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	<title>O Colombia</title>
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		<title>My New Year&#8217;s Inflation</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/my-new-years-inflation.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/my-new-years-inflation.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:20:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Living in Colombia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cost of living]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[inflation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=679</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In Colombia, the taxi you took to the New Year&#8217;s party will probably cost you more when you leave the celebration in the wee hours of the next morning, despite the distance being exactly the same. It is not a case of a taxi driver taking advantage of inebriated patrons, but rather just a bit [...]]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>Lodging in Colombia can be Pricey&#8230;Get Hostel!</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/lodging-in-colombia-can-be-pricey-get-hostel.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/lodging-in-colombia-can-be-pricey-get-hostel.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Jan 2012 22:21:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Tourism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hostels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lodging]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=652</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I frankly do not understand why major hotels in Colombia are so pricey, rooms often costing over 200 dollars per night, but fortunately there is an abundance of hostels in all the right places, where you can stay for as little as ten or twenty dollars a night. While you cannot expect anything remotely resembling [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/lodging-in-colombia-can-be-pricey-get-hostel.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Month of Decibel in Colombia</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/the-month-of-decibel-in-colombia.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/the-month-of-decibel-in-colombia.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 25 Dec 2011 22:55:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[christmas in colombia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fireworks]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=641</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I have been away from Medellin since November, due to return in January. While I miss my wife and child, I&#8217;m not sure if I miss this time of the year in Colombia, which is sheer mayhem! It starts November 30th, when the skies over the entire Aburra valley erupts into a scene from Bagdad [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/the-month-of-decibel-in-colombia.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Will Tomorrow be Summer or Winter?</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/will-tomorrow-be-summer-or-winter.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/will-tomorrow-be-summer-or-winter.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Dec 2011 03:37:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Unexpected]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bogota weather]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[colombia seasons]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[colombia weather]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=631</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you hear a Colombian talking about &#8220;verano&#8221; and &#8220;invierno&#8221;, summer and winter, he or she is not referring to seasons, but rather weather. If it is raining, it is winter, while if it is sunny, it is summer. Thus yesterday could have been summer and today is winter. Truth be told, in a 100 [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/will-tomorrow-be-summer-or-winter.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>About Colombian Women</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/about-colombian-woman.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/about-colombian-woman.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 04 Dec 2011 01:49:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Unexpected]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[colombian women]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=618</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I periodically get inquiries from bozos asking me about Colombian women. They basically want to know if they are &#8220;easy&#8221;.  In short, these guys are so inept at seducing women that they are willing to travel thousands of miles to meet Latinas who are just dying to fall into bed with a gringo, any gringo. [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/about-colombian-woman.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>A Lesson in Paisa Speak</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/a-lesson-in-paisa-speak.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/a-lesson-in-paisa-speak.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 27 Nov 2011 03:33:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Colombian argot]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Colombian expressions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Paisa expressions]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=606</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[So, you think you&#8217;re fluent in Spanish? That&#8217;s nice, but just like someone from New Jersey might have a little trouble understanding the speech of someone from Jersey, the Channel island, or vice-versa, you might need a helping hand in grasping the Spanish dialect spoken in Medellin, Perreira or Manizales. The &#8220;Paisa&#8221; version of Spanish [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/a-lesson-in-paisa-speak.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>It&#8217;s a Boy&#8230;No, it&#8217;s a Girl&#8230;No, it&#8217;s&#8230;</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/its-a-boy-no-its-a-girl-no-its.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/its-a-boy-no-its-a-girl-no-its.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 15 Sep 2011 02:06:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ear piercing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=601</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On an episode of the hit comedy Modern Family, Gloria, played by Colombia native Sofia Vergara, has her stepson&#8217;s adopted baby daughter&#8217;s ears pierced. The girl&#8217;s parents, a gay couple, gasp in horror and cry out that she&#8217;s mutilated their baby. The joke is based on the Colombian tradition that all girls have their ears [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/its-a-boy-no-its-a-girl-no-its.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>104 Dollars a Month = Middle Class!</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/104-dollars-a-month-middle-class.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/104-dollars-a-month-middle-class.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Sep 2011 03:13:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DANE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DIAN]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poverty]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=594</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It was just a few days ago that I expressed disbelief that Juan Ricardo Ortega, the director of the DIAN, the Colombian government's taxation agency, said that if you make more than 4 million pesos a month, or about 2240 US dollars at current exchange rates, you're rich. Now the DANE, the national statistical bureau, came out with a new formula that establishes what income level makes you poor in this country...]