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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-170363432018-05-29T04:39:09.121+01:00Off Topic-Alvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-65504569791376767142007-01-29T12:55:00.000+00:002007-01-29T13:02:28.475+00:00Chavez and Venezuela Q&AIf you have interesting questions about Chavez and Venezuela and would like to see a panel of experts answering them, you can ask the questions to a panel of experts here. Alternatively, you can email your question to email@example.com.

The Q&A session is being held by the Financial Times and the people in charge of selecting and answering the questions will be the Financial Times Latin American editor, Richard Lapper, the co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, DC, Mark Weisbrot, and the former Chief Economist of the Venzuelan National Assembly, Francisco Rodriguez.

Venezuela, Chavez, Hugo ChavezAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2007/01/chavez-and-venezuela-q.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-53309197515748662202007-01-12T18:36:00.000+00:002007-01-12T18:58:00.893+00:00Evo Morales on the ConflictsEvo has finally returned from his trip to Nicaragua. Bolivian Blog Plan B (in Spanish) reports that he has made a statement to Bolivia on the conflcits. Plan B makes a summary of what Evo said and what he did not say. The following is a translation of Plan B's post for those who do not understand Spanish:

What Evo said:

Manfred Reyes is responsible for what happened.

He accuses the Governor for trying to hold an autonomy referendum.

Evo assures that the government will guarantee the security of the people.

Evo condemned the violence "of those we know".

Evo defined yesterday's conflict as racially motivated.

He calls "his comrades" to peace.

He states that dialogue is always open.

Evo calls "his brothers and sisters" to a new meeting, in order to get to know what the people (i.e. his supporters) want.

Evo also asks the social movements (aligned with him) to respect the constitution.

What Evo didn't say

He was silent about the deaths or the wounded. He did not say he is mourning the victims.

He wants peace to return.

He did not take the initiave to meet with the opposition.

Evo did not condemn violence from both sides. He just condemned violence arising from those not aligned with his platform.

Evo did not say that he is responsible for the actions of the cocaleros, although he is the president of their federation and it was them who started the violence and who have been blocking the roads for the past 5 days.

He was silent about reported cocalero agressions against the press.

He was silent about the citizen's effort to help those in need by donating blood, medicines or food.

Bolivia, Bolivien, Evo, Evo Morales, CochabambaAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://email@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2007/01/evo-morales-on-conflicts.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-66989725929494374292007-01-12T16:58:00.000+00:002008-12-10T21:07:28.008+00:00The Conflict in Images (2)Evo in Nicaragua

The Youth for Democracy meets the police...

... and keeps going.

Both sides meet.

Policemen help an injured member of Youth for Democracy.

One cocalero dies.

The police is finally able to control the masses.

The next day (today) begins calmly...

... but cocaleros start protesting again.

Note: All images are from AP and Reuters via Yahoo! News.

Bolivia, Bolivien, Evo, Evo Morales, CochabambaAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2007/01/conflict-in-images-2.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-70686689576667125242007-01-12T16:22:00.000+00:002008-12-10T21:07:29.491+00:00The Conflict in Images (1)The Cocaleros against the Police, Janury 8th.

Burning Cochabamba's State Capitol and property.

Blocking Cochabamba's roads.

The Youth for Democracy.

Note: All images are from AP and Reuters via Yahoo! News.

Bolivia, Bolivien, Evo, Evo Morales, CochabambaAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2007/01/conflict-in-images-1.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-28259785359862591272007-01-12T09:47:00.000+00:002007-01-12T12:36:30.681+00:00Cochabamba Conflict FAQI have complied a FAQ on what is going on in Cochabamba, Bolivia. If you missed the genesis of the conflict, you will be able to catch up, while more news appear in the media.

How did the conflict start?

On December 14th, 2006, a day before the Crescent Moon Departments (Santa Cruz, Tarija, Beni and Pando, which form a crescent moon shape in Bolivia's map) organized a mass protest against Evo Morales' intrusion in the Constituent Assembly (here), Cochabamba Governor Mafred Reyes Villa also organized a town hall meeting. In this meeting, he expressed support for the Crescent Moon call for autonomy and 2/3 in the Constituent Assembly. He also said that he would call for a new autonomy referendum in Cochabamba, as he considers that population was misinformed during the July 2006 one, when Cochabamba rejected autonomy with 63%.

On January 4th, the "social movements" aligned with MAS decide to ask for Reyes Villa's resignation for 'treason'. The aforementioned social movements are comprised by only 6 of 35 social groups of Cochabamba's Workers' Union (COD). All of them are Coca Growers Unions, which are incidentally commanded by Evo Morales.

On the 5th they start the siege of Cochabamba. No violence is registered thus far and Reyes Villa says he will not resign.

On January 8th, things get out of hand. The "social movements" start getting violent. Cabinet member Alicia Munoz orders the police not to intervene -because it would be repression. Commanded by MAS legislators, the movements set the Cochabamba State Capitol on fire (here). The government is quick to denounce Cochabamba's Governor as the main culprit, while acknowledging that it was their grassroots movements who set the building on fire. Newspapers report that Governor Reyes Villa had to evacuate the building disguised in a fire truck.

On January 9th, Evo Morales censors minister Alicia Munoz and travels to Nicaragua, leaving Vice-President Garcia Linera in charge. Bolivian police is confused in regard to what their function should be. Garcia Linera supports the cocaleros and says that Manfred Reyes Villa's call for a referendum is illegal. Cocaleros start blocking the roads of Cochabamba, causing at least $3 million in loses for exporters and thousands of stranded travellers. Civic Committee calls for a 'march for peace' to be held in one of Cochabamba's main squares.

On Janury 10th, the cocaleros take over the square designated for the Committee's march. People from Cochabamba, tired from the excesses of cocaleros, reunite somewhere else and start marching towards the cocaleros. There is no violence, but the Civic group, called Youth for Democracy, give 24 hrs to the cocaleros to leave town. Anti-Evo chants can be heard on one side of the street (Evo, Cuidado, El Pueblo Esta Emputado - Evo, be careful, the people are pissed off) and Anti-Autonomy chants on the other (Autonomia, Nunca, Carajo! - Autonomy, fucking never!). Secreary of Cochabamba's COD admits that most social groups are not taking part in the protests and that they screwed up (metieron la pata) by demanding Reyes Villa's resignation (here). The Governor of La Paz supports Reyes Villa and proposes that the autonomy referendum be nationwide (here). Santa Cruz and the Crescent Moon departments express their support for Manfred Reyes Villa and democracy. Garcia Linera says that the government will retreat its forces iff Reyes Villa does not call the autonomy referendum (here). Cocaleros put two people in hospital, just because they had Eastern Bolivia accents. They also get violent with reporters (here and here).

This chain of events leads to...

What happened yesterday?

Youth for Democracy (YfD) get together again and give one more warning to the cocaleros: they have until 3pm to get out of Cochabamba. Once the deadline passes, a force of 8,000-10,000 start marching to the site where cocaleros are posted. There is a small police force in the Cala-Cala Bridge, but they are easily and non-violently surpassed. They arrive to the Banderas Square, where cocaleros are surprised and flee to the Prado avenue. Violent clashes are registered, and the YfD follow the cocaleros. There are more cocaleros waiting in the Prado avenue and chaos takes over. Cocaleros throw dynamite to the YfD and some gunshots are heard, although most battles resort to sticks, fists and stones (here). 400 policemen/women are deployed to deal with the conflict (here).

Reyes Villa is in La Paz, in a meeting with all non-aligned Governors. This, unfortunately leads to MAS pressure groups getting together and starting the conflict in La Paz. They are maintaining a siege of the hotel where the elected officials are meeting and issued orders to take over the international airport, in order to prevent the Governors from getting out or support from coming in (here). Reports of food scarcity in La Paz and Cochabamba appear. Santa Cruz is also in alert and preparing to support Reyes Villa and Democracy (here).

MAS Vice-President says that all 4 members of YfD caught with guns will be processed. Surprisingly, he does not say a word about what will happen to cocaleros caught with guns or dynamite (here).

What is the toll of the conflict so far?

SO far, two people have died and more than 100 are wounded, 3 of which are fighting for their lives as of now. Other media outlets report more than 200 wounded and one person with cerebral death.

The dead are:

16 year old Cristian Urresti, from the YfD. Death was caused by several machete wounds to the head. He was the son of a LAB pilot and his 17th birthday was today.

41 year old Nicomedes Gutierrez, from the cocaleros. Death was caused by a bullet wound to the chest.

Some media have reported a third death, but it is unconfirmed as of now. The wounded are aged from 12 to 65, on both sides. The majority of injured belongs to the cocaleros, though.

Only 400 policemen/women to control 10,000 persons?

Yes. The crisis in the police was caused by cabinet member Alicia Munoz. When police was disbanding violent attacks from cocaleros with tear gas on Jan. 8th, she sacked the newly appointed police chief for repression. The police retreated and the cocaleros were able to burn the State Capitol. She also said that "when the minister is in charge, no governor is [in charge] (Donde manda ministra, no manda prefecto)", making police men and women fear for their jobs if they acted. It is clear now that police acted on their own and were just doing their jobs, i.e. protecting the city. Reyes Villa and the sacked chief of police deny giving orders. So, it is likely that police officials are reluctant to act for fear to MAS' apparatus.

Is it likely for the conflict to spread to other regions?

The conflict has already spread to La Paz and Santa Cruz (here).

What is Evo Morales doing to solve this conflict?

Nothing. Evo Morales is not even in Bolivia, he's in Nicaragua with Hugo Chavez, celebrating former dictator Daniel Ortega's return to power. His trip was not authorized by Congress, so his visit to Ortega should be considered personal and not official. He travelled one day after the Cochabamba state capitol was burnt by his followers, which indicates where his priorities lie.

