El Ojo del Lago -May 2013 by El Ojo del Lago

Saw you in the Ojo

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

Saw you in the Ojo

z DIRECTORY z PUBLISHER Richard Tingen

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alejandro Grattan-Domínguez Tel: (01376) 765 3676, 765 2877 Fax: (01376) 765 3528 Associate Publisher David Tingen

Index...

FEATURE ARTICLES

COVER STORY

Ed Lusch examines the nature of myths, and comes close to saying that some of them here in Mexico might actually be . . . true.

COVER STORY

VOLUME 29 NUMBER 9

Graphic Design Roberto C. Rojas Sandra Hernandez

Associate Editor Jim Tipton Contributing Editor Paul Jackson Contributing Editor Mark Sconce Drama Critic Michael Warren Art Critic Rob Mohr Roving Correspondent Dr. Lorin Swinehart Sales Managers Omar Medina Bruce Fraser

&RYHU E\ Dani Newcomb 14 HISTORICAL Dr. Lorin Swinehart draws a compelling picture of the legendary Tecumseh, one of the greatest military tacticians of all time, today regarded as a great hero in Canada, whose government has erected statues and issued a commemorative postage stamp in honor of this Canadian leader.

Editor’s Page

Uncommon Sense

Bridge by Lake

Joyful Musings

The Ojo remembers Robert Kleffel, an ex-pat who gave back so much to his adopted country of Mexico. Rarely has a foreigner been held in such great esteem by the Mexicans here at Lakeside.

Welcome to Mexico

28 HUMOR

24 Hearts at Work

18 OBITUARY

2I¿FH 6HFUHWDU\ Rocio Madrigal ADVERTISING OFFICE Av. Hidalgo # 223, Chapala Mon. thru Fri. 9am - 5pm Sat. 9am - 1pm Tel. 01 (376) 765 2877, 765 3676 Fax 01 (376) 765 3528

Neil McKinnon, himself a Canadian, continues to plumb the deep waters of the Canadian psyche. God help the North Americans when he gets around to dismantling the psychological mind-set of the United States!

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

0RRQ\HHQ .LQJ ¿OHV 3DUW )LYH RI her closely-observed series about one of the poorest areas here at Lakeside—and writes about the many things that are being done to improve the heretofore neglected neighborhood.

PRINTING: El Debate

26 PROFILING TEPEHUA

El Ojo del Lago aparece los primeros cinco días de cada mes. (Distributed over WKH ¿UVW ¿YH GD\V RI HDFK PRQWK) &HUWL¿FDGR GH /LFLWXG GH 7tWXOR &HUWL¿FDGR GH /LFLWXG GH &RQWHQLGR Reserva al Título de Derechos de Autor 04-2011-103110024300-102 Control 14301. Permisos otorgados por la Secretaría de Gobernación (EXP. 1/432 “88”/5651 de 2 de junio de 1993) y SEP (Reserva 171.94 control 14301) del 15 de enero de 1994. Distribución: Hidalgo 223 Chapala, Jalisco, México. All contents are fully protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without the written consent of El Ojo del Lago. Opinions expressed E\ WKH DXWKRUV GR QRW QHFHVVDULO\ UHÀHFW WKH views of the Publisher or the Editor, nor are we responsible for the claims made by our advertisers. We welcome letters, which should include name, address and telephone number.

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El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

20 Anyone Train Dog 22 Child of Month

30 Lakeside Living

LAKESIDE LIVING

Special Events Editor Kay Davis

36 Front Row Center 40 View from South Shore 46 The Poets’ Niche 48 The Ghosts Among Us 53 LCS Newsletter

Saw you in the Ojo

Editor’s Page By Alejandro Grattan-Dominguez For Greater Glory (La Cristiada)

movie dramatizing the Cristero Rebellion opened recently in Mexico. The film, mainly shot in Mexico, features several wellknown Hispanic actors such as Andy Garcia, Santiago Cabrera and Eva Longoria and deals with one of the dramatic moments in Mexican history, would be expected to do very eerry ry well down here—but apparently such was not the case. Historical background: from 1926 to 1929, the Mexican government under President Plutarco Calles put into effect a series of anti-clerical laws aimed at decimating the power of the Catholic Church. Such measures included deporting priests and bishops. Such measures had been percolating since the time of Benito Juarez in the mid-1800’s. Juarez, one of Mexico’s most revered figures, was elected president five times, his last term ending in 1872. He had turned back the French occupation of Mexico, and thereafter instituted liberal democratic policies that were not nearly as indulgent with the Church as had been the case under the Emperor Maximillian. Some argue that Juarez’s democratic and religious reforms would not have reached anywhere near the levels implemented by the Calles government some half century later—but just how far did his regime actually go? The movie is too long and too short; short because it leaves much of this complicated history unexplained, too long because at 2 1/2 hours, it seems interminable. The script is far too simplistic, working in black or white mode, when the material would have been far better handled in the less absolute color of gray. The first-time director (known basically for his superb work in special visual effects) does wonderfully in the action and battle scenes, but fares far less well in bringing the characters to life, or even making them believable. Andy Garcia, a charismatic and talented actor (see Godfather III, which Garcia stole right out from under Al Pacino’s nose) here seems little more than just another Latino-looking actor. As for all the female characters in the story, some played by stunning-looking actresses, not one makes much of an impression.

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

Peter O’Toole fares even worse, seeming to have wandered in from another movie. Type-wise he’s all wrong, and then is given nothing but pious homilies to mutter. Reuben Blades, playing President Calles, is one of the very few acting stand-outs. The film treats a very complicated situation in a very simplistic way. One doubts the wide-spread viciousness of the Calles regime, even while amused by the sanctimoniousness of the Cristeros. The movie is pitched at an over-the-top level that works against itself, much as did Mel Gibson’s near-hysterical handling of The Passion of the Christ. The action scenes, however, are beautifully done, and the locations well chosen, giving the movie great visual scope; but sadly, it’s like a huge and expensive frame of a painting that is much too small for it. The production overpowers the story. Further, the script is so one-sided that the Cristeros come out looking like reincarnations of some of the Apostles and the other side might as well have been the Gestapo. There is very little complexity or contradiction in the story. Watching it reminded me of another movie set in Mexico: Juarez, with Paul Muni, Bette Davis and Brian Aherne. Shot in 1939 over several months in and around Vera Cruz, for years the film was the second most expensive movie ever made, trailing only Gone With the Wind—but talk about complexity: it was Monarchy vs. Democracy, king vs. president—and both were honorable men! It’s a great picture—and one highly recommended for those who would like to learn Mexican history in a most Alejandro Grattan pleasurable way.

LESSONS FROM A GRIEF DIARY: Rebuilding Your Life after the Death of a Loved One :ULWWHQ E\ -XG\ '\NVWUD %URZQ DQG 'U $QWKRQ\ 0RULDUW\ 5HYLHZHG E\ +DUULHW +DUW

oised to begin the perfect retirement in Mexico, Bob Brown was diagnosed with cancer and given less than a year to live. He died three weeks later. His widow, Judy, chose to relocate to their dream home, alone. This book is about that journey: “It is a story of grief and redemption, learning, change, remarkable love and frustrating adaptation to a new life. It is the story of nursing a dying husband at home alone, as he wished it to be, the seeming end of a love story that somehow managed to stretch out for years after his death – a story that continues even now that I finally feel free to reach out for what might be the next big love of my life.” Judy’s portion of the book consists of journal entries, emails, poems and essays written during her ordeal. Co-author, Dr. Anthony Moriarty, provides a professional perspective in alternating chapters. Their dialogue makes the book unique, giving “contrasting sides of the picture: spiritual/clinical; personal/objective; emotional/detached.” Dr. Moriarty writes: “nearly 2,400,000 people die in the US annually and each leave an average of four mourners. Most people muddle through their grief in a very personal way, isolated in their pain despite incredible numbers of those who experience the same intense feeling of being alone.” Readers of this book who are caretaking a dying loved one or grieving someone’s loss will realize that they have company. Both authors are honest in confronting the complex emotions death brings. For instance, Judy finds Bob “cantankerous” and experiences relief when their ordeal ends. Dr. M comments that this stage is “only the eye of the hurricane. Soon the storm of grief will be upon her.” And make no mistake, it is a storm. Judy describes her initial reaction: “I take turns wailing, looking

at myself in the mirror to set myself straight and doing things like thinking, walking, crying, and watching videos of “Absolutely Fabulous…” Dr. M observes that “the end of a life does not necessarily bring about the end of a relationship.” Judy knows that moving to a new country gives her “new ways of perceiving the world.” Over time Judy realizes that the purchase of Bob’s dream house in Mexico was his final gift to her. She is tempted to participate in Mexican death rituals but opts for life instead. She sees signs that she interprets as Bob attempting to communicate with her. Dr. M calls this “superstitious thinking,” one means of coping. Another is expressing oneself through art. Judy is a writer and she makes memorial boxes called retablos which is cathartic for her. The authors address negative reactions associated with grief, including guilt, loneliness, withdrawal and anger, but Judy learns grief’s positive lessons including the liberation of widowhood: “Yes, I have lost my life’s companion of fifteen years, my art collaborator, my loyal supporter and the love of my life. But I’ve also lost my severest critic, the man who for fifteen years usurped my side of the bed…and left his shoes strewn like unstrung pearls throughout the house.” The book ends positively. After many years of pain, Judy is ready to date again. Now she knows that “grief holds the seeds of life. If you refuse to learn the lessons grief teaches, the gifts it gives, then you are, in a sense, refusing life.”

Saw you in the Ojo

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nthropologists will tell you that one common denominator existing in the history of all cultures is a preponderance of myth and legend. We have all heard of many of them: leprechauns, Yeti, Loch Ness Monster, Atlantis, gods and goddesses, stories from religious text and the list, of course, goes on and on. Most of these myths are metaphorical; meant as morality lessons or guides to notions of proper behavior. While many myths have ardent supporters, their enthusiastic belief is usually in contradiction to fact. But sometimes a tale combined with eyewitness accounts, physical evidence and...historical narrative can make one seriously wonder if even the most unlikely myth might, in fact, be true. Such is the case with the giants of Mexico. In 1539, the Spanish explorer Coronado, along with 300 soldiers and 800 Indians, set off from Mexico City westward bound for the Pacific Ocean. Upon reaching the province of Sonora, an advance party was sent to the coast to rendezvous with Coronado’s supply ships. The group did not spot the ships but returned to Coronado’s army with an Indian guest in tow whose height held the Spanish awe-struck. The historian and member of Coronado’s expedition, Pedro de Castañeda, wrote in his account of the journey, “They did not find the supply ships but they brought back an Indian so large that the tallest man in the army reached only to his chest. It was said that other Indians were even taller on the coast.” Other historians have written that a tribe of Indians called the Seri lived on the island of Tiburon (shark) and the adjacent gulf of California’ s coast in Sonora. They were of enormous stature, some over eight feet tall. (The Seri Indians, of which only 650 remain, still live on the coast of the Gulf of Cortez. They say they descended from giants who lived on Tiburon Island.) Another historian of the 16th cen-

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

tury, Fray Diego Duran, spent his lifetime studying the Aztec and other indigenous Mexican cultures, becoming a highly respected expert on their language and history. During his 32 years living with the Indians of Central Mexico, he said he had several contacts with giants. In his book on the history of Mexico, Duran writes, “It cannot be denied that there have been giants in this country. “ I can confirm this as an eyewitness account for I have met men of monstrous stature here. I believe there are many in Mexico, who will remember as I do, a giant Indian who appeared in a procession of the Feast of Corpus Christi. He appeared dressed in yellow silk—and he was all of three feet taller than all the others.” In another section of his 78-chapter book, Duran wrote, “These giants had abominable customs and ate raw meat from the hunt. Enormous bones of the giants have been found which I myself have seen dug up at the foot of cliffs many times. These giants flung themselves from precipices while fleeing from the Cholutecs and were killed. The Cholutecs had been extremely cruel and treacherous to the giants, pursuing them from hill to hill, valley to valley, until they were destroyed.” Joseph de Acosta in his book, History of the Indies, says, “When I was in Mexico, they found one of those giants buried in one of our farms...of whom they brought a tooth to be seen which was as big as a fist of a man; all the rest was proportional which I saw and admired.” Bernard de Sahagan, a foremost authority on the Aztecs, wrote in his multivolume history of Central Mexico, “The giants of Quinametin were Toltecs and they built Teotihuacan and Choluta.” The above eyewitness accounts were written by 16th century historians and many more accounts of Mexican giants exist in the historical record. Some recount huge Indians of enormous strength, one of whom hoisted a log onto his shoulder that six Spanish soldiers could not lift; others report

thigh bones as tall as a man and mummified bodies from the Copper Canyon of eight feet in length. Whether these huge beings were giants existing among normal-sized tribal people, or tribes unto themselves, is unclear, but the Spanish seem to have bumped into them in many areas of Mexico and in southern Florida, Alabama and the lower Colorado River. The conquistadors found the word Quinametzi “grandes hombres deformes” or Quinames “grandes monstruosos” consistently applied by the natives throughout Mexico to describe giant humans. Are the accounts of giants written by Spanish scholars like Castaneda, Sahagan, Duran and others simply the embellishment of stories heard from indigenous peoples to bolster scholarly reputations for historical chronicling? Did myth become “eyewitness” accounts? Quite possibly, but myth is often founded on grains of truth. A recent theory espoused by some anthropologists argues that tribes or races of giant humans eight to nine feet tall once were the dominant humans of all North America including Mexico. An aggressive and warlike people, tribes fought against each other diminishing their populations. Races of average-sized people, far more numer-

ous, possibly more mentally advanced, eventually killed off the remaining giants. There are hundreds of accounts of giant human bones and skulls being unearthed from many locals in Mexico and the US, and even burial sites of giants containing dozens of remains. The question is: where are the bones? In private archeological collections? Locked in the cavernous basement of the Smithsonian? In tribal burial grounds? Theories abound but no one seems to know for sure. Ed Lusch

Saw you in the Ojo

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y friend, Luis Romero, recently sent me a copy of a book review from the New York Review of Books, thinking I might find the subject interesting. The book Against Autonomy, by Sarah Conly, argues that government and other organizations are sometimes justified in using coercion to require people to make choices “for their own good.” This topic has been the focus of much debate already. John Stuart Mill, the utilitarian philosopher, has argued that it is indefensible for government to compel people to act in a particular way to prevent harm to only themselves. This is a popular libertarian position. For example, most would agree that the government should not prevent people from eating an unhealthy diet even if eating such a diet increases

their risk of premature death. Of course, we already accept some forms of government coercion. We are required, in the US and Canada, to obtain prescriptions before we purchase many medications. We are forbidden to drive without insurance or without a seat belt. And we are forced to pay taxes to support policies with which we may strongly disagree. In the United States, one of the most contentious examples of government coercion revolves around the “individual mandate” requiring everyone to purchase health insurance. Sometimes, the argument for coercion is justified by the evidence that people who choose to behave irresponsibly are, in fact, causing harm to others. Those who forego medical coverage, for example, are still cared for in

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

emergency rooms. When they cannot pay their bills, the cost is necessarily passed on to others. Conly argues that what she calls “coercive paternalism,” or forcing people to behave in a particular way, is sometimes justified. Many people have a “present bias” which may cause them to focus on present circumstances rather than the future. Even though they may have a long-term goal of living a long, healthy life, they are blinded by the present and have trouble exercising the selfrestraint necessary to stop smoking, exercise and eat a healthy diet. Conly believes it is justifiable to “help” people accomplish their long-term goals by limiting portion size in restaurants, for example. If the benefits of the coercion outweigh the costs (usually, the loss of autonomy) then, she argues, the coercion is justifiable. If there is a more effective method for achieving the same ends, without coercion, like a public education campaign, the coercion is not justifiable. The most controversial coercion she proposes is a ban on cigarette smoking. She believes that the huge benefit to public health, and the lack of any other effective, non-coercive measure, justifies such a draconian step. Of course, such paternalistic, “nanny state” measures are controversial and

not likely to be passed. Nevertheless, as we decide what the proper role of government should be, we must consider what types of coercion we will accept. We accept some types of coercion and reject others. Where should we draw the line? Note: I received feedback from a physician friend on my January column on over-diagnosis of medical conditions. While he generally agrees with the column, he disputed the fact that “normal” blood pressure was once considered 160/100. He noted that level has always been considered high and should be regulated by medication.

