Copete has left 35 comments

Copete comments on Absentee Voting

No, but yes Colombia doesn't have an absentee ballot system. Voting must be done in person, but polling stations are installed all over the world, particularly in areas with high densities of Colombian residents. She can now register to vote in the nearest consulate/embassy (where do you live?), up until APRIL 3RD, for the first round of presidential elections to be held on May 28th.

Copete comments on Bello Horizonte Beach in Santa Marta, Colombia

BH Bello Horizonte has going for it the fact that it's close to the airport, if that's important for you. Also, probably the primary security concern there is the crossing of the Santa Marta-Barranquilla road on foot.

Copete comments on Cultural do's & don'ts ??

names As far as I know, in the UN it says "United States" on the desk of the delegation from the USA, and "Mexico" on the desk of the Mexican delegation.

Also, as much as USians revere the "Founding Fathers," one of the dumbest things they could have done would be to name the country "America," almost 300 years after that name had already been used to label the whole continent.

Copete comments on NOT TO URIBE'S IMMEDIATE REELECTION

BS That argument of EL TIEMPO supporting Uribe just because Francisco Santos is his Vice-President is pure baloney. Let's just remember that EL TIEMPO backed Horacio Serpa last time, despite the fact that Uribe was running with Francisco Santos back then also.

And you just need to come up with a better argument than a blind opposition to Uribe's "caudillismo." In order to build strong institutions than can run smoothly despite incompetent leaders (as in USA), strong visionary leadership is needed first (as in the early days of the USA). So, if you want to criticize Uribe, criticize him based on his ideas and his long-term goals for the country, not just on a style which in principle is just that: a style, which has been pretty damn effective by the way.

My opinion goes close to the lines of EL TIEMPO: the way in which the reelection was approved and institutionalized was not pretty, but from a pragmatic point of view, today's Colombia does need a leader in Uribe's mold. And reelection by itself is not a threat to strong institutions; please give me names of developed countries which do not allow reelection. For once, reelection should at least prompt future presidents to think long-term, rather than concentrate on immediate results as all presidents in recent Colombian history have done.

Copete comments on Residencias Tequendama - Bogota

I would Why are you considering to move there? Who is offering you a place there? That's actually the building where the governement has arranged congresspeople from outside Bogota to stay while in town, so it has quite a high level of service and security. It has a very impressive restaurant at the top with magnificent views of the city.

The neighborhood is indeed more commercial than residential, a bit lonely at night but nothing to worry about. It's reasonably clean, with lots of shops, banks, restaurants around. And it's very centrally located, so you are very well connected with the rest of the city. I'd definitely consider a stay there, but it all depends on what you're looking for

Copete comments on Colombia defeats Mexico 2-1 in Gold Cup! Viva Colombiaaaaa!!!!

more on FIFA rankings
Quoting myself:

"wait and see the results after the Gold Cup ends, with Panama ranked in the top 20 and such"

According to G5, this "clearly implies that the FIFA rankings favor [Panama]". Duh. Do US law schools teach people about EXAMPLES, and how they're used to illustrate a larger problem? In case you don't get it yet, the larger problem is that mediocre tournaments such as the Gold Cup can significantly alter the FIFA rankings. And, just as I think it'd be ridiculous for Panama to be placed in the top 20 because of its Gold Cup performance, for the same reason it'd be ridiculous for the US to jump up to the top 5, as it may well happen.

I'm not trying to make up conspiracy theories as you suggest. In fact I'm not blaming anyone for the inaccuracy of the FIFA rankings. In science, if the equipment you use to measure something isn't very good, the results just won't be very accurate, no matter how good a scientist you are. And FIFA's "equipment" just isn't very good, given the large disparities in competitiveness of different leagues. Even if you try to come up with an algorithm that takes that into account, the level of uncertainty will still be high. I'm not sure that's something lawyers are supposed to know about. The conclusion can only be that FIFA rankings are not all that important, as most people here except for you seem to think.

