The righteous London-based newspaper The Times has published a faulty selection of the world's top 50 footballers, shortlisted by an Italian journalist called Gabriele Marcotti. This one has come out as a very difficult list to put together as the article's pompous title was not defined accurately: is it the world's top or the European leagues' top? Are they the best footballers last year or their performance in previous/prospect years also count? Can only those playing in major leagues score high or leagues in Croatia, Holland and France mind as well?
Hundreds of comments have been posted showing the different views on football around Europe. However, thanks to the fact that TV stations in the European countries display similar events and, in particular in football, they are focused on the Premiership, La Liga and Il Calcio, Europeans hold not so different opinions as you could think beforehand. Most of the comments agree in few names whose rankings should have been different. For instance, according to the commentators, Giggs, Cannavaro (although ill-performing in La Liga), Kanoute, and Villa or Riquelme should have been included, whereas Torres, Shevchenko, Neville should have been left out. The ranking for other players would have also varied: Drogba and Van Nistelrooy scoring higher, Ballack and Lampard lower.
Due to the nationality of the journalist and the paper, the list seems biased towards Italian and Premiership footballers. Nevertheless, it gives a cue to the most interesting, innocuous, tough-battled discussion for a pub's night.
Tuesday, 26 June 2007
Some pictures showing the repression in Iran.
Not only "estos americanos (digo, romanos) estan majaretas" (Obelix dixit).
Not only "estos americanos (digo, romanos) estan majaretas" (Obelix dixit).
Competition has served Europe well; Sarkozy has not.
Financial Times, June 25, 2007
I would just make a slight change to this article's title: "Competition has served Europe well; France has not".
Friday, 22 June 2007
Shame on Zapatero
Journalist -«Did the Government have meetings with ETA during the last campaign?».
Deputy Prime Minister De la Vega- «None. Absolutely none».
Palacio de la Moncloa "Theatre" (15/06/2007)
Since the moment he made it into the Spanish politics stardom, Spanish Prime Minister J.L. Rodriguez Zapatero has tried to play a double game with everyone. For example, regarding the foreign terrorism issue, he brought back the Spanish soldiers from Irak only to send them later to Afganistan and Lebanon. In regards to the ETA terrorism, he signed the Pacto por las libertades y contra el terrorismo with former Spanish Prime Minister Aznar at the same time he authorised PSOE's Basque branch to meet ETA twenty-five times breaching the agreement with Aznar. The Spanish newspaper El Pais surprisingly describes part of it in its article of the ignominy. J.L.Rodriguez thought that, featuring the Bambi character of the Spanish politics, he would be able to tame the terrorist hyena at the same time as betraying the Spaniards. However, ETA-Batasuna does not like being fooled, but keeping on doing the only thing they can: bombing innocents. I only wish that neither the majority of the Spanish electorate admit to be cheated but say "Never again" to Prime Minister Rodriguez.
J.L. Rodriguez thinks that this is a fight between two equally wrong groups: Francoist people and ETA. He does not accept that the Spanish Civil War finished 68 years ago. He does not understand that the centrifugal nationalism is the main threat to the Spanish Democracy. He does not believe that a united, stronger Spain is the best way to help Spaniards. He would not mind that Spain disappeared. And that is the point where he coincides most with the terrorists.
ETA-Batasuna's sole goal is to beat Spain, to seize the power in the Basque Country and to impose a totalitarian state. But these killers are professional liers and, believe it or not, they claim to be the poor victims that challenge the evil established power battling for the rights of the defenceless, oppressed citizens (interview in Spanish here).
For 40 years ETA-Batasuna have used propaganda and managed the political rythm as another threatening weapon. They are doing it again now. However, the long list of articles in the ETA-Batasuna controlled Gara newspaper leaking the conversations held between the Spanish government and the terrorist gang ETA-Batasuna should also be enough to embarrass every supporter of the current Spanish government: Gara tells that the Government agreed to re-name murders and bombings as "accidents" and that an institutional declaration of a democratic country's Prime Minister had been dictated by a terrorist group!! De la Vega may deny the information published in Gara as many times as she want, but definitely she is not as skillful a lier as current Home Office Minister Rubalcaba. If the Government does not believe the ETA-Batasuna's words in a newspaper, how are they going to believe that the killers would comply with any bloody-peace agreement!!