BRIDGE BY THE LAKE %\ .HQ 0DVVRQ

ne of the most common adages at bridge is: “Against a no trump contract, lead fourth best from your longest and strongest suit.” I would agree with that in principle but would add “with some exceptions”. One of those exceptions occurred in the illustrated hand. North dealt and opened the bidding with one diamond. He would dearly have liked to hold another club so he could open 1 no trump but in the circumstances 1 diamond was the best he could do. Although East had a nice collection of cards, and 14 high card points, she correctly concluded that she did not have the right shape to enter the proceeding at this stage so she passed. This is a particularly important lesson for less experienced players who feel that they must get into the bidding with the equivalent of an opening bid regardless of their distribution. With eight high card points and no four card major, South responded 1 no trump. North, holding an intermediate hand raised to 2 no trump and South carried on to game. Note that North was not too concerned about his singleton club as his partner’s failure to bid a major, or raise diamonds, strongly suggested he had some club length. West was paying attention to the bidding and realized that his partner must have substantial values but just had nothing to say. Looking at his own miserable collection, he decided to forego the lead of a heart and instead try to find a suit that would accommodate his partner and so chose a spade. His decision was entirely based on logic: South was known not

to have as many as 4 spades as he had bid no trump over his partner’s opening salvo. In turn, North was virtually guaranteed to have a maximum of 4 spades based on his bidding, therefore East was very likely to have 4 or more cards in that suit. West led the spade 5 and met with spectacular success. Declarer called for the 4 and East played the 8, keeping her other cards “surrounding” the dummy. Declarer won with the queen in hand and took the diamond finesse which East ducked smoothly. It seemed to declarer that the diamond king was onside so he attempted to get back to his hand with a club and East made another good play by winning the Ace, for the defense’s first trick and effectively shutting South out of his own hand! East now cashed the spade Ace and continued with the Jack (on which West pitched the heart 7 to show a high card in that suit). Declarer was now sunk. He was forced to cash the diamond ace and continue that suit which East won to cash her last spade. And now all that remained was to put declarer back on the table by playing the heart queen for West to eventually take the setting trick with his lone high card, the heart jack. West and East had combined beautifully to defend this hand. The moral of the story is: when you are on lead and have a very weak hand try to lead the card that gives your side the best opportunity for success Questions or comments: email: masson.ken@gmail. com Ken Masson

Saw you in the Ojo 11

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wish I had a list of all those things I keep meaning to get done but somehow never quite get to. Maybe with a list to look at each morning Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d consider my options and select something to accomplish that day. Then again, if I had to face that long list each morning maybe Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be overwhelmed by so many things needing to be done, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d do nothing at all.Â I remember the last time I moved. I planned to sort my overflowing files and send everything no longer needed into the trash. But of course, just like Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done too many times before, I packed everything, promising myself Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d sort it at the other end.Â Yeah, right. The rods in my file cabinet are bowed under the weight of excess paper work.Â Letting go of old belongings has never been my strong suit. Fortunately, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m good at organizing and putting away all this stuff so it looks neat and tidy, and I can generally find whatever I need. But the flip side is that that also makes it easy to accumulate and accommodate more.Â Last week I wore a pair of earrings someone gave me when I was in seventh grade, and I still have two casserole dishes in my kitchen that I got free for opening a bank account in 1971!Â Am I cluttered, or just sentimental? What happens if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a great accumulator but a poor organizer? Life can get pretty stressful. Important items get lost, time is wasted

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

trying to find things, and home can become a chaotic mess.Â You might start your day frustrated and anxious before you even get out the door because youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re running late after hunting for your cell phone and you couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find the keys to the car. Clutter is often the result of procrastination. When you put off throwing things away or putting things where they belong, you end up with clutter. And procrastination, strange as this may sound, is often linked to perfectionism. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a perfectionist, you want to do everything perfectly, and that takes time. Often that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;timeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; never comes, and tasks stay undone rather than be done imperfectly. Of course, there are other reasons clutter accumulates. Some tasks are just too unpleasant or boring to ever reach to the top of the to-do list. Some folks have trouble organizing and others donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have appropriate places to put things away. If any of this sounds familiar, hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a few strategies to help you clear the clutter out of your life. Tell yourself that getting one or two small tasks done in a day is a lot better than just thinking about accomplishing twenty someday. Pack items you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t used in ages in a box and set it aside for a year. If you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t missed it by then, get rid of it. Purchase lots of bins and boxes and cubbies to put things in. Find pretty, colorful, or stylish ones so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fun to put things away. Make lists and enjoy the satisfaction of crossing off one task at a time. These simple strategies can help your productivity while reducing your stress level. Life will never be as you expect it and maĂąana will be as busy as today. Creating order out of chaos can be quite satisfying if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s done in small chunks. Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note: Joy is a practicing psychotherapist in Riberas. She can be contacted at joy@dunstan.org or 765-4988 or through her website: http://joydunstan.weebly.com.

Dear Editor: With regard to “The Last King of Mexico,” written by Dr. Lorin Swinehart (March 2013 edition), I have just one point to clarify. As a native Texan, somewhat familiar with that state’s history, I question the statement, “There followed [after Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821] the Mexican War with the United States, during which Mexico lost vast territories in the north, including Texas and California.” That Mexican War (1846 – 1848) won for the United States: California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Texas had already won its independence and had become the Republic of Texas in 1836, 10 years previously. Texas, already an independent republic, voluntarily joined the Union on December 29, 1845, but not as a direct result of the victory of the United States over Mexico as suggested in the article. Regards, Don Williams Our Columnist Responds: Dear Mr. Williams,

You are, of course, correct. My sister, her husband, my niece and two nephews are unrepentant Texans, and I am surprised they didn’t catch it. As I remember, Texas was independent for about 13 years. Interesting time in so many ways. I know that there was a dispute over the border with Mexico, the U.S. claiming it was at the Rio Grande, and Mexico arguing that it was the Nueces River. President Polk used the dispute as a pretext for war, depending upon one’s viewpoint, not the most edifying chapter in our history. I admire good scholarship. If you have not already done so, I recommend Hampton Sides’ book Blood and Thunder; A Saga of the West. For me, it is an honor to be a part of the El Ojo staff. Wonderful group of people, and some have become good friends. Many thanks for your input. God Bless, Doc Swinehart

Saw you in the Ojo 13

TECUMSEH—Nativ ve American Hero/Defender of Canada %\ 'U /RULQ 6ZLQHKDUW

n the night of March 9, l768, a great meteor streaked across the skies of southern Ohio, heralding the birth of the great Shawnee leader Tecumseh on the banks of a spring near the village of Chalahgawth, not far from the Little Miami River. The heavenly event caused the newborn to be named Panther in the Sky. Possessing outstanding leadership and oratorical skills, he was destined to leave his mark upon history. Following the 1794 Battle of Fallen Timbers—a decisive victory for the United States—and the subsequent Greenville Treaty, Tecumseh knew that white invaders would never rest until all Native Americans were dispossessed or eradicated. Tecumseh, who refused to sign the treaty, later denounced Indiana Governor William Henry Harrison for tricking a group of drunken chiefs into signing a “whiskey treaty” ceding 3,000,000 acres of Indian land. He inspired all Native peoples to form one nation, to stand together against the white man’s perfidy. Tecumseh’s brother Tenskwatawa, known as The Prophet, a recovering alcoholic, envious of his more accomplished sibling, provided spiritual impetus for his Pan-Indian Alliance. In 1808, they established Prophetstown at the confluence of Indiana’s Wabash and Tippicanoe Rivers, where Native Americans gathered from across the continent to hear the Prophet. Harrison, disliking and distrusting all Indians, kept a close eye upon the activities at Prophetstown. He attempted to discredit the Prophet by daring him to make the sun go dark. Tenskwatawa accurately predicted a solar eclipse, causing his credibility to soar among his followers. Seeking to consolidate his alliance, Tecumseh travelled back and forth across the South recruiting the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Cherokee,

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

C k and Creek d Seminole SSeminole. i l Thro Th Throughout h gho h t his hi sojourn, a comet flared in the skies overhead, affirming to his listeners that Panther in the Sky was a messenger from the Great Spirit. When the Choctaw spurned his entreaties, Tecumseh warned that he would stamp his foot, causing their villages to fall down in ruin. He had predicted the New Madrid Earthquake of 1811, the worst cataclysm to strike North America in recorded history, wreaking havoc throughout the South and Midwest, even causing the Mississippi to flow northward for a time. Native Americans everywhere were further energized by these mystical occurrences. In Tecumseh’s absence, Harrison tricked Tenskwatawa into a frontal battle, resulting in the destruction of Prophetstown and all its supplies. Suffering numerous casualties despite the Prophet’s assurance that the white man’s bullets could not harm them, many lost confidence in Tenskwatawa’s powers and began to wander off. With war brewing between the US and Great Britain, Tecumseh now had no choice but to ally himself with Great Britain. At the time, Britain was fighting for its survival in a lengthy war against Napoleon Bonaparte. Congressional War Hawks perceived an opportunity to seize Canada while Britain was preoccupied, assuming that Canadians would flock to the US banner, regarding the invaders as liberators. However, with a mere 6,000 regulars to defend such a vast territory, the British were forced to rely upon Canadian and Native American forces, a role that both were eager to fill. Tecumseh commanded all Native American forces, up to 50,000 men, in return for British promises of a

Native American homeland occupying the lands between the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Citing violations of maritime law and accusing the British of inciting the Indians, the US declared war upon Great Britain on June 18, 1812. Poorly trained and led, US forces were repeatedly defeated at Michilimackinac, Fort Dearborn and along the Niagara River. Tecumseh proved himself a master strategist. At Detroit, utilizing excellent psychological warfare techniques, Tecumseh convinced the aging General William Hull that he was hopelessly outnumbered, causing him to surrender without firing a shot. Michigan, and parts of Maine, Vermont and New York fell to British and Native American arms. The U.S. Army suffered one of its worst defeats ever at Michigan’s River Raisin. Sadly, Tecumseh was not present to prevent the massacre of POW’s. Not until the failure to take Ohio’s Fort Meigs after two lengthy sieges, because of British General Henry Proctor’s miscalculations, did Tecumseh’s forces meet their first major defeat. At Meigs, Tecumseh, who always despised torture, intervened to prevent yet another massacre of POW’s and chided Proctor for failing

to control his men. On September 10, 1813, a fierce sea battle raged on the waters of Lake Erie. U.S. Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s fleet triumphed, cutting off Proctor’s lines of supply. Harrison’s army moved northward, retaking Michigan and threatening the British stronghold at Fort Malden, Ontario. Proctor was forced to retreat eastward, leaving Tecumseh’s dwindling forces to fight alone. The subsequent defeat at Moraviantown on Canada’s River Thames was catastrophic. Having prophesized his own death, Tecumseh was killed in the fighting, spelling the end of his Pan-Indian confederacy and the dream of a permanent homeland for his people. Within thirty years of the death of Tecumseh, nearly all Native Americans were moved west in a series of forced migrations, the most infamous being the Cherokee Trail of Tears. Today, however, Tecumseh is remembered as a great hero in Canada, where statues and a commemorative postage stamp honor his memory. Lorin Swinehart

Saw you in the Ojo 15

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House Calls

ne of the great things I love about Mexico is that medical doctors make house calls. Oh, they all have their offices and appointments are the norm. But there are doctors in Mexico who understand the concept of simply being too sick to go to the doctor. They will come to you. I’ve had that experience several times with my husband since we moved here. It is a luxury we try not to abuse. There are many concepts of medical care that are different here than in the USA. The doctors seem to be genuinely concerned about the health of their patients. They ask questions I was never asked in the USA. They focus on your life, your family, your diet, and your eating habits. Changes need to be made? Instead of reaching for the prescription pad, they start by changing diets and life styles. Our doctor actually did write a prescription to my husband to improve his eating and sleeping habits! No pills! I had a doctor even ask me what kind of pets I lived with. And every doctor I have had here has helped me. I am healthier now than I was in the USA. And so is my husband. Our doctor takes the time to get to know us as people. Here we are more than a number on a chart, or the name of a disease. I find this care extends also to the doctors who care for our animals. Vet-

erinarians understand the needs of their patients. My husband and I had four animals. Sometimes, it was just too difficult to get them all to the vet. In Minnesota, we found one vet who would come to our home to tend to our animals. In such a vastly populated area there was only one who would come to our home. But here in our charming corner of Mexico, almost every vet will make house calls when necessary. Today was one of those days. Actually it was one of our darker days. Our rescue dog, Boo, had reached his limit of problems that could be fixed medically. Boo, was initially rescued from a puppy mill, and was named Sergio. We found that name meant “servant.” After the horrible treatment in the puppy mill, his serving days were over. Since he seemed to be afraid of everything when we first got him, we named him Boo. His fear of going to the vet made another trip there too traumatizing, and we wanted his last day to be free from as much trauma as possible. I contacted the doctor, who came to our home, so that we could hold our Boo in our arms, in his own home, with his brothers around him, and have him put to sleep surrounded by love. We are forever grateful for the loving care this doctor gave to our Boo during the five years he cared for Boo, and in the last moments of Boo’s life. Boo went peacefully and is now out of pain, and the remaining animals, two cats and a dog respectfully watched the process as if they understood. After the doctor left, each animal approached both my husband and me to try to ease our pain. There are people who believe that animals are too “dumb” or “stupid” to understand. These people clearly have never owned a pet. We feel blessed to be surrounded by so many professionals who care about their patients, be they human or animal. Victoria Schmidt

