Sunday, September 28, 2008

Chilean Scree

In December of 1996 I travelled to Termas de Chillán, Chile for a meeting as part of the work I was doing at the time for the National Science Foundation. I flew to Santiago, and then took a flight on LanChile to Concepción, where I got a rental car for the drive to Chillán. The drive was quite long, several hours, but it was through country that was beautiful -- Chile always reminds me so much of Colombia that I never mind driving there.

Chillán is a largish town in the peneplane of the Andes, laid out in a typical Spanish colonial plan - plaza mayor with a church, the alcaldía, etc. - colored half-walls wish whitewashed tops. I could have been anywhere in Boyacá. A small road lead out of Chillán towards the hot springs, or termas, which I took, and soon left the pavement for a fairly smooth gravel road, which would its way through the foothills towards the mountains. In the distance, as a surreal backdrop to the town, was the volcano of Chillán, a beautiful cone with a snow-capped peak. As is usual at high altitudes, it looked a lot closer than it actually was, because the air is so clear. Slowly, the farm clearings were less frequent, and I realized that the seemingly endless pine forests of Chile were all artificial - they have been replanted with European species to replace the abandoned farmlands of the first wave of settlers that have fled to the cities. The native forests of Chile are starkly different from the pine forests - the first thing that strikes you is the stunning number of different types of trees - and the 'roughness' of the leaf cover. A riot of cellulose, thrown carelessly over the steep hillsides, covered in lichen, moss, and creepers. Among these forests were all sorts of cabins for what I guess were winter (June-July) holiday-makers, who wanted to be near the ski slopes in Termas.

As I sped along the road, I saw a dark shape on the road ahead, and quickly realized that it was someone lying in the road, next to a bicycle. I hate to say it, but my first thought was: "ambush," and I brought the car to a slow crawl next to the unfortunate soul - I rolled down the window, and carefully looked at him and at the surrounding trees as I crunched by on the dry gravel. There was no movement - none. He did not look injured, no blood, no scrapes, not even torn clothing, which made me suspicious. I stopped the car, locking my doors, and thought hard about what to do. In the US or Europe, there was no question about what to do. Get out and help. But here... I thought about blowing the horn, and I decided that might help, if not startle the victim, so I sat for several minutes blowing the horn. Nothing. Not from the limp rag on the ground, not from the cabins along the road, not from the dark trees. Finally, I had to leave. What else could I do? I was quite afraid of being attacked, or worse, kidnapped. Perhaps this was Colombian hysteria invading a safe part of Chile, or memories of my Moroccan roadblock experience, but I decided to head off to see if I could find other people to come back with. A few miles farther down the road, I found a police station, and I roused an officer there and told him of what I had found. The police officer headed off back down the road on a horse. I never did find out what happened, but I felt that I had done all I could for the man. I headed on to the Termas and to my meeting, climbing ever higher into the mountains.

The Termas are really a cluster of Germanic chalets centered about a set of hot springs. There is a ski complex for which this all serves as a typical base lodge during the winter, with a set of chair lifts etc. The meeting was going well (it had already started by the time I arrived), and I was simply there to give a speech, and not really to take part in many of the discussions, so I had a great deal of spare time. During much of the spare time, people would wander off on some of the many forest trails for walks. Some of these walks were quite strenuous, as they climbed steep mountain trails that headed off to different hot springs, mud baths, and sulphur pits in the area. Again, looming over all this was the volcano, looking ever so much closer. I took several walks, each longer and longer, seeing how high I could climb in the surrounding mountains - several times I got above the clouds, and was able to see for hundreds of miles over the amazing ranges nearby.

Each time, I could see that the volcano was actually on the next range over, and that a days' hike would easily bring one to the snow line on the side of the mountain itself. I decided to take the next day and climb at least to the snow line, and to the summit if the time went well. I got up very early, before sunrise, gathered some food, my camera, and put on several layers of clothes. Feeling satisfied that I was ready, I headed off, and drove to the bottom of the path that I had found up at the stem baths, headed past the sulphur vents, past the bubbling mud pits, and up far along the trail, until the car was a tiny green dot, and the base complex was a set of small buildings thousands of feet below. I reached the end of the trail within an hour or so after that, and continued up into the clouds, clambering over rocks that were literally shattered from the daily freezing and thawing they went through at his height. It was a beautifully sunny day, and I soon had to peel off my outer layer to cool down. I had brought along some water and some trail mix, which I carefully rationed out as the day wore on. Even though the marked trail had ended, it was obvious other people had come before me -- small cairns were erected along the faint footpath, and here and there there was the careless litter of other hikers. Soon there was snow covering the ground on the more sheltered parts of the path, and soon I had to pick my way across large sheets of it, punching my feet through the upper crust of ice to get a foothold. Above, always over the next ridge, was the volcano, drifting in and out of the clouds. I picked out my path as I came to higher vantage points, headed in the general direction of a saddle that I could see linking my ridge with the slopes of the volcano.

By noon time, I could tell that I would certainly not make it to the summit -- the volcano was a lot larger, and a lot farther away than I had originally judged. What was obvious was that I would be able to make it to the permanent snow line, and cross over to the top of the ski lift, where the rest of the Conference was headed for an afternoon outing. Once they turned on the chair lift for the group. I could easily get home without the exhausting trek back downhill.

As I came over one spectacular set of ridges, I could make out that the saddle was now quite close, but below me. The only way this could be so was if there were a set of steep cliffs between my position and the saddle. As I moved sideways several hundred yards to get a better view of the topography in front of me, I realized with dismay that there was indeed a set of steep cliffs on my previous path, and that there was no immediate way to get from the ridge I was on down to the saddle and across to the volcano without climbing down the cliff face, or traversing an enormous scree slope.

A scree slope is an interesting feature - as the cliffs weather, pieces of rock splinter off and fall down to form piles of broken rock, ranging from pebbles to pieces just heavy enough not to be able to lift. All of this 'scree' formed a steep slope sitting at the angle of repose that started at the foot of the cliffs and dropped several thousand feet into the valley below. I knew crossing scree slopes was dangerous. I knew doing it alone was doubly dangerous. No one at the conference really knew where I was -- one person did know I was on the volcano, but as I was finding out, it was a very big place to look for a very small person. I could clearly see the chair lift, about a mile away (or so I judged, but I was now questioning all estimates of distance), and I knew that the walk back was difficult. The scree slope was about 800 yards across. To make it worse, the clouds had started to come in, and a stiff wind had started to blow. I pulled the hood of my anorak over my head, and tightened it around my face, sealing out the wind, and decided to cross the scree slope.

I slowly started to crawl on all fours, distributing my weight evenly so that I could avoid shifting too many stones. Several times my shoes caught on the sharp edges of the shattered stones, and the disturbed rocks would start to roll, crashing down the slope until they were too far away to see. I made good progress, and was about five hundred yards out on the scree slope when I realized that my blood sugar was getting low, and that I was beginning to get more and more careless.

Then I heard, or rather felt, a sound that made my blood freeze. A very low rumble shook the entire slope, and I felt the scree shift underneath me. I began to think about what the angle of repose meant - that the slope was unstable, and that anything - a careless hiker, for example - could set off a massive rock slide. If the scree face shifted, I stood a good chance of going down with it, and being buried and chewed up by the grinding rocks. I very carefully lowered myself onto the rock face and listened. Only the wind whistled by, carrying a few droplets of rain and sleet. I started to shake with fear, and fought rising panic that was tightening around my throat.

I knew I had to sit tight, calm myself, and either continue or turn back immediately. A, I thought about you and your mother, and how much I loved you both. I moaned and started to cry as I thought about you growing up without me, never knowing how I had died in the Andes, I thought about my mother, who was so sick and how this would affect her. I desperately wanted some miracle to occur, and to be magically transported away from the scree and back to Virginia.

By this time, of course, things were compounding. The clouds had closed in, and the drops had turned into snowflakes - it was now snowing, and I realized that I could no longer see the chair lift, or much of the slope of the volcano. I also knew that the snow was slowly covering up my tracks, and that if it started to snow hard, I stood a good chance of getting lost. I had to make an immediate decision. Trembling, I turned back the way I came, and inched back across what seemed an endless skirt of scree.

I don't know how long it took me to get off the slope, and I have since regretted not taking photos of that last part (I think the film had run out), even if it was to leave some scrap of evidence for people to look at if the camera was found. Needless to say, I did make it back down the mountain to the car, and back to the hotel room and my Conference. I haven't gone climbing alone since, and haven't gone near a scree slope, even when with someone else.

Monday, September 22, 2008

All I want is my two front teeth:

From CBC Radio's "Quirks and Quarks" podcast:

Dr. Joy Richmond, Professor of Pediatric Dentistry at UBC, just mentioned that many of the present dental problems are actually caused by our highly processed food.

In the past (and as recently as the Dark Ages), our food was quite coarse, containing a lot of grit and abrasive material that ground our teeth down. This wear allowed our teeth to fit better in our jaws. That wear is no longer a factor, and our teeth retain their points much longer than is natural, which causes much more force to torque the teeth each time we chew (or grind our teeth), and it is this that causes much of the crookedness and crowding in modern teeth.

This is visible when we look at the statistics of dental problems in ancient skulls - in general, older skulls have fewer dental problems than modern ones (although of course, if you did have problems, they were probably pretty agonizing, since there was little that could be done about it).

Monday, September 01, 2008

Yoda loves it


I spotted this chocolate bar brand on the shelves yesterday. What an odd name. And before you Star Wars freaks flame me, yes, I know Yoda's hideout was spelled 'Dagobah.' Apparently it is a Sinhalese word for stupa.

