tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10925442348195465302024-02-18T20:13:57.409-08:00The mock blogAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198446037105481284noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092544234819546530.post-56767147714345768142014-06-18T09:43:00.001-07:002014-06-22T12:31:31.721-07:00A final overview<div>If in doubt, you should always go for number three,</div><div>As no other number of concentric circles you will ever see.</div><div>As Burton and Speke made their way to the hidden source</div><div>We discovered Bhutan in the early stages of the course.</div><div>You may tell incredible stories until you have a sore throat</div><div>But you won't be remembered for that if you've fucked a goat.</div><div>Unbelievable as it may seem I swear it is truth,</div><div>Not until maturity did we learn how to read a book.</div><div>November brought paradigms, what an intriguing word!</div><div>In no fewer than five ways it will make your mind work.</div><div>We took advantage of the Thai chi class to relax</div><div>After blog entries, phrasal verbs, and all that stuff.</div><div>Mandela would have rewarded us with a radiant beam</div><div>For having spent the whole Christmas reading about him.</div><div>When dealing with the law we came across Atticus Finch,</div><div>Feared by ruthless racists for never yielding an inch.</div><div>The poet, the job hunter, the chef, we played them all</div><div>And we were even encouraged to support an NGO.</div><div>Had Philip the Second attended the C1,</div><div>His brain would have developed new ruts.</div><div>Neuroplasticity would have helped to avert</div><div>Our greatest failure, the triumph of Good Queen Beth.</div><div>To end with, there's one last thing I wouldn't like to omit,</div><div>Which is the passion and devotion that you transmit.</div><div><br></div><div>Thank you.</div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnSOkJhYXpeb2itgdnX7YOdh11fCdaQUQXCWQ_bjg-k0Cwb1Z3p1rtwvEKAQAn9wQ84FLH9XzxG6OGl712glQQ0hJm1eHCJ75B0n1m6SFsnA22iIsAsY3JH_XhgiJdK_OfiU5ow-ZUJ2h/s640/blogger-image-1935363526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnSOkJhYXpeb2itgdnX7YOdh11fCdaQUQXCWQ_bjg-k0Cwb1Z3p1rtwvEKAQAn9wQ84FLH9XzxG6OGl712glQQ0hJm1eHCJ75B0n1m6SFsnA22iIsAsY3JH_XhgiJdK_OfiU5ow-ZUJ2h/s640/blogger-image-1935363526.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198446037105481284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092544234819546530.post-60876730734471740952014-06-17T10:35:00.001-07:002014-06-17T10:42:13.093-07:00The C1 experience<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>An intense year, this is the idea that prevails when trying to assess the academic course that is about to conclude. Intensity may involve, and actually does involve both positive and negative aspects; obviously, intensity requires commitment, and keeping one's nose to the grindstone is not the best recipe for a harmonious family life. However, hard work and personal improvement go hand in hand, somehow being compensated the increased levels of stress with a more than gratifying feeling of realisation.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>As for the methodology followed during the course, as far as I am concerned, it has been remarkably enriching, aiming at personal development as well as linguistic improvement, that is, not restricting the process to a mere utilitarian approach but widening the scope to a holistic development. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't mind at all (as an obvious example of understatement) getting involved in such a process on a permanent basis, although I would slow down the pace just a little bit and I would also do away with those artificial and annoying tests if it was up to me.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>True enough, there is an incongruity between the dynamics of the course and the assessment. A more specific approach would have dealt just with certain topics and related vocabulary, grammar structures and test-oriented exercises, which would have prepared us more specifically for the exam, but we would also have lost a lot in the way. Thus, by no means would I have preferred an approach that would have differed from the one we have actually followed.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I could go on providing details about how the topics brought up during the year have remarkably contributed to my own personal development, but unfortunately enough my time is limited, rather, I will just restate that I have been deeply and positively influenced during the course of the year by the C1 experience.</div><div><br></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23c08ysFZRO71_bT5OjuWjHiuqvV4qBY_G-sQqNoZ0NUB6-LoV7ad97R01I3TAvhve1L70yrdFj79wE8tH7NOWKbFwzKxJj3_3p3xpM5ugplISDRdSNivCxqwAQ4458iX8sywqSqSESFM/s640/blogger-image-1672084707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23c08ysFZRO71_bT5OjuWjHiuqvV4qBY_G-sQqNoZ0NUB6-LoV7ad97R01I3TAvhve1L70yrdFj79wE8tH7NOWKbFwzKxJj3_3p3xpM5ugplISDRdSNivCxqwAQ4458iX8sywqSqSESFM/s640/blogger-image-1672084707.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198446037105481284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092544234819546530.post-72488389421051020352014-05-14T00:41:00.001-07:002014-05-16T05:46:01.903-07:00Self-portrait<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>A pyramid in the middle of the naked dessert, like in ancient Egypt, hints at the meticulousness within. At the foot of this triangular protuberance, on both sides, two ponds lay carving their way down in the soil, more interested in inner affairs than mundane ones. On the northern shoreline of the ponds, two symmetric thin lines of pitch black undergrowth thrive, leaning submissively all as one. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Should the traveller dare head further northwards, misled by the apparent quietness of the landscape left behind, they would be warned by the long creases which cross the rather broad barren of the tumultuous nature of what is to come, a wild forest of jet black wires that flourish in anarchy, as if each one was endowed with own will, trying to be different from each other. This wilderness on the surface mirrors nothing but the bustling activity in the core buried deep underground. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>As the climate plays a role shaping the landscape, <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">the impact of environmental factors </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">can also be spotted on this particular scenery, like the increasingly abundant pearl white wires which seem to have been drained of life through the sheer exhaustion brought about by the ruthless demands of this thing called life.</span></div><div><br></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL87sAbF7czM_2MLBK9jo7Gqabtwjvs3KKshjOYII989C4oZdy6vF-KxhQ-O80VcpZiQeYAGvrYtF2b207tjuEVL3tWbS0vSYJDoPeZvHo-N-_nP-QyqnxiEW5E2hn-6W7YYAN2QGHg2Qu/s640/blogger-image-835821916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL87sAbF7czM_2MLBK9jo7Gqabtwjvs3KKshjOYII989C4oZdy6vF-KxhQ-O80VcpZiQeYAGvrYtF2b207tjuEVL3tWbS0vSYJDoPeZvHo-N-_nP-QyqnxiEW5E2hn-6W7YYAN2QGHg2Qu/s640/blogger-image-835821916.