El Ojo del Lago - November 2015

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PUBLISHER

Richard Tingen

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Alejandro Grattan-DomĂ­nguez Tel: (01376) 765 3676, 765 2877 Fax: (01376) 765 3528 Associate Publisher David Tingen Graphic Design Roberto C. Rojas Sandra Hernandez Special Events Editor Sandy Olson Associate Editor Jim Tipton Contributing Editor Mark Sconce Theater Critic Michael Warren Art Critic Rob Mohr Roving Correspondent Dr. Lorin Swinehart Sales Manager Bruce Fraser 2IÂżFH 6HFUHWDU\ Rocio Madrigal 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 dĂ­as de cada mes. (Distributed over WKH ÂżUVW ÂżYH GD\V RI HDFK PRQWK) &HUWLÂżFDGR GH /LFLWXG GH 7tWXOR &HUWLÂżFDGR GH /LFLWXG GH &RQWHQLGR

Index...

FEATURE ARTICLES

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COVER STORY

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17 LOCAL WONDERS

Editor’s Page

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Imprints

34 BOOK REVIEW

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Uncommon Sense

Stephanie Drynan reviews Embracing the Fog, an anthology of short stories written by four of Lakeside’s betterknown writers.

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Ghosts Among Us

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Front Row Center

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Bridge by Lake

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Hearts at Work

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Profiling Tepehua

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Dear Portia

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Lakeside Living

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Welcome to Mexico

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Internet Mailbox

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Child of Month

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Anita’s Animals

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LCS Newsletter

68 INFORMATION, PLEASE! Some little-known facts about the U.S. Congress will make you wonder how its approval rating of only 9% can be so high.

16 TRAVEL Carol Bowman, in the third of a series of articles about Vietnam, writes about her visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum— which has been dubbed “the sixth ugliest building in the world.�

Reserva al TĂ­tulo de Derechos de Autor 04-2011-103110024300-102 Control 14301. Permisos otorgados por la SecretarĂ­a de GobernaciĂłn (EXP. 1/432 “88â€?/5651 de 2 de junio de 1993) y SEP (Reserva 171.94 control 14301) del 15 de enero de 1994. DistribuciĂłn: Hidalgo 223 Chapala, Jalisco, MĂŠxico. All contents are fully protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without the written consent of El Ojo del Lago. Opinions expressed E\ WKH DXWKRUV GR QRW QHFHVVDULO\ UHĂ€HFW WKH 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.

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Bernie Suttle opens a crime story by mentioning a loaded, sawed-off shotgun under the counter of a liquor store and a little while later...

El Ojo del Lago / November 2015

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Isabel Orendain is the Director of the Paleontological Museum in Guadalajara and has her own wonderful wildlife stories, including about some highly unusual animals here at Lakeside!

66 FICTION

COVER STORY

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LAKESIDE LIVING

VOLUME 32 NUMBER 3

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Editor’s Page %\ $OHMDQGUR *UDWWDQ 'RPLQJXH] For more editorials, visit: http://thedarksideofthedream.com

Hooray for Hollyweird

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ver a film career that spanned several nerverattling years, I met many world-class characters. Some were sad, like my actor pal who at age 81 was still waiting for his first big break; or impressive, like the famous thespian John Carradine, who knew Shakespeare so well he could answer almost any question with an appropriate quote from the Bard; or comical, like Peter the Hermit, who used to wander along Hollywood Boulevard in a long white beard, flowing robe and wooden staff, looking like some bit player in a Biblical epic. But for pure, uncut idiosyncratic antics, none matched those of a handsome, elderly gent I will call “Ronnie.” In his younger days, Ronnie had worked at Warner Brothers, specializing in “dialect dialogue,” and had written the Celtic-sounding dialogue for Bogart’s Irish character in the Bette Davis film Dark Victory and Indian-sounding words for Jeff Chandler in the classic, Broken Arrow. By the time Ronnie and I met, however, he had been reduced to scribbling low-budget quickies and had forged an unbreakable bond with bourbon whiskey. He had just dashed off an utterly forgettable script called The Lucifer Rose, which I (quite by accident and at the last moment) had been employed to direct. When I offered to the producers several suggestions for improving the terminally hopeless script, Ronnie flew into a fit. Grabbing his liquid pacifier, he disappeared into his office just off the sound stage, saying he would make the changes but never wanted to see my ugly face again. For the next few days, pages of the revised script would be slid out from under his office door and carried to the set, where I was frantically, at age 23, trying to pretend that I knew what I was doing. Then, on the third day, something brought Ron-

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nie out of hiding. We were shooting a scene with an attractive young girl who was under the impression that she was playing the lead in the picture. When I informed her otherwise, she screamed, “Ronnie, that old jerkbastard! I’ve been sleeping with him for the last three months for a bit part!?” Just then I noticed the formerly-reclusive Ronnie hurrying though the shadows at the far end of the sound stage. Later, he and I became pals, though I often teased him that he would do anything to make a movie, (so would I, for that matter), a charge he righteously denied. To prove my point, I called him one day, pretending to be a wealthy lettuce grower from the San Joaquin Valley anxious to commission a screenplay. I mentioned that I had seen action in the submarine service during WWII, and asked if he could write a script about my experiences, which I immodestly mentioned were the stuff of memorable movie drama. Of course, he could do it if the remuneration was sufficient. Oh, fine, and could he write the main part for his son, who loved movies but had no acting experience? Ronnie allowed as to how that might be possible. Then the hooker: could the lad star in the picture, even though he’d been restricted for the past several years to living inside an iron lung? Well, that was too much even for Ronnie and he finally jumped ship, sputtering a string of obscenities at the so-called lettuce grower, before slamming the phone down. Ah, I miss those colorful characters, though I must say that their country cousins here in Ajijic run the Hollyweirdos a close second in sheer entertain- Alejandro GrattanDominguez ment value.


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eclared one of the seven national wonders of Africa in 2013, the Okavango Delta is the size of Puerto Rico. Every year it fills with floodwaters originating in the Angola Highlands 1,000 kilometers away. The run-off makes a “pristine wetland dotted with islands and laced with a network of river channels, creating an oasis” for numerous species: 122 mammals, 64 reptiles, 444 birds and 1300 flowering plants. Botswana is a country rich in minerals and precious stones, but a well-known wildlife photographer remarked: “Okavango is the biggest diamond ever found in Botswana.” In the 1985 film Out of Africa Robert Redford swooped down into Meryl Streep’s life in a small aircraft. In Botswana I descended upon the Okavango Delta in a series of Cessna’s, visiting Camp Moremi, Xugana Island Lodge and Savute Safari Lodge. Sadly, none of the pilots resembled Robert Redford, but my consolation was seeing elephants drinking at waterholes from 1200 feet up. I learned about Africa’s wild life on vacation there, and even more about my own species, including myself. On safari humans are thrown together with total strangers who share the thrills, the fears and the excitement and become incredibly close. What do rich middle aged sisters from the

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Channel Islands, thirty- year -old honeymooners from Prague and a retired Jewish professor of racism from Boston have in common with me, a girl from the Canadian prairies? This motley crew came together and shared our life long dreams of seeing African wild animals in their natural habitat. Around the evening campfire we discussed how life changing it was. I discovered that my tolerance for risky behaviors is next to nil. An open safari vehicle or a motorboat gets me as close to dangerous predators as I care to be. When I was told that we were being taken on a walking safari, I balked. Why would any sane person walk through lion country unarmed? When I said I would stay behind, guide Ken took it personally. He looked more like an academic than a safari guide with his wire-framed glasses and his well-trimmed beard. He seemed to think I was calling his competence into question and came close to beating on his manly chest in a display of public persuasion. I caved in temporarily, but the next morning I awoke and realized I could still say “no.” My husband, in misguided masculine solidarity, took Ken’s side and marched off to what I felt was his certain doom. I stayed in bed; my reward was three extra hours of sleep and an unexpected encounter with a troop of baboons who visited my deck; ap-


parently they frequently arrive at the lodge mid morning when all the tourists are out. Paul returned unscathed. A recent issue of Safari magazine has an article about Africa’s most dangerous beasts. Which one ranks number one? The answer is the hippo, which is “responsible for more human fatalities in Africa than any other animal.” Particularly dangerous are the males defending their territories, but the females can be unpredictable, especially if they have young. At Xugana Island Lodge the staff seemed determined to test my mettle. The day after I stayed in bed hiding from the lions, I was invited to climb into a motorboat and take a ride to the hippo pool. It was late afternoon when our craft reached its destination; there were about a dozen fully grown hippos taking the waters, and they clearly considered the pool theirs. We were intruders. One huge beast opened his jaws and showed us his incisors, canines and back molars, all yellowed and blackened with age and ground down by gnawing. “That’s meant to scare us away,” said our guide. “In my case it’s working,” I replied. The hippo submerged himself; it was impossible to tell where he was. Would he emerge beside the boat, under the boat, or treading water where he’d last surfaced? Later we poled down the Chobi River channel in a dug out canoe called a makora and guide Robert crafted me a necklace from a water lily. “Our fathers and grandfathers had no money for engagement rings,” he explained, “so if they liked a lady and wanted to marry her, they made her a necklace.” He draped it around my neck and made me feel like a very special Okavango Delta lady. Hippos rank number one as Africa’s most dangerous beasts; lions come in at only number six. One pride of lions in Savute has learned to kill elephants for their meat and is the subject of a BBC documentary titled The Giant Kill-

ers. All lions can take down a baby elephant or an old or sickly one, but this pride can kill an adolescent bull and they did just that one night during our stay at the Savute Safari Lodge. Over morning coffee the buzz was: “there’s been a kill,” and soon I found myself bouncing over the park in an open vehicle, heading straight for the scene of the crime. The Papa lion had finished dining and was standing guard, very still, his muzzle covered with fresh blood. The females and cubs were taking their turns; the stench was indescribable, fresh but fetid, like a slaughterhouse in July. “The corpse can’t be decomposing already,” someone said. “That’s what elephant innards smell like,” said the guide. Only yesterday the elephant had been living a life full of pachyderm promise and now he was breakfast. I’m the kind of person who identifies with the bull, not the matador, at a bullfight, and this was no different. I feel more like prey than predator, but the male lion showed no interest in eating us for dessert and walked off to find a shady bush for his morning nap. Africa is full of dangers: hippos, malaria carrying mosquitoes, elephants, snakes like the deadly black mamba and the puff adder, crocodiles, lions, Cape buffalo, and black rhinos. A tourism magazine article titled Most Wanted Okavango Creatures told me so. And yet, I had gladly popped my malaria pills, packed my duffle bag and boarded a plane bound for Africa and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Why? Because it’s where we all came from; the savannahs, deserts and deltas were once our landscapes, the people are our ancestors and the beasts, endangered and dangerous, are our fellow travelers on this perilous journey called life. Harriet Hart

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e all have splendid friends here within lakeside. One of mine is the South African priest who conducts the 9:00 AM English mass at St. Andres Catholic Church. His congregation comprises the core of supporters for an orphanage beyond Jocotopec, Villa Infantil (VI). Padre Basilio works for the welfare of VI. The Father, the Board, and the volunteers bravely orchestrate meeting the monthly demands of Sisters Paty, Blanca, and Marie. The thirty orphans now residing there are children after all. Their assigned Sister, “Ma� is in charge of her ten children, and all work together within tight discipline. Each child needs a bed. Each needs daily food,

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even if minimal. Each needs to grow a year older, even if clothes no longer fit. One day a month, however, the birthday children of the month inspire a fiesta for all. A local Mexican woman, Adrian Varga, started this tradition some years ago. Recently, Judy King and Trish Conner celebrated their birthdays for the sake of the orphans. Then the VI Lunch Bunch, spearheaded by Connie Ondola, became motivated to assist in coordinating the parties. Each birthday child is honored with a festive meal, birthday cake, piĂąatas and gifts. The Sisters enjoy a carefree

afternoon, and the children revel in childlike play. I got to play with them firsthand on my last birthday. Three boys shared the honor that day: the baby, Bayon, Chuy, and Brandon. All the kids gobbled up multiple hot dogs and chips, all smothered in mild Valentina sauce, and salsa. When I lit the candles of their makeshift brownie cake, I not only began to hear three rounds of Feliz Cumpleanos for each boy, but a poignant fourth birthday rendition for me. Then the dessert was demolished. Afterwards, each child saddled up by my waist, shyly mouthing, “Gracias por la fiesta, Senora.â€? If they only knew it was I who wished to thank them. Contentedly, I watched them stampede to the stuffed piĂąatas. Site and Newsletter: www.lakechapalacharities.org Contact: info@friendsofvillainfantil.org Facebook: Villa Infantil Guadalupe y San Jose


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Museum Pieces

There are so many great museums in Paris that the challenge is to decide which are the must-see’s, and the larger museums are so expansive that a savvy tourist will have a game plan for each. Between them, the Louvre, the MusÊe The Louvre, Paris d’Orsay, and Les Invalides are home to historic art dating from the ancient Greeks into the early twentieth century. These monumental buildings and the artifacts that they contain also document nearly 500 years of French history.  The Louvre is a jaw-dropper even without its world-class art collection. Built as a palace fortress late in the 12th century, it has since been extended many

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times. Its life as an art museum began when Louis XIV moved his court from Paris to Versailles and left much of his collection at The Louvre, which was designated a national art museum as an outcome of the French Revolution. Only a few hundred works – including the Mona Lisa – were on display for the  1793 opening. The collection was subsequently expanded with pieces brought back from Northern Europe and the Vatican by France’s revolutionary armies, including Veronese’s Wedding at Cana. Additions made to the collection throughout the 1800’s by France’s emperors and kings included the Venus de Milo, Canova’s Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss, the PietĂ of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, the Winged Victory of Samothrace and a collection of Egyptian antiquities. During World War II, most of the collection was hidden outside Paris, much of it at the Château de Chambord.  In 1983, architect I. M. Pei was commissioned to renovate the building. He conceived the now-iconic glass pyramid and underground lobby on which work was completed in 1993. The Mona Lisa and other works of the Italian Renaissance are the big draw here, but the crush of tourists makes the experience far from intimate. Anyone who’s previously seen works by the Italian masters in Rome’s Vatican Museum should consider

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Les Invalides, Paris browsing them quickly before opting for less-congested galleries. The collection of Dutch and Flemish masters is outstanding, and the apartments once occupied by Napoleon III are worth seeing. The MusĂŠe d’Orsay houses the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces in the world. On exhibit here are works by Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, CĂŠzanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin and Van Gogh. Constructed as the Gare d’Orsay rail station, it opened – along with the Eiffel Tower – at Paris’s 1900 Exposition, but by 1970 it had fallen into decline. Slated for demolition, it was rescued by a proposal to convert it into an art museum that would bridge the gap between the Louvre and the Museum of Modern Art – the Pompidou Centre. Renovations began in 1978, and were completed in 1986. The installation of more than 2,000 paintings, 600 sculptures and other works took more than six months. Les Invalides is a complex of museums and monuments first conceived by Louis XIV as a hospital and retirement home for war veterans.

'RPH RI /HV ,QYDOLGHV 3DULV The armory of Les Invalides is where, on July 14, 1789, Parisian rioters on their way to the Bastille seized the cannons and muskets from its armory. It now commemorates the military history of France, and although it’s most famously known as Napoleon’s tomb, other French war heroes are also buried within its walls. The body of Napoleon I was returned to France from Saint Helena and interred here in 1861. His only son, dead of tuberculosis at age 21, and his brothers Joseph and JĂŠrĂ´me are also buried here. In the twentieth century World War I’s Allied Supreme Commander Marshal Ferdinand Foch and World War II’s General Philippe Leclerc, commander of the celebrated 2nd Armored Division, were also buried here. There’s also an extensive collection of medieval armor and weapons on display here. Next up for 10 Days In Paris:  Reims and the Champagne country. 1DSROHRQÂśV WRPE /HV ,QYDOLGHV Antonio RamblĂŠs

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ust as the fish is unaware of the water she swims in, we may be unaware of the sea changes occurring around us. Change is often gradual and difficult to identify when we are in the midst of it. When did people begin to realize that World War I was fundamentally changing the scale of international conflict? When did people realize that the industrialization of the world would have huge sociological and environmental consequences? When did we understand the magnitude of the change that electronic computers would have on all aspect of our lives? It’s almost impossible to see historical trends when we are in their midst. How will historians look back on the early twenty-first century? What will be the legacy left by us to future generations? How will human life change on our planet? It’s very interesting to read the predictions people made in the past. Sometimes they were uncanny in their accuracy, but often they were just dead wrong. I wonder about a number of big changes we may be witnessing now. I am interested in the future of democratic forms of government. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1989, several scholars concluded that democracy had finally been firmly established as the most successful democratic system. In 1992, the political scientist Francis Fukuyama even wrote a book with the preposterous title, The End of History. Well, today it looks a bit different. Democratic values have failed to take hold in Russia and China. The Middle East, after its hopeful “Arab Spring,” is

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%LOO )UD\HU dominated by extreme theocracies and brutal military regimes. Western democracies are buffeted by right-wing xenophobic demagogues who prey on the fear of immigration and diversity. The democratic system in the United States is threatened by gridlock. Bitter partisanship between the two parties is making it impossible to effectively govern in an environment of permanent stalemate. Multinational corporations are increasingly controlling the political class as money becomes the lifeblood of elections. The balance of power is shifting in many ways. We are now witnessing the mass migration of Islamic people to the West as the Muslim faith is undergoing its own reformation. As radical Islam is a rising force, many traditional Muslims are being forced to leave their homes or face violence and persecution. Although many countries desperately need young people to do the work and create families, the large number of migrants has upset the ethnic balance in the United States, Europe, and Israel. What does the future hold in a world with such major population and ethnic shifts? Will the world really become more tolerant and diverse? Technology continues to accelerate and make it possible for the work of the world to be done with less human labor. How will societies adapt to the dominance of artificial intelligence, smart machines, and genetic and medical breakthroughs? How will people of the future spend their time? Will the population explosion in the third world lead to a Malthusian disaster? Will those of us in wealthy lands be able to maintain our comfortable standard of living? As the people of the world become more aware and tolerant of social change and are free to live alternate lifestyles, will they be able to coexist with radical theocratic regimes? It is impossible to see the outcome of these large trends, and many unexpected shifts will come. What would Aristotle, Galileo, and Ben Franklin think if they could see today’s world. What would we think of tomorrow’s? Some futurists are optimistic; some predict disaster. What do you think?


