Monday, August 31, 2009

Don’t sign this e-petition

…IF you think it is sensible to pay tax for a new productive public service to be built (e.g. a new national fast broadband network),
rather than for the money for that service to be created free of any taxation and without inflationary consequences.

…IF you think it is a good idea for the government to borrow money from banks to pay for the above public service,
rather than for that money to be created free of any debt (i.e. no interest due, no principal repayable) and without inflationary consequences.

Other reasons not to sign…

…IF you think it is OK for ordinary high street and other commercial banks to have power to make (create) 95% of the money we use in the UK,
despite the fact that anyone caught making (forging) the other 5% i.e. in the form of banknotes or coins, would go to prison.

…IF you are satisfied that the profit accruing to the banks from this money creation (estimated at around £45 billion a year) should continue to flow to them,
rather than going to the public purse where it could reduce taxes.

…IF you are satisfied that the monopoly currently enjoyed by the banks as they create 95% of our money supply should continue,
rather than being under the democratic control of Parliament using the Bank of England as its agent, under clear and open guidelines visible to us all.

…IF you think that the current system, whereby banks create their basic product – money – ‘out of thin air’, should continue,
rather than a reformed system whereby banks merely became wholesalers of money to end-users.

If this happened they would become subject to the same commercial discipline in their area of business as is every other business, trade, profession, employed person, self-employed person, etc, etc.

We would still need banks for our own money needs. Just as Tesco buys carrots wholesale and sells them retail, so banks would do the same with money as credit brokers.

You may sign the petition if you are a UK Citizen or resident. [Link to petition]Any source

Resume Tip of the Day

The recruiting season is officially well underway and resumes are flying across cyberspace with lightening speed and frequency to match. So how do you make sure your resume stands out, is noticed, read, remembered and found at a later date?

In an email attachment, the title of your document may make the difference. So before you attach your resume, that's saved according to your own personal filing system, rename it. For example if your resume is saved as "cgsmresume.doc" rename it as "John Doe Resume Fall 2009 resume.doc." If your resume is saved as johndoeforjpmorgan.doc, rename it "John Doe xyz position title.doc"

When you send your resume, it should always place your name in the title. If you are applying for a specific position, include that in the name of your document too. For example, when I applied to this position, the email attachment looked like this: "Rachel Delcau Student and Alumni Relations Manager Resume" and the cover letter was titled accordingly as well.

Following this simple method will help you build your personal brand with recruiters, who see hundreds if not thousands of resume attachments every season. When you include the name of the position you go one step further in allowing the recruiters to immediately identify you with the position to which you are applying, which may be helpful on multiple levels.

The only time not to follow this procedure is if the application instructions call for something else.Any source

LE BULLETIN METEO DE BERTRAND DUCHASTEL


Pour la photo de meteo d'Europe du 26-08 vous pourrez profiter de la version animée sur le site SAT 24 en cliquant sur le lien du titre puis en cliquant sur animate!!

Bertrand a eu là la main tres heureuse ; nous voyons bien en effet les filaments des chemtrails relier les differents vortex de la precipitation.

Bonjour à tous,


L'activité solaire est toujours au plus bas, mais aujourd'hui il y a un facule au MC ; va-t-il enfin donner naissance à une tache ? Les scientifiques ne s'inquiètent toujours pas de ce minima prolongé et ne parlent que du réchauffement climatique provoqué par l'effet de serre artificiel. Les astrophysiciens solaires ne peuvent que reculer l'échéance du prochain maximum solaire et le revoir qu'à la baisse. Du 1er janvier au 28.08.2009, on comptabilise 190 j sans taches et depuis le 1er janvier 2004, 701 j (la moyenne pour une telle durée est de 485 j). On peut penser que le cycle de 80 ans et celui de 165 ans amorcent aussi leur minimum, mais pas celui de 2300 ans, mais globalement, les 2 ou 3 prochains cycles seront faibles, d'où la crainte d'un refroidissement naturel et pour peu que les volcans se mêlent de la partie ! Normalement, les particules de rayons cosmiques devraient augmenter !
Le diagramme en papillon des 3 derniers cycles solaires montre que les latitudes d'apparition des nouveaux GTS du cycle 24 sont plus basses que le normale ; de plus, ces GTS sont rares, peut à cause de ce fameux jetstream solaire trop lent et trop faible, la latitude d'action étant aux environs de 22° ; je conseille d'aller voir le site de Mr William Fondillia qui a énormément travaillé sur le centre de gravité du système solaire (aller sur Google).
En 20 ans, notre champ magnétique terrestre aurait perdu près de 2% et 10% dans l'anomalie de l'Atlantique sud ; et tout semble s'accélérer ces dernières années. Le PN magnétique se déplace de 40 à 50 km par an vers la Russie. Allez sur le site officiel du gouvernement canadien.
Le site de Météo la flèche semble tout à fait comprendre l'importance des activités solaire et cosmique.
Il faut cependant prendre en considération aussi la guerre climatique et l'effet Haarp.

Le samedi 15 août 2009, 21h59, météore très lumineux vu en France, Belgique, Suisse, Allemagne. A porté ombre pendant quelques secondes, d'où une magnitude d'au moins -4 à -6; allait du SE vers l'Ouest ; bolide "de classe exceptionnelle". Des couleurs différentes ont été observées, ce bolide se serait scindé en 2 ou 3 morceaux en fin de parcours. L'éclat a donc un peu dépassé celui de Vénus.

Les 22 et 24.02.2009, objets de forme triangulaire aperçus par des témoins au dessus de 3 états américains ; voir
http://newsoftomorrow.org


Any source

Consumer aversion to GM declining

Consumers are less averse to GM crops and foods than they used to be, according to results from a quarterly tracking survey carried out on behalf of the UK Food Standards Agency. See FSA

Worries about food safety in general continued a general downward trend, from 64 to 61 per cent in this quarter. The top concerns were food poisoning (47 per cent) and the amount of fat, salt, sugar and saturated fat in food (responses in the 36 to 41 per cent range). Food prices and the conditions in which animals were raised were both mentioned by a third of respondents.

GM foods ranked 22nd out of 24 concern categories with only 2-4 per cent expressing spontaneous concern, rising to 21 per cent when prompted. In the previous survey conducted in the spring thse figures were 6 per cent and 26 per cent respectively.

The news comes at a time when livestock feed supplies in the UK are under increasing threat. UK livestock farmers are dependent on soya feed imports from Argentina and Brazil. These two countries supply about 90 per cent of UK imports. But they are increasingly switching to GM production and a joint Defra/FSA report suggests that livestock feed costs could soar by 300 per cent if Europe maintains strict import rules.

Admittedly this entails a worst case scenario in which there were no imports from the two Latin American countries. Should that happen, it is forecast that there would be a 24-29 per cent reduction in UK pig production and a 10 to 68 per cent reduction in poultry production.

The report argues that the risk to food supplies could be avoided if the EU allowed a low-level preesnce of some non-EU approved GM material rather than operating a strict zero tolerance policy as at preesnt.

The situation is complicated by poor harvests in South America last season, active purchasing there by China and the halting of imports from the US after the discovery of traces of unapproved GM maize in a shipment.

Consumers may at some point have to make a choice between lower food prices and an insistence on strict GM-free standards for animal feed. This particular problem is symptomatic of more general debates about the role of technology in ensuring food supplies.Any source

Four legs good, two legs bad

A leading scientist is the latest person to warn that the bickering over whether conventional or organic farming is environmentally superior is getting no one anywhere in mitigating climate change. In an interview with Farmers Weekly Ian Crute, shortly to become chief scientist at the Agricultural and Horticultural development board, said it was vital to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from all types of agriculture. The former director of Rothamsted Research commented, 'The notion that this is a case of organic farming, conventional farming bad, doesn't get us anywhere.'

More investment in scientific research was needed to uncover beter ways that agriculture could help in the mitigation of climate change. 'There is no good data which would say that the emissions of nitrous oxide from organic systems compared to systems which are using synthetic fertiliser are necessary any worse or any better. I could argue very strongly that efficient pest, disease and weed control using pestcides was a far greener system in terms of the efficiency with which nitrogen us used than an inefficient system using far more land and inputs inefficiently.'

