tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122282052024-03-07T23:57:41.232-05:00Una Esponja Sin Dueño......un silbido buscando. Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-67894166259367228672019-05-17T23:42:00.001-04:002019-05-17T23:42:27.682-04:00Saludos desde el futuroTe he extrañado. ¿A dónde fuiste a parar?<br />
<br />Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-49413758778504302832013-02-17T17:57:00.001-05:002013-02-17T18:03:02.851-05:00La universidad y el NSF: problema de todos<br />
Este escrito mio fue publicado el 12 de febrero del 2013 en la sección de ciencias de El Nuevo Día.<br />
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Le cambiaron el título y le hicieron algunos cambios menores. Aquí lo incluyo en su versión original<br />
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<a href="http://www.elnuevodia.com/enriesgolacienciaenpr-1446278.html">http://www.elnuevodia.com/enriesgolacienciaenpr-1446278.html</a><br />
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<b><u>La universidad y el NSF: problema de todos</u></b><br />
Por Giovanna Guerrero-Medina, Ph.D.<br />
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Con la alta criminalidad, el desempleo y el menú de controversias políticas del día, ¿a quién le podría importar un asuntito de científicos? </div>
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De primera instancia, quizás el lector piense que los problemas de la Universidad de Puerto Rico (UPR) con la Fundación Nacional de Ciencias (National Science Foundation, NSF) no le conciernen. Pero el problema con la NSF no es un asunto que solo afecta a un puñado de académicos. </div>
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NSF es la principal agencia federal para la investigación científica básica. Los economistas, los químicos, los físicos, los matemáticos y los ecólogos, entre muchos otros profesionales de distintas disciplinas, miran hacia la NSF para apoyar sus proyectos y para darles estabilidad y reconocimiento a sus carreras académicas. </div>
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Además de financiar investigaciones de calibre mundial, la NSF invierte muchísimo en entrenamiento de estudiantes graduados y subgraduados, en edificios e instalaciones de investigación, en salarios para atraer y retener a investigadores, en programas para fomentar la comercialización de tecnologías y en educación científica escolar y para el público general. En fin, los fondos de la NSF apoyan una gran variedad de aspectos y sectores que van mucho más allá de las paredes de los laboratorios. </div>
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En el año fiscal 2010, dos años antes del congelamiento de fondos, la UPR alcanzó un récord en la cantidad de fondos provenientes de la NSF. Sobre $21.8 millones fueron al sistema universitario, de los cuales $19.4 millones fueron otorgados a la Administración Central, el Recinto de Río Piedras y el Recinto de Mayagüez.<br />
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Los fondos de la NSF son altamente competitivos –menos del 20% de las propuestas son premiadas después de un riguroso proceso de evaluación–. El recibir fondos de la NSF señala la calidad de los centros académicos y les indica a compañías privadas que en una región hay suficiente talento técnico para abrir fábricas de producción, centros de investigación y desarrollo, y para comercializar propiedad intelectual. Las cantidades de fondos alcanzadas en el 2010 por la UPR comparan favorablemente con las de otras universidades en Estados Unidos y demuestran la calidad y el talento de los investigadores y educadores de este sistema.<br />
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Hoy, la UPR está bajo probatoria con la NSF por deficiencias en la contabilidad de tiempo y esfuerzo, una medida que le asegura a la agencia federal que esta pagando exactamente por el trabajo acordado. La suspensión de fondos de la NSF podría tener un impacto abrumador, afectando la economía, el futuro talento laboral y el prestigio, no solo de la UPR, sino de todo Puerto Rico. </div>
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En el ámbito de la economía, el recorte de fondos significaría despidos de personal, quizás el cierre de laboratorios enteros, y la pérdida de dineros “indirectos”, los cuales cubren costos generales de la Universidad, como la luz y el teléfono, que benefician a todos los programas académicos. Como la UPR tomó prestados fondos del Banco Gubernamental de Fomento durante el periodo de probatoria, sin tener confirmación de que la NSF los reembolsaría, los problemas económicos se han amplificado. </div>
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A largo plazo, la suspensión de tantos proyectos de investigación representa una gran pérdida de propiedad intelectual en potencia: tecnologías y descubrimientos que de otra manera podrían servir un día para impulsar la economía de conocimiento de Puerto Rico. </div>
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Aun más preocupante: los fondos de la NSF apoyan la educación de cientos de estudiantes puertorriqueños. El entrenamiento que estos estudiantes reciben tiene gran demanda tanto en el ámbito académico como en empresas privadas. Sin fondos de la NSF, muchísimos científicos boricuas no hubieran podido hacer descubrimientos seminales ni convertirse en profesionales reconocidos. ¿Qué futuro puede tener Puerto Rico si se pierden estas oportunidades de entrenamiento?</div>
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Finalmente, la pérdida de fondos de la NSF representaría un gran golpe al prestigio de la UPR en el ámbito de la investigación. El difícil trabajo de atraer y retener talento en las aulas y laboratorios académicos se haría aún más difícil. Ante la amenaza de que la NSF también estará revisando las prácticas de contabilidad de otros programas federales, también existe el riesgo de que este meollo repercuta en recortes de otras agencias federales, fondos que sumaron más de $128 millones en el 2009 para Puerto Rico. </div>
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El problema de la NSF con la UPR es, por tanto, una emergencia a nivel nacional, a la par con la degradación del crédito bancario, excepto que en este caso sería la reputación académica del país la que bajaría de estatus. </div>
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Y lo más trágico es que esto se pudo haber evitado. Los investigadores y estudiantes demostraron su talento y competitividad. Es solo a raíz de la incompetencia administrativa que surge este problema. La administración de la UPR debe considerar seriamente cómo legitimar su relación con la NSF, no solo para beneficio de sus estudiantes e investigadores, sino también para beneficio del pueblo de Puerto Rico que, de seguro, se verá perjudicado. </div>
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<i>La autora tiene un Ph.D. en Neurobiología de la Universidad de Berkeley y trabajó en los National Institutes of Health. Actualmente, es directora de CienciaPR.org.</i></div>
Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-19981969983190890442012-10-09T23:26:00.002-04:002012-10-09T23:42:54.458-04:00La Invención de los Sueños<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://0.tqn.com/d/arthistory/1/0/Z/2/1/Salvador-Dali-Dream-Caused-by-the-Flight-of-a-Bee-around-a-Pomegranate-a-Second-Before-Awakening-1944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://0.tqn.com/d/arthistory/1/0/Z/2/1/Salvador-Dali-Dream-Caused-by-the-Flight-of-a-Bee-around-a-Pomegranate-a-Second-Before-Awakening-1944.jpg" width="252" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee around and Pomegranate, Salvador Dalí (1944)<br />