Friday, August 29, 2008

A Theory and a Request

A THEORY OF THE PLANETARY EVOLUTION OF THE EARTH WITH AN EMPHASIS ON ANTARCTICA FOR A GRANT

To whom it may concern, August 29th, 2008
When we get to the National Science Foundation’s website after we utilize this mobile internet we just got today, as we have heard about the foundation on National Public Radio. We are [names removed] and are students at Indiana/Purdue University’s IPFW campus in Fort Wayne Indiana. We approach you however, independent of the Universities’ credentials, because we would like to conduct this idea under our own studies, having access to the professors, staff, information, and equipment that all students who attend do. We have been in attendance in []’s instance since January of 2005, where she is on the brink of more than one minor degree, and a chemistry course away from General Education. Amongst other profound endeavors that is, including these proposals, theoretical hypothesizes, and parenting. We have many calculations and information assembled in this cause, and have written NOAA about the following ideas and have received correspondence from them on this to follow, with links to exceptional maps and data; everything involved of the world. We understand the theories and mechanics needing to be changed, challenged, properly how, citations included, and perhaps how to make lots of noise.

Just look at the continents, it is taught in the science courses of elementary school and therefore known that the largest fit back together on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge; Greenland, North America, South America, Africa, Europe… There is exceptional movement in the Indian Ocean of Australia and the islands of the pacific. There is the location in the northeastern Euro-Asian continent where a great depression underlain of that was deepest; and then thereby filled by the eastern Euro-Asia landmass, evident by the mountain bunching phenomena that is exclusive to the Northern and Southern Asian complexes. All, over billions of years in those matters indeed.

But none have moved as far as Antarctica, having traveled down the pacific basin before the supercontinent separated much, part of that grand cataclysm and wrought out of the Arctic Ocean in the north. This is why the Pacific Floor is so smooth on the ocean floor off the West coast of America; one can view the equilaterally vertical trenches that gape across the horizontal decline from the Arctic Ocean basin to Antarctica multiply in succession and disappear under the Western North and South American continents; among other places crashed open by the cataclysm that laid open the worlds entire surface in and at the many huge cracks over the globe. These are in addition to the oppositional characteristics, as the Atlantic Trench and with the many other fractures certainly provide the evidence of their own existence. It is almost as if the original supercontinent was stamped out of the entire pacific basin originally, then oriented however to then be divided by another cataclysm whereby knocking Antarctica from the Arctic Basin to the South Pole and possibly breaking the supercontinent in two at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
Antarctica is broken into three segments of land, the main body, and then conjunctively to the great ice shelves, to a contacting medium land mass, that is also oppositely connected to a third land mass which is small and tail like. The middle mass bares a unique and nearly 180 degree rotation from the affixing coastal point upon the main land mass, and the small tail mass affixes directly towards the main mass, non-rotated. We believe that the opposite side of Antarctica hit hard and fast at the bottom of the Earth, and is rumpled.

We feel as though we can discount any contrary geological or geographical evidence that is against this rough theory and since it is stated by us that we are seeking a grant of money to take the time and effort to research and propose a tectonic explanation and descriptive evolution of the general processes that caused this geography to come into is present being as the known surface of the earth. If you would play heavy to us, we will devise the mechanics of the unified fields of the universe, explain gravity, and produce a superior algorithm to define the process of quantitative analysis and resolution that will define the physical structure of numbers as the most efficient process therefore, and show the world the shape of a finite core’s connection that progresses uniformly into higher quantitative fields that will define the universal mechanic in work over the entire universe. This by the definition of the field as was the old definition and applied to thus; while being uniform to many of the rules and laws of Physics.

But for now, won’t you supply us a grant for the sake of the planet in the name of Antarctica from the Arctic Ocean? You know, there is a great oval ring of mountains as a crater near 15percent of our planet large, when you generate that which has moved and that which has not moved much at the top of the planet? It is evident by the Aleutians and the northern mountain ranges. What a puzzle indeed. What we desire for the formulation and establishment of the mechanics are around 72,000 dollars for the year in which we would like to conduct our research analysis, and challenges to existing theories. That is 36,000 for each of us for this very year. If there are formalities or greater extrapolations necessary to attain such grants from you, then please forward the appropriate forms and requirements for us to complete. Thank you for you time, and considerations.

Sincerely Yours Truly,
[names removed...]

====

I was suitably impressed, but not convinced that this merited an award.

Friday, August 01, 2008

Screen Sharing gone mad:

This is what happens when you screen share from one machine, and then screen share back to the original:

The interesting part is that the farther back you go, the farther back in time you are, so it is much like the display of Time Machine itself, with the past receding into the background. As each screen refreshes, it carries its events backwards by one step.

This is the first time I have been able to get "Back to My Mac" working through all the various firewalls.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Jaque: El bien germina ya



I am always proud to be Colombian on the 20th of July, but this year it was the 2nd of July that I was most proud of.

Well done!

Libérenlos ya!

Monday, June 09, 2008

iPhone 3G

July 11 is the word



Hmm. I've held off until now - my current non-iPhone contract is up soon. ...temptation strikes, especially with the push-synchronization features with my Outlook setup at work...

USD$199 for an 8 gig model, USD$299 for the 16 gig.

More here, at Apple.

Friday, May 30, 2008

Oh crap

Not an e-mail you want to receive:


Dear Mr. Fulano,

As you may have seen in the Director General’s May 27, 2008 ALDAC “Announcing the 2009 Iraq/Afghanistan Cycle (State 056058)” and in the Secretary’s personal message to the field (link below), the Department has begun recruiting for summer 2009 openings in Iraq. I am writing to inform you that the Department considers you among those particularly well qualified for the key positions listed below and is asking you to seriously consider volunteering for an opportunity to tackle our nation’s top foreign policy priority.

20700000 ECON Officer (ESTH) FS-03

You are considered well qualified because your record of achievement indicates that you have the skills and experience, as defined by Embassy Baghdad, to be successful in these positions. Information about the Embassy’s criteria as well as the position descriptions for these and other jobs in Iraq can be found on the following website:

http://hrweb.hr.state.gov/prd/hrweb/dg/assignment_iraq/.

HR/CDA and others will soon be contacting you to discuss further your interest in these positions.

The Director General is confident that with your help, and that of others who step forward, we will staff Iraq with volunteers as we have in the past. As noted in the cable, however, the Director General will assess at an appropriate time how best to complete the cycle. If positions remain unfilled, you would be among the pool of qualified individuals potentially subject to identification for one of these positions.[Italics added] In the interest of fairness and transparency, this is something we wanted to communicate to you at the earliest possible point in the assignments process. Again, our goal is 100% volunteers.

I will give you a call next week (June 2-6) to discuss more in depth what this might mean for you, but please feel free to contact me sooner if you wish. In the meantime, I urge you to take another look at the ALDAC referenced in paragraph one for details on the Iraq-Afghanistan cycle and the overall timeline for 2009 assignments. If you will be in Washington, I also urge you to attend the upcoming Iraq brown bag event on June 3 and to watch for the upcoming Iraq/Afghanistan Open House as well as other events, including DVCs with selected posts. We will be announcing details about these events soon.

I look forward to working with you as you consider stepping forward for one of these critical assignments.

Regards,

Your Career Development Officer

Link to the Secretary’s message:

(http://bnet.state.gov/viewClip.asp?clip_id=1148),

In accordance with the policies and procedures outlined in Executive Order 12958, this e-mail is UNCLASSIFIED.


The passage in italics is the code for "volunteer or else." The only hope for escape from this is to a) quit, b) get pregnant, or c) hope they reach 100% capacity before reaching your name in the list.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Colibri:

We saw our first hummingbird of the year today.

The male scouts are here, looking for likely sites to nest and for feeding spots. Our feeders have been out for several weeks now, but the hummers are pretty consistently here around the date of last frost, April 15.

It will be interesting to watch this date change as the climate shifts:

2003: April 21
2004: April 19
2005: April 19
2006: no record
2007: no record
2008: April 17

Not a statistically significant trend, but it bears watching.

The harder part is tracking the last bird to leave, in autumn. You have to track every day you do see one, and then as it gets more and more sparse, you eventually give up hope and look up the last day you had a check mark on the calendar. Kind of depressing, compared to the excitement of the first visitor.

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Who's on first?

These are the types of thoughts that strike a scientist as he showers in the morning: "Hmm. I wonder which properties of numbers are base-independent?" It actually made me drop my soap.

Some things, like whether a number is prime, irrational, or whether it is Pi or e or some other property or constant are most likely independent of the base one is working in. We are familiar with, and tend to work mostly in base 10, but perhaps some of these numbers would look different in other bases? Is there a base in which numbers have different properties? What about irrational bases? Can you have imaginary number bases?

I pondered these questions as I lathered up what is left of my hair, and it occurred to me that certain properties of numbers are actually only psychological, and not rooted in number theory at all.

Here's an example from the news: the famous 'milestone' reached recently of 4,000 U.S. military casualties in Iraq. Four thousand is significant to us because it represents a round thousands number, like 1,000 2,000 3,000 et cetera. In this particular case, the 4,000 was being portrayed as a psychological breaking point for the will of the American public to keep fighting (more on death tolls from different events in a future post).

However, it turns out that 4,000 has only a psychological significance, rather than a truly numerical one, because just what is it about 4,000 that intrinsically makes it different from 3,999 or 4,001? After all, it's only when it is written in base 10 that it looks this way. In hexadecimal, or base 16, a system just as valid as base 10, that number looks like FA0, which is not particularly significant next to 3,999 and 4,001, which look like F9F and FA1 in hexadecimal. In fact, in hexadecimal, the psychologically significant numbers 1000, 2000, 3000 turn out to be (in base 10): 4,096, 8,192 and 12,288, which don't look very interesting at all to us base-10 biased folk.

So it turns out that certain things about numbers depend on which base you are using. Those things which are fundamental (like being prime), are independent of the base being used to represent the number itself. If the property depends on the base being used, that's probably a good sign that the property is not intrinsically part of formal number theory (but I'd love to be proved wrong).

So we could fully expect, on that auspicious day where we met an alien species with a different number of digits (fingers), that they would have a completely different set of psychologically significant numbers, because it is likely that they would count in a different base. It occurred to me that the more fingers they had, the more difficult they would be to defeat in battle, because it would take more 'kills' to reach their psychological breaking points!

Anyway, that was enough science fiction, and by this point I was towelling off anyway.

We have lots of these psychologically significant number categories floating around: centuries, decades, dozens (an example of working in a non-base 10 system), and the famous pricing strategy of leaving something at one cent below (e.g. "ON SALE FOR ONLY $2.99!!!" etc. etc.).

