Bolivians Ratify Charter, Preliminary Count Shows - NYTimes.com
It is late on Sunday and now we have a pretty good perspective on how the voting went today. A lot will be written in the days and weeks and months to come about how the constitution actually changes things 'on the ground'. This overview by the New York Times might be a bit slanted and negative compared to what most people will say tomorrow. There is at least one sentence that needs some explanation by the NYT: that Evo Morales is not fluent in Ayamara and Quechua. He is Aymara and grew up in a totally Aymara area and his work in the Chapare region with the cocaleros over many years was mostly in Quechua. So paint me 'puzzled' by the comment.... He is solidly tri-lingual.
One more thing before ending a long day. While in the USA we may be comfortable with the word "Indian" here in Bolivia it is almost a pejorative. The more geophysically and politically correct term is 'indigenous person' as there are precious few Indians from the sub-continent of south Asia.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
The Associated Press: Bolivia constitution would empower Indian majority
The Associated Press: Bolivia constitution would empower Indian majority
Today of course there is lots of reporting on the voting on the new constitution. This one gives a balanced view and the last line catches some of our own feeling. The indigenous population is a majority here, yet has been without power at the national level until the election of Evo a few years ago. While the changes that the new constitution will bring may be bittersweet for the long-in-control class, it will hopefully bring needed change to the wide base of the pyramid.
Today of course there is lots of reporting on the voting on the new constitution. This one gives a balanced view and the last line catches some of our own feeling. The indigenous population is a majority here, yet has been without power at the national level until the election of Evo a few years ago. While the changes that the new constitution will bring may be bittersweet for the long-in-control class, it will hopefully bring needed change to the wide base of the pyramid.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
FT.com / Americas - Morales promises ‘democratic revolution’
FT.com / Americas - Morales promises ‘democratic revolution’
Well folks, tomorrow Sunday January 25 will be the vote for the new constitution. The referenced article is a summary. But there are lots of summaries and opinions out there. The proof of whether this is good will not be known for years. Certainly it will right some past wrongs against the indigenous majority. As someone who is interested in technology, development and improving life, it is not obviouos how this will make a big difference. Especially in the educational system, its breadth, quality and ability to make Bolivia more competitive in the world. In a sense, ANY change may result in improvement in education and underlying infrastructure. Let's hope for the best.
Well folks, tomorrow Sunday January 25 will be the vote for the new constitution. The referenced article is a summary. But there are lots of summaries and opinions out there. The proof of whether this is good will not be known for years. Certainly it will right some past wrongs against the indigenous majority. As someone who is interested in technology, development and improving life, it is not obviouos how this will make a big difference. Especially in the educational system, its breadth, quality and ability to make Bolivia more competitive in the world. In a sense, ANY change may result in improvement in education and underlying infrastructure. Let's hope for the best.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Free Entertainment in Bolivia
Yes, this is real. Our favorite news is Univalle Televisión, associated with the Universidad del Valle (Univalle). We like it because it comes on at 7pm before the other news, there is not as much bias as some of the other stations, it is largely put on by students at the university and this particular newscaster, Liza Rivero, has on a different outfit every night. Liza's outfits are sponsored by an upscale boutique. Many are pretty much what you'd expect from a good boutique. But occasionally they uncork something left over from a Halloween Party gone terribly wrong..... Barb caught Liza making a perfect "O" that goes with the dress. We are hopeful that she got paid extra last night to wear this costume. Come to Bolivia and enjoy the free entertainment. Univalle Televisión
Friday, January 16, 2009
Andean Information Network - Touching a Nerve: Freedom of Religion in the Bolivian Constitutional Debate
Andean Information Network - Touching a Nerve: Freedom of Religion in the Bolivian Constitutional Debate
Here is a seeming no-brainer for gringos & yankees: separation of church and state. Until one has traveled outside of the US of A, one could think that church and state had been separated for the last 200+ years dating to the French revolution in Europe and the USA constitution on our side of the pond. But here the Catholic Church has had a preferential position since the beginning of Bolivia as a separate country. So as you, dear reader might imagine, the Church fighting to hold on to its vestiges of power. This has touched off a lot of politicing from the religious types including the protestants, not just Catholics. One more reason to separate church (Church) and state.
Here is a seeming no-brainer for gringos & yankees: separation of church and state. Until one has traveled outside of the US of A, one could think that church and state had been separated for the last 200+ years dating to the French revolution in Europe and the USA constitution on our side of the pond. But here the Catholic Church has had a preferential position since the beginning of Bolivia as a separate country. So as you, dear reader might imagine, the Church fighting to hold on to its vestiges of power. This has touched off a lot of politicing from the religious types including the protestants, not just Catholics. One more reason to separate church (Church) and state.
