Tinto has left 2488 comments

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Colombianos en Estados Unidos

Whatever you think about this issue, ya' gotta admit, it's pretty darn funny to see two college-educated, employed, unmarried, over-the-age-of-35 Colombian brothers sharing a bedroom and a set of bunkbeds. I wanted to ask but was afraid I'd get my butt kicked: - do they fight over who gets the top bunk? - do they drape a blanket over the bed and make a fort and play with flashlights in the fort? - does the guy on the bottom annoy the hell out of the guy on the top by kicking the slats (support boards) above him?

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Colombia president: Interpol report is strong evidence of Venezuelan support for rebels

I think the Santos family is in the process of selling out to a big Spanish media company. Saw it in the news a few months ago. That said, I don't think it's a very good paper, either.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Global Depression is coming! Will Colombia's isolation protect it?

That's why I inserted the " ;-)" -- I wasn't entirely serious with my examples, either.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Global Depression is coming! Will Colombia's isolation protect it?

Nope, about 50 miles from Cleveland, Ohio - known in those days as the mistake on the lake and home of the burning Cuyahoga river.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Global Depression is coming! Will Colombia's isolation protect it?

I was watching Gage and DeSoto on "Emergency!" after school in the mid 1970s but I also grew up in the rust belt - the bad economic news wasn't far from home.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Global Depression is coming! Will Colombia's isolation protect it?

For much of the 1970s and early 1980s things were pretty bad - high inflation; high commodity prices; extremely high interest rates; Jimmy Carter wearing cardigans, lusting in his heart and getting chased by rabbits; steel plants closing; Detroit building junk/rust buckets, NYC bankrupt, the military held in low esteem, polyester disco clothes, ABBA, etc, etc Curtis Sliwa saved NYC and Paul Voelker and Ronald Reagan saved the rest of the country. ;-)

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Direct TV receiver from the US work in Colombia to show all US programming?

Different strokes for different folks, but this picture makes no sense to me. I'd send the kids out to form a perimeter line and keep the bears away and get busy with my wife in the tent. Beer on a camping trip, for sure. Lugging around satellite TV, Nyet! IMAGE FROM THE DIRECT TV WEB SITE

Tinto (Moderator) comments on "Perro Como Perro" by Carlos Moreno

What's this? You say there's a new film about Perry Como?

Tinto (Moderator) comments on The Interpol Findings on Reyes' data....

When Sonia lost her computer, I think some experts in Colombia were trying to reconstruct/estimate the FARC's cash flow from drugs. I believe the number was somewhere between $35 million and $65 million per year. If that is anywhere close to accurate, it's not that much spread across 10,000 people.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on to live in Colombia ?

And in the US a conservatory can be a school of music (at the college/university level) or a public, glass-enclosed area with plants or flowers.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on to live in Colombia ?

Desi - do you remember Rax Restaurants from your days in the U.S.? The front of most of them would be considered a solarium.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Debt... Can they track me down in Colombia?

Two of the "big three" credit reporting agencies in the US have affiliates or direct operations in Colombia. I wouldn't underestimate the power of data-mining to make a match someday; then you've got crappy credit in a couple of countries.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Colombianos en Estados Unidos

With the key word being "yet." It's getting there, it's going to happen.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Can I retire at my age with my savings

The original poster says "savings" -- maybe he's got a higher net worth from home equity, retirement accounts, a partially vested pension, or a collection of Beanie Babies. I wouldn't expect him to volunteer these figures to a bunch of strangers on the internet, but they could change the riskiness of /the ability to recover from the idea he is toying with.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on HG's blog

How do you get "charm" from a photograph? Does her picture smell good, too? ;-)

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Colombian paramilitary warlords extradited

Substitute throwing them to the lions with throwing them to Pablo's hippos. Since one or more of those headed North started as an assassin for Pablo, it would be a nice full circle kind of thing.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Am I still here?

Double check the age of the document/information you're referring to about matrimonial visas. I think I read that Colombia did away with those two or three years ago.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Things that make you go mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

If you enlarge the third photo (from top to bottom) and still go ahead - you need to quit that corporate gig and start your own "exotic food tasting" show!

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Can I retire at my age with my savings

Good post, PeteyW.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Colombian paramilitary warlords extradited

An article in the Wall Street Journal this a.m. quotes US drug czar Walters: -------------------- "It's a day of historic action," U.S. drug czar John Walters said in an interview. Mr. Walters added that none of the extradited men would be subject to plea deals that could reduce their sentences -- making it likely they will get long prison terms. ------------------- That's counter to some of the early comments/speculation yesterday about plea bargaining. So maybe they've got solitary confinement (like Ricardo Palmera) and 30 years of abstinence to look forward to, which could explain Tovar's obscenities as he was hauled away. Stupid, greedy criminals... Other than a couple of old goats in the Medellin and Cali cartels (the Ochoa family?) it seems like very few of these mid-upper level narcos live past 40 as a free man.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on I need information on Colombia to help with a project in school.

