The Lifestyle Variety Magazine for the Upper Valley
April 2008
Contempo
Fresh Fashions with Eastern European Influences & a Bounty of Color
Obesity
Different Causes Different Solutions
The IMAS Project Science on a Sphere
DARE TO BE FIT!
BABY BOOMERS
A Look Back at the Best of Times
It Takes a Plan to Invest Wisely Whats Yours? Home Improvement What it Takes to go
GREEN
A Balanced Program For a Firm Body Head to Toe
How to Keep Your Computer From Sneezing!
OLIVE OIL
Valley Wind Power
Extra, Virgin or Pure?
Are we Missing Out?
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Contempo The Lifestyle Magazine for the Upper Valley
Publishers Note: It’s should always be fun & enlightening to look back at a generation that’s coming of age and so, in this issue we revisit the “good times” of the Baby Boomer generation. At 51, I fall right in the middle of Boomers and had some fun personal reflections while assembling this piece. We, as Boomers, have experiences spanning over 6 decades and now represent the most influential group generation worldwide as well as here in the Rio Grande Valley. We take you back in time to the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s as Boomers started planting their stamp on society. The music, politics and events that manifested during those times offers each of us a chance to contemplate profound, yet still clear memories. You will note that our travel section does not appear this month. We are preparing a special story for the month of May that you will not want to miss on the city and region of Queretaro. Please visit our web site where we have now added sound, video and animation features as we create a top Rio Grande Valley Hub site. Enjoy your reading! Ralph Magaña/Publisher Contempo is a publication of Contempo Magazine Inc. All opinions represented are of the authors & not necessarily the views of the publisher. The publisher makes no representations regarding advertising content. Contempo Magazine is a trademark of Contempo Magazine Inc. All rights reserved. All content published and constructed by Contempo Magazine is the property of Contempo Magazine Inc. Permission for reprint shall be granted only upon written request and authorized release from Contempo Magazine Inc.
Editor in Chief/Ralph Magaña Consulting Editor/Laura Grubb Guest Columnist/Gene Fjerstad Guest Columnist/Jorge Vela Staff Writer/Ralph Magaña Staff Columnist/Michael Bilyou Staff Columnist/Tony Barclay Feature Columnist/Vanessa Valiente Staff Columnist/Melissa Magaña Ad Sales-Ralph Magaña Distribution Manager-Rosa Lopez Webpage Editor-Tony Magaña cel 956-467-7880 off 956-686-9548 wmagana@rgv.rr.com
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Inside This Issue Valley Baby Boomers. Who Are We? A Generation Spanning Decades.
8
Energy Efficient Home Insulation. What it takes to go GREEN.
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Investing in the Future with a Plan.
18
Proper use of Extra, Virgin or Pure. The Origins of Olive Oil.
21
Obesity, different causes may call for different solutions.
22
Bountiful Colors & Eastern Styles bring a new look for Women’s Wear.
29
IMAS looks to capture Science on a Sphere Exhibit.
36
Computer Health. Keeping your computer’s nose clean with easy back-up.
40
Technology-Why not Valley Wind Power?
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Bentsen State Park-World Birding Center. Dare to Be Fit! This is where it all starts.
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Boomers, the first & most studied gereration of modern times. By Ralph Magaña
We are the largest & the most studied generation on the planet. We were the first generation to be given a title in modern times. We were the first generation to move from the slide rule to the hand held calculator (remember texas instruments) & the first to buy transistor radios made in Japan. There were many cultural & scientific advances that we experienced during our childhood as well. We watched The Jetsons cartoon in the morning & watched the first man land on the moon that night on our RCA TVs. Our young imaginations were inspired by the times as we bought well illustrated books showing us how in the future we would conquer the last frontier in sleek & streamlined spaceships. And so we became the dreamers. Baby Boomers are not a generation distinctive to the USA alone. In Russia they are still referred to as the “Sputnik” generation for obvious reasons. In the UK Baby Boomers got off to an earlier start but did not capture the lime light till the mid 60’s. In the mid 60’s Italian Baby Boomers were setting style trends still glorified today. As young children we were also disturbed by things we did not fully understand. As the last generation to perform nuclear bomb drills at school and as young observers of the early Cold War, we were often scared of monsters of a different nature. (I was convinced by the age of 9 that I would surely die in a global nuclear war just like everyone else.) The range in years that we represent is the longest of generations with our births beginning in the mid 1950’s & extending to the mid 1960’s, after which the sudden popularity of birth control pills subdued the propagation of our group to a trickle into the mid 60’s. Some researchers say that we are too large a category & should be split into two different segments, those who were old enough to participate in the Vietnam War & those who came after. But for the most part if you ask any Boomer they would not make the distinction possible because they had younger & older siblings who would be subjugated and would say “now wait a minute I remember that.” However young we were, the explosion of television magnified our perceptions. Indeed all baby boomers across the spectrum have shared values & beliefs because we all had so many brothers & sisters compared to more recent generations & our relative ages made us to some degree, aware of the world around us. Certainly we all can remember significant events of the 60’s as later boomers observed the impact on earlier Boomers of our generation. Some of us may have not participated in the “Peace” movement but we certainly, at a few ages younger, developed perceptions of it. Although I was too young to participate in the Vietnam War by a few years, I certainly recall the vivid news reports coming out of the Far East detailing death tolls, progress & setbacks like it was yesterday. Although I was too young to participate in the Hippy Culture of the early Boomers, I was indeed old enough to grasp the general idea of the happenings. Many of our early generation realized the horrors of the Vietnam War up close. Approximately half of the Boomer Generation was eligible for service in the jungle war that took place half way around the world leaving over 52,000 young American men dead and ended seemingly with no purpose for the sacrifice. Leaving us with memories of brothers lost to an unworthy cause and a definitive scepticism of trust in government along with a sense of ultimate vulnerable never felt before made us sceptical and perceptive. More than half of us can remember the black & white TV broadcasts & radio transmissions of the JFK and King assassinations & the Cuban missile crisis as our parents watched intently to the news available on one of three network channels. It’s now al-
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most seems like a dream that back then so many people actually built bomb shelters in their homes & stored huge stocks of canned food in preparation for surviving an attack from the Soviets. We were never told, but somehow knew, that with the push of a button it could all be over. Yet, we unfortunately didn’t have the knowledge that no one was crazy enough to do it. So we had bad dreams too. I’m not sure but I can speculate that we were probably the last generation that knew how to & routinely did change the oil in our vehicles, how to wash our own clothes & the last to see our mothers at home cooking in the kitchen every day. We were accustomed to rolling up our car windows, manually locking our car doors, changing the TV channel without a remote & the last generation allowed to buy beer at the age of 18 and the last to use manual typewriters. We were then most certainly a hands on generation that mastered the technology at our disposal. Although those born in the late 50’s were a bit too young to know the early beatle hits of the early 60’s, we did have the know how, at the age of 6, to turn on the record player, place a vinyl disc on it & turn up the volume. I remember when that time came for me in 1964 at age 6. Even though I didn’t fully grasp what I was listening too, I somehow knew that life was going to get interesting as I started swaying to the sound of “I Want to Hold Your Hand”. I can still vividly remember that beat, that tempo that at age 6 made me feel that, in some strange yet to be revealed way, this is what I’ve been waiting for. As adolescents we grew up asking for Donny Osmond and the Jackson 5. As we grew older, reaching our teens & beyond, buying our own music, we past through the influence of various types of music from rock to motown, to disco & back to rock again. Music that stays with us as we hear popular 70’s rock used to sell us Cadillacs today. I find it curious that my daughter of 22 years, when exposed to the range of music experience we listened to, is fascinated with the complexity & romantic melodies of our times regardless of the era. I introduced her to the Doors, Lynard Skynard, Blue Oyster Cult, Jefferson Starship, the Dube Brothers, the Spinners, Al Green, Boz Scaggs, Billy Joel and Blondie (she found her way to discover the disco era on her own). We all know our music will live forever as the best sounds of the millennium. We had Chicago, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Santana & Electric Light Orchestra on a short list. As Country Music diversified more & more Boomers started learning the two step. Movies with dance themes documented our fascination with Disco, like Staying Alive and Studio 54 and Country like, Urban Cowboy. By the time of the Watergate Scandal we were all, well old enough to understand the
Baby Boomers, who are we? A Generation spanning decades comes to maturity. implications of government corruption & the idea that you shouldn’t believe everything you hear from the media. But as the evidence came out we realized that governments shouldn’t be trusted but rather monitored to preserve ethical purity & how talk was cheaper than we thought, that we indeed were inheriting an imperfect world. Later, as those who were fortunate enough to to enter the work force before the late 70’s, there was economic prosperity enough to encourage us to start families, but that period didn’t last long. Soon we became all too familiar with the term “stagflation”, a stubborn term lasting 6 years, that we understood to mean: don’t make any plans, bud. It’s onset convinced us to finally buy those smaller cars built in the far east as OPEC decided to get rich quick by doubling the price of leaded gasoline from $0.35 to $0.70 a gallon. So we were the generation who got lean, mean & most importantly smarter, although we were still unable to purchase homes with mortgages still in the 12-11% range. We crawled our way out of that period of malaise starting the small business boom noted for pulling us out of those dark times with the help of a little know actor, President Ronald Reagan, who we remotely remembered last hosting a B & W TV show called “Death Valley Days” before he took office. He told us it was “Morning in America”, & that we could fulfill our dreams with the right attitude. So things began to look brighter for us as we got employed, started families & wow retirement benefits & stock options entered our vocabularies. We discovered the competitive idea and the notion of “consumer orientation”. Our dreamer attitude returned and found new meaning. The timing was perfect as we found ourselves eager, able & willing to craft our long awaited stamp on the world. We worked hard, saw our families begin to take
