So Long, and Thanks for all the Fush&Chups

2008-11-30T16:05:00.001Z

2006-01-30T14:59:00.003Z

A picture says more than one thousand words. :D

Una imagen dice mas que mil palabras. :D

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
5C
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From the East Northeast at 14 mph
Dew Point: 1C
Humidity: 76%
Visibility:6 miles
Barometer: 1030.1 mb

2005-12-20T16:33:00.002Z

My work committments were extended to December as well. On the mean time, we have spent a weekend in St Omer, North of France, and another long weekend in Barcelona. From Monday to Friday I have been too busy to post in the blog and frankly, with three working days left before Xmas day, I can't be bothered to start again right now. We will be on Texas and (hopefully!) New Mexico and Arizona from December 25th to January 14th 2006 (both inclusive). You wouldn't believe how I am looking forward to this holiday!
Merry Xmas and Happy New Year to you all!!!

Mis compromisos laborales se alargaron hasta bien entrado Diciembre. Mientras tanto, hemos pasado un fin de semana en St Omer, en el Norte de Francia, y otro fin de semana largo en Barcelona. De lunes a viernes he estado demasiado ocupad@ para poder postear en el blog y francamente, con tres dias laborables que nos quedan antes de Navidad, no me apetece nada empezar con el blog ahora mismo. Estaremos en Texas (y con suerte y si hay tiempo) en New Mexico y Arizona desde el 25 de Diciembre hasta el 14 de Enero 2006 (ambos inclusive). Creedme si os digo que me muero por ir de vacaciones, porque realmente las necesito.
Feliz Navidad y Prospero Anio Nuevo a todos/as los lectores/as!!!

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
8C
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From the South Southeast at 3 mph
Dew Point: 4C
Humidity: 77%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1028.8 mb

2005-11-14T14:55:00.001Z

Due to my many (:-D) work commitments, I have to take a break from the blog. I'll come back as soon as I can! But just in case it is not very soon... Merry Xmas!!

Debido a mis muchas (:-D) obligaciones laborales, no podre escribir por un tiempo en el blog. Volvere tan pronto como pueda! Y por si acaso no es 'tan pronto'... Felices Navidades!

2005-11-01T15:52:00.001Z

A tourist visiting the big state of Texas may be forgiven for overlooking the town of Marfa , considering how BIG is Texas!.... However, if I were to tell you the film Giant was shot nearby, that may interest you and awaken your curiosity. And if I were to tell you that an unexplained phenomenon occurs at sunset on the desert, southwest of Marfa, known as the Marfa Lights (colourful balls of light, don't mistake with car lights, though!) that may change your mind? A visit to Marfa kind of starts making sense, doesn't it?

Al turista que visita el gran estado de Texas se le perdona el pasar por alto el pueblecito de Marfa , teniendo tantos lugares que visitar... sin embargo, si os dijera que el film Gigante se filmo en las cercanias de Marfa, quiza cambiaria las circunstancias? Y es mas, y si os dijera que un fenomeno inexplicable ocurre al anochecer en el desierto cerca de Marfa, algo que se conoce popularmente como las Luces de Marfa ? (extranias orbes de color que aparecen en el desierto y que la comunidad cientifica no ha sido capaz de explicar, pero no son luces de los coches, eso seguro!). No os pareceria entonces Marfa mas interesante y digno de visitar?

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
13C
UV Index:0 Low
Wind: From the South Southwest at 12 mph
Dew Point: 5C
Humidity: 58%

2005-10-31T13:03:00.001Z

What's on when great website to know what events are taking place on a particular day/month in any city in the world.

What's on when (Que pasa en? en ingles), una buena pagina web si quieres saber exactamente las ofertas de ocio disponibles por dia/mes en cualquier ciudad del mundo.

The weather today:
Cloudy
15C
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From the South at 12 mph
Dew Point: 14C
Humidity: 97%
Visibility: 5 miles
Barometer: 1003.4 mb

2005-10-20T15:58:00.001+01:00

Saxon Warriors with Harold Godwison's 'Man with axe' flag. Harold was the Saxon candidate to England's crown. Guerreros sajones con el estandarte (hombre con hacha) de Harold Godwinson, candidato sajon al trono de Inglaterra.

Norman cavalry, transported by ship from Normandy, France.
Caballeria normanda, transportada en barco desde Normandia, Francia.

Harold is killed, the Saxons have lost.
Harold muere en la batalla, los sajones han perdido.

The Norman William the Conqueror is now King of England. The future of England radically changed in 1066.
El normando William el Conquistador es ahora el rey de Inglaterra. El futuro del pais cambio radicalmente en 1066.

As promised, here there are some photos of the re-enactment of the Battle of Hastings which took place on 15-16 October in Battle Abbey . Want to know more about the Battle of Hastings? Here : Battle 1066 there is a very good and detailed account of it. For the quick version, go to the BoH in Wikipedia . There is a section of a tapestry in the Wikipedia photo. It is the Bayeux Tapestry, you can find it in Bayeux, France. It is the longest tapestry in History, well worth seeing it!

Como prometi, aqui teneis algunas fotos de la representacion de la Batalla de Hastings, que tuvo lugar este fin de semana pasado en la Abadia de Battle . Quereis saber mas sobre la Batalla de Hastings? Aqui : Batlle 1066 hay una detalladisima explicacion (en ingles). Para la version rapida, echad un vistazo en la pagina de la Batalla en Wikipedia . Hay un fragmento de tapiz en la foto de Wikipedia que es digno de verse en su totalidad. Es larguisimo! Es el famoso Tapiz de Bayeux, lo encontrareis en el museo de la ciudad de Bayeux, en Francia.

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
15C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind:From the West Southwest at 13 mph
Dew Point:6C
Humidity: 55%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer: 1008.1 mb

2005-10-19T10:16:00.001+01:00

As I said yesterday, let me tell you what happened with Nelson's statue... or better yet, let the local The News explain :

"SLOPPY workmanship has ruined a memorial to Nelson because the statue of the great admiral was put together wrongly at its new home. The embarrassing council blunder left a half-complete sentence on the rebuilt plinth of the statue – which was being unveiled today (for 17/10/05). The words 'remember his glory' were put on the wrong side of the plinth's bottom step, cutting short the sentence on the first two steps. It should have read: 'Here served Horatio Nelson. You who tread his footsteps remember his glory.'

Council engineers quickly discovered the mistake and spent £1,000 engraving the words on the base of the correct side, as rebuilding the plinth would have been too expensive. But the gaffe continued as the newly-engraved letters now get covered up in surrounding sand and make Nelson look like he is sinking. Chichester contractor Geoffrey Osborne Ltd's carried out the delicate task of moving the statue as part of the Trafalgar 200 celebrations. City council environment director Julian Lomas said workers forgot about the words as they laid the 25 base slabs on the sloping ground".

Oh so they 'forgot' the words. They must have thought they were just for decoration... I am still laughing my head off......

Lo prometido es deuda. Hoy os cuento lo que paso con la estatua de Nelson...o mejor aun, dejo que os lo explique el periodico local The News :

"Una chapuza de instalacion incorrecta en su nueva ubicacion ha daniado el monumento en memoria a Nelson. El vergonzoso error del ayuntamiento ha dejado una frase a medias en el pilar de la estatua - que se mostraba hoy al publico (hoy por 17 Oct). Las palabras 'recordad su gloria', de la ultima linea de la inscripcion se colocaron en el lado incorrecto del pilar, dejando la frase completa a medias. La inscripcion, en su totalidad, hubiera leido asi: "Aqui sirvio Horacio Nelson. Vosotros que seguis sus pasos, recordad su gloria".

Los ingenieros del Ayuntamiento descubrieron el error y rapidamente se pusieron manos a la obra para remediarlo, haciendo gravar las palabras en el lado correcto del pilar. El trabajo costo la suma de 1000 libras esterlinas, aunque reconstruir el pilar hubiera sido mucho mas costoso. Pero la pifiada no termina aqui, ya que la nueva linea queda parcialmente cubierta por la arena del suelo que rodea la estatua. El efecto optico que produce es curioso : parece que Nelson se hunde. La empresa encargada de mover la estatua de Nelson a su nueva ubicacion (como parte de las celebraciones del bicentenario de la Batalla de Trafalgar) y causante del error es Geoffrey Osborne Ltd, de Chichester. El Director de Medio Ambiente del Ayuntamiento, Julian Lomas declaro "los albaniles olvidaron las palabras del pilar cuando colocaban las 25 piedras que formaban la base del pilar".

Se "olvidaron" de leer la frase que tenian delante, jajaja! Pensarian que era solo para decoracion! Yo sigo partiendome el culo...

The weather today:
Showers in the Vicinity
14C
UV Index: 2 Low
Wind: From the South at 12 mph
Dew Point: 12C
Humidity: 88%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer: 1008.1 mb

2005-10-18T16:43:00.001+01:00

The Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth opens today. Or does it? Because see... it was supposed to be a 'millennium' project but it was started in 2004. Then there were problems with the budget, the cracking concrete, the architect and the copyright. And when we thought we had walked over this valley of tears....

See what happened today, inauguration day, as reported by the local The News : "THREE people were stuck in the Spinnaker Tower's troubled outside lift today in a disastrous opening day for the landmark. The lift got stuck 100ft up the tower with city council project manager David Greenhalgh and a representative of tower builders Mowlem inside. In an ironic twist, engineer Luca Frigerio from Maspero – the company which built the troubled lift – was with them. The trio were trapped for around an hour and a half as crowds who had assembled for the big opening day watched in amazement from the foot of the tower. Engineers in abseiling gear were sent up to look at the lift and try to solve the problem. They appeared to tinker with the mechanism on the outside of the lift shaft before it was eventually brought back to the ground at 11.20am. Problems began even before the tower opened at 10am this morning. Even as visitors – who began to queue before 6am – eagerly awaited the opening, there were last-minute worries. Heritage project manager Juliana Delaney took the decision not to open the external elevator, and to allow only the internal one to open. That meant disabled visitors who would not be able to get down the tower's 570 stairs in an emergency were not allowed up the tower".

What can I say? I am laughing my head off. Tomorrow I'll tell you what happened when the City Council moved Nelson's statue to a new location in the city and decided to give the statue a bit of a cleaning. You won't believe what happened.
UPDATE: And see the tower collapsing here . This is the work of a University of Portsmouth student.

La torre Spinnaker de Portsmouth se inaugura hoy. O no. Porque vereis... se suponia que era un proyecto para el 'milenio', pero se empezo a construir en 2004. Pasadito, el milenio. Luego hubo un sin fin de problemas : con el cemento que se agrietaba, con el presupuesto que se disparaba, el arquitecto que queria el copyright de la torre.. Y cuando creiamos que ya habiamos superado este valle de lagrimas...

Ved lo que paso hoy, el dia de la inauguracion, segun informa el periodico local The News : "Tres personas quedaron atrapadas hoy en el ascensor exterior de la Torre Spinnaker, en lo que ya se conoce como una desastrosa inauguracion del proyecto. El ascensor se paro a 100 pies del suelo siendo los pasajeros en su interior el Director de proyectos del Ayuntamiento, David Greenhalgh y un representante de la empresa constructora, Mowlem. Para mas ironia, el tercer pasajero del ascensor era el ingeniero Luca Frigerio de la empresa Maspero - la empresa que instalo el ascensor. El trio quedo atrapado durante aproximadamente, una hora y media, mientras el publico que se habia congregado para presenciar la inauguracion les contemplaba con asombro desde la calle. Ingenieros pertrechados con equipamiento para la escalada bajaron por el exterior de la torre para tratar de solventar el problema. Se les vio manipular el mecanismo del exterior del ascensor hasta que, por fin, a las 11 y 20 de la maniana el ascensor acabo descendiendo. Pero los problemas habian empezado incluso antes de la apertura de las 10 de la maniana, yamMientras los visitantes hacian cola (algunos desde las 6 de la maniana) para subir a la torre. Juliana Delaney, Manager de Proyecto de Heritage, tomo la decision de no poner en marcha el ascensor exterior y permitir que solo funcionara el interior. Como consecuencia de ello, no se permitio la entrada a visitantes minusvalidos, ya que no hubieran podido bajar los 570 escalones en caso de emergencia.

Que puedo decir? Que me estoy partiendo el culo de risa. Y maniana os contare lo que paso cuando el Ayuntamiento decidio mover la estatua de Nelson a un 'lugar mas apropiado' y, de paso, darle un repaso y limpieza. No os vais a creer lo que paso.
ACTUALIZACION: Y podeis ver como cayo la torre aqui . Es el 'trabajito' de un estudiante de la University of Portsmouth.

The weather today:
Cloudy
14C
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From the East at 14 mph
Dew Point: 11C
Humidity: 82%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer: 1010.2 mb

2005-10-17T16:39:00.001+01:00

Quoting from The Times today: "PAGAN priests will be allowed to use wine and wands during ceremonies in jails under instructions issued to every prison governor. Inmates practising paganism will be allowed a hoodless robe, incense and a piece of religious jewellery among their personal possessions. They will also be allowed to have Tarot cards but are forbidden from using them to tell the fortunes of other prisoners. The guidance, issued by Michael Spurr, the director of operations of the Prison Service, makes it clear that Skyclad (naked pagan worship) will not be permitted. Prison staff have been told that pagan artefacts should be treated with respect"

Oh yes, right. So no tarot reading to other inmates and no naked worshipping. Let's not give 'ideas' to the other prisoners, mmm?

Cito de un articulo de The Times de hoy: "Se permitira que los sacerdotes paganos usen vino y varita en las ceremonias celebradas en las carceles, segun las instrucciones enviadas por el gobierno a los directores de las carceles britanicas. A los prisioneros practicantes del paganismo se les permitira poseer una capa sin capucha, incienso y un articulo de joyeria religiosa como parte de sus pertenencias personales. Las cartas del Tarot tambien estaran permitidas, pero estara prohibido leer el futuro a otros prisioneros Las instrucciones, creadas por Michel Spurr, Director de Operaciones del Servicio de Penitenciarias, deja bien claro que la practica del paganismo a lo Skyclad ( en ingles, "vestido con el cielo", es decir desnudo) no estara permitida.

Vaya,vaya. Asi que ni leer el futuro a los companieros de celda ni pasearse en bolas diciendo los rezos de turno. No fuera a ser que les dieran 'ideas' a los otros prisioneros, no?

The weather today:
Haze
19C
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From the East Southeast at 8 mph
Dew Point: 13C
Humidity: 65%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer: 1017.9 mb

2005-10-14T13:01:00.001+01:00

Our new James Bond : Daniel Craig (at least, according to his mother!).

Ya tenemos nuevo James Bond (segun su madre, al menos!) : Daniel Craig .

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
16C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the East Northeast at 8 mph
Dew Point: 12C
Humidity: 77%
Visibility: 6 miles

2005-10-12T17:04:00.000+01:00

It's not exactly what I would call my best day. I've been soo busy I could not post in the blog, it rained cats and dogs JUST when I went out for lunch and one of my bosses brought me a present from France...perfume you may think? no! a smelly cheese!

Ok, I'll admit it. I love cheese. And the smellier, the better.

Hoy no es mi dia. Me sale el trabajo por las orejas, se puso a llover a cantaros JUSTO cuando salia a comer y uno de mis jefes me trae un regalo de Francia... perfume, os preguntareis? no! un queso apestoso!

Vale, lo admito. Me encanta el queso. Cuanto mas apestoso, mejor.

The weather today:
Light Rain
17C
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From the South Southeast at 13 mph
Dew Point: 16C
Humidity: 97%
Visibility: 2 miles
Barometer: 1007.8 mb

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2005-10-10T12:08:00.000+01:00

We went for a Fungi Walk this weekend. Unfortunately (for us) the expert in Mycology was more interested in beautiful but poisonous mushrooms than in showing to us the edible and tasty specimens! Well, cannot complain too much since it was for free and the guide was obviously an enthusiastic and well-informed mycologist. What a coincidence then that back home we just happened to find this article in The Sunday Times explaining all about Mushroom forays, which happen to be what we had always needed : mostly concerned with edible mushrooms. Too late for us now. The forays for our area took place this weekend. The next happens to be at the other side of the country. Ah well, we'll have to rely on our own resources. One day, in the future, we will be self-taught mushroom-hunters!

We've also acquired a taste for guided walks, so we may take our city's Ghost Guided Walk on Sunday 30 October (£2 per person!) which promises to take us on a "ghostly walk unconvering a selection of dastardly deeds and mysterious events that have been features of life in the city since the 12th century charter". And maybe next Sunday's Battle of Hastings hike at Battle Abbey. Even if we don't take the hike, we should be there for the English Heritage re-enactment of the 1066 Battle which shaped the future of England. We've been saying we will go to this re-enactment for 4 years, it's about time we do it!!

Fuimos a un Paseo con setas este domingo. Para (nuestra) mala suerte, el experto en Micologia estaba mas interesado en setas bellas y venenosas que en mostrarnos las que son comestibles y deliciosas. Tampoco nos podemos quejar porque el paseo era gratis y el experto era un entusiasta y profesional micologo. Vaya coincidencia pues que, cuando llegamos a casa, encontramos este articulo en The Sunday Times, que explica todo sobre la busqueda de setas comestibles, que era el tema que mas nos interesaba. Ahora ya es demasiado tarde. Las busquedas en nuestra zona tuvieron lugar este fin de semana, mientras nosotros estabamos en el paseo. Y la proxima busqueda nos queda bastante lejos. Tendremos pues, que confiar en nuestros propios recursos. Si perserveramos, puede que llegue un dia, en un futuro MUY lejano, en que seamos expertos en el tema.

Con la excusa de las setas, hemos adquirido aficion por el tema de los paseos/caminatas, asi que podria ser que fueramos al Paseo Fantasmagorico guiado de nuestra ciudad el domingo 30 de Octubre, que promete llevarnos a "un paseo fantasmagorico revelando una variada seleccion de fenomenos extranios y acontecimientos misteriosos que han sido parte de la vida de la ciudad desde el siglo XII". Y quiza el proximo domingo vayamos al tour guiado de la Batalla de Hastings en Battle Abbey. Incluso si no vamos al tour, vale la pena ir a Battle Abbey para ver la representacion, en vivo y en directo, de la famosa batalla del anio 1066 que tan profundamente marco el futuro de Inglaterra. Ya seria hora de que fueramos, porque hace 4 anios que venimos diciendo que iremos y, al final, nunca vamos!

The weather today:
Haze
17C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the East Southeast at 9 mph
Dew Point: 16C
Humidity: 90%
Visibility: 6 miles

2005-10-07T12:58:00.000+01:00

See this? It is a lovely Lactarius Deliciosus . And this is what we do every weekend, looking for mushrooms! Mushroom-hunting soon becomes an obsession. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about. My life is a mushroom!

Veis la foto de arriba? Es un bonisimo Lactarius Deliciosus . Y esto es lo que hacemos cada fin de semana : buscamos setas! El buscar setas se convierte en una obsesion. Creedme, se de que hablo. Mi vida es una seta!

The weather today:
Haze
16C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the East at 3 mph
Dew Point: 12C
Humidity: 77%

2005-10-04T08:48:00.000+01:00

The Shipping News arrived today from Canada (how appropriate is that, eh? considering the story is supposed to happen in Newfoundland) via a Bookcrossing member. See, in Bookcrossing we not only set books free in our cities, but we also trade them or create book-rings where books travel with other bookcrossing members.

The Shipping News llego hoy de Canada (y que mas apropiado, considerando que la historia se desarrolla en Newfoundland) enviado por un miembro de Bookcrossing. Porque vereis, en Bookcrossing no solo "liberamos" libros en rincones de nuestra ciudad sino que tambien podemos intercambiarlos o crear un 'circulo' en donde el libro se envia a varios miembros que lo han solicitado previamente.

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
9C
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From the North at 9 mph
Dew Point: 8C
Humidity: 89%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1,029.1 mb

2005-09-29T13:27:00.000+01:00

Some governments are becoming incredibly paranoid. Take for instance the case of Italy, where a new law has been established, affecting internet users. Any person wanting to use an internet cafe in Italy will have to show and have their passport registered by the cafe owners, as explained in The Guardian's article : Passport to Surf . And I wonder, what's next? The same law for all European countries? And how about tatooing passport numbers in the citizen's arms? Nazy-style, why not, after all this is Europe, we have a lot of experience, History is there to help us! If this is what the EU Constitution is, this Constituion some still want us to adopt, no matter what, then let me tell you: you can keep your precious Europe. I'm out of here.

La paranoia de algunos gobiernos ha llegado a limites insospechados. Segun una nueva ley italiana, los internautas que deseen usar los servicios de un internet cafe tendran que mostar su pasaporte, segun informa The Guardian en este articulo : "Passport to Surf". Y lo proximo que sera? La misma ley a nivel europeo? Y luego, por que no hacer que cada ciudadano tenga que tatuarse el numero de pasaporte en el brazo? Al estilo nazi, que para eso estamos en Europa, no? Ya tenemos experiencia, para eso esta la Historia, para ayudarnos a oprimir. Si esa Constitucion Europea que algunos aun desean imponer se basa en esto, se lo digo bien claro: metanse Europa donde les quepa, que yo me largo.

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
15C
UV Index: 2 Low
Wind: From the West Northwest at 15 mph
Dew Point: 7C
Humidity: 59%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1,021.3 mb

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2005-09-27T16:45:00.000+01:00

I wish my relatives decided they don't want to celebrate their birthdays. This would mean no more spending hours and hours trying to find an appropriate present light enough in weigh so I don't pay an eye for the postage. It would also mean the end of carefully wrapping presents in bubble wrap so they don't break and then carefully cellotaping the box to secure the contents. In summary: I am fed up with the whole stuff! No more birthdays, for heaven's sake! And Xmas! Xmas is just in 2 month's time!!! I won't survive another year of this! My relatives live in two different continents, help!!!

Me encantaria que mi familia decidiera que ya no quieren cumplir mas anios. Se acabaron los cumpleanios! Para mi, significaria el fin de esta tortura de horas y horas pasadas buscando un regalo apropiado que, ademas, no pese mucho y me arruine al enviarlo por correo. El fin de pasarme el rato envolviendo el regalo en plastico de burbujas, para que llegue perfecto. El fin de esas horas pasadas envolviendo la caja del maldito regalito para que no se abra por el camino. Queda claro? Estoy hart@ de cumpleanios y santos. Y la Navidad....que viene la Navidad, maldita sea, en dos meses ya estamos otra vez con la misma historia, yo no sobrevivo otro anio, socorro! Que tengo familia en dos paises, una en cada punta del mundo!!!!

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy and Windy
17C
UV Index:1 Low
Wind: From the West Southwest at 30 mph
Dew Point: 12C
Humidity: 72%
Visibility: 9 miles
Barometer: 1,014.2 mb

2005-09-26T13:58:00.000+01:00

Our sunflowers have gone crazy this year. They won't stop flowering and it is already the end of September! They are truly the 'miracle sunflowers'. To start with, we never planted them! We planted some gladiolae bulbs and added plenty of compost. The next thing we knew, the sunflowers were there. We suspect some of last year's sunflowers seeds fell in the compost and there you are, sunflowers again! But the 'miracle' does not stop here. When the first flowers dried out, more little flowers appeared in the plants. There are currently between 5 and 10 sunflowers in each plant. There has been a non-stop flowering madness since the beginning of July. To think we didn't want sunflowers this year....

