union," said Steve Hanke, professor of economics at Johns Hopkins University.
President Nicolás Maduro, who was selected by the dying Hugo Chávez to carry on his "Bolivarian revolution", claims that anti-government forces, including the private sector, are causing the shortages in an effort to destabilise the country.
The
government this week announced it also would import 760,000 tonnes of food in addition to the 50m rolls of toilet paper.
Commerce minister Alejandro Fleming blamed the shortage of toilet tissue on "excessive demand" built up as a result of "a media campaign that has been generated to disrupt the country".
"The revolution will bring the country the equivalent of 50 million rolls of toilet paper," he was quoted as saying Tuesday by state news agency AVN. "We are going to saturate the market so that our people calm down."
Finance minister Nelson Merentes said the government was also addressing
the lack of foreign currency, which has resulted in the suspension of foreign supplies of raw materials, equipment and spare parts to Venezuelan companies, disrupting their production.
"We are making progress … we have to work very hard," Merentes told reporters on Wednesday.
Many factories operate at half capacity because the currency controls make it hard for them to pay for imported parts and materials. Business leaders say some companies verge on bankruptcy because they cannot extend lines of credit with foreign suppliers.
Merentes said the government had met the US dollar requests of some 1,500 small- and medium-sized companies facing supply problems, and was reviewing requests from a similar number of larger companies.
Chávez imposed currency controls a decade ago trying to stem capital flight as his government expropriated large land parcels and dozens of businesses.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/16/venezuela-toilet-paper-shortage-50m
Re: Fruits of Socialism: Whole country runs out of toilet pa
Posted: Thu May 16, 2013 4:19 pm
by _Res Ipsa
The great thing about capitalism is that bscpace never runs out of crap.
Re: Fruits of Socialism: Whole country runs out of toilet pa
Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 5:27 am
by _bcspace
Actually, the great thing about capitalism is that it's completely neutral; placing supreme value on agency and personal responsibility. God Himself, according to the scriptures and LDS doctrine, is a Free market Capitalist.
Re: Fruits of Socialism: Whole country runs out of toilet pa
Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 7:59 am
by _MeDotOrg
bcspace wrote: God Himself, according to the scriptures and LDS doctrine, is a Free market Capitalist.
I wonder why his son kicked all the money changers out of the temple?
God is often anthropomorphized: We imagine (him) with a flowing beard and robes. Sort of like a person, but really good. But to take the ultimate expression of what is space-less and timeless, what is infinite and omniscient, the ultimate expression of love and wisdom and say that he follows an economic system first encoded by Adam Smith is anthropomorphizing in the extreme.
People tend to project upon God all of their temporal and transient perspectives about what is right. God was used to justify racism and slavery. God is what we believe is right at the time.
I'm not comparing capitalism to slavery. But to suggest God is a free market capitalist is a 'truth' about God that exists in a very small section of the universe, both in space and time.
But you are right about Venezuela: It is a mess. They have huge oil wealth, and have squandered it. Chavez was a man given to grand gestures, but was crappy at actual governance.
Re: Fruits of Socialism: Whole country runs out of toilet pa
Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 2:40 pm
by _MeDotOrg
Good news! toilet paper is on the way!
BBC wrote:Venezuela's National Assembly has backed plans to import 39 million rolls of toilet paper, in an effort to relieve a chronic shortage.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22621833
Re: Fruits of Socialism: Whole country runs out of toilet pa
Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 7:04 pm
by _ludwigm
[on topic]

[off........]
by the way I've censored the 10x10 pixel breasts FOR YOU !
I want to fit to any stupid rating system (causing one year picture banning...)
Depictions in cartoon form or otherwise, of a breast or genitals may not be posted ANYWHERE on the site, not even in the Telestial Forum.(unwritten order... can not be found in
THE RULES OF THE BOARD & other helpful threads--Please read!)
as far as I know zeezrom has no pictures.
I will repeat his/her pictures - until my new banning.
Re: Fruits of Socialism: Whole country runs out of toilet pa
Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 8:42 pm
by _subgenius
ludwigm wrote:...(snip)...I want to fit to any stupid rating system (causing one year picture banning...)
Depictions in cartoon form or otherwise, of a breast or genitals may not be posted ANYWHERE on the site, not even in the Telestial Forum....(snip)...
rule #10
"Moderators and administrators will follow the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law. Try to see things from their point of view."
Re: Fruits of Socialism: Whole country runs out of toilet pa
Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 3:04 am
by _ludwigm
"... the spirit of the law ..." - and
a bare arse on CELESTIAL forumviewtopic.php?p=707120#p707120 subgenius wrote:SteelHead wrote:"apostate churches"
I love how sub continuously uses loaded phrases.
not loaded...just baited...and rightfully so

Re: Fruits of Socialism: Whole country runs out of toilet pa
Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 4:50 am
by _Bret Ripley
ludwigm wrote:as far as I know zeezrom has no pictures.
"I don't know anyone who loves art as much as I do." -- Dr. Shades
I will repeat his/her pictures
Not if I beat you to it.

Re: Fruits of Socialism: Whole country runs out of toilet pa
Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 5:22 am
by _ludwigm
Bret Ripley wrote:ludwigm wrote:as far as I know zeezrom has no pictures.
"I don't know anyone who loves art as much as I do." -- Dr. Shades
I will repeat his/her pictures
Not if I beat you to it.

I am living in a different time zone!
Sometimes I think in
different world...