El Ojo del Lago by El Ojo del Lago

Saw you in the Ojo

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

Saw you in the Ojo

Richard Tingen

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alejandro Grattan-Domínguez Tel: (01376) 765 3676, 765 2877 Fax: (01376) 765 3528 Associate Publisher David Tingen Graphic Design Roberto C. Rojas Jazmin Eliosa Special Events Editor Kay Davis Associate Editor Jim Tipton Contributing Editor Paul Jackson Contributing Editor Mark Sconce Drama Critic Michael Warren Art Critic Rob Mohr Staff Photographer Xill Fessenden Sales Manager Tania Medina (045) 33 1140 3570 ojodelago@gmail.com Office Secretary Iliana Oregel ADVERTISING OFFICE Av. Hidalgo # 223, Chapala Mon. thru Fri. 9am - 5pm Sat. 9am - 1pm Tel. 01 (376) 765 2877, 765 3676 Fax 01 (376) 765 3528 Send all correspondence, subscriptions or advertising to: El Ojo del Lago http://www.chapala.com ojodellago@prodigy.net.mx Ave. Hidalgo 223 (or Apartado 279), 45900 Chapala, Jalisco Tels.: (376) 765 3676, Fax 765 3528 PRINTING: El Debate El Ojo del Lago aparece los primeros cinco días de cada mes. (Out over the first five days of each month) Certificado de Licitud de Título 3693 Certificado de Licitud de Contenido 3117.

Index...

FEATURE ARTICLES

COVER STORY

Bill Frayer writes what can only be described as an “epic poem” about his adopted country of Mexico. In doing so, Frayer manifests an understanding of the people and culture of Mexico that few “foreigners” can match.

8 Cover by Dani Newcomb

AURAL HUMOR

Peter Gibbons finds some humor in something that is no laughing matter to many of our readers: the slow loss of hearing.

COLUMNS THIS MONTH 6

Editor’s Page

Faith and Fables

Bridge by Lake

Uncommon Sense

Joyful Musings

Thunder on Right

Wondrous Wildlife

World of Ours

Hearts at Work

Welcome to Mexico

Lakeside Living

Janice Kimball serves as a “translator” for a parrot, Max Bird, who relates a touching story about how many birds of all kinds are often so mistreated in Mexico.

Magnificent Mexico

Animal Shelter Report

Viva Vida Loca

WRITERS CONFERENCE

Focus on Art

Herb Piekow reminds us of the upcoming Lake Chapala Writers Conference, which will run from January 26-28 at the Hotel Real de Chapala. This will be the seventh such annual conference and they seem to get better with each passing year.

Child of Month

Front Row Center

LCS Newsletter

MORE HUMOR

Tom Clarkson’s dangerous tour of duty in Iraq was greatly enlivened by his reading a series of James Thurber quotes, a writer who set the standard for sophisticated humor and prose style for an entire generation of American readers.

POETRY

Mark Sconce’s poem is entitled “Agony and Ecstasy,” which is, notso-surprisingly, about the joys and jilts involved in one of the most sublime (and maddening) of all endeavors: writing.

WILDLIFE

Reserva al Título de Derechos de Autor 04-2007-111412131300-102 Control 14301. Permisos otorgados por la Secretaría de Gobernación (EXP. 1/432 “88”/5651 de 2 de junio de 1993) y SEP (Reserva 171.94 control 14301) del 15 de enero de 1994. Distribución: Hidalgo 223 Chapala, Jalisco, México. All contents are fully protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without the written consent of El Ojo del Lago. Opinions expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect the views of the Publisher or the Editor, nor are we responsible for the claims made by our advertisers. We welcome letters, which should include name, address and telephone number.

COVER STORY

PUBLISHER

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

LAKESIDE LIVING

 DIRE C TOR Y 

42 MAGNIFICENT MEXICO

VOLUME 27 NUMBER 5

Saw you in the Ojo

Editor’s Page Guest Editorial by M.A. Porter

Emulate the Dogs, Please “Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault, really.”~Agnes Sligh Turnbull ull

hree dogs frolic in front of my house – a filthy terrier mix, a half-blind Labrador and a handsome Heinz 57. They chase after cars, sniff the hind-ends of passersby and enjoy the camaraderie of the day. It seems that these canines are more enlightened creatures than are we humans. I mean, they all get along. Ironically, some of the Lakeside people who are charged with improving the lives of homeless dogs are unwilling to behave this way. I’ve seen the signs posted on the bulletin boards and have suffered through the rumors. I want no part of that as it is a waste of energy. And, I do not mean to impugn the leadership of the Animal Shelter in Riberas or the Lakeside Spay and Neuter organization and its adjunct facility, the Dog Ranch. No, the two people whose personal vision has led these efforts are my heroes. Who dare criticize the management precision of Geoffrey Kaye or the sacrificial passion of Gudrun Jones? I don’t know many in the area who would have so troubled themselves for unwanted domesticated critters. Oh, I’ve heard it all – some people don’t like Mr. Kaye because he’s not one to roll over and allow you to scratch his tummy; some believe Mrs. Jones to live in an alternate universe ruled by King Dog and his subject humans. Among their constituents are found dedicated volunteers who deserve our respect and gratitude. There are a few, though, who need someone to roll up a newspaper and whack them in the butt when they poop all over the place. There’s a difference of opinion on how to best care for homeless dogs. (I’ll leave the cats out of it for now because, being cats, they’ve managed to train their local staff.) One side believes that we can better provide services to the whole of them if we, once in awhile, swallow hard and euthanize an unwanted dog – one that has lingered too long in the shelter, or suffers from an incurable ailment. The other side

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

be b eliliev iev e es es a dog dog g to to hold hold ho ld sacred sac acre r d lillife re ife fe inside ins nsiid d de e believes its breast, and that life deserves to survive its allotted days in a semblance of peace, regardless of cost. This same difference of opinion is found up north in cities with competing shelters – generally, public shelters humanely euthanize as dictated by municipal law; shelters that enjoy the support of private citizens hold forth a policy of “no kill”. The latter claims that the costs of care, euthanizing and disposal of an unwanted dog is about the same as keeping it around forever. The former agrees, in part, but points to the responsible management of public resources and an effective fiscal policy to provide services to a broader number of animals. Down here, the municipal budget does not include money for a public shelter and so our private ones are dependent upon donations and profits, which might therefore be considered as ‘public funding’ for animal welfare. But the differences that cause all the snapping and snarling are not wholly financial – they’re ideological. There’s room enough in the region to honor them both– why do we humans always need to be right, rather than productive? Let’s ask the leaders and volunteers to make peace with their respective operational differences, plan together for the feeding and care of homeless dogs while they are alive, work alongside each other to ensure adequate space and comfort in all locations, and to renew a community-wide effort for spay and neuter. Working together is how we can best serve our canine friends. To choose anything else is beastly.

OF FAITH AND FABLES By Bob Haynes bzhaynes@gmail.com bzhaynes@gmail.co m

An Attitude Of Gratitude Coupled With Grace

s my time in treatment for lung cancer comes to a close (for now) I hope that my columns concerning how to deal with adversity have come with one thought in mind, that of being a gift to all those who have so faithfully read my columns. I believe my circumstance of physical adversity has spurred a resource deep within me that somehow is a testimony of the resilience of the human spirit. And, I am so grateful for all those who have come into my life and provided blessing after blessing for me and for those I love. The last year has been one of tremendous change for me and for my family. Because of the onslaught of this disease that affects so many, I have reached this conclusion. I intend to live the rest of my life out of Grace and Gratitude. I am no longer concerned that the cancer may reappear, nor that any other adversity will come my way. What I have learned through this ordeal is that life is truly a gift and the greatest mark any of us can leave is one of gratitude. I once read these words from philosopher Sri Ramakishna Paramahamsa: “The winds of grace blow all the time. All we need to do is set our sails.” I believe those sails must be set with gratitude and with an attitude of grace. Recently I bought a book at Barnes and Noble with the title “Living Life as a Thank You” speaking of the “Transformative Power of Daily Gratitude.” The authors are Nina Lesowitz and Mary Beth Sammons. It’s a collection of stories of grace and gratitude. One of the stories concerned the music and life of one of my very favorite singers – Olivia Newton – John. I was fascinated so I spent some time on the internet researching just what has been going on in her life. Here’s what I learned: In 2006, Olivia Newton-John recorded a CD entitled “Grace and Gratitude” and within that CD was a song of the same name. She recorded it to bring awareness of breast cancer and prostate cancer. In October of this year, she

brought back that CD under the title of “Grace and Gratitude Renewed” and once again, she reached out to those who are or were under the throes of cancer. Her song “Grace and Gratitude” is one that reaches out to God in gratitude for life. Listen to those lyrics: “All I have and all I feel is all because of you. All I reap is all I sow and love is our living proof. Thank you for life, Thank you for everything. I stand here in Grace and Gratitude and I thank you.” “Seasons come and seasons go, no matter what we choose. A thousand names, a thousand roads all lead to one simple truth. Thank you for life, thank you for everything. I stand here in grace and gratitude and I thank you. I thank you.” Another author, Gahl Eden Sasson, offered this comment about the book “Living Life as a Thank You.” He said, “In our day and age, the daily practice of gratitude and acceptance is arguably the most important spiritual routine we should all embrace. Nina Lesowitz and Mary Beth Sammons found an entertaining and wonderful way to make it easy for us to live life as one big thank you!” So the questions for all of us to ponder this week are this: “What “mark” are we leaving?” and are we leaving that mark with an “Attitude of Gratitude?” Shalom!

Saw you in the Ojo

Mother Mexico By Bill Frayer

She is a beautiful dama. Her dark tragic eyes call to us. Her dark smooth hair flows Over her face, down her back, Reminding me of every motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love. Her red lips sing The songs of the Indio, Songs of hope, songs of loss. She lulls me with her stunning beauty, But her allure hides the pain, Hides the tears Hides the bood, All spilled Over the murder Over the pride Over the cruelty, Over her lost sons. For she was young And full of hope And her beauty was plundered And her chastity stolen By craven men Who could never embrace Her native radiance. She was enslaved and used In the name of fealty and faith, But she was left naked To bake in the sun. But she was strong. She survived to love again. Wrapped in her new colors, She danced and she sang Late into the night. Her sons swore their solemn oath To stand with her always. Yet, her sons were proud And they fought to protect her And they bled in her name And they held her up As innocent as Guadalupe, But they slay one another In her name. And more tears and more blood Flowed into the dust, Down from the mountains

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

And into the hearts Of all her children. And now, as the music of the Mariachi Echoes in her ears, And the smell of the pork in chili Saturates the air The bitter taste of love lost And promises unkept Quickens her tongue. And the tears and blood Which blur her vision Drip slowly onto her brown feet, As she walks slowly Through her fragrant garden Under the mango tree Into her small cocina To roll the masa, To burn her fingertips On the hot griddle As she makes the tortillas To sustain her grandchildren, Who watch her with love And with fresh eyes, unclouded By betrayal, By the sins of man. And she serves comida In the cool shadows As she looks over the garden wall At the blood red sun.

Saw you in the Ojo

BRIDGE B RIDGE B BY Y THE THE LAKE LAKE By Ken Masson

hen everyone at the table thinks they have a bid, the auction can get out of control in a hurry. That’s what happened when this deal was played at the Lake Chapala Duplicate Bridge Club in Riberas. West opened the bidding with a standard 1 club and North took advantage of the vulnerability to overcall 1 heart. East made a negative double showing spades and South, who was beginning to wonder just how many points there were in this deck, ventured 2 diamonds. West bid 2 spades to show he held 4 cards in that suit, North supported her partner’s diamonds and, not to be outdone, East (over)bid 3 spades. South couldn’t believe the auction to this point but thought “what the heck” and stunned all the other players by bidding 3 no trump. West led a small spade and North looked rather sheepish as she put down her modest values. Somewhat to his surprise South could actually count 8 likely tricks: I spade, 1 club and, if they behaved, 6 diamonds. But where was the badly needed ninth trick to come from? It seemed to South that he would just have to take his lumps and accept defeat by one trick. Then a funny thing happened on the way to perdition – declarer called for a small spade from the dummy on which East followed with the king! Now declarer could see the possibility of salvation: if the enemy’s spade honors were divided, then a low spade from the South hand towards dummy would turn the Jack into a winner. But due to a lack of entries, and the danger of squeezing the dummy, the play would

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

have to be taken right away. When he led the spade 5, West hopped up with the queen and South was convinced he could hear the Hallelujah Chorus being sung in the distance. West now cashed the ace and king of hearts but that was it for the defense – South could claim his contract. But, dear reader, do you see how EastWest could have triumphed? It all depends on the card East chooses to play at trick one. A review of the bidding would show that West holds 4 spades, therefore South holds 2. One of them is surely the ace as declarer would not have a 3 no trump call without it. The only other consideration was what was the second card in the South hand? If it was the queen or the 10, it didn’t matter which card East played at trick one, declarer would always be entitled to two tricks in the suit. But if South’s second spade was lower than the 10, it was vital for East to put in the 9, restricting South to one trick in the suit and defeating the contract. All bridge players know that third hand usually plays high but there is an addendum that is sometimes forgotten: only as high as necessary. When deciding how high a card to play, third hand must try to visualize the entire layout of the suit. Remember, the general idea is to try to keep Dummy’s high cards trapped whenever possible. Amen. Questions or comments: email: masson.ken@ Ken Masson gmail.com

“Go Stic ck Itt In n Your Ear” By Peter E. Gibbons

hose of us who have e been married, or had a partner for more than a month or two, know that we experience periods of silence; sometimes welcome! As the years pass by, a kind of metamorphosis transpires. The silence is replaced by whispering, or a tad above. The barely audible voice is answered irritably by “Watisityousay”? or “Come again”. It never seems to differ irrespective of the distance between voice and ear. This phenomena is peculiar to couples living together. Away from that domestic environment, everything is normal. Turning one’s ear slightly while engaging in a conversation with an attractive listener half the speaker’s age is a way of showing a devastating profile. A lower tone may be suggested as the conversation is personal and a tete-a-tete could be developing. With family and familiar friends, conversation is almost a repetition of the last get together. We smile, guffaw, show sad expressions with reassuring pats on the backs and shoulders, not needing to actually hear what’s being said. And they are doing the same to you. When a party of similar age margarita drinkers get together, their voices get louder and louder with each drink and nobody notices or pays attention. It would only be when a younger neighbor shouts over the wall “Keep your damned voices down. People are trying to sleep” the revellers might be made aware of an increase in decibel output. And in spite of all the modern technology the audio in movie theaters and television has not improved, in fact it’s become more muffled with high definition and increased volume makes it worse. It may take a decade or two before realizing that you are the only one marching in step and perhaps the one with whom you share your house might have a point after all. All of the poking, digging, flushing and nose pinching until the eyes nearly pop out of their sockets, has not helped

and reluctantly you have to accept the downside of reaching three score years and ten—loss of hearing. There, I’ve said it! Fortunately, we no longer need those trumpet things old phonograph players had to stick in our ears to improve the sound; today we have bits of plastic and wire so small it is almost necessary to use tweezers when handling hearing systems. Even those guys who shave off everything above the neck and possibly lower down can wear them without detection. Did Yul Brynner have a hearing problem? You do not need an anesthetic for an audiologist or what’s known as a “Hearing health professional”, to carry out tests. The only possible thing that hurts is the price, if you need to buy hearing instruments, as they’re known. The consultation is free, professional and extensive including numerous questions, probably of no relevance. Yes, I did fly in noisy airplanes before jets back in the 40s and 50s. Yes, I fired guns close to my ears, it is what guys in the military do. Yes, I loved hearing loud jazz and big band music and today a full symphony orchestra. The test revealed on the audiogram a low frequency of Hertz. It was explained this had nothing to do with how often a car is rented but the degree of what is heard. The evidence was irrefutable and I’d reached the point of no return. With a “Digital Receiver-in-the-Ear (RIE)”, both of them, I walked away hearing sounds so clear that I could almost hear the fish opening and closing their mouths in the pond and I’d paid nothing up front. The company is so convinced the wearer will be equally convinced and buy them. Good marketing. And since I’ve got ‘em “Stuck in my Ears,” I’m off for lunch. My wife just called me, from a restaurant two blocks away!

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UUNCOMMON NCOMMON CCOMMON OMMON SSENSE ENSE By Bill Frayer billfrayer@gmail.com

Do You Strive for Happiness? Bill Frayer

think if you ask a random sample of people what was their goal in life, many would likely say that they want to be happy. Parents often tell their children that they just want them to be happy. In fact, Thomas Jefferson, in the US Declaration of independence, immortalized our inalienable rights as “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” With the stroke of a pen, he was declaring that it was our destiny to seek happiness. The only problem is, how does one go about doing this? Many make the erroneous assumption that if they have more money they will invariably be happy. Studies of lottery winners conclude that winning a large jackpot is as likely to make you less happy as it is to make you more happy. After all, if money made us happy, then rich people would all be happy. I think many people believe that achieving some particular thing will make them happy. It could be getting a particular job, moving into a nicer home, or even having a new car. These are all corollaries of the money myth. When people shop because they are depressed, the possession of some new item is unlikely to do much good. Many expats who retire in Mexico will explain that they are happier living here. But are they really happier than they were before? I doubt retirement or warm weather make an unhappy person happy. Abraham Lincoln is purported to have said, “A man is about as happy as

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

he makes up his mind to be.” This may be as good evaluation of the secret to happiness as any. It presumes that happiness is an internal attribute. Many of us have noted how happy the Mexicans seem to be, even though they are often poor and must work very hard just to survive. Why? Perhaps they are happy because they have big families. Perhaps it is something about the culture. Both of those may contribute to their happiness, but I think it’s a satisfaction that comes from within. Daniel Kahneman has suggested that the happiness of traveling may come more from remembering the experience of traveling than from the actual traveling itself. Do you agree? His point is that happiness is a complex and elusive human goal. What we think may make us happy may not. Adam Phillips, writing on “The Happiness Myth” in The Guardian contends that setting out to seek happiness is futile. In fact, true happiness actually comes as a by-product of doing something else, like raising children, doing good work, or developing good friends. People who consciously work to achieve happiness, he suggests, are probably unhappy to begin with and likely are not successful in making happiness a goal. He even points out that some people actually enjoy being unhappy. I have known some of these people. George Valliant, a researcher at the Harvard Center for Adult Development has, for over 4o years, been keeping records of people’s lives to try to determine what makes them happy. His conclusions, developed in his book Aging Well, suggest that having people to love and being generous with your time and money are the key factors in achieving happiness, surprisingly more important than money, career success, and, even good health. So, I suppose we should stop trying so hard to find happiness. Instead, we should stay busy living, loving, and sharing our time, money, and energy with those about whom we care. If we do that, happiness will come. Poetry is a mirror which makes beautiful that which is distorted. Percy Bysshe Shelley

Joyful Musings By Joy Birnbach Dunstan, MA, LPC, MAC The Donkey and the Farmer

s you are reading my column this month, I am away on a long-awaited adventure on the other side of the world. For more than three years now, I have been putting aside money for my trip of a lifetime: I’ll be visiting Thailand, Vietnam, and a bit of Cambodia. I don’t have any idea what sort of exotic surprises await me, but I’m looking forward to an amazing journey. While I’m away on my travels, I’ve left for you a charming tale of simple wisdom to help you begin this new year. Enjoy! One day, a farmer’s donkey fell into an abandoned well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was too old to be useful to him anymore and the well needed to be covered up anyway, so it just wasn’t worth it to him to try to retrieve the donkey. He invited all of his neighbors to come over and help him. They each grabbed a shovel and began to toss dirt into the well. Realizing what was happening, the donkey at first cried and wailed horribly. Then, a few shovelfuls later, he quieted down completely. The farmer, wondering why the donkey was suddenly quiet, peered down into the well. He was astounded by what he saw. With every shovelful of dirt that hit his back, the donkey would shake it off and take a step up on the new layer of dirt. As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take another

step up. Pretty soon, the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off, to the shock and astonishment of everyone. The moral of this story: Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to stop wailing and not let the dirt bury you, but to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a potential steppingstone, an opportunity to step up. We can get out of the deepest wells simply by not stopping, never giving up! Shake off your troubles, and take a step up. And remember these five basic rules to be happy: 1. Free your heart from hatred. 2. Free your mind from worries. 3. Live simply. 4. Give more. 5. Expect less. And by the way, after that donkey calmed down, he kicked the $*!@ out of the farmer who tried to bury him alive, which brings us to the second moral of this story: When you try to cover your ass, it will usually come back to get you in the end. Have a wonderful new year, and take a step up whenever you can! See you in February. And don’t forget to pick up your copy of my book, Joyful Musings: Growing Up, Self-Discovery, and Reflections on Life North & South of the Border. Available at Diane Pearl’s, Mia’s, and Amazon.com. Editor’s Note: Joy is a practicing psychotherapist in Riberas. She can be contacted at joy@dunstan.org or 765-4988.

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Wordwise With Pithy Wit By Tom Clarkson

his morning, my pal F.T. – who shared the Iraq experience with me during my third trek there – forwarded some James Thurber quotes. They gave me pause to relish the deep and sometimes droll mentality of this great man who “set the standard for sophisticated humor and prose style for a generation of American readers.” Hence, herein, I write with little personal originality. Rather, I invite you to revisit (and in some case read for the first time) the rich and thought provoking turn of phrases by one of the greatest to invoke the English language. The quintessential master of such, Thurber observed, “With sixty staring

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

me in the face, I have developed inflammation of the sentence structure and definite hardening of the paragraphs.” Born exactly fifty years and one day before me, he was the ultimate wordsmith. Sometimes his pen – and everproductive mind – produced ponderings of profound pensivity such as “All men should strive to learn before they die, what they are running from, and to, and why.” At other times, equally on target, he opined – which well applies to many presently in public office: “You can fool too many of the people too much of the time.” Similarly, were he alive today, might he have been speaking about our culture’s penchant for political cor-

rectness when he stated, “You might as well fall flat on your face as lean over too far backward.” Succinctly, he spoke of reality, often tinged with humor. “It had only one fault. It was kind of lousy.” Similarly, with a delightful twist, was his review of a new wine, “It’s a naïve, domestic, little Burgundy without any breeding, but I think you’ll be amused by its presumption.” On a broader, philosophical plane he said, “There is no exception to the rule that every rule has an exception.” And is not this tragically accurate and profoundly all too correct? “The difference between our decadence and the Russians’ is that while theirs is brutal, ours is apathetic.” Or, “The laughter of man is more terrible than his tears, and takes more forms hollow, heartless, mirthless, maniacal.” At the age I am this day (but only for a few hours more) he observed, “I’m 65 and I guess that puts me in with the geriatrics. But if there were fifteen months in every year, I’d only be 48. That’s the trouble with us. We number everything. Take women, for example. I think they deserve to have more than twelve years between the ages of 28 and 40.” A bit darkly, he stated, “One has but to observe a community of beavers at work in a stream to understand the loss in his sagacity, balance, co-operation, competence, and purpose which Man has suffered since he rose up on his hind legs. He began to chatter and he developed Reason, Thought, and Imagination, qualities which would get the smartest group of rabbits or orioles in the world into inextricable trouble overnight.” A lover of all creatures canine, he asserted, “If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs I have known will go to heaven, and very, very few persons.” Two of my shorter favorites are “Humor is emotional chaos remembered in tranquility” and “It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.”

