The dragon never died

 Once upon a time there was a huge green dragon that had just got up after a long period of hibernation. He had been sleeping so much time that he didn’t remember who he was or what purpose he had. He only knew he felt starving and lonely.

As he didn’t know what to do, he went out of his enormous cave and walk through the woods until he reached a farm zone. All the animals were very scared and they run away. At first he was surprised, but then he thought “I must be very evil and that must be my food, that’s why they hide from me”. So he took two chickens and went to sleep because he felt really tired.

The next morning he still felt tired and went to feed on some rabbits. Every day he did the same. He tried with sheep, cows and wild goats, but it was always the same.

After some days, the farmers started to worry about their livestock and went to see the king to ask for help. He decided to accept to help not because his generosity, but because he didn’t want to run out of the supplies provided by his citizens.

Then, all the men went to the woods searching for the mysterious creature that had eaten the animals. They were all shouting and making a lot of noise and the dragon wasn’t able to sleep. He felt terrible because the only moment he could feel safe and relaxed was having a nap and when he was awake he only heard his stomach asking for meal and had and awful feeling of emptiness, as if something was missing. So he decided to go to the city and make the same fuss.

At once, all the women, kids, elders and disabled people run away and hid themselves. The dragon went through the only door big enough for him, the palace. There, he found the princess, a brave woman who stared at him furious and started to yell at him. While all the king servants were running and screaming, she gave him orders to be quiet. Suddenly, he had a familiar feeling and he was afraid of it. So he took that girl and went far away. He found a new cave where no one could disturb him.

The princes realised she had made a mistake and started to cry. The dragon didn’t understand why it made him sad and started to get seriously ill. He was exhausted with a sorrowful look. “What should I do now?” He felt powerless because he couldn’t be able to satisfy his appetite.

 Meanwhile, all the bravest men in the village started to look for the princess. The king had promised to offer his daughter’s hand to her saviour. But she already had a lover, he wasn’t a knight, but he wasn’t afraid of the dragon because nothing could scare him more than losing his love. So he searched without hesitation and with no rest. As soon as he saw the huge hole, he realised that it should be the place.

The dragon was asleep, so the lover went to his princes and said: This is for you, I was sure I would find you” And she gave her a rose and a kiss. Then he turned to the dragon, who opened the eyes but didn’t move. The creature was so depressed that he didn’t have aims to defend himself.  He was going to kill him. “Wait!” Shouted the princess “Please don’t kill him. I think he is smart… and lonely.” She went to him and gave him the rose. Then she stroked him softly.

It suddenly came to him, that feeling when the princess was shouting was the memory of his mother bringing him up. They were from an ice age, with no life and no food. His mother told him to hibernate. They didn’t have enough food for them both, so his mother had to sacrifice herself and he was fed before hibernation with all the supplies. That rose was full of love, like the love of his mother. She must have died alone, knowing her child would be safe. He started to cry…

Some time after the princess married her lover, the dragon became their guard. He also helped the farmers to take care of the animals to apologise for his misbehaviour. And the funny thing is that he discovered why his stomach was always empty. He was from a vegetarian species which was not able to digest meat. Everyone forgave the dragon and love and peaceful reigned among that village.

Time has changed a lot of things. The Earth is less peaceful, there are wars all over the world, and there are lots of mean or evil people. But the magic of the rose comes every year, a rose that means goodness and true love. We have created a scaring story to the kids, about a dangerous dragon, but, in fact, it’s all about love. And it will never change.

Publicitat darrere la curiosa construcció de l'amor

Mai és massa tard per aprendre sobre l’amor. A més a més, sempre hi ha algun moment en que ens ve de gust una lectura amena i àgil, que no ens faci venir maldecaps, ja sigui perquè estem cansats de la feina o perquè volem gaudir de la lectura sense saltar-nos la parada de metro. Per això avui us recomano un llibre senzill però curiós. Es tracta de “La construcció de l’amor”, escrit per Isabel Menéndez, una psicòloga que ha sabut portar a un llenguatge planer els seus estudis, aconseguint un producte entretingut i interessant que ens endinsa en el llenguatge de l’amor en tots els aspectes (positius i negatius) i edats de la vida.

