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Week 31 Year 1 - Monday, May the 21st 2012

Emergency wrap up

If you can wrap up a piece of 500 words within an hour, you’re on the right path to becoming a good writer. Try writing something every day, on anything that takes your fancy. That’s easier said than done, especially if one has a whole lot of priorities to manage. Though I didn’t ask for it, I want to thank my anonymous friend for the useful advice. And what better way to enact it by improvising my weekly story.

The time on my mobile phone says it’s 4:08 am, Sunday the 20th of May 2012. But I know it is 3 minutes ahead of time, so it would be 4:05 am. I wake up. Something is wrong. My whole flat is shaking and this terrible deep rattling noise feels like a punch in the stomach. It’s an earthquake. But not like any other earthquake. A couple of very strong lateral movements put me on the alert. I perceive a high risk situation. I grab my mobile and check the time. It is dark outside. My cat is sitting on the edge of the bed, looking out of the window. Poor thing, between SUB and I, it probably thinks it’s our extraterrestrials friends landing. Not so love, get ready to evacuate. I grab the first thing that lies next to my bed, a track suit. As I put it on, my first thought. Shall I get out immediately? I stand there another 3 seconds or so. Silence is restored, and the house stops rocking. The whole thing lasted some 15 seconds, a time frame I am very familiar with, as I frequently refer to for a quick check of the average heart rate per minute.

Later in the morning, my perception of the time elapsed revealed to be correct, as official sources state the whole thing lasted 20 seconds. This means it took me roughly 5 seconds to wake up and realize what was happening. That was lucky. Many are those who slept right through it, check Facebook updates for confirmation. Within another 12 seconds I was dressed and ready to go. The cat’s bag is right by the entrance, my mobile phone, keys and notepad are in my pocket. I hesitated for another couple of seconds – “shall I get out now?” - Just then the whole thing came to a stop. Hesitation can kill. But I don’t believe I would have given it much longer. Another couple of seconds and I would have walked out. Luckily I have no more red fish! Apart from Nemo and Doris, but those two are in my notepad, which is always by my side.. It would then have taken me 10 to 12 seconds to run down 4 flights of stairs. Out in the streets and safe! The question is, how long before a killer earthquake shakes the building down to its foundations? Are 40 seconds enough to avoid the worst?

487 words. I’d like to suggest some basic emergency measures, in particular for those who have kids and elderly people at home, but I have run out of words. It took me 52 minutes to wrap this up.
Ps. since I also have to translate everything, it usually takes much longer and the word count may vary. The original text is in English.


Note 1 - about SUB ref. Monday, December the 5th 2011 "About a Druid and his mushrooms"







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Last update 30-09-2012

24.05.12
Collectacble Items Amazing! Humans tend to collect a whole lot of things for a variety of reasons, from the most futile to the most useful ones. I remember reading about how Einstein’s brain (18.04.12 "It's not the size that matters, it's how you use it") has been conserved for research purposes. I find it hard to believe that a lifeless brain can lead to any significant finding. Nonetheless I do understand why researchers would want to study it, and I do hope that Einstein approved this whole thing. But what sick mind could ever want to steal and then sell a vial containing Ronald Reagan’s dried blood? Apart from the fact that it should never have left the hospital, for privacy and hygienic issues, why would anyone want to get hold of it? Perhaps to trade for other vials? - read more -

23.05.12
FB Trading cards All this talking is certainly keeping Facebook in the spotlight and this, in advertising terms, can only be positive. For having very scarce financial notions, there are signs that even kids would understand. Who hasn’t played at trading cards in their youth? When the availability of a given card is known to be limited or even rare, you can trade it in exchange of an indefinite number of cards. I still remember that lucky little devil holding all the goodies. Damn! Such a tough trader he was. But then he was in the position to be so. Inversely, when the offer exceeds demand, trading becomes difficult. I know we’re not trading cards here, but it’s basically what happened. I have read in an article crazy things like, I quote “with over 900 million monthly unique users, we believe FB is an option on the World,” (Needham’s analysts). This is crazy and absolute nonsense. It shows that they have not given enough attention to HOW FB is used, nor considered the fact that a very large number of subscribers are actually kids of all ages, who really couldn’t care less about advertising, if not their own image. Is it just a coincidence that GM decided to quit advertising on FB (ref. domino effect (16/0/12) just days before the IPO? Coming back to kids and trading cards, those were just cards, but no one could have fooled anyone else as to whether it was a rare element or not. Straightforward. Small investors, in a time of crisis as the present one, have in fact lost 15% of their savings - read article -

22.05.12
Under fire Google, the most popular search engine worldwide comes under fire by EC Commissioner Joaquín Almunia. It is accused of antitrust behavior in different areas, the main concern being its constant abuse of a dominant position towards other advertisers. By means of various techniques and practices, Google is accused of redirecting most enquiries towards selected ads, contents and websites, leaving out all other options. To the obvious loss of competitors and users/consumers, who might be missing out on significant deals. Almunia has warned Google that, if it does not proceed, within a reasonable time frame, to find ways to solve the question, it will be fined and be subject to legally enforced action. Almunia is not Google's only antitrust issue coming up. Another big concern is that as technological scenarios tend to evolve quickly, the solution needs to be proposed before it becomes obsolete and, possibl, bearing in mind future developments. -

21.05.12
Wet Technology A high tech company maintains a low profile for the past six years. In this competitive global market you’d think it’d probably mean the end of it. Not at all. It was working on an innovative project. After the "hands free" revolution, allowing us to take a call in the most improbable places, now, ladies and gentlemen, we’ll be enjoying conversations while basking in the swimming pool, swimming in the sea, or even wind surfing. What can a little rain do anymore? -

21.05.12
Earthqaukes The north of Italy was struck by an earthquake of magnitude 6.0, early sunday morning. The quake, fortunately, only claimed 6 victims, compared to the disastrous consequences of the earthquake of magnitude 6.2 which occured in l'Aquila, back in april 2009, causing over 300 deaths. Later on Sunday morning, an earthquake was registered in Japan, very near to the area where the quake which caused the tsunami occured. - watch video -


Photo of the week "Determination" by Lalitwist


The Gentle Barn Getting closer to nature can help us get in touch with ourselves. So much so that pet therapy has been widely adopted for its proven efficient healing process, especialy when applied to kids. From swimming with dolphins to The Gentle Barn. Read Article

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