Sunday, March 14, 2010

Sunday Bilingual News



Dear Friends:
Hello! Welcome to a new issue of Sunday Bilingual News of March! The last few days came with a mix of news, something very interesting to practice English and Spanish with different subjects:

¡Hola! ¡Bienvenidos a nuevo número del Sunday Bilingual News de marzo! Los últimos días llegaron con una mezcla de noticias, algo muy interesante para la práctica del inglés y el español con diferentes temas:

- Iraq’s parliamentary elections. Authorities said 62.9% of Iraq’s 19 million eligible voters participated in Sunday’s elections. American General Odierno, responsible for the allied troops in this country said: “People of Iraq Have Embraced Democracy.”

- Elecciones parlamentarias en Iraq (o Irak). Las autoridades dijeron que el 62,90% de los 19 millones de votantes registrados de Iraq participaron de las elecciones del domingo. El General Americano Odierno, responsable de las tropas aliadas en este país dijo: “La gente de Iraq abrazó la democracia.”.

- New Nigerian sectarian massacre in the conflict between Muslims and Christians. Days ago, armed groups attacked Christian villages during the night killing a lot of women and children when all the population was sleeping.

- Nueva masacre sectaria nigeriana en el conflicto entre musulmanes y cristianos. Días atrás, grupos armados atacaron aldeas cristianas durante la noche matando a muchas mujeres y niños cuando toda la población estaba durmiendo.

- New government in Chile two weeks after the earthquake. The elected president Sebastian Piñera assumed the administration of the country from the Casa de la Moneda, Santiago de Chile.

- Nuevo gobierno en Chile dos semanas después del terremoto. El presidente electo Sebastián Piñera asumió la administración del país desde la Casa de la Moneda, en Santiago de Chile.

- Middle East tensions over the Jewish new settlements in East Jerusalem. The news about the settlements came when Vice President Joe Biden was visiting Israel and Palestine in a new American effort to build peaceful relationships between the neighboring countries.

- Tensiones en Medio Oriente por los nuevos asentamientos judíos en el este de Jerusalén. La noticia sobre los asentamientos llegó cuando el Vicepresidente Joe Biden estaba visitando Israel y Palestina en un nuevo esfuerzo americano para cimentar relaciones pacíficas entre los dos países vecinos.

- White House in campaign. President Obama delayed his trip to Indonesia and Australia in order to follow the ongoing negotiations to pass the health care bill.

- La Casa Blanca en campaña. El Presidente Obama postergó su viaje a Indonesia y Australia en orden de seguir las continuas negociaciones para pasar el proyecto de ley de salud.

- Supreme Court versus White House. The rift between White House and the Supreme Court over President Obama’s State of the Union opened a big question mark about the crisis of the institutions. During the week, Chief Justice John Roberts at a University of Alabama event showed his disappointment that the President criticized the Supreme Court in his speech in front of Congress including members of this independent power of the Government.

- La Suprema Corte contra la Casa Blanca. La desavenencia entre la Casa Blanca y la Suprema Corte relacionado con el discurso del Estado de la Unión del Presidente Obama abrió un gran interrogante acerca de la crisis de las instituciones. Durante la semana, el Juez que preside la Corte Suprema, John Roberts, en un evento en la Universidad de Alabama, mostró disgusto porque el Presidente criticó a la Corte Suprema en una conferencia frente al Congreso y delante de los miembros de este poder independiente del Gobierno.

- Apple said all is ready to introduce iPad in the domestic and international markets during April. You can place orders online beginning last week. But some customers have fears to buy the first digital tablets that come from the factory.

- Apple dijo que todo está listo para introducir el iPad en los mercados internos e internacionales durante abril. Ustedes pueden poner órdenes de compra en línea comenzando desde la semana pasada. Pero algunos clientes tienen miedo de comprar los primeros tableros digitales que lleguen de fábrica.

- Wall Street’s indexes closed in positive territory from the results of a week ago, but with small advances. Dow Jones Industrials Average ended the Friday session at 10624.69 points. During the last five days of operations, it gained 58.49, or 0.55%. Meanwhile, Nasdaq Composite rose 41.31 points, or 1.78%, in the same period to close at 2367.66. Additionally, S&P 500 gained 0.99% and NYSE went up 0.98% both compared with their respective variations of a week ago.

