The immobilists and the risk takers.

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A couple days ago, after many years I saw an old friend of mine. He was dragging himself in his daily routine, from work to pub and back to home. He didn't look much changed and either his routinely life had changed that much since last time we met. He's part of those people in our society, which in my own words I call "the immobilists".

Who are the immobilists?


The immobilists are not in the same category as the survivalists, they are in a different level all together. The immobilists are those small minority in our society which don't allow risks or, changes to disrupt their monotonous lives. These people, keep their lives in a safe steady rhythmical course of events, rather than take risks. They perform the same rituals day by day and rarely, will deviate from their usual path. Rather than take risks, any risk, these immobilists stay unmovable from their grey, safe, boring life. One thing for sure, they won't risk much in doing so. They live tranquil lives and probably, they are even in better shape and healthier than the rest of society.


As I said about this friend of mine, he's part of this category, he's an immobilist. I never had the courage to ask him, if he ever felt content and satisfied with his kind of attitude towards life. But I guess, somewhat he felt satisfied with the kind of life he has, otherwise he would had already changed it.

From my part, I don't belong into this category, indeed, I'm not an immobilist but at the contrary a risk taker. All my life I have taken risks, as I believe most of us did or, do.

Why individuals take risks and sometime even unnecessary risks?

We put ourselves in risky situations, where we can get some kind of benefits from them. Like: to feel alive, to challenge ourselves, for fun, for annoyance or, for a rush of adrenaline.

But, are they worthy?



Hell yes, at least for me, they were for sure. I had a full and happy life, now I can die in peace (hopefully in a faraway future). Of course, living a life to its fullest comes with a prize. Today I'm paying for all those risks taken for, a careless life. Those risk I took in my young life, left me literally with some scars and pains, in my bones and mind as well but, I would do it all over again. I won't live enveloped in a sort of cocoon, because I'm afraid of changes or pains. Life he's meant to be lived, not to be preserved in naphthalene for the day that, God will decide to summon us.

Fortress Europe-The boats of hope.

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A new invasion is happening at the footsteps of Europe, and this time aren't hordes of barbaric invaders that, are trying to knock down Europe Fortress' doors but, despairing masses of peoples from many of the poorest countries in the world. This is happening for quite a couple years but, as usual American medias report very little or nothing at all, like they don't care much about it.

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From the Mediterranean sea, and throughout the European's boundaries, these masses of hopeless are trying to get in, by any possible means they can find, by worn down boats to cargo-trucks, while risking their lives in the attempt to reach their final destination in the hope, to find a better future in the old continent.


An endless flow of immigrants and refugees every year since, this mass exodus has initiated, and many of them have already died, while trying to reach the European Union. But as I said, to find some related news about it, I have resorted to watch the European news, because the American ones don't report enough like, there was not much interest about it or, as if the world was confined solely inside the States' boundaries or worst, nothing else is happening outside of them.


Anyway, I've seen from the TV European's news, all these people which are trying to reach the European seashores with those barges of hope and, many times unfortunately their Mediterranean sea crossings, ending up at the bottom of the sea. Many of these misfortune people, have already drowned while attempting to cross the Mediterranean sea, making of it one large graveyard for over 10.000 persons. All these shipwrecks and deads, still won't stop or slow down these people attempts, to reach their dreams of a better life, they just keep coming and, when finally they have reached their destinations, their minds and bodies are deteriorated by the inhuman conditions they have endured during the sea crossing on board of those makeshift boats, stuffed to the extremes.

The endless trail of deaths throughout Europe.

The endless massacre at the gates of Europe goes on. At least 296 migrants and refugees have died trying to reach European Union in October 2007. More than 200 people were reported to be missing off Canary Islands, in Spain, 51 migrants died in the Strait of Sicily and Calabria (south of Italy) and 33 others were drowned in the Aegean sea, between Turkey and Greece. At least 1,343 migrants have already died since the beginning of the year.

The European nations from their part, are looking to at least reduce this swarming of new comers, because they can't deal all together with this big masses trying to get in, all at once.

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More from the news:

Eritrea: voices of torture.

