crazy

The amount of snow that is accumulating in the Pyrenees can only be defined in one way: truly crazy

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If this piece had to be summarized in a single concept, this time it would be easy: lots of snow. A huge amount of snow. Every week, the Ebro Hydrographic Confederation publishes a snow reserve estimate in the basin. Analyzing this week’s data is surprising and, if the forecasts are right, next week is going to be spectacular. So much snow? A lot, yes. As They explained in Northern Meteo“the snow reserve on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees reached the 75th percentile of the 2002-2026 series on January 19.” That means that “in 15 out of every 20 years” there is less snow than what accumulates on the summits right now. Just see how Port del Comte is in the Solsona Pyrenees (or the Puerto de la Ragua in Almería), to realize that this is not normal. After years with a negligible snow reserveseeing the mountains like this is a joy that reminds us of the good times. But, as I say, this is the parrot’s chocolate: taking into account the impact of Storm Harry and the carousel of fronts that comes (with Ingrid at the helm), the models predict that the 90th percentile will be reached throughout this week. If so, “we would touch 1500hm3 of water in the form of snow.” And there is a lot of water coming. It’s better don’t beat around the bush: “the next two weeks will bring very heavy rain, strong winds, snow and rough seas.” But, in addition, it comes accompanied by cold and that, as we have explained, is going to collapse the snow level. In the coming days, it is very likely that we will see snow in most of the inland provincial capitals. It will only take hold in the mountains, but this gives a fairly graphic image of what is coming our way. What can we expect? Since Friday, when the first front knock down the thermometers of the northwest halfwe can expect cold, rain and snow. For Friday Snowfall warnings have already been activated in the interior of Galicia, most of Castilla y León, the Cantabrian mountain range and the Picos de Europa, Guadalajara, Cuenca, the Iberian system, the Central system, the Betic system and the Pyrenees. The accumulated will be more than 20 centimeters in Sanabria, the Ourense mountains and the León mountain range. on saturday are expected snowfall in Navarra, the Basque Country, Cuenca, Aragon, the Betic system and the Pyrenees. Here, as I say, they will be especially intense. Sunday is back, the snow can reach areas of the northern half, and some points of Castilla-La Mancha or Andalusia The great panorama. But beyond all that, what awaits us is an exceptional snow season. Although the rest of the winter will be much calmer, warmer and drier: we will have reserves of snow like we haven’t had in a long time. And that’s a lot more than we thought we could say at this point. Image | Tropical Tidbits In Xataka | Something comes “from the bowels of the Atlantic” to Spain and AEMET is clear about its impact: alert in 14 autonomous communities

OpenAI’s obsession was to train its models like crazy. Now it’s run them faster than anyone else

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OpenAI has signed an agreement estimated to be worth more than $10 billion with Cerebras Systems, a startup that designs advanced AI chips dedicated to one thing: running AI models as fast as possible. It is a unique alliance not only because of that change of focus, but because there is a conflict of interests. what has happened. The firm led by Sam Altman has committed to purchasing 750 MW of computing capacity over the next three years from Cerebras. Sources cited in The Wall Street Journal indicate that this alliance has an estimated value of more than $10 billion. We are therefore facing an operation extraordinary in size, but peculiar in form and substance. What Cerebras does. The firm based in Sunnyvale, California, was founded in 2015 by former engineers from SeaMicro, purchased in 2012 by AMD. The startup designs artificial intelligence chips specifically aimed at the inference stage of AI models, that is, executing them. More tokens per second please. When we use ChatGPT or any AI model, what we are looking at is an AI model using inference. Some “write” faster than others, and that speed of displaying text in responses is measured in tokens per second. Typically NVIDIA chips are great for the training phase, but not so much for the inference phase. Chips from companies like Cerebras —or those of the well-known Groqwhich has just been “bought” by NVIDIA—are precisely designed to run those models at full speed and obtain very high token per second speeds. The AI ​​is already good. Now she wants to be fast. NVIDIA’s recent “purchase” of Groq makes it clear that Jensen Huang’s company wanted the ability to offer those ultra-fast inference chips, and now OpenAI seems to want something very similar with its deal with Cerebras. AI models have already achieved remarkable performance in many scenarios, and although they are not perfect, now companies want them to not only work well, but also work very very fast and their responses, even if they are long, appear almost instantly. OpenAI wants more computing power. This operation also helps Sam Altman’s company with another objective: to obtain (and reserve) as much computing capacity as possible in anticipation of the fact that demand for these AI models will grow non-stop in the coming months and years. According to WSJ OpenAI already has more than 900 million weekly users, and its managers have frequently commented that they continue to have computing capacity problems. Brains grow. This agreement reinforces Cerebras’ position in a market that clearly demands this type of solutions. The firm is negotiating a $1 billion investment round that would bring its market valuation to $22 billion, tripling the current valuation, which is around $8.1 billion. In the past it has raised $1.8 billion according to PitchBook. Conflict of interest. This agreement also draws attention for an important aspect: Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is also an investor in Cerebras (he is at the bottom of this Cerebras website) and indeed your company At one point he considered acquiring Cerebras although in the end that operation did not bear fruit. We are therefore faced with an operation that theoretically benefits Altman on both sides, which is worrying. How will OpenAI pay for this party? This new agreement once again triggers the debate about OpenAI’s ability to meet its credit and debt obligations. In 2025 it generated about 13,000 million dollars in income, but that enormous amount remains minuscule if we take into account that the contracts it signed with OracleMicrosoft or Amazon They amount to about 600,000 million dollars that will have to end up getting from somewhere. Where from? It’s a good question. We’ll see if they can end up answering it. In Xataka | The alliance between Oracle and OpenAI is not just about data centers: it is about overtaking Google, Apple and Microsoft on the right

