Jorge Lorenzo

Jorge Lorenzo is a Spanish motorcyclist. If I should point something out about him, for sure it is his personality. In the five years he has been competing in 125cc and 250cc he has shown a very strong personality and great doses of self-confidence. According to him, he is the best. Well, last year he finally proved he is a really good rider and won the 250cc world championship with 8 victories. This year, he had the responsibility of defending the championship and he is even better! He is showing no weak points and offering no possibilities for the others to beat him. By the way, next year, he will ride a Yamaha in MotoGP and will be Valentino Rossi's team mate.



Well, I will stick to the point of this post... this morning he has won again! It has been his 8th victory out of 12 races, really good! But, as usual, the show has started the moment he has passed the finish line in the first position. He has stopped his motorbike, took his typical black "Lorenzo's land" flag and put on an armour, like a medieval soldier or a gladiator. Incredible! and when he has arrived at the paddock to go to the podium, he has put the flag in the circuit and put on a helmet that completed a quite interesting outfit! And that together with the ChupaChups he always has in the podium XD



In short, he is a great rider but only 20 years old... he should grow up and behave in a more mature way ;-) Or maybe that is what makes him special! Anyway, congratulations and i hope he can get many more races until he arrives at MotoGP! There, I will always support Pedrosa!! Vamos Dani!!!

Perspectiva

En la sociedad actual nos vemos empujados por un ritmo de vida frenetico que nos empuja a la locura y del cual no podemos escapar. Es como si subiesemos en un tren sin posibilidad de parar entre estaciones... Sin embargo, existen las estaciones y llegan sin avisar. De pronto te encontraras relajado en tu habitacion despues de un duro dia de trabajo y decidiras desconectar tu movil y el portatil y dedicarte a pensar en perspectiva.

Si no tienes miedo al vertigo...

Me cuesta pensar que hace tan solo 10 anyos yo era un chaval que jugaba al basket en Almansa y para el que el futuro era una palabra que sonaba a lejano. Os imaginais que a ese ninyo o chaval que todos hemos sido nos contasen como iba a ser nuestra vida en contraspectiva (-me acabo de inventar el palabro...-).

Dentro de poco cumplire 25 y ya he trabajado en la industria espacial y en dos de las tres agencias espaciales mas importantes del mundo, junto al hecho de haber vivido en cuatro paises en los ultimos 3 anyos y de tener una novia japonesa...

La vida pasa rapido, sin tregua, y eso es lo que la hace tan especial. Hay que esforzarse por no pestanyear, porque si no, nos lo vamos a perder.

Bueno, rollo filosofico de noche de fin de verano en un pais lejano... no os aburro mas... # Por cierto, la foto es de la calle al lado de la mia una fria manyana de febrero, en Leiden, Paises Bajos.

Some world politics...

I don't usually talk about politics in this blog... Actually, I would prefer not to do it but I feel the need to express my opinion about an old but still current hot topic. These days I am watching a series of documentaries broadcast last winter in Spanish TV. It is called "Voces contra la globalizacion... otro mundo es posible?", what means "Voices against globalization... is another world possible?". It is a series of documentaries in which many writers, nobel prizes and economists are interviewed to give their opinion about the direction world politics are heading for.

Chapter 1 talked about globalization and Neo-liberalism and chapter 2 did it about migrations, specially from North Africa to Southern Europe. Chapter 3 was about the US international politics.

I know it is a very old topic, but not for that we should stopped talking about that. We shouldn't forget that nation is still governed by the same people who led them to an unmoral war which has destroyed a whole nation, Iraq.

First of all, I should say that in any war those who really loose are the people. People are always victims in the cross-fire of a war. But not only in the attacked country... It is obvious poor Iraqi people were at their homes, repressed under a dictatorship and still somebody else came to destroy their houses, killed their children and put a gun pointing at their necks. I feel really sorry for them. But also, it is a pity the situation for Americans. The international policy carried out for their government has unleashed a common feeling in the world: the real danger for peace in the world is the US. That automatically triggers a feeling of hatred all around the world amongst all those millions of people whose lives are in danger for the imperialistic politics of that country. Americans don't understand and many don't even know that is the feeling in many countries. Do you think an arab can welcome americans when they come from a country which can invade them at any moment under the pretext of defending freedom and democracy? As I stated before, the ones who really pay the consequences are the people. The few guys on top of oil companies are getting richer and richer at the same time a normal US citizen is being more and more hated. It is a pitty but that is how things work. Of course, many US citizens opposed and continue opposing to what their government is doing and has done in Iraq or South America for so many years and in some many occassions.

Don't you think this makes sense?? Think about Spain. In my country, the former Prime Minister decided to unconditionally support the thesis that war was necessary against Iraq. Who doesn't remember that picture with Bush, Blair and Ansar in the Azores? The funny point is, at the same time, more that 5 million people demonstrated in Madrid against the war. And the same happened in all Spanish cities and towns. The general feeling was opposed to the official governmental discourse.

