El Ojo del Lago by El Ojo del Lago

Saw you in the Ojo

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

Saw you in the Ojo

Richard Tingen

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alejandro Grattan-Domínguez Tel: (01376) 765 3676, 765 2877 Fax: (01376) 765 3528 Associate Publisher David Tingen Graphic Design Roberto C. Rojas Jazmin Eliosa Special Events Editor Kay Davis Associate Editor Jim Tipton Contributing Editors Paul Jackson Henri Loridans Feature Editor Jim Tuck (Honorary) Staff Photographer Xill Fessenden Staff Writers Mildred Boyd Ilse Hoffmann Floyd Dalton Sales Manager Tania Medina (045) 33 1140 3570 tania.medina@mac.com Office Secretary Iliana Oregel ADVERTISING OFFICE Av. Hidalgo # 223, Chapala Mon. thru Fri. 9am - 5pm Sat. 9am - 1pm Tel. 01 (376) 765 2877, 765 3676 Fax 01 (376) 765 3528 Send all correspondence, subscriptions or advertising to: El Ojo del Lago http://www.chapala.com ojodellago@prodigy.net.mx Ave. Hidalgo 223 (or Apartado 279), 45900 Chapala, Jalisco Tels.: (376) 765 3676, Fax 765 3528 PRINTING: Quadrimag S.A. de C.V. El Ojo del Lago aparece los primeros cinco días de cada mes. (Out over the first five days of each month) Certificado de Licitud de Título 3693 Certificado de Licitud de Contenido 3117.

FEATURE ARTICLES

Beatriz Garcia writes about the fascinating history of the construction of the first national highway ever built in the Lakeside area. It was a monumental undertaking that many Mexicans remember with great pride.

8 Cover by Dani Newcomb

22 THE ANIMAL KINGDOM Announcing a new column wherein stories will be solicited from our readers which have to do with animals.

24 TRAVEL The irrepressible Gail Nott writes the type of travel advice not usually found in many books on the subject.

30 ANTHROPOLOGY (sort of) Tom Halley measures the often-held premise that beautiful people are also more intelligent. For those who fall into the former category, keep your fingers crossed that Tom makes a convincing case.

35 ECOLOGY Karuna has a poem to share with our readers which is in commemoration of World Water Day, an event that will draw 85 experts to our fair region.

40 MEMORIAL Our middle two pages, which usually carry our Magnificent Mexico column by Mildred Boyd, will instead carry a tribute to the late author of the column, who was pretty magnificent herself.

65 NOSTALGIA Ruth Merrimer, who for many years wrote our Lakeside Living column and now resides in Palm Springs, California, writes about the “good old days” when she first came here way back in 1966.

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

COVER STORY

PUBLISHER

Index...

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

COLUMNS THIS MONTH 6 Editor’s Page 7 Op-Ed 10 Bridge by Lake 12 Uncommon Sense 16 Thunder on Right 18 Wondrous Wildlife 20 Faith and Fables 22 Tilly/Tommy Report 26 Welcome to Mexico 34 World of Wine 38 Lakeside Living 53 Feathered Friends 54 New Lease on Life 56 Hearts at Work 58 Joyful Musings 60 Child of Month 67 Ask Carolyn 69 Planting for Future 70 Front Row Center 71 Notes from Nestipac 72 This World of Ours 74 LCS Newsletter

LAKESIDE LIVING

 D IRE C TOR Y 

38 MAGNIFICENT MEXICO

VOLUME 26 NUMBER 7

Saw you in the Ojo

Guest Editorial by M.A. Porter A Challenge To Think

“I

said hey Señorita, that’s astute. Why don’t we get together and call ourselves an institute.” -- Paul Simon So here we all are, living la vida loca in Mexico, while up north the USA has a huge national debt and our annual budget runs bloodier each year. Both conditions have been caused by disastrous administrations of the past and both sides of the aisle can appropriately be blamed. If we continue, we will not be able to educate our young nor will we pay for Social Security, maintain infrastructure and strengthen national security. We will be gnawing at the bones of our dead ideals. Although I believe that Mr. Obama is in all probability miscast as our nation’s president, he is the President and was duly and legally voted into office. Things in the USA have gotten more negatively different since his election – and I don’t think even the zealots on either side disagree with that appraisal; they just cite opposite, self-serving rationalizations and responsibilities to the decline in civility, consensus formation, effectiveness and honesty. It is disheartening to witness the constant negativity and attempts to tear apart every move that Obama tries to make. These negative actions come chiefly from Republican politicians, and their minions in the media, for political reasons rather than any real belief that another ‘way’ would establish a platform from which we might repair our nation’s finances, not to mention the outrageous hypocrisy given their blinders over the past 10 years. Even the Democrats fail here – re: Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid and their quasi-shadow government – and then there are the liberal media ‘heads’ constantly struggling to be ‘right’ and out-liberal each other rather than offer meaningful critiques on the president’s actions. Surely, Obama’s key detractors are the same people who upheld the policies of prior administrations, those which either saw them digging a larger financial hole, or saw them ignoring all regulatory provisions that had been on the books for gen-

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

erations, or those that initiated a never-ending invoice for un-winnable wars. But I hear nothing – nothing! – from said detractors as to how we might have done better in the past, nor how we might right the course now. Sadly, these detractors are now the high priests who have set the mantra for the citizens of the USA, and the politically interested willingly chant along in perfect meter, and the uninterested just plod along behind the cutest one. So, I ask all the bright minds who now call Mexico home – though we may rightly disagree with the plans of the Obama administration, at the same time do we have better ideas? If not, then why participate, and negatively meditate ourselves into a partisan frenzy, in the smear campaigns if we are not, in all our intelligent considerations, able to offer another answer, and an answer that isn’t simply, “Oh, God, Pundit X says we should run for our lives! If you were the president, what would you be doing right now, or perhaps over the next three years, to solve the current debt and deficit crises of the USA? What would you do, yourself, given the body of information you have at-hand? Be specific. I’d love to hear your thoughts, detailed in writing, on a more positive approach Email them to emayporter@hotmail.com. I’ll follow up on the best ideas. Who knows? Perhaps from the 30,000 foot view we have down here in Mexico, we can solve the problems of the USA. Hey! Maybe we can call ourselves an institute!

By Maggie Van Ostrand

The Naked Oscar

he Oscars will be telecast March 7th, and I wonder if anyone will finally be the first to walk the red carpet naked instead of just being naked on film. That way, they won’t have to stop and talk about who designed their clothes. And it would be much more interesting. Naked is in. “It was just fast and furious,” said Marisa Tomei, of the prettymuch-in-your-face naked cavorting scene in last year’s The Wrestler. “… there was no room for being shy…” Tomei told the L.A.Times in an interview about her Supporting Actress nominated role. And she’s not the only nominee who went to the flesh academy. If Kate Winslet had lost again last year, she would have tied with Thelma Ritter and Deborah Kerr for Oscar’s losingest nominee. Instead, she played the skin game, too, and got Best Actress for her role in The Reader. “It wasn’t calculated! I swear! You must believe me!” said Kate to Gold Derby regarding her hot babe photo shoot for Vanity Fair. She knows what fanboys want. Actors who’ve won Oscars for films in which they’ve done the Monty aren’t as few as you’d think. Charlize Theron did a mean shower scene as man killer Ailene Wuornos in Monster, and had the guts to let the necessary 30-pound weight gain all hang out. Halle Berry humped Billy Bob Thornton’s brains out in Monster’s Ball showing more skin than a thousand footballs. Rachel Weisz, was half in bath suds and half not in suds for her role in The Constant Gardener, wearing only a fake baby belly (though she had a real baby belly when she received the Oscar). As Bree Daniels, a New York hooker in Klute, Jane Fonda won Best Actress when she went topless with Kiefer Sutherland’s father. She did it again in Coming Home with Angelina Jolie’s father, and was nominated for Best Actress. They said she had a breast double, but I think it was a misprint; they meant she had double breasts. Hillary Swank exposed her upper

half in Boys Don’t Cry, for which she received Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of a trans-gender man. But real men have exposed themselves in movies (no, not like PeeWee Herman) and received Oscars. Geoffrey Rush got Best Actor when he hung out in Shine, playing real-life pianist David Helfgott who did a long stint in the Rubber Ramada. But it was only a half monty that won him the Oscar. For a full monty, he was only nominated, when he played the Marquis de Sade in Quills. Kevin Spacey took a shower in American Beauty and won Best Actor. His monty might’ve been lower than the camera shot, but calling him a tightass wouldn’t be an exaggeration. Naked Oscar Trivia: One of the most interesting and little-known incidents in the history of the Academy Awards is Oscar’s connection to a star of the 30s and 40s, Dolores del Rio (the only woman Marlene Dietrich ever said was more beautiful than she was). Multi-Oscar-winning designer, Cedric Gibbons, was married to del Rio and, when the Academy assigned him to design their new statuette, she suggested Mexican actor Emilio (“El Indio”) Fernández as the model. Gibbons agreed that Fernández would indeed be perfect and had him pose for the nude Oscar statuette so zealously sought.

Saw you in the Ojo

THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY* By Beatriz E. Garcia

t was not built in one or two days. It lasted years, somewhere between thirty and forty years. They worked ten hours daily, Monday through Friday. They left in the morning and came back in the evening. The work was with pick and shovel; and since there were no wheelbarrows, baskets on the backs of the workers were used to cart the debris. They called them harvest baskets. Some would dig, some would load the baskets, and others would carry. If the terrain was high, it was left so; and in order for the highway to be level, dirt had to be carried from another area in order to maintain a level surface. People came from many areas to work on the road, but the first workers were from here; my brothers were among them, for the pay was good. The road was of compacted dirt for a long time, and much later it was paved because it was the first national highway. In those days if one wanted to go from Tuxcueca to Chapala, one took a steamboat to cross the lake. Several times we were unfortunate enough to encounter strong winds, and we thought of nothing but dying, for the waves were huge and soaked us. The steamboat rocked from side to side, went under the waves and came back up again. With the highway we no longer feared death by drowning. I remember going to Guadalajara in a small bus, the Red Arrow. It took all day to get there. In the rainy season the tires of the bus made canals which appeared in the highway.

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

We bounced and bounced on the dirt road, but what other choice did we have? People were satisfied with the service, because they could leave at seven in the morning and return at eight or nine in the evening with the same bus. The fare was less than one peso. Before the bus, nothing passed by our town, only a few mules and wagons. Those who owned horses or donkeys went to Tizapan to bring back what they needed. White drawstring pants, white shirt, sombrero and sandals. The people in charge of the highway demanded, yes, demanded, that those who went to Guadalajara wore proper trousers. If not, they were put in jail. I remember that my father carried his dress trousers over his shoulder, and put them on only when he had arrived in Guadalajara. He was not accustomed to wearing trousers, and putting them on over his drawstring pants made it even more uncomfortable. The trousers were store-bought, for none of us knew how to make them; they had no label and were available only in blue or green. There were many large dugout canoes transporting grain, firewood, dairy products - milk, cheese, sugarcane, sugar made from molasses, salt (all of this was brought by

mule and wagon from Colima); and all of these products were shipped to Ocotlan. The canoes sailed only on weekends, leaving Tuxcueca on Saturday and returning on Monday. There were powered by sail. There were no motors at that time. With the new highway all of this ended. Tuxcueca was finished as a port, and San Luis Soyatlan became the new commercial center. There, after the curve, was a footpath known as “los terrenitos” (the small properties). It was a flat path, and up there was a ranch called Las Coronas (The Crowns) - I don’t believe anyone lives there anymore. There, men waited to rob and kill others, especially the merchants who came from Sahuayo. They were salesmen on horseback; selling shoes, shawls, sandals, sombreros… they brought many goods to us. Then, the government gave out rifles in order to protect the trails. Acordada, they were called, which loosely meant “men with arms to keep order.” The acordada roamed the area armed, and of course, used their weapons to create more problems: rob and kill the same merchants, only now with firearms. Those who had businesses and were required to leave early in the morning or return late in the evening were afraid of that place. Those who feared the most were the merchants who returned to Tuxcueca with money. The women were never robbed because they never went to Tizapan alone; they always went with a father, brother, or husband. For this reason alone the women were not assaulted. All that was transported in canoe is now transported in trucks. There were no trucks or cars here until men began to leave and work in the United States, later returning with enough money to buy a vehicle. Before that time, there were none. Few cars were seen, most of the traffic consisted of rented trailer

trucks - transport service. The trucks came from as far away as Zamora to transport merchandise to Guadalajara. Later, they made the same trip in reverse. First were the passenger buses, and then later the trucks to transport merchandise. With this, the lucrative business of killing and robbing finally stopped. Those who worked on the highway used their money to buy clothing. The women purchased factorymade dresses for the first time, and those who could sew purchased fabrics. Likewise, those whose homes were constructed of abode and straw bought clay roof tiles. The people were happy to work, because prior to the highway, we worked only at that which we always knew: the fields, the cows, and fishing. That was all that existed. When the work on the highway came to us, many people changed jobs because they knew that every fifteen days they would receive cash. The people were happy. (*) This passage is the result of a conversation with the Maestra Hilaria Origel in October of 2008. While corrections were made in order to present a more fluid reading, the remembrances of the Maestra regarding the theme have been respected and left as intact as possible.

Saw you in the Ojo

BRIDGE BY THE LAKE By Ken Masson

he Ajijic Valentine Tournament this year was once again a great success and even set an attendance record. Played over 4 days in the Real de Chapala Hotel, the event attracted players from as far away as the US and Canada, as well as a very strong contingent from Mexico City and the majority of the local duplicate aficionados. The format for the first three days was pairs, culminating as always in the Sunday Swiss Teams of four for which 32 teams entered. The team format is a particularly exciting version of bridge, though one that is played less frequently than its matchpoint duplicate sibling. One pair from each team sits North-South at one table while their team-mates sit East-West at the other. A match of eight hands was played and then comparisons made to see how each team had fared. Six matches were played throughout the course of the day with the overall winners being the team that accumulated the best results over the long haul. This year, the team consisting of Thomas Henson, Jane Payette, Mona Ninnes and Lenore Woods started strongly and quickly jumped to the top of the charts. They continued to play at a high level and soundly won each of the first five rounds, and had an almost unsurmountable lead going into the final round. Herself and myself, together with our team-mates John Fraser and Elsie Johnson, were also having a decent day at the table and found ourselves in second place with one round to go. However, it was our misfortune to face the Henson juggernaut in the ultimate round and we fared no better than the first five teams they played.

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

Indeed, we would have had to virtually “blitz” the opposition to come out on top and that just wasn’t in the cards that day. The illustrated hand was one where the Henson squad plain outbid us and showed that they were well worth their win. Sitting South, Tom Henson opened the bidding 1 Heart, West passed and Jane Payette bid 3 Clubs, the Bergen Convention showing a “constructive” raise, about 6 to 9 high card points and a four card or longer Heart suit. South felt his hand had improved with this information and promptly jumped to game. With the favorable location of the heart honors in West and East, and the opening lead solving any guess in the club suit, declarer held his losers to two spades and one club to make his vulnerable contract with ease. At the other table, herself also opened 1 Heart but, as we were not playing Bergen, I responded with a pedestrian 2 Hearts and there the contract rested. Declarer made the same 10 tricks as our opponents but without the game bonus we lost 10 International Match Points (IMPs for short) and with it any chance of the championship. Team Henson won the event going away with a total of 161 Victory Points out of a possible 180, an astonishing 89.4 %. Congratulations to all their players, the rest of us will just have to wait until next year. Questions or comments: email: masson.ken@gmail.com

Saw you in the Ojo

UNCOMMON COMMON SENSE By Bill Frayer billfrayer@gmail.com

Paradigm Pioneers

n last month’s column, I discussed the importance of paradigms which sometimes limit and restrict our ability to look at problems and issues clearly. People who develop the ability to think in new ways often develop powerful new ways of thinking. It’s easy to conceptualize, but difficult in practice. We are all attached to our paradigms because they make us feel comfortable. But they can also paralyze our thinking. In its November issue, The Atlantic put together a collection of “Brave Thinkers,” people involved with science and technology, medicine, politics, economics, international relations, and media, who are breaking established paradigms in order to solve difficult problems. I’ll share a few with you this month as a follow-up to last month’s column. Thorkil Sonne, like so many parents today, has an autistic son. Most autistics are not employed; only 6% have jobs. Autistic people have difficulty with social relations and in dealing with change. They are also methodical, have excellent memory, and pay close attention to detail. Sonne realized they would actually make perfect software testers, so he started the Copenhagen-based Specialisterne in 2004. Thirty-seven of its 51 employees have autism, and the company now generates over $2 million in revenue from companies like Microsoft and CSC. Perhaps a new paradigm for legions of autistic adults? Freeman Dyson, a physicist, has challenged the established paradigm for dealing with climate change. He does not deny that humans are causing destructive climate change, but he rejects economically-draconian solutions to reduce our carbon footprint. Instead, he has proposed that the answer might be in biotechnology, specifically using genetic engineering to produce carbon-eating plants which could mitigate the damage to the environment more painlessly. The existing debate between the two sides is getting nowhere, in his view. Although his ideas are not popular among climate-change scientists, he hopes they may eventually be able to look at the problem

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

Bill Frayer

using his new paradigm. Henry Greely believes, contrary to popular opinion, that “cognitive enhancing” pills like Ritalin and Adderall are no more harmful than other tools students use to increase their intellectual productivity like getting more sleep, using computers, and drinking coffee. As we learn more about brain chemistry, Greely believes more “smart drugs” will be developed and accepted as a legitimate ways to improve our cognitive performance. Paul Polak criticizes the proliferation of NGO’s (Non-Governmental Organizations) around the world trying to fight poverty. He thinks the world’s 1.2 billion poor people represent a good market and that entrepreneurs should treat them as a potential market for cheap tools. By providing inexpensive tools, like manual pumps for irrigation and solar-powered water purifiers, poor farmers could lift themselves out of poverty and quickly recoup their small investments. Polak believes that profitable markets in poor areas will do more good than direct donations. Of course, not all paradigm shifts work out well. The Atlantic article also featured Jeff Zucker as a brave thinker who came up with the brilliant idea of taking successful late-night host Jay Leno and moving him to primetime, definitely a risky paradigm shift. It simply didn’t work. Now, the answer to the puzzle in last month’s column: First, turn on two switches, say A and B, leaving the third switch C off. After a few minutes, turn switch B off. Then walk into the room. If the bulb is on, it’s switch A. If the bulb is off, but warm, it’s switch B. If the bulb is off but cold, it’s switch C. To solve the puzzle, you need to consider that bulbs emit heat in addition to light, not just the common paradigm that bulbs only emit light. Next month I’ll examine how to have a productive debate.

And to Think That Only Yesterday By James Tipton

t was common, in recent years, for Enedina de los Angeles to doze off sitting up. But today, when Enedina woke, she was sitting on a long bench, her bag at her feet, just outside the ruins of a large adobe house. She was covered with dust as if she had been on a long journey. Night was beginning to fall, and the sky was very close, but Enedina felt she could hold it back a few more minutes by reaching up and pressing her palms against it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Where are you?â&#x20AC;? she called out, hoping Rafael, her husband, would come running to her. She should, she thought, be more worried than she was. She shook the dust off her faded bag and reached in. The tamales were still warm. She would have a good story to tell when she got back to town. But while she was eating, she forgot about the night and by now it had dropped down to her shoulders. It took all of her strength to lift the sky back up, but she needed to do this so that

she could think clearly about what had happened. Then she began to hear the distant bell. The sound got closer and closer. That house in ruins reminded Enedina of the chapel she had loved when she was a child. Enedina got up. She realized the sky had now fallen around her knees. She waded through the cool sky to the door. She could hear familiar voices. Her father and mother. Talking about their little girl. She would surprise them all right. They had never seen her so grown up. And to think that only yesterday the doctors in the government hospital in Hermosillo told Enedina de los Angeles that she was dying.

Saw you in the Ojo

By Lea Ament

few months ago I actually picked a tomato from a vine and popped it in my mouth. What a revelation! Had I really forgot- t e n what a tomato tasted like? Suddenly as I gazed across the lake at those NAFTA greenhouses and plastic covered fields on the other side I got it. It also explained why, despite a fine set of teeth, I can’t seem to chew the spinach. When I heard they are putting nanotechnology in our food I went “Whoa, wait a minute. Didn’t they just genetically alter the seeds?” Then they feed the plants chemicals and spray them with poisons and if you’re real

lucky it all gets irradiated and then it’s on your plate. To top that off now they are putting nanotechnology in our food? Are we still eating food? What is that we are putting in our mouths? They talk about the life energy in food and I say “Did it survive?” Unfortunately the food industry is sometimes not forthcoming about what they put in our food and there are various things which they are not required to put on the label. It used to be (in my day) we

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

only fretted about food colors and DDT. Today we are speaking of sophisticated techniques for making foods smoother, creamier, crisper as well as possibly extending shelf life into the next century. As a general rule the more processed a food is the more junk has been added. However, even our freshest food is not exempt from tampering these days. Road kill has been in some skin care and food items for some years now. That’s a disgrace! And, you are rubbing that on your face? GMO seeds, nanotechnology, irradiation are now commonly accepted in the food industry but it has been achieved so quietly that often people have no idea. Since this food is so readily available and attractive we assume that the FDA or some other watch dog group has given it a seal of approval. However, shocking though it is, that is not the case. I would advise anyone who eats these days to check the internet and take a little time to peruse some of the reports of studies of the effects of these

processes on living bodies. To get your own perspective on this put the following words in your search engine: Reports of effects of genetically modified foods on mammals. Falsified studies of effects of nanotechnology in food. Cows die from eating GMO corn laced with pesticides Back to that tomato. I decided if I wanted a tomato that tasted like that again I’d have to grow it. At the time I was writing this article so the tomato was actually the final clincher that drove me into my garden to grow my own food. I manifested a nice selection of heirloom seeds and spent weeks poring over gardening books and You Tube organic gardening videos. Finally came the moment of truth and the seeds were cast. In the beautiful 78 degree winter weather, soaking up the rays and vitamin D, I exuberantly planted the entire package of tomato seeds. Then, I did the same with the broccoli. What was I thinking? Had I considered beforehand what I might do with 50 four-foot broccoli plants or three thousand

tomatoes? Where would I even put all those plants? I can only attribute it to a strange euphoria common to beginning gardeners. At any rate, suddenly I was up to my ankles in small, happy tomato and broccoli plants. In a desperate move to find my babies homes I discovered other organic gardeners here in Lakeside. We are now forming an organic gardening group where we can exchange information and tips. We are also talking about an organic veggie garden tour and setting up a Seedy Sunday table where we can swap or sell seeds, plants, produce and gardening stuff. If you like to grow things and would like to join us or if you just like to be around awfully nice people with good tans please email me at grannygetsiton@yahoo.com. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a blog site yet but hope to in the near future. If any of you are interested in adopting a happy little tomato or broccoli they are available at Prasadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Health Food Store across from Bugambilas Plaza in Ajijic. Happy eating!