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guard wearing a snow white uniform and a menacing scowl motioned his night-stick at me. Having fallen one step behind, I dutifully adjusted my stride. A man in front of me made the mistake of putting his hands in his pockets. The same security officer prodded him back into submission with a quick jab. I scanned the waiting line and saw sullen faces. The rules regarding behavior to view Ho Chi Minh’s body blared over the loud speakers during the onehour queue snaking through Hanoi’s Ba Dinh Square: no hands in pockets, no talking and absolutely no photos. Local devotees and foreign visitors formed two regimented lines, but not everyone heeded the guidelines. I cringed every time my husband slipped out his camera and sneaked a shot of the drab, granite building, flanked by Communist Party and Vietnamese flags. I imagined being

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hauled off to the Hanoi Hilton Prison if caught violating protocol. At the entrance to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, considered by CNN to be the world’s 6th ugliest building, the military honor guard enforced the regulations with firmer jabs from well-worn batons. Stiff faced, we filed past the glass sarcophagus where the embalmed corpse of Vietnam’s President and head of the Vietnamese Communist Party from 1945 until

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his death in 1969, lay in perpetuity, like Lenin and Mao. The nation’s citizens idolize their beloved and immortalized leader, known affectionately as Ba Ho, favorite uncle. They must have forgotten or forgiven or perhaps never knew his brutal side, when he ordered thousands of North Vietnamese massacred for resisting his land redistribution plan. If confronted with these facts, present day worshipers might shout, ‘Say it ain’t so, Uncle Ho.’ Every year, Ho gets a two month vacation, when he flies off to Russia for his annual re-embalming, like a car’s yearly inspection. He looked ready for a tune-up, as spotlights illuminated his grey tinged face, faded-white goatee and pasty, ashen hands. With silhouetted shadows around the body, the glass tomb resembled a set in Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum. The daily line to the mausoleum complex forms at 7 a.m. and extends for blocks. Free to all Vietnamese, followers wait patiently to ‘be’ with the ‘Father of their Country.’ On September 2, 1945, Ho Chi Minh created the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in this very square. He borrowed the passage, ‘all men are created equal’ from Thomas Jefferson, for Vietnam’s Declaration of Independence from France. As a young man, Ho Chi Minh left his native land, and traveled the world for many years, cultivating his lifelong commitment to Communism and Marxism. While living for a time in Harlem, he developed his disdain for American Capitalism. If he could hear the hawking of French baguettes on every Vietnamese street corner, the sale of knock-off Rolexes and Gucci bags and the surge of private enterprise, he would roll over in his glass showcase and cry out, “Say it ain’t so.� The only visible Communist vestige left in Vietnam is the single political party system and the not so

visible harsh tracking of its citizens’ affairs. Nationalism and Socialism remain the central themes of the government, but Capitalism has exploded and there’s no turning back. Sorry, Uncle Ho. It is so. In his last Will and Testament, Ho Chi Minh, a name he selected that translates into One Who Enlightens, left instructions for his remains to be cremated. He ordered his ashes to be sprinkled from Hanoi to Saigon, pinch by pinch, so that all the people would benefit from his greatness. He even believed that his dust would improve the soil to spur on agricultural production. Party officials decided otherwise and built the Mausoleum, using materials donated from all over the country. They wanted Ba Ho physically with the people. Now, trapped forever, he seemed to be pleading from his glass prison, “Say it ain’t so.� Our April, 2015 visit to Vietnam coincided with a national celebration. Every city sparkled with starry lights and spangled banners. The government was preparing for the 40th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon, April 30, 1975—Reunification Day, when the North and South became one under the tight fist of Ho Chi Minh style Communism. Party leaders expected the celebration to inspire a surge of Nationalism. Residents above the 17th parallel showed enthusiasm, but the ‘reunified’ citizens we spoke to in the South reacted coolly. The country’s harmony felt artificial. For us, Americans who had protested the Vietnam War, these festivities stirred dormant memories. The connection between the two countries cannot be forgotten nor the complexity denied. The US had built the main airstrip for fighter and cargo planes through the center of Da Nang. As we drove on that runway, now a four-lane highway, I thought, ‘Say it ain’t so.’ We arrived in Saigon eager to explore this Vietnamese metropolis that once coexisted with US soldiers. Just outside the hotel, motorbikes created a traffic nightmare, cramming a wide boulevard. Brooks Brothers, Ralph Lauren and Tiffany’s lined the ground floor of a gleaming glass skyscraper. Pandemonium prevailed and capitalism tainted the Asian ambiance. It resembled 5th Avenue in New York City. My husband and I shared a disappointing glance. “Say it ain’t Carol L. Bowman so, Uncle Ho.�


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%\ ,VDEHO 2UHQGDLQ Directora del Museo de Paleontología de Guadalajara

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ny given day in this area we may see different insects, reptiles and birds; but there are also wild mammals that are elusive and hide from us. Once, when I was around six years old, at my grandparent’s home on the shore of Chapala, I found what I confused for a small sleepy dog, and was actually an opossum. When they saw me carrying it, my parents became frantic. I just let it slip from my arms, and he ran away without doing me any harm. Now that I have seen them in photographs, I wonder how it was possible to mistake it for a dog, but I did. The variety of wild mammals that live in the hills of Chapala area is huge and I did not know about it. Now, thanks to the project e-Mammal International, we have photographs of some of those animals that live here. These findings made me write this article so readers of El Ojo del Lago learn about the project too. I hope that to learn about their presence and importance for the ecosystem will mean we can take positive actions to preserve the environment and contribute to their well being. E-Mammal International was made possible through a grant from Museums Connect (2014), a program that promotes understanding among people from the US and other countries through cultural and scientific

exchanges. The project consisted of setting camera traps which are sensitive to movement to photograph, in this case, wild mammals. A group of kids from Club Person AS, dedicated to intellectually gifted children, was in charge of setting a camera in the hills of Ajijic. The aim was fostering in them the scientific knowledge through analysis of the photographs obtained: identification, diurnal or nocturnal habits, food chain, distribution of mammals in the area, etc. The photographs are uploaded to the e-Mammal platform, where the kids have to check what kind of mammal was photographed; also this information will be reviewed by the Smithsonian Institute, in order to obtain accurate data on the presence of these animals in different regions of the world. In Chapala, the camera was set from January 16 to April 30. Since the first day we got wonderful results as there were photos of foxes, two different species of skunks, squirrels, one or two jaguarondis, many opossums, a coyote, ringtails, a puma. The puma appeared at the end of April, and remained in the area for about two weeks. Where the camera was set there were no photographs of deer or wild boars. If you would like to see more photographs, come visit the exhibition “Mamíferos de Jalisco” at Museo de Paleontología de Guadalajara (Av. Dr. R. Michel 520, Esq. Calz. González Gallo). Or watch the video on YouTube, done by Eduardo Oropeza https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=Y1JEisLRg4Y Hopefully, in the following months the exhibition can be brought to Chapala for more people to enjoy it. Jalisco, due to its geographical location, is full of flora and fauna, and the Chapala lake area is a good example of it. A good book to learn about this richness is John Pint`s Outdoors in Western Mexico 2. Isabel Orendain

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“Don’t Mess With Texas�

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he ghost for this column is somebody I had the honor to meet – and to receive her schooling. It was the election of 1992. I went to the Harris County Democrats office in Houston to get some Bill Clinton-Al Gore campaign material. It was on a counter in front of a large window. There was a woman back there, behind a desk. She noticed me and made a commanding gesture to come in. She got up to shake my hand and said, “Hi, I’m Billie Carr.� She ordered me to sit down and then she began to talk. I was in the orbit of a major presence. Billie kept me spellbound for an hour. She gave me a lesson in practical political theory. Her passion unyoked her forceful energy. Billie Carr was affectionately

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called “The Boss,� and upon learning her nickname, I reflected on her authoritative command for me to sit down in her office. She was universally called the “Godmother of Texas Liberals.� One of her students was Bill Clinton. He came to Texas in 1972 as a worker for Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern. Clinton’s real interest was his own future, and he wanted to learn campaign fieldwork at the knee of a master.

El Ojo del Lago / November 2015

When Billie died at 74, Bill Clinton said, “Billie Carr was one of a kind, a great Democrat and a great citizen. It was a proud honor for Hillary and me to have known and loved her for over 30 years.� The Houston Chronicle recorded that Billie Carr perfected the art of the “rump convention.� Texas conservative Democrats, before they were converted to the Republican faith, tried to prevent liberals from being delegates to the National Convention. Billie would lead liberals to walk out of the state convention and hold a separate convention of their own to elect delegates. Then they would go to the National Convention, claiming to be the legitimate delegation and demanding to be seated. The DNC would have to apportion delegate seats, and in this way, Billie could win seats liberals would not otherwise have had. She was shrewd and she was tough. The Houston Chronicle wrote, “During more than 40 years of political activism, Carr sought to advance causes from rights for minorities in the early days of the civil rights struggle, to opposition to the Vietnam War, to more recently emerging issues like environmental protection and gay rights.� Billie married a steelworker and

union organizer. They divorced after 25 years of marriage. On what would have been their 50th anniversary, Billie had a big party. She had half a wedding cake, with only a bride on it. She told her guests she wasn’t going to be deprived of her Golden Wedding Anniversary just because she wasn’t married. When Billie died of a stroke, there was nobody better to write a eulogy than Molly Ivins. Molly wrote, “Oh, she was so much fun. Irreverent, and improper, and absolutely fearless. And she had the greatest laugh.� Molly wrote, “When President Clinton got himself into that Monica Lewinsky mess, Billie was pissed off at him as only a woman of a certain age can be about men and their stupidity.� Molly continued, “Clinton made the mistake of inviting her to the White House. . . .and Billie came through that line, looked the president of the United States in the eye and said, low and hard, ‘You dumb son-of-a-bitch.’ Clinton laughed and said, ‘Billie, I knew you were gonna do that.’� Billie must have been the only woman in the country who would dare say that to a sitting president. Having met her, I don’t doubt this story for a minute. Billie, Molly, and Governor Ann Richards were three best friends. They weren’t called “Kick-Ass� women for nothing. Billie wanted her funeral to represent her political tradition. She said, “I want a balanced delegation of pallbearers – blacks, browns, gays, and an equal number of women. And I want an open casket and a sign pasted over my left tit that says: Hi there! My Name Is Billie Carr.� Molly reported, “Billie’s funeral was exactly as she wished. There were voter registration cards by the guest book. Hundreds of people were there, wearing tags pasted over our left tits that said, ‘Hi there! My name is . . .’ and people wore old political buttons from ancient struggles. I haven’t had such a good time at a funeral since Richard Nixon died.� Molly’s eulogy ended in Texas talk: “I reckon Billie’s somewhere up in heaven, in an old-fashioned Texas icehouse, with the ceilin’ fans goin’ and the beer and soda pop in those long ol’ bins full of ice water.� Few women have “kicked-Ass� in Texas politics like Billie Carr. Too bad she couldn’t be cloned before she died. Fred Mittag


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FRONT ROW CENTER 5HYLHZ E\ -XG\ '\NVWUD %URZQ

Murder by Misadventure

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hose of us who grew up reading Nancy Drew mysteries have always thought we possess a special knack for unraveling mysteries. I am one of those “whodunit” lovers who has to hold herself back from revealing who I think the murderer is going to be within the first ten minutes of a movie or play. So, when asked to write a review for the October 2-11 LLT production of Murder by Misadventure, I jumped at the chance. Another murder for me to solve! Since I dropped my note pad ten minutes into the performance and didn’t want to crawl on hands and knees to find it, I scribbled my notes on pages of the program, often with no idea whether my pen was working or if I was writing in a blank spot or over another comment. Nonetheless, I was able to decipher the following comments: good lighting and costuming—loved the diagonal sets—effective eerie house sound effects—bullet holes in Paul’s head very believable (yay, makeup)—spooky discordant music was mood-setting and evocative. (This music played between scene breaks and at the beginning was perfect for the play and took me back to the Fifties.)Here’s a round of applause for the stage manager and all of the behind-the-scenes workers responsible.

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El Ojo del Lago / November 2015

As for the actors, the play was perfectly cast and the timing was spot-on. In the character of “Harold Kent,” Ed Tasca portrayed his duplicitous and conniving character so well that he relieved us of the heartbreak we might otherwise have felt over the demise of a main character. Michael Warren did a humorous and masterful job of portraying “Detective Egan,” the infuriatingly annoying police detective-cum-actorcum-budding writer. Ken Yakiwchuk staged the perfect portrayal of the feisty, womanizing, Scotch-guzzling “Paul Riggs.” I loved this cocky little character and he played him flawlessly without a break. Since I saw the play twice, I witnessed him falling straight down out of the closet twice—playing dead. He never flinched. I was also impressed by how much he had to drink in his role as the alcoholic “Paul Riggs.” Sure did look like real Scotch to me! (A credit for the props crew.) Kathleen Morris was hard to tear your eyes away from. Her reaction to other characters was flawless. Who could blame her husband for not cottoning on to her deception when she had the audience in her hand as well––all the way? It is hard to play a character harboring a big secret without giving the secret away and still make them believable at that later time when you see their true nature. Kathleen Morris did it well. I also loved her clothes—more applause for wardrobe. I hate to give the play away for those of you who might see it in some other venue in the future, but suffice it to say that the ending twisted and turned like a python in a honeycomb cave. No, this former Nancy Drew aficionado hadn’t a clue of how it would all end; so the final plaudit for this well-acted and entertaining evening goes to Edward Taylor, the author, as well as to the director Debra Bowers who chose the play and directed it so admirably.


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THE GIFT OF “THE Donald” %\ &ODUH *HDUKDUW

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here is a sense among some Americans (from the Artic to Tierra del Fuego) that the US system of governance is broken. Delightfully, this idea is shared across boundaries and party lines. Though it is a common notion to both sides of the political divide, each tends to slip to blaming the other without the first thought of considered thought, dialog and effecting substantial repairs. The blame- game fans the fires of self-righteous anger, gives legs to some exotic conspiracy theories, and builds a wall stronger and less penetrable than the one “The Donald” envisions. We all bear the full cost of building and maintaining this barrier. Onto this polarized stage enters Sir Trump, wealthy, accomplished and owner of all the right toys and then some. In his brash manner he has commandeered the attention of many, not just the undereducated, but the mainstream press and nearly every one of the other candidates for the office he seeks. As a mouthpiece for materialism, he is able to speak with a refreshingly new lack of accountability in a bought-and-paid-for political environment. Who, among the crowd in Alabama, could have failed to be awed as his personal, inscribed 757 circled the stadium, dipping its wings in greeting as it thundered above? So, where’s the gift? There is not one, but many. The first might be novelty. He’s using his financial freedom to express himself without deference to corporate, banking or military interests, or to any Super PAC employers. He’s embodying a tough guy, independent machismo that some men covet, while some ladies cheer and swoon. He’s creating the illusion that the nation is as powerful in world affairs as he feels in his business environment. Even his oddly coiffed locks give him a kind of

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human vulnerability which makes him easier to connect with. He’s painting with a broad brush, and challenging each of us to come to terms with our own values. Perhaps his greatest gift is to show us that politics in general and campaigning in particular would do well to be separated from the billions of dollars wasted on them. Could qualified candidates be awarded limited federal funds to use during a sharply abbreviated campaign period? Perhaps the candidates could present online a written statement of their positions on the various issues, along with their proposed solutions. In the information age, we hardly need two years of posturing, jockeying and name calling to make a selection among the candidates. Considering that it only took the nation just a few weeks to forget Sandy Hook, it seems as if the long campaign trail is simply filler for the media. As I sit looking over a well-tended orchard to the lake and the mountains beyond, I am tempted to take off on the Spiritual Bypass, and thereby skirt the messy issues that confront us personally and affect us at all levels of government. Yet, there is something that yearns for greater harmony, for collaboration and cooperation, for compassion and solutions. I thank “The Donald” who, in his sometimes outrageous way, opened my eyes to this possibility.


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BRIDGE BY THE LAKE %\ .HQ 0DVVRQ

Although I recommend that less experienced players steer clear of complicated bidding systems there are some conventions that are simple to understand and, in my view, very important for them to adopt as they improve their bridge skills. These include, but are not limited to, Stayman, Blackwood, takeout and negative doubles and transfers. The diagrammed deal is a classic les-

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son hand that was played in a high level European team match and shown live on Bridge Base Online. The North South pair in this contest could have benefitted significantly had they included one common and easy-to-learn convention in their arsenal. North opened the bidding with a 15 to 17 high card point 1 no trump. East overcalled a natural 2 diamonds and

El Ojo del Lago / November 2015

South jumped to 4 spades which closed the auction. West led the diamond jack and declarer could see that he would have his work cut out for him if he was to make his contract. He could see 2 sure diamond losers plus the trump ace so he couldn’t afford to lose any more tricks. Declarer ducked the opening lead (covering the jack with the king wouldn’t have helped his cause) and West continued with his diamond five which was overtaken by East’s queen. East now played the diamond ace which South had to ruff with a high honour as West pitched a small club. South now played a low trump to the dummy’s jack and East defended beautifully by ducking the trick. Now declarer was well and truly sunk. If he continued with dummy’s spade 10 East would win with the ace and play a diamond which would promote the nine in West’s hand for the setting trick. Note that if East had taken the first round of trumps with the ace declarer would have been in control and would have made his contract. He would have won any return to play the spade 10, get to his hand with a heart and draw the last trump with the remaining high honour. So where was the lesson mentioned above? Had the North-South partnership been playing Texas Transfers, South

would have bid 4 hearts over East’s 2 diamond call and this would have shown his partner he held six-plus spades and game going values. The contract of 4 spades by North would have been immune to any lead from East and the game would have been made, probably with an overtrick. I found it astonishing that players at this level would not be using Texas but I wouldn’t be surprised if in the post-mortem they quickly added it to their convention card! Texas Transfers are an extension to the Jacoby Transfer convention, enabling the no trump opener to become declarer when the responder holds six or more cards in a major suit and wishes to be at least in game. This allows the stronger hand to remain unexposed and minimize obstructive interference from the opponents. Interference such as East’s bid above should prove no impediment to implementing a Texas Transfer. If South’s 6-card major had been hearts instead of spades he would have bid 4 diamonds which should be perfectly safe as long as both partners are on the same page. Questions or comments: email: masson.ken@gmail. com Ken Masson


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Hearts at Work $ &ROXPQ E\ -LP 7LSWRQ Bummer about your old man!

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ew people realize that Benito Mussolini was named “Benito” in honor of Benito Juarez, Mexico’s most beloved president. Mussolini’s mother was devoutly Catholic and his father was, like his hero Benito Juarez, devoutly atheist, and wanted to instill in his son ideals of political reform. Some years ago I was sitting in a little café in Denver eating salami sandwiches and drinking Red Lady Ale with a musician-turned-stockbroker. He told me that while he was wandering through Italy in the late 60s he found himself one afternoon eating salami and sipping on a wellmade Barolo with several companions when a heavy-set but sophisticatedlooking man walked in and joined them. He was Vittorio M. Mussolini, a prominent filmmaker and the second son of Benito Mussolini, Il Duce, who had been leader of the Italian National Fascist Party and Prime Minister of Italy. Il Duce—Mussolini—as a young man was a committed socialist, but after fighting for the Allies in World War I he decided socialism was a failure. The British Secret Service helped Mussolini get his start in politics with a salary of £100 a week. By 1922 he was the 40th Prime Minister of Italy and by 1925 he was using the title Il Duce and was almost equal in power to the King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel III. By 1936 his title had expanded to “His Excellency Benito Mussolini, Head of Government, Duce of Fascism, and Founder of the Empire.” Arrogant? Yes. Obsessed with power? Yes. Reformist? Yes. Most European leaders admired Mussolini for his efforts to modernize Italy, to create jobs, to build roads, to provide public transportation, to build economic relationships with Italian colonies. Until the early 30s, Mussolini sided with France against Germany (and had denounced Germany’s racial ideology), but fearing the massive military might of his almost immediate neighbor to the north, on 10 June 1940 Mussolini led Italy into World War II on the side of the Axis. Three years later, with the Allied forces deep into Italy, the Italians themselves deposed him. Ultimately he attempted to escape to

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Benito Mussolini

Switzerland, but was captured, along with his mistress, Clara Petacci, near Lake Como, where they were executed. Their bodies were hung upside down on meat hooks from the ceiling of a gas station where civilians stoned their bodies. Mussolini’s fourth son, Romano, adored his father. He became a jazz pianist, married Sophia Loren’s sister, and they gave birth to a daughter— Alessandra. Her aunt Sophia Loren helped lead her toward a career as an actress, although she is equally well known as a glamour model, even posing for Playboy. Alessandra left the film industry after being pressured to change her last name—Mussolini. Alessandra is a member of the Italian senate, leader and founder of Social Action, a conservative political party, and a member of the European Parliament. She, like her grandfather, is often outspoken, condemning, for example, the Vatican’s comparison of homosexuality with pedophilia— stating “You can’t link sexual orientation to pedophilia.” She has kept her own last name—Mussolini—and has campaigned to change Italian law so that all children, should they choose to do so, may take their mother’s last name. Well, that summer afternoon back in Italy, sipping fine wine with Mussolini’s son, deepened forever the way my friend looked at life (as well as history). I asked him what he said to Vittorio when Vittorio was introduced to him as “Mussolini’s son.” He told me that was one time he was really at a loss for words. The only thing he could think to say was “Bummer about your old man!” Jim Tipton


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PROFILING TEPEHUA %\ 0RRQ\HHQ .LQJ President of the Board for Tepehua

PRRQLH #\DKRR FRP

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he Tepehua Tribe migrated from Eastern part of central Mexico, where Tepehua is still spoken today. Although little is known about them during pre-Columbian history, they were Indigenous to the mountainous regions North of Veracruz, on the Eastern slope of Sierra Madre Oriental range. Most migration in those days was Internal...it took years to cover land by foot, donkeys and carts until they found a place to build a better life. Where-ever they settled they were considered ‘strangers’, and stayed in their ethnic group until they either died out or integrated through marriage or slavery. Even today in the Indigenous barrios and small towns there exists pockets of migrant families that never assimilated with their hosts. In the barrio of Tepehua the class system exists, (it is not called racism here)... those obvious Indigenous that come from migrant families a century ago, are usually at the end of the pecking order. Nomadic tribes were not considered migratory as settling down in one place wasn’t the plan. Even today, migration from country to country is seldom considered by the poor or illiterate, unless through famine or war. Since World War II, immigration has changed. There was mass migration through land, sea and air after the war, people fleeing from Britain and Europe...from Germany to England and Ireland and from all of Europe to America, Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. Typically, your migrant is an educated person who has a talent that he can sell better in another country than his own, or for intellectual reasons politically. That has changed, since we are not so slowly slipping into an intangible World War Three. There is mass migration, wars within wars, poverty and mass destruction. Mass migration is causing make-

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El Ojo del Lago / November 2015

shift towns outside major Cities. World-wide, 884 million people live in these towns without access to adequate sanitation, or water, most of the victims to diseases are children. According to Keith Vaz of the U.K. “All countries that are gracious enough to welcome mass migration due to war, need to think seriously about the practicalities of an integration of a million new arrivals and to remember the values of humanity on which the EU was formed.” Keith states recently “Germany is allowing in more refugees, what will happen to the country as it tries to take on this (Syrians) in a single year? Failing to act and allowing divisions to form within the societies between new arrivals and current inhabitants could have disastrous consequences for the stability of the host country.” It is unfortunately happening everywhere. In the past history of migration, they trickled in on foot or sea, small groups at a time. There was time for adjustment, slow understanding and accepting the difference....even then, integrating was hard and sometimes took a generation. Immigration was good for the host country, it took not only their physical help but their innovated ideas...intermarriages strengthened the societies in general. In today’s world, thousands come at one time bringing their old world with them, not looking for change, but looking to change the world. The world has always had wars...but not this kind of invasion, the war has changed to wars within, and we are not ready to deal with it. There has to be a way...but we haven’t found it yet. Walls should be pulled down, not put up...walls haven’t worked in the past, not even Trumps favorite The Great Wall of China...the tide of humanity will always find a way around it. Like a tidal wave, it will affect us all. Moonyeen King President of the Board for Tepehua.


