Can't wait for 9th June!!! Icky Thump - The White Stripes

This one just listen, the video is some kind of medley somebody made with the song...



IIIIIIIIEEEEEEE
Icky thump
Who'da thunk?
Sittin drunk on a wagon to Mexico?

Ahh well
What a chump
Well my head got a bump
When I hit it on the radio

Redhead senorita
Looking dead
Came and said
"Need a bed?"
En Espanol

I said
"Gimme a drink a water,
I'm gonna 'sing around the collar'
And I don't need a microphone."

Icky Thump
With a lump in my throat
Grabbed my coat
And I was freaking
I was ready to go!

And I swear
Besides the hair
She had: one white eye,
One black (nk) stare
Lookin' up
Lyin' there.

On the stand
Near her hand
Was a candy cane
Black rum, sugar cane
Dry ice (and) something strange

La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la

White Americans, what?
Nothing better to do?
Why don't you kick yourself out
You're an immigrant too?

Who's using who?
What should we do?
Well, you can't be a pimp
And a prostitue too.

Icky thump
Handcuffed to a bunk
Robbed blind
Looked around
And there was nobody else

Left alone
I hit myself with a stone
Went home and learned how
To clean up after myself.

North American Scum - LCD Soundsystem

For those that only hear North American Scum here goes the lyrics, for me it's criticizing not only some things about America but also this stupid hatred people are feeding on... It's becoming stronger and stronger; everybody throws the first stone but forgets whether they shouldn't also throw stones to themselves...
I'm scared of another Holocaust, one of hatred against innocents just because they are American or Arab, because, yes anti-Americanism is becoming absolutely unreasonable, just as unreasonable as anti-Semitism is/was or just as unreasonable anti-Immigrants and anti-Arabs is… I have a weakness I never expect the worst from people and sometimes I’ve paid the price for being so, but I still have faith that for some not all must pay!!!
So let’s quit looking to North Americans as if they were all the enemy and unite strengths against the atrocities committed everyday by monsters who laugh in our face because we let them get away unpunished or we get them too late (and yes that includes some North Americans but not all, just as well as it includes Russians, French, Sudanese, Israeli, Palestinian, Arabs, Coloured, Whites… there will always be evil everywhere and focusing on only one will let other commit unspoken atrocities with no consequences and sometimes with our silent consent).

In the end it’s a great song no matter the political message, so enjoy!!!





Oh oh oh
oh i don't know, i don't know, oh, where to begin
we are north americans
and for those of you who still think we're from england
we're not, no.
we build our planes and our trains till we think we might die,
far from North America,
where the buildings are old and you might have lots of mimes.
aha, oh, oh.
i hate the feelin' when you're looking at me that way
cause we're north americans
but if we act all shy, it’ll make it ok
makes it go away.

oh I don't know, I don't know, oh, where to begin
when we're north american
but in the end we make the same mistakes all over again
come on north americans

we are north american scum
we’re from north america

and all the kids all the kids that want to make the scene
here in north america
when our young kids get to read it in your magazines
we don't have those
so where's the love where's the love where's the love where's the love where's the love tonight?

but there's no love man there's no love and the kids are uptight
so throw a party till the cops come in and bust it up
let's go north americans
oh you were planning it i didn't mean to interrupt
sorry
i did it once and my parents got pretty upset
freaked out in north america
but then i said the more i do it the better it gets

let's rock north america

we are north american scum
we're from north america
we are north american scum
we are north american

new york's the greatest if you get someone to pay the rent
wahoo north america
and it's the furthest you can live from the government un huh huh
some proud american christians might disagree
here in north america
but new york's the only place we're keepin them off the street
boo boo now we can't have parties like in spain where they go all night
shut down in north america
or like berlin where they go another night, alright, un huh un huh

you see i love this place that i have grown to know
alright, north america.
and yeah, I know you wouldn’t touch us with a ten-foot pole
‘cause we’re north americans.

we are north american scum
we are north americans
we are north american scum
we love north america

take me back to the states man
north american scum
where we can be
north american
where the dj
here in north american scum
don't blame the canadians
let go north america

Maybe My Big Sister

Como irmã mais velha...



Mais uma excelente canção de uma das melhores bandas nacionais

All I Really Want to Do - Bob Dylan

Dedicated to all the lies, maybe they will understand...



I ain't lookin' to compete with you,
Beat or cheat or mistreat you,
Simplify you, classify you,
Deny, defy or crucify you.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.

No, and I ain't lookin' to fight with you,
Frighten you or uptighten you,
Drag you down or drain you down,
Chain you down or bring you down.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.

I ain't lookin' to block you up
Shock or knock or lock you up,
Analyze you, categorize you,
Finalize you or advertise you.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.

I don't want to straight-face you,
Race or chase you, track or trace you,
Or disgrace you or displace you,
Or define you or confine you.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.

I don't want to meet your kin,
Make you spin or do you in,
Or select you or dissect you,
Or inspect you or reject you.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.

I don't want to fake you out,
Take or shake or forsake you out,
I ain't lookin' for you to feel like me,
See like me or be like me.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.

Now that explains all...

Miller's father is of African, Jamaican, English, German, Jewish, and Cherokee descent, and his mother is of Russian, French, Dutch, Syrian, and Lebanese descent.

Man in Black by Cash

Well, you wonder why I always dress in black,

Why you never see bright colors on my back,

And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone.

Well, there's a reason for the things that I have on.

I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,

Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town,

I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime,

But is there because he's a victim of the times.

I wear the black for those who never read,

Or listened to the words that Jesus said,

About the road to happiness through love and charity,

Why, you'd think He's talking straight to you and me.

Well, you wonder why I always dress in black,

Why you never see bright colors on my back,

And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone.

Well, there's a reason for the things that I have on.

I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,

Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town,

I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime,

But is there because he's a victim of the times.

I wear the black for those who never read,

Or listened to the words that Jesus said,

About the road to happiness through love and charity,

Why, you'd think He's talking straight to you and me.

Mais uma organização Maiorais!!!

Born a Lion playing John Captain in my hometown - Rio Maior, once again organized by my best friend and some friends - The Maiorais

Once again a really bad image but OK sound...

A Portuguese in the Best Albums of 2006

Mozart: The Piano Sonatas - Maria João Pires
The same year she had to end a dream in Portugal due to lack of funding, something I can bet would have not happened in some other countries, where not only the government supports arts but the private sector is the biggest supporter. Unfortunately our companies say that they practise social responsability but not even the arts they help, nevermind the poor and most needy!

Was a again so proud: Born a Lion & Nicotine Orchestra - In a Bar - Rio Maior - 20/01/2007 - 5=2 bebidas

Mais uma organização os Maiorais! A não perder, pelo que já tive o prazer de ouvir podem bem ser, ou já são em certos circuitos, the next big thing no panorama musical nacional! Mal posso esperar para os ver ao vivo, tenho mesmo muita curiosidade de ver como é que eles se portam ao vivo!

Today for my breakfast (not a good idea when watching the Tree of the Dead)...

I can't get sick of this movie, for me it's Tim Burton's masterpiece, that is if you enjoy his dark side as much as I do, altough I suppose all the Tim Burton movies are masterpieces, specially those that have Johnny Depp, because everytime you hear that a new Tim Burton movie with Johnny Depp is releasing you may be certain that it won't be good but Grand!!!

