PERO MIRA QUE ES DIFÍCIL

Coeur et Courage

2009-11-12T10:54:00.029+01:00

La cultura, mal que les pese a muchos, es cosa de pocos, oí decir hace mucho a Dragó.

La afirmación es tan cierta como falaz es el aforismo de que el saber no ocupa lugar.

Tras disfrutar este puente pasado de nuestro XV pavo, ahora laguchino (¡cinco horas en horno de leña, ummmm!), con los amigos, de lo que daré cuenta en breve, espero, el martes me acerqué al cine a ver el Coeur et Courage, de Arantxa, cuyo estreno anuncié hace poco, haciéndome eco de las espléndidas loas que había recibido de los críticos.

Aunque la excusa del documental sea el fallecido bailarín Béjart, coincido con nosoydirectordecine en que es un maravilloso y realista retrato de la inigualable tensión del creador exigente, aquí personalizado tanto por Gil Román, sucesor de Béjart a la cabeza del Béjart Ballet Lausanne (BBL), sobre el que gira lo que vemos, como de la propia autora del documental, Aranxa Aguirre, que de casta le viene al galgo.

La película, producida por López-Li Films, nos cuenta la historia de Gil Román en su esfuerzo por hacer honor a la responsabilidad que su maestro y amigo le endilgó al hacerle heredero de su BBL, de su obra y de su exigencia creativa. Y hacerlo solo, por más que acompañado, y con urgencia.

Al morir el mito, la preciosa ciudad de Lausanne, principalísima patrocinadora del BBL, con buen criterio les concedió tres años para probar que seguían mereciendo su apoyo. Aquí vuelvo a coincidir con nosoydirectordecine: "qué pena que no se vea la resolución de la visita del alcalde de Laussane," sabia y gozosamente retratado por la penetrante cámara del gran López-Li.

El maestro, Béjart, no fue tan generoso como Lausanne, como bien se percató Román, muy consciente de que el reto se dilucidaría mucho antes, en el primer combate, sin que segundas batallas pudieran revertir ese primer resultado. Además, el combate no podía demorarse, que el transcurso del tiempo solo traería incertidumbres y añadiría problemas, como bien supo indentificar el heredero.

Román debía afrontar sin tregua un complejo frente: primero, el duelo por la muerte de su genial compañero, mayor que él; luego, el duelo por la desaparición de su maestro y parapeto; luego, su conflicto entre lealtad y personalidad, entre el arte heredado y el propio; luego, su ascenso al mando supremo, encargado tanto de la unión de otros artistas geniales, hasta entonces sus compañeros, que también agonizaban entre dudas y expectativas, como de la confrontación con administradores y observadores de los medios y de la 'cultura', dicho sea sin demasiado retintín, muy atentos a si estaría a la altura. Y, bañándolo todo, su propia exigencia, personal y artística, si es que en este caso puede hacerse tal distición.

Desde luego, la herencia era espléndida. Hasta alguien tan poco aficionado como Willy disfrutó del esplendor y la belleza de sus vestuarios, de sus danzas, de la tensión creadora de unos cuerpos increíbles, de su belleza plástica. Ya su lugar de trabajo privado, un pequeño chalet en esa preciosa ciudad suiza, incita a la laboriosidad auténtica y concentrada, más cuando vemos la casita con sus cálidas luces encendidas entre las frías penumbras del alba y del anochecer.

Todos los elementos para la creación estaban disponibles. Gil Román no podría excusarse en carencias, como no fuera la premura de tiempo, ineludible. Todos, empezando por sí mismo y por sus más próximos colaboradores, le observaban con lupa y le iban a medir implacablemente.

El documental nos hace gozar intensamente al permitirnos compartir con imágenes perfectas y reveladoras el indescriptible placer que proporciona el esfuerzo y el compromiso de un exigente grupo, capitaneado por Román y rodeado por un foso lleno de monstruosas angustias, reflejo de lo que muchos de ellos se jugaban en el lance, por crear una obra bella.

El reto que Gil Román propone, y con el que sus compañeros se comprometen, fue presentar al público, antes de que transcurriera un año de la muerte del maestro, una coreografía nueva, no una de las heredadas, que exhibiera lo que eran capaces de hacer, pues bien les había enseñado Béjart que de eso se trataba, de crear permanentemente, porque incluso para recrear las coreografías heredadas debían acreditar que tenían dentro el arte y la exigencia necesarios.

Ese proceso es el que Arantxa nos acerca y nos deja compartir. Gracias Arantxa.

Sorprende agradablemente, al menos me sorprende a mí, tan alejado de tal don, el tono de voz pausado y siempre amable con el que Gil se dirige siempre a sus bailarines, o a la cámara, cuando ésta capta sin piedad y nos muestra la enorme tensión en la que vive. Agrada la manera sintética en que presenta a los miembros del ballet a su mecenas, el orondo alcalde de Lausanne. Alegra la manera en que sonríe, pues Gil Román tiene una sonrisa preciosa, como me apunta Susan, especialmente cuando se mira con un tanto de distancia e ironía. Todo ello apuntaba maneras, pero en absoluto era garantía de que el resultado fuera el arte esperado, que éste es muy suyo y tiene reglas inescrutables.

Pero cuando, dos días antes del estreno, ya en el teatro que iba a juzgarle y marcar su destino, Gil Román se acerca al escenario y rechaza, sin acritud pero con convicción, las pantallas que le habían colocado; cuando se pasea preocupado entre las butacas mirando al escenario con insatisfaccion; cuando le pone un culotte a la guapísima bailarina rusa, para cubrir las medias que no eran todo lo sexies que el público exige; cuando, al día siguiente, tras una noche sin sueño, decide, con una sonrisa, simplemente suprimir lo que no funcionaba y, al hacerlo, resulta obvio que tenía razón, ahí, en ese momento, es cuando yo pensé que es muy probable que este Gil Román tenga lo que hay que tener para llenar bien las calzas que su amigo y maestro le había legado.

Pero, por encima de todo, lo esencial de esta película es que nos exhibe y nos imbuye el valor que atesora el esfuerzo y el compromiso (sí, ya se que me repito, pero es que se trata de esto, precisamente de esto) de unas gentes comprometidas en el intento de hacer algo todo lo bien de que son capaces, y su capacidad es muy alta, vive Dios, y, al mismo tiempo, nos hace partícipes del esfuerzo, también muy solitario, como el de aquéllos, de una mujer, Arantxa, y su mínimo grupo de colaboradores por hacer excelentemente algo, una película, sabiendo, como sabe, que será apreciada por pocos y que su principal remuneración la habrá de encontrar en la satisfacción del trabajo bien hecho.

Para mí ha sido una gozada disfrutar esta película, que no sé si seguirá en cartel, en el Pequeño Cine estudio de Magallanes (Calle Magallanes, 1, a la vuelta del Hollywood, que está hecho unos zorros, el Hollywood, no el cine), a las 22:15 horas, pero que esperemos que pronto podamos verla aunque sea en la tele. La peli se ha vendido ya a muchos países, pero no es esperable que, a pesar de su calidad e incluso de las espléndidas críticas con que ha sido recibida, sea profeta en su tierra.

En cualquier caso, ojalá tenga Arantxa muchas ocasiones de crear tanta tensión y belleza.

Como todos habréis podido leer, y sino deducir, la imagen del comienzo es el cartel con el que anuncian la película en Japón, donde sale con siete copias, ni más ni menos... por algo me gusta tanto el este asiático, los jardines zen de Kioto... ¡ay mamita!

Jason gana el Concurso de Ideas de La Marina de Sanse

2009-11-03T18:41:00.003+01:00

Como se puede leer, ver y oír aquí, el estudio de Richard Rogers ha ganado el concurso de ideas del título.

El dibujo de entrada es de Jason, y supongo que habrá tenido no poco que ver con el logro.

El dibujo no es nada comparado a sus comics infantiles, pero la verdad es que no está mal.

¡Enhorabuena!

El esfuerzo y el ánimo

2009-10-29T11:03:00.010+01:00

Arantxa estrena El Esfuerzo y el ánimo en Madrid el próximo viernes 6 de noviembre a las 10 de la noche , en lo que fue el teatro estudio de Magallanes (también cine porno durante un tiempo).

La cinta viene precedida de críticas extraordinariamente elogiosas vertidas con ocasión de su pase en el Festival de Valladolid, la SEMINCI (un pena que el presidente del jurado de documentales sea quien es).

Empezando por la del archifamoso Variety. Primero en un artículo pensado para quitarnos el resquemor a algunos temerosos: "enthusiastically understood by even professedly balletphobe spectators"; pero que, además, no esconde su admiración por Of Heart and Courage: "Beyond 'Courage', early Valladolid sidebar highlights included... " - ese 'Beyond' vale oro, pues que lo coloca en categoría extraordinariamente aparte.

