Shakira: Nomed Best Song for Love in the Time of Cholera, Golden Globe
December 14, 2007 by albeiror24.png)
The Colombian singer is in the list of noms for best original song in the film “Love in the Time of Cholera” with “Despedida”. The song, composed for the film based in the Gabriel García Márquez novel and produced by Scott Steinford who shot it in Cartagena de Indias, gave to the famous artists the honor to be among the bests in the candidacy for the Golden Globe to be celebrated in Berverly Hills next Sunday 13th January 2008, just nine days before the prizes of the Acadamy.
Shakira, whose full name is Shakira Isabel Mebarat Ripoll, was born in Barranquilla on February 2, 1977 and she is one of the most popular singers, composer and productor of pop-rock from Colombia. Her family is of Arab-Lebanon origin and her name, Shakira, means “full of grace”. She started her path to fame during the 80´s and in 2001 was well known around the world for her album “Laundry Service”. According to the United World Chart, Shakira has sold more than 60 million albums worldwide. She is also two times Grammy winner and seven times Grammy Latino winner.
ICJ Over Nicaragua v Colombia differences, What the Media said
December 14, 2007 by albeiror24
The State Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina, a map of the National Army of Colombia.What the media of Colombia and Nicaragua said about the decision of the International Court of Justice of La Hague about the differences between both nations:
CM& La Noticia of Guatemala published today some articles and a video of the tv news El País, informing about the decision of the Court. The newspaper said that the Sanandresans welcomed the statement of the Court, “We have kept respect for the Colombian flag and we feel therefore Colombians”, said an island native to the Central America media. At the other hand, the newspaper said that the decision of The Hague gave to Nicaragua the possibility to wide its sea borders and it has an open question “Did Colombia lost? Did Colombia win?” Read the rest of this entry »
Colombians buying more computers
Sells of computers rose to 80% in 2007
By Albeiro Rodas | Picture by Clara Campoamor | December 13, 2007
Colombians are buying more computers, according to the statistics of the Ministry of Communications, Mrs Maria del Rosario Guerra in her annual report.
Sellings of computers and Internet services rose to 80% during 2007 and the numbers are a result of a new tax policy to technological equipment in Colombia given by Law 1111 of 27th December 2006.
The 2006 law canceled what is called in Colombia “IVA” (Valued Added Tax) that used to make computers expensive and unreachable for the common Colombian pocket. The measure applied for computers with costs inferior to US$ 900. As a consequence. many Colombian families, companies, schools and other organizations could afford to get a computer and get access to Internet during 2007.
A December in Colombia
By Albeiro Rodas
Boys of Medellín during a night of December. Picture by Carlos0717.
If you are a “Colombianist” (it is the discipline that study the Colombian culture) and want to get the Colombians naked in what they are, come in December and part of January and you will get many ideas and a lot of fun.
Saying in English or in other foreign language how is a December in Colombia is not easy. It is not easy because it has to see with the deepest part of the Colombian soul. Something like trying to explain what is natilla, buñuelos, villancicos and all those things so familiar to Colombians.
December is the month when these Latin American people lives at its full its traditions and the principles of its culture. Their culture of course has to see with the Spanish language, the Catholic influence in their customs, the way to be human in the tropic, the strong roots of family and an ancestral rural life that survives the urban contexts. Read the rest of this entry »
Economy| Reduction of vulnerability: Meeting in Bogotá of Experts and Policymakers
December 12, 2007 by albeiror24
Bogotá
— Media-Newswire.com
- Experts
and
policymakers
will meet
December
11-12 in
Bogota,
Colombia, in
the San
Carlos
Palace,
headquarters
of the
Colombian
Foreign
Relations
Ministry, to
explore
strategies
and
mechanisms
to increase
investments
towards the
reduction of
vulnerability
of natural
hazards in
the economic
and social
infrastructure.
Read the
rest of this
entry »Uribe Surprises| The Yes of Uribe Waits the Yes of Farc
December 9, 2007 by albeiror24When the door is closed, God opens the window
“The Yes of the President is the answer to a national and international call” (Mgr. Castro, President of the Colombian Conference of Bishops)
“The Farc must answer in a constructive form” (Nicaolas Sarkozy, President of France)
“The
government waits
the biggest
surrounding of
guerrilla troops
of the history
of the Farc” (Caracol
Broadcasting
citing Frank
Pearl, top
presidential
councilor.)