Johnny Cash - God's Gonna Cut U Down

I know everybody just loves this song, Johnny Cash's voice is too powerfull and if Gods were sang like this there would be much more believers... And of course Johnny Depp is just one of the most good looking guitar players in the world (the second in my ranking tyed with a few others that I can recall), if only God had made enough men as him ;p

d30 Dez 16 Inabar Rio Maior

A imagem está muito escura tenho que a editar mas acho que de som está bom, por isso oiçam o que perderam num dos melhores concertos que a nossa aldeola já alguma vez viu (sendo que a banda fez bis nesse feito)!!!

d3ö - É já amanhã!!!

A não perder no Inabar em Rio Maior pelas 23h, vai ser uma noite sempre a abrir e fica desde já umas fotos como promessa!!!

Even dead he still manages to make victims...

If you click the title you will be able to read an article about Pinochet and Chile.

As much as I wanted sometimes it's impossible not to speak, my blood boiled when I heard that this monster was buried with military honours! If I was the victims and their heirs I would also be outraged, he was buried as a hero when he was responsible for the death of hundreds, the torture and destruction of thousands of lives!

Then seeing I don’t know how many bishops making the funeral to a man who deserves to rot in hell, who never regretted the crimes he committed! How can a church defend a burial of a monster and refuse to accept gay marriages, the use of contraceptives, baptize children from divorced couples, marry divorced couples and so much other nonsense but accept that who has committed hideous crimes may be buried as a good catholic… How can they possibly try to convince to lay a foot at mass with so much hypocrisy?

Yet Justice Wasn't Made!!!

  

I'M SOOOOOOO STUPID!!!!!!

Today I did for the first time something I've never done before: I didn't buy a ticket for a concert and waited until the last day to do so, so sure I was it wouldn't sell out. Unfortunately it has and that may mean I've lost one of the best concerts of the year.

But when about one year and some weeks ago I went and see Devendra and he didn't sell out, how in earth was I to guess that a nearly as perfect stanger to Portuguese was going to sell out...

Never again, I suppose that I soon as Nine Inch Nails startes to sell I'll have to run to buy a ticket...

Perhaps one of the best concerts of the year and I'm going to miss it and on top of all I may be forcing someone to go alone... 

Think I'm In Love - Beck

One of my favourite songs of Beck's new album and it's really one of the best albums of the year!!!

"I really think I better get a hold of myself
Don't wanna let the night get ahead of myself
Whisperin' her love through a smoke ring smile
She doesn't know what happens when she's around

I think I'm in love
But it makes me kinda nervous to say so
I think I'm in love
But it makes me kinda nervous to say so

Doodododododooodoo

Probably lay my head on a wooden floor
Tell her I was tired from working the store
Counting all the cash from an old shoebox
Saving up to buy her something she wants

I think I'm in love
But it makes me kinda nervous to say so
I think I'm in love
But it makes me kinda nervous to say so

What if it's wrong?
What if it's wrong
To pray in vain?
What does it mean
To fake your death?
To wake up tainted?

Take a little picture in a photobooth
Keep it in a locket and I think of you
Both of our pictures, face to face
Take off your necklace and throw it away

I think I'm in love
But it makes me kinda nervous to say so
I think I'm in love
But it makes me kinda nervous to say so

Really think I better get a hold of myself
Don't wanna let the night get ahead of myself
Whisperin' her love through a smoke ring smile
She doesn't know what happens when she's around

I think I'm in love
Think I'm in love
Think I'm in love
Think I'm in love
Think I'm in love
Think I'm in love
Think I'm in love
Think I'm in love"

Teddy Bears + Iggy Pop - Punkrocker

Sounds much better than another punkrocker playing out there although that one also has some good lyrics...

Mr. Iggy Pop, when he is going to gather with his old band, it seems that he cannot stop ;) I haven't heard the rest of the album, so I don't know if it's so interesting as this song...

See me drivin down the street,
I'm bored with looking good.
I got both hands off the wheel,
The cops are coming.
I'm listening to the music with no fear,
You can hear it too if your sincere...

Coz I'm a punk rocker yes I am.
Well I'm a punk rocker yes I am.
Coz I'm a punk rocker yes I am.
Well I'm a punk rocker yes I am.

I see you stagger in the street,
And you cant stay on your feet.
And your faking in your sleep,
You wish that you were deep.
You can't hear me laughing to myself,
If you could you would be someone else.

Coz I'm a punk rocker yes I am.
Well I'm a punk rocker yes I am.
Coz I'm a punk rocker yes I am.
Well I'm a punk rocker yes I am.

See me die on bleaker street,
I'm bored with being god,
See me sneering in my car,
I'm driving to my star.
I'm listening to the music with no fear,
You can hear it too if your sincere...

Coz I'm a punk rocker yes I am.
Well I'm a punk rocker yes I am.
Coz I'm a punk rocker yes I am.
Well I'm a punk rocker yes I am.

Coz I'm a punk rocker yes I am.
Well I'm a punk rocker yes I am.

If you click the title you can go to their myspace page and hear the song

One tiny quote that explains Portugal's situation and society ;)

"Philosophy is the childhood of the intellect, and a culture that tries to skip it will never grow up."
Thomas Nagel

In Angola 2

 

In Angola

 

Rock Puro e Duro

Desisisti de tentar colocar o video por isso cliquem no título e vejam o que se chama de rock n' roll a sério ;)

Depois de quase 7 anos depois da primeira vez que olhei pelo vidro do Zé dos Bois finalmente passei para o outro lado e foi fabuloso, apesar do calor!

Por um ambiente intimista daqueles, mesmo em frente da banda a ouvir aquela bateria e guitarras ;) Venha daí mais e espero ficar surda só depois de morrer ;)

 

Early Halloween ;)

 

"A excisão, como o cinto de castidade, é o medo que o homem tem da mulher" (Entrevista a Khady Koita, activista)

"Três milhões de meninas são excisadas a cada ano. Na chamada África Negra, mas também na Indonésia, no Egipto e até na Europa. Há entre 130 e 150 milhões de mulheres no mundo a quem o clitóris foi cortado e esta senegalesa muçulmana a viver na Bélgica é uma delas. Em Lisboa para promover o seu livro e participar num seminário, fala deste crime e de como combatê-lo.Conta no seu livro como foi excisada, aos sete anos, "de surpresa": o clitóris "serrado" a sangue frio com uma lâmina velha enquanto três mulheres a seguravam, a dor, o sangue, o silêncio dos adultos.

Quando é que alguém lhe explicou o que tinha acontecido e porquê?

Nunca. Ninguém me explicou porque, suponho, quem faz isso também não sabe porque o faz. E eu também não fiz perguntas. Mas quando começamos a investigar, quando se lê sobre isso e se fala com os "velhos", temos várias respostas: faz-se para que a rapariga possa chegar virgem ao casamento, para que a mulher seja fiel ao marido; outros dizem que é preciso tirar "aquilo" porque se o marido lhe tocar morre, ou então é o bebé ao nascer que pode morrer... A maioria dir-lhe-á que é feito para agradar ao marido. Em nome da honra e dignidade do homem. Para que a mulher não seja demasiado gulosa por sexo...

A origem da prática está identificada? É costume associá-la ao islamismo e a África.