shape and began to take the time to smell the roses we all talked about back in the 70’s. One of the largest booms in home ownership transpired during this period. We were happy to acquire home mortgages with annual interest rates bearing 9-10%.that we were later able to refinance at lower & lower rates. Our piece of the pie became a good investment too. Yea, it looked like the easy times were going to come sooner than we thought. We started watching power movies like American Gigolo and the Godfather. Whereas James Bond used to fight the Soviets, now he was battling Spectre & had female accomplices who were every bit as able to deal with the bad guys. And his gizmos, like our’s, were getting more & more sophisticated. Like the characters in “Scarface”, we began to discard the beeping pagers for bulky cellular phones as we all became more public figures and our privacy began to wear thin. We stopped pumping our own gas & stopped changing our own oil. From the beginning and all along the way, the huge world of advertising was there to lead the way. In terms of dollars spent on advertising attention, we Boomers are A #1, Top of the Heap, even though there is some drive to keep the attention on the younger generations in music & film. Remember the “Pepsi Generation” or “RC the One with the Mad, Mad taste” & later Coca-Cola’s “It’s the Real Thing”. Interestingly much of our music & popular themes are recycling or holding firm. I’m glad that National Geographic still uses their theme song from my childhood as I pondered the schooner shipwrecked on the beach. It’s good to know 60 Minutes is still there-all 60. I often toy with my daughter about new versions of our old songs like “Angel in Contempo Magazine page contempomag.com page 99
the Morning”. She’s certain the new version is original until I prove her otherwise with a quick visit to my collection. On or about that time the World starting stretching, going Global with some good & bad results for the Boomers. We enjoyed low inflation, buying better, less expensive homes as products shifted from “made in the USA” to “made in China” & the likes. We stopped buying RCA & Motorola and started buying Sony & Cannon. We became willing to pay more for a European car. The Women’s Movement & the “Sexual Revolution” were upon us. We started getting married later & opted for smaller families. We perfected the “its all about me” syndrome. The Media finally got through to us as we dug deep into our pockets for more. We learned about economic cycles & the cycle of life as we saw the need to start keeping an eye on our parents, as well as our kids, as life expectancies soared during our span. We began to inherent the Planet. By all accounts, Our generation, the Baby Boomers dominate the political, economic, cultural leadership virtually worldwide, representing almost 30% of the adult population in the U. S. Our opinions more cemented and better pondered but just as diverse as ever. Indeed, we elected two presidents of our own generation in four of the last four elections for President. however different their positions were. Clinton did
seem to be an effective bridge builder in the end despite his misgivings while Bush’s story is yet to me told. Two Boomers with significantly different political outlooks. Our children are reaching beyond school years to leave us Empty Nesters. Some off to fight again, like our older brothers did three decades ago. Leaving us with time on our hands to contemplate more on globalism, war & peace, or for that matter, our own destiny, since our time isn’t up yet. Studies show that we are becoming more religious as drifters return to the flock. Certainly we are becoming wiser, and I think more thoughtful. What will history say about us in years to come? I hope it is written that we were Proud Veterans, many the courageous only remembered. That we were dreamers & Achievers. That we were Hopeful & Independent. That all throughout our time we were Righteous & Tolerant with a collective wisdom that left its mark, its contributions. (I for one, will give careful consideration to the older generation’s candidates in future elections, but certainly not the younger ones, They will just have to wait their turn!). Well, I’d better go. I Don’t want to miss Saturday Night Live!
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Baby Boomer Statistics • • • • • • •
From 1946 to 1964, 75.8 million Boomers were born. 4.3 million were born in the peak year of 1957. In 1964 more than 1/3 of the U.S. population was under 19. Boomers dominate the economy today in both purchases & payments. Boomers today, in 2008, range in age from 42 to 60. Most Boomers have offspring between the ages of 14 to 28. Favorite TV programing included: Leave it to Beaver, I Love Lucy, The Munsters, Lassie, Disney’s Wonderful World of Color, Bonanza, The Jetsons & Road Runner. • Boomers and their children agree that personal responsibility is on the decline. • Studies on religion indicate Boomers are returning to faith. • There is more disagreement between Boomers & their children vs Boomers & their parents. • Boomers & their children agree that today’s youth are too liberal about sex. • Boomers are far more supportive of the Military than they were 30 years ago. • T.V. & film series still on today: 60 Minutes, The Price is Right, Saturday Night Live, Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom & James Bond. (Compiled from information from a study conducted by the AARP & BBHQ. com)
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WELL PLANNED HOMES MAKE FOR A BETTER VALLEY INVESTMENT
When considering the purchase of a home, what should we consider? Are
we looking for an investment? Are we looking for a home to raise a family? Is it that dream home that we can finally afford? Or, is it time to down size now that the kids are gone and we no longer want the responsibilities of a large home? Whatever the reason, buying a home can be a fantastic opportunity as an investment. Once you have decided why there is the question of how. How you structure the purchase of your home can greatly affect the scope of the investment. It is very important that you research your options. And, if it is your first purchase, consult with people whom you trust. Ask anyone who has bought a home about their first purchase and, more than likely, they will have plenty of stories of things that they would have done differently. Let’s look at a few basic but critical things to look for that make the purchase of a home a stronger long term investment and page 14 contempo magazine
also more enjoyable home to live in. It’s obvious that we all want to live in a beautiful home, it’s important. Appearance and design are worthy of your research. Read books, explore the internet, research magazine articles, go to the Parade of Homes and more than this, study homes that you think are more attractive. Identify what draws you to that particular home & what those features are: is it the color, the landscape, the exterior surface (stucco, brick, EIFS, stone, etc,) and don’t forget location. Schools, shopping, proximity to hospitals and airports, where your friends live, and many other things will affect your happiness in that home. Don’t be afraid to make that faithful pros and cons list. A little planning up front may save you a lot of heart ache in the end. After you are satisfied with your research of why, where and how you want to buy or build the house of your dreams, it’s time to consider
one of the most important factors, that of selecting a home that you will be happy in and one that proves to be a solid investment. Construction integrity begins with the builder. There are many sources for information and history of home builders in the area; Texas Residential Construction Commission (TRCC), the Chamber of Commerce, the Better Business Bureau, the Home Builders Association. It’s in your best interest to make sure your builder is reputable. The products chosen by the builder are very important. Not all manufacturers are equal!, Ask about warranties from the manufacturers and get it in writing. Many good builders will include a packet of the products and brands used. The warranty information should be in that packet. The internet is a terrific source for researching the quality of the products. Consider things like product performance. All products should be UL listed and have test results. These test results will show how the product held up in different situations such as; moisture drainage, sun fading, strength characteristics and mold growth. Quality products may cost a little bit more but will likely save you much more in the end as poor products over time need more maintenance. Don’t settle for the cheapest materials. The best builders wont use low quality materials because they understand the high cost of repairing failures. Don’t forget, the builder is in the business to make money and he deserves to make a profit, but not from building with inferior
products or with inferior craftsmanship. Another consideration is “Green Building”. What is it? And why is it important? The U. S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has established The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system to encourage and accelerate global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria. LEED for homes is a rating system that promotes the design and construction of high performance green homes. A green home uses less energy, water and natural resources; creates less waist; and is healthier and more comfortable for the occupants. Benefits of a LEED home include lower energy and water bills; reduced greenhouse gas emissions; and less exposure to mold, mildew and other indoor toxins. The most identifiable benefit is a more energy efficient home which equates to lower energy bulls. One of the easiest ways to reduce energy bills is to install good insulation. Generally homes are insulated in the roof and walls systems. Insulation is given an R value which indicates it’s resistance to heat flow. A static rating of R-19 is established in a laboratory setting and is quite different to a dynamic rating which takes into account the disruptions in an insulating system. contempomag.com page 15
For example, a batt type insulation installed in a wood frame wall in between the studs can easily perform as poorly as an actual R-7 or R-9. This is due to the drafting of air permitted by inconsistencies in the wall. One of the easiest ways to control drafting is by including a building wrap such as Tyvek over the frame. Another tested system is EIFS (Exterior Insulation Finishing System). Because it is a continual building envelope that delivers up to an additional R value of R-4 per inch of EPS board thickness. It can also improve your house’s batt insulation performance by reducing drafting. Dryvit Systems, the leading supplier of EIFS products, has released a study by Oak Ridge Laboratory of the Department of Energy, that indicates that an EIFS built structure can improve energy efficiency by up to 40% compared to a brick or traditional stucco home. That could equate to a monthly average electrical bill of $400.00 being reduced to $240.00 or an annual savings of $1,920.00. Consider that these calculated savings are based on today’s energy costs and do not account for certain future rises. Since wind is a huge factor in the Valley for most of the year, any efforts you make to control drafting in your home will be worthy of the effort. Whatever choices you make about designing your new home, remember, research the builder and the products they use. Even though your home comes with a warranty it’s only as good as the contractor who offers it and the product manufacturers who back it. By Gene Fjerstad
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ENVISION ATTAINING YOUR RETIREMENT GOALS
WHAT CAN A FLIGHT ATTENDANT TEACH YOU ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL FINANCES?