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Un <a href="http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nn.3203.html">artículo reciente</a> publicado en Nature Neuroscience sugiere la posibilidad de manipular los sueños por medio de estímulos ambientales. Los esfuerzos son aún demasiado recientes para pensar en tramas de ciencia a ficción a lo "<a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/inception/">Inception</a>", "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338013/">Eternal Sunshine"</a> o "<a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/open-your-eyes/">Abre los ojos</a>" pero aún así son impresionantes.<br />
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Ratas entrenadas a asociar claves auditivas con diferentes caminos en un laberinto fueron observadas repitiendo en su sueño el patrón de señales neuronales que desplegaron durante la búsqueda.<br />
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Hasta aquí, ninguna sorpresa; desde hace años se sabe que el cerebro repite en su sueño las experiencias del pasado día, un proceso que está asociado a la consolidación de memorias. Lo sorprendente fue que al presentarle a las ratas soñadoras el sonido que les había indicado ir hacia la derecha en vez de a la izquierda, los patrones neuronales también se observaron cambiar hacia aquellos que habían determinado la experiencia del lado correspondiente del laberinto. En otras palabras, con tan sólo un sonido asociado al día previo, los científicos pudieron manipular los dulces sueños de las ratas.<br />
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La noticia de inmediato me hizo pensar en la famosa pintura de Dalí, donde una plácida Gala dormida convierte el inocente sonido de un abejorro en vuelo a un mundo fantástico de monstruos, tigres, y disparos. No necesariamente una ilustración análoga de los resultados científicos, pero si una demostración de cómo la imaginación, las experiencias, y los sentidos conspiran en nuestros sueños como el mejor director cinematográfico de Hollywood.<br />
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<br />Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-28129425675885634262009-02-24T23:46:00.001-05:002009-02-24T23:49:33.802-05:00My live notes on President Obama's first address to CongressChristopher Dodd's eyebrows are out of control<br /><br />Michelle mouthing I love you to Obama: how cute are they!<br /><br />Great start on his address! We will rebuild, we will recover. (Hope Wall Street is listening)<br /><br />"Nobody messes with Joe" That Joe Biden sure has a Colgate smile<br /><br />"We have lived through an era where we failed to look beyond the next payment, the next quarter, or the next election." "It’s not about helping banks – it’s about helping people." Obama is such a clear and magnificent orator--what a change from last year<br /><br />McCain still looks smug<br /><br />Energy! Health Care! Education! We're back to the priorities that really matter.<br /><br />Basic research funding priorities!! $15B a year for new clean-energy technologies<br /><br />"We can't afford to put health care reform on hold"<br /><br />Electronic health records! Cure for cancer! I'm sure NCI is going crazy right now...<br /><br />Nice! Every American will need to get a high school diploma, dropping out of high school "is not quitting on yourself it's quitting on your country" He's right though, failure to get a high school diploma closes many doors and is an almost guaranteed sentence to poverty, poor health, younger death...<br /><br />"By 2020 the USA will have highest proportion of college graduates in the world"--let's do it!<br /><br />I love Obama's message of volunteerism and national service. I also liked his tribute to Ted Kennedy "an american who has never stopped asking what he could do for his country"<br /><br />It would be funny if Pelosi and Biden started playing chicken with Congress. Standing up? Oh no we're not, fooled ya<br /><br />Seems like a few senators and representatives are on their BlackBerrys. What gives people? It's the POTUS speaking!<br /><br />His budget will cut 2 trillion dollars over the next decade?! Savings: education programs that don't work (No Child??), no-bid conracts in Iraq (yes! in your face Cheney!), big agro businesses that don't need money, weapon systems we don't use, medicare fraud and abuse, ending tax breaks for corporations that shift jobs overseas. He will end tax breaks for wealthiest 2% of Americans (would be great if we could also do a better job identifying tax fraud in this bracket--seems like the only way for these people to get audited is to be nominated for a cabinet position!)<br /><br />"We're suffering a deficit of trust"... Will report full costs of Iraq and Afghanistan! Yes!<br /><br />So nice to hear someone who can fully enunciate the word terrrorist and doesn't say "nucular"<br /><br />Yes! Expanded health care and benefits for veterans! Hopefully that includes mental health services<br /><br />"Living our values doesn't make us weaker it makes us safer and stronger"<br /><br />"The USA does not torture!" (cue to McCain)<br /><br />Ty'Sheoma got me misty eyed. Would she have typed up that letter if anyone other than Obama had been elected President?<br /><br />Thank YOU, Mr President!!<br /><br />PS. Gov. Bobby Jindal talks like he's on Sesame Street... Actually it's more like Kenneth from 30 Rock... It is! It's exactly like Kenneth on 30 Rock!<br /><br />PPS. Thought it was cute how the staffers and pages were going crazy trying to get a handshake<br /><br />PPPS. Confirmed! Several members of Congress were using their BBerrys! However, they weren't playing tetris or checking email, they were twittering to their constituents on their impressions on the speech <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Members_of_Congress_who_Twitter" onmousedown="'UntrustedLink.bootstrap($(this)," target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span>http://www.sourcewatch.org</span><wbr><span class="word_break"></span><span>/index.php?title=Members_o</span><wbr><span class="word_break"></span>f_Congress_who_Twitter</a>Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-10360026520931985042009-02-24T23:42:00.003-05:002009-02-24T23:46:00.246-05:00My mom would so appreciate this post...<p><span style="font-family:Arial;"><b>The Washington Post publishes a contest for readers in which they are asked to supply alternate meanings for various words. </b><br /><br />Coffee (n.), a person who is coughed upon.<br /><br />Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained.<br /><br />Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.<br /><br />Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.<br /><br />Willy-nilly (adj.), impotent<br /><br />Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightie.<br /><br />Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.<br /><br />Gargoyle (n.), an olive-flavored mouthwash.<br /><br />Flatulence (n.) the emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.<br /><br />Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.<br /><br />Testicle (n.), a humorous question on an exam.<br /><br />Rectitude (n.), the formal, dignified demeanor assumed by a proctologist immediately before he examines you.<br /><br />Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddish expressions.<br /><br />Circumvent (n.), the opening in the front of boxer shorts.<br /><br />Frisbeetarianism (n.), The belief that, when you die, your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck there.<br /><br />Pokemon (n), A Jamaican proctologist.<br /><br />Bustard (n.), a rude bus driver.