Why has the internet gone crazy shouting rhythmic words at the television?

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Table, strawberry, weight, weight, weight, table, strawberry, table. If your brain has just played a little music and you have read it to the beat, you have also fallen into the latest viral challenge of social networks. You will surely have felt this December that the algorithm has been “hacked” by an infinite loop of rhythmic words and a sound in a language that we cannot identify. But it is not a computer error: it is the definitive viral phenomenon that has transformed our Christmas dinners in a makeshift arcade. The phenomenon that conquered the holidays. What started as a niche game has become the absolute protagonist of the family gatherings of 2025. The challenge, known globally as Say the Word on Beat (or its version adapted to Spanish Say the word with the rhythm), has flooded digital platforms. According to analyzed datathe challenge has gone from being a simple filter to a skill competition that has already accumulated more than 1.2 billion views under its main label. The figures that can be seen at a glance under the hashtags #wordonbeat either #wordonbeatchallenge They exceed thousands of videos that, in turn, garner millions of views. This new phenomenon suggests that its rise is due to the extreme ease of participating, thanks to the CapCut automatic templates either on your own websiteand the ease of the game that brings together everyone from children to grandparents. The science of the mental “short circuit.” But what makes such a simple game so addictive? The answer is in our brain. The challenge is a digital and playful version of the famous Stroop effect. This psychological phenomenon measures reaction time when faced with tasks where there is a cognitive conflict. When trying to say the name of an object while the rhythm pushes us to say a rhyme (like cup, soup, clothes, cup), the prefrontal cortex of our brain suffers a small collapse as it tries to inhibit the automatic response. As professor and virality expert Jonah Berger explains in his theories about the “social currency”this type of content succeeds because it allows us to demonstrate a skill to our circle. Achieving the “Impossible” level is not just about winning a game; It is gaining public validation that the brain rewards with dopamine rushes. Furthermore, these “micro challenges” adapt perfectly to the new consumer habits: They are short, intense and highly competitive. An unexpected origin. One of the most curious aspects of the challenge is its soundtrack. That rhythmic, foreign voice that guides the game is not a creation of artificial intelligence. This is a traditional Thai school song known as “Moo Ma Ga Gai“, which translated would be something like “Pig, dog, crow, chicken.” This audio, originally designed for Thai children to practice the diction and tones of their language, was rescued and remixed by content creator @robgongfriendwho added the metronome and the whistle that we all recognize today. It’s a fascinating example of how digital globalization can turn an elementary school lesson in Southeast Asia into the hit of the new viral challenge. A new family “arcade”. Unlike other TikTok dances that are usually individual, the Word on Beat has made a qualitative leap towards the “phygital” (physical and digital) world. YouTube channels like Rhytup or its Spanish version I Know The Game! have detected a massive peak of traffic from Smart TVs. Instead of consuming content on the small mobile screen, users are projecting these videos on their televisions to play as a group. The living room thus becomes an improvised arcade, replacing classic board games with visual reflex challenges. It is, in essence, the “karaoke” of the new generation: a collective activity that encourages laughter through other people’s mistakes. A party at the stroke of beat. Today, as we prepare for the chimes of New Year’s Eve, it is very likely that the ambient sound is not just that of toasts or party music. Before the grapes, you will hear rhythmic shouts: table, dumbbell, strawberry… It’s not that the networks have hacked our brains, it’s that we have found in the simplicity of a Thai rhythm the most human and fun way to connect. So, if tonight you see your entire family yelling at a screen, don’t be surprised. They are simply trying to keep their brain from jamming before the clock strikes twelve. Image | instagram Xataka | The house as a showcase: how interior design has taken over from fashion

The US bans Chinese drones and turns DJI into the new Huawei. It’s an absolutely crazy idea.