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198446037105481284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092544234819546530.post-12673800922531246292014-04-29T07:49:00.001-07:002014-04-29T07:49:19.553-07:00Discovering the poem inside you<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Broadly speaking, I found the event very stimulating. Even though I was feeling quite nervous for having to recite, I managed to focus my attention, almost all the time, on what was happening around me. Thus, I was able to appreciate the beauty of the poems themselves (I was particularly moved by the poems in the "on death" section, at which point I had to make an effort to hold back my tears) and the exquisite pronunciation and intonation that showed the reciters (assimilating the sounds was as if savouring a delicious delicacy). </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>And what could I say about the initial song? I felt that those sound waves, so beautifully produced, reached my very soul making it tremble. Not less suggestive were the musical interludes, which also caressed my heart and soul but in a different fashion; it was like being gently massaged through different techniques. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>As for the introductory speeches, apart from the fact that I wish they had been in English, which was obviously out of the question, they were very illustrative and educative (they set an exceptional example of the art of rhetoric so frequently brought up in class, with quotations, jokes, anecdotes, stories, etc.). </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>All in all, as far as I am concerned the event was a not entirely unexpected source of sheer pleasure.</div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ4IGXRFin4M1bEhtVtyIeiAc7_38aQC3BcEmQl2npdBw5obAPachIi0b5pzzQwwYeaQrZJKhWs0KaSHcnf2PHtteiqFjpblSJtlNQhDUSFTpM7MyJKPzhW738YiR-P4XUFPGfBh98MYMq/s640/blogger-image--1701610071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ4IGXRFin4M1bEhtVtyIeiAc7_38aQC3BcEmQl2npdBw5obAPachIi0b5pzzQwwYeaQrZJKhWs0KaSHcnf2PHtteiqFjpblSJtlNQhDUSFTpM7MyJKPzhW738YiR-P4XUFPGfBh98MYMq/s640/blogger-image--1701610071.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198446037105481284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092544234819546530.post-51949324071399141682014-03-30T03:59:00.001-07:002014-03-30T03:59:47.506-07:00MosquitoesHere is some interesting stuff that may be profitable now that we are immersed in the health topic: some viruses spread by these little and misunderstood friends of us.<div><a href="http://m.bbc.com/news/health-26724645?ocid=socialflow_twitter">http://m.bbc.com/news/health-26724645?ocid=socialflow_twitter</a><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="http://m.bbc.com/news/health-26724645?ocid=socialflow_twitter"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoZR5UyL_HR9ZGjl0X2jSS4mCFYVqU6gnVHrQ1PTqhyphenhyphen2qN5QvlYKnOrr5wyR4nPJi3M-HIalKvlE90hNWjMBwWBaWMRreYMUPxzB8HSxnh-ZYTXEa3d5XoSzXeeceTGM1dCeOuTs-OV5O/s640/blogger-image--301185565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoZR5UyL_HR9ZGjl0X2jSS4mCFYVqU6gnVHrQ1PTqhyphenhyphen2qN5QvlYKnOrr5wyR4nPJi3M-HIalKvlE90hNWjMBwWBaWMRreYMUPxzB8HSxnh-ZYTXEa3d5XoSzXeeceTGM1dCeOuTs-OV5O/s640/blogger-image--301185565.jpg"></a></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198446037105481284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092544234819546530.post-90046082654219536822014-03-04T12:41:00.001-08:002014-03-04T12:44:15.514-08:00Review: The Sailor-Boy's Tale<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"The Sailor-Boy's Tale" is a short story written by the renowned Danish author Isak Dinesen. The beginning of the story is set in a barque sailing the Mediterranean Sea and then it is moved to a small village on the coast of Norway. It narrates the story of a sailor-boy, who evolves from boy to man due to both the passing of time and the experiences he goes through. The plot presents, as main topics, the urgency of love and how well-meant behavior is rewarded; and they are presented in a semi-realistic, semi-magical world. The magical touch is provided by two elements, the first obvious, the second more subtle. The presence of the Lapps, a population endowed with supernatural powers, is the first one, and the boy's perception of the world and how emotions appear out of nowhere with an unbelievable intensity is the other.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The story is well worth a reading. It is ingenious, sometimes tender, others brutal. It successfully captures the innocence of youth and distribute it in measured doses along the story. Try as you may, you will not find any significant flaw. What is more, if you love reading you are bound to be gripped by this compelling narration. </div><div><br></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjny1kWda0PFMkXMsz4UQTSeFGlLb-QHtjerkJiQvr3OiXee67CgRO_liGM_JFhBht6aOmeELIShEwDUgf-JOEYTlBg1F57Jxz3jBK1ZmFI3r9dXZvXTDdcuYUSW75ZT-U0DvUUHgYuOCa3/s640/blogger-image--1688318427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjny1kWda0PFMkXMsz4UQTSeFGlLb-QHtjerkJiQvr3OiXee67CgRO_liGM_JFhBht6aOmeELIShEwDUgf-JOEYTlBg1F57Jxz3jBK1ZmFI3r9dXZvXTDdcuYUSW75ZT-U0DvUUHgYuOCa3/s640/blogger-image--1688318427.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198446037105481284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092544234819546530.post-57140919099653922502014-02-19T14:26:00.001-08:002014-02-19T14:30:07.193-08:00A poem<div>So daring you are bound to seem</div><div>To eyes that the world have seen</div><div>No tiredness can be greater than yours</div><div>With such a flock of crowns before</div><div><br></div><div>Little have you ever bothered to discern</div><div>Trivialities such as a foreign concern</div><div>Should you ever resist the urging desire</div><div>Of having it all yesterday, that I will admire</div><div><br></div><div>You are said to bend the laws of nature with skill</div><div>Who else could turn into child or adult at will?</div><div>But not even you will manage to escape</div><div>From what you ridicule in others, your own fate</div><div><br></div><div>However imperfect you may seem</div><div>Not few people are bound to sin</div><div>Envy drives them when they claim</div><div>Oh my lord, If only I were a teen again!</div><div><br></div><div>To begin with I should apologize for daring to publish these lines. As you may suspect I am not familiar with poetry, not to mention English poetry. This unfamiliarity stems from respect, not from contempt. That is, I have never devoted to poetry the time that it deserves to get familiar with. </div><div><br></div><div>Anyway, I will continue to clarify the meaning of the poem: I<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">t speaks about youth, about how some adults, in spite of finding quite annoying young people sometimes, would give anything to be again like those whom they critizice so hard.</span></div><div><br></div><div>First verse. As the Spanish saying goes: how daring is ignorance. And who can better appreciate the lack of knowledge than an experienced and wise person? Adults are supposed to be wiser, or at least more experienced than youngsters, who are perceived as daring.