[Foto Efe]
Bogotá – ColPas. Nobody can predict President Uribe. He uses to be at the center of hot critics from opponents inside and outside Colombia, object of admiration by many others and expectations by those who follow with care the long Colombian conflict. Apart of any kind of hot position at his side or against him, true is that Uribe has been the most influential Colombian president of his country and the region in the last 50 years, the same time the modern Colombian conflict has taken its place in history. A man of strong decisions based in history, with any fear to face journalists, political opponents and even other international leaders, Uribe amazed many with his last decision to say Yes to the proposal of the Colombian Catholic Church to open a zone in order to facilitate the so waited human interchange.
Welcome to the new Colombia
December 8, 2007 by albeiror24
Cartagena.
As he presses the
flesh and meets with
the locals in this
impoverished slum
community, known as
Vía Perimetral,
Colombian President
Álvaro Uribe
resembles an
American-style urban
populist. Short and
bespectacled, he has
a physical stature
that belies his
charisma and steely
toughness. Uribe
moves through the
crowds of
Afro-Colombians,
promising them
housing and
receiving cheers,
before holding forth
at an impromptu town
hall-style meeting.
The heat and
humidity are
oppressive—this is a
swampy area right
along the Caribbean
coast—but the
Colombian president
listens to the Vía
Perimetral residents
and responds to them
dutifully.
Read the rest of
this entry »
The “City of the Light” is in South America and that is Medellin in December
By Albeiro Rodas | Picture by Carlos17.
If the artists did call Paris as the “City of the Light”, such title is transferred in December across the Ocean to the streets of a South American city: Medellin, Colombia.
Every 8th of December the city dresses its best colors. Light takes possession of the streets. Moon is not needed to contemplate the night full of beautiful Christmas works at mega levels of international admiration.
It is not something new that was coming from the recent tourist boom of the Andean city. It is an old tradition that in 2007 is 40 years old, which author is the Public Services Enterprises of Medellin (EEPP), one of the biggest enterprise of services in South America. Read the rest of this entry »
Colombia refrained to be cofounder of Bank of the South
December 7, 2007 by albeiror24
Buenos Aires — ColPas. Colombia refrained of being confounder of Bank of the South, according to the digital Colombian magazine of economics Portafolio. The Bank that is going to be inaugurated this comuing Sunday in Buenos Aires, has like initial members Venezuela, Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Bolivia and Uruguay and its objectives are the promotion of regional projects for development and integration.
Presidents of the founder members of Bank of the South. Picture by Eco Portal.net.
Cited by Portafolio Colombia, Mr Guido Mantega, Minister of Economy of Brazil, said that the Bank Read the rest of this entry »
Canada refused to approve Visa to Miss Colombia 2007
December 7, 2007 by albeiror24
Bogotá
- PasCol. With not reasons
the Embassy of Canada in Bogotá
refused to give Visa to Taliana
Vargas Carillo, Miss Colombia 2007.
Taliana, who will be 19 next
December 20 and who is the youngest
woman that has been elected as Miss
Colombia, was planning to pass next
Christmas in Toronto because her
boyfriend is Canadian. It is
possible that Sir Ambassador does
not know very well one of the most
beautiful ladies of the planet or,
maybe, he is zealous to let so much
beauty to come into his country.
Intel Chairman| Technology Making a Difference in Colombia
Craig Barrett Outlines Plans for Expanded Opportunities
Medellín, Colombia, Dec. 3, 2007 – Intel Corporation Chairman Craig Barrett today praised Medellín for leadership in harnessing the benefits of technology and said its Digital Medellín strategy was a model that should be replicated to better people’s lives across the country.
Colombia this week on the final leg of a worldwide tour focused on increasing the use of technology to expand opportunities in developing countries. During a speech today to young entrepreneurs and other members of Medellín’s business community, he cited the ongoing need to foster innovation and technology investment by the public and private sectors. Barrett also placed special emphasis on education, noting that it is vital for Colombia to cultivate a skilled workforce. Read the rest of this entry »
New York with Colombian Music
New
York — ColPas y
Colombia en London
-- December 1, 2007 by albeiror24.
The American city
will enjoy a
specialty of the
Colombian music at
the heart of
Manhattan this
weekend. 1Srt of
December is the
appointment for the
5th
Encounter of
Colombian Musicians
of New York where
the talented artists
gather to show the
melodies of their
country. Colombia
has been since ever
a prominent country
in music production.