TAKE IT OFF, TAKE IT ALL OFF! %\ 7RP 1XVVEDXP

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fell in love with her in 1970. She was scurrying about her kitchen, wearing matching running shorts and a tank top. Two small children flitted around her legs. It was obvious she was married, but I fell in love with her anyway. It was OK, though. I was supposed to. It was a television commercial and the woman was selling Hour After Hour deodorant. She had a smile that giggled and a voice like sunshine wrapped in pink cotton candy. Six or seven years later, when the actress in that commercial, the woman I had fallen in love with, was touted for Oscar nominations for her performances in both Annie Hall, for which she won, and Looking for Mr. Goodbar, I learned her name was Diane Keaton. When I first saw that deodorant commercial, Keaton was a struggling young actress hoping for the break that would catapult her into stardom and financial security. And that thirty-second ad propelled her toward her dream. Keaton, however, was not alone. Other unknown actors and models, too, found fame after

being cast in commercials that captured their uniqueness and turned their name or their character’s name into household words. Farrah Fawcett was seen in a plethora of 1970s commercials before she became one of Charlie’s Angels and ultimately a gifted, Emmy winning actress. Virginia Christine and Dick Wilson were successful working actors, but unrecognized by the public until they became the Folgers’ coffee-hawking Mrs. Olson and the charming Charmin pusher, Mr. Whipple. Clara Peller found late-in-life

fame grunting, “Where’s the beef?” and turned a simple line into an unforgettable catch phrase. And there was the European beauty unknown to American audiences: Swedish model Gunilla Knutson purred the double-entendre, “Take it off. Take it all off.” to sell Noxzema shaving crème to a nation of fantasizing men. All these commercials were created by imaginative advertising agencies who opted to make memorable commercials with unique people and not rely on familiar, attractive, popular celebrities in cliché commercials to get the viewers’ attention. They opted to take a risk and follow the more uncertain fork in the road. Today, in the tradition of Mrs. Olson, Mr. Whipple, and Clara Peller, we have Flo selling Progressive Insurance. While I at times find her to be rather annoying, I do remember the name of the product and can see that actress Stephanie Courtney is quite talented. And she has found success, fame, and financial security. But Flo is the rarity today and that brings me to my point. While there are many things about television today I find irritating, my TV pet peeve is the glut of identifiable, glamorous, wealthy, wellliked celebrities earning huge paychecks for making commercials struggling actors could use to launch their careers. Why is Jennifer Aniston the spokesperson for Aveeno when there are countless

beautiful, talented unknown actresses who could use the gig? Does Aniston need the money? Certainly not! The contracts she had for Friends and the residuals for the syndicated reruns have made her set for life. Does Matthew McConaughey really need to sell Lincolns? Surely there is a comparable unknown actor with a unique quality and mellifluous voice who could close the deal. Is it necessary for Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who has more Emmys than Old Navy has stores, to shill for them? And what about Diane Keaton? Oh, I still love her, but does she need to represent L’Oreal on television? Has she forgotten how excited she was when she was cast in that Hour After Hour commercial? Couldn’t she pass that thrill on to an unknown actress, like she was in 1970, a starlet with a special smile and a one-of-a-kind voice. To paraphrase Gunilla Knutson, I ask, why don’t advertisers and ad agencies take them off, take them all off the casting lists for commercials–all those A-list celebrities– and replace them with struggling, quirky, talented, attractive unknown actors and give them a chance to be the next generation of A-list celebrities? Tom Nussbaum

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DEAR PORTIA Advice to the Lovelorn, the Drastically Distracted and the Deeply Disgruntled

Dear Portia, I am twelve years old. I am shocked. Playboy Magazine says its dropping the nudes. I can get to grips with it no longer. Can you help? A . Portnoy (please excuse the shaky typing ) Dear Mr. Portnoy, What a complaint! Yes shout it proud and loud. “Hef” naturally consulted me, Speaking for all twelve years old’s like you, I said ‘no’. But then, what man takes no for an answer? Get a good job and you get a shout, so their new nude free spree makes it big again. (sic) Grow up disgustingly. Remember life depends on the liver. Me? It’s on with the Burka and off to The Mansion.“ Mr. Hefner. I’m ready for my close up “Geddit ?!*@” Dear Portia, I plead on behalf of our group HHHH (High Heels for Hairy He men). So rarely sighted, so sorely missed, high heels make our day. Please help spearhead a campaign to bring them back big time. Hairy He Man Dear Hairy He (Heh) Man, Sounds like your group are as keen wearers as watchers. My 248 lbs boyfriend once tried on my stilettos. He keeled over and fell heavily on top of me. That was in 1986. So began a romance that lasts to this day. I am your champion. Rise to it girls on platforms. Boot the flats into oblivion. Crunch the cobblestones with the pin sharp heels. Sprains, strains and broken ankles now become a mere Chimera. Start today

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El Ojo del Lago / November 2015

The New Portia! Show a shapely leg the way God intended, six inches off the ground. You know it makes sense. But first, ask your Doctor if high heels are right for you! Dear Portia, I am so angry that we keep having to change the time!! My beauty sleep is disturbed, and my social life suffers as the darkness closes in. Can’t we just leave one thing the same? Dreading Darkness Dear Dread, While many believe that the time change has to do with a long forgotten war effort, or the energy crisis, Portia knows the truth! There is a Committee of Crones, working with the Major Conspirators, who carefully guard the darkness. Early on they realized that their aging beauty fared better in candle light. Never mind the increase in pedestrian deaths and a slowing of workplace productivity, all agreed that extending the half-life of aging faces in restaurants, bars and other social venues was well worth the price. SO, either move to the equator, or count your blessings!


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Embracing the Fog 5HYLHZ E\ 6WHSKDQLH 'U\QDQ %\ 5REHUW %UXFH 'U\QDQ 0HO *ROGEHUJ $QWRQLR 5DPEOpV DQG -DPHV 7LSWRQ Publisher: Ediciones del Lago &KDSDOD -DOLVFR 0H[LFR SDJHV $YDLODEOH RQ $PD]RQ DW 86 SDSHU 86 .LQGOH DQG ORFDOO\ DXWRJUDSKHG IRU 3HVRV LQ Ajijic at Diane Pearl Colecciones and Yves Restaurant or through WKH LQGLYLGXDO FRQWULEXWRUV

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mbracing the Fog, by four popular Lake Chapala authors—Robert Bruce Drynan, Mel Goldberg, Antonio RamblĂŠs, and James Tipton—is a well-considered selection of short stories that speak to the essential question: “Who am I?â€? We are all faced with the often messy job of determining what makes us who we are, what is this fog that so often surrounds us, and how do we learn to “embraceâ€? it. In RamblĂŠs’ story, “Suspicion,â€? a gringo inadvertently sees too much in the Mexican hills; and there two men, without a common language, must learn to dance around, and then with each other. In his story, “Folding Money,â€? RamblĂŠs deftly sketches a few days in the lives of two down-and-out individuals whose lives intersect at the coffee shop where they work. I enjoy Tipton’s wistful longing, his willingness to serve up romantic visions even though manslaughter is the catalyst, as in “Willie Bill Begay’s Long Walk,â€? where the old man is somehow healed, reconnected to everything important to him. In “Knee Deep in SalomĂŠâ€? the deaths are of ego and of hubris. In that story, tales of death and murder work on a young man to heal him. In “When the Fat Lady Runs in the Rain,â€? Tipton takes the reader into the heart of a small Mexican community where after she is assaulted the Fat Lady, a gringa, realizes she is no longer an outsider but an insider, and feels loved and accepted by the community she has chosen to be her own. Mel Goldberg in “What is Truthâ€? previews what is to come with: “Su Lin floated by. She had rejected him

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and dwelt in the subconscious part of memory reserved for heartache.� Set in a possibly grim future, Goldberg’s protagonist must weigh the outcomes of a deft counter-rejection against a more meek survival. “Quatsch,� by Robert Bruce Drynan, reads like a memoir. Much of Drynan’s work is rich in personal detail and intimate knowledge of place, time, aspect, and history. Like many of Drynan’s work “Quatsch� is a dizzying tour of personal suffering, perseverance, faith, and redemption. The primary love story becomes almost incidental to the heroism—and perhaps fatalism— of the quiet family in a small town in Germany. Embracing the Fog is a collection of works that most readers will relate to. These are characters with personal confusions and conundrums that, whether male or female, we can identify with. Most of us have grappled with our fears and doubts and questioned the decisions that we must make and that also define us. One of the good things about an anthology of short stories is that if a particular author or story doesn’t appeal to us, there is always another author coming up. The worst thing about an anthology is when you enjoy ALL the stories and get to the dratted END. I did not want Embracing the Fog to end. Stephanie Drynan


Focus on Art %\ 5RE 0RKU

Sensual Magic - Painting by Navarro Tadeo

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ine art involves the creation of a well-defined world, a way of expressing reality that is distinguished by its unifying structure, refined qualities, and clarity of purpose. Navarro Tadeo's works more than meet these basic needs, while leading the viewer on a sensual journey in which his paintings seamlessly merge the natural flow of line and form suggestive of pre-Columbian Maya art from the Usumacinta river basin, with the geometric style developed by the Toltecs and Maya sites in the Yucatan. Reflecting a deep understanding of 19th and 20th century movements, Navarro expands the pointillist approach of the impressionist Seurat by applying broad points of color to create a sensation of texture which arouses a desire in the viewer to reach out and touch the surface as if it were a magical form of braille. His complex silhouettes of women also confirm Navarro's critical understanding of Cubist works by Picasso and Braque. Navarro's eclectic approach results in paintings that vibrate with Latin emotions like those we experience reading A Simple Habana Melody, written by Oscar Hijuelos, or the hearing notes of Ay Mi Palomita, by Victor Jara. His paintings explode in a flourish of exuberant expression. They reflect a world in which each word, each note, each brush stroke pulls us into the creative heart of a complex, sensitive, and wonder-filled culture. Touched with the tip of a magic wand, his paintings express the dimensions of human life, human history, and the sensual world we share. Butterflies become symbols of dreams, dancing figures convey joy, while fluorescent vegetation invites the viewer to enter enchanted landscapes. His painting, “Caminando Hacia La Libertad,” demonstrates Navarro´s mastery of story and function as a universal woman runs through her world of dreams and hopes in search of freedom from oppression. While, in his painting Vida Nueva, he combines cultures and historic periods by recreating, with a subtle change, a scene where a pre-Columbian royal Maya female pulls a knotted rope through a cut in her tongue as her blood runs down the rope into a clay vessel filled with parchments with written requests

for advice from a royal ancestor. The parchments are then ignited and the rising smoke becomes a serpent from whose mouth the dead royal ancestor emerges. However in Navarro's painting the smoke serpent is rooted in the blood and flesh of a contemporary woman. Navarro in all of his recent paintings reveals the soul, heart, and skill of a mature and gifted artist who creates new and dramatic ways of understanding what it means to be human. His capacity to grasp, and convey the complexity of Mexican culture is unique and reveal his history and extensive preparation. Navarro Tadeo has a Masters Degree in Fine Arts (MFA) from the University of Guadalajara, and has served for a number of years as Professor of Fine Arts at the Centro de la Amistad Internacional de Guadalajara. He has won awards for his paintings in exhibitions in Mexico, the United States and France. Galeria Sol Mexicano, Colon #13, Ajijic, will exhibit Navarro's works beginning the 10th of November, and "art lovers" are invited to a reception from 4PM to 7PM on the 13th of November where you will have a chance to talk with the artist. Also included will be works by Paulina Carretero and Lorena Chardi Cobo. Rob Mohr

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Children’s Choir and Orchestra of San Juan Cosala a %\ &RFR :RQFKHH

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ith a look of intense concentration on their faces, nine girls are sitting on the covered patio next door to Viva Mexico in San Juan Cosala, learning to play the violin. They are part of the 100 member youth choir and orchestra known as the Orquesta Filármonica Infantil de la Ribera de Chapala (OFIRC), a charitable organization established a little over a year ago with the aim of providing the children with opportunities to improve their lives, their scholastic performance, to learn to work as a team and to open their hearts through music. OFIRC was established under the umbrella of Musica Para Crecer A.C. With proper transparency, accountability and supervision, it has been able to attract funding not only from private sources but more importantly from the Jalisco Government in the shape of a significant ECOS grant. The significance of this government funding can be seen from the fact that although the children’s parents are expected to contribute 50 pesos a month towards the cost of running the program, less than one-third are in a position to do so. OFIRC brings together the Musica Para Crecer AC Board, local families, the children, the government and the community as a whole. Besides developing the children’s musical talents, the most important aim of the

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El Ojo del Lago / November 2015

program is to keep them away from the drugs, alcoholism, violence and lives without hope and joy that are due to the poverty, vulnerability and marginalization present in so many of our towns. Fourteen young musicians, drawn from neighboring Ajijic and Chapala, are honing their skills as music teachers. Under their guidance, the children come daily to practice in small groups. As their skills develop, so too does their self-esteem and team spirit. They also learn a sense of responsibility: the members of the orchestra keep the valuable instruments so that they can practice with them at home. Although the majority of the children currently come from San Juan Cosala, the hope is that with additional funding, an increasing number from Jocotepec and around the lake will be attracted to the program. By performing at a series of public concerts over the coming months, OFIRC is planning to raise funds to maintain and expand this important program. However, it is still in very real need of the continuing support, not only from the Jalisco state government, but also from individual sponsors throughout the Lakeside community. The concert is on Saturday 21 November at 7:00 p.m. in the Auditorium . Tickets cost 150 pesos. For further info please contact Chris Manning, email: cpmanning1@gmail.com


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ne thing I have learned while living in Mexico is that to enjoy it to the fullest one must be open to new experiences, get to know the people and learn something of their culture and keep your sense of humor. This story is about an unusual experience and finding the humor. My husband Tom and I spent three idyllic months in Manzanillo enjoying the ocean, great food and paved streets. We had a place right on the beach with a pool and palm trees. We rented this from Roberto, who handles rental properties and who became our fast friend, inviting us to family parties and taking us on many adventures. Roberto always has a bazillion things going. He has two kids in private school and one in law school so he is constantly looking for ways to make some extra money. One day he came knocking on our door, and said, “Tom! Margie! Do I have a deal for you!! This guy has a big yatch that he wants to sell. “Yatch?” I asked “Yes! It’s a really big boat!” “Oh, a yacht!” “Yes! That's what I said! It sleeps 15! Tom, you could give harbor tours and take people fishing.” “And why would I want to do that?” Tom asked. “Well if you don’t want to do it, I could take them out for you. We could be partners." Tom looked at me with a twinkle in his eyes, and said, “ We would have to go look at this "yacht" and see if it’s any good. Can you arrange it?” “Sure, I’ll call you later and tell you when we can see it.” The next day he called and said we could go on Sunday to look at the yacht and take it for a test run. We picked up Roberto and drove down to the harbor. We walked out on the dock and searched the water. There were lots of skiffs and wooden fishing boats, all in great need of paint and repairs but we saw no "yatch." Finally, Roberto pointed to this small little boat with a blue canvas awning and said, "It's that one."

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El Ojo del Lago / November 2015

We were speechless. "Roberto," I whispered, "That will never hold 15 people. It probably won’t even hold two!” "I know, but that's what he told me.” Roberto looked so sad we didn’t have the heart to be annoyed. Since we were there we decided to take it for a short cruise and check it out. The owner sent two men along with us. Our plan was to just cruise down the coastline for a short distance so off we went with a cooler full of cold drinks and some snacks. We hadn't gone more than thirty feet, when the man acting as the captain said we had to turn back and pick up some extra fuel "just in case." So, armed with more fuel and some extra beer we set off again. It was a perfect Manzanillo day, cloudless and sunny. We went along to Las Hadas, admired the real yachts, and went out around Las Puntas where the really rich and famous have their digs. We decided to go as far as Las Bouquitas, another beach and then head back because I wanted to be home in time to watch Un. of Conn in the NCAA basketball finals. (One has to have priorities you know). We got as far as Miramar beach when the boat started acting funny. The self appointed captain said we needed more gas so he put the "just in case" reserve gas in the tank and the motor died. The "captain" tried without success to get it started. We in the meantime sipped our drinks and watched a large school of fairly large fish jump out of the water all around us. The captain, now turned mechanic, decided it was the coil, whatever that is, so he and his mate changed the coil and the captain said, “Okay we’re ready to go.” We were ready but the “yatch” had ideas of its own. It refused to start. So there we were,


in sight of Mirarmar beach but too far away to swim. I also noticed that we were drifting further out to sea. Roberto brought this to the captain’s attention. The man went into the cabin, found a large cooking pot with a handle, tied a rope around the handle and threw the pot overboard. I looked at Roberto who said “He’s using it for an anchor.” “I suppose it’s silly to ask if there are any life vests on board.” “Very silly.” Tom suggested that they call the harbor patrol and ask for a tow. Good idea to us, bad to them. No self respecting Mexican macho man is going to be towed back so all his buddies can laugh at him. Instead they called someone and asked them to bring a new battery. “How long will that take?” I asked. Roberto, looking very forlorn, just shrugged. Meantime skiffs pulling people on banana shaped floats were going by us as were jet skiers. The second in command could see we were becoming a bit hostile so he got on the bow and tried to wave one of them down. At last one stopped and came along side. Our situation was explained to him. He scratched his head and

looked at us, then at the skiff. He said he would take us in but we would have to ride on the banana. Tom and I looked at each other, shrugged, and said, “Come on, Roberto!” The captain called out, "Wait! You must pay us for using boat!" "Keep the cooler and we'll call it even," answered Tom. We took off our shoes, hung them around our necks and climbed aboard. Minutes later we were wading ashore and heading home. By the way, U. of Conn lost the game – and we didn’t buy the “yatch.”

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Sandy Olson

Phone: 331-283-8529 Email: sandyzihua@hotmail.com

COMING EVENTS This Saturday, November 7, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., the Lake Chapala Society will celebrate its 60th anniversary with a grand all day “Freeesta.” Dozens of Lakeside non-profits and businesses will participate. There will be live music, dancing, displays and free food provided by local restaurants. LCS invites all ex-pats and Mexicans to participate in the celebration. LOSE THOSE INHIBITIONS “Stepping Out,” is a comedy with dance. This latest production from the Lakeside Little Theatre is about the attempts of some working class amateurs to overcome their inhibitions and left feet in a low rent tap dance studio. The director is Ann Swiston. Show dates are November 6-15, evenings at 7:30 p.m. The first Saturday and both Sundays are matinees, at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are 200 pesos. The Box Office is open from 10 a.m. to noon, from Wednesday, November 4. Reserve tickets at tickets@lakesidlelittletheatre.com or 766.0954. LET’S GET THEM TO CUBA Come to The Bravo! Theatre on Nov 7, 8, 14 or 15 and support the benefit for the Los Cantantes ¡Viva Cuba 2016! tour. Choir members will travel to Cuba in a cultural exchange Back Row: Curly Lieberman, Flemming Halby, Ally- with the premiere choir from Cienfuegos, son DeJong, Val Jones, Joanne Stuart. Middle row: Cuba, which will come Middle: Judy Hendrick. Front: D’Le Beatty-Tobias, to Lakeside in the fall of 2016. Alexis Hoff, Maritza Freyslinger, Tina Leonard The fundraiser is a variety show called “Extravaganza,” with song, mime, dance and improvisational comedy included in the program. Directors are Patteye Simpson and Timothy G. Ruff Welch. Tickets are 200 pesos and can be purchased at Diane Pearl Colecciones, Mia’s Boutique or from any Cantantes member. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays and 3:00 p.m. on Sundays. The Bravo! Theatre is at Rio Bravo #10. OPEN CIRCLE Sunday morning finds many Lakeside residents at the Lake Chapala Society and Open Circle. A social hour with coffee and snacks at 10:00 a.m. is followed by an interesting lecture and discussion at 10:30. Here’s the program for the month. November 8 “Who’s Happy? How to Be One of Them.” Presented by Dr. Beth McDonald She will delineate the factors involved in happiness. Daisy Beth McDonald was a pharmacist and naturopathic physician in Seattle. November 15 “Embracing the Fog: The Transformative Power of Crisis.” Presented by James Tipton, Robert Bruce Drynan, Mel Goldberg, and Antonio Ramblés. Distinguished Lakeside writers explore the capacity of the human spirit to endure the seemingly unendurable, and the transformative consequences. They’ll present selections from their recently published anthology Embracing the Fog. November 22 “What is Secular Spirituality?” Presented by John Stokdijk. In 2014, Sam Harris, an atheist, published Waking Up—A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion.

