[Air-l] AoIR conference venues

[Cristian Berrío Zapata]

You forgot to mention that colombians (could there be any Colombian that
is not paramilitary, guerrilla or drug lord) might be stopped and
scanned with x rays and other medical not-so-pleasant-methods.

Getting back to other suggestion, why not getting virtual?

Cristian Berrío Zapata
Profesor PUJ - UNAL
Facultad de Economía
Teléfono (57 3)300 817 9849
cberrioz at cable.net.co
CHAT cristianberrioz at hotmail.com


-----Mensaje original-----
De: air-l-aoir.org-bounces at listserv.aoir.org
[mailto:air-l-aoir.org-bounces at listserv.aoir.org] En nombre de Maria
Garrido
Enviado el: Lunes, 04 de Octubre de 2004 11:03 p.m.
Para: air-l at listserv.aoir.org
Asunto: Re: [Air-l] AoIR conference venues

Good night to everybody,

I think that the visa policy that Wu Mei is referring to has the
following 
"democratic" components:
1.- For people traveling from the middle east and other Muslim countries
it 
is basically impossible to obtain a tourist visa from a US Embassy or 
Consulate
2.- For nationals of countries like China, Russia etc., you may get a
visa 
but they give you hell in the airport.
3.- For nationals of some countries in Latin America (I can speak for 
Mexico) it takes an entire day to get the visa, you need to schedule
your 
appointment some times with 4 months in advance, pay 135 USD, and even
being 
a NAFTA national, doesn't protect you against "special" security checks
at 
the airports.
4.- Last but not least, EVERY international visitor to the US is 
finger-printed and photographed which some people find humiliating.

It is unfortanate that immigration policies of this sort deter/limit the

chances for people to participate in academic conferences. We are
missing a 
truly valuable exchange of knowledge in the name of national security.

Maria Garrido
PhD Candidate
Department of Communication
University of Washington


_______________________________________________
Air-l-aoir.org mailing list
Air-l-aoir.org at listserv.aoir.org
http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org