Bloomberg.com: Latin America
Bolivia's New Constitution to Create 'Chaos' Ex-president say
As we get closer to the vote on the new constitution we will be seeing a lot of comments. This one is from a previous president. He was a journalist before entering politics a few years back. Elected as the VP to what some consider to be a disasterous president, he was vaulted into the presidency when his predecessor ducked out of town before they could get a rope around his neck (almost literally, but not quite.) Much of the "heavy" change in the new constitution has to do with giving the indigenous people more voice, a lot more voice, in the government. Given that they were enslaved for hundreds of years and later have had to endure injustice for generations, one should ask "why not more voice?"
As we get closer to the vote on the new constitution we will be seeing a lot of comments. This one is from a previous president. He was a journalist before entering politics a few years back. Elected as the VP to what some consider to be a disasterous president, he was vaulted into the presidency when his predecessor ducked out of town before they could get a rope around his neck (almost literally, but not quite.) Much of the "heavy" change in the new constitution has to do with giving the indigenous people more voice, a lot more voice, in the government. Given that they were enslaved for hundreds of years and later have had to endure injustice for generations, one should ask "why not more voice?"
AFP: Drinking coffee reduces risk of Alzheimer's: study
AFP: Drinking coffee reduces risk of Alzheimer's: study
Here we have another piece of evidence of the benefits of coffee. Please ignore the cigarrete in the picture; this reflects an old misconception that coffee drinkers were cigarette smokers by association. Maybe the opposite is true.
Here we have another piece of evidence of the benefits of coffee. Please ignore the cigarrete in the picture; this reflects an old misconception that coffee drinkers were cigarette smokers by association. Maybe the opposite is true.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Blog from Bolivia: A Strange Campaign Over an Uncertain Constitution
Blog from Bolivia: A Strange Campaign Over an Uncertain Constitution
How would Jesus vote? Well, dear reader, click on the above link and find out what Jim thinks. Jim Shultz has been pondering Bolivian politics for over a decade. I've been at it for 9 years and feel about like he does: it is largely imponderable. And I also agree with the notion that while important, that the real issues of life in Bolivia will not be affected. Will there be too much or too little rain? Will mineral prices return to normal soon? Can the school system be brought up to anything like international standards? Will my grandkids find a decent job after they finish school? after university?
I come from a technological background having worked 30 years in high tech in the USA. In the last 30 years since Vietnam we have seen the Asian Tigers rise into economic and technological power houses. They did it based on an incredible investment in education. Who could imagine after seeing Saigon fall decades ago that Intel would put a major fabrication facility in the country within the last year? So while we all support a better political base (hopefully brought about by the new constitution), maybe the real question is "how will the country get to a point where more of the population can look hopefully into the future?"
How would Jesus vote? Well, dear reader, click on the above link and find out what Jim thinks. Jim Shultz has been pondering Bolivian politics for over a decade. I've been at it for 9 years and feel about like he does: it is largely imponderable. And I also agree with the notion that while important, that the real issues of life in Bolivia will not be affected. Will there be too much or too little rain? Will mineral prices return to normal soon? Can the school system be brought up to anything like international standards? Will my grandkids find a decent job after they finish school? after university?
I come from a technological background having worked 30 years in high tech in the USA. In the last 30 years since Vietnam we have seen the Asian Tigers rise into economic and technological power houses. They did it based on an incredible investment in education. Who could imagine after seeing Saigon fall decades ago that Intel would put a major fabrication facility in the country within the last year? So while we all support a better political base (hopefully brought about by the new constitution), maybe the real question is "how will the country get to a point where more of the population can look hopefully into the future?"
