Peru: Fiestas Patrias · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

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The National Holidays (“fiestas patrias”) have passed and, with a new ruling government at the helm, let's briefly look at what some of Peru's bloggers have to tell us:
Jose Alejandro Godoy, in his blog Desde el Tercer Piso (“From the Third Floor”) reflects about the “militarization” that is the participation of the schools in the patriotic holidays. The post is titled “¿A PASO DE GANSO?” (“Playing the Fool?”) and, among other things, says: “Marching doesn't make us better citizens, it doesn't give us better civic manners, nor does it give us tools to better exercise our rights, and even less does it make us love la Patria.” There are good comments on the post as well.
The veteran journalist Manuel Jesús Orbegozo puts forth some opinions in his own unique style in the post “The Kitschy Peru” (“El Peru Huachafo”), which is basically about two recent incidents that have been on the front pages of all of Lima's dailies: the case of the dog Lay Fun who killed a thief and the swearing-in of the new representatives. Each one, in its particular way, shows the prevailing kitschiness of our society, according to Don Manuel.
Relating to international politics, the health of Fidel Castro couldn't help but receive bloggers’ attention and El Bulldog Risueño (“the Smiling Bulldog”), contributor of  La Bitácora del Acertijo Cretino (“The Journal of Cretin Riddle”) makes note of the unsuspected repercussions with his post “Fidel no esta muerto, solo de parranda” (“Fidel is not dead, just out and about”). [A clever pun based on the lyrics of a popular song.]
Bruno Ortiz shows us how some newspapers in Lima take advantage of sensationalism in his post “Periodismo: ¿Hay necesidad de recurrir a esto?” (“Journalism: Is it Necessary to Resort to This?”).
El diario Correo titula en su edición de hoy “Confirmado: Viene El Niño”, con un gran planisferio coloreado que sostendría su afirmación. … Qué creen ustedes que quiso hacer este diario al levantar su edición con esta noticia? Yo creo que quisieron marcar distancia del resto de diarios y usar una noticia que no sería considerada por la competencia debido a la coyuntura… Sin embargo, la noticia no es exacta -pues en la nota ellos mismos reconocen que aún no está asegurado que el Fenónemo suceda- y lo único que hace es desinformar, pues recordemos que es muy grande la cantidad de lectores de kiosko y que la información que manejarán durante el día será la que consigan de los diversos titulares.
In other spheres, the project/blog Central de Quejas (“Complaints Headquarters”), conceived as an alternative for bloggers who have some type of complaint, protest, denouncement, or suggestion to publish it on a specific site so it doesn't go unnoticed, continues forward. To show an example, or a post of one of the various bloggers that write there:
Secretaria Buenaparanada: El otro día me atravesé la ciudad a toda velocidad para llegar puntualmente a mi cita de las 6.00 p.m. Llego y la sala de espera estaba llena y el doctor no había llegado, ante lo cual fui gentilmente informada por la secretaria buenaparanada de que el doctor había llamado y se iba a demorar. -OK. ¿Y para que $&%$/&$ me pides mi teléfono cada vez, si no puedes llamarme a avisar que venga más tarde o para reprogramar mi cita? ¡Yo no tengo toda la tarde-noche para esperar al doctor, ni ganas de leer revistas viejas y ni siquiera he almorzado!
Easy Darling, rabidity produces stress and the stress will make you older more quickly than you'd imagine. Joking aside, the project is an excellent idea and hopefully it will spread wider and go beyond the blogosphere to receive the “complaints” of people who are not bloggers.
In literature, Paolo de Lima, a Peruvian writer situated in Canada, informs his readers of a new book of poems by the renowned poet Rodolfo Hinostroza in his post “More about the New Collection of Poems by Hinostroza.” Pay attention to the links were there is plenty of related information, including the prologue of the book.
And well, I said this rundown would be brief, so for the moment that's all there is. Hasta pronto.