NFU policy director Martin Haworth endorsed Professor Crute's comments. More money needed to be spent on research and development to address 'market failure' issues. He commented, 'We need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from all systems and science is key.'

The comments came after a study by the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) found that four out of five shoppers are turning their backs on organic produce in favour of cheaper, conventionally-produced food. They found that 10 per cent of shoppers have found alternative products offering the same perceived benefits as organic food at a lower price.

A further 8 per cent are focusing their organic spend on fewer products where they think it really makes a difference, while another 8 per cent say they are not sure what organic stands for anymore. More than 40 per cent of shoppers say they have never been interested in organic.

The hard core of dedicated organic shoppers make up nearly one in five of the UK population. They tend to be younger and more affluent. However, some of them are looking for their ethical values in products that meet high animal welfare standards, local foods and Fairtrade. Nine per cent of shoppers will buy more organic food when they have more money.

Soil Association director Patrick Holden admitted that many people saw organic as a lifestyle choice rather than a sustainable farming system. 'We need to work at changing these perceptions,' he said.Any source

EPANDAGES AERIENS SOUS COUVERT OTAN EN ITALIE

Denonciation par l'ex ministre et deputé italien DI PIETRO
lien sur le titre
Any source

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Associates: Becoming a Top Performer


As fall approaches, many business-school graduates will launch careers in finance, on Wall Street, at investment firms, in brokerages, in wealth management, with hedge funds or private-equity firms. Others will start the same by transferring from other companies or careers.

In financial institutions, many MBA's or early-career hires start off in "associate" positions in corporate finance, corporate treasury, trading, or private banking. "Associates" spend 4-5 years refining technical skills, doing deals, preparing pitchbooks, doing research, meeting clients, broadening networks, trading, investing, selling, modelling, and planning the next stages of a long career. In many institutions, they are eventually considered for promotion to vice president.

What are the steps to get to VP? How do associates become managers, get distinguished or noticed--become leaders in the pack?

At many institutions, associates are divided into classes--based on the year they join the firm (or the year they finished b-school). Sometimes there are fairly defined performance expectations (sometimes based on measurable criteria, but often based on subjective assessments).

At the end of each year, they are subject to an exhaustive appraisal process--evaluations, ratings, and rankings. For managers, the process is agonizing, sometimes political, but often necessary for parcelling out bonuses and deciding who has what it takes to become a vice president down the line. For associates, the process may come across as vague, unscientific, impossible to interpret, sometimes unfair.

What can new associates do to distinguish themselves, create a "buzz" about themselves, and get evaluation committees excited about their accomplishments and their prospects ahead?

First, it helps to know in general about the process, know what committees and managers are looking for, know what qualitative characteristics they are looking for, and know what senior person will be your advocate in this process.

Second, it helps not to get bogged down too much about the same process. Do your best, make yourself invaluable, keep learning as much as possible, and be known for being a team player. Avoid being considered "mediocre," "average" (in other words, replaceable).

Third, try to be known or identified as a "top performer." Some of things evaluation committees look for follow.
Top performers:

1) have exceptional energy and "gravitas." They work hard and seldom let up. They don't complain about responsbility and accountability and even welcome it. They are up to the challenge, and they show up all the time,

2) keep up to date on industry issues, banking and finance topics and products, clients' businesses,

3) are consistently regarded by those senior and junior to them as a "go to" person. When there is an urgent client pitch or deal or a major project or research analysis, everybody goes to them to get them involved or to help lead the effort,

4) are self-learners and don't require hand-holding when the material is new or when the project is complex. They grasp new material rapidly and smoothly. They are generally distinguished in quantitative topics. They appreciate theories of finance and economics, but can offer informed critiques, too. They are cerebral in many ways and style. They have innate curiosity to learn, understand and know,

5) are willing to share and help those less experienced. They are regarded as team players and pleasant colleagues to work with,

6) have strong, polished writing skills in memos, presentations, e-mails, and pitches and can produce material quickly (without delay and on time),

7) have expertise in complex financial modeling, not just competence. They are creative and insightful in modeling, as well. They are attentive to and respectful of details. They are intolerable of errors of any kind in presentations or communications to clients,

8) are well-rounded, versatile, not one-sided in talents, and “solid” in most areas,

9) are comfortable in networking internally, comfortable among senior managers, and show signs of having good relationships skills with clients. Although not yet experienced with clients, they already understand what it means to be "client-centric,"

10) are willing to take measured, proper risks in business situations and career management,

11) show leadership potential, are mature, and are confident in the work they produce and assertive in supporting it. Seniors can see them "running a business unit" or "leading a major transaction" one day,

12) have a rational point of view about business situations, investments, transactions, or corporate strategy and express it properly,

13) care about the fundamentals of finance and “block and tackle” (in finance and accounting) without thinking,

14) manage time, projects, workloads, conflicting requests, difficult managers, unnecessary requests and growing responsibility efficiently and adroitly.

15) while attentive to detail, understand the "big picture" in projects, client relationships, and deals,
16) get involved in corporate "extracurriculars": b-school recruiting, corporate charities, mentor programs, and diversity initiatives (like the Consortium, Inroads, SEO and MLT)

No associate, of course, has the time, endurance or capacity to perfect all of the above. Associates also have other priorities (family, health and hobbies, for example) that deserve attention.
But it certainly helps to know what the scorecard might be. And it helps to assess yourself periodically, especially when managers and seniors will not always provide prompt feedback or provide it fairly.

The process can be more subjective than objective and associates should be aware of that. Associates, thus, should focus on what they can influence. They should know there are some things they can do now to help shape the "buzz" that's created about them.

Tracy Williams


Any source

Saturday, August 29, 2009

REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY FROM THE VAN DE KAMPS COALITION


A CALL FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO RAISE YOUR VOICES AND DEMONSTRATE AGAINST LACCD ON MONDAY

The Los Angeles Community College District’s (“LACCD”) decision not to open the promised satellite campus at the historic Van de Kamps site, and instead lease it out to a charter school and as commercial space is BOND FRAUD.

Politics, both internal and external are poised to take away a promised college campus from our community. OUR tax dollars are not being used the way that we were promised.

Come and join The Van de Kamps Coalition at the historic Van De Kamps site and demonstrate.

MONDAY, AUGUST 31 AT 7AM.
2930 FLETCHER DRIVE
WE WANT OUR COLLEGE BACK THAT THEY STOLE.

Through Public Record Request, We Have Discovered The Following:

LACCD’s Claim Of Budget Deficit As Reason For Leasing Van de Kamps Space Is Undermined By E-mails Showing LACCD Management and City Officials Discussing Lease Of Van de Kamps Campus LONG BEFORE The State Budget Crisis.

E-mail Shows LACCD Administrators Considering a Strategy Entitled “Stonewall Approach” As A Response To The Community’s Efforts To Learn The Facts About The LACCD’s Conversion Of The Community College Campus Built With Public Bond Funds To Something Else.

E-mails And Other Documents Show Secret Decision of Los Angeles Community College District (“LACCD”) To Convert Van de Kamps Satellite Campus to “Commercial Building” Space To Benefit City of Los Angeles Community Development Department Programs Administered By Mayor Villaraigosa and A Private Charter High School Favored By The Mayor.

Don't Allow the LACCD To Stonewall Our Communities Anymore. Join Our Protest.

YOU CAN’T STONEWALL THE COMMUNITY!

www.vandekamps.org


Article any source

The Battle of NY

Jets vs. Giants: The classic battle for the Crown of NY-Even if it's only pre season Football( or how i learned to become a Football Writer/Scout) By Dr. Bill Chachkes-Football Reporters Online

For years growing up lots of fans of the "older" generation(read: my late Father and his cronies) would blast the notion of "wasting time" on attending a pre season NFL game. My dad would always say "this is your only chance this season to take your friends" or "I'll give you some money for each of the pre season seats you sell, and you can afford to go and have a good time"(i was a teenager and it was the 1970's).

He has his subliminal reasons. My dad used to publish something he called "The Sheet" or the "Game Sheet." Since he was one of our street's "involved" parents, he was the "Football Coach/Scout" of our block, and for the most part, our development (we grew up in NYC Housing back when it wasn't a "stigma" or considered urban blight). "The Sheet" consisted of his observations on the up coming game and some briefs about the match ups between the teams. He typically passed them out at his workplace( a Federal Law Enforcement agency where he would eventually become a supervisor).