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
The Associated Press: Long-struggling Nortel files for bankruptcy
The Associated Press: Long-struggling Nortel files for bankruptcy
Well, ain't this a bittersweet moment...... ? In 1978 as I was walking home from Rockwell Collins in Richardson I came across a new building on Arapaho Rd. being constructed. Then a few months later it was finished and inhabited by a new firm known previously as Dan-Ray (later Danray). They were doing telecom and I had decided that I didn't get a fair shake at Rockwell Collins and my one year contract was up in June. So I walked in, arranged an interview, and subsequently 1) got a job and 2) cut my walk to work in half; and 3) cut some headhunter out of a finder's fee as I was a walk-on hire. Danray in the spring of 1978 had just been bought by Northern Telecom (later Nortel). It was their entré into the DFW area and the soon to explode carrier switching business in the southern 48. Danray had some Texas Instruments blood flowing in its veins, including the CEO, James Donald. Danray had taken a computer controlled PBX (a novel idea in the mid-1970s) and transformed it into a carrier switch. The computer driving the switch was a pair of mini-computers. Like, when was the last time you heard the term "mini-computer"?? At any rate I had the distinct privilege to work at Danray with Mr. Donald and some really smart folks. I stayed there for about a year and helped construct a Really Big (Bear) of a switch with a 4000 port switch matrix. [Kids these days used to 100,000 and much larger switching cores might think of this as ancient history, but that 4000 port core was a whopping 4X increase over the previous machine.] I went off with some of the engineering talent from Danray in the spring of 1979 who formed Intecom. I had a genuine Nortel badge for just a few weeks; before that we proudly wore Danray badges.
Turns out that that "talent" was better at stealing ideas from Northern Telecom and we got our tails sued by Northern Telecom. One of my first lessons in the Really Tough World out there: finally in early 1980 I got into a race of "could those scoundrels at Intecom fire me before I got to the door on my way out?" (Answer was yes) The first time I had ever lost a job and with it stock options that later would be worth over a million dollars. And Intecom finally had to fork over future earnings for their ill gotten intellectual theft from Nortel. In the fall of 1982 I returned to work for a company under Mr. Donald's leadership, Digital Switch Corporation, later DSC Corporation, where I worked 15 successful years. Many of the principals at DSC were alumni of Danray. Those were heady days. And there were a number of us who had no love lost at all for Northern Telecom.
So, fare thee well Nortel. It has been over 30 years since I worked for their then Danray group, but I remember it and the fine colleagues there very well.
Well, ain't this a bittersweet moment...... ? In 1978 as I was walking home from Rockwell Collins in Richardson I came across a new building on Arapaho Rd. being constructed. Then a few months later it was finished and inhabited by a new firm known previously as Dan-Ray (later Danray). They were doing telecom and I had decided that I didn't get a fair shake at Rockwell Collins and my one year contract was up in June. So I walked in, arranged an interview, and subsequently 1) got a job and 2) cut my walk to work in half; and 3) cut some headhunter out of a finder's fee as I was a walk-on hire. Danray in the spring of 1978 had just been bought by Northern Telecom (later Nortel). It was their entré into the DFW area and the soon to explode carrier switching business in the southern 48. Danray had some Texas Instruments blood flowing in its veins, including the CEO, James Donald. Danray had taken a computer controlled PBX (a novel idea in the mid-1970s) and transformed it into a carrier switch. The computer driving the switch was a pair of mini-computers. Like, when was the last time you heard the term "mini-computer"?? At any rate I had the distinct privilege to work at Danray with Mr. Donald and some really smart folks. I stayed there for about a year and helped construct a Really Big (Bear) of a switch with a 4000 port switch matrix. [Kids these days used to 100,000 and much larger switching cores might think of this as ancient history, but that 4000 port core was a whopping 4X increase over the previous machine.] I went off with some of the engineering talent from Danray in the spring of 1979 who formed Intecom. I had a genuine Nortel badge for just a few weeks; before that we proudly wore Danray badges.
Turns out that that "talent" was better at stealing ideas from Northern Telecom and we got our tails sued by Northern Telecom. One of my first lessons in the Really Tough World out there: finally in early 1980 I got into a race of "could those scoundrels at Intecom fire me before I got to the door on my way out?" (Answer was yes) The first time I had ever lost a job and with it stock options that later would be worth over a million dollars. And Intecom finally had to fork over future earnings for their ill gotten intellectual theft from Nortel. In the fall of 1982 I returned to work for a company under Mr. Donald's leadership, Digital Switch Corporation, later DSC Corporation, where I worked 15 successful years. Many of the principals at DSC were alumni of Danray. Those were heady days. And there were a number of us who had no love lost at all for Northern Telecom.
So, fare thee well Nortel. It has been over 30 years since I worked for their then Danray group, but I remember it and the fine colleagues there very well.
