Tuesday 18 July 2006

Is the truth out there?

Since last week or the other we have Digital Television at home. It is actually from the telephone company but, anyway, it is mostly the same as the satellite –actually better.
I have always liked documentaries. I am not an animal documentary guy; I prefer history, invents and all sort of unusual things. I've seen the documentaries of the Serengeti way too many times, so I've had enough of animals. Though, sometimes, a good penguin's film is fine.
So, the thing is that I have seen quite a few lately and they have made me thing a lot about the earth, the human being, Mother Nature, the space and what is out there. Besides, they are broadcasting the new version of "The Outer Limits" again.
I have said many things about recycling and though, whatever we do is still not enough. We are dismantling the Nuclear plants and we are running out of energy. Spain is, at least. The lights from Las Vegas can be seen from the space: apparently there are billions of bulbs that pretend to be a screen where things are displayed.
The thing is, where are we going?
Apparently some kind of planet called Theia (aka Orpheus) collided with Earth and the Moon was formed from it. And apparently the Moon seems to be the reason why we can live in this planet: a part of all the things that change upon the Moon's phases in the animal kingdom, the fact that it's gravity slows the rotation of our planet three times ( i.e. if we didn't have Moon days would last 6 hours, counting the night as well, therefore, no life would exist as the Earth wouldn't heat enough –actually, who knows!). And, apparently, the Moon is getting further from us (no worries, no-one of us will see it happening –unless they invent something to live for the next three thousand years –which I won't have) but they are already thinking of stealing Europa from Jupiter when it happens (although, didn't Zeus kidnapped Europa first?) as it can do the same work for us. Well, this might happen in many many centuries, though, what if Jupiter needs Europa as the Earth needs the Moon and if we take it Jupiter falls and kicks Mars and then Mars kicks the Earth? Wouldn't it be worse?
I know nothing about this kind of things and, I guess, if the intellectuals say it can be done (although not with our current technology), it must be alright. Hmph!
But the worse is that in that documentary where I heard that about Europa and the Moon, they were saying things like "oh, well, the colonization of the space is starting". Didn't you learn already that colonizations aren't good? Actually, why you say colonizations when you mean "get somewhere and kill whatever is there"? Didn't you learn that Bush? huh? Didn't you? Grrr...
Anyway... Apparently in 2030 there will be some kind of mission to Mars that will take something like nine years because they'll have to wait until Mars and the Earth are closer again. And they are talking about transforming the Moon into a giant petrol station. Well, not petrol, but using Nitrogen, or something that is there, as fuel. Is that mad or it is me?
OK, here is the thing: stop worrying about our loss of the Moon and stop treating it like it was ours. It is hers (I mean, the moon belongs to herself). Why the human being always thinks is the greatest thing there is? Not to talk about UFOs. Another documentary I saw was absolutely hilarious. It was kind of taking the piss out of those who "believe".
I hate clichés, but those people are real clichés and they all say the same things. Which makes me think that either they are all being influenced by the same source... or... it really happened and those little ET's exist and that's why they all experience and see the same. I reckon is the first one. The thing is, why do we keep thinking that if there is another intelligent race out there, they have a technology that we don't even know yet? I just don't get it because it is total nonsense and a contradiction: in one hand we think we ARE the center of the universe and the universes behind this one and think we can rule over any other society that there is; but in the other hand we think that if there is another society, they are much better, much clever and with better technology than us, and, what is worse, they want to kill us all. Why is that? Is that a self centred protective way of excusing ourselves to kill them if we ever get to meet them? Please, Roger, if you are out there, or in here, reading this, comment this post, have a say!
Another of the series of documentaries that National Geographic Channel broadcasts, are those called MegaStructures. The episode I really enjoyed was Boston's Big Dig about the works to clean up the city. It was really an achievement, though, difficult. Also there is the one about the Viaduc de Millau (I've been there) and the scary one of the Petronas Towers.
I really wonder, what the hell are we doing? OK, I could understand high buildings in Vatican City or Monaco, as are the smallest countries in the world. But, why countries that have much more space keep on building up or into the sea? What happened in New Orleans was unfortunate and could be avoided, though, it wouldn't have ever happened that much if they had stop building when they had arrived to the water. What happened to the Twin Towers in NY was too bad, but it wouldn't have happened if the building hadn't been that high. What happened in Biescas was unfortunate, but it wouldn't have happened if they had respected the space of the river.
I mean, yes, I understand that we have to keep land to grow food, though, do you really think there aren't pieces of land that have not grown a carrot in years in Malaysia? In the States? In Lithuania? In Spain? In the Gulf clubs? I mean, yes, in the ground space that the Petronas use, could only be a few houses or regular buildings, but, do we really need more?
In my own town there is this problem with the natural reserve (now it is national reserve in some part) which are wetlands in the shore, but they keep on building on it. If it was clever to live just in front of the sea, they would not have placed the roads and the railway just few meters from it. What I mean is, for centuries, the ones who have lived in front of the sea have been the fishermen and their families (is like living across the street from your workplace). Now is so on fashion to open your windows and have a sea landscape. What when, in a few years, not that many, much before the Moon runs away, the sea grows (I don't know how to say that) and the whole coast of Catalunya disappears? Huh, what then? You'll like to live in Lleida, right? To buy a flat in my town is difficult. I guess buying one in a similar size town in the province of Lleida must be much cheaper.
Where the hell are we going?
Can't we just live in peace?