By: Melissa Magana, Financial Advisor Wachovia Securities, LLC, Member NYSE/SIPC Setting the scene, you’re on an airplane, the pilot is getting ready to take off, and your stewardess comes on with instruction for flight preparation, “Remember in the event of an emergency, place the oxygen mask on yourself before administering help to others.” Think about how this wisdom could be applied to your personal finances. Sometimes, setting aside money for retirement can be low on the list of priorities people keep. Making sure your retirement expenses are taken care of can prevent you from becoming a burden to the people you care most about. One of the biggest mistakes in retirement planning couples make is not discussing retirement. Sure, maybe you have a 401K, IRA, or some other type of savings account, but what are your plans for the money you’re putting away? Are they in tune with your spouse’s plans? How much retirement income do you anticipate receiving and is it going to be enough? Theses are the kinds of questions your financial advisor should be asking you, but if they aren’t I have some solutions to offer you. Here are a few questions that may help you and your spouse to start chatting about retirement: At what age do we want to retire? How much income will we need for retirement? What kind of things do we want to do when we retire? How much do we want to leave in our estate for our heirs? How are we going to achieve these goals? What kind of risks are we willing to take to achieve our retirement goals? One of the nation’s largest full service retail brokerage firms with more than $800 Billion in client assets, Wachovia Securities, provides financial advisory, brokerage, asset management and other financial services through more than 11,400 registered representatives in over 2,600 locations nationwide. The acquisition of A.G. Edwards, Inc., following the end of the third quarter, added approximately 740 offices, 6,300 financial consultants and $384 billion in brokerage client assets. Wachovia Securities offers a directing innovative advisory process designed to bring new simplicity to pursuing your financial goals and new clarity to your overall investment decisions. This process called Envisionsm considers all of your lifestyle ambitions and what you ideally would like to achieve. Wouldn’t it be nice to know that you have established your retirement goals and that you’re on track to achieving them? A Wachovia Securities near you is offering this service free of charge and obligation, and we would be happy to assist you in your retirement planning. Wachovia Securities is the trade name used by two separate, registered broker-dealers and nonbank affiliates of Wachovia Corporation providing certain retail securities brokerage services: Wachovia Securities, LLC, Member NYSE/SIPC, and Wachovia Securities Financial Network, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC.01/08 Securities and Insurance Products: Not Insured by FDIC or any Federal Government Agency
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Not a Deposit of or Guaranteed by a Bank or Any Bank Affiliate
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Profiles in Medicine
Dr. Juan J. Gonzalez-Dickson Board Certified by the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology
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I was born in a small Colombian town named Monteria. It is located close to the “Macondo”, a place where Gabriel Garcia Marques created 100 years of solitude. And believe me, that book was no fantasy. Instead it revealed common-place occurrence & situation, en that which occurred in small towns like Monteria. Many of his observations of the people there inspired him to write with a depth of feeling & passion for life. The house where I was born was small but nevertheless, was filled with love, encouragement & the desire for progress. My father was the currier for a petroleum company, now known as Exxon. It was located on a remote beach, in a tiny hamlet called Covenas. He was always on foot or bicycle, my father, leaving every morning at 6:30 sharp. We struggled, but after some time my father became an “entrepreneur” selling exotic spices from the Middle East. I truly enjoyed working with him & remember his exploits since I was 5 years old. Some years later I became interested in medicine while helping my Uncle’s medical practice. His practice grew & he moved to the U. S. Seeing how my uncle realized his dreams probably inspired me most to pursue a medical career. From that moment on my sole purpose was to finish my medical career. We had little money so I enrolled in a public university, but the best one, Antioquia University, very far from my hometown. As always on my own, I worked, studied hard & even took an interest in Literature. I studied under alumni of “Gabriel Garcia Marques. At that time civil unrest & turmoil by students on campus practically paralyzed activities. I transferred to a more costly but more credentialed university in Bogota, The Opus Deu Javeriana University where I learned about self reliance. The violence & political turmoil continued. So I decided to continue my medical career in the U. S. & with the help of my uncle continued my medical studies in Michigan where I met my loving wife, Daisy. After some time in Puerto Rico pursuing both our careers, we found our special place in Weslaco. After a complicated & difficult pregnancy my wife gave birth to our only child, Emily. She is the light of my life. Daisy & I give thanks to God every day for the chance to share our lives together as a family. I am thankful also for the gift of a loving wife who has made me a better man. Daisy, not only at my side & a supportive mother, but a successful business women in the South Texas laboratory industry.
Use Olive Oil Tastefully by Victorio Bolonessa
Extra-Virgin for Salads Virgin for Cooking Pure for Deep Frying
Olive oil has been on the dinner table of Mediaterranean peoples for at least 5,000 years. Olive oil has become popular in part because it is higher in monounsaturated fats compared with margarines typically used in the US. Medical studies have suggested this may reduce the risk of heart disease. Although Italian olive oil is best known in the United States, Spain is the leading producer of olive oil in the world and Greece leads in the production of extra-virgin olive oil. The International Olive Oil Council(IOOC), which has 23 member nations, classifies olive oil into five different categories. The US Dept. of Agriculture does not recognize this classification system which leads to much confusion for consumers. Any olive oil in the United States can be called "virgin" or "extra-virgin". The terms used domestically are "Fancy", "Choice", "Standard", and "Substandard". There is no real correlation with this grading and the more accepted world wide grading system. The IOOC system divides olive oil into five classifications:"Extra-Virgin", "Virgin", "Pure","Oil", and "Pomace". The grades decrease in taste and increase in acidity from the virgin to the lesser grades. Oils less than virgin are typically composed of blends of refined oil while virgin oil is "first press". Besides the taste and acidity differences in the grades there are some significant chemical differences. Extra-virgin olive oil may have a smoke point significantly lower than common blended olive oil. The boiling point of olive oil also changes with grade. Cooking with olive oil is always a bit tricky because at 200 Farenheit Extra-Virgin oil may be significantly degraded and taste like metal. On the other hand, common grades of olive oil may tolerate temperatures up to 400 Farenheit. Most cooking authorities, including Paolo Lafata, Chief Executive Chef for Olive Garden Restaurants, agree that each grade therefore has its uses. Extra-Virgin should never be heated. Thus it is best used for salads and other uncooked preparations. Virgin olive oil may be used for most cooking except deep frying. For deep frying use Pure olive oil.
