NationStates Jolt Archive

A blimp? That's really, really weird.

*OP steal! Booyah!*

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/nm/20070420/2007_04_19t184402_450x274_us_venezuela_zeppelin.jpg?x=380&y=231&sig=lQgyNaEvz9.1BLOHVj1duQ--
Venezuela launches Zeppelin to tackle rampant crime

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela launched a Zeppelin on Thursday to patrol Caracas, seeking to fight crime in one of Latin America's most dangerous cities but also raising fears that President Hugo Chavez could be turning into Big Brother.


Around the hot-dog stalls of the run-down suburb where the airship took its first flight, most people felt the unmanned eye-in-the-sky could help counter routine hold-ups, shootings and carjackings.

In the refined cafes of east Caracas, there was more cynicism, condemning the blimps as a waste of money that would not work in bad weather or at night, when Caracas is at its most risky, resembling a shuttered-up ghost town.

"It reminds me of 1984, of George Orwell. This is Big Brother. It is not going to solve crime," said Jose Luis, a lawyer who declined to give his family name.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070419/ts_nm/venezuela_zeppelin_dc_1

Interesting devolpment in this South America country. Do you think this is a step in the right direction, or a step towards what many call the eventual dictatorship of Venezuela?

A blimp? That's really, really weird.

*OP steal! Booyah!*
First of all, DIE, for stealing my OP. Second of all, there is a poll now, so make like Florida in 2000 and GO VOTE!:D

But seriously, Caracas has crime issues, and this seems to be, if used responsibly, a moderately acceptable, albeit strange and probably money-wasting, action on the part of the government.

A blimp? Awesome, the world needs more blimps.

Hahaha, at least Venezuela shows some creativity in fighting crime.

Man, this the best crime fighting thing I think I've ever heard of.

Does it carry turtles?

Man, this the best crime fighting thing I think I've ever heard of.

Does it carry turtles?

You have made the inner child in me smile :)

Crap, I am from Caracas, Venezuela, (I believe I am the only poster from here in NSG) and didn't see the last options.

We have crime issues. Serious crime issues.

The problem with the people in the cafes of east Caracas, is that they have built an extreme distaste for the goverment that makes them critic and devalorize everything the goverment does. You need to go to the cafes in east Caracas, and talk to the people there to realize this.

Caracas is almost a weird Berlin, east Caracas is filled with middle or high class people who oppose the goverment no matter what it does without caring for the "poor", who for them are a mindless barbarian horde trying to steal their riches, and west Caracas is almost completely formed by slums of poor people willing to do anything for Mr. Charisma Chávez as they suffer from wild crime cartels, lack of basic services, or anything you would qualify as "decent life". (In case you ask, I live at the center, between both sides).

The mayor decides to buy fancy balloons to fight crime. I will decide if I like it if that scheme works. If I see arrests based on the information provided by the ballons, I will approve the balloons. If it, as the rest of the policies made by this goverment to fight crime so far, fails, I will be frankly opposed to it.

I'm sceptic about it, mostly because I have seen the municipal goverment of this city fail miserably in their plans to fight crime. Looks like a waste of money right now, but it could work, if handled properly. Another mayor, (from the east), placed cameras on the traffic lights, and it has worked a bit so far, (for example, placing them nearby cash machines stopped a bit the mugging of people at the machines)

Perhaps their next scheme, after Crime Fighting Balloons, will be Crime Fighting Baboons, and perhaps it will be also a failure.

This goverment has better ways to control people than just those Zeppelins. It is called "populism". I don't think those blimps will be watching me as I take a shower or anything.

I think its a step in the good direction.. cams do make me feel safer.
I think London style cams are more effective crime stoppers..

the other question is.. how easy is for the criminals to shoot this down?

I think Caracas's crime problem might justify this, but I'm fairly sure there might be cheaper ways to meet the same end.

A blimp? Awesome, the world needs more blimps.
Right on!

I think its a step in the good direction.. cams do make me feel safer.
I think London style cams are more effective crime stoppers..

the other question is.. how easy is for the criminals to shoot this down?

Depends, looks like they are out of range. But I have seen gangsters here with Steyr Augs and FN FAL rifles. Here, anything can happens.

Once, a pair of guys robbed a jewelry store. The police that were chasing them got their patrol car blew by a grenade. So, here in Venezuela, as we use to say, anything can happens, specially regarding crime.

[IMG]
Interesting devolpment in this South America country. Do you think this is a step in the right direction, or a step towards what many call the eventual dictatorship of Venezuela?

No, I'd say that its an attempt to get the advantages of a police helicopter while dodging the expense. Seems like a bad idea to me.