And at the sake off showing my own banality, there seems something somewhat profound in his statement that, “One martini is all right. Two are too many, and three are not enough!” Or how about the more substantive, “Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness.” That’s simple, direct and absolutely astute. In turn, does this not give one cause for contemplation: “There are two kinds of light - the glow that illuminates, and the glare that obscures.” Then, again, there is his profound and oft repeated, classic comment that “Nowadays men lead lives of noisy desperation.” Our mother tongue – and its effective employment – can be the source of simple delight or used as a well honed and effective instrument to educate both he did well. Hence, for those already familiar with this superlative communicator, consider the preceding as but a refresher. For those previously non-initiated, I encourage tattooing into your daily consciousness that, “Man has gone long enough, or even too long, without being man enough to face the simple truth that the trouble with man is man.” Accordingly, please now consider yourselves “Thurberized!”

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By Paul Jackson paulconradjackson@gmail.com paulconradjackson@gmail.co m

Paul Jackson

neat and nifty line I’ve used in speeches to various groups at Lake Chapala is that “Canada’s health care system is three-star not five-star, but since I can’t afford to stay in five-star hotels either, I’ll settle for a three-star government-funded health care system.” Meanwhile, former Democratic presidential contender Howard Dean has said Canada’s government-sponsored health care system delivers medical care more “efficiency and more effectively” than systems in the USA. Dean, a doctor, also said, “If you are going to get sick anywhere in North America, then get sick in Canada. Folks, Dean’s diagnosis is likely 80% right, and probably just 20% wrong. Where Dean is mainly wrong is Canadian doctors are drastically underpaid and furiously overworked. Yet I do believe that despite all the scare stories in the USA about Canadian health care in the Land of the Maple Leaf we are better off than under the varied USA systems. In 46 years in Canada I have used the health care system only three times, the latest being this past summer, and in that experience, in which my right hand was basically torn apart and then rebuilt, I received nothing but the finest

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

expert care, concern and kindness. Never had to worry about getting a bill. But let’s backtrack a bit. My first experience, back in 1982, was to get a vasectomy. Ladies, it was not “snip, snip and 10 minutes” but like a one-hour painful visit to the dentist. Since I have impregnated no one since, obviously the operation was a success. Again, no bills came in the mail. Now, since mental instability is incurable, it was pointless for me to seek medical help on that score, so I never saw a doctor again until 1998 when I had a stroke. Fool that I was, on New Year’s Day of 1998 I boasted that while in an extremely stress-filled job, always working under pressure morning, afternoon and night, I had not taken a single day off during the previous three years. Not a day of vacation, not a weekend, not a statutory public holiday, not even Christmas Day. Then the stroke and I was off the job for six months on sick leave and taking physio-therapy. Cried my eyes out at my stupidity. Yet, except for not being able to stand intense stress after seemingly being immune from it, I recovered completely. Again, no bills - everything pre-paid through the arduous and ever- vigilant the tax system. Then, three years ago the fingers on my right hand started to

curl over in an age-related affliction, but men being fools when it comes to seeing a doctor, I did nothing about it until the last harsh Canadian winter I could not even put on a glove. Come spring, a doctor proclaimed: â&#x20AC;&#x153;You need surgery, and I am going to get you an appointment immediately. A month later, I had the consultation, and a month after that the surgery. They put me under for several hours and went to work intricately cutting out the embedded gristle that had wrapped itself around my fingers and in my palm, and finishing with

56 stitches. Then it was physio-therapy three-times a week for three months. Again, not a single bill. To top it off, the only piece of paperwork I had to do was to put my signature on one sheet of paper (A) Consenting to the operation, and (B) Accepting that no surgery can be 100% guaranteed. Yes, just three words - Paul Conrad Jackson - and no more paperwork ever. So, in all fairness, Dean is mostly right about Canadian Medicare, again with the main exception being our doctors themselves are callously mistreated under it.

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Wondrous Wildlife By Vern and Lori Gieger

wildlifemexico@wildtravellers.org 765-4916

Modern Atrocities

n our daily struggle to survive, we forget that every living creature also is facing the same struggles. We as humans forget that our own survival depends upon how we view and care for our world and all its living creatures. Every day animals are tortured and killed for profit and entertainment. Are we are losing our humanity? A profitable industry in Africa is what many refer to as canned hunts, wildlife is confined to an area, and those willing to pay simply go in and kill for a thrill. Taking home a trophy, to prove what? That they can kill an innocent animal that can neither escape nor defend its self. Canada allows the slaughter of baby seals, Canadian seal killers armed with clubs like a caveman go to the nursery floes of the harp and hood seal, the largest mass slaughter of marine mammals on this planet. To add insult to injury each pelt sells for a whopping $30 Canadian dollars. The mother seals watch helplessly, the seal pups are just a few weeks old, and some haven’t even been in the water. Apparently that soft baby fur is what rich ladies and vain men desire. When people speak out there is hope; baby seals are now safe from being victims of mass execution in Russia, as that country announced it has banned the practice.

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

Ever heard of lippicat or geowolf fur? It is real fur, commonly used in the fashion industry, but neither of these species exists. China exports tons every year, shipped in bales to almost every country. Thousands of domestic dogs and cats are killed every day, via various inhumane methods; some are literally skinned alive, all in the name of fashion. Steel jaw traps, another example of cruelty; the traps inflict excruciating pain on the target animals, as well as many non-target animals. They don’t kill; they snap shut on the leg or other body part. Many die slowly of dehydration, starvation or infection. They remind me of something left over from the Spanish Inquisition, an archaic instrument of torture. More than 80 countries have banned their use, and several states in the U.S. have either banned or restricted them. Shame on you Sarah Palin for portraying your state as one in which wildlife is merely a commodity! There is no sportsmanship in indiscriminate aerial wolf hunting, no wolf can run as fast as a plane can fly, male, female, and pups; many suffer a slow painful death. Many are wounded, left to freeze to death, starve to death, slowly bleed to death, or die of infection. Like the canned hunts the animals don’t stand a chance; no not even a speck of sportsmanship there. While promoting her new TV series “Wild Alaska” Palin remarked, “Here in Alaska we harvest our wild life.” Growing up in a rural area, I heard of harvesting a crop such as corn, but never in reference to hunting or even the slaughtering of farm animals which were raised for food. Be a voice for those who have none. Contact your elected officials and urge them to protect our diminishing wildlife. “Animals have done us no harm and they have no power of resistance.… There is something so very dreadful in tormenting those who have never harmed us, who cannot defend themselves, who are utterly in our power.”—Cardinal John Henry

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AGONY and ECSTASY By Mark Sconce

Writers, O you chosen ones! And Poetasters on the run, As I describe your agony And then perhaps your ecstasy. Come closer now, sit next to me. You agonize, as is your wont. You wonder why your face is gaunt. You question why your soul lies bare And contemplate your deep despair. But wait! Before becoming too distraught, Just look what agony hath wrought: Confessions by Jean Jacques Rousseau, And Walden’s Pond by Hank Thoreau, And then The Isle of Innisfree, That Butler Yeats’ soliloquy. Each one caused a furrowed brow, The same as yours is doing now. So never quit, no never, never, But double down on your endeavor.

Alone in your Cialis tub, “Perchance to dream, aye, there’s the rub.” But take the pill the morning after, Lest all your dreams give birth to laughter. “You write with joy and inspiration; You suffer an ecstatic fit; You sleep, exhausted from creation, And in the morning find: it’s shit.” But suddenly you’re in the mood And to Cialis tub you go. The one beside you holds the Muse, And soon creative juices flow. And what about the ecstasy That many writers seek and find? The out-of-body consciousness That overwhelms the mind.

Agonies like flowers bloom, Enough to usher in our gloom.

The tears of joy, creation’s rain That waters soul and soil alike. The heart, the head, the restless brain All ravished by the soul’s delight.

Computers lead the way I guess, We oft become their slave, And to them every thought confess And then forget to SAVE!

And what about the Writer’s Group, Some twenty years in Ajijic? You’d have to be a nincompoop To miss a good critique. And here’s the best one I suppose, The one that makes it all worthwhile, The one that wakes you from your doze, And takes you down the aisle. That cherished day, a letter comes Addressed it seems to you… “We’re happy to inform you, sir, We have a rendezvous!” “Our spirits soar in exaltation, And once again there reappears The awe of God…and inspiration… The sense of life…and love…and tears.”

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

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THIS WORLD of OURS By Bob Harwood bharwoodb@hotmail.com

Transitions In Global Leadership

he G20 was created to bring together finance ministers and central bank governors to oversee the international financial system. G20 heads of state have also met periodically for broader discussions and they have now superseded the more exclusive G8 Club. The UN continues to make enormous contributions to our world but its very size and structure make it unwieldy for matters requiring more urgent attention. America’s global influence has fallen as that of others rise. This was patently obvious as the Seoul G20 summit in November addressed the sluggish and uneven recovery of nations from the global recession. Obama’s position was weakened by his trouncing in the US mid term elections, fears of a dysfunctional Congress and by his program to stimulate the sluggish American economy by buying up 600 billion dollars of US government bonds. This while accusing China’s of manipulating its exchange rate to gain competitive advantage. Predictably, the summit ended in stalemate with the vaguest of undertakings to coordinate stimulus efforts to ensure currency wars don’t worsen already fragile economies. Obama was better received on his visit to India when he gave unqualified American support for India’s bid to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council. In the 1940s I was privileged to participate in inter university student discussions as the UN was being formed. At that time with Cold War distrust already looming we grudgingly accepted the veto power as a pragmatic necessity. A single member,- the USA, Russia, UK, France, or China could block the wishes of the rest of the world on any issue before the Council. Democratic India’s case for membership is compelling with its burgeoning economy and a population second only to Chi-

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na’s and twice that of the other four permanent members combined! The challenge will be to get China and the three veto wielding powers of Europe to accept this dilution of their own power. The BRIC nations-- Brazil, Russia, India and China, have clearly become major global powers. If the Veto Club is enlarged by the addition of India, Brazil should follow. Fifth in world population, it represents another continent and its innovative, well-regulated economy has flourished during the recession. Ground breaking research and applications have almost quadrupled the value of agricultural production, and not at the expense of rain forests. It has became a key exporter in this area and of many raw materials. Equally impressive is its expanding role in the aviation sector. And it is about to become one of the world’s most promising sources of new oil with vast new offshore fields. Brazil’s first woman president has vowed to continue the social / economic balance struck by President Luis da Silva whereby entrepreneurship is promoted vigorously while other programs ensure that education and access to medical care are available to the poorest. And, beyond the BRIC nations, what of Japan who meets all the criteria but for being on the wrong side of a war that ended 65 years ago? From my lifetime view reforming the Security Council and total elimination of the Veto are but steps along the way to my ultimate vision of a world replicating what the European Union continues to refine for a continent and nationalism is subordinated that “war drums throb no longer and the battle flags are furled in the Parliament of Man, the Federation of the World. (Tennyson’s Locksley Hall) Bob Harwood

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THE OTHER 9/11 By Kenneth G. Crosby

o Americans, 9/11 means September 11, 2001, the day on which terrorists crashed two hijacked airliners into the World Trade Center and one into the Pentagon, with the fourth, aiming for the White House, crashing to the ground in Pennsylvania due to heroic intervention by its passengers and crew. The hideous event was organized by Al-Qaeda, the terrorist organization led by Osama bin Laden, and it has subsequently been memorialized in the U.S. each September 11. But to Chileans and many other Latin Americans, 9/11 also means September 11, 1973, the day on which Salvador Allende, the freely and democratically elected President of Chile was overthrown in a coup orchestrated by the U.S. CIA at the direction of U.S. President Richard Nixon and his Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger. Whether Allende committed suicide or was murdered during the coup remains unclear. Al-Qaeda began with the Afghan mujahideen, Islamic guerrillas armed and supported by the U.S. as its proxies to fight against the Soviet army that invaded Afghanistan in 1979 to support its Marxist government. After the defeated Russians withdrew in 1989, the mujahideen morphed into the Islamic fundamentalist Taliban, which seized control of the Afghan government and imposed harsh sharia law, and Al-Qaeda declared worldwide jihad against the U.S. and other Western govern-

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mentts that ments me th h t itt cl claimed laiime med d were weeree waging wagin i g war on Islam. Al-Qaeda demanded that the U.S. remove its troops stationed in Saudi Arabia to protect its access to oil and end its support of Israel, which had seized Muslim land and subjugated its inhabitants, which the U.S. refused to do. The 9/11 hijackers believed that they were retaliating for U.S. policies then widely viewed as anti-Muslim in the Muslim world. and perhaps even more so today. The U.S. intervention in Chile began with the fear of Nixon and Kissinger that the announced intentions of Allende, an avowed Marxist, to nationalize industries and establish closer relations with Cuba would harm U.S. interests, especially the interests of large U.S. corporations operating in Chile, including the Anaconda and Kennecott copper mining companies, and the International Telephone and Telegraph Company, which owned 70% of Chile’s telephone service. They therefore directed the CIA Director, Richard Helms, to instigate a military coup to prevent Allende from being inaugurated. Despite the assassination of the commander of Chile’s army, because he opposed the army’s intervening in the country’s political affairs, or perhaps because of the nation’s reaction to that act, the effort was unsuccessful, and the CIA then turned its efforts to destabilizing Allende’s government, including by funding general strikes. Finally, the army was persuaded to perform the coup, and General Augusto Pinochet, who, ironically, had been appointed commander of the army by Allende, was declared President and began a notoriously brutal dictatorship that lasted 17 years. Many of Pinochet’s officers, known to be involved in extreme human rights abuses, were placed on the CIA’s payroll. Almost 3,000 persons were killed in the 2001 event.. As many as 3,200 Chileans are estimated to have been killed or disappeared during the Pinochet regime, some 80,000 interned, and up

to 30,000, including children, tortured, because of their alleged leftist sympathies. Wealthy Chileans, restored to their positions of power, prospered, and Pinochet amassed at least 28 million U.S. dollars during his rule, some of it deposited in the Riggs National Bank of Washington, DC, under a false name. The 2001 event was clearly a terrorist attack. Was the U.S. action in 1973 also an act of terrorism? Henry Kissinger stated that “the issues [regarding Chile] are too important for the Chilean voters to be left to decide for themselves,” and that “we don’t need

to stand by and watch a country go Communist due to the irresponsibility of its people.” In 2003 Colin Powell, then U.S. Secretary of State, said that the Chilean coup “is not a part of American history that we’re proud of.” Nevertheless, since 1973 the U.S. has intervened overtly, most often to aid U.S. corporate interests, in six other Latin American countries--Argentina, 1976; El Salvador, 1980-92; Nicaragua, 198190; Grenada, 1983; Panama, 1988; and Guatemala, 1993--and its covert operations in at least four others--Bolivia, Colombia, Honduras, and Venezuela-continue.

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AC Classic la ssic cC Case ase O Off T Twisted w i st e d Priorities Priorities

ne day an Irishman, who ho had been stranded on a deserted island for over er er 10 years, saw a speck on the horirii-zon. He thought to himself, “It’s certainly lyy not a ship.” As the speck got closer and closer, err, e he began to rule out even the possibililiities of a small boat or a raft. Suddenly there strode from the surf a figure clad in a black wet suit. Putting aside the scuba tanks and mask, and zipping down the top of the wet suit, there stood a drop-dead gorgeous blonde! She walked up to the stunned Irishman and said to him, “Tell me, how long has it been since you’ve had a good cigar?” “Ten years!” replied the amazed Irishman.

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With W Wi ith h that, tha hat, sshe hat, he h e rreached each hed ed o over ver an ve and d un un-zipped a waterproof pocket on the left sleeve of her wet suit and pulled out a fresh package of cigars and a lighter. He took a cigar, slowly lit it, and took a long drag. “Faith and begorrah!” said the castaway. “Ah, that is so good! I’d forgotten how great a smoke can be!” “And how long has it been since you’ve had a drop of good Bushmill’s Irish Whiskey?” asked the blonde. Trembling, the castaway replied, “Ten years!” Hearing that, the blonde reached over to her right sleeve, unzipped a pocket there and removed a flask and handed it to him. He opened the flask and took a long drink. “’Tis nectar of the gods!” shouted the Irishman. “’Tis truly fantastic!” At this point, the gorgeous blonde started to slowly unzip the long front of her wet suit, right down the middle. She looked at the trembling man and asked, “And how long has it been since you’ve played around?” With tears in his eyes, the Irishman fell to his knees and sobbed, “Sweet Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Don’t tell me that you’ve got golf clubs in there, too!”

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COLLOQUIUM By Roberto Moulun, M.D.

A Strange Event in Saipan

t was sweltering hot that Thursday, noon, in Saipan, when Rose Marie bent her head over her folded arms. We thought she had fainted, but she had died. But let me first explain. We, the Hawaii Chapter of the American Red Cross, had been invited by Governor Tenorio to assist the disaster victims of two consecutive typhoons. Rose Marie, one of our most experienced Social Workers, was interviewing a Chamorro woman whose home was destroyed by storms. The woman was promptly whisked away and told that her Social Worker had fainted from the heat. She was given a new appointment for the next Monday. On Friday morning, we, the mournful members of our group, held a simple ceremony by the ocean to say farewell to our beloved colleague. Each of us said a few words and threw into the water flower leis as we sang “Aloha . . .A close embrace until we meet again.” We returned to work. But I was restless, ill at ease. So I spoke with the members of my team. Our chauffeur was a gigantic Samoan man, a former police chief on his island. Two Social workers, one an experienced German lady, the other a younger Jewish woman, a seasoned nurse and a veteran of many disasters. They agreed with me we should go and visit the woman who had been interviewed by Rose Marie.

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Now, all the streets in Saipan have a name but the names are not posted, so even though we had the address of the Chamorro woman, we promptly got lost. One winding street followed another equally twisted, one baffling corner followed the next. Finally, in an alley we saw a man working on a green truck, who offered to guide us. We followed him through a maze of streets. At last, we reached one where a woman frantically waved at us. She was the one we sought. “I was waiting for you,” she said. “My worker told me you would come, following a green truck and you would help me.” “Your worker?” I asked surprised. “Yes, Rosa Maria, the one who fainted. She came yesterday evening, but could not stay long. She told me to wait for you today.” Baffled I went back to the car and asked the nurse to follow me. The woman repeated what she had said to me. We both returned to the car, and said nothing to the rest. Not then. This is the event I have described in synopsis. Perhaps it should be the end of the story. But not for me. It has left me in a quandary. Is there then life beyond bodily death? It is lonesome out there in the reef that faces an uncharted ocean, an ocean from which no traveler returns. Many a responsible investigator has attempted in vain to map it. Some fancier ones from their rocking chairs described lands with rivers flowing with milk and honey, where mermaids sing from hidden rocks, or where horrendous dragons spit fire and damnation. I take refuge in the words of Louis Pasteur: “In each one of us, there are two men--the man of science, who after making tabula raza, attempt through research, intelligence, and effort, to reach the knowledge of truth. And the man of heart and intuition, who still cries over the departure of those he loved, and hopes and believes he will see them again. Both domains are separate. Woe to the one who confuses them.”

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Hearts at Work A Column by James Tipton “Prosperity…some lists for the he he New Year”

n preparation for this New Year I have been reading a recent book by Roy Eugene Davis: The Spiritual Basis of Real Prosperity. Roy Eugene Davis is a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda (author of Autobiography of a Yogi). He is also the director of Center for Spiritual Awareness with world headquarters in Lakemont, Georgia and the author of over a dozen other books with titles like The Path of Light, Paramahansa Yogananda As I Knew Him, Self-Revealed Knowledge, and Seven Lessons in Conscious Living. Davis writes that “We are truly prosperous when we: Are spiritually aware. Are mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy. Have harmonious, mutually satis-

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fying ng relationships rela re lati tion ion nssh hips hip ip ps wi with ith p people eopl eo opl p e wi w with ith th whom hom we associate. associate e Can appropriately relate to the world and its ongoing events and circumstances with confidence. Can efficiently perform our duties and consistently accomplish our meaningful purposes. Have our life-enhancing desires easily fulfilled. Always have resources available that provide for our well-being and enable us to live effectively.” Like other genuine spiritual teach-

ers, Davis reminds us that “Habitual states of consciousness primarily determine personal circumstances, prevailing over even heroic endeavors to think constructively or to act effectively.” The good news is that “With even a modest degree of spiritual awareness and knowledge of the principles of cause and effect, we can soon learn how to determine our circumstances by our wise choices and constructive actions.” William Wordsworth writes that in the process of “Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers.” The New Year is a time for lists, and Davis provides us with several, including this one…ways we weaken and waste our vital forces: Superficial, useless talking. Unhealthy dietary habits. Irregular lifestyle routines. Addictive behaviors. Restlessness. Purposeless actions. Excessive stimulation of the senses. Insufficient sleep. Obsessive or habitual daydreaming or fantasy. Worry. Neglect of stress management routines.” Regarding prosperity, the problem is not that money or other resources are deficient. The real problem is that we are deficient. Our ultimate goal is spiritual growth, but, Davis writes, “Spiritual growth without a prosperity consciousness is not possible.” Here is a list of questions from The Spiritual Basis of Real Prosperity that you might want to cut out and carry with you, studying them several times a day: Are your activities well-ordered? Do you have priorities: duties, routines, or actions that you perform first because they are essential to your well-being and to living effectively and accomplishing your purposes? Do you think that you do not have enough time to do what you want to do or to accomplish what needs to be

done? Do you perform nonproductive actions merely to appear to be busy, to avoid boredom, or to avoid having to think about more important matters? Have you eliminated nonproductive actions? Have you renounced personal relationships and social activities that are meaningless or which distract your attention? Do you pray and meditate on a regular schedule? Do you plan your work and other important activities so that you can efficiently accomplish your purposes, or are you drifting without a sense of meaningful purposes? Do you allow behaviors, personal relationships, and circumstances to be determined by your moods and whims while naively thinking that the Spirit of God or your inner guidance is directing your path in life? We have a fresh new year ahead of us, a new opportunity to live more wisely, more deeply, more joyfully, and yes, with more prosperity. HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of you. May your year be filled with blessings upon blessings. [For more information about Roy Eugene Davis and his books and magazines, go to www.csa-davis.org]

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By Victoria Schmidt

Making a Difference

hile sitting at the Legion one morning enjoying breakfast with my husband, I gazed outside and saw the patio filling with Mexicans. This was quite unusual. I watched perhaps 30 individuals come into the Legion and talk to an ex-pat and then watched while he addressed the group and then passed out papers. I asked of no one in particular “What is that all about?” I was told that it is a job program. Well, this piqued my curiosity. A job program? I was impressed with what I discovered. Rony Clygnet, a Belgium ex-pat saw a need. He saw many Mexicans willing and able to work, but unable to find jobs. Meanwhile, being a part of the ex-pat community, he heard of all these ex-pats looking for Mexicans to work for them, but unable to find workers. I have frequently found myself in this position. Where do I find a good handyman? A gardener? A maid? A cook? Someone to care for a sick friend? I didn’t know where to look, or who to ask. Rony saw the need and decided he would start a job referral program. First he approached the American Legion, Post #7 in Chapala, and asked if they would donate space for him to meet with people who are looking for work. He then placed ads in local papers and told people who are looking for work to meet with him every Monday from 9:00-11:00 a.m. He tells the potential workers that he is building a database. He collects information on these

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people. The information includes their names, ages, contact information, address, references and the types of work for which they are qualified. Applicants must also provide copies of their credentials and indicate if they speak English and if so, how much. Then Rony tries to match these workers with requests he has received either in person or over the Internet. Of course, right now, the demand far exceeds the supply of jobs, but Rony is hopeful that will change as people begin to learn of his program. He has already found jobs for many people. The Legion took advantage of his program and found a part-time kitchen helper. A local real estate company has found a new employee through this program and they are completely satisfied. A woman needed to find a qualified caretaker for her housemate who was dying of cancer; she found an excellent worker and couldn’t have been more pleased. When someone needs a worker they contact Rony who asks what kind of worker they are seeking. Then Rony provides a list of people, their contact information and referrals. It is up to the future employer to call and verify the references and interview the workers. It is also Rony’s hope that people who use his service will also let him know if the work meets expectations. That way he can build information on the most popular, most reputable workers as well. This program is completely free. Workers do not pay anything to be listed, and employers do not pay for the information. This is simply a service that is being offered because one man saw a need and knew he could build a bridge between the two communities. Anyone interested in additional information can contact Rony Clygnet at either: ELBELGICANO@YAHOO.COM or http:://vivachapala. blogspot.com. This is one of the things I love most about Mexico. Sometimes a single person can make a difference. Victoria Schmidt

