«Un giorno senza un sorriso è un giorno perso».
"Un día sin una sonrisa es un día perdido".
'A day without laughter is a day wasted'.
.Charles Chaplin.
jueves, 30 de septiembre de 2010
miércoles, 29 de septiembre de 2010
29 de septiembre de 2010. HUELGA GENERAL ESPAÑA. 29th. of September 2010. SPAIN GOES ON STRIKE.
ELMUNDO.es Madrid
Actualizado miércoles 29/09/2010 20:39 horas
The seventh general strike in the modern history of democratic Spain -and the first-such event to take place under the mandate of socialist president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero- reached a fever-pitch on Wednesday evening as a steady flow of red flags filled the streets of central Madrid and Barcelona and thousands of strikers marched under the slogan of "Not like this. We demand a correction!".
Although the trade unions were unable to "paralyze" the country -as was their stated objective-, the main labour organizations -the Workers' Commission (CCOO) and the General Union of Workers (UGT)- declared this afternoon that over 70% of the working population (some 10 million Spaniards) had backed the strike.
A spirit of indignant victory has accompanied the late afternoon marches through the country's major cities, with the crowd shouting vicious insults directed against the ruling Government and, above all, Socialist president Rodríguez Zapatero. The strikers are chanting demands for his immediate resignation while calling him "Judas" and accusing him of having "sold out".
Strikes in the major cities
In Madrid the march began half an hour prior to its stated start-off time, led by the general secretaries of the CCOO and the UGT, Ignacio Fernández Toxo and Cándido Méndez. "Today the victims of this economic crisis are present, and we demand that the Government take measures to protect them", declared Méndez. "The Government must retract and correct its policies".
Toxo, meanwhile, asked the Government to take note of "this expression of democracy, that cannot leave anyone indifferent". "The Government's labour reform is reversible: that is what this country's working class is crying out. That which is changed with one law can be reverse with another. We are willing to negotiate with the Government, but only once it corrects its current mistakes".
In Barcelona an estimated 400.000 strikers are taking part in the march through the central Passeig de Gràcia. In his initial comment to the press, the general secretary of UGT in Catalonia, Josep Maria Álvarez, denounced the leftists radicals that played a part in violent encounters with the local police earlier in the day, referring to them as "agitators" and condemning them for having taken advantage of the strike to commit acts unrelated to the movement.
Not an entirely 'normal' day
The strike's impact has depended on particular sectors. While Spanish industry has been significantly affected, commercial operations have continued to operate, largely without incident. Although there were tense moments during the earlier half of the day, most of the country's transportation have remained active, although offering limited service; it was of particular note that the capital's Metro system continued to function, given the massive impact of its full scale shut down during a company-wide strike this past summer.
Together with the general secretary of CCOO, Cándido Méndez, the leader of the UGT, Ignacio Fernández Toxo, declared that there had been an "unquestionable level of participation in the strike" and referred to the event as a "democratic success".
The Minister of Labor, Celestino Corbacho, initially refused to give official figures on the number of striking workers, stating that "the Government will not enter into a war of numbers". Later, however, he refuted the claims made by the unions, insisting that only 7,48% of civil servants are absent. Corbacho has assured the general public that the minimum services -the public services guaranteed to the public under the law, with regards to transportation and other government-run operations- are being met according to standard.
Although the Minister has conceded that there has been a slight 21,2% decrease in national energy consumption, he stated that he was confident that "the day will pass normally, and all citizens will be able to exercise the dual right of both striking, or deciding to go to work". Corbacho has attempted to take a diplomatic route in his analysis of the strike, going so far as to celebrate the "great degree of responsibility exhibited by those who have organized the strike" in allowing the minimum public services to be met.
Clashes in Madrid and Barcelona
During the early hours of the morning, the first incidents were recorded at the the wholesale markets and product distribution centers of most of the major cities. In Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Valencia there were numerous clashes between strikers, workers, and police units trying to maintain order and reduce the tension. In the capital, a female striker was run over while trying to prevent a distribution truck from leaving a printing press.
Later in the day, scores of strikers tried to block the public transportation in all of the nation's major cities. In Madrid, police units were obliged to charge upon strikers who had blocked the transportation depots, sealing in the local and long-distance buses. According to the Community of Madrid, only 150 of the 958 buses that should have been in service this morning were able to leave the depots. Many of the buses that were able to reach the city were later vandalized by strikers.
Meanwhile, in Barcelona, dozens of radical-left activists took advantage of the general strike to riot in the city center. Mixing amongst the trade union representatives and the general strikers, masked individuals threw rocks at windows, built barricades and attacked police units. In the central Plaça Universitat, activists managed to set one of the local police cars on fire, tho the members of the Guàrdia Urbana who were inside the automobile were able to escape unscathed. Largely due to this incident, the Mossos d'Esquadra -the autonomous police force of Catalonia- took less tolerant position with the activists this afternoon, and charged the masses on the city's Gran Vía several times since noon.