Y luego en otro, más para pros, elogioso en muchos sentidos, como véis: "Not the straightforward tribute to a famed ballet company and its recently deceased founder one might expect, Arantxa Aguirre's 'Of Heart and Courage' finds a compelling narrative hook in the high-pressure transitional moment as succeeding artistic director Gil Roman prepares the Bejart Ballet Lausanne's first, crucial post-Bejart program. Accomplished docu". Y, encima, una coda final que quién la quisiera para sí: "Packaging is first-rate."

Tampoco los medios nacionales escatiman su admiración: el Norte de Castilla -"espléndida cinta de Arantxa Aguirre"-, el Correo Digital -"obra el milagro de emocionar hasta las lágrimas al lego en ballet con los ensayos de una compañía"-y El Periódico: "Da lo mismo que a uno no le guste en exceso el ballet. Igualmente se emocionará viendo El esfuerzo y el ánimo, un documental sobre bailarines, sí, pero donde la danza es simplemente una excusa para hablar de un tema universal: por más que uno esté bregado en su profesión, hay nervios que no desaparecen nunca. ¿Quién no se pregunta a menudo si llegará a estar a la altura?"

Diego Galán, en El País, dice:

"Este estupendo trabajo narra las vicisitudes de la compañía de bailarines de Maurice Béjart, que se ven en la necesidad de demostrar al público que son capaces de prolongar el legado del maestro tras su muerte, es decir, de sobrevivir. Dirigido por Arantxa Aguirre, este sondeo en las cuitas del principal heredero de Béjart, Gil Román, para alcanzar dicho objetivo habla de un esfuerzo juvenil, de esperanza, de vida, otro semblante de Cómicos, que lo hace desde el prisma de la derrota ante la vejez, de unos tiempos que se han ido dejando a sus protagonistas sin justicia ni sentido. El principio frente al fin."

Os animo, y mucho, a que no dejéis pasar la oportunidad de verla.

Como cualquier documental, no creo que dure mucho en cartel, así que animaros ya. Nos vemos en el estreno.

La niña cambia de trabajo

2009-10-05T13:36:00.003+02:00

Sí, es cierto, Lidia deja IBERIA, su primer trabajo de licenciada, y se va a EADS, donde parece que la quieren mucho más o, al menos, están dispuestos a valorar mejor su trabajo, como indica el cambio de remuneración.

La niña está contenta, aunque le da un poco de penita dejar a sus compañeros de IB y perder los frees y otras cosas que tanto gustan a una viajera nata.

En todo caso, os dejo con una de sus últimas responsabilidaes en IBERIA: acondiconar el avión de Madrid 20016 en su fracasado (gracias a Dios) intento por trarse unas olimpíadas.

Espero que en su nueva casa laboral le den todo el trabajo y toda la responsabilidad que su infinita energía requiere.

Cacahueta took just a few minutes to exit the womb today

2009-09-30T23:40:00.007+02:00

Alicia arrived today, September 30, at 7:30pm.

After so much travelling around the world, climbing rivers on elephants included, painting and restoring a house and some other exercises too, she was very well trained and came with no effort (ehem, just the mimimum, although Laura might say otherwise).

The fact is it didn't take but a few minutes from when Jason went in with Laura until he came back out with little Alicia: 2,850 kg (6,3 lbs) and 52 cm (20,5'') long.

Little Jason couldn't believe he made, or cooperated in making, little Alicia. But he did.

The delivery took place in the Hospital La Milagrosa, Madrid.

Welcome!!!

Memories exist even when forgotten

2009-09-11T17:29:00.014+02:00

I've been saying so for years, along with many others (according to Susan), without the least of proof (I didn't have proof nor insight knowledge; others probably did). Obviously, no one listened (to me). But it looks like I wasn't wrong after all.

KurveilAI's newsletter let me know of new research by neuroscientists of the University of California Irvine, published in Neuron journal, 10 Sep 2009 issue, which suggests that memory exists even when you simply can't retrieve it.

Jeff Johnson of the UCI Center for the Neurobiology of Learning & Memory and colleagues discovered, using advanced brain imaging techniques, that a person's brain activity while remembering an event is very similar to when it was first experienced, even if specifics can't be recalled. Johnson says brain imaging shines a "searchlight" into the brain.

The work's summary states:

Episodic memory retrieval is thought to involve reinstatement of the neurocognitive processes engaged when an episode was encoded. Prior fMRI studies and computational models have suggested that reinstatement is limited to instances in which specific episodic details are recollected. We used multivoxel pattern-classification analyses of fMRI data to investigate how reinstatement is associated with different memory judgments, particularly those accompanied by recollection versus a feeling of familiarity (when recollection is absent). Classifiers were trained to distinguish between brain activity patterns associated with different encoding tasks and were subsequently applied to recognition-related fMRI data to determine the degree to which patterns were reinstated. Reinstatement was evident during both recollection- and familiarity-based judgments, providing clear evidence that reinstatement is not sufficient for eliciting a recollective experience. The findings are interpreted as support for a continuous, recollection-related neural signal that has been central to recent debate over the nature of recognition memory processes.

J. Johnson's photo credit: Daniel A. Anderson/UCI Communications

Leo's first email

2009-09-10T19:12:00.007+02:00

The following has been Leo's first email ever. Susan was delighted.

From: Leo García
Date: Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 1:31 AM
Subject: Agotamiento
To: "Susan M. Noonan"

Grandma Noo,
Come see me soon, I miss you! Mommy and daddy look tired lately but I feel really rested. I can't wait to play with you and have you sing to me!

I love you,
Leo

Congratulations

2009-09-08T14:29:00.012+02:00

We couldn't go to G&M's wedding (Susan was going to the States for Leo's birth), and then they were gone to Africa... and then we were in the States for vacations.

Finally, yesterday we had G for dinner -M was in Paris- and gave him their wedding present.

We also invited José Antonio Carrera, the author of the picture we gave them as a gift. He took the beautiful picture a few years ago in Segou (Mali). (Here you can view & buy some of his pix -I love the fallen Soviet Communist Red Star, taken in 2002 in the port of Murmansk, on the artic, near the russian nuclear submarine base-, and here you can find some of his outstanding Yanomami photos).

We were doubting between the young kid with pink pants (above) or the Segou gas station (left), but as you can see we decided for the elegance and modernity of the young malian.

When we first heard about the wedding we thought about giving them a very modern NYC photo -G&M are quite a modern couple-, one of a Hasidim Jew in front of a barbershop on 52nd, between 1st and 2nd, or...

maybe the one of that bookie joint on Eldrige St (Chinatown), where the Chinese guys working in sweatshops go lose in a blink their hard-earned money, or,..

why not the portrait on 6th Ave. of Louis Menoes, the street photographer who does portraits of people at the entrance of city events, prints the pix in the back of the car and, at the exit, gives them the end product.

However, when we learned that G&M were planning to go for their honeymoon to the Central Republic of Africa, to teach teachers, we looked for a more appropriate African picture.

I hope you agree with our choice.

The Singularity is near

2009-09-04T23:31:00.051+02:00

The books I had ordered from Amazon were waiting for me in NYC, at Leo,Sofi,Kelly&Daniel's house.

Once in Brooklyn, I immediately picked The Singularity is near. When humans transcend biology, the 2005 book of Ray Kurzweil, to be my companion for the beach.

I was interested in the book, and the author, because I have been considering, for years (as you can read in old posts of this blog), the legal implications of machines' consciousness, and, more recently, I have been wondering how the "industrially-produced humans", humanoids, andromats, cyborgs and so on will be legally treated, compared with 'normal' humans. (see also Legal and ethical aspects on Human enhacement and Machine consciousness in my legalweb)..

and Ray Kurzweil had written previously The Age of Spiritual Machines: When Computers Exceed Human Intelligence (1999) and The Age of Intelligent Machines (1990), and some other publications related with these subjects.

I was excited and anxious to start reading the Singularity... but I didn't expect to read the absolutely outstanding and marvelous news so well transmitted by Mr. Kurzweil.

I have to admit that I have been mesmerized, absorbed and fully captivated by the intel provided in the book... even if what it says non è vero, è ben trovato (even if not true, it's a good point).

To make a long, and fascinating, story short: if you keep alive for the next 20 years, 15 now, you'll be able to keep on living in good shape for another 20 years... and, by then, the Singularity will have happened (around 2045) and technology will allow you to transcend biology and live well forever (as long as you wish)... and much more (you have to read the book).

By the way, there is no excuse: today, almost everybody has the power and means to live 15 more years in good health, even if he/she is in his/her mid sixties; its mostly a matter of what you eat and drink, how you exercise, how you unstress your day and how you sleep.

The Singularity will, according to the author, "represent the culmination of the merger of our biological thinking and existence with our technology, resulting in a world that is still human but that transcends our biological roots. There will be no distinction post-Singularity between human and machine or between physical and virtual reality."

According to Kurzweil, the Singularity will allow us "to transcend our biological bodies and brains ...

[O]ne of the salient implications of the Singularity will be a change in the nature of our ability to understand. We will become vastly smarter as we merge with our technology...

[A] key observation regarding the Singularity is that information processes -computation- will ultimately drive everything that is important.