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MY STORY By MAX BIRD Translated by Janice ce Kimball K b

y siblingss a and nd d I were kept kep pt comfortable a bl ble ble and well fed in the dark da ark k chicken coop awaiting ting in ng our fate. In there with h u uss were a Toucan, a group up of of twittering Canaries, some som ome e haughty hook bills splashed with brilliant markings, and oddly enough, an Iguana. Occasionally the door would crack open startling us as the darkness flooded with light. Then a strange oneeared man was ushered in. He circled each of our cages, eyes beading in assessment, hands folded behind his back, grunting. Sticking up his nose he paused at our cage. My heart beat wildly with fear. I remember how I strained to hear as our keeper and the wholesaler

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talked ta alkked d aabout bou us outside the bo door. d door do oor or.r. Th The e effort was futile as could hear, but knew the I co cou uld no ul uld nott h outcome outc ou tcom tc ome om e would wou wo ul not be a good. ul A van pulled van va n pu p lllled ed d up to the door of our chicken coop. It was like a rich manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s van, the color of pewter, and smelled of newness, or was it bleach? A strange man with an aura of detachment came in to the coop. You could almost hear our silence as his footsteps deftly padded across the soft dirt floor. He rearranged us as we fluttered wildly in a last ditch effort to escape, transferring us into slick aluminum cages equipped with automatic feeders. We sped along part of the day and through the night in physical comfort

and resigned acceptance of our fate. It was only when he stopped to pay a toll, that I screamed, “Help, please help!” In a valiant attempt to get us all out of there, visioning being cooked and eaten at the end of our ride. I put everything into those screams, but nobody heard. Looking back, we never were eaten, so maybe I over reacted. Guadalajara was asleep when we arrived, all but the bustling around the old San Juan Market. Caught in a huge traffic jam, in an almost impossible entanglement we wiggled on through. Our driver announced he had a perishable load, referring to us kept creatures that chirped as others moved their vehicles aside. I overheard we were to be taken to a process station filled with other contraband birds snatched from the wild. The luckiest of us would be put into an airplane and flown to the United States, sold to grace a rich home. The others would be marketed to pet stores here in Mexico. Both of these options looked pretty good, when just the night before I thought we could be eaten. My siblings and I, however, were stopped at the entrance of the banding station, putting a halt to our aspirations. “What are those common birds doing here?” the man from the ware-

house demanded as we were being unloaded. We huddled together as we heard our driver reply, “ but I got ya’ the Iguana you been wantin’ and a real good cash crop of assorted birds here, and just look at that Toucan, the biggest I ever did see!” “Well, they’re not worth anything, just get them out of here,” the man said as he pointed at us. There we were, me and my siblings, evicted from our cage, just three hunks of garbage, and a few ounces of underdeveloped feathers, worth nothing but to be stepped on, unceremoniously dumped into the street. A beggar with a soot filled beard and bare feet was standing, as if waiting for us, as we were dumped beside the curb. He took off his crunched up, sweet scented sombrero, and nested us inside. As we traveled up the road with us cradled in his arms he began humming. Our red crested heads optimistically bobbed along in unison, almost as if we were on a tour. The color of the sky changed from a dark violet to a glorious orange hue as the sun rose over the horizon. To our surprise the beggar began singing us a carol, “Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the little lord Jesus lay down his sweet head . . .”

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LIMITATIONS ON FREEDOM OF SPEECH: A Canadian Perspective By Roderick MacDonald

atching CNN of late, it’s hard for a Canadian to get caught up in the hoopla about the recent US midterm election. Nearly everything else of interest was eclipsed by exhaustive (if not exhausting) reports on polls, probabilities and proclivities of various candidates, but I guess we can be thankful for the comic relief provided by the amount of air time dedicated to the practice of witchcraft as a qualification for aspiring senatorial candidates. However, there is one story that far outweighs all others in terms of its gravity and potential implications for American society. I refer to the US Supreme Court case of Snyder versus Phelps. This controversial First Amendment case involves members from a fundamentalist church in Kansas who say they want to draw attention to U.S. government policies that tolerate gays in the military and elsewhere. They typically carry signs at funerals that say, “Thank God for Dead Soldiers,” “God Hates Fags” and a variety of other anti-gay insults. The lawsuit against them was filed by Albert Snyder, a Maryland man whose son, Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, was killed in 2006 in Iraq. Snyder sued the Rev. Fred W. Phelps and his followers for intentional inflic-

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tion of emotional distress after they protested at his son’s funeral. A jury awarded Snyder $5 million but an appeals court later overturned the judgment, saying the church members’ actions were privileged as free speech under the First Amendment. Now the case is being heard by the US Supreme Court. Now I would consider myself to be pretty much mainstream and like many of us has had to confront my own prejudices about same sex marriages and gay rights. Nevertheless, I am of the opinion that this case could represent a turning point in American social culture, if Snyder were to win. And that is a very big “if.” However, if that were to happen, and it appears doubtful, the US Court may move a little closer to the views held by Canada’s Supreme Court, which places reasonable limitations on free speech. Whatever the US Supreme Court decision, it will come at a time when Americans are facing a flurry of challenges concerning the value of respect for simple human dignity. We witness the unforgiveable consequences of bullying in school as articulated in past weeks by CNN reports of the recent suicides of no fewer than five American teenagers, all of whom allegedly faced daily torment over real or perceived notions of sexual identity.

Further underscoring this lamentable situation, CNN aired several reports recently about an assistant attorney general (if you can believe it) in Michigan who elevated harassment to an entire new level by his personal attacks on a college student president who happens to be gay. These are the real victims of a growing wave of intolerance in America. While I realize First Amendment protections are not limited to gaybashing, this is the very real human context in which the US Supreme Court must decide whether to place “reasonable” restrictions on freedom of speech abuses by a handful of cranks and wing-nuts who labor under the illusion that they are marching under personal instructions from the Almighty. Give me a break. Canada, like the United States, has a constitutional guarantee of free speech. Our Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees freedom of expression, subject to such reasonable limits as are “demonstrably justifiable in a free and democratic society.” In other words, we have free speech, but the state can limit it in reasonable ways. This may be contrasted with the absolute language of the First Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights, which states: “Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech or of the press.” The words of the Canadian guarantee acknowledge the state’s right to limit free speech; the words of the American guarantee forbid the state from doing so. The Canadian Supreme court has already wrestled with the implications of giving free rein to fruitcakes, and found in several cases that freedom of speech comes with some responsibilities toward our fellow man and places certain restrictions on an open assault on public sensitivities. In one highly publicized case in 1990, the majority of Supreme Court Justices looked at hate speech as not being a victimless crime, but instead having

the potential for psychological harm, degradation, humiliation, and a risk of violence. And that’s really the nut of it. In my opinion, this court also has the responsibility to protect the rights of its more vulnerable citizens from such onslaughts of hatred and bigotry. In other words, a dual responsibility to take the leadership required to move its constituency further along the road to an enlightened society. While the issue of gay rights has supplanted abortion as one of the most contentious social issue today, it clearly has the ability to inflame passions on both sides. But like the protection afforded a woman’s right to choose, there will be no going back on an individual’s right to choose who they may love or marry. In the case of Snyder versus Phelps, the issue at stake seems more than whether to censure the unforgiveable insensitivity of the invasion of privacy at a young soldier’s funeral, but also speaks to the need for a strongly worded declaration that this egregious affront to civilized behavior will not be tolerated. It is, at least for some, a matter of life and death. (Ed. Note: Roderick MacDonald is a former Canadian journalist and writer now living in Ajijic.)

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migrant workers. Dark Side of the Dream is well deserving of the attention it has recently earned through its inclusion in American Historical Fiction: An Annotated Guide to Novels for Adults and Young Adults by Lynda Adamson, a recently republished edition that is a reference volume for schools and libraries. Take a look on Amazon.com.

Phone: (376) 766-4774 or 765-3676 to leave messages Email: kdavis987@gmail.com

PAST EVENTS: TuxcuecaLT.com is a new website to watch. When I first received word there was a Cross Lake Luxury Passenger Ferry in the planning, it was to have a Thanksgiving Day opening. Unfortunately that was postponed. At present, the website urges us to keep an eye open for further information. How interesting. Catch the ferry, then the bus to Mazamitla and back that day or whenever, no long drive. Or just check out what the town of Tuxcueca has to offer. In December Lakeside Friends of the Animals held Guests Hector Ladron, Heather Altmire, “An Evening in Casablanca” at Geoffrey Kaye Restaurant Four in Ajijic. The restaurant was turned into Rick’s Americain Cafe from the movie, complete with decor and music from the 1940s. Lakeside Friends of the Animals provides funding to individuals and some animal welfare organizations who help cats and dogs, special emphasis on assisting Mexicans of limited means. Photographers Jill Flyer and Luís Mancera celebrated the first anniversary of their salon, Quattro Gallery, #9 Colon. Among those in attendance was Janice Kimball of Azteca Galleries on the carretera west of Ajijic. All three of them displayed excellent work. May they celebrate many more. In December about 20 – 30 Lakeside Carolers led residents of four local residential facilities in Christmas carols. Lakeside Carolers Killing Time, a photo by Jill Flyer is a group that held no practices or rehearsals, except about 15 minutes before their first engagement. This was the third annual caroling event for the group coordinated by Tina Schenk and Kay Borkowski. Music was provided by local artist Belva McIrvin Velazquez pictured below during the sing-a-long at Abbeyfield. Dark Side of the Dream is a novel about the struggle endured by many Mexican immigrants when they moved to Texas in the ‘40s and ‘50s and how they adapted. Written by Alejandro Grattan, editor of El Ojo del Lago, the story is both a war story – one son fights in WWII Italy – and a family saga that Belva McIrvin Velazquez at the includes the fight for fair treatment of

keyboard

EVENTS TO COME: January 22, 3 p.m., is the 5th Annual Equestrian Extravaganza. Gorgeous horses and women, mariachis and libations on a beautiful piece of property on Ocampo just west of the village. For only $600 pesos, you get to watch the fabulous show and chow down on Mexican fare. And this year Love in Action Children’s Shelter will be a primary beneficiary of the proceeds. Tickets are on sale at the security booth at Love in Action or call LiA and they will deliver. They can also reserve a table for 10 for $6,000 pesos. Join your friends, have fun, and support Love in Action. Contact: Weezie and Jim Burgess at 766 – 2830.

Book included in historical reference library

January 29 at 4 p.m. (sign up starts at 3:30), La Nueva Posada Hotel, Northern Lights Music Festival presents their 9th Patrons’ Appreciation Event and concert exclusively for current and forthcoming new patrons. Become a patron of the Scotiabank Northern Lights Music Festival by making a donation towards the development of Mexican classical musicians. Come and meet the musicians and enjoy Love in Action kids a spectacular evening of gracious dining and music, arranged for this special occasion. For more information on the festival, call 766 – 5379 or go to www.scotiabanknorthernlightsmusicfestival.com. February 16 marks the opening of Have Hammers...Will Travel’s new trade school at 49A Ocampo, Ajijic, and the occasion will be celebrated by their 2nd Annual Fundraiser at the Riviera Alta Clubhouse. BBQ will be provided by Tony’s, apple pie by Mom’s and there will be entertainment for your listening and dancing pleasure. Proceeds help them continue to develop young Mexican men and women into working carpenters and tradesmen, and the student list grows significantly every year. Tickets are only $250 pesos, available at LCS and Diane Pearl’s or call Richard at 766 – 1303. Multiple Events: The American Legion post #7 schedule for January: Sundays.......12 – 3 p.m. Legion grill burgers Jan 1..........10 a.m. – Rose Bowl Jan 3 & 7.....8 – 1 p.m. – Yard Sale Jan 5............9 – 9:45 a.m. – US Consulate (Note time change!) Jan 15............3 p.m. – Maple Leaf Club (Canadian Day) Jan 21............3 p.m. – Movie: Charlie St. Cloud Jan 24............4 p.m. – International Pot Luck Jan 27............3 p.m. – Lone Star Club (CountryWestern music) For information, call 765 – 2259 or www. americanlegionchapalapost7.org Movie: Charlie St. Cloud The Lake Chapala Society has displayed a message on their website: “Thank you to all the members who took time to participate in the Annual General Meeting and the Extraordinary Meeting. Your support is greatly appreciated. Our new Constitution was passed by an overwhelming majority...more information in the January Newsletter.”

Continued on page 46

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

Saw you in the Ojo 39

V irtually every important

ceremonial center in Meso America had at least one tlachtIi or ball court. EI Tajin had eleven! Yet, even though a game called ulama de cadera (hip ball) still survives in rural areas of Western Mexico, very little is known of how the ancients actually p l a y e d the game or, except in rare instances, how winners were determined. Even its ritual meanings

had become blurred by the time of the conquest when games were often purely athletic contests or spectator sport involving drinking and gambling. Originally, however, the game symbolized the eternal struggle between the powers of light/life and darkness/death which was central to their beliefs. The Popol Vuh, one of the few surviving religious narratives of the Maya, has the Hero Twins playing against the Gods of the Underworld to resurrect their father, the Maize god, and save the earth from destruction. The ball itself, which seems to have been a solid sphere of natural rubber, varied in size but most commonly was six inches in diameter and weighed about two kilos. It represented the sun, giver of life, and the game exemplified its nightly journey through the perilous realm of darkness. To emphasize that symbolism presiding priests sometimes hurled a flaming ball into the court at the beginning of the contest. Like most Meso American rituals, this one involved human sacrifice and at least the Captain, if not the entire team, faced death on the altar as the price of losing or, to add to the confusion, in some cases winning the game. Perhaps it didn’t matter. According to their beliefs, those who died on the altar were assured of immediate entry into paradise.

Ball Court

Dimensions and layout varied but the usual shape was a capital ‘I’ surrounded by steep walls with stone rings centered high on either side. Spectators sat atop the walls looking down on the action while priests, dignitaries and officials usually observed from the end zones. The object of the game was for opposing two or three man teams to propel the ball up or down the field using only hips, knees and possibly shoulders and head. Hands and feet were never allowed to touch it. Any player achieving the

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

by Mildred Boyd

almost impossible feat of sending the ball through that tiny hole in the stone ring 30 feet or more above him not only won the game but was awarded the clothing and ornaments of everyone present!

Model Ball Court The ball court symbolized the earth and there is a tale of rival rulers who settled their territorial disputes by playing the game with a small model like this one. Whoever won the round kept the trophy and was undisputed monarch until next time. Whatever their purpose, many such miniature courts have been discovered. This one is more detailed than most, showing a game in progress complete with players, spectators and even the outside stairway to the stands. Oddly, it is one of several found in the shaft tombs of Nayarit where, so far, not a single actual court has been discovered.

Yugos (Yokes) Whatever its rules, the game was surely a rough one. Knocking a hard ball around with one’s torso could result in injury, so protective equipment was important. Players

are often shown wearing knee and arm pads, helmets, even what appear to be goggles, though these undoubtedly only symbolized the Rain God, Tlaloc, and the fertility aspects of the rite. Shown here is a stone replica of such a girdle, decorated with skulls and rattlesnakes, that was found in El Tajin (AD600-900). Since stone yokes were heavy and cumbersome, those worn during play were surely made of some lighter, perishable material like leather or padded cloth.

Palmas These were intricately carved in any number of different designs and shaped somewhat like a palm leaf, hence the name. Though their actual purpose is obscure, they must have had at least ritual importance; every ball player seems to have had one tucked in his yoke. Possibly they were used as markers in the progress of the game and their placement had some significance in scoring. This one, perhaps showing a losing captain awaiting sacrifice, also comes from Veracruz and dates from AD 800-1000.

Hachas Even more enigmatic are the handsomely carved stone axes players usually have tucked in their yokes. Though they would have made formidable weapons, their significance must have been purely ceremonial, perhaps serving as a grim reminder of the fatal consequences of losing the game. Some, such

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El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

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El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

of a monkey and has a center hole which may have been used for hanging it on the walls of the ball court like the hacha.

and seemingly carefree, comes from Oaxaca and dates from the Zapotec era (AD 3OO-600). He, too, sports an interesting hairdo and jewelry plus a heavily embroidered loincloth. His massive yugo has a geometric pattern and a braided rope into which, according to custom, he has tucked his animal-head hacha. His

right arm guard is decorative but the knee guard is, again, a work of art showing a face, probably of one of the fertility gods to whom the game was dedicated.

Standing Player as the one shown here, were never carried at all but were designed to be hung on the walls of the court. This fine specimen of greenish stone with its birdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s-head helmet and grimly determined face was found at EI Tajin (AD600-900).

Manoplas Most puzzling of all, given the taboos against use of hands or feet to propel the ball, is the hand-held bat or racket called a manopla. It has been suggested that it was used only to put the ball in play

This tiny figurine from Jaina (AD600900) stands less than five inches tall but shows with amazing clarity and detail all the accoutrements of the the well dressed ball player. The fashionable hair-do, ear plugs and deathâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s-head necklace were matters of personal taste and even the protective equipment, though standard in form, shows individuality in decoration. This yugo ends on the left side with a serpentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head and the right knee-pad is decorated with a face. The object in his right hand is a manopla in the form of an animal head.

Seated Player T h i s p l a y e r, lounging at ease

initially or, perhaps, in a version of the game which allowed its use but still avoided the forbidden touch of hands. This fine example, which comes from Veracruz (AD300), is roughly twelve inches in diameter and slightly more than three inches thick. It bears a surprisingly modern relief

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LCS Singles Mix & Match Activities are planned through March: Jan 3...... 6 p.m. Social at La Vina, new bar/restaurant on Morelos Jan 13...... 6 p.m. Social at Ole Ola, 16 de Septiembre Jan 20.....12 noon Guided Day Tour around the lake; lunch Ocotlan Feb 3..... 5 p.m. Mixer at Manix or La Tasca Feb 10..... 5 p.m. Dinner at Viva Mexico, San Juan Cosalá Mar 3..... 5 p.m. Mixer at Garden Restaurant on Colon Mar 10.... 5 p.m. Dinner at La Vita Bella (Racquet Club) Mar 24.... 9 a.m. Guadalajara / Tlaquepaque with lunch Patricia Doran: inajijicpat@yahoo.com, Special Events Director, LCS Singles Bill Wolff: wswolff2003@yahoo.com, Singles Group Committee Lakeside Little Theatre news: The fourth show of Season 46 of the Lakeside Little Theatre is Bernard Slade’s Tribute. Roseann Wilshere directs this poignant story about a father and son’s estrangement and the turn of fate that forces them to face their past and an uncertain future. Performances run January 15 – 23, 2011. Audition announcement for LLT’s final show of Season 46: The Foreigner, written by Larry Shue and directed by Larry King. Auditions for this comedy set in the South are scheduled for January 21 & 22, 2011. They’re looking for 2 women & 5 men. Performances are April 2 – 10, 2011. For scripts and information, contact Larry at alark427@yahoo.com. Registration at 9:30 AM in the LLT lobby, auditions at 10 a.m. sharp. If you would like to volunteer behind the scenes, the LLT is always looking for people to train in lighting, sound, wardrobe, props, make-up, stage managing and other positions. Contact Don Chaloner at 766 – 1975 or email at 77dondo@gmail.com. MAS MUSICA (Music Appreciation Society) performances will be at the Auditorio de la Ribera in La Floresta. The scheduled season is: Jan. 13 – Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra, Guadalajara’s worldclass symphony with an “Enchanted Evening in Paris – 1910” Feb. 15 – Bob Milne, Ragtime and Jazz piano virtuoso and historian, is sure to hold us spellbound during this final exciting event of the concert season MAS MUSICA is always happy to welcome new volunteers to help with ticket sales, hospitality and other concert related duties. Please contact Beverly at 765 – 6409, bjely49@hotmail. com. Also, refer to web site Bob Milne, Ragtime and Jazz pianist MASajijic.com. On January 25, 2011, Niños Incapacitados will host a Robbie Burn’s night at the Chapala Country Club, drinks at 5:30 p.m., and at 6 p.m. the Scottish Country Dancers of Ajijic will perform. At 6:45 p.m. there will be a traditional meal of cocka-leekie soup, a sample of haggis, turkey, mashed potatoes, carrots and a Scottish trifle. Mae Bishop, a professional singer from Scotland, will lead a community singalong. Tickets are 250 pesos and demand for the 140 seats could be brisk, so reserve soon, available at the Chapala Country Club daily. To reserve a table, all guests must be paid for when booking. Tables can also be booked by emailing Bernard Downes at bermaurs@gmail.com. Reserved tickets can also be paid for and collected in the central plaza at LCS on January 11 and January 13, from 10 – 12. A bus will leave Walmart at 5 p.m., returning at 9:30 p.m. If you are interested in using the bus, please advise when reserving tickets. On January 27, 2011 Niños Incapacitados will hold two quiz events at the Hotel de Chapala, Salon Eucaliptos. Last year’s Trivia Quiz was so popular that people were turned away. In 2011 there will be two quizzes, one at 2 p.m. and the second at 7 p.m., different questions. The bar opens 30 minutes before each quiz. Tickets are $200 pesos per person. To reserve tickets and tables for teams of eight, please contact Kathy Dingwall at 766 – 5829, kdingwall@ rogers.com or Barb Corol at 766 – 5452, bcorol@gmail.com. Tickets must be paid for in advance although reserved tickets can be paid for and collected from the main gate at Riviera Alta January 10 (2 – 4 p.m.), January 12 (10 – 1) or January 14 (10 – 1). Bring munchies. For reservations and more information, contact either of the above and think of a team name. There will be large screens around the room. All proceeds go to helping the children. Open Circle meets at the back patio of the Lake Chapala Society each Sunday morning at 10:15 for mini-sandwiches and coffee followed by a speaker who talks

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

on the topic of the day. No products are sold, and no religion is touted. Jan. 5 Art Hochberg Jan. 9 Barbara Schermer Jan. 16 Todd Stong Jan. 23 Otto Rand Feb. 6 Ann Lewis Rotary Club of Ajijic offers Ramrod Walking Staffs with attached personal alarms that can be heard from great distance. They are made by the boys of Hope House, Ixtlahuacan, in their fully equipped workshop. At present the staffs are undecorated, available at Upscale Resale in Riberas or by contacting Stew Morris at 766 – 2483. Beginning January 29, walking staffs will be decorated by one of Lakeside’s many artists. Rotary is sponsoring a staff decorating contest and has supplied raw lightweight staffs to some 40 local artists. Judging will be held on January 29 at 1:00 p.m. at the American Legion, 114 Morelos, Chapala, and the winner of the competition will receive $1,000 pesos. Judges will be Diane Pearl, Sandra Loridans and Javier Zaragoza. After judging, decorated staffs will be available for purchase, proceeds benefiting Rotary’s local Chuck Giles with projects. For more information about the staff decorated and undecorated decorating contest, contact Donna Mansfield at staffs 765 – 2703. Rotary Club of Ajijic holds weekly luncheon meetings at 1:00 p.m. at Hotel Real de Chapala, Paseo del Prado #20, La Floresta, Ajijic. Guests are welcome. The January programs are as follows: Jan 4 Efren Gonzalez – Art for Children Jan 11 Rotary Classification Speeches – Anita Hocker, Hal Brown Jan 18 Georgia Nucci – Mexico Driving Laws Jan 25 Club Business Meeting February 13, 12:30 – 3 p.m. at LCS, Souper Sunday will be a fundraiser by the Rotary Club of Ajijic. Soup will be served for $100 pesos, and you keep your bowl. Rotary Club of Ajijic is one of the few English-speaking Rotary clubs in Mexico, serving since 2002. Its members are business and professional people, many retired, who dedicate their time, expertise, and talents to helping others locally and internationally. For more information, visit the Club’s web site at www.rotaryajijic.com or visit the Rotary table at LCS on Mondays, 10 – 12. VIVA! LA MUSICA Bus trips to the ‘Live from the Met’ Opera series at Teatro Diana: Jan 8 – La Fanciulla del West (Puccini) at noon, bus at 10:30 a.m. Feb 26 – Iphigene en Tauride (Gluck) at noon, bus at 10:30 a.m. Mar 19 – Lucio di Lammermoor (Donizetti) at 11 a.m., bus at 9:30 Apr 9 – Le Comte Orcy (Rossini) at noon, bus leaves at 10:30 a.m. Apr 23 – Capriccio (R. Strauss) at noon, bus leaves at 10:30 a.m. Apr 30 – Il Trovatore (Verdi) at noon, bus leaves at 10:30 a.m. May 14 – Die Walkure (Wagner) at 11 a.m., bus leaves at 9:30 a.m. Contact Marshall Krantz at 766 – 2834. Tickets cost $300 pesos for members, $350 pesos for non-members. For the January 8 opera, arrange tickets ASAP. Viva Members 2011 Season Kickoff Party also invites non-members for January 16, 2011, 4 – 6 p.m. Roseann Wilshere has graciously opened her home for the party. Make new friends – renew old acquaintances! Renew your membership or bring your 2011 membership card. Friends and non-members welcome for $200 pesos. Enjoy a short concert featuring Ivan La Fanciulla del West by Puccini Morales Flores, a gifted Viva scholarship recipient and star student of Professor Joel Juan Qui. Auditorium improvements are scheduled for next summer – volunteers are needed to assist in the planning of the fund-raising drive. For further details, contact Rosemary Keeling at 766 – 1801. January 28 - 29 at the Auditorio in La Floresta, ZAIKOCIRCO will present a show based on original music, fantastic costumes, makeup, puppetry, stilt walkers and acrobats that surround the audience in an atmosphere of excitement. Part of the profits go to Spay ‘N Neuter. Tickets are available at LCS, Handy Mail & Animal Care for 200 & 250 pesos.