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

Saw you in the Ojo 17

REMEMBERING ROBERT KLEFFEL

obert Kleffel, a beloved member of our community at Lakeside, passed away on April 4th at the age of 78. A native of Los Angeles California, Robert attended UCLA where he graduated with a degree in business. Until 1980 he lived in Santa Monica where he taught business courses at Santa Monica High School. Students at the high school occasionally asked him for his autograph because he was the regular stand-in for Clint Walker in the popular television series, Cheyenne. After earning his Master of Science degree in finance from UCLA he became an instructor of economics and finance there. He also worked for the Beverly Hills National Bank as Director of Research and was a Planning Commissioner and Chairman Pro Tem for the City of Santa Monica. And, he still found time to sing in musical presentations alongside celebrities such as Jane Russell, Harve Presnell, and Connie Stevens. In 1980, Robert and his wife Bonnie moved to Olivenhain, California where they founded Business Economic Services, Inc., providing real estate research, financial feasibility studies and maquiladora operations. Along with this business, Robert was a trustee on the board of Mira Costa College for six years and Vice President of Mainly Mozart, the leading classical music celebration in the San Diego / Baja California area. In 2000, he and Bonnie moved permanently to Mexico where Robert quickly integrated himself into the local culture and the local communities around Lake Chapala. Almost immediately, he became a force for education in the Lakeside area, developing many educational programs and helping to provide financing and other resources for many scholastic programs and institutions. Particularly significant was his role in the founding of Instituto Technológical Superior de Chapala (where the new auditorium is named in his honor). Those institutions he helped to raise funds for include The Little Blue School in Chapala, the kinder-

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

5REHUW .OHIIHO garten in Atotoniquillo, CONALEP, the Wilkes Education Computer Center in Ajijic, and the Instituto Tecnológico. Robert taught English Literature at Instituto Loyola; and he taught English at CONALEP, Instituto Tecnológico, Hacienda Federal, DIF in San Antonio, the Municipality of Chapala, and to doctors of Central de Salud, as well as to many other students and professionals, often free of charge. To his family, friends, and students, he was “Don Roberto.” Robert also served on the board of the Association for Sciences and Humanities and on the Arts and Culture Board for the Municipality of Chapala which oversees the education needs of approximately 10,000 district students. Robert and Bonnie developed an education scholarship program which was able to send many students through school with expenses paid. He was also active in the writers’ community at Lakeside. He often amazed his audiences by reciting his heart-filled stories solely from memory. He regularly wrote for area publications including El Ojo del Lago, Lake Chapala Review, and MexConnect. His wine column, “Grape Expectations,” appeared each month in El Ojo del Lago. Robert is survived by his loving wife of 32 years, Bonnie, and by his son Mark and his adopted daughters Karol Ramos (and husband Rommel Cedano), Iris Ledezma and Laura Ortiz and his grandsons Casey and Jose. A memorial was held at the Robert Kleffel Auditorium at the Instituto Tecnológico Superior on the Libramiento last April 28th. Submitted by Mark Kleffel

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Anyone Can Train Their Dog %\ $UW +HVV artthedogguy@yahoo.com Forget the Problem—Concentrate on the Solution!

n this part we will work on the solution for the first two problems we mentioned, running to the door and barking, and begging at the table, because the solutions are the same. I ascribe to the process of “getting the dog’s attention, redirecting the attention, and rewarding the dog for performing the redirection.” In this exercise it’s important that we have the right mind set because we are setting out to teach a skill as opposed to the old idea of curing a problem. At this time we want to think of the solution as being entirely divorced from the problem(s) and view it like a skill we can show off to our friends and in addition it can be a skill we can use to resolve problems. Mechanically we are simply going to teach the dog to go and lay down and stay on his bed or in his crate for an extended period of time until he is invited to move. You see, if our dog is happily on his bed he can’t perform these other undesirable activities. We start off by placing his bed where it is that he will be able to be part of the regular activities of the environment he usually shares with the household. Next take five high value treats. This is no time for chintzy pieces of kibble, we want real motivators here. We want zero dis-

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

tractions, just you and the dog. You start about 4 or 5 feet from the bed. Now show him you have a “lure” in your hand and say “go to your BED” with the accent on the word bed. In the future this will be the only command. With the lure (treat) you direct him to the bed and when he is on the bed you say SIT and move the treat from an area near his nose and between his ears and back toward his tail. When he sits we move the treat down between his front feet and when he assumes a down we say “good dog” open our hand and give him the reward and say STAY. Repeat this process from this close in position four more times and take a pause. Shortly you repeat the exercise with happy enthusiasm for another 5 times and you continue until you have done 20 repetitions. Between reps he stays on the bed and is congratulated for doing a good job. This becomes a fun experience for the dog if you approach it as fun happening and not just a boring training exercise. This onus is on you to make this enjoyable for your dog. After a few days of successful sessions from the short distance you gradually increase the distances. Once the dog will enthusiastically run to his bed from various distances we try having him go to the bed from different rooms or places in the house so he is foolproof. Our goal is for him to run to his bed and lay down as soon as he hears the one command “go to your BED.” At this stage he is always rewarded. Remember there must be a reason for the student to perform the task. You’ll notice that we haven’t concerned our self with the problems of barking at the door, begging, or whatever other undesirable activities we may have to deal with. At this time, we simply want him to happily master the task of going to his Art Hess bed on command.

GRAFFITI BUSTERS WINNING THE BATTLE!

ave you noticed any graffiti in Ajijic or Chapala lately? The answer is probably, “No”. That would not have been the case a couple of years ago. Ajijic and Chapala were both saturated with the ‘Urban Art.’ In fact, it was hard to go a block or two in any direction without seeing a defaced wall. Graffiti generally appears in one of three forms: Tagger’s, who have an insatiable need to scrawl something on any surface that isn’t moving; Gangs, who want to mark their territories; and Lovesick Youths who want to alert the rest of us of their undying love. In 2010, The Ajijic Garden Guild decided to take on a graffiti clean-up project as a part of their community beautification efforts. A handful of volunteers were recruited, paint was purchased, and the cleanup began. It soon became apparent that this was going to be a big job, and the costs were significant. Enter the Chapala Association of Realtors, who saw the merits of a graffiti-free community, and agreed to fund the project. That support from the C.A.R. continues today. The first stage of the project was to clean up the graffiti in Ajijic, section by section. The Plaza area and the area in and around the beautiful Amistad Park & Malecón were the first to be tackled, followed by the rest of the village, and then pushing outward in all directions, little by little. It was a battle of wills, where the volunteers hoped that speed and persistence would win the war. The goal was to remove the graffiti within 24 hours of its appearance. A wall would be cleaned, and within a day or two the graffiti would reappear. Nevertheless, the diligence of the volunteers soon paid off, as the majority of the tagger’s finally realized they had been defeated by a dedicated army who simply were not going to allow the graffiti to remain. What had initially been an extremely time-consuming job, requiring many volunteers, became a small

group (about four volunteers for all of the Ajijic area) who are now able to maintain the situation with just a few hours each week. Last year, seeing the amazing success of the Ajijic graffiti clean-up, a group from Chapala decided to try to emulate that effort. The contrast between a graffiti-free Ajijic and a graffiti-covered Chapala was readily apparent. Using the same system as the Ajijic group, and sharing the funding provided by the Chapala Association of Realtors, the work began, with the same results. What began with a large group is now down to five or six, who are able to maintain the drastically improved municipality. All of us owe a debt of thanks to The Ajijic Garden Guild, C.A.R., and the many volunteers who have worked so diligently to make such a positive difference. What you can do to help: The most important thing is rapid removal of graffiti. If you find graffiti on your home or business, paint over it right away. If it re-appears, remove it, again. After a while, they’ll move on, looking for someplace their tags will remain. Let’s not allow them to find such a place in Ajijic or Chapala. Perhaps other areas will want to emulate an anti-graffiti program in their communities. Clearly, with persistence and some elbow grease, it can be done.

Saw you in the Ojo 21

CHILD

of the month

Rich Petersen José Adrián Chavarría Reyes

his smiling face belongs to 9-year old José Adrián Chavarría Reyes. José Adrián lives in Ajijic with his parents and two siblings, an older brother and a younger sister. Mom, Silva, is a housewife and Dad, Noé, is a carpenter. A year and a half ago José Adrián was diagnosed with A.L.L.—acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a fast-growing cancer of the white blood cells. This cancer affects the ability of a person’s lymphocytes in the blood to develop normally. These unformed cells are known as “blasts” and do not fulfill their task of fighting infections. These unformed cells grow quickly, crowding out normal red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets that the body needs.

José Adrián’s first symptoms were profound tiredness, fever, vomiting and lack of appetite. Fortunately his parents have Seguro Popular (the free and fairly new Mexican family health insurance)

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

and were able almost immediately to contact doctors at the Hospital Civil in Guadalajara. Blood tests were performed and the diagnosis was clear--the beginning of A.L.L. In the U.S. there are about 4000 new cases of A.L.L. every year, mostly in children under 10 years of age. It is of the essence that treatment be started as soon as possible since, as I mentioned, this is a very fastgrowing cancer. His doctors have prescribed at least 120 weeks of chemotherapy, both oral and intravenous. To date he has completed 15 weeks, usually in sessions once or twice a week, but now being cut back to once a week. José Adrián is tolerating treatments very well, even though the first few days after treatment leave him tired and nauseous. In the photo you see him with a pretty good shock of hair, but when he and his parents first enrolled in Programa pro Niños Incapacitados, his head was a bit more bare as a result of his first sessions of chemo. José Adrián’s parents came to Niños Incapacitados to request help with the transportation costs to and from Guadalajara. Their insurance does cover the chemo treatments and hospital stays, but they have no one with whom to leave their other children, so everyone must go to the hospital. In addition, the

motion of the bus makes José Adrián sick to his stomach, so that is not an option. (For those of you who don’t know, a round-trip bus ride to Guadalajara now costs 100 pesos except for small children who can ride on their parent’s lap.) thus, Niños Incapacitados is paying the gas money for a relative who drives them back and forth. José Adrián is doing very well and we hope his leukemia will go into remission so that he does not have to undergo a bone marrow transplant, a quite serious last resort for patients who do not respond to chemo and/or radiation. We wish him all the best, of course. At our last monthly meeting he told us in a very adult way about his treatments, naming certain medicines and procedures. This is a smart kid! If you would like to learn more about Niños Incapacitados and what we do--and if you would like to meet one of the children in the Program--please attend our regular monthly meetings at 10:00 in one of the conference rooms at the Hotel Real de Chapala in La Floresta. The May meeting on the 9th will be the last until September as so many of our members are away for the summer. Nonetheless, our work in helping families pay for medical expenses continues no matter what the season. Please join us on September 12th.

Saw you in the Ojo 23

Hearts at Work $ &ROXPQ E\ -DPHV 7LSWRQ “Not so long ago….”

n one more year my dear old dad (James Robert Tipton) will be one-hundred years old! He was born in August of 1914, a month after World War I began. Wyatt Earp was still alive. I was born in January of 1942, a month after Pearl Harbor. Wyatt Earp´s beautiful wife Josie was still alive. My grandma Emily (Emily Danford King) was born in 1873 in Wentzville, Missouri. This was thirteen years before Custer’s Last Stand (1886) and eight years before Wyatt Earp shot his way into history at the Gunfight at the OK Corral (1881). Mary Todd Lincoln, widow of the beloved president, died in 1882, the same year Missouri outlaw Jesse James, a few counties away, had been shot in the back by “the traitor Bob Ford.” In 1882 my grandma was a little girl, nine years old. Incidentally, Jesse’s brother Frank James was still alive when my dad was born (Frank died in 1915). My grandma’s father Ambrose (Ambrose Grandaddy King) was born in 1837, during the time the United States was at war with Mexico. The United States itself was just a little over sixty years old. My grandma, born before Custer’s last stand, born before the Gunfight at the OK Corral, born only eight years after the Civil War was over, often rocked me to sleep in her old soft lap when I was a baby. I cried like a baby when she died in 1961. We are not far removed from what seems like so long ago and far away. The Biblical “span of man” is 70 years, according to the King James Version of Psalm 90. (Methuselah purportedly lived to the very ripe old age of 969… perhaps he followed to the letter those incredibly strict dietary rules of the early Hebrews.) Taking the Biblical span of man, 70 years, and taking the current age of the United States (2013-1776 ) at 237 years, the lives of four people, laid end to end, would contain more time (280 years) than the total history of the United States! Years ago I used to teach a survey of Western Literature beginning with Homer’s The Odyssey (around 800 BC). On the first day I would stand before

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

my class and announce that their 40 lifetimes (each of threescore and ten), were they laid end to end, would cover all of the time that had elapsed since the early Greeks and Homer, 800 BC to the present…this one little class. Of course to college students what really caught their attention was the notion of being laid end to end. Back in 1964 my favorite professor told me he had known a woman whose best friend, as a little boy walking with his mother, had seen Samuel Johnson, a famous British man of letters, strolling through the streets of London in 1780! Professor Cordell in 1964 was 69 years old. When he was a young man he had known a woman 85 years old whose best friend was her grandfather. So, let’s follow that one back for fun. Cordell in 1915 was 19 years old. The woman, 85 then, would have been born in 1830. Her grandfather, assuming he was 55 when she was born, would have been born in 1775, and as a young boy could certainly have seen Samuel Johnson in London in 1780. A colleague when I was a college professor told me he received his Eagle Scout award in 1943, and it was presented to him by an officer of the Confederate army…wearing his Civil War uniform! I still have my greatgrandfather’s sword awarded (along with a commission to second lieutenant) to him—Ambrose Grandaddy King—for bravery after he captured two rebel soldiers on Lookout Mountain, one hard autumn afternoon in Tennessee, back in 1863… not so long ago. Jim Tipton

Saw you in the Ojo 25

PROFILING TEPEHUA %\ 0RRQ\HHQ .LQJ PRRQLH #\DKRR FRP Part Five

epehua Centro Comunitario, Chapala is trying to keep the privacy of cultures, religions, dignity of Indigenous peoples intact. We are not there to change beliefs or dictate— but to bring about change through education. Using world knowledge to blend and form a stronger middle class. All societies gain from group support. Keeping women out of the work place because of continuing pregnancies is the worst thing for any society. They are needed to balance scales in decision making. In 2011, Fox News Latino stated,” Mexico is the largest market for erectile dysfunction aids in the developing world, with about 200 million dollars in sales every year since 1998. Mexico was chosen to try ‘Viagra Jet’ tablets that can be taken without water at the moment needed.” Instant erection. Contraceptive use and Viagra are more common in urban areas of Mexico, ignoring the Church, among educated women/ men, than in rural sectors, where education is lacking and availability of contraceptives and Viagra in various forms, unavailable. The Tepehua Centro Communitario is slowly introducing small industry to women, teaching them how to package and sell, introducing education concerning maternal health and benefits of family planning. They have also started a savings system, whereby the women can save a few pesos every week, not to be touched except for educa-

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

tion or extreme emergencies. Tepehua Centro is a charity organization, what they do for the women/ children is free. An organization called FINCA, The Foundation for International Community Assistance, started a women’s program in Mexico. If women wanted to start their own business, they could borrow money at six percent a month. The loans were small. This started in Mexico’s Southern Sierras, known as Microcredit or Microfinance. It is not charity, it is business. The loans are only for women, who have the capacity to carry through with a business deal. Quote from Lifestyles, “In Mexico, the best run little village lenders have grown into something closely resembling a bank. That is something rare in Mexico. Banks are for the middle and upper classes.” Most of the small loan institutions started in Mexico in 1990’s, modeled on Grameen Bank of Bangladesh, run by Muhammad Yunis. Village banks

based on the Yunis model have started around the third world, all to help women. These are services no poor person ever had in Mexico before. They relied on local barrio loan sharks, who loaned 1000 pesos for emergencies and fiestas...at 100 pesos a month in interest until the loan is paid back. Village Community Centers like Tepehua Centro Comunitario can be started in any barrio in Mexico. It takes a small group of people, with compassion and the ability to lead and the willingness to help other women rise above the hand they

have been dealt. The poverty trap is brutal when there is no place to turn but inwards. Tepehua Community Center applauds local dentists and doctors who have stepped forward to donate valuable time to the Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Clinic, and to all volunteers who give their most valuable of assets: time. An organization is as strong as the volunteers. The women of Tepehua are rising above themselves. They are forming strength by working together as a villageâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; Â helping a village help itself.

