SEPT 28 CHILEAN ARMY USES PUPPIES TO SOFTEN IMAGE

SEPT 28 CHILEAN ARMY USES PUPPIES TO SOFTEN IMAGE

The cutest story in the news this week involves a 'Puppy Parade' in Chile. Papers from the New York Post to the South China Post ran photos of the nine adorable Golden Retriever pups. Here's the situation: In the annual military parade through the capital, the puppies joined in with the grown police dogs. As expected, they stole the show and touched hearts worldwide.

September 19th is Chilean Independence Day. This year, the nation is celebrating 208 years since the Army of the Andes forced out a small Spanish garrison from Valparaiso. Army Day celebrations are naturally centered in the capital, Santiago. It culminates with a lavish parade. The army proudly quick-steps down the surprisingly wide Avenida de los Heroes to a grandstand drenched in flags and bunting. Here stands the president. The top general then requests permission to proceed to the Plaza de Armas. Every year, the president replies: "Permission granted sir, you may proceed."

For the first 81 years, the parade was a decidedly mellow affair. The Chilean Civil War of 1891 changed all that. During this short but bloody conflict, the Navy defeated the Army and the elected President. A hero of the affair was Prussian General Emil Korner. Although only in Chile as a military consultant, he joined the cause when the revolt suddenly erupted. His experience proved invaluable, as he transformed the motley regiments into disciplined soldiers.

After the victory, Korner was presented with the title of Brigadier General of the Chilean Armed Forces. He stayed for ten more years to continue the 'Prussianization' of the force. In short, he converted a laid-back crew of lackeys into a tightly formed regiment...just like back home in Berlin. In 1896, the troops first marched down the Avenida de los Heroes in a goose-step. Although the Reich in Germany has long since vanished, the creepy concept of Nazi precision processions is still very much alive in Chile. During the Pinochet Regime, this even rose in importance and was televised for the first time.

Sadly, the Army still holds a lot of power in Chile. Past Presidents, like Michelle Bachelet, have been hesitant to alter the cherished ceremony. That's why we here at the DUNER BLOG think the Golden Retriever puppies are a calculated maneuver by government officials. It's a way of putting a friendly face on a very unfriendly parade. It's a nice first step, but isn't it time we put an end to goose-stepping armies worldwide? Just sayin'...

SEPT 22 MACEDONIA TO VOTE ON NAME CHANGE

SEPT 22  MACEDONIA TO VOTE ON NAME CHANGE

Next Sunday, people in the European nation of Macedonia are going to the polls to vote on one of the strangest ballot measures ever: They are voting on whether to add the word 'NORTH' to the official name of the nation. While this seems like a huge waste of time of money, there is a method to the madness. Prime Minister Zoran Zaev is "confident the measure will pass" and knows it will instantly benefit his country economically.

How will changing a name be linked to economic prosperity? It's complicated. Ever since Yugoslavia broke up into five new nations in 1991, the name of the southernmost county has been problematic. See, Ancient Macedonia was an enormous province. In Roman times, it was three times the size of the present-day nation. While the third of this ancient land that ended up in Bulgaria is not an issue, the Greek section is a firestorm. Modern Greeks take their history seriously and feel threatened by any appropriate of their heritage. They have a province called Macedonia too!

So when the new nation of Macedonia became independent 27 years ago, and began to use the moniker, the Greeks called foul to the United Nations. After a debate, it was agreed by all parties to call the nation the "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia." (FYROM). While unhappy with the decision, people in Skopje accepted it...getting into the United Nations was more important. Today, the country is facing a new challenge: Entry in the E.U. Again, Greece is blocking it. After yet even more negotiations, all agreed on a new name. The Republic of Northern Macedonia.

While a compromise is always nice, we at the DUNER BLOG can't help but feel Greece is being a bit silly about the issue. Let's go back to 404 BC. That's when the disastrous Pelopponnesian Wars ended, leaving both Athens and Sparta in ruin. Seeing an opportunity, Philip II of Macedon swooped down and conquered both city/states. Athens wasn't happy about being subservient to Macedonia. After Alexander the Great's death in 323 BC, they promptly declared their independence from their northern neighbor. Yet today, Athens is adamant about preserving the name? Hmm.