It was now time to adjust my bowtie, and go off and count my eggs before they hatched, and decide whether the count was significant or not.

Sunday, April 06, 2008

SC or CA, SC or CA? Hmm...

A friend of mine from Charleston South Carolina asked me recently whether she should buy some farm property in California. She was worried about living in an earthquake zone.

I spoke to her for a bit about simply being prepared for hazards, etc. but what I should have recalled is that Charleston itself is an earthquake zone. In fact, the August 31, 1886 Charleston earthquake is the largest historical earthquakes on the East coast, and was felt as far away as Toronto and Cuba. It's estimated that it was somewhere between 7.3 and 7.6 in magnitude. Here's a historic photo of some of the damage on Tradd Street in Charleston:



What I should have done was guided her to some of the Geological Survey resources:

Earthquake Hazards 101
Earthquake Probability Map Tool

Thursday, April 03, 2008

Zip... ...zoom!

A clever fellow in Germany, Till Kredner, who co-authors the great website All the Sky, has a a great clip of the Jules Verne transport vehicle and the space station passing over Hohenzollern Castle.

It's greatly sped up, and the smaller, dimmer Jules Verne ATV is in front of the International Space Station (ISS). You can just catch an airplane as it passes 'near' the departing and much brighter ISS.

The ATV is now docked to the ISS, and will remain there for many weeks. It's used to take supplies up, boost the orbit of the ISS, and take garbage away.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

MS Word Misery:

Here's the latest puzzling message from the engineers in Redmond:


My question is simple: "Isn't that what templates are for?"

Sheesh. Yet another mis-categorized document in my files. Thanks guys, it's not as if I need any help in making messy filing systems.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Legitimacy in Exchange for Mistreated Hostages:

My translation of an article from Madrid's El País newspaper. The Author is Joaquín Villalobos, who was a leader of El Salvadorean guerillas during the 1980's and 90's.


January 16, 2008

When I began to learn about the Colombian conflict, I found it hard to believe that the FARC commanders travelled around in air-conditioned cars, and that their camps had many comforts. I was also surprised that some of their commanders were so evidently overweight. Whereas the Salvadorean civil war could be explained by an excess of power of the State, the Colombian conflict is essentially explained by the weakness of the State in controlling its own territory. Colombia has places where there has been no government for over forty years. This vacuum has been filled by paramilitaries, guerillas, drug traffickers, and bandits who have become the default authorities before the indifference or under the consent of the government.

As Salvadorean guerillas, we fought for each square metre of our small country against authoritarian governments who were militarily supported by the United States. In Colombia, the FARC have been a sedentary guerilla force, who without much fighting were able to control extensive territory in which there was no government. They have spent forty-three years in the mountains, and some of their leaders have died of old age. Even so, in Colombia the April 19th Movement (M-19) was the first Latin American guerilla group that, at a price of many dead, negotiated democratic political reforms. Now, the M-19, as part of the Alternative Democratic Pole [a legitimate political alliance], is the second largest political force in the country. That is to say, that in Colombia the left could win the next elections, as has already occurred in Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Ecuador, Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Guatemala, and Nicaragua.

There are those who continue to see Latin America as a set of banana republics in which political violence is legitimate. The map, the times, and money from cocaine coincided with the increase in violence of the FARC during the 1990's. Prior to this, they were a lazy insurgency, and as such, had little relevance. In 1990, after the death of their political leader Jacobo Arenas, the FARC was left without ideological guidance against the proliferation of coca plantations in their territory. They began by practicing extortion on the drug traffickers and ended up the owners of the largest cocaine production facilities in the world. Their journey took them from being the newest Latin American political guerilla force to being the first irregular drug trafficking army, and becoming a real threat to the Colombian State.

The governments of the last twenty years had to reverse the weakness of the State and to correct past abuses. First, they agreed to peace with the political insurgencies, then they broke up the large drug cartels that Pablo Escobar had led, followed by successful efforts to combat the culture of violence, and finally they began to recuperate control of terrain. The government proposed negotiations with the FARC which failed, due to the kidnapping of twelve Congress members who were executed in June of 2007. The strength of the Army and Police were increased and these forces were
permanently mobilized into the 1,120 municipalities of Colombia. They began to fight and demobilize the paramilitary forces. The guerilla leaders lost their air-conditioned cars and their camps with refrigerators. Cornered, the FARC turned to terrorism. One hundred and seventeen citizens died taking refuge in Bellavista church when it was destroyed by the FARC; a car-bomb with 200 kg of explosives demolished a club in Bogotá full of families -- this type of thing became routine, and the numbers of civilian dead and wounded mounted into the thousands. Despite this, the violence of the FARC is currently decreasing, and during 2007 they were unable to seize any towns now controlled by the State. Their fighters are demobilizing in large numbers (2,400 in the last year alone), and there is public evidence that some guerilla leaders are enjoying their lost comforts in Venezuelan territory.

The FARC have no future as guerillas, although they do have one as drug traffickers. The immense Colombian jungle allows them to keep the hostages they kidnapped in the past, and to use them as their last pieces of political ammo. The harsh conditions in which they keep them are evidence of their own demoralization and loss of control; they didn't even know where they were holding baby Emmanuel. The FARC has made kidnapping, extortion and drug trafficking its principal activities. It is now the largest hostage-taking operation on the planet.

An insurgency negotiates from a position of legitimate political demands or from the military strength it projects, but to demand legitimacy in exchange for mistreated hostages threatened with death is the moral equivalent of asking for respect because you are an evildoer. Anti-neoliberalism cannot justify exploiting the pain of the hostages' families. If Chávez were only helping to save hostages it would be positive, but his political recognition of the FARC has revived Colombian violence, opens the doors of his own country to cocaine, and makes him into the protector of cruel drug traffickers.
An interesting taunt from Villalobos, a "comrade in arms" to the original FARC movement. I have written about the rise of the cartels and the corrupting influence of the drug trade on all aspects of Colombian society before.

What you should realize, as you sit in your safe countries abroad, are two things: I have endangered myself and my family by posting these things, and second, that these thugs are also settling quite nicely into properties they buy in Europe and the United States, and working their way into the established "mara" system. Good luck getting rid of them.

Friday, February 15, 2008

Colombia's Misery:

This is a stunningly long list of people held hostage in 2003 by Colombia's FARC guerrillas. It does not count those already kidnapped and released, or those murdered while in captivity. A few childhood friends of mine would figure on the latter.

The FARC is a military wing of Colombia's communist movement, and is classified by most of the West as a terrorist group. Predictably, Cuba and Venezuela have hailed them as legitimate freedom fighters.

This is only a list for ONE of the many political groups that operate in Colombia and raise funds by kidnapping. It is even more sobering to realize that this does not even begin to represent the misery of the thousands more families that fall victim to the much more pervasive criminal activity that engages in this singularly cruel practice. Our family has already agreed that we will not ever pay these animals, and we have arranged for specific goodbyes. Cruel but pragmatic.


A
• Acevedo Raigosa Juan Diego
• Acosta Gabriel
• Acosta Albeiro
• Acosta Gloria Esperanza
• Acosta Alvaro
• Acosta Charrys Cesar Augusto
• Acosta Galeano Jorge Alonso
• Acosta Gutierrez Alberto
• Acosta Lopez Olman Rodelo
• Acosta Silva Wilder
• Acuña Sanabria David Enrique
• Afanador Ayala Jorge Enrique
• Agámez Pacheco Darío
• Agredo Guesia Hernando
• Agudelo Duvan Alejandro
• Agudelo Gonzalo
• Agudelo Gina Katerine
• Agudelo Arbeláez Ignacio
• Agudelo Arenas Miguel Angel
• Agudelo Gonzalez Samael Arfhayl
• Agudelo Henao Carlos Andrés
• Agudelo Hoyos Alexander
• Agudelo Hoyos Luz Eugenia
• Agudelo Preciado Andres Felipe
• Aguilar Jurado Luis
• Aguilera Juan David
• Aguilera Agudelo Hernan
• Akil Ali (Lebanese)
• Alba Rupertino
• Albarracín William
• Albornoz Brito Lilián Estela
• Alcala Zabaleta Euclides
• Alfonso Rodriguez Claudia Milena
• Altafulla Atehortua Edwin
• Alvarado Sergio Alfonso
• Alvarado Cespedes Natalie
• Alvarez Anselmo Belisario
• Alvarez Bolaño Ruprecht
• Alvarez De Rocha Isabel
• Alvarez Gardeazabal Carlos Fernando
• Alvarez Olivera Fredy
• Alvarez Rodriguez Hector
• Alvarez Rodriguez Luis Miguel
• Alvarez Rojas Yesid Gustavo
• Alzate Flor Maria
• Alzate Cano Norman Rodolfo
• Alzate Yepes Saulo
• Amador Tapias Diezmar Alonso
• Amador Jose Yesid
• Amaya Luis
• Amaya Silva Luis Mario
• Anaya Leon Melkis
• Andrade Leonardo
• Andrade Falla Juan Pablo
• Angarita Landinez Mesias
• Angarita Meneses Javier Eduardo
• Angarita Montealegre Jorge Enrique
• Angarita Peña Julian Andres
• Angel Dario
• Angulo Gerardo
• Angulo Jimenez Javier
• Angulo Navia John Edgar
• Anichiarico Barros Luis Lorenzo
• Aranda Esquivel José Manuel
• Arandia Valentín Gerardo Alberto
• Arango Juan José
• Arango Mario
• Arango Escobar Juan José
• Arango Maya Delio
• Arango Mora Carlos Mario
• Arango Tabares Jose Uriel
• Araujo Cook Mario
• Aray Suárez edgar A
• Arbeláez Arbláez Ruben Dario
• Arbelaez Castaño Rodrigo De Jesús
• Arce Luis Arturo
• Arciniegas Cacua Abdon
• Arciniegas De Arenas Amalia
• Arcos Guerrero Alvaro Iginio
• Ardila Luis Francisco
• Ardila Becerra Carlos
• Ardila Gonzalez Alfonso Elias
• Ardila Luengas Alirio José
• Ardila Madina Jairo Alexander
• Arellano Macias Hermel
• Arenas Luis Delio
• Arenas Luis Alberto
• Arévalo Luis José
• Arias Isidro
• Arias Garcia Medardo
• Arias Rojas Roberto
• Arias Suarez Misael
• Arias Tabares Lina Yisela
• Aristizabal Betancour Jaime
• Aristizabal Quintero Eulalia
• Aristizábal David Mauricio
• Ariza Pérez Clodomiro
• Arizmendy Héctor Fabio
• Arrazola Ospina Olga Beatriz
• Arredondo Martinez Fadul Alberto
• Arredondo Urrego Lisimaco
• Arredondo Urrego Isidro
• Arregoces Nelson
• Arrellano Macias Hermel
• Arriaga Marcelina (Ecuadorean)
• Arroyave Restrepo Abigail
• Arteaga José Miguel
• Ascanio Carlos Andres
• Assis Montoya Yaser De Jesus
• Astaiza Julio
• Astaiza Sanchez Julian
• Atehortua Rios Ramiro Antonio
• Atencio Navarro Angel David
• Atzmon Ran
• Aubenas Florence
• Avellaneda Miryam
• Avendaño Rafael
• Avila Nieto Climaco Ernesto
• Avila Rios William
• Avila Torres Felix
• Ayala De Nart Andrés
• Ayala Galvis Gilma
• Ayala Montoya Raúl
• Abarro Melo Carlos Alberto
• Abondano Fernando
• Abondano Cazzareli Fernando (Italian)
• Abregú Daniel Alejandro
• Abril Jhon
• Acalo Tenorio Ananias
• Acevedo Camilo
• Acevedo De Acevedo Carolina
• Acevedo Granados Ernesto
• Acevedo Jaramillo Ovidio De Jesús