This was in no way intended for gaming purposes. It was strictly for your enhanced enjoyment of the game. My father never dreamed of being a writer of any type. "Half these clowns writing about the teams for the papers don't know squat anyway" he would always say. " I know more about the team from one day a year at practice" would always be his next line. It was also my "duty" as his first born son to "help" him by "taking those seats off his hands," since he went to "every other game they were going to loose that season." I would also have to take notes for him at those games, and since my handwriting stunk as a teenager, I would have to come home and type them (remember typewriters?) so he could read them.

My dad was fortunate enough that in his job he would have enough vacation time each year to take off a month, which was usually from the first or second week of August right through labor day. This was so we could attend the training camps of the Giants (first at Fordham University, then at Pace University's main campus in Westchester, and later on we'd add a day trip out to Long Island for the Jets Camp).

This was so my father could "Scout" the teams, but little did i know he was also teaching me about the game. "Watch and Learn" he would say "and try not to run your mouth too much while i take notes." Such was his manner, being an ex-soldier as well as a Fed. What he was really teaching me was how to evaluate a player's skill, and improve my communication skills at the same time. He was also teaching me that even though it wasn't worth the extra time on his Saturday night in August to actually go to the Jets-Giants game when he "could stay home and watch it on his color TV and not spend extra money on concessions," It was still important.

Tonight's game has never been more important for both teams then it is this year, although Coach Coughlin will tell you as he told a group of reporters in training camp " It's the Third Preseason game, That's what it is," as his way of downplaying the importance.

Both teams have a slew of unanswered questions coming into the regular season. The Jets have a new Head Coach, a new defensive scheme, and as of right now, a new starting QB. Questions abound with regards to weather this is the right choice. Some may think that the "we need to win now" theory applies here, but I'm not so sure. I also wonder if the Jets would have still made the trade for Sanchez if Brett Farve were still in N.Y. and Healthy enough to get through this season. The Jets still have two other QB's on their roster(three if you count WR Brad Smith, who only threw for well over 5,000 yards at in four seasons at Missouri). The Jets are also 0 for the preseason again thus far, and last week the Wonderkid didn't exactly look that good against the Raven's first team.

The Giants have plenty of receivers to "pick up" the mantle so to speak, from Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer, but no veteran depth at the position unless you count in David Tyree, who is on the brink of being released from the squad. They also have lots of gaps on the defense right now because of injuries, even though they had a very busy off season. Also missing from tonight's line up for the G-Men are Antonio Pierce(foot), Chris Canty (hamstring), Michael Boley (Hip/ placed on Pup), Jay Alford (knee), DB's Aaron Ross (Hamstring), and Stoney Woodson (ankle) and on the offense, Tyree (hamstring), RB Andre Brown (Achilles Tendon), and OL Orrin Thompson (Strained Quad).

While the Giants are Playing it down, we can be sure the Jets are playing up the rivalry, and looking for a confidence booster of a win tonight.

FSC Amendment Bill Passed by the House of Assembly

On August 11, 2009, the House of Assembly passed the Financial Services Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2009 with significant amendments to certain provisions in the Financial Services Commission Act, 2001. One of the important issues addressed by the Bill is the independence of the Financial Services Commission as a regulatory body, in response to the concerns of the financial services sector about the new duties imposed on authorized or registered agents.

The Bill addresses a loophole in the current legislation which did not allow the BVI FSC to take enforcement action against defaulting licensed entities, due to the inadvertence of their registered agents. However, the House of Assembly passed the final Bill without strict liability provisions for registered agents. When the agents report a breach or offence committed by their licensees to the licensee or the FSC, they are provided immunity. If they fail to comply, they may be subject to a fine not exceeding $25,000.00.

Also, the Bill requires that the reasons should be provided by the Cabinet for removing members of the Board and the Managing Director of the Commission. It should be said that under BVI law there is no requirement that reasons should be given for administrative decisions, and this amendment would bring greater transparency to the decision-making process by the FSC and greater independence to the FSC in conducting its regulatory functions.

When assented by the Governor, the Bill will require the Commission to publish its estimates, work plans, audited accounts and financial statements, and annual reports to ensure greater accountability.
Article any source

CORRIENDO X EL FILO DE LA PARTACUA 28 Ago

Isabel corriendo hacia el collado de Pacines, por el filo de la Sierra de la Partacua





Corriendo por el filo de la Partacua

Viernes 28 Agosto 2009

Isabel San Juan y Jorge García-Dihinx



Para ver más fotos del día podéis pinchar aquí.



Mapa del recorrido que teníamos previsto y que no pudimos completar del todo

El relato que a continuación escribo es una larga descripción de la jornada que ayer vivimos en la montaña, con sus momentos de felicidad, sus breves momentos de miedo e incluso algunos de sufrimiento (sólo físico). Personalmente, disfruté el 95% de este día, tan bello e intenso, corriendo por las alturas del Pirineo y tan lejos de la civilización.

Para poder leerlo mejor y situarse en cada lugar descrito, es preferible tener delante este mapa



Nuestra pequeña aventura por el filo de la Partacua:

Estos meses de finales de verano son ideales para recorrer el Pirineo con zapatillas de montaña, ahora que ya no hay neveros traicioneros ni en las cotas más altas. Mis pesadas botas de montaña (que casi pesan más que las F1 de esquí de montaña) ya las dejo guardadas hasta junio.

En nuestro afán por recorrer los cordales del Pirineo, este día decidimos surcar el filo de la Sierra de la Partacua, subiendo desde Piedrafita a Telera por la normal y siguiendo el filo de las cimas hasta la entrada de la Canal Ancha de Retona, para bajar por dicha canal y volver corriendo por la pista de nuevo a Piedrafita.

Uno a uno los posibles candidatos se fueron descolgando por diversas razones hasta que sólo quedamos Isabel San Juan (campeona de España de carreras de orientación) y un servidor.

Recojo a Isabel en Huesca a las 7 AM y subimos al Valle de Tena, a Piedrafita. Llevaremos el mínimo peso: agua, algo de comer, un cortavientos, zapatillas de montaña y poco más. Isabel no lleva bastones así que decido dejar los míos en el coche, aunque sé que para las pedreras de la canal de Cachivirizas (subiendo) y la Canal Ancha de Retona (de bajada) me vendrían bien. Pero bueno, así corremos mejor y tenemos las manos más libres para fotos. Libertad absoluta… Qué gran sensación…

Salimos del Parking de Lacuniacha a las 8:40 horas e iniciamos el trote por la pista que sube al Ibón de Piedrafita. Atajamos por la senda que corta las curvas en herradura de la pista. Aunque vamos corriendo no escatimamos en fotos (al final del día hice 253!!). En 27 min llegamos al Ibón de Piedrafita. El día es limpio y aunque se preveía flujo de norte ni hace frío ni sopla demasiado viento.

Tras pasar el ibón tomamos la senda que sube hacia la base de la Canal de Cachivirizas. Perdemos un poco la senda, que se bifurca en dos, pero pronto llegamos a la base de la canal. A mitad de canal hay un grupo de montañeros que han madrugado más. Subimos a buen ritmo, pero nos vamos resbalando hacia atrás continuamente. Con zapatillas y sin bastones nos agarramos con uñas y dientes a lo que podemos para poder seguir avanzando. Se nos acelera el pulso a ese ritmo. Pienso en el vídeo de Killian Jornet subiendo a toda velocidad en su record del kilómetro vertical (Qué máquina, lo hizo en poco más de media hora…). Jadeamos, resbalamos, volvemos a subir y así llegamos por fin a la Forca de Cachivirizas (2.361m), 1h y 30’ tras la salida de Lacuniacha.

Paramos al sol y nos tomamos algo de beber y comer. Coincidimos con el grupo de vascos que van a Telera. Iniciamos con ellos el largo y expuesto paso horizontal, que nunca hay que subestimar, pues aunque no es difícil, cualquier descuido o resbalón resultaría en una caída fatal. Es una mini senda de poco más de un palmo de ancho que surca la ladera norte del Peña Parda y que tiene todo el patio hacia el norte. Mejor no mirar a la derecha si uno tiene vértigo.