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/104-dollars-a-month-middle-class.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>27,000 Dollars a Year = Rich</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/27000-dollars-a-year-rich.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/27000-dollars-a-year-rich.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Sep 2011 02:31:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cost of living]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DIAN]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[taxes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=585</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The DIAN, the tax collection branch of the Colombian government, recently said that anybody earning more than four million pesos a month, or about 2244 dollars, is considered rich in this country and should pay more taxes. Really?!]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/27000-dollars-a-year-rich.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Security Advisory: Traveling within Colombia</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/security-advisory-traveling-within-colombia.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/security-advisory-traveling-within-colombia.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 14 Aug 2011 18:42:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Getting Around]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Narc & Farc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[road travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[security advisory]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=578</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I hate to be the alarmist, but the problems with security in Colombia are still very real  and not to be trifled with.  The crowning achievement of the Uribe administration was that we could finally travel by land between most cities without fear of running into road blocks set up by either the FARC or ELN rebel groups. That is no longer true under president Santos.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/security-advisory-traveling-within-colombia.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Colombia has Coca Everywhere!</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/colombia-has-coca-everywhere.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/colombia-has-coca-everywhere.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 07 Aug 2011 03:04:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[coca]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=572</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You would think "coca" would be a dirty word in Colombia, a country which has paid a heavy toll as a result of the drug. However, I hear "coca" with frequency...]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/colombia-has-coca-everywhere.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Corruption: Bigger Problem than Violence?</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/562.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/562.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 24 Jul 2011 16:27:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bribes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[corruption]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[juan manuel santos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nule brothers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[olla podrida]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=562</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Recently the headlines in Colombia have mostly been about newly uncovered multimillion dollar scams deep within government organizations and/or private enterprises which bill governments. Corruption has been sucking public funds for decades, but just now are being investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice, thanks to a concerted effort impulsed by president Santos himself.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/562.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Working in Colombia</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/working-in-colombia.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/working-in-colombia.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 29 May 2011 20:19:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Living in Colombia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[job market]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jobs in colombia]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=550</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Things are expensive in developing countries, but human labor generally is not. As a result, wages rarely reflect the cost of living. Even an university graduate well into his career might not be able to afford to buy a home and an automobile, and might even have trouble paying the rent on an apartment in a middle class neighborhood. This is true in all of South America, including Colombia, where a small percentage of the population controls almost all of the wealth.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/working-in-colombia.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Real Estate Booming in Colombia</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/real-estate-booming-in-colombia.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/real-estate-booming-in-colombia.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 May 2011 21:30:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Living in Colombia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[buying property]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[colombian real estate]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=523</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Real estate has been booming for years in Colombia, seemingly unaffected by the world economic crisis. While the main driving force of this market is the growing affluence in the country, the low end of the housing market has been just as strong thanks to generous mortgage subsidies provided by the federal government. Cynics will say that the laundering of narco money plays an important role, but there's no way of knowing how much really comes from illegal sources. ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/real-estate-booming-in-colombia.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Is Colombia Finally Safe From Hugo Chavez?</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/is-colombia-finally-safe-from-hugo-chavez.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/is-colombia-finally-safe-from-hugo-chavez.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 May 2011 03:46:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hugo chavez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Juan Manual Santos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[venezuela]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=518</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Juan Manuel Santos had barely taken possession of the Casa de Nariňo in Bogota as Colombia&#8217;s new president in 2010 and he was already inviting his Venezuelan counterpart to a very public summit in Santa Marta. Was it not Hugo Chavez who had said during Colombia&#8217;s elections that if Santos won, there would be war? [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/is-colombia-finally-safe-from-hugo-chavez.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Rain, Rain, and More Rain!</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/rain-rain-and-more-rain.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/rain-rain-and-more-rain.