El llibre està molt ben organitzat. Es divideix en dues parts que ocupen un espai similar. La primera està dedicada a l’amor dins de l’àmbit familiar i la segona dins de la parella. I cada una està dividida en diferents apartats, de manera que és molt fàcil dirigir-se al que més ens interessa. Per aquells que tinguin un mínim de coneixements és molt útil. No obstant això, recomano la lectura completa, ja que és molt curiós veure com un petit detall dels nostres primers dies a la terra pot acabar determinant aspectes del desenvolupament de la nostra vida amorosa adulta, tant en parella com en família.

El text combina explicacions amb exemples reals de persones que han tingut problemes greus. Tot i que difícilment ens trobarem en una situació similar, és fàcil trobar semblances en alguns detalls i manies, ja siguin personals o de coneguts. En realitat tot depèn de la disposició del lector. Per obrir la porta a la meditació i aprofitar la lectura cal estar convençut que es vol llegir, del contrari, es veurà tot com el relat d’una colla de bojos que no tenen res a veure amb un mateix. Per tant, el propòsit del llibre no és ser un mirall dels problemes quotidians, sinó mostrar alguns extrems que portin a la reflexió. Tampoc desvetlla cap dubte existencial, simplement tracta tots aquells temes interessants de conèixer, tant si ens afecten com si no.

La intenció està totalment especificada al principi i al estar avisats no ens suposa cap inconvenient. El veritable problema és la manca del recurs de la falsa modèstia. No només es fan afirmacions sense argumentar, sinó que es fa propaganda dels efectes beneficiosos de la psicoteràpia i s’omet qualsevol alternativa com dedicar-se temps a un mateix o parlar amb amics i coneguts. L’autora escombra cap a casa per si pot aconseguir algun client nou. Fa gràcia perquè fins i tot Sigmund Freud, el pare del psicoanàlisis, del que parla constantment el llibre, escrivia utilitzant la falsa modèstia, però en comptes de prendre’n exemple l’autora s’ha limitat a copiar-li conceptes.

Un altre defecte és que no es pot dubtar de la credibilitat de la resta de professionals que nombra, ja que no són coneguts i no en dona cap referència. El llibre és capaç d’explicar d’una manera totalment entenedora conceptes aparentment complicats però en canvi s’oblida de dir qui són aquell grapat de persones en les que basa les seves nocions. Això no té lògica perquè algú sense coneixement del tema tampoc tindrà coneixements de les persones que l’han estudiat.

Per tant, la funció del llibre no és donar respostes ni aportar fonts creïbles. Si aquestes febleses no us molesten, us convido a fer un tast curiós i interessant. Està bé alimentar l’intel·lecte amb una lectura de qualitat, però a vegades també cal mimar l’ànima i descansar el cervell, i aquest tipus de lectura és un capritx d’allò més saludable, fins i tot per les nostres butxaques, ja que el podem obtenir a les biblioteques públiques.

A researcher from the University of Girona manages to isolate three natural products from the seabed to create new drugs

Girona (ACN)- Abdelatif el Marrouni, a researcher from the University of Girona (UdG), has managed to isolate three natural products from the the bottom of the sea around the world to create new drugs. In his thesis he explains the methods used for the first time to make these natural products of large structural ​​accessible to scientist from simple and commercially available compounds. The research responds to the need for new drugs to fight future infections or diseases such as cancer. The investigation is a cooperative effort between the Laboratoire de Chimie Organique de l’Ecole Superieur de Physique et Chimie Industrielles / Organic Chemistry Laboratory of the Superior School of Industrial Physics and Chemistry (ESPCI) of Paris.

Resistance to certain drugs and the emergence of new infections are a threat to human health. Given the difficulty in finding new tools to improve the immune system and taking nature as an inspiration, Marrouni started a research project focused on the seabed to find new therapeutic agents.

In this context, Marrouni has developed two projects which have in common the synthesis of new bioactive compounds. His thesis is called Synthesis of unusual alpha-amino acids and study of the effect of their incorporation into antimicrobial peptides. Total synthesis of bioactive marine natural products and analogues and has been led by Dr Montserrat Heras (UdG) and Dr Janine Cossy (ESPCI).