The way ETA-Batasuna is playing with Zapatero's government can only be compared to the way Zapatero's goverment is playing with the Spanish people. The fact that Aznar gave silly gifts to ETA and nationalists and held one meeting with ETA killers does not ease Zapatero's indignity. What Aznar did was also wrong: the ETA's "ceasefire" in 1998 was another truce-trap as former Spanish Home Office Mayor Oreja alerted all the time through. But Aznar fixed his mistakes by strengthening the siege around ETA-Batasuna to put it into its weakest position ever. Unfortunately, the terrorist leaders of ETA-Batasuna cannot believe their luck and now enjoy the power they have re-gained thanks to Zapatero's shameful behaviour.
Imagine that, when Hitler was already hidden in his bunker, Petain came running like a lame duck and pushed De Gaulle aside to be able to offer the Nazi leader a political agreement that said "Holocaust was an accident" and let him again invade Holland and half France. This is exactly what Zapatero has done with ETA-Batasuna. It simply doesn't make sense for anyone who is not blindly biased against the survival of Spain as we know it. That is why I say: shame on untrustworthy Zapatero and shame on the Spaniards who support him on this matter.
Saturday, 16 June 2007
Apologies for saying nothing from my own crop about such a crucial matter for Spain's politics as the failure of the Government tackling the terrorist threat, but last two weeks have been very busy. Fortunately, as time passes and events happen, there are more people who think in a similar way and some of them have time and tools to write their opinions. People from various political orientations. The following article requires subscription.
This is the least someone who is not a complete fool could say. And much more from those groups who claimed so much for the Prestige disaster and the Irak war. Fairness, my friends. He who spoils, pays.
Gregorio Moran, Esperando a Godot, presidente
UNA ORGANIZACIÓN QUE estaba contra las cuerdas hace dos años me temo que ha dejado de estarlo. Y eso hay que asumirlo y dejarse de pamplinas. Usted nos debe una explicación. Y por eso quiero decirlo ahora, cuando no sabemos aún quiénes caeremos en alguno de 'todos los frentes'. [...]
O sea que el presidente del Gobierno, señor Zapatero, se ha tirado casi dos años negociando entre dimes y diretes con ETA. Hasta aquí lo entiendo todo, porque hay muchas razones cruzadas. Primera y principal, el presidente no tiene ni zorra idea del País Vasco y ha de amarrarse a las orientaciones de Jesús Eguiguren, auténtica fuente negociadora del llamado retóricamente proceso de paz en Euskadi. Todo joven político con aspiraciones de estadista y absoluta ignorancia sobre el asunto, está convencido de que el tema vasco y muy en concreto ETA, la resuelven ellos con la lengua, basta con la lengua, y si fuera necesario con el talento y la experiencia de su ágil muñeca negociadora. Luego, cuando se dan una hostia monumental, llámense Carod Rovira o Zapatero, alegan siempre la misma frivolidad, les sale el lado filisteo que llevan dentro y nos tratan de conmover apelando a su buena voluntad y mejor intención y a su ansia por la paz y el fin del terrorismo. No sé si ustedes alguna vez han tenido la ocasión de hablar con un jefe terrorista, yo sí, y les puedo decir que de creerles en su hora emotiva nadie estaría más interesado que ellos por acabar de una vez con tanta sangre, y poder dedicarse al huerto, y cuidar de los niños y de los perritos y de los cerezos en flor. A mí, y a mis años, esto no me impresiona nada. Tampoco hay ni un solo dirigente mafioso cuyo sueño íntimo y reiteradamente manifestado no sea convertirse en un empresario legal y simpático y dejar atrás tanta matanza. Lo del corazón tierno sirve para los culebrones, por eso tienen tanto éxito en los países más violentos.
Veamos entonces, dos años de negociaciones es algo que forzándolo mucho podría ser justificable si hubiera algún resultado. Pero como no hay ninguno, digo más, como lo que hay es una situación de una gravedad como nunca anteriormente habíamos afrontado, se da en decir que al menos se ha logrado algún tiempo sin muertos. No sé si se dan ustedes cuenta de que este argumento es contraproducente para quien lo expresa, no solamente porque quiere decir lo contrario de lo que pretende - una organización terrorista que no mata durante tres años y que no entrega las armas, significa que se está preparando para volver a matar con mayor capacidad de fuego- pero es que además, si alguien se ampara en este argumento se obliga a asumir los muertos que vengan.
