WRITTEN IN BOTH SPANISH AND ENGLISH SO YOU CAN ALL ENJOY!!! EN ESPAÑOL Y INGLES CON TODOS EN MENTE

Hallan fósil de dinosaurio con cuatro alas
Investigadores chinos han desenterrado el fósil de un dinosaurio con aspecto de pájaro con cuatro alas en el noreste de China, que según sugieren es un eslabón perdido en la evolución de los dinosaurios hacia las aves.En un artículo de una revista local, los investigadores dijeron que encontraron el fósil, bien conservado, del "Anchiornis huxleyi", que vagó por la tierra hace unos 160 millones de años, en una formación geológica en la provincia de Liaoning.Con un tamaño parecido al de una gallina, el cuerpo del fósil tiene una longitud total de menos de 50 centímetros, y un cráneo de unos seis centímetros de largo, detalló el principal investigador, Xing Xu, en la Academia China de Ciencia en Pekín, en un correo electrónico.En un comunicado, los investigadores explicaron: "Largas plumas cubren los brazos y cola, pero también los pies, lo que sugiere que pudo haber existido una fase de cuatro alas en la transición hacia las aves".La transición de los dinosaurios a los pájaros sigue sin conocerse muy bien por la falta de fósiles bien conservados, sin embargo, científicos dicen que los dinosaurios parecidos a las aves aparecen demasiado tarde en el registro de fósiles para ser el verdadero antecesor de los pájaros.

Fossil of dinosaur fossil with four wings found
Chinese researchers have unearthed the fossil of a dinosaur-like bird with four wings in northeast China, which they suggest is a missing link in the evolution of dinosaurs and birds.In an article in a local magazine, the researchers said they found the fossil of the "Anchiornis huxleyi well preserved. This dinosaur roamed the earth some 160 million years ago, in a geological formation in Liaoning province.With a size similar to a chicken, the body of the fossil has a total length of less than 50 cm, and a skull of about six inches long, detailed the principal investigator, Xing Xu, the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, in an email.In a statement, the researchers explained: "Long feathers cover the arms and tail, but also the feet, suggesting he could have been a four-winged stage in the transition to birds."The transition from dinosaurs to birds very well remains unknown due to the lack of well-preserved fossils, but scientists say the bird-like dinosaurs appear too late in the fossil record to be the true ancestor of birds.

CARNIVAL IN BELIZE 2009

HEALTHY EATING!!!!

10 Easy Tips to Boost Fiber
By EatingWell , EatingWell.com

Eating enough fiber is important for helping to prevent chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer. Research also suggests that consuming fiber-rich foods might boost weight loss by helping you to feel fuller after you eat. But most of us eat only about half as much fiber as we should. Nutrition guidelines recommend 25 to 38 grams per day; the average American consumes only about 14 grams. It’s not hard to boost your fiber intake. Do it easily with these 10 simple tips.

Choose whole fruits. Pure fruit juice, though often rich in the same vitamins, minerals and disease-fighting phytochemicals as the whole fruits it’s made from, doesn’t contain fiber. Most fruits contain between 2 and 8 grams of fiber.

Eat beans. Beans are a terrific source of fiber: a half cup of cooked navy beans packs a whopping 7 grams of fiber, while the same amount of lentils and kidney beans provide 8 and 6 grams, respectively. Much of this fiber is the soluble kind that benefits blood cholesterol levels. Add beans to soups and salads; serve them as a side with dinner.

Buy a better breakfast cereal. There are plenty of tasty fiber-rich cereals out there. Shop around until you find one that you enjoy that also provides at least 8 grams of fiber per serving.

Go for whole-wheat pizza crust. You’ll boost your fiber intake by 50 percent. Many pizza joints are offering to serve their pies on whole-wheat dough. Also, whole-wheat pizza dough—fresh or frozen—and premade whole-wheat crusts are widely available in large supermarkets.

Switch to whole-wheat pasta. Or, if you’re reluctant to make the switch directly to whole-wheat pasta, transition over by starting with a whole-wheat/white blend.

Trade white potatoes in for something sweeter. Sweet potatoes deliver double the fiber of white potatoes. Roast them with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt; add them to stews.

