"After Dark" by Haruki Murakami.

248 pp. Registration code: 895.63 M972a.E 1a.ed. c.1

After dark it is not easy to understand, for it has a mixture of reality and the oniric join at some point. Plus, the stories take place in one night following a real timeline.In my opinion, what happens with time is the most important thing in the book, for everything revolves around it.

Firstly, Murakami show us that in just one night a whole life might be changed. This is due to the chances and decisions we take and make. For instance, speaking with someone and let him/her get to know you, could help you understand yourself better as well as it might take you off your routine for a while. On the other hand, if you do not allow this to happen, you could be trapped inside your catch-22 without ever knowing why life is the way it is for you.
Secondly, whenever you take a chance, you have to bear in mind that the consequences it has are not just aim at you, but at the people around you. For example, Eri Asai who was asleep and seemed like fighting between the oniric world and reality never thought about how her family would take her decision of “sleeping and never waking up”. Moreover, never even crossed Eri’s mind to speak with her sister in a way that they could both understand each other.
This is how we also push away the people we love when we feel that the abyss is way too deep to take a chance and walk through it.

To wrap up, I believe that time means everything in our lifes. Therefore, people should not alienate themselves of others with the excuse of having no time. If you are going to take chances, take one that gathers you with those you love, not the opposite. If you are expecting for time to solve everything, all you are going to get is loneliness and alienation.

Favorite Website: Microsiervos

http://www.microsiervos.com

I found this website long time ago because of a friend. At first I didn't liked it very much, since it had plenty of things I just couln't understand at the moment. However, soon I find myself getting more and more into the topics and understanding the ideas of the posts these guys write about.
The website is a microblog and it's owned by three people (Alvy, Nacho, and Wicho). Eventhough, the blog was meant to be just about geek stuff, it ended up to be related to humor, games, books, movies, "little conspiracies theories", and a lot more.

The layout is quite simple. It is just white backgroud and coloured letters with simple logos, links and some pictures.

I visit it when I have time, and there's always some interesting thing to read about.

Education & Open Source: working together.

http://www.linux.com/archive/feature/22950

The type of information I found, is related to software & education. This software is (a big) part of Open Sources projects in education: Edubuntu. Just like the webpage's description says "It provides a software platform that allows educators to spend more time teaching with computers and less time managing them". These kinds of projects are responses to the disaster Windows has provoked in Education, given that there is always a problem with that Operative System. Thus Windows is not for free, and people have to pay licenses and stay updated. Not even mention the part where viruses come into business. In addition, Edubuntu (just like openSUSE) work also with Moodle teaching.

Moreover, Ubuntu (which is the OS of Edubuntu) is one of the easiest platforms for is meant to be used by anyone (especially auto-considered enemies of technology). In fact, people who have never installed software were surprised when installing something in Ubuntu.

In my opinion, when it comes to education, we should consider the importance of technology in the classroom, as well as outside of it. What is more, if you think about it, many schools don’t have computers because they are too expensive. Well, Linux and OpenSource can work in the oldest computers with no problems at all! So, all those computers which are considered as garbage (since Windows don’t run on them given the low memory they have) could be used with Ubuntu. Therefore, the problem of poverty (technically speaking) would be solved. Sadly, everyone thinks that you need to pay for everything related to computers, and if is not Windows or Mac, there’s no chance.

Making changes

As we all saw on the video, making changes, especially small groups, is not something it is done out of nowhere. It is a difficult task, where you have to be completely involve and willing to face all the problems you will find on the way. Nevertheless, if your project is strong enough (like the condom project), soon you'll find support everywhere.

If you think about it, it is amazing what the condom project did to people in Thailand. Indeed, they saved lifes! Eventhough it was so simple to think, no one had considered that just by giving condoms and contraceptives for free, the country itself would be having less poverty. In effect, by managing how many children a family can have, and then start with family planning, people can actually have the control of their own lifes (and future).

So, if we consider that being a small group is not a problem, we could do some great things. But how can we start? Well, there are many groups already that are making a difference in people's minds, creating conciousness, spreading information, explaining things the way they really are, giving pieces of advice, writing things in public places, using art as a tool to symbolize the problems (stencils), and so many others!

However, there is one thing we need to have and it is as simple as be willing to make the difference. It is all in our hands. We are the ones who have the future in our hands. Maybe not economically speaking, but in terms of brain-using. I mean, if people would actually care, things would be so much different than they are today. Just, use your own brain and do not wait until somebody else starts doing something.

The best song at the moment

Long time ago, I was reading this book a friend of a friend wrote and I put on some music this friend recommended to me. So then, the song started playing while reading the best part of the story and the rhythm was following like every detail. At first I did not realize, but later on I felt this weird feeling inside. It was the song! It is by Apocalyptica, and it's called Inquisition Symphony. It does not actually have lyrics, it is just instrumental. But this guys are awesome. When you start listening to them, you just can't stop. I mean, the sound of the cello just makes you feel so damn good! The best part is that it's instrumental. You don't hear a story, you feel it in your bones.

Apocalyptica also plays song of Metallica, but with four cellos. There's no guitar or battery. They make those sounds with the cello.

I leave you this link for you to hear C:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzpJiSjKChE