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El Ojo del Lago / August 2013
Saw you in the Ojo
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PUBLISHER Richard Tingen
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alejandro Grattan-DomĂnguez Tel: (01376) 765 3676, 765 2877 Fax: (01376) 765 3528 Associate Publisher David Tingen Graphic Design Roberto C. Rojas Sandra Hernandez Special Events Editor Kay Davis Associate Editor Jim Tipton Contributing Editor Mark Sconce Drama Critic Michael Warren Art Critic Rob Mohr Roving Correspondent Dr. Lorin Swinehart Sales Managers Omar Medina Bruce Fraser 2IÂżFH 6HFUHWDU\ Rocio Madrigal ADVERTISING OFFICE Av. Hidalgo # 223, Chapala Mon. thru Fri. 9am - 5pm Sat. 9am - 1pm Tel. 01 (376) 765 2877, 765 3676 Fax 01 (376) 765 3528 Send all correspondence, subscriptions or advertising to: El Ojo del Lago http://www.chapala.com ojodellago@prodigy.net.mx Ave. Hidalgo 223 (or Apartado 279), 45900 Chapala, Jalisco Tels.: (376) 765 3676, Fax 765 3528 PRINTING: El Debate El Ojo del Lago aparece los primeros cinco dĂas de cada mes. (Distributed over WKH ÂżUVW ÂżYH GD\V RI HDFK PRQWK) &HUWLÂżFDGR GH /LFLWXG GH 7tWXOR &HUWLÂżFDGR GH /LFLWXG GH &RQWHQLGR
Index...
FEATURE ARTICLES
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COVER STORY
(G 7DVFD UHPHPEHUV KLV ÂżUVW WULS LQWR *XDGDODMDUD DQG KRZ IRU hours after his return to Lakeside, he was nearly comatose. Luckily, he would eventually recover his fabled sense of humor.
8 &RYHU E\ Dani Newcomb
12 FICTION
&2/8016 7+,6 0217+
Margaret Van Every writes about a little Mexican girl from a privileged background who follows her heart instead of the proscribed social behavior.
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Editor’s Page
16 CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
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Dear Portia
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Child of Month
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Uncommon Sense
Tony Passarello believes that there are few contrasts between Mexico and the U.S. more striking than how each views and treats its senior citizens.
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/LVD -RUJHQVHQ SURÂżOHV ;LOO )HVVHQden, a woman long regarded a Lakeside icon. Few people have contributed more to our cultural life. (Full Disclosure: Xill has also provided the Ojo with many of its best covers.)
24 MEXICAN MYTH Maggie Van Ostrand’s story could take place in any small village in the world, but the mix of wisdom, whimsy and compassion mark it as “Mexican story.�
34 BOOK REVIEW Mel Goldberg reviews Lakeside resident David Bryen’s compelling book, Riding Off the Edge of the Map, and ¿QGV LW PXFK PRUH WKDQ MXVW D WKULOOLQJ adventure story.
20 Anita’s Animals 26 Profiling Tepehua 30 Lakeside Living
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38 Welcome to Mexico 40 Bridge by Lake 42 Joyful Musings
36 FICTION Jim Rambo weaves a touching tale about an unforgettable little French Poodle that lacked size but had far more than its share of courage.
Reserva al TĂtulo de Derechos de Autor 04-2011-103110024300-102 Control 14301. Permisos otorgados por la SecretarĂa de GobernaciĂłn (EXP. 1/432 “88â€?/5651 de 2 de junio de 1993) y SEP (Reserva 171.94 control 14301) del 15 de enero de 1994. DistribuciĂłn: Hidalgo 223 Chapala, Jalisco, MĂŠxico. All contents are fully protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without the written consent of El Ojo del Lago. Opinions expressed E\ WKH DXWKRUV GR QRW QHFHVVDULO\ UHĂ€HFW WKH views of the Publisher or the Editor, nor are we responsible for the claims made by our advertisers. We welcome letters, which should include name, address and telephone number.
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COVER STORY
z DIRECTORY z
LAKESIDE LIVING
VOLUME 29 NUMBER 12
El Ojo del Lago / August 2013
49 LCS Newsletter
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Saw you in the Ojo
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Editor’s Page *XHVW (GLWRULDO E\ )UHG 0LWWDJ
“The Mariachi Kid”
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resident Kennedy gave his civil rights speech 50 years ago in what the New York Times calls “Kennedy’s finest moment.” It was the beginning of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, signed by his successor, Lyndon Johnson. Racism is no longer the evil of “whites only” signs, but it’s still pervasive. Racism impels every back-biting attack against President Obama, including Rush Limbaugh playing “Barack, the Magic Negro” on air, to the tune of “Puff the Magic Dragon.” Racism inspires the “birthers” who doggedly want Kenya to be Obama’s birthplace. And racism motivated Congressman Joe Wilson (R-South Carolina) when he yelled, “You lie!” as the president delivered a major address before Congress. In Wilson’s case, it was double racism, because the president had just stated that health care reform would not mandate coverage for undocumented immigrants. Wilson’s insult was aimed at both Obama and Mexicans. I had a favorite teacher whose name was Ernesto Márquez. He taught me a lesson in the 50’s outside of class that had nothing to do with music. He was from Laredo, Texas and as a teenager had saved some nickels and dimes to impress his girlfriend with a hamburger. He took her into a Laredo cafe and the manager told them to get out, because “We don’t serve Mexicans here.” Mr. Márqez said, “You don’t know how that feels until it happens to you.” He was my hero, so I almost felt like it had happened to me. He told me this story at the height of racial segregation in the South and he was trying to teach me that it was wrong. He succeeded, years before the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Racism seems even more obscene when it targets children. But that’s what happened to Ernesto Márquez. And all these years later it still happened to Sebastien de la Cruz after he substituted at the last minute to sing the national anthem at game three of the NBA Finals. He is a boy soprano eleven years old and has a powerful and beautiful voice. He enthused the crowd, but a torrent of nasty Tweets
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followed. This one was typical: “This kid is Mexican. Why is he singing the national anthem? You’re not American. Go home.” Sebastien’s passion is mariachi music that originated in our state of Jalisco and the costume must be what offended the paranoid nuts out there. Gregg Popovitch, coach of the San Antonio Spurs, was impressed by Sebastien’s singing, so he defied the bigots by inviting Sebastien to come back to sing for the fourth game. President Obama urged people to listen to him sing at Game Four. San Antonio’s Mayor Julian Castro and his wife escorted Sebastien onto the court and introduced him. Mayor Castro told him, “Don’t let a few negative voices get you down.” Sebastien said at a news conference, “My father was actually in the U.S. Navy for a really long time. People don’t know; they just assume that I’m Mexican. But I’m not from Mexico. I’m from San Antonio, born and raised, a true San Antonio Spurs fan.” Millions of Latinos will remember that Mayor Castro was a spellbinding keynote speaker at the Democratic Convention. In seven years Sebastian will be old enough to vote and he will remember who came to his defense when he was bigotry’s child sacrifice. I think normal people would say Sebastien is a cute kid and that his costume is part of his charm. He’s a cosmopolitan orchid beset by provincial turnips. To hear an impressive performance and see what the uproar is all about, this is the link: h t t p : / / w w w.youtube. com/watch?v= f2c4YXGNjx8
Fred Mittag
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Discovering Guadalajara the way Columbus might have: Getting Lost. %\ (G 7DVFD
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ot long ago, I decided to take my first trip motoring into Guadalajara, the city once known as the Pearl of the West. To buy a set of drums. I’d never driven my car into Guadalajara before and I didn’t have a GPS gizmo. I also had no idea where in Guadalajara one buys drums. And of greatest concern, I didn’t have a place in my house to put a full set of drums. As one might have said of the Donner Party wending through the Rockies, “Maybe this trip hasn’t been completely thought through.” Nonetheless, within an hour, there I was at the city gates of Lake Chapala’s heliocenter, imagining I’d find bill-
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boards in Spanish reading “Drum Madness Sale! Next Left.” Or “DRUMS THAT GUARANTEE GROUPIES! 100 meters.” When none appeared, I followed a sign that led me into Guadalajara’s impressive historic downtown with its magnificent Catedral Metropolitana. But as splendid as the historic area is, I wanted to check out the Hard Rock Café for a beer and a sandwich, but I couldn’t find a place to park. I drove another seven blocks and finally saw what looked like a parking space, except that it was already occupied by another Mexican iconic site, a pile of cement. I went another two blocks to an underground parking lot that seemed to have no entrance. An
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amiable pedestrian with large sunglasses, noting my monolingual confusion with directions, walked my car to the entrance as though he were my secret service. Taxis queued outside the parking lot. Obviously, this is how people ply the historic center – parking three quarters of a mile away and then cabbing. I parked and got into a taxi. The driver wanted to know if I was coming to see “our beautiful historic cathedral.” “Some tourists, they are so pathetic,” he added, “All they want to do is go to the Hard Rock Café.” Four minutes later, I was walking up the steps to the Guadalajara’s historic cathedral. Older by centuries than the nations of the U.S. or Canada, this marvelous gothic building with its pointed twin towers was begun in 1561 when the U.S. and Canada were still working out – in theory only – details to log cabin construction. Its altars and much of its décor are made of gold and silver and it houses Murillo’s magnificent 17th Century The Assumption of the Virgin (the event to which the cathedral is dedicated) and other great art treasures. It’s a must-see for any lover of art and architecture. I couldn’t help wishing it had a beer cooler, cheap aluminum would have been fine. Before leaving the area I sneaked into a walking tour around the cruz de plazas (four plazas forming a cross – only one of its kind in the world) to ask if anyone knew where there might be a music store. Several of the younger members immediately texted someone or booted up maps, and lo and behold, I had several sets of directions -- all different. I thanked them, took a chance and followed one set which included driving past the Rotunda of Illustrious People, thinking that a good omen. After driving several crowded blocks, I found myself in overbearing, hornblowing traffic on a side street behind a water truck, which continued to unload enough water bottles to quench
the Congo. Illustrious people were nowhere. I reversed out of the street frantically, feeling guilty for doing so until I realized that beside me two other drivers were doing the same thing at movie-chase speed, one of which was a cement truck. I stopped and was happy to finish in third place still intact. Lost again and a little rattled, I continued driving until I realized I had spiraled out beyond the city proper to tracts of unused land without roads. I noticed a sign that read: DRUG ENFORCEMENT TASK FORCE TRAINING CENTER. I made the mistake of getting out of the car. An officer in body armor came forward with no intention of ever opening his mouth. He held an assault weapon at vital-organs level and posed convincingly for that familiar movie shot: “Advance an inch farther and I’ll blow your brains out.” I became immediately aware that no one there would be helping me find a set of drums. It was time to retrace my route, which, of course, was impossible, because I never had a route to begin with. I followed a Zeta gas truck. Its captivating jingle being as reliable as GPS for finding crowded streets and people to annoy. I cruised into pockets of real city again where swarms of pedestrians swept across sidewalks and streets with the discipline of an army in retreat. What the hell happened to the Mexican siesta? Guad drivers were another story. They drove over two lanes of roadway as though they were three or even just an open field. Medial strips were bounced over like topes, and gaps in traffic, no matter how small, eventually fit 18 foot pick-ups shooting out from nowhere like getaway cars. Mindful of these weird, pinball traffic codes, I slowed to a motor-cade crawl with a new understanding of why every Mexican car hung rosary beads. Minutes later, I noted that Guadalajara named streets for artists, composers, even writers (although writer streets seemed to wind up as dead ends). Believing I might have found a clever short cut to my mission, I followed the streets named after musical composers. I rolled up to Calle de Chopin, swung over to Calle de Bella Bartok hoping to hook up with maybe a small Privado de Buddy Rich. But nothing musical in the way of retail outlets materialized and the streets all appeared to be pretty ordinary, given their celebrated names, except there seemed an awful lot of noise coming from Calle de Shostakovich. Not much later, I noticed another peculiarity Guadalajara offered visitors: specialized retail neighborhoods. These neighborhoods encircle the city both inside and outside the periferico.
They sell only one specialized item for blocks and blocks. For example: everyone who sold bathroom furnishings was entrenched nicely in one whole neighborhood. If you want to buy a soapdish in America, retailers also want to sell you wallpaper, televisions, toothpaste by the gross and underwear to go with your soap dish. Not so for the Mexicans. They seem to say, “Amigo, your bathroom sink? It’s the most important decision in life! You need fourteen hectares of bathroom sinks to choose from. Everything Baño.” All this shopping potential reminded me of the irony: that The Pearl of the West was founded by a woman, Doña Beátriz de Hernández. Anyway, the problem with this distribution formula is that one block looks like the next in these neighborhoods, and it is easy to get lost and stay lost, all within a nightmarish panorama of bathroom sinks, tubs, bidets and other sundry washroom kit and tackle. I drove around for another fifteen minutes trying to escape Everything Baño. I reckoned that following a small tradesman’s truck struggling with a flat tire would get me to a gas station and some needed assistance. After several blocks, the pursuit led me smack into the middle of the truck’s destination: Everything Tires. This was a grim urban quarter that sprawled out over five bountiful blocks with nothing but llantas and more llantas the color of acute depression. The only way out of Everything Tires appeared to be through Everything Shoes, an acropolis of shoe displays that could have shod the entire subSaharan. I gritted the steering wheel and persisted, weaving my way out of Everything Shoes onto a small street where I found a gasolinera. Finally, my luck turned. While I was picking up a bottle of water, the gasolinera attendant, hearing about my mission, led me on foot back to a casita, where his mariachi band was practicing. His drummer, a man whose hazel eyes jittered
like cymbals, grinned and handed me one of his cards. It said, “Humberto Luis Humberto. Plummer, Carpenter, Oral Surgeon.” In handwriting, it also added: Percussionist. He smiled fetchingly and told me drum stores were right under my nose, just around the corner from Everything Shoes. With the afternoon agave syruplike smog settling in, I rushed back to my car and took a deep, celebratory breath, as I imagined Lewis and Clark might have done at the first glimpse of the mighty Pacific. Except that I started coughing. I rushed into the first store I saw that had drums in the window. It sold nothing but drums and was not teeming with clientele. An attendant flew at me, certain from the moment I rushed in that I was interested in buying drums. A riot and gunfire outside would’ve been the only other reason one might rush into a drums-only store. Now, the mission got easier. Drum set choices (baterias) could be narrowed down to high-priced, mediumpriced and drums made by the Chinese. I chose the latter. At that price break, though, you get a color selection similar to a monk’s wardrobe, black, white or mud. I snatched up a Chinese treasure in white and was on my way. We dollied the traps down to the car quickly, saluted one another and ended a deal that involved maybe three words of dialogue (“hola” ,“blanco”, “gracias.”), a credit card, my passport, my FM 3, proof of address and a finger demonstration of drum boogie on the store counter. By the time I got home, I was a walking frontal lobe injury – insensible yet gratified over accomplishing the mission. But as Columbus might have put it: “Next time, maybe I’ll bring a map.” Ed Tasca
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JOHN MUIR R—Defender of the Wild dern nesss %\ 'U /RULQ 6ZLQHKDUW “The mountains are calling and I must go.”