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John will present some ideas from this extraordinary book and will also share his personal spiritual journey. November 29 “So Now What?” Presented by Kat Miller. This is an extraordinary time for most of us to finally live our lives without obligations running the show. Kat explores the secrets of living a joyful fulfilling life now, while not discounting our and the world’s suffering. Kat Miller has an MA in Spiritual Psychology and is a counselor, teacher, and group leader in Ajijic and abroad. December 6. “The Pinche Crazy World of Gringoes Living in Mexico!” Presented by Richi Galan This comedy sketch portrays how Mexicans and Gringos living side by side can come to know each other and learn to coexist. Richi Galan was born in Mexico City and schooled in Mexico, Ireland, North Carolina, and Peru. SEE BEHIND THE WALLS… Now see beautiful homes on each of six Behind the Walls Home Tours to benefit children at the School for Special Children in Jocotopec. There are six tours: November 11, December 10, January 28, February 25, March 24 and April 14. . Tickets are 200 pesos for the regular tour, 300 pesos for the Christmas tour and 1100 pesos for all six tours. Tickets are available at Diane Pearl Colecciones or at Charter Club Tours at the Plaza Montana. If not sold out, tickets will be available at the Pier. Tours leave at 10:30 a.m. For more information call Jessie Wynant at 766-1438, Kathy Baker at 766-0420, or Leslie Martin at 766-2274. FERIA MAESTROS DEL ARTE You won’t want to miss the 14th annual Feria Maestros del Arte at the Chapala Yacht Club on November 13-15. The Feria is open Friday and Saturday 10:00 to 5:00 and Sunday 10:00 to 4:00. Admission is a bargain at 50 pesos. “Mexican Fashion Throughout the Ages” is the Feria ‘s 2015 theme. For a list of all the artists, description of their work and photos, see their website www.mexicoartshow.com and click on 2015 Maestros. NOTES FROM VIVA MUSICA Thursday November 19: “Baroque Concert,” with Eduardo Arambula, recorder; Diego Rojas, violin; Yalissa Cruz, cello; and Hans Peter Aull, harpsichord. The program is at 7:00 p.m. in the Old Train Station (Centro Cultural Gonzalez Gallo), Chapala. Saturday November 21: “Lulu” by Berg, at Teatro Diana; with soprano Marlis Petersen in the title role of the demented femme fatale: a tale of love and obsession. The bus to Guadalajara departs at 10.00 a.m. from the carretera, just east of Farmacia Guadalajara in Ajijic. Met Opera bus tickets are 300 pesos, 400 for non-members, and are available at the LCS Thursdays and Fridays from 10.00 a.m. to-noon. Sunday, December 6 “For the Love of Mozart,” at the Teatro Degollado. Marco Parisotto, conductor, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Symphony no. 34; Concerto for Clarinet in A Major (Soloist Joaquín Valdepeñas); Overture to La Clemenza di Tito; Symphony no. 41, Jupiter. Symphony bus tickets are 300 pesos (400 for nonmembers), available at the LCS Thursday and Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to noon. Friday buses leave at 4:30 p.m. and stop for dinner in Guadalajara before the concert. Sunday buses leave at 10:30 a.m. from the carretera, just east of Farmacia Guadalajara in Ajijic. Thursday December 17: Christmas Concert with the Hermosillo family: Antonio Hermosillo, baritone; Gaby Zepeda, soprano and piano; their children Mariana, Lucia and Jorge, violins and voices, and a guest tenor; singing and playing a new program. 7:00 pm in the Auditorio. NAKED STAGE The Naked Stage show for November is “Crimes of the Heart” by Beth Henley The play is a character study of three sisters, each attempting to discover her own identity. Black humor enables the Magrath sisters to find meaning and happiness in life, even if it is only momentary. The play is directed by Lila Director Lila Wells Wells. It runs November 27, 28, and 29. The email address for reservations: nakedstagereservations@gmail.com. Reservations guarantee a seat until 3:50, after which seats will be sold to those waiting without reservations. Naked Stage is located at #10A Rio Bravo. Directions: west on the carretera from Ajijic, south on Rio Bravo, about two blocks down behind Daniel’s Restaurant on the east side. Daniel’s is open with a no host bar and botanas available at 3:00 p.m. and during the intermission. The box office opens at 3:15 p.m. and the show starts at 4:00 p.m. AJIJIC WORLD AIDS DAY The Ajijic Cares Committee is planning the second annual Ajijic World AIDS Day for

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El Ojo del Lago / November 2015


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December 1, at 6:00 p.m. at the amphitheater on the Ajijic Malecon. At this presentation individuals will have an opportunity to pay tribute to friends lost through AIDS by lighting a remembrance candle. The committee, headed by Bobby Lancaster and Dan Blackburn, has two primary goals for this day: to provide information on the threat and prevention of AIDS by developing educational and support programs at Lakeside, and to remember those friends of Lakeside residents who have died of this disease. For more information on World AIDS Day in Ajijic or to volunteer to assist, contact Bobby Lancaster at bobby@danblackburndesigns.com. CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON AT JALTEPEC Don’t miss this chance to benefit the students of Jaltepec Centro Educativo. Your attendance will help the needier students of this Technical Universitario in Hotel & Hospitality Management……. not to mention you’ll have a beautiful afternoon with your friends. The dinner event this year is already sold out but you still can get tickets for the luncheon on Wednesday, December 2. There is a donation of 550 pesos. The no host bar opens at noon, with complimentary hors d’oeuvres. At 1:15 guests will enjoy a taste of Los Cantantes del Lago’s upcoming Christmas concert, under the direction of Timothy G. Ruff Welch. Lunch will be served at 2:00 p.m. Email Linda Buckthorp at buckthorplm@gmail.com or call her at 766.1631 to make your reservation. FASHIONISTA ALERT! Save the date for the Annual Fashion Auction Show to benefit the School for Special Children. The December 4 event will be a cocktail and canapé afternoon at the Racquet Club in San Juan Cosala. There will be thirty or more outfits available for bidding. In addition, the event will feature a silent auction table and budget store for your shopping pleasure. Tickets are 250 pesos and will include a free drink. If you ladies out there have gently used, good quality or designer ladies clothing, please consider donating them to the show. They also need jewelry, handbags, scarves, shoes and other accessories. Tickets will be on sale on November 1 at Casi Nuevo, LCS, Casa Bella and Mia’s Boutique. For more information , contact Heather at heatherfenton44@gmail.com or Cathie at ritz2015@rogers.com. DON’T MISS THIS CLASSIC MOVIE Alejandro Grattan, former Hollywood filmmaker and now Ojo del Lago Editor in Chief, is making his film, Only Once in a Lifetime, available as a fundraiser for Niños Incapacitados. Turner Classic Movies has recently added this movie to its extensive list of classic films. All proceeds go to the Niños. The Story: A middle-aged immigrant painter decides to end it all but first has to find a home for his beloved old dog. The quest leads to a remarkable “only once in a lifetime” experience. Alex will host his film on Tuesday, No16 at 1:00 p.m. at the Cinemas del The stars: Sheree North, Mi- vember Lago in the Bugambilias Plaza, and will be guel Robelo, Estrellita Lopez available for questions after the show. Tickets are 100 pesos. For tickets/reservations call Bev Kephart at 766.3940 or email her for information at bevkephartinmex@gmail.com. Seating is limited so call for your tickets now. TREASURE HUNTING, ANYONE? Thinking about Christmas shopping? Worried about finding the perfect last-minute gift? Regalorama is the solution. This huge sale is an annual fund-raising project of St. Andrew’s Anglican Church in Riberas del Pilar. All of the profits go to local charities. Last year’s Regalorama netted about 160,000 pesos, which was distributed among eight charitable organizations. On the first Saturday of December—December 5 this year-- the church, its garden and its parking lot are full of beautiful clothing, interesting books, collectibles, artwork, jewelry, furniture, home appliances, and electronics, all at irresistible prices. Food and drink are available to give you the energy to shop all day. Many volunteers from the church and the community collect donations all year. They devote countless hours to sorting, pricing, and arranging all the details for a successful

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El Ojo del Lago / November 2015

Some of the volunteers. Front row: Sylvia Stard (chairperson), Darleen Pike, Patti Orsinger, Back row: Wayne Friesen, Fred Spartz, Dave Pike sale. Last year more than 140 volunteers helped to sell items at ridiculously low prices. Donations may be dropped at the church, at Calle San Lucas #19 in Riberas del Pilar, from 9:00 to noon Monday through Friday. Someone can also pick up items. Contact Fred Spartz at 765-6889 to arrange that. For more information, or to volunteer, contact either Sheilah Dwyer at 106.0892 or Sylvia Stard at 766.3217. START SPREADING THE NEWS……….. The holiday season will be here sooner than you think! Coming Monday December 14, for one night only, is Mac Morison’s fourth annual show, “One More for the Road,” an evening of music, romance and laughter. Mac will be singing your favorite jazz standards from Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald and other jazz greats.. Featured performers are vocalists Judy Hendrick and Luci Merritt. Dancers are Cortlandt Jones and Alexis Hoff. A returning special guest is stand-up comic Jeff Capri. This year the show benefits Ajijic Cares, a new program that goes into our local schools, for educating and providing free testing to Lakeside teenagers about AIDS, HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. The show is at Club Exotica on the Ajijic Plaza. The doors open at 6:30 pm and the performance is at 7:30 pm. Tickets are on sale at Diane Pearl Colecciones, Mia’s Boutique and Su Casa in Bugambilias Plaza. MAKE FRIENDS WITH YOUR MIND Last month the Heart of Awareness Community presented a live streaming retreat from the Omega Institute in New York: “Making Friends with Your Mind,” with Pema Chodron. The retreat will be offered again next year. Registration is open to everyone; no prior experience with Buddhism is necessary For information on the next retreat, or about the Heart of Awareness Community, email Janet Reichert at 376.766.6069.

The Committee, left to right: Isabel VanRooy, Janet Reichert, Marian Puentes and Tish Wagoner


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TO BE OR NOT TO BE . . . %\ 0DUN 6FRQFH

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s there one among us who hasn’t thought about, contemplated or even attempted suicide? The statistics tell us that more and more people worldwide are not just contemplating; they are committing suicide in growing numbers. But the reports, both official and anecdotal, reveal some surprising insights. For example, who would have guessed that Montana has more suicides annually than any other U.S. state, and Alaska comes in second. Gives new meaning to that project, Bridge to Nowhere… The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the CDC, publishes suicide statistics periodically some of which are eye-

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opening. In 2013, there were 41,149 deaths by suicide in the U.S.; that’s 112 Americans every day or one every 13 minutes. Therefore, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death; homicide ranks 16th. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for 15-24 year olds. There is one suicide success for every estimated 25 suicide attempts, and women are three times more likely to attempt suicide than men, even though suicide among men is 4xs higher than women. Females are more likely than males to have suicidal thoughts perhaps because they experience depression at roughly two times the rate of men. Poisoning is

El Ojo del Lago / November 2015

the most common method of suicide for women. A firearm is the preferred method among men, another feather in the cap of the National Rifle Association. Suicide rates for males are highest among those aged 75+ while the rates among females are highest among those aged 45 to 54. A 2009 U.S. Army report indicates military veterans have double the suicide rate of non-veterans, and more active duty soldiers are dying from suicide than in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan even to this day. The World Health Organization and the National Institute of Mental Health tell us that over 800,000 people die by suicide every year, in most cases, succumbing to the “intolerable burden of existence” to use a phrase by Hans Küng, the controversial Catholic theologian. Depression and hopelessness are leading causes of suicide worldwide. Alexander Pushkin can take us there: “In bleak despair and isolation My days stretched on in quiet strife. No awe of God, no inspiration, No love, no tears, no sense of life.” There is one death by suicide in the world every 40 seconds. Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in the world for those between 15 and 44 years of age. This is the case in a country I know something about, Nepal. Suicide is illegal in Nepal and is punishable by fines and imprisonment for survivors. The result is a “culture of silence” especially in cases involving domestic abuse. Families also avoid reporting suicides due to social stigma and discrimination against people with mental health problems. Social, religious, and legal pressures result in inaccurate reporting and record keeping. So take the following ranking with a grain of salt: It was prepared by the World Health Organization in 2012. Guyana was way ahead of number two, South Korea, with approximately 44 suicides per 100,000 people. South Korea, about 29 per 100,000 people. India ranks eleventh. India, where the Hindu custom of suttee was practiced for centuries. The suttee is Sanskrit for 'good woman' or 'true wife', namely, the Hindu widow who makes the supreme sacrifice by following her husband onto the funeral pyre. "A wife who dies in the company of her husband shall remain in heaven as many years as there are hairs on his person," says one of the holy scriptures. Now if you find these Eastern revelations depressing, let’s change the venue to Paris, France, city of lights, city of romance. At its center, at its heart, stands the Eiffel Tower. So

many couples come here for their honeymoon. One day a woman tried to commit suicide from the Eiffel Tower. Wouldn’t you know she landed on a car and later married the person who owned the car. Viva La France! Unfortunately such a happy ending is a rare thing, the Eiffel Tower has one of the highest suicide rates – 17.5 per 1000 visitors. It’s an important issue for the French government along with recent suicide bombers. So, on to Moscow. Russia ranks 14th in the world with this footnote. As of October 2011 nearly one million Russians had committed suicide since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Japan comes in at number 18. This country of course pioneered harikari, a practice that claimed so many Allied naval vessels during WWII as kamikazi dive bombers slammed into the decks. Today’s kamikazis are the suicide bombers who claim so many lives in the cause of jihad. The United States is 50th, where more Americans now take their own lives than die in car crashes. Canada comes in 70th, Germany 77th, and China 94th, one of only two countries where more women than men commit. The United Kingdom is in 105th place and Catholic Mexico 137th if you don’t count the ex-pat community. The winner is Saudi Arabia at 170th. If you try to commit suicide there you might even be stoned in public…not that we haven’t seen people stoned in public here. Ever since Socrates imbibed his hemlock, and Cleopatra clasped her asp, suicide has been a familiar feature, indeed a reality of the human condition. Famous suicides include Nero, Mark Antony, Hannibal, and Hitler. Peter Tchaikovsky, Meriwether Lewis of Lewis and Clark, Sigmund Freud, Earnest Hemingway, Marilyn Monroe, Charles Boyer, Virginia Woolf, Sylvia Plath, and Robin Williams—and our own “Pedro Loco” a few years ago. Of course suicide can take place on a much larger scale. Here’s Abraham Lincoln: “If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time, or die by suicide.” And who do you think said this? “I think a question that we are not asking ourselves is: isn’t humanity committing suicide with this indiscriminate, tyrannical use of nature? Safeguard creation because, if we destroy it, it will destroy us. Never forget this.” —Pope Francis, earlier this year… Mark Sconce


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HELPLESS? %\ 0HO *ROGEHUJ UJ

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fter a year in he VA rehab at the Ed hospital, Edk die was able to speak softly. His throat had healed but after several surgeries to stabilize his vertebrae, se e he was unable to use eft his legs or move his left ce arm. He had no choice but to sit strapped in his motorized wheelchair all ing TV day reading or watching o while in the third-floor condo ked as his wife, Alicia, worked an office manager for Great Western Insurance Company. Fortunately they lived close enough to Great Western’s offices that Alicia could come home at lunchtime and check on him. One morning after Alicia had left for work, Eddie tried to reach the coffee in the cabinet above the

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sink si nk. As A he reached up, sink. he leaned lea eane ean ne too far back in he hiss chair hi ch and fell over. He looked at his c phone on the cell table out of his reach. Unable to rise, he lay on h floor until Alicia the came home at lunch. As he lay on his back still stuck in his wheelchair, thou he thought about buygu and ending his ing a gun entrapm entrapment and helplessness. Alicia opened the door and rushed to him. She didn’t have the strength to raise his two-hundred-twenty pound body and the wheelchair, so she went out and down the hall to see if old Mr. McCall could help her. But next the elderly man was no help.”I’m 85 and I don’t think I can lift

El Ojo del Lago / November 2015

him.” “What’re we going to do? We can’t leave him like this and I need to go back to work in half an hour.” The old man snapped his fingers. “Hey, there’s a young woman just moved into the condo above me. She’s young and pretty and looks strong. Maybe she could give us a hand.” He left and in less than three minutes returned with a tall, muscular blond woman with crew-cut hair, wearing a bra-less tank-top and shorts. She looked at Eddie sitting on the floor, almost in tears. “No problem,” she said. “I’m a trainer at Gold’s Gym. I work out with weights every day. Lifting him will be easy.” She pulled Eddie from the chair while Alicia righted it. Then she rolled him over, put her hands under Eddie’s armpits, and pulled him toward her, lifting him until his head rested between her ample breasts. Then she rocked him back and forth and hoisted him as easily as you could lift a twenty pound sack of beans. When she set him down in his chair, he was grinning. Alicia was relieved. “Thanks, uh. . .” “Barbara. Name’s Barbara, and I’m glad to help. Any time.” She

wrote her private phone number on her card which Alicia taped to the refrigerator. “Call me any time. I don’t go to work until after one.” Eddie looked up at her. “I’m going to keep my cell phone with me in the chair from now on.” Now, two or three mornings a week, after Alicia goes to work, Eddie tips himself over and calls Barbara. Mel Goldberg


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LUCHA LIBRE—A Gringa’s Critique %\ 7HUL 6D\D

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y husband and I recently went to a Lucha Libre event with our Mex-pat group at the Arena Coliseo in Guadalajara. Neither one of us had ever been to one, but had heard from friends that it was a “must see.” Now, I am not an expert on wrestling, but in raising four boys, I was exposed to American wrestling. Two of my sons wrestled in high school, one in the heavy-weight and one in the lightweight competitions. Of course, this is no comparison to the WWF and Lucha Libre events, but the rules are basically the same. Most matches have an average time limit of fifteen to twenty minutes, and there are four ways to win or lose a match. In a Pinfall, the wrestler holds his or her opponent’s shoulders to the mat for a count of three. Submission is when a wrestler locks his opponent into a painful hold. The loser signals to the referee that the pain is too great, giving up the match. A Sleeper is when a wrestler uses a choking hold on his opponent, rendering him unconscious…. of course, they do not allow this one in high school wrestling. A Disqualification happens only if the referee sees the disqualifying maneuver, which seems to be not very often. When an active wrestler stays outside the ring for a count of ten or when wrestlers group kick one opponent or hit them with a foreign object, as in the case of WrestleMania

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IV when Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant beat each other with folding chairs, which resulted in a double disqualification. The Luchadores (wrestlers) were colorful, flamboyant, and entertaining. They varied from quite tiny to huge. However, they were all very acrobatic, and each round was well-synchronized. One wrestler threw tortillas into the crowd that they used later to throw at the loser. Tortillas weren’t the only edible thing at this event. Vendors wandered through the crowd selling beer, donuts, popcorn, fruit with chili/lime salt, and pork skins that tasted kind of like Funyuns, a lot of which ended up on the floor due to the jumping up, cheering and fist pumping the air while trying to eat. There were seven Placard Girls. Their job was to carry the card that tells you what round it is and to provide entertainment between matches. All the girls were beautiful with lots of “junk in the trunk” which they proudly displayed and wiggled a lot. But, I think it would have been much more entertaining if they were choreographed to the heavy beat music that was playing between matches. It was as if each girl had completely different music playing in her head. I don’t know if it was my inappropriate violent inner child, but I would have liked to see some fake blood. You know when the good guy fake hits the bad guy in the face, there could be a bit of red to stir up the crowd (like they weren’t stirred up enough.) Then, my ever-tolerant husband reminded me that there where children watching…..Oh, snap. Speaking of the kids, there were many, and they were just as wound up as their parents. Some were wearing their favorite wrestler’s mask. I loved that the winning wrestlers at the end brought their fat champion belts out and posed with the kids for photo ops. The kids just ate it up! It was also, I am rather embarrassed to say, the most fun I’d had in quite a Teri Saya while!


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NOTES FROM THE QUEBEC WILDERNESS %\ *DEULHOOH %ODLU

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here’s a break in the persistent Spring rains and the deck-boards dry out enough for me to do yoga outdoors. The air is fresh with a little breeze barely disturbing the surface of Lac Otanibi, a great body of water only feet from our cabin door. On rolled-out mat I stand surveying this vast expanse of nature with not a soul around. No fishing boats have come. I listen to bird calls and the incessant bell-like tinkling of the peeper frogs. Yesterday a long wavy ‘V’ formation of Canada geese flew over, the first time we’ve seen them heading north. Squirt, the red squirrel, has claimed the bird feeder. He’s growing plump and glossy on this rich diet of sunflower seeds and is tame enough that he simply eyes me as I pass him, feeding more furiously. From time to time he sounds his rattle of alarm when Merkel, the competition squirrel threatens his stash. The dark chocolate mink, called Cato, scurries along the shore before silently slipping into the water to swim across the bay. Five minutes later, he’s making the return journey. What does he do on the other shore? Finally I attempt to block distractions, keeping half an eye out for bears, as I begin to stretch. But not for long. There on the flat rock beneath the flag pole, a snake is sunning itself. I know it knows I’m here, but is unafraid. Besides, this day is too nice to go back under the rock. I

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decide to take this opportunity to challenge my fear of snakes, and knowing it’s a harmless garter snake helps, I complete my routine without interrupting my companion’s meditation. A disturbance in the water beside our dock shows that Riff, the muskrat has come to graze on the weeds. With a cup of tea, I return outdoors and the snake has gone. Just then, Smudge our black and white cat trots by with a smooth, straight stick in his mouth. It is the snake gone rigid. Smudge and snake disappear under the deck. Strange play-mates! At dusk, making our evening cups of tea, a huge adrenalin rush. A midsized black bear, perhaps 250 lbs of it, is passing beneath the kitchen window. I remember I’ve left the dish of drippings from the BBQ beside the front door intending to clean it. The bear is slurping hungrily. On tiptoe (our cabin is like a sounding-box) I grab the camera, heart pounding and take tons of pictures as the bear circles the cabin. Finally my husband shoots off a fiveround clip of his SKS Simonov assault rifle and the bear takes off into the bushes. Pierre, who guides mostly Americans who pay big bucks for the privilege of hunting bears, has already downed 42 this season. “I suppose there won’t be any left up at our neck of the woods?” I’d asked gaily. “There’s plenty left,” he said nonchalantly – a man of few words. I guess he’s right.


