Quote

"Do not consider it proof just because it is written in books."
Maimonides (~1135–1204) Spanish rabbi and philosopher

Quote

"If you keep thinking about what you want to do or what you hope will happen, you don't do it, and it won't happen."

Erasmus of Rotterdam (1466-1536), Dutch Humanist

How to post images to wikipedia

Hi all,

If you are having problems posting images to wikipedia, go to class B's blog:

http://eprojectrocks-eproject.blogspot.com

A student from this class has posted a «how-to»

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Painting

I thought about the Da Vinci’s quote,

"Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen."

and I don’t agree with it. I believe we can also feel what we paint or see. We may feel calm, thoughtful, excited, confused, amazed... and so on.

For all this, I want to share with you my new blog, where I post some paintings, photos, etc, of mine.
Feel free to comment. (:

Paloma

* by bz

Wiki-Dances

Hello.

Please click the link and see my contribution to Wikipédia.

I wish all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Uff, it's done!

Please, click above the picture of David Fonseca, so you can enter on my Wikipedia page.

P.S- It was so boring to post the pictures on wikipedia, but I think it turned out pretty fine! Hope you'll feel the same way after you've seen it! Tell me what you think.

Short story to read

Please go to this site and read the short story:

http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/

Hanukkah

ISRAEL—A family prepares for Hanukkah in a kibbutz, 1950.
© ROBERT CAPA © 2001 By Cornell Capa / Magnum Photos

Wiki-Painting

Greetin's.

I've just uploaded my contribution to the wikipedia entry:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portugal#Culture (Painting)

And since there are two quotes already, I'll leave you with this thought:

"Appetitus Rationi Pareat" (Let your desires be ruled by reason) - Cicero

David

Quote

"Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen."
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Italian artist.

Wikipedia

Hello.

My Wikipedia entry about currency is online. You can check it out here.

Farewell

Quote

"Awards become corroded, friends gather no dust."
Jesse Owens (1913-1980), US athlete

Nice article

Check this New York Times article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/14/arts/design/14graf.html?ex=157680000&en=6194706aa794f763&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Hi just to say that i have uploaded a part of my Wikipedia Entry.
I did the bit on History of Fado, also the Hip Hop and Political Songs articles were written by me. I have another article about Portuguese Folk or Traditional Music but since it has a lot of images and music files I'll post it tomorrow, now i have to hit the sack.
Cya



Oh, here is the link, hehe

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Portugal#Music

Photo Essay

Foreign Cuisine in Lisbon

Humans cannot live without food but nowadays cooking is also considered an art. Almost every nation has its unique way of cooking and since one thing I love to do is eat I’m going to take you in a little tour around the foreign restaurants in Lisbon.

Assuka in S.Sebastião (Japanese Cuisine)

If asked to name a typical Japanese food, most people would say either "Sushi" or " Tempura." Yes, those are typical Japanese dishes however, there are many traditional Japanese dishes besides sushi and tempura that can be traced back to just a few hundred years ago.

Another popular dish is Ramen. Ramen noodles originated in China, where all noodles seem to have come from, and are called "Lo-Mein" in Chinese, which means boiled noodles. It is served with many toppings such as, leek, pork, seaweed and negi (a kind of green onion). Japanese food uses a variety of fish and vegetables making it a really healthy food.

In Assuka you can try all sorts of Sushi, but you also can try Tonkatsu (fried pork), Sujyaki (a kind of beef hot pot) and the popular Ramen noodles.

Everest in Rossio (Nepalese Food)

On first appearances Nepalese food looks distinctly dull, however this tends to be a very western perspective as we are used to a huge range of food stuffs.
In fact, Nepalese food is extremely delicious, each family with their own variation of a dish which is given the same name everywhere, Dhal Bhat Tarkari. Dhal translates as lentil soup, Bhat as rice, and Tarkari as curry. Another particularly tasty food is the Momo. Momo is a dumpling usually filled with buffalo or yak meat and steamed, and traditionally eaten with a sauce made from ginger, chilies and tomatoes, but unfortunately you will not get buffalo or yak meat on Everest even tough the Momos are great.

King Du in Saldanha(Chinese Food)

Right now it’s really easy to have access to Chinese food in our country, we just need to go around a corner and we will find a Chinese restaurant. Chinese food is one of the healthiest foods in the world dude to the fact that Chinese chefs (well, the real ones at least) tend to use the philosophy of yin-yang in which everything must be balanced, this makes the food healthy with just the right amounts of meat and vegetables. The most known dishes are the Chow-mein the Chop-Suey and of course the Egg rolls but please note that these were not originally Chinese.