ROME - Between the September and the October of 2002, Malta orders the repatriation of 223 Eritrean citizens, succored faraway from the island on the routes for Italy. The men, jailed in a field for petitioners asylum, are covered with hoods, beated and deported, in full violation of the Convention of Geneva on the refugees and the bill for the fundamental rights of the European Union. Returned these refugees in Eritrean, are jailed and tortured in the prison of Adi Abeito. This is the treatment that the government of Asmara reserves the deserters of their own the army, in war with Ethiopia. After a first attempt of escape, they are transferred in the jail of maximum emergency of the island of Dahlak Kebir. Many lost their the life. A group succeeds in escaping, but they are again arrested and taken to the prison of Sawa. Until a last attempt of escaping succeeded. Today some of them live in Canada and, North Europe. Today they have told their own odyssey. This documentary last 19 minuteren. Product in 2006da "the Human Rights Concern - Eritrean", written and directed from Elsa Chyrum, with Surafel Yacob and Amanuel Eyasu.

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Immigrants dead at the frontiers of Europe.

According to the following press review at least 11,776 people have died since 1988 along the European frontiers. Among them 4,226 were missing in the sea. 8,132 migrants died in the Mediterranean sea, and through the Atlantic Ocean towards Spain, and 1.579 lost their life trying to cross Sahara desert in order to reach Europe.[read more...]

Six degrees more that, will change the world as we know today.

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All those experts, in the global warming field are, warning us about an increases of a couple more degrees in earth's Eco-system could lead humanity to, a cataclysmic disaster. One thing for sure, this tendency of earth's raising temperatures is already happening. Based on the climatologists theories, it's even possible of an increase of six more degrees in our planet. Where, will these climatic mutations take our planet in the near future ? Those 6 more degrees, which will change radically our world the way we know today to, a very alien one.

When, not if these theories will concretize in all their full extents before the end of this century could, these six more degrees increase, leave our planet to different possible events and, scenarios.

Of course they will.

With these degrees increase, superior to the last 100 years history will lead our future to new dramatic scenarios.

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Possible scenarios.

* Earth, without the Amazonian forest.
* Without snow on the Himalaya .
* The Arctic poles without ice caps.
* Ghost cities.
* An increase in the desert lands.
* Tropical areas will move from their actual positions, toward a more north or, south directions.

While, other areas of the planet would benefit from the global warming trend. The United Kingdom for example, it's already getting some benefits from the milder clime in the agriculture and, in Greenland where at most was used to grow only potatoes, since a couple of years it has begun other kinds of cultivation.

Of course, a lot depends on how many degrees will effectively increase earth's temperature.

For a better picture of the possible futures that, are waiting us consequently to these cataclysmic changes, I will list all of them by going from degree to degree after, I've reviewed all the expert's opinions and, estimations.

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Possible scenarios by degrees.

Plus 1 degree:

With 1 more degree, the Arctic will be without ices for more than half of a year's period. Consequently from the ices melting from one more degree, water's level in the oceans will raise while, contemporaneously many of the world's sea coastal areas will sink.

Plus 2 degrees:

With two more degrees, the Tuvalu's archipelago will completely submerge in the sea and, possibly the "Great Barrier Reef", will disappear all together.

Plus 3 degrees: ( it's where more dramatic events will take place).

Amazonian forest in flames, on the Alps won't be anymore snow left, in central Europe would be more like a north African climate, than today.

Plus 4 degrees:

With four more degrees, countries like Bangladesh and, Egypt will be devastated. Venice will disappear into the waters. Nations, like Canada will become one of the most fertile land on the entire planet.

Plus 5 degrees:

With five more degrees, in place of the temperate bands in the two hemispheres, would be replaced by two enormous uninhabitable zones. Millions of persons would be forced to leave their own lands.

Plus six degrees:

Cities like Tokyo or, New York would be abandoned or completely submerged by waters. Part of the planet would risk to return to the Cretaceous period: that's a 144-65 millions of years ago.

Cretaceous period

Note: degrees are in Celsius, not Fahrenheits.