As a post its one of the more extreme stretches I believe I've come across. If we're going to bash Chavez, lets use a little more effort please.

You have made the inner child in me smile :)

:)

No, I'd say that its an attempt to get the advantages of a police helicopter while dodging the expense. Seems like a bad idea to me.

As a post its one of the more extreme stretches I believe I've come across. If we're going to bash Chavez, lets use a little more effort please.

We already have police helicopters. Looks like the mayor wanted publicity for being creative, and he is getting it.

And yes, I think going for the "Big Brother" with those Zeppelins is a bit...overstretched. Someone is too fond of conspiracy theories.

.. It is called "populism". I don't think those blimps will be watching me as I take a shower or anything.Well..
If the Caracas Police Dept can sell your pics over the Internet.. that could make the Zeppelin-Cam a profitable operation.
Think about the taxes it would save. ;)

Well..
If the Caracas Police Dept can sell your pics over the Internet.. that could make the Zeppelin-Cam a profitable operation.
Think about the taxes it would save. ;)

It has been done...

Remember Spencer Tunick? the photographer that tkaes pictures of masses of people naked? when he came to Caracas, and did what he usually does, the mass of naked people was being supervised by police men, on duty.

Those police men found two or three nice looking women in the crowd, took lots of pictures and videos of them, and sold them in the internet or in street CD's vendors.

Sadly, everyone around here tend to distrust police men a lot. even more, or at least as much as, gangsters.

And given how gifted is this country in the female aesthetics department, with so many wondrous targets out there, taking me pictures would be indeed a waste of money.

im thinking he is going to need more than a blimp

it's no different from having police helicopters buzzing around really. having said that, it's surveillance and an invasion of privacy which could easily be abused. i wouldn't support it in this country that's for sure, but then we already have millions of ground-level surveillance cameras so i doubt something like this would be implemented here.

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/nm/20070420/2007_04_19t184402_450x274_us_venezuela_zeppelin.jpg?x=380&y=231&sig=lQgyNaEvz9.1BLOHVj1duQ--
Venezuela launches Zeppelin to tackle rampant crime


http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070419/ts_nm/venezuela_zeppelin_dc_1

Interesting devolpment in this South America country. Do you think this is a step in the right direction, or a step towards what many call the eventual dictatorship of Venezuela?

would'nt these people with guns just start shooting at the zeppelin?

Hmmm... *tries utterly in vain to link this to 1984*

The Three Principles of VenSoc :

BLIMP IS POLICE CAR

ZEPPELIN IS NON-FLAMMABLE

CAMERA IS SAFETY




Oh and 10 points for creativity, -4 points for something of a waste of money.

Perhaps their next scheme, after Crime Fighting Balloons, will be Crime Fighting Baboons, and perhaps it will be also a failure.

.

Have you ever seen the footage of the South African Baboons attacking people? Give em a badge and a billy club and I bet crime would be reduced by half. ;)

Aren't blimps like, the easiest things in the world to shoot down?

I can imagine now, some ne'erdowells are out mugging someone, and the blimp floats overhead, a round of shots are fired up, and the blimp comes crashing down.

I voted Yes, I agree with this (I am from Venezuela)

Blimps are profoundly silly, and having more is most definitely a good thing. This option had no votes at the time, and I kinda felt sorry for it, too

Crime fighting blimps. That reminds me of the opening credits for that awesome Batman cartoon.

Have you ever seen the footage of the South African Baboons attacking people? Give em a badge and a billy club and I bet crime would be reduced by half. ;)


They've been hired as private security in Iraq, so presumably they'll be occupied occupying for a few years. Or until they run out of taxi drivers....

Wow, good for them. First of all, a blimp is a lot cheaper to operate on a per hour basis than an helicopter, and so is the maintenance. Second of all, it can climb higher and is a lot quieter. Therefore, it makes it easier for them to "creep" up on the bad guys.

I may not personally agree with Chaves politics, but so what. It is their country, they elected him, and it is their right to govern themselves as they best see fit.

Aren't blimps like, the easiest things in the world to shoot down?

I can imagine now, some ne'erdowells are out mugging someone, and the blimp floats overhead, a round of shots are fired up, and the blimp comes crashing down.apparently its out of range.

Its funny because in Washington DC, the homeworld security dept. launched one of those during tourist season when they thought a terrorist attack was likely. Of course theirs was grey and much more intimidating...

Hopefully it won't turn out like this blimp.

http://pcmedia.gamespy.com/pc/image/article/754/754175/the-final-episode-20070109054043185.jpg

apparently its out of range.