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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the United States has decided ban all drones and critical components of these vehicles that have been manufactured in foreign countries. In addition to this, he has vetoed any team of communication and video surveillance from the largest Chinese manufacturers, and there is one name above all others: DJI. It’s another shot in the foot for the Trump administration. what has happened. Does almost a decade that some government officials in the US were asking for a veto on drones manufactured by Chinese companies, and that veto is now official. The FCC decision It will prevent this body from authorizing drones or critical drone components, something that is essential to be able to import them into the United States. The measure clearly affects DJI, which becomes the new Huaweialthough there is another firm, Autel, that will also be greatly impacted by the decision. Both come to form part of the so-called “covered list”. The reason is the usual one: to protect national security. It only affects (for now) future drones. The existing drones They will not be affected for the moment by the veto and their users will be able to continue using them. Stores that had models in their inventory and warehouses will be able to sell them normally, as the FCC’s action focuses specifically on future models. Thus, the decision is not retroactive, but that could change in the future and affect many models. What DJI says. Those responsible for DJI indicate in The Wall Street Journal that the company is prepared to be audited and highlights that independent analyzes have indicated that its products are completely safe. “DJI’s data security concerns are not based on evidence and instead reflect protectionism, contrary to the principles of an open market.” Drone pilots cry out to the sky. There are nearly half a million certified drone pilots in the United States, and in this segment between 70 and 90% of commercial drones used by local governments and hobbyists come from DJI. The measure therefore has an enormous impact on this entire industry in the United States. Many of these pilots are collecting drones and components to mitigate the impact of the measure. bad future. Greg Reverdiau, co-founder of the Pilot Institute in Arizona, conducted a survey in which 8,000 pilots participated. 43% indicated that the veto would be “extremely negative” and “potentially a cause of business closure”, and nearly 85% said they could stay in business for up to two years due to the prospect of not being able to access future DJI equipment and components. As this expert said, “People don’t buy DJI drones because it’s Chinese, they buy it because it’s available, very affordable, and capable.” DJI has no competition. And less, American. Eric Ebert, owner of a construction firm and user of these drones, explained the problem. “I’m American through and through. I drive a Chebrolet truck. But American drones can’t compete.” Ebert has a team of seven drone pilots who monitor wind turbine and solar panel installations. These weeks they have not stopped hoarding DJI drones and components “knowing what was going to come our way in 2026.” Protectionism…One of the companies that will benefit from the measure is Brinc Drones, a Seattle firm that sells them to more than 700 state agencies. Blake Resnick, its founder, explained that “it is impossible to compete with DJI unless you are subsidized by the state.” …and rear doors. In November XTI Aerospace, which makes helicopters, acquired a DJI distributor called Drone Nerds and also Anzu Robotics, which makes drones by licensing technology from DJI. As part of the agreement, the drone component manufacturing firm Unusual Machines invested 25 million. Guess who is a shareholder and board member of Unusual Machines: Donald Trump Jr, President Trump’s son. Image | jonas In Xataka | China conquered us with its cheap drones. Now the price of their pieces is skyrocketing for a reason that is not coincidental.

Columbus introduced the pineapple to Europe in 1496. 200 years later the English went crazy