contempomag.com page 21
OBESITY Different causes Different treatment Medical research suggests; Many different causes for obesity, That it’s not as easy as diet & exercise alone. It seems we are bombarded everyday with alerts about being overweight and commercials for products or services to save us. Just how much of a problem are we facing and what do we need to know to make proper decisions? Being overweight is more than just a cosmetic problem. Scientific studies have confirmed repeatedly that it leads to increased premature death, disease, poor quality of life, and increased health care costs. There is a common misconception that there are appropriate weights for different body types but the truth is that height and wight are the two most important variables in determining risk for health problems from being overweight. These two factors are used to calculate the Body Mass Index (BMI). To find out what is your BMI take your weight in pounds and multiply it by 703. Then divide by your height in inches squared. For example, if someone was 65 inches tall and weighted 180 lbs. the BMI would be 29.9. Scientific studies have repeatedly shown that a healthy person should have a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9. Persons with BMI’s at 30 or higher are at significant risk for developing diabetes, heart disease, premature death, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. These risks become even more severe for those with BMI’s above 40. Another factor which appears to play a significant role is waist circumference. Recent studies have shown that increased fat in the abdomen predicts a greater risk for disease. Men with waists greater than 40 inches and women with waists greater than 35 inches have a much greater risk than the BMI alone would predict. The first step in treatment is to recognize there is a problem. Many of the conditions obesity causes have no symptoms early on in their course. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and even heart disease can be present with little or no symptoms. Consultation with a caring physician to develop a treatment plan for losing weight and to screen for these conditions is necessary. The patient needs to be educated in diet and exercise as well as to be encouraged to make long term lifestyle changes. Medical screening may be necessary to determine if certain medical conditions are present which can cause obesity such as thyroid disease, but the reality is that most people are overweight because they have an established pattern of eating too many calories every day. It should be remembered that our bodies are designed to store energy in the form of fat and sugars no matter how much we eat. With the exception of very few people like professional athletes, most of us cannot burn as many calories as we can consume. Although exercise page 22 contempo magazine
is important in reducing the risk of heart disease, the most important step in losing weight is to learn to eat correctly. Over the past 30 years, medical science has learned that there is a relationship between how the body handles sugars and fats which ties them together. In the 1950’s and 60’s it was recognized that elevated fatty type compounds were associated with heart disease. At the same time it was seen that giving severely injured patients sugar allowed their bodies to use protein to repair major injuries such as from burns. Conventional wisdom was that taking in too much fat (lipids) in our diet was bad and that sugars (carbohydrates) were not so bad as long as one was not terribly obese. Over time, diabetes research, however, began to show that too much carbohydrates in the diet was actually more often the cause of disease than too much lipid alone in the diet. Today we know that diets should be well balanced without too much fat or too much sugar. For most men a properly balance diet of 1200 to 1600 calories a day and for women 1000 to 1200 calories will lead to reasonable weight loss. Following this diet, a person can expect to lose about 1 to 2 pounds per week. Assuming there are no medical reasons not to exercise, it is recommended that people over age 40 begin a walking program of brisk walking lasting at least 30 minutes everyday. Remember that even a one hour work out of very demanding exercise might only increase the calories burned by only 150 to 200 calories a day for most people so exercise alone will not reduce weight. Attempting to lose weight faster than two pounds per week is not recommended. No medical treatment or procedure alone will treat obesity. Appetite suppressants, such as amphetamines, are very dangerous. There are some drugs which block the absorption of fats in the digestive tract. These will commonly cause diarrhea and may even cause vitamin deficiencies. Recently concern has been raised about the use of diet sodas for those that are obese. Several medical studies have shown an increased incidence of heart disease, diabetes, and higher cholesterol in obese patients who drank diet soda, ate two or more servings of red meat a day, or ate fried foods. Whether the diet soda is causing metabolic changes in the body or part of behavior change is unclear. For some people with very severe obesity, such as those well over 100 pounds above their ideal body weight, surgery to the stomach which reduces its size many be of value. Caution must be taken because the obesity itself makes them at a very high risk of developing complications like infection, pneumonia, and heart attack from the sur-
“GOLF IS MY PASSION. BUT LATELY MY KNEE PAIN HAD BEEN KILLING ME. I ASKED MY GOLF BUDDIES & FRIENDS FOR THE BEST ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON IN TOWN & THEY ALL RECOMMENDED DR. MARINA AT PRECISION ORTHOPEDICS. SOON I WAS BACK TO DOING WHAT I LOVE MOST.”
gery and anesthesia. Some women develop severe breast enlargement from obesity which makes them candidates for breast reduction if severe breast pain in not relieved by weight loss. Liposuction may be cosmetically helpful but in cannot remove the most dangerous fat deep in the abdominal cavity. Currently there is much research into understanding the metabolism of fat cells in the body as well as how our appetite works. Satiation, the felling that we are full, is now better understood than it was in the past. Although our brain receives messages from the stomach that it is stretched, that, it turns out is not the only factor that tells us when to stop eating. There is a paradoxical response to sugars (carbohydrates) which is different than when we eat fats (lipids). Eating fatty foods will, for most people, will result in early satiation, while eating high concentrations of carbohydrates will actually cause people to eat more. This is why people often report felling hungry after eating candy or other foods high in carbohydrates. Obese people may have genetic or acquired disorders of these satiation responses. In the future, drugs may be developed which will allow specific treatments of these problems. It’s important to remember that obesity is a disease and should not be considered a result of moral or personal weakness. Some people will remain obese despite their best efforts to lose weight because there is likely an internal disorder of satiation. Disrespect or mockery of them is as offensive as it is to any person with a disability. Overcoming obesity is not just a matter of will power. The best thing we can do for a friend or family member who suffers from being overweight is to support them & their efforts to address the root of the problem. Tony Barclay Editor’s note: Tony Barclay is a retired physician & Harvard graduate who enjoys writing on scientific & medical issues.
“AT PRECISION ORTHOPEDICS, OUR PASSION IS TO PROVIDE YOU WITH PAIN RELIEF THROUGH PROPER DIAGNOSIS & EFFECTIVE TREATMENT.”
PRECISION ORTHOPEDICS
JOSE M. MARINA BOARD CERTIFIED ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON
Advanced Medical Arts Center, 1022 E. Griffin Pkwy. Mission, TX
Call (956) 583-7111page 23 contempomag.com
Profiles in Medicine
Dr. Elisa Garza Sanchez
Elisa Garza Sanchez was born in Camargo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. As a young girl, Elisa never imagined that she would embrace the skill of writing. She avidly enjoyed poems, novels and stories, but it never occurred to her that she would be more fascinated with writing than with reading. As a medical student at the University Autonoma De Nuevo Leon, Mexico, she ignored her literary calling and focused on her medical studies. While in her psychiatric residency she dedicated her attention to her real life patient scenarios, leaving behind the literary world. She found the real life drama of her patients lives more interesting than fictional literacy. In her second year of residency at the Health Science Center of the University of Texas she published four articles that won national awards, one of which was published in the Journal of the American Psychiatry Association. In 1977 she opened her practice in McAllen, Texas. Among other activities, she is an assistant professor at the University of Texas, Pan American and the Family Medical School at the University of Texas, Medical Branch in San Antonio. In McAllen, she is committee member for the design & construction of the Psychiatric Hospital, Doctor’s Hospital at Renaissance. She served as the Director of Psychiatry at Charter Palms for seven years. Dr. Sanchez has recently celebrated her 25 year wedding anniversary and has two wonderful children. page 24 contempo magazine
“A New Approach to Patient Diagnosis & Treatment” It’s 10:45 am and your still on hold in the reception area. You know there will be other stops to make before getting the diagnosis, hopefully sometime today. So much for the busy schedule you had planned. Now, there is a new medical format for your lifestyle at Preventative Care Institute where you will receive prompt attention & care from experienced physicians who have advanced in-house, state of the art, CAT scan, MRI & 3D sonography diagnostic equipment suited to aid the Family, Internal Medical & Cardiology Specialists at PCI.
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500 South Bicentennial, McAllen TX 78501 971-0077 contempomag.com www.rgvpci.com page 25
Profiles in Medicine
Dr. Enrique Griego Family Medicine
His Story of Profound Determination and Endless Faith.
