Listen to the radio show.
Keywords: post-traumatic stress disorder, selective memory deletion, accuracy of memory, drug injection, sci-fi.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Why are we happy?
Dan Gilbert believes that, in our ardent, lifelong pursuit of happiness, most of us have the wrong map. In the same way that optical illusions fool our eyes -- and fool everyone’s eyes in the same way -- Gilbert argues that our brains systematically misjudge what will make us happy. And these quirks in our cognition make humans very poor predictors of our own bliss.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
hope
how did it feel? standing in the middle of a huge crowd, surrounded by trees in the heart of chicago, bred by the moisture of the lake and by my friends, accompanied by all and everything? vamos obama, vamos!
helicopters buzzing in the air, the revolution being televised. people talked about the chicago 7, it was a celebration even before it was.
it was pitch dark, surrounded by the symbols of power and oppression, cement towers for slaves and only a few city lights and a tv screen where we were but tv screens scattered all over, the revolution was being televised because winter in america was calling for an end.
a park bore testimony, leaves in the ground, yellow in the trees, it's autumn, but it feels like a summer night dream, spirits are dancing in the fire at the sound of buzzing helicopters in the sky.
as more people join, more will join, the world is throwing a party, it is the coming of age of long struggles. and we still wonder if race will be an issue and yet we think it will be a landslide.
even if mccain would win all the swing states, obama would still sing, yes we can, yes we can.
wait. while still ahead, we need to count, state by state, vote by vote. wait.
sometimes leaves fall from the trees, like rain, like the rain that is about to clean the dirt that resists in the oven were people are cooked. and a leave touches my heart as it falls, an instant of silence in my head. a gong.
all of a sudden, barack obama elected president, says telerevolucion. we all start jumping and shouting and dancing, millions of people, in chicago, in america, in the world, we become the electrons that gravitate around the nucleus of hope, you'd be unable to know their position and movement at the same time, millions of people, it is not one, it is many, no one can be located, we move too fast, we are too many, together but separate, it is the uncertainty principle at work, hence the certainty of hope.
for a second even mccain seems to understand what is happening, he speaks like a man, not like a rat, and palin is just standing in the back, her bridge to nowhere will take her to a long and distant star.
waiting time, we want to listen to obama, the master, the preacher of all traditions blended in one, the leader of all races and creeds, the intellectual poet. we want to listen to the man. we are one.
waiting seems to take forever even if only a couple minutes have passed. we are all excited and it is contagious. the man delivers, our team is the winner of the world series, our favorite tune is radiating the energy of change, of something better. somebody is rising to the challenge, avoiding simple recipes, and simplistic distinctions based on appearance, there is no black and no white, there is only millions of colors in between if we just had the right lenses all the time, oh, if we just had the right lenses, sometimes. but it is true, we are one, we are many but we are one. and we don't have the lenses and are in need of somebody to remind us, but now we can listen, we are blind but we can listen.
it is time to meet new galaxies, to play with them, it is time for creation and recreation, it is the time for everyone to be whatever they want to be, no duties, no obligations, it is the time to overcome darkness and embrace light. a new star is born: it's called new life.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Israel lobby, a documentary
This documentary is useful in highlighting the workings of maybe the most powerful lobby in the world. Major academics and figures analyze the topic.
Note Biden appears in the AIPAC footage. Overall, I gathered that the jewish were not a minor reason in selecting Biden as running mate.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
La buena nueva, movie
The movie is produced by a friend and directed by his mother, a very sensitive director. I encourage you to see it if you are interested in Spain and the Basque people or if you simply want to watch a carefully crafted movie.