Indian House Tandoori in Saldanha (Indian Food)

Indian food has evolved over centuries and has flourished under the many rulers that India had. Chefs vied with one another to create exotic delicacies for their rajah's. The result is centuries of patronage to the art of cooking and a large repertoire of delicious recipes. We want to share the history and nuances of Indian cuisine so the world may be more intimate with our cuisine. Not all the Indian food is spicy like people think and a big part of it is vegetarian, so if you want to try some great Indian dishes like tandoori, naan or a variety of curry dishes this is a good place to go.

Valentino in Rossio (Italian Food)

Italian cooking is full of marvelous single pasta dishes made with all types of vegetables and pulses. These are also the prime ingredients for many local specialties though countless types of meat dishes abound, as well as fine fish from the plentiful seas around the peninsula, fragrant cheeses and exceptional desserts. But the undisputed star of Italian dining is the famous “first course”, in all its many varieties, including pasta “dry” or in broth, soups, many kinds of noodle soups and minestrones, risottos and timbales. In Valentino you can try all kinds of pasta, from spaghetti to ravioli, passing trough the manicotti and tortellini and we can’t forget of course the lasagna and pizza, the food here is simply delicious.

Skateboarding in the neighbourhoods

As you know, I am a big fan of skateboarding; it is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of photos. No one loves it more than me, especially when it comes to taking pictures of friends or being photographed. During this photo essay I will explain the tricks I like the most with the help of the photos I took with my friends during a super fun skating day.

This one is called “Indy Grab”, and you can see why it is called grab…because the skater is grabbing the skate. This is the basic grab trick, although it requires a lot of jumping skills and also a great arm flexibility to reach out for the board.This framed picture shows you how to do a 360 flip. This trick is considered, among skaters, to be the most difficult street trick that was invented by man. It is a beautiful move when executed perfectly…which is not the case.

Again this framed photograph allows you to see a well done “Ollie jump” over a five stair cased set. The most important thing in this trick is to control the jump in the air, as you can see in the 10th frame, where the skate remains totally parallel to the ground. It is not a hard move, but it is certainly a technical one. The frames help you accompany the movement of the skater.


This one is probably where skateboarding must have started: the mythical “Ollie” on the ground. This is the trick that you jump, and sort of magically, the skate hangs tight to your feet as if they were glued to the board. Every skater must know how to “Ollie”, it is the first trick that I learned and also the one that takes more time to practice.

So far I have taught you how the basic tricks are done on the ground. There are some tricks that are neither basic nor part of the “skater's reportoire” but that’s when my personal preferencescome in. This trick is called Hardflip. As you can tell by its name, it is a very hard flip…anyway; this trick consists in having your legs opened up in the air and the skate between your legs vertically. I’ll tell you why it’s so hard, because if you fail it, you (and by “you” I refer Men) will lose great part of their manhood…if you know what I mean. Have a look.

The Pop Shove-it represents the easiest trick in skateboarding. It was invented way back, when surf ruled the world. The surfers invented the shove-it, and the skaters (always contradicting the surfers) called it and adapted it Pop Shove-it. The trick is mainly described as spinning you board 180 degrees to your front. It is a very gorgeous trick and easily executed by even a non-skater.

The Kickflip. The kickflip is not even supposed to be called like this. Rodney Mullen invented it and first called it “Ollie Flip” but then, certain skaters of other countries,Portugal included, adopted the name kickflip because of its movement. The trick is basically to kick your board down so that it spins by it self under your feet. I have been learning it since I was 12…I’m now 18 and I still can’t do it. For me it is the hardest, and at the same time, the most beautiful trick in the History of Skateboarding.

