El Ojo del Lago - November 2011 by El Ojo del Lago

Saw you in the Ojo

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

Saw you in the Ojo

Richard Tingen

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

Index...

FEATURE ARTICLES

COVER STORY

Paul Hart issues the clarion call that “They’re Coming Back”, but he’s not talking about the human “snow-birds” who traditionally migrate south as the wintry blasts up north grow colder.

8 Cover By Paul Hart

20 COMMUNITY SPIRIT Sherry Hudson raises an alarm about an orphanage out near Jocotepec that is on the verge of being closed down because it cannot afford to correct some deficiencies outlined by the Jalisco Health Department.

COLUMNS THIS MONTH 6

Editor’s Page

Bridge by Lake

30 TRAVEL

Uncommon Sense

Kelly Hayes-Raitt opens her article by writing “I came home (from India) pregnant.” But not that sort of pregnant!

Anyone Train Dog

Joyful Musings

Focus on Art

Welcome to Mexico

Child of Month

The Poet’s Niche

Hearts at Work

Viva Vida Loca

New Lease on Life

Lakeside Living

Thunder on Right

Front Row Center

Stay Healthy

LCS Newsletter

42 LOCAL ARTS & CRAFTS Harriet Hart tells us all about the people, passions and presentations involved in the upcoming 10th Annual Feria Maestros del Arte opening this month!

60 POETRY Mark Sconce spins an ode in honor of Mount Garcia, the majestic mountain that watches over our beloved area from the southwest corner of Lake Chapala. 65 HUMOR An anonymous contributor sets his story inside a Lakeside watering hole, whose name has been omitted to protect both the guilty, as well as the stone-stupid.

71 PUBLIC SERVICE Dave McIntosh publicizes the effort to raise funds to renovate the Ajijic Auditorio. We dubbed the upcoming performance as “Laughs, Incorporated.”

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

COVER STORY

PUBLISHER

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

LAKESIDE LIVING

 DIRE C TOR Y 

40 MAGNIFICENT MEXICO

VOLUME 28 NUMBER 3

Saw you in the Ojo

Editor’s Page Guest Editorial by Paul Jackson

Indefensible Defense Debits

et’s set the scenario. Classify me as a military hawk that belongs to four pro-military organizations, and has three awards of honor I can pin on my chest. Plus, I believe in the adage every nation has an army on its land - either its own or its enemy’s occupying army. And, if a nation doesn’t defend its sovereignty, it will lose it. Yet, I also stand by President Dwight Eisenhower’s warning about the threat posed by the “military-industrial” complex. Eisenhower, brilliant military leader, whom, after the Korean War, cut the USA’s military budget by 27%. After getting the USA out of the Vietnam War, President Richard Nixon cut the USA’s military budget by 29%. Then this unfairly maligned man ended the military draft. On winning the Cold War and toppling the evil Soviet Union’s slave empire - without firing a shot, or losing one American life - President Ronald Reagan also started to chop away at the USA defense budget. So did President George H. W. Bush. That brings us to the point: Why, with no major power threatening the USA, does it have a defense budget of some $700 billion annually - and with add-ons perhaps nearing $1 trillion? OK, Ok - Communist China has a staggering 1.1 million men and women in uniform, but it is hardly likely to attack its biggest trading partner. Beijing’s leaders may be cunning, but they aren’t suicidal. Other questions: Why does the USA need to have tens of thousands of troops in Britain, Japan and South Korea? Elsewhere, too. True, South Korea needs to be protected from the madmen in North Korea, and Britain is a geographical forward launch pad, but how many American troops should be stationed in these nations? As for Japan, and its traditional enemy, China, why can’t it protect itself? Recently, Canadian Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper declared he was pulling his nation’s troops out of Afghanistan this year be-

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

President Dwight Eisenhower cause one can’t fight a “never-ending” war. British Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron - whose nation has a neat squadron of nuclear attack fighter bombers and a fleet of nuclear attack submarines - announced he was cutting his country’s defense budget by 20%. Since the end of the Cold War, America’s European NATO allies have seen their GDP increase by 50%, but on average they have cut their NATO contributions again by an average of 20%. In real terms, that’s a cutback of 70%. America’s enemies, and those of other Western industrial nations, are basically a rag-tag bunch of Islam fanatics. What can the USA’s massive fleets of aircraft carriers and battleships, and huge squadrons of aircraft do against small hit-and-run Islamic forces? Surely, well-trained, top-notch commando forces, like the Navy Seals or Britain’s Special Air Services, which routinely quietly assassinate the United Kingdom’s enemies are the answer—and at a fraction of the cost. So why has the USA still got a staggering military budget? Could it be too many retired generals and admirals slip into post-retirement jobs as lobbyists for defense manufacturers and contractors? Again, I’m a military hawk, but believe Eisenhower, Nixon, Reagan, Bush Sr., Harper and Cameron got it right. And they were, or are, all Conservatives. Bottom line: Why hasn’t President Barack Obama studied what these individuals did, and followed in their paths? After all, what the heck did he get the Nobel Peace Prize for!? paulconradjackson@gmail.com Paul Jackson

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

he North American Bridge Championships were held in Toronto this summer and herself and myself participated in a few events with mixed results. These tournaments attract a very high calibre of player so it is a rare opportunity to pit one’s skills against the cream of the game from all over the world. Over the course of 11 days, bridge addicts could find games beginning at 9.00 a.m. all the way to midnight! The diagrammed hand occurred in the Seniors Swiss Teams with herself and myself sitting East-West. South dealt and opened the bidding 1 No Trump which was announced as showing 12 to 14 high card points. While my hand was worth a jump to 4 hearts, I was afraid that if partner held a few cards in the right places we could miss a slam. That is something one is more likely to take into consideration when playing against a weak no trump than the more traditional strong no trump showing 15 to 17 points. Therefore, I decided to temporize with a penalty double, intending to show my hand pattern after the opponents had found their fit and hoping that partner would understand my intentions. North passed my double and South alerted, explaining that when the bid came back to her she was obliged to redouble. East passed and South duly did as requested. I should have asked for a further explanation of their methods at this point but did not, believing that North would now show a suit so I passed and was momentarily startled when North also passed! In effect, North was saying that he believed his partner could make the contract. So the final contract was 1 No Trump Redoubled, not an everyday occurrence at the bridge table. When I regained my composure I realized that we may have lucked out here, provided neither of our opponents held four hearts to the Jack or 10. I led the heart ace and was somewhat

alarmed to see a doubleton of that suit in the dummy as there was still room for four hearts in declarer’s hand but when my partner followed suit I knew we were okay. I ran all my hearts and cashed the spade ace to set the contract 2 tricks for the unusual non-vulnerable score of 600. At the other table, our team-mates opened 1 club and after West bid 4 hearts they went on to 5 clubs. Fearing he had little defense against this contact, West continued on to 5 hearts which had to go down one, so it was a very good gain for our side. North-South were somewhat unlucky that I held such a powerful hand with eight running tricks as the “normal” penalty double of a 1 no trump opening is a more balanced hand with high card points spread more evenly through the four suits. They were also unfortunate that I did not ask for a full explanation of their bidding as I may well have decided to bid rather than defend had I known exactly what was going on. It just goes to prove that sometimes it is better to be lucky than Ken Masson good!

Saw you in the Ojo

THEY’RE COMING BACK! By Paul Hart

he first flocks of early arrivals are back. Over the next several weeks they will return to Lake Chapala in the thousands. No, I am not referring to the Canadian and American “snowbirds” but their original natural counterparts, the American White Pelicans that have been returning to winter on Lake Chapala for thousands of years. They are true ambassadors for NAFTA free trade agreement, linking all three countries, breeding and nesting on the northern lakes of the USA and the Canadian prairies, then spending their winters here in Mexico. Lake Chapala hosts 5,000 White Pelicans each winter, representing about three percent of the total population which is estimated at 180,000 birds. The vast majority of the Lake Chapala birds are found toward the eastern end of the lake where there is more natural marshland. In the island village of Petatan on the south shore of the lake, the local family operated fish-fileting operations feed the pelicans the entrails from the daily catch. At predictable times of the day a wheelbarrow of fish parts is wheeled out for the pelicans. This is one of the best places in the world to observe White Pelicans at close range. You can see them in huge flocks of hundreds, if not thousands, of birds. Smaller numbers can also be seen along the waterfront of Jocotepec, Riberas and Chapala. The American White Pelican is very different from its smaller cousin the Brown Pelican which is commonly seen along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. They differ not only in appearance and behaviour, but also with respect to preferred habitat. The Brown Pelican is a seabird, preferring coastal salt water, and dives like a falling rocket for its food. On the other hand the American White Pelican is primarily an inland, freshwater bird that swims gracefully atop the water, often in small

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

groups, herding schools of fish into shallow areas, and then scooping them up with their large orange beaks. I will always remember the poem by Ogden Nash: “A wonderful bird is the pelican, His bill can hold more than his belican, He takes in his beak enough food for a week, But I’m damned if I know how the helican.” An ungainly looking bird on land, the pelican is a magnificently graceful bird when in flight. It is one of North America’s largest birds, growing to a wing span of three meters (9 feet) and weighing 11 kilos (25 lbs). Seeing a large flock of them high above the lake with wings outspread, soaring, circling, and gliding, their white bodies reflecting the sunlight against a clear blue sky, is truly one of the wonderful sights in nature, and one we are privileged to witness here at lakeside. Highly dependent upon fish, the White Pelicans occupy a dominant position in Lake Chapala’s food chain, making them an excellent indicator species for judging the area’s environmental health. While the fish in Lake Chapala tested by engineer Dr. Todd Stong have been found safe for human consumption, this testing has been specifically focused on the edible parts of the fish. Stong would like to do further fish testing to see if the heavy metals known to exist in the mud around the Lerma River estuary might have an adverse effect on the pelicans. John Keeling, head of Lake Chapala Birders, notes that the overall North American White Pelican population has been increasing substantially every year since the banning of DDT back in 1972 when the populations were in very serious decline. While American White Pelicans are long lived, each female lays only one or two eggs per year which does

make local populations vulnerable if there are problems at their nesting sites. The birds will not produce offspring if bothered by humans or predatory animals or if there is flooding at their chosen refuge. This is precisely what happened this year according to retired Canadian wildlife biologist Chuck Dixon. Due to record spring flooding at sites in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, significant numbers of adult birds were forced to abandon their nesting sites and as a result these breeding colonies were unproductive this past summer. The impact

this may have on overall bird populations is unknown at this time. We residents here at lakeside enjoy a unique opportunity to observe these wonderful original â&#x20AC;&#x153;snowbirdsâ&#x20AC;? first hand. The two-hour drive to Petatan offers a world class experience truly worth the trip. If there were to be a bird nominated to represent Lake Chapala, my choice would definitely be the American White Pelican, both for its grace and beauty and also for its natural ambassadorial role linking Mexico with the United States and Canada.

Saw you in the Ojo

UUNCOMMON NNCOMMON COMMON CCOMMON OMMON SSENSE ENSE By Bill Frayer billfrayer@gmail.com Contemplating Our Final Chapter

have been in the midst of working on another collection of poetry recently. When I got a sample of the new book back from the printer, my wife sat down to read it. When she was finished, she remarked, “Wow, lot of these poems are about death.” “Really?” I thought. “Death?” I certainly wasn’t intending to focus on death, so I took another look at the collection. Surely, most of the poems were not dark, morose, and about dying, but there were a number of poems which did muse about the inevitability of demise. Poetry is very personal and, to a degree, self-reflective. So it should not be surprising that a 60-something retired guy, like me, should consider the topics of aging and death in his poems. Perhaps it’s been on my mind as well because I’ve recently lost a close friend to cancer and had another friend attempt suicide. As any elderly person will tell you, losing friends and family is an inevitable downside to our survival. I ran across an excerpt from Roger Ebert’s new memoir, Life Itself, the other day. I am sure many of you are familiar with Ebert’s movie reviews. You may not be aware that he has suffered severe cancer in recent years and has had to undergo surgery which has left him unable to eat or speak. He has written that what he misses most is dinner with friends, not so much for the food

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

Bill Bi ll F Frayer raye ra yerr but for the camaraderie and conversation. In his new book, he writes about how he has come not to fear his death. “I know it is coming, and I do not fear it, because I believe there is nothing on the other side of death to fear. I hope to be spared as much pain as possible on the approach path. I was perfectly content before I was born, and I think of death as the same state. I am grateful for the gifts of intelligence, love, wonder and laughter. You can’t say it wasn’t interesting. My lifetime’s memories are what I have brought home from the trip. I will require them for eternity no more than that little souvenir of the Eiffel Tower I brought home from Paris.” Christopher Hitchens, facing his own death from cancer, is an avowed atheist. Unlike many, he cannot take comfort in the prospect of an afterlife as he confronts death. Carl Sagan, facing his own death, spent time with religious friends to see if he could take comfort by accepting their beliefs. In the end, he could not and died an unbeliever. Like many of us, Hitchens and Sagan both have had to confront death squarely. In our Unitarian Fellowship here at Lakeside, a number of us recently completed a study of Buddhism. A central point in Buddhist faith is learning to accept the impermanence of life. Accepting death as a natural part of life itself and letting go of our egocentric “attachment” to our lives, is how many Eastern faiths contemplate our transition to non-being. Perhaps the best strategy is to accept the temporary nature of our existence and make the most of the time we have. The older we get, the more we realize that mundane considerations of money, power, and prestige matter little. Consider the wise words of poet Thomas Healy: “Don’t strew me with roses after I’m dead. When Death claims the light of my brow No flowers of life will cheer me: instead You may give me my roses now!”

Anyone A nyone C Can an Train Train Their Dog By Art Hess artthedogguy@yahoo.com

Fear Fear Of Of Loud Loud Noises Noises

ith the onset of Fiesta Patronales and the other various and sundry occasions that bring out the dreaded “cohetes” or “Boom Booms” in gringo talk, it’s timely to address your dog’s anxieties over loud noises. Instead of resorting to drugs or Superman capes over Buddy’s shoulders, let’s teach him to enjoy and actually look forward to the noises. As we do in so many other exercises we set out to trade an experience or treat of such a high value that it replaces the anxiety of the noise. If you could visualize your most favorite treat or meal in portions that were unlimited there are most likely very few distractions that would stop you from enjoying this experience. This is what we are going to do with Buddy but in small steps and small distractions (loud noises) and gradually build up to where you can literally fire off a shotgun beside the dog without him having a negative reaction. This is the same system I was taught many years ago when we trained our hunting dogs. With Buddy’s case we’re going to start with a loud noise like dropping a pot and lid on a tile floor. Get an old one or Mom is likely to drop you on the tile floor. You need a helper who can drop the pan on signal. We start with a very “high value” treat like cheese or meat. This is jackpot time because we aren’t doing the “lure reward” system here, we are creating a new emotional experience. Okay let’s get started. With Buddy on a leash so he won’t leave the training environment we say his name and when he looks at us we give him a juicy treat and praise him for his response. We now look over and nod to our helper who is at least fifty feet away and he drops the pot from about knee height. As soon as Buddy acknowledges the noise we give him a big treat and praise. This is a feel good time so put your heart into this. Take a few minutes and repeat the exercise. Buddy will soon ignore the noise and you can

have the helper come a little closer and the pot is dropped from a little higher and you continue to heap on the treats and praise. If you take your time, and I’m talking days to practice this not hours, it won’t be long ‘til Buddy is completely ignoring the noise and you will get to where you can literally drop the pot and lid right beside him and he’ll just look up for the reward. Next comes the cohetes. As soon as you hear the first rocket you get all excited and tell Buddy “Boy oh boy, here comes the boom booms”, and you get ready to heap on the hugs and pile on the goodies. We don’t sympathize and do the “Poor Buddy” routine —we get all excited about Buddy having a great experience when the rockets go off. Keep it up until they stop. Admittedly it can be a little harder when they start at six am but think of it as a positive training experience for Buddy and at our age most of us are already up for the early pee break anyway. As with all training that is altering the emotions, don’t go too fast. If your dog is nervous and freaking, back up and go more slowly. It will work but the results are entirely dependent upon your efforts. “Loose Leashes Happy Tails” Art Hess

Saw you in the Ojo 11

Hairpin

By Judy Dykstra-Brown He rolls over, pinning her by her long hair. He sleeps on it. She draws his dreams through its long shafts, works out his days into her web. Her hair, black raven coal falling down the chute between his hands her hair to be pulled down her hair his fist coiled in each other her hair his mouth the cave a feast of hair a rock her hair side winding on the ground her hair drying with a baby swinging from it. Passion her hair whips his face until he weaves a bridge of it to cross the high crevass. Her hair twisted into bags and harnesses, yet when a strand slips from behind her ear, it makes necessary : fire, bronze, iron, steel, rubber, factories, the assembly linejust to invent hairpin.

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

Joyful Musings By Joy Birnbach Dunstan, MA, LPC, MAC Take Time to Say Thanks

ur new puppy has no sense of gratitude. No appreciation for how good she’s got it. She’s six months old and has never known hunger, pain, or abuse. How very different from our last two dogs! Maggie came to us at about three years old. She’d been living in the streets and survived on her wits and her speed. Looking at her 100plus pound body now, it is difficult to remember the bony 67-pound dog we brought home from the shelter. Food was precious to her, and she devoured every tidbit she found in case scarcity should come her way again. When I took her for a walk or even a long hike she’d lope ahead and quickly return, never letting me out of her sight for more than a moment. Maggie appreciated her new home and its comfort and wanted to be sure she would never end up alone on the street again. Greta, a lanky, cowering Lab of about 18 months, had been dumped at the shelter by a family that had badly abused her. If we spoke loudly or even looked at her too long, she’d cringe in anticipation of a feared kick or thwack. Receiving loving caresses and attention in her new home with us, she was so grateful and devoted she’d sit adoringly by my side like she was velcroed to my leg. When Greta died, my husband wanted to raise a puppy who knew only love and kindness. Born on the full moon, Luna hit the jackpot at only four weeks old. The four-pound handful of fur he brought home has grown into a 60-pound barrel of exuberance. Even when we discipline her with a loud “No!” she barely recognizes it as more than a gentle suggestion. She accepts the abundance of food as her birthright, a house full of toys as her due, and everyone she meets as a friend with never a consideration of life being any other way. I’ve taken to calling her “Brat” as I watch her growing up with an attitude of greedy entitlement. This unbridled expectation of all good things is acceptable in a puppy. It’s not so acceptable, however, when people expect and receive without gratitude or appreciation. Human happiness does not come from getting something we didn’t have but rather

from recognizing and appreciating what we do have. It’s an amazing fact: whatever you focus on grows bigger. Pay attention to all those things you don’t have or can’t do, and your life will feel very empty. You’ll soon suffer from a pitiful ailment I call PLUM disease: Poor Little Unfortunate Me. Pay attention to what you have, however, and it magically grows bigger and more valuable. In this season of thanksgiving, there are many ways you can practice gratitude. Here’s a few simple ideas: Make a point of saying thank you to others throughout your day. You’ll be surprised how many special things people have said or done when you take time to really notice them. Take the time to write thank-you notes in response to gifts you’ve received, events you’ve enjoyed, or anything else that brought a smile to your face recently. Give the Universe a quick thank you throughout the day for anything that gives you joy. Each evening, take an inventory of the blessings of that particular day. If you like, keep a written list and see how long it grows over time. Don’t be a brat. Express your humanity through appreciation of the abundance all around you. Editor’s Note: Joy is a practicing psychotherapist in Riberas. She can be contacted at joy@dunstan.org or 7654988. Her new website is http://joydunstan.weebly.com.

Saw you in the Ojo 13

Focus on Art By Rob Mohr robmohr@gmail.com il.com

he Dance of the he Snake Woman: Judyy Dykstra Brown, Artist and Poet n’s voice Judy Dykstra Brown’s st has the as poet and visual artist power to transport the reader into a time, place and mood that she cree encounter ates and controls. The is vital and poignant.. The reader es and smells knows the actors, tastes the setting. “In a brief period of time, both my father and my boy friend died. I was depressed and dreamed a man in a bar had thrown water in my face, but I had thrown the water. I woke up and began to create life.” Judy’s visual works reveal pain and joy in metaphoric/symbolic stories from her life. Boxes or frames contain found and crafted objects which, when combined, create new worlds meant to be understood as visual poetry (Chamula). Unlike the works of Joseph Cornell (19031972) whose boxes are formal arrangements of photographs and antique objects arranged to create a surreal world, Judy’s boxes pull the viewer into vital perceptions of the world she has observed, experienced and loved. www.ibiblio.org/ wm/paint/auth/cornell/ Her self-portrait breaks the bounds of the frame to psychologically engage viewer and surrounding environment to evoke passages from Judy’s life. She reflected:

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

“The carved woman was done by my husband for an unfinishe ed nished work. I added the snake to signify fluid movement through life, and d to be an agent that brings messages from the dead.” Judy’s collaborator/housekeeper saw her self-portrait in progress and added feathers creating a plumedserpent - Quetzalcoatl, the mythological, pre-Columbian man/god. Rich with symbolism - the music box plays an evening serenade of new love; the pens and brushes evoke writing and art; the pitch pipe, perfect harmony; the wires connected to the circuitry are connection with her beloved via internet as well as humanity’s universal web of life, and the camera is the artist eye looking outward. Her story boxes and poems share a common theme. Look at the snake woman while you consider these lines from Hair: she draws his dreams through its long shafts … … her hair his mouth the cave a feast of hair. Her hair side-winding on the ground. Judy observed: “Art is about process, not product. You start before you know what you are doing and through the process teach yourself. The artist learns when they probe deep enough to awake the subconscious. A key for me is to not let the editing begin to too soon. When you keep writing and go beyond the point when you think you have it, you step down into a deep place where

writing comes alive and comes from a purer part of oneself.” Judy grew up in a town of 750 people, knowing she was different and had to escape. Her parents later related they had understood that if she had stayed in their small town, she would not have adjusted to the world outside. “When I got to California, it was like I had come home. Over time I got to know and appreciate poets and artists such as Carolyn Forche (b. 1950) - Lannan Chair in Poetry at Georgetown University; Sandra McPherson (1943- ) professor Emeritus at the University of California;

Carolyn Ashley Kizer (1925 - ) Pulitzer Prize winner; and, best, my husband, a painter and professor of fine arts. http://www.poets.org/ (plus poet’s name.) Judy’s intelligence, compassionate sensitivity and clear voice were born and nurtured in the process of life and discovery. Her new art works will be exhibited at Sol Mexican-Galeria del Arte,#13 Colon, Ajijic, beginning November 15 - opening reception from 4-6. Rob Mohr

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By Victoria Schmidt Cultural Differences

o many things are different in Mexico. The transition from moving from one country to another is never easy. The language, money, food, laws, and culture are all different. Most of us come here during our retirement age, and must learn many new things at a time when we’d rather things remain the same. As expats gather together, we seem to share stories of our trials and tribulations and we offer suggestions to one another, and we understand each other because our experiences are similar. They are so much the same because as expats, we have a shared background, a shared culture. We find many things the Mexicans do confusing, different, and quite simply, we don’t “get it.” We have a big cultural difference on the subject of time. We often joke about “Mexican time.” In our culture, we are trained to live our lives at the command of a clock. From the moment we started our day until we set our alarms to wake us the next morning we were slaves to the clock. Everything was rush, rush, rush. Hurry up and wait. Rush to get to work on time and wait in the traffic. Rush to the doctor to be on time, and wait for an hour. We scheduled ourselves to a ridiculous extent. I once had a day timer and scheduled myself in 15-minute increments throughout the day. We spent oodles of cash on timesaving devices that allowed us to do what-work more? “Multi-task?” We could not wait to retire. We moved to Mexico to slow down our lives…and then complain because the Mexicans have a different concept of time. Perhaps we should not impose our crazy dependence on the clock on them. Perhaps we should adapt to their way of thinking. And when we move into another country, with its own culture, shouldn’t we adapt to their customs? There are many people in

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the USA who want the immigrants to adapt to the ways of the people in the United States. As the old saying goes… “When in Rome…” Speaking of customs, watch the way Mexicans interact with each other. They take time to greet people, even strangers on the street. As they pass one another they often just exchange an “Adios.” Which I’ve come to learn means “hello, and goodbye” as well as “Go with God.” They take a few minutes for their friends when they run into them. They take the time to enjoy each other. When entering a tienda, they say “Buenos Días” to announce their arrival. You see Mexicans embracing one another and exchanging kisses on the cheek. (In Minnesota we had a three-foot personal space buffer that was breeched only for the obligatory handshake!) This is another cultural difference: Mexican regard for others. They do not wish to disappoint each other, or let anyone down. So when we as expats ask them for something specific, like directions, and they don’t know the answer, instead of disappointing us by saying they don’t know, they will provide you with directions. Never mind that you won’t get where you’re going. Or a service provider will tell you it will be done tomorrow, rather than the truth--it won’t be ready for days. They do not wish to disappoint. In their culture, it is impolite to disappoint, and their culture does not encourage conflict in business dealings. It has taken me a while to recognize these things, and to adapt to them. While I try to honor the Mexican customs…I still manage to arrive on time to fiestas and events only to find that I’m one of the first to arrive…along with a few other gringos! Victoria Schmidt

ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN By Peter E. Gibbons

t some time in your life your friendly local medical practitioner is more than likely to suggest that he needs to explore your wonderful internal workings. Be on the outside looking in, one might say! As it is impossible to unzip you like a scuba diver’s wet suit, he recruits the professional services of folk who specialize in this field, including an anesthesiologist. They exercise their skills gaining access via the mouth and the other end. The only two natural ingress and egress openings we have. One in, and one out! To help in providing the clearest picture, you will need to do a little prep the day before. You will be told to eat a normal meal around noon and I strongly suggest you forget gourmet because at 1.30pm it’s cocktail time again. This time mix a full bottle of cold 7-UP with a bottle of phosphosodafleet and drink it down, all of it. And then just as the TV evening news comes on four hours later, do it again. From then on drink clear liquids, although I very much doubt you would fancy a T-bone steak with fries somehow. Early the following morning the white coated team will introduce themselves and ask what medications you take. When satisfied, your clothes are removed and replaced by a smocklike garment opening at the back the reason being obvious. When comfortably lying down, they will ask you to open your mouth. A kind of table napkin ring is placed between your lips before spraying some reddish stuff towards the throat. Almost immediately you will be on cloud nine trying to remember just how many martinis you’d had. And before you have time to figure that out, you’ll be sitting up drinking a cup of hot coffee, just 25 minutes later. It will be somewhat comforting to know that if having had an endoscopy, through the mouth, they will do that before a colostomy gaining entrance through the other end. In any case, separate endoscopes are used!