Choose your daily bread wisely. Look for whole-grain breads that provide at least 3 grams of fiber per slice.

Eat from an edible bowl. All squash varieties are rich in fiber; some make perfect serving bowls. Hollow out a buttercup squash half and use it to serve a veggie-rich soup or stew. Once you’ve reached the bottom, you can dig into the fiber-rich bowl for "dessert."

Snack on popcorn. The crunchy whole-grain snack satisfies a "salty" tooth. Four cups of air-popped corn (120 calories) delivers 5 grams of fiber.

Bring on berries. Raspberries, blackberries and blueberries are all great sources of fiber (8 grams per cup). Off-season, frozen berries are more widely available and less expensive than fresh ones. Keep a bag or two in the freezer for a quick, healthy snack. Spread the frozen berries on a baking sheet to thaw for half an hour before adding a handful to fat-free yogurt or stirring into your oatmeal.

KNOWLEDGE IS ALL YOU NEED TO GROW WITH

Is typing good for you?
There are 110 calories per hour consumed during an hour of typing -- only 30 more than those used while sleeping.

How did Gothic architecture get its name?
Gothic was originally a term of criticism among the Italian Renaissance artists who coined it. The term implied that, compared to superior classical buildings, the Gothic medieval cathedrals were so crude that only a Goth could produce them. By indirectly condemning the Goths, the Italian architects revived an old hatred. The southward migration of these warring, loathsome German barbarians in the fifth century A.D. had contributed to the decline of ancient Rome.

Is Lake Erie higher?
Lake Erie is about 326 feet higher than Lake Ontario. The Welland Canal provides a navigable waterway between the two. The Canal stretches 27 miles and uses 8 locks to raise and lower the ships. More than 3,000 ships pass through the waterway annually.

How large is the Hermitage?
The world's largest art gallery is the Winter Palace and Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia. Visitors would have to walk 15 miles to see the 322 galleries which house nearly 3 million works of art.


Who put the sweetener in the chewing gum?
Sugar was first added to chewing gum in 1869 by a dentist (William Semple).

VOCABULARY FOR Sept 24, 2009

Today's Word "Panacea"
panacea \pae-neh-SEE-eh\ (noun) - A remedy for everything, for all problems or difficulties; a cure-all, a catholicon. "What's wrong with producing a 'panacea for all human woes' or 'the secret of human happiness?'" -- Will Ferguson, 'Happiness' From Latin "panacea," a herb Romans believed could cure all diseases. The word was borrowed from Greek panakeia "universal cure," the feminine of the adjective panakeios "all-healing" from pan "all" + akos "cure." The Greek adjective pan "all" also appears in Pandaemonium, the all-demon city in the Hell of Milton's 'Paradise Lost.' It is productively used to create adjectives like "pan-Arab," "pan-African," "pan-American," whose abbreviation, "Panam" underlies the name of Panama. "Pan" can also be seen in panegyric "elaborate oration of praise" from Greek panegyris "public festival," originally based on pan- + agora "assembly" + -ikos "ic."

AND CARNIVAL PRESENT IN COROZAL, 2009

Scenes of Carnival Past in Corozal

As we look at these pictures of Carnival, I take great pleasure in wishing every Belizean a HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!! We are now 28 and we are moving slowly but surely to better times. Three cheers for Belize. Three cheers for the blue, white and red. Three cheers for freedom. Three cheers for Corozal!!!! Hip Hip Hooray!!! Hip Hip Hooray!!! Hip Hip Hooray!!!

CARNIVAL DAY... A HISTORY IN THE MAKING OF CARNIVAL BELIZE STYLE

I have taken this article from BELIZEAN JOURNEYS. It was written by P. Arana and covers the carnival history in Belize so well that I just had to make sure more people read. it. Thanks to P. Arana. You aere a proud image of Belize!!!