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nce when a fierce windstorm raged through California’s Yuba Valley, John Muir, perhaps our greatest wilderness advocate, climbed a 100-foot Douglas pine to better experience nature in all her glory. He was spellbound as trees six feet thick bent to the surface of the earth, driven by the strength of the gale. As he described it, “Every tree was excited, bowing to the roaring storm, waving swirling, tossing their branches in glorious enthusiasm like worship.” That episode defines John Muir, a humble yet fiery Scottish immigrant, who devoted his life to wilderness preservation, spurred the effort to preserve Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest and other majestic places, inspired the creation of the National Park System and founded the Sierra Club. Muir regarded the natural world as di-
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vinely created and devoted his life to protecting it from man’s avaricious, destructive grasp. He observed that manmade cathedrals pale in comparison to those made by the Creator himself. Preparing for his lengthy solo treks into the Sierras or Alaska he would only stuff some tea and bread into an old sack and jump over the back fence. He said, “Only going alone in silence, without baggage, can one truly get into the heart of the wilderness. All other travel is mere dust and hotels and baggage and chatter.” A wealthy, innovative farmer and orchardist, Muir proclaimed that he was richer than railroad magnate H.E. Harriman because he had all the money he
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wanted and the tycoon did not. Muir preferred being a tramp to being a millionaire. He understood the interdependence of living things decades before ecology and environmentalism became part of public consciousness. He said, “When we try to pick anything out by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” Reflecting upon Americans’ cruelty, greed and shortsightedness, labeling them temple destroyers and devotees of ravaging commercialism, he accused his fellow citizens of professing love for God Almighty, while only loving the Almighty Dollar. He proclaimed, “The gross heathenism of civilization has generally destroyed nature, and poetry, and all that is spiritual.” He argued that it takes no courage to chop down a tree because it cannot defend itself. He condemned the massacre of walruses for their tusks, which he witnessed on an Alaska beach. When Harriman returned from a hunt with a bear and a cub, Muir wrote, “Harriman returned last evening after killing two bears—mother and child.” “Bears, “ he declared, “are made of the same dust as we, and breathe the same winds and drink of the same waters. A bear’s days are warmed by the same sun, his dwellings are over-domed by the same blue sky, and his life turns and ebbs
with heart-pulsings like ours, and was poured from the same First Fountain.” He insisted, “Nature’s object in making animals and plants might possibly be first of all the happiness of each one of them, not the creation all for the happiness of one.” Riding off with Theodore Roosevelt on a three-day camping trip in the Yosemite, he convinced the president that the country needed a national conservation policy in order to preserve our most beautiful places for the enjoyment of future generations. His greatest disappointment was the damming of California’s pristine Hetch Hetchy Valley to provide water for the burgeoning population of San Francisco. He raged, “One may as well dam for water tanks the people’s cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man.” Although he lost the battle for Hetch Hetchy, his greatest legacy endures in the grandeur of the places he helped to preserve. While most of the despoilers are now forgotten, Muir is memorialized in the John Muir Trail, John Muir College and many beautiful areas throughout North America that still bear his name. Lorin Swinehart
DEAR PORTIA
—Advice to the Lovelorn, the Overfed and The Deeply Disgruntled
DEAR PORTIA: I have been writing short stories and poems for most of my life, yet have never had anything published. But that’s not what bothers me. By now I am on a first-name basis with rejection. Yet I still derive great satisfaction from writing, though I am surrounded by critics. Even our Mexican maid, who reads and speaks English pretty well, occasionally weighs in with a scathing critique. Even some of the super-snob people at the Ajijic Writers’ Group seem to like my stuff better than the nonwriting critics. My question: to whom should I listen? Deeply Discouraged Dear Discouraged: Pay no attention to the critics. They are like those people who pretend to know the way, but can’t drive a car. Ask any working writer how he/she feels about critics, and you’ll find it’s much like asking a fire hydrant how it feels about dogs. DEAR PORTIA: I am one of those women who simply cannot live without a man. Over a long and happy life, I have had four husbands, all of whom have gone on to meet their Maker. Now I have met a fascinating man who wants to take me down the aisle for what will be my fifth trip to the altar. Yet just recently I discovered that he was once accused
of murder. He claims it was in self-defense, and that he was acquitted of all charges by a court in California. Yet I do have to wonder about the personality of any person who would commit such an act, even in self-defense. Ambivalent in Ajijic PS: Five is my lucky number. Dear Ambivalent: Ditch this dope quick. Once a man kills for whatever reason, he then thinks nothing of breaking the Sabbath, swearing and even belching in public. DEAR PORTIA: I will soon be seventy years of age, but still seem to have all the insecurities of a teenager. Nothing I do ever pleases me, and I live in constant dread of embarrassing myself in front of others. Many people I meet have even worse qualities, but most seem to have made peace with themselves. Why can’t I do the same? Disgusted with Myself Dear Disgusted: Dare to examine what you think are your worst shortcomings. Chances are they will gradually seem mild, engaging little things, and not at all like the glaring defects you see in your friends and neighbors.
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WATER FOR ALL %\ 0DUJDUHW 9DQ (YHU\
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he high walls of Las Delicias, armed with broken glass on top, were a formidable bulwark against the needy of San Antonio, who subsisted in squalor just on the walls’ shadow side. Every dwelling in Las Delicias had its own swimming pool, tennis courts, orchards and ornamental gardens, all of which required watering during the dry season. Except for the golf courses, gardens and swimming pools preempted all other needs for water—water for drinking, laundry, personal hygiene, or flushing. Though the availability of clean water had always been an accurate definer of the classes, it is fair to say that even the well-off had to take some measures not to squander this precious commodity, especially during the last month of the dry season when almost all reserves were exhausted. They might turn the water off in the shower when soaping or not leave it running when brushing teeth. Meanwhile, the community of San Antonio would lose several ancianos each year from heat and dehydration. For cooking they mostly fried or grilled their typical food on braziers. For drinking, they relied on Coca Cola and Fanta, pulque or tequila. They never had toilets, so flushing wasn’t their problem, but sanitation went from its usual bad to impossible. Unable to wash hands, they were prey to typhoid and dysentery. They were able to shower once a week at the public baths near the zócalo for a couple of pesos, which included soap, a sisal “washcloth,” towel and 10 minutes in a shower stall with dressing room. Women washed clothes in the public stone basin or knelt down at the banks of what was left of a small stream, beating the clothes threadbare but clean on rocks. In the cool of the morning, an 8-yearold girl dressed in a plaid, pleated skirt and white knee-socks skips down the long pebble driveway past the pool and grass tennis court, past the banana trees to the huge iron gate that opens to the street. The gardener is expecting her and lays down his sheers with the intention of locking the gates behind her. In the road, standing with a bucket,
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is a barefoot girl about her own age, holding a bucket. “¿Agua?” she asks. “No tenemos agua. Por favor.” The gardener is on the verge of closing and locking the gates, but the young mistress motions for him to admit the chiquilla with the bucket. Her bus then arrives and whisks her off to school. The gardener beckons the barefoot child to follow him to a spigot meant for garden hoses, and lets her fill her bucket to the point she struggles to walk away with it. Within an hour fifty villagers are lined up outside the walled estate, waiting patiently with buckets, waiting for someone to open wide the big iron gates. They are accustomed to waiting. They have waited all their lives. They do not understand impatience. No one presumes to bang on the big gate or shout for admittance. At two p.m. the school bus returns, depositing the benefactress. She hops off the bus, rings for the gardener, the gates open. The girl is very surprised to see such a long line of villagers with buckets. The old man in front of the line pleads with her, “Agua, señorita. Por favor, ten piedad. Por el amor de dios, necesitamos agua.” Without another thought, she directs the gardener to let them in. Far into the night, stars and moon lighting the spigot, the people from the other side of the wall collect water from a rich person’s garden. What will it taste like, this same water that nourishes the fecund earth and fruit trees and los ricos of Las Delicias? Will it be different from the water the city runs through the pipes and taps of San Antonio during the rainy season? What will they do with their one bucket of water? The thirsty of San Antonio find out that night. The little girl is soundly scolded for her unseemly generosity, is given to understand the dangers of acting on emotional impulse. The gardener loses his job, which everyone knows he had coming, because his duties included enforcing security on the estate grounds. Margaret Van Every
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CHILD
of the month
%\ %DUE &RURO Meet Joaquin
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oaquin, who will be three in December, was diagnosed with West Syndrome. This is an uncommon to rare epileptic disorder in infants named after an English Physician. The syndrome is age-related, generally occurring between the third and twelfth month, generally manifesting around the fifth month. There are various causes but often caused by an organic brain dysfunction whose origins may be prenatal, perinatal (caused during birth) or postnatal. Statistically, boys are more affected than girls. Joaquin was diagnosed in his fifth month but Patricia (mom) says there were signs of problems several months before. Studies have shown that in some rarer cases, spasms may occur in
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the first two months. Following his diagnosis, Joaquin would need to spend more time in hospital than out. Doctors were trying to control his “jackknife convulsions.” Research indicates that spasms tend to occur upon awakening or after feeding and often occur in clusters of up to 100 spasms at a time. Infants with this diagnosis may have dozens of clusters and several hundred spasms per day. Sadly Joaquin falls into
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this category. Patricia brought Joaquin to Niños Incapacitados with a desperate plea for help in July of 2012. During the initial intake, we learned that once the doctors were confident with their diagnosis and came up with a cocktail of anticonvulsive medicines, they decided it was time for Joaquin to go home. It was generally felt that the family could provide better care for Joaquin one on one. They were given a hospital bed and all the paraphernalia needed to care and feed Joaquin. Mom was instructed on proper feeding and medicating techniques. Due to the number of spasms Joaquin has throughout the day, at present these are occurring every fifteen minutes, all feeding and medicating is done through a drip bag hooked up to his bed. Unfortunately Niños Incapacitados cannot reimburse the family for these treatments as the therapist does not issue valid invoices, which we require under Mexican Charity rules. Patricia says the family is happy to pay as it provides a much needed respite for her. To date, we have reimbursed the family $45,000 pesos covering Joaquin’s anticonvulsive medications, drip bags and supplies, diapers, medical wipes and gloves, food supplements, vitamins, as well as transportation to and from the
hospital. Compared with other forms of epilepsy, treatment of West Syndrome is relatively difficult and the results of therapy often dissatisfying. Statistically, 5 out of every 100 children with West Syndrome do not survive beyond five years of age; in some cases due to the cause of the syndrome, in others for reasons related to their medication. A large portion (up to 90%) of children will suffer severe physical and cognitive impairments even when treatment for the attacks is successful. This is not because of the epileptic fits, but rather because of the causes behind them. Severe frequent attacks can damage the brain. This is a very sad case and one that we do not feel will have a positive outcome. As Director of the Jocotopec Clinic, thank you for the opportunity of presenting some of our children to you. If you would like to learn more about Niños Incapacitados, please visit our website at www.programaniños. org or call Rich Petersen (376-7655511) or Barb Corol (376-766-5452). Just a reminder that our Niños Incapacitados monthly general meetings will resume on Thursday, September 13th – same time and place: 10 a.m. in one of the meeting rooms of the Hotel Real de Chapala in Lower La Floresta.
UUNCOMMON NCOM MM MON CCOMMON OM MM MON SSENSE ENSE %\ %LOO )UD\HU ELOOIUD\HU#JPDLO FRP What We Think We Know %LOO )UD\HU
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his column, which I have been writing every month since January of 2007 is called, of course, Uncommon Common Sense. This phrase, coined by Benjamin Franklin, infers that common sense is indeed a good thing. Many would agree. After all, we see lots of examples in public affairs and in private behavior when people have neglected to “use their common sense,” often with predictable results. Perhaps ironically, I am going take issue with this notion. In fact, I don’t think using common sense is a very reliable method for making judgments. Common sense, as we understand the term, means that some “truths” are so obvious that they do not require any special examination. As Daniel Kahneman has persuasively pointed out, we often make decisions rapidly without really evaluating the evidence, often because the facts seem so obvious, they don’t call for much evaluation. But let’s look at some examples. It seems obvious that keeping a clean house and practicing good hygiene eliminates many germs and is good for our health, especially our children’s health. Well, not really. Some recent research indicates that keeping our environment super clean actually kills too many good bacteria and leaves us susceptible to more illness. Isn’t it common sense that early detection of cancerous tumors increases the chances that the cancer will be curable? Well, sometimes yes. New data, however, seems to indicate that there are some cancers which are not destined to present a threat to the patient’s life, and early detection may lead to potentially dangerous interventions. Some aggressive breast cancers may not be curable, even if they are discovered early. This information is very counterintuitive, but apparently true. Taking supplements? Good idea? Maybe. But research seems to question the idea that isolating a particular substance and taking it in supplement form is not nearly as beneficial as eating the whole food which con-
tains the nutrient. Avoiding red meat, eggs, and saturated fats to prevent heart disease? Seemed like common sense because these foods tended to increase cholesterol which correlates with cardiovascular disease. Now scientists think the real culprit is not cholesterol but inflammation, caused more by sugar and refined carbohydrates. The entire paradigm of treating the number one killer is changing. Often, the counterintuitive solutions make more sense. Common sense might dictate that we should cut spending and implement austerity budgets when the economy is faltering and government deficits grow. Well, it may seem so, but some new evaluation of economic data does not bear this out. Government stimulus spending is sometimes the best tonic; the best cure for budget deficits is a strong, growing economy which increases tax revenues. Not so obvious, perhaps, but more likely true. See how well the austerity approach has worked in the European Union. The truth is, we can’t always trust what seems obvious. At one time it seemed like common sense that sparing the rod spoiled the child, post-op patients needed lots of bed rest, homosexuality was a mental illness, and prohibition would create a more moral, god-fearing society. So much for common sense.
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ew contrasts between American and Mexican cultures are more striking than the way in which each views and treats its senior citizens. America’s seniors are often cloistered in assisted living facilities or nursing homes far from family and friends. Mexico’s oldest – los ancianos – seem more often vibrant alive and interactive, and are notably present in its public life nowhere more than in its villages. It’s hard not to see the paradox in these contrasts. The nation with a far superior capacity to maintain its seniors’ quality of life, and which has taken great
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friends and many live within their extended families. There’s a lot to suggest that this lifelong connectedness affords them greater comfort in their advanced age. Americans move further and more often from their place of birth than do those living in any other First World nation, with the result that they more often live far from the oldest among their living relatives. Affordable senior care facilities make it far easier for American families to live separately from their aged relatives. Maybe there’s also something to be said for lifestyle when it comes to keeping Mexico’s ancianos animated and mobile. Economic necessity and a thinly stretched social safety net keep many Mexicans working into advanced age, but the work A ritual gathering of los viejos seems to leave many no worse RQ &KDSDOD¶V SOD]D for wear and sometimes even to hold disability at bay. pains to make transportation and public A lifetime of meals simply and sparuse facilities accessible to its disabled, ingly prepared has left many lean wiry. has also segregated its seniors from the It’s not unusual to see these ancianos social mainstream on a wide scale. navigate dauntingly high curbs and cobThe paradox is a reflection of the two nations’ cultural perspectives. In Mexico, ‘family’ trumps ‘generation gap’. Mexicans are far more likely to respect and cherish their oldest generation and revere it for its wisdom and life experience. Many among the current crop of los ancianos are the children of those who participated in the century-old Mexican Revolution. They’ve witnessed and lived history as it’s unfolded through the greatest social transformation in the nation’s history. American media’s fixation on youth Two generations sit in marginalizes its oldest save for the rich, Chapala’s plaza powerful, or otherwise famous. blestone streets to remain a daily village The result is that America’s aged seem presence on its sidewalks, in its public more often perceived by their offspring spaces, and at its public events. as unpleasant reminders that they, too, In the end, though, nothing can betwill in due time grow unfashionably old ter capture the special place that Mexand less socially relevant. ico’s ancianos occupy in its social fabric Particularly in Mexican village life, los than their images. ancianos remain connected to lifetime
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El Ojo del Lago / August 2013
Saw you in the Ojo 17
THE SAINT OF THE DEAD %\ %LOO 'HDQ
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adie se va de este mundo vivo. (No one leaves this world alive). Mexico can hardly be credited with being the country of origin of something so obvious. Yet, Mexicans can be credited for recognizing that dreading death is not the only way to think about it. Octavio Paz (a Mexican writer and winner of the 1990 Nobel Prize for Literature) wrote: “The Mexican is familiar with death, jokes about it… celebrates it…. Our songs, proverbs, fiestas and popular beliefs show very clearly that the reason death cannot frighten us is that life has cured us of fear.” While Mexicans may joke about death, there exists a fringe cult that nobody jokes about: the two million or so followers of Santa Muerte, the Saint of the Dead. (The Catholic Church has declared that there is no such saint.) Worshippers of Santa Muerte are found where desperate people are found, particularly in impoverished neighborhoods and in prisons. Santa Muerte followers are frequently linked to crime, whether they are criminals, victims of criminals, or simply are surrounded by criminals. Some glorify crime. The cult’s followers are largely Catholic but Santa Muerte worshipers will find no altars to their Saint of Death in any Catholic church. The Church is particularly offended by the attempt to confuse Santa Muerte with the Virgin of Guadalupe. Altars to Santa Muerte can be found in homes or along highways. The police call them “narco-altars” and they have found Santa Muerte chapels deep in the
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El Ojo del Lago / August 2013
mansions of drug lords. Santa Muerte altars are disturbing to the eye. Her figurine is often encased in a glass box, a hooded female skeleton with a menacing smile; her bony hands extend from the sleeves of her long robe. She holds a sickle in one hand to remind everyone of the long reach of death. In her other hand she clutches a globe signifying her dominion over the world. The message is the universality of death – and, its inevitability. The altars are decorated with colorcoded flowers and candles. Green is for help with legal problems; red is for love and passion; yellow for healing diseases; black for protection. Each color at the altar has a separate meaning. Those faithful to Santa Muerte are blunt and specific in what they ask her for: help me get out of jail; protect me from the police; make me rich; ruin my enemy – and so the wish list goes. Her worshipers seek protection and favors, not spiritual peace. Santa Muerte does not bestow favors for free; her practitioners place cigarettes, tequila and fresh flowers at the foot of her altars. The greatest concentration of Santa Muerte followers is in the impoverished neighborhood of Tepito, in Mexico City. There a self-annointed archbishop presides over midnight masses. Some in attendance are teenagers clad in spooky cult garb, but many are ordinary people who feel their petitions are not answered by Catholic saints. Santa Muerte does not lecture to them about the consequences of sin because all people are sinners. Everyone is welcome because everyone dies. Followers of the cult seek to form a linkage with the Aztec past. Some claim linkage to Europe, Guatemala, or Africa. The cult is not old. Practitioners can only be traced back about 50 years, but its numbers are growing. It has crossed the U.S. border and its images can be found on candles, necklaces, and junk merchandise just about everywhere. Despite the growth of the Santa Muerte cult, its adherents account for a very small part of Mexico’s population. Its growth among the desperately poor probably is tied to economic times. Better times are apt to reverse the trend. Nonetheless, Mexico’s fascination with death flourishes – in its many fascinating forms.