Tras el paso horizontal intentamos buscar los mojones que dan acceso a la fácil trepada que nos separa del circo suspendido que forman Peña Parda y Telera. Siguiendo los mojones ningún paso supera el I grado. Si haces II grado es que estás fuera de vía.

Tras salir de la trepada seguimos la ladera cerca del filo, con idea de asomarnos a la salida de la Gran Diagonal de Telera. Desde su salida, la vista hacia abajo es sobrecogedora. Y pensar que yo subí por ahí con Chavi Raventós en mayo de 2004… Claro que entonces estaba toda llenita de nieve e íbamos con crampones y dos piolets.

Seguimos para arriba y llegamos a la cima de Telera (2.764m) tras 2h y media de la salida del coche. Se viene a salvar un desnivel de unos 1.400m.

Aunque entran algunas nubes por Navarra el día sigue ideal. Comemos algo y un rato más tarde iniciamos el descenso hacia el oeste. Hay que hacer varios destrepes con cuidado (incluso vemos montada una reunión con cordinos). En primavera, esta muralla orientada al oeste estará como una piedra hasta el mediodía y debe de ser una pala peligrosa y helada.

Una vez salvada la muralla seguimos bajando en dirección oeste y decidimos luego subir directamente al Tríptico (o Punta Plana) saltándonos la vertical cima de Capullo, que pilla muy a desmano. El terreno sobre el que pisamos es incómodo. Piedras grandes y sin senda. A veces aparece un atisbo de senda que debe de ser de pastores.

Tras pasar por el Tríptico descendemos cerca del filo hacia el Collado de Pacines desde el cual se ve la Canal del mismo nombre. Quizás asequible con nieve, pero así desnuda, con tanta tierra y tan vertical no me da ninguna buen espina (aun así hay gente que la sube en verano…).

El altiplano entre Peña Telera y Peña Retona es un continuo sube y baja que consume más energía de lo que uno querría. No es un paseo por las nubes del todo horizontal que digamos. Suerte que vamos sin peso y las subidas se llevan bien. Desde el coll de Pacines sólo nos quedan dos cimas más antes de llegar a la Canal Ancha, Pabellón y Puerto Rico.

Subimos a Pabellón y tras una breve parada volvemos a bajar al mini valle suspendido antes de volver a subir hacia nuestra última cima: Puerto Rico (2.763m). Es ya la 1 de la tarde y llevamos 4 horas y 20 min desde el coche. Ya sólo queda bajar al acceso de la Canal Ancha de Retona. Desde las laderas de Puerto Rico se ve el acceso muy vertical. Pinta muy vertical. Pienso que es por la perspectiva y que una vez llegados allí será menos. Recuerdo que no era del todo fácil cuando en otoño del 2003 bajé por allí con Donato, Murciano, Alex Sola, Latre y Gil d’Asprer.

Isabel se ha ido asomando a la salida de todas las canales norte que íbamos viendo en nuestro recorrido por el filo. Todas tan verticales. Me pregunta preocupada como es la entrada a la Canal Ancha. Le explico un poco las dificultades que vimos nosotros ese otoño del 2003 y que recuerdo que la conseguimos bajar con cuidado y sin grandes problemas.

Bajamos al valle suspendido entre Retona y Puerto Rico y remontamos 50 m a la entrada de la Canal. En esos momentos se me termina el agua del Camel. Bueno, sólo quedará la bajada de la canal y el trote de 10 km de pista de vuelta al coche. No será un problema.

Subo los últimos metros y me asomo par verla pinta que tiene la entrada a la canal. Vaya… Umm…

Antes de que Isabel llegue me quedo mirando el panorama, que no me convence demasiado. Isabel llega y lo mira asutada. “Pero… por dónde bajamos??”.

Se trata de una ladera empinada, de tierra marrón rojiza, dura, pero espolvoreada con arenilla o piedritas finas que hacen de rodamientos al poner la suela sobre ellos. Tras esa ladera de algo más de 10 metros no se ve como sigue el resto, pues se corta.

Descendiendo con cuidado pegándose a la pared de la derecha uno se puede ir agarrando a la roca con las manos, pero luego hay un cortado y no se ve cómo sigue la bajada. En el lado de la izquierda hay algo de roca dura que sobresale a ras de suelo pero para llegar a ella hay que hacer un flanqueo de unos 4 metros, sin ningún agarre, en una pendiente muy resbaladiza.

Isabel empieza a ponerse muy nerviosa. No lo ve nada claro. En su interior sólo piensa en darse la vuelta y volver por nuestros pasos de vuelta a Telera, aunque eso implique volver a recorrer ese sube y baja en el altiplano de las cimas de la Partacua, tan incómodo de andar en algunos tramos. Sería alargar la vuelta más de 2 horas, pero claro, siempre mejor que acortar la vida. Además ella piensa que quizás yo no quiera darme la vuelta y no acaba de ver por dónde demonios vamos a bajar. Todo esto ocurre en pocos segundos. Aún no hemos decidido nada. Nadie nos mete prisa. Sigo mirando las posibilidades de esta nueva situación que se nos acaba de plantear.

Intento recordar cómo bajamos por allí ese día de otoño del 2003 y creo recordar que fue por la derecha, pegados a la pared a la que nos agarrábamos con las manos con cuidado. Pero también recuerdo que esa pared estaba algo suelta y que alguien arrancó un enorme pedrusco del tamaño de un televisor que cayó rodando por toda la canal dando botes, causando un gran estruendo y dándonos un susto tremendo.

Así que, creyendo que esa era la única vía más o menos segura, animo a Isabel e inicio con ella el descenso muy despacio. Bien pegados el uno al otro y agarrándonos a la pared a nuestra derecha. Le comento que no se agarre demasiado fuerte, no vaya a soltarse algo. Tenemos unos 10 m de bajada hasta un punto en que la pendiente se corta (sin verse cómo sigue luego). Además, piedras grandes caídas de la pared hacen que algo más adelante sea muy difícil llegar a agarrase a la pared. Umm… no está muy claro.

Empezamos a dar unos primeros pasos, muy lentos y muy, muy cortitos. Nuestras zapatillas agarran pero esa arenilla sobre la tierra dura de debajo no nos da mucha confianza. A los pocos metros de empezar, Isabel se detiene y me dice de dar media vuelta. Está bloqueada y asustada. Volvemos arriba e intentamos ver alternativas. Aquí nadie va a hacer nada arriesgado.

Valoramos ahora la opción de cruzar al lado izquierdo. Es un cortísimo flanqueo de algo más de 4 metros tras el cual uno puede ir agachado agarrándose a un filo de roca gris que hay en el suelo. Pero ese flanqueo, sin bastones ni botas de montaña, sólo con zapatillas, es arriesgado.

Y vuelvo a pensar en el otoño de 2003. ¿Cómo demonios pudimos bajar todos sin problemas ese día?. Claro, que yo llevaba botas duras de montaña y dos bastones. Eso resulta en 4 puntos de apoyo, que dan mucha más seguridad. Ahora iba con las manos libres, sin ningún bastón, y con sólo unas zapatillas (nuevas y de montaña, con buena suela) pero que no me aseguraban un resbalón. Un resbalón que en esa zona tan expuesta, sería muy peligroso. Significaría ponerse en marcha y ya no parar.

Visto lo visto, lo más sensato y tranquilizador (tanto para Isabel como para mí) era darnos la vuelta. Iba a ser duro pues yo acababa de terminar el agua de mi Camel-bak y tendríamos por delante más de 2 horas por el altiplano y luego otra hora hasta poder bajar al ibón de Piedrafita. Iba a ser severo, pero era la única forma de asegurar la vida.

Cuántos accidentes han ocurrido por no asegurar en un paso expuesto…

Allí, en la entrada de la canal, había unos viejos cordinos alrededor de una gran roca, dispuestos para asegurar el descenso rapelando los 10 o hasta 20m de pared tan empinada que tiene como acceso esta Canal Ancha de Retona. Nosotros no llevábamos cuerda para asegurar. No era ese el objetivo de la excursión. Queríamos poder “correr libres” por el filo de la Partacua con nuestras zapatillas. El peso de la cuerda y de otros materiales de aseguramiento no entraba en el planteamiento de esa actividad.