</div><div>The second part refers to the action of despising. Sometimes teens are said to look down on people, to be unable to value their qualities. Thus, when you are literally looking down on people the most visible part of their body is the crown, which when seen repeatedly must be very tiring indeed.</div><div><br></div><div>Second verse. It reflects the lack of empathy that is said to be characteristic of teenagers. A foreign concern is something that worries another person.</div><div>The last half of the verse makes reference to impatience, the incapability to wait, the urge to possess everything immediately.</div><div><br></div><div>Third verse. It depicts the fact that, depending on the circumstances, teens are willing to be treated as kids or as adults.</div><div>As for the second part, it describes how teens sometimes mock adults with cruelty ignoring the fact that those things they find ridicule will probably characterize them in the future.</div><div><br></div><div>Fourth verse. Here it is made clear how adults, in spite of regarding teenagers as pretty imperfect, envy them, which could be considered as a sin, and would jump at the opportunity of becoming young again if the opportunity presented itself.</div><div><br></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl37M4JjpFtJ_pNFQ2vZc5M0ZvwtF8qyGrL9jSFy3kvfmeQcXG9fiWV8ISbbUApG_dPXKZ77hD5R8TLvuF2xpdexxl_nfpUdeOV2XJeYdnhLNW0QKeHgNN2RGrmPCHHrTPRtDzbb_vUrtC/s640/blogger-image-361789600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl37M4JjpFtJ_pNFQ2vZc5M0ZvwtF8qyGrL9jSFy3kvfmeQcXG9fiWV8ISbbUApG_dPXKZ77hD5R8TLvuF2xpdexxl_nfpUdeOV2XJeYdnhLNW0QKeHgNN2RGrmPCHHrTPRtDzbb_vUrtC/s640/blogger-image-361789600.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198446037105481284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092544234819546530.post-20259576268236373982014-02-04T08:48:00.001-08:002014-02-04T08:48:25.891-08:00I'm starting with the man in the mirror<div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Oxfam, which stands for Oxford Committee for Famine Relief, is the name of an international NGO that, in my opinion, is worth supporting.</span></div><div>It was founded in Britain in 1942 with the aim of sending food supplies to starving women and children who happened to be in enemy-occupied areas during the Second World War.</div><div>Nowadays, it is still committed to the fight against poverty and injustice, which is done through four different courses of action:</div><div>1. Eradicate poverty. Not only are impoverished communities provided with basic resources such as food, water, or sanitation, but they are also trained to be independent of international help.</div><div>2. Assist during emergencies. Wherever a natural disaster may occur there is bound to be assistance from Oxfam to help overcome the difficulties and develop resilience to future catastrophes.</div><div>3. Campaigning. Nothing could be done without the support of ordinary people. For that reason, an important deal of energy is invested in trying to raise public awareness of the causes of poverty and encourage the average citizen to take action.</div><div>4. Advocacy. As important as covering the needs of the weak is dealing with the problem from the root, that is, pressing decision-makers (governments and international organizations) to change policies that reinforce poverty and injustice.</div><div><br></div><div>To my belief, this NGO complies with three criteria of capital importance when deciding what charity is worthier supporting. These are:</div><div>Reliability. We all want that our contribution gets to its destination.</div><div>Organization. As with a machine, every component of the whole should do a specific task without interference or overlapping from other pieces in order to maximize the result and minimize the expenditure.</div><div>Effectivity. This is reflected in the closeness of the aim of the NGO to the result obtained, the closer the better. This is a consequence of how accurate, sensible, correct and so on was the decision about the course of action to follow.</div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Pph7a0pmdi6CnRfWteC4-a4QJIbjGulQfR9jiBXu03nRpsSfuYYaDQIRIjUEK1PeB95JFjsNfaaMsELk6XrUx6RoX6Eg-TZrNW6nlbBc6enVvIwfRnS059Ue69peh3GAakstGZabQnw5/s640/blogger-image--1301190139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Pph7a0pmdi6CnRfWteC4-a4QJIbjGulQfR9jiBXu03nRpsSfuYYaDQIRIjUEK1PeB95JFjsNfaaMsELk6XrUx6RoX6Eg-TZrNW6nlbBc6enVvIwfRnS059Ue69peh3GAakstGZabQnw5/s640/blogger-image--1301190139.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198446037105481284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092544234819546530.post-13042418739215201872014-01-16T09:08:00.001-08:002014-01-16T09:09:28.201-08:00Mandela's way<div>A. The three lessons. It's not an easy task to choose three lessons over the others as they all are very meaningful, but since we are gently pushed to, I'll go for the ones listed below:</div><div>1- Courage is not the absence of fear. I've chosen this chapter mainly because I've already died quite a few times so far and I would like to die not many times more from now on. Apart from this new year's resolution I've found very inspiring Mandela's very concept of courage: it has nothing to do with the absence of fear but with how we manage this existing fear, that is, we will be brave if we pretend we are so, we will overcome fear if we act as if we had already overcome it. Given the large number of situations throughout our lives that cause fear, this is indeed a fairly useful piece of advice.</div><div><br></div><div>2- Be measured. This lesson is without a doubt very useful when we are faced with stressful situations in which we have to be calm in order to be more able to evaluate the situation and choose the best course of action, and in which we even have to transmit to others that we are in control of the situation. This kind of event is very likely to appear repeatedly in our lives and it would be very convenient if we were prepared to face them just by taking into account this important lesson.</div><div><br></div><div>3- See the good in others. If you want to change the world for the better start changing yourself. This lesson describes a way to do that. It is not out of naiveness that you should try to see the good in others but out of self-interest, it is a way of influencing others to behave in a proper way, which for an educator is a priceless lesson indeed.</div><div><br></div><div>B. Mandela's gift. This book, as the title states without subtleties, provides a great deal of advice for everyone that can be applied in many different arenas. Who hasn't been in the need of influencing another person at a particular moment of their lives? We live in society and regardless our personal situation we interact with others, and it would be highly desirable that this interaction occurs in the best possible way so that we can fully achieve our vital goals whatever they may be.