Nuestros girasoles se han vuelto locos este anio. No paran de producir mas y mas flores y ya estamos a finales de Septiembre! Son realmente girasoles milagrosos. Para empezar, nosotros no los plantamos! Lo que plantamos fueron bulbos de gladiolo, y aniadimos mucho compost para alimentarlos. Y lo que paso despues es que...salieron girasoles! Pensamos que algunas semillas de girasol de las plantas del anio pasado cayeron por error en el compost. Asi que...venga, girasoles otra vez! Pero el 'milagro' no se acaba aqui... cuando la flor de cada planta se seco, salieron mas flores! Ahora mismo, cada planta tiene entre 5 y 10 flores. Y asi, desde principios de Julio. Y eso que no queriamos girasoles este anio....

The weather today:
Cloudy and Windy
17C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the Southwest at 23 mph
Dew Point: 12C
Humidity: 74%
Visibility:Unlimited
Barometer: 1,015.9 mb

2005-09-23T15:27:00.000+01:00

It's been a busy week and I 've not had time to post in the blog. However, I had a bit of time, enough to buy the tickets for the Royksopp gig on 15 October.

Ha sido una semana muy ocupada y no me ha dado tiempo de postear en el blog. Sin embargo, si me ha dado tiempo de comprar entradas para el concierto de Royksopp el 15 de Octubre.

The weather today:
Rain
18C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the South at 12 mph
Dew Point:16°C
Humidity: 88%
Visibility: 2 miles
Barometer: 1,010.2 mb

2005-09-20T09:42:00.000+01:00

Back to the Moon! By 2018 human beings will step again in the Moon, as announced by NASA . The spacecraft will be based on the Apollo model although it will be bigger and carry six astronauts aboard. I am happy we are going back to the Moon but cannot stop suspecting this may be a new Space Race. Against whom you will ask. The Russians are not economically able to compete in this race! Ah no, not the Russians. The Chinese! They've already said they are going to the Moon . So the US needed another Space Race to take them back to the Moon. I cannot but think...thanks, China!
To those who oppose spending on space exploration, to those who ask why go to the Moon when there are so many starving people in our planet, the answer is very simple : stop war and producing arms. That will feed the poor and solve all problems in this planet. The money spent in space exploration is ridiculously small, compared to what is spent in war. Don't stop space exploration. Our future may be in the stars!

Volvemos a la Luna! En el 2018 una nueva mision tripulada pisara la Luna, declara NASA . La nave se basara en el disenio de las naves Apollo , aunque sera de mayor tamanio y transportara seis astronautas en lugar de tres. Me alegra que volvamos a la Luna pero al mismo tiempo, se me ocurre que esto es otra 'carrera espacial'. Me direis que los rusos ya no estan en condiciones de participar en otra. No, por supuesto que no. Pero los chinos, si! El gobierno chino ha anunciado varias veces su intencion de ir a la Luna . Justo lo que necesitaban los americanos para ponerse manos a la obra. Otra competicion! Ante los resultados, solo se me ocurre decir....gracias, China!
A los que se oponen a la exploracion espacial, a los que preguntan como podemos pensar en ir a la Luna si hay tanta gente muriendo de hambre en este planeta, yo les respondo, bien simplemente : la solucion es que no haya mas guerras y se pare inmediatamente la produccion de armas. Eso dara alimento a los pobres y resolvera los problemas de este planeta. En comparacion con lo que los gobiernos se gastan en defensa, el dinero invertido en exploracion espacial es ridiculo, es una cantidad infima. No obstruyais la exploracion espacial. Nuestro futuro bien podria estar en las estrellas!

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
15C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the West Southwest at 5 mph
Dew Point: 11C
Humidity: 77%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer: 1,025.1 mb

2005-09-19T14:13:00.000+01:00

Not identified! / Sin identificar!

Liberty cap or some poisonous horror?/ Seta magica o bien venenosa?

A member of the Lactarius family,edible and tasty. We think. / Uno de la familia de los Lactarius. Comestible.... probablemente!

This last weekend we went mushroom hunting to the New Forest . The photos above are some of the result of our useless search. A grand total of 15 mushrooms, most of them non-identified! Mushroom hunting is not that easy, you see!

Este fin de semana fuimos a buscar setas a la New Forest . Las fotos de arriba muestran parte del resultado de la infructuosa busqueda. Encontramos la impresionante cantidad de.... 15 setas! Y la mayoria de ellas, no fuimos capaces de identificar. Ya veis, lo de las setas no es facil, precisamente!

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
19C
UV Index:3 Moderate
Wind: From the West Southwest at 6 mph
Dew Point: 11C
Humidity:57%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1,024.7 mb

2005-09-16T12:48:00.000+01:00

Yesterday we tried cooking spaghetti carbonara as Heston Blumenthal proposed in this article in the Sunday Times. It seemed a bit strange, especially the part of the recipe when Heston suggests using 3 raw egg yolks and they get cooked only by the heat from the cooked pasta. But...it works! And the sauce is very smooth. I think from now on it will be Heston carbonara at home! See the recipe below, quoting from the article:

"SPAGHETTI CARBONARA (six servings)

4 medium onions
3 cloves garlic
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
300g smoked streaky bacon, sliced across into 1cm strips
1-2 fresh green chillis (depending on taste), seeds and pith removed, and chopped
600g best-quality dried pasta (spaghetti is ideal)
4-5 medium egg yolks
100g fresh parmesan, grated
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley

Peel, halve and de-root the onion, and chop finely. Peel, chop and purée the garlic (sprinkle a little table salt over the roughly chopped garlic and, using the flat side of the chopping knife, drag it backwards over the garlic — watch your fingers — until you have a smooth purée).

Pour about 75ml of olive oil into a frying pan and add the onions and garlic. Cook on a low to medium heat for 15 minutes. While the onions are cooking, you may need to regulate the temperature; the onions should not be coloured after the cooking time. Add the bacon and chopped chilli to the onion and garlic and turn up the heat. Cook until the onions and bacon are just starting to colour at the edges.

Put on the pasta water: use 6 litres of water and 60g of salt. When it comes to the boil, add the pasta, stirring gently to ensure that it does not stick. Cook according to the packet instructions, until the pasta is al dente.
Meanwhile, put the egg yolks into a bowl large enough to hold all the pasta. Add the grated parmesan and set aside. Chop the parsley leaves.

When the pasta is ready, drain through a colander — keeping back a bit of the water — and tip immediately onto the egg yolk- and parmesan mix, and ensuring that 1-2 tbsp of the cooking water goes with it. As you stir the pasta into the egg and cheese, the heat will cook the eggs and melt the cheese, making the sauce. Stir in the hot onion and bacon mix, sprinkle over the chopped parsley and serve.
Heston may add peas to this dish; broccoli is also be a great extra. If you do use peas, it might be an idea to change the pasta, as the spaghetti won’t hold them."

Ayer preparamos spaghetti carbonara siguiendo la receta que Heston Blumenthal propuso en este articulo (en ingles) en el Sunday Times. Habia una parte de la receta que se nos hacia bastante rara, cuando Heston sugiere usar 3 yemas de huevo crudas. No cocinarlas, sino dejarlas crudas hasta que se cuecen con el calor producido por la pasta hirviendo. Raro, si, pero...funciona! Y la salsa es de textura suave y sabe genial. A partir de ahora, en casa se prepara solo la carbonara al estilo Heston! He copiado y traducido la receta del articulo, probadla! :

"SPAGHETTI CARBONARA (para 6 personas!)

4 cebollas de tamanio medio
3 dientes de ajo
Aceite de oliva virgen
Sal
300g bacon tipo ahumado, cortado a tiras delgadas de 1cm de longitud
1-2 chilis verdes frescos (si os gustan), cortados finamente y sin semillas.
600g pasta spaghetti
4-5 yemas de huevo, tamanio medio
100g queso parmesano, rallado.
1 ramito de perejil, cortado finamente.

Pelar y cortar finamente las cebollas. Pelar y trocear muy finamente, hasta casi hacer pure, los ajos.

Poner 75ml de aceite de oliva en una sarten, calentar y aniadir las cebollas y el ajo. Cocer a medio/bajo fuego durante 15 minutos, vigilando la temperatura, las cebollas no deben tomar color en ningun caso. Aniadir el bacon y los pedacitos de chili y subir el fuego. Cocinar hasta que las cebollas y el bacon empiecen justo a tomar color en los bordes.

Llenar una olla con agua para cocinar la pasta : usar 6 litros de agua y 60g de sal. Cuando el agua hierva, aniadir la pasta, removiendo con cuidado para que no se pegue a la olla. Cocinar siguiendo las instrucciones del paquete, hasta que la pasta este al dente.

Mientras tanto, colocar las yemas de huevo en un bol suficientemente grande como para contener la pasta hervida. Aniadir el queso parmesano rallado. Trocear el ramito de perejil.

Cuando la pasta este lista, escurrir en colador - guardando algo de agua aparte - y pasar inmediatamente al bol de los huevos y parmesano, aniadiendo tambien 1-2 cucharadas del agua que habremos reservado. Mezclar con una cuchara la pasta con el huevo y queso. El calor de la pasta hervida cocinara las yemas de huevo y derretira el queso, convirtiendose en la salsa. Aniadir las cebollas con ajo y bacon, mezclar todo junto, aniadir un poco de perejil y servir.

Heston a veces sirve este plato con guisantes o bien broccoli. Si se usan guisantes, seria preferible usar otro tipo de pasta ya que los spaghetti son demasiado finos y los guisantes se escurren al fondo del plato".

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
14C
UV Index: 4 Moderate
Wind: From the North Northeast at 13 gusting to 25 mph
Dew Point: 6C
Humidity: 59%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer:1,017.9 mb

2005-09-15T15:22:00.000+01:00

Google launched today its search engine in blogs, the Google Blog Search . And soon this years'April Fools Day joke, Google gulp will become a reality, instead of a joke! Now, don't get me wrong, I've always liked Google. But this 'Google Supremacy' is starting to make me feel a bit uncomfortable, I' m starting to wonder if Google will be soon asking me.... 'where do you want to go today?' .....

Google inaugura hoy su buscador de palabras en blogs, el Google Blog Search . No, si al final sera verdad que lanzan la bebida Google Gulp en lugar de ser otra broma del dia de los inocentes del anio pasado! No me malinterpreteis. A mi me ha gustado Google desde el principio. Pero este punto al que llegamos de la 'Supremacia Google' me esta empezando a incomodar, hasta que un dia de estos acabara preguntandome... "hasta donde quieres llegar hoy? " ....

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
20C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the Southwest at 15 mph
Dew Point: 18C
Humidity: 88%
Visibility: 6 miles

2005-09-14T14:03:00.000+01:00

We would like to enrol to a scuba-diving course next year. For this year, however, we have just decided we'd like to go to the woods and pick some mushrooms ! It may seem a VERY easy and 'soft' option compared to scuba-diving. However, have a good look at any book on edible mushrooms and you will see that for each edible mushroom there are at least three very poisonous lookalikes. I would then say wild mushroom picking (and eating them) is riskier than scuba-diving.

El anio que viene nos gustaria matricularnos en un curso de submarinismo . Para este anio, de momento, lo unico que hemos decidido es que iremos al bosque a buscar setas ! Lo de las setas parece una opcion bien facil y sin riesgos, comparada con el submarinismo. Pues no. Echad una ojeada a cualquier libro donde se de una clasificacion de setas comestibles. Bien pronto vereis que, por cada seta comestible, hay por lo menos dos muy similares pero venenosas. Por eso digo que buscar setas en el bosque (y comerlas, por supuesto) es un deporte de alto riesgo, mucho mas que el submarinismo.

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy and Windy
19C
UV Index:3 Moderate
Wind: From the West Southwest at 23 mph
Dew Point: 17C
Humidity: 89%
Visibility: 7 miles
Barometer: 1,022.0 mb

2005-09-13T11:15:00.000+01:00

Are you fascinated by the rivalry between Steve Jobs (Apple) and Bill Gates (Microsoft)? Now you can enjoy all the complexities of their relationship in a new New York....musical! Nerds The Musical is a 'musical software satire', an "outrageous epic take on the parallel stories of computer pioneers BG and JS, two technological geniuses as they blaze a path from 'garage inventors' to warring titans of the computer revolution".
And I say : what else do you expect for 15 US dollars? of course first you'll have to fly to New York...

Os fascina la rivalidad entre Steve Jobs (Apple) y Bill Gates (Microsoft)? Pues ahora podeis disfrutar de una manera amena y divertida de las complejidades de esta relacion en un nuevo....musical de Nueva York!!! Nerds The Musical ('nerd' en ingles es similar en signicado a 'freak, freakie' o 'friki' tal como se ha espaniolizado la palabra) es un 'satirico musical de software', una "increible epopeya basada en las historias paralelas de los pioneros de la computacion, genios de la tecnologia Bill Gates y Steve Jobs, mientras forjan su futuro, desde 'inventores de garage' a titanes guerreros de la revolucion computerizada".
Y digo yo : Por 15 US dolares que mas quereis? Claro que primero hay que volar a New York, eso si...

The weather today:
Haze
18C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the South Southeast at 7 mph
Dew Point: 15C
Humidity: 84%
Visibility: 5 miles
Barometer: 1,024.7 mb

2005-09-12T16:15:00.000+01:00

Quoting from The Guardian article Keep your face straight: passport grins pass into history : "It sounds like something from an Orwell novel: British citizens who hope to be allowed to leave the country are no longer allowed to smile. But this new seriousness really did come into effect at midnight: forthwith, if you want to get out, then keep your mouth shut.
In fiction, this interdiction on grinning would result from some tyrannical ban on happiness. In fact, it's a practical matter: the new biometric recognition scanners purchased to improve security at border controls are only able, due to some idiosyncracy of their digital instructions, to recognise straight faces. So, from this morning, potential travellers must produce in the curtained booth or photographer's shop what the official form calls "a neutral expression with your mouth closed".

I guess this new regulation is not bothering the British at all. For all I know, they are not exactly known for their bubbly and smiley personalities. Except when drunk, of course. And that doesn't last for long because they will soon become violent and aggresive. Try a little expedition on a Friday or Saturday night to any British city centre and you will agree. The panorama is something out of the Escape from LA film. Unfortunately, without Kurt Russell .

Cito del articulo de The Guardian:
No te rias : pasa a la historia el sonreir en el pasaporte : "Suena como salido de una novela de George Orwell: los ciudadanos britanicos que quieran salir del pais tienen prohibido el sonreir. Esta nueva impuesta seriedad entro en vigor en la medianoche de ayer. De ahora en adelante, si quieres salir al extranjero, cierra la boca. Si fuera una novela de ficcion, esta nueva norma resultaria ser una tiranica prohibicion a la felicidad. En realidad, en una cuestion practica: los nuevos scanners biometriocos adquiridos por los aeropuertos para mejorar la seguridad tienen sus limitaciones y solo pueden 'leer' fotos de caras serias. Asi que, desde esta maniana, quienes deseen renovar su pasaporte deberan presentar fotos con lo que, oficialmente se describe como "una expresion neutral con la boca cerrada".

Lo cual, en mi opinion, no debe preocupar demasiado a los britanicos, que no gozan, precisamente, de reputacion internacional por su caracter alegre y sonrisa permanente. Excepto cuando van borrachos, claro. Aunque en esos momentos tampoco les dura demasiado la sonrisa, porque, mayoritariamente, son de lo mas violentos. Un paseito un viernes o sabado por la noche por cualquier ciudad britanica y me dareis la razon. Las escenitas son del tipo 'Escape from LA', lamentablemente sin Kurt Russell .

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
21C
UV Index: 2 Low
Wind: From the Southeast at 10 mph
Dew Point: 14C
Humidity: 67%
Visibility: 7 miles
Barometer: 1,020.7 mb

2005-09-09T13:53:00.000+01:00

I like this type of floor for my bathroom....
More amazing photos like this in Worth 1000 .

Este tipo de suelo me gusta para el banio...
Mas fotos como esta en Worth 1000 .

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
25C
UV Index: 4 Moderate
Wind: From the East Northeast at 5 mph
Dew Point: 15C
Humidity: 54%
Visibility:6 miles
Barometer: 1,009.1 mb

2005-09-08T15:15:00.000+01:00

Half the country's population watching the cricket and I am playing Florence Nightingale (XD those of you who personally know me can laugh here) to my sick other half... my perfect excuse for today's lack of ideas !

Medio pais viendo el cricket y yo de Florence Nightingale (XD los que me conoceis personalmente, ya podeis reir) de mi enferm@ media naranja.... excusa ideal para no postear hoy nada decente!

The weather today:
Sunny
21C
UV Index:5 Moderate
Wind: From the West Southwest at 5 mph
Dew Point: 14C
Humidity: 67%
Visibility: 9 miles
Barometer:1,012.2 mb

">

2005-09-07T13:27:00.000+01:00

There's nothing nicer that a beautiful sunny day in summer with a big plate of "moules marinieres avec frites" (mussels with French fries, although it sounds chicest in French, doesn't it? XD) in France. Or wherever you are, who cares, seafood is ALWAYS good!

Que mejor que pasar un soleado dia veraniego en Francia, almorzando "moules marinieres avec frites" (mejillones a la marinera con patatas fritas, vaya, pero es que en frances queda tan chic! XD). O que caray, aunque no sea en Francia, un plato de marisco SIEMPRE apetece!

The weather today:
Sunny
23C
UV Index: 4 Moderate
Wind: from the South Southwest at 12 mph
Dew Point: 14C
Humidity: 57%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer: 1,010.8 mb

2005-09-06T16:44:00.000+01:00

In 1918, hundreds of square kilometres in northern France looked like this. No, in fact, much worse, as the green grass was then mud and filth. All you could see were trenches and bomb craters after the bloody Battle of the Somme which lasted months : from the 1st July 1916 to the 18th November 1916.
Today it is a non-descript area in the North of France with many maize and potato fields. And many soldiers' cemeteries. Take any small road, far from the motorway and you will be shocked at the number of cemeteries and white graves. And these are only the soldiers they could bury. Many others lay somewhere there, without grave to remember their names. If any person with any desire of war were to be made to dig every single grave I saw in the Somme, I bet they would not seek war ever again.

En 1918, cientos de kilometros en el norte de Francia tenian este aspecto. O mejor dicho, peor que esto. Substituid la bonita hierba verde por fango y porqueria. Todo lo que se veia eran rincheras y crateres causados por la explosion de las bombas lanzadas por ambos bandos, desde que tuvo lugar la larguisima Batalla del Somme que duro del 1 de Julio al 18 de Noviembre de 1916. Hoy en dia es una zona sin mucha distincion en el Norte de Francia. Con somnolientos pueblecitos y campos de maiz y patatas. Y cementerios de soldados. Tomad cualquier carretera comarcal, dejando atras la autopista, y os sorprendera ver la cantidad de cementerios militares de blancas lapidas que existen en la zona. Y estos son los soldados a los que pudieron enterrar decentemente. Cuantos otros hay sin identificar, enterrados sin lapida que les recuerde! A los amantes de la guerra, aquellos que desean guerra a toda costa, si a cualquiera de estos se les obligara a cavar todas las tumbas que he visto en la zona del Somme, bien rapido se les pasarian las ansias guerreras!

The weather today:
Sunny
22C
UV Index:3 Moderate
Wind: From the East Southeast at 7 mph
Dew Point: 16C
Humidity: 69%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1,007.5 mb

2005-09-05T14:52:00.000+01:00

This is the view of the White Cliffs of Dover from Cap Gris Nez, Opale Coast, France. I loved seeing England from France in the morning and then crossing the Channel that same evening. Two countries set apart by the ocean in just one day..

Esta es la vista de las 'blancas colinas de Dover' desde el Cap Gris Nez, en la costa d'Opale, Francia. Por la maniana estabamos en Francia, viendo Inglaterra al otro lado. Por la noche cruzamos el canal de la Mancha en ferry y nos plantamos al otro lado. Dos paises separados por el mar en un dia...

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
19C
UV Index:3 Moderate
Wind: calm
Dew Point: 14C
Humidity: 71%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1,012.5 mb

2005-09-02T13:32:00.000+01:00

I hope you will understand. I've not been posting in the blog for the past two days. I was busy. I had to find a place to keep all the beautiful Moet-Chandon champagne bottles we bought in Epernay the last weekend! And when I say 'a place to keep' I don't mean down my throat exactly. Not yet....

Espero que lo comprendais. No he posteado en el blog durante los ultimos dos dias. Estaba ocupadisim@. Buscando un lugar adecuado en casa para colocar todas las preciosas botellas de champagne Moet-Chandon que compramos en Epernay el fin de semana pasado! Y cuando digo 'lugar adecuado' no me refiero a garganta abajo precisamente. Aun no...

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
21C
UV Index:5 Moderate
Wind: From the Southwest at 6 mph
Dew Point: 14°C
Humidity: 66%
Visibility:Unlimited
Barometer: 1,024.7 mb

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2005-08-31T16:45:00.000+01:00

Not the best time to enjoy a New Orleans Hurricane cocktail, I'm afraid! Best wishes to all in Louisiana and Mississippi. I loved it when we visited those states and wouldn't mind going back!

No es, precisamente, el mejor momento para disfrutar del tipico cocktail Huracan de Nueva Orleans ! Mis mejores deseos para los ciudadanos de los estados de Louisiana y Mississippi, dos estados que he visitado y a los que me encantaria volver!

The weather today:
Cloudy
23C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the South at 1 mph
Dew Point: 16C
Humidity:65%
Visibility: 5 miles
Barometer: 1,008.1 mb

2005-08-30T16:13:00.000+01:00

Quoting from The Guardian's article : Young think "Isas" are Ipod accesories . "More than one in ten young people think an Isa ((Individual Savings Account) - savings account with tax benefits. Savings can be made through cash deposits, stocks and shares or insurance) is an accessory for an iPod, while many adults admit they would rather read the back of a cereal packet than their financial mail, according to research released today.[...] A survey of 1,000 adults, carried out by communications company Docucorp, found that three-quarters were so turned off by information on mortgages, pensions, insurance and bank accounts that they would prefer to read the ingredients panel on a cornflakes box instead".

I agree. I am always mesmerized by the ingredients panel while eating cereal! Banks should learn their marketing strategies from Kelloggs!<br>

Cito de The Guardian el articulo : Los jovenes creen que las "Isas" son accesorios para el Ipod . "Mas de uno entre cada diez jovenes piensa que una Isa ( en ingles,Individual Savings Account - cuenta de ahorro con beneficios fiscales) es un accesorio para el Ipod, mientras que muchos adultos admiten que preferirian leer el reverso de un paquete de cereales que cartas del banco o relacionadas con sus finanzas, segun un estudio publicado hoy. [...] Un estudio realizado entre 1000 adultos por la compania de comunicaciones Docucorp, revela que 3/4 de los encuestados encuentran tan aburrida la informacion sobre hipotecas, pensiones, seguros y cuentas bancarias que, si les dieran a elegir, leerian en su lugar la tabla de ingredientes en un paquete de cereales".

