[caption id="attachment_204" align="alignnone" width="445" caption="Holiday Decorations Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade 2007"][/caption]

Please give us a call at (949) 675-0551 with any questions when planning your holiday cruise and/or check out our website: www.christmasparadeboats.com

The Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade is the premier Christmas event not only for Orange County and Los Angeles but Southern California. This year marks 100 years of history for the Newport Harbor Christmas Boat Parade and is viewed by over a million people each year, the Newport Beach Christmas Parade of Lights is not only the oldest but largest boat parade on the West Coast.

Newport Landing offers cruises in the parade which are very popular for company holiday parties. Along with the novelty of having a holiday party that is actually cruising in the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade , a holiday cruise is a great choice for cost conscious groups. There are some important details to know when planning your holiday cruise.

[caption id="attachment_237" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Company Christmas Party 2007"][/caption]

While Friday and Saturday night of the Christmas Boat Parade are the most requested dates for company holiday parties, the other days of the parade offer some distinct advantages. Parking can be especially challenging during the Friday and Saturday nights of the Boat Parade. We always recommend prepaying with the Newport Landing parking structure for parking. Another great option is to rent a bus and come in as one group. Unlike Friday and Saturday, the other nights of the parade offer all of the décor and parade happenings with less of the congestion traveling to the Balboa peninsula. Once the parking has been solved for the rest is smooth sailing.

When planning your Newport Beach Holiday Cruise the topic of food and what format is the best for maximizing your experience. Sit down dinner options are popular, but we find that buffets or even hors d’ oeuvres allow for more mingling and the flexibility to move around the boat to view all of the festivities. An added plus with the buffet option or hors d’oeuvres is the cost per person is usually much lower than a full sit down dinner.

[caption id="attachment_195" align="alignnone" width="320" caption="Holiday Party Decor 2007"][/caption]

Along with the food come the drinks. A full service bar with bartender is included with every cruise. The question for many company holiday planners is how to structure the bar. An open bar or unlimited available drinks for your guests can sound like a very expensive proposition, but in reality rarely is. Most guests on a holiday cruise are not going to abuse complimentary drinks either for fear of later embarrassment or just as good form. The result is on average, open bars result in about 2 drinks per person. For guests that can push the drinking envelope we can provide a drink package with a fixed cost regardless of what is consumed. Other options include drink tickets or drink credit after which the guest pays or just a cash bar option. But for the added cost the open bar is a nice gesture and a good cost/benefit decision.

[caption id="attachment_264" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="One of hundreds of decorated boats in the parade 2007."][/caption]

A simple yet often overlooked detail that adds value during the holiday cruise and long after is pictures. There is nothing that creates more buzz than taking pictures of the parade, décor, and most importantly the guests. Pictures capture the moment and with all of the visuals and guests that are in a different element the resulting photographs take on a presence of there own. A number of companies that have come out with us were surprised and how long after the holiday season the pictures of their holiday party were the topic of discussion in the lunch room. And for those companies inviting key customers or vendors sending pictures to them even via email is a great way to tie the event into a long lasting memory. Nothing fancy is needed and sometimes is nice to have several individuals with digital cameras (recommended type) and you get a different flavor of photos from each individual.

We have several other suggestions to make the most of your holiday cruise event, but if you touch on the topics above when planning your holiday cruise you will be well on your way to a fun and memorable holiday company event.

Please give us a call at (949)-675-0551 with any questions when planning your holiday cruise our check out our website http://www.christmasparadeboats.com

Mendo Castro Henriques Presidente do IDP

AIMP Sede, 4 Out 08 - Já há tempos me tinham dito que havia na Internet um enorme burburinho calunioso e de muito mau gosto a respeito da minha posição sobre a iniciativa do Instituto da Democracia Portuguesa, denominada de "Monarquias Abertas".

Entretanto, não houve tempo e não prestei grande atenção à chamada de atenção. Não houve razão específica, simplesmente não houve tempo e não me inclino a prestar atenção aos chamados "burburinhos difamatórios e caluniosos" porque são frequentes na militância monárquica, dominada como está pela incivilidade política de resto vigente no espectro político português, seja republicano ou monárquico.

Só agora portanto, tive tempo de verificar no que consistia tanto "burburinho" e devo dizer que o "timing" foi perfeito. Neste início de Outono, deprimente e para mais ensombrado pelo "credit crunch" e a recessão económica que parece avizinhar-se, a leitura dos comentários, análises e demais devaneios difamatorios a que se dedicam alguns monárquicos proporcionaram alguns momentos hilariantes, cujo prazer não posso negar, porque revelam níveis de iliteracia elucidativos.

Honra porém, seja feita a Mendo Castro Henriques, de cuja autoria não encontrei um único comentário na mesma linha inculta e ignorante, talvez porque tendo com ele colaborado em projectos anteriores, sabe de certeza que comentários impróprios de minha autoria sobre o Sucessor dos Reis de Portugal, são uma improbabilidade de facto. Castro Henriques é inteligente! Caluniadores não merecem sequer qualificação.

Similarmente, podendo o Duque de Bragança solicitar-me ou à AIMP esclarecimentos quando

hajam  dúvidas,  o que é normal e habitual, também tal não sucedeu, provavelmente porque logo percebeu que as calúnias não tinham fundamento e como eu, não perde tempo com disparates. O mesmo princípio justificativo é inteiramente aplicável... O Duque de Bragança é um homem inteligente e não dá ouvidos a ondas difamatórias.

Posto isto, devo porém reiterar que embora concorde com o princípio essencial de ir ao encontro das populações locais, com iniciativas diversas, discordo que se façam sem que exista uma avaliação preliminar do impacto de tais iniciaivas na Opinião Pública, nomeadamente uma avaliação de risco para a imagem pública do Chefe da Casa Real Portuguesa, ou se - por exemplo - iniciativas contribuem ou não para o desgaste da imagem pública, neste caso do Duque de Bragança e finalmente, na matéria específica das chamadas "Monarquias Abertas", se o marketing é ou não adequado aos objectivos que se pretende atingir.

Uma passagem breve pela Imprensa em geral em Portugal e sobretudo pela Blogosfera, demonstram que tenho alguma razão na avaliação que fiz então. Em termos de marketing, o termo "Monarquias Abertas"  era e é errado. Antes de mais, porque pretendendo sugerir iniciativas dos monárquicos semelhantes às Presidências Abertas de Mário Soares, acabou por ser geralmente interpretado pelos media e pela Opinião Pública expressa na Blogosfera, como uma provocação inconsequente ao regime republicano vigente. E finalmente, porque o termo "Monarquias Abertas" é em si mesmo um desastre de marketing, porque tendo sido directamente copiado de uma iniciativa de prestígio da República, cuja paternidade se deve a Mário Soares, surge aos olhos da Opinião Pública Portuguesa como isso mesmo... uma cópia sem originalidade, nem nada de novo que excite a imaginação popular.

Claro que nada do que disse supra retira valor intrínseco essencial à necessidade legítima de ir ao encontro das populações locais. A iniciativa é excelente. A metodologia de marketing é que é medíocre!