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ave you noticed that cats and dogs seem to get along better than many people?? Cat and dogs are quite different from each other, but seem to encounter, or create less negative interactions with each other than humans seem to do. Animals do not have calendars or watches to keep track of time, they just seem to treasure and appreciate the time that they are in, in that moment. Even when they get a bit older chronologically, the kittenish or the puppy side of them comes out in their behavior. Maybe by observing some of their traits, we as humans can enhance our lives and enjoy life more. Sadly in our lives for those who have had pets we have experienced the loss of a pet. For those who have never had the pleasure of having had a pet may not understand the profound grief and emptiness that comes with the loss of that family pet member. Hopefully our pet has been able to have a long happy, healthy life with us. But there are times we are forced to deal with difficult situations when there is no hope to cure a terminal condition or alleviate constant pain. At that time as their true guardians, we put our own selfish feelings aside. We think of our best friend and their well being and dignity. It is a most heart wrenching decision to make, but it is an act of love, kindness and respect for our pet family member. Grief is experienced by each person in their own individual way, depth and length
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El Ojo del Lago / August 2013
of time. There are no rules about this. If you have more than a one pet family, you can also see that they also grieve for the loss of their friend. Like people, pets never ‘replace’ another pet, as each is unique and should not be compared with each other. Circumstances and healing time will guide you in making a decision about when to take another pet into your family. P.S. Cats and dogs do go to Heaven.. otherwise we would be very lonely without them when we hopefully get there ourselves. If you are interested in looking at some puppies and dogs that are available for adoption at Anita’s Animals, please take a look at this website: lakechapaladogcentral.com. It is updated every two weeks with new arrivals and those that have been adopted in the interim will have their previous photo removed. This website is done by a most generous volunteer who wishes to support dog adoption at Lakeside. If you are interested in a particular dog posted, please do not give Anita the website’s assigned dog number. Instead give a description of the dog in the picture to inquire if it is still available. But, the best option is to go visit Anita’s and find the puppy/ dog that calls to your heart – it is afterall, a love affair that needs to be developed. Sadly we are in kitten and puppy “season.” In 4 weeks [June/July] Anita accepted at the market on consecutive Wednesdays: 18 kittens/3 puppies [yes, 18], 9 kittens/4 puppies, 3 kittens/1 puppy and 7 kittens/2 puppies. You may ask the question: why? The simple answer is: If she does not accept them, where else will they go?? Thrown away in the trash or left on a road to be slaughtered--both of which happen. Instead, they will stay with Anita and live in a safe, caring environment until each one is adopted. Your donations are appreciated to help support the lives of these innocent creatures.
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XILL FESSENDEN: Lakeside Icon %\ /LVD / -RUJHQVHQ
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eople who have contributed significantly to communities are known as icons. Their works are the flowers they wear on their heads so we can see them. But something interesting must also be brewing inside. Xill Fessenden is known for her remarkable photography that has won critical acclaim both here and in the US, in galleries and on the streets. But what is the spirit that creates her work? In 1985, she drove herself, her dog and her cat deep into Mexico in a custom VW bus outfitted with a refrigerator and a bed so she wouldn’t have to sleep in a motel. Her mother had taken her to see “Psycho” when she was a girl, so she preferred to sleep on the side of the road. Besides, she was an outdoor person, having grown up in the Maine woods. On top of her bus was all the equipment she would need to set up her darkroom, housed in a gun cabinet she had bought at a yard sale. She had moved to Los Angeles to
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become a cinematographer, and then worked on fishing boats and whalesighting boats. After a serious horse accident, she decided that she didn’t like what she was doing anymore. So she wrote three names on a piece of paper, tucked it under her pillow, and waited for an omen. One name was Santa Fe, one was Los Angeles, and one was Mexico. Then her omen arrived: she spilled chili on her blouse— in the shape of Mexico. And that was that. Jill became Xill, just like Javier becomes Xavier in Mexico. She was off on
El Ojo del Lago / August 2013
a jaunt, and figured that when she ran out of money, she’d just come back to California and take another job. One of the things that interested Xill was what happens when cultures meet. Something new is always formed. She was drawn into an artist circle in Ajijic with Daniel Palma, Jesus Lopez, Dionicio Morales and Katuza. She was the new gringa in town, and something new was indeed being formed. She opened Centro Ajijic de Bellas Artes (CABA) art center with sculptor Estela Hidalgo. She organized multiple Foto Septiembre festivals, showcasing numerous Jalisco, Oaxacan and international artists. Her photographs were published on the cover of El Ojo del Lago magazine for the many years when she was its photo editor. She conducted cultural journeys to haciendas and the indigenous artesans of Michoacan. And she organized lectures from experts in Mexican music, archeology, and paleontology. Back then, everyone planted vegetables near the beach on Lake Chapala. They could get 3 or 4 crops per year to sustain themselves. And all the tiendas would close on Thursdays so they could stock up on local organic food. Xill became very interested in trying to preserve that local atmosphere, which
was to become the central theme in all her future work. The most important things she learned while traveling to indigenous villages was how a community functions as a whole: where the land, the community, the family and the individual have the same identity, and they all work together as a unit. They build each others’ houses, share the harvest, and help each others’ children—the way it should be. It moved her, and formed a desire for her to help preserve that culture. Xill’s new project is to have an open air public gallery in Ajijic’s plaza. The initial exhibition will showcase photos of local herbs and medicinal plants, together with the local women who use them. Her goal is to reconnect the local community to the history and knowledge of the land that surrounds them. In fact, one of the items on her bucket list is to get an empty lot and turn it into a community garden. Then there could be street stands where people of the town could buy local organic food again, where the little stores could come to stock their shelves, and where the health and spirit of the people of Ajijic could be revived and sustained. But the biggest project on her bucket list is to turn her house into a self-sufficient teaching house. She wants to collect rainwater, have aqueducts running through the house, and build creative systems for lighting and energy. It could be used to teach people how to create these systems for themselves. This is who she is. A community icon, indeed. To see some of Xill’s photos, visit http://www.escapetoajijic.com/artistjill-fessenden.htm. (Ed. Note: Lisa Jorgensen is the founder of a new and fast-growing website, ExPatPress. com) Lisa L. Jorgensen
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A MEXICAN VILLAGE %\ 0DJJLH 9DQ 2VWUDQG
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his story could take place in any village in any state in the paradise that is known as Mexico. The names of the people may be different, but the stories will be the same. Once upon a time, a man named Tomas earned the title of village Solver of Problems. He was awarded such a noble title because, when his aged mother, Maria, bought a stone house located at the corner of the local elementary school, she inadvertently inherited a terrible predicament: For decades, little boys had been relieving themselves on its cornerstone as they passed on their way to class each morning as a Rite of Passage, or what we might call a “guy thing.” No one could recall the origin of this apparently overrated tradition. Maria, whose ancient back had become as curved as a question mark, was very unhappy. Due to the acrid odor coming from the cornerstone, no one walking by would be able to enjoy the succulent smells emanating from her cocina window. Maria was well known throughout the village for her delicious chocolate molé. No one had ever tasted any better molé than hers. It was devotion to cooking that had turned her hands into gnarly knots and it had become increasingly difficult to hold a spoon to stir the chocolate. Although she had learned to compensate by spinning the spoon between her wrists, she was now faced with a new problem. If passersby were unable
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El Ojo del Lago / August 2013
to smell the wonderful spices and chocolate cooking on the stove, no one would come in to buy molé. Without an income, she could not survive and would be forced to give up the little stone house and move in with her children. Though she loved all her children dearly, she did not want to move in with them. She turned to her eldest son, Tomas, to solve the dilemma. Though they all loved her dearly, Maria’s children did not want her to move in with them. Tomas assured his mother that she soon would be free of the problem forever. He called upon his brothers and they worked into the night while Maria slept. The solution to Maria’s problem was, to Tomas, a simple one: Into the stone they carved a shrine to the Virgin of Guadalupe. From that moment on, the cornerstone was regarded as a sacred place, a place where a boy should “cross” himself and bow his head in passing (or get swatted by his mother). And that is how Tomas came to be the village Solver of Problems. Another man in the same village is Eduardo the policeman. Some time ago, Eduardo and three other policemen with hungry families walked across the street and reluctantly robbed the bank. Riddled with guilt, Eduardo went to confession, then returned to the station and consulted with the other men. They returned all the money to the bank, and arrested themselves. After a week the villagers went to the jail and begged the policemen to release themselves. Why? Because every single villager was desperately needed in church to pray to the Virgin of Zapopan for long overdue rain to fill their depleted lake so they would have fish to eat. Eduardo and his men happily obliged. Forty hours later, it rained for six straight days and nights and the fish returned to the lake. If you listen for the music of Mexico, you will surely hear it. It can be heard in any village in any state in the paradise that is known as Maggie Van Mexico. Ostrand
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eter Landesman wrote a documentry, The Girls Next Door. “Because of the porousness of the U.S/Mexican border and the criminal networks that traverse it, the Towns and Cities along that border have become the main staging area in an illicit industry, whose products are women and girls, rented or sold.” Under the Trafficking Victims Protection act of 2000, the first U.S law to recognize that people trafficked against their will are victims of a crime and not illegal aliens. Once Mexican traffickers abduct or seduce the women and girls, it is not the men that indoctrinate them into sexual slavery, women are the principals, a crucial fact to the trafficking ring’s success. They understand women can easily gain the trust of young girls and children. In the June 22nd Guadalajara Reporter this year, four U.S Citizens were deported from Puerto Vallarta for sexual exploitation and pornography of minors. Puerto Vallarto is well known as a port of call for pedophile tourists who come to Mexico looking for children in the sex industry. These bus trips from the north are arranged privately and hard for law enforcement to keep track of them. Poverty has spawned widespread prostitution of children. Laws are lax and police corrupt. When authorities crack down in one country, they move to the next one that has a majority trapped in poverty, like Thailand or India. Child pornography is growing at a much faster rate than it can be
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El Ojo del Lago / August 2013
stopped. Over 52,000 web sites are reported each month. As they are closed down, others open. As of 2012, Mexico rates number two in the production of child porn, generating 42 billion dollars annually, according to the Special Committee Trafficking Chairwoman, Rosi Orozco. Indigenous count for 45 per cent of the victims. Only 19 jurisdictions in Mexico have laws against child pornography, and the only courts that have handed down convictions have been Mexico City, Chiapas State and Puebla State. In Mexico City, seven Mexicans allegedly created a child porn ring that was sent world wide. The arrested included a Catholic priest and a Foreign Ministry employee. They distributed 100,000 videos of children from infants to 10-year-olds. Teresa Ulloa, director of the Mexico City Coalition against Trafficking of Women and Children, said. “This is just the tip of the iceberg.” The network has smuggled many young Mexican girls to Florida. Despite arrests of key players by the U.S, the Cadena Hydro remains at large. Thousands of children work as prostitutes, boys and girls, in all the major cities of Mexico.” A recent study by the Mexico City Government Youth Commission, headed by Angelas Correa, found that Mexico City had 50,000 prostitutes, 2,500 of whom were children. Elena Azaola of the Center of Higher Research found there were 5,000 children prostitutes, 90 per cent female. But Cortina de Brown of the Female Association of Tourists Enterprise, estimates that 250,000 children between 10 and 16 years of age, have been victims of “sexual Tourism” in Guadalajara, Cancun, Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta and Tijuana.
Saw you in the Ojo 27
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The increase in the number of plastic surgery patients over the past decade has created a niche industry in Ajijic, and just as in the US and Canada, quality care standards vary by medical facility and doctor. Here’s what you need to know to make an informed decision before undergoing your cosmetic surgery procedure. The Importance of Before, During and After-Care A thorough health screening, labwork, and honest discussion with your doctor are critical. But beyond that, there are some very important before-and-after care questions to ask your doctor, to ensure you have a successful plastic surgery experience. • Price - what are you getting for what you pay? Some very low plastic surgery prices are attractive, but buyer beware. The price of a surgeon’s time, experience, skill, equipment, anesthesiologist, nurses, and medication have value. Stay away from the “too good to be true” bottom prices.