Pero aquí, como en cualquier paso expuesto, el aseguramiento era un seguro de vida. Cruzar un paso expuesto en el que uno puede caer (sin asegurarlo con cuerda) es jugarse al azar una caída fatal.

Unos días antes comentaba con Blanca situaciones similares que han terminado en tragedia. Sin ir muy lejos en el tiempo, hace unas semanas ocurrió el accidente de Oscar Pérez en el Latok II en una situación que exigía aseguramiento. Oscar iniciaba, saliéndose momentáneamente del descenso por roca, una travesía descendiendo sobre una pala empinada de nieve. Como esa nieve no les daba mucha confianza decidieron asegurar el paso. Así que su compañero Novellón metió un friend en la roca al que le colocó un mosquetón. Pero unos segundos antes de que pudiera pasar la cuerda por el mosquetón, la pala de nieve de Oscar se vino abajo con él y ya fue demasiado tarde. Los dos se fueron abajo un montón de metros hasta que finalmente la cuerda se enganchó un espolón de roca que sobresalía y los dejó a ambos colgados uno a cada lado. Pero Oscar ya se había fracturado una pierna y no podría seguir bajando. El final ya lo conocemos.

En enero del 2007, la cordada de los amigos de Edurne Pasabán que subían en ensamble la norte del Taillón pereció al caer uno y arrastrar a los demás. Por lo visto se acababan de saltar 2 seguros en los que, por ahorrar tiempo, no pasaron la cuerda. Otro paso expuesto sin asegurar. Otra vez la vida sujeta al azar de una caída.

Algo parecido ocurrió con Joe Simpson en su descenso del Siula Grande en Perú, tan bien descrito en su increíble libro Tocando el vacío. Joe inició un destrepe de espaldas, con 2 piolets, en una corta pared de nieve y hielo. Pero lo hizo sin ser asegurado por su compañero Simon Yates. Un piolet mal puesto, una caída y el resultado fue de una pierna rota. En este caso Joe Simpson vivió para contarnos a todos una de las mayores historias de supervivencia jamás narradas. Otro paso expuesto sin asegurar.

Y así podríamos contar muchos otros accidentes, resultantes de no asegurar un paso expuesto.

Como dice Reinhold Messner. Lo más delicado en el alpinismo es la exposición.

Creo que si no puedes asegurar un paso expuesto y el riego de caída es alto, es primordial saber darse la vuelta. La vida es demasiado bella como para jugársela en un paso. Los alpinistas más longevos son los que más veces han sabido darse la vuelta cuando la exposición no garantizaba una completa seguridad.

Bueno, pues una vez decidido que nos dábamos la vuelta, Isabel y yo nos tranquilizamos y nos mentalizamos de la larga andadura que nos esperaba. Intentaríamos volver sin hacer las cimas, moviéndonos entre vaguadas y collados de los altiplanos intentado subir y bajar lo menos posible. Aunque es un terreno con vaguadas y subidas obligadas y no precisamente horizontal. "Qué le vas a hacer, así es la vida" (como diría Donato).

Salimos andando a media ladera, fuera de senda, sin perder ni ganar altura, por la loma sur de Puerto Rico, rumbo al Este. Para ir al collado de Pacines es obligado subir de nuevo a la cima de Pabellón, pues su muralla hacia la otra vertiente bloquea con cortados el paso al lado Este en todo su lomo. Así pues, subimos e intentamos no jadear demasiado, ahorrando energías ahora que ya no tenemos agua. Desde la cima de Pabellón iniciamos el descenso al coll de Pacines (
e incluso le hago unas buenas fotos a Isabel). Vamos a ritmo constante, sin parar, buscando los pasos más sencillos. Seguimos y subimos a un collado formado por Zarrambucho y el Tríptico. Desde allí divisamos Peña Telera y visualizamos el recorrido ideal: en vez de subir a Telera la rodearemos a media ladera por el sur para alcanzar el Cuello de Telera formado con Peña Parda y Telera.

Seguimos sin hacer paradas, a ritmo ligero pero sin llegar a correr. Desde el paso bajo la cima Capullo, el flanqueo bajo Telera hacia el cuello de Telera es una penosa diagonal sin senda sobre rocas. Con zapatillas hay que ir mirando en qué roca posamos cada pie. El cerebro funciona a las mil maravillas y se adapta rápidamente al suelo en constante cambio. Andamos rápido y todos los pasos van a roca buena, áspera, adherente, que se agarra bien a las suelas de las zapatillas. Los tobillos se doblan, aguantan bien, son flexibles. En cada paso oblicuo noto como se deforma la suela blanda de las zapatillas para adaptarse bien adherida a la roca inclinada. Estoy destrozando estas nuevas zapatillas. Me hacen rozaduras en varios sitios pero… qué vas a hacer (menudo día para estrenarlas, eh?).

Seguimos. Isabel anda detrás mío, a unos 20 metros.“Vas bien, Isabel??” – “Síí!”.

Y sin comerlo ni beberlo llegamos al Cuello de Telera a las 3 de la tarde. Sólo nos ha costado 1 hora y media volver hasta aquí!! Qué bien!!
Mirando atrás al oeste vemos muy lejana la cima de Puerto Rico y nos sorprendemos del veloz ritmo de progresión que hemos mantenido. Paramos sentados a comer algo e Isabel comparte conmigo las últimas gotas que aún le quedaban de agua.

Descendemos por el circo suspendido entre Peña Parda y Telera para buscar la vía normal de destrepe de Telera que nos llevará al
paso horizontal. Lo recorremos de vuelta con sumo cuidado. Es largo y siempre expuesto. No hay que tener ningún traspiés. Y por fin estamos de nuevo en la Forca de Cachivirizas (conocida como la “U” de Telera). Iniciamos el descenso de la vertical canal pedregosa, aprovechando los indicios de senda que aparecen y desaparecen en la canal. Sin bastones, bajamos con cuidado, a pasos cortos. A mitad de canal ya abundan las pedreras sueltas y nos permitimos el lujo de bajar rápido por las pedrerías, con pequeños saltos para deslizarnos con las pedreras y descargar las rodillas. Aun así el descenso se hace más largo de lo que lo recordábamos (es que esa mañana habíamos subido como tiros!). Terminamos la pedrera y retomamos la senda que baja al ibón. Los tramos sencillos los recorremos al trote. Los más delicados, andando. Tanta piedra grande ya cansa, a las piernas y a la mente. Isabel nota como le “laten” los dedos de los pies.

Por fin llegamos a las llanuras verdes que rodean el ibón de Piedrafita. Son las 16:30. Llevamos 7 horas y 50 min desde que salimos esa mañana. Tras pasar el ibón cogemos agua del riachuelo con las manos y bebemos un agua fresca que nos sabe a gloria. Ya solo queda la senda que lleva a la pista y recorrerla de vuelta al parking. En menos de
20 minutos corriendo llegamos al coche a las 16:52 horas. En total hemos sumado 8 horas y 12 minutos de actividad, mitad andando, mitad corriendo. Mitad riendo, mitad sufriendo. Mitad bajando, mitad subiendo.

Estamos eufóricos. Qué bien han aguantado nuestros pies, nuestras rodillas, nuestras piernas y nuestra cabeza (para Isabel, esta última, lo más importante y lo que hace que el resto del cuerpo aguante).

Pedimos a una familia que nos haga una foto y nos vamos a beber litros de agua y Coca-cola al bar-refugio de Telera de Piedrafita. Final de un bello día en la montaña.

Increíblemente, 24 horas después de esta larga actividad, hoy estoy escribiendo estas líneas y no noto nada de agujetas ni cansancio… Qué demasié, no??

Si es que, la clave en el monte es ir sin peso. Corres, vuelas, flotas y saltas como un sarrio en ese paraíso que son nuestros Pirineos. Un paraíso que es gratis. Que está al alcance de todos. Unas sensaciones que no se pueden comprar, sólo las puedes vivir. Todo lo verdaderamente bueno de esta vida no se puede comprar: la amistad, el amor, la felicidad. No se consiguen con dinero. Al igual que experiencias como ésta en la montaña. No se compran. Están ahí, para que, quien quiera, las disfrute durante su vida (sin perder la vida).