During their internal travels a large colored picture is shown on a screen. The driver not only steers, but is able to take snips of tissue for pathological evaluation later. He can also remove alien growths like polyps. Specialists review the film in depth and give their opinions. Within a week usually, you will meet with your doctor who will discuss the results using a well presented color brochure and DVD. Unlike some countries, you have paid for the tests and they are yours to take home. Ideal material for showing at your next Halloween party don’t you think? Be assured that there will be no pain, blood or discomfort, just possibly an empty feeling which can be quickly remedied at a nearby restaurant or your own home.

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CHILD

of the month

By Rich Petersen Samir A. Rojas Hernández

ith one of the best smiles around, this is 7-year old Samir Rojas Hernández, or “Sami” as he is known at home. Sami lives in Chapala with his parents and three other brothers; he is the second oldest. Mom Clara is a homemaker and Dad Agustín drives a delivery truck for a furniture company. Sami’s mother noticed almost immediately after birth that the boy’s legs were curved a bit more than usual for an infant and that one leg seemed to be a bit shorter than the other. She immediately started giving Sami therapy at home, gentle push-pull strengthening exercises. For about two years this home

therapy seemed to be helping, but then Sami started limping and complaining of knee pain. Also, his left foot had begun to turn inward and as he began to walk, he fell much more than was normal. A visit to the orthopedist gave the family a better picture of what the problem was: mild scoliosis and hip asymmetry (one hip higher than the other).

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

Something I didn’t know is that scoliosis is not a disease—it is a descriptive term. All spines have curves. Some curvature in the neck, upper trunk and lower trunk is normal. Humans need these spinal curves to help the upper body maintain proper balance and alignment over the pelvis. However, when there are abnormal side-toside (lateral) curves in the spinal column, this is referred to as scoliosis. Also interestingly enough, scoliosis affects 2% of women and just 0.5% of men. Causes can include congenital spine deformities, genetic conditions, neuromuscular problems and limb length inequality (this would be Sami’s case). Other causes for scoliosis include cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy and tumors. Over 80% of scoliosis cases, however, are idiopathic, which means that there is no known cause. Most idiopathic scoliosis cases are found in otherwise healthy people. Fortunately for Sami, the doctors think that with observation over the next few years, along with some orthopedic shoes to try to equalize the limb length, the spinal curvature will not progress to the point of needing surgery. There may be a

time when an orthopedic brace will be prescribed to help the boy maintain the current degree of curvature so that it will not progress to the need for surgery. Surgery in most cases of scoliosis is a last resort. Programa pro Niños Incapacitados del Lago has paid for a spinal x-ray, doctor consults, plus Sami’s new shoes. For now, Sami is getting used to those new shoes and his Mom is continuing with daily therapy and exercises at home. He is an excellent student in the second grade and likes arithmetic best. He has lots of friends at school and at home his favorite pastime is playing with toy dinosaurs and learning about prehistoric times. If you would like to meet other children being helped by Niños Incapacitados, please attend our regular monthly meetings on the second Thursday of each month in one of the meeting rooms at the Hotel Real de Chapala in La Floresta. Coffee and cookies at 10:00, meeting at 10:30. Bring a friend. You will learn how you can volunteer in many different ways and how your monetary support helps so much to assist needy families whose children suffer from a chronic and/or debilitating illness or condition.

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VILLA V IL LLA INFANTIL INFANTIL NEEDS NEEDS HELP! HELP! By Sherry Hudson

new crisis has recently developed which is threatening to close the Villa Infantil Orphanage south east of Jocotepec. The Jalisco Health Department has determined that the Villa needs to correct a list of deficiencies they identified in an inspection in early July or will be forced to close with about 24 children left with nowhere to go. The reason for the inspection remains unknown as this is the first time in the Villa’s nine years in operation at this location that the facilities and administration have been scrutinized, and it appears that none of the other children’s shelters are being checked into. Madre Maria runs a tight ship with immaculately kept casitas and happy, healthy, well socialized kids. However, the demands must be met or all could be on the streets soon. While some of the items are administrative in nature such as record keeping and staff job descriptions which Madre has dealt with, there are numer-

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

ous others which require a great deal more in terms of work and money to implement. These include new emergency exit doors with push bars to replace the sliding doors, panic alarm sensors, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and emergency lighting for each casita, replacing steps with ramps at exit points, new water filtration system, thermometers and temperature regulators for fridges and freezers, copper piping from gas tanks to buildings, and separate reception areas and waiting rooms for private consultations, which will require major construction. These modifications alone will cost 49,500 pesos to begin work immediately. As well, the state is requiring the services of several healthcare professionals including a nurse, doctor, nutritionist, psychologist and social worker, as much as 4 hours each weekday. These are ongoing and will necessitate a considerable sum to fund the costs, and although Madre has been appealing to local professionals to donate their services, there will surely be several thousand pesos monthly needed to meet these expenses. The nuns have been scrambling to work through the list of 30 requirements but with the deadline for all to be completed by November 28, 2011,

time is short and money even shorter. Donations are urgently needed to begin work immediately in order to have them completed on schedule. Though the state Family Development services, DIF, routinely brings children to this and other shelters, there is no government funding provided and it is strictly by public donations and child sponsorship through the Friends of Villa Infantil, (FOVI) that day to day costs are met which keep the children fed, clothed and educated. For the moment, it is critical that all available funds go to keeping the orphanage open. To this end, FOVI is hosting a fundraiser at the Racquet Club east of San Juan Cosalá this November 11th from 2-6pm. Roberto’s Restaurant will be catering a gourmet 6 course European dinner featuring Coq Au Vin, and dessert by Dixie. There will be a showing of new fall fashions by Cugini’s Opus Boutique, a 50/50 raffle, a silent auction and cash bar. Tickets are 250 pesos; call Lisa at 387-761-0002 or Sandra & Gordon at 387-761-0829. Donate by logging onto www. friendsofvillainfantil.org which now accepts Pay Pal. By partnering with the Lake Chapala Charities organization, your donations are now U.S. tax deductible. What a great idea for Christmas gifting that keeps on giving!

The Poets’ Niche By Mark Sconce msconce@gmail.com Amado Nervo (1870-1919)

n a Mexican pleiad somewhere between the North Star of Octavio Paz (1914-1998) and the Southern Cross of Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz (1648-1695), there shines a star poet. Amado Nervo is one of Mexico’s most distinguished poets of the late 19th and early 20thcentury. Newspaperman, scholar, diplomat, Nervo had just taken up the responsibilities of Mexico’s ambassador to Argentina and Uruguay when he died from a heart attack, age 46. Toward the end of his life, he enjoyed the honor of being called Prince of the Continental Poets. His works—poetry, short stories, science fiction, essays, magazine articles—fill over 30 volumes. He was a co-founder of an important literary journal, La Revista Moderna--important because it became the vehicle for the modernismo movement in Mexico. Patterned much after the Paris Parnassian movement (Art for Art’s Sake), it emphasized introspection in one’s writings—a self-awareness, an openness to the unconscious `a la Sigmund Freud, mysticism, and humanity’s darker side. Deeply religious yet conflicted because he also believed in scientific evidence, Nervo sought new ideas to help reconcile his religious beliefs with the conclusions of modern science. He studied the concepts of Buddhism, Taoist contemplation, Zen, and, especially, Hinduism—such as Brahma, the Creator: Brahma doesn’t think: thinking limits. Brahma isn’t good or bad, since His limitless qualities Make such considerations needless. Brahma is what he is. Brahma , in an everlasting rapture, cold, Is looking at His own essence… If He sleeps, the Cosmos turns to emptiness: Though if awake, it re-emerges. Tr. by Godofredo Vidal Gutierrez, Ajijic. The ravages of WW I, the long Mexican Revolution, and the dreadful difficulties of life for most Mexicans under the Porfirio Díaz regime turned the poet’s thoughts inward toward the mysterious questions and limitations of life and death, religion and spirituality. I am not too wise to deny you, Lord;/ I find logical your divine existence;

I have enough by opening my eyes to find you;/ The entire creation invites me to adore you, And I adore you in the rose and I adore you in the thorn. Nervo’s beloved, Ana Cecilia, died after only 11 years of happy marriage. Nervo was so enveloped by grief and despair that he wrote a series of poems under the title “La Amada Inmóvil,” the Motionless Lover.” To live without your tenderness is too much loss;/to live without your words is too much loneliness; To live without your loving look, candid and transparent, is too much darkness. Tr. by Herlinda Diez de Díaz, Ajijic. Nervo felt that the world had lost its way and that only the poet and his poems remained to contend for peace. At Peace Very near my setting sun, I bless you, Life, because you never gave me unrealistic hope Or unfair work, or underserved sorrow/pain, because I see at the end of my rough way that I was the architect of my own destiny, and if I extracted the sweetness or the bitterness of things it was because I put the sweetness or the bitterness in them. When I planted rose bushes, I always harvested roses. Certainly, winter is going to follow my youth, and you didn’t tell me that May was eternal. I found, without a doubt, long my nights of pain, but you didn’t promise me only good nights, And, in exchange, I had some peaceful ones. I loved, I was loved, the sun caressed my face. Life, you owe me nothing; Life, we are at peace! Tr. Unknown

Mark Sconce

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Letter to the Editor Dear Sir: Regarding Cosmology and Theology, what was it that God created in six days before he rested on the Sabbath? Was it the entire universe? The Bible tells about the earth and the sun, and the lesser light of the moon. But I think the Bible is mistaken when it says that God also made the stars of the night. My skepticism is how God was able to exceed the speed of light, since some of creation is millions of light years away from the earth, making the accomplishments of six days of work impossible to believe. We know that He was tired and had to rest, so He does have limits of exertion. If it were only our own sun and planets that he created, about five or six thousand years ago, then that could make sense. Furthermore, we may infer that God’s attention was ultimately on Adam and Eve, because He made them in His own image and gave them dominion over the earth and all its creatures. It’s highly unlikely that He had any particular interest in stars and solar systems millions of light years away. If life exists on some of those planets orbiting distant stars, it was created by other gods. That would reinstate the polytheism that the Hebrews so vigorously rejected. Some stars are a billion light years away. It’s logical that those distant gods would remain unrevealed from this distance, because their holy books remain inaccessible to us. Any supernatural miracles, therefore, are proprietary to specific locations of life in the various solar systems out there. We have walking on water and a virgin birth. Other life, millions of light years from us, may have other miracles, such as beaming individuals to other locations instead of boarding a train.

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

I think we should forgive God for his stern command “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” We should indulge Him in this, because as a practical matter, the other gods are too far away for us to know them. Given the problem of communication and unimaginable distances, God does not know them, either. So at least in practical terms, we have only one god. In other words, there is not much danger that a god who created a populated planet a billion light years away will ever force the righteous among us to build arks to save ourselves from a Great Flood. Other gods are simply too far away to be a practical danger to us. That still leaves the God in our own neighborhood to contend with, however. He rained fire and brimstone down on Sodom and Gomorrah, and you know what was going on in those places. Pat Robertson has informed us that we have been sending up “gay” satellites. I have never heard of such a thing, but apparently one of them had a protruding telescope that God mistook for a phallus and He rejected it from its orbit in His heavenly home and sent it crashing back to earth. Amazingly, it did not crash into a gay bar in San Francisco, smiting all the clientele. Bringing down this particular satellite was probably a shot across the bow, and the next crashing gay satellite will land in San Francisco, for sure, not only because it’s a gay mecca, but also, because it’s the home of Nancy Pelosi, a Socialist. Fred Mittag Villas de San Pablo

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Hearts at Work A Column by James Tipton “The Golden Key” ey” ey

any memories, rriies es, both old and d new, new w, both good d and an nd bad, have emotions connected with them, either positive or negative… emotions that can affect our lives this very day, this very minute. Roy Eugene Davis, director of the Center for Spiritual Awareness in Lakemont Georgia, writes that “Memories, impressions of perceptions, enable us to have a sense of our history and to think rationally. Memories which bring forth unfavorable mental or emotional reactions can be disarmed by knowing that, without our consent, they cannot unduly influence our mind, emotions, or behaviors.” Without our consent, memories which disturb us can not unduly influence our mind, emotions, or behaviors. But how do we stop “giving consent” to those memories? Although Davis strongly encourages us to meditate regularly on our higher selves, to make Self Realization the purpose of our lives, he does recognize the need some of us have to neutralize feelings related to unpleasant or unwanted events. One suggestion he offers is this: “use imagination to revise them by ‘seeing’ and feeling them as you wish they had occurred. Doing that will not alter memories of events but will neutralize the emotions related to memories. When remembering mistakes that were made, use imagination to revise the sequence of events as you wish they had occurred. View all memories as an objective observer.” Viewing as an objective observer means that we are

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

vviewing iewiing g wi with ith he emotionmo oti tion naall detachment. det etac achm hme hm ent. ent. Walking W lking Walk Wa lk g with th h a b buddy ud ddy dy on the Malecon this week, he told me about the Silva Mind Control methods he has put into use. When a disrupting, powerful, potentially destructive emotion rises up, usually in response to a recent (often very recent) or past memory, simply say—forcefully—“Cancel! Cancel!” Another method is that of Emmet Fox, who lectured to thousands in the first half of the twentieth century about how to live the spiritual life. Direct and simple, Fox tells us that “Scientific prayer will enable you to get yourself or anyone else out of any difficulty.” He assures us that “Beginners often get startling results for the first time, for all that is essential is to have an open mind and sufficient faith to try the experiment.” How does it work? Fox says “it is simplicity itself. All you have to do is this: Stop thinking about the difficulty, whatever it is, and think about God instead.” This is the “Golden Key”: You must stop thinking about the trouble, whatever it is, and think about God instead. “Your object is to drive the thought of the difficulty out of your consciousness, for a few moments at least, substituting for it the thought of God. This is the crux of the whole thing. If you can become so absorbed in this consideration of the spiritual world that you forget for a while about the difficulty, you will find that you are safely and comfortably out of your difficulty.” “…by constantly repeating a statement of absolute Truth, such as: There is no power but God; I am the child of God, filled and surrounded by the perfect peace of God; God is guiding me now; or, perhaps best and simplest of all, God is with me—however mechanical or trite it may seem—you will soon find that the treatment has begun to ‘take.’ And that your mind is clearing. Do not struggle violently; be quiet, but insistent.” These ideas have been useful to me, and perhaps will be useful to some of you as well. Jim Tipton

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El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

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A NEW LEASE LEASE— —on Life! By Judit Rajhathy, B.A., RNCP, D.Ac. Get that Tube Out of Here!

o I find myself in a relatively new relationship. The first few months were magical - lots of intimate moments, deep conversations, eye contact galore, and tons of together activities. Then, enter one of the most invasive, mindless inventions ever created - the television. All of a sudden there was less quality time and I quickly became resentful and expressed my disdain. My guy right away realized that what I was bitterly complaining about was true. Back to the drawing board more intimacy, more interaction, more time together and hence, a deepening of love and affection. I had never really experienced the alienation that television can create. And simply sitting there or laying together watching the tube just doesn’t cut it. No matter how many studies try to prove that TV is a beneficial tool I just won’t buy it. The tube is filled with sex, horror, violence and negative news programs - why would I subject myself to all this mindless noise? We always had a television when my kids were little but it was put out of obvious site and we rarely watched it. We spent time playing interactive games like backgammon, scrabble, Monopoly and engaged in outdoor activities. We never had that droning sound lurking in the background. Music, dance and conversation were a larger part of our lives as a family. Television time was limited to a few choice programs and definitely no cable. As deprived as my kids felt at times, they learned to read, have intelligent discussions, and developed their language and communication skills. Today both kids are skilled writers. 98% of US homes have at least one TV which is turned on for an average of seven hours a day (Wilson 2004). Many homes have televisions in every room, creating further family isolation as each person watches different programs at different times and often without supervision. Even meals are eaten in front of the tube, further limiting family interaction. North American life consists primarily of sleeping, working and watching television. For children TV has become their babysitter, substitute friend and parent. Even worse is that by the time an American child is twelve, they will have seen 8000 television murders. The av-

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

h ld witnesses around d erage American child 200,000 acts of TV violence by the time they are 18, making them less sensitive and increasing their aggressiveness since this type of violence is often portrayed as acceptable. Dr. Ellen Abell, a family and child development specialist, sees a direct relationship between many of the growing problems in children today and excessive television viewing - attention deficit disorder, faltering academic abilities, language difficulties and other behavior issues. And how do violence, greed and raw sex promote family values? Another huge issue about being glued to the television is that it contributes greatly to the rise in obesity by promoting inactivity and the consumption of large quantities of unhealthy foods such as chips and soft drinks. As well, commercials tend to promote fast foods, prescription drugs, and material goods brainwashing children and adults alike. I am so grateful to my daughter and son-in-law that my little grandson is rarely allowed to watch TV. He plays, engages in group music and outdoor activities, is read to, constantly being stimulated through human interaction. Having experience first-hand how that darned tube interfered with my own relationships, I am more convinced than ever that it creates more harm than good. No thanks! (Judit is the author of the best selling Canadian book Free to Fly: a journey toward wellness and can be contacted at www.juditrajhathy. com or rajhathy@ Judit Rajhathy gmail.com.)

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THE TRIP THAT CHANGED MY LIFE By Kelly Hayes-Raitt

came home pregnant. Of course, I didn’t know it until the laundry was done and the jet lag had lapsed. India had shaken my soul, now it had invaded my uterus. India seeped into my pores. This uncontainable country’s smelly colors and infiltrating chaos shook my very essence. I felt like one of those plastic snow domes with scattered fake snowflakes and happy figurines flicked off their perches. After India, nothing lands in the same place; most people either love this, or hate this. India is not a place of ambiguity. And I’d gone with teenagers. My first time in India, I chaperoned nine American teenagers, handling their logistics in a country that defies logistics handling. To further complicate our lean-budgeted trip, I learned, just days before we left the comfortable land of Happy Meals, that our food kitty was short. I was expected to miraculously raise several hundred extra last-minute dollars. I shook my head, “This may be the first time in history starving children are taken to India.” I figured God or Vishnu or Somebody would multiply loaves for us. After all, we were on a peace mission. Our nine teens were meeting nine Indian teenagers to create a musical reflecting their shared dreams for a world at peace in a hundred years from now. Daunting task: We Americans, righteous in our individuality, were unprepared for a culture that reveres conformity. In this country a third the size of the United States with nearly four times the population, people who go along, get along. Just crossing India’s streets was a lesson in going with the flow, except to my foreign eyes, there was no discernable flow. Motor scooters weaved precariously, dodging the ruts made by buses that bulldogged ahead with people dangling off them like Christmas tree ornaments. Taxis invented their own lanes, careening onto sidewalks or into oncoming traffic, whichever best suited their reflex to bypass

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the occasional cow, donkey, monkey or elephant. Children, barefoot and openhanded, threaded the amorphous traffic lanes, their lonely pleas drowned by belligerent horns. The air was a bitter mixture of exhaust, shit, sweat and spices. On the surface, India is a jumbled assault on the senses. Only on introspection does it calm and clarify. Not even India, however, could stop our kids from doing what all American teens do – attempt to conform by rebelliously asserting their individuality – all in the context of figuring out their self-worth. They crossdressed, the boys donning dresses for a skit, the girls wearing the boys’ overalls and T-shirts. They flirted. They hugged. (They hugged a lot.) They tested boundaries – theirs, each other’s and mine. We traveled from Delhi to Jaipur to Agra to Hyderabad to Madras to Aurangabad to Bombay by bus, by train, by air, by elephant, nursing each other through “Delhi Belly” and culture shock from which even the adults weren’t immune. In my own adult act of teenage regression, I started smoking again. Not the demure menthol ultra-lights I had smoked fifteen years ago in high school, but the chunky, boyish Marlboros favored by the Indian men – and by one of our group’s chaperones, a man whose attention I couldn’t quite capture. His cigarette smoldered seductively in the ashtray, and I just picked it up and inhaled. We spent most of our time in Hyderabad, sort of the Cleveland of India, where we interacted with the Indian teens and volunteered at an orphanage. I horrified the staff at our five-star hotel one day by inviting the underclass orphans to our swimming pool. I bought the children knock-off Donald Duck T-shirt and shorts sets to wear as bathing suits, negotiating hard for a bulk price from a sidewalk vendor. The kids squealed and splashed. I heard later that the staff drained the pool after we left. One of the orphans, a silent, alert

five-year-old girl with a quick laugh, fell asleep in my lap during the bus ride back to the orphanage. As I gathered her sleepy dead weight, her arms draped around my neck, my forearm supporting her butt, I expected her to instinctively wrap her strong legs around my hips. Instead, the girl clung to my neck, her legs thrust out ramrod stiff and clenched tightly together from the waist down, even in her sleep protecting the most vulnerable part of herself against the memory of a previous violation. At the end of the trip, I deposited the American teens at the Bombay Airport and found my way to a resort on an island off India’s coast. Travel weary and sleep confused that first night, I opened my door to insistent 2:30 AM knocking. The resort’s husky German manager, who just hours before had “island welcomed” me with a silly drum parade and lame punch in a frosty glass, now drunkenly forced his way into my room. This same man earlier had inexplicably upgraded my room, bought me a drink at the bar, and invited me to an exclusive VIP dinner. Now he’d come for his payment, and for a foggy moment I believed I owed him, a nanosecond he quickly exploited before I was too overpowered to fight back effectively. It took me longer to deal with the fact I’d been raped than impregnated. For months after I returned home, sitting on the stoop outside my Santa Monica apartment, I smoked Marlboros and dissected my encounter, mining every moment for the exact instant I had subconsciously chosen to allow my body to be stolen. While I don’t believe anyone “asks” to be violated, I do believe I draw experiences into my life specifically to provide myself with opportunities to change. I didn’t want to repeat this particular “opportunity;” I was determined to understand why I had made myself vulnerable. I sat in the dark wrapped in my

fluffy bathrobe, my baby long since gone, rewinding the summer. I took an extra long drag when I thought of the little girl who instinctively avoided wrapping her legs around me and wondered at what blink of an instant we little girls learn our bodies are commodities to be taken or traded. Although I never consciously believed there is a quid pro quo between allowing a man to buy me dinner and sleeping with him, on a deeper level I didn’t believe a man would have any other motive. It wasn’t that I didn’t know how to say “no,” I didn’t know how to say “yes.” I didn’t believe I was worthy of a man’s attention. India had invaded my uterus. And it had shaken my soul. I had to travel halfway around the world to learn I would never again accept some man’s price tag on my body. I snuffed out my cigarette. “The Trip That Changed My Life” originally appeared in Female Nomad and Friends: Tales of Breaking Free and Breaking Bread Around the World edited by Rita Golden Gelman with Maria Altobelli, published by Three Rivers Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., in June 2010.