Em linhas gerais pois, expliquei na altura o ponto de vista subjacente e demonstrei com alguns exemplos que provavam o impacto de imagem junto da Opinião Pública. Ao que parece, os exemplos que apresentei foram atribuídos à minha autoria. Iliteracia, ignorância, má-fé, simples mal-entendido ou flagrante estupidez da parte de quem publicou ou disse semelhante disparate, ficam aqui as provas para público registo de que não fui eu nunca o autor, simplesmente me limitei a citar exemplos flagrantes daquilo que eu temia na minha avaliação da questão, isto é, que a Opinião Pública negativa em relação ao título da iniciativa "Monarquias Abertas" seria uma factura de imagem directa e injustamente dirigida ao Duque de Bragança, em vez de ser dirigida a quem geriu e/ou gere a iniciativa. Vejamos pois os exemplos de que alegadamente era eu o autor, como foi erradamente sugerido:

“O Sr. Duarte está no Fundão a participar num colóquio sobre "Crise Alimentar nos Centros Urbanos". Segundo os mais chegados isto corresponde a uma espécie de "monarquias abertas". Tenham dó. Já não há pachorra para aturar esta merda do Sr. Duarte.”

ORIGEM: http://3openmind.blogspot.com/2008/07/o-sr-duarte.html.

 “Esta não é a primeira vez que Dom Duarte se lança numa iniciativa que muitos consideram uma "marcação à linha" às chamadas "presidências abertas" que o Chefe do Estado normalmente empreende - com Cavaco Silva chamam-se "roteiros". No Alentejo, e com a Saúde como tema principal, o assunto foi alvo de debate aceso, inclusivamente entre monárquicos, na imprensa e na blogosfera nacional.”

ORIGEM: http://caixadepregos.blogspot.com/2008/07/pormenor.html.

Só volto a "postar" quando o Duarte Pio concluir as "monarquias abertas"...

ORIGEM: http://capitao-merda.blogspot.com/2008/07/s-volto-postar-quando-o-duarte-pio.html.

 “Parece que vão voltar as "monarquias abertas". Sinceramente não entendo o que seja tal coisa. Mas o que me deixa perfeitamente perplexo é o facto de serem assinados protocolos. Protocolos?! Mas protocolos com quê e para quê? E já agora, quem é que paga toda esta "marmelada"?...”

ORIGEM:  http://zaratustra44.blogspot.com/2008/07/foi-pedir-beno-ser-manuela-ferreira.html.

 “Segundo o DN, D. Duarte desdobra-se agora num ciclo de encontros que alguns denominam de “Monarquias Abertas”. Mas comentar a referida noticia não é o propósito deste post. É só um pretexto para confessar algo que me apercebi há muito. Há pessoas que têm a capacidade de nos fazer soltar uma gargalhada. De nos fazerem rir à fartazana. Nem precisam de dizer nada. Basta mencionar o seu nome e somos logo invadidos de boa disposição. Para mim, D. Duarte é uma dessas pessoas. Obrigado Dom Duarte! Obrigado por todos os momentos de gargalhada que nos proporcionas! Obrigado e, já agora, cumprimentos para a Isabelinha!”

ORIGEM: http://lusitaniainsolita.blogspot.com/2008/07/dom-duarte-o-rei-da-boa-disposio.html.

 “O Eng.º Duarte Bragança vai fazer "monarquias abertas". Até parece que protocolos com entidades locais. Da minha parte, estou especialmente curioso em saber qual a entidade signatária que o senhor representa, qual o conteúdo dos protocolos e, particularmente, qual o critério adoptado para a celebração de acordos com as instituições públicas referidas na notícia, a saber, a UBI, a Escola Superior Agrária de Castelo Branco, ou a Direcção Regional de Agricultura. Enquanto cidadão com as mesmas faculdades e direitos do senhor Eng.º Bragança, sinto-me inspirado em organizar algo parecido - só ainda não me decidi se vai ser um bonapartismo aberto ou uma xogunato aberto (sonhar por sonhar, porque não ser mais exótico?).”

ORIGEM:  http://boinafrigia.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-07-16T22%3A40%3A00%2B01%3A00.

Ora fica evidente - e com a origem devidamente assinalada pelo URL de origem dos comentários - que não podia ter sido eu o Autor dos mesmos comentários. Mas as citações dos mesmos são importantes para compreender de uma vez por todas que iniciativas com impacto político devem ser geridas pelos monárquicos, de modo a que sejamos nós a receber o impacto das ondas de choque da Opinião Pública, protegendo o Duque de Bragança e assim evitando desgaste de imagem naqu'Ele que é indubitavelmente o factor chave de simpatia pública pela Causa da Monarquia.

Ficam pois desmentidos publicamente, todos quantos insinuaram ser eu o autor dos abusos a respeito do Duque de Bragança, e aqueles que de entre eles, aproveitaram para tecer comentários que não se podem estimar pela inteligência, nem pela sobriedade, nem pela probidade que seria de desejar em política e na militância, seja qual for, numa sociedade portuguesa cada vez mais dominada pela baixa-mão.

[caption id="attachment_71" align="aligncenter" width="449" caption="Giant Blue whale sighted Fall 2008."][/caption]

Looking for things to do checkout http://www.newportwhales.com/ for more information on whale watching in Southern California.

Newport Landing Whale Watching has served southern California for over 20 years providing whale watching and dolphin cruises. Year around cruises view many varieties of whales including the giant blue whale, which attains lengths over 80 feet, several types of dolphin, seals, and all sorts of other marine life. Each cruise is a unique experience; you may never know what you might encounter. A recent cruise encountered a huge pod of killer whales numbering over 30 killer whales including adults and young, definitely a trip of a life time.

[caption id="attachment_68" align="alignright" width="250" caption="Killer Whales Sighted Just Off Newport Beach"][/caption]

The waters surrounding Newport Harbor offer deep nutrient rich waters which attracts all types of marine creatures. The Laguna Beach coastline is just south of Newport Harbor and offers some of the most beautiful coastline of Southern California. The gray whales another whale very commonly seen on our cruises seem to enjoy the beauty of the Laguna Beach coastline as well with many whales spotted just a couple hundred yards off of the beach. Most of our whale watching cruises take in the scenic backdrops of Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, and Huntington Beach. Due to the geography of the orange county coastline and the protection of Catalina Island, the ocean conditions are incredible calm and comparable to a fresh water lake this allows whale watchers to fully enjoy the amazing viewing experiences.

Our primary whale watching ship is 65 feet in length with a large upstairs sundeck, wrap around outside seating, snack bar with food and beverages, indoor seating with large windows. Our whale watching ship was designed just for viewing marine life. Plenty of other amenities guartees to make for a very comfortable and exciting trip. Captains & crews have backgrounds in marine biology and are incredible knowledgeable providing details on marine creatures, environment, and eco systems.

[caption id="attachment_69" align="alignleft" width="250" caption="Bottlenose Dolphin numbering in the thousands."][/caption]

Newport Harbor is located in Newport Beach and only minutes from Los Angeles and Orange County. Whether for an individual looking to join one of the general admission whale watching cruises or a group wanting to reserve a private trip exclusively, Newport Landing takes great pride in sharing the magical experience of our whale and dolphin cruises.

For more information go to http://www.newportwhales.com/ or give us a call at (949)-675-0551.

Ai pessoal.. as ferias já acabaram e eu ainda não me habituei-me ao ritmo da escola. Certamente que vocês ainda não se tenham habituado mas com o tempo tudo se resolve. enfim... este ano para mim é o ultimo depois já vou começar a trabalhar na área de informática como web-designer por isso se precisarem de um web designer e só contactarem (O dono deste blog,O Duarte e que pode dar o meu email). Peçam a ele que ele certamente vos da.

