Mike,as a native of Barcelona myself, regarding your comment about bull-fighting I would like to make a small correction. The "sport" (if you can call it that way) was NOT started in Catalonia (the correct name of the "region" is Catalunya). The torturing and sacrifice of animals in public was officially started by the ancient Romans in their Circus (and probably there are older precedents to that). Basically, is the same show the gladiators put up with, only that it combined killing people with torturing and killing animals. That tradition was probably imported all throughout the Roman Empire. Barcino (now Barcelona) and Tarraco (now Tarragona), ancient roman cities, probably received enough Roman circus tradition to go along. The Bullfighting as we know it today is mostly a "tradition" from Spanish culture, that is the culture from most of the territory of what is known as Spain today, which between the 16th and 20th centuries was many times exported to Central and South America. It was never part of the culture of Catalunya, an independent nation established about a thousand years before the Castilla (now the center of Spain) was a kingdom of any sort. Catalunya has been oppressed over the centuries through many invasions, and in recent times, when after the Civil War of 1936-1939, the nazi regime of Generalisimo Franco was imposed upon the whole Iberian Peninsula. At that time, all of Spain, including Catalunya, embraced (by choice or by force) the "National Art" (el arte nacional). Notice that during all these years, nobody in the country at large, pointed at how torturing an animal could be considered an art. Thanks to a very young democracy (it started in 1977), the recent ban on bullfighting in Catalunya, voted by the Catalan government in Barcelona, and started by a citizen initiative, is a victory for all of us who think torturing animals cannot be a standard of national pride. This is a first step in a long fight against animal cruelty of this type. It is also a victory to eliminate a "national tradition" that Catalans do not consider of their own.
Sarah Frias-Torres, Ph.D. http://independent.academia.edu/SarahFriasTorres > Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 15:32:40 -0400 > From: mno...@rainforestandreef.org > Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Perseid meteor shower and more.... > To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU > > Thanks for this post. Saw it of course on the ES list as well. Some very fond > memories of laying in the back of my truck with my 2 Sons, who are still > young....one in college, one in high school and watching this incredible > event. If you can get away from city lights, it can be spectacular. > > For all "animal rights" people out there, and I noticed this in Mike Comet's > e-mail signature about bulls.....don't think he was talking about > bull-fighting. It has just been banned in the part of Spain, where at least I > heard the whole "sport" got started. See: > http://blog.oup.com/2010/08/gypsy-bull-fighting/ > > Interesting. > > Also, for those many people that contacted me about our "mailing list". Thank > you. I am trying to get back to as quickly as possible. > > Thank you. > > Mike Nolan > > Don't try and pin this on a Comet!!! I clean MY debris! > Mike > > Michael H. Comet > Living Environment Teacher > South Lewis High School > P.O. Box 40 - 4264 East Road > Turin, NY 13473 > Telephone: 315-348-2520 Ext. 3156 > Voice mail: 315-348-2539, Voice Mailbox 6029 > http://www.southlewis.org > > "Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are good, is like > expecting the bull not to charge because you are a vegetarian." > > >>> Ed Bein <e...@drbein.net> 08/11/10 9:46 AM >>> > Each year, the Earth passes through the debris of a comet called the > Swift-Tuttle. These debris burn up in our atmosphere to form what we see as > meteors or shooting stars. The Perseid meteor shower is at its peak during > mid-August, with the peak on the night of August 12 and morning of August 13 > in 2010. During a peak, at least 50-60 meteors can be observed during each > hour. Considered the best and brightest meteor show of the year by many, > it's a great opportunity to go outside and check out nature's own dramatic > show. > > > > Go there at or after midnight. The pre-dawn hours are usually the best for > viewing because the Earth's side facing the sun picks up more meteors.[2] > > > > Look towards the northeastern sky > > > ---------- > > If we are on another line or away from the phone, please leave your number, > best time to return your call and/or your e-mail address. > > After hours and weekend phone appointments are available upon request. > > Sincerely, > > J. Michael Nolan, Director > > Rainforest and Reef 501 (c)(3) non-profit > > ************************************************************************************************** > "Outstanding-Affordable Field Courses in Rainforest & Marine Ecology" > > "Spanish/Cultural Immersion Programs: Spain, Mexico, Central and South > America" > > Rainforest and Reef 501 (c)(3) non-profit > 161 Main St. > Coopersville, MI 49404 > Local/International Phone: 1.616.604.0546 > Toll Free U.S. and Canada: 1.877.255.3721 > Fax: 1.616.604.0546 > Google Talk/MS IM/Skype: travelwithrandr > AOL IM: buddythemacaw > E-mail: i...@rainforestandreef.org and travelwithra...@gmail.com > Note: Please send inquiries to both e-mail addresses > Web: http://rainforestandreef.org > **************************************************************************************************