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Letter to the Editor LETTER TO EDITOR Dear Sr. Grattan-Dominguez, I dearly loved your editorial in the August issue of The Ojo. The wars the US is involved in are bankrupting the country. The British and the Russians failed in Afghanistan, the Russian did bankrupt their country and barely got their military out. Now the United States is repeating the same mistakes and ignoring the history of that country. I can’t understand why once a person becomes POTUS, they seem to want to go to war. I have always been a big fan of the Truth and your editorial lays out the plain unadulterated truth of these foreign wars. Halfway around the planet, having no bearing or consequences to the American people, except perhaps the impoverishment of seniors, loss of healthcare all around and people going hungry. “Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”—Satchel Page Yours Truly, Bill Hershey Riberas del Pilar 765-5330 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR I want to congratulate you, Mr. Goldberg, on your article in the September El Ojo. I, too, have visited Cuba, and like many other health care professionals, I have seen the pain and suffering caused by the U.S. embargo on pharmaceuticals and other medical supplies. Many Americans do not understand that to extend this embargo, the U.S. forbids other countries, such as Mexico, from sending pharmaceuticals manufactured under U.S. patent to Cuba. The embargo can only be described as a crime against

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

the Cuban people committed by the U.S. government. A principal basis for the embargo, as I’m sure you understand, is cynical U.S. domestic politics: both parties woo the block of Cuban-American voters in Florida, a critical state in national elections. The Republican delegation from Florida in the U.S. Congress, led by Tea Party favorite (and touted potential presidential candidate) Senator Mark Rubio, is adamantly opposed to any loosening of the embargo. Rubio and Florida Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen are even trying to reverse the recent loosening of restrictions on Cuban-Americans visiting their families in Cuba recently promulgated by the Obama administration; they want to go back to allowing such visits only every three years. The younger generation of CubanAmericans does not entertain the same animus toward Cuba, so it may be hoped that when more of them become voters, the efforts of Rubio and Ros-Lehtinen will be repudiated. But until that time, Cubans will, regretably, continue to suffer at the hands of the U.S. government. Those wishing to learn more about this situation can do so via the Latin America Working Group at www. lawg.org. Thanks again for your article. Ken (Dr. Kenneth G.) Crosby San Antonio Tlayacapan

Mahatma Gandhi’s

Top 10 Funda mentals for Changing the World. (Courtesy of Angela Cook)

. Change “You must be the change you want to see in the world.” “As human beings, our greatness is not so much in being able to remake the world – that is the myth of the atomic age – as in being able to remake ourselves.” 2. Control “Nobody can hurt me without my permission.” 3. Forgiveness “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” “An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind.” 4. Action “An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching.” 5. The present moment “I do not want to foresee the future. I am concerned with taking care of the present. God has given me no control over the moment following.” 6. Everyone is human “I claim to be a simple individual liable to err like any other fellow mortal. I own, however, that I have humility enough to confess my errors and to retrace my steps.” “It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.” 7. Persist “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” 8. Goodness “I look only to the good qualities of men. Not being faultless myself, I won’t presume to probe into the faults of others.” “I suppose leadership at

one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people.” 9. Truth “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”“Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed. Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well.” 10. Development “Constant development is the law of life, and a man who always tries to maintain his dogmas in order to appear consistent drives himself into a false position.”

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1968 – The Year We All Fell Down By Roxanne Sumners Utzman roxanneutzman@hotmail.com

n 1966, two gas stations up on Whittier Boulevard had a gas war and I could fill the tank of my new VW Bug for under $5. My girlfriends and I cruised around town - Beach Boys on the radio, windows down, wind blowing through our long hair. I loved that little Bug. When I drove it off the lot, I felt as if I was sitting inside my own life for the first time. On impulse, I stopped at the hobby store and bought some model paint in little square bottles. Back in my driveway, I was painting three baseball-sized orange & yellow daisies on the back of it. My boyfriend Gary came by, saw what I was doing, and said, “You can’t do that – it’s a brand new car!” But I finished the flowers – this was my car. Gary had a new stepbrother – Billy. Gary’s pride and joy was a canary-yellow ‘57 Ford and Billy had a chocolatebrown GTO. Gary and Billy raced their cars on the weekends and worked on them during the week. Billy’s dad & Gary’s mom were almost never home, but the fridge was always full of food. They had a great back yard with a pool, so their house was the place to hang out for a lot of us girls that year. One night when my VW was a month old, I came out of my psychology class at the junior college and found my chrome rims gone. I drove to Gary and Billy’s house, hoping for sympathy. When Billy saw my car, he looked at me horrified, and blurted out, “I didn’t know it was your car!” He put my rims back on. It’s hard to remember what Billy looked like and then his dark eyes and broad smile come to me clearly. When we take walks in my dreams, he says he’s ok. I still worry about him, but how can you worry about somebody who’s already dead? I hope there are puppies wherever he is – isn’t that a weird thought? But we both loved dogs. Sometimes we went to the local pet store to see if they had any puppies so we could hold them and smell their sweet puppy breath. When Billy and his girlfriend split up, he joined the Marines. I think the recruiters got him in a weak moment.

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

When he came home from boot camp, we went to movies and had great discussions. With Billy, everything was deep; deep and real. It was the 60s and people probably assumed I’d slept with Billy, but I didn’t. One night, after Gary had gone off to college, Billy kissed me. It was awkward and we were both embarrassed. But we often sat together and talked or watched TV, sometimes with his arm around me. I think he missed his real mom. When he was 8, she took sleeping pills, lit a cigarette and the bed caught fire. Billy watched the firefighters carry her out, still smoldering. I don’t think he ever got past that. He couldn’t stand cigarettes and never smoked, not even pot when nearly everyone else did. Music and beer were his drugs of choice. He would turn the speakers way up on his stereo and dance - made us all laugh. When he came home from Viet Nam in 1968, I could barely stand to hear about what had happened over there. But he needed to tell somebody, so I listened and we cried together. Once, he told me, he stood up in the jungle knowing he might get shot - hoped he would get shot, he said. In Viet Nam, he started taking pills he called “reds” so he could sleep. He brought some back and sometimes took them day and night. He would act so clumsy and sleepy and I was embarrassed for him. When Billy went back to Nam, I sent a box of chocolate chip cookies, a letter and a Snoopy comic book to him every week. But it didn’t help. He was even worse when he came home again – sad, mad and acting crazy. He couldn’t sleep at all without his “reds”. One night, he broke into an appliance store. In his attempt to get away when the police came, he jumped off the roof and broke both ankles. On Sundays, I drove to the VA Hospital to see him while his ankles healed. But it was hard to talk because all around us were guys on gurneys or in wheelchairs, some missing arms or legs, some arguing or screaming, some just staring at the wall. I felt guilty about leaving but was relieved to get back in my car and my box of tissues.

When Billy got out of the VA, Gary and I were planning our wedding. We got married, rented a little house, and had a happy baby boy. Billy came for dinner a lot and sometimes slept on our couch. He worked on his GTO, but didn’t drive it much. He slurred his words and when I asked, he’d say, “I’m fine”. The last time I saw him, he stumbled into our kitchen, fell and hit his head on the table then started laughing and bleeding all over the place. My toddler was in his high chair, all wide-eyed at the blood. After I got him cleaned up and bandaged, I told him, “Billy, I don’t

want you coming over here when you’re all drugged-out like this.” He took the reds that weekend – over 100 of them. He rented a motel room and put his headphones on. The motel staff found him two days later. No note. The chaplain, all stiff himself in that uniform, called Billy “William” at the service. Nobody called him William, ever. He talked about Billy being brave and a bunch of stock things they say when they never knew the guy, never even met him, never knew that he stood up in the jungle hoping someone would shoot him.

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SANDWI S A N D W I CH H INSEC CU URIT TY Y By Bernie Suttle

t was 1939 and I w was as g goo-o ing to start grade sch school ch hoo ooll where, as my mother othe ot her said, sa aid id, “You will learn something ng ne n new w evev eryday, and meet many y nice niice c chilce chil dren, just like you.” The first part was OK but I didn’t know about the second part because I was sure there was no one like me and I wasn’t interested in finding out I wasn’t the center of the universe. I’m not going to tell you all about my impressions of going to school. I’ll tell you that later. But I will tell you about one part that made me begin to doubt my superiority and invincibility; that was lunchtime. Forty or so of us would gather each noon under the big, oak tree at the picnic tables assigned for our class, outside, of course because this was the eternal springtime that was California. Under the guiding eye of our teacher we would uniformly wait with our lunch boxes in front of us until given the word to open them up and eat. It was around this time and place that I began to have doubts about myself, my family and my mother, all caused by my lunch and my lunch box. The first thing that caused my insecurity was the shape and configuration of my lunch box. Mine was truly boxshaped like three books piled on top of one another, in color not masculine black or dark forest brown but light, wimpy, urine green like the ones girls had and not like the ones our fathers had. Fathers’ boxes were rounded on top so that a thermos bottle could be smartly snapped in place. My lunchbox let the thermos role around freely, smashing sandwiches into paste. Those with the manly boxes were smug in their superior equipment. Sometime during the first week of school, when removing my thermos from the box, I heard sounds similar to the tinkling of an off-key music box. It’s beyond me, but every year I’d end up with a defective thermos and no matter how carefully I handled it, it would break. Then at home I’d get yelled at and told I wasn’t careful like my sister and that I wouldn’t get to have a thermos until next year when I was older

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

and more an and more rresponmo essp po o siibl ssible. sib ble. le. I w would ould ou ld d tthank han ha han God G Go od that that I was wass ffree rre ee of the tth he th ther thermos ermo moss and and milk m mustaches mu m ust stac ache hess fo forr th the rest re est s off the h year. Then there was “trading or swapping,” mostly instigated by girls, where there was an exchange of items between lunch boxes, usually with much giggling: fruit for cookies, carrot sticks for a cupcake, a sandwich for a fried drumstick. This scared me. I knew that if I ever traded even one thing from my box and my mother found out (and she would) her blue eyes would tear up and then I’d probably have to go to confession. The food erudition of my mother and the economic straits of our family saved me from this. My lunch had two sandwiches made of brown bread (good for me) and home made strawberry jam. The jam would bleed through the bread and the strawberries, squeezed out with every bite, would try to escape by sliding out the edges of the bread. I’d end up with dark, red, sticky fingers, palms and wrists, not a tactile delight. Two of these sandwich globs were put in a singular, brown Helm’s bread wrapper and placed in my box at the peril of my tinkling, rolling thermos. Others had individually wrapped sandwiches, with crispy lettuce leaves, roast beef, cheese or ham slices between virginal snow white bread with all hint of crust removed. One day, when unwrapping my sandwich glob, Jerry Bride, wrinkling his nose and staring at my sandwich asked, “What kind of funny bread is that?” “It’s Healthy, Helms Brown Bread. It’s good for me.” “It looks like fur. Do you have to eat it?” You can see why I never got into “lunch swapping.” Sometimes in life we don’t know something is really over, done with, until there is an outstanding event that makes the finish totally clear. This happened to me one day when I was seated across from a girl. We were eating our lunches under the big Oak

tree. I don’t recall the subject but it was a serious conversation. It was for me at least because I didn’t usually have anyone, let alone a girl eating lunch with me. I guess the word was out that I was the boy who was eating fur sandwiches with blood dripping from his fingers. Her sympathetic blue eyes moved continually between my eyes and my hand holding the notable sandwich. Suddenly her eyes swung to the left side of my head where, simultaneously, I felt a splattering impact that began to slide down my head just in front of my left ear. I reacted by putting my

hand there. Big mistake. I then knew I was the unwitting recipient of the deposit from a bird. Inexperienced with such an incident and wanting to be “cool” I asked if she had a napkin I could use. She didn’t scream in horror or break out in derisive laughter, but handed me a paper napkin from her lunch box; then she excused herself and moved to another table. I knew then for sure I’d never be able to expect to trade lunches with anyone. All were aware of not only what was in my lunch box but also what had been on my head.

Lakeside Science Fair Association Progress Submitted by Charlie Smith

or the first time the Centro de Estudios Tecnologicos en Aguas Continentales (CETAC), a high school in Jocotopec specializing in water related technology, had a science project accepted at the Guadalajara Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), in September. ISEF is a prestigious international science fair covering over sixty countries and with demanding entry criteria. That CETAC managed to get in, with only two months available to qualify, is a tribute to the students, the teachers, and to a small extent the expatriates who comprise the Lakeside Science Fair Association. The project is a design and prototype for filtering and oxygenating the water in the Jocotepec malecon area. The team shown in the accompanying picture designed a clever, simple wind-driven pumping and filtration system, ideally suited to the windy west end of Lake Chapala. And with this success under their belts, CETAC is looking forward to competing even more successfully, with more entries and even maybe a few prizes, in October 2012. With this as an example, the Science Fair Association is hop-

ing to involve more Lakeside high schools in the ISEF competition. The goal of the Science Fair Association is to get more bright students interested in careers in science and engineering. This not only benefits the students but also the economy of Mexico. Participating in science fairs is one thrust, as is taking students on tours of engineering facilities such as the Intel research facility in Guadalajara, and having them work with mentors who can expose them to scientific methods. The Association also plans to help improve the science labs at the high schools, and possibly to augment the computer science curricula. The next big event will be a science fair at Lakeside in January, with the best projects being selected and groomed for the 2012 ISEF. If you are interested in helping, in mentoring students, in providing good ideas for science projects, in writing press releases or whatever, please contact Hank Shiver at revhank@hotmail.com or Charlie Smith at chssmith36@yahoo.com. Here is your chance to help the Steve Jobs of the future!

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SAYULITA’S DESERT BROTHER By Duncan Aldric duncanaldric@yahoo.com

here is a place in the high desert well known to many of the inhabitants of Sayulita, that is to say, well known to the Huichole, whom inhabited Sayulita in days of old and new, and to a great few of us interlopers as well. To the Huichole (you see them in their colorful dress selling their wares in Sayulita´s plaza everyday) it is a sacred place, a mountain astride the city of Real de Catorce 3000 meters above sea level overlooking the towns of Estacion de Catorce and Wadley and the great desert beyond in the state of San Louis Potosi. The mountain is called Quemado and resembles

an elephant with its high forehead, long trunk, intelligent, friendly ears and graceful lines seeming to stride along the sky in eloquent grandeur. I have been honored to visit all three towns and spend days and nights, sometimes alone and sometimes in the company of others, in the desert as well. In the desert, magical as it is, it did not seem strange that I spent time there with representatives from Mexico, Japan, Germany, Italy and, err... me, from the United States. Indeed, my first night in the desert was on a new moon (a powerful symbol of regeneration and especially powerful for me as I am a man

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

and was born on the new moon). I spent time learning origame from two, lovely Japanese ladies and being stunned by the beauty of the numerous stars that seemed, in their brilliance, connected to one another by portals of light. The axis of the Milky Way was so clear that there was to be seen millions of tiny pinpricks rather than a vague, milky swath through the sky as it normally looks to the naked eye. I learned that in Japan they call this swath Ama no Gawa, or translated, the River in the Heavens. The desert is one of the sweetest smelling places I have ever had the delight to smell. Smells of sweetness, either in the air naturally or, especially, by the fireside burning cactus wood, permeate every aspect of the desert. Sitting under a Mesquite Tree in the midday heat is a delight in and of itself with the gentle green leaves looking like soft fern petals, the delicate and elaborate yellow flowers playing with the yellow rays of the sun against the exquisite blue sky and the bold, stark, mangled brown trunk and branches interspersed with an olive green, Medusa-like moss that makes itself at home on the tree. I simply cannot remember a place that smells so sweet (unless I was to go back to Iowa and my early childhood and remember the smell of my Aunt Laura´s kitchen as she cooked cinnamon rolls for us children). Nor will I long forget the comfort those trees offer in the way of shade while taking rest from walking miles alone in the endless landscape. I said alone, but that is not so. There are numerous birds, some with elaborate colors and songs, reptilian life and insects that all combine to make aloneness togetherness. Eagles and buzzards (the latter giving me a hopeful eye) circled above, as well. The desert itself has an energy about it that can be felt physically

and that makes you believe that it is alive and aware, or at least should be and perhaps one day shall be (didn´t even Jesus say the rocks may rise up and sing as he entered into Jerusalem?). The feeling is not unlike what you feel when watching the waves crash on the rocks of Cerracitos and La Playa los Muertos near Sayulita. It is amazing to me how lost you can feel while knowing exactly where you are at. Having lived in the mountains of Virginia for many years (as well as doing much exploring, horseback riding and hiking there) I am used to using the horizon for reference. But the desert and mountains in Catorce are much larger and distances in between much greater, and that is not factoring in the sheer levelness of the desert. My mind was taxed to factor these added spatial-dimensional features. I could only laugh out loud when I could not find, for a few minutes at least, a road that was less than a couple hundred feet away from me despite my surety that my relative position to several, tall Yucca cactuses (known to the locals as Palmachina) seemed assured. This desert is not for the timid at heart nor for the directionally challenged! By the way, the names Real and Estacion de Catorce refer to 14 banditos that were infamous during the time the mines at Real were in operation. When the Spaniards were drawing gold, silver and other precious metals from the mountain, 14 men regularly looted the caravans to and from the mines. I learned this while riding in a Willeys Jeep through the mountains from Real to Estacion (the ride alone is worth the visit to the place) from a friendly local. To learn the rest of this story, you will have to visit the place yourself. If you ask around Sayulita, I am sure you will soon find people who not only know of this sacred land, but who actually spend part of the year there. This is because there truly is a connection between the two places. It is a connection that has gone back hundreds of years, perhaps even before the Huichole. It is a connection I hope to be a part of for years to come. What about you? But remember, “In the desert, you can´t remember your name, for there ain’t no one for to give you no fame.” (Lyrics from the 70s rock band “”America”, song entitled “Horse with no Name”.) Be careful, you could lose yourself (and perhaps find yourself ) here.

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Shelley Edson Phone: 376 – 765 – 4049 Email: Shelley.el.ojo@gmail.com

On September 24, more than 100 people celebrated Noche Mexicana at the Auditorio to benefit the Auditorium Upgrade Project. Attendees were entertained before and after dinner with great performances by Blanca & Ricardo, Mariachi Los Gavilanes and Ballet Folklorico “Son de Mexico.” On October 12, Paco Rentería and his band gave a spirited guitar performance enjoyed by 300 people in the Auditorium. Together, the events raised 76,000 pesos for the Auditorium Project.

Ellen and Mario Okunsky, Frances Records, Dessie Rider, John Rider, and Ronald Records provided, along with tours of the local museum, churches, University of Guadalajara campus, a Japanese tea house, and the local Santa Virginia tequila distillery. A good time was had by all.

Noche Mexicana

On October 8, local artists, Javier Zaragoza and Jesus Lopez Vega, started work on a unique mural honoring the six-decade Children’s Art Program at LCS. More than 20 guests, including Ajijic mayor, Javier Rojas, and 50 children attended this kick-off celebration. The mural depicts the history of the program since its founding by Neill James in 1956. Jesus and Javier will paint on Mondays to Saturdays (except Wednesdays) from 9:30 to 1pm on the LCS back patio. All are invited to come meet the artists and see this unique tribute to the Children’s Art Program. On October 8, approximately 130 Lake ChaJavier Zaragoza paints student pala Society Katrina Gutierrez’s portrait on the (LCS) members mural. celebrated Oktoberfest. Adding to the festive air, many members of the German community dressed in traditional costumes. Pam Ladd, who was in charge of food and getting a team of cooks to make the German potato salad and red cabbage, did an excellent job. Barbara Rotthaler put together a small group of fellow Germans which charmed everyone with their singing of German songs. On October 10, approximately 120 Lakesiders celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving at the American Legion Canadian Les Sasin Chapala. vari at LCS OctoVo l u n t e e r s berfest r o a s t e d 20 turkeys and mashed 33 kilos of mashed potatoes to accompany dressing, gravy, cranberries, broccoli salad, honeyed carrots, and pumpkin pie. No one left hungry, and there were compliments all around. On October 15, the city of Tepatitlán hosted approximately 50 Lakeside LCS Members. Two buses full of Lakeside’s left La Floresta at 8 am, returning about 12 hours later – after a full day of sightseeing, eating University of Guadalajara Campus and sampling tequila. An excellent breakfast and lunch (both free) was Tepatitlán

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

Future Events November 5 -13 , Lakeside Little Theatre (LLT) presents “No Clue,” directed by Roseann Wilshere. “Was it Mr. Green in the study with a gun? Miss Scarlet in the hall with the rope? Or, was it Wadsworth the butler?” Meet all the notorious suspects as the bodies and the laughs pile up. Purchase advance tickets at the Theatre from 10 to noon starting November 3. Performances begin at 7:30 pm, and the bar opens at 6:30 pm. Sunday matinees at 3 pm. For more information check their new website: www.lakesidelittletheatre.com. November 7 to December 5 at the Ajijic Cultural Center, “Past and Present” is the theme for an exhibition of the works of local residents Dimitar Krustev and his wife Helen Marie K. The world has been their studio...with brush and pencil recording our changing world. Dimitar’s forte is oil and painted drawings, while Helen Marie prefers acrylics. Come and view and enjoy their 2 different unique styles. November 10, 11, 12 My, My, How Nice! Productions presents “The Senior Class,” at Plaza de la Riberas, Thursday and Friday 7:30 pm, Saturday 3 pm. “Embraceable...amazingly young, a lotta zip!” “...left floating on wings of song, the greatest compliment for a musical revue.” Tickets are 175 pesos and available at Mia’s Boutique, Diane Pearl’s, or by email mymytickets@gmail.com. Helen Marie Acrylic January 5, 6, 12 and 13 My, My, How Nice presents “Malt Shop Memories,” a 50’s/60’s revue. You will want to get on your feet and dance along - dance space provided! Email to purchase advance tickets for Christmas presents! November 8, Tuesday 4 - 6 pm Storytellers #3 will be held on the Lake Chapala Society Back Patio. Proceeds benefit the LCS Aid to Education - Jim Collums Education Fund. This time, the storytelling event is writers’ choice with Mike Cook, Ken Clark, and Neil McKinnon reading their own stories. Admission is free, but your donations help a child stay in school. Join us; it’s fun. The bar opens at 3:30. November 15, 4 to 6 pm Opening reception for Judy Dykstra Brown at Sol Mexican-Galeria del Arte. The artist’s style is visual art that combines found and crafted objects into metaphorical stories. The Gallery is located at #13 Colon, Ajijic. Wine and snacks will be served. November 18, 6 pm Gourmet dinner fund raiser for Rotary International’s Stop Polio Now campaign. Sponsored by the Ajijic Rotary Club, Roberto’s and Lakeside Medical College. Entertainment will be provided by Daniel. Dinner is 250 pesos. Tickets are available at Diane Pearl, Dr. J. Manuel Cordova’s Office, Roberto’s and Dr. Gerardo Leon’s office. For more information, email rotariocarole@ gmail.com November 16, 17, 18 “Comedy Capers – Music Makers!” is at Auditorio de la Ribera. Dave McIntosh and Patteye Simpson have teamed up with Choreographer Barbara Clippinger, and a wonderful and wacky group of friends from Los Cantantes del Lago and Lakeside Little Theatre to produce a show of comedy skits and songs

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El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

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El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

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Ajijic artists exhibiting at the Feria sure to entertain you! November 16. Wednesday 4 pm preview is 150 pesos; November 17 and 18, the performance is at 7:30 pm and tickets are 200 pesos. Purchase tickets at Diane Pearl’s, Charter Club, Auditorio and LCS from 10-12. Proceeds benefit the Auditorio Upgrade. November 18 to 20: Feria’s 10th Anniversary features Artists of Ajijic at the Yacht Club in Chapala on Paseo Ramon Corona. In addition to the 80 artisans, coming from all corners of Mexico, a special 10th Anniversary exhibition and sale will take place during this year’s Feria Maestros del Arte. The local Mexican painters of Ajijic who got their start in the Neill James Children’s Art Program will be honored and as a tribute to this legacy we have invited 14 artists to exhibit and sell their paintings during the Feria. This group represents six decades of artists who studied at the art program founded in Ajijic in 1956. The current Children’s Art program will also be offering artwork and cards for sale painted by the children who attend the free classes every Saturday morning at the Lake Chapala Society. Admission is 50 pesos. Hours are Friday & Saturday 10 to 6 pm and Sunday 10 to 4 pm. For more information www.mexicoartshow.com. Artists exhibiting in the show in the picture are: (back row left to right) Victor Romero, Antonio Cardenas, Daniel Palma, Javier Ramos, Bruno Mariscal, Jesus Lopez Vega, Juan Olivarez; (front row left to right) Antonio Lopez Vega, Javier Zaragoza, Lucia Padilla and Jose Abarca. Not pictured: Efren Gonzalez, Luis Enrique Martinez and Juan Navarro. November 11 to 21 The International Film Festival presents films from USA, France, Italy, Germany and Mexico at Cinemas del Lago, Ajijic; the Atequiza Theater, Ixtlahuacán; and the Eden, at 5 de Mayo Street, Chapala. For show schedule, go to www.fictercermilenio. Tickets are 20 pesos. November 12, Saturday, 3 to 8 pm Jesus Lopez Vega invites you to a welcome reception for the newly-remodeled Galeria de Arte Axixic, Rio Zula #1 and Ocampo, in West Ajijic. In addition to presenting Jesus’ new works, this opening exhibition is a collective show featuring recent works Artist Jesus Lopez Vega from other Lakeside artists to include Antonio Lopez Vega, Pat Apt, DePaul Durham, Cha Chazaro, Judy Dykstra-Brown, Gabriel Mariscal, Gloria Palazzo, Xilotl, Linda Richards and Kathy Seaboyer. Artworks on exhibit will include paintings, etchings, photography, retablos, sculpture and much more. Please come and enjoy the music, cocktails and great art. November 15, Tuesday 11 am, Harvey Bliss will give a talk about dozens of medicinal plants at the Laguna Mall Food Court. Some plants will be familiar to many people, and some not; some known internationally and some known particularly to Mexicans; and all useful in maintaining and promoting good health. November 11, 7:30 pm Kovac Promotions Presents “The Nutcracker” with Russian State Ballet Mari El, at the Auditorio de la Ribera. This is the same ballet company that presented Swan Lake in February this year. Purchase tickets at: Tony’s Plus Restaurant, Auditorio, Salvadors, Diane Pearl, $500 pesos

