# When the Lunatics Run the Asylum: Chavez's Latest **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 9, 2007, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-lunatics-run-the-asylum-chavezs-latest/429376 "2007-12-09T12:39:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2007, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-lunatics-run-the-asylum-chavezs-latest/429376/1 "2007-12-09T12:39:04Z")
[“Call me crazy, but I’m changing time!”](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7134927.stm) > [@](#): > > Venezuela creates its own unique time zone on Sunday, putting the clock back half-an-hour on a permanent basis. > > President Hugo Chavez says that an earlier dawn means the performance of the country will improve, as more people will wake up in daylight. > > “I don’t care if they call me crazy, the new time will go ahead,” he said. > > But critics say the move is unnecessary and the president simply wants to be in a different time zone from his arch-rival, the United States. Apparently, when Chavez announced the time change, he wasn’t certain of which way folks should move their clocks. Good thing they don’t have the second largest military in the world, or Chavez would _really_ be able to export the crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Kuboydal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@Kuboydal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kuboydal)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2007, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-lunatics-run-the-asylum-chavezs-latest/429376/2 "2007-12-09T17:26:35Z")
People thought Ted Turner was crazy, too… actually, I think he is. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2007, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-lunatics-run-the-asylum-chavezs-latest/429376/3 "2007-12-09T19:18:47Z")
In another move to keep American influence out of Venezuela, Chavez announced he was having all the letters of “United States” removed from his country’s name, which will henceforth be known as “Vzl”. When asked how this would be pronounced, Chavez explained by denouncing the questioner as an imperialist spy. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2007, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-lunatics-run-the-asylum-chavezs-latest/429376/4 "2007-12-09T20:22:44Z")
I’m torn between laughing uproariously at his inanity and worrying over what trouble he’s going to stir up. He’s raised being a whacko to a whole new level. ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2007, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-lunatics-run-the-asylum-chavezs-latest/429376/5 "2007-12-09T20:40:43Z")
What a goof. Why didn’t he just redefine their time intervals? He could have made one Venezuelan second equal to two American seconds. Then he’d have _twice_ as much daylight as the US. Suck on _that_, Bush! ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2007, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-lunatics-run-the-asylum-chavezs-latest/429376/6 "2007-12-09T20:47:07Z")
That doesn’t strike me as crazy. Daylight savings time is fucking nuts. Splitting the difference between what the clocks read in summer and what they say in winter and never changing them again is a fantastic idea that the US should adopt. Viva la revolution! ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2007, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-lunatics-run-the-asylum-chavezs-latest/429376/7 "2007-12-09T20:54:40Z")
:sigh: I was glad he lost the chance to be a president for life, however I have to throw some rain in this parade: > [@](#): > > The move had first been announced in August, but it has been delayed twice because international bodies and Venezuela itself were not ready to implement the change. > > Science and Technology Minister Hector Nacarro praised the measure. > > “I see it as a very positive thing that while there is light we can be in it,” he said. > [@](#): > > Small time differences are hardly unique, however. > > Canada’s Newfoundland province is half-an-hour out of step with other Atlantic provinces. > > Pakistan is only half-an-hour behind India, while Nepal is a mere 15 minutes ahead of its large southern neighbour. > > Western Australia and South Australia observe a 90-minute time difference across the state boundary. > > However, the remote border town of Eucla and the surrounding area, home to a few hundred people, operates on its own time zone, 45 minutes ahead of Western Australia and 45 minutes behind South Australia. The Capital of Venezuela is indeed in the middle of the previous time zones: > **[South America time zones map and current local time across South America in...](https://www.worldtimezone.com/time-south-america24.php)** > > South America time zones map and current local time across South America in 24 hour format About the only stupid thing so far is Chavez making this change a reality with those words, and the most sad thing is seeing once again the opposition in Venezuela demonstrating that they can be more irrational than Chavez. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2007, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-lunatics-run-the-asylum-chavezs-latest/429376/8 "2007-12-09T21:10:11Z")
I’m no Chavez fan, but it does seem to me that _whatever_ he does he will be ridiculed. I’m just waiting for the headlines like “Exclusive! Chavez poops once a day! What a loon!” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2007, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-lunatics-run-the-asylum-chavezs-latest/429376/9 "2007-12-09T22:22:25Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m no Chavez fan, but it does seem to me that whatever he does he will be ridiculed. I’m just waiting for the headlines like “Exclusive! Chavez poops once a day! What a loon!” During his Presidency, Chavez has changed the country’s name, flag, national seal, and military salute. And he’s announced plans to change the name of the currency. His apparent mania for symbolic rebranding is a ripe target for mockery. ---