Andean Information Network - Bolivian Constitutional Referendum Analysis: An Overview
Andean Information Network - Bolivian Constitutional Referendum Analysis: An Overview
There will soon be a vote on the new constitution in Bolivia, January 25. It is a long time in coming and it has not been an easy task. Blood has been shed. I can not really offer a good analysis. But it should be pointed out that on either side (to the right and to the left) there has been criticism. Some think it goes too far, some that it does not go far enough. It is very complex and so it may take years to see how it actually changes life in Bolivia. Unless there is a last minute surprise (stay tuned, this IS Bolivia.....) it will pass with a modest margin. After that it is not clear what happens and today there were varying interpretations of "what happens next?" Some say that the congress will be dissolved others say no, that is impossible. So, as is usual in any socially derived change from the population base, there will be some potential for turmoil.
This source, Andean Information Network, leans a little to the left. In that sense it is aligned with politics at the national level in Bolivia. Keep watching this blog over the next few weeks and months and years as we see how the voting goes and subsequently how the new constitution is applied. But most importantly, let us see if it makes a fundamental difference in bringing Bolivia further along in social and economic development compared to the rest of the world. Much of the new constitution is oriented towards righting past wrongs perpetrated against the indigenous majority. That is very important. But as Soren Kierkegaard said "We learn from the past, but we live in the future."
There will soon be a vote on the new constitution in Bolivia, January 25. It is a long time in coming and it has not been an easy task. Blood has been shed. I can not really offer a good analysis. But it should be pointed out that on either side (to the right and to the left) there has been criticism. Some think it goes too far, some that it does not go far enough. It is very complex and so it may take years to see how it actually changes life in Bolivia. Unless there is a last minute surprise (stay tuned, this IS Bolivia.....) it will pass with a modest margin. After that it is not clear what happens and today there were varying interpretations of "what happens next?" Some say that the congress will be dissolved others say no, that is impossible. So, as is usual in any socially derived change from the population base, there will be some potential for turmoil.
This source, Andean Information Network, leans a little to the left. In that sense it is aligned with politics at the national level in Bolivia. Keep watching this blog over the next few weeks and months and years as we see how the voting goes and subsequently how the new constitution is applied. But most importantly, let us see if it makes a fundamental difference in bringing Bolivia further along in social and economic development compared to the rest of the world. Much of the new constitution is oriented towards righting past wrongs perpetrated against the indigenous majority. That is very important. But as Soren Kierkegaard said "We learn from the past, but we live in the future."
Monday, January 12, 2009
A lesson from Mafalda about narcissism
Felipe is looking at his reflection in a puddle.
Mafalda: Hello Felipe, what are you looking at in that puddle?
Felipe: I am leaving my image in the water.
Felipe: That way when it evaporates, each little drop will carry a little of me in the air around the city.
[Mafalda and Felipe get splashed.]
Mafalda: And other than that, what other interesting thing are you in involved in?
Felipe was thinking more about his image being carried all over the city and wasn't so concentrated on the more practical aspect of being doused. And while it is 'water' in Felipe's and Mafalda's case, if we get too carried away with our self-perception, we will get soaked by 'something' sooner or later.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Blog from Bolivia: A Bolivian Opposition Primary?
Blog from Bolivia: A Bolivian Opposition Primary?
A usually reliable English language blog on Bolivian politics that we enjoy. "Usually reliable" as in "who in the world can predict Bolivian politics?"
A usually reliable English language blog on Bolivian politics that we enjoy. "Usually reliable" as in "who in the world can predict Bolivian politics?"
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Why I like the weather.....
(Miguelito looking at himself in a puddle of water)
Felipe: Hello Miguelito, what are you doing looking at that puddle?
Miguelito: I was leaving my image in the water.
Miguelito: That way when it evaporates, each droplet will carry a little bit of me in all the air in the city.
Miguelito: Tomorrow when the newscast talks about the percentage of humidity, you will know who they are talking about.
[Taken from Mafalda, a famous comic strip from Argentina, having long ago (1973) ceased publication.]
Maybe that is why I like the weather. But be careful. Narcissism can get you.....
Friday, January 2, 2009
I've been a fan of 'hard' Christian rock for some time. Stavesacre released this song on their Absolutes CD in 1997 at a time that I was embarking on the present journey. Ya gotta hear the soundtrack to get a feel for the intensity of feeling. And like Mark Salomon (lead) asks "Why'd you try to take me out, why try to keep me down?", I ask the same...... One has to keep trudging ahead in spite of the SOBs and negative forces that just want to keep us down.