The story of Dr. Enrique Griego began in the year 1959, in a small village in Colombia called Babacoas (Guajira). By the age of 2, his parents divorced but his mother, Dulce Maria now 68, vowed to give Enrique a better life and a chance to succeed, being that he was her only son. That vow was challenged early on. Enrique, at an early age developed a serious asthmatic condition. While being cared for, he watched, as another patient nearby suffered and died from an asthma attack. The experience had a profound effect on him, as a young boy. He knew then that he didn’t want to die from asthma or see others suffer from the disease. From that moment on, he wanted to become a doctor. His mother encouraged her son’s desire and remember his commitment over the years to this end. She said then, “It doesn’t matter what be your cause, anything is possible if you truly want it and work at it”. Enrique made good grades in school but after completing High School, he found that there were no opportunities or resources available to help him attain a medical education. After some time, an old friend asked him to come to Mexico where he could begin medical studies, however the cost was heavy. His mother left for Venezuela to perform domestic work to help him pay for University bills. Enrique was focused, determined and studied hard. Life was difficult and left no time or money for a social life. He promised his mother that he would finish his medical education before starting a family. Venezuela suffered an economic crisis as the Bolivar, it’s currency, devalued by 50 percent leaving his mother no longer able to help him finance his education in Mexico. To help pay for school, Enrique began teaching as a medical instructor and during school breaks he would spend time in the U. S. working in the fields as a farm worker. Worth all the struggle, Enrique finally graduated, first among the students of his medical class. After fulfilling his promise to his mother, he married Sonia Griego and a week after their honeymoon, left for the U. S. to work for the University of Texas at San Antonio, leaving his wife behind for a full year. There he conducted research in diabetes as he had always wanted to do. In 1994 he began his three year residency in family practice in Mcallen at the University of Texas Family Practice Residency Program. Upon completion of the program he established his family practice clinic in South McAllen. There Dr. Griego takes a special interest in treating patients who suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol and other patients with common medical problems in the community. Since then, Dr. Griego has been helping people with their medical conditions throughout the Upper Valley at three locations: McAllen, Edinburg and Rio Grande City. Soon he is opening a new clinic in Weslaco as well. page 26 contempo Contempo Magazine magazine page 26
Dr. Enrique Griego and his wife Sonia are the proud parents of two wonderful daughters, Dulce, age 17 and Corayma, age 14. The doctor hosts numerous medical public education programs on radio and television broadcasts. He hosts a medical radio show every Tuesday night at 11:00 PM to 12:00 AM on Radio Esperanza and again on Wednesday afternoon from 5:00 Pm to 6:00 PM, that discuss common medical problems in the community. On Saturday from 1:30 PM to 2:00 PM, Dr. Greigo hosts a TV program on Televisa, channel 9 (non-cable) & channel 19 (cable) that educates the community on health related issues. The local spanish newspaper El Periodico, has also publishes a spanish language health column by Dr. Griego for the last ten years. He has published medical topics in Marcos Magazine and JC Mag. The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce named him “Family Medical Doctor of the Year” for 2007 and he has received two national recognitions for his outstanding community medical service. He has served as President of the local chapter of the American Diabetes Association for the last two years and served as Vice President of the association for three years. He speaks and gives medical presentations at various churches, schools and other institutions of learning. In his spare time he participates in conferences sponsored national pharmaceutical companies and medical equipment companies. Much time and effort have passed since the small boy from the town of Babacoas dreamed of becoming a doctor. But, Dr. Griego never forgot where he started from and never lost his humility. He frequently offers financial support to his hometown in Colombia for the building of parks, roads and other worthy projects for the poor. He is thankful to God for giving him the determination and endurance to fulfill his objectives and thankful to his wife, mother and family for their loving sacrifices. Dr. Griego has often been quoted “If you have faith in God, anything is possible, so forget about the excuses and downbeat attitude. If you just have faith in God and yourself you can accomplish anything.”
Guajira Family Clinic & Diabetes Care Enrique Griego M.D McAllen 687-6667 1900 S. Jackson
Edinburg Rio Grande City 287-8500 487-6368 404 S. 18th. St.
5448 E. Hwy. 83
Weslaco 447-3852
505 Angelica #18 Contempo Magazine page contempomag.com page 2727
page 28 contempo magazine
“The most obvious trend is the appearance of bold colors.”
“The best part is rich colors such as these compliment every skin tone.”
Rio Grande Valley: 2008 Spring and summer fashion trends by Vanessa Valiente
VIBRANT SPRING FASHION
COLORS Spring and summer bring not only warmer weather and flowers a bloom, but fabulous fashion trends as well. Amazingly, there is such a diverse selection of new or improved trends that every modern woman and fashionista can find something that fits within her lifestyle and body type. Additionally, most of them are classic styles so you won’t be wasting money when participating in this season’s looks. The most obvious trend is the appearance of bold colors. The best part is rich colors such as these compliment every skin tone. This color palette includes emerald green, eye popping yellow, brilliant blue, tangerine orange, turquoise, bright red and most shades of purple. To pull off these vibrant colors you have to just dive in. Start with a dress in the hue you are most comfortable with. Not in the mood for a dress? Wear a top in a dazzling green with white pants; you will want to avoid black. When pairing the bright colors
BY Vanessa Valiente
with anything black it starts to look a bit 1980’s or cartoonish. In conjunction with the fun colors for spring are big floral prints. With Marc Jacobs, Missing, Prada and Ralph Lauren backing this fad you will see artsy and extravagant flowers splashed across everything from dresses and tunics to hats and tops. One tip though, if you are overweight it is best to avoid large graphic prints of flowers. Another theme that is making quite the scene is the use of alternative cultures in fashion. Designers have been looking around the world to bring you patterns, adornments and embellishments that are unlike anything in your closet. With inspiration and patterns from Africa and the Middle East on your dress, scarf or top you are sure to look unique and fresh this summer. When you get into this trend remember the general rule of fashion: keep your outfit balanced. If your blouse is incredibly exotic keep the pants you wear it with toned
contempomag.com page 29
“Designers have been looking around the world to bring you patterns, adornments and embellishments that are unlike anything in your closet.� page 30 contempo magazine
“With inspiration and patterns from Africa and the Middle East you, are sure to look unique and fresh this summer.�
contempomag.com page 31
“The most obvious trend is the appearance of bold colors.”
down. The key is to avoid a costume look. Furthermore, it is more stylish to where clothing inspired by a culture that is not your own. It is also a good idea when wearing a global look to keep your hair and make-up closer to home.
and patterned shorts. If you are too insecure about your legs and body shape for shorts, then you will love the fact that skirts of all lengths and styles are completely in vogue. A longish, fitted pencil skirt in black or white will do the trick.
Another overseas look is nautical inspired pieces. The sailor pant is such a fun look with its wide legs, high waist and cute buttons lined up the lower torso. I must add though that if you are short or short-waisted this look may not be all that flattering. If that applies to you try wearing the sailor hat or some over-sized gold anchor jewelry. You can also accomplish the nautical look by slipping into a blazer covered in the traditional sailor colors red, white and blue.
If you are in the mood for something more feminine, step into a billowy skirt with a fitted waist. Not worried about your bod? Dive into the up-dated mini skirt. Also, don’t forget to throw on one of those voluminous skirts that have been going strong this past year.
Speaking of travel, a great trend for the hot season is the safari jacket. This classic piece is fully modern with its form fitting shape and belt. One tip to avoid looking too bland is choosing the neutral color that doesn’t resemble your own skin tone. Go for a brown color if you are pale or if you have dark skin go for the lighter shades. Wondering what to wear with the safari jacket? Pull on some shorts. Shorts are super sexy for spring and summer. Priest-fainting short if you got the guts. To avoid looking out dated avoid denim shorts. The shorts this season will either be funky or dressy. Breezy silk shorts, shorts with structure, nautical shorts, white shorts, bright shorts,
page 32 contempo magazine
Volume is also all the rage for a dress. A full skirt on a strapless or thin strapped dress is every romantic’s dream for this season. Reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn in the film Funny Face, this classic dress is getting an update through the patterns the designers have chosen for it. If the full skirt dress is a little too girly for you, you’ll love the more masculine look of the trench coat. Used as both a dress and a jacket, the modern woman’s trench is form fitting, lightweight and sexy as hell. Purchasing one of these in a bright tint is a fabulous way to up your style-quotient. If you want to tone it down, try a trench coat in white with gold detailing or a safari in-
“To pull off these vibrant colors you have to just dive in. Start with a dress in the hue you are most comfortable with.�
contempomag.com page 33
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spired one in a neutral hue. Best part about this trend is it looks amazing on everyone. It covers everything you want to hide and the belt cinches in your waist. A riskier trend for spring is the mixing of the patterns. A floral top with a striped hot pant is a great example. A simple way to try this trend is mixing patterns that share the same colors. Try wearing a patterned shirt of black and white diagonals with a patterned skirt of black and white circles. When in doubt wear it with a smile. Confidence is timeless. If all these clothing trends seem a bit much to you, or perhaps you are on a budget, spice up your wardrobe through your accessories and shoes. Wear bright red heels when you throw on your usual conservative outfit. Moreover, this season has a demand for scarves and gold jewelry. Your add-ons to your outfit need to be unique, flashy, large or all of the above; however, one suggestion to the overzealous folk is balance. For instance, if you are dripping in notice-me gold necklaces, be sure that you wear simple gold studs in your ears. You don’t want to crowd your face. The focus of fashion this season is to be noticed and have fun. With so many diverse styles, colors and patterns there is no excuse for looking boring or out dated this spring and summer. So as the sun gets brighter and brighter so should your wardrobe and your view on fashion. It will be easy as you enjoy all the admiring glances you’ll experience when you stroll about town in your new garb.