You are lying because you are a damn oligarch. Evo Morales is the Messiah.

No, he's not. He's a very naughty boy.

So, who is responsible for this conflict taking place?

So far, instead of trying to apace the sides, both government and opposition have been busy trying to make the other look bad.

However, if you view things impartially, the government should be held responsible. First, they are the ones that organized the cocaleros and send them to to Cochabamba. If the government were somewhat more democratically-oriented, they would not have panicked from Reyes Villa referendum call. But, since it was with street protests that Evo Morales got into power, they were keen to use it whenever somebody said something they didn't like. They certainly did not count with people going to the streets to defend democracy and react to their burning of the State Capitol. The view of many cocaleros is "if we could oust [former president] Sanchez de Lozada, we can oust Reyes Villa". Once again, this shows Evo Morales' authoritarian leanings.

Second, it was Evo Morales, through years of complaining about state repression against the will of the people, who took away the state's monopoly on violence. Now, MAS officials are too busy trying to look like good guys, opposed to repression, to make the police enforce the law. Now, anybody (who is aligned to MAS) can do anything and if the police tries to prevent it, we soon hear cries of human rights violations and police repression, regardless of how legal the act was in the first place.

Finally, MAS started the conflict, by burning the State Capitol and, instead of calling a truce, blaming the Governor. This was too much for Cochabambinos.

I hear several statements saying that the autonomy referendum proposed by Manfred Reyes Villa is illegal. Is this true?

No. The referendum called by Manfred Reyes Villa is totally legal. This has been confirmed by the country's electoral body (here). In fact, any citizen in Bolivia who can come up with the necessary number of signatures and agrees to pay the costs, can organize a referendum. The legality of the referendum has been questioned by MAS officials and used as a pretext to sack a democratically-elected Governor who is aligned with the opposition. MAS fears that if Cochabamba wins its autonomy, other departments will follow soon and this will be a fatal blow to Evo's wishes of pulling a Chavez -he's trying to increase his power by writing a new constitution.

What is the international community saying about this conflict?
Not much. Yesterday at 7pm GMT, I looked into the BBC (UK's international edition), UK's newspapers The Independent, The Guardian, The Times, The Financial Times and the Telegraph, Spain's El Pais and US' NY Times and WSJ and none had a word about it. None of them even had the Capitol Burning piece. The papers I found to report the incident were the Miami Herald and SF Chronicle. Today, it seems that BBCMundo (in Spanish), El Pais, the NY Times and Washington Post have started following the conflict. No UK newspapers have done so until now.

In terms of blogs, read Manuel Buitrago's MABB and Publius Pundit (links are on the side bar).

Where can I read updates on the situation?
If you can read Spanish, La Razon from La Paz and Los Tiempos from Cochabamba are the newspapers I follow, although el Deber, from Santa Cruz may become a very interesting read now. They only make a couple of updates a day, though. A better website, with more frequent updates, is that of NoticiasBolivianas.com. It also includes the headlines for all Bolivian newspapers.
For English readers, keep an eye on the blogs I mention above and this one.

Bolivia, Bolivien, Evo, Evo Morales, Alvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2007/01/cochabamba-conflict-faq.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-80178124345342061962007-01-11T23:05:00.000+00:002007-01-11T23:29:18.115+00:00Evo Celebrating in Nicaragua, Bolivia in Civil WarWhile Evo Morales is making a congress-unauthorised trip to celebrate Nicaragua's new president with his boss, Hugo Chavez, clashes between MAS supporters and the Youth for Democracy group have resulted in 78 wounded and two deaths: 41-year old Nicomedes Gutierrez, from the cocaleros, and an unidentified 20-year old member of Youth for Democracy.
This is the result of Evo Morales' increasingly authoritarian regime, which called the Six Coca Federations to siege Cochabamba in order to oust non-aligned Governor Manfred Reyes Villa.

According to MAS, Reyes Villa betrayed the people when he called a new autonomy referendum for Cochabamba (according to Bolivian law, anyone who collects a given number of firms can call a referendum, though). So, they sent the Coca Federations, which reached Cochabamba five days ago. On Tuesday, the Cocaleros burnt the State Capitol as part of their protest, in the midst of severe governmental inefficiency, as several officials started to give contradicting orders to the police. On Wednesday, the Civic Committee of Cochabamba organized a meeting to protest the violence and repel MAS. The Cocaleros, however, took over the place assigned for the meeting in order to prevent it from happening. This only led to several hundred Cochabambinos, who repel Morales' government, to get together somewhere else and march toward the cocaleros with the following warning: they had 24 hrs to leave the city.

One day later, the conflict has escalated beyond recognition. The following is a post from NoticiasBolivianas.com of what is currently taking place (in Spanish). I will post more, including a detailed build-up to the situation, as it becomes available.

18h20.	 Otro fallecido en los duros enfrentamientos en Cochabamba. Periodista de la red PAT en la morgue del Hospital Viedma afirma que un joven de 20 años falleció por golpes y contusiones. El joven de 1m90 pertenecería al grupo denominado Juventud por la Democracia.

 17h40.	 En el hospital Viedma ingresaron 78 heridos de gravedad. 70 son cocaleros y 8 son de la Juventud por la Democracia.

 17h22.	 El ejercito toma posición entre los dos bandos en la avenida Ayacucho y Heroinas.

 17h15.	 Varios medios de comunicación anuncian oficialmente la muerte de un cocalero. Se trata de Nicomedes Gutiérrez de 41 años, del sindicato cocalero de Chimore (Chapare - Trópico de Cochabamba).

 16h20.	 Según varios medios de comunicación, existen hasta el momento más de 20 heridos de gravedad, principalmente Cocaleros de las 6 Federaciones del trópico. Los mismos están atendidos en varios hospitales de la cuidad. Los hospitales piden urgentemente que todos los médicos se aproximen hacía los centros de salud.

 16h15.	 Los manifestantes de la Juventud por la Democracia siguen enfrentándose a los Cocaleros de las 6 Federaciones por el Prado y por la avenida Ayacucho haciéndoles retroceder hacía el centro de la cuidad, con la voluntad de recuperar la plaza principal, todavía en manos de los Cocaleros desde el jueves pasado.

 16h00.	 Más de 8000 manifestantes de la Juventud por la Democracia han desalojado violentamente de la plaza de las banderas al norte de Cochabamba, los Cocaleros de las 6 Federaciones del trópico que ocupaban dicha plaza desde el día de ayer. La policia fue totalmente rebalsada y hubo duros enfrentamientos con varios cocaleros heridos de gravedad.

Los cocaleros piden la renuncia del prefecto de este departamento, Manfred Reyes Villa por haber llamado a un referéndum autonómico. Mientras tanto, los manifestantes de la Juventud por la Democracia piden el cese de los bloqueos que desde el día martes aíslan la cuidad de Cochabamba y el desalojo de la plaza principal de esta cuidad en manos de los cocaleros desde el pasado jueves.

Bolivia, Bolivien, Evo, Evo MoralesAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2007/01/evo-celebrating-in-nicaragua-bolivia-in.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-1151945476842841012006-07-03T17:07:00.000+01:002006-07-03T17:51:17.113+01:00Constituent AssemblyTen day ago, my computer broke down and I have not blogged since. The computer's still broken and may take up to a month fixing it (as long as my thesis is intact, I'm happy, I must say). I could not cover the final race towards the Constituent Assembly, but here I am reporting the first results.

According to El Deber, the Crescent Moon has voted for autonomy. The crescent is made up of four departments (Pando, Beni, Santa Cruz and Tarija) and is the economic core of the country. As such, this region is far more progressive than the Altiplano in the west.

According to the graph below, the region that most supported the autonomy is Beni. Meanwhile, the vote is still being counted in Pando, but according to Mori agency's surveys, autonomy has won with 54%. There is no doubt about the wishes of the other 3 departments that chose autonomy and people went to celebrate autonomy after learning the results. Although 56% of the population voted against autonomy on a national level, Evo has admitted the autonomy of the four regions and cautiosly said that it will be up for the constituents to decide on this issue.
On the other side of the spectrum, Oruro is the department that feels most strongly against autonomy. The other departments that have voted against autonomy are La Paz, Cochabamba, Chuquisaca and Potosi. Chuquisaca appears to be the most divided department, with 56% voting against and 44% voting for autonomy.

According to Los Tiempos, the change in the way constituyents were elected affected MAS inveersely. With these changes, MAS only got 52,9% of the seats (which is less than what they got in the December elections and the two thirds that Evo was rallying for). The next force in the constituent assembly is Podemos, with 60 constituyents (23,5%), followed by UN (4,3%) and up to 20 groups with 1 to 5 representants (these numbers are based on exit polls and may not reflect the final result).

The important thing is that according to the law passed to call the Cosntituent Assembly (CA), the new constitution can only be approved if two thirds of the assembly approves it (170 members). As a results, groups in the crescent moon region are interpreting the results as a defeat for Evo, with analyst Alcides Pareja bluntly saying that "MAS' orgasm is over".
Other analysts see the results of the election as a cry for the acceptance of diversity and highlight MAS' need for allies and concertation.

La Razon appears more sensationalist and has headers indicating the triumph of MAS and the defeat of autonomies.

Among the blogs, you can find the first results in Jonathan's Business & Politics in Bolivia, as well as Sunday's headings.

Official results will be ready in 25 days. In the meanwhile, you can check the official results in the CNE website.

Bolivia, Bolivien, Evo, Evo MoralesAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2006/07/constituent-assembly.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-1150999670981547532006-06-22T19:00:00.000+01:002006-06-22T19:21:14.703+01:00A Picture's worth a thousand words... (Update 1)Sergio Candia just sent me a picture from La Paz.

