Politics, Protests, Media and Rain
2009-08-31 13:26:33.982529+00 by
meuon
12 comments
By Thursday morning in Guyana, the "Opposition Party" leader had a new axe to grind, and his band of semi-pro protestors descended upon Guyana Power and Light to make a protest about Prepaid Electricity. The pic was taken looking outside of the utility office windows. The local media showed up, took a few pics and completely fictional and erroneous complains about what was going on. It starts to rain. Protest over. Real protesters would have gotten a little wet and been actual customers. These same people were protesting something else at the Presidents house the next day.
Even though the protest was a farce, I'm kind of proud. How many of us have helped create a protest in a foreign country?
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comments in ascending chronological order (reverse):
#Comment Re: made: 2009-08-31 15:10:37.485524+00 by:
JT
Quoting Jon Stewart referencing a war protest rally:
One, Two, Three, Four, We don't want to go... to... work today
#Comment Re: made: 2009-08-31 16:32:46.753253+00 by:
TC
Aww Meuon,
*wipes a tear*
I'm so proud of you. You have generated public outcry. You have done something
that matters.
#Comment Re: made: 2009-08-31 17:09:18.856894+00 by:
meuon
TC, Laughing.. I've done a lot of things that really matter, but in a strange way, I'm actually proud of the farcical protest. It makes me smile. Proof that there is no such thing as bad publicity: Friday had customers at the utility asking about how to go prepaid. It's actually a decent idea, no deposit, no disconnect/reconnect fees, etc... and many people see it as such.
But watching the local political machine and media manipulations up close,
and then seeing what the news prints the next day, is educational. It seems to be the same everywhere, the media gets part of the story right, barely.
#Comment Re: made: 2009-08-31 18:28:07.38475+00 by:
Dan Lyke
Some incidents last week reminded me that anyone using the phrase "social justice" isn't looking for solutions, they're looking for publicity and a stage...
#Comment Re: made: 2009-08-31 20:36:33.000889+00 by:
TC
I ,of course, didn't mean that was your only accomplisment that matters. Just that
if people are protesting you know it is of larger consequence. Looking forward to
hearing stories about you adventures in greater detail.... and there should beer..
yes and dancing girls and lobbyist.. no wait scratch the lobbyist.
Dan. get ready for the latest new speak.. Environmental Justice! it's double plus
good
#Comment Re: made: 2009-08-31 21:09:31.081904+00 by:
Dan Lyke
TC, I think I need to rewrite my Advance Directive: If I ever end up on a government committee which tackles environmental issues, administer that morphine overdose right then and there.
#Comment Re: made: 2009-08-31 21:37:21.715352+00 by:
Dan Lyke
So I just looked at the full res image, and I see that they're protesting the pre-paid meters (love to hear the rational for that), but what are the signs that appear to start with "GPL" trying to say?
Were these protesters paid for by Microsoft?
#Comment Re: made: 2009-08-31 22:33:03.469281+00 by:
TheSHAD0W
What sort of problem did they have with prepaid electricity anyway? What were their arguments?
#Comment Re: made: 2009-09-01 12:52:04.209743+00 by:
meuon
Signs Ranging from: "GPL is bringing back slavery" to simply: "GPL Fraud"
The main issue is that: They'll have to start paying for power.
Wikipedia says they have 30% "non-technical losses" aka theft and/or non-payment.
It's an optimistic article quoting GPL's own materials. There are large areas
that don't have meters installed at all.
Gotta remember, a very socialist Venezuela is next door, socio-politics are similiar.
#Comment Re: made: 2009-09-01 17:23:18.064068+00 by:
Dan Lyke
Ahh. GPL is Guyana Power and Light, not GNU Public License.
#Comment Re: made: 2009-09-01 18:07:34.361695+00 by:
meuon
ROFLMAO! - Oops, yea, I had that problem for a while as well, but I've adjusted.
But it might be a good place for Stallman. Power to the people! - Laughing..
#Comment Re: made: 2009-09-03 11:35:44.581358+00 by:
meuon
Update: They are installed meters today on people's houses that ASKED for prepaid, and there is a growing list.
By Thursday morning in Guyana, the "Opposition Party" leader had a new axe to grind, and his band of semi-pro protestors descended upon Guyana Power and Light to make a protest about Prepaid Electricity. The pic was taken looking outside of the utility office windows. The local media showed up, took a few pics and completely fictional and erroneous complains about what was going on. It starts to rain. Protest over. Real protesters would have gotten a little wet and been actual customers. These same people were protesting something else at the Presidents house the next day.