Esto es lo que me ha dejado la convicción de ser idiota. La incapacidad del presidente Zapatero para admitir que no sólo se ha equivocado sino que ha sido un irresponsable de tal envergadura que más de uno de nosotros llegó a pensar que tenía algún as en la manga y que iba a sacarlo en el momento más intrincado de la partida. Que va; no era un tahur, era un recluta. En el sueldo y la responsabilidad de un presidente de Gobierno no hay lugar para hacer el ridículo; puede haberlo para equivocarse y por eso yo esperaba que al menos dejara una ventana abierta para su bisoñez y pidiera disculpas. Pero no, nada de eso. Todo lo contrario. A lo hecho, pecho. Y si nos parecía poco la imagen de buen muchacho del talante y la gracia en el encaje, hete aquí que reaparece mandón y arrogante. Inaudito.
Cuando el 23 de septiembre del año pasado tres etarras encapuchados, dos de ellos armados de fusiles ametralladores, gritaron en euskera "la lucha no es el pasado sino el presente y el futuro" y dispararon al aire en pleno mitin público de Oiartzun, ninguno de los que sabemos un poco de esto pudimos superar nuestra perplejidad. Eso no había osado hacerlo ETA nunca; la unión de público en lugar abierto y uso de armas largas fue el sueño de la militancia etarra, porque era algo común en el IRA irlandés que ellos nunca habían logrado. Desde que ETA, en la época de Zumalde El Cabra,tomó a las 7 de la mañana del 1 º de mayo de 1966 el pueblecito de Garay, jamás alguien había presenciado algo similar. Cualquiera de nosotros, sin credencial alguna de experto pagado con fondos negros o blancos, sencillamente con el conocimiento que da la veteranía en el seguimiento de la cosa, hubiera aconsejado prepararse para el final y cerrar cualquier facilidad para que se subieran aún más los humos. Pues ¡todo lo contrario, no pasa nada!. Divisiones en la cúpula etarra. ¿Quiénes eran esos talentos que veían lo que querían ver? Como ciudadano tengo derecho a saberlo, y si no tuviéramos una prensa de bandería, su obligación sería investigarlo.
Pero no acabó ahí, unos días más tarde, en octubre, ETA roba 350 pistolas de notable precisión. No son de juguete sino armas especialmente indicadas para matar. ¿Quién que no sea un gilipollas integral puede pensar que la negociación del proceso de paz sigue su curso impetuoso hacia la kantiana paz universal, si una de las dos partes que se sientan en la mesa, no ya adquiere, cosa cada día más difícil por falta de numerario, sino que roba en una fábrica-almacén francés? Y siguen sentaditos, como si tal cosa, mientras la fiera se alimenta. Divisiones en la cúpula. Baja Ternera y sube Txeroki. En términos militares, caballeros, un comportamiento como el de los negociadores por parte del Gobierno exigiría un consejo de guerra que depurara responsabilidades. No es una broma, ni tomarse unos potes o echar un mus; hay muchos muertos sobre la mesa y se preparan muchos más. Una organización que estaba contra las cuerdas hace dos años me temo que ha dejado de estarlo. Y eso hay que asumirlo y dejarse de pamplinas.
En fin, luego vino el atentado de Barajas. Todo pensado para asustar sin sangre, pero los activistas de ETA son gente de posibles, hasta las más colgados saben lo que es comer bien y dormir mejor. Aquellos tiempos del militante estilo De Juana Chaos, viviendo en una DKW y lavándose en los bares, terminaron. A ningún jefe se le había ocurrido que los sudacas aún pueden dormir en un coche aparcado en un parking, donde el monóxido de carbono quema casi tanto como la titadine. La nueva militancia etarra, y esto es un dato de gran valor estratégico, desconoce lo que es un pobre. Y murieron dos ecuatorianos, pero tampoco pasó nada, porque seguían vendiendo la división en la cúpula. La información ahora la hacen los gabinetes de prensa y los becarios. Por eso los mismos que vendieron la teoría de la conspiración universal para la derrota del PP, ahora intimidan al personal con los comandos etarras formados en Latinoamérica. Una idea de gilipollas; hoy día es imposible pasar más de tres militantes más allá de la frontera con Venezuela. Aún está el IRA pagando las consecuencias de aquellos tres killers profesionales que se acercaron a Colombia para ampliar sus conocimientos y llenar las arcas.