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 23 Apr 2011 23:02:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Unexpected]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bad weather]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[flooding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[global warming]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=510</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It's raining, it's pouring, again and again, all over Colombia. Flooding and landslides make the headlines every day. This has been going on for over three years, with only brief respites when droughts take over. Why such extremes? Is it "El Niño" or "La Niña", or a result of global warming? Nobody can say for sure, but we do know that in Medellin, formerly renown for its "eternal spring", it's foolish to venture out without a good umbrella!]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/rain-rain-and-more-rain.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Oh Say, Can you See&#8230;your Feet?</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/oh-say-can-you-see-your-feet.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/oh-say-can-you-see-your-feet.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 05 Feb 2011 22:56:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fat Americans]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=497</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Whenever I fly back to the United States or Canada, the first thing that I notice is not how much more affluent it is out here, but rather how fat people are: Severely obese folks, Botero style, not merely just plump, are abundant. In Colombia, my host country, I might see one such person a year.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/oh-say-can-you-see-your-feet.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Spirit: The Best Deal to Colombia</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/spirit-the-best-deal-to-colombia.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/spirit-the-best-deal-to-colombia.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Feb 2011 04:47:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Getting Around]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[air fares]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[air tickets to colombia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[spirit airlines]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=485</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Last October, I finally gave Spirit, the discount airline, a try. I flew from Orlando, changing planes in Fort Lauderdale, Spirit's hub, then direct to Medellin. My return fare, under 200 dollars, was less than half that of its competitors, including American Airlines and the supposedly discount Colombian airline, Aires. Not only it was a cheap ride, but it might actually have been THE better ride!]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/spirit-the-best-deal-to-colombia.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Medellin Getting Ready to Light Up</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/medellin-getting-ready-to-light-up.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/medellin-getting-ready-to-light-up.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 02 Nov 2010 01:18:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Tourism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christmas lights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[medellin]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=477</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The title isn't in reference to the recent legalization of the minimum dosage of marijuana in Colombia, but rather an allusion to the intense preparations for its world famous Christmas lights extravaganza, which I'm reasonably has no equal in any part of the world!]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/medellin-getting-ready-to-light-up.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Flying To and Within Colombia</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/flying-to-and-within-colombia.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/flying-to-and-within-colombia.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 08 Aug 2010 21:08:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Getting Around]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[air fares]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[aires]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[avianca]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[spirit airways]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=471</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Your options for traveling to Colombia, as well as within Colombia, became vastly more varied and economical recently. Colombia, and South America in general, is a very lucrative market for airlines, with passenger traffic growing dramatically even during the world economic crisis. Discount airlines have also entered this arena, filling a void and actually increasing demand further for a large segment of the population that couldn't afford typically high fares. While Bogota used to be the air travel hub in Colombia, there's more and more flights on offer that will take you to and from other Colombian cities without connecting at El Dorado, the capital's international airport.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/flying-to-and-within-colombia.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Odds of Chavez Invading Colombia Increase</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/the-odds-of-chavez-invading-colombia-increases.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/the-odds-of-chavez-invading-colombia-increases.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 01 Aug 2010 02:48:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hugo chavez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uribe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[venezuela]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=461</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The news just came in that Venezuela's strongman, Hugo Chavez, is preparing for war and has ordered his army to position itself across the length of the border the country shares with Colombia. The pretext for this troop deployment is Chavez's claim that outgoing Colombian president Alvaro Uribe is capable of anything in his final days in office (his term ends August 7), including launching an attack against Venezuela. Earlier this month, Chavez severed diplomatic ties with Colombia when Uribe announced publicly that he had irrefutable evidence that FARC and ELN, the Colombian rebel groups, have bases deep inside Venezuelan territory, and are aided and abetted by Venezuelan authorities.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/the-odds-of-chavez-invading-colombia-increases.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Envigado Massacre Gunmen Executed</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/envigado-massacre-gunmen-executed.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/envigado-massacre-gunmen-executed.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 25 Jul 2010 00:19:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[alias Sebastian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[el gordo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Envigado]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guru bar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[medellin]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=444</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Three weeks ago, I reported the details of the massacre in the Guru bar in Envigado, a suburb to the south of Medellin. Two gunmen had stood before the crowded venue and opened fire, killing eight patrons and leaving 13 wounded (original reports spoke of 26 injured). According to survivors, both assassins had a gun in each hand, firing them simultaneously as if in a Hollywood film. Police later confirmed that the perpetrators had used high caliber "police killer" ammunition, which can traverse bulletproof jackets. The latest news is that the killers themselves were murdered in the gritty La Sebastiana neighborhood of Envigado, only two days after the Guru shooting.