Saw you in the Ojo

THUNDER ON THE RIGHT By Paul Jackson paulconradjackson@gmail.com

ne of the building blocks of my political philosophy occurred when I was just 16 and saw Stanley’s Kubrick’s magnificent movie Spartacus with Kirk Douglas as the hero who led the fabled Roman slave revolt in 71 BC. The thrust behind Howard Fast’s 1951 novel on which the 1960 movie was based was oppression and slavery strip away the dignity of an individual’s life and do so to such an extent the victim finally has nothing to lose by revolting against the oppressor in a valiant attempt to recapture dignity and freedom. Long before I saw the movie, inspired by my own hero, Sir Winston Churchill, I was already devouring works on Soviet Communism and its equally loathsome radical socialist cousin, Nazism, but Spartacus personified what I believed in politically. When other teenagers were warbling rock ‘n roll tunes I was into deep political philosophy. OK, a wry smile that someone destined to become a Conservative newspaper columnist was partly prodded by an author who was a dedicated member of the Communist Party (CPUSA), worked for The Daily Worker, was awarded the Stalin Peace Prize, and jailed for three months for contempt of Congress in the Joseph McCarthy era. Well, there are many ironies in this saga. As Fast was penning his momentous novel, in the Soviet Union and its Eastern European slave states, writers, actors, and other artists were being brutally slammed in the gulags by Josef Stalin for seeking the very freedoms Fast advocated. Alexander Solzhenitsyn, later to gain world fame for his trilogy The Gulag Archipelgo,

Paul Jackson

was one of those. Such persecutions didn’t end with Stalin - under Nikita Kruschev and his heirs, the likes of Boris Pasternak, author of Dr Zhivago, were also persecuted. Dr Zhivago was never published in the Soviet Union until Mikhail Gorbachev came to power. Another irony, Fast was Jewish, and aside from the persecution of fellow writers and artists in the Soviet Union, right up to the time Gorbachev came to power, Jews were persecuted by Moscow’s henchmen. Recall the term ‘Refuseniks.’ This said, Fast, who died just a handful of years ago at the ripe old age of 88, later saw the true nature of Communism and the Totalitarian Left and made his break with it. Why do I bring up Fast and Spartacus at this time? Because now showing on television around the world is a series entitled Spartacus: Blood and Sand that is a mockery of all Fast, Kubrick and Douglas intended. Promoted as having more gore and explicit sex than ever seen on television, the series has no philosophical bent, and is a slur on the real Spartacus and his doomed followers. Fast’s novel carried a message about hope and decency - the TV series is about depravity. The values extolled by Fast and others who have written about Spartacus are tossed aside. A final irony: It is well-known the CIA, through front organizations, secretly promoted both Fast’s novel and the movie within the Soviet Union and its Eastern European slave states to demonstrate it was possible to try to overthrow evil regimes. The CIA did the same with Pasternak’s banned novel and the David Lean movie version. Did Czechoslovakia’s Alexender Dubcek and Vaclev Havel, Poland’s Lech Walesa and their likes ever read the smuggled novels or see the smuggled movies? If so, Fast, the once American Communist and Soviet admirer must have chuckled at the thought that he helped change history by destroying what he once thought was Holy. Anyway, please join me in deploring this travesty of a TV series, and instead read the Fast novel and see the Kubrick movie.

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

EVER WONDERED ABOUT CANADA?

elieve it or not these questions about Canada were posted on an International Tourism Website. Obviously the answers are a joke; but the questions were really asked! Q: I have never seen it warm on Canadian TV, so how do the plants grow? (England) A. We import plants fully grown and just sit around and watch them die. Q: Will I be able to see Polar Bears in the street? (USA) A: Depends on how much you’ve been drinking. Q: I want to walk from Vancouver to Toronto - can I follow the Railroad tracks? (Sweden) A: Sure, it’s only four thousand miles. Take lots of water. Q: Are there any ATM’s (cash machines) in Canada? Can you send me a list of them in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton and Halifax? (England) A: No, but you’d better bring a few extra furs for trading purposes. Q: Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Canada? (USA) A: Africa is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe, Canada is that big country to your North...oh forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Calgary. Come naked. Q: Which direction is North in Canada ? (USA) A: Face south and then turn 180 degrees Contact us when you get here and we’ll send the rest of the directions. A: Why? Just use your fingers like we do. Q: Can you send me the Vienna Boys’ Choir schedule? (USA) A: Austria is that quaint little country bordering Germany, which is...oh forget it. Sure, the Vienna

Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Vancouver and in Calgary, straight after the hippo races. Come naked. Q: Do you have perfume in Canada? (Germany) A: No, WE don’t stink. Q: I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Where can I sell it in Canada? (USA) A: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather. Q: Can you tell me the regions in British Columbia where the female population is smaller than the male population? (Italy) A: Yes, gay nightclubs. Q: Are there supermarkets in Toronto and is milk available all year round? (Germany) A: No, we are a peaceful civilization of Vegan hunter/gathers. Milk is illegal. Q: I have a question about a famous animal in Canada , but I forget its name. It’s a kind of a big horse with horns. (USA) A: It’s called a Moose. They are tall and very violent, eating the brains of anyone walking close to them. You can scare them off by spraying yourself with human urine before you go out walking.

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Wondrous Wildlife By Vern and Lori Gieger

wildlifemexico@wildtravellers.org

Is It Venomous? Probably not.

e have been asked to rerun this info as to what venomous species do we have here in our area? So here is a refresher course for some, and new information for others. There are only 21 venomous species in the entire state of Jalisco—and not all of these are native to our area. Some are only found in the coastal areas. Wasps and bees; yes this does include the infamous “killer bee.” Typically speaking, bee stings are a painful annoyance, not life-threatening. (Unless a person has an allergic reaction). The danger of “killer bees” is not that their venom is more

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potent; it is the number of stings received. As they swarm, and may pursue what they perceive as the threat up to a half mile. Spiders: black widows and the violin spider both can be potentially serious. Scorpions: Mexico has 221 species of scorpions; only seven pose a serious threat. Four are found in

Jalisco, three are limited to coastal areas, one is found throughout the entire state. This particular scorpion has a dark body, with light brown legs and tail. Reactions can vary from person to person. Snakes: There are some 82 species of snakes in Jalisco, only 13 are venomous, 69 are not! Moreover, not all 13 are found here in our area. We do have five species of rattlesnakes; of these five species three are “threatened,” two have stable populations. There are two species of coral snakes in this area; both are in the “threatened” status. Coral snakes are small, timid snakes, rarely more than twelve inches long. Due to the coral snakes small size, bites to humans are limited to areas such as the fingers or toes. (Note: approx. 50% of defensive bites are “dry bites” meaning no venom is injected.) The above mentioned venomous snakes are quite easy to identify even for the novice. Rattlesnakes have a rattle at the end of their tail. Coral snakes, the red band touching the yellow band applies here, as it does in the U.S. Like rattlesnakes, coral snakes are nocturnal. There are many snakes that mimic venomous snakes in appearance, as a natural defense. King snakes and milk snakes, which are found

locally, are just two examples. However, they are not venomous. In fact they are immune to venoms; therefore they are predators of venomous species. As with any wild animal it is best to leave them alone. After all, they did not come on to your property to socialize, they are looking for food, and if none is found, they will move on. There are many myths about snakes; here are just a couple. Snakes will chase people. No, they are just defending their territory; and typically non venomous snakes are more aggressive when they feel threatened. Some believe snakes travel in pairs and will seek revenge if one is killed; snakes have no social bonds, except during mating season, males may trail a female, snake that is. They don’t date outside their species. If you are bitten by a venomous snake you will be able to see where the two fangs punctured the skin. In this event, forget everything you have seen in the “movies” about snakebites. Do not cut the area and try to suck out the venom, nor apply ice, take alcohol or other drugs, nor apply a tourniquet. Don’t wait to see if you get sick. Do move away from the snake. Stay calm. Seek medical help immediately!

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OF O F F FAITH AITH A AND ND F FABLES ABLES By Bob Haynes bzhaynes@gmail.com

Becoming A Possibilitarian

he older I get, the more convinced I am that Charles Swindoll was correct when he wrote about having only one string to pull as we approach each new day. That string is “attitude” and I have the choice to choose which attitude I will embrace. Swindoll said: Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.” Understanding how our attitude can affect our life is vastly important to all of us today in these challenging times. Because of round-the-clock news, we all are aware of how much our world is impacted today by negativism… So it’s important for us to find some common focus that will allow us to approach each day with optimism. I loved what Norman Vincent Peale said… Become a possibilitarian. No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see possibilities - always see them, for they’re always there. Peale was talking about making posi-

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tive decisions in the face of adversity because we often grow best when we are tested. I also think that he, like Swindoll, was talking about controlling our attitude which will, in turn, allow us to raise our sights and see those possibilities. Many times when we do that we find whole new experiences out there just waiting to be explored. We all know the consequence of not responding to our realities. Sometimes it is much easier to just sit back and be a critic, but that’s not how we can be a part of the change that is necessary for our well-being. We must choose to be doers. As Wayne Dyer once said, A non-doer is very often a critic-that is, someone who sits back and watches doers, and then waxes philosophically about how the doers are doing. It’s easy to be a critic, but being a doer requires effort, risk, and change. All life is composed of some sort of change and we can choose how we adapt to that change. C.S. Lewis probably put it in the best perspective when he said: The fact is that the future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of 60 minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is.” There’s a great quote that I’d like to share with you in closing that might make this column a bit more understandable. The author was Vivian Greene and she wrote: “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...it’s about learning to dance in the rain!” Shalom!

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THE TILLY & TOMMY REPORT “Translated” by Natasha

illy and Tommy are very happy to become another voice for the local animals here at Lakeside. Tommy and Tilly are two rescue dogs who want to do their part in helping to save other canine and feline friends. Tilly is about two years old and is a Border Collie mix. She’s very lucky to be alive. A kind soul on her way to Lakeside from Texas found Tilly badly injured along the highway waiting to die. She had suffered a broken leg and internal injuries. After several surgeries and a great deal of love and kindness, Tilly is now one of most friendly, smart and beautiful dogs you’d ever want to meet. Tommy was rescued from one of the local shelters and is one of the most handsome and happiest dogs you’ll see in Lakeside. He is a mixed breed as well, but has amazing facial expressions and his lanky body allows him to jump very high without much effort at all. Many people enjoy reading stories with happy endings. Tilly and Tommy certainly fall into that category. They are now together in a home whose owner absolutely dotes on them. But this is just one story. We would like to hear yours. So please send us your story or other information about animals so we can share it with our readers. Dogs can become your best friend. They’re smart and they can learn many things if you just

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spend a little time in training and have a little patience. We can answer questions about training your dog and give you recommendations. Just send us an email. Cats are also great. They don’t need any training to do what they instinctively know how to do and they make wonderful pets and companions. Cats live longer if they are kept indoors. Outside exposure poses many dangers for a cat and makes it difficult for them to survive. One of my feline friends loves to sit by her owner’s computer and watch intently everything that happens on the screen. Occasionally, she’ll even hit a keystroke or two or swat at something moving on the screen. It certainly makes computer time a little more interesting! There are many caring people in the area who want to help abandoned and mistreated animals. Please get involved and help our four-legged friends who cannot speak for themselves. Contact us at the e-mail below. Send us your stories and information so we may share it with our readers. Bye for now from Tilly and Tommy. tommytilly2010@yahoo. com

REMEMBERING PUERTO VALLARTA By Phyllis Rauch rauchlosdos@yahoo.com www.losdosmexico.com The First Visit

emembering Puerto Vallarta as I first came to know it forty years ago, I feel as though I am looking down the wrong end of a pair of binoculars. Few places that I’ve known well have grown and changed so drastically in such a relatively short time. Arriving in Guadalajara in 1967, I was offered my first opportunity to visit the sleepy, hidden fishing village that had recently risen from centuries of obscurity thanks to the filming there of The Night of the Iguana in 1964. The movie, based on a Tennessee Williams play, featured Richard Burton as a defrocked Episcopalian priest who leads a bus-load of Baptist churchwomen along the Mexican coast. The buildings created for the set were to be left behind, overlooking Mismaloya beach. Given that first chance to visit the newly famous little village, I actually reneged. The only way to get there then was in a small airplane. No way was anyone squeezing me into one of those sardine cans in the sky. Less than a year later, though, my husband Georg and I were living in Guadalajara where we met artist Manuel Lepe, already famous for his charming, angel-filled representations of his native Pacific village. Manuel with his wife Marcela owned and ran the only gallery in Vallarta. Georg was offered a show there, so we faced the daunting challenge of transporting an entire exhibit to a town which still didn’t have a highway connection. We didn’t have four-wheel drive, a van or even a station wagon, but

our beloved Plymouth Fury carried the paintings and us over a grueling dirt road all the way from the city. Of course there were no bridges, so our trusty Fury also forded the rivers, with one of us sometimes outside of the car, keeping watch for major holes or obstacles. I’m glad I can no longer recall how long the trip took, but it seemed that our rough track led through endless forests of thick green trees and vines, unbroken by towns or gas stations. Grubby, weary, we arrived to this unprepossessing location in the middle of a Mexican jungle. As Georg and I unpacked the paintings and started hanging them, enthusiastic art lovers began strolling through the funky gallery that was located near Los Muertos beach. The air was redolent with marijuana and a 33-inch record of Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Band serenaded us with “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” Soon happy (stoned?) tourists were reserving and making down payments on Georg’s paintings. By the time the official cocktail party opened, at least half of the exhibit was already sold. That was the beginning of a long and pleasant gallery relationship. The Burtons weren’t the only famous couple to pass through early Puerto Vallarta, but more about them is to come in a future article. Harry Belafonte was a guest, though, at one of the early cocktail openings and he fell in love with the crazy musical table that Georg had built and brought along on top of our car to enliven the party. Thanks to a small hidden motor, the table played bongo drums, clanked silverware, and screeched a string accompaniment. Mr. Belafonte insisted on buying the table, and I’d love to think it is making music for him still, wherever he may be.

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GRINGAS G RINGAS & G GUACAMOLE UACAMOLE By Gail Nott

Traveling Through Mexico

raveling around Mexico, by automobile, with a significant other, can be hazardous to your health. After a recent excursion to San Miguel Allende, a Mexican city renowned for its architecture and artists, I want to share a few tips with you that may preserve your relationship and sanity. Don’t assume that you will remember landmarks. Some people have a photographic memory; they just don’t have film. If you hope to reach your destination, don’t ask a kind-hearted Mexican directions; they don’t know where you are going or how to get you there, but they want to help. It is imperative that one of you be able to see the map, read, and understand it. No matter how hard we looked, we could never find “Quota,” but apparently it was always very near the expressway we were looking for. Make sure you pack safety equipment. A flashlight is not a case in which you store dead batteries. Snacks and beverages are necessary for any long road trip. For children I would suggest healthy foods such as cheese, fruit and small bottles of juices. For adult males I would recommend candy, cookies, potato chips and soda. I would not purchase the coffee sold at the snack bars by the toll stations. I tripped and spilt some on my car; it easily removed all the dead bugs on the hood. The new paint job, however, is going to be expensive. Someone in the car should be bilingual. After passing through a

toll station, we decided to change drivers and use the baños. When I walked back to the car, it was surrounded by policemen. Apparently, Houston, my traveling companion, thought a plainclothes cop was a street vendor trying to sell him something and he kept saying “No.” As a policeman jerked open the car door to remove Houston, I heard the word, jail. Defiance come before fear and I blurted out “No,” believing there had to be a better answer. After a few green and pink bills changed hands, the officers explained they merely wanted to see our FM 3s, passports and insurance on the car. As we drove away, I glanced in the ashtray; ¼ inch of a hand-rolled cigarette lay nestled there. The word jail stayed with me all the way to Ajijic. When filling up at a Pemex, Mexico’s answer to a Hess station, always have someone circle the car at least twice before you pull away. Being a trusting soul, I paid the attendant; he waved me off. Fortunately, there was a breakaway mechanism on the nozzle, which was still stuck in the gas tank of my car. While there was no damage to the car, the repair bill for the gas pump put a serious dent in our monies. Nothing is fool-proof to a sufficiently talented fool. My final piece of advice is to accept that no matter how fast you are driving, it is not fast enough. Having a 1958 Ford pick-up truck, loaded with chickens, tailgating me for five miles was disconcerting. I truly believe if you lined up all the cars in the world, end to end, some Mexican would try to pass them. Pardon my driving, I’m reloading!

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Welcome to Mexico! By Victoria Schmidt

Body Damage

ur van is possessed. On the way back from an outing to visit friends in Jocotepec, it ceased forward motion halfway over a large tope near San Juan Cosala. Several attempts at turning the key yielded no engine activity whatsoever. Soon horns were honking behind us (evidently the simple force of their amplified sound would propel us forward). Soon bystanders volunteered to push our van off the road. To remedy this event, we only had to hire two local mechanics, one in San Juan Cosala to get us home, and another one once we arrived home. Two weeks later, after running some errands, my husband dropped me off at the house and was about to return to his volunteer job when the van turned defiant once again. This time, the ignition refused to turn over. We couldn’t even get the key to move. The ignition was dismantled and we used a screwdriver to turn the engine on and off for the next few days until a new ignition was installed. Once again, we employed a local mechanic who fixed the problem for a few pesos. We’ve also had to replace two tires, and two oxygen sensors in the past two weeks. Our mechanics love us. Our van is older, and these types of problems are probably to be expected. Or maybe I should find an exorcist. But what really infuriates me are hit-and-run drivers. Recently, while my husband was inside Wal-Mart, someone smashed into the front of our van, destroying the bumper, taking out a headlight, buckling the hood and smashing the windshield causing about $1200 USD in damage. And, of course, whoever was responsible left the premises. I took one look at the van when my husband brought it home and was seriously considering just blowing up the abysmal piece of excrement and sending it into oblivion. I feel we are doing more than our part in keeping the local mechanics and body shop professionals in business. Specially since our van seems to be a magnet for bad

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drivers. This is not the first time the van was hit in the Wal-Mart parking lot. The first time we were sideswiped. After a night at a local restaurant, someone put what looks like a baseball bat sized dent in the back by the window, and there are lots of little dings and dents from car doors banging into the van. I am to the point where I told my husband I refuse to fix any more body damage unless there is an equipment problem (this last time, there was a lot of equipment damage.) Now a lot of Mexican drivers don’t carry insurance, even though I believe they are required to, and that lack of insurance is why they hit-and-run. But we also found out, again the hard way, that when there is a lot of damage to your vehicle, you are expected to carry a copy of the police report of the accident with you. The local police are attempting to crack down on hit-andrun accidents. The only problem here was that this damage occurred on private property, and no police report was filed. So the police gave us one, along with the threat of a ticket. Whoever hit the van that day had to be driving a large red truck. Large because of the amount of damage and the height it needed to be in order to cause the damage to the hood and windshield, and red because of the huge red streak across the top of the hood. What amazes me was that this accident should have been seen and heard by everyone in the parking lot…yet when asked, no one saw a thing. Not the car washers, not the people entering or exiting WalMart, not even the cop that sits near the entrance looking for gringos to pull over. I guess it was one of those invisible red trucks. Victoria Schmidt

FELINE LEUKEMIA By Barbara Hess

ost Lakeside de cat loverss have heard warnings concerning Fe-line Leukemia (FeLV), but many are confused d about this disease and its ts implications. Since 2004, 04, when the Animal Shelter initiated testing all incoming g cats, local infection rates steadily dropped. In 2008 only ONE cat tested positive out of those received. Shockingly, this number jumped to 30% of cats tested in 2009, prompting great concern. So far our veterinarians have no explanation for this sudden, alarming increase, especially since the majority of “positives” appeared perfectly healthy. WHAT IS FELINE LEUKEMIA? It’s a retrovirus that affects blood cells, similar to Feline Immunodeficient Virus (FIV) and HIV. Because it varies genetically from other retroviruses it DOES NOT infect dogs, humans, or other animals. Still, pregnant women, babies, the elderly, and immunosuppressed people may be at risk. While some FeLV cats in “primary viremia” (first stage) fight off the infection, those that progress to “secondary viremia” cannot, remaining infected and shedding virus that affects others until they succumb. Some die in a few short months, with the majority enduring two to three years or less. HOW IS IT TRANSMITTED? Infected cats spread virus through body secretions – saliva, nasal secretions, urine, feces, mother’s blood and milk – so cat-to-cat transfer can occur from sex, kittens in utero or nursing, mutual grooming/licking, open wound bites, or even shared food and/or water dishes and damp litter boxes. The virus is short-lived in open air. Kittens may be born infected, but even if not are much more susceptible than older cats. Adults allowed outdoors unsupervised are at great risk if exposed to unknown (positive) cats, as are indoor cats if an un-tested newcomer is introduced into the household. WHY SHOULD I CARE? FeLV is untreatable. Once in secondary viremia, immune system insufficiency depresses the cat’s re-

sistance to a variety of secondary diseases and infections so it cannot resist ordinary viral, protozoal, and bacterial assaults that a healthy cat would shrug off. Some cats display a steady downhill slide, while others have periods of remission, but the end result is the same. Signs can include loss of appetite, weight loss, gingivitis, fever, enlarged lymph glands, eye and skin infections, respiratory problems, diarrhea, urinary and bladder problems. HOW CAN I PROTECT MY CAT? Preventing exposure to infected cats is the only guaranteed method, but annual vaccination of cats allowed outdoors is your best protection. If your cat already carries the virus, vaccination is useless, so blood testing at your veterinarian is a wise precaution. Don’t allow your cat any contact with free-roaming visitors, and never allow an untested cat into your home. Heed the warning -- “Stranger? Danger!” WHAT IF MY CAT IS INFECTED? Separate the cat from other cats in the home. Don’t allow common use of food / water dishes or litter boxes. Don’t allow the cat outdoors (can infect others or be exposed to infectious agents). Feed a highquality diet and monitor weight, health, and unusual symptoms carefully. Afterwards, all cat-related items like beds, dishes, litter pans, toys etc. should be thoroughly disinfected (dilute bleach is effective) or replaced, since the virus will not linger but other secondary related infections your cat may have contracted could affect newcomers. A waiting period is also advisable before bringing in another cat. The Animal Shelter continues testing to try and control this disastrous outbreak. Now Lakesiders need to get on board too.

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By An Anonymous Contributor

s a bagpiper, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a grave side service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper’s cemetery in the Kentucky back-country. As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost—and being a typical man I didn’t stop for directions. I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch. I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. I didn’t know what else to do, so I started to play. The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. I played like I’ve never played before for this homeless man. And

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as I played “Amazing Grace,” the workers began to weep. They wept, I wept, we all wept together. When I finished, I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. Though my head hung low, my heart was full. As I was opening the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say “I never seen nothin’ like that before, and I’ve been putting in septic tanks for 20 years.”

A SE SENIOR’S ENIO OR’SS TTRIP RIPP TTO OAD DISCOUNT ISCOUN NT SSTORE TORRE By an Anonymous Contributor

esterday I was at my local discount buying a large bag of Purina dog chow for my loyal pet, Biscuit, the Wonder Dog and I were in the checkout line when the woman behind me asked if I had a dog. What did she think I had—an elephant? So since I’m retired and have little to do, on impulse I told her that no, I didn’t have a dog, I was starting the Purina Diet again. I added that I probably shouldn’t, because I ended up in the hospital last time, but that I’d lost 50 pounds before I awakened in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs in both arms. I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way that it works is to load your pants pockets with Purina nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry. The food is nutritionally complete so it works well and I was going to try it again. (I have to mention here that practically ev-

Now if you just eat a little! eryone in line was now enthralled with my story.) Horrified, she asked if I ended up in intensive care because the dog food poisoned me. I told her no, I stepped off a curb to sniff an Irish Setter’s butt and a car hit us both. I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard. The store won’t let me shop there anymore. Better watch what you ask retired people. They have all the time in the world to think of crazy things to say.