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THE DANGEROUS BOOK FOR BOYS —And the Death of Child dhood %\ 'U /RULQ 6ZLQHKDUW

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n Irving, Texas recently, 14-year-old Ahmed Mohammed brought a homemade clock to school to show his science teacher. Paranoid school officials somehow hit the panic button, concluding that the clock was a bomb. Police were called, and young Ahmed was handcuffed, arrested and taken to headquarters for interrogation. Ahmed is an inventive boy, who enjoys experimenting. He has built a radio and repaired his father’s computer and car. And yet, he was accused of being a Muslim terrorist. There are multiple outrages in this sorry tale of hysterical school ad-

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ministrators and bullish local cops. Overlooking for a moment, if we dare, the glaring ethic and religious bias, Ahmed was punished for being a boy. Many boys like to do things like build radios and clocks, to tinker and fix things. Compasses, maps, camping gear, secret signals and codes, slingshots and bows and arrows fascinated me when I was young. When my dad was a boy, he built a crystal radio set. Today, such pursuits might earn us a session with the Gestapo. Adolescent girls confront manifold traumas as they navigate through the sexist, appearance-obsessed society of contemporary America. Dr. Mary

El Ojo del Lago / November 2015

Pipher’s 1994 book Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls plumbs those dark depths. And yet, boys are more likely than girls to die in auto crashes, spend time in jail or prison, become addicted to narcotics, drop out of school and commit suicide. It is more challenging to be a boy today than ever before; the rampant drug culture and the advent of cyberbullying present challenges unheard of in days past. This summer while working as a ranger on an island in Lake Erie, I picked up a book in the visitor center that struck my fancy, Conn Iggulden’s The Dangerous Book for Boys. I wish I had had it when I was a boy. Among its 84 entries are: How to build a tree house, how to build a bow and arrow, secret codes and ciphers, the Navaho Code Talkers Dictionary, but also famous battles, dog tricks, star maps, poems and Latin phrases every boy should know, sample quotes from Shakespeare and advice about girls. There is even a section on “Essential Gear,” stuff that boys in my day considered necessary, like a compass, magnifying glass, matches, band-aids and a Swiss Army Knife. The book reminds me of those wonderful Straight Arrow “Injun-uity” cards, filled with useful wilderness and survival skills that I collected religiously from boxes of Nabisco Shredded Wheat when I was a boy. Boys will be boys, if they are permitted to be, but the cards of the educational/psychological/pharmaceutical monolith are stacked against them. If boys were docile, even apathetic, people pleasers, life would be more convenient for parents and teachers. That is not the nature of most boys. Boys tend to crave adventure. In my 36 years in the classroom, I had many male students who were diagnosed with a variety of behavioral disorders that miraculously didn’t seem to exist when I was a boy. Perhaps we do a better job of diagnosis

now or, perhaps not. While corporal punishment of disorderly boys is now considered abuse, the infliction of brain chemical altering medications, with a long list of horrifying possible side effects, is socially acceptable. The profit motive lurks behind such prescriptions. “Follow the money. It’s all about the money,” as the serpentine Brian Gecko says in the film Wall Street. In my experience, most boys identified as suffering from such disorders were more likely to be emotionally crippled by a helicopter parent poised precariously on the verge of Munchhausen by Proxy Syndrome. Childhood has taken its hits during the course of my life. All activities are now directed by adults, leaving no time for play, make believe, problem solving, critical thinking. Children are shoved into school earlier and earlier, a convenience for parents living lives of quiet desperation in a two- income economy. While acculturation and socialization are essential aspects of elementary education, the lockstep conformity of school and playground somehow manages to weaken and even erase the curiosity, creativity, spontaneity and zest for life that characterizes early childhood. Boys need shorter, not longer, school days and fewer, not more, days in the school year. Boys need time to construct tree houses and lean-tos, build campfires, swing on grapevines and fantasize about great adventures. With his mischievous characters Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, Mark Twain exhibits a deeper understanding of boyhood than do the mindless wonks in distant bureaus with their charts and graphs, hopelessly floundering in the aftermath of the abomination known as “No Child Left Behind (Untested).” I cherish the memories of long school-free summer months spent fishing and exploring, digging trenches across sand bars and declaring the new “island” a secessionist province, damming small streams to create waterfalls. Today, I would probably be medicated into a compliant, vegetative state by a combination of muddleheaded school administrators and well-meaning but naïve parents. I cringe at the thought. Boys in our culture desperately need help but not the same kind of help that girls do. As a start, I wish that every boy could own a copy of Iggulden’s book, The Dangerous Dr. Lorin Book for Boys. Swinehart


SH HAKESPEARE’S SONNETS – The Dark La ady Revealed %\ 0LFKDHO :DUUHQ

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ast month I described Shakespeare’s love, lust and ultimate dislike of the Dark Lady. So who was this sultry young woman? Several candidates have been suggested, including the idea that she did not exist at all, in other words that the entire sonnet sequence is no more than a literary exercise. The likely lady is Emilia Lanier, an intelligent and dark-complexioned woman who was herself a minor poet. She was the orphan daughter of Baptist Bassano, one of the Queen’s Italian musicians, brought up in an aristocratic atmosphere by Susan Bertie, Countess of Kent. Emilia was five years younger than Shakespeare, and four years older than Shakespeare’s patron, the Earl of Southampton – just the right age to be the mistress of one and seductress of the other. For a while she was also the mistress of the Queen’s cousin, who was forty-three years her senior. When Emilia became pregnant, it was arranged that she be married to Alfonso Lanier, another Italian musician. Members of the Bassano musical family accompanied the performances of Shakespeare’s plays in the royal palaces. They were darkskinned Venetians, and probably had some Jewish blood. Maybe it is not a coincidence that Shakespeare wrote a play about a Jewish family in Venice, and that one of the characters is named Bassanio. Evidently the lady was a musician. There is a tender sonnet (Sonnet 128), written before the relationship soured, picturing her sitting and playing the harpsichord. The poet envies the keys, being tickled by her fingers: Do I envy those jacks that nimble

leap/ To kiss the tender inward of thy hand;/ Whilst my poor lips, which should that harvest reap,/ At the wood’s boldness by thee blushing stand. Later he realizes that he is just one of her many lovers, but he is still enslaved. In his infatuation, he asks her only to cherish his name (Sonnet 136): Then in the number let me pass untold,/ Though in thy store’s account I one must be;/ For nothing hold me, so it please thee hold/ That nothing me, a something sweet to thee./ Make but my name thy love, and love that still,/ And then thou lovest me, for my name is Will. There is an intentional double meaning here, as the Elizabethans used “will” to mean desire and also sex. No doubt Southampton and his young friends found these sonnets amusing. And what happened to Emilia? In 1611 she brought out her own book of poems, the first Englishwoman to declare herself a poet. People who read her poetry consider it radical and scholars refer to her style as “proto-feminist.” In the end she outlived them all – Shakespeare, Southampton, her husband, even her own children. She died in 1645 at the ripe old age of 76 and was buried at Clerkenwell, once known as London’s “Little Italy.” Michael Warren

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Undocu umented Mexxicans and d thhe 2016 6 U.S S. Electtions %\ %LOO 'HDQ KWWS EORJ PH[LFRMRXUQH\ LQIR

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he spirit of Navidad has yet to spread throughout el Norte. It’s not heard in the platform of candidates who conjure up images of herding 11 million undocumented Mexicans (man, woman and child) on to box cars and shipping them back to where they came from – south of a very big fence. Why has this become such a militant issue? Take a look at recent immigration trends. According to Pew Research Center, since 1965 the number of “foreign born” living in the U.S. has quadrupled.1 In that year the law was changed to put an end to a quota system that favored immigrants from northern Europe. Then came increasing numbers from Latin America (mostly Mexico). The trend has now shifted to immigrants from Asia, notably India and China. From this, a not so startling finding emerges. Over the last 50 years, whites have gone from 84% of U.S. population to 62%. 2 The prospect of whites soon losing majority status rattles a lot of them. Will not a “path to citizenship” speed that process? So, it’s really not surprising that anti-amnesty rhetoric grabs a lot of attention on the campaign trail. It’s because it plays to those who were already uneasy. The anti-immigrant crowd can latch on to one or more factions. They are not mutually exclusive. Nativism: One might think nativism means giving the United States back to Hiawatha’s offspring. Nope. It means granting “favored status” to established inhabitants. Just what does established mean? Descendants of the original 13 colonies? Surely it’s broader than that. Still, the Iroquois and other real natives need not apply. Exceptionalism: This is the notion that the U.S. was destined by God to spread its values. It has Anglo/Saxon roots. It exempts exceptional nations from standards that apply to unexceptional nations. (Witnesseth: President Polk provoked a land grab war against Mexico under the banner of “Manifest Destiny” – this despite vigorous objection from Abraham Lincoln, then a U.S. Congressman.) Exceptionalists also fret about maintaining U.S. purity

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– they infer that Mexican newcomers will not assimilate; will continue to regard their home as Mexico; and will prefer Spanish over English. Illegality: We are a nation of laws – “they” (undocumented workers) are illegal and therefore must go. But the problem is one of complicity. When “they” sneaked in, “we” turned a blind eye because “we” needed them to pick berries and change hotel sheets. Wages: The argument is that illegal Mexican workers compete for unskilled jobs and drive down wages. Yes, but low-paying jobs performed by Mexicans make everything from avocados to zucchini cheaper. The same can be said of construction costs, fast food, and hotel rooms. By spending less as consumers, the United States is better able to compete in a global economy. Drain: Here the argument is that illegal workers generally do not pay income taxes and that they increase school and welfare costs. But they do pay sales taxes and renters indirectly pay real estate taxes. And, they pay a whopping thirteen billion dollars annually into Social Security and only get one billion back .3 But whether they do or don’t pay their fair share of taxes, they contribute to the economy by shopping in stores, buying cars and paying rent – in other words, they spend money just like everyone else. Do we want to take 11 million consumers out of the U.S. economy? Protectionism“ Buy American” is an economic philosophy that shields domestic industries and workers from global competition by taxing imports. It should not be a part of the immigration debate because it has nothing to do with it. Compositional Amenities: This is a hypothesis (distilled by Thomas B. in a 9/2/15 New York Times editorial) as the “comfort of a common religion and language, mutually shared traditions, and the minimization of cultural conflict.” It holds that immigration changes the composition of the local population, threatening the “compositional amenities” of neighborhoods, schools and the workplace. Maybe so. But isn’t diversity the spice of life? Leave that one for scholars to ponder.


From the Far Right: “The situation is simple. A hostile foreign power is using its criminal under class to colonize the United States. The federal government, having been hijacked by the radical left, is doing everything it can to assist this invasion, in the belief that creating a massive new under class and reducing Caucasians to minority status will give them the demographic leverage to impose socialism and one party rule.”4 And just when you think there can be no more, along comes Ann Coulter’s new best seller, ¡Adios, America! – The Left’s Plan to Turn Our Country into a Third World Hellhole. Fear Mongering: Undocumented workers are “rapists, murderers, and carriers of infectious diseases.” Really? And what do they say about drug trafficking? Build a wall? Does anyone honestly believe that hermetically sealing the Mexican border (were it possible) will make any difference? If traffickers from Bogotá can smuggle cocaine to Amsterdam, can’t they figure out how to get it to Milwaukee? Cartels already have fleets of airplanes, refueling islands in the Caribbean, fast boats, and submarines. And they know all about air-conditioned tunnels with carts that speed on lighted underground tracks. Better not count on Mexico pitching in pesos

for the “Great Wall of Mexico.” It won’t happen. Where does all of this leave us? Illegal immigration is often explained in “push-pull” terms, namely, that Mexicans come to the U.S. because there are not enough jobs in Mexico (the “push”), and, Mexicans working in the U.S. earn many times more than what they could earn in Mexico (the “pull”). But wait. According to the Mexican Migration Project at Princeton University, since the 2008-2009 financial meltdown the population of undocumented workers in the U.S. actually fell and Mexicans without documents did not migrate at a pace to replace the loss, thus creating a net zero balance for the first time in 50 years. 5 Will a net zero migration pattern drain the U.S. of an essential labor pool? The Christian Science Monitor asks: What will happen if the workers that farmers, hotels, and restaurants have relied on for decades aren’t available? Will this have a ripple effect on the rest of the U.S. economy?6 Law makers are in a pickle. They are keenly aware of the importance of the Hispanic vote. They know all about the contributions undocumented workers make to social security and to the economy. In their hearts they know that many Mexicans who cross

the border in the black of night have become deeply rooted in the U.S. with families, friends, and community connections . But they are faced with pockets of constituents who bitterly oppose a “path to citizenship.” Maybe lawmakers need to take a hard look at Luke 10:27, Romans 13:10, Matthew 25:35, Leviticus 19:33-34, and the many other Biblical messages about “welcoming the stranger.” What a conundrum! Foot Notes: 1. Julia Preston, Share of U.S. Immigrants…., New York Times 9//27/15. 2. Ibid.

3. Roy Gerano, Americas, Unauthorized Immigrants….8/4/2014 4. Right Wing News, ICE Agents Rebel….,h t t p : / / r i g h t w i n g n e w s. com/immigration/ice-agents-rebelagainst-amnesty-through-policy/ 5. Sara Miller Llana, Home Again…., Christian Science Monitor Weekly, 4/9/12, p.27. 6. Lourdes Medrano, Will ‘Net Zero’…. Christian Science Monitor Weekly, 4/9/12, p 28. Bill Dean

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%\ 9LFWRULD 6FKPLGW Out Of The Mouths Of Babes

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akeside demographics are changing. It’s not just a place to retire. There is a wave of “mobile professionals.” Younger people who make their living online, or entrepreneurs. These younger people are also bringing their children. Recently I spoke to a young USA citizen living at lakeside. She is nine. I wondered about her experiences as a child living in a foreign country. Families can avail themselves of multiple educational options. There are private schools, Mexican schools, home schooling and online studies. My first question was which school she went to. She attends a Mexican school along with the local students. She loves learning Spanish and picked it up very quickly. “The kids are nicer than the kids in her USA school.” But truthfully, she didn’t like the school. So I asked if she liked her school in the USA and she giggled, “not really.” “How do you like where you live?” With great enthusiasm, she described how much fun she had with the kids in her neighborhood. “You can walk everywhere and find what you want just like that!” As she snapped her fingers and then she said “and look—I can get my nails done for cheap” demonstrating her latest manicure with glitter. “Oh I love the square, I love the tacos and all the people, it is so much fun. There is music and so many things to look at and I don’t have to use much of my allowance. Except when we go to Chapala. That square is boring now. Nobody goes there and my Mom doesn’t want me to go to the vendors because they are in the

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street and she thinks it is dangerous with all the cars. It’s pretty dumb and it isn’t fun there anymore.” I was quietly thinking, out of the mouths of babes. I asked, “What other things do you like about Mexico?” She went on to tell me about all the things there is to do, and many free things, the malecons, and the park and the horses and burros on the streets. The globos and fireworks are awesome! “Oh and once my Mom took me to the zoo in Guadalajara. It was so cool, and look what I got,” proudly pointed to a bracelet on her wrist from the zoo. “I could go back there again and again.” “I really like my gymnastics class, but I really want to be a dancer like the ones with the colorful skirts. Mexico is best for the colors.” I asked her overall, if she had her choice about where to live in the future, would she chose in Mexico. “Oh yes!! psecially in San Antonio ‘cuz it is fun and real. Not like the places where all the gringos live. Why are they here if they don’t want to do all the neat things here with the Mexicans?” Out of the mouths of babes. While we were chatting a woman asked me where she could file a formal complaint about the fireworks and noise because they were scaring her dog. I explained to her that it was the Patron Saint Festival for her village, and that is Mexican culture. I suggested she talk to her vet about something that could help her dog. She glared stating “Mexico should just outlaw those (expletive deleted) things.” My little friend said: “She wasn’t very nice. Why did she move here if she wants to change everything?” “I don’t know sweetie, I honesty don’t know.” Out of the mouth Victoria Schmidt of babes.


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THE OJO INTERNET MAILBOX (Wherein we publish some comments about our previous issues.)

GOD’S WAITING ROOM jennn Nice article Mike and colorful reminiscences THE DEATH OF JOHN RILEY— REVISITED Miles Beacom I am amazed by your tenacity and dedication to the facts. I wish more historians would do the same. Thanks! ART HESS—THE DOG GUY Sandra Hershey Hi Art, My husband & I met you a few yrs. back. Bill passed away the end of the yr and our beloved Doberman of 12 yrs passed recently...my 2 best friends...gone. In the past we always bought from breeders but made a pact to rescue Shepherd OR Doberman... young adult (maybe consider other breeds)...no puppies... mix OK, N/M/F ok. Pls house/ leash trained. Pls no LONG fur that would require professional grooming. I live on Calle Sn /XLV VWLOO , QHHG KHOS ¿QGLQJ the above described dog. I have been preparing for this so a dog that is ASAP is also ¿QH 2WKHU SHW LQ KRXVH LV \U old N M mini-schnauzer who is ¿QH Z RWKHU GRJV , QHHG WR feel safe again. /RFDO 3HUPDQente/Retired status &HOO

THE SOLDIER NUN Leslie Lehmann What a fascinating story! There are some resemblances to Jean d’Arc, but Catalina appears to be following her own, not a divine calling. It would have been interesting to meet her. COLORS IN THE CITY– THE STREET MURALS Dale Oliver Really enjoyed reading about your descriptive and unplanned tour of these artistic murals. Thanks for sharing! MONSTER! Ralph It has been my understanding that Chac Mool was the rain God from my visits to the Yucatan. Sounds like The Aztecs were crueler than the Mayans. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 2 glenn charles I am in the process of pubOLVKLQJ D ERRN RQ P\ \HDUV playing music at Lakeside. Will EH LQ $MLMLF WKH ÂżUVW ZHHN RI Nov. Would you be interested in doing an article? “The Saskman.â€? (a British born Canadian musician who played Irish music in a German restaurant in Mexico) The book will be available this fall.

MID-MONTH BONUS! Going Home LV %RQQLH / 3KLOOLSVÂś HQFKDQWLQJ VWRU\ RI ZKDW KDSSHQV ZKHQ two people, having fallen in love, glide LQWR WKH RFHDQ WRJHWKHU :KDW KDSSHQV QH[W LV XWWHUO\ XQEHOLHYDEOH EXW \HW VWUDQJHO\ FRPIRUWLQJ The article can be found at KWWS FKDSDOD FRP HORMR LQGH[ SKS PLG PRQWK DUWLFOHV (DFK PLG PRQWK ZH RIIHU VXSHUE DUWLFOHV WKDW ZKLOH a bit too long for our print version are perfect for our digital IRUPDW &KHFN LW RXW

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CHILD

of the month

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londra was born in October 2013 diagnosed with Congenital Hipotonia, severe psychomotor retardation and disease of the nervous system. Hipotonia is present at birth and is usually inherited or genetic. Hipotonia literally means loss of muscle tone. The condition was first described in 1956 among infants who were termed “floppy infants.” In healthy muscles some amount of stiffness or tension is always maintained even at rest. Tone of the abdominal muscles for example hold in the abdominal contents and that of the back keep the back straight and allow walking, standing, etc. Tone reduces during sleep. Hipotonia is a diseased condition that results in rubbery limbs that are unable to hold themselves. When born infants have an accentuation of their spinal curve and protrusion of their abdomen, due to lack of muscle tone. Today this is also referred to as “floppy baby syndrome.” Children affected have a 30% chance of having someone in the family with a similar affliction. Both boys and girls are equally affected. Hipotonia can be caused by a variety of conditions including those that involve the central nervous system, muscle disorders and genetic disorders. Some common causes can include but are not limited to Down Syndrome, Muscular Dystrophy and Cerebral Palsy. Mom came to Niños Incapacita-

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dos in February 2015 on the recommendation of a friend. Sadly our first glimpse of Alondra was not in person but a picture of her lying in a hospital bed with multiple tubes attached to her tiny body. She spent much of her first year in hospital and Mom says the doctors were not giving her much hope. This was an extremely stressful time for Mom compounded by the despair of learning her husband and the father of her children decided to leave the family home. He does not support the family. Niños Incapacitados has reimbursed Mom for hospital visits, transportation, neurological and nutrition consults, medicines, food supplements (as she is on a very specialized diet to try and increase her weight), feeding tube and all sterile equipment and supplies. To date this has amounted to $31,000 pesos. Mom contributes by working two days per week as a house cleaner. Treatment plan involves managing the underlying cause or causes of Hipotonia. If the underlying cause cannot be treated, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy can be alternative options. Niños Incapacitados will be there to offer any support Mom needs to help Alondra enjoy a quality of life. As Director of the Jocotopec Clinic, thank you for the opportunity of presenting some of our children to you. Please remember our monthly meetings held every second Thursday at the Real de Chapala Hotel in Lower la Floresta. Coffee is served at 10:00 a.m. followed by the meeting at 10:30 a.m. We invite you to come and meet another one of the children we are helping. If you would like to learn more about Niños Incapacitados, please visit our website at www.programaniños. org or call Barb Corol (376-766-5452).


