Some Thoughts...

2008-06-10T15:40:00.005-04:00

Wow! It's been a long time since I last wrote! Actually it's been 5 months!!!! Many things have happened since then. This is just a brief summary.

I finally graduated!!!!! I'm officially an MBA!!!!

The last three weeks of the MBA were even crazier than usual. First, we had to close the academic year, which meant tons of work, final exams, final papers, projects… I actually had my last final two days before graduation! Second, we had all the "Post-Term" events, from a wonderful boat cruise, to endless parties and gatherings. Third, we had the “close-friends events”, which were basically small lunches, dinners and coffees. Fourth, those of us from outside New York had our families visiting to celebrate our graduation, which meant a great deal of entertaining (I got my parents, father-in-law and brother-in-law here!). Finally, we had the graduation ceremonies.

The NYU Commencement Ceremony usually takes place in Washington Square Park, but this year we celebrated in Yankee Stadium. I found especially touching two moments:

Michael J. Fox (Actor) and Indra Nooyi (Chairman and CEO, PepsiCo, Inc.) were named Doctor Honoris Causa.
My very good friend Amir Kaspi received a diploma in representation of the MBA students and waved to us.

It was an amazing ceremony!

The Stern School of Business Graduate Convocation Ceremony was held at Radio City Music Hall. This year’s guest speaker was Kenneth D. Lewis, Chairman, CEO and President of Bank of America. After his speech, our Dean, Thomas F. Cooley presented to Amy J. Radin, Executive VP, Global Direct Banking Head of Citi’s Global Consumer Group, the Nichols Award.

The Nichols Award honors the memory of C. Walter Nichols, a generous benefactor of the Stern School. The Award was established in 1961 and is conferred annually on a leader who exemplifies the qualities of integrity, enterprise and service, three traits that characterized the distinguished business career of Dr. Nichols, and three traits we hold in high regard here at Stern.

Ms. Radin has been an amazing benefactor of the Stern Consulting Corps (SCC) program since her brother Paul J. Friedman (Stern MBA’87) perished in the 9/11 attacks. Ms. Radin began her career at American Express, where she held a variety of positions in general management, customer loyalty, new product development and channel management. She was named a "Woman to Watch" in the US Banker "Most Powerful Women in Banking" Ranking (2007) and aBusinessWeek "Top 25 Champion of Innovation" (2006).

I had the pleasure to meet Ms. Radin after I was awarded the Paul J. Friedman Small Acts of Kindness Memorial Fellowship for my participation in the SCC. As I said in previous posts, the SCC is an amazing and unique learning experience. I was thrilled to know that the client, Step Up Women's Network, successfully implemented our recommendations not only in New York City, but also in Los Angeles and Chicago. It was an honor for me to receive this award and to be able to help carry on Paul’s legacy.

After Ms. Radin’s speech (which I found very thoughtful and touching), we heard some remarks on behalf of the Board of Oversees, and of alumni. Then, our classmate, Tira Grey, gave a great speech summarizing our two-year experience. Anne Jacoby did the same thing on behalf of the graduating part-time students. Then, Lorne Lucree, President of the Stern Student Corporation and an amazing guy, presented the Professor and Administrator of the Year Awards, to Aswath Damodaran and Jeremy Carrine, respectively. Finally, we were all called by name to the stage to receive our diplomas and shake hands with the Dean. From my point of view, it was another great ceremony!

It has been my pleasure to be able to do this MBA, and to have been selected to be one of the MBA Exceptional Students to write a weekly post in the MBA Admissions website. I hope it was helpful for prospective students and allowed them to get a better picture of what Stern has to offer; which is a lot!

One of my resolutions for 2007-08 was to raise my GPA, and I'm glad to report that I did it! My last semester was the best of my MBA, I took more credits than ever (18 credits) and got A (and some A-) in all my classes! A great way to finish my MBA!

30th Birthday

2007-11-25T19:32:00.000-05:00

Yes... it arrived! Whether you want it or not, time goes by!

This month, I turned 30! I didn't think it would be a big deal until the date started to get closer and closer. Let's face it, I'm not in my twenties anymore, I'm in my thirties :-(

Oh, well, every decade has something magical and interesting, and I realize that even though I haven't done all the things I had on my 'Things to do before 30' list, I have done many other things that weren't initially on that list. I've accomplished many things that I didn't even dreamed about years ago, lived amazing experiences, and met wonderful people...

So, I guess what my super-yummy birthday cake read "Happy 30" is true! :-)

Now, I just have to wait and see whether my 'blowing-candles wishes' comes true. :-)

Thanks to all who made it to the celebration, and to those who couldn't make it but remembered to send me a card, email, sms or to give me a call! Thanks!

Valentina's baby!

2007-10-17T11:06:00.000-04:00

My friend Valentina and hubby Brian, had finally welcomed baby girl Aleksandra Brianna Betts. She's tiny (2.6Kgs), but healthy!

Welcome to the world! :-)

PS. She's using the burp clothes and receiving blanket we gave her.... so cute!

Dow Jones Interns

2007-06-20T16:07:00.000-04:00

Wall Street Journal Brand Campaign

2007-06-20T14:56:00.000-04:00

At the beginning of this year, the WSJ not only changed the size of the paper (in th US), but also implemented a distinctive brand campaign. The main idea: attract younger audiences and promote both the online and print version of WSJ.

Here are some intersting sites part of it:

http://tbc.us/clients/wsjgallery/wsjppt/vid/
http://www.journey.wsj.com/

Do CEOs make lousy dads (and moms)?

2007-06-14T07:44:00.000-04:00

The author of a new book on CEO dads (he is one) thinks so, and tells Fortune's Anne Fisher how to become a better one. One step: Don't text clients from Disneyland!

By Anne Fisher, Fortune senior writer
June 14 2007: 5:48 AM EDT

(Fortune) -- Here's to dads! With Father's Day almost here, Monster.com surveyed hundreds of working fathers and found that 58% think their employers should do more to accommodate the demands of fatherhood; 71% of those with a child under age 5 took a paternity leave when it was offered. The poll also found that, if money were no object, 68% of fathers would consider being stay-at-home dads.

But there's one group in corporate America who would doubtless scoff at that notion: CEOs. Tom Stern, a former comedy programmer at HBO who is now CEO of Los Angeles recruiting firm Stern Executive Search, spent many years as a hard-driving, no-time-for-family kind of guy, until a rude awakening in 2002: Armed robbers attacked him and his wife Lisa as they pulled into their garage, nearly killing her.

What's the right work-life balance strategy for you?1. Which of the following statements best describes you? I'm comfortable having others do home and yard chores for me. I prefer to do things myself.

"It was like a light bulb came on. I suddenly realized what really matters in my life, and how much I'd been taking it for granted," says Stern, who has since reshuffled his priorities to put his family first. He's also written a terrific (and funny) book, CEO Dad: How to Avoid Getting Fired by Your Family (Davies-Black, $19.95), with cover blurbs from his old pals Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno. (See www.ceodad.com.) Some excerpts from a recent chat with Stern:
Q. Why do successful executives so often fall short when it comes to personal relationships like marriage and parenthood?

A. It's not that CEOs are cold and uncaring - it's just hard to bond with a kid via e-mail. And those bedtime memos! Not good! And of course, if you used to work at Enron, well, you tend to drift away from your family while you're in prison. But seriously, a lot of executives have a driving desire to be admired, which is why they're drawn to roles of authority in the first place. Children don't care about your title. You have to relate to them in a totally different way, and it's a hard adjustment.

Also, at work, everything is quantifiable. But with your family, you can't measure and control things: It's much more amorphous, and that can be frustrating. And then there's pure ego, the need for power and recognition. Work is the place to get those things, so work becomes all-important.

I know. I used to be the kind of guy who would be texting clients while riding the Matterhorn at Disneyland with my daughters. It was nuts.

Q. In the book you note that "a CEO dad's brain operates differently from a normal person's brain." Is there a cure?

A. In my own case it took a traumatic shock, but usually there has to be a build-up of consequences. Our society rewards narcissism and greed, so as long as you're being stroked at the office, your spouse and kids can become annoying background noise. The only real cure is to decide that you're going to make as many plans and goals with your family as you do at work.
Create a mission statement for the family: What kind of family do you want? What will it take to get there? Approach it as you would a business project. Do a customer-satisfaction survey at home, and really listen. The playroom has to become as important as the boardroom. But there is no one-size-fits-all cure that will work for everyone. The first step is really just to see that you need to do something before it's too late.

Q. What kind of feedback is the book getting from other CEOs?

A. It's hard for CEOs to admit to any kind of vulnerability or failure. They're eternal optimists, too: "Next quarter will be better..." People are defensive about this personal stuff, which is why I use humor in the book, as a non-threatening way of overcoming people's resistance to thinking about it. Some CEOs who have read the book ask me if I've achieved perfect work-life balance. But it's not something you achieve and, that's it, check it off the to-do list. It's a constantly evolving process of setting priorities every day. It's like the old joke, How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb? Only one, but the light bulb really has to want to change.

Q. How has your family responded to the change in you?

A. They like me better. I play with my kids now. I don't take work calls at dinnertime anymore. I've accepted that, at home, I don't have the control over events that I have at the office, which is why most CEOs have trouble with family life. You can't fire your kids, although I am thinking of transferring them, as soon as I find the right storage facility.

NBC Studied Dow Jones Bid With Microsoft

2007-06-12T16:37:00.000-04:00

(New York Times; http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/11/business/media/11deal.html?ex=1339214400&en=9c8a4bc34cacbaff&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss)

By STEVE LOHR
Published: June 11, 2007

General Electric’s NBC unit and Microsoft explored making a joint bid for Dow Jones but decided against it a week ago, a person close to NBC and Microsoft said yesterday.

No rival has yet stepped up to compete with Rupert Murdoch’s $5 billion bid for Dow Jones, the publisher of The Wall Street Journal.

Microsoft and NBC were partners in forming the MSNBC cable television network.

Representatives from NBC and Microsoft talked to advisers to the Bancroft family, which controls Dow Jones. But after the preliminary discussions and a more detailed analysis by NBC and Microsoft executives, they decided against going further. “Mainly, the economics just didn’t make sense,” said the person, who had not been authorized to speak for the companies.

NBC initiated the overture after the Bancroft family announced on May 31 that it would meet with Mr. Murdoch and opened the door to counteroffers to the bid from Mr. Murdoch’s News Corporation.

NBC decided to explore a bid after being contacted by investment bankers on behalf the Bancroft family. Both the Bancrofts and Dow Jones have hired investment bankers that have been pursuing potential bidders since the News Corporation offer to buy Dow Jones for $60 a share was disclosed in early May. NBC then contacted Microsoft about the possibility of a joint move.

But following a brief review, Microsoft rejected the idea of taking further steps, and NBC agreed, the person said.

For NBC, the News Corporation bid, if successful, raises competitive concerns. Its CNBC is the leading financial news channel on television, generating solid profits for NBC. Mr. Murdoch has said that one of the reasons he is willing to pay a premium price for Dow Jones is that he plans to start his own financial news channel and to tap the news gathering resources and staff of The Wall Street Journal. He hopes to challenge CNBC in financial news, just as his Fox News Channel has proved a formidable rival to CNN and MSNBC.

Another person close to the two companies said they abandoned their plans after they could not see a way to make a purchase of Dow Jones at a price equal to or higher than Mr. Murdoch’s.

NADAL did it again!!!!!

2007-06-10T12:29:00.000-04:00

6.2 pm (France): NADAL WINS THE 2007 FRENCH OPEN 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4!

He's awesome!

Great athlete, great person... a great proud for Spain!

Congratulations Rafa!

Cuddling Party

2007-06-08T13:49:00.001-04:00

Today, doing some research from one of my projects at work, I found this...