Editors Note: Vanessa Valiente is a noted costume designer for cinema, television, and stage. Her credits include the series, “Fashion House”. She has been a personal stylist for many Hollywood celebrities. Her fashion blog for men and women is www.v-style.typepad. com. She is featured in cooperation with Helium.com.
For more on spring fashion visit our w/s @ contempomag.com page 34 contempo magazine
introducing
IRIT FASHIONS
Trenton View Plaza
N. 10th at Trenton McAllen Contempo Magazine page contempomag.com page 3535
NOAA's collective experience and knowledge of the Earth's land, oceans, and atmosphere, NOAA uses Science On a Sphere® as an instrument to enhance informal educational programs in science centers, universities, and museums across the country. Science On a Sphere® is available to any institution and is currently in operation at a number of facilities in the US.
Science on a Sphere Science On a Sphere (SOS)® is a room sized, global display system that uses computers and video projectors to display planetary data onto a six foot diameter sphere, analogous to a giant animated globe. Researchers at NOAA developed Science On a Sphere® as an educational tool to help illustrate Earth System science to people of all ages. Animated images of atmospheric storms, climate change, and ocean temperature can be shown on the sphere which is used to explain what are sometimes complex environmental processes, in a way that is simultaneously intuitive and captivating. Science On a Sphere® extends NOAA's educational program goals, which are designed to increase public understanding of the environment. Using
International Museum of Art & Science Rummage Sale Fundraiser Saturday, April 5, 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM for the purchase of
Science on a Sphere Exhibit
Donations of any kind will be accepted at the Museum on Friday, April 4 from 9 am to 5 pm. The Museum truck can pick up any large items. Please call the Museum at 682-1564 or Ann Brant at 686-7141 to request a truck pick up. Science on a Sphere at IMAS will be stellar educational tool to help illustrate the Earth System to people of all ages in the Valley. It displays animated images of atmospheric storms, climate change, ocean temperatures and much more as illustrated on this page. page 36 contempo magazine
“We promise to watch less TV & go to bed early”
“We promise to play less video games.”
“I will compete & excel.....I promise.” “But be sure to get us in Golf
Tennis
Kid’s Camp this summer at Cimarron.....please!”
Swimming
Karate
Art
Fitness
Racketball
Kid’s Camp Early enrollment starts now!
call 581-7401 for reservations The Club at Cimarron, 1200 S. Shary Rd. Mission, Texas 78572
“Work in your world. Play in ours.” contempomag.com page 37
The Club at Cimarron, A Little Magic for Everyone.
My dad is so excited. We just joined The Club at Cimarron and he’s already calling in for a tee time. Mom too is pretty thrilled. She plans on working out at the Cimarron gym five days a week and joining the Tennis League. Jr. is enrolled in Cimarron’s Kid Camp. & me? Well, I’ve got plans too. Just a little wedding party but let’s not disturb dad’s game till I get home to break the news. Catering
Exquisite Event Menu
impeccable service Event Planning EVENT RESERVATIONS (956) 581-7401
page 38 contempo magazine
A World of Lifestyle
for information call Matilde @ (956) 581-7401 ext. 218 or contact us @ clubatcimarron.com
“Work in your world. Play in ours.� contempomag.com page 39
How Can A Flash Drive Save You a Few Grey Hairs? & When to Trade-in the Hard Drive. by Michael Bilyou
Computer Doctor Here are some easy steps to take to help reduce the possibility of losing your information on your computer. Backup, backup, backup. Nowadays, backups are so easy and safe with a flash drive, and there are plenty of capacities to choose from. With the ease of copy and paste for all your music, pictures, documents, and e-mail, backups are a snap. Online backups are fine, but you are at the mercy of an unknown person, and your stuff is online it could get hacked. A flash drive on your desk won’t get hacked, and won’t be a bargaining chip for a disgruntled employee of some online backup company. Flash drives are cheap, buy two. The cost is nothing compared to the frustration of losing your information. Next, protecting your computer while online. The only product I support and recommend is Norton Internet Security. I have been working with computers since 1981. I started my company, Computer Doctor in 1995, and I have about 200 active customers. We all use Norton Internet Security. If you choose not to use Norton, then make sure you have an anti-virus, fire wall, anti-spam, anti-phishing package. Buy the new product release every year and do not renew online, buy it off the shelf to be sure you are getting all the new bells and whistles. Lastly, replace your hard drive or your computer every 3 to 4 years. It is a whole lot cheaper and easier to transfer your information from a working computer than a non-working computer. The cost spread out over the 3 or 4 years is cheap enough and will be less expensive than paying a service person to recover your data. After 4 years of high RPM spinning, your hard drive is on the down side of it’s life cycle. Don’t wait till the last minute to replace it, or your costs will increase dramatically.
Michael can be reached @ 956 240-1943
page 40 contempo magazine
Technology for the Valley
Why not Wind Power for the Valley? By Ralph Magaña The hissing sound roared as winds approached 45 miles per hour, not uncommon for this coastal sub tropic region early Spring. All was quiet down below in the control room as the sealed hatch closed in behind us. Dim, blue light revealed only the gleaming instrument lights on the consoles. Strangely, only one operator appeared and seemed to be shuffling around to each before settling in on the center console. He turned and smiled at us just before he slowly revved up a lever. The consoles blinked radically as he disengaged the hydraulic brake, but still no sound, like that which you would expected to hear from other turbine generations. Only the faint hum from the ground above could be heard and then the refined, distant whistle of a spinning shaft leading to the turbines. Above, on the smooth plain, still accelerating, were the huge and slender wind turbines. So many and so Large, one would think they could propel the earth rotation. Is this a feasible scenario for the Valley at some future time? Why not? In Spain nine percent and in Denmark 19% of electricity is generated by wind power. Global wind power has increased 500% worldwide. The principal is certainly simple enough. Wind has been used to use crush grain and pump well water for ages. Wind power to generate electricity as well, is simple in principal. Basically wind pressure on the slanted blades of a wind turbine force it to rotate. This rotation energy is transferred to a generator that produces electricity. From there it can be stored in batteries or spread throughout an electrical grid for public use. But it does get a bit more complex. Although it has been determined that an optimum wind turbine design can capture up to 59% of the wind energy that passes through it’s radius, the formulas that project energy efficiency for this method, given current technology, are not so promising. Many studies showed that most of the wind generated electricity was produced over only 15% of the operation period, leaving the rest quite unproductive. Low wind just doesn’t get much moving I presume. High wind on the other hand, gets quite productive just as a car seems to require less power to maintain a high speed. Therefore, the large variations of output production from wind studies are not outperforming other, common sources of electrical power such as, fuel-fired power plants that can generate electricity around the clock as long as coal is abundant. Part of the problem for wind is that much of it’s power is not necessarily generated at the time one needs it. The Mother Nature effect. This unique characteristic of wind power requires then, that its power must for the most part be stored in batteries. And for now, it’s the battery technology that is
lacking. But one wonders if they ever considered the Valley for these studies since our wind situation is likely more consistent than other locations. I am no scientist by the way. But it doesn’t take one to make some sense from the formula. I note that the largest single contributing factor in the efficiency formula for wind is wind velocity, since its value in the formula is taken to the 5th power, the highest buffing of all the factors in the calculation. And as we all know, our Valley wind velocity can dance the merengue for extended lengths of time so why not crank up the music? It would appear from the evidence that I gathered, Wind power on a large scale could prove very productive in the Valley . But, I presume there are not enough windy places elsewhere to make the production economic so far for institutional facilities. However, there is a growing movement for small scale operations that can be used at home. These systems, evolving since the late 1980’s are now one-fifth the cost and require very little maintenance. There are some tax incentives and you could, if you had enough wind and production gear, sell some back to the power grid. Certainly some other factors will come into play in the near future, like unrenewability, global demands and environmental impact that will move us, in the Valley, more in the right direction of clean, green wind power on a large scale. We may find that indeed, “the answer is blowing in the wind.” Next month we will explore wind power further as we consider what’s available today on the small scale. for more information contact the Global Wind Energy Council at www.gwec.net and the American Wind Energy Association at www.awea.org
contempomag.com page 41
Contempo Restaurant & Entertainment Guide With Great Food & Fun, These Exceptional Establishments Offer the Finest Culinary Experiences in the Metroplex.