Completamente de acuerdo. El texto de los paquetes de cereales es hipnotico y adictivo! Que aprendan los bancos de la Kelloggs!

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
23C
UV Index:3 Moderate
Wind: From the Southeast at 10 mph
Dew Point:16C
Humidity: 64%
Visibility: 10 miles
Barometer: 1,021.0 mb

2005-08-26T13:16:00.000+01:00

Closed for long bank holiday weekend from Friday 26 August to Monday 29 August (both inclusive). We are going to the Champagne in France!

Cerrado por fin de semana largo del viernes 26 al lunes 29 de Agosto (ambos inclusive). Nos vamos a la Champagne en Francia!

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy and Windy
17C
UV Index: 4 Moderate
Wind: From the West Southwest at 22 mph
Dew Point:11C
Humidity: 64%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1,014.6 mb

2005-08-24T15:45:00.000+01:00

As promised!! I'll post about.... My favourite washing-up liquid. It is Fairy . A bit predictable, I know. But there was a time, in the mid-eighties, when Fairy arrived in Spain and it was mostly unknown, expensive and it took a while to catch on. My mum bought it, tried it and was a faithful customer from then on. Now Marketing students pay attention to this detail, because this is real proof that fidelity can be passed from generation to generation. Unfortunately for the manufacturers, it can also be lost for the older generation, which is generally considered more conservative but in fact, it is not! My mum decided to change to Froggy because Fairy made her sneeze (click on the links to know why!).

Lo prometido es deuda y hoy posteare sobre... mi detergente lavavajillas preferido. Es Fairy . Nada del otro mundo, ya veis. Pero a mediados de los 80, cuando Fairy llego a Espania, era el gran desconocido y mas bien caro. Costo un tiempo y gran cantidad de anuncios en television el que Fairy se convirtiera en el detergente mas popular. Recuerdo que mi madre lo compro, lo probo y se convirtio en consumidora fiel por mucho tiempo. Atencion, estudiantes de marketing, no os perdais este detalle porque es prueba de que la fidelidad del cliente se transmite de generacion en generacion. Lamentablemente para los fabricantes, nuestro caso tambien viene a demostrar que la primera generacion, que se supone mas conservadora, no lo es tanto y pierde su fidelidad sin problemas. Justo lo que ocurrio con mi madre, que se paso a Froggy porque Fairy la hacia estornudar. Haced click en los links y vereis el por que!

The weather today:
Rain
15C
UV Index:2 Low
Wind: From the South Southwest at 17 mph
Dew Point: 14C
Humidity: 94%
Visibility:6 miles
Barometer: 1,005.1 mb

2005-08-23T16:51:00.000+01:00

Now I've started with product recommendations and this blog is really degenerating into I don't know what, let's talk about contact lenses. Do you wear contact lenses? Are you happy with them? Wouldn't you like to wear them all the time? Night and Day? Well you know what? You can. In fact, it has been possible for several years. I have been wearing Focus Night&Day contact lenses since 2001 and I am very happy with them. I have had no problems at all. No sensitivity, no infections, no dry eyes. Yes, that's what I said. I wear my contact lenses all the time. I sleep with my contact lenses. Since 2001. Obviously, it is not the same pair I bought in 2001!! I change them every month, that's all. One night every month I sleep without contact lenses. My eyes are all right. IN fact, my eyes have never been better. Because every time you take your contact lenses off, you touch your eyes with your fingers. Your contact lenses go in and out of your eyes, you touch them, you clean them. With all this touching and cleaning, there is more possibility of infection. Me, I don't have any infections, conjuntivitis, anything at all. Because I only touch my eyes and my contact lenses once a month. In fact, this Night&Day contact lenses are better than your usual contact lenses. Your eyes breathe through them!
Yes, they are more expensive than normal contact lenses. But think of the advantages. Waking up in the middle of the night and....miracle of miracles! you can see! Oh, and think all the money you will save not having to buy any cleansing liquids ever again. As I said I have been wearing this type of contact lenses since 2001 without any trouble at all. That's why I am always amazed at people not knowing about them or opticians not reccommending them to everybody. Try them, they will change your life.

And tomorrow... I'll talk my favourite washing up liquid!

Ya que he empezado a recomendar productos y este blog esta degenerando en algo indescriptible, me parece que ya es hora de hablar de lentes de contacto. Llevas lentes de contacto? No te gustaria llevarlas siempre puestas? De dia y de noche? Pues sabes que? Puedes. De hecho, es posible desde hace ya anios. Llevo las Focus Night & Day desde el 2001 y bien content@ que estoy con ellas. No he tenido ningun problema. Las llevo siempre. Duermo con ellas. Evidentemente, no son las mismas que compre en el 2001! Las cambio cada mes. Una noche al mes duermo sin lentes de contacto. Al dia siguiente, me pongo el nuevo par. Y venga! A olvidarse hasta el mes siguiente. Y mis ojos bien, gracias. De hecho, nunca han estado mejor de salud. Porque, piensalo, cada vez que te quitas y te pones las lentes de contacto, tus dedos estan en contacto con la lente y el ojo. Por mucho que limpies y limpies, siempre hay posibilidad de infeccion. Yo no tengo infecciones, conjuntivitis, nada de nada. Porque solo toco los ojos y las lentes de contacto una vez al mes. Y mis ojos respiran a traves de la lente de contacto, porque ese es el principio que permite llevarlas de dia y de noche. Con lentes de contacto normales, los ojos casi no reciben ventilacion.
Si que hay que remarcar que son mas caras que las lentes de contacto normales. Pero piensa en las ventajas. Te despiertas a medianoche y...milagro! puedes ver! Ah, y se acabo el fastidio de comprar liquidos limpiadores y conservadores. Nunca mas!
Como antes decia, llevo este tipo de lentes de contacto desde el 2001. Y sigue sorprendiendome que otros usuarios de lentes de contacto no sepan que estas lentillas existen. Y que sus oftalmologos no se las recomienden. Me huele a algun interes comercial por su parte, porque si no, no lo entiendo. Tu pruebalas. Ya veras que diferencia.

Ah y maniana.... hablaremos de mi liquido para lavar los platos preferido!

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
21C
UV Index: 3 Moderate
Wind: From the West Southwest at 14 mph
Dew Point: 12C
Humidity: 53%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1,017.9 mb

2005-08-22T14:17:00.000+01:00

A mouthwash without alcohol, with appealing taste and colour and which really works? Try Dentyl and you will notice the difference. I don't suffer from bad breath. I have not been paid by Dentyl, either. It's just that I tried and I could really see how this product cleaned my mouth, much better than any other traditional mouthwash. Quoting Dentyl's website : "Dentyl pH is unique. Shake vigorously to physically activate the two-phases. When you swish and gargle, the advanced formula moves around the mouth powerfully attracting, lifting and absorbing the bacteria and debris that cause bad breath, plaque and gum disease up to 18 hours in a single use. Rinse out and you will see what has been removed - proof that it really works".
I saw what was removed! I saw it!! I am converted to Dentyl!!

Un liquido de enjuague bucal sin alcohol, con sabor y color atractivo y realmente efectivo? Olvidate de las marcas tradicionales y prueba Dentyl . No sufro de halitosis y los de Dentyl no me han pagado para hacerles publicidad. Simplemente es que es el primer enjuague bucal que pruebo que realmente funciona. Cito de la pagina web de Dentyl : "Dentyl Ph es unico. Agite la botella para activar los dos componentes. Al enjuagarse la boca con Dentyl, su formula unica atrae y absorbe las bacterias y particulas que causan halitosis, placa y gingivitis hasta un maximo de 18 horas. Vea las particulas desechadas al terminar su enjuague bucal - prueba fisica de que realmente funciona". Las vi, las vi! Me han convertido!

The weather today:
Cloudy
18C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the West Southwest at 17 mph
Dew Point: 18C
Humidity: 97%
Visibility: 3 miles
Barometer: 1,014.6 mb

2005-08-18T15:23:00.000+01:00

We are going to the World Mystery Forum on the 4th and 5th November in Interlaken, Switzerland. Quoting the Forum's website : "Every year from 2004, the WORLD MYSTERY FORUM will make Interlaken and the Mystery Park the international centre of research, controversial discussion and encounters concerning the great mysteries of this world. Experts will face the public and revolutionary discoveries come under scrutiny. The focus will be on questions, answers, communication and interaction". The Forum and Mystery Park are Erich von Daniken's (the controversial author who first came up with the idea that the ancient gods may have been ETs visiting Earth and the Nazca lines a space-port) creation. We thought it was quite an interesting idea attending a forum where teleportation, space travel and lost civilizations are discussed... in a pseudo-theme park....in Switzerland. Who said the Swiss were boring and only good at cuckoo watches, chocolate and army knives?

Los dias 4 y 5 de Noviembre asistiremos al World Mystery Forum en Interlaken, Suiza. Cito de la pagina web del Forum : "Cada anio, empezando en el 2004, tendra lugar el WORLD MYSTERY FORUM en el parque tematico Mystery Park de Interlaken. Con ello queremos conseguir un punto convergente de investigacion internacional, con debates sobre temas controvertidos y encuentros sobre los grandes misterios del mundo. Los expertos responderan a preguntas del publico y los descubrimientos revolucionarios se ofreceran para el escrutinio de los asistentes. La base del forum sera las preguntas, respuestas, comunicacion e interaccion". Para vuestra informacion y por si clarifica un poco mas el tema, el Forum y el Mystery Park son creacion del controvertido autor Erich von Daniken (si, el von Daniken que tuvo la idea de que los antiguos dioses podrian haber sido extraterrestres visitando nuestro planeta y que las lineas en Nazca son, en realidad, un aeropuerto para naves espaciales). Se nos ocurrio que podria ser una idea 'muy interesante' esto de asistir a un Forum sobre temas como la teletransportacion, los viajes espaciales y las civilizaciones perdidas... en un pseudo-parque tematico... en Suiza! Quien dijo que los suizos eran aburridos y solo eran capaces de producir relojes de cuco, chocolate y navajas multi-uso?

The weather today:
Fair
26C
UV Index: 4 Moderate
Wind: From the Southwest at 3 mph
Dew Point:13C
Humidity: 44%
Visibility:6 miles
Barometer: 1,011.9 mb

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2005-08-17T16:38:00.000+01:00

Which Fantasy/Sci-Fi character are you? Click on the photo above to go to the questionnaire.

"With good intentions but misunderstood motives, you are a hardy, if somewhat unreliable, companion.
I ask only for the strength to defend my people! Boromir is a character in the Middle-Earth universe."

Que personaje de Fantasia/Ciencia Ficcion eres? Click en la foto de arriba para ir al cuestionario.

"Con buenas intenciones pero motivos mal entendidos, eres un companiero resistente aunque a veces es dificil confiar en ti. Dadme fuerzas para defender a mi gente!
Boromir es un personaje en el mundo de la Tierra Media."

2005-08-17T14:05:00.000+01:00

I have added Permalinks to this blog. Now if they were to work....

Acabo de aniadir Permalinks al blog. Ahora solo falta que funcionen, claro....

The weather today:
Sunny
21C
UV Index:5 Moderate
Wind: From the South Southeast at 13 mph
Dew Point: 16C
Humidity: 70%
Visibility: 5 miles

2005-08-16T13:53:00.000+01:00

The formula to discover if you suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) according to the experts. This quick and simple test can be done by all of us at home to help us realise if we are really suffering from SAD and consequently, seek our GPs advice, instead of suffering in silence thinking we may just be imagining depression.

X = a x ( (24 - b) x (c+d+e) + f x (g+h+i) ).

X = Susceptibility to winter blues

a = Inherent vulnerability (pick the following which best applies to you):
If there is no history of depression in your family score 1 point
History of depression yourself or in your family score 2 points
History of depression yourself and in your family score 3 points

b = Approx. number of hours of daylight in winter where you live (min 6 hours)

c = Psychological effect of leaving home/office each day in the dark
Score 0 if you leave home and return each day in daylight (or if this question does not apply to you because you do not work or you work from home)
Score 2 points if you either leave the house or return home from work in the dark
Score 4 points if you both leave the house and return from work in the dark

d = Work conditions
Rate your working conditions in terms of light contact from 0 - 4 where:
0 - maximum amount of natural light - for example you work outside or in a light office with large windows etc.
4 - minimum amount of natural light - for example, you work long hours in a basement or a space with no windows and very little light

e = Home conditions
Rate your home conditions in terms of light contact on a scale of 0 - 4 where:
0 - maximum amount of natural light - for example, you live in an airy house with large windows
4 - minimum amount of natural light - for example, you live in a basement flat with no windows

f = Stress
Rate your general stress levels on a scale of 1 - 5, where:
1 - Very relaxed
5 - Very stressed

g = Sociability
Rate your level of daily social contact on a scale of 0-4 where:
0 - You very often socialise or seek entertainment outside the home
4 - You very rarely, if ever socialise outside of work

h = Exercise
Rate how frequently you exercise on a scale of 0-4 where:
0 - Exercise more than 4 times a week
4 - Never exercise

i = Diet
Rate the quality of diet on a scale of 0-4 where:
0 - Very healthy and balanced diet
4 - Very unhealthy diet with lots of stodgy processed food

Score scale = 0 - 828, where 0 is a very limited susceptibility to winter blues and 800 is a very high chance of suffering from winter blues.

Zero to 100 = you're very unlikely to suffer winter blues
100 to 300 = you may suffer mild to moderate symptoms
300 to 600 = you're at risk of symptoms severe enough to affect your quality of life
600 to 800 = you have a very high risk of Seasonal Affective Disorder and should seek medical help

I can't believe I ony scored 82 and everybody knows I am always (more) grumpy and tired in winter. Then again... everybody knows I was never good at Maths!

Aqui esta la formula matematica, segun los expertos, para calcular si padecemos de TAE (Trastorno Afectivo Estacional), esa melancolia depresiva que nos afecta en invierno, debido a la falta de luz natural. Esta formula, que cualquiera puede calcular en cinco minutos en su propia casa, nos puede ayudar al darnos cuenta de que estamos padeciendo una autentica enfermedad y no solo imaginaciones nuestras y, en consecuencia, solicitar la opinion y consejo de nuestro medico de cabecera:

X = a x ( (24 - b) x (c+d+e) + f x (g+h+i) )

X = Susceptibilidad de padecer SAD

a = Vulnerabilidad inherente (escoge la que mejor se aplique a tu caso):
No hay historial depresivo en tu familia, 1 punto
Hay historial depresivo en la familia o la has padecido tu mism@, 2 puntos
Hay historial depresivo en la familia y ademas la has padecido tu mism@, 3 puntos

b = Numero aproximado de horas de luz natural en invierno en la zona donde vives (minimo de 6 horas)

c = Efecto psicologico de salir a oscuras de casa/trabajo cada dia
0 puntos si sales y vuelves de casa cada dia con luz natural (o si esta pregunta no se te aplica porque no trabajas o trabajas desde casa)
2 puntos si sales o vuelves a casa del trabajo sin luz natural
4 puntos si sales y vuelves a casa del trabajo sin luz natural

d = Condiciones laborales
Califica en una escala de 1 a 4 tus condiciones laborales en terminos de luz natural considerando que:
0 - el maximo de luz natural - por ejemplo trabajas al aire libre o en una oficina con ventanas grandes, etc.
4 - el minimo de luz natural - por ejemplo, trabajas a jornada completa en un sotano o espacio sin luz natural y con poca luz artificial.

e = Condiciones del hogar
Califica en una escala de 1 a 4 las condiciones de tu hogar en terminos de luz natural considerando que:
0 - el maximo de luz natural - por ejemplo, vives en una casa con grandes ventanas y mucha luz natural.
4 - el minimo de luz natural - por ejemplo, vives en una planta baja sin ventanas

f = Stress
Califica tu nivel general de estress en una escala del 1 al 5 donde:
1 - Muy relajado
5 - Muy estresado

g = Sociabilidad
Califica tu nivel de sociabilidad diaria en una escala del 1 al 4 donde:
0 - Tienes mucho contacto social o sales mucho de casa
4 - Casi nunca tienes contacto social fuera del trabajo.

h = Deporte
Califica la frecuencia en que realizas ejercicio fisico en una escala del 1 al 4 donde:
0 - Haces deporte mas de 4 veces por semana
4 - Nunca practicas ningun deporte

i = Alimentacion
Califica la calidad de tu alimentacion en una escala del 1 al 4 donde:
0 - Alimentacion sana y equilibrada
4 - Alimentacion muy pobre con mucha comida congelada y precocinada.

Los resultados variaran entre 0 y 828, donde 0 indica susceptibilidad minima al SAD (depresion invernal) y 800 indica gran probabilidad de sufrir SAD.

Cero a 100 = es muy improbable que sufras de TAE.
100 a 300 = puedes sufrir de sintomas leves a moderados.
300 a 600 = puedes sufrir sintomas suficientemente severos como para afectar tu calidad de vida.
600 a 800 = corres el riesgo de sufrir TAE y seria aconsejable que consultaras con tu medico de cabecera.

Lo que no entiendo es como me da un resultado de 82 si es de tod@s conocido que en invierno me siento totalmente falt@ de energia y tengo bastante (mas) mal humor de lo habitual! Claro que tambien es de tod@s conocido que SIEMPRE suspendi las Matematicas!!!

The weather today:
loudy
21C
UV Index:6 High
Wind: From the South Southeast at 10 mph
Dew Point: 16C
Humidity:74%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1,021.3 mb

2005-08-15T12:56:00.000+01:00

Join us in the attempt to drive planet Earth a new orbit, by letting millions of people jump says the World Jump Day 2006 website. D Day will be 20th July 2006. Check on the website for your local time. You can even register on the website to receive a reminder before the D Day. On the actual Day, just look for a hard surface and make sure you jump at the right time. It may work! And if it doesn't, who cares, we are here for a laugh, arent' we?

Unete a nuestro intento de darle al planeta Tierra una nueva orbita mediante el salto coordinado de miles de personas, dice la pagina web del World Jump Day 2006 (en ingles, Dia del Salto Mundial 2006). El dia D sera el 20 de Julio del anio 2006. Comprueba en la pagina web la hora local para tu salto. Puedes incluso registrarte con tu email para que te envien un email recordatorio unos dias antes de la fecha senialada. Al llegar el dia y la hora, asegurate de que estas situad@ sobre una superficie dura y....salta! Quiza incluso funcione y cambiemos la orbita terrestre. Y si no funciona... que mas da, al menos nos habremos reido un rato!

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
20C
UV Index:4 Moderate
Wind: From the Northwest at 8 mph
Dew Point: 13C
Humidity: 64%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer: 1,025.1 mb

2005-08-12T11:37:00.000+01:00

I want an illuminated umbrella ! You can see how it looks inside in this review . And this blogger explains how at last he's got his wish fulfilled, years after watching a similar version of an illuminated umbrella in the film Blade Runner . I was getting my credit card out to fork off the 38 dollars for an umbrella when I realised the shop is only available for US shoppers. Snif.

Quiero un paraguas con luz ! Aqui podeis ver como funciona y como es por dentro, con fotos. Y este otro blogger nos explica que, despues de anios de ver una version similar en Blade Runner , por fin tiene su paraguas con luz. Yo iba ya a desembolsar los 38 dolares cuando me he percatado de que la tienda en cuestion solo vende en los USA. Snif.

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
18C
UV Index: 3 Moderate
Wind: From the North Northwest at 13 mph
Dew Point: 11C
Humidity: 62%
Visibility: 10 miles
Barometer:1,014.2 mb

2005-08-11T15:00:00.000+01:00

In my 12/09/2003 post I explained my participating as a "dummy" candidate in a series of fake job interviews designed to train interviewers. Today I can explain what it is to sit on the other side of the desk. And this time the interviews were real. I had not even attended the interviewers training but a week ago I was asked to replace a trained interviewer in a panel for an administrative job. Today's candidates did not have any inkling that one of the panel members was a novice in the job! Luckyly, I did not fuck up! I asked my questions, took notes and after 5 hours of interviews, I sat down with the other two panel members to discuss and agree on a successful candidate. The last choice was between a hard-working little mouse and a strong ex-rebellious girl who wanted to turn a new leaf on ther life. I would have chosen the last one. I am not scared of strong ex-rebellious girls. But we chose the little mouse. Personal likings were not taken into account. The final choice was made depending on the best candidate to "fit in" the job. The little mouse will feel at home between filing cabinets and archives. The other candidate was too big for a small job. Conclusion : all the times I was rejected for a job for which I thought I was the perfect candidate... I was probably the best candidate but that was not MY perfect job. Too small for me. Just like with the strong girl's today. I wish her all the best. She really deserves it. And she will get it!

Si en mi post del 12/09/2003 explicaba mi participacion como 'conejillo de indias'- candidat@ en entrevistas de trabajo - para ayudar en los cursillos para entrevistadores que organizamos en la oficina, esta vez cuento lo que representa estar en el otro lado. Esta vez era yo un@ de l@s entrevistadores y no en un cursillo, sino en entrevistas reales para cubrir un puesto de administracion. Sin ni tan solo haber asistido al cursillo para entrevistadores, hace una semana se me propuso cubrir la vacante de un entrevistador que no podia participar en el panel de tres de esta maniana. L@s candidat@s de hoy no tenian ni idea de que era mi primera vez en ese lado de la mesa. Afortunadamente, no meti la pata. Formule mis preguntas, escuche con atencion, tome notas y al final, despues de cinco horas de entrevistas, escogimos a la candidata ideal. En eso coincidimos l@s tres miembros del panel. La eleccion final quedo entre una ratita trabajadora y una chica que pisaba fuerte y que queria dar un nuevo rumbo a su vida. Por mi, hubiera escogido a la segunda. No me dan miedo los que pisan fuerte si pisan con buen motivo. Pero escogimos a la ratita. No era cuestion de gustos personales, sino de ver quien se adaptaba mejor al puesto de trabajo. La ratita encajaba con los archivos. La otra, era demasiado grande para un puesto tan pequenio. Moraleja de la historia: esas veces en que me rechazaron para un puesto que yo creia ideal...quiza no era tan ideal como yo creia. Quiza se me quedaba pequenio. Como a la chica que pisaba fuerte, a la que deseo toda la suerte del mundo, porque se la merece. Y no dudo que tendra exito en el futuro!

The weather today:
Fair
25C
UV Index: 5 Moderate
Wind: From the South at 5 mph
Dew Point: 12C
Humidity: 44%
Visibility: 6 miles

2005-08-10T14:15:00.000+01:00

I thought I had heard of all possible diets. Even the most bizzare diets. Well, I was wrong! Now there is a diet for 'good Christians' by Don M.D. Colbert, explained in the book What would Jesus eat? . It seems Dr Colbert has been studying the possible food eaten in the eastern Mediterranean area of 10AD and collated his findings in this book, which recommends wholemeal bread, fish and vegetables for a (holy?) balanced lifestyle.