Estamos esperando a Godot, presidente. Lloraremos a los muertos todos juntos, y eso está muy bien, pero como ciudadano yo exijo que esta película suya truncada tenga responsables. No se pueden hacer las cosas de rositas, alegando que uno es bueno y tiene ojitos claros. O sea que si gana, es usted la hostia, y si fracasa, es que no le hemos ayudado lo suficiente y que el PP le ha puesto bastones en las ruedas y que el enemigo etarra se ha equivocado.He escuchado perplejo sus declaraciones ante Sor Gabilondo. Perplejo por usted y por el periodismo, a partes iguales. ¿Será que nuestro destino es lamer las insignias del poder? Ni siquiera ponérnoslas, sólo darles lustre. No había visto ni oído una cosa semejante desde aquella otra, imborrable en mi memoria, de Georgina Cisquella al presidente González. Ya sé, ya sé que Carlos Dávila logró con Aznar cimas inmarcesibles, pero Dávila pertenece a otra especie que tiene nombre pero es muy feo y figura en los libros de Ciencias Naturales. Ver a Gabilondo preguntando a un presidente que no sólo no estaba dispuesto a responder a ninguna de las preguntas, sino que tenía un desprecio absoluto por aquel señor - la edad debería obligarles a respetarnos cuando ejercemos de abadesas- que no sabía cómo superar el ridículo de ser a la vez un cursi y un cobarde.
¿Saben por qué me sentí un idiota a mis 59 años? Porque una mafia ha decidido volver a matar y ha tenido la desvergüenza - no hay mafioso tímido- de declarar en su comunicado del 4 de junio que abre "todos los frentes". Lo de "todos los frentes" me ha conmovido hasta el sarcasmo, porque eso significa que nos pueden matar de un disparo en la nuca, en la sien, en la boca o en los cojones. O volarnos, que es la única manera que tenemos los no creyentes para llegar al cielo. Es decir, en todos los frentes. Yo no he votado en mi vida al PP, y puedo asegurar que no lo haré nunca, porque hay cosas que no forman parte de uno y nada más, no tiene más misterio, ni trascendencia. Y cuando veo a la tripleta de Mayor Oreja, Aznar y Rajoy, no digamos ya la de Acebes, Zaplana y Rajoy, me siento ajeno. Eso no va conmigo. Cada palo debe aguantar su vela. El chantaje del PP es una cosa, y el trágala es otra. Estamos esperando a Godot, señor Presidente. Pero aquí las responsabilidades se pagan, porque están en el salario. Usted nos debe una explicación. Y por eso quiero decirlo ahora, cuando esperamos a Godot y no sabemos aún quiénes, amigos o adversarios, caeremos en alguno de "todos los frentes". Probablemente no la dará, pero eso le retrata. Por eso usted no entiende el desprecio absoluto, omnímodo, que sentimos algunos hacia todos ustedes.
This is the least someone who is not a complete fool could say. And much more from those groups who claimed so much for the Prestige disaster and the Irak war. Fairness, my friends. He who spoils, pays.
Tuesday, 12 June 2007
Let everyone take advantage of their own opportunities
This article has made me think twice. I hope it interests you too.
An African young economist blames Europeans again for most problems in Africa, but this time at least he is honest and presents a unorthodox view that I like and approve.
In my opinion, the Western economic system is the most developed and convenient in the History. We should improve it and encourage others into it. Can anyone explain me what people obtain by preventing it from working properly or just demonstrating against it? They don't understand this: If you want to go against the system or change it, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
This idea of taking advantage of the good is something that former communist countries' leaders have finally understood. I'm afraid that most of those who supported some ideas that proved erroneous in the 20th century have not yet admitted defeat and will never accept that they were(are) wrong. They simply changed topic to cry about.
PS: I don't agree with the G8 summits, though. Nowadays, technology allows remote meetings as useful as expensive congresses.
An African young economist blames Europeans again for most problems in Africa, but this time at least he is honest and presents a unorthodox view that I like and approve.
In my opinion, the Western economic system is the most developed and convenient in the History. We should improve it and encourage others into it. Can anyone explain me what people obtain by preventing it from working properly or just demonstrating against it? They don't understand this: If you want to go against the system or change it, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
This idea of taking advantage of the good is something that former communist countries' leaders have finally understood. I'm afraid that most of those who supported some ideas that proved erroneous in the 20th century have not yet admitted defeat and will never accept that they were(are) wrong. They simply changed topic to cry about.
PS: I don't agree with the G8 summits, though. Nowadays, technology allows remote meetings as useful as expensive congresses.
Monday, 11 June 2007
Sunday, 10 June 2007
Whitby
Whitby
After York and the bus trip across Yorkshire, we arrived at Whitby.
Whitby is a fishing port on the North Eastern Yorkshire coast. The sea invades every corner of Whitby and fills it with the exotic flavours of dreamed lands. The History of Whitby is rich with the adventures and misfortunes of its sailors.
Whitby's undoubtedly most famous sailor is Captain James Cook.
This is one of the most embarrassing moments of my week, and, dear reader, if you have followed me up to here, then you deserve to watch it. Feel free to click in and have a laugh.