[I]n the aftermath of the Singularity, intelligence, derived from its biological origins in human brains and its technological origins in human ingenuity, will begin to saturate the matter and energy in its midst... [B]y reorganizing matter and energy to provide an optimal level of computation to spread out from its origin on Earth... In any event, the 'dumb' matter and mechanisms of the universe will be transformed into exquisitely sublimes forms of intelligence...

[U]ltimately, the entire universe will become saturated with our intelligence. This is the destiny of the universe. We will determine our own fate rather than have it determined by the current 'dumb', simple, machinelike forces that rule celestial mechanisms. ...

[T]he intelligence that will emerge will continue to represent the human civilization, which is already a humane-machine civilization. In other words, future machines will be human, even if they are not biological. ... Our civilization will remain human... although our understanding of the term will move beyond its biological origins.

As the the author explains, mathematicians use the word Singularity to denote a value that transcends any finite limitation. Consider y=1/x. This function never actually achieves an infinite value, since dividing by zero is mathematically impossible to calculate (undefined), but the value of y exceeds any possible limit (approaches infinity) as x approaches zero. Astrophysics call black holes Singularities. One theory speculates that the universe itself began with such a Singularity. As an event capable of rupturing the fabric of human history, it first appears in John von Neumann (1950) and later in I.J. Good (1960s), Vernor Vinge (here his 1993 abstract), Kurzveil and Hans Moravec (1980s).

Whatever you think, whatever your interests are, whatever your field of expertise is... this really is a MUST READ BOOK.

I strongly recommend that you read this book. It is not short, and sometimes it's not easy, but I can assure you that it is very agreeable to read and even its deepest intricacies are written in a very friendly and accessible manner (ehem... once in a while you'll have to accept your inability to fully understand certain things... remember all the fun you had when you should had been studying, take it with a smile and don't complain).

For a fascinating while you'll live between AI, GNR (Genetics, Nanotechnology, Robotics), exponential growth rates, accelerating returns, cps, respirocites, intelligence enhancement and brain reverse engineering, modeling and simulation (looks like functional simulation will be completed by the 2020s... and by the early 2030s will be feasible to upload a human brain with a 1,000$ laptop; functional simulation of human intelligence will be passing the Touring test by 2029 - will your uploaded brain be really you?), cellular-automaton computers, Drexler's molecular assemblers (no fat and sticky fingers, no, no, no, Mr. Smalley), self-replicating molecular nanobots, self-assembly in carbon nanotube circuits ("one cubic inch of nanotube circuitry, once fully developed, would be up to 100 million times more powerful than the human brain", explains Kurzweil), computing with DNA, quantum dots and qubits, spintronics, foglet reality, pico- (10^-12) and femto- (10^-15) technologies, Markov models, genetic algorithms, attoseconds (10^-18), stochastic (random within carefully controlled constraints) and chaotic (random and unpredictable) processes, Hebbian response of neural learning, ... and many other ultra fascinating notions and achievements.

By the way, let me write down here the author's definition of a concept of complexity: "the minimum amount of meaningful, non-random, but unpredictable information needed to characterize a system or process." This definition reminded me of when I used a very similar concept, even with some common words, to define what I understood as good writing to a pretty and young Spanish poet, Guadalupe Grande, who wasn't very happy with my taste in writers -actually, she agreed with me more than her political background and conditioning allowed.

And his concept of order: "Order is information that fits a purpose. The measure of order is the measure of how well the information fits the purpose." Afterwards he adds: "Simply having more information does not necessarily result in a better fit"; and "A completely predictable process has zero order." Previously he had stated that "orderliness does not constitute order, because order requires information."

I was so enthralled by what I read, that I immediately decided to try to live for the next 20 years (don't laugh, that purpose has never been one of my priorities in the past, since I've never been so eager to live)... which lead me to another book: Transcend. Nine steps to living well forever, written by Ray with Terry Grossman, MD, and published in 2009... thank God, this was one of the other books I had previously ordered and was awaiting me in NYC. I started devouring it as soon as I got back to Brooklyn.

Transcend is dedicated to maintaining good health and is the vulgarization of their previous and more technical and footnoted book on the matter, Fantastic Voyage: Live Long Enough to Live Forever.

Another charlatan's phantasy?... not really. Ray Kurzweil (wiki bio) is a prominent scientific, an MIT engineer (1964 promotion), condecorated by three the different US Presidents and honoured with quite a bunch of university doctorates. He has been awarded the most prestigious prizes in the technology world, where he stands as very prominent AI leader. He is a very reputed developper of technologies and businessman. Respected by his peers as well as financial and technological institutions: according to Bill Gates he is the best person "at predicting the future of artificial intelligence."

If you are skeptic and have a minute, just google Kurzweil or Singularity and you'll be able to document yourself about this guy and who he is. Or check how many blogs and webpages and portals directly related with the Singularity you can find (this is one of the many). You can also watch a trailer of a film on him, Transcedent Man: prepare to evolve, presented past spring at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival.

More importantly, you can go to the Singularity University , with Google and ePlanet Ventures as founding partners (here its list of partners and supporters)

Anyhow, when I try, foolishly, to spread the good news, it's not uncommon to receive things like this banner:
En español... lo siento, pero en la España de Zapatero y demás ralea creo que nadie ha considerado pertinente editar una traducción de la Singularidad. Eso nos define. Ya lo creo.

En français c'est Humanité 2.0 la bible du changement.

ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION, OF A DIFFERENT KIND: Just before living for the States, we laughed ourselves to death watching In the Loop, the Armando Iannucci's 2009 sharp political British satire. with UK, USA and international politics as playground.

Cash for Clunkers

2009-09-04T22:29:00.012+02:00

Cash for Clunkers sounded so much funnier than Plan Prever... so we opted for Holden Beach, NC, (oh, my God!!!, what a beach) to enjoy a few days with the family, especially our first grandson, Leo (aka Buddha), Kelly and Daniel's firstborn...

No, the great and smiley blond you can see in the pix above is not Leo, he is young Henry J. Rothrock, the only (not for long, as the beach was conducive) son of Becca and Sam.

You can better see Little Leo, already a man with balls, great balls, in the presentation below, shot mostly at the beach in Holden and Brooklyn; there are a couple of pix in ILM, the international airport in Willmington, half an hour from the beach, where he flew from New York City. By the way, ILM is probably the nearest international airport to Kitty Hawk, the dune from which the Wright Bros flew an airplane for the first time in history (great beaches there too, including a Coquina Beach).

The young Rothrocks came from St. Louis, MO, via Atlanta, and also landed in ILM. The not so young Rothrocks, Jim and Jane, drove from Richmond, VA, as Susan and I did.

Some days later more family visited: Ruth Rothrock, Jim and Joy Noonan, and their grandchildren Carolyn and Tripp, both great kids. We had great fun with them, although Tripp almost exhausted me running waves (he is tireless... and never stops). Of course, we also shared company with a bunch of Jim&Jane's great friends (John&Mimi, Arnie&Diane, Gil&Bev, Sharon and Margo, ... Let me say: some of them know damn well how to cook, and had the grace to invite, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Below you can see some of us in a hard day's work at the beach. Beach that we gladly shared with pelicans, sand-pippers and othe birds (this year they had encefilitis and the population was diminished), crabs, crustaceans and fishes of all kinds, including purpoises (a kind of dolphins), sea oates (those thin veggies that grow in the dunes and fly with the wind), endangered turtles (Holden is one of those places where these huge sea turttles come to nest - always in the same place - after travelling seas all around the world), and a few other people, not many, just a few.

¡Aviados vamos!

2009-07-27T19:52:00.012+02:00

He tenido el humor de leerme los últimos documentos cruzados entre el Gobierno Zapateresco y la CEOE, sobre eso que llaman "Diálogo Social". Supongo que los liberados sindicales se suman a lo escrito por su adalid, con el dinero y medios de todos nosostros.

El papelón gubernamental se llama: ACUERDO PARA IMPULSAR LA RECUPERACIÓN DE LA ACTIVIDAD ECONÓMICA Y DEL EMPLEO, MEJORAR LA PROTECCIÓN SOCIAL Y PROMOVER UNA ECONOMÍA SOSTENIBLE - BORRADOR (20-JULIO-2009)

El papelito CEOEial (me niego a llamarla empresarial, pues que la esperanza es lo último que se pierde) se llama: PROPUESTA DE CEOE SOBRE EL DIÁLOGO SOCIAL - 23 de julio de 2009

Ya la prensa nos ha dicho todo lo que estos *@/*** están dispuestos a, o son capaces de, decir. Me abstendré de agregar basura a la ya abundosa.

Solo quiero dejar constancia de que, salvo por el título(que lo breve siempre es bueno), lo de la CEOE es una basura incluso superior a la de los sectarios, pues si es insensato esperar algo de éstos de aquéllos era de esperar otra cosa... aunque solo fuera algo más de trabajo.

