Sunday, February 24, 2008

Demonstration for Ingrid


I already mentioned Ingrid Betancourt several times on this blog. She's a Franco Columbian woman who got abducted by the Farc (a Columbian revolutionary movement) on February 23, 2002. To "celebrate" this anniversary, her support committee organized a giant human chain around the hotel de Ville (town hall). This year they emphasized the fact that not only Ingrid is being kept prisoner, but also many other hostages like these guys in the photo...

75 comments:

  1. Petrea...you are suppose to at the very least pretend you read the blog!
    And I must change my password...it is huge and so complicated!

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  2. I remember your other posts about Ingrid, Eric. I wouldn't have known about her otherwise. That tells me you do a valuable service. I also recognize the photo of this young man.

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  3. Sorry, Rose. It was an accident. I just got home from the farmer's market. I'll go put away the groceries now.

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  4. LOOOOOOOL, I love this race for the 1st place in the comments box!!

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  5. It was the same thing for me. I was playing poker on Fb and decided to take a break and voila!
    No comments but by the time I finished putting all my details in, you beat me!

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  6. Wow...Petrea...Eric is talking to you and me!
    Shall I curtsy, You Highness?

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  7. Lynn,Monica and the other girls will be so jealous!

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  8. Grrrrr. You are right, Rose.
    AND I KNEW YOU WERE PLAYING with us, keeping us jumping with your posting times, Eric! I'm shocked that you finally came out from behind the screen.
    It makes me laugh that is is being played around the world!!!!

    According to the rules, Article 3 line 29, you must comment on the picture, to win the Golden Finger For the day.

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  9. phx article 3 line 30 says that you must also read the entire blog before you comment, doesn't it?

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  10. PETRA: I just read your last line from yesterday.....LOL LOL I certainly didn't mean...your HUSBAND!

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  11. Rose, look back at previous firsts. Article VII line 22 says first you post your gleeful "Am I first" post, then you rush to make your second post, which is a comment on the photo.

    Eric, I do qualify for today's win, don't I?

    PHX: Thank you. Whew. I was worried.

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  12. Gosh the technicalities are indeed complex. If i recall correctly, Article VIII line IV Clause II indicates that in the event of a dispute then Lord Eric DP of Paris must intervene and settle the matter.

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  13. I sense a slight nervousness Eric in your using 'celebrate'. Permit me to assist. Perhaps comemmorate or we would more normally say 'to mark the occasion'. Hope that's useful and i have not trodden on the Royal toes.

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  14. Oooh gosh i'm nervous now, please don't think i am interfering, it seemed to me you were... hesitant, Eric, that was all; a genuine help. I'm quite worried i've overstepped the mark and shall have to see you after class.

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  15. I hope they are all released soon. I cannot imagine being imprisoned for almost 10 years like the young man in the photograph. I really liked your "human chain" shot Eric.

    On a lighter note, congrats, Petrea, on being first! Lynn - you are too funny today!

    Monica - cry with me - I just got back from this little French cafe/pastry shop where they made macarons from scratch - just like in Paris... They have closed up shop for good!! I am so sad!!

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  16. I've just read the Wikpedia article about Ms. Betancourt. It covers through November, 2007. Is there anything new to report? Does anyone know the name of the young man in Eric's photo?

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  17. Hi Petrea - if you enlarge Eric's photo, it shows his name as Luis Hernando Pena Bonillo, imprisoned since 11/1/1998! I'm on my way over to PasadenaDailyPhoto :)

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  18. Thanks, pont girl. Wikipedia has a "List of political hostages held by FARC." That's what their page is called if this link doesn't work:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_hostages_held_by_FARC

    The article says they hold over 700 people.

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  19. As the only person studying the constitution right now, I have made a decision based on a PDP precedent as of January 25,2008. Lynn a dit on comment #45, line 5 and 6......referring to the first comment to be made on a PDP photo when racing to be first..."The comment has to be relevent to Eric's photo".
    If one is to only write the word "first", it shall be deemed null and void in terms of any competition.
    It shall be here stated that 2 full lines of commentary in English,French or Portugese will need be written to fully qualify as "Le Premier Doigt d'Or" for the day.
    Spelling doesn't count as nerves will get in the way.
    Please feel free to fix my fake French for the Constitution. It should read in French " First Place PDP Golden Finger Award for the Day" Acronyms will suffice.