AMANHA QUARTA FEIRA DIA 1 DE OUTUBRO AS FUNCIONARIAS DA MINHA ESCOLA FAZEM GREVE. PORTANTO PRATICAMENTE VOU ESTAR DESDE A 10 DA MANHA ONLINE SE PRECISAREM DE ALGO ME CONTACTEM ATRAVÉS DO BLOG QUE EU VOS RESPONDO.

POR HOJE E TUDO ESPERO QUE ESTEJAM A GOSTAR DO NOSSO BLOG, E CONTINUEM A ACOMPANHAR-NOS.

COMPRIMENTOS DA GERÊNCIA:

DUARTE E IGOR.

Igor Freitas

Agora só vamos voltar a alterar o tema no Natal.

Muito Obrigado, e continuem a acompanhar o blog que está sempre em crescimento!

Entonces ese día, Robert llegó tarde al trabajo, chocó un perro que buscaba lo que sea en el zafacón en la esquina de su casa, y pa´colmo, su mujer pensó que él le habia ´pegado cuerno´ porque el carro olía a ´hembra´ en la mañana siguiente. Si ella hubiera revisado debajo del asiento del carro, encontraria una funda con un perfume que él le compro, de sorpresa.

Desde hacia varias semanas, Robert añoraba su días de juventud, cuando soñaba con volver a montá bici-cross en el malecón o ser parte de Los Escorpiones, un grupo de patinadores de Los Mameyes. Rememoraba los años mozos de ir al Cineplex Naco, beberse una malteada de las de Bon él solito, y masticar Super Globo o Frugus, hasta que le doliera la ´quijá´.

Seguidor empedernido de la lucha de Jack Veneno, le alzaba un lao´a sus padres para que lo llevaran a Pizzeria Luiggi´s en la Duarte. Fiel lector de los paquitos de Memin, Kalimán y Aguila Solitaria, tampoco se perdía ´Different Strokes´ o lo que era lo mismo ´Blanco & Negro´, con Arnold, sobre todo cuando decia: ´De que estás hablando Willis?´.

De vez en cuando, mientras recordaba todo esto, se rascaba la rodilla derecha, producto de una caída que sufrió en el Toro Mecánico del Quisqueya Park, fractura que le obligó a usar yeso por 2 meses. Fué en vano tal sacrificio, porque a la semana de andar libre y sin muletas, fué a celebrar el acontecimineto en Mundo Sobre Ruedas. Resultado: otra fractura, esta vez en la misma pierna y un brazo. Pero él gozaba de estos recuerdos como se disfrutaban los tragos en Daiquiri de la Lincoln, con un chimi de los de Marcial. Eran otros tiempos.

Pero la nostalgia invadió su ser, cuando recibió un mini mensaje en el celular, donde la esposa le reprochaba el hecho de que al finalizar la semana, luego de un trabajo agotador en una firma de bienes raices, Robert se reunia con sus amigos y colegas en algún bar, para disipar el stress acumulado.
A su mente llegaron los lunes de Café Atlántico, losTom Collins de Don Pincho, o la ronquera del karaoke en Sr. Sandwich.

Por eso, un sábado bien temprano, Robert tomó su celular y llamó a to´los panas perdidos de la universidad, y los del trabajo.
Ya a la 6pm, su apartamento parecía un hormiguero de gente.
Se armó la rumba. Solo hasta las 8.20pm cuando Isabelle, la esposa de Robert, llegó del salón con dos amigas.
Se armó una comparsa de yo te digo y no me jodas.

El espectáculo fué aplacado por dos polincuentes que llegarón a solicitud de los vecinos. Hasta el muchacho del ´delivery´ que fué a llevar dos fundas de hielo, quedó tranca´o esa noche.

El domingo, luego de 6 llamadas a oficiales de uniformes kakis y más pinos en el kepis que en Jarabacoa, los acusados de alterar el orden del sueño y la tranquilidad del condominio, fueron liberados.

Robert, fué a trabajar el lunes siguiente, con los mismos recuerdos de siempre en su mente.

pb

"El Pelao" Fabio Duarte (1986) es un corredor singular. Con un positivo en la colombiana Clásica de Girardot en el verano de 2007, sabiamente aireado por la Federación Colombiana tras conocerse el primer resultado en el mes de febrero, este corredor saltó a la fama en el año 2006, tras numerosos éxitos en pista y una asombrosa versatilidad entre escalador, contrarrelojista y hombre de largos esfuerzos, por terminar cuarto en una Vuelta a Colombia que mereció ganar, ya que un error infantil en la etapa de Medellín le hizo perder toda opción con respecto a José Joaquín Castelblanco, ganador que luego dio también positivo y que se benefició de la inexistencia de compañeros para apoyar a Hernán Buenahora tras un percance mecánico en la etapa critérium final. Su excesivamente adelantado paso al profesionalismo europeo con la Diquigiovanni de Gianni Savio no le reportó grandes beneficios personales, por lo que tomó el camino del regreso y se "alojó" en el Colombia Es Pasión donde un ya casi veterano de la "Orden", el ex-Cofidis Iván Parra, ejerció de "cicerone" para darle las mejores enseñanzas de cara a un nuevo retorno. La forma de tan fabuloso Mundial la adquirió con buenas prestaciones en el Tour del Porvenir; la actitud en carrera la puso desde el principio, desmarcándose de cualquier bloqueo, siendo generoso como el que más y derrochando la inteligencia que sólo puede tener alguien que pelea contra corredores 20 años mayores que él. Sin duda, el "Niño Maravilla", como la prensa viene dándole en llamar desde su explosión en aquel 2006, volverá a ser un joven a seguir cuando, presumiblemente, coja la maleta y vuelva a Italia.

Y es que una crónica como esta bien debería titularse "Campeón, pese a Italia". Difícilmente puede encontrarse un mejor ejemplo para suplantar la debacle "azzurra" en "su" mundial. Las lamentaciones de Simone Ponzi, con ganas de estrujar algún que otro cuello en la meta por el ataque de "finisheur" de Duarte en el mini-repecho de acceso al hipódromo, son justificadas e independientes de su condición, prácticamente la mejor de todos los participantes. Los hombres de Rosario Fina han planteado la carrera de manera majestuosa, totalmente a la ofensiva, sin ningún tipo de cuota de caza en el pelotón y con más de un hombre en cada corte peligroso. Sin embargo, los "egos" han podido, uno muy especialmente: el del "tricolore" Damiano Caruso, ese corredor que ha visto el cielo abierto tras lograr el título nacional como única victoria en amateurs y que no ha asumido la labor de avanzadilla que debía tener tras el, a todas luces, hombre estrella de la "nazionale" desde Stuttgart: Simone Ponzi. Salvo Malori, quien practicamente no existió o no hizo tareas más que las que "no se ven", todo el equipo estuvo híper-comprometido: Oss, ese gigantón de dos metros hecho coraje, rodar y sacrificio todo en uno, no pidió nada a cambio y se fajó en pos del éxito de su compañero de "squadra" en la Zalf; Borchi se infiltró con el propio Oss en la "early break" del día para contribuir a esa estrategia de "lanzadera" de Ponzi; sin embargo, Caruso miró para sí mismo, y no sin fuerzas, pues era una de las mejores ruedas del día, atacó para conectar el solo en la delantera, recoger a los ciclistas del grupo delantero y ver si se podía recoger algo. Incluso atacó en la penúltima vuelta con mucho convencimiento, si bien el grupo pasó a bloque a barrerlo, Gautier atacó nada más neutralizarse y en el curveo posterior todo el "gas" se diluyó.