Over the last year or two, the Wikipedia entry has expanded greatly and there are all kinds of links within the main article. I'd start there for the "basics."

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Can I retire at my age with my savings

If you want to retire in the strict sense of the word, no. If you want to start a business, then I'd say yes because people have started businesses on far less. The big caveat is that you need the right idea and you will probably need to work like crazy in the early years. If the business idea or the idea of being independent doesn't stir your passions, it's probably not the right move. Not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur. I would also add that with three trips over one year, you're probably still in the honeymoon phase with Colombia. Keep traveling there as much as you can. Check out some other cities. Make sure you still feel the same way in six months or a year.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on HG's blog

I think there's a country song and maybe even a movie in Monpirri's future. GIRL IN MY COMPUTER ain't got much not even a damn dog but I got everything I need with the girl in my computer 2nd verse, same as the first

Tinto (Moderator) comments on why do colombians think the USA is the best country to live in

Did the guy with the mop of hair win?

Tinto (Moderator) comments on What is this world coming too....Laughing my ass off..JETBLUE

Funny story. Most large corporations - knowing they are in the wrong and not wanting to court bad publicity - would have settled this quietly. The guy probably could've received enough to buy a nice sports car. Either JetBlue's version of events is entirely different and they're willing to fight this, or the guy is a moron for passing up a reasonable settlement offer and thinks he deserves a jackpot.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Colombian paramilitary warlords extradited

Sure, with corrupt prison guards a lot of things can happen that aren't supposed to. But most of the media stories are about state and local prisons. If the government hasn't thought this through for these very high profile dudes that are headed for the federal pen, then they're pretty damn incompetent and we should all stop paying our taxes. ;-)

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Colombian paramilitary warlords extradited

Don't be so surprised, MedellinTraveler. These guys are roughly prisoner numbers 701 to 715 that have been extradited since Uribe's been in office.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Colombian paramilitary warlords extradited

Mr. H. - OK, but I still think it would be a big stretch for Colombian victims to be successful under the Tort Claims Act. There haven't been that many suits and it looks like the ones that have been filed usually have a corporation or a government entity as a plaintiff or a defendant. If an attorney could figure out a way get a citizen v. citizen case heard in court, I think he has to be sure there are U.S.-based assets to go after. And in that endeavor, he'd probably need to rely on the U.S. Treasury. Long odds but I suppose it's possible.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Colombian paramilitary warlords extradited

Mr. Hollywood - The lawyer might have to be REALLY enterprising. I believe (but I'm no lawyer) that the Alien Tort Claims Act applies when the defendant is a US citizen, corporation, or government entity. Unless someone could prove the AUC is controlled by the CIA or was acting on behalf of the US Army, I don't think the claim would get too far.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Colombian paramilitary warlords extradited

An article from the NY Times, updated with a few quotes from the usual suspects (NGOs, university professors) http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/14/world/americas/14colombia.html In the unfortunate name department: Rodrigo Tovar Pupo (the pupo part sounds funny to an English speaker) has a lawyer named Eduardo Bocanegra. Mr. Poop and Mr. Black Mouth... how fitting

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Things that make you go mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Caution: These photos are not for delicate eyes connected to a delicate stomach http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balut Yuck, yuck and triple yuck!

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Scottys story

Scotty, Have you talked to the hospital's patient advocate or their social services person or called your local United Way? You're in a big city with a lot of middle-aged to retired people and I'd bet there are all kinds of support groups for people with cancer. If Phoenix is anything like Minneapolis, you'll even find support groups organized by your clinic or hospital in a couple of non-English languages. They're out there; ask someone to help you find them. Good luck!

Tinto (Moderator) comments on 60 minutes

If Salvatore Mancuso is to be believed, the management of the entire banana and plantain industry in Colombia should be headed for jail. He says all of them paid the AUC three cents per crate.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on the new european educational guidelines

It must be that secret language that toddler twins use to communicate...

Tinto (Moderator) comments on can love be created

Listen, lady, don't ya' know it's a lot easier to take a driving exam in a car with an automatic transmission? ;-)

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Colombian paramilitary warlords extradited

Insightful comment above about what happens next with security. We'll find out soon if the state has control of Medellin and Antioquia or if it was just a lull in the war and the paracos are still in charge. I know where UtopiaCowboy stands on the issue... we'll see if he's right.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Second best daily newspaper a few years ago El Espectador

In a story that Simon posted, it looks like El Espectador has been a money-losing vanity project for Santo Domingo. Maybe it's a good sign for the future of the economy if he's going to pump in more money and try to make it a profitable daily paper. Alternatively, even rich guys do dumb things and maybe it will turn into an even larger vanity project....

