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Archive: May 2008
Memorial Day ’08Posted May 26, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (4)We’re going to try out the Baltimore Light Rail system today. We’re also going to our first (if we can get tickets) Orioles game at Camden Yards. Should be a nice Memorial Day activity—and it seems that the ballpark is infant friendly. Sorry, Lachie, it looks like Javi’s first baseball experience will be w/ the Orioles, not the Cubs.
Sucre takes center stagePosted May 25, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (8)Tags: Bolivia politics regionalism Sucre Bolivia’s politics shifted south this weekend. Evo suspended a planned trip to the Sucre (on the 199th anniversary of Bolivia’s “declaration of independence”1) after university students & other local groups mobilized in opposition.
New pollPosted May 20, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (13)Tags: Bolivia democracy Evo Morales politics Santa Cruz A reader tipped me off to a new public opinion poll in Los Tiempos conducted by the political science department at UMSA (Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, the public university in La Paz). Unlike most polls, it includes a smaller eastern city (Montero) among its respondent sample in addition to the regular urban samples (La Paz, El Alto, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz). The total sample was about 3,000 respondents.
In BaltimorePosted May 17, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (3)We’re installed in our new apartment in Baltimore. And though we now have access to the internets, we’ll barely have time this weekend. Still, it’s good to be (mostly) settled. Now I just need to find a way to catch up on sleep.
Going darkPosted May 14, 2008 | PermalinkI’m finishing the last of my grading, before I head back home and finish emptying out my office. We no longer have internet at home; we won’t have it again until it’s installed at our new Baltimore place. Let’s see how many hours I’m forced to go w/o internet. Funny thing: In my mailbox, at 7:30pm, I found two pairs of purple & white graduation cords in an envelope. They arrived w/ no prior warning, no note, and nothing in my email asking me to expect them. Nothing. I’m leaving town in less than 15 hours—and I don’t expect to be back before next week (well after commencement). What am I supposed to do w/ these?
Goodbye, old friendsPosted May 13, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2)Tags: mopeds Both Lucia (1977 Bianchi-Snark Eagle Deluxe, my first moped) & The Motron (1979 Motron Medallist) are gone. Sigh. Continue reading "Goodbye, old friends"
Books: Third world developmentPosted May 12, 2008 | PermalinkTags: Bolivia books Botswana development Nepal teaching textbooks third world I’m starting to put together my syllabi for next year. And so I’ve been reading some new books that I plan to use for my classes. Currently, I’m working my way through an incredibly interesting book on Nepal: Many Tongues, One People
Javi’s first mealPosted May 11, 2008 | PermalinkWe started Javi on solid foods a few days ago. It’s a little early, but he’s so big (he’s bigger than your average 8-month-old) that the pediatrician suggested we start him on solids now (adding that it was the reason he was demanding to eat so frequently). So we started him on wheat cereal, which he seemed to enjoy tremendously. Here’s some video: Continue reading "Javi’s first meal"
On democratic institutionality vs. legalityPosted May 10, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (8)Tags: autonomy movement Bolivia democratization Evo Morales Latin America politics referendum Santa Cruz A quick clarification in light of today’s argument that Bolivia’s political opposition suggests that a recall referendum may be unconstitutional: I don’t care. Continue reading "On democratic institutionality vs. legality"
Recall election in Bolivia upcomingPosted May 9, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (5)Tags: autonomy movement Bolivia democracy elections Evo Morales politics referendum A surprising development in Bolivia: If Evo enacts a law approved by the Senate (as he said he would), there will be a recall referendum in Bolivia as early as August (90 days after the law is enacted). The recall referendum would put Evo & the country’s nine prefects up for an up or down popular vote of confidence.
HRF report (and some thoughts)Posted May 6, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (21)Tags: autonomy movement Bolivia elections Evo Morales politics referendum Santa Cruz Human Rights Foundation (HRF) has posted its preliminary report on the Santa Cruz autonomy referendum. Continue reading "HRF report (and some thoughts)"
Vote for ColbertPosted May 6, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2)Tags: Stephen Colbert I just took up the FP Passport challenge & wrote in Stephen Colbert for its list of the top 20 “Public Intellectuals.” My other votes were for: Fareed Zakaria, Ian Buruma, Amartya Sen, Vaclav Havel, and Robert Kagan. PS: Kagan has a new book coming out any week now; there’s a preview essay (“The End of the End of History”) in the last New Republic.
Looking ahead to a post-referendum futurePosted May 6, 2008 | PermalinkTags: autonomy movement Bolivia decentralization democracy elections politics referendum Santa Cruz While all attention is currently on Santa Cruz, it’s important to look ahead to June 22. That’s when Tarija will hold its autonomy referendum (making it the 4th department to hold such a vote). Santa Cruz leaders will wait until then to negotiate collectively w/ the central government. Continue reading "Looking ahead to a post-referendum future"
Vote counts coming inPosted May 5, 2008 | PermalinkTags: autonomy movement Bolivia elections Latin America politics referendum Santa Cruz The Santa Cruz departmental electoral court (CDE) website has updated official counts, as they’re processed. They’re using the same software/process (SIRENA) as the national electoral court (CNE)—which is the software/process used by each of the regional electoral courts during national elections. Continue reading "Vote counts coming in"
The day after the Santa Cruz referendumPosted May 5, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (4)The official count will be made public by Friday. But this morning’s reports show that “Sí” (pro autonomy) won by 86% to 14% in yesterday’s Santa Cruz autonomy referendum. It seems unlikely that these figures will change significantly. Some brief analysis: Continue reading "The day after the Santa Cruz referendum"
85 to 15Posted May 4, 2008 | PermalinkTags: autonomy movement Bolivia politics referendum Santa Cruz The official results aren’t in yet. But El Deber (and other media) reports that the “Sí” vote won in the Santa Cruz autonomy referendum—by a wide margin (exit polling has it 85.3% to 14.7% in the city, 89.6% to 10.4% in the rural areas). Continue reading "85 to 15"
The day beginsPosted May 4, 2008 | PermalinkTags: autonomy movement Bolivia democracy politics referendum Santa Cruz Today’s Santa Cruz autonomy referendum is under way. There won’t be much news until later, of course. But the morning news highlighted problems in Yapacaní & San Julian. Continue reading "The day begins"
Biologists are from Mars, chemists are from Venus?Posted May 3, 2008 | PermalinkOn a personal note: a story about K8’s research got digged. If you wondered what her NSF research was about, or why she drives to Delaware every week, now you know.
Thoughts on tomorrow’s electionPosted May 3, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1)Tags: Bolivia decentralization democracy nationalism politics referendum Santa Cruz Tomorrow, Santa Cruz goes to the polls in its autonomy referendum. The central government is still adamantly opposed, of course. On the eve of the election, it’s also clear that there is little that can be done to stop it. But what will happen?
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by Arjun Guneratne. 
