secret

If their spies spoke Basque as a secret code

by

The espionage stories They are fascinating. Video games like Spanish ‘Commandos‘They have one of their best characters in the spy and the sagas of’Impossible mission‘ either ‘007‘are sustained (At least in the first deliveries) in that work of espionage and Double agents. Something fundamental is the encryption of conversations, but … why devise a complex system so that the enemy does not discover what you speak if they exist languages ​​that do not speak so many people? In Spain there is one that is homeless: The Basque. And, precisely, one of the legends of the spies Spaniards is the use of Basque so that enemies do not discover the plans. But as usually happens, there is as much reality as a myth in this story. Felipe II’s networks. Let’s start at the beginning and one of the clearest uses of Basque in a espionage network. In the second half of the 16th century, things in Spain were uneasy. The reason was that Henry III of Navarra, king of Navarra since 1572, had religious ideas contrary to the Spanish monarch Felipe II. While Felipe was a staunch Catholic, Enrique became Protestantism. The problem is that in 1589 Enrique III of France and ‘Our’ Enrique III inherited the French throne as Henry IV. Felipe did not make a hint of grace because he did not want a Protestant to occupy the throne of a great neighboring country and, as a defender of Catholicism and Spanish hegemony, supported the Catholic League and proposed to his daughter Isabelgranddaughter of Enrique II of France, as queen of the Gallic country. He did not set the proposal and that caused a rivalry that made the Pyrenean situation complex. Lady of Urtubia. Enrique, in the end, returned to the path of Catholicism in 1593, so things have already calmed down and was recognized in full as king of France. Now, although Enrique IV’s conversion calmed the situation, the tension did not disappear at all, and our spy comes into play: Aimée de Urtubia. This woman belonging to the nobility shipment Between 1597 and 1598, at least 19 letters to the mayor of Fuenterrabía and Captain General of Guipúzcoa. In them there was relevant information about military and political events in France and Navarra during the Religion wars and allowed the Catholics of Felipe II to record the situation in France. The peculiarity is that the letters were written in Basque, which assured that they would only be “decipherd” if they fell into someone who controlled the language. And it was his native language, detail that is not less. In whatever, their letters were referred to the Secretary General for the North, which speaks well of the importance that the information of the ‘Lady of Urtubia’ had in the strategy of the administration of Felipe II. In 1598 the Paz de Vervins with which Felipe stopped intervening in French affairs. Although the agreement had not been reached, Felipe would not have interfered with more because he died that year. Second World War. There is proof of Aimée’s letters, but … the legend of the Basque among the Spanish spies comes from there? Well, not quite. Time to make a leap to Second World War. Spies are key to operations such as day d or even for war stratagems that confuse the enemy. The Enigma machine It was the great Nazi tool to encrypt messages and Basque … too? Myth. The United States, of course, considered the use of little known languages ​​to make secret communications. Instead of creating language, Americans used Native American languages ​​such as Navajo or CREE to generate safe messages. It would be rare for a German to speak Navajo, go. And, to expand networks in Europe, they also thought of the ‘Basque Code Talkers‘. This was basically reused Euskera to produce indecipherable messages for the enemy. To the Not being an Indo -European languageor the enemy had a dictionary, or would not find out anything. In fact, some publications of years ago affirm that Basque was used as a code in the battle of Guadalcanal in 1942. The problem is that it is … false. And reality. A subsequent investigation carried out by historians Pedro J. Oiarzabal and Guillermo Taberilla, demonstrated that Americans may consider the use of Basque as ‘Code Talk’, but it was not carried out. Investigating American and British military archives, they did not find that they support the use of Basque in that context. American captain Frank Carranza, grandson of Basque emigrants, would have been one of the architects of the legend, supported by the historical fact of the relationship between the secret services of the Basque Government In exile and the OSS American. Now, something that could feed the myth is that there were Basque spies involved in the conflict. José Laradogoitia Menchaca, or “Bromine”, He was a Basque pastor who worked as a double agent during the war. For whom? First for the Nazis, but then he went to the allied side, transmitting false information to the Nazis. And the investigation of Oiarzabal and Tabernilla, regardless of denying the myth, He left a pearl: Vicelehendakari of the Basque Government in exile worked as a spy for the British. In the end, Basque soldiers may speak in Basque between them and I find it funny to think that some Nazi intercepted that communication and gave mental somersaults trying to decipher the ‘code’. Image | Screen of ‘Call of Duty ww2’ In Xataka | The US landed on an empty island during World War II. In nine days it had more than 300 casualties

