El móvil_minificción

JUAN JOSÉ MILLÁS

El tipo que desayunaba a mi lado en el bar olvidó un teléfono móvil debajo de la barra. Corrí tras él, pero cuando alcancé la calle había desaparecido. Di un par de vueltas con el aparato en la mano por los alrededores y finalmente lo guardé en el bolsillo y me metí en el autobús. A la altura de Cartagena comenzó a sonar. Por mi gusto no habría descolgado, pero la gente me miraba, así que lo saqué con naturalidad y atendí la llamada. Una voz de mujer, al otro lado, preguntó: “¿Dónde estás?”. “En el autobús”, dije. “¿En el autobús? ¿Y qué haces en el autobús?”. “Voy a la oficina”. La mujer se echó a llorar como si le hubiera dicho algo horrible, y colgó.

Guardé el aparato en el bolsillo de la chaqueta y perdí la mirada en el vacío. A la altura de María de Molina con Velázquez volvió a sonar. Era de nuevo la mujer. Aún lloraba. “Seguirás en el autobús, ¿no?”, dijo con voz incrédula. “Sí”, respondí. Imaginé que me hablaba desde una cama con las sábanas negras, de seda, y que ella vestía un camisón blanco con encajes. Al enjugarse las lágrimas, se deslizó el tirante del hombro derecho y yo me excité mucho sin que nadie se diera cuenta. Una mujer tosió a mi lado. “¿Con quién estás?”, preguntó angustiada. “Con nadie”, dije. “¿Y esa tos?”. “Es de una pasajera del autobús”. Tras unos segundos, añadió con voz firme: “Me voy a suicidar; si no me das alguna esperanza me mato ahora mismo”. Miré a mi alrededor; todo el mundo estaba pendiente de mí, así que no sabía qué hacer. “Te quiero”, dije y colgué.

Dos calles más allá sonó otra vez. “¿Eres tú el imbécil que anda jugando con mi móvil?”, preguntó una voz masculina. “Sí”, dije tragando saliva. “¿Y piensas devolvérmelo?”. “No”, respondí. Al poco nos dejaron sin línea, pero yo lo llevo siempre en el bolsillo por si ella volviera a telefonear.
© EL PAIS (13/10/1995)

1,000 Places to See Before You Die

Essential for any traveler (armchair or otherwise), this gorgeous guide makes a great addition to one's bookshelf. One thousand man-made and natural wonders of the world are gathered here, painstakingly researched by Patricia Schultz to provide optimum delight to the would-be explorer. A detailed and cross-referenced index lists among its temptations such categories as Unrivaled Museums, Sacred Places, Festivals, and Culinary Experiences. Not only will you find many places to visit, Schultz will help you with how to get there.

Introducing the Eighth Wonder of travel books. A joyous, passionate gift book for travelers — both the real and the armchair variety — 1,000 Places to See Before You Die delivers exactly the promise of its around-the-world, continent-by-continent listing of places guaranteed to give you shivers, the unique and wonderful places you must see on and off the beaten track.
Take a safari into Botswana's Okavango Delta, the world's largest oasis, where "if you see 10 percent of what sees you, it's an exceptional day." Sail the Grenadines, 32 islands and hundreds of dotlike cays strung like a necklace of gems across 40 miles of pristine waters. Tour the covered souks of Aleppo, where the labyrinthine streets seem straight out of A Thousand and One Nights and frankincense and myrhh are still sold. Hike the Tasman Glacier. Climb the Tuscan hills to San Gimignano. Stay at the Hassler in Rome, or Paris's Crillon — you must, at least once. There's Canyon de Chelly, Tokyo's Tsukiji Fish Market, the backwaters of Kerala, Ipanema beach, the Buddhas of Borobudur, Mesa Verde's cave dwellings, the Oaxaca Saturday market, Ballybunion Golf Club.