The Greek government needs to realize that times change and peoples change too. Today, a citizen of Macedonia speaks the Macedonian language, which is Slavic and not related to Greek. In the 2,350 years since Alexander the Great, a unique culture has developed in Macedonia that has little to do with Greece. However, the E.U. gives countries the power to veto a new entry, so the people of Macedonia have little choice but to change their own name....again.

SEPT 15 THE WEIRDEST 'THEME RESTAURANTS' WORLDWIDE

SEPT 15  THE WEIRDEST 'THEME RESTAURANTS' WORLDWIDE

Yesterday was an epic day for teen girls in Irvine, California. The first-ever Hello Kitty Café opened in the Golden State of California! Painted entirely in pink...inside and outside...it attracted a huge crown of girls and grown women alike. During the afternoon, the Hello Kitty Café serves pink donuts and cakes to the kids. At night, it pours bright pink 'Happy Together' cocktails to women. This got us wondering at the DUNER BLOG: What other silly themed restaurants are out there? Here are five wacky ones:

Owl Café, Tokyo. Banking on the success of the city's numerous Cat cafe's, (where diners get to pet dozens of live cats while sipping on tea), a number of similar, animal-interactive establishments have recently opened. In addition to the bunny and penguin restaurants, Owl Cafes have also sprung up. Apparently, owls are relatively tame and like to be cuddled and pet.

Hospitalis, Riga. Most people dislike hospital food. Yet somehow, this Latvian establishment manages to stay open serving it. It likely has to do with the zany atmosphere. X-rays hang on the walls. Drinks are served in test tubes. Forks and spoons are replaced by syringes and scalpels. But the real reason for its success are the waitresses dressed in slutty nurse costumes!

La Tante Royal, Accra. Most people also don't like airplane food. Yet somehow, people flock to this popular West African eatery. See, when Ghana Airlines went bankrupt in 2005, numerous planes were left idle at the Accra International Airport. Enterprising businessmen converted a DC-10 into a unique dining experience. You start in the cockpit, which is now a cocktail bar!

Opaque, Los Angeles. Pretend you're eating a delicious dinner and the power goes out. Suddenly, you cannot see your plate. Welcome to Opaque, where 'Dining in the Dark' is the theme. Waiters with night-vision goggles escort you to your table and serve your food. The courses are fixed. Because it's impossible to read a menu in the dark, you know!

O'Natural, Paris. Many restaurants have signs that say: No shirt, No shoes, No service. However, this French eatery is the complete opposite. Yep...all patrons disrobe and eat completely in the nude. Don't worry: Seat covers are changed after every meal. While this experience might be odd, this place sounds like it has the best food of the five places on the list. The fixed-price menu includes lobster, escargot, lamb and scallops. Yum!

SEPT 7 NO VIOLATIONS YET FOR MLB'S NEW 'MOUND VISIT' RULE

SEPT 7  NO VIOLATIONS YET FOR MLB'S NEW 'MOUND VISIT' RULE

If you've attend any Major League Baseball game this season, you might have noticed a new addition to the scoreboard. Every ballpark is now required to count the number of "mound visits" during a game. What is a "mound visit"? It's when the pitcher stops playing the game and instead talks to someone about it. He usually chats with the catcher, a coach, the third baseman...but sometimes it's the whole infield! Anyhow, in an attempt to speed-up the sport, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred set a limit on the number of mound visits: Six. It's the MVR (Mound Visits Remaining) on the scoreboard during a game.

With the regular season soon ending, it seems the measure so far has been a major success. Last season, teams averaged 7.4 mound visits each game. This year, the figure has been cut in half to 3.6. Overall, that means the games are shorter. They're three hours and one minute on the average, also down from last season. NOTE: Extra visits are allowed for extra innings. Punishment for a seventh mound visit is ejection of the pitcher.