<br /><br />Semantics (n.), pranks conducted by young men studying for the priesthood.<br /><br />Spatula: n. A fight among vampires.<br /><br />Excruciate: n., the ligament that attaches your ex-wife to your paycheck.<br /><br />Perplexed: adj., lost in a movie theater.<br /><br />Population: n., that nice sensation you get when drinking soda.<br /><br />Racket: n., a small pair of breasts.<br /><br />Nincompoop: n., the military command responsible for battlefield sanitation.<br /><br />Ineffable: adj., describes someone you absolutely cannot swear in front of.<br /><br />Pontificate: n., a document given to each graduating pope.<br /><br />Pimple: n., pimp's apprentice.<br /><br />Discussion: n., a Frisbee-related head injury.<br /><br />Ozone: n., area in which the G-spot is located.<br /><br />Flattery: n., a place that manufactures A and B cup brassieres only.<br /><br />Cabbage Patch: A patch for those trying to stop eating cabbage.<br /><br />Sudafed: A software program on how to file a civil action against the government.<br /><br />Pop Secret: Paternity suit settled without publicity.<br /><br />Oral-B: Monica's grade on her last intern evaluation.</span></p> <span style="font-family:Arial;"><br /><br /><b>The Washington Posts Style Invitational also asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting or changing one letter, and supply a new definition:</b><br /><br />Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the reader who doesn't get it.<br /><br />Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.<br /><br />Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period.<br /><br />Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.<br /><br />Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of obtaining sex.<br /><br />Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously.<br /><br />Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease.<br /><br />Karmageddon: End of the world due to a build up of bad-vibes.<br /><br />Glibido: All talk and no action.<br /><br />Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.<br /><br />Intaxication: Euphoria at receiving a tax refund, which lasts until you realise it was your money to start with.<br /><br />Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and an asshole.<br /><br />Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.<br /><br />Hipatitis: Terminal coolness.<br /><br />Tumfoolery: When a middle-aged man sucks in his stomach while being introduced to an attractive woman<br /><br />Fadavers: Last year's hot fads.<br /><br />Main Geeze: How an elderly, unmarried couple refer to each other.<br /><br />Polarvoid: The state of having no baby pictures, a condition that usually befalls the second-born child.<br /><br />Dozie: The lie a person tells when a telephone caller wakes him up and he denies that he was sleeping.<br /><br />Hooternanny: The au pair you thought was especially promising, but your wife sent back to the agency.<br /><br />Alexpandria: A town known for its buffet restaurants.<br /><br />Apocalypstic: The little smudge I came home with on my collar that makes my wife act like it's the end of the world.<br /><br />Defenestraction: A ruse to divert the cop's attention while you throw the evidence out the window.<br /><br />Accimental: Caused by a Freudian slip.<br /><br />Algaebra: What the Little Mermaid wears over her chest.<br /><br />Aliass: A body double for a nude scene.<br /><br />Arbyss: The deepest part of the stomach, reserved for two Giant Roast Beefs, large Curly Fries and a chocolate shake.<br /><br />Avant-harde: Before the Cialis kicks in.<br /><br />Doltergeist: a spirit that decides to haunt someplace stupid, such as your septic tank.<br /><br />Guillozine: a magazine for executioners.<br /><br /></span>Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-35380066624304885782008-12-30T14:40:00.006-05:002008-12-31T11:10:56.588-05:00How Doctors Think-Book ReviewAside from knowing the cellular changes that occur when certain genes are altered, it's amazing that I went through six years of molecular biology grad school and post doc without giving much thought to health and disease... I mean actual health and disease. i.e. what happens in humans, which is not always what happens in fruit flies. I also never gave much thought to my academic cousins, the MDs, who left me to gather dust in academia after their pre-med college requisites had been completed.<br /><br />While it is relatively easy to find a link between a fruit fly's "symptoms" (or phenotype) and the genetic alteration that you yourself just induced (I do kind-of miss the weird God-like high that comes with that), it is much harder to do the same in humans. For one, human troubles are less likely to come from experimentation ;-). For another, we don't really have access as of yet to good molecular signposts for what is truly wrong biologically--doctors' tools for diagnosis (X-rays, blood work-ups, cultures, MRIs) are still pretty coarse.<br /><br />Fortunately (and in contrast with flies), humans do have the gift of speech and of describing what ails them. When diagnosing a patient, doctors thus rely heavily on communication with the patient or his family members. They depend on this information to interpret the rough biological measures of what is happening at the organ/tissue level. But then there's communication and communication, and not all doctors have the skills, inclination, time, or mindset to appropriately seek information from the patient and integrate it with biological data. Even when doctors do have all the information they need, they can still make cognitive errors in determining a diagnosis or the best treatment option. Errors might come from lack of experience or from too much experience (biases for common ailments over rare ones), they might come from biases towards the patient or his/her statistical demographics, or they might even come from preferences for procedures that are financially advantageous for the doctor.<br /><br />These pitfalls of medical practice and others are discussed in Jerome Groopman's book "How Doctor's Think", which is intended as a sort of patient's guide to a doctor's mind. The idea is that by recognizing the areas where doctors might fail, patients might be able to steer their physician into working at their best capacity.<br /><br />I'm not sure if Dr. Groopman's book has been helpful in patient's lives but, for me, his book explained in detail the pressures on a doctor's mind. It also made me realize the difficulties associated with medical care--few of which have to do with science and technology and most of which have to do with the health care system as well as doctor's personal differences in associating with others. With such complex problems in the "real world", Groopman's book definitely made me appreciate the relative preciseness of science at "the fruit fly level" and the miles we have to go before human medicine is as precise as that.Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-90345262550599305702007-10-05T16:49:00.000-04:002012-07-19T16:53:49.351-04:00Los Origenes de Sefiní<div>
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><u>Sefiní</u></span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">basta por esta noche cierro</span><o:p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></o:p> <br />
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la puerta me pongo<o:p></o:p></div>
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el saco guardo<o:p></o:p></div>
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los papelitos donde<o:p></o:p></div>
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no hago sino hablar de ti<o:p></o:p></div>