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Check references and understand what you’re getting for the price. In many cases, with “cheaper” surgery you’ll find there is virtually no before-and-aftercare provided, creating a dangerous situation for patients who may experience bleeding, high blood pressure, or pain after a procedure. As with shopping for any major expense, the best value is found in the middle price range. • Is your doctor board-certified, in good standing, on staff at any major hospitals? A good doctor will be boardcertified, have standing in a hospital facility, and many patients willing to refer him. And he will be staffed and equipped to make sure there are no gaps in patient care before, during and after surgery. • Will you have Englishspeaking staff with you to translate your questions and concerns, or to communicate any problems, before and after surgery? Communication is critical in any surgical environment, and in many cases, patients don’t find out if English-speaking staff are
El Ojo del Lago / August 2013
present until it’s too late. Your doctor, anesthesiologist, nurse, attendant, and Patient-Care Manager should all work together to ensure your success. • Who will care for you when you wake up, how long will you stay in the hospital, and how far is it to the nearest emergency facility? It’s important that you spend the first 24 hours in a hospital to handle any problems that may arise such as bleeding, nausea, dizziness, high blood pressure, and pain. Post-surgery is the most vulnerable time for patients - mentally, physically and emotionally. A Patient-Care Manager will ensure that you have Englishspeaking transportation to and from the facility, and that you will have a full-time companion to monitor your condition during the critical time before, during and after your surgery. • Will a nurse be monitoring your blood pressure and vitals after the procedure? Who will remove stitches, help you into and out of clothes, and see that you are
able to bathe, eat and drink appropriately after surgery? Having a professional available to change and remove bandages, assist you in washing your hair and taking a shower, and providing the proper medication and food during the hours after surgery is a must. You may need more than a doctor to get you through the entire process of having surgery - it can be very helpful to have an experienced English-speaking Patient Care team working on your behalf. Knowing that someone “has your back” and is looking out for your well-being as a patient and a human being is priceless. Anne Dyer is the founder and Director of Patient Services for Casita Montana Medical Sanctuary & Beauty Spa, Ajijic’s own plastic surgery before-and-after care facility. To discover more about Casita Montana, go to www.casitamontana.com to take a video tour of the facilities and meet the staff, doctors and patients
Saw you in the Ojo 29
.D\ 'DYLV 376-765-3677 (cell: 331-171-1681) (or 765-3676 to leave messages) Email: kdavis987@gmail.com
PAST EVENTS Lake Chapala Society (LCS) – Can-Am Annual Celebration On July 2, 500 Canadians & Americans celebrated their Independence along with members of the Mexican community. The annual Can-Am sponsored by LCS proved to be an international picnic ZLWK WKH Ă€DJV RI WKH WKUHH Joanne & Jim Stuart at LCS nations prominently displayed. Two Latin groups, Can-Am Day picnic Recuerdos de Mi Mexico and the Ajijic Trio played throughout the LCS grounds and the Jam Band (comprised of musicans from all three countries) took over on the stage with a mix of %OXHV &RXQWU\ DQG 5RFN 5ROO 7ZHQW\ IRXU 1RQ SURÂżW RUJDQL]DWLRQV GLVSOD\HG their wares, signed up new volunteers and sold tickets to their fund-raisers. Tony’s Restaurant had ticket holders lined up for hamburgers, hot dogs and all WKH Âż[LQJV ZKLOH 7RPÂśV %DU SURYLGHG WKH chili and LCS director Terry Vidal cooked up his “corn on the cob on a stickâ€?. Premium tequila was a taste treat offered during the day by Sandy & Daniel. A group of seven-year-old local students from Escuela Primaria Francisco Marquez charmed the audience with their singing. Lakeside’s Delegado Hector Espana along with Yvonne Chin, Canadian Consul and Chapala May Joaquin Huerta were all on hand to encourage the audience to enjoy and appreciate their inGHSHQGHQFH 7KH GUDZ UDIĂ€H SUL]H of $5,000 pesos was won by the Bar volunteer Bill O’Brien. Barbara Clippinger and Mac Morison were married in Southern California ZLWK IDPLO\ DQG IULHQGV LQ DWWHQGDQFH f o l lowed Congratulations to Barbara E\ D Clippinger & Mac Morison month’s KRQH\PRRQ LQ (XURSH The couple wanted to redo their vows with friends here in Mexico, and so another celebration took place in Ajijic on July 13th at the home of Pattye Simpson and Russell Mack. Although Barbara and Mac have known each other 15 years and worked together on many shows, something magical happened during “A Taste of Tin Pan Alleyâ€? last winter. “We feel so extraordinarily lucky to have found each other in these twilight years, and walking through the village so many people say to us, ‘You’ve given us hope’. It’s a great feeling.â€? 5HFHQWO\ UHOHDVHG LV D QHZ ERRN E\ %LOO 'HDQ ,W LV DYDLODEOH WKURXJK $PD]RQ FRP LQ VRIW FRYHU IRU 86' RU \RX FDQ ORRN through the table of contents at ZZZ PH[LFR- History/Culture of Mexico
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El Ojo del Lago / August 2013
MRXUQH\ LQIR . The contents cover a great deal of information for 161 pages but it is an impressive coverage of material, including some on Lakeside. For more information, contact bdeanmexico@yahoo.com. 2Q -XO\ /LEE\ 7RZQVHQG KHOG D 5DLQGDQFH DW 2FDPSR VL[ FRUQHUV $MLMLF WR VHQG UDLQ WR WKH &RSSHU &DQ\RQ IRU WKH 7DUDKXPDUD FURSV It worked last year and there was plenty of July rain Lakeside this year so it was worth a try. Suggested donations $100 pesos, snacks and drinks served. Tarahumara Hand crafts were for sale, all proceeds to the Tarahumara Project to support The Free Tarahumara Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hospital. ,WÂśV QRW WRR ODWH <RX FDQ VWLOO ÂżQG /LEE\ DW WKH *XDGDODMDUD 5HSRUWHU 2IÂżFH LQ Plaza Bugambilias or call 766 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1167 or 766 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3338 to make donations. COMING EVENTS: $XJXVW 1DNHG 6WDJH RIIHUV WKH UHDGLQJ After-Play E\ $QQH 0HDUD GLUHFWHG E\ %RE -RQHV 7KH ÂżUVW SOD\ ZULWWHQ E\ OHJHQGDU\ FRPHGLHQQH Anne Meara, the breezy, funny After-Play concerns two middle-aged couples who are old friends reuniting after three years by dining together in Manhattan following a night at the theater. Meara is perhaps best known for her work with husband Jerry Stiller in the comedy duo Stiller and Meara. The thrust and parry of two longseparated showbiz couples during an after-theater dinner UHĂ&#x20AC;HFWV WKH SROLVK DQG the predictability of an actor writing for actors: within seconds of their arrival at a trendy New York restaurant, the charactersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; gloves come off and the venRP LV Ă&#x20AC;\LQJ DQG LW DOmost never lets up despite the protestations of mutual love heard at After-Play set (see it at the Naked Stage) regular intervals. For reservations email nakedstagereservations@gmail.com or call Michelle Boudreau at 765-6408. Naked Stage presents minimalistic play readings for adult theatre lovers at 4 p.m., donation $80 pesos. Bar opens at 3 p.m., box RIÂżFH DW S P 3ULRU WR RU DIWHU WKH 5HDGLQJ Danielâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is open for lunch and dinner. After the Readings, the manager Daniel is offering 2 x 1 Dinners and 2 x 1 Margaritas. The Naked Stage is located in Plaza de la Ribera (Formerly Sol y Luna). Drive West on the Carretera from Central Ajijic. Turn South on Rio Bravo. The theatre is behind the Don Pedro Restaurant two blocks down on the left. Meals will be served. November 15 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 17 the Feria Maestros del Arte, the annual fair Goddess of Lake Chapala IRU 0H[Lcan art, ZLOO EH KHOG DW WKH &KDSDOD <DFKW &OXE If you can be in Mexico City October 19, the annual parade will kick off the feria season, emphasizing that spectacular art begins with individual artists. In this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parade there will be an alebrije (papiermâchĂŠ) sculpture that represents the Goddess of Lake Chapala, called Michicihualli. This early rendering was made by Alejandro Camacho Barreraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team of artists from Tonala (SE suburb of Guadalajara). The artists were recently awarded by Presidente Enrique PeĂąa Ă&#x2018;ieto. Mulitple Events: The American Legion post #7 schedule: Saturdays: 3:30 - 6:30 p.m. Fish Fry Sundays: Burgers & Dogs 12 - 3
Legion Shrimp Boil â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all you can eat!
Saw you in the Ojo 31
p.m. Aug 2 9 a.m. - Legion Bazaar Aug 11 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3 p.m. Faux or No â&#x20AC;&#x153;Antiqueâ&#x20AC;? Road Show (call for details) Aug 22 5 p.m. drinks, 6 p.m. Jimmy Buffet shrimp boil $170 pesos Tickets at the Legion, advance sales only, #114 Morelos at Guerrero, Chapala or call Victoria by cell (045) 333 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 598 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5843 or at Legion 765 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2259. Lakeside Little Theatre: August 6 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7, the LLT is holding a Sound Operatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Workshop conducted by Karen Lee from 10 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1 each of the two days. If you are interested, registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. on August 6. The meeting will be held in the lobby of the //7 7KH ZRUNVKRS LV VSHFLÂżFDOO\ IRU UHFUXLWLQJ DQG WUDLQLQJ VRXQG RSHUDWRUV DQG is open to anyone interested in learning theatrical sound techniques and equipment. Directors, stage managers, and other production people are also encouraged to attend in order to learn how to work with sound technicians on their productions. VIVA La Musica: This is the 2013 Summer Sunday concert series at St. Andrewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Church, Riberas del Pilar. A cash bar will serve champagne during intermission. Come and join in! $200 members, $300 Sample Theatrical Sound System general, free for music students with ID, $100 for students. Tickets are available at LCS, 10 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 12 or at Diane Pearlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Aug 18, 4 p.m Issac Ramirez Cello & Andres Sarre Piano: Toussaint, Bloch, de Falla, Faure and Piazzola Sep 15, 4 p.m. Nury Ulate & David Mosqueda Prelude Flute and Guitar: Solo Guitar Bach, Ponce and Turini, Flute and Guitar Back Oliva & Pujol Buenas Aires Suite Oct 13, 4 p.m. Quartet Tania Touby Piano, Konstantin Zumbilov Violin, Robert Nelson Viola and Yalissa Cruz Cello playing Mozart and Brahms Piano Quartets This time VIVA La Musica presents two musicians: Andres Sarre on piano and Issac Ramirez playing cello. They have formed a duo since 2005 and have participated in numerous competitions individually and together.
Andre Sarre
Isaac Ramirez
Issac Ramirez has won numerous competitions and has performed as soloist with the Jalisco Filarmonica, and the chamber orchestra â&#x20AC;&#x153;Blas Galindoâ&#x20AC;?. He is also involved in directing and producing Jaliscoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s radio program â&#x20AC;&#x153;Retro Conexionâ&#x20AC;? that popularizes classical music and is co-director of the educational Television program â&#x20AC;&#x153;Contratiempoâ&#x20AC;?. Together with Andres Sarre he has won prizes at The Chamber Music Festival in Aguascalientes and the International Chamber Music Festival in San Miguel de Allende in 2007. Andres Sarre has participated in national competitions. He played with the Jose White Quartet, interpreting the Brahms quintet. During studies at the Conservatorio Superior in Madrid and Barcelona, Andres specialized in piano accompaniment for Spanish and Latino-American vocal music, following which he was awarded a grant from CONACULTA to study in Modena, Italy with Mirella Freni and Paola Molinari. Later he studied Italian opera in Bologna with some of the
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El Ojo del Lago / August 2013
outstanding opera singers. He has produced a CD with soprano Lucia Preciado. All music lovers are invited to come and spend a lovely Sunday afternoon in the company of two young, talented Mexican musicians. (YHU FRQVLGHU PDNLQJ WKH WULS WR YLVLW WKH FOXVWHUV RI 0RQDUFK %XWWHUĂ&#x20AC;LHV WKDW QHVW LQ 0H[LFR WKURXJKRXW WKH ZLQWHU PRQWKV" Here are a few facts of interest: 0RQDUFK EXWWHUĂ&#x20AC;LHV DUH NQRZQ IRU WKH LQFUHGLEOH PDVV PLJUDWLRQ WKDW EULQJV millions of them to California and Mexico each winter. North American monarchs DUH WKH RQO\ EXWWHUĂ&#x20AC;LHV WKDW PDNH VXFK D PDVVLYH MRXUQH\²XS WR PLOHV (4,828 kilometers). The insects must begin this journey each fall ahead of cold weather, which will kill them if they tarry too long. 0RQDUFK EXWWHUĂ&#x20AC;LHV EHJLQ OLIH DV HJJV DQG KDWFK DV ODUYDH WKDW HDW WKHLU HJJshells and, subsequently, the milkweed plants on which they were placed. Monarchs are dependent on milkweed plants, which larvae eat nearly exclusively. Fattening larvae become juicy, colorful caterpillars, then create a hard protective case around themselves as they enter the pupa stage. They emerge as beautifully colored, black-orange-andwhite adults. The colorful pattern makes monarchs HDV\ WR LGHQWLI\²DQG WKDWÂśV the idea. The distinctive pattern warns predators that the insects are foul tasting and poisonous. 0RQDUFK %XWWHUĂ&#x20AC;\ %XWWHUĂ&#x20AC;LHV WKDW HPHUJH from chrysalides (pupa state) in late summer and early fall are different from those that do so during the longer days and warmer weather of summer. These monDUFKV DUH ERUQ WR Ă&#x20AC;\ DQG NQRZ EHFDXVH RI WKH FKDQJLQJ ZHDWKHU WKDW WKH\ PXVW prepare for their lengthy journey. Only monarchs born in late summer or early fall make the migration, and they make only one round trip. By the time next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winter migration begins, several summer generations will have lived and died and it will be last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s migratorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; great grandchildren that make the trip. Yet somehow these new generations know WKH ZD\ DQG IROORZ WKH VDPH URXWHV WKHLU DQFHVWRUV WRRN²VRPHWLPHV HYHQ UHturning to the same tree. Many scientists are concerned about the eastern population of monarchs, which summer east of the Rocky Mountains. This group is occurring in ever smaller numbers, and its survival may be threatened by a series of natural disasters in the Mexican wintering grounds, as well as by reduced acreage of milkweed plants in their summer home. 6FRUSLRQV DUH PHPEHUV RI WKH FODVV $UDFKQLGD DQG DUH FORVHO\ UHODWHG WR VSLGHUV PLWHV DQG WLFNV They are commonly thought of as desert dwellers, but they also live in Brazilian forests, British Columbia, North Carolina, and even the Himalayas. Need I mention Lakeside? These hardy, adaptable arthropods have been around for hundreds of millions of years, and they are nothing if not survivors. 6FRUSLRQV W\SLFDOO\ HDW LQVHFWV EXW WKHLU GLHW YDU\²DQRWKHU NH\ WR WKHLU VXUvival in many harsh locales. When food is scarce, the scorpion has an amazing ability to slow its metabolism to as little as one-third the typical rate for arthropods. This technique enables some species to use little oxygen and live on as little as a single insect per year. Yet even with lowered metabolism, the scorpion has the ability to spring quickly to the hunt when the opportuQLW\ SUHVHQWV LWVHOI²D JLIW WKDW PDQ\ KLEHUQDWing species lack. Such survival skills allow scorpions to live in some of the planetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s toughest environments. Researchers have even frozen scorpions overnight, only to put them in the sun the next day, watch them thaw out and walk away. But there is one thing scorpions have a GLIÂżFXOW WLPH OLYLQJ ZLWKRXW²VRLO 7KH\ DUH EXUrowing animals, so in areas of permafrost or heavy grasses, where loose soil is not available, scorpions may not be able to survive.