If there are
Colombians, there
are music and New
York would not be
the exception.
November 2007
Scott Steindorff wants to live in Cartagena
November 30, 2007 by albeiror24The producer of the Love in the Time of Cholera Movie got in love with the Colombian city
By
Albeiro Rodas — ColPass
Scott Steindorff, the producer of “Love in the Time of Cholera” with Dune Kozat. Picture from David Patrick Columbia/Jeffrey Hirsch.
Cartagena. The producer of the movie based in the novel of Gabriel García Márquez, “Love in Time of Cholera,” said in a press conference in Cartagena that he is looking a house to live in the city, according to El Tiempo.
Scott Steindorff got also a Colombian girlfriend, the actress Marcela Mar and he said that he wants to do another film in the Colombian Caribbean city.
The statement was done before 200 international journalists in the World Organization for Tourism Summit in the classic Heredia Theater, a famous cultural building that stands within the stunning historical center of Cartagena de Indias. Read the rest of this entry »
Colombia witnesses resurging tourist numbers
November 29, 2007 by albeiror24Article published by Monsters and Critics.com, WotR Ltd. in “Feature Travel | Lifestyle” on Nov 20, 2007
Cartagena, Colombia
- Colombia’s tourist
industry, long a victim of
the nation’s unrest, is
beginning to see signs of
life again as visitors
return to discover the
nation’s cities and lush
countryside.
A yard in the historical Cartagena, picture by Hernando Palacio.
Nowadays, tourists do not limit themselves to the Caribbean coast, which boasts Cartagena and the islands of San Andres and Providencia. Cities like Bogota, Cali and Medellin are seeing more foreign visitors, with a noticeable hike in the proportion of tourists to businessmen.
Cartagena’s alleys are still full of people. Once the midday heat subsides, locals and gringos throng the streets between the city walls to visit churches and museums. Read the rest of this entry »
Álvaro Mutis: Homage in Guadalajara
November 27, 2007 by albeiror24
Guadalajara
— PassCol – Picture by
vivamexicolindo.com.
The Colombian writer Álvaro
Mutis is the honor guest of the
21rst Book International Fair in
Guadalajara, Mexico this month.
The Fair will take place next
November 24 to December 2 and is
featuring Colombia as the guest
country. The Colombian
delegation will have the
presence of Mutis, the also
Nobel Prize 1982, Gabriel García
Márquez and 50 other Colombian
writers. Moroever, the South
American country will have in
the fair 50 publishing houses,
13 musician groups and other
prominent Colombians of art and
movie with their works.“I still today remember that beauty in my Mexican exile, when I close the eyes and think in Colombia, in so extreme beauty, in that serenity of an Eden at the sixth day of the Creation, I find again that intact image”, said Mutis in a speech addressed to the Fair.
Álvaro Mutis was born in Bogotá in 1923, but he has been abroad most of the part of his life. First in Belgium until 1932 and after in Mexico since 1956. In his years in Colombia he worked as a journalist for Nuevo Mundo Broadcasting and as a public relation assistance in some companies. It was El Espectador the first newspaper to publish his poems before he moved to Mexico where he got influence from writers like Octavio Paz, Pablo Neruda, Saint-John Perse and Walt Whitman. 1978 is marked as the beginning of his life as a writer of novels, but he published for the first time in 1986 “Maqroll el Naviero” (Maqroll the Shipping), his most popular work.
Mutis received the Literacy National Prize of Poetry of Colombia in 1974, the Medici Prize as the best foreign work of France in 1997, the Literacy Asturias Prince Prize of Spain in 1997 and the Cervantes Prize in 2001.
Sources
- Álvaro Mutis será homenajeado en la XXI FIL de Guadalajara. El Occidental, México, 24 de agosto de 2007.
- Discurso de Álvaro Mutis en la XXI Feria del Libro de Guadalajara, Viva Mexico Lindo.com, 25 de noviembre de 2007.
Uribe Versus Chávez: The Americas take seat
Foto: Archivo / EL TIEMPO / November 26, 2007
The political tensions between Colombia and Venezuela come already to a highest level with the outspoken speeches of the two most famous current Latin American presidents: Álvaro Uribe of Colombia and leftist Hugo Chávez. The Venezuelan President said that Uribe is a lier and that Colombia needs a best president, while Uribe answered that Chávez wanted only to make intervention in Colombia following an expansionist project in the continent and that he wants a government influenced by terrorism.