I am still shocked! I don't know what to think about this idea of cuddling with strangers.

In one hand, I think that sometimes people just need human touch, and this human touch can prevent them from doing stupid or aggresive things. When you feel loved you don't usually do crazy things.

In the other hands, however, I can help but wondering: Who goes to these sessions? And honestly, the only words that come to my mind are: sex-addicts, lonely people, strange, 'salido'...

So... anyone has any insight about this?

What do you think about this?

How many answers do you know?

2007-06-07T11:33:00.001-04:00

5 Hard Questions! Are You A Genius? - Click here for more home videos

Google's Amazing Culture

2007-06-05T13:30:00.000-04:00

One of my very best friends from school, AK, just joined Google for the summer, and he is totally in love with it!.

The funny part of it is that he was absolutely convinced that his destiny was in one of the best consulting firms worldwide. He couldn't talk about another company, and he couldn't picture himself working at another company. Now... surprinsingly, after one week in Google, he's changing his mind. He actually thinks he could stay there, and that he sees it as a grea option for his professional career!

There's something about Google that makes it an special place to work at. It's not the free food, the customized schedule, the cool projects they have, the people... but a combination of all this.

In which company (Google's size) would a summer intern (in his first week) be invited to a meeting held by the founders of the company and actually be allowed to express his opinions and thoughts on the issue at hand? Well... I don't think this happens in many places. But it does happens in Google.

Bill Gates & Steve Jobs Together

2007-06-05T13:24:00.000-04:00

All Thing Digital (http://d.wsj.com/; www.AllThingsD.com), one of the most succesful online publications, part of the Wall Street Journal (Dow Jones) managed to sit together Steve Jobs and Bill Gates this month. Awesome and unique event!

I love working here!

Bancrofts Open Door To a Sale Of Dow Jones

2007-06-01T09:22:00.000-04:00

Controlling Family SaysIt Will Meet Murdoch;Shares Soar After Hours

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118065073136620632.html?mod=home_whats_news_us

The Pursuit of Happiness

2007-05-27T19:41:00.001-04:00

This weekend I watched 'The Pursuit of Happiness' and I loved it! Amazing story of how far you can reach when you really believe in yourself and work for it. [Of course, this is easiest to do if you live in a developed country, and I would even dare to say more, in the US. I've realized that I've had more opportunities in two years here than I would've had in my whole life in Spain]. Anyway, that's not the point today!

The point is that this movie is really worth seeing. It's hard as life, close, inspiring, motivating... and on top of everything it's a real story! It's the story of Chris Gardner, who really made every possible effort in his life to pursue and achieve his own happiness and his son's one. Here are they in the cover of his biography.

Will Smith and his son make an amazing and touching performance. So, if you have the chance to watch it... do it!

First Week at Work & Miscellaneous

2007-05-24T09:53:00.000-04:00

Summer Internship

Unbelievable! My summer internship has already began. So far, it's being great! I was assigned two very interesting projects, my managers and director are amazing (I am actually going to learn a lot from them), the place is great (we are in the World Financial Center, by the Hudson river, so we get to go out for a quick lunch and enjoy the river and the sun), the schedule (so far) is pretty good (I'm out around 6:30pm-7pm). So, so far, very happy with my decision!

Students Blog at Stern Website

I was appointed to be one of the Students featured in Stern Website. They select a total of four students, among first and second year and part-time MBA classes (900+), to write about their experience in the MBA, at Stern, in NYC, in our summer internships… So, I am very happy and honoured to have been invited to be one of them.

The idea is that we write a post every other week (during the summer) and every week (during fall and spring), and it gets published in Stern website (you can see the former students' post in this website http://w4.stern.nyu.edu/admissions/fulltime/exceptionalstudents.cfm?doc_id=4896 to get a better idea).

I wrote my first post this week and it'll probably be up by the end of this week or beginning of the next one. Check it out if you're interested in having a more formal and detailed information about how my summer internship goes, how my life is during my summer internship and during the MBA. Please note that my blog will be more formal than this one.

Travel to South-East Asia

One of my goals for this year was to travel more, and I'll sure do it. After my summer internship we'll go to Galicia for my brother's wedding and then we'll travel around SE Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand). Juyu!!

Stern in Africa

I recently became Vice-President of Career Development of a newly founded Students Club at Stern: 'Stern in Africa' (SiA). SIA is an all-inclusive club dedicated to educating the Stern community and beyond about opportunities for business, investment and voluntarism in Africa.

Our main objetive is to provide:

Access to information about African business and career opportunities
A forum for discussing African events and issues
A better awareness of Africa as a viable business and leisure destination
Greater visibility of Stern among Africans in the Diaspora
Support to the Admissions Office in recruiting African Students
Opportunities for Stern MBAs to explore Africa through social and cultural events
A support network to African students at Stern
Networking events for SIA members interested in building careers in or related to Africa

Long time, no talk!

2007-05-09T22:07:00.000-04:00

Unbelievable, but true! The first year of the MBA is gone! I can't belive time went by so fast... The last semester was kind of stressful, but I managed to accomplished quite a few things. Actually, I was awarded the "Paul Friedman Small Acts of Kindness Memorial Fellowship" for outstanding performance during the consulting project I did over the semester. :-)

Now, it feels surreal! I can't even absorve that I'll be joining my summer internship in 1 week!

This week my hubby's graduation ceremony will take place! Amazing! It seems yesterday when we moved to New York! and we've been here for two years!

Well, this was just a head-up! I'll try to post more frequently over the summer.

Stern Takes 1st Place at IESE International Case Competition

2007-04-15T21:36:00.000-04:00

New York University's Stern School of Business' Team (Lasith, Leah, Eric and Eddie) won the first place in the 2007 IESE Annual International Case Competition!!!

We rock!

The new trend...Hunger Strike!

2007-04-12T03:04:00.000-04:00

Did anyone really thought this wasn't going to happen? It was absolutely predictable!
So, now... what? Let's do what all of them want! Why not?
Seriously, what's going on in Spain?

Al menos 29 presos se han puesto en huelga de hambre tras el 'caso De Juana'
Actualizado miércoles 11/04/2007 22:34 (CET)

EL MUNDO

MADRID.- Al menos 29 presos comunes de distintas cárceles españolas han iniciado una huelga de hambre en los últimos meses, siguiendo el ejemplo de Iñaki de Juana Chaos, el etarra que consiguió el régimen de prisión atenuada con una protesta similar.

Según informa Pedro Simón en EL MUNDO, uno de estos presos es Jesús Martínez Ramos, un recluso de la prisión de Aranjuez cuya celda está al lado de la que ocupó en su día Iñaki de Juana Chaos. "No aguanto más, Juancar, quiero una prisión atenuada como la de ese tío. Quiero que nos traten de igual manera. Me voy a poner en huelga de hambre. No hay marcha atrás", le comentó a su hermano antes de iniciar la drástica protesta.

Jesús Martínez Ramos cumplía condena por varios delitos contra la propiedad, entre ellos asaltar un almacén de jamones. Tanto él como De Juana Chaos habían cumplido tres cuartas partes de la pena y ambos contaron con la misma junta de tratamiento. El pasado 8 de marzo inició, junto a otros cuatro compañeros, una huelga de hambre pidiendo un tratamiento penitenciario similar al que tuvo el etarra.

Otro caso es el de El Zarrat Ez Zitouni, preso en la cárcel de Dueñas (Palencia), ingresó en la cárcel a mediados de 2006 acusado de violación, pero la supuesta violada que le metió en la cárcel reconoció el pasado 13 de mayo que, no hubo tal delito y quería vengarse del marroquí por un asunto de drogas.

Sólo en la prisión de Mansilla (León), en las últimas semanas, un total de 16 internos se han declarado en huelga de hambre. Actualmente seis siguen con la protesta.

Según el Centro de Documentación contra la Tortura, en 2006 fallecieron al menos entre 50 y 60 presos que mantenían una huelga de hambre y que se encontraban en un deplorable estado de salud que hacía aconsejable su excarcelación.

http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2007/04/11/espana/1176323578.html

FOMO: Fear of Missing Out

2007-04-07T12:03:00.000-04:00

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_15/b4029092.htm

Today's Students: Living Large They're splurging like the high-paid executives they expect to become An epidemic has hit America's top MBA programs. At Harvard Business School, it's called FOMO: fear of missing out. Symptoms include a chronic inability to turn down invitations to any party, dinner, or junket attended by anyone who might be a valuable addition to one's network—no matter the cost.

With their incomes about to get a big boost at graduation, many students are spending far more than absolutely necessary, in part on luxuries like leisure travel and in part on networking events. Nobody wants to quibble over the costs when they're partying with folks who may advance their career.

Says Mike Altman, a student at the University of California at Los Angeles' Anderson School of Management: "It isn't worth coming off as cheap or petty when you're building a network for life."At top B-schools, where high-rolling investment bankers set the pace, those extras add up. Harvard suggests MBAs budget $23,784 a year for room and board, but Harvard grads responding to a BusinessWeek survey last year estimated their annual living expenses at $37,000, with more than 40 reporting $80,000 or more. Columbia Business School, where some MBA grads reported spending as much as $85,000 a year, recommends that students budget about $2,080 a month for room and board.

But student Aakash Nijhawan says most people he knows end up spending at least that much on housing alone, to live in the trendier precincts of Manhattan, such as Tribeca or SoHo, in an apartment "that's not the size of a shoebox."The B-school set doesn't stint when it comes to travel, either. There's the winter "learning experience" in China, spring break in the Caribbean, and weekend jaunts to Vegas or Vail. The wine-tasting trip to Napa, sponsored by the University of Chicago Wine Club, and the celebrity-spotting excursion to Cannes, offered by UCLA's Entertainment Management Assn., are not to be missed. And who could turn down an invite from a University of Chicago club to break bread with the Sage of Omaha himself, Warren Buffett?

REFORMED CHEAPSKATE

For Nijhawan, who will return to investment banking at graduation, that's a no-brainer. "When you work in banking, you're working really hard, and sometimes vacations get canceled," he says. That's how he rationalized spending $5,000 for a student trip to India and about $1,500 for spring break in Hawaii—quite a bit more than the $3,900 a year Columbia recommends students budget for "personal expenses" including travel and clothing.

When he graduates in May, Nijhawan hopes to spend the summer in Greece and the Bahamas before starting his new job at Citigroup. With the money he stands to make there—the median starting salary for Columbia grads in his field is $125,000—he's not worried about paying back his loans.

In fact, with what he managed to save before B-school, he probably could have paid for it all in cash. Still, he wasn't ready to give up the high life. "I wanted to live more comfortably," he says, "and I budgeted accordingly." While he gave up the Brooks Brothers shopping sprees and $300 dinners, he kept his spacious 1,200-square-foot apartment in Hoboken, N.J., and his stylish BMW 325i.UCLA's Altman, a onetime member of the U.S. national rowing team, considers himself "a bit of a cheapskate."

Even so, Altman eventually realized that with the $40,000 he was spending each year on tuition, it made no sense to pinch pennies. "I made such a huge financial commitment," he says. "I need to get as much out of this as I can."

Amazing Japan!

2007-04-02T16:32:00.000-04:00

I liked with Japan before I had the opportunity to visit it. Now... after spending 10 days there...

I can say that...

... I am completely in love with this country!!!

- Amazing culture: silent, ancient, spiritual, historical, unique...
- Amazing people: polite, extremely courteous, pleasant, friendly...
- Amazing cities and towns: clean, beautiful, modern & old together, organized...

The only reason why this trip does not displace Egipt trip from its 1st position, is that my 'angel' wasn't with me.

We both visit Japan, but not together... But... Romance aside....

Best trip ever!!!!

It's difficult for me to pick one particular moment as the best one there.