The three amigos appear to be having a great time. This is probably the only thing that Bolivia got out of the ALBA deal with the dictatorships of Cuba and Venezuela.

Thanks Sergio!

Update 1: La Razon reports that the piece of propaganda you see in the picture has already been replaced.

Bolivien, Evo, Evo Morales, Cuba, Fidel Castro, Venezuela, Chavez, Hugo Chavez
Alvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://email@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2006/06/pictures-worth-thousand-words-update-1.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-1150394331747605402006-06-15T18:18:00.000+01:002006-06-15T19:02:06.950+01:00Evo Against the EmpireDuring a Che Guevara celebration, Evo said that he was willing to take arms in order to defend himself, Cuba and Venezuela from the empire. According to La Razon, he said

It is not the people that rises against the empire anymore. What we are having
is the empire rising against the people. And, if it did so in Cuba, Venezuela,
in Bolivia we are willing to face and defend, also with arms, the motherland,
the natural resources, and those social transformations. (sic)

He also said that some 10 years ago he said that in time there would not be only one Cuba, but several. He said that he was not wrong, and that now we have two commanders of the freedom forces of America [Fidel and Chavez].

Ok. So, let's start in the beginning. What was Evo doing celebrating Che Guevara? Che Guevara was nothing but an assassin and a tyrant. I know that Che Guevara followers always say that he died for his ideals and that that is always very commendable. But in reality, what he did was more like kill for his ideals. And were we to stick to history and not to the romantic notion of Motorcycle Diaries and the like, we have in Che Guevara a foremost example of human garbage (read about the real Che here). So, the fact that Evo was celebrating him already says much. Also, people who follow what is going on in Bolivia should not really be surprised about Evo just replicating Chavez's rethoric. He has followed in whatever his master has dictated, what's wrong with yet another one? The US probably has not even heard about this. Plus, we know where at least some part of the 100.000 AK-47s will end up.

What worries me about this celebration is not Che or Evo following his master's voice. Perhaps we should have seen that coming. What worries me is the fact that Evo defiantly implied that he wants to create a new Cuba in Bolivia. And the fact he will probably get armed up to the teeth. Everything indicates that this tale will not have a happy ending. I wrote about a month ago that

Future generations of Bolivians, when MAS is (hopefully) long gone, will judge us and unanimously agree our stupidity. After all, we have had all possible warnings. We have seen what happened in Venezuela and we can be sure Evo is nothing but a puppet. We could also have resorted to our own history, when decades of dictatorships and left-wing governments destroyed the country's economic apparatus. But no, we did not hear anything, we remembered nothing. Lame excuses will probably mushroom all over the place -"we didn't know", "we didn't think it would be like this", etc. But do not get confused. Evo never hid his intentions. We knew. We just chose to look the other way until it was too late.

And it is already too late.

PS: Told you so.

Bolivia, Bolivien, Evo, Evo Morales, Cuba, Fidel Castro,Venezuela, Chavez, Hugo ChavezAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2006/06/evo-against-empire.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-1150239562014354262006-06-13T23:25:00.000+01:002006-06-14T12:15:24.503+01:00Industrializing CocaAfter a week of relative calm in Bolivia, there is a piece of news that catched my attention. Evo's government will start coca industrialization this Saturday. The plan is to start three factories -one in Chulumani, one in Coripata and the last in the Chapare- with Venezuelan and Cuban financing. While the Venezuelan financing does not really surprise -it may even be useful if you want to view it in light of Venezuela's increasing importance in international drug trafficking (read these posts on VCrisis: 1, 2), that is not the objective of this post.

What puzzles me most is the objective of these factories: Get coca legalized. According to the article, these factories would manufacture coca tea, liquor and coca flour -I know. On January 2007, the plan is to start with the production of food, cosmetics and medicine.

Now... The rationale behind this Evo venture is showing that coca can be used for something different than cocaine and should therefore be legalized. But there is a very important question Evo is not taking in consideration: markets. First, Evo will have a problem just getting into new markets. What real medicine does use coca, for example? None. But let's assume for a moment that such a medicine has been developed in MAS' headquearters and exists allright. If this medicine is manufactured, will it get the seal of approval outside Bolivia? No. Same thing for food and cosmetics.

So, Evo will end up with a market comprising Bolivia, Cuba and Venezuela. In the last two countries, their dictators will probably find a way to stick this production to their people, even though some studies have found plenty of evidence about how harmful regular coca consumption can be (if you can find it, the study is at CEDRO). In Bolivia, the market's too small (and already has legal coca) to make a difference in the plant's legal status. So, will these factories change something? Probably not. At least as far as the legal status of the plant goes.

I have already argued that Evo Morales' coca policy is nothing but a catch-22 trap (here). And my opinion since then has not changed. These factories are probably nothing but a way to justify his coca policy to the international community and a get-rich-quick scheme: I think we can safely conclude that these factories will be nothing but a way of transferring the little tax money that the government is able to get to the coca federations -which incidentally have Evo as their president. In other words, these factories will be the cow from which Evo and his hardcore followers get the milk.

Bolivia, Bolivien, Evo, Evo MoralesAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://email@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2006/06/industrializing-coca.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-1149675493128818662006-06-07T10:29:00.000+01:002006-06-07T11:18:13.266+01:00Mexican Debate ResourcesThe Mexican presidential candidates had their last televised debate yesterday. The importance of this debate lies in that Calderon, PAN's candidate, and Lopez Obrador, PRD's candidate, are going neck-to-neck and the debate could be decisive. The themes discussed were security, governance, migration and foreign policy, federalism and regional development and state reform. Accusations between the two leading candidates were not uncommon.

The debate was also surrounded by an assassination attempt on the family of a businessman involved in a corruption scandal with Lopez Obrador. The businessman was going to show videos involving Lopez Obrador's collaborators in corruption scandals. Nobody mentioned this when security and crime were discussed.

According to EFE, the leading candidates ignored the other candidates, were involved in a war of words and basically said that they were the only ones with chances to win. Calderon said that Mexico has to choose between two projects -his, which is the sensible option and will work inside the law, and Lopez Obrador's, which is not only bad, but is also not viable.

Bloomberg focuses on the fact that Lopez Obrador was first in the polls until a series of ads compared him to Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez. So, the debate was a forum for Obrador to show he is not a Chavista. On a second article, Bloomberg notes the opposed models behind Calderon and Lopez Obrador. Calderon's view is that of promoting growth with private investment and increasing competitiveness. Lopez Obrador's view is that state spending should curb poverty and inequality.

The reactions to the debate are mixed. While some analysts say that Calderon got the advantage because Lopez Obrador took too much time to answer questions and others go for Lopez Obrador, based on his self-confidence, many conclude that it was a goalless draw.

The Scotsman, however, reports that Calderon tore Lopez Obrador apart. From the article, there should be little doubt. This article confirms the Scotsman's impressions.

Finally, you can read a minute-by-minute report on the debate here, here and here (all three in Spanish).

Mexico, Calderon, Lopez Obrador, Mexico Election, Mexico Debate, AMLOAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://email@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2006/06/mexican-debate-resources.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-1149497405233251072006-06-05T09:19:00.000+01:002006-06-05T09:50:05.340+01:00Peru Elections: Garcia winsAlan Garcia has won the second round of the Peruvian presidential elections. These are good news.
This election was of paramount importance not only for Peru but for South America. Peru was deciding the future of its democracy and its prospects for development. It was important for South America as well, as Peru was the next country under the shadow of Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez (Chavez publicly supported far-left candidate Ollanta Humala and threatened to cut all ties with Peru in case Garcia won -for the sake of Peru, I hope he holds to his word). It is great to see Peru not following the same path Bolivia chose.

Thus, by choosing Garcia Peruvians have shown that they will not be bought off with a couple of populist slogans and half-truths. They have decided what was best (the lesser of two evils, actually) for them and their future. Contrary to other bloggers, however, if Garcia's previous term is something to go by, I am not very optimistic. While Garcia is certainly the better choice, a mediocre/bad term would only serve to give Humala momentum for the next election. So, thinking in the longer term, I do not think that the Chavez/Humala threat is completely gone.

The following sites have great coverage on the elections:
Publius Pundit has a great roundup, with a great collection of images.

Peru election 2006 has the news on Humala conceding the election to Garcia (here), results as they appear, quick counts and everything related to the election.

Inka's great new blog on Peru, Journal Peru, has a minute-by-minute coverage of the elections.

Peru's Electoral Processes National Office (ONPE) has the official count of the ballots.

Peru's main newspapers El Comercio and La Republica (both in Spanish).

Peru, Peru Elections, Ollanta, Humala, Ollanta Humala, Garcia, Alan GarciaAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2006/06/peru-elections-garcia-wins.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-1149330048339491192006-06-03T10:11:00.000+01:002006-06-04T17:37:52.846+01:00Bolivian News Roundup: Land, Lies and Economic PoliciesLand
La Razon reports that the dialogue between the government and the Eastern landowners is broken. As no consensus could be agreed, Evo's administration has decided to go on an approve seven decrees in order to continue with his land reform.

In any case, it seems that the dialogue was nothing but an empty promise: The landowners found out that vice president Garcia Linera had announced that the decrees would be approved and land would be granted to the indigenous communities today, while the dialogue was still going on. So, they [the landowners] realized the futility of their actions and stopped the negotiation.

According to Confeagro (the Agro Confederation), it was useless to go with the government over the text of the decrees if they would not accept revisions. Also, they say that the decree is in direct contradiction with the current laws and constitution.