B
• Baldovino Guerrero Martin
• Ballesteros Miguel Fernando
• Ballesteros Sierra Hermes
• Baquero Jorge
• Baquero José Edgar
• Barbosa Carlos
• Barbosa Luis Eduardo
• Barragán López Carlos Alberto
• Barrera Luz Marina
• Barrera Alvares Janeth
• Barrera Moreno Luis Alfonso
• Barreto Acuña Eder
• Barrios Fabián Farid
• Barrios Antonio Rumbo
• Barrios Guzmán Isaac Manuel
• Barrios Hernandez Rafael
• Barros Pedro
• Bastidas Mauricio
• Bastidasibarraibarra Hector Edmundo
• Bautista Peña Edgar
• Bautista Rincon William
• Bayona Hernando
• Bayona Camacho Alexander
• Beaine Hernandez Carlos Arturo
• Becerra Eliécer
• Bedoya Luis Eduardo
• Bedoya Margarita
• Bedoya Giraldo Angel De Jesús
• Bedoya Grajales Adriana Maria
• Bejarano Bonilla Carlos Alberto
• Bello Gauta Carlos Orlando
• Bello Silgado Luis Eduardo
• Belluscio Pablo Martín
• Beltran Carlos
• Beltran Miguel Antonio
• Beltrán Burbano Carlos Andrés
• Beltrán Cuéllar Orlando
• Beltran Franco Luis Alfonso
• Beltran Giron Efrain
• Beltran Pacheco Julio Ernesto
• Benavides Lucero Eva Sandy
• Benjumea Loaiza Luis Arbeiro
• Bermeo Covaleda Juan Carlos
• Bermudez Arboleda Einer
• Bermudez Carlos Augusto
• Bernal José
• Bernal Narciso
• Bernal Lopez Edwin Libardo
• Berrio Torres Juan Manuel
• Berrocal López José
• Betancourt Javier
• Betancourt Pulecio Ingrid
• Betancourt Restrepo Orlando De Jesús
• Betin Bedoya Rodrigo Manuel
• Blanco Abril Benjamin
• Blandón Javier
• Boada Alvarado Carlos Guillermo
• Bohorquez Rodriguez Vianny
• Bolaños Cuello Elisa Dolores
• Bolaños Lozano Carlos
• Bonilla Enrique
• Bonilla Juan Guillermo
• Bonilla Gomez Pablo Enrique
• Bonilla Vallejo Luis Enrique
• Borrero Luis Fernando
• Borssotti Santiago (Italian)
• Botello Ojeda Danilo
• Botero Botero Francisco
• Botero Botero Fabio
• Botero Garcia Natalia
• Botero Hoyos Marco Tulio
• Botero Mejia Antonio Maria
• Botero Patiño Guillermo Leon
• Bravo De Chacon Nohemi
• Brugnani Claudio
• Buckley John (British)
• Bueno Jovany
• Bueno Arevalo Parmenio
• Buitrago Ramiro
• Buitrago Cuesta Julio César
• Buitrago Tellez Siervo Antonio
• Bula Agamez José Domingo
• Burgos De Castillo Maribel
• Bustos Díaz Hernán

C
• Cabal Orjuela Clara Ines
• Cabana Fonseca César
• Cabrera Maria Agustina
• Cabrera Roger
• Cabrera Monje Juan De Jesus
• Cáceres Fuentes Oscar Orlando
• Cachay Alexander
• Cadena Lozada Narciso
• Caicedo Henao Juan Alberto
• Caicedo Muñoz Gustavo
• Caicedo Portura Leonardo
• Caicedo Ulloa Carlos Eduardo
• Cala Amaya Maria Teresa
• Caldas Carvajal José Anselmo
• Calderon Pantoja Alfonso
• Calderón Rangel Raúl
• Calderon Rodriguez Yanira
• Calderon Suarez Ana Marcela
• Calle Oscar
• Calle Betancourt Francisco Armando
• Calvo Guillermo Leon
• Calvo Antonio
• Calvo Rigo Alberto
• Calvo Quintero Miryam De Jesús
• Camacho Manuel
• Camacho Jairo Jesús
• Camacho Canasteros José Ruben
• Camacho Chacon Henry
• Camargo Rey Sergio
• Camargo Torres Luis Alberto
• Camargo Vasquez Leonel
• Camelo Sanchez Jose
• Camero Galvis Luis Alfredo
• Campo Pinedo Portho David
• Campos José
• Canal Pésico Gonzalo
• Cañaveral Osorio Claudia Yaneth
• Cano Figueroa Juan Carlos
• Cano Quiroz Adriana Maria
• Cano Zapata Jhonny Alexander
• Cantillo Sandra Ester
• Cantillo González Emil
• Cantillo Sánchez Emil
• Cantor José Luis
• Caraballo Cantillo Martha Elena
• Cardenas Omar Ovidio
• Cárdenas Gerlein Guillermo
• Cardona Jorge Iván
• Cardona Julia
• Cardona Arenas Guillermo
• Cardona Caldera Carlos
• Cardona Hernandez Faiber
• Cardona Maya Jorge Arturo
• Cardona Trujillo Cesar
• Cardozo Vasquez Henry Leonardo
• Carmen Ruiz Maria Lucelly
• Carmona Hernando
• Carmona Osorio Miguel Angel
• Caro Hernan
• Caro Luis Fernando
• Carrascal Rangel Jorge
• Carreño Saulo
• Carreño Gilberto
• Carreño Peña Rafael Alberto
• Carrillo Helbes Sergio Andres
• Carvajal Gabriel
• Carvajal Arteaga José Emilio
• Carvajal Franco Jose Jaime
• Carvajalino Chago Israel
• Casallas Torres Omar Giovanny
• Casas Joaquin
• Casas Rodríguez Camilo Alejandro
• Castañeda Carmenza
• Castañeda Enciso Manuel
• Castañeda Quiroz Balmoris Alberto
• Castañeda Vergara Javier De Jesús
• Castaño Orlando
• Castaño Montiel Giovany
• Castellanos De Figueroa Teresa
• Castilla Cleodomiro
• Castillo Francy Rocio
• Castillo Carlos Alberto
• Castillo Jaime Alberto
• Castillo Ana Milena
• Castillo Arredondo Julio Cesar
• Castillo Bustamante Jesús Enrique
• Castillo Charris Noraldo José
• Castillo Gallego Gloria Enith
• Castillo Montenegro Miyer Alexander
• Castillo Polo Jaime Luis
• Castillo Sánchez Nicolás
• Castillo Vergara Francia Margarita
• Castrillon Andres
• Castrillon Garcia Wilmer
• Castro Everardo (Mexican)
• Castro Ascanio Albeiro
• Castro Conrado Alfredo Rafeel
• Castro Lopez Nestor Alberto
• Castro Lopez Deiber Stiven
• Castro Mafla Nelson
• Castro Mafla Miller
• Castro Patiño Manuel Alejandro
• Cayewya Leila
• Ceballos Yezid
• Ceballos Sierra Rafael Ricardo
• Cediel Herrera José Olvein
• Celedon Julio Habib
• Celis José
• Celis Gutierrez Jose Joaquin
• Cepeda Erick
• Cespedes Garcia José Orlando
• Chacon Bravo Luis Roberto
• Chacón Bravo Ligia Fanny
• Chamorro Jairo
• Chaparro Naranjo Luis Hernan
• Charris Hugo Gilberto
• Charris Figueroa José Del Carmen
• Charris Figueroa Omar Andres
• Charry Carlos Alberto
• Charrys Rodriguez Cesar Augusto
• Chavarro Alfaro Ever
• Chaverra Junca Jimmy
• Chavez Bonilla Luis Alberto
• Chavez Hurtado Luz Amparo
• Chavita Burgos Lino
• Chimigui Higuildo
• Chinchilla Alvarez Luis Fernando
• Chinchilla Munar Jorge Alberto
• Chisco Jaime Humberto
• Chisco Espinosa Jaime Humberto
• Chitiva Prieto Jesus Antonio
• Chivata Fonseca Samuel
• Cifuentes Juan Ignacio
• Cifuentes Rodriguez Hector Gonzalo
• Cifuentes Rodriguez German
• Claro Arévalo Neftalí
• Claros Pinzón Roberto
• Clavijo Gasca Marlon Andres
• Cobaleda Oscar
• Cobaleda Jairo
• Collazos Jorge Ricardo
• Colorado Cadavid Jaime Luis
• Conrado Bolívar Ostuardo
• Contreras Florez Pascual
• Contreras Hernandez Jairo
• Contreras Rojas Beyer Antonio
• Coral Parra Richard Anderson
• Córdoba Daniel Isidoro
• Cordoba Alvarez Marien Del Pilar
• Cordoba Iles Paulino
• Cordón Herrera Reynaldo
• Cordón Herrera Guillermo
• Coronado De Lopez Doris
• Corrales Castro Francia Helena
• Corrales Cuadrados Deivis José
• Correa Marco Antonio
• Correa Oscar
• Correa Alejandro
• Correa Tamayo Tamayo Astrid Veronica
• Correa Arteaga Guillermo Leon
• Correa Maldonado Ovidio
• Correa Tamayo Laura Cristina
• Correa Tamayo Angie Caterine
• Correa Velásquez Luz Dary
• Corredor Pedro
• Cortes Acero Pedro Hernan
• Cortes Aragon Rogelio
• Cortes Espinosa Cesar Aureliano
• Cossio Andrés Cossio
• Covelly Luz Mery
• Cruz Marcos
• Cruz Perez Orfanelly
• Cuadrados Fredy
• Cubides Caballero Nelson
• Cubides Carvajal Luis Mario
• Cubides Plazas José Gilbert
• Cubillos Gabriel
• Cuervo Rojas Julio
• Cuesta Asprilla Felix
• Cujas Oscar