I started my journey in Tokyo, where we visited the touristic area of Ropongi, the financial area, Harayuku, Sony headquarters, and of course the Fish Market at 4am in the morning (where I ate for the first time Sashimi). Also in Tokyo, I had the opportunity to see again, after 10 years, my good friend Mitsuyo! She took the day off and travel from her hometown to Tokyo to spend the day with me! So sweet!

From Tokyo we traveled in the amazing "Tren Bala" to Nagoya, where we visited Toyota factory. No wonder how ZARA works so well after working with Toyota's executives, it's really impressive!

From Nagoya, we headed to Gifu, where we stayed at a traditional Japanese Onsen Hotel. There, we had a traditional 12 courses Japanesse dinner that was served on the floor (tatamis). In this same hotel we enjoyed the strange experience of bathing in Spring Waters.

After Gifu, the wonderful and magic Kioto, Geiko's city; where, I had the opportunity to dress like a Geiko (Dear Lord!!! I looked awfull -see the picture-). I had always had this fantasy of dressing like a Geisha, and I always imagined that I would be beautiful....

Well, it didn't happen!

They cover your face completely with white paint (yes! paint, no make up, I almost died trying to take it out), they take out haft your eyebrow, they hide your eyelashes, they minimize your lips to the minimum possible, they compress your brests, they hide your hips, and they give you a belly.... My God! When I looked myself in the mirrow for the 1st time I couldn't believe it! There's a reason why Western women aren't Geishas...

However, it was one of the funniest parts of the trip. And... our Japanes friend Yuichi said that we looked beautiful (poor thing!)

After two days in Kioto, we traveled to Osaka, where we saw Osaka temple, enjoyed the city and had their typical food Okonomiyaki (Delicious!); and had the opportunity to attend the Sumo World Tournament.... No words!

It was fast! Wasn't it? The 10th day I couldn't believe I was coming back to NY already!

I really recomend everyone to visit Japan! It's totally worth it!

I can't wait to come back!

Wedding Coming Up!!!!!

2007-03-27T00:53:00.000-04:00

Yuju!!!! Finally!!!! Bodorrio! Que emocion! En fin...

CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN!!!!

First Summer Internship Offer ...

2007-03-27T00:44:00.000-04:00

I'm still in the recruiting process with several interesting firms, but....

I've already secured an offer at a consulting firm here in New York, which took a huge load off my shoulders! :-)

New Appartment!

2007-02-17T22:21:00.000-05:00

We're moving!!! My husband just found us a gourgeous appartment :-)

The best part: it has 2 bedrooms, and it has a fireplace!!!!

I'm looking forward to it!

We'll post photos when we have them.

The Zipper Delivery

2007-02-01T16:48:00.000-05:00

I know someone who might find this a great idea... right? New Yorker? :-)

To those of you having babies this summer: Congratulations!!!

Ortega Lara, against Negotiation

2007-01-30T09:13:00.000-05:00

Ortega Lara: "Estoy radicalmente en contra de cualquier negociación" ["I'm totally against any negotiation (with ETA)"]

I didn't have the chance to see Sanchez Drago's interview to Ortega Lara, but I bet it was excruciating listening to his story while he was captured by ETA.

Again, I would like to re-state that I am completely against any kind of negotiation with the terrorists. The terrible bombing in Barajas this Christmas, the attitude of the nacionalism supporters and the remembrance of all these savageness just confirm me that NEGOTIATION IS NOT THE WAY!

Complete articles: http://www.elpais.com/articulo/gente/Ortega/Lara/Estoy/radicalmente/cualquier/negociacion/elpepugen/20070129elpepuage_9/Tes

http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/196316/5/drago/ortega/lara/

Who put a smile on my face today?...

2007-01-24T18:12:00.000-05:00

She's Fatama, she's 14 years old, she lives in Burkina Faso; and she's my new Sponsored Child (Apadrinada)!!!

These days are being kind of hard on me, and I realized that I needed something to lighten my life. Of course, the best way for me to lighten my life is by lightening others', and that's how the sponsorship idea came to my mind again.

I got into Plan's website and had the temptation of picking and choosing the most "beautiful" child in the pictures, or the one that appears best in the photo... and then I realized that my goal was to help someone who doesn't have many chances of get help. So, I clicked on the option "I want to sponsor the child who has been waiting longer", and there she was. Not many people want to sponsor teenagers, most of us prefer babies and see how they grow... So Fatama could be left in the wait-list to be sponsored until she was 18.

So, welcome the new member of our family: Fatama!

I'll post more pictures and information about her, as soon as I get it.

And to those of you who hadn't sponsor a child yet, here are some webs you maight check out:

www.planusa.org

www.savethechildren.org

www.fundacionvicenteferrer.org

Sponsor a child! Apadrina un nino!

MBA Job Search Process

2007-01-23T19:33:00.000-05:00

One might think that when you get admitted into an MBA program, in one of the top universities in the world, things are going to be easier. Well... wrong! Things aren't easier! The difference is that with an MBA you get access to opportunities that you don't have access without an MBA. However, the competence to really take advantage of those opportunities is much harder than before.

Everyone is highly qualified, prepared, professional. All of us look forward to get the best job possible, in the best firm possible. Unfortunately those firms are making the process more and more difficult so they can end up hiring just "la creme de la creme".

This process is nerve wracking! It's soul-sucking! Depressing for moments! Tense... Oh! God! I just want to get over it. I'm stressedout with the process itself, with 1st round interviews, 2nd round interviews, go me through your resume, so "why are you here?", unfullfilled promises... and being passionate and exhited about everything. I feel mentally and physically tired! :-(

And, of course, the classes have already started, and those I chose for this semester are going to be extremely time-consuming and challenging :-)

BUT...Good news: sooner or later I'll get a great job and laught about all this. In the meantime... a little bit of suffering!

Wish me luck!!!!

My Resolutions for 2007...

2007-01-20T22:15:00.000-05:00

This year I decided to focus on certain resolutions and put my full energy into accomplish them. The first step I am taking in order to guarantee that I do so, is to share them with you. This way, you can act as my guardians, and urge me to remember my promises along the year.

So, here they are:

- Loose Weight: I have to loose at least 20 kilos (the ones I gained over the last 5 years!, amazing, ah?). So far, I started my diet, and lost already 2 kilos; so I'm on track!
- Include Vegetables and Fruit as part of my daily diet. I'm on it! Fruits are already in, and I'm moving forward with the vegetables.
- Exercise: I need to go back to exercise. So, my goal is to do some kind of exercise at least 3 days a week.
- Improve my GPA: this semester I would like to reach the 3.8 GPA in my MBA.
- Find a great Summer Internship and an amazing Full Time job
- Balance the MBA and my personal life
- Visit Japan
- Take a maximum of 2 cabs a week to go to/come back from the University
- Find a hobbie!
- Laught more! and don't argue for small things
- Improve my English and Frech
- Some Private Ones! :-)

That's it!

We'll see how it goes! I'll come back next January to see if I accomplish them or not!

I'm still alive!

2007-01-13T14:23:00.000-05:00

Hey, Just a quick note to say I'm still alive!

The last months have been very hectic, and January is going to be crazy!!!! Wish me luck for my job search for the summer! :-)

So, I promise I will start posting regularly when I finish the interviews and all that...

I just want to wish you all the best for 2007! It's going to be a GREAT year! I wish amazing things for 2007! Let's do our best to make our dreams come true! As my cousing Noa says "we deserve ourselves to be the best we can".

The Business of Ethics

2006-10-31T21:24:00.000-05:00

By Naomi GoldinOct 25 2006; The Cornell Daily Sun

Two days ago, former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling was sentenced to 24 years in prison for his involvement in one of the largest corporate scandals of the decade. Skilling was convicted of federal felony charges including conspiracy, insider trading and securities fraud.

A few weeks ago, Yale student Aleksey Vayner made national headlines for his over-the-top 11-page cover letter and video resume in which the I-Banking applicant made a number of false claims. Vayner credited himself with running a charitable organization, serving as the CEO of an investment firm and writing a book on the Holocaust. Research by bloggers has shown that all of these claims are fabricated.

And, earlier this month, Hewlett-Packard’s former chairwoman, Patricia Dunn, was charged with four felony counts for data-mining. In her effort to discover the source of continuous company information leaks, Dunn spied on the home-phone records of fellow board members. Dunn found the director; the lawsuit found Dunn.

So, what do these current events tell us about the state of America’s corporate values? Unfortunately, nothing good. It seems as though a trade-off exists between business ethics and business profits — meaning that one comes at the expense of the other. Of course, there are those of us out there who know that this is simply not the case.

In fact, there are plenty of socially responsible corporations and business practices that have their fair share of financial success, such as Ben & Jerry’s or DuPont. Still, we cannot hide from the reality of increasing corporate malfeasance in recent times.

In his Business and Professional Speaking course, Professor Brian Earle recently discussed a survey taken by the Ethics Officers Association which revealed that an alarming 48 percent of employees have engaged in unethical or illegal activity within the past year. The annual cost of these unethical or illegal actions? $400 billion! Perhaps what is even more disconcerting about white collar crime, however, is that it occurs at every level. Like Aleksey Vayner (well alright, maybe not quite like Aleksey Vayner), many job applicants fabricate their past experiences and credentials.

According to a study released by Avert Inc., a company that performs background checks, 44 percent of job applicants have falsified information about their work experience or education on their resumes. Therefore, it is not surprising that screening and selection services, such as those offered by Avert, are increasingly used by corporations. (Now might be the right time to change that bullet on your resume from “Spearheaded the development of new financial contract database” to “Participated in the development …” … just a thought.)

But what should be done about the apparent lack of ethical standards in corporate America?

In the wake of recent corporate scandals, some business schools have found that the answer rests with education. More and more universities are instituting courses on ethics and social responsibility. For example, FSU’s College of Business has created a “Business Ethics and Moral Leadership Course” in order to increase students’ awareness of the importance of ethical decision-making. Bentley College is recognized for its Center for Business Ethics, which is similar to UC Berkley’s Center for Responsible Business in its Haas School of Business. Additionally, Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Business, ranked as the 4th best business school in the U.S. by U.S. News and World Report, inserted an ethics segment into the basic organizational leadership course that all students are required to take. And Cornell’s undergraduate business program currently offers a 2-credit course on Business Choices and Consequence. Yes, business programs all around the country are adding required courses on ethics to their curriculum.

One of my best friends attends the Stern School of Business at New York University. She recently informed me that NYU also added a required course on business ethics to their undergraduate program, in which she is currently enrolled. The course, Professional Responsibility and Leadership, “is designed to help students consider the purpose and function of business in society and the ways in which a business profession is incorporated into a successful human life.” However, rather than being considered a serious component of the business curriculum, the course seems to offer more comic relief than anything else. (...) ?

Enron: Skilling sentenced to 24 years of prison

2006-10-24T00:35:00.000-04:00

Oct 23 (Reuters) - Enron Corp.'s former Chief Executive Officer Jeffery Skilling was sentenced to 24 years and four months in prison for crimes related to the financial scandal that brought down the energy company in 2001.
The following are key facts about Skilling:
-- Born Nov. 25, 1953, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
-- Joined consulting group McKinsey & Co. after graduating in the top 5 percent of his Harvard Business School class in 1979.
-- Joined Enron in 1990 to help create natural gas trading systems that became a core company business. Hired Andrew Fastow, who later became chief financial officer and designed the off-balance sheet partnerships used to hide debt and pump up profits.
-- Resigned as Enron chief executive after about six months on the job as the company's stock price struggled and pressures in his personal life mounted.
-- Sold Enron shares worth nearly $63 million in 2000 and 2001.
-- Convicted on May 6, 2006, along with former Enron Chairman Kenneth Lay, of conspiracy, fraud and insider trading linked to Enron's downfall. Lay died in July.
© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.

