Mr. Hollywood has left 4205 comments

Mr. Hollywood comments on from my family to pbh members

So sorry to hear about your loss, Douglass. Peace to you and your family.

Mr. Hollywood comments on Colombian Drug Lord In Panama Running From Assassins

Life sucks when the farthest you're able to run from Colombia is Panama. Shows a serious lack of imagination/initiative.

Mr. Hollywood comments on anybody seen/heard from mr. hollywood.....

Hey dwmte, I'm still alive but not spending a lot of time here. Bored with the endless circular discussions, to be honest. I hope you're doing well.

Mr. Hollywood comments on Drug sub: New wave of crime

There's no need to make them fully submersible. These things are designed to be used one time and disposed. So they build nothing more than is needed to do the job. If you built a $100 million real submarine, you'd have to bring it back and do it again and again. Much easier to just keep building these. I bet for every 1 they see or catch there must be 50 that go through undetected.

Mr. Hollywood comments on Gringo Afraid To Live In Bogota, Colombia

It's entirely possible that the poster was a native Spanish speaker and from the USA.

Mr. Hollywood comments on Gringo Afraid To Live In Bogota, Colombia

Re. the content of the OP. There are plenty of things that can happen to a person living in Bogota that would make them very afraid with good cause. These things can happen to a person who has done nothing wrong. That said, the post starting this thread seemed like a case of general anxiety and phobia (ie. the bit about landmines, which are much less of a threat in Bogota than mimes.) rather than the case of someone who after 6 years had to get the hell out because he was being extorted or someone kidnapped his family or something. Given that it was posted on a real-estate site I'd give it 80% chance of just being a troll.

Mr. Hollywood comments on jobs in bogota?

If you're competent to teach Chinese (Mandarin in particular) there's some demand for that in Bogota. of course, you really need to speak Spanish as a starting point for your Colombian students. If I may ask, why are you wanting to move to Bogota?

Mr. Hollywood comments on ok... I have a slight moral dilemna here...

What's the dilemma? No, serious, what you said in your first post about her mentioning that the hermanita keeps taking about you means the older sis is trying to set you up with her lil sibling.

Mr. Hollywood comments on Ingrid superstar

Desi, I understand and share your feelings about the sheer amount of malice directed Betancourt's way, but I have some guesses why it exists. I have a hunch that to an "average" Colombian, as much as there is such a thing, it once more looks like the wealthy and connected person (Ingrid) gets taken care of while the less-connected victims are still out there in the jungle. I'm not saying that's Ingrid's fault or even true, since I see her as largely a passive participant in the whole thing except for making the decision that led to her kidnapping. But it must be frustrating to a lot of people to see her held up as a hero or a saint and living in France while many others are still suffering or unaccounted for.

Mr. Hollywood comments on NO British Airways from COLOMBIA? PORQUE??

The Air France connection through Paris works pretty well to London. Coming back it's a tight connection because the Paris-BOG flight leaves early in the AM.

Mr. Hollywood comments on

The only time I ever received something sent by USPS to Colombia, the package arrived about 2 months late, had been opened by Colombian customs, my things had been taken and replaced by photographs of someone else's quinceñera. Cancel the card and get a new one.

Mr. Hollywood comments on

The only two real international airports on the Caribe are Cartagena and Baranquilla, so that limits your search quite a bit. I agree with everything Quantum said above. I love that area around Tayrona but wouldn't touch real estate there with money I wasn't prepared to lose 100% of. I'd think of it as a highly speculative investment at best.

Mr. Hollywood comments on The Road to Tyranny in Colombia- A Third Term in Office

"Hollywood- first of all don't compare him to anyone because he's his own man, you can critizice anyone else on their own merits." Sorry, Romy, but when you start using words like "tyranny, authoritarian, demagogue..." you essentially demand comparison. I challenge you to show how President Uribe or his administration is a tyrant or authoritarian or, even, a demagogue, by the generally accepted definitions of those words. I'm all for criticizing Uribe on his own merits or not, but that means saying something like, "I think that Uribe has focused his efforts too much on military might and not enough on social justice," or "I feel that Uribe running for a third term sets a dangerous precedent for Colombia." But you don't have to succumb to cliche and dumb rhetoric rather than making valid criticisms. Frankly, it undermines any credibility you may have.