D
• Dalde Beni
• Dangond Noguera Julio Jose
• Daniels Mattos José David
• Daza Heder
• Daza María Clemencia
• Daza Bermudez Elias
• Daza Diaz Marcela
• De La Cruz Hermes
• De La Ossa De La Ossa Jhon Jairo
• De La Rosa Jorge Luis
• De La Torre Carlos
• De Las Aguas Manga Sebastian Segundo
• De Los Rios Vela José Ignacio
• Delbasto Francisco
• Delgado Argote Harvey
• Delgado Becerra Jesus Antonio
• Devia Molinares Diana Carolina (Venezuelan)
• Diad Basil Julieth
• Diaz Jhon Jairo
• Diaz William
• Diaz Luis
• Diaz Luis Antonio
• Díaz Eduardo
• Diaz Beltrán Wilson
• Díaz Camacho Luz Eneida
• Diaz Cardenas Rodrigo
• Diaz Cifuentes Oswaldo
• Diaz Diaz Ariel
• Diaz Gaitan Henry Noe
• Diaz Garcia Ramon
• Diaz Gomez José Nicolas
• Diaz López Nelson
• Diaz Montoya Felipe
• Diaz Prada Rafael
• Diez Carlos Mario
• Diez Orozco Carlos Mario
• Diviayo Rafael
• Domico Honorio
• Domico Delio
• Domico Uldarico
• Domico Angel
• Domico Teofan
• Domico Jarupia José Angel
• Domico Pernia Kimi
• Dominguez Jorge
• Dominguez Peña Yury Andrea
• Donato William
• Doria Romero Pablo
• Doria Romero Edgar
• Duarte Olida Sofia
• Duarte Carlos José
• Duarte Salomon
• Duarte Valero Edgar Yesid
• Dueñas Carlos Julio
• Duque Jaramillo John Jairo
• Duque Mazo Gabriel
• Duque Meza Jairo
• Duque Silva José Farith
• Durán John Jairo
• Duran Rodriguez Javier Alonso

E
• Echarri Antonio
• Echavarria Velez Jhonny Alexander
• Echeverri Ramiro
• Echeverri Arboleda Eliseo
• Echeverri Mejia Gilberto
• Echeverria Castro José Alejandro
• Echeverry Perez Cristina
• Echeverry Sánchez Ramiro
• Elias Gomez Ana Luisa
• Eltawin Erez
• Escobar Mejia Ana Joaquina Maria Estela
• Escobar Rotabista Fernando
• Escobar Velez Carlos Hernan
• Escorcia Antonio
• Espejo Luis Alejandro
• Espinoza Hernandez Jairo
• Espitia Luis Ernesto
• Estrada Mateo
• Estrada Cadavid Juan Diego
• Estrada Jimenez Octavio

F
• Fadul Bernal Hernando
• Fandiño Adonaldo
• Fandiño Chavez Edinsón
• Fandiño Guarnizo Cesar
• Fernandez Solarte Solarte James Fabian
• Fernandez Quessep Alvaro
• Fernandez Solarte Juan Sebastian
• Fernando George
• Fernando Sanmiento Jhon Carlos
• Ferro Fernández José
• Ferro Pinilla Adriano
• Fino Ricardo
• Flechas Estrada Jhon Jairo
• Flores Fernando
• Flores Adolfo
• Flórez Uldarico
• Florez Florez José Francisco
• Florez Rueda, Eduardo
• Folleco Ahumada Segundo Peregrino
• Fontalvoprietoprieto Jorge Eduardo
• Forero Wilfredy
• Forero Carrero José Libardo
• Forero Rivera Diego Mario
• Franco Carlos Julio
• Franco Bernal Octavio
• Fredy Olvani Gallo Jurado
• Freiver Vives Walter
• Fuentes Camacho Carlos Humberto

G
• Gaitan William
• Galindo Dionisio
• Gallego Miller Lady
• Gallego Giraldo Luis Carlos
• Galvan Juan Guillermo
• Galvis Jaimes José Maria
• Galvis Mendez Dayra De Jesus
• Gaona Nubia
• Garavito Martinez Maria Amparo
• Garaviz De Sanchez Luz Estella
• Garay Manuel
• Garbache Ramos Gabriel
• Garcia Luis Carlos
• Garcia Jesús Antonio
• Garcia Juan Carlos
• Garcia Vicente
• García Miriam
• Garciaaguilaraguilar Alvaro
• Garcia Andrade Jorge
• Garcia Arias Diego Alonso
• Garcia Arrieta Rafael Eduardo
• Garcia De Cortes Margarita Del Socorro
• García Giraldo Carlos Alberto
• García Gómez Carlos Eugenio
• García Gómez Héctor Fabio
• Garcia Guillen Cesar Augusto
• Garcia Lopez Jorge Luis
• Garcia Lopez Reinaldo
• Garcia Martín Jhon Carlos
• García Mosquera John Freddy
• Garcia Oñate Jorge Luis
• Garcia Oviedo Antonio José
• Garcia Puentes Julio Alexander
• Garcia Restrepo Hernan
• Garcia Toro Ramiro
• Garcia Vargas Alberto Elias
• Garzon Marina
• Garzon Cortes Fredy Helbert
• Gaviria Jaime
• Gechen Turbay Jorge Eduardo
• Gercia Simons Julio Cesar
• Gerena Mateus Helmer Eliecer
• Ghazal Houman Khaled
• Gil Vallejo Mario De Jesus
• Giral Panesso Dorian Alberto
• Giraldo José
• Giraldo Aristizabal José Absalon
• Giraldo Cadavid Francisco Javier
• Giraldo Giraldo Luis Ernando
• Giraldo Hernández Benjamín
• Giraldo Herrera Manuel
• Giraldo Hincapie Jose Rodrigo
• Gloria Alexandra Múnera
• Gnecco José
• Gomez Joel
• Gomez Clara
• Gomez Juan
• Gomez Andres
• Gomez Rolando
• Gomez Aider
• Gomez Ruben Dario
• Gómez Elvia
• Gomez Agudelo Jesus M
• Gomez Alvarado Victor Manuel
• Gómez Avila Ledis Yohelis
• Gomez Cona Carlos Palacio
• Gomez Galeano Moises
• Gomez Galindo Benjamin
• Gomez Mejia Jonh Jairo
• Gomez Mendoza Damian
• Gomez Porras Armando
• Gomez Ramirez Julio Cesar
• Gómez Rodríguez Sandro Hernando
• Gomez Salcedo Carlos Alberto
• Gomez Santos Juan Carlos
• Gonsálves Marc (American)
• Gonzalez Karen
• Gonzalez Jhon Alexander
• Gonzalez Jairo
• Gonzalez Cristobal
• Gonzalez Rosendo
• González Gustavo
• González Luis Teodoro
• González Adán
• Gonzalez Campuzano Mariano De Jesús
• González De Perdomo Consuelo
• Gonzalez Diaz Rafael
• Gonzalez Espitia Luis Felipe
• Gonzalez Garcia Alberto
• González García Alberto
• Gonzalez Giraldo Aristobulo
• Gonzalez Ibarra Jorge Eliecer
• Gonzalez Murillo Jose Dorance
• Gonzalez Pimienta Luz Rocio
• González Posada Carlos Alberto
• Gonzalez Rojas Sandra Marisol
• Gonzalez Sandoval Heliodoro
• Gonzalez Velilla Termutis Del Carmen
• Grajales Romo Holger Zagalo
• Granada Pinzon Eliecer
• Granados Monroy Maria Ines
• Greco Irma
• Grisales Jiménez José Elí
• Guaran Roberto
• Guerra Jairo Miguel
• Guerra González Marco Aurelio
• Guerra Jimenez Ibeth
• Guerrero Eliseo
• Guerrero Edwin Ferney
• Guerrero Gutierrez Francisca
• Guevara Julián Hernesto
• Guevara Quintero Osiris Yovanna
• Guillen Tabares Henry
• Guisto Gabriels
• Gutierrez Abelardo
• Gutiérrez Tulia
• Gutierrez Patiño Leonardo Fabio
• Gutierrez Reza Jorge
• Gutierrez Suarez Pedro Manuel
• Gutiérrez Urdaneta Randolfo
• Guy Ido Joseph