</div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhysRUV480pztjI5wjTGc1LEBkwKFKrDrj3KSrK-EdiqDbMdg8zF5nspirdRqurX0836Dz7pN2O3KkJe_anwgF1L_Y3d0Yj-W9Nn8BBxxiL-gLpjCHkYu5lL3hFZQnJpejeEx8YRKjZuXV8/s640/blogger-image--1617754931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhysRUV480pztjI5wjTGc1LEBkwKFKrDrj3KSrK-EdiqDbMdg8zF5nspirdRqurX0836Dz7pN2O3KkJe_anwgF1L_Y3d0Yj-W9Nn8BBxxiL-gLpjCHkYu5lL3hFZQnJpejeEx8YRKjZuXV8/s640/blogger-image--1617754931.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198446037105481284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092544234819546530.post-62634093771686978692013-11-26T09:25:00.001-08:002013-11-26T12:32:00.907-08:00Should we pay for public services that we don't directly receive?<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>In times of economic difficulties, it's very common to revise our budget trying to find unnecessary expenses to eliminate. And if we are undergoing a specially precarious situation it could be understandable that we expressed our reluctance to pay for some services from which we are not going to have an immediate and direct benefit. But in my opinion, regardless our particular situation, we all should pay to ensure that all the basic services are available for whoever may need them.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Firstly, providing education for all the country benefits us all. This is quite obvious: with a highly formed citizenship we will be a more productive country, and so we will be able to export our products or services to other countries improving our economy.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>In addition, a widespread health service will help reducing the incidence of most diseases, reducing thus the likelihood of us being affected (from a selfish point of view). This will also contribute to productiveness, considering the country as a whole, in the sense that a healthier and, therefore stronger, workforce will be inevitably able to produce more.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Besides, public security is essential in order to maintain a minimum standard of living for everyone. Without security forces taking care of us, criminal activities would be omnipresent; no one would be safe wherever they may be because crime would be so engrained everywhere that it would eventually reach everyone.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Admittedly, when we pay our taxes it's difficult to think about the value of what we are having in return, but that does not mean that what we are providing as a country is not valuable, perhaps it just indicates that more should be done to raise awareness of the importance of public services.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Summing up, public services are not just valuable but essential in order to maintain a minimum standard of living for everyone, because the well being of our neighbors is our own well being. </div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRyR2eTyAZKHqCu2l0OtNsHJ2raRtordAuHddfU57jwst7nHIZCZva91OEZjNocguFKPG8U33v8k2tNQ7qqZX-bBapHJj0L0ANnv5tX0YEQHtMBPj_OYntiNHZ-vssd3ICmUNmrwKwuT7k/s640/blogger-image-1988474110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRyR2eTyAZKHqCu2l0OtNsHJ2raRtordAuHddfU57jwst7nHIZCZva91OEZjNocguFKPG8U33v8k2tNQ7qqZX-bBapHJj0L0ANnv5tX0YEQHtMBPj_OYntiNHZ-vssd3ICmUNmrwKwuT7k/s640/blogger-image-1988474110.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198446037105481284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092544234819546530.post-19302882044776734262013-11-20T10:27:00.001-08:002013-11-20T12:27:47.161-08:00Airplane!<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Presently, I am immersed in a book called "peoples and cultures of the world" by Edward F. Fischer. It deals with anthropology and therefore, with language, as an essential feature of human beings. It is structured in lectures, and in the seventh one, titled "Language and thought," it is described how language and thought influence each other. Well, in this chapter we find a very interesting extract about direct and indirect language. In direct language you express very clearly what you want, and indirect language uses lots of subtleties to communicate the speaker's intentions, it could be compared with an understatement. Bosses usually use direct language to speak to their subordinates while subordinates tend to use indirect language when speaking with their superiors. Part of this extract may easily fit in a comedy as a gag in spite of its tremendously tragical nature.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>In 13th January 1982, an airplane that was to leave from Washington National Airport took off and just a few seconds later it crashed down, dying 74 out of 79 people. The reason was that ice formed on the wings of the plane because it had been waiting too long to take off after being de-iced. Then it took off, the rotors and flaps couldn't move and it crashed down. The black box recording shows a very revealing conversation between the pilot and the copilot; take note of the indirect speech that the copilot is using to communicate his concerns to the pilot:</div><div><br></div><div>Copilot: Look at that ice just hanging there on this... eeer back there, you see that?</div><div>Pilot: (No response).</div><div>Copilot: See all those icicles on the.... back there and everything?</div><div>Pilot: Yeah.</div><div>Copilot: Boy, this is a losing battle here trying to de-ice those things, it gives you a false sense of security. That's all it does.</div><div>Pilot: (No response).</div><div>(Then they're given clearance for take off).</div><div>Copilot: Let's check those tops again since we've been sitting here for a while.</div><div>Pilot: I think we've got to go here in a minute.</div><div>Copilot: That doesn't seem right, does it? That's not right.</div><div>Pilot: Yes it is.</div><div>Copilot: No, I don't think that's right. Mmmm maybe it is.</div><div>Pilot: 120.</div><div>Copilot: Mmm I don't know.</div><div>(And then they take off. 37 seconds later they crash down).</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Probably, if the copilot had been more assertive and had addressed the pilot more directly the catastrophe would have been avoided. Anyway, it would be unfair to put all the blame on the copilot when it was the pilot who didn't bother to take into account the copilot's warning.</div><div><br></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSGvSlfzaA7vzvBPuNnjNICtyNLw0IUW2g2WSsq8kYJpXr15UAf1eTM5MXZ04_RepCmoM7YHc93UAwhTTz-VAuYitoMd3FEymOzbIGgxr1n8fTHUmbmOfn1SvtAAdzg0Ed1La4rHlEXltW/s640/blogger-image-1343556547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSGvSlfzaA7vzvBPuNnjNICtyNLw0IUW2g2WSsq8kYJpXr15UAf1eTM5MXZ04_RepCmoM7YHc93UAwhTTz-VAuYitoMd3FEymOzbIGgxr1n8fTHUmbmOfn1SvtAAdzg0Ed1La4rHlEXltW/s640/blogger-image-1343556547.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198446037105481284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092544234819546530.post-41182285118741985962013-11-06T13:16:00.001-08:002013-11-07T02:52:05.532-08:00A story about gain and loss<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Green, painfully green; as painful a green as the sight of all that was dear to you and has been lost in the way. Green, soothingly green; as soothing a green as the sight of the only familiar thing that remains in a world that means nothing to you, absolutely nothing. Right now, this deep green, as soothing as painful, as painful as soothing, is all that I've got, and there is nothing I can do. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>But there was a time when things were different. I used to be a wealthy man, wealthy in every single aspect of life. It could be said that I possessed everything that was worth possessing. </div><div>And I must add, in my defence, that I held everything in the highest regard: it hasn't been a loss through waste what I have suffered. In fact, I was so aware of how fortunate I was that I kept everything I was fond of in the most meticulously arranged place: an enormous storage buried deep underground, solely accessible for those able enough to find their way out of a wickedly tangled maze of subterranean tunnels. Into the storage, a series of aisles were separated by rows of wooden shelves that faded in the distance as one strained their eyes trying to locate the end of the corridors.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>And there was an amazing variety of items kept there: everything I had come across during my life, everyone I had met, and even replicas (or were them the original ones?) of everyplace I had been to.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>But one day this frightening man appeared. He was as old as mankind, and there are no better adjectives to describe him than evil, ruthless, unstoppable and extremely effective.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>He somehow managed to break into my sacred chamber and began stealing my most recent acquisitions. At first I didn't notice their absence, but as time went by and more and dearer items began missing I realized that I was being helplessly stripped of everything I had. I gradually lost my favorite objects, my most precious places, my dearest friends and relatives, and eventually I lost my own self, everything but these pair of green discs that stare at me from this unrecognizable face in the room beyond this crystal-like surface.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"Hi daddy, how are you feeling today?" Asked me a perfect stranger.</div><div><br></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlztz1279BPSiNqeYm0ZhJur1jm1WxZ_OR4fZfvvE9tP4ux1ivRNIO95SPK0hxODP32yH6wKzMrHcTL7ahXOIygRclRaQL9IU812zzoKB6XKlMsOJ1Wxrb4vNnLIXiq-yJ1C_svx9dsu0m/s640/blogger-image--1218216556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlztz1279BPSiNqeYm0ZhJur1jm1WxZ_OR4fZfvvE9tP4ux1ivRNIO95SPK0hxODP32yH6wKzMrHcTL7ahXOIygRclRaQL9IU812zzoKB6XKlMsOJ1Wxrb4vNnLIXiq-yJ1C_svx9dsu0m/s640/blogger-image--1218216556.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198446037105481284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092544234819546530.post-53179696988575883632013-10-22T02:03:00.001-07:002013-10-22T02:03:12.454-07:00The legend of The Tower of The Infantas<div>Once upon a time, when the Reign of Granada was governed from The Alhambra by the Arabs, there was a Sultan called Mohamed The Lefty who married a Christian captive with whom he had three beautiful daughters: Zaida, Zoraida and Zorahaida.</div><div>As time went by the Sultan grew worried about his daughters and sought advice from an astrologer so as to know what would become of the three charming princesses in the future. And this counsel he got: "watch your daughters closely when they reach marriageable age and don't trust anyone."</div><div>The Sultan, extremely suspicious, locked his daughters in a golden cage, a tower in the palace of The Alhambra with any imaginable comfort.</div><div>And there they grew up and from there they saw them -when they had reached marriageable age-, three handsome Christian prisoners. Despite the Sultan's precautions, they couldn't help falling in love at first sight.</div><div>The nursemaid who looked after the princesses managed to arrange keeping the prisoners close enough to the tower so that the princesses could get to know them. </div><div>Soon, they all planned to escape together and get married. And so they did, at least two of them, as eventually Zorahaida didn't have the guts to run away from his father, whom, on the other hand, she respected very deeply.</div><div>Legend has it that she always regretted not escaping with her sisters, and that she finally died in the tower, where her spirit will forever remain unless a Christian bachelor breaks the spell. </div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieyPAtsDyhHiRTw01AZPxZK6BbLgrDMM7JjywPYH8Md_4egy3ci-473wIkSR2aObaFcs5V5f2aZWsu7S_RkJoaiZ0USAw3XAk5BN5FoXqlxZNzjg4q7cgPL1eiaSvLgceYPFWeAExHeEZI/s640/blogger-image-402188085.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieyPAtsDyhHiRTw01AZPxZK6BbLgrDMM7JjywPYH8Md_4egy3ci-473wIkSR2aObaFcs5V5f2aZWsu7S_RkJoaiZ0USAw3XAk5BN5FoXqlxZNzjg4q7cgPL1eiaSvLgceYPFWeAExHeEZI/s640/blogger-image-402188085.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198446037105481284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092544234819546530.post-822060780811100922013-10-07T01:46:00.001-07:002013-10-15T09:02:40.224-07:00Traveller vs tourist<div>There are some defining features regarding each of them but there are also some similarities. These similarities are mentioned here and there among the bloggers: first there is the common love for discovery, and the second is the growth one undergoes through travelling, learning about oneself and the world.</div><div>Concerning the difference between them, some bloggers argue that this difference is so subtle that is hardly noticeable, while others maintain that the difference lies in how we perceive each other: locals tend to see people who travel as tourists, and people who travel tend to see themselves as travellers and others as tourists.</div><div>Leaving subtleties apart, most of the bloggers specify quite concretely the particular characteristics of a traveller and a tourist:</div><div>Beginning with the negative aspect, it is said that the traveller naturally dislikes tourists, or what is more, he snubs his nose at them; he maintains a quite snob and pretentious attitude for trying to distinguish himself from the tourist. But let's think that this is not so on a regular basis. </div><div>On the other hand, some romantic features are mentioned here and there such as adventurous, gritty, improviser, discoverer and pioneer. Besides there are also mentioned some superficial features refering to the kind of travel they make such as long-term and multi-regional. </div><div>But the more repeated and accurate features (in my opinion) are: the deeper experience and better understanding of the place he gets out of his travels, which is done through previous research and preparation, getting to know the locals, sharing their customs, and taking advantage of every moment of the journey.