Jorge







Isable, con la murallas que rodean al Ibón de Piedrafita





En media hora ya estábamos corriendo al lado del Ibón de Piedrafita





Se salva desnivel con rapidez y pronto dejamos abajo el ibón de Piedrafita





Llegando a las cotas alta camino de Telera, nuestra primera cima





Mojón clave en un pequeño desvío del paso horizontal de Peña Parda. Detrás las murallas de la Corona del Mallo





Tras 2 horas y media desde el parking de Lacuniacha ya estábamos en la cima de Peña Telera





Recorremos el filo de la Partacua, con vistas hacia Bubal y el Valle de Tena





Las nubes crean mosaico de colores. Al fondo mar de nubes en Francia por flujo de norte.





En la cima de Pabellón, ya sólo nos quedaba el pico Puerto Rico y bajar a la entrada de la Canal Ancha de Retona





Isabel, sentada en las laderas de Puerto Rico. Al fonde se ve el expuesto y vertical acceso a la Canal Ancha de Retona.



Tras decidir no arriesgarnos en la expuesta y resbaladiza entrada de la Canal Ancha emprendemos el largo regreso, evitando las cimas para no aumentar aún más el desnivel acumulado





Tras bajar por la pedrera de la Canal de Cachavirizas, volvemos por la senda a Piedrafita





El ibón de Piedrafita nos anuncia que ya estamos cerca del coche. Desde allí hicimos corriendo el resto del recorrido. En total 8 h y 12 min casi non stop en una maratoniana jornada.



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The iceing on the cake

With the approval by the Icelandic Parliament of arrangements to pay back money owed by failed Icelandic banks to depositors in the UK and the Netherlands, the way is now clear for Iceland's application to join the EU to proceed.

The opening of negotiations has already been approved by the Parliament, but membership would have to be approved by a national referendum and approval rates have been dropping sharply as the nation's population consider that they have been harshly treated by the international community for the failures of a few financiers.

Fish is normally seen as the main obstacle to Icelandic membership, but agriculture also poses many challenges. Iceland has a PSE of around 70 per cent, one of the highest in the OECD (along with Norway and Switzerland, although reforms have been introduced in the latter country) and twice the OECD average. The OECD has commented that since the last 1980s there has been limited progress in policy reform with only a slight drop in levels of producer support.

Sheep farming has been the main activity, but this has been in decline. Scarcely any crops are grown in the country. There are around five hundred dairy farms, presumably to ensure a liquid milk supply given the country's isolation. At least until recently, dairy prices were still administered.

The EU's net trade balance with Iceland is just over €150m for agricultural and food exports. The value of EU food exports has risen 25 per cent in the last four years. However, there is a trade deficit of more than €1bn in fish products.

In any negotiations account has to be taken of Iceland's special circumstances in terms of climate and location. There is no doubt that agriculture as well as fish is a sensitive subject in terms of the already wounded national pride of the Icelandic nation. The main potential gain for Iceland is membership of the euro and relief for their own battered currency.

We shall be paying special attention to negotiations as they proceed.Any source

Friday, August 28, 2009

Third Wheels on Class Action Coffee Search


Although I'm not a lawyer, (IANAL) I've worked on a fair number of legal agreements. Most typically, I would spend a lot more time working on the agreement than I ever did consulting the terms of the agreement. That's because it's much easier to work out the hard core details of implementation without the lawyers reviewing everything.

In my post on privacy and google book search, I spent a fair amount of time looking at what the settlement agreement said about security and privacy. From the perspective of a few weeks later, it looks to me like most of the hard-core details that matter are in fact not in there and will need to be worked out by the parties to the agreement.

This morning, I took some vacation from my vacation and went over to Berkeley to participate in the a conference called "The Google Books Settlement and the Future of Information Access". I was struck by a comment that Jason Schultz, Associate Director of the Samuelson Law, Technology & Public Policy Clinic at U.C. Berkeley School of Law made at least twice. He said it was important to get more assurances on privacy into the settlement agreement because "at least then we'll have something on paper that we can enforce". As I mentioned before, IANAL, so the mention of having anything on paper that I'll have to pay a lawyer lots of money to attempt to enforce something else doesn't have a lot of appeal to me. And I have questions.
  1. Can third parties enforce "pieces of paper"? Suppose Joe and Mary, instead of hiring a divorce lawyer, sign an agreement to have coffee together once a week at Starbucks, can Starbucks sue them if one or both of them breaches the agreement?
  2. Can third parties sue to enforce a class action "piece of paper" that has been approved by a court? Suppose a class of baseball widows files suit against the class of Yankees tickets holders and gets a settlement that offers them a cup of coffee at Starbucks with their spouses once a week. Can Starbucks file suit to get better compliance with the agreement?
  3. Do opt outs affect the ability of class members to enforce the class action agreements? If the Yankee widows can opt out of the settlement, can they sue to get better coffee agreement compliance even if they opt out?
  4. If you are an author concerned about privacy, do you have more or less leverage on the devilish details if you opt in or opt out of the settlement agreement?
  5. Why am I so focused on coffee?

Article any source

More Fed power vs. "Fed must die"

Some of you may have read Bloomberg's article on the Federal Reserve this week entitled, "Bernanke may redefine Fed mission in financial-market stability".

I found it to be an appallingly misleading piece of pro-Fed boosterism. If you're looking for one more piece of mainstream writing that supports the idea of increased powers for the Fed in the wake of the global financial crisis, you've found it:

"Ben S. Bernanke’s renomination allows him to redefine the Federal Reserve’s mission as he expands its power over financial markets and pulls back on a credit surge the central bank used to keep the economy from collapse, economists say.

Bernanke’s agenda during the next four years will include elevating the Fed’s role in reducing excessive risk in major financial institutions, figuring out how to curtail asset bubbles, and scaling back $1.2 trillion of monetary stimulus.

“He will have the opportunity to permanently change the structure of the Federal Reserve system,” said Vincent Reinhart, a former director of the Fed’s Monetary Affairs Division who’s now a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington-based research group.

President Barack Obama nominated Bernanke, 55, for a second term yesterday, lauding the Fed chairman for helping “put the brakes on our economic free fall.”... "

The article goes on to laud Ben Bernanke for his efforts in bringing greater "transparency" to the Fed, while also citing him as "a steward...of Paul Volcker's legacy of establishing a regime of low inflation". Well, I think Ron Paul may have a few things to say about that.

Meanwhile, I'd like to point you to an incredible article from James Quinn at FSO entitled, "The Federal Reserve Must Die". If you'd like to get a rather unconventional (and enlightening) historical view of the Fed and its ever-expanding powers over our economy, give this one a careful look.

Related articles and posts:

1. Ron Paul: bringing transparency to the Fed - Fora.tv

2. Obama's plan could boost Fed's power - Finance TrendsAny source

SUMMER NIGHTS - Another Success!

Good morning Atwater Village.

A BIG Atwater Village THANK YOU to all of our Vibrant Village who participated in last night’s 2nd monthly Summer Nights on The Boulevard!!! From the dancers, musicians, djs, and artists who provided their talents for free, to all the restaurants and stores who stayed open late, it was fun all while bringing our community together once again.

Looking ahead to September, our next Summer Nights on The Boulevard will be held on Thursday, September 24th. Since one and all will be back and settled in from summer vacation, attendance will most assuredly be greater than the previous two events. Because of such, there is a lot to be done and it will take our Village to make it happen.

Stay tuned for a Chamber social/planning party within the next two weeks where we can all gather our thoughts, ideas, and more to make the next Summer Nights the best yet.

Thank you once again to all for your Team efforts in last night’s success!

Mark Newman-Kuzel
President
A Vibrant Village - Atwater Village Chamber of Commerce
Creating a positive and successful business environment in Atwater Village
www.atwaterchamber.org
P.O. Box 39754
Los Angeles, CA 90039
(323) 634-2535
mnk@maidintheusa.biz
Article any source

The impact on CAP on developing countries

This interesting report from the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development shows how the CAP can often undermine the development goals that member states are pursuing: Millennium Goals Any source
Extraits de l’appel du FSM de Belém
Climate Justice Now !

« Une fois encore, ceux qui sont à l’origine des problèmes nous expliquent qu’ils ont des solutions : le marché d’émission de gaz carbonique, le prétendu “charbon propre”, l’énergie nucléaire, les agrocarburants, et même un “new deal” vert. Mais ce sont des fausses solutions, des illusions néolibérales. Il nous faut aller au-delà de ces illusions.