The secret formula of Coca-Cola is in a safe of a town in Valencia. The same one that claims its authorship

by

The history is written by the victors (Or that’s what we think). Perhaps the phrase would have to be changed to the story being written who has the best story and, in the commercial world, which knows how to sell its product better. And if there is a universal product that is the same image of globalization and proper name of one of the most powerful corporations in the worldthat’s the Coca-Cola. The story that John Stith Pemberton He is the father of the Coca-Cola and who, after some failed attempts, in 1886 found the formula of the drink Based on coca leaf, kola nut and carbonated water. It is not that it would bring him good luck, since shortly after he died in absolute poverty, taking a secret more powerful than that of his drink itself. The secret of whether he invented it or whether Coca-Cola is a plagiarism of a Spanish drink that was presented in the United States in 1985. Do not say Coca-Cola: Say Kola Coca In its origins, Coca-Cola was not a soda: it was a tonic. In fact, a “miraculous tonic” who cured headaches, relieved exhaustion and calmed his nerves, like Pemberton himself promoted. It was everything, also a “delicious, refreshing, cheerful, stimulating and vigorizing” drink. With cocaineIt wasn’t for less. It was not a success and its creator never saw the real potential of the drink. It was after selling his product to businessman Asa G. Gamdler when the brand exploded and The Coca-Cola Company became the giant that is today. But there are those who think that this position in history does not belong to Gandler or, above all, Pemberton: it belongs to the Valencian people of Malferit’s. In 1880, Bautista Apartici, Ricardo Sanz and Enrique Ortiz founded the Liquor Factory of Aielo. They began to create products and to present them at fairs in Europe. APARICI was the ‘commercial’ of the company and the person in charge of showing its products by the different countries, being the coca kola one of them. Kola nuts Your ingredients? Coca leaf, Kola nut and water. Very similar to those of the subsequent Coca-Cola. In 1885, Appear took the Kola Coca to a fair in Philadelphia, where he presented it and distributed some samples to local commercials. At present, that would be done with a product already patented so that no one can raise your idea, but it was not the practice more than a century ago. A year later, Pemberton presented in Atlanta its coca leaf formula, kola and water nut. Carbonated, where appropriate. Chance or plagiarism? Ayelo distillers itself leaves the question on its website. “In 1885, the Kola-Coca travels to the United States and, just a year later, the pharmacist John Steve Pemberton launched in the United States the famous Coca-Cola Answering the question is complicated, especially when we talk about an era in which the information was not transmitted with the same speed as now and it should be assumed that the connection between Pemberton and some of the commercials that received the cola coca sample. From Ayelo distilleries, they are clear. Juan Micó is the last owner of Ayelo distilleries and, as we read in ABC Newsconsiders that Coca-Cola was invented in Aielo. “At that time it was easy to copy a drink. The patents were only recorded if the product was successful,” he says, stating that when they patented the Kola Coca formula in Spain in 1903, the Coca-Cola already had a way won to become an icon. And Coca-Cola appeared Decades after patenting the drink, it was Coca-Cola who was interested in the one prepared in Aielo. The multinational wanted to enter Spain with a factory in the 40s, but could not do it directly due to the laws of registered trademarks because there was already a registered tail. That of Aielo. As we read in SpiegelCoca-Cola executives visited Malferit in 1953 and closed an agreement to acquire the rights of the name to Joaquín Juan Sanchis, who was the owner of the factory at that time. And, that same year, Coca-Cola began the conquest of the territory from its bottling company in Barcelona. There are no official records of the agreement, but there is talk of a sum between 30,000 and 50,000 pesetas to exploit the brand in Spain. A lot of money for the time, as Micó said, but a misery if compared to how things would have been, instead of money, they had accepted shares or a small percentage of sales. “We would be millionaires,” says Juan. And at that time of the firm it was when Distillerías Ayelo stopped preparing his ‘syrup’. At least the alcohol without alcohol, since that market belonged to Coca-Cola. The one they continued preparing was Kola coca nut With alcoholic content. 21st, specifically, and in Your description A “will” be or not be the origin of the Coca-Cola? “ Today, Micó’s family directs the business, and does so for a romantic issue, so as not to let that curious story die that will survive forever. The Valencian municipality is clear that Coca-Cola was invented there and, as we read in The countryIn 2018, Mayor José Luis Pinter commented that they had sent a letter to the multinational to use the link between Malferit and Coca-Cola’s year to take advantage of it. “Our goal is to see this project willingly, so that the people are known. We do not pursue anything else,” said the mayor of the town. Therefore, economic rights were not requested, but to take advantage of that link to underpin the story about the relationship between the municipality and the Coca-Cola. From the company they responded, but surely not the way in which the neighbors would have liked. They just said that the brand has transcended so much that “It is property of everyone” and that it is a pride that there are similar stories in different parts of the world. I do not know if … Read more