La última vuelta fue tan espectacular como esperpéntica. Silin, Costa y Ponzi pasaron a 17 kilómetros del sprint final en el primer gran grupo de persecución, ¡¡a casi dos minutos del septeto de cabeza!! Por alguna razón que no se alcanza a comprender, los líderes en pleno se abrieron de piernas, haciéndonos creer que el  irlandés Dan Martin, que había demarrado en el repecho decisivo tan sólo una vuelta antes, vería su esfuerzo "entre dos aguas" compensado. La ausencia de pinganillos privó a Italia de un final más selectivo, y el ataque trasero de los capos Ponzi y Costa hubo de ser espeluznante. Cuando Caruso pensaba recoger sus réditos en un hipotético ataque en Ronchi, se vio rodeado de nuevas caras. Cuando el grupo de 6 ciclistas (Degenkolb por Alemania tras un sacrificio supremo de Nerz; Gautier por Francia; Oss y él mismo por Italia; Duarte y el ya Katyusha Ben Swift por los "Brits") se vio acompañado por otros tantos a media subida final a Ronchi por Ponzi, Rui Costa (ataque valiente pero sin fuerzas al conectar) o el ruso Egor Silin, no hizo nada por estirar el grupo para lanzar el sprint, permitió que Van Winden (se quedó cortado 5 escasos metros en Ronchi y luego sufrió un mundo para llegar a base de potencia) conectase tras la "flamme rouge", y acabó posibilitando que Duarte, en espléndida acción de "finisheur" (si no hay un equipo para estirar hasta los 60 por hora, algún desalmado lo probará el domingo), se llevase el arcoiris al otro lado del charco.

Las caras de los medallistas de plata y bronce, Ponzi y un sensacional Degenkolb (Alemania vuelve al podio sub23 tras un año de "parate", con el título de Ciolek en Salzburgo aún reciente, y lo hizo con un equipo solidísimo y un eventual líder con sólo 18 años para 19), lo decían todo. Entre los favoritos, Eslovenia y Australia estuvieron absolutamente desaparecidos, mientras el "isolé" ucraniano Vitaly Buts, en clara condición de favorito tras su temporada en Italia, se mostró totalmente ausente, decepcionante, dantesco. Casi desapercibida para el espectador neutral la aportación española, con Rafa Valls durante más de media carrera racaneando en los relevos, Castroviejo en el mismo pelotón de Ponzi y Costa en el último paso por meta y Madrazo desaparecido. Pero, lejos de las esperanzas de aprendizaje de los nuestros, hoy las campanas tocaban a guerra en el frente italiano. Y Ponzi, al que pasar a pros con Lampre en 2009 le sabrá mucho mejor que esto, aporreó el manillar de su bici. Y la cabeza de Rosario Fina. Y puede que también su metal.

Estamos de volta depois de uma longa ausência. E vamos já contar as novidades:

- Em Agosto fomos de férias para Tavira uns diazitos.

- No dia 4 de Setembro começou o ano lectivo na nova escolinha...a Leonor adorou, e o Duarte ficou logo doente para não ter de ir mais às aulas. lol

- Dia 9 de Setembro o puto mais lindo cá de casa fez 2 aninhos. Estava com febre mas apagou as velas à mesma. :-)

- Depois fomos passar mais um fim de semana aos Algarves, desta vez para Vilamoura.

- As nossas primas estão a ficar grandes. A Carolina é uma fixe que está sempre a rir e bem disposta. A outra prima ainda não tem nome, mas parece estar enorme...pelo menos a mãe dela está. eh eh eh!!

Ich empfinde ihren Vorschlag sehr gut, sich auf die Zielgruppe der Präsentation einzustellen. Bevor man Folien malt oder Konzepte verfeinert, muss man seine Audienz kennen, sagt Nancy. Ihr Vorschlag: erstelle dir Personas. Das sind Profile von den Zuhöreren, wo du dir Gedanken machst, was sie bewegt und was du tun musst, um sie mit deiner Botschaft zu bewegen. Auf ihrer Webseite hat sie ein Template, das folgende Fragen enthält:

• Wie sind sie drauf?
• Warum sind sie da?
• Was hält sie nachts wach?
• Wie kannst du ihre Probleme lösen?
• Was sollen sie machen?
• Wie kannst du sie am besten erreichen?
• Was in ihnen könnte das ablehnen?

In diesem Stil gibt es weitere zahlreiche Tipps im Buch, die sofort helfen, Präsentationen besser in den Griff zu bekommen. Nancy redet auc h in einem Webcast über einige Aspekte. Aber am besten das Buch kaufen, wenn man öfter mal präsentiert – die Welt wird dadurch zu einem besseren Ort.

[Update]
Interview mit Nancy - sehr cool
ein Fallbeispiel bei Guy Kawasaki - geht es cooler? 

-Da ,vei merge cu noi la sectie.
Am plecat inconjurat de doi politisti .Ajuns la sectie ,m-au dus in camera pentru interogatoriu:
-Am primit o declaratie a martorei Livia Popescu conform careia ai fost in apartamentul Ioanei aseara ,cum explici?
-Am fost invitat la o petrecere si n-am putut refuza.
-Mai departe avem informatii cum ca ai ramas singur cu Ioana , e adevarat ?
-Da ,recunosc ca am ramas peste noapte.
-Ce s-antamplat?
-Nimic deosbit ,ne-am uitat la meci ,apoi ne-am culcat iar in jurul orei 6.00 am plecat .
-Noi credem altceva , unde e Ioana ?
-Nu stiu ,v-am zis ca am plecat la sase.
-Ne dai o proba ADN ?
-Da sunt nevinovat .
Am dat proba apoi un politist spuse :
-Ramai aici , noi iti vom perchizitiona apartamentul .
-Bine asa voi face .
-De fapt mergi cu noi .
M-am intors acasa la mine ,unde am fost martor la propia perchezitie .Desi au cautat orice m-ar putea incrimina , n-au gasit mare lucru , singurul mai interesant calculatorul caci aveam o colectie impresionanta despre criminali si metode de a ucide .
-Audiati-l din nou , am gasit in calculatorul lui mai multe lucruri suspecte.
Ajuns din nou la politie , am fost suspus unui nou interogatoriu , am ramas ferm pe pozitie. M-au lasat sa plec dar mi-au zis ca sunt cu ochii pe mine.
Ma bagasem intr-o mare belea , nu stiam cum sa procedez ,imi peirdusem credibilitatea intrucatt Livia raspandise vestea in clasa ca sunt suspectul principal in acest caz .Singurele care inca mai credeau in nevinovatia mea erau Vika is o alta fata Crysta , sincer Crysta probabil pentru ca dorea altceva . Asa au trecut doua saptamani pana cand intr-o zi venind de la scoala gasesc in casuta postala o citatie conform careia trebuie sa ma prezint la politie .M-am dus si acolo mi-au prezentat o urma de sange care s-ar fi gasit pe scara si care s-a stabilit ca ar apartine Ioanei .
-Spune tot zise un politist.
-Sunt nevinovat , credeti-ma de ce as fi omorat-o !? de ce sa scap de cineva pe care il iubesc.
-E adevarat ca v-ati certat ?
-Da,dar a fost mai demult.
-Si tu ai zis ca te angajezi ucigasi platiti sa o lichideze .
-Am spus la nervi , doar nu eram nebun sa imi duc planul pana la capat .
-Asteapta aici , vin imediat.
Intr-un minut aparu cu un cutit ,sigilat intr-o punga , ce prezenta urme de sange .
-Asta e arma crimei.
-Ati gasit-o ? E moarta?
-Asteptam sa ne spui tu unde e .
-V-am zis : nu stiu , n-am omorat-o eu .
-Dispun arestarea ta preventiva pentru trei zile ,poate vei marturisi .
O incurcasem rau de tot .Puscarie scria pe mine .Asta era situatia . Am mers ia am stat trei zile acolo suportand cu stoicism .Mi s-a dat drumul .Nu aveam nici o idee

En el blog de Demo Girl hay un screencast en inglés que muestra algunas cosillas.