</div><div>As for the tourist he travels in big tour groups (as lambs), with arranged packages, swallowing what guides have prepared for them (or should I say companies?). His main aim is to escape from work and day-to-day stress, he looks for an intermission from everyday life. He tends to do short and luxurious trips, moving quickly from one place to another. He is looking forward to seeing what the new place has to offer from a visual point of view. On the whole he expects to get a superficial experience with little understanding of the culture, the history, the people and the geography of the place. </div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZgoAR9bzv5nw78JBD84DdXQHDVlcjz3_WqRveUnOUkEZ1wMDu1YSH65ePJt-kqGHDLbDEe5gEnlRQt6HLqKS6looSOOfwCiawcaxVBgCroXDaEBLhytDGivNexIcjxn2z7afs2AHAs_6/s640/blogger-image--1105221229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZgoAR9bzv5nw78JBD84DdXQHDVlcjz3_WqRveUnOUkEZ1wMDu1YSH65ePJt-kqGHDLbDEe5gEnlRQt6HLqKS6looSOOfwCiawcaxVBgCroXDaEBLhytDGivNexIcjxn2z7afs2AHAs_6/s640/blogger-image--1105221229.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198446037105481284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092544234819546530.post-68089786827420155232013-09-30T08:39:00.001-07:002013-10-01T06:31:05.936-07:00Journey through Ireland<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I made a travel with my wife and a couple of friends to Ireland at the beginning of August, and it lasted one and a half weeks. We flew with a low cost company from Madrid to Dublin, and once there we rented a car with the purpose of driving around the southern half of the island. At first it was nerve wrecking: having to drive on the left side of the road, the absence of verge, the huge green mass of vegetation invading the road every now and then, and the fear of scratching the immaculate car; but after a few hundreds of kilometers we eventually got used to it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">As high points I would mention the beauty of the scenery, with countless tones of green, the ever present historical buildings like medieval castles, churches and cathedrals, extremely well conserved, the permanent absence of litter,the warmth of the people, and the magnificent beer.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After struggling a bit with my memory, the only drawback that I have been able to recall is the extremely limited range of dishes available, which were repeated again and again almost in the same order in every restaurant.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">All in all, it has been an unforgettable journey that I wouldn't mind repeating.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmjGterVBhzfm2WEfxPCLS2lFCeJwSGTNGe7vwiI-GiTdkvevJNWMn45W4JWgtOJB5qCtdc5bw96hyphenhyphencg2C_8yYaNxvmU-zpY2cJqkzOOz0bw07tCS4x0xTiIQLDD44wkptm-sEL9W9wyM/s640/blogger-image-983011313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmjGterVBhzfm2WEfxPCLS2lFCeJwSGTNGe7vwiI-GiTdkvevJNWMn45W4JWgtOJB5qCtdc5bw96hyphenhyphencg2C_8yYaNxvmU-zpY2cJqkzOOz0bw07tCS4x0xTiIQLDD44wkptm-sEL9W9wyM/s640/blogger-image-983011313.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198446037105481284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092544234819546530.post-64199526442856861352013-09-25T09:20:00.000-07:002013-09-30T08:42:15.135-07:00The persistence of memory. Dalí, 1931<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>THE PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY</b></div>
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<b>(Dalí, 1931)</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdcBu50oIr10EWHov_vvb-9zUrryDid8YVzvsEezjen8YyOjQcu89eVA-N_Z5vvVtmHc1tuOVyVot3pUrL8IXJUc-vH0YdaBIyqVdEL5EmGNOsd1s6byUAu04IVAxkC9jmgHZSbyyKnJGe/s1600/The_Persistence_of_Memory_Salvador_Dali.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdcBu50oIr10EWHov_vvb-9zUrryDid8YVzvsEezjen8YyOjQcu89eVA-N_Z5vvVtmHc1tuOVyVot3pUrL8IXJUc-vH0YdaBIyqVdEL5EmGNOsd1s6byUAu04IVAxkC9jmgHZSbyyKnJGe/s1600/The_Persistence_of_Memory_Salvador_Dali.jpg" height="240" width="320"></a></div>
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The first element in the painting that catches your eye is the presence of these old-fashioned pocket watches that are melting. After that, you become aware of the almost deserted scenery except for the apparently dead tree on the left and the unrecognizable creature in the centre of the painting. Then, it dawns on you the unnatural illumination that transports you to those places in the brain that you only visit in your dreams.</div>
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Subjecting the painting to a deeper analysis, we can see the cliffs at the top right hand corner. They are the key of the composition: it is them what is hard, what is perdurable. Contrasting with the hard cliffs are the soft watches and creature that represent degradation, mortality. In fact, the creature is said to be Dalí´s face, soft, quite distorted, with an immense nose, oversized eyelashes, and an enormous tongue protruding from a hidden mouth.</div>
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Returning to the watches, as you can see, at the bottom left hand corner lies the only rigid watch, covered with ants, which express rottenness. The other watches symbolize the relativeness of time, as each of them is showing a different time.</div>
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Summing up, the painting shows the perishability of human beings in contrast with the perdurability of inanimate objects like those composing the landscape.</div>
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The reason why I like this painting, apart from the originality and precision of the style, is that it reminds you of your place in History: how little, unimportant and transitory we are compared with the old Earth.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198446037105481284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092544234819546530.post-2646030349221150422013-09-21T02:00:00.000-07:002013-09-30T08:42:54.432-07:00Metabolic syndrome article<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Metabolic syndrome and nutrition in a Granada´s tropical coast population</b></div>
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http://www.nutricionhospitalaria.com/pdf/6033.pdf</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;">INTRODUCTION</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Metabolic Syndrome (MS) was called X Syndrome by Reaven</span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>1</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">, and although several authors had been warning about the cardiovascular risk of suffering dyslipidemia, obesity, arterial hypertension (HTN) and glucose intolerance, it was Reaven's group the one that confirmed the association of these metabolic alterations with insulin resistance, even in apparently healthy and thin individuals</span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>2,3</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>There are several sets of defining criteria for MS: in 1988 the World Health Organization</span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>4 </sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">considers that metabolic syndrome can be diagnosed when the glycemia level in fasting conditions is 110 mg/dl and/or when the glycemia level after two hours of drinking a glucose solution is 140mg/dl, or when there is a diagnosed insulin resistance, along with, at least, two of the following:</span></div>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Dyslipidemia (Triglycerides >150 mg/dl and/or cholesterol HDL >35 or 39 mg/dl in men and women respectively).