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

November 18, 19, 20 The Naked Stage Readers’ Theatre presents “Separate Tables” at Plaza de la Ribera. Written by Sir Terrence Rattigan and directed by Betty Lloyd-Robinson, this drama is actually two one-act plays that take place in the English seaside town of Bournemouth. The first play, “Table By the Window” concerns the troubled relationship of a disgraced politician and his ex-wife. The second play, “Table Number Seven” deals with a touching relationship between a repressed spinster and a retired English army officer. The box office opens at 3:15 pm and showtime is at 4:00 pm. For further information and reservations please call Ann Pinkerton at 766-5986 or email alandoley@gmail.com. No performances are scheduled for December. Saturday, December 3, 10 am don’t miss the grandmother of all bazaars at St. Andrew’s Church, San Lucas #19, Riberas del Pilar. Every year on the first Saturday of December the Church members and their many friends from the community hold this amazing event where everything from soup to nuts is offered for sale at amazing prices. You will find clothing, jewelry, tools, electronics, books, household items and furniture. Entrance is free and yummy food is available to eat there plus preserves and baked goods are available to take home. All proceeds from this event, officially called ‘The Regalorama,’ go to many deserving Lakeside charities. It is St. Andrew’s way to give back to this wonderful community which welcomes our presence here. December 6, Tuesday, Christmas at Jaltepec to benefit Nutcracker Jaltepec Centro Educativo. The dinner event starts with a No Host Bar and beautiful hors d’oeuvres prepared by the students. At 7:15 pm, a Taste of Los Cantantes under the musical direction of Timothy G.R. Welch will commence. A full Roast Turkey Dinner with sausage stuffing and all the trimmings will be prepared and served by the students at 8 pm. The cost is $500 pesos per person which will include a starter course, dessert, tea & coffee, reg. & decaf. The luncheon event the following day, December 7, starts with a No Host Bar at noon with hors d’oeuvres. The concert will take place a 1:15 pm and the same dinner as mentioned above will be served at 2 p.m. The cost of this event is $400 pesos per person and we throw in the million dollar view of Lake Chapala for free! For reservations and tickets, contact Linda Buckthorp at 766-1631 or email buckthorplm@gmail.com December 13, 7 pm and December 14, 4 pm, Los Cantantes presents “Christmas through the Seasons” at the Auditorio de la Ribera. Los Cantantes del Lago is celebrating their 10th Anniversary Season and has grown from performing show tunes to major works by internationally famous composers. Los Cantantes is committed to sharing our gift with communities in Mexico who have not experienced live concerts of choral music. Those moments are cherished as the exchange from chorister to audience makes a full circle. Purchase tickets at LCS Tickets or cantantesdellago@gmail.com. Three Viva bus trips to Guadalajara are scheduled in November to see the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra. For reservations, email marshallallenkrantz@yahoo.com. Nov 11 Beethoven Coriolanus overture, Brahms Symphony No. 2 Nov 20 Sanchez Gutierrez Afterlight, Elgar cello concerto Nov 27 Victor Rasgado Fanfare, Hindemith piano concerto, Moncayo Symphony The Music Appreciation Society’s (MAS) 2011-2012 schedule for concerts at the Auditorio de La Ribera is: Nov 15 Blas Galindo Orchestra Dec 8 The Children’s Choir of Morelia Jan 19 Orquesta Filarmonica de San Luis Potosi Feb 14 Classical FX Quartet of Kennedy Center Opera Company Mar 13 Compania de Danza Clasica y Neoclasica de Jalisco Purchase tickets at LCS 10 to noon two weeks prior to each performance and at the Charter Club at Plaza Montana. For more information, contact Kathleen Phelps at 766-0010 or email kphelps1@aol.com. Friday, December 9, 5 to 8 pm The First Annual Animal Buddies Christmas Bash to aid Neuter and Spay for local rescuers will be held at Salvador’s Restaurant, Ajijic. Join us for a Spaghetti Dinner, fabulous desserts, live entertainment, wonderful door prizes and some great raffles. A few pet beds will be available for sale. $200 pesos tickets are available at Salvador’s, Mia’s Boutique and Diane Pearl; they will not be sold at the event. Please join us for a fun evening and help us to curtail the pet overpopulation at Lakeside. For more details and raffle ticket sales, go to PepesPawsandClaws.com or email blabbyabbeymx@gmail.com

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Mexicali Rose, Stop Crying! A Tale of a Tune and a Town By June Summers

ho was Mexicali Rose? Jack Tenney, ex-California legislator and composer of that timeless Spanish waltz he named Mexicali Rose, said you would have to go back to the early days of Mexicali to answer that question. The dry laws of prohibition in Mexicali´s twin city of Calexico began in 1902— 20 years before prohibition began in the rest of the United States. The following newspaper story was circulated on the American side of the border, and with an imperial County dateline: “The saloon is not wanted in the new town of Imperial, in that part of the country once known as the Colorado Desert.” There had been two or

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

three “floating” saloons in and out of Calexico (emigrant wagons with bountiful supplies of whiskey). These floating saloons were ordered to move on. Finally, at the urging of Imperial Valley citizens, PROHIBITION came to Calexico in 1902. So the thirsty men crossed the border into Mexicali and it became a boomtown. The Cactus-Patch town that Mexicali was then had a bar. Business was conducted on a mesquiteplank for the purpose of dispensing mescal and tequila, as early as 1902. Nearby California towns emptied their undesirables into Mexicali. Gamblers, “soiled” doves from the red-light district, horse-racing entrepreneurs, and “finish” boxing matches- all outlawed in California, came to Mexicali. The town flourished with the patronage of men working on the cotton plantations. When the Southern Pacific Railroad´s branch from Imperial to Calexico was completed in 1904, Mexicali became the playground of the valley. The rougher element gathered weekly for boisterous drinking and carousing. Then the Mesquite tree jail where prisoners were tied and chained to the tree became equipped to handle the problem. The Owl Cafe and Dance Hall finally came to Mexicali in 1913. It was run by Marvin Allen. High rolling was barely under way at the Owl when the June 1915 earthquake leveled the place. It was quickly rebuilt and called The Owl Theater. It was a gambling hall par excellence. Men crowded around and blackjack tables, and the air was thick with smoke...the drawling voices of the dealers, “All bets down, gents.” The rattle of the little ball and the girls dancing with whoever asked them. The men paid $1 a dance and the music was good.The town was a growin´

the money was a flowin´ and the boys were throwin´ it around. In 1920, when prohibition was about one month old there was a devastating fire. People poured in from every vantage point to watch the club burn. But before the ashes cooled, plans for a new building were drawn up for a bigger and better new Owl. It was 1921 when Jack Tenney was offered a job playing piano at the New Owl. The club was complete with dance floor, and orchestra platform and a seven-piece band. Tenney became not only piano player but leader of the orchestra. Not long afterwards business slacked off and Tenney went to work at a place called the “Imperial Cabaret.” It was there he wrote his famous melody which he called “The Waltz.” The song was written without lyrics. It eventually was called “Mexicali Rose.” People came to believe that the song had been named after one of the dance hall girls with a dubious reputation, who was the inspiration for the song. Her name was Rose Erskine. Jack Tenney always denied this assumption. Later on in his career, Tenney insisted that the naming of his lovely “Waltz” was a joke. “There was an old lady who ran a boarding house in Brawley. Every 30 days when the railroad men were

paid, she came to Mexicali. We´d play the waltz for her, and she´d sit around drinking and crying. She must have been 50 or 60 years old and weighed 200 pounds. I don´t know what her name was but Jack Hazelip, my saxophone player called her “Mexicali Rose.” I already had the tune and we started fiddling around with the words as a result of watching her cry.” Mexicali Rose, stop crying, I´ll come back to you some sunny day. Called-every night you know that I´ll be pining, Every hour a year when I´m away. Dry those big brown eyes and smile, dear Banish all those tears and please don´t cry. Kiss me once again, and hold me. Mexicali Rose, goodbye. In the years that followed the writing of the song, movie stars made “Mexicali Rose” famous. Bing Crosby made a recording which put it on the “Hit Parade.” Barbara Stanwyck starred in a movie of the same name. It was also the title of a Gene Autry movie in 1939. Then, Mexicali Rose and Jack Tenney took very different paths. Tenney went to law school, became a lawyer and in 1936 was elected to the California State Legislature.

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2010 DARWIN AWARDS (Presented each year for the most stupid actions imaginable.)

ighth Place In Detroit, a 41-year-old man got stuck and drowned in two feet of water after squeezing head first through an 18-inch-wide sewer grate to retrieve his car keys. Seventh Place A 49-year-old San Francisco stockbroker, who “totally zoned when he ran,” accidentally jogged off a 100foot high cliff. Sixth Place While at the beach, Daniel Jones, 21, dug an eight foot hole for protection from the wind and had been sitting in a beach chair at the bottom, when it collapsed, burying him beneath five feet of sand. People on the

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

beach used their hands and shovels trying to get him out but could not reach him. It took rescue workers using heavy equipment almost an hour to free him. Jones was pronounced dead at the hospital. Fifth Place Santiago Alvarado, 24, was killed as he fell through the ceiling of a bicycle shop he was burglarizing. Death was caused when the long flashlight he had placed in his mouth to keep his hands free rammed into the base of his skull as he hit the floor. Fourth Place Sylvester Briddell, Jr., 26, was killed as he won a bet with friends who said he would not put a revolver loaded with four bullets into his mouth and pull the trigger. Third Place After stepping around a marked police patrol car parked at the front door, a man walked into H&J Leather & Firearms intent on robbing the store. The shop was full of customers and a uniformed officer was standing at the counter. Upon seeing the officer, the would-be robber announced a hold-up and fired a few wild shots from a target pistol. The officer and a clerk promptly returned fire, and several customers also drew their guns and fired. The robber was pronounced dead at the scene by Paramedics. And the Winner is.... Zookeeper Friedrich Riesfeldt (Paderborn, Germany) fed his constipated elephant 22 doses of animal laxative and more than a bushel of berries, figs and prunes before the plugged-up pachyderm finally got relief. Investigators say that ill-fated Friedrich, 46, was attempting to give the ailing elephant an olive oil enema when the relieved beast unloaded. The sheer force of the elephant’s unexpected defecation knocked Mr. Riesfeldt to the ground where he struck his head on a rock as the elephant continued to evacuate 200 pounds of dung on top of him. It seems to be just one of those freak accidents that proves that “stuff ” happens.

America’s Southwestern Border (

ote: The following Washington Post editorial of this past August 17 is hereby republished courtesy of the Washington Post Company.) Despite a drug war that has convulsed Mexico, a broad array of data shows that America’s southwestern border is increasingly safe, secure and, thanks to measures launched by President George W. Bush and sustained by President Obama, making it much harder for illegal immigrants to cross. Yet against substantial and mounting evidence, Republicans in Congress continue to portray the border as beset by rising violence, out of control and a grave threat to national security. Given the clear data, it is hard to view these scare tactics as anything but a cynical effort to distort the debate on immigration reform. The intent is to distract Americans from the problem of 11 million immigrants here illegally by pointing to an imaginary wave of crime and instability at the border. Of course, goes the argument, we need immigration reform, but we can’t possibly achieve it until order is restored. The Republican strategy is dishonest and effective. “This is a national security threat,” Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, told a congressional hearing. “So we need to regain the confidence of the American people before they’re going to allow us to move forward . . . to fix our broken immigration system.” Rep. Michele Bachmann, a Republican presidential hopeful, agreed with a questioner at a town forum this week that U.S. troops should be redeployed from South Korea to south Texas — a move that might comfort the North Koreans but would have little or no effect in Texas. In fact, it is Mr. Cornyn himself, along with others who make sensational state-

ments, who undermine the confidence about the border he says “we need to regain.” They do so with misrepresentations and twisted statistics whose effect is to obscure the dramatic drops in illegal border crossings and violent crime along the border. One of the GOP’s favorite bits of rhetorical ammunition comes from the Government Accountability Office, which said in a report this year that 44 percent of the Mexican border is not under the Border Patrol’s “operational control.” In fact, most of that 44 percent includes the border’s most remote, inaccessible, sleepy and least-crossed terrain — hardly the peril Mr. Cornyn and others make it out to be. Still, many Republicans trot out the 44 percent at every opportunity, conjuring the image of an un-policed free-for-all on the border. The truth is very different. Nearly 18,000 Border Patrol agents are now deployed at the border, a force that has nearly doubled since 2004, in addition to thousands of personnel from other federal agencies as well as hundreds of National Guardsmen. Thanks to that presence, as well as to economic, demographic and other factors in Mexico and the United States, apprehensions of illegal border crossers by the U.S. Border Patrol — a fair measure of the border’s porosity — have been cut by three-quarters over the past decade. On current trends, including a 30 percent drop in the past 10 months compared to the same period of 2010, the number of apprehensions in fiscal year 2011 will be the lowest in 40 years. In other words, illegal immigration has fallen to levels last seen in the Nixon administration.

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IT’S OVER, OVER THERE? By Larry Reeves

n the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of the year 1918 an agreement of armistice was signed by Foch German delegates and World War I ended that morning. The peace-making process lasted four years and eight months, five months longer than the war itself. But at least it was peacemaking, not war-making. The hostilities resulted in about nine million dead soldiers. Adding casualty statistics, 50% of the men who served were captured, wounded or killed. One of my uncles, a member of the famous volunteer Yankee Division from Massachusetts, was gassed and captured. He told me that he felt safer as a POW than on the front lines where one of every eight soldiers was killed. When asked about the POW food he opined that it was OK, perhaps a little heavy on the potatoes. Better than what he got in the trenches. He was perhaps one of the lucky ones. In the first year of conflict more than one million French and German soldiers died. That was only the beginning, every year the war lasted more than two million more soldiers died. In France, Germany and Britain 80% of all men of military age were conscripted.

In October 2010, the last payments on the German repatriation debts were paid. The 100 million dollars (442 million in today’s dollars) were to repair the damage due to Belgium and France and partially pay off loans taken by allies to finance the war. For political reasons Germany delayed the payment and when Hitler was in power he unilaterally cancelled the debt. Cancelled or not, the debt survived even if Hitler did not, and was finally paid 99 years after its inception. May 5, 2011 may not have been a day of great historical interest but on that day Claude Stanley Choules, the last surviving combat veteran of World War I, died. He was conscripted into the British Royal Navy one month after his 13th birthday; he saw action in both WWI and WWII. He died a pacifist. These two events— the final payment on war loans and the passing of the last combat veteran of the Great War—in a sense mark the passing of that war. If only it were true that the “war to end all wars” was just that; but it was not. Let the wearing of a red poppy on November 11 be a statement of our hope for an end to all such nationalistic and religious conflicts that lead to plundered treasuries, the destruction of our planet and eventually all of us.

CORRECTION, PLEASE! In last month’s issue, we ran an article on page 60 entitled “Survivors,” written by Patricia Hemingway. The article, which carried over to page 61, ended rather abruptly with “. . . The parrot perches nearby, and waits for . . .” Inexplicably, we omitted the last three words, which were “someone to speak.” We deeply regret the error.

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By Paul Jackson paulconradjackson@gmail.com

omrades-in-Arms, as Veterans’ Day approaches - Remembrance Day for Canadians - I remind myself that paradoxically I actually have that loathsome Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler and his German Luftwaffe to thank for being in this world. What’s Jackson up to now, my hordes of harsh critics will be murmuring under their breaths. Sit back, here’s the story: Back during the Second World War my home seaport town of Kingstonupon-Hull in Britain was the most bombed city in the entire country. It was hit worse than London during the Blitz, and worse than Coventry. At the start of the war it had 105,000 houses, shops and offices. Come the end of the war 95,000 had either been destroyed or damaged. It really had been hell on Earth. Anyway, in June, 1943, when my father was assigned to defusing unexploded bombs and my mother was also in uniform, one of the frequent and ferocious air raids came over. The pair ran to a nearby and deserted air raid shelter. And fearing it was their last night alive, did what Irving Berlin said comes naturally. That’s even though my father was married to someone else. And in the midst of that firestorm, I was conceived. All accidentally, as you can bet I surely wasn’t wanted. A big inconvenience. By the time I actually popped out in February, 1944, to take a look at things, there was still the occasional air raid, but mainly all there was to see was rubble. Growing up as a youngster I recall

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

Paul Jackson three aspects of life back then: First, I initially had to sleep in an abandoned air raid shelter, since there was a chronic shortage of housing. Next was that bombed out houses were our playgrounds. We played Tarzan in them, and when the city council started to tear them down and build new homes we kids were very upset. Our jungles had gone. As an aside, Britain was so devastated it took more than 20 years for the country to rebuild and end its housing shortage. Then, I recall rationing and ration books. Americans will be surprised by this, but rationing in Britain actually lasted until 1951 - all essential materials and resources went to rebuilding bombed out homes, stores and factories - even bread was rationed, which it had never been during the war itself. All we kids got as we clipped our ration books were two ounces of candy a week, and rarely a soft drink. I recall neighbors knocking on our door to borrow a halfcup of sugar until the next week. Yet, because of this rationing I never developed a taste for candy or sugar, meaning even at my age I still have a full set of perfect teeth. So, gee, not only do I have to thank that third-rate Bohemian corporal from Linz, Austria, for being in this world, but also for having a fine set of molars. And, since I am one-quarter Jewish, the rabid maniac must really be clenching his teeth in his grave. Beat you all the way, Herr Schicklgruber.

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: Why are many ccoin oin oi n banks shaped like pigs? A: Long ago, dishes and cookware in Europe were e made of a dense orange cclay layy la called ‘pygg.’ When people saved ved coi coins oins ns in jars made of this clay, the e jars jars beb be came known as ‘pygg banks. ks.’ When When n an English potter misunderstood tood th the he word, he made a bank that resembled esembled d a pig and it caught on. Q: Did you ever wonder why dimes, quarters and half dollars have notches, while pennies and nickels do not? A: The US Mint began putting notches on the edges of coins containing gold and silver to discourage holders from shaving off small quantities of the precious metals. Dimes, quarters and half dollars are notched because they used to contain silver. Pennies and nickels aren’t notched because the metals they contain are not valuable enough to shave. Q: Why do men’s clothes have buttons on the right while women’s clothes have buttons on the left? A: When buttons were invented, they were very expensive and worn primarily by the rich. Because wealthy women were dressed by maids, dressmakers put the buttons on the maid’s right! Since most people are righthanded, it is easier to push buttons on the right through holes on the left and that’s where women’s buttons have remained since. Q: Why do Xs at the end of a letter signify kisses? A: In the Middle Ages, when many people were unable to read or write, documents were often signed using an X. Kissing the X represented an oath to fulfill obligations specified in the document. The X and the kiss eventu-

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

allyy b ally became ecam ec ame am me synonymous. sy yno nony n mo ny mous us.. us Q: Q Why Wh iis shifting responsibility to someone else called ‘passing the buck’? A: In card games, it was once customary to pass an item, called a buck, from player to player to indicate whose turn it was to deal. If a player did not wish to assume the responsibility, he would ‘pass the buck’ to the next player. Q: Why do people clink their glasses before drinking a toast? A: It used to be common for someone to try to kill an enemy by offering him a poisoned drink. To prove to a guest that a drink was safe, it became customary for a guest to pour a small amount of his drink into the glass of the host. Both men would drink it simultaneously. When a guest trusted his host, he would then just touch or clink the host’s glass with his own. Q: Why are people in the public eye said to be ‘in the limelight’? A: Invented in 1825, limelight was used in lighthouses and stage lighting by burning a cylinder of lime which produced a brilliant light. In the theatre, performers on stage ‘in the limelight’ were seen by the audience to be the center of attention. Q: Why do ships and aircraft in trouble use ‘mayday’ as their call for help? A: This comes from the French word m’aidez -meaning ‘help me’ -- and is pronounced ‘mayday.’ Q: Why is someone who is feeling great ‘on cloud nine’? A: Types of clouds are numbered according to the altitudes they attain, with nine being the highest cloud. If someone is said to be on cloud nine, that person is floating well above worldly cares. Q: Why are zero scores in tennis called ‘love’? A: In France , where tennis first became popular, a big, round zero on scoreboard looked like an egg and was called ‘l’oeuf,’ which is French for ‘egg.’ When tennis was introduced in the U.S., Americans pronounced it ‘love.’ Now you know almost everything!

Saw you in the Ojo 59

The Magic Mountain with apologies to Thomas Mann. Tonight a gibbous moon is bright, Directly overhead and stars Illuminate a stygian night And on the right, the planet Mars. But muffled thunder greets the day, And distant lightning looms o’erhead Illuminating shades of gray And darkling clouds a watershed. Dawn breaks over mountain lake Thick with drizzle, low dark clouds. Sodden, somber, quite opaque, Spread around like funeral shrouds. They’re hovering Mount Garcia now, Clouds resembling black smoke spreads, Erupting ash on man and plow Accompanied by thunderheads. A crown of clouds rests easily On Mount Garcia’s ancient brow. A lord above the brightening lake, Still over lording here and now. Gray light emerges from the mist, From scudding clouds and monsoon squalls, As Nature to the Taoist, We’ll find the path as evening falls. Mark Sconce

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

Pancho Villa’s Granddaughter October 2010 * Car lockout Jacob She seems to me like a very interesting person who comes from an extraordinary background. As much as I can see it didn’t affect her too much,

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and that is good, at least in my opinion. * oz casinos Raul Nava is in the acknowledgements of the book entitled, White Male Privilege. His father Ernesto Nava was recently in a Mexico City newspaper. THE UNITED STATES LONGEST WAR * Karl Homann I loved your column about the insane and inhumane US embargo of Cuba. Your comments are right on target. Guess what? I am going to Cuba in November for three weeks to “trade with the enemy,” as official American government policy puts it. How un-American of me! Boy, at times like these it feels so good to be Canadian. A NEW LEASE—on Life! - June 2011 * Develotte It’s really a good experience!

