Yamaska

On the weekend of July 5th, we went camping to a Quebec national park called Yamaska (some pictures here) located in the Cantons-de-l'est region. We really enjoyed our time overthere hiking, swiming, relaxing. Perhaps the major attraction of the parc is a little dam known as le reservoire Choinière, a 4.7-km² artificial lake with view to Mont Orford and Mont Shefford.

I would say this is more a family park than a wildlife reserve to do primitive camping. We found some interesting activities to do during our visit, as well as some things that are useful to keep in mind:

- The park has over 10 Kms of bikeways. The paths are not paved but you can take your hybrid bike without problem. I wouldn't recomend a road bike though.

- You can definitely do canoeing, kayaking, hiking.

- Swimming: Since the lake is not that big it gets warm early during the summer (I would even dare to say that it is already OK at the end of spring).

- There is a "small town" where you find a grosery store open until 10pm, a local fast food restaurant and a souvenir shop.

All in all, we have a lot of fun. If you are thinking in doing relax camping this is a nice place to visit.

To the crazy ones

I watched these videos and found them quite interesting and moving. I liked them so much that I decided to put them in a place where they will be easily found…by the crazy ones!

This is an Apple computer Advertisement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dvn_Ied9t4M&eurl=http://kempton.wordpress.com/ideas-revolution/


a moving last lecture: http://cmu.edu/uls/journeys/randy-pausch/index.html

and an interesting manifesto: http://www.brucemaudesign.com/manifesto.html

My Back Pages

I ran into this song today and got discombobulated (a new word I learnt as I was watching an interview with Naomi Klein).

The song is here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bUch5dveX0&mode=related&search=)

The lyrics:

Crimson flames tied through my ears
Rollin' high and mighty traps
Pounced with fire on flaming roads
Using ideas as my maps
"We'll meet on edges, soon," said I
Proud 'neath heated brow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

Half-wracked prejudice leaped forth
"Rip down all hate," I screamed
Lies that life is black and white
Spoke from my skull. I dreamed
Romantic facts of musketeers
Foundationed deep, somehow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

Girls' faces formed the forward path
From phony jealousy
To memorizing politics
Of ancient history
Flung down by corpse evangelists
Unthought of, though, somehow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

A self-ordained professor's tongue
Too serious to fool
Spouted out that liberty
Is just equality in school
"Equality," I spoke the word
As if a wedding vow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

In a soldier's stance, I aimed my hand
At the mongrel dogs who teach
Fearing not that I'd become my enemy
In the instant that I preach
My pathway led by confusion boats
Mutiny from stern to bow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

Yes, my guard stood hard when abstract threats
Too noble to neglect
Deceived me into thinking
I had something to protect
Good and bad, I define these terms
Quite clear, no doubt, somehow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

Desmond Tutu

Some times I hear or read few words that move me so much that they make me feel responsable for the situation in this world. In fact, I am probably right, as Jiddu Krishnamurti used to say: "We are the world!"

This is a video with some words by Desmond Tutu (Nobel Peace Prize winner). He helped free South Africa from Apartheid.

"..accept a wonderful truth...we are family!... realize that to care about the other it's not being altruistic, it is the best form of self-interest." Desmond Tutu

The video here (http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=1590)

Alexandre Trudeau, the documentarist

Since it’s being a long time without posting, I promised myself to become more active again. Today, I watched this video and thought (I don’t know why) it was a good idea to start posting in my blog. It is an interview to Alexandre Trudeau. The things I like from this video are:

- The brave documentarist behind this man. A man with a past probably full of wealth and present full of adventure.

- The reason why he went to Iraq.

- The answer to the question why he named his son after his father, Pierre. It was kind of that's personal, that's it!

Hope you enjoy it.

http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=1634

United Nations

"Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed." UNESCO

Surfing Internet, I came across this article that drew my attention, entitled: The relevance of UN in its 60th anniversary. It was in a Buddhist website. It talks about the relevance of UN in its 60th anniversary.

I don't think we can overlook quite a few advances to which UN has contributed. I don't deny that wars, poverty, dictatorships still continue but what about the other agencies, those that through the UN efforts have seen the light, namely UNICEF, UNHCR, UNRWA? What about the World Food Programme?. It is always relevant to discuss seriously the relevance of an organism like UN, but we can not forget that every single thing in this world, people, programs, projects, institutions are likely to be improved, why not UN? I agree that some renovations have to take place - for the sake of improvement or evolution - but I disagree with a call for its dissolution.

Renovations in its administrative structure are a must, the General Assembly and the Security Council should change to be more consistent with what they are looking for. But, we’d better expect “real” and “human” (no humane, unfortunately) changes. The most powerful nations won’t give up their control easily, and this is obvious, many others are waiting for it.

Would a world without UN be better? The same?

Here are the two articles I ran into. Please, don’t forget…Our institutions are just a mirror of ourselves, imperfect.

http://www.sgi.org/english/Features/quarterly/0510/feature1.htm

http://www.aijac.org.au/updates/Apr-05/280405.html#article_1

Amigos...del mundo

Nov 30... Una buena cena acompañando a Gerardo. El motivo? Celebrar que pasó los examenes de comprension para continuar en el doctorado.

Pues bien, lo celebramos en un restaurante mejicano (3 amigos). La noche fue bastante agradable. Sin embargo hubo algo que me llamó enormemente la atención: casi todos eramos de diferentes paises 15 personas, 12 nacionalidades...es algo mágico aca en Montreal. De izquierda a derecha: España, Mexico, Austria, Canada, Libano, Italia, Brasil, Belgica, (de nuevo brasil), Chile, Tunez, Colombia, Argentina, (de nuevo Italia e Italia).