Saw you in the Ojo 27

SHAME %\ 1HLO 0F.LQQRQ

he Olympic Games in London caused me to rethink my position on apologies. I now realize that alone they are meaningless. In order to be significant an apology must be accompanied by excruciating, overwhelming, gutwrenching shame. This was brought home to me by the awe-inspiring contrition of Paula Findlay, a young Canadian tri-athlete who came in last after suffering dizzy spells during her event. “I feel so bad,” she said crying. “I just want to apologise. I feel terrible. I’m really sorry to everybody, to Canada.” The handwringing, soul-destroying remorse was dramatic. The headline read, Paula

Findlay embodies the Olympic Spirit. I had no idea that shame was emblematic of any type of spirit. Her performance reminded me of a Chinese athlete who won a silver medal in the Beijing Olympics four years ago. In a subsequent interview he said that he had put the medal on his wall so that daily he would be reminded of his shame. This year, in London, another Chinese competitor, Wu Jingbiao, broke down after winning a silver medal in men’s weight-lifting. “I’m ashamed, for disgracing the motherland, the Chinese weight-lifting team and all those who supported me,” he sniffled. “I’m sorry.”

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

Bulgaria’s top female wrestler, Starka Zlateva, commenting on her silver medal performance said, “This is a big shame and disgrace, but there is no going back. I will have to carry my cross.” In Australia, the news media frequently referred to the shame incurred by the Australian swim team. They won fewer gold medals and more silver than they did four years ago. So, the lesson is that an apology is not enough. One must be ashamed beyond belief and then expiate that shame by parading it in front of the entire world, preferably accompanied by an act of penance. Over a cappuccino last Monday it occurred to me that what’s good for the Olympics should be good in other fields. As a favour to runners-up everywhere I offer the following examples: Nobel Prize for Literature: While the Nobel committee does not announce second place many wellknown writers have either been passed over or failed to gain nomination. Leo Tolstoy, Anton Chekhov, Mark Twain, Emile Zola, Graham Greene, Vladimir Nabokov and Salman Rushdie have all been denied the Nobel medal. As a favor to every literary second banana, I’ve prepared the following remarks: I vow never to write again. There is no greater shame than not finishing first. I wish to apologize to my country, my agent, my publisher, bookstores everywhere and my family for the trash that I have been foisting on the world. No words can convey the absolute degradation and no amount of repentance will erase the shame I feel. Of course, another book is out of the question. When informed of the committee’s decision, I immediately dug a large pit and filled it with tinder after carefully placing my latest manuscript on the bottom. After this interview, I intend to light the tinder. When I am satisfied that the manuscript has been burnt beyond reconstruction, I will cast myself into the flames. My hope is that by this meagre act, my shame will be carried skyward along with the

smoke from the smouldering manuscript so that neither will ever again irritate literary sensibilities or a reader’s nostrils. Medical school graduation: Let me say how badly I feel for standing second in the class of 2012. I must apologise to the university, the medical faculty, to my parents, to hospitals and to doctors everywhere. My career is finished before it starts. The distance between first place and second is the same as that between a precise incision and a sliced artery. There are no words to adequately describe my disgrace so on the conclusion of this interview, I’m going straight to the hospital morgue where I intend to disembowel myself using a scalpel that I placed there earlier for exactly this situation. Guilty verdict at a trial: It is unforgivable for me to have lost this case. I wish to apologise to my client, Al, his family and every other Chicago citizen. I willingly offer myself as retribution and, as an act of contrition, I have purchased ready-mix cement and piano wire which will be available to any of Mr. Capone’s colleagues who wish to meet me near the river—shall we say 10:30 this evening at the Clark Street Bridge. Signed, Michael Ahern, Lawyer. Target Shooting: I wish to apologise to my family, especially my brother Frank and to my colleagues for my loss in this latest competition. It is the first time I have come in second and the shame is unbearable. I would like to perform an act of penance but unfortunately I’m already dead. Signed, Jesse James. Adventure travel: I feel terrible. The sheer humiliation of coming second, especially to a Norwegian poltroon has left me emotionally drained. I’m frozen with mortification. A finish line means naught when you arrive second. There is nothing for it but to bow out, swallow my shame and return home. It seems useless to plod on. Signed, Robert Falcon Scott. I’m sure that there are other fields where second place finishers can expiate their shame publicly. I would like to explore them but unfortunately I’ve just discovered that another writer has already published similar examples. It’s so embarrassing. I’m leaving now to leap off a bridge. (Ed. Note: Neil is the author of Tuckahoe Slidebottle (Thistledown Press) which was a finalist for the Stephen Leacock Humour Award and the Howard O’Hagen Short Fiction Award.) Neil McKinnon

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 6HQW WR XV E\ D FRQcerned North Shore resident, this photo shows ÂżUHV EOD]LQJ RQ WKH VRXWK VKRUH GULYHQ E\ WKH ZLQG On the same day Chapala Civil Protection and Fire Department chief Arturo Rivera revealed that staff have faced major challenges ÂłZLWK D UDVK RI EUXVK ÂżUHVÂ´ ZLWKLQ WKH PXQLFLSDOLW\ :LWK VXIÂżFLHQW PDQSRZHU EXW LQDGHTXDWH HTXLSPHQW DQG PDWHULDO UHVRXUFHV WR GHDO ZLWK ÂżUHV GXULQJ WKH GU\ VHDVRQ &KDSDOD DQG ,[WODKXDFiQ WHDPHG XS 7KH\ KDYH EDWWOHG IRXU ÂżUHV WRJHWKHU WKH ZRUVW RQ $SULO ZKHUH WKH ÂłFRQĂ&#x20AC;DJUDWLRQ VZHSW RYHU DW OHDVW KHFWDUHVÂ´ on the northeastern edge of the Libramiento, threatening private properties and the dog ranch which backs onto that area. If you are a hiker, please be careful during this dry period. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want WR JHW VWUDQGHG E\ EXUVWV RI Ă&#x20AC;DPH SHUKDSV DOO RI XV FDQ EH FDUHIXO RI DQ\WKLQJ ZH XVH WKDW LV Ă&#x20AC;DPPDEOH 7KH JRRG QHZV LV WKDW ÂłUDLQ ELUGVÂ´ VXJJHVW WKDW UDLQ\ season may begin in May. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hope so. Where living is squeezed between mountains and lake, even modern equipPHQW LV LQVXIÂżFLHQW without airplanes, but RXU ÂżUHPHQ DUH JLYLQJ their all. On March 9, 80 golfers gathered at the Chapala CounWU\ &OXE WR FRPSHWH and support Ro1st Place Winners at Rotary Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Golf WDU\ÂśV FRPPXQLW\ Tournament SURMHFWV The event coincided with International Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day and was attended by local celebrities Chapala Mayor Joaquin Huerta and Chapala Fire Chief Auturo Rivera. Golf pros conducted clinics. First place winners included two 13-year-olds, Monserrat â&#x20AC;&#x153;Monzieâ&#x20AC;? Contreras and Nory Hernandez both of whom show promising careers. The other two ladies on the First Place team were Joy Rathbone and Carol Mitchel. The event netted over $10,000 USD for Rotaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s community projects at Love in Action Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Shelter, Hope House Shelter for Boys, ARDAT dog therapy program, Tepehua Community Center Medical Clinic, and education scholarships for needy students. Cochaired by Sandra Loridans and Rod Hensley, assisted by club and community vol-

CASA winners and their offerings

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

unteers, this was an outstanding success all around. Next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2nd Annual Rotary International Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Golf Classic will be on March 8, 2014. ,Q 0DUFK WKH &XOLQDU\ $UWV 6RFLHW\ RI $MLMLF EHWWHU NQRZQ DV &$6$ IHDWXUHG ,ULVK PDLQ GLVKHV DV ZHOO DV SLHV DQG WDUWV LQ WKH GHVVHUW FDWHJRU\ The following photo shows the winners of the main dish category. In May CASA will feature the food of India. CASA food is scrumptious. Please note that Pam Ladd is a winner and also the CASA photographer. To learn more, check out their website at www.ajijiccasa.org. In the March newsletter from NixRV ,QFDSDFLWDGRV WKH\ WROG D VWRU\ RI D OLWWOH JLUO It is particularly heartwarming: Alexa C.R.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smile lights up the room. She was born with a perforation in the cornea of her right eye and is currently being prepared for an ocular prosthesis. It is urgent that Alexaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eye socket be reconstructed as soon as possible so that her face and head can develop normally. At present sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s being Âżtted with a ÂłspacerÂ´ to keep the socket open. This will be changed several times as she grows until she can have a permanent prosthesis ÂżtAlexa smiles ted and matched to her left eye. The total cost, even with a discount, will be $23,000 pesos. As NiĂąos Incapacitados usually does with such a large sum, they ask the parents to contribute one third of the cost. Alexaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parents have so far raised $7,000 pesos. If you would like to help, please visit programaninos.org and click on â&#x20AC;&#x153;how to donate.â&#x20AC;? April 16 La Bodega hosted the Doo Wops, reviving songs from the 50s & 60s $PHULFDQ %DQGVWDQG Jerry Morse and Jack Fallon sang some of our most beloved songs. Can you still do the dances from back then? $SULO ZDV Âł2QH 'D\ Without Shoesâ&#x20AC;? at the Chapala malecon near the Beer Garden where people gathHUHG WR GRQDWH FKLOGUHQÂśV shoes and to participate in D JOREDO YLGHR There was Doo Wops at La Bodega entertainment and an art installation of unusual shoes from around the world, thanks to Lorraine Kulig, representing the Shoelanthropists. 2Q $SULO /DNH &KDSDOD 6RFLHW\ KHOG D IDUHZHOO SDUW\ LQ WKH JD]HER IRU 0DU\ $OLFH 6DUJHQW ZKR LV UHWXUQLQJ WR WKH 8 6 DIWHU DOPRVW \HDUV /DNHVLGH She volunteered at LCS for almost the entire time that she has been here. She served on the board for 18 years, managed the Wilkes Education Center and the Student Aid program. Most recently she acted as Volunteer Coordinator. Mary Alice served as LCS President, has been working the service desk for years and is an LCS Life Member. COMING EVENTS: 0D\ 5HG 3LDQR LQYLWHV \RX to bring music, art and theater IULHQGV WR $PD]LQJ *UDFH D ÂłGLYLQHÂ´ GLQQHU WKHDWHU The Red Piano is at Morelos #14, Â˝ block from Ajijic Tango Restaurant and a half block from the pier. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be a BBQ with two salads served at 6 p.m. Dinner and dancing for $250 pesos. For reservations, call 766 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2876.

Invitation: Dinner theater and dancing

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El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

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0D\ 7KH 1DNHG 6WDJH SUHVHQWV D GRXEOH IHDWXUH RI WZR RQH DFW SOD\V IURP WKH DQWKRORJ\ 7KH %HVW $PHULFDQ 3OD\V RI Director: Collette Clavadetscher. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hotlineâ&#x20AC;? by Elaine May is about a neurotic woman with HQRXJK XUEDQ DQJVW WR ÂżOO D QHLJKERUKRRG ZKR FDOOV D VXLFLGH FULVLV KRWOLQH ODWH RQH QLJKW 7KH FRXQVHORU ZKR JHWV WKH FDOO LV RYHUZKHOPHG Âą LW LV KLV ÂżUVW QLJKW RQ the job. This is a dark and desperate but wildly funny piece. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Spelling of Coynesâ&#x20AC;? is by Jules Tasca and tells the tale of a house painter in his forties, scheming to marry an 80 year old woman to inherit her money. His ÂżDQFpH LV UHOXFWDQW WR JR DORQJ ZLWK LW DW ÂżUVW EXW VXFFXPEV WR KLV ÂłKRZ ORQJ FDQ VKH ODVW"Â´ UHIUDLQ ZKHQ VKH ÂżQGV RXW WKH ROG ZRPDQ LV ZRUWK PLOOLRQV $W WKH FRQFOXVLRQ RI WKLV IXQQ\ ORRN DW JUHHG RQH ÂżQGV RXW KRZ ORQJ VKH FDQ ODVW $QG IRU those of you familiar with Ed Tasca, a frequent actor at either the Naked Stage or the LLT, yes, Jules Tasca is his brother. A talented family. 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 DW S P ER[ RIÂżFH DW S P Prior to or after the Reading, 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 y Luna). Drive West on the Angle Ortizâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; beautiful craftsmanship Sol Carretera from Central Ajijic. reveals a touch of fun in this pot Turn South on Rio Bravo. The theatre is behind the Don Pedro Restaurant two blocks down on the left. And meals will be served. November 15 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 17 the annual fair for Mexican art will be held at the &KDSDOD <DFKW &OXE Here is just one example of what there is to look forward to. Potter Angel Ortiz Gabriel, has his studio-house-workshop located in TonalĂĄ, Jalisco. As is customary his calling is a family affair. His vocation was learned from and taught by his grandparents Cruz Gabriel and MarĂa Felix Bautista. It isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just a livelihood. It is a lifestyle passed on through generations. Angel has been working with clay since he was 11 years old. As you look at the pot above, maybe you can discern whether the fern-like design is actually carved into the clay or whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an LOOXVLRQ FUHDWHG E\ ÂżUVW UDWH DUWLVWU\ $OOHQ 0F*LOO KDV DQRWKHU ERRN RXW FDOOHG 'DLV\ &KDLQV DQG 0RQVWHU *DPHV D FROOHFWLRQ RI VKRUW VWRULHV Diversity is the name of the game for this varied potpourri of the real and surreal. The 27 stories in this collection run the gamut from funny to frantic, fearsome to fantastic. Stories of time travel and time lost, eternal love and prolonged reYHQJH %HWZHHQ WKHVH H SDJHV \RXÂśOO ÂżQG KXmor and horror, gruesome and gay, sensuous encounters to sinister soliloquies. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll meet a hodgepodge of characters, from people to ghosts, victims to victors, eternally famous to determined wannabes, heroes to out-of-body escapees. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something for everyone! The e-book can be bought at JMSbooks.com, Amazon.com, B&N.com.