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Are beautiful people also more intelligent? By Thomas Hally

r. Satoshi Kanazawa is an evolutionary psychologist at the London School of Economics. He and his colleague, Jody L. Kovar, took on the task of writing a book on about the relationship between beauty and general intelligence entitled: Why Beautiful People are More Intelligent. Many sociologists and social psychologists are convinced of the old adages “Beauty is only skin ddeep”” and “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.” According to Kanazawa and Kovar, these sociologists and clinicians dismiss the widespread perception that beauty correlates highly with intelligence as “bias,” “stereotyping,” or the “halo effect”—which is a phenomenon that occurs when one is influenced

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by a person’s strengths, weaknesses, physical appearance, behavior, or any other single factor. The conclusion that beautiful people are more intelligent is drawn from four assumptions: 1) Men who are more intelligent are likely to attain higher status than men who are less in-

telligent; 2) Higher status men are more likely to mate with more beautiful women than lower status men; 3) Intelligence is heritable; 4) Beauty is heritable. If these four assumptions are true, then it logically follows that beautiful people are, indeed, more intelligent than their less attractive peers. The conclusion makes the correlation between beauty and intelligence a theorem. Kanazawa and Kovar also claim that there is a general consensus in the judgment of beauty. The degree of Western media exposure seems to have no influence on people’s perception of beauty. As an example, look at the racial and ethnic diversity of the winners of the annual Miss Universe and Miss World competitions. Standards of beauty appear to be innate rather than arbitrary, culturally specific, and idiosyncratic, and they are an integral part of human nature. There is even a computer program which has the ability to digitally average human faces, assigning a single score for physical attractiveness and correlating these scores with scores assigned by human judges. Beauty, therefore, appears to be an objective and quantitative attribute of individuals like height and weight. According to the theorem’s authors, there is a correlation between beauty and intelligence through assortive mating. More intelligent men are likely to be more attractive than less intelligent men, and good-looking women are likely to be smarter than “not-so-goodlooking” women. If the combination of beauty and intelligence is inherited from both parents, the extrinsic correlation between beauty and intelligence in children will be even stronger than if intelligence is heritable only through the father and beauty is inherited through only the mother. Kanazawa and Kovar explain that their theory is purely deductive and not a comprehensive description of complex reality; it therefore leaves out much of what they posit as fact. They believe that their theorem is purely scientific and logical, but it is not a prescription of how to treat or judge others. If their assumptions are logically a “theorem,” PhDs and other highly educated people should be

absolutely gorgeous. These assumptions are, however, uniform and rigid. It is sometimes painfully obvious that PhDs run the same gamut of physical attractiveness as the rest of humanity. Yet if it is a fact that attractive people usually have greater self-confidence than unattractive people this “fact” may, at times, account for their higher wages. An individual’s perceived beauty may be correlated with self esteem and therefore have an independent effect on earnings and assumed high intelligence. The strongest support seems to point to discrimination on the part of the employer on the basis of taste. The relationship between attractiveness and intelligence is generally positive but highly non-linear, with positive association declining at medium levels of intelligence and flattening out. Dorota Rabczewska, aka Doda Electoda, was ranked as Poland’s second most beautiful woman in 2007. Formally a singer with the band “Virgin,” she has since become a solo act. When she joined Mensa in 2004 her IQ was, reputedly, measured at 156. Albert Einstein immediately comes to mind as an exception to “the rule.” With long, bushy hair, giving him a seeming clown-like appearance, he nevertheless had the confidence and intellect to become one of the greatest geniuses in the history of science. As the story goes, Irish playwright and 1925 Nobel Prize winner in literature, George Bernard Shaw, was asked the following question by his lover, dancer, Isadora Duncan: “With my body and your brains what a wonder it [our child] would be. “Yes, replied Shaw, “but what if it had my body and your brains?” The measuring of intelligence and other variables such as beauty, height, etc., is a fundamental research endeavor among social psychologists and evolutionary psychologists alike, stirring the interest of scholars and causing much controversy. The KanazawaKovar claim is curiously attractive yet theoretically suspect because the greater body of evidence does not support it. And you, dear reader, have you been taken in by Kanazawa and Kovar or do you have an open mind?

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MORELIA, PATZC PATZCUARO, URUAPAN! By Robert Brittingham

arlier this season we joined 20+ travelers to experience our third trip to Mexico’s beautiful and splendid interior - the state of Michoacán and, initially, the magnificent city of Morelia. Morelia is considered to be the most noble of all Mexican Colonial towns. The architecture has been kept in the tradition of old Spain. The Cathedral by the main plaza is constructed of pinkish stone and dominates all surrounding buildings with its 200 ft. towers, which took over 200 years to build. Another significant landmark is the massive and yet elegant aqueduct built in 1790 with more than 250 arches. As it should be at the capital city of Michoacán, the handicraft activity is predominant, mainly wood-carvings, pottery, copper, lacquerware, and woven goods. On the first evening we dined at Los Mirasoles, a nicely renovated, avant-garde space in a 17th century house with an aristocratic aura, decorated with furnishings that evidence the craftsmanship of the area - large granite rocks form the walls, and hanging inverted patio umbrellas trimmed with fine lace. The next day consisted of visiting the highlights of the city then shopping at Casa de las Artesanias. Evenings we joined at San Migueletos, famous for Mexican cuisine and a whimsical decor replete with Michoacán crafts, antiques, paintings. This is a fun restaurant where every table

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has a different design and setting. One of the dining rooms called “El Cuarto de las Solteronas “ The Spinster’s Corner” is decorated with 365 distinct statues of St. Anthony set upside down. The belief is that if you stand this saint on his head and pray really hard, you’ll get a husband! Leaving Morelia the following day on our way to Patzcuaro, we stopped briefly in the village of Tzintzuntzan to visit an ongoing bazaar and then on to Ranchero La Mesa, located on the San Jose Plateau and surrounded by a forest of pine, willow, and oyamel trees (a fir tree sometimes called Sacred Fir due to the use of its cut foliage in religious festivals in Mexico) coupled with a magnificent view of Patzcuaro. The outdoor restaurant-bar served delicious dishes including ostrich, which is raised at the Ranchero. On the way down from the plateau we stopped in Santa Clara del Cobre to visit a copper factory where we saw a demonstration at the copper foundry of pots/pans/etc. being formed. I noticed the foundry foreman had a sling/cast on his left arm. When I asked how many injuries occur in the foundry he said very few to none during his 15+ years. Asked what happened to his arm, he sheepishly admitted he‘d been trimming a large tree in the courtyard and fell out of the tree. Finally arriving in Pátzcuaro we checked into the hotel, then toured the tienda being setup in the main square. Pátzcuaro is hidsq den de high in the mountains of Michoacán at 7130 feet fe of elevation. To the north no is Lake Pátzcuaro, one on of Mexico’s highest lakes. The butterfly fishla ermen, who dip their nets er into in the lake in search of whitefi sh, have become a w trademark of Pátzcuaro. tr The Dance of the Viejitos (Old Men), one V of the best and most wide-

ly known native dances of Mexico, is presented in the Plaza Grande on weekends. The dancers wear wooden masks that depict smiling old men to show that, at least in Mexico, old age is not a time of listless despair, but rather a season to enjoy the fruits of life. On day five, we departed to Uruapan, a city and municipality in the west-central part of the Mexican state of Michoacán. The town and surroundings are world famous in part because of the great quantity of avocado farming and packaging, exported in large part to the United States and other countries. Uruapan is one of the oldest cities

in Mexico. Its main natural attraction is the Cupatitzio River (dubbed “the river that sings”). The National Park Eduardo Ruiz is home of “La Rodilla del Diablo,” the source of the river which courses through the city and out to waterfalls on the southern outskirts of the city, and flowing eventually to the Pacific Ocean. Paricutin volcano emerged in the vicinity in 1943, scaring away much of the population. Our arrival in Tonalá was not in time for shopping so most had dinner and rested in their rooms. We left Tonalá at noon the following day and arrived back in Puerto Vallarta with wonderful memories.

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The World of Wine By Ceci Rodriguez

Wines and Age

“ T heter”,olderwe theusedbet-to

say. However, most of the wines produced these days do not age. The majority of wines, by far, are designed to be enjoyed within a year or up to three years of production. But wine, as a special beverage, is unique in that some wines not only keep for decades, but also become more desirable with age. These few special wines undergo a magical transformation and develop remarkable appeal to our senses of sight, smell and taste. Therefore, it certainly pays off to age the right wines. Certain wines, because they have sufficient acid and/or tannin, age well. The age, itself, is not a virtue, unless the wine improves with keeping. Wines which are likely to age the best will often be apparent, because tasted young, their components, acid and tannin, seem harsh and raw. For those that improve over time, numerous minute, chemical changes take place, rounding off the harsh edges. Producing a smoother texture, a richer spectrum of flavours and aromas, and more harmonious effects overall. Effective aging depends on a few factors, the principal factors being the grape variety, and how it is grown. The vinification is also very important. Of course, when the wine is ready, it has to be stored in oak for some time. Aging wine could take months or years; it depends on how old we want the wine. After the oak, the wine is bot-

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tled, and it has to be in the winery for months or years before sale. All these factors affect the price, which can be an effective guide to finding wines for aging. It is not easy to select the best wine to age, or to find those ready to drink. This is the reason why there are several specialized reference books. A key, as I mentioned before, is the grape variety. The red varieties that age successfully are: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah/Shiraz, Tannat, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, and to a lesser extent, Pinot Noir. The best white varieties for aging would be: Riesling, Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc. Add to these, botrytised dessert wines and Vintage Port. Sometimes in the label of these wines, we can read words like Oak, Reserva, Crianza, but we need to know where they come from and check the regulations of their origin. But it does not matter which wine you choose for drinking, young or with age, both can give us one of the best human experiences, “tasting wine”!

WORLD WATER DAY By Karuna It is a celebration An invitation to live in awakened consciousness We human beings, together with our planet, Form a single interconnected organism We have forgotten this Now is the time to re connect To co-exist harmoniously 0nce again be in partnership with nature Rather than oblivious of our actions We must once again care When you care, you notice Noticing allows you to truly see, To become aware When you become aware, It is easy to change your habits, Because we understand the consequence of our action So, come and celebrate World Water Day All of us together: Mexicans, foreigners, Children, adults, Lake experts and simple lovers of Nature Let us join hands Come and reconnect Mother Nature is doing everything in her power To heal herself, Because she wants to continue sheltering us Join us and celebrate the gift of Existence Come and honor this most vital element of life Water Towards a more respectful Relationship with water Towards a change of attitude Towards a restoration of the sacredness of the elements that give us life CELEBRATING WORLD WATER DAY: MARCH 18TH, EAST SIDE OF THE MALECON OUTSIDE â&#x20AC;&#x153;EL GUAYABOâ&#x20AC;? PALAPA RESTAURANT WEAR WHITE - BRING A CANDLE ANCIENT MAYAN MUSIC BEGINS AT 6:30 PM CEREMONY 7:00 TO 8:00PM Our guests of honor will be the up to 85 lake experts visiting us from 50 countries. They have come to lake Chapala to celebrate the 13th International Living Lakes Conference and share their experiences regarding the health of lakes around the world. You can participate too!

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From F rom P Perito erito Moreno Moreno G Glacier lacier t to o the t he C Chilean hile ean BorderBorder- P Part art 2 By Carol L. Bowman

slow, muffled wheeze of labored breaths echoed in the crisp air. Creaky noises rippled through the mass, as if old bones were snapping under pressure. A calamitous thunder exploded, rocking onlookers with its intensity, as jagged pieces of the white body broke off and plunged into the milky-blue, ice bath below. The crowd of international parkas huddled together on the viewing platform, only feet from the icy beast. Stunned by its stoic beauty, its age and expanse, witnesses from around the world stood in reverent silence and watched the Perito Moreno Glacier perform daily tasks.

The Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina’s Los Glaciares National Park, 30 miles from El Calafate, stuns onlookers. Measuring 97 square miles of above water surface and 19 miles in length, the Perito Moreno Glacier, located in Los Glaciares National Park, Argentine-Patagonia, remains one of only three, non-receding Patagonian glaciers. Stable, without retreat for the past 90 years, it ranks as the world’s third largest reserve of fresh water. Named after Francisco Moreno, a naturalist who explored the glacier first in 1874 and father of Argentina’s National Park system, the glacier completes the Southern Andean Patagonian Ice Field. The glacier moves at a speed of two meters per day. This forward movement gives it life, creates the sounds of breath and breaking bones and wows the crowd as it discards pieces of its exterior, ruptured during the march in a process called calving. The enormity of this moving wall of ice commands incredible respect. With the narrowing light of the Southern Hemisphere, the blue color emanating from the ice mass bor-

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The glacier continually “calves” icebergs with thunderous display. dered on ethereal. A naturalist explained that the blue hue resonates when compacted ice crystals allow light to penetrate the ice undisturbed, thus being absorbed rather than reflected. Ice absorbs much of the red end of the spectrum; this lack of red wavelengths produces the color blue in the human eye. Three levels of viewing areas provided close observation of the glacier. Trails through the Sub Andean, Beech tree forest reached the shore’s edge where the glacier pressed against land. I soaked up light rays rarely experienced by Northern Hemisphere inhabitants, gazed at this living mass, listened to its sounds of life and captured ‘forever’ images in my mind. Protected from the cold wind with layers of Polar Tec and Thinsulate, we ate bagged munchies sitting among shore boulders and watched the massive forms float by in Iceberg Channel. “Lunch with a View”, I will long remember.

Lunch Iceberg L h with ith a ViewVi I b Channel As El Calafate disappeared on

the horizon, we headed overland into the emptiness of the Patagonian steppes toward the Argentine-Chilean border. Safely in the custody of Overseas Adventure Travel experts, fifteen thrill seekers entered the phase of no return. No doctors, no clinics, not even a gas station for five hours; most importantly no turning back. Going home evaporated as an option. Brutal wind howled, while snow and sleet blanketed the bus’s windshield. We encountered interminable flatlands, thousands of sheep and desolation. Herds of alpaca family guanacos and long legged, ostrich-like Rheas darted across the gravel roadway, which stretched on through the barren wasteland, hour after hour. A non-descript hovel appeared in the distance—the Argentina border crossing station. The frontera merits few comforts. Depending on the humor of the immigration officials, the crossover can be a snap or a snag, a universal toss-up. On a cold, snowy, lazy Sunday, the agents didn’t fancy a lengthy disruption to their rest. They processed us out of Argentina with unusual speed. Despite crossing the border, official Chilean territory wasn’t over the

imaginary line. A five mile stretch of “No Man’s Land” lurked, a swath of ungoverned, unprotected and unmapped terra firma, where neither country claims sovereignty. The barren landscape showed no physical differences, yet those few ‘limbo’ miles took on the image of a wild, untamed frontier. A pioneer mentality swept through my mind. The Chilean immigration checkpoint proved more diligent. All things human and inanimate were herded into a space smaller than my gardener’s bodega. Every border crosser stood in front of their belongings, while the inspector rifled through the items. If the officials feel cranky, this process can take interminable hours. We smiled, greeted them in Spanish and they seemed amused by the gringos. The examination proved quick and satisfactory. We reloaded ourselves and our disarrayed luggage back on the bus, drove 500 feet and then had to unload everything again to transfer to a Chilean bus, a Chilean driver and a Chilean guide. It’s all part of the immigration charm. Officially in Chile, we headed into further desolation to Torre del Paine National Park.

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

Events are listed by date, like a calendar: past events, then those planned for the future. Some organizations offer multiple events, and these items appear toward the end of the column. On January 26, the 904 Wing of the Air Force Association of Canada held its annual golf tournament and pig roast dinner at Country Club de Chapala. The tournament was won by Doug Archer, Rod Pye, Carole Durham and Brian O’Neil. The 904th is a group of ex-military and civilian aviators and aviation enthusiasts. For more information, see the Association’s web site at 904wing. org. On January 28, The Two Agaves held a book signing th 17 Tee Pause: Mike Brisco and Gord at Casa del Sol. Bill Frayer read Stewart await a clear green from his latest book of poems, Agave Blood, depicting ordinary situations with unique wisdom. The Agave Marias authors recited lines from the book, seeming to create a whole new story. At their January 30 annual general meeting, Country Club de Chapala members elected Charley Temple president. The Country Club de Chapala is a semi-private, nonprofit country club, offering a challenging golf course with beautiful surroundings and a club that includes dining facilities. For more information, contact Country Club de Membership Chair Richard Charles Chapala Belair at rlbelair@gmail.com or visit Temple the Club’s web site at www.ccchapala.com. At their February annual banquet Casa, the Culinary Arts Society of Ajijic, celebrated their

CASA winners: Karen Rowell, Joe DeLeon and Monica Malloy

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Bill Frayer reading from Agave Blood finest culinary winners of the past year. Three were given the group’s highest award, the BING. This year’s winners were Karen Rowell, Joe DeLeon and Monica Malloy. Casa President Patrick Winn presented them with large pewter bowls to recognize their achievement. Other awards were given for second, third place, and People’s Choice. All who would like to join CASA can contact Patrick Winn at 766 – 4842 or by email at patriciowinn@hotmail.com.

On February 6 at the Centro Cultural de Ajijic, Pat Apt, Jesús Lόpez Vega and Korina Butiémy displayed their art work. Korina is 10 and shows great promise. In February Jazz vocalist Dilia teamed up with award winning Toronto-based chef Alex Sgroi for two shows at El Bar Co. Dinner was served in the back garden where the sound was excellent. Dilia was backed by Ricardo Raygosa on keyboards, Chelo on Drums, Cesar Coronat on Bass and Juan Pablo Hernandez on Sax and Flute. February 13, Lakeside Friends of the Animals held a cocktail thank you at the Gringos in Paradise by Pat Apt Billy Moon Estate, hosted by Claudette Champagne. John Marshall and Elyn McEvoy addressed the group briefly on behalf of Lakeside animals. Charlie, a gentle mascot for the affair, found new owners. Want to help animals? Write info@ Dilia and Chef Sgroi lakesideanimalfriends. org. at El Bar Co On Valentine’s Day, while Chapala rocked to Carnaval, the Old Train Station in Chapala provided a refuge of tranquility. There was a photo show called “Bohemian Night” which hung on the walls for viewing before and after a concert presented by the CREM Orquestra, formerly Golden Strings. The children and adolescents who comprise Charlie found the group are truly exceptional. a new home EVENTS TO COME: From March 2 – 13 at the Ajijic Cultural Center, ASA, the Art Society of Ajijic will have a judged art show. All upstanding members can submit artwork March 1, 10 – 12, two pieces for a fee of $50 pesos. Judging will take place March 2, opening 3 – 6. The Culture Center is open daily from 10 – 2 and 3 – 6, admission free. There will be no ASA meeting in March, resuming April 15, then the first Monday each month at La Nueva Posada. Annual dues are $200 pesos. March 5 – 7 the Mexican Chili Cookoff will be held at the grounds of Tobolandía in Ajijic. Besides Álvarez Morales played with light Chili there are the parade, vendors of foods, drinks and other interesting items and performers of various kinds. Contact Charlie Smith at chssmith36@yahoo.com. March 5 – 15, 7:30 p.m. at the Auditorium in La Floresta, Northern Lights will put sparkle into your days. Contact Roseann Wilshere at roswilshere@ gmail.com. On March 10, 11, 16 & 18 at 7:30 p.m. at La Nueva Posada, Shirley Haverland’s Farewell Appearance may bring a tear or two at her “Comedy in Concert,” fun-filled show. Lakeside’s Funny Lady is moving to the US on March 30, tickets available at the hotel desk and at Suzy’s Consignments across from Roberto’s restaurant, or call 766 – 1853, open seating. Guests are invited to stay and share a farewell toast with Shirley. On March 11 the School for the Deaf and Children with Special Needs will hold their Black and White Ball: One Thousand and One Nights. Lakeside’s most elegant formal affair will feature an Arabian theme, entertainment by a belly

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Written By Neil McKinnon One of my favourite things to do is to pick up each new edition of El Ojo del Lago, flip it open to the center page and read Mildred Boyd’s column “Magnificent Mexico.” Through the years she has covered topics as diverse as Aztec feather art, jade, hummingbirds, Mexican weavers, trees, and Pre-Columbian deities. Illustrated by wonderful art, her column always made my day and I always learned something new. Hooked, I would then flip through the Ojo to see what else this incredible lady had written. In a column called “Have Walker, Will Travel” she told about her journeys. She also wrote about Ambrose Bierce, the internet, Mexican artists, Oscar Wilde and mariachi music. Her area of expertise covered everything and the eclecticism of her writing was a metaphor for her life. Sadly, Mildred passed away on February 10th. She was 88. I met Mildred when my wife Judy volunteered for the Children’s Art Program, a Neill James legacy which Mildred and Jose Lopez Vega had revitalized, and which Mildred was still running when she died. We discussed archeology and I quickly discovered the depth of her knowledge. Over the years we had many discussions and I would be less than frank if I didn’t confess that I gained much more than I contributed. In January, I read Mildred’s column about Pancho Villa and a few pages later found another item (not by Mildred), titled “Wonder Women of Texas.” It occurred to me then and it occurs to me now that we have had a Wonder Woman from Texas in our midst for years. Mildred was born in Ranger, Texas. She grew up in Graham and her literary talents showed early. Her brother taught her to read enabling her to skip Grade one. She had a wagon that she

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took to the library each week and loaded with books. When she selected classics that were only available to adults she told the librarian that they were for her Mother. She graduated high school at 16. That summer Mildred accompanied a girlfriend to watch a rehearsal of Billy Rose’s touring production of Casa Mañana. The director saw her and asked, “Who’s the wild one?” Her hair stuck out in all directions. He invited her to audition and she joined the tour in Fort Worth. The show opened on Broadway in the fall of 1937. Mildred was one of six showgirls who graced the stage in elaborate costumes. She said one headpiece weighed 35 pounds. She began modeling and acting, and her picture appeared on Coca Cola billboards from New York to Texas. Mildred married Carney William Boyd in February, 1940 and moved to Olney, Texas where her four children were born. During WW II, her husband served in the Merchant Marine and she moved to Fort Worth to work for the war effort in aircraft manufacturing. Texas A&M University gave classes in plants that were manufacturing war materials, and there she learned theoretical and applied engineering. Her fellow students were almost all male and received credit toward engineering degrees. At that time, Texas A&M did not offer credit or degrees to women so she obtained no formal recognition of her education or experience. After the war she earned her pilot’s

license and was a member of the Civil Air patrol. She was a qualified pilot before she could drive a car. Mildred returned to Fort Worth and the drafting room of Convair Aviation in 1954 where she worked on the B-58 bomber. It was around this time that one of her male colleagues told her that she was expected to serve coffee. She simply said, “I’m not here to serve coffee,” and proceeded to out-work them all. Because she had no degree she was paid half as much as men doing the same work. For the next 30 years she designed missile guidance systems for Sperry Rand, worked on the Minute-Man missile at Hercules Power, helped design the first hand-held calculator for HewlettPackard and designed “smart” torpedoes at Gould Systems. She still holds multiple US patents. She also attended Texas Christian University where she discovered that she could write. It became a life-long avocation. Criterion Books published her first book, History in Harness, in 1965. It was quickly followed by Black Flags and Pieces of Eight, Rulers in Petticoats, Silent Cities and Man, Myth and Magic. Her first trip to Mexico was to research life at Chichen Itza which she wrote about in Silent Cities. In 1983 Mildred was in Cleveland. It snowed on her birthday and she vowed to never spend another winter in a cold place. She headed for Oaxaca which met all of her retirement criteria: it was warm, had an English library and ancient ruins. However, a tourist visa meant a drive to the border every six months so she decided to explore other locations. A few days later she arrived at the Old Posada in Ajijic. She discovered the library at the Lake Chapala Society and her search was over. She had found her new home. Mildred first volunteered at the LCS library in January, 1984 and remained active, running the Saturday art class for

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El Ojo del Lago March 2010

the rest of her life. At one time she single-handedly kept the program alive as the only volunteer. It now hosts 30 to 100 children every week and includes art scholarships sponsored by the Ajijic Society of the Arts. She served on the LCS board and was president of the ASA. She administered the ASA scholarship fund until her death. Her own art has won a multitude of awards. Mildred was named “Woman of the Year” by the Municipio de Chapala for her work with Mexican children. Mildred began contributing to El Ojo del Lago in the early 90s and became a regular columnist in 2001. Her writing has won awards almost every year. Notwithstanding all the awards, Mildred was an extremely modest person. I knew her for years and we often discussed writing and books. However, I didn’t know that she was a published author until I accidentally found one of her books in the LCS library. Mildred loved travelling to ancient sites. She had Petra and Angkor Wat in her plans but realized that future travel would require better mobility. She committed to a hip replacement and was in Cuenca, Ecuador recovering from a successful surgery when she became ill. She died a few days later with her daughters, Judy and Lizz, by her side. Much is owed to her. She created not only art and books and electronics. Talent flourishes and people lead fuller lives because of Mildred’s greatest legacy—the Children’s Art Program. In that sense alone, her life has been joy and adventure. The family has lost a greatgrandmother, grandmother and mother. Lakeside has lost a treasure, El Ojo del Lago has lost an incredible writer but for all who knew her, she will continue to inspire. Even though she used a walker near the end, no one I know could keep up with Mildred.

