Why? ...it´s our project

La Paz participates in Earth Hour 2010

2010-03-24T21:12:00.000-07:00

El 27 de marzo de 2010 a las 8:30 pm, WWF invita a individuos, empresas, gobiernos y organizaciones alrededor del mundo a que apaguen sus luces no esenciales durante una hora -La Hora del Planeta-, para enviar un poderoso mensaje acerca de que es posible tomar acción frente al cambio climático y sus consecuencias a nivel global.

La Paz, Baja California, ha sido confirmada como otro importante participante de La Hora del Planeta. Te esperamos en el kiosko del malecón, desde las 4:00 pm se estarán realizando diversas actividades.

La Paz es sede de la oficina de WWF México encargada de llevar el Programa Golfo de California, que lleva a cabo importantes acciones de conservación y educación ambiental, apoyado de otras organizaciones y empresas.

http://www.wwf.org.mx/compartir/LHP/lapaz/programa-de-actividades-la-paz.pdf

EARTH HOUR 2010

2010-03-24T20:57:00.003-07:00

ABOUT EARTH HOUR

Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million homes and businesses turned their lights off for one hour to make their stand against climate change. Only a year later and Earth Hour had become a global sustainability movement with more than 50 million people across 35 countries participating. Global landmarks such as the, Sydney Harbour Bridge, The CN Tower in Toronto, The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Rome’s Colosseum, all stood in darkness, as symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent by the hour.

In March 2009, hundreds of millions of people took part in the third Earth Hour. Over 4000 cities in 88 countries officially switched off to pledge their support for the planet, making Earth Hour 2009 the world’s largest global climate change initiative.
Earth Hour 2010 takes place on Saturday 27 March at 8.30pm (local time) and is a global call to action to every individual, every business and every community throughout the world. It is a call to stand up, to take responsibility, to get involved and lead the way towards a sustainable future. Iconic buildings and landmarks from Europe to Asia to the Americas will stand in darkness. People across the world from all walks of life will turn off their lights and join together in celebration and contemplation of the one thing we all have in common – our planet. So sign up now and let’s make 2010 the biggest Earth Hour yet!.
It’s Showtime! Show the world what can be done.

Earth Hour by WWF

Earth Hour is organized by WWF. With almost 5 million supporters and a global network in over 100 countries, it’s one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and build a future where people live in harmony with nature.

Earth Hour timeline

Turn back the clock on Earth Hour and discover why, how, where and when it all started.

Why get involved?

Put simply, because our future depends on it!

Earth Hour has done a lot to raise awareness of climate change issues. But there’s more to it than switching off lights for one hour once a year. It’s all about giving people a voice on the future of our planet and working together to create a sustainable low carbon future for our planet.

The future can be bright

New economic modelling indicates the world has just five years to initiate a low carbon industrial revolution before runaway climate change becomes almost inevitable. But it can be done, and the long term benefits will be enormous.
So now's the time to take a stand and give world leaders the mandate they need to make the right climate deal.

80-Year-Old Harry Lee McGinnis Walks Around the World

2010-03-15T19:05:00.001-07:00

80-Year-Old Harry Lee McGinnis Walks Around the World

For the last 18 years, Harry Lee McGinnis has been walking his way around the entire globe, carrying nothing but a backpack and a walking stick.

By Kathryn Hawkins.

Harry Lee McGinnis, better known as “The Hawk,” has seen his fair share of the world. He’s trekked through all 50 states, criss-crossed the Continent, and explored the depths of Asia, Africa, and South America, carrying only a 100-pound backpack and a large steel-tipped walking staff, walking everywhere he goes. You might imagine this intrepid adventurer as a young Indiana Jones type, but picture Indy’s dad instead: McGinnis is 80 years old.

His age hasn’t slowed him down for a second, though. For the last 18 years, this World War II veteran and former Methodist minister has committed his life to exploring the world by foot, taking other means of transportation only under extremely rare circumstances.

To date, he’s made his way through 66 different countries, dining on roasted termites and other exotic dishes, encountering elephants and apes, and making new friends in every country he passes through. His feet have logged about 80,000 miles so far, and he plans to explore Central America and Mexico before finally concluding his round-the-world journey in Texas. Until then, he’s writing updates about his international adventures on his website, Walk of the Hawk.

He doesn’t expect to be finished with his journey until 2010 or 2012, but he’s still got plenty of plans for the rest of his days: When he finally heads home, he’ll write a book about his decades of wandering the planet.

And after that? “I want to play tennis at 100,” he told Reuters, though he’ll concede “it might have to be doubles.”

Filed under: General Interest, Health and Wellbeing, Heroes, Weird,

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The Magic Kings Night - The Kings Cake

2010-01-05T20:02:00.001-08:00

Spanish Recipes: The Magic Kings Night - The Kings Cake

Tonight the 3 Magic Kings from the far East will arrive to Mexico and Spain and when all kids are fast sleep they will get down from their carriages or their camels and enter each house in silence and leave some presents to the kids that have been good. Nobody can be awake or they will just pass that house!

There's different ways for the kids to ask to the Magic Kings for what they want: they can either write a Kings letter and send it over to them 15 days in advance or so, or give it to their Majesties in person during the 5th of January (you can find them in their thrones in some special streets), which is very impressive for the girls and boys, or go to the Cavalcade and throw the letter to their favorite's King's Carriage.
I just love this tradition, the small kids have this special light in their eyes... so precious!!!

La Vanguardia, my favorite online newspaper, will give this Sunday, as a present to the readers, a beautiful book with all these wonderful pictures of Cavalcades in Barcelona city throughout the years, please take a look to the link and you will have a view of what it is this Magic Night!
The Flash document only shows some years, not all of them, but it's worth to see, enjoy!

The BIG DAY is the 6th when kids wake up (most of the times around 6:00 AM!!!!!) and find all the presents hidden in the dinning room. What a beautiful moment...
When everything is calm again and after lunch, we usually buy (again, we don't bake it at home, we just buy it) this Roscón - Tortell - Cake, which has a small figure hidden inside (of a popular character) and also a bean. The one who gets the bean is the one that has to pay the cake! And the one getting the figure will be lucky!

I didn't bake the cake either but I looked for the recipe so that you can bake it if you wish.

Ingredients for 4 servings: 500grs of flour, 75 grs of butter, 15 grs of baking powder, 100 grs. of sugar, 250 ml. of milk and sweetened fruits.

* Mix the baking powder with half a glass of warm water and when it has dissolved add 125 grs. of sift flour. Once we have an homogeneous dough, make a ball and let it rest for 1/2 an hour covered with a wet kitchen cloth.
* Meanwhile, in another recipient mix the rest of the flour with the butter, the suggar and the warm milk. If you boil the milk with a stick of cinnamon, orange peels or lemon, you will get a more aromatic milk. We will also achieve an homogeneous dough that we'll leave aside and wait until the first one has fermented. When so, take both doughs and mix and work them together for 10 or 15 minutes.
* Let it rest again for 2 hours. Once the time is over, get an oven tray greased with butter, put the dough on it and give it the shape, add the sweetened fruits on top. Wait until its volume increases during 20 minutes and, after, bake it in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes at 180ºC. Take it out of the oven and sprinkle sugar on top. Eat it when it's completely cold.

Hope you enjoy it!

Posted using ShareThis

THANKS GIVING CELEBRATION

2009-11-25T16:51:00.000-08:00

The History of Thanksgiving and its Celebrations

Throughout history mankind has celebrated the bountiful harvest with thanksgiving ceremonies.

Before the establishment of formal religions many ancient farmers believed that their crops contained spirits which caused the crops to grow and die. Many believed that these spirits would be released when the crops were harvested and they had to be destroyed or they would take revenge on the farmers who harvested them. Some of the harvest festivals celebrated the defeat of these spirits.

Harvest festivals and thanksgiving celebrations were held by the ancient Greeks, the Romans, the Hebrews, the Chinese, and the Egyptians.

The Greeks
The ancient Greeks worshipped many gods and goddesses. Their goddess of corn (actually all grains) was Demeter who was honored at the festival of Thesmosphoria held each autumn.
On the first day of the festival married women (possibility connecting childbearing and the raising of crops) would build leafy shelters and furnish them with couches made with plants. On the second day they fasted. On the third day a feast was held and offerings to the goddess Demeter were made - gifts of seed corn, cakes, fruit, and pigs. It was hoped that Demeter's gratitude would grant them a good harvest.

The Romans
The Romans also celebrated a harvest festival called Cerelia, which honored Ceres their goddess of corn (from which the word cereal comes). The festival was held each year on October 4th and offerings of the first fruits of the harvest and pigs were offered to Ceres. Their celebration included music, parades, games and sports and a thanksgiving feast.

The Chinese
The ancient Chinese celebrated their harvest festival, Chung Ch'ui, with the full moon that fell on the 15th day of the 8th month. This day was considered the birthday of the moon and special "moon cakes", round and yellow like the moon, would be baked. Each cake was stamped with the picture of a rabbit - as it was a rabbit, not a man, which the Chinese saw on the face of the moon.

The families ate a thanksgiving meal and feasted on roasted pig, harvested fruits and the "moon cakes". It was believed that during the 3 day festival flowers would fall from the moon and those who saw them would be rewarded with good fortune.

According to legend Chung Ch'ui also gave thanks for another special occasion. China had been conquered by enemy armies who took control of the Chinese homes and food. The Chinese found themselves homeless and with no food. Many staved. In order to free themselves they decided to attack the invaders.

The women baked special moon cakes which were distributed to every family. In each cake was a secret message which contained the time for the attack. When the time came the invaders were surprised and easily defeated. Every year moon cakes are eaten in memory of this victory.

The Hebrews
Jewish families also celebrate a harvest festival called Sukkoth. Taking place each autumn, Sukkoth has been celebrated for over 3000 years.

Sukkoth is know by 2 names - Hag ha Succot - the Feast of the Tabernacles and Hag ha Asif - the Feast of Ingathering. Sukkoth begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Tishri, 5 days after Yom Kippur the most solemn day of the Jewish year.

Sukkoth is named for the huts (succots) that Moses and the Israelites lived in as they wandered the desert for 40 years before they reached the Promised Land. These huts were made of branches and were easy to assemble, take apart, and carry as the Israelites wandered through the desert.

When celebrating Sukkoth, which lasts for 8 days, the Jewish people build small huts of branches which recall the tabernacles of their ancestors. These huts are constructed as temporary shelters, as the branches are not driven into the ground and the roof is covered with foliage which is spaced to let the light in. Inside the huts are hung fruits and vegetables, including apples, grapes, corn, and pomegranates. On the first 2 nights of Sukkoth the families eat their meals in the huts under the evening sky.

The Egyptians
The ancient Egyptians celebrated their harvest festival in honor of Min, their god of vegetation and fertility. The festival was held in the springtime, the Egyptian's harvest season.
The festival of Min featured a parade in which the Pharaoh took part. After the parade a great feast was held. Music, dancing, and sports were also part of the celebration.
When the Egyptian farmers harvested their corn, they wept and pretended to be grief-stricken. This was to deceive the spirit which they believed lived in the corn. They feared the spirit would become angry when the farmers cut down the corn where it lived.

The United States
In 1621, after a hard and devastating first year in the New World the Pilgrim's fall harvest was very successful and plentiful. There was corn, fruits, vegetables, along with fish which was packed in salt, and meat that was smoke cured over fires. They found they had enough food to put away for the winter.

The Pilgrims had beaten the odds. They built homes in the wilderness, they raised enough crops to keep them alive during the long coming winter, and they were at peace with their Indian neighbors. Their Governor, William Bradford, proclaimed a day of thanksgiving that was to be shared by all the colonists and the neighboring Native American Indians.
The custom of an annually celebrated thanksgiving, held after the harvest, continued through the years. During the American Revolution (late 1770's) a day of national thanksgiving was suggested by the Continental Congress.

In 1817 New York State adopted Thanksgiving Day as an annual custom. By the middle of the 19th century many other states also celebrated a Thanksgiving Day. In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln appointed a national day of thanksgiving. Since then each president has issued a Thanksgiving Day proclamation, usually designating the fourth Thursday of each November as the holiday.

Canada
Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated on the second Monday in October. Observance of the day began in 1879.

The Thanksgiving Turkey

Of all the Thanksgiving symbols the Turkey has become the most well known. The wild turkey is native to northern Mexico and the eastern United States

The turkey has brown features with buff-colored feathers on the tips of the wing and on the tail. The male turkey is called a Tom and, as with most birds, is bigger and has brighter and more colorful plumage. The female is called a Hen and is generally smaller and drab in color. The Tom turkey has a long wattle (a fleshy, wrinkled, brightly colored fold of skin hanging from the neck or throat)at the base of its bill and additional wattles on the neck, as well as a prominent tuft of bristles resembling a beard projecting downward from its chest.

The turkey was originally domesticated in Mexico, and was brought into Europe early in the 16th century. Since that time, turkeys have been extensively raised because of the excellent quality of their meat and eggs. Some of the common breeds of turkey in the United States are the Bronze, Narragansett, White Holland, and Bourbon Red.

Though there is no real evidence that turkey was served at the Pilgrim's first thanksgiving, in a book written by the Pilgrim's Governor Bradford he does make mention of wild turkeys. In a letter sent to England, another Pilgrim describes how the governor sent "four men out fowling" returning with turkeys, ducks and geese.

Benjamin Franklin
"I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen as the representative of our country: he is a Bird of bad moral character: like those among Men who live by Sharping and Robbing, he is generally poor and very often lousy.
The Turkey is a much more respectable Bird and withal a true original Native of North America"

THE STORY

DISCONTENT WITH THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND:

In the early 1600's the government of England would only allow its citizens to belong to one church known as The Church of England. Because the government in England had little tolerance for religious freedom, some people who wanted to make religion "pure" again left for Holland in 1609. The "Puritans" lived and prospered in Holland, however, they became concerned when their children began speaking Dutch and became attached to the Dutch way of life.