Sabe-se que já no tempo dos faraós se fazia a infibulação, que é a forma de excisão mais brutal, em que se corta tudo e se cose a vagina à mulher - foram encontradas múmias assim. Aliás no Egipto, ainda hoje, 97% das mulheres são excisadas. Em África faz-se no Iémen, no Djbuti, na Eritreia, na Somália. Mas faz-se também na Indonésia e no Curdistão iraquiano - não é uma prática só africana. E não é feita só pelos muçulmanos. Também os cristãos e os animistas a praticam. Não há uma religião específica dos que a fazem nem textos religiosos - não está no Corão nem na Bíblia - a preconizá-la. Mas como as mulheres de um modo geral não sabiam ler, disseram- -lhes que era um preceito religioso, e elas acreditaram que tinha de ser feito. Sobretudo porque foram educadas na ideia de que se não fossem excisadas não casavam, e se não casassem, não existiam. Por isso, a luta contra a excisão passa também por alfabetizar as mulheres. Desde que possam ler e escrever, começam a reflectir.

Mas se alguém acredita num deus que teria feito tudo o que existe, e portanto as mulheres tal como nascem, como defender que teria criado todas as mulheres "com defeito"?

Claro: se Deus fez as mulheres com clitóris, é porque acha que faz falta. É por isso que digo aos homens: "São vocês que instigam isto; é uma ideia vossa". É como o cinto de castidade que foi inventado na Europa, como quando os médicos europeus queimavam o clitóris das raparigas para, supostamente, lhes curar a histeria. O propósito é o mesmo: controlar a sexualidade da mulher. Vem do medo que os homens têm das mulheres .

Quando é que começou a questionar-se sobre isso?

Já adulta. Bastante tempo depois de ir viver para França.

Escreve que as relações sexuais eram penosas e dolorosas com o seu primeiro marido. É possível ter prazer sendo excisada?

Em todo o lado - talvez à excepção da Europa actual - espera-se que o homem tenha prazer no sexo, mas a mulher não, e menos ainda quando casada contra vontade, como no meu caso. Eu nem sequer participava no acto. Quanto à dor, depende da forma como se foi excisada. Umas mulheres têm-na, outras não. Mas mesmo sem clitóris é possível ter prazer sexual - depende do parceiro. E hoje em dia há médicos que reconstroem o clitóris. Resulta em alguns casos.

Fala também de problemas no parto devido à mutilação.

Aquela zona está cicatrizada, perdeu a elasticidade, o que implica que as mulheres fiquem todas rasgadas e tenham dores horríveis. Mas nos primeiros partos eu não sabia que isso se devia à excisão, ninguém me disse "você foi mutilada e vai ter este e aquele problema". Nenhum dos médicos que me seguiu mencionou sequer o assunto. Isto em França! Tinha 15 anos quando dei à luz pela primeira vez e a médica que me viu não me fez uma única observação sobre a cicatriz que viu no lugar do clitóris. Só depois da morte de três meninas, em França, nos anos 80, é que isso começou a mudar. A mais mediatizada foi a de uma bebé do Mali, de três meses, em 1982. Na sequência disso começou a haver formação nessa área entre os médicos e o pessoal da assistência social.

Três das suas filhas foram excisadas em França, nos anos setenta, por uma amiga sua, que nem sequer lhe pediu permissão. Mas escreve que se ela tivesse perguntado, teria assentido...

Nessa época, o meu espírito não estava preparado para criticar, ou mesmo para questionar a prática. Nunca me tinha perguntado se estava bem ou mal. Era normal e era preciso fazê-lo. Foi muito mais tarde, quando comecei a envolver-me, como intérprete, na luta contra a violência sobre as mulheres que conheci, nos hospitais, uma associação que combate a excisão e da qual fazem parte muitas médicas, que me explicaram as consequências nefastas da excisão. Como vê, hoje, a atitude dos médicos que se calaram?É o relativismo cultural, aquela ideia "É a cultura deles, não temos nada a ver com isso". Mas há cultura e cultura! A mutilação sexual feminina tem de ser vista no contexto dos direitos humanos. E aí não há cores nem culturas. Não se pode fazer discriminação em termos de direitos humanos, dizer que são só para alguns. Mas são também as comunidades imigrantes que dizem: "vivemos aqui mas não queremos ser como vocês, não queremos adoptar os vossos valores". E aí há um conflito, como no caso da interdição do véu muçulmano nas escolas públicas francesas. Eu sou muçulmana e não uso véu. No meu país não se usa. E acho que se deve respeitar o direito da escola. Se são essas as regras da escola laica, se eu a frequento devo respeitá-las. Tal como, se estou num país, tenho de respeitar os seus valores, adaptar-me. Claro que há conflitos. Mas penso que nos países em que os imigrantes não vivem todos ao molho, em gueto, as coisas funcionam melhor.

Que devem os países europeus fazer?

Não é essencial fazer leis específicas contra a excisão: creio que em nenhum lugar da Europa é permitido mutilar qualquer parte do corpo. O que é preciso é ter atenção a essa realidade. Por exemplo, em França, todas as crianças dos zero aos seis anos são examinadas, incluindo o sexo, nas consultas pediátricas, e tudo é anotado na ficha respectiva. E explica-se à família tudo o que há a explicar sobre a excisão em termos de saúde, sublinhando que é uma prática interdita, ilegal, e que se a criança aparecer excisada o médico será obrigado a comunicar o facto ao ministério público. Em França há mais de 30 processos por esse motivo. E na Suécia houve um processo contra um pai que fez excisar a filha de 13 anos na Somália. "

Send a Blue Helmet to Darfur

Just click on the post's title!!! Make our generation worthwhile to remember, act now!!! As an African I cannot just sit down and watch innocent people being killed nor allow Sudan's government to finish it's hedious job!!!

17 of September - Use a Blue Hat for Darfur

Just click the post's title to put your own blue helmet!

Gideon - My Morning Jacket

Gideon.

What have you told us at all?

Make a sound, come down off the wall.

Religion, should appeal to the hearts of the young.

Who are you? what have you become?

You animal.

Come on.

What does this remind you of?

Truly.

Truly we have become.

Hated and feared for something we don't want.

Listen.

Listen.

Most of us believe that this is wrong.

You animal.

Come on.

What does this remind you of?

Animal.

Come on.

What does this remind you of?

Animal.

Come on

From Cabo Verde ;)

 

"Para que não restem quaisquer dúvidas e perante algumas críticas que recebemos, a responsabilidade do título de capa "Abominável Universidade Nova" (que remete para o artigo no interior com o título "Admirável Universidade Nova", este sim assinado por Maria de Fátima Bonifácio) é inteiramente minha, como director da Atlântico.Como me parecia óbvio, o adjectivo "abominável" deveria ser lido com ironia, não pretendendo pôr de modo algum em causa a importância da Universidade enquanto instituição e dos professores universitários em geral, não se referindo também a qualquer universidade em especial. Muito obrigado."

in
http://revista-atlantico.blogspot.com/

Depois de um título destes e depois de ler este post do editor de tão prezada revista (também sei ser irónica meu senhor), decidi dispender 4 euros para a comprar, ler o dito artigo e poder criticar este senhor pela escolha do título. Pois se o senhor editor afirma que o título não se refere a nenhuma Universidade em especial, então É O EDITOR MAIS IGNORANTE a nível nacional!!! Eu sou a primeira a criticar o ensino nacional, a primeira a criticar as universidades em geral, não só as nacionais, mas também as internacionais que na maioria dos casos estão alienadas do mundo de trabalho, estão obcecadas com a teoria e esquecem-se de que a realidade é demasiado complexa para encaixar na perfeição nos pressupostos teóricos. Em consequência os alunos que completam estudos universitários entram no mercado de trabalho sem conhecimentos práticos, sem capacidade de trabalharem imediatamente nas funções para que supostamente foram formados e no país, infelizmente, muitos dos empregadores acham que o facto de se ter formação superior significa que já sabem fazer tudo, na minha área, por exemplo, gerir uma empresa ou elaborar um projecto de investimento para uma candidatura a quaisquer fundos comunitários ou um empréstimo bancário. Muitas das vezes os universitários são puramente lançados aos "tubarões", sem a adequada formação prática que, uma vez que não foi administrada pelas universidades, a empresa deveria fornecer.

