Weekly Bilingual News - Special Edition

Dear Friends:

Hello! Welcome to a special online communication of the Spanish-English Club with several comments we posted in different online publications during the last few days.

Due to professional compromises and personal requirements, we don't have enough time to write the normal Weekly Bilingual News, but here you have interesting subjects for your debate and bilingual conversation. The Vocabulary included will help you.

WSJ Washington Wire: Via Twitter: Obama's Holiday Reading (President Obama is reading about Ronald Reagan), (Dec. 25, 2010)
Blog Comment: Maybe President Obama needs a special inspiration to address his next two years as president with the pragmatism of Ronald Reagan. Domingo A. Trassens

WSJ Real Times Economics: Outsize Importance of Holidays for Retailers (2010 Christmas shopping), (Dec. 25, 2010)
Blog Comment: In an economy struggling to survive, we have other priorities different fromTV panels, computers, and other electronic devices. Best Buy has to redefine its forecasts according to the reality. Domingo A. Trassens

PBS NEWSHOUR: Shields and Gerson on Obama's Gains, New Political Realities (Political analysis of the last week), (Dec. 24, 2010)
Members Blog: After weeks in free fall, today you showed President Obama gained in important battles. Are these victories the beginning of a realistic era of the White House administration or only some Christmas gifts? Domingo A. Trassens. 2 Recommendations

PBS NEWSHOUR: Violence Against Iraqi Christians Escalates. (Christmas in Iraq), (Dec. 24, 2010)
Members Blog: The persecution against the Iraqi Christians reminds me of the Roman Catacombs in the beginning of Christianity. The current religious intolerance of Iraq shows a violent backward movement from Saddam's times. Domingo A. Trassens. 3 Recommendations

WSJ Story: Parcel Bombs Target Embassies in Rome (Terrorism bombing in the embassies of Switzerland and Chile in Italy), (Dec. 23, 2010)
Journal Community Comment: I don't know if Switzerland and Chile have a lot in common, but Rome like London, Madrid, New York, and Moscow are very good windows to show how terrorism enjoy sacrificing innocent people everywhere. Domingo A. Trassens. 7 Recommendations

WSJ Story: Fortifying Phones From Attackers (Verizon and AT&T plan to protect smart-phones users), (Dec. 22, 2010)
Journal Community Comment: Telecommunication carriers have the OBLIGATION to protect consumers and companies whom embrace smart-phones. If they don't work fast and efficiently the smart-phones will lose value and nobody will believe in the benefits of their technology. These devices will only become luxury game machines. Domingo A. Trassens. 2 Recommendations

All the best,

Domingo

Domingo A. Trassens
Spanish-English Club
Electronic mail: domingo.trassens@gmail.com
URL: http://spaengclub.blogspot.com/

Questions - Preguntas:

1) From your point of view, what was the worst news 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:

- backward movement = movimiento hacia atrás
- catacombs = catacumbas
- Christianity = cristianismo
- due to = debido a 
- embrace = adoptar
- forecast = pronóstico
- gift = regalo, presente
- in free fall = en caída libre
- innocent = inocente
- intolerance = intolerancia
- luxury = lujo
- parcel = paquete
- persecution = persecución
- reading = lectura
- realistic = realista
- sacrificing = sacrificando
- struggling = luchando 
- survive = sobrevivir

MEMBERS AND LIBRARY CORNER

Thanks to Anne, Bob, Erika, John, Lucie, Mary and Peter for your messages.

Weekly Bilingual News - Special Edition

Dear Friends:

Merry Christmas! ¡Feliz Navidad! Today is very a special celebration with a lot of meanings in the western countries and also important for the Christian communities in the rest of the world.

Its roots came from the New Testament – Second book of the Bible - that gives the historic references of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem.

Today, Christmas is a family day when children, parents and friends exchange gifts that remind us the presents - food, clothes,...- that the small Jesus received in the birthday according to one of the Gospels written by Luke.