Once again, it seems that this may be the spark that ignites the fire.

Meanwhile, Evo will go to the Santa Cruz central bus station and start the 'agrarian revolution'. His 'revolution' is based on the following principles:

Redistribution: Evo will grant all available fiscal land to indigenous communities and original peoples with insufficient land or without land. All lands that does not fulfill a social and/or economic function will be expropriated.

Gender: The reorganization will give lands to social groups and productive associations, as well as entitle women to own the land.

Forestry: Forestal zones will be ignored. The decree approved by Mesa, that distinguished forestal zones from concession zones will be annuled.

INRA: It will require that workers working for the National Institute for Agrarian Reform (INRA) speak the native language of the region where they work.

Social control: It will improve access to land in three Santa Cruz municipalities

Annulment: It will annul Mesa's 28148 decree, which, as I understand, made certification of land less bureaucratic.

Value: It will serve to set the value of land

Lies
Evo and other MAS representatives said that they did not really care for reelection. They argued that reelection was an idea proposed by the organizations and social groups behind them. La Razon asked 11 social groups behind MAS whether they proposed the reelection of the president or not and 10 of them said they did not.

The ones that proposed reelection were the Colonists' Federation. From other 8 detailed answers in the article, two social groups were in favour of such a move, two were against it and 4 are undecided. Hardly what Evo and MAS told the people.

Economic Policies
La Razon reports a war currently under way between the entrepreneurs and Evo. The economic policies followed by the current government have not found support from the Bolivian entrepreneurs -and with good reason, I must add.

Seven federations of entrepreneurs got reunited on Thursday and it seems that they decided to make their concerns public by publishing a letter to Evo in all newspapers. The letter apparently asks for sound economic policies and questions Cuba's and Venezuela's interference in the country. Moreover, the president of the Private Entrepreneurs Confederation confirmed that they are seeking to change the wrong direction that policies are taking. He also expressed concern about the Executive ruling through decrees and getting too much power. Finally, he lamented that Evo is creating a poor image of Bolivia in the rest of the world.

Evo answered with another letter published in the newspapers. In typical populist fashion, the letter is full of demagoguery and never really answers the investors' concerns. Evo's letter rather scorns them and accuses them.

Evo's letter says that the 'democratic and cultural revolution' will not go even one step back. Then, he justifies everything he does with the 54% vote he got in the December elections and around 80% of current support. He then mentions several measures that should benefit 'honest and truly patriotic entrepreneurs'. He then accuses the private entrepreneurs of false nationalism, as they do not want the economy to go back to the hands of the state. Then, two questions ask the entrepreneurs why they did not react in previous administrations and to consider their role without political influence, before accusing them, once again, of supporting the multinational corporations that looted the country. Regarding Cuba and Venezuela, Evo defends the treaties with them and says that these pacts are not conditional on anything, as was the rule in the previous administrations. Finally, he also said that now everybody respects Bolivia.

Bolivia, Bolivien, Evo, Evo MoralesAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2006/06/bolivian-news-roundup-land-lies-and.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-1149249509614008502006-06-02T12:53:00.000+01:002006-06-02T12:58:29.626+01:00Democracy in Latin AmericaRead an excelent article by Dr. Walker, Democracia en America Latina, here (in Spanish). He correctly points out the dangers of populism. The abstract reads:

Tal vez el verdadero dilema que enfrenta América Latina, con esta nueva ola democratizadora y en el contexto más amplio de la globalización, es el que se da entre inclusión y exclusión social. No obstante, este dilema no es específico o privativo de la región por lo que indicamos que, así como en los años sesenta y comienzos de los setenta, el dilema por resolver en América Latina era aquel entre "reforma o revolución", y en los años ochenta y noventa aquel entre "dictadura o democracia", el verdadero dilema que enfrenta nuestra región en nuestros días es aquel entre "democracia o populismo" y que este último (neopopulismo), a diferencia del viejo populismo de los años treinta y cuarenta, aparece como uno de los principales obstáculos, tanto en términos de democratización como de modernización.

Bullseye!

Bolivia, Bolivien, Evo, Evo Morales, Peru, Ollanta, Humala, Ollanta Humala, Venezuela, Chavez, Hugo Chavez, Latin AmericaAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2006/06/democracy-in-latin-america.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-1149242887774846582006-06-02T10:45:00.000+01:002006-06-02T11:08:07.800+01:00Evo's American StrategyLos Tiempos report yet another paradox of Evo's government: The administration has accused the US of conspiring to assassinate Evo and at the same time have asked to renew the ATPDEA (Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act).

The government say they have evidence of the conspiracy, which is provided by Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez. So, they say that they have the obligation to denounce and not hide this information, although they have never, in 4 months of accusations against the US, provided a shred of evidence.

On the other hand, Evo defended his plea for the renewal of ATPDEA with his "0-cocaine policy". Please mind, this plea has nothing to do with trade: FTAs are wrong, you see, but the ATPDEA, that's the real deal. After all, there is no need in liberalizing all trade when just a couple of items will do.

Lots have been written about Evo's problem separating the union leader from the statesman. The problem is at its most evident here. The domestic strategy of Evo to gain the presidency has been simple and effective: denounce everything those oligarchs in power do, in order to rally the discontent masses behind him. Then, those oligarchs in power were forced to reach a compromise, in order to avoid further problems, thus giving Evo increasing amounts of power. Evo clearly thinks that he can work the US similarly. He probably believes that by accusing the US, he will affect their stability enough so that they jump in joy at the first sign of reconciliation from his part.

Sad.

Bolivia, Bolivien, Evo, Evo MoralesAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://email@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2006/06/evos-american-strategy.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-1149079238957854572006-05-31T13:29:00.000+01:002006-05-31T13:40:38.970+01:00Could this be the beginning of the end?The CAO (Camara de Agropecuarios del Oriente) has announced that they will resist Evo's plans of land reform. To do so, they will create defense committees and did not rule out conflict against the 'intruders'. Any casualties will be the sole responsibility of the government, they said. Anapo (Asociacion Nacional de Productores de Oleaginosas) also supports the measure and says that their rights have to be defended by any means necessary. Read it here.

Evo, on the other hand, has started using an strategy to divide the East against itself. He has announced that he will redistribute 20 million ha. in next five years and the first beneficiaries of the reform will be the Eastern tribes of guarayos, chiquitanos, movimas, mosetenes, mojeños e itonomas. It is clear that this strategy is designed to strip the landowners from Santa Cruz, Beni and Pando from any power they may have left. Read it here.

Could this be the beginning of a secessionist civil war?

Bolivia, Bolivien, Evo, Evo MoralesAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://email@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2006/05/could-this-be-beginning-of-end.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-1148981474223998722006-05-30T09:59:00.000+01:002006-05-30T10:33:58.433+01:00Evo and the Bolivarian DreamYesterday I wrote about Chavez's plans for a Bolivarian Confederation. It seems that the plan is serious.

El Universal reports that the Confederation would integrate the member countries politically, economically, socially and 'even militarily'. He also said that the member countries would be Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela 'and I [Chavez] don't know about Colombia'.
The idea of this confederation would have appeared after the CAN's death, which, by the way, was killed by the empire. Chavez also said that it was a good idea to wait for the results of the Peruvian and Colombian elections (he proposed the confederation on Sunday, as the Colombian elections were still under way).
Finally, Chavez said that Evo should be the one to start the process by allowing the possibility of a confederation in the new Bolivian constitution. He then said that he would revise the Venezuelan constitution next year.

Santa Cruz's El Deber naively reports that a confederation would be unconstitutional (and thus illegal) under the current constitution. It also says that this confederation is nothing but Chavez's attempt to gain influence, as opposing the US has isolated Venezuela. Moreover, the eventual victory of Alan Garcia in Peru and Uribe in Colombia would leave two important pieces of the Bolivarian puzzle missing.
(On this point, I must say, I am skeptical. While it is true that Colombia has seen great progress with Uribe, and is likely to keep on choosing similar leaders in the future, Peru is a different matter. It is likely that Garcia wins this election, but what about next? If Garcia does not address the issues that are important for Humala followers, then he [Humala] may be strengthened for the next election and repeat Bolivia's story: In 2002, when Goni won the elections and was elected president over a second-place Evo, everybody breathed calmly and thought that this was it, that Evo would quickly burn out. Fast forward to 2005, where the dissatisfaction about Goni et al's policies translated in 54% of support to Evo. It is possible that this happens in Peru? Yes, it is. It depends on an eventual Garcia term, though. If history serves as a guide, Garcia's will be a disastrous term. If it is true that he has learned from his mistakes, as he and all Humala opposers say, then the cycle may be broken).
El Deber also reports that the opposition has finally appeared. Tuto Quiroga says that Hugo Chavez has finally shown his true plans for Bolivia and interprets Chavez's message as a warning to the world about his interest in excedentary Coca and drug trafficking. Not that many are listening, though.
Finally, a historian points out that Chavez's version of the 'Bolivarian Dream' is a travesty, done to his own image and likeness and has nothing to do with Bolivar's actual plans. Now that's news!

Bolivia, Bolivien, Evo, Evo Morales, Venezuela, Chavez, Hugo ChavezAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://email@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2006/05/evo-and-bolivarian-dream.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-1148902442303718592006-05-29T11:31:00.000+01:002006-05-29T12:34:06.846+01:00Bolizuela Confederation in sightThe last episode of Chavez' talkshow Alo Presidente was recorded in Bolivia (Tiawanaku) and included a glimpse into the dictator's first draft for the next Bolivian Constitution. According to Los Tiempos, Chavez said that at least 81% of the vote should support MAS, so that they can approve an

anti-neoliberal [constitution] that establishes a true republic, gives back the rights to the indigenous peoples, the children, renews the right to health, education, the right to dispose of our natural resources and, in sum, guarantees the right to life. It should also prohibit the privatization of hidracarbons (...).
First of all, our current constitution guarantees all of those rights. Then, it is interesting to notice he does not say anything about other rights... free speech, for example. And finally.... from an economic standpoint, an explicitly anti-neliberal constitution will be the deathknell for the Bolivian economy. Investment will dry up in a second and poverty will increase exponentially.