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Colombian paramilitary warlords extradited

Well, if he appeared pro se and there are witnesses or a transcript, I guess that pretty much settles the question about whether he's still in custody. Thanks for the updated information.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Colombian paramilitary warlords extradited

Desi, I think it's a rumor, but apparently he doesn't show up in official prison databases so the theories abound.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Colombian paramilitary warlords extradited

Cali371 - By "silenced" I mean less vocal, less access to their minions, less access to the Colombian media and less of a threat to Uribe & Co. Unlike Colombia, I doubt they will have cell phones, laptops with internet access, and visiting hours with prostitutes when they check into the federal holding facility. I believe Mancuso was even running a personal website from prison. They will, however, have defense lawyers and maybe even some sympathizers who can advocate on their behalf without getting killed (Ricardo Palmera swayed some US-based NGOs and after two or three trials with two or three hung juries the prosecution dropped the drug charges against him. He's still in the slammer for a LONG time on conspiracy to kidnap).

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Colombian paramilitary warlords extradited

I'm guessing they were transported to the various cities depending on which federal judicial district made the indictments and/or requests for extraditions.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on New Theme Park near Armenia

If you join the armed forces, all of Colombia is a shoot-the-FARC theme park.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Colombian paramilitary warlords extradited

That's a big news story -- sending the top AUC guys to the Hotel California. I suppose it's good since Colombia cannot control them but the skeptic in me says there are more angles. On the trade agreement front, is it part of a deal to placate US congressional Democrats and their union donors? On the Colombian politics front, does it remove some political heat from Uribe. Nice job perk to be able to silence your accusers by sending them to a foreign jail. Re Lehder - it's all kind of murky, but isn't one of the semi-informed theories that he provided enough information to go after Noriega, so the US eventually just let him go (probably after creating a new identity for him).

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Second best daily newspaper a few years ago El Espectador

It looks like Le Monde picked one paper from eight large-population countries. Izvestia is an odd choice, too. Maybe there was a brief period of press freedom in the early 1990s, but Izvestia (according to Wikipedia) is now owned by Gazprom/The Kremlin/Putin and has long had close ties to the post-Communist Russian government.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Second best daily newspaper a few years ago El Espectador

The People's Daily? The best at what? Serving up press releases and fake statistics from the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party?

Tinto (Moderator) comments on why do colombians think the USA is the best country to live in

I don't know much about Peter but I do know he's lived and worked in the US (I think he started his own IT consulting business in NYC). Desi and Kat1 have close family members that are long term residents, if not citizens of the US, so it seems kind of odd to say the site owner and two moderators from Europe have an automatic anti-US bias. People on this site bitch about the way things are in Colombia, Venezuela, the US, Canada, Western Europe and Scandinavia or about the politicians in those countries. That's fine as long as the comment/complaint/rant/constructive criticism is related to the topic at hand, does not contain personal insults and and isn't of the "all Germans are blankety, blank, blank" nature.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Another positive for Colombia's Medical Care

I wonder if those crazy list prices vary by type of corporate entity? For example, I can see a for-profit health care system really jacking up the rates because when they write off "charitable" care it has a tax benefit for them. Not-for-profit/university/foundation health care systems don't pay corporate income tax so maybe they don't have as much incentive to regularly quote pie-in-the-sky rates. However, they still lobby for public funds (and to maintain their non-profit status) so maybe it helps them, too, to look more generous than they really are, even if they can't be quite so crass as their for-profit brethren about inflating the charitable care numbers.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Another positive for Colombia's Medical Care

I'm looking at a series of online claims that were recently processed by Blue Cross/Blue Shield for a family member. One of them is for a neck-up MRI and has a list price of $2900. Blue Cross is paying the hospital $1100 and my family member has to pay $370. That's nuts...what kind of business sets list prices 2x what they actually expect to get paid? On the one hand, I'm glad I live in a rich country that can order up same-day MRIs and CT scans when someone shows up at the Urgent Care Clinic (different than an emergency room) with an unexplained, persistent headache. And it's a relief knowing the person doesn't have a tumor or aneurysm or something like that. On the other, I know these types of images are incredibly expensive (the bill for the MRI, a CT scan, three visits with a primary care doctor and one visit with a neurologist was $5500 at list price). So...rich country, poor country or somewhere in between, all the health systems are screwed up and inefficient, but in different ways.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Feds Bust 83 in Florida Marriage Fraud Scam

Ah! That's right. I forgot about Field Marshall Meisterburgher who founded Barranquilla, Avianca and Bavaria.

Tinto (Moderator) comments on Feds Bust 83 in Florida Marriage Fraud Scam

So your Dad was a newspaper reporter and you had a big house and a CAR in Barranquilla. That sounds like a pretty decent life for 1950s Colombia. Does that mean the stories about eating dirt and masturbating with the monkeys down by the river are not true? ;-)