THE VOYAGE:

So, on September 6, 1620 the Pilgrims, and an unknown number of crew members, boarded the Mayflower to travel to the New World. The passenger list included Pilgrims, also know as the "saints" and others, whom the Pilgrims called the "strangers". The trip to the new world took several weeks. Because the ship was made of wood, the passengers could not build a fire, so the food had to be eaten cold. Many of the passengers became sick and some even died. This long trip led to many disagreements between the Saints and the Strangers.

THE MAYFLOWER COMPACT:

After land was sighted a meeting was held and an agreement, called the Mayflower Compact, was written. The Mayflower Compact guaranteed each group equality and joined the two groups together, all to be known as the Pilgrims.

THE FIRST WINTER:

Due to the long voyage, the Mayflower landed at Plymouth, north of Cape Cod, Massachusetts in November. This was very bad timing as the Pilgrims did not have time to plant food for the winter. The first winter was very harsh for the new settlers. The cold temperatures and snow interfered as the Pilgrims tried to construct their settlement. Out of the original group of Pilgrims, only about half survived the first winter.

THE INDIANS:

On March 16, 1621 an Indian named Samoset arrived at the settlement and frightened the Pilgrims until he called out "Welcome" in English. Although the Pilgrims and Samoset had a difficult time communicating, he did stay for awhile and even spent the night. Samoset left the next day and returned a few days later with an English speaking Indian named Squanto. Squanto taught the Pilgrims how to hunt, fish and grow corn.

THE FIRST THANKSGIVING:

Because of Squanto's help, the Pilgrims had a very successful harvest in October and had plenty of food for the upcoming winter. The Pilgrim's Governor William Bradford proclaimed a day of celebration and thanksgiving sometime in the middle of October. The Pilgrims invited Squanto and many other Indains to join in the celebration. The Thanksgiving feast lasted for three days.

CONTINUATION OF THE CELEBRATION OF THANKSGIVING:

The custom of celebrating after harvest time became an annual event. However, it was not until 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln officially proclaimed the last Thursday in November a national day of Thanksgiving. On November 26, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared the fourth Thursday in November as a national Thanksgiving holiday.

English Mania from Elllo Blog

2009-11-13T20:16:00.000-08:00

Ladies and gentlemen, let's talk about manias. Beatlemania.

Hysterical teenagers crying, screaming. Pandemonium!

Sports mania. Deafening crowds…whole nations obsessed for one reason: Get the ball in the net. -Goal!

Religious mania. Rapture. Weeping. Visions. Manias can be good; manias can be alarming. Or manias can be deadly.

Our world has a new mania. A mania for learning English. Listen as Chinese students practice their English by screaming it.

I want to change my life! -I want to change my life!

I don't want to let my parents down! -I don't want to let my parents down!

I don't ever want to let my country down! -I don't ever want to let my country down!

Most importantly… -Most importantly…

I don't want to let myself down! -…I don't want to let myself down!

How many people are trying to learn English? Two billion of them. -A hat. A t-shirt. A dress.

In Latin America, India, Southeast Asia, but most of all, China. If you're Chinese, you start in the third grade. By law.

That's why this year, China will become the world's largest English-speaking country.

Why English? In a word, opportunity. English equals opportunity. A better life. A good job.

Being able to pay for school, and better food on the table.

Imagine a student taking a giant test for three full days. Her score on this one test literally determines her future.

She studies 12 hours a day for 3 years to prepare. Twenty-five percent of her grade is based on English.

It's called the gaokao. Eighty million high school kids across China have taken this grueling test.

The intensity to learn English is almost unimaginable until you witness it.

Perfect! -Perfect! -Perfect! -Perfect!

Perfect! -Perfect! -I want to speak perfect English! -I want to speak perfect English!

I want to speak… -I want to speak… -…perfect English! -…perfect English!

I want to change my life! -I want to change my life!

So is English Mania good, or bad? Is English a tsunami washing away other languages?

Not likely. English is the world's second language. Your native language is your life.

But with English, you can be part of a wider conversation – a global conversation about global problems.

Like climate change. Poverty. Hunger. And disease. The world has other universal languages.

Mathematics is the language of science. Music, the language of emotions.

And now, English is becoming the language of problem-solving.

Not because America is pushing it; because the world is pulling it.

So English Mania is a turning point, like the harnessing of electricity to light our cities, or the fall of the Berlin Wall.

English represents hope for a better future. A future where the world has a common language to solve its common problems. Thank you.

You can read about this and other interesting topics at:

Instituto de Inglés América Blog http://inglesamerica.blogspot.com

Taken from:Elllo blog:

http://ellloblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/english-mania.html

Why? ...it´s our project: Halloween and Day of Dead

2009-11-01T09:02:00.000-08:00
Why? ...it´s our project: Halloween and Day of Dead

Halloween and Day of Dead

2009-10-31T14:07:00.000-07:00

Halloween and The Day of Dead

Halloween

Halloween, or Hallowe'en, is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31. Traditional activities include trick-or-treating, bonfires, costume parties, visiting "haunted houses" and carving jack-o-lanterns. The term Halloween (and its alternative rendering Hallowe'en) is shortened from All-hallow-even, as it is the eve of "All Hallows' Day", also which is now known as All Saints' Day. Some modern Halloween traditions developed out of older pagan traditions, especially surrounding the Irish holiday Samhain, a day associated both with the harvest and otherworldly spirits. Irish and Scottish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America in the nineteenth century. Other western countries embraced the holiday in the late twentieth century. Halloween is now celebrated in several parts of the Western world, most commonly in Ireland, the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom and occasionally in parts of Australia and New Zealand.

Many European cultural traditions, in particular Celtic cultures, hold that Halloween is one of the liminal times of the year when spirits can make contact with the physical world, and when magic is most potent (according to, for example, Catalan mythology about witches and Scottish and Irish tales of the Sídhe).

History
The modern holiday of Halloween has its origins in the ancient Gaelic festival known as Samhain (pronounced /ˈsˠaunʲ/ from the Old Irish samain). The festival of Samhain is a celebration of the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture, and is sometimes erroneously regarded as the "Celtic New Year". Traditionally, the festival was a time used by the ancient pagans to take stock of supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead overlapped and the deceased would come back to life and cause havoc such as sickness or damaged crops. The festivals would frequently involve bonfires, where the bones of slaughtered livestock were thrown. Costumes and masks were also worn at the festivals in an attempt to mimic the evil spirits or placate them. When the Romans occupied Celtic territory, several Roman traditions were also incorporated into the festivals. Feralia, a day celebrated in late October by the Romans for the passing of the dead as well as a festival which celebrated the Roman Goddess Pomona, the goddess of fruit were incorporated into the celebrations. The symbol of Pomona was an apple, which is a proposed origin for the tradition of bobbing for apples on Halloween.

History of name
The term Halloween (and its alternative rendering Hallowe'en) is shortened from All-hallow-even, as it is the eve of "All Hallows' Day", also which is now known as All Saints' Day. It was a day of religious festivities in various northern European Pagan traditions, until Popes Gregory III and Gregory IV moved the old Christian feast of All Saints' Day from May 13 to November 1. In the ninth century, the Church measured the day as starting at sunset, in accordance with the Florentine calendar. Although All Saints' Day is now considered to occur one day after Halloween, the two holidays were, at that time, celebrated on the same day. Liturgically, the Church traditionally celebrated that day as the Vigil of All Saints, and, until 1970, a day of fasting as well. Like other vigils, it was celebrated on the previous day if it fell on a Sunday, although secular celebrations of the holiday remained on the 31st. The Vigil was suppressed in 1955, but was later restored in the post-Vatican II calendar.

Symbols

Jack-o'-lanterns are often carved into silly or scary faces.The carved pumpkin, lit by a candle inside, is one of Halloween's most prominent symbols. This is a Scottish and Irish tradition of carving a lantern which goes back centuries. These lanterns are usually carved from a turnip or swede (or more uncommonly a mangelwurzel). The carving of pumpkins was first associated with Halloween in North America, where the pumpkin was available, and much larger and easier to carve. Many families that celebrate Halloween carve a pumpkin into a frightening or comical face and place it on their home's doorstep after dark.

The jack-o'-lantern can be traced back to the Irish legend of Stingy Jack, a greedy, gambling, hard drinking old farmer who tricked the devil into climbing a tree, and trapped him by carving a cross into the trunk of the tree. In revenge, the devil placed a curse on Jack which dooms him to forever wander the earth at night. For centuries, the bedtime parable was told by Irish parents to their children. But in America the tradition of carving pumpkins is known to have preceded the Great Famine period of Irish immigration, and the tradition of carving vegetable lanterns may also have been brought over by the Scottish or English; documentation is unavailable to establish when or by whom. The carved pumpkin was associated generally with harvest time in America, and did not become specifically associated with Halloween until the mid to late 19th century.

The imagery surrounding Halloween is largely an amalgamation of the Halloween season itself, nearly a century of work from American filmmakers and graphic artists, and a rather commercialized take on the dark and mysterious. Halloween imagery tends to involve death, magic, or mythical monsters. Common Halloween characters include ghosts, ghouls, witches, vampires, bats, owls, crows, vultures, haunted houses, pumpkinmen, black cats, aliens, spiders, goblins, zombies, mummies, skeletons, and demons. Particularly in America, symbolism is inspired by classic horror films, which contain fictional figures like Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, and The Mummy. More modern horror antagonists like Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, Leatherface, Jason Voorhees, and the Jigsaw Killer have also become associated with the holiday. Homes are often decorated with these symbols around Halloween.

Black and orange are the traditional colors of Halloween.

Taken from Wikipidia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween

Publicado por Why en 21:01 0 comentarios Enlaces a esta entrada

The Day of Dead

Day of The Dead
Mexico celebrates a yearly tradition called Day of the Dead during the last days of October and the first days of November. Due to the duration of this festivity and the way people get involved it has been called “The Cult of Death.”

As in many Latin American countries, Mexico commemorates the Day of the Dead or All Souls’ Day on November 2nd. The legacy of past civilizations is graphically manifested on this occasion through people’s beliefs that death is a transition from one life to another in different levels where communication exists between the living and the dead. This communication takes place once a year throughout the country.

Differing from the Roman Catholic imposed ritual to commemorate All Souls’ Day, which is observed in many countries, the custom established by pre-colonial Mexican civilizations become a ceremony where indigenous beliefs blended with Catholic beliefs. Therefore, the Day of the Dead in Mexico is not a mournful commemoration but a happy and colorful celebration where death takes a lively, friendly expression.

Indigenous people believed that souls did not die, that they continued living in Mictlan, a special place to rest. In this place, the spirits rest until the day they could return to their homes to visit their relatives. Before the Spaniards arrived, they celebrated the return of the souls between the months of July and August. Once arrived, the Spaniards changed the festivities to November 2nd to coincide with All Souls’ Day of the Catholic Church.

Presently, two celebrations honoring the memory of loved ones who have died take place: On November 1st, the souls of the children are honored with special designs in the altars, using color white on flowers and candles. On November 2nd the souls of the adults are remembered with a variety of rituals, according to the different states of the Mexican republic.

The celebrations of Day of the Dead or All Souls Day are referred to differently in some of the states. For example in Yucatan it is known as Hanal Pixan which means “The path of the soul through the essence of food;” in the highlands of Michoacan it is known as Jimbanqua or the party honoring with flowers the people who died that year; in San Luis Potosi, Hidalgo and in the southern part of Oaxaca it is known as Xantolo and Day of the Dead in the majority of Mexico. Whatever name is given, this is an ancestral tradition that blended with Catholicism to create a special time and space to remember and honor the loved ones by offering them an ofrenda, the fragrance of the flowers, the light of the candles, the aroma of special foods and the solemnity of prayers.
It is also a time to joke and make fun of death through “calaveras”, poetry allusive to a particular person, generally politicians; sugar, chocolate and amaranth skulls which are given to one another with their friend’s name so “they can eat their own death” and special crafts allusive to different aspects of the living, with skeletons representing daily activities.

People start getting ready for the celebration on the third week of October with the harvesting of the cempasuchitl flower, also known as the flower of the twenty petals or the flower of the dead which is sold in the market place or Tianguis, where the family goes to buy everything that they will need to put on the altar. On the altar they will place the ofrendas of fruits, vegetables and the special dishes prepared for the soul to enjoy the essence of the aroma of the food. This altar will also have items that once belonged to the deceased.

On November 1st in many towns the ritual of the Vigil of the Little Angels takes place in the cemeteries, particularly in the islands of Janitzio and La Pacanda in Lake Patzcuaro, Michoacan. Little girls dressed in satin blouses and colored skirts, white stockings and shiny shoes are the center of this ceremony. Wearing the white pinafore, an important piece of the Tarascan feminine attire, the girls calmly comply with the tradition while they are observed from a certain distance by their parents. This is the way the tradition is passed down from generation to generation.

On November 2nd, the souls of the adults are honored in their homes with beautifully decorated altars. Each state has different styles but all of them represent a place where the ofrenda becomes a spiritual communion between life and death. Again, in each state the making of the altar and the rituals are different.

The celebration concludes in many towns with the vigil in the cemetery. In some places the vigil is done during the whole night of November 1st to November 2nd. In other towns the vigil is done during the day. Mysticism is the rule in the cemeteries, but in many of them music is also part of the ritual that combines religious prayers with the sounds of the trumpet playing a tune by a Mariachi band. In others it is a trio that sings a song by the tomb or in some cases even a band plays danzones at the entrance of the cemetery. Ritualistic dances are also part of the celebrations in many places honoring the deceased.

Whichever way is celebrated, Day of the Dead is a time of reflection about the meaning of life and the mission that one needs to fulfill. Death in many situations imparts a feeling of pain and loss, particularly for those who do not know the purpose of their path on this earthly plane. For others, death is transcendence, transformation and resurrection. During the celebration of Day of the Dead all those feelings and beliefs come together in a season that brings to life the memory of the loved ones.

Taken from Day of Dead Blog at:

http://www.dayofthedeadblog.com/

By Mary J. Andrade.