Every so often one, but usually more, of the eager spectators stops and peers down the street, scanning the horizon expectantly for signs. This extended glance is usually followed closely by similar gazes down the line in domino-like effect until, of course, a police car is spotted. At this time, excited whispers will ripple along the line like shivers down a spine. Unuttered, but at the back of everyone's mind, are the words: "Let the partying begin!"
Born as the Latin pagan custom, carrus navalis (ship of fools) in which a magnificently-decorated ship on wheels was pulled to the temples, it grew into the Italian carne (flesh or meat) vale (goodbye) in which agitators unmanageable by the Church, celebrated Bacchanal. The day of unbridled merrymaking so named in honor of Bacchus (Roman god of wine), marked Shrove Tuesday (also known as Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras), the eve of Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the forty Lenten days of eating, drinking and sexual restrictions.

In some parts of the world, that's how carnival started; but in Belize, it was five spirited women who gave birth to the movement. In 1975 Ms. Crystal, Ms. June, Ms. Alice, Ms. Maude and Ms. Myrtle got together on a Sunday as they had done on numerous occasions before that. What was different on this particular afternoon social was the heated discussion of how to spice up the Tenth of September Celebrations. They left bubbling with the excitement of an idea that was still brewing in their heads. None of them envisioned that an acronym formed from their names, C-JAMM, would one day become a household September word in Belize.

Calling themselves the Belize Women for Cultural Preservation, the five mothers from Sixth Street in the King's Park area of Belize City sold their idea to their children, who in turn brought neighborhood friends. That September the costumed group danced through the main streets of Belize City, inadvertently selling their show; the rest of Belize City bought into it. In fact, the concept created such an impression that for the next 25 years, the "Sixth Street Masqueraders", as they were dubbed, saw more neighborhoods forming bands, creating costumes and floats to join in the Carnival parade.

Today, during the designated day in September, 70,000 plus inhabitants and visitors line the streets of Belize City, from Central American Boulevard to the Marion Jones Sporting Complex, to witness the spectacle. As you elbow your way through the crowd, slicing trough the excitement hanging in the air, a few people mumble in protest. Once you move on, though, they return to their happy chatter, assured that no brazen latecomer has succeeded in cutting in and blocking their view. Very few, if any, give thought to carnival's rebellious teenage years.
In the 1980s, the Belize Women for Cultural Preservation was given the task of taking a group of roughly eighty dancers to showcase Belize's culture on the streets of Miami. Dressed in costumes portraying the wildlife of the rainforest, Belize's beasts met the Caribbean's beauties. This affair became a turning point in Belize's carnival history.

Like true adolescents, the dancers returned to Belize demanding why. Why did they have to wear those wretched long skirts? Why couldn't they get costumes that kept them cool in ninety-degree weather? Why did they have to attend those two-hour long practices to learn synchronized dance steps? Why couldn't they just show up on the day of the carnival and dance their hearts out? And why, for heaven's sake, couldn't they have hip names like Gem or Cultural Heritage or C-JAMM? When the parents stopped frowning, they adopted the five-letter acronym and revisited the costume designs. In subsequent years, carnival entered a metamorphic phase. Costume bottoms shortened from the modest ankle-length to conservative knee-length to the provocative bikini-length.

Clearly influenced by carnival in the Caribbean, carnival in Belize is an engaging experience in music, dance, and costumes. It is here that the resemblance ends because carnival in Belize has evolved into its own. An absence of the million-dollar machinery that drives the most famous Caribbean carnivals has left Belizeans with no option but to use head and heart to power the carnival engine.

It is a determination whose embers are fanned inside buildings called camps, months in anticipation of the actual event and far from the eyes of the embracing community that comes out to share in its success. Drawing on such inspiration as history, culture, and nationalism, the groups raise funds, design and make costumes and mobilize the business community to pull off the best free and most anticipated cultural production in Belize. Today that show continues to emerge each year. As a result, carnival in Belize has grown up, giving birth to her own offspring.