Quien se atreva a leerlo verá que todo lo dejan para septiembre (se ve que les sobra el timpo y no hay premuras)... y el contenido general es puro aggggghhhhhh...

Incluso se atreven a soltar éste epígrafe (de su apartado 16): "Evaluar, con una perspectiva de medio plazo, los resultados obtenidos por las medidas adoptadas desde el año 2006 para mejorar la estabilidad y el fomento del empleo." ... ¡cómo si no hubieran tenido medios ni dinero para tener hecha esa evaluación hace mucho! ¡Qué descaro!

Lo demás era lo esperado... pero con ínfima calidad y absoluta falta de imaginación, ni formal ni de fondo.

No, no estamos hablando de empresarios... hablamos de pseudo-funcionarios trincones trabajando para pseudo-empresarios trincones especializados en esquilmar por vías administrativa y cohechiva-funcionarial.

¡Que les den!... entre ceja y ceja... y más, mucho más, en su punto diagonal... a ver si les gusta, que a lo mejor sí, vaya usted a saber.

PD Mi querido primo Luis me manda la siguiente cita de Cicerón, que creo que lo dice todo:

"El presupuesto debe equilibrarse, el Tesoro debe ser reaprovisionado, la deuda pública debe ser disminuida, la arrogancia de los funcionarios públicos debe ser moderada y controlada, y la ayuda a otros países debe eliminarse para que Roma no vaya a la bancarrota. La gente debe aprender nuevamente a trabajar, en lugar de vivir a costa del Estado."

(Cicerón, Año 55 antes de Cristo)

Leo has come

2009-07-19T00:47:00.009+02:00

Leo came today, July, 18th, at around 6pm EST in NYC, at the NY University Medical Center.

First news already confirm that he is a vwe boy. Very auspicious!

Welcome!

After a little trying, Leo decided not to go thru all the hassle and opted for the C-section exit, a far better and more comfortable option for what he could tell.

I am not sure Kelly shared his opinion, but she complied, as mommies always do.

Although she looks tired, who wouldn't?, she also looks satisfied, who wouldn't?

He is beautiful, Daniel says... and we agree with Daddy. Susan says he looks a lot like Daniel when he was a baby. I don't know, but I think he has the head of a Pope.

Leo weighed in at 7 lbs 3 ozs and measured 20.5'', just above 3,3 kg and 52 cm.

When dogs fly, that is, Dignity

2009-07-17T12:29:00.001+02:00

Following my previous post on Dignity, I'll refer you to this NYTimes editorial of July, 16, 2009.

Nokanshi, that is, Dignity

2009-07-17T12:28:00.009+02:00

We recently had the pleasure of watching Okuribito (2008), the 2008 Oscar Award winner (foreign language ) Japanese movie. In English it is named Departures. I don't know what they call it in Spanish. Susan says it's called Despedidas.

I've been lucky enough not to have had to go to cemeteries too frequently, but I have had to, both in Spain and the USA.

My experience with Spanish burials has always disgusted me. With no exception, whether it was of a wealthy or poor person, it was always unsatisfying, to say the least. There was always an absolute lack of respect in the material process of burial. Not even the most dignified crowd could overcome that fact. Nothing is done as it should be.

I am convinced that only reflects the actual manners of our people. A pity, no doubt.

In contrast, Okuribito shows that things can be done with Dignity, even those commonly done otherwise.

And, more importantly, it shows that, in those cases, when things are done with Dignity, it results in great satisfaction and comfort for everybody: including the deceased, let's hope.

It also shows that Dignity doesn't cost money, it only needs the will to act with respect.

Lastly, it also shows that sometimes we need to overcome prejudices, but that is a different story.

I strongly recommend that you see Okuribito, or whatever they call it in your language.

Besides, it's a very pleasant and well done movie.

Forgot to say: Nokanshi is the ritual of cleansing and beautifying the body of the deceased, without exposing the flesh, and introducing it in the coffin, usually at home in front of family and friends, while they say their last goodbyes.

With all my love.

PD Today, Susan sends me this NYTimes article, where they give notice of a family following its own Nokanshi ritual when Grandpa dies, in NH, in the States... as many others are also doing (I hope it's not only for the money savings, as the editorial is focussed).

Tsutsui me alivia la pereza

2009-06-20T12:40:00.008+02:00

Como es fácil observar, hace tiempo que no conseguía reunir ánimos para escribir mis cuitas en este blog. Ni siquiera para reseñar los libros que siguen llegando a casa.

Para mi asombro, compruebo que lo que me tiene anodado es la decepción que me generan mis compatriotas, de este y del otro lado del Atlántico, capaces de pluscuamestúpidamente elegir para nuestro gobierno a Zapatero y Obama, y sus respectivas señoras, claro, y para su oposición a un funcionario pasota y a un viejo y enfermo, de verdad, lobo de la guerra y la política...

y que, encima, lo celebran con jolgorio, como si hubieran hallado la clave de la unificación relativo-cuántica, y nos lo venden pajínamente como el último acontecimiento planetario (¡me cachis!, aquí se quedaron cortos, que lo suyo habría sido universal), como si hubieran hallado las fuentes del río Nilo... que sitúan en Kuala Lumpur, claro.

Pues bien, en mi socorro ha venido Tsutsui, Yasutaka, un señor japonés que escribe sencillo y muy bien, genialmente bien, unos cuentos cortos en los que con güasa y obvio hastío desvela la alegre, y muy peligrosa, bobería campante que nos rodea.

Basta un poco de Tsutsui para debelar a los alegres bobalicones circundantes... claro que estos tienen muchos recursos defensivos.

El principal, el que el propio Yasutaka denuncia: la complacencia con la que negamos lo evidente y asumimos cualquier majadería, siguiendo al Flautista de Hamelín hasta ahogarnos en el mar, tras pisar las cabezas de quienes nos precedían en la procesión y abandonar en el camino incluso a nuestros padres e hijos... y todo cual ratas cantarinas y contentas.

Y vaya si es poderosa esa arma. ¡Ya lo creo!

Miren sino cómo se las gastan...

Dicen por ahí, y lo dicen bastante, que es un escritor de ciencia ficción: ¡Coño!

No me cabe duda de que quienes eso dicen pertenecen a la secta dabadabadante, esos papanatas zapatantes y obamitas asiduos irredentos de marcas y slogans... porque son marcas, y slogans, claro, ..., y si a los demás les mola, oyes tú, es que mola, no jodas.

El señor Tsutsui es brillante e irónico, pero nada ciencioficcionante, sino pura y brillante ironía al servicio del hastío que le rebosa cuando mira la alegre y estulta sumisión que nuestros congéneres exhiben ante la falsoprogresantía política, económica e ideológica dominadora y dominante.

Os dejo los dos libros que, que yo sepa, Jesús Carlos Álvarez Crespo le ha traducido al español para Atalanta: Hombres salmonela en el planeta porrno y Estoy desnudo.

Será Cacahueta

2009-05-07T10:34:00.004+02:00

Pues sí. A las 20 semanas, Laura y Jason, encantados, nos dicen que les han dicho que será Cacahueta y que todo va bien... Nosotros también nos alegramos.

La verdad es que es una gran suerte eso de ser abuelos, no pensaba yo que lo fuera a ser tanto.

¡Bienvenida Cacahueta!

Ellos se van a Tailandia a festejarlo, que pronto eso de viajar se les complicará un poco.

Kata y Paul nos tratan como reyes en Denia

2009-04-13T13:23:00.007+02:00

Siguiendo la tradición de Semana Santa, el tiempo por Levante fue más fresquito y lluvioso de lo habitual (basta ver la cara de Sue y Paul), pero no nos echamos para atrás y con nuestro flamante coche nuevo (¡ejem!), el que le compramos a Cristina, nos fuimos a Denia. El coche muy bien, gracias.

Y qué bien hicimos.

Paul es un viejo amigo (por el tiempo que hace que nos conocemos, que no por su edad) y habitual proveedor de naranjas ecológicas (cultivo sin pesticidas, de verdad, cortadas por la mañana y servidas en casa por la tarde, de tamaño perfecto para comer a bocados, literalmente, o exprimir en zumo, muy ricas, y a un excelente precio de 20€/15 kg., ¿quién da más? - se las puedes pedir aquí).

Teníamos ganas de conocer a la Guapa Kata, la mujer que hace ya un buen tiempo hace feliz a Paul: y no me extraña, que Paul ya lleva recorrido lo suyo y, claro, ha sabido reconocer lo bueno en cuanto lo ha visto.

Kata le saca una cabeza, lo cuál siempre viene bien para que a uno no se le suba la tontería. Vino a España con eso del Erasmus y ha acabado en Denia, currando para Lauranne, lo cuál por sí acredita que es de paciencia jobiana y que debe ser bien lista, pues estos son dos requisitos básicos para llevar ya tanto tiempo con mi querida Lauranne.