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/envigado-massacre-gunmen-executed.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>RCN’s Brian Andrews Chased Out of Colombia &#8212; NOT!</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/rcn%e2%80%99s-brian-andrews-chased-out-of-colombia-not.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/rcn%e2%80%99s-brian-andrews-chased-out-of-colombia-not.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 17 Jul 2010 23:13:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brian Andrews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Farc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RCN]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[William Brownfield]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=442</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It was to my greatest shock that I learned from the most respected newspaper in Colombia, El Tiempo,  that the American expatriate, Brian Andrews, affectionately known as El Gringo by his colleagues at RCN News in Bogota, had his life threatened and quietly made his exit from this country, vowing never to return. Then I visited Andrews’ blog, where he claims the story is a fabrication.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/rcn%e2%80%99s-brian-andrews-chased-out-of-colombia-not.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Massacre in Envigado: Return to Bad Old Days?</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/massacre-in-envigado-return-to-bad-old-days.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/massacre-in-envigado-return-to-bad-old-days.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Jul 2010 14:42:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[alias Sebastian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[alias Valenciano]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Envigado]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guru bar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sicarios]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=430</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Last Friday, just before 2 am, heavily armed “sicarios” (assassins), fired into a crowd at a bar in the Guanteros entertainment area of normally peaceful Envigado, a suburb of Medellin. The toll was eight dead and 23 wounded. None of the fatal victims had a criminal record and one was actually a US citizen who had recently moved to the area. Two off duty policemen were in the Guru bar at the time and were injured while returning fire. The perpetrators escaped from the scene on a high cylinder motorcycle, the preferred mode of transportation for killers in Colombia. Witnesses claim that the motorcycle was followed by a car with several male occupants, who may have been the enforcers, those ensuring that the job was done.
]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/massacre-in-envigado-return-to-bad-old-days.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Colombia: Uribe&#8217;s Man Wins Runoff Election</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/colombia-uribes-man-wins-runoff-election.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/colombia-uribes-man-wins-runoff-election.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 20 Jun 2010 22:38:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[antanas mockus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[election]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[juan manuel santos]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=425</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The polls had been barely closed for 40 minutes when Juan Manuel Santos, candidate for the U (Unity) party was declared the winner in today’s runoff elections. With almost all polls reporting at this hour, Santos leads his rival, Antanas Mockus of the Green Party by a whopping five million votes. A marked departure from [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/colombia-uribes-man-wins-runoff-election.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Colombia Election Results: No Surprise but Big Surprise</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/colombia-election-results-no-surprise-but-big-surprise.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/colombia-election-results-no-surprise-but-big-surprise.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 31 May 2010 01:29:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[antanas mockus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[election]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[german vargas lleras]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gustavo petro]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[juan manuel santos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[noemi sanin]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=419</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Colombians voted today and as expected, no presidential candidate achieved fifty percent plus one, thereby triggering a second round of voting June 20. What was totally unexpected was the way in which the vote was split: the U candidate, Juan Manuel Santos took the lion’s share with over 46 percent, while the Green party’s Antanas Mockus was a distant second with less than 22 percent, contradicting recent opinion polls that had shown in a dead heat with the Santos. Santos won the vote broadly, leading in every province (departamento) except two where Mockus came out on top.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/colombia-election-results-no-surprise-but-big-surprise.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Will Colombia Fall for the Mockus Pocus?</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/will-colombia-fall-for-the-mockus-pocus.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/will-colombia-fall-for-the-mockus-pocus.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 29 May 2010 04:11:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[antanas mocus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[avaro uribe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[democratic security]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[juan manuel santos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[presidential elections]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=412</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Colombian presidential elections just around the corner and voters seem destined to split the vote between the Green party’s Antanas Mockus and outgoing president Alvaro Uribe’s pick, Juan Manuel Santos. As Colombia’s electoral process requires fifty percent plus one to win, it’s almost guaranteed that there will be a second round of voting June 20th with just the two leading candidates on the ballot.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/will-colombia-fall-for-the-mockus-pocus.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Venezuela &#8220;Expert&#8221; Appointed as the Next Ambassador to Colombia</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/venezuela-expert-appointed-as-the-next-ambassador-to-colombia.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/venezuela-expert-appointed-as-the-next-ambassador-to-colombia.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 09 May 2010 16:27:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hugo chavez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mockus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Patrick Duddy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Peter Michael McKinley]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[venezuela]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=410</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In a move seen as a confirmation that Washington is awakening to the threat posed by the Chavez regime in Venezuela, US president Barack Obama recently nominated Peter Michael McKinley as ambassador to Colombia. McKinley, currently ambassador to Peru, was born in Venezuela, and is said to be an expert on matters regarding Colombia's troublesome neighbor. His resume includes a book he wrote on the colonial history of Venezuela.