CBS 5 Interview with Mary Andrade
Mary Andrade shares her knowledge about the Day of the Dead Celebration in Mexico with CBS 5 / KPIX TV in San Francisco, CA. This interview is part of the “Hispanic Heritage Month” and featured by CBS 5.
To view the interview please follow this link (note that it starts with a short commercial)

http://cbs5.com/video/?id=39318@kpix.dayport.com
To view the “Hispanic Heritage Month” spot trailer please follow this url:
http://cbs5.com/video/?id=74203@kpix.dayport.com
To learn how Hispanic Heritage Diversity is being celebrated in the San Francisco Bay Area please follow these two links:
http://cbs5.com/community/Celebrate.Hispanic.Heritage.2.816365.html
http://cwbayarea.com/community/kbcw.community.hispanic.2.810161.html

YOU CAN READ ABOUT THIS TOPIC AT:

Why? ...It´s our project!

http://whyinglesamerica.blogspot.com

OUR ON LINE MAGAZINE

Check news about Halloween and The Day of Death...

We also invite you to visit

http://www.dayofthedeadblog.com

Why? ...it´s our project!

WHY? is our gazette at Instituto de Inglés América Published for English and Spnish Language Students who want to practice and improve their language skills. Instituto de Inglés América Centro de Difusión Cultural. Cursos de Inglés

http://whyinglesamerica.blogspot.com

HAPPY XMAS

2008-12-17T18:19:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas around the world

Afrikaner (Afrikaans) ~ "Een Plesierige Kerfees"

Argentine ~ "Felices Pascuas"

Bohemian ~ "Vesele Vanoce"Brazilian ~ "Boas Festas"

Chinese (Cantonese) ~ "Saint Dan Fai Lok"

Danish ~ "Glædelig Jul"

Dutch ~ "Vrolijk Kerstfeest" - Gezellige kerst

English ~ "Merry Christmas"

Filipino ~ "Maligayang Pasko"

Finnish ~ "Hyvaa Joulua"

French ~ "Joyeux Noël"

German ~ "Froehliche Weihnachten"

Greek ~ "Kala Christouyenna"

Hawaiian ~ "Mele Kalikimaka"

Hebrew ~ "Mo'adim Lesimkha"

Icelandic ~ "Gledileg Jol"

Indonesian ~ "Selamat Hari Natal"

Irish ~ "Nollaig Shona Dhuit"

Italian ~ "Buone Feste Natalizie" - Natale italiano

Japanese ~ "Kurisumasu Omedeto"

Korean ~ "Sung Tan Chuk Ha"

Lithuanian ~ "Linksmu Kaledu"

Malay ~ "Selamat Hari Natal"

Maori ~ "Meri Kirihimete"

Norwegian ~ "God Jul" - Norsk Jul

Romanian ~ "Craciun Fericit"

Peruvian ~ "Felices Fiestas"

Portugese ~ "Boas Festas"

Slovakian ~ "Vesele Vianoce"

Spanish ~ "Feliz Navidad"

Swedish ~ "God Jul" - Jul i Sverige

Welsh ~ "Nadolig Llawen"

Christmas Facts

Every year more than 400 million people celebrate Xmas around the world -- that makes Xmas one of the world’s biggest religious and commercial festivities. In approximately year 300 A.D., the birthday of Jesus was determined to be on December 25, the day that has been celebrated from then till this very day. The celebration on the 25th of December starts with Christmas Eve, the evening of December 24.

The religious festival is originally a blend of pagan customs. The Romans held a festival on December 25 called Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, i.e. "the birthday of the unconquered sun.". Pagan Scandinavia celebrated a winter festival called Yule, held in late December to early January. However, it is uncertain exactly why December 25 became associated with the birth of Jesus since the Old Testament doesn’t mention a specific date of the event.

Christmas around the world:

In Italy, children receive gifts from the good witch La Befana, old, bent and dressed in black. La Befana was a widowed, childless woman when the Three Kings passed on their way to see the Christ child. When they asked her the way to Bethlehem she was busy cleaning and sent them away. Realizing her mistake, she left to search for the Baby Jesus. To this day she is still searching going from house to house on Epiphany, January 6, leaving a gift for good children.

Russian children await gifts from Babouska, a farmer's wife who offered food and shelter to the Three Wise men on their journey to Bethlehem, Baboushka declined their offer of travelling with them to visit the Christ child. Realizing her error on the eve of Epiphany, she tried unsuccessfully to find them, but handed the presents she had intended for the infant Jesus to children she passed along the way.

In Spain, Mexico, Puerto Rico and South America, the Three Kings or Wise Men bring Christmas gifts to children, while in France children eagerly await the coming of Father Christmas or Pere Noel who brings their gifts.

In some cultures, Saint Nicholas travels with an assistant. The old bishop Sinterklass arrives in Holland on December 6 in his red bishop's costume astride a white horse. In many port towns, he is said to have sailed in on a ship from Spain. Beside him walks Black Peter with a black sack and a book recording each Dutch child's behavior through the year. Good children receive a gift from the bishop while bad children may be carried away in Black Peter's sack.

In Germany Saint Nicholas also travels with a helper, known as Knecht Ruprecht, Krampus, or Pelzebock, and comes with a sack on his back and a rod or switches in his hand. Saint Nicholas gives gifts to good children, while those who have been bad are punished by the assistant with a few hits of a switch.

Swedish children wait for the gnome Jultomten, also called Julemanden or Julenisse, who dresses in red and carries a sack of gifts on his back. He flies in his sleigh pulled by the Julbocker, the goats of Thor, the god of thunder. Elves, called the Juul Nisse, hide in the attics of families throughout the year, eagerly waiting to help him. Children leave bowls of milk or rice pudding in the attic for the elves, hoping they will be empty in the morning.

In Austria and Switzerland it is Christkindl or the Christ Child who arrives bearing gifts. In some towns children await the Holy Child and in others Christkindl is a beautiful girl-angel who comes down from heaven bearing gifts.

And in England a thinner version of Santa Claus known as Father Christmas, wearing long red robes with sprigs of holly in his hair, delivers gifts to children.

DAY OF DEATH

2008-11-01T14:29:00.000-07:00

Day of The Dead
Mexico celebrates a yearly tradition called Day of the Dead during the last days of October and the first days of November. Due to the duration of this festivity and the way people get involved it has been called “The Cult of Death.”

As in many Latin American countries, Mexico commemorates the Day of the Dead or All Souls’ Day on November 2nd. The legacy of past civilizations is graphically manifested on this occasion through people’s beliefs that death is a transition from one life to another in different levels where communication exists between the living and the dead. This communication takes place once a year throughout the country.

Differing from the Roman Catholic imposed ritual to commemorate All Souls’ Day, which is observed in many countries, the custom established by pre-colonial Mexican civilizations become a ceremony where indigenous beliefs blended with Catholic beliefs. Therefore, the Day of the Dead in Mexico is not a mournful commemoration but a happy and colorful celebration where death takes a lively, friendly expression.

Indigenous people believed that souls did not die, that they continued living in Mictlan, a special place to rest. In this place, the spirits rest until the day they could return to their homes to visit their relatives. Before the Spaniards arrived, they celebrated the return of the souls between the months of July and August. Once arrived, the Spaniards changed the festivities to November 2nd to coincide with All Souls’ Day of the Catholic Church.

Presently, two celebrations honoring the memory of loved ones who have died take place: On November 1st, the souls of the children are honored with special designs in the altars, using color white on flowers and candles. On November 2nd the souls of the adults are remembered with a variety of rituals, according to the different states of the Mexican republic.

The celebrations of Day of the Dead or All Souls Day are referred to differently in some of the states. For example in Yucatan it is known as Hanal Pixan which means “The path of the soul through the essence of food;” in the highlands of Michoacan it is known as Jimbanqua or the party honoring with flowers the people who died that year; in San Luis Potosi, Hidalgo and in the southern part of Oaxaca it is known as Xantolo and Day of the Dead in the majority of Mexico. Whatever name is given, this is an ancestral tradition that blended with Catholicism to create a special time and space to remember and honor the loved ones by offering them an ofrenda, the fragrance of the flowers, the light of the candles, the aroma of special foods and the solemnity of prayers.
It is also a time to joke and make fun of death through “calaveras”, poetry allusive to a particular person, generally politicians; sugar, chocolate and amaranth skulls which are given to one another with their friend’s name so “they can eat their own death” and special crafts allusive to different aspects of the living, with skeletons representing daily activities.

People start getting ready for the celebration on the third week of October with the harvesting of the cempasuchitl flower, also known as the flower of the twenty petals or the flower of the dead which is sold in the market place or Tianguis, where the family goes to buy everything that they will need to put on the altar. On the altar they will place the ofrendas of fruits, vegetables and the special dishes prepared for the soul to enjoy the essence of the aroma of the food. This altar will also have items that once belonged to the deceased.

On November 1st in many towns the ritual of the Vigil of the Little Angels takes place in the cemeteries, particularly in the islands of Janitzio and La Pacanda in Lake Patzcuaro, Michoacan. Little girls dressed in satin blouses and colored skirts, white stockings and shiny shoes are the center of this ceremony. Wearing the white pinafore, an important piece of the Tarascan feminine attire, the girls calmly comply with the tradition while they are observed from a certain distance by their parents. This is the way the tradition is passed down from generation to generation.

On November 2nd, the souls of the adults are honored in their homes with beautifully decorated altars. Each state has different styles but all of them represent a place where the ofrenda becomes a spiritual communion between life and death. Again, in each state the making of the altar and the rituals are different.

The celebration concludes in many towns with the vigil in the cemetery. In some places the vigil is done during the whole night of November 1st to November 2nd. In other towns the vigil is done during the day. Mysticism is the rule in the cemeteries, but in many of them music is also part of the ritual that combines religious prayers with the sounds of the trumpet playing a tune by a Mariachi band. In others it is a trio that sings a song by the tomb or in some cases even a band plays danzones at the entrance of the cemetery. Ritualistic dances are also part of the celebrations in many places honoring the deceased.

Whichever way is celebrated, Day of the Dead is a time of reflection about the meaning of life and the mission that one needs to fulfill. Death in many situations imparts a feeling of pain and loss, particularly for those who do not know the purpose of their path on this earthly plane. For others, death is transcendence, transformation and resurrection. During the celebration of Day of the Dead all those feelings and beliefs come together in a season that brings to life the memory of the loved ones.

Taken from Day of Dead Blog at:

http://www.dayofthedeadblog.com/

By Mary J. Andrade.

CBS 5 Interview with Mary Andrade
Mary Andrade shares her knowledge about the Day of the Dead Celebration in Mexico with CBS 5 / KPIX TV in San Francisco, CA. This interview is part of the “Hispanic Heritage Month” and featured by CBS 5.
To view the interview please follow this link (note that it starts with a short commercial)

http://cbs5.com/video/?id=39318@kpix.dayport.com
To view the “Hispanic Heritage Month” spot trailer please follow this url:
http://cbs5.com/video/?id=74203@kpix.dayport.com
To learn how Hispanic Heritage Diversity is being celebrated in the San Francisco Bay Area please follow these two links:
http://cbs5.com/community/Celebrate.Hispanic.Heritage.2.816365.html
http://cwbayarea.com/community/kbcw.community.hispanic.2.810161.html

YOU CAN READ ABOUT THIS TOPIC AT:

Why? ...It´s our project!

http://whyinglesamerica.blogspot.com

OUR ON LINE MAGAZINE

Check news about Halloween and The Day of Death...

We also invite you to visit

http://www.dayofthedeadblog.com

OCTOBER

2008-10-01T11:34:00.001-07:00

September 16th.Independence Day

2008-09-15T19:41:00.000-07:00

How Mexican are you?

How Mexican are you? To be Mexican it doesn’t only imply to drink tequila, to wear the National Football Team T-shirt or to sing ranchera songs. Answer the following test and find out how a real Mexican you are.

•
1. What date is it celebrated the Independence of Mexico?

September 15th. 1810

September 16th. 1810

September 15th. 1821

September 16th. 1821

• 2. What is it celebrated on February 5th?

Constitution Day

Benito Juárez’s Birthday

Revolution Day

• 3. Who was the first President of Mexico?

Vicente Guerrero

Miguel Hidalgo

Guadalupe Victoria

• 4. How many stanzas does the Mexican Anthem have?

4

7

10

• 5. When is the Flag Day?

March 21st.

February 24th.

November 20th.

• 6. How many states are there in the Mexican Republic?

30

31

32

• 7. Where was the Mayan culture established?

Oaxaca

Morelos

Yucatán

• 8. Which state is placed the Alhóndiga de Granaditas in?

Guanajuato

Zacatecas

Veracruz

• 9. Who is the Benemerito de America?

Venustiano Carranza

Benito Juárez

Felipe Calderón

• 10. Who started the movement of the Revolution?

Porfirio Díaz

Francisco I. Madero

Pancho Villa

Environment Day

2008-06-04T17:50:00.000-07:00

World Environment Day 2008

http://www.unep.org/wed/2008/english/default.asp

About World Environment Day 2008

World Environment Day, commemorated each year on 5 June, is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.
The World Environment Day slogan for 2008 is Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy. Recognising that climate change is becoming the defining issue of our era, UNEP is asking countries, companies and communities to focus on greenhouse gas emissions and how to reduce them. The World Environment Day will highlight resources and initiatives that promote low carbon economies and life-styles, such as improved energy efficiency, alternative energy sources, forest conservation and eco-friendly consumption.
The main international celebrations of World Environment Day 2008 will be held in New Zealand. UNEP is honoured that the city of Wellington will be hosting this United Nations day (read the press release).
The day's agenda is to give a human face to environmental issues; empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development; promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues; and advocate partnership, which will ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future.
When did it all begin?

World Environment Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. Another resolution, adopted by the General Assembly the same day, led to the creation of UNEP.
How can you celebrate World Environment Day?
The World Environment Day Alphabet - 80 Ways to Celebrate
World Environment Day can be celebrated in many ways, including street rallies, bicycles parades, green concerts, essay and poster competitions in schools, tree planting, recycling efforts, clean-up campaigns and much more. In many countries, this annual event is used to enhance political attention and action.
Heads of State, Prime Ministers and Ministers of Environment deliver statements and commit themselves to care for the Earth. Serious pledges are made which lead to the establishment of permanent governmental structures dealing with environmental management and economic planning. This observance also provides an opportunity to sign or ratify international environmental conventions.
On this World Environment Day, let us examine the state of our environment. Let us consider carefully the actions which each of us must take, and then address ourselves to our common task of preserving all life on earth in a mood of sober resolution and quiet confidence.