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  20. LOOOOOOOL Phx!!!! I'm laughing so hard with your PDP Constitution!!!
    You girls are really something.

    I agree with everything in it, and Petrea I am sorry but it has been stated before that a relevant comment must be made in order to validade your number 1 post.

    So does this mean it's official? Since Eric finally confirmed that the race is on I shall say the "Official PDP Golden Finger Contest" starts tomorrow.

    Agreed?

    (mind you girls tomorrow night I'll be awake til late - due to timezone - to see the nominees and their fab dresses arriving on the red carpet (yes I'm that shallow) so I'll be on PDP alert)

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  21. Finally, about the photo (there's always so much catching up with you girls).
    I really hope Ingrid Betancourt is set free soon, just like those two other women Clara Rojas and Consuelo González who were released earlier this year. One of them even had a child while she was a hostage.

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  22. Pont Girl!!!!! Do you believe I was thinking about you when I was coming back home from dinner and movie with some friends???!!!

    Do you know why? Guess what I'm eating right now? That's right, our precious macarons!!!!! I stopped by Payard and couldn't resist buying a box of mini macarons. I'm in heaven!

    I'm so sorry to hear the pastry shop you used to go for macarons closed. That's really bad news. I know how hard it is to find the good ones outside France.

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  23. On my preview comment I meant tonight I'll be awake til late. I get nervous too and mispell and change dates and names.

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  24. Four comments in a roll (five now), that's ridiculous I know.
    Is there an award for who gets to write more comments?

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  25. Okay, but I only give up grudgingly. And we have to go back and disqualify Suzy (Feb. 21) and Michael (Feb. 22) and many, many others. They must return their prizes.

    I seem to remember one of Lynn's from not too far back, where she said something like "Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Which I don't believe was a comment on the photo.

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  26. I am truly ROTF with that one, Petra.
    I thought that I WAS DOING constitutional research.Whew! Don't mess with the Americans and that one Brazilian when it comes to the PDP law review.
    Tomorrow nights contest should be good as so many of us might be up watching the Oscars....and best picture..on PDP that is.

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  27. Well, I must make apologies to Eric. You go to a lot of trouble to present a stunning photo every day, Eric, and this one's no exception. Plus, Some things are more important than being first on the blog. Like the freedom of the man in the picture, and the others imprisoned with him.

    I'm recording the Oscars. I don't have time to watch them live. There's too much at stake at PDP. I'm pre-formulating my comment ("Fantastic photo, Eric!") so I'll be ready.

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  28. Petrea has a very good point.
    Phx make sure to include in PDP Constitution the following amendment: the overjoyed expression "Wheeeeeeee" cannot in any means be characterized as a number one comment.

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  29. ...unless "Wheeeeeee" is accompanied by a comment about the photo, of course. Does that seem fair, Monica?

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  30. Sure Petrea, as Phx reminded us, that is stated in Article 3 line 29.

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  31. Okay. What a relief. Good night everyone. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

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  32. Sheesh. Beu deu geu deu. Pff.

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  33. The human link shot is incredible! Well done! Sad to see that despite all the awareness and the time passed, her situation is still not resolved.

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  34. Good morning everyone!
    It is too early in the morning for me to be laughing so much!
    Let me have at least a couple of cups of coffee!

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  35. Me too girls, i am laughing my head off, gosh i almost choked on my huge box of macarons.

    Phx your Constitution is drawn up with content of the highest order. I doff my cap to you (old expression when gentlemen would tip their cap to ladies. Not..that i'm a gentleman of course, quite the opposite. It is used now to express an appreciation).

    Petrea, I accept your rejection of my wheeeeeeeee! and unreservedly apologise and withdraw the exuberant expression - BUT only because it may have been unaccompanied by a relevant comment, which i do believe is essential. I therefore reserve my right to wheeeeeee! as and when i please in association with other (cough) more sensible wording.

    Monica, yes i'm that shallow too. I shall be watching, enviously for a lot of those dresses and, like you, i suspect will be muttering, to some of them "ooh no, you shouldn't have: not with THOSE thighs!" or "Did you get dressed in the dark?!" or "She's just had a romp in the taxi there, clearly, with THAT bed-hair! What a mess." - I shall think of you lol .