Y yo que creia que ya lo habia oido todo sobre regimenes alimenticios y ahora van y me salen con otro, digamos 'especial'... Un regimen para 'buenos cristianos', por el doctor Don Colbert, explicado en su libro What would Jesus eat? (en ingles "Que comeria Jesus?"). Parece ser que el buen doctor se ha dedicado a estudiar el tipo de alimentos que posiblemente se comian en la zona del Este del Mediterraneo en el anio 10DC, y ha llegado a la conclusion de que eran, basicamente, pan integral, pescado y verduras los que garantizaban una dieta (santamente?) equilibrada.

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
23C
UV Index:4 Moderate
Wind: From the North at 5 mph
Dew Point:22C
Humidity: 93%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1,015.6 mb

2005-08-09T15:00:00.000+01:00

Our lunch last Saturday. Paella!
Paella is a typical Spanish dish, traditionally cooked in a "paellera" - a round flat pan with two handles - which is then put on the table for all to see and admire. It is normally cooked using shellfish but can also be made with chicken,rabbit or only vegetables. In many Spanish villages, especially in coastal areas, they use a giant paellera to cook a paella on festival days which is big enough to feed everybody. A paella is very flexible so if you don’t have the exact ingredients or if you find some of them hard to get hold of, substitute them for something similar. Getting fresh shellfish can be a problem, but you can always use frozen fish and use fish stock instead of water to increase the flavour. There are hundreds of ways to cook a paella and every cook has their own favourite recipe. This one which I found on the internet and slightly modified to my personal taste, will serve 4 people:

INGREDIENTS:
2 onions, finely chopped
1 green pepper, finely chopped
1 red pepper, boiled until soft and then cut into long thin strips
8 medium-sized tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped
100g peas, cooked
200g prawns (if using cooked prawns substitute fish stock for the water)
200g small clams
200g squid
12 mussels
350g rice (traditionally short grain rice is used)
2 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
a pinch of saffron strands (if you can’t get saffron, use yellow food colouring instead and add it once you have added the liquid)
a sprig of parsley, finely chopped
olive oil
about 800ml water

PREPARATION:
MUSSELS: Wash the mussels, removing the beards. Throw away any that are open or smell funny. Boil the mussels in a pot without any water until they open.
FRESH SQUID: Rub off the outer dark skin. Pull out the insides (including the transparent back bone) and pinch the eye away from the tentacles. Save the tentacles. Cut the squid into rings. Or get frozen squid rings, if fresh are not available.
CLAMS: Discard any open clams. Wash in water and boil without any water until they open.
PRAWNS: Do not peel them, let your guests do it the Spanish way, with their own fingers while they are eating the paella. Grill the prawns until they are almost cooked.
GARLIC: In a pestle and mortar, grind the garlic, saffron (if using), parsley and a pinch of salt.

RECIPE:
Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion, green pepper and fry gently for about five minutes. Add the chopped tomato and squid (with the tentacles) and fry on a low heat for another ten minutes.
Add the rice and stir well to make sure that it is thoroughly coated. Add water (or fish stock if using frozen fish), clams and the garlic/saffron/parsley mixture and bring to the boil. Season with salt. Put a lid on it, turn the heat right down and cook very slowly for about ten minutes. Add the prawns and peas and give it a stir. Arrange the mussels and strips of red pepper artistically on top, put the lid back on and leave for another ten minutes - checking that it has enough water. If you think it is getting too dry, add more water, but shake the handle of the pan rather than stir so as not to upset the pattern. Once the rice is cooked and the mussels have opened,let in rest for five minutes, covered and then it is ready to eat.

El almuerzo del sabado. Paella! Y bueno, arriba he dado la receta de la Paella en ingles. O una de las muchas recetas para preparar Paella, porque en cada casa se prepara de una manera distinta! No la traduzco porque me imagino que, si lees en castellano, ya sabes bien lo que es una Paella. Y nada...uno de mis platos preferidos y el primero que prepara mi madre cuando vuelvo a casa (por Navidad, como los turrones El Almendro, o en cualquier otra epoca del anio. A mi me da igual la epoca, la Paella siempre me va bien!).

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
23C
UV Index: 6 High
Wind: From the West Southwest at 9 mph
Dew Point: 16C
Humidity: 64%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1,015.9 mb

2005-08-08T15:25:00.000+01:00

This week we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Internet's as a mass phenomenon marking "a decade since the explosive stock market debut of Netscape, which triggered the dot.com boom and unleashed a friendly browser to navigate the web". More news in this article from The Guardian.

Esta semana celebramos el decimo aniversario de la consagracion de Internet como fenomeno de masas, marcado por "una decada desde la explosiva entrada en Bolsa de Netscape, que disparo el boom del dot.com y nos puso en las manos un navegador decente para el usuario". Mas informacion en este articulo (en ingles) de The Guardian.

The weather today:
Fair
22C
UV Index: 5 Moderate
Wind: From the North Northwest at 8 mph
Dew Point: 9C
Humidity: 43%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer: 1,020.0 mb

2005-08-05T14:39:00.000+01:00

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime."
Mark Twain , how right were and ARE you!

El viajar es fatal para los prejuicios, el fanatismo y los puntos de mira estrechos. Mucha gente necesita viajar solo por estas razones. No se puede adquirir una mentalidad abierta, tolerante y caritativa quedandose un@ vegetando en su rinconcito del mundo para toda la vida"
Mark Twain , que razon tenias y AUN tienes!

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy and Windy
21C
UV Index: 4 Moderate
Wind: From the West Northwest at 20 mph
Dew Point: 17C
Humidity: 80%

2005-08-04T14:20:00.000+01:00

As featured in The Guardian article "Mind if we don't?" the 10 trips you would REALLY want to miss...

- Hunting seals : NorSafari offers a 110GBP in which tourists can shoot a seal. Fro 650GBP, tourists can shoot as many seals as they want. As mentioned some months ago with indignation, which I share, in Ylek's Todo lo solido... se desvanece en el aire .
- Nuclear chill out: A guided tour of Chernobyl for 83 GBP.Get real close to the reactor and visit the houses at the abandonned nearby village.
- Get the hump : The Camel Cup , an event in Central Australia where tourists are encouraged to ride a camel in a race. Now camels are known for their docile and friendly nature, yes...and if you are wondering about the presence of camels in Australia, see : here for the full story.
- Rough justice : Organised by Peacemaker Circle , participants are sent to live on the streets, living on the rough and begging for their food. Even the enrolment fee is paid by begging! Not tempted? Try their Auschwitz retreat!
- Spin out : Rolling down the Perthshire hills inside a 12-foot plastic sphere at speeds of 35 mph, an activity known as Zorbing . No brakes. I'd like to try this!
- Chop-chop : Lake District courses preparing participants for life in the bush . Includes axe workshop. Just in case.
- Shovel off : Hurtling down a mountain at 70 mph on the front of a snow shovel in Angel Fire Resort , New Mexico. Basically, any structure that supports you is alright. Even a bathtub.
- Dead pets' society : A 400 GBP , two-day stay in the Isle of Man, where participants are taught how to read their pet's minds . For communication with dead pets, participants bring along a photo and stare into the pets' eyes.
- Extreme naturism : In the Austrian mountains during winter, with below zero temperatures and surrounded by snow. That's taking naturism to another level, for sure.
- For peat's sake : In Llanwrtyd Wells locals have dug out a 60-yard long, four-foot deep trench through a dense peat bog. Competitors armed with a snorkel and flippers have to doggy-paddle their way to the end and back in the slime. And that is called Bog Snorkelling !

Esas vacaciones a las que no te apuntarias ni loc@..., segun el articulo de The Guardian "Mind if we don't?" :

- Caza de focas : Por 110 libras esterlinas, la compania NorSafari te lleva a cazar una foca. Por 650 libras, puedes cazar tantas como quieras. Ya mencionado, con indignacion que comparto, hace unos meses por Ylek en Todo lo solido... se desvanece en el aire .
- Chill out nuclear: Visita guiada a la central nuclear de Chernobyl por 83 libras esterlinas. Echale una ojeadita bien de cerca al reactor y luego paseate por las casas abandonadas del pueblo mas cercano.
- Monta en la jiba : La Copa del camello en Australia, donde se anima a los turistas novatos a montar y competir en una carrera de camellos. Animalitos dociles y amables, los camellos, si...ya, tambien os estareis preguntando a que viene los de camellos en Australia. Aqui nos lo explican.
- Justicia pura y dura ? : Peacemaker Circle organiza 'retiros' en la calle, donde los participantes viven sin techo y mendigan para comer. Tambien hay que mendigar para pagar la matriculacion. No te tienta? Pues naadaaa, que tal el retiro en el campo de concentracion de Auschwitz ?
- A rodar! : En las colinas de Perthshire, dentro de una esfera de plastico a velocidades de 35 millas por hora, actividad conocida como Zorbing . No hay frenos. Esto lo quiero probar yo un dia.
- Chop-chop : Cursos en el Lake District que te preparan para la vida en la montania , lejos de la civilizacion. Incluye seminario en el manejo del hacha.
- : En el Angel Fire Resort de New Mexico, donde los participantes se lanzan montania abajo en un 'snow shovel' a velocidades de 70 millas por hora. Basicamente, cualquier vehiculo vale. Hasta una baniera.
- Amor animal : Por 400 libras esterlinas los participantes aprenden, en dos dias, a leer la mente de sus animales domesticos . Y si el animalito ha muerto, se comunican con el mirandole a los ojos...en una foto.
- Naturismo extremo: En las montanias de Austria , durante el invierno, con temperaturas bajo cero y rodeados de nieve. Eso SI es amor al arte.
- Banio de limo : Los habitantes del pueblo de Llanwrtyd Wells (Gales) han excavado un agujero de 55 metros de largo y y metro y medio de ancho en una cienaga de turba donde los participantes participan en una carrera con snorkel y flippers. Y hasta tiene un nombre : Bog snorkelling .

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
19C
UV Index: 4 Moderate
Wind: From the West Northwest at 12 mph
Dew Point: 12C
Humidity: 63%
Visibility: 9 miles
Barometer:1,026.1 mb

2005-08-03T11:16:00.000+01:00

London's first EasyHotel opened yesterday at 14, Lexham Gardens. It features 29 standard rooms without window, 3 standard rooms with window and 2 rooms for disabled people. All of them with a maximum occupancy of 2 people and for a minimum of 20 GBP per night. I had a look at the EasyHotel website and photos of the rooms. First I thought it wasn't that bad. Even if the rooms have no window. But then I read a bit more. Your towels and bed linen will be changed during your stay if you pay for it. 10 GBP each time. Fine, I'll keep the same towels. But... come on Stelios , paying to watch tv???? Believe it or not, Stelios wants us to pay 5 GBP for the remote control. It is not clarified if that is per night or per stay. Now Stelios, even in the cheapest of the cheap hotels you get tv for free. Look at the wonderfully cheap Formule 1 , one of my favourite cheapos in France! So.. Stelios we flight with you because your flights are cheap. But sorry, we are NOT going to sleep with you. And it's not only for the petty tv detail. No. It's also because, as threatened, you've painted your hotel rooms in that horrid orange colour. And that gives me nightmares, Stelios. Your planes are orange outside but not inside. And that's fine. But an orange hotel room? I don't think so, Stelios, I don't think so.

El primer EasyHotel en Londres abrio ayer sus puertas en el numero 14, Lexham Gardens. Cuenta con 29 habitaciones standard SIN ventana, 3 habitaciones standard CON ventana y 2 habitaciones para personas con minusvalias (con o sin ventana? no se especifica). Para un maximo de dos ocupantes y precios por noche desde 20 libras esterlinas. He estado mirando la pagina web y fotos del hotel. En principio, pense que no era mala idea. Incluso con las habitaciones SIN ventana. Y continue leyendo. Si el cliente desea cambio de toallas o sabanas durante su estancia, debe abonar 10 libras por cambio. Vale. No me cambieis las toallas. Pero...hombre, Stelios , nos quieres hacer pagar por ver la tele???? Increible pero cierto. Stelios quiere que paguemos 5 libras esterlinas para "alquilar" el mando a distancia sin el cual no podemos ver la tv. Y lo que no dice es si el precio es por noche o para toda la duracion de la estancia. Venga, Stelios, incluso en los hoteles mas baratos te dejan ver la tele gratis. Mira si no los fabulosamente baratos Formule 1 , uno de mis favoritos en Francia! Asi que...Stelios, volamos contigo porque eres barato, pero me parece que NO vamos a dormir contigo. Y no es solo por lo de la tele, Stelios. Es que, ademas, como era de preveer, has pintado las habitaciones con el habitual tono naranja que me da pesadillas! Y eso si que no, Stelios. Porque los aviones me los pintas naranja, pero es por fuera y durante el vuelo yo no lo veo. Pero la habitacion del hotel ya es arena de otro costal. Sorry Stelios, pero esta vez si que no.

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
18C
UV Index:3 Moderate
Wind: From the Northwest at 13 mph
Dew Point: 11°C
Humidity: 63%
Visibility:Unlimited
Barometer: 1,021.3 mb

2005-08-02T10:32:00.000+01:00

A good investment if taking short breaks in any European city : buy a city card from European City Cards . A different price applies to each city as well as the possiblity of buying a 24, 48, 74 hour card. And what does your card get you? To start with, free public transportation in the city of your choice. Forget about buying lots of tickets and having to deal with different cards for bus, metro or tram. Your City Card is a All in One card. Plus, you get free entry to most of the city museums and discounts in many shops and restaurants. I checked the coverage for Budapest , as we are thinking we may go to Hungary in Easter. The city card also included free entry to the zoo, the Matthias church and the Palvolgy Cave and discounted entry to the famous Museum of Terror . Now this is not your usual cheap-thrills place. We are talking real terror here, the history of Budapest under the Nazi and the Soviet regime. Now I don't know about you, but I am going to buy the City Card when going to Budapest.

La mejor inversion en visitas cortas a ciudades europeas es comprar la City Card. Se puede comprar tambien online en European City Cards . El precio es diferente dependiendo de la ciudad a visitar y del tipo de tarjeta : validez de 24, 48 o 74 horas. Y cual es la ventaja de la City Card? Para empezar, te da acceso gratis a todo el transporte publico de la ciudad. No mas lios al comprar tickets individuales, calcular descuentos al comprar tickets colectivos y distinguir entre billetes de metro, bus o tranvia. Con la City Card, una es para todos y todos son para una! Ademas, el poseedor entra gratuitamente en la mayoria de los museos de la ciudad, ademas de recibir descuentos en determinadas tiendas y restaurantes. He investigado la cobertura en Budapest , a donde quiza viajemos en Semana Santa, y la entrada es tambien gratis en el zoo, la iglesia Matthias y la caverna Palvolgy asi como entrada con descuento al Museo del Terror . Y no me refiero a una atraccion de feria, precisamente, sino a autentico terror. El vivido por Budapest durante la epoca de la invasion Nazi y, posteriormente, la Sovietica. No se vosotros, pero lo que es yo, sin dudarlo compro la tarjetita de marras.

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
17C
UV Index:2 Low
Wind: calm
Dew Point: 16C
Humidity: 93%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer: 1,020.7 mb

2005-08-01T14:23:00.000+01:00

"Big lollipops for long distances"
"Enormes chupa-chups para largas distancias"

Now everybody is taking their summer holidays or planning them at the last-minute... it's when we have booked our winter holidays. As usual! We will be travelling to the US from the 25th December to the 13th January. This time we are flying to Houston, Texas. Provided the weather behaves nicely, our plan is : Texas ( Houston , Dallas , Amarillo ), Oklahoma ( Oklahoma City and the Route 66 bits left), New Mexico ( Santa Fe , Los Alamos , maybe Roswell ) and Arizona (Petrified Forest , Painted Desert ). And back to Houston! The weather being terrible on the West we would then drive to the East, New Orleans and Florida. I love B Plans. The last time we had to reject most of Plan A due to horrid weather and Plan B proved to be really good!

Ahora que todo el mundo esta de vacaciones de verano o bien planeando las vacaciones a ultima hora, nosotros ya hemos reservado nuestras vacaciones...de invierno. Como es habitual! Viajaremos a USA del 25 de Diciembre al 13 de Enero. Esta vez volaremos a Houston, Texas. Suponiendo que haga buen tiempo en esa zona, nuestro plan es, a grandes rasgos : Texas ( Houston , Dallas , Amarillo ), Oklahoma ( Oklahoma City y lo que queda de la Route 66 ), New Mexico ( Santa Fe , Los Alamos , quiza Roswell ) y Arizona ( Petrified Forest , Painted Desert ). Y de vuelta a Houston! Suponiendo que el tiempo sea horrible en el Oeste, el Plan B es dirigirnos hacia el Este : New Orleans y Florida. Me encantan los Planes B. La ultima vez desechamos casi en su totalidad el Plan A debido al mal tiempo y lo pasamos estupendamente.

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
20C
UV Index:4 Moderate
Wind: From the East at 9 mph
Dew Point: 13C
Humidity:64%
Visibility:6 miles
Barometer:1,017.9 mb

2005-07-29T15:52:00.000+01:00

Some days, I feel like listening to country music at Atlanta Blue Sky . Although by personal experience I can confirm one will find country music only makes REAL sense when driving through long distances on the US. There it fits, it is appropriate and provides your personal soundtrack to the trip. And when the journey is far away in the past, listening to the soundrtrack helps you in a little time of evasion and escape in front of the computer.

Hay dias en que me apetece escuchar musica country en Atlanta Blue Sky . Aunque por experiencia personal, puedo afirmar que solo se le encuentra el verdadero sentido a la musica country cuando viajas en coche a grandes distancias en Estados Unidos. Entonces el country encaja en la situacion y parece tu banda sonora personal del viaje. A veces, cuando el viaje ya queda muy lejos, escuchar la banda sonora ayuda a evadirte en una pequenia escapada delante del ordenador.

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
21C
UV Index: 4 Moderate
Wind: From the West at 13 mph
Dew Point: 10C
Humidity: 49%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer: 1,010.8 mb

2005-07-28T16:00:00.000+01:00

A day to remember and celebrate. Today at 4.00pm the IRA ended its armed campaign. Here it is the complete text of the IRA statement

Un dia para celebrar y no olvidar. Hoy a las 4 de la tarde, el IRA ha depuesto las armas. Aqui esta el texto completo (en ingles) de la declaracion del IRA .

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy and Windy
22C
UV Index: 6 High
Wind: From the South Southwest at 26 mph
Dew Point: 17C
Humidity: 74%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1,005.8 mb

2005-07-27T15:46:00.000+01:00

There wont' be a referendum to change the New Zealand flag. The NZFlag.com Trust , who was running the campaign did not get the 270.000 signatures they needed to go ahead. Telecom , who was supposed to help them to mail the petition to NZ homes, has withdrawn its support. How nice, Telecom, very nice of you!! There we are again. Again. I have written to Telecom telling them exactly what I think. You can do that by typing your letter: here
The official communication was the following:

"27 July 2005

Dear NZ Flag Supporter

We are writing to tell you that this week the NZFlag.com Trust will issue a press release saying that it will be withdrawing its petition for a Citizens Initiated Referendum on changing the New Zealand flag.

Currently we have around 100,000 signatures and we have until October to collect a further 170,000. However, it is clear to us now that we won't be able to reach that goal within the constraints of the Citizens Initiated Referendum Act and with the resources available to us.

While we have clearly been successful in lifting the level of debate on this issue, throughout the campaign we have failed to ignite people's support to a level where they have been prepared to work on behalf of the campaign. Our biggest failing has been not motivating enough people to a level where they would help us collect signatures - in short, we have never developed a proper distribution/collection system simply because we have never marshalled the manpower.

We had thought we had addressed this when Telecom had made an offer to mail the petition to all 1.4m households in New Zealand in August. New Zealand Post agreed to provide freepost so people could return the petition forms at no cost to themselves, also supported by New Zealand Post and Telecom outlets. This would have provided us with the distribution network we so clearly needed for the campaign to be a success. A less than 10% response rate, which we felt was achievable, would have seen us reach our goal.
Unfortunately, in an unexpected move, Telecom withdrew their support for the mail out last week, which means we no longer have access to that distribution network and do not believe we have a viable alternative.

We can celebrate some successes. The issue of whether New Zealand should have a new flag is now in front of the public and we know from polling around New Zealand that generally there is more than 50% support for change. The difficulty with a Citizens Initiated Referendum is translating that support into signatures. Given the continuing trend in favour of change it is probable that, in time, the flag will be changed.

While the time may not be right for change now, we said at the beginning of the campaign that if the outcome resulted in no change, but resulted in New Zealanders debating the country's national identity, then that in itself was an achievement.

Thank you for your support of the campaign and for helping to raise the flag for the people of New Zealand.

Yours sincerely
The NZFlag.com Trust

No habra referendum para cambiar la bandera de Nueva Zelanda. Venga, que la sigan confundiendo con la de Australia, como siempre, justo lo que queriamos evitar. La organizacion que recogia las firmas necesarias para la peticion, la NZFlag.com Trust me comunica que no han recibido 270.000 firmas, lo minimo necesario para que la peticion se considere legal en NZ. Telecom , la empresa de telecomunicaciones que les habia ofrecido su apoyo para enviar la peticion por correo, de golpe y porrazo les ha dicho que se retira y que no les ayuda. Muy bonito, seniores de Telecom, pero que muy bonito. Asi que se acabo. Pues he escrito a Telecom, diciendoles exactamente lo que pienso! A quien se anime, podeis escribirles: aqui .
Esta es la traduccion del comunicado que he recibido esta maniana :

"27 Julio 2005

Estimado/a partidario/a de la campania bandera de NZ:

Lamentamos comunicarte que esta semana la organizacion NZFlag.com Trust emitira un comunicado de prensa informando que retiramos nuestra peticion a Referendum Iniciado por los Ciudadanos para cambiar la bandera de Nueva Zelanda.

En este momento contamos con 100.000 firmas y aun tenemos hasta Octubre para recoger 170.000 mas. Sin embargo, consideramos que no conseguiremos el numero deseado de firmas para acogernos a las normas de Referendum Iniciado por los Ciudadanos con los medios con los que contamos actualmente.

Aunque hemos tenido exito en elevar el nivel del debate sobre este tema, nos ha sido imposible convencer a la poblacion hasta un nivel en que desearan colaborar en la campania. Nuestro fallo ha sido nuestra incapacidad de motivar a la poblacion para que salieran a recoger firmas - en resumen, no hemos sido capaces de desarrollar un sistema adecuado de distribucion/recogida de firmas al no tener suficientes colaboradores.