Featured Here The Palenque Grill serves the Best Carnitas this side of the Border. page 42 contempo magazine
A Legacy of Tradition and Flavor
Friday-Saturday 11:00 am-2:am
Sunday-Thursday 11:00 am-Midnight
ANTOJITOS PARRILLADAS MARISCOS CARNITAS BAR
(956) 994-8181
McColl & Expwy 83, McAllen (next tocontempomag.com pier 1) page 43
Hayashi
Hayashi Hibachi
JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE & SUSHI BAR
Hibachi
N.10TH
JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE & SUSHI BAR
N.10TH
DOVE
Hayashi Hibachi
DOVE
5600 N. 10th. McAllen 956-686-0500 page 44
w w w. H a y a s h i H i b a c h i . c o m see our menu @ contempomag.com contempo magazine
SHRIMP HOUSE
3805 Plantation Blvd. Suite G, Mission 584-9242
$6.99 to $8.99 Including:
Fish Veracruz Shrimp Enchiladas Fajita Ranchera Shrimp Chipotle Shrimp Cilantro Seafd. Chile Relleno Fish Albanil & more. Sundays-Paella Valenciana
Karaoke Salsa, Merengue & other Latin Dance Wed, Friday, Saturday Video Bar
Expressway 83 Cimarron Shary Road
Daily Lunch Specials Come join us for
Shrimp House Plantation Grove
Military Hwy
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see our menu @ contempomag.com 584-3355 201 S. Shary Rd. Mission
Exquisite seafood Originals prepared precisely the way you like it.
shrimp, oysters crab, fish steaks including fajita & rib eye huachinango veracruzana molcajete, full boat bar.
630-4322
Jackson road & Jackson St. McAllen
618-2244
4009 N. 23rd. St. McAllen
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www.explosivefitness.net 813 N. Main St., Ste 105 McAllen | by appt. | 451-8962 Jorge Vela, CPT
Contempo www.contempomag.com We bring the upper valley to the W.orld on the WWW.
Extensive mult-media with annimation, sound & video. Visit our site and see what everyone is talking about. www.contempomag.com page 48 contempo magazine
Plaza Caribe StoragePlex
Climate Controlled Storage Units 24/7 accessability 24/7 recorded camera security Close to Knapp Hospital parking on site. Safe central Weslaco location. perfect for: antique furniture & artwork. medical records. any perishable items sensitive to humidity and heat. Call 968-4982 ask for 1 free mo!
Featuring Charles Schlueter Principal Trumpet Boston Symphony Orchestra
for tickets call 661-1615 or visit our site @ valleyorchestra.org
Borodin Berstein Gershwin
Event Program Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor Arutiunian Trumpet Concerto Featuring Charles Schlueter Prelude, Fugue and Riffs Porgy and Bess: A Symphonic Picture
Proud Sponsors of Valley Symphony Orchestra: Rio Grande Regional Hospital Frost Bank The Monitor City of Edinburg Texas State Bank Clark Chevrolet
City of McAllen Office Furniture USA UTPA International Bank Manrique Eye Center Border Capital Bank
It’s not ice cream.....
It’s GELATO! 584-3115
122 S. Shary Rd. Mission Caprichio
expwy 83 cimarron
shary rd.
April 13 McAllen Civic Center
contempomag.com page 49
Medical area office suites with lots of parking near the hospitals South McAllen 2010 S. Cynthia 3360-10,000 sf
Expwy. 83
Ridge Rd. Ridgeview Place
Call 467-7880
S. Cynthia
RG Regional Hospital
for more info
typical unit size: 1680-3360 sq.ft. dimensions: 30’ X 112’ 15’ X 112’ location: center of south hospital district, McAllen. 2010 S. Cynthia, McAllen type: Sale Price $235,200 ($70/sf.) Lease $2,856 ($0.85/sf.) shell $4,032 ($1.20) finished contact: (956) 467-7880
call Daisy 968-4982
Expwy. 83 S. Airport
finished out office spaces available & Climate Controlled Storage
Knapp Hospital
for leasing information 909 S. James, south of Knapp Hospital Weslaco
8th. St. Plaza Caribe
typical unit size: 2000-4000 sq.ft. dimensions: 40’ X 92’ 20’ X 92’ location: center of hospital district, Weslaco. 1 blk. south of Knapp Hospital, 909 S. James, Weslaco type: Lease $2,000 ($1.00/sf.) finished out ready to occupy contact: (956) 497-5605
Charles Marina or Tony Marina
up to 10,000 sq.ft. available retail, office restaurant
682-3000
Property is on Bus. 83 between I Rd. & Hwy 281 Pharr
typical unit size: 1200-4000 sq.ft. dimensions: 30’ X 92’ 17’ X 86’ location: Pharr, San Juan metro area on Bus. 83, near I Rd., 1000 E. Bus. 83, Pharr type: Lease ($0.85/sf.) Restaurant, Retail, Office contact: (956) 682-3000
call Robbie Hohenstein at 648-3216 or 688-5600
Resort Home on the lake at Cimarron page 50 contempo magazine
E. Expwy. 83 E. Bus. 83 Pharr Plaza
I. Road
contact:
con tem po HONORS UPPER VALLEY
IBC
Insurance Agency
PIONEER
Robert Bilyou
AUTO HOME LIFE HEALTH Nora Garza Producer ngarza3@ibc.com
One S. Broadway, McAllen TX
632-3585 toll free @ 800 443-3852
contempomag.com The Lifestyle Variety Magazine for the Upper Valley
Robert Michael Bilyou, the son of Michael & Debbie Bilyou, shown here at Cimarron in his Trinity University Soccer uniform, graduated 8th in his class at McAllen High School after 3 years as the Varsity Team Soccer Captain. He was chosen for both the All Valley & All Region Soccer Teams & First Team All District. His competitive nature has earned him leading freshman scorer at Trinity. As a senior in High School Robert was a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society & distinguished as an All American Scholar. He graduated Summa Cum Laude & achieved a number of scholar accolades. He is studying computer programing in his freshman year at Trinity University in San Antonio. Congratulations to Robert & his proud Parents. contact us at www.contempomag.com to have your child recognized by Contempo Magazine.
Contempomag.com celebrated over 2,500 hits in the month of February! An additional 3000 viewers saw our brand on Goggle searches. Our thanks to all readers who visited the site. contempomag.com features links to our sponsors web pages, articles, stock reports, upcoming featured events, local weather & ultra local videos. The avg. viewer visits at least 3 pages at contempomag, which was constructed from scratch as a multi page “hub� site that is maintained daily. If you have not seen the site yet, please visit soon. This month we are introducing LOCAL VIDEOS!