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%\ -DFNLH .HOOXP

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ging occurs in our pets, as it does with us. It’s important to recognize the ‘normal’ signs of aging versus unusual changes in your pet. Genetics, nutrition and environment all play a role in how fast your dog ages. As a general rule, a dog who is 7 years or older should be considered middle to senior aged. Smaller breed dogs usually live longer, so middle age might be considered at 9 years. Here are some general tips for caring for a senior pet. Older pets should have semi-annual veterinary visits instead of annual visits so signs of illness or other problems can be detected early and treated. Many times before medical signs become apparent, changes in pet behavior occur. You serve a critical role in detecting early signs of disease because you observe your pet daily and are familiar with his “norms” and routines. If you observe any pet changes or other warning signs of disease, contact your veterinarian and provide him with a list of these changes. Normal changes can occur with aging. If your dog experiences hearing / vision loss, protect him from hazards. Dogs do learn and adapt to hand signals. Hearing impaired dogs can still sense vibration, so clapping hands or stomping on the floor may alert him. When outside keep your impaired dog on a leash at all times. Avoid moving furniture around, keep pathways clear, and minimize clutter if your dog is losing his vision. When you talk to your dog, keep your voice quiet, calm, and kind – and don’t shout at him. Older dogs can become easily stressed and nervous. Older pets often need foods that are more readily digested or possibly an adjustment to caloric

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intake or different ingredients. Monitor your pet’s ability to chew his food and check for dental issues. Overweight dogs have a higher incidence of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, skin conditions, and joint problems. Keeping older pets mobile through appropriate exercise helps maintain their health. However, when walking your pet keep your walks shorter, and not in the heat. Regularly evaluate their ability to tolerate the length of their walks. Pets can show signs of mental slowing. Mental stimulation can help keep your pet’s brain functioning well. Talking with your dog, changing a walking route and playing a non-strenuous game helps to keep his mind alert. Provide adequate social interaction with other pets or people, but be careful not to over-stimulate or fatigue your pet. Some older dogs may have difficulty handling extra stress, so getting a new puppy may not be the best idea if your older dog is experiencing some disabilities. Older pets may need changes in their environment if they are experiencing arthritis. Some changes may include sleeping on softer bedding, using a ramp to get to higher places (thus avoiding jumping) or use of a raised feeding platform. Providing a small rug on a hard floor surface can help your dog gain his footing while getting up/down. If your pet is experiencing pain due to arthritis, have a discussion with your Vet for the management of this situation. In additional to a traditional Western veterinary medical treatment approach, you might explore the use of supportive alternative methods such as acupuncture, etc. Warning: Do not give human pain medications to your pet without first consulting your veterinarian. Some human products, including OTC medications, can be fatal for pets. Thoughts for the coming holidays: In lieu of giving gifts to others, consider making a donation to a favorite charity in the name of the person who is to receive the gift. This is a totally Win-Win situation. www.anitasanimals.com


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SOMEONE WAS GOING TO DIE %\ %HUQLH 6XWWOH

(Scene from the movie The Killers)

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saw it just like in The Killers, the movie I’d seen last Saturday night where two hit men from the city come to a benign, little town to assassinate a former associate for ratting on the mob. They terrorized a café and its motley customers. Now it was really happening, right here in Monrovia in 1947. We’d never seen it but we knew that Matt Vacarro kept a loaded, sawed-off shotgun under the counter where he stood at his liquor store. This belief was why a robbery hadn’t happened here…yet. But when I saw a tall, thin, tough-looking character saunter in I thought, “This is it.” Matt’s Liquor Store was at the south end of town. Matt didn’t cater to the carriage trade. Those who entered his door daily purchased the small amounts of his stock they needed - no credit. He cashed lots of checks with a required purchase, every Friday - payday. Matt, the irritated Italian to most of us, had worked doggedly earning his way up to owning the liquor store and two retail rentals including the building where I worked after school that provided a living for him and his family. He held onto what he had leaving no money on the table. It was Friday, early evening on a winter-dark day, when I got in line at Matt’s as usual standing with an inter-

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esting mixture of the local humanity to buy a pack of cigarettes but primarily to cash my paycheck. Ruling his domain, Matt stood in his position at mid-counter by the register backed by the shelves of bonded bottles facing the clientele on the other side of the service barrier. He was a little shorter than average with an impassive face but smoldering, all-seeing eyes. His remaining hair was haloed on his ball-like head. Only a regular, prolonged blink of his eyes weakened the picture of majestic control of his fiefdom. I stood behind “Jingles,” a high school dropout who did casual labor while awaiting his big break in show business. Jingles had nicotine, sallow complexion topped by a greasy, blonde pompadour. He jittered impatiently in line, smoking, chewing gum and noisily jingling change in the pocket of his cords. Arthur Snearly, minor manager at the local water heater company, stood quietly in his business attire reading a Field and Stream magazine picked from and soon to be returned to the store’s rack. Arthur would buy the usual pint of crème de menthe for his wife, Myra, and a half pint of IW Harper for himself that he’d consume before reaching home. Stanley, in his late thirty’s, stood at the back of the line wearing his Hol-

lywood cowboy outfit. He had three comic books and four Almond Joys in hand. Smiling and stuttering, he told no one in particular he was, “Going to the show to see Gene Autry and lots of pretty girls.” Matt didn’t let on that he recognized me as his tenant’s employee and one of his daughter’s classmates. He saw me only as a very minor customer to be served and dispatched as quickly as possible. After my turn, I stepped away to fold my money and open my new pack of smokes. That’s when I saw him and realized what was going to happen. Thin, taller than most he was wearing washed jeans, a T-shirt and a leather bomber jacket. He climbed out of a grey, older, two-door Olds sedan pulled up on the wrong side of the street right in line with the front door. He left the motor running. He looked up and then down the street. Moving toward the shop’s open door, he repeated this scrutiny before entering. As he moved up to be served he slid his right hand onto his jacket zipper and started pulling it down. Seeing him enter, Matt eased back four inches from the counter to better access his weapon. The tall man stopped at the counter right in front of Matt, looked left then right and slipped his right hand into his jacket and whispered, “Half pint Early Times”. As Matt put the small bottle into a paper bag the stranger grabbed hold of something inside his jacket with his right hand. My stomach tightened. I’d never been at a crime. No one else seemed aware of the impending horror I saw coming. Matt pushed the package toward the perp saying, “That’ll be a buck fiftysix.” The stranger reacted with a quick breath. Would it be a revolver or an automatic? The answer came suddenly. His hand flew out of his jacket and smacked on the counter, with his change purse.


J

ust imagine a curriculum of 22 examinations over three years to achieve the Preparatoria in the public school system as one of the entry requirements for Jaltepec! Historically, this issue impacted the selection of suitable students for the twoyear Technical Degree in Hoteleria programme at Jaltepec Centro Educativo. Jaltepec explored conducting a one year intensive Preparatoria curriculum to ensure that the entry level students were prepared for the two year resident program to accomplish their Technical Degree. After hard work and planning, Jaltepec commenced its first Preparatoria Program in 2014, and is pleased to announce that the programme is a success. On August 8th 2015, 9 students achieved their Preparatoria Certificate. In order, from left to right, front row, and left to right, back row.

Extracts of a letter of appreciation - a recent graduate from Culiacan, Sinaloa: “My name is Leslie and I am a threeyear alumni of Jaltepec who earned my Nutrition License and eventually have dedicated my knowledge to making and selling cakes and pastries. Just tonight I dreamt of my stay at Jaltepec and today I felt an emptiness inside me, remembering all of the moments I lived there for two short years. I can say in all sincerely those were the two best years I´ve ever experienced in my life and I would not change it for anything in the world. I wish to convey that sometimes the students do not always understand and think all this is costing them time with fam-

Valeria Monserrat Valle Orozco Kathia Guadalupe Jacobo Sánchez Paulina Ramos Valle Ilce Obdulia Guerrero Álvarez Mónica Guadalupe Ríos Llamas Adeline Suarez Aceves Alberta Cortes Hernández Claudia Araceli Pinto Santana

ily, friends and boyfriends, etc. It is difficult to leave the comfort of being home with no responsibilities to now have a set schedule, to be busy every moment in the laboratories but if you do not do these things for yourself who will? Being accepted at Jaltepec brings a big responsibility, but along with that comes great benefits.”

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HOW TO HELP REDUCE CLIMATE CHANGE %\ -RKQ GH :DDO

C

limate Change is real. NOAA and NASA data show that the Earth’s average surface temperature has increased 1.2 to 1.4ºF since 1900 with the warmest global average temperatures on record within the past 15 years. Most of the warming is the result of human activities and changes in rainfall patterns, snow and ice cover, and sea levels. Climate Change is devastating our nation and planet. Bernie Sanders wants the United States to lead the world in combating climate change and transforming our energy system away from

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fossil fuels and toward energy efficiency and sustainability. In addition to vote for him, you can 1. Walk, cycle or take public transportation whenever you can, or car share and use the most fuelefficient vehicle possible, because transportation causes about 25 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, 2. Switch off lights, change light bulbs to compact fluorescents, unplug computers, TVs and other electronics when not in use. Wash clothes in cold or warm (not hot) water; hang dry when you can, install a programmable ther-

El Ojo del Lago / November 2015

mostat. Look for the Energy Star® label on new appliances. Use a solar system for your hot water and get solar panels to reduce your carbon footprint. 3. Ask your utility to switch your account to clean, renewable power. 4. Buy organic and locally grown foods or grow your own. Avoid meat and dairy. 5. Compost kitchen scraps and garden trimmings and recycle paper, plastic, metal and glass because garbage in landfills produces methane. Let stores know you

want recyclable packaging. 6. Ask your governor to implement a carbon tax to make polluting more expensive and make energy-efficient businesses and households save money. 7. Reduce air travel. Consider a bus or train and vacation closer to home. Stay in touch via Skype. 8. Follow the latest news about climate change and share this with friends and neighbors. 9. Cut your lawn with an electric or push mower instead of a gasoline-powered one. 10. Plant a tree or two.

BETCHA’ DIDN’T KNOW THAT...

—Children of the U.S. Congress members do not have to pay back their college student loans. — Family members of Staffers of Congress are also exempt from having to payback student loans. —Members of Congress can retire at full pay after only one term. Members of Congress have exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed, under which ordinary citizens must live. For example, they are exempt from any fear of prosecution for sexual harassment. And as the latest example, they have exempted themselves from Healthcare Reform, in all of its aspects. Governors of 35 states have filed suit against the Federal Government for imposing unlawful burdens upon their states. It only takes 38 (of the

50) States to convene a Constitutional Convention. The Constitution of the United States reads: “Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the Citizens of the United States ...” And you wondered what are some of the things that the modern-day good old US of A has in common with France just prior to its Revolution! (Ed. Note: Little wonder that the approval rating for the U.S. Congress is only some 9%. But how in the world did it get that high!?)


Tacos

The best part of the day is the night. I go searching for tacos, unhappy as I walk. The streets are empty except for people piling firewood for the holiday. I am the ghost that passes. The road ends. I backtrack through some trees to the stone pathway. Ahead, a highway materializes. I turn the corner. A car dealership, a man behind glass adding numbers in a store full of fans. Then, a naked bulb suspended above dirt, smoke, plastic chairs. Hotdogs? Tacos! Radishes float like little wounded hearts. I am a compass needle swinging yes to everything. It is important to hold their greasy, hot circles properly. Three, or better, two fingers. Approach from the side. All of the sauces. No one talks to me, but I manage not to spill. The trucks waft past. The daughter smiles at her father. I belong somewhere, but then it is finished and I am an unmatched sock again, old love silent at the other end of the country. The girl with braces, the staring father, the brother wicks my plate of its plastic bag. I am the doubtful guest. So I get up and the plastic bag rises into the air and follows me like a silly translucent mule. It is the pale little mule of quietness and of the strangled look a man gives to the air when presented with the affection of a woman, a mule with a wooden saddle, a mule loaded to the traces with sorrow but never, ever, no never with regret.

—Maleea Acker— [maleeaacker@gmail.com Saw you in the Ojo 69


The Ojo Crossword

ACROSS

1 Consumer 5 Melodies 10 Spice %XWWHUĂ€\Â?V FRXVLQ 15 Strong cord 16 Has 17 Playmate 19 Latter .LWWHQÂ?V FU\ 21 Tightwad 23 War-horse 26 Main side of building 28 Deoxyribonucleic acid (abbr.) 31 Paddle 32 Farmers association 33 Billion years 34 Perch (2 wds.) 37 Grain wetland 39 Lawyer (abbr.) 40 Intent 42 __ Carlo 45 Twice a month 49 Anger 50 Narrate again 53 Roman three 54 Downwind 55 Center 56 Many times 58 Entrances 60 Reverence 61 Toy 63 Loud and unrestrained 69 Leg joint

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El Ojo del Lago / November 2015

70 Sprayed down 71 Blow 72 Do it again 73 Hits 74 Object

'2:1

2IÂżFLDO 6XQÂ?V QDPH 3 Estimated time of arrival 4 Clue and shoe, for example 5 Sulk 6 Night bird 7 Nix 8 Sundial pointer 9 Needlework 10 Undercover agent 11 Given 12 Central nervous system 13 Eastern Time 18 Government worker 22 Dry grassy land 23 Cry 24 Thai 25 Be Incorrect 26 Wear 27 Rodent 29 Head motion 30 Whichever 32 Collect 35 Digital audio tape 36 Fire starter 38 Dined 40 Stream /HDWKHU ZRUNHUÂ?V WRRO 42 Cc 8QUHÂżQHG PHWDO 44 Harassed 45 Hive dweller 46 Set of parts 47 Tell a tall tale <DQJÂ?V SDUWQHU 51 Worlds 52 Martin (2 wds.) 56 IOU part 57 British princess 59 Fake butter 60 Totals 61 Danish krone (abbr.) 62 Less than two 64 America )LVKHUPDQÂ?V WRRO 66 Away 67 Avail 68 Short-term memory


RAMBLINGS FROM THE RANCH %\ 6\G 6XOOLQV

Adopt a Senior Pet Month

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ovember is time to bring attention to the joys of adopting a senior pet, those animals that are in the November of their own life. Any dog seven years or older is considered a senior. Their time on earth may be limited, but the love they have to offer isn’t. These older dogs arrive in your home long past the chewing stage – so your shoes and furniture are safe. There are no surprises – you know what size your pet will be and their personality. They are calm and don’t need long walks so they’re perfectly suited for the over-60 population Lakeside. And if you’ve ever tried to teach a puppy the rules of the house, you’ll be pleasantly surprised how quickly a mature dog learns. We adopted our beautiful Lola two years ago when she was approximately eight years old. I had already fallen for this sweet girl while volunteering at the Ranch. My husband was not convinced. What we didn’t count on was how wily Lola could be. From her first night at our home, she quickly became my husband’s dog, always snoozing alongside his chair or waiting on his side of the bed for him to rise in the morning. In her wise old dog way, she knew which of us she needed to win over.

She’s never caused any damage to our home or possessions – and she immediately became a great pal to our first dog. Yes, we dread the day we’ll lose her, but in the meantime we’re just enjoying her. And when the time comes, I can guarantee our next dog will be another sweet senior! There are many seniors waiting for you at the Ranch. If adoption isn’t an option, our volunteers especially love to spend time pampering our seniors. www.lakesidespayandneutercenter.com or email adoptaranchdog@outlook.com

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“People Helping People”

The

Lൺ඄ൾ Cඁൺඉൺඅൺ Sඈർංൾඍඒ

News

www.lakechapalasociety.com

November 2015

LCS Celebrates 60th Anniversary! Saturday, November 7th, LCS celebrates a unique milestone – sixty years at Lakeside. We are one of the longest running expatriate organizations in Mexico. We started in a small store front in Chapala with 45 members, a small lending library, teaching locals English and carrying for the ex-pat portion of the Chapala cemetery. Today we are 2,800 members strong in the center of Ajijic. We offer a full array of services for members, including one of the largest English language libraries south of the border, a DVD library, and a slew of classes offering everything from ipad to Spanish. It is the first stop for most expats seeking information for living and learning at Lakeside. We also carry on a long tradition, started by philanthropist Neill James in 1954, of offering art classes on Saturday mornings to local children. A dedicated group of Mexican, Canadian and U.S. volunteers, operate the program free of charge to give youngsters an outlet for artistic expression and to carry on the tradition of Ajijic as an artists’ colony. No doubt some of these children will go on to become the next generation of successful artists. We have a Student Aid program for those who have demonstrated financial need and have attended and earned excellent grades in prepatoria. This year we are sponsoring 25 young people realize their dreams of attending university or technological institutions. Over the years, we have helped hundreds of students become successful lawyers, doctors, architects, teachers and engineers. The Neill James Biblioteca Publica de Ajijic, located on Galeana #18, is also supported by the LCS and offers over 4,000 Spanish language titles. Biblioteca volunteers conduct English language classes for more than 300 students. Classes are offered at various times during the week and at class levels that range from beginners to advanced, in addition to English conversation classes. LCS has prospered over the years by adapting to change. As we prepare for the next 60 years we continue to strengthen our bond to the community. This year the LCS changed its mission statement to “promote the active participation of Lakeside’s inhabitants to improve the quality of life”. We believe in the saying, “Give someone a fish

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El Ojo del Lago / November 2015

and they eat today, teach someone to fish and they eat for life.” We believe education is the key to improving the quality of life for both the ex-patriot and the Mexican communities. This coming year we will be hiring a bilingual Education Director whose outreach will be to both the Spanish and English populations at lakeside. For the Mexican community we will be looking for avenues to enrich and expand our existing offerings with the goal of increasing literacy and skills to be successful in the workforce. For the ex-patriot population we plan to offer more life-long learning classes to stimulate the mind and enhance our knowledge and understanding of our adopted country. As we plan for the future we also need to consider our adequacy of physical facility. All of our buildings were constructed in the 1950’s and are showing their age. We also do not have adequate space for all the activities we wish to offer now and certainly not enough for future needs. The LCS Campus Committee has been tasked to analyze our space requirements for now and into the future and will be presenting their recommendations to the Board of Directors later this month for needed improvements. This month is the time to celebrate our achievements over the last 60 years, but we cannot rest on our laurels. We must press ahead to our transition to the future both in terms of our commitment to the entire Lakeside community as well as the re-engineering of our campus. -- Ben White, President

From the Director’s desk Dear members, it is time to renew you memberships. If you have not already done it, your current membership will expire on December 31, 2015. We would like all of our members to renew before then. We are going through a transition this year, assigning each individual their own number, making a new card for everyone, and of course dropping the price of membership. Also remember if you are a student or 79 or over you get an additional discount. Please be patient throughout the process the volunteers are doing their best to keep up with the pace. Save time and avoid lines by renewing online. Once you’ve renewed on line you still need to come and get your new card. Look for discounts in next year’s directory for places to use your membership card and receive special LCS member only discounts! We’ve lost two great friends of LCS in the past Month and LCS would like to recognize them. John Blackmer, both a library and a membership volunteer, and Skip Waggoner the U.S. warden who assisted people with their consulate needs every month for so many years. We will miss you both!


We Still Need You The Blood Pressure testing program needs volunteers with medical or nursing training to work on a regular basis or volunteer just once a month. Contact Lindy White: lindywhite246@hotmail.com or Mary Anne Molinari: mycasa17@gmail.com The Garden needs volunteers to plant, trim, weed and generally maintain our gardens. The Information Desk has an opening on Fridays. Bi-lingual volunteers are especially welcome, but it’s most important that volunteers be friendly, helpful and a great representative of LCS! A fourhour shift required. The Information Technology Department is searching for volunteers who have experience building computers, installing software, and working with networks including overall troubleshooting. Position requires climbing stairs several times a day. Contact lcsitmgr@gmail.com. The Membership Desk has vacancies on both Wednesdays and Fridays. Volunteers can work two or four-hour shifts (four hours preferred) and should have some experience with computers. Special Events Coordinator is looking for volunteers to greet guests, collect tickets, and help with fiesta decorations. If you have a bit of flair and are an outgoing person, this may be for you. For more information and applications for these positions and others which may be available, contact 766-1140 or visit the LCS Service Office during office hours from 10 to 2 p.m. The LCS Singles group is looking for volunteers. We are looking to fill several key steering committee positions. Immediate needs include the newly-vacated position of Event Coordinator to interact with businesses and restaurants for upcoming activities; Meeting Secretary, a year-round position; and help to work morning ticket sales at the LCS and other associated duties for the upcoming (Dec.12) Holiday Bash (snowbirds welcome!). Those interested please contact singles@lakechapalasociety.com.

