El Ojo del Lago - August 2015 by El Ojo del Lago

Saw you in the Ojo

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

Saw you in the Ojo

PUBLISHER

Richard Tingen

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Alejandro Grattan-Domínguez Tel: (01376) 765 3676, 765 2877 Fax: (01376) 765 3528 Associate Publisher David Tingen Graphic Design Roberto C. Rojas 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 Managers Bruce Fraser 2I¿FH 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 días de cada mes. (Distributed over WKH ¿UVW ¿YH GD\V RI HDFK PRQWK) &HUWL¿FDGR GH /LFLWXG GH 7tWXOR &HUWL¿FDGR GH /LFLWXG GH &RQWHQLGR

Index...

FEATURE ARTICLES

COVER STORY

Bill Mesusan takes us inside the mind of a Mexican woman as she walks around Ajijic, remembering the people and events in her life.

8 &RYHU E\ Francine Peters

10 BIG CITY COLOR Teri Saya recently caught a bus in Guadalajara that took her out of her way, but happily went by some of the best murals in this most colorful of all Mexican cities.

20 AMERICAN HISTORY Dr. Lorin Swinehart saddles up with a man who is today considered a legHQG²WKH ¿UVW $IULFDQ $PHULFDQ 8 6 Marshall.

26 LITERARY PROFILE Antonio Rambles sums up the time, times and work of John Dos Passos, an American writer who is often mentioned in the same breath as legends like Ernest Hemingway and William Faulkner.

40 ON SHAKESPEARE Michael Warren wonders, as so many have, whether the Bard was bi-sexuDO²DQG ¿QGV WKH HYLGHQFH LQFRQFOXsive. But then, who cares!

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EDITOR’S PAGE

IMPRINTS

UNCOMMON SENSE

30 DEAR PORTIA 32 LAKESIDE LIVING 38 BRIDGE BY LAKE 42 PROFILING TEPEHUA

44 ANYONE TRAIN DOG

51 BOOK REVIEW Jim Tipton takes a look at Robert Richter’s latest mystery, Something for Nothing. The author has long been admired for his superb novels set (mainly) in Mexico.

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

COVER STORY

z DIRECTORY z

LAKESIDE LIVING

VOLUME 31 NUMBER 12

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

48 WELCOME TO MEXICO 52 LCS NEWSLETTER

Saw you in the Ojo

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

Justice Deferred, Yet Not Forgotten

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t was recently announced that a TV mini-series is now being made about O.J. Simpson and the two murders he was charged with committing in 1995— which has prompted our revisiting the case.) In October of 1995, a verdict was rendered in a Los Angeles courtroom which almost immediately was heard around the world. Simpson had just been acquitted of the murder of his wife of some 16 years, Nicole Simpson, and of Ron Goldman, a young waiter who had just happened to have brought back to her a pair of eyeglasses which she had earlier left in the restaurant in which Goldman worked. Nicole was living at the time with her two young children in an apartment a mile or so away from the estate that she and OJ had shared for many years. In the opinion of almost every knowledgeable person who had followed the trial, the evidence against Simpson had been overwhelming. Later, many legal journals and distinguished jurists would concur with this judgment. The evidence included: 1. A glove with the blood of both Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman had been found at the rear of the Simpson estate. 2. Blood traces of both victims had been found in Simpson’s Ford Bronco. 3. Samples of Simpson’s hair had been found on Goldman’s shirt and on the other glove that had been left at the scene of the crime. 4. Some of Nicole Simpson’s hair was found on the glove found at the rear of the estate. 5. OJ Simpson had failed a lie detector test by some “22 points,” which is considered “highly damaging.” 6. Simpson’s DNA had been found at the scene of the crime. 7. Simpson had a proven history of having repeatedly battered his wife. Some of the frantic calls she had formerly made to Emergency #911 had been played during the trial.

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

2 - 6LPSVRQ 8. Disposition of motive evidence contained proof that Nicole Simpson had recently denied Simpson’s attempt to reconcile with her, and on the day before the murder Simpson’s current girlfriend had walked out on him. 9. The time-line eventually established that Simpson left plenty of time in which to commit the murders before he caught a flight that same night, bound for a business meeting in Chicago. 10. A sock containing the blood of Nicole was found at the foot of Simpson’s bed. 11. On the day Simpson was scheduled to be taken into custody, he attempted to flee, taking with him several thousand dollars, a disguise and a passport. Some 150 exhibits and/or witnesses were presented by the prosecution, all bearing on the guilt of the defendant. Further, almost all the arguments against the aforementioned prosecution exhibits were shot down, one by one. Why then such an inexplicable verdict? Because a jury heavily freighted with African-Americans was loathe to condemn to death a man who was an icon who had proven that people of his race could reach monumental heights, (though Simpson had never seemed to go out of his way to do anything much for his own people). The problem with the jury was further exacerbated because most educated people, blacks and whites, could not take so much time away from work to serve on the jury, and had been excused for “hardship reasons.”

Another reason was that the presiding judge was in way over his head and faced with a celebrity-studded defense team seemed to totally lose his objectivity. Judge Lance Ito’s careless conduct of the case was such that his reputation was forever tarnished. But the crowning blow came when one of investigating detectives, Mark Fuhrman, who earlier had claimed to be totally non-racist, was proven to be otherwise. The defense had claimed that Detective Fuhrman had planted most of the evidence cited above, a claim the prosecution had repeatedly annihilated, but which with the later revelations regarding racism gained an undeniable stature, albeit one utterly unconnected with the facts in the case. Yet given the despicable history of the LAPD vis-à-vis the black community, one could almost sympathize with the verdict. In 1997, however, the case was again tried, this time in a civil court that could not send Simpson to jail but if finding him guilty of the murders of his wife and Ron Goldman, could award the plaintiffs monetary damages. The turning point came when Simpson, forced to personally testify (as he had not in the criminal trial), was subjected to a blistering crossexamination that virtually sealed his

fate. The award came to more than 25 million dollars in punitive damages, with another 8.5 million awarded to the Goldman family for compensatory damages. Of this combined sum, Simpson would pay, by most estimates, far less than one percent of the award. Some years later, however, in an ironic twist for the ages, he was sentenced to a maximum of 33 years in prison for armed robbery, (though eligible for parole in as soon as 2017.) The sentence came on October 3, 2008, exactly on the day of the month that he was acquitted of murder in the criminal case. The sentence struck most people (including this writer) as grossly excessive but in closing it seems appropriate to cite an old quote which has become a proverb: “Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small; though with patience He stands waiting, with exactness grinds He all.” Those of a more modern generation might have a different explanation: it’s Alejandro Grattancalled karma. Dominguez

Saw you in the Ojo

A Woman In Ajijjic c %\ : / 0HVXVDQ

nce we name something, we no longer see it—John Fowles The woman’s day began like most, but would end like no other. A black rebozo, stretched tightly around sloped shoulders, shielded the tiny woman’s body from an unusual January chill. Her most treasured possession, it served as a wrap by day and a bed cover at night. During funerals, it became a shroud. The brown-faced woman felt grateful she owned such a marvelous piece of clothing. Where is the sun, she wondered? The sky, overcast and dark, seemed unusual. Perhaps this is an omen, she thought. A strong wind blew into Aji-

jic on that cold winter morning, in the year 1946. Winds of change also stirred the air of the tranquil little village perched on the northern shore of central Mexico’s Lake Chapala. At five o’clock that morning, the woman responded to a secular llamada or summons. A man mounted on the roof of a molinillo, or neighborhood mill, located west of the Main Plaza, blew loudly into a Europeanstyle hunting horn signaling for villagers to bring the corn they’d soaked overnight for grinding and making tortillas. The woman lingered dreamily in dawn’s half-light while madrugadores (early risers) lined up at the mill. She

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

arrived sleepy-eyed, half an hour later, to wait among familiar faces. Surrendering her bucket, she waited patiently while the wet kernels were ground into a moist corn meal. She carried the life-giving “masa” back home, towards the plaza. The woman would pass two churches on her way home. What shall I do, she lamented. Something must’ve been bothering her. Something to do with those churches. Passing a fountain, where women filled jars with drinking water piped down from nearby mountains, she overheard the señoras gossiping and sharing stories with neighbors while their young children frolicked and laughed nearby. The woman soon became lost in her own thoughts. On the mountain side of the plaza, the Chapel of the Virgin of the Rosary stood like a stone fortress. A quiet, intimate church and the woman’s favorite sanctuary, she often knelt or sat inside, alone or with other souls, losing and finding herself in quiet meditation. She walked past the plaza’s flowerbordered bandstand, beyond a second fountain. The woman felt a sense of guilt and shame, but continued down Calle Parroquia towards Iglesia San Andrés. She eyed a clock tower dwarfed by the church’s four bell towers. A novelty that hadn’t yet worn off, it cost parishioners $8,000 pesos (no small sum in the 1940s). Completed after what seemed an eternity in construction, villagers enjoyed a festive ceremony during which the timepiece was properly blessed. The new clock worked for one whole day. Then it stopped. A specialist from Guadalajara came to fix it. While working, his hammer slipped and broke the fragile glass facade. Villagers waited patiently for another faceplate. After two years, Ajijic was rewarded with a clock that worked. The woman laughed quietly to herself. Apparently, God wasn’t all that concerned with time. She hoped that the Virgin followed suit. The woman had a vague understanding about Ajijic’s principal church being dedicated to Saint Andrew, brother of Peter the Apostle. Like her widowed father, both men were fishermen. She’d heard that Andrew was crucified on an “X” shaped saltier cross, but she had no idea that this gruesome detail of history occurred in the country of Greece. The original church, San Francisco, was built in 1539. Destroyed by an earthquake exactly two hundred years later, Parroquia de San Andres was constructed on the same site. It took ten years to rebuild. The woman walked down Calle Parroquia towards a church that faced

stiff competition for villagers’ souls. Progresso, the general store, was proud of its walls displaying a huge red, white, and blue Pepsi bottle-cap logo. Cultural imperialism was making in-roads into Central Mexico. An old pick-up truck sat out front, equipped with wooden side racks along its bed to protect fruits and vegetables from spilling out. It also sported an extra-heavy metal grill, a burrera used to move obstinate burros out of the way. Carta Blanca advertised its cerveza in fading, flaking letters. Beyond this sign, in freshly-painted script: Restaurante Transito. The proprietress compensated for her quirky first name, an obscure reference to traffic, by preparing the most delectable breakfasts in Ajijic. The woman turned a corner onto Calle Marcos Castellanos and a quick right put her on Calle Guadalupe Victoria. This street was named after Mexico’s first President, General Guadalupe Victoria. Manuel Félix Fernández created this symbolic name for himself during the revolution leading to Mexico’s independence from Spain. Guadalupe, giving thanks for what he claimed was the protection of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Victoria was a testament to victory for the cause of freedom. The church’s largest bell announced the first call: a single clang, followed by a brief pause, then a rapid series of rings, another pause, and a final single clang. Mass would begin in half an hour. The woman felt another deep pang of guilt. Attend mass or acknowledge her personal desires. Obey her religion or listen to her inner nature. The woman never missed mass, only once when she was horribly sick. Her friends and neighbors would wonder why she wasn’t at church. They knew her brother and his family was coming to visit from Guadalajara; but, they couldn’t begin to imagine or comprehend the repercussions this visit might have on the woman’s destiny. She had thirty minutes in which to make her decision. The heavy bucket wasn’t her greatest burden. She passed a leafless tree and then a tall palm that stretched all the way to the top of the church’s second bell tower. She walked along a line of one-story houses long since replaced by Hotel Italo. The woman didn’t comprehend the mysterious talking wires above her head, telephone lines that carried a person’s voice from the village post office all the way to Mexico City. The woman strode stoically down the middle of a wide dirt street because people seldom used tile and