Sim o sistema está incorrecto e merece estas e muitas outras críticas. Mas se o artigo não se refere a nenhuma universidade em particular, então este SENHOR EDITOR É DO MAIS IGNORANTE POSSÍVEL E DO MAIS INCOMPETENTE OU TEM UMA AGENDA POR DETRÁS, pois para sua informação existe uma universidade em Portugal que por acaso se chama Universidade Nova de Lisboa, universidade que tive o prazer de frequentar e que pelo menos no curso de Gestão que frequentei é a melhor do país, é certo com as limitações nacionais, mas a Faculdade de Economia da Universidade Nova tem feito esforços contínuos de investimento em investigação na área (tendo alguns dos seus paper vencido prémios internacionais), de recrutamento de professores competentes nas suas áreas de especialização e muitos com experiência profissional a nível empresarial, ou seja não são apenas académicos. É certo que nem todos primam pela excelência mas a concorrência internacional por professores é extrema e o país em si um pouco limitado. Apesar disso tive alguns professores excelentes e penso que extremamente competentes, alguns que me marcaram para a vida, em termos profissionais.

O certo é que quem vir esta revista nas bancas e devido ao seu preço, 4 euros, simplesmente ficara pelo título da capa e pensará imediatamente na Universidade Nova de Lisboa (muitas vezes apenas chamada de Universidade Nova) e pensará que a Universidade Nova de Lisboa está a formar ignorantes, ficando de fora todas as outras universidades nacionais. Ora isto é difamação pura e simples, é uma ofensa aos meus pais que fizeram imensos sacrifícios para que eu e a minhas irmãs pudessem tirar cursos superiores (sendo que a minha irmã mais nova frequenta igualmente a Universidade Nova) e é uma ofensa aos estudantes da Nova e aos que se formaram na Nova. Como em tudo esta Universidade formou alguns ignorantes, mas talvez não tenha formado um tão ignorante como universidade que formou o editor desta revista, que não compreendeu algo do mais básico em termos de marketing, que um título daqueles não remete às universidades em geral, mas a uma universidade em especial, que poderá ter ficado com a sua imagem prejudicada pela irresponsabilidade e incompetência dum pseudo intelectual. A Universidade Nova, não é uma Católica que pode dispender as quantidades que quiser em marketing para atrair os melhores alunos do país, é uma universidade pública, que apesar de o ser tem tentado oferecer as melhores condições aos seus alunos e pelo menos nas faculdades de Economia, Direito, ISEGI e FCT tem o conseguido, que não vai poder gastar rios de dinheiro para limpar a sua imagem devido à incompetência de um editor de uma revista para poder salvaguardar não só os alunos que agora a frequentam como os que se formaram na instituição e para não perder a capacidade de atrair os melhores alunos do país.

A questão será, será que o senhor editor é apenas ignorante e incompetente ou que tem uma agenda dissimulada, porque isto é um assunto que move vários interesses e muito dinheiro sobretudo para certas instituições privadas.

Late hours in the office so I can go to Paredes de Coura's Festival

So here I'm listening to this on my Ipod and it's just absolutely contagious, in the good sense ;)

Apple Blossom

hey little apple blossom
what seems to be the problem
all the ones you tell your troubles to
they don't really care for you

come and tell me what you're thinking
cause just when the boat is sinking
a little light is blinking
and I will come and rescue you

lots of girls walk around in tears
but that's not for you
you've been looking all around for years
for someone to tell your troubles to

come and sit with me and talk awhile
let me see your pretty little smile
put your troubles in a little pile
and I will sort them out for you
I'll fall in love with you
I think I'll marry you

The Strokes - Lisboa Soundz - 22/07/2006

Dirty Pretty Things - Lisboa Soundz

Rock n’ Roll, British, Glam, Sexy, Hollywood… I wasn’t a fan of Libertines but these guys seem to have survived the loss of their charismatic member pretty well, their aren’t definitely the next big thing and haven’t revolutionised the music world, but at least they are not a copy of another band and they know how to give a concert with passion, even if not technically perfect, but I always been a sucker for passion between passion vs technical.

She Wants Revenge - Lisboa Soundz

Before going to Lisboa Soundz I read an interview with these guys in which they said they made music for girls because they thought there were enough bands with aggressive music for guys, which was rather weird when I actually saw them on stage. They are not “take you breath away” or “leave you with out speech”, but they are more brutal than Dirty Pretty Things and I doubt there are more girls liking they’re music than guys ;)

Los Hermanos - Lisboa Soundz

A concert with little people watching, although they were arriving slowly, but they just sat down on the floor under the shade and quite far from the stage. At least there where some Brazilians all enthusiastic, one even with the Brazilian flag around his shoulders and they sang along the entire concert. I had heard part of their interview on the radio and they seemed a rather interesting band to watch and get to know as I only had heard the above song. They gave a very good concert, with a wide mixture of different Brazilian music types, so I can’t really categorize them. But I enjoyed them and any musician that is able to play with a football’ ball and play the guitar at the same time is a musician worth listening at least once ;) Some good rock n’ roll and up-lifting music and a treat after Isobel Campbell ;)

Isobel Campbell - Lisboa Soundz

Here I’m sorry but I will have to be really mean as this must have been one of the most pathetic concerts I’ve seen in my life and sincerely it isn’t worth the trouble. Resuming, we had a full grown woman in her thirties acting as a little girl of 5, oh so god dam sweet that any idiot could see straight away it was highly cynical, the type of sweetness some women try to use to manipulate people with their oh I’m so sweet, don’t you think so? Her musicians didn’t smile the whole 30 minutes the concert must have lost and all the times she spoke with them smiling and giggling all so sweetly they didn’t even smile to her and most of the times didn’t even look to her. They played mechanically without any passion; she did back vocals or sang in duets with another vocalist, but mainly only the refrains.

I wonder why the act is called Isobel Campbell if she isn’t the main vocalist, she hardly plays instruments and she even gave us a rather peculiar moment, when we know she has more than a decade of shows on her back… She sat to play her violoncello her band started to play, she ran out of the stage, then returned sat down, her band began to play again but she rumbled through her staves trying to find the right page, then after 3 attempts from her band she finally began to play but then got lost again when she had to turn another page and turned 2 instead…

Basically it was a disaster and what surprised me more was there where actually people applauding and cheering her as if they where enjoying her performance and the little butterfly like runs to the mic to say thanks very low and run away from it straight away, as most of the time she was with her back to the public or singing with her eyes shut. Go figure with Howe there where hardly any enthusiastic applause and even less cheers and with such a pathetic performance…

Howie Gelb & The Gospel Choir - Lisboa Soundz

Due to some really bad directions from the radio (they must think that everybody knows Lisbon’s downtown) and waiting to find out if I would have some company for the night ahead, I didn’t see the first group (some Portuguese band) but was fortunate enough to catch Howie Gelb & The Gospel Choir at the begging of their concert (although I must have missed a couple of songs). It was a great concert with a mix of blues, gospel & country and from the little I’ve found out in the web it seems he is one of the more under-known of American guitarists and songwriters, at least that is what you can read in a Amazon’s comment to one of his albums and the most famous band he belonged to was called Giant Sand. Yet another dinosaur forgotten by the industry…

There were not many people watching the concert, must were still in beaches or whatever and most were people who were there just to see Strokes, specifically the type of kids who only enjoy a band as long as it’s considered cool and hip to like them, the ones that cannot enjoy any type of music unless somebody (their urban tribe or the industry) tells them it’s cool to enjoy them…

Belle & Sebastian @ Lisbon - 17/07/2006

As the only video I found from Lisbon's concert has really bad quality, here goes one of the songs they played and, at least for me, one of the highs of the concert!