Saw you in the Ojo 33
Riding off the Edge of the Map %\ 'DYLG %U\HQ %RRN 5HYLHZ E\ 0HO *ROGEHUJ
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hat is it like to be lost in mountains where nobody speaks your language? Riding off the Edge of the Map by David Bryen relates the harrowing experiences of three motorcycle enthusiasts on a journey to one of the most dangerous areas in Mexico, Barrancas del Cobre (Copper Canyon), the largest series of canyons in North America measuring seventeen hundred feet deep and four times the size of the Grand Canyon. The danger lies not only in the terrain but also with the narco-traffickers who patrol the area. Following a hand-drawn map, the three adventurers struggle with failing equipment, explosive relationships and narrow mountain roads with thousand foot drops on one side, sheer rock cliffs on the other. The book is more than an exciting adventure story. Although there is page-turning excitement in each chapter, the author shares his understanding of masculine psychology through conversations among the men in which they reveal their feelings and attitudes. One of the major themes of this book is that the maps we follow in our lives are not always accurate. We all have mental maps which we believe represent the pathways of our lives. This well-written book is also the author’s journey into what it means to be human, to face limits and test boundaries. He examines a significant question: is it better to die trying to accomplish a goal or to recognize and come to terms with our human limita-
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El Ojo del Lago / August 2013
tions. Bryen’s book follows the classic pattern of the reluctant hero’s journey. Accepting the call to ride to Copper Canyon with his companions, Bryen shares many psychological and personal insights that have been shown to him in his dreams. One such dream relates his desire to know the secret to his life. An Indian maiden “stretched a single strand from a spider web across a delicate wooden hoop dividing the circle into two equal parts. ‘This is fire,’ she pointed to the left side, ‘and that is water,’ she pointed to the right side. ‘There is a thin space that is neither fire nor water. That is where you must live your life.’ Each chapter of the book relates the twists and turns not only of the ride into the canyon but also of the lives of each rider. The book is a recounting of life in that thin space between the external world and the internal world, between our un-validated maps and the reality. Bryen, a professional psychotherapist, turns his ordeals in the canyon into wisdom. He teaches us there is strength in gentleness. He allows us to share in his internal journey and helps us relate it to our own lives. The book is for sale at Diane Pearl, Oasis Cloud, Amazon, and Bryen’s website www.ridingofftheedgeofthemap.com. Also Mel Goldberg available on Kindle.
Saw you in the Ojo 35
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rmand Bardot is the richest man in his village of Vienne, France, a middleaged, balding Frenchman who is unmarried and makes his living selling truffles from his estate. Thirty years ago Armand planted hundreds of oak trees on his land, his plan that the limestone soil would become rich in truffles, a mushroom delicacy. Over the years, the focused Frenchman used German shepherds to seek out and harvest the truffles. Then, along came Amie. She was a spirited French poodle pup, born on the farm adjacent to Armand’s. She was wooly, white and landed in Armand’s arms one day while he was delivering some of his legendary home made wines for a tasting. His neighbor, Clement, picked Aimie from the litter and handed her to Armand declaring, “Here she is: your best truffle dog ever. My gift to a good neighbor and friend!” The shivering package, snuggling in Armand’s arms, was carried to the truffle farm that night. Her nose was wet and her eyes inquisitive. Most truffle dogs take a few months to train. They are usually female, as French farmers have learned that they, like their human counterparts, have a longer attention span than the males. Aimie responded to Armand’s training techniques within weeks. It was helpful that the pup loved gorgonzola cheese. Armand would reward every truffle discovery with a taste of the cheese and Aimie would twist and dance with each such event, falling over backwards in her enthusiasm. The French farmer had found his protégé and best friend. She had one flaw; she refused to put the truffles into Armand’s leather gathering pouch. Not even gorgonzola in the pouch tempted her. Aimie loved to romp with her leash still attached to her collar. Armand would find her nuzzling his hand at near 7:20 PM every night
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El Ojo del Lago / August 2013
when she would leap up to his lap, and rub her nose through his chin hairs, finding his chin even more intriguing than gorgonzola! Because the dark truffles were selling for about $700 U.S. per pound, there were those who would try to steal them. The thieves would trespass onto farms and begin digging, this done at night and with minimal success. But Armand had never experienced theft because his trees sat nearly fifty meters from the main road, which discouraged those who might consider truffle trespass. That ended in early January of this year when Aimie was heard barking in the oak orchard, the moon shining brightly overhead. Soon her barks turned to yelps penetrating the darkness. Armand found her lying in the middle of a long row of oaks. He could make out nothing but two shadowy male figures bounding out of sight. Cradling Aimie in his arms, he carried her home. Then, in a moment burned into Armand’s consciousness, he watched her drag herself across the concrete floor, blood trailing behind her, as she struggled up next to his leather pouch, opened it with her nose, and proudly deposited a truffle the size of a child’s fist inside the pouch. She then dropped in complete exhaustion, though her tail that would not stop wagging. Sorrow, joy and pride wet Armand’s cheeks. The prize truffle that Aimie had bravely retrieved from the thieves paid her veterinary expenses, including the spinal surgery that might have become necessary because of a beating with a buckled belt. She cannot work now and walks with difficulty. But she is delighted with her new companion, a white poodle named Pierre that Armand had brought home. It was, he thought, the least he could do for the best friend he had ever known. Jim Rambo
Saw you in the Ojo 37
%\ 9LFWRULD 6FKPLGW
Quinceañera
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e could d learn a lott fe about life mss from Mexicans. It seems heir lives every major moment off ttheir aptisms, s,, are celebrated. Births, ba baptisms, duaations, s,, confirmations, graduations, o celeven death has a way of e ebrating a life. There iss one ment celebration that is a moment h lif that outshines most in the life off a young woman’s. Sometimes, even more stellar than her wedding. And that is her quinceañera, the celebration of her 15th birthday and her debut as a woman. (I say this because in Mexico, people are married twice. The legal marriage is performed at courthouse. Then, if they want, couples can opt for the religious wedding at the church.) I have had the honor of attending a few quinceañeras and have experienced them with wonder. Each has been slightly different, but the most recent one was very special. There are several parts to a quinceañera, starting first with the parents and god-parents worrying about the cost! This event is steeped in very meaningful traditions. Some of the families make subtle changes, but most remain fairly traditional. But planning a quinceañera here in Mexico would be equivalent to a large wedding in the USA. Traditionally, prior to age 15, girls did not wear make-up or dance in public. (Family events are an exception.) Each piece of the quinceañera has it’s own significant meaning. A Catholic girl’s day will begin with a ceremony at her church for a thanksgiving mass. Accompanied by her parents, god parents and a “court of honor”—a group of her peers, damas y chambelanes, girls and guys that are close friends of hers—ranging to as many as 14 couples! Gifts are given, rosaries, or a locket with the Virgin of Guadalupe and the honoree is presented with a tiara. The tiara is a symbol that to her immediate family she will always be a princess.
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El Ojo del Lago / August 2013
The Th e co court ou of hono ho norr th no the en goes g honor then to the reception the th r ceptio re on where the party be eg begins. At the most recent event, eve the e yyoung yo ung lady wore e a lovely ffull-length fu ull-length balll gown, aand an d all the m me men wore sshirts sh irts that ma matched atc its c lor The tables co table tab color. were d t d and d b decorated, balloons adorned the dance floors, tables, and entrances. Food was plenty along with drinks. Gifts were collected, and once the guests ate, the ceremony began. First the young lady sat alone in a chair on the dance floor. She was holding a doll wearing a dress that matched her own gown. A friend came out and changed her shoes, giving her the first pair of high heels that she would wear as a woman, symbolizing her maturity. Then another person came, and placed the tiara on her head. As a mist surrounded her, the band played special music. Her mother then came, and took away the doll after exchanging embraces. The chair is then removed, and a waltz began and she danced her first public dance with her boyfriend, and then with all her male relatives, a time honoring the family. Then the rest of the family came to the dance floor and danced together—all ages from two to the grandparents. Later there was cake cutting and toasts, and more dancing and drinking. This was the last quinceañera for the family with six daughters and one son and her mother smiled in relief and her eyes were filled with the tears of pride. As we left the party, I was filled with a wonder at having shared such a meaningful moment in this young lady’s life. I thought back to my own 15th birthday. I have no memories. Traditions, I think, are a good thing. Victoria Schmidt
Saw you in the Ojo 39
BRIDGE BY THE LAKE %\ .HQ 0DVVRQ
A popular bumper sticker a few years ago read: “BRIDGE PLAYERS DO IT WITH FINESSE” and there is no doubt that the finesse often plays a very important role in our wonderful game. Figuring out (or even guessing) which opponent is more likely to hold a particular card and then rendering that card powerless is an ongoing and crucial part of declarer play. As players become more experienced they realise that finessing situations present themselves much more frequently than they had thought. Sometimes more than one finesse will be available in the same hand and the declarer has to decide which, if any, should be taken, and if more than one, in what order. Such was the case with this month’s deal. South picked up a very good hand containing 24 high card points and correctly opened proceedings with the strongest bid available, 2 Clubs. North responded 2 Diamonds, a ‘waiting’ bid to hear more from the opener. South now bid 2 Hearts to show at least a fivecard suit and North, holding 5 hearts and a decent spade suit, raised this to the three level. In this sequence, a raise to 3 hearts shows a better hand than an immediate jump to game, which North would have employed holding the same hand minus the Ace of Spades. South now bid 4 Clubs, a cue-bid showing first round control and North responded in kind with 4 Spades to show the Ace or a void in Spades. Now South placed the contract in a small slam by bidding 6 Hearts. West led the Heart 6, not wanting to lead away from an honor against a slam. Declarer could see 2 possible losers, one each in Spades and Diamonds.
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El Ojo del Lago / August 2013
South won the opening lead in hand and promptly pulled the opponents’ remaining trump, ending in dummy with the 10 of Hearts. Now declarer called for a Diamond and when East followed low, put in the Queen which lost to the King. West got out with a Diamond to declarer’s Ace. Now declarer played a small Spade towards the dummy and put in the Queen, which held the trick. Declarer’s only hope now was that West held a doubleton Spade so he tried cashing the Ace but when the King failed to appear, the contract was doomed. In the post mortem it was seen that South could having increased his chances of making the slam if he had taken the Spade finesse before the Diamond one. When the Spade Queen held the trick, declarer could have cashed the Ace and conceded a Spade trick, watching carefully as each opponent followed to all three rounds. Now dummy’s lowly Spade 6 would have been good and declarer could have pitched the Diamond Queen as that finesse was now unnecessary. If the opponents’ Spades had not been divided evenly, or the spade king was offside, declarer could have fallen back on the Diamond finesse in an attempt to make the contract. But taking the Spade finesse first greatly improved the chances for success. So the next time you have a choice of finesses to take, see if one gives you better odds than the other – it can pay big dividends. Questions or comments: email: masson.ken@gmail.com Ken Masson
Saw you in the Ojo 41
-R\IXO 0XVLQJV %\ -R\ %LUQEDFK 'XQVWDQ MA, LPC, MAC You Better Believe It!
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o what do you really think about yourself? Do you like you? Do you believe you deserve to be happy and successful? Are you confident and self-assured? Do you tackle new projects with a can-do attitude? Orâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;do you have a habit of putting yourself down with criticisms and doubts? Do you tell yourself, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t,â&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not smart enough, not talented enough,â&#x20AC;? and other similar things? One of the most difficult yet essential ingredients for a successful life is healthy self-esteem. Considering the messages many of us were raised with, we often start out with a couple of strikes against us. How many of you remember being told things like â&#x20AC;&#x153;you should be ashamed of yourself,â&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;&#x153;you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do anything right,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;if you had a brain, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be dangerous,â&#x20AC;? and so on. These messages program us to think thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something wrong with us, that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not okay. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.â&#x20AC;? Success in life depends on letting go of these type of messages and learning to believe in yourself. Without self-esteem, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doomed because, as Henry Ford once said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whether you think you can or whether you think you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re right.â&#x20AC;? Learning to feel good about ourselves is everything. The outside world can be quite daunting enough. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no point doubting yourself as well. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t learn to be your own best friend, you can sabotage yourself by being your own
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El Ojo del Lago / August 2013
worst enemy. How many of you would tolerate someone else calling you the names I bet you sometimes call yourself? And if you put a small value on yourself, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s likely the rest of the world will not raise your price. As Richard Bach wrote in one of my favorite books, Illusions, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re yours.â&#x20AC;? The way you think of yourself sets the standard for others. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not who you are that will hold you back. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s who you think you are not. At first glance, it seems counter-intuitive that people would de-value and underestimate themselves. So why is it such a common practice? Actually, it makes a lot of sense as a strategy for coping with fear of failure. If we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take on a challenge or try something new, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re much less likely to screw it up. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t try, you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fail. What a nice, safe solution! And if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re foolhardy enough to try something anyway, what better strategy to make yourself look good than to tell yourself and everyone else how poorly you expect to do. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really a sneaky way of fishing for compliments: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I could never do a good job on that,â&#x20AC;? elicits encouraging responses like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sure you could. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re so incredibly talented.â&#x20AC;? And later, you either get to prove yourself right or blow everyone away with the great job you did. Why not compliment yourself more right up front? Lots of us are great at chastising ourselves for our mistakes, but how many of you applaud your own successes? We notice what we look for. So look for things you did well each day. Every small success will build your confidence to have bigger ones. Allow yourself to make mistakes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and then call them lessons that help you do better next time. Live by the wise words of many childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s earliest teacher, Dr. Seuss: You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll decide where to go. Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note: Joy can be contacted at joy@dunstan.org or 765-4988 or through her website: http://joydunstan. weebly.com
DO NOT! %\ .DWK\ .RFKHV
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he screamed as sharp needle-like nails dug into her arm. Behind her back, arms reached out to clutch at her, grabbing her shirt, trying to tear it from her body. Fear consumed her and she felt paralyzed, unable to run, unable to escape. She struggled against the iron grip of her attacker, finally breaking free and running to the nearest door.
Hammering on the door, yelling for help, she entered, dripping blood from her finger tips. Cries of surprise and horror filled her ears, as those inside took in her disheveled appearance. Gently they led her in, bandaged her wounds and dried her tears. At last she was safe. Note to Self: do NOT park next to a cactus!
Saw you in the Ojo 43
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
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El Ojo del Lago / August 2013
e This August issue will be Kay Davis’ last Lakeside Living column. he Kay has been with the eve vera rall Ojo, on and off, for several urceful, years, and a more resourceful, conscientious and loyal associate ow moves we will never find. Kay now nd as sshe he d oess oe on to new challenges, and does our entire staff wish her great success. Luckily, Sandy Olson, another member of the Ajijic Writers’ Group, will come on as the editor of the column,
co comm mme e commencing with our Sept p em September issue. Sandy liv lived in San Francisco before moving to Mexico. Formerly a community college instru instructor, she first moved d own here in 1988, to start down a sc scub ubaa diving business in scuba Zihuatanejo and relocated here last September. She can be reached at sandyzihua@hotmail.com Welcome, Sandy!
Dear Sir: The Editor’s Page in the July El Ojo extols the alleged psychic powers of Edgar Cayce, whose “readings” and prophecies, like those of every other so-called psychic, have been thoroughly debunked by scientific inquiry. As noted in Wikipedia, Cayce disputed the history of life on earth established by scientific evidence. He claimed that five human races, white, black, red, brown, and yellow, had been created separately but simultaneously in different parts of the earth, the red one on the mythical continent of Atlantis. He not only claimed that Atlantis existed, but that its inhabitants produced energy from a giant crystal ball and that the U.S. would discover in 1958 a death ray that had been used there. Cayce also claimed that “soul entities” on earth had interbred with animals to produce twelvefoot-tall giants. Scientists have shown that most of the information “revealed” in Cayce’s trances was derived from books that he had been reading, including books on the occult. He qualified his “readings” with phrases such as “I feel that” and “perhaps” to avoid positive declarations that could have been shown to be false, a method typically used by so-called psychics. There is no evidence that humans lead successive lives through reincarnation as Cayce claimed in the case of the nocturnally incontinent physician, and the subsequent end of the physician’s problem proves nothing concerning Cayce’s “treatment” of him. (Mere association of two events cannot prove that the first caused the second, and spontaneous remission of medical problems is common.) So-called therapists who employ “past life regression” to
examine patients’ alleged previous lives are universally recognized as charlatans. Supporters of so-called “alternative medicine” (sometimes confused with “holistic medicine”) that Cayce advocated have wasted millions of dollars of U.S. taxpayers money in failed efforts to demonstrate the effectiveness of various forms of quackery. The benefits of such treatments that some patients report have been shown to result from well-established and powerful placebo effects that often lead patients to fail to seek treatment that would be effective for their conditions. The fact that millions of people visit the Association of Research and Enlightenment does not demonstrate the validity of Cayce’s claims. Millions also visit the International UFO Museum and Research Center in Roswell, New Mexico, where they can see models of extraterrestrials claimed to have visited the earth, but that provides no evidence for the validity of claims about UFO’s and extraterrestrials. For thousands of years people believed that the earth was flat and the sun revolved around it, but their numbers did not make their beliefs true. (Members of the Flat Earth Society still maintain that the earth is flat, just as the Creation Museum insists that humans dwelt with dinosaurs, the Discovery Institute maintains that humans did not evolve but were created by an intelligent designer, and the Heartland Institute insists that global warming is not happening.) There is much about the universe and the humans who inhabit it that is not yet understood, but that lack of knowledge provides no support for Cayce’s claims. He can be compared to
L. Ron Hubbard, the pulp science fiction writer whose preposterous claims, with no basis whatever in fact, are incorporated in Scientology, the religion he founded that has millions of deluded followers around the world. Kenneth G. Crosby San Antonio Tlayacapan
Our Editor Responds: Many of the prophecies that Cayce made never materialized. However, there still stands those 14,000 life readings— and I find it difficult to believe that every single one of those was merely a hoax, or that all those “subjects” were inveter-
ate liars—and if so, to what purpose? Certainly money could not have been a consideration, because for much of his early life, Cayce was dirt poor. Further, I have experienced many things in my own life that cannot be explained without considering the theory of reincarnation. Moreover, I think your comparison of Cayce to Hubbard is unfair. Scientology was founded by an unsuccessful screen writer who must have figured that if he could not write scripts, why not invent a religion; sort of like someone who can’t handle simple arithmetic and decides to try calculus instead.