-------------------
La peli esta producida por un amigo y dirigida por su madre, que dirigio tambien Yoyes, y otras que quiza conozcais. Una oportunidad para ver buenos actores y, con toda seguridad, una buena historia.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Slaves to our minds, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche
Many of us are slaves to our minds. Our own mind is our worst enemy. We try to focus, and our mind wanders off. We try to keep stress at bay, but anxiety keeps us awake at night. We try to be good to people we love, but then we forget and put ourselves first. And when we want to change our life, we dive into spiritual practice and expect to see quick results, only to lose focus after the honeymoon has worn off. We're left feeling helpless and discouraged. We all have the potential to awaken from the sleep of ignorance. We can create an alliance that allows us to actually use our mind, rather than be used by it. This is a practice anyone can do
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Inquisitiveness, by Chogyam Trungpa
The notion of looking at things as they are is a very important concept. Look! Why do we look at all? Or we could say, Listen! Why do we listen at all? Why do we feel at all? Why do we taste? The one and only answer is that there is such a thing as inquisitiveness in our makeup. Inquisitiveness is the seed syllable of the artist. The artist is interested in sight, sound, feelings, and touchable objects. We are interested and we are inquisitive, very inquisitive, and we are willing to explore in any way we can.Such tremendous inquisitiveness is the key point in the way we look at things, because with inquisitiveness we have a connection.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Friday, September 5, 2008
Gold
I've seen them in expensive restaurants,
with a bottle and a glass,
with people at their command.
with gold in their hands,
gold hanging from their neck,
their face wrecked.
they live enslaved,
enslaved by what people say,
their gold rope tight at their neck.
they don't breathe,
someone would do that for them.
they're nobody but they pretend,
all too well, they pretend.
but but but,
a burst in the restaurant,
i'm here, we are back,
you are going to die,
standing on the table,
we fuck, fuck your mother,
sh, sh, shoot your father.
with a bottle and a glass,
with people at their command.
with gold in their hands,
gold hanging from their neck,
their face wrecked.
they live enslaved,
enslaved by what people say,
their gold rope tight at their neck.
they don't breathe,
someone would do that for them.
they're nobody but they pretend,
all too well, they pretend.
but but but,
a burst in the restaurant,
i'm here, we are back,
you are going to die,
standing on the table,
we fuck, fuck your mother,
sh, sh, shoot your father.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
art and the price of creation
as i remember from my high school science class, for something to be alive it needs to be able to reproduce. put differently, either you reproduce or you are not alive.
the wide spread of new technologies has brought about many changes in art. not only in techniques and content but also in its distribution. we live in times where it is easier that ever in history to create and share your creations. blogs and virtual communities are examples.
corporations rather than admitting their failure to adapt to the new environment, fight to make their property rights respected and sue individual consumers for sharing contents. every time more people realize that the power of oligopolist distribution companies is diluting. internet providers in europe are starting to collude with multimedia corporations to share the identity of the consumers that share files over the net.
but the price of creation and distribution is going down and everyone is doing something, which, in my view, can only be good.
after all if we are alive, shouldn't we reproduce? Because, what is creation if not reproduction?
and do we really need property rights to be respected? is that really efficient? isn't that old economics? what they want us to think? i am sure a couple economists would agree with tearing down this culture distorting monopolies.
the wide spread of new technologies has brought about many changes in art. not only in techniques and content but also in its distribution. we live in times where it is easier that ever in history to create and share your creations. blogs and virtual communities are examples.
corporations rather than admitting their failure to adapt to the new environment, fight to make their property rights respected and sue individual consumers for sharing contents. every time more people realize that the power of oligopolist distribution companies is diluting. internet providers in europe are starting to collude with multimedia corporations to share the identity of the consumers that share files over the net.
but the price of creation and distribution is going down and everyone is doing something, which, in my view, can only be good.
after all if we are alive, shouldn't we reproduce? Because, what is creation if not reproduction?
and do we really need property rights to be respected? is that really efficient? isn't that old economics? what they want us to think? i am sure a couple economists would agree with tearing down this culture distorting monopolies.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
my new friend microkorg
my new friend microkorg got toasted back in spain. i take full responsibility for the incident and i am sure it won't happen again. i was showing it to my sister, she was having a great time but i had to plug it in with an inadecuate transformer. ejem, un despiste lo tiene cualquiera. ni siquiera pense que pudiera tener un transformador unicamente valido para EEUU. malditos japoneses...
anyway, from my very limited experience using musical instruments i find that trying to make sensible sounds is maybe the most meditative activity i can engage in. in this sense, it is only good to continue devoting time to it. what i also found to be true is that making noise on my own is not comparable to interacting with others through music. a conversation with others is generally more engaging that a monologue. i think i will continue trying to find people with whom i can make some noise and make the noise!
anyway, from my very limited experience using musical instruments i find that trying to make sensible sounds is maybe the most meditative activity i can engage in. in this sense, it is only good to continue devoting time to it. what i also found to be true is that making noise on my own is not comparable to interacting with others through music. a conversation with others is generally more engaging that a monologue. i think i will continue trying to find people with whom i can make some noise and make the noise!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
Bet-ancourt
I bet that the next Colombian president is Betancourt. This might be obvious to some; to those that disagree, how much you want to bet?