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mentir sobre tu paradero<o:p></o:p></div>
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cuerpo que me has de temblar</div>
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-Juan Gelman-</div>
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Si mis emociones y pensamientos mas profundos pudiesen habitar un rincón de esta tierra, ¿quién diría que no sería un mugroso y olvidado bar en Montevideo donde poetas, marineros, y prostitutas se reúnen a bailar tango?<br />
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Ya van 15 años que esta película y los poetas que le dan el pulso son mis favoritos:<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL5xSqolcqc">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL5xSqolcqc</a>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzrBbWyVqlY">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzrBbWyVqlY</a>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRMcM--p7wk">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRMcM--p7wk</a><br />
<a href="http://abretucielo.blogspot.com/2007/05/fragmentos-poticos-de-el-lado-oscuro.html">http://abretucielo.blogspot.com/2007/05/fragmentos-poticos-de-el-lado-oscuro.html</a>Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-51506871189024431822007-09-25T17:28:00.000-04:002007-09-26T09:39:43.155-04:00Microbios Gigantes!As a follow up to the previous post... If you have been left so fascinated by microbes that you wish you could just hug them, here's your chance: <a href="http://www.giantmicrobes.com/">http://www.giantmicrobes.com/</a><br /><br /><br />A while ago I gave Salmonella and Lyme Disease to my friend Michelle, and Girardia and an Ulcer to my friend Mo. :-)Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-34788304714953698712007-09-25T17:13:00.000-04:002007-09-25T21:31:43.713-04:00And you thought you were alone...Did you know that we have 10X more bacteria in our gut than cells in our body? That makes me wonder if we are who we think we are. It may be time to rethink the species concept...<br /><br />Advances in technology usually open doors for the exploration of new and exciting questions and this is certainly the case with advances in genome exploration technology. Thanks to shot-gun sequencing and microarray techniques it is now possible to study the symbiotic interaction between us "higher organisms" and our more numerous cohabitants, the tiny microbes.<br /><br />Metagenomics, a new and exciting field of research (with an equally catchy name), attempts to study communities of microbes directly in their natural environments (e.g. your gut, your mouth, a patch of dirt, the ocean, etc.). By using modern genome sequencing techniques, metagenomics bypasses the need for lab cultivation of individual species. This is a huge step forward because it is estimated that we have only been able to isolate and culture just 1% of all microorganisms in nature. Metagenomics, thus, offers the chance to identify a wider array of microorganisms than previously possible. This new technology also allows the study of the little buggers in their natural setting (e.g. the complex crevices of your nose) as opposed to the artificial conditions of a petri dish.<br /><br />This field of study offers so much promise that the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the leading biomedical research funding agency in the U.S., has recently announced a new initiative to probe the <a href="http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/hmp/">human microbiome</a>. This ambitious enterprise, which is part of the NIH's <a href="http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/">Roadmap for Medical Research</a>, will focus on characterizing the populations that our bodies play host to and their role in health and disease.<br /><br />But microbial populations are not just important for health. Microbe communities are also responsible for maintaining atmospheric balances of CO2, for supporting the health of crops (and in some cases causing their disease), and many types microorganisms produce potential alternative energy sources such as hydrogen, butanol, and methane. Clearly, (and whether we like it or not) these guys make life on this planet what it is and we have only yet begun to understand how it is they do it.<br /><br />Interested in learning more? The National Academies has recently published a beautiful educational brochure on metagenomics and the importance of studying microbial communities. This brochure is freely downloadable <a href="http://dels.nas.edu/metagenomics/">here</a>, where you can also request hardcopies for educational purposes.<br /><br />Here are also some recent metagenomics publications:<br /><ul><li>Metagenomics of the deep mediterranean, a warm bathypelagic habitat. <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0000914">PLoS ONE</a></li><li>The Sorcerer II Global Ocean Sampling expedition: expanding the universe of protein families. <a href="http://biology.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.0050016&ct=1">PLoS Biology</a></li><li>Metabolomics of a superorganism. <a href="http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/137/1/259S">J Nutrition</a></li><li>An obesity-associated gut microbiome with increased capacity for energy harvest. <a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v444/n7122/abs/nature05414.html">Nature</a></li><li>Metagenomic analysis of the human distal gut microbiome. <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/312/5778/1355">Science</a><br /></li></ul>Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-50343120454484261392007-09-24T19:38:00.000-04:002007-09-26T09:33:51.349-04:00Dust in the wind?Not too long ago, I got into an interesting conversation about science, consciousness, and spirituality. While, I consider myself an atheist because I do not believe in the existence of a god or a higher power, the other person maintained that no one is an atheist unless they are truly a-spiritual, that is, do not believe in any transcendence for the human experience. I interpreted this as more of a question of semantics, but our conversation got me thinking about what I really believe in regarding our place in this world and the meaning of our lives. So, dear imaginary (nonexistent) reader, brace yourself because we will attempt to swim out to the deep end of the pool and explore the outer limits of science, religion, and my humble opinion about the meaning of existence (you may want to grab a floatie).<br /><br />I have considered myself an atheist since the age of fifteen or sixteen... I'm not really sure how the realization came upon me. I had been raised catholic, though admittedly not very strongly. My father went to church maybe twice or three times a month and considered himself religious but my mother didn't want to have anything to do with the church--she has always been a bit of an activist for the separation of church and state. I had gone through catechism and first communion and remember being inspired at a young age by the stories of Jesus and his kindness and love for his fellow humans. I did not however enjoy mass. Perhaps it was that the priests of my church were not themselves particularly inspiring. They were strict and dogmatic and I did not feel from them the love and kindness that had initially attracted me to religion. Starting in my teens, I began to have increasing doubts and a creeping suspicion that our lives were made of flesh and bone and that everything stopped after we died. I don't know how these thoughts came about. At that age I enjoyed science but I still had not found in it a vocation. I just had a gut feeling, and to be honest it wasn't a very good feeling at all. At night, I would have to push away thoughts about death because the anxiety it produced would not let me fall asleep. Even today I still have to make a conscious effort to withdraw my mind when these considerations start creeping in. I am afraid of death and I have no qualm in admitting it.