Letter of complaint

Krutzeta Street 22

Gorliz, Biscay

6th November 2011

Town Planning Department
Town Hall
Gorliz, Biscay



Dear Sir or Madam,  
I am writing to complain about the proposal to build a golf course in Fanos. I realise that it will attract a lot of tourists, but it will also destroy a really beautiful natural reserve.

I find it unacceptable that so many trees will be cut down to make a flat surface, because that would destroy the ecosystem of the area. Apart from that, a lot of water would be wasted to irrigate the fields.

To make matters worse, a lot of people will lose the land they have there, and a lot of them live off it. Consequently, this proposal would affect the inhabitants of our town instead of improving their quality of life.

I would appreciate it if you rejected this project. I would recommend you to use the money to create jobs, because nowadays we are not in a good economical situation.

I look forward to your reply.
Yours sincerely,
Iñigo Zarandona

LOS OJOS QUE TODO LO VEN

Nos vigilan. Cada paso que damos es registrado por millones de cámaras, ojos o sensores de cualquier tipo que están repartidos por todo el mundo. Si se quiere se puede saber dónde estamos y lo que hacemos en cada momento. Somos privados de nuestra intimidad, a veces incluso en nuestra propia casa. Y lo peor de todo, es que no sabemos quiénes son los que están al otro lado de estos aparatos.

En cuanto entramos en la mayoría de establecimientos, ya sean pequeños o grandes, oficiales o no, encontramos un cartel en la puerta que nos avisa de que en él hay cámaras. En ése mismo instante sentimos que no podemos robar nada, que tenemos que tener cuidado con lo que tocamos para no hacer ningún movimiento sospechoso, incluso que no podemos hurgarnos en la nariz porque todo lo que hagamos estará siendo visto por alguien en algún rincón del edificio, o puede que en una centralita.

Nos sentimos acorralados, privados de nuestra tan duramente conseguida libertad. Pero en seguida pensamos que así estamos más seguros, porque si alguien entra a robar o a atracar el lugar en el que nos encontramos, la policía llegará rápidamente para arreglar las cosas. Y si no lo pensamos por nosotros mismos, para eso están los carteles que hay repartidos por todo el local, que nos dicen que las cámaras son solamente para nuestra seguridad. Y nos lo creemos. Y ya nos sentimos mejor, menos atrapados. Porque eso es lo que la vigilancia nos ofrece; fingida seguridad a cambio de disponer de nuestra privacidad.

Pero toda esta protección no es mas que la forma utilizada para que no nos sintamos observados. Por eso tenemos que proteger nuestros derechos de libertad e intimidad ante esta invasión de ojos que todo lo ven. Porque como muy claramente expresó Benjamin Franklin: “Aquellos que cederían la libertad esencial para adquirir una pequeña seguridad temporal, no merecen ni libertad ni seguridad”. Porque de este modo están ayudando a la promoción y aceptación de rutinas humillantes y desagradables con las que tenemos que convivir sin podernos quejar lo más mínimo.

¿Velan por nuestra seguridad?

TODO POR NUESTRA SEGURIDAD

Hoy en día las cámaras de seguridad y los controles rutinarios de vigilancia están totalmente integrados en nuestras vidas. Desde que salimos de casa hasta que llegamos al instituto o al trabajo, somos grabados por una media docena de cámaras que están colocadas en edificios públicos y mobiliario urbano como semáforos, señales de tráfico… Además de esto, también están los controles que tenemos que pasar en lugares como los aeropuertos y es este exceso de vigilancia el que hace que mucha gente se pregunte si de verdad velan por nuestra seguridad o nos privan de intimidad.

En primer lugar hay que decir, que toda la vigilancia a la que somos sometidos tiene un porqué y ese es el de velar por la seguridad de todos nosotros. Para ello son necesarias las cámaras y otros sistemas de control ya que gracias a ellos, la policía puede identificar por ejemplo, a conductores que ponen en peligro nuestra seguridad en la carretera.

En segundo lugar gracias a los sistemas de vigilancia que hay en nuestros pueblos, muchos culpables de delitos como robos a joyerías o ha comercios pueden ser identificados y más tarde juzgados. Sin ellos o sin testigos, esto no sería posible y como todos ya sabemos, alrededor de todo el mundo miles de asaltantes y asesinos han recibido su merecido gracias a simples cámaras que grabaron lo ocurrido. Cámaras que no molestan a nadie y que no tienen la culpa, si se puede decir de esa manera, de que hoy en día nuestra intimidad se vea reducida ya que en caso de no haber cometido un delito, nuestras imágenes no son vistas por más de un vigilante que hace su trabajo.

Por ello todos debemos entender que más que perjudicarnos, estos procedimientos nos ayudan y que su uso es necesario para que todos podamos vivir seguros.