Saw you in the Ojo 61

Sasha’s Creation By Michael Cook

was once described in a uucatalogue as a sumptue. ous edition to any home. e Yet by today’s society I would be called cuddly or someone who was in need of a workout. I think of myself as the Marilyn Monroe e of my era. Pleasing to the eye and having curves in all the right places. Now because of my age people refer to me as an antique, yet I feel as beautiful today as when I was conceived 240 years ago. Yes, I have been touched up a little but one must expect it at my age, I suppose. As I stand in this dingy room smeared in a coating of dust, I look around and see some old friends just hanging around. Noir Pastiche by Gauguin and a night scene by Modigliani. I remember once we shared the same room. It’s a big day tomorrow for me as I look down at the sticker lot 23. I am excited at the thought of a new home and new stories to tell from the mahogany tree that gave me this incredible life. As I while away these hours, I would like if I may to tell you a little of my life. I hope you find it interesting. Well, let’s start with the only love of my life, Sasha Ribery; he made me who I am today. He was a struggling cabinet maker from the small town of San Julliene, a few miles from Avignon. He was good but good was not good enough for him, he wanted to be renowned throughout France as the best cabinet maker to the aristocracy. His wife, Morell, was happy with their way of life but Sasha wanted to work with the finest hardwoods that came from the Far East. He heard that a shipment of mahogany was soon to arrive in Marseille from Burma. Sasha and Morell argued with each other till they were blue in the face, but eventually Morell relented. They used all their savings to the last sou to buy a consignment from the importer. I remember well the journey through Provence, it was July and the tall sun flowers swayed and bowed in the summer breeze. It was almost as though they were nod-

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ding in approval of my arrival. I was so young and full of sap I dreamt throughout the journey what my fate might be. When I arrived Sasha had enlisted some friends to lay me down on blocks spread two feet apart and two feet off the ground. “Just here will do, part shade part sun.” For reasons unknown to me, I needed to be seasoned as not to warp or dry out too quickly. I guess he knew what he was talking about. I sun bathed till mid September waiting, waiting to be created into an object of beauty. I used to love it when he caressed me on a Friday eve, turning me so I would be at my best. I still recall as though it were yesterday, Sasha carrying me into the barn. I was a little apprehensive, well quite petrified really, when I saw the circular saw and chisels. The first cut, I knew I was in good hands and as the days turned into weeks I could see myself maturing into beautiful shapes and sizes. My cabriolet legs were elegant and curved, not spindly or fat but perfectly proportioned to the rest of my body. With intricate precision and detail I was ready to be glued together. Oh, Sacre Bleau! The smell of the horse glue was atrocious but it soon dissipated, and I was ready for the piece de resistance, the Chalac and then the bees wax. This for me was the best, each stroke and coat I soaked in more till my legs became silky stockings and my body was pure reflection. Finally Sasha dressed me in a claret leather covering on the top so the writing paper would not slip around. Silver ink wells on either side give me an air of sophistication. He had loved me and I loved

Sasha but deep down I knew I was not for him for after all I was just an object of desire, made to serve a purpose. My, oh my, those were heady days. Ummmmm, let me catch my breath. Oh yes, where was I? Sasha and I never did get to say good bye and it wasn’t long before I was sold to Monsieur Laudoc of Paris, another man with a keen eye for beauty. I spent my days staring out of the shop window watching wealthy Parisian’s walk by in their finery and lace parasols and street thieves picking pockets. It was a rainy day I

recall and street life was becoming tedious so I decided on a nap. The tinkle of the shop bell woke me and then a hand caressed me, it did not feel right. “Monsieur Laudoc I will take this exquisite piece, it inspires me.” “Marquis du Sade always a pleasure to see you. I will have it packaged and delivered right away.” Ahhh, the Marquis du Sade, now there’s a story to tell. Maybe if you buy me tomorrow I will kiss and tell, but for now I need my beauty sleep. After all I am 240 years old. Au revoir.

Saw you in the Ojo 63

FRONT ROW CENTER By Michael Warren The Kitchen Witches By Caroline Smith Directed by Roger Tredway y

f you like farce and slapstick, you’ll enjoy this play by Canadian playwright Caroline Smith. The Kitchen Witches is set in a small town cable TV station – it’s a hokey cooking show and we are the studio audience. So the fourth wall is effectively removed and we, as the audience, become part of the play. It’s a clever ruse which encourages all of us not to sit on our hands, and become lively and applaud on cue. A talented cast, ably directed by Roger Tredway, have a lot of fun and deliver the one-line zingers with tremendous pace. Anne Drake plays “Dolly Biddle” with flair and a phony Ukrainian accent. She opens the play with a long monologue as Babcha, the wisecracking hostess of Cooking With Babcha, and sets the wacky tone for what proves to be a very funny show. It’s so hilariously bad, it’s good. Anne is a newcomer to the LLT stage and I look forward to seeing her in more comic and curious parts in the future. Diana Rowland gives a cool and accomplished performance as “Isobel Lomax” who is a Martha-Stewart type gourmet cook, and Dolly’s arch-rival and former high school friend/enemy. She is the perfect foil to the earthy Babcha as the two exchange insults on camera. Meanwhile, Russell Mack is excellent as “Stephen Biddle” who is both Dolly’s son and the producer of what is supposed to be a cooking show. He tries valiantly, but without much success, to keep the two apart and the food in the pan. And I should also mention an entertaining cameo performance by Graham Miller (“Rob” the camera guy) who is superbly glum throughout. Finally, a “guest celebrity” from the audience is invited to become a victim during a dessert contest in the second Act. Congratulations (and a free prostate exam) to all who took part. During the second act, the fourth wall reappears. We actually have a sentimental scene between Isobel and Stephen, and it turns out that Isobel is Stephen’s birth mother. This is dif-

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ficult for the actors to manage in the middle of a farce, and I give Diana Rowland and Russell Mack great credit for pulling it off. It could be an awkward and embarrassing scene – however, they handle it with considerable skill. Then it’s back to the one-liners and slapstick food jokes. There are also some clever costume changes, including a “Gone with the Wind” scene with Dolly as Scarlett in a frilly green dress, and Isobel as Prissy (I don’ know nothin’ ‘bout birthin’ babies) in an antiquated maid outfit. It’s a silly play, and at times the humor is of the Benny Hill genre – I found it hard to believe that it won a Samuel French play-writing award. However, there are lots of belly laughs, and everyone is having such a good time that we hardly notice the strange transitions from comic to serious. Roger Tredway and his team did a great job in bringing this slick production to the stage. The timing was smooth and the acting was first class. Congratulations to Stage Manager Karen Lee (an LLT first-timer as Stage Manager) and Gerri Tredway as Production Assistant. I also congratulate Properties Manager Joan Lowy and her crew. There are literally hundreds of props and food items, and it must have been extremely difficult to organize backstage. The set design was effective – we really felt we were in a TV studio – and the set construction crew made it all seem real, and also built a truly impressive shoulder-held TV camera. Well done to all concerned. Next up is “No Clue?” (directed by Roseann Wilshire) which opens on November 5th. It’s a parody of the board game Clue, and of Agatha Christie murder mysteries, so the stage will be littered with dead bodies and the actors will be clueless! See you next month. Michael Warren

ANOTHER NIGHT AT THE NO-NAME BAR

man walks into the bar, notices a very large jar on the counter, and sees that it’s filled to the brim with $10 bills. He guesses there must be at least five thousand dollars in it. He approaches the bartender and asks, “What’s with the money in the jar?” “Well... you pay $10, and if you pass three tests, you get all the money in the jar and the keys to a brand new Lexus.” The man certainly isn’t going to pass this up, so he asks, “What are the three tests?” “You gotta pay first,” says the bartender, “those are the rules.” So, after thinking it over a while, the man gives the bartender $10 which he stuffs into the jar. “Okay,” says the bartender, “here’s what you need to do: First - You have to drink a whole quart of tequila, in 60 seconds or less, and you can’t make a face while doing it. Second - There’s

he can. Tears stream down both cheeks -- but he doesn’t make a face -- and he drinks it in 58 seconds! Next, he staggers out the back door where he sees the pit bull chained to a pole. Soon, the people inside the bar hear loud growling, screaming, and sounds of a terrible fight -- then nothing but silence! Just when they think that the man surely must be dead, he staggers back into the bar. His clothes are ripped to shreds and he’s bleeding from bites and gashes all over his body. He drunkenly says, “Now... where’s that old woman with the bad tooth?”

a pit piit bull bull chained cha h ined d in the back wiith with hab bad d tooth tooth. h You have h to remove that tooth with your bare hands. Third - There’s a 90-year old lady upstairs who’s never had sex. You have to take care of that problem.” The man is stunned! “I know I paid my $10 -- but I’m not an idiot! I won’t do it! You’d have to be nuts to drink a quart of tequila and then do all those other things!” “Your call,” says the bartender, “but your money stays where it is.” As time goes on, the man has a few more drinks and finally says, “Where’s the damn tequila?!” He grabs the bottle with both hands and drinks it as fast as

Saw you in the Ojo 65

STAY HEALTHY! By J. Manuel Cordova, M. D. Internal Medicine & Geriatric Specialist Mdjmcordova1204@yahoo.com Healthful Aging

n past issues I wrote about the elderly, the variability and diversity involved in such a stage of life. Much material written about aging focuses on loss. Although older adult sometimes experience physical, mental, or psychological losses, continued growth and creative expression often mark the lives of many elderly. They are signs of healthful aging. Adults are taking college courses and make contributions through tutoring, teaching, (See Lake Chapala Community and philosophy), counseling (such as peer counseling), and advocating for political and social actions. Some experts believe that there is a creative peak at age 65. Sometimes, older adults just need someone to encourage them to pursue latent interests or rediscover forgotten talents and activities that were set aside when family and job occupied much of the day. Increased knowledge of resources available within the community will sometimes stimulate interests and encourage new avenues of self-expression. When the Physical Changes occur: The old saying that, “You are as young as you feel” has a great deal of truth to it. In the absence of serious diseases or other crushing problems, people “feel” just about like they did when they were young. The essence of a person doesn’t change, the body does. In the later years, healthful living with regular exercise, weight control, adequate rest, a balanced diet, avoidance of tobacco, and moderation in consump-

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l h l beverages b d tion off alcoholic can produce a feeling of wellbeing and vigor that surpasses that of an overweight, sedentary, 30-year-old smoker. Good health also helps ensure a satisfying sex life in the later years. The degree to which the body changes can vary enormously. Some men and women in their 60s and early 70s participate regularly in certain exercise programs, some of them vigorous. Conditioned older athletes have hearts, lungs, and muscles that are in better shape than those of many younger people. Moreover, they have a lot more vigor than someone years younger who has a let his or her body get badly out of condition. What are the general body changes you will face? Usually the changes that started during the middle years continue; and why call them middle years? To some people, the term “middle age” has a negative meaning. In our youth– oriented culture, a middle–aged person occasionally is viewed as someone past his or her prime years. This impression, of course, is not true. Physical Changes in Aging One of the first changes most people notice is with their vision. During the middle years, the lens of the eye becomes less elastic, and results in loss of the near visual capacity, that`s the most common aging process involving the eyes. Another dangerous situation is Macular Disease, a degenerative disorder associated with age and other factors in which ultraviolet light and solar exposition is important. A n o t h e r Change is with memory . . . (To be continued) Dr. Cordova

HEAVEN AND HELL By An Anonymous Contributor

man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them. After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight. When he was standing before it, he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side. When he was close enough, he called out, ‘Excuse me, where are we?’ ‘This is Heaven, sir,’ the man answered. ‘Wow! Would you happen to have some water?’ the man asked. ‘Of course, sir. Come right in, and I’ll have some ice water brought right up.’ The man gestured, and the gate began to open. ‘Can my friend,’ gesturing toward his dog, ‘come in, too?’ the traveler asked. ‘I’m sorry, sir, but we don’t accept pets.’ The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog. After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book. ‘Excuse me!’ he called to the man. ‘Do you have any water?’ ‘Yeah, sure, there’s a pump over there, come on in.’ ‘How about my friend here?’ the traveler gestured to the dog. ‘There should be a bowl by the pump,’ said the man. They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old fashioned

hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree. ‘What do you call this place?’ the traveler asked. ‘This is Heaven,’ he answered. ‘Well, that’s confusing,’ the traveler said. ‘The man down the road said that was Heaven, too.’ ‘Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That’s Hell.’ ‘Doesn’t it make you mad for them to use your name like that?’ ‘No, we’re just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind.’

Saw you in the Ojo 67

DON’T ASSUME By Mel Goldberg

ngela walked from the hospital toward her car at the end of the dimly lit staff parking lot. She hated the long midnight walk at the end of her Saturday night shift when many of her friends were partying. To save expenses, the hospital had reduced staff to a minimum on week-ends so everyone worked more hours. She was especially tired after her twenty-four hour stint, but had drunk so much coffee her mind was racing. Only the few cars of late-night workers were scattered throughout the parking lot. She breathed in the mild and humid summer night air and remembered a few months earlier when she wore a heavy coat. She cringed at the shadowy movement of each tree branch in the feeble light, shuddered at the rustle of every bush. As she approached her new Honda Accord, she noticed an old hard-top convertible Chevrolet with a torn roof was parked next to her driver’s side. The pale light illuminated the jumble of clothes next to its rear window. “I’m getting paranoid,” she said out loud, as she walked, looking around, embarrassed, wondering if anyone could hear her. As she walked, she checked for her keys, reaching into her purse which hung from a shoulder strap. She withdrew her hand quickly. Whoa, she thought. I don’t remember putting that in there. I’d better be careful. Not bothering to change before leaving, she still had on the light blue tunic and pants she had worn in the OR. She had grabbed the last clean pair in the changing room. Her five foot sixinch figure was trim, but the uniform had been clearly been meant for one of the more petite Philippine nurses. The tunic pressed against her breasts, and the seat of the pants was so taut she imagined the seam would burst with every step. I wonder why I even bother to go home, she thought. I’ll have to be back here in eight hours.” As she stopped before her car door, she reached into her purse for her keys,

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this time more carefully. “It’s pretty dark at this end of the parking lot.” The deep male voice startled her and she froze, her hand still in her purse. She stared at her door, her back to the other car. A hand touched the back of her shoulder. Fingers slid down, pausing at her bra strap and continuing down, stopping at her derrierre. “I like a nice tight ass and yours is perfect. Bet it’s just as tight without the pants.” She felt a shudder of terror creep from the back of her neck to her shoulders. A hand fastened on her upper arm and spun her around. She looked up at the neatly dressed, clean-shaved man who was a head taller than she. Her mouth went dry as thoughts of rape and murder flashed through her mind. The newspapers were filled with reports. The man bent down until his face was inches from hers, his arms trapping her against her car, his body pressed against hers. “Why don’t we take a ride in your nice new car,” he whispered. “Just give me your keys.” Angela didn’t move. The man put his mouth next to her ear. She could feel his warm breath. “Hey, baby, I’m just trying to be friendly. I got a special like for nurses who work late.” Slowly, Angela began to remove her hand from her purse. He smiled when he heard the keys jingle, his face inches from hers. Stainless steel glinted in the dim light as her hand flashed through the air. Blood spurted on her arm and tunic as the man gurgled and grabbed his throat with both hands. His body bounced back against the door of the Chevrolet and then crumpled to the ground, blood gushing from the cut and pooling around his head. Angela dropped the scalpel, took the cell phone from her purse, and dialed the emergency room number. “Got a bleeder out here in Staff Parking Lot B.” Bending over the body on the ground, her lips curled in a sneer, and she said quietly, “I’m not a nurse. I’m a surgeon.”

T HE E G A ME ME OF TH HE E NAME By Mildred Boyd

t is not clear why hy today’s society y seems to considerr the word “drunk” taboo. o. It was not always so. o o. Cowboys and working stiff iff ffss used to get frankly drunkk on n SSaturday atturda urdaay ur nights, but such overindulgence dulge lgence was was certainly not confined tto o th the e lower lower lowe wer we classes. There must be some ome basi om ome b ba basis asiss fo for for the common term “Drunkk as as a Lord.” Now nobody ever seems e s to want ems em wantt to call a drunk a drunk exceptt on on the the police blotter, as in “Drunk and disorderly.” Even the traffic cops take refuge in euphemism these days, and often that is abbreviated. What used to be “Drunk driving” is now thinly disguised as DWI for “Driving While Intoxicated” or DUI for “Driving under the influence.” A complete list of the synonyms for “drunk” could fill a small book. Some are prissily polite, like tipsy, in his cups, squiffy, tiddley, spifficated, looped, fuddled, sozzled and tight. Others are more derogatory, like blotto and stinko, and some are downright alarming if taken literally. Smashed, blitzed, wasted,

trashed, blasted, ttr r bonked and b sstoned fall in this ccategory. a Some words to apply to sseem se e specifi c professsp p sions, ssi io but it is not only o on nly ly carpenters and mechanics that get m me ech cha oiled, o iled, tanked, hammered, m me ered d plastered, shelllacked k d and loaded nor cooks who get baked, boiled, fried, stewed, pickled and crocked. And you don’t have to be a sailor to come home sloshed, slewed, half seas over or three sheets in the wind. Some of these terms have been around for a long time. One rather abstruse antonym for sobriety, ebriety, was recorded as early as 1582. Tight first appeared in print in 1837 and plastered in 1912. New ones are being added all the time. It would be interesting to know what our great-great grandchildren will call it when they have tied one on.

Saw you in the Ojo 69

The Higher We Went, The Higher We Got By Carol L. Bowman bowmanl@prodigy.net.mx

plastic bag filled with oval shaped, dried, green leaves made the rounds among the ten of us in the van. We were instructed to take four, crumple them up into a small ball, place the wad between our back molars and bite down hard. A piece of lime added to the bundle hastened the release of active ingredients, including alkaloids containing cocaine. A pungent, tangy fluid oozed from the clump and the inside of my cheek felt tingly and numbed, like a shot of Novocain. I remembered chewing coca leaves, a process called mambear in the Quechua language, on my last trip to the Andean Highlands. Fellow travelers, newbies to this mastication ritual, struggled with the process. We resembled a bunch of Guernsey cows, learning how to chew cud, with bulging cheeks on one side. For those not adept at manipulating a mouthful of leaves, thermos jugs of hot tea from steeped coca leaves, called mate de coca, provided our oxygen starved systems with a mildly powerful stimulant that suppresses hunger, thirst, pain and fatigue. Flying from Lima, Peru, which lies at sea level to Cuzco, Peru, situated at a height of 11,000 feet, altitude sickness, with screaming headaches, nausea, exhaustion and shortness of breath can kick in quickly. The only cure for this ailment is to descend to a lower elevation or for periodic respites, inhale pure oxygen available in hotels. The trick is to treat the symptoms before the sickness takes over. For the next 15 days, the only direction we were going was ‘up,’ so we obeyed our trip leader without hesitation. He lives at this level of thin air and urged us to “chew coca leaves and drink mate de coca.” “Bring it on,” we thought, “lots of it.” The coca plant, which resembles the blackthorn bush and grows 7-10 feet tall on the eastern slopes of the Andes, has played a traditional role in Andean culture for thousands of years. With only 0.3-1.5% cocaine in fresh leaves, chewing coca or drinking the

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tea doesn’t cause the euphoria of the concentrated drug, but it regulates carbohydrate metabolism, helps gastrointestinal disorders and eases the effects of high altitudes. Traces of cocaine show up in the bloodstream as a false positive after consuming just one cup of tea; ah, the joys of being retired without fear of work-related random drug tests. We noticed a calmer tolerance of each other’s quirks, as the days went on, as we edged upward to Bolivia and Lake Titicaca at elevations of 12,000 to 14,000 feet and as the drinking and chewing increased. We weren’t exactly high, but higher in intellectual conversation and alertness. We blossomed into a fascinating bunch. Just ask us. Every restaurant, hotel lobby and tienda offered urns of mate de coca for patrons to drink and bowls of fresh leaves to chew. It became the first order of business; we abandoned coffee and downed multiple cups of tea at every opportunity. With physiological effects similar to tobacco, we noticed a strange affinity for this stuff. It kept us going, gave us energy, eased the pounding headaches, curbed our appetites and made us coo. Communal chewing of coca leaves by the High Andean peoples of Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador dates back 8,000 years and traces of coca have been found in mummies 3,000 years old. Paintings on ceramics from Pre-Inca Moche show the cheek bulge of the coca chewer. The plant was viewed as having divine origin and present tribes consider it a vital part of their religious practice. Shamans read coca leaves to tell fortunes and make ceremonial coca offerings to the mountains (opus), the sun (inti) and the earth (Pachamama). When we visited Copamaya, an Aymara Indian village over two miles high near the Bolivian border, we gifted the residents with bags of coca leaves. The coca plant cannot grow at this elevation; the people cannot thrive without it. Daily personal consumption measures about two ounces per person,

from infant to elder. Following the invasion by conquistador, Francisco Pizzarro, King Phillip II of Spain demanded that all Andean captives chew coca leaves several times per day. He expected the Indians could double their labor output and tolerate imposed starvation as a result. Coca leaves became illegal outside of South America in the early 20th century after the recognition of cocaine addiction in 1859. At the 1961 UN Single Convention, no distinctions between the coca leaf and cocaine or heroin were made. The eradication of coca leaf chewing was ordered worldwide within 25 years and drinking mate de coca was considered an illegal activity. The United States classified the coca leaf as a Schedule II narcotic drug, despite the minimal amount of cocaine alkaloids contained within. Realizing the coca leaf’s benefit to the well being of High Andean peoples, the governments of Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, Chile and Argentina legalized its use. The Stepan Company in New Jersey remains the only US facility with authorization to import coca leaves, decocainized leaves at that, for extract used in the production of Coca Cola. No wonder our guide advised the group’s US citizens NOT to buy mate de coca tea bags to take home. But wait, I live in Mexico and my adopted country couldn’t have such a silly law. I developed a fondness for my daily pick-me-

up, so I bought 100 tea bags. After all I live at 5600 feet and need it, right? On the overnight flight home from Lima to Mexico City, the announcement interrupted my fitful sleep: “All baggage on flights originating in South America is subject to canine inspection.” OMG. Would drug sniffing doggies detect my coveted tea bags? I packed them in my husband’s luggage. Should I tell him or wait until the federales drag him away to a Mexico City carcel? As we waited at the baggage carousel, with a 6 AM pallor, suitcases that had successfully passed by sensitive snouts, dribbled onto the circular path in spurts. My duffel showed-up alone, about mid-point of the full plane load of checked luggage. After one hour, we were the only two desperate looking passengers left. I started composing ‘Confessions of a 65 Year Old Tea Smuggler’ in my mind. The mouth of the baggage flap opened and spit out the last piece. My husband’s yellow and black bumblebee bag looked like it barely survived a scrappy encounter with an unhappy German Shepherd. We grabbed it and headed for the final obstacle, the customs official and that dreaded Mexican game, ‘Red Light, Green Light’. Red, we’re dead, Green, me and my tea would be home free. With my anxiety drenched, sweaty palm, I closed my eyes, said a prayer and pushed the button.

LAUGHS, INCORPORATED By Dave McIntosh

ome to the Auditorio at 4pm on November 16th, or at 7:30 pm on 17th & 18th to see a fun program, full of laughs and music and a good time. ALL proceeds will benefit the Auditorio Renovation. Re-live the sculpting of the Venus De Milo, share the Pope’s concerns about the painting of “The Last Supper,” and revel in the singing of Al Jolson’s 1911 comedy song “The Spaniard That Blighted My Life.” There is much more…but we don’t want to spoil the surprises!

Our motley crew of talented actors and singers have devised a unique cabaret of funny material in skit and in song, with Dave McIntosh, Patteye Simpson, Jayme Littlejohn, Russell Mack, Alexis Hoff, Roger Larson, Don Chaloner, Lalo Munoz, Lee Hitchcock, Rafael Buccio, and Eleanor Stromberg. Just think what you might be missing, if you don’t join us for the laughs! Tickets are 150 – 200 pesos, available at Diane Pearl Collections, LCS from 1012, Charter Club Tours, and the Auditorio office.

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The Ojo Crossword

ACROSS 1 Southwest by south 5 Black 9 Tendon 14 Domain 15 South of the border crazy 16 Revises 17 Stigma 18 Central points 19 Club rule 20 Ocular 22 Seafood 24 Tree 25 Min course 27 Ear part 31 Homeless person 32 Pigpen 34 Legume 35 Colorless 38 Hand tool 40 Thoughts 42 Form 44 Apprehend 46 Hospital worker 47 Mounds 48 Division (abbr.) 50 Tigers 51 Tax agency 52 Pop (plr.) 55 Coin 57 Little Mermaid’s Sebastian 59 Swanky 61 Reduced (abbr.) 64 Handsome man

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

66 Net 68 Popular condiment 71 Pixies 73 Complain 74 To no __ 75 Off-Broadway award 76 Baseball’s short hit 77 Coke’s competitor 78 Traveled by horse 79 Chances of winning DOWN 1 Country 2 Outerwear 3 Bed 4 Rice wine 5 Pixy 6 Rapidly expanding city 7 Happen 8 Sounds 9 Southeast by east 10 Country poem 11 Zip 12 Estimated time of arrival 13 Compass point 21 Executive director 23 Focus 26 BB association 28 Musical production 29 Beauty’s friend 30 Comforts 31 Hoopla 33 Yang’s partner 35 Jell-o salad 36 Bake unshelled eggs 37 Shampoo brand 39 Male 41 Channel 43 Sixth sense 45 Non molar tooth 49 Bother 53 Hubbub 54 Older 56 Web 58 Principle 60 Imprisonment 61 Out loud 62 Mild 63 Doesn’t own 65 Painter of melting clocks 67 Convexity 68 Exhaust 69 Street abbr. 70 Lick 72 Visualize

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF CONSERVATISM AND LIBERALISM M

By Richard Rhoda rhodarick@yahoo.com

n interesting article on the psychology of conservatism: “[People displaying] measurably lower physical sensitivitiess to sudden noises and threatening g visual images were more likely to to support foreign aid, liberal immimigration policies, pacifism and gun control,” the team wrote in its report, to be published in the journal Science Tomorrow. “Individuals displaying measurably higher physiological reactions to those same stimuli were more likely to favor defense spending, capital punishment, patriotism and the Iraq War.” From: Conservatives Have Stronger Startle Reflexes? This backs up other similar findings, such as those in this Psychology Today piece: In 1969, Berkeley professors Jack and Jeanne Block embarked on a study of childhood personality, asking nursery school teachers to rate children’s temperaments. They weren’t even thinking about political orientation. Twenty years later, they decided to compare the subjects’ childhood personalities with their political preferences as adults. They found arresting patterns. As kids, liberals had developed close relationships with peers and were rated by their teachers as self-reliant, energetic, impulsive, and resilient. People who were conservative at age 23 had been described by their teachers as easily victimized, easily offended, indecisive, fearful, rigid, inhibited, and vulnerable at age three.