Twelve Steps to Help You Kick the CO2 Habit

http://www.unep.org/wed/2008/english/Information_Material/factsheet.asp

Whether you are an individual, an organization, a business or a government, there are a number of steps you can take to reduce your carbon emissions, the total of which is described as your carbon footprint. You may think you don’t know where to begin, but by reading this, you have already begun.
1. Make a commitment
Reducing your carbon footprint is no different from any other task. Telling people you will reduce carbon emissions may seem simplistic, but even simple actions like announcing your commitment to going carbon neutral can be effective, while the simple act of asking for ideas can lead to creative and innovative solutions. Several countries have indicated in recent months that they will go carbon neutral, led by Costa Rica, New Zealand and Norway. The United Nations system itself, led by Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon, and guided by the UNEP-led Environment Management Group, is moving towards carbon neutrality. UNEP is also facilitating carbon neutrality in all sectors and all regions through its climate neutral network.
2. Assess where you stand
It is likely that carbon will eventually be judged as an atmospheric pollutant and regulated accordingly, with consequent costs—and opportunities—for all sectors of society. Knowing where and how you generate greenhouse gases is the first step to reducing them. For individuals and small businesses, online calculators and internal assessments can help start the process. Larger organisations may need specialised advice and tools, such as the new ISO 14064 standard for greenhouse gas accounting and verification, or the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, provided by the World Resources Institute and World Business Council for Sustainable Development, which is an accounting tool for government and business managers to understand, quantify, manage and report greenhouse gas emissions.
3. Decide and plan where you want to go
Based on your assessment of climate-related risks and opportunities, a strategy and action plan can be developed. Targets help focus efforts and also provide a benchmark for measuring success. Most homes or businesses can reduce energy use by 10 per cent—which almost always results in a 10 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions—with a one year payback or less. A plan to reduce carbon emissions will first focus on the type of energy and the way it is used; for example electricity for buildings and fuel for transport. Reducing this energy can create instant savings. An effective tool is an energy audit. Many electric utilities and government energy offices now offer an audit as part of their efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
4. De-carbon your life
There is a broader way to think about carbon and climate. Everything an individual, organization, business or government does or uses embodies some form of carbon, either in products themselves or in the energy and materials it takes to make them. Buildings, fittings and equipment are all proxies for carbon; ‘carbon copies’ can be chosen based on the least amount of impact they will have on the climate. Integrating climate friendly criteria into decision making can trigger a ripple effect.
If consumers, manufacturers and lawmakers all think ‘low carbon’ and ‘climate friendly’ savings in carbon emissions will multiply. Take packaging as an example. US retail giant Wal-Mart worked with one of their toy suppliers to reduce packaging on just 16 items. The toy suppliers saved on packaging costs while Wal-Mart used 230 fewer shipping containers to distribute their products, saving about 356 barrels of oil and 1,300 trees. By broadening this initiative to 255 items, the company believes it can save 1,000 barrels of oil, 3,800 trees, and millions of dollars in transportation costs.
Another example: you can buy paper or wood products that adhere to internationally certified standards. The Forestry Stewardship Council (www.fsc.org), for example, is an international non-profit organisation promoting responsible management of the world’s forests. The FSC trademark is increasingly recognised as an international standard for responsible forest management. More than 90 million hectares in more than 70 countries have been certified according to FSC standards while several thousand products are produced using FSC certified wood and carrying the FSC trademark. Switching to recycled or sustainably sourced paper can also lead to considerable savings, reducing both landfill use and carbon emissions. Using recycled paper can save 1.4 tonnes of CO2 for every tonne of paper and cardboard.
Other ways of reducing your carbon footprint include wasting less time and energy on travel. Cities can improve public transport options, companies can encourage low carbon habits (by ceasing to subsidize parking or investing in hybrid technology company vehicles), and individuals can car pool or use public transport. Sometimes simple actions can produce a shift. Secure bicycle storage and changing and shower facilities, for example, are often inexpensive compared to other parking structures but create a strong incentive for those who can commute by bicycle. In larger cities with adequate public transport, a monthly or yearly pass can be offered instead of parking facilities. Paris and Vienna, for example, offer a public bicycle system that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion.
5. Get energy efficient
Improving the efficiency of your buildings, computers, cars and products is the fastest and most lucrative way to save money, energy and carbon emissions. This does not mean going without. Energy efficiency is about increasing productivity but doing more with less. More efficient buildings, cars and products will a direct and lasting contribution to limiting carbon emissions. Conventional buildings can account for almost 40 per cent of CO2 emissions. High performance, environmentally accountable, energy efficient and productive facilities are now economically possible.
Very simple measures can lead to immediate savings. Just turning off unused lights, motors, computers and heating can substantially reduce wasted energy—and money. Generally, laptop computers use less energy than desktop computers and LCD monitors use less energy than CRT screens. Also consider what to do with equipment when its useful life is finished. Some manufacturers offer take-back or recycling. Also look for energy efficiency standards. For appliances, the Energy Star rating is a way to describe efficiency. For many brands now, the highest energy efficiency rating does not cost any more than less efficient products. Originally from the United States, Energy Star is now applicable in Europe.
Think about your travel. Advanced web and video conferencing technology mean the time is rapidly approaching when the need to travel will be substantially diminished. A two-day trip to attend a meeting 1,000 km (600 miles) away can cost about US$2,000 per person when accommodation, travel and meals are included, while a video conference may cost as little as US$200. The savings are US$1,800 and about half a tonne of carbon. Telecommuting is also increasingly an option for many. A study by the Telework Coalition (www.telcoa.org) found that if 32 million Americans who could telecommute did so one day a week, they would drive 2 billion kilometres less, save 300 million litres of fuel and gain the equivalent of 32 million extra hours every week for leisure, family or work.
Lighting can account for 15-20 per cent of total electricity use. Converting coal at the power plant into incandescent light is only three per cent efficient. Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) have evolved rapidly in the past decade. They now last between six and 15 years and reduce electricity use by a minimum of 75 per cent compared to a standard incandescent bulb. The advantages of CFLs and other high efficiency lighting have prompted legislation to ban incandescent bulbs. In 2007, Australia was the first country to mandate that no incandescent bulbs will be sold by 2012, a move that will reduce emissions by four million tonnes and cut power bills for lighting by up to 66 per cent.

6. Switch to low carbon energy
If possible, switch to energy sources that emit less carbon and can reduce costs and emissions. Generally, coal produces twice the emissions of gas, six times the amount of solar, 40 times the amount of wind and 200 times the amount from hydro. In many parts of the world customers can choose to have a percentage of their electricity supplied from a renewable energy source, such as a wind farm or landfill gas project. These ‘green choice’ programmes are maturing and proving to be a powerful stimulus for growth in renewable energy supply. Today, more than 50 per cent of all US consumers, for example, have an option to purchase some type of green power product.
Larger users can even build their own lower emission energy systems, using solar power or lower carbon technologies such as generators powered by natural gas. A Global Environment Facility project in eastern and southern Africa is promoting small scale hydro schemes in the tea industry and cogeneration using agricultural waste from the sugar industry to generate electricity for industry use and to feed into national grids. In the United Kingdom, the Body Shop bought a 25 per cent stake in a large modern wind generator to provide renewable energy for its UK operations. Other companies installing their own renewable energy plant include 3M, DuPont, General Motors, IBM, Johnson & Johnson and Staples.
At the small business or household level, tax breaks and incentives can make solar photovoltaic systems and other renewable energy technologies cost effective. Rooftop solar electric panels can provide energy over time, reduce electricity costs and provide a buffer against price fluctuations. UNEP is helping promote such schemes in southern India and North Africa.
The transport sector is responsible for 25 per cent of total energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from burning petrol and diesel. Various options exist for kicking the carbon habit. Hybrid engines that combine electricity and conventional petrol or diesel engines can offer substantial fuel savings while reducing emissions. Vehicles can also run on a range of alternative fuels that can offer both cost and environmental benefits, although they also often require an additional investment that take some time to pay back. These include compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), liquefied natural gas (LNG) and biofuels.
Biodiesel and bioethanol are biofuels made from crops, such as wheat, soy, corn and sugar cane. They are often blended with petrol or diesel, and almost all vehicles can run on blends up to 10 per cent without modification. Specially enabled biofuel cars can run on higher blends, such as a mix of 85 per cent bioethanol and 15 per cent petrol. In many parts of the world, biofuels are becoming more popular and easier to find commercially and in various blends. For companies with automotive fleets, biofuels can be a cost-effective low-carbon alternative.
7. Invest in offsets and cleaner alternatives
There is a limit to how much efficiency you can squeeze from your lifestyle or your organisation’s operations, or how much renewable energy you can employ. The choice for those who wish to compensate for their remaining emissions is to fund an activity by another party that reduces emissions. This is commonly called a ‘carbon offset’ or ‘carbon credit’. The term carbon neutral includes the idea of neutralising emissions through supporting carbon savings elsewhere.
The average price for carbon offsets is US$15 per tonne, but costs range from US$5-50 per tonne. To purchase offsets, individuals or businesses pay an offset company to implement and manage projects that avoid, reduce or absorb greenhouse gases. Climate change is a global problem, so carbon reductions will have the same impact no matter where they are implemented. Carbon credits can be generated by emission-free energy generation, reduced demand, including energy efficiency, or sequestration in the form of underground and forestry storage.
According to one report, the highest quality offsets are generated from the flaring of methane from landfills, since methane is an even more potent greenhouse gas than CO2. Green Gas International (www.greengas.net) is a company that generates carbon credits by converting waste gas to clean energy through partnerships with mines, landfills and biogas producers. The worldwide benefits of such projects include 125 megawatts (MW) of power, saving four million tonnes of CO2.
8. Get efficient
Looking at your life or business through a carbon neutral lens can help you in other ways by increasing the efficiency of resource use, avoiding and reducing waste and ultimately improving your overall performance and reputation. Economists are fond of saying that there are no banknotes lying around because someone will have already picked them up. In climate change, there are still plenty of banknotes just waiting to be picked up. After all, carbon is generally the waste product of producing energy, and reducing waste and becoming more efficient is always a good idea. Integrate the 3R approach—reduce, reuse and recycle—into your thinking.
9. Offer—or buy—low carbon products and services
The market for climate friendly products and services is growing rapidly, from energy efficient products to new renewable energy systems. To offer such products, however, it’s important to begin at the design stage. Actions as simple as adding energy efficient specifications into the design process, for example, can produce a design that minimises energy consumption during its use and saves customers the time and energy from making adjustments to a product after a purchase, (for example having to wrap water heaters with insulation blankets).
A more systematic approach comes from the field of ‘design for sustainability’, which includes life cycle design and environmentally conscious design and manufacturing. This new approach considers environmental aspects at all stages of development to create products with the lowest environmental impact throughout the product life cycle. Ecodesign is an important strategy for small and medium sized companies both in developed and developing countries to improve the environmental performance of their products, reduce waste and improve their competitive position on the market.
10. Buy green, sell green
The market for green products and services is growing rapidly. In many countries consumer surveys report that growing numbers of consumers are willing to buy green products if given the choice. For businesses, innovative product design and presentation combined with responsible marketing and communications can help ensure that this consumer interest translates into purchasing. However, the market for green products remains underdeveloped because people still find it difficult to locate products or trust their environmental claims. Businesses can help consumers to be more climate friendly, from the online click for carbon offsetting on a tourism booking website to the label on a product at the local store.
11. Team up
Many private sector companies are increasingly working with non-governmental organisations, cities or governments to identify and implement best practice solutions to reduce emissions. The Carbon Disclosure Project (www.cdproject.net), for example is an independent non-profit organisation providing information for institutional investors with a combined US$41 trillion of assets under management. On their behalf, CDP seeks information on the business risks and opportunities presented by climate change and greenhouse gas emissions data from more than 2,000 of the world’s largest companies.
Similarly, local and national governments are seeking opportunities to partner with business on delivering low carbon solutions. In countries such as Canada, government institutions and power utilities supported the setting up of Energy Service Companies (ESCos). In the United States, the federal Environmental Protection Agency started the Energy Star program (www.energystar.gov) in 1992 as a voluntary partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency. In 2006, American businesses and consumers saved US$14 billion on energy bills with the help of Energy Star saved and reduced greenhouse gas emissions equal to 25 million vehicles annually.
12. Talk
The increasing importance of climate change means that companies and organisations will need to communicate. Transparency is critical. The internet and other new media mean that companies, organisations and governments cannot hide behind greenwash. This is where tools for verification and reporting guidelines with recognised indicators are critical. One example is the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) (www.globalreporting.org). Internal communications via intranets and company publications can report progress and acknowledge contributions by individual staff or teams. It’s also important to let shareholders know. Reducing emissions, particularly by improving efficiency is a win-win situation that can also enhance a company’s reputation. Consumers and investors alike are requesting information on a company’s response to risks and opportunities related to climate change.
(This is an abridged and adapted version of an original piece produced by UNEP for the UNEP/Sustainable Development International publication ‘Climate Action’ http://www.climateactionprogramme.org/)

May 15th. Teacher's Day in México

2008-05-15T18:35:00.000-07:00

Happy Teacher's Day

The celebration of Teacher's Day is a tradition observed in many countries on different dates, but in México we celebrate it on May 15th. We offer a sincere congratulation to all our teachers, in special those at Institutos de Inglés América.
Go Ahead and Never give up!!!

Teacher's Day in the world

World Teacher's Day History

World Teacher's Day history is associated with the adoption of Recommendation concerning the status of teachers. Read on to know more about Happy World Teachers' Day origin.On 5 October 1966, the world's teachers made a giant step forward. A Special Intergovernmental Conference adopted the UNESCO/ILO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.