Chavez also accused -once again- the US of conspiracy against Evo and lent two helicopters for Morales use.

Bolivarian - Indoamerican Confederation
He also proposed the creation of a 'Patria Grande' under the name of Bolivarian - Indoamerican Confederation, which would unite Bolivia, Venezuela 'and others'. Obviously, no one else would want to get into it and it would be Bolivia and Venezuela. Each time I read the newspaper I see a new blow against democracy. Then again, perhaps I should stop worrying about Bolivian democracy and realize it has been dead ever since Carlos Mesa was ousted and the constitutional successor was not allowed to assume his mandate.

Amazing. Chavez is following Hitler's steps one by one, from the failed coup to the annexation of a territory... What now?

It is funny, in a way: Evo said (wrongly) that Melgarejo (a Bolivian president in the 1800s) gave all the Acre to Brazil region in exchange for two horses (in reality it was a war. Not that he cares much). Now he has given the entire country for two helicopters.

Bolivia, Bolivien, Evo, Evo Morales, Venezuela, Chavez, Hugo ChavezAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://email@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2006/05/bolizuela-confederation-in-sight.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-1148898614860484792006-05-29T11:15:00.000+01:002006-05-29T11:30:14.876+01:00Elections in Colombia
Colombia held presidential elections yesterday. Many saw the elections as a referendum on Alvaro Uribe's first term and he was expected to win by a landslide. Well, it seems that Colombians elected with their head and voted for the best possible candidate: Uribe was reelected with 62.22% of the votes (here). After Uribe's impressive first term, this can only improve Colombia's prospects.

Mora y Leon at Publius Pundit has an excellent roundup of all the blog and other news sources on the event.

Boz has a list of five important points to consider on the wake of Uribe's reelection.

Enjoy. Uribe's reelection is a glimpse of hope for the region.

Colombia, Kolumbien, Uribe, Colombia ElectionsAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2006/05/elections-in-colombia.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-1148727432735928292006-05-27T11:32:00.000+01:002006-05-27T11:59:10.223+01:00"Evo is here to stay"Chavez and Cuban vice president Lage went to Evo's launch of campaign for the Constituent Assembly (read about it here). Chavez told the public, straight away, that

Evo is here to stay. The Constituent Assembly is just the beginning.
 Well, something tells me he means every word. Even if Garcia Linera has openly disagreed with Evo's plans to support reelection and increase the mandate, thus casting doubts on MAS' official stand on the issue, chances are that his voice will not be heard when it matters.

Evo has not make any pronouncements either in favor or against reelection. He just said that it was the social groups and the people who wanted reelection, not him (I wonder how long will it take until he says that his presidency is God's will, destiny or something to that effect). Thus, as he is nothing but a public servant, and it is not his place to be in favor or against reelection, he will just have to obey the people. So, even if Garcia Linera could convince MAS to reject reelection, what can Evo do if the constituents, as voted for the people and representing the people want him there for the next two, three or five decades?

Do not be fooled by Garcia Linera. Even though his concern may be genuine -we will never know-, I'd rather listen to the real Bolivian ruler, Hugo Chavez.

Bolivia, Bolivien, Evo, Evo Morales, Chavez, Hugo ChavezAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2006/05/evo-is-here-to-stay.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-1148548270514851182006-05-25T10:09:00.000+01:002006-05-25T10:11:10.516+01:00The Future of Bolivia under Evo
Bolivia, Bolivien, Evo, Evo MoralesAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2006/05/future-of-bolivia-under-evo.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-1148548151616932672006-05-25T09:51:00.000+01:002006-05-25T10:13:10.753+01:00Reelection - The Small PrintYesterday, I posted on Evo's reelection plan for the Constituent Assembly (CA). Well, after reading Cochabamba's Los Tiempos, it seems we had only half the story. Under the current constitution, a presidential mandate lasts 5 years and everybody assumed that MAS' reelection meant that the maximum mandate for a president (read Evo) would be ten years. Wrong!

MAS Senator Antonio Peredo said it was paramount that Morales stayed in power until all structural changes were enforced. He believes that 10 years is the minimum time and it would serve just to put things in place. On the other hand, 20 years would be enough to consolidate all structural changes. So, MAS will not only propose reelection, but to increase the length of the presidential mandate to 10 years.

The thing is, you see, that democracy is a foreign invention, imposed by colonial powers and oligarchs who used to cut the hands of any indigenous person who learnt to write... It must be stopped at any cost.

Bolivia, Bolivien, Evo, Evo MoralesAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2006/05/reelection-small-print.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-1148461629697963182006-05-24T09:30:00.000+01:002006-05-24T10:07:09.980+01:00ReelectionToday's headline in La Razon reads "MAS will suggest that the President can be reelected". They are talking of the Constitutional Assembly (CA), of course. The rationale behind it is continuity: MAS say that if the president can be reelected, there will be continuity to the government's policies.

This should be a wake-up call for those that say that the CA is not an attempt to gain unconstrained power. This reelection issue is what the CA is all about. The rest is just decoration, to give the public something to discuss about while democracy is being buried. Once the CA starts, chances are that while everybody discusses something else, this particular bit will be approved.

Once reelection is approved, Evo will be eager to keep pulling a Chavez: He will call for new elections and argue that the new elections are his first constitutional mandate and not the reelection, because what happened under the previous constitution does not count. It would not be surprising if Bolivia receives Venezuelan aid in the guise of Smartmatic machines 'to modernize the electoral process'.

Evo also said that he did not want a system based on majority voting, because that is an imported and imposed model (!). He said he wanted a political model based on consensus, just like Aymaran communities. This comes out as a warning: you better agree with him.

Future generations of Bolivians, when MAS is (hopefully) long gone, will judge us and unanimously agree our stupidity. After all, we have had all possible warnings. We have seen what happened in Venezuela and we can be sure Evo is nothing but a puppet. We could also have resorted to our own history, when decades of dictatorships and left-wing governments destroyed the country's economic apparatus. But no, we did not hear anything, we remembered nothing. Lame excuses will probably mushroom all over the place -"we didn't know", "we didn't think it would be like this", etc. But do not get confused. Evo never hid his intentions. We knew. We just chose to look the other way until it was too late.

So, does reelection come as a front-page news? Obviously not. This is what MAS wanted all along. In fact, I would be surprised if MAS had any plans for the CA besides this one.

Bolivia, Bolivien, Evo, Evo MoralesAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2006/05/reelection.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-1148287631573337272006-05-22T09:23:00.000+01:002006-05-22T09:47:11.586+01:00Peru Election: Debate LinksThe presidential debate between Alan Garcia and Ollanta Humala took place yesterday. According to what I have read, Garcia was a "winner by default", although Humala could stand up to him, leading some people to declare a tie.
I have compiled a list of internet resources for those of us who could not see the debate firsthand. I hope you find these resources helpful.

Peru Election 2006: Humala stands up to Garcia but scores no decisive victory. A nice round up with a summary of all topics discussed.

Peru Election 2006: A roundup of the international reactions to the debate.

El Comercio: Debate en TV, Elecciones 2006. This is El Comercio's debate page. It is divided by topic and clicking on them will lead to a page with short videos from the debate. Very interesting for those not living in Peru.

El Comercio: The debate, minute-to minute. Similar to a football match "Match-cast".

La Republica: An article on the debate, subtitled "much ado about nothing". According to the article, the same ideas as always were recycled once again. There was nothing new to look forward to.

Peru, Peru Elections, Ollanta, Humala, Ollanta HumalaAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2006/05/peru-election-debate-links.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17036343.post-1147857847167140252006-05-17T09:36:00.000+01:002006-05-17T10:24:07.316+01:00On the Brink of Land ReformVicepresident Garcia Linera announced that 2 to 4 million ha. would be distributed to peasants, once again by decree. Evo Morales is expected to sign 6 decrees outlining land reform later today (here). Santa Cruz and Beni are not going to let this happen without a fight, it seems (here).

So, Evo's decrees are expected to follow these purposes:

Reform to law 1715, so that the state would be able to 'reverse' lands that do not fulfill an economic or social role.

Redistribution in favour of indigenous people and communities.

To speed up reorganization of land, including social movements and producers.

Concession value, so that the state can set the value of lands.

Social control, so that land in certain areas be accessed.

Overrule two norms approved on 2005. With this decree, the government strip prefects of the power they held in the reorganization of land and does not accept the creation of forest zones.

So, what does this mean?
First, Evo will try to reverse law 1715, from the National Institute of Land Reform, also known as the INRA law, in order to 'reverse' lands that do not fulfill an economic or social function. In other words, Evo is about to strip landowners of their property. All the discourse about lands satisfying this or that function is nothing but an excuse for taking away the assets of the Oriental landowners. Surely, the fact that this group is the most vocal opponent to Evo's policies must be purely coincidental.

In a similar move, MAS wants to strip prefects of all the power they have. With this measure, Evo is giving very strong signals about centralizing power. Most prefects are from the opposition and have given Evo trouble whenever it was possible. With this decree, Evo starts taking all their power for himself. The fact that the government is no longer supporting the autonomy vote in the forthcoming referendum, while some groups inside of MAS are opting for the 'NO' vote, is nothing but further evidence that Evo wants to concentrate all the power in his hands.