Among other advantages, the three natural products found on the bottom of the sea (Acremolide B, Bitungolide F and Lyngbouilloside), have considerable antitumor activity. Moreover, until now, the chemical structure of two of them has never been verified. Therefore, the researcher's thesis is the first that makes these large structural products accessible to scientist. As a result, it is now possible to work with three products from simple and commercially available compounds, which have interesting biological activities.

From Paris to Girona

The investigation arose from the collaboration between Professor Janine Cossy and Doctor Stellios Arseniyadis from the Organic Chemistry Laboratory of l’Ecole Superieur de Physique et Chimie Industrielles of Paris. The first project took place in France, but Marrouni developed the second part at the University of Girona, under the supervision of Doctor Montserrat Heras from the LIPPSO group (Chemical Department) and with the collaboration of the CIDSAV group of the Institute of Food Technology (INTEA).

The initial results of this second project identified products with promising biological profile, which will be used as a starting point for further study.

Revenues of the Catalan company AB-BIOTICS increased by 71%

Barcelona (CNA).- The Catalan company AB-BIOTICS, devoted to the protection and distribution of biotechnological solutions to improve health and welfare has presented advance results of its 2010 fiscal year to the Alternative Stock Market, where it quotes since July 2010. The company closed the period with a total income of € 6,162,911, an increase of 71% over the previous year. The CEOs and co-founders of the company, Miquel Angel Bonachera and Sergi Audivert,  explained that given “the national economic situation they can be proud of these results, but AB-BIOTICS aims to become an international reference”.

The economic crisis has not stopped the growth of AB-BIOTICS revenues. This increase is due to expansion in all three business areas in which the company is divided. Firstly, genetics, which basically takes care of pharmacology studies. Secondly, R & D Partnering, which comes from the integrated management of research projects for  the pharmaceutical and food industry. Finally, Functional Ingredients, which develop medical substances (probiotics and other nutraceuticals) to prevent and treat diseases.

However, this is only the beginning of an ambitious scheme. In December 2010, AB-BIOTICS finalized a capital increase of € 4.3 million, which will enable them to implement the first phase of the international expansion plan of the company. The purpose is to be present in various European and American markets with immense potential for its products. Bonachera and Audivert, explained that their “business plan anticipated that most revenue will come from foreign markets over the coming years”.

The audience of films dubbed into Catalan has tripled in six month

The number of spectators of movies dubbed into Catalan has tripled in the last six months. This has generated an increase for five of box office receipts, which amounted to €2 million benefits. According to the Catalan Government this increase has been possible thanks to the agreement signed last September between the Catalan Ministry of Culture, The cinema of Catalonia Entrepreneur Union and the Federation of Film Distributors (Fedecine), which aimed to increase the presence of Catalan in cinema screens.

The first half year of evaluation made ​​by the executive Council last Tuesday was very positive. The Catalan government spokesman, Francesc Homs, said that collections made by films dubbed in Catalan has multiplied by five (increased by 511%) between September 2011 and April 2012, reaching €2 million of benefits. In this period box office receipts were €2,015,730, while in the previous period (from September 2010 to April 2011) were of €329,468.

According to the data provided by the Catalan Government, from September 2011 to April 2012 the number of spectators has risen from 61,376 to 283,065, which represents an increase of 361% (176,689 more viewers) compared to the same period last year. The agreement has also improved the market share of films dubbed into Catalan, which currently stands at 3.1% whilst between September 2010 and April 2011 was 0.6%.

A drawback in the cinema Act

Despite the positive data, it is important to know that after the approval of the Cinema Law, the Majors boycotted the dubbing of films into Catalan until last July, so it is logical that there were fewer titles and copies.

This law was passed in the Parliament of Catalonia and called for equality of films dubbed or subtitled into Catalan and Spanish in five to seven years, but was rejected by the major film companies and distributors. They said it was for economic reasons, but was also for ideological purposes. 

The law came into force in January 2011, but without the rules that he should make the law effective. After months of negotiations, the Government of Catalonia and the Majors, leading exhibitors and distributors grouped around Fedicine, reached an agreement to develop the Cinema Act.