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When the gun is drawn it is to shoot, the one who takes it out to show it is a parguela. That always made me more amused than necessary. phrase of one of Callejeros’ ‘caughts’ on public roads, and I always associated it with what we buy for status. If we are what we have, we show what we have to demonstrate our position. And in 17th century England, what the richest people took out for a walk to show off their power was… a pineapple. The Blackberry phones back in the dayto the just like watchesjewelry, cars or yachts, are status symbols. They are elements that we use to show the social level in which we find ourselves. Up to a Labubu would go into this example, and if these symbols have something in common, it is that they are expensive. In the case of the pineapple, the fruit was introduced to Europe in 1496 with a single specimen of a pineapple. And this exotic fruit did not hit hard in Spain, but in an England that experienced a real “piñamania”. From the pineapple fever… It was on his second transatlantic voyage when the explorer in the service of the Spanish crown returned with the pineapple. In the Guadeloupe island He found the fruit and took back to Spain a large quantity of this “pina de Indes”, or fruit of the “pine of the Indians”. He offered it to the Catholic Monarchs and it seems that… they liked it. So much so that, according to the historian Peter Martyr d’Anghierathe king “preferred it over everything else.” It was what was needed for the subjects will embrace the fruit with open arms. It is a mystery how and when pineapple was introduced to England, but it is believed that, in the mid-17th century, Charles II of England held a feast at which pineapple was the exotic dish. And more important than its flavor, was that the pineapple, being unknown in the Old Continent, was not associated with any cultural reference. If the apple was the forbidden fruit, the pineapple was a blank canvas. In an article by BBC We can read how Lauren O’Hagan, from the School of English, Communication and Philosophy at Cardiff University, explains that this allowed the pineapple to be given a mythical quality: it was the symbolic manifestation of the divine right of the king. There it is nothing, but it is still easy to identify thanks to the “crown” of the pineapple and the golden color of the exterior and, above all, the interior. This earned him the nickname “King Pine,” and the royals wasted no time in doing what they did best: turning something unattainable to the people into something more than separated them from the plebs. King Charles II commissioned a portrait of himself being entertained with a pineapple, the ornamentation of palaces and mansions began to adopt the pineapple as a structural ornament. Drawings, tapestries, more paintings, tableware, furniture ornamentation, medals and… this: Dunmore Pineapple It was exotic, but there was also an interest in starting to cultivate it in Europe, and that was possible in the mid-17th century. Heated greenhouses They allowed us to replicate the tropical climate (more or less) to start growing pineapples. And you would think that the more pineapples on the market, the lower their value will be, right? Well, the opposite happened. Since these greenhouses were very expensive, and growing the first pineapples was not an easy task, the fruit was seen as a investment. It took years to flower in a very expensive facility and, furthermore, it was possible that a large part of the harvest was lost for different reasons. There were more, yes, but since the upper classes were the only ones who could afford a pineapple and were aware of its value… they were not going to eat it. And thus began the climax of this story: pineapple rental. The wealthiest, who could spend 80 pounds on one (tight to inflation, between 12,000 and 16,000 pounds), they were not going to eat a piece of fruit worth 20,000 euros, so they used it as ornamentation. Since they last several days without going overboard, they organized events in which they had the pine cones as if they were vases (or LEGO figures), clearly visible to the guests. When it started to get soft, they ate it. And what did those who had money, but couldn’t afford a pineapple, do? Rent it. This is how a parallel business emerged. to satisfy that demand. Shark mentality of those businessmen who thought about the business of renting pineapples to the wealthy classes, but not much. It was considered shameful to be caught leaving a pineapple rental store (it would be admitting social defeat), and the absurdity reached limits like seeing people walking around holding a pineapple. The equivalent of going out into the street with a ‘Luisvi‘ bragging about ‘Luisvi’. But soon the gentrifiers’ worst nightmare would occur: globalization. …to the democratization of the pineapple The progress In transportation, with steamships that began to make more frequent trips between Great Britain and the colonies where pineapples grew wild, pineapples began to be stored in warehouses, along with other goods. Soon, the pineapple invaded the market, and if before only the upper classes could afford a pineapple, now the working class could also delight in its flavor. O’Hagan recounts that “at the time, the pineapple-eating working class was used as a visual metaphor for the problem of progress in satirical prints.” If everyone could eat pineapple, It wasn’t special anymore.. Suddenly, the image of pineapple as a prohibitive fruit fell away, like “I liked Nirvana before it became mainstream.” They were sold in carts on the streets, even cheaper than potatoes, and when a way was devised to fit a pineapple in a can, the fruit definitively lost its appeal for the wealthiest. There was only one thing left to remember that glorious past: art, tableware … Read more

China has unveiled its most mysterious vessel to date. And then the theories have begun, some very crazy