Sí, nos vamos a ver a Kata y Paul

2009-04-07T12:24:00.001+02:00

Sí, la familia al completo vamos a echarle valor a la cosa, que la carretera del Levante y el tiempo en Semana Santa son siempre cuestiones de riesgo cierto, y nos vamos a ver a Paul y, por fin, conocer a Kata, la merovingia que le ha traído bienestar. Ya teníamos ganas, ya.

Antes de salir quiero dejar constancia de las extremas dificultades que últimamente tengo para reunir la energía suficiente con la que plasmar lo que desesperada y desesperanzadamente bulle por mi cabeza.

Pero voy a intentar un rápido y brevísimo bosquejo:

la apatía de los españoles, que parecemos deseadamente inermes ante lo que los demás - los otros - maquinan: esperamos maná del cielo... como nos dejamos en manos de quienes nos aseguran su existencia y nuestro legítimo derecho a llegar a él, incluso en vida, según dicen garantizarnos.
el descaro imperante por doquier: los bancos tienen activos tóxicos (= supervalorados) y, con nuestros dineros, los políticos que los extorsionan, a cambio de favores, claro, les van a resolver el asunto... pero las personas físicas solo tenemos hipotecas sobre casas hipervaloradas por las tasadoras que imponían esos mismos bancos (y con las que estos tenían relaciones smás que impuras, claro) y, en lugar de recibir ayudas (= demandas contra bancos, tasadoras, reguladores y garantes de todos ellos por connivencia en estafa generalizada y ultradañina) nos sacan la pasta para dársela a esos connivientes, que se la reparten en buena armonía y con gran placer.
ni en Galicia ni en el País Vasco se movieron demasiados votos: de hecho, en el PV la suma de votos PSOE+PP obtenida en 2009 es muy inferior a la de 2001... la única diferencia ha sido la voluntad etarra; en Galicia, la diferencia con las elecciones anteriores apenas llega a una decena de miles de votos.
la regulación normativa, necesaria, nos está, de hecho, estrangulando y reprimiendo hasta convertirnos en parias (bueno, en relaidad puede que el término conversión debiera sustituirse por mantenimiento o algo así...)
... no, ni puedo ni quiero seguir... voy a desconectar, aunque...

lo único cierto es que a medida que me hago viejo más estúpidas me parecen casi todas las ideas que he sostenido en el pasado y más me arrepiento de haber sido tan idiota, de seguirn siendo tan idiota.

Caperucita A3 corre desmelenada y alegre derechita a la boca del feroz lobo de la 6ª

2009-03-28T00:33:00.007+01:00

Leo que es el matrimonio perfecto: Una tiene el share y la otra los contenidos deportivos... y seguro que algún listo asesor también habrá susurrado al Sr. Lara que los accionistas del lobo además son los que saben hacer las series de éxito.

El asesor en cuestión, seguramente empleado del Sr. Lara en A3, bien sabe que cuando la cosa salga mal siempre le quedará volver al lugar de donde venía... seguro que lo adivináis.

Pues sí, con todo el morro, oyes tú, que para que se va a cortar nadie.

La estulticia no deja de asombrarme, por más que uno esté ya prevenido, aunque en realidad lo que de verdad me ha asombrado de tal noticia es leer que los de La Sexta 'se dejan querer'.

Si la noticia es veraz es que el mundo se ha vuelto más loco de lo que ya parece.

Será un auténtico espectáculo ver cómo los muchos o pocos euros que genere A3 empiezan a caer unos tras otros, sin remisión ni misercordia, en los mismos bolsillos.

Cosas veredes, Sancho... y prepárate, que lo que unos pierdan con esta tontería se lo recobrarán a costa de nuestros bolsillos, que los economo-políticos de turno nunca pagan de los suyos, pues que para esos menesteres, como para casi todos, prefieren hacernos el honor de usar nuestros durillos, como si fuéramos sus socios silentes, pero sin derecho a dividendo, claro.

Si... pero

2009-03-26T11:53:00.009+01:00

Hace unos días dí cuenta en este blog de la llegada a mi biblioteca de este libro: El terrorista. Cómo es. Cómo se hace, de José Sanmartín (2005, Ariel).

Una vez terminado puedo ratificar que se trata de un muy interesante y breve libro sobre la psicología del terrorista y, muy especialmente, sobre los procesos psicológicos y sociales que acaban conformando al terrorista.

La brevedad en este caso es una enorme virtud, pues que dice lo que tiene que decir sin aburrirnos con disquisiciones absurdas ni con miles de citas.

Yo, como ya anticipé, discrepo de algunas de sus observaciones, muy especialmente cuando, hacia el final del libro, expone algunos de los caminos que entiende necesarios para mejor abordar el enfrentamiento del terror.

Estoy más de acuerdo cuando expone algunas de las cosas que en ese camino se han hecho especialmente mal. Y lo creo más acertado, como es lógico, cuando aborda al terrorista laico tipo etarra que cuando se enfrenta al de tipo religioso islámico, aunque también en este caso sus trazos son claros y agudos, pero lo son más cuando expone sus aspectos psico-sociales que cuando incide en los político-sociales.

En cualquier caso, no me voy a adentrar en ello. Que cada uno lo lea y saque sus conclusiones.

Pero hay un error craso e importantísimo que no quiero dejar pasar. En la página 194 habla de "la restauración del Estado Palestino".

Tal afirmación es, como cualquiera sabe, una barbaridad, pues que no se puede restaurar lo que nunca ha sido instaurado.

Por otro lado, y como casi todos intuíamos sino sabíamos, expone con claridad cómo una de las típicas e importantísimas fases de la formación del terrorista, antes de entrar en el grupo terrorista, es su formación o socialización primaria en el seno de la escuela y, muy especialmente, en el seno de la propia familia.

También he querido destacar este aspecto a la vista de las recientes noticias sobre las subvenciones a los familiares de presos etarras y a los nuevos intentos de acercar los presos etarras al País Vasco... ambas medidas apoyadas bajo el leit motiv de que no se ha de castigar a los familiares, pues que ellos no son los condenados.

Y, efectivamente, no están condenados, pero, como deja claro Sanmartín, no sospechoso de anti-izquierdismo precisamente, sin la promoción activa de la familia y/o de la escuela es infinitamente más difícil el surgimiento del terrorista.

Así que... subvenciones no, de niguna manera. Y acercamientos... solo cuando la realidad de cada uno de los condenados le haga realmente merecedor de tal favor.

Ciao.

Carlos Semprún Maura

2009-03-23T23:23:00.002+01:00

Hoy, 23 de abril, ha fallecido en París el madrileño Carlos Semprún Maura.

Echaré de menos sus artículos en LD. No obstante, mantendré, al menos un tiempo, el enlace lateral a sus artículos.

Al dar la noticia, han dicho en LD: El escritor, dramaturgo y periodista, Carlos Semprún Maura ha fallecido este lunes en París. Vacunado contra la izquierda tras militar en el PCE fue uno de los primeros columnistas de La Ilustración Liberal y Libertad Digital... Nació el 23 de noviembre de 1926.

EGYPT: The glory that was...

2009-03-10T19:12:00.024+01:00

After a freezing winter in Madrid, Enriqueta, Paco and I arrived in Cairo on Saturday February 7th to a welcoming warm climate and a chaotic, enormous city. We were met at the airport by Raed, our tour coordinator, who spoke excellent Spanish and had the habit of speaking in proverbs – he ended every sentence with a saying – very funny guy!

We were taken to the Ramses Hilton which, in its day, was only comparable to the pyramids but which has now fallen on lesser times.

The lobby was filled with natives smoking water pipes, a singer with a microphone that would have blasted out Madison Square Garden, a few stands selling different types of food, and women in black burkas with bundled-up children. Our rooms were on the 24th floor and offered a wonderful view of the city.

The next morning we were picked up and taken to see the pyramids and the sphinx at Giza. These incredible monuments have been practically eaten up by the city. In fact, our guide told us that they had recently torn down a row of apartments because they were too close – they should have torn them all down, blocking the view as they do as you approach these perfect structures. We went into the Kefrén pyramid practically crawling our way in and out to a chamber that was emptied of any treasures.

On the way back, we stopped off at the Papyrus Museum and factory. As the rest of the crowd went in, Paco went off down the street and found a friend, Aswani, who in turn introduced him to his son and grandson. By the time we came out, Paco was sitting under a tree eating tangerines with his new-found friends.

We had the afternoon free and had planned on going to the Egyptian Museum which was right across the plaza from our hotel. That’s when we started seeing Cairo – a city of 20 million people, chaotic traffic, few traffic lights, fewer working, and nobody paying any attention to them. The trick to crossing Cairo streets is putting one arm across your chest as an automatic reflex and holding the other arm out, palm up, and supplicating the oncoming cars not to hit you. I kid you not. This applies to two-lane as well as six-lane streets. Absolutely terrifying!

Anyway, we got to the museum without needing our own sarcophagus and saw many treasures of the past, the most spectacular being Tutankhamen’s burial mask. The mummies are also a hot attraction. The museum is filled with wonderful things, but the maintenance is non-existent. We found this to be true of Cairo in general. It’s as if they build things and just leave them – no upkeep. This makes for a very dirty city.