<br /><br />So my disbelief in God at a young age came from a "gut feeling", not from a positivist belief that the scientific method is the sole determination of what is real and what is not real. I am OK with this, and on some level I believe that this is the way it should be--personal religious opinions, whatever they may be, separate from science.<br /><br />Religion and spirituality are not supposed to be held to account with the laws of physics. Because of mysticism, they have an inherent get-out-of-jail free card. For example, Christianity has what are termed "mysteries", i.e. supernatural truths that are unattainable to humans through reason. This is an intrinsic part of faith and it makes it futile to try to apply logic or empiricism to religion (there is no arguing with something that does not accept rational argument).<br /><br />Also, and at the risk of getting flack from hard-core science champions, it may well be that science will only take us so far in our understanding of the world, our brains creating some sort of biological limit for what may be probed and understood. Although so far there has been no indication that this might be the case, there is the possibility that there might be a reality beyond what we are physically able to discern.<br /><br />And in terms of the regrettable debate between faith and science, it is definitely best to keep the two separate. Everyone has the right to believe what they want to believe (especially the <a href="http://www.venganza.org/">pastafarians</a>). And even the most devout scientist may still believe in a higher power. My point is that our choice of religious or spiritual belief is valid and is outside of the realm of science even if it is within what some would consider an absolute physical reality...<br /><br />An absolute physical reality, yet spiritual beliefs? Getting confused? Well so am I, but here's where the thicket of the jungle starts. How can one believe in spirituality if one believes that it is all in one's head so to speak? In other words, what happens when you believe that the experience of existence is nothing more than the product of that wonderful biological fortuity, the brain? What does this mean for spirituality?<br /><br />I am still mulling these things over and it may take me a while to come up with a rational thesis (at this point you could say that I have a "gut feeling"), so I'll leave these questions open for now....Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-65802735661350288842007-09-23T18:59:00.000-04:002007-09-26T09:58:58.665-04:00The most enjoyable depressing book you'll ever read<span class="userReview" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0002257556?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0002257556&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2"><span style="font-size:130%;">The Grass is Singing</span></a><span style="font-size:130%;">, by Doris Lessing</span></span><span class="userReview" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span class="userReview"><br />Well, I guess I wouldn't really say that I enjoyed this book--how can anyone really enjoy the telling of the maddeningly slow yet unmitigated disintegration of a woman and her psyche--but it was nonetheless an engrossing read.<br /><br />The main character, Mary Turner, is an odd bird. The first half of her life, is an unremarkable, daze. She lives life content and complacent with her lack of goals and meaningful personal relations. The woman is almost pathological in her tendency not to leave a trace in the world, or rather, in not letting the world leave a trace in her. She never falls in love or allows anyone else to fall in love with her and she never fosters any personal desires or dreams. She lives a boring life of consistency. The author attempts to give us a psychological explanation of why she is this way--something to do with her suffering mother and her drunkard father--but it is not very convincing (at least to me). What is convincing is the sense that Mary is not a likable woman and that perhaps she is not in full possession of a sound resilient character.<br /><br />Mary's reasons for marrying Dick are equally strange. She does it because she suddenly realizes that as a single woman, she is the object of people's pity. She thus moves out into the African bush, where Dick has a shabby house on the skirts of a shabby farm. From this point on the mood turns from drab to dark. Little by little, the sun, the poverty, the loneliness, the unyielding heat, and her hatred for "the natives", begin whittling Mary's character and sanity down until there is nothing left but a shriveled-up carcass of a woman and a human being. Ironically, it is a hateful act that Mary commits toward a black farm laborer that makes her start seeing him for the very first time. In her broken down state, this new vision becomes a sick obsession, and it finally explodes with tragic consequences.<br /><br /></span><span class="userReview">Mary's life, we know, is also a <span id="freeTextreview6363649">parable for racism, colonialism, and white supremacy in Africa and the destructive effect they had on the individuals and its society. </span></span><br /><span class="userReview"><br />So, yeah, a real pick-me-upper... But what was weird was that, while I could not identify with the characters and, in fact, rejected their weaknesses and faults, I could not put the book down. I tortured myself metro ride after metro ride with this story of a crazy white lady in crazy-white South Africa. I think this was due to Doris Lessing wonderful writing. The author creates a hypnotic psychological vortex in the hot and arid lands of the African bush and she is not afraid to take it to its ultimate conclusion. <span id="freeTextreview6363649"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />See my Goodreads page <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/355187">here</a>. </span><br /><br /></span></span>Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-80867757414344144052006-11-27T20:54:00.000-05:002007-09-25T09:25:40.289-04:00San PavoEste fin de semana me vinieron a visitar dos pavos :-)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/Nov%202006%20007.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/400/Nov%202006%20007.jpg" border="0" /></a>Y una tia, dos primas, y dos amigos de las primas.<br /><br />Mi irreprimible tia Consuelo (hermana de mi papa), me vino a visitar de Sabado a Viernes. Ella, mami, y papi, recorrieron todo lo que la lluvia, el frio, y los zapatos incomodos los dejaron ver. Desafortunadamente, creo que no fue mucho. Pero con todo y lluvia, lo pasamos super bien. Fue bien chevere verla a Cocho despues de tanto tiempo.<br /><br />Mis primas Andrea y Paulina (hijas de mi tia Nancy) llegaron con dos amigos el jueves para celebrar el Dia de Accion de Gracias (ie Thanksgiving, ie San Giving, ie Dia del Pavo). Mami cocino un pavochon (porque lo sazonamos bien con Adobo Goya) y los ocho comimos de lo lindo hasta caer en comas de triptofano. Fue tambien muy chevere ver a las "monas". [Asi le dicen a los habitantes de la costa en Ecuador, pero, en el caso de Andrea y Paulina, siempre he pensado que el nombre acierta. Al igual que de chiquitas las chicas todavia siguen siendo vivaces, piscoretas, y amigables, y bueno, pues bien "monas"!] Lo mejor es que ahora se que solo viven a dos horas de aqui, en Philadelphia, lo cual quiere decir que trataremos de verno con mas frecuencia que una vez cada cuatro anos.