brick sidewalks. Walls along this street, and most others, were painted brown, two feet above the sidewalk, disguising mud splashed during the rainy season. She saw three figures, each with a dog: two men in the street beside a full-figured woman. This señora also wore a white cotton dress and black shawl. The woman smiled and greeted her neighbors with an “Adios” before continuing on her way, half a block, to a house with no refrigeration. Three hours of sporadic electricity were available, but only at night. The daily round of village life, her life, was marked by the pit-pat, pit-pat rhythm of tortilla making; and, the hours she spent in her little vegetable garden with its nearby fruit trees. Simple pleasures bestowed a quiet, selfcontained joy. Her father returned early that day from the lake where he and the other men cast their nets, bringing to shore the famous Chapala pescado blanco, or whitefish, renowned for its delicate flavor. The old pescador had no way of knowing that the production of whitefish in Lake Chapala would peak, in that postwar year of 1946, at an amazing 149 metric tons before a steady decline set in, the result of increased pollution of the lake, aggravated by unsteady rain patterns, over-fishing, and the introduction of predator carp which will thrive on the eggs and young of the whitefish. The woman had much work to do. Antonio was coming from Guadalajara. The childless woman looked forward to spending time with her two young nieces. The woman wanted to honor their visit and make it a special occasion. She’d teach the girls how to shape “masa” into small balls and slap them into thin griddlecakes as their ancestors had done for thousands of years. Two bells clanged, a pause, a rapid clang of bells, another brief pause, and then two bells rang out. Fifteen minutes until mass. The woman qui-

etly endured the complexity of following two paths at the same time. She prayed to the Virgin for understanding before embracing her natural self. Then, she decorated her house with fresh-cut flowers from the garden. The family, reunited for one very special day, hugged and kissed, celebrating the joy of being a family. The woman drank a glass of wine and enjoyed it and she reveled in the laughter of her two young nieces. The family noticed a subtle change in her behavior. She seemed more gregarious, more at ease and yet more lively. That night, Antonio, who always avoided his sister, invited the woman to stay with family in Guadalajara. This was the first of many invitations. In the spring, the woman’s father fulfilled a long-standing promise to row her across Lake Chapala so she could visit the village of San Luis Soyatlan. That summer, the woman accepted her brother’s invitation. On the bus ride to a museum, in the center of Guadalajara, the woman encountered a handsome bus driver and she fell in love. The woman was married one year later. Her first child was born the following spring. W. L. Mesusan

Saw you in the Ojo

Colo ors s in the Citty – The Street Murals E\ 7HUL 6D\D

et’s talk about the murals found in and around Guadalajara. If you explore by city bus, you have time to look out the windows and observe some of these marvels as the bus rumbles through the neighborhoods. My husband and I recently started using public transportation and boarded a city bus. This bus took us toward where we were headed, but then veered off into a long tour completely around, but not near our destination. We ended up riding the bus to the end of its route and back again which led to a very interesting tour of the city and surrounding area. We started noticing the murals. Some adorned storefronts, doorways, and curbs. Some stretched for yards along cinderblock walls. Some peeked

around and into corners, and some covered whole sides of buildings from roof to sidewalk! Many of the murals that we saw were technically as well as artistically amazing! We have all seen the famous Orozco, Rivera and Siqueiros murals, and, of course, those are fabulous. However, these we were observing as we rode past, seemed to have been done by a variety of unknown or littleknown street artists. People that felt the need to express themselves by telling a story or protesting society’s blunders, with a multitude of color and shadows on a large, permanent structure. We got off the bus well past El Centro in an area we had never seen before and decided just to walk around and look. There were so many different styles and techniques of painting. Some of the

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

murals were beautifully and painstakingly done, but had no signature that we could distinguish. The larger murals looked to be painted by several different artists. A couple of murals had been partially destroyed by erosion and collapsing walls. Some were in places where you would not expect to find a mural. In alleyways between buildings or up so high, you would have to be in the building across from it to get a proper perspective. When we got home, I researched and found that while traveling here from California, and then living here in Zapopan, we had only seen a miniscule part of this

vast art form. One that stands out in my mind is the Quetzalcoatl snake mural that slithers down the entire side of an apartment building. It is located at Calle Libertad 1981, in the Americana section of Guadalajara. Drive by and take a look. It’s quite a sight and photos don’t do it justice. Anywhere there is a blank wall, sidewalk, or ceiling; there is a potential for an artistic urban expression from a talented muralist. Teri Saya

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,035,176 % $ W L 5 EOp p %\ $QWRQLR 5DPEOpV DQWRQLR UDPEOHV#\DKRR FRP Parisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PĂ¨re Lachaise cemetery

Covering more than 100 acres, PĂ¨re Lachaise Cemetery is the largest within the city limits of Paris, and indisputably the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most famous. It takes its name from King Louis XIVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s confessor, PĂ¨re FranĂ§ois de la Chaise, who lived in a house on the site. The cemetery was established by Napoleon in 1804 with the declaration that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every citizen has the right to be buried regardless of race or religionâ&#x20AC;?. Notwithstanding Napoleonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pronouncement, the cemeteryÂ was at first considered too far from the city to attract many burials. 2VFDU :LOGHÂśV JUDYH 3qUH /DFKDLNot until the remains of poet Jean de La VH FHPHWHU\

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

Fontaine,Â MoliĂ¨re, and those of fabled lovers AbĂŠlard and HĂŠloĂŻseÂ were transferred to the cemetery did the population begin clamoring for burial among the famous. Among the notables who have since been interred there are French novelists Honore de Balzac and Marcel Proust, and American authors Richard Wright and Gertrude Stein.Â (The name of Steinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s partner Alice B. Toklas is etched on the reverse side of Steinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gravestone.) Until Jim Morrison was buried in PĂ¨re Lachaise in 1971, Oscar Wilde was arguably the cemeteryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reigning pop star. It was once the custom for Wildeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s admirers to kiss the monument while wearing red lipstick, but the damaging effects of the practice have required that the me-

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morial be encased in glass. Other musicians buried here include singers Ă&#x2030;dith Piaf andÂ Maria Callas, composers Bizet, Chopin, and Rossini, and French jazz violinist StĂŠphane Grappelli. PĂ¨re Lachaise painters include EugĂ¨ne Delacroix, Max Ernst, Amedeo Modigliani, Camille Pissarro, and Georges Seurat. French mime Marcel Marceauâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s grave is here. Â So are those of actors and actresses Sarah Bernhardt, Isadora Duncan, Yves Montand, and Simone Signoret.Â (Montand and Signoret are buried together.) Â The Rothchilds also have a family vault

here. Â PĂ¨re Lachaise has been expanded five times. Including the ashes of those cremated and the remains in the ossuary, the number of those who have been interred here is estimated to run as high as 3 million. The cemetery is still accepting new burials from among those who either died in Paris or who have previously lived there, but so few vacant plots remain go that today there is a waiting list. Plots are now typically leased for 10 to 30 years, and abandoned remains from un-

3\UDPLG YDXOW 3qUH /DFKDLVH FHPHWHU\ renewed leases are removed to make space made for new graves.Â Those exhumed are boxed, tagged and moved to the cemeteryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ossuary. Graveside monuments run from the mundane to the extravagant, and styles range from classic to contemporary.Â The best among these make of PĂ¨re Lachaise a giant sculpture museum. An eerie sculpture on the grave of Belgian poet Georges Rodenbach is positively Grave of Belgian poet Georges unnerving. In addition to the gravesites of notable Rodenbach individuals, there are some stirring monuments to victims of genocide and mass murder. The Communardsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Wall marks the site where the last of the insurgents was exe-

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cuted in 1871 during the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bloody Weekâ&#x20AC;? in which the Paris Commune was crushed. Among the Holocaust memorials here are those dedicated to victims of Auschwitz, BergenBelsen, and Dachau. Â PĂ¨reÂ Lachaise cemetery is located on Boulevard de MĂŠnilmontant and served by theÂ Metro:Â Philippe Auguste on Line 2 is near the main entrance), PĂ¨re Lachaise, on Lines 2 and 3, is near a side entrance, and Line 3 Gambetta station on line 3, affords entry near the tomb of Oscar Wilde with Â downhill walk through the rest of the cemetery. Antonio RamblĂŠs

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UUNCOMMON NCOM MM MON CCOMMON OM MM MON SSENSE ENSE %\ %LOO )UD\HU ELOOIUD\HU#JPDLO FRP Politics of Hate

“

ate” is a strong word. Many people would tend to shy away from revealing that they hate someone. Yet politics, notably in the United States, has become dominated by an emotional animosity, almost tribal in nature. We can easily sit back and scratch our heads at Middle Eastern and African tribal conflicts characterized by blood-thirsty hatred. In the West, we don’t usually kill our political opponents, but we vilify them nonetheless. In fairness, this is nothing new. Thomas Jefferson was very familiar with this tendency when he said in his 1801 Inaugural Address, “Having banished from our land that religious intolerance under which mankind so long bled and suffered, we have yet gained little if we countenance a political intolerance as despotic, as wicked, and capable of as bitter and bloody persecutions.” The vast majority of voters are turned off by this politics of vicious conflict, yet it persists. I think, for many people, politics has become an emotionally-charged “us vs. them” epic battle. Liberals disdain conservatives while conservatives disdain liberals. There are fewer people in the middle who will listen objectively to both sides. Many people, myself included, have tended to blame the media, particularly cable news programming, for inciting this political tribalism. That certainly is true. However,

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

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these cable networks are also pandering to self-selected viewers who tune in specifically to be aroused and angered by the “news” presented from their biased viewpoint. It is a vicious cycle. I think another problem is the nature of the Internet, which provides a forum for angry readers to vent their hatred, often anonymously. I am familiar with people, in Ajijic and beyond, who regularly spend a great deal of time alone with their computers reading and pontificating to their respective tribes. I have no problem with honest disagreement about public policy, but ranting in cyberspace does not adequately replace thoughtful discussion and debate. When criticism devolves into ad hominem name-calling and insulting tirades about other political tribes, little is accomplished. It surely makes the writer feel better, but his or her words are not likely read by those who might disagree. They are accomplishing nothing. In many ways, I think we have lost our perspective about politics. Political conflict is a natural and useful component of democracy. Public policy certainly has important consequences for society, but it’s not the only important component that affects our lives. When those with whom we disagree are in power and making decisions we disagree with, it isn’t pleasant, and we may consider the consequences of their decisions harmful. But we move on and continue the struggle. The Dalai Lama has said hate is “our true enemy,” and has “no other function than simply destroying us, both in the immediate term and in the long term.” All sides need find ways to repudiate hateful discourse and find ways to work with their political opponents to make the world a more kind and compassionate place. The longer we allow hateful, spiteful discourse to dominate political discussion, the more difficult it will be to address our increasingly serious problems.

