Weekly Bilingual News

Dear Friends:

Hello! Welcome to the third online communication of the Spanish-English Club of March 2011.Through this Weekly Bilingual News you can learn about what was happening during the last few days in the perspective of our comments posted in blogs of important online publications. The Vocabulary included will help you in the bilingual debate.

PUNISHING LIBYAN REGIME – Wall Street Journal story: "Allies Press Libya Attacks" (March 20, 2011). This article talks about the attack of an international coalition against the Libyan regime of Gadhafi. On March 19, France, United Kingdom, United States and other countries launched the operation Odyssey Dawn to hit the air defenses of Libya.

WSJ Journal Comment: " Sometimes thousands rockets are not enough to kill a clever fox in a foggy wood. Will the allies target well or will they expend all their bullets for nothing?"

LATIN AMERICAN TOUR – The Washington Post story: "Amid Japan and Libya crises, Obama heads to Brazil for five-day Latin America" (March 20, 2011). This article comments on the trip of President Obama to Brazil, Chile and El Salvador.

The Washington Post Member Comment: "We think the President Obama didn't take a good step in his first trip to Latin America, excluding Argentina and Peru from his itinerary. If the White House wants to recreate good relationships with South America, due to historical, political and economic reasons, it has to put all the same level including Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Peru. South American countries are very sensitive to these details."

MENTHOL CIGARETTES – WSJ – Journal Community question: "Should menthol cigarettes be banned by the FDA?" (March 19, 2011). Wall Street Journal posted a poll about a study of FDA that said menthol-flavored cigarettes account for about 30% of total cigarette sales in the U.S. and are favored by adolescents and African-Americans over non-menthol cigarettes. The panel was concerned that youth who smoke menthol-flavored cigarettes are more likely to become regular smokers than those who smoke non-menthol cigarettes.

Journal Community Answer: "From my point of view, before banning something, we have to educate the users about the consequences (the pros and cons). It is ironic that in our western world, first we accept every thing that anybody introduces in the consumer market. And after that, we ban the same things because we think they are bad for the others. We are not God, decreeing what is "a mortal sin", is not our job."

EMERGENCIES FOR DISASTERS – WSJ – Journal Community question: "In light of the Japanese earthquake, tsunami and nuclear threat, what kind of disaster planning have you done? Is your home stockpiled with supplies? Have you discussed emergencies with your family? "(March 17, 2011). The Journal Community shares the concerns of people about new natural disasters.

Journal Community Answer: "You always have to prevent possible disasters, but depending on the place where you live, the risks will be different and the emergency plans will change. We don't have to panic due to the Japanese earthquake."

DOUBLE-DIP RECESSION: WSJ – Journal Community question: "Between an expected rise in energy prices and the impact of Japan's earthquake, are we headed for a double-dip recession?" (March 16, 2011). A global market sell-off started in Tokyo and continued in New York as Japan's nuclear crisis deepened and worries escalated over the human and economic toll of the earthquake.

Journal Community Answer: "Till now it is very early to determine what will be the reactions of the Japanese economy after their tragedy. Nobody has to push up energy prices and spread rumors about recession. Every time something happens, the speculators want to win thanks to the confusion of the markets."

The main indexes of Wall Street closed the week in the negative territory. Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 185.88 points or 1.54% to 11858.52. Nasdaq Composite dropped 71.94 points or 2.65% in the same period, to close at 2643.67. Both indexes suffered bigger falls.

In summary, during the last few days, the Japanese tragedy and the potential accidents of other nuclear power plants dominated the headlines worldwide. Meanwhile, American and Japanese officials offered sharply different assessments about the situation at the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant.

On Friday, March 18, the United Nations cleared the way for an international military action against the Libyan regime, after declared the no-fly zone in Libya. The UN resolution came after the Gadhafi's forces recovered the control of majority of cities in the hands of the rebels and the dictator promised a bloody end for the enemies of the regime.

During the weekend, US invited to international journalists to the amphibious assault ship USS KEARSARGE(LHD 3) to observe the start of the operations of the Odyssey Dawn. Now this ship of the US Navy is located in the Mediterranean Sea, near the costs of Libya.

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:

- air defenses = defensas aéreas

- ally, allies = aliado, aliados

- amphibious = anfibio
- Argentina, Argentinian = Argentina, argentino, argentina
- assault = asalto

- ban = prohibir, prohibición
- Brazil, Brazilean = Brasil, brasileño, brasileña 
- bullets = balas
- Chile, Chilean = Chile, chileno, chilena
- coalition = coalición

- commander = comandante

- crisis, crises = crisis, crisis
- El Salvador, Salvadorian = El Salvador, salvadoreño, salvadoreña
- embarkation = embarco, embarque

- foggy = brumoso, con niebla

- fox = zorro
- hit = golpear, destruir
- landing = desembarco 
- menthol = mentol
- Peru, Peruvian = Perú, peruano, peruana
- recession = recesión
- rockets = cohetes 

- ship = barco, buque
- South America, South American =  Sudamérica, América del Sur, sudamericano, sudamericana 
- target = blanco
- wood = bosque (Other translation in Spanish: madera)

MEMBERS AND LIBRARY CORNER

Thanks to Anne, Bob, Erika, John, Mary, Steven, and Suzanne for your messages about the previous Weekly Bilingual News.

"USS KEARSARGE (LHD 3) is the fourth ship in the history of the U.S. Navy named for Kearsarge Mountain in New Hampshire. USS KEARSARGE is the third ship of the Wasp class multipurpose amphibious assault ships. Her primary mission is the embarkation, deployment, landing and support of a Marine landing force."

"USS KEARSARGE has been awarded the Golden Anchor for Retention Excellence, the 2008 Battenberg Cup Award, the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award, Ronald Reagan Distinguished Service Award, the CNO Environmental Safety Award, the Admiral Flatley Memorial Award, Department of Energy / Department of the Navy Energy Efficient Awards, the Chief of Naval Operations Safety."
(The information and photo of the USS KEARSARGE (LHD 3) was provided as public service by the U.S. Commander, Naval Surface Force, Atlantic.)