<br /><br />Bueno, desafortunadamente estuve tan alegre y ocupada la semana pasada con mi familia, que no tuve uso de razon suficiente para sacar la camara hasta la cena final con mis padres, la cual ven arriba en un restaurante de sushi (hmmmmm, sushi). Por lo tanto si alguien tiene fotos que le gustaria compartir (MamiYPapi? Hello?) mandenmelas y yo las pondre en el interwebs.<br /><br />Que vivan los leftovers!Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-1159850125091962712006-10-03T00:30:00.000-04:002007-09-23T23:21:40.248-04:00Dear imaginary (nonexistent) reader,I no longer live in Oakland or in the West Coast for that matter. I am now in DC. It's not as bad as it sounds. Sure, there are way more people in business suits, less mountains, no Ocean, and less of that Bay Area "yo no se que", but at least I've got the museums...<br /><br />One thing though.... You can tell you're living in DC when you see ads on the metro like these:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/Sept%202006%20052.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/320/Sept%202006%20052.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/Sept%202006%20051.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/320/Sept%202006%20051.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I guess their target client demographic rides the Metro to work.Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-1159849797690767922006-10-03T00:17:00.000-04:002007-09-23T23:20:54.153-04:00...And we're backHave not posted in a while.<br />Have decided to post again.<br />Will try to be better at it.<br />Will try not to write like a moron.<br /><br />Yeah.Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-19452957667012420762006-10-01T14:53:00.000-04:002007-09-24T23:51:09.095-04:00Dias y Flores<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Pues hace unos dias me estaba sintiendo asi:</span><span style="text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br /></span><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/July%202006%20043.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/320/July%202006%20043.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">El celular de Mark no estaba funcionando y lo extranaba mucho. Es dificil estar en casa y buscar formas de llenar las horas sin el. Los fines de semana son lo peor, y eso que tengo muchos amigos por aca. Tampoco estoy en casa sentada sin nada que hacer, voy a museos, a bazares, salgo a caminar, ceno con amigos, pero no es lo mismo que estar juntos en el sofa viendo la tele y hablando de nada. Tampoco ayuda el caso de que se que el esta pasando por tiempos dificiles en el trabajo. Tiene mucho trabajo, poco apoyo del resto de su lab, y mucho estres. Y yo por aca no puedo hacer mucho...</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div style="text-align: left;">Pero manana es el comienzo de una nueva semana y el proximo viernes voy a estar camino a visitarlo. Pronto estaremos sentados en su hamaca meciendonos tranquilos y contentos...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/Sept%202006%20005.1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/320/Sept%202006%20005.1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(192, 192, 192); font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >El super balcon de Mark, y su maravillosa hamaca</span><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Al menos este fin de semana habia muchisimas cosas para hacer. Al parecer todas las asociaciones, instituciones, y otras-ciones del area han organizado sus respectivos festivales para estas dos primeras semanas de Octubre. Entre otras cosas, tuvimos el </span><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" href="http://www.afi.com/silver/new/nowplaying/2006/v3i5/latin.aspx">Festival de Cine Latinoamericano</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, donde vi la pelicula Chilena "Se Arrienda" -- bastante buena, quizas con necesidad de un poco de editaje, pero con una historia que cualquiera puede sentir y soundtrack excelente.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Luego, yer fue la </span><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" href="http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/">Feria de Libros de la Biblioteca de Congreso</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">. Miles de</span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> personas en el</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Smithsonian Mall para escuchar a sus autores favoritos y hacer firmar sus libros. Yo pasee un rato pero no me quede mucho, no habia nadie quien me muriera por escuchar y no tenia libros para hacer firmar. Tal vez si ya me hubiera leido The Kite Runner como todo el mundo me recomienda habria tenido mas deseos de ver a Kahled Hosseini en persona... Si trate de conseguir una bolsa azul de <a href="http://www.booktv.org/">C-Span Books</a> (hay un canal que se dedica solo a libros!) que aparentemente TODO EL MUNDO tenia, pero cuando llegue a donde las estaban dando ya se habian acabado! Estoy tratando de gastar solo 20$ por semana asi es que cuando hay algo gratis, ahi estoy yo.<br /><br />Despue me fui a el museo <a href="http://www.corcoran.org/">Corcoran</a>, donde via arte y fotografia</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> moderna, nuevamente sin tener que pagar un centavo. Mi amiga Mo me habia avisado que ayer aparentemente era el dia nacional del museo, y atraves de los Estados Unidos muchos museos tenian entrada libre de pago.</span><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/Sept%202006%20066.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/320/Sept%202006%20066.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br />Y finalmente hoy cerca de mi casa hubo un festival de artesanias. <a href="http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/craftybastards/">Crafty Bastards</a> es el nombre del festival, que en espanol podria traducrise como "Bastardos con Destrezas" o algo asi.<br /><br />Fui con mis amigas Rebekah y Michelle. Lo pasamos bien y despues del festival comimos comida mexicana y tomamos sangria. Lo cual me puso sobre el borde en terminos de bebida y de dinero. Acabe gastando u</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">n total de ~30$ esta semana... y bueno, al menos me aguante hasta el domingo).<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">A fin de cuentas un fin de semana bueno, pero el proximo seguro sera mejor...</span><br /><br /></span><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/collage.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/400/collage.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div></div>Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-87777670544287289782006-09-16T11:51:00.000-04:002007-09-25T09:23:44.329-04:00Los ultimos dias de verano<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/Sept%202006%20020.3.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/400/Sept%202006%20020.1.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)">El fin de semana pasado mi barrio celebro su dia.</span><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)">En estos dias vivo en Adams Morgan, un area de Washington cerca de un parque, repleta de restaurantes de todos tipos de comida, de bares y gente joven llendo a los bares, de caras negras, blancas y latinas. Es un oasis en el medio de DC, separado de los business suits, los maletines, los tacos altos, y la impresion de que al menos tres personas alrededor tuyo son abogado(a)s.