Shiv by Staveacre, 1997
I'm crawling out of my skin
I hope I get under yours
So many times before
But you still wanna know why
I won't just lay down and die
What did you expect
I think that I could guess
But this weight is lifted and I'm like
Back from the dead
And I'm feeling kinda strange
I'm not the same, and I think I like the change
Nothing lost, just cut away
Nothing left to hinder me
Pushing on, stronger everyday
Leaning into the wind that used to carry me
The last shot
Nearly killed me
Eternity lifted me again
Oh, how I want to be
An offense, an unsettling presence in this life
Why'd you try to take me out?
Why try to keep me down?
To get my eyes off me
Down each ugly street
Too many needs, too many
Souls on their knees
And where have I been?
Too much is me and mine
Too much is wasting time
With the cares of this life and now
I understand and I'm
I'm on my way. I feel like a man
And I, I think I like the change
Nothing lost, just cut away
Nothing left to hinder me
Pushing on, stronger everyday
Leaning into the wind that used to carry me
The last shot nearly killed me
Eternity lifted me again
Oh, how I want to be
An offense, an unsettling presence in this life
Why'd you try to take me out, why try to keep me down?
Shiv by Staveacre, 1997
I'm crawling out of my skin
I hope I get under yours
So many times before
But you still wanna know why
I won't just lay down and die
What did you expect
I think that I could guess
But this weight is lifted and I'm like
Back from the dead
And I'm feeling kinda strange
I'm not the same, and I think I like the change
Nothing lost, just cut away
Nothing left to hinder me
Pushing on, stronger everyday
Leaning into the wind that used to carry me
The last shot
Nearly killed me
Eternity lifted me again
Oh, how I want to be
An offense, an unsettling presence in this life
Why'd you try to take me out?
Why try to keep me down?
To get my eyes off me
Down each ugly street
Too many needs, too many
Souls on their knees
And where have I been?
Too much is me and mine
Too much is wasting time
With the cares of this life and now
I understand and I'm
I'm on my way. I feel like a man
And I, I think I like the change
Nothing lost, just cut away
Nothing left to hinder me
Pushing on, stronger everyday
Leaning into the wind that used to carry me
The last shot nearly killed me
Eternity lifted me again
Oh, how I want to be
An offense, an unsettling presence in this life
Why'd you try to take me out, why try to keep me down?
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Another New Year, another new start
Welcome to 2009. Another New Year, another new start. 2008 was impressively full of activities for Bolivia as a country and certainly busy for the Bootmans in Bolivia. A brief summary of 2008 for us needs to include:
- The Montaño Twinz, Adriana and David, turned 1 year old in July. Now walking, they quickly passed to climbing, running and otherwise being uncontrollable. We spend a lot of time helping with babysitting as Alice and Osvaldo continue to build their various business ideas.
- In November the Twinz were joined by their new cousin, our latest granddaughter, Sophie Marie born to Bryon and Jasmine Bootman in Des Moines Iowa.
- Teaching in Bolivia is a major effort for us. This falls primarily on Barbara who continues to teach secondary mathematics full time at Hughes Schools. She also does some tutoring. Steve taught one day a week.
- Our interminable project of building a house has dragged on and on and on. Now at about 13 months of construction, it is probably within 1-2 months of being livable. Mainly on January 1 2009 it lacks having the main doors hung, some windows,finishing with setting the toilets & tubs in the bathrooms, completion of the encircling wall & gates, finishing the electrical installation and completing the kitchen consisting of installing the cabinetry / setting the sink.
- The non-profit "Participatory Wholistic Ministry" finished its first full year. See www.ipwmin.org Basically this was a pilot project to check the feasibility of delivery of books where there is very limited transportation infrastructure (i.e. no roads and lots of foot-trails to be traversed by donkey). We can tell by the interest by teachers in books that we will have plenty of demand for books and didactic material in northern Potosí Departmento.
- The process of getting my enterprise Consultoría Ecléctica off the ground is s-l-o-w. Billings are definitely less than expenditures. But frankly I don't expect to break even until late in 2009. See www.consulting-bolivia.com for the English version of the enterprise. It has the basic objective of enabling electro-technology to improve life in Bolivia, employ Bolivians in technology, and if possible make a modest profit. 2008 was dedicated to getting a foothold in lightning protection, a almost unknown art in Bolivia. We represent a couple of firms who have products that are useful for lightning and over-voltage protection. For a Spanish version of what we are doing see www.proteccionrayos.com and www.consult-eclectic.com In November we hired two engineering students part-time to help.
- In November we broke down and finally bought a car, a 1996 Honda CRV. Thus ended 5 1/2 years of complete dependence on public transportation. Public transportation is exceedingly plentiful and cheap here in Bolivia.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