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/venezuela-expert-appointed-as-the-next-ambassador-to-colombia.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The New Face of the Colombian Cocaine Trade</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/the-new-face-of-the-colombian-cocaine-trade.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/the-new-face-of-the-colombian-cocaine-trade.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Apr 2010 04:09:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Narc & Farc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alfonso Cano]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cartels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cocaine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ELN]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Farc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[oficina de Envigado]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pablo escobar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[venezuela]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=400</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Colombia has fought and won an arduous battle spanning decades against the cocaine cartels that had at one time reduced the country to a failed state. However, it did not win the war. It's estimated that more cocaine than ever before is being exported from Colombia than ever before. If the ring leaders are all dead or in jail, how is this possible?]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/the-new-face-of-the-colombian-cocaine-trade.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Hugo Chavez Raises the Stakes, Again</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/hugo-chavez-raises-the-stakes-again.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/hugo-chavez-raises-the-stakes-again.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Apr 2010 05:15:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[evo morales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hugo chavez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[russia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[venezuela]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vladimir putin]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=384</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Immediately after Vladimir Putin's visit to Caracas last week, the Russian prime minister announced that he and Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez had an agreement for the sale of over five billion dollars in armament to the South American country. This exceeds the 4.4 billion dollars in Russian military hardware Venezuela has acquired since 2005.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/hugo-chavez-raises-the-stakes-again.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Strange Fruit #5: Lulo</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/strange-fruit-5-lulo.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/strange-fruit-5-lulo.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 03 Apr 2010 02:45:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Strange Fruit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fruit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lulo]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=380</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The lulo (Solanum quitoense) is a tangy fruit used almost exclusively to make juice, which is very popular in Colombia. [YQ4F9XYABHS8]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/strange-fruit-5-lulo.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why Doesn&#8217;t The World Condemn Hugo Chavez?</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/why-doesnt-the-world-condemn-hugo-chavez.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/why-doesnt-the-world-condemn-hugo-chavez.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 24 Mar 2010 22:52:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hugo chavez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[terrorist sponsoring states]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[venezuela]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=347</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez seems to have borrowed a page from the most infamous tyrants in history. Domestically he's emasculated any media critical of him, modified the constitution to allow himself to be perpetually reelected, and effectively neutralized any political opposition, not to mention expropriated and nationalized both foreign and locally owned businesses.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/why-doesnt-the-world-condemn-hugo-chavez.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>James Carville is Santos&#8217; Top Campaign Advisor</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/james-carville-is-santos-top-campaign-advisor.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/james-carville-is-santos-top-campaign-advisor.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 20 Mar 2010 00:38:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alvaro Uribe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[election]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[James Carville]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Santos]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=267</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A little known fact here is that James Carville, the American political consultant and media personality credited with helping Bill Clinton get elected, is the top advisor for the front runner in Colombia&#8217;s ongoing presidential campaign, Juan Manuel Santos. His help does not come cheaply and hints at the seriousness behind Santos&#8217; bid to replace [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/james-carville-is-santos-top-campaign-advisor.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Sergio Fajardo: Is he a Chavista?</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/hugo-chavez-meddling-in-colombian-elections.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/hugo-chavez-meddling-in-colombian-elections.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 14 Mar 2010 20:43:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[elections]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hugo chavez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sergio fajardo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[venezuela]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=243</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A high level Venezuelan intelligence document was leaked to the press, and its contents could have a profound effect on how certain candidates perform at the May 30 presidential polls in Colombia. The memo is titled &#8220;Road map 2010: Bilateral relations Colombia-Venezuela&#8221; and outlines which candidates are sympathetic or opposed to Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez&#8217;  [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/hugo-chavez-meddling-in-colombian-elections.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Strange Fruit #4: Chirimoya</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/strange-fruit-4-chirimoya.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/strange-fruit-4-chirimoya.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 14 Mar 2010 17:16:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Strange Fruit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chirimoya]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fruit]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=233</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[My favorite! A native fruit which looks like a small guanabana (sour sop). It&#8217;s white flesh is abundant and very sweet, with black seeds here and there. Despite how delicious it is, it&#8217;s not popular here and rather hard to find in supermarkets or sold at exorbitant prices by street merchants.