Hugo Chávez was approved by the Colombian government to conduct dialogues with the guerrillas in order to get release the hostages. In that task, president Chávez was together with the Colombian Senator Piedad Córdoba. But a phone call from Córdoba and Chávez from Caracas to the high Colombian commander was interpreted by Uribe as interferences in domestic affairs giving as a result the cancel of the mediator role of the Venezuelan president. Read the rest of this entry »
A Colombian among the ten most promiment Hispanics of Canada
November 24, 2007 by albeiror24
The event was organized by other Colombian
Toronto — CP with Colombia en London — The Colombian physician Alex Jadad, specialized in anesthesiology and dedicated to health services through information technology, was selected among the 10 most prominent Hispanics of Canada by the Factor Hispano Magazine from the Hispanic community in that country. The award to the Hispanic leaders who are prominent for their work and services were selected by a jury and voted by the participants to the party that took place in the Estelar Banquet of Toronto last Nov 20 with 440 guests and among them some journalists from t.v., radio and newspapers interested in the Hispanic community. The organization was a work of another prominent Colombian in the Hispanic community in Canada: Mauricio Ospina.
Jadad war born in Monteria and he did his first formation in Colombia. In 1990 he went to the Oxford University and got a doctorate in physiology becoming one of the first physicians in the world with a doctorate in knowledge synthesis and meta-analysis of clinic trials. Read the rest of this entry »
Sarkozy would send letter to Uribe, said El Universal
November 23, 2007 by albeiror24
President Chávez and Sen Córdoba, former mediators in the humanitarian release of the guerrilla hostages. Caracoal Broadcasting Picture.
El Universal of Venezuela said that the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy would send a letter to the Colombian president Alvaro Uribe asking to reconsider his decision on canceling the mediation of the Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez with the Farc. The Venezuelan newspaper wrote that the French spokesperson assured that the French ambassador in Bogotá will give a letter of Sarkozy to Uribe, although such letter is not yet written.
The Colombian journalist Darío Arismendi, Caracol Broadcasting, said in 6am Hoy por Hoy from Bogotá that according Read the rest of this entry »
Uribe canceled mediation of Chavez with leftist guerrilla
The official communication was read by Mauricio Velásquez, the Presidencial Spokesperson, dated 21th November, 2007 and said that the President of the Republic informs that today the Senator Piedad Córdoba, called by phone the commander of the Army, General Mario Montoya, asking an appoitment and, immediatly, she gave the phone to President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela. President Chávez asked to General Montoya questions about the kidnapped by the Farc. The communication said also that during the meeting of Santiago de Chile, President Uribe told to President Hugo Chávez that he was not agree that the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela takes directly communication with the Institutional High Command of Colombia and therefore, the President of the Republic, cancels the mediation of Senator Piedad Córdoba and the mediation of President Hugo Chávez to whom he is very grateful for the help they have provided. Read the rest of this entry »
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina: Argentines reacted with shock Wednesday after their previously unbeaten Albiceleste allowed two second-half goals and lost 2-1 to Colombia in World Cup qualifying.
"The worst outcome," read the bold headline in Argentine sports daily Ole, adding "a bad way to end the year."
Colombia's victory Tuesday night in Bogota ended Argentina's three-game winning streak over Chile, Venezuela and Bolivia by a combined score of 7-0.
The loss was particularly unsettling after goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri had not allowed a goal in the three previous matches.
"On the road to South Africa, the stigma of Colombia resurfaces," said the newspaper La Nacion, which noted Argentina closes out the year with a mark that it hadn't counted on. >>Continue reading
Colombia stuns 10-man Argentina
November 22, 2007 by albeiror24Argentina suffered its first loss in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday as they were knocked off 2-1 by Colombia.
Argentina’s Carlos Tevez was sent off just 25 minutes into the game, but the club still took a 1-0 lead before halftime through a Lionel Messi goal. However, the Argentines tired in the second half and Colombia took advantage, getting a goal from Ruben Dario Bustos in the 63rd minute and the match-winner seven minutes from time through Dayro Mauricio Moreno to move into second place in the standings, just one point behind Argentina. Read the rest of this entry »
Colombia 2 Argentina 1, What the Spanish Press said
El Diario, Ecuador, said that Colombia slowed down Argentina: “In the first minutes of the game, Argentina, leaded by Alfio ‘Coco’ Basile, tried to surprise Colombia with a cross kick of Tevez that was stopped by Agustín Julio, the goalkeeper. But Colombia reacted very well, recovering the ball and trying to arrive touching with players like Tressor Moreno (San Luis of Mexico) and Wason Renteria, while Bustos, of the Porto Alegre, Brazil Group, looked for giving a surprise with long distance kicks.” Read the rest of this entry »
Colombian defeated Argentina 2-1
Ruben Darío Bustos and Dayro Moreno were the authors of the two Colombian gols while Lionel Messi was the Argentinian who did the first and only gol for the guests in Bogotá at the 38th minute of the first time.
