Articles by mgedwards

A rant against DVD regions

We found out last weekend that region 4 DVDs, South America’s format, don’t play in any of our region 1 DVD players.  We went today to a local electronics store to look for a multi-region DVD player.  All of their players were region 4 DVD players.  They claimed that the DVD players played region 1 DVDs (North America), but we didn’t have a region 1 DVD we could use to test the players and verify their claims.  We only have a couple of options if we want to play local DVDs–buy a local, region 4 DVD player to complement our region 1 DVD player or order a multi-region DVD player from the United States.  We could search the entire continent for a multi-region player, but we might as well buy one from the states with U.S.-style plugs and 110v power.  It’s easier to convert across countries than to buy electronics from smaller countries such as Paraguay.  Unfortunately, it is very difficult to get electronics overseas due to export restrictions and shipping addresses.  The best option would be to go back to the U.S. to buy one, but we probably won’t go back to the U.S. for awhile.
 
The DVD regions were developed to limit piracy, but the reality is that it does little to stop piracy.  The DVD pirates simply burn millions of copies of region-specific DVDs to flood the market illegally.  It puts more burden on expats to buy multi-region DVD players.  Computer DVD drives are multi-region–why do DVD player manufacturers insist on continuing to sell region-specific players?  I think it’s time to ditch the region system and standardize formats across regions.  It makes sense, and I highly doubt that it would exacerbate already rampant piracy.  I understand manufacturers’ concerns about not wanting to contribute to an already difficult problem, but they also need to understand that expats spend a lot of money needlessly finding ways to play their media across a myriad of different countries, regions, continents, and formats.  There’s nothing wrong with the DVD player I have–I bought it when regions weren’t an issue–and it’s silly to have to buy another one because the format is different in South America.

Ten Reasons to Visit Paraguay (A Satire)

Dear Reader,
Here is a list of reasons why you should come to visit Paraguay.
10. Pretend you’re a gaucho at a cattle ranch in the Chaco.
9.   Learn some Guaraní phrases and have no idea what you’re saying.
8.   Share some tereré with your ten newest Paraguayan friends.
7.   Search for old Alfredo Stroessner memorabilia.
6.   Speak Plattdeutsch and eat schnitzel in a Mennonite Colony.
5.   Look for “Tigres” that look like jaguars.
4.   Play “spot the knock-off” in Ciudad del Este.
3.   Fish for piranhas in the Rio Paraguay.
2.   Find the Taiwanese Embassy in Asunción.
1.   Hunt for Nazi fugitives who assumed new identities.
You will only understand the profundity of this list by visiting the unique country that is Paraguay.

 

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Does the democratic process trump democratic institutions?

Lately I’ve been reading The Economist, one of the world’s premier magazines.  I don’t particularly like it, but it seems to be the magazine of choice for policy wonks, so I knew I needed to become acquainted with it.  I appreciate their obscure articles on far-flung places around the globe.  However, I think they shamelessly editorialize and hide behind cute monikers such as "Lexington" (American affairs), "Charlemagne" (European affairs), and "Bagehot" (British affairs).  Apparently the writers and editors want the full weight of The Economist’s reputation behind its editorializing rather than letting one writer put their own name on the line when they skewer someone like new British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.  The Economist has strong opinions, and it lets its readers know it.
 
One standard belief of the magazine is that the democratic process trumps democratic institutions.  That is, if a dictator is legitimately elected and then proceeds to rig up the political system to suit his own purposes, that is more palatable than prohibiting said autocrat from running for office and subduing democratic institutions.  Preserving democracy in and of itself is more important than upholding democratic institutions.  Do you agree with this contention?  Is it preferable that democratically-elected Venezuelan President be allowed to asset control over Venezuelan public institutions, including the legislative and judicial branches, and the bureaucracy, strategic industries, and the press?  Or is it preferable that the Thai military leadership stepped in to forcibly remove the previous, duly-elected prime minister under the pretense, true or otherwise, of preserving democracy?  While neither is desirable, which would you prefer?  The Economist would choose the former.  I’m not sure I buy it.