Now, I already answered your question about Colombia's ranking, but just to be more specific: when Colombia was high in the rankings, it was because it was consistently and comprehensively beating very competitive teams like Argentina. The US hasn't yet been able to do that, maybe through no fault of its own, but because of the low level of competitiveness of the rivals it regularly faces. So, until I start seeing the US beat competitive teams with any decent consistency, I'll keep thinking it's just a big fish in a small pond.

Copete comments on highway Santa Marta

Troncal del Caribe The name of the highway you're talking about is (Carretera) Troncal del Caribe. However, as of 10 years ago or so, the faster way from Bogota to Santa Marta takes the Troncal del Magdalena Medio, which then converges with the Troncal del Caribe up in Cesar province. The Troncal del Magdalena Medio has a steep 4-hour descent from Bogota (2600m) to the Magdalena River valley (~200m). Then the road becomes flat and fast, Magdalena River on one side, Cordillera Oriental on the other, hot and humid weather. After joining the Troncal del Magdalena Medio, you're in the middle of the Caribbean flatlands, until you reach the skirts of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta on the right after the town of Bosconia (Cesar). Then you border the Sierra Nevada for a further 3 hours until you reach Santa Marta.

Copete comments on Colombia defeats Mexico 2-1 in Gold Cup! Viva Colombiaaaaa!!!!

bias? ha ha Who said I'm saying FIFA is biased towards the US??? man, do you come up with funny conclusions...

All I'm saying is that a ranking that is based upon performances in leagues with completely differents levels of competitiveness cannot be very accurate, no matter what formula they use. We just have to wait and see results after the Gold Cup ends, with Panama ranked in the top 20 and such.

Now, do I believe team rankings based on good results in a competitive league? Yes, I certainly believe them more than rankings based on results in a less competitive league. Does that answer your question?

Copete comments on Colombia defeats Mexico 2-1 in Gold Cup! Viva Colombiaaaaa!!!!

Inferiority complex? G5, that's a funny one. The only thing I wish CONMEBOL had is the ratio of world cup spots to quality of soccer that CONCACAF has.

Also, and at the end of this tournament, we'll see how artificial the FIFA rankings you quote so often are. I'm sure that if the US wins, they'll rocket up to one of the top 5 spots. Even though we all agree on the joke of a tournament this one is. Hell, now that the semifinal draw is set, we now know that Colombia's group, with Panama, Honduras and Trinidad&Tobago, with three of them now in the semifinals, was the strongest of the groups!

And yeah, the US has done pretty well in the last few years for a team that was dead last in the '98 world cup, but it will still need more consistent performances in international tournaments that matter, before I believe they're actually the 10th best team in the world.

Copete comments on vacation in Santa Marta or...?

Not Santa Marta If your friends only have a week, you need to work out a schedule that gives them a fair general picture of the country, while at the same time gives them a meaningful amount of time for each of the places they visit. And as much as I like Santa Marta, I don't think it's a destination I would fit into a 1-week trip.

First, you probably want to organize the trip around two main cities; one in the Andean Region and one in the Caribbean makes sense for the sake of having "general picture" of Colombia. Three or more is probably too many. The Andean one should be Bogota, since that's where you live; 3-4 days would be a good time to experience the city and hopefully a couple of places nearby. And for the Caribbean city, Cartagena is just unparalleled as a city, although the city beaches could be better. But to solve that, you should make the trip to the Islas del Rosario and spend at least a whole day there, or better stay overnight. Playa Blanca would be my first choice for this. And BTW, I don't recommend the "traditional" Islas del Rosario day trip; too many stops, not enough time to relax at each place, and the Oceanario may be fine for someone from Bogota who has never seen a shark or a dolphin, but the place doesn't hold a candle against any of the aquariums you can visit in the US, for instance. The whole Cartagena would take you at least 3 days.

Again, I love Santa Marta, but to do it justice you would have to squeeze out Cartagena, and that would be a mistake. Parque Tayrona alone is worth at least a couple of days, and as you may know, the Sierra Nevada trek takes at least 5 days (contrary to what's said above, I'd recommend it to anyone of adequate physical fitness, including gringos). I would certainly put Santa Marta in a 2-week schedule, but on a 1-week schdule it'd be too much.

Copete comments on Colombia defeats Mexico 2-1 in Gold Cup! Viva Colombiaaaaa!!!!