Mildred’s Lakeside Honors Woman of the Year Award LCS for 20th Year of Service 1995 Artist of the Year 1995 Protector of the Arts 2005 Project of the Year LCS 2005 Keeper of the Flame 2007 Sons of American Revolution Chapala Art Program 2009 Long-Standing Volunteer LCS Ojo Annual Awards 2002 Best Historical Article 2003 Best Column-Magnificent Mexico 2007 Pam Hall Award 2007 Best Historical Article 2008 Long-Time Contributor 2009 Best Historical Article Mildred Worthy Boyd came to Ajijic in 1983, and she left her soul with the children of our comunity on February 10th, 2010. She was tall but I saw in her eyes the same compassion I saw in Neill James’eyes when I was six years old. Jesus Victoriano López Vega. If daughters turn out like their mothers, then I married well. Allen C. Turner I love every minute we have been together and all the times we have had together traveling. Caroline Tarbell Tupper, friend and traveling companion of Mildred We with the art classes will miss the last link with the spirit of Neill James that ended with Mildred’s passing. Most of all the past students, as well as the present ones will miss her smile and the gentle encouragement that she gave to all. Richard Warmowski. Mildred knew a lot. I once asked her if irregardless was a real word and she said, “No, but it will be.” Jim McCormack. The Tingen Family and all of the staff here at El Ojo del Lago and El Ojo del Mar extend our deepest sympathy to Mildred’s family. But one consolation is that Mildred was not shortchanged, either by her length of years, experiences, stunning amount of achievements or by the number of people whom she loved and was loved by in return. Her regular column, Magnificent Mexico, can never be taken over by another writer so we will do the best thing possible and repeat some of the columns that she wrote for us many years ago. Mildred will always be remembered as someone who left Lakeside a far better place than she found it.

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dancer. The function will be held at the Villa Encantada Eventos in Chapala. Tickets are $750 pesos per person. Chairperson Jim Lloyd at 766 – 3070 or Leslie Martin at 766 – 2274. From March 13 – 15 at 3 p.m., Naked Stage will present Lysistrata. This version is updated for modern audiences. Directed by Sally Jo Bartlett. Reservations are a must. Call 766 – 2044. On March 17 at 7:30 p.m., The Spanglish Imposition returns Lakeside’s improv comedy to Centro Sol y Luna for three “Wacky Wednesdays.” Subsequent shows are March 24 and 31 at the new Pocket Theater in Centro Sol y Luna, Rio Bravo #10. There will be new sketches and improv games. Bring a large item and they will try to use it Black and White Ball: One as a prop. Tickets are $150 pesos. Get your tickets Thousand and One Nights early. Call 765 – 7240, also available at Sol y Luna or Diane Pearl Colecciones. Open seating. March 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the Auditorium, Kovac Productions offers “Gypsy Night.” Tickets are $300 pesos, available at the Auditorium in La Floresta, Tony’s Restaurant, Salvador’s and Charter Club Tours. The show features Gyula Horvath, a Hungarian virtuoso violinist, performing from theaters such as the Sydney Opera House and La Scala in Milan, in the USA, China, England, Switzerland and before Pope John Paul II. On March 19, the 10th Annual Cruz Roja Fashion Show will begin at 3 p.m. at the Hotel Real de Chapala in La Floresta. A cold buffet will be served. Admission is $400 pesos. Tables for 10 will be $4,500 pesos. Sales at the Cruz Roja table at the Lake Chapala Society or call June Cooper, 766 – 4939. Ten Platinum tables will go for $6,000 pesos, including drinks, special botanas, buffet and first choice (Feb. 1 – 13) of preferred table location. March 19 at La Nueva Posada, 10 a.m., the Ajijic Writers Group will sponsor a guest Gypsy Night Poster speaker, Professor Emeritus of Russian Literature James E. Falen, University of Tennessee, who has published translations of Alexander Pushkin and many modern Russian writers. March 20 at 7 p.m. and March 21 at 4 p.m. at the Auditorium in La Floresta, Los Cantantes del Lago will put on their Spring Concert. This choir has become very popular and promises once again to present a great concert. Tickets are $200 pesos. Contact a member of Los Cantantes for tickets or Jan Feise at 766 – 2691, jan. feise@gmail.com. March 24 from 6:30 p.m., Have Hammers...Will Travel will have its first fundraiser to help purchase tools for their LCS carpentry workshops for local Mexican boys. The event will be held at the Riviera Alta Clubhouse, Prof. James Falen featuring Tony’s ribs or chicken, apple pie and ice cream. Entertainment by The Tallboys Band, cost $250 pesos per person. For time and reservations, contact Robert Owen at berylandbob@gmail. com. On March 28 – 29 and April 4 – 6, 7:30 p.m. on Sunday and Monday and 3 p.m. on Tuesdays, My, My, How Nice! Productions presents Murder at the Howard Johnson’s. The show will be at Sol y Luna, Rio Bravo #10, and will star a new face at Lakeside stages, Peter Palmer, owner of Pedro’s Gourmet and GO Le Club restaurants. Michael Warren and Jayme Littlejohn costar, direction by John Ward. The play promises to keep audiences rolling in the aisles. Ticket prices are $200 pesos, on sale at Diane Pearl Colecciones and Suzy’s Consignments or by email at mymynownice@gmail.com. A portion of all My, My How Nice Productions goes to CREM, the children’s symphony. The American Legion post #7 schedule for March: Sundays: 12 – 3 p.m. Legion Grill: burgers Mar 3 – 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.: US Consulate (no Social Security) Mar 13 – 3 p.m. – Free Movie: Homeward Bound Mar 17 – St. Patrick’s Day Dinner

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

Mar 25 – 3 p.m. Lone Star Until March 18, Food Extravaganza continues at the Lake Chapala Society during Food Month, co-sponsored by LCS and ACÁ, the Asociaciόn Comunitaria de Autosuficiencia. Distinguished area chefs demonstrate the best of regional and international food. Sign up at the LCS office or by emailing acacentroecologico@gmail. com. Cost is $50 pesos per food lecture. Check the LCS bulletin board or email ACÁ at the above email address for Murder at the Howard Johnson’s the full schedule: March 8 – April 23 (7 weeks) Spanish classes: sign up – blue umbrella patio Lakeside Little Theatre news: On stage now is Sandy Wilson’s musical The Boy Friend, directed by Allen McGill. Presented as “The Longest Running Roadshow Of The Boy Friend,” this fun show runs from February 27 to March 9. Rehearsals are underway for the final show of the season, Cash on Delivery. Bob Coull directs Michael Cooney’s farce about a con artist, welfare fraud, and mistaken identity. Performances April 3 – 11. LLT’s Annual General Meeting will be March 17. Registration at 10 a.m., meeting at 11, election for positions on the LLT Board of Directors. All members are encouraged to attend and vote. The Season Ticket Renewal and New Sales are on March 18, 10 – 1 in the LLT lobby. Season tickets are $800 pesos per reserved seat for six plays from September 2010 through April 2011, including LLT Membership. Individual tickets are $150 pesos. LLT invites all member volunteers during the 2009 — 2010 Season to our annual Applause Party on April 17, 5 – 7 p.m. at the Theatre. The Music Appreciation Society (MAS) program: February 9 at the Auditorium in La Floresta, the Three Sopranos: Liliana del Conde, Mariana del Rocío Corona, and Zaira Soria “wowed” the audience with songs from My Fair Lady, Porgy and Bess, arias from Madame Butterfly, La Boheme, Turandot, La Traviata, Tosca, adding to their international reputation. February 19 on the LCS back patio, Michael Warren’s play was read and well enacted. Murder by Proxy started with a past “death by misadventure” along with persistent speculations, providing the audience an immediate suspect. But it wasn’t that easy. Not until the very end did we find out. March 23 at the Auditorium there will be Two Guitarists Extraodinaire: Juanito Pazcual and Russian, Grisha Goryachev. Tickets for a single MAS performance at the Auditorium $250 pesos per. For information, call 765 – 6409. Open Circle at LCS on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m.: Mar 7 Bill Sanders Mar 14 - Mar 21 Phyl Gaskell Mar 28 - Apr 4 Wendee Hill VIVA! La Musica Zacatecas Trip April 30 – May 4 for tour and opera Armida. Departure April 30 at 7:30 a.m. from Lloyds; arrival 1 p.m., lunch at Restaurant Hacienda del Cobre. The Opera Armida is May 1, directly from the Metropolitan Opera House by satellite. Each day a planned tourist activity and free time; cost of the trip is $4,350 pesos per person for VIVA members and $4,550 for non-members, including luxury bus and hotel accommodations, guide, entrance to museums and sites, ticket to the opera. A deposit of $2,000 pesos is required by March 6, balance due March 31. Contact Marshall Krantz at 766 – 2834.

LLT’s The Boy Friend

Saw you in the Ojo

The Continuing Adventures of Mildred and Suzette By Katie B. Goode

The Road Warriors

“A

y!” Mildred yelped as she eased herself into the wraparound leather chair after returning from the ladies’ room. “What?!” Suzette asked, worried about her old friend. Mildred winced and pointed into the distance. “See that rusty old car down there?” Suzette scanned the shoreline of the lake, her eyes resting on a beatup Chevy parked near the pier. “That’s me,” Mildred said. “Ready to be sent to the junkyard and parted out.” As if wanting to ease the trip, Eduardo removed Mildred’s empty margarita glass and replaced it with another, on the rocks. “Gracias, Dr. Eduardo,” Mildred said. “Medicina.” Eduardo smiled, flashing his perfect white teeth. He’d thought about being a doctor, but his soul was drawn to art. Maybe he’d paint his gringa ladies someday, dining on the terrace. “Well, I don’t know… I think you’re a long way from the junkyard,” Suzette said to Mildred, taking a bite of beet, her favorite item from the salad bar. “Yeah, well, you’ve got to admit that basic maintenance isn’t as easy as it used to be.” Suzette considered this as a shiny little Miata, top down, pulled in next to the Chevy. “It does take a little longer to get started now. In the old

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days, I’d crank up the machinery and race her from zero to 60 in nothing flat.” “Yeah,” said Mildred, nostalgic. “Tank up on a little fuel, cruise all day and night.” Suzette took the last sip of her margarita, wondering if she should rethink her resolution to stick to just one. “Now I turn the key and the engine moans and groans and just doesn’t want to turn over.” “I make it out of the carport, but don’t get the mileage I used to,” Mildred sighed. Suzette tapped her fingers on the table, grooving to a rap beat. “I’ve got sludge in my crankcase and a hiss in my tires.” Mildred brightened, jiving in her chair. “I’ve got squeaks in my wheels and creaks in my seats.” “Rust on my bumpers and dust on my dash.” “Yea, sistah, sistah, I say, we’re coming down the final stretch. We’ve had our day.” Suzette searched for something to add. “And the bridge is washed out!” she blurted. “Huh?” Mildred said, shrugging, and then laughing as she fist-bumped with her friend. Eduardo looked over at the ladies, hoping there wouldn’t be a repeat of last week’s theatrics when they stood and waved their arm flab.

Mildred and Suzette sat back in their chairs, enjoying the gentle breeze coming off the lake, comfortable in the silence as only true friends can be. “But you’ve got to admit,” Mildred sighed. “We’ve had some interesting pit stops along the way.” “Some awesome road trips.” “Yeah, and you know, I’ve still got some rubber to burn on these tires!” Mildred said, patting her rump. “Not to mention friends to peel out with!” They laughed, thinking how, al-

though the road had been rough and full of potholes, how lucky they were. Mildred smiled, looking at Suzette and admiring her for moving to a new country all on her own. “You know,” she said. “I think somewhere along the line you go from being a heap to a classic.” “Well, if you put it that way, this classic needs some new seat covers. Let’s go shopping!” Suzette said, motioning to Eduardo for the bill.. Mildred did a little shimmy and smiled. “Get out the turtle wax, mama’s goina shine!”

Saw you in the Ojo

By Jim Rambo

nce in a while, judges get too heir big for their ody pants. And there’s nobody else but lawyers who can rein them in. It must be vedone subtly, but assertively. And it must also be accomplished in a manner that borders on contempt but never oss that thaat crosses that border. Cross sed to put border and, as my dad used he India ans!” it, “Your ass belongs to the Indians!” A judge called me into an office conference during a break in a trial before another judge. I was late in getting back to the trial. The jury had been waiting and, although I made the office conference judge aware of my time constraints, he made no effort to finish quickly. When I returned to the courtroom, I knew I would have to explain myself. The trial judge was more than reasonable about such matters almost always….almost. I was asked to remain standing and was subjected to an extended criticism of my lack of professionalism. The defense was

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

lovinng loving it. Finallyy, when Finally, my back ssi side was sufficiently ggnawed on, I was afforded the opportunity to apologize. Instead, I launched into my own defense, citing the other judges’ disregard of my plea to expedite the conference. I even suggested that one of the judges on the court should apologize to me for not communicating with each other. That was unnecessary and it spoiled my otherwise inspired defense. The judge harrumphed and warned me to “never let it happen again.” I decided to take him at his word. Sort of. Jim Liguori was defense counsel that day. Jim was known to pull stunts

like blowing his nose on a pompous lawyer’s neatly-folded handkerchief. He also had a reputation for ordering cheeseburgers by using a cop’s mobile unit, attached to the officer’s shoulder. Jim was someone that you had to keep an eye on. That trial would prove it again. We were both prepared for summations. I added a twist by bringing along a larger-than-necessary alarm clock. After all, the judge had warned me about being late! I sat it in front of me, thereby attracting the court’s attention. The judge was not amused. We awaited the arrival of one late juror and then the judge instructed us concerning our arguments. We took a brief recess before arguments began. I was outside the courtroom for ten minutes. The judge asked me to begin my summation. I was five minutes into my argument. Suddenly, the courtroom was filled with a loud ringing. The flow of my summation was ruined as I turned to see my alarm clock, ringing and ringing. I walked past defense counsel, who was staring down at his desk with a smirk on his face. Finally, I reached the clock and shut it off. In the quiet that followed, I apologized to the court. No one missed the ugly stare and head shaking of the judge as he an-

nounced, “Proceed, Mr. Rambo, without the clock!” By then, Liguori was nearly on the floor laughing. The joke was on me. I’d been hoisted on my own petard. Something else was happening, however; something that I could not have known. A juror later told me that they were upset that Liguori was laughing during the ringing of my alarm. They didn’t like it. I lost the battle but won the war. The defendant was convicted in spite of my clumsy, immature attempt at reining in the judge. Liguori had set the alarm while I was outside the courtroom but the jury, at least, was not asleep on the facts of the case.

Saw you in the Ojo

The Ojo Crossword

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

ACROSS

DOWN

1 House 6 Sun 10 Torso extensions 14 Boyfriends 15 Window ____ 16 Accomplishment 17 Small hat 18 Neuron end 19 Prong 20 Association (abbr.) 21 Skimps 23 Gross national product (abbr.) 24 Musical symbol 26 Stadiums 28 Mask 31 Barette 32 Wing 33 Inhabits 36 Loosen 40 Meat alternative 42 Seed bread 43 Volcano 44 Observes with eye 45 Attacks 48 Cereal 49 Eye infection 51 Stints 53 Richer opposite 56 Capital of Western Samoa 57 Rainy mo. 58 Pellet gun 61 Capital 65 Asian country 67 Ne 68 Remain 69 Treaty organization 70 Golden 71 Throws violently 72 Past 73 Aborts 74 Property

1 Father 2 Honey makers 3 Paddles 4 Spanish governess 5 Extension (abbr.) 6 Loads 7 Ride on the runway 8 Soon 9 Borrowed things, for a price 10 Furthest back 11 Exercise authority over 12 Moses’ food 13 Terraced walkway 21 Sulk 22 __ Lanka 25 Mismatched 27 Dueling sword 28 Cooking oils 29 Healing plant 30 Restaurant 31 Horse fly 34 Canal 35 Caustic substance 37 Speck 38 Join together 39 Dines 41 Soviet Union 45 Doctor’s tool 46 Sports channel 47 Winter sport 50 British drink 52 Verse meter 53 Make a picture of 54 Ms. Winfrey 55 Speak 56 Father’s sisters 59 Stable gear 60 Jewelry metal 62 Ventilates 63 Lazy 64 Bird’s home 66 Not (refix) 68 Expression of surprise

Feathered Friends By John Keeling

The Cattle Egret

he cattle egret is a mediumsmall white heron, eighteen inches long, having a wingspan of 36 inches. It can usually be identified by its small size, its yellow beak and yellowish legs. However it is often confused with the similar sized snowy egret which is white and has a dark beak, and also with the very much larger great egret which also is white and has a yellow beak. Another characteristic off this hi bird is that it always looks hunched, never fully stretching its neck out. You will often see these birds standing beside cattle or horses, waiting to catch grasshoppers and similar insects which are disturbed as the larger animal walks and forages. Sometimes you will even see them standing on the backs of these animals. They differ from other herons in being land-based rather than water-based. They eat insects, such as crickets, grasshoppers, spiders, and occasionally frogs and toads. They do not go fishing like other herons. During the breeding season they develop distinctive patches of orangey-buff feathers on the crown of the head, the breast and on the back. At the beginning of the breeding season, typically April, the males form colonies or heronries in trees near water often in association with other types of heron. Once the territory is selected the males perform courtship displays to attract females. When a pair accepts each other, they go off to construct a nest, the males bringing the twigs and the females arranging them into a large, rather untidy dish platform. Sticks are often stolen from unused or unattended neighboring nests. The average clutch size is three eggs, which are laid every two days. Both parents share sitting duty to keep the eggs warm for the 34 day incubation period. At 20 days after hatching the chicks can stand on the tree branches beside the nest. At 50 days they are able to make short flights, and at 60 days they fly away. Young cattle egrets are dispersive by nature often flying far away from their nests. They are also migratory,

going the winter i south th iin th i t and d ttypii cally they do not return in the following year to the place where they were born. The young birds are able to fly great distances and have been observed in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Originally from north Africa, where they were known in ancient Egypt along the Nile River. In the last 150 years they have spread out in every direction; eastward to Asia and Australia; southward to South Africa; and northward into Europe. They flew westward to South America first in the 1870s and again in the 1930s. From there they moved northward reaching Florida in the 1950s and are now also found in Canada. This has been the most extraordinary and far-reaching expansion of the range of any wild bird species. (Ed. Note: John Keeling and his wife lead â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Los Audubonistas del Lagoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; which is a loose-knit group of people interested in birds. To receive notices of events please leave your e-mail address at www.avesajijic. com.

Saw you in the Ojo

A NEW LEASEâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;on Life! By Judit Rajhathy, B.A., RNCP, D.Ac.

Shake Your Booty!

id you know that new research indicates that in order to stay slim and fit and keep your heart healthy you need to be exercising not a half hour to an hour per day but at least 60 to 90 minutes a day? The beauty of gym equipment is that most monitor your speed and calorie consumption. Using a pedometer to count steps is a good alternative for those who prefer other activities outside the realm of a fitness facility. One of the best ways to crank up your metabolism is through interval cardio training. This can be as simple as mixing up a routine - using an elliptical trainer for 20 minutes, changing to a bike for another 20 and finishing on a treadmill for the remaining 20 minutes. Another option is using a hydraulic circuit where you alternate simple cardio to various machines that work different parts of the body which gives the variety your body needs to stay in fat burning mode. Of course the absolute best cardio exercise is the one you will actually stick with day in and day out. Sorry, walking is not enough - unless you are speed walking. Monitoring your progress is important. In the first month it is far more important to lose inches than weight. Often you are maintaining weight or even gaining because muscle weighs more than fat and the first month is spent gaining muscle mass. So measuring once every two weeks or once a month is important so that you are sure you are on the right track. Did you know that there are 3500 calories in one pound of body fat? Creating a deficit of 500 calories per

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day for a total of 3500 calories per week is a reasonable goal. Rather than starving the body with stringent dieting, adding a cardio routine that burns 500 calories is a healthier approach - not to mention how great it is for your overall health. It is a fact that regular daily exercise promotes more energy, healthy weight, better balance and coordination and yes, even a better sex life! Exercise is known to be partially responsible in the prevention of many chronic diseases such as certain cancers, heart disease, arthritis, osteoporosis, stroke, etc. and certainly will provide an all around better quality of life. The average person burns about 350-400 calories using a piece of cardio equipment for 30 minutes. Are you aware that a piece of fresh apple pie is around 400 calories and that a serving of spaghetti and meat balls with garlic bread can be as high as 950 calories! Think carefully when making food choices knowing how hard you have to work to counteract these calories when sweating at the gym. And speaking of the gym, if we havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen you there lately, give yourself the gift of good health and come on back - ya hear? (Judit Rajhathy is the author of the Canadian best seller Free to Fly: a journey toward wellness and the owner of Change of Pace Fitness Center, Ajijic - 766-5800.)

Judit Rajhathy

AS SOCIAL OCIA AL E EXPERIMENT XPERIMENT By Mark S. McGrew

am firmly convinced that the single most destructive problem in America is drugs. If people are not using illegal street drugs, they are drugged out from their family doctor. American television is saturated with drug commercials for anything that you can possibly imagine. Sleep too much? Not enough? Eat too much? Not enough? Do you snore, sneeze, doze, forget, talk too much? Can’t get aroused? Take Viagra. If it doesn’t come down in four hours, see your doctor for more drugs. There are some 250 drugs that are allowed to be put into a cow before we eat it. Chickens from Purdue, Tyson, Holly Farms and other large processors have such enormous amounts of hormones in their feed that their chickens have bigger breasts than most women. Pigs are so full of antibiotics that it is no wonder that people now do not respond to antibiotic treatment for common infections. Rather than even hint that our food system is poisoned, the media tells us about “Super Bugs,” immune to antibiotics. When your doctor gives you a prescription, he gets paid a commission. The incentive is there to push drugs on uninformed patients. Can you really trust these people with your health? The number one cause of death in America now is medical treatment. Botched operations, the wrong drug, overdoses, and 140,000 people last year died of

malnutrition in a hospital. I believe that all drugs pushed by the medical establishment are laced with what I call, a “Complacency Drug.” This complacency drug makes the user not care about much of anything. It is a rare American who is not on drugs as a daily ritual. Another side effect of these drugs is the absence of common courtesy that today is called “Just Business.” People give you an office phone number, cell phone, home phone, fax and email, and still do not communicate. If you want to buy something, you have to ram the cash down the seller’s throat. They are too busy playing mind-control games to attend to business. Having reached adulthood in the late sixties, it is easy for me to observe all this and sum it up with one word: DRUGS. Everyone is drugged out to the max—from illegal dope, to pharmaceuticals, to our food supply laced with massive amounts of drugs. All school shooters are on pharmaceuticals. Watch what you eat: nutrition is the answer. Tell your doctor to shut up, and don’t do dope.