Pero fue en otro blog, concretamente el de slide:ology donde descubrí que la gente de Google encargó a Scott McCloud la realización de un cómic para explicar las características más relevantes de su navegador. El resultado es una historieta amena protagonizada por algunos de los desarrolladores de la aplicación.

Tal como comenta Nancy Duarte, autora del blog citado slide:ology, dudo que me hubiera leído sólo un texto con la información destacada de Google Chrome. Pero con el cómic no pude evitar leérmelo de cabo a rabo. 

Una muestra de que los cómics sirven para algo más que entretener a chavales o a adultos. La combinación de texto escrito y dibujos, esquemas, personas, etc, hace que el resultado sea entretenido y visual, claro e inteligible.

Creo que éste sería un buen recurso para trabajar en el crédito de inglés que se da en el Ciclo de Grado Medio de Explotación de Sistemas Informáticos. Se imprime, se hacen copias, se encuadernan y se dan a los alumnos para luego hacer actividades varias como lectura, pronunciación, vocabulario, traducción, gramática o lo que se tercie.

Enlaces:

• Cómic, en inglés, de Google Chrome
• Página de Google Chrome

[Vía slide:ology]

Agora têm apenas de dar a vossa opinião e daqui a um mês (30 dias) (Dia 16 de Outubro) Vamos colocar neste blog a conclusão final.

Obrigado e participem!

Duarte Cotrim

En anteriores posts hemos tratado temas respecto a lo que no has hace falta para empezar echar a andar una verdadera industria del entretenimiento, si bien el problema especifico reside en la falta de legislación actualizada y un ente efectivo que pueda hacer valerla como tal, hay gente que dentro de sus posibilidades esta haciendo patria a base de sus capacidades, pude que hallan errores pero la intención es la que cuenta.

El pasado mes pude asistir a un recital organizado por la Municipalidad de Guatemala en el antiguo Palacio de Correos, en este participaron varios alumnos de Luis Felipe Girón May y por supuesto él mismo. Las instalaciones no eran las mejores debido a la poca circulación de aire en el lugar esto puede provocar efectos contrarios al bienestar de las cuerdas vocales de los alumnos ya que las altas temperaturas provocan bajas en el registro. En momentos parecía que era el concurso de talentos o clausura de algún colegio debido a que varios de los cantantes eran en algunos casos preadolescente y la calidad incluso de alguno ya adultos dejaba mucho que desear las fallas eran variadas pero todos coincidían en adolecer de interpretación y manejo escénico. A la mayoría de ellos los había visto en un concierto al aire libre en el Parque de La Antigua Guatemala el año pasado, debo aceptar que se nota no solo el trabajo del alumno y del maestro por que aunque no haya sido la mejor actuación de su vida para muchos de ellos en el Palacio de Correos, es notable que de esa época para acá han mejorado, si bien hay mucho camino por recorrer ya lo están haciendo, pueda que algún día conforme la voz madure mejoren su técnica y decidan quemar el video que guarda las actuaciones de esos días en que provocaban a Mare Luther escribir estas líneas. Aquí es de aplaudir el valor de Girón May al exponer su nombre a la crítica dándoles la oportunidad a cantantes que aun no están listos, pero ¿Cómo van a aprender si no es así? Esta es la única manera de que aprendan a enfrentar al publico, son el tipo de golpes que dan una lección, el recital era gratuito entonces no hubo ningún timo al publico, ya que si no le gusto no queda resentido por haber pagado.

Por otro lado actualmente se esta llevando a cabo el Stacatto Music Fest, este es organizado por la academia de artes escénicas Stacatto que dirige el cantante Mike Duarte de Aurum. Este concurso en su primera edición ha logrado mucho más localmente que mucho y se perfila como un prometedor evento de alcance nacional a mediano plazo y ojala, internacional a largo. Este concurso cuenta con interesantes premios en efectivo y regalos de los patrocinadores que resultan ser un efectivo estimulo para un cantante, la pagina en Internet donde se da la información respectiva a la academia esta actualizada y tiene muy buena imagen. La organización no esta totalmente acaparada por el director si no que esta perfectamente delegada y con esto también esta produciendo fuentes de empleo lo cual es a todas luces positivo. Puedo imaginar que desde el momento que Mike concibió la idea de esta escuela debe haber admitido que esto derivaría en una enemistad con quien otrora fuera su mentora: la Doctora Angélica Rosa.

Es aquí donde vemos la otra cara de la moneda. La Doctora Rosa entre varias cosas se caracteriza por despreciar la competencia aquí en Guatemala basándose en la premisa de que nadie aquí tiene la capacidad que ella tiene, cosa que puede ser cierto pero el mercado ofrece bastantes nichos para dejar esto entredicho. Esta aseveración la ha llevado a limitar la participación de sus alumnos en distintos ámbitos del arte nacional como el festival anteriormente mencionado. Aquí los alumnos han sido censurados a participar en el Stacatto Music Fest por que según ella sus alumnos “son profesionales y no están para ese tipo de concursitos” y ¡ay! De aquel que se atreva a participar. Pueda que sea cierto por que de su academia han salido muy buenos artistas, pero solo hay una manera en que un artista especialmente incipiente puede demostrar que es un profesional o el mejor y esta es en las tablas, el esconderlos solo va a provocar un resentimiento en el alumno con el tiempo (hay alumnos que llevan seis y ocho años adentro y aun no se sabe afuera de ellos). Es por eso que quien se atreva a desafiar estos preceptos en la escuela de la Doctora, se atiene a la ganarse la enemistad de ella o su desprecio como profesional, esta bien que un maestro quiera que sus alumnos sean los mejores, pero pedagógicamente esta no es la forma.

Por eso amigos yo los invito a que cuando atiendan este tipo de eventos seamos un poco benevolentes en cuanto a la situación en que se encuentra el que esta en el escenario, no podemos juzgar igual a un muchacho de 14 años que aunque un poco desafinado ya se sabe dos o tres arias de Verdi como vamos a juzgar a un señor de 45 años que solo sube a pegar de gritos y no se le entiende lo que dice. Tampoco digo que no se les debe criticar por que si no se hace no van a aprender por que no van a saber en que están fallando, esta es una carrera de imagen pública y no se puede hacer oídos sordos a lo que la gente dice. Muy distinto es si usted va a un evento en el que no solo le cobran si no que también tiene que aguantar un mal espectáculo o de poca calidad respecto a lo que pagó (Como la Escuela de Mando del Mónaco que cobra precios elevados por presentaciones que ni siquiera son en lugares adecuados). La unica manera de aprender a jugar futbol es entrando a la cancha, debemos juzgar en detrimento del tipo de presentacion, pero… nadie se escapa.