My conclusion The only clear conclusion I can make out of this tournament so far is how poor of a confederation CONCACAF is. If neither Colombia nor Mexico took this tournament seriously enough, is was for a good reason: the level of the teams in this tournament is far far below that of other continental tournaments such as Copa America and the Euroupean Cup.

And the Mexicans and their supporters can make up all the excuses they want, but the bottom line is that Mexico, as a CONCACAF "powerhouse", had the obligation to win its continental tournament, and they just failed. From watching the game, it was clear to me that Mexico's problem did not come down to one or two players. The whole team had a poor showing and Colombia certainly deserved to win. And we're just talking about the 5th team in South America with its team B. The CONCACAF people can at least be happy that that, because of the semifinal draw, the distinct (and embarrassing) possibility of the two invited teams playing the final will not materialize. Maybe even 3 World Cup spots for CONCACAF is still too many.

Copete comments on Bill Clinton: Defensor de la Colombianidad!

Just a dream? "I think it will be great to have Hilary as President. I just wonder who will be president of the resurrected Confederate States of America?"

Probably one of those hypocritical Christian leaders who have so much influence down there. And I can't wait for that day to happen, when finally those loser states won't keep dragging the whole country down the toilet.

Copete comments on Best places to visit in Colombia/South America

Itaipu, Iguazu Itaipu Dam is very close to Iguazu falls (which are definitely a must), and can certainly be seen on the same visit. In fact, there's a day trip package that does the Brazilian side of Iguazu falls, Itaipu Dam, and Ciudad del Este (Paraguay). Cuidad del Este is a dump, reminded me of Maicao (in the Colombian border with Venezuela), with the difference that C.D.E. is the second or third city in Paraguay, although the border crossing and experiencing the obvious contraband that goes on from up close makes the trip worth it.

Also, I hope you realize that many of the places you propose are very far away from Colombia, and the cost of the trip may not necessarily be lower than from, say, the USA. International travel within South America is quite expensive, as South Americans don't travel that much within the continent.

Copete comments on 10 things this colombian likes about the usa

Science, TV kernow62, while the UK is one of the countries that has benefitted the most from the drop in the US's competitiveness, the US still has by far the most diverse and accomplished science community in the world. It is still true it's quite uncommon for the Nobel Prize in Physics, Chemistry or Medicine/Physiology not to be awarded for work done in the US. But it is a fact that, for instance, the number of international applicants for graduate programs at MIT -a prime science/engineering research institution- has fallen down by as much as 15% after 9/11, and the MIT president publicly expressed his concern. The drop in Nobel Prize winners would only be a matter of time.

And I agree that while TV can be a valuable source of knowledge, it requires the viewer to have developped certain critical thinking skills, in order to see through the trap of visual effects that will make you lose perspective on which things are important and which aren't (in other words, will make you stupid). Those critical thinking skills must be developed over time; you're not born with them, and a TV set won't teach them to you. If you don't have them, the best thing you can do is to keep that TV off. And the fact that the Republican TV ad campaign last year worked the way it did has to tell you something about the critical thinking skills of the general American population. As I've said, most American scientists I've met have in common that they watch very little TV, and I don't think it's a coincidence.

Copete comments on 10 things this colombian likes about the usa

Science! I'm apalled nobody has mentioned one of the most noteworthy of all qualities of the US: its scientific community. Overwhealmingly superior to any other on planet earth, it's has contributed more towards real progress than just about any other group. Although it's been losing a bit of an edge lately, thanks to the new government-sponsored wave of bigotry against foreigners and its ridiculous moralistic concerns. At least in my case, science is the one thing that makes me put up with all that's crap about the US and keeps me here (for now).

In fact, the scientific community generally rejects everything that's bad about the US:
-It's quite inclusive; one's brain is more important than any external physical characteristic. It's rapidly ceasing to be a white male-dominated group.
-It doesn't participate in the culture of excess that's so common all over the US. Scientists tend to buy just what they need and don't indulge in unnecessary luxury.
-People actually love what they do; they don't do it because it's what daddy did or it's what brings the most money.
-Quite environmentally friendly: biking to work, walking, carpooling are quite common. SUVs are quite uncommon.
-Votes overwhealmingly Democratic. Not surprising for people who can actually think outside the box.
-No religious fanaticism.
-Hip-hop, TV, football (basically, stuff that makes people stupid), are quite unpopular.