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Just two weeks ago China completed that plan for world domination that had staged at the end of summer through a military parade unparalleled. And he did it showing the Type 076 In its first tests, an unprecedented technological leap in the Chinese naval industry as it is an amphibious assault ship with electric propulsion and electromagnetic catapults. It turns out that there was a “one more thing”. Challenging the known. Yes, the appearance of a mysterious black trimaran in what appears to be the Huangpu shipyard has revealed for the first time the complete silhouette of a ship that China had been hiding for months under tarps and that until now was only known by satellite analysis. Its lines combine features typical of a surface ship with unmistakably underwater elements, giving shape to a hybrid design about 64 meters in length, designed to operate both in exposed navigation and in submersible mode, an architecture that radically expands the possibilities of stealth, range and survival against adversary sensors. Theories. They counted the TWZ analysts that the presence of a type propellant pump-jetvisible in the new imagereinforces the impression that acoustic discretion and efficiency have been prioritized during long journeys, while its sail with depth markings, snorkel or mast points to long immersion cycles and a behavior closer to that of a light submarine than to that of a simple unmanned surface vehicle. With or without humans. That has been the big question since the image was made public: the question of whether the ship operates with a crew or if it belongs to the new generation hybrid USV/UUV that China has begun to deploy in recent years. Its design, without a classic superstructure and with a minimal sail, supports the possibility of a vehicle capable of ssubmerge almost completelywhich would place it in an intermediate category between a semi-submersible drone and a small displacement submarine. The presence of draft marks on the sail and other areas of the hull suggests that total immersion is contemplated, and that the ship is somewhat more sophisticated than the semi-submersibles used in surveillance or infiltration operations. If it is confirmed that it is an unmanned system (or with a minimum crew) we would be faced with a notable jump in Chinese naval doctrine, which has been experimenting for years with distributed fleets of autonomous platforms capable of operating far from bases and with less political risk. Render seen in nets of the boat More hypotheses. One of the stronger theories maintains that this trimaran represents the Chinese evolution of the naval arsenal concept: a stealthy, difficult-to-detect, unmanned or reduced-crew vessel loaded with land-attack or anti-ship missiles that could surface, launch its salvo, and disappear again beneath the waves. In times of sensor proliferation, anti-satellite warfare and constant surveillance, such a platform would expand the Chinese navy’s depth of fire without exposing more valuable frigates or destroyers. Although the available image does not show a VLS system that confirms this function, the internal volume of the ship and its profile fit with the unofficial renders that have been circulating for years on a possible semi-submersible prototype capable of hiding its thermal and radar signal. If China were testing this concept, it would try to replicate the logic the United States explored decades ago: a “floating arsenal” that provides fire mass without compromising manned vessels. Unofficial render appeared on networks before the leaked image The drone mothership option. Another interpretation with increasing weight is that of a drone mothershipboth air and sea, an idea that would fit with the tactical revolution seen in the Black Sea, where Ukraine has shown the devastating potential of swarms launched from small platforms. In this case, the interior of the trimaran could house VTOL drones or ramp launchers for long-range loitering munitions similar to the Shahed, expanding China’s ability to saturate defenses or conduct remote attacks without compromising manned aircraft. The absence of a flight deck Conventional does not rule out this function: an internal catapult system or inclined launchers could be adapted without the need for an open hangar. This approach would make the ship a force multiplier within a distributed combat architecture that the PLAN has been cultivating for yearsdrawing inspiration from both the American model and recent lessons from the war in Ukraine. Secret missions. A third possibility is that it is a platform designed for special operationscapable of infiltrating equipment into archipelagos, reefs or highly monitored coastal areas without the acoustic and thermal signal of a conventional submarine. The ability to surface surf long distances and then submerge to conceal aligns with special forces doctrines that privilege silent penetration and discreet exfiltration. Similar vessels have been developed by the United States (like the Sealion) and for other navies operating in densely monitored environments. China, with its growing interest for projecting power in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Straitwould have a clear incentive to test vehicles capable of moving between islets and shallow waters where a standard submarine would be impractical. A test bench. It cannot be ruled out, however, that this trimaran is above all a prototype intended to experiment with technologies that will end up being integrated into other platforms. The recent history of the PLAN is full of test ships and experimental structures used to validate sensors, thrusters, stealth helmets or autonomous systems before scaling up production. Ambiguity is part of the message: by showing a ship of indeterminate purpose, China introduces uncertainty in adversary planning, forcing the United States, Japan and Australia to contemplate a whole collection of potential threats without being able to rule out any. In that sense, the opacity, reinforced by its black paint and the absence of official details, is part of the strategic game. A symptom. Be that as it may, for now there is only one certainty: the discovery of the image It does not dispel the mystery, but rather expands it. The ship represents a deliberate experiment with concepts that are redefining 21st … Read more

In a financial carom, Google has stood up to NVIDIA, leaving an unexpected winner in the crazy AI race: Larry Page

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NVIDIA promised them very happy being the best-positioned AI chip manufacturer. At least it was until Google has started making chips. This new scenario has excited investors, who have rushed to buy Alphabet shares, making your price goes up up to 6.3% from one day to the next, and accumulating an advance of more than 75% since its August price. This increase in the value of Google’s parent company has also coincided with a dip in Oracle’s valuation, which has caused chaos on the podium of the world’s largest fortunes. according to Forbes. What AI gives you, AI takes away. A few months ago, Larry Ellison, founder of Oracle rose as the second largest fortune in the world, overtaking Mark Zuckerberg. His fortune reached 291.6 billion thanks to the good growth prospects posed by the construction of the data centers for AI. In fact, the Oracle founder’s fortune grew so much that he was close enough to the unattainable Elon Musk as to threaten its position on that list. Just as AI raised Larry Ellison to become the world’s second-largest fortune, AI he has taken that place away to hand it over to Larry Page, who reaches that position with a fortune of 261.5 billion dollars. Google rises, Oracle falls. He Google stock rally contrasts with the downturn suffered by the main architect of the cloud infrastructure in which AI lives, leaving up to 6.79% of its price in recent days. This decline has meant that Ellison’s fortune, with a strong influence of Oracle on its income balance, has suffered, falling to $256.7 billion, being displaced to third position. That same stock market momentum of Google has taken another founding partner, Sergei Brin, to fourth position, with a fortune of 242.4 billion dollars, while Alphabet shares brought the company closer to a market capitalization of almost 4 billion dollars. Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos didn’t even see it coming. The most pronounced falls in recent months have been those of Jeff Bezos and, above all, Mark Zuckerberg, who, accustomed to remaining in the Top 3 of the greatest fortunes, fall to fifth and sixth position in the ranking of Forbes. The decline in Mark Zuckerberg’s fortune is especially striking, due to the poor performance of Meta shares in recent weeks. Interestingly, Meta shares have broken their downward trend following Google’s announcement to get into the semiconductor business for AI and the rumors that Zuckerberg could change NVIDIA processors for the Tensor Processing Unit manufactured by Alphabet. Larry Page and Sergei Brin: same company, different fortunes. Although Page and Brin co-founded Google and share control of the company through their shares, both millionaires do not own exactly the same number of shares, and that detail makes a big difference in their assets. According to public statements of Alphabet before the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), between the two magnates they concentrate 87.9% of Alphabet’s class B shares, which grant 10 votes per title. However, the figures show that Page has just over 389 million shares, while Brin account with some 362.7 million of these shares, which makes Page the main beneficiary of the rally in the shares of the company they founded. Brin has been more generous with science. The key to this gap is that Sergei Brin has been much more active than Page in donating and selling part of his stake in Alphabet, and that has reduced his share package over time. Brin has been targeting large volumes of Alphabet and Tesla shares to research donations of treatment against Parkinson’s disease, bipolar disorder or autism, after being discovered a genetic mutation which made him prone to developing that disease. In Xataka | Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded Google and became millionaires. Now they are dedicated to collecting gigantic airplanes Image | Flickr (Fortune Global Forum, TED Conference)