While old timers are complaining about any altering of the sacred game, we here at the DUNER BLOG feels the change is long overdue. Let's face it: Baseball is the only major sport where...any time you like...a player can take a personal break. The other major sports, basketball, football, hockey...they all count timeouts. Could you imagine LeBron just stopping at half-court to talk with coach? Or Tom Brady suddenly strolling away from center to clarify with the O.C.?  Of course not!

Commissioner Manfred understands this and will continue to tinker with baseball's byzantine rules to make the sport better for fans. Last season, he abolished the dreaded four-pitch intentional walk. No longer do fans have to watch two men play catch...nowadays, the batter just trots directly to first base. He's also instituted a clock for pitchers who stand and stare at the plate for minutes before their windup. Don't fret, old timers, these measures are not changing baseball strategy!

While the new mound visit policy sounds positive, the enforcement of the rule by officials and teams has been spotty. See, the players' and umpire's unions both opposed the measure. The players only care about winning games and want to communicate as much as possible. The umps know baseball has no clock and want to be in charge of managing the game. So anytime the number of mound visits gets to five, the rule is not enforced. Believe it or not...in the 2,315 games played so far this season...a grand total of ZERO violations have been called!

AUG 30 VENEZUELA REMOVES FIVE ZEROS FROM CURRENCY

AUG 30  VENEZUELA REMOVES FIVE ZEROS FROM CURRENCY

Last week, Venezuelan finance minister Nelson Merentes made a most curious announcement. From his office in Caracas, he proclaimed the solution to the nation's crippling economic crisis. Raising petroleum exports? Nope. Another international bailout loan? Wrong again. It seems there is a more simple answer. The Venezuelan government is removing five zeros from the Bolivar. A newly minted 'Sovereign Bolivar' is being rolled out. Best of all? They have new colors!

While this sounds like a nice idea, Johns Hopkins economic prof Steve Hawke calls it a cosmetic solution: "It means nothing unless you change economic policy." He explains the only accomplishment of moving a decimal point in your money is avoiding the dreaded 'Wheelbarrow Problem." This refers to the post-war Weimar Republic. Potatoes cost a billion marks, and Germans needed wheelbarrows to carry that many bills. Anyhow, hyper-inflation is a serious condition that Venezuela cannot solve by putting mascara on a pig.

Sadly, Venezuela's currency change is hardly a new concept. In fact, slashing five zeros isn't even a record. In 2009, beleaguered Zimbabwe introduced the Fourth Dollar, thus removing twelve zeros from their currency. In fact, most developing nations have, at some time, shifted decimals points to deal with runaway inflation. It's seen as a way to simplify matters for people. Recently, Colombia just replaced three zeros with the word 'mil,' on their currency notes as people were already verbally omitting the word thousand.

Most experts worldwide are viewing the move in Venezuela as an act of desperation for President Nicolas Maduro. Let's face it: He's had a difficult month. Earlier in August, he survived a high-tech assassination attempt. At a military parade in Caracas, an explosive-laden drone flew precariously close to El Presidente. Although El Jefe was unhurt, seven of his soldiers were badly burned and injured. It's a toxic environment in Venezuela. Every day, a protester dies, a hundred people flee and everyone is hungry.

But life goes on, and Venezuelans are adjusting to their new currency notes. While it's easier to spend 20 Bolivar...instead of 200,000 Bolivar...for a cup of coffee, people are always weary of a new money. Having familiar bills and coins is a reassuring part of being a citizen. Take the USA for example. Any attempt at change of our money is met with vigorous public disapproval. Remember the Susan B. Anthony dollar coin? Yet perhaps we can learn from Venezuela. Pennies and nickels are worthless and should be removed from circulation. Let's just move over the decimal one place and make the dime the smallest coin!

AUG 24 CHINESE TOURISTS NOW OUTNUMBER AMERICAN TOURISTS

AUG 24  CHINESE TOURISTS NOW OUTNUMBER AMERICAN TOURISTS

The World Bank just released some new statistics about global tourism. For the first time ever, the People's Republic of China has nabbed the top spot with 156,120,000 international travelers in a calendar year. The US...the leader in this statistic for the last century...has slipped into second place. If you've visited any major attraction lately, you likely already know about this. From the Space Needle in Seattle to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, you'll see that information boards now include Chinese along with English, French and Spanish.