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JOHN HENRY NEWMAN—And His Contribution to World Literature %\ 5RVDULR $WKLp DQG 'L[LH 6DQWDQD

ohn Henry Newman is recognized as one of the most important religious figures of 19th Century England. He is also well-known as an important literary figure. He is one of the classic writers in the English language, and his works are both original and elegant. Fedor Dostoyevski, in his novel The Idiot proclaims: “Beauty will save the world”. Newman contributed to the world of literary beauty with novels, hymns, and poems. One of the most important of these was The Dream of Gerontius which can be read here: http://www.newmanreader.org/ works/verses/gerontius.html The poem is over one thousand verses long, and was written in 1865. Newman was 64 years old at the time and, beginning to feel a growing weakness in his limbs, thoughts of his own mortality were continuously in his mind. The Dream of Gerontius is precisely that, a dream. Its title refers to advancing age and impending death. It is a text of great poetic value, but it also offers the sincere and poignant testimony of a man who begins to glimpse his soul’s final destiny. This is described through a profound observation into the deaths of family and friends, filtered through the lens of Newman’s considerable intelligence. We are all mortal, but Gerontius

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represents Newman himself. The topic of death is seen from a religious perspective. It is not annihilation, but rather a passage to another state. Gerontius the protagonist, once he has undergone death, is replaced by his soul, who converses with his Angel and debates against temptation. The Dream of Gerontius is a timeless masterpiece of English literature and a literary monument to hope. There is a bilingual EnglishSpanish version published by Ediciones Encuentro in 2003. In 1900 famed composer Edward Elgar set music to Newman’s The Dream of Gerontius. A performance of the work can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=9Bg52cVVmTc, with tenor Wesley Rogers in the roles of Gerontius and the Soul of Gerontious, mezzo-soprano Kendall Gladenas the Angel and bass Kevin Deasin the dual roles of the Priest and the Angel of Agony. May 30th, Círculo Newman (circulonewman.com) had a discussion of the poem and a viewing of the performance at “La Bodega de Ajijic”. You are invited to attend on October 8th, 9th and 10th the Colloquium of John Henry Newman at Universidad Panamericana (Prol. Circunvalación Poniente 49, Ciudad Granja, Zapopan, Jalisco). (Ed. Note: Rosario Athié and Dixie Santana are university professors and translators of Ian Ker’s biography of John Henry Newman (Editorial Palabra, Madrid 2010).)

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emember the 80’s Lord Peter Wimsey TV series? These BBC productions were based on Dorothy L. Sayers’ 14 mysteries about the fictitious “Lord Peter” who was the epitome of early 20th Century aristocracy. His family, manor home, servants and life style prompted something of a cult in England with autos he would drive, clothes he would wear and spirits he would drink. Dorothy might have been the J. K. Rowling of that era. However, her fiction writing stopped in 1942 when England entered the war. Living in London, she experienced the poverty and misery resulting from the bombings. Dorothy Sayers was born at Oxford in 1893, the only child of Rev. Henry Sayers, headmaster of Christ Church Cathedral School, and in 1915 she became one of the first women to graduate from Oxford. Miss Sayers, a passionate Anglican, novelist, poet, playwright, essayist, translator and Christian humanist would never compromise where her art was concerned and enjoyed many a fight that she conducted with wit and humor. Her formidable presence, magnificent brain, and logical presentations kept her in great demand as a lecturer. Disliking the seclusion of academic life, Dorothy worked many years for the London publicist S. H. Benson’s where her slogan was: “It pays to advertise.” She created ads, jingles and the toucan slogan for the popular Pimm’s “digestive cup” (liqueur). The often caustic Sayers commented: “Now Mr. Pimm is a man of rigid morality—except, of course as regards his profession, whose essence is to tell plausible lies for money. When asked: “How about truth in advertising?” Dorothy responded: “Of course there is some truth in advertising. There’s yeast in bread, but you can’t make bread with yeast alone. Truth in advertising…is like leaven---It provides a suitable quantity of gas with which to blow out a mass of crude misrepresentation into a

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

'RURWK\ / 6D\HUV form that the public can swallow.” Even before the war, Miss Sayers wrote extensive theological essays, books, and seven plays, causing a stir in 1940 with the play The Man Born to be King, in which Jesus speaks modern English. Fluent in English, French and German, she taught herself old Italian in order to translate Dante’s Divine Comedy, considered one of the finest and still in print. After recently reading C. S. Lewis’ Miracles, where he refers to Sayer’s The Mind of the Maker as “that indispensable book,” I decided to read it. Critics write: “Dorothy L Sayers’ great lay contemporaries in the Church of England were T. S. Eliot, C.S. Lewis and Charles Williams, but none of them wrote a book quite like The Mind of the Maker. In this crisp, elegant exercise in theology, Sayers illuminates the doctrine of the Trinity by relating it to the process of writing fiction, a process about which she could speak with complete authority…This is one of the greatest theological works I have had the privilege of reading… The central point of the book is to identify the creative artist as someone exercising their identity in the image of God...This is a beautiful vision of how and why we write and why that is important.” The Mind of the Maker examines metaphors about God, laws of nature and laws of opinion. Miss Sayers recalls words in the Christian creed such as “God the Creator,” and emphasizes that we humans are also creators. In Chapter Three, Sayers refers to her play The Seal

of Thy House, where she has the Archangel Michael speak about the Trinity. He compares it to our human acts of writing a book, producing a painting, composing music and poetry, or any other original creations. First comes the Idea (Father), second is Energy (Son), and third is Power (Holy Spirit). Countering that habits of thought may find this thinking outmoded, she argues that while a new scientific theory supersedes a previous one, we cannot say that “Hamlet” supersedes “Agamemnon.” Genius is not subject to the scientific “Law of

Progress.” Although never reaching the stature of Lewis or Elliot, she nevertheless gained their respect. Equally at home with playful or serious subjects, to the end Dorothy L. Sayers drove herself hard, living the philosophy expressed in her words: “The only Christian work is good work, well done.” She died at age 64 of a heart attack. Lois Schroff

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BASS REEVES: Legendary Lawman (The first African-American US Marshall West of the Mississippi) %\ 'U /RUHQ 6ZLQHKDUW

e rode a white horse, packed a pair of Colt .45 six shooters and handed out pieces of silver as his calling cards. He was accompanied by a faithful Indian companion. “Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear!” Bass Reeves rides again! Possibly a model for the Lone Ranger, Reeves was born a slave in Crawford County, Arkansas, in 1838. He later moved to Texas as the property of George Reeves, a member of the Texas state legislature. Bass was such a crack shot that his owner would take him to turkey shoots. During a dispute over a card game, Bass struck his owner, a capital offense for a slave. Reeves escaped into the Indi-

an Territory, now the state of Oklahoma, and lived among the Cherokee, Seminole and Creek, learning several Native American languages. Back in Arkansas after the Civil War, Reeves purchased a farm, married, and fathered eleven children. In 1875, “Hangin’ Judge” Isaac Parker, aware of Reeves’ language skills, marksmanship and knowledge of the Indian Territory, appointed him Deputy U.S. Marshal. Reeves was the first American of African descent to serve as a U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi. The Indian Territory was set aside for five cruelly displaced tribes, survivors of the several Trails of Tears. The region was a haven for gangsters, bootleggers, horse thieves, rustlers, con artists, gunslingers

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

and malcontents, as well as white squatters on Indian lands. Until Parker was appointed, the territory teetered on the edge of anarchy. Parker, who ironically did not believe in capital punishment, brought law and order to the area. He handed down the death sentence with great frequency. During his thirty years as a marshal, Reeves arrested over 3,000 suspects and killed 14 in shootouts. He confronted the desperado James Webb after pursuing him for two years. Webb fired on Reeves four times, first grazing his saddle horn, then cutting a button off his coat, next knocking his horse’s reins from his hand, and finally nicking his hat brim. Reeves returned fire with his Winchester, hitting Webb twice. The dying Webb gasped, “You are a brave, brave man,” and gave Reeves his revolver out of respect. From then on, Reeves was known as “The Invincible Marshal.” Reeves is said to have never exhibited any fear or excitement while confronting an outlaw. He always got his man. Reeves sometimes brought in a wagonload of up to seventeen prisoners at a time. When the notorious Belle Starr learned that Reeves had a warrant for her arrest, she turned herself in. He once even arrested his son Benjamin, who had been charged with the murder of his unfaithful wife. Reeves was both admired and hated.

Citizens knew that he was impeccably honest, strong and firm, devoted to the law. Racists objected to a black man wearing a badge and arresting white men. Reeves simply did his job. Reeves was a huge, strong man, standing 6”2”, weighing 180 pounds, and sporting a bushy mustache. He once single handedly pulled a steer from a mud hole. Being ambidextrous was an asset to his gun fighting skill. Like most former slaves, he could not read or write, but his memory verged upon the photographic. When Parker described a suspect, Reeves would not rest until he caught him. Like an earlier version of Frank Serpico, Reeves often resorted to disguises, masquerading as a hobo, a farmer, an out of work cow hand, even an outlaw. He once handcuffed a pair of brothers in their sleep. When the Indian Territory became the state of Oklahoma, Reeves hired on as a policeman in Muskogee. Showing his age, wandering the streets with a cane, he continued to enforce the law. In recognition of this western hero, Reeves’ badge, guns and other memorabilia will soon be on display at the new US Marshals Museum in Dr. Lorin Fort Smith, Arkansas. Swinehart

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El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

Dear Sir: The various articles by Marita Noon and letters to the editors of the subject of the Keystone XL pipeline finally got me to look up more information about this controversial project. It’s interesting to note that this is one project that unite the conservative Republicans and the labor unions if for different reasons. The Republicans favor the pipeline because it profits the fat cats of the oil industry and of TransCanada Corporation, the union because the project will provide jobs for the few years of construction of the pipeline (9,000 directly related to construction such as welders, pipefitters etc; another 6,000 jobs for supplies of valves, pumps, etc; and more undirectly related for a total of 42,000 jobs as estimated by the US State Department). See http://keystone-xl.com/about/ jobs-and-economic-benefits/. The ecologists are against the project because of possible adverse environmental impact, from oil spills to

noxious emissions during the refining of the tar sand oil in the Texas refineries and others, see http://www.foe. org/projects/climate-and-energy/tarsands/keystone-xl-pipeline. However, a possible environmental benefit for the USA could be that, in view of the current glut of oil on the world market, and the fact that the USA has become nearly self-sufficient in oil production, the addition of 700,000 barrels/day would likely make the extraction of oil by fracking uneconomical and lead to abandonment, if only for a number of years, of this disastrous technique in the USA. Let Canada suffer the brunt of environmental damage in the exploitation of their tar sands! I’d appreciate comments from fellow liberal Democrats and others. Thanks. J.-C- Tatinclaux Ajijic tatinclauxj@yahoo.com

Dear Sir: I’m both amused and dismayed with recent articles published in El Ojo regarding the global warming/ climate change debate. It’s sad the debate has gone from honest discussion about climate science to ad hominen arguments about the unanimity, sanity and motivations of both climate orthodoxy faithful and skeptics. These arguments do little to persuade me about the scientific merits of either sides’ claims. However, I am concerned about the trend among the climate orthodoxy faithful to present the issue as an “either or”: either we accept the entire climate orthodoxy narrative

unquestioned, or we risk being called anti-science deniers who have been duped by greedy self-serving interests. To be fair, many skeptics have been guilty of this, too. The problem with “either or” reasoning is that it ignores or diminishes the possibility of quantitative inaccuracy (overstatement or understatement) in any one of the full range of climate related issues, including human contribution, data integrity, historical trends, future predictions, and the cost and effectiveness of proposed countermeasures. Rich Birkett rbirkett@freedomactivist.org

Dear Sir: Re “Dictator Disease,” thank you for publishing this excellent commentary. Please suggest to Barbara Harwood that (if she has not already done so) she must read “Red Notice” by Bill Broder; a true story of

crime and corruption by Russian oligarchs up to April 2014. The second half of the book has a lot to say about Putin. I hope they make it into a movie. Yours truly, George Cochrane.

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Pilgrimage To The North %\ -RVH )HUQDQGR 'DYDORV

his was the last evening we would spend in the house that Paloma and I had built six years ago because we would shortly have to leave to the north of the American continent. Entering inside the tree I covered myself under its branches and fused in a brotherly hug with my dear Sacred Lake. When I was about to retire, I felt an enormous and loving effluvium of energyÂ originating from the female spirit of the Lake, Rapavilleme, and intuited that my dear sister understood my reasons and the new entrusted task I was given and that although she was sad by our separation, she would pray for our return when our good Father thus arranged it. When I climbed back the stone stairs of the outer terrace of our house, Paloma was waiting to embrace me in loving silence. At five a.m. in the morning, tired and with little sleep due to the final preparations, we were almost ready to board the taxi that would take us to the airport when, something that never happened before took place: Don Pablo knocked at our door. He wished us success and hurried to help us with our suitcases and other articles that we would take with us. Don Pablo has been a resident for many years of the town of Chapala. He was an authentic elder that was

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

surely in contact with the guardians of tradition of the region and which amazed us and entertained us with his interesting stories. A strong man in spite of having more than seventy years of age, he transported himself in a feisty donkey that never stopped giving him headaches and throwing him off from time to time, and always traveled accompanied by two brave and very well trained dogs. It was a nice spectacle to see him arrive to our neighborhood mounted very straight in his young donkey with a bearing and a dignity that only those that have advanced well enough in the spiritual path have. The sun was silently rising up behind the beautiful Island of Mezcala at the east side of Lake Chapala illuminating tenuously the crest of the imposing mountains that had guarded our dreams during the last six years, and our hearts already felt the sorrow of the uncertainty and of the enormous challenges that we would have to face in an inhospitable weather and as immigrants within a culture with different values and spiritual views. Nevertheless, this is always the way of a spiritual warrior because it must fight its battles where the spirit sends him and by the time that it is required of him.

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%\ $QWRQLR 5DPEOpV

n his day, American author John Dos Passos was as celebrated an author as his contemporaries Ernest Hemingway, Scott Fitzgerald, and James Joyce, and in 1936 his photo appeared on the cover of Time magazine. More than forty years after his death, he has become comparatively obscure despite his towering artistic achievements. Between 1920 and 1970, Dos Passos wrote forty-two novels, as well as numerous poems and essays. He is perhaps most widely known for a chapter from his masterwork U.S.A. Trilogy titled “Body of an American,” a powerful anti-war piece inspired by the burial at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Armistice Day, 1921. An annual literary award which bears his name recognizes American writers whose work displays the characteristics of his writing which make it so distinctive. They are, namely, an intense and original exploration of specifically American themes, an experimental approach to form, and interest in a wide range of human experiences. Truly a Renaissance man, Dos Passos studied art and architecture, and created more than four hundred pieces of art which include jackets and illustrations for many of his books. His visual art was first exhibited at New York’s National Arts Club in 1922, and a later exhibition toured the U.S. in 2001. Between 1925 and 1927, he not only wrote plays, but created posters and set designs for the New Playwrights Theatre in New York City. If writers draw from their own lives for subject matter, then Dos Passos had already gathered a lifetime of experience by the time he wrote his first novel at age twenty-seven. Born in Chicago, he was the illegitimate son of an attorney who represented industrial trusts and conglomerates. His father married his mother after the death of his first wife when John was fourteen, but did not recognize the boy as his son until two years later. As a fortunate consequence, Dos Passos was able to attend prep school, and to travel through Europe and the Middle East with a private tutor for six months. He graduated from Harvard in 1916. During World War I, he served as

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

an ambulance driver with the American Volunteer Motor Ambulance Corps in both Paris and Italy, along with friends E.E. Cummings and Robert Hillyer. Other writers who similarly volunteered included Louis Bromfield, Ernest Hemingway, Archibald MacLeish, and Somerset Maugham. When the U.S. finally entered World War I, Dos Passos joined the U.S. Army Medical Corps. A social revolutionary, he came to see the United States as two nations, one rich and one poor. His writing is highly sympathetic to labor’s attempts to organize. He was a political activist who joined Upton Sinclair, Dorothy Parker, Edna St. Vincent Millay and other notables in a campaign to overturn the 1921 murder convictions of anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti. He went to Russia in 1928 to study socialism firsthand. He later became a leading participant in the left-leaning First American Writers’ Congress, but in 1936 broke with Stalinists to serve on The American Committee for the Defense of Leon Trotsky in response to the Moscow “Show Trials.” In 1937, he went to Spain during its civil war, where he became disillusioned with Communism when Russian Army Intelligence murdered his Spanish translator and good friend. He soon broke with Ernest Hemingway over the latter’s cavalier attitude toward war and willingness to lend his name to Stalinist propaganda in Spain. Dos Passos later worked as a journalist and war correspondent during World War II. In 1920 he published his first novel, One Man’s Initiation: 1917, and in that same year his second novel, Three Soldiers, which brought his first critical acclaim. His 1925 novel Manhattan

Transfer was his first big commercial success. It introduced experimental stream-of-consciousness techniques which would appear widely in his later works. These include most notably his U.S.A. Trilogy, first separately published as The 42nd Parallel (1930), 1919, (1932), and The Big Money (1936). The Trilogy covers the development of American society from beginning of the 20th century through the 1930â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Set in both urban and rural settings throughout the U.S. and in wartime Europe, it follows a dozen characters whose lives are for the

most part separate, but which occasionally cross paths. Trilogy is ranked 23rd on the Modern Libraryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. Dos Passos is truly an American original whose work inimitably documents his times in intimate portraits that infuse history with an unparalleled sense of personal experience. Antonio RamblĂŠs

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CELEBRATE WITH LA OLA’S WONDERFUL GRADUATES

a Ola’s two senior residents, Acacia Calvario Cuevas and Karla Hernandez Hernandez, have graduated from CETAC Jocotepec with A averages. They will be attending UNE University in Guadalajara. Karla will be studying Architecture and Acacia Law. We are so proud as we should be. La Ola’s promise is to support them all the way through college to become independent professionals. La Ola supports 21 girls: 17 of which are in private school, two in special education and now two in university. In honor of Karla and Acacia, we are hosting a graduation party to fundraise for

their education. The party will be at La Ola August 8th at 1pm, Colon 148 Jocotepec. For questions please call: 331 336 9340. Please visit laolacasahogar.org

REMEMBERING Rosemary Dineen

One could always tell when Rosemary Dineen was in the room: Her infectious, un-selfconscious laugh (along with her blindingly whimsical socks) was her unmistakable trademark. Rosemary died Friday, July 10, in her home in Boulder, CO, to where she’d moved from San Antonio Tlayacapan to be closer to her family. Her daughters said she died peacefully “in love and peace.” She was 82. Born in New Bremen, Ohio, on October 13, 1932, Rosemary raised four daughters, left a challenging marriage, and found a new mid-life career (and new midlife confidence) as a salesperson for Dale Carnegie’s public speaking program. She also created and ran an import business that took her to Russia several times during the Cold War. Known Lakeside for her poetry

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

that celebrated simple joys in daily life, she was often at the Old Posada, nursing a cold beer and befriending whoever walked by. Always eager to hear new stories and experience new wonders, Rosemary, nonetheless, spoke often about having lived a happy life and her willingness to embark on her next adventure. Submitted by Kelly Hayes-Raitt

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

ear Portia. I’ve been reading about Female Viagra. My girlfriend seems to be in need. Any ideas about this, wise one? Curious in Cosola Hi Curious! Here is the recipe for female Viagra: a penthouse with a view, ( install a personal ATM for extra points), a Hummer with tinted windows, cover her bills at the restaurants and spas of her choice, and take her on occasional jaunts to the islands. No prescriptions needed, minimal side effects and as much joy as you can handle. The drugs are cheaper, so they may be more suitable for your budget, but do not be surprised if she takes off after the first gorgeous youngster she sees. If she happens to overdose, you may not live to tell the tale. Dear Portia, A woman I know just had her boyfriend of 4 days move in with her. He

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

The New Portia! speaks no English, and she no Spanish, but they DO communicate. Is it a problem that she doesn’t know his last name? Name Dropper Dear Dropper, First off, I’m assuming the woman is you. As soon as you are able to come up for air, run a list by him of the names of outstanding Mexican families, starting with Slim. Depending on when he moved in, you may want to check Guzman too. If he does not seem to have some lineage, and you are rich, used to be lonely and love to share your wealth, then enjoy the ride, so to speak. You may have a whole new lifestyle of shame, remorse and poverty to look forward to. Happily though, there is a whole tribe of survivors here who will take you in and share war stories. Dear Portia, What is it with the ladies and their dogs here? I’ve tried to get close to various women, but there was always some feisty snappish canine hampering things. Ideas, please? Down on Dogs Dear Down, You just barked up the wrong tree. My Rottweiler does amazing life-altering surgery on your kind. Beware.

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Sandy Olson

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

COMING EVENTS SUMMER NEWS FROM VIVA MUSICA Viva ‘Summer in the Village’ Concert Series Here are two evening performances that will delight you. They are at 7:00 p.m. in the Auditorio. Thursday August 6 Joshua Chavez, double bass, with Rodrigo Leal, piano. This brilliant young bass player will play works by Hoffmeister, Marcello, Bottesini and Gabriel Faure. He is a Northern Lights and Viva scholarship winner who is currently playing with the Zapopan Symphony. He will give us this “goodbye” concert before heading to Europe for advanced studies. Thursday, August 20 The Serenata Piano Trio: Areli Medeles, cello; Robert Markus, violin; and Rosa Maria Valdez, piano, will perform works by Antonin Dvorak, Manuel Cerda, Alfredo Carrasco, Leo Janacek, Eugene Toussaint and Manuel Ponce’s Estrellita, written for Jascha Heifitz. Viva concert tickets are 200 pesos and are available at the LCS Thursdays & Fri 10-12, at Diane Pearl Colecciones and at the Auditorium. FRIENDSHIP AND TRAINS The old train station, Centro Cultural Gonzalez Gallo, will be the site of the XIX National Model Train Convention on August 7, 8 and 9. This event is held in a different Mexican city every year and this year the honor goes to Chapala. Train fanciers come from all over the country with their layouts and models have meetings and workshops at the convention. According to Ana Gabi, proprietor of restaurant Machina 245 atop Papeleria Trinidad in San Antonio (check out their trains), “It is a weekend full of friendship and trains.” Here in Chapala there are two model train clubs. If you’re interested, visit the Facebook page: XIX Convención Ferromodelistas Chapala. FUNNY SCENES FROM FAMOUS PLAYS The actors from Roseann Wilshere’s scene study workshop will be presenting scenes for the public at The Bravo! The10 Rio Bravo on The cast, left to right: Barbara Pruitt, Kathleen atre, Monday, August 17 at Morris, Janice Carol, Diane Jones, Ken Yakiw- 7:30 pm and Tuesday, chuk, Karen Lowe, Norb Michel. Missing: Jutta August 18 at 4:00 pm. It’ll be an evening McAdam, Connie Davis, Pam Pettus. of funny scenes from various famous plays authored by Harold Pinter, David Mamet, Carol Burnett, Norm Foster and others. The actors hope folks can join them for their summer series presentation. Tickets are “pay what you can,” so everyone can afford to come and have a few laughs. Reservations may be made by email to roswilshere@gmail. com THE IDEAL WOMAN—OR NOT The next Naked Stage production will be The Love List. Leon and Bill concoct a list of the top ten best qualities in an ideal woman. When she actually arrives on the scene the men quickly learn that their list could use a few revisions. The play is directed by Diana Rowland. The play shows on August 28, 29, and 30. The e-mail address for reservations: nakedstagereservations@gmail.com. Reservations guarantee a seat until 3:50, after which seats will be sold to those waiting without reservations. The Cast: Candace Luciano, Naked Stage is located at #10A Rio Bravo.