This Recommendation, for the first time ever, gave teachers, throughout the world, an instrument that defines their responsibilities and asserts their rights.UNESCO inaugurated World Teacher's Day on 5th October 1994. This day was selected to commemorate the adoption of UNESCO/ILO joint Recommendation.

World Teacher's Day also highlights the Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher Education Teaching Personnel. World Teacher's Day is celebrated in almost 100 countries. It lays emphasis on the achievements and contributions of the teachers around the world.Education International strongly believes that World Teacher's Day should be internationally recognized and celebrated around the world. It also believes that, on this date, the principles of the 1966 and 1997.

Recommendations should be considered for implementation in all nations. The efforts of Education International and its 348 member organizations have led to the wide spread recognition of World Teacher's Day. Every year, Education International launches a public awareness campaign to highlight the contributions of the teaching profession.

CONFUCIOUS, A GREAT TEACHER

Much of what is known about Confucius life is legendary. It is hard to separate facts from fiction. Confucius was born in 551 BCE in the city of Qufu, which was located in the Chinese State of Lu (now part of present-day Shandong Province). His original name was K'ung Ch'iu. Confucius was born into a poor family. His father was a commander of a district in Lu. But, Confucius nevertheless received a fine education. He was married at the age of 19 and had one son and two daughters.Confucius taught in his school for many years.

His theories and principles were spread throughout China by his disciples, and soon many people learned from his wise sayings. Some of Confucius quotes, famous around the world are:

• Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have.
• They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.
• It is not possible for one to teach others who cannot teach his own family.
• The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions.
• He who merely knows right principles is not equal to him who loves them.
• To be able under all circumstances to practice five things constitutes perfect virtue; these five things are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness and kindness.
• We don't know yet about life, how can we know about death?
• Mankind differs from the animals only by a little, and most people throw that away.
• If you enjoy what you do, you'll never work another day in your life.

Confucius had no opportunity to put his theories to a public test until the age of 52. At 52, he was appointed magistrate of Chung-tu. The next year, he became Minister of crime of the state of Lu. His administration was successful; reforms were introduced, justice was fairly dispensed, and crime was almost eliminated. Lu became very powerful under Confucius. As a result, the ruler of a neighboring state maneuvered to secure the minister's dismissal.Confucius left his office in 496 BC, traveling about and teaching, vainly hoping that some other prince would allow him to undertake measures of reform. In 484 BC, after a fruitless search for an ideal ruler, he returned for the last time to Lu. Confucius was then abandoned from his province and he wandered about China for 13 years. When Confucius was 69 years old, he returned to Lu, his home state.

Confucius died 3 years after settling in Lu - 479 BC. After Confucius died, he was buried in a grave in the city of Ch'uFu, Shandong. Today the site of his final resting place is the beautiful K'ung Forest.When Confucius died, many people built temples in every city of China to honor him and his work. Since Confucius teachings and philosophy were so advanced, it became the education for China for 2,000 years. It is called Confucianism.

The word "teacher" in over 50 languages

AFRIKAANS Onderwyser
ALBANIAN Mesuese
ASTURIAN Maestru
AYMARA Yatichiri
AZERI Muelim
BASQUE Irakasle
BRETON Skolaer
CATALAN Mestre
CORSICAN Maestru
CROATIAN Nastavnik
CZECH Ucitel
DANISH Laerer
DUTCH Leraar
ENGLISH Teacher
ESPERANTO Instruisto
ESTONIAN Opetaja
FAEROESE Laerari
FINNISH Opettaja
FRENCH Professeur
FRISIAN Learaar
GALICIAN Mestre
GERMAN Lehrer
GUARANI Mbo’ehara
HUNGARIAN Tanar
ICELANDIC Kennari
INDONESIAN Guru
IRISH Muinteoir
ITALIAN Maestro
JAPANESE Sensei
JUDEO-SPANISH Maestro
KOREAN sun-saeng-nim
LADINO Maester
LATIN Magister
LATVIAN Skolotajs
MALAY Pengajar
MALTESE Lekcerer
MAORI Kaiwhakaako
NORWEGIAN Laerer
OCCITAN Regent
PAPIAMENTO Instruktor
POLISH Nauczyciel
PORTUGUESE Mestre
QUECHUA Yachachijj
ROMANIAN Invatator, Profesor
ROMANSH Magister
SAMOAN Faia’oga
SLOVAK Ucitel
SPANISH Maestro, Profesor
SWAHILI Malimu
TAGALOG Guro
WELSH Athro
YUCATEC Ka’nsahZULU Uthisha

April 30th. México

2008-04-30T17:22:00.000-07:00

Children Learn What They Live
By Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

Instituto de inglés “América” April 30th, 2008.

Spring is here

2008-03-31T16:31:00.000-07:00

Spring has Sprung

You don’t have to look far to see signs of spring. From the budding of the trees and the warming of the temperatures to the animals coming out of their winter hideouts, there seems to be a promise of new birth and color in the springtime air.

The first day of spring is around March 20 or 21, depending on what day the vernal equinox occurs. This is when the sun sits directly above the equator on its apparent trip northward. Of course this sun isn’t moving; Earth is. As Earth revolves around the sun, the top half, called the Northern Hemisphere, becomes tilted more toward the sun as winter turns to spring. Meanwhile the bottom half, the Southern Hemisphere, becomes tilted more away from the sun. The beginning of spring for us is the beginning of autumn for people in Australia and the southern parts of Africa and South America.

Unequal equinox
The word “equinox” comes from Latin and means “equal nights.” Around March 20, sunrise and sunset are about twelve hours apart everywhere on Earth. Because of that, a lot of people think that day and night are of equal length on March 20. But actually the day is a little longer than the night on this date. There are a few reasons for that. Sunrise occurs when the top of the sun (not the center) is on the horizon. But the sun actually appears to be above the horizon when it is in fact still below it. That’s because Earth’s atmosphere refracts or “bends” light coming from the sun, so we see the sun a couple of minutes before it actually rises over the horizon. If you add the daylight that persists after sunset, you’ll find the day on the equinox is several minutes longer than the night.

Taken from http://www.wxdude.com/spring.html

What day does spring start? *

One spring tradition

It's snowing but according to the Met Office spring has sprung. Others disagree. So what day does spring start?

Much of the country is in the grip of icy winter weather but according to the Meteorological Office spring is here.

It classes the first day of spring as 1 March, saying March, April and May are regarded as the spring months. But traditionally spring has started on the night of 20/21 March and a row has erupted over the official date.

"You would not regard the first three weeks of June as spring, yet historically summer does not start until 21 June," says a spokesman for the Met Office. "Equally, the bulk of people now regard 1 March as the first day of spring."

Bloom

But disgruntled MPs are questioning "on whose authority" the date has been changed.

"They may say that 1 March is the first day of spring - which it is not - but it certainly doesn't feel like it," says the seasonally named Sir Nicholas Winterton, Conservative MP for Macclesfield.

He is supported by Stuart Bell, Labour MP for Middlesbrough, who says: "Spring starts on March 20/21 and if the Met Office are not aware of this simple fact, it reflects a casual approach to facts, which is all too inherent today."

Historically spring starts on the day of the vernal equinox, which usually occurs on the night of 20/21 March.

Vernal comes originally from the Latin word for bloom and refers to the fact that, in the northern hemisphere, this equinox marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring.

An equinox is a time when the nights are as long as the days and the vernal equinox is recognised the world over as the start of the new astrological cycle.

But does that necessarily make it the start of spring? After all, summer is commonly decreed to start on 21 June - the Summer Solstice - yet the following day is known as MID-summer's day.

And since when has the prevailing weather had anything to do with it? Parts of the country may be ankle-deep in snow but cast your mind back three months and the talk was why, in mid-December, the weather felt like spring.

The Met Office, meanwhile, has little time for celestial patterns and historical precedent. It picked 1 March for simplicity's sake, choosing to slot the four seasons neatly into the 12 months... June, July and August are the summer months; September, October and November autumn, and so on.

*Published at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4767522.stm

MARCH 8th. INTERNATIONAL WOMEN`S DAY

2008-03-07T10:32:00.000-08:00

International Women's Day has been observed since in the early 1900's, a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies.

1908 Great unrest and critical debate was occurring amongst women. Women's oppression and inequality was spurring women to become more vocal and active in campaigning for change. Then in 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights.

1909 In accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party of America, the first National Woman's Day (NWD) was observed across the United States on 28 February. Women continued to celebrate NWD on the last Sunday of February until 1913.

1910 At a Socialist International meeting in Copenhagen, an International Women's Day of no fixed date was proposed to honour the women's rights movement and to assist in achieving universal suffrage for women. Over 100 women from 17 countries unanimously agreed the proposal. 3 of these women were later elected the first women to the Finnish parliament.

1911 Following the decision agreed at Copenhagen in 1911, International Women's Day (IWD) was honoured the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on 19 March. More than one million women and men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women's rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination. However less than a week later on 25 March, the tragic 'Triangle Fire' in New York City took the lives of more than 140 working women, most of them Italian and Jewish immigrants. This disastrous event drew significant attention to working conditions and labour legislation in the United States that became a focus of subsequent International Women's Day events. 1911 also saw women's 'Bread and Roses' campaign.

1913-1914 On the eve of World War I campaigning for peace, Russian women observed their first International Women's Day on the last Sunday in February 1913. In 1914 further women across Europe held rallies to campaign against the war and to express women's solidarity.

1917 On the last Sunday of February, Russian women began a strike for "bread and peace" in response to the death over 2 million Russian soldiers in war. Opposed by political leaders the women continued to strike until four days later the Czar was forced to abdicate and the provisional Government granted women the right to vote. The date the women's strike commenced was Sunday 23 February on the Julian calendar then in use in Russia. This day on the Gregorian calendar in use elsewhere was 8 March.

1918 - 1999 Since its birth in the socialist movement, International Women's Day has grown to become a global day of recognition and celebration across developed and developing countries alike. For decades, IWD has grown from strength to strength annually. For many years the United Nations has held an annual IWD conference to coordinate international efforts for women's rights and participation in social, political and economic processes. 1975 was designated as 'International Women’s Year' by the United Nations. Women's organisations and governments around the world have also observed IWD annually on 8 March by holding large-scale events that honour women's advancement and while diligently reminding of the continued vigilance and action required to ensure that women's equality is gained and maintained in all aspects of life.

2000 - 2007 IWD is now an official holiday in Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The tradition sees men honouring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, etc with flowers and small gifts. In some countries IWD has the equivalent status of Mother's Day where children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers.

The new millennium has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in both women's and society's thoughts about women's equality and emancipation. Many from a younger generation feel that 'all the battles have been won for women' while many feminists from the 1970's know only too well the longevity and ingrained complexity of patriarchy. With more women in the boardroom, greater equality in legislative rights, and an increased critical mass of women's visibility as impressive role models in every aspect of life, one could think that women have gained true equality. The unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women's education, health and the violence against them is worse than that of men.However, great improvements have been made. We do have female astronauts and prime ministers, school girls are welcomed into university, women can work and have a family, women have real choices. And so the tone and nature of IWD has, for the past few years, moved from being a reminder about the negatives to a celebration of the positives.

Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate their achievements. While there are many large-scale initiatives, a rich and diverse fabric of local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women's craft markets, theatric performances, fashion parades and more.

Many global corporations have also started to more actively support IWD by running their own internal events and through supporting external ones. For example, on 8 March search engine and media giant Google even changes its logo on its global search pages. Corporations like HSBC host the UK's largest and longest running IWD event delivered by women's company Aurora. Last year Nortel sponsored IWD activities in over 20 countries and thousands of women participated. Nortel continues to connect its global workforce though a coordinated program of high-level IWD activity, as does Accenture both virtually and offline. Accenture supports more than 2,000 of its employees to participate in its International Women's Day activities that include leadership development sessions, career workshops and corporate citizenship events held across six continents - in eight cities in the United States and in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Spain, South Africa and the UK. Accenture also coordinated am IWD webcast featuring stories about Accenture women worldwide that ran uninterrupted for 30 hours across 11 time zones via Accenture's intranet. Year on year IWD is certainly increasing in status. The United States even designates the whole month of March as 'Women's History Month'.

So make a difference, think globally and act locally !! Make everyday International Women's Day. Do your bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding.

Taken from: http://www.internationalwomensday.com/

Calendario de Fases Lunares para Febrero del año 2008 - Tu Tiempo

2008-02-19T18:05:00.000-08:00
Calendario de Fases Lunares para Febrero del año 2008 - Tu Tiempo

Carnival La Paz, Baja California Sur Mexico 2008

2008-02-18T20:06:00.000-08:00

Carnival La Paz, Baja California Sur Mexico 2008

"carnaval". The general consensus is that it evolved during the middle ages, as part of the Roman Catholic ritual of lent. It gets a little more vague after that.

The Venetian seem to claim the most palatable explanation. The Shrove Thursday celebration is closely related to the history of the Serenissima Republic of Venice, consequently to the victory over Ulrico, Patriarch of Aquileia.

Ulrico's troops had attacked Venice while the "Serenissima" was busy fighting another war against the Ducati of Padova and Ferrara. Italy was a lively place, at that time.

After the defeat, Ulrico of Aquileia, had to pay the Venetians one bull and 12 pigs, as war reimbursement. (I wish invading Iraq had been so cheap!)

So, from that moment on, the tradition was established of "executing" every year that same amount of animals in the San Marco square, and all the population participated to the feast, banquet, dances, acrobats. I found this story stretched even a little further: Because Catholics are not supposed to eat meat during Lent, they called their festival, carnevale — which means “to put away the meat.” As time passed, Carnaval evolved. Carnavals in Italy became quite famous; and in fact the practice spread to France, Spain, and all the Catholic countries in Europe. Then as the French, Spanish, and Portuguese began to take control of the Americas and other parts of the world, they brought with them their tradition of celebrating carnaval

Taken from Baja Insider http://www.bajainsider.com/baja-life/events/carnival/carnival-la-paz.htm

CARNIVAL

2008-02-18T20:02:00.000-08:00

Carnival is a festival season. It occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February or March. It typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus and public street party. People often dress up or masquerade during the celebrations.
Carnival is mostly associated with Roman Catholic and, to a lesser extent, Eastern Orthodox Christians; Protestant areas usually do not have carnival celebrations or have modified traditions, like the Danish Carnival. The world's largest carnival celebration is held in Brazil but many countries worldwide have large, popular celebrations, such as Carnival of Venice.