China has an “island” that does not stop growing. His name is Chengdu and his secret is what he does not have: big salaries

by

It would be said that there are two very different “Chinese” in terms of aspirations. On the one hand, we have that imposing image of the nation whose cities accumulate the greatest multimillionaires numberthe country that attracts talent With salariesand that is even putting in check to the Almighty Silicon Valley wallet. And then there is the other China, whose labor crisis He is impacting on Many young peopleand the stagnation of domestic consumption is making a dent in the economy. For that “second” China, there is a space that is becoming a refuge. His name is Chengdu, and not to grow. Welfare refuge. I told it in an extensive report The New York Times. In the midst of a Chinese economy marked by the stagnation of domestic consumption, labor uncertainty and a growing political repression, Chengducity of the southwest of the country with more than 2,300 years of history, it is emerging as a symbol of a new youth aspiration: living better, Even if he wins less. The payroll is not so important. Far from productive frenzy and the increase in housing that characterize megacities such as Shanghai, Shenzhen or Guangzhou, Chengdu has seen its population grow 30% in just five years, reaching the 21.5 million inhabitantsand its real estate market has become the most dynamic in the country, with a price increase 16.8% Since 2021. The secret? A relaxed lifestyle, its flourishing artistic scene, its emblematic pandas And, above anything else, its low cost of life, a recipe that makes it a magnet for young people tired of the urban “grind” and eager to reconnect with a more bearable existence, without completely renouncing opportunities. Disenchantment with the classic model. The Times explained That the decision to move to Chengdu is not only geographical: it is existential. The report counts cases of young people Like Emma Ma, That Beijing changed for an affordable apartment, a study of video clips and domestic help for $ 400 per month, or Treasure Wu, which left Shanghai after a “gray and oppressive experience”, cases that exemplify that generational turn. Under this prism, the idea that long working hours and high salaries justify a life sacrificed in congested cities begins to lose strength in front of a narrative where everyday well -being It matters more. Chengdu, formerly considered a lazy or uninformed city, now embodies an answer to the other China that, despite its Technological modernizationfails to offer guaranteed social ascent that lived previous generations, at least NO TO A PART. Reinvent yourself from the cultural. There is more, of course. He remembered the medium that despite offering fewer opportunities for professional promotion or competitive salaries, Chengdu has managed to capitalize on Your quality of life and its cultural legacy. As? From its huge LGTBQ+ community and its hip-hop scene to its bustling circuit of tea houses and Hot Pot restaurants, the enclave is perceived as a Oasis of expression and stability In times of uncertainty. To this is added its growing relevance in sectors such as Digital entertainmentaudiovisual production and e-sports, with successes Like Ne Zha 2 or video game studies that have promoted the local economy. Historically linked to national defense for its Strategic locationChengdu could now benefit from the turn that Xi Jinping wants to print to the Chinese economic model: a commitment to key industries Like semiconductors wave national production Advanced, far from foreign dependence. Thermometer of a national transition. If you want also, more than an urban anecdote, Chengdu’s boom serves as the thermometer of the internal tensions that policy to the second economy of the planet. On the one hand, it reflects a country that seeking balance between technological modernity and quality of life. On the other, it exposes the dissonance between An economic model Centered on export, which no longer yields as before, and the individual aspirations of millions that want much more than survive: They want to live well. As They pointed to the Times Several real estate analysts of the nation, Chengdu has something as simple to understand as difficult to achieve at the present time: it offers housing prices according to salaries, a luxury unthinkable in other large cities (Not only from China, of course), but that perfectly explains why so many seem willing to assume less lucrative jobs in exchange for time, space and community. End to the cult of sacrifice. Perhaps it is the last of the legs that should be analyzed. The Covid pandemia finished consolidating that transition. While Shanghai suffered endless confinementsChengdu It offered stability. What was previously judged as routine provincial It began to be seen as virtue. In Spain we also lived when we talked about Exodus and “Back to town”. But there it has remained. Today, what Chengdu represents goes beyond his pandas or his historical heritage: symbolizes a form of Quiet resistance and pragmatic against systemic exhaustion of a nation that is redefining its own values. In the words of analyst Huang Xue to the Times: “In times of uncertainty, people want to enjoy life when they can.” Thus, in that silent desire, the city aims to become, not only in China’s happiest city, but also in its most clairvoyant mirror. Image | Kristoffer Trolle In Xataka | The list of cities with more billionaires: China gives the definitive sorpasso and Asia Copa El Top 30 In Xataka | China is democrating its factories to produce cheaper. But not in India or Vietnam: in China

How to accelerate Chrome downloads by activating the secret parallel download option

by

Let’s tell you How to accelerate Chrome downloads activating the hidden option of parallel discharges. By default, Chrome makes a connection with the download server of the discharge to lower the file, but this option makes several connections, each lowering a part of the file, and then unites them once they are downloaded. In most cases, having several connections with the same server this can make The whole set is notably fasterespecially in the event that they are large files. To activate it you will need to access the Chrome flags and look for this option. Activate Chrome’s parallel downloads The first thing you have to do is open a new tab and write chrome: // flags In the address bar. When you do Enter and you will enter a special page. Within the Flags page, which are Chrome hidden and experimental options, Look for the option of PARALLEL Downloading. For that you can use the search engine you have above all. To the right of PARALLEL DOWNLADING And your description you have a picture. Click on him and Choose the option Enabled To activate it. Once you do, Chrome will tell you that you have to restart it to activate the function. Do it and that’s it. In Xataka Basics | Change Chrome for a European alternative: I follow and what you should take into account

