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To begin, I would like to remember a phrase that someone told me long time ago: “Never talk about something you don’t know”. I’m pretty lame when it comes to being a “walking Wikipedia” about issues like environment. Therefore, right now I reduce the expectations about this article.

But let’s cut this crap and start to work here. I don’t recognize myself as a “garbage contributor”, like most of Chileans right now, but neither a Greenpeace guy. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not at all against what Greenpeace does to improve common habits in the lives of many people that aren’t likely the indicated ones, but I just can’t imagine myself telling other people what is right and what is wrong with environment, like some preacher or “Messiah” that shocks people in order to get attention and transmit his point of view —considering that I don’t know very much about Greenpeace, I couldn’t say this is likely the truth about them. It’s just what it seems to me—. What I do agree that has to be done it’s trying to convince people by chats and examples of how you can use easy daily methods for having more awareness about environment, rather than forcing someone to do something about it.

Many of these simple tasks are used by my, like throwing garbage to cans instead of streets, taking shorter showers, riding on bike or walking (God knows when I’ll get a car driving license). So, it seems to me that I do have some certain awareness on environment stuff, and I guess that I’ll welcome any suggestion to improve these habits (one that seems logical to me). But in the end I guess that the first and most important advices in this topic are the ones that are learned in the family. Like many things in life, this is the starting point for all of us that pretty much will determine our actions and its consequences in the tomorrow that you and I will spend the rest of our lives, so we have to give some credit to the relatives, don’t you think?

I’m not interested in hearing opinions from guys like Bono to help making a world a better place. I would like instead to hear opinions from people that walk in daily streets or ride on buses and wonder: what can I possibly do with this ice cream bundle? Throw it on the street? Or put in my pocket?, which it seems like the most exaggerated way to care about you planet. I mean, come on. Seriously?

PLAY IT. LIVE IT. KILL FOR IT.

I remember that when I was child I used to go very often to the malls and persas, and I saw a lot of kids playing videogames. Most of them were fighting and racing games, and I used to play them too. Back in those days, the new Nintendo 64 was on the market and I really wanted one, but because we didn't had much money I had to get used to an old NES (the first Nintendo console). Although I'm not complaining about that. That console show me some of the first videogames that were popular on the market like Super Mario Bros., Duck Hunt, Tetris, Donkey-Kong and so many others. Several years later, on my first years as a teen, I discovered the real-time strategy games (Age of Empires, Age of Mythology, Empire Earth, etc...) that were more complex for my taste and called my attention on History.

Having said that, I stop there to emphasize about the impact that videogames have on our culture. We make them, we play them, and eventually enjoy them. But sometimes I wonder, how much control do we have upon them? I mean, now on these days I limit myself to play on-line games when I have free time on Internet, and yet try to not spend so much time on it for not to become an addiction, which happens to many people nowadays. Sometimes that addiction becomes something else that it's really dangerous. Take for instance the Grand Theft Auto Saga: this very known series has the reputation of being highly controversial with most of its titles that comes out. I know cases of people who after playing the games had tried to do the same things from it on real life. Near where I used to live, there were these guys who played GTA a lot, and recently I knew that one of them is in jail for trying to rob an old man.

As for me, GTA is one of the greatest sagas ever created (maybe I'm exaggerating). I mean, I like its gameplay consisting of freedom of actions and the plot that are presented on the titles (great script and many references to the action and crime/drama films and TV series). But we are talking about games and, no matter how much of realism has on its graphics or whatsoever, nothing will likely change that.

IF YOU WANT TO BE UNDERSTOOD... LISTEN

For those who study in this career; when it comes to pronounce words that we don’t know it’s likely possible that we make a few mistakes (or more, depending on different cases). For improving our pronunciation, we use various methods to do it: reading, more practicing and, of course, using websites (specifically the “Text to Speech” pages). 

But, in my opinion, you have to be a bit selective at finding useful webpages. You might be wondering why. Well, there are websites that do not truly fulfill all the requirements that are needed for a good study. For instance, when you tip certain text sometimes the digital speaker that interprets them is not from a good quality and you can’t always understand a sort of robotic voice. Sometimes texts, according to the site, are very big to be interpreted, which results on just a portion of the spoken text.

But many of these problems might be over when you use the ImTranslator Voice website. Maybe the most interesting feature that you first recognize it’s its voice: Speakers, not only have lack of any machine-like pronunciation, but the audio it’s so realistic that sounds like hearing a real person. Besides of English, you have other languages like Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Japanese and many others. Although, clearly the site system doesn’t work entirely as it should be: there’s still problems with the capacity of interpretation like having enounced just the first 100 words, but I guess if you order a complete version of it this couldn’t happen.