Again, my questionis: How do you cross the line?
Take-aways: There's a "black sheep" in every family.

Recap... from the last 3 weeks.

2006-10-22T15:54:00.000-04:00

It's been a long time from my last post. I've been kind of busy in the BSchool, so I'll try to make a quick recap:

AVON Walk: amazing experience. The weather was very good, and the spirit was increadible. All the East side of Manhattan and Brooklyn was pink! I raised $2,500, which I thought it was a great sum, but I just knew that a 5-member team raised $100,000. In total we raised 9.7 million dollars! I am trying to do it again for next years, so, those who didn't donate this year: you'll get your chance! :-) We'll make this disease disappear!

My friends in New York: one of my two best friends came to New York to visit us. They stayed here for 10 days, and although I didn't have much time to be with them, it was great to have them here. When you are so far from home, you miss your friends and family a lot, so sharing a few days makes a difference. So, thanks for coming!

MidTerm Exams: Last week I had the first midterms at Stern. They were OK, at least I think so, although I don't have my grades yet :-)

Recruiting: the Recruiting Process already started! Everyday 2 or 3 companies come to campus to give their corporate presentations and to mingle with us. They also organize lunches and dinners, and pannels, and case-preparation sessions.... Every one of these events is not a social event... they are "recruiting events", they get you closer or farther to the "closed-lists". The names on these lists are the ones who are going to be interviewed in January - February; and out of those, the companies will decide with ones they'll hire. So... I'm hanging there! It's extrange, because I am not used to "sell myself", and I am not used to ask people for their business cards, and... well, it's very different from Spain, but I'm getting there:-)

AVP Marketing of Scorp: the American guy won with his "Save by the bell", E-True story. I think it was a great experience for me anyway, and I believe he's going to do a great job.

Vice-President positions: although I didn't get the AVP Marketing for SCorp, it seems that it was a good training for me. I was elected Vice-President of Alumni USA in the European Business Society (EBS) and Vice-President of Publicity in the Strategy and Operations Club. So, I'll get to do many things. I'll just try to not over-work and over-involved myself in this.

More Kids!: some of our best friends are expecting new babies again!!! Yeah!! So... congratulations!

Wedding: one of my cousins just got married last weekend and I couldn't attend the wedding. I think this was the first time that I missed a family event. But I couldn't miss classes, and it was just the weekend before my exams, so... I wish I was there, but... c'est la vie!

New Appartment and New Job: my older brother and his girlfriend just moved to a new appartment (this time it is an appartment, not a studio) in Madrid, which is great because we'll have more space when we go visiting :-) Furthermore, she changed her job to a better one! So... more good news in the family!!!

I think that's it for today! I'll try to post more frequently, although I can't promise!

Elections in a Business School in the US

2006-09-16T17:01:00.000-04:00

I am running for AVP (Associate Vice President) of Marketing, in the Stern Student Corporation. During this process, I realized that it is totally different from how it'd be in Spain.

Here, before presenting myself as a candidate, I had to collect a minimum number of signatures among the MBA students. Once my candidacy is approved, I have to "Campaign". This means:

emails (maximum of 2) to the whole student body
posters (maximum of 10) to place in classrooms and halls
speech (this is the most difficult part for me!)
anything I can imagine, to help people remember me, and vote me

I have already sent the first email. None of the other candidates for this position have sent anyhing yet, so I cannot compare. I like the one I did (next picture).

Let's see what happens! Thursday we'll know.

WISH ME LUCK!!!

2006-08-18T15:42:00.000-04:00

Strange things...

... that make us smile.

It may seem easy, but I bet they fell down many times before this!

Have a happy weekend you all!

Thoughts from the last two weeks...

2006-08-18T12:01:00.000-04:00

The last two weeks I've been very busy with the MBA, and I did not have much time to blog. Now, that I finished the Summer Semester, I will have some time to catch up with my thoughts in the blog.

For now, I would like to just give my point of view and feelings about some stories that made headlines during the last days (and about others that didn't make headlines in any newspaper, but were immensely important to me).

Galicia on Fire

How sad is witness the destruction of thousands of hectares of forest in your home country? I could do it through the newspapers, but my family had the horrible honor to live it in first person. Galicia is one of the most beautiful places in Spain. It is a green-land, or at least, it was... This summer, Galicia was on Fire!

Four people have died so far, and an uncertain number of hectares have gone up in smoke since the spate of fires began on August 4. According to Galicia Government (Xunta de Galicia) 77,000 hectares were eaten by flames; 86,500 is the European Commission estimation; and PPdG maintains that, according to a NASA satellite report, the figure grows up to 175,000. Whatever the real figure is, it is huge! Enormous extensions of forest will not be recovered until decades from now...

Although Galicia suffers from forest fires every year, this year's destruction has been described as "unprecedented" by local officials. Officials believe that many of the fires were started by arsonists (incendiaries) and 27 people have been arrested so far. My question is: What motivates these people to do this?

Again, no one has taken responsibility for this. Being accountable seems to be something that is not really important when you are a politician in Spain. Any of the government representatives so far (I am talking about PP, PSOE and the rest of democratic parties) has resigned. In my opinion, it is a shame!

Middle-East Conflict

History repeats itself! The old wound is open again, the old feelings are exposed again, and the blood is running down the streets again.

I do not want to deepen in this issue right now, as I will probably come back to it in a couple of days.

Weeding Anniversary

Last week was our second weeding anniversary. I will not say anything more than “I have the best husband in the world!!!”

Indra Nooyi, new Pepsi CEO

2006-08-17T12:46:00.000-04:00

Ms. Noooyi finally made it to the top!

She joined Pepsi Co. in 1994, Ms. Nooyi started her career with The Boston Consulting Group, from where she moved on to hold senior management positions at Motorola and Asea Brown Boveri. In Pepsi Co., she started as Senior VP of Strategic Planning, and in 2001 she was named President and CFO of the the world's fourth-largest food and beverage company.

She is highest-ranking Indian-born woman in corporate America. Nooyi has a degree in management from Yale. She attributes much of her success to her upbringing in India. "Being a woman, being foreign-born, you've got to be smarter than anyone else," says Nooyi, who honors her heritage by often attending PepsiCo events wearing a sari.

Nooyi also serves on numerous boards, including Motorola and New York's Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

She was named on the Wall Street Journal's list of 50 women to watch in 2005, and one of the Most Powerfull Women in the World by Forbes.

She lives in Greenwich, Connecticut with her husband, Raj, and their two daughters.

"From the land of idli-sambar to land of dreams, Indra Nooyi has come a long way to prove herself. "

Sources: Wall Street Journal, Daiji World, Wikipedia

Ben Zander: The Art of Possibilty

2006-07-28T14:30:00.000-04:00

Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend a magistral speech by Ben Zander. He is the conduconductor of the Boston Philarmonic Orchestra since its formation. He is a very enthusiastic person.

He gave a great speech about how everyone's life can change just by changing our attitude towards life. (Someone very special to me, told me this many, many times). Actually, the speech was about leadership, possibility, new ways of living.

Some of the "rules" he believes in are...

1.- Give the other person an A
2.- Rule number 7
3.- Enthusiastic passion for life (never take a down spiral)

I would recommend everyone to read his book "The Art of Possibility", although I haven't done it yet, because it talks about this wonderful philosphy of life.

How many more 11s will we suffer?

2006-07-14T19:43:00.000-04:00

It seems that we all have to be alert the 11th of each month. This specific date is going to be remembered as the day when terrorist attacks to civilians are more likely to happen.

September 11, 2001: New York

March 11, 2004: Madrid

July 11, 2006: Bombay

Near the 11th, July 7, 2005: London.

This kind of terrorism has the objective to kill or damage civilians. Any of us could be target, they just attack normal civilians. The 11s attacks killed thousands of people.

But there are more common aspects among these attacks:
- Incredibly powerful home-made Bombs
- Usage of common transport vehicles: planes, trains, subway, buses
- Brutal number of death men, women and children ( 2,986 in NYC 9/11; 192 in M 3/11; 52 in L 7/7; 200* in B 7/11)
- Huge number of injured people
- Carried out by irrational, un-hearted, raving, furious, mislead... terrorists' puppets.

I wonder if we will ever be able to stop these kind of tragedies from happening. Will we always have to live thinking that this can happen again?

I think that life is something precious and valuable. In moments like these, I keep asking myself what would I do if I had the power to do something and I do not really get to find a solution. What are they looking for? I think that terrorists' motive is "odium, enmity", their objective is wheter:
- Convert all of us into one of them, or...
- Eliminate us, so nobody will question their ideas.

Under these circumstances, our options are kind of reduced here. We can:
- Surrender and do everything they want us to do. Recognize that whatever it is that they want us to believe, is true. Or...
- Just die!

Neither of these alternatives fits my own personal goals. I am not looking forward to die, any day soon, and I am not willing to let myself be manipulated, be obliged to do things I do not want to do, be ordered to believe in something that I don't...

So, what can we do? Nothing? Well, we can do something. We can continue living our lives as we always did. By doing so, maybe, they will understand that we are not going to accept that no matter how many of us they kill, no matter how much they try to threaten us, no matter how much pressure they put on us... we will never surrender!

In my wildest dreams I really see an ending to this. I dream about a LEADER that, keeping the main ideals of these extremist terrorists, would be able to convey them to live in peace, to abandon the fight, and just be happy, live their lives... a leader that would be able to make them realize that the world is big enough for all of us to live in peace... a leader that would be able to make them understand that killing is not an option, that everybody's life has the same value...

That is what I hope for every terrorist group, Al-Qaida, Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA), Al-Jihad, Hamas, Hizballah, Ansar Al-Islam (Kurdish Taliban), IRA, Janjaweed...

Kind of unlikely, isn't it? Maybe if all of us, keep dreaming about it, someday it'll be real.

* Not definitive number

Wimbledon 2006

2006-07-11T22:07:00.000-04:00

With all the excitement about the beginning of my MBA, I forgot talking about the great Wimbledon Final. I think the match was incredible! Federed won his fourth Wimbledon in a row and reafirmed his place as number 1 tennis player in the world.

However, against all odds, Federer suffered considerably in his prefered surface. Nadal played wonderfully and fiercefully, and at some point, he made us think that it was possible for him to win (at least, after he won the third set, I was sure he was going to turn around the match and win the final).

The result 6-0, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (2), 6-3, demonstrates several things (in my modest opinion):

Nadal learns very quickly, the improvement in his play in a quick surface has been astonishing.
Nadal has a remarkable mental strenght, he doesn't give up.
Next year Rafa Nadal will be prepared to win both in clay and in grass.
Federer is, so far, the best tennis player, ever.

I am looking forward for next year Open. For now, Congratulations to both, for being Great Tennis Players!

1st Day of my MBA!!!

2006-07-11T21:27:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, July 10, 2006, was the first day of my MBA in NYU Stern. I must recognize that I was pretty nervous, I arrived like one hour before I should have to (which, as all you know me know, it is not very usual in me).

We are 67 students for the summer start, which is a the size of a regular "Block" (Class) in NYU Stern. We are almost 2 women per 3-4 men, which was really surprising to me, as usually the numbers are lower than this in the Top Business Schools.

The day went smoothly. We had a reception, we were introduced to our summer study groups (I like mine very much, we are two Neww Yorkers, one from San Francisco, one from Colombia, one from New Haven and me (Spain). e had the chance to get to know the university and surroundings through a funny game. We met some of our professors, solve some administrative issues and we attended to a leadership conference.

The speaker of the conference was Chris Lowney, a great guy with one of the most rare backgrounds I have never hear of. He is a former Jesuit, who leaved his 7 years in the seminary and enrolled J.P. Morgan. He worked there for seventeen years, serving as Managing Director in New York, Tokyo, Singapore and London. Now he is a consultant for the Catholic Medical Mission Board.