This hacker began to collaborate with the secret service after being arrested. What nobody knew is that he kept stealing big

by

In the summer of 2003, a routine investigation for a series of robberies in Manhattan led to unexpected finding. An undercover agent of the New York Police Department followed a young man who behaved suspiciously and observed him for several minutes in the lobby of an ATM. I was extracting money with one card after another, All of them falsifiedtaking advantage of the day change to overcome the daily limits of withdrawal. That scene was just the tip of the iceberg of a much more complex criminal network, as detailed years later The New York Times. That young man was called Albert Gonzalez, although on the Internet he preferred to hide After alias as “Soupnazi”. What he did was known in the criminal forums as “CASHING OUT“: Use cloned cards to get cash before banks could react. His detention opened the door to an unprecedented operation. The agents discovered that he stored millions of card numbers on their computer and that, in addition to executing fraud, it had detailed knowledge about cybercrime techniques. Gonzalez was not any criminal The role of this individual in the community of cyber criminals was highlighted: he exercised as a moderator in Shadowcrew, a forum that centralized the exchange of stolen banking data, tools for falsifying cards and advice to exploit vulnerabilities in the financial system. When it was arrested, As NPR points out, He chose to collaborate with the authoritieswhich allowed him to dodge an immediate conviction and become an informant of the Electronic Crimes Unit of the Secret Service. For months, he collaborated in an undercover operation within Shadowcrew and facilitated an international maneuver that culminated in October 2004 with 28 arrested in several countries. The operation, Baptized as Firewallbecame a reference for cybercrime investigations. But the story did not end there. While working for the Government, Gonzalez parallelly built a much more ambitious criminal network. Using various techniques, it accessed internal systems of large American clothing and distribution chains such as TJX (owner of TJ Maxx and Marshalls), Offemax (stationery and office material) or DSW (footwear). Justice data indicate that he and his collaborators stole more than 40 million numbers of credit and debit cards. These intrusions included the installation of “sniffer” programs capable of capturing in real time the data of the cards used in point of sale. The numbers were subsequently encoded on virgin cards and used to remove cash in ATMs. Arrested in the middle of the Firewall operation The final jump came with the use of the SQL injection technique, which allowed to remotely access databases from web forms. With her, Gonzalez and her team They managed to infiltrate Companies servers such as Heartland Payment Systems, one of the main payments processors in the United States. The attack committed the data of millions of transactionsaffecting more than 250 financial entities, and went down in history as the greatest robbery of cards recorded until then. This was detailed by the United States Department of Justice in an official statement issued in 2009. Chains such as 7-Eleven (convenience stores) and Hannaford Brothers (supermarkets) were also affected. Albert González While collaborating with the day authorities, at night he continued to send stolen databases through contacts in Eastern Europe. He used ghost companies, opaque transfer systems and mules to bleach millions. He even sold committed information to hackers who were being investigated, thus feeding new lines of accusation. Finally, after a series of key arrests and the tracking of an email account linked to their old alias, the agents closed the fence. He was arrested in 2008 at a Hotel in Miami. Shortly after, he led researchers to a bidon buried at their parents’ house With more than one million dollars in cash. American justice condemned in 2010 to 20 years and one day in prison for crimes of conspiracy, computer fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering. It also imposed two fines of $ 25,000 each, which total a total of $ 50,000, and three years of freedom guarded. The ruling grouped the causes presented in Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York. Albert Gonzalez, who, According to Podcast Malicious Life and The New York Timeshad come to hack NASA being a teenager and had caught the attention of the FBI, ended up becoming one of the greatest traitors of the hacker ecosystem and a key figure to understand the evolution of cybercrime in the era of electronic commerce. On September 19, 2023, he ceased to be in custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, As stated in the records of the American prison system with the number 25702-050. Since then, his trail has become discreet, as if he tried to definitely move away from his past. Images | Screen capture | Secret service (1, 2) In Xataka | Some users are using OPENAI O3 and O4-Mini to find out the location of photos: it is a nightmare for privacy

A secret room in Peru hid some tubes. Now we know that elites ruled with hallucinogens 2,000 years ago