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Niños de Chapala y Ajijic By John Bingham Munroe

Boy Gets Second Chance at an Education and a Better Life

At 13, Sergio is a bright, lively, friendly boy, joyful in the day, small for his age. Five and a half years ago, he had to drop out of school after the second grade. Money for his mother, Consuelo, had been hard to come by and keeping Sergio in school was out of the question. In Mexico, “free” education isn’t free. Today, although his mother has a small income, the family continues to live from day to day. His father, who lives about a kilometer away, has his own problems and does not contribute to the welfare of his family. Sergio shares his home with his mother, three sisters and a brother (another sister lives with her father). His house in Chapala is one of several in a family compound situated at the end of a field overlooking a stagnant, junkfilled stream (effluent from the bathroom and the kitchen area empties into the stream) that floods to the house during the rainy season. There are aunts and uncles, cousins and dogs of all sizes everywhere. The house is a cinder block structure, basically two small rooms, one on the other. The small family room also serves as the family bedroom where his mother and sisters sleep on the bed with the boys on the floor. There’s a small porch overlooking the stream with two broken plastic chairs and a small patio table that serves as an eating area. The room on the second floor is unused and unfurnished, the stairs being used for storage. The house and the others in the compound give the appearance of a shanty town. Strangers and unwanted visitors do not have easy access to the area. Entering unnoticed would be impossible. To bring in extra money, on Sunday mornings his mother has been traveling to St. Andrews Anglican Church in Riveras with Sergio to ask for donations from the parishioners as they enter the church. Over time, some of the parishioners, including Ken Jones and Larry Simpson, have befriended the boy and have gotten to know about him and his plight. Lately coming by himself, he has been invited into the church to join them and participate in the service, following along in the Spanish translation of the Common Book of Prayer. He also has been invited to join the coffee hour and a bi-lingual Sunday school where he can participate more fully with the Sunday morning worship and fellowship. A parishioner describes Sergio as a “wonderful little boy” and a “total delight”

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

who h “beams “b b when h he h comes to t church”. h h” Ken and Larry help him and the family out with bundles of food, taking Sergio and his bundles back to Chapala after the service (he takes the bus to get there). Parishioners are impressed by his concern that his family get enough to eat. Last summer, his new friends realized that Sergio was not in school and hadn’t been there for quite some time. Aware of the boy’s intelligence, academic potential and desire to improve himself, Larry and Ken contacted los Ninos de Chapala y Ajijic (NCA), where they enrolled him in their program and became his sponsors. Sergio is now back in school in the third grade. The NCA is looking into the possibility of having him tested to move him nearer the level of his peers. Ken and Larry plan on getting Sergio tutors to help him catch up to his grade level. Also in the works is a bunk bed for the boys in the room upstairs so that they don’t have to sleep on the floor anymore (Sleeping on the concrete floor is “cold”, Sergio says). For the first time in his young life, this valiant boy now has options and possibilities for a better future. You too can make a difference in a needy child’s life. For as little as 23 US cents a day ($85 a year), you can help keep a child in school or help him get back as Ken and Larry have. Of course you may decide to give more or much more as many sponsors do. There are few losers in this story and no villains; there are many heroes, fighters, dreamers and winners. If you’re a dreamer and would like to be one of these heroes, please visit the NCA site on the web at Lakeside Ninos.org. or give Lara a ring at 376 765 7032. She’ll be happy to hear from you. At this writing, there are 75 deserving children in the NCA program who need your help. Take an interest in the life of a young child like Sergio, and change it for the better, as Larry and Ken did.

NEWS More market Turmoil ahead For those who have attended our “Great Bust” presentations last year, you are well aware of the developing macro-demographic shift that is underway and the risk it presents to markets over the coming years. While the savings and spending patterns have started to change, we can’t say it is due to that macrodemographic shift. It more likely is a response to the current economic problems in financial markets. That is not to say that the demographic problem has disappeared; Far from it. In fact, today’s economic troubles are many-fold and only serve to camouflage the problems posed by the underlying drift downwards that The Great Bust describes. It is hard not to be aware of the huge debt crisis that is being developed by nations around the world in response to the global financial meltdown of 2007-08. The dollars being thrown as lifelines to banking institutions, corporations and nations in trouble has pulled the global financial industry back from the abyss. It coincidentally served to ease consumer stress in the investment markets too. That in turn resulted in the unexpected recovery in stock values throughout the late spring and summer of 2009. Unfortunately, that stock market recovery has served to mask the developing serious problem of massive global debt. The market recovery of 2009-10 could easily be the eye of the storm with the worse yet to come. When will the other shoe drop?

“The risk of a bond crisis is real…” There isn’t any questioning the fact that the unprecedented debt buildup cannot continue. The risk of a bond crisis in Europe and North America is real and it is significant. Europe is said to have about 2 years to fix its debt problems; western countries have perhaps 3-5 years. Proof that countries are taking the debt crisis seriously is demon-

for Canadians in Mexico strated by such things as France raising the retirement age from 60 to 62 in an effort to get the country’s spiraling public finances under control; the UK, Greece, Portugal, Iceland, France – all recently raising personal income taxes; social program budget cuts are almost daily news everywhere. France and the UK have had to deal with public demonstrations as a result of their tax and program changes. In spite of action being taken by some countries to bring their debt under control, cracks in the armour are already starting to appear, the scariest being the recent drop in value for USA treasuries. If other countries don’t buy USA-issued bonds, how will the USA finance its mounting debt? Would they be forced to default on their (bond) debt? In a worst case scenario, China and Japan might refuse to keep buying US treasuries, which would force the US to raise interest rates to make their bonds more attractive to buyers, but that could destroy market recovery and spark inflation. Raising US bond interest rates would also make the US dollar more attractive, something the US does not want right now. With a weaker dollar, US products are cheaper around the world and the US global deficit is reduced. Raising interest rates would upset that advantage. Quite frankly, the world is in a mess and stock market values don’t account for the seriousness of the situation. The risk is real. For folks who snowbird or who are expats living in Mexico, the risk of a severe bond crisis leads to a number of questions about what to do and where to turn. To help you make decisions and take the necessary steps to protect yourself should the worst case scenario come to pass, TioCorp and Canadians in Mexico will offer a series of presentations throughout January 2011.

investment?  Income streams from savings. How can you protect them?  What caused the 2007-08 crash and will it be repeated?  What are the mistakes investors are making? The venue for these presenta-

tions is not yet confirmed, but if you would like to be notified of the dates, times and locations as soon as they are established, please send your email request to info@canadiansinmexico.com or contact TioCorp Inc. at 376-766-4828

 Real estate values in Mexico: Are they in trouble? Should you sell, buy or rent?  Non-Residency for Canadians: Is it risky?  Filing Canadian Tax Returns: What are the advantages? Should you repatriate?  Gold. Is it a good or bad

Saw you in the Ojo 49

Three Cups Of Tea By Mortenson and Relin [Penquin Books, 2007] A review by John de Waal

just finished reading this book and I recommend it. It is the true story of Greg Mortenson, an American mountain climber who, before 9/11 and after an unsuccessful attempt to summit K2 in the Karakoram, Pakistan, lost his way on a glacier on his way down and - barely alive - stumbled into a small isolated and primitive village (Korphe) where he was revived. Besides being overwhelmed by their hospitality, he became aware of the needs of the village for an educational facility for their children. Before he left, he made a solemn promise to his host to come back and build them a school … and he did! The book describes the difficulties involved in fulfilling his promise: from raising the required funds to the logistics, the extreme weather, and the human challenges like corruption and the laws of the strong in the foothills of the Karakoram, which is still mired in the 13th century: no running water, electricity, modern medicine, books, or anything else that we take for granted. Poverty is the norm, but helping each other, even a perfect stranger, is an of course. Through an amateurish effort in fund raising and living frugally, Mr. Mortenson did get the money required for the school. Flying back to Pakistan with the cash, using his ability to speak the language and trusting his instincts, he managed to buy the materials needed, but then ran into an unexpected problem that delayed getting the stuff to its final destination by a year. When he finally overcame it, he had to build a bridge over the gorge that separated

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

Korphe from the rest of the world; he found that 1/3rd of his building materials had been pilfered. Already before completing the school, he was besieged by other communities to build them a school as well and, in order to realize that, he needed much more money. This led to the founding of the Central Asian Institute (CAI) that he ran from his basement in Bozeman, Montana. To date (2007), Mr. Mortenson has completed fifty some schools throughout Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as water and vocational facilities, all at about a third of the cost of official estimates because of his ability to engage and trust local labor. His driving force is the belief that a balanced education, particularly for girls, offers a brighter future and gives them a reason to choose life over death. While not the main reason for building the schools, such education will counterbalance the production of terrorists in the “factories of jihad”, the Wahhabi madrassas which are the backbone of the Taliban, that have also been springing up throughout the region with money from Saudi sheikhs (pg. 292). Reading this book is much more than an adventure story. It provides a real insight into the thoughts and hopes of the people that live in the Afghanistan/Pakistan back country and calls into serious question the wisdom of the approach of the current US administration in conducting and perpetuating their violent “War on Terror” in that region. As Mortensen said in the piece done on his work in Parade Magazine (April, 2004) and again in this book (pg. 301): “This war will ultimately be won with books, not with bombs.”

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THE ANIMAL SHELTER REPORT By Thetis Reeves

eoffrey Kaye, born and raised in England, has lived in Monte Carlo and the U.S before moving to Ajijic in 1998. He’s best known in our community for establishing the Animal Shelter, but also for contributions to the Technical School, Love In Action, an orphanage, and other worthy causes. El Ojo del Lago arranged for this dialogue between him and Thetis Reeves. TR: Your parents both came from families with a lot of kids. Yet you’re an only child. GK: My mother was 16 when her mother died in child birth. That tragedy left my mother to care for all nine of her younger brothers and sisters. When my parents married her two youngest siblings were still in her care. Maybe only one more kid in the house seemed like enough. Also by the mid-1930s, there was a war brewing in Europe, probably another reason to keep the family small. TR: Your father had six grocery stores when you were a kid? GK: Yes. He started in the grocery business in 1930. TR: Did you work in the store as a boy? GK: I did. I remember the heavy metal doors I’d push up in the morning and pull down at closing. Also keeping my hands warm over the stove when I worked at the outdoor stalls in the winter. TR: After completing your educa-

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

Geoffrey Kaye tion, you joined the family business. GK: Right. And when my father passed away in 1966 I became the youngest chairman of the board of a public company in Great Britain. I ran it for seven years before I sold out to British American Tobacco in 1973. TR: During this time, you married. GK: I married in 1968. We had two girls whom I’m very close to. The marriage ended in divorce, but I’m still on very friendly terms with my ex. TR: You and KiKi, your second wife, met on a blind date? GK: I was living in Monte Carlo at the time enjoying a busy bachelor’s life. A friend set up the date. She was a young divorcee with a child. We hit it off from the start and have been together for over 32 years. TR: You still maintain a home in Arizona. GK: We lived there for many years before settling here and like keeping a place there. My daughter Gemma is a real estate broker there. My daughter Jennifer lives in London. We visit her once a year, as well as KiKi’s daughter, Jacky, and her young family in Paris. TR: The Animal Shelter is admired for

the high standard of care the dogs and cats receive. You established it in 2001 at your own expense. Would you say that your merchandising background came into play in making the shelter self-supporting? GK: The pet food store was an obvious good idea. And, yes, I certainly know how to run a store. As for creating the art gallery—I’ll admit I wasn’t sure that would work, but it has. It came about when we had to find a better place for our dog shelter. The new space gave the dogs great outdoor areas for running around as well as penned-in shelter. But it also had more indoor space than we actually needed. I’m sure in the back of my mind was the fact that my wife, who is an artist, often had difficulty in finding a local gallery to display her very large pieces. So I thought if we could use this space as an art gallery, that could be great. Now my wife and other good artists in the wider community have a beautiful place to exhibit their work. The Shelter earns a commission on each piece sold. But remember, our Shelter is customer-supported; that is, we rely on pet owners and now art lovers for their business, with all profits or commissions going to the Shelter. Many Lakesiders go out

of their way to shop at Our Store. TR: You and KiKi both love animals. I’ve met your dog, cat and exotic birds on visits to your home. Midnight, the gorgeous hyacinth macaw, I recall with no hard feelings, bit me. GK: Midnight adored only KiKi. Rode around on her shoulder or followed her everywhere. A stupid neighborhood brat shot Midnight with a bee-bee gun and he couldn’t be saved. It was sad. As a boy I raised budgies. I’ve always had a love for them. Many of the exotic birds in the Animal Shelter sanctuary were first housed on our property. I cared for them daily. TR: Would you agree your name is not exactly revered by some people? GK: You could say I have a critic or two. I’m not even sure on what grounds sometimes. In the case of other animal welfare groups, I’ve offered help to every one of them—pet food donations and more—and it’s always been accepted. But some grumbling goes on. I’ll just do what I do and I wish everybody the best. Thetis Reeves

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SERGIO DRUMOND is an artist, theologian and writer. Born in Brazil, he worked in Europe and Asia as a book illustrator, cartoonist, painter and animator. He also lived in the Philippines, Japan, and Thailand, teaching art as well as helping NGOs with social and relief work. He and his wife, Cynthia, live at Lakeside. For commission painting and other artwork please contact him at: https://sites.google.com/site/ sdrumondart/ Email: sdrumond777@gmail.com Ed. Note: Sergioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cartoons are done especially for the Ojo and will be run on a monthly basis.

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

Sergio Drumond

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Award Winning Authors Coming By y Herbert Herbert W. W. Piekow P ekow

rep your computer because the Seventh Annual Lake Chapala Writers Conference is supplying the speakers to kick-start your inspiration and improve your writing skills. The Hotel Real de Chapala will once more be the location for the Lake Chapala Writers Conference, January 26th, 27th and 28th, 2011. The first evening is a reception where you can mingle with fellow writers and get to know Bob Dugoni and Mary Rosenblum, this year’s conference presenters. New this year will be the chance to participate in a critique session, where attendees may have up to three pages of their work critiqued. Jay White is a well-known local writer and a former University Instructor of Creative Writing who will share his knowledge with those attendees who wish professional feedback. Also, for those who attend the conference there will be a chance to sell their books. Robert Dugoni has written five best selling novels. One critique said, “His

books remind me of the best of John Grisham . . . only better!” Dugoni graduated in Journalism from Stanford University, worked newspaper reporting before studying law – he did practice law until the love of writing conquered him. Mary Rosenblum in 1994 won the Compton Crook Award for her novel The Drylands. In 2009 she won The Sidewise Award for Alternate History. She has written nine novels, has had more than sixty short stories published and loves to teach. “I love sharing the gift and passion and I have a lot of students who have published. Sharing my knowledge and expertise is as satisfying to me as writing.” The cost for the Lake Chapala Writers Conference remains at $950 pesos ($80 US or Canadian), for registration before Christmas; after that date, if there is available space, the cost will be $1,150 pesos ($95 US or Canadian). Registration includes two lunches and beverages during breaks. You may register at Diane Pearl’s Gallery on Colon in Ajijic or by contacting kdavis987@gmail.com.

Ain’t A in’tt O Old ld A Age ge F Fun! un!

n elderly gentleman had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

to hear 100%. The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, “Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again.” The gentleman replied, “Oh, I haven’t

told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I’ve changed my will three times!” ************************************** Two elderly gentlemen from a retirement center were sitting on a bench under a tree when one turns to the other and says, “Slim, I’m 83-years-old now and I’m just full of aches and pains. I know you’ re about my age. How do you feel?” Slim says, “I feel just like a new-born baby.” “Really!? Like a new-born baby!?” “Yep. No hair, no teeth, and I think I just wet my pants.” ************************************* An elderly couple had dinner at another couple’s house, and after eating, the wives left the table and went into the kitchen. The two gentlemen were talking, and one said, “Last night we went out to a new restaurant and it was great. I would recommend it very highly.” The other man said, “What is the name of the restaurant?” The first man thought and thought and finally said, “What is the name of that flower you give to someone you love? You know... the one that’s red and has thorns.” “Do you mean a rose?” “Yes, that’s the one,” replied the man. He then turned towards the kitchen and yelled, “Rose, what’s the name of that

restaurant we went to last night?” *********************************** Hospital regulations require a wheelchair for patients being discharged. However, while working as a student nurse, I found one elderly gentleman already dressed and sitting on the bed with a suitcase at his feet who insisted he didn’t need my help to leave the hospital. After a chat about rules being rules, he reluctantly let me wheel him to the elevator. On the way down I asked him if his wife was meeting him. “I don’t know,” he said. “She’s still upstairs in the bathroom changing out of her hospital gown.”

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Focus on Art By Rob Mohr robmohr@gmail.com

What is Great Art? You be the Judge.

ave you ever said, “I don’t know much about art, but I know what I like.”? If appreciation of great art is an acquired taste (consider public rejection of Van Gogh’s paintings) like good wine or great music, is this “initial liking” an adequate approach? Recently, critics Hollond Cotter, (NYTimes) and Philip Hensher, (critic/ novelist) have played a major role in naming future greats. In December, 2010, Hensher shocked the art world

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

by selecting Susan Philipsz winner of the prestigious Turner Prize ($50,000) for her “Sound Sculptures,” speakers placed under bridges in London continuously played a haunting Scot’s Ballad she had sung and recorded. Runner up Dexter Dalwood’s contemplative painting “Burroughs in Tangiers,” incorporated elements from works by Matisse, Hans Hoffman, Robert Rauschenberg, and Tom Wesselmann, to create a powerful sense of déjà vu. Take a look at the finalist and pick who you think has

created great art. www.tate. org.uk/britain/turnerprize/ www.pulitzer.org/ citation/2009-Criticism When Lucius Furius in Genius Ignored wrote, “Casablanca is not only a great movie, it is great art,” he understood some of the complexity and refinement that goes into works of art that change our understanding of ourselves and the world we live in. Art at its best pushes us to accommodations never explored. Consider how the prehistoric (ritual) cave paintings at Lascaux unveil ancient rituals, or how paintings by Robert Rauschenberg combined found objects with symbolic images to release deep-seated human memories. Or how Paul Gauguin, in his painting “The Spirit of the Dead,” where his love Vahiné lays naked and frightened on her bed while the ghosts of the dead stand by, used surreal colors and simplified form in an archetypal way to convey profound psychological impact. (Check out these links and judge.) http://www.centrepompidou.fr/ education/ressources/ENS-rauschenberg-EN/ENS-rauschenberg-EN.htm http://www.janeresture.com/tahiti_gauguin/ Paintings, like poetry, express deep feelings and reveal hidden psychological truths hidden under the surface of our lives. Like great fiction, which combines enduring stories with refined writing full of nuance and metaphor, paintings assemble visual components to create new realities. Great art expresses the innermost soul of a people, and pushes us to reflect on who we are. One of the great painters of the 20th century, Henri Matisse (1869– 1954), shared, “I desire … to express what cannot be expressed…the emotion that objects produce upon me.” 19th-century novelist and art critic Stendhal (1783 -1842) believed when confronted with great art, many are

affected psychologically and experience rapid heartbeat, dizziness, confusion and hallucinations. Great art transforms - hits you in the gut, in ways that expand human imagination. Astute collectors have learned to test the emotional power of a work of art, by whether it demands that you experience it over and over. Weaker works hang on our walls as unseen decorations. Philip Pearlstein (1924) saw the subdivision of the “square” as the essential work of the visual artist. He insisted that how the viewer is pulled into or pushed out of the painting, line quality, interest at the edges, forms, colors, and “analogous components,” must all work together to form a single harmonious reality. Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947), in contrast, offered less analytical advice, “What I wanted, at all cost, was to escape the monotony of life.” Defining great art is elusive – Pearlstein and Bonnard were both right. Great art promises excitement while pulling the viewer into a wonder-filled ritual of discovery. New heavens and new earths are unveiled: new worlds are created where no one has walked before, and where one encounters ways of being alive that never age. Through great art we enter where only the awake are admitted. Rob Mohr

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CHILD

of the month

By Rich Petersen Dana Michelle Sambón Barajas

his adorable 4-year-old is Dana Michelle Sambón Barajas. At approximately one year of age, Michelle’s family noted that she could not hear. A pediatrician in Guadalajara said this might have been due to a very high fever she had months before, and he referred the family to a hearing specialist who found the child to be completely deaf. This doctor had colleagues at an institute in the city for blind and deaf children and recommended that Michelle be enrolled there. Prior to this and because of her young age, Michelle started with weekly therapy sessions to get her to form words and pick up some sounds. But after six months and very little progress, Michelle was started at the Institute in order to learn to lip read. The other reason for attending was the school’s program to help children be eligible for a cochlear implant. A cochlear implant is a surgically implanted electronic device that provides a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf. The implant is surgically placed under the skin behind the ear and consists of both external and internal components to transmit processed sound signals to the cochlea and directly to the brain through a person’s auditory nerve system. Michelle’s implant was done on September 12, 2010. Since she had never before heard sound, there are progressive stages she must go through so as not to over-stimulate her. You can imagine the effect of a total barrage of sound to someone who has been deaf all her life. Thus, the sound level of her implant is being increased gradually, every two weeks a little more sound is being transmitted. At first the sound was frightening but she is getting used to her new world. Her family has been going to special classes to learn how to help her adjust to hearing. They work with her at home after school, now with certain toy musical instruments and other toys that make sounds. She is beginning to turn her head in response to sounds,

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and reacts to certain sounds on the television. Niños Incapacitados has paid for several hearing tests prior to the surgery, and we continue to help with the cost of transportation to and from the Institute in Guadalajara. Her uncle, Diego, and her grandfather, Rafael, have taken on the task of driving Michelle into school and back five days a week-no easy task. Bus transport would be too time-consuming and uncomfortable for such a little girl. Her mother and stepfather both work and therefore the grandparents and uncle have stepped up to the plate to help. Michelle, her uncle and grandparents attended our last monthly meeting and while Michelle could not yet say anything (perhaps too shy when looking at a roomful of older gringos), her grandfather and uncle were quick to say how much they appreciate the help from Niños Incapacitados. Grandfather Rafael even wrote a thank-you letter to the group. This is a wonderful example of an entire family working together. To meet other of “our” children and to learn more about what Niños Incapacitados does, please join us the second Thursday of each month for our members’ meeting. 10:00 a.m. at the Hotel Real de Chapala in La Floresta. A special and continued THANK YOU to all of you who have donated to our “Sustaining Niños” pledge program that allows us to continue helping sick children here at Lakeside.