My best wishes of happiness for all of you in these Holidays and forever!

 ¡Mis mejores deseos de felicidad para todos ustedes en estas Fiestas y por siempre!

Domingo

Domingo A. Trassens
E-mail: domingo.trassens@gmail.com
http://spaengclub.blogspot.com/

Questions - Preguntas:

1. Could you describe your own feelings about Christmas?

1. ¿Podrían describir sus propios sentimientos acerca de Navidad?

2. What is the most important for you in these Holidays?

2. ¿Qué es lo más importante para ustedes en estas Fiestas?

3. What do you remember from the Christmas of the childhood?

3. ¿Qué recuerdan de las Navidades de la niñez?

Vocabulary - Vocabulario:

 - Bethlehem = Belén
 - Bible = Biblia
- Christian = cristiano, cristiana, cristianos, cristianas
- Gospel = Evangelio
- Jesus = Jesús
- Luke = Lucas
- meanings = significados
- New Testament = Nuevo Testamento
- roots = raíces

German Christmas: indoors all is warm, outdoors all is icy.

This year, Northern Europe is suffering a hard winter, but Christmas - a mix of religious and family celebration - always is in the heart of the Europeans with strong cultural roots .

Weekly Bilingual News - Special Edition

Dear Friends:
 
Hello! Welcome to a special online communication of the Spanish-English Club with several comments we posted on the Journal Community of the Wall Street Journal Online during the last few days.
 
Professional compromises don't give us time to write the normal Weekly Bilingual News issues. But here you have interesting subjects for your debate and bilingual conversation.
 
WSJ Story: Court Strikes at Health Law (December 13, 2010)
Comment: "How many more headaches the President Obama will suffer in the next two years? Is he in conditions to survive? "
Domingo A. Trassens
2 Recommendations
 
WSJ Story: Iran's Nuclear Chief Is Named Foreign Minister (December 13, 2010)
Comment: "Could a nuclear-chief run the office of foreign relations of a country? Strange play! In a normal country, the nuclear issues are not the main focus of the foreign relations. And the nuclear bombs are not good tools to gain friends abroad. In Iran, all is possible. "
Domingo A. Trassens
1 Recommendation
 
WSJ Story: Madoff's Son Is Found Dead in Apparent Suicide (December 12, 2010)
Comment: "Why the Bernard Madoff's elder son and not the own Bernard Madoff? Could Bernard Madoff think in a better future different to his death? "
Domingo A. Trassens
2 Recommendations
 
All the best,
 
Domingo
 
Domingo A. Trassens
Spanish-English Club
Electronic mail: domingo.trassens@gmail.com
URL: http://spaengclub.blogspot.com/



Questions - Preguntas:

1) From your point of view, what was the worst news 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:

- abroad = en el extranjero, fuera del país
- elder son = hijo mayor
- headaches = dolores de cabeza, problemas, inconvenientes
- nuclear issues = asuntos relativos a la estrategia y/o política nuclear
- possible = posible
- survive = sobrevivir 

MEMBERS AND LIBRARY CORNER

Thanks to Bev, Bob, Carl and Mary for your messages.

Weekly Bilingual News - Special Edition

Dear Friends:

During the last few weeks, special professional compromises didn't give us a moment to write the normal Weekly Bilingual News in time. Please, excuse us!

Meanwhile, we would like to share with you the last comment we posted on the Journal Community pages of the Wall Street Journal Online about the WikiLeaks case: 

Story: Hackers Strike Back to Support WikiLeaks 

Comment: As I said before in a previous comment, WikiLeaks is the start of a diabolic project that will destroy more “Walls” than the Berlin Wall, changing the political relationships of all the world, “uncovering” the secrets of the most hermetic regimes, showing the “dirty” deals among countries, and putting in difficult situations to more than one of the current leaders of the Planet. Domingo A. Trassens (Dec.8, 2010)

7 Recommendations

Regards

Domingo A. Trassens
Spanish-English Club
December 8, 2010