by

Long before the Inca Empire will dominate the Andes, the Chavín civilization (Active between 900 and 650 BC) had already established a complex cultural network that covered common agricultural techniques to shared forms of architecture and art. In fact, one of its most emblematic centers was Chavín de Huántara stone ceremonial monument located 430 kilometers north of Lima, whose architecture, symbols and mysterious acoustic They have intrigued To archaeologists for more than a century. That intrigue has given way to a fascinating discovery. Visionary rituals. Yes, now and through A studynew excavations and detailed chemical analyzes have revealed that a fundamental part of its social hierarchies system was based on deeply transformative rituals, enhanced by powerful hallucinogenic substances such as vilca (natural source of DMT) and wild tobacco species. These rituals, restricted to small private spaces within the ceremonial complex, were not designed for collective access, but constituted exclusive experiences for selected individuals, possibly Priests or spiritual elitesthus reinforcing the symbolic power and the established social order. Psychoactive and architecture. As Archaeologists tellthe analysis of the carved bone tubes found in several closed secret chambers has shown that they were used to Inhale substancesoffering direct evidence of the ritual use of these psychedelic drugs. Unlike the community practices observed in other Amazonian cultures, Chavín rituals were intimate, regulated and surrounded by an aura of mystery, probably destined to consolidate authority spiritual of certain individuals within a vertical structure of power. Complementing these practices, the investigators say that the temple architecture was designed to intensify the experience: Marine shell trumpets and rooms designed to amplify the sound point to a complete sensory strategy, where music and reverberation contributed to generating altered states of consciousness. Far from being mystical entertainment, these ceremonies were, According to scientistsideological tools of social cohesion, capable of inspiring the inhabitants to voluntarily collaborate in the construction of temples and monuments without the need for physical coercion. A system of avoided violence. There are much more, since one of the most suggestive findings in the study is the apparent absence of direct coercion in the Chavín Organization. The efficacy of rituals to legitimize hierarchies seems to have replaced the need for systematic repression or organized war. In this way, this delicate ideological balance was not eternal. Towards 500–400 AC, archaeological indications point to a prolonged period of Internal violenceprobably linked to a transition from a theocratic order to more secular forms of organization. This change would have undermined the symbolic bases of religious authority, leading to a progressive collapse of the social structure that the Chavín had maintained for centuries. Religion and inequality. Finally, For archaeologiststhe Chavín case demonstrates how inequality can be institutionalized, not only through force or economy, but also through deeply internally internalized beliefs. In the work they explain that the supernatural experience induced by hallucinogens became a way to naturalize The hierarchies and justify the concentration of power. The legacy of the Chavín, however, endures as a bridge between more egalitarian cultures and the sophisticated imperial structures that would arise centuries later, providing keys on how beliefs, architecture, psychoactive substances and power in the deep history of the Andes would be articulated. Image | Daniel Contreras In Xataka | Machu Picchu is 600 years old and was the great treasure of Peru. We have just discovered a 3,500 years old In Xataka | In 1594 a Jesuit described a secret tunnel near Machu Picchu. We have just confirmed the Inca underground labyrinth

Renault and Geely have an engine to convince the undecided of the electric car. The secret is that it is combustion

by

We are on the way to a future in which the electric car He has ballots to become the winning option. There are countries that They are already betting Very strong for the electric ones, so much that they are even unseating combustion. But, for many others, the conventional car It is still the best option. And it is for autonomy, for the ease of reposting and because there are places with underdeveloped load networks. This is something that Chinese manufacturers themselves, who bet so much on the electric ones, have assumed. In fact, Cherywhich is the company that owns omoda and Jaecoo, is finalizing the Landing of its combustion cars in Spain. But, of course, companies do not forget that electrified future and want to create a bridge between combustion and 100% electric for the user to jump safely. And what is that bridge? A combustion engine to “hybridize” the electric ones for which Renault and Geely are betting hard. The combustion engine to convince the ‘haters’ of the electric Here we must talk about Horse PowerTrain. This is a company whose 45% belongs to the French Renault, another 45% to Geely and 10% to Aramco. It is a call Joint Venture To boost New systems automotive, especially electrified due to Geely’s experience. And the truth is that his approach is … curious. And it is because they have been looking for an engine capable of giving life to the calls “extended electric cars “. Also known as E-Rev (Extended Range Electric Vehicle), these cars have one or more electric motors that feed on a battery. So far, they are a conventional electric, okay, but special thing is that they have an additional engine: combustion. Each manufacturer has its system, but it is basically a car that behaves like an electric, but When the battery reaches a certain level, the combustion engine is turned on And it is not the one that moves the wheels, but the one that generates electricity, feeds the battery and allows electric motors to have energy to continue driving the wheels. The difference with a conventional hybrid is that this combustion engine is never the one that drives the car, and the great advantage is that this fuel engine is like a huge battery that allows autonomies that, until the arrival of the solid state batteriesthey seem complicated for 100%electric. Reviewed the theory, let’s hort. A few weeks ago we told you that the company will try one of these engines, The promising Spanish engine e-rexbut we also see that they will not put all the eggs in the same basket. In the Shanghai Motor Show that is celebrated this week (in which my partner Javier Lacort is), And how we read in Bloombergthe general director of Horse has commented that they have prepared an engine that can “integrate without problems into the construction platforms of electric vehicles with battery.” Matias Giannini, in addition, has commented that “the concept will allow car manufacturers to offer diversity in propulsion systems, with minimal alteration in its production process and in the use of resources.” Thus, if a brand has 100% electric, but wants a hybrid, I would not have to develop a new platform To include a large conventional engine, but to alter minimally the one that has already available for your electric only to introduce that small additional combustion engine. And they don’t have one, but two: Gemini – A 1.0 -liter generator, 2 cylinders and a very compact power that works with mixtures of methanol and gasoline. Another 1.0 liters, 3 cylinders and a power of 86 kW compatible with flexible fuels and an integrated electric generator. This, by the way, is manufactured at the Curibita facilities in Brazil and Valladolid in Spain. In the first statement, Giannini commented that these engines will be on the street at some point in 2028, and it is only a matter of time to see what arrives before: if the solid state batteriesthe consolidation of the E-REV (BMW, Nixssan or Mazda They already have some models) or if by 2028 everything will continue as until now. Or, simply, the future of the electric may not be as binary as we think, but this intermediate hybridization. Images | Horse Powertrain In Xataka | Family and friends keep asking me if “it is worth buying a Chinese car.” This is my answer