The conference was really different from any other I had attended about leadership, and it was not this awkard evangelization speech that I was waiting for, when he said he had been a Jesuit. Mr. Lowney gave one of us a copy of his book "Heroic Leadership", which I am willing to read and let you know how it is (in my opinion).

Today, we had our first class. It was "Collaboration, Conflict and Negotiation". We had to read before the class the book "Bargaining for Advantage" by G. Richard Shell, which I totally recomend. My professor for this class is going to be Kim Corfman, who is the Vice-Dean of the MBA program in NYU Stern.

The class was great, very dinamic. We started with our own process of self-awareness which is essencial to become an effective negotiator, we made some play roles with our classmates, we analyze some cases... and the 8 hours just went by very quickly.

So, so far, I am really happy with the program. I think that pursuing this MBA is one of the best decisions I have made in my life.

I will let you know, how everything evolves. Actually, tomorrow I will have my first "Statistics and Data Analysis" class, the one that intimidates me the most!

All the pictures where taken from the website of NYU Stern School of Business

Rest in Peace, Mr. Lay

2006-07-05T20:20:00.000-04:00

Kenneth Lay, former chairman and CEO of Enron, who was convicted of fraud and conspiracy, died today at his home in Aspen, before sentencing, due to a heart dicease. He was 64 years old. Mr. Lay was facing decades in prison.

I was sure that Mr. Lay, as well as Mr. Skilling, was guilty of fraud and conspiracy. However this does not change the fact that I feel sorry for his death.

Ken Lay (know as Kenny Boy by his closest friends) managed to find his way out from a very poor environment (he was the son of a very poor baptist priest) and found one of the most powerful energetic companies in the world. He was father of five and grandfather of 12.

I hope he rests in peace.

Jayaram

2006-07-05T01:06:00.000-04:00

This little angel, Jayaram, is my Indian God-child. He was 1 year old when our lives crossed for the first time and I became his God mother and Sponsor. Now, he is 6 years old. The following are the two pictures I have of him

I wish someday I can go to Anantapur, India, to met him and Ramyasree in person.

I would like to thank publicly Fundacion Vicente Ferrer for their wonderful work in one of the poorest regions in India, and for taking care of these little angels.

Darfur, the genocide is still going on

2006-07-04T11:38:00.000-04:00

Not since Rwanda genocide of 1994, has the world seen such a calculated campaing of slaughter, rape, starvation and displacement.

2003

Open warfare erupted in Darfur when two allied rebel groups (Sudan Liberation Movement/Army SLA, Justice and Equality Movement JEM) attacked military installations (Sudanese Goverment Military Force). The main motive was the inequalities between Sudan's Center and its periphery.
US tries unsuccessfully to intervene and bring peace after 20 years of civil war in the South of Sudan.
Rebels took fight to protect their communities against Janjaweed Militias: Goverment-Backed militians, recruited among Arab extensions in Darfur and Chad. Janjaweed receive government support to clear civilians from areas considered disloyal to the Sudanese Goverment. Janjaweed attacks, that infringed 1949 Geneva Convention Agreement, that prohibits attacks to civilians; provoked:

a) Massive Displacement

b) Indiscriminate killings of civilians

c) Looting

d) Mass rape: hallmark of the crimes against hummanity in Darfur.

e) Hunger

f) Genocide: Arabs exterminating original Black African citizens

g) Torture

There are two main conflicts open in Sudan:

1) Revels (different groups) vs. Government-Alined Forces (North-South Conflict)

2) Goverment-Sponsor Janjaweed vs. Civilians

2004

June:
African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) inception as a cease-fire monitoring body. Its main mission is to be witness of what is happening and testify if there are attacks agains civils.

October:
AMIS increases its personnel
Change of mission: from a contigent of primarily unarmed military observers to a major operation that included: armed force protectors, unarmed civilian police, and support teams.
AMIS mission:

a) To monitor and observe compliance with the cease fire agreement

b) To assist in confidence

c) To contribute to a secure environment by facilitating humanitarian assistance and returns of internally displaced persons

d) To contribute to overall security

AMIS personnel lack training, operational capacity and political iniciative

2005

June:
Peace Deal signed to end the long war between Goverment and Sudan's People Liberation /Army (SPLM) => North South Conflict. This agreement does not address the issues in Darfur where Genocide continues.

March:
African Union decides to accept military planners and budgetary and logistical experts from outside the continent to provide training and improve oprations, and to provide military equipment.
American Union led a March assesment mission with the participation of: United Nations Department of PeaceKeeping Operations (DPKO), European Union, United States, Canada and other international partners.

End 2005:
Situation in Darfur continues to deteriorate
AMIS need to be able to provide a more aggresive response to the persistent violence against civilians in Darfur and must be equipped and supported to do so.

2006

First Quarter:
Sudanes Goverment obstacles AMIS mission
Western Sudanese region of Darfur: acknowledged to be a humanitarian and human rights tragedy of first order.

a) 3.5 Million People in hunger

b) 2.5 Million People displaced due to violence

c) Nearly 400,000 died so far. As many as 5,000 civilians die every month.

International Community is failing to protect civilians or to influence Sudanese government to do so.
Sudanese Goverment continues to flout international laws with impunity.
Janjaweed attacks to villages continue and difficult international aid.
Even though they have been moved to refugee camps, Darfunians have to continue to collect wood and working the fields. These activities are done outside the camps (whose location is perfectly known by Janjaweed). So, daily, women and children have to put themselves at risk of rape, beatiness or death as soon as they are outside the camps, towns and villages.
A campaing of what United Nations describes as Ethnic Cleansing by Arab militias against Non-Arabs villagers is still creating a climate of terror in Darfur. It threatens to become consolidated, as civilians remain confined in camps exposed to violence and human rights abuse that prevent them from returning their homes and claiming back their land.

May:
Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) signed by: Sudanese Government and Insurgents SLA led by Minni Arkou Minawi (SLA/MM).
Two of the three revel delegations (SLA/AW (led by Abdel Wahid), and JEM) do not accept it and refuse to sign. Their arguments are:

a) They want more SLA participation in the implementation of the security arrangements

b) They are dissatisfied with provisions for political representations

c) They are dissatisfied with victim's compensation

d) DPA does not solve the conflicts root causes: the structural inequities between Sudan's center and its periphery that led to revelion in 2003.

June:
President Bush acknowledged that genocide is occurring in Sudan and must be stopped. The bipartisan Darfur Accountability Act, which would impose sanctions against perpetrators of genocide in Darfur, has passed the Senate and now waits for House approval. US citizens who want to help should write letters to their representatives in Congress, and urge passage of this bill.
UN’s failure to take meaningful action to end genocide in Darfur. Following the Sudanese government’s outright rejection of an international force in Darfur, the UN continues to compromise the lives of civilians by allowing Khartoum to stall indefinitely on the question of peacekeeping.

July:
Problems persist in Sudan’s West Darfur where the security and basic needs of children continues to be threatened by the conflict.

I ask you to....

Open your Eyes and Make a Difference

Act now, because tomorrow it will be too late

We have different ways to help Darfur people:

Write our governments to put this issue into their priority agendas
Write a letter to your local newspaper editor
Write an article about Darfur in your blog
Raise funds and contribute with the humanitarian organizations working in Darfur
Raise awareness

Interesting Links:
www.savedarfur.org
http://www.millionvoicesfordarfur.org/
http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=4027&l=1
http://www.darfurgenocide.org/
http://www.genocideintervention.net/index.php
http://www.unicef.org/spanish/infobycountry/sudan_darfuroverview.html
http://www.changemakers.net/journal/300506/framework.cfm

Zapatero announces the dialogue with ETA

2006-07-02T21:01:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately, against all my wishes, against terrorism's victims will, last Thursday, 29th June 2006, Mr. Rodriguez Zapatero has formally announced that his government is going to dialogue with ETA.

I will publish his is his speech, the speech that let me speechless, as soon as I can.

I am so sad, discouraged, depressed, hopeless about this, that I don't even find the words to express how I feel about this.

Lets hope for the best, and see what happens.

Go Nadal!

2006-07-02T20:14:00.000-04:00

I have been wanting to talk about Rafa Nadal for a long time. Now, that he has won Agassi in Wimbledon, I cannot let it go.

I've played tennis since I was 4 until I was 19, when I was diagnosed with a discal hernia and recommended to give up tennis competition. Since then, I did not follow tennis enough. However, last year when this young man won Roland Garros, I remembered why I liked tennis so much.

This year, he did it again. He won Roland Garros, beating number one Roger Federer:

Nadal has won a record 60 consecutive matches on clay. Nadal's mental toughness, drive to improve, calm and constancy are amazing. Rafa Nadal is not only a great tennis player, perfectly aware of his strenghts and weaknesses, but also a very mature 20-year old boy. Besides, he looks like my small brother. They seem to be brothers! Same face, same gestures.

The important issue now is that he just beated the great Andre Agassi on grass. Rafael Nadal talks a lot about how he hopes to contend for a Wimbledon title in three or four years, once he gets used to the odd bounces and tricky footing that come with playing on grass.

Could it happen much faster than he -- or anyone else -- thought?
I hope so!

The only two Spanish tennis players who were able to win Wimbledon were Manuel Santana, 40 years ago, and Conchita Martinez in 1994. Rafael Nadal will be the next one.

Go Rafa, Go!

Care Foundation

2006-06-28T10:48:00.000-04:00

CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. Care places special focus on working alongside poor women because, equipped with the proper resources, women have the power to help whole families and entire communities escape poverty. Women are at the heart of CARE's community-based efforts to improve basic education, prevent the spread of HIV, increase access to clean water and sanitation, expand economic opportunity and protect natural resources. CARE also delivers emergency aid to survivors of war and natural disasters, and helps people rebuild their lives.

Watch their video (click on the following picture)

Care's Mission is to serve individuals and families in the poorest communities in the world. Drawing strength from our global diversity, resources and experience, Care promotes innovative solutions and is an advocate for global responsibility. Care facilitates lasting change by:

Strengthening capacity for self-help
Providing economic opportunity
Delivering relief in emergencies
Influencing policy decisions at all levels
Addressing discrimination in all its forms

Guided by the aspirations of local communities, Care pursues its mission with both excellence and compassion because the people whom it serves deserve nothing less.

Let's join them in their effort of making the world a better place!

The happiest day of my life...

2006-06-27T22:28:00.000-04:00

... so far

I don't know why today I woke up really nostalgic, romantic, sensitive... maybe it has something to do with my hormones. Who knows! The thing is that I kept remember my wedding day, over and over again.

I am picturing me getting looking at him waiting for me in the altar, I feeling the rain of rose petals over us, I remembering us having a walk in the Parador de Baiona while we were being fotographed, I am feeling the high emotion I felt when we got in the restaurant and I heard our song playing (Wonderful tonight, Eric Clapton), I remember feeling the happiness of our friends and family ... I feel his hand holding mine, his smile, his love... Everything!

Remembering my wedding day, I realize how fortunate I am. I found love and love found me! How great is that? I have a loving partner to live my life with, who makes me feel special, unique, who makes me feel I can do anything and who is going to be with me every step of the way.

Te quiero todo!

שלום سلام Peace

2006-06-27T09:20:00.000-04:00

The following is a transcript of an article written by Free Cedar (http://cedarfree.blogspot.com/) that I found so interesting that couldn't avoid to share it.

שלום سلام

Salaam (سلام) and shalom (שלום) two different languages, two words for peace.I've always had a hard time understanding why people who use the word 'peace' on a daily basis to greet each other, spend their time fighting. Two people that are so much alike, just never seem to use the points they have in common, to settle their differences. Because it is true, at the end of the day, Arabs and Israelis have more in common than Arabs and Europeans or Israelis and Americans.Obviously, I am not candid and the problem is not that simple.