Estabamos convencidos que este problema se habia solucionado cuando Telecom nos propuso enviar la peticion a los 1.4 millones de hogares en Nueva Zelanda en Agosto. Correos de Nueva Zelanda acepto darnos categoria freepost para que los ciudadanos no pagaran ningun gasto de envio al devolvernos la peticion firmada y tambien contabamos con la colaboracion de las tiendas Telecom. De esta manera, contabamos con la red de distribucion necesaria para asegurar el exito de la campania. Con tan solo recibir un 10% de respuestas, lo que nos parecia relativamente facil, nos hubieramos colocado cerca de nuestro objetivo. Lamentablemente y de manera totalmente inesperada, Telecom cancelo su apoyo la semana pasada. Ahora nos encontramos sin acceso a la red de distribucion y no encontramos ninguna alternativa viable.

Hemos tenido cierto exito. El debate sobre si NZ debia considerar una nueva bandera esta ahora en manos del publico y, por encuestas que se han realizado, sabemos que, en general, contamos con mas del 50% de la poblacion que aprueba el cambio. El problema principal al tratar de iniciar un Referendum Iniciado por los Ciudadanos es el numero necesario de firmas y como conseguirlas. Sabiendo que la mayoria de la poblacion desea un cambio, es muy probable que, en un futuro, se cambie la bandera por otros medios.

Aunque no hayamos llegado al momento adecuado para el cambio, ya dijimos al principo de la campania que si el resultado acababa siendo negativo, lo considerariamos un exito si, al mismo tiempo, habiamos logrado que los Neocelandeses debatieran la cuestion de su identidad nacional.

Gracias por tu apoyo a la campania y por ayudarnos a ondear la bandera de los ciudadanos de Nueva Zelanda.

Muy cordialmente,
The NZFlag.com Trust

The weather today:
Mist
18C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the East at 6 mph
Dew Point: 17C
Humidity: 95%
Visibility:2 miles
Barometer: 1,006.4 m

2005-07-26T12:03:00.000+01:00

What a great idea! The Times is giving one audiobook for free every week. This week's book is Lemony Snicket's fantasy novel : A Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events) narrated by Tim Curry. Follow The Times instructions or get it directly from here : Audible .

Idea genial! The Times regala un audio-libro gratis cada semana durante un mes. El libro de esta semana es la novela fantastica de Lemony Snicket : A Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events) narrada por Tim Curry. Para los que quieran una manera entretenida de praticar ingles y gratis. Seguid las instrucciones en la pagina del The Times o directamente en : Audible

The weather today:
Cloudy
16C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the East at 7 mph
Dew Point: 11C
Humidity: 74%
Visibility:Unlimited
Barometer: 1,010.2 mb

2005-07-25T13:50:00.000+01:00

From now on, I'm looking upwards! At the end of the day, it doesn't cost anything to try... According to an article titled "Just look up to find happiness" published in The Sunday Times yesterday:
"In the study, researchers tested volunteers to find those with the strongest pessimistic and optimistic traits. Then the volunteers were asked to perform various cognitive tests while looking downwards and similar tasks while looking slightly upwards.The results showed that the pessimists performed best while looking downwards, the optimists best when they looked upwards.
It is possible that such postures can actually reinforce the moods that caused them, so people with pessimistic or depressive tendencies are perpetuating them through directing their gaze downwards".

A partir de ahora, yo miro hacia arriba! Total, no cuesta nada probar...
Segun un articulo titulado "Mira hacia arriba para ser feliz" publicado ayer en The Sunday Times :
"En el estudio, los investigadores realizaron tests para determinar rasgos positivos y negativos entre los voluntarios. Despues se pidio a los voluntarios que realizaran varios tests cognitivos mientras miraban hacia arriba, y tareas similares mientras miraban hacia abajo. Los resultados demostraron que los pesimistas alcanzaban mejores resultados mientras miraban hacia abajo y los optimistas mientras miraban hacia arriba.
Es posible que dichas posturas refuercen los estados de animo que las causaron de buen principio. Asi pues, los pesimistas o con tendencias depresivas estarian perpertuando sus estados de animo al mirar constantemente hacia abajo".

The weather today:
Cloudy
18C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the North Northwest at 14 mph
Dew Point:14C
Humidity: 80%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1,002.4 mb

2005-07-22T10:58:00.000+01:00

Today I found out about adopting cyberpets like the duck above. You can adopt a customized pet (llama, bunny, cat, hedgehog, etc.) for free for your blog/website from Bunnyhero Labs . Oh and if you don't have a blog/website, you can always add it to your browser by following the instructions. Try other code options if you cannot see your pet after pasting the code to your blog. For pasting here as a blogger post, I had to use the "livejournal, deadjournal or greatestjournal" option. Try clicking on Flap the Duck above. It will open in a new page where you will be able to make Flap move around with your mouse and by clicking the mouse, Flap will quack too!

Acabo de descubrir como adoptar cyber-mascotas como el pato de arriba. Podeis adoptar una mascota personalizada (llama, conejo, gato, erizo, etc.) gratis para vuestro blog/pagina web en Bunnyhero Labs . Y si no teneis blog/pagina web, siempre podeis aniadirlo a vuestro buscador, siguiendo las instruciones. Si no veis vuestra mascota despues de pegar el codigo, pobrad otras opciones de codigo. Por ejemplo, para colgar la mascota aqui como un post de Blogger, tuve que usar el codigo para "livejournal, deadjournal or greatestjournal". Haced un click en el pato Flap. Os llevara a otra pagina web donde podeis mover a Flap con vuestro mouse y, con un click, oirle...cuack, cuack!

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
18C
UV Index:3 Moderate
Wind: From the North at 6 mph
Dew Point: 14°C
Humidity: 76%
Visibility: 7 miles
Barometer:1,016.6 m

2005-07-21T11:43:00.000+01:00

Scotty (James Doohan) died yesterday. Who will "beam us up", now? Snif.

Murio Scotty (James Doohan). Quien nos teletransportara ahora? Snif.

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
19C
UV Index: 3 Moderate
Wind: From the Northwest at 13 mph
Dew Point: 12C
Humidity: 65%
Visibility:Unlimited
Barometer: 1,021.0 mb

2005-07-20T14:24:00.000+01:00

I have just found out about Geocaching (pronounced 'geocashing')today. I quote from Wikipedia : "Geocaching is an outdoor sport that involves the use of a Global Positioning System ("GPS") receiver to find a "geocache" (or "cache") placed anywhere in the world. A typical cache is a small, waterproof container containing a logbook and "treasure". Geocaching is a unique take on an earlier game called Letterboxing in that it uses two recent technologies, the GPS and the Internet. Participants are called geocachers.
The sport of geocaching was made possible by the "turning off" of the Selective Availability of the Global Positioning System on May 1, 2000. The first documented placement of a cache with GPS assistance took place on May 3, 2000 by Dave Ulmer of Beaver Creek, Oregon. The location was posted on the Usenet newsgroup sci.geo.satellite-nav. By May 6, 2000 it had been found twice and logged once.
Geocaching is growing rapidly in popularity all over the world. As of July 18, 2005 there were 183908 active caches in 215 countries posted on geocaching.com"

I would love to try Geocaching. And the geographer in the family would love it too. We dont' have a GPS receiver though. Whem is the next birthday then?....

Hoy he descubierto el Geocaching (se pronuncia 'geocashing'). Cito del periodico "Esta combinacion de juego tecnologico y deporte recuerda a la clasica gincama: un jugador esconde una caja con chucherias y baratijas y los otros jugadores han de descubrirla mediante pistas. En el geocaching se dan a traves de internet la longitud y latitud del punto donde se encuentra la caja (o cache), junto con una pequenia descripcion y una pista de donde puede estar oculta. El jugador que decida buscarlo necesitara un sistema GPS con el que localizar el punto a partir de las coordenadas.
Para registrar un cache hay que darse de alta en la pagina de Geocaching.com , donde hay cientos de propuestas. Lo siguiente es bautizarlo e introducir las coordenadas del lugar en el que se ha escondido y un pequeño texto con alguna pista para llegar a el. Al localizarlo, se debe coger y dejar en el un objeto y registrar el hallazgo en el cuaderno que esta dentro. Finalmente, el jugador ha de anunciar en la ficha del cache en la web que lo ha encontrado y aniadir cualquier comentario".

Me gustaria intentar a ver que tal es el Geocaching. Y al expert@ en geografia de casa tambien le gustaria. Pero no tenemos sistema GPS, que mal! Mmmm.....cuando cae el proximo cumpleanios?...

The weather today:
Cloudy and Windy
21C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the West Northwest at 22 mph
Dew Point: 16C
Humidity:73%
Visibility: 7 miles
Barometer: 1,020.3 mb

2005-07-19T15:06:00.000+01:00

This website is plastic fantastic! : Vintage Vegas Postcard Museum

Esta pagina web es fantastica! : Museo de Antiguas Postales de Las Vegas

2005-07-19T13:44:00.000+01:00

I have an announcement to make! Yesterday.... come on, don't you guess?.... Yesterday.... come on, you should have an idea on what I'm about to say... Yesterday.... ha ha ha! Sorry, as I was saying... Yesterday... I bought the last Harry Potter!!! Don't say I didn't give you warning, I had been posting clues for a whole week. Ha, what a laugh.

Anuncio importantisimo! Ayer..... venga, no lo adivinais?.... Ayer.... vamos, tendrias que saber ya que de va..... Ayer.....ja ja ja! Perdon, como decia.... Ayer... compre el ultimo Harry Potter! No digais que no avise, ya habia dejado caer pistas por aqui y por alla desde hacia una semana. Ay que risa.

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy and Windy
19C
UV Index: 4 Moderate
Wind:From the West Southwest at 26 mph
Dew Point:13C
Humidity: 69%
Visibility: 7 miles
Barometer:1,016.9 mb

2005-07-18T14:09:00.000+01:00

Today I've bought a paper shredder . No more setting fire to documents, receipts and invoices in the barbeque or tearing it in small pieces. Now I can go and buy the last Harry Potter book and shred it to bits. No, just joking. I may or I may not buy the last Potter. But if I were to buy it, I would read it and set it free using the Bookcrossing system. Last week I registered some books but didn't have time to release them in my city. Today I have received a private message from another Bookcrossing member asking me to let them have one of the available books by means of trading or paying for the postal cost. I have decided on the trading option. If the other member agrees, my book will travel to the US with the bookcrossing system. I like that. A travelling book.

Hoy he comprado una maquina destructora de documentos para el hogar. Se acabo el pegarle fuego a los documentos, tickets y facturas en la barbacoa o dedicarse a desmenuzarlo en pedacitos. Ahora ya puedo ir a comprar el ultimo libro de Harry Potter y hacerlo picadillo. No, es broma. Puede ser que compre el ultimo Potter o puede ser que no, pero si lo compro, lo leere y lo "liberare" usando el sistema Bookcrossing . La semana pasada registre unos libros en Bookcrossing pero aun no he tenido tiempo de 'liberarlos'. Otro miembro de Bookcrossing me envio un mensaje pidiendome uno de los libros, ya sea por intercambio o bien pagando los gastos de correo. He aceptado el intercambio. Si el otro miembro esta de acuerdo, mi libro viajara a los USA. No esta mal. Me gusta la idea. Libros viajeros.

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy and Windy
21C
UV Index: 4 Moderate
Wind: From the West Southwest at 23 mph
Dew Point: 14C
Humidity: 64%
Visibility:9 miles
Barometer: 1,008.1 mb

2005-07-14T11:46:00.000+01:00

Closed for a long weekend. My parents are coming to visit us. Tomorrow we'll take them to see our city and we'll drive to Stonehenge, as well as having a lunch in a countryside pub. On Saturday we'll go to London. On Sunday, we'll improvise on our way back to the airport.

Cerrado por fin de semana largo. Mis padres vienen a visitarnos. Maniana les llevaremos de visita por nuestra ciudad y luego iremos a Stonehenge. De camino, almorzaremos en un pub en el campo. El sabado vamos a Londres. El domingo, improvisaremos algo de camino al aeropuerto.

The weather today:
Haze
21C
UV Index: 3 Moderate
Wind: From the South at 3 mph
Dew Point: 18C
Humidity: 86%
Visibility: 4 miles
Barometer: 1,020.3 mb

2005-07-13T15:44:00.000+01:00

I knew it. I said so several times but everybody laughed at my 'wild ideas'. Now it is confirmed. By the Pope, no more no less!! Harry Potter books are EVIL!!! From The Times : "Pope Benedict XVI has condemned the Harry Potter books as 'subtle seductions', capable of corrupting young Christians, in two letters which have now been published online".

I've also read in the newspaper the Pope has started his holidays today. He took 200 policemen to protect him, in case of a terrorist attack. From Harry Potter fans, I wonder?

Lo sabia. Lo dije varias veces y la gente se reia de mis 'ideas locas'. Y ahora me dan la razon. El Papa lo ha confirmado, nada mas y nada menos!! Los libros de Harry Potter son el Mal. Cito de The Times : "El Papa Benedicto XVI ha condenado los libros de Harry Potter tachandolos de 'sutiles seducciones' capaces de corromper a los jovenes cristianos, en dos cartas que se han publicado en internet".

Tambien he leido, en otro periodico, que el Papa ha empezado hoy sus vacaciones estivales. Se ha llevado 200 policias para protegerle, en caso de ataque terrorista. Por parte de los fans de Harry Potter, quiza?

The weather today:
Fair
29C
UV Index: 5 Moderate
Wind: From the North Northeast at 5 mph
Dew Point:15C
Humidity: 42%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer: 1,023.0 mb

2005-07-12T14:23:00.000+01:00

I think my landlord has been murdered. I'll explain. The last time I spoke to our landlord was back in December, when we discussed renewing our property rental agreement. Since then, no word from him. This month, we tried to speak to him about our faulty boiler and fixing our bathroom which had been left half done by the builders next door, without success. I have to clarify the landlord also owns the property next door and he is building a new house there. For the mains pipes to be properly set, they had to do some major work in our bathroom pipes. This job was carried forward but as a result, our bath has to be replaced and our toilet repositioned. After two weeks without news and after receiving conflicting news from the foreman, I called our landlord at home. His wife said he was at work. When I called him at work, some business associate told me he was at home. This has happened several times. I have come to suspect my landlord is dead and there is a conspiracy to cover it up. My theory is my landlords' wife and the foreman were having an affair and decided to get rid of my landlord. They killed him back in December. They buried the corpse on the building site next to my house and started building a house there. Houses foundations are not normally set up in December in this country. The weather is too rainy and unreliable. Building outdoors usually starts in spring. However, the murderers had to start laying the foundations immediately, as they had buried the landlord there! My landlords business associate and the rest of builders are in the conspiracy, too. Probably have been bribed by the foreman and my landlord's wife. Nobody else will suspect their horrible crime. It's only N (SD) and I who have come to suspect something fishy is going on.

On the other hand....do you think our landlord is just plainly hiding because he left us without hot water for four working days and a weekend and the work in our bathroow has not been done yet?

Creo que el propietario de la casa que alquilamos ha sido asesinado. Me explico. La ultima vez que hable con el fue en Diciembre pasado, cuando acordamos renovar el contrato de alquiler de la propiedad. Desde entonces, no hemos sabido mas de el. Este mes intentamos hablar con el, sin conseguirlo, sobre el mal funcionamiento del calentador de agua/gas y el arreglo del banio, que se ha dejado a medio hacer. Para mas detalle, resulta que el propietario de nuestra casa tambien tiene un terreno justo al lado, donde ahora esta construyendo otra casa. Por tema de tuberias de agua, los constructores tuvieron que mover nuestro WC y habra que cambiar tambien la baniera. Despues de dos semanas sin noticias y recibiendo informacion contradictoria por parte del jefe de la obra, llame al propietario a su casa. Su esposa me dijo que estaba en el trabajo. Le llame al trabajo. Un socio suyo me dijo que el propietario estaba en casa. La misma conversacion se ha repetido ya varias veces. He llegado a la conclusion que el propietario de la casa ha sido asesinado y hay un pacto de silencio para cubrirlo todo. Mi teoria es la siguiente : la esposa del propietario y el jefe de las obras eran amantes. El propietario les descubrio y los amantes decidieron deshacerse del marido inoportuno. Lo asesinaron en Diciembre. Lo enterraron en el terreno al lado de mi casa y empezaron a construir de inmediato, para mayor seguridad. En este pais no se empieza a construir una casa en Diciembre. Llueve demasiado y siempre existe la posibilidad de nieve. Para eso se espera a la primavera. Pero claro, los asesinos tenian que empezar en Diciembre, para cubrir inmediatamente el cadaver. El socio del propietario y los albaniles forman parte de la conspiracion. Probablente, la esposa del propietario y su amante les han sobornado con una cantidad importante de dinero. Nadie sospecha que que se haya cometido ese horrible crimen. Solo N (SD) y yo hemos empezado a sospechar que hay algo podrido en Dinamarca. O mejor dicho, en la obra de al lado de casa.

Sin embargo.... que os parece, que creeis vosotr@s? Creeis que seria posible que el propietario se este escondiendo, pura y simplemente, porque nos ha dejado sin agua caliente durante 4 dias laborables y un fin de semana y el banio aun esta sin reparar?

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
21C
UV Index:5 Moderate
Wind: From the South at 8 mph
Dew Point: 16C
Humidity: 72%
Visibility: 9 miles
Barometer: 28.8 mb

2005-07-11T15:16:00.000+01:00

Following Thursday's London bombings there was a spat of hoax bomb calls everywhere in the country. We even got ours in Portsmouth. This idiot has now been jailed for six months. I always assumed hoax calls were made by stupid teenagers. I was wrong. I forgot stupidity has no age.

Despues del ataque terrorista del jueves en Londres, hubo una autentica plaga de llamadas anunciando falsos paquetes bomba a lo largo y ancho del pais. Por tener, hasta tuvimos una en Portsmouth. Este imbecil ha sido juzgado y encarcelado por seis meses. Siempre pense que las llamadas anunciando bombas falsas eran cosa de estupid@s quinceanier@s. Me equivocaba. La estupidez no tiene edad.

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
28C
UV Index: 5 Moderate
Wind: From the North Northeast at 10 mph
Dew Point: 20C
Humidity: 59%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1,029.5 mb

2005-07-08T16:04:00.000+01:00

Take the test!: Which Science Fiction Writer Are You? . I (supposedly) am John Brunner . His best known works are dystopias -- vivid realizations of the futures we want to avoid. Never heard of Brummer before, what a shame!

Haz el test (en ingles)!: Which Science Fiction Writer Are You? (Que autor de Ciencia Ficcion eres?). Yo (supuestamente) soy John Brunner . Sus obras mas conocidas tratan de distopias - vividas descripciones de mundos futuros que mejor NO conozcamos. Confieso, con una cierta verguenza, que jamas he oido hablar de Brunner!!!

The weather today:
loudy
21C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the North at 15 mph
Dew Point: 10C
Humidity:50%
Visibility: 10 miles
Barometer: 1,017.6 mb

2005-07-07T12:58:00.000+01:00

At least two dead and many injured in terror attacks to London's public transportation. For the latest news and live coverage, click here: BBC News .

One of my line managers came to our office with the news this morning. He had just read about it in BBC news on the net. I grabbed my mobile phone and called my mum to let her know we were all right. We live at about 80 miles from London, but living abroad, I knew she would panick all the same if she knew about it on tv. I could tell she had not heard yet, her voice was happily surprised when she heard my voice at the unusual time for my calling. Minutes later I thought about our friends in London. I tried to call them on their mobile phones. Their lines were busy or there was no line at all. I got a reply to an email, one of our friends was all right. He lives and works in Soho, in London's city centre. After a text message, our other friend managed to get through. He had been in Oxford Street when the explosions happened. He said all public transportation had stopped, there were ambulances everywhere, people were walking on the streets and there was a general sense of confusion. I keep watching the BBC News and other international tv stations when the BBC connection fails (every five minutes now!). My friends are all right, my family is all right. Sadly, not everybody else in London can say the same, though.

Al menos dos victimas mortales y un numero indeterminado de heridos han resultado heridas como resultado del ataque terrorista al transporte publico de Londres. Para ver las ultimas noticias y conexion en directo, hacer click aqui : BBC News

Uno de mis jefes aparecio en mi oficina para contarnos las noticias. Dijo que lo acababa de leer en la pagina web de la BBC. Inmediatamente, cogi el telefono movil y llame a mi madre. Vivimos a, aproximadamente, 80 millas de Londres, pero desde el extranjero eso no se tiene en cuenta. Me imagine que se asustaria en cuanto oyera las noticias. Por el tono de voz, de sorpresa agradable, al responder a mi llamada, ya me di cuenta de que ella aun no sabia nada. Por suerte. Minutos despues pense en los amigos que viven en Londres. Intente llamarles a sus telefonos moviles pero o bien comunicaban o no habia linea. Finalmente, recibi una respuesta a un email que envie. Uno de nuestros amigos confirmaba que estaba sano y salvo. Vive y trabaja en Soho, en el centro de Londres. Despues de esperar la respuesta a un mensaje de texto enviado a otro amigo, recibi su llamada. Estaba en Oxford Street cuando las explosiones tuvieron lugar. Estaba bien. Me dijo que todo el transporte publico de Londres estaba paralizado, habia ambulancias por todas partes y mucha gente en la calle, con un sentimiento de confusion total. Despues he continuado viendo las noticias en directo de la BBC en internet, o bien pasando a otras cadenas internacionales cuando la conexion con la BBC se cae (y ahora ya viene ocurriendo cada cinco minutos). Nuestros amigos estan bien, nuestras familias estan bien e informadas de que nosotros estamos bien. Lamentablemente, no todos los ciudadanos de Londres diran hoy lo mismo.

The weather today:
loudy
17C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the North Northwest at 16 mph
Dew Point:11C
Humidity: 65%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1,013.9 mb

2005-07-06T14:19:00.000+01:00

"To the city of...London!". The International Committee has decided. The 2012 Olympic Games will be held in London, United Kingdom. You can see the moment and the reaction at Trafalgar Square here by clicking on the Olympic flag on the right side of the screen.
Well, whatever. I was supporting Paris. Mostly because their food is better and their public transportation is cheaper and reliable. London's tube is a mess. And don't let me start on British food either. Ah well. London it is. I guess I won't be here in 2012, just as well....if the weather is as usual, they will get rain every day!

"A la ciudad de.....Londres!". El Comite Olimpico Internacional ya decidio. Los Juegos Olimpicos del 2012 tendran lugar en Londres, Reino Unido. Podeis ver como ocurrio y la reaccion en Trafalgar Square aqui haciendo click en la bandera olimpica de la derecha. OK, pues vale. Yo daba mi apoyo a Paris. Mas que nada porque la comida es mejor y su transporte publico es mas barato y seguro. El metro de Londres es un caos y mejor no hablar de la cocina britanica. Pues bueno, Londres va a ser. Claro que me imagino que yo ya no estare aqui en 2012 para verlo y mejor...porque si les hace el mismo tiempo que nos hace cada verano...llovera cada dia!