La perseverancia aguerrida de un senador ha dado mucha agua de beber a algunos círculos de corrupción. El senador del Partido de la Liberación Dominicana por la provincia de Peravia, Wilton Guerrero, se ha convertido en un auténtico patriota, héroe y abanderado de la auténtica dominicanidad. Para muchos, un político que no es político, ya que no teme mencionar "nombres y matrículas", como decimos en la universidad, para denunciar la corrupción y los flagelos que azotan a la República Dominicana.

El senador de Peravia ha logrado convertirse en todo un fenómeno en la política dominicana. Las denuncias que ha hecho en contra del narcotráfico, con fotografías, CDs, documentos... evidencias que dudamos puedan ser falseadas por la magnitud de las denuncias y la naturaleza de las pruebas, representan sus principales armas.

El narco ha puesto precio sobre su cabeza: RD$10,000,000 o USD$287,191.27. Y es que el valiente senador ha denunciado la complicidad del gobernador de la provincia, de los cuerpos del orden, del Procurador General de la República, y hasta de funcionarios del Ministerio Público con el narcotráfico. Sin embargo, el senador Guerrero no teme: «Estoy cumpliendo con mi labor como dominicano, como banilejo, como senador y como peledeísta formado por el extinto líder, Juan Bosch.»

Ojalá surgieran en la República Dominicana otros hombres valientes como él. Ya lo he dicho: la República Dominicana no se levantará hasta que no se levanten los que han de levantarse. Por demás, nuestro país no merece su libertad si, como dice el Himno Nacional, es "esclavo indolente y servil". No deben, pues, los dominicanos inclinarse ante los flagelos que afectan a nuestra sociedad. Deben levantarse y luchar como hombres y mujeres valientes en contra de los mismos, si en verdad desean ver cumplido el sueño de Juan Pablo Duarte.

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Where do we begin to assess the ruin?

Indeed, in this cloud of dust we inhabit, our cyclical abyss of creation and destruction, where do we begin when there is no starting point from which to leap?  What course will the chemicals of our body lead us as they clumsily tremble into place?  Perhaps you can find an explanation with the Ouroboros and my music video attempt to capture it.  Enjoy...

The begining portion of the movie is highlighted with a series of images expressing movement in fixed linearism, unidrectional progress. This is the everyday illusion, our dim minds often forget the ephemeral nature of the world in which there is no starting point, no linear progress.  The shift in music brings with it more cyclical images, a realization of the world as whole.  Having realized this, our Crow friend drifts from train to train both humbled and depressed with his discovery.  This brings us to the inevitable death of our masked friend which represents the destructive necesity of this wheel, this ouroboros.

El libro se llama slide:ology, hoy lo ordene en Amazon y en cuanto lo tenga y lo lea, subire una reseña del mismo, en el site de Duarte puedes suscribirte al blog y encontraras muchos recursos y ejemplos de como evolucionar en el manejo de la información y su comunicación al público.

Now for something a little different - another food entry!  I haven't had really good Indonesian food in a long time, so I decided to go look for a restaurant that could match some of mother's home cooking.  I'd been to Toko Rame before, but wasn't too thrilled.  Therefore, it was time to pay a visit to Chicky, a local venue that participates in a weekly Indonesian food festival outside of the Duarte Inn.  I'm impressed with some of their dishes, but I found some of them rather lacking.  It's no home cooking, but considering how rare Indonesian restaurants are, it's worth a look if you're in the mood.

Finding such a small venue is a real pain in the neck.  Chicky isn't immediately noticeable from any main street, so the best way to find directions is to ask for the Duarte Inn.  The restaurant is tucked away in the small shopping complex right in front of the inn.  It's best recognized by the rather large "GRAND OPENING" sign plastered on the trees nearby.

The interesting thing about Chicky is that the menu doesn't reflect a purely Indonesian influence.  Sure, there are some staple foods, like satay and nasi goreng (fried rice).  However, there are also orange chicken bowls, and other dishes that reflect Japanese and Chinese influence.  Chicky is at heart an Indonesian restaurant, but also tries to cater to a variety of tastes.  It's a good idea on paper; Indonesian cooking isn't too well known the USA, so offering some more well known dishes would be a welcome consolation to the less adventurous.  I worried, however, that the Indonesian food would be somewhat degraded by the dilution of other 'flavors' on the menu - thankfully, I was (for the most part) proven wrong.

The first order of the day was to find out what drinks were available.  Happily, there are some Indonesian favorites, including Es Teler (with avocado!), Es Shanghai (shaved ice), and Es Cincao (grass jelly).  Es Teler happens to be my favorite drink of all time, and I'm glad to see that they got it right.  Having one of these drinks is a must when you come here, as it really adds to the experience.

If you get there early enough, you'll find lumpia and risoles available in a basket by the counter.  Also on the menu is a ton of satay platters, which you can have in chicken, pork, or lamb.  To me, the best one is the lamb satay, as the sauce blends perfectly with the rich and meaty flavor of the lamb.  If possible, though, grab the lumpia.  They're made fresh everyday in small amounts, and the meat filling (chicken) is spiced to perfection, with the warmth of the sticky rice mixing well with the flaky nature of the meat.  It's a perfect appetizer, in my opinion, but they simply run out too fast.

The main courses here are really something to be marveled at.  Served in a box that belongs in a Japanese restaurant, the dishes like beef padang and chicken kuning are served as combinations.  A good helping of rice (spiced with saffron gives it the yellow color in the chicken kuning) and an accompaniment of traditional vegetable dishes (deviled egg, anybody?) provide ample contrast to some traditional preparations.  To be honest, the beef padang is the best of the bunch.  The meat is unusually light and can be cut with a light tap of the fork.  The spicing is also excellent; however, be prepared because it can be really spicy to some newcomers.  The chicken kuning is good, but I found the meat to be a little too dry and tough for my tastes.  Also, the spice doesn't come out in this dish; to me, you could've put a grilled chicken breast on, and it would've been the same.  In both dishes, however, use the sambel (chili) in the middle of the plate SPARINGLY.  That stuff is insanely hot, and will burn your tongue off if you're not careful.

Two other dishes on the menu worth mentioning are the Mee Goreng and the Siomay.  The Mee Goreng is a traditional preparation of Indonesian-style noodles.  It's good, but I wish the kitchen would lay off the salt a little bit.  I found myself gasping for water twice when eating this (and I didn't eat much).  The siomay share the name with a dim sum dish, but it's actually a bit different.  Strong pork flavors mix with a heavy peanut sauce to make a flavorful and ultimately satisfying dish.  What I regret is how intensely strong the flavors are.  There isn't a sense of balance, but more of a sledgehammer being thrown around, with two very strong ingredients vying for your taste buds.  If this is your dish of choice, it will be difficult to have much else, since it's so filling.

In conclusion, Chicky's is a decent Indonesian restaurant with a few standout dishes, such as their satay and beef padang.  It is also an attractive visit because there are other dishes that can cater to the less adventurous traveler's tastes.  However, the kitchen does require some fine-tuning, and they can really do with some cutting down of salt usage.  It's also ridiculously hard to find unless you realize it's next to the Duarte Inn.  I do think this restaurant has a lot of potential, though, and as it grows they will understand how to make their food better.  As it is one of the few decent Indonesian hops in the SoCal area, it's worth a look, even if it's just for drinks.

Pros:

• Indonesian drinks are sooooo good.
• Satay is well made
• Combination dinners are humongous!

Cons:

• Small menu selection (not really a con, but if you're looking for the more regional dishes you won't find it here)
• Pricey
• Overuse of salt

Important Information:

Chicky BBQ & Grill

I don't know the address, so use the Duarte Inn instead.