A 'democratic success'
A spokesperson for the UGT -the major union that has, historically, been a leading ally of the ruling socialist party- says that the strike has been "massively backed" by the nation's workers, despite the "violence" that the police has perpetrated against the lines. The Union insists that around 70% of Spain's workers -over 10 million people- are supporting the strike in order to express their rejection to the ruling Government's "antisocial policy".
"No one can claim that this strike has had anything but far-reaching impact, although inevitably there will be those who will attempt to slander this movement. This strike, in its development and execution, has had less incidents than any of the other strikes that have been held in Spain to date. If anything, the people have demonstrated themselves to be above any intimidation measures, and restrained themselves when provoked by the disproportionate measures taken by the police", declared Toxo, leader of UGT.
The main Spanish newspapers went on strike yesterday, and have thus only reduced, printed editions have reached certain newsstands today. A number of newsstands had only monthly magazines available, as many of the press distributors were on strike, and certain printing-presses were shut down by strikers yesterday evening. Television stations will broadcast their news programs as per usual, although these will last 20% less time, in accordance with the agreement the broadcasters have reached with the unions.
Actualizado miércoles 29/09/2010 20:39 horas
The seventh general strike in the modern history of democratic Spain -and the first-such event to take place under the mandate of socialist president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero- reached a fever-pitch on Wednesday evening as a steady flow of red flags filled the streets of central Madrid and Barcelona and thousands of strikers marched under the slogan of "Not like this. We demand a correction!".
Although the trade unions were unable to "paralyze" the country -as was their stated objective-, the main labour organizations -the Workers' Commission (CCOO) and the General Union of Workers (UGT)- declared this afternoon that over 70% of the working population (some 10 million Spaniards) had backed the strike.
A spirit of indignant victory has accompanied the late afternoon marches through the country's major cities, with the crowd shouting vicious insults directed against the ruling Government and, above all, Socialist president Rodríguez Zapatero. The strikers are chanting demands for his immediate resignation while calling him "Judas" and accusing him of having "sold out".
Strikes in the major cities
In Madrid the march began half an hour prior to its stated start-off time, led by the general secretaries of the CCOO and the UGT, Ignacio Fernández Toxo and Cándido Méndez. "Today the victims of this economic crisis are present, and we demand that the Government take measures to protect them", declared Méndez. "The Government must retract and correct its policies".
Toxo, meanwhile, asked the Government to take note of "this expression of democracy, that cannot leave anyone indifferent". "The Government's labour reform is reversible: that is what this country's working class is crying out. That which is changed with one law can be reverse with another. We are willing to negotiate with the Government, but only once it corrects its current mistakes".
In Barcelona an estimated 400.000 strikers are taking part in the march through the central Passeig de Gràcia. In his initial comment to the press, the general secretary of UGT in Catalonia, Josep Maria Álvarez, denounced the leftists radicals that played a part in violent encounters with the local police earlier in the day, referring to them as "agitators" and condemning them for having taken advantage of the strike to commit acts unrelated to the movement.
Not an entirely 'normal' day
The strike's impact has depended on particular sectors. While Spanish industry has been significantly affected, commercial operations have continued to operate, largely without incident. Although there were tense moments during the earlier half of the day, most of the country's transportation have remained active, although offering limited service; it was of particular note that the capital's Metro system continued to function, given the massive impact of its full scale shut down during a company-wide strike this past summer.
Together with the general secretary of CCOO, Cándido Méndez, the leader of the UGT, Ignacio Fernández Toxo, declared that there had been an "unquestionable level of participation in the strike" and referred to the event as a "democratic success".
The Minister of Labor, Celestino Corbacho, initially refused to give official figures on the number of striking workers, stating that "the Government will not enter into a war of numbers". Later, however, he refuted the claims made by the unions, insisting that only 7,48% of civil servants are absent. Corbacho has assured the general public that the minimum services -the public services guaranteed to the public under the law, with regards to transportation and other government-run operations- are being met according to standard.
Although the Minister has conceded that there has been a slight 21,2% decrease in national energy consumption, he stated that he was confident that "the day will pass normally, and all citizens will be able to exercise the dual right of both striking, or deciding to go to work". Corbacho has attempted to take a diplomatic route in his analysis of the strike, going so far as to celebrate the "great degree of responsibility exhibited by those who have organized the strike" in allowing the minimum public services to be met.
Clashes in Madrid and Barcelona
During the early hours of the morning, the first incidents were recorded at the the wholesale markets and product distribution centers of most of the major cities. In Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Valencia there were numerous clashes between strikers, workers, and police units trying to maintain order and reduce the tension. In the capital, a female striker was run over while trying to prevent a distribution truck from leaving a printing press.
