InterestedObserver has left 32 comments

InterestedObserver comments on Fascism in Colombia

"During the 1930s future President of Colombia Laureano Gómez became an enthusiastic supporter of Falangism, although this fervour had died down somewhat by the time he took power in 1950. Nevertheless a Falangist group was active in the country during the 1940s.[6] A current group exists, the Falange Nacional Patriótica de Colombia, which claims to be active in the National University of Colombia.[7]" from...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falangism_in_Latin_America

InterestedObserver comments on

Oh sod it...I'm off to bed. These computers are best left to the young 'uns...

InterestedObserver comments on

Bollocks...messed up...will try again with that pic... < img src = " http://x642.freefoto.com/images/31/26/31_26_1---Tower-Bridge-at-night--London--England_web.jpg?&k=Tower Bridge at night, London, England " > Although probably wasn't worth the wait!!!

InterestedObserver comments on

"Kalder: what do english people think of this london bridge in Arizona? http://www.roadtripamerica.com/places/havasu.htm" Although this may be an urban myth the rumour is that they actually thought that the bridge they were buying was this one... [img]http://x642.freefoto.com/images/31/26/31_26_1---Tower-Bridge-at-night--London--England_web.jpg?&k=Tower Bridge at night, London, England[/img] Tower Bridge It's pretty nice but personally like Elmo I wouldn't travel across the ocean to see a bridge however nice it was...

InterestedObserver comments on Relocating to Colombia

In the original post you said "I have came across a possible opportunity". Does that mean a possible job offer?

InterestedObserver comments on Living and working in Barranquilla

"ok than i can do like go out the country after 6 month and come back a few weeks later for another 6 months but thanks for ure mails Tinto" I thought it was that you can only stay for 180 days in any 12-month period...therefore you cannot just go out and come back in after six months. Maybe some of the others can clarify this.

InterestedObserver comments on Happy Birthday - United States of America

Hmm...I was trying to post a picture there but it doesn't seem to have worked...

InterestedObserver comments on Happy Birthday - United States of America

My point stands that they didn't contribute four times more. The barracking by people of other countries on here is getting a bit childish and that includes those slating the US at any opportunity. Life is too short! Why does it always have to end up in a contest on here anyway?

Back to the original point...a Happy 4th July to you Americans from England...

http://www.flagladyohio.com/store/images/sungloamericanflag.jpg

InterestedObserver comments on whats best a International Baccalaureate diploma or a us high school diploma?.

Definitely the IB. It is highly respected by universities and offers a encourages a far greater breadth of study than A Levels in the UK. I've no experience of the US-High School certificate but the IBDP is recognised worldwide and would be the best bet to open the most doors. North American and European universities are valuing it more and more.

The IB Diploma covers 6 groups learning usually from which your subjects come -
1. Language A1
2. Second language
3. Individuals and Societies (this covers subjects like Geography, History etc)
4. Experimental Sciences
5. Mathematics and Computer Science
6. The Arts

They also have projects which are supposed to link all these together such as an extended essay and theory of knowledge.

I've not studied IB so don't have experience like Cerealkiller but it is definitely the qualification system on the up worldwide.

InterestedObserver comments on Happy Birthday - United States of America

Happy July 4th everyone and even though it was us Brits you kicked out two hundred years ago I have to say we did deserve it :-)

PS - This isn't really the place but as for "the us contributed 4 times as much as the whole continent of europe" is simply untrue. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanitarian_response_to_the_2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake

InterestedObserver comments on The National Health in England

Do worry cereal...there are loads of things I'm crap at...I just try to keep them hidden...

I'm sure you also beat me hands down when it comes to charm, youth and prettiness so worry not Miss Killer!

InterestedObserver comments on Teaching English in Bogota

To find jobs for international schools then start buying The International Educator newspaper...here is the website...http://www.tieonline.com/.

They have a lot of jobs for qualified teachers not only in Colombia but around the world.

You have almost certainly left it too late for this year as the next academic year starts in the next few months and probably need to look at jobs starting next summer if you want a job at an international school in Bogota.

InterestedObserver comments on STUDING IN CALI..DONT KNOW WHICH SCHOOL IS BEST YET!

There is also
http://www.colombobritanico.edu.co/espanol/
which offers which is an IB World School meaning, I believe, it offers the International Baccalaureate and a Colombian secondary diploma.
The Colegio Bolivar offers a US High School Diploma as well as a Colombian secondary diploma.

I'm not sure which would be best for you but I'd presume French would be available at both. Best to give them both a ring and find out!

Regarding tuition...you could be looking at over $10,000 a year for either but you would need to ask the schools directly for full details.

InterestedObserver comments on Best schools in Cartagena?