H
• Hansen Heiner
• Henao Gustavo
• Henao Barco Luis Bernardo
• Henao Vallejo Sergio Alonso
• Henderson John (American)
• Hernandez Eugenio
• Hernandez Jorge Augusto
• Hernández Alberto
• Hernández Gloria María
• Hernández Diego Fernando
• Hernández Diego Fernando
• Hernandez Alvarez Henry Samuel
• Hernández Benitez Henry
• Hernández Calle Juan Carlos
• Hernandez Cardona Ivan
• Hernandez Estrada Daniel
• Hernandez Fernandez Antonio José
• Hernández Guanga. Luis Orlando
• Hernandez Hernandez Gabriel Horacio
• Hernández Hernández Carlos Alberto
• Hernandez Pineda Jorge
• Hernández Rivas Elkin
• Hernandez Torres Luis Esteban
• Hernando Rojas Vinasco
• Herrera Guillermo
• Herrera Amaya Alcides De Jesús
• Herrera Pinto José Elias
• Hincapie Duque Carlos Alberto
• Hincapie Vasquez Jorge Leon
• Hinojosa Vence Ismael
• Holguín Acosta Néstor
• Holguín Acosta Néstor
• Holguin Cuervo Arley Alberto
• Howes Tom (American)
• Hoyos Salcedo Jairo Javier
• Huertas Quintero Isidoro
• Huertas Silva Salvador
• Hurtado Pedro Jesús
• Hurtado Gonzalez Jairo Alfredo

I
• Ibarra Pimentel Gabriel
• Indaburu Ana Teodora
• Infante Luis Antonio
• Infante Juan Maria
• Infante Ortega Otoniel
• Iregui Carrillo Camilo

J
• Jaimes Humberto
• Jara Alan
• Jaramillo Norberto
• Jaramillo Jorge Sigifredo
• Jaramillo Gabriel Humberto
• Jaramillo Alvarez Juan Diego
• Jaramillo Barrios Eduard
• Jaramillo Monsalve William
• Jaramillo Montoya Juilo César
• Jaramillo Sierra Carlos Humberto
• Jerez Capacho Alfonso
• Jimenez Pablo Emilio
• Jimenez Durango Alberto
• Jurado Rios Leonardo Fabio

L
• Lancheros Bueno Maria Emilia
• Landazabal Hurtado Luz Helena
• Lasso Orlando
• Lasso Monsalve Cesar Augusto
• Lastra Laureano
• Leguizamon Parra Blas Ignacio
• Lemon Vallestas Roque
• Leon Maria Eloisa
• León Castillo José Alberto
• Leon Torres Belkis Zoraida
• León Villaciés Eduardo Ignacio
• Leyton Padilla José
• Lizarazo Victor Manuel
• Lizcano Oscar Tulio
• Llerena García Carlos
• Loaiza Luis Eduardo
• Londoño Samuel
• Londoño Hernan
• Londoño Evelio
• Londoño Camargo Ivan Dario
• Londoño Cañas Leonardo
• Londoño Gomez Claudia Constanza
• Londoño Lopez Diana Patricia
• Londoño Rico Carlos Mario
• Londoño Soto Luis Felipe
• Lopez José Demetrio
• Lopez Mario
• Lopez Andres
• Lopez Nesto
• López Narcizo
• López Holbert
• López Henry
• López Henry
• López Angel Belitza Pilar
• Lopez Arcos Willam Miguel
• Lopez Cely Rafael Enrique
• Lopez Coronado Karen
• Lopez Cruz Alba
• Lopez Duque Carlos Mario
• Lopez Echeverry Robinson
• Lopez Gonzalez Dora Elizabet
• Lopez Ramos Arturo
• Lopez Rojas Oscar Alberto
• Lopez Salazar Abelardo
• López Tobón Sigifredo
• Losada Montenegro José Arbelay
• Lotero Barrientos Joel
• Lothar Burkhard Hintze (German)
• Lozada Anibal
• Lozada Suarez José Luis
• Lozano Eduardo
• Lucuara Segura Hector
• Lugo Primelles René

M
• Macias Villalba Hernando
• Madrid Álvarez Rafael
• Malagon Castellanos Raymundo
• Maldonado Alvaro
• Malo Guido
• Malo Ramirez Mario Alfonso
• Manga Alexander
• Mantilla Nelson Omar
• Mantilla Pedro Ivan
• Mantilla Miller Xiomara
• Mantilla Pedro Ivan
• Marín Luis Gonzaga
• Marín Amparo
• Marín De Salazar María Consuelo
• Marin Franco Mario Alberto
• Marin Muñoz José Leonel
• Marin Villalva Gildardo
• Mariño Granados Luis
• Márquez Díaz Enrique
• Marroquín Cruz Edwin
• Martinez Nelson
• Martinez Edwin Raul
• Martinez Andres
• Martinez Esneider
• Martínez José Libio
• Martínez Edwin Raul
• Martinez Caceres Ilia Dorada
• Martínez Gómez José William
• Martinez Herrera Javier
• Martínez Parra Pavel José
• Martinez Pinedo Domingo
• Martínez Quiñones Mabel
• Martinez Romero Wilson De Jesús
• Martinez Tarache Carlos Alirio
• Martinez Valaidez Tony Alberto
• Martinez Zabaleta Manuel Antonio
• Marulanda Valencia José Ricardo
• Matarife Deivis
• Mayer Arce Diana Carolina
• Mazo Muñoz Carlos Alberto
• Medina Cabezas Wilmer Orlando
• Medina Camelo Hernando
• Medina Hernandez Jairo
• Medina Hidrobo Hildes
• Medina Hinestrosa Patricia
• Medina Lopez Lorenzo
• Medina Rojas Helka Gisela
• Mejia Aurelio
• Mejia Jesús Alfonso
• Mejía José Rodolfo
• Mejía Araújo Mireya
• Mejia Garcia Hugo
• Mejia Isaza Diego
• Mejia Moreno Jorge Ivan
• Mejia Ramirez Carlos
• Mejia Salazar Consuelo
• Mejia Velandia Felipe
• Mejía Vélez José Gustavo
• Mejore Mariano
• Mena Antonio
• Mena Yesid
• Mendez Wilmer
• Mendez Cardenas Jorge Alberto
• Mendez Dagua Fabian Alexis
• Mendez Mendoza Ingrid Isabel
• Mendez Meza Henry
• Mendez Passu Libardo
• Méndez Vela Juan Carlos
• Mendieta Luis
• Mendieta Avendaño Jose Eduardo
• Mendoza Nancy
• Mendoza Daza Joaquin Guillermo
• Meneses Garcia Claudio
• Meneses Neira Ángel María
• Menez Angel
• Mercado Lara Franklin
• Mercado Saavedra Jorge Andres
• Meriño Algarin Waldir
• Mesa Lopera Adolfo Leon
• Milano Marin Oscar Ivan
• Mina Perez Oscar
• Minana Stephanie
• Miranda Luis Alfonso
• Miranda Julio
• Mojica Benitez Gilberto
• Molano Sabogal Helmer Audrey
• Molano Sanchez Rafael Antonio
• Molina Garcia Julian Andres
• Molina Manrique Arturo
• Mona Rafael
• Moncayo Cabrera Pablo Emilio
• Monrron Echeverria Tomas Vicente
• Montenegro Lievano
• Montenegro Cuesta William Antonio
• Montenegro Llanos Justo
• Montenegro Martínez Willinton
• Montenegro Mendoza Alfredo De Jesús
• Monterroza Nadjar Antonio
• Montes Edilberto
• Montoya Gloria Maria
• Montoya Ancízar
• Montoya Baena Alvaro De Jesus
• Montoya Leyton Ricardo
• Montufar Andrade Harold
• Mora Yenny Suleydi
• Mora Carlos Hoover
• Mora Pedronel
• Mora Milton
• Mora Salvador
• Mora Torres Juan Camilo
• Mora Ubaque Jhon Harold
• Morales Acosta José Isidro
• Morales Jiménez Jedys
• Morales Ramirez Jose Narciso
• Moreno Luz Amparo
• Moreno Reynaldo
• Moreno Álvaro
• Moreno Julia
• Moreno Wilfredo
• Moreno Juan Pablo
• Moreno Acevedo Luis Arturo
• Moreno Carrasco Leonardo Enrique
• Moreno Castrillon Juan
• Moreno Chaguezá Luis Alfredo
• Moreno Osorio Carlos Julio
• Moreno Parra Roberto
• Moreno Rios Matias
• Mosquera Alvarado
• Mosquera Ramón
• Mosquera Luis
• Mosqueraramosramos Belisario
• Mosquera Mena Geisson Arley
• Motañes Roa Dario Urbey
• Mublled Muvdi José
• Müller Rosner Francisco
• Muñeton Hernan Dario
• Muñeton Montilla Blanca Emilse
• Muñoz Gilberto Muñoz
• Muñoz Dídier Arley
• Muñoz Morales Jose Ferney
• Muñoz Rodríguez Jorge Enrique
• Muñoz Rojas Lino De Jesús
• Murcia Espitia Arnoldo
• Murillo David
• Murillo Ramirez Andres Ramiro
• Murillo Sánchez Enrrique
• Muvdi Yabra

N
• N. Javier
• Nadjar Benavides Elkin
• Narvaez Jaramillo Jorge Ivan
• Narváez Reyes Juan Carlos
• Neira Escobar German
• Neira Pimienta José De Dios
• Neisa Castiblanco José
• Nevardo Posada Uber
• Nieves Charris Gustavo Isaac
• Nieves Quesada Rolando
• Niño Sonia
• Niño Rafael
• Noguera Edgar Camilo
• Noreña Fabio Nelson
• Nuñez Sanabria Rodolfo
• Nuñez Sarmiento Reinaldo