Gracias! Thanks to those of you who generously responded to last month’s call for volunteers for the evening ESL Conversation Classes. Beginning November 2, LCS will offer Conversation Classes, Monday through Thursday from 5:307:00 p.m. at Wilkes Educational Center. Now adult community residents, or Wilkes ESL students, who wish to improve and practice their conversational English, will have ample opportunity to do so. If you have a Mexican gardener, housekeeper, friend or neighbor interested in conversational English, please invite them to join us. Contact Inez Dayer at Inezme@gmail.com.

Thursday Film Aficionados Open to LCS members only. Bring your card. All films shown in the Sala from 2-4 p.m. No food. No pets. November 5 Stations of the Cross Germany 2015 Fourteen year-old Maria is a fundamentalist Catholic living her life in a modern fashion, yet her life belongs to Jesus. She wants to be a saint and go to heaven. No one can divert her from this goal. November 12 Me and Earl and The Dying Girl USA 2015 High-schooler, Greg, finds his outlook forever altered after befriending a classmate who has just been diagnosed with cancer. Much Academy Award buzz about this movie. November 19 Labyrinth of Lies Germany 2015 Institutions and government agencies to cover up the crimes of the Nazis during WW ll. November 25 Inside Out USA 2015 Please note: this is a Wednesday showing.

LCS Learning Seminars Return! Using TED TALKS, the Learning Seminars are held in the sala on Tuesdays, 12 noon to 1:15, starting on November 10 November 10 seminar, chaired by Fred Harland, features President Jimmy Carter: “Why I believe the mistreatment of women is the number one human rights abuse”. The president of the United States from 1977 to 1981, Jimmy Carter has used his post-presidency years to work for peace, teach, write and engage in global activism. In this address he gives three unexpected reasons why the mistreatment of women and girls continues in so many manifestations in so many parts of the world, both developed and developing. The final reason he gives? “In general, men don’t give a damn.” November 17 seminar, chaired by Rick Rhoda, features Laura Bates: “Everyday sexism”. Many say that sexism no longer exists. Do you believe this? Do you think most females experience sexism on a day to day basis? Does “everyday sexism” exist in our ex-pat community at Lakeside? Laura Bates, a British actress and nanny, discusses ‘Everyday Sexism’ and the website she established in 2012.” November 24 seminar, chaired by Fred Harland, features creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson: “How to escape education’s death valley”. In this talk, Robinson challenges the way we’re educating our children. He outlines three principles crucial for the human mind to flourish — and how current education culture works against them. In a funny, stirring talk he tells us how to get out of the educational “death valley” we now face, and how to nurture our youngest generations with a climate of possibility.

Upcoming iPad Classes The third session of the iPad Classes for Beginners starts on Thursday, November 5. Each session consists of four classes held from 10 to 11:45 a.m. on consecutive Thursdays. Space is limited. For more information and to register, e-mail lcsipadclasses@gmail.com. Registration can only be done online. Classes are for iPad, iPod Touch, and iPhone only.

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1RYHPEHU $FWLYLWLHV *Open to the Public ** US Citizens (S) Sign in required (C) Membership card required CRUZ ROJA * CRIV (Cruz Roja) Sales Table Mon-Fri 10-1 CRIV (Cruz Roja) Monthly Meeting 2nd Wed 2-5 HEALTH INSURANCE * IMSS & Immigration Services Mon+Tues 10-1 Lakeside Insurance Broker Tues+Thur 11-2 San Javier Hospital Services Last Fri 10-12 HEALTH & LEGAL SERVICES * Becerra Immigration Thur 10:30-12:30 Blood Pressure Fri 10-12 Hearing Aid Services (S) Mon+2nd+4th, Sat 11-4 Ministerio Publico Wed Nov 4+18 10-2 Optometrist Claravision (S) Thur 9-4 Pharmaceutical Consultation 4th Mon 10-12 Skin Cancer Screening (S) 2nd + 4th Wed 10-12 :30 US Consulate** Mon Nov 9 10-12 Sign up 10-11:30 LESSONS (C) Children’s Art Sat 10-12* Children’s Reading Program Sat 9-10* Exercise Mon+Wed+Fri 9-10 Fitness and Strength Thru Yoga Mon+Fri 2-3:30, Sat 1-2:30 Line Dancing Tues+Thur 10-11:15 Strength and Balance Exercise Tues+Thur 9-9:50 Thursday Yoga Thur 2-3:30 LIBRARIES Audio Thur 10-12 Book & Video Mon-Sat 10-2 Library of Congress Books**/ Talking Books Thur 10-12 Wilkes Mon-Fri 9:30-7, Sat 9:30-1 SOCIAL ACTIVITIES (C) All Things Tech Fri 9:30-11:30 Bridge 4 Fun Tue + Thur 1-5 Conversaciones en Espanol Contact Karl Homan 766-3766 Discussion Group Wed 12-1:30 English/Spanish Conversation Sat 11-12 Everyday Mindfulness Mon 10:15-11:45 Film Aficionados Thur 2-4:30 Genealogy Forum Last Mon 2-4 History Club 3rd Tues 1:30-4 Mac OS 1st Mon 12-1 Mac User Group 3rd Wed 1-2 Memoir Writers 2nd Wed 2-4 Needle Pushers Tues 10-12 Open Gaming (open to the public from 2) Mon 1-4* Philosophy Group Wed 10:30-12 Scottish Country Dancing Thur 11:30-1:30 Scrabble Mon+Fri 12-1:50 TED Learning Seminars Tues 12-1:15 Tournament Scrabble Tues 12-1:50 SERVICE & SUPPORT GROUPS * Caregivers Support Group 2nd+4th Wed10:30-12:30 Have Hammer Workshop Demo 1st 3rd Mon 10-12* Information Desk Mon-Sat 10-2 Lakeside AA Mon +Thur 4:30-5:30 Open Circle Sun 10-11:30 Toastmasters Mon 7-8:30 pm TICKET SALES Monday-Friday 10-12 * Costco - Monday and Tuesday 9 &10 November on the Blue Umbrella patio from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

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El Ojo del Lago / November 2015

Video Library Additions As mentioned in the October Newsletter, we are liquidating our VHS video tapes. If you are interested come by and see what we have for sale and at what prices. If you do not have a VHS tape player, come by anyway and view the titles available. If you see something you like we can put it on a DVD for you. We have animated movies for your grand kids when they come to visit. We have several great operas that are available for sale or to be put on DVDs. We have Hollywood movies that were made for the Mexican market with English sound tracks and the Spanish translation already on the tape for you to practice your Spanish. We also have a complete collection of the tapes produced by The Teaching Company. The new additions for November are: Young Frankenstein #7054 Great comedy with Gene Wilder and Madeline Kahn. Remembering Pearl Harbor #7061 Surprisingly good documentary. Downfall #7056 Well-acted Hollywood biography about Hitler’s secretary’, Traudl Junge. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and The Shining Shining, cuckoo Nicholson. Scarface #7050 Al Pacino and Michelle Pfieffer Spellbound #7064 Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck before some of you were born. Please see the LCS web page for the other 14 new additions for November or see the bulletin board at the video library for many more movies available.

We Need Mail Couriers! We always need volunteer couriers to carry mail to the border. If you, or someone you know is traveling north, please stop by the office to pick up mail that can be dropped in US Postal Service boxes on your way. Our members appreciate your assistance.

In the Service Office The Warren Hardy Spanish textbooks for registered class members are available in the Service Office. Much-needed donations to the kitty fund for the care and feeding of our feline friends may be made in the Service Office, too. Don’t forget our wonderful Children’s Art Cards .

Follow Us on Facebook Now you can follow us on Facebook. Keep up on all things LCS - programs, activities, special events, updates and news. Like us at www.facebook.com/lakechapalasociety.


Spanish Classes

Calling All Teapots!

The next term of Spanish language classes for LCS members will begin Monday, November 2 and continue through December. Classes meet two days a week for an hour and a half each session at the Wilkes Education Center (Biblioteca). The program uses the Warren Hardy Spanish language course which is designed for the adult student. Several levels of instruction are available. The program manager will be available to answer questions and register students every day from Monday, October 26 through Friday, October 30 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the LCS campus at the Blue Umbrella Patio. You may also register at the LCS Service Office or online. Tuition for the course is $750 pesos. The course textbook is an additional $570 pesos, and other instructional materials may also be purchased. For more information about the Spanish classes or LCS membership, visit www. lakechapalasociety.com.

LSC seeks donations for a new program - Senior’s High Tea. To help defray costs, we’re looking for any gently-used tableware (i.e., cups/saucers/small plates /sugar-creamer/flatware, etc.); decorations (centerpieces /vases/table runners/cloth napkins, etc.) or any other tea-table items. Donations may be dropped off at the front desk. For questions/further donation information, please call 7662058 (and thanks!).

Introduction To Spanish LCS announces its next round of Introduction to Spanish language classes for LCS members. This is a casual class offered for the beginner that covers the Spanish alphabet, simple vocabulary and phrases to use about town for shopping, and other useful information about our area and Mexican culture. Classes are held each month starting the first Tuesday of the month and continue for three weeks. November classes start on Tuesday, November 3, and will be held at the LCS campus from 12:00 until 1:30 p.m. Learning materials are provided, and the tuition for the classes is $175. Sign up is available at the LCS office during regular office hours, Monday through Saturday. Now sign-up is quick and easy on the LCS website.

Please note: Nov. 7 the LCS Free-esta, everyone is invited, services will be closed. Due to the holidays, the U.S. Consulate visit will be Monday Nov. 9. This is a change from their normal schedule!

LCS Baseball Trips Charros de Jalisco The brand new stadium is selling out! Last season the Charros finished in 2nd place. Currently they are 1 game out of first place. Another exciting season is at hand. If you are a baseball fan you will enjoy the Charros! All games are on Sunday 1:00 P.M. Bus leaves at 11:00 AM Nov 8 vs. Águilas de Mexicali Nov. 22 vs. Águilas de Mexicali Dec. 13 vs. Mayos de Navojoa Dec. 20 vs. Cañeros de los Mochis Cost: $550 MXN members, $600 non-members Includes transportation and ticket (1st or 3rd baseline, $300 MXN value). 15 passengers min and max. Sign up and pay in the LCS office ASAP.

Holidays in November LCS will be closed on the following days: Monday, Nov. 16 - Celebrate Mexico’s Revolution Day Thursday, Nov. 26 - U.S. Thanksgiving Day

Bustrips in November November 4 to Tonala /Tlaquepaque November 18 to Galerias/Costco

THE LAKE CHAPALA SOCIETY, A.C. 16 de Septiembre #16-A, Ajijic, Jalisco LCS Main Office: (376) 766-1140 Office, information and other services - Monday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Grounds open until 5:00 p.m. LCS BOARD OF DIRECTORS. President - Ben White (2016); Vice-President - Cate Howell (2017); Treasurer - Michael Searles (2017); Secretary - Carole Wolff (2016); Directors: Matthew Butler (2016); Lois Cugini (2017); Ernest Gabbard (2016); Fred Harland (2017); Barbara Hildt (2017); Yoli Martinez (2017); Garry Musgrave (2017); Pete Soderman (2016); Joan Ward (2016); Immediate Past President: Howard Feldstein. Executive Director - Terry Vidal

The LCS Newsletter is published monthly. Deadline for submissions is the 17th of the month preceding publication. Submit all news items to newsletter@lakechapalasociety.com Note: The editorial staff reserves the right to edit all submissions according to time, space availability and editorial decision.

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El Ojo del Lago / November 2015


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Service

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

ZZZ WHO FKDSDOD FRP

DIRECTORY

* ADVERTISING / DIRECTORY

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

(/ 2-2 '(/ /$*2 Tel. 765-3676

* BEER & LIQUOR STORES

* ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS - ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS Tel: 766-5961

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%(72¶6 :,1( /,4825 Cell: (045) 333-507-3024 - GAUCHO TEQUILA - VINOS Y LICORES PAZ

- CLINICA VETERINARIA SAN ANTONIO Tel: 766-0808 3DJ '((¶6 3(7 +27(/ Tel: 331-765-7074 3DJ /$.(6,'( )5,(1'6 2) 7+( $1,0$/6 $& Tel: 765-5544 3DJ 0$6.27$¶6 /$.( Tel: 766-0287 3DJ - PET PLACE Cell: 333-1964-150 3DJ - PET FOOD AND GROOMING Tel: 766-3062 3DJ

* ART GALLERIES/HANDCRAFTS $/)5('2¶6 *$/(5,$ Tel: 766-2980 3DJ - ART HOUSE Tel: 765-5097 3DJ - AZTEC STUDIOS Cell: 331-539-6247 3DJ - DIANE PEARL COLECCIONES Tel: 766-5683 3DJ - FERIA MAESTROS DEL ARTE Tel: 765-7485 3DJ - EL CORAZON CREATIVO / THE CREATIVE HEART Tel: 766-0496 3DJ 0$7$ 257,= 3RWWHU\ 3DJ - SOL MEXICANO Tel: 766-0734 3DJ

- FRATS Tel: 765-2505, 765-3946 - LINEA PROFESIONAL Tel. 766-2555, Fax. 766-0066

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- AFRODITA Tel: 766-6187 - GLORIOSA Tel: 766-3372 - GLOSS - Nail Salon Tel: 766-0375 1(: /22. 678',2 Tel: 766-6000

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* FITNESS

- FOLIATTI

6.< ),71(66 Tel: 766-1379

- REAL ORTEGA & SONS-Hardware for Carpenters Tel: 765-2404, 765-3404 3DJ

* FURNITURE

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* GARAGE DOORS OPENERS - AUTOMATIC GARAGE DOOR OPENERS Tel: 766-4973 3DJ

* CONSIGNMENT SHOP

$-,-,& :$7(5 *$5'(16 Tel: 766-4386 - GARDEN CENTER Tel: 765-59-73

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* GRANITE & MARBLE 3DJ - MARBLE & GRANITE Tel: 766-1306

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* GRILLS 3DJ - NAPOLEON Tel: 766-6153

* CONSTRUCTION

El Ojo del Lago / November 2015

3DJ

+$5':$5( 6725(6 - FERREELECTRICA PROVIDENCIA Tel: 106-0886 3DJ - FERRETERIA Y TLAPALERIA GALVEZ Tel: 766-0880, Fax: 766-2440 3DJ

* HEALTH /,9(2 Cell. 333-100-9934 3DJ /$.( &+$3$/$ &(17(5 )25 63,5,78$/ LIVING Tel: 766-0920 3DJ

* HEARING AIDS 3DJ 3DJ 3DJ 3DJ

/$.(6,'( +($5,1* 6(59,&(6 Cell. (045) 33-1511-4088

* HOTELS / SUITES $'2%( :$//6 ,11

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* MEAT/POULTRY/CHEESE 1(: <25. 67</( &251(' %(() Tel: 766-5063 - PURITAN POULTRY Tel: 765-4399 721<¶6 Tel: 766-1614

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* MEDICAL SERVICES

* GARDENING

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0$// 0$5.(7 - CENTRO LAGUNA Tel: 766-5514

- HOMEDECOR Tel: 106-0856 3DJ - 7(0385 0$775(66 $1' 3,//2:6 Tel: (52) 333-629-5919, (52) 33 3611-3049 3DJ

* COMPUTER REPAIR

$-,-,& '(17$/ Tel: 766-3682 & ' 0$5Ë$ /8,6$ /8,6 9,//$ Tel/Fax: 766-2428 & ' 6$1'5$ $1$<$ 025$ Tel: 765-3502, Cell: 331-218-6241 - CHAPALA DENTAL CARE Tel. 765-5584, 766-3847

- BLUE ANGEL Tel: 766-0547 3DJ /$.(6,'( ,1685$1&( ('*$5 &('(f2 Cell: (045) 33-3106-6982 3DJ 3$5.(5 ,1685$1&( 6(59,&(6 Tel: 765-5287, 765-4070 3DJ - PROTEXPLAN U.S. Toll Free 1-800-608-5743 Mexico Toll Free 01-800-681-6730 3DJ - TIOCORP Tel: 766-3978 3DJ

- BUGS OR US Tel: 762-1516 3DJ - EXTERMINIO DE PLAGAS Tel: 765-3237, Cell: 331-102-0834 3DJ

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* INSURANCE

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* COMMUNICATIONS

- CRISTINA Tel: 106-2100

Tel: 766-1296 3DJ - HOTEL POSADA DEL PESCADOR Tel: (01 387) 763-00-28, (01 387) 763-22-45 3DJ - LA NUEVA POSADA Tel: 766-1444, Fax: 766-2049 3DJ - VILLAS DEL SOL Tel: 766-1152 3DJ

* LUMBER

* CHIROPRACTIC

- TEPEHUA TREASURES Tel: 763-5126, 763-5147

* FUMIGATION

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- ISHOPNMAIL

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* CASINO

'5 9,&725 - <28&+$ Tel: 766-1973 - INTERLAGO CHIROPRACTIC Tel: 766-3000

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* DENTISTS

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* FINANCIAL SERVICES

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- DENTAL EXPRESS Tel: 106-2080 3DJ - DENTAL HEALTH ONE Tel: 1060-826 3DJ '5$ $1*(/,&$ $/'$1$ Tels: 765-5364 3DJ '5 $/%(572 '21 2/,9(5$ Tels: 765-4838, 765-4805 3DJ - HECTOR HARO DDS Tel: 765-3193 / 6410 / 6974 3DJ 2'2172 &/,1,&. Tel: 766-5050 3DJ

()),&,(17 :($/7+ 0$1$*(0(17 Tel: 766-4836

- CUGINIS OPUS BOUTIQUE Tel/Fax: 766-1790 +(,',¶6 Tel: 766-5063 - LA BELLA VIDA Tel: 766-5131 - MI MEXICO Tel: 766-0133 2/*$¶6 Tel: 766-1699, Cell: 331-341-4694

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* BEAUTY

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* BOUTIQUE &86720 6(:,1*

- ROBERTO MILLAN ARCHITECT Tel: 766-3771, 33-1340-3758 3DJ - GENERAL HOME SERVICES - $PDQFLR 5DPRV -U Cell: (045) 331-520-3054 3DJ -26( ,%$55$ 6DOW &DOFLXP 5HVLGXH Cell. 33-1063-5098 3DJ - MARBLE & GRANITE Tel: 766-1306 3DJ - ONLINE ARCHITECTURAL TECHNOLOGY Tel: 765-7123 3DJ :$5:,&. &216758&7,21 Tel: 765-2224 3DJ

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- CASA DEL SOL Tel: 766-0050 - CASA FLORES Tel: 766-5493

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- PASTELERIA FRANCESA Tel: 766-3399 6&$1',1$9,$ 6RXUGRXJK %DNHU\ Tel: 766-0604

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- COMPUTER REPAIRS 7HO

* AUTOMOTIVE

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* ANIMAL CLINICS/PET SHOP

- INTERCAM Tel: 766-5980 - MULTIVA Tel: 766-2499

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- ACUPUNCTURE Cell. 333-197-8860, Tel. 765-2424 3DJ $/7$ 5(7,1$ 'U 5LJREHUWR 5LRV /HyQ 2SKWKDOPLF 6XUJHRQ Tel: 766-1521 3DJ - CHAPALA MED Tel: 765-7777, Cell: (045) 33-3950-9414 3DJ &/,1,&$ < )$50$&,$ 0$6.$5$6 Tel: 765-4805 3DJ - DERMATOLOGIST Tel: 765-2400, Cell: (045) 333-170-6570 3DJ '(50,.$ 'HUPDWRORJLF &HQWHU Tel: 766-2500 3DJ '5 *$%5,(/ 9$5(/$ Tel: 765-6666, Cell: 333-128-6347 3DJ '5 *8,//(502 $5(&+,*$ 251(/$6 Tel: 33-3640-4190, 33-3640-4192 3DJ '5 -$0(6 -$5$0,//2 &+$9(= 0 ' 0HGLFDO 3V\FKLDWU\ Tel: 765-4805, Cell: 331-571-0789 3DJ '5 -8/,2 &(6$5 025(12 )/25(6 &RVPHWLF 5HFRQVWUXFWLYH 3ODVWLF 6XUJHU\ 3DJ '5$ &/$8',$ / &$0$&+2 &+2=$ 2SKWKDOPRORJLVW Tel: 765-5364 3DJ '5$ .$5(1 *21=È/(= *HQHUDO 3K\VLFLDQ Cell: 33-1158-4236 3DJ '5$ 0$57+$ 5 %$//(67(526 )5$1&2 Cell: (045) 333-408-0951 3DJ - GO LAB Tel: 106-0881 3DJ - HOSPITAL ANGELES DEL CARMEN Tel: (01) 3813-0042 3DJ - ISILAB Tel: 766-1164 3DJ /$.(6,'( &$5',2/2*< &/,1,& Tel: (387) 763-0665 3DJ /$.(6,'( 0(',&$/ *5283