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The Ojo Crossword
ACROSS 1 Broths 6 Baby´s â&#x20AC;&#x153;ballâ&#x20AC;? 10 Dimout 14 Pound 15 Self â&#x20AC;&#x201C;esteems 16 Persia 17 Hallway /RQJ ÂżVK 19 Extinct bird 20 End 21 Appear (2 wds.) 23 MI 24 Paradise 26 Pelter 28 Yak (2 wds.) 31 Against 32 Flurry 33 Hydrocarbon 36 Syrian bishop 40 Ornament 42 Ogle 43 Clod 44 Rice wine 45 Watched 48 Bolus 49 Toss 51 Spit 53 Pencil remover 56 Lively 57 Lair 58 Author of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sense and Sensibilityâ&#x20AC;? 61 Tides
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El Ojo del Lago / August 2013
65 Canal 67 Anon 68 Blaze up 69 Electron, for example 70 Flightless birds 71 Contradict 72 Green Gables dweller 73 Fill 74 Objects DOWN 1 Deer 2 American river 3 __Major (Big Dipper) 4 Sampled opinions 5 South by east 6 Started 7 Seaweed substance 8 Came into life 9 Pacify 10 Accomplished 11 Fragrance 12 Radiuses 13 Hummock 21 Book 22 Pounds per square inch 25 Deer 27 Snare 28 Bunches 29 Whim &RQÂżQH 31 Afresh 34 One who inherits 35 Positive vote 37 Squander 38 Drill 39 Abbreviate (abbr.) 41 Buss 45 Disease causes 46 Sports channel 47 Danish krone (abbr.) 50 Oolong 52 Loop 53 Water retention 54 Old show 55 Negatively charged particle 56 Hearing, for example 59 Bod 60 Vaunt 62 Sheaf 63 Rim 64 Observes with eye 66 Vane direction 68 Federal Bureau of Investigation
Saw you in the Ojo 47
THE YEAR’S SILLIEST [actual] HEADLINES OF 2012
*
S
omething Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says [no, re-
ally?] * Police Begin Campaign to Run down Jaywalkers [now that’s taking things a bit far!] * Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over [what a guy!] * Miners Refuse to Work after Death [no-good-for-nothin’ lazy so-and-sos!] * Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant [see if that works any better than a fair trial!] * War Dims Hope for Peace [I can see where it might have that effect!] * If Strike Isn’t Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile [you think?] * Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures [who would have thought!] * Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide [they may be on to something!] * Red Tape Holds up New Bridges [you mean there’s something stronger than duct tape?!] * Man Struck by Lightning Faces Battery Charge [he probably is the battery charge!] * New Study of Obesity Looks for
48
El Ojo del Lago / August 2013
Larger Test Group [weren’t they fat enough?!] * Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft [That’s what he gets for eating those beans!] * Kids Make Nutritious Snacks [Tastes like chicken?] * Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half [Chainsaw Massacre all over again.] * Hospitals are Sued by Seven Foot Doctors [Boy, are they tall!] And the winner is: Typhoon Rips through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead (Can you believe it?)
The
Lŕľşŕś&#x201E;ŕľž Cŕś ŕľşŕś&#x2030;ŕľşŕś&#x2026;ŕľş Sŕś&#x2C6;ŕľźŕś&#x201A;ŕľžŕś?ŕś&#x2019;
News
www.lakechapalasociety.com
Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Summer Programs
August 2013 &DQ $P 'D\ *UHDW 6XFFHVV Presidente Joaquin Huerta and LCS board member Aurora Michel were among the guests at the 13th Annual Can-Am Day Fiesta. Our summer party was a great success as the ex-pat community enjoyed food, fun and festivities in observation of our national holidays here in our host country, Mexico.
The Summer Remedial Program (above) sponsors sixty Lakeside children from grades one to six during an intensive fourweek daily summer school at the Wilkes Education Center. The program focuses on reading and math skills. The Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Art Summer Camp, an offshoot of the very popular Saturday art classes had more than 100 children from the VXUURXQGLQJ FRPPXQLW\ VLJQ XS 7KLV IUHH ÂżYH GD\ HYHQW IHDWXUHG classes in oil and watercolor painting, papier-mache, and jewelry making. Lakeside artists Antonio and Jesus Lopez Vega, and Javier Zaragoza are part of the 40-plus member volunteer staff that includes jewelers Barbara Passarella and Bobby Lancaster (below). LCS thanks the Ajijic Society of the Arts for their generous support. We hope that this program is a prototype for future programs that complement Neill Jamesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; legacy - a legacy that has introduced thousands of local children to the arts.
'R <RX 1HHG D 0H[LFDQ :LOO" Your wishes are clear, but are you sure they can be followed LQ 0H[LFR" +RZ GR \RX ÂżOH D 0H[LFDQ ZLOO DQG FRRUGLQDWH LW with your current will? The Lake Chapala Society and Cruz Roja are sponsoring a seminar to address your concerns on Wednesday, August 14 at 2 pm in the LCS Sala. Notaria Publica #2 Luis Enrique Bustillo Ramos will guide us through the process and address your concerns and questions. Space is limited to 50 participants, so please limit your IDPLO\ WR RQH DWWHQGHH <RX PXVW UHJLVWHU DW WKH /&6 RIÂżFH to attend.
Volunteers Needed!
,I \RX KDYH VNLOOV LQ WKHVH DUHDV SOHDVH FKHFN LQ WKH RIÂżFH for opportunities. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love to talk to you. We need: â&#x20AC;˘ Webmaster to maintain and improve our web site â&#x20AC;˘ Registered nurses to perform blood pressure readings â&#x20AC;˘ Building and/or Grounds Coordinator someone to oversee that our gardens and buildings are in good condition â&#x20AC;˘ Public Relations Manager-a big job for the right person â&#x20AC;˘ Data Base Manager with skills in Access data base systems â&#x20AC;˘ Facebook volunteer to keep an active Facebook page to help promote LCS north of the border.
Saw you in the Ojo 49
:KRGXQLW"
SUMMER FILM FESTIVAL
If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re titillated by terror, lethal greed and murder most foul thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing like a juicy true crime story to get your DWWHQWLRQ 7KLQN RI WKH QXPHURXV FULPHV²ERWK DQFLHQW DQG contemporary that grabbed the headlines or altered history, and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s probably a book on them right here in our library. We have a sterling collection of books on unsavory, unsettling and sometimes inexplicable misadventures. Crimes of murder, mayhem, arson and fraud, sometimes on a massive scale (think infamous serial killers, assassins, and multi-million dollar cons), abound on these pages. Ground-breaking genre-busting entries like Truman Capoteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;In Cold Bloodâ&#x20AC;?, confessionals like Frank Abignaleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Catch Me If You Canâ&#x20AC;? and novelized true crime stories like â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Onion Fieldâ&#x20AC;? reveal not only the crimes involved, but the dogged police work, lengthy investigations, and unexpected WZLVWV RI IDWH WKDW ÂżQDOO\ WUDSSHG WKH SHUSHWUDWRUV $VN DW WKH front desk for that particular section.
Open to the Public $OO ÂżOPV VKRZQ LQ WKH 6DOD No food No pets
6OHXWKLQJ DW WKH /LEUDU\ 7LSV IRU Finding Fiction )LFWLRQ LV ÂżOHG RQ WKH VKHOYHV DOSKDEHWLFDOO\ E\ DXWKRU VR look for the last name of the author and read the whole last name because Andersen will be shelved before Anderson. Be sure to look for the complete name because in the case of writers with the same last name, they will then appear DOSKDEHWLFDOO\ E\ ÂżUVW QDPH Anderson, Ann appears before Anderson, Anne, which in turn will be shelved before Anderson, Barbara. If an author has written more than one book, each title is shelved alphabeticallyâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;(ignore â&#x20AC;&#x153;theâ&#x20AC;?,â&#x20AC;?aâ&#x20AC;?, and â&#x20AC;&#x153;andâ&#x20AC;&#x153; in the titles). Example: Hemingway, Ernest, will be shelved this way: Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Old Man and the Sea, and Sun Also Rises. Now here is the tricky part: books by an author that are part of a series with the same main title are shelved alphabetically by subtitle. Tom Clancyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Op Center (main title) will be shelved by subtitle like so: Op Center, then Acts of War, Balance of Power, Call to Treason, and so on, followed by Without Remorse which is not part of the series. When in doubt, ask.
7KLV PLQL ÂżOP IHVWLYDO ZLOO IHDWXUH The Iron Lady on August 11 and Capitalism, A Love Story on August 15. The entry for the following week August 22 will be announced.
Herbal Medication and Pharmaceutical Consultation On the fourth Monday of the month, August 26, from 10 am to noon, there will be a free medication and herbal consultation by Dr. Beth McDonald, a retired pharmacist and naturopathic physician. Beth can answer your concerns about mixing various kinds of medications. Bring your herbal medicines, prescriptions, vitamins and minerals so she can review them to check for safety and effectiveness, drug interactions, drug-herb interactions, side effects. If concerns arise, Beth will refer you to your physician. Open to the public. Consultations will take place at the LCS Library Pad across from video library.
%HOO\RJD What is it? Bellyoga is a gentle, low impact, full body movement H[HUFLVH GHVLJQHG WR LQFUHDVH Ă&#x20AC;H[LELOLW\ UDQJH RI PRWLRQ FRUH VWUHQJWK DQG VHOI FRQÂżGHQFH IRU PHQ DQG ZRPHQ 8VLQJ EHOO\ GDQFH and yoga-like movements, Bellyoga is an enjoyable way to wake up your body and be inspired by the sounds and rhythms of Asia, the 0LGGOH (DVW DQG $ÂżFD Bellyoga begins Thursday, July 11 through August 29 at the LCS Gazebo from 9-10 am. Wear loose, comfortable clothing and socks, and bring a yoga mat if you have one. Classes are 45 minutes. For more information, call 331 831 3186. Open to LCS members only.
(QJOLVK $Q\RQH" The Lake Chapala Society is offering English classes to interested students age 15 and above. Registration will be held at the Wilkes Biblioteca on Galeana from August 12 through 16 from noon to 2 pm each day. Classes begin in September. The only cost is 350 pesos for the textbooks needed for the class.
Beginners iPad September COURIERS STILL NEEDED! Please keep us in mind when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re expecting visitors from north of the border or when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going north and returning in a timely manner. Mail 6WRS E\ WKH RIÂżFH DQG SLFN XS PDLO IRU IHOORZ PHPEHUV Stamps 6WRS E\ WKH RIÂżFH DQG DVN LI ZH QHHG VWDPSV Video -Ten DVDs donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take up much space in your luggage. Contact keanhombre@prodigy.net.mx %RRNV - You can also bring books if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re driving.
50
El Ojo del Lago / August 2013
Classes
August
to
The next session of iPad/iPod/iPhone for Beginners classes will start on Friday, August 23 and continue for the next three Fridays. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll take a one week break then start a new session covering the same material, starting Friday, September 27. Subsequent four-week sessions will be held until the end of the year. The classes will be in the Sala between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. If you wish to register or obtain more details, please send an e-mail to lcsipadclasses@gmail.com. Classes are open to paid up members of LCS only. You will need the password for the LCS WiFi from the /&6 RIÂżFH 7KH /&6 VHUYLFH GHVN FDQQRW UHJLVWHU \RX QRU FDQ \RX register by phone.