Les solutions réelles au changement climatique sont en train de se construire avec ceux qui ont toujours protégé la terre et ceux qui se battent tous les jours pour défendre l’environnement et leurs conditions de vie. Nous devons aujourd’hui globaliser ces solutions. Pour nous, les luttes pour la justice climatique et la justice sociale sont une même chose. C’est la lutte pour l’accès à la terre, la défense des forêts, l’accès à l’eau, la réforme agraire et urbaine, la souveraineté alimentaire et énergétique, la lutte pour le droit des femmes et le droit des travailleurs. C’est le combat pour l’égalité et la justice pour les populations indigènes, pour les peuples du “Sud global”, pour la répartition des richesses et la reconnaissance de la dette écologique historique des pays du Nord.

(...) Le mouvement pour la justice climatique revendique la défense des “biens communs” et met les questions sociales et économiques au cœur de notre combat contre le changement de climat. Nous appelons les salariés, les paysans, les pêcheurs, les jeunes et les étudiants, les peuples indigènes et tous les êtres humains concernés, du Nord comme du Sud, à rejoindre cette bataille commune pour construire les solutions réelles à la crise climatique pour le futur de la planète, celui de nos sociétés et de nos cultures ».

(texte complet : http://www.france.attac.org/spip.ph...)

Je pense que nous pouvons être d'accord avec ce manifeste même si pour nous les causes du rechauffement climatique additionel relevent plus des manipulations climatiques que d'un pretendu effet du CO2 Jacques CLERET

Any source

Thursday, August 27, 2009

KLIMA FORUM 09 LE FESTIVAL OFF DU CLIMAT A COPENHAGUE

A Propos de KlimaForum09

Klimaforum09 c'est le sommet alternatif du climat, la contrepartie de la société civile globale à la conférence des Nations unies dans le Bella Center.

Là où la conférence officielle est la plateforme de la prise de décision politique, le Klimaforum09 rassemble des citoyens des quatre coins du Monde pour créer un futur équitable et durable.

L'idée c'est de créer un espace ouvert , où les gens, les mouvements et les organisations peuvent développer des solutions constructives à la crise du climat un des défis les plus urgents auquel l'humanité est confrontée.

Klimaforum09 est basé sur la croyance que faire face à ce défi nécessite plus que de nouvelles technologies. De nouvelles façons de penser, de nouvelles valeurs culturelles et de nouvelles façons d'organiser la société sont indispensables.

Des milliers de participants de toute la planète sont attendus pour cette manifestation . Des efforts tous particuliers sont accomplis pour faire venir des gens d'Asie, d'Afrique, d'Amérique du Sud et d'Océanie qui vont souffrir davantage des conséquences du rechauffement climatiques global.

Le klimaforum09 program offre une large palette d'ateliers, debats, manifestations et evenements culturels en ce qui concerne le changement climatique vu sous differents points de vue.

Une liaison video aller-retour et des rencontres quotidiennes permettent aux participants de suivre les négociations officielles dans le Bella Center.

Klimaforum09 ouvre du 7 Decembre au 20 Decembre. Les deux derniers jours sont consacrés à la construction du mouvement avec l'ambition de construire les fondements d'un nouveau mouvement du changement climatique global capable de relever le defi d'un futur durable et socialement juste pour le 21eme siecle.

La manifestation prend place dans le DGI-byen pres de la Gare principale.

Klimaforum09 est organisé par une large coalition de mouvements environnementaux danois et internationaux ainsi que par des mouvements de la societé civile.

Klimaforum09 est libre et ouvert à tous

JPEG - 37.4 kb
Klimaforum09 takes place in the DGI-byen complex in central Copenhagen. Four large conference rooms plus a number of smaller ones constitute the frames around the alternative summit. Photo: DGI-byen.


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Come funziona davvero l'esclusione delle notizie da Google News?

Traduciamo e ripubblichiamo qui un post che è appena stato pubblicato sul nostro European Public Policy Blog, nel quale si chiarisce come funziona il meccanismo di esclusione di una notizia da Google News. Un argomento che oggi ha riscosso una grande attenzione e su cui pensiamo sia importante fare chiarezza.

Ecco, in italiano, il testo del post di Josh Cohen:

"E' possibile che abbiate letto oggi sulla stampa italiana che l'Antitrust ci ha notificato un'indagine in relazione a Google News come conseguenza di una segnalazione della FIEG (Federazione Italiana Editori di Giornali). In questo momento stiamo rivedendo la notifica in dettaglio, ma nel frattempo abbiamo pensato che fosse utile fare chiarezza sul meccanismo con cui gli editori possono controllare i loro contenuti sul web.

Primo, l'obiettivo di Google News è sempre stato quello di mettere a disposizione prospettive diverse su una notizia e di portare i lettori di tutto il mondo sui siti degli editori. Noi non visualizziamo le notizie nella loro completezza, piuttosto il nostro approccio è simile a quello che adottiamo per la ricerca su web: mostriamo semplicemente il titolo della notizia, una o due righe di testo e poi il link al sito dell'editore. Insomma, giusto le informazioni utili perché il lettore sia invogliato a leggere l'intero articolo. Una volta che l'utente fa click sul link e viene reindirizzato all'articolo, sta all'editore decidere come trarre profitto dal contenuto. Il giornale può scegliere se far pagare il lettore per accedere all'intero articolo oppure può ospitare pubblicità sul proprio sito.

Chi fornisce notizie, analogamente a qualsiasi altro editore online, ha il pieno controllo sul fatto di rendere visibili i propri contenuti attraverso i servizi di Google. Quindi, se un editore non vuole essere trovato su Google.com o su Google.it o su un altro motore di ricerca, può evitare l'indicizzazione automatica utilizzando uno standard universalmente accettato, chiamato robot.txt. Gli editori hanno anche una serie di altre modalità per controllare come i loro contenuti appaiono (o non appaiono). Una di queste opzioni è per esempio quella di continuare a comparire nei risultati di ricerca di Google senza comparire su Google News. In questo caso, tutto quello che deve fare è contattarci e richiedere la rimozione dal servizio. In effetti, abbiamo incontrato diversi editori italiani e rappresentanti della FIEG proprio quest'estate per spiegare loro queste opzioni.

Noi rispettiamo i desideri dei proprietari del contenuto, ed è per questo che abbiamo fatto in modo che non far parte dei nostri servizi sia semplice. Tuttavia, quando si tratta di Google News, riceviamo di gran lunga più richieste di essere inclusi nel servizio di quante ne riceviamo per la rimozione. Questo è perché gli editori capiscono che il traffico generato da Google News, e da servizi ad esso analoghi, è un traffico di valore: Google News porta oltre 1 miliardo di click al mese agli editori di notizie, molti dei quali traggono profitti da questo traffico grazie alla pubblicità presente sui loro siti."


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長江朋美作品總介紹《漫畫》


漫畫名:◎求愛48招
     四集完/いけいけさくら/小學館/2000-05~2001-09
    ◎玩具愛人系列(玩具愛人、新玩具愛人、玩具愛人前奏曲、最愛玩具愛人)
     四集完/あなたのオモチャ/小學館/2000-03~2006-04
    ◎天生戀人
     六集完/恋うま/小學館/2002-03~2004-04
    ◎同居達令
     三集完/そりゃないぜ・ダーリン/小學館/2004-11~2005-09
    ◎追愛OL
     單行本/ハッピーラッシュ/小學館/2006-02
    ◎蕃茄日和
     兩集完/トマト日和/小學館/2006-08~2007-02
    ◎當牧師碰上布丁小姐
     單行本/牧師さんはプリンアラモード/小學館/2007-11
    ◎桃色唇膏
     單行本/桃色リップスティック/白泉社/2009-02
漫畫家:長江朋美
出版社:長鴻


小學館時代的封面都很芭樂,一換到白泉社反而魅力四射,故、也只放《桃色唇膏》的彩圖了(我喜歡這封面構圖,放大一點、放大一點給你們看啦XD<其它構圖就像這樣、超芭樂>)。但、等等,白泉社?長江朋美和白泉社???這屬性會不會差太多了Q口Q!!重點是,啊啊啊--我最近在看的女漫都好無腦喔(掩面+滾來滾去)。