</span></li>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> HTN (≥140-90mmHg).</span></li>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Obesity (waist/hip index >0,9-0,8 in men and women respectively and/or body mass index (BMI) > 30 Kg/m</span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>2</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">).</span></li>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Microalbuminuria (short-time urine collection of 20 mg/min).</span></li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Currently, the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III 2001)</span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>5</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> diagnostic criteria are considered the most useful and the most commonly used to diagnose Metabolic Syndrome:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It requieres the existance of at least three of the following:</span></div>
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<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Triglycerides ≥ 150 mg/dl</span></li>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">HDL cholesterol < 40 mg/dl (male) and < 50 mg/dl (female).</span></li>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Blood pressure ≥ 130-85 mmHg.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Fasting plasma glucose ≥ 110 mg/dl</span></li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Therefore, the metabolic syndrome prevalence may vary depending on which set of criteria is applied for its diagnose, and other factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, and lifestyle. However, it has been estimated a prevalence of 24% (slightly higher in men) in the United States</span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>6</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">. In Spain, a national register of metabolic syndrome (MESYAS, Metabolic Syndrome in Active Subjects) was promoted by the Preventive Cardiology Section of the Spanish Cardiology Society with the purpose of analyzing the prevalence of MS in a wide spanish sample. In May 2005, the MESYAS register, with over 19.000 entries, indicated an overall prevalence of 12% (16% in males and 8% in females).</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This register shows differences in the MS prevalence depending on the geographical area, indicating a lower prevalence in the northern areas of Spain. Half of the individuals with MS possess three factors: raised blood pressure, hypertriglyceridemia, and raised BMI in men; and raised BMI, reduced HDL cholesterol, and raised blood pressure in women</span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>7</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The MS and its components are related to a high risk of developing cardiovascular disease; obesity and sedentariness are underlying risk factors, therefore, the first line treatment is change of lifestyle, modifying physical activity and diet</span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>8-11</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> in order to normalize the individual disorders that comprise the MS. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Recent research shows the important rol of visceral obesity in the development of MS</span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>21</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">. Obesity and overweight tend to trigger an increase of the insulin resistance</span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>22</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">. It also has been noticed a relationship between obesity and arteriosclerosis, caused by the increase of free fatty acids, the unbalance of cytosines, and the insulin resistance. Through the insulin resistance, glucose intolerance and diabetes type II are developed. But also, in association with the increase of the free fatty acids, the insulin resistance plays a role in the development of dyslipidemia, that results in a reduced amount of HDL cholesterol and raised triglycerides</span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>23</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The aim of this article is to show the relationships between variables such as gender, age, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glycemia, BMI, percentage of body fat, central obesity, blood pressure, and diet with the MS diagnose in a population of the tropical coast of Granada.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;">MATERIALS AND METHODS</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Subjects</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></i>This study was conducted in a sample of 119 individuals belonging to the so called tropical coast of Granada. All the subjects had previously and voluntarily signed an informed consent (according to the WMA Declaration of Helsinki on Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects) expressing their willingness to take part in this study and giving permission to collect, use and disclose their personal analytic data anonymously. All the individuals were given a control number to guaratee their anonymousness. Regarding the composition of the sample in terms of gender and age, 52% of the subjects were women and 48% were men, and their ages ranged between 15 and 90, (fig. 1).</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Information collected</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The individuals were subjected to several tests and measurements:</span></div>
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<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Anthropometric measurements such as weight (Kg), height (m), BMI (Kg/m</span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>2</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">), and waist circumference (cm).</span></li>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The skinfold test was used to calculate the percentage of body fat. Points of measurement: biceps, triceps, subescapular, and iliac crest.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Blood pressure measurement (mmHg).</span></li>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Clinical analysis of glucose, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A survey of the the subjects’ diet 24 hours prior to the blood extraction.</span></li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Once the analytic parameters were taken, the individuals were divided into a control group and a group with MS according to the diagnose criteria of the ATP III 2001</span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>5</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Materials and methods</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The equipment used for the anthropometric measurements was: electronic scales model OMRN HN283 to measure weight, stadiometer BAME to measure height, fiberglass tape GULICK to measure waist circumference, and caliper HOLTAIN to do the skinfold test.