The crazy story of the Galician woman who registered El Sol before a notary, sold plots online and then took eBay to court

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To the French monarch Louis XIV he was known as the sun kingthus, with a capital letter and all its absolutist pomp. Strictly speaking, that title, however, belongs to another person, and it is not even the priest king. Cuahtemocgreat governor of the Aztecs, nor the Egyptian emperor Amenhotep III. If there is a lady and sovereign of the Star King—or at least that is what she maintains—that is Angeles Durana Galician who one fine day in 2010 decided to do something that no one else had done in thousands of years of human history: she left her house in Salvaterra do Miño, in the Vigo region, and stood in the office of a notary to draw up an official record that she, and no one else but her, declared herself the legitimate and authentic owner of the sun. When the good notary heard her, he couldn’t help but laugh, but he had no choice but to consult with his professional association and, in fact, sign a record of what that lady said. Since then, the story of Ángeles Durán has taken on delirious overtones, worthy of a good astro-legal thriller.I solicited. I, owner of the Sun This is how Ángeles Durán has proclaimed herself, a Galician who in 2010 surprised the world by proclaiming herself the owner of the Sun. And no, we are not speaking figuratively. The news advanced it in its day The Voice of Galiciawhich recounted how Durán went to a notary in a neighboring town, in the Vigo region, to draw up a record that she was the legitimate owner of the axis of the Solar System. If that became news—and it did, so much so in fact that it jumped to foreign media— it was not so much because of the occurrence itself as because of the result. Durán left the office with a document that he later did not hesitate to use. pose for the cameras. “I am the owner of the Sun, a star of spectral type G2, which is located in the center of the solar system, located at an average distance from the Earth of approximately 149,600,000 kilometers…”, proclaims the minutes of statements with the notary’s seal. The Galician newspaper explains that the official made him laugh upon hearing Durán’s claims, but he still consulted with his school and ended up attesting that the woman in front of him declared herself the legitimate possessor of the Sun. Since then many things have been said about Durán: that he is lawyer and psychologistwho at that time served as judicial expert and even, as published The Voice in 2022, who lives in Italy and is focused on preparing a book about the British royal family. One of the latest news that is known about her is that she is dedicated to composing “spicy and erotic songs” and who has released an album. What there is no doubt is that Durán dedicated time and effort to planning her strategy to proclaim herself the owner of the Sun. Whether more or less correct, the undeniable thing is that her request was based on a legal argument that she raised at the time and still maintained in 2019. before the cameras of Cuatro. Going back to Roman law The Galician law basically rested on two legs: a legal vacuum and a legal figure that dates back to Roman law. The first is related to the international agreement that establishes that no country can appropriate the planets. The key for Durán is in that nuance: that it affects the states would not imply, he maintains, that it extends to individuals. The second key is the usucapionwhich allows you to gain real rights to those elements that have been enjoyed for a certain time. And Durán had decades benefiting daily from the Sun’s rays. Like the other almost 8,000 million people who reside on this wide planet, true, but no one else had thought to raise it like this in a notary office. The law is made, the trap is made. At least that’s what Durán thought. “I have not bought the Sun because no one has sold it to me. What I have done is a deed for what is called usucapion,” I insisted in 2019 during an interview in which he assured that this figure can be used “by electromagnetic apprehension.” The truth is that Durán has not been the first to do something similar. Decades ago an American businessman, Dennis Hopeclaimed that he had found a legal loophole that allowed him to claim sovereignty of the Moon. His argument was very similar to that of the Galician: Hope was based on an old law from the 19th century, of the American pioneers, and that the Outer Space Treaty It does not affect individuals. The most curious thing is that the Sun is not the only property that Durán has claimed, although it is certainly the one that takes the cake in size, implications and impact. The Galician has made other equally curious visits to the General Registry of Intellectual Property. The World and The Country They have echoed how he came to record Tarzan’s cry or “the longest score in the world”, 24,000 million measures and related to telephony. “Every time you dial a number, notes are ringing and no one has recorded them,” explained in 2010: “If you mark 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, you are making a few measures and all the possible combinations, all of them, I have registered in my name.” A little plot in the sun… Durán was not satisfied with proclaiming herself the owner of the Astro Rey. He decided to go one step further, cutting up the vast expanse of the star and selling plots on eBay. On the first day he managed to market nearly a hundred stellar plots. According to explained in his day10,000 solar portions were offered, each accompanied by its respective certificate. For one euro, anyone could get a piece of star. … Read more