    Oh and Monica? I was only teasing about macarons; i have none! Relax. Breath out.

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  36. Lynn I was just about to ask you about the macarons. I'm, embarrassed to say the little box I bought yesterday night is now over ... it has served its purpose... if you know what I mean.

    I shall be thinking of you too as I watch the magnificent dresses. Last year my favourite dress was a Georgio Armani worn by Cate Blanchet. Let's see this year.

    So you, Phx and I will be on PDP alert...hmm...

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  37. he he yes. I shall be quite critical of the dresses i think and it matters not that i shall myself be sitting in jeans which are far too tight, resolving to diet tomorrow, my hair needing a cut and colour and sporting no make-up. What's that got to do with it? lol. I have an opinion. he he.

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  38. The PDP Constitution is a very good idea to settle all the disputes due to the race for the first place! I propose my help to draft it, as a future jurist. ;)
    PHX-CDG is very talented to find the right word, the one who makes me laugh "til I cry" with her new rules.
    We, people of the PDP Blog are vested with an important project, the project to work out a Constitution.
    I proclaim us Constituent Assembly.


    Lynn, "I doff my cap to you", we have the same in French too: "chapeau bas". I like this kind of old expression.

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  39. Thanks for that, Guille, interesting.

    Tell me, what do you mean by jurist? We don't use the word here in the UK, unless perhaps as a member of a jury, though i've not seen it. We say 'jury member'. The legally qualified are solicitors who are seen by the public, barristers who are instructed by solicitors and never instructed by the public - it is forbidden (i used to be a barristers' clerk) and of course Judges who sit on the bench. There are also Legal Executives, for which there is an exam and who work alongside solicitors, though are considered less. What do you want to be after your studies?

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  40. I think the closest meaning is Judge. Certainly not a juror, which is a member of the public called to make up the jury. ? Interesting to find the differences in legal profession between UK and France. Hope the others don't mind this question on here.

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  41. Lynn: We Americans based our system of law on the Magna Carta (I based the first law on your British Jan. declaration, thankyouverymuch), the Fr. based their Revolution on the American one, so all this is coming full circle on PDP.

    Huh?

    Guille: Don't forget, Fr. is legal and binding as we don't want you to spend 13 minutes on perfecting your English for 2 full lines of commentary.
    Wheeeeeeeeeeeee,can be used after the 2 full lines of lucid writing about the picture.(If you can write lucidly with wine in your hand Jeff, all the better).

    Hmm, how does the Constituent Assembly out there feel about 1 full line and three fourths of a second line, instead of 2 full lines? In haste, trying to fill up 2 lines may take up too much thought when you want to be first.

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  42. A line being a sentence?

    Like this?

    Would the above be a line and a half, or do we mean this?

    I'll post it now because it looks different as I type it than it does when it's posted.

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  43. I'd hate for it to get too strict and take all the fun out. But I do agree one must comment on the photo and the post (Eric's words!) in order to earn the coveted finger. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Pffft.

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  44. A line is from edge to edge, or another term, margin to margin. I guess it is just easier to say 2 full margins to margins than break it up into anything else, like three quarters of a sentance, and as you say, take the fun out of it.

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  45. So sad about this young woman. And I've heard she's ill, too.

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  46. Lynn, the word "jurist" in French includes all the experts of Law. It's not a job, it's the fact to have learnt Law during 5 years (legal expert, authors of work of authority are jurists).
    Actually I want to be auctioneer. For almost 2 years now I'm punctually doing a work experience with an auctioneer, and I really love that. That's why I began to learn Law last year, and continue to learn art history which is my first passion. You know all my life now! ;)

    Phx-cdg: I'm upset, 2 lines in 13 minutes? You underestimate me!! Yes, I admit that's sometimes it's true,especially when we talk about politics or Law...But not this time I swear!
    One of the member of the Constituent Assembly, me, is okay to validate your proposal anyway.

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  47. An auctioneer! Great. I would love this too, if you mean auctioneer of art, it means the same yes? You have to speak quickly though. My delivery is quite slow.

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  48. Yes, in art. As an auctioneer you also have to do the non voluntary (?) auction sales like bankruptcy or inheritance, but I don't like this aspect so I want to be an auctioneer specialized in art sales. But I have to practice both durong two years in any case...
    You definitely have to speak quickly! The first time, I was totally lost and stammed a lot...lol.