Also, the fact that the government will be the one deciding the value of land is worrying. Today, the government fixes prices for land and transport (here and here), tomorrow, all prices are fixed by the government and we are back in 1982. Since it is the government's belief that free markets are for imperialists or slaves, it would not be wise to expect price-fixing ending here.

And finally, redistribution. From La Razon, it seems that there will be two kinds of winners from Evo's land reform: First, indigenous people. On the one hand, poverty is tied with race in Latin America, so that indigenous people are indeed poor and would welcome such a move. However, poverty in Bolivia is not as discriminating as Evo would let you believe. It is sad to see that poor people not satisfying the 'race' requirement will be left out of the deal. Also, the fact that indigenous people constitute the grassroots support for Evo is merely coincidental.
And second, social movements. It seems that at least some part of this new reform will be an open bribe to social groups. If social movements are included in the reorganization of land, expect a new class of landowners to arise: The union leader.
Destroying what's left of property rights in Bolivia only to give rise to a new class of landowner is as stupid as it sounds.

Bolivia, Bolivien, Evo, Evo MoralesAlvaro Ruiz-Navajashttp://email@example.com://aruiznavajas.blogspot.com/2006/05/on-brink-of-land-reform.html


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- Lumley, Dale
- McCann, Crystal
- Monroe-Hamilton, Terresa
- Montoya, Christian
- Moore, Sarah
- morasch, charles
- Murphy The Voice of Reason, Michael
- Noble, Becky
- Nybo, Joshua
- O'Bryan, Erma
- on the news, Taryn
- OnTheRight, Rosie
- O'Sullivan, Marty
- Patino, Henry
- Pilie, Chris
- Prunier, Watson
- Ramirez, Mary
- Remarcik, Joe
- Roberts, Trey
- Safer, Devan
- Sonnenfelt, Anolagay
- Stephenson, Oliver
- Swift, Susan
- Thornton, Leo
- Troisi, Steven
- Wagner, Dallas
- Watkins, Mark
- Wood, Matthew
- Workman, Warner

subset: commoncrawl


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Fender Precision Bass 50s Lacquer, Maple Fingerboard, Black
Fender Precision Bass 50s Lacquer, Maple Fingerboard, BlackDetails
Introduced in the early 50s, the Precision Bass quickly became indispensable to musicians everywhere, affecting the sound of popular music. Its deep and powerful sound set a new stage for great sounds to come, its legacy travelling on into the decades since.
Product Ref: 34666View Full Description
Buy on finance from £27.33 per month Finance from £27.33 per month
Please note: This is only available where all items in the order are dispatched in a single delivery.
To make it as easy as possible for you to get the gear you want, we offer a range of instant finance options. If you spend £250 or more online, you can choose to pay over 48, 36 or 24 months. The majority of decisions are given instantly, so you could get your new gear sooner than you thought!
Representative Example
To help you understand how our finance options work, the examples below are based on a total order value of £250:
|Deposit to Pay
|Total Payable
|Classic Credit 48 Months 14.9%
|No Deposit
|48 months: £6.83
Final payment: £6.83
No settlement fee
|Classic Credit 36 Months 15.9%
|No Deposit
|36 months: £8.65
Final payment: £8.65
No settlement fee
|Classic Credit 24 Months 18.9%
|No Deposit
|24 months: £12.41
Final payment: £12.41
No settlement fee
How to Apply
Applying for finance couldn't be easier - if your order totals £250 or more, simply proceed through the checkout as normal, then select Pay by Finance on the payment page, then click the orange APPLY FOR INSTANT FINANCE button. This will start your application with V12 Retail Finance, our finance partner, and completing this form should take approximately 10 minutes.
You should get an instant answer on whether your application has been successful, though in some rare cases V12 may need to look at the application in more detail.
Please note: This is only available on orders placed via the website consisting of a single delivery, and is not available in store or via phone currently.
Full DescriptionView Full Description
This Fender Precision Bass delivers the distinctive 1950's-era look, sound and vibe of the first Fender basses with its authentic nitrocellulose lacquer finish.
A 'C'-shaped maple neck, 7.25" radius maple fingerboard and 20 vintage-style frets with black dot inlays make for easy playability.
Other features include a gold adonised pickguard and vintage-style touches to the tuners, split single-coil alnico pickups and four-saddle American Vintage bass bridge.
A Fender tweed case is included so you can transport your Precision Bass in style.
Body & Bridge
- Body: Alder
- Bridge: Four-saddle American vintage
- Pickguard: Gold Adonised
- Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Neck & Fingerboard
- Neck: 'C'-Shaped Maple Neck
- Fingerboard: Maple, 7.25" Radius
- No. of Frets: 20 Vintage-Style
Pickups & Hardware
- Pickups: Vintage-style split single-coil pickup
- Hardware: Chrome
- Tuners: Vintage-Style Reverse
The product price includes 6 years' warranty and 180 day money back guarantee.
However, the Gear4music extended warranty scheme provides an enhanced service, and is designed to offer a higher level of protection than many 'free' warranties offered by some retailers and manufacturers.
The highlights of this enhanced warranty service are:
- Warranty is extended to 6 years from the date of delivery.
- Our Money Back guarantee is extended from 30 days to 180 days (terms apply after 30 days)
- Collection and delivery costs are included for the first 2 years
- Claim 50% cash back on the cost of the policy after 6 years if it has not been used!
- Warranty is transferable if the item is re-sold
- Loan or replacement equipment will be provided if the product isn't repaired within 30 days
- If an item can not be repaired, a similar alternative product or cash discount (as defined in this policy) will be offered
- The policy can be cancelled within 30 days, and at any time after that for a pro-rata discount
Please note that this extended warranty is currently only available on products sold within the EU or EEA, and is subject to the terms and conditions as detailed on the extended warranty certificate provided.
For customers in outlying areas of the country, the price of the Extended Warranty may be marginally higher, due to the potential for higher collection and redelivery transport costs.
This enhanced warranty is in addition to the standard Gear4music and manufacturer warranty policies, and the Gear4music terms and conditions of trade. No statement or condition of sale contained within these terms affects or restricts your statutory rights as defined under the Consumer Contracts Regulation 2014.
Once the product is delivered, you have 180 days to decide that you definitely want to keep it. If you decide it is not suitable for any reason, you can return it back to us for replacement or full refund, including standard delivery charges.
All Products are new unless stated, and include a minimum of 2 years warranty.
Some items are only eligible for money back guarantee if they are returned to us unused and sealed in the original packaging, and in the case of software, unregistered. These items include:
- Software
- CDs & DVDs
- In-ear Monitors
- Earplugs and Ear Protection
- Mouthpieces, Reeds etc… for Woodwind and Brass instruments
- Mouth / Lip Care Products
We are unable to accept returns of any custom made items designed to work together as a unique package, such as computer system built to a customer's personal specifications. Exceptions may only be possible with prior agreement of the vendor, and may be subject to a cancellation fee.
If you also purchase items that do not qualify for free delivery, some delivery charges may be applied to your order which will be shown in your shopping basket.


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The TORTOISE™ Slow Motion Switch Machine provides constant point tension by nature of the constantly powered stall action and the spring wire transmitting the motion to the points. Some brands of turnouts such as Peco have an internal over-center spring which causes a snap action throw. Although this is desireable when used with twin-coil switch machines, it defeats the purpose of the slow, smooth action the TORTOISE™ is capable of. In some cases, the tension of the turnout spring is greater than the force available from the stock TORTOISE™ wire, and although the TORTOISE™ will make its complete throw under the layout, nothing happens at the points.
We recommend that you remove the stock spring from the Peco turnout. This is easily accomplished if the turnout is not yet mounted, but should be able to be achieved with a little more difficulty even if the turnout is fastened down. Once the spring is removed, check for free action of the points. When the TORTOISE™ is installed, the system should operate smoothly and provide positive spring tension at each end of the throw.
If you do not want to modify your Peco turnouts, or if you have one mounted inside a tunnel or other inaccessible location, you can still use the TORTOISE™ by substituting a heavier gauge spring wire. .032" diameter will usually work well. You will need to enlarge the wire hole in the throwarm following the instructions supplied with the TORTOISE™. If the Peco spring is left intact, we do not recommend using the internal contacts on the TORTOISE™ to power the points and/or frog. Since the point movement will occur when the spring wire force exceeds the Peco spring force, it is not likely that the two will occur exactly at the center point of the throw, and the possibility of a momentary short circuit then exists.