The origin of the name "carnival" is disputed. According to one theory, it comes from the Latin carrus navalis ("ship cart"),[1] referring to a cart in a religious parade, such as a cart in a religious procession at the annual festivities in honor of the god Apollo. Other sources, however, suggest that the name comes from the Italian carne levare or similar, meaning "to remove meat", since meat is prohibited during Lent.[2] Another theory states that the word comes from the Late Latin expression carne vale, which means "farewell to meat", signifying that those were the last days when one could eat meat before the fasting of Lent. Yet another translation depicts carne vale as "a farewell to the flesh", a phrase embraced by certain carnival celebrations that encourage letting go of your former (or everyday) self and embracing the carefree nature of the festival.

An inspiration for the carnival lies in the fact that during Lent, traditionally no parties may be held and many foods, such as meat, are forbidden; the forty days of Lent serve to commemorate the Passion of Jesus. It is natural for people to have the desire to hold a large celebration at the last possible opportunity before fasting.
Parts of the carnival traditions, however, likely reach back to pre-Christian times. The ancient Roman festival of the Saturnalia is a probable origin of the Italian Carnival. The Saturnalia, in turn, may be based on the Greek Dionysia and Oriental festivals. While medieval pageants and festivals such as Corpus Christi were church sanctioned celebrations, carnival was a representation of medieval folk culture. Many local carnival customs are also based on local pre-Christian rituals, for example the elaborate rites involving masked figures in the Swabian-Alemannic carnival.
In Christianity, the most famous traditions, including parades and masquerading, are first attested from medieval Italy. The carnival of Venice was for a long time the most famous carnival. From Italy, carnival traditions spread to Spain, Portugal, and France. From France, they spread to the Rhineland of Germany, and to New Orleans. From Spain and Portugal, they spread to Latin America. Many other areas have developed their own traditions.

Depending on the area, the carnival may last from a few weeks to several months. While its starting day varies, it usually ends on the day before Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning of Lent. In the Ambrosian rite of Milan (Italy), the carnival ends on the Saturday after Ash Wednesday, and in the area of Eastern Christianity, it ends on the Sunday seven weeks before Easter, since in Eastern tradition lent begins on Clean Monday.
Most commonly the season begins on Septuagesima, the third Sunday before Ash Wednesday, but in some places it starts as early as Twelfth Night or even in November. The most important celebrations are generally concentrated during the last days of the season.
The following holidays, which are all part of the seven days before Ash Wednesday, often have special customs:
Quinquagesima, the Sunday, when often a break from the festivities occurs;
Shrove Monday or Lundi Gras or Rosenmontag, in many areas the high point of the festivities;
Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) or Fastnacht, the high point of the festivities when, according to many traditions, preparations for the parties are made, such as baking goods.

Taken from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival

WHALES

2008-01-25T11:15:00.000-08:00
Dear Friends,
Today is the 13th day in a row without whaling in the Southern Ocean due to the presence of the Greenpeace Ship Esperanza. It looks like the whalers are still intent on hunting though, so we're calling on prominant figures in Japan to speak up.
Urge Canon's CEO in Japan to defend our photogenic friends.

Send him a message
One man with more influence than most is the CEO of Canon, the world's number one camera maker, and current head of the Japanese Business Federation. He'd also make a perfect whale defender, since Canon has built so much of its reputation on conservation of endangered species (you may have seen their ads in National Geographic--every month since 1981).
This is the statement we're asking Canon's CEO, Mr. Fujio Mitarai, to sign: "Canon is committed to building a better world for future generations, and does not support the hunting of endangered or threatened species with anything other than a camera. Canon believes the lethal whaling research programme in the Southern Ocean should be ended, and replaced with a non-lethal research programme."

Why use a harpoon... when you can use a Canon?
Canon is the world’s number one digital camera company, and a major sponsor of wildlife initiatives, environmental groups, and efforts to save endangered species.
The CEO of a company that attracts support to its brand by associating itself with environmental issues ought to oppose lethal research whaling in the Southern Ocean.
Tell Mr. Mitarai, head of Canon Japan, that you want him to express Canon’s disapproval of whaling in the Southern Ocean, and to call upon the government of Japan to use only non-lethal research methods.

Please write a letter to Canon urging them to join the cause
Whales need a powerful domestic ally in Japan. If Japan wants to do research, it can do so with cameras and other non-lethal means -- just as we're using photo identification to research whale migration patterns, along with skin biopsies, satellite tracking, and other harmless methods as part of our Great Whale Trail project.

For the whales,
Sarah King
Oceans campaigner

P.S. Please forward this message to your friends too -- nature-lovers and photography-lovers alike!

From
Antonio Aviles
To
Fujio Mitarai, Canon Japan
Subject
Whales should be shot with Canons, not harpoons
Dear Mr. Mitarai,

I don’t want to see whales being shot with anything other than a camera and I hope that you and your company agree. However, thousands of whales have been shot and killed with exploding harpoons in the Southern Ocean since the global moratorium on high seas whaling came into force in 1986. Every year the Japanese whaling fleet returns to plunder the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, under the guise of “science” in the hope that the moratorium will soon be overturned.

Yet with around 4,000 tonnes of whalemeat in storage, declining demand, and subsidised production, it is not a commercially viable activity. When this is added to the fact that whales can be studied without killing them – it is a scandal that this so called “science” continues at the expense of Japanese taxpayers.

Given Canon's sponsorship of environmental groups and the cause of endangered species the world over, I'm sure you share my concerns. I believe you are the ideal person to advocate for an end to this unnecessary slaughter and waste of Japanese taxpayers’ money.

Mister Mitarai, you are best placed among Japanese business leaders to help bring about an end to whaling in the Southern Ocean and you have a personal responsibility to safeguard the interests of Japanese businesses abroad where whaling is a liability for Japanese brands and their profitability. I am urging you to sign the following statement:

"Canon is committed to building a better world for future generations, and does not support the hunting of endangered or threatened species with anything other than a camera. Canon believes the lethal whaling research programme in the Southern Ocean should be ended, and replaced with a non-lethal research programme."

Canon says on its website that it wants to “hand over a beautiful earth for future generations”. I think the earth would be incredibly less beautiful without whales. Don’t you?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-59VcB2e3k

30 YEARS TEACHING TO OUR PEOPLE

2008-01-05T12:54:00.000-08:00

You can see some more pictures about it and read Teacher Estamates´s Biography
at http://teacherestamates.blogspot.com
Visit his blog and send us your opinions about it.

CHRISTMAS IS HERE

2007-12-10T18:46:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas around the world

Afrikaner (Afrikaans) ~ "Een Plesierige Kerfees"

Argentine ~ "Felices Pascuas"

Bohemian ~ "Vesele Vanoce"Brazilian ~ "Boas Festas"

Chinese (Cantonese) ~ "Saint Dan Fai Lok"

Danish ~ "Glædelig Jul"

Dutch ~ "Vrolijk Kerstfeest" - Gezellige kerst

English ~ "Merry Christmas"

Filipino ~ "Maligayang Pasko"

Finnish ~ "Hyvaa Joulua"

French ~ "Joyeux Noël"

German ~ "Froehliche Weihnachten"

Greek ~ "Kala Christouyenna"

Hawaiian ~ "Mele Kalikimaka"

Hebrew ~ "Mo'adim Lesimkha"

Icelandic ~ "Gledileg Jol"

Indonesian ~ "Selamat Hari Natal"

Irish ~ "Nollaig Shona Dhuit"

Italian ~ "Buone Feste Natalizie" - Natale italiano

Japanese ~ "Kurisumasu Omedeto"

Korean ~ "Sung Tan Chuk Ha"

Lithuanian ~ "Linksmu Kaledu"

Malay ~ "Selamat Hari Natal"

Maori ~ "Meri Kirihimete"

Norwegian ~ "God Jul" - Norsk Jul

Romanian ~ "Craciun Fericit"

Peruvian ~ "Felices Fiestas"

Portugese ~ "Boas Festas"

Slovakian ~ "Vesele Vianoce"

Spanish ~ "Feliz Navidad"

Swedish ~ "God Jul" - Jul i Sverige

Welsh ~ "Nadolig Llawen"

Christmas Facts

Every year more than 400 million people celebrate Xmas around the world -- that makes Xmas one of the world’s biggest religious and commercial festivities. In approximately year 300 A.D., the birthday of Jesus was determined to be on December 25, the day that has been celebrated from then till this very day. The celebration on the 25th of December starts with Christmas Eve, the evening of December 24.

The religious festival is originally a blend of pagan customs. The Romans held a festival on December 25 called Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, i.e. "the birthday of the unconquered sun.". Pagan Scandinavia celebrated a winter festival called Yule, held in late December to early January. However, it is uncertain exactly why December 25 became associated with the birth of Jesus since the Old Testament doesn’t mention a specific date of the event.

Christmas around the world:

In Italy, children receive gifts from the good witch La Befana, old, bent and dressed in black. La Befana was a widowed, childless woman when the Three Kings passed on their way to see the Christ child. When they asked her the way to Bethlehem she was busy cleaning and sent them away. Realizing her mistake, she left to search for the Baby Jesus. To this day she is still searching going from house to house on Epiphany, January 6, leaving a gift for good children.

Russian children await gifts from Babouska, a farmer's wife who offered food and shelter to the Three Wise men on their journey to Bethlehem, Baboushka declined their offer of travelling with them to visit the Christ child. Realizing her error on the eve of Epiphany, she tried unsuccessfully to find them, but handed the presents she had intended for the infant Jesus to children she passed along the way.

In Spain, Mexico, Puerto Rico and South America, the Three Kings or Wise Men bring Christmas gifts to children, while in France children eagerly await the coming of Father Christmas or Pere Noel who brings their gifts.

In some cultures, Saint Nicholas travels with an assistant. The old bishop Sinterklass arrives in Holland on December 6 in his red bishop's costume astride a white horse. In many port towns, he is said to have sailed in on a ship from Spain. Beside him walks Black Peter with a black sack and a book recording each Dutch child's behavior through the year. Good children receive a gift from the bishop while bad children may be carried away in Black Peter's sack.

In Germany Saint Nicholas also travels with a helper, known as Knecht Ruprecht, Krampus, or Pelzebock, and comes with a sack on his back and a rod or switches in his hand. Saint Nicholas gives gifts to good children, while those who have been bad are punished by the assistant with a few hits of a switch.

Swedish children wait for the gnome Jultomten, also called Julemanden or Julenisse, who dresses in red and carries a sack of gifts on his back. He flies in his sleigh pulled by the Julbocker, the goats of Thor, the god of thunder. Elves, called the Juul Nisse, hide in the attics of families throughout the year, eagerly waiting to help him. Children leave bowls of milk or rice pudding in the attic for the elves, hoping they will be empty in the morning.

In Austria and Switzerland it is Christkindl or the Christ Child who arrives bearing gifts. In some towns children await the Holy Child and in others Christkindl is a beautiful girl-angel who comes down from heaven bearing gifts.

And in England a thinner version of Santa Claus known as Father Christmas, wearing long red robes with sprigs of holly in his hair, delivers gifts to children.

THANKSGIVING DAY

2007-11-20T11:11:00.000-08:00

The History of Thanksgiving and its Celebrations

Throughout history mankind has celebrated the bountiful harvest with thanksgiving ceremonies.

Before the establishment of formal religions many ancient farmers believed that their crops contained spirits which caused the crops to grow and die. Many believed that these spirits would be released when the crops were harvested and they had to be destroyed or they would take revenge on the farmers who harvested them. Some of the harvest festivals celebrated the defeat of these spirits.

Harvest festivals and thanksgiving celebrations were held by the ancient Greeks, the Romans, the Hebrews, the Chinese, and the Egyptians.

The Greeks
The ancient Greeks worshipped many gods and goddesses. Their goddess of corn (actually all grains) was Demeter who was honored at the festival of Thesmosphoria held each autumn.
On the first day of the festival married women (possibility connecting childbearing and the raising of crops) would build leafy shelters and furnish them with couches made with plants. On the second day they fasted. On the third day a feast was held and offerings to the goddess Demeter were made - gifts of seed corn, cakes, fruit, and pigs. It was hoped that Demeter's gratitude would grant them a good harvest.

The Romans
The Romans also celebrated a harvest festival called Cerelia, which honored Ceres their goddess of corn (from which the word cereal comes). The festival was held each year on October 4th and offerings of the first fruits of the harvest and pigs were offered to Ceres. Their celebration included music, parades, games and sports and a thanksgiving feast.

The Chinese
The ancient Chinese celebrated their harvest festival, Chung Ch'ui, with the full moon that fell on the 15th day of the 8th month. This day was considered the birthday of the moon and special "moon cakes", round and yellow like the moon, would be baked. Each cake was stamped with the picture of a rabbit - as it was a rabbit, not a man, which the Chinese saw on the face of the moon.

The families ate a thanksgiving meal and feasted on roasted pig, harvested fruits and the "moon cakes". It was believed that during the 3 day festival flowers would fall from the moon and those who saw them would be rewarded with good fortune.

According to legend Chung Ch'ui also gave thanks for another special occasion. China had been conquered by enemy armies who took control of the Chinese homes and food. The Chinese found themselves homeless and with no food. Many staved. In order to free themselves they decided to attack the invaders.

The women baked special moon cakes which were distributed to every family. In each cake was a secret message which contained the time for the attack. When the time came the invaders were surprised and easily defeated. Every year moon cakes are eaten in memory of this victory.

The Hebrews
Jewish families also celebrate a harvest festival called Sukkoth. Taking place each autumn, Sukkoth has been celebrated for over 3000 years.