The weather was beautiful – around 70ºF and we were amazed that everyone was bundled up. They say this is their winter, so they dress in winter clothes. When you think that in summer it reaches 120º you being to understand.

Paco and I went out to explore the city in the evening and ended up at the Khan-al-khalili district where the giant bazaar is. We ended up having mint tea at a cafeteria between the market and the neighbourhood mosque, which turned out to be the exact site of the bombing two weeks to the day later that killed and injured some tourists!

Got to bed fairly early because we had a 5 am wake-up call on Monday to get to the airport for the plane to Luxor where we would connect with our Nile-boat.

Dark and early on Monday, we were taken to the airport to get our flight on Air Egypt to Luxor (Luxor is what the Romans called Thebes).

We were picked up at the airport and taken to our Nile-boat, the ALKAHILA. It was great – top deck with very comfortable sunchairs and a pool, with another awninged part with tables and chairs.

All of the “cabins” were like hotel rooms, very comfortable beds, bath with shower and tub, and floor to ceiling windows looking out onto the Nile.
A ribbon of palm trees and then desert in the background – beautiful!

We had a delicious lunch on board and left by bus for Karnak.

That Amon was king of the gods is clearly seen by the magnificent buildings at Karnak.

Although badly ruined, no site in Egypt is more impressive than Karnak. It is the mother of all religious buildings, the largest ever made by man and a place of pilgrimage for nearly 4,000 years, although today’s pilgrims are mainly tourists. It covers about 200 acres 1.5km by 0.8km.

The area of the sacred enclosure of Amon alone is 61 acres and would hold ten average European cathedrals. The great temple at the heart of Karnak is so big, St Peter's, Milan and Notre Dame Cathedrals could be lost within its walls.

The Hypostyle hall at 54,000 square feet with its 134 columns is still the largest room of any religious building in the world .and is considered to be one of the world's greatest architectural masterpieces. In addition to the main sanctuary there are several smaller temples and a vast sacred lake.

It represents the combined achievement of many generations of ancient builders. The Temple of Karnak is actually three main temples, smaller enclosed temples, and several outer temples located about three kilometers north of Luxor, situated on 100 ha (247 acres) of land. Karnak is actually the site’s modern name. Its ancient name was Ipet-isut, meaning "The Most Select (or Sacred) of Places".

It’s an incredible place – the columns are huge (42 feet high) and covered with hieroglyphics telling the stories of the times.

The famous scarab sculpture is at Karnak. There is a legend that says going around the scarab 3000 times will bring good luck for life. There were actually people walking three thousand times around it!

After Karnak, we went to the temple of Luxor

The temple of Luxor is close to the Nile and parallel with the riverbank. King Amenhotep III who reigned 1390-53 BC built this beautiful temple and dedicated it to Amon-Ra, king of the gods, his consort Mut, and their son Khons.

This temple has been in almost continuous use as a place of worship right up to the present day. It was completed by Tutankhamen and Horemheb and added to by Ramses II. Towards the rear is a granite shrine dedicated to Alexander the Great. It was getting dark by the time we got to the Luxor temple and it was beautifully illuminated, as you can see.

We had a full moon that night and were taking pictures when a police guard indicated that we could pass through a barrier to get a better shot. After taking the pictures, we thanked him and he held out his hand – everybody holds out their hand for “one euro” in exchange for anything and everything, even the police!

Then back to our hotel-boat for dinner and out again to see the Sound and Light show at the sacred lake at Karnak.

The next morning we had to get up very early to go for a sunrise balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings.

A small boat got us across to the west side of the Nile, to the death side - Ka.

We were very excited about this, as it promised to be beautiful. However, a slight sandstorm kicked up and after waiting for quite a while to see if we had permission to fly, we were told that it wasn’t to be.

I couldn’t believe that the authorities who are so lax on traffic were so strict about a few tourists flying a balloon.

So, we were taken to an outdoor “café” in the middle of Necropolis of Thebbes, in front of Madinat Habu, where we caught up with the people who weren’t balloon adventurers.

Thebes, the city of the god Amon, was the capital of Egypt during the period of the Middle and New Kingdoms. With the temples and palaces at Karnak and Luxor, and the necropolises of the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens, Thebes is a striking testimony to Egyptian civilization at its height.

Deir el-Medina is the Arabic name for the village in the Theban necropolis once occupied by the pharaohs’ tomb-builders and the artisans of New Kingdom Thebes. It’s name means ‘Monastery of the Town’ and derives from the Coptic monks who occupied the Ptolemaic temple there during the early Christian period, but in ancient times it was known as ‘Set Ma’at’ (the Place of Truth) or simply ‘Pa-demi’ (the town).

The funerary temple of Ramses III, Madinat Habu, was known as in ancient times as Djanet and according to ancient belief was the place were Amon first appeared. The Temple of Medinat Habu is one of the largest memorial Temples in Egypt. It measures 320m in length (east to west) and about 200m in width (north to south). It was built to commemorate Ramses III, after his death, by orders of the King himself. A huge mud brick enclosure wall surrounds the Temple.

This building basically consists of a huge gate, which takes the shape of a Syrian fort, and is decorated with battle scenes of the King's wars in Syria. After accessing the gate there is a shrine, which dates back to the 18th Dynasty, on the right hand side.

There is also a wide-open court that leads to a huge pylon, which has both towers decorated with battle scenes. On one tower the King, wearing the red crown with his "Ka" or "double", smiting his enemies in front of Re-Horakhty. On the other tower, the King is represented with the red crown of Lower Egypt, smiting his enemies in front of the God Amon Ra.

One of the most wonderful scenes engraved on the back of the southern tower, is the oxen hunt, which depicts Ramses III, leading his chariot, hunting wild oxen. The entrance to the tomb is where you could get an excellent idea of the original beauty; many of the colors (blues, oranges, reds and greens) were still vivid and the walls and ceilings were covered with marvellous drawings. It is really breathtaking.

Then we went to the Valley of the Workmen, where we visited a couple of tombs.

We had a panoramic view of the funerary temple of queen Hatshepsut. It is the most important of the temples constructed in Deir el Bahari and unique in all of Egypt.

It was constructed by Hatshepsut in the form of enormous terraces with pilars that are confused with the mountainside situated in back of the temple. It was done by the architect Senmut who obtained perfect proportional harmony. The temple is partially excavated in the rock and partially external, based on previous constructions by Mentuhotep I. It was built between the seventh and twenty-first year of Hatshepsut’s reign.

And then we headed to the impressive Valley of the Kings, where we entered the tombs of Ramses IV and Ramses IX.

Then. on our way back we stopped at the Colossus of Mennon.

After visiting these incredible places, we went back to the boat by bus over the river and had a late lunch. We also left late for Esna waiting for permission as the boat traffic was intense. We had a formally-served dinner on board (we usually have buffet) and afterwards a disco session in the bar, which we decided to pass on. Somehow the sounds of Spanish “bacalao” on the Nile just didn’t give us a thrill.

On Wednesday, after breakfast, we left to Edfu. The Temple of Edfu is an ancient Egyptian temple located on the west bank of the Nile in the city of Edfu which was known in Greco-Roman times as Apollonopolis Magna, after the chief god Horus-Apollo. It is the second largest temple in Egypt after Karnak and one of the best preserved.

The temple, dedicated to the falcon god Horus, was built in the Ptolemaic period between 237 and 57 BCE. The inscriptions on its walls provide important information on language, myth and religion during the Greco-Roman period in ancient Egypt. In particular, the Temple's inscribed building texts "provide details [both] of its construction, and also preserve information about the mythical interpretation of this and all other temples as the Island of Creation."

There are also "important scenes and inscriptions of the Sacred Drama which related the age-old conflict between Horus and Seth, a wonderful story about the love of Isis for Horus and how she goes all over the “known world” literally gathering the pieces of Horus cut up by Seth to put his back together. Built from sandstone blocks, the huge Ptolemaic temple was constructed over the site of a smaller New Kingdom temple, oriented east to west, facing towards the river.

The later structure faces north to south and leaves the ruined remains of the older temple pylon. The tourist stands at Edfu were particularly aggressive which kind of killed the urge to shop. Paco knows half of Egypt by now, he is always associating with anybody native he can find. I was shopping with Enriqueta and we got separated. She started calling “Susan, Susan!” and immediately every vendor in the place was calling me and looking for me!

We got back for lunch and sunbathed on the deck – Paco swam. Magdy, our guide, showed us some sample silver bracelets hand made in Cairo and we picked out one for Lidia.

After lunch we went on to Kom-Ombo. The Temple known as Kom Ombo is actually two temples consisting of a Temple to Sobek and a Temple of Horus.

Everything is duplicated along the main axis. There are two entrances, two courts, two colonades, two hypostyle halls and two sanctuaries.

There were probably even two sets of priests. The left, or northern side is dedicated to Haroeris (sometimes called Harer, Horus the Elder) who was the falcon-headed sky god and the right to Sobek (the crrcodile-headed god). The two gods are accompanied by their families.