9,'(2 / ,%5$5< 1 (: $ '',7,216
AUGUST ACTIVITIES
*Open to the Public ** US Citizens (S) Sign in Required (C) Membership card required &58= 52-$ Cruz Roja Sales Table Cruz Roja Monthly Meeting +($/7+ ,1685$1&( Blue Angel Insurance IMSS & Immigration Services Met Life Insurance San -DYLHU +HDOWK %HQHÂżWV
M+T+F 11-1 2nd W 2-4
TH 10:30-1 M+T 10-1 T+TH 11-2 7+
+($/7+ /(*$/ 6(59,&(6 Becerra Immigration F 10:30-12:30 Blood Pressure F 10-12 Diabetes Screenings 2nd+3rd F 10-12 Hearing Services (S) M and 2nd+ 4th SAT 11-3 Sign-up Hypnotherapy 1st +3rd 2-5 Information Desk M-SAT 10-2 Loridans, Marquez & Assoc T 10-12 Optometrist TH 9-2 Sign-up Pharmaceutical Consultations 4th M 10-12 Skin Cancer Screening 2nd +4th W 10-12 Sign-up US Consulate (S) 1st W 10:30-12:30 Sign up 10AM ** /&6 3$7,2 LCS Patio, Bus Trips & Sales Table
M-F 10-1
LESSONS Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Art SAT 10-12* Exercise M+W+F 9-10 Have Hammer Workshop Demo W 10-12* Intermediate Hatha Yoga T+ TH 2-3:30, SAT 1-2:30 Line Dancing T+TH 10-11:10 LIBRARIES Audio 10-12 Book & Video M-SAT 10-2 Library of Congress Books**/Talking Books TH 10-12 Wilkes M-F 9:30-7, SAT 9:30-1 SOCIAL ACTIVITIES Beginners Digital Camera W 12-1 Beginners iPad Class F 2:30-4:30 Begins 23 August Bellyoga TH 9-10 Bridge 4 Fun M+W 1-4:30 Genealogy Last M 2-4 iStuff Discussion Group F 9:30-10:30 Mac OS Class 1st M 12-1:30 Mahjong F 10-2:30 Needle Pushers T 10-12 Scrabble M+F 12-2 Summer Film Festival TH 2-4:30 * Tournament Scrabble T 12-2 Windows Computer Group F 10:30-11:45 6(59,&( 6833257 *52836 AL-Anon Step Study M 4:30-5:30 Gamblers Anonymous W 11-1 Lakeside AA M+TH 4-5:45 MS Support Group 3rd W 3-4 NiĂąos de Chapala & Ajijic F 10-12 Open Circle SUN 10-12:15 SMART Recovery W 2:30-4 7,&.(76 6$/(6 0 )
-XVW IRU \RX IRUHLJQ ÂżOP DÂżFLRQDGRV DQG EHFDXVH WKHUH DUH QRW WKDW PDQ\ JRRG (QJOLVK ODQJXDJH ÂżOPV RXW WKHUH ULJKW now, of the 20 new additions for August, eight are foreign. They can be reviewed, in detail, on the LCS web page, as can all of the new additions. $PHOLH Amelie, an innocent, naive Parisienne, a girl with her own sense of justice, helps those around her and discovers love. French comedy ,WDOLDQ IRU %HJLQQHUV Lonely hearts in a semi-provincial 'DQLVK VXEXUE XVH WKHLU FODVVURRP DV D SODWIRUP WR ÂżQG URPDQFH 'DQLVK comedy .LQJV DQG 4XHHQV Mini-biographies of key British monarchs and how their actions changed history. French comedy 3DULV While waiting for a heart transplant which may (or may not) save his life, professional dancer Pierre passes the time watching people from the balcony of his apartment. French comedy 6\ULDQ %ULGH In Majdal Shams, the largest Druze village in the Golan Heights on the Israeli-Syrian border, Druze bride Mona is engaged to Tallel, a television comedian who works in the Revolution Studios in Damascus, Syria. Israeli comedy 7KH :RPHQ RQ WKH 6L[WK )ORRU In 1960s Paris, a conservative couple's lives are turned upside down by two Spanish maids. French comedy 7RJHWKHU Elisabeth leaves her abusive drunken husband Rolf, packs her bags and their kids to go live with her brother GĂśran--itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1975 and GĂśran lives in a commune called Together. Swedish comedy 7KH )LYH 2EVWUXFWLRQV Theatre documentary about the phenomenon of â&#x20AC;&#x153;documentaryâ&#x20AC;? directed by Lars von Trier and Jørgen /HWK $ ÂżOPPDNHU UHYLVLWV DQG UHFUHDWHV DQ HDUO\ ZRUN The Perfect Human (Det perfekte menneske), about life in Denmark. 6RUGLG /LYHV A family in a small Texas town is preparing for the funeral of their mother. Among the characters are the grandson WU\LQJ WR ÂżQG KLV LGHQWLW\ LQ :HVW +ROO\ZRRG WKH VRQ ZKR KDV VSHQW WKH past twenty-three years dressed as Tammy Wynette, the sister and her best friend (who live in delightfully kitschy homes), and the two daughters (one strait-laced and one not so much). Olivia Newton-John Kirk Geiger Comedy $ /RYH 6RQJ IRU %REE\ /RQJ Upon hearing of her motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death, jaded teenage loner Purslane Hominy Will returns to 1HZ 2UOHDQV IRU WKH ÂżUVW WLPH LQ \HDUV UHDG\ WR UHFODLP KHU FKLOGKRRG KRPH ([SHFWLQJ WR ÂżQG KHU ODWH PRWKHUÂśV KRXVH DEDQGRQHG 3XUV\ LV shocked to discover that it is inhabited by two of her motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s friends: Bobby Long, a former literature professor, and his young protĂŠgĂŠ, Lawson Pines. John Travolta Scarlett Johanssen Drama 7KH *DWKHULQJ 6WRU\ An intimate look inside the marriage of Winston and Clementine Churchill during a particularly troubled, though little-known, moment in their lives. Albert Finney Vanessa Redgrave Biography &RQVSLUDF\ A dramatic recreation of the Wannsee Conference where the Nazi Final Solution phase of the Holocaust was devised. Kenneth Branagh Stanley Tucci Drama Please be advised that if your VCR has a Region 4 (Mexico) designation the movies available at the LCS Video Library are very likely NOT going to play satisfactorily. LCS videos are all for Region 1 players.
Saw you in the Ojo 51
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On August 6 from 2:30 to 4:30 pm join us on the Neill James Patio for a celebration of life. Judy Baehr, Jimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife, invites all of Jimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s friends and colleagues to attend. Refreshments will be served. Jim was a member of LCS for many years and a strong supporter of the 2010 constitution. Jim served on the Audit Committee from 2009-2011. He died in Tucson, Arizona, on November 25th of last year. August 6 would have been his 77th birthday.
Get ready! Storytellers is about to do what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been doing VLQFH ² UDLVLQJ PRQH\ GHGLFDWHG IRU /&6Âś VWXGHQW DLG program by presenting programs of original works by Lakesideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most talented and provocative writers. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a newcomer you may be surprised to know that so many of Lakesideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s writers are such entertaining readers of their own work. Jim Tipton, a show in himself, has delighted our audiences, but heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not the only crowd pleaser. Judy Dykstra Brown and Margaret Van Every have moved audiences with their warm and personal pieces, and Mel Goldberg never fails to make folks laugh. Some very good writers, like Liz White and Jeritiza McCarter, arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t so keen to appear on stage, so we bring in well-known performers to read their works. These are just a few who make Storytellers such a good show. These late-afternoon programs begin at 4 pm, although most people show up when the bar opens at 3:30 pm. Programs are free, and everyone is welcome. We pass the hat just before intermission. Please contribute what you can; LCS currently sponsors 40 college students and your donation goes into the Jim Collums Education Fund. The programs are just over an hour long and always take place in the Lake Chapala Societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gazebo, or the Sala when LWÂśV FKLOO\ 'RQÂśW PLVV RXU ÂżUVW IDOO SURJUDP 7XHVGD\ 6HSWHPEHU 10, at 4 pm - bar opens 3:30 pm.
Casi Nuevo News With two estate sales successfully completed in just one month, the Casi Nuevo team is ready for our next one. We KDYH SURYHQ WKDW ZH FDQ PDQDJH WKH SULFLQJ VWDIÂżQJ DQG selling of entire households to the complete satisfaction of the estate owner. ,Q RXU ÂżUVW VDOH Casi Nuevo sold the entire contents of a twostory house. We promoted this sale with photos of many of the items on the school web site and prepared posters that were placed around town. We also had a large sign on the carretera the day of the sale. In our second sale, the estate owner had to move out of her house quickly, and again we posted photos on the school web site and sold many of the items in a few days. The remainder of the items were transferred to the store, and most were sold within a week. Casi Nuevo takes responsibility for preparing posters for display around town and advertising the sale in the Guadalajara Reporter. We also arrange for transferring the household items to the store, if required. Check out lakesideschoolforthedeaf. org/. and click on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Estate Saleâ&#x20AC;? to see an example of an estate sale photo promotion on the school web site. $OO SURÂżWV JR WR VXSSRUWLQJ Casi Nuevoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s three childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s charities: The School for Special Needs Children (formerly School for the Deaf), the LCS Community Education Program and Have Hammerâ&#x20AC;ŚWill Travel. For more information on our services, contact Jacqueline Smith at smithjacqueline55@gmail.com.
Meow! Funds are getting low and we need donations to spay, neuter, feed and care for our furry amigos. Please contribute what you can. See June Cooper at the Cafe patio. Gracias!
THE LAKE CHAPALA SOCIETY, A.C. 16 de Septiembre #16-A, Ajijic, Jalisco /&6 0DLQ 2IÂżFH
2IÂżFH LQIRUPDWLRQ DQG RWKHU VHUYLFHV 0RQGD\ Âą 6DWXUGD\ DP WR SP *URXQGV RSHQ XQWLO SP
LCS BOARD OF DIRECTORS President - Howard Feldstein (2014); Vice-President - Ben White (2015); Treasurer - Michael Searles (2015); Secretary - John Rider (2014); Directors: Karen Blue (2014); Lois Cugini (2015); Ernest Gabbard (2015); Aurora Michel Galindo (2015); Fred Harland (2015); Cate Howell (2015); Ann D. Houck (2014); Wallace Mills (2015).
Executive Director - Terry Vidal The LCS Newsletter is published monthly. Deadline for submissions is the 17th of the month preceding publication. News items may be e-mailed to Reba Mayo rebaelizabethhill@yahoo.com; cc to Terry Vidal tqv56431@yahoo.com Note: The editorial staff reserves the right to edit all submissions according to time, space availability and editorial decision.
52
El Ojo del Lago / August 2013
Saw you in the Ojo 53
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- INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE Tel: 766-0903 - INSTITUTO TERRANOVA Tel: 766 2401, 766 3999
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The Ojo Crossword
Saw you in the Ojo 55
CARS
FOR SALE: 2000 Ford F-150 Pick-up 4x4, Top-of-the-line XLT package. V-8 engine. Trailer towing package Four wheel drive. $XWRPDWLF WUDQV 0DWFKLQJ ÂżEHUJODVV FDS RQ back. Well maintained, very good condition. Tires very good. Slight scratches and dents. American plates. Best offer. Price: $5,850 US. FOR SALE: Escape XLT. South Dakota plates. Well maintained. Can be legalized for Mexican plates. Price: $8,500 US, Cell: (045) 331-538-0959. FOR SALE: 1998 VW BUG. Has had extensive motor work and runs awesome. Mexican plated. Price: $37,000 pesos. Call Emery at 331-748-8868. FOR SALE: 2005 Nissan Altima. Jalisco Mexican plates, very good condition, 17 alloy rims, 2.5 liter, cloth interior, make a reasonable offer. Price: $105,000 pesos. Call: 333815-7436. FOR SALE: Eddie Bauer Expedition 2005, Clean and well maintained. Tinted windows, 3rd row power seats, DVD system. Mexican plates. 4X2 One owner. Price: $163,000 pesos. Call: 376-766-1232. FOR SALE: 2003 PT Cruiser. Jalisco Mexican plates. Car is in very good mechanical condition; very clean inside and out. Air Conditioner, AM/FM Stereo, CD Player, Power Windows, Power Steering, Standard Transmission. Price: $68,000 pesos. Call: 333-8157436. FOR SALE: Jeep Grand Cherokee Mex. Plated. Local opportunity to solve that Mexican plated vehicle problem!. Beautiful & excellent conditions. Contact to see and buy: vidal_go@hotmail.com Immediatel y available, buy this week, get your plates and registration in Chapala same day. Price: $158,500 pesos/$11,800 USD. FOR SALE: Hitch for a U Haul trailer, used a few years ago only once to haul a trailer coming from the U.S. down here. Can haul up to 2000 lbs. Current website shows the price for a new hitch at $170 U.S. I would sell it for $100 U.S. Call me at 766-3025 or write fotoflyer2003@yahoo.com. FOR SALE: 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander, 81k Miles, Loaded with Options and excellent condition. New struts and shocks. American plated. Price: $6,000. Call: 376-765-6570 :$17(' Pickuo/Scooter/Car. TRANSPORTATION needed badly. Car was totaled by drunk driver. Cheap please. marsmex@ yahoo.com. FOR SALE: Black Side Mirrors for a Dodge SUV or Truck, Price: $500p each, new $76.95 USD each. Call: 765-4590. FOR SALE: Cavalier 1994 azul metalico estandar 2 puertas austero 3 dueĂąos, buenas condiciones, detalles tapiceria, llantas, tablero, otros. Buena maquina, 6 cilindros, buena carrocerĂa. $22,000 a tratar. Debe $3,300 refrendos e infracciones. Dejo en 19,000 y tu pagas los adeudos. FOR SALE: Extremely low mileage, Mexican plated vehicle in excellent condition with very low miles. Tinted windows. Front and rear bumper protection bars. Extra headlights on roof. Nissan warranty. Price: $295,000 pesos FOR SALE: $ PRVW UHOLDEOH FDU ,QÂżQLWLÂśV luxury model, Q-45 in nice clean condition. Mostly long distance miles. Oil changed every 3, 333 miles. New battery, brakes and tires. Engine clean and dry. Insurance value $4,000. SD plates. Price: $2,000 USD. Call: 331-2647881/ 106-0930.
COMPUTERS
FOR SALE: I have 4 Brand new Vivitar
56
Cameras still in the box, they all shoot Pictures and Video. The models are 9112,with 9.1 mega Pixels(600),model 410(500),model 7122,7.1. Mega Pixels(500),&The Freelance with 2.1 megapixels (400). I saw the Exact same camera at Sorianos a 5.1 Mega Pixel for $999 pesos. Call: 333-150-0658 or chicagochichi@gmail.com. FOR SALE: I have 2 touch screen monitors for sale. They are perfect for a store or restaurant for a POS system. One of them was purchased last year and never used!! The other has served me well and is in great condition but I have converted my POS system to iPads and no longer need the monitors. I am asking $5,000 pesos for the pair but I would consider selling them separately if needed. FOR SALE: Many items. like new 9 inch I PAD, I also have 1 HP compaq 8510p laptops, I also have rand new Polaroid(E20-7400 RF Velocity Micro Cruz SE R102 Android Reader - 7â&#x20AC;? Touch Screen Display, 256MB Storage + 2GB Micro SD, Wi-Fi, MP3 Support, Android 2.0 7 inch screen I PADS for $1,500 pesos, call me at home 376-765-6433 or cell 333150-0658, FOR SALE: Computer Desk, Blond â&#x20AC;&#x153;wood veneerâ&#x20AC;?, like new, Disc slots, HD space, File drawer, Keyboard slide out shelf, Elevated glass shelf. Width 60â&#x20AC;?, Depth 24â&#x20AC;?, Height 30â&#x20AC;? $1,000pesos. Call: 376-766-2771. FOR SALE: Logitech Trackman Mouse, LOGITECH TRACKMAN MARBLE T CH11 TRACKBALL MOUSE New $35USD used $100p. Call: 765-4590. FOR SALE: Dell S-Video TV Out Adapter Cable DP N 044CTV C/O CN Rev A00 Price: $100 pesos. FOR SALE: Kit De 6 Cables Para Proyector. Numero de parte Dell: X1853 Este kit es compatible con proyector Dell 2200MP y puede ser que funcione con otros proyectores. Consiste en: cable Stereo 3.5 mm , adaptador de JUiÂżFRV GH 9LGHR FDEOH &RPSRQHQWH FDEOH de video-RCA, cable USB cable y un cable S-Video. No incluye el cable VGA-RCA que normalmente viene en el kit. Precio: 340.00 pesos. FOR SALE: SeĂąalador apuntador laser a control remoto RC LASER POINTER V-108 nuevo sin usar en su caja. Para uso en juntas, conferencias, clases. DiseĂąo simple y conveniente. alcance de 15 metros para control remoto. 200 metros para la luz del laser. funciĂłn de avance y retroceso de pagina. se conecta por USB. no requiere drivers. soporta Windows 98/2000/ME/XP/Linux & Mac OS. Dimensiones: 11.9 x 1.4cm. Peso 60g. BaterĂas: 3 LR44. Precio: $390.00 pesos. FOR SALE: SeĂąalador apuntador Leedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Laser Presenter Pointer Power Point USB controller 1650-41sl. Nuevo sin usar. para uso en juntas, conferencias, clases. Dispositivo pequeĂąo que permite controlar su computadora/laptop remotamente con la pluma/ seĂąalador/apuntador cuando se conecta por el USB al equipo. Tiene cronometro y reloj y funcion de scrolling del mouse. Solo conecta y usa. Baterias: 3 LR44. Precio: $325.00 pesos. FOR SALE: Dell HDTV Molex-HDTV-Component-to-DVI-304pin-Cable-4287216001. DVI-3 RCA M1-DA to 3 RCA VIDEO SPLITTER P/N:42.87216.001-A Length:1.8M Conditions: New. Precio: $260.00 pesos. FOR SALE: Cable de video VGA 6 pies de largo Golden Bridge E156437 Style 2990 30V Low Voltage 15M/15M COMPUTER VGA MONITOR CABLE-6FT LONG - Black. Nuevo. Se usan para conectar cualquier monitor VGA a un equipo de computo o proyector. 6 pies 15-Pin S-VGA Monitor Cable. VGA / SVGA.