Here are the websites of two international schools in Cartagena -

The British School
http://www.colegio-britanico.com/

and

Colegio Jorge Washington
http://www.cojowa.edu.co/

Best to check as many schools as you can.

Of course the problem another thing you have to consider with private schools is the cost and there is no certain figure as all schools are different but it could be around the $10,000 mark for a year at those schools. They should have more details on their websites.

InterestedObserver comments on The National Health in England

Me no entiendo...puede usted consiga una visa o no?

usted bueno puede usted conseguir una visa en Colombia...uk is siempre un poco caro...pero me no sé

apologías...mi español es mierda!

InterestedObserver comments on The National Health in England

Regarding the student visa - as long as you don't work more than 20 hours a week on a student visa then that is ok.

More info - http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/StartingANewJob/DG_10026524

"
Students

If you're an international student you may not need permission to work here when you're studying. If your home country is in the EEA, or you're a Swiss national, you can work without restrictions on the type or amount of work you do.

Otherwise, you should check the visa stamp in your passport. If it says 'prohibited' you can't work in the UK. If it grants you leave to enter or remain in the UK as a student, you can work here provided you:

* don't work more than 20 hours a week during term time, unless the employment is part of your studies or is an internship
* don't engage in business, are not self-employed and don't provide services as a professional sportsperson or entertainer
* don't take a permanent full-time position"

InterestedObserver comments on The National Health in England

Of course the NHS isn't free...nothing is free in this life. It is also worth remembering that something like 12.5% of UK citizens have private health insurance. The NHS does generally work well though although we do all complain about it. No system that huge will ever be without problems however...

Regarding the original question...check here from The Department of Health website - http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Policyandguidance/International/OverseasVisitors/Browsable/DH_074374

Generally if you are going to be a student in the UK for over six months you will have no problem getting free health care. You will have to register with a local doctor (GP) as soon as possible.

From here - "Are you coming to the United Kingdom to pursue a course of study?" http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Policyandguidance/International/OverseasVisitors/Browsable/DH_074400

"What if I should need hospital treatment?

Under the current Regulations, anyone who comes to the UK to pursue a full-time course of study of not less than six months’ duration, or a course of study that is of any duration but is substantially funded by the UK Government, will be fully entitled to free NHS hospital treatment in England. This exemption will apply to your spouse, civil partner and children (under the age of 16, or 19 if in further education) if they are living permanently with you in the UK for the duration of your course. "

If you are studying less than six months it can be different although all the information can be found on there.

Hope that helps friendsbogotalondon.

InterestedObserver comments on

I think most Brits want to be part of the EU as a trading block but don't like all federalisation and bureaucracy as well as the loss of sovereignity to Brussels. Certainly they don't want some EU superstate. Whether they want it or not though the politicians are still heading us that way...

InterestedObserver comments on

Actually dogman I do agree with some of your points even though it may not seem so and it's true that countries shouldn't try to set themselves up as being morally better than others.

InterestedObserver comments on

"I notice you do not have a comment about the 100,000,000 dead in your wars or about the holocaust."

What for? Wars happen and people die. Hardly just a European phenomenon. Besides if you are going back and talking about ancestors then how are Americans any different? Where did most Americans come from? Europe. So looking back in your history far enough and you will have the same deal. Also...you say "your wars"...none of them were mine! So why the hell should I feel guilty? Do you feel guilty for every bad thing your country has done? There isn't a country on the globe that doesn't have some skeletons in their past...

As for "the holocaust"...I don't catch your meaning or understand your point...what has that got to do with me as a Brit? No more than what it has to do with you as an American. As for "the holocaust happened under while europe did nothing"...really? I'll think you'll find the UK was at war when it happened...a war it declared even before it was capable of fully fighting. It's also worth remembering that the full details about the holocaust didn't occur until Germany's surrender and the horror of the concentration camps were discovered.

I'm not trying to defend Europe...so many great things have come out of it as well as so much horror and misery. I just resent a whole continent being pigeon-holed.

InterestedObserver comments on

"Europe 2004- Demanding in theroy that they have a say who th US president is? WTF?, making insulting comments about the 56 million americans that voted for the winner."

Nope...I don't remember that happening...can you provide some illumination? I remember the left-wing UK newspaper The Guardian running some kind of campaign promoting Kerry but no sane person would believe all Brits were loony left-wingers. All countries have those who dislike America and those who are pro-American. That includes America. It comes with the territory of being a powerful country. Christ...there are a hell of a lot of countries that don't like the UK for that matter. The bombs in London and Glasgow are further proof.

"Kyoto-Demanding that the US sign a treaty that exempts China and India from Emissions standards, yet Europe itself did nit make the Kyoto Protocol- Hmmmm."

I think all European nations signed up for the Kyoto Treaty. Don't you think it is a good idea to tackle global emissions?