Latest book released by Al-

Mulitple Events: len McGill The American Legion post #7 schedule for May: Sundays: 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3 p.m. Legion grill burgers 0D\ Âą Âą S P %HHU EDWWHU IULHG ÂżVK ZLWK )UHQFK IULHV DQG FROH VODZ pesos, partial order $50 pesos. May 27 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1:30 p.m. brief Memorial Day ceremony, followed by 2:30 p.m. pit URDVWHG SLJ HWF SOXV LFH FUHDP Ă&#x20AC;RDWV SHVRV For information, call 765 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2259 or check www.americanlegionchapalapost7. org /DNHVLGH /LWWOH 7KHDWUH QHZV

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

Season Tickets for Season 49 go on sale September 10 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11 from 10 to 1. If you have any questions about season tickets, email Paula McTavish through the LLT at lakesidelittletheatre@gmail.com. In the meantime, enjoy the summer. Next season, in response to both audience and volunteer wishes, Opening Night will be Friday, as is the custom in NY. Each show will start on Friday evening, followed by an evening performance on Saturday and a Sunday Matinee. The theatre will be dark (closed) on Mondays, giving cast and crews a rest. Shows will resume Tuesday evenings and run through the following Sunday matinee. All Current Saturday Opening Night Season Ticket Holders will be contacted soon so they may change to Friday if desired. Monday night season ticket holders ZLOO EH JLYHQ ÂżUVW SULRULW\ IRU QHZ VHDWV FXUUHQWO\ XQVXEVFULEHG RQ DQ\ RWKHU GD\ Tickets are $200 pesos per seat, $250 for the musical. For full listing of shows, ER[ RIÂżFH DQG WLFNHW LQIRUPDWLRQ DQG WR JHW H PDLO XSGDWHV JR WR www.lakesidelittletheatre.com %R[ RIÂżFH KRXUV DUH Âą DQG RQH KRXU SULRU WR HDFK SHUIRUPDQFH 6XQGD\ ER[ RIÂżFH DFFHVV LV MXVW SULRU WR D VKRZ &XUWDLQ WLPH LV S P ZLWK 6XQGD\ PDWLQHHV DW S P 7R FDOO ER[ RIÂżFH Âą The Music AppreFLDWLRQ 6RFLHW\ RI $MLjic (MAS) announces WKH Âą season: Memories of the 20th &HQWXU\ Nov 15 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;the Boogie Woogie Babies as the Andrews Sisters and Michael Holmes as Judy Garland, Pearl Bailey, Bette Davis and Carol Channing performing old-fashioned USO style show. Dec 7 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a double program â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Boogie Woogie Babies Dueto de MoscĂş: Oleg Vasiliev (cello) and Elena Kuzmina (piano) from Instituto Universitario de Bellas Artes de la Universidad de Colima and Eduardo Leon on the Classical Flamenco Guitar with Jorge Acosto singing Spanish and English favorites. -DQ â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Classical FX returns from the Washington, DC/Kennedy Center Opera Company to wow us again, performing opera, Broadway hits and gospel. Mar 8 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Bob Milne and his ragtime piano, a big hit from his last visit here. All Saturday evening performances will be at the Auditorio de La Ribera at 7 p.m. The following day, MAS will offer a Brunch Concert at 1 p.m. at El Piano Rojo, Morelos #14 (handicapped entrance on 16th de Septiembre). Season tickets are on sale now at Diane Pearlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Charter Club Tours. Center section tickets are $1200 pesos, others at $1100 pesos. Individual tickets are $350 pesos. For more information, contact Kathleen Phelps at MASajijic.com or call 766 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 0010. VIVA La Musica: Viva la Musica 2013 Summer Sunday concert series - all are at St. Andrewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Church, Riberas del Pilar. Jun 16, 4 p.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Rosa Maria Valdez, Piano: Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy, Liszt, Ponce and Carrasco Jul 21, 4 p.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Cronopius String Quartet & Cuatemoc Garcia, Flute: Bocherini, Reicha, Shostakovich, Gamboa and Ginastera Aug 18, 4 p.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Isaac Ramirez, Cello & Andres Sarre, Piano: Toussaint, de Falla, Faure and Piazzola and 20th century music program 6HS S P Âą 1XU\ 8ODWH )OXWH 'DYLG 0RVTXHGD SUHOXGH Ă&#x20AC;XWH *XLtar: Solo Guitar Bach, Ponce and Turini, Flute and Guitar Bach, Oliva and Pujol Buenos Aires Suite Oct 13, 4 p.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Tania Tourby, Piano, Konstantin Zumbilov, Violin, Robert Nelson, Violoa and Yalissa Cruz, Cello: Mozart, Brahms Piano Quartets 7LFNHWV DUH DYDLODEOH DW /&6 7K Âą ) Âą RU DW 'LDQH 3HDUOÂśV FRVW pesos for members, $300 pesos for non-members. Discount for Viva members purchasing 5-concert series (5 for price of 4, a 20% discount). In light of such discounts, the membership fee for Viva at$250 pesos is advantageous for those who want more than one performance and/or to take part in next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trips to Guadalajara for musical performances. VIVAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goals are: - to offer concerts by bringing outstanding Mexican and International performers to Lakeside - to sponsor bus trips to concerts in Guadalajara and other cities, and - to support talented Mexican music students to complete their musical educaWLRQ E\ RIIHULQJ WKHP ÂżQDQFLDO DLG

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FRONT ROW CENTER Guest Reviewer Harriet Hart Not Now, Darling Directed by Shirley Appelbaum b um bau

s a naïve prairie girl I moved to London, England in 1970 where I landed a job as receptionist in a Mayfair publishing firm. Within days, I realized that my main task was to keep wives and mistresses, husbands and lovers, apart. Sitting in the audience of the final performance of Lakeside Little Theatre’s production of Not Now, Darling, a British farce set in London in 1969, I time-traveled back. Do the Brits really behave this way? In my limited experience, indeed they do! Co-author playwright Ray Cooney is a master of his genre. One critic says: “Cooney’s farces combine a traditional British bawdiness with structural complication, as characters leap to assumptions, are forced to pretend to be things that they aren’t and often talk at cross purposes to hilarious effect.” This style of writing forces the audience to pay close attention in order to follow the shenanigans on stage. The play is set in Bodley, Bodley and Crouch’s Fur Salon in London’s West End. The lead, Gilbert Bodley, played by seasoned actor Fred Koesling, is a convincing cad. The plot revolves around Gilbert’s scheme to purchase a mink coat for his mistress-to-be by selling it to her gangster husband at a reduced rate, while he in fact pays for it. His partner, Arnold Crouch, played by Lakeside newcomer, Orry Robb, is shocked at his partner’s plan. Robb was perfect as the stick-in-the-mud, prissy furrier. Florette Schnelle made a fetching Janie McMichael, the sexpot prepared to do anything to get her mink, including stripping naked and screaming from the salon’s balcony. Peter Luciana played her slightly sinister husband, who secretly plans on buying this very mink coat for his secretary, Sue Lawson, played by the lovely Candace Luciano. Both wife (Florette) and secretary (Candace) are fantastic in their roles as gorgeous girls who aren’t afraid to insist on getting their way, although the former is deliciously conniving and the latter simply and sweetly

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

stubborn. Georgette Richmond made a convincing suspicious wife and coowner of Bodley and Bodley, while Collette Clavadetscher shone as the long suffering employee of the salon who secretly lusts after the straight-laced Mr. Crouch. Michael Warren was a superb, befuddled exNavy commander whose wife, Beryel Dorscht, keeps misplacing him. Newcomers to the stage, Beth Cathcart and Chet Beeswinger rounded out the cast playing a model and Sue Lawson’s jealous husband and gave charming performances. In director Shirley Appelbaum’s hands, the play was quick-paced, witty and thoroughly entertaining. Scantily clad ladies popped in and out of a storage room or the liquor cabinet, underwear and furs were dropped off the balcony and husbands frequently appeared in the doorway looking for misplaced wives. It could have been confusing, but it wasn’t. No matter how mixed up the characters were, the audience was always one step ahead of them thanks to Appelbaum’s directing. A special nod goes to stage manager Karen Lee for pulling it together and to set designer Dana Douin and her crew. The set was perfect as were the costumes: fur coats, mini dresses and even Vidal Sassoon styled wigs, all appropriate to the period. Not Now, Darling wound up a successful 48th season as Lakeside Little Theatre’s biggest box-office draw this year. Well done cast and crew. I’m looking forward to season 49. Harriet Hart

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

EDITOR’S PAGE - APRIL 2013 Linda Steele That was great! There are so many things in this world that we don’t understand. Thanks for sharing. THUNDER ON THE RIGHT - APRIL 2013 Charlotte Lewis Perhaps he’s angling to be the new commissioner of the NHL. Imagine the signs in the crowd in the off chance he became a beloved NHL commissioner: “Stephen Harper for PM... oh, wait...” STUPIDITY IS CONTAGIOUS Edward Toews I feel, once again, that you qualify fully for the article you have just composed. LITTLE WORDS Janet Krince I remember my grandmother recit-

To the Attention of Paul Jackson I was very surprised by your article and assessment of Stephen Harper. You appear to be wearing rose-colored glasses. This man has put the party ahead of the country and systematically squashed democracy after promising transparency. His mode of operation is to push bills though parliament before the public is aware of what he is doing. This is a party of secrecy with total disregard for the environment. Oil & Gas and drug companies control the power in Canada as they do in the U.S. What is going on in Canada is a travesty of what we have called democracy. “Every plank and promise on his election campaigns have now been passed and implemented.” You are missing the how. The promise of transparency and representation of the voters, most of whom did not vote for him, most bills reached first reading under a closed committee system; the public only get to know what’s going

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

ing this poem to me when I was a little girl- I loved it then but through the years I forgot the middle of the poem. I was so pleased to find it again and am thankful that it was posted on the internet. STUPIDITY IS CONTAGIOUS Sylvia Fukami An excellent study to start the day off . . . good fun ROBERTO MOULUN—Voice of the Spaniard Alison Anderson Roberto, Leo and I have been missing you. How wonderful to find you and read about your book. I recently emailed, but didn’t get any reply. Please get in touch with me. Lots of Love, Alison

on when they get to second reading with little or no time to address the concerns of the public. I am surprised that you write on a subject with so little understanding and knowledge. There is a huge undercurrent in Canada who opposes Harper and he came to power on a split vote and was very much in the minority. The majority of Canadians DID NOT vote for him, the system failed us as Canadians and needs to be changed. I knew Stephen’s father many years back and know he would be turning in his grave to see what his son has done to our country. Perhaps you could take a wider perspective next time you write. However, I am sure he knows his hockey facts! How did he have time to do this and run the country? Sincerely, Andrea Steell Canadian

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View From The South Shore

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ou’re not really a local resident until you have taken a trip all the way around Lake Chapala. This is a double-dog dare. It’s what hooked me on living on the south shore. There’s really no other way to know the full beauty and majesty of this lake, how different she looks from all angles, until you go. Then you know. From the rivers that pour into its eastern end, the tall craggy cliffs of the southeast, to the fertile loam fields of the southwest and western shore you will be constantly amazed that this is all the same lake. It’s about a hundred miles around, so give yourself plenty of time to enjoy your ride. But how you get yourself around the lake is up to you. There is a legend of a man named Gregorio who once lived in Ajijic, who rode his beautiful white horse all the way around the lake with a group of his loyal friends. The group and their horses were not in the best of shape, and it took them about ten days, or about ten miles a day. This was a year that the lake was extremely low; it must be done right before the rainy season. The group had many adventures, but the best part of the tale is fording the river where there is no bridge, using ropes to keep the horses from washing out with the current. If you ever run into one of Gregorio’s friends (Gregorio is no longer with us) be sure to ask about the tale, as it grows larger with each telling. The tale ends with Gregorio laughing heartily and then sleeping for three weeks afterwards. For the truly adventurous at heart, at any time of year, just hop on a local bus pointing towards the next town, and repeat. Just do it. There is always a bus to the next town. Be sure to pack a backpack because you will need to do several overnights. Most towns have one or no hotels. Many travelers tell of gentle townspeople taking them in for the night, or letting them pitch tents on their lawn if you happen to travel

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

with one. If you have a car, life is easy, just hop in early one morning and drive. The road goes both ways, so pick a direction and go. You’ll probably get lost at some obscure turn but don’t worry, the locals are always ready to help point you back in the right direction. Just be sure to triangulate the directions they give you by asking three different people, otherwise you may end up in Mexico City because they did not want to disappoint you by telling you they’ve never left their village and don’t know how to get to the next town. At the far east end of the lake, from Ocotlan to Cojumatlan de Regules, you will be driving far inland without the lake in sight. This is because the bridges do not cross close to the lake. Just enjoy the countryside. When I drove around the lake I just used a map and picked the next town as we went along. But now there is a recommended scenic route around Lake Chapala that was developed by the Amigos del Lago. Perhaps you won’t get as lost as we did, but you also may not have as many adventures and meet as many new friends. Here is the link: http:// www.amigosdelago.org/around/ driving.php For the least adventurous, but still willing to take me up on my double-dare to go around the lake, there is a Charter Club Tour around the lake every Wednesday. You just book your seat and show up early Wednesday morning. You will get the full treatment with an Englishspeaking guide, lunch at a quaint cafe, and highlights of the architecture and history. Charter Club Tours is located in Ajijic at the main corner of the carretera and Colon in the Plaza Montaña Center. However you choose to do it, GO! Let me know the tales of your own around-the-lake adventure. Kerry Watson