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Un policía me dijo: ¡Arrodillate!
China sigue sin desvelar el paradero de más de 700 tibetanos según denuncia Amnistía Internacional...
Centenares de personas arrestadas por el Gobierno chino, probablemente miles, se encuentran en paradero desconocido desde su detención en el transcurso de los disturbios que sacudieron la región del Tíbet los pasados meses de marzo y abril, según ha denunciado en la noche de ayer Amnistía Internacional. La ONG especializada en la defensa de los Derechos Humanos detalla el bloqueo informativo en la región, así como las torturas infligidas a los detenidos.
Desde luego que apoyo la informacion sesgada de este tipo de noticias pero esto es embarazoso para el periodista. Pero por Tutatis, pues no se contradice el tio en las dos primeras frases?
Centenares de personas arrestadas por el Gobierno chino, probablemente miles, se encuentran en paradero desconocido desde su detención en el transcurso de los disturbios que sacudieron la región del Tíbet los pasados meses de marzo y abril, según ha denunciado en la noche de ayer Amnistía Internacional. La ONG especializada en la defensa de los Derechos Humanos detalla el bloqueo informativo en la región, así como las torturas infligidas a los detenidos.
Desde luego que apoyo la informacion sesgada de este tipo de noticias pero esto es embarazoso para el periodista. Pero por Tutatis, pues no se contradice el tio en las dos primeras frases?
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Raimon Panikkar, entrevista en La vanguardia
Tengo 6.000 años: los viví con los hombres que nos precedieron. Nací en Barcelona de hindú y catalana. Soy sacerdote católico, pero no un funcionario del Vaticano. Todo ser humano, y no sólo los profesionales, tiene vocación de monje y político: si no la realiza, está incompleto.
Obra completa: ¿no es un oxímoron?
Lo es. Además, yo sigo todavía vivo...
Doy fe.
He pasado 80 años escribiendo y lo dejo ahí todo como un testimonio...
Sé que más que escribir, reescribe...
Hasta 27 veces reescribí De la mística...
... Y que jamás lee en público.
No hay que preparar el discurso, sino al orador. Yo no preparo los textos para leerlos en público, sino que me preparo a mí mismo en cada momento de mi vida para ser capaz de hablar.
Y sus silencios también se escuchan.
El silencio forja el sentido. Y lo estamos abandonando a cambio de una superficialidad banal e insulsa. Ruido a todas horas en todas partes para no tener que pensar.
No todos podemos ser monjes...
¡Todos estamos llamados a la meditación! ¡Todos la necesitamos! También todos necesitamos la soledad y el silencio tanto como la sociedad y las palabras.
... Ni políticos.
Ese es el grave error de nuestro tiempo: dejar la mística y la política a los profesionales. La vida espiritual y la vida política no son oficios, son dimensiones irrenunciables de cada uno de nosotros.
Que exigen esfuerzo: más cómodo delegarlas y luego quejarse de los delegados.
Todos estamos llamados a realizarnos en ellas. Sólo si somos todos políticos y monjes podremos realizarnos plenamente como personas. Si no, somos incompletos.
Vida completa: ¿otra contradicción?
Sobre lo que usted pregunta, la duración y el fin de la vida, me he inventado una palabrita, tempiternitat, que no es un tiempo ni largo ni corto, sino único...
No podemos decidir la duración, pero sí la intensidad de nuestras vidas.
La intensidad es parte de la singularidad. Somos singulares. Somos únicos... Miserere Domine, apiádate, Señor, porque ego sum pauper,soy pobre...¡Et unicuus! Y único, dice el salmo latino. ... ¡Unicuus! Esta singularidad... Perdone... Perdone... Que me emocione...
Es emocionante.
¡Cada uno de nosotros es único!
...