However, here I am asking myself: is peace in the Middle East an illusion? Is the end of the Arab-Israeli conflict a dream? Am I just being delusional in thinking that peace is achievable?Well sometimes I think I am. I find myself being cynical and get to the conclusion that peace in that part of the world is simply hopeless. George Bernard Shaw wrote that "The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it."

Could it be true? In the end, is the doubt, I find myself into from time to time, nothing more than a mere and accurate observation of the situation?It does seem so when considering what's going on. The election of Hamas and the representation of Israel by Olmert don't give much space for hope. Not only do you have, on the one hand, a group refusing to recognize Israel and, on the other, a government insisting on pursuing a unilateral delineation of the land (eating up some land on the way); but they also refuse to discuss.Moshe Dayan (not much of a peace person) was very wise when he stated that: "If you want to make peace, you don't talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies."

Maybe it is time for both parties to consider talking to each other. To realize that it won't go anywhere by taking unilateral actions or pursuing terrorist attacks. Maybe it is time for both parties to realize that huge concessions are to be made; because, meanwhile, it is the general population that is suffering.

Maybe it is time for peace indeed, but, then, a question arises: is it in anyone's interest? By analyzing the situation one could conclude that peace is, actually, not in anyone's interest:- Arab countries prefer to keep the status quo so that its population focuses more on hating and criticizing the Zionist enemy rather than realize the poor state of their internal affairs.- Israel prefers to keep the status quo so that they can keep as much territory as possible and a dream of Eretz-Israel can, somehow, remain.- The West in general, and the US in particular, prefer to keep the status quo, since keeping the Arabs' attention on the Israeli-Arab conflict, allows the preservation of despotic governments that will assure their vital need in oil.

Nevertheless, I don't want to lose hope. Grass-root initiatives are carried out (such as Seeds of Peace or OneVoice) and the majority of Palestinians and Israelis are longing for a permanent peace. There's place for hope.

What the region needs are visionary and open minded leaders. Leaders to carry on people's hope. Hence, today I want to be optimist; today I want to believe that the Middle East can be an island of peaceful cohabitation; I want to believe that Palestinian terrorist groups will stop killing hundreds of innocent people; I want to believe that the Israeli army will stop attacking their neighbors killing innocent children, women and men along the way; I want to believe that some Israelis will stop acting as Yishuv and just live within their internationally recognized borders; I want to believe that Arabs will stop using unnecessary rhetoric resulting in tensed situation; I want to believe that a two state solution where Palestinians and Israelis can live in peace and security is possible.

So to you my friends I would like to say....

Salaam, Shalom, Okikiamgenoka, Nagaa, Vrede, Asomdwoe, Pake, Selam, Khaghaghutyun, Mir, Pau, Dohiyi, He Ping, Ashtee, Rauha, Paix, Frieden, Irene, Lumana, Bekè, Pace, Phyongh’wa, Pax, Nirudho, Sula, Katahimikan, Pokoj, Paz, Su Thai Binh, Sholem, Layeni, Heiwa ... PEACE.

Don Julio Fernández Gayoso

2006-06-26T20:17:00.000-04:00

I have always believe in the proverb "De bien nacido es ser agradecido" (Meaning: we should always be thankful).

That's why I wanted to say thanks again to D. Julio Fernández Gayoso, for the kind hand he has always held to my family, and specially, to me. I would like to wish him the best in his new position as Executive President in Caixanova.

During his more than 25 years as CEO of Caixanova, he has done a great job, promoting Galician economy. He was awarded the individual medal for the 'saving merit' by the Exchequer in 1970, the gold badge of Santiago University in 1982, commander of the Order to the Civil Merit in 1983, gold medal of Vigo in 1997, medal to the 'saving merit', awarded by the Spanish Confederation of Savings Banks in 1998, gold medal of the Chamber of Commerce (Vigo, 1999). In 1999, he got the distinction 'best financial executive in Galicia' according to the readers of the famous magazine 'Actualidad Económica'.

D. Julio started his professional activity in the bank firm 'Caixavigo' in 1948 and was elected CEO (Director General) in 1965 when he was 33. During his leadership, Caixanova growth from a small local entity with a total balance of 15,6 million euros and 44 locations, to become one of the main financial institutions in Spain, managing over 30.734,5 million euros with 1.652,9 million euros in equity, at the end of 2005.

He is on the board of directors of several firms and institutions representing the bank firm (the Spanish Confederation of Savings Banks, 'Caser', 'Lico-Leasing', 'Lico-Corporación', 'Ahorro Corporación Financiera', 'Grupo Cable' and 'Inversiones Estratégica de Galicia'). He is the vice-president of 'Banco Gallego', ('Caixavigo' got 50% of its capital in 1998). He is also a foundation member of the Foundation 'Empresa Universidad Gallega', 'FIES' Foundation (Fund for the Economical and Social Investigation), 'Pro-Vigo' Foundation and member of several societies such as the Galician Centre of Contemporary Art, 'Laxeiro' Foundation and 'Camilo José Cela' Foundation, among others.

Last Thursday, June 22, 2006, he retired as CEO to assume the Executive Presidency. The new Caixanova CEO is one of his loyal dolphins, D. José Luis Pego.

Not only, D. Julio is worth mentioned by his accomplished professional career, but also, his human aspect is worth mentioning. He is a noble, loyal, social aware business man, and that is even more important than his amazing business skills. He is a great person.

With this article I just wanted to pay tribute to a great man that has always been there for us, and has been a key player in my home city (Vigo) development.

So, I just wanted to say thanks to D. Julio, and wish him all the best in his future!

The Great Warren Buffet

2006-06-26T09:52:00.000-04:00

This is my third "The Great X", and hopefully, not the last one.

Today, we awoke with an exciting new: "Buffett to Give Bulk of His Fortune to Charities". Mr. Buffet, the second richest man in the world has taken the decision to give away 85% of his fortune (about $37.4 billion).

Warren Buffett came from a small town and made it big without losing sight of his roots in the process. Even though he is a billionaire many times over, he still lives in the same house he bought before he was rich and is considered an all-around good guy.
He turned his company, Berkshire Hathaway, almost single-handedly over the last 30 years, into a Fortune 500 powerhouse. He has amassed a personal fortune of $36 billion dollars and is considered the most successful investor of all-time.

Buffett, 75, has for decades said his wealth would go to philanthropy but has just as steadily indicated the handoff would be made at his death. Now he was revising the timetable.

Here are the recipients of this extraordinaire philanthropist donation of shares:

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: Ten million shares (aprox. $30b)

This foundation, the largest in the world, has around $30 billion of assets right now and has given away $8 billion in its 12 years of existence. Most of its money (typically funneled through partners) has gone to world health programs and to U.S. education. Buffett's gifts to this foundation will continue only as long as either Bill or Melinda Gates is alive and active in its work.

Combining the two fortunes will create a $60 billion philanthropic vehicle that will dwarf the $11 billion Ford Foundation, the $8.3 billion Lilly Endowment and the $5.5 billion Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. By comparison, the United Nations and its agencies spend about $12 billion per year. The gift, valued today at more than $30 billion, will create a philanthropic organization with potential to significantly shape social issues including child mortality, disease control and education.

"Rather than competing, they are going to pool their resources for common causes. They are going to affect millions of lives" says Daniel Borochoff, president of the American Institute of Philanthropy.

Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation: One million shares

Once called simply the Buffett Foundation and renamed in 2004 for Buffett's wife, who died that year, this foundation has $270 million in assets. Most of its funds came from the estate of Susan T. Buffett, and $2.1 billion more is expected from that source. This foundation has focused on reproductive health, family planning, and pro-choice causes, and on preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.

Susan A. Buffett Foundation: 350,000 shares

This philanthropy is named for and chaired by Buffett's daughter, 52, who lives in Omaha (and who has also chaired the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation since her mother's death). The daughter's foundation, which today has $118 million in assets, has funded early education for children of low-income families. With her father's new gifts, Susan Buffett expects to continue that work and expand into public-education and foster-care grants.

Howard G. Buffett Foundation: 350,000 shares

Now holding $129 million in assets, this foundation was set up by Buffett's older son, 51, who farms 840 acres outside Decatur, Ill., and is on several corporate boards, including Berkshire's. (His middle name, by the way, is Graham - for famed investor Ben Graham.)

This foundation's giving has been very international, taking in 42 countries and often aimed at conservation goals such as the protection of African wildlife habitats. But with its new money, the foundation plans to move much more heavily into clean-water projects, food relief, the plight of children entangled in illegal immigration, and other humanitarian areas.

NoVo Foundation: 350,000 shares

Named for the Latin word novo (meaning "I alter"), this foundation is run by Peter Buffett, 48, a musician and composer, and his wife, Jennifer, who live in New York City. Currently holding $120 million in assets, it has focused on funding individuals and organizations working to open up education opportunities, reverse environmental degradation, uphold human rights, and improve understanding and respect among various cultures and ethnicities.

So, again, I've found another role model to follow. It's very inspirational to find people in the world with the ideas so clear, with a so wide heart, with such a tremendous generosity. I wasn't wrong when I called him The Great, he is one of my Greats.

Lets all (at our possible level) follow their steps!

Sources: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/26/business/26buffett.html?hp&ex=1151380800&amp;amp;en=db528d55ed9f06b1&ei=5094&partner=homepage
http://money.cnn.com/2006/06/25/magazines/fortune/charity3.fortune/index.htm

The Great Bill Gates

2006-06-21T11:43:00.000-04:00

Microsoft chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates announced in a press conference June 15 afternoon that he would be shifting priorities, leaving his full-time position at Microsoft in two years to focus his efforts on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Gates reitered that he is not retiring from the software business, calling the change a re-ordering of priorities. He states:

"With great wealth comes great responsibility,"

(...) "A responsibility to give back to society."

Gates will retain his position as company chairman, and plans to spend some of his time at Microsoft. Microsoft CTO Ray Ozzie will take over Gates' role as Chief Software Architect starting immediately.

By Nate Mook, BetaNews June 15, 2006, 4:49 PM

Bill Gates is another role model to me, not only because he is the most successful entrepreneur in the world, but also for his philanthropist spirit.

There are many people with tons of money, but not all of them are willing to share it, and to invest it in order to improve the world we live in. That's why I find him a reference to follow. He is absolutely compromised with the underprivileged. In fact, he is one of the world's biggest (if not the biggest) donor.

These are some wonderful things his done (appart from partially leaving Microsoft):

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation said Sunday that it would sharply increase its investment in malaria research, awarding $258.3 million in grants to hasten ways of preventing and treating the disease. Counting the new money, the Gates Foundation will soon be providing more than a third of the world's annual research budget for malaria, eclipsing the U.S. government as the leading funder of such work. Malaria kills an estimated 1.2 million people a year, the large majority of them African children who have yet to reach their sixth birthday, and the toll has risen sharply over the past two decades.
Bill Gates has pledged $57m over five years to help protect young people in Africa against the threat of HIV and Aids. The donation from the Bill and Melissa Gates Foundation is the biggest by a private foundation to support Aids prevention among young people.
Bill Gates and wife Melinda have given $5billion to their private Foundation, in order the money to be spent on those who most need it.
Bill Gates foundation is donating $750m over the next five years to get life-saving vaccines to children in developing countries, for the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (Gavi).
Bill Gates donated $550 000 worth of software, cash and consulting to Peru.
Bill Gates donated $22.6m to UNC to fund a drug trial aimed at curing African sleeping sickness. More than 300,000 people in Africa are infected with the life-threatening parasite, and an estimated 60 million are at risk.
Bill Gates has given $50 million to be used for screening and treating cervical cancer in developing countries, where access to testing is not always available. More than 370,000 women worldwide develop cervical cancer each year.
Bill Gates is donating $15 million to the Computer History Museum, the biggest gift in the history of the Silicon Valley institution, which maintains the world's largest collection of computing artifacts.
Bill Gates creates the NewSchools Venture Fund $29,640,000.00 over 41 months to support work with charter management organizations, and extend the model of scalable high quality schools through the development of hybrid organizations.
....