Copete comments on Word Usage

bravo That's another example of a literal translation that doesn't work. So, what do you prefer, the Mexican "tengo coraje" = "I've got courage"?

Copete comments on Santa Marta Waters

Zuana to Taganga, Tayrona In a nutshell, Zuana and Taganga/Tayrona are on opposite sides of Santa Marta. Zuana is right.off the road to Barranquilla/Cartagena (south-west). Taganga and Tayrona are on the way to La Guajira/Venezuela (north-east). But Santa Marta isn't really a large city, so the ride from Zuana to Taganga shouldn't take more than 1/2 hour by cab, maybe 45 min. is traffic is very heavy. I recommend taking a taxi to Taganga, since public transportation is much slower and you'd probably need to take 2 busses: Zuana-downtown Santa Marta, and downtown SM-Taganga. I'd be surprised if it cost you more than C$10,000 (US$4).
For Tayrona, you probably want to arrange a ride through the hotel. Those usually leave quite early (~7am) because it takes at least an hour to get to the entrance, plus an hour walking to Arrecifes, from which you can continue on to other beaches.
There are three other sectors which officially make part of Parque Tayrona, but which have different routes of access: Bahia Concha, Gayraca, and Neguange. They are are all awesome places; all located in between Taganga and Arrecifes. Ask at the hotel for transportation options, since no public transport (other than expensive cabs) would take you there.

Copete comments on Colegio Nueva Granada

CNG I don't know what you're looking for in a school, but here's my take on Colegio Nueva Granada. Socio-economically, it's about as upscale as it gets. Clearly one of the most expensive schools in Bogota (and therefore Colombia); kids with bodyguards, chauffer, or driving their own car are not uncommon. On the other hand, the academic level in general is very good; a relatively high percentage of graduates go on to attend college in the US. All-around, one of the elite schools of Bogota.
In practice, this means your experience will be exciting with the many highly motivated, achieving students. But it will also be quite frustrating with the many spoiled "hijo de papi" students there are as well. I have met quite a few CNG gradutes, and with most of them I either have a great friendship or try to avoid them as much as possible.

Copete comments on Colombia ranks ahead of Siwtzerland,Italy in Women Gender Gap Study

Colombia was second among Latin American countries, after Costa Rica. Also, the study measures health,education, econmic opourtunities, etc, compared to those of men of the same socioeconomic background, of course. So, a poor country may well be ahead of a rich country if such a criterion is used.

Copete comments on Child US Citizen, father lives in Colombia

red tape Yes, he can enter Colombia with a US passport and apply for Colombian citizenship while in Colombia. When applying for a Colombian passport, they must make sure to indicate that the child entered with a foreign passport, so his immigration status is officially changed, and he can exit the country with the Colombian passport. Also, in order to leave, he'll need both a birth certificate and a notarized permission to leave the country, signed by both parents.

Copete comments on Santa Marta Waters

Zuana is a nice complex and has a cool beach (a sector called "bello horizonte"). It's rather long, so it never gets too crowded. The water isn't super clear but it's decently clean. The beach faces straight to the west, so you can see amazing sunsets. But the main activities are jet ski, beach volleyball, "gusano" (the long thing that's pulled by a boat while some 6 people ride on it), and such. For snorkeling Taganga and Tayrona Park and definitely better.
Irotama is on the same beach, quite close to Zuana

Copete comments on Connecting through Bogota airport

Not sure... Actually, you may not have to go though customs in Bogota. You do go through immigration, but after you claim your bag, there's an Avianca desk in the same hall, where you can check it in for your Cartagena flight. Then, you go through customs without your bag and catch the bus to the Puente Aereo.
At least that's what I did a couple of years ago when I was on a connection to Cali. The funny part was that when you get to Cartagena, nobody will know you're coming from abroad, so you may end up not going through customs at all. I don't know if they've fixed that loophole lately, though.