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FRONT ROW CENTER By Michael Warren Lend Me a Tenor By Ken Ludwig Directed by Roger Tredway

f you like a traditional farce, chock full of mistaken identities, double entendres and doors slamming as characters rush in and out, this is the show for you. Roger Tredway has upped the pace to breakneck speed and his experienced cast responds with considerable flair. All the actors do well in their various histrionic parts. Unlike the other frantic characters, Pat Carroll plays the world-famous tenor “Tito Merelli” (better known as El Stupendo) with a certain calm, perhaps because Tito is feeling sick from overeating and subsequently spends much of the play comatose from a combination of Chianti and tranquilizers. Meanwhile, “Saunders” – the volatile manager of the Cleveland Opera company – is desperate to find a suitable replacement for El Stupendo. Russell Mack plays Saunders at full volume, mostly directing his rage and frustration at his hapless assistant “Max.” Ken Yakiwchuk is well cast as Max, and succeeds in making the character sympathetic and believable. Max has ambitions to be a singer, and despite considerable misgivings, Saunders manages to persuade him to go into blackface and dress up as Otello. Who will ever know? Evidently his girl-friend “Maggie” can’t tell, as she is all over the pseudo-Tito, hot with admiration as he rings her chimes. Randi Watkins is delightful as Saunders’ not-so-innocent daughter Maggie, and hits just the right notes of sweetness and guile. For the others on the distaff side, we have a trio of melodramatic females – Georgette Richmond as Tito’s possessive and slightly crazy wife “Maria,” Sally Jo Bartlett as the ambitious soprano “Diana” and Patteye Simpson as the effusive Board chairman “Julia.” You can imagine the chaos and confusion as Tito recovers consciousness and we have two Otello characters on stage, a jealous wife and a bevy of operatic ladies in

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various stages of undress. Patteye, wearing an amazing hat, has great stage presence and is more like a soprano than the soprano – she actually sings some of her lines. However, all three do well, and the audience have a good time laughing at the very farcical second act. At times there was so much noise and laughter that some of the lines got lost – however, it doesn’t matter, this tends to happen in a successful farce. Georgette has a great time in an over-the-top role, screaming and shouting and having a theatrical hissy fit in an Italian accent. By contrast, Sally Jo is quieter as the scheming Diana, and she has a wonderfully funny scene as she attempts to find favor with the confused Tito. Finally, Graham Miller is entertaining in a cameo part as the overeager bellhop. This is a very funny play, which has previously done well on Broadway and in the West End. It’s a fastpaced romp with plenty of physical comedy and wacky misunderstandings. This excellent cast, ably directed by Roger Tredway, had a good time with it and the audience went home happy. The set and costumes were solid – not noticeably in the 1930s style or particularly flamboyant, except of course for Patteye Simpson’s incredible hat. I congratulate all involved in this successful show, especially Gerri Tredway as Producer and Trish Conner as Stage Manager. In January, there will be a touch of something humorous and sentimental, the drama Tribute directed by Roseann Wilshere – it opens on January 15th. Michael Warren

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Letter to the Editor

ear Sir: Whoever penned the included letter has both insight and rich humor. I love it. It’s a letter to Pat Robertson from the Devil. There’s a delightful satire by C.S. Lewis called the Screwtape Letters, a collection of letters from Satan to his young nephew working as an apprentice devil on earth. The letters contain advice on how to tempt us. Uncle Devil scolds Screwtape when he messes up and offers encouragement when he does well in leading humans to sin. The Screwtape Letters was the first thing I thought of when I read this. Pat Robertson has a habit of blaming natural disasters on immorality. The attacks on 9/11 were God’s punishment for America’s moral decay. Hurricane Katrina was God’s wrath over abortion. The disaster in Haiti was because the Haitians made a pact with the Devil so they could be free from French rule. And now for the letter:

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Dear Pat Robertson, I know that you know that all press is good press, so I appreciate the shout-out. And you make God look like a big mean bully who kicks people when they are down, so I’m all for that action. But when you say that Haiti has made a pact with me, it is totally humiliating. I may be evil incarnate, but I’m no welcher. The way you put it, making a deal with me leaves folks desperate and impoverished. Sure, in the afterlife, but when I strike bargains with people, they first get something here on earth — glamour, beauty, talent, wealth, fame, glory, a golden fiddle. Those Haitians have nothing, and I mean nothing. And that was before the earthquake. If I had a thing going with Haiti, there’d be lots of banks, skyscrapers, SUVs, exclusive night clubs, Botox — that kind of thing. An 80 percent poverty rate is so not my style. Nothing against it — I’m just saying: Not how I roll. You’re doing great work, Pat, and I don’t want to clip your wings — just, come on, you’re making me look bad. And not the good kind of bad. Keep blaming God. That’s working. But leave me out of it, please. Or we may need to renegotiate your own contract. Best, Satan (Submitted by Fred Mittag on behalf of an anonymous writer on the Internet)

Those Who Ignore History... By Hank Shiver

“

he National Government will regard it as its first and foremost duty to revive in the nation the spirit of unity and co-operation. It will preserve and defend those basic principles on which our nation has been built. Part of Platform: Outlaw prostitution Outlaw pornography Outlaw all forms of abortion Ban homosexual activity Ban books offensive to the Christian Church and a Christian Society Mandate the teaching of Christian Values in public schools, by Christian Clerics. Include Christian prayers during school and at all school events. Promote strong conservative Christian family values. Corporate tax rate fixed at 20% of bottom line. Limit tax audits. Eliminate so-called environmental and safety regulations detrimental to business. Government operating budget was to be funded from sources outside this country. Who ran such a government? His name was Adolf Hitler. In 1933, Wall Street big wigs, including Prescott Bush, plotted to

overthrow the US Government and install a Fascist government. They attempted to hire Gen. Smedley Butler to head up the subversive army to overthrow FDR and control the White House from Wall Street. Prescott’s son became president Bush I. The UK Guardian, Saturday 25 September 2004, “George Bush’s grandfather, the late US senator Prescott Bush, was a director and shareholder of companies that profited from their involvement with the financial backers of Nazi Germany. Fascists seek to organize a nation according to corporatist perspectives, values, and systems, including the political system and the economy. During the seventy five plus years since Herbert Hoover, Fascists are still trying to gain control of the USA. The TEA Party is leading the charge and being financed by Big Business. The GOP is the standard bearer for Big Business. The average American has learned nothing from history. And so we are doomed to repeat it.

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SINS OF OUR FATHERS By Scott Richards snsintonga@yahoo.com

ankindâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unfathomable ability to consume, destroy, endanger and control his entire environment has fascinated and saddened me from childhood. As we unconscionably harvest the Earths resources to the brink of extinction and beyond in our congenital belief of self-entitlement, ignoring the billions of inhabitants of this planet on a scope capable only of humans, we refuse blame, point fingers, ignore facts, throw another shrimp on the barby and decide how to best waste tax money on finding the culprit. As Rome burns, they have another meeting, schedule another luncheon, create another task force, network per-

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sonal agendas, swap pork and use more smoke and bigger mirrors as the world and nature disappear around us silently screaming in their lack of lobbyists and congressional status. The animal called Man began his slow descent from the trees to the savanna and almost immediately into control of the flora, fauna and the future of the entire planet. We didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a meeting or a vote on world domination with the other millions of species for the rights to harvest any and all other rightful, legal inhabitants to extinction. We are only one mammal and nowhere near the majority, so who made us top animal? Money, guns, and lawyers? We are the only mammal that can,

has, and continues to ignore the safety and rights of all living things not designated as pets. In our unconscionable climb to Alpha status, we blindly eradicated many species before the past, present and future world could even know them. Extinction, unfortunately for the rest of nature, is a bad thing. You can’t schedule a meeting for it. You can’t pour million of misdirected funds into a ghost, it’s over, it’s forever and the unknown ramifications of their loss will never be fully appreciated. We’ve blindly created “missing links” or holes in the natural eco systems as man developed tastes and desires for

this animal or that bird, as early man permanently and completely absorbed another whole species forever. In our pre-Darwinian understanding of nature, we have irreversibly altered the entire planet’s original perfect design. The image that comes to mind to describe this bizarre, uniquely human behavior is a man high up in a tree standing on the limb that he is sawing off. Being a pessimistic realist, I won’t put my money on mankind to succeed much longer. Fairly soon, I think, we will be just another hole to be filled by the next in line for control of the planet’s resources.

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The Ojo Crossword

ACROSS 1 Support 6 Dawdle 9 Alack’s partner 13 Abated (2 wds.) 14 Boxer Muhammad 15 Slab 16 Extreme 17 Convert into leather 18 Do penitence 19 Contaminated 20 Christ’s mother, for example 22 Church bench 23 Air blower 24 Yang’s partner 25 Iran’s neighbor 27 Thinks 29 Appraise 33 Whiz 34 Censor 35 Aegis 36 Ray 39 Lubricate 40 Cut of beef 41 Match 42 Deli order 43 Buck’s mate 44 Smooth talk 46 Stomach sore 49 Stitch 50 It is proven 51 Digital audio tape 53 Tree

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56 City in Minnesota (2 wds.) 58 Father 59 Turn off to one side 61 Anger 62 Got up 63 Songs you sing alone 64 Sky 65 Above 66 Legible 67 No 68 Frozen pizza brand DOWN 1 Cliff 2 Put more ammunition in 3 Adjust 4 Whorl 5 Government agency 6 Dead language 7 Winged 8 Dealing with the gums 9 Alternative (abbr.) 10 Eyelet 11 Inflammatory disease 12 Alter 15 Unoriginal 20 Holding device 21 Asian nation 24 Young Men’s Christian Association 26 Provincial capital 28 Diners 30 Past 31 Can metal 32 East southeast 34 Gnawed 36 Coffee brand 37 Cause of sickness 38 BB association 39 Great athlete 40 Spoke 42 Pelter 43 Cowboy fight 45 Bird homes 47 Inventor Thomas 48 Make uncommon 50 Question 52 Campers dwellings 53 Association (abbr.) 54 Footwear 55 Hawaiian dancing 57 Opera solo 58 Grainery 60 Negative 62 Rodent

GET G ET M MOTIVATED! OTIVATED! By Marlene Laszlo marlenelaszlo@yahoo.caa marlenelaszlo@yahoo.c

s we get older, health issues often top the list of reasons to lose weight. Obesity has become a national health crisis, with statistics showing something like 44 million Americans fitting into this category. Weight loss programs try to inspire us with warnings of health consequences such as diabetes, heart disease, and increased risk of cancer. Yet, though we believe these statistics, this form of motivation doesn’t have much of an effect. So why is it that so many strong and determined people can ignore this terrible warning? Can it be that underneath we are so weak that all it takes is a carton of ice-cream to render us feeble-minded and obliterate our ability to think? Research bears out the fact that it is only human to surrender to the hereand-now. For many of us a juicy steak today is worth a year tacked onto our life sometime in the future. And, of course, when we think of future consequences we also think we have time. The big diet will begin next Monday. Today I can eat whatever I want. However, for those who suffer from musculoskeletal pain, researchers have verified a simple motivator that could help. A recently documented study out of the University of Cincinnati found that participants in a dietary weight loss program reported significantly less pain in the legs and back after losing an average of ten pounds. Chronic pain, especially as we age, is almost as widespread as carrying too much weight. Pain to the musculoskeletal system, especially legs and back, inhibits activity. Less activity leads to more sitting and more munching. Thus the cycle is reinforced to experience more pain. One reason why such a small weight loss benefit may go unnoticed is that we are not taught to pay attention to the small, ordinary improvements. We are told to think big. Lose twenty pounds or maybe sixty – the sky’s the limit. Look fabulous in those skinny jeans. These are the images that motivate us and, also, that often defeat us. The cost is too much deprivation and the benefit too far in the future. But what if a pain sufferer could easily chart and measure a decrease in pain after losing five to ten pounds? When you recognize and actually feel the ben-

efit, the motivation to get it off and keep it off can create a cycle that is the opposite of the one I described. The reward becomes less pain instead of more food. The way to do so is to use a simple scale. Not a weigh scale but a 1 to 10 scale where you chart your pain level. On a blank page, draw a line with 1 being low pain and 10 being high. Where are you on the scale now? Make a note of where the pain is and its intensity. For example, you might be at a 5 for pain in your knees and 6 for the lower back. Make a note of the date and your weight. After a five-pound weight loss, repeat this again. Do so again for every five pounds. What differences does a five-pound weight loss make? When you go after a small, shortterm benefit, the task doesn’t seem so overwhelming or far in the future. You know what you are looking for. You can measure the results and when you feel the difference, you then have it in your control to either keep your weight where it is, or to go ahead and lose more. However, simply taking that one small step – five to ten pounds – could be the difference that makes a difference.

Saw you in the Ojo 69

Saving A House Divided By Bernie Suttle

ometimes I wonder whether I’m like most men and if most women are like my wife. For example, I’m happiest when I have a minimum of choices of clothing for whatever event I might attend; the fewer the outfits I own the better. I have two pairs of shoes, one black, one brown, that’ll match my two suits and anything else I might wear. If we are going to a formal event like a wedding, I wear a clean white shirt. On the other hand, my wife has many outfits of various colors from which to choose which are suitable for every occasion. The same goes for her shoes. I think most women are at least in awe of the size of Imelda Marcos’ shoe inventory, if not downright envious. When I seek something in a store I seek only it and nothing more. When my wife goes shopping, however, she goes to see everything they have to offer and then purchases whatever she finds appealing. When I’m looking for an item, l go to the same store, look for it in the same place and in the same package as the last one I bought 20 years ago. Tradition is important! My wife moves things frequently furniture, kitchenware, Items stored in cupboards, closets and drawers and then she wonders why I’m always saying, “I can’t find X; do you know where it is?” My wife says she’s progressive. I say

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

she’s erratic! She puts her purse in any one of many places and remembers the next day exactly where she put it. I put my keys on their hook, the place where they belong. If I don’t find them on that hook the next morning, I’m devastated. I paint silhouettes of my tools on a board hung above my workbench in black, non-erasable paint ensuring a place for everything and everything in its place. I pay bills right away; “It may get lost and I don’t want to owe a late penalty.” My wife says, “Wait ‘til it’s due. There may be a credit issued.” I put a new acquaintance’s data into the address book right away; she says, “Wait till we see if we are ever going to need to contact them.” Let’s face it. I am conservative, traditional and concrete, whereas she is exploratory, adventurous and liberal - not in a political way like Democrat or Republican but in a personal, behavioral way. Our disparate philosophies could be a basis for our going separate ways. However, our listening to each other brings about a synergy. By combining each other’s ideas to resolve a problem we do what is best for our family. This is the method politicians should use to avoid legislative gridlock and start doing what’s best for the people; I do recognize however that it helps when the two dissimilar philosophies and behaviors share the same bed.

Letter to the Editor

ear Sir: I read with interest the editorial in your December issue re Conrad Blackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biography of F.D.R. I attended a book signing in 2004 in Toronto at which Conrad Black spoke to an audience of about 100 people. I asked him what he thought F.D.R. would have done about dropping the atomic bomb on Japan. Black replied he had never contemplated that scenario. He hoped F.D.R. would have dropped an atom bomb on a remote, sparsely populated island to show the Japanese high command the horror and futility of continuing the war. Alas, F.D.R. died before the decision needed to be made. Truman ordered Hiroshima and then Nagasaki to be leveled. The rest, sadly, is history. Arthur Smith Ajijic, Mexico Our Editor Replies: For many years, I held the same beliefâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;until I read John Herseyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hi-

roshima. In the weeks leading up to the dropping of the Atomic Bomb, Japan had been almost decimated by virtually around-the-clock air raids by the American B-29s based in nearby Okinawa. Japan by this time, however, was ruled by only one man, General Tojo, who was maniacally driven to fight on, regardless of the horrific plight of his people. Indeed, Tojo refused to surrender even after the first super-bomb was dropped. It was only after the second such bomb was dropped on Nagasaki a little more than a week later that Emperor Hirohito stepped in and promptly surrendered. I think the verdict of history is definitely on the side of President Truman.

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AA- Meets daily at 10:00 am. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 4 pm. Marcos Castellanos 51-A. 766-5961. Meets every Wednesday 8 am for breakfast at La Nueva Posada. ACÁ- Teaches youths, families sustainable agriculture, Joco and Jaltepec. Meet 14th of month. For more Information 387 763-1568. A COURSE IN MIRACLES- Saturday 2:00 pm 16 Sept #34, Unit 6, 766-4882 No charge. Ongoing. AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION OF CANADA 904 WING- from September to April we meet the 2nd Thursday 2pm at La Nueva Posada. Contact Don Slimman 765-4141. AJIJIC QUILT GUILD - Meets second Tuesday monthly at 12 noon. Guests & New Members Welcome. ajijicguild@gmail.com AJIJIC SCRABBLE CLUB- Tuesdays and Thursdays noon-3 pm at LCS Ken Gosh Pavilion. Dan Stark 766-0411. AJIJIC WRITERS’ GROUP- Meets 1st and 3rd Fridays at 10 am. New Posada. Coffee. Meeting followed by lunch at the New Posada. AXIXIC MASONIC LODGE #31- Meets 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month at 5:00 pm. Contact the secretary at 763-5346 for details. AL-ANON- Step study, Monday 6 pm, Lake Chapala Society, 16 de Septiembre & Marcos Castellanos Ajijic, Rear Gate. Contact (376)766-5975 AL-ANON- Sat. 10 am, Club 12, Marcos Castellanos 51-A, Ajijic Contact (376) 766-5975. AMERICAN LEGION OF CHAPALA POST- #7 General Membership meets 11 am 2nd Thursday. Tel: 765-2259. AMIGOS INTERNACIONALES- Every Wednesday 6 to 8 pm, Nueva Posada; informal friendly group meet to make new friends. AMIGOS DEL LAGO A.C.- Working to improve the ecology. See www.amigosdelago.org or contact us at info@amigosdelago.org. AMITIES FRANCOPHONES- Meets every 3rd Saturday at 1 pm contact: Roland and Camille at 766-0149. rvanhoudt@prodigy.net.mx. ANIMAL SHELTER- Provide shelter and new homes for dogs and cats. Tel: 765-5514. ANITA’S ANIMALS- Free loving dogs and cats. call (01 387) 761-0500. www.anitasanimals.com. ASA- Ajijic Society of the Arts. Meets every 1st Monday of the month at Nueva Posada, 10 am. ARDAT- (Ajijic Rotary Dog Assisted Therapy), therapy dog visits and education to prevent animal abuse. Juliananna Rose (376) 766-5025. BRIDGE AT OLD POSADA- Monday 1:15 check in. Mary Andrews 766-2489. BRITISH SOCIETY- Lunch meeting the 1st Saturday of each month, 1pm at Manix Rest. 765-4786, chapalainn@prodigy.net.mx. CARD & DOMINO CLUB- Wednesday, Friday & Sunday. Call for times. We will teach; make friends! Tel. 766-4253, Cell: (045) 33-1295-6485. CANADIAN CLUB OF LAKE CHAPALA- Meets on the 2nd Wednesday of the month, September through April. Social hour: 3:00 pm, program 4:00 pm. Visit www.canadianclubmx.com. CASA DE ANCIANOS- Provides support for elderly citizens, 765-2497. CENTRO DE DESARROLLO AJIJIC- Provides family planning and reproductive health education. 766-1679. CHILI COOK OFF- Providing a carnival for residents raising charitable funds, 763-5038. DAR- (Guadalajara)- Daughters of the American Revolution, meets monthly Sep. through June. Cell:333-897-0660 or Tel: (376) 766-2284. DAR- (At Lakeside)- THOMAS PAINE CHAPTER meets every 3 Wednesday at 12:30 noon, September thru June. Tel: 766-2981 or 762-0834. EASTERN STAR ESTRELLA DEL LAGO CHAPTER #10- 1st Wed. at 1:00 pm at Hotel Monte Carlo. 766-3785, www.oesestrelladellago.org. E.R.I.C.- Provides support for the construction and renovation of educational buildings. 766-2866. DEMOCRATS- Meets 2nd Thursday 4pm at La Nueva Posada FRIENDS OF VILLA INFANTIL (FOVI)- Provides financial support for children: www.friendsofvillainfantil.org. Contact Lisa Le: (387) 761-0002 or email : lisale888@gmail.com GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS- GA Meeting held every Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 PM in the Doctor’s office at the Lake Chapala Society - Charlie K. at cell: 331-445-2136. GARDEN CLUB- Meets the 3rd. Wednesday 11 am for lunch at La Nueva Posada. GARDEN GUILD- promoting the interest in the development of local gardens with an accent on the exotic species available in central Mexico. GERMAN MEETING- 2nd Thursday, 1:00 pm. La Nueva Posada. Call Thea 765-2442 or Werner 763-5446. GOLDEN STRINGS OF LAKE CHAPALA, A.C.- Rehearsals at auditorio de la Floresta. Tuesday & Friday, 3-6 pm. HASH HOUSE HARRIERS- Every Saturday at 8:30 am at La Nueva Posada. IRISH- Meet 2nd Monday 4pm for lunch at La Nueva Posada. JUNIOR LEAGUE DE GUADALAJARA A.C.- Av. San Francisco #3332. ligagdl2@prodigy.net.mx, Guadalajara, Jal. Tel. (33) 3121-0887. LAKE CHAPALA DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB- Meets every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 1:15 p.m.. www.chapalabridge.com. LAKE CHAPALA GARDEN CLUB- Gardening at Lakeside with garden tours and meeting 3rd Wed of every month at Nueva Posada for noon lunch and program. Contact sandy_feldmann@yahoo.com. LAKE CHAPALA GREEN GROUP- Sustainable living for a better tomorrow. Meets first Tuesday of each month, September through May. Lake Chapala Society, 3:00. Everyone is welcome. www.lakechapalagreengroup.com. LAKE CHAPALA SHRINE CLUB.- Meets the 3rd Tuesday of every month at 1 pm in the Nueva Posada. Perry King at (376) 763-5126. LAKE CHAPALA SOCIETY - LCS- 16 de Sep. # 16-A Ajijic, Open Monday - Saturday, 10 am to 2 pm. www.lakechapalasociety.org. 766-1140. LAKESIDE COMMUNITY AWARDS- We benefit all the community by honoring lakeside’s most talented. 766-3232. LAKESIDE FRIENDS OF THE ANIMALS- Board meets 3rd Thursday at 2:15 every month. info@lakesideanimalfriends.org. LAKESIDE LAUGHTER CLUB- Meets every Wed. from 9 am - 9:40 beginning September 29. For information call Charlene 766-0884. LAKESIDE LITTLE THEATRE A.C.- Balanced theatrical entertainment, English-speaking, 765-5942. LAKESIDE SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF- The 4th of each month. Nueva Posada 10:30 am. Call 766-2280, www.lakesideschoolforthedeaf.org. LAKESIDE WILDLIFE RESCUE & REHABILITATION- Rescue & rehabilitation of wild animals. 765-4916. LAKE SPAY AND NEUTER CENTR A.C.- Provides shelter and helps curtail the over-population of animals. 766-3813. LCS EDUCATION CENTER- Provides classes in language and other topics for both Anglo and Mexican community. 766-0499. LCS STUDENT AID FUND- Provides financial support to area students to enroll in university, vocational and high school program. 766-0716. LINK- Assisting foreign community. Desk at Lake Chapala Society-Monday, 10 am-noon. LITTLE BLUE SCHOOLHOUSE- Provides financial assistance for students at school for disabled children in Chapala 766-1552. LOS NINOS DE CHAPALA Y AJIJIC, AC Providing educational scholarships to Lakeside children 376-765-7032, www.lakesideninos.org. LOVE IN ACTION- Shelter for abused and abandoned children. For volunteers and donations. Anabel Frutos 765-7409, cell: 331-351 7826. MAS- Music Appreciation Society. Concerts from fall to spring. Classical music and dance concerts. For info call Beverly Denton, 765-6409. MISION SAN PABLO- Helping 60 orphaned children ages 2-14 yrs, Bonnie Shrall - Bonnie@shrall.com #766-0009. www.misionsanpablo.org. NAVY LEAGUE, LAKE CHAPALA COUNCIL- Meets the third Saturday for lunch at 1 pm, Manix Rest. 766 4750 or 766-1848. NEEDLE PUSHERS- Sew dresses, knit or chet sweaters for local kids. Every Tues. 10 am at LCS. Call Gay at 766-2902. NIÑOS Y JOVENES CARAVAN- Delivers foodstuffs and used clothing to orphanage in San Juan. Call Reuben Varela, 01-387-761-0828. OPEN CIRCLE- Fostering body, mind & spirit, every Sunday at the LCS from 10 am to 12 noon. 765-3402 or frankdburton@yahoo.com. OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS- Every Tuesday & Friday 12 pm at Marcos Castellanos 51-A, in Upper Ajijic. Tel: 766-2575 or 766-1626. PROGRAMA PRO NIÑOS INCAPACITADOS DEL LAGO AC.- Assisting Lakeside disabled children www.programaninos.org , 763-5010. PASOS MILAGROSOS (MIRACULOUS STEPS.)- Helping Handicapped Children Through the Magic of Horses. Saturdays 8-2. www. pasosmilagrosos.com. RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS- Meets 1st Wednesday at 2:00 pm at the Sala LCS. New members welcome. ROTARY CLUB OF AJIJIC- Meets every Tuesday at 1:00 pm at Hotel Real de Chapala. Contact at 766-3302. www.rotaryajijic.com. SCIENCE OF MIND STUDY GROUP- Discussion group every Tuesday at 10 AM Lake Chapala Center for Spiritual Living at Nicolas Bravo #17 Ajijic; contact Rev. Tim at 766-0920 or tim@revdoctim.com. THE GENEALOGY FORUM- Meets monthly on the fourth Monday in the Sala at LCS, from 2:00 to 3:45. UVA - University/Vocational Assistance (Little Chapel by the Lake a.c.)- Sue Torres, 766-2932 or Lynn Hanson 766-2660. VIVA LA MUSICA - Bus trips to the symphony, summer concert series, call Rosemay Keeling 766-1801. www.ajijicviva.org. VOLLEYBALL IN CHAPALA- At Cristiania park Tues., Thurs., Sat. mornings at 10, 333-502-1264. VOLUNTEER HEALTH RESOURCE GROUP- Meeting last Saturday of each month at LCS in sala, 10:30. VOLUNTEERS OF THE CRUZ ROJA- Sponsors fund raising events and provides administrative and support services to the Delegation.