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy and Windy
21C
UV Index: 5 Moderate
Wind: From the West Northwest at 26 mph
Dew Point: 12C
Humidity: 57%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer:1,008.5 mb

2005-07-05T15:29:00.000+01:00

I read in the newspaper that Thomas Cook travel agency celebrates today the 150 anniversary of the creation of package holidays . Quoting the article : "The prehistory of the package holiday, which now sees more than 20 million Britons dispatched overseas every year, began in 1841. It offered Leicester dwellers a modest introduction to the small market town of Loughborough, 12 miles away. Cook got together 500 temperance recruits for a rally at a shilling a time, and dealt with all the complications of getting them to the station and on to the train."

Thomas Cook, the companys' founder, was a Baptist preacher whose aim was to improve Brits working class lives by widening their horizons and keeping them away from alcohol by mantaining them occuppied with travel. Little did he knew that todays Brit tourists would use bargain package holidays to get advantage of cheapest alcohol prices abroad!

Leo en el periodico que hoy se cumple el 150 aniversario de la aparicion de los paquetes de viajes , idea de la agencia de viajes Thomas Cook. Cito el articulo : "La prehistoria de los paquetes de viajes, que hoy en dia envian anualmente a mas de 20 millones de britanicos al extranjero, empezo en 1841. Se ofrecia a los ciudadanos de Leicester una modesta visita a la ciudad de Loughborough, a 20 millas de distancia. Cook reunio a 500 voluntarios de la asociacion anti-alcoholica, que pagaron 1 chelin por persona para asistir a un mitin a la ciudad vecina, y el mismo se encargo de llevarles hasta la estacion y comprar los billetes de tren".

Thomas Cook, el fundador de la agencia, era un predicador Baptista cuyo objetivo era mejorar las condiciones de vida de la clase trabajadora britanica. Para ello, era indispensable, segun Cook, ampliar los horizontes de los trabajadores y alejarles de las tentaciones del alcohol manteniendoles ocupados con el viaje. Poco se imaginaba el buen Cook que, anios despues, los turistas britanicos aprovecharian las ofertas de los paquetes de viajes para salir al extranjero y comprar alcohol barato gracias al cambio de divisas!

The weather today:
Light Rain
16C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the South at 17 gusting to 29 mph
Dew Point:12C
Humidity: 77%
Visibility: 6 miles

2005-07-04T13:36:00.000+01:00

I was going to write a post about Live 8 but I found a blogger who has already done it. I agree with the opinions expressed at the High Gloss blog. A concise, clear and direct post on Live 8. Let's not be afraid of criticising Celeb culture and their supposedly 'good motivations' for charity. Or justice, as they claim this time. Does the end justify the means?

Iba a escribir un post sobre Live 8 pero encontre a un blogger que ya lo ha hecho. Y estoy de acuerdo con la opinion que expresa en su blog High Gloss . Un post claro, conciso y directo sobre Live 8. Que no nos asuste criticar a los famosos y sus supuestos 'buenos' motivos para hacer caridad. O justicia, que es lo que piden esta vez. El fin justifica los medios?

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy and Windy
17C
UV Index: 5 Moderate
Wind: From the West Southwest at 22 mph
Dew Point:15C
Humidity: 93%
Visibility: 10 miles

2005-07-01T13:27:00.000+01:00

Some photos taken on Tuesday at the Trafalgar 200 celebrations and Review of the Fleet.

Algunas fotos tomadas el martes durante las celebraciones del Bicentenario de la Batalla de Trafalgar y la Revista a la Flota.

The weather today:
Cloudy and Windy
18C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: from the West Southwest at 20 mph
Dew Point:17C
Humidity: 95%
Visibility:10 miles
Barometer: 1,013.9 mb

2005-06-30T13:49:00.000+01:00

Summer. This time of the year to think about... Xmas holidays, of course.
We think this year we will fly to Texas , drive all the way West to Arizona and back To Texas again. Amongst many other sights, I would especially go to the Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo, not forgetting the bits of road left from mythic Route 66 in Oklahoma , for instance!

Ya es verano. La epoca del anio ideal para pensar en...vacaciones de Navidad, por supuesto. Este anio nos gustaria ir a Texas y desde alli conducir hasta Arizona y de vuelta a Texas. De camino, y entre otros lugares de interes, me gustaria parar cerca de Amarillo para ir al Rancho de Cadillacs , sin olvidar los poquitos pedazos que quedan, aqui y alli, de la mitica Route 66 en Oklahoma , por ejemplo!

The weather today:
Light Rain
16C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the Southwest at 13 mph
Dew Point:15C
Humidity: 98%
Visibility: 3 miles
Barometer: 1,006.4 mb

2005-06-29T11:20:00.000+01:00

I'll admit it. I didn't really go on strike to get good weather. As you know, I don't normally write on weekends. Then I was sick on Monday. I was well again yesterday but I left work at midday to attend the Fleet Review and the Trafalgar 200 celebrations and fireworks. The weather didn't get better. It was just so-so. We waited at the seafront for the different events from 1.00pm to 11.00pm. In the afternoon it rained several times. We even got a big thunderstorm. I can now report our big umbrella has a leak. We got wet from head to toe.

So how about the events? Well, the fleet was too far away to appreciate the ships. The BBC cameramen got a good view from the helicopters. And the Queen had a good view of the ships too, as she was there to review them! But us, the public at the seafront? Maybe some got a good look at some of the ships with a good pair of binoculars, that's all. Later on, we had a very spectacular acrobatics and flying exhibition. The usual loops and stunts and painting a heart on the sky with smoke stuff but we all love that, don't we! That was my favourite part of the day and it only lasted 15 minutes. After never-ending waiting and MORE rain, at dusk we saw the Trafalgar battle re-enactment. Explanations were blasted off by some loudspeakers...sadly facing the other way so we could not hear a word. I am still wondering which were the British ships and which were the French! Last, but not least, the fireworks co-ordinated with music. Same story here. We didn't hear the music because of the bad position of the loudspeakers. The fireworks may be considered big for Portsmouth but I've seen bigger (and better!) in Spain.

We arrived home at midnight and saw the same battle re-enactment and fireworks repeated on the interactive news channels. It even looked better! Conclusion : I'm done with live British entertainment. They don't have a clue on how to do it. For instance, VERY clever of them installing thousands of portaloos for the public and then closing the area at the seafront and not allowing the public to go back and use the portaloos...for security reasons!!! Oh, and the weather is always crap. My advice? Don't bother. Stay at home and watch it at the BBC (or click on the right hand side button and watch it here on video!). Hats off for the BBC. The British do know how to broadcast live events, that is for sure. So watch it on TV, that's my advice. It' doesn't rain at home!

Vale, lo confieso. No me puse en huelga para conseguir mejores condiciones climatologicas. Como ya sabeis, no escribo en fin de semana. Y el lunes cai enferm@. Ayer ya estaba bien, pero tampoco escribi : sali de la oficia a mediodia para ir a ver la revision de la flota, las celebraciones del Bicentenario de la batalla de Trafalgar y los fuegos artificiales. El tiempo no mejoro. O mas bien, hubo de todo,como pudimos ver en el paseo maritimo desde la 1.00 de la tarde hasta las 11 de la noche. Por la tarde llovio varias veces. Incluso cayo una gran (aunque breve) tormenta. Os informo que nuestro enorme paraguas tiene goteras. Acabamos mojados de pies a cabeza.

Y que paso con los actos del dia? Para empezar, la flota de barcos estaba demasiado lejos y demasiado dispersa como para poder apreciar los barcos con detalle. Los que tuvieron las mejores vistas fueron los camaras de la BBC desde su helicoptero y, por supuesto, la reina de Inglaterra, que estaba alli para pasar revista a la flota, precisamente. Pero nosotros, el publico de a pie, nada de nada. Desde el paseo maritimo, con un par de buenos binoculares, aun se podia ver algun barco con detalle, pero no todos. Mas tarde, hubo una espectacular exhibicion de vuelo acrobatico. Los tipicos loops, subidas y bajadas vertiginosas, volar cabeza abajo y pintar un corazon en el cielo con el humo rojo de los jets. Tipico, pero siempre muy apreciado por el publico. Mi momento favorito del dia, y duro solo 15 minutos. Despues hubo mas horas de interminable espera y MAS lluvia. Al anochecer vimos el simulacro de la batalla de Trafalgar. Unos altavoces informaban del transcurso de la batalla...a quien pudiera oirlos, porque la calidad del sonido era penosa y los altavoces estaban colocados solo apuntando en una direccion. Asi que aun hoy dudo sobre cuales eran los barcos britanicos y cuales eran los franceses! Y al final, la guinda del pastel (lease con tono ironico, please), los fuegos artificiales coordinados con musica. Musica? Yo no oi nada. Eran los mismos altavoces, claro. Y los fuegos artificiales seran espectaculares para la ciudad de Portsmouth, pero yo los he visto mas grandes (y mejores) en Espania.

Despues de tanto sufrir, llegamos a casa a medianoche y vemos que repetian el simulacro de la batalla naval y los fuegos artificiales en los canales interactivos de informacion. Y se veia mejor! Conclusion : Ya he tenido suficiente de actos de ocio y entretenimiento a la inglesa. No tienen ni idea de como hacerlo. Lo del entretenimiento, quiero decir. Por ejemplo. Instalan cientos de WC portatiles para uso publico en el parque, detras del paseo maritimo. Luego no se les ocurre nada mejor que cerrar la zona del paseo y no permitir al publico volver atras para salir o usar los lavabos...por razones de seguridad!!. Y el tiempo siempre es horrible. Seguid mi consejo: no vayais. Quedaos en casa y vedlo en la BBC. Aqui , por ejemplo (click en el boton de la derecha para ver la batalla en video)Porque me saco el sombrero ante la BBC. Los britanicos si que saben como retransmitir actos en TV con soltura y profesionalidad. Y en casa...no llueve!

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
18C
UV Index: 2 Low
Wind: From the West at 9 mph
Dew Point:17C
Humidity: 92%
Visibility:9 miles
Barometer: 1,007.8 mb

2005-06-24T15:04:00.000+01:00

Well that's it! I want out of here! I've had enough!!! It's been sunny for the whole week, we had plans to go to Legoland this weekend...and now it starts raining and it is not a little bit of rain but thunderstorms with lightning and all. I want out! I'm on a strike until I get MY summer back!!

Ya vale, no? Yo me voy! Ya no aguanto mas!!! Toda la semana con sol y buen tiempo y ahora que llega el fin de semana y teniamos planes para ir a Legoland ...va y se pone a llover! Y no es un poquito de lluvia de nada, sino una tormenta de miedo, con rayos y truenos y de todo. Paren, que me bajo! Me declaro en huelga hasta que me devuelvan el verano!!

The weather today:
Thunderstorms
23C
UV Index:4 Moderate
Wind: From the North Northeast at 20 mph
Dew Point: 21C
Humidity: 88%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer: 1,011.9 mb

2005-06-23T16:29:00.000+01:00

I had great ideas for today's post. All of them ruined. You can blame Student X, who has wasted one hour of my working day (yep! I write and post on the blog at work, I think that is fair!!) and confused me to a point where I cannot put together two rational thoughts. It got so surreal that I ended up laughing my head off in front of Student X. Who kind of decided that he deserved it, after being such a fool. To sum up the whole story, Student X, who is enrolled in my course but who takes options from other departments, came to ask me for a unit handbook, let's say for unit A. I didn't have it so I asked the proper channel. Received it by email, printed the handbook and gave to student X. Who then read a bit of the handbook and realised he had to submit an assignment by the next week. Student X was not aware of this deadline. He thought it was strange. This led us to investigate a bit more his enrolment to unit A. And lo and behold, the system said he was not enrolled to that unit but to another unit, let's call it unit B, taking place on the same place and time...but in different weeks. There was a point when Student X was not even sure he had attended either of those two units. A student who doesn't know the units he has attended??? Trying to contact course co-ordinators was almost impossible, being a very busy time of the year. I had to figure out what had happened. With phone calls here and other bits of information there, I got to the conclusion Student X had indeed attended unit B. Seems simple, eh? Well, I told you, this is a SUMMARY of a surreal hour (one hour!!!) during which only bits and pieces and little clues led me, step by step, to the happy ending of the story. I sure don't want to see Student X again for a long time.

Hoy tenia grandes ideas para el post. Todas ellas, arruinadas. Le podeis dar la culpa al Estudiante X, que me ha hecho perder una hora de mi jornada laboral (si! escribo mis posts desde el trabajo, me parece justo!) y me ha confundido hasta el punto de que ahora no soy capaz de escribir nada racional. La situacion llego a ser tan surreal que acabe riendo a la cara del estudiante. Quien probablemente penso que se lo merecia. Por burro. En resumen : el Estudiante X,matriculado a mi curso pero tomando asignaturas de otros cursos como opciones, vino a verme para pedirme el librito de explicaciones de la asignatura A. Yo no lo tenia, asi que hice unas llamadas, envie unos emails y recibi el librito. Lo imprimi y se lo di al Estudiante X, quien se lo leyo por encima. Para su horror, el librito le informaba de que habia que entregar un trabajo la semana que viene. El Estudiante X afirmo que nunca habia oido hablar de ese trabajo. Todo en en librito le era desconocido. Investigue la matriculacion a la asignatura. Y...sorpresa! el estudiante NO estaba matriculado a la asignatura A, sino a la B. Las clases de la asignatura B tenian lugar en el mismo lugar y horas que la asignatura A...pero en diferentes semanas. Me imagine lo peor... mas investigaciones. Llego a un punto en que el Estudiante X ya no sabia si habia ido a clases de la asignatura A, la B o quiza la C o la D? Contactar con profesores, imposible esta semana, andamos todos muy liados. O lo solucionaba yo, o no lo solucionaba nadie. Con llamadas, preguntas y mucha imaginacion, llegue a la conclusion que el Estudiante X habia ido a las clases de la asignatura B, a la que estaba originalmente matriculado. Parece sencillo, eh? Parece, pero no lo es. Ya os dije que esto es un RESUMEN de la hora surrealista con el Estudiante X. Al que espero NO volver a ver en mucho tiempo!

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
24C
UV Index:3 Moderate
Wind:From the South at 2 mph
Dew Point: 22C
Humidity:87%
Visibility:9 miles
Barometer: 1,015.6

2005-06-22T16:38:00.000+01:00

It's hightime to make happy that inner child we all have inside, so... this weekend we are going to Legoland!. Just as well we don't have to fly to Denmark, as there is a Legoland in Windsor, less than one hour from home.

Para hacer feliz al/la nin@ que todos llevamos dentro, este fin de semana vamos a Legoland! . Por suerte, no hace falta que vayamos a Dinamarca. Tenemos uno en Windsor, a menos de una hora de casa.

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
22C
UV Index: 4 Moderate
Wind: From the West at 9 mph
Dew Point:18C
Humidity: 79%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1020.3 mb

2005-06-21T13:48:00.000+01:00

Today it's 21st June. As usual, yesterday afternoon Stonehenge opened its doors for free for visitors to spend the night near the site and see the sunrise today.
Happy Summer Solstice!!!!

Hoy es 21 de Junio. Como es habitual, ayer por la tarde Stonehenge abrio gratuitamente sus puertas para que los visitantes pudieran pasar la noche en las cercanias del circulo y contemplar esta maniana la salida del sol.
Feliz Solsticio de Verano!!!

The weather today:
Cloudy
22C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the West at 10 mph
Dew Point: 13C
Humidity: 56%
Visibility:Unlimited
Barometer: 1019.6 mb

2005-06-20T13:39:00.000+01:00

I was having a look on the internet to see why my lupin is not flowering. Worse than not flowering, my lupin looks as if it's dying. Last year my lupin was a prodigy of flowers. It was invading the other plants' spaces, it really became a nuisance. This year, however, it is just looking small and sad. What's happened? I was trying to get some more information on the web when I had a revelation...I've been eating lupins' "fruit" (lupins are legumes ) for years, as a child, and I never knew those legumes came from a variety of the plant I now have in my garden! Known as 'altramuz' in Spanish, the blue lupin as a legume is kept in salted water and eaten as an aperitif in Mediterranean regions. Lupins were consumed in high quantities in the 1940s Spain as a cheaper substitute to lentils and chickpeas, during the post-war famine, although the modern X Generation has been spared the knowledge of the sad past of the legume by their parents. Now I have discovered my old (unknown) relationship with the plant growing in my garden, I'll see if I can know why it is not flowering this year!

Estaba echando una ojeada a google para averiguar porque mi lupino florece. Aun peor, ademas de no florecer parece que esta agonizando. El anio pasado el lupino era un prodigio de flores y crecimiento acelerado. Era todo un fastidio, invadiendo sin cesar el espacio de las otras plantas del jardin. Y sin embargo este anio ni crece ni florece y esta de lo mas triste. Que ha pasado? Andaba yo tratando de encontrar mas informacion sobre los lupinos cuando se produjo una revelacion.... estuve comiendo los "frutos" ( los lupinos son leguminosas ) de esta planta durante anios, en mi niniez, sin saber nunca que esas legumbres provenian de la variedad azul de la planta que tengo ahora en el jardin. Estas legumbres, llamadas 'altramuces' en Espania, se conservan en agua salada y se comen, con o sin piel, como aperitivo en las zonas mediterraneas. Al ser una variedad barata, fue consumida en grandes cantidades en Espania durante los anios 40, durante la hambruna de la posguerra, para sustituir lentejas y garbanzos. Para la Generacion X, sin embargo, el altramuz es el gran desconocido, probablement porque sus padres evitaron el innecesario consumo posterior (y los malos recuerdos asociados a ello). Y ahora que he descubierto mi antigua (y desconocida) relacion con la planta del lupino, voy a ver si averiguo por que no florece este anio.

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
26C
UV Index: 5 Moderate
Wind: From the Northwest at 6 mph
Dew Point: 15°C
Humidity: 51%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer:1014.9 m

2005-06-17T14:41:00.000+01:00

This has been a year of revelations and unveiled mysteries. Or better, a year of losing enticing mysteries and myths and start facing the shallow reality! So Lucy was Lennon's son schoolmate instead of LSD in the Beatles song . Now how boring is that! But first it was the mysterious Deep Throat from the Watergate scandal who decided to go public. In fact, as we learnt later, it wasn't Deep Throat's decision. He is now old and senile. He has forgotten (!!!!) the details of the case and his participation (!!!). It was his grandaughter who decided to reveal Deep Throat's identity to the press and conviced her grandad to do so, hoping the family can make some money out of it (!!!!). Knowing Deep Throats old status in the FBI (No 2), many now affirm DTs motive was simple revenge as he had not been promoted to No 1 by Nixon.
I think ...wouldn't it have been better without knowing DTs identity? The mystery would have been preserved, DT remained a legend... instead we have a senile man with a greedy grandaughter. Shallow! Vulgar! I believe "Truth will make us free" but...sometimes...imagine,soon someone will reveal that Walt Disney was not cryogenized either!... XD

Este va siendo un anio de revelaciones y misterios desvelados. O mejor diria yo, un anio en el que hemos perdido interesantisimos mitos y misterios y nos hemos dado de narices con la aburridisima realidad. Como ya decia ayer, ahora resulta que Lucy era una companiera de clase del hijo de Lennon, en lugar de LSD en la famosa cancion . Que interesanteee eh? Puf. Y hay mas. Hace unas semanas, Garganta Profunda del escandalo Watergate , decidio revelar su identidad. O mejor dicho, como nos enteramos mas tarde, Garganta Profunda no decidio nada. El personaje es, hoy en dia, un hombre viejo y senil. Ha olvidado (!!!!) los detalles del caso y su crucial participacion (!!!!) en el Watergate. Fue su nieta quien le convencio de hacer publica su identidad a la prensa, con la esperanza de que la familia podra ahora sacarle jugo al pasado del abuelo (!!!). Ahora que sabemos quien era Garganta Profuda, y sabiendo el cargo que ocupaba en el FBI (era el Numero 2 en importancia), muchos afirman que su motivacion principal fue la venganza, ya que Nixon no le habia promocionado a Numero 1. Y pienso yo... no hubiera sido mejor si no hubieramos sabido quien es Garganta Profunda? Se hubiera preservado el misterio, GP hubiera continuado siendo la leyenda que era... ahora, en lugar de leyenda, tenemos a un viejecillo con una nieta codiciosa. Soso! Vulgar! La verdad nos hara libres, y de verdad que estoy de acuerdo con esta afirmacion pero..en algunos casos... es que imaginad, dentro de nada alguien saldra diciendo que a Walt Disney tampoco le conservan criogenizado ...!!! XD

The weather today:
Haze
18C
UV Index: 4 Moderate
Wind:From the West Southwest at 14 mph
Dew Point: 17C
Humidity: 94%
Visibility:4 miles
Barometer: 1,0,2,7.1 mb

2005-06-16T14:41:00.000+01:00

Today I read in the newspaper: "Lennon's Lucy identity revealed. Lucy's identity, the girl who inspired John Lennon to compose the song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" was revealed by the Daily Mail yesterday. The girl's name was Lucy Richardson. She had recently died, a victim of breast cancer. Lucy was Lennon's son Julian schoolmate. This is final proof the Beatles never alluded to LSD in their song".

Yes, Lennon denied it several times, like here, several months before his death in Playboy magazine : "My son Julian came in one day with a picture he painted about a school friend of his named Lucy. He had sketched in some stars in the sky and called it "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."
But everybody insited The Beatles had wanted to send a message about LSD trips and allucinations to the world. As McCartney said: "This one is amazing. As I was saying before, when you write a song and you mean it one way, and then someone comes up and says something about it that you didn't think of -- you can't deny it. Like "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," people came up and said, very cunningly, "Right, I get it. L-S-D," and it was when all the papers were talking about LSD, but we never thought about it."

Yep, I am not surprised. After all, I've seen John Lennon's passport at the Rock'n Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. I noticed the foreign countries entry & departure stamps. And guess what. Our "mystic" (and mythic!) John had been on hols at the Spanish Costa del Sol, just like thousands of other English people. When I saw the entry stamp, I suddenly imagined Lennon on the beach (Marbella? Torremolinos, ha ha!), getting sun-burnt, red like a lobster, drinking expensive low quality sangria for tourists and buying a Mexican hat as a souvenir (yep, they do that. Mexican hats in Spain). Imagine Lennon on this guise and you will also believe Lucy was a schoolmate of Julian's. No LSD at all. No way, Jose.

Leo hoy en el periodico : "La identidad de la Lucy a la que canto Lennon, al descubierto. La identidad de la joven que inspiro a John Lennon para componer la cancion Lucy in the sky with diamonds fue revelada ayer por el diario britanico Daily Mail, tras el fallecimiento del personaje a causa de un cancer. Se llamaba Lucy Richardson y era una companera de colegio de Julian Lennon, hijo del famoso componente de los Beatles y su primera esposa, Cynthia Powell. Asi se rebate la teoria de que se aludia a la droga LSD".