Mr. Hollywood comments on The Road to Tyranny in Colombia- A Third Term in Office

Romy, take a look at the history of Colombia before you start attributing those things to Uribe. Except for the part about Cordoba, who pretty much made her own bed if you ask me, everything else you cite has mostly improved under Uribe. I'd also love some examples of Uribe's demagoguery. Compared to most S. American leaders he strikes me as downright subdued and matter-of-fact.

Mr. Hollywood comments on The Road to Tyranny in Colombia- A Third Term in Office

Romy, it all sounds great to say things like "Uribe has shown his true colours as a leader within a regime that seeks to dispel democratic stability and integrity for the continuity of power and dominance" but how about some actual examples of him being authoritarian or autocratic? What civil rights laws has he revoked? What opposition has he imprisoned? What groups has he marginalized unfairly?

Mr. Hollywood comments on Mexico, Brazil, Ecuador and Venezuela surpass Colombia in kidnappings for ransom

I'm very glad Colombia's numbers are down. Of course, the gross numbers per country are deceiving given the differences in population. I'd love to see a per-capita breakdown by country.

Mr. Hollywood comments on Cartagena: matrimonios ‘express’ con prepagos

I'm confused. What kind of foreigner wants a "WIFE" for a couple months? I thought the whole attraction of that kind of transaction was getting to sample the entire smorgasbord.

Mr. Hollywood comments on Hague Convention in Colombia - child kept in Bogota unlawfully

I would for sure report the child kidnapped in the UK. And pronto. That will help you in a Colombian court if this winds up there.

Mr. Hollywood comments on 90% Of Colombian Homes Have Computers

There must be a couple really big houses with a millon or more computers in them.

Mr. Hollywood comments on FARC says NGOs will be considered military targets if they try and reach the southern regions of Vaupes, Guania, Caqueta and Guaviare.

From my POV, lcacique, Colombia's problem is with its justice system, not with a failure to have plenty of good laws. Obviously, it doesn't do a lot of good to have strong laws against crime only to have a justice system that does a poor job of investigating and prosecuting those crimes.

Mr. Hollywood comments on NiggazJeans in Medellin...

You know, someone left a pair of "Niggaz" sunglasses at my house a while ago. I guess it's a Colombian empire.

Mr. Hollywood comments on FARC says NGOs will be considered military targets if they try and reach the southern regions of Vaupes, Guania, Caqueta and Guaviare.

I know the difference between Rule of Law vs. Ruled by Law, but you're high if you think Colombia is the later. A couple tareas for you: #1. Read the Colombian constitution. #2. Go spend some time in the Colombian senate and congress. Those debates aren't fake. #3. Compare the diversity of the Colombian political spectrum (meaning parties holding office, both national and local) against other countries, including the United States, England and Mexico. Then come back and we can discuss rule of law vs. Ruled by law.

Mr. Hollywood comments on NiggazJeans in Medellin...

Best thing about those jeans is it looks like they come pre-bloodstained. Think of all the pain and suffering that saves. Maybe this company is one of those famous "humanitarian gestures" we hear so much about.

Mr. Hollywood comments on Seeking Local Business Partner For Small Restaurant Serving Mexican Chow in Medellin.

There's no great secret to making good ceviche. It's all about getting good white fish (Mero, Lenguada, Sierra) cutting it into small cubes and letting it marinate in lime juice for several hours. Then you can put in diced tomatos, onions, mango or whatever strikes your fancy. Yum, I could eat that 3 meals a day. The stuff most Colombian restaurants try to pass off as ceviche is shrimp cocktail.

Mr. Hollywood comments on FARC says NGOs will be considered military targets if they try and reach the southern regions of Vaupes, Guania, Caqueta and Guaviare.

Romy, I have no idea what your question is, if it's one? The thing about rule of law.

Mr. Hollywood comments on FARC says NGOs will be considered military targets if they try and reach the southern regions of Vaupes, Guania, Caqueta and Guaviare.

"In ages" = something between 40 years and forever.

Mr. Hollywood comments on Seeking Local Business Partner For Small Restaurant Serving Mexican Chow in Medellin.

Can it be true that there's NOT ONE Mexican restaurant in Medellin? There are several in BOG, and a couple are pretty good. I'm surprised that Taqueria hasn't branched out in to MED.