**Author:** ![sinjin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@sinjin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinjin)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2007, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-lunatics-run-the-asylum-chavezs-latest/429376/10 "2007-12-09T22:23:18Z")
Hey I suggested the 1/2 hour thing in the recent day light saving thread. Unfortunately I’m so tired due to the time change over I can’t link to it just now. Me and Chavez, still crazy after all these years. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2007, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-lunatics-run-the-asylum-chavezs-latest/429376/11 "2007-12-09T22:59:59Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] During his Presidency, Chavez has changed the country’s name, flag, national seal, and military salute. And he’s announced plans to change the name of the currency. His apparent mania for symbolic rebranding is a ripe target for mockery. [/QUOTE] Interesting. I knew about the “Bolivarian Republic” thing, but what are the details of the other changes? How do the soldiers salute, now? ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2007, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-lunatics-run-the-asylum-chavezs-latest/429376/12 "2007-12-10T00:53:50Z")
The sad thing is, now that batshitcrazyman has done it, it’ll never happen here. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2007, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-lunatics-run-the-asylum-chavezs-latest/429376/13 "2007-12-10T01:34:00Z")
[GD thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=447201) ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2007, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-lunatics-run-the-asylum-chavezs-latest/429376/14 "2007-12-10T02:46:45Z")
[QUOTE=GIGObuster] :sigh: I was glad he lost the chance to be a president for life, however I have to throw some rain in this parade: The Capital of Venezuela is indeed in the middle of the previous time zones: > **[South America time zones map and current local time across South America in...](https://www.worldtimezone.com/time-south-america24.php)** > > South America time zones map and current local time across South America in 24 hour format About the only stupid thing so far is Chavez making this change a reality with those words, and the most sad thing is seeing once again the opposition in Venezuela demonstrating that they can be more irrational than Chavez. [/QUOTE] So you’re quoting a guy who works for the Nutjob-in-Chief and happens to agree with El Nutbago? Did the possibility that if he didn’t agree with los Frijoles de Freak he’d be out of a job, ever occur to you? On the BBC radio, the justifications given were that it’d make kids do better in school (and Chazvez _didn’t_ know which way the clocks were supposed to go). :dubious: _I_ had to get up and go to school in the dark when I was a kid (_and_ walk 10 miles to school, in the snow, uphill, both ways ;)) and it didn’t screw me up. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2007, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-lunatics-run-the-asylum-chavezs-latest/429376/15 "2007-12-10T03:47:47Z")
[QUOTE=Tuckerfan] … it didn’t screw me up. [/QUOTE] … much. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2007, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-lunatics-run-the-asylum-chavezs-latest/429376/16 "2007-12-10T03:58:12Z")
> [@](#): > > But critics say the move is unnecessary and the president simply wants to be in a different time zone from his arch-rival, the United States. But according to my handy-dandy time-zone program, Venezuela is currently using the “Atlantic” time zone, the same as the maritime provinces in Canada (Except Newfoundland) and an hour ahead of Eastern time. If the clocks are moved back an hour (so the sun rises earlier) _then_ he’ll be using the same time as NYC and Washington, D.C. Somebody’s confused. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2007, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-lunatics-run-the-asylum-chavezs-latest/429376/17 "2007-12-10T04:03:36Z")
[QUOTE=DesertDog] But according to my handy-dandy time-zone program, Venezuela is currently using the “Atlantic” time zone, the same as the maritime provinces in Canada (Except Newfoundland) and an hour ahead of Eastern time. If the clocks are moved back an hour (so the sun rises earlier) _then_ he’ll be using the same time as NYC and Washington, D.C. Somebody’s confused. [/QUOTE] You are, Chavez has moved the clocks **half** an hour. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2007, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-lunatics-run-the-asylum-chavezs-latest/429376/18 "2007-12-10T04:52:18Z")
Newfoundland has its own time zone, 1/2 hour ahead of Atlantic time (which is used by New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI and much of Labrador). Venezuela used to be on Atlantic time; its new time zone is apparently halfway between Atlantic time and Eastern time. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2007, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-lunatics-run-the-asylum-chavezs-latest/429376/19 "2007-12-10T05:15:14Z")
> [@](#): > > I knew about the “Bolivarian Republic” thing, but what are the details of the other changes? How do the soldiers salute, now? I’ve read that Chavez changed these things but I couldn’t find details about the before-and-after comparisons of the salute. But the flag and seal one I did find - the Venezuelan flag and seal have a running horse on them. The horse used to be heading towards the [right](http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=93174&rendTypeId=4). Chavez said this meant the horse was running towards “imperialism”. So he had the horse turned around to head ([http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=4904&rendTypeId=4](http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=4904&rendTypeId=4)) towards “freedom”.