PS I don't know if I achieved what I wanted to say, or if you understood me. I'll keep on thinking about this.

The building in the photo is Warszawa's Intercontinental Hotel,
one of the buildings of recent construction that I like the most
and the highest's building I've slept in.
And the one on the top is from the opening credits of "X Files"

Listening to: Skye - album "Mind How You Go"

Sunday 9 July 2006

"Where is your helmet, man?"

Happy summer to everyone!

Well, many things have been going on lately. And, even though I may look alright in the outside, I was in the need of a little break: a little break to think.
Do you know when you are doing some kind of work, or assessment or anything that is taking long and you are putting your whole self into it and suddenly you finish? Then, you feel empty. All that work has been done and now you have nothing to do. This is something that occurs just from time to time. Normally we start doing something else right away we end up the big thing. Like at work or anything. Even in our relationships we try to meet someone right the week after we got heartbroken. But yes, from time to time, the thing seems so big that you don't... you can't do anything: you just sit in front of the telly or on the beach or anywhere you can see people walk by and expect time to go by.
So, OK: I moved to this island, I had my exams, I was very busy, then a friend came to visit (Life is fucking Good sometimes, huh?)... and then... nil... nothing... niente... nada. The emptiness. I felt so empty suddenly. Just waiting for the results of the exams. Well, I got them all in the end and they weren't what I expected: I failed the one I was absolutely sure I was going to pass and I passed the ones I was certain I was going to fail. Overall: that's good as I will take again only two halves of two different subjects in September. So, I'm re-starting to study next Monday.