Ed Tasca, and Tony Wilshere

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 for lunch and dinner with a no host bar available at 3:00 p.m. The box office opens at 3:15 and the show starts at 4:00 p.m. BRAVO! THEATRE The September Bravo! production will feature two plays: The Way of All Fish by Elaine May and Two Sisters by Caroline Harding. They’re dark comedies about power, passion and possibly more than one murder. Dates are September 3-5 and 1012 at 7:30 p.m. and September 6 and 13 at 3:00 p,m. Tickets are 250 pesos and are available at Mia’s boutique, Diane Pearl Colecciones or by emailing mymytickets@gmail.com. The From left: Bernadette Jones, Director, Bravo! Theatre is at Rio Bravo #10. and Actors Roseann Wilshere and Jayme LAKESIDE LITTLE THEATRE Season tickets are now available Littlejohn for the LLT 2015-16 season, which also promises to be exciting. The plays are as follows: October 2-11 Murder by Misadventure November 6-15 Stepping Out December 4-12 Rumors January 15-24 Good People February 19-March 6 Nunsense March 25-April 3 Other Desert Cities To reserve season tickets, email tickets@lakesidelittletheatre.com or contact the Box Office at (376) 766-0954. The 1100 peso prices includes an annual membership and a reserved seat at each of the six shows. WRITING AND READING The Ajijic Writers’ Group was organized in 1988 by Alejandro GrattanDominguez, a former Hollywood screenwriter, film director, author of seven novels, and Editor in Chief of Ojo del Lago. He and Victoria Schmidt, a columnist for the Ojo, keep the bi-weekly event moving along smoothly. Former members include award-winning British screenwriters and novelists whose work made the NY Times best-seller list. Writers of all genres and abilities sign up to read their work and receive feedback from the group. It’s a popular event, with over 50 in attendance each week, and everyone is welcome, writers or not. The group meets at La Nueva Posada on Writer Ron Knight and Moderator the first and third Fridays each month, 10 Ilsa Picazo o’clock in the morning until noon, with lunch and socializing afterward. MUJERES DEL LAGO A good lady named Paula Breitling last year saw that there were single women in the area who weren’t connected with the community. She wanted to help them to meet others and also to support local restaurants during the low season. Thus, Mujeres del Lago was born. She and former resident Andrea Holme started the group a year ago with the help of Sheryll Soderdahl, who maintained the email list, sent out invitations and reported how many women would be attending each luncheon. They started out with about eight people at the luncheons and attendance grew by word of mouth initially. Then Paula started a Mujeres del Lago Facebook Standing: Paula Breitling. From left: Andrea Holme and Sheryll page last fall to notify women about the luncheon and also to share information Soderdahl about the area. Paula says, “Now we typically have 60-100 people attending each luncheon even though we are in the low season.” For more information check their Facebook page or email Paula at pcbreitling@yahoo.com.

continued on page 34

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LOOKING FOR APPLAUSE? There’s plenty of it at Living Lightly on Thursday mornings at La Bodega. Former Weight Watcher lecturer and leader of this upbeat group is Barbara Philleo, a Certified Life Coach. Her focus is on weight management but also on “lightening up in all respects.” According to one member, the group is “wonderful for emotional support—it’s a great group of people.” She went on to confide, “You don’t even have to be dieting.” Living Lightly morphed out of a former Weight Watchers group a year ago. Discussion of losing weight is primary, as well as tips for healthy emotional and physical living. The morning starts with introductions, checking in, announcements, where to buy local good food products, group sharing and awards for achievements. Weight losses of over 50 pounds are not uncommon. Members get applause and Life Coach Barbara little stickers that remind us of how we felt when the teacher Philleo gave us gold stars. Barbara also sends out a weekly newsletter that supports achievements, includes news from snowbird members, and reminds everyone to “live lightly.” What a nice thing to do for yourself on a Thursday morning. The weigh-in starts at 10 and the meeting is at 10:30. Cost per class is 75 pesos. Email: www.barbscoaching.com NCA DOES IT AGAIN! Last month the scholastic year of many Los Niños de Chapala y Ajjic sponsored students ended with a graduation celebration. Highranking executives of the Jalisco State Secretariat of Education addressed the students and guests and presented Certificates of Recognition both to the graduating students and to their parents, in recognition of their perseverance and sacrifices. MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS The Heart of Awareness Community officially began four years ago. The “seeds were planted” in 2008, according to Janet Reichert, a long term meditator, who held meetings in her living room at that time. Now there are over 100 people on the mailing list and the Community has its own space at Guadalupe Victoria 101 in Ajijic. Weekly attendance varies from 20 to 40, depending on the season. Leader of the Community is Karin Miles. She’s been a student of Buddhism, meditation, and mindfulness for more than 30 years. Her journey began in 1985 when she and her husband David lived in Kathmandu for three years, studying and practicing at the Tibetan Buddhist monasteries. The sangha meets on Wednesday afternoons. A formal meditation period is followed by teachings and discussion. Heart of Awareness also sponsors a practice/study group and a mindful recovery group, which meet weekly. A lending library has several hundred titles as well as DVDs. The sangha also supports members in their planning for emergency/ illness/end of life preparedness, as well as matching volunteers with needs of members who are in need of assistance due to accident or illness. Other sponsored activities of the sangha are live stream retreats from the Omega Institute in New York, featuring Pema Chodron, the voice of Tibetan Buddhism in the West. There will be another retreat in October. For more information on the sangha or other sponsored activities, visit the website: www.heartofawareness. org or call Janet Reichert at (376) 766-6069. IN CASE YOU MISSED THAT PLAYBOY CENTERFOLD Our own Lakeside resident Rosemary Grayson was the first UK Centrefold (that’s how those Brits spell it) in Playboy Magazine in October 1964. She was also featured in a PBS NewsHour production that aired last month. A team came to Lake Chapala for

Rosemary Grayson

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

The Naked Stage Committee, left to right: Jim Lloyd, Barbara Clippinger, Liz White, Graham Miller, Collette Clavadetscher, Diana Rowland an upcoming look at “care in later years.” Producer Kathleen McLeery interviewed volunteer counselor and resident Rosemary for 45 minutes about the day to day “Contented Dementia” regime she exercises. The video shows Lakeside at its best. You almost want to move here! Check it out if you haven’t seen it: www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/foreign-retirees-flocking-mexico/ GROW YOUR OWN…. …vegetables, that is. The Ajijic Organic Vegetable Growers meet on the second Wednesday of the month at 10 at the gazebo at Tabarka Restaurant, Rio Zula #7. In July Ivan Lomeli from La Barca was their guest speaker. Ivan was a commercial organic farmer and still advises other growers on organic practices. He has his own line of organic fertilizers and pesticides. The next meeting will be on August 12. The speaker will probably be a horticulturist from Guadalajara, who will demonstrate testing of the PH levels of our soils. New members are welcome. They can contact John at mcwilliamsmx@gmail.com or by phone at 376-766-0620. There are two websites that gardeners will find very informative: growingyourgreens.com and smilinggardener.com/introduction/why-grow-a-garden GIVING WITH PLEASURE Naked Stage has just given the Cruz Roja a mid-season donation of 20,000 pesos. The company is now in its sixth season and has been giving any income not being used for expenses to the Cruz Roja on a yearly basis. This year the committee is delighted to announce that it’s in a position to give mid-year as well. Diana Rowland says, “We at The Naked Stage thank our wonderful and loyal audience for their support that makes this possible.” STRINGS, SAND AND SUNSET It’s already happened, but think about going to Zihuatanejo next year for a primo getaway. The Zihuatanejo International Guitar Festival is a world class show that happens every March on the beautiful Zihuatanejo Bay. Guitarists from all genres—rock, pop, jazz, blues, flamenco, Americana, classical, world fusion—and from all corners of the globe come together for a week of camaraderie and musical collaboration. The festival is an event that brings together first rate musicians and enthusiastic music lovers. It was founded in 2004, and has grown every year in prestige, talent and size. Try www.zihuafest.com for information about the 2016 festival. According to Google, a trip by car to Zihuatanejo takes six hours and 28 minutes, and, yes, stay on major roads and drive during the day. Michoacan and Guerrero have been hot spots but will be just fine when we intrepid expats want to go, of course. LET’S REMEMBER When we get tired of complaining about Mexican mañana, mosquitos and weekend traffic, let’s take a moment to remember how lucky we are to be living in a beauKayaker Doug Burnside Enjoying the tiful place like Lake Chapala.

Sunset

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JOHN FROST (1923-2015)

Artist And Photographer

rtist and photographer John Frost was born 21 May 1923 in Pasadena, California. John and his wife Joan Frost, an author, lived for more than forty years in Jocotepec, before returning to California in 2012. John is the son of John and Priscilla (Morgrage) Frost and grandson of the famous American illustrator A. B. Frost. John became interested in photography and the magic of the darkroom at age 14. He attended Midland School, a small boarding school near Los Olivos, California, and later earned a degree in Graphic Art following military service in the Pacific during WWII and then settled into artistic and commercial photography in the mid-1950s. John’s first solo exhibition, of mixed media pieces, in which drawings were photographed, enlarged and chemically treated to transform colors, was in Bobinart Gallary in Los Angeles in the early 1960s. This exhibition moved to Purdue University in 1966, shortly after Frost had relocated to Jocotepec with his wife. At Purdue, the opening of the exhibit was accompanied by a lecture about the “beat generation.” John Frost (then 41 years old) married Joan Van Every (35) on 26 September 1964 in San Bernadino, California. In 1966, the couple relocated to Mexico, living for a short time in Uruapan in Michoacán before establishing their permanent home and photographic studio in Jocotepec. In 1968, an exhibition of his silkscreens at La Galería in Guadalajara prior to the 1968 Olympics attracted the attention of TV broadcasters. Frost declined to give them permission to film his silkscreens since they asked him for $200 towards the production costs! For several years, John Frost fo-

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

cused on his paintings and silkscreens. He worked closely, and shared his silkscreen techniques, with several other Jocotepec-based artists, including (Don) Shaw, Georg Rauch and Ra Rysiek Ledwon. Starting in 1979, John Frost became the premier aerial photographer in western Mexico, amassing an impressive collection of images (now housed in the University of Colima), especially of the Lake Chapala region, the volcanoes of Colima and the rapidly developing mid-Pacific coast of Colima and Jalisco, including the area around Manzanillo. Once, when chatting with me, John Frost remarked that “I never quite met my family’s expectations”. If that is really true, then I can only conclude that his family’s expectations were utterly impossible to meet, since John’s superb photographs and silkscreens, as well as his quiet encouragement of many other artists and photographers, speak for themselves.

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BRIDGE BY THE LAKE %\ .HQ 0DVVRQ

When asked by newer players for tips on how to improve their games I often encourage them to watch experts whenever possible. This can be done either at clubs, tournaments or, more conveniently, on one of the web sites that are now allowing visitors to watch live bridge games, often at the highest levels. That doesn’t mean, however, that the top players are impervious to error as I saw when the North American Bridge Championships were held in New Orleans earlier this year and I watched some contests on BridgeBase Online. The most prestigious event at this 10-day long tournament is the Vanderbilt Knockout Teams which attracts leading players from around the world. Among the favorites to win this event was the team from Monaco which included one of the top 5 pairs on the planet, Tor Helness and Geir Helgemo, partners for more than 20 years. These two are originally from Norway but have relocated at the request of their wealthy sponsor who pays them handsomely to play in important bridge competitions worldwide. Their backer benefits by playing on the same team as the pros, which helps him to share in the glory when they do well. When I watched H&H they were playing a quarter final match when the illustrated hand popped up. Sitting South, Helness opened the bidding 1 spade and Helgemo, holding 11 red cards, decided to show his six-card suit first. With a minimum opening that was not improved greatly by his partner’s call, Helness decided to rebid 2 spades. Now Helgemo showed his heart suit which allowed Helness who held a (tenuous) club stopper to bid 3 no trump,