Saw you in the Ojo

Hearts at Work —A Column by Jim Tipton

“…doing little things for the love of God.”

rother Lawrence (16111691) is best known for the useful little book, based on his writings, compiled after his death, The Practice of the Presence of God and his Letters and Spiritual Maxims. Brother Lawrence was a monk in the monastery of the Discalced (shoeless) Carmelites in Paris. The order was founded in sixteenth-century Spain by Saint Teresa of Avila and Saint John of the Cross (who wrote The Dark Night of the Soul). Mother Tessa Bielecki, who wrote the fine Foreword to a new edition of Brother Lawrence (published by New Seeds, 2005), also compares Brother Lawrence to “another Carmelite saint closer to our own era, the nineteenth-century Thérèse of Lisieux, famous for her ‘Little Way,’ the way of childlike simplicity, the way of the ordinary. ‘We ought not

to be weary,” Brother Lawrence assures us, “of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed.’ Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who was born in Albania and given the name Agnesè Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, actually chose the name Teresa after

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Thérèse of Lisieux, and of course some of her words echo the words of that Thérèse and of Brother Lawrence: “We can do no great things; we can only do little things with great love.” Lacking formal education, Brother Lawrence, although “he had a natural aversion to it,” was assigned to cooking and cleaning in the monastery kitchen. But it was there that he learned to “turn the cake that is frying in the pan for love of Him”. In “the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things,” Brother Lawrence discovered prayer in the midst of work, so that he began, while washing dishes, to “possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament.” Indeed, his Pilgrim’s Prayer is a simple one: “Lord of all pots and pans and things… make me a saint by getting meals and washing up the plates!” For Brother Lawrence, and for many of us, God is to be found in the most ordinary duties, in the most menial tasks, so that the “way” in which we perform those tasks becomes a “living hymn to the glory of God.” Resolving evermore to abide in the presence of God, “I went straightway to the place which duty had marked out to me—the kitchen.” Prayer in the midst of “business,” in the midst of daily life, was his path: It “is a great delusion to think that the times of prayer ought to differ from other times.” He cautions us against “trivial devotions,” and suggest that we not “scrupulously confine [ourselves] to certain rules….” The consequences of his practice? “This practice of the presence of God is somewhat hard at the outset, yet pursued faithfully, it

works imperceptibly within the soul most marvelous effects; it draws down God’s grace abundantly, and leads the soul insensibly to the ever-present vision of God, loving and beloved, which is the most spiritual and most real, the most free and most life-giving manner of prayer. Mother Tessa Bielecki tells us in her forward that: “In our highly self-conscious, even narcissistic era, the example of Lawrence’s selfforgetfulness may be his most important teaching. ‘Instead of vainly dwelling upon the present anguish of his mind, as do most troubled souls,’ Lawrence consoled himself with thoughts such as this: ‘Let what may come of it, however many be the days remaining to me, I will do all things for the love of God.’” His is not a doctrine of “good deeds,” or of salvation achieved through such. It is not a doctrine at all. Instead it is a commitment to love God in every moment, in every action, in every gesture, until we are alive in the presence of God. The presence of God, writes Mother Tessa Bielecki in her Foreword, is a gift “given to all, if we are but ready and disposed to receive it.” Mother Tessa Bielecki, incidentally, is the co-foundress of the Spiritual Life Institute, a modern Carmelite community with retreat centers in Colorado and Ireland. She is the author of Holy Daring, Teresa of Avila; Ecstasy and Common Sense, and Teresa of Avila: Mystical Writings. Would that we could live our lives so that at the end someone might say, as Mother Tessa Bielecki says of Brother Lawrence: “He was beloved equally of those of the most contrary temperaments. He wished well to all, without respect of persons.”

Jim Tipton

LISTEN UP—THERE’S A NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN

l Ojo De Lago wishes to welcome our new police chief, Captain Reynol Contreras Munoz. In a recent interview, Captain Contreras shared his opinion on a number of issues that impact life at Lakeside. Captain Contreras was an Air Traffic Controller in the Mexican Air Force for 25 years and also has extensive experience in private security and operations. Currently, the Captain is recruiting new members for his police force. Individuals must have a proper education, no criminal record, good general culture, as well as good appearance and presentation. The Department has recently added six new officers in the Turista Division and they hope to add another 20 to the force within the next four months. Long range planning goal includes the addition of at least 100 more officers. The current budget has provided eight new motorcycles and replaced a number of the older weapons, in addition to allowing for additional officers. The street patrols are being increased for both day and night coverage, but Captain Contreras says we still need a lot more. Unfortunately, there is no bilingual staff person on the telephones 24/7, but the Captain is hoping to make that a reality sometime in the future. In the meantime, a suggestion would be to prepare your comments and questions in Spanish prior to the call. The Captain’s area of responsibility is widespread which makes his job even more challenging. Some of the communities included are Chapala, San Antonio, Ajijic, Santa Cruz, San Nicholas, San Juan Cosala, and Jocotepec. Add to that the highway access and road conditions and you can understand much better the challenges he is facing. The police response time is greatly impacted by these factors, but they plan to work hard to make it better. There are a number of community programs available to provide additional education and information about crime prevention. The local school children receive

information about crime and drug prevention through the D.A.R.E. program. As you might imagine, much of the crime in the area is drug related or drug motivated. Crime prevention is everyone’s concern. You can do your part by evaluating your property and surrounding areas, making them as safe and secure as possible. Always be alert for potential dangers when walking, don’t be out alone at night, carry a whistle or something to make a loud noise so others might hear and help you in the event of an emergency, don’t carry a lot of cash or wear expensive jewelry and always beware of potential stalkers. If you are a crime victim or witness to a crime, please report it. Captain Contreras is planning to communicate more through town meetings and with the Lake Chapala Society. He is also open to the idea of having a small group of ex-pats available as liaison to the American/Canadian population. The Department currently has two dogs. One has been trained as an attack dog and the other for detecting drugs. There may be an opportunity in the future to add more dogs to the force, particularly if they could be trained in advance. (Sounds like an opportunity for some of the animal groups in town.) The amount of work to be done is the Captain’s biggest challenge, but he is very optimistic that they will reach their goals. The local support is very important and he welcomes your comments and suggestions. Look forward to updates from Captain Contreras in El Ojo De Lago.

Saw you in the Ojo

Joyful Musings By Joy Birnbach Dunstan, MA, LPC, MAC

I’m OK. Are You OK?

o what do you really think about yourself? Do you like you? Do you believe you are deserving of happiness and success? Are you confident and self-assured? One of our most difficult yet essential tasks is developing healthy self-esteem. Considering the messages with which many of us were raised, we often start out with a couple strikes against us. How many of you remember being told things like “you should be ashamed of yourself,” “you can’t do anything right,” “if you had a brain, you’d be dangerous,” and so on. These messages program us to think there’s something wrong with us, that we’re not okay. Without self-esteem, we’re doomed because, as Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re right.” Learning to feel good about ourselves is everything. The outside world can be quite daunting enough. There’s no point doubting yourself as well. Self-esteem can be divided into three components: competence, worthiness, and belongingness. Competence is about doing and believing in our ability to get things done. We may feel this way about our job, our role as a parent or a student, or a hobby we enjoy. It is the confidence we are capable to handle whatever life throws our way and find solutions to whatever problems arise. Worthiness is about being. It is

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

the feeling we are valuable not for what we do but for our humanity. Worthiness is a birthright, an innate and universal human value. It is about self-respect and the belief we are deserving of happiness and goodness in our life. Belongingness is about community and relationships. Humans are social beings, and we have a basic need to belong, feel part of a greater whole. We can have a sense of belonging through family, friends, church, or social groups. A person is rarely equal in all areas, but strength in each of them is vital for healthy self-esteem. When one component is lacking, people often try to compensate through over-achievement in another. I bet you know someone who has been quite successful in business but underneath suffers from shame and self-doubt. They feel competent professionally, but like utter failures in their personal life. Or how about that person who seems like such a powerful go-getter with every charity program or action committee in town but in reality has joined all those groups as an attempt not to feel so disconnected and alone in the world. “Self-esteem is the reputation we acquire with ourselves,” says Nathaniel Branden, psychotherapist and author of numerous works on the subject. Having a good reputa-

tion with yourself reflects outward. Back in high school, I once broke up with a boyfriend, telling him, “If you don’t like yourself, why should I?” While our parents can plant the seeds for healthy self-esteem, we are the ones who must water them. And if our parents planted only seeds of shame or incompetence, it is up to us to weed them out and re-plant. Feeling good about ourselves is an inside job. If you rely on praise and pats on the back from others, you make everyone else your judge and become dependent on them to feel

good about yourself. Sam Walton, founder of WalMart, understood this well. He told the managers of his original stores, “Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.” The WalMart of today may not be living up to those words, but his sage advice stands strong for the rest of us. Editor’s Note: Joy is a practicing psychotherapist in Riberas. She can be contacted at joy@dunstan. org or 765-4988.

Saw you in the Ojo

CHILD

of the month

By Rich Petersen

Xochitl Natalí García Márquez

iños Incapacitados is happy to introduce you to Xochitl Natalí García Márquez. Perhaps you haven’t heard or seen this name before—Xochitl (pronounced SOchil) comes from the indigenous Náhuatl language (a pre-Hispanic language) and means “flower.” Little Xochitl is two years old and lives with her family in Tlachichilco, east of Chapala on the road to Mezcala. Xochitl was born prematurely (before seven months gestation) and in addition was a breech baby and had to be delivered by Cesarean section. Unfortunately before delivery her mother had to wait for medical attention (a problem alltoo-common here in Mexico) and therefore the baby’s oxygen supply was diminished, resulting in what is known as cerebral paralysis or cerebral palsy. She only weighed two kilos at birth and had to spend one month in an incubator. Cerebral palsy or brain paralysis encompasses several disorders which affect body movement, balance and posture and is caused by abnormal development or damage to one or more parts of the brain that control muscle tone and movement. Children with this disorder are slow to develop with regard to sitting up, crawling, and walking. Xochitl has just recently begun to be able to hold her head up straight, but still at age two cannot walk or crawl. With

therapy she is now beginning to say a few words. Xochitl’s mother, Alma Rosa, has two other children, Marco Antonio y Azucena, and is raising the children on her own. She designs and makes earrings for a wholesaler jeweler in Guadalajara but is only paid a fraction of what the earrings eventually sell for in the city. Mom has been diligent and tireless in helping her daughter overcome her cerebral palsy. Physical therapy is the only way to accomplish this, and mother and daughter attend therapy sessions 2-3 times every week at the DIF facility in Chapala. Those of us who have known this family for over a year now are able to see the progress little Xochitl is making. She is much more interactive and most always has a big smile on her face when she comes to see us. Niños Incapacitados has been paying for her therapy, transportation into the city for doctors’ appointments, and special scans to monitor her brain activity. We are hopeful that over the years Xochitl will make further progress and be able to lead a more normal life. Niños Incapacitados welcomes everyone to our monthly meetings the second Thursday of each month at 10:30 a.m. in the garden area of La Nueva Posada in Ajijic. For more information please see our website: www.programaninos.org.

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

Saw you in the Ojo

Mexico’s Third Gender By Herbert W. Piekow

he first time I went to the Oaxacan town of Juchitán I observed a group of soccer players with their skirts hiked up, playing hard against a team of men in tight shorts. I watched as the men’s team raced across the field when one of the ladies managed to intercept a pass and sent the ball to a teammate who made a goal. When the girls began to call to one another I realized they were men dressed as women. Later on this trip I heard the legend of San Vincente Ferrer, the patron saint of Juchitán, which says

that the good Father Ferrer received a bag full of homosexuals from God. These homosexuals were to be distributed throughout Mexico, one in each town. However, when Father Ferrer stopped to say Mass in Juchitán the muxes became so exuberant that they all burst from the sac. Each November the city of Juchitán honors the muxes with a special Mass followed by the festival, La Vela de las Auténticas Intrépidas Buscadoras del Peligro, or Festival of the Authentic, Intrepid Danger Seekers. Last November Padre Francisco said in his sermon, “The Church sometimes doesn’t want to talk about ho-

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

mosexuality. But this is our church, our town.” The sermon ended with the grito, “Viva Juchitán! Viva San Vincente Ferrer!” Father Francisco recognizes and accepts that the muxes are a point of difference, but also a point of pride. He offers communion to all, no matter how they dress or how they live their lives. Muxe (pronounced “moo-she), is a Zapotec word, which means woman. This Zapotecan word is used to describe what many in the State of Oaxaca consider the third sex. Muxe is the name given to men who choose to live their lives as women; most dress as women and many hold traditional female jobs, although some often hold corporate and political jobs. Although sexual orientation is nothing new to society the respect and honored treatment of the muxe on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec is strongly rooted in both the two thousand year old Zapotecan culture and the Catholic Church. In a society where virginity is prized it is not uncommon for a man to have a muxe boyfriend for sexual purposes and later marry a woman by whom he can have children. And it is not a surprise that his wife go to the muxe for sexual tips. When the muxe and her macho or male love live together as sexual partners, known as mayate, the macho man is not considered a homosexual. In Mexico the space between acceptance and intolerance can be as close as the campo, where gaybashing is not uncommon, and the city, where same-sex relationships are accepted. The third sex, as they are sometimes referred to, holds both a social and financial position in the communities of Oaxaca. Often they are owners of small businesses, such as beauty shops, weaving establish-

ments or a variety of tiendas that cater to the needs of their communities. During my research I read that Juchitán’s market is one of the best places to experience the mingling of muxe with the community. There the muxes, many with silk ribbons in their hair, call out to passers-by to sample their foods, buy flowers and other wares. Perhaps the acceptance of the muxes occurred because of the relative isolation of the isthmus and the acknowledged strength of the local women. Frida Kahlo so admired these women that she often adopted their style of dress. Oaxaca is famous for its indigenous people, black pottery, cuisine and the muxes. The town of Juchitán is the center of muxe acceptance; it is in the southern part of the Isthmus in the middle of the south of Mexico. The muxes in Juchitán cultivate and promote the aesthetics of everyday life in the town and countryside. They are the ones who decide on the fashions, they take charge of decorating for parties with paper cut-outs, they are also experts at cooking regional foods and candies and even teach many of the dances. When a Oaxacan woman wants to look good she consults a muxe friend for advice on dress, hair style and make-up; in fact most hair salons in Juchitán are owned by muxes. When it’s time for a party they are the go-to people. Each November the muxes celebrate with a special Mass followed by two days and nights of festivities. For “The Party of the Authentic Intrepid Ones who Search for Danger,” like most adolescents, they are taken to the festival on the arm of an older brother or father. On the first night the participants dress provocatively showing off their curves and legs. They spend the night drinking

and dancing to sandunga and salsa music until someone is crowned queen. On the second night of the party, which is called “Cleaning of the Pot,” the muxe dress modestly, “like our mothers and grandmothers,” as one said. Again the party lasts most of the night until the beer gets warm and these “women-spirits who live in men’s bodies” stumble home to their mothers’ houses. Most people of Oaxaca believe their gender is something God has given them, whether man, woman or muxe. In Juchitán the belief is that boys are born facing up and girls are born facing down. Therefore when a

boy is born facing down his mother feels blessed that she will be taken care of throughout her life by her muxe child. Traditionally women marry and move with their spouses, and although sons often take care of aging parents, it is the muxe who often provide financial and emotional support throughout their mother’s lives. Every family considers it a blessing to have a muxe. It could be they are accepted because Oaxaca is a matriarchal society; whatever the reason, tolerance and acceptance are virtues that slowly spread and foster a loving and complete society.

Saw you in the Ojo

THE PAJARETE By Mel B M l Goldberg G ldb On one side of the narrow highway halfway between Jocotopec to Acatlan is a dirt patch where a woman and three cows stand in the shade of a white tarp. A laborer puts dry chocolate and sugar into his half liter container and adds cane alcohol. The woman milks the cow into his cup, and he has pajarete to help him fly through a day of crushing labor, clearing brush with his machete, or bending to cut stalks of broccoli. When I was offered the drink I willingly accepted. But pajarete dulls the senses. I want a pajarete that will make my words wild mustangs that fly across the plains striking awe into the hearts of men or the silence in the mouth of one just dead. My pajarete will create the flowers visited by bees making honey with the words I cannot write. It will be the cry of a child just born, the taste of a peach just picked. That pajarete will spew fire to ignite the world and help me understand why wealth consumes the poor or children die for lack of love. (The Pajarete, a tradition for years in Jalisco, is a blend of chocolate and sugar mixed with cane alcohol and milk fresh from a cow. Traditionally it is taken in the morning by laborers before they go to work in the fields.)

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

What Ever Happened To …? By Ruth Ross Merrimer

d. Note: For many years, Ruth wrote our “Lakeside Living” column and was one of the original members of the Ajijic Writers Group. She also wrote a novel, Champagne and Tortillas, about the A-List social set here at Lakeside.) I got my first look at Ajijic in 1966 when my husband, Robert Merrimer and I arrived to produce seven documentary films for the Mexican National Tourist Department. Mexico was scheduled to hold the Olympics during this time and the films were to be used for publicity purposes. Puerto Vallarta was to be the subject of the first of the seven documentaries, and like most newbies to PV, we immediately fell in love with the place, whose population at the time was 14,000. In 1968, after completing three of the films, and traveling a total of 6,000 miles in Mexico—including 27 states, the Yucatan Peninsula and Mexico’s two Caribbean islands— Puerto Vallarta became our permanent home. Then, moving back to the States after so many years away was a real culture shock. I hear many people— most of whom have never been to Mexico—suggesting I must surely find the higher cost of living a shock, which makes me smile. They think that everything in Mexico is dirt cheap, the water will kill you and how could anyone possibly live on tortillas, beans and tacos. Of course these types are in the minority. Those that know Mexico ask: “…Why did you ever leave?” A few months back I was fortunate to have one of my best friends, Barbara Clippinger, move to Palm Springs. But, my joy was short-lived. Barbara has since become reacquainted with an old friend and they have moved to Arizona. Then my phone rang one day and it was Mila McDonald, another of my favorite buds in Mexico, who had moved to Palm Springs and believe it or not, in the apartment right next door to the one I live in. So, as the saying goes: “A door closes and a window opens.” One of my favorite times is when the Ojo del Lago arrives in the mail and I plop down in a chair in front of my apartment, and read every line of it. Which brings me to the title of this piece. Each issue I read has fewer of

Ruth Ross Merrimer the names I was familiar with during my years in PV. Then I remember that when I arrived in PV there was another group of Americans and Canadians, and other nationalities living there that also disappeared during the years of my tenure. I play some CDs I brought back with me, and yesterday as I listened to Jerry Mayfield singing one of my favorites that he had written, I tried to remember the last time I read in my Ojo that Jerry was still performing. So, Jerry, know that I think often of you and your lovely wife singing “Look at Me,” and I play it often as well. I wonder, too, if the current newbies are aware that it was Bill Martin who was the big push that brought television to PV, thus allowing us to keep in touch with the world of our children and grandchildren while still enjoying our own little paradise. I realize that there are those of my time in PV and Ajijic that have left for that big paradise in the sky, but hang on, I’ll be asking about more of that wonderful generation of “furriners” who helped make Puerto Vallarta and Ajijic the places we all love today. For now, adios amigos, I miss you and hope the feeling is mutual.

Saw you in the Ojo

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

ear Sir: I thought the Feb. 10, “Thunder on the Right” column by Paul Jackson, was a rather petty attack on non-believers. It seems that one of the simple religious beliefs he claims to value is a strong loathing for people who don’t share his views on religion. Jackson makes several claims; first that “atheists by and large feel utterly compelled to destroy everyone else’s faith in a God”. He reaches this conclusion by citing three recent books (he doesn’t claim to have read any of them). I am not familiar with Michael Onfray’s book but I have read Dawkins ‘& Hitchens’ and find them thoroughly researched and documented with very persuasive arguments. How do three relatively successful books become an attack on every believer by every atheist as Jackson claims? And why is a challenge to religion different from a challenge to any other set of beliefs, scientific, political or philosophical? Apparently, Jackson feels religion is immune to criticism. His second charge is that atheism “has become a profit driven business—purses full of lucrative

amounts of devilish cash”. I assume he’s referring to royalties earned by these authors. Which would be small change compared to the millions sloshing around in the treasuries of religious outfits like Focus on the Family and others. Finally, Jackson claims “there are a group of only semi-literate types who, mean-spirited, exhibit a malevolent, malicious mendacity toward religion”. I love the alliteration, but just who in the hell is he referring to? The words he uses probably describe Jackson better than this unidentified group. I suggest that Jackson’s editors change the name of his column from the grandiose “Thunder on the Right” to a more accurate, “Flatulence on the Right.” Mac McCarthy A winter visitor to Ajijic 766-2796

For Paul Jackson, I read your article monthly in the Ojo. Find each of them very interesting, though I may not always agree with your philosophy or approach. This month (February) I find to be one of your finest and a valuable message many need to hear. I regard myself as a progressive moderate who cringes at the ideas

and proclamations of the radical fringes on both the liberal and conservative spectrums whether it be religion or politics. I think it to be vitally important to search the common ground and preserve dignity and respect toward all. David Huff Ajijic

Dear Sir: Paul Jackson’s ego is so large that he thinks he is much too important not to have an afterlife. Typical of a self professed conservative, he does not practice rationalism. Rationalism is the belief all knowledge and truth consist in what is ascertainable by rational process of thought and that there is no supernatural revelation. Therefore, Paul Jackson is, by definition, an irrational person. His rant about outspoken atheists is typical of those who are faced with the truth of their religion. I have never heard him rant about all the religious books on the market. I also doubt that he has ever read his own bible. According to his rant, freedom of religion, press, and speech should not apply to nonbelievers. The following is from the Koran 4:74-78: “Those who readily fight in the cause of GOD are those who for-

sake this world in favor of the Hereafter. Whoever fights in the cause of GOD, then gets killed, or attains victory, we will surely grant him a great recompense...” Forget freedom of religion. Kill the infidel! Doing as the Koran God commands gets one into Heaven. The following is from the Christian/Jewish Bible: Deuteronomy 13: ”If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” … do not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity. Do not spare him or shield him. You must certainly put him to death. . .” Forget freedom of religion. Kill the infidel! Doing as the Bible God commands gets one into Heaven. In Matthew, Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.” Hatred is the Christian Value. Kill the infidel! Doing as the Jesus commands gets one into Heaven. Nonbelievers compose .209% of the US Federal Prison population and 16.5% of the general population. Nonbelievers divorce rate is 25% lower than believers. No atheist ever bombed a Federal building, flew a plane load of passengers into New York buildings, bombed an abortion clinic, lesbian nightclub, Olympics, or conducted a

holocaust. Nonbelievers are more law abiding than believers. The London Times 09/27/05: “Societies worse off ‘when they have God on their side.’” Telegraph UK 02/09/10 “Atheists are just as ethical and have as strong a moral compass as churchgoers, new research shows.” “With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil—that takes religion.”—Steven Weinberg Thank you, Hank Shiver revhank@hotmail.com

Ask Carolyn By Carolyn Comedo

EAR CAROLYN: Some years ago I met Eduardo on a double date. He swept me off my feet and we eloped. Soon I discovered that he was already married so I sent him packing. Later I heard that he had died so I got married again to José. Then I discovered that the rumour that Eduardo had died was not true. Shortly after this, José passed away. My questions are: Am I a widow? Am I a bigamist? Who is my real husband—Eduardo or José? I must know these things so that, during confession, I can tell Father Alonzo with which man I committed adultery. Also I need to know if I must get divorced before I can marry again as Eduardo wants to rekindle our old romance. MARY WIDOW DEAR MARY: You should be able to divorce José on the grounds of desertion. Then you won’t be a widow, a bigamist or an adulteress. Also, it’s not necessary to divorce Eduardo before you remarry him. *** DEAR CAROLYN: How many orgasms is it possible for a woman to achieve in one session? MULTI-O DEAR MULTI: There is no limit. Leotard Princeski, a peasant woman from Moldova started to orgasm on May 29th, 1984 and continued until 1902 when old age and senility caused her to forget what she was doing. *** DEAR CAROLYN: I’m a male student in my first year at university. In my program I’m forced to take a

classics course which I don’t think is relevant. Can you tell me why I have to know about old Greek guys like Pericles or Sophocles when my main interest is athletics? PERPLEXED DEAR PERPLEXED: The ancient Greeks have much to say to people in today’s world. For example, Pericles was a famous statesman who pioneered democracy for ordinary citizens. Sophocles wrote incredible plays. Themistocles was a brilliant military man. If you are not interested in politics, literature or the military perhaps you may find inspiration in the life of another famous Athenian, the great Greek athletic supporter, Testicles. *** DEAR CAROLYN: How big is an average penis? SHORTY DEAR SHORTY: The size of a penis depends on its global positioning, the phase of the moon and a multiplicity of metaphysical factors. For example, during January in Saskatchewan the penis becomes completely dimensionless. Similarly, its magnitude has been known to go missing around the time of one’s second anniversary.