So, yes, things have been going on: the Gay Pride, the 4th of July, the horrible train accident in Velència, and today the visit of the Pope to the same city for the International Encounter of the Family.
Well, I don't have much to say about those things. Obviously I am happy for the Gay Pride: an acquaintance said that it should all stop already: we've got what we wanted already... Well, darling, we haven't got ALL what we need just yet (social stuff must be done asap) nor for Tansgender's; besides, from the right moment we get ABSOLUTELY everything wee need we must still go on parades and demonstrations for another hundred years to remember those who didn't have it as good as us (when I say absolutely I mean worldwide).
The 4th of July... how unfortunate. Not for the US, but for North Korea.
València: I am so sorry for the families but, again, I can see the difference with the other country I know: the UK. When the bombs in Madrid on March 11 2004 I wasn't in Spain, so I lived everything from the distance, reading British newspapers. When the attack in London I wasn't there, and I lived everything in the distance, much closer, perhaps, as I know many more people in that city than in the Spanish one. And I saw the difference on how media and street people treats this kind of news. I was very surprised, really. But now, I lived it from here and I can see that, really, we are two different species. OK, it was tragic, I know, but it was an accident. Accidents happen all the time, even last year one happened in the tube in Barcelona, apparently, and I didn't even know. What I am trying to complain about is the much bigger attention we gave to it. From the 5 public analogical television channels in Spain, 4 of them were talking about the accident non stop. I am fine if they interrupt the programmes when it happens, I am happy they spend some time in the news talking about it, but I don't think they should spend 24h talking about it. I don't want so seem selfish or cold, but it gets to a point that there's nothing to talk about. And, what's worse, they speak with street people who think they know everything and they know nothing. For example, there was that woman who said, in front of a camera, that she had few girlfriends who missed that train for seconds. OK, fine, I can believe that there were many people who missed that train for seconds (which, if it is a tube, how do you know it was that exact train, anyway), I can even believe you have A friend who missed that train; but, what I can't understand, is that you happen to have few friends who missed that exact same train: what? they were all together running through the tube tunnels going to the platform all at once? If I ever get a telly interview (I mean, one of those news interviews of street people), I will say "Sorry, I know nothing about that, and if I knew, I would let those who know everything and have a job of responsibility to talk about that, talk instead of me".
I just think is stupid. Who cares what that woman thought. I don't even want to know how the people who lost a relative feel. It is their lives and they must be sad enough to be asked for a local television how they feel. I don't understand that kind of Spanish feeling that whatever happens to the neighbour is like it happened to myself. No, it is not. Sorry... it is so unfortunate, people died, but we can't do anything now. Let's let them Rest In Peace.
Well, at least it was actually something important as, when the singer Rocío Jurado died last month it was the same: non stop news from her house's garage door saying "nothing has changed since last connection five minutes ago".
Well, and today Benedict (?) XVI arrived in València. He pried for the victims and their families. Fine, this isn't gonna help, you know? Why don't you give up some millions for those whose wage wont be enough to deal with mortgages and feed their children as one of the parents has died in the accident. And, really, I am just talking about the victims, because I could extend that to all those who don't have money after the 5th of each month or those who don't have at all. Why don't you do that, man? There is this group of people that has this movement called "Jo no t'espere" which translates into "I am not waiting for you" in Valencian. They are not only against the visit of the Pope, but as well against the use of public funds to pay all what it comes along (like police, security, but as well concerts and other kind of activities that have been suspended because of the accident –though, I guess the musicians will be paid) when there are things to be done in the city that are much more important than that. They are also against all kind of fundamentalism's: that kind of reunions where some people from all around the world gather to demand that the rest of the world changes their way of thinking, i.e. homosexuality and its matrimony, condoms, new families, etc.), are fundamentalist. [What I don't understand of that is if, after all, the Church has very little newcomers, why don't realise that what they need is evolve a bit? I mean, McDonald's has delicious healthy Salads: if the Church wants my money (Pink Money! LOL) they MUST come to 21st Century.]
Another funny thing of that Pope thing is that the media, and the Vatican, are talking bullshit about the fact that Zapatero isn't going to the mass tomorrow. Navarro Valls, the Vatican's Public Relations or something, who is Spanish by the way, was asked about that and he started saying that when they went to Nicaragua, Cuba, Poland (when still communist), etc., the prime minister went to the mass... The reporter, though, said something like "Well, yes, but (whatever) president of the US and Chirac never went... so what?", which I thought was very intelligent (we only keep in mind what we want –hope you learnt something of that Mr Navarro Valls! Do you know what a Newspaper Library is dahling? That reporter knew, indeed).

Oh, something else happened: we now have a different kind of driving licence. [I don't know why I say we.] We call it Points Driving Licence or something. It appears that other European countries have it. What happens is that everybody (except L's) have 12 points that are discounted if they do any traffic offence like speeding, drinking, speaking on the mobile, etc., so you can lose them. The thing is that the first day Spain lost 30000 points (if I am not wrong). [After Eurovision this is the worse that could have happened to us!] And I heard today that Spain loses 7000 points everyday since we have this new thing. Again, television full of street people talking about that. And they say, oh, well, now we have to be more careful. What? What the hell are you talking about? you moron! Speeding was a bad thing before the 1st of July, drinking and driving was a bad bad thing also back then! How the hell do you see yourself you idiot? I wold just go straight into the next police station or Mad House after saying that in the telly. You are stupid and you disgust me so much!
Sorry...
I am saying you but I don't mean you, guys, readers (unless you are that kind of stupid people who speed, drink and drive, don't buckle up, and do all those bad bad things that kill people in the roads). Oh, those kind of things just make me mad. Grrr... I don't understand how can someone just, you know, think it is fine not to buckle up. I would just put the driver into jail when caught with someone in the car that has no belt. This is just off!
But what I think is worse are the motorbike riders... Especially if they are not wearing the helmet. Grr...

Please, British people, you may help me: I heard on one of those talk shows that in Britain there are not "Please, buckle up!" adverts as is common sense to do so and you don't need to ask people. Is that true? I can't remember.

Spain is a mess... What the hell I am doing here?

Well, I am going to Space now.

BTW, do you know who Bez is? I didn't, so I have to research a bit.

Listening to: Petra Magoni and Ferruccio Spinetti - "Musica Nuda II"

SAME DAY UPDATE: my brother fell asleep so we are not going clubbing... next Saturday.