(It is astonishing what a content-generator needs to do to keep up the view ratings!)
The following day the two litte travellers set their way back to London. First, we followed the coast down to Scarborough, passing the tiny, cosy Robin Hood's Bay. As you may appreciate in this video, it was a pretty windy day, and the North Sea hinted its strength. went to
After York and the bus trip across Yorkshire, we arrived at Whitby.
Whitby is a fishing port on the North Eastern Yorkshire coast. The sea invades every corner of Whitby and fills it with the exotic flavours of dreamed lands. The History of Whitby is rich with the adventures and misfortunes of its sailors.
Whitby's undoubtedly most famous sailor is Captain James Cook.
This is one of the most embarrassing moments of my week, and, dear reader, if you have followed me up to here, then you deserve to watch it. Feel free to click in and have a laugh.
(It is astonishing what a content-generator needs to do to keep up the view ratings!)
The following day the two litte travellers set their way back to London. First, we followed the coast down to Scarborough, passing the tiny, cosy Robin Hood's Bay. As you may appreciate in this video, it was a pretty windy day, and the North Sea hinted its strength. went to
Noche de Liga
Si Van Nistelrooy marca otra vez y vemos a Tamudo celebrando otro gol, me subo a la ermita de Santo Toribio de Liebana de rodillas!!
Alvaro Alvarez, minuto 40 de la segunda parte del Zaragoza-R.Madrid
Good morning from London.
This Saturday has been one of the best nights of football in my short life. After suffering like any 'colchonero' (if Madrid won La Liga, they should wear red and white shirts next year), disappointed with another Liga lost again, this time so close to the Cibeles, I've ended up getting to my knees and yelling 'gool, gooool' and hopping and screaming 'Tamudo, seleccion!!'. Three years with no trophy is too long and I needed one of these exciting impulses of limited hooliganism.
You can read any Spanish paper today, Sunday June the 10th, for a detailed description of what happened, and I have to go to bed so I'll only say a couple of things.
David Beckham is an idol here in England, and Brits are happy that madridistas respect him a lot and would like him to stay. He might not be the best player, but he fights every ball and sweats his shirt every single match, and that's the first thing requested to deserve playing at the Santiago Bernabeu.
And that Dutchman, 25 goals, no promises at the beginning of the season like Ronaldo. He simply scores, scooping every ball that happens to be on his way, he is simply the new Raul Van Nistelrooy.
Everyone in Spain recalls those 3 leagues that Barcelona won on the last match: 2 lost by R.Madrid in Tenerife (Buyo's nightmares) and the other one lost by Deportivo de la Coruna (Djukic's own nightmare). It could still happen the same this season, but people expected Zaragoza to be the most difficult hurdle for Madrid.
Estoo... Si el Madrid gana la Liga, me subo a la ermita de Santo Toribio de Liebana de rodillas!!
Alvaro Alvarez, minuto 45 de la segunda parte del Zaragoza-R.Madrid
See you next Saturday!
Saturday, 9 June 2007
THERE ONCE LIVED, in a sequestered part of the county of Devonshire, one Mr Godfrey Nickleby: a worthy gentleman, who, taking it into his head rather late in life that he must get married, and not being young enough or rich enough to aspire to the hand of a lady of fortune, had wedded an old flame out of mere attachment, who in her turn had taken him for the same reason. Thus two people who cannot afford to play cards for money, sometimes sit down to a quiet game for love.
Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby
I've started reading Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens, the 1867 English edition as published by Oxford University Press.
Around 1,000 pages. I'll be happy if I finish it before next year!
Thursday, 7 June 2007
York Minster
Good morning from London.
As said in a previous post, the York Minster is a majestic Gothic cathedral, seat of the Archbishop of York, who is the second highest office in the Church of England. Visiting the site, I learnt that this estate had hosted five different buildings: a Roman fortress to defend the Britannia Inferior's capital, a wooden church to baptise King Edwin of Northumbria, a stone structure for Saint Wilfrid and the Benedictines, a Norman cathedral, and, finally, the Gothic cathedral that we know, which has been repaired several times due to fires and collapses.
Furthermore, I learnt that it was in this Minster that Constantine Augustus was proclaimed Emperor by the legions following his father's death. In 313 A.D., the Emperor Constantine the Great would promulgate the Edict of Milan in the Western Roman Empire (and Licinius Augustus in the East), establishing religious freedom for all in the Roman Empire.
