News: "TED 2013: Uchek app tests urine for medical issues"

A new smartphone app will be out from Apple's app store from the end of March for $20 (£13), which includes the cost of the mat and five dipsticks. Urine can be tested via the phone's camera for the presence of 10 elements. These can be used to pinpoint a range of conditions including diabetes, urinary tract infects, cancers, liver problems as well as being used to keep track of general health. Users need to collect their urine and dip a standard test strip into it.

I think this is a great idea, akthough this doesn't affect me because I don't have a smartphone. Nowadays almost everybody has a smartphone and making it a health tool can be useful.You know, each time someone suspects about something weird happening to his body he has to go to the doctor, and in this way, people can get more involved on their own diagnosis and consider going to be checked.

New words:

Mat: "Alfombra"? Segons el context, "aplicació".
Dipsticks: Vareta de medició.
Strip: Tira.

News & photo source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21586082
Traduction source: http://www.wordreference.com/es/ 

I can't sleep even if I want to

And here I am, writing about it. I don't know how this kind of strange "disease" appear, but it keeps happening. It sometimes disappear and re-appears for one, two weeks.
I find difficult to keep awake during school lessons, and that definitely affects my study hours, making me study harder to try to understand things that I couldn't even listen on class because I usually loose my consciousness for few minutes (my eyes close automatically and I can't listen clearly nor concentrate, but I don't want to fall sleep).
It's not a question of nervousness or worries. I can't sleep, it seems too simple. Maybe some day a doctor will find out what happens with me and my weird "internal clock".
According to a psychology website, it can be a kind of stressful reaction provoked by the super-stimulation of one or more senses. I don't think that's what is happening to me, but I learnt a new thing that I consider interesting.

Well, in some ways, this insomnia can be a "blessing in disguise".


Information and photo source: http://psicologia.laguia2000.com/el-estres/el-insomnio-y-el-sueno

Monster Hunter Portable 3rd

 Monster Hunter Portable 3rd is the latest game of the franchise for PSP; it's said to be one of the most sold games of the portable console. It also released a great controversia, because of the changes, that makes the game much more easy than previous games


Pros

-New monster subespecies from previous games, and some new monsters.
-A huge improvement on farm possibilities (although this can be seen as a con, because it makes the material gathering easier and difficulty is one of the most appelative characteristics on the saga).
-Cool stuff are brought from Monster Hunter Tri (Wii), like switch-axes (a weapon that combines propierties of greatswords and hammers) or the "ultimate katana attack" (a super cool attack that takes out a large chunk of the monster's stamina, that can be seen as a con because of the difficulty decreasing).
-Great improvement on monsters AI (artificial intelligence); they often jumps over traps or use the environment resources to attack you (jump from walls, hide on trees,...)


Cons

-It's really easier than its prequel, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite.
-Some of old monsters are completely overpowered by weapons, finishing chases on 10 minutes or less for experienced hunters.


However, it's also said that this game is a "Capcom's experiment", to make the next game, that will be released for 3DS, the greatest Monster Hunter ever seen. It has to be confirmed when it will be out.


Photo source: http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20101007132056/monsterhunter/images/thumb/f/f1/Game_Cover-MHP3_JPN.jpg/250px-Game_Cover-MHP3_JPN.jpg

"I don't wanna miss a thing" - Aerosmith

LYRICS

I could lie awake just to hear you breathing // Podria estar-me despert al llit només per escoltar-te respirar
Watch you smile while you are sleeping // Veure't somriure mentre dorms
Well you're far away dreaming // Bé, estàs ben lluny somiant
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender // Podria estar-me tota la vida en aquesta dolça rendició
And just stay here lost in this moment forever // I només quedar-me aquí, perdut en aquest moment per sempre
Well, every moment spent with you // Bé, cada moment passat amb tu
Is a moment I treasure // És un moment que atesoro

[Chorus]
I don't wanna close my eyes // No vull tancar els meus ulls
I don't wanna fall asleep // No vull quedar adormit
'Cause I'd miss you, babe // Perquè et trobaria a faltar, petita/ó
And I don't wanna miss a thing // I no vull perdre'm res
'Cause even when I dream of you // Perquè fins i tot quan somio amb tu
The sweetest dream will never do // El més dolç dels somnis no servirà
I'd still miss you, babe // Encara et trobaria a faltar, petita/ó
And I don't wanna miss a thing // I no vull perdre'm res

Lying close to you // Estirat a prop de tu
Feeling your heart beating // Sentint el teu cor bategar
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming // I m'estic preguntant què estàs somiant
Wondering if it's me you're seeing // Preguntant--me si m'estàs veient a mi
Then I kiss your eyes and thank God we're together // Llavors et dono un petó als ulls i dono gràcies a Déu per estar junts
And I just wanna stay with you // I només vull estar amb tu
Just stay in this moment forever, forever and ever // Només quedar-me en aquest moment sempre, sempre i per sempre.

[Chorus]

I don't wanna miss one smile // No vull perdre'm ni un sol somriure
I don't wanna miss one kiss // No vull perdre'm ni un sol petó
Well, I just wanna be with you // Bé, només vull estar amb tu
Right here with you, just like this // Aquí amb tu, només d'aquesta manera
I just wanna hold you close // Només vull mantenir-te a prop
Feel your heart so close to mine // Sentir el teu cor tan a prop del meu
And stay here in this moment // I quedar-me en aquest moment
For all the rest of time // Per sempre

[Chorus: x2]

Don't wanna close my eyes // No vull tancar els ulls
Don't wanna fall asleep, yeah // No vull quedar-me adormit, yeah
I don't wanna miss a thing // No vull perdre'm res


OPINION

Oh, what can I say of such a good song? Full of feelings, it's not a metaphorical one nor complicated, but I really like it. This song has an important meaning to me, related to a loved person... It's "our song", technically. It's commonly said that most of couples have "their song"; well, I'm not the best example to deny it, but I know some people that didn't have one and the world didn't end yet. So, it's kinda an stereotypical view... But it's really beautiful to follow this kind of things.

Does Internet empower people to change world? (make a better world)

Even if it's a really good tool to bring people together people with similar likings and desires, that doesn't mean that it's good to do that. If bad purposes are behind the "joining", Internet can turn threatening.

I accept that Internet can be used for almost anything because of its width, but that doesn't lead to empowering people to change the world for good. Internet can be used to expand either good or bad "ideas", and them can make people "move" to change the world even if they're demagogical ones. I believe that if used properly, Internet can become a powerful weapon against those "bad ideas" and the laws that "cause harm" to citizen's rights.

Overall, I consider Internet as the most revolutionary informative worldwide tool, and can be used for good and bad purposes. Honestly, I think this powerful tool is the best for bringing people aiming for a world change together.

Glossary added!

A new page has been added to http://firstbtxblog.blogspot.com.es/  : Glossary. You can go there just by clicking the link under the title.

It's a page used for "collecting" all the new vocabulary I'm learning this year in English. Also I put their source, so everyone could get new ideas for learning English while enjoying it.

Hope you enjoy it -^^- !

Oral presentation: "Our dreams"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHm8Hcxl5Qg

Well, Blogger doesn't accept to put the video normally (perhaps video privacy issues), so I only post the link.


Valoration

Presentation (10%) - 7%
Body language & eye contact (10%) - 8%
Structure (10%) - 10%
Content (40%) - 35%
Language (20%) - 15%
Pronunciation & intonation (10%) - 7%

Self-evaluation --> 8,2 (82%)

Overall, it was a good presentation.