Mr. Hollywood comments on FARC says NGOs will be considered military targets if they try and reach the southern regions of Vaupes, Guania, Caqueta and Guaviare.

I'm not sure Colombia ever had state control over 100% of the national territory, lcacique, hence my comment. No country every really does, but Colombia has been a rather exceptional case of not having much control over large areas.

Mr. Hollywood comments on Is the Hooters in Bogota , worth going to?

I suppose there's got to be at least one place in Bogota where the few non-sexy women can work in food service.

Mr. Hollywood comments on FARC says NGOs will be considered military targets if they try and reach the southern regions of Vaupes, Guania, Caqueta and Guaviare.

I have to call nonsense on this. The FARC is right to be suspicious of any NGOs that want to fly in on helicopters and take any of their remaining hostages or leaders on a "humanitarian mission" sightseeing flight. Other than that, they're full of shit. They know damn well that the trick won't work again and are only doing this to score propaganda points at the detriment of the people in Southern Colombia. On the other hand, I think this nonsense will force the Colombian military to really step things up and show that they can take those areas away from FARC control and extend their authority over 100% of Colombia for the first time in ages.

Mr. Hollywood comments on Interesting article about drug wars in Mexico

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Mr. Hollywood comments on ¿Oye Hombre Que Te Pasa? Haste Patras, No Me Gusta Que Se Me Monten Encima!

It's not an estrato 6 thing. It's a Colombian thing. Pay attention MT, and you can work the line thing to your advantage.

Mr. Hollywood comments on Will they extradite “HH� before he finishes testifying?

Colombia has no death sentence and the maximum sentence is 30 years or so. So they only have to fear for their lives in Colombia in the sense of extrajudicial executions (something HH knows a bit about, for sure). In the US, they have to fear for the rest of their lives ticking away slowly while they stare at the blank wall of a maximum security federal prison. I'd love to see these guys held accountable in Colombia, in more than an window-dressing way. But I don't think the legal-penal system in Colombia is really capable of that yet. It's something to strive for, no doubt.

Mr. Hollywood comments on Will they extradite “HH� before he finishes testifying?

Do you have any examples of "easy sentences"? I've heard of a lot of Colombian smugglers getting big time, like 25 years to life. The only way to get less is if they're informing on someone bigger.

Mr. Hollywood comments on Tylenol in Colombia...

Dolex is Tylenol (acetaminophen or paracetamol) is in every drugstore in Colombia. Brand name Tylenol is expensive when it can be found.

Mr. Hollywood comments on Will they extradite “HH� before he finishes testifying?

August and Romy, a sincere question: Do you believe that "HH" will face more "justice" through the Colombian penal system or by the American one. By that I mean do you think he'll be punished more severely (more time) in the US or in Colombia? I have mixed feelings about extraditions because I think it really dumps the cost and problem of incarcerating these guys on the US people rather than the Colombians, but given the history of impunity and scams in the Colombian system I guess I'd rather see a 3,000 time murderer actually spend life in prison than a few years in a Colombian one, before he "escapes". With regard to the truth getting out, I still don't understand how being in a US prison squelches them. I would guess the opposite, since they're less vulnerable to being whacked by opposing Colombian interests.

Mr. Hollywood comments on Indigenous Children Starve To Death Due to Fumigations

LCacique, with regard to your question about what I know about the concentrations of spray, etc. I don't know the exact concentrations of spray used in Colombia, but to kill coca it's probably pretty strong. I'm certainly NOT saying that if the spray misses and hits the wrong thing it's not going to kill it. To be extremely clear, I'm saying that herbicides are expensive, and the technology of spraying is surprisingly good. I say this as someone who grew up around agriculture and have watched a lot of aerial applications of herbicides and pesticides (probably more than I like, speaking of health issues). So except in cases of gardens that are right next to an illegal coca farm, you're just not going to lose that much to overspray or misses. To cause literal starvation, either the indigenous people had ALL of their food crops mixed in with illegal crops, or else the cause is the economic loss of the coca crop. And just to be even more painfully clear, I don't particularly blame them for growing any cash crop they need to stay alive, whether it's legal or not. But let's not be naive about things, either.