Although Romans had been very liberal in general with the religions of the conquered peoples (they even included the new gods into their pantheon), they persecuted the Christians from an early stage. With the Edict of Milan, the right to observe one's own religious beliefs openly and freely was granted formally and for all within the limits of the Roman Empire. As another example of History's spiral path, please mind that we are still struggling to understand that right and make it universal 2000 years later. However, I should underline that this right was conceded by the Roman Emperors for the sake of the peace of our times and due to a number of factors.
At the time of Constantine, the power of the Roman Empire was already languishing and it wasn't capable to enforce any longer the state religion that supported the emperors' god-given right to rule and hence the Empire's unity. Immigrants, barbarians and conquered peoples practised their own customs, uses and beliefs. At the same time, the moral of most pure Roman citizens decayed but many others were appealled by new faiths claiming for more orthodox lifestyles. In contrast with the existing trend for lust and power, the Christianism offered a religion of love and justice as well as solidarity and sacrifice. After having been persecuted for 300 years, the admirable behaviour of the first Christians finally convinced Emperor Constantine to adapt to the reality for the sake of the Empire. Firstly, the observance of the Christianism was admitted; secondly, it was accepted that Christians were in the power; thirdly, the Emperor himself converted and was baptised; finally, the Christianism was institutionalised as the new official religion by Emperor Theodosious.
All these steps were taken wisely by the late Roman governors as it could be seen after the fall of the Western Roman Empire less than 200 years later. The Germanic tribes admired the Roman culture and accepted the pre-eminence of the Christianism and so they adopted both. However, the new occupants were divided and under their rule, the culture decayed dramatically. In this depressing situation, the supremacy of the Catholic Church helped conserve the Roman legacy. On one hand, the unity of the Church supported a certain degree of homogeneity in the traditions among the European nations, as there was no other power strong enough to impose its own leadership. On the other hand, the labour of the monasteries as islands of wisdom and custodies of the knowledge prevented from losing most of the classic culture (although it is true that much was not added). The Catholic Church always considered itself the Roman Church (with its connotations of universality) and thus the attached Roman culture perdured through the centuries.
As said in a previous post, the York Minster is a majestic Gothic cathedral, seat of the Archbishop of York, who is the second highest office in the Church of England. Visiting the site, I learnt that this estate had hosted five different buildings: a Roman fortress to defend the Britannia Inferior's capital, a wooden church to baptise King Edwin of Northumbria, a stone structure for Saint Wilfrid and the Benedictines, a Norman cathedral, and, finally, the Gothic cathedral that we know, which has been repaired several times due to fires and collapses.
Furthermore, I learnt that it was in this Minster that Constantine Augustus was proclaimed Emperor by the legions following his father's death. In 313 A.D., the Emperor Constantine the Great would promulgate the Edict of Milan in the Western Roman Empire (and Licinius Augustus in the East), establishing religious freedom for all in the Roman Empire.
[...]it has pleased us to remove all conditions whatsoever, which were in the rescripts formerly given to you officially, concerning the Christians and now any one of these who wishes to observe Christian religion may do so freely and openly, without molestation.[...]we have also conceded to other religions the right of open and free observance of their worship for the sake of the peace of our times, that each one may have the free opportunity to worship as he pleases; this regulation is made we that we may not seem to detract from any dignity or any religion.
Constantine Augustus, Edict of Milan
Although Romans had been very liberal in general with the religions of the conquered peoples (they even included the new gods into their pantheon), they persecuted the Christians from an early stage. With the Edict of Milan, the right to observe one's own religious beliefs openly and freely was granted formally and for all within the limits of the Roman Empire. As another example of History's spiral path, please mind that we are still struggling to understand that right and make it universal 2000 years later. However, I should underline that this right was conceded by the Roman Emperors for the sake of the peace of our times and due to a number of factors.
At the time of Constantine, the power of the Roman Empire was already languishing and it wasn't capable to enforce any longer the state religion that supported the emperors' god-given right to rule and hence the Empire's unity. Immigrants, barbarians and conquered peoples practised their own customs, uses and beliefs. At the same time, the moral of most pure Roman citizens decayed but many others were appealled by new faiths claiming for more orthodox lifestyles. In contrast with the existing trend for lust and power, the Christianism offered a religion of love and justice as well as solidarity and sacrifice. After having been persecuted for 300 years, the admirable behaviour of the first Christians finally convinced Emperor Constantine to adapt to the reality for the sake of the Empire. Firstly, the observance of the Christianism was admitted; secondly, it was accepted that Christians were in the power; thirdly, the Emperor himself converted and was baptised; finally, the Christianism was institutionalised as the new official religion by Emperor Theodosious.