I dream of becoming a great entrepreneur someday. But my biggest dream is to use the power, influence and wealth, my venture would give me, to help others; especially children all over the world.

I think that we all have the power to change the world, and I am going to do my best trying to do it!

Thanks Bill Gates for the wonderful example you are as a businessman and as a person!

Miguel Angel Blanco's Assassins' Trial

2006-06-20T20:40:00.000-04:00

The trial for Miguel Angel Blanco's murder, town councillor shot death by ETA in 1997 after a 48-hour kidnap followed by our whole country; is finally taking place.

Please, let us have some JUSTICE here!

For Miguel Angel, and for all of us. The terrorists (Txapote and Amaia) were laughting and cheating during the whole trial. Miguel Angel's parents and family were there and the assassins laughted at them!

Who is willing to negociate with these people?

Zapatero: Do you really think that the ones sharing table with you in a couple of days are any different from these two animals. If you thinks so, you're kidding yourself. They are not! All of them are beasts, animals, killers. What do you want to negociate with them? Why do you want to negociate with them?

Justice!

Negociation no! Not in my name!

Notes about Relationships

2006-06-19T21:09:00.000-04:00

Some notes to think about...

1. There is nothing as a perfect marriage - Two people are bound to have differences. These differences do not indicate an underlying problem between the couple. How the couple resolves the issues is what determines the outcome of relationship, and the strength of it.

2. Marriages stay perfect for a very short while - And then issues emerge because people are constantly changing or the dynamics of the relationship is changing contsantly. So a perfect marriage will be perfect for a few months, and then some issues will come up. If the couple can resolve the issue, the marriage again becomes good, but only until the next issue comes along.

3. Singular instances of differences do not matter - But a pattern does. If I am mad at my girl friend because I feel that I am not able to give enough time to my work, and I grumble about it in every dispute we have, clearly we need to do something about it. However what i grumbled about 4 months back, and was resolved amicably does not matter. The complete surface matters, not the individual dot on it.

4. Couples should learn to compromise - They should learn to compromise before they are married. Especially the ones who are going to have a love marriage. Couples in love often times think that they will have everything as they have dreamt of, and that none of them will ever have to make any compromise whatsoever. It is real good for a couple to have 2-3 good big fights. They will be forced to resolve it. They will come to know each other better in the process. They will realise that they have to adjust and accomodate, and probably this will happen for the rest of their lives. And finally, they will see how strong their attachment is.

5. Everything matters - Mutual respect, friendship, earning potential, sex (!) and behavioral compatability. All of them can be issues of conflict. It may not be necessary to be compatible on all of these, but atleast knowing each other on these is a good idea.

6. Remember the lesson learnt in undergrad: Marry a woman who is beautiful for you, not for every one. A woman is beautiful for you if you like her, love her, and are willing to accept her as she is.

Anna Dancing Hula

2006-06-19T20:26:00.000-04:00

This pretty girl is Anna! I was just checking other's blog and I found her family's (http://inmitchells.blogspot.com/).

I thought she was so cute, it was worth sharing!

Description:Anna dancing to music at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, CA

If you're having trouble watching the video, try copying the following URL into your browser:http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6882600688276314015&pr=goog-sl

Galician language to be used in epitaphs. What is this???

2006-06-19T19:23:00.000-04:00

We thought there was enough absurd in the Spanish political environment... Well, we were wrong!

The new BNG (Galician Nacionalist Block, politic party) is starting a new program to promote the use of Galician language in events related with death. Meaning: stone tables epitaphs and funerals.

According to Mr. Lobeira, BNG deputy, maintains that the current situation is unfair and discriminatory, because only one in a thousand epitaphs are written in Galician. In fact, he wants the Galician Government to take an active role to solve this problem. Comorr???? What's he talking about?

In order to clarify the motives under his petition and protest, he adds: "If today a great catastrophe eliminated totally or parcially the human been from the earth...

You're wondering... how this sentence finishes? ...we'd all be dead, ... it'd be horrible... NO! Take a look!

... with the highest probability, the funeral archeologic rest that future generations would find, would never confirm the existence of Galician as a language. Cemeteries, stone tablets and epitaphs would certify that Galicia does not have its own language".

Yes!!! Amazing! It's increadible! Unbelievable. This man has a salary paid by Spanish people, by us, through our taxes... Come on! He's spending his time thinking and working about this stupidity!

Well... these are the people leading our country, our regions, our cities... What kind of future is waiting for us?

The Great Oprah

2006-06-14T10:01:00.001-04:00

Before I moved to New York, I new little about Oprah Winfrey. I just knew she had a very famous talk-show in the States and she was one of the most powerful woman in business.

However, when I moved to New York, I started watching her program, researching about her and... Oh, man! She's Great! She's like an angel on earth.

I admire her professional career, of course: television pioneer, producer, actress, cable network co-founder, etc. In 2003, Oprah became the first African-American woman to reach billionaire status, according to Forbes Magazine. She has broken through cultural, geographical and gender barriers, letting the world know it’s not your circumstances, but your heart that determines how far you go in this world.

However, what I admire most from her is her passion for giving back to society. She is a great philanthropist.

I totally agree with her, when she affirms that education is the door to freedom.

Through the Oprah Winfrey Foundation and her Oprah's Angel Network, she:

Awarded hundreds of grants to organizations that support the education and empowerment of women, children and families in the United States and around the world.
Donated millions of dollars toward providing a better education for students who have merit but no means.
Developed schools to educate thousands of underserved children internationally and created "The Oprah Winfrey Scholars Program," which gives scholarships to students determined to use their education to give back to their communities in the United States and abroad.
During Christmas 2002, her life changed when she traveled to South Africa to bring holiday cheer to the children. She calls those 21 days some of the most miraculous of her life.
“I realized in those moments why I was born, why I am not married and do not have children of my own. These are my children. I made a decision to be a voice for those children, to empower them, to help educate them, so the spirit that burns alive inside each of them does not die," she said.
With the help of Nelson Mandela, Oprah launched ChristmasKindness, giving the children of South Africa one day of pure joy, toys and hope, just as she received as a 12-year-old on welfare.
In two provinces, over 12 days, thousands of rural South African children from 63 schools joined Oprah and her team of friends and volunteers. Tents went up, music played, everyone danced, food was passed out, and backpacks filled with clothes, toys, books and school supplies were distributed to all.
On December 6, 2002, Oprah partnered with South Africa's Ministry of Education to build the "Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls—South Africa," which is scheduled to open in 2007.
Raised more than $50 million, with 100% of audience donations going to non-profit organizations across the globe.

In 1991, this abuse survivor initiated a campaign to establish a national database of convicted child abusers. Then President Clinton signed the "Oprah Bill" into law in 1993. In the aforementioned interview, Oprah stated:

“A part of my mission in life now is to encourage every other child who has been abused to tell. You tell, and if they don't believe you, you keep telling. You tell everybody until somebody listens to you…I don't want another child to be afraid of saying, ‘This is what happened to me’.”

She demonstrates day by day her care about creating a better world. She is specially committed to improve the life of those less favoured, to children and to women. She inspires and educates her audience everyday, moving us to "make a difference".

I've always dreamed about creating my own Foundation. I want to do that, I want to make a difference in this world; and Oprah showed me that no matter what, all of us have the power to make the world a better place.

For all the mention and far more, Oprah Winfrey is one of my personal roles model and heroes.

Dialogue with ETA: Not in my name!

2006-06-10T14:48:00.000-04:00

This government and the previous ones had made many unacceptable things, and had taken many awful decisions. However, the decision Mr. Rodriguez Zapatero has taken recently is the worst ever. How can he decide to talk to Batasuna or ETA? Did he forget all the victims? How does he dare talking to terrorists and assasins? There are only two possible explanations for doing so:

1.- Zapatero is one of them. He supports ETA, and Batasuna, and their independence thoughts.

2.- He made a deal before getting the Presidency. He already closed made an agreement with these people. They would support his candidancy for presidency and then, he would support all their independentist wishes.

I want to believe that the second option is the true one. He sold all of us to get to the power; and now, he is paying his price, with the Catalonian Estatute, with the negociation with ETA... and so on.

So, now the Association of Terrorism Victims is reacting, and asking us to stop this government. A government willing to negociate with terrorists in our name.

Well, I cannot go to the March in Madrid, but I raise my voice, I support the victims, I believe in democracy and in Spain.

So, I say NOT IN MY NAME!

Zapatero Lying II

2006-06-09T06:59:00.000-04:00

PART TWO: Later on, he denies he said anything like that... he didn't take any compromise!

Did he? I am sure I heard him doing it, and I am sure the compromise he took helped him get where he is now, governing Spain.

Zapatero Lying I

2006-06-09T06:44:00.000-04:00

Why isn't it strange to me? I think I am used to it ;-)

PART ONE: Zapatero takes a compromise regarding the famous Catalan Statut.

(Spanish)

Chinese Backstreet Boys - That Way

2006-06-06T09:20:00.000-04:00

I always discuss pretty serious and sometimes sad topics. So, I thought that some laughts would be great!

This video is Very funny!

Independence... New Countries... Is this really happening???

2006-06-06T08:46:00.000-04:00

I hope it isn't!

According British newspaper, The Times, Andalucía, Cataluña and Euskadi (Basque Country) could become independent countries in 2020. The article analyzes the recent countries receiving independence, like Montenegro, and foresees what countries can be next.

This is the map they suggest for 2020.

From my personal point of view, it's a shame that the most important issue nowadays in the nacional policy in Spain is the Statut. What's happening in my country? I do not understand these independence and self determination movements. What are the benefits? What is it that they hate some much about Spain?

I am proud of being Spanish. However if my country is going to evolve like this, becoming little small countries that hate each other... I will loose my proudness.

Spain was a great company as it used to be!

Children Trafficking

2006-06-03T19:51:00.000-04:00

Despicable! is the only adjective I can find to describe this horrible reality.

As Albert Thomas said "The exploitation of children constitutes the evil, the most hideous, the most unbearable to the human heart".

When I think about it, I am uncapable of imaging what drives a person to hurt a child. How can they do it? Although it is impossible for me to understand it, the statistics show that there are lots of people capable of doing it, capable of taking advantage of it, capable of making money with it.

Aproximately 12 million children are trafficked every year around the world. Their destinations are multiple: sexual explotation (vast majority), cheap labour, organ trafficking, illegal adoptions, armed conflict warriors, domestic help.

Here are some data:

Guatemala: 1,500 babies and children are trafficked every year for adoption by couples in the US and Europe.
Nepal: 12,000 children a year, are trafficked as sexual slaves and labour.
Mozambique: girls under 10 years old are sold off, mainly to be forced into prostitution.
Africa: 80 million children are forced to work.
Cambodia: around 30,000 children live and work in the streets, most of them are being forced to prostitution. The average price of a child is $150.
Sierra Leone: thousands of children are kidnapped and used as soldiers.
Former Soviet Union: more than 100,000 children a year are trafficked. This area is the largest new source of trafficking for prostitution and sex industrie.

The main destinations for these children are: North America, Asia, Middle East and Western Europe. There's demand!

Human trafficking is a very lucrative and growing "business", and it is reaching every country in the world. Even institutions aimed to protect human rights are entering this business. Some believe that even some United Nations cooperators are getting in this business.