Copete comments on Is this Spanish punctuation or a Colombian thing?

Who's wrong? What you guys seem to be complaining about is that Spanish sentences are too long and that therefore there's something wrong about Spanish. Sounds like complaining that German words are too long, and that therefore there's something wrong with German. Maybe you should rather learn how to read in Spanish, rather than ask for Spanish to be written with English punctuation. I admit it's not easy to learn how to read long German words, but you must do it if you wish to become a competent German reader.

As for Spanish speakers learning how to write in English, yes, it does take time to get used to putting periods every 5 words, so just be patient. It's just a philosophical difference. A competent Spanish writer is one who can string long sentences together while maintaining coherence, rather than one who can chop them into simple chunks. A Spanish essay that uses 5-word sentences would seem almost child-like.

Copete comments on What do you think about the people from Colombia that live in the U.S.?

Colombians in the US Having the opportunity to live in a country other than your own is always a good idea, no matter whether you think you home in Texas or Colombia is the best thing in the world. It will just give you a more open mind and better perspective on what's good and what can be improved.

I, as many other Colombians who are living in the US, face the dilemma of living in a place that provides the best opportunities for our professional development, although within a society we don't feel comfortable living in. It's unfortunate that sometimes you can't have everything you like in the same place, and the longer I live here, the more I'm convinced this isn't the place I'd like to live in for good. But I take as a transient stage, a step that's necessary at this point in my life. And I'll make my transitions at my own pace, not at the pace some American bigot tells me to.

And sylianita, you're the type of person that reminds me of that old song from Los Prisioneros "Por que no se van, no se van del pais..." But I absolutely agree that nobody should be forced to stay in a place where they don't want to be. If you like your new life better, so be it. Just as a suggestion, I'd recommend you to brush up on your English as soon as possible, if you hope to complete your transition into the American society. At the rate things are going now, the US is on the road to becoming more monolingual than it already is.

Copete comments on

statistics... Duh, dare someone compare any U.S. city with those third-world Colombian cities. Well, FYI a city is a city, they're inhabited by the same species of animals, with the same basic kinds of fears and necessities, and they can certainly be compared. Murder rates are one of many factors, one that's directly related to the perception of security/insecurity of people who live in the city. What's so wrong about comparing murder rates, given that the topic is security?

And it's also fair to make a distinction between political and extortive kidnapping, since they are of a different nature. Anyone who sees that chart can clearly see they're referring to extortive kidnapping, the kind an average tourist would be most likely to experience. They're not hiding that fact. Again, what's so wrong about that?

Copete comments on How To Get Along in Colombia!

Bigotry That analogy of Americans in Colombia is totally off the mark. And the big difference lies on the fact that the US, unlike Colombia, is almost by definition a land of immigrants, and until not too long ago seemed to have a general welcoming attitude towards them (well, especially if they were white Europeans). But the newly found bigotry against immigrants (undocumented Hispanics in particular) is a dangerous notion that seems to be finding quite a bit of acceptance lately. The widespread opposition to bilingual education is a good example. Contrary to the popular belief, I for one have never met a college-age US-born Hispanic who can't speak English proficiently. They speak it at least as well as George W. Bush does. I know it's a low standard, but I'm sure most people agree that he has "made it". On the other hand, in most countries in the world bilingual eduaction is regarded as very desirable. Not in in the present narrow-minded, monolingual United States.

What's most sad is that the human drama of those immigrants is exactly the same as the one of those who fled Europe for the US by ship for many decades. I'm sure they didn't arrive with an immigrant US visa either. The only difference is that back then it wasn't illegal but today it is. When will the bigots realize that the biggest problem is an immigration legislation that's not in line with the American reality and with American history? I'd agree that the Mexican border needs to be brought under much better control, but you'd be dreaming if you think the ultimate solution will come down to raw law enforcement.

Copete comments on A 4/5 week all-bus trip through Colombia too crazy?

Not so long legs Except for the Santa Marta-Bogota leg, none of the legs kcrosman is considering takes more than 8 hours to travel. And each of then is at least 10x more interesting than what you get in a typical Greyhound journey. And having traveled Santa Marta-Bogota by land many many times, I wouldn't hesitate to say it's absolutely OK to do. If I were you, though, I'd go from Santa Marta to Bucaramanga (about 10 hours), and from there stop a couple of times on the way to Bogota. This a very nice stretch of road.