The Canary Islands have seven islands, but only one has escaped from the hordes of tourists. His secret is on earth, literally

by

The Canarian archipelago is officially seven islands: Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro. In addition, we have four islets and a series of Roques (next to a centenary dispute for tiny lands, although that It is another story). The curious thing about the islands is that almost all, to a greater or lesser extent, have ended under the influence of mass tourism. With the exception of one, whose nature gave an “advantage” over the rest: iron. Shine without looking for it. Ironthe smallest, western, less visited and better preserved from all the Canary Islands, has begun to attract the attention of a time to this part, although surely, despite many stores. First was the Netflix series Iron in 2019 the one that put it on the audiovisual map. Later, during the pandemic, he once again occupied headlines in half the world. The reasons: to be one of the first territories of Spain in get out of confinement In June 2020, and for having registered alone A COVID-19 case during the health crisis. Thus came the international recommendations that placed it between the Best destinations in Europe In 2021, but the island continues as is, it has barely changed its leisurely way of life, or its resistance to the transformations that did shape the rest of the archipelago in recent decades. His secret is a paradox: What does not have He does it more strong to the hordes. The island of “No”. The peculiarity of the island resides in what it has decided Do not have: Without chain hotels, without tourist complexes, without elevators or buildings of more than two floors, the island also does not have extensive beaches, although it possesses A network of puddles (natural pools) of an incomparable beauty. Here its geography is key, since reaching it outside the archipelago already implies at least two journeys (by plane, via Tenerife or Gran Canaria, or in Ferry, via Tenerife), since there are no direct international flights or maritime connections from the peninsula or abroad. With just 11,000 inhabitants And a surface that is equivalent to half of Ibiza, the traffic is very small and the sensation remains to be in a territory where modernity has barely touched essential things. And yet, since 2018, iron almost completely self-abused with renewable energies, thanks to its hydro-eolic power plant Gorona del Vientoconsolidating itself as a world reference in sustainability. Indomitable nature. While the major islands of the Canarian archipelago face a growing social resistance to the Mass tourismIron has deliberately adopted a radically different model. Instead of joining the urbanization spiral, direct flights and mass tourism, the island has opted for a strategy of leisurely growthintegral sustainability and an intimate bond with nature. Arising from the ocean 1.2 million years ago For violent underwater eruptions, the island displays an abrupt and wild geography where impressive cliffs, volcanic boilers and dense laurisilva forests coexist with undulating meadows, centenary pine forests and abrupt black rock costs that make it a paradise for hiking, contemplation and, ultimately, an unstable instance. To get an idea, in 2023 Just 20,300 visitors They arrived on the island (in contrast to the more than 6.5 million that Tenerife receivedFor example). Sabinar Tourism to last. There is more, of course. As we said before, since 1997, iron develops an ambitious Sustainable Development Plan which has oriented its tourist model towards a way of traveling with limited impact, focused on the valuation of the natural environment and local culture. They have been created Seven Visitors and Museums CentersInfrastructure has been improved without breaking the landscape balance (the first asphalted road came in 1962 and even today there is only one traffic light), and activities that privilege contact with the environment have been encouraged. In this regard, Davinia Suárez Armas, insular director of Tourism and Transportation, summed up the BBC The spirit of the island: grow without deteriorating the quality of life of residents or compromising their natural resources. In fact, it is possible to travel in less than an hour from the warm coast of the South to the Capital of Valverdecrossing microclimates ranging from arid plains to humid fog forests, where more than a hundred endemic species thrive, including criticism El Hierro giant lizardwhich motivated the entire island to be declared Biosphere Reserve in 2000 and Geoparque in 2014 for Unesco. Resistance symbols. Among closed curves, volcanic landscapes and pastures whipped by the wind, it appears The pasturewhere the most famous trees of the enclave grow: the Sabinares twisted for centuries of Alisios winds, turned into living symbols of the Herreña resistance. In that sense, self -sufficiency has been part of the island DNA since the arrival of The bimbachesBerber people settled around 120. Without rivers or natural lakes, they learned to collect water from the fog, especially from legendary tree Garoéwhose location is traveled today through the Water route. Plus: this 16 -kilometer circular path San Andrés connectsthe tallest town on the island, with deposits, aljibes and remains of primitive hydraulic technologies, all witnesses of a history marked by water scarcity and migratory waves, especially towards Venezuela. The Virgin Downfour -year party dedicated to the Virgen de los Reyes (who, according to tradition, ended the Great drought from 1741), keeps that spiritual legacy that mixes need and faith alive. Self -sufficiency. In 2014, the island opened Gorona del Vientothe pioneer central that combines wind and hydraulic energy thanks to its privileged geography. The system pumps desalted water from a coastal deposit to a volcanic boiler at 700 meters of altitude when there is a surplus of wind, and releases that flow in times without wind to generate electricity with hydraulic turbines. In August 2015, he first managed to supply the entire island for four hours. In 2024, he beat a global record: 24 consecutive days operating exclusively with clean energy, which avoided the emission of 13,708 tons of CO₂ and the consumption of more than 4,500 tons of diesel. Yet, Climate change … Read more