    Last week in Le Monde I read a paper about the soldiers abducted by the Farc. I didn't know they were so much, around 300 if I remember. We always hear about the civil people, rarely about the soldiers.

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  49. LOLOLOL-for-Real! A PDP constitution, established rules for validation of 1st place entries, the absolute exclusion of affective exclamations (all agreed that "wheeeeeeeee" is NOT a valid qualifier), macaroons, academy awards and evening gown humor...

    For the unsuspecting Photo o' Paris Today lurker, this banter must seem quite confusing or just plain good fun!

    btw...where is Eric? ;)

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  50. Boy, I go out to dinner and have a bit of a late night out and miss out on all the fun here!!

    Monica - I'm so jealous that you ate macarons!!! I went to that pastry shop especially, so that I could have some yummy macarons while I watched the Oscars tonight - it was tragique!

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  51. There he is! Ahhh, we do love to see you in the comments box dear Eric. The creator surveying his monsters he he!

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  52. When do the Oscars start? Not sure i can stay up!

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  53. Guille: I wanted a level playing field and even tho Monica also speaks and writes in English, if writing in her native language under pressure meant she wrote faster, I am for it! Forgive me!!!!!

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  54. I think Eric will be early tonight so he can get some sleep before watching the oscars. I'm going to try an experiment to see if he's lurking. Eric, dear Eric, are you there? :) that's a sweet smile :)

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  55. Phx I appreciate how considerate you are. But I'll be fair and say that if it was allowed to make the first entrie in Portuguese or any other language other than English I could just write anything and you girls (except Rose) wouldn't know if my comment concerns the photo.

    Let's keep the rules as they are so far.
    It's getting late, in a couple of hours Eric's gonna be posting a new photo... I'm wide awake and my fingers are as sharp as a knife!

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  56. LOL Monica i like your last comment! he he. Giggling now...
    I reckon he's there, flexing his fingers, just as we are. Wonder what the photo will be and if there's a remote chance we can have a generic guess? I will go with food. What about you?

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  57. Ohhh girls so much fun on PDP today! I am still laughing! How strong you are!!
    And I didn't expect there were so many lawyers here! I don't know if the word lawyer is convenient? Professionally speaking, I say I am a "in-house company lawyer" as I work as a lawyer in a company. ButI am not sure. Lynn, could you tell me if it is understandable for you ?
    Tonight, the race is supposed to be very very hard! Impossible to know in advance who will be the great winner for the "First Place PDP Golden Finger Award for the Day" LOL!
    Even if I tried in french, it would be impossible for me : the level is so high!!
    Could have you imagined that Eric, three years ago : a PDP Constitution and its "Constituent assembly"?! LOL.
    "Que le meilleur gagne!" It should be "LA meilleure" but who knows where is Michael ? Watch out girls!

    Corinne

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  58. Yes Corinne that is exactly right. In-house lawyer.

    I think it's easy, Corinne, i shall win.

    Michael yes i bet he's waiting, too, with his newly-tanned fingers ready to rattle out something in first place. Eric is staying silent but i think he is there. He likes to sit back and watch us tying each other into knots.

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  59. Thank you Lynn and good luck to you!
    Corinne

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  60. The is a one time prize for tonight's WINNER.

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  61. Anonyme for a bit!! LOOOL!

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  62. Corinne, I have the feeling I know which company you work for ;))

    OK, it's 11:52, I'm heading to bed, but 1st, let me push the "Publish" button!!

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  63. I had to differentiate myself from YOU!

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  64. Erm i shall explain my OOOooooooh. Eric said he was going to publish, and that was all i could manage from my keyboard before rushing off to refresh he he. I am quite composed again now.... sigh.

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  65. Yes, I think you are right, Eric ;)
    Corinne

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  66. Oh I didn't see the comment about the language of the first comment... I guess it's fair to allowed people to speak their own language for the race for the Golden Finger! I'll have more chances to win!!!!!

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  67. My girlfriend is Colombian and hates the stigma the country has because of the FARC. Everyone thinks it's a rebel-infested country but Bogota is inversely really metropolitan. It's very conscientious to commemorate the victims.

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  68. Did you mean Colombian?

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