Later in the day, scores of strikers tried to block the public transportation in all of the nation's major cities. In Madrid, police units were obliged to charge upon strikers who had blocked the transportation depots, sealing in the local and long-distance buses. According to the Community of Madrid, only 150 of the 958 buses that should have been in service this morning were able to leave the depots. Many of the buses that were able to reach the city were later vandalized by strikers.
Meanwhile, in Barcelona, dozens of radical-left activists took advantage of the general strike to riot in the city center. Mixing amongst the trade union representatives and the general strikers, masked individuals threw rocks at windows, built barricades and attacked police units. In the central Plaça Universitat, activists managed to set one of the local police cars on fire, tho the members of the Guàrdia Urbana who were inside the automobile were able to escape unscathed. Largely due to this incident, the Mossos d'Esquadra -the autonomous police force of Catalonia- took less tolerant position with the activists this afternoon, and charged the masses on the city's Gran Vía several times since noon.
A 'democratic success'
A spokesperson for the UGT -the major union that has, historically, been a leading ally of the ruling socialist party- says that the strike has been "massively backed" by the nation's workers, despite the "violence" that the police has perpetrated against the lines. The Union insists that around 70% of Spain's workers -over 10 million people- are supporting the strike in order to express their rejection to the ruling Government's "antisocial policy".
"No one can claim that this strike has had anything but far-reaching impact, although inevitably there will be those who will attempt to slander this movement. This strike, in its development and execution, has had less incidents than any of the other strikes that have been held in Spain to date. If anything, the people have demonstrated themselves to be above any intimidation measures, and restrained themselves when provoked by the disproportionate measures taken by the police", declared Toxo, leader of UGT.
The main Spanish newspapers went on strike yesterday, and have thus only reduced, printed editions have reached certain newsstands today. A number of newsstands had only monthly magazines available, as many of the press distributors were on strike, and certain printing-presses were shut down by strikers yesterday evening. Television stations will broadcast their news programs as per usual, although these will last 20% less time, in accordance with the agreement the broadcasters have reached with the unions.
lunes, 27 de septiembre de 2010
Hans-Rudolf Merz's laughing attack (subtitled)
Una de risoterapia... desconozco "si este hombre (ministro de Finanzas suizo) podría resolver la crisis o no"... pero, -al menos-, nos podemos reir con el vídeo... Cuando lo he visto en el telediario, ni idea de lo que decía (ahora sí, leyendo los subtítulos en inglés de este vídeo así como el artículo que reproduzco a continuación, publicado hoy en el diario "El Mundo"), pero eso sí... unas risas + contagiosasssss.... ;D !!!!
Nueve de la mañana en la sede de Los Verdes en Berlín. La reunión de la Ejecutiva del partido comienza con retraso porque sus miembros "estaban viendo el vídeo de Merz", explica un asistente. Cuando aparecen en la sala, Jürgen Trittin deja escapar todavía risas sueltas, bastante más abiertas y espontáneas que las de la semana pasada, cuando las encuestas auparon a su partido hasta alcanzar, por primera vez en la historia, la intención de voto a los socialdemócratas.
Apenas una hora más tarde y en un escenario muy distinto, la sede del Partido Liberal, el Thomas-Dehler Haus de Berlín, las sonoras carcajadas traspasan las puertas de los despachos y resuenan en los pasillos enmoquetados que conducen al departamento de Prensa. Al FDP le va de pena en las encuestas, así que la pregunta se impone: "¿Por qué están de tan buen humor?". La respuesta es todavía más intrigante que las risas: "Tienes que ver el vídeo", dice un diputado todavía desternillándose y con lágrimas en los ojos.
El vídeo que alegra el día de tal manera a la clase política alemana y centroeuropea es un fragmento de la intervención parlamentaria del ministro de Finanzas suizo, Hans Rudolf Merz, en el que aparece contestando a una pregunta de trámite, en una sesión de control, para lo que lee una respuesta, también de trámite, que habían preparado sus aplicados asesores. El texto es un ejemplo de lenguaje burocrático enrevesado, plagado de leguleyos y que evoca los guiones de las películas de los Hermanos Marx, con referencias legales al apéndice del punto del parágrafo del artículo...
Algo que no es capaz de entender ni el que lo está leyendo, tal y como el mismo Merz confesó después de la hilarante sesión del Bundesrat del país alpino. La pregunta en cuestión versaba sobre importaciones de embutidos cárnicos, y ahí está el ministro, tratando de sobreponerse a los increíbles tecnicismos sobre el paso por aduanas de chorizos, salchichas y butifarras helvéticos.