Why the sudden surge? Let's call it a pendulum swing. Back in the days of Mao, Chinese citizens were forbidden from leaving the mainland for any reason. These sanctions weren't officially lifted until the 1990's, but access to travel was still hindered. Today, it's much easier for Chinese nationals to get a passport and take a vacation overseas. Not surprisingly, people are lining up to get theirs. Let's face it: If you deny humans something, they'll salivate at the opportunity to taste it once it becomes available.

Let's check out the statistics. In the year 2000, only 10 million Chinese nationals traveled overseas. Yet by last year, this number has risen 156 million. That's a 1,380% increase! Yet even more important than this number is another figure: The amount of money spent by a nation's travelers. In this category, the PRC wallops the USA. In 2017, the Chinese shelled out a cumulative $2.6 billion in international purchases. That's twice the amount second-place Americans spend.

This statistic gives us an idea of what the Chinese do when they travel: They like to shop. Again, the pendulum is swinging. For centuries, China has shunned imports in favor of boring domestically produced products. This means no French designer jeans at a shopping mall in Qingdao. It follows that when Chinese tourists arrive in Milan, they head straight to the Versace and Prada boutiques in the Galleria.

So what does all this mean for the future of international travel? First of all, it means China is creating a lot of jobs in tourism sectors worldwide. It's a great time to be a Cantonese-speaking tourist guide! Yet it also means busier airports and longer lines at the Tower of London. This has many locals in impacted cities like Venice and Barcelona concerned. Don't tell them: It's only going to get worse. See, only 7% of Chinese nationals owns a passport. (Compared to 40% in the US and 76% in the UK). But 7% of the PRC's population is 100,000,000 people! Just imagine what happens when the remaining 93% starts traveling..

AUG 17 WHAT IS THE LUCKIEST NUMBER?

AUG 17  WHAT IS THE LUCKIEST NUMBER?

Last Saturday was August Eighth, or numerically, 8/8. Since this magical date only falls on a Saturday once in a decade, many couples jumped at the chance to get married on such an auspicious day. "With an extra '8' thrown in for 2018," explained James Wu, a superstitious fiancé, "This Saturday is the luckiest day of the year!" This got us at the DUNER BLOG wondering: What is the luckiest number for people worldwide? Fortunately, British mathematician Alex Bellos surveyed 30,000 people across the globe. Here's the results:

BRONZE: #8. In third place is number eight. This is a direct result of the Chinese being culturally superstitious about numbers. Four is horribly unlucky and eight is magical. Example: The Opening Ceremonies for the Beijing Olympics were also intentionally held on August Eighth, (8/8) at 8:08pm. Why is 8 so lucky? In Cantonese, the word for eight ('Fa) sounds a lot like the word for wealth. Also, the number 88 looks like the symbol for 'double happiness.' Furthermore, it's a balanced shape that can be inverted into the infinity sign.

SILVER: #11. Bellos' study found that many people worldwide are also obsessed with the number eleven. In Tarot, card #11 is the symbol of strength and justice. Eleven comes one after ten. Ten is a balanced end of a set...but eleven is one extravagant number more. Therefore, eleven symbolizes the future and what's to come. Veteran's Day is on November Eleventh (11/11) and Apollo 11 was the first manner lunar landing. It's also lucky in South Africa, which has eleven official languages and Nelson Mandela was their eleventh president.

GOLD: #7. Far and away, the most popular lucky number is SEVEN. When polled, nearly half of the participants in the survey instantly replied: "SEVEN!" For some reason, when humans count things, they like to stop at seven. Seven days in a week. Seven colors on the rainbow. Seven notes on a musical scale. Seven continents. Seven seas. You get the picture! It also figures into literature, with Seven Dwarfs and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Perhaps TV star George Constanza took it to the extreme when he wanted to name his own son 'Seven.'

So there you go. If you're a gambler, event planner or just like to play it safe...remember to chose your numbers wisely!