All these steps were taken wisely by the late Roman governors as it could be seen after the fall of the Western Roman Empire less than 200 years later. The Germanic tribes admired the Roman culture and accepted the pre-eminence of the Christianism and so they adopted both. However, the new occupants were divided and under their rule, the culture decayed dramatically. In this depressing situation, the supremacy of the Catholic Church helped conserve the Roman legacy. On one hand, the unity of the Church supported a certain degree of homogeneity in the traditions among the European nations, as there was no other power strong enough to impose its own leadership. On the other hand, the labour of the monasteries as islands of wisdom and custodies of the knowledge prevented from losing most of the classic culture (although it is true that much was not added). The Catholic Church always considered itself the Roman Church (with its connotations of universality) and thus the attached Roman culture perdured through the centuries.
Spring Bank Holiday
The Spring Bank Holiday (May 27th, 2007) enables Londoners to head out for the countryside to breathe a lungful of fresh air or for the coast to get the cherished genuine tan (even the eternal supply of fake tan lotion runs out after a long winter). Thus, as good Londoners, Angy and I got up early last Saturday (with barely a 2-hour sleep after my last minute hard work) and took a cab for King's Cross station.
The Flying Scotsman train brought us quickly to York, the ancient capital of northern England. This beautiful medieval town is flooded with tourists eager to burn the buttons of their digital cameras at the sights of the famous York Minster or to splash out on the silliest souvenirs available at the quantly cobbled Shambles.
York Minster is a superb Gothic cathedral which truly deserves a visit to understand why it is called the "church of the windows". York's popular pattiserie, Betty's, offered yammy sweets which we smuggled into the Cafe Nero where we had a coffee while I completed my work. In the evening, we popped into an alternative cyber-pub, Evil Eye, before wandering around until all restaurants were closed in this early dining country. We ended up at an Italian restaurant with awful food and an even worse manager.
On Sunday we jumped on a bus for a trip through the North York Moors National Park. We stopped at the unexpected Castle Howard, just 5 miles from York, and it really amazed us: such a rich palace surrounded by gardens and lakes looked like a small Versailles in northern England. Unfortunately, soon after it started raining, so the picturesque villages and sheep-crammed landscapes appeared blurred through the windows of our old suffering bus, which rode up and down the hills until reaching the village where we would spend our second night: Whitby.
The Flying Scotsman train brought us quickly to York, the ancient capital of northern England. This beautiful medieval town is flooded with tourists eager to burn the buttons of their digital cameras at the sights of the famous York Minster or to splash out on the silliest souvenirs available at the quantly cobbled Shambles.
York Minster is a superb Gothic cathedral which truly deserves a visit to understand why it is called the "church of the windows". York's popular pattiserie, Betty's, offered yammy sweets which we smuggled into the Cafe Nero where we had a coffee while I completed my work. In the evening, we popped into an alternative cyber-pub, Evil Eye, before wandering around until all restaurants were closed in this early dining country. We ended up at an Italian restaurant with awful food and an even worse manager.
On Sunday we jumped on a bus for a trip through the North York Moors National Park. We stopped at the unexpected Castle Howard, just 5 miles from York, and it really amazed us: such a rich palace surrounded by gardens and lakes looked like a small Versailles in northern England. Unfortunately, soon after it started raining, so the picturesque villages and sheep-crammed landscapes appeared blurred through the windows of our old suffering bus, which rode up and down the hills until reaching the village where we would spend our second night: Whitby.
Monday, 4 June 2007
The 21st century's main question
Why are you still having this pointless debate about the abortion issue if that question will be answered individually by every woman at the very moment she faces it? Instead, you- men- should be figuring out what will be your mission in the 21st century's world. Women are finally at the same level as men and, even more, have begun to take the reins of the power. They have realised that the only way to obtain the same rights as men have (and anything they wish) is to demand and fight dismayless for them. Men, instead, are still either living in a unreal man-led bubble or bewilderly watching their resolute female counterparts acting.
Adrian el Romano during a chemistry lesson.
Once upon a time in my High School (a private, Catholic one), my chemistry teacher, Adrian, noticed that my classmates and I were still heated up by a discussion on abortion held in the previous lesson and said the words written above at the beginning of this post. Apart from some points with which I don't agree, the comment baffled me and led me to find out my own goals and mission as a man.