Si alguien le dice que usted le gusta porque le recuerda a alguien, es que no le ama: cada uno de nosotros es único e irrepetible. Pero esa singularidad sólo podemos vivirla si renunciamos al pasado, que es sólo un recuerdo, y al futuro, que es sólo una ilusión, y vivimos en el presente tempiterno.
Usted ha vivido y ha creído: ha sido sacerdote del Opus Dei en Roma, budista e hinduísta en la India...
La fe no tiene objeto. La fe no tiene complemento.
Y ha vivido ¿cuántos años...?
Seis mil años al menos. Yo no soy individualista: deploro el individualismo egotista que nos impele a encerrarnos en nosotros mismos y nuestras circunstancias; yo he vivido también en esos hombres que vivieron seis mil años antes que nosotros y me siento igualmente responsable de sus vidas...
... ¿Y de sus crímenes?
Sí, también soy responsable de sus crímenes y culpas y sé que puedo lavarlos viviendo rectamente. Vivo cada momento convencido de que la vida es un don único como yo... ¡Qué alegría ser consciente de eso!
¿Usted lo es desde niño?
Mi padre era hindú y mi madre catalana.
Hoy ya no es una mezcla tan exótica.
La inmigración tiene un peligro, el de banalizar su cultura y la nuestra en una amalgama insulsa; de nuevo la superficialidad nos amenaza, pero la mezcla es también una oportunidad de profunda comunión; la de asimilarlos a ellos... ¡Y asimilarnos a ellos!
Sin mezcla, no hay fecundidad.
Por eso necesitamos asimilarlos a ellos y asimilarnos a ellos: ninguna cultura que se encierra en sí misma sobrevive.
¿Sigue siendo usted sacerdote?
Sí, celebro misa. Dependo de la diócesis de Varanasi (Benarés). Soy sacerdote, pero no un funcionario vaticano, aunque en comunión con Roma. Y, en la cadena del saber que formaron mis maestros hasta mí, distingo a Jesús pero no separo a Jesús de Cristo.
¿Y sus alumnos?
Soy alumno: me doctoré en Química y en Filosofía y después seguí siendo alumno con mis alumnos en la Divinity School de Harvard, en la Universidad de California...
¿Por qué volvió de América?
¡Cómo cuidan a sus profesores allí! Trabajé y enseñé y aprendí mucho y bien en América, y me sentí querido y estimulado...
Cincuenta libros: miles de artículos.
Y la palabra: ¡cuántos amigos en cada clase!
Pero volvió.
Hubo un momento en que era feliz allí en el campus, en una casa magnífica, profesor, todo cuanto se pueda desear, unas bibliotecas inacabables y mucho cariño... Pero sentí que mi sitio estaba aquí, Tavertet, entre estos muros y montañas... ¿Escucha qué silencio?
¿Recuerda a algún alumno en especial?
Hoy me han escrito varios alumnos de California. ¡Cuánto cariño en sus palabras!
Regálenos algún pensamiento de los Veda que tradujo del sánscrito (Fragmenta)
La muerte no muere y por lo tanto en la muerte misma está la inmortalidad.
martes, 17 de junio de 2008
Más allá del sueldo
El silencio de Tavertet - ¡qué verde este año!- no aísla a Panikkar, sino que lo conecta en sus lecturas de siglos con maestros védicos, evangélicos y periodísticos, pues también devora la prensa el maestro en su conexión tempiterna.Vuelvo con un propósito en mi alforja: la política es demasiado importante para dejársela a los políticos. ¡Basta de quejarnos de los políticos y militemos, actuemos y sustituyámoslos! La mística es la otra vocación que no podemos ceder a los conventos: silencio, meditación, relajación... ¡Para todos! Son vocaciones que exigen esfuerzo, pero por eso mismo nos hacen personas frente a la única llamada a la oración que sí nos llega a todos cada día: "¡Haceos ricos!".
Friday, June 13, 2008
How Much Radiation Does Your Phone Emit?
CNET has made a list with the radiation levels that our body absorbs when using cellphones. The list includes many models but you can always google the model along with the word SAR to know how your body is affected by cell use. Mine is mid level, but searching I found large differences for a given phone type. I think I am switching phone.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Confused mind
I think I have an interesting story about mind. When I redid my picture on the blog I did not think of anything in particular, simply put colors I liked in areas that thought would compensate each other. To this point not so interesting I know.