Tel: 766-0395 3DJ - MED INTEGRITY Tel: 766-5154 Pag: 0(',&$9,7$5( Tel: 01 (33) 3813-5879 3DJ 3/$67,& 685*(5< 'U %HQMDPLQ 9LOODUDQ Tel: 766-5513, Cell 044-333-105-0402 3DJ - QUALITY CARE Tel: 766-1870 3DJ 5,&$5'2 +(5(',$ 0 ' Tel: 765-2233 3DJ - VARICOSE VEINS TREATMENT Tel: 765-4805 3DJ

* MOVERS /$.( &+$3$/$ 029,1* Tel: 766-5008 67520 :+,7( 029(56 Tel: 766-6153

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* MUSIC / THEATRE / EVENTS ' - +2:$5' Tel: 766-3044 3DJ - ONLY ONCE IN A LIFETIME Tel: 766-3940 3DJ 6(0,1$5 :+$7¶6 %8**,1 <28" 3DJ 7+( 1$.(' 67$*( 5($'(5¶6 7+($75( Tel: 765-3262 3DJ

* RENTALS/PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

* NURSERY - LAS PALMAS Cell: (045) 33-3170-1776/33-1195-7112 3DJ

* PAINT 48,52= ,PSHUPHDELOL]DQWHV Tel: 766-2311 - QUIROZ-Pinturas Tel: 766-5959

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* PERSONAL ASSISTANCE 1(:&20(56 ,/6( +2))0$11 ilsecarlota40@gmail.com, www.guadalajarachapalatravelguide.com Tel 01(33) 3647-3912 Cell (045) 33-3157-2541

* PHARMACIES - FARMACIA CRISTINA Tel: 766-1501 - FARMACIA EXPRESS II Tel: 766-0656 )$50$&,$ 0$6.$5$6 Tel/Fax: 765-5827 - FARMEX Tel: 765-5004

Tel: 106-1237 3DJ )25 6$/( %< 2:1(5 Tel: 766-2198 3DJ - GEORGETTE RICHMOND Tel: 766-2077 3DJ - GERARDO MEDINA Cell. 331-121-7034 3DJ -8',7 5$-+$7+< Cell: (045) 331 - 395 - 9849 3DJ /25(1$ & %$55$*$1 Cell: (045) 331-014-5683 3DJ - LINDA FREEMAN Cell: (045) 333-661-6386 3DJ - LUCI MERRITT &HOO 2I¿FH 3DJ - MPR REAL ESTATE Tel: (315) 351-5167 3DJ - NOÉ LOPEZ Cell: 331-047-9607 3DJ 3$2/$ '( :$77(5/27 Cell: 33-1520-4173 3DJ 3(7(5 67 -2+1 Tel: 765-3676, 331-323-0893 3DJ - RAUL GONZALEZ Cell: 33-1437-0925 3DJ - SANDI ALLIN BRISCOE Tel: (376) 765-2484, Cell: (045) 331-563-8941 3DJ - VISTA ALEGRE Tel: 766-4867 3DJ

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* POOL MAINTENANCE - EQUIPMENT AND POOL MAINTENANCE Tel: 766-1617 3DJ

* REAL ESTATE $-,-,& +20( ,163(&7,216 Tel: 766-2836 3DJ - ALL IN ONE REAL ESTATE SERVICE Tel: 766-1161 3DJ %(9 -($1 &2)(// +RPH 2I¿FH 3DJ - BIENCOM Tel: 766-1186 3DJ - CHULA VISTA NORTE Tel: 766-2177 Cell: (045) 33-3841-8867 3DJ &+5,67,$1 ( +$55,6 5($/725 Cell: 333 390-3153 3DJ - CIELOVISTA Tel: 766-4867 3DJ &2/':(// %$1.(5 &+$3$/$ 5($/7< Tel: 766-1152, 766-3369 Fax: 766-2124, Tels: 765-2877 Fax: 765-3528 3DJ - CONTINENTAL REALTY Tel: 766-1994, Cell: (33) 1366-2256 3DJ - CUMBRES Tel: 766-4867 3DJ - DAMYN YOUNG Cell: 331-603-7501 3DJ - DON SNELL Cell 33-1005-9129 3DJ - EAGER & ASOCIADOS Tel: (376) 766 1917, 1918 3DJ )25 6$/( %< 2:1(5 Cell: 333-952-5225, Tel: (01) 387-761-0987 3DJ )25 6$/( %< 2:1(5 3DJ )25 6$/( %< 2:1(5

- DONDE MIRA EL SOL Tel: (+52) (744) 460-2713 3DJ &2/':(//%$1.(5 &+$3$/$ 5($/7< Tel: 766-1152, movile: (045) 33-1175-9632 3DJ - FOR RENT Tel: 765-2671 3DJ - FOR RENT Tel: 334-593-8551 3DJ - FOR RENT Tel: 33-1359-1367 3DJ -25*( 7255(6 Tel: 766-3737 3DJ - MANZANILLO VACATION RENTALS Tel: (314) 100-6773 or (314) 109-0657 3DJ - ROMA Tel: 766-3163, 766-5171 3DJ - SANTANA RENTALS Cell: 315-104-3283 3DJ - VILLAS DEL SOL Tel: 766-1152 3DJ

* RESTAURANTS/CAFES 5(67$85$17( Tel: 766-1360 3DJ $-,-,& 7$1*2 Tel: 766-2458 3DJ $/)5('2¶6 &$/,)251,$ Tel: 331-301-9862 3DJ - CASA FUERTE Tels: 3639-6474 / 81 3DJ - COLIBRI GARDEN Tel: 765-4412 3DJ - EL ANCLA Tel: 106 2011, Cell. 331-361-5044 3DJ - GO LE CLUB Cell: (045) 33-3502-6555 3DJ -$60,1(¶6 &ODVVLF ,QGLD Tel: 766-2636 3DJ - LA CASA DEL CAFE Tel: 766-2876 3DJ /$ &$6$ '(/ :$))/( Tel: 766-1946 3DJ - LA MISION Tel: 108-0887 3DJ - LA NUEVA POSADA Tel: 766-1444, 766-2049 3DJ /$ 3(f$ '( 6$1726 5,&2 Tel: 766-0281 3DJ - “ LA TAVERNA”DEI QUATTRO MORI Tel: 766-2848 3DJ - LOS MOLLETES Tel: 766-4296 3DJ - MANIX Tel: 766-0061 3DJ 0(/¶6 Tel: 766-4253 Cell: 331-402-4223 3DJ 020¶6 '(/, 5(67$85$17 Tel: 765-5719 3DJ - PANINO Tel: 766-3822 3DJ - PIAN THAI RESTAURANT Tel: 766-2020 3DJ - PIZZERIA TOSCANA Tel: 765-6996 3DJ 67 5(0< Tel: 766-0607 3DJ 7$%$5.$

Tel: 766-1588 7+( 3($&2&. *$5'(1 Tel: 766-1381 721<¶6 Tel: 766-1614, 766-4069 - YVES Tel: 766-3565

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- TOTAL BODY CARE Tel: 766-3379

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* TAXI

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- ARTURO FERNANDEZ Cell: (045) 333-954-3813

* RETIREMENT/REST/NURSING HOMES - ALICE NURSING HOME Tel: 766 1194, 766 2999 3DJ - LA CASA NOSTRA Tel: 765-3824 3DJ 0, &$6,7$ 1XUVLQJ +RPH $VVLVWHG /LYLQJ Center Tel. 106-2081, Cell. 045 33-1115-9615 3DJ 1856,1* +20( /$.( &+$3$/$ Tel: 766-0404 3DJ - OHANA Tel: (01387) 761-0403 3DJ - THE BLUE HOUSE Tel: 766-1695 3DJ

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* TENNIS - TENNIS COURTS Tel: 761-0527

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* TOURS /<',$¶6 72856 Tel: 765-4742, (045) 33-1026-4877 - CHARTER CLUB TOURS Tel: 766-1777 :$1'(512: Tel: 333-481-9310

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* TREE SERVICE - CHAPALA TREE SERVICE Tel: 762-0602

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$-,-,& (/(&7521,&6 6 $ '( & 9 Tel/Fax: 766-1117, 766-3371 3DJ 6+$: 6$7(//,7( 6(59,&(6 Tel: 33-1402-4223 3DJ

* SCHOOL - INSTITUTO TERRANOVA Tel: 766-2401, 766-3033

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* SELF STORAGE - SELF STORAGE-BODEGAS CHAPALA Tel: 766-0661, Tel/Fax: 766-1045 3DJ

* SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS /$.( &+$3$/$ 62&,(7< Tel: 766-1140 3DJ /26 1,f26 '( &+$3$/$ < $-,-,& Tel: 765-7032 3DJ

* SOLAR ENERGY - ESUN Tel: 766-2319, 01-800-099-0272 - GREEN HOME Tel: 108-0912

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* SPA / MASSAGE %$/1($5,2 6$1 -8$1 &26$/$ Tel: 01-387-761-0222 - RESPIRO SPA Cell: 33-3157-7790

Saw you in the Ojo

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The Ojo Crossword

Saw you in the Ojo 79


CARS

FOR SALE: 2011 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. Auto Transmission, 5-speed, 5.7L V8, HEMI, 44,000 km, three owners, plus latest maintenance records. White Exterior, Tan interior, 18 in. wheels; two new tires and 75% remaining on other two. Two remotes. Fully loaded – Leather seats, video screen with rear camera, great stereo system (MW/FM/CD/DVD/MP3, plus hard drive for saving music) with 6 speakers. Panoramic sun-roof. Seating for 5 people. Auto-open rear door. Pictures on request. Price: $330,000 pesos. Call: 045-331-3824771. :$17(' Looking for covered storage with small power for 36’ [11 mtrs] motorhome Chapala-Ajijic - storage dates April to November - yearly FOR SALE: US Plated 1997 Honda Accord. US Plated. Everything works - excellent mechanical condition. Service records and CarFax. Very nice interior but exterior needs paint. Buyer must be a foreign national here on a Temporal or Tourist VISA. Will require new US plates and temporary import permit - which can be done locally without going to border. Price: $1595 USD or Peso Equivalent. Call: 766-2275. FOR SALE: 1993 Ford Aerostar Van. Legalized in Mexico with Jalisco plates. Red/Grey exterior, red /black interior. Tinted side and back windows, chip free windshield. Front bucket seats, plus two rows of removable bench seats. Excellent mechanical condition, well maintained. V6, 4.0 liter engine was rebuilt a few years ago. New WLUHV EDWWHU\ UDGLDWRU VWHHULQJ ÀXLG SXPS EHOWV ZLSHUV ÀXLGV DQG RLO UHTXLUHV VRPH work/paint, but the vehicle is accident free and has been carefully driven. Good gas mileage. Price: $25,000 pesos. FOR SALE: Motorcycle. Dual Purpose, BMW serviced, light weight adventure bike. Sold with mounted panniers and topcase and steel subframe, windshield, new tires, Jalisco plates. Price: US$6500 or $MX equivalent. Call: 376-766-2568, Magic Jack 936 333-6210. FOR SALE: Nissan Tsubame Wagon. One of the most economical cars for gas and repairs in Mexico. This is like a Tsuru often used as taxis, but the wagon version Tsubame. It even gets better mileage than many newer 4 cylinder cars. Recent repairs: brakes rebuilt including master cylinder, New rubber/bushings in front-end, tires and more. Actual mileage of vehicle unknown due to a faulty odometer. Price: $28000. Call: 376-106-0812. FOR SALE: 2011 Dodge Journey, 3.6L, V6, 55,000 km, one owner, original factura, plus all maintenance records, always parked in covered garage. Bought at ROCA motors in GDL, 30 June 2011. Cherry Red Exterior, Black interior. Fully loaded – Black leather seats, large video screen with rear camera, GPS system, Bluetooth for hands-free calling Seating for 7 people. Great stereo system (MW/FM/CD/DVD/MP3) with 6 Alpine speakers. 19 in. wheels. Price: $230,000 pesos. Call: 045-331-382-4771.

COMPUTERS

FOR SALE: Acer PC. $350 US, purchased February 2015, has not been used

80

in 3 months. Email at gvprod@earthlink.net - Aspire series E17 t, active matrix TFT color LCD 17.3 screen, 8 GB DDR3 L memory, 1000 GB HDD, a terabyte, windows 8.1 64 bit, DVD/CD, HDMI port, numeric keypad, Intel HD graphics Intel Pentium quad core processor N3540 (up to 2.66 GHz) cache 2MB 2 USB ports, 1 USB 3 port sd card support, audio, screen resolution 1600x900, Backlite LED, bluetooth, wireless lan IEEE 802.11b/g/n, webcam/microphone, speakers. Call: 331-706-1234. FOR SALE: HP Pavilion Desktop Computer. Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit.1024 GB 7200 rpm Hard Drive Includes keyboard and mouse. Nearly new- hardly used, From the US. Price: $360. US or pesos. FOR SALE: +3 2IÂżFHMHW 3UR :L Fi printer rarely used. Needs ink cartridges. Price: $1700 MXN. Call: 766-1710. FOR SALE: 64GB iPhone, with no scratches and comes with case. Unlocked and works with Telcel or other carriers in U.S. ‘’I have been using T-mobile. Price: $195. Call or email me. FOR SALE: Computer game controller bought at Future shop in Canada. It is a Madcatz Gamepad pro for Mac. Asking 300 MXN. Call: 766-2268. FOR SALE: As new Dell 907FPt monitor in perfect condition. Unit Dimensions (H x W x D) With stand: 19.23 (extended) / 14.11 (compressed) x 16.5 x 7.6 inches. Without stand: 13.31 x 16.15 x 2.6 inches. Screen Size: 19-inch. Pixel Pitch: 0.294mm. Highest Preset Resolution: 1280 x 1024 @ 75Hz. Price: $1800. :$17(' Partner to share Shaw Direct Satellite TV, must own receiver. FOR SALE: Wireless Printer. Needs print cartridges 1 blk, 3 color. Price: $1400 MXN. Call: 766-1710. FOR SALE: Projection bulb for Dell 2300 MP projector. Also sed bulb-unknown hours- $200 pesos. Price: $850 pesos. FOR SALE: HP Color Laserjet 2550L for sale, excellent condition. $1,200.00 MP.

PETS & SUPPLIES

FOR SALE: Hills Prescription Diet Food, I have half a bag of Hills Prescription Diet Urinary Tract dog food, the 15.9 kilo bag. I paid $1632.00 pesos for it, asking $600.00 pesos. If interested, call 376-7660237. :$17(' Would love to have a female apple head Chihuahua. Black and white, brown blend. NO Chihuahua bred with larger dogs.....must be a small Chihuahua.

GENERAL MERCHANDISE

FOR SALE: “Lobster� 410 tennis ball machine. With full oscillation and remote. A good way to improve your game. New cost $1500 US. Price: $750 US. FOR SALE: BG grill stainless steel four burners and one gas burner just brought from the US. Price: $10,000. Call: (376) 763-55-27. FOR SALE: Older working washing machine. Price: $1000 peso. FOR SALE: Older gas stove, well used, but clean & working. Price: $1000 FOR SALE: “bar� 84inch by 41inch by24inch. One of a kind front and sides Haitian carvings inner shelves on rollers.

El Ojo del Lago / November 2015

Beautiful as reception desk To view 7663377. FOR SALE: Owl shaped chimenea with stand. Price: $200pesos. Call: 766-3377 FOR SALE: Women’s Cobra 9 wood. Like new, perfect for that high loft 100-120 yard shot. Price: $1000 peso. FOR SALE: Women’s Solaire Gems 8-Piece C. Includes Driver, 5 wood, 6 & 7 hybrids, 8, P ans S irons and putter. Used about a dozen times. Includes a bag (Not Callaway) with easy carry dual strap. Price: $3000 peso. FOR SALE: Linksys Broadband Internet router 2.4 GH Not needed. Price: $200 Pesos. FOR SALE: Rustico Furniture, entertainment center coffee and end table, excellent condition 766-1071 FOR SALE: 8VHG RIÂżFH FKDLUV IRU VDOH Price: $500 pesos each or best offer. FOR SALE: Beautiful set of Dunlop WLUHV ÂżW LQFK ZKHHOV 1DUURZ ZKLWH ZDOO Large sedan or van? 225 60 R 17. Price: 750. FOR SALE: Digital Camera. OLYMPUS E-520; w/40-150mm and 14-42mm lens, Battery Charger, X-tra Photo Card. Price: $3,000 MX. FOR SALE: Various bedding and furniture. Twin Bedding: a ‘twin-doubler’ connects 2 twin beds to make king bed, $200 pesos. Quilted mattress protectors/ elastics sides $200 pesos; Twin percale sheet sets $300 pesos. Poly/cotton sheet set $250 pesos; 2 sets reversible percale comforters with sheets, sage green/rose tones, $1500 pesos or both sets $2800 pesos. King Bedding: Quilted mattress protector, $250 pesos. Percale sheet sets, $450 pesos. Furniture: wooden arm chair, reversible upholstered seat cushion, $550 pesos; rolling kitchen cabinet with spice rack, wood top, $600 pesos; large round pedestal table, $1500 pesos. Decorative cushions. All items are clean and in good condition. FOR SALE: New Solar panels and Charger. 250 watt solar panels (500 watts total)from Grape Solar (Oregon), model GS-S-250-FAB-5, and; One, new in box, Outback Flexmax 80 MPPT Solar charge controller (for charging batteries). Purchased new but plans changed, sitting in storage, ready to serve your needs. Price of $1,400 (usd) is FAR less than similar panels available in Mexico! No shipping costs from NOB! Available immediately. FOR SALE: wrought iron table 29 inches round glass top, 2 padded seat chairs, Price: $ 2,000pesos. Call: 766-1071. FOR SALE: Couch, Love Seat, Chair. Scotchguard on the fabric. Will set price after doing some research but if interested come take a look and make offer. Needs cleaning and repair works on the skirts, but overall it’s in good shape. Call: 765-4667. :$17(' Looking for a decent convection toaster oven to buy. Must be in good working order with no warpage in the elements. FOR SALE: Wilson Tennis Rachets. This is for 2 rackets, used twice, 2 carrying cases, 2 containers of balls. Price: $1,000p. Call: 106-2103. FOR SALE: Nearly new roll-up awning 16 ft. wide x 7 ft high, beige Call: 765-4375. Price: $2,500 P.

FOR SALE: HUGE Movie CollectionDVD/VHS. There are over 200 in this collection (DVDs/VHS). Most are original, some are “localâ€? copies and almost all are “nameâ€? movies. Best offer received between now and 1 October takes them all. Really interested? Send me an e-mail with your best offer and I may surprise you. Call: 376-765-5085 FOR SALE: King size Traditional Metal Canopy Bed in Beige Finish boasts a charming arched design; The Set includes headboard, footboard and canopy. Price: $5,000 pesos or best offer. Please call for more details. Cell: 333-4930533. FOR SALE: Home Multi Gym Workout Station Fitness Weights Machine with Leg Press and Dip Station This home gym system makes it really easy to perform a whole programme of exercises in your home. Price: $3,000 pesos or best offer. Please Call for more details. Cell.331-268-2192. FOR SALE: Bunk Beds. Sturdy rustic bunk beds in excellent condition. Price: ÂżUP FOR SALE: Upright Freezer/Congelador Verticales Torrey CVPS20 – 19.6 cubic ft/pies cĂşbicos Commercial Freezer/ Congelador Comercial Excellent condition/Exelentes condiciones Frost free/ Deshielo automatic Data sheet/Ficha tĂŠcnica. Price: $8,000 pesos. Call: 765-3516 Telcel: 331-350-3137. FOR SALE: Rockband Equip for PS3. Guitar, Bass, Drums, Keyboard, Microphone and 5 games (Rockband 1,2,3,Beatles, Green Day). Used very little. Price: $4000 pesos. Call: 331-328-7171. FOR SALE: Large citrus juicer for sale. Will work for oranges, grapefruit, lemons and large limes. In perfect condition. Price: $450 pesos. Call: 387-761-0259. FOR SALE: Two Lamps. Palomar, signed. $450 pesos each or two for $800 pesos. Like new condition. One has a wooden base and the other does not. Call: 387-761-0259. FOR SALE: 4’ Diameter 10mm Thick Glass Table with Wrought Iron Stand. Height of Table is 30.5â€?. Excellent condition. Price: $1550 pesos. Call: 376-7665869. FOR SALE: Dish 311 Receiver. We moved into a house with this receiver in place. We do not need it. A search of the web says it is still usable and has not been discontinued by Dish. Best offer gets it. Price: 045-331-382-4771. :$17(' I am looking for a stationary bike, decent quality, and reasonable price. It is for health reasons so cannot be cheap, wobbly etc. FOR SALE: Beautiful & unique metal & glass tile kitchen island or bar. 52â€?W X 32â€?L X 26â€?W with lower shelf. Multiple shades of brown. Price: $4,000 pesos. Call 766-4836. FOR SALE: I have several Christmas ornaments and lights. Price: $30. Gardening umbrella with stand $1450. Tel: 01-376766-11-57. berame@hotmail.com. :$17(' Lost: Set of keys with a Ford ignition key and a blue carabiner, plus several other keys attached to the ring. If found, I promise a reward. Call my cell: Lester: 331-039-5150


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El Ojo del Lago / November 2015




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