El Ojo del Lago / August 2013
Male to Male Connectors. Molded. Magnetically Shielded. Precio: $350.00 pesos. FOR SALE: Laptop Dell D630 para el hueso. Le falla el chipset de video. Ofrece. Laptop Dell D630 Seminueva Disco duro de 150GB, pantalla 14.1 pulgadas, Procesador Intel Core 2 Duo a 2.0GHZ, Memoria Ram de 2GB Expandible hasta 4GB, Quemador de CD y '9' :LÂż /HFWRU GH WDUMHWDV 6PDUW &DUG LQtegrado, Trusted Platform Module 1.2 y lector de huellas digitales, Puerto serial, conector de acoplamiento, 4 USB, VGA, salida para auriculares/altavoz, RJ-11, RJ-45, energĂa CA, micrĂłfono integrado. Con cargador. Te dejo la mochila gratis incluida. Precio: $2,800 pesos. FOR SALE: Roku 2 HD streaming Unit. View hundreds of free movies, newscasts and subscription sporting events. Works through your internet router and existing TV. View www. Roku.com for details. I bought two units but I only need one. Price for the unused Roku 2 is $60 USD or $750 pesos. Call: 376-763-5126. FOR SALE: Cordless mouse and keyboard. new, never used. Precio: $360.00 pesos. Call: 766- 5686. FOR SALE: KINDLE FIRE HD plus jacket. Paid $560, 3 month ago-Barely used. Price: $300 USD. Call: 376-76-53796.
PETS & SUPPLIES
FOR SALE: Puppies-Standard Poodles. AKC registered parents and pedigree and health records will be furnished ... one champagne colored male and one black male ... big and beautiful babies, fantastic bloodlines/disposition. Price: $7,000 pesos. FOR SALE: Large size dog carrier used a few times. Excellent condition. Measures 20â&#x20AC;? Wide 28â&#x20AC;? High 36â&#x20AC;? Long. Price: $2,300 pesos or U.S. equivalent. Call or text to 331.748.8868 Speaks English only. FOR SALE: Outward Bound Pet Car Seat new $35 USD Sale $250 pesos. Call: 7654590. :$17(' transport. Driving to Vancouver or Calgary Canada?? Do you have room to take a dog with you. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to a new home and unfortunately the airlines wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take him during the summer months. We would be happy to pay for this service. Want more info......please call me 376-765-3147.
GENERAL MERCHANDISE
:$17(' I need your used tredmill in good working condition that you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t looked at in months. Call: 766-2522 FOR SALE: 8 piece Equipali set. Include, sofa, love seat, 2 oversized chairs, coffee table with glass top, end table with glass top, otter man and TV stand with 2 shelves. Kept inside only. About 3 months old. Came with home we purchased. Price: $5,000 pesos OBO. Call: 765 -2138. FOR SALE: Like new Whirlpool Dishwasher, used only a few times. Price: $2,000 MXP. Call: 376-766-5299 FOR SALE: Jacuzzi Heater - never used. Price: $5,000 MXP. Call: 376-766-5299. FOR SALE: Maytag Refrigerator. 17 Cu. ft. White. 2008 model. Light in Freezer as well as Frig. Have Ice Maker packed securely ready to install, never used. All parts remove for cleaning. Bought at â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tio Samsâ&#x20AC;?. Excellent Condition. Available on 07 August, possibly sooner. Price: $2,225 pesos ($180.00 USD). FOR SALE: 2 LG OPTIMUS L Iusacell, one is purple new $1800 pesos and the other one is black used $1550 both are in great condition and have android 2.3.6 Call: 331-605-3810. FOR SALE: Iphone3s 16g very good condition factory unlocked $165 dls & iphone3 8g
factory unlocked $145 text me anytime 331605-3810. FOR SALE: 2011 Italika GS 150 Moto GS150. Red, Barely used. 1,720Kms-Just over 1,000 miles. Minor scratches on Left side. Otherwise like new. Original price: $16,899pesos. Has cupholders, Tool kit and Unique lockable â&#x20AC;&#x153;Trunkâ&#x20AC;? with Brake light strips on each side. Only Premium gas used. $50-$60 pesos/ month to run around. All books, paperwork. Price negotiable. Price: 13,500pesos. Please contact by e-mail: doslocos9@gmail.com. :$17(' Craftsman good at Sharpening knives if you know someone or a shop to do this Appreciate a call 376 766 1521 or E-mail: dtaruspn@yahoo.com. FOR SALE: Weight Bench with reinforced VROLG ZRRG QRW Ă&#x20AC;DNHERDUG VHDW %DUEHOO ZLWK spin on collars and 2-5lb plates and 4-3lb plates. Price: $1,000 pesos. Photos on request with e-mail address. Contact Raphael at doslocos9@gmail.com. FOR SALE: Futon, Black metal frame and Navy Blue/Colorful Design on reverse. Moving, Must Sell. Excellent condition. Price: $1,995.00 pesos. Photos on request with e-mail address. Contact Raphael at doslocos9@gmail.com. FOR SALE: Macetas by â&#x20AC;&#x153;Alexâ&#x20AC;? in El Chante and others. All with plants and metal 3 footed VWDQGV /DUJH 6KHIĂ&#x20AC;HUD )HUQV &DFWL DQG Other colorful plants. Must See to appreciate. Photos on request with e-mail address. Contact Raphael at doslocos9@gmail.com. FOR SALE: Singer sewing machine. It has various stitches straight and all kind of zig zag for overlock and more. Buttonhole function. It is white, plastic, with pedal. Price: 1,000 pesos. FOR SALE: Brand new massage table. Used only a few times. Fine wood frame, foldable, head support, carrying bag with zipper. Wide model. Price: $3,500 pesos. Contact me via e mail. FOR SALE: Kawai 360 full keyboard electric, digital piano with great sound. Includes piano bench. $650 USD or pesos equivalent. FOR SALE: Decorative Terraza (Patio) Table. Wrought Iron/Glass. Top: Width 37â&#x20AC;?X20â&#x20AC;? Deep, Height 18â&#x20AC;?. Base is Anodized Brown color. Stable enough to hold â&#x20AC;&#x153;Adornosâ&#x20AC;?. Statues, Plants etc. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wobblesâ&#x20AC;? a bit. $250pesos. Price: $350 pesos. Call: 376-766-2771. FOR SALE: Custom made clothes rack measures 67â&#x20AC;? long by 60â&#x20AC;? high. Great for when your closet space is limited. Price: $700 pesos. Call: 331748-8868. FOR SALE: Elliptical Trainer. Smooth Fitness DMT X2 - usually retails for $2,100 USD, used $1,300 USD, selling for $700 USD - buyer will need to arrange pickup. FOR SALE: Philips door lock - Model 751 CL-I (Classic-left-izquierda). Almost brand new with all hardware necessary to install. Takes about 5 minutes. Price: $125.00 FOR SALE: Best Equipment. Sets of 5/10/15/20/25 LBS cast iron weights, ez curl bar â&#x20AC;&#x201C; chromed and knurled with collars,some benches- pretcher/sitting and lying bench, heavy bag with gloves. Call: Johnny 766-2210 :$17(' looking for a surveyorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s digital level. Call: 766-5686. FOR SALE: Oleo Painting. Price: $11,000 pesos. FOR SALE: XM Radio Model 136-4345 with lifetime Music. Price: $400p. Call: 765-4590. FOR SALE: Mr. Heater-Convection Heater New was $135 USD sale $500p. Call: 7654590. FOR SALE: Jaccuzzi 5-8 personas. Modelo
Faenza Esparta. En vende despuĂŠs nueva construcciĂłn. LocaciĂłn Ajijic centro. Precio: $12,000. Pesos. FOR SALE: KITCHEN SCALE. Digital. Range: 0-11 lbs, 0-5,000 grams (precision 1 gr). New, never used, but box open. Duplicated wedding present. White color, LCD screen. Price: $24.00 USD. FOR SALE: MICROWAVE / CONVECTION KENMORE OVEN 1.5 cu.ft. DIGITAL. Used but well cared, includes Recipe / Instruction book, temperature sensor, delivered to your place. Settings: MICRO 0-100 %, CONVECTION 120-450 F. External dim.: 15â&#x20AC;? x 18â&#x20AC;? x 24â&#x20AC;? Internal dim.: 10 7/8â&#x20AC;? x 14â&#x20AC;? x 15 1/4â&#x20AC;?. Price: 120.00 USD. FOR SALE: 'LVKZDVKHU²LQGXVWULDO +Rbart â&#x20AC;&#x153;under the counterâ&#x20AC;? LX30 Commercial Dishwasher. Wash cycle: 85 seconds/150° F (66°C), rinse cycle: 10 seconds, 180° F (82° C). In excellent condition. $2,000 US, or best offer. Call at: 376-765-4521 or e-mail at: livingincommunitymx@gmail.com FOR SALE: :D\ÂżQGHU 9 'LJLWDO 9Hhicle Compass Thermometer. Price: $200p. Call: 765-4590. FOR SALE: Heavy Duty Lawn Furniture Covers nice green. Price: $150p each. Call: 765-4590. :$17(' Trailer Hitch/Carrier. Looking for a carrier for the back of a car with a diamond plate base width of a car and about 24â&#x20AC;? deep, to attach with trailer hitch. Or just a good Trailer Hitch for a 2011 Honda CRV. Please contact Raphael via emial at: doslocos9@gmail. com. FOR SALE: Banco tubular con asiento tapizado en vinipiel blancos. Ideal para uso en barras de cocina. barras de bar. cafeterias. stands. mostradores. locales comerciales. Tengo 6. Casi siempre se usaron con funda. EstĂĄn como nuevos. Precio: $300 pesos c/u. FOR SALE: six boxes of 4X4 off white tiles. Also one box of matching decorative tiles. Price: $250 pesos per box. FOR SALE: Beautiful ladies desk. Perfect to be use anywhere. Can be used as a hall table. Also two beautiful lamps. Price: $1,800 pesos. FOR SALE: Beautiful ornate chest of drawers. Made by local craftsmen. A real asset to any home. Use as a sideboard or dresser for the bedroom. Price: $6,000 pesos. FOR SALE: Medications. Not outdated. Lipitor 80mg(Name brand and generic). #100, price is 1/2 of pharmacy. Plavix 75mg, #100. Price 1/2 of pharmacy. FOR SALE: Used for two years. Electric wheelchair, Invacare Pronto M94 complete with manual, extra braces for legs, charging system. 25 miles to each charge. New lists $6,900 USD. Good Condition. Price: $3,000 USD, negotiable within limits. FOR SALE: Kit de seguridad con cĂĄmaras y Sistema avanzado de circuito cerrado de televisiĂłn H.264 con DVR (grabador de video digital) inteligente con 4 cĂĄmaras para video vigilancia 24 x 7 de su casa o negocio. El DVR incluye disco duro SATA preinstalado de 500GB para 1 aĂąo de grabaciĂłn. Price: $4,900 pesos. FOR SALE: Shisha Hookah de 27 centĂmetros de una sola manguera. Precio: $290 pesos. FOR SALE: Prindle 16 w trailer. Main sail and trampoline are almost new. Pontoons and all rigging in new condition. Price: $18,000P Call: 01-387-761-0125. FOR SALE: 6DLOERDW &ODVVLF 6XQÂżVK ÂżEHUglass day sailer for sale complete with two ZKHHO WUDLOHU 0XOWL FRORU VDLO $ QHZ VXQÂżVK LV priced at $42,000 pesos but this one is available for $14,000 pesos. Call 376-763-5126. :$17(' I am looking for over the ear headphones (like Sennheiser or Sony) for watching TV. :$17(' Jobs for Have Hammers! Please bring us your custom carpentry jobs... large & small! Need some shelves? a pantry? maybe a table? Reasonable prices PLUS you are Supporting the School! Call: 376-766-4830. FOR SALE: Sofa, clean-line contemporary style, ready for re-upholstery, or use existing denim slipcover. Was custom-made by Metropolitan in SF--expensive when new--highquality materials. Price: 2,500 pesos OBO.
Call: 766-1043 FOR SALE: Various Items. Shaw system DSR401MN - GEN INST - DISH AND Remote. Replica of Mexican show, dancing horse, approx 3 feet tall-3 feet long-unique hand carved saddle sitting upon black leather blanket, embroidered in gold all around, genuine leather cinches, stirrups, leather headgear and reins, real horses hair tale-mounted on pedestal, UHSOLFD RI EULOOLDQW ÂżJKWLQJ URRVWHU PDGH IURP metal, stands 3 feet high, great for home or garden. Call: JOHNNY 766-2210. FOR SALE: Outdoor Lounge Chairs. Hampton Bay (Home Depot name brand) outdoor lounge chairs, rust proof aluminum frame, fully welded construction, all weather cushions. Have 2 for sale at $1,800.00 pesos each. Will email pictures on request. Call: 766-5686. FOR SALE: Koblenz all-purpose canister vacuum still in original box--never used. Picks up wet and dry debris, handy air blower to inĂ&#x20AC;DWH PDWWUHVVHV EDOORRQV HWF /LJKWZHLJKW DQG easy to use. Added bonus: unblocks backed up drains in seconds. Price: $998 pesos. Call 765-7629. FOR SALE: Pop up camper. used, very VHUYLFHDEOH FDPSHU ÂżWV VKRUW EHG SLFNXS VHOI contained, rustic but cute. Call for details. Steve 766 -3576. FOR SALE: Tequila Patron. I just saw a promo and adjusted my prices: 2 from XO CafĂŠ $290 each; 12 from Silver $495 each; 12 from Reposado $545 each; 12 from AĂąejo $590 each; and 3 from Platinum $2,950 each. :$17(' Hiv medicine, do you have some extra HIV medicine you would like to share, sell or give away, or can you bring it from USA or Canada, please contact me (itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not easy to get it here in Mexico). FOR SALE: 4 new Watair Atmospheric Water Generators. Makes pure (hot and cold) water from the air all around us. Simplemente crea agua pura del aire (caliente y frio) que estĂĄ a nuestro alrededor. -- $1,000.00 US each or best offer. Call at: 376-765-4521 or e-mail at: livingincommunitymx@gmail.com. FOR SALE: Stove- US Range cast iron and stainless steel 4 burner stove with griddle, in great condition. Price: $1,200 US or best offer. Call at: 376-765-4521 or e-mail at: livingincommunitymx@gmail.com. FOR SALE: HAYWARD Power-Flo II PUMP Made in USA Volts 115 Horse Power 1.0 price new $4,890 pesos asking $2,000 pesos. Call: 376-766-0149 FOR SALE: SAMSUNG 27â&#x20AC;? TV. Silver With remote and manual. Price: $1,500 pesos. Call: 765-7123. FOR SALE: Wheeled clothes racks. Two Black iron 75â&#x20AC;?High x 72â&#x20AC;? long very maneuverable clothes racks. Price: $1,200 pesos each. Call: 765-7123. FOR SALE: Inversion Table. Professional anti-gravity inversion table for athletes and rehabilitation of the spine and brain blood circulation. Price: $3,200 pesos. Call: 765-7123. FOR SALE: Covered wardrobe rack. Chrome shelving on wheels with two zipper cover. $2,500 pesos. Call: 765-7123 FOR SALE: 3 pieces iron patio set. 2ft 6 inch diam glass table top. 3 seater couch with cushions.2 seater couch with cushions. Price: $3,000 pesos. Call: 765-7123. FOR SALE: SHOWER PANEL mod A030A with 3 sprinkles and waterfall on top of it, massages your body while having a bath, still in box. Price: $1,900. E-mail: leopoldoernesto@ hotmail.com â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 376-766-1833. FOR SALE: LITTLE GIANT submersible pump never used, removes water to 1/8 of surface I have the invoice as well. Price: $1,600. leopoldoernesto@hotmail.com â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 376766-1833. FOR SALE: Construction Master Pro Model 4060 This little gadget does everything. $300 Pesos. Call: 765-4590. FOR SALE: I have a box of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Recover onâ&#x20AC;? Acido Acexamico medication (crystals). There are 10 packets in one box. I opened the box, but did not use the medication or open any of the 10 packets. Cost $897.30 MXN. Since I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t end up using it, perhaps someone else could? Price: $500 MXN make an offer. Call: 331-785-8518; jan@africawork.net
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El Ojo del Lago / August 2013