- Los índices de Wall Street cerraron en territorio positivo respecto de los resultados de una semana atrás, pero sus avances fueron pequeños. Dow Jones Industrials Average finalizó la sesión del viernes en 10.624,29 puntos. Durante los cinco días de operaciones ganó 58,49, o sea 0,55%. Mientras tanto, Nasdaq Composite ascendió 41,31 puntos, o sea 1,78%, en el mismo período, para cerrar en 2367,66. Adicionalmente, S&P 500 ganó 0,99% y NYSE fue hacia arriba en 0,98%, ambos comparados con sus respectivas variaciones de una semana atrás.

From your point of view: What was the most important subject of the last few days? What is your opinion and arguments?

Desde vuestro punto de vista: ¿Cuál fue el tema más importante de los últimos días? ¿Cuál es vuestra opinión y argumentos?

We think all the news we have referenced before are important. But we feel the obligation to make special remarks about the latest news from Chile, the South American country that occupies a long, narrow strip between Andes Mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Also it borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast and Argentina to the east.

Nosotros pensamos que todas las noticias que hemos referenciado antes son importantes. Pero nos sentimos en la obligación de hacer un comentario espacial acerca de las últimas noticias de Chile, país sudamericano que ocupa una larga y angosta franja de tierra entre la Cordillera de los Andes por el este y el Océano Pacífico por el oeste. Además tiene bordes con Perú por el norte, Bolivia por el noreste y Argentina por el este.

Today Chile has approximately 16 million 8 thousand inhabitants who live in 756,945 square kilometers (302,778 square miles). It is a very important producer of copper, fruits, fish, seafood and wood products.

Hoy Chile tiene aproximadamente 16 millones 800 mil habitantes que vienen en 756.945 kilómetros cuadrados (302.778 millas cuadradas). Es un muy importante productor de cobre, frutas, pescado, mariscos y productos de madera.

South America: Chile in the News
América del Sur: Chile en las noticias

Even now the shaking of the latest earthquake in American territory continues in the headlines of the paper and TV, Chile again shocked external observers of the world with the news that it has a new president, the first elected right-wing leader in 50 years after Michelle Bachelet, with strong socialist roots, ended her cycle last Thursday. On March 11, Sebastián Piñera, a billionaire businessman and former Chilean senator, assumed as the new president of the Republic of Chile.

Aún ahora que las sacudidas del ultimo terremoto en territorio americano continúan en los titulares de los diarios y la televisión, Chile nuevamente conmovió a los observadores externos del mundo con la noticias que tiene un nuevo presidente, el primer líder de derecha elegido en 50 años después que Michelle Bachelet, con fuertes raíces socialistas, terminó su ciclo el pasado jueves. El 11 de marzo, Sebastián Piñera, un hombre de negocios multimillonario y ex-senador chileno, asumió como el nuevo presidente de la República de Chile.

In times when the majority of the government leaders of the continent are left-wing leaders and after José Alberto Mujica Cordano, former-Tupamaros terrorist, assumed as president of Uruguay on March 1st, the change that Sebastián Piñera implies in the government of Chile is a reasonable motif of surprise.

En tiempos cuando la mayoría de los líderes de gobierno del continente son líderes de izquierda y después que José Alberto Mujica Cornado, ex-terrorista Tupamaro asumiera como presidente de Uruguay el 1ero de marzo, el cambio que Sebastián Piñera implica en el gobierno de Chile es un razonable motivo de sopresa.

Nevertheless, all who studied the history of the continent know the different territories that today are South America, before and after Spain and Portugal conquered them, were not nations that lived as peaceable countries. A lot of wars bled whole civilizations and nations during hundreds of years also decimated by internal quarrels of brothers and opposed political principles.

Sin embargo, todos aquellos que han estudiado la historia del continente conocen que los diferentes territorios de lo que hoy es América del Sur, antes y después que España y Portugal los conquistarán, no fueron naciones que vivieron como pacíficos países. Muchas guerras desangraron completas civilizaciones y naciones durante cientos de años, también diezmando por las internas rencillas de hermanos y de opuestos principios políticos.

