X-RAY MACHINE VOTED TOP INVENTION

The X-ray machine was voted by the Science Museum in London. The poll was made to celebrate the 100 years of the Museum.

Almost 50,000 people voted in the museum or online. There were 10 discoveries to choose from.

The X-ray machine was discovered in 1985. It revolutionized how doctors detected diseases and injuries.

The X-ray machine gathered 9581 votes, almost one fifth of the total votes. Other candidates that gathered a good number of votes were penicillin and the DNA double helix structure.

Katie Maggs, associate curator of medicine at the Science Museum, told CNN that she was "pleasantly surprised" with the results, saying she "wondered whether the therapeutic benefit of penicillin might just edge in front -- or perhaps the Apollo 10 capsule as visitors find space travel so inspirational as the ultimate test of technology."

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CZECH PRESIDENT VACLAV KLAUS SIGNS EU LISBON TREATY INTO LAW

President of the Czech Republic Vaclav Klaus has signed the EU Lisbon Treaty into law.

"I announce that I signed the Lisbon Treaty at 15.00 [2pm GMT] today," said Mr. Klaus, speaking in the Czech capital, Prague.

Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the UK, welcomed the final ruling and he said that the Lisbon Treaty would not damage Czech sovereignty.

"It is now of course a matter for President Klaus but I believe that the EU made clear the help that we can give to the Czech Republic to enable them to sign and ratify the Lisbon Treaty," said Mr Brown, speaking in London.

European leaders are expected to hold a special Brussels summit dinner on Nov 19, or before, to select candidates for an unprecedented EU jobs shareout.

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NOT THE BIG MAC =(

Iceland is losing its only three McDonald's restaurants as a result of the poor economic situation in the country.

Businessman Magnus Ogmundsson, who owns the only McDonald's franchise in Iceland, said that operating in Iceland has become too expensive, mainly because of how weak the Krona is.

In January 2008, it cost more than 95 Icelandic krona to buy one euro, according to the Central Bank of Iceland. Now you need 185 kronas for 1 euro!

A McDonald's Big Mac hamburger currently sells for the equivalent of $5.29, making Iceland one of the most expensive places in the world to buy the sandwich.

A Big Mac costs about $3.54 in the United States, $2.19 in Australia, $5.07 in Denmark, $1.66 in South Africa, and $1.52 in Malaysia.

SOURCE: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/BUSINESS/10/27/iceland.mcdonalds/index.html

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BEYONCE CAUSING CONTROVERSY IN EGYPT

Beyonce's worldwide, yearlong "I am..." tour, which has taken her from Canada to China since March, is due in Egypt on November 6 at the Red Sea resort of Port Ghalib.

The single show will mark Beyonce's first-ever concert in the land of pyramids. Tickets have reached $400, according to the Al Arabiya television station.

Beyonce shaking her booty in her concert, who could have a problem with that? Well in Egypt they do.

Last week, Islamist Egyptian Member of Parliament Hamdi Hassan, part of the conservative Muslim Brotherhood, criticized the government for allowing a singer "who appears naked in her clips" to perform in Egypt, saying it was violating Sharia law. Sharia, or Islamic religious law, covers many aspects of daily life, including family, sexuality, hygiene and social issues.

Beyonce is not the first diva to have problems with this. In 2007 superstar Shakira was compared to a prostitute by cleric Khaled-al-Gindi.

Beyonce will probably do the concert, but she should respect the code of dressing, which is to be covered from knees to shoulders and no cleavage.

SOURCE:

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/10/29/beyonce/index.html

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CHIRAC GOING TO COURT

Former French President Jacques Chirac must stand trial on corruption charges. This will be the first time a former President of France is being brought to court.

The charges against Chirac are related to his final months of his time as mayor of Paris, when he supposedly employed staffs on the city payroll that were working secretly on his presidential campaign.

Chirac, while he was president, had immunity from prosecution, but now that he isn’t he is in trouble now.

SOURCE:
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/10/30/france.politics.chirac/index.html

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WORLD CUP QUALIFIER STANDINGS IN EUROPE

Each day we are getting closer to the beginning of the 2010 World Cup of Soccer, and countries are close to know if they qualified or not. Right now in Europe this are the countries that are in first place in their groups.

·       Denmark

·       Switzerland

·       England

·       Germany

·       Netherlands

·       Slovakia

·       Spain

·       Serbia

·       Italy

Of these countries Spain, Netherlands and England are unbeaten and already clinched a spot in the World Cup. For the ones that are in second place in their groups they will participate in the playoffs and the best 4 will enter the tournament and the losers will go back home. Probably the biggest surprise of all is that Portugal, who has Ronaldo, arguably the best player in the world, is placed in third place and probably will not make it to the world cup.

On October 14^th the final games will be played and we will finally know who officially made it to the World Cup.