They include Haroeris' wife named Tesentnefert, meaning the good sister and his son, Panebtawy. Sobeck likewise is accompanied by his consort, and son, HathorKhonsu.

Sobek took the form of a crocodile probably because in ancient times, sacred crocodiles basked in the sun on the river bank near here. The story goes that the people of the town didn’t like being associated with a god who represented evil and so they added the temple to Horus, as his brother and partner in the cult.

The Temple has scant remains and legend has it that Sobek began attacking Horus until he drove him from the town. Upon seeing their beloved god expelled, the people also left the town. Sobek, who wanted to revive the town, resuscitated the dead who, instead of sowing wheat, sowed sand. The Egyptians constructed Nilometers, a vertical tunnel next to the river that spirals down to permit measuring the water level of the Nile to avoid flooding and plan crop planting. These guys thought of everything!

That night we had an Egyptian dinner and a costume party. Paco was wonderful as a true desert sheik!

On Thursday we got up early and visited a temple in Aswan and then on to the aiport for Abu Simbel.

On the way, we stopped at the Aswan Dam which is amazing, 5,000 km2 of water. It looks like the sea.

We went to Abu Simbel on a Douglas 31 Memphis Airlines plane, filled to the brim. We boarded anonymously – Paco was Mrs. Paun and I was Mr. Roberto on our boarding passes. Too much!

By the way, there are scanners everywhere – at the temples, the tombs, the hotels, the airports, and all of them beep continuously. We even had a scanner that had no scan, only a constant beeper!

Not only are the two temples at Abu Simbel among the most magnificent monuments in the world but their removal and reconstruction was an historic event in itself.

When the temples (280 km from Aswan) were threatened by submersion in Lake Nasser, due to the construction of the High Dam, the Egyptian Government secured the support of UNESCO and launched a world wide appeal.

During the salvage operation which began in 1964 and continued until 1968, the two temples were dismantled and raised over 60 meters up the sandstone cliff where they had been built more than 3,000 years before.

Here they were reassembled, in the exact same relationship to each other and the sun, and covered with an artificial mountain.

Most of the joins in the stone have now been filled by antiquity experts, but inside the temples it is still possible to see where the blocks were cut.

You can also go inside the man made dome and see an exhibition of photographs showing the different stages of the massive removal project.

The twin temples were originally carved out of the mountainside during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II in the 13th century BC, as a lasting monument to himself and his queen Nefertari, to commemorate his alleged victory at the Battle of Kadesh, and to intimidate his Nubian neighbors.

However, the complex was relocated in its entirety in the 1960s, on an artificial hill made from a domed structure, high above the Aswan dam reservoir.

After Abu Simel we flew back to Aswan (again under alias: I was Roberto and Paco was Mr.Vega) for lunch and then left for Philae – an island we had to go to by “motorboat” (to call it something).

These boats were like bumping cars at the dock as each one vied for space to take riders.

The temple at Philae was lifted from its original place to avoid flooding by the construction of the Aswan Dam (same as Abu Simbel).

Philae, home of the Temple dedicated to Goddess Isis and constructed on the beautiful island of Philae.

The modern day name is Greek but the ancient Egyptians called the island P-aaleq which amongst other definitions has the dual meaning of "end" and "creation".

It is believed that the various structures contained on Philae Island took 800 years to build (mostly during the roman period). In addition to the priests practicing daily rituals the island was the home of various stone masons, carpenters, and other crafts men continusly building and extending structures. There were also medical facilities and the instruments used are engraved in the stones. It was amazing! They were extremely advanced - even did trepanations!

Although antiquities on the island date between the 26th Dynasty and the Roman Period, most of the work is from that of the Roman. This was a time of immense popularity of the Goddess Isis, and this was her island, where pilgrims would come from all over the Mediterranean.

Construction on the island took place over an 800 year span, and it was one of the last strongholds of Ancient Egyptian Religion which continued to flourish here into the 6th Century. When the Temples where finally closed by Justinian in A.D 550, it ended 4,000 years of worship of the pagan gods.

The temple has a lot of its hieroglyphics defaced by these Christians who came in later and forbade the gods.

Egypt seems to be surviving thanks to its past. The country is in total disrepair. As with Cairo, it seems that they build something and then forget about it - no maintenance, corruption, 50% illiteracy rate.

Got our NY grandchild (at that time there was only one on the way that we knew about) his first musical instrument.

On our way back from Phillae we stopped at a perfume/essence place to see what they had. While we were there, a short circuit caused a bit of a panic. Luckily, Paco saved the day helping to put our the “fire”. Dressed in his chilaba he looked like one of the natives, except for his western shoes and panama hat!

On Friday, we went to the unfinished obelisk ….. and then in falucas (small sailboats), but had no wind.

Then we went to visit a Nubian village by “motorboat”.

We passed the Aga Khan’s tomb which stands alone high on a desert hill (dune?).

We also passed the hotel where Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Nile” was filmed. When we got to the village, we found ourselves practically ankle-deep in sand. There was a bar set up on the sand, along with different "stands" with souvenirs.

The Nubian village was very colourful and charming. We visited a “typical” family’s home and the floors were made of beautiful sand, the walls painted blue, and many colored baskets and murals on the walls.

All very cool and spread out. Very handsome people, the Nubians.

It was a wonderful and relaxing way to finish our trip on the Nile!

It was then time to go back to Cairo.

We arrived in the evening to the Hotel Intercontinental City Stars – a far cry from the Ramses Hilton. Kind of like Las Vegas instead of Shea Stadium.

Anyway, the place was tackily impressive with huge real palm trees in the lobby and everything much more subdued (we had a classic string quartet instead of the Arabian Shakira in the lobby).

We were lucky enough to catch a wedding going down the winding staircase to the lower banquet rooms. A Scot was marrying an Egyptian girl and it was a riot. First came the bagpipes and then the tambourines and the chants.

Next to the hotel was the other half of Cairo – a shopping mall bigger than I have ever seen with every Western shop imaginable and every western restaurant chain!

We even found a shop named Madrid in it.

Really funny to see the women remove the mouth part of the burkas to chomp down a Whopper!

We had the entire Saturday free – our plane wasn’t leaving until 11:30 pm, so we rented a car (and driver, need I say!) for the day and did our own sight-seeing.
We had a great driver and started off by going to the Citadel of Salah al-Din.
The citadel was constructed by Salah El Din on the Moqattam hills in 1183 AD. Salah El Din appointed to be the governer of Egypt after the death of the Sultan of Damascus, Noor-el-Din. It was built to defend Cairo from the armies of the Crusaders 573 H and to become the center of Salah El Din's government. After the death of Salah El Din, his nephew, Al Kamel, reinforced the Citadel by enlarging several of the towers. The citadel has two entrances: one opening on Salah Salem road and the other is the old gate that has existed since the time of Salah El Din.

We then went to the Mosque School of Sultan Hassan, where we we given a tour by a very objectionable man. The place is the center of Muslim learning but is quite run down and gloomy.

We continued on our tour to see the Mosque of Al Rifa'i which was quite beautiful.

We then went a a shopping tour in the "real Cairo" - no tourists in sight. Quite lively and jammed with people. A lot of small shops, all jammed with stuff and nothing very stylish. We were looking for nice Egyptian cotton shirts but although they have wonderful cottong, they seem to lack the designers to make something attractive (at least to a Western eye). We bought some Arab music, Paco got a couple of white cotton t-shirts, and we went on to lunch at Al Azahar park. Ate outside at a buffet restauramt with fantastics views of the city. The weather was beautiful and it was a nice respite after all our walking in the morning.

Our faithful driver was waiting for us and took us back to the hotel where we had a drink, picked up our suitcases, and went off to the airport.

End of a wonderful trip!

Tiempo de crisis... con dificultades añadidas

2009-03-06T19:51:00.010+01:00

Es cierto que vivimos momentos difíciles en los que no debe haber mucha gente que sepa lo que ha de hacerse, y menos aún que, además, esté en posición de hacerlo... los que, además, quieran hacerlo serán dos... y a quienes de entre esos les dejen llevarlo a cabo... ¿crees tú que habrá al menos uno? Yo tampoco soy muy optimista.

También es cierto que no debiera pedirse que fueran los políticos, papá, quienes nos saquen del lío, si es que alguien cree que sabrían cómo hacerlo, sino que debiéramos intentar buscarnos la vida, pero también que esos políticos debieran hacer lo que puedan, especialmente no enredar demasiado.

Esas dificultades son comunes a otros momentos históricos, pero en el nuestro encontramos una dificultad añadida, siempre presente, pero ahora exacerbada: vivimos en una sociedad que presume justo de lo que no hace; es más, vivimos en una sociedad que legisla vorazmente... contra lo que hace, y también sanciona legalmente.

Además ya hace mucho que viene haciéndose así, jaleados todos por la estomagante verborrea pública, y no solo política, correspondiente.

Y, así, es imposible.