1200 Huntington Dr
Duarte, CA 91010

Below I exerpt significant passages from the very valuablele translation of "Mercator et Autodictus" written by A. M. Vas Dias and W. G. van der Tak in 1932, filled with primary source material ubiquitously used. These selections are as to the kind of trade that Spinoza's family business might have engaged in. Nadler follows this text for instance in concluding that the Spinoza name traded in dried fruits, but in looking at the evidence there does seem room for additional inferences, including the trade of Algerian oils and pipes, and the possibility of Canary Island or Brazilian sugar.

Mercator et Autodictus

Found in the notarial archives of Amsterdam:

A deed dated July 15th, 1631, passed before notary Daniel Brendan (register 941) containing the statement of two porters that on May 27th and June 18th of that year, they, acting upon the request of couriers of Amsterdam and sheriff Hendrik Hudde respectively, carried goods to the Weighing-house from a certain warehouse on the Prinsengracht in which miscellaneous merchandise as stored, such as sugar, brazil-wood and candied ginger, of which warehouse Philips Pelt and Michael d'Espinosa kept the keys.

 To nr.2a (Notary archives of Amsterdam register 942):

To this deed we are told that a shipment of fifty small casks of raisins which Michael should have recieved from Malaga [Spain] according the the bill of charge, did not arrive in good order. Besides learning that Michael must have traded in dried citrus, we also hear that he was living on Vloolenburg in 1633. 

Now we give two other deeds in French, passed before the notary Benedict Baddel:

in the first, passed on July 20th, 1651(register 967 folio 304), Michael D'Espinosa grants a power of attorney to Jacob Boeve, merchant in London, to institute legal proceedings to regain possession of goods, belonging to him, that had been seized by the English Admiralty as coming from Portugal. The goods consisted of pipes as small casks of Algerian oil.

The registries of the notary Baddel mention two more deeds in Dutch (registers 964 and 970):

...the first, passed on November 27, 1651, contains a statement by Simon Rodrigues Nunes at the request of Michael D'Espinosa, that at the house of Julian Lanson, also merchant in Amsterdam, he requested payment of the latter's share in the expenses made in the reclamation of the ship "Prince" that was seized by the English on its way from the Canary Islandsto Amsterdam; the expenses referred to had been advanced by Antonio Fernandes Carvejal in London.

Febuary 15 1655:

...the honourable William van Erpecum, about forty years old, and Jarich Jelles, thiry-five years old, both merchants within this said city, well known to me, said the notary. And the request of Simon Rodrigues Nunes, also a merchant within the same city, they attested...they made the following purchases and received from the requisitionist, namely the said Van Erpecum, five casks of long raisins at twenty-eight guilders a hundred, and the said Jarich Jelles twenty-seven casks also of long raisins at twenty-seven guilders a hundred.

"Jelles dealt in spices and according the the deed [NAA 975] he did buisness with Portuguese Jews from whom he bought raisins. Michael De Spinoza also traded in dried fruits."

The evidence points toward an interesting matrix of potential trade practices. The record of 1633 does indicate that Michael Spinoza traded in raisins, and in 1655 we have the suggestive record that Jarich Jelles did as well, keeping some continuity across two decades of business. Yethere we have as well a record of trade in Algerian oil and pipes, and an interesting piece of evidence that Michael held the keys to a warehouse that was filled with Brazilian trade items, notably the cash crops sugar and brazil-wood. The authors take this to be proof of Michael's trustworthiness, but there would seem to be more than this. There is additional evidence that Michael Spinoza traded in sugar, as he attempted to re-acquire the goods of the ship "Prince" seized by the English. This ship came from the Canary Islands which had for the last century or so been dominated by the effective and mostly brutal economies of sugar production. By the 17th century though, sugar production dramatically had dropped due to Brazilian sugar expansion, and its primary export had been replaced by the sweet dessert wine, Malvasia, meant for both American and British consumption. Yet, the Canary Islands were on the trade route to the Americas, so a ship coming from there destined for Amsterdam likely and predominantly carried the Brazilian sugar (or brazil-wood), or even still Canary sugar. Evidence for additional Canary Islands, sugar-trade relations are found in Spanish Inquisitional records:

Gullan-Whur, citing Israel Revah's "Spinoza et le Dr. Juan de Prado" (1959), writes of this:

An echoing description was given to the Inquisition by Captain Miguel Pérez de Maltranilla, a day after Fray Tomás's. The captain, visiting a Canary Islands physician convalescing from leprosy in Amsterdam, stumbled upon a discussion group at the sick physician's home, where he distinguished two men "who had abandoned the Jewish religion" from two other, allegedly practicing, Jews (who should not, of course, have been "under the same roof or come within four cubits") of Benedictus or De Prado (90).

The obscure citation is usually used to draw out the fact that Spinoza may have been still connected to issue of Hebraic religiosity after his ban from the community, and important possibility. But here I want to add it to his possible Canary Islands and sugar associations. In 1659 Spinoza was in the house of a Canary Island physician [Nadler reports elsewise, that the man is merely visiting a physician, perhaps Dr. Reinoso, and not a physician himself, and Klever simply identifies him a "chevalier"; Gullan-Whur reads the man himself as a physician, noting that the Leper's hospital was by the city wall on Vloyenburg; the argument could procede either way]. Whether Spinoza knew him through his past trade practices, or through the nature of the "discussion group" (or both), or simply through the house owned by a name of the same name, Guerra, is of course undecided.

Apart from general knowledge of Spinoza's doings and concerns, the reason for looking closely into this is that Spinoza's personal connection to colonial exploitation may have had a bearing upon either his renunciation of mercantile wealth, or on his personal politics later to be voiced in two treatises. Sugar embodies in many ways the pitfalls of affective indulgence and the systematic, brutal control of others.

The Waking Nightmare of Sugar, "Physician Heal Thyself"

This may be no more than a fancy, but we have a curious record 5 years later in Spinoza's life of the possible impress of the leperous-physician event. The notable merchant and collegiant Peter Balling's son has died (whether the death was recent is in question), Spinoza writes to comfort him as to how a father may have somehow presaged his son's death, in an auditory hallucination. Spinoza tells of a waking dream he had in the Winter of Rijnsburg, where a "scabby Brazilian" stared him hauntingly in the face:

I think I can both illustrate and confirm what I say by another occurrence, which befell me at Rhijnsburg last winter. When one morning, after the day had dawned, I woke up from a very unpleasant dream, the images, which had presented themselves to me in sleep, remained before my eyes just as vividly as though the things had been real, especially the image of a certain black and scabrous Brazilian whom I had never seen before. This image disappeared for the most part when, in order to divert my thoughts, I cast my eyes on a boot, or something else. But, as soon as I lifted my eyes again without fixing my attention on any particular object, the same image of this same Ethiopian appeared with the same vividness again and again, until the head of it gradually vanished (translation modified), - Letter 17, July 20th 1664.

Politically sensitive readers such as Antonio Negri have taken this dream to represent a extraordinary fracture in Spinoza's System, one that will break off his writing of the Ethics, and a turn toward the requirement of a Theological-Political Treatise. While I will refrain from such a grand, but perhaps attractive interpretation, I will suggest that there are certain correspondences between Spinoza's dream, his no doubt powerful sympathies for a mourning friend, and our record of the likely spiritual-tinged meetings at the house of a physician from the Canary Islands.