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

surely hoping that would end the auction but Helgemo wasn’t finished yet as he completed the description of his hand by rebidding hearts. This quite clearly painted a picture of 6 diamonds and 5 hearts and might have ended the auction but Helness had another arrow in his quiver and after a lengthy pause emerged with an unexpected 4 spades. Now it was Helgemo’s turn to go into the tank as he contemplated this latest development. What in the world was the meaning of this bid? Could it be a cue-bid in support of hearts with a possible interest in slam? Or was it more likely to be a solid spade suit with little outside and the best chance at making game? After what seemed like an eternity Helgemo indicated that he believed it was the latter by passing. Unfortunately for this pair and their team this contract had no hope and was quickly down 2. When the comparison was made with the play at the other table, where 4 hearts was made handily by the opposing team, Monaco had lost 13 International Match Points (IMPs) on this hand and ironically also lost the match by 13 IMPs. The commentators who were watching the action live in New Orleans mentioned that at the end of the hand the cards were put back into the board without a word of recrimination from either of the players and they went on with the match as though nothing untoward had happened. Showing true professionalism and restraint! Questions or comments: email: masson.ken@gmail. com Ken Masson

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SHAKESPEAREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SONNETS nraveled â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Mystery Unraveled %\ 0LFKDHO :DUUHQ

illiam Shakespeare peare e e (1564-1616) is fafa amous both ass a playwright and as a poet.. Between 1592 and 1594 he e composed 154 sonnets, which ch were sent to his youthful patron atron the Earl of Southampton â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they h y were he not intended for publication, and fact nd in fac acct they were only published much h later l te late la terr in 1609 after the death of Southamptonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amp mp pto tonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mother. These poems are very personall and very revealing of Shakespeareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inner life and emotions. In the movie Shakespeare in Love we see a randy poet pursuing and ending up in bed with a beautiful and well-born young woman, played by Gwyneth Paltrow. He dashes off a sonnet â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Shall I compare thee to a summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s day?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in between writing Romeo and Juliet and clambering up the ivy to his mistressâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bedroom. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a delightful fiction, because the early sonnets were certainly addressed to his patron Southampton who was a beautiful young man. Perhaps there was some flattery involved, but the expressions of love seem more than poetic. The Elizabethans were acutely conscious of the shortness of life, and it was not uncommon for the aristocracy to have affairs with both sexes. In 1593, Shakespeare was 29 and his patron Southampton was 20. So, was Shakespeare bisexual? Sonnet 20 says it all: A womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face with Natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own hand painted/ Hast thou, the mastermistress of my passion;/ A womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gentle heart, but not acquainted/ With shifting change, as is false womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fashion; And for a woman wert thou first created,/ Till Nature, as she wrought thee, fell a-doting,/ And by addition me of thee

defeated,/ adding de d efeated,/ By ad ddin one purpose th to my purp thing pose nothing;/ iin ng; g;// But But since sinc si ncee she sh he pricked p thee outt ffor womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; pleasure,/ Mine be th l /M thy love, and thy loveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s use their treasure. If Southampton were a woman, as Nature intended, Shakespeare could consummate his love. Unfortunately the Earl is a man, so let women enjoy him physically while the poetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love remains platonic. Perhaps it is hard for us today to understand the fuss and consternation these homoerotic phrases have caused. In 1640, an edition of the sonnets changed all the pronouns from masculine to feminine, and this remained the standard reading until 1780. At that time a commentator said â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is impossible to read this fulsome panegyric, addressed to a male object, without an equal mixture of disgust and indignation.â&#x20AC;? Others agreed with Samuel Taylor Coleridge (author of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and of Kubla Khan), that Shakespeareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love was pure and in his sonnets there is â&#x20AC;&#x153;not even an allusion to that very worst of all possible vices.â&#x20AC;? You can draw your own conclusions. Next, who was the Dark Lady, the object of Shakespeareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s desire and infatuation? Michael Warren

READER ADVISORY! Hamburger LV =RÂżD %DULVDVÂś IDOO RXW RI \RXU FKDLU IXQQ\ VWRU\ DERXW KHU HQFRXQWHU K\SRWKHWLFDO" ZLWK RQH RI /DNHVLGHÂśV WUDIÂżF FRSV 7KH article can be found at http://chapala. FRP HORMR LQGH[ SKS PLG PRQWK DUticles (DFK PLG PRQWK ZH RIIHU VXSHUE DUWLFOHV WKDW ZKLOH D ELW WRR ORQJ for our print version are perfect for RXU GLJLWDO IRUPDW &KHFN LW RXW

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

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

PRRQLH #\DKRR FRP

Defining Tepehua Centro Comunitario’s Mission

he Tepehua Community Center AC, started with the concern the children of Tepehua barrio were not getting anything nutritional to eat. Once-a- week hot meals for them was essentially the aim. We discovered, under the hostility of the mothers, a deep frustration at being powerless to change that which seemed to be their (and their children’s) destiny. Their hostility came from suspicion and distrust, not just of strangers, but of themselves. They needed an opportunity to experience all the basic human

rights, starting with education. Our Center’s by-laws state very clearly that we should not be involved with politics or religion. We are not there to install a ‘foreign religion’, nor to change a beautiful culture. We are looking for potential in the victims of poverty. Empowering women is a way to make the social and family structure stronger. The exclusion of women from the work force means losing 50% of the work power. Empowering women not only gives them education, self appreciation and knowledge of their rights, it

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

also gives them the right to choose what they can achieve and how many children to have according to their economic status. The Center believes in family planning, which prevents unwanted pregnancies and the need for abortions. I repeat...the need for abortions. We are there to save lives and help them to maintain a quality life. It also breaks the cycle of poverty as each family makes educated decisions. Smaller families are less of a burden on the woman, less frustration for the man and society in general. Regardless of what the individual volunteers or officers at the Center believe concerning abortion issues, or what we believe about the right of choice for everyone, we are there as teachers and to ensure their right to education, empowerment and fulfillment and to reach their potential. We make it perfectly clear that our Maternity Unit is not and never will be involved with abortions...but neither will we tell a woman it is not her right to choose. Empowering a woman to take responsibility for herself and at the same time taking away her power of personal choice does not make sense.

Women first fought for that right in the 1800’s, and today in the United States and all over the world they are still fighting for their rights in every field. Especially the right of choice. This is not the choice of politicians or Church. Many men agree with this and would like to see the burden of raising a family shared. The men in Tepehua would like to see their women in the work place...which of course is limited to them because of lack of education. Construction workers, gardeners, house maids and kitchen staff is all to which they can aspire. This can be changed with education and opportunity. The Center this year has given out diplomas for the women who have taken a course to become Auxiliary aids, Dental assistants, and an on-going course for Microbusiness. The baking class graduates sell their wares in the local market as does the sewing class. Over 400 children have been put in the school system, and many sent to Universities. The volunteers of Tepehua have the bragging rights, they have indeed helped a village to help itself, and will continue to do so, passing the legacy on to the generations that follow. It takes community effort and equality for all. Once our vision of a Maternity Unit is complete, in our wish to stop the high mortality rate of women and children in lakeside barrios, we will be able to determine the future financial status and budget. Then the vision will change - the aim will be to achieve sustainability in every program. There is now a trained local woman in every program who can take over when the time for change is presented. We are not sustainable yet, but we are getting closer. As with most nonprofit organizations, we will always need the fundraisers and sponsors.

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Anyone Can Train Their Dog %\ $UW +HVV artthedogguy@yahoo.com

Teaching the “NO” word

ost trainers today teach the positive reward based system where the “treat” is used as a “lure” to move the dog through an action or into a specific position, and upon achievement you “mark” the action with either a clicker or a marker word and then give the “reward.” This is by far the very best system for teaching the dog to do the standard sit, down, stay, etc. exercises. At some stage the dog also has to learn that there are things he shouldn’t do or is performing incorrectly so obviously he has to learn the meaning of the word “No”. Yes I realize there are those that say you should never use the “No” word but trust me I get calls every week to come and address the problems created when a dog never learns the meaning of the word No. The problem is many people think teaching the word “No” has to involve punishment when this is simply not necessary. The dog learns that when he does things properly he is rewarded. Conversely, when he does something unwanted, wrong, or incorrectly, the action is “marked “ with a word such as “Wrong”. Many people use “No” but the problem is you started using the “No” word the day you got the dog and in most cases it is no longer effective. I personally use “Oops” because to me

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

that is a pretty good description of an incorrect action. Here’s how you teach that the “Oops” word means that you have committed a no-no. Put your dog in a stay and place a treat about a foot in front of him. Every time he moves toward the treat you say “Oops” or “Wrong” and you pick up the treat and put him back in a stay. At the outset you will have to repeat this action quite a few times. Pretty soon you will see him stay for a longer and longer time and if you persist and proceed quietly he will stop moving toward the treat and you will be able to say “good dog” or “thank you” or use the clicker to “Mark” the fact that he did what you want and he now gets the treat. Remember the “marker”, verbal or clicker, is simply your way of telling the dog that he has done the right thing. Voila! You taught “No” without jerking, pulling, yelling, or any other type of punishment. You simply took away something the dog wanted until he figured out what to do in order to get what he wanted. There are other ways to use the “take something away that the dog wants” system that work equally well. The one we use early in the dog’s training is stopping the dog from jumping and lunging when you are feeding. You ask the dog to sit stay and you put his dish down and expect him to stay until you give him permission to go eat. If he moves toward the food before he is released you simply reach down say “Oops” and pick up his food and tell him to sit stay. It may take several repetitions but he will get the message that “no stay” results in “no breakfast”. You can use exactly the same method when the dog goes “wacko” when you get the leash to go for a walk. You tell him to sit and if he doesn’t you say “Oops” and you put the leash away and go sit down. Again you, “take away something the dog wants.” Hurray, you just taught the “No” word the thinking man’s way! Art Hess

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Inspiration and Transformation at Jaltepec 6XEPLWWHG E\ 7HUU\ DQG &DUROH %DNHU

t’s July and the Lake Chapala rainy season has arrived with a vengeance. The Jaltepec School of Hoteleria remains a hive of activity with studying, working, and final exams, in addition to experiencing the Cultural Week Course of fashion and elegance and preparing for the Pan American University Entrepreneurial Expo Competition. The special Cultural Week was titled ”Put Color to Your Natural Beauty” and consisted of personal counseling through education in self-esteem, fashion, elegance, and cultural sensitivity. The five day course enhanced the girls’ values as women and ended with a Runway Fashion Show on Sunday, June 28th. The girls learned the critical message that 80% of opinions of a person are made on the first meeting and the importance of personal dress and visual presentation. In the annual Entrepreneurial

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

Expo, the competition is based upon the merits of each presentation but most importantly, the student must be able to articulate how the project would be successful. Jaltepec excels in their students’ abilities to present plans that will become micro enterprises. This year, 10 students earned a scholarship to an online course called UNIEMPRENDE. The actual cost of this course is 9,000 pesos but will be free for these students. The first three ranking students will be provided with support and advice for their specific projects by the Business Incubation Department of the Pan Am University in Guadalajara. After this event the students were amazed with what they had achieved. They realized that they are able to accomplish great things and that some have real entrepreneurial qualities. They were able to explain their projects with passion and self-confidence. As a result of the hard work of the students and staff, 2015 will be another notable year of individual transformation and success.