Saw you in the Ojo

STAY HEALTHY! By J. Manuel Cordova, M. D. mdjmcordova1204@yahoo.com

Internal Medicine & Geriatric Specialist (Edited by Maria Montenegro)

Genetically Modified Foods

hat is GMO (Genetic Modified Organisms)? GMO involves a laboratory process of artificially inserting genes into the DNA of crops and animals. As of late 2009, the U.S. did not require foods to be labeled even though most other industrialized countries do. Most processed foods in the U.S. contain GMO. Plants have had foreign genes forced into their DNA, many of which have never previously been in the human food supply. The most common are: • Soybean • Corn • Cottonseed • Canola GMOs are not safe. They have been linked to: • thousands of toxic and allergic reactions • thousands of sick, sterile and dead livestock • damage to every organ & system studied in lab animals Genetic modification is radically different from natural breeding. In animal test cases, it has caused allergic & immune reactions, liver diseases, and also reproductive & sterility problems, as well as death. • GM soy allergies skyrocketed by 50% in UK

•

Bt-toxin used on corn & cotton has been linked to thousands of animal deaths, sterility, disease and allergies • More than half the offspring of mother rats fed GM soy died within 3 weeks. Tips for avoiding GM crops • Buy organic • Look for Non-GMO labels on products • Avoid At-Risk ingredients, most of which come from the “Big Four:” • Corn (flour, meal, oil, starch, gluten, syrup) • Soy (flour, lecithin, protein, some vegetable oil) • Canola (oil) • Cotton (cottonseed oil) Wellness and Preventive Medicine, as well as nutrition and exercise, are essential elements in maintaining good mental and physical health. The aging process can make us more susceptible to illness and disease unless we take proactive steps to strengthen our immune systems. Have regular check-ups. Remember, early detection is the key to resolving your health problems. Most of the information above was taken from the following sources. To learn more about GMOs check www.responsibletechnology. org www.centerforfoodsafety.org www.HealthierEating.org Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods by Jeffrey M. Smith Your Right to Know: Generic Engineering & the Secret Changes in Your Food by Andrew Kimbrell

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

By Judy Baehr 766-2695 jdbaehr@aol.com www.greatgreens.org

Got a Cold?

obody has colds these days. Everyone has flu instead. It’s more fashionable. The fact is, if you admit you have a cold, you get shunned because (a) nobody wants your cold; (b) it is your fault you got the cold because healthy people do not get colds; and (c) no one wants to hear about your nasty symptoms, all of which are boring and predictable. But if you have the flu, you can (at least by phone and email) brag about your symptoms and discuss whether you might have something exotic and dangerous and whether it’s safe for people to bring over chicken soup and gifts. Thus, when I recently detected a tickle in my throat, I called Doc McGee, the local naturopathic doctor, to ask what to do for my incipient case of a dreadful flu. After noting that my symptoms sounded like a cold rather than the flu (he’s not easy to fool), his

recommendation for a cold was large doses of Vitamin C and Echinacea, which increase one’s own natural immune system; and zinc lozenges (not available here; I get mine in the U.S.). These are for a cold; for flu, Doc says to take 5,000 units of Vitamin D per day and no Echinacea. After following this advice, I asked myself, what else can I do? Lots of liquids? Yes, research shows sipping very hot water or tea dissolves the cold mucous. Drinking lots of plain water cleanses the system. Note that while your immune system is fighting the cold germs, it’s a good idea to avoid heavy foods, such as fried chicken, steak and sausage, so your body can focus on getting rid of the cold, not on digestion and attendant processes. Chicken soup? Yes, chicken soup not only provides hot salty water to break up the cold mucous, it also con-

tains a mucus-thinning amino acid called cysteine, and some research shows that chicken soup helps control congestion-causing white cells, called neutrophils. Ice cream? Sorry, milk products have an enzyme that particularly encourages mucous buildup. Physical exercise? Maybe. The body works best when exercised, and sweating gets rid of impurities. Sex and chocolate? Well… at least now you can say you saw it in the Ojo. Fruits and vegetables? YES, eating more organic Great Greens and other locally grown vegetables from ACÁ

will help lots. There is nothing better to build up your system than fresh organic vegetables. You can buy them locally at SuperLake or from the refrigerator on the patio at the Lake Chapala Society, or better still, get some sunshine along with the veggies and enjoy an outing to Gg’s Organic Market located in Jaltepec at the ACÁ Eco Training Center (M-F 9-5, Sat 9-1) . If you’re healthy and take care of yourself, the worst symptoms of a cold disappear in 3 to 5 days, but the cold does not entirely go away for 2 weeks. If mucous is dripping, you’re infectious, so stay away from me!

Saw you in the Ojo

FRONT ROW CENTER By Michael Warren The Dresser By Ronald Harwood Directed by Larry King

his was a good performance of a difficult play. It’s a stagy, selfconscious play that can only work when the two principal actors deliver amazing performances. Don Rausch and Fred Koesling do deliver, but in the end the play itself fails to come through. It’s about the vanity and the power of a great actor— we need to see that vanity and that power as he is gradually transformed into King Lear for one final time. Unfortunately, Harwood’s construction requires that we imagine “Sir’s” performance—we only see it secondhand, as the entire play takes place backstage. The tragedy of Lear becomes the tragedy of the dresser, unrecognized and unloved, Norman the Fool to his master’s ranting, raving Lear. But the play lacks tension and compassion, and in the end we don’t much care when the old actor dies, or whether the dresser is or is not rewarded for his long and faithful service. The Dresser is also about the art of acting—that peculiar combination of ego and complete absorption into the part that constitutes great acting – and both Don Rausch (as “Norman”) and Fred Koesling (as “Sir”) demonstrate those qualities. Fred Koesling’s booming voice is entirely suitable for the part of the aging but still formidable actor, while Don Rausch manages to be humble, wheedling and manipulative as the dresser, while maintaining some shred of dignity throughout – until the end of the play when

he is overcome by grief and anger. A great performance. These two are in effect the play. The other parts are well handled, and serve as a helpful backdrop to the main drama. Phyllis Silverman plays “Her Ladyship” somewhat unhappily. One senses that her marriage to Sir has become a sham, and she wishes to retire gracefully from the stage before her rendering of Cordelia becomes totally implausible. Liz White is restrained and British as the Stage Manager “Madge” whose main concern is whether the performance should be canceled, and the audience refunded their money. Incidentally, this concern is not shared by us (the actual audience), since we know there is a second act—the show must go on! Florette Schnelle is attractive as the young would-be actress “Irene” whom the lascivious Sir would like to fondle, if he wasn’t so miserably weak and old. And Graham Miller is very funny as the futile “Geoffrey Thornton” forced to be the Fool for the evening. Finally John Foster plays the odious “Oxenby” with suitable nastiness. Larry King was able to find a good experienced cast, and they really came through for him. The sound effects were clever—the airraid siren, the sound of bombs exploding, and the actual voices of Churchill and FDR. I also appreciated the handling of the onstage sound effects for the “pelting of the pitiless storm.” Everyone, backstage and onstage, worked so hard to make this play a success that it seems churlish to criticize. The problem lies with the play – it’s too long and too pretentious. Some of the best lines are Shakespeare’s, but we need a more interesting play to carry them. Next up is The Boy Friend, a 1920s musical written in 1954 by Sandy Wilson. A big cast is now in rehearsal, and the show will be onstage by the time you read this review. It’s “déjà vu” all over again!

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

Notes From Nestipac

By Phyllis Rauch rauchlosdos@yahoo.com

A Love Affair - with Books

y present to myself has just arrived— an Amazon Kindle reading device. I was fond of my ipod, as constant readers know, but have fallen head over heels with my latest tech acquisition, which can instantly download up to 1500 books. Prior to Athena’s arrival, (yes, I’ve named her) a few friends said, “But you’re not giving up on real books are you?” My purist, bibliophile friends did make me feel a little guilty. No, I’m not giving up real books. But, since Athena’s arrival, a new world has opened up for me, one that I’d enjoyed immensely before leaving the States and large public libraries. As the San Clemente branch librarian in the early 70ties, I once wrote a newspaper column about my happy habit of letting one book lead or lure me to the next. One such reading adventure featured fellows who were either shipwrecked or marooned by choice on deserted islands. I began with John, who had decided to maroon himself after reading a book about William’s shipwreck. I immediately sent for William’s book on interlibrary loan. Lucky John could prepare in advance, not only bringing along items necessary for survival, but also packing in oil cloth a number of his favorite books. Some were also shipwreck memoirs, so I sent for those as well. Being the San Clemente branch librarian during the Nixon years, I could thereby imagine myself somewhere far away and totally different from conservative Orange County, CA. Arriving at Lakeside in 1976, I discovered the tiny library in Chapala, a fair driving distance from Nestipac. Not too long afterwards the library was moved to Ajijic, but I was shocked to hear that an interim librarian had arbitrarily decided to chuck the card catalog. Though library school is fairly dull, I do have two quite potent memories. One is of sobbing, along with my entire library history class, when we were told of the destruction of Alexandria’s irreplaceable library. The second was a strongly expressed

piece of advice: “If your own library is ever on fire, forget the books! Grab the card catalog.” Of course our LCS library has grown and improved immeasurably over the years. I have been grateful for its existence and for the hard work of all the volunteers, as I have also treasured the books and members of my weekly book club. Pre-Internet, I was blessed by a connection with the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver. One amazing employee attended to my various reading fancies, handwriting multipage letters describing the pros and cons of each book in question. Upon receiving my answer, this Denver friend mailed my choices by special book rate. Yes, it took forever, but how could I be anything but grateful for such intelligent and devoted attention? With the arrival of the Internet, Amazon.com et.al, I expected new wonders but was soon disillusioned, primarily by Amazon’s mailing costs to Mexico. When my Kindle arrived, my friend Catherine who transported it south, had already downloaded a book she was certain I’d enjoy: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Not only did I gobble down this delightful book, but I also made notes (you can do that with the Kindle) of books that the Guernsey Society or its members were especially fond of. I was back on the book path. With a quick search and a click of my finger, I acquired Charles Lamb’s Essays of Elias ($1.99) and the letters of Seneca the Stoic. Long a P.D. James fan, I had longed to read her autobiography: Time to be in Earnest. Zoom! I had it. Athena and I aren’t well acquainted yet. She doesn’t know that I basically consider myself to be thrifty and non-materialistic. But she makes acquiring all I desire so very easy. I hope she won’t lead me astray.

Saw you in the Ojo

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

Unfinished Business

s I transition this spring from writing this column every month to simply submitting periodic articles I wish to thank readers who for many years have provided vital feedback to my process. If you are seasonal residents here—as we have been for twenty years—stay in touch (bharwoodb@hotmail.com). North or south, all past and present columns can be read on line by asking Google for This World of Ours by Bob Harwood and clicking on topics of interest. I list below some of the unresolved world issues I deem most significant at this time. Climate Change is the issue of our time as chaotic winters succeed chaotic summers everywhere. The window of opportunity is rapidly closing to avert the destruction of our very habitat, let alone build a better world. Post Copenhagen decisive action, starting in North America, could yet usher in a new age, new economies, new hope. May devastating winter storms in Washington DC itself finally nudge climate change deniers on Capitol Hill! Countering Fundamentalism To Find Common Ground. Much of today’s strife stems from clashes between Literalist Fundamentalists incapable of dialogue. Be they of whatever faith engagement starts between non-literal centrists or moderates. We must allow others to find their own comfort zone between history and myth, literalism and metaphor as we adapt to ancient under-

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

standings. For many decades I have participated in just such dialogue with other denominations, other faiths, and with those who have turned their backs on all ‘faiths’ as defying reason. I caution my Secularist friends lest they become the new Fundamentalists incapable of thinking of these things in other than literal terms! Countless scientists comfortably reconcile their faith and science. To this end the world’s largest scientific body, the American Society for the Advancement of Science, has sponsored numerous Science and the Spiritual Quest forums on every continent. As failure to resolve the decades long Israeli Palestinian conflict has been a major factor behind terrorism, 9/11, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, strife in Africa and nuclear saber rattling in Iran I will devote an upcoming separate column to this sensitive and complex issue. Social and Economic Fundamentalism. Analogous fundamentalist divides also thrive in social and economic spheres. What could be more obscene than side by side accounts of the havoc wrought in Haiti and Wall Street resisting a tax on billions in executive bonuses to bailed out firms who placed the global economy at risk—or Swiss banks’ fears of being forced to disclose some two trillion dollars in tax evasion accounts? Per capita health care costs

in America are twice those of other first world countries and a huge factor in rising deficits yet tens of millions go uninsured. Hunger ravages much of the world while we wrestle with obesity. Libertarians trumpeting personal interests over those of society as a whole are the ultimate social and economic fundamentalists. America’s political system is dominated by powerful lobbyists, unfettered campaign financing and parochial politics where Congressional votes are sold for constituency level bribes. Obsolescence of Nationalism and Militarism. The military dimension of national policy has become not just irrelevant but counterproductive. World War II progressed from a face off between Maginot and Siegfried Lines to the atomic horrors of Hiroshima. Sheer fire power and napalm did not prevail in Viet Nam. In Iraq and Afghanistan conventional military might is rendered helpless by individual suicide bombers while euphemistically phrased collateral damage inflicted on civilians alienates the very hearts and minds we seek to win. After two devastating wars in a generation Europe’s sovereign nations embraced a federal vision to create a more peaceful, pros-

perous continent for all its people. Our challenge is to progressively craft a like vision for our world as a whole. A common thread. I see a set of values linking these seemingly diverse issues. Marshall McLuhan’s “Global Village” was one of the most insightful phrases of the 20th century. In a now irretrievably interdependent world we must embrace a new ethos in which (a) long term rather than short term interests are served, (b) global rather than parochial perspectives prevail, (c) society as a whole is not subordinated to libertarian selfishness, (d) the futility of war to resolve issues is recognized. (e) and gender equity. I firmly believe that when women are equally represented in the seats of power at all levels our world will indeed be a better place. For full disclosure of my vested interest in all of these issues and more see Seeking COMMON GROUND in a Troubled World by Bob Harwood. available at www.1stbookstore. com and by accessing my This World of Ours columns on line. Bob Harwood

The Pushkin* Cult By Mark Sconce

’ve heard it said that each adult, No matter how insightful, Cannot resist a clever cult Whose message is delightful. Such is the case with Pushkinists (The poet’s rhymes beguile us). We see him in the distant mists With foolscap, Muse and stylus. Those quaint old quills from gander’s wing, The pens with which he scribbled; The lyric poems that cultists sing Flew from those quills he nibbled. Some think he was a reprobate (We overlook his debits). We’re much more prone to adulate And tabulate his credits. When cynics feel they must insult By sneering at our love, We’ll rise up and defend our cult When Pushkin comes to shove.

It’s natural to rant and rave About dear Pushkin’s oeuvre, But what do cultists really crave? Enshrinement in the Louvre! (*Alexander Sergevich Pushkin, Russia’s most famous poet (17991837) is remembered especially for his novel-in-verse, Eugene Onegin. He died in a pistol duel over Russia’s most beautiful woman—his wife.)

a Saw you in the Ojo

LAKE CHAPALA SOCIETY 16 DE SEPTIEMBRE #16-A AJIJIC, JAL, MX WWW.LAKECHAPALASOCIETY.ORG

News

March 2010

FROM THE PRESIDENT Your Board has now completed nearly two months in office and we’re beginning to see some positive changes. We had a great turnout for the Super Bowl Sunday Kickoff Party which gave us all an opportunity to get to know each other better. Look for more events like this in the coming months. From the feedback I’ve received, you have appreciated the emails that you’ve been receiving from LCS, and hearing about important developments and upcoming programs from time to time and you will continue to hear from us when we think you’d want to know what’s happening. Not everything will always be perfect, but our ability to react to unexpected situations is what you should expect. In January, Roger Borg, recently elected as Sr. Director #2 (Finance Director) resigned due to differences with the direction that your Board was undertaking. I’m happy to say that within one month we have appointed Jack Shanks to fill that position. Jack has excellent credentials in management and finance of government and non-profit entities. Jack will lead the Board’s Finance committee and will be recommending a budget and other policy and planning issues related to finance. Please join me in welcoming Jack to the Board. Continue to let us know how we’re doing. Each of your Board members strives to be on site every week and we want to hear your concerns. We each wear a yellow name tag, so if we haven’t said hello to you, don’t be shy, stop us to chat for a minute, send us an email or drop a note in our mailboxes in the office. I promise you a timely answer. Howard Feldstein

FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK

The Lake Chapala Society has been a beacon to the colonist community living lakeside for almost 60 years. It has served as a haven, and a source of hope, and as you all know we are now faced with the challenge, to not only continue the legacy, but to move LCS into a better future. The old and new problems that affect LCS are infinite and will require a new way to deal with them as they come across my desk. Problems such as: the crime in Ajijic and right outside the walls of LCS. Should we be concerned? Should we take a position, impose an influence, protect our own?.......The septic systems under our feet…… The leak on my computer…. the walls crumbling….. the graffiti on the outside walls… and the list goes on and on. How and where do we begin? A revival is at hand. From infra-structure to governance, we are re-examining our priorities and forging a new road. A new series of focus groups will be formed in March. *A focus group is a form of qualitative research in which a group of people are asked about their perceptions, opinions, beliefs and attitudes towards a product, service, concept, advertisement, idea, or packaging. Questions are asked in an interactive group setting where participants are free to talk with other group members. We are doing this to follow up with the strategic planning process we began last year. *Strategic planning is an organization’s process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy, including its capital and people. I deal in the existential and the pragmatic, joining the now with the past, to appeal to an unknown future. It is a challenge. Only with the help, patience and vision of our members will I succeed. However, as I’m known to say, “It’s not about me.” I am here to help LCS succeed, and I believe it will. Neill James long ago wove LCS into the fabric of this community. Mildred Boyd saw to it that a mural on the fabric was visible for all to see. Work will always need to be done, and LCS volunteers will always rise to the challenge. LCS’ governance is unfolding. My job is to hold a steady rudder amidst the voyage. To be sure, this year the infrastructure of LCS’ physical plant will be addressed, such as the sewage, ponds, security and roofs (to name a few). Expertise from the members is always appreciated. Those of you who have expertise in these matters are encouraged to come forward; you’ll find me to be a quick study. We will approach the future strategically, based on an ongoing dialogue with those we serve, providing haven, and giving hope. Terry Vidal, Executive Director *Wikipedia

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

LCS

News

March 2010

Library Update

Meet our New Executive Director

In the six months the Library Committee has been formed, hundreds of new titles, as a result of both donations and purchases, have been added to the library collection making their way to the “New Arrivals” shelves. In addition, the computer system has been networked and upgraded to provide smoother check-in, check out, processing, and book tracking procedures.

Terry Vidal, our new bilingual Executive Director, learned his Spanish from his Chilean father, and from spending time in the Dominican Republic. Also, his wife of 2 years, Amalia, a Project Manager at IBM in Guadalajara, is from Mexico and is also bilingual. Terry’s bilingual skills and past experience in non-profit management, is a perfect match with the needs of LCS as we begin the process of re-examining our priorities, from the infrastructure to governance. Terry’s goal as Executive Director is to position LCS to be adaptable to an ever changing future.

Making room for additional books, as space is finite, includes purging ones that have not been checked out within the last five years. Many of the purged books are offered for sale. Damaged books are being repaired or replaced if they are circulating. Fine tuning the entire collection is an ongoing process. Both newly purchased and donated books have to be processed, cataloged, bar coded, date due slips inserted, protective covers put on hardbacks, and spine stickers to indicate where each book belongs. This process takes time due to the need for attention to detail and accuracy. Although we are backlogged and need more volunteers, thanks to a number of dedicated volunteers donating many hours of their time, we are making significant progress in this area. During the process of getting a book into the library, occasionally human errors do occur. We have close to 30,000 books in the library. So, if you find a book you think is mis-cataloged, in the wrong place, or damaged, bring it to the attention of a volunteer. Errors will be corrected. The library is cataloged according to the Library of Congress system. Currently, we purchase books from the Wish List and Favorite Authors forms posted on the library door, from best seller lists, other libraries’ purchases and book club recommendations. We invite all readers to participate in this process. Thank you for your help, patience and understanding as we work to create a great library for all our members.

Terry received his BA in Anthropology from the University of Delaware, and his MS in Museum Studies from the University of Nebraska. Terry worked in several museums over a 25-year period. Terry moved to Guadalajara in 2008 as a newlywed. Fortunately for LCS, Terry knew Sherman Holbert, a Lakeside resident and LCS member, who told him about LCS. When Terry saw an ad for an Administrative Manager he decided to check it out and was impressed with the hard work and dedication of the volunteers. After interviewing for the position he felt it would be a good fit for both himself and LCS. That was in December 2008. Terry’s hard work and administrative skills lead to his present position as Executive Director after the present Board of Directors was voted in. He is a great asset and the right person, at the right time, to help make the changes necessary to move LCS forward in a positive direction. Terry has a calming way when he is dealing with people and problems that is contagious to those who work with him. He is readily available to answer questions and deal with problems quickly and efficiently or send you to the right person. Terry and his wife live in San Nicolas with their cat, Spot. Living there is perfect for Terry to enjoy one of his hobbies as a motorcyclist, by riding his motorcycle to work. Terry’s main passion is “Disc Golf” and he hopes to set up a course at Lakeside one of these days. He also likes to plays darts.