(NOTE: If there is any change in the above, please advise us so that corrections may be made. Call: 765-2877)

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

All Saints Lutheran Church Worship Service 11:00 am 4600 Avenida Tepeyac, Guad. Tel. (01 333) 121-6741. Abundant Life Assembly of God Carr. 140 next to Mail Boxes etc, Tel: 766-5615. Center For Spiritual Living Celebration Service, 5pm Fridays, Nicolas Bravo #17 Ajijic. 766-9020 or tim@revdoctim.com. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Services in English and Spanish, 10 am, Riberas del Pilar Bishop Wyvell Tel. (376) 765-7067, Bishop’s residence (376) 766-1532. Church of the Holy Spirit Services Sun. 10 am, Albaro Obregon #119, Chapala Tel. (376) 765-4210. Grace Baptist Church 5th Sun. Evening service 6 pm, Pedro Buzeta No. 970, Guad. Tel. (013) 641-1685. Lake Chapala Baptist Church Mid-week service, 9:30 am, worship service, 10:45 am. Santa Margarita #147, Riberas del Pilar, Tel. (376) 765-2925, 765-3329. www.lakechapalabaptist.com. 7th Day Adventist meet at Camino Real #84 in La Floresta, 9:30 am, Potluck follows, Tel: 766-5708 Little Chapel by the Lake Sun. services 11 am, Chula Vista,. Jal, Tel. (376) 763-1551. Lake Chapala Jewish Congregation Santa Margarita 113, Riberas del Pilar, Tel: 765-6968. For information and service times, please call Pres. Elliot Gould. contact us@lakechapalajews.com. Web site: www. lakechapalajews.com. Lakeside Fellowship Sun. worship 11 am, Javier Mina #49 Ajijic, Tel. (376) 766-0795. Lakeside Presbyterian Church Worship-Sunday 10 am; Bible StudyFriday 10 am; Hidalgo 231A, Carr. Chapala/Joco; Riberas del Pilar Tel. Pastor Ross Arnold at 376-7661238, or Norm Pifer at 376-766-0616 Website at www.chapalalakesidepresbyterian.org Saint Andrew´s Anglican Church Calle San. Lucas 19, Riberas del Pilar, Sunday 2 services, 9 am & 11 am. www. standrewsriberas.com San Andres Catholic Church Services 9:00 am. Ajijic, 766-0922. St. John’s Catholic Church Between Av. Vallarta & Av. Lazaro Cardenas, Guad. Sun. 11am. (013) 121-8131. The Lake Chapala Unitarian Universalist Fellowship meets Sundays at 10:30 a.m. at the Jewish Community Center behind Mateos in Riberas del Pilar (Santa Margarita 113). For additional information call Steve at 766-5507 or email: trudycrippen@gmail.com. Check out our website at www.lcuuf.org.

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The

LAKE CHAPALA SOCIETY

News

January 2011

New Constitution Ratified!

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Congratulations to everyone. We now have a new constitution to take LCS into the future and the future is now. One of the many improvements brought on by this constitution is the shifting of our Annual General Meeting to March, which will allow the board to report our financial status to the members in a timely fashion. The unofficial results for 2010 show that we finished the year on budget, with a sizeable surplus in operating funds. The more significant news is that we currently have over $2.5 million pesos in our investment accounts including the restricted Gillespie and Merali funds. If you want to see the details, stop into the office and we’ll be glad to show you the unaudited data. Another significant change is that we will be holding elections in March for a part of the board as we switch to staggered terms for board members. At this meeting we will be electing a vice president, treasurer and up to 6 members-at-large. A nominating committee is being formed and will be in place by January 15th. If you are interested in serving on the board, please let Terry or me know and we will pass your name onto the nominating committee. In March the board will be presenting a new Strategic Plan to the members for ratification. This Strategic Plan will form the long term and strategic (3 year) goals for LCS over the next 10 years. In this way our members will always be directly involved in future planning. Based on this planning, your board will develop an annual action plan based on available resources (money and people). Then it’s up to Terry, our Executive Director and his management team to implement this plan and report back to the board and ultimately to you on the results. Pretty simple, you think? Well it is when you have great volunteers as we do. I hope you will consider volunteering in some capacity or step up as a board member. I guarantee that you’ll have a fulfilling experience. Please tell your friends who were former members that LCS is the place to be again. Come join us for a cup of coffee and stay a while. Howard Feldstein President

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

LCS News Start the new year with Yoga! Yoga Basics begins Monday, Jan. 10, from 10-11 in the gazebo and will continue every Monday through April 18. The teacher is Karen Kordisch, who offered a similar class on Fridays last winter. Karen has been practicing yoga for 23 years, teaching for 16, and has a 500 hr. (advanced) teaching certificate. She believes in using yoga therapeutically to help with pain reduction and relaxation. Both beginning and continuing students are welcome. Please bring a yoga mat AND a blanket/thick towel to class.

SPECIAL LECTURE ON WEIGHT LOSS January 14 At the Sala at Lake Chapala Society

“The HCG Protocol” Presented by Dionne Hearne, Ph.D For several years I have been searching for a truly effective weight loss and weight MAINTENANCE method. Typical diets have a success rate of 5%. The HCG protocol has a lifetime success rate of 60 to 70%. This method resets the hypothalamus while producing a fat loss of 1/2 to 2 pounds a day. We now have a 6 month track record using this protocol here in Ajijic. Come and see how and why it is successful.

NEED A WORKER ? As a means of assisting both the foreign & Mexican communities, a non-profit registry of local Mexicans who need & are looking for work of all types is available. No pre-screening is provided, just a data-base of willing applicants. You interview and choose whom to hire or not. Email: elbelgicano@yahoo.com or visit: http://vivachapala.blogspot.com

January 2011 SINGLES MIX & MATCH GROUP THREE JANUARY EVENTS: January 3 - “Happy Hour” between 5 -7 PM at La Vinia bar-restaurant. There will be a Happy Hour paid bar with free botanas provided by the new Argentinian owner/chef. The location is on the southeast corner of Colon and 16 de Septiembre, diagonally across from Opus Boutique. There is also a side entrance on Morelos. January 13 - “Singles Socializer” between 5 -7 PM at Adobe Walls, the cozy B & B on” Septiembre 16 #52 A. There is a large sign that spans the street. The cross street is Donato Guerra. The Singles Group will be setting up its paid bar and provide botanas. Afterwards, those who are interested will walk to Ole Ola or La Tasca for dinner. No reservations. January 20 - “Bus Trip Around the Lake” $350/per Load and leave 9 AM/10 AM, from the Carretera. (Info will be available later regarding where to buy tickets) 1st stop - Petatan’--30 minute stop Pelican island. 2nd stop-Jiquilpan - view unfinished oil paintings by Clemente Orozco, early 1900’s. Curator will explain. 3rd stop-Ocotlan - Late lunch at waterfront. Arrive 2:30/3:00PM 4th stop-Focotonal (cosmic energy) approximately 1 hour stop. Return around 6:30 PM In Ajijic. The Lake Chapala Society Singles Mix & Match group now boasts 110 members who have signed up for our online group website. For more information click on www.groups.yahoo.com/group/ lcsmixandmatch or contact Patricia Doran at inajijicpat@ yahoo.com

COURIERS NEEDED THE BOOK AND VIDEO LIBRARIES ALWAYS NEED VOLUNTEERS TO BRING NEW TITLES FROM NORTH OF THE BORDER. CONTACT BRENDA DAWSON IF YOU CAN BRING BOOKS AT: BRENDADAWSON13@HOTMAIL. COM OR TOM KEANE FOR VIDEOS AT: KEANHOMBRE@PRODIGY.NET.MX

POST LIFE PLEASE come in and sign your post life Documents. We have a backlog of unsigned originals. You know who you are if you have filled in a post life form in the last 6 months... THANKS!

THANK YOU, AND SAFE TRAVELS!

TRANSFER your old VHS to DVD A service offered in the Video Library ONLY 50 pesos each!

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LCS News JANUARY EVENTS

LIBRARIES Book & Video M-SAT 10-2 Talking Book TH 10-1

MEDICAL/HEALTH INSURANCE Blood Pressure M+F 10-12 Cruz Roja Sales Table M–F 10-12:30 Cruz Roja Monthly Meeting 1st W 2-4 Hearing Aids M & 2nd + 4th SAT 11-3 Sign-up IMSS M+T 10-1 NY Life/Seguros Monterrey Insurance T+TH 11-2 Optometrist TH 9-5:30 Sign-up Skin Cancer 2nd + 4th W 10-12 Sign –up TioCorp Bupa & Plan Seguros M 10:30-1 INFORMATION Ajijic Rotary Club M 10-12 JANUARY ACTIVITIES Becerra Immigration F 10-1 Information Desk M-SAT 10-2 LINK M 10-12 Loridan Legal T 10-12 Los Niño’s de Chapala /Ajijic F 10-1:30 US Consulate 1st W 10:30-12:30 Sign up 10AM LESSONS Beg Watercolor Journaling 3,5,10 January 12-3 Children’s Art SAT 9-12 Country Line Dancing T+TH 10-11:30,Show LCS card Exercise M+W+F 9-10 Have Hammers Workshop T 10-12, TH 3-5 Intermediate Hatha Yoga T+TH+SAT 2 - 3:30 Spanish Conversation Club M 10-12, No Registration Yoga Basics M 10-11 SOCIAL ACTIVITIES AA Lakeside M+TH 4-6 AA Women TH 10:30-12 AL-Anon/Al-aTeen M 4:30-5:30 Beginner’s Camera W 12-1 Computer Windows Club F 10:30-11:45 Creative Writer’s Group M 2-4 (Closed group) Creative Writer’s Group W 2-4 (Closed group) Digital Camera Club W 10:30-12 Discussion Group W 12-1:30 Everyday Mindfulness M 10:30-12 Film Aficionados 2nd+ 4th+ Last TH 2-4:30 Film Seminars M 2-5 Gamblers Anonymous W 11:30-1:30 Genealogy Last M 2-4 Great Books 1st + 3rd TH 2-4 (Closed group) Great Books 1st & 3rd F 2-4 Open to members Green Group 1st T 3-4:30 Green Transition in Action 2nd M 11-1:30 Laughter Program SAT 2:30-4 Lakeside Friends of Animals 1st TH 2:15-4 Learning Seminars T 12-2 Mac OS 1st M 12-1:30 Mac User 3rd W 3-4:30 Mah Jonng F 10-2:30 Masonic Lodge #31 2nd + 4th W 4:30-8, 4th T 3-4:30 Needle Pushers T 10-12 Open Circle SUN 10:00-12:15 Scrabble M+F 12-2 Singles Mix & Match 1st W 5-8 Singing Singles M+W 2-3:30 Tournament Scrabble T+TH 12-3 TICKET SALES M-F 10-12:30

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

January 2011 LCS LEARNING SEMINARS The next Seminar--Tues. January 4 at Noon, will be chaired by Bill Frayer. It features (via TED internet podcast) Temple Grandin. Diagnosed with autism as a child, Grandin talks about how her mind works -- sharing her ability to “think in pictures,” which helps her solve problems that neurotypical brains might miss. She makes the case that the world needs people on the autism spectrum: visual thinkers, pattern thinkers, verbal thinkers, and all kinds of smart geeky kids. The next Seminar--Tues. January 11 at Noon, will be chaired by Fred Harland. It features (via a TED internet podcast) Thomas Barnett discussing “The Pentagon’s New Map for War and Peace”. He believes that a revised/updated vision for the Pentagon can indeed be a major force for global peace. The next Seminar--Tues. January 18 at Noon, will be chaired by Bill Frayer. It features (via a TED internet podcast) Daniel Kahneman. Using examples from vacations to colonoscopies, Kahneman, a Nobel laureate and founder of behavioral economics reveals how our “experiencing selves” and our “remembering selves” perceive happiness differently. This new insight has profound implications for economics, public policy -- and our own self-awareness. The next Seminar--Tues. January 25 at Noon, will be chaired by Fred Harland,. It features (via a TED internet podcast) Philip Zimbardo discussing “How people turn into monsters…or heros.” He explores the psychology of both evil and heroism.

LOL For Health! Coming to LCS this Spring, a program about the Health Benefits of Laughter. Come learn the Physical, Mental, and Relational benefits of laughter as well as the history of laughing and how to laugh, including laughter exercises. Semi-professional Laugher and Marriage and Family Therapy Trainee, Mandy Pifer, will lead the program. Look for fliers announcing the date and time. Space will be limited. For more information, email Mandy at Mandy.Pifer@yahoo.com.

www.lakechapalasociety.org

GREEN TRANSITIONS IN ACTION PRESENTS:

Beginning Watercolor Journaling January 3, 5 and 10, 12-3pm

“TAPPED”

Basics in drawing, watercolor and some writing exercises by Instructor Elaine Frenett. Some art experience preferred.

January 10, at 11:30 am in the Sala

This documentary is a behind the scenes look into the unregulated and unseen world of an industry that aims to privatize and sell back the one resource that ought never to become a commodity.....OUR WATER!

LCS will be closed on Saturday, 1/1/11, for New Years Day.

Required materials: bound watercolor journal (140 lb. minimum weight), pencil, watercolor brushes, portable palette with pigments (red, blue and yellow). Materials available for purchase in class. Pre-register on-line with Elaine at: elainefrenett@live. com or at the first class.

FILM AFICIONADOS Films and discussion on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays in the Sala at 2 pm THERE WILL BE TWO FILMS THIS MONTH ON THE BIG SCREEN January 13 - LET THE RIGHT ONE IN This 2008 Swedish film is destined to become a classic. Twelve-year-old Oskar, the target of bullies, spends his time plotting revenge. Things change when the new girl on the block arrives on the scene. January 27 - I’VE LOVED YOU SO LONG Kristen Scott Thomas gives a performance that is nothing short of astounding in this 2008 French film. Philippe Claudel’s directorial debut is one that you won’t forget for a long time. For LCS members to get on the Film Aficionado email list to receive notices and reviews of upcoming showings, you can email me at: mak1939@gmail.com.

‘Tis the Season to Donate to the Casi Nuevo Thrift Shop. LAKE CHAPALA SOCIETY 16 de Septiembre #16-A, Ajijic, Jalisco LCS Main Office: 766-1140 Office, Information and other services open Monday – Friday, 10 to 2 and Saturday 10 to 2. Grounds are open until 5

LCS BOARD OF DIRECTORS President - Howard Feldstein Vice-President - Fred Harland Secretary - Lynn Bishop Sr. Director 1 - Tod Jonson Sr. Director 2 - Paula Haarvei Sr. Director 3 - Sharon Smith LCS Education Director - Mary Alice Sargent Executive Director - Terry Vidal ◊ THE LCS NEWSLETTER IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY. ◊ DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS THE 17TH OF THE MONTH PRECEDING PUBLICATION. ◊ NEWSLETTER EDITORS - BRIDGET DARBY & MARGARET JOHNSTONE ◊ NEWS ITEMS CAN BE EMAILED TO: BRIDGET98USA@YAHOO.COM NOTE: THE EDITORIAL STAFF RESERVES THE RIGHT TO COMPLETE EDITING PRIVILEGES. ARTICLES AND/OR CALENDAR EVENTS WILL BE INCLUDED ACCORDING TO TIME, SPACE AVAILABILITY AND EDITORIAL DECISION ON THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE INFORMATION FOR INCLUSION.

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Service

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

www.tel.chapala.com

DIRECTORY * ADVERTISING

Tel: 766-0050 - CASA TRES LEONES Cell: (045) 331-350-6764

- EL OJO DEL LAGO Tel. 765-3676

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* BEER & LIQUOR STORES

* ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS - ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS Tel: 766-5961

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* ANIMAL CLINICS/PET SHOP - ANIMAL CARE Tel: 766-3062 - DEE’S PET CARE Tel: 762-1646 - FURRY FRIENDS Tel: 765-5431 - PET SHOP - SALUD ANIMAL Tel: 766-1009

Pag: 65 Pag: 74 Pag: 75 Pag: 65 Pag: 76

* ART GALLERIES/HANDCRAFTS - CATHY CHALVIGNAC Tel: 766-1153 - DIANE PEARL COLECCIONES Tel: 766-5683 - EL PALOMAR Tel: 01 (33) 3635-5247 - ENGLISH GREETING CARDS - SOL MEXICANO Tel: 766-0734 - THE AJIJIC ART HOUSE Tel: 765-5097

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* AUTOMATIC DOORS

* AUTOMOTIVE Pag: 62 Pag: 15

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* BLINDS AND CURTAINS - HUNTER DOUGLAS Tel: 766-0026

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* BOUTIQUE / CLOTHING STORES - ARATI Tel: 766-0130 - CUGINIS OPUS BOUTIQUE Tel/Fax: 766-1790 - FIAGA BOUTIQUE Tel: 766-1816 - LA BELLA VIDA Tel: 766-5131 - LEATHER GALLERY Tel: 766-2845

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* CEILING FANS - VENTILADORES DEL OCCIDENTE Tel/Fax: (33) 3631-6619, 3634-9982

Pag: 06

* CHURCHES

* CLEANING SERVICE - PROFESSIONAL WINDOW WASHING Tel: 765-4507 Pag: 60 - ORIENTAL RUGS CLEANING Tel: 3625 8456 Pag: 48

* COMMUNICATIONS

Pag: 15 Pag: 19 Pag: 17 Pag: 44

Pag: 18 Pag: 20 Pag: 08

* ELEVATORS

Pag: 75

- MAILBOXES, ETC. Tel: 766-0647, Fax: 766-0775 761-0363, Fax: 761-0364

Pag: 16

* COMPUTING SERVICES

- ACTINVER Tel. 766-3110 - INTERCAM Tel: 766-5978 - MULTIVA Tel: 766-2499 -O&A Tel: 766-4481

Pag: 60

* FINANCIAL SERVICES - CANADIANS IN MEXICO Tel: 766-4828 Pag: 49 - LAKESIDE FINANCIAL ADVISOR DAVID LESNICK CFP CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER Fax: 001(623) 327-1277 Pag: 17 - LAKESIDE MORTGAGE CONSULTANTS Tel: 766-2914 Pag: 52

* FITNESS CENTER Pag: 32, 52 Pag: 51 Pag: 31 Pag: 54 Pag: 28 Pag: 69

- FUMIGA Tel: 762-0078, (045) 33-1155-7059 - FUMI-TECH Tel: 766-1946, Cell. (045) 333-369-3737

Pag: 27 Pag: 23

Pag: 26 Pag: 77

- BRENDA’S BAKERY BOUTIQUE Tel: 765-2987

Pag: 31

Pag: 52 Pag: 59

- PAPELERIA TRINIDAD Tel: 766-2400

Pag: 34

* CONSTRUCTION

* BEAUTY Pag: 37 Pag: 35, 53 Pag: 67 Pag: 57 Pag: 64 Pag: 61

Pag: 53

- ARELLANO Tel: 766-4696 Pag: 42, 43 - CABO DO MUNDO- INTERIOR DESIGN Tel: 766-0026 Pag: 25 - CONSTRUCTION & REMODELING Tel: 766-3626 Pag: 11 - FMC Tel: 766-3596 Pag: 28 - HOME SERVICES Tel: 766-1569 Pag: 37 - TEKNOVENTANAS Tel: 01-800-581-0957 Pag: 54 - WARWICK CONSTRUCTION Tel: 765-2224 Cell. (045) 331-135-0763 Pag: 76

* DENTISTS

- L & R WATER GARDENS Tel: 766-4386

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

Pag: 63 Pag: 68

* HEARING AIDS - LAKESIDE HEARING SERVICES Cell. (045) 33-1511-4088

Pag: 63

* HOME APPLIANCES - ELECTROVENTA Tel: 765-2222

Pag: 18

- FAMILY MEMBERSHIP FOR SALE Tel: (045) 33-3956-6416

- ADOBE WALLS INN Tel: 766-1296 - CASA BLANCA Tel: 766-1500 - CASA HUMBOLDT Tel: 01-55-5568-0871 - COCONUTS BY THE SEA Cell: 315.100.8899 - HOTEL AJIJIC Tel: 766-0383 - HOTEL LA CASONA Tel: 01-800-700-8877 - HOTEL LA ESTANCIA Tel: 766-0717 - ISLA DORADO Tel. 01-800-777-6060 - LA MISION Tel: 322-222-7104, 322-222-4822 - LA NUEVA POSADA Tel: 766-1444, Fax: 766-2049 - MIS AMORES Tels: 766-4640, 4641, 4642 - PALMA REAL Tel: 01-800-777-1515 - QUINTA DON JOSE Tel: 01-800-700-2223 - VILLA BORDEAUX Tel. (01-387) 761-0494