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6FKPLGW %\ 9LFWRULD 6FKPLGW

ne day y recent-ly, I arrrived home after er spending a lovely ly afternoon aft af fternoon te n with friends to a te terrible rrible sur-prise. They changed ed d my email program. Well, nott just Evj mine. Ev veryones. They’ve b been ee en threatening to do o itt for weeks now with th a nasty little pop up in the corner telling me about their new look. What’s wrong with the old look? I liked the old look. A message comes across my computer screen and forces me to look at their changes. I look. I’m not thrilled, or even amused. The first thing I do is try to get rid of the ugly white background and those stupid yellow labels. What is this circle stuff? Why do I have to have a profile? If I wanted a friends list, I’ll use my Face Book account! I go to the account and change all the settings about posting and responding to posts. No. no. no. Why can’t my email, just be email; my phone a telephone, my computer a computer? I think: I’m getting older. This is proof. I am growing more and more resistant to change. One friend is disgusted with me because I do not have an iphone. OK, I don’t even like carrying a cell phone, but I do not want an iphone, or a “smart phone.” I keep telling people I’m too dumb to use a smart phone. And no, I don’t need an ipad either. What I really need is a button I can wear that says “iDon’t.” “Older people are resistant to change.” I’ve been told that my whole

life. lilife fe. Now I must be fe getting older, because ge g ett tti iDon’t iDon want to carry iD a d device that has a manual larger than m the th device itself, and an iDon’t want a phone-camera-interph ho net-access-calendar-gpsn et-aac with-999-apps device! w ith h-9 My nephew, Godson and tech wonder talked to me the other day. He has done away with his telephone completely. He does everything through his computer. “But I called you! I left a message on your voice mail.” I whined. “Right... I get the message on my email, and I call you back on my computer.” He explained. Frankly, iDon’t want to know! The longer I live in Mexico, the more I want life to be simple. I want a telephone I can answer and hold onto. All it has to be is a telephone. I have enough problems with the people who haven’t even learned to press “end” at the end of their conversation—essentially leaving the telephone off the hook. Remember the good old days when your call was disconnected when the handset hit the cradle? No, they had to improve it, and they took that simple device and complicated beyond most adult comprehension. I say this because any 10 year old can run any telephone. In this case, iDon’t want my phone to be a computer and vice-versa. I want my laptop to be that. On my lap. I want my desktop on my desk. iDon’t want anything else. Now I hear that they are coming up with an iWatch. I don’t know if it replaces a telephone, but as a senior citizen, why would I want to wear a gadget on my wrist that is so small to read! The use of these cell phones has increased beyond belief. Sitting in our doctor’s office yesterday, six people sat on the bench across from us. Five were on their cell phones. People take these things to meetings, lunches, dinners, parties, and to work. They use them when shopping, driving, and even while they are mixing with other friends. Emily Post is rolling in her grave. Yes. I am old.

Victoria Schmidt

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

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The Ojo Crossword

ACROSS 1 George Bernard 5 Car rental agency 9 Wrong 14 Hebrew 8th letter 15 Healthy color 16 Laud 17 Not out of 6KHOOÂżVK 19 African nation 20 First 22 Strange and secret doctrines 24 Attack 6XERUGLQDWH FKXUFK RIÂżFHU 27 Piece of paper 31 Weathered 32 Caustic substance 34 Environmental protection agency (abbr) 35 Nonsense 38 NeitherÂ´s partner 40 Musical 42 Vehicles 44 Sister for short 46 Tactic 47 Creep 48 Dental guard 50 Body movers 51 Winter hazard 52 Terror 55 Defunct football league 57 Shriveled 59 Moral 2IÂżFLDO 64 Chinese temple

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

66 Shiny balloon material 68 Cafes 71 Roman cloak 73 Teen disease 74 Cainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eldest son 75 Do what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re told 76 Allows 77 Gossipy 78 Hooter 79 Time periods DOWN 1 Liners 2 __ Matisse, painter 3 Storage area 4 Not who 5 Electric spark 6 Ring of Fire pieces 7 Jacobâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s father 8 Emblem 9 Chop down 10 Longitudinal 11 Experimental site 12 Foxy 13 Terminal abbr. 21 Flurry 23 Some 26 European sea eagle 28 Strange 29 Impersonating 30 Truths 31 Hold it there 33 Fairy 35 Principle 36 Liquid measurement 37 Control 39 Free of 41 Yowl 43 Winter sport 45 Wieners 49 Mountain Time 53 Microgram 54 Star Trekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s torpedo 56 Female (abr.) 58 Tales 60 Philippine dish with marinated chicken or pork 61 Stomache sore 'HYLOÂżVK 63 Iron )LUHSODFH DIWHU D ÂżUH 67 Harvardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rival 68 Fox hole 69 Vane direction 70 Down 72 Sailorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s yes

Something for Nothing %\ 5REHUW 5LFKWHU 3XEOLVKHU 'DUN 2DN 0\VWHU\ 6HULHV 3DSHU 86 .LQGOH 86 5HYLHZ %\ -LP 7LSWRQ

obert Richterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new novel is his third featuring Cotton Waters, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;not your ordinary roving gringoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Cotton is called Algo by his Mexican buddies, shortened from the Spanish word for Cotton, algodon. Algo in Spanish means â&#x20AC;&#x153;Something.â&#x20AC;? Although Cotton prefers â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;a little cantina small talk over a cold Dos Equis,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; serious circumstances farther up the Pacific Coast are sucking him in. His old buddy, self-taught archaeologist and relic hunter Gabby MacLean, has asked Cotton to leave his â&#x20AC;&#x153;unofficial Vallarta office,â&#x20AC;? which is â&#x20AC;&#x153;the far back booth of Juan Carlosâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Iguana Bar,â&#x20AC;? to come find him â&#x20AC;&#x153;in the river delta swamps of northern Nayarit to help deal with CortĂ¨sâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Treasureâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the real thingâ&#x20AC;Ś.â&#x20AC;? He and Gabriel MacLean had hit it off when they had first met â&#x20AC;&#x153;that long ago night on a Mexican beachâ&#x20AC;?. Gabe had mused, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cotton Watters, the kind of name that strikes one. About a year or so ago, it seems like someone of that name was involved in some rather violent intrigue against the U.S. governmentâ&#x20AC;Ś.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Probably some other Cotton Waters,â&#x20AC;? I said.â&#x20AC;? Gabe reassures Cotton, â&#x20AC;&#x153;A decent moral stance must at times be couched in socially unacceptable behavior to be effective.â&#x20AC;? Cotton, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Algo,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; is determined to find this fascinating old man and Something for Nothing chronicles his search, about a week long; but early on he is given cause to reflect on his situation: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something conducive to selfrevelation, standing naked in a backcountry Mexican midnight village street, thinking that you have one chance, one place to go for any acceptance or safety, and that place is a pulque den and billiard bar in the shabbiest stuccoed corner of a podunk island town in a flooding Mexican riverâ&#x20AC;Ś.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; In â&#x20AC;&#x153;San Blas, the seamiest, seediest port town on Mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s west coast,â&#x20AC;? Cotton gets a room at the Buccanero, which he shared with â&#x20AC;&#x153;two geckos and a Jurassic cockroach.â&#x20AC;? The â&#x20AC;&#x153;screen in the lower left corner of the window was pulled out so a thief would have to be armless not to be able to reach inside my room and unlock the door from the inside.â&#x20AC;? Robert Richter is a master of raw and fresh description, frequently done with sardonic humor; but he is also capable of

lyrical passages that capture evanescent beauty. As Cotton headed north that first evening, â&#x20AC;&#x153;the Nayarit Pacific was molten goldâ&#x20AC;Śthe surf a pearl necklace against the pulsing breast of the coast.â&#x20AC;? In San Blas he encounters, in addition to narco-traficantes, â&#x20AC;&#x153;A small coven of foreign travelers,â&#x20AC;? including a young and inexperienced touristâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;his â&#x20AC;&#x153;first time anywhereâ&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;&#x201D;that Cotton pulls off the street and into the action: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Marvin in Panama hat and squeaky new sandals, a fox on the pocket of his yellow polo shirt, a calculator tucked behind it.â&#x20AC;? Marvin Mason, naĂŻve but of a noble spirit, is a character we come to root for. Two characters we do not root for are upper class urbanites, the beautiful Mexican couple who â&#x20AC;&#x153;despised Americans and would never deal with one except to take his moneyâ&#x20AC;? and who felt that because they were born into the Mexican elite that gave them â&#x20AC;&#x153;the inherent right to buy, steal and sell their countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cultural and historical treasureâ&#x20AC;Ś.â&#x20AC;? Cotton tells the Mexican woman with the â&#x20AC;&#x153;fine green eyesâ&#x20AC;? that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re more gringa than a Barbie doll, honey.â&#x20AC;? Throughout Something for Nothing, Richter reveals his disdain for the upper classes and his sympathy for their victims. Much of his work is inspired by his 40-year love affair with Mexico. He has written three Cotton Waters mysteries (all available on Kindle): Something in Vallarta (1991), Something Like a Dream (2014), this latest, Something for Nothing (2015), all set on Mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s western Riviera. Richter has also written two non-fiction books about Mexico: Search for the Camino Real: A History of San Blas and the Road to Get There (2011) and CuautĂŠmoc CĂĄrdenas and the Roots of Mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New Democracy (2000). Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve gotten hooked on Robert Richterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s character Cotton â&#x20AC;&#x153;Algoâ&#x20AC;? Waters and his adventures in western Mexico.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;People Helping Peopleâ&#x20AC;?

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News

www.lakechapalasociety.com

From the Director Desk There is a lot of energy in the air. Besides seeing a lot of new faces the LCS grounds are humming with activity. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve just finished another INAPAM discount card distribution, over 230 cards! The Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Summer Art Camp just filled the grounds of the Neill James campus, and the first summer Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Theatre Camp, done in partnership with the Lakeside Little Theater,Â was held in the Wilkes Education Center. The July Music Fest was a real success and we look forward to the LCS 60th Anniversary event on November 7, so be prepared! With the help of LCS board member Yoly Martinez, I recently met with the new director of the local traffic police. I know we

Left to right: Executive Director Terry Vidal, 'LUHFWRU RI WKH 7UDIĂ&#x20AC;F 3ROLFH (GXDUGR 0LUDQGD 0RUHQR DQG <RO\ 0DUWLQH]

are all concerned about harassment forÂ mordidasÂ (bribes), and he reassures me that Vialidad ( the traffic police) is trying to remedy the situation, but he needs your help. If you are stopped for committing a traffic violation donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t offer a bribe! I repeat, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t offer a bribe. If you use your seat belt, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t operate your cell phone while driving and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t run red lights, the chances are you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be stopped. I just learned that the traffic police are now being given video cameras as part of their standard equipment and there is a good possibility that the incident is being recorded. Just accept (ask for) the ticket (multaÂ or fine). The fine is less than theÂ mordida, and if paid within 10 days, a 50% discount will be applied.Â If you truly believe you are being harassed, the officer wears a tag with his name and number. The vehicle also has a number, make note of them and come to the LCS office to fill out a complaint form. I will personally evaluate the situation and take the complaint directly to him for remedy. LCS has also offered to create a specialized English class for Vialidad staff. We hope they take us up on this opportunity. The more cooperation we can create with authorities, the better our

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

August 2015

relationships will be. Building trust between communities is a key to a better community, which is what LCS is all about. Driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s licenses will hopefully be available in Chapala again at the end of September. In the meantime, if a volunteer wants to step forward, we can arrange for groups of 15 or so to go to Guadalajara directly and receive VIP treatment in getting a new or renewed license. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve also seen a few of the familiar faces pass away and this is very sad. I cannot stress enough the importance of the LCS Post Life Emergency Registry program especially for people living here on their own. Â Soon LCS will be partnering with Guardian Angel, who will help support this important program through their own promotion of personalized data cards for your safety and care. We wish Just Chillinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; luck and success. To provide the highest quality service at their restaurant, they asked to terminate the contract at the LCS cafĂŠ because running both places was just too much to handle. We thank them for the smiles they gave our members for the time they were here. Finally, thank you so much to the anonymous donors who have helped LCS acquire a property juxtaposed to the Neill James property. It will make a huge difference in both the short and long term relevance of LCS. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very excited about the potential it offers and the work that the Campus Committee is doing to re-engineer the campus for present and future generations. -- Terry Vidal, Executive Director

Membership Needs Your Help Remember 2016 is the year new LCS membership expiration dates will go into effect. Memberships will be based according to your birthday. You can help us facilitate the renewal process by providing information we need ahead of time. If you plan on renewing on-line you can ignore this announcement. Please e-mail Operations Manager Adela Alcaraz at administracion@lakechapalasociety.com with your name, birth date, member number, and any changes youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be making when you renew. Your timely response will help us improve our services during this transition.