Some how I found the concert 4 years ago in Sudoeste more magical, this one was a great concert, no mistake, but discovering them 4 years ago as the last playing band at about 4 AM with hardly anybody seeing them hit me harder. It's funny how 4 years ago I saw them with the exact same fantastic company, altough this time there were more viewers/listeners ;)

My Holidays!!! 14-15-16-17/08/2006

Dia 15
01.00h Morrissey
23.10h Fischerspooner
21.40h Broken Social Scene
20.20h Madrugada
19.00h Gomez
18.00h White Rose Movement

Dia 16
01.10h Bloc Party
23.30h Yeah Yeah Yeahs
22.10h Gang Of Four
21.00h Eagles of Death Metal
19.55h We Are Scientists
18.55h Members of The Public
18.00h Nigthmare of You

Dia 17
00.50h Bauhaus
23.05h The Cramps
21.15h (chk chk chk)
20.30h Maduros
18.00h Shout Out Louds
+ bandas por confirmar

Ya, as I only have one week of holidays I think I will be more tired than I went, but I believe it will be well worth it, I just don't agree with the choice of putting Bloc Party as the head of the 3rd day, I just hope The Yeah Yeah Yeahs will play until we're dead!!!

This was how Mitsy was dressed Saturday

So today I'll put her flag on again to see if luck comes to us once again and the Froggies go home humilliated ;) 

BBC - Radio 1 - Sonar 2002 - John Peel's Video Diaries

BBC - Radio 1 - Sonar 2002 - John Peel's Video Diaries

To remember one of the most important men in Radio, one I at least didn't have the pleasure to hear, but due to new techologies we can hear at least the live performances at his program, unfortunatly I would love to be able to hear some of his interviews.

Bill and Melinda's $60 Billion Challenge

Bill and Melinda's $60 Billion Challenge

There have always been loads of critics against Bill Gates, mainly from fundametalists and computer nerds. He built a company upon the dream that everybody could have a PC and easily use it. Windows and Office may have lots of faults (finally Italy scores, it has been a rather boring game and I really hope tomorrow we will win and face them, cause if they play has well as they did today it won't be that hard ;), but the truth is that nearlly everybody can use a computer (bloody hell only now these Italians wake up) and what they produce is compatible with nearlly all the other PC a person may need to use and this without any need to be a computer nerd, know programming or to depend mostly on a keyboard. Maybe a decade from now a company will be able to deliver such user-friendly programms, then Microsoft will face real competition.

But my post isn't about Microsoft, it's about Bill Gates decision to work part-time at Microsoft and full-time in his Foundation, besides the fact that he has already given more than a third of his fortune to this Foundation, making it the biggest in the world. Many may critizice that he should increase his scope on charitable causes, that he should not focus only on the erradication of poverty and on USA's poor's education or that he only donates to the projects he chooses to. This week The Economist has a great article on this subject, which highly complements BusinessWeek's one. In The Economist its stated that, already with this week's donation, the Foundation only has about $1 for each person living in poverty in under-developed countries. So I agree with The Economist, Bill Gates by focusing on two big causes is acting the right way, because only with that focus he can have a true impact in the causes he defends.

If you scatter your donations, they will be to small to make a difference, an impact in the lifes of those you aim to help. Then there is another thing just as important as focusing in a few causes, making the projects/organizations you donate money to accountable, not because you want to make a profit but to maximize your donation and the potential impact it can achieve. We cannot keep on thinking that a humanitarian organization/project will always to their best and will always be honest, firstly they need to work in a more business like manner in terms of maximizing costs effectiveness, because every $1 saved is a $1 you can employ in what really matters. Yes they need to be accountable to minimize waste and so that the donor is sure his money is not used in other stuff then what he aimed for.

The main reason I say this is because, at least in Portugal, there are lots of "humanitarian" organizations that give their Presidents, Founders and other members high in the ladder perks, which in Portugal's case sometimes are higher than some given to for-profit organizations' managers. In the end there are some less honest people who take advantage of the fact that the organization they manage is not accountable and that most donors don't demand that accountability and the results achieved by the projects to which they gave their money.

I believe a man who built one of the most powerfull organizations from scratch, who became the richest person in the world may be just the most fit person to run the biggest Foundation in our world and make an impact, especialy in a cause that is also my dearest: the development of under-developed countries and the erradication of poverty.

Some posts stolen, but when they are good ;)

Thanks for the jewels:

http://eunaovoulermais.blogspot.com/2006/06/afinal-mooila-cantar-brasileira-chama.html



For those of you who have never used YouTube or have a slow connection just leave the whole clip play once with all its bumps and then see the whole clip from the start this time without bumps...

Yet another...

http://eunaovoulermais.blogspot.com/2006/06/life-is-tuff.html




Here goes the reedition of the lyrics and now you can see just way it's a fantastic song!


"Life is tough and love is rough
For the man who just can’t ever seem to get enough
The days go by and the women come and go
So many that you decide to get rid of your front door
So you don’t have to hear them all disappear

You just sit and you wait
Staring at your empty plate
And you can say I’m a lonely sailor
Rockin’ gently on my dreams
‘Cause I can have it all, but I don’t want it all
And it ain’t like I’ve never ever ever tried
I've just never been fully satisfied

But just a tie a little shoelace
And to share a sleeping bag
And I look ahead to the days
When I can look back at all the fun that I’ve had
But still, but still, but still..

I see so many little boys I wanna marry
I see plenty little kids I’ve yet to have
Even when the moon goes out
Even when the sea dried out
I still see so many little boys I wanna marry
I see plenty little kids I’ve yet to have now
Even when the sea’s all freeze
And everything’s lying underneath
Even when the sun ceases to shine
I won’t care, I’ll still have on my mind
So many little boys I wanna marry yeah yeah
I see plenty little kids I’ve yet to have

And in the shower I get my dreaming done
I hold my breath and I wait for the day to come
Oh little Billy, little Timmy, little Jimmy, you’re the one
I may not look it, but I swear my heart is young for so many..
Little boys I wanna marry
I see plenty little kids I’ve yet to have you know you know

I've got many little boys I wanna marry, yeah you know
I've got many little kids I've yet to have
Oh oh, Yeah yeah
Little boys I wanna marry, yeah you know
I've got plenty little kids I've yet to have now, yeah you know
I've got so many, so many little boys I wanna marry now, marry now
So many..."

Two other movies to check

All the Invisible Children

http://www.alltheinvisiblechildrenmovie.com/index2.pl

A good example of what Hollywood can achieve if it wants, as hard as it may be to watch I think people have become to numb and are really needing a reality check, at least to see if all the violence and evil they are bombed with daily hasn't taken their humanity and maybe try to do something to help...