Then one day, Zurine, a friend from back home said, "hei that's a very Warholian picture!"...
and I thought, " oh, shit, she is right". Although I see it frequently, I had never realized of the connection before. From that moment until quite later in the future I could not really say how it was not Warholian. Literally there was only that perspective in mind. Asking to be disproved or approved as definitive. And by the way, that really pissed me off.
Anyway, eventually I understood how it was not W. I will skip that part because it is boring; LOL. The point is: I thought the question of who was the influence was over in my mind. I thought it was an interesting story about a conditioned mind. End of the matter.
And now, if you see the Rauschenberg painting below... Shit, I am confussed. LOL I can assure you that none of these connections were in purpose!
Then one day, Zurine, a friend from back home said, "hei that's a very Warholian picture!"...
and I thought, " oh, shit, she is right". Although I see it frequently, I had never realized of the connection before. From that moment until quite later in the future I could not really say how it was not Warholian. Literally there was only that perspective in mind. Asking to be disproved or approved as definitive. And by the way, that really pissed me off.
Anyway, eventually I understood how it was not W. I will skip that part because it is boring; LOL. The point is: I thought the question of who was the influence was over in my mind. I thought it was an interesting story about a conditioned mind. End of the matter.
And now, if you see the Rauschenberg painting below... Shit, I am confussed. LOL I can assure you that none of these connections were in purpose!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Homage to Robert Rauschenberg
Late is better than never; just a small, but well deserved homage. May he find happiness wherever he is.
the israel lobby, over again
un pais de mierda is a campaign to address stereotypes about Israel in Spain.
I think it's promoters and those who protested about a Dunkin Donuts add are probably good friends. I agree with them in one point: let's try to get rid of stereotypes.
I think it's promoters and those who protested about a Dunkin Donuts add are probably good friends. I agree with them in one point: let's try to get rid of stereotypes.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Countdown
This is an update email on the new regulations that have been announced in the last weeks. The spirit of the law is clear. I do not hang around any kind of people. I will not consider you if you don't know the right bands and painters and writers. Not to mention movie directors or scientific theories. I am not democratic, nor open, nor should I be. I perfectly control my brain and my chemical compounds. My moral is strong as a rock as you can see. It is fully logical so you will find no hole in it.
You are free to circulate around me and even try to interact with me but if you do not pass the screening, you can not blame me. The point is, I am not here to waste my time. I only relate to properly functioning people. The strong and the future is all I care about. I have a duty here.
Now, following the remainder, you will witness the greatest achievement in the history of science. Following emission of this message, unfit members of society will be prosecuted and eliminated in nanoseconds by an ultrasonic decomposer. Starting countdown: ten, nine, eight...
Thursday, May 29, 2008
My medicine is blue
The personal value of this site has been greatly increased by the comments of: Alicia, Aniol, Cesc, Felipe ( !!), Fermin, Irune, Jora, Koldo, Martin, Tomas. Thanks !!!
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Friday, May 9, 2008
Saturday, April 5, 2008
inside out
I have been out i know.
I will start writing again.
YES WE CAN, he said, and many people agreed.
The doors are open, so I might as well start walking.
Meanwhile, take care my friends.
I know we will meet soon; one day.
We will celebrate, grill a bbq, be by the lake.
be ba, be ba ba
I can hear the trumpet play,
there is a garden, food,
it is hyde park social club,
we have invited a dj,
his name is Kevin,
a masterclass on soul,
let the people know!!
I will start writing again.
YES WE CAN, he said, and many people agreed.
The doors are open, so I might as well start walking.
Meanwhile, take care my friends.
I know we will meet soon; one day.
We will celebrate, grill a bbq, be by the lake.
be ba, be ba ba
I can hear the trumpet play,
there is a garden, food,
it is hyde park social club,
we have invited a dj,
his name is Kevin,
a masterclass on soul,
let the people know!!
Homage to Angus Fairhurst
From an exhibit with his friends.
