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South America?

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January 14th, 2015 at 7:12:50 AM permalink

Nareed

Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545

Quote: TheCesspit
Argentina declared war on the Axis in early 1945 (after breaking relations with the Axis in mid-1944).

And no doubt this is why the Allies won the war ;)

I think Mexico entered the war earlier.

In short, the colonies of nations with a tradition of individual liberty and rule of law, such as the US and Canada, did much better post-independence and during the colonial periods, than those of nations without such traditions. But only when the colonies were given some kind of autonomy and allowed to develop on their own. The many Caribbean islands owned by the British, for example, were large plantations using slave labor, without any hint of liberty and much less autonomy.

Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER

January 14th, 2015 at 8:53:41 AM permalink

AZDuffman

Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 135
Posts: 18212

Quote: Pacomartin
The charge is too general. The idea of three continents (Africa, Asia, Europe) originated in medieval Europe. It was just extended as Australia, the New world and Antartica were discovered.

In general it does seem funny to have 6 inhabited contients, yet have half the world's population living in just a portion of one continent. Given the age of the civilizations in China, India and Japan they probably think it is strange to be lumped together.

I have also been told that India is not geologically part of Asia and that is is losing an inch or so a year as the plates slide. My geology professor said that in 100 million years (or whatever) all the poverty of India will be gone as it slides right under Asia. But this causes Mt. Everest to grow about 1/2 an inch a year so if you want to climb it don't put it off as it is not getting any smaller.

The President is a fink.

January 14th, 2015 at 10:02:20 AM permalink

Face

Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 61
Posts: 3941

Quote: Pacomartin

The northern European and American education systems all teach it as 7 continents. But Mediterranean countries teach it as 6.

Why would they teach 6? Because North and South are connected by a bitty little strip? How then do they explain the Europe/Asia divide?

Also, how do you determine the "home continent" of island nations? Iceland I largely think of as "European". I think that's fair. But is it "true"? Greenland, that's ours? Or no? And then there's New Guinea. Tectonically, part of Asia. But also one of a billion areas at one time "claimed" by Brits. But also most physically connected to Australia. Who decides "ownership"?

Quote: Pacomartin

You have to take a ferry from Panama to South America. There is no road, only dangerous jungle full of bandits. Many people think the Pan American Highway goes all the way through.

Hey, buddy. You said "could I drive", not "is there a road". My answer has not changed ;)

Ferry? Pfft.

Be bold and risk defeat, or be cautious and encourage it.

January 14th, 2015 at 10:27:03 AM permalink
kenarman Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 14 Posts: 4521	I have to side with Face on driving to SA Paco. Although nothing the average person could do the Darien Gap has been transversed by vehicle several times. Usually by some kind of special forces team. "but if you make yourselves sheep, the wolves will eat you." Benjamin Franklin

January 14th, 2015 at 10:40:55 AM permalink

petroglyph

Member since: Aug 3, 2014
Threads: 25
Posts: 6227

Quote: Mosca
A crucial point in the only WW2 battle that occurred in South America, The Battle of the River Plate. The Admiral Graf Spee damaged the Exeter, Achilles, and Ajax, but also had her fuel system damaged and was forced to port in Montevideo (Uruguay). When the captain was informed that the ship could not stay longer than 72 hours, he scuttled it rather than face the British on what he believed would be unfavorable terms.

Many countries in South America have a large German population. Chilean Spanish is very guttural and can be almost unintelligible to Spanish speakers from other countries, much the same way that English from the Deep South can be for Americans from other parts of the U.S.

Although dictators may seem to be a "tradition", the people of South America are very politically savvy and want a voice in their own governance. My daughter interviewed the judge and prosecutor who convicted Pinochet. As modern as the country is, Chile is still healing from the brutality of that regime (plotted by Kissinger and funded by the US.)

Good info Mosca,

I have been reading about the US involvement in Honduras for a few days. The CIA is up to their usual tricks with Bush and recently Hillary supporting Lobo and now Hernandez. What a bunch of thugs we are. Pretty open oppression of everyone that doesn't support the NWO. The trade agreement now being agreed to in secret that will supercede the US constitution [the TPP] will gut any progress workers have made in the last 50 years.

Lately big tobacco is suing Uruguay for it's stance on trying to limit tobacco in country; http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-27647477 That is awful that a country that wants to restrict tobacco can be sued by big tobacco for restricting it for the health of it's citizens. Uruaguay doesn't have the money to fight RJReynolds. Unbelievable.

Pres. W. Bush is said to have a ranch in Paraguay over 98000 acres, http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3192723.