The Devil and Daniel Johnston

http://www.thedevilanddanieljohnston.com

He had times where he was more lucid than any of us, when you listen to his music or read his lyrics you can almost feel and taste life and love in it's true essence or at least the way I believe their true essence is/should be...

You know what's going to be my next movie...

" Depp, 43, is almost pathologically unpredictable. He can be bizarre, hilarious, unsettling—even annoying. But he is never the same. He's the anti-Tom Cruise."

"Time slows down when you're with Johnny Depp. He seems like a man who has never rushed to, or from, anywhere in his life. He is chronically late for interviews—sometimes four or five hours, sometimes days—but this time around just a gentlemanly 50 minutes. And once he's with you, he never seems in a hurry to leave. His voice is a soft, low mumble. His body is in almost constant motion—rolling those cigarettes, rubbing an elbow, reaching for a glass—but the rhythm is tranquil and fluid, like a cat licking its paw." (How I would love to be that paw...) "He's a calm, almost hypnotic presence. "He's always been true to who he is," says director Tim Burton, who has made five films with Depp, including last year's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." "He's never been ruled by money, or by what people think he should or shouldn't do. Maybe it's just in America, but it seems that if you're passionate about something, it freaks people out. You're considered bizarre or eccentric. To me, it just means you know who you are."

You can read the rest if you click on the title...

It's weird how the last time 2 times I went to the movies it was to see Charlie's Chocolate Factory and the Corpse Bride and now definetly Pirates 2... Do you see anything in common? Besides being masterpices? One clue it's not Orlando "Unsalty" Bloom nor Pirates's Director ;) Ever since Edward Scissorhands...

True Love Waits

A good friend of mine meantioned this music when I told her that there has been many fans posting in Paredes de Coura festival's forum requesting Radiohead's presence at the festival as they are on tour about that time in Europe. So here goes a great song, with fantastic lyrics... Love can achive all, forgive all, pardon all and even betray oneself's beliefs...

I'll drown my beliefs
To have your babies
I'll dress like your niece
And wash your swollen feet

Just don't leave
Don't leave

I'm not living
I'm just killing time
Your tiny hands
Your crazy kitten smile

Just, don't leave
Don't leave

And true love waits
In haunted attics
And true love lives
On lollipops and crisps

Just don't leave, don't leave..
Don't leave.. don't leave

SBSR - 07/06/2006

Another great night, Franz Ferdinand are getting better and better live, and it was good to see finally The Legendary Tiger Man and Linda Martini, although there were some sound problems and too little time for the 2 Portuguese bands... But that is something I want to write in Portuguese, perhaps it will reach Mr. Covões. Anyway, I highly recommend FF and Tiger Man, as Linda Martini I still haven't heard their album and 20 minutes hardly show what a band is capable of. The night was fantastic, I finally heard "this town is out of control, burn this city!" live and Alex was just amazing on stage.

Linda Martini were ok and Legendary had some sound problems on his first 2 songs but as I was right in front, no problem, the only pity was that it was sooooooo short and he smashed a perfectly good electric guitar, I still think he aimed it to the public but he didn't throw it with enough strenght, otherwise it doesnt make sense why throw a guitar with so little strenght if he intended to smash it in rock n' roll style he would have done it with more strenght and I imagine that he would have done it after a great solo riff and against the stage floor... Anyway lots of people were offended by his attitude as they thought it was his way to say hell to the organization and even hell to his fans, I can only say they don't know Paulo Furtado, not the true person but his stage personalities, they haven't seen has much Wraygunn concerts has I have ;)

So here goes the Portuguese part...

Já tenho ido a muitos Super Bock Super Rocks, desde os primeiros quando ainda se faziam em várias salas, vários dias e sobretudo no Coliseu, fui ao primeiro SBSR no Parque Tejo e foi aí que se começou com esta ideia de ter as bandas portuguesas nos intervalos do palco principal. O principio até é bom, apesar de que se o pessoal curtir a maioria das bandas do palco dos portugueses e do palco principal, mal tem tempo de descansar e fica arrasado para a última banda. Contudo o ano passado e este, as coisas correram mal em termos de organização, na minha opinião, sobretudo este ano.

A música portuguesa está a obter cada vez mais destaque e por muito estranho que possa parecer à Música no Coração há pessoas que escolhem ir a um festival tanto por algumas bandas do palco principal como por algumas bandas do palco dos portugueses e 20 minutos é uma indecência, maior ainda quando há atrasos no palco principal e o palco dos portugueses é que fica prejudicado ainda por cima porque em cada intervalo temos que aturar 10 minutos de anúncios. Eu tenho uma licenciatura em Gestão, eu sei que sem os patrocínios e o marketing todo à volta dos festivais era impossível trazer algumas das bandas que vem.

Mas para mim a solução passava por fazer o SBSR aos fins de semana e mesmo que os portugueses não pudessem tocar 2 horas pelo menos dar-lhes 1 hora, uma hora e meia, pelo menos as 2 últimas bandas do palco dos portugueses e como o festival era aos fins de semana, deixava de haver o problema do pessoal estar à trabalhar, na escola ou na faculdade e deixava igualmente de haver problemas com a hora a que o festival acabasse, os Franz Ferdinand podiam tocar perfeitamente às 2, 2h30 da manhã.

Espero que os assobios antes de Legendary Tiger Man tenham feito soar umas réstias de inteligência na organização do festival e que vejam finalmente que o pessoal não olha para as bandas portuguesas como uma mera passagem de tempo, uma distracçãozinha antes da próxima banda, mas que há bandas portuguesas de excelente qualidade e que também tem público que se sente defraudado com a atitude da organização, sobretudo quando os Keane que nem eram cabeça de cartaz se alongaram demasiado na sua performance, quem são eles a mais do que algumas das nossas bandas? É tempo de começarem a respeitar o trabalho de algumas das nossas bandas e já agora do público que paga o bilhete, porque como qualquer aluno de gestão/economia sabe o mais importante é satisfazer as necessidades do clientes porque senão se as satisfazer e pior ainda desrespeita-los não se obtém lucros, acaba-se por perder os clientes no longo prazo e coloca-se em risco a própria sobrevivência da empresa...

Oscar Wilde

"If one hears bad music, it is one's duty to drown it by one's conversation."

Por mim toca a fazê-lo no Estribo, que pelo zunzum que andei a ouvir aquilo mudou de aparência, de gerência, mas infelizmente não da péssima e detestável qualidade de som ;) Podiam fazer-nos o favor de que já que tem que passar música potencialmente extremamente prejudicial ao nosso intelectuo de passa-la bem baixinho e o pessoal poder conversar na boa sem estar ao berros é que caso a gerência não tenha reparado aquilo é um bar não uma discoteca ;)

Avante com um movimento nacional anti-Estribos que por aí populam no nosso país ;)

Até que enfim!

Gracias por inagurares (?? aí que o espanhol já começa a fazer estragos, qualquer dia escrevo portuguenhol inglesado) o meu blog pela primeira vez ;) Só espero que o meu Daddy não vá para Angola durante o Paredes de Coura, senão mais uma vez vou perder The Yeah Yeah Yeahs e é uma pena que o Sr. Jack White não venha :( Estou a ver que temos que ir a Chigago/NYC numa altura em que apanhemos The White Stripes in town ;)

Entretanto cusquei hoje o site do Beck, se ele vier (e duvido depois do desire do ano passado em que o colocaram no fim do mundo como cabeça de um cartaz no sense e ainda por cima num domingo de madrugada com putos que só curtem o que tá em fashion e não música a sério) só pode ser no Sudoeste, que Paredes de Coura anda ele por terras nórdicas e Países Baixos... Temos que fazer um baixo assinado para um concerto a solo no Coliseu dos Recreios ;)

It seems this summer will be a great summer in terms of concerts… Just a pity that money, time and work will be hard to juggle!