COURIERS NEEDED! The library and video services need your help. We are looking for couriers to bring books south of the border. See Brenda Dawson in the library workroom to make arrangements. People driving are preferred, we would hate to have to be responsible for your baggage fees!

FRIDAY MUSIC JAM @ 2 PM If you play an instrument and want to hang with others who like to show-off their mojo, come and join us. Front Patio LCS lawn.

Spanish Classes Transfer your old VHS to DVD A new service offered in the Video Rentals office, only 50 pesos each!

Sign-up and information on the Blue Umbrella Patio every Friday 10 AM to 12 PM. Next 7 week sessions runs March 8 through April 23. Sign up NOW!

2010 Directories will be available from the Services office after March 4th.

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LCS

News LCS NEWSLETTER SCHEDULED EVENTS LIBRARIES Book & Video M-SAT 10-2:00 Talking Book TH 10-1:00 MEDICAL/HEALTH INSURANCE Blood Pressure M+F 10-12:00 Cruz Roja Sales Table M-SAT 10-12:30 Cruz Roja Monthly Meeting 1st W 2-4:00 Hearing Aids M & 2nd & 4th SAT 11-3:00 IMSS M+T 10-1:00 MDabroad T 10:30-11:15 NYLife/Seguros Monterrey Insurance T+TH 11-2:00 Optometrist TH 9-5:30 Safe Insurance W 11-2:00 Jan–Dec 2010 Skin Cancer 2nd & 4th W 10-12:00 Sign –up SkyMed-Airlink W 4-6:00, 3 Surgery Host TH 10:30-11:30, 11+25 INFORMATION Ajijic Rotary Club M 10-12:00 Becerra Immigration F 10-1:00 Information Desk M-SAT 10-2:00 Loridan Legal T 10-12:00, Jan-Dec 2010 LINK M 10-12:00 Los Ninos de Chapala /Ajijic F 10:30-2:30 US Consulate 1st W 11:30-2:00 Sign up LESSONS Children’s Art SAT 9-12:30 Country Line Dancing T+TH 10-11:30, LCS Exercise M+W+F 9-10:00 Have Hammers Workshop M 10-12:15, F 2:30-4:30 Intermediate Hatha Yoga T+TH+SAT 2-3:30 Primitive Pottery M + F 10-1:00, SAT 12:30-3:30 LCS Yoga Basics F 10-11:00, 22 SOCIAL ACTIVITIES AA M+TH 4-6:00 ACA Talks T 12-2:00 Beginner’s Digital Camera W 12-1:00 Bid Euchre T 10-12:00 Computer Linux Class F 9:30-10:30 Computer Windows Club F 10:30-11:45 Digital Camera W 10:30-12:00 Discussion Group W 12-1:30 Film Aficionados 2nd, 4th, 5th TH 2-4:30 Gamblers Anonymous W 12-1:00 Genealogy Last M 2-4:00 Great Books 1st & 3rd TH 2-4:15 Individual Counseling M-TH 3-4:00 Lake Chapala Green Group 1st T 3-4:30 Lakeside Friends of Animals 1st M 2-4:00 LCS Learning Seminars T 12-2:00 LCS Lecture Series (Rhoda) F 12-3:00 Mac OS 1st M 12-1:30 Mac User 3rd W 3-4:30 Mah Jonng F 10-3:00 Masonic Lodge #31 2nd & 4th W 4:30-8, 4th T 3-4:30 Music Jam F 2-3:00 Needle Pushers T 10-12:00 Neil James Lectures Dimitar 2nd & 4th TH 12-1:00 Open Circle SUN 10:30-12:15 Quilt Guild 2nd T 12-2:30, Quilt Show 10-3:00 Scrabble M+F 12-2:00 Tournament Scrabble T 12-3:00 Transition Mexico 2nd M 11-1:30

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

March 2010 The LCS Learning Seminars Seminars are held every Tuesday at Noon in the Sala with a presentation, followed by open discussion. We usually end around 1:00 p.m. All LCS members are invited to attend and participate. March 2 - Fred Harland will present (via an internet podcast) Dan Buettner. His subject is “How to live to be 100+.” Buettner, a National Geographic writer and explorer, has studied the world’s longest-lived people and distills their secrets into a single plan for health and long life. At his TED speech on Jan. 2010, he shares the 9 common diet and lifestyle habits of these people. Learn how to live healthily to 100+. March 9 - Bob Miller will present (via an internet podcast) Janine Benyus discussing bio-mimicry in action. Ms. Benyus is a prolific author and lecturer and self-confessed “nature nerd.” She has a message for inventors: when solving a problem, look to nature first. This idea of “bio-mimicry” has galvanized scientists, architects, designers and engineers into exploring how nature’s successes can inspire solutions to design problems. March 16 - Fred Harland will present (via an internet podcast) the famous author of the Harry Potter books, Ms. J. K. Rowling. This is her commencement address at Harvard in 2008— courtesy of “Harvard Magazine” and TED— where she talks about “The Fringe Benefits of Failure” based on her own life story of, literally, rags to riches. March 23 - Bob Miller will present Bill Gates (via an internet podcast). Bill Gates changed the world once while leading Microsoft to dizzying success. He plans to do it again with his own style of philanthropy and passion for innovation as outlined in his TED talk “Energy and Climate” on Feb. 2010. He gives his vision for the world’s energy future and describes the need for miracles to avoid catastrophe. March 30 - The final Seminar for the 2009/2010 series will be presented by Fred Harland. The subject will be “The Surprising Science of Motivation” (via an internet podcast) by Dan Pink. His last “real job” was as a speech writer for former V.P. Al Gore. He is now a Career Analyst who free-lances in order to spark a “right-brain revolution” in the career marketplace as the best motivational stimulus.

Mildred Worthy Boyd April 20, 1921 - February 10, 2010 LCS Honorary Life Member Mildred Boyd Memorial service to be held at LCS on April 20th. We will have more information in our April Newsletter.

www.lakechapalasociety.org

LCS

News

March 2010

FOOD EXTRAVAGANZA

Distinguished speakers and area chefs demonstrate the best of regional food. Culinary afternoon lectures/ mini cooking classes/ food demos & tastings. Co-Hosted by LCS /ACA $50 pesos contribution Please Sign-up and pay at the L.C.S. Service Office or Email acacentroecologico@gmail.com LCS veranda/ kitchenette Tue. Mar. 2 Wed. Mar. 3 Thu. Mar. 4 Tue. Mar. 9 Wed. Mar. 10 Tue. Mar. 16 Wed. Mar. 17 Thu. Mar. 18

12 - 2: Amigos del Lago Eco Talk 2 - 4:30: Evelia Lara & Barbara Rotthaler – Healthy lesser known foods of Mexico 12 - 2 Barbara Passarello -High Altitude Cooking 1 - 2: Peter Parker - Secret Garden - Add Spice from India 2 - 4 Ana Rios - Organic Select – Using, Buying and Growing Sprouts 12 - 2: Greg Couillard - Chili Bang – Mexican Fusion Cuisine 2:30 - 4:00 Clare Gearhart – Mexican Dining Etiquette 101 1 - 2: Wendee Hill- Cooking with Culinary Herbs 2 - 4: Chef Alex Sgroi- Slow Food 12 - 2: Jose Melendrez – Mexican Moles 2 - 4: From Italia - All you ever wanted to know about Olive Oil 2 - 4: Oded – 3 regional veggies, all you need for Mediterranean Food

FILM AFICIONADOS

Films & discussion 2nd and 4th Thursday every month in the Sala at 2pm March 11 - TELL NO ONE - A French thriller (2006) that Alfred Hitchcock would be proud of. A doctor’s wife has been murdered.... then, years later, he receives a perplexing e-mailing...................... March 25- THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT - An amazing “road movie” from Australia. This film won an Academy Award and is still the iconic comedy of its genre. (1994) P.S. For LCS members to get on the Film Aficionado e-mail list to receive notices and reviews of upcoming showings you can e-mail me at mak1939@gmail.com

MUSIC ANNOUNCEMENTS I have been sending out bulk emails to the lakeside community about up-coming musical events. Several people have had these announcements blocked. If you haven’t been receiving my announcements, and would wish to do so, please send your request via email to casaparker@gmail.com I will update my list. Thank you, Jim Parker

LAKE CHAPALA SOCIETY 16 de Septiembre #16-A, Ajijic, Jalisco LCS Main Office: 766-1140 www.lakechapalasociety.org Office, Information and other services open Monday – Friday, 10 to 2 and Saturday 10 to 2. Grounds are open until 5

LCS BOARD OF DIRECTORS President - Howard Feldstein Vice-President - Fred Harland Sr. Director 1 - Dayle Blake Sr. Director 2 - Jack Shanks LCS Education Director - Mary Alice Sargent

Secretary - Richard Williams Sr. Director 3 - Wendee Hill Executive Director - Terry Vidal

◊ THE LCS NEWSLETTER IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY. ◊ DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS THE 15TH OF THE MONTH PRECEDING PUBLICATION. ◊ NEWS ITEMS CAN BE EMAILED TO EEREID39@YAHOO.COM NOTE: THE EDITORIAL STAFF RESERVES THE RIGHT TO COMPLETE EDITING PRIVILEGES. ARTICLES AND/OR CALENDAR EVENTS WILL BE INCLUDED ACCORDING TO TIME, SPACE AVAILABILITY AND EDITORIAL DECISION ON THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE INFORMATION FOR INCLUSION.

Saw you in the Ojo

Service

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

www.tel.chapala.com

DIRECTORY * ADVERTISING

* BEER & LIQUOR STORES

- EL OJO DEL LAGO Tel. 765-3676

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* INTERIOR DESIGN - ELEMENTS Tel: 766-5826

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- ALEX Tel: 766-3775 - KAFRÍ DE MÉXICO Tel: 766-4156

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- MAGO’S OFFICE Tel: 765-3640

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* MEAT/POULTRY/CHEESE

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* FURNITURE - ARDEN MEXICO Tel: 765-3540 - ARTE AMANECER Tel: 765-2090 - HEXIMAR Tel: (33) 3656-3747 - RICARDO FERNANDEZ Tel: 766-5149 - TEMPUR Tel: (52) 333-629-5919, 333-629-5961

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* HEARING AIDS

- AJIJIC DENTAL Tel: 766-3682 Pag: 11 - C.D. MARÍA LUISA LUIS VILLA Tel/Fax: 766-2428 Pag: 17 - C.D. SANDRA ANAYA MORA Tel: 765-3502, 765-5444 Pag: 15 - DRA. ANGELICA ALDANA LEMA DDS Tel. 765-5364 Pag: 12 - DRA. DOLORES RUSSELL D.D.S. Tel: 766-2881, 766-0075 Cell: (045) 333-108-7727 Pag: 07, 10 - DR. ALBERTO DON OLIVERA Tels: 765-4838, 765-4805 Pag: 30 - DR. FRANCISCO CONTRERAS Tel: 765-5757 Pag: 18 - DR. HECTOR HARO, DDS. Tel: 765-3193, 765-6974 Pag: 08

* FITNESS

- ARTE EN RIEGO Tel: (33) 1086 6196 Pag: 24 - CABO DO MUNDO- INTERIOR DESIGN Tel: 766-0026 Pag: 09, 21 - CONSTRUCTION & REMODELING Tel: 766-3626 Pag: 13 - ELECTRICIAN & PLUMBER Armando Marquez V. Tel: 766-3568 Pag: 74 - IRRIGATION SYSTEMS Tel. (33) 3135 3645 Pag: 35 - PALAPAS CAMPESTRE Tel: 01(449)122 6339 Pag: 56 - POOL & PATIO Tel: (33) 1591-6125 Pag: 30 - SURO & ARCINIEGA

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

Pag: 69

Pag: 76

* CONSTRUCTION Pag: 34

- FERRETERIA Y TLAPALERIA GALVEZ Tel: 766-0880, Fax: 766-2440 Pag: 69

* FINANCIAL SERVICES

* COMMUNICATIONS - EASYCALL MEXICO Tel: 766-4980 - MAILBOXES, ETC. Tel: 766-0647, Fax: 766-0775 761-0363, Fax: 761-0364

Pag: 54

* DRY CLEANING/LAUNDRY

* CONSIGNMENT SHOP/ANTIQUES

* BAKERY

* BOUTIQUE / CLOTHING STORES

766-1760 765-4444 766-5555

* HARDWARE STORES

* DENTISTS

Pag: 21

Pag: 28

Pag: 25

- CASA DE LAS FLORES Tel: 766-5493 - CASA DEL SOL Tel: 766-0050 - CASA TRES LEONES

- HUNTER DOUGLAS Tel: 766-0026

066 765-2308, 765-2553 766-3615

Pag: 66

* COPY CENTER - PAPELERIA TRINIDAD Tel: 766-2400

- LAKE CHAPALA BAPTIST CHURCH Tel: 765-2925 Pag: 07, 74

* BANK INVESTMENT

- AFRODITA Tel: 766-6187 - ANGEL ESTRADA Tel: 766-4666 - JAMES DON SALON Tel: 01 (387) 763 1933 - MARY KAY Tel: 765 7654 - SARA’S BEAUTY SALON Tel: 766-3518

* BLINDS AND CURTAINS

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

Tel: 01 (33) 3823-0779, 3817-0299 - ULTRA Tel: 765-3446 - WARWICK CONSTRUCTION Tel: 765-2224 Cell. (045) 331-135-0763

Pag: 72

* CHURCHES

* AUTOMOTIVE

- BRENDA’S BAKERY BOUTIQUE Tel: 765-2987

Pag: 76

Pag: 34

- AUTOMATIC GARAGE DOOR OPENERS Tel: 766 - 4973, Cell: (045) 33-3157- 6536 Pag: 53

-O&A Tel: 766-3508 - MULTIVA Tel: 766-2499

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

Pag: 32

* AUTOMATIC DOORS

- FERNANDO’S Cell: (045) 331-323-6289 - LINEA PROFESIONAL Tel. 766-2555, Fax. 766-0066 - RON YOUNG-MECHANIC Tel: 765-6387 - SUNSET Tel: 766-0012

Pag: 27

Cell: (045) 331-350-6764

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

Pag: 72

- TONY’S Tel: 766-1614, 766-4069

Pag: 20

* MEDICAL SERVICES - BODY SENSE CLINIC - PODIATRIST Tel: 766-6080 Pag: 67 - DERMATOLOGIST Tel: 766-1198, 765-2400 Pag: 73 - DERMIKA Dermatologic Center Dra. Monica Ramos Tel: 766-2500 Pag: 30 - INTERNAL MEDICINE SPECIALIST & GERIATRICS Dr. J. Manuel Cordova Tel: 766-2777 Pag: 26 - DRA. MARTHA R. BALLESTEROS FRANCO

Cell: (045) 333-408-0951 Pag: 19 - HOSPITAL ANGELES DEL CARMEN Tel: (01) 3813-0042 Pag: 12 - ISILAB Tel: 766-1164 Pag: 33 - MEDICOS ESPECIALISTAS Tel: 766-5357 Pag: 35 - PINTO OPTICAS Tel: 765-7793 Pag: 37, 39 - RED CROSS Tel: 765-2308 - SURGERY HOST Tel: 766-3145 Pag: 58

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

Pag: 83

* MOVERS - BALDERAS Tel: 01 (33) 3810-4859 - LAKE CHAPALA MOVING Tel: 766-5008 - SEYMI Tel: 01 (33) 3603-0000, 3603-0256 - STROM- WHITE MOVERS Tel: 766-4049

Pag: 08 Pag: 06 Pag: 16 Pag: 17

* MUSIC/EVENTS - ESTAMPAS DE MEXICO Tel: 331 520 6891 - HUNGARIAN GYPSY NIGHT - NORTHERN LIGHTS

Pag: 59 Pag: 57 Pag: 49

* PAINT - FMC Tel: 766-3596 - PAINTING AND MORE Tel: 766-2343

Pag: 20 Pag: 24

- FRANCISCO MENDOZA Cell: (045) 33-1103-8124 Pag: 76 - JUSTUS HAUSER Tel: 763-5333, Fax: 763-5335 Emergencies: 01 (33) 3441-8223 Pag: 05 - NEWCOMERS ILSE HOFFMANN Cell: 33-3157-2541, Ilse40@megared.net.mx www.mexicoadventure.com/chapala/guadalajara.htm Tel: 01 (33) 3647-3912

* PHARMACIES Pag: 75 Pag: 18 Pag: 67 Pag: 73 Pag: 76

* PHOTOGRAPHY - MARTHA HERRERA Cell: 333-821-2378

Pag: 57 Pag: 33 Pag: 02 Pag: 41 Pag: 53 Pag: 70 Pag: 63 Pag: 54 Pag: 36 Pag: 72 Pag: 72 Pag: 13 Pag: 61

Pag: 75

Pag: 52

* POOL MAINTENANCE - EQUIPMENT AND POOL MAINTENANCE Tel: 766-1617 Pag: 24 - MARROCO Tel: 766-5213 Pag: 60

* REAL ESTATE - 1ST CHOICE HOMES LAKESIDE Tel: 765-2484 Pag: 37 - AJIJIC HOME INSPECTIONS Tel: 766-2836 Pag: 11 - AJIJIC REAL ESTATE Tel: 766-2077, Fax: 766-2331 Pag: 03 - ALL IN ONE REAL ESTATE SERVICE Tel: 766-1161 Pag: 05 - BEV. & JEAN COFELL Home Tel. 766-5332 Office Tel. 765-3676 Pag: 48 - BUSINESS FOR SALE Pag: 66 - COLDWELL BANKER CHAPALA REALTY Tel: 766-1152, 766-3369 Fax: 766-2124, Tels: 765-2877 Fax: 765-3528 Pag: 84 - CHULA VISTA NORTE

Pag: 48 Pag: 14 Pag: 22 Pag: 13 Pag: 31

Pag: 19 Pag: 33

* THERAPISTS - PROFESSIONAL REHABILITATION Tel: 766-5563

Pag: 19

* TOURS

Pag: 55 Pag: 47 Pag: 20 Pag: 59

* RETIREMENT/REST/NURSING HOMES - LA CASA NOSTRA Tel: 765-4187, Fax: 765-5815 - THE BLUE HOUSE Tel: 766-1256

- TOTAL BODY CARE Tel: 766 3379 - VILLA BORDEAUX Tel: (01-387) 761-0494

Pag: 06 Pag: 59

* SATELLITES/ T.V.

- CHARTER CLUB TOURS Tel: 766-1777 - SUNSET Tel: 766-0012

Pag: 09, 11, 15 Pag: 25

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

Pag: 77

* WATER - TECNO AQUA Tel: 766-3730, 766-3731

Pag: 18

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

Pag: 16

* SCHOOLS Pag: 58 Pag: 03

- COLDWELLBANKER CHAPALA REALTY Tel: 766-1152, movile: (045) 33-1175-9632 Pag: 68 - FOR RENT Tel: 766-2518 Pag: 70 - RENTAL LOCATERS Tel: 766-5202 Pag: 49 - ROMA Tel: 766-3163 Pag: 20

* REPAIRS/ MAINTENANCE - SERVICIO BELTRÁN Tel: 766-4586, 765-3949 - WATCH & CLOCKS Tel: 765 5190, Cell: (045) 33-1331-9226

- PAJARO MADRUGADOR Tel: 763-5563 - PEDROS GOURMET Tel: 766-4747 - PEPE’S & AURORA’S Cell. (044) 33 1265 7900 - PEPITO’S Tel: 766-2060 - THE GARDEN Tel: 766-1381 - TABARKA Tel: 766-1588 - TOMAS Tel: 765-3897 - TONY’S Tel: 766-1614, 766-4069 - YVES’ Tel: 766-1851

Pag: 02

* RENTALS/PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

* PERSONAL ASSISTANCE

- FARMACIA CRISTINA Tel: 766-1501 - FARMACIA EXPRESS II Tel: 766-0656 - FARMACIA MASKARAS Tel/Fax: 765-5827 - FARMACIA MORELOS Tel: 765-4002 - FARMACIA SAN PAULO Tel: (378) 763-0506

Tel: 766-2177 Cell: (045) 33-3841-8867 - DAMYN YOUNG Cell: (045) 331 038 3263 - EL DORADO Tel: 766-0040 - EL RINCON Tel: 766-4938 - EAGER Y ASOCIADOS Tel: 766 1917, 1918 - FOR SALE BY OWNER Tel: 01 (33) 1568 9254 - FOR SALE BY OWNER Tel: (387) 763-1974 - FOR SALE BY OWNER Tel: 766-4043 - FOR SALE BY OWNER Tel: 315-355-7168 - FOR SALE BY OWNER Tel: 766-2448 - FOR SALE BY OWNER Tel: 55-58-54-47-53 - GEORGETTE RICHMOND Tel: 766-2129, 766-2077 - LAGUNA VISTA Tel: 766-5740 - LLOYD REAL ESTATE AJIJIC Tel: 766-0040 - MARIA VILLANUEVA Cell: (045) 11-1305-8633 - MICHEL BUREAU Cell. (045) 333-129-3322, Home: (376) 765-2973 - TOM AND DIANNE BRITTON Tel. 766-5249 (home) Cell. (045) 33-1298-5722

Pag: 76 Pag: 76

* RESTAURANTS/CAFES/CLUBS - AJIJIC TANGO Tel: 766-2458 Pag: 64 - CAFÉ ADELITA Tel: 766-0097 Pag: 34 - CASA DEL WAFFLE Tel: 766-1946 Pag: 03 - CHAC-LAN Tel: (387) 761-0111, 761-0326 Pag: 42 - CHILI BANG BAR Tel: 766-1919 Pag: 25 - DAVID’S CAFE Tel: 766-2341 Pag: 16 - DELI CORNER Tel: 766-0217 Pag: 09 - EL BAR-CO Tel: 766-0452 Pag: 36 - EL ESCONDITE Tel: 333-161-7918 Pag: 50 - EL JARDIN DE NINETTE Cell: (045) 33-1410-4064 Pag: 28 - GO LE CLUB Cell: (045) 33-3502-6555 Pag: 14 - JOLANDAS Tel: 315-351-5449 Pag: 24 - LA BODEGA Tel: 766-1002 Pag: 19 - LA NUEVA POSADA Tel: 766-1444, 766-2049 Pag: 03 - “LA TAVERNA” DEI QUATTRO MORI Tel: 766 2848 Pag: 55 - LA VITA BELLA Cell: 33-3476-6577 Pag: 42 - LAS CABALLERIZAS COXALA Tel: 766-0744 Pag: 42 - LOS TELARES Tel: 766-0428 Pag: 49 - MANIX Tel: 766-0061 Pag: 56 - MOM´S DELI & RESTAURANT Tel: 765-5719 Pag: 11, 66 - NUMBER FOUR Tel: 766-1360 Pag: 23

- CLC Tel: 765-5498 - INSTITUTO TERRANOVA Tel: 766-2401

Pag: 65 Pag: 29

* SECURITY SYSTEMS / WIRE FENCES - ALARM SYSTEMS Tel: 766-0395 - S.O.S.E Tel: 765-4921

Pag: 54 Pag: 71

* SELF STORAGE - SELF STORAGE-BODEGAS CHAPALA Tel: 766-0661, Tel/Fax: 766-1045 Pag: 55

* SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS - ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS Tel: 766-5961 - EL BAZAR DE LOS NIÑOS Tel: 765-3147 - LAKE CHAPALA SOCIETY Tel: 766-1140