只是當有很多繁瑣事務纏身時,看如此類型漫畫反而很能放鬆心情,所以,啊嗚~,這回要介紹的就是這堆可以輕鬆食用的軟糖作品,而這類漫畫的存在性是絕對必要的(握拳)。另外,越往前推,長江朋美作品品質越差,所以大然版全數放棄推薦。

看看出書時間表,長江朋美還真是快手一位,然而在追求速度同時,相對的質感就不會太高,除此之外,長江朋美的劇情發展幾乎沒有太大的變化性,多半都是在戀人的誤解、爭執與合好上,不斷反覆翻玩著。這類橋段出現的頻率其實有過高之嫌,不過長江朋美時常會小小丑化女主角的行為舉止,靠著正經八百的男主角配上鄉土喜感的女主角,那份衝突感所得到的效果,個人覺得多少都有中和掉劇情老套與不理想的部份。

《桃色唇膏》收錄兩篇感情攻略,其一為辦公室戀情,其一為青梅竹馬情感,兩組互動還滿可愛。然後,我是從最近期的這本開始回頭借閱,每一本模式與要領差不多都如《桃色唇膏》走向,是否有必要整個追完長江朋美的舊作,單從這方面來看,個人認為隨緣,就是那種,找得到書看、OK,找不到書看、無所謂。

《當牧師碰上布丁小姐》收錄了四對情侶,牧師vs.AV女優,被學妹一句話刺傷、變成性無能的牙醫學長vs.神經很大條的學妹,無血緣關係的兄vs.妹,過度美化初戀情人的千金小姐vs.偵探。這本劇情還滿芭樂。

《蕃茄日和》以房東兒子與女房客的情愫為主軸。這一套有補充到玩具愛人系列後續劇情,然後,主線故事仍舊超芭樂,突然之間不知道自己幹嘛一定要如此堅持回頭翻完長江朋美的舊作。╮(╯▽╰)╭

《追愛OL》女追男沒有隔層紗,劇情到了最後仍舊沒有配對成功。此漫偏向於描述職場工作層面與女性勇敢追求作風。

《同居達令》描述因為一場嚴重車禍而被迫留級的女大學生開始在意著學校講師,甚至出現不曾有的記憶,在與講師確認過後才發現,那一場車禍裡,講師妻子曾捐血給她,並在隨後數個月意外身亡,推斷是妻子的血在體內作崇,而為了年幼的稚子,兩人開始了同居不同床的日子。劇情雖然鬼扯蛋一通,到了第二集還硬凹,但還是很愉快地把它給啃完了。

《天生戀人》講述破產後的純情千金小姐發現僅剩的唯一資產--居然是間泰國浴愛情旅館!!她本持著身為老闆就有義務照顧事業的心情,前往該店從基礎做起,奈何她與種馬店長就是不對盤,直到她發現店長出發點都是為了她好而開始對店長改觀……。長江朋美作品真的很不穩定,本來還在埋怨自己幹嘛非把長江朋美舊作追完,結果這一套馬上讓我把怨言給吞了回去,滾滾樂的《天生戀人》劇情超甜的,雖然女主角優柔到有些懦弱,不過整體來說,我還是願意給這部漫畫一個好評價。

「玩具愛人系列」描述因為同學的惡作劇,兩個原本對彼此懷有情意的同學在畢業後擦身而過,多年後再相遇,男同學成了牛郎,女同學仍在求學路上,誤會冰釋後的兩人再度牽起了情緣。書名雖然讓人很囧,內容倒不至於很囧。

《求愛48招》……這套嘛,就甭提了吧。╮(╯▽╰)╭

基本上,只要想像介於新條真由與吉原由起兩者的中間值,大致上就能得到對長江朋美的即時印象。雖然長江朋美有「會舖陳劇情卻從沒補完」的缺點在,但相當輕快、不囉里巴嗦倒是她的最大優點,也因為如此,她的作品就像軟糖般,容易入口而不黏膩。若對於劇情通順度要求不會太嚴苛,倒是不妨可以嚐試長江朋美的漫畫。
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食的喜悅--玄米老師的美味便當《漫畫》


漫畫名:玄米老師的美味便當(玄米せんせいの弁当箱)
原 作:北原雅紀
漫畫家:魚戶修(魚戸おさむ)
集 數:三集未完
譯 者:梵赫辛
※原文版2008年4月~.小學館於2008年12月起授權尖端中文化※


《玄米老師的美味便當》是套……滿吊詭的漫畫,我一直以為考上農作系應當有身體力行的心理準備才對,畢竟農業知識取得來自於個人耕作體驗,問十個人、十個人理所當然會有這種共識。然而劇作卻不是如此表現,劇中農系所被設定成只是個傳授知識的死板講堂處,真正享受耕作樂趣的僅有主角玄米教授與極少數學生而已,大部份的學生都興趣缺缺,就連身為農學院院長也出面阻擋農系所學生應有的耕種作為,以致於到底是那裡出了差錯,至今我仍舊納悶不已。

若擺明了系所只是研究農作文化史,或許還說得過去吧,所以扣除掉我也不知道算不算是敗筆的此項設定,從另一方面來看,《玄米老師的美味便當》有確實傳達出對「食」的主張與觀點,而這一部份才是令此套漫畫顯出它的實用價值所在。

「研究食文化並不只是追求珍饈異味,知道平常吃的東西是怎麼來的,並且深入了解它們,也是很棒的食文化研究。」

創作者首先研究了日本最重要的米糠味噌文化,接著一一剖析「耕種」、「進食」和「一物全吃」的概念;以及點出社會文明的快速推進,人類長久以來的重要共食文化早已被個食/孤食給取代;再藉由病人不願依靠他人協助進食的頑固想法,玄米教授因此勸導,說明食材是靠著一群人的共同合作才能取得,而對於群眾的共同努力應有惜福之念,另一方面,個人進食尊嚴旁人也須尊重;緊接者,「快食快便」是基本生活態度,玄米提到了食物和排泄本是一組、不可切割,食物塑造身體,若進食有問題,身體自然會反應出狀況;另外尚有日本年菜、美食地下街和便當分享等單元。

北原雅紀的劇作還不賴,他會將自己的想法舖陳融入至劇情內,引導讀者去重視食的每一個環節,屬於後勁型的劇作家,即使劇情有略為虛弱的部份,也都有被魚戶修的畫風補強到,而且封面很讚,整體而言,《玄米老師的美味便當》是一套很靈活、具有啟發作用的漫畫,……嗯,只要別像我一樣,對某些設定產生疑惑,甚至翻閱到有想掀桌的衝動之外,其實這套作品倒也值得一看!
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致命的交集--盜嬰《小說》


小說名:盜嬰(子盗り)
小說家:海月瑠意(海月ルイ)
譯 者:劉子倩
※原文版2002年5月.文藝春秋於2004年6月授權商周中文化※


與其說是推理小說,不如說它是一本偏向於描寫事件發生過程的劇情小說,因主線設定相當單純,以至於讀者一眼就能看穿「敲詐=被殺害之理由」這道理,然而即使推理部份並不突出,情節安排卻是重點,雖無法以好看來形容該作品,但它確實會讓人很專注很專注的不斷追看下去,只為了想要瞭解最後三位女子的結局是如何。

渴望孩子卻無法生育的女人、被奪走孩子強忍孤寂的女人、以及無法勝任母職卻任性妄為的女人,三個女人,三條人生平行線,卻在一椿盜嬰事件後產生致命的交集。【截錄自書封文案】

三位女性原本互不相識,因一名初生兒的出世,一個被社會價值觀與自身制約、一個被同情制約、一個被機會制約,命運因此纏繞交織,最終並走向幾近毀滅一途。海月瑠意描寫最好之處,在於將女子對於幼兒執著的心理層面、刻劃得絲絲入扣,但其實整個看來會覺得很悲哀,即使是現代文明社會,女性似乎仍逃離不了屬於社會病態那一部份的批判眼光。

《盜嬰》的結構完整、穩定度高、劇情紮實,讓我對海月其它小說頗有興趣,但這幾年也沒再瞧見出版社引進海月其它作品,看樣子,似乎是個賣相不佳的推理作家……。Q_Q
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