The prose is gorgeous, seizing on exactly what makes each entry worthy of inclusion. And, following the romance, the nuts and bolts: addresses, phone and fax numbers, web sites, costs, best times to visit. Of special interest are subject-specific indexes — gorgeous beaches, destination restaurants, world-class museums — making the guide entirely user-friendly, no matter if you're dreaming or going. (Georgie Lewis, Powells.com)

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!

JUNTOS PUDIMOS

Torres delivers finishing touch to make Spain kings of Europe

• Kevin McCarra at the Ernst Happel Stadium
• The Guardian,
• Monday June 30, 2008

Fernando Torres lifts the ball over Jens Lehmann to score Spain's winning goal. Photograph: Laurent Gillieron/EPA

The delightfulness of Euro 2008 has been capped by its profound justice. Adroit and artistic Spain have triumphed in a tournament where their squad had the depth of talent to outdo all others. Those who mused that Luis Aragonés's side might lack in forwards while the tournament's top scorer, David Villa, was injured received their answer. Liverpool's Fernando Torres took the only goal with a mixture of anticipation, pace and delicacy of finish.

Germany were as intrepid as is to be expected of a nation in pursuit of a seventh major prize. Nonetheless, Michael Ballack, who had recovered from a calf strain, was the key person in a line-up that had to depend on its doggedness. Strong-minded as Spain have also been in winning all six of their matches here, technical excellence is the true basis of their domination.

Aragonés carries some notoriety but he has taught Spain to count on their talent. The inability to win a trophy since taking this same competition in Madrid in 1964 has been all the more galling because footballers of lavish gifts have been among those who floundered. At Euro 2008, by contrast, Spain never permitted their opponents to assume the lead in any game.

This final had rough moments and it called for forbearance from the Italian referee Roberto Rosetti to restrict himself to four bookings. Germany are hardy and they carried the play to Spain at times. It must peeve them that the deadlock could not be prolonged as they wished because of a single lapse.

In the 33rd minute Xavi eased a through-ball which Philipp Lahm was well placed to deal with, but the swift Torres first moved outside the left-back and then inside him to flip a finish meticulously over the advancing Jens Lehmann and into the far corner of the net. "Lahm was in a better position but for a moment he relaxed and I took advantage," said the scorer, who had hit the post with a header 10 minutes earlier.

That took Torres's tally for Euro 2008 to a modest two goals but this contribution was priceless. Aragonés had never lost sight of the challenge he poses to a back four and the liberty that opens up for team-mates accordingly.

Lahm was reportedly taken off with an injury, but Germany needed his replacement Marcell Jansen, a naturally left-sided footballer, to attack Spain. Joachim Löw's team could not do that with any consistency, all the same. If they disturbed the opposition it was at the start. With much forthrightness then, they set course repeatedly for the right-back Sergio Ramos, illustrating the truth that he is really a centre-half.

Despite that awkward spell, Spain were bound to cause Germany distress sooner or later. Löw's side had already conceded four goals in the knockout phase before they got to this match and their opposition, having steadied themselves, were soon exploring the rich possibilities.

Spain may have broken through only once but they defend well and have kept clean sheets since leaving the group stage. Lehmann was involved in the game to a greater extent than Iker Casillas in the opposing goal. With 14 minutes gone Xavi unleashed Andrés Iniesta on the left and the cross, after breaking off Christoph Metzelder, had to be turned behind impressively by the former Arsenal goalkeeper.

Lehmann is a veteran but the tradition on which Germany counts is even older. The consciousness of their predecessors' accomplishments stiffens the resolve of the present-day Germany to transcend their own weaknesses. No other country realises its potential in international football quite as they do. The trait was there from fairly early days, with West Germany defeating the vastly more accomplished Hungary to take the 1954 World Cup.

That menace, to the sorrow of rivals, is not imprisoned entirely within the pages of the history books. It had been on the loose at Euro 2008. Against sides inferior to Spain, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski, in particular, had prospered, savouring a status that eludes them at Bayern Munich.