Maybe Fleastiff knows something about Honduran pirates? I think we have invaded or been at war 4 times with Nicaragua; http://www.answers.com/Q/How_many_times_has_nicaragua_been_invaded

Weed is legal in Uruguay with 8 other country's supposed to so or decriminalize; http://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/tired-drug-war-countries-legalize-weed/story?id=19833159

The last official act of any government is to loot the treasury. GW

January 14th, 2015 at 10:49:31 AM permalink

Ayecarumba

Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 89
Posts: 1744

Quote: Pacomartin
...You have to take a ferry from Panama to South America. There is no road, only dangerous jungle full of bandits. ...

I always wonder what the bandits in these remote locations do when there aren't any potential victims passing through. Do they patiently wait in their "spot", like a spider, hoping someone lost or foolish will chance by, or do they roam from location to location like a trapper checking his set ups? Perhaps they have day jobs, and do the bandit gig on the side?

January 14th, 2015 at 10:52:49 AM permalink
TheCesspit Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 23 Posts: 1929	People have traversed the Darien Gap, but I've heard it wasn't an easy thing to do in a wheeled vehicle... It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die.... it's called Life

January 14th, 2015 at 11:27:44 AM permalink

Face

Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 61
Posts: 3941

Quote: TheCesspit
People have traversed the Darien Gap, but I've heard it wasn't an easy thing to do in a wheeled vehicle...

Neither is driving to Sun City, South Africa from Buffalo.

But it's possible ;)

Man, if I ever win the lotto... I'll be in all the texts, right next to Magellan. Legends will tell of Face the Wanderer and his tale will be epic indeed =D

Be bold and risk defeat, or be cautious and encourage it.

January 14th, 2015 at 11:30:12 AM permalink

Pacomartin

Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569

Quote: TheCesspit
People have traversed the Darien Gap, but I've heard it wasn't an easy thing to do in a wheeled vehicle...

The Darién Gap is subject to the presence and activities of the Marxist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which has committed assassinations, kidnappings, and human rights violations during its decades-long insurgency against the Colombian government.

The ferry is 24 hour trip and prices are
One-Way Ticket $249 Two-Way Ticket $349
Bicycle $99 Motorcycle $459 Sedan $1980
Luggage - 2 pieces at a maximum weight of 50 kg incl. in the price

Quote: BBC 14 August 2014 Silent Darien: The gap in the world's longest road By Carolyn McCarthy
It was only in 1960 that anyone managed to cross the Darien Gap by car - in a Land Rover dubbed The Affectionate Cockroach and a Jeep. It took nearly five months, averaging just 200m per hour. The team included noted Panamanian anthropologist Reina Torres de Arauz and her cartographer husband, Amado Arauz. Hand-chopping a route through the jungle, they forded hundreds of rivers and streams, improvising bridges from palm trunks that didn't always hold up. Their research later helped establish the Darien National Park, a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Twelve years later, the renowned explorer, Col John Blashford-Snell, led a 60-person crew in Range Rovers on the first complete road trip from Alaska to Cape Horn, via the Darien Gap. This short section of the route, he describes as the toughest challenge of his career. The seasonal rains came early and locked the vehicles in mud. "Something had to go and it was the back axles," Blashford-Snell recounts. "They exploded like shells with shrapnel coming through the floor."

Redesigned car parts were parachuted in a month later. Later, custom-built inflatable rafts floated the vehicles across the problem area of the vast Atrato swamp. Eventually, they made it, though half the team had succumbed to trench foot, fevers and other ailments.

January 14th, 2015 at 12:25:14 PM permalink

Pacomartin

Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569

Quote: Face
Why would they teach 6? Because North and South are connected by a bitty little strip? How then do they explain the Europe/Asia divide?

These expressions were not developed logically. "Europe" is from the 6th century BC. Marco Polo returned from Asia in the early 14th century and widely exposed Europeans to the Chinese culture. Sub-Saharan Africa was explored in the 15th century, and the New world became well known in the 16th century. Australia discovered in the 17th century, and Antarctica in visited in the 18th century.

The word "continent" entered the English language in the 16th century. I think it was only in the 20th century that some people decided it wasn't logical to use a mountain range as a division between continents in one case, and an ocean in others.

The word "American" was a word which gave the British colonial citizens of the new world a unique identity . It was only after the country was named that some people began to point out that the name belonged to everyone in the new world. In early 19th century the French raised the point, in late 19th century it was raised by Latin American intellectuals. AFIK no Canadian has ever objected to the exclusive use of the word by US citizens.

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