Tea with The Birds

Tea With the Birds

A (Sur)real Story

The sun was shining over the Tagus, making Lisbon look like it was more gracefully-bluer and yellower than ever. The city was awaking and another bright, but somewhat, tough day was peeking through the corners of Time.
Cipriano was sitting at the café, writing. He was a tall, slim man in his thirties. Before another hard, uncertain day of work, perhaps within an uncertain job, he would always sit at the second table of the most classy coffee shop downtown. Then, day after day, month after month, he would ask for the same type of tea. "Tea for two, please."
This man was, in fact, two people.
He used to call the other self "The Key Holder", for he felt stuck in his own mind, lacking freedom, and only a key would set him free. This was all of Cipriano's imagination immersing into his own daily life.
He would drink his tea and then wait for The Key Holder to finish his, which never happened. A filled up cup of tea would be left on the table, every single day.
One day, however, something happened.
While going through his daily routine at the coffee shop, he saw an old man feeding some birds. These birds had several colors and several shapes, and every single bird sang a different, sweet melody, a true ode to freedom and diversity.
"Excuse me, kind man, can't you see you are disturbing these streets by luring those birds down here?"
"I'm sorry, sir, but I disagree. It depends on the point of view. What is more natural; a human being feeding some beautiful birds or a clean, gray, concrete street?"
"Those birds... they are useless...useless, I say!"
The old man sat in the same table as Cipriano and started drinking from The Key Holder's cup.
"Don't!" - said Cipriano.
"Why not? After all, this is my cup of tea. I've been watching you year after year and, upon my word, you have disappointed me throughout Time..."
"That can't be. You are the reason why I am what I am. There's always something pulling me backwards. My personal choices, my job, my daily life... You are The Key Holder."
"I am no reason of whatever you say. Come. Come with me, let's have a taste of some nature; let's feed the birds!"
The Key Holder grabbed Cipriano's hand and the two started flying over the city side by side with the birds. He was experiencing things that he never thought he would. They saw the river, the sea, the tiny people down there, living their ordinary lives. He has truly overcome himself.
"Are you still afraid?!" - Yelled The Key Holder.
"No... This is incredible. There's nothing here to be afraid of. How did you..." - Suddenly, the old man disappeared amidst a white cloud of smoke.
******
In that sunny morning, whoever would pass by the coffee shop could see Cipriano sleeping while his tea got colder on the table. The waiter decides to wake him up.
"Oh..." - he placed his fingers upon his eyelids- "It seems that I fell asleep... This new job tires me so much..."
"Sir, I'm afraid you dropped something in the tea cup."
Cipriano just smiled when he saw a beautiful golden key inside an empty cup of tea. He got out of the coffee shop and started feeding the birds, while whistling a beautiful melody, a true ode to Freedom.

Tea with the Birds

Tea with the Birds


Once upon a time there was a bird
Don't know exactly what kind
Who wasn't very smart
And just wasted his time
He used to look for crumbs
Under the tables in the gardens
Until a pigeon appeared and said
"Hey bird that's garbage!"
The bird was intrigued but too lazy to care
But he was hungry and well that's too much to bear
So the pigeon insisted
"Hey thats trash I know this amazing place
it has all the food you can imagine
and tea that which humans say its magic!"
After all the nagging the bird caved in
The pigeon flew and the bird followed him
Bu wonder why did the pigeon chose him
The finally arrived and the bird was beat
But as soon as he opened his eyes
There was the feast the pigeon had promised
Magnificent food spread on a table
Inside the kitchen of a small cottage
The bird couldn't believe
It was breathtaking
An all you can eat buffet
All for the taking
But still the bird was somewhat suspicious
So the pigeon tried to calm him
"Hey drink this tea you will feel much better
It will even help you eat much faster"
The bird filled with hunger and also some greed
Plunged right into the pot and filled his beak
Soon he felt sleepy, somewhat dazed
Soon he blacked out
Later he woke up inside a cage
Turns out the bird was of a rare kind
Extremely rare very hard to find
Turns out the pigeon was sent as a lure
By his owner just to get some more seeds for sure
So this story ends and no theres no moral inside
Just some friendly words and cautious advice
Don't run off with strangers
Don't pay attention to greed
For in danger you will get
And the cost may be dear

Tea with Birds

Tired of the fuss in the big city I moved to the country side, to a village called Smallville. There aren’t any big buildings, and the houses are all made out of wood. The church with her huge bell is the tallest place in the village. Every afternoon, after work, I like to go to an esplanade in Saint James Park, to savour a cup of tea, to read and to enjoy the fresh air. I love the quietness, the singing of the birds and the races between the ducks in the lake. Children and their grandparents come here to play and to walk by the lake.
It’s a great sensation to be in a place like this. It’s a feeling of peace that runs through you, a feeling of serenity. This contact with nature is a great healer after a day’s work. All the stress and tiring seems to disappear.
In the big city I didn’t have any time for this. I was always running, either to catch the subway or the bus. I had to keep track on time at every moment. It was becoming too stressed In Smallville I found inner peace, found the possibility to enjoy life at a different pace. In a way, I have learned to reconfigure the rhythm of my life, and to enjoy time after work. The park with the birds and the lake with the ducks tells us exactly that life is like nature; everything has it own rhythm, its own balance, you’ve just have to discover yours.
When I talk to my friends of the big city, and explain them how my life is nowadays, they all become very jealous. It’s all about making choices. Of course in the big city you have lots of entertainment, but you don’t have to wave to the people you see across the street and the hello to the shop owners. In Smallville everybody knows each other. In the big city it’s difficult to have these kinds of relations. People are self-centred. That’s why I love Smallville. Moving here was the best choice in life that I could have made.