Pag: 77 Pag: 71 Pag: 78-81

* SPA / MASSAGE - AFRODITA Tel: 766-6187 - BODY SENSE CLINIC Tel: 766-6080 - LA BELLA VIDA Tel: 766-5131 - MONTE COXALA Tel: (387) 761-0111, 761-0326 - RESPIRO SPA Tel: (045) 33-3157-7790

Pag: 34 Pag: 67 Pag: 50 Pag: 42

SAW YOU IN T HE OJO

Pag: 32

The Ojo Crossword

Saw you in the Ojo

AA- Meets daily at 10:00 am. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 4 pm. Marcos Castellanos 51-A. 766-5961. ACÁ- Teaches youths, families sustainable agriculture, Joco and Jaltepec. Meet 14th of month. For more Information 387 763-1568. A COURSE IN MIRACLES- Saturday 2:00 pm 16 Sept #34, Unit 6, 766-4882 No charge. Ongoing. AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION OF CANADA 904 WING- Meeting 2nd Friday of every month in May, June, July & August. From September to April we meet the 2nd and 4th Friday. Contact Don Slimman 765 4141. AJIJIC QUILT GUILD - Meets second Tuesday monthly. Guests & New Members Welcome. ajijicguild@gmail.com AJIJIC SCRABBLE CLUB- Tuesdays and Thursdays noon-3 pm at LCS Ken Gosh Pavilion. Dan Stark 766-0411. AJIJIC WRITERS’ GROUP- Meets 1st and 3rd Fridays at 10 am. New Posada. Coffee. Meeting followed by lunch at the New Posada. AXIXIC MASONIC LODGE #31- Meets 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month at 5:00 pm. Contact the secretary at 763-5346 for details. AMERICAN LEGION OF CHAPALA POST- #7 General Membership meets 11 am 2nd Thursday. Tel: 765-2259. AMIGOS INTERNACIONALES- Every Wednesday 6 to 8 pm, Nueva Posada; informal friendly group meet to make new friends. AMIGOS DEL LAGO A.C.- Working to improve the ecology. See www.amigosdelago.org or contact us at info@amigosdelago.org. AMITIES FRANCOPHONES- Meets every 3rd Saturday at 1 pm contact: Roland and Camille at 766-0149. rvanhoudt@prodigy.net.mx. ANIMAL SHELTER- Provide shelter and new homes for dogs and cats. Tel: 765-5514. ANITA’S ANIMALS- Free loving dogs and cats. call (01 387) 761-0500. www.anitasanimals.com. ASA- Ajijic Society of the Arts. Meets every 1st Monday of the month at Nueva Posada, 10 am. BRIDGE AT OLD POSADA- Monday 1:15 check in. Mary Andrews 766-2489. BRITISH SOCIETY- Lunch meeting the 1st Saturday of each month, 1pm at Manix Rest. 765-4786, chapalainn@prodigy.net.mx. CARD & DOMINO CLUB- Wednesday, Friday & Sunday. Call for times. We will teach; make friends! Tel. 766-4253, Cell: (045) 33-1295-6485. CANADIAN CLUB OF LAKE CHAPALA- Meets on the 2nd Wednesday of the month, September through April. Social hour: 3:00 pm, program 4:00 pm. Visit www.canadianclub-chapala.com. CASA DE ANCIANOS- Provides support for elderly citizens, 765-2497. CENTRO DE DESARROLLO AJIJIC- Provides family planning and reproductive health education. 766-1679. CHILI COOK OFF- Providing a carnival for residents raising charitable funds, 763-5038. DAR- (Guadalajara)- Daughters of the American Revolution, meets monthly Sep. through June. Cell:333-897-0660 or Tel: (376) 766-2284. DAR- (At Lakeside)- THOMAS PAINE CHAPTER meets every 3 Wednesday at 12:30 noon, September thru June. Tel: 766-2981 or 762-0834. EASTERN STAR ESTRELLA DEL LAGO CHAPTER #10- 1st Wed. at 1:00 pm at Hotel Monte Carlo. 766-3785, www.oesestrelladellago.org. E.R.I.C.- Provides support for the construction and renovation of educational buildings. 766-2866. GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS- GA Meeting held every Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 PM in the Doctor’s office at the Lake Chapala Society Charlie K. at cell: 331-445-2136. GARDEN GUILD- promoting the interest in the development of local gardens with an accent on the exotic species available in central Mexico. GERMAN MEETING- 2nd Thursday, 1:00 pm. La Nueva Posada. Call Thea 765-2442 or Hannes 765-3094. GOLDEN STRINGS OF LAKE CHAPALA, A.C.- Rehearsals at auditorio de la Floresta. Tuesday & Friday, 3-6 pm. HASH HOUSE HARRIERS- Every Saturday at 8:30 am at La Nueva Posada. IRISH SOCIETY OF MEXICO- Meets second Monday 4 pm at La Nueva Posada, Ajijic. Contact Brian Cronin, at 765-5071. JUNIOR LEAGUE DE GUADALAJARA A.C.- Av. San Francisco #3332. ligagdl2@prodigy.net.mx, Guadalajara, Jal. Tel. (33) 3121-0887. LAKE CHAPALA DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB- Meets every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 1:15 p.m.. www.chapalabridge.com. LAKE CHAPALA GARDEN CLUB-Promotes an interest, appreciation and better understanding of botanical subjects. 766-2637. LAKE CHAPALA SHRINE CLUB.- Meets the 3rd Tuesday of every month at 1 pm in the Nueva Posada. Perry King at (376) 763-5126. LAKE CHAPALA SOCIETY - LCS- 16 de Sep. # 16-A Ajijic, Open Monday - Saturday, 10 am to 2 pm. www.lakechapalasociety.org. 766-1140. LAKESIDE COMMUNITY AWARDS- We benefit all the community by honoring lakeside’s most talented. 766-3232. LAKESIDE FRIENDS OF THE ANIMALS - Board meets last Monday every month. Contact Ellie McEvoy at 765-2523 or John Marshall at 766-1170. LAKESIDE LITTLE THEATRE A.C.- Balanced theatrical entertainment, English-speaking, 765-5942. LAKESIDE SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF- The 4th of each month. Nueva Posada 10:30 am. Call 766-2280, www.lakesideschoolforthedeaf.org. LAKESIDE WILDLIFE RESCUE & REHABILITATION- Rescue & rehabilitation of wild animals. 765-4916. LAKE SPAY AND NEUTER CENTR A.C.- Provides shelter and helps curtail the over-population of animals. 766-3813. LCS EDUCATION CENTER- Provides classes in language and other topics for both Anglo and Mexican community. 766-0499. LCS STUDENT AID FUND- Provides financial support to area students to enroll in university, vocational and high school program. 766-0716. LINK- Assisting foreign community. Desk at Lake Chapala Society-Monday, 10 am-noon. LITTLE BLUE SCHOOLHOUSE- Provides financial assistance for students at school for disabled children in Chapala 766-1552. LOS NINOS DE CHAPALA Y AJIJIC, AC Providing educational scholarships to Lakeside children 376-766-1688, www.lakesideninos.org. LOVE IN ACTION- Shelter for abused and abandoned children. For volunteers and donations. Anabel Frutos 765-7409, cell: 331-351 7826. MAS- Music Appreciation Society. Concerts from fall to spring. Classical music and dance concerts. For info call Beverly Denton, 765-6409. MISION SAN PABLO- Helping 60 orphaned children ages 2-14 yrs, Bonnie Shrall - Bonnie@shrall.com #766-0009. www.misionsanpablo.org. NAVY LEAGUE, LAKE CHAPALA COUNCIL- Meets the third Saturday for lunch at 1 pm, Manix Rest. 766 4750 or 766-1848. NEEDLE PUSHERS- Sew dresses, knit or chet sweaters for local kids. Every Tues. 10 am at LCS. Call Gay at 766-2902. NIÑOS Y JOVENES CARAVAN- Delivers foodstuffs and used clothing to orphanage in San Juan. Call Reuben Varela, 01-387-761-0828. OPEN CIRCLE- Fostering body, mind & spirit, every Sunday at the LCS from 10 am to 12 noon. 765-3402 or frankdburton@yahoo.com. OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS- Every Tuesday & Friday 12 pm at Marcos Castellanos 51-A, in Upper Ajijic. Tel: 766-2575 or 766-1626. PROGRAMA PRO NIÑOS INCAPACITADOS DEL LAGO AC.- Assisting Lakeside disabled children www.programaninos.org , 763-5010. PASOS MILAGROSOS (MIRACULOUS STEPS.)- Helping Handicapped Children Through the Magic of Horses. Saturdays 8-2. www. pasosmilagrosos.com RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS- Meets 1st Wednesday at 2:00 pm at the Sala LCS. New members welcome. ROTARY CLUB OF AJIJIC- Meets every Tuesday at 1:00 pm at Hotel Real de Chapala. Contact at 766-3302. SCIENCE OF MIND STUDY GROUP- Discussion group every Tuesday at 10 AM Lake Chapala Center for Spiritual Living at Nicolas Bravo #17 Ajijic; contact Rev. Tim at 766-0920 or tim@revdoctim.com. THE GENEALOGY FORUM- Meets monthly on the fourth Monday in the Sala at LCS, from 2:00 to 3:45. UVA - University/Vocational Assistance (Little Chapel by the Lake a.c.)- Sue Torres, 766-2932 or Lynn Hanson 766-2660. VILLA INFANTIL ORPHANAGE- Provides financial support for children. 766-3396. www.friendsofvillainfantil.org VIVA LA MUSICA - Bus trips to the symphony, summer concert series, call Rosemay Keeling 766-1801. www.ajijicviva.org. VOLUNTEER HEALTH RESOURCE GROUP- Meeting last Saturday of each month at LCS in sala, 10:30. VOLUNTEERS OF THE CRUZ ROJA- Sponsors fund raising events and provides administrative and support services to the Delegation.

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

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

All Saints Lutheran Church Worship Service 11:00 am 4600 Avenida Tepeyac, Guad. Tel. (01 333) 121-6741. Abundant Life Assembly of God Carr. 140 next to Mail Boxes etc, Tel: 766-5615. Center For Spiritual Living Celebration Service, 5pm Fridays, Nicolas Bravo #17 Ajijic. 766-9020 or tim@ revdoctim.com. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Services in English and Spanish, 10 am, Riberas del Pilar Bishop Wyvell Tel. (376) 765-7067, Bishop’s residence (376) 766-1532. Church of the Holy Spirit Services Sun. 10 am, Albaro Obregon #119, Chapala Tel. (376) 765-4210. Grace Baptist Church 5th Sun. Evening service 6 pm, Pedro Buzeta No. 970, Guad. Tel. (013) 641-1685. Lake Chapala Baptist Church Mid-week service, 9:30 am, worship service, 10:45 am. Santa Margarita #147, Riberas del Pilar, Tel. (376) 7652925, 765-3329. www.lakechapalabaptist.com. 7th Day Adventist meet at Madeira 12 in Rancho del Oro, 9:15 am to Noon. Potluck follows. 765-2165. Little Chapel by the Lake Sun. services 11 am, Chula Vista,. Jal, Tel. (376) 763-1551. Lake Chapala Jewish Congregation Santa Margarita 113, Riberas del Pilar, Tel: 765-6968. For information and service times, please call Pres. Elliot Gould. contact us@lakechapalajews. com. Web site: www. lakechapalajews. com. Lakeside Fellowship Sun. worship 11 am, Javier Mina #49 Ajijic, Tel. (376) 766-0795. Saint Andrew´s Anglican Church Calle San. Lucas 19, Riberas del Pilar, Sunday 2 services, 9 am & 11 am. www.standrewsriberas.com San Andres Catholic Church Services 9:00 am. Ajijic, 766-0922. St. John’s Catholic Church Between Av. Vallarta & Av. Lazaro Cardenas, Guad. Sun. 11am. (013) 121-8131. The Lake Chapala Unitarian Universalist Fellowship meets Sundays at 10:30 a.m. at the Jewish Community Center behind Mateos in Riberas del Pilar (Santa Margarita 113). For additional information call Steve at 766-5507 or email: trudycrippen@earthlink.net. Check out our website at www.lcuuf.org.

CARS

FOR SALE: 21 ft motorhome class c. AAA condition. Located in Riberas S.D.plates. Price $9000. Contact: Adolf Abercrombie. FOR SALE: Chrysler Town & Country LXI 7 passenger van, fully loaded, leather, only 54,000 miles. $9950 USD 763-5015 FOR SALE: 1993 Mercury Villager (same as Quest, complete power train is Nissan), 7 passenger van, A/C blows cold, non-smoking, one owner, original paint $4950 USD 763-5015 WANTED: Looking for us car, maybe 2004 on must be us plated. In good or even better condition. Price to be reasonable. Contact: Frank Raimo WANTED: Want Car with Texas plates, since I am FM 3 and no problem. Must be automatic and in good condition. Price adjustable. Contact: Frank Raimo WANTED: Parts for 1995 Oldsmobile Cutlass.Tires,Tire Rim,Radio Ariel, Oil Dip Stick. ETC. Contact: Thomas Law. FOR SALE: 2000 Trailer 10’ long 6’7” wide new tires, Ladder rack for top, back door in a pull down ramp and has a side entrance door, trailer weight 1,463 lbs. $2000 USD. Call: (376)766-2951 FOR SALE: 1983 CLASSIC MERCEDES 4 DOOR. Air Conditioner, AM/FM Stereo, Automatic Transmission, Leather Interior, Sun Roof, Power Windows, Power Steering, Power Locks, near immaculate condition, Price $6,000. USD, Call: Heinz Stapff at 765-3587 WANTED: Right rear lamp assembly for 1988 Caravelle. Contact: Frank Raimo FOR SALE: 1997 Pontiac Bonivile. Engine runs good. Mirrors gone. Dings and dents. Needs paint job. Air-conditioner and driver side window motors need fixing. Contact: Heinz Stapff at 765-3587. Price $4000 USD.

ELECTRONICS

FOR SALE: 2 in 1 GE Cordless skype phone. New in box, never used. I can help you install it also for free if you need. Price 800 pesos. Contact: Josh Wolf FOR SALE: RAM 256, 512 chips, PC133 and DDR. Contact: Spencer McMullen FOR SALE: SONY VAIO w/Wireless. 15” SCREEN; Legit XP Home W/SP2; wireless; CD-RW/DVD player; Two Firewire port; 2 PCMCIA slots; all OEM system recovery disks; plus more. $200 USD or pesos FIRM. Call: David at (376)763-5248 WANTED: I am looking for a headset, earphones and mic to use with my computer for skype. Contact: David Stroud. WANTED: Epson Stylus Photo printer 1270, 1280, 1290, r1800, r1900. Call: Norm Tihor at Cell: (045) 331-431-7264 FOR SALE: Magic jack plugs into a usb port in your computer. Get free unlimited long distance for one year to the USA and Canada. Current cost for annual renewal is $19.95. Price $59.95 USD. Contact: Joe Slaiman FOR SALE: New DVD recorder. 387761-0827, $200 pesos FOR SALE: Wireless Receiver.

LagunaNet wireless receiver complete with antenna and cable. Price $200 USD. Excellent condition. Contact: Heather Leonard

PETS & SUPPLIES

FOR SALE: AKC Yorkie Puppy. She is in perfect health and comes along with all her shots eva since we had her. Price 180 . Contact: Keri Marie at journeymom007@ yahoo.com FOR SALE: White with apricot ears, this little female must have a good home filled with love and patience. Age 5 months. $1000 pesos. Contact: Gina Rolfe FOR SALE: English Saddle. 18” seat, brown leather with suede leather knee rolls, stirrup irons and leathers, web girth, horse-size snaffle bridle with 5” bit and reins, pad. Nearly new. $2,000 pesos. Contact: Yvonne A.

GENERAL MERCHANDISE

FOR SALE: Solar hot water system. Brand-new, in-the-box 180 ltrs solar hot water system. New $6999 pesos, sell 4900 pesos. 766-5734 FOR SALE: Women professional snorkel equipment. Tempered glass M18 googles with case, large size fins. $500 pesos. Contact ilse40@megared.net.mx Tel. (33) 3647-3912 FOR SALE: 2- Natural plywood cabinets for display and storage. Bottom half has three separate compartments for storage with doors, and top half has three display shelves. Great condition. $1500 pesos ea. Contact: James Bily WANTED: I’m looking for a used exercise bike must be in good condition. Prefer more multiple speed. Call: Michael Castleman at 766-2355 BEST OFFER FOR: 3 SA-WMP1 100 watt Sony subwoofers, magnetically shielded. Never used only stored. $75 USD per unit. Contact: Blake Edwards. WANTED: Springform pan for making cheesecake. Contact: Nancy Segall FOR SALE: Glass topped dining room table with 6 chairs, and hand carved horse head pedestals (2). $10000 pesos obo. Call: Jacqlyn Kangaroo at (376) 7657373 FOR SALE: Outdoor spa like new one, installed but never used. $ 3,900.00 US DLLS. Contact: Cynthia Izquierdo. FOR SALE: Very nice metal/glass shelf unit. Photos can be seen at: http:// www.joanandsteve.com/casita_shelves. html. $2000 pesos. Call: Joan Petty at 766-4183 WANTED: I am looking for a USED TV (around 26 inches), and also a USED HEAVY DUTY TREADMILL in good condition. Call Linda or Jon at 763-5064 or cell 333-596-9773. WANTED: Bread maker machine. Preferably smaller loaf sz new or like new & with recipe/use manual. Contact: Sherry Hudson. WANTED: Looking for used/new pinball machine and billiards table. Email with details of condition, name brand, price and your phone number. Contact: Monica WANTED: Generator 3500 watts or

more Heater, portable room heater. Mixer wanted. Standing or hand held. Excellent condition. Call: Rubi Diamond 766-2524, leave message if necessary. FOR SALE: Rarely used GE 3 cycle gas dryer. $1995 pesos. Call between 7-9 AM & 5-8PM, (376)765-6505 FOR SALE: Bunn commercial coffee grinder, older model but works perfectly, a real bargain atb $7,500 pesos, for more info call Nancy at 766-4887 10am - 3pm WANTED: I’d like to buy a COMFORTABLE large (3+seater) sofa, not necessarily sofabed, in good shape, preferably not leather but it could be. Contact: Jerry Forman FOR SALE: 2 queen bedroom suites, pillow top mattresses, hd board, 2 side tables with drawers and bed frames. Mex Rustico style 6000p each.-large round coffee table with glass top 1300P. Mex style carved dresser 5 drawers 2000P. Dining table w/ 4 chairs stained in assorted colors padded seats 5700P all less than 1 yr old- mint condition Call: Jo Preston at 765-3491 FOR SALE: 2007 “Airframes Unlimited” (Texas) Powered Parachute (PPC) complete with 2 seater trike, re-built 503 Rotax engine, Elan 500 SX Chute, and a 8’ X 10’ Utility Trailer transporter. $7,000 USD. Call Jim at 766-3785 FOR SALE: Must sale new two Twin beds with frames, mattresses and head boards. 4,800 Pesos. Call: Khalil Khan at 765-7010 WANTED: I need a GOOD 2 or 4 drawer file cabinet. Must have rollers and not be a cheap piece of do-do. Prefer metal or heavy wood. Call: David at (376) 763-5248 FOR SALE: Rustico style heavy pine living room set 3 seater sofa, loveseat, armchair. Green stripe on beige in likenew condition. Priced to move at 3800p or $300 USD FIRM . Contact: Sherry Hudson FOR SALE: Less than one year old green sectional. 7.5 feet by 7.5 feet. 7,500 pesos. Call:: Paul Burnworth at 7660460 WANTED: If you have a newer Vita Mix blender stashed away I would be pleased to purchase this item. Heavy duty juicer also wanted. Contact Kenn kennquinn@yahoo.ca or call 763-5824. FOR SALE: Computer desk holds computer, monitor, keyboard, mouse and speakers, Lightweight and portable. $150 pesos. Contact: Jim Spowart FOR SALE: Moving to furnished apt, so selling contents of 1BR apt. Includes fridge, stove, micro, settees, tables, TV, double bed, etc. All in used but good shape. Load & pickup yourself in Jocotepec & take 10% off all prices. Contact: John Haskett FOR SALE: New toaster, used once. We duplicated our purchase. $ 150 pesos or best offer. Call: Martin Barats at 7664266 FOR SALE: New rustic coffee table, 66x109cm., with 4 glass sectional top. Too big for us. First $500 pesos takes it. Call: Martin Barats at 766-4266 FOR SALE: New and Used Floor

Tiles. Reasonable. Call. 766-2164 FOR SALE: One New folding table 24”X 6’ = $70USD. 3ea.New folding tables 24”X 8’ = $90USD. Call: James Bily at 766-3212 FOR SALE: The ultimate irrigation system controller. Wireless. Monitors your system 24/7. You define the actuation point based on rainfall. Set it and forget it! This is a great conservation and money saving device. $30 USD Contact: Jim Spowart FOR SALE: Medicine cabinets, almost new 3 door mirrored wooden medicine cabinet, 30 inches by 30 inches and 6 inches deep, 3 shelves. $1000 pesos, Call: 766-4105 FOR SALE: Sony speakers from bookshelf stereo system, 13h X 9w X 11d. $500, Call: Karen at 331-364-2195 WANTED: Looking for gently used recliner, reasonably priced, for therapeutic use. No plaid. Call: Karen at 331-3642195 FOR SALE: Queen size duvet/cover, shams and bed skirt in rust/gold/green. Virtually new condition. $450, Call: Karen at 331-364-2195 FOR SALE: 4’x 8’ Brunswick pool table, elegant style ‘Bradford’ model, mahogany color finish, like new condition, includes triple light, dark wood cue stand, four break-down cues, balls, rack. Price $2,300 USD. Contact: Richard Bray FOR SALE: Folding massage table with detachable head rest. Legs adjustable. $2,000 pesos. Contact: Yvonne FOR SALE: Electric Meat Slicer, Brand General. Vacu-Base like new. $500 Pesos. Call: 766-2164 FOR SALE: Oster 6 slice toaster oven. Warm, bake, toast, etc. 500 pesos, 766-4105 FOR SALE: New home music system consisting of vertical CD player, am/fm radio, remote control, MP3 ready. $1200 pesos, Call: (387) 761-0827 FOR SALE: Double espresso and steam outputs comes complete with manuals and electric coffee grinder, restaurant quality. Price $3,000 USD. Call: Heinz Stapff at 765-3587 FOR SALE: Heavy duty wrought iron drapery rod with decorative ends on rod. Usable rod length 65” to 72”. Decorative end pieces and a further 9” for one piece or 18” for the 2. Price $ 38.- USD . Call: Yolanda Mc Gaughey at 765-7280 FOR SALE: Two sets of luxurious satin finish fully lined pinch pleated drapes. Thick lining will keep light out for good night’s sleep. One pair: 66” wide & 9 ft. In length $28.- second pair: 41” w & 80” long. $ 18.- Contact: Yolanda Mc Gaughey at 765-7280 FOR SALE: Fisheye lens FC-E8 for Nikon CoolPix digital cameras. Originally developed for scientific or industrial applications, Fisheye lenses are now also widely used in advertising, commercial and general photography. $100usd. Call David Tingen at (376)765-3676

Saw you in the Ojo

El Ojo del Lago March 2010

Saw you in the Ojo