Copete comments on Cedula?

ID The bottom line is that the Colombian police has the authority to randomly ask any person to produce a legal form of ID. This can happen anywhere, in cities and countryside alike, so you do need to carry one with you at all times. For Colombians, that would be a Cédula de Ciudadanía; for foreign residents it would be a Cédula de Extranjería; for foreign visitors it would be a passport. You may get away with showing a photocopy (preferably notarized) which, considering the risk of carrying your passport around, would be a good idea. But you would run the risk of running into a nasty cop who might not accept it; I'd say it's a rather small risk though.

Copete comments on Conocen Magdelena bien?

Fundación Bueno, yo soy colombiano y tengo bastante familia en el Magdalena, aunque no en Fundación. Fundación es un punto importante de tráfico de la gente que viaja de Barranquilla o Santa Marta hacia el sur del Magdalena, y por ahí también pasa la carretera que va hacia el Cesar y al interior del país. En el pasado, antes que se construyera la carretera directa por el mar entre Santa Marta y Barranquilla, siempre había que pasar por ahí. He estado en el pueblo varias veces, más que todo de paso, y no es un pueblo particularmente atractivo, pero en cuanto a seguridad está bien. He pasado por ahí tanto de noche como de día, casi todos los años desde hace por lo menos 15 años. Aunque no queda sobre la costa, está bastante cerca tanto de Barranquilla como de Santa Marta (no más de 2 horas), y todo el tiempo hay buses hacia las dos. Yo diría que no hay nada de qué preocuparse, sobre todo si tienes gente conocida en Fundación.

Copete comments on Does anyone have any evidence that human rights workers in Colombia are "terrorists" and "cowards"?

Sr. Tertius... Fundametally, the UDHR declared (for the first time) a core of universal principles on which the laws of every country should be based. Contrary to what you said, some of those laws did not exist and still do not exist in many countries. Unless you think that in places like Cuba or China people have the right to free speech and political association, for instance.

Now, from the text of the UDHR one doesn't conclude that only governments can violate human rights, and you'll need to come up with something different to show this is the case. Again, the principle that "everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person" doesn't look like something that could only be violated by a government. If anything, your distinction between "violations of human rights" (by a government), and "abuses" (by persons and criminal organizations) is quite irrelevant. In any country, penalties for a crime are given according to the seriousness of the crime, not by the type of person/organization who comitted the crime. Even HROs, as you pointed out, are somehow concerned about the "abuses" as well.

And I'm not denying the "abuses" of guerrillas and such aren't denounced by HROs. However, they leave the feeling that it's all just a tactical move designed to do good PR (as you said) and protect them from accusations of impartiality, rather than part of their principal commitment.

On the other hand, you keep deliberatly trying to blur the line between respect for human rights and protection of human rights. For example: A policeman has the duty both to enforce the law and abide by the law; he can be accused and prosecuted for failing to do either of them, and I don't think the distinction between these two different responsibilities is irrelevant. Again, can you state which of the two HROs are supposed care about primarily?

And you're just spliting hairs on the "primary business" deal. Of course no criminal organization will state that their primary business is crime. Call it "primary activity" or whatever; the bottom line is that the worldwide perception of their activity is that it violates human rights. That should be a pretty objective criterion.

Copete comments on For what kind of people is Colombia a good place to live in?

The important vs. the not-so-important Antonio_4, the poor-but-happy philosophy you point out is quite an important one. Some people, especially in "developed" countries, like living under the overly simplistic philosophy of "it's better to be rich than poor." Things are not so simple obviously; I for one don't really envy the life of Bill Gates and corporate executives. Money and material goods in general make you lose so much perspective on what's essential and what's not. In that sense, Colombia for me is my "ground connection." One of my favorite quotes was written by St. Augustine many centuries ago and it still rings so true: "A happier person is not one who owns the most, but one who needs the least." The conclusion for me is that Colombia is a good country for those who don't base their happiness on the posession of material goods.