It was a secret Volkswagen experiment that should not even exist

by

In the automobile world, where the competition between brands It is relentless, there are always curious stories and impossible experiments, especially when it comes to Development of a new engine. A clear example can be that occasion when someone came up with the Motor of a plane in a BMW. A similar idea had Ferdinand Piëch, grandson of Ferdinand Porsche and CEO of the Volkswagen Group until 2015. Piëch was an obsessive of the engines and wanted to develop a New more powerful and efficient block for your high -end cars. However, the brand had no adequate car in its catalog to test the thrust of its new engine. So Piëch He bought a BMW M5 and set up a Volkswagen W10 inside That would never see the light. The boss’s passion: create the best engines He Bugatti Veyron development He already showed that Ferdinand Piëch was obsessed with developing The best engine in the world. According to He affirmed a video From the Drivetribe channel, that obsession led him to buy a BMW sports berlina to serve as a mule to test his new W10 engine. What makes this case even more unique is that, for decades, the prototype of Ferdinand Piëch was so secret that it was thought that it never existed and it was believed that it was an urban legend that Volkswagen denied by active and passive. However, Recently it came to light Thanks to a Belgian sale, revealing fascinating details about its construction and performance. At the end of the 90s and early 2000s, Ferdinand Piëch got between eyebrow and eyebrow developing engines in narrow “V” to expand a catalog of engines as I had never seen the German brand before. Under the supervision of Piëch, the German manufacturer lived an era of Experimentation and unusual creativity. From the VR6 that roared under the hood of the golf R32, to the W12 and the W16 that gave life to the Audi A8, the Volkswagen Touareg and, of course, the Bugatti Veyron. In his attempt to optimize the performance and efficiency of his engines, Piëch came up with two V5 engines as those that mounted the Golf MK4 and the first batch of the Seat Toledo, to obtain a W10. Since no group of the group met the requirements to house this engine, the Volkswagen CEO decided to cross the limits: it bought a BMW M5 E39, it took away its original V8 engine and made it the platform they needed to test the W10. Volkswagen did not limit the New engine in the BMW opening anyway. He integrated it as if it were a production model in such a neat that seemed to have left directly from the assembly line. In fact, unlike conventional development prototypeson the outside the car did not attract attention and maintained the classic appearance of an M5. His secret was that under the hood he housed an engine that produced between 456 and 507 hp and a maximum torque of 550 nm. His performance was so good that even Ferdinand Piëch used this M5 E39 as a personal car to move daily for a while, although it lacked electronic assistance systems such as ABS or traction control. A myth come true The existence of a BMW M5 E39 with a Volkswagen W10 engine was considered for decades Like a myth. There were rumors that the prototype had been destroyed or that it never really existed. The car, now known as the experimental M5, looks an adhesives on the lighthouse and in its back in which its purpose is clear: try the Volkswagen W10 engine. The interior of the vehicle remains exactly the same as any M5 of the time, with the exception of the control box, since the manufacturer added a personalized one with some additional switches that allowed it to activate or deactivate functions to test your performance and obtain additional information. For everything else, a production car that would not attract attention to see it parked in any 2000 business parking lot, although under its hood it snoring a unique engine that has never seen the light. That makes this prototype a Exclusive piece for collectors That, although the seller does not offer a sales figure, from Drivetribe they ensure that he will approach a lot to Price of a pure Ferrarialthough Volkswagen invested more than two million dollars in developing the engine that moves it. In Xataka | A Bugatti jumped a radar in Belgium at 388 km/h. Your driver can get rid of too fast In Xataka | They are founders and ultra -ups, but they have not always driven luxury supercoches: a review of the cars of the Tech millionaires Image | Flickr (Olli Vininio, Adam Court)