Although it is true that each woman will ultimately decide whether to have an abortion or not, it is always a good idea to spend a bit of time thinking about it. Considering that religious schools are always accused of lacking debate, I approved that ours showed a certain understanding towards the youth's pursuit of their true beliefs. We were young and those debate lessons were useful for exchanging opinions and making our minds up. Obviously, the priests took part and explained the Catholic Church's doctrine: the church has exactly the same rights to express their opinions as any other lobby since the 1977 Spanish Constitution allows the freedom of speech for everyone, even if they are wrong.
I have to go to bed now, but I'll talk about all this in the future.
Sunday, 3 June 2007
La batalla de las palabras
Ante una desgracia como un atentado terrorista, la respuesta popular usualmente es "menos palabras y más hechos". Sería maravilloso que las fuerzas de seguridad desarticulasen completamente todas las organizaciones terroristas, pero es dificil detener a un hatajo de alimañas excitadas contra víctimas indefensas.
En cambio, no debemos subestimar el poder de las palabras, porque las palabras convencen a la gente y la mueve a obrar hechos. Las lenguas inculturizan, educan y esclavizan. Con el latín se romanizó el mundo; con el castellano se unificó España; con el catalán ricos empresarios apoyados por insensatos pobretones pretenden disgregar esa unión; la ETA y Batasuna nos consuelan diciendo que están matando a personas por el bien del vasco.
Dicen que no habia libertad de expresion durante la dictadura. Los gamberros que organizaron la banda terrorista ETA decian matar en defensa de la libertad de expresion del pueblo vasco. Hace un tiempo conocí un matrimonio jubilado de Rentería que me aseguró que vivían tranquilos porque a ellos, que no estorbaban la estrategia etarra ni tenían cargo público, no les pasaría nada. Vivian tranquilos porque no utilizaban su derecho a la palabra. ?Cabe mayor degradacion de la libertad? ?Puede alguien explicarme que mejora ha obtenido este matrimonio de Renteria con la Transicion? ?Que diferencia hay entre esto que sucede ahora en el Pais Vasco y lo que sucedia durante la dictadura franquista?
Los espanoles se atribuyeron el derecho a la libertad de expresion mediante la Constitucion Espanola de 1977. Yo no vivi la epoca de Franco, pero veo que en el Pais Vasco los mejores articulos de la Constitucion Espanola todavia no han entrado en vigor.
Esta respuesta del matrimonio de Renteria es la mayor victoria de ETA en la sociedad: ha convencido a la mitad de los espanoles de que la única forma de paz consiste en dejarle hacer, como los padres permiten a los niños hacer lo que quieran con tal de que no den la lata. Los nacionalistas y los etarras han ganado la batalla de las palabras y, dado que estos espanoles ilusos eligen la rendicion antes que la lucha bajo el imperio de la ley, los enemigos de Espana tambien estan ganando la de los hechos.
En cambio, no debemos subestimar el poder de las palabras, porque las palabras convencen a la gente y la mueve a obrar hechos. Las lenguas inculturizan, educan y esclavizan. Con el latín se romanizó el mundo; con el castellano se unificó España; con el catalán ricos empresarios apoyados por insensatos pobretones pretenden disgregar esa unión; la ETA y Batasuna nos consuelan diciendo que están matando a personas por el bien del vasco.
Dicen que no habia libertad de expresion durante la dictadura. Los gamberros que organizaron la banda terrorista ETA decian matar en defensa de la libertad de expresion del pueblo vasco. Hace un tiempo conocí un matrimonio jubilado de Rentería que me aseguró que vivían tranquilos porque a ellos, que no estorbaban la estrategia etarra ni tenían cargo público, no les pasaría nada. Vivian tranquilos porque no utilizaban su derecho a la palabra. ?Cabe mayor degradacion de la libertad? ?Puede alguien explicarme que mejora ha obtenido este matrimonio de Renteria con la Transicion? ?Que diferencia hay entre esto que sucede ahora en el Pais Vasco y lo que sucedia durante la dictadura franquista?
Los espanoles se atribuyeron el derecho a la libertad de expresion mediante la Constitucion Espanola de 1977. Yo no vivi la epoca de Franco, pero veo que en el Pais Vasco los mejores articulos de la Constitucion Espanola todavia no han entrado en vigor.
Esta respuesta del matrimonio de Renteria es la mayor victoria de ETA en la sociedad: ha convencido a la mitad de los espanoles de que la única forma de paz consiste en dejarle hacer, como los padres permiten a los niños hacer lo que quieran con tal de que no den la lata. Los nacionalistas y los etarras han ganado la batalla de las palabras y, dado que estos espanoles ilusos eligen la rendicion antes que la lucha bajo el imperio de la ley, los enemigos de Espana tambien estan ganando la de los hechos.
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