For one, the visiting man [a physician or otherwise] is leprous, as would seem the Brazilian figure is. Sugarcane historically had dominated the slave economies of both Brazil and the Canary Islands, so conflating the two seeming fitting. In addition, more symbolically, the disease of leprosy is the New Testament disease par excellence, symbolizing man's fallen state. If the man himself was a physician, the image of a physician that cannot heal himself certain recalls the proverb from the fourth chapter of the Gospel of Luke, when Jesus begins his public ministry. It worth quoting in full, since one wonders if the passage was on the minds or on the lips of any of those Christians who may have been in attendance. (Spinoza is in the company of Dr. Reinoso who may be an attending physician):

14 And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district. 15 And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all. 16 And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. 17 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written,

18 "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME,
BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR.
HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES,
AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND,
TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,
19 TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD."

20 And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. 22 And all were speaking well of Him, and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from His lips; and they were saying, "Is this not Joseph's son?" 23 And He said to them, "No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, 'Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.'"

24 And He said, "Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown. 25 But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; 26 and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian."

28 And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; 29 and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff.

Let me diverge from my main point for a moment, as the writing seems to be heading this way. This passage from Luke contains several elements consonant with Spinoza's situation, which in what may only be a marvelous coincidence flow together in figuative ways. Here is marked out the beginning of Jesus' ministry, and the violent rejection of him by his own home town. Clearly, this too is the place where Spinoza found himself in 1659, upon reflection. We also have the healing of lepers, and for Spinoza a physician who is struck with leprosy. And lastly, there is the "Old" Testament imperative to release the captives, a command that Jesus saw himself fulfilling. To return to our main point, is it too much to assume that Spinoza's relating of this dream is something more than simply comforting and interpreting the apparition experience of a bereaved father (I long have accepted this general reading)? Is it beyond likelihood to expect that Balling and even Jelles were at this or other meetings at the house of this diseased man [physician]? What stories of disease, both in politic and in body, were being told about the Spanish owned island? Was the Canary Inquisitional burning of a London Crypto-Jew in effigy the year before talked of? The subject of slavery? The recent seizure of Dutch Brazil?

We cannot tell if any of these connections were consciously made by Spinoza, either in the reading of his own dream, or in decision to relay it to Peter Balling as a comfort, but there is an outline to be traced between Spinoza's possible association with the sugar trade, the events in the home of the Canary Islands physician, and the haunting figure of a scabrous Brazilian. To my ear, there is oddity to Spinoza's insistence that the Brazilian floating before him "he had never seen before". I would think that there would have been few chances to have seen such a figure. Is this assertion simply to enforce the purely imaginary characteristic of the apparition, whose "cause was quite different"? Perhaps. Or, this was a denial of a sorts, as the story is most curious, too much so to dismiss it as only an example of the kinds of tricks the mind can play upon us. He knows him to be a Brazilian, despite later calling him, perhaps generically, an Ethiopian. Dare we risk a dream-interpretation in the conflation of the diseased sugar slave, and the diseased Canary doctor (and the ostracized Jesus), a participating "in the ideal essence" Despite Spinoza's disavowal? Perhaps that is all we have left. But I am tempted to imagine that indeed Balling had been at the "group discussion" and at some level Spinoza's family had participated in the sugar trade either of Brazil or the Canary Islands, two "facts" that worked themselves into Spinoza's dream and perhaps his sense of personal mission.

Spinoza and Diamonds

A last bit of evidence and conclusion taken from Vaz Dias' report concerns the diamond and jewel trade, and the possibility that Spinoza had turned his mercantile business to include this source of weath. In the record of Spinoza's arrest of the brother Alveres, a trader in jewels, and the holding of a bill from the diamond family Duartes, the authors write:

The Alveres brothers, alias Nunes, dealt in jewels and came from Paris around 1641 to settle on Uilenburg in Amsterdam in the house called "de Vergulde Valck". Their business was of doubtful solidity, also in other respects. Through Gabriel Alveres they were related to the Duartes, to which family also belonged Francisca Duarte, known as French Nightingale, who was aquainted with with Pieter Cornelisz. Hooft and is considered a member of the so-called "Muider-circle"...The circumstance that not only the Alveres brother but also the witnesses Manuel Duarte and Manual Levy traded in jewels, leads us to wonder if Spinoza was also involved in this trade.

There is no doubt that the Duarte family was immensely wealthy due to trade in diamonds, and art, in fact Constantijn Huygens' Sr. and Christiaan visited their home rather regularly for their mutual love of music. I do not know the precise relationship between the young Manuel Duarte (23) and the famed Diego, but it is perhaps significant that Spinoza's Latin teacher, the book and art seller Franciscus Van den Enden, had strong art trade relationships to Antwerp through his brother's shop there, where the Portuguese marano Diego Duartewasone of the most prominent dealers in both art and diamonds. The likely nexus for these two strands is Diego's son Gaspar Duarte, the high-profileartcollector and diamond merchant of Amsterdam. How Spinoza came to hold a 500 guilder bill from a Duarte jewel-trader, likely as some form of payment, is obsured, but these circles are tighter than one might assume at first glance. At least circumstantially, Van den Enden's brother must have known Diego Duarte as Franciscus likely knew Gaspar Duarte in Amsterdam, and Van den Enden's student ends up holding the bill of jewel merchant Manuel Duarte.

Addendum, August 10: There is one final hint that maybe gem-dealing had been in the family business for some time. In December 1650 Michael Spinoza was appointed administrator of the Synagogue Pawnshop-Loan Office (Gullan-Whur adds that there was a note in the Book of Agreements: "That it may be to his benefit!"). Because gems must have formed some substantial part of the deposited, some aspect of gem dealing and associations with other gem dealers, would seem a natural conclusion. The early date of this appointment would place such dealings as lasting to the Spinoza family. 

Addendum, August 27: Spinoza Sr. had a record of dealings with a substanial diamond dealer as early as 1641, Lopo Ramires. As Jonathan Israel describes:

Lopo Ramires (David Curiel), a leading Dutch Sephardi merchant of the first half of the century, regularly remitted sugar, diamonds, dye-woods and spices from Portugal to his brother who lived during the Truce years at Florence and who shipped Italian silks and red coral to Lisbon. The red coral was for re-export on the Portuguese East India galleons to Goa where it was exchanged for diamonds, both Lopo and his brother being major diamond dealers as well as general merchants (Empires and Entrepots, 423).

[Addendum September 3: Spinoza's possible sugar relations are slightly made more likely in 1659 that he was noted to be frequent of the tobacco merchant Pacheco. Tobacco and sugar as commodities went hand and hand.]

[Additional discussion of related ideas on Spinoza's dream here: Spinoza and the Caliban Question ]

[Speculation as to the diamond trade and Spinoza's lens polishing: Spinoza and the Caliban Question ; A Possible Influence of Diamond Polishing on Assited Lens-grinding ]

Longe da TV desde "Sete Pecados", Gabriela Duarte aproveita o tempo de folga para fazer coisas trivais como rever os amigos e renovar o guarda-roupa. Nesta quinta, 31, a atriz escolheu se dedicar às compras. Ela foi flagrada no shopping da Gávea, no Rio de Janeiro, dentro de uma loja escolhendo peças de frente para o espelho.

Que absurdo! Que escandalo! Como isso?! Não não, eu não posso conviver com isso, isso nao pode ser verdade...... no que me interessa isso pelo amor de DEUS!!! ò_Ó

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