The reason for the difference, the Blocks hypothesized, was that insecure kids most needed the reassurance of tradition and authority, and they found it in conservative politics. But lest those with liberal leanings feel too smug, individual conservatives tend to respond to a wider range of ethical parameters than do liberals. The topic is too complex for me to explain briefly here, but this article is well worth reading. I intend to write more about it later.

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LEARNING YOUR DOG’S ALPHA By Ed Tasca

f there is one thing that unites many here in Ajijic, it is dogownership and understanding dog behavior. Even those without dogs seem to have a certain natural affection for our furry companions, and an equal curiosity about how dogs think. Now, one of the things canine experts say about dogs is that they don’t think the same way humans do. Nothing new here. If men and women don’t understand one another, how do we expect a Neapolitan Mastiff, for example, to figure out why he’s wearing booties. A dog, experts argue, is only capable of interpreting human behavior through the eyes of a dog, lensed with a primitive reasoning capacity that doesn’t include the logic behind sleeping in separate quarters or passing up fungusfuzzy chicken bones in the street. This means that dogs of every breed

depend on humans to understand them and not vice versa. Even more so, they expect us to set rules and level instructions so that they understand what we expect from them, even when they appear certain Norsemen are about to storm your front gate. So in the interests of helping you manage mysterious canine behavior, remain good dog-owning neighbors and train your four-footed pals to stick to sober, amiable sociability, experts unanimously agree on the following advice: Neuter or spay your dog. Not only is this good for their health, but it will also reduce hormonal dominance levels, and your pet’s interest in running off with the rooster next door. 1. Stop roughhousing and playing tug-of-war with your dog. When your dog wins, he thinks he is stronger than you; and stronger dogs

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

place themselves higher in the social hierarchy of the family. That means he could take it upon himself to redecorate your home. 2. Do not reward your dog if it hasn’t earned a reward. If your dog approaches you and demands to be petted, make him sit or fetch or roll over, or, if he’s one of the smarter breeds, help with your tax-filing (Warning: always double-check any dog’s math, no matter how smart he is). 3. Only issue commands you intend to enforce. In the pack, the alpha dog is never ignored. So, if you experience insubordination from Barney or Bugger or Daisy, your dog must be put in its place. Require him to scratch into the dirt “cooperative behavior is key to pack survival” ten times, or until he forgets what he’s doing. 4. You must always be perceived as the leader. This means you need to be the first one to walk through doors, to eat, and to choose which movie you’ll be watching. If your alpha dog is pulling on the leash or walking out in front of you-- you need to step instantly and confidently in front and assume your leadership position (unless of course you spot a gang of thugs up ahead).

5. Do not let your dog eat at the table with you, and never let it bark with its mouth full. 6. Do not let your dog sleep on the bed with you. It isn’t healthy. And the animal will certainly disturb your sleep, even if it’s using a reading light. 7. When your dog does something right, praise him by saying, “Good dog!” and then by making physical contact. Patting and stroking work well. However, according to the experts, kissing, nuzzling and dancing together will almost always lead to relationship misunderstandings. 8. If you need a little time to yourself and you have a Mexican dog, sit your dog in the car where it will be happy to listen to the radio. 9. Do not treat the animal cruelly, and that includes never dressing your dog up like Lady Gaga. And finally, if your dog exhibits bad or violently aggressive behavior, correct this immediately and demonstratively. If this unwanted behavior continues, put on your fedora, drape your overcoat elegantly over your shoulders without entering the sleeves and inform your dog that you are the Capo di tutti capi (boss of all bosses), and that the whack on the nose is not personal, it’s business. This works every time.

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AA- Meets daily at 10:00 am. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 4 pm. Marcos Castellanos 51-A. 766-5961. Meets every Wednesday 8 am for breakfast at La Nueva Posada. www.aalakechapala.org AA Lakeside- M+TH 4-6 Gazebo at the Lake Chapala Society. www.aalakechapala.org AA Women- TH 10:30-12 Sala at the Lake Chapala Society. www.aalakechapala.org A COURSE IN MIRACLES- Meets on Saturday at 2:00 at # 17 B Nicholas Bravo. For information email: clarecgearhart@gmail.com AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION OF CANADA 904 WING- From September to April we meet the 2nd Thursday 4pm-6pm at La Nueva Posada. Contact John Prichard 766-1876 AJIJIC QUILT GUILD - Meets second Tuesday monthly at 10 am. 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. Nueva Posada. Coffee. Meeting followed by lunch at the Nueva Posada. AXIXIC MASONIC LODGE #31- Meets 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month at LCS 5:00pm. Contact the Secretary at (387) 7610017 for details. AL-ANON- Step study, M 4:30-5:30 Ken Gosh Pavilion at the Lake Chapala Society AL-ANON- Sat. 10 am, Club 12, Marcos Castellanos 51-A, Ajijic Contact (376) 766-5975. AMERICAN LEGION OF CHAPALA POST- #7 General Membership meets 11 am 2nd Thursday. Tel: 765-2259. AMERICAN LEGION, FRANK M. VALENTINE POST 9 - (Located at Fito’s Restaurant in Riberas Del Pilar) Gen. membership 3rd Wednesday of the month 12:30 pm. Exec. Com. meets 2nd Wednesday12:30 pm. Additional info Call Vince 765-7299. AMIGOS INTERNACIONALES- Every Wednesday 6 to 8 pm, Nueva Posada; informal friendly group meet to make new friends. AMIGOS DEL LAGO A.C.- Working to improve the ecology. See www.amigosdelago.org or contact us at info@amigosdelago.org. AMITIES FRANCOPHONES- Meets every 3rd Saturday at 1 pm contact: Roland and Camille at 766-0149. rvanhoudt@prodigy.net.mx. ANIMAL SHELTER- Provide shelter and new homes for dogs and cats. Tel: 765-5514. ANITA’S ANIMALS- Free loving dogs and cats. call (01 387) 761-0500. www.anitasanimals.com. ASA- Ajijic Society of the Arts. Meets every 1st Monday of the month at Nueva Posada, 10 am. ARDAT (Ajijic Rotary Dog Assisted Theraphy)- Therapy dog visits & Children Reading to Dogs program. Julianna Rose 766-5025, rotariojrose@gmail.com BRIDGE AT OLD POSADA- Monday 1:15 check in. Mary Andrews 766-2489. BRITISH SOCIETY- Lunch meeting the 1st Saturday of each month, 1pm at Manix Rest. 765-4786, chapalainn@prodigy.net.mx. CARD & DOMINO CLUB- Wednesday, Friday & Sunday. Call for times. We will teach; make friends! Tel. 766-4253, Cell: (045) 33-1295-6485. CANADIAN CLUB OF LAKE CHAPALA- Meets on the 2nd Wednesday of the month, September through April. Social hour: 3:00 pm, program 4:00 pm. Visit www.canadianclubmx.com. CASA DE ANCIANOS- Provides support for elderly citizens, 765-2497. CASA DE LA AMISTAD PARA NIÑOS CON CANCER.- Provides funds for children , to obtain cancer treatments. www.casadelaamistad.org.mx. 01-55-30006900, 766-2612 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. ECO ORGANICO MARKET- Tuesdays,10 am-12-30pm, Centro Laguna Mall at carretera and libramiento. DEMOCRATS- Meets 2nd Thursday 4pm at La Nueva Posada FRIENDS OF VILLA INFANTIL (FOVI)- Provides financial support for children: www.friendsofvillainfantil.org. Contact Lisa Le: (387) 761-0002 or email : lisale888@gmail.com GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS- Wednesday 11:30-1:30 Ken Gosh Pavilion at the Lake Chapala Society GARDEN CLUB- Meets the 3rd. Wednesday 11 am for lunch at La Nueva Posada. GARDEN GUILD- promoting the interest in the development of local gardens with an accent on the exotic species available in central Mexico. GERMAN MEETING- 2nd Thursday, 1:00 pm. La Nueva Posada. Call Thea 765-2442 or Werner 763-5446. GOLDEN STRINGS OF LAKE CHAPALA, A.C.- Rehearsals at auditorio de la Floresta. Tuesday & Friday, 3-6 pm. HASH HOUSE HARRIERS- Every Saturday at 8:30 am at La Nueva Posada. HUMANE EDUCATION ALLIANCE (HEA)- Fostering the ethical treatment of animals and nature. John Marshall, 766-1170, alianzaeducationhumanitaria@ hotmail.com JUNIOR LEAGUE DE GUADALAJARA A.C.- Av. San Francisco #3332. ligagdl2@prodigy.net.mx, Guadalajara, Jal. Tel. (33) 3121-0887. LAKE CHAPALA DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB- Meets every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 1:15 p.m.. www.chapalabridge.com. LAKE CHAPALA GARDEN CLUB- Gardening at Lakeside with garden tours and meeting 3rd Wed of every month at Nueva Posada for noon lunch and program. Contact sandy_feldmann@yahoo.com. LAKE CHAPALA GREEN GROUP- Sustainable living for a better tomorrow. Meets first Tuesday of each month, September through May. Lake Chapala Society, 3:00. Everyone is welcome. www.lakechapalagreengroup.com. LAKE CHAPALA SHRINE CLUB.- Meets the 3rd Tuesday of every month at 1 pm in the Nueva Posada. Perry King at (376) 763-5126. LAKE CHAPALA SOCIETY - LCS- 16 de Sep. # 16-A Ajijic, Open Monday - Saturday, 10 am to 2 pm. www.lakechapalasociety.org. 766-1140. LAKESIDE COMMUNITY AWARDS- We benefit all the community by honoring lakeside’s most talented. 766-3232. LAKESIDE FRIENDS OF THE ANIMALS- Board meets 1st Thursday every month 2:45-4 LCS Gazebo info@lakesideanimalfriends.org LAKESIDE LAUGHTER CLUB- Meets every Wed. from 9 am - 9:40 beginning September 29. For information call Charlene 766-0884. LAKESIDE LITTLE THEATRE A.C.- Balanced theatrical entertainment, English-speaking, 765-5942. LAKESIDE SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF- The 4th of each month. Nueva Posada 10:30 am. Call 766-2280, www.lakesideschoolforthedeaf.org. LAKESIDE WILDLIFE RESCUE & REHABILITATION- Rescue & rehabilitation of wild animals. 765-4916. LAKE SPAY AND NEUTER CENTR A.C.- Provides shelter and helps curtail the over-population of animals. 766-3813. LCS EDUCATION CENTER- Provides classes in language and other topics for both Anglo and Mexican community. 766-0499. LCS STUDENT AID FUND- Provides financial support to area students to enroll in university, vocational and high school program. 766-0716. LITTLE BLUE SCHOOLHOUSE- Provides financial assistance for students at school for disabled children in Chapala 766-1552. LOS NINOS DE CHAPALA Y AJIJIC, AC Providing educational scholarships to Lakeside children 376-765-7032, www.lakesideninos.org. LOVE IN ACTION- Shelter for abused and abandoned children. For volunteers and donations. Anabel Frutos 765-7409, cell: 331-351 7826. MAS- Music Appreciation Society. Concerts from fall to spring. Classical music and dance concerts. For info call Beverly Denton, 765-6409. MISION SAN PABLO- Helping 60 orphaned children ages 2-14 yrs, Bonnie Shrall - Bonnie@shrall.com #766-0009. www.misionsanpablo.org. NAVY LEAGUE, LAKE CHAPALA COUNCIL- Meets the third Saturday for lunch at 1 pm, Manix Rest. 766 4750 or 766-1848. NEEDLE PUSHERS- Sew dresses, knit or chet sweaters for local kids. Every Tues. 10 am at LCS. Call Linda at 766-2086. 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: 376-766-5975 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 1:30-4 Gazebo at the Lake Chapala Society. New members welcome. ROTARY CLUB OF AJIJIC- Meets Tuesdays. Fellowship at 12:30 p.m., meeting at 1:00 p.m., Hacienda Ajijic Steakhouse, Carretera Ajijic Poniente #268-7. http://www.rotaryajijic.org. SAILING LAKE CHAPALA- Meets for lunch/drinks - 1 pm the 1st Thursday of the month at Club Nautico in La Floresta near Ajijic, Paseo de la Huerta No. 57. Learn how to sail the lake. Visit www.sailinglakechapala.com for info and updates. SCIENCE OF MIND STUDY GROUP- Discussion group every Tuesday at 10:30 AM Lake Chapala Center for Spiritual Living at Nicolas Bravo #17 Ajijic; contact Rev. Tim at 766-0920 or tim@revdoctim.com. THE GENEALOGY FORUM- Meets monthly on the fourth Monday in the Sala at LCS, from 2:00 to 3:45. UVA - University/Vocational Assistance (Little Chapel by the Lake a.c.)- Sue Torres, 766-2932 or Lynn Hanson 766-2660. VIVA LA MUSICA - Bus trips to the symphony, summer concert series, call Rosemay Keeling 766-1801. www.ajijicviva.org. VOLLEYBALL IN CHAPALA- At Cristiania park Tues., Thurs., Sat. mornings at 10, 333-502-1264. VOLUNTEER HEALTH RESOURCE GROUP- Meeting last Saturday of each month at LCS in sala, 10:30. VOLUNTEERS OF THE CRUZ ROJA- Sponsors fund raising events and provides administrative and support services to the Delegation. (NOTE: If there is any change in the above, please advise us so that corrections may be made. Call: 765-2877)

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

All Saints Lutheran Church Worship Service 11:00 am 4600 Avenida Tepeyac, Guad. Tel. (01 333) 121-6741. Abundant Life Assembly of God Carr. 140 next to Mail Boxes etc, Tel: 766-5615. Center For Spiritual Living Celebration Service, 5pm Fridays, Nicolas Bravo #17 Ajijic. 7669020 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) 7654210. Christ Church Anglican Fellowship Eucarist 10am upstairs in Manix Restaurant Ocampo #57 Ajijic. Rev. Danny Borkowski at (376) 766-2495 or Jim Powers t (387) 761-0017 Grace Baptist Church 5th Sun. Evening service 6 pm, Pedro Buzeta No. 970, Guad. Tel. (013) 641-1685. Lake Chapala Baptist Church Mid-week service, 9:30 am, worship service, 10:45 am. Santa Margarita #147, Riberas del Pilar, Tel. (376) 765-2925, 765-3329. www.lakechapalabaptist.com. 7th Day Adventist meet at Camino Real #84 in La Floresta, 9:30 am, Potluck follows, Tel: 7665708 Little Chapel by the Lake Sun. services 11 am, Chula Vista,. Jal, Tel. (376) 763-1551. Lake Chapala Jewish Congregation Santa Margarita 113, Riberas del Pilar, Tel: 765-6968. For information and service times, please call Pres. Elliot Gould. contact us@ lakechapalajews.com. Web site: www. lakechapalajews.com. Lakeside Fellowship Sun. worship 11 am, Javier Mina #49 Ajijic, Tel. (376) 766-0795. Lakeside Presbyterian Church Worship-Sunday 10 am; Bible Study-Friday 10 am; Hidalgo 231A, Carr. Chapala/Joco; Riberas del Pilar Tel. Pastor Ross Arnold at 376-766-1238, or Norm Pifer at 376-766-0616 Website at www.chapalalakesidepresbyterian. org Saint Andrew´s Anglican Church Calle San. Lucas 19, Riberas del Pilar, Sunday 2 services, 9 a.m & 11 a.m. Rev. Winston W. Welty Tel: 765-3926. 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. Sta. Margarita #113 in Riberas del Pilar (on the SW corner of Santa Clara) For additional information call 766-1119 or email to lcuufinfo@gmail.com. We are a Welcoming Congregation www.lcuuf.org

The

LAKE CHAPALA SOCIETY

News Annual Arts & Crafts Fair & Children’s Art Contest Saturday, November 5, 2011 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. A Pancake Breakfast kicks off the day at 9:00 a.m., supplemented with Screwdrivers and Bloody Marys. There will be a variety of Mexican food on sale at various vendor booths. Other beverages including wine and beer will be available throughout the day. On the back lawn will be a variety of talented local artists displaying their work along with handcrafts designed by Mexican artisans. Everything will be for sale; a good opportunity to give your holiday gift shopping a serious thought. The Art Students from the LCS Saturday Children’s Art Program are taking over the Gazebo to showcase their paintings and to sell their charming cards. We are excited about the juried Children’s Art Contest which will be held during the event. Prizes will be awarded to the top three entries, the winner goes on the cover of the Membership Directory! Jurors are: Antonio Cardenas, local artist and Children’s Art program participant; Marianne Carlson, President of Maestros Feria del Arte; Deena Hafker, President of Ajijic Society of the Arts. On the Children’s Art Patio take time to see the exciting new mural being created by Lakeside artists Javier Zaragoza and Jesus Lopez Vega. For further information regarding booth space or this event, please contact Maria Huerta at (376) 766-4217 (LCS Wilkes Education Center) or the LCS office at (376) 766-1140.

CONSULAR NEWS Canadian Consulate Sponsors ROCA Seminar A seminar “Registration of Canadians Abroad” will be held in the Sala on November 1 from 12:00-2:00 p.m. U.S. Consulate Trip to LCS Postponed for One Week The US Consulate will not be here on Wednesday, November 2 in deference to Mexico’s Day of the Dead. Instead they will be here at their normal time on November the 9th. Sign-up at 10:00 a.m.

LCS CLOSED NOVEMBER 21 - MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY NOVEMBER 24 - U.S. THANKSGIVING

November 2011 FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK Oktoberfest was a BLAST. With limited seating, tickets were a commodity, but the food, entertainment and crowd was great. Thanks to all the volunteers who organized and worked at the event – excellent job! Please welcome new membership Manager Marion Blackmer to the desk, and Newsletter Editor, Reba Mayo. We all appreciate volunteers stepping forward and assuming these important tasks! On another note, in a recent meeting with the library steering committee and LCS President Howard Feldstein, the topic of E-Readers was discussed. LCS Members can be sure that we are well aware of the proliferation of new technologies changing the way libraries do business. When the time comes, LCS hopes to be well poised to enter the digital age and serve our members. In the meantime, we are monitoring the industry as it scrambles for market share and develops standards. When an easy, affordable and fair system emerges the LCS library will be eager to participate. LCS remains on a sound footing. Garnering donations, creating new revenue streams and managing membership income responsibly is a priority. 2011 has been a good year in this respect. Some argue that global economic conditions look uncertain. This may be true, but the board and management of LCS are optimistic that 2012 will again see a strong organization building towards a successful future. Please renew your membership-it’s well worth it!

LCS Membership Benefits • Access to the largest English language lending library in Mexico with over 23,000 volumes; • Access to a video library with over 4,000 titles; • Access to a LARGE Audio Books library; • Free outgoing mail courier service; • Access to WiFi and Magicjack • Membership Directory which includes membership contact information and valuable community resources; • Social activities, workshops on various topics of interest, and exercise programs each month; • Affordable Spanish classes for beginners thru advanced; • Affordable computer classes for beginners; • The knowledge that your LCS is a community leader supporting you, your friends and your neighbors at Lakeside. LCS: • Is a meeting place for over a dozen service and support groups; • Provides free health programs including blood pressure checks, eye exams, hearing tests, skin cancer and diabetes screening; • Funds the most dynamic and charitable education program at Lakeside; • Provides tranquil and beautiful gardens for everyone to enjoy.

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Volunteers Wanted LCS Audit & Advisory Committee The Audit and Advisory Committee (AAC) is looking for volunteers to assist in the 2011 financial audit of The Lake Chapala Society. We are particularly looking for people with experience in reviewing payroll systems and membership database systems. We are also seeking members with accounting and/or audit experience to assist in other phases of the audit. The time commitment would be about a week, with some additional hours preparing a report of findings and attending a few meetings with the other AAC members. The work would be carried out at some time between early January and mid-February. This is an opportunity to see “behind the scenes” at LCS and to provide a valuable service to the Board and LCS membership. If you are interested, please contact AAC Chair Keith Martin at: lcsauditcommittee@gmail.com or by telephone: (376) 766-0379.

FLU SHOTS AVAILABLE Wednesday, November 9, 2011, 10-12 p.m. LCS Neil James Veranda Sign Up in the LCS Office Pneumonia 400 pesos - Flu 300 Pesos Pay the day immunization is received. Open to the pubic

SPANISH CLASSES The next term of the LCS Warren Hardy Spanish Program begins Monday, November 7. Terms are 7 weeks long with 2 classes per week of 1.5 hours each. Registration costs $600 (MX); materials not included. Please visit the website for program description and cost of materials. Registration for Term 6: October 31 through November 4 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the blue umbrella patio at LCS or any Tuesday and Friday at the service office. Email: spanishprogram@ lakechapalasociety.org with questions. Please note payment must be made at time of registration; we are unable to take reservations.

Helping the Children Will Help Us All CASI NUEVO Patricia Dowd has been a volunteer at the Casi Nuevo Thrift Store in Riberas for a few years now. “In addition to helping the Mexican children in our community,” says Patricia, “I enjoy chatting with the customers and at the same time, I polish up my Spanish. In addition, because we volunteers are there when the donations come into the store, we get first pick and we also receive a healthy discount. It’s beneficial to be a store volunteer and at the same time you feel you’re doing something worthwhile.” A few weeks back, Patricia, along with several other volunteers, visited the School for the Deaf and Children with Special Needs in Jocotopec for the first time. “I had the opportunity of seeing first-hand how the children in the School benefit from the store profits,” she says. “It was a heart-warming experience for all of us.” The school has 96 students and not all are deaf. There are children who are blind or autistic, or who are paraplegics or quadriplegics, or are afflicted with Down’s Syndrome, multiple sclerosis, or cerebral palsy, or other special needs. These children receive their main meal of the day along with their hearing aids free of charge. The school audiologist performs hearing tests, fits the hearing aids and provides hearing aid repair services. The school speech therapist works with the students one-on-one. All services to Mexican children are provided free of charge. In addition, the school has an outreach program servicing about 30 deaf children and about 40 deaf adults in the community. “Seeing these teachers change a child’s life from being totally dependent to becoming a productive member of society and giving them self-esteem,” comments Patricia, “made me quite emotional. Now, every time I work in the store and make a sale, I think of how my efforts are helping improve a child's life.” The profits from the all-volunteer store are used to support three worthy charities: School for the Deaf and Children with Special Needs, LCS Community Education Program, and Have Hammers...Will Travel. All of these charities are giving Mexican families an opportunity for a better future. Please drop off your donations for the Thrift Store in the Drop Box at LCS or contact Richard Williams at (376) 766-1303 or RGWMS10@hotmail.com for larger donated items that we will pick up at no charge. Please contact Jacqueline at (376) 766-1303 if you wish to volunteer at the Thrift Store.

Jim Collums Education Fund Storytellers #3

CONGRATULATIONS TO LCS WARREN HARDY PROGRAM LEVEL 4 GRADUATES! October 2011 WAY TO GO!!!