The question of safety is always there, too. But in a world as unpredictable as today's, I think its importance is way overblown. Anyone can be killed or permanently injured any day, anywhere; in any place, there are way too many things over which you don't have any control. Not even at home, as a staggering percentage of accidents happen to people while they are at home. To me, what's important is to have made the most out of your life up to that point. Some people don't get to enjoy it at much as they should by being overly concerned about their safety, whatever that means. This doesn't mean you shouldn't take precautions, which are always good, as long as your life doesn't revolve around them. As for the environment, while I agree that Colombia is overall not the safest of environments, at least for me the additional ounce of safety doesn't nearly make up for so many other things I would have to give up. This is just a personal opinion, but which is based on statistics by which for example, my overall chances of getting kidnapped in Colombia are 1/4 those of my getting killed in a car crash in the USA. I know other people who think differently, though. I have met Colombians who would like to live abroad because, in their words, their "tranquilidad" is the most important thing for them. And I don't argue with them over it, simply because different people have different priorities. So yes, if you're so selfish and near-sighted that your "tranquilidad" beats any other consideration, then Colombia is not the place for you.

Copete comments on Bogota ranked 210 out of 215 for safety

Just not to leave a few things unanswered... Hey UC, that's a funny disclaimer you've got, although it reminds me again of Harvard's president saying "I may be wrong" before he proceeded to stick his foot in his mouth. It didn't make things any better. But one thing I agree with you on is that it'd be good to keep the conversation centered on Colombia, by people who actually care. Unfortunately, when the conversation shifts to how shittier Colombia is compared to the US, the "gold standard," it's impossible not to argue about some fundamental philosophical differences.

Because if the point is to be to make comparisons, you've got to put it all into the mix, including the not-so-pretty aspects of American society (which I've actually expericenced, rather than read about), in the same crude way people like G5 highlight the bad aspects of Colombian society. Quite predictably, though, their obvious response is the cheap "if you don't like us, get the hell out," typical of the people who fire bullets they're not willing to get shot with themselves.

And G5, if you meant those messages to be a joke, then you've posted quite a few jokes all over PBH, because they all come down to the same points: how crappy Colombia is, how better off you are in the US, how little you care about Colombia, all in the same self-righteous tone. In keeping with your style, I wonder why you bother posting here at all, or going on radio stations talking about how terrible Colombia is. Why not go ahead and embrace your American-ness, just forget about Colombia, if your American life is so fulfilling. Redirect your love for Colombia to your actual homeland; you'd be doing Colombia quite a favor.

And again, just because I don't like leaving things unanswered: well, if the US is pouring all those billions into Colombia, it's because somehow its interests are at stake. As of late, the US isn't known for going around the world just doing favors. But if it decided to pull out, then I'd propose not selling them drugs anymore either. Quite a few Americans would be upset, to say the least.

Copete comments on Bogota ranked 210 out of 215 for safety

These posts from G5... ...just summarize what his personal agenda in this forum is. It hasn't taken me long to realize that the last thing he's interested in is in promoting constructive debate about Colombia. Rather, he comes across as a narcissistic guy who just gets a kick out of sparking controversy, just for the sake of it, because his reasoning is anything but impressive. Big deal. The president of my university, obviously a very smart guy, just got a vote of 'no confidence' from the faculty that put him on the verge of resignation, after making some stupid remarks on women in science, "just to provoke" people. And they did just what G5's do here: promoting confrontation with no constructive purpose. And his style has won him anything but admiration. In G5's case, it's all the more sad coming from someone who claims to be Colombian. Because Colombia may have whatever problems you want, but it does have lots of room for improvement, and it can certainly provide people with a fulfilling life.