O
• Obregon Uriel
• Obregon Garrido Johana
• Ocampo Luis Angel
• Ocampo Avila Pedro Pablo
• Ocampo Diaz Jose Obed
• Ochoa Carlos
• Ochoa Forero Jesus Adonai
• Ochoa Nuñez Manuel Maria
• Ochoa Sepulveda Magnolia
• Ohayan Orcaz
• Ojalvo Jorge
• Ojeda Óscar
• Olarte De Gutierrez Mercedes
• Olaverde Neira Winston Javier
• Olaya Ismael
• Olaya Alirio
• Olmedo Castrillón Jorge
• Ordoñez Herbey
• Orjuela Caballero Jaime
• Orozco Nacianceno
• Orozco Grisales Nacianceno
• Orrego Álvarez David
• Ortega Fernando
• Ortega Noriega Rene Enrique
• Ortiz Luis Albeiro
• Ortiz Arcadio
• Ortiz Luis
• Ortiz Ligia María Ortiz
• Ortiz Efren
• Ortíz Germán
• Ortiz Camacho Hugo Ignacio
• Ortiz Guzman Jose
• Osorio Fabián
• Osorio Hector Iván
• Osorio Mantilla Alberto
• Osorio Mendoza Hector Hely
• Osorio Villamizar Ismael
• Ospina Oswaldo
• Ospino Sandra
• Otálvaro Otálvaro Cayetano
• Ovidio De Gomez Yolis Del Carmen
• Ovidio Sierra Hernando
• Oviedo Bertel Deivis Manuel

P
• Pacheco Miguel Antonio
• Pacheco Santander
• Pacheco Yeimi
• Pacheco Florez Roque
• Pacheco Iglesias Miguel Angel
• Paez Oscar
• Paez Muñoz Jairo Anibal
• Paez Tipazoca Luis Ernesto
• Paez Torre Nelson Humberto
• Palacios Joaquin
• Palacios Emilio
• Palacios Alejandro
• Palacios Moreno Willinton
• Palacios Paez Nelson
• Palencia Palencia Benito
• Palma Sarazo Mauricio
• Palomino Sanchez Alejandro
• Pamplona María Elizabeth
• Panesso Cardona Jose Ricaute
• Panqueva Merchan Alison Andrea
• Pantoja Marcos
• Pantoja Urbano Fabio Antonio
• Parides Jaminor
• Parra Shirley
• Parra Arias Isauro Evelio
• Parra Avila Wilson
• Parra Montoya Eugenio
• Patermina Hunter
• Patiño Aydé
• Patiño Eduardo
• Patiño Rodriguez Oscar Martín
• Patiño Salazar Jose Edilson
• Pava Juan
• Payares De Armas Guillermo
• Pazos Gomajoa Jhon Richard
• Pedraza Calderon Hugo
• Peláez Torres Martha Lucía
• Peña Victor
• Peña César Dario
• Peña Luz Dary (Venezuelan)
• Peña Bonilla Luis Hernando
• Peña Cardenas Gloria Esther
• Peña Gonzalez Wilson
• Peña Guarnizo José Gregorio
• Peña Marco Fidel
• Peña Medina Juan Carlos
• Peña Sanchez Carlos Alirio
• Peña Walteros Tomas Vicente
• Pequeña Cosita
• Peralta Zubieta Joaquin
• Perea Orejuela Leider Dario
• Perez Alcira
• Pérez Elkin
• Pérez Luis Javier
• Pérez Edinson
• Perez Bonilla Luis Eladio
• Perez De Arco Jose
• Perez Monsalve Mauricio Antonio
• Perez Osorio Fabiola
• Pérez Pérez Jaime Darío
• Perez Reyes Oscar Mauricio
• Perez Rodriguez Floriberto
• Perez Rodriguez Guillermo
• Pérez Ruiz José Norberto
• Perez Salazar Nicanor
• Perez Sanchez Fabio
• Pérez Tapias Luís
• Pérez Vargas Alberto
• Perez Yepes Luis
• Pernía Domicó Kimy
• Pertuz Fabian
• Picon Israel
• Piedra Juan Fernando
• Pietro Pietro Elvis De Jesús
• Pineda Ramon Alfonso
• Pino Córdoba Gildardo
• Pino Cuetia Cipriano
• Pino Ruiz Natalia Andrea
• Pinto Velez Viviana
• Pinzón Fredy
• Pinzón Azuero Carlos Onofre
• Plata Sonia
• Polanco Germán Darío
• Polanco Arroyo William
• Polanco De Losada Gloria
• Polanco Perdomo Aminta
• Polania Martha Cecilia
• Polania Montenegro Humberto
• Polo Ronald
• Posada Arias Juan Carlos
• Potosí Chamorro José Guillermo
• Prado Alexander
• Prado Conde Ramiro
• Prieto Piñeros Edwin
• Priter Fragoso William Alfonso
• Prueba Carlos
• Puentes José Octavio
• Puentes Edwin Yesid

Q
• Quevedo Rivas Julio
• Quintero Camelo Jairo Adolfo
• Quintero Herrera Alberto
• Quintero Vargas Edgar
• Quiroz Gaviria Cristian Camilo
• Quiroz Goez Carlos Alberto

R
• Ramirez Francisco
• Ramirez Nelson
• Ramirez Ruben Dario
• Ramirez Cesar Augusto
• Ramirez Gilberto
• Ramírez Catalina
• Ramírez Julio
• Ramirez Castaño Ruben Dario
• Ramirez De Valle Cesar Augusto
• Ramirez Jimenez Ariel Alonso
• Ramirez Trujillo Fernando
• Ramos Hermogenes
• Ramos Pablo Emilio
• Ramos De Espinosa Cecilia
• Ramos Quiroz Alberto
• Rangel Silva Alberto
• Rapckovich John Alejandro
• Raves Nancy Del Socorro
• Ravotty Gianluigi Yhanny (Italian)
• Reales Mercado Jaime
• Rebolledo Bladimir
• Redondo Mindiola Cielo
• Rendon Luis Fernando
• Renteria Hemerito
• Restrepo Mauricio
• Restrepo Rigoberto
• Restrepo José Jhovany
• Restrepo Salvador
• Restrepo Escobar Fabio
• Restrepo Gómez Argiro
• Restrepo Lopez Omar
• Restrepo Mejia Luis Guillermo
• Restrepo Mejia Oscar Emilio
• Restrepo Mejia Camilo Alberto
• Restrepo Montoya Luis Gonzalo
• Restrepo Ponton Pedro
• Restrepo Valencia Javier
• Reyes Aguilar Victor Alfonso
• Reyes Cadena William Alfonso
• Reyes Garcia Oswaldo
• Reyes Plazas Diana
• Reyes Restrepo José Fanor
• Riaño Diaz José Nicodemus
• Riascos Jorge Alejandro
• Ricardo Enrique Diaz Reyes
• Rincon Castaño José Alberto
• Rincon Lara Luis Ernesto
• Rincon Mosquera Hernan
• Rincon Pulido José Constantino
• Rincon Quesada Leonardo
• Rincon Trigo Ricardo
• Ríos Julio Cesar
• Rios Clavijo Arnubio
• Rios De Calderon Maria Edilma
• Rios Zorrilla Mario Arturo
• Rivera Guillermo Ramón
• Rivera Mestizo Bernardo
• Riveros José
• Roa Tovar Yesid
• Robles Rivera John
• Rodeiro Juan Francisco
• Rodriguez Ninfa
• Rodriguez Juan Sebastian
• Rodriguez Luis Alberto
• Rodriguez Elena
• Rodríguez Fabio
• Rodriguez Anzola Cristian Mauricio
• Rodríguez Caro Ismael
• Rodriguez Castro Alejandro José
• Rodriguez Corrales Jainyenezenez
• Rodriguez De La Cruz Viviana Cristina
• Rodriguez Diaz Timoteo
• Rodriguez Garcia Clara Ines
• Rodriguez Jaimes Margarita
• Rodríguez López Pedro
• Rodriguez Martinez Wilfredo
• Rodríguez Martínez Isabel
• Rodriguez Pardo Ricardo
• Rodriguez Perdomo Wilson
• Rodriguez Perez Guillermo
• Rodríguez Porras Javier Vianey
• Rodríguez Sebeniche Rogelio
• Rodriguez Urbano Robiro
• Rodríguez Vitola Dubis
• Rois Daza Enrique José
• Rojas Clara
• Rojas Cortes Osnel Gilberto
• Rojas Gonzalez Gonzalo
• Rojas Leon Julio Cesar
• Rojas Medina Wilson
• Rojas Rincon Pablo Enrique
• Rojas Tierradentro Juan
• Rojas Torres Wilfredo
• Rojas Varón Jaime
• Rojas Zamudio Benjamin
• Roldan Sanchez Juan Fernando
• Román Iván Darío
• Román Francisco Antonio
• Romero Erasmo
• Romero José Useiel
• Romero Luis Elvis
• Romero Luis Angel
• Romero Gomez Eliceth
• Romero Gutierrez Julieth Alexandra
• Romero Lievano Roberto
• Romero Silva Martha Ballole
• Romero Silva Luz Amanda
• Romero Vega Eliecer
• Roncancio Afanador Luisy
• Rosas Sánchez Oscar Donald
• Rubiano Garzón Edgar
• Rubio Alfonso Arquimedes
• Rubio Cardenas Jorge
• Rueda Ronaldo
• Rueda Bedoya Benjamin
• Rueda Campo Alfonso
• Ruiz Ramón
• Ruiz Alvear Alexis Antonio
• Ruiz Barbosa Franklin
• Ruiz Ibañez Eli
• Ruíz Vélez Karina
• Ruiz Zapata María Cristina
• Rumbo Barros Antonio
• Russi Puentes Alfonso