The US has drawn its polygraph. The person who leaked that Elon Musk has the secret plan of a war with China is sought

by

The story began Last Thursday. Apparently, the Pentagon had organized an informative meeting for Elon Musk. So far, all more or less “normal” The government role who has obtained the richest man in the world since Trump was re -elected. The problem was the task of the apparent meeting, According to the New York Times: Put Musk aware of the Military Secret Plan that has in the United States before a possible war war with China. The schism has been such that Pentagon itself seeks at this time to the culprit. Presidential denial. After the Times articlePresident Donald Trump did not take long in reject publicly The possibility that Musk has access to secret military plans related to a potential conflict with China. As we said, according to the newspaper, Musk would have been scheduled to receive a high -level informative session in the Pentagon on US military strategies against Chinawhat aroused concern due to their extensive commercial links With that country. Trump denied the existence of this session and said that, although Musk is significantly helping the government, identifying “waste, fraud and abuse,” It would not be appropriate Sharing high sensitivity information, emphasizing that, in his opinion, Musk himself would not want to put himself in that position. The visit and multiple interpretations. Musk, CEO of Spacex and Tesla, in addition to part -time government advisor, visited the pentagon the day after the exclusive Times, on Friday, March 22, and said A private meeting Of more than an hour with the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, and with the Vice Chief of the Joint General Staff, Admiral Christopher W. Gray. Originally, according to two officials cited by the TimesMusk was going to be received in “The Tank”, a high security conference room within the building, to discuss defense strategies in case of a confrontation with China. It was also mentioned that the meeting would include Admiral Samuel J. Paparo, head of the United States Indo-Pacific Command. However, this last session seems that It was finally canceled After the publication of the article. Musk finally met at the Office of the Secretary of Defense, not in the “Safe Sala”, which could have limited access to classified material. Postures and ambiguity. During an event in the Oval office in which Trump and Hegseth announced a new defense contract for the new Air Force hunting, Both denied The version of Times, describing it as “a false story.” Hegseth insisted that the visit It was informal and revolved around government efficiency issues. Trump claimed to have learned of the alleged classified session Through the newspaper And he declared that he had called his chief of Cabinet and Hegseth to confirm the veracity of the information, who discarded it as absurd. Despite this, Trump took the opportunity to underline that, due to Musk’s businesses in China, It would be reckless Share sensitive military plans, marking one of the clearest limits so far regarding the relationship between the tycoon and the administration. Lack of clarity. I counted in Another later article The Times there are areas Gray at the meeting. Neither Musk nor Hegseth answered questions from the press at the end of it. When questioned by a reporter of the Times about the content of the meeting, Hegseth replied Dry: “Why would I tell you?”, Before retiring without clarifications. A senior defense official, speaking under condition of anonymity, said Musk attended to provide, and not receive, an informative session focused on industrial policy and sharing experiences linked to their companies. Trump, meanwhile, He reaffirmed this version Subsequently, stating that the visit was related to Musk’s efforts to reduce the size of the government and improve the efficiency of public spending. Tension after controversy. Be that as it may, the United States Department of Defense has started formal investigationwhich includes the use of polygraph tests, to identify those responsible for internal leaks after the accusations arising around Musk’s recent visit to Pentagon. The decision was promoted after Musk itself publicly demandedthrough Your social network Xthe prosecution of Pentagon officials that would be disseminating “maliciously false information” about their relationship with the military institution. Criminal implications. Before the magnitude of the scandal, Joe Kasper, Hegseth Cabinet Chief, announced the immediate start of research to identify unauthorized leaks of information on national security. In a memorandum issued on March 21, Kasper indicated that the investigation will collect A complete record of unauthorized disseminations within the Department of Defense and will issue recommendations to improve confidentiality protocols. Who are responsible will be referred to criminal authorities corresponding for prosecution. This investigative offensive, which includes interrogations with lies detector, represents an unprecedented response within the American defense apparatus and reflects the level of concern generated by filtration. Tesla and China. The truth is that the controversy that has emerged is much less trivial, and has to do with the Musk’s delicate balance Between the two powers. Tesla, Musk’s automotive company, has been one of The big beneficiaries of Chinese policies in favor of electric vehicles. His factory in Shanghai is the biggest and company productive, and represents approximately 37% of its global sales. To fully operate in the country, Tesla has received incentivesregulatory approvals and privileged access to the market, including authorizations to display autonomous driving technology. Starlink and China. In parallel, Spacex and its Starlink satellite system, essential for the operations of the Department of Defense, place Musk in a dual position: as a key supplier for the national security of the United States and as an entrepreneur with strong interests in a rival power. Dissonance becomes even more evident for the past comments of Musk himself, who Taiwan has described as “an integral part of China” and has proposed a reintegration model similar to Hong Kong’s, ideas that have been Well received in Beijing But harshly criticized by Taipei and by US officials. Concern in Congress. Had the weekend The Washington Post That both Republican and Democratic legislators have expressed concerns about how the Chinese Communist … Read more

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.