Save the Date! Health Days Return LCSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; popular Health Days will be back on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 23 and 24. Immunizations will be offered for influenza, pneumonia (five year), pneumonia (lifetime), shingles, and hepatitis A and B. Also available will be blood pressure and diabetes screenings, medication consultations, a presentation on shingles, and Memory Minderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s presentation entitled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dementia Supportâ&#x20AC;?.

We Need You!

Thursday Film Aficionados

Contact or visit the Service Office for these volunteer opportunities: The Garden needs volunteers to help maintain our gardens. The Information Desk has an opening on Fridays. Familiar with directions and locations here at Lakeside? Volunteers must be friendly, helpful and able to work a fourhour shift. Bi-lingual volunteers especially are welcome, The Information Technology Department is looking for full-time resident volunteers who have experience building computers, installing software, and working with networks including overall troubleshooting. This position involves climbing stairs several times a day. We are also looking for software designers and developers. Contact the IT manager directly at lcsitmgr@gmail.com. The Library is looking for someone in reasonably good physical condition who can lift and bend, is familiar with computers, and can sort materials alphabetically. This position requires four-hour shifts. 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. The Service Desk has openings for substitute volunteers. You need a friendly, outgoing personality plus the ability to operate under occasional pressure. The job involves operating a computer-based point-of-sale system, (we’ll train you) and the ability to make change, etc. You’ll work four-hour shifts. This may become a permanent oneday a-week position. The 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 who is good with your hands, this may be for you.

Open to LCS members only. Bring your card. All films shown in the Sala from 2-4 p.m. No food. No pets.

Introduction to Spanish Classes LCS continues this program with the August round of Beginner’s Spanish language classes for members starting Tuesday, August 11 and continuing every Tuesday of the month from 12 to 1:30 p.m. Subsequent classes will be held on August 18 and 25 here on the LCS campus. This casual class for novices covers the alphabet, simple vocabulary, phrases you can use about town, and useful information about Lakeside and Mexican culture. Cost is $175 pesos and sign up with member number is required. Beginner’s iPad Classes Beginner’s iPad classes will resume Thursday, August 27. Pre-registration is required. For more information and to register, e-mail lcsipadclasses@gmail.com with your LCS membership number. Please note: The LCS service desk cannot register you, nor can you register by phone. See the Activities page on the website for details.

August 6 Last Days in Vietnam 12 noon USA 2014 During the chaotic final weeks of the war, the North Vietnamese army closes in on Saigon. The Americans face a moral quandary-follow orders to evacuate US citizens only or risk treason and save as many lives as they can. August 13 Grand Seduction 12:30 Canada 2014 To survive, a dying Newfoundland fishing village must convince a young doctor to take up residence by using whatever means necessary. August 20 Facing Windows 2:00 Italy 2003 Although her marriage is on the rocks, Giovanna cares for a Holocaust survivor her husband brings home. August 27 2:00 Timbuktu Mauritania 2014 A cattle herder and his family residing in the dunes near Timbuktu find their quiet lives disturbed by jihadists determined to control their fate. Academy Award nominee. Please note the time changes indicated.

Mexican Will Lecture 1 - 3 PM, Friday August 21 September has been known as “The Month of the Will” due to a long standing Federal Government program to foster the making of wills at a reduced rate. Notaries in the State of Jalisco are part of this program. In order to clarify some of the possible questions and concerns of the expat community, LCS is hosting the talk “Do I need a Mexican will?” presented by Luis Enrique Ramos Bustillos, Notary Public #2. He specializes in: Real Estate, Estate Planning and Mediation. He will talk about the basic elements that you need to understand about creating a will in Mexico, addressing frequently asked questions concerning: Executors and their characteristics Taxes and fees for probating a will How to make a balanced and easy to execute will How to protect spouse´s rights vs children´s rights Concerns about pets Bequests to charities, employees or third parties If a will made abroad is valid in Mexico People with assets in Mexico especially those owning real estate in Mexico and not having a will or having doubts about the way they have made their will are strongly encouraged to attend. Not having a will when you need it could cause a tremendous headache for possible heirs as intestate processes may be long and expensive, while probating a will is faster, less expensive and will save stress to possible beneficiaries. Sign up required. Sign up in the office. Limited to 45 participants, LCS members will have preference.

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August Activities

9LGHR /LEUDU\ $GGLWLRQV $XJXVW The items listed below are some of the August movie additions. Please see the LCS web page or the display boards at the Video Library for other films.

*Open to the Public ** US Citizens (S) Sign in required (C) Membership card required CRUZ ROJA * CRIV (Cruz Roja) Sales Table Tues+Wed+Fri 11-1 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 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 Aug 12+26 10-2 Claravision Optometrist (S) Thur 9-4 Pharmaceutical Consultation 4th Mon 10-12 Skin Cancer Screening (S) 2nd + 4th Wed 10-12 :30 US Consulate** Wed Aug 5 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 Hatha Yoga Tues+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 Beginner’s iPad Thurs 10-12 begins Aug 27 Bridge 4 Fun Tue + Thur 1-5 Conversaciones en Espanol Contact Karl Homan 766-3766 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 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* Scrabble Mon+Fri 12-1:50 TED Learning Seminars Tues 12-1:30 Tournament Scrabble Tues 12-1:50 SERVICE & SUPPORT GROUPS * Have Hammer Workshop Demo 1st 3rd Mon 10-12* Information Desk Mon-Sat 10-1 Lakeside AA Mon +Thur 4:30-5:30 Ninos de Chapala y Ajijic Fri 10-12 Open Circle Sun 10-12:30 Toastmasters Mon 7-8:30 p.m TICKET SALES Monday-Friday 10-12 *

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

Before Sunrise #6984 Drama with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy Before Sunset #6985 Sequel to Before Sunrise Legends of the Fall #6977 Drama with Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins Falling Down #6974 Crime/Drama with Michael Douglas and Robert Duvall Nobody’s Fool #6988 Comedy Paul Newman and Bruce Willis Vision #6993 Foreign Biography/Drama Barbara Sukowa German w/English subtitles Summer of 42 #6994 Comedy with Jennifer O’Neill and Gary Grimes The Game #6973 Drama with Michael Douglas and Deborah Kara Unger Chinese Puzzle #6998 Foreign Comedy with Audrey Tautou and Romain Duris Bleak House #7000-7002 BBC Miniseries 8.6 on a scale of 10 Mr. Selfridge #6978-6980 Year 3 Call the Midwife #6971-6983 Year 4 Two Jack Lemmon comedies Avanti #6996 and Irma la Douce #6997 See the LCS web page for other new additions. The video library can transfer your VHS tapes to DVDs for 50 pesos per tape – that’s cheap.

Please note: Conversaciones en Espanol will resume its regularly scheduled sessions at LCS on September 7. During the summer, informal classes for permanent residents will be held on the plaza every Monday morning at 10 a.m. Call Karl Homan at 766 3766 for more information. Costco returns Tuesday and Wednesday, August 4 and 5.

In the Service Office The Warren Hardy Spanish textbooks for registered class members are available in the Service Office. Muchneeded donations to the kitty fund for the care and feeding of our feline friends may be made in the Service Office, too.

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.

TED-based LCS Learning Seminars Return

LCS Singles having fun at the Real de Chapala

Black Swan with Diamonds at the Music Fest

Introduction to Spanish Classes The Introduction to Spanish classes for LCS members is a casual class offered for the beginner covering the Spanish alphabet, simple vocabulary, phrases to use about town for shopping, and other useful information about our area and Mexican culture. Classes are held monthly starting the first Tuesday of the month and continuing for three weeks. Classes start on Tuesday, August 11 at the LCS campus from 12:00 until 1:30 p.m. Tuition is $175 including materials. Sign up in the LCS Service Office during regular office hours, Monday through Saturday, or do it the quick and easy way on the LCS website www.lakechapalasociety. com. For more information call 766-1140.

Registration for English Classes Registration for students age 15 and older interested in studying English will be held at Wilkes Biblioteca from August 17 to 20 between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuition is $350 pesos including the cost of the textbook. This year we will also be offering an English class designed for restaurant workers. Need more information about classes or interested in teaching or substituting? Contact: Inezme@gmail.com.

This August, we are running pilot program of four TED-based seminars chaired by Fred Harland in the Sala on Tuesdays from 12 to 1:30 p.m. . The August 4 seminar features J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, speaking about The Fringe Benefits of Failure. In this 2008 Harvard commencement address Rowling offers some powerful, heartening advice to dreamers and overachievers, including one hard-won lesson that she deems “worth more than any qualification I ever earned” August 11 Monica Lewinsky discusses “The Price of Shame”. In her words, "Public shaming as a blood sport has to stop." In 1998, she lost her personal reputation on a global scale almost instantaneously. Today, online public shaming has become constant — and can turn deadly. In this brave talk, she takes a hard look at our online culture of humiliation, and asks for a different way. On August 18 psychologist Guy Winch asks “Why We All Need to Practice Emotional First Aid”. We'll go to the doctor when we feel sick or have a nagging pain. So why don’t we see a health professional when we feel emotional pain: guilt, loss, loneliness? Too many of us deal with common psychological-health issues on our own, says Guy Winch, but we don’t have to. He makes a compelling case to practice emotional hygiene — taking care of our emotions, our minds, with the same diligence we take care of our bodies. On August 25, Anand Giridharadas: presents “A Tale of Two Americas and the Mini-mart Where They Collide”. Ten days after 9/11, a shocking attack at a Texas mini-mart shattered the lives of two men: the victim and the attacker. In this stunning talk, Anand Giridharadas, author of "The True American," tells the story of what happened next. It's a parable of two paths an American life can take, and a powerful call for reconciliation.

Bus Trips for August Wednesday, August 5 New bus trip to Home Depot and an outlet mall featuring brand-name clothing, sportswear, shoes and accessories from major retailers like Zara and Skechers. Thursday, August 20 Our regular trip to Galerias Mall. Shop major retailers like Liverpool, Best Buy, H & M, Sears and nearby Super Walmart, Costco and restaurants like P.F. Chang, Chili’s and Applebee’s and Outback Steakhouse. Buy your tickets at the LCS Service Office at $250 pesos for members and $300 pesos for non-members. Remember: no refunds or exchanges.

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.

Saw you in the Ojo 55

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

¡SI SE PUEDE! (“YES, WE CAN!”) Nubia Ayala Vasquez Great article! People that have not worked in fields, dairy farms, etc. believe or assume that those kinds of jobs are easy and not dangerous. Never in my mind did I think my husband Randy Vasquez would not return the next morning. I also thought he was safe at work but boy was I wrong. Any kind of farm work is very dangerous. Some people just don’t take the time to really see what’s going on. A BALLOON IN CACTUS - July 2010 Claudia Well, I would like to know if you can make jokes about the pronunciation of a Mexican person in English, you could be able to learn Spanish as well. Not everything is about pronunciation. You guys can´t speak a good Spanish, but we don´t laugh at you. I agree the most difficult part of English is the pronunciation, but in Spanish are the verbs and pronouns. Are just

different languages as you said. SHANGHAI—Loved and Lost Elizabeth Ewen An excellent book! This family saga brought Shanghai to life from its heyday to its decline, and gave a perspective to the political history while recounting the fascinating adventures Eric and Sam Colterjohn. I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend “Shanghai Loved and Lost”. Lakeside Living - October 2010 Jack Webster Hi. I am trying to track down a classmate of mine from the 1976 graduating class from University of BC’s Law Faculty, Susan Bruhaug. I see she is prominent on this web page. I am one of the organizers of a 40th anniversary celebration of our graduation and I was hoping that someone might know Susan’s email or contact particulars so that I could send her an invitation to the event which is in June 2016. Many thanks.

El Ojo del Lago / August 2015

Saw you in the Ojo 57

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