"Gun Ownership- Constant harranging about Americans owning Firearms. Think about it? Why is europe so obsessed about americans having guns? I think you know the answer."

Europe isn't obsessed over americans having guns. They can do what they like in their own country. If what you mean is SOME europeans like to go on about it then that is true. However your statement was untrue as it suggested Europe as a whole.

"War in Iraq- why are millions of europeans up in arms about the War. With the exception of the UK, europe has no dog in the fight. people protesting in the UK, and the US is fine by me, it is our people that are dying. the Europeans could get a rats arse about the US dead soldiers, or about Iraqi civilans. they only care about getting their oil cheap from Iraq.. Yet we have not grabbed the oil fields...."

Again you are confusing SOME European nations with a whole continent. I think something like 20 European nations have had troops in Iraq at some time. If you mean the French and Germans then say that instead of European. Really..."european" is a bit of a meaningless term. I don't really consider myself as a European but when you keep going on about "the continent" then it does include many very diverse countries and not just Parisian left-wingers marching against the evils of capitalism/G8 summit/war in Iraq/whatever.

InterestedObserver comments on

"The spitting incidents did occur last summer in both France and in London. The twelve year old was spat upon in paris. There was other spitting instances in Germany and in London also. There are several sources on the web to validate this."

I just did a Google and can't find any source for this so perhaps you can point me in the right direction?

I find it hard to believe that in London, where hundreds of thousands of Americans live and hearing an American accent is usual, that somebody would spit on an American child simply for being American. Even if it did happen it would have been very unusual and any normal Brit would think it digusting. Do you really want to judge all Europeans by that idiot?

As for even going on about "europeans"...it doesn't help your argument much. I'm English but also a "European" so are you also complaining about Brits in your arguments? Or the other ten European nations that continue to have troops in Iraq? Denmark for example has had troops in Iraq from day one and still has 500 there under British command.

Europe is a continent of hundreds of millions of people. Bracketing them all together as "european" when you are complaining about them stereotyping all Americans doesn't really help your argument.

InterestedObserver comments on

dogman said "Lets see cassini. I wonder what continent you are from. the same continent that enjoys spitting on american tourists, the same continent that lectures Americans about how barbaric we are, about how we have the death penalty, how we are all killers, how we all are rednecks are have guns etc..."

Spitting on American tourists? That would be illegal as it in the US and should be punished as such. I've certainly never heard of kids being spat and that is disgusting...do you have a source for that? If you are going to stereotype a whole continent by the actions of a few nasty idiots then why are you complaining about them stereotyping you as an American?

Besides if you mean to complain about the French and Germans then complain about them without bringing the word "european" into it. That includes many other places as well. I also resent by grouped together with 50-odd other nationalities. Or would you be happy as a US citizen to be grouped together Mexcians etc?

InterestedObserver comments on

It's worth remembering that the UK has had to live with terrorism on its doorstep for decades and not like the US since 2001. In fact it's not so long ago that the IRA was bombing the hell out of places like Manchester City Centre, Warrington and trying to blow up the prime minister in Brighton. So I don't think we really need any advice about how to react toward terrorism. We (and Spain with ETA) have a far longer history of having to deal with it than the US. Whatever Spain decided then it is pretty obvious that the UK doesn't bow down to external - or internal - threats. In 1940 when the French did what they do best and quickly surrendered the UK and the British Empire still continued to resist without any other allies. There was no USA or USSR in the war at that point.

Anyway the main point is that the OP has got it wrong about the new Prime Minister Gordon Brown. gringoinbogota said "Now I see where Britain has put in office someone who wants to pull out of Iraq and then next day they find a bomb". Untrue. Or rather...it is true that that they a bomb (two in fact) but untrue that Brown is advocating (immediate) withdrawal from Iraq. Of course there is the need to withdraw at sometime...that is the plan. Nobody is advocating being there forever...certainly not the US. Brown remains committed to the war in Iraq but admits that lessons need to be learnt from the failures so far.

The bombs could well have been placed for maximum coverage due to Brown being installed as new PM this week in a similar vein to how the July 7th bombings came the day after London won the Olympic bid. There are not, however, because Brown wants to withdraw from Iraq. That's what the bombers may want but British government - and people - don't take kindly to threats from terrorists.

InterestedObserver comments on Barranquilla websites

You could try:

http://www.casarriendos.com/

InterestedObserver comments on La Bodeguita, London

Does anyone have details on other Colombian restaurants in London or even elsewhere in the UK?

Was in London and saw a guy with a sign saying "Colombian buffet" for about £6 all you can eat not that far away from the Colombian Consulate in Portland Place...around the Tottenham Court Road station area. Couldn't stop though as had to catch a train.