Pag: 27 Pag: 61 Pag: 24 Pag: 16 Pag: 44 Pag: 57 Pag: 20 Pag: 61 Pag: 75 Pag: 03 Pag: 66 Pag: 51 Pag: 26 Pag: 37

- EDGAR CEDEÑO - MEXICO PROTECT Cell: (045) 33-3106-6982 Pag: 34 - LLOYD Tel: 766-0152, 766-3508 Pag: 23

- ELEMENTS Tel: 766-5826 - HOME DESIGN Tel: 765-5649

Pag: 23 Pag: 39

LEGAL SERVICES - MAGO’S OFFICE Tel: 765-3640

Pag: 09

* LIGHTING & DECORATION Pag: 12

- LIGHTING & DESIGN CENTER Tel. 766-3506

Pag: 20

* MALL / PLAZA

* GOLF Pag: 32

- CENTRO LAGUNA Tel: 01 (33) 3560-2670

Pag: 83

* MEAT/POULTRY/CHEESE * HARDWARE STORES - FERRETERIA Y TLAPALERIA GALVEZ Tel: 766-0880, Fax: 766-2440 Pag: 82

- TONY’S Tel: 766-1614, 766-4069

Pag: 12

* MEDICAL SERVICES

* HEALTH - LIFE LEADER MINERALS

- AJIJIC DENTAL

Pag: 58

* INTERIOR DESIGN

- ARTE AMANECER Tel: 765-2090 Pag: 59 - INFINITY ARTE Tel: 01 (33) 37-925-901 Pag: 29 - INTERIOR & FURNITURE -RICARDO FERNANDEZ Tel: 766-4331 Pag: 17 - TEMPUR Tel: (52) 333-629-5919, 333-629-5961 Pag: 44 - VIGOLARI Tel: 765-5649 Pag: 39

* GARDENING

* BED & BREAKFAST - CASA DE LAS FLORES Tel: 766-5493 - CASA DEL SOL

* FURNITURE Pag: 11

COPY CENTER

* BAKERY

- AFRODITA Tel: 766-6187 - CASITA MONTAÑA Tel: 766-5513 - ELIA NAVARRO GOMEZ Tel. 766-2323 - JAMES DON SALON Tel: (387) 763-1933 - MARY KAY Tel: 765-7654 - NEW LOOK STUDIO Tel: 766-6000

- CAFE INTERNET AJIJIC Tel: 766-3626 - COMPUTERLAND Tel. 765-7595 - NEW WORLD TECHNOLOGY Tel. 766-4343

- KARIN J. MILES Cell: (045) 333-481-8307 - WEIGHTWATCHERS Tel: 01-800-710-3378 - YOGA OM Tel: 766-0523

* INSURANCE

Pag: 21 Pag: 25

766-1760 765-4444 766-5555

* HOTELS / SUITES

- CUSTOM MADE HOME ELEVATORS Cell: (045) 33-1234-5867

- CHANGE OF PACE Tel: 766-5800 - FITWELL Cell: (045) 331-149-7271 - SENIOR ONLINE FITNESS Cell: (045) 333-458-1980 - SPINING Cell: (045) 33-1266-6857 - STAND BIKE Cell: (045) 33-3814-5913 - ZUMBA Tel: (387) 763-0448

066 765-2308, 765-2553 766-3615

Pag: 10

* FUMIGATION/PESTS

* BANK INVESTMENT

Pag: 07

- LAKE CHAPALA BAPTIST CHURCH Tel: 765-2925 Pag: 48, 74

- AUTOMATIC GARAGE DOOR OPENERS Tel: 766 - 4973, Cell: (045) 33-3157- 6536 Pag: 77

- GRUPO OLMESA Cell: (045) 33-3806-9231 - LINEA PROFESIONAL Tel. 766-2555, Fax. 766-0066 - RON YOUNG-MECHANIC Tel: 765-6387

- BETO’S WINE & LIQUOR Tel: 766-5420, Cell (045) 333-507-3024 - MODELORAMA Tel: 766-2678, 765-2055

Tel: 766-3682 - C.D. MARÍA LUISA LUIS VILLA Tel/Fax: 766-2428 - C.D. SANDRA ANAYA MORA Tel: 765-3502, 765-5444 - DENTAL EXPRESS Cell: (045) 331-121-6518 - DRA. ANGELICA ALDANA LEMA DDS Tel. 765-5364 - DR. ALBERTO DON OLIVERA Tels: 765-4838, 765-4805 - DR. FRANCISCO CONTRERAS Tel: 765-5757 - DR. HECTOR HARO, DDS. Tel: 765-3193, 765-6974

EMERGENCY HOTLINE AMBULANCE - CRUZ ROJA FIRE DEPARTMENT POLICE Ajijic Chapala La Floresta

Pag: 48

- DERMATOLOGIST Tel: 766-1198, 765-2400

Pag: 69

- DERMIKA Dermatologic Center Dra. Monica Ramos Tel: 766-2500 Pag: 22 - DRA. MARTHA R. BALLESTEROS FRANCO Cell: (045) 333-408-0951 Pag: 17 - HOSPITAL ANGELES DEL CARMEN Tel: (01) 3813-0042 Pag: 08 - INTERNAL MEDICINE SPECIALIST & GERIATRICS Dr. J. Manuel Cordova Tel: 766-2777 Pag: 16 - ISILAB Tel: 766-1164 Pag: 28 - PINTO OPTICAS Tel: 765-7793 Pag: 14 - QUALITY CARE Toll-free: 1-877-775-4380, 331-086-4369 Pag: 36 - RED CROSS Tel: 765-2308 - SURGERY HOST Tel: 766-3145 Pag: 47

* MOVERS - BALDERAS Tel: 01 (33) 3810-4859 - LAKE CHAPALA MOVING Tel: 766-5008 - STROM- WHITE MOVERS Tel: 766-4049

Pag: 07 Pag: 14 Pag: 15

* MUSIC/THEATRE - THE NAKED STAGE READER’S THEATRE Tel: 765-2530 Pag: 47 - ZAICOCIRCO Tel: 766-3062 Pag: 41

* PERSONAL ASSISTANCE - JUSTUS HAUSER Tel: 763-5333, Fax: 763-5335 Emergencies: 01 (33) 3441-8223 Pag: 05 - RIBERAS PERSONAL SERVICES Tel: 765 51 29 Pag: 74 - NEWCOMERS ILSE HOFFMANN Cell: 33-3157-2541, Ilse40@megared.net.mx www.mexicoadventure.com/chapala/guadalajara.htm Tel: 01 (33) 3647-3912

* PHARMACIES - FARMACIA CRISTINA Tel: 766-1501 - FARMACIA EXPRESS II - FARMACIA MASKARAS Tel/Fax: 765-5827 - FARMACIA MORELOS Tel: 765-4002 - FARMACIA UNICA Tel: 766-0523

Pag: 75 Pag: 13 Pag: 77

Tel: (387) 763-1974 - FOR SALE BY OWNER Tel: 766-5124 - FOR SALE BY OWNER Tel: 766-5991 - FOR SALE BY OWNER Tel: 766-5907 - FOR SALE BY OWNER Tel: 766-5779 - FOR SALE BY OWNER Tel: 766-1660 - FOR SALE BY OWNER Tel: 765-2222 - FOR SALE BY OWNER Tel: 766-5429 - GEORGETTE RICHMOND Tel: 766-2129, 766-2077 - HACIENDA LA CANACINTA Tel: 766-4971 - JUAN PABLO GIOVANNINI Tel: 766-1569 - LLOYD REAL ESTATE AJIJIC Tel: 766-3508 - MANZANILLO REAL ESTATE Tel: (314) 120-3878 - MEXICO PROPERTY RESOURCES Tel: (315) 351-7489 - MICHEL BUREAU Cell. (045) 333-129-3322, Home: (376) 765-2973 - MONTAÑO REALTY Tel: 766-1134 - MYRON’S MEXICO Cell: 33-1065-7688 - PETER ST. JOHN Tel: 765-3676 - RAUL GONZALEZ Cell: 33-1437-0925 - RMM REALTY Tel: 669 913 30 65

Pag: 64 Pag: 77 Pag: 30 Pag: 68 Pag: 56 Pag: 24 Pag: 64 Pag: 70 Pag: 11 Pag: 69

- 1ST CHOICE HOMES LAKESIDE Tel: 765-2484 Pag: 55 - AJIJIC HOME INSPECTIONS Tel: 766-2836 Pag: 10 - AJIJIC REAL ESTATE Tel: 766-2077, Fax: 766-2331 Pag: 03, 19 - ALL IN ONE REAL ESTATE SERVICE Tel: 766-1161 Pag: 05 - AMBAR Tel: 766-4300 Pag: 33 - ARELLANO Tel: 766-4696 Pag: 42, 43 - BEV. & JEAN COFELL Home Tel. 766-5332 Office Tel. 765-3676 Pag: 50 - COLDWELL BANKER CHAPALA REALTY Tel: 766-1152, 766-3369 Fax: 766-2124, Tels: 765-2877 Fax: 765-3528 Pag: 84 - CHULA VISTA NORTE Tel: 766-2177 Cell: (045) 33-3841-8867 Pag: 35 - DOTTIE SLAIMAN Tel: 765-2326 Pag: 29 - EL DORADO Tel: 766-0040 Pag: 02 - ESFERA INMOBILIARIA Tel: 01-800-466-3733 Pag: 30 - FOR SALE BY OWNER

Pag: 22 Pag: 82

Pag: 17

* TOURS

Pag: 12 Pag: 54

* TREE SERVICE

Pag: 47

* RETIREMENT/REST/NURSING HOMES - LA CASA NOSTRA Tel: 765-4187, Fax: 765-5815

- PROFESSIONAL REHABILITATION Tel: 766-5563

- CHARTER CLUB TOURS Tel: 766-1777 Pag: 09 - CLUBDEVIAJESAMIGOSYFAMILIA.COM Tel. (33) 1562-6075 Pag: 51 - GRUPO TURISTICO AXIXIC Tel: 766-5255 Pag: 34

Pag: 52

Pag: 06

* SATELLITES/ T.V. Pag: 44

- AJIJIC ELECTRONICS S.A. DE C.V. Tel/Fax: 766-1117, 766-3371

Pag: 67

* SELF STORAGE

Pag: 61

- SELF STORAGE-BODEGAS CHAPALA Tel: 766-0661, Tel/Fax: 766-1045 Pag: 31

Pag: 34

* SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS

Pag: 62

- EL BAZAR DE LOS NIÑOS Tel: 765-3147 Pag: 48 - LAKE CHAPALA SOCIETY Tel: 766-1140 Pag: 74-77 - LAKESIDE SPAY & NEUTER CENTER, A.C. Tel: 766-3813 - NIÑOS DE CHAPALA Y AJIJIC Tel: 765-7032 Pag: 48

Pag: 32 Pag: 47 Pag: 65

- CHAPALA TREE SERVICE Tel: 762-0602

Pag: 77

* WATER

Pag: 19

- IRRIGATION SYSTEMS Tel. (33) 3135 3645 - TECNO AQUA Tel: 766-3730, 766-3731

Pag: 48 Pag: 26

* RENTALS/PROPERTY MANAGEMENT * SOLAR ENERGY - COLDWELLBANKER CHAPALA REALTY Tel: 766-1152, movile: (045) 33-1175-9632 Pag: 73 - FOR RENT Tel: 766-3799 Pag: 70 - FOR RENT Tel: 33-3813 3413 Pag: 70 - HACIENDA LA CANACINTA Tel: 766-4971 Pag: 69 - RIBERA RENTAL CENTER Tel: 765-3838 Pag: 60 - ROMA Pag: 12 Tel: 766-3163 - SANTANA RENTALS Cell: 315-104-3283, Pag: 57

Pag: 67

* REAL ESTATE

Pag: 13

Pag: 23

* REPAIRS/ MAINTENANCE

- EQUIPMENT AND POOL MAINTENANCE Tel: 766-1617 Pag: 35 - HOME SERVICES Tel: 766-1569 Pag: 50 - TECNO AQUA Tel: 766-3730, 766-3731 Pag: 26

* THERAPISTS Pag: 23

Pag: 36

Pag: 70

* POOL MAINTENANCE

- NUMBER FOUR Tel: 766-1360 - PANINO Tel: 766-3822 - SIMPLY THAI Tel: 766-5665 - SUBWAY - TABARKA Tel: 766-1588 - TOMAS Tel: 765-3897 - TONY’S Tel: 766-1614, 766-4069 - TRATTORIA DI AXIXIC Tel :766-3796

- SERVICIO BELTRÁN Tel: 765-3949 - WATCH & CLOCKS Tel: 765 5190, Cell: (045) 33-1331-9226

Pag: 76

Pag: 64

* SPA / MASSAGE - BODY SENSE CLINIC Tel: 766-6080 - CASITA MONTAÑA Tel: 766-5513 - CHARLIE’S MASSAGE Cell: (045) 331-044-4834 - LA BELLA VIDA Tel: 766-5131 - TOTAL BODY CARE Tel: 766-3379 - VILLA BORDEAUX Tel. (01-387) 761-0494

Pag: 63 Pag: 35, 53 Pag: 60 Pag: 27 Pag: 19 Pag: 37

SAW YOUIN T HE OJO

Pag: 76

* RESTAURANTS/CAFES/CLUBS - AJIJIC TANGO Tel: 766-2458 - ALFREDO’S CALIFORNIA Tel: 765-2245 - CASA DEL WAFFLE Tel: 766-1946 - CHILI BANG BAR Tel: 766-1919 - COFFEE & BAGELS Tel: 766-0664 - DAVID’S CAFE Tel: 766-2341 - EL ESCONDITE Tel: 333-161-7918 - EL JARDIN DE NINETTE Tel. 766-4905 - GO LE CLUB Cell: (045) 33-3502-6555 - JOLANDAS Tel: 315-351-5449 - LA BODEGA DE AJIJIC Tel: 766-1002 - LA NUEVA POSADA Tel: 766-1444, 766-2049 - “LA TAVERNA” DEI QUATTRO MORI Tel: 766 2848 - LAURENT CUISINE Tel: 766-1500 - LOS TELARES Tel: 766-0428 - MOM´S DELI & RESTAURANT Tel: 765-5719

- ESUN Tel: 766-2319

The Ojo Crossword

Pag: 18 Pag: 76 Pag: 03 Pag: 25 Pag: 20 Pag: 74 Pag: 62 Pag: 56 Pag: 35 Pag: 66 Pag: 24 Pag: 03 Pag: 27 Pag: 62 Pag: 53 Pag: 14

Saw you in the Ojo 79

CARS

WANTED: Want to buy compact, if possible, automa c in good condi on, mechanical and body. Ready to buy immediately. Phone: 7665401 or email:blemasteinman@hotmail.com FOR SALE: Good condi on 17’ motorhome. Sleeps 6. Kitchen, Bathroom, air condi oned, heater. Don’t build casita for guest, this one has it all. $2,000 USD. found.cyberspace@gmail. com FOR SALE: New leather upholstery and so top. Has 2 tops, hard and so . Euro cover. Manuals. This is a classic. $7500.00US. Call: Carol-Joan Daniel at (376) 765-2598 FOR SALE: Mercedes Roadster Conver ble. Two tops—hard and so . Manuals. $9000.00 US. Call: Carol-Joan Daniel FOR SALE : Priced to Sell. This car was driven down form US in July of 2010. It has been legalized in Mexico. 2x2 5.2 liter engine. $95,000 pesos. Contact: Donnie Glover FOR SLE: 2005 Ford Taurus, runs good, needs some body work, $54,000 pesos or USD Call John (376)765-6613 FOR SALE: Trailer 4x8 u lity, Ont Canada plated. With full spare re. Only used once to Ship stuﬀ here. Real nice and new. Fully enclosed. Lock included. $22,000 pesos. Call Mike at 7657494. FOR SALE: 1998 Volkswagen Bug - 40mpg, 4 new res. Reblt generator. New tune up. Emission-tested. 40kpg. Jalisco plates. $2,400 USD. Call: 766-0059 FOR SALE: 1992 Isuzu Rodeo, US plated, v/6, 5 speed. $1200 USD or OBO. Call: 331-218-9649 FOR SALE: 1991 4 Cyl. Ford Escort Hatchback. Mexico Plated and runs great, no rust, body needs repair of dents, 14,000 pesos. Call 331218-9649

COMPUTERS

FOR SALE: Color Printer, Scanner, Copier. Mul -func on color printer, scanner and copier. Includes new, unopened cartridges. In good working order, except one printer head needs replacing. Original cost $2,400 pesos. Please email arjay333@gmail.com or phone 766-3103. FOR SALE: Notebook Computer. AVERATEC 3200 Series Notebook with Windows XP Home (Authen c with all updates), DVD Read Write and Re-writable, 80 GB HD, 512 MB DDR RAM, works well. 2,100 pesos. Call 376-765-2978 FOR SALE: 2008 Desktop PC. Now has Windows Vista Ul mate in English. Full 30 mos. Guarantee on Motherboard, Processor & Transformer (En re HD) 19” monitor with built in speakers Reply e-mail: doslocos9@gmail.com FOR SALE: AMD Turion 64 X2 dual-core and Mobile AMD Sempron processors, Wireless card, Integrated Altec Lansing stereo speakers, Microso Windows XP Home SP2, Built in microphone and webcam, Headphone and microphone jacks, Call David at (376) 375-6348 FOR SALE: Epson 4700 series printer/scanner Stop working. I have two new ink cartridges, blue and black, sell them for 100 pesos each. The red and yellow cartridges are par ally full and will throw those free. Contact: Connie Kimmi FOR SALE: Apple iMac G3/400 - 1GB ram, 10 GB hard drive, CD/DVD ROM drive, phone modem, built-in microphone and stereo speakers, 2 USB ports and 2 Firewire ports. Includes apple keyboard and mouse. OSX 10.4 opera ng system. Contact: Michael McGrath FOR SALE: CD disk burner, good condi on, with disk and manual $50USD, Call: John Whiley 7653824 FOR SALE: Lenovo IBM notebook and tablet x61t, HDD: 320 GB, Memory: 4 GB, OS: Windows Vista, Fingerprint reading 12.1’ screen Wacom, enabled pen (with good sensi vity for art) 8 cell ba ery, Semi-new. 700 USD. Call: 331-545-8569 FOR SALE: Four foot (4´) semi-new Satellite Antenna with pedestal. $1,000 pesos. (33) 36325723 FOR SALE: 200 Wa s digital AM/FM Receiver, brand new, s ll in Box, with remote control. Bought by mistake in the States last month. 80 USD. Call: Ingrid Hill at 766-5779

FOR SALE: Magicjack, call unlimited to the United States and Canada. Price 60.00 includes one full year of service, renewal for the next year is only 19.95 for as long as you own the magicjack. Call: (376)765-2326

PETS & SUPPLIES

WANTED: Crate for mid-sized dog. Luna Suertuda, our beau ful Australian ca le dog needs a crate. If you’d like to sell yours, please Contact: Jerry Forman WANTED: wanted dog cage for german shepard. Contact: Donald Chaloner WANTED: Im trying to find a home for this dog, hes a honney colored male 8 months old labrador, dont have his shots but hes healthy, hes a great dog!!! Contact: miguel gomez

GENERAL MERCHANDISE

WANTED: Condo/Apartment sized refrigerator/frost-free freezer needed. Size needs to be 24” wide by 62” high. Please contact Cricket at 376-766-2681 or email cricketchapman1@ gmail.com FOR SALE: Large pain ngs 18”x26” 80 ps eq. Each. 2 smaller “ 13”x10” 30 ps eq. Each. Priced individually. 80 pesos & 30 pesos. Call: (376) 765-7280 FOR SALE: 3 Colorful Cushions. SIZE: 12’ X 12”. Center: Embroidered mul colored. Very gently used. $100 pesos for all 3. Call: (376) 765-7280 FOR SALE: Fan on stand. Can adjust height. Various speed, white. Used only a few mes. 18.USD or equiv. Contact: YOLANDA MC GAUGHEY FOR SALE: JUICER by Be y Crocket. Is in good shape, called: power juice works well separates juice from pulp. 160 pesos or eq. Call: (376) 7657280 FOR SALE: New very a rac ve eye catching led mirror, 34”x 26” 280 pesos or eq. please call: 376-765-7280 FOR SALE: Yamaha Electric Golf Cart and Charger. Airline Travel Golf Bag NEW. Set of Golf Clubs Used. Set of Golf Clubs NEW. Foot Joy Men’s Golf Shoes 10 1/2 + bag. New Golf Balls. Contact: Aubrey Righton FOR SALE: QUILT RACK Stands on floor. Cherry finish. Stained, glass ends. Holds 3 blankets or quilts. $35.00USD/$440.00Pesos, reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com or call: (376) 765-2598 FOR SALE: OCCASIONAL CHAIRS 2—Naughahyde tan upholstery; 1—wine colored vinyl upholstery. Price is for each or best oﬀer. $100.00 USD/1200.00Pesos each. Please telephone or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: New Bookshelf Speakers. 1900 pesos/pair. Great pair of bookshelf speakers to add to exis ng system, i.e. stereo, home theatre, etc. h p:// nyurl.com/27btm6q for picture. Contact: A T FOR SALE: NEW TOILET SEATS. Almond color. Oval shape. $9 USD/112 pesos each. Please call or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com phone: (376)765-2598 FOR SALE: Mexican Po ery Table Lamp. Base is vase shape. Shade is po ery too with decora ve cutouts through which the light shines. Terraco a color. $15 USD/190 pesos. Please call (376) 765-2598 or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail. com FOR SALE: 12 Assorted Landline Telephones. Used $5 USD; New $7 USD Please call (376) 7652598 or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com SALE: Assorted Voltage Regulators: 600wa (1) $10.US; 1200 wa (2) $15 US; 1500 wa (1) $20. Please call (376) 765-2598 or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: WALL LANTERNS AND WALL LAMPS. Assorted for indoors, outdoor, closets, etc. Black and white. From America. $7 USD/80 pesos each. Please call (376) 765-2598 or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Food Processor, Hamilton Beach, white. Can opener, Proctor Silex, white. From America. Price is for each. $7 USD/87 pesos each. Please call (376) 765-2598 or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