Y mira que ya lo dijo varias veces Lennon,por ejemplo, a la revista Playboy unos meses antes de fallecer : "Mi hijo Julian llego un dia a casa con un dibujo que habia hecho en el colegio de una ninia de su clase llamada Lucy. Julian la habia dibujado con unas estrellas en el cielo de fondo y titulo el dibujo 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". Pero no, la gente seguia empeniada en que los Beatles habian querido enviar un mensaje al mundo sobre los viajes y alucinaciones producidos por el LSD. Lamentablemente, como dijo el mismo McCartney "Es increible. Como decia antes, escribes una cancion y para ti significa una cosa, y entonces aparece alguien y le da un sentido en el que nunca habias pensado, de verdad. Como "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", hubo que gente que me dijo "ahhh, ya lo veo, L-S-D" y entonces todos los periodicos empezaron a hablar de LSD y nosotros nunca lo habiamos pensado antes".

Ya. Pues a mi no me sorprende, despues de ver un pasaporte de John Lennon en el Rock'n Roll Hall of Fame en Cleveland. Me fije en los sellos de entrada y salida de paises. Y el "mistico" (y mitico!) John habia ido de vacaciones a la Costa del Sol espaniola (Marbella? Torremolinos? ja ja!), como cualquier hijo de vecino (ingles, claro). Al ver ese sello, de pronto me imagine a Lennon en la playa, quemandose al sol como una gamba, bebiendo sangria de jarra a precios exhorbitantes para turistas y comprando un sombrero mexicano (si, es el souvenir que compran en Espania, que le vamos a hacer!). Imaginando a Lennon asi, de verdad me creo que la Lucy de la cancion era una amiguita del hijo. Y que de alusiones a LSD, nada de nada.

The weather today:
Light Rain and Windy
16C
UV Index:1 Low
Wind: From the Southwest at 2,8 mph
Dew Point: 16C
Humidity: 98%
Visibility:2 miles
Barometer: 1,0,1,9.6 mb

2005-06-15T16:08:00.000+01:00

Charles W Morgan at Mystic Seaport, Connecticutt (not participating at UKs celebrations!!)

The Trafalgar 200 celebrations are taking place on the week beginning 27 June in Portsmouth (Hampshire) UK. I am quite excited by the Fleet Review taking place on the afternoon on Tuesday 28 June, as well as the 'Son et Lumiere' show that same evening. there will be hundreds of tall ships, Royal Navy ships and international ships for us to see! And the best of all is...the whole show is for free, we only have to turn up at the seafront! Quite differently from the much publicised International Festival of the Sea (IFOS) at the dockyard, with a £20 per person entrance fee for each day. I've read the information on their website and there is not even a programme! Hey, with an entrance fee of £20 I think we deserve more information than vague "wide variety of music to suit all tastes" and "exciting mix of internationally renowned military bands from home and overseas". How about a programme with a list of all entertainment with times and venues? The IFOS website includes pages on the Fleet Review, Trafalgar 200 and Military Displays. As if they were part of the same IFOS. part of what you get from your £20 entrance fee. This is misleading. These events are 100% free and IFOS should make that clear on their website. I for one am NOT going to waste my money on IFOS, but will happily go to the seafront for the other free events.

Las celebraciones del Trafalgar 200 (bicentenario de la batalla de Trafalgar) tendran lugar durante la semana del 27 de Junio en Portsmouth (Hampshire), Reino Unido. Yo no quiero perderme la Fleet Review (revista a la Flota naval) de la tarde del martes 28 de Junio, asi como el espectaculo de 'Son et Lumiere' al atardecer. habra cientos de barcos de vela, antiguos y modernos, barcos de la marina mercante y de la Royal Navy, muchos incluso venidos del extranjero para la ocasion. Y lo mejor de todo es que...es gratis! Solo hay que ir al puerto o a la zona del paseo maritimo y hacerse con un espacio! Que diferencia con el tan cacareado International Festival of the Sea (IFOS) que cuesta £20 por persona por dia. He leido la informacion de la pagina web del IFOS y ni tan solo he encontrado el programa! Hey, pagando £20 me parece que el publico se merece como minimo algo mas de detalle que explicaciones tan vagas como "gran variedad de musica para todos los gustos" y "una excitante mezcla de bandas militares de fama nacional e internacional". Por que no hay un Programa de Actos con una lista con dia, hora y lugar? La pagina web del IFOS tiene incluso paginas especiales para la Revista a la Flota,las celebraciones Trafalgar 200 y las paradas militares. Como si estas fueran parte del IFOS, incluidas en el precio de entrada de £20. Da lugar a malinterpretaciones, no? Estos actos son gratuitos al 100% e IFOS tendria que dejarlo bien clarito en su pagina web. Lo que es yo, no voy a gastar ni una libra en IFOS, pero por supuesto voy a ir al paseo maritimo a ver (gratis) los barcos!

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
21C
UV Index:4 Moderate
Wind:From the Southwest at 2,3 mph
Dew Point:8C
Humidity: 43%
Visibility:6 miles
Barometer: 1,0,1,0.8 mb

2005-06-14T14:40:00.000+01:00

I am shocked at Ebay.co.uk (and I guess Ebay in other countries, too) permitting the re-sale of Live 8 tickets (tickets won after sending a text message, given for free by the Live 8 organisation) Some sellers even claim they will donate the money to a charity. A charity my eye. The charity of their own bank accounts, I guess. Live 8 is supposed to stand for justice. Justice with the so-called Third World. Everything Live 8 is clean, fair and whiter than white. The auction of free tickets in Ebay for thousands of pounds completely spoils the whole concept. I deeply despise those who sent a text message with the sole purpose of re-selling tickets, those who never had any intention of attending the gig. But at the end of the day, the world is full of despicable people who try to benefit from other people's hunger and poverty. We know that, DONT' WE!. And Live 8 organisers Bob Geldof, Bono and Midge Ure know that, too. They are well-seasoned adults who lost their innocence a long time ago. Shouldn't they have spoken to Ebay.co.uk to request stoppping the re-selling of the free tickets?. In my opinion, they should have. There is still time to redress this. The auctions can still be cancelled. Ebay can do it. Live 8 can do it. What are they waiting for??

Update: It became a national scandal. It appeared in the BBC News at 6.00pm. Outraged people, normal decent people, created fake identities in Ebay and placed fake bids to boycott the auctions. And it worked. Ebay cancelled all auctions for Live 8 tickets in the UK. Most of them. I see today a couple of them have escaped but the fake bids will ensure nobody participates in these auctions again.

Me sorprende desagradablement ver como Ebay.co.uk (y supongo que Ebay en otros paises, tambien), permite la reventa de entradas gratuitas para los conciertos de Live 8 . Esas entradas se ganaron despues de enviar un sms desde telefonos moviles. Son entradas gratuitas, nadie ha pagado nada por ellas. Me parto de risa al ver como algunos vendedores en Ebay prometen dar parte (o todas) de las ganancias a una Organizacion No Gubernamental. Ja ja, que risa. A una ONG dicen que donaran las ganancias. Sera la ONG de sus cuentas bancarias, digo yo. Live 8 dice en su pagina web que esta vez su proposito es justicia, y no caridad, con los llamados paises del Tercer Mundo. Todo en Live 8 es justo, claro, limpio y sin tacha. Blanco nuclear, vaya. Pues todas estas subastas en Ebay se cargan el concepto, colegas. Repugnantes esos tip@s que enviaron su sms con el pensamiento en Ebay, que nunca tuvieron ninguna intencion de asistir al concierto. Pero no nos chupamos el dedo, ya sabemos aqui que el mundo esta lleno a rebosar de gente despreciable que se aprovecha del hambre y la pobreza para llenarse los bolsillos, verdad? . Y al igual que aqui lo sabemos, los organizadores de Live 8 tambien lo saben. Bob Geldof, Midge Ure y Bono son ya mayorcitos y la inocencia la perdieron hace mucho. Costaba mucho contactar con Ebay y pedir que se impidiera la subasta por cantidades exhorbitantes y ridiculas de esas entradas gratuitas? No costaba nada hacer esa llamada. Y pienso que eso es lo que tendrian que haber hecho. Aun hay tiempo. Aun pueden contactar con Ebay. Y EBay aun esta a tiempo de cancelar esas subastas. Ebay puede hacerlo. Live 8 puede hacerlo. A que carajo estan esperando?

Update: Fue un escandalo a nivel nacional. Aparecio en las noticias de las 6.00 de la BBC. Personas normales y corrientes, asqueadas ante el mal uso de Ebay, crearon identidades falsas y ofrecieron cantidades exhorbitantes para boicotear las subastas. Y funciono. Ebay cancelo todas las subastas de entradas para el concierto Live 8 en el Reino Unido. O la mayoria. Hoy veo que aun quedan dos o tres que se han escapado de la quema. Pero nadie ofrecera mas dinero en esas subastas. Las ofertas falsas han acabado con ellas.

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
17C
UV Index:7 High
Wind: From the West Southwest at 2,3 mph
Dew Point:15C
Humidity:90%
Visibility:Unlimited
Barometer: 1,0,1,0.2 mb

2005-06-13T14:57:00.000+01:00

On Friday we went to a very nostalgic Finn Brothers gig. I had never seen the Finns when they were in Split Enz or Crowded House. I thought I may not ever see them as they postponed this gig twice due to Paul Hester's (drummer, ex-Crowded House) passing away. So I went to Friday's gig with mixed feelings. I had never been a big Crowded House fan. I knew their most famous songs and I liked them, but I have never been an expert in Finn lore. The postponement of the gig (twice!) pissed me off. It could have been re-scheduled while we were on hols in the US and that would have been disappointing. But finally, we were there. Friday night and the Finn Brothers were there too. It was good entertainment. It was fun. We had a good time. And they seemed to have a good time, too. Which is very important. Nothing more horrid than musicians behaving like bored and jaded bureaucrats. Which the Finn Brothers were not!

El viernes fuimos a un nostalgico concierto de los Finn Brothers . Nunca habia visto a los hermanos Finn en directo cuando tocaban en Split Enz o Crowded House . Y este anio pense que nunca les veria, ya que cancelaron el concierto dos veces al fallecer Paul Hester (ex-bateria de Crowded House). Fui al concierto del viernes sin mucho convencimiento. Nunca fui fan de Crowded House. Conocia sus canciones mas famosas y algunas me gustaban, pero de eso a conocer toda la historia de la banda, pues mas bien no. Que cancelaran dos veces me repateo, la verdad. Podriamos haber tenido mala suerte y que fijaran la nueva fecha mientras estabamos de vacaciones en USA. Pero, finalmente, llego el dia y nosotros estabamos alli. Y los Finn Brothers estaban alli. Fue un buen concierto. Entretenido. Los hermanos nos divirtieron con sus agudos comentarios entre cancion y cancion. Nos lo pasamos bien. Y pienso que ellos tambien lo pasaron bien. Que es lo importante. Que se sienta que los musicos no se lo toman como una 'obligacion', como si fueran funcionarios con veinte anios en el cargo. Y os lo aseguro, eso es justo lo que NO son los hermanos Finn!

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
17C
UV Index:7 High
Wind:From the Southwest at 2,1 mph
Dew Point:14C
Humidity: 89%
Visibility:Unlimited
Barometer: 1,0,0,7.1 mb

2005-06-10T09:04:00.000+01:00

I've just realised it was this blog's 2nd anniversary on June 2nd. As I was travelling on the US and could not celebrate on the day, we are celebrating today!
Happy Birthday, Blog! You are two today!!!

Hoy he caido en la cuenta de que el segundo aniversario de este blog fue el dia 2 de Junio. Entonces estaba de vacaciones en los USA y no pude celebrarlo. A cambio, lo celebramos hoy!
Feliz cumpleanios, Blog! Hoy cumples 2 anios!!!

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
14C
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: calm
Dew Point: 13C
Humidity:94%
Visibility: 6 miles

2005-06-09T16:27:00.000+01:00

While visiting the Neil Armstrong Air & Space Museum in Wapakoneta (Ohio) we noticed a composite on the left hand side of the museum's entrance. It included photos of all astronauts born in Ohio. Like Neil Armstrong, for instance. This is why the museum happens to be in Wapakoneta! Well, we counted them. There were a lot of astronauts. Twenty-four. Hey, what a coincidence, we thought. But is it a coincidence? I would say it is not. And thinking on the reasons, I arrived, more or less, at the same conclusion as mentioned in the NASA's website here : NASA Ohio astronauts .

And I quote : "Ohio, "The Birthplace of Aviation," is home to 24 astronauts. Why so many? Ohio astronaut Tom Henricks, during the pre-flight press conference for STS-70 cited several contributing factors:
* Role models such as John Glenn ("the first all Ohio crew") and Neil Armstrong, the first human to walk upon the Moon during the Apollo project
* Ohio's schools
* The Midwestern work ethic.
We're not exactly sure why, but Ohioans are proud of it!"

I agree. But I think Henricks forgot to mention what it is, for me, the reason number one. As the article says, Ohio is "The Birthplace of Aviation". That is, the Wright Brothers, first in mankind to successfully fly in a "modern" plane were Ohioans. They lived in Dayton. And a US Air Force base was established in Dayton to benefit from advice first hand by the brothers. And aviation is the first step towards space travel. Most astronauts have been Air Force pilots before becoming astronauts. So there we are! Back to the Wright Brothers again.

Mientras visitabamos el Museo Aero-espacial Neil Armstrong en Wapakoneta (Ohio) vimos un mural a la izquierda de la entrada que nos llamo la atencion. Incluia fotos de todos los astronautas nacidos en Ohio. Como Neil Armstrong, por ejemplo, por esa razon el museo se halla en Wapakoneta! Los contamos. Habia muchos astronautas. Veinticuatro! Ah, que coincidencia, pensamos. Pero..es coincidencia? Yo diria que no lo es. Y pensando en las razones, llegue a las mismas conclusiones (mas o menos) mencionadas en este articulo en la web de la NASA : NASA Ohio astronauts .

Y cito:
"Ohio, reconocido como el estado donde "nacio la aviacion moderna", es tambien el estado donde nacieron 24 astronautas. Por que tantos? El astronauta de Ohio Tom Henricks, menciono varios factores determinantes, segun el, durante la conferencia de prensa previa a la mision STS-70:
* Modelos como John Glen ("el primero de todos los del equipo de Ohio")y Neil Armstrong, el primer ser humano que piso la Luna durante el proyecto Apollo.
*Las escuelas de Ohio
* La etica de trabajo de la zona del medio Oeste americano.
No sabemos exactamente el por que, pero los ciudadanos de Ohio estamos muy orgullosos de ello!"

Estoy de acuerdo, pero pienso que Henricks se olvido de mencionar la que es, para mi, la razon numero uno. Como dice el articulo, Ohio es donde nacio la aviacion moderna. Es decir, los hermanos Wright, los primeros en realizar con exito un vuelo en aeroplano, eran de Ohio. Vivian en Dayton. Y debido a su influencia, la primera base de las fuerzas aereas norteamericanas se establecio en Dayton. La aviacion es el primer paso hacia el viaje espacial. La mayoria de los astronautas han sido pilotos de las fuerzas aereas antes de ser astronautas. Asi que aqui estamos de nuevo...con los hermanos Wright!

The weather today:
Cloudy
18C
UV Index:1 Low
Wind:From the South Southeast at 1,0 mph
Dew Point: 16C
Humidity:86%
Visibility:Unlimited
Barometer: 1,0,2,8.8 mb

2005-06-08T14:03:00.000+01:00

See the photo above? I've posted it before, it is man's first successful flight, on 17th December 1903 at Kitty Hawk (Kill Devil Hills, to be more precise). Orville Wright at the controls of the machine, lying prone on the lower wing with hips in the cradle which operated the wing-warping mechanism. Wilbur Wright running alongside to balance the machine, has just released his hold on the forward upright of the right wing. The starting rail, the wing-rest, a coil box, and other items needed for flight preparation are visible behind the machine. It is a great photo, a photo which makes me wish I had been there, wish I could have seen Wilbur's face, was he smiling? was he worried? And how about seeing the flyer from another perspective, say from the front instead than from behind? I need a time-machine!! The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn (Michigan) doesn't have a time-machine but they have tried quite hard so all of us can be there at Kitty Hawk on 17/12/1903. See below. This time, I was the photographer at Kitty Hawk and got an extra Wright brother.

Veis la foto de arriba? Ya la publique en otro post hace meses; es el primer vuelo de la historia de la humanidad, el 17 de Diciembre de 1903 en Kitty Hawk (o Kill Devil Hills, para ser mas exactos). Orville Wright tendido en el ala inferior del aparato, manejando los controles. Wilbur Wright, que corria al lado, manteniendo el balance del aeroplano, acaba de soltar el ala derecha y queda atras. Detras se puede ver una bateria electrica, cables y la caja de madera que servia de plataforma al aeroplano. Es una foto genial, de esa clase de fotos que me hace desear haber estado alli, ver la cara de Wilbur cuando el aeroplano volaba. Sonreia? Se le veia cara de preocupacion? Y que decir de ver el aeroplano desde otra perspectiva, por ejemplo desde delante en lugar de desde atras? Haria falta una maquina del tiempo! El museo Henry Ford de Dearborn (Michigan) no tiene una maquina del tiempo. Pero nos permite recrear ese 17 de Diciembre de 1903 en Kitty Hawk mediante un ingenioso montaje. Ved la foto de abajo, esta vez, fui yo quien tomo la fotografia en Kitty Hawk y hasta aparece un "tercer hermano" Wright.

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
14C
UV Index:7 High
Wind: From the South Southeast at 14 mph
Dew Point: 13C
Humidity: 89%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer:1,035.9 mb

2005-06-07T15:59:00.000+01:00

Some places make you feel small, very small, like a little ant before a huge loaf of bread. I can imagine the amazed little ant looking at the big mountain of bread, her mouth dribbling, thinking that must indeed be Mother's Nature biggest present, a huge loaf of bread! I felt just like that little ant when I saw the Niagara Falls. When the boat takes one close to the Canadian horseshoe falls, stops and leaves one there, under that roaring noise and huge downpour of water, at the wind's mercy. One ends up soaking wet, astonished and feeling very very small indeed.

Hay lugares que te hacen sentir pequenit@, diminut@, como una hormiguita ante una enorme miga de pan. Yo me imagino a la hormiguita maravillada ante la miga, haciendosele la boca agua, regocijandose de tal milagro de la naturaleza, una gigantesca miga de pan! Mas o menos asi me senti ante la vision de las cataratas del Niagara. Cuando el barco te lleva hasta la zona de las cascadas canadienses, para motores y te deja a la merced del viento y del agua y del rugido de las cascadas. Acabas empapad@ de pies a cabeza, emocionad@, con la boca abierta y sintiendote muy muy pequen@. Mucho. De verdad.

The weather today:
Fair
18C
UV Index:4 Moderate
Wind:From the Northeast at 7 mph
Dew Point:3C
Humidity: 37%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer: 1,035.9 mb

2005-06-06T14:35:00.000+01:00

We are back from the US. Back to work and back to the usual horrid weather in the UK. I have to admit the weather was terrible in New England too. Even worse than here. The worst Memorial Week ever in 40 years, it said the Weather Channel . It was raining cats and dogs when we arrived in Boston at 10.00pm on Saturday 21 May. We stayed in a motel in Braintree, South of Boston. The next day, our Plan B was put into action. We could not stay in New England. We looked for good weather in the West. Our first day in the US was spent driving non-stop till we reached Niagara Falls. From then on, it was a day to day battle against the bad weather. This was a summary of our itinerary and a highlight for each place:

- Niagara Falls (NY) and pedestrian crossing to Canada. Getting close and very wet at the horseshoe falls in the Maid of the Mist boat.
-Cleveland (Ohio). The Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame . David Bowie's costume in the 'Ashes to Ashes' videoclip.
- Cedar Point (Ohio) , the roller coaster park. It was raining so we did not enter the park!
-Dearborn (Michigan), The Henry Ford Museum , Greenfield Village and Rouge Factory Tour . Everything is remarkable and worthwile seeing in these three places. But if I have to highlight one for each, then should be the Kennedy limousine, the Wright brothers house and the pick up truck assembly line.
- Detroit (MI), downtown, Grosse Pointe and other towns around the lake. The contrast between Detroit's urban decay and the wealthy neighbourhoods North of the lake.
-Wapakoneta (Ohio), Neil Armstrong Museum . The genuine Gemini VIII capsule which Armstrong commanded with fellow astronaut Dave Scott and the museum's building, looking like a half Moon as seen from space.
-Dayton (Ohio), National Museum of the USAF . All American planes are exhibited in this museum, including Air Force One planes. And it is for free!! A highlight, the Apollo XV capsule.
- Hocking Hills (Ohio).Beautiful green hills, caves and waterfalls.
- Portsmouth (Ohio). Nothing of special interest here. We just wanted to have a look at this 'other' Portsmouth. Oh and... cross the border to Kentucky! Tick another State!!
- Amish Country (Ohio). Yes, there is Amish country in Ohio, too. I was shocked at the commercialism of the area. Too many shops, too many tourists and not many genuine Amish!
- New York City (NY). This was only decided the previous day. To drive through NYC. By car. Took hundreds of photos from the car and got stuck in a BIG traffic jam.
- Mystic (Connecticutt). Beautiful recreation and/or refurbishment of a 150 year old seaport complete with restored tall ships. And Abbott's lobster on the rough restaurant! Delicious lobster for 17.95 dollars.
- Cape Cod (Massachussets). Driving along 6A road. Lovely New England houses, gardens and shops along a very picturesque road.
- Salem (MA) . Yep, Salem of the (non existent) witches of 1692. Nathaniel Hawthorne's (maybe better known for his novel the "Scarlet Letter") 'House of the Seven Gables' and the Salem Common, a green expanse of land in the middle of the town.

Ya estamos de vuelta de los USA. De vuelta al trabajo y al tipico horrible mal tiempo del Reino Unido. Aunque tengo que admitir que el tiempo que hizo en Nueva Inglaterra fue de lo malo, lo peor. Peor que aqui. Las dos peores semanas de primavera en 40 anios, como decian en el Weather Channel (Canal del Tiempo en USA). Llovia a cantaros cuando aterrizamos en Boston a las 10 de la noche del sabado 21 de Mayo. Nos alojamos en un hotel de Braintree, al Sur de Boston. Al dia siguiente, pusimos en practica el Plan B. No podiamos quedarnos en la zona de Nueva Inglaterra. Asi que nos dedicamos a perseguir el buen tiempo al Oeste. Nuestro primer dia en los USA lo pasamos conduciendo hasta llegar a las Cataratas del Niagara. A partir de aqui, fue una batalla diaria contra el mal tiempo, escapando por los pelos. A continuacion he resumido nuestro itinerario, con un punto remarcable para cada lugar.

