Dear Friends:
Hello! Welcome to a new edition of Weekly Bilingual News, the online communication of the Spanish-English Club!
The current issue continues with the style we began to outline in the previous Weekly Bilingual News, focusing key issues through several comments we posted in important online publications during the last few days. All are interesting subjects for your debate and bilingual conversation. The Vocabulary included will help you.
STATUE TO HONOR BILL CLINTON - WSJ Journal Community: Giant statue of Bill Clinton in New York for three-year anniversary of Kosovo's independent. (Jan. 21, 2011) The Journal Community is asking to its members their opinion about a sculpture artist who wants to honor the former two-term U.S. President.
WSJ Journal Community Comment: "When somebody talks to me about a sculpture for someone who is alive, I am reminded by my teacher's explanation in the primary school about statues are to honor heroes, leaders, politicians and other figures, who are dead, after they made important contributions for the best of the nation or the humanity. Former President Bill Clinton is alive and still very active. I don't understand why an artist wants to freeze his figure in a sculpture at this moment despite Kosovo, Haiti or other issues." Domingo A. Trassens.
NEW ECONOMIC WINDS - PBS NewsHour Analysis: Obama Presses for an Economy in "Overdrive". (Jan. 21, 2011) This article analyzes some initiatives of President Obama to reactive the economy of the country. On Friday, he named General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt to lead a panel on job creation and economic competitiveness.
PBS Member Comment: "Today, there is not room for ideologies and dreams. It is time to address the country with pragmatism. President Obama has to take the economy with his both hands, very carefully and responsible… The ECONOMY is first priority in running a lot of other political issues in the right way." Domingo A. Trassens
WSJ Journal Community Comment: "I have my doubts Larry Page will make a better job than Eric Schmidt as CEO of Google. Larry has a very good professional background but he never ran a complex company like Google is today. Before Google, Schmidt was chairman and CEO of Novell and important executive of Sun Microsystems during the golden era of this computer company. Today Google needs a strong management experience and a very balanced helm. Can Page handle these responsibilities? We don't know." Domingo A. Trassens, 3 Recommendations.
CHINESE FRIENDSHIP - WSJ Article: Rivals Seek New Balance. (Jan. 19, 2011) This article comments on the summit between President Obama and Chinese President Hu Hintao at the White House, in Washington DC.
WSJ Journal Community Comment: "It is very difficult to see the visit of Mr. Hu Hintao like other White House's visitors because the US-Chinese relationships in the last year were hurt by different issues that showed disagreements from both parties. Despite it all, we have to make our differences in a polite way trying to ensure the visit ends with some positive results." Domingo A. Trassens, 1 Recommendation.
APPLE VULNERABILITY - WSJ Journal Community Question: Can Apple succeed without Steve Jobs at the helm? (Jan. 19, 2011) The Journal Community commented CEO Steve Jobs is taking a new medical leave for his cancer problems. Jobs is like a hero for the Apple's fans because his innovative ideas changed the technology industry during the last decade.
WSJ Journal Community Comment: " In the previous medical leave of Steve Jobs, Apple Computer worked very well showing maturity as a company and discipline in its plans and executions. I think the current conditions are better than before. Apple can go beyond its visionary leader. Don't worry!" Domingo A. Trassens, 1 Recommendation.
The main indexes of Wall Street closed the week with mixed results. Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 84.46 points or 0.72% to 11871.84. Nasdaq Composite declined 65.76 points, or 2.39% in the same period, to close at 2689.84.
In summary, the week was very intense in the political and business arenas. First, the visit of the Chinese President Hu Jintao to Washington generated important analysis of the relationships between the Big Asian Dragon and the United States. After that, the press followed the first signs President Obama plans new efforts to reactive the economy. Also two leading technology companies – Apple and Google - shared the headlines of the papers with crucial decisions that can shake their respective futures. Apple today is the second more valuable company in the US economy after Exxon and before Microsoft.
Best regards,
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 week?
1) Desde vuestro punto de vista, ¿cuál fue la peor noticia de la semana?
2) And what was the best news from the week?
2) ¿Y cuál fue la mejor noticia de la semana?
Vocabulary - Vocabulario:
- alive = vivo
- analysis = análisis
- analyze, analyzing = analizar, analizando
- artist = artista
- balanced = balanceado, equilibrado
- beyond = más allá de
- crucial = decisivo, crucial
- dead = muerto
- doubts = dudas
- dragon = dragón
- ensure = asegurar
- execution = ejecución, realización
- fans = fanáticos
- freeze = congelar, helar, convertir un una barra de hielo o de materia
- golden = dorada
- handle = manejar
- helm = timón
- hurt = hacer daño, dañar, lastimar
- medical leave = licencia médica, licencia por enfermedad, licencia por problemas de salud
- panel = panel (In Spanish the accent syllable is "nel". It is the same word than in English but with a different pronunciation).
- parties = partidos
- pragmatism = pragmatismo
- replacement = reemplazo, cambio
- room = espacio
- sculpture = escultura
- shake, shaking, shook = sacudir, sacudiendo, sacudió
- signs = señales, rastros
- statue = estatua
- summit = cumbre
- visit = visita
MEMBERS AND LIBRARY CORNER
Thanks to Bill, Bob, Carol, Erika, George, Mary, Peter, Suzanne for your messages.
Jobless pragmatism: Ask for food, eat
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