One-minute episodes, crazy plots and millions of views: welcome to the age of l

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It was clear that with the inability to maintain attention for too long in a single point, a phenomenon like that of the microdramasfictions in ultra-brief pills with continuous twists and suspense situations, would end up triumphing. Now, after sweeping Asia, they reach the United States and Europe. And they are willing to turn the durations of fictions upside down in streaming. What are they? An audiovisual format that consists of mini-soap operas or short series designed for consumption on mobile devices. Generally, each episode lasts between 60 and 90 seconds, although it can reach up to ten, and the series have between 20 and 100 episodes, accumulating a total duration similar to a feature film. This accelerated narrative is filmed in vertical format, and structured to hook the viewer with shocking hooks in the first seconds, conflicts that evolve quickly and cliffhangers that invite you to watch the next episode without interruptions. Hurry, hurry. Production is ultra-fast and low-cost, with seasons that can be recorded in less than two weeks, allowing for great proliferation of titles. Narratively, microdramas rely on highly addictive stories, inherited from soap operas, with recurring themes such as secret romances with billionaires, revenge, marriages of convenience, even forays into romance and delirious vampire romances… and all condensed with frequent emotional rewards and very little expenditure on sets, editing, soundtrack and technical displays. In Xataka The new fever in China is mobile series with one-minute episodes. And they prepare their landing outside Asia Where was he born? This format originated in China, where they are known as wei duan ju either duanjudriven by the massive emergence into the market of smartphones and the rise of short video platforms such as Douyin and Kuaishouespecially during the pandemic. Since then, the format has expanded globally, adapting to the audiovisual consumption habits of generation Z and millennials, who prefer short, vertical content for quick consumption on social networks. Where to see them. The main platforms to watch microdramas are YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. According to a study by Ampere Analysis, YouTube It is the leading platform, with 44% of microdrama viewers consuming this content there, where creators monetize directly. TikTok and Instagram are often used to promote them with teasers and teasers that direct users to paid apps like DramaBox, ReelShort either CandyJarTVwhere they can watch the complete series, often under a freemium model (free initial episodes and payment to continue). In these there is already an abundance of non-Asian series: a look at ReelShort allows us to understand the appeal of these products, openly oriented towards the female audience, and with categories that do not hide an exploitative point, almost an emotional fetish: ‘Hidden Identity’, ‘Taboo Relationship’, ‘Babies and Pregnancies’, ‘Love at First Sight’, ‘Vampires and Werewolves’, and of course an immense remnant of products from Asia. And now, in the United States. Alan Mruvka, founder of E! Entertainment Television, plans to launch Verza TVthe first American platform dedicated exclusively to microdramas, which is expected to arrive in mid-November 2025. This pioneering initiative will follow a financing model similar to that common in China: users can watch up to five free episodes of any title, and to access the rest they must pay $4.99. Verza TV’s catalog will include dramas inspired by TikTok trends, reality shows in micro format, interviews and information about celebrities (something Mruvka knows a lot about thanks to his experience with E! Entertainment) and new microdramas based on those that have been successful in Asia. The figures. The global microdrama market is estimated to reach 2025 a projected value of $11 billiona figure that almost doubles the income of FAST channels (free, linear and with ads), which shows the rapid growth of the format. China dominates this market overwhelmingly, contributing close to 83% of global income thanks to its massive domestic production and consumption. A juicy business, quick and easy to produce, and which may soon find a new audience eager for strong and, above all, fast emotions. Photo of Becca Tapert in Unsplash In Xataka | The great Chinese revolution of recent decades is not technological or economic: it is that of Christianity (function() { window._JS_MODULES = window._JS_MODULES || {}; var headElement = document.getElementsByTagName(‘head’)(0); if (_JS_MODULES.instagram) { var instagramScript = document.createElement(‘script’); instagramScript.src=”https://platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js”; instagramScript.async = true; instagramScript.defer = true; headElement.appendChild(instagramScript); – The news One-minute episodes, crazy plots and millions of views: welcome to the age of l was originally published in Xataka by John Tones .