Sukkoth is know by 2 names - Hag ha Succot - the Feast of the Tabernacles and Hag ha Asif - the Feast of Ingathering. Sukkoth begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Tishri, 5 days after Yom Kippur the most solemn day of the Jewish year.

Sukkoth is named for the huts (succots) that Moses and the Israelites lived in as they wandered the desert for 40 years before they reached the Promised Land. These huts were made of branches and were easy to assemble, take apart, and carry as the Israelites wandered through the desert.

When celebrating Sukkoth, which lasts for 8 days, the Jewish people build small huts of branches which recall the tabernacles of their ancestors. These huts are constructed as temporary shelters, as the branches are not driven into the ground and the roof is covered with foliage which is spaced to let the light in. Inside the huts are hung fruits and vegetables, including apples, grapes, corn, and pomegranates. On the first 2 nights of Sukkoth the families eat their meals in the huts under the evening sky.

The Egyptians
The ancient Egyptians celebrated their harvest festival in honor of Min, their god of vegetation and fertility. The festival was held in the springtime, the Egyptian's harvest season.
The festival of Min featured a parade in which the Pharaoh took part. After the parade a great feast was held. Music, dancing, and sports were also part of the celebration.
When the Egyptian farmers harvested their corn, they wept and pretended to be grief-stricken. This was to deceive the spirit which they believed lived in the corn. They feared the spirit would become angry when the farmers cut down the corn where it lived.

The United States
In 1621, after a hard and devastating first year in the New World the Pilgrim's fall harvest was very successful and plentiful. There was corn, fruits, vegetables, along with fish which was packed in salt, and meat that was smoke cured over fires. They found they had enough food to put away for the winter.

The Pilgrims had beaten the odds. They built homes in the wilderness, they raised enough crops to keep them alive during the long coming winter, and they were at peace with their Indian neighbors. Their Governor, William Bradford, proclaimed a day of thanksgiving that was to be shared by all the colonists and the neighboring Native American Indians.
The custom of an annually celebrated thanksgiving, held after the harvest, continued through the years. During the American Revolution (late 1770's) a day of national thanksgiving was suggested by the Continental Congress.

In 1817 New York State adopted Thanksgiving Day as an annual custom. By the middle of the 19th century many other states also celebrated a Thanksgiving Day. In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln appointed a national day of thanksgiving. Since then each president has issued a Thanksgiving Day proclamation, usually designating the fourth Thursday of each November as the holiday.

Canada
Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated on the second Monday in October. Observance of the day began in 1879.

The Thanksgiving Turkey

Of all the Thanksgiving symbols the Turkey has become the most well known. The wild turkey is native to northern Mexico and the eastern United States

The turkey has brown features with buff-colored feathers on the tips of the wing and on the tail. The male turkey is called a Tom and, as with most birds, is bigger and has brighter and more colorful plumage. The female is called a Hen and is generally smaller and drab in color. The Tom turkey has a long wattle (a fleshy, wrinkled, brightly colored fold of skin hanging from the neck or throat)at the base of its bill and additional wattles on the neck, as well as a prominent tuft of bristles resembling a beard projecting downward from its chest.

The turkey was originally domesticated in Mexico, and was brought into Europe early in the 16th century. Since that time, turkeys have been extensively raised because of the excellent quality of their meat and eggs. Some of the common breeds of turkey in the United States are the Bronze, Narragansett, White Holland, and Bourbon Red.

Though there is no real evidence that turkey was served at the Pilgrim's first thanksgiving, in a book written by the Pilgrim's Governor Bradford he does make mention of wild turkeys. In a letter sent to England, another Pilgrim describes how the governor sent "four men out fowling" returning with turkeys, ducks and geese.

Benjamin Franklin
"I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen as the representative of our country: he is a Bird of bad moral character: like those among Men who live by Sharping and Robbing, he is generally poor and very often lousy.
The Turkey is a much more respectable Bird and withal a true original Native of North America"

THE STORY

DISCONTENT WITH THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND:

In the early 1600's the government of England would only allow its citizens to belong to one church known as The Church of England. Because the government in England had little tolerance for religious freedom, some people who wanted to make religion "pure" again left for Holland in 1609. The "Puritans" lived and prospered in Holland, however, they became concerned when their children began speaking Dutch and became attached to the Dutch way of life.

THE VOYAGE:

So, on September 6, 1620 the Pilgrims, and an unknown number of crew members, boarded the Mayflower to travel to the New World. The passenger list included Pilgrims, also know as the "saints" and others, whom the Pilgrims called the "strangers". The trip to the new world took several weeks. Because the ship was made of wood, the passengers could not build a fire, so the food had to be eaten cold. Many of the passengers became sick and some even died. This long trip led to many disagreements between the Saints and the Strangers.

THE MAYFLOWER COMPACT:

After land was sighted a meeting was held and an agreement, called the Mayflower Compact, was written. The Mayflower Compact guaranteed each group equality and joined the two groups together, all to be known as the Pilgrims.

THE FIRST WINTER:

Due to the long voyage, the Mayflower landed at Plymouth, north of Cape Cod, Massachusetts in November. This was very bad timing as the Pilgrims did not have time to plant food for the winter. The first winter was very harsh for the new settlers. The cold temperatures and snow interfered as the Pilgrims tried to construct their settlement. Out of the original group of Pilgrims, only about half survived the first winter.

THE INDIANS:

On March 16, 1621 an Indian named Samoset arrived at the settlement and frightened the Pilgrims until he called out "Welcome" in English. Although the Pilgrims and Samoset had a difficult time communicating, he did stay for awhile and even spent the night. Samoset left the next day and returned a few days later with an English speaking Indian named Squanto. Squanto taught the Pilgrims how to hunt, fish and grow corn.

THE FIRST THANKSGIVING:

Because of Squanto's help, the Pilgrims had a very successful harvest in October and had plenty of food for the upcoming winter. The Pilgrim's Governor William Bradford proclaimed a day of celebration and thanksgiving sometime in the middle of October. The Pilgrims invited Squanto and many other Indains to join in the celebration. The Thanksgiving feast lasted for three days.

CONTINUATION OF THE CELEBRATION OF THANKSGIVING:

The custom of celebrating after harvest time became an annual event. However, it was not until 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln officially proclaimed the last Thursday in November a national day of Thanksgiving. On November 26, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared the fourth Thursday in November as a national Thanksgiving holiday.

Jokes

A lady was picking through the frozen turkeys at the grocery store, but couldn't find one fresh enough for her family. She asked the stock boy, "Don't you have fresh turkeys?" The stock boy answered, "But they are all dead. Now how can I make them take a bath?"

What did the mama turkey say to her naughty son?
If your papa could see you now, he'd turn over in his gravy!

Asked to write a composition entitled, "What I'm thankful for on Thanksgiving,"
little Timothy wrote, "I am thankful that I'm not a turkey."

Day of Dead

2007-11-01T12:17:00.000-07:00

Day of The Dead
Mexico celebrates a yearly tradition called Day of the Dead during the last days of October and the first days of November. Due to the duration of this festivity and the way people get involved it has been called “The Cult of Death.”

As in many Latin American countries, Mexico commemorates the Day of the Dead or All Souls’ Day on November 2nd. The legacy of past civilizations is graphically manifested on this occasion through people’s beliefs that death is a transition from one life to another in different levels where communication exists between the living and the dead. This communication takes place once a year throughout the country.

Differing from the Roman Catholic imposed ritual to commemorate All Souls’ Day, which is observed in many countries, the custom established by pre-colonial Mexican civilizations become a ceremony where indigenous beliefs blended with Catholic beliefs. Therefore, the Day of the Dead in Mexico is not a mournful commemoration but a happy and colorful celebration where death takes a lively, friendly expression.

Indigenous people believed that souls did not die, that they continued living in Mictlan, a special place to rest. In this place, the spirits rest until the day they could return to their homes to visit their relatives. Before the Spaniards arrived, they celebrated the return of the souls between the months of July and August. Once arrived, the Spaniards changed the festivities to November 2nd to coincide with All Souls’ Day of the Catholic Church.

Presently, two celebrations honoring the memory of loved ones who have died take place: On November 1st, the souls of the children are honored with special designs in the altars, using color white on flowers and candles. On November 2nd the souls of the adults are remembered with a variety of rituals, according to the different states of the Mexican republic.

The celebrations of Day of the Dead or All Souls Day are referred to differently in some of the states. For example in Yucatan it is known as Hanal Pixan which means “The path of the soul through the essence of food;” in the highlands of Michoacan it is known as Jimbanqua or the party honoring with flowers the people who died that year; in San Luis Potosi, Hidalgo and in the southern part of Oaxaca it is known as Xantolo and Day of the Dead in the majority of Mexico. Whatever name is given, this is an ancestral tradition that blended with Catholicism to create a special time and space to remember and honor the loved ones by offering them an ofrenda, the fragrance of the flowers, the light of the candles, the aroma of special foods and the solemnity of prayers.
It is also a time to joke and make fun of death through “calaveras”, poetry allusive to a particular person, generally politicians; sugar, chocolate and amaranth skulls which are given to one another with their friend’s name so “they can eat their own death” and special crafts allusive to different aspects of the living, with skeletons representing daily activities.

People start getting ready for the celebration on the third week of October with the harvesting of the cempasuchitl flower, also known as the flower of the twenty petals or the flower of the dead which is sold in the market place or Tianguis, where the family goes to buy everything that they will need to put on the altar. On the altar they will place the ofrendas of fruits, vegetables and the special dishes prepared for the soul to enjoy the essence of the aroma of the food. This altar will also have items that once belonged to the deceased.

On November 1st in many towns the ritual of the Vigil of the Little Angels takes place in the cemeteries, particularly in the islands of Janitzio and La Pacanda in Lake Patzcuaro, Michoacan. Little girls dressed in satin blouses and colored skirts, white stockings and shiny shoes are the center of this ceremony. Wearing the white pinafore, an important piece of the Tarascan feminine attire, the girls calmly comply with the tradition while they are observed from a certain distance by their parents. This is the way the tradition is passed down from generation to generation.

On November 2nd, the souls of the adults are honored in their homes with beautifully decorated altars. Each state has different styles but all of them represent a place where the ofrenda becomes a spiritual communion between life and death. Again, in each state the making of the altar and the rituals are different.

The celebration concludes in many towns with the vigil in the cemetery. In some places the vigil is done during the whole night of November 1st to November 2nd. In other towns the vigil is done during the day. Mysticism is the rule in the cemeteries, but in many of them music is also part of the ritual that combines religious prayers with the sounds of the trumpet playing a tune by a Mariachi band. In others it is a trio that sings a song by the tomb or in some cases even a band plays danzones at the entrance of the cemetery. Ritualistic dances are also part of the celebrations in many places honoring the deceased.

Whichever way is celebrated, Day of the Dead is a time of reflection about the meaning of life and the mission that one needs to fulfill. Death in many situations imparts a feeling of pain and loss, particularly for those who do not know the purpose of their path on this earthly plane. For others, death is transcendence, transformation and resurrection. During the celebration of Day of the Dead all those feelings and beliefs come together in a season that brings to life the memory of the loved ones.

Taken from Day of Dead Blog at:

http://www.dayofthedeadblog.com/

By Mary J. Andrade.

Pan de Muerto, "Bread of the Dead"

In celebration of Mexico's Day of the Dead, this bread is often shaped into skulls or round loaves with strips of dough rolled out and attached to resemble bones.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
5 to 5-1/2 cups flour
2 packages dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon whole anise seed
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
In a saucepan over medium flame, heat the butter, milk and water until very warm but not boiling.
Meanwhile, measure out 1-1/2 cups flour and set the rest aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the 1-1/2 cups flour, yeast, salt, anise seed and sugar. Beat in the warm liquid until well combined. Add the eggs and beat in another 1 cup of flour. Continue adding more flour until dough is soft but not sticky. Knead on lightly floured board for ten minutes until smooth and elastic.
Lightly grease a bowl and place dough in it, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1-1/2 hours. Punch the dough down and shape into loaves resembling skulls, skeletons or round loaves with "bones" placed ornamentally around the top. Let these loaves rise for 1 hour.
Bake in a preheated 350 F degree oven for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and paint on glaze.
Glaze
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, then apply to bread with a pastry brush.
If desired, sprinkle on colored sugar while glaze is still damp.
Days of the Dead
About the Day of the Dead
T'ant'a Wawas, Andean All Saints' Day Bread
Halloween and Days of the Dead
Also visit the Global Gourmet's Mexico and main Halloween pages.
This page originally published as part of the electronic Gourmet Guide between 1994 and 1998.

HALLOWEEN

2007-10-31T21:01:00.000-07:00

Halloween

Halloween, or Hallowe'en, is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31. Traditional activities include trick-or-treating, bonfires, costume parties, visiting "haunted houses" and carving jack-o-lanterns. The term Halloween (and its alternative rendering Hallowe'en) is shortened from All-hallow-even, as it is the eve of "All Hallows' Day", also which is now known as All Saints' Day. Some modern Halloween traditions developed out of older pagan traditions, especially surrounding the Irish holiday Samhain, a day associated both with the harvest and otherworldly spirits. Irish and Scottish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America in the nineteenth century. Other western countries embraced the holiday in the late twentieth century. Halloween is now celebrated in several parts of the Western world, most commonly in Ireland, the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom and occasionally in parts of Australia and New Zealand.

Many European cultural traditions, in particular Celtic cultures, hold that Halloween is one of the liminal times of the year when spirits can make contact with the physical world, and when magic is most potent (according to, for example, Catalan mythology about witches and Scottish and Irish tales of the Sídhe).

History
The modern holiday of Halloween has its origins in the ancient Gaelic festival known as Samhain (pronounced /ˈsˠaunʲ/ from the Old Irish samain). The festival of Samhain is a celebration of the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture, and is sometimes erroneously regarded as the "Celtic New Year". Traditionally, the festival was a time used by the ancient pagans to take stock of supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead overlapped and the deceased would come back to life and cause havoc such as sickness or damaged crops. The festivals would frequently involve bonfires, where the bones of slaughtered livestock were thrown. Costumes and masks were also worn at the festivals in an attempt to mimic the evil spirits or placate them. When the Romans occupied Celtic territory, several Roman traditions were also incorporated into the festivals. Feralia, a day celebrated in late October by the Romans for the passing of the dead as well as a festival which celebrated the Roman Goddess Pomona, the goddess of fruit were incorporated into the celebrations. The symbol of Pomona was an apple, which is a proposed origin for the tradition of bobbing for apples on Halloween.

