Some turtles… But where were the whales?

We were supposed to encounter plenty of sea life during this season of the year, but for one reason or the other we hardly got to watch some turtles, sword fish and sun fish. 
The Mediterraneo is getting empty as well as all the oceans: overfishing, acidification, violation of sealife protection laws, pollution, human impact, damage of the sea habitat… a long list that has a strong impact in sealife, in mother Earth. We must take the sustainable path as soon as possible, otherwise in not a far future we will find out that we cannot rebuild what we have been destroying for the last century.
We are grazing the point of no return… flirting with devastating ecosystem scenarios.

Inhabitants wanted – Mars 2023

The space race has always been expensive. We have been talking about the need of finding new planets for the last decades; new places to exploit, new natural resources to replace those we have depleted in Earth, new planets to keep growing, but who is going to pay for the investment needed?
At a moment when most of the governments are close to bankruptcy the media is willing to take a step forward and take the state role.
How would it be living in Mars? how will the first settlers look like? how will their relationship be? will there be love stories? will they face problems? how will they sort them out? Would people pay to sneak into those first settlers? Sure they would and The Interplanetary Media Group will be the company to bring us the first interstellar reallity show. They have bought the rights to broadcast the first settlement in Mars, promoted by the Mars One foundation.
So what are your plans for 2023? willing to join a reallity show? why not in Mars?

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Svalbard Global Seed Vault – Bóveda del fin del mundo

If you were one of the most wealthy countries in the world and you were managing one of the biggest sovereign funds of our planet, would you consider creating the biggest seedbank ever to provide insurance against the loss of seeds in a global crises or after a continuous genetic modification of our seeds?
Norway did. With a cost of  US$9 million they have built the largest seedbank of the world, in a northern island of the Greenland Sea, that is managed in colaboration with the Global Crop Diversity Trust.
But is it a non profit organization? Would anyone be able to use those seeds? No, of course not.
The seed samples stored in the seed vault are copies of samples stored in the depositing genebanks. Researchers, plant breeders and other groups wishing to access seed samples cannot do so through the seed vault; instead they must request samples from the depositing genebanks. The samples stored in the genebanks will, in most cases, be accessible in accordance with the terms and conditions of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, approved by 118 countries/parties.
The seed vault functions like a safe deposit box in a bank. The bank owns the building and the depositor owns the contents of his or her box. The Government of Norway owns the facility and the depositing genebanks own the seeds they send. The deposit of samples in Svalbard does not constitute a legal transfer of genetic resources. In genebank terminology this is called a «black box» arrangement. Each depositor signs a Deposit Agreement with NordGen, acting on behalf of Norway. The Agreement makes clear that Norway does not claim ownership over the deposited samples and that ownership remains with the depositor, who has the sole right of access to those materials in the seed vault. No one has access to anyone else’s seeds from the seed vault. The database of samples and depositors is maintained by NordGen.
The value of those seeds cannot be determined by money. What is the cost of biodiversity? What is the cost of life in Mother Earth? A seed bank is an invaluable asset that each community should have for the future, for the next generations, for securing our lives against GMO, global crises, Government regulations agains seed storing… a seed bank means freedom and life.

+ information

Millenium Seed Bank
Convention on Biological Diversity
Index Seminum

What's wrong with us women??

During the last days I have seen a couple of videos showing the poor image women have of ourselves. We are told by the media how we should be, what beauty is, how we should look…

Beauty is inside of us, don’t let yourself be influenced by any industrial standard, cause they do not apply to us and they should never modify our individuality.

Standing for what we are, we can realise we are more beautiful than we think.

Desiderata

Cause today is as good as any other day…a simple homage to the beauty of words, of music, of the nature that surrounds us,… cause luckily there’s a real life beyond mass media.
«Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others,even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself.Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.»
Max Ehrmann, «Desiderata»
Porque hoy tocaba…un tributo a la belleza de las palabras, de la música, de la naturaleza que nos rodea… Porque afortunadamente hay una vida más allá de los mass media.

«Camina plácido entre el ruido y la prisa, y piensa en la paz que se puede encontrar en el silencio. En cuanto sea posible y sin rendirte, mantén buenas relaciones con todas las personas. Enuncia tu verdad de una manera serena y clara, y escucha a los demás, incluso al torpe e ignorante, también ellos tienen su propia historia. Evita a las personas ruidosas y agresivas, ya que son un fastidio para el espíritu. Si te comparas con los demás, te volverás vano y amargado pues siempre habrá personas más grandes y más pequeñas que tú. Disfruta de tus éxitos, lo mismo que de tus planes. Mantén el interés en tu propia carrera, por humilde que sea, ella es un verdadero tesoro en el fortuito cambiar de los tiempos. Sé cauto en tus negocios, pues el mundo está lleno de engaños. Mas no dejes que esto te vuelva ciego para la virtud que existe, hay muchas personas que se esfuerzan por alcanzar nobles ideales, la vida está llena de heroísmo. Sé sincero contigo mismo, en especial no finjas el afecto, y no seas cínico en el amor, pues en medio de todas las arideces y desengaños, es perenne como la hierba. Acata dócilmente el consejo de los años, abandonando con donaire las cosas de la juventud. Cultiva la firmeza del espíritu para que te proteja de las adversidades repentinas, muchos temores nacen de la fatiga y la soledad. Sobre una sana disciplina, sé benigno contigo mismo. Tú eres una criatura del universo, no menos que los árboles y las estrellas, tienes derecho a existir, y sea que te resulte claro o no, indudablemente el universo marcha como debiera. Por eso debes estar en paz con Dios, cualquiera que sea tu idea de Él, y sean cualesquiera tus trabajos y aspiraciones, conserva la paz con tu alma en la bulliciosa confusión de la vida. Aún con todas sus farsas, penalidades y sueños fallidos, el mundo es hermoso todavía. Sé cauto, esfuérzate por ser feliz».