Back Wall:
Underdone/Overdone Wallpaper, Angus Fairhurst
© the artist/Courtesy Sadie Coles HQ, London
Rear left:
The Man Who Sold the World, Sarah Lucas
© the artist/Courtesy Sadie Coles HQ, London
Rear right:
Four Billboards, Body and Text Removed, Angus Fairhurst
© the artist/Courtesy Sadie Coles HQ, London
Foreground:
The Hat Makes the Man (After Max Ernst), Damien Hirst
© the artist/Courtesy Jay Jopling, London
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Let's wake up, more on Israel
Remember my post on Amos Oz and the US support on Israel? While I have read quite a bit, finding references and data that i can post supporting my thesis is not always easy. But that's less of a problem with Graphwise. ( Vasco, this might be useful for you too). Anyway, some evidence on the military and economic aid to Israel, See pages 830-831.
After the killing of more than a hundred of civilians in Gaza last week it is time to post again on this matter.
Sure, Hamas has been launching rockets to Israel. How many people were dead or wounded? Read it in the NYT, the jewish newspaper. By the way, more than a third of the civilians were children. Usually, Palestinians are represented by Israelis as those without morals, because the blow themselves up surrounded by civilians.... What is the difference then? That the barbarians in Israel are part of the State, supported by a "strong" democracy and the most powerful military in the world.
After the killing of more than a hundred of civilians in Gaza last week it is time to post again on this matter.
Sure, Hamas has been launching rockets to Israel. How many people were dead or wounded? Read it in the NYT, the jewish newspaper. By the way, more than a third of the civilians were children. Usually, Palestinians are represented by Israelis as those without morals, because the blow themselves up surrounded by civilians.... What is the difference then? That the barbarians in Israel are part of the State, supported by a "strong" democracy and the most powerful military in the world.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
Amos Oz, a loaded dice
Amos Oz, an israeli jew, received the Principe de Asturias prize in the literature category. This is the most prestigious award in Spain to scientists and artists. The jury considered that he had worked on the defense of the understanding between different cultures.
It is an strange decision for various reasons. This writer has participated in several wars in defense of his country, israel. I am still not sure how going to war helps understanding between people but i do understand how the Barenboim-Said Foundation helps in that respect.
Another strange aspect of the decision is that his book how to cure a fanatic starts with as frontal attack to european left-wing and its intellectuals. Because in Europe as in the US main parties are no longer divided by left and right, Oz's ideas apply to all parties with ruling options. He claims there is a fundamental naivety in their understanding of the conflict. Here there is no good guy, bad guy. What there is a conflict of two people with the same right to the same land.
I still don't understand how a government of the left would give a prize to an author making these claims. Not that i don't think politics should be independent of the jury's resolution but let's face it this is never-hardly ever- the case. So we have two options, either they don't know who was the recipient of the prize or they know and they don't care. It is hard to believe that such a government doesn't care about how he uses money and power so my guess- could be wrong- is that they didn't know. Which by the way is in line with the previous actions taken by ZP, Zapatero and Co.
But let's go back to the claim. The left in the EU doesn't understand the conflict. OK. Does the US understand the conflict? The US has been an incredibly stubborn supporter of Israel to the point that independent scholars have, not based on moral but on interest, criticized the US foreign policy. This book of course has met with strong opposition of jewish lobbies and academics that once again take the route of censorship to promote their cause.
Let me insist these are widely respected scholars.
In any event, it is impossible to deny the great sums of public money that the US sends to Israel. A big part of this money is military, eg, through reduced prices on weapon spending that is to be bought from the US. It is hard to compare this financial help to the tiny amounts that Palestine receives from the rest of the world. And still this writer, the pacifist that goes to war, criticizes Europe for thinking that making israelis and palestinians meet can solve anything at all. Maybe what he should be worrying about the effect on the conflict on continuous support to the strongest partner in this war Israel.
That is i think the point. Europe is the land where the poor are helped and not left in the street or without medical assistance. No matter the color of the government, this policies, with small variations are implemented across Europe.
Europe supports Palestine because it is the poor and the weak. Because not even their neighbors want them in their land as we have repeatedly seen. Because they have been expelled from their country and are not allowed to create their own state in their own land promoting the continuous expropriation of Palestinian land. With its policies, that Israel is a developed country is yet to be shown.