History of name
The term Halloween (and its alternative rendering Hallowe'en) is shortened from All-hallow-even, as it is the eve of "All Hallows' Day", also which is now known as All Saints' Day. It was a day of religious festivities in various northern European Pagan traditions, until Popes Gregory III and Gregory IV moved the old Christian feast of All Saints' Day from May 13 to November 1. In the ninth century, the Church measured the day as starting at sunset, in accordance with the Florentine calendar. Although All Saints' Day is now considered to occur one day after Halloween, the two holidays were, at that time, celebrated on the same day. Liturgically, the Church traditionally celebrated that day as the Vigil of All Saints, and, until 1970, a day of fasting as well. Like other vigils, it was celebrated on the previous day if it fell on a Sunday, although secular celebrations of the holiday remained on the 31st. The Vigil was suppressed in 1955, but was later restored in the post-Vatican II calendar.

Symbols

Jack-o'-lanterns are often carved into silly or scary faces.The carved pumpkin, lit by a candle inside, is one of Halloween's most prominent symbols. This is a Scottish and Irish tradition of carving a lantern which goes back centuries. These lanterns are usually carved from a turnip or swede (or more uncommonly a mangelwurzel). The carving of pumpkins was first associated with Halloween in North America, where the pumpkin was available, and much larger and easier to carve. Many families that celebrate Halloween carve a pumpkin into a frightening or comical face and place it on their home's doorstep after dark.

The jack-o'-lantern can be traced back to the Irish legend of Stingy Jack, a greedy, gambling, hard drinking old farmer who tricked the devil into climbing a tree, and trapped him by carving a cross into the trunk of the tree. In revenge, the devil placed a curse on Jack which dooms him to forever wander the earth at night. For centuries, the bedtime parable was told by Irish parents to their children. But in America the tradition of carving pumpkins is known to have preceded the Great Famine period of Irish immigration, and the tradition of carving vegetable lanterns may also have been brought over by the Scottish or English; documentation is unavailable to establish when or by whom. The carved pumpkin was associated generally with harvest time in America, and did not become specifically associated with Halloween until the mid to late 19th century.

The imagery surrounding Halloween is largely an amalgamation of the Halloween season itself, nearly a century of work from American filmmakers and graphic artists, and a rather commercialized take on the dark and mysterious. Halloween imagery tends to involve death, magic, or mythical monsters. Common Halloween characters include ghosts, ghouls, witches, vampires, bats, owls, crows, vultures, haunted houses, pumpkinmen, black cats, aliens, spiders, goblins, zombies, mummies, skeletons, and demons. Particularly in America, symbolism is inspired by classic horror films, which contain fictional figures like Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, and The Mummy. More modern horror antagonists like Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, Leatherface, Jason Voorhees, and the Jigsaw Killer have also become associated with the holiday. Homes are often decorated with these symbols around Halloween.

Black and orange are the traditional colors of Halloween.

Taken from Wikipidia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween

KERMESSE

2007-10-28T17:35:00.000-07:00
OCTOBER 2007

Instituto de Inglés “América”

27th. ANNIVERSARY

GET IN TOUCH WITH US TO CELEBRATE OUR MOST IMPORTANT DATE!!!

Take a look at the Kermesse!

Look! Are you there? Contests

2007-10-06T13:02:00.000-07:00

WORKS FOR THE COMPOSITION CONTEST

CHECK THEM AND GIVE YOUR OPINIONS.

CELEBRACIÓN DEL 27 ANIVERSARIO
DEL INSTITUTO DE INGLÉS
“AMÉRICA”
OCTUBRE DE 2007
26 de Octubre - Concurso de Artículo “¿Por qué estudio Inglés?” (Why do I study English?) En este concurso podrán participar todos los estudiantes de Institutos de Inglés “América” que envíen sus artículos antes del día 31 (se amplía el plazo para enviar sus trabajos) de Octubre a nuestro e-mail iameryk@yahoo.com . El artículo deberá ser escrito en Inglés y no mayor a una pagina tamaño carta. El artículo será publicado en nuestra revista Why? Y en el blog de la misma.

Para: iameryk@yahoo.com
Asunto: Homework
De: martin_perez@reacsa.com.mx Fecha: Fri, 26 Oct 2007 02:33:54 +0000

Why do I study English?

In my early years i stopped my studies because in my house we didn't have money to pay the studies for tow people. So I decided that my brother continued his studies and I work.

In the personal, all the people have a goal but when you have your children and you have to take them a head there isn’t another form only working and I teach them a good way and what is the best way than to be prepared with a language such important as the English

It is when you realize that money can not stop you and you do the impossible to learn.

Martin Perez is student of the 1st. Level Advanced Course 8 to 9 p.m. Plantel La La Paz Centro

Fecha: Thu, 25 Oct 2007 23:02:26 -0500
Asunto: WHY DO I STUDY ENGLISH?
De: "LOYA FLORES JUAN"
Para: "iameryk"

WHY DO I STUDY ENGLISH?

Because to know this language for my is important; since to master the English is fundamental and it will support the attention to my customers, a professional performance, and in the same way in the job.

Because it is a challenge for the personal and professional development.

Because it is equal to depend on the skill of the English Language that of an elementary knowledge or profession.

Because Nobody will soon be able to live, in these difficult and competitive times, with only the preparation of the school.

Because in the developed countries, it is already a reality the learning of English in all the levels of education, it is obligatory.

Because each time, the exigencies of the employers are bigger and the competition has been increased between those who struggle to find a job.

Because also at home, and even in the daily tasks, knowing English aids, having the solution in the directions for the user, we could not take advantage of them because it was written in English.

In order to conclude, I say that I study English to increase my communicational abilities, that combined with our other capacities, could have better qualities of life.

For those reasons I study English.

Ing. Juan Loya Flores

Juan Loya is student of the 1st. Level Advanced Course 8 to 9 p.m. Plantel La La Paz Centro

Fecha: Fri, 26 Oct 2007 08:12:26 -0700 (PDT)
De: "Luis Antonio Lopez Santos"
Asunto: carta de ingles de LuisAntonio Lopez Santos
Para: iameryk@yahoo.com

SOME OF MY CHALLENGES

I am studing English because it is a challenge for my life, the language is important for the people in all the world , we have a potential neighbor, it is United Estate and we have to take advantage of this condition, because today we are global economy, it is necessary to be prepared to compete.

I am Civil Engineer and I working with Americans people almost always, today I am speaking a little English , but before I had to get a translator, I watched all people who speak English have a good work, so is needed to study and get prepared.

I want to be an example for my family, to show them we can learn a language, and my children going to study in the future, because your future will to compete.

I recommended all people, to try studying some language, the language is culture and it opens our minds to other cultures, the world is big an everybody has the opportunity to know there are many countries around the world and some have different languages.

I think we have to life the present, but to think on the future, only the best prepared will arrive at the top.
Luis Antonio Lopez Santos.

Luis Lopez is student of the 1st. Level Advanced Course 8 to 9 p.m. Plantel La La Paz Centro

De: "Carolina Lucero Aviles"
Para: iameryk@yahoo.com
Asunto: homework
Fecha: Fri, 26 Oct 2007 15:49:15 +0000

WHY DO STUDY ENGLISH?
I study English, because it is a language that I like and I think that the English is one of the most important languages in the world.When I decided to study English I did it thinking in my personal overcoming, too.For me it is very important that I can finish the English course, it is my goal.I know that when I speak English very well, I’ll have more opportunities to work, and i will be able to communicate with people from other countries.I'm married woman and sometimes it is complicated, to combine work, family and to study, and at the end of the day, we only think in resting.But I finish the day studying and for me every day is like the first day of classes, when I arrive at the classroom, I always do it with enthusiasm to learn a new word each day.When I was younger, I didn't have the opportunity to study English, but I think that it is never late, when you want to overcome and go ahead.I'm proud of my family, because they have always support me.So, I study English, because in the future, I’ll have more benefits for me and my family.And.........above all I want that my daughters feel proud of me. Carol Lucero

Carolina Lucero is student of the 1st. Level Advanced Course 8 to 9 p.m. Plantel La La Paz Centro

De: "francisco romero"
Para: iameryk@yahoo.com
Asunto:
Fecha: Fri, 26 Oct 2007 12:34:22 -0500

Why do I study English

I first wanted to study English not to be late in the secondary one. and because I want to study medicine. Also because my aunt and cousins who live in the United States have wanted me to take with them but nowise I to speak English and for that reason she did not accept and now who or a little but that goes but times my favorite programs sometimes I wan

But also because now in English it is necessary so that in any work one takes care English because wanted a pastime but sometimes invited to me to go to the cinema because went every week but by the English no longer I go and for that reason the desire take off to attend the English to attend or sometimes no.

Also the works in equipment of my school sometimes I cannot do them so that my breast does not leave me lacks to the English so that she says that if I lack she is like wasting money

Francisco Romero is student of the 1st. Level Intermediate Course 6 to 7 p.m. Plantel La La Paz Centro

De: "paul antonio preciado gonzalez"
Para: iameryk@yahoo.com
Asunto: tarea?
Fecha: Sat, 27 Oct 2007 00:08:22 +0000

Why do I study English?

I am studying English because one day at 4:50 p.m. my father said me “Paul..!! You are going to English class the next week” what?? I said. I don’t want to go to the English class!! And my father said me “sorry you are inscribed in a English school, no! I shouted. But my father say that “the English is very important” because one day when I want to work in some place I will need it, or when I go out to other country I will need the English. Now I know that the English is very important.

Paul Preciado is student of the 2nd. Level Advanced Course 8 to 9 p.m. Plantel La La Paz Centro

De: neemnrood manfred hamburgo fragoso (lokitodelakobija@hotmail.com)
Enviado: viernes, 26 de octubre de 2007 12:05:01 p.m.
Para: iamericapc@hotmail.com

Why do I study English?

I study English because my sisters studied English here and my sister works, she uses the English and the English helps her. My mother wanted me to study English, because I want to work in the future. The English helps you to accomplish all you want. I want to be prepared to have the best job. I think that knowing other language is very important because it helps you. I want to know this language because in this place is visited many tourists and we can to help the tourists.

Neemnrood Manfred Hamburgo Fragoso is student of the 2nd. Level Intermediate course 4 to 5, Plantel La Paz Centro.

De: Brianna Marielle Hamburgo Fragoso (princess_briannita95@hotmail.com)
Enviado: viernes, 26 de octubre de 2007 12:15:00 p.m.
Para: iamericapc@hotmail.com

Why do I study English?

I have always dreamed that I’m a big worker and I have a great occupation without a problem. All the people want to obtain a good job but unfortunately the people don’t always counts with all the resources to do it. In order to get a good job the English is the principal thing to obtain it. That’s why I wanted to learn English the way I’m learning, to obtain a good job and be a good person with a fabulous job in the future. The English is something very fun too, because you learn other things that you don’t know. I wish that all the people wanted to learn English because that is the key of all the doors, and have a good future.

Brianna Hamburgo Fragoso is student of the 2nd. Level Intermediate Course 4 to 5, Plantel La Paz Centro.

De:Rôsà Lopez Rivera"
Para: iameryk@yahoo.com
Asunto: WHY DO I STUDY ENGLISH?
Fecha: Sat, 27 Oct 2007 16:56:30 -0700

I have been studying English for two years; to be honest I don’t like this language so much. Before I denied to learn it, because I thought it was really difficult and I was so angry that always I said to my mom "why should I have to learn English, shouldn’t it be better if the foreigners learn Spanish? I also said that it will be better if the entire world learned some new and easy language.But to be realistic I know it could never happened anyway today I’m more conscientious of the importance about speaking English, I can say a lot of reasons about why study English , the first for me is the necessity , for my future on my carrier, if I travel , to meet foreign people or just to learn new things.
I can say that now I want to speak English and I hope that I can do it soon.

Rosa Jarumy López Rivera is student of the 2nd. Level Intermediate Course 4 to 5 p.m. Plantel La Paz Centro.

De:"el chory"
Para: iameryk@yahoo.com
Asunto: aystah!
Fecha: Mon, 29 Oct 2007 19:30:12 -0700

Why do I study English?

I think that I study English because I like this language; in fact, I like it more than Spanish language. I like reading skate, surf and motocross magazines so much, and I Would like talking to the foreigners and get a job related to the sea where I can grow my English. Over all, I would like to know a pretty chick to take a ride by the World. When I was younger I saw many words on the shop-windows and stickers on the cars and I said,
“ah?”.
So, that’s why I decided to study English.

Eduardo Beltran is student of the 3rd. Level Basic Course 9 to 10 a.m. Plantel La Paz Centro.

De:"amanda vidales lopez"
Para: iameryk@yahoo.com
Asunto: Homework
Fecha: Tue, 30 Oct 2007 08:59:02 -0700

Why do I study English?

I study English because it is very important for my profession, my carrier and my economy it’s the universal language in the world. Any where that you go you can speak English. If I learn English I can communicate with my friends that live in United States of America with no problem of translation. The English helps me to do it better in my school. There are many foreign people in my city so I have more customers and more work and this increases my income.

Amanda Vidales is student of the 3rd. Level Basic Course 9 to 10 a.m. Plantel La Paz Centro.

OCTOBER 2007
Instituto de Inglés “América”
27th. ANNIVERSARY
GET IN TOUCH WITH US TO CELEBRATE OUR MOST IMPORTANT DATE!!!

Current students at our schools

Instituto de Inglés América

Celebrates its 27th. Anniversary working!

Why? ...it´s our project!

COMING SOON

2007-10-05T17:10:00.000-07:00
Why? ...it´s our project¡
This our gazette at Instituto de Inglés América