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It's all science fiction? Some skeptics are, easily dismissing the facts.

I could say, only time will tell but (I'm afraid that), these hypothetically futures aren't (unfortunately), so much distant anymore. All these possibilities, are really scary pictures. I don't want to be too pessimistic on the matter but, time is running out...

Why the Internet has become the equalizer and, a lifeline for some people.

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The Internet has become the equalizer because, is the place where differences of any sort won't count, is a big cauldron of mix cultures and identities, where we are all equal. In the cyberspace, there are no differences of religion or background, but only differences in opinions and expressions.



Each of us, in the cyberspace is a part of a different community. The Internet, has become a big factor in many lives and, specially in those belonging to the blogging communities. In this virtual world, where conceptual thinking becomes the norm and, the spectrum of ideas and expressions is vary vast because, the freedom we get from it. This fictitious world doesn't divide us, but at the contrary unite us, in the equality of freedoms and, opportunities which we get from it. The freedom to right, read, or think and, the opportunity to choose from. We are in control of this abstract world, we can be creative as we like or, when we like.


Also, for some people the Internet is a lifeline. People like: severely ill people, lonely people or, stay home moms. People which sometime are forcibly bound in their own homes because, the reasons I mentioned above or, for any other reasons. Why I'm writing this, because I am one of these people, I am a very ill person. After reading, some blog's post of people in my same situation, I came to realize that, I'm not alone! There are many people with my same condition or, any other condition for which, the Internet represent the only connection with the world even if, it's a virtual one.


Blogging, has become a global phenomenon because all the reasons above, and more.We, can get by without television for a day or so but, with the Internet? With Internet I don't think so, because it's so ingrained in our lives and, I don't believe we can do without it.
So, what's the Internet for you?





You can read more about, Internet related topic here: A reflexion in human contact.

The Shroud of Turin, how old it really is?

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The Shroud of Turin, (better known in Italy as La Sacra Sindone) is a woven cloth about 14 feet long and 3.5 feet wide, kept in the cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy. I've been fascinated by it for so many years, and so much has been said about it. What else can be added of new?

Not much.


Anyway, It's a very old linen cloth that has an imprinted faint image of man. No one, has been able to reproduce after many attempts, anything similar to that impression from the shroud. The man, been wrapped in this old burial shroud, is believed to be Jesus'body after his crucifixion. This shroud shows presence of certain species of pollen existing (around the time of Jesus), only in the area of Jerusalem.

How really old is the Shroud?

Because of contaminations of chemical and biological type in the course of the centuries that, the scientists can't unquestionably prove the precise cloth's age, consequently the problem of the dating of the shroud is currently open to debate. This relic, after many tests and, analysis in 1988 concluded the cloth was a medieval "hoax". However, in the 2005 follow-up analysis indicated that, the sample was taken from an area of the shroud that was not a part of the original cloth. In the end, after many other tests the conclusion was that, this shroud is much older than previously thought by radiocarbon dating tests made on the Shroud in the 80's. However, some experts claim to be a lack of reliability in the carbon dating method therefore, the controversy still rages.

In my opinion, it will never be proven a more accurate age of the shroud or if, this image belongs to Jesus. In the very end, whatever debates about the Shroud concerning its authenticity or age, and whatever results will come from science, not much will change for believers.

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From: BBC NEWS.

"Turin shroud 'older than thought'

Shroud of Turin, Nasa
Tests in 1988 concluded the cloth was a medieval "hoax"
The Shroud of Turin is much older than suggested by radiocarbon dating carried out in the 1980s, according to a new study in a peer-reviewed journal."

You, can read more by following this link.

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The Sudarium of Oviedo:
Its History and Relationship to the Shroud of Turin

One of the relics held by the cathedral in the town of Oviedo, in the north of Spain, is a piece of cloth measuring approximately 84 x 53 cm. There is no image on this cloth. Only stains are visible to the eye, although more is visible under the microscope. The remarkable thing about this cloth is that both tradition and scientific studies claim that the cloth was used to cover and clean the face of Jesus after the crucifixion. We are going to present and look into these claims.

You, can read more by following this link.