At the 38th minutes of the second time, Moreno gave the first joy to the Colombian plaza and pairs made a complementary time for the exciting match with the famous Argentinian team. At the 16th minute Bustos defeated the Argentinian resistence with a goal of free kick. Read the rest of this entry »
Taliana Vargas Carrillo, Miss Colombia 2007, is like this
November 20, 2007 by albeiror24She was born also in one of the most beautiful Colombian cities, Santa Marta, the capital of the State of Magdalena, a perl of the Colombian Caribbean sea. The city is guarded by the highest Colombian mountain, the Santa Marta Snow Mountain, the highest mountain of the world so near to the see: the more than 5,000 meters up at only 40 kilometers away from the coast. Therefore, it is natural that so beautiful and amazing place would be the born place of so beautiful woman. >>Read more...
International Libraries Congress in Medellin
November 19, 2007 by albeiror24
The Public Library in the
Today’s World
Medellín — PC. The city of Medellin will be the
seat for another international gathering. It is the
International Public Libraries Congress with the
participation of delegations from the Americas, Europe, Asia
and Oceania. The event will take place between November 20
and 23 and it is organized by Comfenalco, the Municipality
of Medellin and the Regional Center for the Promotion of the
Book of Latin America and the Caribbean Region with the
support of the International Agency of Cooperation of
Medellin.
A Public Library
The city has integrated today as a part of its being the public library. Among other things that a modern city should have, according with what we consider to be modern, the public library is among a line of things like the mall, the park, the movie house and other spaces. Read the rest of this entry »
Personal Journey | Colombia? You had to be there
What comes to mind when you hear "Medellin, Colombia"? When my daughter
accepted a teaching assignment in Colombia's
second-largest city, my thoughts centered on
drug cartels, guerilla warfare and
kidnappings.
To reassure myself about my daughter's decision, I asked friends and family whether they knew anyone who had visited Colombia. I called my travel agent, begging for encouragement. Instead, she suggested I read the U.S. State Department's travel warning. (Go to http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_941.html to read the June 4 warning.)
Desperate, I visited several bookstores to learn about this violent, remote country where my daughter would live. I found two travel books about Colombia, and both contained long chapters on safety. Finally, I realized that I needed to trust my daughter's judgment. >>Read the rest of this post
Your Computers Are Down? No Problema
By John Hanc, The New York Times. "(...) The Etectonics office manager, Juan Diego Rodriguez, J. D. for short, is pleased when he hears the outcome, although he won’t be visiting the dealership anytime soon. That’s because Mr. Rodriguez and the Etectonics customer service operation are based in Bogotá, Colombia. Clients can’t believe it when they hear it. “It’s great seeing their reaction,” Mr. Garcia said. “Sometimes they’ve already been dealing with our company for a year. They think they’re talking to a guy in Yonkers.” >>Read the rest of this story.
Taliana Vargas, new Miss Colombia 2007
Cartagena de Indias, CP.
Taliana Vargas
Carrillo was crown yesterday as the new Miss
Colombia 2007 in the Center of Conventions of
Cartagena. She was among the favorite ones as
representative of the Magdalena State and
Taliana, born in Santa Marta City, one of the
main tourist spots of Colombia at the coast of
the Caribbean Sea, is the one who is going to
participate for Colombia in Miss Universe. She
was born on December 20, 1987, studied social
communication and languages in the Northern
Virginia Community College in Alexandria,
Virgina, US and she got the sympathy of
Cartagena since the beginning of the most
important contest for the Colombian beauty.
Picture of Taliana Vargas, Miss Colombia 2007, by expotografia.
“Why
don’t you shut up?”, said King Juan Carlos de Borbón to
President Chávez
The
Colombian port, where Garcia Marquez keeps a home
and which inspired his novel, has been buoyed by a
wave of tourism.