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5 Vitamins You Might Be Missing
When we think of sickness in America, scurvy isn't exactly at the top of the list — because most of us get vitamin C in our diets. Advertising Policy Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy … Read More


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- Artisan shaving cream from Al's Shaving Products
- Pure, natural ingredients of the highest quality
- Scented with citrusy, grassy top notes and spicy, bitter notes with an earthy, woody base.
If you've heard people arguing their favorite artisan soap maker, then likely Al's name has come up. At Al's Shaving Products, they are producing exceptional grooming requisites from creams to oils to after-shaves. Pick up your favorite scent and you are sure to be blown away by "the bomb". Al's first cream was so named because of its resemblance to a mushroom cloud on his lathering brush. All the goodness is still yours in Al's Shaving Cream, Saigon.
This cream uses only the purest, natural ingredients. No parabens or preservatives. Only sodium and potassium salts of fatty acids, water, glycerin, and botanicals. But together they produce a volumious, luxurious lather to give you the closest shave possible. The light texture makes loading the brush a breeze and helps increase the lathering capabilities. Reviewers are raving. "They're far and away the easiest lathering, freshest smelling and most satisfying shave creams on the market at a price any wet shaver can afford!"
Their Saigon scent uses the inspiration of tropical forests. Strong top notes of juicy citrus with soft grass take a notable lead. Then spicy and bitter notes blend into the dark, earthy base. Fresh, clean, and masculine is it both "oriental herbal and deep woody-green". Not overpowering, just a pleasant, satisfying way to start the day.
Size: 4oz.
Made in the USA
Click on any of the below videos to start playing our Shaving101 videos about Creams and Soaps
Building a Better Lather:
Differences in Creams & Soaps
What is a Thirsty Soap? And what to do with it?
The Benefits of Wet Shaving:


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Srinagar, June 24: Former Director of The Business School, Kashmir University (KU), Prof Musadiq A Sahaf has been appointed as the new Registrar KU.
Prof Sahaf succeeded Prof Zafar Reshi from Botany Department, who has been relieved from the additional charge.
Prof Sahaf has his doctorate in Marketing Management and Management Accounting. He has four books and 54 Research Papers under his belt.
2015 Kashmir Despatch


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Christmas Cruises 2017
The MS Landskron will take you on romantic christmas rides during the winter season.
Every advent weekend as well as on 8th of December!
Enjoy the wintery landscape and the christmassy lights in the city of Villach with music, hot spiced wine and wintery snacks.
Our Advent Timetable
25th + 26th of November,
2nd+ 3rd and 8th to 10th of Dezember as well as
16th of Dezember
Time: 16:30h and 17:30h on each of the dates above
Shipstation: Villach Congress Center
Duration: one hour
12,- € Adult
6,- € Children
(excl. drinks&food)
We cannot guarantee shipping if the total passenger number is less than ten. No warranty will be given.


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All the World's a Stage: Week 6: "Contemporary Street Photography"
The challenge I found with this experiment was to find anyone that was interested in the shot I had taken. I eventually managed to get a guy and his dog to show enough interest and explained what I was doing. The guy seemed interested enough but was not keen to get a copy of the image, which I thought was very good, but then, I may be biased. This was another useful experience though, and highlighted the fact that although you may be nervous, the subjects on the street so far, don't seem to be to concerned about having their photograph taken
The readings for this week were very interesting and the "In-sight" documentary highlighted how well protected we are as photographers and I found it very encouraging that the police were so supportive in the situations shown. I have recently met some photographers on my walks around the cities in Scotland and have had some random conversations with these complete strangers about the situations they have been in with privacy laws, tripods and general misconceptions from the photographers themselves and the people in "authority" that they talk about.
I've recently had feedback from Eric about the progress so far and this was very encouraging. I am taking on the tips from here on in and will avoid cropping, and stay with either colour or black and white. I will also be using the same camera for all shots. I have decided to go one step further and avoid all post-processing on the essay photographs as an extra challenge. A decision I may regret but what have I got to lose?
No comments posted.
Recent PostsCharlotte Marshall & The 45s – Cottiers Alan Anderson – Slouch All the World's a Stage: Week 10: "Exhibition" All the World's a Stage: Week 9: "Ethics in Street Photography" All the World's a Stage: Week 8: "How to Edit Your Work" All the World's a Stage: Week 7: "The Power of the Image" All the World's a Stage: Week 6: "Contemporary Street Photography" All the World's a Stage: Week 5: "Classic Street Photography" Week 4: "How to Shoot in the Streets" All the World's a Stage: Week 3: "Aesthetics and Styles in Street Photography"
January February March April May June July August September October November December


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Oceania Football Confederation and VFF aim to use football as a social development tool, which can have a positive impact on:
1. Health
2. Education
3. Active Citizenship
4. Anti-discrimination (gender equity)
The Vanuatu Football Federation is looking for a Social Responsibility Development Officer.
You will report directly to the VFF Chief Executive Officer and Oceania Football Confederation and you will be required to provide weekly reports based on your work in-country.
Your role will be to:
• Implement Social Responsibility projects in VFF as agreed and approved by the Head of the Social Responsibility Department of OFC and CEO
• Work with Vanuatu Football Federation (VFF)
• Represent VFF in a positive light to your community and international agencies in your country;
• Provide regular updates and provide advice on potential projects in the area of social responsibility that could potentially be implemented in Vanuatu with VFF
• Help to expand our reach with promoting football in Vanuatu
• Identify opportunities/projects that VFF could be involved with that helps to improve the lives of our people in the region
• Raise funds for Social development projects
• Develop / Maintain relationship between VFF, Government, Institutions and NGO
• Work closely with the Just Play Manager for the good of the programme
You will be supported by the Social Responsibility Team of OFC based in Auckland and by VFF.
Skills and experience required:
The applicant must:
– Have worked in NGO's or similar associations for a minimum of 3 years in social development
– Have skills in communication, marketing, team work
– Computer literate (use of word, excel, PowerPoint)
– A degree in sport management, or management or have done studies in social works/welfare
– Speak English, French is a real plus
This position is based in Port Vila.
All candidates MUST submit a written application with letter of application and CV to Vanuatu Football Federation, CEO, VFF Haus, PO Box 266, Port Vila, Vanuatu before the 30th of April 2011.
VFF is looking for a Social Responsibility Development Officer
inVFF Opportunity
Oceania Football Confederation and VFF aim to use football as a social development tool, which can have a positive impact on:


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December 02, 2016 13:15 ET
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Dec. 2, 2016) - Sprott Resource Corp. ("SRC") (TSX:SCP) and Adriana Resources Inc. ("ADI") (TSX VENTURE:ADI) today announced that they will host a conference call on Tuesday, December 6, 2016 at 11:00am ET to discuss the proposed business combination of SRC and ADI and concurrent private placement announced on November 29, 2016. The call will be hosted by SRC CEO, Steve Yuzpe and ADI CEO, Michael Harrison.
Conference Call Details
To participate in the call, please dial (877) 930-8292 ten minutes prior to the scheduled start of the call, conference call and provide conference ID: 32216328. A taped replay of the conference call will be available until Tuesday, December 13, 2016 by calling (855) 859-2056, conference ID 32216328. The conference call will be webcast at www.sprottresource.com and http://edge.media-server.com/m/p/xcr9toca
About Sprott Resource Corp.
SRC is a publicly-listed private equity firm focused on the natural resource sector. The company currently has investments in energy production and services, mining and agriculture. SRC creates value for its investors by applying a disciplined investment process to deploy capital while managing risk within highly cyclical sectors. SRC is a business builder that is committed to being a value-added partner with proven management teams. SRC supports its investments through active management and the provision of long-term capital, as well as strategic, financial and governance oversight. Founded in 2007, the Company is based in Toronto, Canada and is managed by an experienced team of private equity specialists, supported by the technical and investment resources of Sprott Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates. Management of SRC is dedicated to generating long-term superior returns on capital for its shareholders, while focusing on risk management and real wealth preservation. To learn more, please visit www.sprottresource.com.
About Adriana Resources Inc.
Adriana Resources Inc. owns 40% of the Lac Otelnuk iron ore project in Northern Quebec. Adriana's 60% joint venture partner in Lac Otelnuk Mining Ltd. ("LOM JV") is WISCO International Resources & Investment Limited, a subsidiary of Bao Wu Steel Ltd. In April 2015, the LOM JV published a NI43-101 compliant Technical Report on the feasibility of the Lac Otelnuk project. Adriana reported a cash position of $28.6 million as at September 30, 2016. The LOM JV is currently on care and maintenance, and the JV has a cash position of $7.9 million as of September 30, 2016. Adriana has a Board of Directors and management team with extensive experience in the resource sector and has been undertaking a strategic review of opportunities to create shareholder value while the LOM JV project is on care and maintenance.
Sprott Group of CompaniesGlen WilliamsDirector of firstname.lastname@example.com Resources Inc.Michael HarrisonChief Executive firstname.lastname@example.com
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The Best Way To Copy Your Computer
Many computer repair services don't take liability for lost data. The main reason being is there is no failsafe method to prevent a computer crash. DVD+R and DVD R discs are good for backing up files up to 4.7 GB.
I would like to suggest that you start thinking about computer backup the same way you do about insurance. I know that insurance is something that we don't like to talk about, but we all pay it. I don't get in my car in the morning thinking that I'm going to get in an accident, but I did just pay my renewal fees for car insurance. I also don't think that my house is going to burn down tomorrow, or that we're going to have a theft, but of course my property is insured. The same can be said for computers. None of us expect our computers to go down and wipe out all our information. But the reality is this: there are only two types of computer users in this world - those that have suffered a computer failure, and those that will.
Many businesses and private individuals are turning to remote data backup, programs that send data to a remotely located server hosted by a backup company. That way, if your house or business burns to the ground (or anything else happens to it), at least your data will still be safe, located on a remote server, waiting for you to punch in a password and download it again.
You can also set automatic data backup. Based on your requirement you can decide a day in the week, when the backed up will be performed. In the market, many third party utilities are also available that you can also consider backup a computer. It is always recommended to go for good third party backup software. After deciding the software you should read the reviews of the third party software. Most of the backup software applications also employ the same methodology alike the Windows backup software. To operate them you need to just f


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When Dr. Larry Nicholas performs open-heart surgery, his wife, Cindy, usually is looking over his shoulder.
Larry Nicholas is the co-director of the new open-heart surgery program at John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Atlantis. His wife is the program`s chief surgical nurse.
The Nicholases met in an operating room at a Birmingham, Ala., hospital more than six years ago and have been performing heart surgery together ever since.
``I always want her there if she can be,`` he said. ``Our eyes hardly ever meet. She stands on my right side passing instruments. We don`t have to say a word.``
``I can usually anticipate better what he wants`` than other nurses, she said. ``Each heart surgeon is a little different. No one does things the same way.``
The Nicholases are part of the surgery team recruited for John F. Kennedy Memorial by renowned heart surgeon Dr. Michael DeBakey. The hospital`s open- heart surgery unit, which opens next week, will be named the DeBakey Heart Institute.
Larry Nicholas trained under Dr. H. Edward Garrett, a longtime DeBakey associate who will be a director of the John F. Kennedy Memorial program.
While working with DeBakey in 1964 at the Baylor University College of Medicine in Houston, Garrett did the first coronary artery bypass operation, a procedure that has become virtually commonplace.