What happened? Terrorists identified Spain as a target for an attack together with the UK. Some months later, 192 people were killed on a cold winter morning in Madrid. Just workers who were going to work to make a living. Many of them were arabs. However loud we yelled against war, we were the ones to pay the consequences.

I just want to remind everyone that the US are at the moment as terrorists as islamic terrorists. US threatens the stability and lives of the people in arab countries, whereas islamic terrorism is a danger for US and its allies. The world we live in has gone crazy and our leaders are the ones who are really really insane. If islamic terrorism is bad, don't forget what the US is doing abroad is also called state terrorism. Isn't Iraq illegal invasion a terrorist attack? Why not? Because it doesn't affect you? If you were comfortably at home and somebody destroys your house, what would you think? War and terrorist attacks just raise more and more hatred. Let's be sensible and show our representatives we don't agree with them. Don't let the world get crazier than it already is.

That's all.

Before leaving, have a look at this song by NOFX. It is called USA-holes and quite reflects some of the points I have covered above. It is nice to see this kind of artistic manifestation coming from the place it comes.

It's like seeing a car crash from inside the car
The driver's got his head craned back he's telling you a joke
You see the bus on collision course
You point your arm and turn your head and wait for the impact
This is the feeling we learn to live with in North America
The morning headlines always accompanied with sweat and nausea
Every week another puzzle piece gets permanently glued into place

We see the iceberg from 15 miles away
The captain orders the ship to "stay the course"
"Full speed ahead" shouts the accursed
The next thing we heard was, "Rich women and children first"
The ship is listing, the captain's placing blame on the iceberg
"That berg attacked us, I am declaring war on the Arctic"
Who could ever have predicted the greatest ship could so easily sink (duh)

Lifeboats are useless without rescue
The only ships show up for salvage
When setting sail on the St. Louis
We all knew what consequences could be
With the crew we had at the controls
There's no harborage for the USA-holes
I doubt there's a benign God to save our souls
Cuz no one else is gonna save the USA-holes

1st anniversary of ISU graduation

It is amazing to notice how fast time goes by... One year ago I graduated from ISU. After a really intense year in which I got many really good friends, it was time to move on and do something else. I already knew I was going to the Netherlands, to the European Space Agency, but it was really interesting to listening to other people's projects for the future. During those days there, I started understanding I would miss many things from that great year... Well, I don't want to get too emotional, so I will just post some pictures and cut all the talking ;-)

This is me with Michael Simpson, ISU president, the very moment I officially received my Master in Space Studies diploma.



And this is the aspect of the Boeing Auditorium with all the old class, the new one, parents, lecturers...





And some great people I met during this unforgettable year:

- Proffesor Ito and Naochan



- Havard



- Mic and Ana



And many other people!!! whose photo that day I don't have... Sorry ;-)

And last but not least, thanks to my family! For coming to Strasbourg in such an important occassion!! Javier, next time you will be able to make it! Don't worry!

Example of civility

Sorry for the picture... No further comments...



31st Aug
Comment on the picture:
Not many people have noticed why I have put the previous picture, and why I asked for your pardon. Therefore, I will finally have to comment on it ;-) Sorry if you got it at a first glance.
The funny or uncivical thing in the picture is that the beach was full with trash bins to put your dog's excrements in and somebody's dog has shitted next to one of them and the owner didnt even care... have a close look... do you understand now? Please, don't let people do that if you are near. Thanks ;-)

空手道

Those 3 kanjis above mean karate-dou ("the way of the empty hand"). Why am I writing this post about karate? Well, it is simply 'coz I have taken it up recently!

Everything started when Carolina decided to offer some introductory karate lessons in August. I had been wanting to start karate for a very long time, so it was the perfect opportunity! After ten lessons and having got familiar with terms like fudodashi or sotomawashigeri, I can say I will keep on practicing it in winter. Actually, it is even cooler than expected!

Last Friday, it was sunny when we were going to practice and it was decided to carry it out outside, on the grass. Carolina senpai brought her camera and this is the result!






Grazie Carolina!!

Bike trip in Zuid Holland

Yesterday was the day when I finally understood I am crazy. The nice was sunny and at around 5.30 I decided to go to the beach by bike. The beach in Katwijk is only 10 km from Leiden, so I thought it could be a nice ride. I took my backpack with my camera and a long-sleeved T-shit and I set off. I had decided this ride was for fun, so I was relaxed taking photos of windmills, canals and other pintoresque things in the countriside. Finally, I arrived at the beach. It was the first time I went to this beach and it was nice.



In this area, the beach is always surrounded by dunes. The landscape is quite nice with sand mountains with greenish colours due to the vegetation. Well, I found a nice road in the dunes! It was my opportunity to have fun with my bike! In a country where everything is flat, some up and downs can be fun!!