So, if you are interested in checking and improving your skills in English, or any other language you might want to learn, let me tell you that there’s even a link on the Google Toolbar for easier access, or you can access here on text-to-speech.imtranslator.net

SCALLOPS

It’s hard for me to imagine what dish it’s my favorite, in particular. Nevertheless, in the last days I had the privilege to eat a very exquisite food.

Scallops (not to be mistaken with the seafood) or called in some countries Scaloppine consists of beef loin cuts (chicken is used to), eggs, a cup of wheat flour (breadcrumbs are more common), salt and/ or pepper, oil, and sometimes sauces of tomato, wine or lemon are used, but it is a matter of choice. Condiment is used first at applying it to the meat. Eggs are beaten on a bowl until you have froth. The meat is submerged on the shake and then put on flour for at least a minute. Later on, oil it is heated on a pan where the meat goes to get brown. After a few flippings it gets solid and it has to be put on absorbent paper and finally we got some tasty scallops.

This is a meal usually prepared on lunches and special occasions. You can use salad, French fries or even cheese for company. As I said before, it is a very delicious food. I am not sure about its particular origin. I mean, now I know but I have never occurred that it has an Italian origin (I also discovered that it’s a very common dish in Italian-American cuisine). Oh, and about the use of lemon, it has a different name when you use it: Piccata. I’ve never eaten scallops with lemon, but now that I think it well, it is a good idea. I might try it sometime. But I’m not very good at cooking. I don’t have the habit, and if I want to learn it I do not know if I would be able to make such delicious meals.

AL PACINO

Since people started to look professionalism in actors, there has been one that really stands out as, for me, one of the most talented and experienced performers in our times.

Alfredo James Pacino was born on April, 25^th in 1940 at New York City, USA. He grew up in places like East Harlem and the South Bronx. Pacino had a long distance to walk before he could get known by his passion. He had difficulties to be a good student and dropped out school at the age of seventeen. In the late sixties, he was arrested for carrying an unlicensed gun. Before dreaming about being an actor, he had several other jobs such as projectionist in a film theater or even as a stand-up comedian. Nevertheless, he got interest in Shakespeare’s plays as Richard III, The Merchant of Venice, King Lear and many others. This would be eventually an important reason for Pacino’s passion for acting. I guess we all know pretty much what followed after that: roles in films like Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Scarface and The Godfather Trilogy leaded him as one of the top performers in cinema today, to such a point that he turned down parts in films like Star Wars, Kramer vs. Kramer, Apocalypse Now, Born on the 4^th of July, Pretty Woman and Crimson Tide. But a good project that he chose was Scent of a Woman, which gave him an Oscar.

It’s known that he had chronic insomnia, he was a smoker, and he has never been married. But he’s truly and incredible actor. He portrays characters like no one else, and I’m sure he will do it for a long time.

ABOUT MUSIC...

Really a tough call. First of all, I’m a great music fan. I like it so much that I consider myself as a total consumerist of music (in a similar way like films, but not that similar).


Having said that, it’s quite difficult for me to tell you some specific information about music. I don’t have any favorite album or concerts (maybe a couple, like Chancho en Piedra’s or La Cumbre del Rock Chileno sort of thing). At least I have some defined musical genres like rock mostly, folk (national or foreign) and, it’s to be expected, film soundtracks. I have a some artists that I like from these genres too: for example, I have listened chilean rock for a very long time, but I’ve recently discovered some new tastes, more internationals (The Rolling Stones, Faith No More, Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, Tool, Rage Against the Machine, Sigur Rós, etc...). In folk we have names like Parra, Jara, Inti-Illimani, Cash, Dylan, among others. What about film scores? Well, composers like Herrmann, Morricone, Williams, Shore, Elfman, Zimmer and Santaolalla are a few of many.


I’m sorry if I can’t tell you more about this (considering that I’m more into films) but, you know, music it’s listening, paying attention, and feel. It’s universal. Not matter what origin, time, or anything else, there’s music for everyone.

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Here I have some plans for this September, 18^th. I think I’ll celebrate this Holiday at home. I’m considering the possibility of going to a fonda, but I haven’t confirmed anything yet. If it doesn’t happen this let me tell you, it wouldn’t definitely be the first time. I would be with my family I guess.

I’m not a very consumerist guy, but at this time of the year one thing, just one thing comes to my mind: typical Chilean cuisine (you know; asados, empanadas, choripanes, churrascos, pastel de choclo, chicha, etc…). With prices of the food rising it’s important to buy as much as you can, before everything disappears.

I think I’ll also watch the military parade again, I don’t like it but, you know, what else can I do? In my opinion, my plans are not very interesting either, but seriously, the patriotic feeling it isn’t my stuff. You can call me “deserter to the homeland” if you want (it would be the most expected thing to happen) but I have some questions: do I have to drink chicha just on September, 18^th? Where is it said that empanadas can’t be eaten in the rest of the year?