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/strange-fruit-4-chirimoya.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Strange Fruit #3: Mangostino</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/strange-fruit-3-mangostino.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/strange-fruit-3-mangostino.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 14 Mar 2010 16:50:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Strange Fruit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fruit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mangostino]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=225</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The mangostino (Garcinia mangostana) didn&#8217;t actually originate in Colombia, but it grows well in this tropical climate and can often be bought from street merchants. It&#8217;s sweet flesh, composed of uneven white segments, reminds me a bit of the lychee fruit. Despite its name, it  bears no botanical relationship to the mango.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/strange-fruit-3-mangostino.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>After Uribe&#8217;s Gone, What Then?</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/after-uribes-gone-what-then.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/after-uribes-gone-what-then.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:08:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alvaro Uribe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[consitution]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reelection]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=212</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As was expected, the Colombian constitutional court ruled against holding a referendum aimed at changing the law forbidding  the incumbent President Alvaro Uribe&#8217;s second reelection bid as a candidate for the Democratic Security party . After all,  Uribe had already amended the constitution to pave the way for his first reelection. The President&#8217;s effective war [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/after-uribes-gone-what-then.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Hugo Chavez Has Plans to Invade Colombia</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/hugo-chavez-has-plans-to-invade-colombia.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/hugo-chavez-has-plans-to-invade-colombia.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 16 Feb 2010 04:32:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bolivarian revolution]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hugo chavez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[venezuela]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=183</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Hugo Chavez, president and dictator of Venezuela, claims to be the reincarnation of Simon Bolivar, the liberator of a large swath of  South America in the 19th century. His pseudo-socialist Bolivarian revolution aims to restore the glory of the Gran Colombia, a republic which briefly encompassed present day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama as well [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/hugo-chavez-has-plans-to-invade-colombia.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Stange Fruit #2: Guama</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/stange-fruit-2-guama.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/stange-fruit-2-guama.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Feb 2010 04:58:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Strange Fruit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fruit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[guama]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=176</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Guama (goo-ah-mah) looks like a big ugly curved string bean. Inside its hard but easy to pry open shell, you encounter a bunch of black seeds, each wrapped tight in a spider web like pulp. Not the most appetizing vision, but the spider webs are actually quite sweet! The indigenous people of Colombia&#8217;s Vaupés province [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/stange-fruit-2-guama.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Strange Fruit #1: Pitahaya</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/strange-fruit-1-pitaya.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/strange-fruit-1-pitaya.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Feb 2010 02:23:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Strange Fruit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fruit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pitahaya]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=168</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The pitahaya (pronounce like pee-tie-ah-yah)  looks much like a yellow grenade, and even acts like a grenade! An intestinal grenade, that  is! While its gray-white almost transparent flesh,  full of  circular black seeds,  is quite delicious, most people will spend the next day or two in the posture of Rodin&#8217;s Thinker after eating one of [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/strange-fruit-1-pitaya.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Is it Safe to Visit Colombia?</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/is-it-safe-to-visit-colombia.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/is-it-safe-to-visit-colombia.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 24 Jan 2010 15:33:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Getting Around]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[crime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kidnapping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[safe]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=153</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The answer is yes*. An asterisk because it&#8217;s safe if you come well prepared. If you believe the US State Department&#8217;s warnings about this country, you will be a bit discouraged, as they still warn Americans against traveling to Colombia, the US&#8217; most important ally in South America. Other foreign affairs ministries of several developed [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/is-it-safe-to-visit-colombia.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>A Narco-Dictionary</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/a-narco-dictionary.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/a-narco-dictionary.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:11:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Narc & Farc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[crime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drug dealers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[murderers]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=137</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Colombians have an entire language to describe the country&#8217;s criminal groups and their activities. Here&#8217;s a few of the most common&#8230; Capo: Title given to the boss, same as in the Italan mafia Cocina: Literally, kitchen, the place where the coca base is prepared. Combo: A criminal gang, typically operating in a poor barrio, or [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/a-narco-dictionary.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Unique Music Genres of Colombia</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/the-unique-music-genres-of-colombia.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/the-unique-music-genres-of-colombia.