Tuesday, August 29, 2006
The Two Spains (work in progress)
Las Dos Españas
I've been having the opportunity in these last few days of spending my early coffe break with a couple of respectable Andalusian elders. The topic of almost all our conversations spins around the days of the Spanish Civil War, in which they participated in their own flesh and blood. To be honest, it is me who, as often as I can, try to direct the conversation towards that theme, as I know there are just few eye witnesses left of such tragic events and I want to find out about the facts, not through the official versions, but through those who actually lived those days.
It's very sad to hear their experiences as Spaniards as well as youngsters, enlisted by force in armies whose ideals not even their members shared, but which they must defend on risk of losing their own lives if they dared to deny. The tales they tell make me remember the contrast between Francisco López de Gómora's "Hispania Victrix" (1553), in which the conquest of Mexico is narrated as a
I've been having the opportunity in these last few days of spending my early coffe break with a couple of respectable Andalusian elders. The topic of almost all our conversations spins around the days of the Spanish Civil War, in which they participated in their own flesh and blood. To be honest, it is me who, as often as I can, try to direct the conversation towards that theme, as I know there are just few eye witnesses left of such tragic events and I want to find out about the facts, not through the official versions, but through those who actually lived those days.
It's very sad to hear their experiences as Spaniards as well as youngsters, enlisted by force in armies whose ideals not even their members shared, but which they must defend on risk of losing their own lives if they dared to deny. The tales they tell make me remember the contrast between Francisco López de Gómora's "Hispania Victrix" (1553), in which the conquest of Mexico is narrated as a
Thursday, August 10, 2006
About Spanish Politics (The Worst Is Yet To Come)
Sobre Política Española (Lo Peor Viene Después)
It's difficult to miss a round of the perennial fighting among politicians in this country. The press makes sure to provide even the minimal details of the hair pulling and word exchanging between the guys in office and the ones in the opposition. I really think the real Biggest Show on Earth, the most productive one for any and all of the so called press enterprises is to entertain (keep "informed") their audiences with all the back and forth talking among each others.
However, aside of the "media circus" it represents, I have thought that having a political system with an "opposite side" works preety much like the "Devil's Advocate" in the Church's Clergy. The opposition is allways in charge of opposing whatever idea or plan the government happens to come up with, causing therefore that the ones in charge provide with as many explanations and transparency as necessary to guarantee a good management.
I've been in this country for now one year and ten months. In all this time, I still have to see a plan or project being cancelled or rejected due to the opposition's point of view. What I mean to say is the role of the opposition in this country seems to be the puppets of the guys in power.
Well, that's the way I see it.
Regards
>Ð
It's difficult to miss a round of the perennial fighting among politicians in this country. The press makes sure to provide even the minimal details of the hair pulling and word exchanging between the guys in office and the ones in the opposition. I really think the real Biggest Show on Earth, the most productive one for any and all of the so called press enterprises is to entertain (keep "informed") their audiences with all the back and forth talking among each others.
However, aside of the "media circus" it represents, I have thought that having a political system with an "opposite side" works preety much like the "Devil's Advocate" in the Church's Clergy. The opposition is allways in charge of opposing whatever idea or plan the government happens to come up with, causing therefore that the ones in charge provide with as many explanations and transparency as necessary to guarantee a good management.
I've been in this country for now one year and ten months. In all this time, I still have to see a plan or project being cancelled or rejected due to the opposition's point of view. What I mean to say is the role of the opposition in this country seems to be the puppets of the guys in power.
Well, that's the way I see it.
Regards
>Ð
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
God Does Exist. I See Him Every Day
Dios existe...
I was reading a message on the wall the other day: "If God existed, we should kill him". My answer was almost immediate: "If God wouldn't exist, you would be death already". The first phrase, however, made me think about God's existance, and I have concluded that either Gods really exists or the Intelligence is not an exclusive gift for Humans.
Let me explain: I was reading "The Naked Woman", by the author of "The Naked Ape" and I noticed this author explains the human phisiology as if we had anything to do with its development; the same author, and many others as well, offer similar explanations for the phisionomy of every living creature.
Example: Has a colorful flower been free to elect its eye-catching beautiful colors? Authors explain that "with such colors, flowers attract insects, which in turn carry with them the polen to other plants, and by doing so, they contribute to the flower's reproduction". This is just an example, but, did flowers have actually anything to do in electing their colors and shape? If so, we would be recognizing inteligence on them... but I actually think that "something" or "someone" has designed things that way with a very special purpose. THAT is what I recognize as God, and I see Him every day.
>Ð
I was reading a message on the wall the other day: "If God existed, we should kill him". My answer was almost immediate: "If God wouldn't exist, you would be death already". The first phrase, however, made me think about God's existance, and I have concluded that either Gods really exists or the Intelligence is not an exclusive gift for Humans.
Let me explain: I was reading "The Naked Woman", by the author of "The Naked Ape" and I noticed this author explains the human phisiology as if we had anything to do with its development; the same author, and many others as well, offer similar explanations for the phisionomy of every living creature.
Example: Has a colorful flower been free to elect its eye-catching beautiful colors? Authors explain that "with such colors, flowers attract insects, which in turn carry with them the polen to other plants, and by doing so, they contribute to the flower's reproduction". This is just an example, but, did flowers have actually anything to do in electing their colors and shape? If so, we would be recognizing inteligence on them... but I actually think that "something" or "someone" has designed things that way with a very special purpose. THAT is what I recognize as God, and I see Him every day.
>Ð