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What is Sports Blue?
Sports Blue is an online store which caters all your sporting needs. Specialising in Cricket, go-karting, biking and fitness gears. You can find everything related these categories under one roof. Australian based sporting retailer offering broad range of quality cricket gear, athletic apparel and equipment at an affordable price with a high level of customer service.
I love this website. It has a great selection of sports products, innovative and trendy. I will be a returning customer for ever! Especially since the shipping is so fast and comfortable!
Ordered some sports gear and was very pleased with the quick shipping time, great communication from operator's side, and cute packaging when the products arrived! I'll order from them again.
I have been buying sports clothing from this store for me and my wife for many many years. The guys form the shop know exactly what we need and want and are always in trend. I totally recommend them!


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Bogner Man Dagur-D Black 3302 Ski Jacket Softshell Man Ski Pants Black Paolo GTX Man Glove Navy
Model: Cheap Bogner 008 Availability: In Stock
Price: $761.00 $608.00
Qty: Add to Cart
If you want other size, please leave a message when you check out.
Bogner Dagur-D 3302 Black Ski Jacket: $465
Bogner Black Ski Pants: $192
Bogner Paolo GTX Glove Navy: $104
To keep you completely comfortable while skiing Bogner ski jackets offer a highly waterproof, breathable and techno stretch fabric that offers a great fit and function. This means you will be warm and dry while remaining extremely comfortable. The stretch fabric gives a nice formed fit while offering the ability to move and ski with no issue.
- Lining 100 % Polyester
- Lightweight sport fabric
- Slim, Anti-pilling, Downproof, Breathable
- Waterproof, Windbreak


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Handbuilt in Sweden and featuring a Swiss made automatic movement from Sellita, caliber SW300-1, the BW003 is our most exclusive watch so far.
With a slim 39 mm case, the BW003 works well with a suit, as well as to a more relaxed outfit.
The BW003 is built on order, by our watchmaker in Sweden. During the production the watch undergoes several tests and inspections to ensure the highest quality and level of finishing.
With its minimalistic cylindrical case design, the BW102 is a contemporary timepiece, yet with a timeless appearance.
A careful combination of polished and brushed surfaces gives the BW102 an elegant and exclusive look.
BW002 has a 38 mm case diameter, and a pared down dial with applied indexes.
Despite the minimalistic appearance there are many levels of details to discover, executed with the highest finish.
The BW001 was the first model we launched, embodying the design principles of Bravur.
Designed entirely in Sweden and manufactured in Switzerland, it has set the bar high when it comes to detailing and finishing.
BW001 has a 41 mm case diamater, and features hour, minute and second hands and date.


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What is a young professional (YP)?
- 21-41 years old
- Any profession
- Interested in:
- Networking and socializing
- Bettering communities they live in
- Attracting/retaining YPs in North Dakota
- Influencing others and voicing concerns
- Having fun
- Promoting their communities and the state of ND
What do YP networks do?
- Connect YPs to each other and the community/state
- Network
- Participate in:
- Service activities: giving back
- Professional development: enhance learning, leadership skills, career development and personal growth
- Social gatherings: instill energy, fun and enthusiasm
What is the North Dakota Young Professionals (NDYP) Network?
North Dakota Young Professionals (NDYP) is a statewide network dedicated to advancing opportunities for young professionals across North Dakota.
How did NDYP get its start?
In July 2006, Governor Hoeven in collaboration with the Center for Technology & Business hosted a statewide summit for Young Professionals. In response to the summit, Young Professionals (YP) organizations across the state united to form North Dakota Young Professionals (NDYP) under the leadership, guidance, and commitment of the Center for Technology & Business (CTB).
Any young professional in the state is encouraged to join NDYP.
How do I get involved?
- Join your local network. Visit the Network Directory for more information.
- Don't have a local network?
- Join NDYP as an independent non-affiliate by signing up for the newsletter. If you'd like to become active with a task force, please contact our coordinator.
- Do you want to start a network?
- Information about starting a network can be found in Network Resources.
- Attend the Great Plains Young Professionals Summit


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Easy Tips For A Nutritious Daily Diet PlanAre you changing your diet for the first time? Then you know how difficult it can be to even know where to start. It's no secret that trying to improve your diet for the first time can be a bit overwhelming. Below are some tips that can help to make dietary changes come about at a smoother pace.
Be aware of what chemicals are in your food. This is generally why it's best to stick to natural food like natural produce and fresh proteins and natural grain options. You should avoid these like you would anything else hazardous because they can slow down your metabolic rate and harm your diet.
If you want to eat more nutritious foods at home and away, you live in very propitious times. Although our markets are filled with an endless array of nutrient-poor foods, you can also choose from a wide variety of much healthier options than were previously available, from low-carb high-fiber tortillas to power-packed super fruit smoothies. For people too busy to cut up vegetables for work lunches, you can purchase little packages of precut fresh veggies and dip. In many ways, while it has become harder to dodge all the unhealthy choices, it has also become exponentially more convenient to find better nutritional choices.
If you are dealing with a picky eater, try to give them smaller portions at each meal. By doing this, they won't feel overwhelmed with the amount of food in front of them and if they are hungry, they will be more inclined to eat their entire meal since it is not a huge serving size.
It is a great idea to teach your child how to be nutritious if they can get their examples straight from you. If you are eating healthy foods, your child will feel much more inclined to be just like you and eat those same foods. If they see you refusing healthy foods, then they will follow suit.
To increase the effectiveness of vitamin supplements, include plenty of manganese in your diet. Manganese has been shown to help your body absorb a variety of vitamins and minerals. http://librasecond72noah.tinyblogging.com/Strong-Suggestions-For-Getting-The-Right-Nutrition-6753299 in manganese include pineapple, soybeans, and brown rice. Consuming these foods about an hour before you take any vitamins w,ill help your body take full advantage of them.
http://librasize92sid.suomiblog.com/paving-the-roadway-to-a-life-of-healthy-eating-3478200 , garlic and onions are sometimes frowned upon due to their odor. But if you have avoided them, you should reconsider. They provide B and C vitamins and help liver function. Many studies have indicated their properties in deterring cancer. Cooking them in complex dishes, reduces their strong odor.
If you are eating at a restaurant, and you are offered fries, skip them. They are loaded with fat and salt, which will make you feel bloated, and greasy. Instead, order a side salad or some fresh fruit. When you make healthier choices like these, you will end up feeling better knowing you are taking care of yourself.
Regularly consuming lean meats to significantly increase your muscle growth. By eating four to eight servings of lean beef, fish, turkey, and chicken, you should experience greater muscle mass than someone who follows a similar workout program but does not regularly eat a diet in which meat is present.
To give your metabolism a boost, eat a healthy breakfast. Skipping your morning meal may seem like a good idea when you're trying to lose weight, but going without breakfast actually slows your metabolism. Eating a bowl of healthy cereal or fruit in the morning, will help your body to burn calories more efficiently throughout the day.
Make sure that you are getting enough dairy products. Yogurt, eggs. milk, cheese and butter, are all full of vitamins that our bodies need. The nutrition found in dairy products, cannot be found in any other food group, so it is important that you eat your recommended amount of dairy.
Eat oatmeal for breakfast. Oatmeal is a great source of fiber, protein and whole grains. It will fill you up, keep you full and help to clean the cholesterol out of your system. Oatmeal can be eaten plain, or with whole fruit added to sweeten it up.
Most fast foods are laden with fat and salt. If you cut them out of your diet you should stop craving them so much after a couple of weeks. This is because your body will become accustomed to tasting natural salt in foods and these would then be much too salty for you to eat.
Eating the right foods is great, however, if you are not processing it properly, much of its value is wasted. Make it a point to be more active in your daily routine. Adding a few steps here and there will add up over the week. This increased activity prompts your body to process more efficiently out of need. Also incorporate short walks after every meal to facilitate digestion.
A healthy diet will help to boost your immune system. By boosting your body's immune system your body will be able to fight against the impurities that cause skin problems. Just keeping track of what you are putting in your body and making sure that what you put in your body boosts the immune system.
In conclusion, we provided multiple tips and tricks to ensure that you are getting the most nutrition out of your daily routine. As long as you follow what is in this article, you will be much closer to a healthier lifestyle. Be you can try this out to consult with a doctor before any major life changes.


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On this week's Xbox show, we celebrate news that the creators of Burnout are bringing the series back (albeit under a new name), rejoice at the Stone Age setting of the just-announced Far Cry Primal, calculate the crazy value proposition of the Fallout 4 Xbox One bundle, take credit (not really) for making the icky Deus Ex: Mankind Divided pre-order campaign go away, check Destin into a rehab facility for his Destiny problem (also not really), and more!
Oh, and Unlocked now has its own snazzy new homepage! Bookmark this: go.ign.com/unlocked
New to Podcast Unlocked? Catch up on the last six episodes:
- Twisted Pixel Pulls a Bungie
- We Interview Phil Spencer
- How Much Content Is Enough for $60?
- The 'Xboy' Handheld Was Almost Real
- What the Xbox One Elite Console Will and Won't Do
- Xbox Bosses Phil Spencer, Peter Moore, and Seamus Blackley Share their Xbox Memories
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