</span><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)">El fin de semana pasado, cuando las nubes todavia no traian lluvia, mi barrio celebro el final del verano.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/September%202004%20009.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/400/September%202004%20009.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)">A mi me encantan las fiestas de barrio. Cuando viviamos en Oakland, cada vez que habian fiestas le insitia a Mark hasta que se hinchaba y accedia a ir conmigo a sumergirse en las multitudes de gente.</span><br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)">Todas las fiestas siempre tienen elementos comunes, que de seguro se repiten en cualquier parte del mundo. Por ejemplo: comida chatarra. Mientras mas grasa y mas iteraciones de freidera mejor. Por ejemplo: los fried twinkies. No son mas que masitas de harina y azucar, rellenas de crema dulce, procesada y llena de preservativos, cubiertas con masa de freir y tiradas en un balde de aceite caliente. Delicioso! Al menos esta vez no tenian barras de chocolate cubiertas en masa y freidas. Una pena...</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/Sept%202006%20026.0.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/320/Sept%202006%20026.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)">Elemento en comun numero dos: Baile! De todas partes del mundo como duemestra la foto a la izquierda. Y siempre hay un grupo substancioso de expectadores que deja la timidez en su casa.</span><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)">Los mas que me gustan son los grupos de ninos y jovenes que se esmeran en sus presentaciones de baile. Por lo general bailan hip-hop o breakdancing. Me hacen feliz.</span><br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)">Elemento numero tres: Musica! Grupos de rock en espanol (como arriba), blues, salsa, musica africana, bluegrass, jazz, etc, etc. Una innovacion que vi por primera vez en el dia de Adams Morgan: kareoke para las masas. El hombre </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/Sept%202006%20025.0.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/320/Sept%202006%20025.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)">a la derecha se creia que era estrella de rock. Una y otra vez se ponian en la lista y esperaba su turno</span><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)">para cantar una cancion de Ray Charles, o de Stevie Wonder, o de los Temptations. Desafortunadamente no cantaba muy bien... Pero siempre le daba todo lo que tenia, lo cual lo hacia un chiste y una inspiracion.</span><br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)">Pero lo mejor es el elemento #4: Sonrisas.</span><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)">Suena cliche, lo se, pero es que es verdad. Por alguna razon el ser parte de una multitud comun, haciendo tiempo para olvidar el trabajo y las presiones y salir en masa a apreciar el clima y las cosas divertidas de la vida, automaticamente nos hace sentir mejor, que no estamos solos y somos parte del mundo. A lo mejor soy solo yo y mis sentimentalismos, pero a lo mejor no.</span><br /><br /><div style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/Sept%202006%20023.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/400/Sept%202006%20023.jpg" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/Sept%202006%20029.0.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/400/Sept%202006%20029.jpg" border="0" /></a>(Mi amiga Ellie y una presentacion de baile africano) </div>Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-61400325251494006072006-08-07T19:24:00.000-04:002007-09-24T23:36:08.600-04:00Martes, 8 de agosto del 2006, 12:03 AMI miss/extra~no<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/Portugal2004154.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/320/Portugal2004154.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/September%202004%20010.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/320/September%202004%20010.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/September%202004%20020.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/320/September%202004%20020.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/4thJuly2004%20015.0.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/320/4thJuly2004%20015.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/4thJuly2004%20014.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/320/4thJuly2004%20014.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/Feb2006%20040.jpg">The Bay Area... </a>Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-48222798659915631312006-01-16T20:11:00.000-05:002007-09-24T19:37:00.860-04:00Poniendonos al tantoAyer hable con mami, papi y Marchi y me estuvieron contando de los lindos dias de playa que habian estado pasando y de lo bien que lo pasaron visitando la familia de Adrian en Costa Rica.<br />Mark y yo desgraciadamente no pudimos ahorrar suficiente dinero para acompanarlos y pasamos las Navidades en California, sin familia y sin playa, pero el uno con el otro y con el espiritu navideno. El dia de navidad abrimos los regalos que nos habian mandado Santa Clos (por via de Santa Kelly y Santo Oswaldo) y por la tarde nos fuimos a ver King Kong. Para Ano Nuevo Mark cocino unos sandwiches de carne rostizada enviados directamente desde Chicago como regalo de la familia de Mark (la familia de Mark siempre nos manda carne, eso es tema de discusion para otro posting) y yo hice un "playlist" de musica festiva y bailamos salsa y merengue hasta la llegada del 2006. Al otro dia celebramos con tremendos helados. Y el dos de enero llego Julieta! La nueva adicion a la familia. Juli es una gordita hermosa y no puedo esperar a conocerla en persona.<br /><br />Ahora me encuentro en Washington DC pasando frio, y deseando estar con mami, papi y Marchi en Puerto Rico. Tan pronto pueda pongo fotos de mi estadia por aca. Por el momento sin embargo voy a descargar algunas fotos de el dia del pavo (26 de Nov.) y de las navidades este ano. Aca van!<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Codornices a la Olga hechas para "San Giving" (o el "dia del pavo")<br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/Nov-Dec%202005%20022.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/320/Nov-Dec%202005%20022.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Pan y dip de alcachofa servidos en platos tipicos argentinos<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/Nov-Dec%202005%20020.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/320/Nov-Dec%202005%20020.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Guantes convertibles que le hice de regalo a Marcela<br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/Nov-Dec%202005%20012.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/320/Nov-Dec%202005%20012.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Y tambien le hice un sobrero para los frios de Wisconsin<br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/Nov-Dec%202005%20010.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/320/Nov-Dec%202005%20010.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div> Se lo comera todo?? <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/Nov-Dec%202005%20026.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/320/Nov-Dec%202005%20026.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Esta seguro que si se lo jampo toito<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/Nov-Dec%202005%20027.1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/320/Nov-Dec%202005%20027.1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/Nov-Dec%202005%20024.0.jpg">Despues de unos cuantos brindises al ano nuevo</a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/Nov-Dec%202005%20024.