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.