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CHICAGO FIGHT FOR 2016 BEGINS

Election day to choose the place to host the 2016 Olympics is just 2 days away, and Chicago is well represented in Copenhagen. Michelle Obama just arrived today to Copenhagen in hope to impress the voters. And Michelle Obama is not the only high profile person there representing Chicago, Oprah Winfrey is also part of team Chicago.

“This is like a campaign, just like Iowa,” Obama said at a welcome dinner for Chicago 2016 supporters, according to a pool report. “The international community may not understand that, but the I.O.C. is like a caucus. Nobody makes the decision until they’re sitting there.”

Voting starts on Friday and each country gets 70 minutes to make a presentation on why their place should be the one that represents the 2016 games.

SOURCE:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/01/sports/01olympics.html

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RIO DE JANEIRO'S SECRET WEAPON: PELÉ

We are just 3 days away to know which country the International Olympic Committee will choose to be host of the 2016 Olympic games. Right now the heavy favorite to win the bid is Chicago, mainly because of the influence of Barrack Obama, but if somebody can beat team Obama it’s going to be Rio because of Pelé.

Pelé is synonymous with sporting success and he has been a player also on the political sides of sports. He says that Obama’s support doesn’t necessarily mean that everybody should give the victory to Chicago right now.

Pelé said: "Rio doesn't compete with Obama. We are competing against Madrid, against Tokyo, against Chicago."

South America has never hosted any kind of Olympic games, and with the support of Pelé this could finally change.

In my opinion thanks to Pelé’s universal popularity, charisma and persuasion Rio could defeat Chicago on a very close fight. It will be hard and right now Chicago is the favorite to win, but Pelé and underdog Rio could be the one that wins at the end.

Election day will take place in Copenhagen on October 2^nd.

Source:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/6243795/Pele-confident-Rio-has-the-beating-of-Obama-backed-Chicago-in-race-for-2016-Games.html

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POSITIONING MONTERREY ON THE MAP

A magnificent opera house put Sidney on the map. A spectacular museum put Bilbao on the map. A bold hotel put Dubai on the map. And an extraordinary stadium built over a bridge will put Monterrey on the map. I’m talking about the Monterrey International Stadium.

                                 

Monterrey, according to Price Watterhouse Coopers, it’s in the 66th place of the top 150 richest cities in the world. Monterrey’s GDP (Gross Domestic Products) OF 78 billions of dollars is higher that countries like Manchester, Berlin, Stockholm and Munich.

The reason I’m comparing this cities to Monterrey is because this cities are considered a better landmark city worldwide.

Landmark recognition is extremely important for a city, it generates confidence, this leading to... CHA CHING BUSSINESS!

To explain better how a landmark is linked to the economy I will use the museum Guggenheim in Bilbao. Bilbao had the vision to build a great museum, a museum that will be recognized around the world as one of the better museums of all, so Bilbao could position itself in the map and help the economy.

When it opened in 1997, they expected to receive about 700,000 visitors, but they ended receiving 1 million visitors that year. Now they average 1.4 millions of visitors a year. Economic expenses, job revenues, tourism and civic pride have all improved thanks to the landmark that put Bilbao on the map.

This stadium could do the same for Monterrey, and here are 3 promotional points:

·        It is an International Level stadium of 5th Generation, which gives Monterrey and Mexico an infrastructure to compete and be the host of the most important sport events in the World.

·       It is an Architectural, Engineering and Global Sustainable Development Icon, which will make any world soccer fan wish to come to Monterrey before he or she dies.

·       It has the first under roof theme park in the world dedicated to celebrate soccer passion.

This revolutionary stadium is due to open in 2011! :D :D :D

SOURCE:

http://www.estadiointernacionalmonterrey.com/en/positioning-monterrey-in-the-map

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ICELAND LOOKING TO BE PART OF THE CLUB

This last July 16th, the Commission of the European Union decided to accept the decision of the Icelandic Parliament to apply for EU membership.

Commission President José Manuel Barroso said: "The decision of the Icelandic Parliament is a sign of the vitality of the European project and indicative of the hope that the European Union represents. Iceland is a European country with long and deep democratic roots. Iceland has very close relations with the EU after some 40 years of EFTA membership and 15 years in the European Economic Area (EEA). It is now up to the Icelandic government to follow-up this decision by officially applying to the Presidency of the EU."

Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn added: "I am pleased that the EU's enlargement agenda may soon extend to Europe's north-western corner as well, with Iceland, a country with deep democratic traditions, in addition to our continued commitment to South East Europe."

Iceland is actually a good candidate for the European Union. Iceland joined the FTA in 1970 and has a bilateral Free Trade Agreement with the EEC since 1972. In 1994 Iceland joined the EEA.

Now Iceland joins a list of potential members, joining Croatia and Turkey.

 

SOURCE:

http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/1159&format=HTML

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Interesting facts about war.

Here are some fast facts about WAR.