S
• Sabogal Rubiel
• Sacadaguí Cermeño Bejamín
• Saens Paola Andrea
• Saenz Lozano Cristian Camilo
• Saenz Saenz Nestor Hernando
• Salas Cardona Jhon Jaime
• Salazar Juan Carlos
• Salazar Rubén
• Salazar Garcés Samuel Antonio
• Salazar Perez José De Jesús
• Salazar Riaño Jaime
• Salazar Salas Ricardo
• Salazar Trujillo Amadeo
• Saldaña Galvis Said Antonio
• Saldarriaga García Francisco
• Salem Villamil Mahmud
• Salgado Vuelvas Alberto Vicente
• Salinas Rodríguez Álvaro
• Samaca Fuquene Marco Aurelio
• Sanabria Castillo Hermes
• Sanabria Cuellar Julio Alberto
• Sanabria Gomez Ever
• Sanchez Jhon Fredy
• Sánchez Donaldo
• Sanchez Galvis Fredy Yesid
• Sanchez Gardel Rolando
• Sanchez Gomez Hugo Alberto
• Sánchez López Arnulfo
• Sanchez Monsalve Dagoberto
• Sanchez Novoa Luz Yolanda
• Sanchez Ochoa Robert
• Sánchez Perdomo Juan Carlos
• Sánchez Reyes Jaime
• Sandoval Garzon Alfredo
• Sandoval Garzón Hernándo
• Sandoval Siabato Edgar
• Santacruz Aidé Rosalba
• Santamaria Arango Luis Carlos
• Santana Eduardo
• Santana Perez Wilmer
• Santana Perez Luis
• Santana Perez Fernando
• Sarmiento Mantilla José Daniel
• Sayas Flores Ariel
• Scarpetta Maldonado Eusebio
• Segura Lasso Ana Rosa
• Serna Trejos Doris Patricia
• Serrano Gustavo
• Serrano Alexis
• Serrano José Luis Rodolfo
• Severino Gonzalez Alfonso Jose
• Sgrena Giuliana
• Sierra Gaitan Luis Carlos
• Sierra García Joaquín Emilio
• Sierra Monroy Ana Irene
• Sierra Sierra José Trinidad
• Sierra Uribe Eduardo Alberto
• Silgado Castro Diego
• Silgado Contreras José Del Carmen
• Silva Duque James
• Silva Sanchez Harbey
• Solarte José Belisario
• Soler Nubia
• Soler Martinez José David
• Solozarno Guillermo Javier
• Soto V Eduard Fabian
• Stansell Keith (American)
• Sterling Calderón Luis Roberto
• Sterling Rojas Angel Maria
• Stocker Joseph
• Suarez Adolfo
• Suarez Antonio
• Suárez Ezequiel
• Suarez Arena Fernando
• Suárez De Cruz Carmenza
• Suarez Molina Miguel
• Suárez Ospina Mauricio

T
• Taborda Echavarría Santiago Andrés
• Taborda Jaramillo Luis Angel
• Tamayo Andres Francisco
• Tamayo Mesa Orlando Alonso
• Tapasco Rangel Alirio
• Télles Fabio
• Tenorio Sanclemente Rogerio
• Tolosa Luis Gabriel
• Tonguino Paul Enrrique
• Torres Rodrigo
• Torres Eliecer
• Torres Maria Inocencia
• Torres Ascencio Jorge Enrique
• Torres Bonilla Cecilia
• Torres Rodriguez Carlos
• Torres Rojas Oscar Orlando
• Torres Silva Guillermo
• Torres Velasco Parmenio
• Torres Zea Roger
• Tovar Yesid
• Tovar Nohora Sthela
• Tovar Julio
• Tovar Lozano Jorge
• Tovar Soler Luis Orlando
• Triana Ayala Omar
• Triana Mahecha Alirio
• Trillos Criado Armando Orlando
• Troncoso Troncoso Jorge Julio
• Trujillo Molano Eduardo
• Trujillo Solarte Jorge

U
• Ugarte De Quijada Elsa
• Ulfe Oscar Alfredo
• Ulloa Padilla Ramiro
• Ulpacue Adilson
• Urán Carlos Darío
• Urbano Barroso Holman
• Urbano Florez Richard Orlando
• Ureña José Manuel
• Uribe Omar
• Uribe Luis Alberto
• Uricochea Corena Jose Pablo
• Uscategui Jose Rafael

V
• Valbuena Méndez Jaime
• Valbuena Méndez Juan Pablo
• Valbuena Sanchez Saúl
• Valbuena Sotelo Lina Patricia
• Valderrama Bermudez Alcira
• Valencia Falla José Albertano
• Valencia Jaramillo Guillermo Leon
• Valencia Matiz De Torres Cecilia
• Valencia Peralta Pablo Andrés
• Valencia Rincon Oscar Dario
• Valencia Rojas Luis Danilo
• Valencia Uribe Jose Antonio
• Valencia Uribe Hernando
• Vallejo Braund Mauricio
• Vallejo Garzon Walter Nelson
• Valoj Soffer Dany
• Vanegas Claudia
• Vanegas Olaya Jose Serafin
• Vanegas Ortega Maria Fernanda
• Varela Cobo Rufino
• Varela Maldonado Gabriel Enrique
• Vargas Henry
• Vargas Luisa
• Vargas Luz Dary
• Vargas Arango Sigifredo
• Vargas Claudia Patricia
• Vargas Contreras José Canon
• Vargas De Coronado Graciela
• Vargas Diaz Yefrei
• Vargas Estefan Hollman
• Vargas Jimenez Ancisar
• Vargas Peña Nelson
• Vargas Polanco Adolfo León
• Vargas Rojas Yesid
• Vargas Torres Neydy Enerie
• Vargas Vargas Elbano
• Vasconcelos Junior Joao José
• Vasquez Javier
• Vasquez Luis Pablo
• Vasquez Elkin
• Vasquez Jhon
• Vásquez Salvador
• Vásquez José Ignacio
• Vásquez Andrade María Edilma
• Vasquez Atehortua Naom Alberto
• Vasquez Mira Martin Jesús
• Vasquez Ospina José Ignacio
• Vásquez Torres Jennifer
• Vega Lina
• Vega Justo Pastor
• Vega Aragón Guillermo León
• Velasco Fandiño José Abelardo
• Velasquez Luis Carlos
• Velásquez Marco Tulio
• Velasquez Henao Climaco
• Velasquez Londoño Carlos Fernando
• Velásquez Vega Beatriz
• Velazquez Mallama Carlos Vicente
• Vera Alvarado Sebastián
• Verbel Medina Julio Hernan
• Vertel De Castillo Hernan Francisco
• Viana Gustavo
• Viancha Suárez Luis Angel
• Vidales José David
• Vides Daza Maria Ines
• Vides Salgadoides Salgado Alejandro Enrique
• Villalba Gutierrez Antonio
• Villalobos Hernandez Nielsen Alfredo
• Villamil Santander
• Villamizar Carrillo Said Alexis
• Villamizar Alvares Gabriel Roberto
• Villanueva Chacon Cesar Augusto
• Villareal Tovar Claudia Marcela
• Villarreal Maura
• Villasana Cesar Efrén
• Villegas Juan Carlos
• Villegas Alvarez Natalia
• Villegas Londoño Adriana Patricia
• Villegas Villegas Gustavo
• Vitonas Noscue Arquímedes
• Vizcaino Silva Nelson De Jesús

W
• Welgel Reinhardt
• Wiza Deisy Esperanza

Y
• Yaya Gomez Leidy Carolina
• Yépes Iván
• Yepez Martinez Gonzalo Alberto

Z
• Zabaleta Arellano José De Los Reyes
• Zambrano Renán
• Zambrano Carlos Ovidio
• Zambrano Oscar
• Zambrano German
• Zambrano Carbonel Jose Fernando
• Zapata Arrieta Gustavo
• Zapata Garcia Fabian
• Zapata López José Nicolás
• Zapata Ruiz Maria Cristina
• Zarate Polo Pedro José
• Zea De Palacios Rosa
• Zorrilla Jiménez Carlos Andres
• Zorro Meza Oscar
• Zuleta Cortes Rodrigo De Jesus
• Zuleta Rivera María Camila
• Zuluaga Quintero Darlyn Jader
• Zuñiga Frias Luis Carlos
• Zúñiga Villarreal Luis

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Depth of Field:

In my daily scan of BBC News, I spotted a story about a holographic display device. It is noteworthy because it is reusable, and apparently can be driven by input from a control device to show multiple images in fast succession. There is some buzz about this as potential for another try at 3-D TV, but given that it is currently only monochromatic, and has a slow refresh rate for TV images, it has some way to go.

The positives are that we are much better now at getting laser light in multiple colours - the Blu-Ray explosion being our shortest wavelength mass-produced example, so there is technical know-how out there for an RGB attempt.

I bet this will produce some killer headaches for spectators...

The story caught my eye because as a high school project in the late 1970's, I produced holographic images at the Ontario Science Centre. Don Cooper and I spent hours trying to make sure no stray light from the two laser beams made it onto the emulsion plate, so I can attest to the difficulty of doing these properly. I forget the scientists' name who supervised, but he was an elderly Hungarian, and I can still hear him saying "light goes from heersh, to thersh." It was a lot of effort for a single image on a piece of rather thick film, which could never be reused.

The story also caught my attention because every once in a while, I find an image that is strangely three-dimensional. Have a look at the following image from the BBC site:

Now I'm not sure what it is supposed to be, but I found that if I gazed at the center-lower glint for a bit, suddenly I got a 3-D sensation. I'm not quite sure what causes this. I have some slides that do this too, even when projected.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

HUD? That's so old-fashioned...

There's a group at the University of Washington that is working out how to make contact lenses with video displays inside them. No, really. They have the circuits, the display, the antennae (power and signal) all integrated into the lens itself. Here's a picture of one:

Photo: University of WashingtonYou know how the robots in Terminator scan objects and get data on what is in their field of vision? You could have that too:

Subject: Johnny Fairplay
Note: He owes you $1,500
Last Encounter: Jan 5, 2008 - ran like a cockroach


or

Target: 325 yards
Wind: 15 knots, steady from L
Elevation: -24 feet
Club: Big Bertha


or

Sex: Female
Height: 5'6"
Waist: hard to tell, negligee is in the way
Chances: 1000 to 1 with lens in, 2 to 1 without


The group, led by Babak Parviz, a UW EE prof, has succeeded in integrating the materials and the manufacturing processes for two very different products - a very soft gel for ophthalmic uses and highly flexible substrates for circuits. No human has yet tried them out (that they will admit to), but several rabbits have been subjected to 20 minute sessions of wearing them.

My question is about focus: whenever anything is floating about on my cornea, it is definitely not in focus, so how is the eye going to see anything but a blurry dot? Maybe the LEDs are focused on the retina somehow?

We take another baby step towards our machine future. Skynet will exist, resistance is futile, you will obey.

In any case, the concept is very intriguing, and I can't wait for BlueTooth contacts to appear. Me first! Me first!