- Cascadas del Niagara(NY) y pasar andando a Canada. Acercarnos a las cascadas con el barco Maid of the Mist y acabar mojados como peces.
-Cleveland (Ohio). El museo Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame. El traje usado por David Bowie en el video 'Ashes to Ashes.
- Cedar Point (Ohio) , el parque de atracciones. Llovia a cantaros, asi que no entramos, pero las montanias rusas son de miedo!
-Dearborn (Michigan), El Museo Henry Ford (coches, locomotoras, aviones, electrodomesticos..la historia de los USA a traves de miles de artefactos), Greenfield Village (pueblo tematico con edificios autenticos transportados ladrillo a ladrillo y antiguos coches Ford modelo T circulando por las calles)y el tour a la Fabrica Rouge (Ford). Todo es remarcable y digno de ser visto en estos tres lugares, pero si tengo que escoger algo de cada uno, seria el coche de Kennedy, la casa de los hermanos Wright y la cadena de montaje de furgonetas Ford.
- Detroit (MI) , centro y los barrios de Grosse Pointe alrededor del lago. El ontraste entre la decadencia y pobreza de Detroit y la riqueza de los barrios del Norte del lago.
-Wapakoneta (Ohio), el Museo Neil Armstrong . La autentica capsula Gemini VIII que Neil Armstrong piloto en su primera mision espacial junto con Dave Scott, anios antes de pisar la Luna y el edificio del museo, que aparece como una media luna vista desde el espacio.
- Dayton (Ohio. Museo del Ejercito del Aire (US Air Force). Todos los aviones americanos de todos los tiempos, incluyendo los aviones presidenciales (Air Force One). Y especialmente, la capsula Apollo XV.
- Colinas Hocking(Ohio) . Bellas y verdes colinas, cavernas y cascadas.
- Portsmouth (Ohio). Nada de especial interes aqui. Solo queriamos ver este 'otro' Portsmouth. Ah, y cruzar a Kentucky. Otro estado a incluir en la lista!
- Amish Country (Ohio) . Si, hay Amish en Ohio tambien, ademas de haberlos en Pensylvannia. Me sorprendio desagradablemente la comercializacion del tema. Demasiadas tiendas, demasiados turistas y muy pocos Amish autenticos!
- New York City (NY). Lo decidimos justo el dia anterior. Cruzar Nueva York en coche. Una locura, eh? Quiza si. Pero nos gusto. Tome cientos de fotos desde el coche y nos quedamos atascados en trafico durante HORAS!
- Mystic (Connecticutt) . Detallada y encantadora reconstruccion de Mystic como puerto hace 150 anios, incluyendo barcos de vela antiguos. Y el restaurante "Abbott's lobster on the rough"! . Langosta enterita, para chuparse los dedos, por 17.95 dolares.
- Cape Cod (Massachussets). Conducir en la pintoresca carretera 6A, con sus bonitas casas estilo Nueva Inglaterra, tiendas y jardines.
- Salem (MA). Si, Salem, el famoso pueblo de las (inexistentes) brujas de 1692. Ver la famosa casa 'House of the Seven Gables' inmortalizada por el escritor Nathaniel Hawthorne (el de La Letra Escarlata) y el Salem Common, un refrescante parque en el centro de la ciudad.

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
16C
UV Index:2 Low
Wind: From the Northeast at 9 mph
Dew Point: 7C
Humidity:55%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer: 1,025.1 m

2005-05-20T10:02:00.000+01:00

Closed for holidays from Saturday 21 May to Sunday 5 June (both inclusive). We are going to Boston, New England and Canada. But the weather looks REALLY bad there (showers and low temperatures), so we may end up going to Boston, Michigan and Ohio. Anywhere where the sun shines!

Cerrado por vacaciones del sabado 21 de Mayo al domingo 5 Junio (ambos inclusive). Vamos a Boston, New England y Canada. El tiempo parece que esta fatal en esa zona (lluvia y temperaturas bajas) asi que podria ser que acabemos yendo a Boston, Michigan y Ohio. Donde sea mientras este soleado!

The weather today:
Rain
13°C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the South at 13 mph
Dew Point: 12C
Humidity: 94%
Visibility: 4 miles
Barometer:1,010.2 mb

2005-05-19T14:26:00.000+01:00

Today I am experimenting with background noise, thanks to this website : iserenity.com . It is a collection of supposedly soothing and relaxing noises and photos, with suggestive titles like A Warm Relaxing Shower or Waterfall Whisper. Try it! Go to the website, click on 'Environments', turn your speakers on, choose from one of the Environment sounds and see if it helps at work or at home. I have typed this post while listening to Whimsical Windchimes.

Hoy estoy experimentando el trabajar con ruidos de fondo, gracias a esta pagina web: iserenity.com . Es una recopilacion de, supuestamente, sonidos de fondo relajantes con sus correspondientes fotos. Con titulos tan sugerentes como Waterfall Whisper (Susurro de cascada) o A Warm Relaxing Shower (Una ducha caliente y relajante). Visitad la web, haced click en 'Environments', conectad los altavoces y escoged el sonido que mas os apetezca, a ver si os hace mas agradable vuestro trabajo cotidiano. Yo he escrito este post mientras escuchaba Whimsical Chimes de fondo.

The weather today:
ight Drizzle
14C
UV Index:1 Low
Wind: From the South at 13 mph
Dew Point:12C
Humidity: 88%
Visibility:6 miles
Barometer: 1,014.9 mb

2005-05-18T15:55:00.000+01:00

I found today a detailed and entertaining website covering every Apollo Mission and a detailed review of all books published on the topic : Apollo Explorer . I know now which books I want to read!

Hoy encontre una web muy interesante, bien estructurada y detallada que trata sobre las misiones espaciales Apollo, ademas de una lista de libros publicados sobre el tema, con comentarios y criticas : Apollo Explorer . Ahora ya se que libros quiero leer!

2005-05-18T12:24:00.000+01:00

I was today reading an article in the newspaper about technologies used in the new generation of fridges : "Temperature inside the fridge remains the same by using an 'air curtain' system which stops external warm air entering the fridge when we open its door. The second most requested system by consumers is an antibacterial technology known as 'nano silver' where, by a controlled release of silver ions, bacteria's growth and bad odour is prevented as well as electromagnetic waves intercepted".

Wow! I am amazed at the article's revelations. What the hell are electromagnetic waves and why should I want to intercept them?? Oh, and there I am, placing half of a lemon (as you can see in the above photo) in the fridge to stop funny smells.... if I were to save all those half lemons, I reckon I would have enough money to buy a fridge with nano silver technology in say....20 years time?

Leo hoy en el periodico sobre las nuevas tecnicas empleadas en la fabricacion de frigorificos : "Para mantener inalterable la temperatura interior del frigorifico, muchos fabricantes aplican la tecnica cortina de aire, que impide que el calor de la habitacion inunde el frigorifico cuando se abre la puerta. La segunda tecnologia más demandada es la antibacterias (nano silver) que, mediante la liberacion controlada de iones de plata, frena el crecimiento de las bacterias, elimina los malos olores e intercepta las ondas electromagnéticas".

Caray! El articulo me ha dejado con la boca abierta de la sorpresa. Que carajo son ondas electromagneticas y para que tengo que interceptarlas? Y yo que sigo poniendo medios limones (en la foto lo podeis comprobar) en el frigorifico para eliminar el posible mal olor... con lo que me ahorraria en medios limones, yo calculo que en 20 anios igual puedo comprarme un frigorifico con tecnologia nano silver.

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
14C
UV Index: 3 Moderate
Wind: From the South at 10 mph
Dew Point: 0C
Humidity:38%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer: 1,022.0 mb

2005-05-17T12:34:00.000+01:00

We watched 'The 100 Greatest War Films' programme (2 programmes, 4 hours each) in Channel 4 last weekend. We both thought Apocalypse Now would be Number One. Not because we especially like it (A reminder : My nickname is not because of the film but because of the book the film is based upon, 'The Heart of Darkness' by Joseph Conrad) but because we thought a Francis Ford Coppola film with its mythical status would easily make it to Number One. It may have been so in the 80s. Not anymore. The late 90s brought us very realistic, well-documented war films. And even if the premise of the film is not that great, the Number One War Film was revealed as... 'Saving Private Ryan'. When I say the premise of the film I mean the quasi-stupid mission the soldiers undertake in the film. Looking for a soldier named Ryan so he can be pulled out of war, taken back home to his parents just because there is a regulation in a book which stipulates a soldier should survive if all his brothers have died in battle. So the premise is stupid, we are talking about sending some valuable soldiers in an almost impossible quest which is not going to produce any visible results against the enemy. But...what I think makes 'Saving Private Ryan' a great war film is the opening scene. It is the most authentic D-Day disembarkment in Normandy's beaches, the killing, the very realistic sound of bullets penetrating flesh, the cameras movement, the grainy texture of the film which reminds us of Robert Cappa's photos...that amazingly realistic and terrifying opening scene is what it makes 'Saving Private Ryan' a great war film.

And the top 5 were:
1. Saving Private Ryan
2. Apocalypse Now
3. The Great Escape
4. Schindler's List
5. Full Metal Jacket

For the complete 100 list, look here : Results 100 Greatest War Films

Este fin de semana vimos el programa 'The 100 Greatest War Films" (Las 100 mejores peliculas belicas -en ingles, 2 programas, 4 horas de duracion cada uno) en Channel 4. Ambos pensamos que la ganadora seria Apocalypse Now . No porque sea nuestra preferida (por cierto, mi nickname The Horror no viene por la pelicula sino por el libro en el que se basa la pelicula, 'The Heart of Darkness' de Joseph Conrad) sino porque supusimos que dirigiendo Francis Ford Coppola y teniendo la pelicula las dimensiones miticas que tiene, pues eso, 'crea fama y echate a dormir', no? Pues no. Quiza era asi en los 80, pero las cosas han cambiado. A finales de los 90 se dirigieron peliculas de gran calidad, bien documentadas, realistas. Y si bien la premisa en la que se basa la pelicula ganadora no es nada del otro mundo, se revelo que la Numero 1 de la lista era... 'Saving Private Ryan'. Cuando digo que la premisa no es nada del otro mundo me refiero a que es cuasi-estupida, vaya. Que en medio de una batalla devastadora se envie a un puniado de soldados a cumplir una mision sin pies ni cabeza... pero eso es lo que hay. Y nuestros soldados cumplen la orden y se disponen a buscar a un soldado llamado Ryan en territorio enemigo. Y por que? Porque una ley de reciente creacion dispone que se devuelva a casa al soldado cuyos hermanos han fallecido en combate. Y alla vamos, a malgastar esfuerzos y soldados que estarian mejor empleados luchando contra el enemigo. Por eso digo que la premisa es estupida. Pero eso no quita que el film sea estupendo. Y esta bien claro que 'Saving Private Ryan' consiguio el puesto numero 1 por las primeras sobrecogedoras escenas, que nos dejaron con la boca abierta. Ahi tenemos el mas autentico Dia D de todos, el famoso y crucial Desembarco en Normandia. La matanza, la sangre, el sonido de las balas penetrando en los cuerpos de los soldados, el movimiento de las camaras, la textura granulosa del fim que nos recuerda a las famosas fotos de Robert Cappa ... esas increiblemente realistas escenas iniciales son las que colocan a 'Saving Private Ryan' en la lista de las mas memorables peliculas belicas.

Las cinco primeras fueron:
1. Saving Private Ryan
2. Apocalypse Now
3. The Great Escape
4. Schindler's List
5. Full Metal Jacket

Y para la lista completa de las 100 mejores peliculas belicas, mirad aqui: Results 100 Greatest War Films

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
10°C
UV Index:3 Moderate
Wind: From the North Northeast at 8 mph
Dew Point: -1C
Humidity: 47%
Visibility:6 miles
Barometer: 1,021.0 mb

2005-05-16T14:25:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I read in The Sunday Times an article about 'Experimental Travel'. You can read all about it here: Take a Flight, Destination Unknown. As the article says : "QUIRKY and absurd, experimental travel requires neither brawn nor bravery — nor even buckets of cash. An interest in philosophy and lateral thinking may help but the only must-have is a taste for the absurd.".

Basically, we all travel and we all do the same. Climb the Eiffel tower, ride a gondola in Venice, bungy-jumping in New Zealand, take photos in front of the Big Ben in London, feed the wallabys in Australia, gamble in casinos in Vegas, hug Mickey Mouse in Disneyland. We all do the same. It's high time we try something different. Welcome to the twilight zone!

And some examples of Experimental (or Dada) Travel, also from the article:

"A-Z travel
Choose a town and buy an A-Z. Take the first road beginning with A and the last beginning with Z and draw a line between them. Now walk the line.

Anachronistic travel
Use only old-fashioned or obsolete forms of transport. Sedan-chairs, airships and palanquins are good. But why stop there? Use only an antique guide book.

Chance travel
Look up the name of your hometown in an atlas. Throw a dice then count that number of lines down from your town. That’s your destination — go to it.

Double travel
Visit places whose names repeat themselves in the title, such as Sing-Sing, Bora-Bora, Baden-Baden.

Ero-travel
Arrange a weekend away with your partner. Travel to your chosen destination by different means and don’t arrange a meeting place. Now search for each other.

Expedition to K2
Explore the area on a town plan or map that sits in the square marked K2. Take full advantage of all sights, restaurants and bars. No need to carry oxygen.

Gastronomy travel
Eat only dishes created exclusively from ingredients whose name contains a destination. Frankfurters, Chantilly cream, Brussels sprouts and so on.

Insider travel
Explore a place following only the suggestions of locals. Practise in your hometown first, pretending you’re a foreigner.

Opus-travel
Make a journey suggested by the title of a piece of art or music, a book or a film. Think One Night in Bangkok, Round Ireland with a Fridge or Miss Saigon.

Slight-hitch-travel
Go to a motorway sliproad with a sign indicating that you are headed for a faraway location such as Buenos Aires. Put out your thumb and wait.

Thalasso-travel
Citing a burst water pipe or lack of hot water, invite yourself to take a bath in
the hotel room or villa next to yours. Then turn up with all the stuff you would expect to find in a spa: bathrobe, relaxing music, seaweed scrub and champagne

Travel-pursuit
Secretly follow some friends on holiday. Take lots of photos of them with a telephoto lens. When you both get back, surprise them with a slide show.

Ayer lei un articulo en el Sunday Times sobre los 'Viajes experimentales' tambien conocidos como 'Viajes Dada'. Podeis leer todo el articulo aqui (en ingles) Take a Flight, Destination Unknown. Citando el articulo : "Excentricos y absurdos, los viajes experimentales no requieren un desembolso considerable de dinero, ni estar en condicion fisica optima ni ser muy valiente. Imaginacion y tomarse la vida con filosofia ayuda bastante, pero realmente, lo unico esencial en el equipaje es el gusto por lo absurdo".

Basicamente, que viajar ya esta muy visto. Que tod@s hacemos lo mismo. Subimos a la torre Eiffel, paseamos en gondola en Venecia, hacemos bungy-jumping en Nueva Zelanda, nos hacemos fotos delante del Big Ben en Londres, damos de comer a los canguros en Australia, apostamos en los casinos de Las Vegas y abrazamos a Mickey Mouse en Disneylandia. Tod@s hacemos lo mismo. Ya es hora de hacer algo diferente. Bienvenidos a la Dimension Desconocida!

Algunos ejemplos de Viaje Dada o Experimental, segun el articulo:

"Viaje A-Z
Escoge un pueblo/ciudad y compra un callejero A-Z (guia de calles en el Reino Unido). Toma la primera calle que empiece por la letra A y la ultima que empiece con la letra Z. Unelas en el mapa con una linea. Camina de un punto a otro siguiendo la linea.

Viaje obsoleto
Usa solo metodos de transporte anacronisticos u obsoletos. Sillas de sedan, globos aerostaticos y palanquines, por ejemplo. Y por que pararse aqui? Usa solo una guia de viaje antigua.

Viaje al azar
Localiza el nombre de tu pueblo/ciudad en un atlas. Tira los dados. Con el numero resultante, cuenta desde la linea de tu poblacion hacia abajo. Alli donde caigas, es donde vas de viaje.

Doble Viaje
Visita lugares cuyos nombres se repitan. Por ejemplo :Sing-Sing, Bora-Bora, Baden-Baden.

Ero-travel
Viaja un fin de semana con tu pareja. Viajad al lugar de destino con diferentes medios de transporte y sin acordar un punto de encuentro. Salid a buscar al otro/a.

Expedicion al K2
Explora la zona de una ciudad/pueblo que corresponda en el mapa al cuadrado K2. Visita restaurantes, bares, monumentos. No hace falta contratar a un sherpa ni llevar botella de oxigeno.

Viaje gastronomico
Come solo platos cuyo nombre se corresponda con un lugar en el mundo. Frankfurts, crema de Chantilly y coles de Bruselas, por ejemplo.

Viaje para Iniciados
Explora una zona/poblacion siguiendo solo las sugerencias y recomendaciones de sus habitantes. Primero practica en tu ciudad/pueblo, haciendote pasar por extranjero.

Viaje Opus
Haz un viaje a partir del titulo de una obra de arte, musica, libro o pelicula. Por ejemplo, Una noche en Bangkok, Miss Saigon o Los paraguas de Cherburgo.

Horizontes lejanos
Colocate a la entrada de una autopista con un cartel indicando tu destino a un lugar lejano. Buenos Aires, por ejemplo. Haz auto-stop y espera a ver que pasa.

Viaje relajante
Aduciendo que se ha acabado el agua caliente o bien que ha reventado una tuberia, solicita a tus vecinos de hotel o casa de vacaciones que te dejen tomar una ducha en su cuarto de banio. Si te dejan, aparece con todos los artilugios que encontrarias en un balneario : albornoz, musica relajante, velas, exfoliante de algas marinas y champagne.

Travel-Pursuit
Sin que lo sepan, sigue a tus amigos de vacaciones. Toma fotos como si fueras un papparazzi. Cuando regreseis del viaje, sorprendelos con una presentacion en Powerpoint.

The weather today:
Rain
14C
UV Index: 2 Low
Wind: From the North at 9 mph
Dew Point:8C
Humidity:67%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer: 1,015.9 mb

2005-05-13T12:30:00.000+01:00

While researching the topic of 'Phantom Cosmonauts' I found this very informative blog : Enclyclopedia Astronautica . So what are the 'Phantom Cosmonauts'? Quoting the Enclyclopedia Astronautica blog : "Over the years the Western press named a number of cosmonauts that were never acknowledged by the Soviet Union. Most were said to have died in space. One allegedly was the first man in orbit and survived. What is the truth of these stories of 'phantom cosmonauts'?" A very interesting (and entertaining) topic, as you can imagine.

On the other hand, there may be 'phantom cosmonauts' riding on your computer's cables. I refer to the £20 key loggers used in a hacker attack at the London branch of a Japanese bank as explained in Computing News . Quoting Computing News : "The hacker attack on Sumitomo Mitsui bank last month involved the use of keyboard logging devices costing as little as GBP20 each, according to sources. Computing has learned that the attempt to steal an estimated GPB220m from the London office of the Japanese bank relied on battery-sized hardware bugging devices plugged into PC USB ports. User's keyboards were connected to these key-loggers, which recorded details of everything typed into the system. Sources claim that cleaning staff, or people posing as cleaners, were able to attach the devices to machines. When the plot was uncovered, bank investigators found some of the devices still attached to the back of PCs."

You can see the key-loggers here : KeyGhost . As you will see on that website ANYBODY can buy them. At work, we have been advised to have a good look at the photo of the key-logger and then check the cable connecting PC to keyboard. Every week. I would advise everybody to do the same. Check your computers cables. Just in case.

Mientras buscaba en internet sobre el tema de los 'Cosmonautas Fantasma' encontre este informativo blog: Enclyclopedia Astronautica . Y que son los 'Cosmonautas Fantasma'? Citando el blog Enclyclopedia Astronautica : "Con el paso de los anios la prensa occidental empezo a nombrar a los cosmonautas que nunca habian sido reconocidos por la Union Sovietica. Se decia que la mayoria habian muerto en el espacio. De otro se dice que fue el primer hombre en orbitar la Tierra y sobrevivio (en lugar de Yuri Gagarin, como dice la version oficial). Que hay de verdad en estas historias de los 'Cosmonautas Fantasma'?" Me parecio un tema de lo mas interesante (y porque no, entretenido!), como os podeis imaginar.

Y ya que estamos en el tema...sabeis que podria haber algo similar a un 'Cosmonauta Fantasma'viajando en los cables de vuestro ordenador? Me refiero a los llamados "key loggers" (cuestan solo £20) que se usaron en un ataque hacker a la oficina londinense de un banco japones, como explica Computing News . Citando a Computing News : "El ataque hacker al banco Sumitomo Mitsui que ocurrio el mes pasado sucedio gracias al uso de unos artefactos que memorizan las claves entradas en el teclado del ordenador y cuestan tan solo 20 libras esterlinas. Fuentes acreditadas han informado a Computing News de que el intento de robo de 220 millones de libras de la oficina londinense del banco japones se basaba en el uso de hardware del tamanio de una bateria (pila) que se conectaba al puerto USB de los PCs. Los teclados de los usuarios estaban conectados por cable a estos artefactos, que memorizaban detalles de todo lo que se tecleaba en el sistema. Las mismas fuentes indican que los autores del presunto robo podrian haber formado parte del personal de limpieza o pretendido ser senioras de la limpieza, que usaron su libre acceso al banco para colocar los artefactos en los cables. Cuando el complot fue descubierto, los investigadores del banco aun encontraron algunos artefactos conectados a los ordenadores del banco".

Podeis ver el aspecto de estos artefactos aqui: KeyGhost . Como podeis comprobar en esta pagina web, CUALQUIERA puede comprarlos. En la oficina nos han recomendado que echemos una ojeada a los cables que van del teclado al ordenador. Cada semana. Yo recomendaria que vosotr@s hicierais lo mismo. Por si acaso.

The weather today:Mostly Cloudy
17°C
UV Index: 5 Moderate
Wind: From the East Northeast at 16 gusting to 29 mph
Dew Point:4C
Humidity: 42%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer:1,019.0 mb

2005-05-12T13:49:00.000+01:00

I've spent most of this week's spare time reading online Space fora (yep, that's 'forum' in plural) like :
Collect Space Forum , Uplink Forum , Mars Forum and Moon Forum . No wonder I have NOTHING to say in my blog!

Me he pasado casi todo el tiempo libre esta semana leyendo online fora sobre la era aeroespacial, del tipo : Collect Space Forum , Uplink Forum , Mars Forum y Moon Forum . No es de extraniar que no tenga absolutamente NADA que decir en este blog!

The weather today:Partly Cloudy
14C
UV Index:6 High
Wind:From the East at 15 mph
Dew Point:0C
Humidity: 37%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1,018.3 mb

2005-05-11T16:02:00.000+01:00

Today it's Wednesday. First thing this morning, I thought it was Thursday. It is the 2nd week I get confused with Weds/Thurs. A shining clear sign that I need a vacation. Just as well I have a couple of weeks starting next Friday!

Hoy es miercoles. Pero de buena maniana, yo creia que era jueves. Ya es la segunda semana que confundo el miercoles con jueves. Clarisimo que necesito vacaciones. Por suerte, tengo dos semanas empezando el proximo viernes!

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
12C
UV Index: 2 Low
Wind: From the East at 12 mph
Dew Point: 1C
Humidity: 47%
Visibility:6 miles