• The shortest war on record took place in 1896 when Zanzibar surrendered to Britain after 38 minutes.
  
• The longest was the so-called 100-years war between Britain and France. It actually lasted 116 years, ending in 1453.
  
• It was during the 100-years war that direct taxation on income was introduced, a British invention designed to finance the war with France.
  
• Since 1495, no 25-year period has been without war.
  
• Since 1815 there has been 210 interstate wars.
  
• During the Battle of Waterloo, Lord Uxbridge had his horse shot from under him 9 times.
  
• Chevy Chase was a battle that took place on the english-Scottish border in 1388.
  
• The doors that cover US nuclear silos weigh 748 tons and opens in 19 seconds.
  
• The first recorded revolution took place at around 2800 BC when people from the Sumerian city of Lagash overthrew bureaucrats who were lining their own pockets but kept raising taxes.
  
• The NATO attack on Serbia in 1999 during the Kosovo war killed more animals than people.
  
• The very first bomb that the Allies dropped on Berlin in World War II killed the only elephant in the Berlin Zoo. Poor elephant.
  
• There are 92 known cases of nuclear bombs lost at sea.
  
• The first reference to a handgun was made in an order for iron bullets in 1326.
  
• Approximately 1,100 U boats were sunk or lost during World War II.
  
• When killed in battle, Japanese officers were promoted to the next highest rank.
  
• During the 1991 Gulf War, the Allies dropped more than 17,000 smart bombs and 210,000 dumb (unguided) bombs on Iraqi troops.
  
• Landmines cause 24,000 deaths a year.
  
• In 1997, the US maintained 13,750 nuclear warheads, 5,546 of them on ballistic missiles. See the today's figures.
  
• About 50% of arms exports go to non-democratic regimes.
  
• Annual global spending on military is $1.3 trillion (45% by USA).
  

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SOLDIER JOKE. IT's Funny HA HA

FRIEND OR OFFICER

Officer: "Soldier, do you have change for a dollar?"
Soldier: "Sure, buddy."
Officer: "That's no way to address an officer! Now let's try it again!"
Officer: "Soldier. Do you have change for a dollar?"
Soldier: "No, SIR!"             

                                          PLOP

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BAND OF BROTHERS

If you want to really feel how soldiers lived in the battlefield, I totally recommend the TV series "Band of Brothers". It is also the book but the TV series is awesome.

Band of Brothers is directed by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, two of the greatest figures in Cinema today. It is based on the book written by historian Stephen Ambrose.

The narrative centers on the experiences of the "Easy Company" of the 2nd Battalion. It talks from Easy's basic training at Toccoa, Georgia, through the American airborne landings in Normandy, Operation Market Garden, the Battle of Bastogne and on to the end of the war.

The events portrayed are based on Ambrose's research and recorded interviews with Easy Company veterans.

 

Here is the trailer of the series. Band of Brothers captured in my opinion perfectly the emotions of soldiers in the battlefield and you can have a little taste of the series in this trailer.

Feel free to comment if you have already seen this. Don't be ashamed to say if you cried.

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PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS PRODUCED BY WAR

I have always wondered what kind of effects can war cause to a soldiers mind, and on my search for knowledge on the internet I found this numbers:

• Of the 150,000 U.S soldiers, 8% TO 10% have presented behavioral and psychological disorders. that's about 15,000 soldiers presenting disorders. YIKES
• Approximately 1/6 of Veterans from the Iraq war are exhibiting mental disorder.
• 17.2% of Army soldiers have presented mental disorders.
• 15.6% of the Marines have presented mental disorders.
• The percentage of soldiers presenting mental disorders is increasing each and every and every and every day.

Let's also think a little bit about the people who lives in Iraq. Some habitants have presented Cognitive Mental Disorders, which results in aggressive behavior and violence.

These are some of the psychological effects of war:

•1)  Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – a prolonged and severe stress reaction to a catastrophic event or to severe, chronic stress.

•2)  Displacement – with regard to memory, the event that occurs when short-memory is filled to capacity and each new, incoming item pushes out an existing item, which is then forgotten.

•3)  Stress – the physiological and psychological response to a condition that threatens or challenges a person and requires some form of adaptation or adjustment.

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ANGELA MERKEL, "THE IRON LADY"

Here are some of the achievements of Angela Merkel, one of the few female world leaders today.

• Merkel is the first female Chancellor of Germany. 
• From 2006 to 2009, Forbes Magazine has named her the most powerful woman in the world. 
• In 2007 she became the second woman to chair the G8. The G8 is is a forum, created by France in 1975, for governments of eight nations of the northern hemisphere: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Merkel is the only women.
• In 2007 Merkel was President of the European Counsil.
• In 2008, Merkel received the Charlemagne Prize for her work to reform the European Union. The prize was presented by Nicolas Sarkozy. The prize has been awarded once a year since 1950 by the German city of Aachen to people who contributed to ideals upon which it has been founded.

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