Although Spain, in recent times, have been capable of touching a higher standard, their terror was of letting themselves down after coming all this way at Euro 2008. The side had wrestled with such psychological issues, especially in the quarter-final victory over Italy in a shoot-out. Aragonés's team, in addition, go into most matches with the knowledge that they will be facing adversaries who are, on average, taller and stronger. Considering that Spain also have restricted supplies of pace, it says everything about the technique in the ranks that they were clear favourites to win this final.

Their advantage had looked fragile now and again in a sometimes heated game and a fracas between Casillas and Ballack secured a booking for each. Prior to that the Germany midfielder had needed protracted treatment for a cut to his head. The lasting pain for Ballack is in further sorrow at yet another defeat in a final.

He had no means of evading the woe. The striving could be ugly and two opponents went brow to brow, with David Silva deemed the main offender, although neither he nor Podolski was cautioned by Rosetti. It is the Germans alone whose heads will ache over this evening in Vienna.

Hitchcocked_short film

Filmmaker's Notes:

"More than any other art form, film's power to mimic reality gives us storytellers' enormous opportunity to toy with an audience's mind and emotions."

My latest short is a tight, dark and edgy, psychological thriller. And as is typical of my work, layered with human behavioral insight, humor, and a strong dose of social commentary. Hitchcocked is a sexy, scary look at contemporary urban gay issues. And as it offers a stark contrast to the repressed world of Brokeback Mountain, is likely to resonate well with thoughtful audiences.

In spite of its title, Hitchcocked is neither pastiche nor parody. Yet I freely borrow from the Master's trademark approach toward scaring an audience.

Toronto Star film critic, Geoff Pevere very much reflects my own motivations when he wrote, "For Hitchcock, the audience was one large sentient organism, to be poked, prodded, teased and tortured as mercilessly as only the movies could. He never tired of finding ways to exploit and then undermine audience expectations, and he delighted in the power of film to morally implicate his viewers in the darker shenanigans of his characters' behaviour."

Ironically, although my short's title embodies a number of hidden meanings, in the end it is not the characters, but the film's audience, that may find themselves Hitchcocked. (David M. Young)

Nutrition on Earth :)

In the beginning God covered the earth with broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, with green, yellow and red vegetables of all kinds so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.

And God created the healthy yoghurt that woman might keep the figure that man found so fair.

And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat and sugar from the cane and combined them. And Woman went from size 12 to size 14.

So God said, 'Try my fresh green salad'. And Satan presented Blue Cheese dressing and garlic croutons on the side. And Man and Woman unfastened their belts following the repast.

God then said 'I have sent you healthy vegetables and olive oil in which to cook them'.

And Satan brought forth deep fried coconut king prawns, butter-dipped lobster chunks and chicken fried steak, so big it needed its own platter, and Man's cholesterol went through the roof.

Then God brought forth the potato; naturally low in fat and brimming with potassium and good nutrition.

Then Satan peeled off the healthy skin and sliced the starchy centre into chips and deep-fried them in animal fats adding copious quantities of salt. And Man put on more pounds. God then brought forth running shoes so that his Children might lose those extra pounds.

And Satan came forth with a cable TV with remote control so Man would not have to toil changing the channels. And Man and Woman laughed and cried before the flickering light and started wearing stretch jogging suits.

Then God gave lean beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still satisfy his appetite.

And Satan created McDonalds and the 99p double cheeseburger. Then Satan said 'You want fries with that?' and Man replied, 'Yes, and super size'em'. And Satan said, 'It is good.' And Man and Woman went into cardiac arrest.

God sighed ... and created quadruple by-pass surgery.

And then ... Satan chuckled and created the National Health Service.

THE FINAL WORD ON NUTRITION

After an exhaustive review of the research literature, here's the final word on nutrition and health:

1. Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.
2. Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.
3. Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.
4. Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.
5. Germans drink beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.
6. The French eat foie-gras, full fat cheese and drink red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.

CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

Send this to at least 14 friends in the next 60 minutes to receive absolutely nothing back and something good may not happen, but may, or again may not, but who cares, cos it's funny.