Anyone been to these? I'll be back in London in a while and would like to try one if not too much ££££££

InterestedObserver comments on Literary Discussion?

By the way of his journalism I read "Clandestine in Chile" (involving an exile returning incognito into Pinochet's Chile in the eighties) and for what should have been such a thrilling subject it was incredibly tedious.

InterestedObserver comments on Literary Discussion?

You say "I never said there weren't good writers from England. I said that the best "English" writers are of celtic stock: Orwell, Goldsmith, CS Lewis, Oscar Wilde, etc etc." Well...two of those are English although one was born in Cornwall and the other (IIRC) Burma. My point was that to suggest the best English writers is untrue. SOME of the best English writers are undoubtedly of Celtic stock but then some are of patently Anglo-Saxon stock.

I'm not sure what it is that creates a great writer in English but if you actually look into it every part of Britain has created great writers and I mean regions there never mind countries. The best "English" writers are not from Celtic stock but are actually from all over. I admit that the Celtic nations - especially Ireland - do seem to produce a huge amount considering their small populations and compared to England/USA/Canada/Australia etc. How many of those writers you mentioned aren't also of some English stock? We are somewhat of a mongrel nation. As for my stock...English, Irish and Welsh that I know. Maybe not Scottish unfortunately.

I think you are a bit too paranoid about what people may think about Scots. I'm from the north west of England and when I lived in London I met some people who probably reacted to me like they did to you. Then again...sod it there are idiots everywhere.

PS - Dickens, Wodehouse, Stevenson, Austen and Hardy are my favourite English language writers.

InterestedObserver comments on Literary Discussion?

hmmm Just to address a couple of incorrect assumptions by the OP.

English people don't look down on Scots at all. Some might do but then again some look down on everyone. If English people looked down on Scots then we wouldn't be about to have a Scottish PM-in-waiting about to replace a Scots-born Prime Minister. Some Scots no doubt look down on the English. However that wouldn't lead me to say that the Scottish therefore look down on the English. In fact Scots and English generally get on well these days. We cheer for them at football and they cheer for the team playing England. Ah well..all friendly banter these days anyway.

As for "in spite of the best writers and poets coming from the Celtic countries" that is just such a load of rubbish. They do have a great literary tradition but so does England. Shakespeare, Dickens, Elliot, Orwell, Austen, Golding, the Brontes etc etc. I'm a big fan of Scottish lit myself, particularly RL Stevenson, but no need to try and denigrate all the superb English authors.

As for Garcia Marquez...I agree that 'Memories of Melancholy Whores' was a huge let-down and there is something incredibly seedy about the ancient 90-year old paedophile wanting to deflower a 14 year-old. Not only that but the very idea of falling in love with a sleeping girl is just taken to preposterous extremes. It wouldn't be a good last work for GGM but apparently he is currently working on the second volume of his memoirs so it shouldn't be.

'Love in the Time of Cholera' is my favourite novel by GGM so far as it is wonderfully written and is so patiently built up that it is a very moving tale and is almost lyrical in segments. It can be easy to forget it is prose at its best I felt. Personally I liked it far more than "Hundred years..."

I'm about to read 'The General in his Labyrinth' and 'Strange Pilgrims'.

InterestedObserver comments on moving to bogota in september from the uk can anyone help with info on a work visa?

Why not get in touch with the Embassy in London? Embassy of Colombia in London
3 Hans Crescent
London SW1X 0LN

Opening Hours: 9am-6pm, Mon-Fri
Tel: 020 7589 9177
020 7589 5037

Fax: 020 7581 1829
020 7589 4718

E-mail: mail at colombianembassy.co.uk

Added to that you may have to get your TEFL certificate and/or degree (if you have one)legalized. I'd suggest you give them a call and have a chat. Link - http://www.colombianconsulate.co.uk/legalizations.html

InterestedObserver comments on Colombia pulled their bid for the 2014 World Cup

Out of interest does anybody know which stadiums they were thinking of using for the World Cup if they had a successful bid? Where would the final have taken place?

InterestedObserver comments on

Hoisted with your own petard From...

"Are you so incapable of forming a compelling argument that you find it necessary to personally attack the person disagreeing with you ?"

to

"Take a crack at it you detestable little cretin."

All in one post. Sublime!

Some points...

1. Regarding "the Aussies invented the word whinge to describe the english." Untrue. It actually derives from an Old English word (whinsen).

2. It was actually the British rather than solely the English who dealt with colonies around the world. In fact the Scots in particular are famous for their contribution to Empire. The Welsh and Irish also played their part.

3. If you want to hear a good whinge then go and chat to an Aussie in London. They never stop complaining about how awful it is. Strange how they don't want to leave.

4. Regarding the aborigines. It's true enough that they have been treated disgracefully but by both Brits and Aussies alike.