A crazy theory that relates them to a devil of Mesopotamia

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Labubu have been news. Throughout the last months these unmistakable jaly -eyes and smile Aviesa have monopolized headlines for their Commercial pullhis millionaire billinghave driven The youngest fortune from China or the success they have had between Rihanna or the K-Pop star Smooth. What had not happened so far is that they talk about them by an twisted Theory of conspiracy that relates its origin to Pazuzua former devil. As crazy as true. Diabolic Labubus? Sounds crazy, but a quick search arrives in X, Tiktok, Instagram either Reddit To find a surprisingly broad amount of messages, videos and photographs that in one way or another relate the tonguzes Labubu with Pazuzua diabolical deity of Mesopotamia. Part of that content can have a Cariz more or less ironicbut in others pieces (in which even people appear burning dolls) it is difficult to believe that it is only comedy. Labubu, remember, are figures created in 2015 by the Hongkon artist Kasing Lung that (thanks to an effective mixture of design, marketing and above all virality) have managed to become A (almost) Milmillonario business. The second, PazuzuIt is a diabolical deity that hurts its roots in ancient Mesopotamia. Their Representations They can vary, but it is usually shown with a fierce face, jumps, fangs, claws, wings, horns and a scorpion tail. Click on the image to go to Tweet. What exactly do they say? Those who have echoed the conspiracy theory of Pazuzu say that the former Mesopotamian devil has inspired the Labubus. Not all tweets/photos/videos are equal, but the phenomenon is better bought if some of its most viral publications are analyzed. A clear example leaves the account @Cservativeogwith about 300,000 followers in X. A week ago those responsible uploaded a video in which you can see a man burning a labubu with a flamethrower next to the message “Labubu Dolls Are Demonic. Save Yourself, Save Your Kids, Save Your Country”. In the same tweet it was reported that a “group of Christians” is convinced that the dolls are the “Pazuzu Encarnación” and has proposed to gather $ 150,000 to buy and destroy stuffed animals. They even include A link to the campaign of Crowdfundingthat for the moment has gathered a minimum amount: 25 dollars. The message They have shared it personalities such as conservative J. Mannarino. Are there more examples? Yes. Enough. Wallmotivates (113,000 followers) leave Another sample Eloquent on Instagram. In June he published a message in which a Labubu with Pazuzu is compared and a fragment of a chapter of the Simpsons is included in which the Mesopotamian duablo is mentioned. “Do not buy this demonic toy for your children or for yourself!” He warns. In networks you can also find a handful of Videos of people burning Figures Is it only in networks? No. of the networks has jumped to the media. In recent weeks they have echoed the web conspiracy theory as Live Science, NDTV, Huffpost, Times of India or the Hongkonés South China Morning Post. And that to quote just some examples. Snopes, a page specialized in data verification, wanted to go further and in July A broad article in which he wonders if, indeed, Lung was inspired in Pazuzu for his designs. The Snopes team failed to contact the artist, but remember that there is not a single test that suggests that Lung was based on Mesopotamian mythology to shape his characters. On the contrary, the only source of inspiration recognized By the illustrator are the fairy tales of northern Europe and Scandinavia that he read when as a child he had to move from his native Hong-Kong to the Netherlands. No reference to Devils of the ancient Mesopotamian religion. Are there more clues? Yes. Lung created Labubu in 2015 as part of the series “The Monsters”but its enormous commercial success is also largely due to the company that sells the stuffed animals: Pop Mart. On its website The company confirms that Lung was based on the worlds of fairies and elves for its designs and insists that Labubu will be raised as harmless creatures. “Despite being playful and naughty, also optimistic and kind,” claims The company. Again, no reference to Mesopotamian demonic mythology. Ironically and despite the representation of Pazuzu in modern popular culture (there are A reference For example in ‘The Exorcist’, William P. Blatty’s famous novel) Some sources They slide that in their time it was considered a protective creature that served to scare other hell of households. @Dominga.Cantuarias The context is this: Labubus are one fashionable stuffed animals and have come out in the news, Tiktok etc and there is a theory that they are inspired by the devil Pazuzu and that attract bad energies ♬ original Som – ★ Is it something new? Yes. And no. It is new to associate with Labubu with ancient demonic deities. What is no longer so much is that more or less serious conspiracy theories circulate that find alleged diabolical echoes on dolls, songs, drawings … fashionable. Before the Labubu already went through something similar Hello Kitty, Pokemon or even the song of ‘Aserejé’, the famous success of the early 2000s in which Some saw Satanic resonances. Whether or not they were diabolical, it is more than questionable, what they all shared (just like Labubu now) is a overwhelming commercial success. In Xataka | China has spent more than twenty years copying what the West created. Now Louis Vuitton is copying what China creates Images | PROZEPINK (Flickr) and X

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