Here endeth the Lesson :)

Homophobia around the World

The International Lesbian and Gay Association’s 2008 report on state-sponsored homophobia says that to be lesbian or gay risks jail time in 86 countries and death penalty in seven.

The research deals only with legislation criminalising consensual sexual acts between persons of the same sex in private above the age of consent. In addition to those 86 countries, there are six provinces or territorial units which also punish homosexuality with imprisonment, said ILGA.

"Although many of the countries listed in the report do not systematically implement those laws, their mere existence reinforces a culture where a significant portion of the citizens needs to hide from the rest of the population out of fear," said Rosanna Flamer-Caldera, co-secretary general of ILGA. "A culture where hatred and violence are justified by the state and force people into invisibility or into denying who they truly are."

"Whether exported by colonial empires or the result of legislations culturally shaped by religious beliefs, if not deriving directly from a conservative interpretation of religious texts, homophobic laws are the fruit of a certain time and context in history. Homophobia is cultural, not inborn. People learn it as they grow."

This year, a list of countries according to their legislations affecting lesbian and gay people has also been included. This allows readers to get a quick and comprehensive overview on the legal situation in the world, from countries penalising homosexual activity with death penalty to the few ones allowing adoption for same-sex couples. Along the same lines, ILGA has published a map on gay rights that can be used to raise awareness of people on the many laws affecting gay people in the world.

Philipp Braun, co-secretary general of ILGA, said: "In many cases, prejudice against homosexual people is the result of ignorance and fear. This long catalogue of horrors is but a tale of the intolerance against what is foreign and different.

"Decriminalisation of same sex activity is as urgent as ever. The fight for the respect of every minority has to be everyone’s fight. We believe that the recognition of sexual minorities as components of our civil societies and the acknowledgement of the equality of their human rights can contribute to learning how to live together, that is, the learning of democracy."

"It is important to set this debate where it belongs: on the human rights agenda. Altogether 60 countries have publicly supported sexual orientation as an issue at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights/Human Rights Council since 2003.
ILGA's 2008 report on state homophobia around the world is available at www.ilga.org
Photo: On July 19th 2005 Iranian teenagers Mahmoud Asgari, 15 and Ayaz Marhoni, 17, were hanged for perverting Islamic law.

Doris Lessing on excellence

Reading and gap-filling excercise on students, teachers and books, a thought-provoking text by Nobel Prize winner for Literature Doris Lessing.
Fill in the blank spaces with one of the ten colour words below and look up the words in bold in your dictionary.

Once upon a time —and it seems quite far-off— there was a respected figure, the __________ person. He —it used to be a he, but as time went by it progressively became a she— received an education which differed very little from one country to another (…), but which was quite different from what we know today. Our great essayist William Hazlitt went to a school at the end of the 18th century __________ studying programme was four times more __________ than that of any comparable school today: an __________ of the basic principles of language, law, the arts, religion and maths. It was taken for granted that this education, already dense and profound in itself, was only one facet of personal development, since students were __________ to read, and they did so.
This type of education, the so-called humanistic education, is disappearing today. Governments (…) are, more and more, encouraging their citizens to acquire professional knowledge, while an education perceived as an __________ development of an individual is not considered useful in modern society. The education system of days-gone-by would have contemplated literature and Greek and Latin history (…) as the basis for everything else. He —or she— used to read the __________ from his/her own country, maybe one or two Asian writers and the best-known authors from other European countries: Goethe, Shakespeare, Cervantes, the great Russians, Rousseau (…). This does not exist __________ (…).
Instances of this [academic] excellence of days-gone-by remain in some universities, in some schools, in the classrooms of some __________ teachers in love with books, perhaps in some newspapers or magazines. (…)
integral speech comprehensive anymore old-fashioned cultured classics amalgam whose expected
Extracts from the __________ given by novelist Doris Lessing upon receiving the Prince of Asturias Prize for Literature, on 26th October, 2001. She is the highly-acclaimed author of The Golden Notebook.