FOR SALE: NEON PARTY LIGHTS table top. One says “Party” the other says “Girls Rule.” Great for a party room! $15 USD/190 pesos each. Please call (376) 765-2598 or reply to ccalfapietra@ gmail.com FOR SALE: 3 Piece Living Room or Veranda Set. Mexican made, Victorian style. Upholstered in burnt orange. Sofa, loveseat, ocassional chair. $200 USD/$2500 pesos Please call (376) 7652598 or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Coﬀee Table American Made. Light Cherry Finish. Carved legs, $100. Please call (376) 765-2598 or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Many CHILDREN’S BOOKS in English including classic and contemporary authors. Price is for each Hardback $1.00/So back $.75 U. Please call (376) 765-2598 or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Small GE MICROWAVE. White. Hardly used. 30 USD/375 pesos. Very large Spacemaker GE MICROWAVE. White $100 USD/1200 pesos. Please call (376) 765-2598 or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Woven wall TAPESTRIES from Europe. Approximate size: 24” x 36” Lined. One ver cal and one horizontal. Mo f of one is a s ll life and the other is floral. $25 Call: (376) 7652598 or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Room Air Purifiers with HEPA filter, carbon filter, UV bulb. Breathe pure, clean air! 1 on stand $750. pesos. 1 without stand $625. pesos. Call Cathy 766-6157 cell: 333 391-8305 FOR SALE: ANSWERING MACHINE. Phone Mate 3700. Set up guide in English or Spanish. With manuals and cords. $15 USD/190 pesos. Call: (376) 765-2598 or reply to ccalfapietra@ gmail.com FOR SALE: Restored Lamp Table for besides a chair or sofa. With one drawer. $12 USD/150 pesos Call: (376) 765-2598 or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Wrought Iron Drapery Rod. TOTAL LENGTH 76”. Purchased from Arden’s but wrong size. Was $ 45 US Is heavy duty rod & looks very classy! REDUCED TO $38 US or equiv. Please call for further info 376-765-7280 FOR SALE: Paper Cu er. Wood pla orm. Cuts paper up to 8” square. Heavy duty. Great for cutng up scratch paper or use in cra projects. $10 USD/125 pesos. Call: (376) 765-2598 or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Desktop Fellows Document Shredder. $10 USD/125 pesos. Call: (376) 765-2598 or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Universal VCR/DVD WALL MOUNT. $20 USD/$250 pesos. Call: (376) 765-2598 or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Wardrobe, new, wood, clothes upper, bureau drawers below. $2000 pesos. Call Earla 766-1071 FOR SALE: Two sturdy sofas, decora ve bronze metal frame, bright print, with cushions. $2000 pesos. Call Earla at 766-1071 FOR SALE: Twin beds, one new, one nearly new, wooden base, good quality ma ress. Sell separately or together. $2,400 each. FOR SALE: Piano with bench, polished Ebony finished high end class digital piano. plays mulble instruments and backup rythyms. Yours for $2000 US or Cdn. Call Earla at 766-1071 FOR SALE: Brand new condi on, from Arden, 2 years ago $7,500 pesos. Yours for $5000 Call Earla 766-1071 FOR SALE: 2 table top Christmas Trees. One decorated with wood ornaments—$8 USD One undecorated, but larger $7 USD 36” lighted WREATH $11 USD. Call: (376) 765-2598 or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Story & Clark upright piano. Serial number: 216107. Made between 1949-1956. In good condi on. Padded bench included. Located in Chapala. Please call Chad to see it. 387-7610057 or cell # is 331-573-6752 FOR SALE: 2006 Scooter, runs well, taken well care of. A few small defects, speed doesn’t work. Looks great. 150cc, 2006, top speed 90-100kph. Fills up with 25 pesos and you only need to fill tank 1 or 2 mes a week. 8,000 pesos. Contact: Spencer McMullen

FOR SALE: Assorted GAMES: Magne c backgammon, chess, checker set $5.00USD; Trivial Pursuit $5.00USD; Bandu wood stacking game $5.00USD; Brass Tic Tac Toe $2.00USD; Wood chess set $5.00USD; Bocce ball lawn bowling $10.00USD; Table top oversized checker set with cloth board $5.00USD. Call: (376) 765-2598 or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Floor Clothes Tree. Mexican handcra ed from solid wood. Resembles a cactus. Call: (376) 765-2598 or reply to ccalfapietra@ gmail.com FOR SALE: Vase Floor Lamp. Mexican made. Cream/beige colors. With shade. Stands approximately 36”-40” tall plus height of shade. $30 USD/375 pesos. Call: (376) 765-2598 or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Manual push LAWNMOWER. 15” Evans. $40 USD/500 pesos. . Call: (376) 7652598 or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: MEGAMAX Boiler/waterheater/ calentedor. 76 liters, price 500 pesos. Contact: Paulus Heeren FOR SALE: Single Bicycle rear hatch. $350 pesos. Call: 765-3796 FOR SALE: LARGE Roper refrigerator in GREAT condi on! Don’t know cubic info, but outside measurements are 32 3/8” X 29” X 64 3/4”. Quite large with automa c ice maker. $3500 pesos or OBO. A er December 22, call Ed at 766-4377 FOR SALE: Yakima car roof rack-gu er typeplus yakima kayak parts. $1200 pesos. Adolf 765-3796 FOR SALE: Professional elip cal Life Fitness machine. New $4200 USD. Complete with cover, manual and heart monitoring devices. $4000 pesos. Call -765-3796 Price includes transporta on -Chapala area WANTED: Thermostat controlled gas fireplace. Call 333-201-5102 or 766-1090 WANTED: Murphy Bed complete or hardware call 333-201-5102 or 766-1090 FOR SALE: SYNCOPATED LIGHT flashes in me to the music. Red, green, blue, yellow lights. Great addi on for an entertainment area in your home or on your pa o. Call: (376) 765-2598 or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: MIRRORED DISCO BALL with 3 lights mounted on steel arms. Electric. Rotates. Great for your party area. Call: (376) 765-2598 or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Casio portable electric keyboard (CT360)w/adjustable stand + hard case lightly used, excellent condi on, $2500 pesos. Call Lee Borden @ 331-439-7918 FOR SALE: Central Forge 12” manual Tile Cutter. $20 USD/$250 pesos. Call: (376) 765-2598 or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Sears Cra sman industrial variable speed Reciproca ng Saw. $40 USD/500 pesos. Please call or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com WANTED: Mailbox Partner, Third party to share our Sol Y Luna mailbox. One year contract required. Your share $106 pesos per year or approx. $90 pesos per month. Call Dale 766-3207. WANTED: Want to buy used travel trailer in great condi on 18’ - 30’. Must have full bath and nice kitchen, and awning. Contact: Jack Slade FOR SALE: Lovely demitasse set with 11 cups and saucers, 11 cake plates plus a sugar bowl. Classic german china - all hite very elegant. $50 USD Email: heibenn@netzero.net FOR SALE: Two complete sets of used Golf Clubs with bags and extra pu ers. $125 USD each set. Call Perry King 763-5126. FOR SALE: Avan (American made) WATER COOLER. Water jug goes on top. Provides cool and cold water. Floor model. Please call or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Large 3 person SOFA (American made) Rust tweed upholstery. 4 cushions for back. You are responsible for removal. Please telephone or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Floor model metal FOUNTAIN (green/black color). Mo f is a child under an umbrella. 2 bowls hold water which trickles over the edge. Water splashes down from 3 frog mouths and oﬀ the child’s umbrella on the top

level. Needs a pump which I can provide new for another $10 USD/$125 pesos. Please telephone or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Jewelry Cabinet which stands on the floor. Medium oak. 5 drawers and two side cabinets which open for necklaces. Top has stand up mirror and places for two photographs. Unique piece. Please telephone or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Glass topped green metal PATIO TABLE with 6 CHAIRS, umbrella, stand and beige print cushions. 40” x 66” . Please telephone or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: 42” round black wrought IRON PATIO TABLE and 4 chairs. With plate glass top. $175 USD/$2185pesos. Please telephone or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Kawai personal KEYBOARD F5660 in original box. Includes stand and 16 books of music and John Thompson lesson books. $65 USD/780 pesos. Please telephone or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Panasonic FAX machine KX FHD3337 with caller ID and copier. Barely used. 30 USD/375 pesos. Please telephone or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Sharp UX-300 FAX barely used. $25.00Please telephone or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: General electric portable dish washer for 5 serves. $3200 pesos Contact: Beatriz Siliceo WANTED: Looking for moving boxes. Contact: Nancy Segall FOR SALE: Upgrade your Star Choice to High Defini on. Requires an ellip cal antenna. We can install and provide Star Choice/Shaw Direct service. $150 USD. Call: (387)763 4031 FOR SALE: Large Ornamental Globe. Call: David (376)-765-63-48 FOR SALE: Colman Gas/LP lamp. Tank is 85% full, glass not cracked, extra mantels and works fine. $500. Call: David (376)-765-63-48 WANTED: Regular size Refrigerator with Freezer compartment in working order to donate to the Lakeside School for the Deaf. We will pick up. Call: 766-4510 FOR SALE: 3 piece set of Ra an Veranda Furniture upholstered in a blue print. Includes glass topped coffee table one 3 person sofa, love seat and 2 occasional chairs. $300 USD. Please telephone or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: Matrimonial size SLEEP SOFA in medium olive green velour. Includes two black wrought iron side tables with plate glass on top and on shelf below. Very lightly used. $400 USD. Please telephone or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail. com FOR SALE: COMPUTER DESK made from solid Mexican pine and stained cherry. Two piece L shaped. Pull out keyboard drawer. Total 6 drawers. Plate glass cut to fit top in two pieces. $600 USD. Please telephone or reply to ccalfapietra@ gmail.com FOR SALE: Genrac GENERATOR. Never used. Automa c, ba ery start. Will run a whole house. If you purchase this generator, we will add the propane tank for $300.00 US more. $2200 USD (firm)Please telephone or reply to ccalfapietra@ gmail.com FOR SALE: JUST REDUCED! Hotpoint gas white full size STOVE and oven. Lightly used. You will be responsible for disassembling and removal.$360 USD. Please telephone or reply to ccalfapietra@ gmail.com FOR SALE: An que Mexican wood Folding Screen. Distressed blue and green stain on the vine carving. This screen was made from a pair of old Mexican doors. $100 USD. Please telephone or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: HOT TUB—holds up to 8 persons. Teal blue color. Complete with padded cover, chemicals, steps, accessories. JUST REDUCED: $2000 USD. Please call or reply to ccalfapietra@ gmail.com FOR SALE: Easy Automa c Washer by Mabe. White.10 kg capacity, 10 cycles. Mul ple setngs for water level, speed, water temperature and fabrics. Very clean and in excellent working condi on. $2500 pesos. Contact: Connie FOR SALE: 2 Black swivel wall-mount supports with installa on manual and moun ng hardware. One is heavy duty/adjustable and one medium duty/non-adjustable. Can be used for TV, Stereo, DVD players etc. 350 pesos each/both for 600. Contact: Connie FOR SALE: Coffee Maker, Hamilton Beach® BrewSta on® Coffeemakers Makes 12c cups of coffee Black in color Owners manual and original receipt, $300 pesos. Call: Julie Hensley 7654590 FOR SALE: Teaching by Principals: An Interac-

ve Approach to Language Pedagogy (3rd edit) H.Douglas Brown -- $200 pesos. Linguis c Perspec ves on Language & Educa on (1st edit) Anita Barry -- $250 pesos. Learning Teaching: The Essen al Guide to English Language Teaching (2nd edit) Jim Scrivener -- $150 pesos. All bought from Amazon this fall. Like new condion. All 3 for $500 pesos. Contact: Jan Turner FOR SALE: Door wooden medicine cabinet with mirrors on front and 3 shelves. A rac ve addi on to your bathroom. 30 inches by 30 inches by 6 inches deep, $900 pesos. Call: 766-4105 FOR SALE: Danby Countertop Dishwasher, holds full 4 place se ngs, hooks to faucet. 5 cycles, white with stainless steel interior & spray arm. Low power consump on! NEW in box, $2800 pesos. Contact: Sherry Hudson FOR SALE: Matrimonial size ma ress with wooden base $2000 pesos. Call: (376) 106-0904 FOR SALE: Queen size ma ress on 6 drawer wooden base. $2500 pesos. Call: (376) 1060904 FOR SALE: Wicker dining room table with glass top and 4 matching chairs with cushions. Will email photos upon request. $2000 pesos. . Call: (376) 106-0904 FOR SALE: 3 piece living room furniture. Sofa, loveseat and chair. Will email photos upon request $3000 pesos. Call: (376) 106-0904 FOR SALE: L shaped desk/ work sta on with a ached bookcase, file drawer, pencil drawer, slide out keyboard shelf and 2 shelves. 59” x 64”. $150 USD. Call: 766-2086 or linda.shaﬀner@ gmail.com FOR SALE: 27” Toshiba TV with remote, works fine and is in excellent condi on. It includes a wireless remote control. $1500 pesos. Please call for appointment 766-1757. FOR SALE: NOT flat panel - 32” Sony television with built in stand. Stand has glass shelf built in. Excellent condi on, excellent picture. Comes with remote and manual, $3000 pesos. Call: 766 5686 FOR SALE: Brand new, never used Royce TV console in dark brown wood. Measures 62” W x 21” D x 28 1/2 “ H. Paid $4,500 will sacrifice for $2,600 pesos. Call: 766 5686 FOR SALE: BAR JUST REDUCED TO $3000.00US OR BEST OFFER. Handcra ed from old Mexican wood. Iron accents. With lights and 3 stools with backs and leather seats. Call or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail.com FOR SALE: JUST REDUCED to $125.00US Arachnid ELECTRONIC DART BOARD. Used only a few mes. Complete with manual, darts. Plus regular style darts for a cork dart board included. Please telephone or reply to ccalfapietra@gmail. com FOR SALE: SanSon stainless steel commercial ICE MAKER. Lightly used. With UV light and filter. You must disconnect and remove, $1800 USD. Please telephone or reply to ccalfapietra@ gmail.com WANTED: Looking for a shop vac in excellent condi on about 6 horsepower. Willing to pay reasonable price. Contact: Rubi Diamond WANTED: Looking for 6000 wa generator and portable oil/electric heater. Contact: Rubi Diamond WANTED: Looking for 52” Flat Screen T.V. with high defini on. Will pay reasonable price. Contact: Rubi Diamond WANTED: Used exercyle with adjustable tension or an ellip cal (preferred). Please telephone only. If no answer, please leave message. Call: 766-1757 FOR SALE: Tinaco: Black vessel by ROBLAST 250 Liter. Has spout for dispensing of water. Bought 1 year ago, $580 pesos. Contact: Yolanda Mc Gaughey FOR SALE: Child’s Barbie bicycle with training wheels for 3-5 year old. Pink paint is somewhat faded but decals remain bright. $200 pesos Call: (376) 765-2601 FOR SALE: Evenflo child’s car seat. Good condi on, $500 pesos. Call: (376) 765-2601 FOR SALE: Several cookbooks, including hardcover Barefoot Contessa At Home and Barefoot Contessa Par es! $35 pesos each. So cover Rachel Ray’s 30 Minute Meals 2. $25 pesos. So cover Rick Bayless Salsas That Cook. $20 pesos. Also books featuring fish, Asian, French, shrimp, lowfat, etc. $10-$25 pesos each. Phone only please (376) 765-2601. FOR SALE: Two louvered wood doors, 81” high, 22” wide with talavera handles, $100 each. Phone only please (376) 765-2601. FOR SALE: New in bag Surefit loveseat slipcover. Sage green and gold textured stripe pa ern, $250. Phone only please (376) 765-2601. FOR SALE: 19” Magnavox color TV with remote. Works well, $1000. Phone only please

(376) 765-2601. FOR SALE: Serta double bed. Ma ress, boxspring and metal base on wheels. Lightly used, $1000 pesos. Phone only please (376) 765-2601 FOR SALE: Several wrought iron rus c chandelier light fixtures with four glass globes in choice of amber or green glass, $400 pesos each. Phone only please (376) 765-2601. FOR SALE: Large rus c wood trunk with curved top (like for pirate treasure), $600 pesos. Phone only please (376) 765-2601. FOR SALE: Rus c Mexican cabinet. Two shelves with amber glass doors and carved wooden owls, drop-down desktop and three drawers below. Measures 72” high, 35-1/2” wide, 18” deep. Phone only please (376) 765-2601. FOR SALE: Rus c Mexican bookshelf with drawers. dark wood. Three shelves on top with four drawers below. Measures 72” high, 34” wide, 16” deep, $1000 pesos. Phone only please (376) 765-2601. FOR SALE: Rus c Mexican bar cabinet. Dark wood. Measures 35” wide, 34” high, 17-1/2: deep, $500pesos. Phone only please (376) 7652601. FOR SALE: Dark wood rus c Mexican dining table. Rectangular, comfortably seats eight. Measures 85” long, 38” wide, 29” high. Tabletop surface is 1-1/2” thick dark wood, $1700 pesos. Phone only please (376) 765-2601 FOR SALE: Very rus c coffee table (looks to be made from an old door). Measures 72” long, $250. Phone only please (376) 765-2601. FOR SALE: Rus c Mexican china cabinet. Dark wood. Three shelves and cabinet below. Measures 72” high x 35-1/2” wide x 16-1/2” deep, $1000. Phone only please (376) 765-2601. FOR SALE: SONY STR-DE335 Home Theater Stereo Receiver plus Bose Acous mass 5 speakers and stands, $300 USD, more info Contact: Michael McGrath FOR SALE: Rus c Mexican buffet, dark wood. Measures 79” wide x 34” high x 19-1/2” deep. Four drawers and cabinet with two shelves, $1000 pesos. Phone only please (376) 7652601. FOR SALE: Dark wood china cabinet with six-sided star cutouts. Looks Moorish in design rather than tradi onal Mexican rus c. Measures 68” high x 33” wide x 18-1/2” deep. Phone only please (376) 765-2601. FOR SALE: Red leather-look (high quality from Ricardo’s) Loveseat. Call 766-0059 or reply to ad, $4000 pesos FOR SALE: 4 person portable hu ub, $22,950 pesos or UDS Call John (376)765-6613 FOR SALE: Kitchen Aid American refrigerator used excellent condi on stainless, two doors water-ice. More informa on. 331-401-4026 WANTED: need a used cargo trailer size 6-10 or 6-12 foot. Contact: Vince Gravel FOR SALE: Mexican queen-sized ma ress and base $1,200 pesos Very Firm. Call: 766-4474 WANTED: Stainless Steel top Work Bench. Two or three shelves. Will pay $1000 pesos$2000 pesos. Call: 766-4474 FOR SALE: White Wooden Desk. $500 pesos 4’x3’aprx. Orig Computer Desk Lockable draw. Needs paint. Call: 766-4474 FOR SALE: Glass top Bar Counter $1500pesos/$120usd. Thick Glass inlay top white 2x2 wooden frame two lower shelves 6’x2’2”approx. Call: 766-4474 FOR SALE: Stainless Steel Top Prep Table. Great work bench, $2000 pesos/$160USD. Call: 766-4474 FOR SALE: Tan foldout couch, $2,000 pesos/$160 USD. Solid corduroy like fabric. Call: 766-4474 FOR SALE: Sony camcorder in excellent condion with spare cartridge and manual. $85. Call: 765-3824 FOR SALE: Titleist 690CB forged irons 3-PW, steel sha , $1500; full set custom clubs with bag $1000; Cobra SS driver-3-5 woods, graphite sha s $1500; Cobra Baffler 29 deg. u lity graphite $500; hard shell travel case $300; assorted pu ers. All prices in pesos. Call: (376) 765-7045 FOR SALE: Dining table very solid “Rus co” made in beau ful Mexican style with six chairs (2 with side arms supports) catalog price new: 16,000 pesos for 7,000 pesos or best offer. Call: (387) 76 1-0190 FOR SALE: Kiss my Tears Away by William Schrader Fall of a Sparrow by Richard Vath, North Star Pilgrim by Ed Vlahov all like new in excellent condi on.$100 pesos. Call: (387) 76 1-0190 FOR SALE: Large (4 ) stained glass pool table light, new condi on, $1500 pesos. Call Lee Borden @ 331-439-7918 FOR SALE: Hitachi amplifier/recorder lot of bells + whistles old but works well, $600 pesos.

Call Lee Borden @ 331-439-7918 WANTED: Looking for a used pa o umbrella table and umbrella with weighted base. Don’t need chairs. Call: 765-6382. FOR SALE: Gorrilla Brand2 ea. - Steel storage racks, can be converted to work benches. Each one measures 18” X 48” X 72” and has 5 shelves. $85 US. Call: (376) 766-3212 FOR SALE: 1 ea. - 6’ long X 30” wide folding table. $65 US. 3 ea. - 8’ long X 30” wide folding tables $ 85 US each. Call: (376) 766-3212 FOR SALE: 3 ea. Queensize Aero beds. $35 US Call: (376) 766-3212 FOR SALE: 2 - Natural Plywood cabinets for display and storage. Bo om half has three separate compartments for storage with doors, and top half has three display shelves. Great condion. $100 USd each. Call 766-3212. FOR SALE: Slightly Used Odyssey 2-Ball MidSize Long Pu er w/cover. Trained & ready to give you the best pu ng achievement of your life, $150 USD. Call: Aivars at 766-2225. FOR SALE: Double Steam and Espresso Outputs. Restaurant Quality. Excellent condi on. Mod Cafe 2M120/2 see www.lapavoni.com/ model.asp?id=313, ours has double steamers and comes with la Pavoni Coﬀee Grinder. $34,700 pesos/$2,800 USD. Call: 766-4474 FOR SALE: 16 Cu.Ft Glass door freezer Excellent condi on Restaurant Quality $9,000 pesos. See www.tor-rey-refrigera on.com/freezers/index.htm for specs. Call: 766-4474 FOR SALE: 2 Maj Jongg Sets. One: 1960’s bakelite w/152 les + 5 racks w/chip holders + carrying case. US$165.00. The other: 1960’s vintage plas c set w/144 les + 4 wooden racks. $90 USD. Call: Amy at 766-2225. FOR SALE: Travel Golf Bag on wheels, used 1 me. Dark blue in color. $300 pesos. Call: James Hill at 766-5779 WANTED: Want to Buy 12-String Acous c Guitar. New or Used. Private Party or Dealer. Must be in Good Condi on. Please contact Raphael by phone or e-mail. 376-766-2771 or doslocos9@ gmail.com FOR SALE: 1998 Susuki, V-Twin- 805 cc Maruader only 15 k, original miles like brand new, excellent condi ons, Jalisco plates. $4,500.00 USD. Call: Erendira Mena at 765-2191 FOR SALE: Used 1X - Portable projector w/ sound and portable movie screen. Can easily be connected to DVD Player, or Gaming Consoles for large viewing. Excellent sound quality. Great for outdoor pa o entertaining. $350 USD Call Dale 766-3207 FOR SALE: Almost new SONY VHS recorder/ player with remote control. Includes several new blank VHS casse e tapes and the complete Marx Brothers collec on. $100 USD. (33) 3632-5723 FOR SALE: Denon turntable with diamond cartridge. Very good condi on. Both originally cost $350. Includes 100 good-brand vinyl records… half are classic music. Accept reasonable oﬀer. (33) 3632-5723 FOR SALE: Small 600 wa Honda Generator. Ideal for power emergencies. $2,000 pesos. (33) 3632-5723 FOR SALE: Pimsleur spanish audio casse es, 16 double sided tapes, learn spanish with the Pimsleur method. Nego able but asking 800 pesos. Contact: Diane Ward FOR SALE: LG DVD player and recorder, plays dvd, cd’s, USB, MP3, WMA, JPEG files, connects to digital camcorders, records TV programs, manual in English/Spanish, nearly new. Asking 750 pesos. Contact: Diane Ward FOR SALE: Good condi on 5,300kms. Custom Dinamo 2009 Chopper 150CC white & red, 18,000 pesos. Call: 333-952-8531

COLLECTABLES

FOR SALE: Two Cathy Chalvignac pain ngs. Large $1000. Small $350. Beau ful fine art by famous ar st. See cathychalvignac.com. Serious inquires only please. Contact: Rubi FOR SALE: 10 Ladró figurines (glazed) in perfect condi on, $2,400 - 5,500 pesos each. Call: Brian Stockman at 766-2230 FOR SALE: Sweets book indexed catalog and building construc on Dated 1906. $500 pesos. Contact: Frank Raimo FOR SALE: I have hundreds of duplicates of 19th and 20th century Mexican stamps, both new and used, for sale. (Also lots of Peru and Chile). Call: James Tipton at 765-7689.

Saw you in the Ojo 81

El Ojo del Lago / January 2011

Saw you in the Ojo 83