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The BMI was calculated following the World Health Organization (WHO) criterion: BMI = Weight (Kg) / Height (m)</span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>2</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">. The percentage of body fat was calculated using the Siri Equation</span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>20</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">. Blood pressure was measured with a sphygmomanometer model OMRON wrist R6/HEM 6001-E.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The blood samples for the measurement of glucose, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides were taken in fasting conditions between 8:30 and 9:30 in the morning. Venojet® tubes were used for the biochemical analysis, where 6 ml of blood with EDTA were introduced for the collect of blood serum or plasma. All the determinations were performed at 37ºC by the biochemical analyser Techinicon RA-1000. The reagents used were make QCA (Química Clínica Aplicada S.A.), and they were: liquid glucose GOD-POD method for the measurement of glucose, liquid cholesterol colorimetric CHOD-PAP method for total cholesterol, direct HDL cholesterol calorimetric method for HDL cholesterol, and liquid triglycerides GPO method for triglycerides.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Statistical analysis</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The statistical analysis was performed with Microsoft Excel 2000 and Statistical Analysis System, SAS® version 9.1 for Windows. The statistical techniques used were the Wilcoxon Test, descriptive analysis, and Anova.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;">RESULTS and DISCUSSION:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This research shows that 20,2% of the sample was diagnosed with MS. Significant statistical differences were found between the individuals with MS and the control group. When analyzing table I, it is possible to appreciate the figures for each parameter that was measured as well as its level of statistical significance.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to the data, the prevalence of MS in the sample is 20,2%, 58,3% of which were women. Comparing our figure for prevalence (20,2%) with that of other researchers in the United States</span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>6</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> (22%) it is noticeable how similar they are. If also compared the sample of this research with the Spanish population as a whole</span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>7</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> (MESYAS) in terms of prevalence, it can be noticed that our figure is higher, but it has to be taken into consideration that the prevalence of MS in the Spanish population is not homogeneous, on the contrary the prevalence in the south of Spain is higher than in the north, in agreement with our results. In the developed countries there is an estimated prevalence of 24% in adults, whereas the figure exceeds 40% in the elderly</span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>23</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Obesity is a condition characterised by the excess of body fat. According to the quantity of body fat, a person could be defined as obese when his or her percentage of body fat exceeds the figures considered as normal: 12 to 20% in men and 20 to 30% in women</span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>24</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The BMI, in spite of not being an excellent indicator of adiposity in muscular or elderly people, is the parameter most used in the majority of epidemiologic studies and the most recommended one by medical societies and international health organizations for medical use, due to its reproducibility, easy use, and capability to show the adiposity of the majority of the population.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When we talk about obessity in our research, it is refered to BMI and body fat percentage. In our study there are differences between the individuals with MS and the control ones (Table II). The individuals with MS of our sample have an average BMI of 32,5 Kg/m</span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>2</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> (falling into the “Obese grade I” category according to the WHO) and an average body fat percentage of 34,8% (falling into the “Obese” category according to scientists and doctors)</span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>19</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Diet is the main exogenetic factor that influences the concentration and composition of blood lipids. The total calorie content in the diet has an effect on the blood lipids. Diets with excess calories (hypercaloric) stimulate the production of triglycerides by the liver and increase the level of LDL cholesterol.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When studying the diet</span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>8-11</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> of the indivuals in our sample (data obtained through dietetic survey) no significant differences can de appreciated in terms of percentage of lipids, carbohydrates and proteins, and Kcal/day between the subjects with MS and the control ones (Table III).</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;">CONCLUSION</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The prevalence of MS in the tropical coast of Granada is similar to that of other national (MESYAS) and international studies. This prevalence is high, but it is important to know that corrective and preventive measures can be taken involving diet and physical activity.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The BMI and the body fat percentage are relevant factors to consider when talking about MS since significant differences have been found between individuals with and without MS.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Regarding diet, our results (obtained through dietetic survey) don´t agree with those of other studies related to MS, reaching the conclusion that this method may not be the most suitable to obtain this kind of information.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">More controled conditions should be applied to obtain the data related to the individuals food intake. We would suggest conducting the research among guests of some kind of canteen, where the menu is perfectly known.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>MS is related to variables, apart from diet, such as physical activity and genotype that were not taken into account in this research and therefore may have altered the results in one direction or the other. </span></div>
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