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Dear Sir: Bill Frayerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;We Are Stuck In The Pastâ&#x20AC;? (El Ojo del Lago, April, 2013) is a plea for rebuttal. Frayer tried to bestow a false equivalency upon conservaWLYHV ÂŠ%XWÂŠWKHÂŠGHÂ˝QLWLRQÂŠRIÂŠIDLUĂľPLQGHGÂŠ does not include treating failure and success as though they were equal. Frayer says that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Liberals today foFXVÂŠ RQÂŠ WKHÂŠ JRYHUQPHQWĂľEDVHGÂŠ EHQHÂ˝WVÂŠSXWÂŠLQÂŠSODFHÂŠDIWHUÂŠWKHÂŠ1HZÂŠ'HDO ÂŠ ÂŠ ÂŠ Â˛ÂŠ %HQHÂ˝WV"ÂŠ7KRVHÂŠSURJUDPVÂŠDUHÂŠSROLWLFDOÂŠ DFKLHYHPHQWVÂŠWKDWÂŠKDYHÂŠEHHQÂŠVXFFHVVful. Conservative policies, by contrast, KDYHÂŠ IDLOHG ÂŠ DQGÂŠ ZHÂŠ PXVWÂŠ GHIHQGÂŠ OLEeral gains against the retrogrades. )UD\HUÂŠ FRPPLWWHGÂŠ DÂŠ GRXEOHÂŠ PLVWDNHÂŠ ZKHQÂŠ KHÂŠ VDLG ÂŠ Âą7KHÂŠ ROGÂŠ V\VWHPÂŠ FDQQRWÂŠ DIIRUGÂŠ WRÂŠ SURYLGHÂŠ OLIHWLPHÂŠ VHFXULW\ÂŠDQ\ÂŠPRUHÂŠ VLF Â˛ÂŠ,WÂŠQHYHUÂŠKDVÂŠSURYLGHGÂŠ ÂąOLIHWLPHÂŠ VHFXULW\ Â˛ÂŠ 8QHPSOR\PHQWÂŠ EHQHÂ˝WVÂŠ GRQÂ´WÂŠ SURYLGHÂŠ ÂąOLIHWLPHÂŠ security.â&#x20AC;? Social Security doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t offer ÂąOLIHWLPHÂŠ VHFXULW\ Â˛ÂŠ 6RFLDOÂŠ 6HFXULW\ÂŠ LVÂŠ VROYHQWÂŠ IRUÂŠ \HDUVÂŠ WRÂŠ FRPH ÂŠ XQWLOÂŠ ÂŠ DQGÂŠ HYHQÂŠ WKHQÂŠ WKHÂŠ SURMHFWHGÂŠ GHÂ˝FLWÂŠ ZLOOÂŠ EHÂŠ VPDOO ÂŠ $OOÂŠ WKDWÂŠ LVÂŠ QHHGHGÂŠ LVÂŠ DÂŠ slight increase beyond the present ÂŠ WD[DEOHÂŠ OLPLW ÂŠ 7KDWÂ´VÂŠ DÂŠ VPDOOÂŠ price for the safeguarding of a pillar of civilized society. What we cannot afford is to let conservatives like Paul 5\DQÂŠUDYDJHÂŠWKHÂŠÂąROGÂŠV\VWHP Â˛ 3URJUDPVÂŠ OLNHÂŠ 6RFLDOÂŠ 6HFXULW\ÂŠ DUHÂŠ QRWÂŠ ÂąJLIWVÂ˛ÂŠ IURPÂŠ WKHÂŠ JRYHUQPHQW ÂŠ DVÂŠ 0LWWÂŠ 5RPQH\ÂŠ VXJJHVWHG ÂŠ :RUNHUVÂŠ KDYHÂŠDQÂŠLQYHVWPHQWÂŠLQÂŠWKHVHÂŠSURJUDPVÂŠ through payroll taxes. Conservatives IDYRUÂŠ WKHÂŠ ZRUGÂŠ ÂąHQWLWOHPHQWV Â˛ÂŠ EXWÂŠ LWÂŠ VHHPVÂŠ OLNHÂŠ DÂŠ PLVQRPHU ÂŠ ,QGHHG ÂŠ JRYHUQPHQWÂŠKDVÂŠERUURZHGÂŠIURPÂŠWKHÂŠ6RFLDOÂŠ

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

Security fund â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not contributed to it. Frayer is illogical when he says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yet the political focus of liberals is to shore XSÂŠWKHVHÂŠROGÂŠV\VWHPVÂŠE\ÂŠLQFUHDVHGÂŠWD[DWLRQÂŠRIÂŠWKHÂŠULFKÂŠDQGÂŠVRPHÂŠUHGLVWULEXWLRQÂŠRIÂŠZHDOWKÂŠWRÂŠWKHÂŠPLGGOHÂŠFODVV ÂŠ ÂŠ ÂŠ ÂŠ But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not working.â&#x20AC;? Quite to the contrary, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the tax cuts for the rich that are redistributing the wealth to the top 1% and deVWUR\LQJÂŠ WKHÂŠ PLGGOHÂŠ FODVV ÂŠ +HÂŠ PDNHVÂŠ a strange differentiation between ÂąZRUNLQJÂ˛ÂŠ SHRSOHÂŠ DQGÂŠ JRYHUQPHQWÂŠ ZRUNHUV ÂŠ 'RHVÂŠ KHÂŠ QRWÂŠ WKLQNÂŠ WKDWÂŠ JRYHUQPHQWÂŠ ZRUNHUVÂŠ KDYHÂŠ MREVÂŠ WRÂŠ SHUIRUP"ÂŠ 3XEOLFÂŠ VHFWRUÂŠ HPSOR\HHVÂŠ KDYHÂŠ been hard hit with layoffs, including cops and teachers. What Frayer is talking about, withRXWÂŠ QDPLQJÂŠ LW ÂŠ LVÂŠ LGHRORJLFDOO\ÂŠ GULYHQÂŠ ÂąVXSSO\ĂľVLGHÂ˛ HFRQRPLFVÂŠYV ÂŠDFDGHPLFÂŠ .H\QHVLDQÂŠHFRQRPLFV :KDWÂŠ KHÂŠ FDOOVÂŠ ÂąELJĂľJRYHUQPHQW ÂŠ 1HZÂŠ 'HDOĂľW\SHÂŠ SURJUDPVÂ˛ÂŠ WKDWÂŠ KHÂŠ says are â&#x20AC;&#x153;unsustainableâ&#x20AC;? are precisely what are needed today, but which FRQVHUYDWLYHVÂŠ EORFN ÂŠ 7KRVHÂŠ 1HZÂŠ 'HDOÂŠ ÂąELJĂľJRYHUQPHQWÂ˛ÂŠ SURJUDPVÂŠ ZHUHÂŠ successful and pay dividends to this GD\ ÂŠ ,ÂŠ UHWLUHGÂŠ IURPÂŠ DÂŠ VFKRROÂŠ EXLOGLQJÂŠ WKDWÂŠKDVÂŠDÂŠSODTXHÂŠDWÂŠWKH IURQWÂŠHQWUDQFHÂŠ that says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Built by the WPA, 1938.â&#x20AC;? 9DVWÂŠ DUHDVÂŠ RIÂŠ WKHÂŠ 8QLWHGÂŠ 6WDWHVÂŠ DUHÂŠ supplied with electric power because RIÂŠWKHÂŠ+RRYHUÂŠ'DPÂŠDQGÂŠ7HQQHVVHHÂŠ9DOOH\ÂŠ $XWKRULW\ ÂŠ ERWKÂŠ IHGHUDOÂŠ SURJUDPV ÂŠ 2QO\ÂŠ ÂąELJĂľJRYHUQPHQWÂ˛ÂŠ FRXOGÂŠ KDYHÂŠ Â˝QDQFHGÂŠ QXFOHDUÂŠ UHVHDUFK ÂŠ WKHÂŠ VSDFHÂŠ SURJUDP ÂŠ DQGÂŠ FRXQWOHVVÂŠ RWKHUÂŠ SURMHFWV ÂŠ ZLWKÂŠ DOOÂŠ WKHLUÂŠ EHQHÂ˝FLDOÂŠ VSLQĂľRIIÂŠ IRUÂŠWKHÂŠHFRQRP\ 7KHÂŠ .H\QHVLDQÂŠ HFRQRPLFVÂŠ RIÂŠ LQvesting in the infrastructure, investing in education and green energy, and putting people back to work, would UDLVHÂŠ ZDJHVÂŠ DQGÂŠ VWLPXODWHÂŠ DÂŠ YLEUDQWÂŠ HFRQRP\ ÂŠ 7KHÂŠ FRQVHUYDWLYHVÂŠ KDYHÂŠ blocked this. Instead, they preach ausWHULW\ ÂŠORZÂŠZDJHV ÂŠDQGÂŠPRUHÂŠZHDOWKÂŠIRUÂŠ WKHÂŠÂąMREÂŠSURYLGHUV Â˛ÂŠDÂŠFUXHOÂŠMRNHÂŠPHDQing those who are so rich that they are off the charts. And they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t create jobs, by the way. There is no equivaOHQF\ÂŠ ÂŻÂŠ HLWKHUÂŠ PRUDOÂŠ RUÂŠ DFDGHPLFÂŠ ÂŻÂŠ EHWZHHQÂŠ VXSSO\ĂľVLGHÂŠ HFRQRPLFVÂŠ WKDWÂŠ favors the wealthy and Keynesian HFRQRPLFVÂŠWKDWÂŠSURYLGHVÂŠWKHÂŠJUHDWHVWÂŠ JRRGÂŠIRUÂŠWKHÂŠJUHDWHVWÂŠQXPEHU Fred Mittag

Bill Frayer Responds: ,ÂŠ DSSUHFLDWHÂŠ P\ÂŠ IULHQGÂŠ )UHGÂŠ 0LWWDJÂ´VÂŠUHVSRQVHÂŠWRÂŠP\ÂŠ$SULOÂŠFROXPQ ÂŠ+HÂŠ suggests that I â&#x20AC;&#x153;bestow a false equivalency upon conservatives,â&#x20AC;? when I criticize both the right and the left of outPRGHGÂŠWKLQNLQJ ÂŠ,QÂŠIDFW ÂŠERWKÂŠVLGHVÂŠDUHÂŠ defending a world view which needs WRÂŠHYROYH ÂŠ $OWKRXJKÂŠ,ÂŠDPÂŠUHFHLYLQJÂŠDÂŠJRYHUQPHQWĂľEDVHGÂŠ SHQVLRQ ÂŠ DVÂŠ LVÂŠ )UHG ÂŠ LWÂ´VÂŠ QRWÂŠGLIÂ˝FXOWÂŠWRÂŠVHHÂŠWKDWÂŠZLWKÂŠWKHÂŠKXJHÂŠ QXPEHUÂŠRIÂŠSHRSOHÂŠUHWLULQJ ÂŠDQGÂŠIHZHUÂŠ ZRUNHUVÂŠWRÂŠVXSSRUWÂŠWKHP ÂŠWKDWÂŠPHGLFDOÂŠ DQGÂŠUHWLUHPHQWÂŠSURJUDPVÂŠZLOOÂŠQHHGÂŠWRÂŠ EHÂŠDGMXVWHGÂŠWRÂŠDFFRPPRGDWHÂŠWKHÂŠQHZÂŠ

GHPRJUDSKLFV ÂŠ (XURSHÂŠ LVÂŠ LQÂŠ WKHÂŠ SURFHVVÂŠRIÂŠIDFLQJÂŠWKHÂŠVDPHÂŠSUREOHPÂŠRQÂŠDÂŠ ODUJHUÂŠVFDOH ÂŠ$VÂŠHFRQRPLHVÂŠDQGÂŠSRSXlations change, as poor countries seek DÂŠ PRUHÂŠ HTXLWDEOHÂŠ VWDQGDUGÂŠ ÂŻRIĂľOLYLQJ ÂŠ LWÂŠ RQO\ÂŠ VWDQGVÂŠ WRÂŠ UHDVRQÂŠ WKDWÂŠ PHGLFDOÂŠ DQGÂŠUHWLUHPHQWÂŠSURJUDPVÂŠZLOOÂŠKDYHÂŠWRÂŠ DFFRPPRGDWHÂŠQHZÂŠUHDOLWLHV ÂŠ At least the left understands that people will continue to need assisWDQFH ÂŠ 7KHÂŠ ULJKWÂŠ VHHPVÂŠ EOLQGÂŠ WRÂŠ WKLV ÂŠ %XWÂŠ VLPSO\ÂŠ GLJJLQJÂŠ LQ ÂŠ UHVLVWLQJÂŠ DQ\ÂŠ FKDQJH ÂŠLVÂŠMXVWÂŠDÂŠUHFLSHÂŠIRUÂŠPRUHÂŠJULGORFN ÂŠ :HÂŠ QHHGÂŠ WRÂŠ FRQVLGHUÂŠ PRUHÂŠ FUHative solutions.

OH, BATS! %\ 1DQFL 6WRQH

riday evening my husband, who shall be known as MOTH, (Man Of The House) and I were sitting in the living room idly watching TV and checking our email when out of the corner of my eye I noticed the MOTH suddenly sit back in his seat. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wrong?â&#x20AC;? I asked. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a bat in the houseâ&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Are you sure?â&#x20AC;? I replied. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maybe itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a big butterfly.â&#x20AC;? Fascinated I got out of my chair and looked around the living room just as a black triangle sailed over my head like a stealth bomber.Â Â As I turned to get a better look at the intruder, it made a second pass - so I ducked. Meanwhile, the MOTH was running around shutting inside doors and opening outside doors in hopes the creature would fly out on its own. No such luck.Â Â It vanished and so we waited. Ten minutes later it flew across

the room again and the MOTH opened the door to the kitchen while it made a very graceful landing on the cafĂŠ curtains. After opening both doors to the outside, the MOTH (armed with a broom and a towel) skillfully poked at the curtains until something black fell out. The MOTH shrieked â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yikesâ&#x20AC;? and the chase was on. Showing mercy on our household, the bat headed for the open door to freedom, to find dinner and a place to roost for the evening and the MOTH and I settled back into our easy chairs and returned to the TV.Â Â Just another day in Mexico. P.S.Â Â We filled all the large trash bags we could find with crushed newspaper and stuffed them up the two fireplaces to keep the flora and fauna in their proper place!

Saw you in the Ojo 43

LOOKING FOR A HAPPINESS PLAN —A Profile of Jim Cook By Angela Cook (no relation!)

s Jim Cook talks in his unassuming way, place names, Indigenous words, Spanish words fall easily off his tongue. He brings to life the beauty of the geography and place, the incredible history, the diversity of the people, the religious, political, historical, and cultural meaning deeply imbedded in this magical place called Mexico—arts, fiestas, Revolution Day, Semana Santa, the life of Zapata and Villa—Ole’! His eyes twinkle as he speaks the tales. It has always been that way. Jim grew up a “Navy brat” with adventurous parents. “Now 97, my mom got her first computer at age 93 so she could Skype with us!” Jim recalls stories his father told about Mexico, but he and wife Carole hadn’t considered retiring here. Still, when things began to downturn in the US economy, they looked for a place to pursue their desire to hike, explore, and to flourish. A little over five years ago, the couple retired, left the US, and came here to Ajijic to live at the foot of these ancient volcanic mountains. Carole calls their move south “Mexico on Training Wheels”. They are pleased with their choice of Ajijic—the village, the roosters, the horses, the character, and the beauty. “We love to hike and here we meet adventurous residents from all over.” Jim has helped to develop a robust hiking community here at Lakeside. Always fascinated by history, Jim soon began to blog about their adventures. As the two of them researched places to explore in their newly adopted

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

country, trips near and far, short and long became a way of life for them. The blog reflects their desires to see what Mexico has to offer, and oozes their delight in what they find. Q: Jim, you call your blog a photo journal and yet it is so much more. The history, architecture, and cultural anecdotes lend a beautiful sense of place to all that Mexico is. Tell us more. A: Our primary drive and purpose in the beginning was to explore and discover our new country for ourselves. We have been so utterly delighted in what we have seen and experienced, the characters we have met, the history that has come to life for us, our desires now are much bigger than ourselves. We want everyone to experience and to know the Mexico that continues to reveal itself. We want others to travel and we want to show them how easily it can roll out for them too.” Q: What might set the people of Mexico apart, Jim? How would you describe their character and their hearts? A: We find the Mexican and the Indigenous people throughout this country to be warm and generous, forthcoming, and eager to be helpful. This same warmth and generosity seems to be at all income levels. On one of our hiking adventures in a remote area south of Lake Chapala, we came to a tiny village called Citala. The one tienda there sold cerveza, so we wandered over. We rested on the porch of the tienda and sipped our beers. There were some hombres mexicanos across the way, also enjoying their cervezas. Although our Spanish was muy basico at the time, we exchanged greetings and a conversation ensued. We told them that we were delighted with their area and would love to camp here. ‘Are there rules?’ we wondered. The response

was hearty guffaws. ‘Rules? What rules? Do what you want here. You are welcome.’ So there you have it! Q: Why Mexico for you and Carole? A: “Carole and I have had so many amazing experiences, both ordinary and extra-ordinary. While hiking in the trackless jungle of the Yucatan, we walked into a clearing at one point, and before us was a stunning palace. Carole and I were the only people around anywhere! It was ‘knock your socks off’ awesome. All we could do for a few moments was stare and catch our breath. We really, really want others to have these experiences, and often, if they can.