For example, the Araucanians, natives who lived across the current Chilean territory, put up strong resistance against Pedro de Valdivia, Spanish conqueror who founded the city of Santiago de Chile. Elsewhere, long years after the Spanish troops were defeated during the Independence War, in Paraguay, the conflict among Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil against the Paraguayan regime of General Francisco Solano Lopez was a devastating war that ended with a complete generation of lost men because no man in condition to fight returned from the battle when the south-tropical country resulting in only debris, desolation and corpses.

Por ejemplo, los araucanos, nativos que vivieron a través del territorio actual chileno, pusieron fuerte resistencia contra Pedro de Valdivia, el conquistador español que fundó la ciudad de Santiago de Chile. En otra parte, muchos años después que las tropas españolas fueron derrotadas durante la Guerra de la Independencia, en Paraguay, le conflicto entre Argentina, Uruguay y Brasil contra el régimen paraguayo del General Francisco Solano López fue una guerra devastadora que terminó con una completa generación de los últimos hombres porque no hombre en condiciones de luchar retornó de la batalla cuando el país subtropical concluyó solamente en escombros, desolación y cadáveres.

Based on these historic roots, it is not strange that till now the political geography of South America shows diverse leaderships from extreme conservative groups to also former terrorist combatants and periodically changes from one side to the other of the political scenario.

En base a estas raíces históricas, no es extraño que aún hasta ahora la geografía política de América del Sur muestre diversos liderazgos desde grupos conservadores extremos hasta ex combatientes terroristas, y periódicamente con cambios de un lado al otro del escenario político.

In particular, in the Chilean case, after the suicide of the socialist president Salvador Allende and the long military regime in the hands of General Augusto Pinochet, this country found its way to make social and conservative revolutions in peace. For this reason, despite the new president representing very different ideological ideas that the previous one followed, nobody who knows the Chilean evolution of the last decades feel fear thinking about political purges that a lot of other countries in the continent continue living through when the governments change.

En particular, en el caso chileno, después del suicidio del presidente socialista Salvador Allende y del largo régimen militar en las manos del General Augusto Pinochet, este país encontró la manera de hacer revoluciones sociales y conservadoras en paz. Por esta razón, a pesar que el nuevo presidente representa diferentes ideologías que el previo que sucedió, nadie que conoce la evolución chilena de las últimas décadas tiene miedo pensando en purgas políticas como muchos otros países del continente continúan viviendo con los cambios de gobiernos.

In summary, it is probable the passage from the former president Michelle Bachelet to Sebastian Piñera would be a new lesson in democracy for all the brothers of South America and for other countries in the world that can never accept working together between opposing politicians and leaders.

En resumen, es probable que el pasaje de la ex presidente Michelle Bachelet a Sebastian Piñera sea una nueva lección de democracia para todos los hermanos de América del Sur y para otros países del mundo que nunca aceptan trabajar juntos entre políticos y líderes opositores.

Have a nice week!

Domingo

Dr. Domingo A. Trassens
My virtual doors always are opened for you at my e-mail:
trassens-domingo.alberto@att.net
And through the virtual address of the Club
http://spaengclub.blogspot.com

Questions - Preguntas:

1. From your point of view: What was the worst subject for the last week?
1. Desde vuestro punto de vista, ¿cuál fue la peor noticia de la última semana?
2. And what was the best news from the last week?
2. ¿Y cuál fue la mejor noticia de la última semana?

Vocabulary - Vocabulario:

- allied = aliado, aliada
- armed = armado, armados
- devastating = devastador, devastadora
- embrace = abrazar, adoptar, adherirse, abrazo
- factory = fábrica
- massacre = masacre
- native = nativo
- rift = desavenencia
- settlement = pueblo, asentamiento
- strip = franja, franja de tierra
- tablet = tablero
- village = aldea
- war = guerra

- Araucanians =
araucanos
- Argentina = Argentina
- Chile = Chile
- Bolivia = Bolivia
- Brazil = Brasil
- Iraq = Iraq, Irak
- Israel = Israel
- Jerusalem = Jerusalén
- Muslim = musulmán, musulmana, musulmanes, musulmanas
- Nigerian = nigeriano, nigeriana, nigerianos, nigerianas
- Palestine = Palestina
- Paraguay = Paraguay
- Peru = Perú
- South America = América del Sur, Sudamérica
- South American = sudamericano
- Uruguay = Uruguay

Explanation - Aclaración:

- La Casa de la Moneda in Santiago de Chile is the “White House” of the president of the Republic of Chile.
- Araucanians (araucanos) were one of the indigenous inhabitants of Central and Southern Chile and Southern Argentina were the Spanish conquerors arrived to South America. They also were known like Mapuches.