And so the criminals get weapons with further ranges. Its not too hard to get one's hands on shoulder-mounted surface-to-air missiles these days.

Seriously, I give these blimps four months at most.

I think the problem with this thread is, and the people criticizing this move by Chavez, is not about whether this venture to reduce crime will work or not, but more that they are rapid anti-communists and want any excuse they can get to blow steam, much like those crazy CIA-paid Cuban exiles who are living worst off in Florida than in Havana, yet still want something to whine about.

Have you ever seen the footage of the South African Baboons attacking people? Give em a badge and a billy club and I bet crime would be reduced by half. ;)
Silly Marrakech, the South African Baboons alre already wearing badges in South Africa, and attacking people, and running the government there, and discriminating against White Afrikaners...and...and...and....

I think the problem with this thread is, and the people criticizing this move by Chavez, is not about whether this venture to reduce crime will work or not, but more that they are rapid anti-communists and want any excuse they can get to blow steam, much like those crazy CIA-paid Cuban exiles who are living worst off in Florida than in Havana, yet still want something to whine about.

Ehhhh. No

Just no. You are the one who are starting the political polarization here.

I think the problem with this thread is, and the people criticizing this move by Chavez, is not about whether this venture to reduce crime will work or not, but more that they are rapid anti-communists and want any excuse they can get to blow steam, much like those crazy CIA-paid Cuban exiles who are living worst off in Florida than in Havana, yet still want something to whine about.

Um. No.

Anyone with half a brain can tell that this is a terrible idea, doomed to fail due to practical and political reasons.

The people who are rabid and unthinking are the Chavistas. The people who blanketly support every single thing he does, but who would oppose exactly the same measures if they were implemented in their own home town. Its really moronic how far people will be willing to follow this double standard, and how far the Cuban people should be oppressed just to fulfill your own (mostly) domestic agenda.

To the Chavistas, all dissent is shrugged off as imperialism and coup-plotting. Like the thousands of people out on the streets protesting the closure of that television station? Oh yes, they were all beourgeois coup-plotters :rolleyes:!

(And all this coming from a former Chavista. I had hope for Chavez and his revolution. But it turns out he's just a tyrannical dickweed...)

Um. No.

Anyone with half a brain can tell that this is a terrible idea, doomed to fail due to practical and political reasons.

The people who are rabid and unthinking are the Chavistas. The people who blanketly support every single thing he does, but who would oppose exactly the same measures if they were implemented in their own home town. Its really moronic how far people will be willing to follow this double standard, and how far the Cuban people should be oppressed just to fulfill your own (mostly) domestic agenda.

To the Chavistas, all dissent is shrugged off as imperialism and coup-plotting. Like the thousands of people out on the streets protesting the closure of that television station? Oh yes, they were all beourgeois coup-plotters :rolleyes:!

(And all this coming from a former Chavista. I had hope for Chavez and his revolution. But it turns out he's just a tyrannical dickweed...)

Wow, wow. This comes from an opposer of Chávez's policies even before he reached the presidency in 1999, and who happens to live in Venezuela.

Not all Chavistas are the same. As in any other political group, there are good people, and bad people. Sadly, most good people aren't in positions of power because they do not desire them, placing the worst Chavistas in the important places. Generalizations are not good, not every Chavista is bad. Good chavistas are idealists, some naive, some pretty smart. Bad chavistas are just opportunists and bootlickers of the worst sort.

Of course, most foreign Chavistas do not have the slightest idea of what is happening here, and support him just for one of these reasons:

a) He claims to be a socialist, I claim to be a socialist, thus I must like him.

b) He is against Bush, and calls him names. I am against Bush, so the enemy of my enemy must be my friend. Bush is evil, and if Chávez opposes him, then Chávez must be good.

The two of them are largely failures, of course, but seem to suffice to most foreigners. It doesn't matter if you point at them that you see exactly the same amount of poor people and neighbourhoods here, that everything is more expensive each month and that our wages hardly are enough, that Chávez supporters pursue and harass opposers, that you live everyday afraid of something happening to you because we have no security. They will link you to some numbers given by the Chávez's goverment, tell you you are being payed by the CIA, and that they are more aware of the "true" situation of Venezuela over there in their country of origin than you, that happen to see everything everyday.

Frankly, I don't believe Chávez is THAT bad, but that he now have issues regarding megalomaniac tendencies. I frankly believe that deep inside, he wants the best for our nation, but sadly, with all his international ventures, he doesn't even know what the fuck is going on here in this country anymore.

Yet he is dangerously traveling the borderline path of the tyrant. And his cronies are the worst of an already bad lot. The valuable chavistas sadly get any attention.