BEING FAMOUS

A lot of people dream of being famous and they envy celebrities’ lifestyle. This wish has increased so much that there are companies which have became popular for offering people the opportunity of becoming famous for a day, doesn’t it sound ridiculous?
On the one hand, being a famous person it’s not bad, because you have fans who love and admire you, and this this raises your moral. In addition, it offers you the opportunity of having a glamorous lifestyle, full of  luxuries and caprices, such as parties, free clothes, great cars...

On the other hand, you feel lack of privacy. that’s because of the annoying paparazzi that follow you everywhere and who are continually trying to gossip about your life. Although there are people who like you, there’re also people who hate you and if they get obsessed with you, it could be dangerous.

All in all, I woudn’t like to became famous. From my point of view, popularity carries a lot of pressure with it and I’m very happy being unknown. 

 Andrea Galdiz BD

Advantages and disadvantages of being famous

A lot of people think that being famous is fabulous and luxurious. But is this true? Being famous only carries positive things, or is it worse than we think?

On the one hand, famous people always have what they want, this means all your desires are listened and fulfilled. They are wealthy and they are surrounded by people who worship them. All around them is fashionable and glamorous. They are usually very good-looking and attractive. Moreover, celebrities are talented people who have achieved all they have wanted in their life, and that’s what we all want.

On the other hand, being famous means to be in the spotlight day and night, they don´t have private life because of the tabloids. In fact,that´s why they are so notorious and their life is so outrageous. Some of them can´t stand the pressure of fame and start to take drugs, such as cocaine, and to get drunk.

In conclusion, despite the lavish life they have, I don´t think that being constantly in the spotlight is life for anyone. You can´t have private life so there is no form of enjoying anything you do, because there will always be someone looking at you.

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson: A Biography

Michael Jackson, also known as the King of Pop, was born on August 29, 1958, in the state of Indiana (US).

He showed great talent since little, at the age of four he and his brothers formed a group called Jackson Five but it wouldn’t be until ten years later when he reached the top with his solo Ben.

In 1978 Michael got a part in The Wiz, a modern version of The Wizard of Oz and a year after he published “Off The Wall”, the album that would give him four top 10 hits “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough” and “Rock With You” among them.

Three years later he reached the top on charts again when his famous “Thriller” album was released, of which over 40 million copies where sold.

In 1992 he signed with Sony Records music label for a billion of American dollars.

Jackson’s personal life is maybe as famous as his songs. He was much of an eccentric artist, during his life he went trough a lot of plastic surgery -he changed his chin, nose and even his skin colour.

He married twice: he was fist married to The King’s daughter Lisa Marie Presley and after filing for divorce in 1996 he married Debby Rowe that same year, with whom he had 3 children.

Two years before he had to pay 20 thousand dollars to a 13 year old boy who filed a lawsuit against him for sexual harassment and afterwards he was also accused of child molestation but he was found not guilty.

In 2009, after having announced going back on stage in London, he died the 26th of June.

Michael Jackson´s biography

Michael Jackson: a biography

The famous singer Michel Jackson was born in Indiana, United States, on the 29th of August of 1958.
Four years later,he and his four brothers formed a pop music group called “The Jackson Five”. At that time, Michael was just four years old. He got his first number one as a solo artist in 1972 with the album Ben. In 1978 he played a part in the film, “The Wizard”, a remake version of the all time classic “The Wizard of Oz”. His album “Off the wall”, which was released in 1979, got four top 10 hits, among them “Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough” and “Rock With You”. In 1982, his most famous album “Thriller” was published with enormous success. Michael sold more than 40 million copies of this album.
In 1984, while he was on a filming session of an advertisement for Pepsi Cola, he got his hair set on fire, fortunately with no serious consequences. In 1988 he underwent plastic surgery on his chin. In 1992, he signed a contract with Sony Record, by which he was to perceive 1 billion dollars during the next 15 years.
In 1994, after having been accused of sexual harassment of a 13 year old boy, he agreed to pay around 20 million dollars as compensation. He married Lisa Marie Presley in 1994, a daughter of the rock and roll star Elvis Presley. They divorced in 1996. That same year, he married a nurse named Debbie Rowe. In 1997, Debbie gave birth to the singer’s first son, “Prince Michel”, followed one year letter by his first daughter “Paris-Michael Katherine”. In year 2002, he had a second son named “Prince Michael II”. Michael was much criticized for showing his child in a balcony of a hotel in Berlin, in an action, considered very dangerous by many people. In 2003/04 he was accused of child molestation to a boy but, after a trial, he was declared not guilty.
In 2009, Michael announced before an audience gathered in the O2 Arena, in London, a run of 50 concerts he had decided to carry on.
In June, 26 of 2009 he had to be admitted to a hospital. Shortly afterwards, the doctors announced Michel Jackson’ death.