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MEMBERS AND LIBRARY CORNER

Thanks Arthur, Bev, Bob, Carl, Don, Erika, Fred, George, Jim, John, Jonathan, Joseph, Judy, Lora, Marc, Marcelo, Patty, Pierre, Rich, Stephanie, Stephen, and Suzanne for your comments and interaction.

This is the Chilean territory today (by courtesy of US Department of State).


20 comments:

Anne said...

For me, all your comments about the history of South America are new. We never studied about Chile, Paraguay and the other countries. Thank you, Anne

Judy said...

Always, I like to read news from Chile. When I was a child I traveled to Santiago with my father. He was a businesman. Today the Chilean economy looks strong. Judy

Mary said...

Your historic analysis about the politics across South America is very good, but till now I don't understand the current role of Brazil in the continent because Brazil is not hispanic. Its roots came from Portugal. Mary

Erika said...

Before I read your analysis, I was thinking all Latin American countries have similar features. Erika

Marc said...

I never studied the history of South America in details and the implications of its historic roots in the current politics of the countries of this continent. For me all your explanation and comments are new. Marc

Stephen said...

Maybe I don't know all the details of the current politics in Latin America, but I read a lot about the historic roots of countries like Peru, Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil. I agree the history is important to understand the current issues of a country or continent. Stephen

Pierre said...

The first time I really paid attention about Chile was when the international press commented all the people who was tortured during his regime. Pierre

Frank said...

I knew about Chile during the Pinochet's regime but for another reason Pierre explained before. General Pinochet had a lot of problems with the neighbor countries. In that moment, Chile was near to enter in war with Argentina. Frank

Marcelo said...

In Mexico we studied about Chile, but I don't remember nothing. En Mexico estudiamos sobre Chile pero yo no recuerdo nada. Marcelo

Suzanne said...

I know about Chile for the poems of Pablo Neruda. I never studied its history. Suzanne

John said...

I always read international news but the information from South America in the papers is short. In the last days, the media talked about Chile a lot for the earthquake. It is not frequently. John

Paul said...

I studied the economy of South America and I know Chile is a very important producer of copper, but I don't know about its history. Paul

Jim said...

Chile gained bad reputation during the regime of General Pinochet because a lot of people was tortured including persons from foreign countries. Jim

Sue said...

Other subject: For me, it is bad the President attacked the Supreme Court in public. Sue

Fred said...

About the conflict between White House and the Supreme Court, I think the best is both independent powers of the government solve their differences in privace. Fred

Dan said...

Another news of the previous week: Israel's settlements in East Jerusalem. I don't understand the politicians. They talk about peace but they create the conditions to new conflicts. Dan

Donna said...

Again, Chile's subject. I believe we have to put more interest to improve our relationships with South American countries. They are our brothers. De nuevo, el tema de Chile. Yo creo que nosotros tenemos que poner mas interes en procura de mejorar nuestras relaciones con los paises sudamericanos. Ellos son nuestros hermanos. Donna

Jenny said...

To improve the relationships with South America, we have to understand better the culture of these countries. Jenny

Lora said...

Every time we want to deal with others in the good sense, we need to know something aobut their ways of thinking...For this reason, if we want to be the friends of South American countries we have to know more about them...Lora

Carol said...

I traveled to the south of South America as tourist and I visited the lakes of Andes's region. All is beautiful and friendly there. I didn't read about the history of these countries. Viaje al sur de America del Sur como turista y visite la region de los lagos de los Andes. Todo es hermoso y amigable alli. Nunca lei sobre la historia de estos paises. Carol