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

Tuesday November 8, from 4 to 6 p.m. (bar open 3:30). On the Neill James patio. It is Writers’ Choice this time, reading from their own stories: Mike Cook, Ken Clark, Neil McKinnon and Michael Warren. Admission is free. Your donations help a Mexican youngster stay in school. All proceeds are used to support the LCS Student Aid Program. Come and join us, It’s fun!!

www.lakechapalasociety.org

NOVEMBER ACTIVITIES CRUZ ROJA * Cruz Roja Sales Table M –F 10-1 Cruz Roja Monthly Meeting 1st W 1:30-4 HEALTH INSURANCE * IMSS M+T 10-1 NYLife/Seguros Monterrey Insurance T+TH 11-2 TioCorp M 10:45-12:45 HEALTH & LEGAL SERVICES * Becerra Immigration F 10-1 Blood Pressure M+F 10-12 Blood Sugar Screening 2nd+3rd F 10-12 Hearing Testing & Aids M & 2nd+4th SAT 11-3 Sign-up Optometrist TH 9-5 Sign-up Information Desk M-SAT 10-2 Loridan Legal T 10-12 Skin Cancer Screening 2nd+4th W 10-12 Sign-up US Consulate 1st W 10:30-12:30 Sign up 10AM LESSONS Children’s Art SAT 9:00-12 * Country Line Dancing T+TH 10-11:30 Exercise M+W+F 9-10 Have Hammers T 10-12+ TH 3-5 * Intermediate Hatha Yoga T+TH+SAT 2- 3:30 Spanish Conversation Club M 11-12 LIBRARIES Audio TH 10-12 Book & Video M-SAT 10-2 US Library of Congress TH 10-12 ** SOCIAL ACTIVITIES Beginner’s Digital Camera W 12-1 Computer Windows Club F 10:30-11:45 Digital Camera W 10:30-11:50 Darts TH 3-4 Discussion Group W12- 1:30 Everyday Mindfulness M 10:30-12 Film Aficianados 1st & 3rd TH 12-2 Film Aficianados 2nd+4th +Last TH 2-4:30 Genealogy Last M 2-4 Great Books 1st & 3rd F 2-4 iPod/iPphone F 9:30-10:30 LCS Learning Seminars T 12-2, Begins 15 Nov. Lecture Series: Origins of Mind & Brain M 2-4 * Mac OS 1st M 12-1:30 Mac User 3rd W 3-4:30 Mah Jonng F 10-2:30 Music Jam W 2-3 Needle Pushers T 10-12 Scrabble M+F 12-2 Tournament Scrabble T 12-3 SERVICE & SUPPORT GROUPS * AA Lakeside M+TH 4-6 AA Women TH 10:30-12 AL-Anon/Al-aTeen M 4:30-5:30 Breast Cancer Support 2nd+4th M 11:30-1 Cancer Support Group 1st+3rd M 11:30-1 Caregiver Support 2nd +4th W 10-12:00 Gamblers Anonymous W 11:30-1:30 Green Group 1st T 3-4:30 Green Transition in Action 2nd M 12-1:50 Los Niño’s de Chapala /Ajijic F 10-1:30 Masonic Lodge #31 2nd+4th W 4:30-8, 4th T 3-4:30 MS Support Group 3rd W 3-4:30 Open Circle SUN 10-12:15 TICKET SALES M-F 10-12 * * OPEN TO PUBLIC ** US CITIZENS

VIDEO LIBRARY New Additions for November Biography MAO’S LAST DANCER Ref.#5558 At the age of 11, Li was plucked from a poor Chinese village by Madame Mao's cultural delegates and taken to Beijing to study ballet. During a cultural exchange in Texas, he fell in love with an American woman. Two years later, he defected and went on to perform as a principal dancer for the Houston Ballet and as a principal artist with the Australian Ballet. Based on the autobiography of Li Cunxin. CHU CAO, BRUCE GREEWOOD, 7.2 on scale of 10 Comedy BILLY ELLIOT Ref.#5543 During the violent strike against the closure of British coal mines, widowed miner Jackie Elliot and his firstborn son, take a dim view of 11-year-old Billy's participation in an all-girl ballet class. Billy is encouraged by only one schoolmate, closet-gay Michael Caffrey, and his teacher, who recognizes his talent, and provides him the private lessons and training needed to audition for the world-renowned Royal Ballet.. JAMIE BELL, JULIE WALTERS 7.7 on scale of 10 Drama ICE STORM Ref.#5553 Post-Thanksgiving 1973 the Hood family is skidding out of control. Benjamin Hood reels from drink to drink, avoiding his troubles at the office. Wife Elena is reading self-help books and losing patience with her husband's lies. Son Paul, having escaped to the city to pursue an alluring rich girl, is home for the holidays. Daughter Wendy, a budding nymphomaniac, roams the neighborhood, exploring liquor cabinets and lingerie drawers. Then an unexpected ice storm, the worst in a century, hits the area. KEVIN KLINE, SIGOURNEY WEAVER 7.5 on scale of 10 Oldies but Goodies THE MISFITS Ref.#5560 Divorcee Roslyn meets widower Guido who introduces her to cowboy Gay, and those two fall in love. When she learns that Gay, Guido and Perce are going to turn wild horses ("misfits") into dog food, she protests. CLARK GABLE, MARILYN MONROE 7.4 on scale of 10 Crime DINNER RUSH Ref.#5547 At his hugely popular restaurant, New York proprietor and bookie Louis Cropa’s dinner guests include a specially-invited police detective and his wife, rival bookies who want to become partners in the restaurant; in the corner, a renowned food critic being her usual demanding self; and at the bar, seemingly unnoticed, is Ken. Enter Duncan, gambler and sous-chef in the frenetic kitchen, the catalyst who causes the evening’s explosive, deadly conclusion. DANNY AIELO, EDUARDO BALLERINI 7.2 on scale of 10 Series THE GOOD WIFE Ref.#5561 Alicia Florrick joins a major law firm. On her first day, she is assigned a pro bono case defending a woman accused of killing her ex-husband and trying to cover it up with a fake carjacking. The previous trial ended in a hung jury. With the help of the firm's in-house investigator, Alicia develops a new defense against the advice of the senior partner who previously handled the case. JULIANNA MARGULIES, MATT CZUCHRY 8.3 on scale of 10

Interested in taking Blood Pressures? The “Blood Pressure Group” is looking for volunteers with medical/nursing training and experience. We are a dedicated volunteer group who take blood pressures twice a week at the Lake Chapala Society. If you have had training and practice taking blood pressures, please consider joining us and sharing your expertise. Our schedule is flexible – you can sign up on a regular basis or just once a month, whatever suits you. Contact: Lindy White at lindywhite246@hotmail.com

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LCS MIX & MATCH SINGLES GROUP http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lcsmixandmatch/ November 3 - Group social at the famous Villa Bordeaux Spa on the Carretera near San Juan Cosalá just west of the balneario. We’ll meet at the Spa and enjoy the hot spring pools and steam room, as well as other optional spa facilities. Let’s get together under the sun and treat our bodies to healthful influences. November 17 - Meet at the popular Roberto’s Restaurant on the Carretera; enjoy cocktails from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Dinner is optional from the Continental Cuisine menu. For info call Walt Bowker: 766-5710 or waltajijic@ netzero.net.

Items Needed for Silent Auction LCS is having an event with a silent auction in February. If you have a high quality item to donate, please contact Nancy Creevan at (376) 766-5576 or via e-mail contigo2000@ yahoo.com. Any item that will garner a generous bid would be appreciated. Minimum bids will be set for each item. Proceeds from the event will go toward funding LCS' numerous community education programs, such as the LCS Scholarship Fund, English classes, Children's Art, and many more.

FILM AFICIONADOS November 3 - Thursday-12:00 Noon THE GUARD- Ireland - 2011 From County Galway, Ireland. A comedy about murder, blackmail, drug trafficking and corruption as only the Irish could do it. Brendon Gleeson is brilliant in the lead role. November 10 - Thursday- 2:00 PM WIN WIN- USA- 2011 It’s funny; it’s sad; it’s right on the money. Paul Giamatti steals the showand he might just steal an Academy Award nomination for his role in this one. November 17- Thursday- 12:00 Noon EASTERN PLAYS- Bulgaria- 2009 This is the best film ever to come out of Bulgaria. A very serious film, very well made. November 24-------No film...LCS closed for Thanksgiving. ALL FILMS SHOWN IN THE SALA...OPEN TO..LCS MEMBERS ONLY.

Green Transition in Action Presents FUEL Change Your Fuel..Change Your World - Josh Tickell's stirring, radical and multi-award winning FUEL is a powerful portrait of America's overwhelming addiction to, and reliance on, oil. Born and raised in one of the USA's richest oil producing regions, he saw first-hand how the industry controls, deceives and damages the country, its people and the environment. This film focuses on the knowledge and insight he discovered and offers hope that solutions may be within reach. Join us Monday, November 14th at 12 noon in the LCS Sala.

November Computer Basics Course (BEGINS NOVEMBER 7) Mondays and Wednesdays, 3 - 4:30 p.m., 3 weeks (6 classes). $450 pesos. Room for 5 students only. Classes in the LCS Wilkes Education Center, sign-up and get more details in the LCS office.

THE LAKE CHAPALA SOCIETY, A.C. 16 de Septiembre #16-A, Ajijic, Jalisco LCS Main Office: (376) 766-1140 Office, Information and other services open Monday – Saturday, 10 to 2. Grounds are open until 5.

LCS BOARD OF DIRECTORS President - Howard Feldstein (2012); Vice-President - Fred Harland (2013) Treasurer - Paula Haarvei (2013); Secretary - Lynn Bishop (2012) Director - Lois Cugini (2013); Director - Aurora Michel Galindo (2013); Director - Cate Howell (2013) Director - Tod Jonson (2012); Director - Wallace Mills (2013); Director - Mary Alice Sargent (2012) Director - Sharon Smith (2012); Director - Ben White (2013); Director - Karen Blue (2012) Executive Director - Terry Vidal ◊ THE LCS NEWSLETTER IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY. ◊ DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS THE 17TH OF THE MONTH PRECEDING PUBLICATION. ◊ NEWS ITEMS CAN BE EMAILED TO REBA MAYO AT REBAELIZABETHHILL@YAHOO.COM ◊ NOTE: THE EDITORIAL STAFF RESERVES THE RIGHT TO COMPLETE EDITING PRIVILEGES. ARTICLES AND/OR CALENDAR OF EVENTS WILL BE INCLUDED ACCORDING TO TIME, SPACE AVAILABILITY AND EDITORIAL DECISION.

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

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Service

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

www.tel.chapala.com

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

* ADVERTISING - EL OJO DEL LAGO Tel. 765-3676

* ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS - ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS Tel: 766-5961

Pag: 85

* ANIMAL CLINICS/PET SHOP - DEE’S PET CARE Tel: 762-1646 - PET FOOD AND GROOMING Tel: 766-3062 - SALUD ANIMAL Tel: 766-1009

Pag: 79 Pag: 33 Pag: 79

* ART GALLERIES/HANDCRAFTS - DIANE PEARL COLECCIONES Tel: 766-5683 Pag: 53 - EL PALOMAR Tel: 01 (33) 3635-5247 Pag: 68 - FERIA MAESTROS DEL ARTE Tel: 765-7485 Pag: 50 - MEXIXIC- La Mancha Pag: 58 - SOL MEXICANO Tel: 766-0734 Pag: 20 - THE AJIJIC ART HOUSE Tel: 765-5097 Pag: 24, 26, 66, 72

Pag: 19

Pag: 59

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

Pag: 15 Pag: 03 Pag: 13, 78 Pag: 53

* ELECTRICAL SERVICES - DIELEP Tel: (33) 3122-2311

* CASINO - FOLIATTI CASINO

Pag: 73

* ELEVATORS Pag: 86 - CUSTOM MADE HOME ELEVATORS Tel: 333-559-0444

* CEILING FANS

* FISH MARKET - SUPER PESCADERIA PACIFICO Tel: 766-2203

Pag: 50 Pag: 29 Pag: 23

Pag: 70

Pag: 63 Pag: 33 Pag: 26 Pag: 15

Pag: 75 Pag: 15 Pag: 27 Pag: 25

* BEER & LIQUOR STORES Pag: 37

- CURVES Tel: 766-1924 - ZONA FITNESS GYM Cell. 33-1094-6637 - STAND BIKE Cell: (045) 33-3814-5913

Pag: 31

Pag: 12

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

Pag: 31 Pag: 35 Pag: 33

- CRISANTEMO ROJO Tel: 766-4030

Pag: 35

* FURNITURE Pag: 11 Pag: 63

- ALAMBRADOS PEREGRINA Cell: 33-3808-2674 Pag: 77 - ARELLANO Tel: 766-4696 Pag: 44, 45 - ARQUITECTO JUAN JOSÉ ARRAIGA Cell: (045) 33 -3270-9072 Pag: 71 - CABO DO MUNDO- INTERIOR DESIGN Tel: 766-0026 Pag: 27 - CONSTRUCTION & REMODELING Tel: 766-3626 Pag: 11 - DIELEP Tel: (33) 3122-2311 Pag: 73 - EDIFIK ARQUITECTOS Tel: (045) 33-1431-2687 Pag: 51 - PINTURAS FMC Tel: 766-3596 Pag: 68 - JP HOMESERVICES Tel: 766-1569 Pag: 49 - WARWICK CONSTRUCTION Tel: 765-2224 Cell. (045) 331-135-0763 Pag: 09

- AJIJIC DENTAL

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

Pag: 80

* HOME APPLIANCES - ELECTROVENTA Tel: 765-2222 - KITCHEN AID Tel: 01 (33) 3610-1474

Pag: 33 Pag: 35

* HOTELS / SUITES - ADOBE WALLS INN Tel: 766-1296 - BALNEARIO SAN JUAN COSALA Tel: 01-387-761-0222 - DOLPHIN COVE INN Tel: 314-334-1515 - HOTEL LA CASONA Tel: 01-800-700-8877 - HOTEL LA ESTANCIA Tel: 766-0717 - HOTELITO ESCONDIDO Tel: 01 33-3719-2395 - LA NUEVA POSADA Tel: 766-1444, Fax: 766-2049 - LOS CUATRO VIENTOS Tel. 322-222-0161 - QUINTA DON JOSE Tel: 01-800-700-2223 - VILLAS DEL SOL Tel: 766-1152 - VILLA SAN FRANCISCO

Pag: 20 Pag: 57 Pag: 78 Pag: 51 Pag: 71 Pag: 65 Pag: 03 Pag: 70 Pag: 32 Pag: 80 Pag: 25

- DEL CORAZÓN DE LA TIERRA Tel: 33-3657-5682 Pag: 39 - SOFA-COMPANY.COM Cell: 331-576-6974 Pag: 18 - STRESSLESS Tel: 33-3640-1283 Pag: 41 - TEMPUR, MATTRESS AND PILLOWS Tel: (52) 333-629-5919, (52) 33 3611-3049 Pag: 59

* GARDENING - GARDEN CENTER Tel. 765-5973 - L & R WATER GARDENS Tel: 766-4386

Pag: 13

- EDGAR CEDEÑO - MEXICO PROTECT Cell: (045) 33-3106-6982 - LAKECHAPALAINSURANCE.COM -O&A Tel: 766-0152, 766-3508 - LEWIS AND LEWIS Tel: (310) 399-0800, (800) 966-6830 - PARKER INSURANCE SERVICES Cell: (33) 3809-7116 - PROTEXPLAN U.S. Toll Free 1-800-608-5743 Mexico Toll Free 01-800-681-6730 - RACHEL’S INSURANCE Tel/Fax 765-4316

Pag: 16 Pag: 60 Pag: 23 Pag: 62 Pag: 65

Pag: 66 Pag: 56

* INTERIOR DESIGN - ELEMENTS Tel: 766-5826 - TENERIFE CENTER Tel: 33-3640-1283 - SOFA-COMPANY.COM Cell: 331-576-6974

Pag: 23 Pag: 41 Pag: 18

- REGIS LAVANDERIAS Y TINTORERIAS Cell: (045) 33-1603-0345 Pag: 57

LEGAL SERVICES

Pag: 17

* HARDWARE STORES - FERRETERIA Y TLAPALERIA GALVEZ Tel: 766-0880, Fax: 766-2440 Pag: 74

* HEALTH - SAVIA Tel: 766-0087

Pag: 67

LAUNDRY Pag: 73

* GRILLS - NAPOLEON Tel: 766-6153

- PALETAS MANHATTAN

* INSURANCE

* FLOWER SHOP

* COMPUTING SERVICES

* DENTISTS

Pag: 49

* FITNESS

* CONSTRUCTION Pag: 36

766-1760 765-4444 766-5555

* ICE CREAM

* FINANCIAL

* COMMUNICATIONS

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

Pag: 43

066 765-2308, 765-2553 766-3615

Pag: 36

* CLEANING SERVICE

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

Pag: 66

Pag: 06

Pag: 25

* BED & BREAKFAST

- SANDI Tel: 01 (33) 3121-0863

- ORIENTAL RUGS CLEANING Tel: 3625 8456 Pag: 79 - PROFESSIONAL WINDOW WASHING Tel: 765-4507 Pag: 54

* BEAUTY

- 4 COPAS TEQUILA Tel. (33) 3647-3396

* BOOKSTORE

- PROFESSIONAL TRADER

* BAKERY

- CASA DE LAS FLORES Tel: 766-5493 - CASA DEL SOL Tel: 766-0050 - CASA TRES LEONES Cell: (045) 331-350-6764 - VILLA SAN FRANCISCO

Pag: 27

- DR. VICTOR J. YOUCHA Tel: 766-1973

* BANK INVESTMENT

- AFRODITA Tel: 766-6187 - GLORIOSA SALON Tel: 766-3372 - JAMES DON SALON Tel: 01 (387) 763 1933 - NEW LOOK STUDIO Tel: 766-6000 - PERMANENT EYE LINER Tel: 765-3502

- HUNTER DOUGLAS Tel: 766-0026

Tel: 766-3682 Pag: 13 - C.D. MARÍA LUISA LUIS VILLA Tel/Fax: 766-2428 Pag: 09 - C.D. SANDRA ANAYA MORA Tel: 765-3502, 765-5444 Pag: 15 - CENTRO DENTAL Tel: 766-2911 Pag: 65 - DENTAL EXPRESS Cell: (045) 331-121-6518 Pag: 57, 69 - DENTAL HEALTH ONE Tel: 1060-826 Pag: 32 - DR. ALBERTO DON OLIVERA Tels: 765-4838, 765-4805 Pag: 10 - DR. FRANCISCO CONTRERAS Tel: 765-5757 Pag: 16 - DRA. ANGELICA ALDANA LEMA DDS Tel: 765-5364 Pag: 55 - HÉCTOR HARO DDS Tel: 01 (33) 3848-5551 Pag: 14 - MB AJIJIC Tel: 766 5050 Pag: 34

Pag: 11

- AUTOMATIC GARAGE DOOR OPENERS Tel: 766-4973 Pag: 60

- BRENDA’S BAKERY BOUTIQUE Tel: 765-2987

* BLINDS AND CURTAINS

* CHIROPRACTIC

* AUTOMATIC DOORS

- ACTINVER Tel. 766-3110 - INTERCAM Tel: 766-5978 - INVESTMENTS SAN-FEL Tel: 766-5484, (33) 3614-3258 - MULTIVA Tel: 766-2499 -O&A Tel: 766-4481

Pag: 66

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

* AUTOMOTIVE - LINEA PROFESIONAL Tel. 766-2555, Fax. 766-0066

Pag: 07

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

- MAGO’S OFFICE Tel: 765-3640 - LAW OFFICES Tel: (322) 222 0499

Pag: 10 Pag: 65

* MALL / PLAZA - CENTRO LAGUNA Tel: (376) 766-5514

Pag: 87

* MEAT/POULTRY/CHEESE Pag: 54

- TONY’S Tel: 766-1614, 766-4069

Pag: 12

- 293 MEDICAL CENTER Tel: 765-7777 Pag: 55 - BERNARDO LANCASTER JONES MD Tel: (33) 3813-2090 Pag: 55 - DERMATOLOGIST Tel: 766-1198, 765-2400 Pag: 58 - DERMIKA Dermatologic Center Tel: 766-2500 Pag: 32 - DR. ALFREDO CAMPOY DÍAZ-Interventionist Cardiologist Tel: 765-7777 Pag: 55 - DRA. MARTHA R. BALLESTEROS FRANCO Cell: (045) 333-408-0951 Pag: 17 - ENDOSCOPY ASSOCIATES Tel: 766-5851 Pag: 20 - HOSPITAL ANGELES DEL CARMEN Tel: (01) 3813-0042 Pag: 08 - INTERNAL MEDICINE SPECIALIST & GERIATRICS Dr. J. Manuel Cordova Tel: 766-2777 Pag: 66 - ISILAB Tel: 766-1164 Pag: 56 - PINTO OPTICAS Tel: 765-7793 Pag: 12 - PLASTIC SURGERY-Dr. Benjamin Villaran Tel: 766-5513 Pag: 61 - PLASTIC SURGERY-Sergio Aguila M.D. Tel: 766-2500 Pag: 22 - PLAZA MONTAÑA HEALTH & BEAUTY CENTER Tel: 766-5513 Pag: 61 - RED CROSS Tel: 765-2308 - VIDA ALARMS Tel: 766-3500 Pag: 61

Cell: (045) 33-3841-8867 Pag: 24 - COLDWELL BANKER CHAPALA REALTY Tel: 766-1152, 766-3369 Fax: 766-2124, Tels: 765-2877 Fax: 765-3528 Pag: 88 - DOTTIE SLAIMAN Tel: 765-2326 Pag: 63 - EL DORADO Tel: 766-0040 Pag: 02 - FOR SALE BY OWNER Tel: 766-5429 Pag: 22 - FOR SALE BY OWNER Cell: 33-1139-0066 Pag: 61 - FOR SALE BY OWNER Tel: (376) 766-1660 Pag: 64 - FOR SALE BY OWNER Tel: 333-955-7215 Pag: 67 - FOR SALE BY OWNER Cell: 33-1354-2075 Pag: 78 - FOR SALE BY OWNER Cell: 33-1335-2660 Pag: 70 - FOR SALE BY OWNER Tel: 01 (387) 761 0829 Pag: 73 - GEORGETTE RICHMOND Tel: 766-2129, 766-2077 Pag: 11 - JUAN JOSE GONZÁLEZ Cell. 33-1113-0690 Pag: 29 - LLOYD REAL ESTATE AJIJIC Tel: 766-3508 Pag: 23 - MEXICO PROPERTY RESOURCES Tel: (315) 351-7489 Pag: 30 - MYRON’S MEXICO Cell: 331-364-6524 Pag: 57 - PETER ST. JOHN Tel: 765-3676 Pag: 26 - RAUL GONZALEZ Cell: 33-1437-0925 Pag: 03 - TOM BARSANTI Tel: 766-0202, (045) 331-265-1062 Pag: 55

* MOVERS

* RENTALS/PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

* MEDICAL SERVICES

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

Pag: 08 Pag: 14 Pag: 56 Pag: 17

* MUSIC/THEATRE - D.J. HOWARD Tel: 766-3044 Pag: 85 - FARÍNELLI Pag: 67 - PRO-AUDITORIO - AUTUM ARTS FESTIVAL Tel: 766-5986 Pag: 22 - THE NAKED STAGE READER’S THEATRE Tel: 766-5986 Pag: 27 - VIRTUOSOS FROM HUNGARY Pag: 52

* NURSERY - SAN ANTONIO VIVERO

Pag: 37

* PERSONAL ASSISTANCE

- COLDWELLBANKER CHAPALA REALTY Tel: 766-1152, movile: (045) 33-1175-9632 Pag: 72 - FOR RENT Pag: 38 Tel: 766-4512 - HACIENDA Properties Management & Rentals Tel: 766-3320 Pag: 75 - HOMES AND APARTMENTS FOR RENT Cell: 33-1163-9686 Pag: 46 - MANZANILLO VACATION RENTALS Tel: (314) 100-6773 or (314) 125-2817 Pag: 73 - RENTAL LOCATERS Pag: 60 Tel: 766-5202 - SANTANA RENTALS Cell: 315-104-3283, Pag: 30 - VILLAS DEL SOL Tel: 766-1152 Pag: 80

Pag: 07 Pag: 21

- LAKESIDE SPAY & NEUTER CENTER, A.C. Tel: 766-3813 - LOS NIÑOS DE CHAPALA Y AJIJIC Tel: 765-7032 Pag: 59

Pag: 30

* SOLAR ENERGY Pag: 15 Pag: 71 Pag: 86 Pag: 38 Pag: 12 Pag: 79 Pag: 77

* RETIREMENT/REST/NURSING HOMES - LA CASA NOSTRA Tel: 765-4187, Fax: 765-5815 - LA VALENTINA Tel: 766-5179

Pag: 06 Pag: 27

* RIDE PARK - SPECTRA Tel: 766-3001

Pag: 31

* SATELLITES/ T.V. - AJIJIC ELECTRONICS S.A. DE C.V. Tel/Fax: 766-1117, 766-3371 - SATELLITE SERVICE Cell: 331-100-2800 - SERVICIO BELTRÁN Tel: 765-3949, 766-4586

Pag: 13 Pag: 50 Pag: 79

* SECURITY SYSTEM - DIELEP Tel: (33) 3122-2311

Pag: 73

- E2 ENERGIAS Tel: 01 (33) 3673 5499 - ESUN Tel: 766-2319

Pag: 67 Pag: 28

* SPA / MASSAGE - BALNEARIO SAN JUAN COSALA Tel: 01-387-761-0222 - CHARLIE’S MASSAGE Cell: (045) 331-044-4834 - HORUS VIRGINIA MASSAGE Cell: (045) 33-1601-5546 - HYDROPOOL Tel: 766-4030 - LA BELLA VIDA Tel: 766-5131 - NOVELLE IMAGE SPA Tel: 766-2476 - RESPIRO SPA Tel: (045) 33-3157-7790 - SPACIO ANGELICAL Tel: 766-0955 - TOTAL BODY CARE Tel: 766-3379

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* THERAPISTS - HYDROPOOL Tel: 766-4030 - PROFESSIONAL REHABILITATION Tel: 766-5563 - RESPIRO SPA Tel: (045) 33-3157-7790 - ULLOA Tel: 765-7777

Pag: 35 Pag: 17 Pag: 23 Pag: 55

* SCHOOL

* TOURS

- ACUATICA CHAPALA - SWIMMING SCHOOL Tel: 765-4060 Pag: 52 - OCTAVIO PAZ INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY Tel: 766-0903 Pag: 24 - INSTITUTO TERRANOVA Tel: 766-2401 Pag: 36