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/320/Nov-Dec%202005%20024.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Feliz 2006 a todos!!<br /></div>Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-1131954910270917642005-11-14T02:32:00.000-05:002007-09-23T23:20:29.861-04:00El Monopolio del "Monopolio"Mira lo que encontre en el "internets":<br /><br /><a href="http://www.monopolypuertorico.com/">http://www.monopolypuertorico.com/</a><br /><br />Un novedoso producto dispuesto seguramente para el market que consiste de aquellos de nosotros que extranamos el terru~no borincano.<br /><br />Me pregunto si de verdad habra una correspondencia. Si el sombrerito y el dedal han sido reemplazados por una alcapurria y una chancleta. O Si Park Place se ha convertido en Palmas del Mar, Vermont Avenue en la 65 de Infanteria, y Mediterranean en el Residencial Manuel A. Perez...Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-64311932475980829122005-11-14T00:15:00.000-05:002007-09-26T11:39:22.761-04:00Entre el Cielo y el SueloCelebración tardía del día de los muertos:<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/argentina2005%20244.1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 445px; HEIGHT: 328px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="346" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/400/argentina2005%20244.1.jpg" width="494" border="0" /></a> Angeles para un final. Mausoleos de La Recoleta. 22 de junio del 2005.</div><br /><div align="left">Al caminar por las calles y avenidas de La Recolta me recuerdo las palabras de una plena popular:</div><div align="center">Tanta vanidad, </div><div align="center">Tanta hipocresía, </div><div align="center">Si tu cuerpo despues de muerto pertenece a la tumba fría.</div><br />Los únicos ciudadanos que hoy plagan las mansiones, palacios y fortalezas de este cementerio son los gatos que de esquina en esquina nos maullaban como para reclamarnos lo que hacíamos invadiendo su espacio.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/argentina2005%20251.2.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/400/argentina2005%20251.2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />La Plaga.<br />Gatos en La Recoleta. 22 de junio del 2005.<br /><br />Despues de pasear por el cementerio Mark y yo fuimos al centro cultural de la Recoleta, compramos boletos para De La Guarda, y (sorpresa de sorpresas) nos tomamos un cafe con medialunas desde la terraza del Buenos Aires Design Center. Desde ahí vimos el atardecer sobre la Plaza de Francia. Si hubiera tenido mas energías (y menos dolor en los pies) hubiera aprovechado para ver bien la bienal nacional de arte en El Centro Cultural. A fin de cuentas solo le pude dar una vistada de prisa el ultimo día en Argentina en los cinco minutos antes de que se supone que empezara De La Guarda. Para la próxima como siempre.Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-26202855677886016842005-11-11T11:09:00.000-05:002007-09-24T23:30:06.853-04:00Bienvenidos, Welcome<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/argentina2005%201381.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/400/argentina2005%201381.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />"Bienvenidos" Rosario, Argentina Junio 11, 2005. Fotografo: Mark Neff<br /><br />Hace tiempo que no pongo nada por aca pero ahora que me han descubierto no puedo decepcionar. Creo que de ahora en adelante mezaclare las fotos de Argentina "2005" con fotos de otros viajes que hemos tomado desde que me regalaron la camarita. Tal vez de vez en cuando tambien pondre otras fotos de la vida cotidiana y antes de que se note puede que esto sea un blog de verdad. (Dios mio, la responsabilidad!)<br /><br />El dia de la foto estabamos toda la familia Medina/Gimenez y Armoa en el Club Nautico celebrando el dia del padre (*Me han corregido que aparentemente no era el dia del padre--la verdad que soy una gallina turuleca!) con un asado espectacular (para ver que quiere decir "espectacular" favor ver las entradas anteriores). La sala de merienda la compartiamos con otros grupos que tambien celebraban a sus respectivos padres. De repente entra esta pareja, que habian sido contratados por uno de los otros grupos y ahi mismo dan un show de tango bellisimo. Fue un momento muy especial. Nos gusto tanto el show que Mari decidio contratar a la pareja para la fiesta de cumple de la Chola unas semanas despues.<br /><br />Nada dice "Bienvenidos" a la Argentina tan bien como un suculento asado con familares y amigos y un show impromptu de tango de salon.Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-87135792725221485952005-09-01T20:29:00.000-04:002007-09-24T23:29:34.672-04:00Mariposas Multicolor<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/argentina2005%202061.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/400/argentina2005%202061.jpg" border="0" /></a> Street art in Buenos Aires. Junio 20, 2005Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-85650572194467709852005-08-30T11:41:00.000-04:002007-09-24T23:29:02.173-04:00LOTERiA<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/argentina2005%20110.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/400/argentina2005%20110.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Local abandonado (?) en la Avenida 9 de Julio (?) cerca de la feria de antiguedades. Rosario, Argentina. Junio 11, 2005.Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-70895282650930090522005-08-25T11:41:00.000-04:002007-09-24T23:27:41.817-04:00Mari y Mark en el Retro<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/argentina2005%20107.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/400/argentina2005%20107.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Mercado de Antiguedades de Rosario, 11 de Junio del 2005.<br />Este mercado ocurre cerca de la estacion de trenes, al lado de las vias, cada domingo del mes. Entre vasijas y libros viejos, joyeria, medallas y fotos viejas, mi tia Mari encontro un disco de una cantante Brasilera de los 60. La mujer tenia una voz divina. Mari lo compro y mi primo se lo iba a convertir a CD. El senor que se lo vendio era un personaje. Un viejito amante de la musica con los espejuelos mas gruesos que he visto y un conocimiento enciclopedico.<br /><br />Me encantan estos mercados de antiguedades. En Buenos Aires hay algunos cuantos y el mas famoso por supuesto es el de San Telmo.Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12228205.post-19397953289954771992005-08-23T13:17:00.000-04:002007-09-26T11:36:47.218-04:00A donde van los desaparecidos<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/1600/argentina2005%201041.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7392/884/400/argentina2005%201041.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Desaparecido/a numero 650 del area de Rosario. 11 de junio de 2005.<br /><br />Un artista local los decidió plasmar en la memoria colectiva pintando bicicletas fantasmas--de pie a pesar de no tener dueños--en lugares através de toda la ciudad.<br /><br />Los años del 1976-83 marcan una mancha en la historia Argentina. Utilizando tácticas de mentiras que creaban miedo e inseguridad, un grupo de genocidas que creían y decían trabajar por el bienestar de la nación, lograron aterrorizar al pueblo argentino y desparecer a 30,000 seres humanos. ¿Como es posible que esto pueda haber sucedido en un país que nos dio Borges, Cortazar, y Piazzolla? Tal vez no sea tan difícil de imaginar en medio del clima de represión, de "moralidad" y de "todo para derrotar al terrorismo" en el que vivimos hoy día...Sefinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929900974158038199noreply@blogger.com0