contempomag.com We have begun offering web page construction services & maintenance. Standard rates start at $800. Standard site maintenance is starting at $50/month. call 467-7880. contempomag.com page 51
World Birding Center
page 52 contempo Contempo Magazine magazine page 52
Bentsen Palms
Bentsen State Park
Bus. 83
Bentsen State Park
The crown jewel of Rio Grande Valley parks, Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park well deserves its status as headquarters of the World Birding Center. Birders across the nation know “Bentsen” as a treasure trove of “Valley specialties” – those birds found nowhere else in the United States but deepest South Texas – and “Mexican vagrants” – rare visitors from across the Rio Grande. The 760-acre BentsenRGV State Park, together with over 1,700 acres of adjoining federal refuge land, promises year-round nature adventures in the richest birding area north of the Mexican border. The Land Constructed layer on layer by centuries of Rio Grande floods, the land at Bensten-RGV State Park is rich and fertile, shaded by Cedar Elm, Sugar Hackberry, Rio Grande Ash, Texas Ebony and Anaqua. As a remnant of the once heavily wooded Lower Rio Grande Valley, Bentsen is especially valuable. Re-creating the periodic flooding that built and nourished this land in past centuries is a major goal of the World Birding Center. The Birds As one of the larger tracts of Rio Grande floodplain forest remaining in this area, Bentsen is a magnet for the “Valley specialties” that make this park famous. Green Jays and Plain Chachalacas congregate regularly at feeding stations within the park. Other neo-tropical varieties such as Ferruginous Pygmy-owl and Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet
are also likely. Virtual clouds of migrating Swainson’s and Broad-winged Hawks are a popular spring and fall spectacle. Learn & Discover Bentsen is base camp for many birding adventures within the park and elsewhere in the WBC system. Bird walks are a great opportunity for visitors to meet the wildlife in the park. Workshops and other seminars are also offered periodically by World Birding Center Staff and visiting ornithologists. What’s Here The newly constructed visitor’s center has a bilingual (English/ Spanish) exhibit hall, gift shop, coffee bar, meeting room and administrative offices - all of which are surrounded by butterfly gardens and hummingbird feeders. Visitors can take our transportation shuttle, ride bikes or walk through the park. A two-story observation tower gives visitors a bird’s-eye view of the canopy as well as a peek into Mexico. Two enclosed bird blinds and a birding wall allow visitors to see birds up close and watch their behaviors. Over six miles of trails with bird feeding stations and water features offer a variety of opportunities to encounter wildlife inside the park. contempomag.com page 53
DARE TO BE FIT! Cardio Respitory Funchtion Muscular Strength & Endurance Flexibility Core Strength
Jorge Vela is a nationally certified and locally acclaimed personal trainer of 17 years. He is the publisher of Fit & Healthy Sports Magazine and owns Explosive Fitness Human Performance Center and Fitness Bootcamp Hdqtrs. in McAllen, Texas. Learn more about Jorge Vela at www.explosivefitness.net or call (956) 451-8962.
Spring Break has come and gone. Many of you probably took part in a three month race to fitness, getting you ready for Spring Break. Some of you succeeded and others failed. In this, the Contempo Magazine’s first fitness column we will discuss fitness at it’s basic abstract level. Keeping fit does not mean maintaining a certain weight nor does it mean fitting into a size six dress or a having a six-pack on your abs. Confused? You are not alone. Every day people walk into my studio with many of these misconceptions. The truth is fitness is made up of several factors. Cardiorespiratory function. This basically involves how well our circulatory system and respiratory systems supply fuel and oxygen to our bodies during physical activity. We improve function of this system with aerobic exercise, ie: walking, jogging, trampoline, jump rope, the use of aerobic equipment or performing aerobic classes (step, kick boxing, etc. Second, there is muscular strength and endurance. These involve the muscles ability to generate a maximum amount of force. Muscular endurance relates to muscle ability to perform repetitive contractions over a prolonged period of time. Muscular strength and endurance improves by performing resistance training. Weight training, one of the most popular forms of resistance training, is required to be fit. It helps to burn calories during exercise and while resting, playing a big role in getting and keeping fat off because the more muscle you put on, the higher your metabolism, the more calories you
burn. Next is Flexibility. Being able to move a body joint through the full range of motion (ROM) without discomfort or pain is an important part of overall fitness. Being able to run 8 miles a day does not make you automatically physically fit, specially if you are unable to touch your toes with your knees locked straight. It’s indeed likely that this level of ROM would hinder or limit one’s running program. Finally, there is core strength. This component of fitness forms the essence of all the others. Your strength or ability to accomplish all physical activities originates at the core. Stronger and more balanced core muscles help protect the spine and the ability to maintain an appropriate posture. The core consists of many muscles that stabilize the spine, pelvis and shoulder areas of the body. A well conditioned core will make you a more functional individual at any age. That means you can do more activities with ease, stability and confidence. Now that you know what it really takes to be fit, you can set both long and short term goals. Start with a program that includes cardio-respiratory activity, strength training, flexibility and core strength to get you prepared for a fit, health and more functional life. We will expand on these and other popular fitness topics in future columns. Please e-mail your questions to contempomag.com.
Contempo
Restaurant Review
THE BLUE SHELL-great seaside atmosphere with a boat bow over the stylish bar. With four busy local restaurants its no wonder we serve the freshest seafood in the area. The Huachinango Veracruzana is truly original & the Whole Flounder served your way hard to beat. We always prepare dishes to your taste, so don’t be afraid to ask. 584-3355 @ Shary/Exp 83. Jackson & Jackson 630-4322 & Nolana & 23rd. 618-2244.
EL Meson-No typical Mexican food at El Meson. Instead you find nothing but original recipes & special new items that Edmundo brings from the Mexican interior. Here the salsa picante is not store bought. Besides great fajitas prepared the traditional way I also recommend the Pollo en Salsa Adobo. A one of a kind Mexican Restaurant close to home. 664-0094 @ McColl & Ridge Rd.
KATO SUSHI-This sashimi dish with salmon, red tuna & octopus is simply fabulous. Unlimited
variations of sushi, rolls & tempanyaki are served lunch/dinner/beer & wine. Shary Rd./Exp 83 Trenton/McColl 585-9688 688-5746
The Shrimp House-Seafood with a unique Mexican twist including molcajete dishes of shrimp & beef fajita. Huachinango Veracruzana is another of our specialties. Come Wednesday, Friday & Saturday to enjoy our Video Bar & Dance floor for Salsa & other Latin Music & karaoke. Full bar with mixed cocktails, beer & wine. Large dance floor & great sound. Informal attire is OK here at The Shrimp House Video Bar. 3805 Plantation Blvd. Suite G, Mission, TX 584-9242.
P . F. Changs-With fascinating dishes from the far east they will delight your appetite like no other. Savor a special sauce prepared at your table that goes great with spring rolls or any of their tasty starters. Even the Cashew/Almond Chicken, a common oriental standard is prepared like no other. The full wet bar makes Mojitos the old fashion way. Take Out available. 664-1516 3100 W. Exprwy 83, Palms Crossing at Ware.
Hayashi Japanese Steakhouse-Japanese Habachi Style with steak, seafood, chicken specialties. Japanese garden decor. Full sushi bar, wet bar. The newest Habachi Style Restaurant in McAllen with traditional contemporary Japanese dishes. Located at 5600 N. 10th. Corner of N.10th. St. & Dove. 686-0500.
Palenque Grill-Traditional Mexican food including the best carnitas
this side of the border. Excellent service even when we are busy. Carne Asadas, Antojitos, Parrilladas, and Seafood. Join us for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Sunday-Thursday open late night Saturdays. McColl & Exp. 83 McAllen. Friday-Saturday 11:00 am-2:am 11:00 am-Midnight Advertise in Contempo Magazine, the most widely circulated lifestyle magazine in the McAllen/Sharyland area. You can stand out in Contempo because we have a 50/50 of AD to ARTICLE ratio, the largest of any circulated magazine in the Valley for ADs that LAST. We have the only Magazine Website | contempomag.com | that features extensive mult-media with annimation, sound & video. Visit our site and see what everyone is talking about. We offer competatively priced, high impact, sophisticated Web Design & Maintenance. Call 956-467-7880 for more. page 54 contempo magazine
Front Row left to right: Richard Tamez, Steven Sanders Middle Row from left to right: Jessica Schultz, Gina Gutierrez. Back row from left to right: Jennifer Craddock, Ursula Goodley, Cathy Fulp, Barbara Hall, George Gutierrez, Adam Sanders, Terry Thompson.
The First Annual RGV Easter Egg Hunt Sports A Big Hit with the Kids! Thanks to the committed organizers shown here who cooked, set up props, decorated & most importantly hid the eggs, the First RGV Easter Egg Hunt was a blast! Proceeds helped support CASA of Hidalgo County that provides needed legal assistance to abused and neglected children in the foster care system, helping to provide a safer environment for them and the community. Barbara Hall Farmers Insurance and willing staff are to be commended for their ongoing pursuit of providing assistance to Valley Youth through programs such as these. Their compelling time, effort and commitment is recognized by us at Contempo Magazine for outstanding public service. We celebrate their “can do� attitude. Good Job, Barbara & Staff. contempomag.com page 55
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