Vivimos en una sociedad que se quiere racional, a Dios que le den, cómo puedes ser tan iluso... pero que no se aplica el cuento, se niega a ver lo que la razón más básica le dice.

Hagamos un sencillo ejemplo.

Estaremos de acuerdo que el discurso medioambientalista nos rodea como los indios a las carretas de los colonos... y también con que luego todos consumimos como si no hubiera mañana.

Eso es grave, claro, pero lo peor es que todas las normas conducen a fomentar no solo ese consumo, sino a que los productos sean cada vez menos duraderos. Y cuando digo toda la normativa quiero decir toda, sin excepción.

¿Acaso imagináis un coche o una TV o un teléfono para 20 años? ¿Quien los querría?

Sin embargo... eso incrementaría mucho la mano de obra necesaria (el mantenimiento permite menos robots y menos gestión sinérgica y eficiencia que la producción, además de dificultar las deslocalizaciones) y disminuiría la basura ambiental ... puede que también disminuyera el ritmo de progreso... aunque también pudiera ser que ese menor ritmo fuera, sin embargo, de más calidad y mejor pensado, claro.

Y siguen llegando libros

2009-02-28T11:14:00.016+01:00

Breve resumen de los libros que se van acumulando en casa. Las cuatro primeros aún no he tenido ocasión ni de hojearlos... ni sé cuando caerán. El quinto me tiene ahora mismo embebecido. El sexto y séptimo los he disfrutado ya. El último es un entretenimiento para de vez en cuando (salvo que te pierdas en ello, claro): yo le he dedicado ya unos buenos ratos.

Tres días de julio, de Luis Suárez (1967, mi edición es la de Ariel de 2006). Dicen que nos retrotrae "a los acontecimientos previos al estallido de la mayor tragedia de nuestra historia contemporánea". Espero que solo sea una licencia del editor, porque el libro parece muy apetecible. Recoge experiencias del 18-20 de julio en distintas, bastantes, ciudades de España.

Franco, de Luis Suárez (2005, Ariel). Tocho de muy considerable extensión, y con letra más bien pequeña, que pretende diseccionar las intenciones y el desarrollo del domino de Franco, que el autor divide en tres regímenes diferenciados: el primero, tendente al totalitarismo; el segundo, una adaptación a las corrientes cristianas posteriores a la II Guerra Mundial; y el tercero, la tecnocracia.

José Calvo Sotelo, de Alfonso Bullón de Mendoza (2004, Ariel). El autor es un catedrático de historia con numerosas obras escritas sobre la historia de España, que dedicó cinco años, uno de ellos sabático, a escribir la historia de este importante político cuyo asesinato por sicarios vinculados al socialismo de la época, dicho sea suavemente, sirvió de espoleta para la Guerra Civil.

Alcalá Zamora, de José Peña González (2002, Ariel). Dice la contraportada que el autor inetnta mostrar la vida y obra, éxitos y fracasos, de quien fuera Presidente del Gobierno y Jefe del Estado, además de ocupar otros muchos cargos y disfrutar de algunas sinecuras, y hoy, dicen, un auténtico desconocido a pesar de su impresionante currículum.

Guerra a las dos en punto, de Walter J. Boyne (2002, mi edición es la de Ariel de 2005). Relata la crisis nuclear en la guerra árabe-israelí del Yom Kipur, 1973 (aquí un breve resumen de esta guerra, también llamada de Octubre), y lo decisivo que en la misma resultó la Operación Nickel Grass, el puente aéreo montado por USA para abstecer a Israel, que se había dormido en los laureles, ... con el único apoyo de Portugal, que prestó Las Azores (el enlace al breve resumen anterior de la Guerra de Octubre no maneja bien la relevancia de Nickel Grass y tampoco otros datos, como la disponibilidad nuclear de Israel, pero esto último lo reconoce). Por supuesto, Franco negó el uso de las bases españolas. Es una crónica sencilla y militar, con toques sobre la diplomacia básica subyacente, de ese momento histórico, desde la perspectiva de un militar useño. Está bien escrito y bien fundado en entrevistas directas y documentos, no pocos recientemente desclasificados y, aún así, de difícil acceso. Dos notas más sobre ese puente aéreo: se basó ne lo aprendido en el que abasteció Berlín, bloqueado por tierra por los soviéticos, al final de la II Guerra mundial; y en su ejecución resultó decisiva la intervención de los criticados y gigantescos C-5 Galaxy de la Lockheed.

El terrorista. Cómo es. Cómo se hace, de José Sanmartín (2005, Ariel). Breve ensayo de un especialista en los aspectos psicológicos de la violencia humana, que se centra tanto en el terrorista laico, el etarra como paradigma más cercano, como en el religioso, el islamista, también como paradigma hoy más presente. Todo lo que tiene de breve lo tiene de bueno, aunque yo no comparta algunas de las posiciones que impregnan sutilmente el análisis directo y claro que ofrece.

El desgobierno de lo público, de Alejandro Nieto (2008, Ariel). Libro no jurídico, sino social, escrito por un catedrático de derecho administrativo que ayuda a sistematizar y concretar lo que día a día percibimos, a menudo mal, en nuestra relación con las adminsitraciones públicas y otros elementos del poder. Lo disfruté viajando por el Nilo, así de enfermo está uno, mientras entre desierto y oasis nos maravillábamos con los símbolos de dominio y poder que ya hace cinco y seis mil años construía el poder para sojuzgar a los demás. Entonces, como ahora, lo esencial para dominar con éxito no son las armas sino las apariencias, la psicología... además de los reglamentos, claro.

El libro de los mil caracteres, de Zhou Xingsi, con caligrafía de T.J. Tseng, y traducción de Silvia Ussía (de principios del siglo VI, mi edición es la de LdT de 2006). Libro publicado por Pote que le afano, con su conocimeinto, a mi hermano Jaime con ocasión de una visita que hago a su oficina, donde se amontonaba. No me pude resistir. Yo acababa de volver de Japón y Corea, entusiasmado con aquello y con una preciosa camistea negra con maravillosos caracteres en mandarín que identificaban el número de la suerte, por partida doble, el 88, incrustado entre símbolos de una asociación deportiva de Osaka. El libro es delicioso y permite entretenerse aprendiendo algunos caracateres fundamentales de la grafía china. La portada es de un rojo perfecto.

Mañana, si tengo ganas, reseñaré los panfletos de propaganda islámica que nos endiñaron en la mezquita de Al Azhar de El Cairo, uno de ellos muy interesante, fundado en escritos de Maududi, importantísimo pensador y papá ideológico de muchos de los islamistas radicales de hoy.

Cacahueto

2009-02-16T18:07:00.006+01:00

Llegamos de madrugada de nuestro precioso viaje a Egipto con Larri y nos encontramos con una llamada de Jason que nos cita para las tres y media en el Skype. Debía venir también Fernando, el papá de Jason.

Rápidamente descartamos que fuera asunto de trabajo; también que fuera mala noticia, pues no sonaba a eso, aunque siempre quedaba un resquemor.

- ¿Qué crees tú que será?

Susan, siempre pensando en lo mismo, me pregunta:

- ¿Estará Laura embarazada? ¿Se casarán? ¿Ambas cosas?

Esas parecían las alternativas.

A las tres y media llaman, pero no nos arrancaba el Skype. Pedimos diez minutos de prórroga.

Por fin vemos las caritas de Laura y Jason, y empezamos a oírles. Parecían gatos tras una panzada de canarios.

Sí, claro, nos anunciaron que así, de sorpresa (son arquitectos y la educación de nuestros días deja mucho que desear, pues parece que aún creían que los niños vienen de París, en cigüeña), se enteran de que Cacahueto lleva ocho semanas viniendo de camino. Ellos dicen haberse enterado hace un par de días, en la fecha que pone la ecografía coreana, al parecer auténtica, que podéis ver en la imagen adjunta. No, no es un dibujo guasón de Jason, es la primera imagen de Cacahueto.

Los papás parecían radiantes y estaban de lo más sonrientes. Jason como si fuera su penúltima travesura de resultado inesperado... la última es lo de Cacahueto, claro, apodo francamente bien hallado.

Parece que es de origen vietnamita, y dicen que no fue cuestión de programa sino de pasión que no podía esperar.

La abuela no estaba contenta, sino en la gloria. Tardó minutos en difundir las noticias entre las amigotas, claro.

Aquí lo celebramos con cava, un Codorniú que estaba muy rico.

Pensamos que sería Lidia la primera en traer pañales a casa, pero los chicos se le han adelantado sin remedio.

El calendario es bien bueno, pues que Cacahueto, o Cacahueta, apenas se llevará un par de meses con su primo, o prima, neoyorquino.

Yo ya he pedido préstamo al banco porque como los chicos han salido viajeros me temo que el gasto en aviones y demás parafernalia se va a multiplicar en los próximos años... y los amores de la niña parece que van por buen camino y acelerándose: ¡ay mamita!

¡Bienvenido seas Cacahueto, o Cacahueta!