If you know about sources of information that compare foreign aid to both Israel and Palestine, please contact me. I would to post links on this and don't have the time to try to find them again.
It is an strange decision for various reasons. This writer has participated in several wars in defense of his country, israel. I am still not sure how going to war helps understanding between people but i do understand how the Barenboim-Said Foundation helps in that respect.
Another strange aspect of the decision is that his book how to cure a fanatic starts with as frontal attack to european left-wing and its intellectuals. Because in Europe as in the US main parties are no longer divided by left and right, Oz's ideas apply to all parties with ruling options. He claims there is a fundamental naivety in their understanding of the conflict. Here there is no good guy, bad guy. What there is a conflict of two people with the same right to the same land.
I still don't understand how a government of the left would give a prize to an author making these claims. Not that i don't think politics should be independent of the jury's resolution but let's face it this is never-hardly ever- the case. So we have two options, either they don't know who was the recipient of the prize or they know and they don't care. It is hard to believe that such a government doesn't care about how he uses money and power so my guess- could be wrong- is that they didn't know. Which by the way is in line with the previous actions taken by ZP, Zapatero and Co.
But let's go back to the claim. The left in the EU doesn't understand the conflict. OK. Does the US understand the conflict? The US has been an incredibly stubborn supporter of Israel to the point that independent scholars have, not based on moral but on interest, criticized the US foreign policy. This book of course has met with strong opposition of jewish lobbies and academics that once again take the route of censorship to promote their cause.
Let me insist these are widely respected scholars.
In any event, it is impossible to deny the great sums of public money that the US sends to Israel. A big part of this money is military, eg, through reduced prices on weapon spending that is to be bought from the US. It is hard to compare this financial help to the tiny amounts that Palestine receives from the rest of the world. And still this writer, the pacifist that goes to war, criticizes Europe for thinking that making israelis and palestinians meet can solve anything at all. Maybe what he should be worrying about the effect on the conflict on continuous support to the strongest partner in this war Israel.
That is i think the point. Europe is the land where the poor are helped and not left in the street or without medical assistance. No matter the color of the government, this policies, with small variations are implemented across Europe.
Europe supports Palestine because it is the poor and the weak. Because not even their neighbors want them in their land as we have repeatedly seen. Because they have been expelled from their country and are not allowed to create their own state in their own land promoting the continuous expropriation of Palestinian land. With its policies, that Israel is a developed country is yet to be shown.
If you know about sources of information that compare foreign aid to both Israel and Palestine, please contact me. I would to post links on this and don't have the time to try to find them again.
making sense
In several dimensions, but in the real space, i am trying to make sense of what is going on. I have recently suffered a technology overload and it seems it will continue. Many things have changed since i last walked in the world of people with lives. Now i can only try to catch up and do as best as i can.
Writing is hard but posting easy. During the next weeks i will keep adding pictures of what is going on around here. That will happen as soon as i can make my phone and laptop work together through bluetooth. it seems there is conflict not only in real life but also in the digital world. Talking about conflict i should post something about Amos Oz and the Middle East, Israel-Palestine permanent war and how technology can help overcome barriers. Hopefully this will be coming up soon!!
And to alleviate pain here is a discovery, jonas & françois -- authors of the previous video, a pair of french kids that are turning upside down videocreation. Hard to say how far can the formula go, but if at their age they have already reached this level, the projection is infinite. Check out El nino productions for more. Thanks to my friend Koldo for the info. He spent most of the saturday night showing me a good deal of stuff.
Writing is hard but posting easy. During the next weeks i will keep adding pictures of what is going on around here. That will happen as soon as i can make my phone and laptop work together through bluetooth. it seems there is conflict not only in real life but also in the digital world. Talking about conflict i should post something about Amos Oz and the Middle East, Israel-Palestine permanent war and how technology can help overcome barriers. Hopefully this will be coming up soon!!
And to alleviate pain here is a discovery, jonas & françois -- authors of the previous video, a pair of french kids that are turning upside down videocreation. Hard to say how far can the formula go, but if at their age they have already reached this level, the projection is infinite. Check out El nino productions for more. Thanks to my friend Koldo for the info. He spent most of the saturday night showing me a good deal of stuff.
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