After 10 km, according to the panels, I was really near Wassenaar and the landscape changed. There were not any more dunes but forest with small "lakes" (maybe with salty water...).





I was really surprised when I found out I was near Scheveningen, the beach town next to Den Haag. After getting over from the surprise ;-) I decided to continue and visit the famous boulevard. Before, on my way there, I kept on enjoying the slopes in the road and going near the sea from time to time.




Finally, I got to Scheveningen and went around the famous boulevard for a while. Of course, I took a picture of the pier and the beach...



It was around 8 o'clock and time I started facing reality. Anyone living in Leiden knows Scheveningen is not so near the city. Besides, I checked my backpack and I didn't have food, drinks or even money!! And it was getting dark!! And if that was not bad enough, I didn't really know how to come back to Leiden...

I decided to make for Wassenaar using a different road from the one I used before, this time, as far as possible from the sea. After 8 km, I found and indication saying Leiden was 14 km away! Anyway, I was happy as I was in the right way!! The only problem was it was getting colder and I was exhausted and hungry. However, I had time for some extra shots:

- Have a look how clean Dutch canals are... yes, the canal is the wide green thing next to the bike lane.



- Some cows in a really Dutch landscape.



- And finally, a windmill in the outskirts of Leiden.



I arrived home a little later than 9, completely exhausted and starving... However it had been nice. What started as a quick visit to the beach, became a 40-50 km bike trip in Zuid-Holland!!

Chicago (五), The first franchised McDonalds

Naoko wanted me to post something about this topic, so there we go!

Nowadays, everybody knows what McDonalds is and all it represents... they have many supporters and detractors. However, I will try to keep some distance with respect to my personal opinion and just describe what we visited in Chicago.

McDonalds was founded in 1940 and was based at San Bernardino, California. This restaurant was quite famous in the area and a business man called Ray Kroc decided to take over the restaurant and open a corporation composed of many franchised restaurants. Following this idea, he opened the first franchised restaurant of the corporation in Chicago. Therefore, it can be said this restaurant started McDonalds such as we know it these days. This is the current aspect of that restaurant:



Inside, there is a museum, well... just a few display cabinets with stuff from the corporation since the very beginning, together with an explanation of its history.



Here, some examples... These are some of the early cardboard glasses they used to use back in the 50s-60s.



And this is the first Ronald McDonalds... obviously, aesthetic values have changed quite a lot in 40 years... most kids would be currently scared by such a clown!!



And finally, the original plans for the building of the restaurant. As you can appreciate, the original shape in the 50s is different from the M-shape it has these days.

Housemates' dinner in Amsterdam

Yesterday, Jorge invited Felipe and me for a dinner in his new appartment in Amsterdam. He had recently been in Portugal and had brought good food: some kind of dark chorizo, fish, wine... It was the first time we were in his appartment once the furniture was mounted and I can say it was really nice!





Although we were there for dinner, sunsets are always a good opportunity to take nice pictures.



The food and wine were really good and the atmosphere very nice, but it was a warm night and we moved to a terrace in Rembrandtsplein (or whatever it is the spelling).However, we had to go downstairs which is not always easy in the Netherlands. They have the not so nice custom of buiding narrow and step staircases... Have a look at the last part of the way down to the street.



The temperature was surprisingly nice and it was interesting to watch the behaviour of Dutch people and the always present English tourists ;-)




Finally, we went to Leidseplein until the end of the night. Once there, we decided to enter Melkweg and join an indy party there. The music was not techno, which is already an improvement in this country, and time flew as usual... When having fun, time is like water, you cannot stop it when flowing fast...



Of course, some people in the club were kind of too affected by alcohol or naturally crazy XD



As usual, the worst part of the night was coming back home at 5.30! It is the right moment to have a snooze while travelling in the train.

Chicago (四). Dinner at the 95th

One night we went for dinner to the coolest restaurant in all Chicago. It is located in the 95th floor of the John Hankock Center, the fourth tallest building in the US. The food was pretty good, but as you can possibly imagine, the main point of going there was enjoying the breathtaking view.





We asked for a table as near the windows as possible and if possible with view to the Sears Tower, the tallest building in the city and in the US.



This is the view of downtown Chicago with the nice view of the Sears Tower clearly outstanding in the skyline.



A closer view of the buildings around the Sears Tower:



This is the view of the lakeside. As easily appreciated, the lake area in black greatly contrasts with the lights in the city.

This is the other part of the building, looking out of town. There was a beach there, in that area.



And finally, after the dinner and once we were alone in the restaurant (we were the last customers leaving :), we had to come back downstairs... 95 floors in around 50 seconds... a fast calculation makes it 0.5 second per floor! We could even notice the change of pressure in our ears!!