Mr. Hollywood comments on Indigenous Children Starve To Death Due to Fumigations

Sorry, but if you plant your food crops with your illegal crops, you've got nothing to complain about when it all gets destroyed by law enforcement. Just FYI, I am against aerial spraying of coca. I think it provides the FARC and other narcos with a great recruiting tool and I don't think destroying supply has any impact whatsoever on demand, which is the ultimate problem. But let's not kid ourselves that the problem here is one in which all the FOOD in an area has been destroyed. You can't even begin to imagine how much herbicide spray that would take.The problem is that the ECONOMIES of individual families and perhaps villages have been disrupted because the cash crop, coca, was destroyed.

Mr. Hollywood comments on The Red Cross Vest, Part II

Again, a tempest in a teapot. I wonder if those whose panties are in such a twist have any evidence that the people planning the operation knew about the prohibition on the symbol? Was it a deliberate misuse or inadvertent? I see so many violations of the Geneva conventions going on around the world, really serious ones, like involving civilians in conflicts, use of torture, etc, that it's really hard for me to get upset about some Colombian commando's disguise in an operation that is one of the most amazing things we've ever seen.

Mr. Hollywood comments on wealthy Hoeffner NYC blew hundreds of thousands of dollars on a girlfriend in Cali, Colombia.

"Loo-lita" That's the best pun I've read in years.

Mr. Hollywood comments on Indigenous Children Starve To Death Due to Fumigations

Desi, I think you are mistaken. The problem is not that edible crops are being destroyed. The problem is one of economic disruption caused by the destruction of coca farms which, while illegal, are also the economic livelihood for many people in that region. By the way, while you might be right to blame gringos as the major consumers of coca now, indigenous Colombians were cultivating the stuff and getting high on it in various different ways for centuries. Witness Bogota's Gold Museum, which is pretty much a temple to beautiful drug paraphenelia.

Mr. Hollywood comments on How much for a shoe shine near the T?

This is why I don't wear shoes anymore. No, really, think of it as a good cheap Spanish lesson. One that will give you the confidence you need to eventually argue fluently in Spanish, just like a Colombian would. Scams like this happen to everyone at some point and better a shoe shine than a purchase of a house or something. For me, it was when I bought a fake Rolex at the T. I bargained down to a price I felt okay about and bought the watch. But a couple hours later I noticed that it was running slow. I reset it and checked again. Definately defective, running about 50 mins every hour. I was going to just suck it up and throw the thing in the trash but I was really pissed at myself for being suckered. So I went back and found the guy, really dreading the inevitable confrontation and storm of bullshit I knew I'd face. Also, I didn't know how to say the watch "ran slow" in Spanish and so I had to explain in a roundabout way. Instead of arguing, he smiled and nodded while I explained the problem, taught me the verb "atrasar", then exchanged the bad watch for one that actually ran on time. So who says there are no returns in Colombia.

Mr. Hollywood comments on

Are you going to give Gringoloid the $100 card? I think he met all the criteria.

Mr. Hollywood comments on

I have secret powers, Tinto, but only when I wear my cape.

Mr. Hollywood comments on

When did I have a disagreement with lookatmepee? I'm not a moderator and had nothing to do with lookatmepee being banned. In fact, I didn't even notice, or know what that was about.

Mr. Hollywood comments on The Red Cross Vest, Part II

I'm willing to give Uribe the benefit of the doubt that he was misled or uninformed about the precise facts surrounding the Red Cross symbol (which, FWIW, I still think is a tempest in a teapot). But I really have to shake my head that the Colombian military hasn't figured out that if they TAKE video like that they should pretty much assume that it will leak. And if you can't deal with that, then don't take the pictures. This is a hard lesson to learn.

Mr. Hollywood comments on

Not a mod, which I'm sure you know. It was just apparent from a previous thread that you knew much more about lookatmepee than most posters know about each other. Often that's a sign of double logins.

Mr. Hollywood comments on Indigenous Children Starve To Death Due to Fumigations

It's almost always the little guy who gets screwed. The FARC and the narcos don't really care who they buy their coca from, and they've pretty much outsourced the risk to the campesinos in places like this. So aerial spraying can have the impact of destroying a poor family's livelihood while doing almost nothing toward stopping the overall supply of drugs. Even with the FARC as down and out as it is, I'm sure this kind of situation is a wet dream for their recruitment of new manpower.

Mr. Hollywood comments on

I'm a lover, not a fighter, but let me know how it goes papi.

Mr. Hollywood comments on

Harvardexec, aren't you also lookatmepee?