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 13 Jan 2010 03:52:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[carlos vives]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[folklore]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[guasca]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[llanera]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vallenato]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=127</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Colombia has several styles of music that originated from its territory long ago and remain popular to this day&#8230; Vallenato:  Born in the city of Valledupar (Cesar) from which its name is derived, this folkloric style of music is especially popular in the country&#8217;s Caribbean region. It owes much of its rhythms to the slaves [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/the-unique-music-genres-of-colombia.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Coca isn&#8217;t Cocaine</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/coca-isnt-cocaine.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/coca-isnt-cocaine.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 11 Jan 2010 01:28:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Unexpected]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[coca leaf]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[coca tea]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[legal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[native]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=117</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Cocaine comes from the coca leaf, but coca isn&#8217;t cocaine, and it doesn&#8217;t have the toxic properties associated with the illegal drug. The leaf has always been used for its energy-giving properties by natives from the Andean region. Matter of fact, you can buy coca leaf tea in Colombia, legally, just as I did. It [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/coca-isnt-cocaine.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Cost of Giving Yourself a Good Living</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/the-cost-of-giving-yourself-a-good-living.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/the-cost-of-giving-yourself-a-good-living.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 08 Jan 2010 08:30:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Living in Colombia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cost of living]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[costs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prices]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=82</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[To give you a rough idea of what things cost for two people living in a large Colombian city, let&#8217;s make a list. To arrive at figures in US dollars, divide by 2000, which has been the median exchange rate of late,. For Euros, divide by 2800. Note that the 16% VAT tax (IVA) is [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/the-cost-of-giving-yourself-a-good-living.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Adventures in Renting</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/adventures-in-renting.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/adventures-in-renting.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 07 Jan 2010 04:27:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Living in Colombia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[apartment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[renting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[utilities]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=62</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The good news is that apartment and house rentals in Colombia are inexpensive in relation to what you would pay in the US, Canada or the UK. A large 3-4 bedroom townhouse in a good area of Medellìn, for example, would rent for a bit over a million pesos a month, which at the current [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/adventures-in-renting.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Arepas Everywhere!</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/colombian-staple-the-arepa.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/colombian-staple-the-arepa.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:13:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[arepa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=49</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Just as the Mexicans have their tortillas, the Colombians have their arepas, corn flour cakes that come in a million different varieties. They eat them for breakfast, lunch, supper, and snacks. They can merely accompany a meal or be the meal. There&#8217;s a whole aisle at the supermarket that&#8217;s dedicated to them. They heat them [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/colombian-staple-the-arepa.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Taxis, Buses and Subways</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/taxis-buses-and-subways.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/taxis-buses-and-subways.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 05 Jan 2010 04:01:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Getting Around]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chiva]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[taxi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[transportation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=33</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Taxi cabs in Colombian cities are dirt cheap and your best and safest way to get from point A to point B. A mere 10,000 pesos (5 USD on this date) will get you across 10 km (6 miles) of bustling city streets. The minimum fare is typically is between three and four thousand pesos. [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/taxis-buses-and-subways.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Road Rage? Naw, Normal Insanity!</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/road-rage-naw-normal-insanity.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/road-rage-naw-normal-insanity.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 03 Jan 2010 16:43:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Getting Around]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[driving]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[roads]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=30</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Nowadays, traffic accidents in Colombia kill more people than acts of violence. Board a bus or a taxi, or (shudder) attempt to drive your own vehicle in Colombian roads and you&#8217;ll soon feel as if you&#8217;re watching the action unfurl on a racing video game. It&#8217;s very simple: People don&#8217;t know how to drive here, [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/road-rage-naw-normal-insanity.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Colombia, Then and Now</title>
		<link>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/colombia-then-and-now.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ocolombia.com/article/colombia-then-and-now.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 03 Jan 2010 04:51:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Narc & Farc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cartel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drugs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ELN]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Farc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uribe]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ocolombia.com/?p=16</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Colombia was one of the most dangerous countries on earth. Colombia is still one of the most dangerous places on earth. Not so long ago, armed rebel groups such as the FARC and the ELN, as well as the paramilitary factions meant to counter them, terrorized the population in most of the rural areas across [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
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