Let’s see, next month in about a week and a half on the 7th of June, Franz Ferdinand, Editors, dEUS, The Legendary Tiger Man and Linda Martini! Then about one month and a half afterwards, on the 17th of July, Belle and Sebastian and a week afterwards on the 22nd The Strokes and, its rumored, The Raconteurs!

Jack White is definitely a must, it’s not The White Stripes, but perhaps he likes Portugal and comes back, after all it was unthinkable that The Strokes would ever find out there was a country called Portugal that has been waiting for a concert for some years already ;) But I should stop dreaming otherwise I can get disappointed...

Anyway here are some clues for our festivals’ organizers: Wilco, The Morning Jacket, Calexico, Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop, Devendra, and so on (otherwise the list would be too great) and thanks for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs in August (if I had a band it had to be one like The Yeah Yeah Yeahs)!

Little Boys - Cripple Crow

Most people just think this is kind of a gay music with a fantastic beat, Devendra introduced this song in November as a song for men and women, I like to think that it's not only because women can also be lonely sailors but above all because of the first paragraph of the music, all those women who come and go, come and go precisely because men don't seem to ever get enough...


"Life is tough and love is rough
For the man who just can’t ever seem to get enough
The days go by and the women come and go
So many that you decide to get rid of your front door
So you don’t have to hear them all disappear

You just sit and you wait
Staring at your empty plate
And you can say I’m a lonely sailor
Rockin’ gently on my dreams
‘Cause I can have it all, but I don’t want it all
And it ain’t like I’ve never ever ever tried
I've just never been fully satisfied

But just a tie a little shoelace
And to share a sleeping bag
And I look ahead to the days
When I can look back at all the fun that I’ve had
But still, but still, but still..

I see so many little boys I wanna marry
I see plenty little kids I’ve yet to have
Even when the moon goes out
Even when the sea dried out
I still see so many little boys I wanna marry
I see plenty little kids I’ve yet to have now
Even when the sea’s all freeze
And everything’s lying underneath
Even when the sun ceases to shine
I won’t care, I’ll still have on my mind
So many little boys I wanna marry yeah yeah
I see plenty little kids I’ve yet to have

And in the shower I get my dreaming done
I hold my breath and I wait for the day to come
Oh little Billy, little Timmy, little Jimmy, you’re the one
I may not look it, but I swear my heart is young for so many..
Little boys I wanna marry
I see plenty little kids I’ve yet to have you know you know

I've got many little boys I wanna marry, yeah you know
I've got many little kids I've yet to have
Oh oh, Yeah yeah
Little boys I wanna marry, yeah you know
I've got plenty little kids I've yet to have now, yeah you know
I've got so many, so many little boys I wanna marry now, marry now
So many..."

Poema 20

Puedo escribir los versos más tristes esta noche.

Escribir, por ejemplo: «La noche está estrellada,
y tiritan, azules, los astros, a lo lejos».

El viento de la noche gira en el cielo y canta.

Puedo escribir los versos más tristes esta noche.
Yo la quise, y a veces ella también me quiso.

En las noches como ésta la tuve entre mis brazos.
La besé tantas veces bajo el cielo infinito.

Ella me quiso, a veces yo también la quería.
Cómo no haber amado sus grandes ojos fijos.

Puedo escribir los versos más tristes esta noche.
Pensar que no la tengo. Sentir que la he perdido.

Oír la noche inmensa, más inmensa sin ella.
Y el verso cae al alma como al pasto el rocío.

Qué importa que mi amor no pudiera guardarla.
La noche está estrellada y ella no está conmigo.

Eso es todo. A lo lejos alguien canta. A lo lejos.
Mi alma no se contenta con haberla perdido.

Como para acercarla mi mirada la busca.
Mi corazón la busca, y ella no está conmigo.

La misma noche que hace blanquear los mismos árboles.
Nosotros, los de entonces, ya no somos los mismos.

Ya no la quiero, es cierto, pero cuánto la quise.
Mi voz buscaba el viento para tocar su oído.

De otro. Será de otro. Como antes de mis besos.
Su voz, su cuerpo claro. Sus ojos infinitos.

Ya no la quiero, es cierto, pero tal vez la quiero.
Es tan corto el amor, y es tan largo el olvido.

Porque en noches como ésta la tuve entre mis brazos,
Mi alma no se contenta con haberla perdido.

Aunque éste sea el último dolor que ella me causa,
y éstos sean los últimos versos que yo le escribo.

Pablo Neruda (1904 - 1973)
in "Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada" (1924)

80% to 95% Condom Effectiveness - "there is no such thing as ‘safe sex - only ‘safer’ sex"

I was reading on the other day about the anti-contraceptive movement of “extremist” Christian organizations, when one part of the article called my attention about condom effectiveness. The other day I had seen a rate of 80% in a Brazilian health webpage but I thought it had been a mistake as in school and health brochures I had always seen a rate of 95%, which in case of AIDS is still too much of a risk. So I did a bit of research and I found some national health government webpages, reports of WHO, and so on.

It seems that they still haven’t done a condom efficacy test that has given valid and conclusive rate. But the most recent tests done on condoms’ reveal that its effectiveness may be as low as 80% (depending of the research) and even lower for other Sexual Transmitted Diseases.

It’s rather interesting to hear all AIDS organizations, health professionals, and so on, speaking of the use of condoms as the only way to prevent STD however they seem always to forget to stress that “there is no such thing as ‘safe sex - only ‘safer’ sex” as the New Zealand government states. Having sex using a condom with a one night stand, a new partner or even an unfaithful partner means that in every 100 times 5 to 20 times of those have the chance to contract AIDS (if the other is infected). “Luckily”, the % of infected people aren’t that high. However I keep on not understanding how people take chances catching a one night stand, for example, infected and that the condom fails. People don’t tend to risk doing or taking something that can mean catching a medium-term terminal disease.

Besides that fact it’s quite worrisome that there are no conclusive proofs of condoms effectiveness in preventing the transmission of STD and as some can make a person infertile (especially women as there are lots of STD in which the man only carries the disease, while the woman gets infected) if not detected or treated in time… I know that becoming infertile or HIV positive would kill my dream of being a mother, my deepest desire (AIDS also as it shortens my life span and I don’t wish to give birth to a child I’ll abandon a few years afterwards). So I suppose it's always better to know with who you are going to bed and still face the possibility that you may not be the only person going to bed with that person ;)

Anyway here are some citations of the sites I found more interesting and if you click the title you will be able to download 2 reports on condom effectiveness. And don't forget that even the highest rate, normally associate to correct usage but failure of the condom such as leaks, slip offs and rips, 95%, means you can still get pregnant and if you can get pregnant you can get infected with a STD.