- CANADIAN CLUB OF LAKE CHAPALA Tel: 765-2547 Pag: 34 - CHARTER CLUB TOURS Tel: 766-1777 Pag: 09 - TOUR TO INDIA Pag: 69

* TREE SERVICE

* SEEDS - CEREALS - EL GRANERO

Pag: 79

- CHAPALA TREE SERVICE Tel: 762-0602

Pag: 80

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

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

Tel: 765-5719 - NUMBER FOUR Tel: 766-1360 - OASISCLOUD INTERNET CAFÉ Tel: 766-1360 - PANINO Tel: 766-3822 - SALT & PEPPER Tel: 766-1919 - SUBWAY - TAJO BURGER - TONY’S Tel: 766-1614, 766-4069 - TWO SPOONS Tel: 766-5089 - ZONNA ZERO Tel: 765-4219

Pag: 79

Pag: 80

* SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS - LAKE CHAPALA SOCIETY Tel: 766-1140

Pag: 77-80

* RESTAURANTS/CAFES/CLUBS - 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 - FARMACIA CRISTINA Tel: 766-1501 - FARMACIA EXPRESS II - FARMACIA MASKARAS Tel/Fax: 765-5827 - FARMACIA MORELOS Tel: 765-4002

Pag: 78 Pag: 68 Pag: 64 Pag: 79

* POOL MAINTENANCE - EQUIPMENT AND POOL MAINTENANCE Tel: 766-1617 Pag: 28

* REAL ESTATE - AJIJIC HOME INSPECTIONS Tel: 766-2836 Pag: 10 - ALL IN ONE REAL ESTATE SERVICE Tel: 766-1161 Pag: 05 - ARELLANO Tel: 766-4696 Pag: 44, 45 - BEV. & JEAN COFELL Home Tel. 766-5332 Office Tel. 765-3676 Pag: 58 - CHULA VISTA NORTE Tel: 766-2177

- 60’S IN PARADISE Tel: 766-4721 - AJIJIC TANGO Tel: 766-2458 - BRENDA’S BAKERY BOUTIQUE Tel: 765-2987 - CASA DEL WAFFLE Tel: 766-1946 - COFFEE & BAGELS Tel: 766-0664 - DAVID’S CAFE Tel: 766-2341 - EL JARDIN DE NINETTE Tel. 766-4905 - GO LE CLUB Cell: (045) 33-3502-6555 - HACIENDA AJIJIC’S Tel: 766-4906 - JOLANDAS Tel: 315-351-5449 - LA BODEGA DE AJIJIC Tel. 766-1002 - LA FONDA Cell: (045) 33-3831-1230 - LA PRENSA FRANCESA - LA NUEVA POSADA Tel: 766-1444, 766-2049 - LAS MICHE - LOS MOLLETES Tel: 766-4296 - LOS NOPALITOS Cell: 33-3186-7691 - LOS TELARES Tel: 766-0428 - MANIX Tel: 766-0061 - MOM´S DELI & RESTAURANT

Pag: 51 Pag: 81

The Ojo Crossword

Pag: 70 Pag: 03 Pag: 68 Pag: 80 Pag: 29 Pag: 27 Pag: 69 Pag: 49 Pag: 73 Pag: 53 Pag: 75 Pag: 03 Pag: 17 Pag: 54 Pag: 50 Pag: 54 Pag: 30

Saw you in the Ojo 83

CARS FOR SALE: 1999 Toyota Camry, great Ajijic low maintenance car. Very well maintained, sand color, auto-windows & locks, power steering, milage-123,360, 9 months of insurance, $4,600 USD/CAN, nego ate, call a er 9:30 am/ 766-3001 FOR SALE: Trailblazer LTZ 2002, 6 cylinder 4.2l automa c 4x4 with a vortex motor, has gray leather interior, sun roof DVD and CD player with mp3, is in excellent condi on. $120,000.00 Call: Maria at 333-458-3717 WANTED: Looking to rent a car in good shape for approximately 4 months from January to April. Please email John at jrmacdonell@hotmail.com, Any year and model as long as it is in good condi on. Contact: Janis Johnson FOR SALE: Chrysler Sebring 1996, Excellent Conver ble. Imported, Mexican plates, 6 cylinders, motor 2.5 gives 12Km/lt same as a 4 cylinder, new res, new shock, magnesium rims, $35,000 pesos. For appointment. Cell: 331113-6192 WANTED: Mexican plated car, 2000 to 2003, I’m looking for a well maintained 4 door car. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just reliable. I can have a friend come look at it prior to my arrival at Lakeside on Nov 1st. $4,000 USD. Contact: Kathy Mackenzie FOR SALE: Chuck wagon by Honda from USA. Asking $4,200 USD. Larger than golf cart or smart car, has roll bars and dump truck style back end. Moving back to US. Call a er 9:30 a.m. 766-6051 FOR SALE: 1999 Jeep Wrangler, Great car for Ajijic and take of the top for sunny season. Mexican plated. Would trade for Honda Accord or SUV or Nissan SUV. $93,000 pesos. Call: (376) 766-3052 FOR SALE: 2003 Chrysler, PT Cruiser, 4 door. Excellent condi on. Mileage 47,300, $6,000 USD. e-mail: il3queen@yahoo.com FOR SALE: CRV 2003 $8,250 USD O.B.O. Leaving Mexico, must sell well maintained CRV, perfect for Ajijic streets and topes! Roof rack, cruise control, nted windows, rain visors, USA plates. Photos at www.RtkEnterprise.com/Auto. Contact: Mark Villeneuve FOR SALE: Willing to trade 1999 Chevy van and 6X12 enclosed trailer. California Title. 42000 original miles for a Jeep or Jeep type vehicle or small SUV. Contact: Michael Hodge.

COMPUTERS FOR SALE: Like new. Performs perfectly. Beau ful color. Excellent condi on. Mul funcon printer, fax, copier, scanner. Price $300 USD. Four extra toners in original boxes; cost $200+. Call: Richard Yanko (376) 766-2304 FOR SALE: New black ink cartridge, open by mistake. HP C6602A $100 pesos Call Iliana at 765-3676 FOR SALE: Magicjack allows you to make unlimited calls to the United States, Canada and many other countries for one year. Renewals are $19.95us a year for as long as long as you own the magicjack. $600 pesos. Call: (376) 765-2326

PETS & SUPPLIES FOR SALE: Deluxe dog bed for small breed. Interior dimensions 24”x18”x6”. Exterior dimensions 26x20x81/2. Suit dog up to about 22 pounds. Price $250 pesos. Call: (376) 766-1390 FOR SALE: Pug female for pug lover. Purebred female PUG plus dog carrier. $2,000 pesos. Contact: Barbara FREE TO GOOD HOME: Moving from mx., and due to circumstances, can’t take precious cat. Neutered male, front declawed, shots up to date. inside/outside cat, Also a good hunter.

Someone please give him a nice home. Call: (376) 766-6051 FOR SALE: Pet mate dog kennel. Our dog has outgrown it. Bought at Animal Shelter Store approx. 5 months ago. Dimensions: 65cm(24”) deep; 55cm(21”) high; 40cm(16”) wide. $900 pesos OBO. Call: (387) 761-0094 FOR SALE: Adorable female black and white Shih Tzu puppy, nine weeks. Registered with ACA. Father is AKC. Mother ACA. She has had her shots and is wormed. $450 USD. Call: (376) 763-5301 FOR SALE: Miniature Schnauzer. Lovingly home raised, with all their shots, de-wormed, and with docked tails now interviewing for their forever-homes with endearing, loving families. $2,500 pesos. Call: (376) 765-3305

GENERAL MERCHANDISE FOR SALE: A love seat and a chair with 3 cushions. Love seat was upholstered a year ago. Both in good condi on. $ 2,000 pesos or best oﬀer. Please call Charles on 765-7010 FOR SALE: STAR CHOICE DSR209 Satellite Receiver complete with remote control (bonus: extra remote control included). In excellent condi on. 1200 pesos. Contact: A T FOR SALE: Two metal pa o side tables with glass top. Green metal frames, 16 inches by 16 inches on top -18 inches high. Perfect to set your drinks on beside your chair. $250 pesos each. Call: (376) 766-2850 FOR SALE: Cra sman 22 inch Electric Hedge Trimmer Great for Bougainvilla, $375 pesos. Call: (376) 766 3503 FOR SALE: Unusual Round Clear Glass Vase - Unusual Neck, 16 inches Diameter x 12inches High $350 pesos. Call: (376) 766 3503 FOR SALE: Several Crockery Jugs - Some Marked- Some Unmarked, Cream with Brown Tops - Some plain Cream Color, $70 pesos each Call: (376) 766 3503 FOR SALE: Queen Size comforter, spotless, in new condi on, 650 pesos. Also have sage green/beige duvet cover with two pillow shams. $300 pesos. Contact: Pat Apt WANTED: I would like to find a 30” stove in very good condi on. Black or almond preferred, or a combina on of the two. IEM or Mabe. Reasonable, please. Contact: Pat Apt FOR SALE: Two Motorolla Star Choice DSR207 receivers with remote control and connec ng cable. $750 pesos each. Call: (376) 7662850 FOR SALE: 28 Volumes of Na onal Geographic – Hard Bound, Parklands, Canyons, Rivers, Wilderness, Seashore, Mountains, Valleys, Northwest, Blue Horizons, Wildlife, Scenic Highways, Canada’s Wilderness, Carribean, ect. Great Photography - Series $1,400 pesos or buy Separately. Contact: John FOR SALE: Holllister Urostomy Pouches # 8483. Have 32 pouches for sale at $100 pesos each. Also Bard center entry closed system urinary drainage bag at $50 pesos. Never used!! Contact: Darlene Lockey FOR SALE: Pair Cast Iron Andirons Need Sandpapering/Paint An que $150 pesos. Call: (376) 766 3503 FOR SALE: Brand New Pineapple Design Brass Door Knocker $300 pesos, Brown Boots Hardly Worn US Size 7-7½, Mexico 5.5 - 6 450. pesos, Bamboo Chair $400 pesos. Call: (376) 766 3503 FOR SALE: New Allied Brand Professional Dial Click Torque Wrench 150 /lbs Cost New $190U.S.D. now $650 pesos. Call: (376) 766 3503 FOR SALE: Oster Electric Skillet Model 3001 - Like New 12” x 15” Non-S ck Glass Cover 4.19

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

quarts/3.97 liters $425 pesos. Call: (376) 766 3503 FOR SALE: An que Japanese Porcelain for Sale: An que Japanese Imari, An que Japanese Kutani, Rare Cobalt Blue Kutani and Rose, Medallion. Most all items are in excellent condi on. Call John (376) 766 3503 FOR SALE: Excellent 8 cu freezer for smaller area. Runs quietly. $1800 pesos. Contact: Donald Chaloner FOR SALE: VCR Sanyo with remote 200.p, Tapes for VCR use, over 100 to choose from, good condi on, 6(six) for 50P. Also DVD movies, good quality 5 for 30.p Tapes and DVD´s not sold individually. Call 01 (387) 763 2962 FOR SALE: GE Profile Black 21.6 Refer/ Freezer 4900p. or best offer. Excellent Condion. Please email me if interested and I will send pictures. gary0131@yahoo.com, (376) 765-7196 FOR SALE: Wood Dining Chairs. Beau ful, tradi onal/Country style solid wood chairs with woven seats, unfinished & ready for paint to custom match your se ng. Sturdy & sound. $600p set of 4. Contact: Sherry Hudson FOR SALE: Computer desk for desk top. 3 shelves plus sec on for tower. Wooden desk 36 inches wide, 21 inches deep, 30 inches high. $500 pesos. Call: (376) 766-2850 FOR SALE: 4 wooden high backed kitchen chairs with ra an seats in great shape. $1200 pesos. Call: (376) 766-2850 FOR SALE: Wooden coffee table with drawer. 20 inch by 38 inch table - an quely design. $900 pesos. Call: (376) 766-2850 FOR SALE: Coffee table with glass top. Wrought iron legs, cream coloured 27inches by 39 inches. $1250 pesos. Call: (376) 766-2850 WANTED: Want to buy down comforter. Any size. $50 USD max. Contact: Patricia Hemingway FOR SALE: I have room on my Star Choice account. $400 pesos. Call: (376) 766-2850 FOR SALE: George Foreman Lean Mean Grilling Machine 14 inch by 6 inch grilling area. White, electric, barely used. $750 pesos. Call: (376) 766-2850 FOR SALE: 5 drawer file cabinet in good condi on. $75 US o.b.o. Too big for us - we need a smaller one. Call: Joan at 106-0904. WANTED: 2 drawer file cabinet wanted (used) in good condi on. Call: Joan at 106-0904. FOR SALE: Heavy pine with mul -coloured striped material. Chair, loveseat and 3-seater couch suitable for living room or veranda. Mexican made. Good condi on. $3000 pesos o.b.o.. Cal: Joan at 106-0904. FOR SALE: Matrimonial,Memory foam Hybrid Ma ress topper. Never been used. Luxurious washable cover included, $850 pesos Call: (376) 766-4358 FOR SALE: Bell & Howell Slide Projector. Perfect for viewing slides either on a 1 sq foot built in screen, or project on a movie screen\ Wall. Great for ar sts. Call: (376) 766-4358 FOR SALE: Beau ful large white dresser and two matching bedside tables. The dresser has a mirror with a door that opens and has shelves inside. Great for make-up. Only $4000 pesos call 331 529 0207 FOR SALE: Nice white TV stand, has shelf for Dvd player and two door at the bo om that hides another shelf. 900 pesos Call 331 5290207 FOR SALE: Sears large cargo carrier plus roof top racks. Used twice. $2250 pesos Call 331 5290207 FOR SALE: EASY brand white electric washer and dryer. Very good condi on. Only $9000 pesos. Call 331-5290207 FOR SALE: Star Choice System. Excellent condi on $300 USD. Contact: Johnny Sampey

FOR SALE: Two water pumps, 1HP, $500 pesos each. Can seen Mondays 10-12 at Los Olivos #8B, or email: propertymanag ementajijic@ gmail.com, Cell: 333-196-1476 FOR SALE: Kindle Reader By Amazon Purchased in US. Brand new. Never been used. Original sales receipt available. Deluxe Leather cover with reading light. $216.18 USD call: (376) 766-2304 FOR SALE: 18K Unusual Italian rope chain set, diamond cut, necklace and bracelet, width reduces in size from about 8mm to 3mm. Price will change according to gold price at me of sale. Contact: Mitchell Perey FOR SALE: Stero Sony - deluxe, never used, 18 speakers,, perfect for distributed sound indoors and out. New over 10,000 pesos; Sell for 4,000 peso or best offer. Call Dan: 766-2464 BEST OFFER FOR: Like new ht tub worth over $7,000. Used very li le, 110v or 220 volts. 5x7 f. always kept under cover. Dan – (376) 7662464 FOR SALE: Vacume cleaner, canister, L:G: Turbo, includes all a atchments. $250 pesos. Call 01 (387) 763 2962 FOR SALE: An que Mirror, Carved wood, leaf design, ornate, original purchase Barbara´s Bzr, 37.5”H x 35.5”W, impressive $1200 pesos Vases 2 matching crystal, 15” tall, perfect for your holiday tables. $100 pesos each. Call 01 (387) 763 2962 FOR SALE: Chest of Drawers, 4 drawers with metal pulls, stained dark wood, 39.5”H x 35.5” W x 17” Deep. $800 pesos Call 01 (387) 763 2962 FOR SALE: Room Divider, 3 panel sec ons, interes ng design of crossed palm wood and reed, 71”H x 20”W of each panel, natural but easily stained or painted. $750.pesos. Call 01 (387) 763 2962 FOR SALE: Table Dining, round 47” diameter, solid construc on, includes 4 matching chairs with woven seats, painted an que white, $2200 pesos. Call 01 (387) 763 2962 FOR SALE: Table, Metal with glass top. Long 66” x 17.5”w x 31.5”H, use indoor or out, great for buffet. $850 pesos 01 (387) 763 2962 FOR SALE: Sofa/ Sleeper queen size Serta ma ress, includes 2 slipcovers fron Sure Fit, colors Sage and Natural, duck co on. $1500 pesos. Call 01 (387) 763 2962 FOR SALE: Lounge Chairs, 2 matching white, durable plas c from US, includes 1 cushion, blue and white (cost co) $900 pesos. Call 01 (387) 763 2962 FOR SALE: 2 Diamondback Wildwood 21-speed mountain bikes. 16-inch woman’s; 18-inch man’s. Like-new condi on, rarely used. $200 USD each or both for $375 USD. Helmet(s) included. Professional Treadmill $50 USD. Call 376-763-5187 or peteneri@gmail.com FOR SALE: Pride Legend Elite Traveler 3 wheel mobility scooter. $500 OBO. Contact: Pamela Javazon FOR SALE: Mens Golf Club Set. Great starter set of right handed clubs $1,800 pesos. Call: (376) 765-6161 FOR SALE: This on-demand water heater is as good as new. Kruger, model 2316, 16 liters per minute Do NOT install this in combina on with a solar warm water heater. $5,800 pesos. Call: (376) 766-4154 FOR SALE: Pain ng by Lester Russon 19251988, Pain ng acrylic of a nude female in dancing posi on surrounded by bright abstract colors $3,700 USD. Call: Paul at (376) 765-6791 or 331396-0615 FOR SALE: Persian rugs, excellent condi on bought at Bloomingdales in the US, Sell one or both for Best Offer. 49”X92”= $2600 USD,

52”X92”= $3560 USD Call: Paul at (376) 7656791 or 33-1396-0615 FOR SALE: HONDA PILOT CARGO TRAY Like new. Fits all Honda Pilots from 2003 to 2008. $500 pesos. Call: (376) 763-5401 FOR SALE: 2 Ver cal Blinds 104 in. X 84. Blinds are co ag White. One is new, s ll in box. Other slightly used. $900.00 and $850.00 Pesos. Call: 01-(387)763-0908 FOR SALE: 110 volt electric soldering iron $200 pesos. Please contact owner at lindarose51@hotmail.com FOR SALE: T.V. Daewoo, 13”, color, $500 pesos, wall mount available, for sale with the TV $750 pesos or alone $300 pesos. Call: 01 (387) 763-2962 FOR SALE: Hall or side Table, glass topped with wrought iron base, 52”L x 32”H x 13”W asking $1100.pesos. Nightstands, 2 matching oak, 2 drawers, made in USA, 22”H x 2 H x 18”deep, $950.pesos for the set. Call: 01 (387) 763-2962 FOR SALE: Wheelchair, light weight, collapsible, easy to use for transport of pa ent, $1050. pesos. Walker with wheels and seat, storage under seat, adjustable height, handbrakes, excellent condi on, $1200.pesos. Call 01 (387) 763 2962 FOR SALE: Dining Suite for 6 people. 2 extra wide arm chairs and 4 side chairs. All chairs have camel corduroy cushions. Asking $15,000 pesos. Call Marty at 766-5174 to view. FOR SALE: Kenmore Elite Convec on Technology Speedcook Oven. Model 363.63673201. Capable of Microwave Cooking, Convec on Baking or Combina on Baking. Excellent working condi on, have manual in PDF format can email to you. $3,000 pesos. Call: (376)766-5686 FOR SALE: Custom Bar Cabinet, space for 30 wine bo les, the middle sec on is the bar - all mirrored with a drop down door, the top secon is for displaying glasses, has glass all around and 2 shelves. Asking $4000 pesos. Call: (376) 766-4636. FOR SALE: Beau ful Lounge Chair - newly upholstered - excellent quality – clean. $1,500 pesos. Call: (376) 766-0789 WANTED: Share my Mailboxes, Inc. box. SAVE $$$$ Year Contract your share $200 USD/ year (equiv. of $17/month). Call Adolf at (376) 765-3796. FOR SALE: 4 cameras with 60 feet cabling each, infrared, see up to 60 feet in total darkness, cables to connect and record to your computer and see all 4 at once. $2,500 pesos Call: (376)765-7553 FOR SALE: Beau ful Baby Grand Piano. Excellent condi on, black lacquer, with bench, Kohler & Campbell, hardly used, purchased in U.S. $5,900.00 USD. Contact: Martha Real FOR SALE: S ll in box, never used. Poland Pro chain saw, extra chain included. $250 USD. Please call a er 9:30 a.m. at (376) 766-6051 FOR SALE: Two Very Nice, Lightly Used Acous cal Guitars from US. Name Brands, One is an ova on. Excellent condi on. Includes case, stands & straps. $595.00 USD for both, or $300 each. Call Jerry at (376)766-6051 FOR SALE: Great camcorder in excellent condi on. Hitachi model DZ-MV780A. Includes case, 2 pkgs DVDs ba ery/charger. All in excellent condi on. Check it out here- h p://www. amazon.com/Hitachi-DZ-MV780A-1-3MP-Camcorder-Op cal/dp/B0007XGA36, $1,500 pesos. Call: (376)766-1756 FOR SALE: Crystal glasses, Empire Gold, 4 of each water, wine, hi-ball and aper f, all gold rimmed, set for $3000 pesos. Assorted baking sheets and pans from cookies to roasts, priced individually. Call 01 387 763 2962 FOR SALE: Over the toilet storage unit, 3 shelves, metal and plas c construc on, $150 pesos. Christmas decora on, ornaments, ar ficial tree 6 tall with stand $500 pesos. Call 01 387 763 2962 FOR SALE: Wall mount CD holder, black metal holds 40 CD´s, $50.pesos, CD holder floor stand, 1 meter height, aluminum, holds 50 cd´s,$100.pesos. Call 01 (387) 763 2962 FOR SALE: Only 1 rd old, 1100 litre black naco with stand, excellent condi on, Can arrange delivery & installa on by my trusted contractor for good price. Check prices & compare-

this is a steal. $1200 pesos. Contact: Sherry Hudson FOR SALE: Bar-serving caddy cart, white heavy duty plas c with wheels, 2 levels, push handle $500.pesos. FirePit, custom made, steel 22”x22”, 4 x4 table top led, seats 8, great for entertaining on a cold nite, $1500.pesos, Fountain with pump, pedestal style, decora ve needs paint, $100.pesos. Call 01 (387) 763-2962 FOR SALE: Cold water dispenser, Kelvinator electric, holds large bo le, $500 pesos. Call 01 (387) 763-2962 FOR SALE: Chafing dish, brass and copper, 10”, wood handle, lid and base. $250 pesos. Call 01 (387) 763-2962 FOR SALE: Ver cal CD Player MP3 ready for USB connec on Digital Clock illuminated Modern styling counter top or wall mount out of box once $1,000 pesos Call: (376) 766-4474 FOR SALE: Arbor 4 string elec base w/strap & carrying bag. $1,500 pesos. Samick AG-10 26w guitar amp & amp cord. $700 pesos (IF sold seperately). Contact: Jeﬀ Gillihan FOR SALE: Many, large and small plants in wonderful Mexican po ery. From $50 pesos to $1,300 pesos Call: (376) 765-7648 or email: il3queen@yahoo.com FOR SALE: 1983 Correct Cra , 18’ 9” (5.72 m), “Air Nau que”. Customized, restored, and fully na onalized, $85,000 pesos. Contact: C. Hunter @ (376) 766-1718 FOR SALE: Mexican Po ery Lamp. Base is vase shaped. Shade is po ery too with decorave cutouts through which the light shines. Terraco a color. $15USD/190 pesos. Please reply to ccalfapietra@hotmail.com FOR SALE: Three Piece Living Room or Veranda Set. Occasional chair, love seat, sofa. Mexican made, Victorian style. Upholstered in burnt orange. $150 USD/$1,300 pesos. Please reply to ccalfapietra@hotmail.com. FOR SALE: Harley Davidson touch lamp, new in box $400 pesos. No email, Please Call Lee Borden at 333-496-5883 FOR SALE: Bar Style Table. Round 30” diameter laminated top on 42” high metal pedestal base. Includes 3 tall, wooden, swivels stools w/ back rests and brass foot rails. Excellent condion, $3,500 pesos. No email, Please Call Lee Borden at 333-496-5883

COLLECTIBLES FOR SALE: Lot includes mantel clocks from American and Europe USA wall clocks and grandfather German clock, Italian marble and bronze copy clock called Imperium with two candelabrums XVIII Century Call: (376)765-5190 or Cell:33-1331-9226 WANTED: Those who have items related to the brand of Whiskey Jack Daniel’s If you have things you want to give away or sell. Contact: Jorge Del Arenal FOR SALE: Incredible collec on of 750 different Mexican stamps, all pictorial, all mint and never hinged, only $200 USD. Call James Tipton, (376) 765-7689.

Saw you in the Ojo 85

El Ojo del Lago / November 2011

Saw you in the Ojo 87