Carnival in the northernmost town of Corozal is reminiscent of its earlier days in Belize City. Adults make costumes, host practices and organize the road march while children and teenagers are the dancing stars. Since participating groups represent the various elementary and secondary schools in the district, the carnival itself has been made into an educational experience. While floats and costumes depict the Maya, Mestizo, Garifuna, Chinese, East Indian, Creole and Mennonite cultures, this educational focus does not take away from the festive mood. From Santa Rita Hill to Corozal Bay, carnival in Corozal Town is one non-stop jam session.
In neighboring Orange Walk (a.k.a. Sugar City), the ten member committee of the Orange Walk Carnival Group has followed in the footsteps of the Belize Women for Cultural Preservation. Though it cannot accept credit for starting carnival, the committee, including coordinator Flavia Burgos and Production team (Minioli Alonzo, Lupe Salas and Tiburcio Hernandez), has catalyzed the carnival experience in Orange Walk Town. The majorettes and marching bands are still present as they have been since anyone in Orange Walk can remember carnival, but this group has added a new ingredient.

Focused on building and maintaining cultural awareness, the group conducts extensive research to recreate for the performers and audience the connection to their heritage. At the end of each carnival they store the costumes and floats, thus building a visual archive of carnival and of the cultures they have showcased. For them, carnival is not merely limited to the street parade; carnival is an opportunity to learn and pass on traditions. Since this new flavor was added to the pot last year, the group has been spotlighting their Mestizo and Maya culture on the streets of Orange Walk. Judging from the increasing popularity of Orange Walk carnival, the "Latin" flavor has certainly caught Belize's attention.

Whether you choose the Corozal, Orange Walk, or Belize City experience, Carnival is about letting go of your inhibitions. From a distance it looks like a frenzy of colors spurred to movement by towers of speakers pumping out lively soca beats. From the sidelines it becomes a revelry of brightly colored costumes moving with the gyrating seemingly possessed bodies that inhabit them. The jerky, rotating, and trembling dance movements are further accentuated by swaying beads, shimmering materials, and feathered projections adorning the costumes. The masqueraders dance themselves into a high that feeds on itself like an insatiable cycle, keeping fatigue at bay in a move to outbid itself. The soundtrack is hype, energetic, persuading all within earshot to "jump", "mash it up", "raise yu hand", "wine yu waist", "tremble it", and any combination thereof. In response arms flail, feet kick, lifting bodies off the ground, bodies shiver, faces contort and butts jiggle in synchronized motion giving way to cathartic relief reminiscent of some physiological functions. If this sounds unreal to you, come experience it for yourself!

A MESSAGE TO STUDENTS AS THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR GETS UNDERWAY

Most of you have now been back at school for two weeks and by now are settling in to the new school year, new teachers, new subjects and new friends. ALL NEW!!! Wow!! What an exceptional year it can turn out to be.

Yes, I said IT CAN TURN OUT TO BE.

Why did Ms. B say that you may be wondering. Well, as time and space has shown us over the years people are prone to doing things and saying things that can affect their lives even though they are not sure at the moment it occurs why it did. What is my point then? What am I writing about today?

TODAY IS SPECIAL. TODAY IT THE DAY YOU WILL SET NEW GOALS. TODAY IS THE DAY YOU WILL LISTEN TO YOUR TEACHERS. TODAY IS THE BEGINNING OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. TODAY YOU WILL MAKE THE CHOICE OR CHOICES THAT WILL AFFECT YOU FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. Now that is a big step. That is the big FOOT FORWARD!!!

So, are you ready to make that POSITIVE step in the RIGHT DIRECTION.

THINK: EDUCATION IS THE KEY THAT WILL OPEN EVERY DOOR FOR ME!!!

WELCOME TO THE 2008 – 2009 SCHOOL YEAR!!! WELCOME TO LEARNING. WELCOME TO ALL STUDENTS AND TEACHERS OF THIS BEAUTIFUL WORLD. TO THOSE OF YOU WHOM I HAVE TAUGHT, I WISH YOU WELL THIS YEAR. TO THOSE OF YOU I KNOW BUT DID NOT HAVE THE PLAESURE OF TEACHING I WISH YOU THE SAME: HAVE A GREAT TIME IN SCHOOL. TO THOSE OF YOU I DO NOT KNOW BUT WHO SEEK KNOWLEDGE: GO FOR IT OPEN MINDED AND OPEN HEARTED. HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOMS.

Man´s desire for success must not come at the price of failure but at the glory of knowledge!!! (Brenda A. Ysaguirre)