Jim and Carole’s blog brings much of this to paper and the photos are great. In the blog he includes profiles, local lore, names eating and lodging places to enjoy, and includes directions for getting there. And, Jim and Carole want you to know that the real joy is in being there and in experiencing the discovery for yourself. To learn more, go to: Jim and Carole’s Mexico Adventure h t t p : / / co o k j m e x . blogspot.mx/ Angela Cook

Saw you in the Ojo 45

The Poets’ Niche %\ 0DUN 6FRQFH PVFRQFH#JPDLO FRP Yevgeny Yevtushenko (1933-?) My monthly column explores the life, time and inspiration of great poets. While the collected works of this month’s poet may not yet qualify him for greatness, what he actually did qualifies him for courage. Some of you may remember his name. Yevtushenko. He made quite a splash back in the ‘sixties when the de-Stalinization program got under way in the Soviet Union. Khrushchev’s thundering denunciation of Stalin, his policies, and his methods before the 20th Congress of the Communist Party set the stage for a rueful look back over the last 30 years of Stalinist rule. Yevtushenko would write poems like this: And when the climate alters/What if we then discover Branches incapable of shapely growth,/Since we have got used to deformity? But he had to be careful. The Old Guard was still powerful and censors lurked. Greater artistic freedom was perilous because no one quite knew the boundaries anymore. Yevtushenko tested the boundaries and barely stayed on the left side of the line. But when he published A Precocious Autobiography in England in 1963, he was recalled and his privileges were withdrawn. And the authorities were none too happy when they saw a photo of Yevtushenko bantering with President Richard Nixon during the poet’s USA tour, a tour that included fawning fans who swooned over his good looks and on-stage personality as orator and showman. No, this was un-Soviet, even deviant behavior. “My poetry, like Cinderella…washes the soiled linen of this age,” he would declaim. He wrestled with the dead hand of the past: Someone is still living as of old,/attempting to knife whatever’s new. Someone still glares in the Stalin manner,/ looking at young men askance. Someone still untamed and restless/fiercely grips the hour hand and, in striving to drag it down,/hangs on to history’s clock. Dead hand of the past, your grip on us is still quite strong. Dead hand of the past,/you’re a dead hand to the last. Probably his most famous poem is “Babi Yar,” a reference to a ravine in the city of Kiev where the single largest massacre of Jews (over 33,500 in two days) took place toward the beginning of World War II. His poem broke the long official silence about the connection between Babi Yar and the Nazi Holocaust and implicitly criticized the Government for not memorializing the mainly Jewish victims. The regime maintained that only Soviet citizens were massacred with no mention of Jews. Yevtushenko confronted anti-Semitism. The wild grasses rustle over Babi Yar./The trees look ominous, like judges, Here all things scream silently,/and baring my head, slowly I feel myself turning gray. And I myself am one massive, soundless scream/above the thousand, thousand buried here. I am each old man here shot dead./I am every child here shot dead. Nothing in me shall ever forget! The ‘Internationale’, let it thunder when the last anti-Semite on earth is buried forever. Yevtushenko was also a romantic poet, romantic in his own way: Let lips remember other lips./Their ice and fire. Their gloom and glow. The whole world in them./A world all redolent of oranges and snow… Or this: My beloved will arrive at last, and fold me in her arms. She will notice the least change in me, and understand all my apprehensions. Out of the black rain, the infernal gloom, having forgotten to shut the taxi door, She’ll dash up the rickety steps, all flushed with joy and longing. Drenched, she’ll burst in without knocking, and clasp my head in her hands; And from a chair her blue fur coat/will slip blissfully to the floor… Trans. by George Reavy Mark Sconce

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

Saw you in the Ojo 47

THE GHOSTS AMONG US %\ )UHG 0LWWDJ Grigori Rasputin (1869-1916) “The Great Faith Healer”

asputin was a reputed psychic and faith healer. The Russian Imperial family’s only son and heir to the throne, Prince Alexei, was a bleeder (hemophilia). In 1907 Czar Nicholas II invited Rasputin to the royal palace in St. Petersburg. Alexei fell ill, and doctors thought he would not live, but Rasputin went into the sick room and miraculously revived Prince Alexei, aged four. To this day, doctors cannot explain how he did it. In any case, the peasant Rasputin became part of the royal entourage and quite influential. Alexei’s mother, Czarina Alexandra, believed he was a holy man. Rasputin carried baggage, however. He committed criminal acts of drunkenness and stealing horses and the people wanted to run him out of town. He avoided ostracism by promising to go on a pilgrimage and walked 260 miles to a monastery where he studied the Bible and theology under a famed monk. Rasputin’s wife tolerated his womanizing by saying he was man enough for more than one woman. People bribed him for access to palace officials. Rasputin believed that true Christianity required humility and that a perfect person could not experience humility. Rasputin chased women, drank to drunkenness, and committed criminal acts in order to achieve the imperfection necessary to maintain his Christian humility. The First World War was going

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

badly for the Russians because of poor leadership. Rasputin declared that it was necessary that Czar Nicholas take personal command of the war effort. But the czar had no military training and disaster was the result, with many Russians killed or coming home with missing limbs. Everybody had a relative or friend who was a casualty of the mismanaged war with Germany. With the czar absent, Czarina Alexandra took charge of domestic affairs. She practically worshipped Rasputin, which, in effect, meant that he ruled Russia. If he sensed political opposition from a minister, he simply had the czarina dismiss that official. Russians began to suspect Rasputin and the czarina secretly wanted a separate peace with Germany, thus breaking treaty agreements. Some nobles decided the only solution was to murder Rasputin. Prince Felix Yusopov was one of the wealthiest men in Russia and

was quite handsome and happily bisexual. He boasted openly of his homosexual escapades. He befriended Rasputin. What kind of relationship they had is controversial, but for a time, they were seeing each other daily. Yusopov charmed Rasputin into a visit to his palace in the winter of 1916. Yusopov promised a possible sexual encounter with his beautiful wife (who would not even be there). Other nobles, part of the conspiracy, entertained Rasputin with cakes and wine that were laced with enough cyanide, provided by a doctor, to kill five men. The conspirators became alarmed that Rasputin seemed immune to the poison. In desperation, Yusopov shot Rasputin, who fell to the floor. The conspirators went into another room to celebrate. After a while, something made Yusopov go check on Rasputin. He was still on the floor, with no pulse. But then one eye opened and he jumped up and grabbed Yusopov around the neck. Yusopov freed himself and ran to the other conspirators, shouting, “He’s still alive!” Rasputin began running across the courtyard. One of the noblemen gave chase and shot Rasputin, and again, he fell. They dragged him back to the palace where Yusopov, in frustrated

anger, beat Rasputin with a metal dumbbell. It would soon be dawn and they had to get rid of the body. They went to the river by the palace to a prearranged place where there was an opening in the ice. They bound Rasputin’s arms and legs and wrapped the body in a heavy cloth and dumped it in the river. But they forgot to attach weights to the body and it emerged downriver – with water in the lungs, which suggests that he drowned! The conspirators were the czar’s kinfolks, so their only punishment was exile. The czar unknowingly did them a great favor, because revolution was coming and Yusopov was able to live out his life in France until he died in 1967. Back home, the Bolsheviks murdered the entire Romanov family in 1918, including Czar Nicholas II, Czarina Alexandra, Prince Alexei, and his four sisters – to make certain the monarchy could not be restored. Rasputin, though devoted to the Romanovs, played an important role in their fall and the rise of Vladimir Lenin and Communism. Fred Mittag

Saw you in the Ojo 49

The Ojo Crossword

ACROSS 1 Shallow area 5 Fathom 10 Swirl 14 Writer Bombeck 15 Dismantle 16 Opera Solo 17 Midnight rider (2 wrd.) 19 Look for 20 Visit 21 Ship´s sail holders 23 Loafed 26 Bird perch 28 Goof 31 Fish eggs 32 Whiner 33 Long time 34 Scrambler of yolks (2 wds.) 37 Supply 39 Sock´s wound 40 Days of the wk. 42 African country 45 Nobility of spirit 49 Expert 50 Done over 53 Expression of surprise 54 New Jersey´s neighbor 55 Leaks slowly 56 Impressionist painter 58 Niches 60 Back to school mo. 61 Financial obligation 63 Chastises 69 Freudian selves

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

70 Shoe bottom 71 Horse game 72 Part of a sentence 73 Crafty 6QDN\ ¿VK DOWN 1 Representative 2 Time period 3 Flightless bird 4 Not real 5 Gaiety 6 Reverend (abbr.) 7 Street abbr. 8 Talk 9 Give joy 10 Compass point 11 Gowns 12 Perish 13 Chatter 18 Crimson 22 Thread 23 Anger 24 Cur 25 Limb 7KRUQHG ÀRZHU 27 Furniture wood 29 Note of debt 30 North northeast 32 Cc 35 Reporter´s question 36 Amasses 38 South southeast 40 Pilots 8QUH¿QHG PHWDO 42 Boy 43 Winter hazard 44 To beat severely 45 Prune 46 _ Francisco 47 That girl 48 Dine 51 Builds 52 Take away weapons 56 Hold up 57 Open 59 Posttraumatic stress disorder 60 Nearly horizontal entrance 61 Morning moisture 62 Freudian term 64 Ocean 65 Sticky black substance 66 Foot extension 67 Wing 68 Distress call

Saw you in the Ojo 51

Waiting For Rain %\ .DWK\ .RFKHV

6XQOLJKWÂŤVWUHDPLQJ ÂŤÂżQGVÂŤPHÂŤGUHDPLQJ Lazy hazy April days. Waiting, hoping, napping, moping, Hoping this is just a phase Finally, a rainbird singing, Music to my ears today. And he letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s me know heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bringing News that rain is on the way Cooling, soothing, breezes moving Clouds around the sunny skies. Mother Nature keeps us guessing, When will we receive the prize? Then they come, the rains at last are pouring down, the waters rise. Dry days gone, a misty dawn, The sight is lovely to my eyes.

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

The

LAKE CHAPALA SOCIETY

News

www.lakechapalasociety.com

A FOND FAREWELL: MARY ALICE SARGENT Those who knew you and those who knew of you, recognize your invaluable commitment and service to LCS. Your many contributions over the \HDUV KDYH LQĂ&#x20AC;XHQFHG RXU growth and development into the organization it has become today. As LCS is poised to enter a new phase of its existence, an era of expanded UHVSRQVLELOLW\ DQG LQĂ&#x20AC;XHQFH to the Lakeside ex-pat and Mexican communities, we recognize that our future successes will be made possible in no small part by your dedication to LCSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well-being during your many years of service. As you move into another phase of your life, we, your friends, colleagues, LCS members and fellow volunteers, offer you our great respect, affection and deep appreciation for your indelible presence. We will miss you.

ESL STUDENT RECOGNITION Our annual recognition ceremony for students who worked hard all year at English as a Second Language (ESL) will be held on Saturday, May 4, from 5 - 7 PM at LCS on the Neill James Patio. Come join the hard working teacher volunteers as we cheer our students on.

May 2013 MEET ADELA ALCARIZ, NEW OPERATIONS MANAGER FOR LCS In anticipation of LCSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; expanding role in the ex-pat and Mexican communities, we have retained a new Operations Manager, Adela Alcariz, to assist the Executive DirecWRU LQ GHYHORSLQJ SURMHFWV WKDW ZLOO UHĂ&#x20AC;HFW RXU commitment to an environment that promotes respectful collaboration between our two communities. Internationally educated, Adela is a bilingual Mexican citizen with a diverse background in project management across several disciplines. A computer-savvy accountant with a sharp eye for organization and detail, her experience will be a critical element in implementing LCSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; vision. In consultation with our Mexican counterparts, LCS will be instituting programs of interest to the entire lakeside communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wellbeing, including but not limited to, expanded educational and health programs, shared information on KRXVLQJ SHUVRQDO ÂżQDQFH EXVLQHVV FLWL]HQVKLS LPPLJUDWLRQ DQG the environment. A thoughtful and enthusiastic person, she welcomes your parWLFLSDWLRQ VKDUH \RXU LGHDV FRQFHUQV DQG VXJJHVWLRQV ZLWK KHU This is a new direction for the Lake Chapala Societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reciprocal relationship with the lakeside community. As she remarked in a recent interview, â&#x20AC;&#x153;LCS has a huge goal to pursue... I see the association as the leader in giving the community the tools to dream a better future for themselves. I am sure both communities will help when they see the results. I am very happy to be a part of thisâ&#x20AC;?.

SELF EVALUATION: PREPARING FOR OUR FUTURE In early 2012, the LCS conducted a survey of its members past and present. It asked, â&#x20AC;&#x153;In your opinion, how important are these LCS activities?â&#x20AC;? More than 400 people responded. The results show the percentage of respondents who answered either â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;importantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; RU ÂľYHU\ LPSRUWDQWÂś IRU VSHFLÂżF SURJUDPV VHUYLQJ WKH 0H[LFDQ FRPPXQLW\ ,W VKRXOG EH QRWHG WKDW DSSUR[LPDWHO\ RI WKRVH ZKR answered this question had been volunteers at the LCS at some time, and had some knowledge of LCS operations. As a result, we conclude that strong support for all of these programs exists.

English as a Second Language 85% Computer Classes 83% Student Aid 83%

Summer Remedial Classes 81% Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Art Classes

76%

In 2011 the Programs Committeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goal was to evaluate the external aspect of our Community Education Program (CEP). An ad hoc committee, created in August 2011, performed a global assessment of the CEP in light of LCS' long range and strategic plans, and provided recommendations to assure the sustainability of this program. The evaluation committee to that end developed the following statement: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Vision of the LCS â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Community Education Programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is to provide an environment in which the foreign community collaborates with the local Mexican community to promote the value of education, and to provide all appropriate tools for personal and professional development to both communities in both Spanish and English.Â´ Continued on next page.