What's most ironic is that G5 displays most of the defects he criticizes. He accuses other people of putting words in his mouth, while at the same time arguing they "deny the reality." What reality? HIS reality? Because, if anything, they're people who talk about their own experience, THEIR reality, not the reality of Semana and El Tiempo, and the US State Department. On the other hand, I have yet to see him criticize the reality he actually lives in, the American reality. Because if there is a country that's painfully incapable of self-criticism, it's the USA, despite its serious social problems at many levels. It may be a great place for money-making and professional development, but I'd think it twice before raising my children there, after seeing how spoiled and immature most American kids are. If anything, at least Colombian kids grow with a better sense of reality, and have a better appreciation for what they have. 40% of Colombia's territory may have a weak presence of the state, but how much better is the USA, now with some 70% of its geography taken over by the narrow-minded cowboys, religious fundamentalists and racial segregationists of the so-called red states? The states that represent the US values people actually admire, such as innovation, inventiveness, tolerance, entreprenourship, are now a shrinking minority and the situation is not changing soon. Many Colombians that may now look up to it as the promised land, may well end up changing their mind not long after they reach it, especially as Colombia's situation continues to improve. And I say it because that's MY reality, and I know for a fact it is the reality of many other Colombians who are now looking forward to going back. Who would be someone like G5 to criticize us for thinking that way? Because at least my sense of purpose in life goes beyond making money without knowing why I do so, living safely and one day dying safely. I have a better sense of which things are truly important. And I feel fortunate to have learned those lessons in a country like Colombia.

Copete comments on Killing of U.S. Judge shows how different the U.S. is from Col.

US' vs. Colombia's judiciary Gomezman5,

Sure, you can say the same about far-left as about far-right justices. I just thought the example of the far-right justices was outrageous enough in exemplifying how the impartiality of the US judiciary can so often seem more like a bad joke. And it's not getting better anytime soon. In fact, the New York Times pointed this out as their greatest concern about the reelection of George W. Bush.

And I do think this is relevant to the comparison between the Colombian and the US judiciary. Because, given that low-level Colombian justices do have to deal with (and often yield to) improper pressures regarding their decisions, it's quite remarkable how independent the Colombian high courts are. It all begins with a selection process which is not nearly as politically biased as in the US. A Colombia Supreme Court justice is chosen by congress from a group of 3 nominees appointed by 1)the President, 2)the Attorney General (who's typically a member of the opposition), and 3)one of the other high courts. The result is a court that is not a mirror image of the current president's political mindset.
And this is shown by many of the courts' rulings. High courts, such as the Constitutional Court, very often make decisions contrary to the president's agenda, and this occasionally results in clashes between the executive and the judiciary, as you would expect from two truly independent bodies. For instantce, right now there's high expectation in the country now that, despite Uribe's overwhelming popularity, the Constitutional Court seems set to rule against the constitutionality of the act recently passed by congress allowing Uribe's reelection.

So, it's not all doom and gloom with Colombia's judiciary. In fact, I do think the US could learn a few things from us (and other countries as well), if it were not for the self-righteousness that makes it a country sickeningly incapable of self-criticism. I think this whole discussion would be more productive if the original intent, unlike Gomezman5's, were to give a balanced view of Colombia's system, which after all has been democratic for many decades, however imperfect it may still be. If your intention was just to show the "the US will NEVER be like Colombia," and how better off you are living in and being a citizen of the US, congratulations. Now would you let others who are actually concerned about Colombia discuss constructively about how things can be improved.

Copete comments on Killing of U.S. Judge shows how different the U.S. is from Col.

The US's "impartial" judiciary "A free thinking impartial judiciary is the hallmark of any democracy."

If that's the case, then the USA is far from being the world's gold standard. For instance, I've always been appalled by how openly ideology-driven the US Supreme Court justices are. You can almost predict how judges like Thomas and Scalia (and even chief-justice Rehnquist) will vote in particular cases, given their well-known far-right political agendas. A recent example was their support for the death penalty for juveniles. So predictable of them, and yet so outrageous, although fortunately in this case they were part of the minority. Sadly, they were in turn part of the majority that ordered to stop all recounts in Florida in the 2000 presidential election, and handed the presidency to Bush. But nobody seems to make a fuss out of this; a group of 9 ideologists whose decisions affect the lives of millions of people not only in the US, but also around the world.

And what's worse is that the problem is structural. The president appoints these people directly, and does make sure they follow his political ideology. And with 3 justices about to resign in the next 4 years, the situation will only get worse. So, I don't think Americans have much to gloat about their judiciary system, especially at the ranks of high-level federal courts.