An agreement with no promises

On September 2011, the Employers Association of Cinema agreed to a gradual scale of dubbing that would mean that the market share for this year to Catalan were 11%. But this agreement came with two conditions. Firstly, the cost of the translation will be provided by the Catalan Government. And secondly, it will take place only if it was viable, that is, whenever there was enough demand. This is very difficult to prove because while distributor’s studies predict a small audience, studies of recognized Catalan institutions foresee a great demand.

The Catalan Minister of Culture, Ferran Mascarell, announced with The Fedecine President, Luis Hernández de Carlos, and The Employers Association, Camilo Tarrazón, that this agreement would mean that in 2014 the Catalan cinema would reach a share market of the 25% and it could increase to 35% in 2017. He also said that in 2012 it would be 25 films (an average of 11%) dubbed into Catalan. But the results of the market share are only of the 3.1% for the time being, far from their purpose when making the deal.

Death Note

A vegades, les passions més horribles de l’home el porten a desitjar la mort d’un altre. És un simple acte de la imaginació, uns segons de ràbia alliberats que desapareixen de seguida sense deixar-se notar. Però què passaria si algú tingués realment el poder de matar a qualsevol persona només desitjant-ho? Aquesta tenebrosa idea és el centre de la història que avui us presento, Death note (o quadern de mort).

En aquest thriller policíac d’animació, Yagami Light, un estudiant exemplar i modèlic, troba per casualitat una llibreta màgica que conté unes instruccions molt peculiars: “La persona el nom de la qual sigui escrit en aquest quadern morirà”. Tot i que Yagami no s’ho creu, al final té la temptació de provar-ho i funciona.

A partir d’aquest moment la ment del protagonista s’il•lumina: “No només ha estat escollit per posseir aquest poder sinó que té el deure de millorar aquest món”. Ben aviat la seva feina serà recompensada i serà admirat arreu del món. Entre els homes s’alça un nou Déu, al qual els seus seguidors anomenaran Kira, que ha vingut a salvar-los de tots els dimonis. I com tots sabem la publicitat té un paper molt important en la societat, i afecta també al propi protagonista, que encara se sent més obligat a seguir amb la seva tasca salvadora.

Mentre les masses honoren els seus actes i el seu nom corre per tota la xarxa, les forces de seguretat internacional intenten trobar el que creuen és el grup terrorista més perillós i ben organitzat de la història, capaç de matar persones de diferents parts del món, al mateix moment i de la mateixa manera, i del qual no en tenen cap pista. Per sort, però, comptaran amb el millor investigador del món, un noi sota el pseudònim L que té moltes semblances amb el nostre assassí i una curiosa qualitat per llegir-li la ment. Serà capaç d’arribar a ell?

El nostre Déu cada cop té l’ego més crescut, està entestat en crear un nou imperi, un regne dominat per la pau i la tranquil•litat, un regne de bondat. Però quina és la línia exacta entre bé i mal i què passa si una persona innocent es posa enmig de la línia? Fins on es capaç d’arribar per evitar ser capturat? Seria lícit matar un individu innocent per aconseguir la pau mundial? Què passa quan són els amics del protagonista i fins i tot la seva família els que estan a punt de descobrir el secret del nostre estudiant “modèlic”?

La trama encara es pot complicar més amb l’aparició de nous protagonistes, personatges màgics i no cal que digui una més noies donaran el toc màgic, divertit i embolicat.

Una història amb una intriga vertiginosa que cada cop va augmentant, igual que les ànsies de “justícia” del nostre protagonista. L’ésser humà es capaç de controlar un poder tan gran? I el que és més important és capaç de saber com utilitzar-lo? Una història fantàstica i plena de màgia però amb contradiccions morals i reflexions sobre la justícia molt realistes que remouran la vostra consciència.

Trobareu tots els capítols de la sèrie en DVD en idioma original amb subtítols o en castellà al Youtube. 

Aquí us deixo el primer link en castellà:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmed9OPkl0E&feature=related

Però si preferiu la millor qualitat podeu trobar els DVD’s a les biblioteques públiques:
http://bit.ly/lhCvJj