bill

Peace Through Acupuncture

Caracol news today showed a flash piece about acupuncture as a useful tool in drug rehabilitation. A quick search turned up a couple of articles in favor of this method in tandem with psychological therapy, and it doesn't appear to be news at all, having been around since the 70's. NADA (which ain't nada, it's really something), the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association, was founded in the mid-80's and works for certification to use acupuncture in cases of chemical dependency. Sticking needles in addicts (as well as prevention programs) is obviously a much more humane, not to mention cheaper drug abuse relief effort than the present erradication program. short and sweet: http://www.standingpost.com/acupuncture.html There is a heap of links to more info at the bottom of this article: http://www.acutcmdetox.com/addcom11.htm

San Francisco Accord

The Government and the FARC-EP have decided to sit back down to discuss the San Francisco Accord..thank goodness. I have hopes that these next four days will be productive and that the negotiaters' goal of making the agenda concrete to set dates for the cease-fire, but I also have hopes that they can get more concrete than the above-mentioned accord. You can read it in Spanish here: http://www.anncol.com/jan_2002/0115_paisesamigosdecolombia.html

Moving in Bogotá

You've probably heard many-a-time about "moving to Colombia", well this is not to repeat some of what's been said, so read on to hear about "moving in Colombia". As is anywhere moving is a major pain, but as is any administrative activity here in Colombia, it is doubly a pain, but when it's all said and done, when the dust is lifted, the patience restored and the sneezing gone there's no other place I'd like to be right now other then mi querida Bogotá.

Bogotá Wipes Its Tears for 2nd Week of Theater Festival

Bogotá has put off the rest of its "winter" rains for the first days of the outdoor "callejera" portion of the VIII Ibero American Festival of Theater of Bogotá , held biennially. March 15th brought the outdoor on-lookers the inaugural parade full with amazing actors, and actresses, dancers, masks, costumes, floats, music, stilts and stunts.

Colombian Presidential Elections Primer

May 26th is the second day this year that the Colombian electorate will turn to the urns to see if things will take a turn for the better. Hopes are high and people are ready for a change, which is shown by the results in favor of independent candidates in March's congressional elections, despite the decries of strange happenings, which have not yet been resolved and there appears to be very little interest on the part of the Congress to fix the matter, as was seen in Noemí Sanín's recent appearance in Congress to a mostly empty auditorium.

EU speaks out against fumigations

This is a summary and link to an El Tiempo article (in Spanish) reporting that the European Commission has spoken out in opposition of aerial fumigation of illicit crops in Colombia.

Bogotá Moving Forward

Bogotá's psychological, social and physical progress is a contradicition in a country wraught by the opposite. This article (by Scott Wilson from the Washington Post) summarizes well the accomplishments made in Bogotá, as well as its woes.

Bogotá's Car-Free Day - 2003

Hope shined on an overcast Bogotá day. Slow traffic, bad air and noise in your city? Bogotá has a few ideas. Car-Free Day is an annual event held on the first Thursday of February. (See "Historia del Día Sin Carro"). Following the first Car-Free Day, the residents of Bogotá voted in favor of inking it in as an annual event. From 6:30 am to 7:30 pm it is prohibited to use a private vehicle in Colombia's capital. Those who choose to do otherwise on this Day receive a stiff fine. Today's internationally-observed Car-Free Day was another huge success, far improved from the first Car-Free Days.

April 9th

April 9th is an important date in Colombia's history. Here are a few links to info.

Bogotá's Ciclorutas

This site is in Spanish and includes information on the "ciclorutas", maps, articles and the transformation of Bogotá into a metropolis where bicycles are a frequented mode of transportation.

Celebrating Sustainable Urban Transport - Ciudad Humana

This site is in Spanish and describes the conference to be held starting Feb 6, No Car Day. Attendees will learn all about Bogotá's successes in sustainable urban transportation: No Car Day, 170 km of bike paths, rush hour vehicular restriction, "Ciclovía" - the shutting down of major arteries in the city every Sunday for bikes, rollerblades, walking, etc., Tranmilenio - the innovative massive transportation rapid bus system, and more.

The Forbidden Hills

For so long, along with the many other curious woods walkers, I have denied myself the joy of independently walking among Bogotá’s eastern hills (los cerros orientales).

Four Years in Bogotá

On my four-year anniversary of living in Bogotá, I'd like to share some thoughts. I fell in love with living in Colombia eight years ago and eventually decided to follow my heart back to Colombia.

<font color=black>Bill's Home</font>

bills' Home Page

Colombia Court Nixes Spray Program (the Gov't will appeal)

Here is an article from AIDA (Asociación Interamericana de la Defensa del Ambiente, www.aida2.org) and PANNA (Pesticide Action Network North America, www.panna.org) on a Cundinamarca Court's ruling to halt the glysophate sprayings.

The Pedestals of Bogotá

How the changing attitudes in Bogotá represent respect for human life. A dreamer's notes.

Legalization/Illegalization of Personal Use of Marijuana

As Nevada is pushing to legalize marijuana for the November ballot, Uribe is trying to get the penalization of personal use on the referendum that he is trying to put together. Daniel Samper Pinzn has an interesting take on this topic in

Bert Ruiz' "The Colombian Civil War"

Colombia continues to find itself in the midst of "the war on drugs" and now "the war on terrorism." With the new "heavy-handed" President of the Republic of Colombia in office, promising to force one of the world's largest insurgent groups to the negotiating table again, but with results many ask, can Colombia do it? Even with the foreign military aid mostly coming from the U.S.A., will Alvaro Uribe's well-approved of Government and the Colombian military be capable of fighting the corrupt Congress, unemployment, the paramilitaries, the guerrillas, narco-traffickers, and all the while improving the military's Human Rights record?

Washington Post

The Post's Scott Wilson writes frequently on the Colombian conflicts. The title of the page is "Colombia's Civil War", but it appropriately includes all those involved, Colombian and non. There are transcripts from radio broadcasts as well and AP wires.

U.S. House Vote on Military Aid to Colombia

The following is from an email list colombianews@globalexchange.org, and it is regarding next week's vote in the U.S. House of Representatives to reduce military aid to Colombia.

Successful Volunteer Tax Program in Bogotá

Antanas Mockus, Bogotá Mayor, has had success with his voluntary tax program in which 60,000 people contributed to the City's programs directed to the most needy, Senior Citizens in particular.