How can we stop this? Is there any way we can keep children from suffering?

I want to think there is a way and we'll find it, though I'm not really sure.

Napoleon's Glance

2006-05-12T01:49:00.000-04:00

One of the favorite electives my husband took in his Columbia MBA's first year was "Napoleon's Glance". He kind of lectured me, everyday when he arrived home. Not only because he loved the subject and he agrees mostly with every line of thought of the teacher (Mr. William Duggan), but also, because he expected me to see my life more like they do.

Mr. Duggan believes in a new way of doing and thinking about strategy. Not only strategy in business, but also strategy for one's life.

I am kind of pesimistic person, especially when the subject discussed concerns me. This new line of thought, carefully gathered in the book "Napoleon's Glance" gives the main lines to live a happy life. Not only it explains how to be succesful in business, how to be able to detect the opportunities that life gives us, how to seize them... but also how to be hopeful and not worried about aspect that we cannot control.

I am trying to really work on that. The botton line regarding what I want to change in myself is: If there's something in the future that worries you, ACT, do something to avoid it, to control it, to overcome it... and if you really cannot do anything to avoid it, control it, overcome it... don't loose your time worrying. If you can do something, do it and stop worrying; and if you cannot do anything, stop worrying anyway, the worries won't make any good.

Given the time, I may not being clear enough. I'll give it several more thoughts and write again about it.

Lies about Executives' Education

2006-05-10T20:07:00.000-04:00

The intrepid reporter from TheStreet.com, Herb Greenberg announced some "mistakes" in several executives' resumes.

For example, Bausch & Lomb CEO Ronald Zarrella claimed an MBA from New York University's Stern School of Business, while he never obtained such a post-graduate program in any university.

Veritas Software CFO Kenneth Lonchar, claimed a degree from Arizona State University and an MBA from Stanford. However all he actually has is an undergraduate degree from Idaho State University.

Why do executives lie about their education? I mean, is it really worth it? This humillation their are suffering now for their lies, is worth the time they managed to ware their masks? I don't know!

I don't think I never lied about my education. In fact, when I was preparing my MBA application, I must say that I was tempted to add some courses I never took, some social work I never did, some languages I don't speak... But, I just had to think about it one sec, to realize that the benefits I could get from lying are not worth the humillation I could get when someone discovered the truth. Besides, I would allways have in my mind that I had lied.

It's not about the people who might find out that I was lying, its about myself, knowing that I've lied. How could I look myself in the mirror and be proud of what I'm seeing?

However, the facts are the facts! People usually lie in their resumés!

BTW: Check this site out: www.cartoonstock.com/ directory/l/lies.asp

NYU-Stern Admission: Essay 3: Describe yourself!

2006-05-10T14:35:00.000-04:00

One of the things that I am most proud of to this point in my professional career, is My Admission in NYU- Stern MBA program. I am sure that there are tons of brilliant, special and successful people who sent their applications and didn't have the same luck I had. Just a couple of words for them: Hang in there! Believe in yourselves! Don't give up!

I am sure that there was a combination of factors what made the Admissions Committee decide to accept me. However, I am sure that the photo-album I sent in order to answer the first essay, "Describe yourself", played a big role.

I divided it in three parts:

Who and How am I?: To answer this, I thought that the best thing to do would be asking my friends and family to describe me, and that's what I did and what I wrote down in the album.
The most important people in my life and my role-models
The Most Significant days of my life

I think that the final work was pretty good, cause it trasmits who I am, what I care for and where I'm heading. I'd love to have done two and to have kept a copy of it... At least I took pictures of it before sending it!

Here are some some shots of it...

FACE TIME: New passwords are faces

2006-05-09T02:44:00.000-04:00

Can't remeber passwords? Try to remember faces!

Passfaces is a company that just designed the perfect way of never forgetting your password! We'll just have to remember faces.

That's a great idea for those who have the so-called photographic memory. For those who don't have it... you'll have to keep on trying to remember DKL99s8jB como password ;-)

Read the full article here, it's really interesting.

By the way: A message for someone who'll understand it => When using this system, it's necessary to differenciate between Jennifer Garner (Daredevil) and Piper Perabo (Coyote ugly).

NYU - Stern Business School...

2006-05-09T02:26:00.000-04:00

... I'm coming! On July 2006, I'll be starting my MBA program in New York University - Stern Business School!!!!

I am terribly excited! The Business School is great, the studen body so far is amazing, the teachers are wonderful, the program is the one that fits better my future goals and... what can I say about its location??? One of the best places in Manhattan.

I can't wait to start!!!

Downtown, Down to earth, Down to business!

http://reflectweb.reflectsystems.com/getContent.aspx?WCID=9cfdf09e-5e81-48e1-9d54-7cccea64ecd7

http://reflectweb.reflectsystems.com/getcontent.aspx?WCID=bb8f6654-c50c-4705-b002-b26022227a83

The Constant Gardener

2006-05-09T02:05:00.000-04:00

This weekend, after my husband left to Spain, I decided to watch "The Constant Gardener" and I loved it. Though it made me miss him even more...

It's not the typical protest film, though it explains the moral dilemma faced by pharmaceutical companies, governmental institutions, non-profit organizations... while working in countries like Africa. It makes you wanna do something, reveal against the system, fight against injustice... help those people who are living an awful life just because they were born in the wrong place.

It's not the typical love story, though it shows the puresness of love, the meaning of loving someone "rotten", how protective love can be... speechless! It's a kind of love that is so real but at the same time so perfect, so profound that I can hardly describe it with words.

It's not the typical hollywood-oscar nominated film with a perfect filmation. Sometimes it seems like someones is really living the story and recording it with his/her personal camera. However it gets to transmit passion, closeness, credibility and a huge dosis of reality.

I highly recommend it!

The Art of folding T-Shirs

2006-05-09T02:02:00.000-04:00

After a couple of months working in ZARA and learning how to properly fold t-shirts, pants, sweaters... I must say that the Japanese method is kind of faster thant the Galician one ;-)

Check this video out to learn how to make a perfect fold in just 3 seconds!

http://www.danger-island.com/~dav/video/misc/folding.mpeg

Is it true?

2006-05-09T01:57:00.000-04:00

You're only as smart as you appear!!!
Check this article out...

Adoption in China

2006-05-09T01:45:00.000-04:00

After watching the documentary The Dying Room by BBC in 1995, I made the decision of adopting a Chinese girl in the future. I am sure that anyone who sees this documentary will feel the same way that I do. Take a look at whats happening in China!

Enron: Two sides of the same story

2006-04-05T00:14:00.000-04:00

In my personal opinion, both Skilling and Lay are guilty in Enron's case. The most honest attitude they could've followed would've been to pledge guilty. On the contrary, while lower lever executives, such as Fastow, pledged guilty; Skilling and Lay, the heads of the company, the two top executives pledged innocent.

In a case like Enron, based mainly on testimonies and analysis of past fast, sometimes is difficult to decide who you believe. I always thought all of them were guilty, I mean the top executives. However, as the trial goes on, I am starting to differenciate two different types of guilty.

The first one is where Fastow is. He knows he had done bad things, he regrets it, he acknowledges his faults and he is willing to pay for them.

The second one is where Skilling and Lay are. They know they had done bad things, but they'll never admit it, they will continue with the theory that they didn't know anything about the operations that finally drove Enron into bankruptcy. They continue lying (in my opinion), smiling and posing for the picture. Furthermore, they pretend to make us believe that they are the victims in this story, that they found themselves involved in this scandal without knowing anything.

From my point of view, it is much more honest Fastow's attitude, he knows he destroyed his life, he is ashamed of what he did, but he regrets it, he stands up, assumes his faults and asks for forgiveness.

China Care Foundation

2006-03-29T10:33:00.000-05:00

When I first read about this story I was really moved for several reasons. First, the youth of the protagonist, second the amazing goal this foundation has and third the shared loved for children.

Matt Dalio was eleven years old when he first visited China. He spent one academic year in the country living with a Chinese family, going to Chinese school and learning Mandarin. He fell in love with the culture and the people.

Years later, he returned to China, at age 16, and he was haunted by what he saw on visits to local orphanages. Matt found children living with deformities and disabilities in horrible living conditions, mostly malnourished and starved for love.

He learnt that every year tens of thousands of children are thrust into overcrowded, under-funded orphanages. They are abandoned because parents can't afford to care for them. Or, simply because they're born into an enormous population forced to maintain a policy of one child families.

For children born with disabilities, the outlook is far heartless. Even conditions corrected with routine medical procedures can render a child unadoptable and destined for an unthinkable existence in a cold institutional orphanage.

Matt decided to create China Cares, a foundation with the astonishing mission of giving Chinese orphans (specially those with medium or severe dissabilities) the opportunity for a life of love in an American family; and when the adoption is not possible, the opportunity to be in a dignified place, full of love and resources, with access to medical attention...

There are many ways we can collaborate to improve the conditions for orphans in China by supporting China Care:

Donate money
Sponsor a special project
Donate items
Sponsor a child in foster care
Start a China Care Club
Volunteer

I really recommend to take a look at ChinaCare website and help to make the world a better place, especially for those in need.

www.chinacare.org

Women in Business

2006-03-19T19:41:00.000-05:00

The latest Catalyst research and other reports reveal that the situation of Women in business hasn't changed significantly during the last year...

Only 15.7% of Corporate Officers in Fortune 500 companies are women
Only 8% of the highest positions (chairman, vice-chairman, CEO, president, COO, SEVP and EVP) in Fortune 500 companies are hold by women
Only 5% of most highly compensated officers in the US are women
There are only 8 female CEOs in Fortune 500 companies
There are only 17 female CEOs in Fortune 1000 companies
Women in Top Executive positions earn between 8% to 25% less than male executives (Female managers' earnings now average 72% of their male colleagues')
Not a single woman featured in Fortune magazine's list this June of the 25 highest-paid CEOs in Europe

However:

Women account for 46.5% of US' workforce
Women account for 47% of all Masters (including MBA) degrees awarded
Women and men have equal desires to have the CEO job

Then...

Why are women so persistently absent from top executive jobs?
Why is still there the famous "glass ceiling"?
Why "work-life balance" is mainly a women's issue?

It’s been said that true success lies at the intersection of passion and talent, and I used to believe that. However, since I got in the business world, in 1999, I realized that most of the times, a woman needs much more than passion and talent to get success...

This situation is really frustrating for us, women. We get to believe that no matter what we do, how hard we work, how intelligent we are, how brilliant, innovative, creative... we are; we can never reach the top!

I hope business world changes radically in the near future so that "women in business" will not be an issue any more.

Avon Walk For Breast Cancer

2006-03-19T17:49:00.000-05:00

MY FIRST WALK!!!!

I've committed to participating in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, to spending the next few months training and fundraising, and to walking for an entire weekend. I'm one of thousands of people all over the country who will be doing this in 2006, all to raise funds for the Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade and support their mission of providing access to care and finding a cure.

I am walking to honor the memory of my grandma, Rosa, who died from this disease... I am walking for the women who can't... I'm walking to eradicate cancer... I'm walking for my friends... I'm walking for my family and ...I'm walking for myself!

I'm required to raise a minimum of $1,800 to participate, but I plan to raise much more! But I can't do that without your help. In fact, I'm going to need support from many people to reach my goals, and I'm hoping that I can count on you to be part of my support team.

It's easy to donate on line...

You can make a donation to my fundraising campaign on my personal webpage:

http://info.avonfoundation.org/site/TR?px=2402414&pg=personal&fr_id=1230

and then clicking on "Click here to Support Me."

If you prefer to write a check, just contact me and I'll send you the form for that.I hope you can help! Please send this to as many people as you know who may be interested in helping me out.

Thanks so much for your support!

D.G.B.