New Bonds In Euros

[KeyWestPirate]

Nicaragua has offered a new bond issue, 7 Year, denominated in Euros,, 8.25%,, a very decent interest rate.

I guess this is for people who really wanted to buy Nicaraguan government bonds, but didn't have dollars.

The article ran in Nuevo Diario next to the speech by outgoing US ambassador Laura Dogu.
If I may paraphrase the essence of her speech:

"... You'd have to be out of your cotton picking mind to invest in Nicaragua with the current instability and the new sanctions coming down the pike . . . "

The article left out the critical information about how the bonds would be paid,, in Euros,, or in Cordoba.

If you still want to invest,, get in touch with Ivan and request a copy of the pretty offering brochure

[Little Corn Tom]

Are you sure she said "cotton picking" ? That is kind of racist isn't it?

[drlemcor]

That phrase has its etymological roots in the southern cotton plantations and slavery, yes. However, for many people in common speech it has lost that historical connection and become a generic epithet. My father (for example) used this particular phase for much of his life without every knowing what it meant. He's an Idaho boy.

[Little Corn Tom]

That phrase has its etymological roots in the southern cotton plantations and slavery, yes. However, for many people in common speech it has lost that historical connection and become a generic epithet. My father (for example) used this particular phase for much of his life without every knowing what it meant. He's an Idaho boy.

I apologize to anyone who was offended....never thought anyone would take it seriously. I am sure your father was an honorable Idaho boy.
Isn't "boy" a little racist though?

[Coke Cero]

That phrase has its etymological roots in the southern cotton plantations and slavery, yes. .

Doubtful. Merriam-Webster (the dictionary people) reports its first use circa 1952. See https://www.merriam-webster.com/dict...cotton-picking. This reveals some recent developments in US media circles to be even more ridiculous than they even appeared to be at first blush.

[Little Corn Tom]

Doubtful. Merriam-Webster (the dictionary people) reports its first use circa 1952. See https://www.merriam-webster.com/dict...cotton-picking. This reveals some recent developments in US media circles to be even more ridiculous than they even appeared to be at first blush.

For those of you who are old enough....this phrase (Cotton Picking Minute) was popularized by George Gobel, a 50's TV comedian.

However, I have no idea what this means "This reveals some recent developments in US media circles to be even more ridiculous than they even appeared to be at first blush." .

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Gobel

[drlemcor]

Doubtful. Merriam-Webster (the dictionary people) reports its first use circa 1952. See https://www.merriam-webster.com/dict...cotton-picking. This reveals some recent developments in US media circles to be even more ridiculous than they even appeared to be at first blush.

That may or may not be true. I can accept that the first verifiable usage of the phrase can only be tracked back to 1952 (in print or on a recording), but that doesn't mean that it wasn't used previously.

It's difficult to escape the imagery of "cotton picking". I suppose that whoever came up with it could have been thinking about some other group of people historically connected to picking cotton. Anything is possible. If so, then this is an issue with anachronism in the public consciousness. I'd argue that most people today would connect the idea of picking cotton to black slavery. Maybe this wasn't always the case...

[drlemcor]

I apologize to anyone who was offended....never thought anyone would take it seriously. I am sure your father was an honorable Idaho boy.
Isn't "boy" a little racist though?

I'm pretty sure that "boy" is only considered to be a racist term if it is used to describe someone who considers it to be a racist term... A case of ones perception of reality shaping reality. My father does not.

[Jonh]

Welcome to TRN, Coke 0! I like it when people just jump in and chat.

[drlemcor]

Welcome to TRN, Coke 0! I like it when people just jump in and chat.

[RGV AG]

I guess it is a major feax paux, however you spell that, to call someone a "cotton pickin' boy", Lord forbid. Incredible that this phrase gets trashed as racist. What a crock of absolute shit. Amazing that in other places obvious references to obvious racist things are just paid no never mind. For instance in the DR there is brand of flour called "Negrito" or something very similar, it is one of the oldest brands. And Aunt Jamimah is on full display still. And the whole damm island is basically black or part black.

[RGV AG]

Written by Ledbelly no less.....

[KeyWestPirate]

Are you sure she said "cotton picking" ? That is kind of racist isn't it?

That was my paraphrase of her speech
I may have exercised a bit of artistic license in the process.

Everyone is so touchy these days.

I've never met Laura Dogu, but was surprised at her tone. She always seemed to be a peace maker.. Her predecessor made no effort to conceal his dislike of Ortega.

[Jonh]

I've only heard it used as an adjectival phrase describing a unit of time. "Wait a cotton-picking minute." No different from "a New York minute."

[el duende grande]

Picking cotton was one of the main things that caused my (white) stepfather to move to Los Angeles and never look back. "Boy" was commonly used in American English the way "muchacho" is currently used in Nicaraguan Spanish until the black power/cultural Marxists declared it to be politically incorrect.

As far as Consular politics, I think closing the Consulate to citizen services was an over-reaction. I'm sure in part it was out of a fear of a Bengazi orTehran type situation (better send people home than risk the slight chance they might get killed or kidnapped). But mostly I think it was a political move to point out Danny crossed the line when he killed the first 40 and didn't immediately kiss and make up.

[Jonh]

Indeed, I curse the cultural Marxists for making me think twice about calling out to my dog, "Come here, boy!"

[bill_bly_ca]

To put a Holloween spin on the tangent...

[KeyWestPirate]

To put a Holloween spin on the tangent...

A poster like that could really cut down on cost of candy.

Of course, significantly ups chance of finding a burning bag of dogshit on your front porch

[bill_bly_ca]

Of course, significantly ups chance of finding a burning bag of dogshit on your front porch

Pig Shit is a far better choice - and more fitting..

[el duende grande]

But I bet you would be called a Terrorist, the Pig Sxxx Bomber or something.
No good deed will go unpunished.

[Little Corn Tom]

To put a Holloween spin on the tangent...

Thanks for the reminder....gave me a chance to buy some apples and razor blades.

We actually have kids showing up this year....good to see.

[Jonh]

We went to an in-law's neighborhood for trick or treating last night. There was a teenage girl dressed pretty much like the female cop in Bill's poster, made me a little uncomfortable...

There was a guy in a blood-stained shirt carrying a toy (orange muzzled) Ak-47 but I never figured out what he was supposed to be dressed as. Hanging around with him was a redhead hottie in an NRA T-shirt. I didn't ask, since I was afraid they'd claim the NRA was scary. I was holding Vanessa's broom (she dressed as a witch) so I was prepared to tell people I was Hillary but the only guy who asked was drunk and offered me a beer, and didn't know what I meant.

[Little Corn Tom]

Well, last year no kids showed up for Halloween, but I still bought a small amount of candy for this year.
So, I guess that some families moved into the neighborhood this year and their kids started showing up.
We started to get worried about having enough candy to last the night, so we started to ration the snickers bars to one per kid.
I guess that our neighbors were more generous than we were because one little kid looked up at Maria, turned to her Mom and yelled "Mom....She only gave us one!"
Spoiled little brat, why when I was her age we.............
Happy Halloween
Tom

[Jonh]

Yeah, our cousin's boy got Play-Doh from one house, and shouted, "What a rip-off!" I wanted to pound him into the pavement.

[el duende grande]

Ah, I remember when my daughter was young. We lived in a po' neighborhood, Riviera-the White Ghetto of Arizona- and everyone loaded their kids in the car to take them to the stick-built neighborhoods!

Back at the house, I would turn out the lights and hide in the back part of the house. No real reason, you could tell from not hearing any dogs bark that there was nobody on the streets.