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs243/en/

The most frequently cited condom effectiveness rate is for typical use, which includes perfect and imperfect use (i.e. not used at every act of intercourse, or used incorrectly). The pregnancy rate during typical use can be much higher (10-14%) than for perfect use, but this is due primarily to inconsistent and incorrect use, not to condom failure. Condom failure – the device breaking or slipping off completely during intercourse – is uncommon.

http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/0/CAA750BDA8432F84CC25702000720012

• Individuals should decide when they are ready to have sex and should not feel pressured to have sex when they are not ready

• There is no such thing as ‘safe sex - only ‘safer’ sex

• Using condoms consistently significantly reduces the risk of catching a sexually transmitted infection

• Don’t have sex with someone who has an STI

• Many teenagers will have sex. Using a condom significantly reduces the likelihood that they will catch and transmit a sexually transmitted infection.

Cochrane Collaboration - One of the reports was done by them

'This review indicates that consistent use of condoms results in 80% reduction in HIV incidence. Consistent use is defined as using a condom for all acts of penetrative vaginal intercourse.

Because the studies used in this review did not report on the "correctness" of use, namely whether condoms were used correctly and perfectly for each and every act of intercourse, effectiveness and not efficacy is estimated.

Also, this estimate refers in general to the male condom and not specifically to the latex condom, since studies also tended not to specify the type of condom that was used. Thus, condom effectiveness is similar to, although lower than, that for contraception.'

Bulletin of the World Health Organisation

'The panel strongly cautioned the public against misinterpreting the scanty evidence.

The small number of well designed prospective studies precluded the panel from making judgments about the effectiveness of condoms in preventing other STIs; the reviews stated that the lack of data were not to be construed as evidence either supporting or denying the effectiveness of condoms.'

'Since 2000 important new evidence ...has come to light to support the effectiveness of condoms in preventing STIs in men and women. In no study has the effectiveness been 100%. Nonetheless, even partially effective interventions can have a major impact on controlling the spread of STIs in the population (36). ...Condom promotion represents an important component of comprehensive HIV-prevention and STI-prevention strategies.'

http://www.rhlibrary.com/Commentaries/htm/Dwcom.htm

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/sex_relationships/facts/condoms.htm

Condoms are sheathes that trap the sperm when a man climaxes ('comes'). Wearing them greatly reduces the chances of pregnancy. They also provide some protection against sexually-transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. But this protection is far from 100 per cent.

My new toy ;)

And tomorrow some studies on condoms effectiveness...

If you can read The Economist of May 6th-12th 2006 "Unstoppable? Iran's nuclear ambitions" once again they defend the same as I, the world must have a united front so that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad doens't think he can get away with it, just as Suddan Hussein thought, due to China, Russia, France and Germany interventions... Maybe it will be the only chance of not occuring a war, as impossible as it may seem with Ahmadinejad's daily verbal threats... It's time for China and Russia to realize they will loose much more if they don't pressure Iran to stop with it's plans to obtain a nuclear bomb (that's if they don't have it already)...

Greenpeace

Normally I defend Greenpeace but this time I must criticize them. As me they have always been against the use of nuclear power and nuclear weapons, Einstein meant it has a cheap way of energy so everybody could have access to energy and develop, unfortunately he didn’t foresee the consequences. I believe he didn’t wish a Chernobyl or Hiroshima…

Well, last week Greenpeace put online a petition for NATO not to nuke Iran, which would be perfect if it was a petition for no country or organization to nuke any region of the world. I don’t know how Greenpeace can live in such an ideal and rosy world, because at this moment I fear that, staying put and trying to convince a mad man who every time we see him on TV is threatening with nuclear weapons (please just hear/read what he says, clearly he has it or his very close to it)…

The problem is once again if we don’t do something one of these days we’ll see another 11^th of September, another 11^th of March, another 7^th of July, and so many others, but this time it will have been a nuclear bomb in Israel, or perhaps in Greece or even Italy, millions of innocent killed just because we think everybody is human and all human nature is kind not evil. We cannot forget the lessons of our past, the 2^nd World War, Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Darfur and so many other atrocities committed by some mad men/women eager for power and money.

I have cried due to the beginning of so many wars, but although I’m a pacifist, I’ve reached the conclusion a long time ago, when I started understanding the world around me that not all are trustworthy, not all are kind and good in nature and the world needs to make a stand sometimes to defend innocent, so that less innocent die than otherwise.

I hope China, Russia (if this time France and Germany behave) will agree to sanction Iran, to make pressure, because just has I defended before Iraq’s war, if the international community sticks together and forces Iran to allow the inspections without any obstacles being lifted, a war will be avoided and many innocent lives spared.

I don’t want another war to happen, but I’ll have to be on NATO’s side if it happens and I believe that nuking Iran will be their last resort and only if they are sure that if they don’t do it Iran will nuke another country. I really hope this war won’t happen because I fear if it does we’ll assist to the begging of 3^rd World War. The world has been manipulated to hate blindly USA (they have lots of faults but there are not the worst threat to the world), so that sand is thrown in the eyes of the people who are manipulated and they do not see the biggest threats in our world and Iran with a nuclear bomb is one of the most dangerous at this time.

If we look to history we realize most events are consequences of others and that some repeat themselves in a vicious cycle. I believe there will be a 3^rd World War if USA intervenes unilaterally in Iran, because USA has already a huge deficit due to Iraq’s war and with an Iran war the situation will be far worse, even if USA intervenes within NATO, they are still the biggest contributor. If USA’s economy fails and they fall into a huge recession or even worse a depression, we will begin to see history repeat itself, because if USA goes the world economy will also go. And what happens when there are global depressions or at least depressions in the major economies of the world? People start getting unsatisfied of seeing there children hungry, no work and extremist parties start to attain more power (no matter if they are left or right, Hitler and Stalin/Lenin were some of the worst monsters we had in last century) and that will mean taking sides and world war for sure… I know lives don’t count of decision makers but I hope at least the world economy does…

The Man Who Doesn't Know How to Smile - Josh Rouse w/ Paz Suay

He used to walk in central park where

at least a dozen women broke his heart

and there he'd sit

and think about his past

she lived in brooklyn and she rode the trains

first she'd the "G" and then the "L" and that is where

they met up on that day

She wants to help him out

'cause he's the man who doesnt know how

he's the man who doesnt know how

he's the man who doesn't know how to smile

he's not happy by himself

Its not that simple just to change a man

Even if you think you can just keep up this and then

its hard

uh huh

So be cautious when you see him pass

he won't hurt you but his face is sad and eve-ry day, he's breathing through the gills

She wants to help him out

'cause he's the man who doesnt know how

he's the man who doesnt know how

he's the man who doesn't know how to smile

he's the man who doesnt know how

he's the man who doesnt know how

he's the man who doesn't know how to smile

he's not happy by himself

The summertime into the fall and

they took a little trip up to the cape and that is where

they laid their bodies down

And in the morning when the sun came up

she looked at him just to say that she would never ever go astray

It's gonna work out now

'cause he's the man who doesnt know how

he's the man who doesnt know how

he's the man who doesn't know how to smile

he's the man who doesnt know how

he's the man who doesnt know how

he's the man who doesn't know how to smile

he's not happy by himself

he's not happy by himself

he's not happy by himself

he's not happy by himself

Try to listen to this at around 1 o'clock in the morning on a Sunday night when you're nearly dozing off as you are listening to the Good Fellows/Bons Rapazes and you can only remind the next morning that it had a lyrics that goes "he's the man who doesn't know how to smile" and that it was such a beautiful song, as you didn't caught which was the band/musician, you have to check MQ3 track list until you find a song that has that lyric or something that reminds you of it and finally I've found it and it's from Josh Rouse's new album "Subtitulo" which unfortunately I still haven't heard...