Saw you in the Ojo 53

Continued from front page. A formal report with recommendations is expected to be delivered to the Board next month. This article will not focus on the conclusions or recommendations, instead it will highlight the work accomplished during the process. Four pro bono surveys were commissioned to look at our â&#x20AC;&#x153;consumer market,â&#x20AC;? the local Mexican community. Designed by Dr. David Truly, adjunct professor at the Autonomous University of Guadalajara, the surveys were designed/conducted/analyzed by his university students. To our knowlHGJH WKHVH VXUYH\V ZHUH WKH ÂżUVW RI WKHLU NLQG VLQFH /&6 has never surveyed its Mexican constituency. They are surveys of the local Mexican community, of ESL Students, of the parents of the youngsters in the Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Art program and the LCS Volunteers Working in our CEP. 6XUYH\ RI 0H[LFDQ &RPPXQLW\ This survey was conducted during 2012 and consisted of interviews with 274 people (153 in Ajijic, 79 in San Antonio and 51 in Chapala) who had a demographic and geographiFDO SURÂżOH UHSUHVHQWDWLYH RI WKH WDUJHW PDUNHW Analysis shows the following: â&#x20AC;˘ 56% had not heard of the Lake Chapala Society â&#x20AC;˘ Only 33% knew LCS offered courses to the Mexican community â&#x20AC;˘ Many were not aware of any connection between our educational courses and LCS â&#x20AC;˘ Most thought that a public library was important or very important â&#x20AC;˘ In the survey, 13% said they had taken an LCS course (the majority having taken English Language.) They ranked highly the location, the facilities, the quality of the teachers and the program. Most of these felt the course had helped them in school or at the workplace â&#x20AC;˘ When asked if they or a family member would be interested in taking one of the existing courses, most indicated there would be a strong or very strong interest in English Language, Summer Remedial classes, and Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Art â&#x20AC;˘ When asked what other courses LCS should consider offering, they answered in declining order: Computer Education, Home Administration, Music Education, and Cooking/Nutrition &RQFOXVLRQ 6LJQLÂżFDQW GHPDQG H[LVWV IRU WKH SURJUDPV currently offered. Those who have taken courses (principally English language) express a high level of satisfaction with them.There is a serious lack of awareness by the public: â&#x20AC;˘ Of the existence of the LCS â&#x20AC;˘ Of the courses offered at the Wilkes Education Center â&#x20AC;˘ That there is a connection between the two 6XUYH\ RI (6/ 6WXGHQWV In general, this survey suggests a very high approval rating from its students. From administration to course content, teaching and expectations, the students rated this program very favorably. There were questions that had a large number of missing answers which always lead to question why, but with the exception of a few areas, this study offers a very positive view of our ESL program. Some important aspects that may need some attention would be: â&#x20AC;˘ Scheduling could be an issue for some of the students especially those who are working or have family obligations â&#x20AC;˘ Class size may be an issue for some students and should be monitored

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

0RVW RI WKRVH VXUYH\HG UHSUHVHQWHG ÂżUVW \HDU VWXGHQWV DQG WKHUH is a noticeable drop off of 2nd and 3rd year students â&#x20AC;˘ This is a relatively highly educated group of students compared to the national average â&#x20AC;˘ The success of this program and continued enrollment appears to be based exclusively on word of mouth â&#x20AC;&#x201C; another indicator of the satisfaction among the students â&#x20AC;˘ At this time, the enrollment tends to be very geographically focused on Ajijic 6XUYH\ RI WKH 3DUHQWV RI WKH &KLOGUHQÂśV $UW 3URJUDP This survey suggests a very high satisfaction among the parents of children participating in this program. In many instances, there is a very positive response to questions regarding the quality of the program and its impact on the children. Some general observations are: â&#x20AC;˘ Parents are very pleased with the quality of both the program and volunteers â&#x20AC;˘ Based on the goals of the programs, parents take art seriously and do not feel it is primarily an opportunity to have fun. They consider this an important part of their childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education and enrichment â&#x20AC;˘ The impact of this program extends only to the immediate Ajijic DUHD WKHUH PD\ EH RSSRUWXQLWLHV WR H[SDQG WR RXWO\LQJ DUHDV â&#x20AC;˘ Word of mouth is the primary source of advertising This is certainly a signature program of LCS and bolsters our reputation. 6XUYH\ RI /&6 9ROXQWHHUV :RUNLQJ LQ RXU &(3 The survey document was distributed to all LCS Volunteers in the month of March 2013. Forty-nine surveys were completed and returned. Analysis of the data yields the following conclusions: A. ESL Volunteer Teachers: â&#x20AC;˘ Almost all are full-time residents at Lakeshore â&#x20AC;˘ Most agree their program is a success â&#x20AC;˘ Most feel the program is important to the Mexican community â&#x20AC;˘ Less than half have prior teaching experience â&#x20AC;˘ Most enjoy teaching in the program â&#x20AC;˘ They tend to feel they are not adequately appreciated by LCS â&#x20AC;˘ Compared to the other volunteers surveyed, they tend to feel their training, their resources for teaching, the facilities, and the openness to discussion for improvement, are all less than adequate Comments: It is apparent that these volunteers know they are doing valuable work. However, many of them tend to feel under appreciated and inadequately supported. B. Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Art Volunteer Assistants: â&#x20AC;˘ Almost all are full-time residents at Lakeshore â&#x20AC;˘ They feel their program is especially successful (more than the other volunteer groups surveyed) â&#x20AC;˘ They feel their program is very important to the Mexican community â&#x20AC;˘ They tend to feel their work is adequately appreciated â&#x20AC;˘ They tend to think that their program resources and facilities are adequately good â&#x20AC;˘ Most enjoy assisting in the program Comments: It is apparent that these volunteers are generally pleased with their work and with the level of support provided. â&#x20AC;˘

LCS extends its sincerest thanks to the members of the CEP evaluation committee: John Keeling (co-chair), Liz Drummond (co-chair), Ben White, Carol Bowman, Bert Slocombe, BĂĄrbara Castro, Jesus LĂłpez Vega, Jennifer Weeks, Inez Dayer, Andy Houck, Glen Smith, /HWLFLD 5H\HV 7HUU\ 9LGDO DVVLVWHG E\ 'U 'DYLG 7UXO\ DQG $OLQ 9LYHros and Coralie White.

0D\ Activities *Open to the Public ** US Citizens (S) Sign in Required &58= 52-$ Cruz Roja Sales Table 10-1 Cruz Roja Monthly Meeting 2nd W 2-4 +($/7+ ,1685$1&( IMSS & Immigration Services M+T 10-1 Met Life Insurance T+TH 11-2 6DQ -DYLHU +HDOWK %HQHÂżWV 7+ TioCorp Company F 10-1 +($/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 M and 2nd+ 4th SAT 11-3 Sign-up Information Desk M-SAT 10-2 Loridans, Marquez & Assoc T 10-12 Optometrist TH 9-3 Sign-up Skin Cancer Screening 2nd +4th W 10-12 Sign-up US Consulate 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 Intermediate Hatha Yoga T+TH 2-3:30, SAT 1-2:30 Line Dancing T+TH 10-11:10 LIBRARIES Audio TH 10-12 Book & Video M-SAT 10-2 US Library of Congress Talking Books TH 10-12 ** NJ Biblioteca Publica M-F 9:30-7, SAT 9:30-1 SOCIAL ACTIVITIES Beginners Digital Camera W 12-1 Beginners iPad W 1-2:30 E-mail Registration Required Bridge 4 Fun M+W 1-4:30 Conversaciones en Espanol M10-12 Grammar Required Discussion Group W12-1: 30 Everyday Mindfulness M 10:30-12 )LOP $ÂżFLRQDGRV VW UG 7+ 6KRZ &DUG )LOP $ÂżFLRQDGRV QG WK /DVW 7+ 6KRZ &DUG Genealogy Last M 2-4 iStuff Discussion Group F 9:30-10:30 Mac OS 1st M 12-1:30 Mac User 3rd W 3-4:30 Mah-Jonng F 10-2:30 Needle Pushers T 10-12 Scrabble M+F 12-2 Tournament Scrabble T 12-2 Windows Computer Group F 10:30-1:45 6(59,&( 6833257 *52836 AL-Anon Step Study M 4:30-5:30 Gamblers Anonymous W 11-1 Green Group 1st T 3-4:30 Lakeside AA M+TH 4-5:45 MS Support Group 3rd W 3-4 NiĂąos de Chapala & Ajijic F 10-12 Open Circle SUN 10-12:15 SMART Recovery W 2:30-4 Trees Without Roots T 12:30-2:30 7,&.(7 6$/(6 0 )

VIDEO LIBRARY NEW ADDITIONS DOWNTON ABBEY 3RD YEAR # 6123 )/,*+7 A airline pilot saves almost all his passengers when his malfunctioning airliner eventually crashes, but an investigation into the accident reveals something troubling. Oscar nominee for Best Actor Denzel Washington. $5*2 A dramatization of the 1980 joint CIACanadian secret operation to extract six fugitive American diplomatic personnel out of revolutionary Iran. Oscar for Best 3LFWXUH %HQ $IĂ&#x20AC;HFN $11$ .$5(1,1$ Set in late-19th-century Russian high-society, aristocrat Anna Karenina enters into a OLIH FKDQJLQJ DIIDLU ZLWK WKH DIĂ&#x20AC;XHQW &RXQW 9URQVN\ )RXU 2VFDU QRPLQDWLRQV RQH ZLQ IRU EHVW FRVWXPHV .HLUD .QLJKWOH\ DQG Jude Law 7+( 3(5.6 2) %(,1* $ :$//)/2:(5 An introverted freshman is taken under the wings of two seniors who welcome him to the real world. Romantic Drama 8.1 of 10 Logan Lerman and Emma Watson 7+( '867 %2:/ Miniseries Documentary narrated by Peter Coyote. 7+( 0(1 :+2 %8,/7 $0(5,&$ Âą MiniVHULHV VKLQHV D VSRWOLJKW RQ WKH LQĂ&#x20AC;XHQWLDO EXLOGHUV GUHDPHUV and believers whose feats transformed the United States, a nation decaying from the inside after the Civil War, into the greatest economic and technological superpower the world had ever seen. The Men Who Built America is the story of our nation at the crossroads and of the people who catapulted it to prosperity. Two Alan Alda comedies: 6$0( 7,0( 1(;7 <($5 with Ellen Burstyn and SWEET LIBERTY # 6136 with Michael Caine and Michelle Pfeiffer. Worth seeing again, or for the ÂżUVW WLPH The Video Library can transfer any VHS tapes that you have. (thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home movies, of course). DVDs last longer and the machines to play them are still available; at 50 pesos per transfer, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cheap.

COURIERS NEEDED! Sorry, folks, but the Video Library was unable to meet our TXRWD RI QHZ DGGLWLRQV WKLV PRQWK EHFDXVH ZH FRXOG QRW ÂżQG anyone available to act as a courier for us. Please keep us in mind when you have someone coming to visit or when you are going north and returning in a timely manner. Ten DVDs do not take up much room in your luggage and all you have to do is pack them. We do everything else. And donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to take the mail-- members appreciate it Stop by the ofÂżce and pick up northbound mail for fellow members. LCS libraries need your continued support to bring videos and books from north of the border and we always need U.S. postage stamps. If you can act as a courier, contact us at library@lakechapalasociety. com. Thank you.

Saw you in the Ojo 55

LCS LEARNING SEMINARS The LCS Learning Seminars TED podcasts are taking a hiatus for the summer and will resume in the fall. Look for an announcement in an upcoming edition noting new dates, times and subjects to be featured in this popular series.

1(: /22. $1' 1(: ',5(&7,21 )25 CASI NUEVO The Snowbirds are returning to North America, and we are losing volunteer sales people for the store. We need a second sales assistant on Tuesdays beginning April 30. (We try to have two sales assistants each day.) We will provide training. Spanish is not required, but some minimum Spanish is desirable. Hours are 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, but we have some Ă&#x20AC;H[LELOLW\ 7KLV LV D IXQ QR SUHVVXUH MRE ,I \RX RU VRPHRQH you know may be interested, please contact me or Jacqueline Smith (smithjacqueline55@gmail.com) at 766-1303.

%(*,11(5Âś6 ,3$' &/$66(6 $5( 7$.,1* $ %5($. Beginnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iPad is taking a break for the summer and will resume classes in August. August through December classes will be held on Thursday from 10 am and noon in the Sala. Exact dates will be posted in a future edition of the newsletter.

FILM AFICIONADOS Thursdays $OO ÂżOPV LQ WKH 6DOD 1R GRJV %ULQJ \RXU /&6 PHPEHUVKLS FDUG 0D\ 1RRQ $ +,-$&.,1* Denmark 2013 7KLV 'DQLVK ÂżOP IRFXVHV RQ WKH KXPDQ FRQsequences of modern piracy: the true story of the cargo ship MV Rozen captured by Somali pirates. 0D\ SP :+(1 :( /($9( Germany 2010 This German-Turkish collaboration tells the compelling story of a woman trapped in an abusive marriage who must not only escape from her husband but also from the cultural prejudices that would bind her. 0D\ 1RRQ $ &+,1(6( 7$/( Argentina 2013 Brilliant Argentine actor Ricardo Darin is a bitter, lonely man who owns a hardware store in Buenos Aires. By chance he meets a Chinese man who speaks no Spanish beginning a touching tale of two lost souls.

NUTRITIONAL SEMINAR If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had questions (and which of us hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t) about diets and why they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work, degenerative diseases, how good nutritional habits affect our quality of life, and how the mysterious glycemic index can be used to prevent insulin from becoming a fat storage hormone, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got something \RX PD\ ÂżQG LQIRUPDWLYH DQG SHUKDSV OLIH FKDQJLQJ <YHWWH Perez d. Alba will present a nutritional seminar from 11â&#x20AC;&#x201C;12 on Thursday, May 9, in the LCS Sala.

0D\ SP 7+( $1*(/6Âś 6+$5( Scotland 2013 :LQQHU RI WKH -XU\ 3UL]H DW &DQQHV WKLV ÂżOP from the great director, Ken Loach, is a surprisingly uplifting comHG\ D VWRU\ RI UHGHPSWLRQ ZLWK D VRFLDO PHVVDJH 7KLV ÂżOP LV P\ personal favorite of the year. English (Glaswegian) with English subtitles! 0D\ SP 7+( *(1,86 2) %867(5 .($721 United States 1924 & 1927 Double feature: Sherlock Jr. and The General 7KHVH WZR VLOHQW HUD ÂżOPV PLQXWHV WRWDO GLUHFWHG E\ DQG starring Buster Keaton, will startle you with their inventiveness.

7+( /$.( &+$3$/$ 62&,(7< $ &

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 3UHVLGHQW +RZDUG )HOGVWHLQ 9LFH 3UHVLGHQW %HQ :KLWH 7UHDVXUHU 0LFKDHO 6HDUOHV 6HFUHWDU\ -RKQ 5LGHU 'LUHFWRUV .DUHQ %OXH /RLV &XJLQL (DUQHVW *DEEDUG $XURUD 0LFKHO *DOLQGR )UHG +DUODQG &DWH +RZHOO $QQ ' +RXFN :DOODFH 0LOOV 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.

El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

Saw you in the Ojo 57

Service $'9(57,6,1* ',5(&725< (/ 2-2 '(/ /$*2 Tel. 765-3676

$/&2+2/,&6 $121<0286 - ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS Tel: 766-5961

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Cell: 044 331 519 3094 Pag: 38 - RELIABLE CONSTRUCTION SERVICES Tel: 766-4482, Cell: 333-821-8519 Pag: 26 :$5:,&. &216758&7,21 Tel: 765-2224 Cell. (045) 331-135-0763 3DJ

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

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El Ojo del Lago / May 2013

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