Sin críticas
Merz es un hombre adusto y serio donde los haya. En los últimos meses, se ha negado a pagar el rescate de los ciudadanos suizos retenidos en Libia y se ha cargado de un plumazo gran parte del secreto bancario en el que tradicionalmente se ha basado buena parte de la prosperidad de este pequeño país, medidas que no le han servido precisamente para ganar amigos. Hubiese sido previsible una oleada de críticas a su pérdida de papeles, pero la oposición, contagiada por la comicidad del absurdo, cayó presa del mismo ataque de mandíbula y sus risotadas impedían incluso que el orador retomase el discurso sereno, a pesar de sus denodados esfuerzos.
Sus lágrimas de risa han suscitado una ola de simpatía por el ministro saliente y todavía continúa media Europa riéndose con él. Sólo en las 24 horas posteriores a la sesión parlamentaria, el vídeo fue visto en YouTube por 300.000 personas. Ni siquiera los empresarios del sector cárnico suizo han osado acusar a Merz de tomarse poco en serio sus problemas, y uno de ellos ha anunciado un nuevo eslogan para su próxima campaña publicitaria: "Nunca pierdas el sentido del humor".
"Un político se ríe de la política. La dosis de reirse de uno mismo que el vídeo ha inoculado en los políticos centroeuropeos se traduce en síntomas como buen humor y pensamiento positivo que sustituyen a la típica agresividad y al ring de boxeo parlamentario", dice la redactora jefe de 'Die Welt' antes de aseverar: "Nos ha recordado que la democracia necesita humor".
http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2010/09/27/internacional/1285579988.html
domingo, 26 de septiembre de 2010
viernes, 24 de septiembre de 2010
FELIZ SANTO & DÍA DE LA MERCED :) 24 de septiembre de 2010.
Tuve la oportunidad de visitar Barcelona en julio de 2007, con motivo de la presentación de una tesis doctoral sobre Traducción, -de una de mis mejores amigas (que ahora imparte clases en una Universidad Taiwanesa)-, en la que yo tenía el papel de correctora de estilo (aunque "mi profesión real" sea la de economista, siempre me han atraído otros campos como el de la literatura, la música y el arte).
Una vez allí, -y por decisión propia-, al primer sitio al que fuí yo sola fue al de la Basílica de la Mercè y además, - justo en ese momento-, no había casi nadie dentro (acaso un sacerdote en confesionario y algún que otro feligrés). Con el templo prácticamente vacío, rodé el siguiente vídeo.
jueves, 23 de septiembre de 2010
Enigma - Return to Innocence [HQ]
That’s not the beginning of the end
That’s the return to yourself
The return to innocence
Love - Devotion
Feeling - Emotion
Love - Devotion
Feeling - Emotion
Don’t be afraid to be weak
Don’t be too proud to be strong
Just look into your heart my friend
That will be the return to yourself
The return to innocence
If you want, then start to laugh
If you must, then start to cry
Be yourself don’t hide
Just believe in destiny
Don’t care what people say
Just follow your own way
Don’t give up and use the chance
To return to innocence
That’s not the beginning of the end
That’s the return to yourself
The return to innocence
Don’t care what people say
Follow just your own way
Follow just your own way
Don’t give up, don’t give up
To return, to return to innocence.
If you want then laugh
If you must then cry
Be yourself don’t hide
Just believe in destiny.
sábado, 18 de septiembre de 2010
BIZCOCHOS DE YOGURT
Y seguimos con cosas ricassssssss....
.... aunque tengo unos moldes parecidos....
la receta aún no la he probado.
FELIZ FINDE :)!
Debo decir que no lo he probado, pero tiene muy buena pinta.
Genial, para pasar una buena tarde en casa,
viendo una película o escuchando música interesante.
¡(: FELIZ FINDE :)!
sábado, 11 de septiembre de 2010
lunes, 6 de septiembre de 2010
viernes, 3 de septiembre de 2010
jueves, 2 de septiembre de 2010
Franco Battiato- Nomadi
Lungo il transito dell'apparente dualità
la pioggia di settembre
risveglia i vuoti della mia stanza
....
forestiero che cerchi la dimensione insondabile.
La troverai, fuori città
alla fine della strada.
Nómadas que buscan los ángulos de la tranquilidad, en las nieblas del norte, en los tumultos civilizados, entre los claros oscuros y la monotonía de los días que pasan. Caminante que vas buscando la paz en el crepúsculo la encontrarás, la encontrarás al final de tu camino. Largo el tránsito de la aparente dualidad, la lluvia de septiembre despierta el vacío de mi cuarto y los lamentos de la soledad aún se prolongan. Como un extranjero no siento ataduras del sentimiento, y me iré de la ciudad, esperando un nuevo despertar. Los viajantes van en busca de hospitalidad, en pueblos soleados, en los bajos fondos de la inmensidad, y después duermen sobre las almohadas de la tierra. Forastero que buscas la dimensión insondable, la encontrarás fuera de la ciudad, al final de tu camino.
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